"A little before sunrise, the great bell of the cathedral tolled, and
its sound soon aroused the city of Goa. The people ran into the streets,
lining the chief thoroughfares, and crowding every place whence a view
could be had of the procession. Day broke, and Dellon saw the faces
of his fellow-prisoners, most of whom were Indians. He could only
distinguish, by their complexion, about twelve Europeans. Every
countenance exhibited shame, fear, grief, or an appalling blackness of
apathy, AS IF DIRE SUFFERING IN THE LIGHTLESS DUNGEONS UNDERNEATH HAD
BEREFT THEM OF INTELLECT. The company soon began to move, but slowly,
as one by one the alcayde led them towards the door of the great hall,
where the grand inquisitor sat, and his secretary called the name of
each as he came, and the name of a sponsor, who also presented himself
from among a crowd of the bettermost inhabitants of Goa, assembled there
for that service. 'The general of the Portuguese ships in the Indies'
had the honor of placing himself beside our Frenchman. As soon as the
procession was formed, it marched off in the usual order.
"First, the Dominicans, honored with everlasting precedence on all such
occasions, led the way. Singing-boys also preceded, chanting a litany.
The banner of the Inquisition was intrusted to their hands. After the
banner walked the penitents--a penitent and a sponsor, two and two. A
cross bearer brought up the train, carrying a crucifix aloft, turned
towards them, in token of pity; and, on looking along the line, you
might have seen another priest going before the penitents with a
crucifix turned backwards, inviting their devotions. They to whom the
Inquisition no longer afforded mercy, walked behind the penitents, and
could only see an averted crucifix. These were condemned to be burnt
alive at the stake! On this occasion there were but two of this class,
but sometimes a large number were sentenced to this horrible death, and
presented to the spectator a most pitiable spectacle. Many of them
bore upon their persons the marks of starvation, torture, terror, and
heart-rending grief. Some faces were bathed in tears, while others
came forth with a smile of conquest on the countenance and words of
triumphant faith bursting from the lips. These, however, were known as
dogmatizers, and were generally gagged, the month being filled with a
piece of wood kept in by a strong leather band fastened behind the head,
and the arms tied together behind the back. Two armed familiars walked
or rode beside each of these, and two ecclesiastics, or some other
clerks or regulars, also attended. After these, the images of heretics
who had escaped were carried aloft, to be thrown into the flames; and
porters came last, tagging under the weight of boxes containing the
disinterred bodies on which the execution of the church had fallen, and
which were also to be burnt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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