On the twentyfifth, an audience was held, in which he confirmed without alteration, what he had confessed under the torture, adding that he had made other assertions of the like nature, all for the motive above stated, and without entertaining inwardly any belief contrary to the precepts of the Holy Mother Catholic Church. In this manner the prisoner attempted to palliate his heretical speeches. On the twentyseventh, his confessions having been examined, they were attested, and the censure previously passed upon him confirmed, by which he was declared to be strongly suspected in the faith. On the twentyeighth, a final decision was given in the presence of Father P. Mro. Fr. Mariano Anglasell as Ordinary, and the prisoner was sentenced unanimously to be brought into the hall of the tribunal, and there, with open doors before the Secret Ministers, and with the insignia of his offences, to hear his condemnation read, make an abjuration de vehementi, be absolved ad cautelam, be severely reprehended, admonished, and warned, and then to be banished from this city, Madrid, the Court of His Majesty, and the town of Guisona and Tarragona, to a distance of eight leagues, for the period of eight years; the first five of them to be spent in confinement, in some garrison in Africa, to be fixed upon for this purpose, and that he be previously intrusted to the care of some learned person to receive instruction in the faith.
November, 1737.
On the sixteenth of October your Highness was pleased to order that the prisoner attend at an auto de fe if one should occur soon, otherwise to be led to some church in the guise of a penitent, and there hear his sentence read, make an abjuration de levi, be severely reprehended, admonished, and warned, and banished for life from Spain, after passing five years of confinement in the garrison of Oran, where he should be put under the care of some learned person, to receive instruction in the mysteries of our Holy Faith. On the third of November, the sentence was executed in the church of Sta Agueda. The same day he was sworn to secrecy, and despatched to the Royal Prison of this city, thence to be transported to his confinement in Oran. A letter was sent to Father Fr. Pablo de Colindus at that place, intrusting to him the instruction of the prisoner.
Inquisition of Barcelona, Nov. 28th, 1737.
Don Francisco Antonio de Montoya y Zarate.
July, 1739.
Juan Bautista Segondi, imprisoned for the crime of searching for treasures. Prison of San Francisco Xavier.
Maintenance, two sueldos, and the bread of the Contractor.
Juan Bautista Segondi, a native of the town of Perpignan in France, and an inhabitant of this city, aged fortytwo years, a married man, and by trade a watchmaker, confined in the secret prison of this tribunal, with a sequestration of his property, on the fourteenth of July, for superstitious and necromantical practices. He was assigned two sueldos and the bread of the Contractor, on account of the Treasury, as little of the prisoner’s property was secured. On the fifteenth, the first audience was held, in which he confessed that he had used the hazel rod for the purpose of discovering the situation of water, metals, and mines, inheriting the capacity to practise this art, from his being a seventh son, without the intervention of a female, and being born in the month of May. He stated that he had heard his father declare such persons could make the abovementioned discoveries, by holding the hazel rod in their hands. On the twentieth and twentyfourth, audiences were held, in which he confessed nothing more. The accusation was then presented against him, the several specifications of which he granted to be true. On the twentyfourth, he was furnished with a copy of the accusation, and nominated for his counsel, Dr Joseph Vila. On the twentyseventh, an audience was held, in which he communicated with his advocate, respecting his defence, and the cause was received for proof in a full trial. A commission was granted for the ratification of the testimony.
August, 1739.