A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 4Lea, Henry Charles
History
A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 4
Lea, Henry Charles
Inquisition -- Spain
Accordingly Gregory, in his brief _Universi Dominici Gregis_, August 30,
1622, while enlarging the definition, confined it to what was said or
done in the place destined to hearing confessions, whether it was before
or after confession, or even if there was only a pretext of confession.
He extended the provisions of his predecessors to all lands, and
delegated all inquisitors and Ordinaries as special judges, with
exclusive jurisdiction to inquire into and diligently prosecute such
cases, according to the canons in matters of faith. He further decreed
the penalties of suspension of functions, deprivation of benefices and
dignities with perpetual disability for the same and, for regulars, of
active and passive voice; besides these there were the temporal
penalties of exile, galleys, perpetual and irremissible imprisonment
and, in cases of exceptional wickedness, of degradation and relaxation.
In view of the difficulty of proof, single witnesses should suffice for
condemnation, when circumstances afforded due presumption. Confessors,
who found that their penitents had been previously solicited, were
required to admonish them to denounce the offenders, and for neglect of
this they were to be duly punished. This latter provision was of
difficult enforcement, for Urban VIII, in 1626, felt obliged to address
all archbishops, instructing them to call the attention of confessors to
it, and to insert a corresponding clause in all licences. The regular
clergy seem to have been the subject of special anxiety for, in 1633,
the superiors of all religious houses were ordered to assemble the
inmates yearly and warn them as to the observance of these decrees, and
this was also to be done in all chapters, general, provincial and
conventual.[190]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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