two plagues that haue alwaies infected the Church of Christ couetousnesse and ambition In so much that being offered a good Canonship in the Church of Toledo which many a man of his order would think himselfe in happy case if he might attaine vnto he was so farre from the greedy desire thereof that he contemned it rather not caring for it 〈…〉 t after his accustomed manner jeasted at it merily Foâ—â—mmediatly after the death of the Bishop of Vtica that was preacher in the Cathedrall Church the whole Chapiter with one consent offered him that place which they commonly call the Opposition and sent for him thither very honourably But he made them answer without any great deliberation that he had great cause to yeeld them many thankes for their good opinions conceaved of him in that they thought him worthy of so great a dignitie saying that hee would doe the best he could to requite their curtesies Howbeit forasmuch as his fathers and his grandfathers bones buried many yeares agoe were now in rest and quiet he would in no case doe any thing whereby the rest that they were in might be interrupted And this I suppose was the summe of his answer and the very words which hee spake For about that time there grew hot quarrells betwixt the Archbishop surnamed Siliceus a man of famous memorie forsooth and the chapiter of the same Church The Archbishop was hated of the chief men of the chapiter because he had openly in opprobrious maner reported them to be descended of the loine of the Iewes and they on the other side being men in good estate and not able to beare these reproaches thought to be euen with this foolish Bishop that came from cart plough and by good hap as a man may say without all respect of learning or honesty was preferred to the highest dignity in all Spain next vnder the king and because he was a troubler of common quiet they purposed to work him all the spight that might be by meanes wherof none were spared that had been buried by the space of a 100 yeares but that this good Archbishop vnder pretence of religion made inquiry of the Canons fathers grandfathers and great grandfathers driuing them to deriue their pedigree out of their graues The which foolish vngodly controuersies Constantino took occasion to quip them for at such time as he was sent for to supply that place In like 〈…〉 not long before he refused a Canonship in the Church oâ— â—uenca both rich to the purse worshipful besides for estimation situate in his own natiue foil Moreouer being the first man that brought the knowledge of true religion into Siuill he did so plainly set it forth and so sincerely so sharply rebuked those pedlers that sold all their packs of pardons and other fancies for pence laying such things so sore to their charge that notwithstanding they saw full well that he would proue a plague both to them and their whole generation yet could they not finde any iust cause to accuse him of but to their owne shame and yet ceased they not to hate him deadly Howbeit he took away their stings so cleane that they could neuer come conueniently to poison him neither did hee slacke for all that to set forth the truth notwithstanding that hee knew they lay in wait for him priuily And surely it was the singular prouidence of God which so blessed that Citie that there should be in that Church at once three such notable men and so excellently learned Constantino Aegidio Varquio which before times were Students together in Diuinitie and now furtherers of vertue and good religion with one consent and with like zeale For Varquio did read vpon the Gospell after Matthew in the Cathedrall Church and that being done did afterwards take in hand to expound the Psalter Aegidio preached dayly Constantino not so often as Aegidio but to as great fruit and edifying continuing all together each man in his roome till afterwards that God sent stormie tempestes to the end to try each mans building that Varquio in the middest of this hurly burly while hee and his aduersaries were bickering together died Constantino was sent for by the Emperour and his sonne Philip and forced to forsake Siuill So that Doct. Aegidio was left alone like a lambe among a sort of wolues to minister matter for a tragedy the which is already declared in this historie After whose death Constantino left the Emperours Court where hee had gotten both wisedome and learning and returned to Siuil againe to set forward the light of the Gospell that had beene stopped for a while The which thing he did with as much zeale as euer he did before time so that both he himselfe was very well esteemed and his sermons liked of all the people exceedingly It was also his chance by reason of a certaine order taken by the whole Chapiter to bee appointed the next lent after his comming to preach euery other day in the Cathedrall Church The which when he refused to take vpon him because of his late sicknes being scarcely well recouered he was compelled to do it perforce notwithstanding that he was so weak a creature that he was somtime carried thither for faintnes once or twise in a sermon compelled to drink a draught of wine to refresh himself withal and to make him able to hold out til the end of his howre The which doubtlesse was a very strange sight to behold and yet such fauour euery man bare towards him that hee was dispensed withall to vse that libertie Afterwards being restored to his health he deuised a ready way to set forward his purpose and such as none had troden in before him For by his meanes one Seignior Scobario a famous man in Siuill both in life and learning to whom the Senate of the Citie by common consent had committed the charge and ouersight of the Colledge of children commonly called the house of learning conferring with Constantino about the matter translated the reuenue that some drunken chaplen would haue deuoutly drunk for his soule into a yearely stipend towards the maintenance of a Diuinitie-lecture in the same Colledge whereof this Constantino was chosen reader Who both happily tooke in hand and effectually pursued that profitable exercise beginning first with Salomons Prouerbs the booke of the Preacher and Cantica Canticorum Which after hee had passed through very learnedly he proceeded into â—ob and expounded it more than halfe All which workes are extant at this day in written hand gathered very painefully by one of his auditors named Bab. Wherein it shall appeare hereafter as I can haue leasure to publish them how farre hee hath exceeded all that haue written vpon these books hitherto and how excellently wel learned he was But some euill spirit enuying the good successe of that Citie vnder the pretence of feruent zeale caused him to forsake that course wherein hee ranne before and afterward incombered him
the holy 〈◊〉 of a Saint but he had also vnder his other garments a short hanger by his side and that forsooth only hâ—ndred his absolute honour This Inquisition you will say was not brought in to the end that any should thereby be instructed in the principles of true religion but onely that heresie by meanes hereof might bee abolished Marry so much we yeeld vnto them indeed For it appeareth plainely by the zeale that was in those good Princes that they had a better meaning with them at the first then that which through their wicked counsellours afterward was put in execution The Inquisition being th 〈…〉 established for the same ends and purposes which I haue before mentioned as some affirme before the battell at Granata which maketh nothing against me if it be so the charge of instructing the people in the principles of religion was first referred to I Tears and Curates and from them translated to the Wardens of the Church and afterward to the Clerkes in euery towne and parish who taught the simple abused people their Aue Maria Pater noster their Credo with Salua regina 〈…〉 in Latine shall I say nay in a barbarous kinde of Latine and that with sporting themselues and mocking the poore silly soules without any deuotion or zeale not without reward neither but very dearely and at a high price many times besides their common wages they were payd with the goodwiâ—es honestie or the daughters virginitie For the other fiue coÌ„mandements of the holy Church which they sâ—ad were necessarie to saluation that is to say the hearing of Masse on holy dayes and sundayes The going to shrist and holy confession The receiuing of holy bread the due obseruing of Fasts enioyned by the Church and the true paying of their tithes and Church-duties these things I warrant you were beaten into their heads in plaine words and mother-tongue By which kinde of discipline what other thing I pray you could seeme to be sought thâ—n to bring men into a heape of perpetuall errours And the court of Inquisition being erected on the other part for reformation of errours they might be sure like good hunters to lodge the Deere and take their stand and so to obtaine a continuall prey But to proceed let vs grant them thus much that the Inquisition was ordained to none other end and that they be two seuerall and distinct offices to teach the faith and to roote out heresies yet were it the part and dutie of good and discreet counsellours to prouide that the authoritie committed to Bishops by the holy Scriptures of God should not thereby be taken from them neither should any other perswasion enter into their heads that there were any other fire or sword to root out heresies but only the sword of Gods word both the which things the holy Apostle did most euidently teach in the Epistle to Titus where among other qualities required in a Bishop hee would haue him embrace the word of God fit for instruction that he may be able to exhort by wholesome doctrine and to conuince the gainsayers and aduersaries For surely a true and iustifying faith cannot be forced the nature thereof is such no more can heresie be destroyed by the heretickes death But the word of God is most apt and sit for both purposes For thereby faith is not only engendred but increased and multiplyed meruellously and whatsoeuer is not agreeable to true faith if it be examined and tried by the light of this word shall soone be bewrayed Wherefore they ought first to haue resorted to the Scriptures and taken counsell of them whether they had limited any punishment for such as should shew themselues wilfull and obstinate against the truth or the most cruell execution that can be by fire For as concerning the confiscation of goods what can be thought more wretched and couetous or more vnjust and shamelesse or further from the profession of a Christian man And to let passe their open infamy the staine whereof will hardly be spunged out againe who can worthily speake enough against them that vse the same kinde of punishment euen against those poore wretches whâ—â— they haue perswaded to recant their errours Paul in the place aboue mentioned appointeth no penaltie for as much as it may well be that the partie condemned may in time be reclaimed and therefore mercy ought rather to be practised of euery good shepheard with all gentlenesse and loue then any such extremitie But let vs enter further and see what Paul appointeth for such as are obstinate persons Auoide the company of an hereticke saith he after one or two admonitions First hee would haue him charitably admonished of his error twice or thrice and that by the Bishop not cited into the court not put to the torments or otherwise punished for his erronious opinions with such extremitie and so continually Then if gentle admonition will reclaime him there is good cause why both the Bishop and the whole congregation may rejoyce of the winning of a brother to be a member of Christ But if such admonitions will not preuaile he counselleth vs to proceed to excommunication that is to say to cut him off and exclude him the company and fellowship of the Christians the which notwithstanding must not be executed in way of reuenge of his error but ministred as a medicine for his amendment And this judgement of the Disciple agreeth with the rule of his Master If hee wil not giue eaâ—e to thee nor other saith he that is to say them that haue giuen him admonition the second time Let him be thence forth accompted of as an Ethnicke or Publican Which is as much in vnderstanding as if he had neuer receiued the faith In this degree of seueritie which being duely considered is sharpe enough Christs discipline stayeth and proceedeth no further And this is the Court these be the lawes thereof and the whole manner of proceeding wherewith a true Christian man if there had beene any such among them should haue contented himselfe in proceeding against his brother being beside the right way or against any heresies of what sort or condition soeuer they be because Christ hath thought them to be sufficient and prouided these remedies which the Church hath alwayes vsed from time to time to great profite in the rooting vp of all heresies that at any time grew therein As concerning the putting of heretickes to death it is like altogether as if a Phisician to the intent to rid the patient of his disease should for the nonce rid him also of his life Moreouer they that doe pretend most of all now adayes the rooting vp of heresies by such meanes do not only not attaine thereunto for as yet the world is blinded to take falshood for truth but if it were so then by taking away his life they cut him off from all those meanes and possibilities whereby he might attaine his owne saluation For it might very well come to passe
he chance to confesse nothing at all they will him to depart pretending that they know not without better information whether hee bee the same party whom they commanded to come before them or no. Whilst the party is thus in examination prouision is made that the promoter who gaue information against him is secretly hidden behind some tapistry where hee cannot be seen yet so as he may see the parties face and know if it be the same man or no if haply the Inquisitors know him not Then licence they him to depart being assured that it is he which shall minister matter for this tragedy and perhaps call him not before them of 2. or 3. moneths after specially if he be there inhabitant for if he be a forreiner they lightly giue him not so great respit The next time when their pleasure is to send for him they exhort him againe that if he know or haue heard any thing that concerneth their holy Court to disclose it vnto them For we know right well say they that you haue dealt with certain persons suspected in religion which if you will confesse of your own accord assure your selfe you shall receiue no harme therefore we charge you take heed and looke well to your selfe Our opinion is of you that like a good Christian man you will call to your remembrance such things as are by-past for indeed a mans memory is weak we wot well and may fail him and therfore it may be you haue forgotten and faine would tell all you know if you could call it to mind By these and such like subtilties they abuse many silly soules or els dismisse them for that time yet so as they shall not think themselues cleerly discharged but to keep them continually occupied and vnquieted in their minds and to make them stand in daily fear awe of them tell them it may be they shall haue further matter against them and occasion to call them againe Yet sometime it hapneth that they beare with some person and winke at him many dayes and with some whole yeares ere they cause him to be apprehended alwayes prouided that he shall haue one or other of these iolly mates to keepe him company wheresoeuer he go and waite vpon him at an inch to creepe into his bosome and grope his conscience who vnder the colour of friendship and familiarity very craftily and subtilly whilst he good man thinkes no harme shall daily come and visite him and haue an eye to all his doings mark with whom he conferreth where hee vseth to resort what he doth there and as nigh as may be whereabouts he goeth and what he intendeth in so much that without the speciall ayde of Gods holy prouidence it is not possible for a man to escape their snares Now if any of the Inquisitors chance to meet any such persons so dismissed they salute him very courteously and shew him a good countenance promising to stand his good friend All which courteous kind of entertainement tendeth to none other end but to make the man more carelesse of his estate and so to vndoe him ere he be aware But what good I pray you can they getby get by these detestable and abominable sleights except perhaps they vse them for their recreation and take like pleasure in them as doth the fouler in his pastime when hee playeth and dallieth with his game or the fisher who after he hath stricken the fish suffreth her to play with the line and to sport her selfe for a time that will scarfely last the turning of her taile or as the catte that playeth with the mouse after she hath giuen him some priuy pinch leaving him at large and hunting him afresh and by and by teareth him with her teeth and eateth vp euery morsell Wherein it may be that some secret mystery lies hid which all the world perceiues not nor altogether without gain to these holy Officers Howbeit this kind of dallying with their prey they vse not with euery body alike in such sort as is before declared For they haue very great respect of persons and causes in this behalf Which is a plain token that they deal not in this sort either with such strangers or town-dwellers as they thinke are like to escape from them by this liberty neither yet with such as are charged with great matters whom they thinke needfull to be seen vnto betimes specially if there be any hope that by their confession they shall haue intelligence of any other But first when they are determined to apprehend any person that is accused they vse to send for the Bishops deputy of that diocesse or Ordinary as they call him and making him priuy to the depositions of the witnesses against the party accused which they call an Information after a little consultation had with him of the matter they all subscribe to a writing which is a warrant directed from them to attach him which kind of dealing seemeth to haue a shew of good equity Forsooth they wil not bee thought to touch any of another mans flocke without th' aduise consent of his own Pastor who being full ignorant vnskilfull God knows in the duty of a Pastor as commonly all of that coat vnder Papacy are is brought to giue his consent that the sheep ouer whom he hath a speciall charge shall first be fleeced afterward miserably slain bereft of goods life For as yet there hath neuer any breach bin heard of about these matters betwixt the Inquisitors and the Ordinary for defending any of his flocke that hath been by them sent to execution Yet may a man see oftētimes yea daily almost great numbers dy in prison some hunger-steru'd some extreamly racked and dismembred in euery ioynt of their bodies some euen in the midst of their torments yeelding vp the Ghost betwixt the tormentors hands as I will not faile hereafter to declare when I shall be occasioned to treate therof more conueniently insomuch that the Inquisitors wil say of some of them that they were as harmlesse men and as innocent and put to death as wrongfully as any men could be Wherby it is euident that this sending for the Ordinary to confer withall about the apprehending of some vnder his cure is a very vaine thing and rather a foolish ceremony than a matter serious or done of any iustice And to tell the plaine truth their manner is to bid the Ordinary to a banquet to quaffe his part of the blood of his owne sheepe that the wolues may continue the faster friends Our Lord Christ the great shepheard of the sheepe come when hee seeth his time and render to each of them according to their owne deserts Yet sometimes it hapneth that they call not the Ordinary to counsell before the party be both accused and apprehended For being well assured that hee will not gainsay them nor controule any of their doings they thinke it enough when the party is fast forthcomming
accusation and all that is deposed against them which by order and common course of law should haue beene the first act that should haue beene done against them and all is to this onely end to make the party vtter somewhat of himselfe rashly and vnawares that they as yet know not of They aduise him moreouer to let it come from himselfe promising that if hee will acknowledge his faults voluntarily he shall be foorthwith sent home againe to his owne house and bee dispatched with all expedition and dealt withall as gently as may be But if for all these vaine and flattering promises he hold them hard and stand mute as indeede it is best for him they charge him earnestly to disburden his owne conscience and when he hath bethought himselfe and is disposed to confesse any thing that then he should sue to come to his answer saying that in the meane time they will consider of his case and so they remand him to prison Then after 6. or 8. dayes or mo as they thinke good they call for him againe and aske him if as yet he be determined to confesse ought The prisoner answereth either that he hath nothing to say but that he is innocent or perhaps confesseth somewhat But whatsoeuer his answer be they are sure still harping on their old string vrging him to discharge his conscience and perswading him that they goe about no other thing but to doe him good and to procure his safety of very loue and meere compassion which they take vpon him Which gentlenesse of theirs and well meaning towards him if he refuse now and set light by he shall finde them sharpe Iusticers hencefoorth if the Fiscall informe against him and so send him againe to prison The Fiscall is an officer which taketh all such accusations as the Promoters bring vnto him and by office is the onely pleader during the whole time that the causes be hanging as it were the Kings Atturney hauing his name no doubt à Fisco that is to say the Eschecquer for whose aduantage he is altogether and from whence hee is answered his fee. At the third day of audience the party is called for againe and demanded if yet hee be resolued what to doe with earnest request after their accustomed maner to confesse a troth of his owne accord if not they threaten to vse extremity towards him and what they can do by law And here they vnderstand by this word law extreme tormenting and mangling of men yea such as their owne owne lawes doe prooue very Innocents saying hee may well assure himselfe that no man shall sustaine any iniury within their holy Office and that their fashion is not to trouble any man but vpon good and sufficient information against him with such like talke Howbeit if the party happen to disclose any thing nay say they yet are we not satisfied we haue not all you can say we suspect you keepe something in of purpose and so send him to prison putting him to further paine and calling him coram day by day as they perceiue that by these means they wring more more out of him though it be but by little little But if he stand stoutely in the matter giuing them direct answer that he hath nought to say in that place by a shift of descant as it were they try him another way exacting an oth of him to the intent to proue his zeal they hold him an Idol representing the crucifixe couered with a blacke lawn certain other Idols I wot not what They do also lay before him a Masse book or a Missall and sometime the bare image of the crosse For such deuices and foolish toyes as these be they haue alwaies in a readines to vse as occasion serueth as they think most requisit respecting the party whom they are to deal withall Here is the Christian man driuen into a narrow streight so that he must needs vtter himself and plainly shew what he is in conscience and in belief For if he be a faithfull man indeed and one that from the bottom of his heart abhorres Idolatry hauing before his eies the fear of God most mighty iealous which in his most holy law hath reserued this glory to himself that we should swear by him alone he will beware that in no wise he giue part therof to such vile Idols of wood or mettall which being made to resemble the highest in shape are so much the more abominable in the sight of God and of his congregation Therefore a godly man will take heed of such a wicked and vngodly oath yea though he were to be torne in pieces presently seeing they be very Idols and not God to whom alone that honour belongeth as the Inquisitours themselues cannot say to the contrary After they haue thus put him to his oath they begin to examine him vpon these interrogatâ—rieâ— What countrey man hee is and vnder whose allegeance Of what Prouince or Diocesse In what city town or village he dwelleth Who were his ancestors what their names were What brethren or sisters he hath What his father and mother were and what were their names how they liued and by what trade and occupation If he or any of his kindred at any time haue beene conuented before the Inquisitours and vpon what occasions Moreouer many other things they inquire of him as of his age and trade of life where and with what manner of men he hath been most conuersant and thus is he sorced to giue a straight account of his whole life where he hath passed his time yearly and made his most abode answering to euery point by it selfe seuerally For out of each of these questions they fetch no small arguments wherewith they charge the poore soule afterward too too pittifully When he hath answered to all these by-questions then fal they afresh to their old exhortation sometime by faire meanes and sometime by foule aduising him to tell the truth frankely assuring him that they neuer cause any to bee arrested without iust cause why or without sufficient witnesses so that whether he confesse or no away he goeth to prison againe And in these three first times of hearing a great sort are either allured with their faire speeches and promises that they shall bee sent home to ther owne houses as soone as they will confesse that that is demanded of them or else of very awe and feare of their euill and menacing words vtter many things whereof the Inquisitors knew not one iot before because none had informed them thereof but themselues onely suspected lest they had been accused by some with whom they had dealt heretofore in such affaires Thus betraying themselues like fooles they bring other men into as euill case as themselues which perhaps neither feared any such matter at all nor the Inquisitors had euer heard any thing of them before But most of all when they perceiue that these most holy Fathers who hunt after nothing
so much as daily to haue change of spoyles will take it thankefully at their hands then labour they by all meanes possible to curry fauour with them to get themselues rid out of misery and to be set at liberty So that it commeth oftentimes to passe that the parties being at the first arrested for very trifling matters vndoe both themselues and many others moe by giuing ouer-much credit to the fair promises and goodly gloses of these false and faithlesse Inquisitors through want of skill how to behaue themselues in their owne affaires much lesse able to iudge and discerne what opinion they should haue of these Fathers that is to say not to be fathers as they glory to be called in derision of all humanity piety and fatherlinesse but their most cruell and deadly enemies which by craft subtilty and lying and by all kind of knaueries priuily goe about to get that they gape for both life and goods of the guilty and of the guiltlesse Against all which snares of theirs there is one onely way of auoydance to wit that he whose destinie it is I meane by Gods ordinance and appointment to fall into their hands beleeue neuer a word they say promise they neuer so fairly nor be afraid of them threat or thunder they neuer so terribly hauing alwaies before his eyes the loue and dread of him who after hee hath killed the body hath power also ouer the soule to send it to hell fire and hauing numbred the very haires of our head to the vttermost will not suffer the least of them to perish or fall to the ground without his good pleasure and prouidence The next lesson is to keep his tongue for his life speake not one word till the time that he hath heard his accusation with the depositions whereunto he is bound by order of law to make answer Furthermore at the fourth day of hearing they tender him an oath vehemently exhorting him to shriue himselfe voluntarily otherwise they will deale with him as hardly as the law will permit them if the Fiscall once commence his sute against him And if he do yet perseuere constantly affirming that he hath no more to say then reade they vnto him a long inditement charge him with many great matters falsely forged and deuised against him such as neither the party did euer so much as thinke vpon nor any had accused him of to them For it is a point of cunning forsooth in this their crafty faculty for the Fathers to make these great matters and huge offices on their fingers ends for these special causes First by thus loading the poor man and laying to his charge many great and made matters to bring him into such a maze that being scarcely his owne man he shall not well know where he is nor which way to turne him nor what answer to make Secondarily to prooue if happely he will admit any of these misdemeanors that are laid against him or at the least if by argument about any of them they can trippe him in his tale and so catch him in their net Is this then their following of Gods iudgements whose cause these Fathers of the faith brag and boast so much and beare the silly ignorant people in hand that they take vpon them to maintaine in the very first steppe of the stage whereon they are ready bent to do execution of a sort of innocents thus shamefully and mockingly to cry Arise O Lord and iudge thine owne cause Do these policies proceede of faith trowe ye where of they tearme themselues the Patrons Did euer any true Patrons of faith either teach them to other or els vse them themselues Are these the most direct meanes to bring him into the right way that of meere ignorance and simplicity hath gone astray from the truth and word of God or to teach the vnlearned or to correct and amend him who hath erred and fallen of common infirmity Or are they not rathermore likely to be the snares of SataÌ„ practised froÌ„ time to time by contentious and diuellish people priuily laid to supplant a poore man withall and very stumbling blockes craftily and maliciously cast for the nonce to make him breake not onely his shinnes but his neck also that plainely and simply shall passe thereby and lookes not warily to his footing And who would haue thought I pray you that these holy Fathers would haue busied themselues in making such mouse-traps and setting such pitfals But how many good Christians haue fallen into these snares to the great perill both of their bodâ—es and soules onely by the detestable meanes of these pestilent and pernicious Tyrants Christ the searcher of secrets and chiefe Inquisitor ouer all at his generall doome sitting in his seat of Maiesty will one day make manifest As touching their accusations the great and principall matters wherewith they burden euery one that commeth within their iurisdiction be these First for that he being baptized vnder the obedience of the Church of Rome forsaking her profession and doctrine is become one of Luthers disciples by admitting and harbouring his heresies in his heart and yet not content therewithall to be an heretike himselfe hath prouoked and poysoned others by teaching preaching the same heresies vnto them And to this effect well neare they vse many big words to make the simple folke afraid withall Next to this they charge them also with other matters sometime of more importance sometime of lesse Prouided alwayes that the matter wherof the party is accused be brought in either in the beginning or ending or else some other thing that some man hath him half in a iealousie for Which thing they lay to his charge not as a matter surmised or of likelihood but most constantly affirmed and testified by witnesses For in this holy Consistory they may do what they list and what they think expedient Then is the party accused put to answer to euery article that is laid against him seuerally and directly either yea or no as he thinketh good hauing alwayes a clerke by him to record euery word that he speaketh After this examination and confession thus had done Ex tempore without either order or any great aduisement they straightway giue him pen inke and paper to put in his answer in writing if he will pretending hereby that they work for him al the means helps that may be to try himself an honest man And thus is this crafty Inquisition cloked with this goodly pretence of equity iustice where in very deed this is their fetch that hearing him first make one confession by word of mouth suddenly and without aduisement and after that another with more deliberation in writing they may easily find some ods betwixt the one and the other hauing neither any copy of his former confession to lay before him nor being able for very feare trouble of mind to remember euery word that hath escaped him But if there
linnen garment with a red crosse called a Sambâ—â—it and last of all a perpetuall slander and ignominy to all his stocke and posterity such as never will be worne out as shall be hereafter declared But if the party shrinke not for the matter but constantly continue so confessing the truth or disaffirme the depositions that be against him hauing not excepted against the witnesses he is sure â—o try the torments whereof I haue now to say somewhat CHAP. VI. The condemnation to the racke and the manker of the execution thereof THe state and condition of the godly gentle reader hath beene euermore from the beginning hard and very miserable in comparison of the prosperitie which the wicked and vngodly enioy in this world For according to Christs owne saying in his Gospell after Iohn they thinke they doe God great good seruice which slay them vpon euery light occasion and study daily by new deuices and practices to circumuent them whereof you haue heard some sufficient proofe before And albeit the iniurious dealings and subtile practices which I haue declared already be such as any good natured people or that can be content to be ordered by law reason or equitie would worthily thinke intolerable yet in respect of these that shall ensue hereafter which I am now to shew they will seeme not onely sufferable but very reasonable and full of equity and good conscience For they doe farre exceede all barbarousnes yea I may well say all brutish and beastly madnes that a man cannot more aptly liken them to any thing in the world then to that which they do most liuely resemble and from whence they proceede that is to say Sathan their Syre so that the diuell though hee should force himselfe thereto is not able in matters touching men no nor in any thing else in the whole world to goe beyond them in these their most monstrous and diuellish examples of tyranny neither hath he any mans heart in his belly that can without teares reade or heare these things that hereafter ensue which in rifling this butchery wherein many a good soule vpon trifling occasions yea diuers of them guiltlesse God knoweth are made away we will lay open before the face of the whole world and plucke off their hood of holinesse wherewith they haue bleared all mens eyes and abused the whole world hitherto After the sentence be once giuen except it be to the racke the party is not sent for againe till the great day of their glorious shew at what time he commeth out into open audience with the other prisoners that come to heare their iudgements pronounced vpon them and euery man foorthwith to receiue his punishment accordingly vnlesse hee be found not guilty and so quit by proclamation For then is he kept in prison still by the space of 2. or 3. dayes after the triumph that the world may thinke that he also departed out with the rest And this forsooth is one of their holy deuices because they would not be thought to lay their hands vpon any person rashly or without good cause why as they are wont oftentimes to tell the parties by the way in such exhortations as they make vnto them to vtter the truth The holy house is so perswaded of their owne doings that what extreamity soeuer they shew vnto the prisoners yet they think they do vnto them no iniury Howbeit diuers of them whom they shew speciall fauour vnto for certaine causes to them knowne are set at liberty and sent away to their owne houses two or three dayes before the great day of their solemnities causing it to be noysed abroad that they were accused by false witnesses Yet is this their slye dealing open enough to any man that list to mark it euen by this one thing that a man shall neuer fee any such false witnesses openly punished therefore which in all other cases are accustomably most sharply seen vnto But if they be determined to put any man to the rack at such time as he least looketh for it then shall he be sure to be brought into the Audience where all the Inquisitors or the greater part of them sit in their seates of Maiestie and besides them the Prouisor as they tearme him or deputy Ordinary of the Diocesse like a shepheard ready to flea one of his own flock who of duty ought to be present as well to heare the sentences giuen as to see execution ministred And at this Court-day they declare vnto the prisoner how the Inquisitours with all the learned Councell haue deepely considered his whole case bearing him in hand that they haue found it out for a surety that he will not wholly declare the truth therefore are resolued that he shall ride the racke and there be spurred certaine questions and so by hooke or by crooke will wring it out of him will he nill he therefore they aduise him to do it voluntarily as he will avoyde the paine and perill of the racke Whereunto they ioyne a certaine exhortation which they intermingle with some sowre speech of high and threatning words and set it out with great seueritie of countenance rehearsing vnto him all the seuerall torments of the racke as terribly as they can describe them to make him quake in euery ioynt of him Yet whether he confesse or not confesse all is one for to the rack he must go Wherupon they send for the Officer command him to haue the party into that place where the Racke standeth which commonly is a deepe and a darke dungeon vnder the ground with many a doore to passe thorow ere a man can come vnto it because such as are put thereto should not be heard to shrike or cry In the which place there is a scaffold reared where the Inquisitour the Prouisor and the Clerke do sit to see the Anatomie made of him that is brought to them Then the linkes being lighted and all the players entred that haue parts in this Tragedy the Executioner who tarrieth last to make all fast as they say and to see euery man in before him commeth also at the length and of himfelfe alone maketh a shew worthy the sight more then all the rest of that rout being wholly arrayed all ouer from the top of his head to the sole of his foote in a sute of blacke canuas such as the superstitious Spaniards weare on Maundy-thursday when they scourge and whip themselues as the custome is in most places vnder Popery if not in all much like that apparell that the diuells in stage-playes vse here with vs in England Moreouer his head is couered with a long black hood that reacheth ouer all his face hauing two little peep holes to see through and all to this end to make the poor soule the more afraid both in body and mind to see one torment him in the likenesse of a diuell O Lord such are their holy guiles After that the Lords be set downe each in
maketh euerie one his crafts-maister grew so cunning in their affaires that straight-way they beganne to smell out the matter that it might in time worke them some displeasure and therewithall that the doctrin which they so greatly detest and abhorre might bee published and spreade further than they would wish it so that manie which otherwise would haue continued in their blindnesse still if they had neuer heard nor seene anie such reportes should bee occasioned thereby to open their eyes and vnderstandings and to confesse aswell the doctrine it selfe and receiue it as also espie the wickednesse of them that persecute it Therefore for remedie of this mischiefe and inconuenience the holy House prouided by making and publishing certaine presidentes of such like reportes briefe and in such wise as were not likely to doe anie great harme that who so were disposed to certifie their friends of such matters should follow those presidentes in any case therfore appointed certaine great penalties for the transgressours hereof that should make their reportes in any other more large or ample maner than was by their order prescribed The maner wherof was this That after they had told who what maner of man he was that was punished or executed they should adde moreouer because he held with Luther without naming any of his opinions which notwithstanding were specially recited before was burned or thus or thus punished or executed according to the truth of the matter Moreouer as the holy House well may erre albeit men now adayes are so bewitched with superstition and flatterie that they dare affirme the contrarie being ordered and guided say they by the holy Ghost so it commeth diuers times to passe that some be causelesse apprehended some vpon verie small and light complaints verie few vpon anie lawfull and sufficient information And the greatest part after they haue beene imprisoned in such miserable sort as I haue before declared for a yeare or two or more till their causes were thorowly examined at the last being tryed and found guiltlesse so that necessarily they are to be discharged within a day or two after their great day of Triumph they bring them into the Court there beginne to set on them againe as freshly as euer they did willing them to vtter the truth as they will auoid their displeasures and the extremitie of law threatning them the Rack and saying that there is now come in sufficient matter by information against them Then if any will be feared with this facing and be brought but to vtter one word of any such matters as they are desirous to heare of they send him straight to ward againe and renue their sute against him from the beginning But if nothing can bee gotte out of him by this meanes nor that they haue anie thing else to charge him withall they leaue off threatning and fall to flattering saying that they haue a better opinion of him than so and therefore are resolued to send him home again to his owne house for the which fatherly fauour extended towards him in sauing both his life and his goods hee is to account himselfe much beholding and bound to their Lordships willing him to perswade himself that what fauour they haue shewed him alreadie they mean to continue towards him for the good liking that they had of him at the very first view but specially for the good example of patience which he shewed during the whole time of his imprisonment With these and such like Lenitiues the good and vpright Iudges think to supple the rest of his sores that were of their owne making to send him home to his house at the last with speciall charge that he be silent Yet sometime they detaine him in prison a good while after notwithstanding that hee bee found not guiltie nothing regarding what any be he neuer so guiltlesse suffer at their hands and there doe keepe him closely crastily till a day or two after their great state and iollity that being dismissed neer about the time that the other are the common people may think he receiued his punishment amongst the rest tho in some lesser degree and thereby be perswaded that the holy House neuer vexeth any man without sufficient information And marke I pray you one other new found guise that these rauening wolues haue got to obtain their prey spoile withall that such persons as among other parcels of their punishments are condemned either to perpetuall imprisonment either during the Inquisitors pleasure or for a certaine season albeit they remaine no longer in Triana that is the Inquisitours proper and peculiar prison because they shall think themselues quite and clear dispatched and to haue no more to doe with the holy House yet whersoeuer they be appointed their place of aboad as an imprisonment there be spies also to mark diligently how they take the matter and whether they put it vp quietly yea or no or what they say vnto it For if they bee chearefull or doe any wayes make but a countenance of mirth in this time of their trouble they shall both incurre the Inquisitours displeasure therfore and feel a greater smart besides They also that doe remaine in such appointed places are likewise visited sometime by the Inquisitours but in such sort as hath bin described of the other and to the very same end and purpose that is to say that the common people might see how full of mercie and pittie they are howbeit it is to this end to bring them more in feare and awe of them of their displeasure For then beginne they as it were to keep Court and to make inquirie both of the prisoners themselues of the keepers whether since their departure out of Triana they haue heard any of their fellowes say any thing touching matters of religion who it was that did so and what countenance others that heard it made thereunto Also whether any man doe grudge or find himselfe grieued for any punishment that he hath endured but especially whether they haue disclosed any mysterie or secret of theirs or whether any man haue compassed or imagined to make an escape with many other such like questions And if they finde no such matters they return as wise as they came If otherwise there appeare any euident matter against them then commence they their sute against him or them Not many yeares agoe it chanced at Siuill in such a like visitation that a certaine prisoner after hee had remained in prison for certaine yeares at the chiefe Inquisitours pleasure whose name was Licentiato Gasco made verie earnest suite vnto him for his discharge and deliuerance thence This Gasco was a man well learned in both the lawes as it seemed who strayning himselfe to speake somewhat wisely made this graue and goodly answer vnto him passing all wisedome or good religion Now Sirs saith hee you must take your affliction patiently for here you suffer for the sinnes of the people and for
ours aswell as for your owne Howbeit I will moue the rest of my Lords in the matter and what may be done shall be done But vpon these and such like foolish and blasphemous speeches neuer anie Commissioner made inquirie and thus departed hee out of the Parler wherein he had made such a clerke-like peece of worke to the poore prisoners in way of consolation and so like a gay-diuine casting a word out to the keeper verie solemnly and charging him by vertue of their Office to look to them narrowly that none escaped For if there did he should both seek them at his owne charge and be punished besides for his negligence in looking so slenderly to his duetie CHAP. XIII The interpretation of the sentences THere be also certaine speciall termes which the holy House vseth for euerie kinde of penance seuerally Wherein seeing there lyeth also sorne secret mysterie it shall not bee greatly impertinent to declare them in this place expounding them after the Inquisitours owne sense and vnderstanding First concerning the iudgements some are to bee burned quicke and that is for such as haue constantly perseuered vnto the end in the confession of a pure and perfect faith and these men they call obstinate Others are to bee burned also but after they be dead being first strangled at the stake Such are they that being once wonne by their owne frailtie and weaknesse haue beene content to submitte themselues to the Inquisitours and to footh wahtsoeuer the other will say yet haue by certaine euident and sufficient tokens giuen the Inquisitours good cause of suspicion to thinke that they remaine the same in heart still notwithstanding their mouth hath confessed the contrarie After the same maner are diuers also of the former sort whom they tearme obstinate strangled ere the fire bee kindled to make the people beleeue that so soone as they were sette to the stake they abiured and renouced all their heresies and returned to the holy mother-Church of Rome But of these I haue made mention before Another sort of sentences there are that haue a shew of more mercie which they call reconciliations because such as haue renounced the truth are as it were purged and clensed by doing that penance in way of satisfaction and therby receiued againe into the very bosom of the Romish Church Such for the most part cary in their hands tapers vnlighted on the great day of their Triumph with ropes about their neckes and Sambenites vpon their backes aboue their other garments as badges tokens of guilt these they wear either during life or for some other certaine number of yeares or else are close kept and shut vp in some monasterie or some other priuate places whereof as there be sundry sortes so are there likewise seuerall names Some are Perpetuall without redemption Some onely perpetuall Some for a certaine season the which beeng expired they must notwithstanding remaine there still during the Inquisitours pleasures and some be no longer limited at the first than during the pleasure of the chiefe Inquisitour the Generall they call him because he is chiefe Iudge aboue all other Courts of the holy Inquisition throughout the Realme of Spaine there be also some at the pleasure of the inferiour Iudges that gaue the sentence in their owne Courts and priuate iurisdictions These diuersities of prisons are like the properties of Purgatorie for all the world excepting aswell certaine cases in matter of penance as also degrees of affinitie and bloud in cases of mariage For they are deuised to glean all the mony out of the poor Penitentiaries purses more or lesse according to the quality of the offence and after the rate and proportion of the penalty assessed on each of them therefore And all this forsooth must bee vnderstood to proceede from the Inquisitours owneclemencie and mercie of their own meer good will by the only meanes whereof the party that otherwise must necessarely perish for abiuring the truth may stand in state of grace againe and be in possibilitie to recouer his owne saluation When iudgement is giuen to weare the Habite for so they call the Sambenite by a more cleanly terme to perpetuall prison without bayle or maineprise it is to be vnderstood that there is no talk to be had of any remission thereof till the party hath worn that garment suffered imprisonment the space of nine or ten whole yeares except the partie haue so good hap as by meanes of his friends to obtaine his pardon at the Kings hand who onely may by his prerogatiue pardon it at his pleasure But after the expiration of those yeares vnlesse the party haue giuen some cause of suspicion againe the chiefe Inquisitour is commonly wont to remitte the residue howbeit with great crouching first and much entreatie When they adiudge a man to weare the Sambenite and to suffer perpetuall imprisonment without adding anie more it is commonly taken for 3. yeares if the chiefe Inquisitor doe so think good vpon whose pleasure it resteth either to giue the prisoner his discharge after those 3 years or else to his perpetuall ignominie there to detaine him all his life long But when they say that a man shall wear the Habite and suffer imprisonment so many yeares or moneths so soon as that certaine time is expired the partie is set at libertie except it be added moreouer besides the limitation of time certaine that it shal be further referred to the discretion and appointment of the Inquisitours The which clause they comonly vse to put in the latter end in the winding vp of all to choake men therewith to make them thinke themselues much bound to them while they liue for releasing the same But if the sentence be to weare the Sambenite with imprisonment during the chiefe Inquisitours pleasure it is left to their discretions to pardon or punish accordingly as they shall think good In summe how or after what sort soeuer their sentence be the matter is wholly referred to them and to their ordering Now the meanes to redeeme this imprisonment and to dispense with the wearing of these robes is the more common and ordinarie by reason that the King hath in his Court diuers young gentlemen to whom in respect of their seruice he vseth to grant pardons for those matters Then such as get the grant hereof doe commonly make inquirie for such persons as are therunto adiudged who they be and where they remaine to the intent to make their market of those pardons to their most aduantage as they can agree of price eyther more or lesse respecting alwaies both the abilitie of the person and the qualitie of the sentence For such as had iudgement without redemption pay more other for release of perpetuall imprisonment lesse other for certaine time and during the Inquisitours pleasure lesse againe and least of all that which onely resteth vpon the discretion and will of the Iudge Also at some times the King of his like
were a faire conditioned man very well learned and better seene in his faculty then a great sort of practifers bee yet would hee not graunt vnto him his good will for hauing his daughter to wife till hee were for a while become scholler to Doctor Aegidio and learned of him some godly and vertuous instructions A very hard condition surely for a learned man and one that thought himselfe sufficiently cathechised to submit himselfe to another mans instruction but specially to D. Aegidio that was commonly suspected in religion at that time Howbeit at the length he condescended thereunto whether for vertues sake as desirous of better instruction or for his wiues I knowe not But howsoeuer it were or in what respect so euer hee did it at the first he applied it so earnestly that notwithstanding he lost his maister ere he could well haue spared him yet after his maisters death he declared how much he had profited vnder him in so much that aswell for his singular learning and skill in Scripture as for his vertuous and godly conuersation he was thought the happiest and worthiest person to bee Superintendent ouer the whole congregation which was great in number though here and there dispersed in corners As indeede he tooke it vpon him and did very wel discharge the office of a preacher among them so far as hee might in such aduersity Afterwards by meanes of those bookes of Iuliano paruo hee was apprehended by the Inquisitours being a thing almost impossible that such a faithfull pastour should hide himselfe when his flocke was dispersed before whom hee made a plaine protestation of his faith for the which hee endured first hard and sharp imprisonment with most cruell torments and the open infamie of their solemne shew and lastly was committed to the fire Where he standing at the stake disputed very notably of true religion against those importunate hypocrites who vpon a false perswasion that they had to conuert him gaue him the liberty of his tongue to the intent he might haue answered their expectation And whereas they of policy fell out of their Spanish into Latine because the common people should not vnderstand them Losada also not greatly marking their meaning herein began to talk in Latin so copiously and eloquently that it was a strange thing to heare a man almost dead to this world to haue his wits so fresh and his tongue so ready as euer they were at any time in all his life Christophoro Arelliano CHristophoro Arelliano a Monke of the cloyster of Saint Isidore in Siuill was by the confession of the Inquisitours themselues simply the best learned of all that came before them and was betraied by his owne friends such I meane as had receiued a great deale more commoditie and honour by him then euer they had done by any yet by their meanes was brought within the Inquisition The cause why he was so highly esteemed accompted of for learning was because of his great reading and study in the schoole-doctours as they tearme them That is to say Aquinas Scotus Lombardus and such like that whatsoeuer had escaped them in all their workes making for the maintenance of the truth with a very good iudgement and a passing memorie next after the scriptures and the sounder sort of the fathers and doctours of the Church hee did both readily vouch and applied them to his purpose very directly and so brought to passe that all his aduersaries with whom the authoritie of such trifling writers weigh more then the holy Scriptures of God were confounded with their owne doctours Notwithstanding all this hee was condemned to the fire For with these maine tyrants fire and fagots is aboue learning and truth and able to controll ouerrule them both But ere he came so far he was first brought solemnly set vpon the scaffold to haue sentence pronounced vpon him where there was a shamefull matter most impudently laied to his charge That hee should affirm that the blessed and pure virgin Mary the mother of Christ was no more a maid then hee himselfe was A seemly speach for these good Fathers to publish and proclaime in such an open audience if it had beene so that any were so beastly or so wicked to say it Yet such meanes they vse to bring them into hatred among the common people whom they know many men to haue good opinion and estimation of for their singular and approued vertue Howbeit when Arelliano heard that horrible blasphemie hauing the vse of his tongue as GOD would haue it he cried out in the hearing of all the people that it was a most impudent and slanderous lie saying that as well at this present as also at all other times heretofore hee did euer firmely hold and beleeue the contrary being thereunto perswaded by diuers and sundry places of Scripture which hee could presently alledge if neede were Also for a further vexation there stoode of purpose one of the Monkes of the same house that had beene his greatest enemy laughing and reioycing at his misery thinking it belike not sufficient to cause so godly a man so excellently well learned and a very innocent besides to be brought into so pitifull a case but to amend the matter withall seemed to triumph ouer him in this extremity The suddaine sight whereof did somewhat moue this good man howbeit like a good christian hee put it vp quietly and pacified himselfe giuing a good example of patience to all that beheld it Finally standing at the very stake he comforted and encouraged a certaine monke of the same house called Iohn Chrysostome that sometime had beene his scholler and now become his fellow and so partaker aswell of his death as his doctrine But forasmuch as I certainly know not the very true cause why this Monke was executed I haue therfore not annexed him here vnto the rest Yet thus much I can truely say of him A preacher he was both reasonably well learned and of good conuersation and liuing for any thing that euer was obiected to the contrary And therefore those hogs that minded nothing but their bellies did not greatly like of him Garsias Arias commonly called Seignior Blanco THe wonderfull prouidence of God toward his elect which contrary to common course doth mightily saue defend many that deepely were drowned and lay a long season soused in superstition and blindnesse fansying it of will and withstanding the known truth against their owne conscences which sin the holy Scriptures call the sin against the holy Ghost declaring vnto vs that the prayers of the congregation shall not auaile such persons as are spotted therewith this prouidence I say did most maruellously appear by this one mans example to be of such force that the deeper that men are drowned in desperation the higher it afterwards aduanceth them in honour This Arias whom they commonly called Seignior Blanco because of his white haires and faire skin had a very sharp wit and for his time was