A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 1Lea, Henry Charles
History
A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 1
Lea, Henry Charles
Inquisition -- Spain
the Archbishop Martin of Messina issued an order, which was published
throughout the realm and was confirmed by Diego Deza, January 15, 1502,
to the effect that no ship-captain or merchant should transport across
seas any New Christian, whether Jewish or Moorish, without a royal
license, under pain of confiscation, of excommunication and of being
held as a fautor and protector of heretics. To render this effective two
days later Archbishop Martin ordered that suitable persons should be
sent to all the sea-ports to arrest all New Christians desiring to cross
the sea and bring them to the Inquisition so that justice should be done
to them, all expenses being defrayed out of the confiscations.[511]
These provisions were not allowed to be a dead-letter, though we are apt
to hear of them rather in cases where, for special reasons, the
penalties were remitted. Thus, July 24, 1499, Ferdinand writes to the
Inquisitors of Barcelona that a ship of Charles de Sant Climent, a
merchant of their city, had brought from Alexandria to Aiguesmortes
certain persons who had fled from Spain. Even this transportation
between foreign ports came within the purview of the law, for Ferdinand
explains that action in this case would be to his disservice, wherefore
if complaint is lodged with them they are to refer it to him or to the
inquisitor-general for instructions. Again, on November 8, 1500, the
king orders the release of the caravel and other property of Diego de la
Mesquita of Seville, which had been seized because he had carried some
New Christians to Naples--the reason for the release being the services
of Diego in the war with Naples and those which he is rendering
elsewhere. A letter from Ferdinand to the King of Portugal, November 7,
1500, recites that recently some New Christians had been arrested in
Milaga, where they were embarking under pretext of going to Rome for the
jubilee. On examination by the Inquisition at Seville they admitted that
they were Jews but said that they had been forced in Portugal to turn
Christians; as this brought them under inquisitorial jurisdiction, the
inquisitors were sending to Portugal for evidence and the king was asked
to protect the envoys and give them facilities for the purpose.[512] The
same determination was manifested to recapture when possible those who
had succeeded in effecting their flight. In 1496 Micer Martin,
inquisitor of Mallorca, heard of some who were in Bugia, a sea-port of
Africa. He forthwith despatched the notary, Lope de Vergara, thither to
seize them, but the misbelieving Moors disregarded his safe-conduct and
threw him and his party into a dungeon where they languished for three
years. He at length was ransomed and, in recompense of his losses and
sufferings, Ferdinand ordered, March 31, 1499, Matheo de Morrano
receiver of Mallorca to pay him two hundred and fifty gold ducats
without requiring of him any itemized statement of his injuries.[513]
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account