[4] Koran, ii., v. 258.

    [5] See Freeman’s “Saracens,” p. 230; from Malcolm’s “Persia,”
    i. p 583.

    [6] Ibid., from “Ayeen Akbery,” p. 11.

Yet far too often have portions of the Christian Church been conspicuous for intolerance rather than tolerance.  Alcuin, indeed, does say in his letter to Aquila, Bishop of Winchester, that he does not approve of punishing heresy with death, because God, by the mouth of His prophet, had said:  “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live;"[1] but Alcuin was a man of unusual mildness and sweet reasonableness, as his letters to Felix and Elipandus testify.  On the other hand, there were too many frantic bigots in the Church, like Arnold of Citeaux, whose impious words, in connection with the massacre of Albigensians, are not likely to be forgotten—­“Slay all; God will know His own.”

In fact, so opposed did the Christian spirit come to be to the Mohammedan in this respect, that their toleration was made a principal argument against the Moors by the Archbishop of Valencia in his memorial to Philip III. at the end of the sixteenth century.[2]

A very melancholy instance of bigotry and intolerance is afforded by Bernard, a French monk, who was made Archbishop of Toledo by Alfonso, on the capture of that city in 1085.  By the treaty of capitulation certain mosques had been expressly reserved to the Moslems, just in the same way as certain churches had been reserved for the Christians by Musa in 712.  But Bernard, by way of showing his zeal in the cause of God, in defiance of the king’s plighted word, chose to perform mass in the chief mosque.  Alfonso was furiously angry when he heard of his archbishop’s proceedings, but the Moslems, with wonderful forbearance, seeing that the king had not authorised Bernard’s outrageous conduct, came forward of their own accord and begged him to pardon the act, and even voluntarily surrendered their mosque.[3]

Not only were the Christians allowed to practise their religion, but even, as we have seen above, encouraged in it.[4] Almanzor, the champion of Islam, allowed his Christian servants to rest on Sundays.  Christians in every reign held high posts at court[5] and throughout the land, and not only timeserving Christians but men like Samson and Leovigild, who were known to sympathise with the party of zealots, were employed by the king to write letters to, and negotiate with, the neighbouring kings.  This was no doubt due to their general trustworthiness, their quickness, and their knowledge of Arabic as well as Latin.

    [1] Ezekiel xxxiii. 11.

    [2] Prescott, “Ferd. and Isab.,” p. 376, n.

    [3] Mariana, ix. 10.