The above is the truth according to the oath of the deponent, and is stated by her not out of malice, but solely to discharge her conscience. It was read to her, and declared to be faithfully recorded. She promised secrecy, and I, the Commissary, sign for her.
The Canon,
Juan Ferrer, Commissary.
Before me—
Miguel Gibert, Not’y of Tarragona.
In the city of Tarragona, on the day, month, and year above specified, before the abovementioned Commissary of this Holy Office, appeared, according to summons, and swore formally to declare the truth, a woman calling herself Maria Leonart, wife of Joseph Leonart, an inhabitant of this city of Tarragona, of age, as she stated, sixteen years, or thereabout.
Questioned, if she knew the cause of her being summoned to appear.
Answered, that she supposed it to be for the purpose of making inquiry respecting the life and conduct of Felipe Leonart, her father-in-law. She was married about four months ago to Joseph Leonart, his son, and what she knew of the matter in question was this;—the said Felipe Leonart was accustomed to swear a thousand times a day, with and without cause. He would swear ‘by the head of God;’ and the deponent had heard him declare, many times, that all his good luck happened in the name of the devil, and not of God. The deponent had asked him why he did not confess, observing that to kneel at the foot of a confessor, and relate his sins, was to relate them to God; and the said Felipe Leonart replied that this was all babble; that he believed just as he pleased. As to hearing mass, he would take it upon trust; that the priests said in their sermons just what they chose, and that they did nothing but trouble the common folks. Some one asking him if he was not afraid of dying, he replied that if he knew that there was a tavern in the other world, he should wish to die immediately. The deponent advised him to confess himself, as otherwise he would be declared excommunicated. He replied that he would not confess, and in fact did not, the last Lent, although his son attempted to carry him to confession. His common oaths were ‘the sacred host,’ ‘the hours of God,’ ‘the head of God.’ His common helpers were the devils; saying, ‘by the help of the devil I will do this,’ &c. So that during the whole space of four months the deponent has never known a word or action of a Christian to proceed from him, never kneeling when the signal is given, nor taking off his cap, nor leaving off eating, although requested to do so by his wife and the deponent.
The above statement is not made from any but conscientious motives, and on being read, was declared by the deponent to be correctly recorded. She promised secrecy, and I, the said Commissary, sign for her.
The Canon,
Juan Ferrer, Commissary.