The Inquisition revealed

by Thomas Timpson

5. Notaries.—These officers were short-hand writers, whose duty was to attend the examinations of the prisoners, to note down everything they said, their behaviour, and even change of countenance, while questioned by the inquisitors. They are required to be skilful in different languages; as the prisoners may be French, German, or Italian, before a Spanish Inquisition.

6. Treasurer.—This officer is called, in Spain, the receiver-general of the effects and property of the prisoners: in Rome he is called, treasurer of the Holy Office. He takes charge of all the effects of the prisoners, letting or selling their lands and houses; so that immense property falls into his hands.

7. Executor.—This officer is the head of the police attached to the Inquisition; and he directs the mode of the apprehension of accused persons.

8. Officials.—These are assistants to the executor, or police officers, who pursue and apprehend the persons accused before the inquisitors.

9. Familiars.—These are armed police officers, or soldiers of the Inquisition. They are called familiars, or belonging to the inquisitor’s family.

10. Cross-bearers.—These also are soldiers, a kind of militia, trained and armed for the defence of the Inquisition, and for the vigorous pursuit of offenders. They are favoured with many privileges, including a “plenary remission of all their sins,” to encourage them in the service of the Inquisition. Soldiers having, however, become less needful, these officers have generally been transformed into an order of monks of St. Dominic, with constitutions confirmed by the Pope.

11. Visitors.—These were magistrates appointed to inspect all the provinces of the inquisitors, and to report the state of the institutions to the inquisitor-general. They are commonly commissioned as occasions seem to require investigation.

12. Privileges of Inquisitors.—Extraordinary are the privileges granted to inquisitors; so that “no delegate of the apostolic see, or sub-delegate under him, no conservator, or executor, deputed by the Pope, shall be able to publish the sentence of excommunication, suspension, or interdict against them, or their notaries, whilst they are engaged in the prosecution of their duty, without the special command of the holy see.” The inquisitors only, and not the bishops, can publish edicts against heretics. In like manner, the inquisitors, and no others, can absolve from excommunication for heresy; and persons under the interdict by the inquisitor, cannot be absolved by the ordinary, or any other person, without the command of the Pope, except in the article of death.

13. Jurisdiction of the Inquisition.—This is so ample, that few persons are excepted from it; because the inquisitors being judges delegated by the Pope in the cause of the faith, that all heresy may be extirpated, power is given to them against all sorts of persons, except bishops and legates of the Pope. They may proceed against priests and clergy generally; and laymen without distinction, infected, suspected, or defamed of heresy, not excepting princes and kings. Even treaties with, or the power of, sovereigns, the inquisitors have set at nought, if they would yield to the assumed authority. Of this we have a remarkable instance in the king of Portugal, where Thomas Maynard was English consul. He was arrested and imprisoned at Lisbon, as having spoken against the Romish religion. When Oliver Cromwell was advised of the fact, the protector sent an express to the deputy, Mr. Meadows, to go to the king and demand his immediate release; but the sovereign professed that he had no power to grant the favour, as he had no authority over the Inquisition. But Cromwell sent new instructions, requiring from the king his instant liberation, or he declared war against the Inquisition. The terrified inquisitors offered the consul his liberty, which he accepted only on being brought forth honourably and in public by the Inquisition. This was at once granted, and Mr. Maynard continued unmolested, during the reigns of Charles II. and James II., well-known at Lisbon.

14. Prohibition of Books.—From time to time lists of books have been published by the Popes, as forbidden to be read, and these have especially included the Holy Scriptures, as fatal to the pretensions of the papal hierarchy and the Inquisition. One of the rules of the “Index” of prohibited books, regarding the Bible, says, “Since it is plain by experience, that if the Sacred Writings are permitted everywhere, and without difference, to be read in the vulgar tongue, men, through their harshness, will receive more harm than good. Let the bishop or inquisitor determine, with the parish priest or confessor, to whom to permit the reading of the Bible, translated by Catholic authors in the vulgar tongue.” This rule against the Bible is observed in all Catholic countries, especially in Spain, where the inquisitors published their prohibition, with a particular stress upon the Scriptures, “with all parts of them, either printed or manuscript, with all summaries and abridgments, although historical, of the said Bible, in the vulgar tongue.”