 CHAPTER V. AN ACCOUNT OF THE INQUISITION, PART I When the Reformed religion began to diffuse the gospel light throughout Europe, Pope Innocent III entertained great fear for the Romish church. He accordingly instituted a number of inquisitors, or persons who were to make inquiry after, apprehend and punish, heretics as the Reformed were called by the Papists. At the head of these inquisitors was one Dominic, who had been canonized by the Pope, in order to render his authority the more respectable. Dominic and the other inquisitors spread themselves into various Roman Catholic countries and treated the Protestants with the utmost severity. In process of time, the Pope, not finding these roving inquisitors so useful as he had imagined, resolved upon the establishment of fixed and regular courts of inquisition. After the order for these regular courts, the first office of inquisition was established in the city of Toulouse and Dominic became the first regular inquisitor as he had before been the first roving inquisitor. Courts of inquisition were now erected in several countries, but the Spanish inquisition became the most powerful and the most dreaded of any. Even the kings of Spain themselves, though arbitrary in all other respects, were taught to dread the power of the lords of the inquisition, and the horrid cruelties they exercised compelled multitudes who differed in opinion from the Roman Catholics carefully to conceal their sentiments. The most zealous of all the Popish monks and those who most implicitly obeyed the Church of Rome were the Dominicans and Franciscans. These, therefore, the Pope thought proper to invest with an exclusive right of presiding over the different courts of inquisition and gave them the most unlimited powers as judges delegated by him and immediately representing his person. They were permitted to excommunicate or sentence to death whom they thought proper upon the most slight information of heresy. They were allowed to publish crusades against all whom they deemed heretics and enter into leagues with sovereign princes to join their crusades with their forces. In 1244 their power was further increased by the Emperor Frederick II who declared himself the protector and friend of all the inquisitors and published the cruel edicts, viz. 1. that all heretics who continue obstinance should be burned, 2. that all heretics who repented should be imprisoned for life. This zeal in the Emperor, for the inquisitors of the Roman Catholic persuasion, arose from a report which had been propagated throughout Europe that he intended to renounce Christianity and turned Mahometan, the Emperor therefore attempted, by the height of bigotry, to contradict the report and to show his attachment to popery by cruelty. The officers of the inquisition are three inquisitors or judges, a fiscal proctor, two secretaries, a magistrate, a messenger, a receiver, a jailer, an agent of confiscated possessions, several assessors, counselors, executioners, physicians, surgeons, doorkeepers, familiars and visitors who are sworn to secrecy. The principal accusation against those who are subject to this tribunal is heresy, which comprises all that is spoken or written against any of the articles of the creed or the traditions of the Roman Church. The inquisition likewise takes cognizance of such as are accused of being magicians and of such who read the Bible in the common language, the Talmud of the Jews or the Elcoran of the Mahometans. On all occasions the inquisitors carry on their processes with the utmost severity and punish those who offend them with the most unparalleled cruelty. A Protestant has seldom any mercy shown him, and a Jew who turns Christian is far from being secure. A defense in the inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is deemed sufficient cause of condemnation, and the greater his wealth the greater his danger. The principal part of the inquisitor's cruelties is owing to their rapacity. They destroy the life to possess the property, and under the pretense of zeal plunder each obnoxious individual. A prisoner in the inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats and tortures to oblige him to accuse himself, and by that means corroborate their evidence. If the jurisdiction of the inquisition is not fully allowed, vengeance is denounced against such as call it in question, for if any of its officers are opposed, those who oppose them are almost certain to be sufferers for the temerity. The maxim of the inquisition being to strike terror and awe those who are the objects of its power into obedience. High birth, distinguished rank, great dignity, or eminent employments, are no protection from its severities, and the lowest officers of the inquisition can make the highest characters tremble. When the person impeached is condemned, he is either severely whipped, violently tortured, sent to the galleys or sentenced to death, and in either case the effects are confiscated. After judgment a procession is performed to the place of execution, which ceremony is called an autodouffé or act of faith. The following is an account of an autodouffé performed at Madrid in the year 1682. The officers of the inquisition, preceded by trumpets, kettle-drums, and their banner, marched on the 30th of May in Cavalcade to the palace of the Great Square, where they declared by proclamation that, on the 30th of June, the sentence of the prisoners would be put in execution. Of these prisoners, twenty men and women, with one renegade Mahometan, were ordered to be burned. Fifty Jews and Jewesses, having never before been imprisoned and repenting of their crimes, were sentenced to a long confinement and to wear a yellow cap. The whole court of Spain was present on this occasion. The Grand Inquisitor's Chair was placed in a sort of tribunal far above that of the king. Among those who were to suffer was a young Jewess of exquisite beauty and about seventeen years of age. Being on the same side of the scaffold where the queen was seated, she addressed her in hopes of obtaining a pardon in the following pathetic speech. Great Queen, will not your royal presence be of some service to me in my miserable condition? Have regard to my youth, and oh, consider that I am about to die for professing a religion imbibed from my earliest infancy. Her majesty seemed greatly to pity her distress, but turned away her eyes, as she did not dare to speak a word in behalf of a person who had been declared a heretic. Now mass began in the midst of which the priest came from the altar, placed himself near the scaffold, and seated himself in a chair prepared for that purpose. The chief Inquisitor then descended from the amphitheater, dressed in his coat, and having a mitre on his head. After having bowed to the altar, he advanced towards the king's balcony and went up to it, attended by some of his officers, carrying a cross and the gospels, with a book containing the oath by which the kings of Spain obliged themselves to protect the Catholic faith, to extirpate heretics, and to support with all their power and force the prosecutions and decrees of the Inquisition. A like oath was administered to the counselors and the whole assembly. The mass was begun about twelve at noon and did not end until nine in the evening, being protracted by a proclamation of the sentence of the several criminals which were already separately rehearsed aloud one after the other. After this followed the burnings of the twenty-one men and women whose intrepidity in suffering that horrid death was truly astonishing. The king's near situation to the criminals rendered their dying groans very audible to him. He could not, however, be absent from this dreadful scene as it was esteemed a religious one, and his coronation oath obliged him to give a sanction by his presence to all the acts of the tribunal. What we have already said may be applied to Inquisitions in general, as well as to that of Spain in particular. The Inquisition belonging to Portugal is exactly upon a similar plan to that of Spain, having been instituted much about the same time and put under the same regulations. The Inquisitors allow the torture to be used only three times, but during those times it is so severely inflicted that the prisoner either dies under it or continues always after a cripple and suffers the severest pains upon every change of weather. We shall give an ample description of the severe torments occasioned by the torture from the account of one who suffered it the three respective times, but happily survived the cruelties he underwent. At the first time of torturing, six executioners entered, stripped him naked to his drawers, and laid him upon his back on a kind of stand elevated a few feet from the floor. The operation commenced by putting an iron collar around his neck and a ring to each foot, which fastened him to the stand. His limbs being thus stretched out, they wound two ropes around each thigh, which ropes being passed under the scaffold through holes made for that purpose, were all drawn tight at the same instant of time by four of the men on a given signal. It is easy to conceive that the pains which immediately succeeded were intolerable. The ropes, which were of a small size, cut through the prisoner's flesh to the bone, making the blood to gush out at eight different places thus bound at a time. As the prisoner persisted in not making any confession of what the inquisitors required, the ropes were drawn in this manner four times successively. The manner of inflicting the second torture was as follows. They forced his arms backwards so that the palms of his hands were turned outward behind him. When, by means of a rope, they fastened them together at the wrists, and which was turned by an engine, they drew them by degrees nearer each other in such a manner that the back of each hand touched and stood exactly parallel to each other. In consequence of this violent contortion, both his shoulders became dislocated and a considerable quantity of blood issued from his mouth. This torture was repeated thrice, after which he was again taken to the dungeon and the surgeon set the dislocated bones. Two months after the second torture, the prisoner being a little recovered, was again ordered to the torture room, and there, for the last time, made to undergo another kind of punishment, which was inflicted twice without any intermission. The executioners fastened a thick iron chain around his body, which crossing at the breast, terminated at the wrists. They then placed him with his back against a thick board, at each extremity whereof was a pulley, through which there ran a rope that caught at the end of the chain at his wrists. The executioner then, stretching the end of his rope by means of a roller, placed at a distance behind him, pressed or bruised his stomach in proportion as the ends of the chains were drawn tighter. They tortured him at this manner to such a degree that his wrists, as well as his shoulders, were quite dislocated. They were, however, soon set by the surgeons, but the barbarians, not yet satisfied with this species of cruelty, made him immediately undergo the like torture a second time, which he sustained, though, if possible, attended with keener pains, with equal constancy and resolution. After this he was again remanded to the dungeon, attended by the surgeon to dress his bruises and adjust the part dislocated, and here he continued until their atola fey, or jail delivery, when he was discharged, crippled, and diseased for life. End of Chapter 5, Part 1. Chapter 5, Part 2 of Fox's Book of Martyrs, Volume 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Fox's Book of Martyrs, Volume 1 by John Fox, edited by William Byron Forbush. Chapter 5, an Account of the Inquisition, Part 2. An Account of the Cruel Handling and Burning of Nicholas Burton and English Merchant in Spain. The fifth day of November, about the year of our Lord, 1560, Mr. Nicholas Burton, citizen some time of London, and merchant, dwelling in the parish of Little Saint Bartholomew, peaceably and quietly, following his traffic in the trade of merchandise, and being in the city of Cadiz, in the party of Andalusia, in Spain, there came into his meeting a Judas, or as they termed them, a familiar of the fathers of Inquisition, who, asking for the said Nicholas Burton, feigned that he had a letter to deliver into his own hands, by which means he spake with him immediately. And having no letter to deliver to him, then the said promoter, or familiar, at the motion of the devil his master, whose messenger he was, invented another lie, and said he would take lading for London in such ships as the said Nicholas Burton had freighted to Laid, if he would let any, which was partly to know where he loaded his goods, that they might attach them, and chiefly to protract the time until the sergeant of the Inquisition might come, and apprehend the body of the said Nicholas Burton, which they did incontinently. He then, while perceiving that they were not able to burden or charge him, that he had written, spoken, or done anything there in that country against the ecclesiastical or temporal laws of the same realm, boldly asked them what they had to lay to his charge, that they did so arrest him, and bade them to declare the cause, and he would answer them. Notwithstanding they answered nothing, but commanded him with threatening words to hold his peace, and not speak one word to them. And so they carried him to the filthy common prison of the town of Cadiz, where he remained in Irons fourteen days amongst thieves. All which time he so instructed the poor prisoners in the Word of God, according to the good talent which God had given him in that behalf, and also in the Spanish tongue to utter the same, that in that short space he had well reclaimed several of those superstitious and ignorant Spaniards to embrace the Word of God and to reject their popish traditions. Which, being known unto the officers of the Inquisition, they conveyed him laden with irons from thence to a city called Seville into a more cruel and straighter prison called Triana, where the said fathers of the Inquisition proceeded against him secretly according to their accustomable cruel tyranny, that never after he could be suffered to write or speak to any of his nation, so that to this day it is unknown who was his accuser. Afterward, the twentieth of December, they brought the said Nicholas Burton, with a great number of other prisoners for professing the true Christian religion, into the city of Seville, to a place where the said Inquisitors sat in judgment which they called Otto, with a canvas coat, whereupon, in divers parts, was painted the figure of a huge devil, tormenting a soul in a flame of fire, and on his head a copying tank of the same work. His tongue was forced out of his mouth with a cloven stick fastened upon it, that he should not utter his conscience and faith to the people, and so he was set with another Englishman of South Hampton, and divers other condemned men for religion, as well Frenchmen as Spaniards, upon a scaffold over against the said Inquisition, where their sentences and judgments were read and pronounced against them. And immediately after the said sentences given, they were carried from there to the place of execution without the city, where they most cruelly burned them for whose constant faith God has praised. This Nicholas Burton, by the way, and in the flames of fire, had so cheerful a countenance, embracing death with all patience and gladness, that the tormentors and enemies which stood by said that the devil had his soul before he came to the fire, and therefore they said his senses of feeling were past him. It happened that after the arrest of Nicholas Burton aforesaid, immediately all the goods and merchandise which he brought with him into Spain by the way were, according to their common usage, seized and taken into the sequester, among which they also rolled up much that appertained to another English merchant wherewith he was credited as factor, whereof as soon as news was brought to the merchant as well of the imprisonment of his factor as of the arrest made upon his goods, he sent his attorney into Spain with authority from him to make claim to his goods and to demand them, whose name was John Tinn, citizen of Bristol. When his attorney was landed at Seville and had shown all his letters and writings to the Holy House, requiring them that such goods might be delivered into his possession, answer was made to him that he must sue by Bill and retain an advocate, but all was doubtless to delay him, and they, for sooth of courtesy, assigned him one to frame his supplication for him and other such bills of petition, as he had to exhibit into their Holy Court, demanding for each bill eight rails, albeit they stood him in no more stead than if he had put up none at all. And for the space of three or four months this fellow missed not twice a day attending every morning and afternoon at the Inquisitor's Palace, suing unto them upon his knees for his dispatch, but especially to the Bishop of Terracone, who was at that very time chief of the Inquisition at Seville, that he of his absolute authority would command the Constitution to be made thereof, but the booty was so good and great that it was very hard to come by it again. At length, after he had spent four whole months in suits and requests, and also to no purpose, he received this answer from them, that he must show greater evidence and bring more sufficient certificates out of England for proof of this matter than those which he had already presented to the court, whereupon the party forthwith posted to London, and with all speed returned to Billigan with more ample and large letters testimonial and certificates, according to their requests, and exhibited them to the court. Notwithstanding, the Inquisitor's still shifted him off, excusing themselves by lack of leisure, and for that they were occupied in more weighty affairs, and with such answers put him off four months after. At last, when the party had well nigh spent all his money and therefore sued the more earnestly for his dispatch, they referred the matter wholly to the ownership of whom, when he repaired unto him, he made answer that for himself he knew what he had to do, how beat he was but one man, and the determination appertained to the other commissioners as well as unto him. And thus by posting and passing it from one to another, the party could obtain no end to his suit. Yet for his importunities' sake they were resolved to dispatch him. It was on this sort, one of the Inquisitors, called Gasco, a man very well experienced in these practices, willed the party to resort unto him after dinner. The fellow being glad to hear this news, and supposing that his goods should be restored unto him, and that he was called in for that purpose to talk with the other that was in prison to confer with him about their accounts, rather through a little misunderstanding, hearing the Inquisitors cast out a word that it should be needful for him to talk with the prisoner, and being thereupon more than half persuaded that at length they meant good faith did so and repaired thither about the evening. Immediately upon his coming the jailer was forthwith charged with him to shut him up close in such a prison where they appointed him. The party, hoping at the first that he had been called for about some other matter, and seeing himself, contrary to his expectation, cast into a dark dungeon, perceived at length that the world went with him far otherwise than he supposed it would have done. But within two or three days after he was brought into the court where he began to demand his goods, and because it was a device that well served their turn without any more circumstance, they bid him say his Ave Maria. Ave Maria, Gratia Plena, Dominus Tecum, Benedicta II in Molyeribus, at Benedictus Frutus Ventris, Tui Jesus Amen. The same was written word by word as he spake it and without any more talk of claiming his goods because it was needless. They commanded him to prison again, and entered an action against him as a heretic for as much as he did not say his Ave Maria after the Romish fashion, but ended it very suspiciously. For he should have added, moreover, Sancta Maria Materdae or of Pornobius Pecatoribus, by abbreviating whereof it was evident enough, said they, that he did not follow the mediation of saints. Thus they picked a quarrel to detain him in prison a longer season, and afterward brought him forth upon their stage disguised after their manner, where sentence was given, that he should lose all the goods which he sued for, though they were not his own, and besides this suffer a year's imprisonment. Mark Bruges, an Englishman, master of an English ship called Dominion, was burned in a city of Portugal. William Hocker, a young man about the age of sixteen years, being an Englishman, was stoned to death by certain young men in the city of Seville for the same righteous cause. Some private enormities of the inquisition laid open by a very singular occurrence. When the Crown of Spain was contested for in the beginning of the present century by two princes who equally pretended to the sovereignty, France espoused the cause of one competitor and England of the other. The Duke of Berwick, a natural son of James II who abdicated England, commanded the Spanish and French forces and defeated the English at the celebrated battle of Omanza. The army was then divided into two parts. The one consisting of Spaniards and French, headed by the Duke of Berwick, advanced across to Catalonia. The other body, consisting of French troops only, commanded by the Duke of Orleans, proceeded to the conquest of Aragon. As the troops drew near to the city of Aragon, the magistrates came to offer the keys to the Duke of Orleans, but he told them hotly that they were rebels and that he would not accept the keys, for he had orders to enter the city through a breach. He accordingly made a breach in the walls with his cannon, and then entered the city through it, together with his whole army. When he had made every necessary regulation there, he departed to subdue other places, leaving a strong garrison at once to overaw and defend under the command of his Lieutenant General M. de Legalle. This gentleman, though brought up a Roman Catholic, was totally free from superstition. He united great talents with great bravery, and was the skillful officer and accomplished gentleman. The Duke, before his departure, had ordered that heavy contributions should be levied upon the city in the following manner. One, that the magistrates and principal inhabitants should pay a thousand crowns per month for the Duke's table. Two, that every house should pay one pistole, which would monthly amount to eighteen thousand pistoles. Three, that every servant and monastery should pay a donative, proportionable to its riches and rents. The last two contributions to be appropriated to the maintenance of the army. The money levied upon the magistrates and principal inhabitants, and upon every house, was paid as soon as demanded. But when the persons applied to the heads of convents and monasteries, they found that the ecclesiastics were not so willing as other people to part with their cash. Of the donatives to be raised by the clergy, the College of Jesuits to pay two thousand pistoles, Carmelites one thousand, Augustines one thousand, Dominicans one thousand. M. de Legalle sent to the Jesuits a peremptory order to pay the money immediately. The superior of the Jesuits returned for answer that for the clergy to pay money for the army was against all ecclesiastical immunities, and that he knew of no argument which would authorize M. de Legalle then sent four companies of dragoons to quarter themselves in the college with this sarcastic message. Quote, To convince you of the necessity of paying the money, I have sent four substantial arguments to your college drawn from the system of military logic, and, therefore, hope you will not need any further admonition to direct your conduct. End quote. These proceedings greatly perplexed the Jesuits who dispatched and expressed a court king's confessor who was of their order. But the dragoons were much more expeditious in plundering and doing mischief than the courier in his journey so that the Jesuits, seeing everything going to wreck and ruin, thought proper to adjust the matter amicably and paid the money before the return of their messenger. The Augustines and Carmelites, taking mourning by what had happened to the Jesuits, prudently went and paid the money and by that means escaped the study of military arguments and of being taught logic by dragoons. But the Dominicans, who were all familiar of, or agents dependent on, the Inquisition, imagined that that very circumstance would be their protection. But they were mistaken, for M. Delegal neither feared nor respected the Inquisition. The chief of the Dominicans sent word to the military commander that his order was poor and had not any money whatever to pay the donative. For, says he, quote, the whole wealth of the Dominicans consists only in the silver images of the apostles and saints as large as life which are placed in our church in which it would be sacrilege to remove, end quote. This insinuation was meant to terrify the French commander whom the Inquisitors imagined would not dare to be so profane as to wish for the possession of the precious idols. He, however, sent word that the silver images would make admirable substitutes for money and would be more in character than in that of the Dominicans themselves, quote, for, said he, while you possess them in the manner you do at present they stand up in niches, useless and motionless without being of the least benefit to mankind in general or even to yourselves. But when they come into my possession they shall be useful. I shall put them in motion for I intend to have them coined when they may travel like the apostles be beneficial in various places and circulate for the universal service of mankind, end quote. The Inquisitors were astonished at this treatment which they never expected to receive even from crowned heads. They therefore determined to deliver their precious images in a solemn procession that they might excite the people to an insurrection. The Dominican friars were accordingly ordered to march to Delegal's house with the silver apostles and saints in a mournful manner, having lighted tapers with them and bitterly crying all the time, heresy, heresy. M. Delegal, hearing these proceedings, ordered four companies of Grenadiés to line the street which led to his house. Each Grenadié was ordered to have his loaded fusy in one hand and a lighted taper in the other, so that the troops might either repel force with force or do honor for the farcical salinity. The friars did all they could to raise the tumult but the common people were too much afraid of the troops under arms to come. The silver images were therefore of necessity delivered up to M. Delegal who sent them to the Mint and ordered them to be coined immediately. The project of raising an insurrection having failed, the inquisitors determined to excommunicate M. Delegal unless he would release their precious silver saints from imprisonment in the Mint before they were melted down or otherwise mutilated. The French commander absolutely refused to release the images but said they should certainly travel and do good upon which the inquisitors drew up the form of excommunication and ordered their secretary to go and read it to M. Delegal. The secretary punctually performed his commission and read the excommunication deliberately and distinctly. The French commander heard it with great patience and politely told the secretary that he would answer it the next day. When the secretary of the inquisition was gone, M. Delegal ordered his own secretary to have a form of excommunication exactly like that sent by the inquisition, but to make this alteration instead of his name to put in those of the inquisitors. The next morning he ordered four regiments under arms and commanded them to accompany his secretary and act as he directed. The secretary went to the inquisition and insisted upon admittance, which after a great deal of altercation was granted. As soon as he entered he read in an audible voice the communication sent by M. Delegal against the inquisitors. The inquisitors were all present and heard it with astonishment, never having before met with any individual who dared to behave so boldly. They loudly cried out against Delegal as a heretic, and said, this is a most daring insult against the Catholic faith. But to surprise them still more the French secretary told them that they must remove from their present lodgings, for the French secretary put the troops in the inquisition as it was the most comodious place in the whole city. The inquisitors exclaimed loudly upon this occasion when the secretary put them under a strong guard and sent them to a place appointed by M. Delegal to receive them. The inquisitors, finding how things went, begged that they might be permitted to take their private property, which was granted, and they immediately set out from Madrid where they made the most bitter of them that he could not grant them any redress as the injuries they had received were from his grandfather, the King of France's troops, by whose assistance alone he could be firmly established in his kingdom. Quote, had it been my own troops, said he, I would have punished them, but as it is I cannot pretend to exert any authority. In the meantime M. Delegal's secretary set open all the doors of the inquisition and released the prisoners, who amounted to four hundred, and among these were sixty beautiful young women who appeared to form a serralio for the three principal inquisitors. This discovery, which laid the enormity of the inquisitors so open, greatly alarmed the archbishop who desired M. Delegal to send the women to his palace, and he would take proper care of them, and at the same time he published an ecclesiastical censure against all such as should ridicule or blame the Holy Office of the Inquisition. The French commander sent word to the archbishop that the prisoners had either run away, or were so securely concealed by their friends, or even by his own officers, that it was impossible for him to send them back again, and therefore the inquisition having committed such atrocious actions must now put up with their exposure. Some may suggest that it is strange crowned heads and eminent nobles did not attempt to crush the power of the inquisition and reduce the authority of those tyrants from whose merciless fangs neither their families nor themselves were secure. But astonishing as it is, superstition hath, in this case, always overcome common sense, and custom operated against reason. One prince, indeed, intended to abolish the inquisition, but he lost his life before he became king, and consequently before he had the power so to do, for the very intimation of his design procured his destruction. In fact, amiable prince Don Carlos, son of Philip II, king of Spain, and grandson of the celebrated emperor Charles V. Don Carlos possessed all the good qualities of his grandfather without any of the bad ones of his father, and was a prince of great vivacity, admirable learning, and the most admirable disposition. He had sense enough to see into the errors of popery and abhorred the very name of the inquisition. He invaded publicly against the institution, ridiculed the affected piety of the inquisitors, did all he could to expose their atrocious deeds, and even declared that if he ever came to the crown, he would abolish the inquisition and exterminate its agents. These things were sufficient to irritate the inquisitors against the prince. They, accordingly, bent their minds to vengeance and determined on his destruction. The inquisitors now employed all their agents and emissaries to spread abroad the most artful insinuations against the prince, and at length raised such a spirit of discontent among the people that the king was under the necessity of removing Don Carlos from court. Not content with this, they pursued even his friends and obliged the king likewise to banish Don John, Duke of Austria, his own brother, and consequently uncle to the prince. Together with the prince of Parma, nephew to the king and cousin to the prince, because they knew that both the Duke and the prince of Parma had a most sincere and invalible attachment to Don Carlos. Some few years after the prince having shown great lenity and favor to the Protestants in the Netherlands, the inquisition loudly exclaimed against him declaring that as the persons in question were heretics, the prince himself must necessarily be one since he gave them countenance. In short, they gained so great an ascendancy over the mind of the king who was absolutely a slave to the Protestant, that, shocking to relate, he sacrificed the feelings of nature to the force of bigotry and, for fear of incurring the anger of the inquisition, gave up his only son, passing the sentence of death on him himself. The prince indeed had what was termed an indulgence, that is, he was permitted to choose the manner of his death. Roman-like the unfortunate young hero chose bleeding in the hot bath. When the veins of his arms and legs expired gradually, falling a martyr to the malice of the inquisitors in the stupid bigotry of his father, the persecution of Dr. Ahidio. Dr. Ahidio was educated at the University of Alcala where he took his several degrees and particularly applied himself to the study of the sacred scriptures and school divinity. When the professor of theology died, he was elected into his place and acted so much to the satisfaction of everyone that his reputation for learning and piety was circulated throughout Europe. Ahidio, however, had his enemies and these laid a complaint against him to the inquisitors who sent him a citation and when he appeared to it cast him into a dungeon. As the greatest part of those who belonged to the Cathedral Church at Seville and many persons belonging to the bishopric of D'Ortois highly approved of the doctrines of Ahidio which they thought perfectly consonant through religion, they petitioned the emperor on his behalf. Though the monarch had been educated of Roman Catholic, he had too much sense to be a bigot and therefore sent an immediate order for his enlargement. He soon after visited the Church of Viadolid and did everything he could to promote the cause of religion. Returning home, he soon after fell sick and died at an extreme old age. The inquisitors having been disappointed of gratifying their malice against him while living determined, as the emperor's whole thoughts were engrossed by a military expedition, to wreak their vengeance on him when dead. Therefore soon after he was buried they ordered his remains to be dug out of the grave and a legal process being carried on they were condemned to be burnt which was executed accordingly. End of chapter 5 part 2 Chapter 5 part 3 of Box's book of martyrs volume 1 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Box's book of martyrs volume 1 by John Fox edited by William Byron Forbush Chapter 5 An Account of the Inquisition Part 3 The Persecution of Dr. Constantine Dr. Constantine, an intimate acquaintance of the already mentioned Dr. Ahedio, was a man who had been a member of the LibriVox family and Dr. Ahedio was a man of uncommon natural abilities and profound learning. Exclusive of several modern tongues he was acquainted with the Latin, Greek and Hebrew languages and perfectly well knew not only the sciences called Obstruse but those arts which came under the denomination of polite literature. His eloquence rendered him pleasing and the soundness of his doctrines a profitable teacher and he was so popular that he preached but to a crowded audience. He had many opportunities of rising in the church but never would take advantage of them for if a living of greater value than his own was offered him he would refuse it saying I'm content with what I have and he frequently preached so forcibly against Simoni that many of his superiors who were not so delicate upon the subject took umbrage at his doctrines upon that head. In recentism by Dr. Ahedio he preached boldly such doctrines only as were agreeable to gospel purity and uncontaminated by the eras which had at various times crept into the Romish church. For these reasons he had many enemies among the Roman Catholics and some of them were fully determined on his destruction. A worthy gentleman named Scobaria having erected a school for divinity lectures appointed Dr. Constantine to be reader therein he immediately undertook the task and read lectures by portions on the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Canticles and was beginning to expound the book of Job when he was seized by the inquisitors. Being brought to examination he answered with such precaution that they could not find any explicit charge against him but remained doubtful in what manner to proceed when the following circumstances occurred to determine them. Dr. Constantine had deposited with a woman named Isabella Martin several books which to him were very valuable but which he knew in the eyes of the inquisition were exceptionable. This woman having been informed against as a Protestant was apprehended and after a small process her goods were ordered to be confiscated. Previous however to the officers coming to her house the woman's son had removed away several chests full of the most valuable articles. Among these were Dr. Constantine's books. A treacherous servant gave intelligence of this to the inquisitors and an officer was dispatched to the son to demand the chests. The son, supposing the officer only came for Constantine's books said, I know what you came for and I will fetch them to you immediately. He then fetched Dr. Constantine's books and papers when the officer was greatly surprised to find that which he did not look for. He however told the young man that he was glad these books and papers were produced but nevertheless he must fulfill the end of his commission which was to carry him and the goods he had embezzled before the inquisitors which he did accordingly. For the young man knew it would be in vain to expostulate or resist and therefore quietly submitted to his fate. The inquisitors being thus possessed of Constantine's books and writings now found matter sufficient to form charges against him when he was brought to a re-examination they presented one of his papers and asked him if he knew the handwriting. Perceiving it was his own he guessed the whole matter confessed the writing and justified the doctrine it contained saying, quote, in that and all my other writings I have never departed from the truth of the gospel but have always kept in view the pure precepts of Christ as he delivered them to mankind, unquote. After being detained upwards of two years in prison Dr. Constantine was seized with a bloody flux which put an end to his miseries in this world. The process, however, was carried on against his body which, at the ensuing Otto Le Fay, was publicly burnt. The Life of William Gardiner William Gardiner was born at Bristol received a tolerable education and was at a proper age placed under the care of a merchant named Paget. For twenty-six years he was, by his master, sent to Lisbon to act as factor. Here he applied himself to the study of the Portuguese language executed his business with aciduity and dispatch and behaved with the most engaging affability to all persons with whom he had the least concern. He conversed privately with a few whom he knew to be zealous protestants and, at the same time, cautiously avoided giving the least offense to any who were Roman Catholics. He had not, however, hitherto gone into any of the Popish churches. A marriage being concluded between the King of Portugal's son and the Infanta of Spain, upon the wedding-day the bridegroom, bride and the whole court went to the cathedral church, attended by multitudes of all ranks of people, and among the rest, William Gardiner, who stayed during the whole ceremony and was greatly shocked at the superstitions he saw. The erroneous worship which he had seen ran strongly in his mind. He was miserable to see a whole country sunk into such idolatry when the truth of the gospel might be so easily obtained. He, therefore, took the inconsiderate, though laudable, design into his head of making a reform in Portugal or perishing in the attempt and determined to sacrifice his prudence to his zeal though he became a martyr upon the occasion. To this end he settled all his worldly affairs, paid his debts, closed his books, and consigned over his merchandise. On the ensuing Sunday he went again to the cathedral church with a New Testament in his hand and placed himself near the altar. The king and the court soon appeared and a cardinal began mass at that part of the ceremony in which the people adore the wafer. Gardiner could hold out no longer but springing towards the cardinal he snatched the host from him and trampled it under his feet. This action amazed the whole congregation and one person, drawing a dagger, wounded Gardiner in the shoulder and would, by repeating the blow, have finished him had not the king called to him to desist. Gardiner, being carried before the king, the monarch asked him what countryman he was to which he replied, I am an Englishman by birth, a Protestant by religion and a merchant by occupation. What I have done is not out of contempt to your royal person, forbid it should, but out of an honest indignation to see the ridiculous superstitious and gross idolatries practiced here. The king, thinking that he had been stimulated by some other person to act as he had done, demanded who was his a better to which he replied, my own conscience alone I would not hazard what I have done for any man living but I owe that and all other services to God. Gardiner was sent to prison in the order issued to apprehend all Englishmen in Lisbon. This order was in a great measure put into execution, some few escaping, and many innocent persons were tortured to make them confess if they knew anything of the matter. In particular, a person who resided in the same house with Gardiner was treated with unparalleled barbarity to make him confess something which might throw a light upon the affair. Gardiner himself was then tormented in the most excruciating manner, but in the midst of all his torments he gloried in the deed. Being ordered for death a large fire was kindled near a gibbet, Gardiner was drawn up to the gibbet by pulleys, and then let down near the fire, but not so closest to touch it, for they burnt or rather roasted him by slow degrees. Yet he bore his sufferings patiently and resigned his soul to the Lord cheerfully. It is observable that some of the sparks that were blown from the fire, which consumed Gardiner, towards the Haven burnt one of the King's ships of war and did other considerable damage. The Englishmen who were taken up on this occasion were, soon after Gardiner's death, all discharged except the person who resided in the same house with him who was detained two years before he could procure his liberty. End of Chapter 5 Part 3 Chapter 5 Part 4 of Fox's Book of Martyrs, Volume 1 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Fox's Book of Martyrs, Volume 1 by John Fox, edited by William Byron Forbush Chapter 5 An Account of the Inquisition Part 4 An Account of the Life and Sufferings of Mr. William Lithgow, a native of Scotland This gentleman was descended from a good family and having a natural propensity for traveling he rambled when very young over the northern and western islands after which he visited France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. He set out on his travels in the month of March 1609 and the first place he went to was Paris where he stayed for some time. He then prosecuted his travels through Germany and other parts and at length arrived at Malaga in Spain, the seat of all his misfortunes. During his residence here he contracted with the master of a French ship for his passage to Alexandria but was prevented from going by the following circumstances. In the evening of the 17th of October 1620 the English fleet at that time on a cruise against the Algerine Rovers came to anchor before Malaga which threw the people of the town into the greatest consternation and they imagined them to be Turks. The morning however discovered the mistake and the governor of Malaga perceiving the cross of England in their colors went on board Sir Robert Mansell's ship who commanded on that expedition and after staying some time returned and silenced the fears of the people. The next day many persons from on board the fleet came ashore. Among these were several well known by Mr. Lithko who after reciprocal compliments spent some days together in festivity and the amusements of the town. They then invited Mr. Lithko to go on board and pay his respects to the admiral. He accordingly accepted the invitation was kindly received by him and detained till the next day when the fleet sailed. The admiral would willingly have taken Mr. Lithko with him to Algiers but having contracted for his passage to Alexandria and his baggage etc. being in the town with the offer. As soon as Mr. Lithko got on shore he proceeded towards his lodgings by a private way being to embark the same night for Alexandria when in passing through a narrow uninhabited street he found himself suddenly surrounded by nine sergeants or officers who threw a black cloak over him and forcibly conducted him to the governor's house. After some little time the governor appeared when Mr. Lithko earnestly begged and informed of the cause of such violent treatment. The governor only answered by shaking his head and gave orders that the prisoner should be strictly watched until he, the governor, returned from his devotions directing at the same time that the captain of the town, the Al-Qaeda Major and the town Notary should be summoned to appear at his examination and that all this should be done with the greatest secrecy to prevent the knowledge reaching the ears of the town. These orders were strictly discharged and on the governor's return he, with the officers having seated themselves Mr. Lithko was brought before them for examination. The governor began by asking several questions namely of what country he was with or bound and how long he had been in Spain. The prisoner, after answering these and other questions was conducted to a closet where in a short space of time the town captain, who inquired whether he had ever been at Seville or was lately come from thence and patting his cheeks with an air of friendship conjured him to tell the truth quote, for, said he your very countenance shows there is some hidden matter in your mind which prudence should direct you to disclose end quote. Finding himself, however, unable to extort anything from the prisoner he left him and reported the same to the governor and the other officers in which Mr. Lithko was again brought before them a general accusation was laid against him and he was compelled to swear that he would give true answers to such questions as should be asked him. The governor proceeded to inquire the quality of the English commander and the prisoner's opinion what were the motives that prevented his accepting an invitation from him to come on shore. He demanded likewise the names of the English captains in the squadron and what knowledge he had for the location or preparation for it before his departure from England. The answers given to the several questions asked were set down in writing by the notary but the junto seemed surprised at his denying any knowledge of the fitting out of the fleet particularly the governor who said he lied that he was a traitor and a spy and came directly from England to favour and assist the designs that were projected against Spain and that he had been for that purpose nine months in Seville in order to procure intelligence of the time the Spanish navy was expected from the Indies. They exclaimed against his familiarity with the officers of the fleet and many other English gentlemen between whom they said unusual civilities had passed but all these transactions had been carefully noticed. Besides to sum up the whole and put the truth past all doubt they said he came from a council of war held that morning on board the admiral's ship in order to put in execution the orders assigned him. They upgraded him with being accessory to the burning of the island of St. Thomas in the West Indies. Quote, wherefore said they these Lutherans and sons of the devil ought to have no credit given to what they say or swear. In vain did Mr. Lithgow endeavour to obviate every accusation laid against him and to obtain belief from his prejudiced judges. He begged permission for his cloak bag which contained his papers and might serve to show his innocence. This request they complied with thinking it would discover some things of which they were ignorant. The cloak bag was accordingly brought and being opened among other things was found a license from King James I under the sign manual setting forth the bearer's intention to travel into Egypt which was treated by the Hottie Spaniards with great contempt. The other papers consisted of passports, testimonials, etc., of persons of quality. All these credentials, however, seemed rather to confirm than abate the suspicions of these prejudiced judges who, after seizing all the prisoners' papers, ordered him again to withdraw. In the meantime a consultation was held to fix the place where the prisoners should be confined. The al-Qaedaid, or chief judge, was for putting him into the town prison, but this was objected to particularly by the Correjidor, who said in Spanish, quote, in order to prevent the knowledge of his confinement from reaching his countrymen, I will take the matter on myself and be answerable for the consequences, end quote, upon which it was agreed that he should be confined in the governor's house with the greatest secrecy. This matter being determined one of the sergeants went to Mr. Lithko and begged his money with liberty to search him. As it was needless to make any resistance the prisoner quietly complied when the sergeant, after rifling his pockets of eleven ducatunes stripped him to his shirt and searching his breeches he found enclosed in the waistband two canvas bags containing 137 pieces of gold. The sergeant immediately took the money to the Correjidor who, after having told it over ordered him to clothe the prisoner and shut him up close until after supper. About midnight the sergeant and two Turkish slaves released Mr. Lithko from his then confinement, but it was to introduce him to one much more horrible. They conducted him through several passages to a chamber in a remote part of the palace, towards the garden where they loaded him with irons and extended his legs by means of an iron bar above a yard lung the weight of which was so great that he could neither stand nor sit but was obliged to lie continually on his back. He left him in this condition for some time when they returned with a refreshment of food consisting of a pound of boiled mutton and a loaf together with a small quantity of wine which was not only the first but the best and last of the kind during his confinement in this place. After delivering these articles the sergeant locked the door and left Mr. Lithko to his own private contemplations. The next day he received a visit from the governor who promised him security, with many other advantages if he would confess being a spy but on his protesting that he was entirely innocent the governor left him in a rage saying, quote, he should see him no more until further torments constrained him to confess, unquote commanding the keeper to whose care he was committed that he should permit no person whatever to have access to or commune with him. That his sustenance should not exceed and a pint of water every second day that he shall be allowed neither bed, pillow, nor cover lid, quote, close up, said he this window in his room with lime and stone stop up the holes of the door with double mats let him have nothing that bears any likeness to comfort, end quote. These and several orders of the like severity were given to render it impossible for his condition to be known to those of the English nation. In this wretched and melancholy state did poor Lithgow continue without seeing any person for several days in which time the governor received an answer to a letter he had written relative to the prisoner from Madrid and pursuant to the instructions given him began to put in practice the cruelties devised which were hastened because Christmas holy days approached it being then the 47th day since his imprisonment. About two o'clock in the morning he heard the noise of a coach in the street and sometime after heard the opening of the prison doors not having had any sleep for two nights hunger, pain, and melancholy reflections having prevented him from taking any repose. Soon after the prison doors were opened the nine sergeants who had first seized him entered the place where he lay and without uttering a word conducted him in his irons through the house into the street where a coach waited and into which they laid him at the bottom on his back not being able to sit. Two of the sergeants rode with him and the rest walked by the coach side but all observed the most profound silence. They drove him to a vine-press house about a league from the town to which place a rack had been privately conveyed before and there they shut him up for that night. At daybreak the next morning arrived to the governor and the alcade into whose presence Mr. Lithgow immediately brought to undergo another examination. The prisoner desired he might have an interpreter which was allowed to strangers by the laws of that country but this was refused nor would they permit him to appeal to Madrid the Superior Court of Judicature. After a long examination which lasted from morning until night there appeared in all his answers so exact a conformity with what he had before said that they declared he had learned them by heart being the least prevarication. They however pressed him again to make a full discovery that is to accuse himself of crimes never committed the governor adding quote you are still in my power I can set you free if you comply if not I must deliver you to the alcade end quote Mr. Lithgow still persisting in his innocence the governor ordered the notary to draw up a warrant for delivering him to the alcade to be tortured. In the consequence of this he was conducted by the sergeants to the end of a stone gallery where the rack was placed. The Encaruador or executioner immediately struck off his irons which put him to very great pains the bolts being so closely riveted that the sledgehammer tore away half an inch of his heel enforcing off the bolt. The anguish of which together with his weak condition not having the least sustenance for three days occasioned him to groan bitterly upon which the merciless alcade said quote villain traitor this is but the earnest of what you shall endure end quote when his irons were off he fell on his knees uttering a short prayer that God would be pleased to enable him to be steadfast and undergo courageously the grievous trial he had to encounter the alcade and notary having placed themselves in chairs he was stripped naked and fixed upon the rack the office of these gentlemen being the witness of and set down the confessions and tortures endured by the delinquent it is impossible to describe all the various tortures inflicted upon him suffice it to say that he lay on the rack for above five hours during which time he received above sixty different tortures of the most hellish nature and had they continued them a few minutes longer he must have inevitably perished these cruel persecutors being satisfied for the present the prisoner was taken from the rack and as irons being again put on he was conducted to his former dungeon having received no other nourishment than a little warm wine which was given him rather to prevent his dying and reserve him for future punishments than from any principle of charity or compassion as a confirmation of this orders were given for a coach to pass every morning before a day by the prison that the noise made by it might give fresh terrors and alarms to the unhappy prisoner and deprive him of all possibility of obtaining the least repose he continued in this horrid situation almost starved for want of the common necessaries to preserve his wretched existence until Christmas day when he received some relief from Marianne waiting woman to the governor's lady this woman having obtained leave to visit him carried with her some refreshments consisting of honey, sugar, raisins and other articles so affected was she at beholding his situation that she wept bitterly and at her departure expressed the greatest concern at not being able to give him further assistance in this loathsome prison was poor Mr. Lithgow kept until he was almost devoured by vermin they crawled about his beard lips, eyebrows etc so that he could scarce open his eyes and his mortification was increased by not having the use of his hands or legs to defend himself from being so miserably maimed by the tortures so cruel was the governor that he even ordered the vermin to be swept on him twice in every eight days he however obtained some little mitigation of this part of his punishment from the humanity of a Turkish slave that attended him who, when he could do it with safety destroyed the vermin and contributed every refreshment to him that laid in his power from this slave Mr. Lithgow at length received information which gave him little hopes of ever being released but, on the contrary that he should finish his life under new tortures the substance of this information was that an English seminary priest and a scotch cooper had been for some time employed by the governor to translate from the English into the Spanish language all his books and observations and that it was commonly said in the governor's house that he was an arch heretic this information greatly alarmed him and he began not without reason to fear that they would soon finish him more especially as they could neither by torture or by other means bring him to vary from what he had all along said at his different examinations two days after he had received the above information the governor and inquisitor and a canonical priest accompanied by two Jesuits entered his dungeon and being seated after several idle questions the inquisitor asked Mr. Lithgow if he was a Roman Catholic and acknowledged the Pope's supremacy he answered that he neither was the one nor did the other adding that he was surprised at being asked such questions since it was expressly stipulated by the articles of peace between England and Spain that none of the English subjects should be liable to the inquisition or any way molested by them on account of diversity in religion, etc in the bitterness of his soul he made use of some warm expressions not suited to his circumstances quote as you have almost murdered me said he, for pretended treason so now you intend to make a martyr of me for my religion end quote he also expostulated with the governor on the ill return he made to the king of England whose subject he was for the princely humanity exercised toward the Spaniards in 1588 when their armada was shipwrecked on the Scotch coast the citizens of the Spaniards found relief who might otherwise have miserably perished the governor admitted the truth of what Mr. Lithgow said but replied with a haughty air that the king who then only ruled Scotland was actuated more by fear than love and therefore did not deserve any thanks one of the Jesuits said there was no faith to be kept with heretics the inquisitor then rising addressed himself to Mr. Lithgow in the following words you have been taken up as a spy accused of treachery and tortured as we acknowledge innocently which appears by the account lately received from Madrid of the intentions of the English yet it was the divine power that brought these judgments upon you for presumptuously treating the blessed miracle of Loretto with ridicule and expressing yourself in your writings irreverently of his holiness the great agent and Christ's vicar upon earth therefore you are justly fallen into our hands by their special appointment thy books and papers are miraculously translated by the assistance of Providence influencing thy own countrymen this trumpery being ended they gave the prisoner eight days to consider and resolve whether he would become a convert to their religion during which time the inquisitor told him he with other religious orders would attend to give him such assistance thereto as he might want one of the Jesuits said making the sign of the cross upon his breast quote my son behold you deserve to be burnt alive but by the grace of our lady of Loretto whom you have blasphemed we will both save your soul and body in the morning the inquisitor with three other ecclesiastics returned when the former asked the prisoner what difficulties he had on his conscience that retarded his conversion to which he answered quote he had not any doubts in his mind being confident in the promises of Christ and assuredly believing his revealed will signified in the gospels as professed in the reformed Catholic church being confirmed by grace and having infallible insurance thereby of the Christian faith end quote to these words the inquisitor replied quote thou art no Christian but an absurd heretic and without conversion a member of perdition end quote the prisoner then told him that it was with the nature and essence of religion and charity to convince by appropriate speeches racks and torments but by arguments deduced from the scriptures and that all other methods would with him be totally ineffectual the inquisitor was so enraged at the replies made by the prisoner that he struck him on the face used many abusive speeches and attempted to stab him which he had certainly done had he not been prevented by the Jesuits and from this time over again visited the prisoner the next day the two Jesuits returned and putting on a very grave superlicious air the superior asked him what resolution he had taken to which Mr. Lithgow replied that he was already resolved unless he could show substantial reasons to make him alter his opinion the superior after a pedantic display of their seven sacraments the intercession of saints transubstantiation etc. boasted greatly of their church her antiquity universality and uniformity all of which Mr. Lithgow denied quote for said he the profession of the faith I hold hath been ever since the first days of the apostles and Christ had ever his own church however obscure in the greatest time of your darkness end quote the Jesuits finding their arguments had not the desired effect that torments could not shake his constancy nor even the fear of the cruel sentence he had reason to expect would be pronounced and executed on him after severe menaces left him on the eighth day after being the last of their inquisition when sentences pronounced they returned again but quite altered both in their words and behavior after repeating much of the same kind of arguments as before they with seeming tears in their eyes pretended they were sorry from their heart he must be obliged to undergo a terrible death for the loss of his most precious soul and falling on their knees cried out convert convert oh dear brother for our blessed lady's sake convert to which he answered I fear neither death nor fire being prepared for both the first effects Mr. Lithgow felt of the determination of this bloody tribunal was a sentence to receive that night eleven different tortures and if he did not die in the execution of them he might be reasonably expected from the maimed and disjointed condition he was in he was after Easter holy days to be carried to Granada and their burnt to ashes the first part of the sentence was executed with great barbarity that night and it pleased God to give him strength both of body and mind to stand fast to the truth and to survive the horrid punishments inflicted on him after these barbarians had glutted themselves for the present with exercising on the unhappy prisoner the most distinguished cruelties they again put irons on and conveyed him to his former dungeon the next morning he received some little comfort from the Turkish slave before mentioned who secretly brought him in his shirt sleeve some raisins and figs which he licked up in the best manner his strength would permit with his tongue it was to this slave Mr. Lithgow attributed his surviving soul long in such a wretched situation he found means to convey some of these fruits to him twice every week it was very extraordinary and worthy of note that this poor slave bred up from his infancy according to the maxims of his profit and parents in the greatest detestation of Christians should be so affected at the miserable situation of Mr. Lithgow that he fell ill and continued so for upwards of 40 days during this period Mr. Lithgow was attended by a negro woman slave who found means to furnish him with refreshments still more amply than the Turk being conversant in the house and family she brought him every day some victuals and with it some wine in a bottle the time was now so far elapsed in the horrid situation so truly loathsome that Mr. Lithgow waited with anxious expectation for the day which by putting an end to his life would also end his torments but as melancholy expectations were by the interposition of providence happily rendered abortive and his deliverance obtained from the following circumstances it happened that a Spanish gentleman of quality came from Granada to Malaga who being invited to an entertainment by the governor informed him of what had befallen Mr. Lithgow from the time of his being apprehended as a spy and described the various sufferings he had endured he likewise told him that after it was known the prisoner was innocent it gave him great concern that on this account he would gladly have released him restored his money and papers and made some atonement for the injuries he had received but that upon an inspection into his writings several were found of a very blasphemous nature highly reflecting on their religion that on his refusing to abjure these heretical opinions he was turned over to the inquisition by whom he was finally condemned while the governor was relating a blemish youth servant to the Spanish gentleman who waited at the table was struck with amazement and pity at the sufferings of the stranger described on his return to his master's lodgings he began to revolve in his mind what he had heard which made such an impression on him that he could not rest in his bed in the short slumbers he had his imagination pointed to him the person described on the rack and burning in the fire in this anxiety he passed the night and when the morning came without disclosing his intentions to any person whatever he went into the town and inquired for an English factor he was directed to the house of a Mr. Wilde to whom he related the whole of what he had heard past the preceding evening between his master and the governor but could not tell Mr. Lithgow's name Mr. Wilde however conjectured it was he by the servants remembering the circumstance of his being a traveler and as having had some doubts with him on the departure of the Flemish servant Mr. Wilde immediately sent for the other English factors to whom he related all the particulars relative to their unfortunate countrymen after a short consultation it was agreed that an information of the whole affair should be sent by express to Sir Walter Aston an English ambassador to the King of Spain then at Madrid this was accordingly done and the ambassador having presented a King and Council of Spain obtained an order for Mr. Lithgow's enlargement and his delivery to the English factor this order was directed to the governor of Malaga and was received with great dislike and surprise by the whole assembly of the bloody inquisition Mr. Lithgow was released from his confinement on the eve of Easter Sunday when he was carried from his dungeon on the back of the slave who had attended him to the house of one Mr. Lithgow and all proper comforts were given him it fortunately happened that there was at this time a squadron of English ships in the road commanded by Sir Richard Hawkins who being informed of the past sufferings and present situation of Mr. Lithgow came the next day ashore with a proper guard and received him from the merchants he was instantly carried in blankets on board the vanguard and three days after was removed to another ship by direction of Mr. Lithgow who ordered that he should have proper care taken of him the factor presented him with clothes and all necessary provisions besides which they gave him two hundred rails in silver and Sir Richard Hawkins sent him two double pistoles before his departure from the Spanish coast Sir Richard Hawkins demanded the delivery of his papers money books etc. but could not obtain any satisfactory answer on that head he was here to reflect how manifestly Providence interfered in behalf of this poor man when he was just on the brink of destruction for by his sentence from which there was no appeal he would have been taken in a few days to Grenada and burnt to ashes and that a poor ordinary servant who had not the least knowledge of him nor was anyways interested in his preservation should risk the displeasure of his master and hazard his own life to disclose a thing of so mentis a nature to a strange gentleman on whose secrecy depended his own existence by such secondary means does Providence frequently interfere in behalf of the virtuous and depressed of which this is a most distinguished example after lying twelve days in the road the ship weighed anchor and in about two months arrived safe at Deptford the next morning Mr. Lithgow was carried on a feather bed to Theobalds in Herfordshire where at that time was the king and royal family his majesty happened to be that day engaged in hunting but on his return in the evening Mr. Lithgow was presented to him and related the particulars of his sufferings and his happy delivery the king was so affected at the narrative that he expressed the deepest concern and gave orders that he should be sent to Bath and is once properly supplied from his royal munificence by these means under God after some time Mr. Lithgow was restored from the most wretched spectacle to a great share of health and strength but he lost the use of his left arm and several of the smaller bones were so crushed and broken as to be ever after rendered useless notwithstanding that every effort was used Mr. Lithgow could never obtain any part of his money or effects although his majesty and the ministers of state interested themselves on his behalf Gondemore the Spanish ambassador indeed promised that all his effects should be restored with the addition of one thousand pounds English money as some atonement for the tortures he had under God which last was to be paid him by the governor of Malaga these engagements however were but mere promises and although the king was a kind of guarantee for the well performance of them the cunning Spaniard found means to allude the same he had indeed to great a share of influence in the English council during the time of that pacific rain when England suffered herself to be bullied into slavish compliance by most of the states and kings in Europe the story of Galileo the most eminent men of science and philosophy of the day did not escape the watchful eye of this cruel despotism Galileo the chief astronomer and mathematician of his age was the first who used the telescope successfully in solving the movements of the heavenly bodies he discovered that the sun is the center of motion around which the earth and various planets revolve for making this great discovery Galileo was brought before the Inquisition and for a while was in great danger of being put to death after a long and bitter review of Galileo's writings in which many of his most important discoveries were condemned as errors the charge of the Inquisitors went on to declare that you Galileo have upon account of these things which you have written and confessed subjected yourself to a strong suspicion of heresy in this holy office by believing and holding to be true a doctrine which is false and contrary to the sacred and divine scripture vis that the sun is the center of the orb of the earth and does not move from the east to the west and that the earth moves and is not the center of the world end quote in order to save his life he stated that he was wrong in thinking that the earth revolved around the sun and swore that quote for the future I will never more say or assert either by word or writing anything that shall give occasion for a like suspicion end quote but immediately after taking this forced oath he is said to have whispered to a friend standing near the earth moves for all that summary of the Inquisition of the multitudes who perished by the Inquisition throughout the world no authentic record is now discoverable but wherever popery had power there was the tribunal it had been planted even in the east and the Portuguese Inquisition of Goa was until within these few years fed with many in agony South America was partitioned into provinces of the Inquisition and with the ghastly mimicry of the crimes of the mother state the arrivals of viceroys and the other popular celebrations were not imperfect without an atola fe the Netherlands were one scene of swatter from the time of the decree which planted the Inquisition among them in Spain the calculation is more attainable each of the 17 tribunals during a long period burned annually on an average 10 miserable beings we are to recollect that this number was in a country where persecution had for ages abolished all religious differences and where the difficulty was not to find the stake but the offering yet even in Spain thus gleaned of all heresy the Inquisition could still swell its lists of murders to 32,000 the numbers burned in effigy or condemned to penance punishments generally equivalent to exile, confiscation and taint of blood to all ruin but the mere loss of worthless life amounted to 309,000 but the crowds who perished in dungeons of torture of confinement and of broken hearts the millions of dependent lives made utterly helpless or hurried to the grave by the death of the victims are beyond all register or recorded only before him who has sworn that he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword such was the Inquisition declared by the spirit of God to be at once the offspring and image of the popedom of the parentage we must look to the time in the thirteenth century the popedom was at the summit of mortal dominion it was independent of all kingdoms it ruled with a rank of influence never before or since possessed by a human scepter it was the acknowledged sovereign of body and soul to all earthly intents its power was immeasurable for good or evil it might have spread literature peace freedom and Christianity to the ends of Europe or the world but its nature was hostile its fuller triumph only disclosed its fuller evil and to the shame of human reason and the terror and suffering of human virtue Rome in the hour of its consummate grandeur teamed with the monstrous and horrid birth of the Inquisition End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Part 1 of Fox's Book of Martyrs Volume 1 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Father Xyle Fox's Book of Martyrs Volume 1 by John Fox edited by William Byron Forbush Chapter 6 An account of the persecutions in Italy under the Papacy Part 1 We shall now enter on an account of the persecutions in Italy a country which has been and still is Number 1. The center of Popery Number 2. The seat of the Pontiff Number 3. The source of the various errors which have spread themselves over other countries deluded the minds of thousands and diffused the clouds of superstition and bigotry over the human understanding In pursuing our narrative we shall include the most remarkable persecutions which have happened and the cruelties which have been practiced Number 1. By the immediate power of the Pope Number 2. Through the power of the Inquisition and Number 3. By the bigotry of the Italian princes In the 12th century the first persecutions under the Papacy began in Italy at the time that Adrian an Englishman was Pope being occasioned by the following circumstances A learned man and an excellent orator of Brescia, named Arnold came to Rome and boldly preached against the corruptions and innovations which had crept into the church. His discourses were so clear consistent and breathed forth such a pure spirit of piety that the senators and many of the people highly approved of and admired his doctrines This so greatly enraged Adrian that he commanded Arnold instantly to leave the city as a heretic. Arnold however did not comply for the senators and some of the principal people took his part and resisted the authority of the Pope Adrian now laid the city of Rome under an interdict which caused the whole body of clergy to interpose and persuaded the senators and people to give up the point and suffer Arnold to be banished This being agreed to he received the sentence of exile and retired to Germany where he continued to preach against the Pope and to expose the gross errors of the church of Rome. Adrian on this account thirsted for his blood and made several attempts to get him into his hands but Arnold for a long time was not ready for him. At length Frederick Barbarossa arriving at the imperial dignity requested that the Pope would crown him with his own hand. This Adrian complied with and at the same time asked a favor of the emperor which was to put Arnold into his hands. The emperor very readily delivered up the unfortunate preacher who soon fell a martyr to Adrian's vengeance being hanged and his body burnt to ashes at Apulia. The same fate attended several of his old friends and companions. Enquinas a Spaniard was sent to Rome to be brought up in the Roman Catholic faith but having conversed with some of the reformed and having read several treatises which they put into his hands he became a Protestant. This at length being known one of his own relations informed against him the Pope and a conclave of Cardinals. The brother of Enquinas had been taken up much about the same time for having a New Testament in the Spanish language in his possession but before the time appointed for his execution he found means to escape out of prison and retired to Germany. Faninas a learned layman by reading controversial books became of the reformed religion and information being exhibited against him to the Pope he was apprehended and cast into prison. His wife, children, relations and friends visited him in his confinement and so far wrought upon his mind that he renounced his faith and obtained his release. But he was no sooner free from confinement than his mind felt the heaviest of chains the weight of a guilty conscience. His horrors were so great that he found them insupportable until he had returned from his apostasy and declared himself fully convinced of the errors of the Church of Rome. To make amends for his falling off he now openly and strenuously did all he could to make converts to Protestantism and was pretty successful in his endeavors. These proceedings occasioned his second imprisonment but he had his life offered him if he would recant again. This proposal he rejected with disdain saying that he scorned life upon such terms. Being asked why he would obstinately persist in his opinions and leave his wife and children in distress he replied, I shall not leave them in distress. I have recommended them to the care of an excellent trustee. What trustee said the person who had asked the question with some surprise Venenus answered, Jesus Christ is the trustee I mean and I think I could not commit them to the care of a better. On the day of execution he appeared remarkably cheerful which one observing said, It is strange you should appear so merry upon such an occasion when Jesus Christ himself just before his death was in such agonies that he sweated blood and water. To which Venenus replied, Christ sustained all manner of pangs and conflicts with hell and death on our accounts and thus by his sufferings freed those who really believed in him from the fear of them. He was then strangled, his body was burnt to ashes and then scattered about by the wind. Dominicus, a learned soldier having read several controversial writings became a zealous protestant and retiring to Placentia he preached the gospel in its utmost purity to a very considerable congregation. One day at the conclusion of his sermon he said, If the congregation will attend tomorrow I will give them a description of Antichrist and paint him out in his proper colors. A vast concourse of people attended the next day but just as Dominicus was beginning his sermon a civil magistrate went up out of it and took him into custody. He readily submitted but as he went along with the magistrate he made use of this expression I wonder the devil hath let me alone so long. When he was brought to examination this question was put to him. Will you renounce your doctrines? To which he replied, My doctrines, I maintain no doctrines of my own. What I preach are the doctrines of Christ and for those I will forfeit my blood and even think myself happy to suffer for the sake of my Redeemer. Every method was taken to make him recant for his faith and embrace the errors of the Church of Rome but when persuasions and menaces were found ineffectual he was sentenced to death and hanged in the marketplace. Galeasius, a Protestant gentleman who resided near the castle of Saint Angelo was apprehended on account of his faith. Great endeavors being used by his friends he recanted and subscribed to several of the superstitious doctrines propagated by the Church of Rome becoming however sensible of his error he publicly renounced his recantation. Being apprehended for this he was condemned to be burnt and agreeable to the order was chained to a stake and was left several hours before the fire was put to the faggots in order that his wife, relations and friends who surrounded him might induce him to give up his opinions. Galeasius however retained his constancy of mind and entreated the executioner to put fire to the wood that was to burn him. This at length he did and Galeasius was soon consumed in the flames which burnt his body and deprived him of sensation in a few minutes. Soon after this gentleman's death a great number of Protestants were put to death in various parts of Italy on account of their faith giving a sure proof of their sincerity in their martyrdoms an account of the persecutions of Calabria. In the fourteenth century many of the Waldenzis of Pragella and Dauphini and settling some wastelands by the permission of the nobles of that country they soon by the most industrious cultivation made several wild and barren spots appear with all the beauties of verdure and fertility. The Calabrian lords were highly pleased with their new subjects and tenants as they were honest, quiet and industrious but the priests of the country exhibited several negative complaints against them for not being able to accuse them of anything bad which they did do they founded accusations on what they did not do and charged them with not being Roman Catholics with not making any of their boys priests with not making any of their girls nuns with not going to mass with not giving wax tapers to their priests as offerings with not going on pilgrimages with not bowing to images the Calabrian lords however quieted the priests by telling them that these people were extremely harmless that they gave no offense to the Roman Catholics and cheerfully paid the tithes to the priests whose revenues were considerably increased by their coming into the country and who of consequence ought to be the last persons to complain of them things went on tolerably well after this for a few years the Waldensis formed themselves into two corporate towns annexing several villages to the jurisdiction of them at length they sent to Geneva for two clergymen one to preach in each town as they determined to make a public profession of their faith intelligence of this affair being carried to the pope pious the fourth he determined to exterminate them from Calabria a very violent temper and a furious bigot together with two monks to Calabria where they were to act as inquisitors these authorized persons came to Saint Xist one of the towns built by the Waldensis and having assembled the people told them that they should receive no injury if they would accept of preachers appointed by the pope but if they would not they should be deprived both and that their intentions might be known mass should be publicly said that afternoon at which they were ordered to attend the people of Saint Xist instead of attending mass fled into the woods with their families and thus disappointed the cardinal and his co-agitors the cardinal then proceeded to Lagarde the other town belonging to the Waldensis where not to be served as he had been at Saint Xist he had the gates to be locked and all avenues guarded the same proposals were then made to the inhabitants of Lagarde as had previously been offered to those of Saint Xist but with this additional piece of artifice the cardinal assured them that the inhabitants of Saint Xist had immediately come into his proposals and agreed that the pope should appoint them preachers this falsehood succeeded for the people of Lagarde saying what the cardinal had told them to be the truth said they would exactly follow the example of their brethren at Saint Xist the cardinal having gained his point by deluding the people of one town sent for troops of soldiers with a view to murder those of the other he accordingly dispatched the soldiers into the woods to hunt down the inhabitants of Saint Xist like wild beasts and gave them strict orders to spare neither age nor sex but to kill all they came near the troops entered the woods and many fell a prey to their ferocity before the Waldenzes were properly apprised of their design at length however they determined to sell their lives as dear as possible when several conflicts happened in which the half armed Waldenzes performed prodigies of valor and many were slain on both sides the greatest part of the troops was killed in the different Rincontres the rest were compelled to retreat which so enraged the cardinal that he wrote to the viceroy of Naples for reinforcements the viceroy immediately ordered a proclamation to be made throughout all the Neapolitan territories that all outlaws, deserters and other proscribed persons should be surely pardoned for their respective offenses on condition of making a campaign against the inhabitants of Saint Xist and continuing under arms until those people were exterminated many persons of desperate fortunes came in upon this proclamation and being formed into like companies were sent to scour the woods and put to death all they could meet with of the reformed religion the viceroy himself likewise joined the cardinal at the head of a body of regular forces and in conjunction they did all they could to harass the poor peoples in the woods some they caught and hanged upon trees cut down boughs and burnt them or ripped them open and left their bodies to be devoured by wild beasts or birds of prey many they shot at a distance but the greatest number they hunted down by way of sport a few hid themselves in caves but famine destroyed them in their retreat and thus all these poor people perished by various means to glut the bigoted malice of their merciless persecutors the inhabitants of Saint Xist were no sooner exterminated than those of Lagarde engaged the attention of the cardinal and viceroy it was offered that if they should embrace the Roman Catholic persuasion themselves and families should not be injured but their houses and properties should be restored and none would be permitted to molest them if they refuse this mercy as it was termed the utmost extremities would be used and the most cruel deaths the certain consequence of their non-compliance notwithstanding the promises on one side and menaces on the other these worthy people unanimously refused to renounce their religion or embrace the errors of popery this exasperated the cardinal and viceroy so much that many of them were ordered to be put immediately to the rack as a terror to the rest those who were put to the rack were treated with such severity that several died under the tortures one Charlin in particular was so cruelly used that his belly burst his bowels came out and he expired in the greatest agonies these barbarities however did not answer the purposes for which they were intended for those who remained alive after the rack and those who had not felt the rack remained equally constant in their faith and boldly declared that no tortures of body or terrors of mind should ever induce them to renounce their god or worship images several were then by the cardinal's order stripped stark naked and whipped to death iron rods and some were hacked to pieces with large knives some from the top of a large tower and many were covered over with pitch and burnt alive one of the monks who attended the cardinal being naturally of a savage and cruel disposition requested of him that he might shed some of the blood of these poor people with his own hands when his request being granted the barbarous man took a large sharp knife and cut the throats of four-score men, women and children with as little remorse as a butcher would have killed so many sheep every one of these bodies were then ordered to be quartered the quarters placed upon steaks and then fixed in different parts of the country within a circuit of thirty miles the four principal men of Lagarde were hanged and the clergyman was thrown from the top of his church steeple he was terribly mangled but not quite killed by the fall at which time Grace Roy passing by said is the dog yet living take him up and give him to the hogs when brutal as this sentence may appear it was executed accordingly sixty women were wracked so violently that the cords pierced their arms and legs close to the bone when being remanded to prison their wounds mortified and they died in the most miserable manner many others were put to death by various cruel means and if any Roman Catholic more compassionate than the rest interceded for any of the reformed he was immediately apprehended and shared the same fate as a favorer of heretics the vice-roy being obliged to march back to Naples on some affairs of moment which required his presence and the cardinal being recalled to Rome the Marchia butane was ordered to put the finishing stroke to what they had begun which he at length affected by acting with such barbarous rigor that there was not a single person of the reformed religion left living in all Calabria thus were a great number of inoffensive and harmless people deprived of their possessions robbed of their property driven from their homes and at length murdered by various means only because they would not sacrifice their consciences to the superstitions of others embrace idolatrous doctrines which they abhorred and accept of teachers whom they could not believe tyranny is of three kinds namely, that which enslaves the person that which seizes the property and that which prescribes and dictates to the mind the first two sorts may be termed civil tyranny based by arbitrary sovereigns in all ages who have delighted in tormenting the persons and stealing the properties of their unhappy subjects but the third sort namely prescribing and dictating to the mind may be called ecclesiastical tyranny and this is the worst kind of tyranny as it includes the other two sorts for the Romish clergy not only do torture the body those they persecute but take the lives torment the minds and if possible would tyrannize over the souls of the unhappy victims end of chapter 6 part 1 of foxes book of martyrs volume 1 recording by father xyle detroit d-r-z-e-i-l-e dot net recorded on may 5th 2009