Torquemada and the Spanish Inquisition: A HistorySabatini, Rafael
History
Torquemada and the Spanish Inquisition: A History
Sabatini, Rafael
Inquisition -- Spain; Torquemada, Tomás, de, 1420-1498
“We, Pedro de Tapia, Alonso Doriga and Matheo Vazquez, secretaries
of the Council of the Holy and General Inquisition, witness to all
who may see this that by certain proceedings taken by the Holy Office
in the year 1491, the Most Reverend Frey Tomás de Torquemada being
Inquisitor-General in the Kingdoms of Spain, and the inquisitors and
judges by him deputed in the City of Avila being the Very Reverend
Dr. D. Pedro de Villada, Abbot of San Marcial and San Millan in the
Churches of Leon and Burgos, the Licentiate Juan Lopez de Cigales,
Canon of the Church of Cuenca, and Frey Fernando de Santo Domingo
of the Order of Preachers, inquisitors as is said against heretical
pravity, and with power and special commission from the Very Reverend
D. Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, Cardinal of Santa Cruz, Archbishop of
Toledo, Primate of Spain, Grand Chancellor of Castile, and Bishop of
Siguenza.
“It transpires that the said inquisitors proceeding against certain
Jews and some New-Christians converted from Jews, of the neighbourhood
of La Guardia, Quintanar, and Tenbleque, ascertained that amongst
other crimes by these committed was that: one of the said Jews and
one of the newly-converted being in Toledo and witnessing a burning
that was being done by the Holy Office in that city, they were cast
down by this execution of justice. The Jew said to the convert that
he feared the great harm that might come and did come to them from the
Holy Inquisition, and having treated of various matters germane to
this subject, the Jew said that if they could obtain the heart of a
Christian boy all could be remedied. And so, after his wide practice in
this matter, the Jew from the neighbourhood of Quintanar undertook to
procure a Christian boy for the said purpose.
“And it was agreed that the said New-Christian should go to Quintanar
as soon as bidden by the Jew; and upon this understanding each of the
aforesaid left the City of Toledo and returned to his own district.
“A few days later the said Jew summoned the New-Christian to come to
him in the village of Tenbleque, where he awaited him in his father’s
house. There they foregathered, and agreed upon a day when they
should meet at Quintanar, whither the New-Christian now returned, and
informed, as he had agreed, a brother of his own, who like himself was
also a New-Christian, and he related fully all that had been arranged,
his brother being of the same mind.
“The better to execute their accursed project, they arranged a place
to which the child should be brought, and what was to be done--that
this should be in a cave near La Guardia, on the road to Ocaña, on the
right-hand side. And thus to execute the matter, the said New-Christian
went to Quintanar on the day arranged together with the said Jew.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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