Records of the Spanish Inquisition, Translated from the Original Manuscripts

TRIAL OF LEONARDO PHELIPE, FOR LUTHERANISM

MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SIR,

I, the undersigned Secretary, who, in the absence of the Fiscal of this Holy Office, exercise his duties, appear before your Excellency, and declare, that, from the information which I now present, it appears, and is manifest that Phelippe Leonart, a needlemaker, and a Frenchman by birth, now resident in the city of Tarragona, is a Lutheran heretic, commonly swearing, and denying God and the Saints, ridiculing the Holy Sacraments of the Church, never confessing himself, for which he has been declared excommunicated, and committing other crimes.

On which account, I request that your Excellency will order him to be arrested and confined in the secret prison, in order that the ends of justice may be accomplished.

Mattheo Magre, Sec’y.

In the city of Tarragona, on the fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, appeared voluntarily Tecla Leonarda, wife of Felipe Leonart, needlemaker, a Frenchman by birth, and inhabitant of this city of Tarragona, of age, as she stated, fifty years, or thereabout. She made the following declaration.

‘Señor Commissary, I am the wife of Felipe Leonart, needlemaker, a Frenchman, and have been married to him about twenty years. I cannot learn that during all this time he has confessed himself once, unless compelled to do it during Lent. He has many times been declared excommunicated for not confessing, and for neglecting to comply with the precepts of the church. He formerly lived in Valencia, in the Calle de la Mar, Parish of St Tomas. He never confessed himself here, and was reminded of his neglect by the Rector. Upon being rebuked by me and his son, and advised to confess, he broke out into blasphemies against God and the Saints, with such violence that he appeared more like a demoniac than anything else. It being suggested to him that God did not prosper him because he did not attend mass, nor wear a rosary, nor hear sermons, nor confess, but swore, and blasphemed, and that if the Holy Inquisition knew of this he would be apprehended, he replied that the devil must help him; that he did not care for me nor the Inquisition, that he would not confess, and that God gave him nothing which the devil would give. In particular, last Passion Week his son carried him to the Jesuits to confess; but, on finding to what place he was conducting him, the said Felipe abandoned him and refused to confess, greatly offending his son and the confessor. He has given so many proofs of not being a Christian, that many of his apprentices have left him, declaring that they would not live in a house where God was not venerated and worshipped.’

The deponent further declared that on making a full confession last Lent, of all the sins of her husband and her own negligence in denouncing him, she was directed to give information of the whole to this Holy Office, and was refused absolution unless she complied, and that there were many more things to be told which she could not recollect, as they happened so long since.

The above is the truth according to the oath of the deponent, and is stated by her not out of malice, but solely to discharge her conscience. It was read to her, and declared to be faithfully recorded. She promised secrecy, and I, the Commissary, sign for her.

The Canon,

Juan Ferrer, Commissary.

Before me—

Miguel Gibert, Not’y of Tarragona.

In the city of Tarragona, on the day, month, and year above specified, before the abovementioned Commissary of this Holy Office, appeared, according to summons, and swore formally to declare the truth, a woman calling herself Maria Leonart, wife of Joseph Leonart, an inhabitant of this city of Tarragona, of age, as she stated, sixteen years, or thereabout.

Questioned, if she knew the cause of her being summoned to appear.

Answered, that she supposed it to be for the purpose of making inquiry respecting the life and conduct of Felipe Leonart, her father-in-law. She was married about four months ago to Joseph Leonart, his son, and what she knew of the matter in question was this;—the said Felipe Leonart was accustomed to swear a thousand times a day, with and without cause. He would swear ‘by the head of God;’ and the deponent had heard him declare, many times, that all his good luck happened in the name of the devil, and not of God. The deponent had asked him why he did not confess, observing that to kneel at the foot of a confessor, and relate his sins, was to relate them to God; and the said Felipe Leonart replied that this was all babble; that he believed just as he pleased. As to hearing mass, he would take it upon trust; that the priests said in their sermons just what they chose, and that they did nothing but trouble the common folks. Some one asking him if he was not afraid of dying, he replied that if he knew that there was a tavern in the other world, he should wish to die immediately. The deponent advised him to confess himself, as otherwise he would be declared excommunicated. He replied that he would not confess, and in fact did not, the last Lent, although his son attempted to carry him to confession. His common oaths were ‘the sacred host,’ ‘the hours of God,’ ‘the head of God.’ His common helpers were the devils; saying, ‘by the help of the devil I will do this,’ &c. So that during the whole space of four months the deponent has never known a word or action of a Christian to proceed from him, never kneeling when the signal is given, nor taking off his cap, nor leaving off eating, although requested to do so by his wife and the deponent.

The above statement is not made from any but conscientious motives, and on being read, was declared by the deponent to be correctly recorded. She promised secrecy, and I, the said Commissary, sign for her.

The Canon,

Juan Ferrer, Commissary.

Before me—

Miguel Gibert, Not’y of Tarragona.

In the city of Tarragona, on the seventeenth day of the month abovementioned, and the same year, before the said Commissary of the Holy Office, appeared, according to summons, and swore formally to declare the truth, a man calling himself Joseph Leonart, an inhabitant of Tarragona, of age, as he stated, twenty years or thereabout.

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

Answered, that he supposed it to be for the purpose of learning the bad conduct of Felipe Leonart, a Frenchman, and his father. For a number of years the deponent and his mother had concealed many heavy offences committed by him against the Holy Catholic Faith.

The said Felipe Leonart was a great swearer, saying ‘The head, soul, and body of Christ’ a million times every day, declaring that he did not fear God, the king, nor anybody; and that if he knew there was a tavern in the other world, he should not care if he were to die, although his body were burnt at Carraxet. Everything which succeeded well with him, he ascribed to the devil and not to God, saying, ‘The devil will give me food, for I do not want anything from God,’ and, ‘The devil will give me luck in this;’ so that his patron and helper in everything was the devil. He never confessed, and the last Lent the deponent attempted to carry him to the convent of St Francisco; but on perceiving that he was leading him to confession, he ran away from him. He declared it nonsense to relate one’s sins to a confessor, and that a man should tell of nothing but what he pleased. The deponent had never seen him more than once at mass. He wore no rosary, nor any sign of a Christian. He had been declared excommunicated for not complying with the precepts of the church, in this city, in Barcelona, and in Valencia. He declared that the preachers were troublers of the people. At one time, in Valencia, he went to bed after tiring himself with swearing, and told the family that a woman, a monkey, and a young man then in the house, had appeared to him in bed, scratched his face all over and thrown him down stairs. They found him at the foot of the stairs with his face scratched, and believed that this had been done by the devil, from his mentioning him so often. The deponent and his wife had advised him to remove his residence lest the Holy Inquisition should punish him; to which he answered that he did not care for the Inquisition. Finally, the said Felipe Leonart lead such a life that he appeared more like a Lutheran than a Christian.

The above is the truth according to the oath of the deponent, who does not make this declaration out of malice or ill will against his father, but solely to discharge his conscience, and to obey the commands of his confessors. It having been read, he declared it to be correctly recorded, and signed his name.

Josef Lleonart.

Before me—

Miguel Gibert, Not’y of Tarragona.

CALIFICACION

A person of ordinary rank, and of an infected nation has been declared, by persons living with him, to have confessed but once for twentytwo years, and at this time by compulsion. On many occasions he has been declared excommunicated for not complying with the precepts of the Church.

The same witnesses, as they cannot perceive that he goes to confession, rebuke him for it, whereupon he abjures God and the Saints in such a manner that he appears possessed. He wears no rosary, does not hear mass, nor confess, and declares that the devil helps him. On being rebuked and threatened with a denunciation to the Inquisition, he speaks contemptuously of it, declares that he will not confess, and that God gives him nothing that the devil will give.

Every day he swears by God without occasion, and affirms that all which happens well to him is done in the name of the devil and not of God. Being told to go to mass, he replied that he would take it upon trust; that the preachers said just what suited them; that he believed what he pleased; that they did nothing but make trouble; that he did not wish for anything from God which the devil could give him; and that it was nonsense to relate a man’s sins to a confessor, or anything more than what a man pleased. Wherever he has lived he has been excommunicated for not following the precepts of the Church.

Some one asking him if he was not afraid of dying, he answered that he did not fear God, and that if he knew that there was a tavern in the other world, he should not regard dying immediately.

In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the seventh day of May, one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta presiding sole in his morning audience, ordered the Calificadores of this Holy Tribunal, Father Maestro Onofre Ferrer, and Father Maestro Chrysostomo Bonamich, both Conventuals of this city to appear before him.

Having examined the propositions above specified, they declared unanimously that the above person is a scandalous, presumptuous blasphemer, and a formal heretic, who ought to be proceeded against.

Maestro Fr. Onofre Ferrer.

Maestro Fr. Chrysostomo Bonamich.

Before me—

Damian Fonolleda, Sec’y.

In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the seventh day of May, one thousand six hundred and thirtyseven, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta presiding sole in his afternoon audience, having examined the information received by the Commissary of Tarragona against Phelipe Leonardo, needlemaker, a Frenchman, and an inhabitant of that city,—ordered, that this person be arrested and confined in the secret prison of this Holy Office to take his trial in form, and that his apprehension be intrusted to the Commissary of the abovementioned city, who shall transmit him from place to place and from the hands of one Familiar to another.

Before me—

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 mass, 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 mass, 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 prœsignum 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 destitute 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 space 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 God 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 God 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.

He was then informed that the Promoter Fiscal of the Holy Office had an accusation to bring against him, and that it would be well for him, both as a means of discharging his conscience and despatching briefly his trial, to confess the whole truth before the accusation was presented, according as he had been previously exhorted, by which he would experience the mercy which the Holy Office extends towards all who confess freely; otherwise he was informed that the Fiscal would attend, and justice be executed.

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

Straightway appeared the Secretary, Damian Fonolleda, who, by reason of the absence of the Fiscal, and the indisposition of Mateo Magre, Secretary, took upon him that office. He presented an accusation signed by him against the said Leonardo Phelipe, making oath that he did not present the same out of malice.

ACCUSATION

I, the Fiscal of this Holy Office, appear before your Excellency, and accuse criminally, Leonardo Phelipe, needlemaker, born in the village of Agullon, in the bishopric of Gens, kingdom of France, and an inhabitant of the city of Tarragona, attached to the secret prison of this Inquisition, and now present, inasmuch as he, being a baptized and confirmed Christian, and enjoying all the graces and immunities which such persons may and ought to enjoy, not having the fear of God, his own conscience, or the justice administered by your Excellency before his eyes, has committed offences against our Holy Catholic Faith, by blaspheming and denying God our Lord, seeking favor and help from devils, and doing other things in the manner following.

1. He has many times been declared excommunicated in Barcelona, Tarragona, and other places, for not confessing in Lent according to his duty. And while he resided in the parish of St Thomas, in Valencia, he could not be persuaded to confess, although he received many admonitions to that effect from the rector of the said parish, thus remaining excommunicated, careless of the salvation of his soul.

2. Certain persons of his acquaintance rebuking him for not confessing, he blasphemed God and the Saints with such fury and malice that he appeared like a demoniac. He wears no rosary. Some one threatening him with a punishment from the Inquisition, he replied that he did not care for the Inquisition, and that he would not confess; also, that he wanted nothing from God which the devil could give him.

3. On Passion Week, during the last Lent, some person was conducting him to the Jesuits of the aforesaid city of Tarragona, for the purpose of confession, out of charity towards him, and although it was in his power to comply with the precept in this instance, he refused, and fled from the church, to the great scandal of the confessor who was there to hear him, as well as other persons.

4. He is accustomed to deny God, and swear ‘by the head of God,’ and ‘the soul and body of Christ,’ repeating it commonly many times a day; also declaring that his living, and everything he gets, comes in the name of the devil and not of God. Some one rebuking him for this, he said that he believed what he pleased, and as to hearing mass on the days prescribed, he would take it upon trust; that the preachers said just what they chose, and did nothing but disturb the people.

5. He says that he does not fear God, and that if he knew there was a tavern in the other world, he should not care if he died, although his body were burnt.

6. I accuse him of having said that a man ought not to tell his sins to the confessor, and that it was nonsense for a man to tell anything but what he pleased. This being a proposition maintained by the false and reprobate sect of Martin Luther, and the prisoner belonging to France, a country where this sect prevails, it is to be presumed that he belongs to it.

7. Furthermore, it is to be supposed that the prisoner has committed many other offences against our Holy Catholic Faith, and uttered other blasphemies and heretical speeches, as well as known that other persons have done the same, all which he conceals like a bad Christian. Of this I intend to accuse him more formally. At present I do it in general terms, and although he has been exhorted by your Excellency to declare the truth, he has not done it, but has perjured himself.

For which reasons I request and supplicate your Excellency to admit my charges as proved, or such a portion of the same as shall suffice for the ends of justice in a definitive sentence, or whatever measure may be taken, and to declare my accusation fully proved, and the said Leonardo Phelipe guilty of the abovementioned offences, condemning him to the heaviest punishments by law thereto affixed, and executing them upon his person and goods, by turning him over to the secular arm of justice, as a punishment to himself and a terror to others. And I request that if necessary, he may be put to the torture, and that the same be continued and repeated till he confess the whole truth of himself and others.

And I formally swear that I do not present this accusation out of malice, but solely to accomplish the ends of justice, which I request at the hands of your Excellency.

Damian Fonolleda, Sec’y.

The above accusation having been presented and read, the said Leonardo Phelipe was formally sworn to declare the truth in answer thereto, and it being read over, article by article, he answered as follows.

To the head of the accusation he answered, that he was the same Leonardo Phelipe whom the Fiscal accused, but that he had not committed any offences against our Holy Catholic Faith, nor denied our Lord, although he had sometimes sworn by his name.

To the first article he answered, that he had always confessed like other Christians, and in Valencia had not suffered a year to pass without doing so, and that he had never been excommunicated on this account.

To the second article he answered, that he denied it, for it was not true that he had no rosary. He made use of one in his prison eleven times, and now exhibited the same in his hands; which I, the Secretary, testify.

To the third article he answered, that he denied it, for it was not true; and that during the said Passion Week, in the last Lent, he had confessed in the convent of St Francisco, in Tarragona; that he complied with the precepts of the Church, as he had stated in his first audience, and that this could be shown by the certificate of confession found upon him at the time of his imprisonment.

To the fourth article he answered, that he denied it, for it was not true.

To the fifth article he answered, that he denied it; that he trusted in God, and a heretic could not say such things.

To the sixth article he answered, that he denied it, for it was not true, and he could not imagine how such testimony could be borne against him.

To the seventh article he answered, that he had not committed any offence against our Holy Catholic Faith, nor knew that any other persons had committed offences, and that he had declared the entire truth and had not perjured himself.

To the conclusion of the accusation, he answered that even if he were put to the torture he could say nothing more.

The above is the truth according to the oath of the prisoner, and having been read, was declared by him to be correctly recorded. Not being able to write, I, the Inquisitor sign the same.

Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta.

Before me—

Miguel Rodriguez.

The said Inquisitor then ordered the prisoner to be furnished with a copy of the accusation, that he might on the third day make an answer thereto with the counsel and assistance of one of the lawyers who defend cases in this Holy Office, namely, Dr Francisco Magrinya, and the Rector of the Company of Jesus. He was allowed to select one of these persons and made choice of Dr Magrinya.

The Inquisitor then ordered him to be summoned, and the prisoner having been admonished to bethink himself, was remanded to prison.

Before me—

Miguel Rodriguez.

AUDIENCE TO COMMUNICATE THE ACCUSATION AND PROOF

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

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

Answered, that he had nothing more to say.

He was then informed that Dr Francisco Magrinya was present, whom he had chosen for his advocate, and that he might confer with him about his defence. The said Dr Magrinya swore in verbo sacerdotis to defend well and faithfully the said Leonardo Phelipe so far as justice allowed, to inform him if his case was not a good one, to do all which a good advocate is bound to do, and to preserve secrecy in everything.

The confessions of the prisoner were then read, together with the accusation and his answers, and the prisoner conferred with his advocate who advised him as the best means of discharging his conscience and despatching his trial, to confess the truth without bearing falsewitness either against himself or any other person, and, if he were guilty, to beg pardon, by which he would experience mercy.

Answered, that he had declared the truth in his confessions, and denied the accusation so far as it went beyond this. He begged in consequence to be set at liberty, and to be mercifully dealt with, for what he had confessed. He declared, that after publication of the testimony, he should more formally present matter for his defence.

The Inquisitor then ordered this to be notified to the Promoter Fiscal of this Holy Office, upon which Mattheo Magre, the senior Secretary, acting as Fiscal, answered, that he accepted the confessions of the said Leonardo Phelipe, so far as they were favorable to the accusation, and no farther, denying all the rest. He requested that the proofs might be exhibited.

The Inquisitor declared that the cause should be judged definitively, and the proofs received salvo jure impertinentium et non admittendorum, according to the style of the Holy Office. The same was notified to both parties.

The Promoter Fiscal then stated that he produced anew and presented the testimony and proofs against the said Leonardo Phelipe, received and registered in the Holy Office. He requested that they might be substantiated and ratified in form, that all other necessary investigations might be made and the testimony published.