Luther's Ghost in Spain (1517-1546)

[Ferran]

Luther's Ghost in Spain (1517-1546)

John Edward Longhurst

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I began working in this just about twenty years ago. Since that time I have published a number of articles and monographs on various related aspects of humanism (Erasmism) and "Lutheranism," and one volume on Judaism and the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition.

I have to confess that about five years ago I reached a stalemate. I felt that I had arrived at a point of diminishing returns, that each new Inquisition document I read was but a dreary repetition of those which had gone before. I had no taste for milking this general subject any further.

According to academic mythology I had reached the point where I was ready to distill, from all the knowledge I had accumulated, that synthesis born of maturity and reflection. During the last five years I made several hopeless efforts to do just that, only to find that I could not go through with it. I could see no grand pattern, I experienced no sudden flash of insight, and the bits and pieces did not click into place to reveal the Ultimate Truth.

Besides, I was weary unto death of the whole subject. I was tired of the grinding dialectic of theological dogma. I was tired of the sickening degradations visited upon men who could not accept other men's Truth. I was tired of those awful notaries who calmly recorded the agonies of heretics. And above all, I was tired of pretending to a scholarly "objectivity" which treated these things as though there was a roughly equal amount and reason on both sides.

I really have no idea why I suddenly decided to write this book after these five years. But since I abhor self-analysis, it hardly makes any difference. The fact that I now have my own press, and am my own (vanity) publisher, may have something to do with that. At least it means that I can write as I please, without glancing over my shoulder to see if some nameless editor or potential reviewer objects to my style, my manner, my point of view, my organization, my interpretation, my objectivity, my failure to take something into account, my failure to point out in whatever euphemistic manner that there are two sides to every question, or my willful pertinacity and inability to take honest criticism.

This book is not my swansong, although it may be the last thing I shall write on the subject of the Spanish Inquisition. I can fairly say that I am happy that the gods have granted me this one final fling, which has been such a long time coming, because I do believe however much I sin against modesty - that future students are not likely to pore over the appalling mass of Inquisition documents that I have studied. Anyone who wishes to use the materials in this volume for his own research purposes has my enthusiastic blessing and encouragement, as well as my assurance that the worm of academic conscience has not allowed me knowingly to omit, suppress, interpolate, extrapolate, or in any way distort the factual material from which this book is made.

John E. Longhurst
Lawrence, Kansas
February 21, 1969

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE:Lutherans

Chapter One: Lutheran Propaganda 13
Chapter Two: Foreigners 25
Chapter Three: Native Lutherans 39
Chapter Four: Michael Servetus 57
Chapter Five: Juan Diaz 73

PART TWO:Illuminists and Erasmists

Chapter One: Visionaries and Mystics 85
Chapter Two: Ignatius Loyola 103
Chapter Three: Diego de Uceda 117
Chapter Four: The New Lutheranism 135

PART THREE: The Trial of Juan de Vergara

Chapter One: The Depositions of 1530 143
Chapter Two: Preparing the Case 183
Chapter Three: Gathering the Evidence 195
Chapter Four: The Seizure of Vergara 219
Chapter Five: Further Proceedings (1533-1534) 243
Chapter Six: Vergara Answers His Accusers 25
Chapter Seven: Final Delays and Conclusion 28

PART FOUR: Directory of Spanish "Lutherans" 297

References
Onomastic Index 381

Copyright

Source: http://libro.uca.edu/longhurst/longhurst.htm