Limborch’s Historia Inquisitionis and the Pursuit of Toleration

Abstract

In 1692, Philippus van Limborch dedicated the volume of the Historia Inquisitionis to the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Tillotson:¹

The book which I now publish, and my History of the Inquisition prefixed to it, appeared to me worthy of Your Grace’s Patronage, rather than any other Person’s living, when I considered the Subject treated of in both of them, and that high Station, which in these most difficult Times You support with the greatest Honour and universal Applause of all good Men, for the common Advantage of the Reformed Churches.²

An earlier version of this paper was given at a seminar series organised by Anonio Rotondó, at the Department of History of the University of Florence. I want to thank Anonio Rotondó for his support and encouragement while I was doing research for the paper, and for the detailed and stimulating discussion on the occasion of the seminar.

1 Tillotson professed his approval of Historia Inquisitionis (‘ingens quidem Opus, magno labore et industriâ, nec minori fide et judicio perfectum, expletumque omnibus suis partibus et numeris’) and his gratitude to Limborch for his dedication. Cf. unpublished letter, Amsterdam, Universiteit Bibliotheek (abbreviated in UBA), UBA, M. 38,10 February 1692-93, VS. The Archbishop’s library includes among its volumes the splendidly bound copy donated by Limborch. Bibliotheca Tillotsoniana; or a Catalogue of the curious Library of Dr. John Tillotson late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury (Cambridge and Oxford, 1965), p. 25.

2 Philippus van Limborch, Historia Inquisitionis cui subjungitur Liber Sententiarum Inquisitionis Tholosanae ab anno Christi 1307 ab annum 1323 (Amsterdam: Henry Wetstein, 1692). This and other quotations are taken from the English edition of The History of the Inquisition, by Philip a Limborch, translated by English by Samuel Chandler, In Two volumes, To which is prefixed a large Introduction concerning the Rise and Progress of Persecution, and the real and pretended Causes of it (London: J. Gray 1731), The Dedication. in Chandler’s edition Limborch’s Dedication to John Tillotson opens the second volume.