William of Baskerville, the fictional character in The Name of the Rose, claims that the Spanish Inquisition at the beginning was intended "to guide, not to punish". Is there any truth to this?

by pier25

The full quote from the film

I too was an Inquisitor, but in the early days, when the Inquisition strove to guide, not to punish.

AFAIK the film is a good adaptation of the book, and Umberto Eco's work is usually well documented.

alfonsoelsabio

A small but important correction: given the chronology and geography of Eco's book, William is talking about the Roman Inquisition, not the Spanish Inquisition, which won't exist for another century and a half.