me—
In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the sixteenth day of October, one thousand six hundred and thirtyfive, at the morning audience, present, the Inquisitor, Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta presiding on his own part, and on the part of the Ordinary of the bishopric of Urgel, and Dr Augustin Fernandez Lopez, Vicar General of the bishopric of Barcelona. Having examined a trial carried on in this Holy Office, against Pedro Ginesta, a Frenchman by birth, native of St Quinti or Orliach, bishopric of St Flor, in Ubernia, a resident in Catalonia, in the district of Pallas, arrested in the town of Tremp, and now in the secret prison of this Holy Office, ordered, that in virtue of this act, the said prisoner be reprehended, and admonished, and forthwith released from prison.
Before me—
In the same audience, the said Pedro Ginesta was ordered to be brought from prison, which being done, and he present, the Inquisitor, Abbad y Huerta reprehended and admonished him, in conformity to the above sentence. The prisoner received the correction with humility, and promised amendment; which I, the Secretary, hereby certify.
Straightway, in the same audience, the prisoner was sworn to declare the truth; and he was
Questioned, &c.
Answered, that he had nothing more to say, either with respect to himself or others, in discharge of his conscience, nor anything relating to what had been said or done in the prison of this Holy Office against the honor, dignity, or secrets of the same or its ministers, or with respect to the custody of the prisoners therein contained; that he had not witnessed any communication carried on among them, or knew that any one had spoken to another; that he has no communication from them to carry to any one, and that the Alcayde and Steward have faithfully discharged their duties.
He was then commanded, by virtue of the oath he had sworn, and under penalty of complete excommunication, to observe perfect secrecy with respect to everything which had befallen him relating to his trial, and with respect to all which he had seen, heard, or learned in any manner while in prison, and not to reveal the same to any person, under any shape whatever; all which he promised to observe, and being unable to write, I, the Inquisitor, Abbad y Huerta, sign in his name; whereupon he was dismissed.
Before me—
On the 19th day of the same month, the Secretary Rodriguez dispatched a letter to the Commissary of Salas in the name of the Tribunal, ordering him to restore to the prisoner, on account of his poverty, the instruments of his trade and his other property. The letter was sent by the prisoner.
TRIAL OF JUAN DURAN, FOR BLASPHEMY AND WITCHCRAFT
I, the Fiscal of this Holy Office, state that from information received, it is made manifest that Juan Duran, blacksmith, a native of Manresa, and a resident of Villaredonda, in the bishopric of Barcelona, has committed offences against our holy faith; on which account, I purpose to bring a formal accusation against him. For which reasons I request your Excellency to order the said person to be arrested and confined in the secret prison of this Inquisition, for the purpose of accomplishing fully the ends of justice.
In the Royal Palace of the Inquisition of Barcelona, on the tenth day of December, one thousand, six hundred and thirtytwo, the Inquisitors, Dr Bernardo Luis Cotoner and Dr Domingo Abbad y Huerta, being at their evening audience,—having examined the testification against Juan Duran, blacksmith, a resident of Villaredonda in the bishopric of Barcelona; ordered that the above person be arrested and confined in the secret prison of this Inquisition, and that his trial be instituted in form.
Before me—
TO FRANCISCO COLL, COMMISSARY.
On the receipt of this, you will proceed to take prisoner, on the part of this Holy Office, Juan Duran, blacksmith, a resident of this town, for some days past, and formerly of Villaredonda. He is a tall, thin faced, person; pale, with a chestnut beard, and meanly dressed; having secured him, you will dispatch him, under good attendance, to this Holy Office, by the hands of the Familiars, in such a manner that he cannot escape, taking measures in all the places through which he may pass, to let it be known he is apprehended by this Inquisition.
Also, if occasion should offer, you will sieze so much of the prisoner’s property, if it be found in that town, as shall amount to eight ducats, for the expense of his maintenance, which you will transmit by those who have him in custody.
This letter is to be returned, with a statement of all that may be done agreeably to the above orders, with respect to which we trust in the guidance of our Lord.
Barcelona, December 14th. 1632.
The prisoner being taken, you will inspect his person and his lodgings, in order to secure a book, about the size of the hand, in which, it is confidently believed, there are certain prayers and superstitious matters. This book you will despatch to us.
By order of this Holy Office—
I received the orders of your Excellencies and put them in execution. I learned that Juan Duran had left this town of Villaredonda a month since, and that he labored at times in repairing the bridge of Armentera, in the archbishopric of Tarragona, whither I sent after him and had him siezed by a Familiar of that place. I have examined him, and found his book and papers which, you will receive along with this. No more cash was found upon him than three reales, which I also transmit by the Familiar who has him in custody. This is all which could be obtained of his property. The prisoner I despatch to your Excellencies according to order, and remain at the service of your Excellencies, to whom may our Lord grant many happy years.
Villaredonda, Dec. 24th, 1632.
In the town of Valles Campo, in the archbishopric of Tarragona, on Saturday, the twentyseventh day of November, one thousand six hundred and thirty two, at evening, appeared, without summons, before Dr Pablo Pasqual Marquez, Presbyter Commissary of the Holy Office, and swore to declare the truth, a person calling himself Pedro Oriola, apothecary, resident of the town of Valles, of age, as he stated, fortyfour years, or thereabout; which person, in discharge of his conscience, declared and denounced the following.
That about fifteen days since, there visited at his house, Juan Bafforell, and one Marcal, a gardener, inhabitants of the said town; and that among other things they told him they had heard a certain person (whose name and birth place the deponent is ignorant of, but knows him by sight, and that he is a blacksmith, working with Pablo Llaurador of this town, and came hither in company with a Frenchman, who officiated as a physician, and a short time since had been imprisoned by the Holy Office), say, that he possessed a book, which, if it were thrown into a fire, along with a crucifix, would remain unhurt, while the crucifix would be consumed.
The above is the truth, according to the oath of the deponent, and being read in his hearing, is declared by him to be correctly recorded. Deponent further states that he does not make this declaration out of malice to any one, but solely to discharge his conscience,
