Records of the Spanish Inquisition, Translated from the Original Manuscripts. Andrew Dickson White

Portugal, and a papal bull establishing the Inquisition in that country. This bull appointed Saavedra legate a latere for the purpose.

      This daring and brazenfaced impostor then took upon him the character and costume of a Roman cardinal. He travelled with litters, silver dishes, and a train of attendants, levying money on his course by forging bonds. He sent his secretary to Lisbon with his bull and papers to prepare for his reception. The king despatched to the frontiers a distinguished nobleman to receive him, and he made his entry into Lisbon, where he spent three months, and was treated with the highest respect. He afterwards travelled through the kingdom, and completed the business for which he had made his visit. He was at last detected by the Inquisitor General of Spain and arrested. After a trial by the Inquisition, he was sentenced to the gallies for ten years. The king added nine years more to the period. Almost all the establishments made by him in Portugal, were retained under the pretence that the Holy Office was necessary to persecute the Jews.

      It has been the endeavour of the Spanish monarchs to extend it to every country under their dominion. The Emperor Charles V., whose zeal for the Inquisition has procured him the title of the Don Quixote of the Faith, established it in the Netherlands in 1522, and vast multitudes, who had embraced the Reformed religion, perished on its funeral piles. This bloody persecution was one of the means of exciting the revolt by which Holland was freed from the Spanish yoke.9 An attempt was also made by him to introduce it into Naples, but it encountered the most determined opposition. The Neapolitans rose in insurrection, massacred the Spaniards, and obliged the emperor to give over the project. About the time of its appearance in the Netherlands it was also established in the Spanish dominions in America. The first autos de fe were celebrated at Lima in 1639.10 The Portuguese carried it into their East Indian Colonies, fixing it at Goa in 1559.11 In Brazil, however, it has never existed.

      The modern history of the Inquisition must be familiar to every reader. Its abolition by Napoleon in 1808, its reestablishment under Ferdinand VII. and its second overthrow by the Spanish people in 1820, are events too well known to need a recapitulation here.

      RECORDS OF THE SPANISH INQUISITION

TRIAL OF PEDRO GINESTA, NATIVE OF THE VILLAGE OF ST QUINTI, IN THE DIOCESE OF ST FLOR, FOR EATING BACON ON A PROHIBITED DAY

      IN the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the fourth day of September, one thousand six hundred and thirtyfive, present, the Inquisitor Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta, officiating alone in his morning audience; having examined the information received against Pedro Ginesta, native of the village of St Quinti, diocese of St Flor, and Joan Mella, of the village of St Maurion, parish of Xauvinar, diocese of Clermont, in the kingdom of France, by occupation both braziers, the same being in custody of the Commissioner of Salas in the prison of Agna Villa,—ordered, that the abovementioned persons be transferred to the secret prison of this palace of the Inquisition,12 and that their trial be instituted in form; also ordered, that the Commissioner aforesaid be instructed to attest ad perpetuam the evidence of the witnesses, ascertain the identity of the persons whom they depose against, and whether the said prisoners be the persons whom they charge with having eaten bacon on St Bartholomew’s eve, notwithstanding the prohibition; also that the said prisoners, after the business of the deposition is despatched, be conveyed with care by the hands of the several Familiars, to the prison of this Inquisition.

      For which purpose let the necessary measures be taken.

      Before me—

Mattheo Magre, Sec’y.

      In the town of Tremp, bishopric of Urgel, on the twentyfifth day of August, one thousand six hundred and thirtyfive, in the morning, before the Licenciate Joan Torroella, Presbyter Commissary of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in the town of Salas,—appeared according to summons and swore formally to declare the truth, a man who asserted his name to be Joan Compte, a native and resident of the town of Talarn, in the abovementioned bishopric, of age as he stated, fiftyfive years or thereabout.

      Questioned, if he knew or conjectured the cause of his being summoned to appear.

      Answered, that he neither knew nor conjectured.

      Questioned, if he knew or had heard that any person had spoken or done anything which was, or appeared to be, contrary to our holy Catholic Faith, and evangelical doctrine preached and taught by the holy Catholic Roman Church, or against the just and free exercise of the Holy Office.

      Answered, that he knew nothing of the matters respecting which he was questioned, except that on the eve of St Bartholomew last, being in the town of Timian in the abovementioned bishopric of Urgel, he went to the tavern of Pitieu, and saw there a man, by occupation a brazier, with a grey beard, which person was well known to the deponent, he having seen and entertained him in the town of Calan, where he exercised his trade and had labored for the deponent. The name of this person deponent did not know, never having heard it mentioned. At the same place was a young man whom the said brazier stated to be his journeyman. These two were sitting at table and eating soup, which, being despatched, deponent saw the said person empty an earthen dish of bacon and onions into a frying-pan, and the said brazier asked deponent if he would eat with him, to which he replied that it was the eve and fast of St Bartholomew, at which time it was forbidden by the church to eat such food. Notwithstanding this, the said brazier and his servant did, in the presence of the deponent, eat the said bacon and onions, a small portion of which was observed to remain in the dish. This remnant the said persons placed on a piece of bread and presented it in a plate to the hostess. This done, the brazier and his servant went away to the plaza of the town, and deponent remained in the tavern with the hostess abovementioned. This is the truth according to the oath of the witness, and being read in his presence, is declared by him to be correctly written. Witness declares that he does not make this statement out of malice to any one. Secrecy being enjoined upon him, he promised to observe it; and he being unable to write, I, the said Commissary, sign in his name.

Joan Torroella, Commissary.

      In the town of Semiana, bishopric of Urgel, on the twentyeighth day of August, one thousand six hundred and thirtyfive, in the morning, before the Rev. Sr. Licentiate Joan Torroella, Presbyter Commissary of the Holy Office in the town of Salas, appeared according to summons and swore formally to declare the truth, a woman calling herself Geronima Aymara, wife of Pedro Aymar y Piteu, husbandman, native and resident of the town of Semiana, of age, as she stated, forty years or thereabout.

      Questioned, if she knew or conjectured the cause of her being summoned to appear.

      Answered, that she supposed it to be in order to learn whether some persons had eaten flesh in her house on the eve of St Bartholomew the Apostle, respecting which she could state, that on the time specified, two persons had been at her house, of whose names she was ignorant, but remembered that one was an old man and the other a youth, both by occupation braziers; the said youth asked witness to cook for them a dish of salted bacon which sat upon a table. Witness demanded in reply why they wanted to eat bacon on that day. The young man repeated his demand to have the bacon cooked for they meant to eat it. Witness answered that she was unwilling, as it was at such a time. The young man again demanded to have the bacon cooked, and told her to put onions along with it in the pot. Whereupon witness proceeded to cook the bacon, adding one dinero’s worth of onions, which she bought for that purpose. Having done this, she placed the victuals on the table before the said persons, and at this moment entered Juan Compte of the town of Talarn; as witness was baking on that day and was obliged to attend to her oven, she did no more than set the victuals on the table before the said persons, and being asked by Juan Compte for something to eat, answered that he must wait till she returned from the oven, which he did, and upon her return she found the above two persons at table, one of whom ordered her to take away what remained of the meat, and witness saw that there was left a bit of the bacon and a few mouthfuls of the onions she had cooked, the bacon being thrust into a piece of bread. After this the two persons aforesaid left the house, having been seen to eat their meal by the abovementioned Joan Compte, who was present all the time. Furthermore witness stated, that she believes she heard

9

Schiller, Abfall der Niederlande.

10

Llorente.

11

Lafitau, Conquestes des Portugais.

12

As soon as the crime of suspicion of heresy was established in the preliminary accusation, the Inquisitors ordered the arrest of the delinquent. From that moment there were neither privileges nor shelter for him. Whatever might be his rank, he was seized in the midst of his family and friends, and no one dared to offer the least resistance. From the instant he was in the hands of the Inquisition not an individual was allowed any communication with him, he was abandoned by all the world and deprived of every species of consolation. Wo to the compassionate mind that dared to show any sympathy for a victim of the Inquisition. The accused was plunged into a frightful dungeon till the Inquisitors saw fit to interrogate him.

In the mean time the officers of the Inquisition proceeded to the dwelling of the accused, and drew up an inventory of all his goods, which were immediately seized. His creditors lost their debts; his wife and children were left in the most pitiable desertion; wives and daughters the most virtuous and accomplished, have many times been seen reduced to the horrible necessity of gaining a wretched existence by prostitution, occasioned by their destitute state and the contempt attached to them from being connected with a person apprehended by the Holy Office. After he had passed many days and even months in prison, the Inquisitors caused him to insinuate, by means of the jailor, that he demanded audience; for it was a constant practice of this Tribunal to contrive that the accused should be the person to demand. The prisoner, appearing before his judges for the first time, they questioned him as if they did not know him, and engaged him by the most crafty methods, to acknowledge his crime. Llorente Hist. de la Inquisicion.