vengeance on mystic Babylon, warn protestants against putting their lives or liberties in the power of men, whose principles lead them to dignify with the appellation, "Holy Office," the bloody tribunal of an Inquisition.

ROMAN CATHOLIC INQUISITION IN SPAIN.

An account of the sufferings of Mr. John Coustos, a Free-mason, who was tortured in one of their dungeons, with a view to extort from him the secrets of Free-masonry.

JOHN Coustos, the subject of the following narrative, after having endured the appalling routine of an Inquisitorial examination, remarked, "I now wait, with all possible resignation, for what ever you shall think proper to decree; but still hope, from your equity and justice, that you will not pass sentence upon me, as though I was guilty of the crimes mentioned in the indictment, upon the vain pretence, that inviolable secrecy can be observed in such things only as are of a criminal nature."

I was remanded back to my usual scene of woe, without being able to imagine what impression my defence might have made on my judges. A few days after I was brought before his eminence Cardinal da Cunha, Inquisitor and director general of all the Inquisitions dependent on the Portuguese monarchy.

The president, directing himself to me, declared, that the holy tribunal was assembled, purposely to hear and determine my cause that I therefore should examine my own mind; and see whether I had no other arguments to offer in my justification. I replied, "that I had none; but relied wholly on their rectitude and equity." Having spoke these words, they sent me back to my sad abode, and judged me among themselves.

Some time after, the president sent for me again; when being brought before him, he ordered a paper, containing part of my sentence, to be read. I thereby was doomed to suffer the tortures employed by the holy office, for refusing to tell the truth, as they falsely affirmed, for not discovering the secrets of masonry, with the true tendency and purpose of the meetings of the brethren..

I hereupon was instantly conveyed to the torture-room, built in form of a square tower, where no light appeared, but what two candles gave: and to prevent the dreadful cries and shocking groans of the unhappy victims from reaching the ears of the other prisoners, the doors are lined with a sort of quilt.

The reader will naturally suppose that I must be seized with

horror, when, at my entering this infernal place, I saw myself, on a sudden, sorrounded by six wretches, who, after preparing the tortures, stripped me naked, (all to linen drawers,) when, laying me on my back, they began to lay hold of every part of my body. First, they put round my neck an iron collar, which was fastened to the scaffold; they then fixed a ring to each foot; and this being done, they stretched my limbs with all their might. They next wound two ropes round each arm, and two round each thigh, which ropes passed under the scaffold, through holes made for that purpose, and were all drawn tight at the same time, by four men, upon a signal made for this purpose.

The reader will believe that my pains must be intolerable, when I solemnly declare, that these ropes, which were of the size of one's little finger, pierced through my flesh quite to the bone; making the blood gush out at the eight different places that were thus bound. As I persisted in refusing to discover any more than what has been seen in the interrogatories above; the ropes were thus drawn together four different times. At my side stood a physician and a surgeon, who often felt my temples, to judge of the danger I might be in; by which means my tortures were suspended, at intervals, that I might have an opportunity of recovering myself a little.

Whilst I was thus suffering, they were so barbarously unjust as to declare, that, were I to die under the torture, I should be guilty, by my obstinacy, of self-murder. In fine, the last time the ropes were drawn tight, I grew so exceedingly weak, occasioned by the blood's circulation being stopped, and the pains I endured, that I fainted quite away; insomuch that I was carried back to my dungeon without perceiving it.

These barbarians finding that the tortures above described could not extort any further discovery from me; but that, the more they made me suffer, the more fervently I addressed my supplications, for patience, to heaven; they were so inhuman six weeks after, as to expose me to another kind of torture, more grievous, if possible, than the former. They made me stretch my arms in such a manner, that the palms of my hands were turned outward; when by the help of a rope that fastened them together at the wrist, and which they turned by an engine; they drew them gently nearer to one another behind, in such a manner that the back of each hand touched, and stood exactly parallel one to the other; whereby both my shoulders were dislocated, and a considerable quantity of blood issued from my mouth. This torture was repeated thrice; after which I was again taken to my dungeon, and put into the hands of physicians and surgeons, who, in setting my bones, put me to exquisite pain.

Two months after, being a little recovered, I was again con

veyed to the torture room; and there made to undergo another kind of punishment twice. The reader may judge of its horror, from the following description thereof.

The torturers turned twice round my body a thick iron chain, which, crossing upon my stomach, terminated afterwards at my wrists. They next set my back against a thick board, at each extremity whereof was a pulley, through which they run a rope, that catched the ends of the chains at my wrists. The tormentors then stretched these ropes, by means of a roller, pressed or bruised my stomach, in proportion as the ropes were drawn tighter. They tortured me on this occasion to such a degree, that my wrists and shoulders were put out of joint.

The surgeons, however, set them presently after; but the barbarians not having yet satiated their cruelty, made me undergo this torture a second time, which I did with fresh pains, though with equal constancy and resolution. I was then remanded back to my dungeon, attended by the surgeons who dressed my bruises; and here I continued till their Auto da Fè, or gaol delivery.

The reader may judge, from the faint description, of the dreadful anguish I must have laboured under, the nine different times they put me to the torture. Most of my limbs were put out of joint, and bruised in such a manner, that I was unable, during some weeks, to lift my hand to my mouth; my body being vastly swelled, by the inflammations caused by the frequent dislocations. I have but too much reason to fear, that I shall feel the sad effects of this cruelty so long as I live; being seized from time to time with thrilling pains, with which I never was afflicted, till I had the misfortune to fall into the merciless and bloody hands of the Inquisitors.

The day of the Auto da Fè being come, I was made to walk in the procession, with the other victims of this tribunal. Being come to St. Dominic's church, my sentence was read, by which I was condemned to the galley (as they term it) during four

years.

Four days after this procession, I was conveyed to this galley; and joined, on the morrow, in the painful occupation of my fellow slaves. However, the liberty I had of speaking to my friends, after having been deprived of even the sight of them, during my tedious, wretched abode in the prison of the Inquisition; the open air I now breathed; with the satisfaction I felt in being freed from the dreadful apprehensions which always overspread my mind, whenever I reflected on the uncertainty of my fate; these circumstances united, made me find the toils of the galley much more supportable.

As I had suffered greatly in my body, by the tortures inflicted on me in the prison of the Inquisition, of which the reader has

seen a very imperfect, though faithful narrative, in the feregoing sheets; I was quite unfit to go about the painful labour that was immediately allotted me, viz. the carrying water (an hundred pounds weight) to the prisons of the city. But the fears I was under, of being exposed to the inhumanity of the guards or overseers who accompany the galley slaves, caused me to exert myself so far beyond my strength, that, twelve days after, I fell grievously sick. I was sent to the Infirmary, where I continued two months. During my abode in this place, I was often visited by the Irish friars belonging to the convent of Corpo Santo, who offered to get my release,, provided I would turn Roman Catholic. I assured them, that all their endeavours would be fruitless; I expecting my enlargement from the Almighty alone, who, if He, in his profound wisdom thought proper, would point out other expedients for my obtaining it, than my becoming an apostate.

Being unable, after this, to go through the toils to which I had been sentenced, I was excused, by my amply rewarding the overseers. It was now that I had full leisure, to reflect seriously on the means of obtaining my liberty; and, for this purpose, desired a friend to write to my brother-in-law, Mr. Barbu, to in. form him of my deplorable state; and to intreat him, humbly to address the Earl of Harrington in my favour; my brother-inlaw having the honor to live in his lordship's family. This nobleman, whose humanity and generosity have been the theme of infinitely more able pens than mine, was so good as to endeavour to procure my freedom. Accordingly, his lordship spoke to his grace the duke of Newcastle, one of the principal secretaries of state; with a view to supplicate for leave, from our sovereign, that his minister at Lisbon might demand me, as a subject of Great-Britain.

His Majesty interposing in my favour, and his commands being dispatched to Mr. Compton, the British minister at Lisbon, that gentleman demanded my liberty of the king of Portugal, in his Britannic majesty's name; which I accordingly obtained the latter end of October, 1744. The person who came and released me from the galley, by order of the Inquisitors, took me before them. The president then told me, that Cardinal da Cunha had given orders for my being released. At the same time, he bid me to return to the holy office in three or four days.

I could perceive, during this interval, that I was followed by the spies of the Inquisition, who kept a watchful eye over my behaviour, and the places I frequented. I waited upon our envoy, as likewise upon our consul, whom I informed of the commands which had been laid upon. me at the Inquisition; and those gentlemen advised me to obey them. They cautioned

me, however, to take a friend with me, for the purpose of giving them notice, should I be seized again. Accordingly I returned to the Inquisitors, five days after, when the president declared; "that the tribunal would not permit me to continue any longer in Portugal; and therefore that I must name the city and kingdom whither I intended to retire." I replied, "that as my family was now in London. I designed to go thither as soon as possible." They then bid me embark in the first ship that should sail for England; adding, that the instant I had found one, I must inform them of the day and hour I intended to go on board, together with the captain's name, and that of his ship.

A report prevailed some days after, that one of the persons seized by the Inquisition for free-masonry, and who obtained his liberty by turning Roman Catholic, had been so indiscreet as to divulge the cruelties exercised in this tribunal.

I now imagined that prudence required me to secure myself from a second persecution. As there was, at this time, no English ship in the port of Lisbon, I waited upon Mr. Vantil, the resident of Holland, and besought him to speak to the Dutch admiral to admit me on board his fleet. The resident, touched with my calamities, hinted my request to the admiral, who generously complied with it. I then went, together with a friend, and informed the Inquisitor, that I designed to embark for England, in the Damietta, commanded by vice admiral Cornelius Screiver, who was to sail in a few days. Upon the Inquisitor's inquiring the exact time when I intended to go on board; I replied, at nine o'clock the next morning. He then bid me come to him precisely at that hour; adding, that he would send some officers of the Inquisition to see me on ship-board.

These orders giving me great uneasiness, I waited upon the several gentlemen above mentioned: when telling them the injunctions laid upon me, they advised me to act very cautiously on this occasion. I therefore thought it would be safest for me to go on board immediately, without giving any notice of it to the Inquisitors. We lay at anchor, after this, near three weeks before Lisbon.

The Inquisitor no sooner found that I failed coming to him at the time appointed, in order to be conducted to the ship, than he sent out about fifty spies. Nine of these coming to inquire after me, at the house where I used to lodge, searched it from top to bottom; examining every trunk, chest of drawers and closet. But their endeavours to find me being fruitless, some of the officers of the Inquisition getting into a boat, rowed several times round the three Dutch men of war lying at anchor. These officers imagined, that if I was on board, and consequently in a place of security, I should not be afraid of showing myself; a circumstance that would have put an end to their search, which