Records of the Spanish Inquisition, Translated from the Original Manuscripts

by Andrew Dickson White

The deponent also saw them practise operations with cards for the purpose of divining whatever things they chose. She requested them to perform one for her, and ascertain whether a person named Vicente, whom she supposed to be sick, would return soon from Valencia. ‘The said Teresa shuffled the cards, and then answered me that he was not sick, and would return soon, which in fact took place, and the abovementioned Vicente shortly appeared. She told me, at the same time, that I was in much distress, and if I would give her and the abovementioned soldier half a dollar, they would enable me to attain all my wishes. I gave them the money, and saw that they immediately took the figure of a dragon tied by the neck, and placed it in the sun. This occasioned me so much terror that I begged them to desist. Upon this they gave me back the half dollar, uttering maledictions, and the said Teresa declared that I was about to fall into an irretrievable misfortune, and that I should be obliged to sell every rag from my back, which in truth is my condition at present; and although I only laughed at the prediction then, they both told me that I might proclaim to the whole world that they had said it.’

The deponent further stated that the said Teresa had a companion named Maria Anna Gitar, a native of Barcelona and a resident in the Calle de San Raymundo. The deponent has never seen this person perform any superstitious acts, but has heard that on occasion of a quarrel between them, some witchcraft was practised; also that the said Maria Anna Gitar had a sister named Magdalena, (the name of her husband unknown) and the deponent heard the abovementioned Teresa Sola, now Salanova, declare that her sister Magdalena had not been at confession for the space of eight years. At other times, when these two were quarrelling, the deponent has heard the said Magdalena exclaim, ‘I am not like you, who lay heaps of rosemary in the balcony at night to burn the next morning.’

Furthermore, the deponent has seen the said Teresa Sola, now Salanova, burn alum for some superstitious purpose, to her unknown. On this occasion there were two other persons present, namely, a girl called Antonia, about twentythree years of age, a native of Barcelona, and living with the abovementioned Teresa, and Raymundo Campeñs, widow of Esteva Campeñs, tailor, dwelling in the Calle de San Raymundo, aged, apparently, about fortyfive years.

Furthermore, the deponent remembers that she saw the said Teresa and the abovementioned soldier called Joseph, burn alum for the purpose of causing a reconciliation between a young man and a female named Magdalena, which persons had fallen into a quarrel. The said Teresa also practised operations with cards, and burnt rosemary, in order to effect this object. On the first occasion were present the abovementioned Antonia and Raymunda Campeñs, and on the second, Josefa Bardaguer, a girl of about twenty years of age, living in the Plazuela del Pino in the second story of a house which makes a corner of the Plazuela, and other persons whom she does not remember, as she had witnessed these performances between the said Teresa and the soldier so many times.

The said Teresa also informed her that she possessed a St Antonio upon paper, which sweated whenever any ill was about to happen, and that when a pack of cards was shuffled and the ace of spades and five of diamonds drawn, it signified death or apprehension by the Holy Office. The deponent further stated that the said Teresa, was accustomed to burn rosemary, and sprinkle holy water all over her house, walking backwards to the door; and that she possessed an herb which foretold everything, good or bad, about to happen. Upon the stalk of this herb she placed a piece of gold or silver money, or a ring; and the deponent on one of these occasions saw a tile fall from the balcony into the street. In this tile was a piece of a silver key, a gold ring, and seven reals vellon.

Furthermore, the deponent has heard that when the said Teresa lived in the Calle de Arolas, there ran out of her house, one day, a dog, with an ox’s heart, stuck full of needles, and that the Alcalde, whose name is unknown to the deponent, with the men and boys of the neighbourhood, caught the dog and burnt him in the middle of the street.

The deponent has also seen the said Teresa burn nine plates and three strings of cotton, which she informed her was done to break the heart of a certain person. She also told the deponent that on the night of St John’s day, she went to collect the leaves of certain herbs in a place called Trinidad, where criminals who have been hanged are buried. There accompanied her three or four women and a man who was a lamplighter. The names of none of them were known to the deponent. Three or four men came out and threw stones at then without hitting any one. She also informed the deponent that she had in her possession medals and a crucifix of the Holy Office.

Furthermore, the deponent stated that she requested her to ascertain whether a person of her acquaintance in Valencia would return soon to Barcelona; and the said Teresa Sola, now Salanova, bade her go and purchase a pack of French cards at the shop of Revella, in the Plaza del Angel. This the deponent did, and paid two reals plate for them. The cards being produced, an operation was performed, and she pronounced that he would return ere long, and that he had met with a misfortune; for, on a journey to visit his sister, he had fallen from his horse and broken his leg. She then further declared that at half past six o’clock the next morning he would be in Barcelona; the whole of which proved true, for at half past six he knocked at the door and said he had been on a visit to his sister, who was a nun, and had fallen from his horse and broken his leg.

Furthermore, the deponent stated that she had seen divinations with cards performed by the surgeon of the Swiss soldiers in the regiment called the regiment of Bretxa, now in Madrid. This surgeon was called Don Felipe. His other name is unknown to the deponent. She has also seen in his possession a book filled with figures of tombs, evil spirits, and skeletons; and the surgeon told her that it contained matter which was denounceable. There was present on this occasion the wife of the colonel of the Swiss regiment, called Dona Maria. Her other name and birthplace the deponent did not know; but only that when the regiment was in Barcelona, the said Don Maria dwelt in the Calle Nueva del Asalto.

Questioned, what else she knew or had to relate.