Note 419 — Chapter IV · ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INQUISITION.

Censura et Confutatio Libri Talmud (Boletin, XXIII, 371-4).

The Jews distinguished between unwilling converts, whom they termed Anusim and voluntary converts, or Meschudanim; the former they pitied and helped, the latter they abhorred. The Judaizing Christians were also sometimes called Alboraycos, from alborak (the lightning), the marvellous horse brought to Mahomet by the angel Gabriel, which was neither a horse nor a mule nor male nor female (Ibid. p. 379). A still more abusive popular appellation was Marrano, which means both hog and accursed. For the controverted derivation of the word see Graetz, Geschichte der Juden, VIII, 76 (Ed. 1890), who also (p. 284) admits the attachment of many of the Conversos to the old religion.