Records of the Spanish Inquisition, Translated from the Original Manuscripts. Andrew Dickson White
and other places, and that he knew himself to have been confirmed by a bishop named Panlaza in the city of Huerca in Arragon, or Poroteo, bishop of that kingdom, more than forty years since, in the cathedral; that he remembered the fact of the confirmation very well, being then of full age; that he hears mass every Sunday and holiday, except when he is travelling; that he confesses and communicates at every time fixed by the Holy Mother Church; that he has certificates to this effect; that he believes the last time he confessed was on Passion Week last, in the town of La Puente de Montania, to a priest of that church; that he does not remember the name of the person from whose hands he received the sacrament. The prisoner then made the sign of the cross, invoking the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and repeated the four prayers and general confession correctly in Latin, and stated that he knew nothing more of the christian doctrine.
Questioned, if he could write, or read, or had studied any science or faculty.
Answered, that he could neither write, nor read, nor had he studied any science or art.
Questioned, if he had ever left the kingdoms of Spain since his first arrival, or had any dealings with people of equivocal faith.
Answered, that he had exercised his trade of a brazier for more than sixty years, in the kingdoms of Catalonia and Arragon, visiting at times his home in France, where there are no Lutherans, nor any persons of equivocal faith.
Questioned, what were the events of his life.
Answered, that he was born, as above stated, in the village of Orliach, and remained with his father till twenty years of age assisting him in his profession of a brazier; that he had passed his life in France, Arragon, and Catalonia, his father having brought him while a boy into this country, where he died, and left him, sixty years since, in the town of Erla, near Gea, in Arragon, working all this time in various places, where he became well known; that his wife had never been in Spain at any time.
Questioned, if he knew or conjectured the cause of his imprisonment.
Answered, falling on his knees, weeping, and beating his breast, that he had committed an offence against our Lord by eating bacon on the eve of St Bartholomew in the village of Semiana, and that it was true he had been told on the day previous, by the hostess of the house where it was done, that the next day was a fast, but not remembering this intimation, he had, while the hostess was gone out of the house to her oven, eaten of the same in company with a certain youth of fourteen or fifteen years of age, a native of the bishopric of Clermont in France, who had come to work with him two days before; and that while they were eating, the hostess returned and again reminded him that it was the fast of St Bartholomew, and they ought not to eat it, upon which they immediately abstained from eating; that they were both arrested and brought on the road to Barcelona under guard of one man, the youth with his hands tied; that on arriving near a wood he escaped notwithstanding the exertions made by the guard, who raised the neighbourhood to search for him; and if in this he had offended our Lord, he begged for pardon and mercy.
The prisoner was then informed, that, in this Holy Office, it was not customary to apprehend any person without sufficient information that he had said, done, or witnessed the commission of something really or apparently offensive against God our Lord, or against his Holy Catholic faith and evangelical law, taught and preached by the Holy Mother Roman Church, or against the just and free exercise of the Holy Office; consequently he was to understand that he was imprisoned on account of some such information, and he was admonished on the part of God our Lord, and the glorious and blessed Virgin Mary, to recollect himself and confess his offences without concealing anything relating either to himself or any other person, and without uttering false testimony against any one; by doing all which, his trial should be dispatched with all brevity, and decided with that mercy which is shown by the Holy Office to all those who confess freely; otherwise, justice should be executed.
Answered, that he had nothing more to say, and the above being read to him, he declared it to be the truth according to the oath which he had sworn, and that he had nothing to alter or diminish from what is therein contained, and with this admonition, to bethink himself well, and declare the truth, he was remanded to prison.
In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the nineteenth day of September, one thousand six hundred and thirtyfive, the Inquisitor, Doctor Domingo Abbad y Huerta being at his morning audience, presiding upon affairs of justice, ordered the above Pedro Ginesta 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, with all truth, to discharge his conscience.
Answered, that he had nothing more to say.
The prisoner was then admonished on the part of God our Lord, &c. [The whole repeated as above.]
Answered, that he had nothing more to say; and being admonished to bethink himself well, and declare the truth, he was remanded to prison.
Before me—
In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the twentieth day of September, one thousand six hundred and thirtyfive, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta being at his morning audience, ordered the above Pedro Ginesta to be brought from his 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, in all truth, and to discharge his conscience.
Answered, that he had nothing more to say.
The prisoner was then informed that in the audiences which had already been given, he had been admonished on the part of God our Lord, &c. [The whole repeated as before.]
Answered that he had nothing more to say.
The prisoner was then notified that the Promotor Fiscal14 of this Holy Office had an accusation to bring against him, before which he would do well to declare the whole truth, as he had already been admonished, in which case, he would experience more fully the mercy which the Holy Office ever extends to those who confess freely; otherwise the Fiscal would attend and proceed to the accusation.
Straightway appeared Doctor Francisco Gregorio, Promoter Fiscal of this Holy Office, and presented the accusation, signed by himself, against the said Pedro Ginesta, making oath that it was not done out of malice; which accusation was as follows:—
I, Doctor Francisco Gregorio, Fiscal of this Holy Office, appear before your Excellency, and accuse criminally, Pedro Ginesta, brazier, a native of the village of Orliach, bishopric of St Flor, in Ubernia, in the kingdom of France, resident in this principality, attached to the secret prison of the Inquisition, and now present,—stating that the said person, being a baptized and confirmed Christian, and enjoying the graces and benefits which such persons do and ought to enjoy, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but regardless of his own conscience and the justice administered by your Excellency, has committed offences against our Holy Faith, by saying and performing things which savour of the heretic Luther, in the manner following.
The said prisoner being in a certain part of the village of Semiana in the bishopric of Urgel on the fast of St Bartholomew last, in company with another certain person, did cause to be cooked a dish of bacon and onions; and, being reminded to take heed, for it was a fast, and such food was forbidden, replied by ordering the meat to be cooked, and in fact when the said meat was cooked, did proceed to eat the same, in company with the other person mentioned, and notwithstanding he was informed by another person while eating, that it was St Bartholomew’s day, and a fast, at which time it was not allowed to eat such food, the said prisoner continued to eat the remainder of the said bacon.
Furthermore, the said prisoner being of a nation infected with heresy, it is presumed that he has on many other occasions eaten flesh on forbidden days, after the manner of the sect of Luther, and committed many other offences against our Holy Faith, besides knowing that others have committed the same offences, and the said prisoner having been admonished by your Excellency to declare the truth,
Attorney General.