The Hiftory of the Inquifition (Page 274, Vol. III.) continued. The pretence for introducing the inquifition into Spain, by Ferdinand and Isabella, was an information given them of feveral Jews and Apoftates, which on Maunday Thursday at night, had affembled privately, and performed the Jewish ceremonies with execrable blafphemies and reproaches against our Saviour. Six of these were ordered to be feized, and were kept in irons in the Dominican convent of St. Paul, at Seville, for a long time, and barbarously tortured. Several more of them were proceeded against in the fame manner, and fome were burnt alive and they that were pronounced lefs guilty, had their families rendered infamous, their eftates confiscated, and great numbers were condemned to perpetual dark. nefs and chains in a loathfome prifon. This new way of proceeding against the diffenters from the eftablished church at first raised a great clamour amongst the Bishops, out of whofe hands the cause of religion was by this new tribunal abfolutely wrefted. They exclaimed against punishing the children for the crimes of their parents; the conviction of any one upon the evidence of a private accufer, and their condemnation without being confront ed with the informer, contrary to the ancient custom, when offences againft religion were punished with death. But they were most exasperated at the Inquifitors, for taking away all liberty of free conversation, having their fpies in every city, town, and village, by which the nation was reduced to the lowest flavery. However, feverity was the favourite argument against all oppofers; and the pleaders for mo. deration could obtain no alteration in the proceedings already eftablished. So that Judges were chofen out of every province, to whofe pleasure the fortunes, reputations, and lives of all perfons were abfolutely committed independent of the civil power. The pleasure of the court in this particular was no fooner intimated over the provinces of Spain, but their Majefties were addreffed from all parts, to feek after, and root out all Jews, and reputed Jews, with fire and faggot; left they fhould endanger the church in those nations. These addreffes, or remonftrances, produced the defired effect; a time of forty days was fixed for all open and fecret Jews, to come and confefs their faults under pain of death, if they should afterwards be convicted. On which edict we find that feventeen thousand of both fexes appeared voluntarily, confeffed, and were pardoned. Then the Inquifitors proceeded with the ftri&teft enquiry after thofe that fecreted their crimes; and in a few years, burnt upwards of two-thoufand; condemned others to perpetual imprisonment; arrayed others with the Sambenito, fee fig. c. in the copperplate, p. 274, Vol. III. dug up the bones of 9thers that were dead, and burnt them to afhes, confifcated their goods, and deprived their children of their honours and offices. This perfecution fo terrified moft of the Jews, that they began to feek refuge in other states, and left their lands, houfes, and effects to the King's difpofal, who employed the prodigious riches he amaffed upon this melancholy occafion, in the war he was carrying on against the Moors. And if we compute all the perfons alive or dead, prefent or abfent, who were condemned for contumacy, or reconciled to the church, in the city and diocese of Seville only, they are faid to amount to above one-hundred-thoufand. In the year 1483, friar Thomas Turrecremata, a Dominican friar, and prior of the convent de Santa Crux, at Segovia, and confeffor to their Majetties, was appointed the first Inquifitor general in the kingdoms of Spain and the next year fat Prefident at the affembly of divines, which fettled the method of proceeding againft heretical pravity, and ordained thofe fevere laws, which the Inquifitors use to this day. In 1485 the Inquifitors held eight acts of faith in the town of Guadalup, and delivered Didachus Marchena, an heretical monk, and fiftytwo few men and women to be burnt; dug up forty-fix bodies of heretics from their graves, burnt their bones and the effigies of twentyfive abfent perfons, and condemned fixteen to perpetual imprifonment, befides innumerable others fent to the gallies, and others fentenced to wear the Sambenito as a mark of perpetual penance and disgrace. Yet all thefe cruelties were fo far from rooting out Judaism from these pations that they rather ferved to low it thicker; fo that we find a royal decree commanding all the Jews to depart the kingdom of Spain in the fpace of four years, with fuch goods and chattels as they could purchase with money. And this was rendered more fevere by an ordinance from the Inquifitor-general, who under a grievous penalty forbad all the pious to have any commerce with that people, to affift them with provifions, or any other thing, after the period of time limited. At the expiration of this time they who perlifted in their religion were forced to depart with their wives, children, fervants, families, and effects; and prohibited ever returning into thofe dominions under pain of immediate death, and confifcation of goods. It was alfo provided by the pragmatic laws, that no Jer, thenceforward, fhould ever enter Spain upon any pretence what foever, under the fame punishment of death and confifcation of goods, if detected; and that their declaration of being willing to embrace chriftianity fhould be of no fignification, except that proteflation had been publickly made at their fit coming into the kingdom. Befides it was ordained, that every chriftian convicted of harbouring a Jew, fhould forfeit all his effects. Upon the publication of thefe penal laws, Mariana, a credible hiftorian, fays, that so many tranfported themselves that their certain number could not be known moft writers limit them to 170,000 families, others fay 800,000 fouls; a prodigious number, almoft exceeding credit! of which however some being more dilatory, and permitting the time to elaple, hoping for a mitigation of fo unnatural a fentence, were feized with all their effects and were fold for flaves; and many more expired under the fatigues of their journies, or the plague, which they rather chofe to encounter, than to truft to the implacable hatred of bigotted Majefly. But here it must be observed once for all, that the greatest part of these miferable people were not Jews but Moors, the ancient inhabitants of Granada, and whom the court of Spain politically involved under the name of Jews, in the Penalties enacted against the profeffors of the law of Mofes. Yet, in the year 1500 we find fo many of this last remaining in Granada, that after cardinal Ximenes had by gifts and favours gained over their chief priests or Alfaquins, the laity vigorously oppofed all measures for reducing them to obedience to the gofpel, and he at laft, determined to punish them severely, laid aside almost all humanity; which perfecution being countenanced and fupported by the Inquifitors, fo terrified the remaining Moors, that being put to their choice to fuffer death, or to embrace chriflianity, they to a man pretended to accept of their lives upon the laft condition. But this was foon perceived to be no more than a political converfion; and therefore the King, make the most of them, published a permillion, for as many as would, to depart his deminions, and that he to would would transport them to Aftope in Africa at the rate of ten pieces of gold per head. 1 Ximenes, who was alfo Inquifitorgeneral in the Spanish nation, having carried his point fo effectually against the Jews and Moors; took fuch advantage of the people's ignorant zeal, and the minority of Charles, but 18 years old, at the death of Ferdinand; that he not only prevented his Majefty's agreeing with the Jews for eight-hundred thousand pieces of gold, which they offered in confideration the witneffes at the tribunal of the Inquifition fhould be always made public; but perfuading him that the fecurity of his crown depended upon the fupport of the authority of the Inquifition and the deftruction of ALL that oppofed or contradicted the Romish faith, began to proceed against heretics, I mean Proteftants, alfo ; a zeal which continued with this Prince to the very laft gafp; for, in his will, he left it in charge to his fon Philip to be obedient to the commands of the church, and highly to honour, and conftantly to fupport the office of the holy Inquifition; being perfuaded that it was conftituted by God againft heretical pravity, and that by this fingle remedy the most grievous offences against God can be remedied. A belief which is capable of driving its zealots to perpetrate the most barbarous cruelties to expiate their own fins! and confequently we find his fon Philip zealously executing his Father's will, as to this part of it; for he with all his power promoted the authority of the Inquifition, and prompted them to inflict the most cruel punishments upon those they ftigmatized with the opprobrious name of Hereticks; as it will evidently appear upon the teftimony of Thuanus. For, fays he, Philip II. arriving in Spain in the year 1559, gave moft horrid fpecimens of his cruelty immediately upon his arrival he began to chaftife the Sectaries; -all that were condemned for herefy, : throughout the whole kingdom, were kept against his coming, and carried together to Seville and Valladolid to be brought forth in public triumph. to their punishment. The King was prefent at both places; first at Seville on the 8th of the Calends of October, when he delighted himself with this fpectacle, and confented to the butchery of John Pontius of Leon, the fon of the Earl of Villalon, and feveral others of the nobility, men and women, laymen and clergy, friars and nuns, accufed of preaching and embracing doctrines contrary to the decrees of the Romish Church. Some were executed in effigie; amongst whom was Confiantine Pontius, confeffor to Charles V. and who had always accompanied him in his retirement after his abdication from his government, and was prefent with him at his death: He had been accufed of herefy, and committed to the prifon of the Inquifition for heretical pravity, where he died a little before the Autò de fé; but, that the theatre might not want fo rich a piece of furniture, his effigies was carried about in a preaching posture. in the following October King Philip repaired to Valladolid to fee twentyeight of the chief nobility of the country tied to flakes and burnt by the fentence of the faid Inquifition, at which time the learned and pious Bartholomew Caranza, Archbishop of Toledo, could find no protection in his moft holy life and converfation: For which he was brought into judgment, and, falfly accufed of corrupting the doctrines of christianity, was caft into prifon, and ftripp'd of all his large revenues. Neither did Philip's zeal confine itself within the bounds of terra firma ; he established a commifforial Inquifition, on board his fhips alfo, in the year 1571. which was confirmed by Pope Pius V. under which a public act of faith was held, and many were condemned to fevere punishments by Jerome Hen And tique, the first maritime Inquifitor, in the port of Melina. Thus you have read how the Inquifition began; how its power has in diverfe times and places increased; and particularly how it was established in Spain. Therefore I fhall proceed to lay before you an account of the feveral Officers of that court; the crimes or pretended crimes, which are therein examined and difcuffed; and the method of proceeding before the tribunal of the Inquifition; confining myfelf to the dominions of Spain. The Officers, or, as they rath r chufe to be ftiled, the Minifters of the Inquifition, are as follows; viz. an Inquifitor-general, one whom the King propofes to the Pope for fupreme Inquifitor of all his dominions, and whom the Pope confirms in his of fice. This fupreme, invested with full power in all cafes relating to herefy, appoints Vicars-general or particular fubordinate Inquifitors in every place where there is a tribunal of the Inquifition, who, nevertheless, cannot act, unless approved by the King, to fend vifitors to the provinces of the Inqui. fitors, to grant difpenfations to penitents and their children, and to deliberate concerning other very weighty affairs. In the Royal City, the King appoints the fupreme council of the Inquifition, over which the fupreme Inquifitor of the Kingdom prefides. He hath joined with him five counfellors, who have the title of Apoftolical Inquifitors, who are chofe by the Inquifitor-general, upon the King's nomination. One of these must always be a Dominican, according to the conftitution of Philip III. dated December fixteenth, 1618. Befides thefe, there is an Advocate-Fifcal, two Secretaries, and one of the King's, one Receiver, two Relators, feveral Qualificators or Affeffors, and counfellors. There are alfo Officials deputed by the prefident, with the King's advice. The fupreme autho rity is in this Council of the Inquifition. They deliberate upon all affairs with the Inquifitor-General, determine the greater cafes, make new laws, according to the exigency of affairs, determine differences among particular Inquifitors, punish the offences of the fervants, receive appeals from inferior tribunals, and from them there is no appeal but to the King. In other tribunals, there are two or three Inquifitors; they have particular places affigned them, Toledo, Cuenca, Valladolid, Calahorre, Seville, Cordoue, Granada, Ellerena, and in the Arragons, Valencia, Saragoffa, and Barcelona. Thefe are called provincial Inquifitors. They cannot imprifon any Priest, Knight, or Nobleman, nor hold any public acts of faith, without confulting the fupreme Council of the Inquifition. Sometimes this fupreme Council deputes one of their own Counsellors to them, in order to give the greater folemnity to the acts of faith. Thefe provincial Inquifitors give all of them an account of their provincial tribunal, once every year, to the fupreme Council, and efpecially of the caufes that have been determined within that year, and of the state and number of their prifoners in actual cuftody. They give alfo every month an account of all monies which they have received, either from the revenues of the holy office, or pecuniary punishments and fines. This Council meets every day, except holy-days, in the palace royal, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, in the morning; and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, after vefpers: in thefe three laft days, two Counsellors of the fupreme Council of Caftile meet with them, who are also Counsellors of the fupreme Council of the Inquifition. This tribunal is now arifen to fuch an height in Spain, that the King of Caftile, before his coronation, fub ject jects himfelf and all his dominions, by a special oath, to the most holy tribunal of this moft fevere Inquifition. This office is not, as formerly, committed to the Predicant or Dominican friars they began to employ it in the fecular Clergy, who were fkilful in the decrees and laws, till at laft the whole power gradually devolved on them; fo that now the Dominican friars have no part in it; though the Inquifitors oftentimes ufe their affiltance, in judging of propofitions, and they are employed as Counsellors in the holy office. The Affeffors or Counsellors neceffary to the office of the Inquifition have diftinct parts: fome of them are divines, whofe province is to examine propofitions, and to explain their quality, and are called from thence' Qualificators: and fome are lay-men, who are confulted about the punishment or abfolution of offenders, and other merits of caufes. Yet it must be obferved, that what thefe Affeffors and Counsellors determine, it is no more than advice: the Inquifitors are not obliged to follow it for their voices alone are decifive. The Fifcal's office is to examine the depofitions of the witneffes, to give information of criminals to the Inquifitors, or notice of them to the Judges, and to demand their apprehenfion and imprisonment; and, finally, when apprehended and admonifhed, to accuse them. He is prefent at the examination of the witneffes, by way of defence, and at the rehearing of the witneffes, and muft be present in the congregations when they vote in the caufe, and always at the torture, together with the Inquifitor, who fits between the Vicar-General on the right, and the AdvocateFifcal on the left. The Notaries, Secretaries, or Regifters, are not only to write down all the particular injunctions, accufations, pleadings, depofitions of witneffes, and anfwers of criminals; but they are diligently to explain, and particularly remark, during a procefs, the feveral circumftances relating to the witness, the informer, and the perfon against whom inquifition is made, viz. Whether the colour of his face changes; whether he trembles or hesitates in fpeaking; whether he frequently endeavours to interrupt the interrogatories, by hauking or fpitting; or whether his voice trembles, and the like. The Officials are much in the nature of our Apparitors or Purfuivants in the fpiritual court; who are fent upon all commands, and are diligently to execute the order of the tribunal, when warranted to apprehend and keep any object of their refentment in custody. Befides thefe, there are a Judge, a Receiver of the forfeited effects, a Sequeftrator, and Familiars or Attendants. The Sequeftrator is to take into his hands all goods, &c. of the prifoner, and give fecurity to the Inquifitors to be accountable for them. The Judge of the confifcated eftates is to judge between the-treafury and private perfons, claiming upon the faid effects. The Receiver's office is to receive the value of all the confifcated estates; and to pay all falaries, expences, &c. of the holy office. The Familiars are in the fame degree of fervice in this court, and no better than what we call a bailiff's follower, which, though a vile office in all other criminal courts, is, by the Pope's liberal grants of indulgences, and the royal privileges bestowed on this clafs of men, etteemed fo honourable in the court of Inquifition, that there is not a Nobleman in Spain or Portugal, that is not in it. Their duty is to accompany the Inquifitors, and, if need be, to defend them from the infults of heretics; and to follow and affift the Officials in apprehending criminals; and to execute any other fervice to which they are warranted by the Judges of the tribunal. C 2 |