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.

The PREFACE

IT is but too ordinary to find Books, whose pompous Titles promise much, and which deceiving the expectation of the Reader, contain nothing less, that what is hoped to be found in them. In this Book a quite opposite method is observed; and those who shall give them∣selves the trouble to read it, will grant that the Title doth but im∣perfectly express the matter of the Book.

I have contented my self to describe faithfully what I observed in the Inquisition, without insisting to make large Reflections on it, and have chose rather to leave to the Readers the liberty of doing that. Those who have already any light knowledge of the Holy Office, will make no difficulty to believe all which is here related; the whole is so far from receiving any exaggeration; and how extraordinary soever the Proceedings and Formalities of the Inquisition may appear, the Rea∣der may be assured that there is nothing here related, which is not ex∣actly true. I do not in the least hereby pretend to blame the Inquisition it self: I am willing to believe that the Institution of it is good; and it is certain that in those places where it first began, it is not exerci∣sed with so great Severity, as in Spain, Portugal, and the Countreys which depend upon these two Crowns, where it is received; but as all human Institutions, how excellent soever they be, are subject to Re∣laxation and Abuse, it is not to be admired, if Abuses have crept in∣to the Tribunals of the Holy Office.

It is of these Abuses therefore only that I design to complain; however the Inquisitors, who affect so great Secrecy in whatsoever re∣lates to their Tribunals, will perhaps be displeased, that I have taken the liberty to expose to the Publick, things, which it seemed so much their concern to keep concealed. But besides, that this discovery may, if they will make a right use of it, be serviceable to them also, I thought it my Duty no longer to deprive the Publick of a knowledge, which could not but be very useful to it. In effect, it very much con∣cerns those Persons, whose Curiosity, or Business shall oblige them to live in those places, where the Holy Office exerciseth its Iurisdiction, that they be informed of what they ought to avoid or do, that they may

not fall into the hands of those Officers, and thereby undergo a Misfor∣tune like to that, which makes the subject of this Relation.