ted with some others nominated by the Pope; or that the King
should name all, and the Pope confirm his nominations. The "Catholic
sovereigns" calculated that nominees of Rome would, of course, prefer the
rights of the Church to those of the crown, but they fancied, or they
wished to fancy, that priests of their own choice would prefer their
interests to those of a stranger. This was an illusion, and therefore
Rome made little difficulty; and after due correspondence, and some
changes, the Supreme Council of the Spanish Inquisition was constituted
thus:

Inquisitor-general--Friar Thomas de Torquemada, of whom Llorente says
that it was hardly possible that there could have been another man so
capable of fulfilling the intentions of King Ferdinand, by multiplying
confiscations; those of the court of Rome, by propagating their
jurisdictional and pecuniary maxims; and those of the projectors of the
Inquisition, by infusing terror into the people by public executions.

Two assessors--Juan Gutierrez de Chabes and Tristan de Medina,
jurisconsults.

Three King's counsellors--Don Alonso Carillo, a bishop-elect, with Sancho
Valasquez de Cuellar and Poncio de Valencia, doctors of civil law. In
matters relating to royal power they were to have a definite vote; but in
affairs of spiritual jurisdiction they could only be suffered to offer an
opinion, inasmuch as a spiritual power resided in the chief inquisitor
alone.

Under the jurisdiction of the supreme council were four subordinate
tribunals, and eventually several others were added, while some
inquisitors, hitherto holding special powers from the Pope, were stripped
of their independence, that the court of Rome might have one uniform
action throughout Spain. As the Holy Office advanced in labor and
experience, the supreme council was enlarged, and at last it consisted of
a president--inquisitor-general for the time being; six counsellors
with the title of apostolic; a fiscal; a secretary of the chamber;
two secretaries of the council; an alguazil-in-chief, or sheriff; one
receiver; two reporters; four apparitors; one solicitor; and as many
consulters as circumstances might require. Of course these were all
maintained in a style worthy of their office. The Inquisitor-general, or
president of the council, exerted an absolute power over every Spanish
subject, so that he almost ceased to be himself a subject. He alone
consulted with the King concerning the appointment of inquis