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
Whether or not the other prescriptions of the Concordia of 1610 were
better observed than those concerning competencias it would be difficult
to determine, but the presumption is adverse. At all events,
inquisitorial ingenuity was constantly devising new methods of
aggression and further complaints led Philip IV to assemble a junta of
two members of each council, whose conferences resulted in the enactment
of another Concordia, published April 11, 1633. Many of its clauses
relate to the ever-present question of precedence, which need not detain
us here, except the suggestive one that, at bull-fights in the plaza,
the first courses are to be performed before the secular authorities,
unless the latter, of their own accord, desire that honor to be paid to
the inquisitors. Equally suggestive in another way are the prescriptions
that commissioners shall treat the public courteously and that
inquisitors shall treat the judges with respect and shall cease
molesting the officers of the royal courts with censures and summoning
and detaining them. They are again forbidden to engage in trade and are
told not to interfere with the elections of secular officials nor, in
times of scarcity, are they to persecute with excommunications the
guards in charge of boats bringing grain, but are to apply to the
viceroy, who will promptly supply their wants. The prohibition of
detaining ships is repeated, but they are allowed to grant licences for
sailing and for individuals to depart, which practically amounted to the
same thing. The inquisitors seem to have gained their point as to the
right of seizing goods and materials at a “just price,” for this is
allowed, subject to some limitations. The inviolability of the domicile
of inquisitors is admitted in the provision that it is not to be abused
by secreting goods to the prejudice of third parties; and, in the case
of salaried officials, it is limited by a clause that when it is
necessary for officers of justice to enter the house of such official,
or of the widow of one during her widowhood, notice shall first be given
to the tribunal, which shall appoint one of its ministers to be present,
with an appointee of the viceroy or court and, if such an appointment is
not made within two or three hours, the entry can be made without longer
waiting. One of the petty privileges which gave rise to constant
exacerbation is indicated in the provision that, of the cattle
slaughtered in the public shambles, there shall be given weekly the
chine and chitterlings of ten oxen--two to each of the inquisitors, one
to the alguazil and secretaries, one to the receiver and notary of
sequestrations, and the rest to the poor prisoners; this is said to be
all that the tribunal is entitled to and anything more must be paid for,
nor shall its servants take the chitterlings and sell them.[497]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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