This high state of prosperity and refinement, how ever, was confined chiefly to the dominions. The descendants of the Goths were entirely occupied in the pursuit of independence and military glory.
They were forward to imitate, and often surpassed their rivals in the noble qualities of generosity and honour, and in all those deeds which spring froni a romantic and chivalrous spirit, but they disdained to follow them in the pursuits of industry and science. Preferring the wandering and martial life of their fa thers, they never could be induced to relinquish their ancient habits and manners for the advantages of agri culture and the mechanical arts. The care of flocks and herds, which from time immemorial had enrich ed the kingdoms of Castile and Leon, appeared to them a securer source of wealth, and as they were in volved in continual wars, was more easily removed from the inroads of an enemy. In those times all the inhabitants capable of bearing arms followed the stand ard of their lords. Their flocks and herds were en trusted to the care of the old men, women and chil dren, who were totally unfit for the laborious duties of an extended agriculture; and as the quantity of corn which they raised was insufficient for their con sumption, they were under the necessity of exchang ing their wool, hides, iron, and oil, for the grain and manufactures of their neighbours. Their aversion to rural employments and the arts was thus the con sequence of their situation and the circumstances in which they were placed; and during peace the enthu siasm of war and chivalry degenerated into a spirit of pride and of idleness incompatible with an industri ous application to mechanical labour. This spirit was almost universal among the Spaniards, except in the Moorish cities, where the Christians by their con stant intercourse with them, had learned their arts and continued to cultivate them. While the Moors, though a vanquished people, continued in the penin sula, the country was greatly benefited by their indus try and their genius; but after the expulsion of a great proportion of them, in consequence of frequent re volts, Spain was never able to supply the demands of her inhabitants. and so became a constant tributary to the industry of other nations. The establishment of the inquisition by Ferdinand and Isabella also tended in no small degree to deprive this country of its most industrious population. The Jews who, after the 3,Ioors, had engrossed almost all the wealth and com merce of Spain, were so exposed to its merciless rage, that they were compelled to leave the kingdom or to embrace Christianity; and it is calculated, that with in four years after the appointment or the first 6000 persons, chiefly of this unfortunate race, were burned by order of this san guinary tribunal, and that upwards of 100,000 felt its fury.
With respect to the political institutions of the Go thic Spaniards during this period, they still adhered to their ancient laws, not only from attachment to them, but out of antipathy to the 'Moors, who held very different notions concerning property and gov ernment. These, however, were considerably chang
ed by a variety of concurring causes. As the differ ent kingdoms were wrested from the Moors gradual ly and with difficulty, the nobles who followed the standard of their chief conquered not for him alone, but for themselves. "They claimed a share in the lands which their valour had won from the enemy; and their prosperity and power increased in propor tion as the territory or the prince extended." The sovereign being thus obliged to conciliate their good will by successive grants of new honours and privi leges, before he could establish his dominio; in a con quered province, the greater part of the territory was parcelled out by him among his barons, with such jurisdictions and immunities as raised them almost to sovereign powers. The monarch was thus but a little elevated above his nobles; and they, feeling their independence, often acted as his equals. The cities of Spain had also obtained very considerable power during this struggle. As the open country was per petually exposed to the depredations of the enemy, with whom no peace or truce was permanent, per sons of all ranks were obliged, for self preservation, to fix their residence in the cities. These at length became the only places of safety; and as many of them were, during a longer or shorter period, the capitals of little states, they enjoyed all the advantages which accelerate the inci ease of inhabitants in every place which is the seat or government. Their number at the beginning of the fifteenth century was very con siderable, and were peopled far beyond the propor tion which was common in other parts of Europe; and as their assistance was frequently required in prosecuting the war against the Moors, their mo narchs found it necessary to gain their favour by am ple concessions, which not only extended their immu nities, but added to their wealth and power. By the exorbitant privileges of the nobility, and the unusual power of the cities, the royal prerogative was hem med in on every side, and reduced within very narrow limits, and when the Castilian nobles combined against Henry IV. they arrogated, as one of the pri vileges belonging to their order, the right of trying and passing sentence upon their sovereign, which they carried into effect by deposing him from the throne. Several monarchs, impatient of such restraint, endea voured at various junctures, and by different means, to enlarge their authority, but it was left for Ferdi nand to accomplish in some degree the extension of the sovereign's prerogative. which his predecessors had so long and so frequently attempted in vain.