The king summoned his council, and after many discussions, it was resolved to send the Morescoes out of the kingdom of Valencia, on the 11th of September, 1609, and all the others in the following year.
This emigration cost Spain a million of useful and industrious inhabitants, who all went to Africa: they were invited by Henry IV. to colonise the Landes in Gascony on condition that they professed the catholic religion, but they feared that they should be persecuted in the same manner, at some future period. The inquisitors principally contributed to induce Philip III. to take this resolution, and they noted all who had condemned the measure, as suspected of heresy: among these was the Duke of Ossuna, whose process they began. This trial had no particular result, because the charges did not offer any heretical propositions, though some were qualified as audacious, scandalous, and offensive to pious ears. The duke was appointed Viceroy of Naples, but was deprived of the office some years after, and imprisoned by the king. The inquisitors seized this opportunity to renew their charges, but they were disappointed; the duke died in prison before the definitive sentence was pronounced.
On the 7th and 8th of November 1610, the Inquisition of Logroño celebrated an auto-da-fé, in which six persons were burnt, with five effigies, twenty-one individuals were reconciled, and twenty condemned to different penances; among these were eighteen sorcerers[73].
A sufficient number of the trials of the Inquisition, during the reign of Philip III., have already been cited; therefore, that of Don Antonio Manriques, Count de Morata, need only be mentioned: in 1603 he abjured some heretical propositions without being disgraced by an auto-da-fé.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
OF THE TRIALS AND AUTOS-DA-FE DURING THE REIGN OF PHILIP IV.
PHILIP IV. ascended the throne on the 31st of March, 1621; and during the thirty-four years that he reigned, the following persons filled the office of inquisitor-general: Don Andres Pacheco, in 1621; Cardinal Don Antonio de Zapata Mendoza, in 1626; in 1632, Don Fray Antonio de Sotomayor; and in 1643, Don Diego de Arce y Reinoso. Don Diego died on the same day as the king.
Many circumstances had shewn the necessity of a reform in the Inquisition, but the indolence of Philip IV. prevented him from attempting it; on the contrary, he permitted the inquisitors to take cognizance of the offence of exporting copper money, and to dispose of a fourth of what fell into their hands.
On the 21st of June, 1621, the Inquisition celebrated the accession of Philip IV. by the auto-da-fé of Maria de la Conception, a Beata, and famous hypocrite of the preceding reign, who had deceived many persons by her feigned revelations and pretended sanctity. She appeared in the auto-da-fé gagged, with the san-benito, and the mitre.
On the 30th of November, 1630, another auto-da-fé was held at Seville, when six persons were burnt in effigy, and eight in person; fifty were reconciled, and six absolved ad cautelam.
On the 21st of December, 1627, a general auto-da-fé was celebrated at Cordova, composed of eighty-one condemned persons; fifty-eight were reconciled, among whom were three sorcerers.