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
Article IX provides that in no tribunal shall there be two persons who
are related or one who is the servant of another, even though their
respective offices should be entirely different and separate.
Articles X, XI, and XVI are calculated to increase the secrecy of
inquisitorial proceedings. The first makes provision for the secret
custody of all documents and for punishing any notary who shall betray
his trust; the second enacts that a notary must not receive the
depositions of witnesses save in the presence of the inquisitor; the
last decrees that after the witnesses shall have been sworn by the
inquisitors in the presence of the fiscal, the latter must withdraw so
as not to be present when the delations are made.
The remaining four articles are concerned with such matters as the
setting up of courts of the Inquisition where these have not yet been
established, the submission of difficult questions that may arise to
the Suprema for decision, the provision of separate prisons for women
and for men, and the stipulation that officers of the court shall work
six hours daily.
* * * * *
In addition to the foregoing sixteen articles, he promulgated in that
same year special instructions concerning the _personnel_ of the Holy
Office. They speak for themselves, and very vividly suggest the abuses
they were framed to suppress.
For governors of prisons and constables he decreed that they must
permit no one to visit the prisoners with the exception of the persons
appointed to bear them food, and that these must be bound by oath to
preserve the “secrecy” inviolate, and to examine all food to ascertain
that no written matter is concealed in it. Food, it is added, shall be
conveyed to the prisoners by persons specially appointed for that duty,
and never by a constable or gaoler.
All officers are to be sworn to preserve inviolate secrecy upon all
things they may see or hear.
Receivers are commanded that in the event of the acquittal of a person
whose property has been sequestered, they must restore the property
according to the inventory drawn up at the time of effecting the
sequestration--but if there are debts to be satisfied by such a person,
these may be paid by order of the inquisitors without awaiting the
consent of the debtor.
If amongst confiscated property there should be any that is in
litigation, the matter is to be judicially decided; and if it is found
that any property which should have formed part of a confiscation shall
have passed into the hands of third parties, action is to be taken to
recover it.
Confiscated property is to be sold after thirty days, and the receivers
are not to purchase any under pain of greater excommunication and a
fine of 100 ducats. Each receiver is authorized to give vouchers for
property up to the value of 300,000 maravedis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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