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
Amongst those who invoke devils are astrologers and alchymists, who
when they do not succeed in making the discoveries they seek never fail
to have recourse to the devil, sacrificing to him and invoking him
expressly or tacitly.
JEWS AND INFIDELS: The first when they sin against their religion
in any of the articles of faith that are the same with them as with
us--_i.e._ that are common alike to Jew and to Christian--or when they
attack dogmas that are, similarly, common to both creeds.
As for infidels, the Church and the Pope, and consequently the
Inquisition, may punish them when they sin against the laws of
nature--the only laws they know.
Jews and infidels who attempt to pervert Christians are also regarded
as abettors or _fautores_.
In spite of the prohibition to succour a heretic, a man would not be
regarded as an abettor who gave food to a heretic dying of hunger,
since it is possible that if spared the latter might yet come to be
converted.
EXCOMMUNICATES who remain in excommunication during a whole year, by
which are to be understood not merely those who are excommunicate as
heretics, or abettors of heretics, but excommunicate upon any grounds
whatsoever. In fact, the indifference to excommunication renders them
suspect of heresy.
APOSTATES.--Apostate Christians who become Jews or Mohammedans (these
religions not being heresies), even though they should have apostatized
through fear of death. The fear of torture or death not being one that
can touch a person who is firm in the Faith, no apostasy is to be
excused upon such grounds.[84]
* * * * *
With the “Directorium” of Eymeric before him, Torquemada set to work
to draw up the first articles of his famous code. Additions were to
be made to it later, as the need for such additions came to be shown
by experience; but no subsequent addition was of the importance of
these original twenty-eight articles. They may be said to have given
the jurisprudence of the Spanish Inquisition a settled form, which
continued practically unchanged for over three hundred years after
Torquemada’s death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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