The Trial of Diogo Henriques
From Roth, Cecil. The Spanish Inquisition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1964.
The best manner of obtaining an idea of the Inquisition Process is to read the full record of some specific trial. Of these, a few of special interest have been printed, and one or two even translated into English. They are not available however to the ordinary reader. For that reason, the following excerpts of a case of 1646-8 before the Lisbon Trial are published here. . . . The passages quoted sum up in a so-called "voluntary" confession the information elicited by various means during the long examination which had preceded, and illustrate in a remarkable fashion the Inquisition’s deadly but petty curiosity.. . . . It will be noticed that for illustrative purposes the Portuguese Inquisition, with its virtually complete records, is in many respects more convenient than that of Spain in its stricter sense. . . .
GENEALOGY AND SENTENCE
Names other persons and declares his genealogy
On the 19th of December, 1646, in Lisbon, in the first Audience Hall of the Offices of the Holy Inquisition, his Worship Inquisitor Melchior Dias Pretto, holding the morning Audience, summoned to appear before him Diogo Henriques, with whom this Process deals, he having asked for an audience, who, being present, said that he had asked for an audience, in order to name other persons with whom he remembers he had communication, when in error. And that he might in all things speak the truth, and preserve secrecy, he was told to take oath on the Holy Gospels on which he placed his hand, and having taken oath accordingly under seal thereof: He said that . . . he became acquainted in Pernambuco with Manoel Nunes, does not know his native city, but who lived for some time in Madrid, and deponent has heard that he fled from thence to France fearing the justice of the Holy Office . . . and confessant saw him attending the Synagogues and publicly professing belief in the Law of Moses, as he did also when his profession brought him to confessant’s house, and he was accustomed to seeing him in the synagogue where they assembled, and on various occasions they declared to one another their belief in the aforesaid Law . . . .
Further declares that at the same time he was acquainted with Abraham Israel, whose name as a Catholic he does not know . . . and confessant has heard the said Abraham Israel say that he left this kingdom [Portugal] and went to Holland, for fear of the justice of the Holy Office;. . . the said Abraham Israel publicly professed his belief in the Law of Moses, and attended the synagogue in confessant’s company in the manner customary to Jews. . . .
Further says that at the same time he was acquainted in Pernambuco with David Zuzarte; . . . and he also publicly professed the Law of Moses, continuing in the belief and observances thereof, attending the synagogues in company with confessant. . . .
Asked his name, age, race, native town and place of residence: Says, he is named Diogo Henriques, is of the race of New Christians, native of Median de Rio Secco in Castile; is twenty-six years of age or thereabouts; that his father was named Pedro Henriques, and his mother Anna Vas; he does not know, and does not remember having been told, the names of his paternal or maternal grandparents, nor where they were born; and that on his father’s side he had four uncles, though he has never heard any but Antonio Henriques spoken of, who, as deponent has already said, left this kingdom for Italy.
[More details of family history]
And that this deponent is unmarried, and, as he has said, he was baptized in the Church of Santa Maria Maior of Medina de Rio Secco, but he does not know by whom, nor who were his godparents, and that he is not confirmed. And that notwithstanding his being baptized, he did not at any time go to Church, as Catholic Christians do, nor perform any action or work as such, because from his earliest years he was instructed in the ceremonies and beliefs of the Law of Moses, having no knowledge whatever of the mysteries of our holy faith: and in this blindness he ever persisted, for the reason that he did not know the prayers of the church, nor was he at any time instructed therein, but on the contrary his said parents warned him that the Law of Moses forbade any knowledge of the Law of the Gospel. And he only knows how to read, write and count as much as is needed for his business and commerce. And that he has nothing further to say concerning the faith other than what he as already declared before this Tribunal, and does not know of any relation of his being brought before the Inquisition, or who was arrested or penanced by the Holy Inquisition.
Asked whether he, the prisoner, has understood the reason why he was summoned before the Inquisition and detained, says, that he was brought here as a Jew, and that he was detained because the fact of his having been baptized was known. He was informed that the Holy Office has sufficient reason to detain him, without which it is not customary to take proceedings against any person whatever; and that since God, Our Lord, through this detention has granted him understanding to bring him to repentance of them, which is necessary for the salvation of his soul, since the Law of Moses was ended by the promulgation of the Law of Grace, he is exhorted, therefore, after rendering thanks to that same Lord for so great a privilege, to persist most firmly in his resolution, being certain that only in the belief of our holy faith lies salvation, and that for his benefit it is necessary he should declare before this tribunal all that he further remembers concerning his faults or the questions which have been put to him; and in particular whether before or after following the Law of Moses, he had received instruction or had knowledge of the matters and mysteries of our holy Faith, as all the aforesaid is necessary for the better discharge of his conscience, and the despatch of his cause: And as he said that he would render thanks to God our Lord for the favor granted him, and that he had never at any time received instruction in the mysteries of our holy Faith, in which he earnestly begged to be instructed, and that should be remember anything further touching his errors he would come to declare it before this tribunal, the session was read to him, the which having heard he declared it to be well and truthfully written, and singed with his Worship, whereupon he was formally admonished and sent to his cell.
Belchior Dias Pretto
Diogo Henriques
Written by Gaspar Clemente
DIOGO HENRIQUES
The Inquisitors in ordinary and Deputies of the Holy Inquisition are agreed:
That taking into consideration these autos, errors and confessions of Diego Henriques, new Christian, unmarried, son of Pedro Henriuqes, native of Medina de Rio Secco, Kingdom of Castile, resident in Pernambuco, State of Brazil, the prisoner here present:
By which is shown that being a baptized Christian, and as such obliged to hold and believe all that the Holy Mother Church of Rome holds, believes and teaches, he acted to the contrary and since the last General Pardon, finding himself outside of this said kingdom and circumcised, he took the name of Abraham Bueno, and being persuaded and instructed in the false doctrine by certain persons of his race, he adopted the Law of Moses, and publicly professed it, even holding it to be good and true, hoping to be saved therein, and not in the Faith of Christ, Our Lord, in whom he did not believe, nor hold Him to be true God, the Messiah promised in the Law, but still waited for Him, as do the Jews: and believed only in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Creator of heaven and earth, who gave the Law to the people of Israel, and to Him he commended himself by Jewish prayers; and in observance of the said Law he kept the Sabbath beginning on Friday afternoon, doing no work on that day, wearing his best clothes and clean linen; celebrating the Jewish holy days, and in particular the feast of Peca [Passover] in memory of the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt, eating unleavened bread at that time, doing no work for eight days, keeping them as days of festival; observing also the festival they call Jacoth [Succot] in commemoration of God’s mercy to the said people in bringing them to the Promised Land: And another festival known as Salvuoth [Shavuot] in commemoration of the aforesaid Law, which lasts for two days; and keeping also, in observance of the said Law, the feast of [Yom] Kippur, vulgarly known as the Pardons, which falls in September, remaining on that day without food or drink until the rising of the star; . . .; and that of Purim in memory of Queen Esther, remaining without food or drink for twenty-four hours; Observing also another fast, which they name the three weeks in memory of the people of Israel, and another in memory of the destruction of the Temple.
Publicly attending the Synagogues, observing therein all further rites of the aforesaid Law; speaking of these things publicly more especially with other observers of the Law, to whom he declared himself to be a Jew. Behaving in Catholic countries only exteriorly as a Catholic, in dissimulation and conformity whilst among them, attending the churches, and performing acts and outward observances of a Catholic Christian; knowing and understanding that the aforesaid Law of Moses was contrary to that which the Holy Mother Church of Rome holds, believes and teachers; persevering in his belief of the aforesaid errors, until he made his confession before the tribunal of the Holy Office.
All of which being considered, as well as what further appears from the autos, they declare:
That the offender Diogo Henriques was a heretic and apostate from our holy Catholic faith, and that he as incurred the sentence of major excommunication and confiscation of all his goods to the Royal Fisc and Treasury, and all other penalties as by law established in similar cases: But seeing that following better counsel he confessed his faults to the tribunal of the holy office with signs of repentance, asking pardon and mercy; and taking into account what further appears in the Acts, they receive the offender Diogo Henriques into the fold, and into union with holy Mother Church, as he asks: And in penalty, and in penance for his faults they command that he shall appear in the Auto da Fe in customary manner; and hear his sentence, and shall formally abjure his heretical errors; and they assign to him a prison, and he shall wear a penitential habit perpetually; and in prison he shall receive instruction in matters of our holy Faith necessary to the salvation of his soul. And he shall perform all other spiritual pains and penalties that may be imposed on him. And they command that he be absolved from the major excommunication, which he as incurred, according to ecclesiastical custom.
(Signed) Luis Martins da Rocha
The above sentence was read to the offender Diogo Henriques in the public Auto da Fe celebrated on the Terreiro do Paco of this city of Lisbon, on Sunday, 15th day of December, of 1647.
Written by Gaspar Clemente.
Formal Abjuration
I, Diogo Henriques, in presence of your Worships, take oath upon the Holy Gospels, on which I place my hand, that of my own free will, I do anathematize, and reject every kind of heresy that has been or may be put forward against our holy Catholic Faith and the Apostolic See, especially those into which I fell, and which have been here read to me in my sentence, which I hold to be here repeated and set forth, and I swear ever to hold and to keep the holy Catholic Faith, as it is held and taught by the holy Mother Church of Rome, and that I will ever be most obedient to our most holy Father, Pope Innocent X., at present presiding over the Church of God, and to his Successors, and I confess that all who rebel against that holy Catholic Faith are worthy of condemnation; and I do swear never to join with them, but to pursue them and to make known any heresies I know anyone to hold, to the Inquisitors, or the Prelates of holy Mother Church; and I do swear and make promise to fulfil as far as in me lies the penance which is, or may be, imposed on me; and should I fall again into these errors, or into any other heresy whatsoever, I desire, and it is my pleasure that I shall be held to be relapsed, and punished in conformity with the law, and if at any time anything should be proved against me in contrary to my confession sworn before your Worships, I desire that this absolution be of no avail, but I submit myself to the severity and correction of the Sacred Canons, and I request the Notaries of the Holy Office to issue an Instrument accordingly, and those here present to be witnesses thereof, and to sign with me:
Joao Mendes de Vasconcellos, and Francisco Dias Castro signed as witnesses.
Written by Gaspar Clemente.
Diogo Henriques.
Deed of Secrecy
On the 10th day of the month of December, of 1647, in Lisbon, in the Casa do Despacho of the Offices of the Holy Inquisition, their worships the Inquisitors holding their morning audience, summoned to appear before them, from the Penitential Cell, Diogo Henriques, with whom these Acts deal, to whom being present oath was administered on the Holy Gospels on which he placed his hand, under seal of which he was charged to keep secrecy as to all that he might see or hear in these prisons, and might occur with reference to his process, and neither by word or writing or any other method whatsoever to disclose the same, under pain of severe punishment, all of which he promised under seal of the aforesaid oath, whereupon this document was issued by order of their Worships aforesaid, the which he signed.
Written by Gaspar Clemente. Diogo Henriques.
Deed of Penance
On the 11th day of the month of January, 1648, in Lisbon, in the Casa do Despacho of the Offices of the Inquisition, their Worships the Inquisitors holding their afternoon audience, summoned to appear before them Diogo Henriques , prisoner with whom these Acts are concerned, who being present, was informed that in penalty and for penance for his offences he must perform the following spiritual acts: Namely, he shall go to confession on the four principal festivals of the year, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and the Assumption of our Lady, but shall not recite every Saturday the Rosary of Our Lady the Virgin Mary, and on one Friday in the month he shall fast in honor of the Passion of Christ, all this during the coming year, at the end of which he shall send a certificate to this Tribunal in witness of having done so, to be annexed to his Process: and this city is assigned to him as prison, from which he may not absent himself without license from this Holy Office; and on Sundays and Holy Days he shall attend the principal Mass in the Church of Sao Lourenco, wearing his penitential habit, until it is removed by order of the most Illustrious Lord Bishop, Inquisitor General; all of which he promised to perform, whereupon this Deed was drawn up by order of the Worshipful Inquisitors, and signed by Domingos Esteves, notary of the Holy Office, who wrote it, and by the prisoner Diogo Henriques.
Most Illustrious Lord,
Diogo Henriques, a poor youth, a wanderer in this Kingdom, who appeared in the last Auto, as a Judaizer, and who was ordered to attend the principal Mass in the Church of Sao Lourenco, wearing a penitential habit, the which he as done up to the present, suffering much distress both from sickness and want of necessities, which distress he cannot remedy during the period in which he must wear the said penitential habit. For which reason he addressed two petitions to your Lordship’s tribunal, neither of which was granted, and since he is still suffering from the aforesaid distress, with none to succor him, he begs your Lordship and the most Reverend Senate, by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, to take compassion on his distress and poverty, and to give order that his penitential be removed, which will be a great charity.
Let the Inquisitions be informed of the decision:
Lisbon, 28th February, 1648
The Bishop, Dom Francisco de Castro, Inquisitor General of the Kingdom and Dominions of Portugal, and member of his Majesty’s Council of State, etc. We make known that the above petition of Diogo Henriques reconciled in the last Auto-da-Fe, and the information given by the Inquisitors being taken into consideration:
We think fit to dispense the aforesaid for the period remaining for the performance of his penance. And we command that the penitential habit be removed, and we commute the said penance to any spiritual penances which their Worships the Inquisitors think necessary for the salvation of his soul, which he shall perform, as well as all else contained in his abjuration: this shall be annexed to his process, with the deed of Admonition made to him, and the declaration of his penances imposed on him. Given in Lisbon over our Seal only this 4th day of March, 1648.
Written by Diogo Velho.
Dom Francisco de Castro, Bishop.
Your Lordship thinks fit to dispense Diogo Henriques, reconciled, for the period remaining for the performance of his penance.
* * * * * * * * *
On the 4th day of March, 1648, in Lisbon in the Casa do Despacho of the offices of the Holy Inquisition, their Worships the Inquisitors, holding their morning audience, summoned to appear before them Diogo Henriques, who was reconciled in the last Auto, who, being present was informed that his illustrious Lordship has shown him mercy, and taking into consideration the time during which he has performed his penance, and the information given by this Tribunal, has thought fit to dispense him for the period remaining for the fulfillment of his penance, and has given order for his penitential habit to be removed, which was done, and his sentence commuted to such spiritual penances as were imposed on him in the first instance, which he must perform for another year, and must further comply with all else contained in his abjuration, the which he promised to do; whereupon their Worships the Inquisitors gave order for this deed to be issued, the which he signed.
Domingo Esteves, who wrote this deed.
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