Montesquieu

“ Happy the man, who, when he falls into the hands of these people, has been accustomed to finger little balls of wood3 while saying his prayers, who has carried on his person two pieces of cloth attached to two ribbons4, and who has paid a visit to a province called Galicia5. Without that, a poor devil is in a wretched plight. Although he should swear like a Pagan that he is orthodox, they may very likely decline to admit his plea, and burn him for a heretic. ”

“ The bishops do not make articles of faith for their own government. There are a very great number of learned men, for the most part dervishes2, who raise new questions in religion among themselves: they are left to discuss them for a long time, and the dispute lasts until a decision terminates it. ”

“ In dubious cases, their rule is to lean to the side of severity, apparently because they think mankind desperately wicked. And yet, when it suits them, they have such a high opinion of mankind, that they think them incapable of lying ”

“ What I have told you holds good only in France and Germany: for I have heard it affirmed that in Spain and Portugal there are certain dervishes who do not understand raillery, and who cause men to be burned as they would burn straw. ”