Auto-da-fé celebrated at Seville in 1560—the Inquisitor-general Valdes publishes a new code of laws for the government of the holy office—proceedings of the Inquisition during the reigns of Philip III. Philip IV. and Charles II.—state of the nation at the accession of Philip V.—M. Legal, the French commander, levies a contribution on the Dominicans in Saragossa—their stratagem to elude payment—the Inquisitors excommunicate M. Legal—he throws open the doors of the Inquisition and liberates the prisoners—the freemasons become the objects of persecution by the holy office—state of the Inquisition during the reigns of Ferdinand VI. Charles III. and Charles IV.—the Inquisitors prohibit the reading of French works at the period of the revolution in that kingdom—the Inquisition suppressed by Bonaparte and completely abolished by the Cortes-General—it is re-established by Ferdinand VII.—persecuting spirit of the modern Inquisition—sufferings of Van Halen—sentence of death by the pendulum passed by the Inquisitors in 1820, 102
The horrid procedure of the Inquisition is never calculated to make converts—Case of Don Carlos de Sessa—of Isaac Orobio—the punishments inflicted by the holy tribunal encourage hypocrisy—examples—the Inquisition frequently condemns the innocent—trial of Melchior Hernandez—the Inquisitors proved to be actuated by avarice in their condemnation of prisoners—examples—Nicholas Burton—a child—other offences besides heresy taken cognizance of by the Holy Office—its flagrant injustice—its barbarous proceedings against the dead—Marc Antonio de Dominis, 128
Hostility of the Inquisition to the progress of literature and science—examples—Don Melchior de Macanaz—Luis de Leon—Aonius Palearius—freemasonry a peculiar object of persecution by the holy tribunal—interesting trial of M. Tournon—his sentence—cruelty of the Inquisition in the nineteenth century—affecting account of the sufferings of Don Miguel Juan Antonio Solano—his death while confined in the prisons of the Inquisition—he is denied Christian burial—remarks by Puigblanch on the iniquitous procedure of the holy office, 152
Portuguese "holy tribunal"—imprisonment of Dellon in the Inquisition at Goa—he is thrice examined before the Inquisitors—despair impels him to attempt committing suicide—his fourth examination—sentence of death pronounced on him—preparations for celebrating an auto-da-fé—the various dresses which were worn by the criminals—order of the procession—Dellon's sentence mitigated, and publicly read—ceremonies which are observed towards those who are condemned to death—penances enjoined upon Dellon at his liberation, 172