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
Imposture continued to flourish. In 1800 the Valladolid tribunal was
occupied with an extensive "complicidad," resulting in the prosecution
of Madre María Ignacia de la Presentacion, a Mercenarian of the convent
of Toro, for pretended miracles, along with nine frailes of the same
Order as accomplices.[166] Contemporary with this was a case at Cuenca,
which almost transcends belief. The wife of a peasant of Villar del
Aguila, Isabel María Herraiz, known as the Beata de Cuenca, who had a
reputation for sanctity, announced that Christ had revealed to her that,
in order to be more completely united to her in love, he had transfused
his body and blood into hers. The theology of the period is illustrated
by the learned disputation which arose, some doctors arguing this to be
impossible because it would render her more holy than the Blessed
Virgin and would deprive the sacrament of the exclusive distinction of
being the body and blood of the Lord; others held it to be possible but
that the proofs in the present case were insufficient; others, again,
accepted it and urged the virtues of the beata and the absence of motive
for deception. The people felt no scruple, and were encouraged in their
credulity by two Franciscan frailes, Joaquin de Alustante and Domingo de
Cañizares, and a Carmelite, Sebastian de los Dolores. Her believers
worshipped her, carrying her through the streets in procession, lighting
candles before her and prostrating themselves in adoration. The scandal
attained proportions calling for repression, and the Inquisition
arrested her, June 25, 1801, together with her accomplices. It is
possible that she was severely handled, for she died in the secret
prison without confession, and was consequently burnt in effigy. The
cura of Villar and two of the frailes were banished to the Philippines;
two laymen received two hundred lashes each, with service for life in a
presidio, and her hand-maid, Manuela Pérez, was consigned for ten years
to the _Recojidas_ or house of correction for women.[167]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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