The Young-students-library containing extracts and abridgments of the most valuable books printed in England, and in the forreign journals, from the year sixty five, to this time : to which is added a new essay upon all sorts of learning ... / by the Athenian Society ; also, a large alphabetical table, comprehending the contents of this volume, and of all the Athenian Mercuries and supplements, etc., printed in the year 1691.

A Relation of the Inquisition at Goa, At Leyden 1687. in 125.

ALL the World knows in General what the Inquisition is; some Books have given such descriptions of it (and not exceeded the Truth) that one cannot read without Horror and great Emotion: 'Tis even very surpizing to Reflect, that Religion that ought to inspire its followers with Justice and Humanity, can Au∣thorise these Barbarous Formalities, and horrible punishments which make this Tribunal so formidable. But few men know the particulars of what passes, for the Mysteries thereof are almost impene∣trable. This Author is one that informs us by his own Experience; he is a French∣man that relates this sorrowful Adventure, who confesses 'tis not without some

regret that he makes it publick; because the Inquisitor, according to their General Custom had forced an Oath from him never to discover the Secret. Some Pious Persons, that were Timerous, Strengthened his scruples; till others of a better Judgment convinced him that the benefit of the publick Dispensed him from an Oath that was extorted by his Tormentors. His Relation ought to be so much the less suspected, as his de∣lay shew'd he was not in hast to publish it, since 'twas above Eight Years after his return; so that his resentment being lessen'd by time, it has little or no part in his recital.

He tells us, that being a Catholick and well Instructed in Divinity, he had a great mind to go into the Indies, which he prosecuted and Landed at Daman an East-India Town under the Dominion of the Portuguese, which are the most Superstitious People living, and the French Catholicks are Hereticks when compar'd to them. They use to carry into their Assemblies the Image of some Saint, and if there's any one that will not give Alms he must at least kiss the Image. Our Traveller not being able to contain him∣self at this sight from Laughing at them, all the Devotees were Scandalized at him, his refusal rendring his Faith sus∣picious; some time after being at a Por∣tuguese Gentlemans house, who always had an Image in his Bed which he kissed with much Ardour, our Author instructed him upon it, and told him that the He∣reticks Interpreted the worship of I∣mages much to their disadvantage, and therefore it wou'd be better to Moderate it. It happened the same time that one of his Neighbours seeing a Crucifix at the head of his Bed, piously advised him to cover this Image, lest by chance he shou'd have some Amorous adventure in his Bed. Upon which the Author had the Imprudence to Laugh, (the Scruple appearing to him so very pleasant) and to make some profane Raileries upon the Holy Custom of the Women of that Country, which wou'd not grant any Favours untill they had Lockt up their Chaplets and covered all the Images in their Chambers.

This multitude of Crimes made him to be taken notice of in the S. Of∣fice: Besides, he had another Misfortune, for he made frequent Visits to a Lady which a Priest was in Love with, that was Se∣cretary to the Inquisition: This Priest was very much disgusted at it, and some appearances gave him great Disquiet; this Jealousie animating his Zeal, he rid himself of his Rival by casting him into the Inquisition. The description he gives of his horrible Prison is capable to touch the hardest heart with Compassion. The Stench and Darkness of it was so insupportable that Fifty Persons Strang∣led themselves with Despair. He was afterwards removed to Goa, where resides the greatest Tribunal of the Portuguese Inquisition in the Indies; all the Favour that he found there, was the choise of the lightest Chain of all the Criminals. He had there the Mortification to see his Ri∣val there, who came to feed his Eyes with his unworthy Triumph.

As soon as ever he came he was de∣spoiled of every thing that he had; they shaved off all his Hair, as is the Custom, without Distinction of Sex, when first they come into the Holy Prison of the S. Office. The Sacraments are never Admi∣nistred to any one there, nor do they ever hear Mass: There Reigns so pro∣found a Silence that they are not per∣mitted to ease themselves by Complaints and Tears. There are Two Inquisitors at Goa, he which is call'd the Grand Inqui∣sitor is always a Secular Priest; and the other is a Dominican Monk. The Huissiars are Persons of the Chiefest Quality, who think it a Glory to be of the Noble Fun∣ction, and have no other Recompence than the Honour of serving so holy a Tri∣bunal. Afterwards he Relates the parti∣cular Formalities he observed there. He says, tis no wonder that such Men as only Examine the outside and appear∣ances of things should be deceived in Favour of the Integerity of this Juris∣diction; For they make a great shew of Justice and Humanity. There must be Seven Witnesses to Convict the Accused, and if the Criminal Confesses he's guilty, he is acquitted of his Fact for the Confession, and obtains the Favour of being Suspended to the Secular Power. But in Reality they violate all the Laws of Justice and Charity, never suffering him to see the Witnesses that accuse him nor is he never permitted to reproach them with it.

They persist in the Desiring him to confess the Crime that he is supposed guilty of, and almost force him by this detestable Maxim that is amongst 'em, we will rather burn thee as guilty, than suf∣fer it to be thought that we have imprisoned thee unjustly. Thus the Inquisition is al∣ways in the Right, and cannot Err, which infatuates the People, and makes them believe that the Holy Spirit presides over all their Actions; for the Miserable Vi∣ctims of the S. Office Reciprocally accuse one another, to make others alike guilty of their imaginary Crimes; so by Conse∣quence a Man may be very innocent and have Forty or Fifty Witnesses against him. In short, the Goods of those that are punished with Death, and those that escape it by Confession are equally Con∣fiscated, since they are all reputed guilty▪ Nevertheless that which is very particu∣lar, is, that these pretended Offenders from whom by Torture they very often force a Confession, are also obliged to Declare publickly that they used much Clemency towards 'em. If a Man pleases himself

after being escaped from their hands, with endeavouring to justify himself he shall never more have forgiveness; and on the Contrary, he that will live secure∣ly is forc'd to tell the World his Goods were most justly Confiscated. He is not therefore permitted to discover the least thought of his Heart. This is certainly an imitating the Cruelty of Caligula, who after he had caused the Sons of a Roman Knight to be Stab••'d, command the Fa∣ther to Sup with him, and to add to his Grief the punishment of Imprison∣ing him. Perijsset (says Seneca) nisi car∣nisici Conviva placuisset.

Those that they treat most rigorously, are the Iews, which were chased by Fer∣dinand and Isabella, and fled for refuge into Portugal. They force them to turn Christians; and altho' they have been there near two Ages, they still call 'em New Christians by way of contempt. The scandal of Heresie or Judaism, is never defaced; for Rome always preserves her Suspicions and Distrusts: It looks very su∣spiciously, as if she was not well perswa∣ded of the force and evidence of the rea∣sons she makes use of, since she distrusts the sincerity of those Converts she has made. Be it how it will, yet these new Christians have not got the good opini∣on of the Inquisitors; and Suspicions, in respect to them, are more severely punish∣ed than a real Crime in another.

But to return to what personally re∣gards our Author; he says, that after be∣ing a long time shut up in the dark Lodg∣ings of the Holy Inquisition, he was permit∣ted Audience. He prostrated himself at the feet of the Inquisitor, by this humble posture and his tears to prevail upon him. But this obdurate Judge having commanded him to rise up, conjured him coldly, by the Bowels of the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to confess his crime: He with a good courage recited all we have related, and alledged the Council of Trent to justifie himself about Images. He observ'd only, that the Inquisitor ap∣peared surprized, and that he was so ig∣norant, he never heard that Council mentioned before: But they sent him back without making any explanation of the Crimes he was guilty of. He was carried three or four times back to the same Audience, and the same desires were reiterated to make him confess without further clearing of the Matter, so that at last he abandoned himself to Despair through the slowness and cruelty of these dumb Proceed∣ings, and resolved to put a Period to his Life. To effect which, he feigned himself sick, and said he wanted bleed∣ing; they let him Blood, and assoon as he was alone, he again opened his Vein, and had bled to death, if the Keeper had not entred; who instead of having that Compassion, which such a sight ought to have produced, chain'd up his Flands and his Neck: What redoubled his dis∣contents, was, those that served him with what he had, never spoke to him, that by all manner of Circumstances they might encrease his Terror.

As to what they call the Acts of Faith, which are the days wherein they con∣demn the Guilty, and absolve the Inno∣cent, they come but once in two or three years, so he expected that time with much impatience. He was howe∣ver very much surprized, when at Mid∣night a Keeper brought him a suit of black Cloth, streaked with white, and roughly commanded him to put it on; he doubted not but it was to be the pre∣paration to his punishment: Thus after many efforts, being fill'd with mortal Apprehensions, he took the Habit; two hours after he was brought out, and con∣ducted under a Gallery, where was a doleful sight, there he saw 200 of his miserable Companions, set in order a∣gainst a Wall, to whom they did not so much as permit the use of their Eyes. They were not all cloathed after the same manner: For their Habits were different according to the nature of their Crime and Condemnation; those that are de∣stined to fire, have Garments, whereon the Picture of the Sufferer is laid upon fire-brands, with flames and Devils all about him. As they were ignorant of the formalities of the holy office, so there might be observ'd in their Faces the di∣vers motions of fear, shame and grief, wherewith they were inspir'd. For it seems 'tis a part of their Ingenuity to for∣get nothing that may add to their fear. As soon as the day appear'd, the misera∣ble Wretches were conducted to the Church, holding in their Hands a yel∣low Wax Candle for the Act of Faith, where every one received his Judgment. After two years Imprisonment, our Au∣thor was condemned to serve five years in the Gallies, with Confiscation of his Goods; those who were to be burnt, were given up to the Secular power, by the holy Inquisition, with instant prayer to use them with Clemency, or at least, if they thought them worthy of Death, that it might be without effusion of Blood. The se∣cular Justice doubts not of the Infallibility of the holy Tribunal, but burns 'em im∣mediately without Examination, agreeing with much Humanity, that that is no Ef∣fusion of Blood. They carry also with 'em some Boxes full of dead Men's Bones, that have been accused many years before, and this makes up part of the Process. But to return to our Au∣thor, after he was redeemed from the Gallies, by the Credit of his Friends, he return'd into France, being resolv'd to pay no more Visits to the Inquisition, nor engage a Rival Inquisitor above all Rivals.