The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-07-11
THE HOLY OFFICE.
A FLIGHT FROM THE INQUIsITIoN.


FLIGHT FROM THE INQUISITION.
Archibald Bower, whose singular exper-
fences of an Italian inquisition in the last
century we propose to narrate, was a ma
tive of Scotland, being born there about
the year 1856. When only five years old,
he was sent over by his parents to an uncle
in Italy. In that country his education
was entirely conducted, and he became SO
great proficient in learning as TO be APP
pointed, when but very young, to various
scholastic offices. Eventually, he was made
Professor of Rhetoric and Logic in the
college at Macerata. Here was established
an inquisition, the constitution of which
may be gathered pretty accurately from
Bowers own account.
The Holy Tribunal, he says, consisted of
an inquisitor, who was president of it, and
twelve counselors. The latter were chos-
en- by the inquisitor either from among the
ecclesiastics or the laity, but were always
men eminent for learning. They had a
salary of about two hundred pounds per
annum each, and an apartment in the in
QUESTION house, where the inquisitor re-
sided. There were in addition great priv
ileges and much honor to the counselors,
besides a certainty of good preferment.
The offences coming under their coguizance
were purely those against the faith or
practice of the Church, and these were
generally very tritiing-such as doing or
saying anything disrespectful with regard
to saints, images, relics, or the like. When
any person was accused before the inquisi-
tor, council was summoned, always in
the middle of the night. If any happened
to be absent, their places was supplied by
a notary-for all trials must be in a full
court-who made known to them the
crime, without naming either the informer
or the criminal.
On an accused person being apprehended,
he was confined seven or eight days with
out the least glimpse of light or any other
substance than little bread and water
the court was summoned for the trial. A
notary attended, to write down all the &C
cused should say, and surgeon to feel his
pulse, and tell how much torture he could
be made to bear. The machines and en-
gines for torturing being all fixed, the
prisoner was brought, and without ever
having been told either his offense or &C
cuser, or having had the least liberty to
expostulate, he was exhorted to confess
his guilt.
Any account Of the tortures and punish
ments inflicted would be supeIfuous, for
they are we'll known. We pass on to
Bowers personal narrative. While Pro
fessor of Rhetoric in the college, he was,
by favor of the inquisitor, appointed to
vacant office of judge, which, looking to
emoluments, was considered good pre-
ferment. Speedily, the horrid scenes he
was compelled to witness shocked his feel
ings His sense of justice was outraged,
and he wished himself well out of the posi-
ton into which he had unfortunately fall
len. For three years he was projecting
his escape, and revolving in his mind every
possible method of effecting it. But when
he considered the formidable difficulties
with which each of them was attended,
and the terrible consequences if he failed
in the attempt, he was held in suspense.
At last an accident happened which con-
&. liz hut of ba
gave the inqustor an opportunity of try
ing him to the utmost. A person who was
his intimate friend was accused to the in
QUESTION for saying something irreverent
regarding the Carthusian friars, and, by
order of the inquistor, Bower was direct
ed to arrest him. 1t was dreadful trial
of feeling, but he executed his commission.
The inquisitor said the next morning,
when Mr.. Bower delivered the key of the
prison and told him that the gentleman
was there" This is done like one that is
DESTROYS at least to conquer the weakness
of nature"
After this, no one will be surprised that
Bower was determined to effect his escape
from an office so ill-suited to him. 1t was
manner of it was all that now occupied his
thoughts. He resolved to ask leave to go
to Loretto, and for that purpose waited
upon tho inquisitor several times. Con-
ever he attempted to speak, he feared the
words would falter on his tongue, and his
very confusion betray him, and he was
sometime before he preferred his request
verse with the inquisitor, he came out
with it at once. "My Lord" said he, sit
is long since l was at Loretto; will your
Lordship give me leave to go there for a
week ~ With all my heart" was the
reply. Having all his matters in readiness
including his valuable papers among which
was the Directory he ordered horse to
be at his door early the next morning.
manteau down himself, and fixed it to the
saddle. He carried two loaded pistols, in
emergency, being resolved never to be
taken alive.
The plan he had laid down was to take
all the by-roads into Switzerland. Four
hundred miles must be traversed before lie
was clear of the Pope's dominons; he
knew the road for barely half the distance.
When he had travelled about ten miles
without meeting a soul, he reached place
where two roads met, one leading to Lor-
etto, the other the way he proposed to go.
"Here he STOOD" to quote his own words,
"some moments in the most profound
perplexity. The dreadful alternative ap-
peared now in the strongest view; and he
ject as impracticable, and SO turn to Lor-