The inquisition in the Spanish dependencies: Sicily—Naples—Sardinia—Milan—the Canaries—Mexico—Peru—New GranadaLea, Henry Charles
History
The inquisition in the Spanish dependencies: Sicily—Naples—Sardinia—Milan—the Canaries—Mexico—Peru—New Granada
Lea, Henry Charles
Inquisition
In Milan, we are told, there were many heretics, not only among the
laity but among the clergy, both regular and secular, some of whom seem
to have been publicly known and to have enjoyed the protection of the
authorities. In 1554 Archbishop Arcimboldo and Inquisitor Castiglione
united in issuing an Edict of Faith, comprehensive in its character,
promising for spontaneous confession and denunciation of accomplices the
reward of a fourth part of the fines and confiscations that might ensue.
Denunciation of heretics was also commanded, with assurance of secrecy
for the informer. This Edict is moreover of especial interest as
comprehending what is perhaps the earliest organization of censorship,
for it required the denunciation of all prohibited books and the
presentation by booksellers of inventories of their stocks, with heavy
penalties for omissions or for dealing in the prohibited wares.[229]
This zeal seems not to have aroused the secular authorities to a fitting
sense of their duties, for a brief of Paul IV, May 20, 1556, to Cardinal
Mandrusio, lieutenant of Philip II, recites how that son of iniquity,
the apostate Augustinian Claudio de Pralboino, had been condemned by the
inquisitor and handed over to the secular arm; how, while awaiting his
fate in the public prison, a forged order, purporting to be signed by
the inquisitor, had been fabricated by some lawyers, on the strength of
which he escaped and, in view of all this, the cardinal is urged to see
to the punishment of those concerned in the fraud, to lend all aid and
assistance to the inquisitor and to be watchful against the heresies
creeping in from the Grisons. It was doubtless with the hope of securing
greater efficiency that, in 1558, the Inquisition was taken from the
friars of San Eustorgio and confided to those of Santa Maria delle
Grazie and the Dominican Gianbattista da Cremona was appointed
inquisitor-general.[230]
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