ISBN: 9781150244506

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustra… More...

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845 Excerpt: .OF THE INQUISITION. 105 I shall not dwell here upon the jurisprudence of the Holy Office. I shall not show in its most revolting details, that ideal of moral and physical torture; that queen of torments is too powerful a weapon, of which I will not make use. I address myself to the This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845 Excerpt: .OF THE INQUISITION. 105 I shall not dwell here upon the jurisprudence of the Holy Office. I shall not show in its most revolting details, that ideal of moral and physical torture; that queen of torments is too powerful a weapon, of which I will not make use. I address myself to the spirit: it is the spirit of that legislation that I wish to point out in a few words.f It was impossible for the Roman Church not to carry her principles into her penal code. She doubts not in matters of faith, and she doubts not any more in criminal matters; hence, with her, the accused and the guilty have one and the same name.f Whoever appears before her has heaven and earth against him: the examination is itself a punishment. When the Church accuses, she appears persuaded; all her efforts tend to extort an avowal of the crime, that, by virtue of her infallibility, she perceives in the darkness. From this anticipated conviction of crime, spring the multitude of ambushes and snares spread for the purpose of entrapping the criminal into a confession. The names of the witnesses are concealed, r falsely given. In the smallest details one perceives throughout this fundamental idea, that the truth is all on one side, and the devil on the other. Pagano. De' Saggi Politici: "Regina de' Tormenti." t My observations are based upon a work I have already cited: the Official Code, or Sacred Arsenal of the Roman Inquisition, printed at Rome in 1730. t 11 Reo. Modo di esaminare il Reo ne' tormenti. Sant Offizio, p. 267. 106 THE TORTURE Hence the incredible mingling of gentleness in words with cruelty in actions. Without the least scruple, they subjected men by way of examination, to the cord, the rack, the fire, thinking to chastise them for obstinacy. Decrees of torture Books, Religion~~General, Roman-Church-and-Modern-Society~~Edgar-Quinet, 999999999, The Roman Church and Modern Society, Edgar Quinet, 115024450X, General Books LLC, , , , , General Books LLC<