Wolsey.—­I did not, as you, Ximenes, did, carry with me to Court the austerity of a monk; nor, if I had done so, could I possibly have gained any influence there.  Isabella and Henry were different characters, and their favour was to be sought in different ways.  By making myself agreeable to the latter, I so governed his passions, unruly as they were, that while I lived they did not produce any of those dreadful effects which after my death were caused by them in his family and kingdom.

Ximenes.—­If Henry VIII., your master, had been King of Castile, I would never have been drawn by him out of my cloister.  A man of virtue and spirit will not be prevailed with to go into a Court where he cannot rise without baseness.

Wolsey.—­The inflexibility of your mind had like to have ruined you in some of your measures; and the bigotry which you had derived from your long abode in a cloister, and retained when a Minister, was very near depriving the Crown of Castile of the new-conquered kingdom of Granada by the revolt of the Moors in that city, whom you had prematurely forced to change their religion.  Do you not remember how angry King Ferdinand was with you on that account?

Ximenes.—­I do, and must acknowledge that my zeal was too intemperate in all that proceeding.

Wolsey.—­My worst complaisances to King Henry VIII. were far less hurtful to England than the unjust and inhuman Court of Inquisition, which you established in Granada to watch over the faith of your unwilling converts, has been to Spain.

Ximenes.—­I only revived and settled in Granada an ancient tribunal, instituted first by one of our saints against the Albigenses, and gave it greater powers.  The mischiefs which have attended it cannot be denied; but if any force may be used for the maintenance of religion (and the Church of Rome has, you know, declared authoritatively that it may) none could be so effectual to answer the purpose.

Wolsey.—­This is an argument rather against the opinion of the Church than for the Inquisition.  I will only say I think myself very happy that my administration was stained with no action of cruelty, not even cruelty sanctified by the name of religion.  My temper indeed, which influenced my conduct more than my principles, was much milder than yours.  To the proud I was proud, but to my friends and inferiors benevolent and humane.  Had I succeeded in the great object of my ambition, had I acquired the Popedom, I should have governed the Church with more moderation and better sense than probably you would have done if you had exchanged the See of Toledo for that of Rome.  My good-nature, my policy, my taste for magnificence, my love of the fine arts, of wit, and of learning, would have made me the delight of all the Italians, and have given me a rank among the greatest princes.  Whereas in you the sour bigot and rigid monk would too much have prevailed over the prince and the statesman.