in some other
way--but threatening that, if they allowed that term to pass over without
repentance, they should be dealt with according to the utmost rigor of
the law. Many ran to the convent of St. Paul, hoping to merit some small
measure of indulgence. But the inquisitors would not absolve them until
they had disclosed the names, calling, residence, and given a description
of all others whom they had seen, heard, or understood to have
apostatized in like manner. After getting this information, they bound
the terrified informers to secrecy. This first object being accomplished,
they sent out a third monition, requiring all who knew any that had
apostatized into the Jewish heresy to inform against them within six
days, under the usual penalties. But they had already marked the very
men; and those suspected converts suddenly saw the apparitors inside
their houses, and were dragged away to the dungeons. New Christians who
had preserved any of the familiar usages of their forefathers, such as
putting on clean clothes on Saturday, who stripped the fat from beef or
mutton, who killed poultry with a sharp knife, covered the blood, and
muttered a few Hebrew words, who had eaten flesh in Lent, blessed their
children, laying hands on their heads, who observed any peculiarity of
diet or distinction of feast or fast, mourned for the dead after their
ancient manner, or whose friends had presumed to turn the face toward a
wall when in the agony of death, all such being vehemently suspected of
apostasy, were to be punished accordingly. Thirty-six elaborate articles
were furnished whereby everyone was instructed how to ensnare his
neighbor.

But what shall we say of a faith that could only hope to be kept alive
in the world by the extinction of charity, honor, pity, and humanity?
Llorente describes the immediate issue:

"Such opportune measures for multiplying victims could not but produce
the desired effect. Hence, on January 6, 1481, there were burned six
unhappy persons; sixteen on March 26th; many on April 21st; and by
November 4th, two hundred ninety-eight in all. Besides these, the
inquisitors condemned seventy-nine to perpetual imprisonment. And all
this in the city of Seville only; since, as regards the territories of
this archbishopric and of the bishopric of Cadiz, Juan de Mariana says
that, in the single year of 1481, two thousand Judaizers were burned in
person, and very many in effigy, of whom the number is not known, b