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

      In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the tenth day of January, one thousand six hundred and thirtythree, the Inquisitor, Dr Bernardo Luis Cotoner, being at his morning audience, ordered to be brought from the secret prison, a certain person, who, on his appearance, was formally sworn to declare the truth in this audience and all others, till the conclusion of his trial, and to keep secret whatever he might see or hear, and everything which should befall him, concerning his trial.

      Questioned, what was his name, birthplace, age, occupation, and the date of his imprisonment.

      Answered, that his name was Juan Duran, a native of the city of Manresa, in the bishopric of Vique, of age, thirtyone years, or thereabout, by trade a blacksmith and farrier, and that on the day of the Innocents, he was arrested, and put in the prison of the Holy Office.

      Questioned, who was his father, and wife; who were his grandfathers and uncles, paternal and maternal; his brothers and children; what were their birthplaces, residences, occupations, &c.

      Answered, [Here follows a long account, in reply to the above queries.]

      Questioned, of what lineage and stock were his ancestors, and collateral relatives; and if they, or any one of them, or himself, had ever been imprisoned, put under penance, absolved, or condemned by the Holy Office of the Inquisition.

      Answered, that they were all old Christians of pure blood, and that he had never heard or understood that any one of them had been imprisoned, put under penance, absolved, or condemned by the Holy Office of the Inquisition; that he had never been imprisoned by the Holy Office till the present occasion.

      Questioned, if he was a baptized and confirmed Christian, and made it a practice to attend mass, go to confession, and communicate, at the times fixed by the Holy Mother Church.

      Answered, that he was a Christian, and was baptized, according as he had heard from his parents, in the cathedral church of Manresa, but did not know the name of the bishop who confirmed him; that he made it a practice to hear mass, confess, and commune, at the times prescribed by the holy Mother Church, and that his last confession was in the town of Valles Campo de Tarragona, in the month of October last, on the day of Our Lady del Rosario of the fleet of Don John of Austria, which confession was made to a Carmelite friar, of the convent of that city, whose name he did not know; that he received the holy sacrament from the hands of the same Friar; that he had also confessed and received the sacrament during the Lent of the last year, in the church of Igualada, before a priest belonging there, whose name he did not know; and that he had a certificate to this effect in his possession, when he was taken to prison.

      Here he crossed himself, repeated the Paternoster, Ave Maria, and Credo in Latin, the Salve Regina, the ten commandments, the seven deadly sins, and the general confession in Catalan, all correctly, and declared he knew nothing more of the christian doctrine.

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

      Answered, that he could read, but badly, having taught himself. That he had never studied any art, and could not write.

      Questioned, if he had ever been out of the kingdom of Arragon, and with what persons.

      Answered, that he had once visited the kingdom of Granada, but not in company with any person; and that he had never had communication with people of suspicious faith.

      Questioned, what were the events of his life.

      Answered, that he was born in the city of Manresa, as aforesaid, and brought up in the house of his father, till the age of sixteen years, when he was sent to the town of Igualada, to Maestre Ando, a blacksmith and farrier, with whom he staid four months, learning his trade; that he afterwards resided in several places in Catalonia, and then visited Arragon and Granada, as above stated, made no long stay, but returned hither about two years ago; that lately he had been dwelling in the village of Pont de Armenteria, Campo de Tarragona, where he was seized by the Holy Office and brought to prison.

      Questioned, if he knew or conjectured the cause of his being arrested and confined in the prison of the Holy Office.

      Answered, that he knew not, nor could conjecture, unless it was for this; he had often cured persons of fevers and other disorders, with rosemary water, flor vitæ, rue, &c., which art he had learned from God and the holy Mary our Lady, from whom he had received a particular gift for this purpose.

      Questioned, in what manner, and at what time he had received this gift.

      Answered, that he had received it at two years of age, having been born with a mole on his neck and two others on the left hip; that he had been sick in his youth for ten years or more with great lameness, and had entreated God and the Virgin to restore him to health, and grant him the power to cure others, that he might in this way earn his living.

      Questioned, what reason he had for believing that God and our Lady had given him the above power.

      Answered, that he was led to believe it from the good success which had accompanied his attempts to perform the abovementioned cures, which had been effected in the case of many persons whose names he did not remember, and from whom he had never received any pay but what they gave him out of charity; that if on the above account any testimony had been given against him, he supposed this to be the cause of his imprisonment by the Holy Office, although he was not conscious of ever having committed any offence against our Lord, nor knew any other reason for his being imprisoned.

      The prisoner was then informed that in this Holy Office it was not customary to imprison any person without sufficient information that he had committed, or seen committed, some act which was, or appeared to be contrary to our holy Catholic Faith and Evangelical doctrine, which is taught and professed by the Holy Mother Roman Catholic Church, or against the proper and free jurisdiction of the Holy Office; for which reason he was to understand that it was in consequence of some such information that he had been apprehended, and on this account he was exhorted on the part of God our Lord and his glorious and blessed mother, the Virgin Mary, to bethink himself well, and confess the whole truth. Whereupon he was remanded to prison.