Records of The Spanish Inquisition Part 10

DAMIAN FONOLLEDA, _Sec'y_.

FIRST AUDIENCE.

In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the twentysecond day of May, one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta presiding sole in his morning audience, ordered to be brought out of prison, a person, who, on his appearance, was formally sworn to declare the truth, both on this occasion and in all the other audiences which may be held till the determination of his trial; also to preserve secrecy with respect to everything which he may see, hear, or understand, and everything which may take place respecting him.

Questioned, his name, birthplace, residence, age, and occupation, and the time of his imprisonment by the Holy Office.

Answered, that his name was Leonardo Phelipe, needlemaker; that he was a Frenchman by birth, born in the village of Agullon in the bishopric of Genes; that he was about fortysix years of age, and that he was apprehended by the Holy Office on Sunday, the sixteenth of the present month.

Questioned, who was his father and mother, who were his grandfathers, uncles, paternal and maternal, wife, children, brothers, &c.

[_Here follows the prisoner's account._]

Questioned, of what race and stock were his ancestors and collateral relations, and whether any one of them, or he himself, had ever been put under penance or punished by the Holy Office of the Inquisition.

Answered that they were French, and old Catholic Christians, of pure blood and lineage; that in the place of his birth there were no Lutherans; that none of the family had ever been contaminated with this heresy, and that none of them had ever been apprehended, punished, or put under penance by the Holy Office of the Inquisition, till the present occasion.

Questioned, if he was a baptized and confirmed Christian, heard ma.s.s, confessed, and took the sacrament at such times as the Holy Mother Roman Catholic Church directed; at what time he made his last confession, and from whom he received the holy sacrament.

Answered, that he was a baptized and confirmed Christian, according to what he had been told by his parents, and that he recollected the fact of his confirmation by the bishop of Genes, on which occasion he gave him a slap in the face; that he attended ma.s.s, confessed, and took the sacrament when directed by the Holy Mother Roman Catholic Church; that the last time he confessed was at the festival of the Resurrection, the present year, in the convent of St Francisco, at Tarragona, to the Guardian or Sacristan; that he received the holy sacrament in the cathedral church from the hands of one of the curates, as could be shown by the certificate found upon him at the time of his imprisonment.

Here the prisoner crossed himself in a clumsy manner, and could not repeat perfectly the words of the _prsignum crucis_. He said the _paternoster_, _ave Maria_, and credo with much reverence, declaring that he did not know the _salve regina_. He repeated the ten commandments, and stated that he knew nothing more of the christian doctrine.

Questioned, if he had visited any foreign countries since he came to Spain, or had any dealings with people suspected in the faith.

Answered, No.

Questioned, if he could read and write, or had studied any science or faculty.

Answered, that he could neither read nor write, nor had ever studied anything but his trade.

Questioned, what were the events of his life.

Answered, that he was born, as already stated, in the village of Agullon, and brought up by his parents till thirteen years of age, without doing anything but eat and drink. On the death of his parents, he was left a dest.i.tute orphan, and came to Catalonia begging. He arrived at Barcelona, and lived three years as a servant with Maestre Gosart, needlemaker, after which he served various other persons in Barcelona for the s.p.a.ce of more than eleven years. From this city he went to Tarragona, where he worked with Francisco Roca till he married the wife abovementioned, since which he has worked for himself without leaving Tarragona but once, when he staid about three months in Caragoca, at the end of which he returned home.

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

Answered, that he neither knew nor conjectured anything, except that he was seized by the Holy Office while at work in his shop.

The prisoner was then informed that in this Holy Office it was not customary to imprison any one without sufficient information that he had said or done, or witnessed the saying or doing by other persons, of something which was, or appeared to be contrary to our Holy Catholic Faith and Evangelical Law, taught and preached by the Holy Mother Roman Catholic Church, or against the free and just proceedings of the Holy Office, and on this account he must understand that he was imprisoned by reason of some such information; therefore he was exhorted, by his reverence for G.o.d our Lord and his glorious and blessed Mother the Virgin Mary, to bethink himself and declare the whole truth with respect to his own offences, and what he knew of others, without concealing anything or bearing false witness against any one, by which proceeding he would clear his conscience as a Catholic Christian, and save his soul, and that his trial should, in this case, be despatched with all brevity and mercy; otherwise justice should be executed.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

The declarations which he had made in this audience were then read and declared by him to be correctly recorded. He declared that they contained the truth, that he had nothing to alter in them, and if necessary was ready to repeat them anew. And having been admonished to bethink himself and declare the truth, he was remanded to prison. Not being able to write, I, the said Inquisitor, sign this.

DR DOMINGO ABBAD Y HUERTA.

Before me--

MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND AUDIENCE.

In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the twentythird day of May, one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta presiding alone in his morning audience, ordered the abovementioned Leonardo Felipe to be brought out of prison, which being done, and the prisoner present, he was

Questioned, if he remembered anything relating to his affair which he was bound by his oath to divulge.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

The prisoner was then told that he was aware he had in the preceding audience been exhorted by his reverence for G.o.d our Lord and his glorious and blessed Mother, &c.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

Whereupon he was admonished to bethink himself and remanded to prison.

Before me--

MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ.

THIRD AUDIENCE.

In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the twentyfifth of May, one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta, presiding alone at his morning audience, ordered the abovementioned Leonardo Phelipe to be brought out of prison; which being done, and the prisoner present, he was

Questioned, if he remembered anything relating to his affair which he was bound to divulge according to his oath.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

The prisoner was then told that he was aware he had in the preceding audiences been exhorted, &c.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

Whereupon the audience closed, and the prisoner having been admonished to bethink himself, was remanded to prison.

Before me--

MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ.

AUDIENCE FOR PRESENTING THE ACCUSATION.

In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the twentyfifth day of May, one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta presiding sole in his afternoon audience, ordered the abovementioned Leonardo Phelipe to be brought out of prison; which being done, and the prisoner present, he was

Questioned, if he remembered anything relating to his affair which he was bound by his oath to divulge.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.