Engraved for D.HURD'S Religious Rites & Ceremonies of all Nations) Inside View of a Goal in the Inquisition, shewing the several methods of Torture & Cruelty exercised in presence of the Inquisitor &c. as and signs, and lying wonders; and surely this, in the of it, we could scarcely believe, that ever human nain there very words, apply to the pope. He had, for many ture could have sunk so low as to embrace the grosages, the civil power to support him, he pretended sest nonsense. And yet this is the case, as experience to give signs of divine mission, and his lying mira- and history will prove. Upon the whole, we will cles are believed by all those who follow his institn- venture to affirm, that if any unprejudiced person tions. And it was said of the people who were to will attend to the marks here laid down, he will be be the followers of Anti-christ, that God should forced to acknowledge that the character of Antisend them strong delusions. The meaning is, God christ can apply to none but the pope, and therefore for their many wickednesses should suffer them to there is good reason to believe, that as the papal be deluded by impostors, and where can we look power is daily vanishing away in those countries for this but in the church of Rome? Their faith, where popery is esablished, and at the same time worship, discipline and government, are founded on caressed in Protestant countries, so we may expect deception, and were we not convinced of the truth some important changes during the present age. The HISTORY of the INQUISITION. WHILE the Lord Jesus Christ was on earth with his disciples, he frequently told them that his kingdom was not of this world, and that all they had to expect from men, was persecution; but they did not, till after his ascension, understand the meaning of what he told them. The Christian religion increased in proportion to the opposition it met with from men, nor was the whole force of the Roman empire able to crush it, much less to abolish it totally. During the space of three hundred years grew under persecution, and it was common for the Heathens to say of the Christians, "See how they love each other." And this love continued while they suffered persecution, but here let us mark the change. them in opinion. It is true, they begun very soon afterwards, to look towards the civil power, but it does not appear that any of the emperors made san guinary laws against those called heretics, before Justinian, about the middle of the sixth century, but trifling indeed were these laws, with what we are now going to mention. The popes increasing in power, and finding many people very unwilling to submit to their, decrees, resolved to publish a crusade against heretics of all sorts: and the persons employed to carry this diabo lical scheme into execution, were the monks of the order of St. Dominic. At first it was designed to carry on the persecution against those people called Waldenses, &c. but of these we shall treat in a se parate article. It was about the beginning of the thirteenth century, that pope Innocent III. sent the Dominican friars into most of the Roman Catholic countries to enquire how many heretics were to be found, and from that circumstance, they obtained the name of Inquisitors, and their office, where they try criminals, the Inquisition. Having received rich livings from the emperor Constantine the Great, the bishops, with the rest of the clergy, met together in synods, and compiled creeds, which they sought to impose upon all their brethren. And although some of these creeds did not contain any thing contrary to the fundamental articles of the Christian religion, yet as they were no more than human compositions, consequently many pious men refused to subscribe them. This created much dissention in the church, for the bishops wrote against each other, and as many heresies sprung up about the same time, the primitive spirit of charity was lost. But still they did not think of calling in the aid of the civil power, to aasist them in punishing those who differed from vinces. This formidable tribunal gained much strength in a short time, for all Spain and Portugal received it, and it was established in every city in Italy, except Naples: it was afterwards established in Flanders. and the duke de Alva attempted to establish it in Holland, which was in some measure, the occasion of establishing the government of Seven United Pro This tribunal takes cognizance of heresy, by which is meant the doctrines em raced by Protestants of every denomination; Judaism, Mahometanism, Sodomy, Polygamy, with all sorts of crimes, opinions, or words, that are opposite to the papal decuees, naturally come before this court. It would seem incredible, were there not most positive proof of it, that the people where it is established, are so much afraid of incurring the displeasure of the holy office, as the inquisition is called, that they must give up their nearest relations, and even become evidences against them; for were they to conceal them, or speak in their favour, they would be taken into custody, and punished in the same manner. This horrid and unnatural sentiment, is carried to such a length, that if the nearest and dearest relation should shed tears for the sufferer, he would be considered as the favourer of heresy. It is intimated in some of our historians, that queen Mary I. had an intention of establishing the inquisition in England, which is not at all improbable, when we consider her bigotry, her bloody-minded disposition, and above all, her marriage with Philip of Spain, one of the most cruel persecutors that ever lived. But whatever intentions she might have had of that nature, yet we have so good an opinion of our ancestors, even in that dark age, to believe that they never would have submitted to such an ignoble, such an unnatural, such a barbarous institution. It is much to the honour of the French, that it was never established in that kingdom, and although there is a court of Inquisition at Venice, yet we do not find that it takes notice of any crimes but those of a civil nature. The Portuguess, not content with having it established in their own kingdom, actualy sent over a great number of Dominicans to Goa in the East-Indies, who formed themselves into a court of inquisition, and punished as Heretics, those Heathens who refused to embrace their doctrines. In Germany, Poland, Hungary and Switzerland, the inquisition was never established; which may serve to shew, that dark and ignorant as men were in that age, yet they had not so far forgot the dignity of their characters, as to sink beneath the degree of beasts that perish. In Sweden, in Denmark, in Scotland, and in Ireland, before the reformation, the whole power of Rome was not able to establish it, so we find this infernal, unnatural tribunal was confined to those nations, who have, for many ages, been remarkable for their effeminacy of manners, and their slavish notions of obedience. Before we describe the particulars relating to the inquisition, it may not be improper to observe, that for some years past, its power has been much upon the decline, even in those countries where it was once slavishly submitted to. At Rome, the highest tribunal of all, self-interest has taught the pope and his council, that nothing can be more impolitic than that of persecuting Protestants, who visit that celebrated city from motives of curiosity. It is true, no place of worship is tolerated among them for Protestants; but this is no hardship to the natives who enjoy their ignorance, never having learned any thing but what they see and hear in their churches: And as for Protestants who resort thither, they are either too volatile in their tempers to pay much regard to religion, or they are men endowed with such knowledge, that they can worship God in Rome, as well as in London. Another circumstance has contributed much towards depressing the power of the inquisition in Portugal, where it used to reign in all its horrid forms. On the first of November 1755, a dreadful earthquake happened in Lisbon, which demolished great part of that city; and although this might, and undoubtedly did proceed from natural causes, yet we find, that Divine wisdom made it to answer a salutary purpose. The inquisition had condemned several unhappy persons to be burnt, and these were to have suffered on the day following; but such was the terror that all ranks of people laboured under, the poor criminals escaped. This had such an effect on the minds of the people, who were under the dominion of superstition, that they looked upon it as done by the immediate hand of God to punish them for their cruelty, and from that time the inquisition has been but little regarded in that nation. Happy if this awful circumstance had led them to embrace the truth, but they are still deprived of the means, and how can they believe without having a preacher? Having said thus much concerning the inquisition in general, we shall now proceed to its particulat parts, its methods of proceeding against persons accused from the time of their being first apprehended, until the judgment of the court is executed. Persons become objects of resentment to the inquisition in general, four different ways. First, by public report, by which a person is said to be guilty of the crimes of which this tribunal takes cogni zance. Secondly, by the depositions of those witnesses by whom he is impeached. Thirdly, by discoveries made by the spies employed by the judges of the inquisition. And lastly, by the confession of the criminals themselves, who in order to avoid the torture, often accuse themselves. When the inquistors have discovered a criminal by by any of the above mentioned means, and he has the good fortune to make his escape, he is then summoned three times by proclamation, to make his appearance before the holy office, and if he still refuses, he is at last excommunicated, and his effects seized; but this does not exempt him from capital punishment, if he should be taken afterwards. Indeed it is almost impossible for a person, who has been once impeached, to make his escape; for the inquisitors raise such a pursuit after him, that he is generally taken before he gets out of his own neighbourhood. As for those who break out of prison, if ever they are taken, there is no mercy shewn them; for was even a prince to intercede for them, his request would not be granted. In Spain, they have in every city and town, societies established for the purpose of apprehending such persons as have been accused to the inquisition, and so much ie the Spanish nobility sunk beneath the dignity of their ancestors, that many of the dons, who in other respects consider themselves as equal to princes, become the common lacquies of time-serving monks, and even their informers. When a stranger puts up at an inn, some of these spies thrust themselves into his company, and if by any means whatever, they can form the least notion that he is attempting to make his escape, they immediately get him apprehended and thrown into a dungeon. Nay, it has happened that some accused persons have got on board a ship, and made their escape as far as Constantinople; and although they considered themselves safe, as being out of the reach of their enemies, yet the sailors on board of another ship have kidnapped them, and sent them home to Spain, where no mercy was shewn them. In most cases, when a person is accused to the inquisition, and they have any suspicions that he will attempt to make his escape, they cause him to he arrested immediately: no place, even the most sacred, being able to afford him an asylum. It is surprising to consider the forlorn condition of a person who is so unfortunate as to be arrested in this manner. He is seized in the midst of his friends, and in the very bosom of his family; a father standing by the side of his son, a son in the company his father, and a wife in that of her husband, without any person present being permitted to intercede for them. of As soon as he is brought before the inquisitors, they cause him to be searched, in order to try if they can find any thing about him that may serve to convict him, and likewise for any instrument with which he may murder himself, in order to escape the tortures of the inquisition. There are many in No. 13. stances of poor, unfortunate wretches, who have been confined in the inquisition, dashing out their brains against the walls of their cells, rather than be put to the torture. When they have got the ac cused person into prison, the chief inquisitor, attended by his officers, goes to his house, and secures his books, papers, and every thing they can find, nor dare any person oppose them. If the person has a real estate, or any personal property of value, an inventory is then taken, and part is sold to de fray the expence of the prosecution. This practice. of making the accused person pay his persecutors for their trouble, is of such a diabolical nature, that so far as we could ever yet learn, it is not to be met with in any court of the world besides the inquisition; but indeed we shall meet with some other singularities. Things being carried thus far, the prosecution immediately begins, but is carried on very slowly; for a criminal is frequently imprisoned several months before he is brought before the judges, or so much as knows what is the accusation preferred against him. The prisons are dreadful, and nothing is more capable of striking the mind of a person with horror. These dungeons are all under ground, and so situated that none but the keepers can get admittance. The way to them is by a great many turnings and windings, lest the cries of the miserable creatures should be heard and move any person with compassion; but in that case, compassion would avail nothing, while none are permitted to give them assistance. Day-light is for ever shut out from those gloomy habitations, to hinder those who are in prison from reading, or any other employment besides that of reflecting on their unhappy condition, and the punishment that is preparing for them. Altho' it should happen that their cells are so near to each other, that the prisoners could converse together, yet they are not permitted to do it; for if they are heard either speaking to one another, or even to themselves, the keepers rush in and beat them most unmercifully. Such poor creatures as have been long confined, invent a method of speaking to each other with their fingers, by striking them a certain number of times upon the wall, according to the number of letters in the alphabet. After a criminal has spent several months in this miserable condition, the jailor tells him, that he may, if he chuses, petition for an audience; but he must not be told that the judges desire him to do so; for it is an invariable rule in the inquisition, that nothing shall be granted a prisoner, unless he pi tions for it. The first time the prisoner appears be fore the judges, they pretend not to know him, 4 D and |