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. XXXIX. (Book 39)

A Gentleman, one of the greatest Quality in Portugal, who was a New Christian, and very Rich, named Lewis Pecoadessa, having intermeddled in diverse Criminal Causes, but in the Laick Judicature, had thereby contracted the hatred of many persons. These finding no better means to Revenge themselves of him, accused him to the Holy Office, as making secret Profession of Judaism, together with his Family; so that in the same day, his Wife, his two Children, his Daughter, and some others of his who dwell with him in his House, were Arrested, and shut up in the Prison of the Inquisition of C••••imbra.

Le••is Pecoa was first examined, to draw from him a particular account of his Goods, of which the Immoveable alone yielded thirty thousand Livers Rent; and all this, as well as the Moveables, was buried in the Treasures of the Holy Office. They urged him in the next place, to declare the cause of his Imprisonment, which he could not do, know∣ing nothing of it. All ways were attempted which the Inquisition is wont to make use of, to oblige accused persons to confess their Crimes; but all this shook not the Constancy of Lewis Pecoa. At last, almost three years being elapsed, the Promotor signified to him the Crimes whereof he was accused, and the Senten••e of Death which would be past up∣on him, if he resolved not ot confess. He endeavoured to justifie himself, protested all the Facts whereof he was accused were so many falsities, desired he might know his Wit∣nesses who had deposed against him, whom he undertook easily to convince of Perjury; and offered many Arguments to his Judges, whereby they might have clearly perceived his Innocence, if they would have made use of them. But the Inquisitors without having any respect to what he alledged in his own defence, seeing him to perfist in denying the Ac••usation, condemned him to the Fire, and acquainted him with his formal Sentence 15 days before the Execution.

The Duke of Cadaval, who loved Lewis Pecoa, to whom he had been Godfather, and who was an intimate friend of the Duke d' Aveira, informed himself from time to time of all particulars concerning the condition of the Prisoners Case; and knowing from the Inquisitor General, that the Prisoner Confessing nothing, and being otherwise sufficiently Convicted, according to the Maxims of the Holy Office, could not escape the Fire, if he

accused not himself before his being carried forth to Execution, was infinitly concerned for him. He desired leave to speak or write to this unfortunate Gentleman, to perswade him to save his life at any price whatsoever; but this was not possible. At last he be∣thought himself of an Invention, which is so singular, that it never happened to any other in Portugal; which was to gain a promise from the Inquisitor General, that if he could perswade Lewis Pecoa to confess even after his being carried forth to Execution at the Act of faith, he should not be put to Death; although this was directly contrary to the Laws of the Holy Office; this being promised to him, and he knowing the day wherein the Act of Faith was to be Celebrated at Coimbra, he sent from Lisbon some of his own friends, and others of Lewis Pecoa, who post themselves at the Door of the Inquisition, when the Procession began, that they might approach to their unhappy Friend as soon as they should see him appear.

As he was condemned, so the pile of Wood was made ready for him. He bore a Ca∣rocha and a Samarra covered with flames and Devils, his Picture was drawn to the Life before and behind, placed upon burning fire-brands. His Sentence was written at the bottom, and his Confessor walk'd by his side; his friends had no sooner spied him, but breaking out into tears, they cast themselves upon his Neck, and begged of him in the name of the Duke of Cadavalle, and by all that was most dear to him, to think of saving his life. They acquainted him with the assurance which they had received; that he should not be Executed if he would confess; and remonstrated to him, that the loss of his Estate ought not to create any difficulty in him, since the Duke, who had sent them to him, had charged them to assure him in his Name, that he would bestow upon him more than was taken from him. All these Reasons, together with the tears and sollicitations of his generous friends, could not move Lewis Pecoa; who continued to protest with a loud voice, that he had always been a Christian, that he would dye such; and that all whereof he had been accused, were so many falsities invented by his enemies to take Re∣venge upon him, and made use of the Holy Office to reap the spoil of his Estate.

The Procession being arrived at the appointed place, the Sermon was preached; the Process of those whose lives were saved was Read, and the evening being come, they be∣gan to read the Processes of those who were to be burned: The Deputies of the Duke then redouble their entreaties, and at last made their friend consent to demand audience. He rose up, and said, Let us go then and acknowledge these falsities, to satisfie the desire of our friends. Audience was granted to him, and he was led back into Prison. But the Act of Faith being finished when they called him to the Table to confess, he had much more difficulty to resolve himself; and was diverse times upon the point of suffering his Sentence to be confi••med, without any hope of mer••y: Yet at last he confessed what they would, and signed his Confession.

Two years more being elapsed from the time of his being carried forth to execution, he was sent to Evora; where he appeared in the Act of Faith, wearing a Samarra with the fire inverted: And after he had stay'd five years in the Prison of the Holy Office, he was farther condemned to the Galleys for five years, and was sent thither the morrow after: And there it was that I knew him, and learned from him the particulars of that which I have here related.

This unfortunate Gentleman, who appeared to be a very honest and tolerable good Christian, learnt after his enlargement, that his Wife and Daughter died in Prison, a little while after they had been shut up; and that his two Sons, less constant than himself, having accused themselves in time, had been enlarged some time before, and condemned to a Banishment for ten years into the Algarves. As for himself, he expected only the moment to be freed; as I was, and his design was to quit Portugal as soon as possible, and go spend the rest of his life in some Country where the Inquisition should have no place.

FINIS.