Unto Sorrow? The dead cannot grieve; Which compassion itself could relieve, Ah! sweetly they slumber, nor love, hope or fear, Unto Death, to whom monarchs must bow? Ah, no! for his empire is known, And here there are trophies enow! Beneath the cold head, and around the dark stone, The first tabernacle to hope we will build, The second to Faith, which insures it fulfilled: Who bequeathed us them both when he rose to the skies. LETTERS ON THE INQUISITION. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF COUNT DE MAISTRE, BY REV. JOHN FLETCHER, D.D. LETTER III. Specimens of the accounts with which travellers, and particularly our English travellers, amuse and feed the credulity of the public, on the subject of the Inquisition. Frightful tales related by the pious and learned rector of Pewsey, the Rev. Mr. Townsend. When strictly analysed and examined, they amount to little else than so many silly tales and cock and bull stories. MONSIEUR LE COMTE, WHEN man, full of prejudices and animosity against every thing Catholic, would not speak very favorably of the Inquisition. The following is one of his accounts, which I will request THEN I spoke to you, in my preceding letters, of the origin of the Inquisition, and described its distinctive characteristics, I borrowed my account almost exclusively from the reports of the committee of the Cortes, or-you to consider with attention. He tells us, daining the suppression of this celebrated institution. I could not have given you a better proof than this of my own strict impartiality. For when to defend a criminal, his defender derives his evidences from the very act itself) of his accusation, the accuser surely in such case has no reason to complain. "that at a little distance from Seville, he beheld a building, the form of which struck him. Having asked a variety of questions respecting it, a person of distinction who accompanied him, informed him that this strangely built edifice was called El Quemadero;* beseeching him, at the same time, by no means And now, sir, in order to make you ac- to tell any one, from whom he received this quainted with the nature of the proceedings information." Struck with horror at this inof the Inquisition, I will cite to you, in the telligence, the humane and pious Mr. Townfirst place, the testimony of an authority which (send then tells us that "he at once hastened is as little to be called in question as that of away from a spot which his imagination paintthe Cortes. It is that of a learned Englished all in flames." The next day, he adds, a Protestant clergyman, the Rev. Joseph Town-person in the office of judge, communicated to send, who travelled in Spain during the years 1786 and '87. You may suppose that such a * That is, the place for burning criminals. : leave open a wide, strange latitude and it is really entertaining to hear him, first confidently assert that the place is destined for the burn him that this building was used as a scaffold for burning heretics, and that it was not more than four years ago, when a female underwent this punishment. She was a nun who had beening of heretics; and then immediately after, guilty of different infamous actions and crimes. Such is the narrative of this learned travel ler. cite as a proof of this, not the execution of a heretic, but of a monster. In certain wise and well regulated states of Europe, the law is, that the incendiary of an inhabited house shall himself be condemned to the flames; and the public in general say: "He very well deserves it." But, at all events, think you, Sir, that the person who is guilty of a variety of infamous crimes, both in practice and in theory, is less criminal in fact than an incendiary? But I will cite to you another example of Mr. Townsend's abhorrence and reprobation frightful Auto-da-fé, which took place a little while before his reverence arrived in Spain. Now, my lord, only for a moment weigh some of its absurdities. In the first place, what is an edifice designed "as a scaffold for the burning of heretics?" Such an edifice, destined to such a purpose, would of course burn itself, at the first experiment, and could serve but once. But an edifice, serving as a scaffold, is really something so ridiculous that the imagination can fancy nothing more preposterous. And then, how exceedingly amusing is the grave recommendation of the dis-of the Inquisition. It is the account of a very tinguished personage, requesting the Rev. traveller "not to reveal the secret!" a secret, concerning a public building, designed for the "A beggar," he tells us, "named Ignazio execution of criminals by fire! Such as these Rodriguez, was condemned by the tribunal of are the pitiful tales, by which ignorance and the Inquisition for having distributed certain bigotry impose upon the credulity and weak- love potions of a very indecent nature, and for ness of the public. I have no doubt, but the having, in the administration of the infamous gravity of the Spaniard upon this occasion remedy, pronounced certain words of necromust have pitied, or rather ridiculed the ab-mancy. It was moreover proved, that he had surdity of the man, whose protestant piety administered the disgusting dose to all ranks could have swallowed so much nonsense. of persons. Rodriguez had two accomplices You see," some good-natured wit of Seville in his crimes, who were equally condemned, would have said to him "you see this building, Juliana Lopez and Angela Barrios. One of Sir; it is here that they burn heretics in great these imploring the judges to spare her life, secrecy. But pray, for the love of God, don't they told her, that it was not the practice of say any thing about it; else you would ruin the Holy Office to condemn any one to death? The." (A) Rodriguez was condemned to be led through It is, again, not a little entertaining to re- the streets of Madrid, mounted on an ass; and to mark, that our traveller speaks of the Quema-be whipped. They likewise imposed upon dero, just as if it were a coffee roaster, every certain practices of religion; and to be banday in use. His imagination represents this ished from the capital for five years. The building to him," as a place surrounded with reading of the sentence was frequently interflames of blood." You would suppose it a rupted by peals of laughter, in which the begslaughter-house, in the middle of a permanentgar himself joined.” and constantly burning funeral pile. And yet, for four years it had never once witnessed an execution! And then, too, what was the victim? “It was a nun, convicted of different infamous crimes and profanations." 64 And where then, tell me, is the nation where justice does not visit such crimes as her's? The pious traveller has not thought proper to enter into any details. But his expressions 66 him Accordingly, the criminal was led through the streets, but not whipped. On the way and during the procession, the people offered him wine and biscuits" (cruel creatures) "to refresh him." Such is the narrative given by Mr. Townsend. Now, I do think, that nothing can well be more lenient and humane than all this process. If here the tribunal deserves any reproach, it speak of witnesses, he in this case betrays the grossest ignorance of criminal justice. For, if any thing can do honor to any government, any thing that can prove strength and impartiality, it is the authority which it gives to its tribunals to cite before them such witnesses as they is for the excess of its indulgence. For, if we only consider the words of the traveller, we find that the ingredients employed by Rodriguez, were such as would, in any other country, have condemned him to the pillory, to the galleys, or even to the gallows. However, all this does not satisfy Mr. Town-think necessary to determine the justice of any send. "The crime," he remarks, "was far below the dignity of the tribunal; and it would have been much better to have punished the miserable wretch in secret, by the vilest minister of justice." cause. It is so in England: as, in fact, it is so in every civilized nation. Men, if summoned, are every where obliged to appear before their respective courts of justice; to give testimony, and to submit sometimes to very painful and tedious interrogatories. But so it is: when there is question of Spain, principles are altered. Justice here is injustice; and right is wrong. It may, no doubt, be the case, that this Mr. Townsend may have been once, or may be still a very sensible man. But, where national prejudices and religious bigotry prevail, there good sense is completely useless. Strange it is to see a man insolently reprobating the criminal jurisprudence of a distinguished nation; and at the same time, himself recommending the adoption of secret punishments. Had the Inquisition ordered one single lash of the whip to be inflicted secretly, our traveller, in this case, would have loudly inveighed against such atrocity, and have enriched his work with a beautiful engraving, in which he would have exhibited two huge, robust executioners, tearing with furious strokes the flesh of the unhappy victim, in the depth of some frightful dungeon, and in the presence of some pious Dominic-ties of the Inquisition, is what most excites his indignation. In England it may be the case, ans. But, if it be the design of Mr. Townsend to speak of the accused, here he is more ridiculous still. For, let the person be who he may, if he be accused of any crime, why ought he not to be cited or arrested, accordingly as circumstances require? Strange indeed would be the privilege that exempted any one, or such and such individuals, from the jurisdiction or action of the tribunals. But, the circumstance which beyond any other hurts the feelings of our traveller, is this, "that the person accused may be arrested in the night; and even in his bed!" This, above all the atroci Is it not, my lord, a piece of insolent pre-that a debtor or a person guilty only of some sumption in a traveller, a mere stranger, to small offence, may not or cannot be arrested undertake to decide, without any knowledge in the middle of the night, and in bed. But, of the cause, what a great tribunal of Spain I do not believe that such can be the case, should either publish or conceal, according to whenever there is question of a capital crime. the nature of the crimes which are brought Or if such be the case, I can only say, "so before it, and the degree of publicity which much the worse for England." And I do not human wickedness has stamped upon them? see, why Spain is so far obliged to respect the Surely, the tribunals of Spain, like those of sleep of a set of villains. other nations, are the best judges of what it is proper, either to conceal or to expose to the public. The rest of the reproaches of the reverend traveller concerning the Inquisition, are not less groundless than the preceding. He says, for example, "that this tribunal can cite before it whomsoever it thinks proper; nay, that it can even surprise and seize people in their beds, in the middle of the night." We have just seen the preparations for the frightful Auto-da-fé, which took place in 1764, in virtue of which an infamous criminal was condemned to eat biscuits and drink wine, through the streets of Madrid. But let us now still farther see, how our good Protestant relates the terms in which the Grand Inquisitor addressed the impious wretch, and announced to him the sentence of the Holy Office. Mr. Townsend's account of it is not a little amus If here, it be Mr. Townsend's intention to (ing. "My son," said the Inquisitor with the greatest mildness," you are going to hear the relation of your crimes, and the sentence pronounced for the expiation of your guilt. Our lenity is great; because our holy tribunal, always most indulgent, seeks rather to reformated and reviled, was, in fact, rendered a real nature, the true character and proceedings of the Inquisition. There is however another circumstance which well deserves your serious attention. It is this, that the tribunal of the Inquisition which is thus so grossly calumni than to punish. Let your sorrow flow from the consciousness of guilt, and not from a sense of the disgrace you suffer." The monster was accordingly, as I have stated, marched through the streets of Madrid, eating biscuits and drinking wine. And the pious traveller adds, Oh, horrible cruelty! that "the first nobility and all the ladies of the court, were invited to be present at the ceremony, by the Marquis de Cogulludo, who also gave a grand entertainment after it to the judges and officers of the Inquisition." Court of Equity, at least equally necessary in the criminal order of things as it was in the civil. Grotius has defined equity "C Correctio ejus, in quo lex, propter universalitatem, deficit ;” that is, "the remedy invented for those cases, in which the law, on account of its universality, is deficient." This definition is the dictate only of a great mind. Man can make only general laws. And for this very reason, they are, of their own nature, in part unjust; because they cannot reach and apply to every possible case. Whence it is true, that the He closes his interesting narrative with exception to the rule is, under these circumthe following reflection, which, if any thing stances, alike and equally just, as is the rule of the kind could do so, ought somewhat to itself. And wherever there is neither dispensurprise us in this travelling minister of the sation, exception, nor mitigation, there must Gospel. necessarily in such cases exist violation and "If the king," he says, "wishing to destroy abuses: because universal conscience allowthe tribunal, intended to render it contempti-ing, at first, the establishment of exceptions, ble in the eyes of his subjects, he could not soon, individual passions interfere to generalhave adopted a better expedient." ise them, in order to defeat the law. In the criminal order of things, the power of equity is usually confided and confined to the sovereign. Hence the grant of pardons, the commutation of punishments, Letters de Cachêt, &c., in room of legal condemnations, Thus then the admirable alliance of legal severity with Christian charity; the compassion of the public, corresponding with the clemency of the judges, the paternal address and discourse of the Inquisitor; the sentence of condemnation, no other than an exhorta-economical judgments, &c. But, it is a point tion to the criminal to reform his life; the punishment which followed, changed all at once into a feast of mercy, which the nobility came to celebrate, in company with the judges, all this mild and tender jurisprudence, and which is so remarkable and so peculiar to Spain, neither awakes the admiration nor yet the slenderest interest of a man, whose eye is clouded and whose reason is vitiated by the unhappy prejudices of his nation. On the contrary, in the whole process, and in a spectacle that would have excited the admiration of a Mahometan or a Hindoo, had they properly understood it, our enlightened traveller sees nothing but objects of ridicule and motives for contempt. I hope, my lord, that I have now said enough to give you a correct idea of the origin, the which every enlightened observer knows and will admit, that the interference of the sovereign's power in the administration of justice, is of all things the most dangerous. Not that I wish, God forbid that I should, to call in question the sovereign's claim to the happy, and magnificent right of granting pardon. What alone I contend for is, that he ought to make use of the prerogative with prudence and great sobriety, lest by exerting it too far, he create greater evils. I think, that whenever there is not any question of pardon properly so called, but of certain mitigations which it is not easy to define, but, above all, with respect to such crimes as violate religion and public morals, I think, that in these cases, the mitigating power would, with far greater advantage, be vested in an enlightened tribunal in is for the excess of its indulgence. For, if we speak of witnesses, he in this case betrays the only consider the words of the traveller, we grossest ignorance of criminal justice. For, if find that the ingredients employed by Rodri- any thing can do honor to any government, any guez, were such as would, in any other coun-thing that can prove strength and impartiality, try, have condemned him to the pillory, to the it is the authority which it gives to its tribugalleys, or even to the gallows. nals to cite before them such witnesses as they However, all this does not satisfy Mr. Town-think necessary to determine the justice of any send. "The crime," he remarks, "was far below the dignity of the tribunal; and it would have been much better to have punished the miserable wretch in secret, by the vilest minister of justice." It may, no doubt, be the case, that this Mr. Townsend may have been once, or may be still a very sensible man. But, where national prejudices and religious bigotry prevail, there good sense is completely useless. Strange it is to see a man insolently reprobating the criminal jurisprudence of a distinguished nation; and at the same time, himself recommending the adoption of secret punishments. Had the Inquisition ordered one single lash of the whip to be inflicted secretly, our traveller, in this case, would have loudly inveighed against such atrocity, and have enriched his work with a beautiful engraving, in which he would have exhibited two huge, robust executioners, tearing with furious strokes the flesh of the unhappy victim, in the depth of some frightful dungeon, and in the presence of some pious Dominic ans. Is it not, my lord, a piece of insolent presumption in a traveller, a mere stranger, to undertake to decide, without any knowledge of the cause, what a great tribunal of Spain should either publish or conceal, according to the nature of the crimes which are brought before it, and the degree of publicity which human wickedness has stamped upon them? Surely, the tribunals of Spain, like those of other nations, are the best judges of what it is proper, either to conceal or to expose to the public. The rest of the reproaches of the reverend traveller concerning the Inquisition, are not less groundless than the preceding. He says, for example, "that this tribunal can cite before it whomsoever it thinks proper; nay, that it can even surprise and seize people in their beds, in the middle of the night." cause. It is so in England: as, in fact, it is so in every civilized nation. Men, if summoned, are every where obliged to appear before their respective courts of justice; to give testimony, and to submit sometimes to very painful and tedious interrogatories. But so it is: when there is question of Spain, principles are altered. Justice here is injustice; and right is wrong. But, if it be the design of Mr. Townsend to speak of the accused, here he is more ridiculous still. For, let the person be who he may, if he be accused of any crime, why ought he not to be cited or arrested, accordingly as circumstances require? Strange indeed would be the privilege that exempted any one, or such and such individuals, from the jurisdiction or action of the tribunals. But, the cir cumstance which beyond any other hurts the feelings of our traveller, is this, "that the person accused may be arrested in the night; and even in his bed!" This, above all the atrocities of the Inquisition, is what most excites his indignation. In England it may be the case, that a debtor or a person guilty only of some small offence, may not or cannot be arrested in the middle of the night, and in bed. But, I do not believe that such can be the case, whenever there is question of a capital crime. Or if such be the case, I can only say, “50 much the worse for England." And I do not see, why Spain is so far obliged to respect the sleep of a set of villains. We have just seen the preparations for the frightful Auto-da-fé, which took place in 1764, in virtue of which an infamous criminal was condemned to eat biscuits and drink wine, through the streets of Madrid. But let us now still farther see, how our good Protestant relates the terms in which the Grand Inquisitor addressed the impious wretch, and announced to him the sentence of the Holy Office. Mr. Townsend's account of it is not a little amus If here, it be Mr. Townsend's intention to ing. |