The history of the Inquisition, as it is exercised at Goa written in French, by the ingenious Monsieur Dellon, who laboured five years under those severities ; with an account of his deliverance ; translated into English.

CHAP. XIX. (Book 19)

My second and third Audience.

I Was carried the second time before my Judges without desiring it, the 15th of February, which made me believe that they had some design to free me: As soon as I came in they asked me anew, whether I had nothing more to say, and exhorted me to disguise nothing, but on the contrary sincerely to confess all my Faults. I answered, that how great care soever I had taken to examine my self, I could not call to mind any other thing than what I had already confessed. At last they asked me my Name, that of my Father, Mother, Brother, Grand∣fathers and Grand-mothers, God-fathers, and God-mothers; whether I were a Christam de oito dias, that is to say, a Christian of eight days, be∣cause in Portugal they baptize not Children till the eighth day after their Birth; as also Women in Child-bed go not out, nor go to Church, till forty days after their delivery, how happy soever that may have been▪ My Judge seemed to be surprized, when I told him that this Custom of de∣ferring the Baptism of Children till the eighth day was not observed in France, where they Baptized them as soon as could be: and it sufficient∣ly appears from the observance of these Legal Ceremonies, that notwith∣standing the Aversion which the Portugueze testifie against the Iews, they are nevertheless no very refined Christians. But this is not the greatest evil which resulteth from the observation of these Ceremonies. For

first, it happens but too often that Children dye without being regenera∣ted by the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, and are thereby deprived of Hea∣ven for ever; and not to violate the Custom of Purification, which ought no longer to be continued after the publication of the Gospel, the Portugueze Women make no scruple to contemn the commands of the Church, which oblige all Christians to be present at Sunday, and on the Feasts of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, if they be not prevented by lawful impediments.

They also asked me the Name of the Curate who had Baptized me? in what Diocess? what Town? what Parish? and lastly, whether I ever were Confirmed? and by what Bishop? Having satisfied all these Questi∣ons, they commanded me to kneel down, to make the sign of the Cross, to repeat the Lord's Prayer, the Ave-Mary, the Creed, the Command∣ments of God, and of the Church, and the Salve Regina; lastly, he finished as at the first time, by exhorting me through the Bowels of the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to confess without delay; which being read in my presence, and signed by me, I was remitted to my Chamber.

From the first moment that I had been in this Prison, I had been al∣ways melancholy, and never ceased to shed tears; but at my return from this second Audience, I entirely abandoned my self to all grief, see∣ing that they exacted of me the things which appeared impossible to me, since my memory suggested to me nothing of that which they desired I should confess. I endeavoured then to end my life by Hunger, I recei∣ved indeed the meat which they brought to me, because I could not re∣fuse it, without exposing my self to receive Bastinadoes from the Guards, who take great care to observe, when the Plates are returned to them, whether the Prisoners have eaten enough to sustain Nature: But my de∣spair suggested to me means of eluding their diligence: I passed whole days without eating any thing; and that they might not perceive it, I cast into the Basin part of what they gave me. This course of diet was the cause that I was entirely deprived of sleep, and my whole employ∣ment consisted in mortifying my Body, and shedding tears. However, I omitted not in this time of my Affliction, to reflect upon the errours of my past life, and to acknowledge that it was by a just Judgment of God, that I had fallen into that depth of misery and unhappiness. I proceeded also so far as to believe that he intended perhaps to make use of this mean to call me to himself, and convert me. Having a little for∣tified my self by such meditations, I Implored with my whole heart, the assistance of the Blessed Virgin, who is no less the consolation of the afflicted, than the Asylum and refuge of Sinners; and from whom I have so visibly experienced protection, as well during my imprisonment, as

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upon other occasions of my life, that I could not omit to render this publick testimony of it.

At last, after I had made a more exact, or a more happy examination of all which I had said or done, during my stay at Daman, I called to mi••d what I had advanced concerning the Inquisition, and its Integrity; I immediately desired Audience, which yet was not granted to me till the sixteenth of March following. I doubted not, but in appearing be∣fore my Judge, to terminate all my Affair; and that upon my Confession, which I intended to make, they would immediately restore me to per∣fect Liberty; but then when I thought my hopes at the point of being compleated, I saw my self at once depriv'd of all these sweet hopes; be∣cause having confessed all which I had to say touching the Inquisition, they told me that this was not that which they expected of me; and I having nothing else to say, was immediately remitted, without so much as their vouchsa••ing to write down my Confession.