Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-04-03
An Incident OF the Inquisition.

AN Incident OF the Tnquisition.
In the early part OF the Peninsular war while
Spain was still open, ina great measure. to
and traders, it CHANGED that melcan.
IlIe gentleman from Scotland arrived at Seville,
IN the course of a commercial tour over the con-
tnent. He was engaged in the sale of light
cotton stufts, and other articles Of a similar ma
ture, on account Of an extensive wholesale house
IN Glasgow, and carried with HIM considerable
quantity CT luggage, consisting of packages and
samples OF the various goods in which he dealt.
After reaching Seville, he began to exhibit the
pattern wares to all such as were likely, or were
known by him, to be proper customers.
lie had not spent above day or two in the
city, when, to his surprise and disnav The house
III which he lodged was visited at night by two
officers who announced themselves as servants
Of the lnqui8ition, and who dcmanded an in.
slant delivery of all his luggage for inspection.
Knowing the absurdity Of resistance, and being
perfectly safe, as he thought, in his innocence,
All his baggage was turned out, and was thor.
oughIy examined by the officers, who had pub
lie notary IN attendance with them, to note down
or take an inventory OF what was found. While
this was in progress the traveller in vain endeav.
ored to learn the cause Of this search. The
tamlllars proceeded silently aid sternly in their
work, communicating only by whisper with the
notary. AT length, to his horror, instead of de-
caring him free from all suspicion, as he had
anticipated, they told the poor traveller that he
must follow them. He began to inquire and re-
monstrate, but 10 no effect. The notary rehlinel
to take charge, for the time, of the goods, and
the traveller was compelled to follow the officers,
the landlord and people Of the house looking on.
in the meantime, in condition Of still greater
alarm than their guest. In short time after.
wards the traveller found himself in one of the
cells of the Inquisition.
In spite of the convection upon his mind that
in no respect had he given just ground of
offence to the Inquiston, such was the travel.
ler's knowledge of the power nnd severity Of
that court that his uneasiness on finding him.
self in their charge was extreme. All his hone
lay in his being able to refuIe any churge ad.
vanced against him, and accordingly he was
most anxious to discover what their churge waso
His suspense, however, was not soon ended
The chamber into which he was put was small
stone cell, with hard mattress on the floor for
his repoSe. Here he lay for several days with.
out any further intercourse with his fellow crea.
lures than periodical visit, with bread and wa-
ter, from his jlllor. The man answered no
questions put to him, according to the custom of
these officials. The traveller, therefore, remain.
in state of most harras5tng uncertainty, until
at length he was visited b. the two officers who
had come to his lodgings, and was told by them
to prepare for examination. He told them he
was ready, and lose with alacrity to follow them.
The examination took place in large lIl-
lighted room, though neither hung with black
cloth, nor surrounded with those gloomy appen-
dages Of skulls and axes, which we have been
i accustomed to associate with inquistoral trials.
But this was not, in fact trial, but an exami-
nation. One judge only was present, who, after
learning that the accused partly understood the
Spanish language, ordered the information
ag inst him to be read. This was Immediately
done, (though the name of the informer was
concealed); and what was the travellers sur
prise when he heard himself confidently accused
of the grossest implety; 4" Of rdicung lh3 holy
Scriptures, and Of conspirng to make the fol-
lowers OF the only true Christian Church partic-
pators in the crime" And this, too, the accus-
ed had done (sad the nformation) in the most
artfu and profane way that the devil and the
enemies of the holy Catholic Church could de-
wise"
The accused traveller boldly and Indignantly
denied that he had, in any manner of way, been
guilty of what had been laid to his charge
The Judge, who seemed mild man for his of.
fee, cautioned him against denial Of what
could be easily proven against him. Again the
traveller denied the truth of The charge. PRO.
duce the proofs, said the inquisitor to one ofthe
officials. The man unfoded parcel, and sol
emny laid before the prisoner a bundle of his
own pattern handkorchefs, printed with the SO.
ries o Joseph and hia brethren, and several 9TH
er scrptura incidents The truth dawned upon
the traveller at once. Here was the unucky
basis of the whole affair. Some of the ecclesi.
astical officials of The city had seen one OF these
had been Mortified at the idea of noses being
wiped by articles stamped with these stories and
had finally magnfed the matter into cunning
device, on the part of some Protestant or hereti-
cal merchants, to bring the gospel into ridicule
and disrepule in Spain.
1t was with some difficulty that the traveller,
vexed and alarmed as he had been, COZ ID refrain
from openly laughing at the absurd cause of tbs