Portuguese "holy tribunal"—imprisonment of Dellon in the Inquisition at Goa—preparations for celebrating an auto-da-fÉ—order of the procession—Dellon's sentence mitigated, and publicly read—penances enjoined upon him at his liberation.

There are some shades of difference between the procedure of the Inquisitors in Spain, and that of those in Portugal. To enumerate these, however, would afford little gratification to the reader. We shall therefore now proceed to give some account of the sufferings of Dellon, a French gentleman, who was imprisoned in 1673, in the Inquisition at Goa, a city in the East Indies, which will throw sufficient light on the Portuguese holy tribunal.

After giving a detailed account of his sufferings, from the period of his arrest, on the 24th August, 1673, at Damaun, till he arrived at the Inquisition in Goa, he informs us, that immediately upon entering the audience chamber, he cast himself at the feet of the Inquisitor, with a view of affecting the feelings of his judge by his suppliant attitude. He was, however, commanded to rise; and after being asked his name and profession, he was interrogated if he knew the cause of his arrest, which he was exhorted freely to confess, as the only means of obtaining a speedy discharge. Dellon informed the Inquisitor, that he believed he did know the cause of his imprisonment, and promised with tears, that if his judge would give him a patient hearing, he was ready to become his own accuser. The Inquisitor calmly replied, that there was no haste, that he had other matters more important to attend to and that he would let him know when he should have leisure to attend to his case. This finished the first audience, on which Dellon was remanded to his cell, where he was searched, and every article of value taken from him. It is true, that an exact inventory, as usual, was taken of his property; but this was merely a form, nothing of any consequence being ever restored, though faithfully promised by the secretary of the Inquisition.

"Immediately after I was shut up in the prisons of the holy office," he says, "I was informed that when I wanted any thing, I had only to knock gently at the door, and the guards would attend, or to ask for it when my meals were served; and that if I wished for an audience, I was to address the alcalde, who, as well as the guards, never speaks to the prisoners without a witness. I was also taught to believe that my liberation would be the consequence of confession, which caused me to importune those officers to take me before my judges."

This favour, however, notwithstanding all his entreaties, was not granted till the 31st of January, 1674. On that day, he was desired by the alcalde to follow him to the chamber of audience. He immediately obeyed, and having entered the presence of his judge, he fell on his knees, with the view of touching him with compassion. But without deigning to take the smallest notice of his grief, he was ordered to sit down on a bench at the end of the table next the Inquisitor. Here he was first ordered to swear to declare the truth, and preserve secrecy, and then asked if he knew the cause of his imprisonment, and had resolved to confess the truth. Having intimated that he was ready to do so, he minutely detailed the particulars of several conversations in which he had engaged respecting baptism and the worship of images, but concealing that he had advanced something concerning the Inquisition, which at that moment, he says, he did not recollect. The Inquisitor then asked him, if he had any thing further to say; and being answered in the negative, he terminated the audience by addressing Dellon in the following words "You have very properly resolved to become your own accuser; and I conjure you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, fully to confess all that you know; that you may experience the goodness and mercy extended by this tribunal towards those who appear to be truly sorry for their offences, by making a sincere and voluntary acknowledgment."

Dellon's next audience took place on the 15th of February, when he was interrogated anew, if he had any thing further to say, and exhorted to conceal nothing, but candidly to confess all his crimes. He replied, that after the closest consideration, he could recollect nothing more than what he had already declared. The Inquisitor then asked the names of his relatives; whether he was baptized the eighth day after his birth; by whom he was baptized; and finally, if he had been confirmed, and by what bishop. Having returned answers to all these inquiries, he was ordered to kneel down, to make the sign of the cross, to repeat the Lord's Prayer, the Ave Maria, the Creed, the commandments, &c., when the audience concluded, as formerly, with a conjuration, "by the bowels of the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ," to make immediate confession.

"From the beginning of my confinement," says he, "I had been greatly distressed, and had wept incessantly; but on returning from this audience, I entirely abandoned myself to grief, being convinced that what was required of me was impossible, as my memory did not furnish what I was solicited to avow. I attempted to put an end to my existence, by fasting. I received, indeed, the food which was brought to me, because I could not refuse it, without being liable to be beaten by the guards, who carefully notice, when the dishes are returned, whether sufficient nourishment has been taken; but my despair enabled me to deceive all their caution, and I passed several days without tasting any thing. This extreme fasting deprived me of rest, and my sole employment was to weep. At length, having made a more particular, or rather more happy recollection of what I had said or done, during my residence at Damaun, I remembered that I had used several expressions respecting the integrity of the Inquisition. I immediately demanded audience, which, however, I did not obtain until the 16th of March.

"When summoned, I had no doubt that my business would be dismissed the same day, and that after the confession I was prepared to make, I should be discharged but at the very moment that I fancied I was on the accomplishment of all my wishes, I suddenly found these delightful hopes destroyed; for having detailed every thing I had said about the Inquisition, I was coolly informed, that that was not what was expected; and having nothing more to communicate, I was instantly remanded, without even taking my confession in writing."

Dellon now regarded liberty as a blessing which he could never hope to enjoy; and abandoning himself to despair, he twice attempted to put an end to his sufferings by committing suicide. In his endeavours to effect his purpose, he was, however, providentially frustrated by the appearance of his keepers while he lay in his cell weltering in his blood. But, instead of exciting the sympathy of the Inquisitors, these guardians of the faith ordered him to be loaded with irons. This tended still further to increase his irritation; and throwing himself on the ground, and dashing his head against the pavement, he would soon have destroyed himself, had he not been watched by his keepers.

Perceiving that in the present case all measures of severity were unavailable, the Inquisitors changed their mode of procedure. They ordered his irons to be taken off; made large promises of a speedy deliverance from confinement, changed his cell, and gave him a companion, who was made responsible for his safety.

After lying eighteen months in the prisons of the holy office, the Inquisitors, being informed that Dellon was able to appear, again brought him before their tribunal. Having asked him if he had resolved to declare what was required; and on his replying that he could not recollect any thing further than what he had already confessed, the proctor of the Inquisition presented himself with the informations laid against him. He had formerly been called to accuse himself; but, on this occasion, he was formally impeached, and a time was allotted for making his defence; his own confessions being included in the depositions.

On reading the informations, the proctor stated, that, in addition to what he had admitted, he was accused and fully convicted of having spoken contemptuously of the Inquisition and its officers, and even with disrespect of the Sovereign Pontiff, and against his authority; and concluded, "that the contumacy which he had hitherto displayed, by neglecting so many delays and benignant warnings which had been given to him, was a convincing proof that he had entertained the most pernicious intentions, and that his design was to teach and inculcate heretical opinions; that he had consequently incurred the penalty of the greater excommunication: that his property was confiscated to the crown, and himself delivered over to the secular power, to be punished for his crimes according to law;" that is, to be burnt.

Dellon was confounded at these denunciations: but, conscious of his innocence, he made a spirited reply to the fresh charges which were brought against him. He acknowledged that he had expressed himself too freely respecting the Inquisition, but was surprised to find that what had been so slightly treated when he acknowledged it a year and a half before, should now be attributed to him as a grievous crime. As to what related to the Pope, Dellon declared that he did not recollect of ever having mentioned his name in the manner stated in the accusation; but, he added, if the Inquisitors would detail the particulars, he would speak honestly and truly to the charge. To all this the Inquisitor coolly replied, that he should have full time allowed him for considering the article which related to the Roman Pontiff.

In less than a month afterwards, Dellon was summoned to three or four audiences, with the view of inducing him to confess what he had been accused of respecting the Pope; but all proved of no avail. As he now heard every morning the cries of those who were subjected to the torture, he began to fear that he should soon be treated with the same severity. But in this he was happily disappointed, by the celebration of an auto-da-fÉ, at which he was condemned to undergo various penances, and to banishment from the Indies. The following account of the Act of Faith, at which Dellon was an actor, is given in nearly his own words.

"I remembered," says he, "that I had heard it mentioned before I entered the prisons of the Holy Office, that the auto-da-fÉ was usually celebrated on the first Sunday in Advent, because, in the service for that day is read a portion of the gospel which describes the day of judgment; and the Inquisitors affect that this ceremony is its lively and natural prototype. I was also confident that there were several prisoners; the dead silence which reigns in this mansion having afforded me opportunity to ascertain, with tolerable exactness, how many doors were opened at the hours of repast. In addition to this, I was almost certain that an archbishop had arrived in the month of October, (the see having been vacant nearly thirty years,) from the extraordinary ringing of the bells of the cathedral for nine days successively; to which period, it is neither the custom of the churches in general, nor of that of Goa in particular, to extend the solemnization of any remarkable feast; and I knew that this prelate had been expected before my imprisonment. From all these reasons I inferred that I should be released in the beginning of December; but when I saw the first and the second Sundays in Advent pass, I began to fear that my liberation or punishment was postponed for another year.—Nevertheless I found, at a time when I least expected it, that I was likely to be set at liberty.

"I remarked, that on Saturday, the 11th of January, 1676, as I gave my linen as usual to be washed, the officers declined taking it till the next day. On reflecting upon this unusual circumstance, and not being able satisfactorily to account for it, I concluded that the celebration of the auto-da-fÉ might take place on the morrow; and my opinion was the more confirmed, or rather converted into certainty, when immediately after vespers had chimed at the cathedral, the bell rang for matins, which had never happened before during my imprisonment, except on the eve of the feast of the holy sacrament. It may be supposed that joy would have begun to resume its place in my heart, when I believed that I was on the point of leaving the tomb in which I had been buried alive for two years; but the terror which was occasioned by the dreadful denunciations of the proctor, and the uncertainty of my fate, augmented my anxiety and grief to such a degree, that I passed the remainder of the day and part of the night under feelings which would have excited compassion in any but those into whose hands I had fallen.

"About midnight I was awoke by a noise occasioned by the guards in drawing back the bolts of my cell. I was surprised by the approach of persons bearing lights, to which I was unaccustomed, and the hour contributed to increase my alarm. The alcalde gave me a garment, which he ordered me to put on, and to be ready to follow him when he should call for me; and then retired, leaving me a lighted lamp. I had neither power to rise nor to reply; and when left alone, I was seized with so general and violent a trepidation, that, for more than a quarter of an hour, I could not summon resolution even to look upon the dress which had been brought. At last I arose, and prostrating myself before a cross which I had scrawled upon the wall, I recommended myself to God, and resigned my lot into his hands: I then put on the dress, which consisted of a jacket with sleeves down to the wrists, and trowsers hanging over the heels; both being of black stuff with white stripes.

"I had not long to wait after I had dressed myself. The gentleman whose first visit was made a little before midnight, returned about two in the morning, and conducted me into a long gallery, where a great number of my companions in misery were already assembled, and arranged against the wall. I took my place in the rank, and many others arrived after me. Although there were nearly two hundred men in the gallery, every one preserved profound silence; as in this great number, there were only about a dozen whites, who were scarcely to be distinguished amongst the others; and as all were habited in black, these persons might have been mistaken for so many statues placed upon the wall, if the motion of their eyes, the use of which alone was allowed them, had not shown that they were alive. The place in which we were was lighted by a few lamps, whose gloomy rays displaying so many black, sad, and devoted objects, seemed an appropriate prelude to death.

"The women, who were apparelled in the same stuff as the men, were in an adjoining gallery, where we could not see them; but I observed that, in a dormitory, at a little distance from that in which we stood, there were also several prisoners, and some persons clothed in black dresses, who occasionally walked about the apartment. I did not then know what this meant, but a few hours after I learnt that the persons in that apartment were condemned to be burnt, and that those who walked were their confessors.

"Being unacquainted with the forms of the Holy Office, although I had before so anxiously wished to die, I imagined that I was amongst the number of the condemned; but was somewhat encouraged by the observation, that there was nothing in my habiliments different from the rest, and that it was improbable that so many persons as were dressed like myself would be put to death.

"When we were all arranged against the wall of the gallery, a yellow wax-light was given to each; and some bundles of robes made like dalmatics or large scapularies, were brought in. These were made of yellow stuff, with crosses of St. Andrew painted in red both in front and behind. It is thus that those are distinguished who have committed, or are judged to have committed offences against the Christian faith, whether Jews, Mahometans, sorcerers, or heretic apostates. These vestments are called sanbenito.

"Such as are considered as convicted, and persist in denying the charges against them, and those who have relapsed, wear another kind of scapulary called samarra, the ground of which is of a grey colour. A portrait of the wearer is depicted on both sides, placed on burning firebrands, with ascending flames, and surrounded by demons. Their names and crimes are inscribed beneath the picture. Those who have confessed after sentence has been pronounced, and before leaving the prison, have the flames on their samarras reversed, which is called fogo revolto. The sanbenitos were distributed to twenty blacks accused of magic, to one Portuguese who was charged with the same crime, and was moreover a new Christian; and, as half measures would not satisfy the revenge of my persecutors, who were resolved to degrade me as much as possible, I was compelled to wear a garb similar to those of the sorcerers and heretics, although I had uniformly professed the Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman faith, as my judges might have been easily informed by many persons, both foreigners and my own countrymen, to whom I had been known in various parts of India. My apprehension now redoubled; conceiving that if, amongst so great a number of prisoners, twenty-two only received these disgraceful sanbenitos, they must be those to whom no mercy was intended.

"When this distribution was made, I noticed five pasteboard caps, tapering to a point like a sugar loaf, and entirely covered with devils and flames of fire, with the word "Feiticero," (sorcerer) written round the fillet. These caps are called carochas, and are placed upon the heads of the most guilty of those accused of magic: and as they happened to be near me, I expected to be presented with one. This, however, was not the case. From that moment I had no doubt that these wretches would indeed be burnt; and as they were as ignorant as myself of the forms of the holy office, they assured me afterwards, that they themselves had also thought their destruction inevitable.

"At length the day dawned about five o'clock; and the various emotions of shame, grief, and terror with which all were agitated, might be traced in our countenance; for though each was joyful at the prospect of deliverance from a captivity so severe and insupportable, the sentiment was much alloyed by the uncertainty of his fate.

"The great bell of the cathedral tolled a little before sunrise, as a signal to the multitude to assemble for the august solemnity of the auto-da-fÉ, which is the triumph of the holy office; and we were then commanded to go forth one by one. When I got into the street, I saw that the procession was headed by the community of the Dominicans, who have this privilege, because St. Dominic, their patron, was also the founder of the Inquisition. They were preceded by the banner of the holy office, in which the image of the founder was represented in very rich embroidery, with a sword in one hand and an olive branch in the other, with the inscription, 'Justitia et Misericordia.'

"These Religious were followed by the prisoners singly, each holding a taper, and having his godfather by his side. The least guilty marched first, and, as I was not reckoned as one of the most innocent, more than a hundred went before me. Like the rest, my head and feet were bare, and I was greatly annoyed during the procession, which continued upwards of an hour, by the small flints with which the streets of Goa are covered, causing the blood to stream from my feet.

"We were led through the principal streets, and every where regarded by an immense crowd, which came from all parts of India, and lined all the roads by which we passed; notice having been given from the pulpit in the most distant parishes, long before the act of faith was to be celebrated.

"At length, overwhelmed with shame and confusion, and fatigued by the walk, we arrived at the church of St. Francis, which had been previously fitted up for the celebration of the auto-da-fÉ. So soon as I was seated, I attended to the procedure observed as to those who followed me. I remarked that those to whom the horrible carochas had been given, marched the last of our party, and immediately after them a large crucifix was carried, with the face towards those who preceded it, and was followed by two persons and the statues of four others, as large as life, accurately executed, and which were placed upon long poles, accompanied by the same number of chests filled with the bones of those represented by the statues, and each carried by a man. The front of the crucifix being turned upon those who walked before, signified that mercy had been extended to them, by their deliverance from the death they had justly merited; and, on the contrary, that those behind had no favour to hope for. Such is the mystery which pervades every thing in the holy office.

"The manner in which these wretches were clothed, was equally calculated to excite horror and pity. Not only the living persons, but the statues also, had each a samarra of grey stuff, painted all over with devils, flames, and burning firebrands; upon which the portrait of the wearer was naturally represented on both sides, with his sentence underwritten in large characters, briefly stating his name and country, and the nature of the crime for which he was condemned. With this strange garment, they also wore those frightful carochas, covered, like the robe, with demons and fire.

"The little chests which inclosed the bones of the deceased, the proceedings against whom had been conducted either before or after their deaths, or prior to, or pending their imprisonment, for the purpose of giving colour to the confiscation of their property, were also painted black, and covered with flames and devils.

"As the publication of the proceedings against each party commenced, he was conducted by the alcalde into the middle of the aisle, where he continued standing with a lighted taper in his hand, until his sentence was delivered. I was summoned, in my turn, and was declared excommunicate; my goods were forfeited to the king, and myself banished from the Indies, and condemned to serve in the galleys of Portugal for five years; and moreover to perform such other penances, as might be expressly enjoined by the Inquisitors.

"The ceremony being concluded, and the Inquisitor re-seated, the wretched victims to be sacrificed by the holy Inquisition were ordered to advance separately. There were a man and a woman, and the images of four men deceased, with the chests in which their bones were deposited. The man and woman were black native Christians accused of magic, and condemned as apostates; but, in truth, as little sorcerers as those by whom they were condemned.

"The proceedings against these unfortunates were then read, all of which concluded in these terms: 'That the mercy of the holy office being prevented by their relapse or contumacy, and being indispensably obliged to punish them according to the rigour of the law, it gave them up to the secular power and civil justice, which it nevertheless entreated to regard with mercy and clemency these miserable creatures, and if they were liable to capital punishment, that it should be inflicted without the effusion of blood.'

"At the conclusion of these words, a tipstaff of the lay court approached, and seized his victims, each previously receiving a slight blow on the breast from the alcalde of the holy office, to testify that they were abandoned.

"How benevolent is the Inquisition thus to intercede for the guilty! What extreme condescension in the magistrates, to be satisfied, from complaisance to the Inquisition, with burning the culprits to the very marrow of their bones, rather than shed their blood!

"Thus terminated the act of faith; and whilst these wretches were conveyed to the banks of the river, where the viceroy and his court were assembled, and where the faggots on which they were to be immolated had been piled the preceding day, we were re-conducted to the holy office.

"After remaining in the Inquisition until the 23d of January, we were then conveyed to the hall of the court, and thence separately summoned to the board of the holy office, to receive from the Inquisitor a paper containing the penances to which he was pleased to sentence us. I went in my turn, and was directed to kneel down, after laying my hands upon the gospels, and in that posture to promise to preserve the most inviolable secrecy concerning all that had passed, and had come to my knowledge during my detention. My judge then gave me a writing signed by his hand, in the words following: 1st. In the three ensuing years he shall confess and communicate—during the first year, once a month—and the two following, at the feasts of Easter, Whitsuntide, Christmas, and the Assumption of our Lady. 2d. He shall, if practicable, hear mass and a sermon every Sunday and holiday. 3d. During the first three years he shall repeat, five times every day, the Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria, in honour of the five wounds of our Saviour. 4th. He shall not form any friendship nor particular intimacy with heretics or persons holding suspicious doctrines, which may prejudice his salvation. 5th. And lastly, he shall be inflexibly reserved as to every thing which he has seen, said, or heard, or the treatment which has been observed to him, as well at the board as in the other places of the holy office."

Such is a specimen of the practice of the Portuguese Inquisition, of which some further account will be given in the following chapter, from the late visit of Dr. Buchanan to Goa. The celebration of an act of faith in India, thus described by Dellon, is, as must have been observed by the reader, in some respects different from that in Spain; but though the procedure of the holy office in these countries may vary in some points of little moment, yet all the Inquisitorial tribunals uniformly agree in this, to sacrifice innocence, piety, and truth, to avarice, tyranny, and superstition.