| Source | HM35171, Mexican Inquisition papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California |
| Date | 1735 |
| Contributor | Transcription: Sanjana Friedman, William B. Taylor Translation: William B. Taylor |
| Type | Solicitation |
| Coverage | Mexico Minas de Sultepec |
| Percent Completed | 102 |
A la caveza de la Acusacion Dixo que es el conthenido en ella y que aunque ha Delinquido como espontaneamente tiene confesado, reo abia sido por Sentir mal de el Sacramento de la Penitenzia ni otro alguno, sino por | el Inquisidor fiscal de este Santo Ofizio de Mexico. 2a el Bachiller Don Antonio Montoro, Natural de el Real y Minas de Sultepeque de este Arzobispado, de hedad de treynta años, preso en esta Ciudad, y sus arrabales. Por solizitante. Prueba del Delicto. En 26 de Abril, de 1735. Se presento este Reo en este Santo Ofizio, y haviendosele Dado Audiencia hizo la declarazion siguiente. El Bachiller Don Antonio Montoro, de hedad de 29 años Presvitero, y Domiziliario de este Arzobizpado, y que ha pedido esta Audienzia para Dezir y Denunziar de sí, Como haviendo sido llamado de el Br. Don Felix de Villa Nueba Cura de el |
Su flaqueza y miseria, ayudada de estarse a la sazon Curando de Unas terziamillas con Una Vebida llamada Mescalillo, que tomaba a medio Dia y a la Noche, y es sumamente Calida; respecto de que antezedemente no abia caydo en semejante culpa, ni dado mal ejemplo. y que por todo lo qual no abia sido, ni era Hereje, Apostata, ni Cosa Semejante. Y A la Publicación de esta su denuncia dixo era y abia pasado como en ella referia, y lo mismo tenia dicho al Capitulo 2 de dicha Acusacion en que un Indibiduo se le puso el echo con la primera Solizitada de dicha Su denuncia que no pudo ser abida para ecxaminarla. | Partido de Pilcayan para que le ayudase a administrar esta Semana Santa procxima pasada, fue con efecto y para que toma-ro[n?] en el Pueblo de Nochtepec Donde Confesó a Varias Personas, y entre ellas a Una cuyo nombre, apellido, y estado Ygnora, pero le pareze que era India, Soltera, y de hedad Como de treynta años. Con quien le Suzedio lo Siguiente. Que estandose Confesando con Incomodidad en su Postura por razon de Unas enrramadas, la mandó enderezar, y se puso frente de el, Con lo qual tubo un tocamiento Impuro, Diziendola que probase sus Carnes con el fuego, aber si podia sufrir el fuego de el Ynfierno, sin embargo de lo qual en quanto es de su Parte no le queda Duda en que fue Solizitazion |
ad turpia, pero la Confesada no sabe si la tubo por tal. Yttm: que con Ótra tambien Yndia, casada, y de algo mas de Veynte y dos años de hedad, á su parezer, a quien ordenó en la Confesion y Confesionario hiziese Cierta denunzia; á Cuyo fin Luego el Declarante se salio de dicho Confesonario, y se fue á Cierto Paraje de la misma Yglesia, á Donde le Siguio la susdicha e hizo dicha Denunzia, con Cuyo motibo se exteriorizo con ella en Ótro Ympuro tocamiento; que Uno y Ótro fue en la Parte Verenda, asegurando azerca de ella lo mismo que de la antezedente, y es que no sabe el Juizio que formó.
|
| tambien Yndia, y á su parezer de Diez y Ócho á Veynte años de hedad, que no llebando Voleta de saber las Óraziones, se fue arrodillar á sus Pies, y Viendo el Declarante que no llebava dicha Voleta, la dijo que se aguardase para ecxaminarla, y Despues de aber Confesado Una, ó Dos Personas se fue el Declarante á Su Casa, y Siguiendole la Susodicha con los Ofiziales de la Yglesia ecxaminandola en ella, estando solos y en la Pieza que le Serbia de recamara se exteriorizo asimismo en Ympuro tocamientos; Dé todo lo qual se acusa y denunzia en este Santo Ofizio por lo que toca á su fuero y Conozimiento, y de que pide Umilmente ser absuelto y penitenziado en la |
forma y manera que Corresponda a su expontanea Confesion; y que es la Verdad sobre cargo del Juramento que lleba fecho y lo firmo. Br. Antonio Montoro. Notase como constante y cierto que el Dia 23 proximo antezedente Ocurrio este Reo a Denunziarse a Casa de el Inquisidor fiscal, Quien le dijo viniese al Tribunal el dia ??? que fue el referido 26. El mismo dia 26, se Rezivio en el Tribunal, Carta del Br. Don Felix de Villa Nueba Arlanzon y Guemez, Cura Benefiziado y Juez ecclesiastico del Pueblo de Pilcayan, y su Partido, con fecha del 22 de dicho Mes, (adbirtiendose distara de Mexico como 25 Leguas) acompañando Varias Diligencias Cuya Sustanzia es del thenor Siguiente. |
Al Capitulo 3 de dicha Acusacion Dixo que la Sustanzia de este echo la tenia tambien Confesada en dicha su expontanea Denuncia Constituyendose por ella solizitante Reo de el Santo Ofizio; a cuya vista no le parezia podia Considerarsele Diminuto Confitente, pues el no haverse referido tan por menor el echo de esta Donzella, abia nazido, o De su turbazion u, Olvido, o de no aberle parezido esenzial tanta menudenzia; concluyendo con que no presumia que la tal Ubiese perdido su Yntegridad. Y A la Publicación de este, y Demas testigos sobre este mismo Suzeso añadio; que en el confesionario no abia abido tales tocamientos Impuros; Yttm: que no abia sabido la Doctrina Cristiana, Yttm: que no | Que Juan Santos, Indio, Casado, en dicho Pueblo de Noxtepeque, Declaró ante dicho Cura (Quien lo firmó y escribio de su puño) que este Reo abia solizitado a Una Sobrina suya llamada Juana Antonia y del Confesionario se la abia llebado a su Casa, y quitado su Virginidad, con el titulo de que la Yba a Preguntar la Doctrina Cristiana; y que a otro Dia avia embiado al topile por ella, y su Madre cuidadosa abiendo Ydo a Casa de este Reo, y entrando en la Recamara, vido a su hija enzima de la Cama, con las Naguas Lebantadas por Detras, y este Reo amenazandola con un Quero, y tratando de sosegar a la Madre en Voz Vaja, La dezia que Ya aquella su hija era Grande, y le pedia |
le abia puesto tal mano en la Voca; Ytem que al Dia Siguiente la abia llamado, o echo seña, con animo de embiarla al Cura para que la ecxaminase, y tambien con el de apaziguar el escandalo, o rumor del Dia antezedente para que no pudiese dezirse que con el pretesto de dicha Doctrina Continuaba en Ympurezas con ella; pero que haviendosele entonzes llamado para administrar la estrema unzion, quando Volbio de esta Diligencia se le dijo que ya esta donzella se abia buelto a Su Casa, por lo qual, y con el Sano fin expresado la abia embiado a llamar con el topile; y por Ultimo que Vino con una tia suya y diziendole esta lo del escandalo pasado, la respondio | Su Cuerpo hombre, que la dejara y no le impidiera casamiento, abiendo Persona que se quisiera casar con ella; y por Ultimo que llebandola dicha su Madre la halló en la faja dos reales y Un Vizcocho, y apremiendola abia dicho que este Reo se lo abia Dado por aberla quitado su Virginidad llebandola del Confesionario: Hizose esta Declarazion en 31 de Marzo de dicho año. En 2 de Abril, deel, llamada por dicho Cura la referida Juana Antonia, dijo en la Propia Conformidad, ser de 23 años de hedad, y Devajo de Juramento que era Cierto que Yendo a Confesarse con este Reo se arrodilló por la Reja del Confesionario, y abiendose signado, La Preguntó si sabia la Doctrina, y sin embargo de que le respondió que sí, la hizo sobre ella Varias Preguntas, pero que a pocas, la Dijo diera bueltas y se Yncara por Delante, y haviendole echo |
| este Reo, que la tubiese en su Casa, y tratase de enseñarla la Doctrina Cristiana porque a ella se le abia de pedir Cuenta de eso, y de lo contrario podria dicha Donzella perder Casamiento, sin que despues, y en el espazio de quinze dias que perseberó en este Pueblo. Ubiese preguntado por ella, ni procurado Verla. | luego, y sin Dilazion alguna Le abia este Reo por Devajo del Cobijon Metido la mano, y cogidole un pecho, y quitandole la mano, y tapando sus Pechos, hazia fuerza a Cojerselos, y ella en Voz alta por dos Vezes le Dijo No Padre, No Padre y que los que estaban presentes atendieron, y se retiraron, y este reo la savia dicho no la podia Confesar, hasta Ver si habia la Doxtrina, que se lebantara, y lo esperara Devajo Del Pulpito, y haviendoso Lebantado, y estando Yncada le havia echo seña este Reo con la mano que se sentara, y haviendole echo, Luego que acabó de Confesar a Uno, se Lebantó, y la dijo Vamos, y se la llebo a su Casa, y la hizo sentar, que Darían Chocolate aquel español, y que Despues la preguntaría |
| La Doctrina, y haviendo este Reo parlado Largamente con el, Cerca de la Orazion lo dejó Sentado en la Puerta de la sala, y a ella la havia cogido de la mano, y entró en su recamara, y la dijo sabia mal la Doctrina; á que le respondio Yncada Se la preguntara Ótra Vez, y que este Reo Preguntandola y Cogiendo una quarta de quero la Dijo no la sabes, y Lebantate, y Sientate en esta Caja, y que resistiendose ella, la Lebantó este Reo y la asentó comenzando Desde Luego á oscularla, lo qual ella resistia, y que tambien á fuerza la abia tirado enzima de la Cama, y puesta Una de sus manos en la Voca, y lebantando con la Otra sus Naguas, Viendola Cortada y Medrosa, y por lo mismo Imposibilitada á defenderse, la quitó su Virginidad y Despues |
la dio dos reales y Un Vizcocho, y embio á su casa.
Ytem que al Dia Siguiente Yendo a la Doctrina con las demas Donzellas la abia llamado este Reo, y dando ella Una buelta se habia Ydo a su Casa; pero que al medio dia del Citado, embió este Reo al topile (esto es mandadero, sachristan, ó Criado de Comunidad) por ella, que Obedezió, y Luego que fue la entró este Reo en dicha su recamara, La tiró sobre dicha Cama, y Lebanto dichas Naguas; a Cuyo tiempo abia entrado la Madre de la declarante y tenido Vozes Desentonadas con este Reo, Diziendole que si en la recamara preguntaba la Doctrina Cristiana.
Ytem. Que los topiles lo abian desparramado en aquel Pueblo entre Yndios y Jente de razon, como tambien se abia
Ytem Dijo en su Respuesta á dicha Publicación de este, y demas testigos, sobre la expresada Donzella, que esta no abia llegado á Confesarse por la regilla, sino por Delante; Ytem que no llebava Voleta de Saber la Doctrina Cristiana, y por lo mismo se la abia preguntado y Visto (Como tiene dicho) que no la Sabia | Desparramado que este Reo abia llebado del Cementerio tres Yndias, y que queriendo meter la Una en dicha su recamara se abia armado escandalo, se se abian todas tres salido de con este Reo, y por todo lo qual no queria la Jente Confesarse con el; y por Ultimo que Suplicaba á dicho Cura y Vicario no la Volbiese á su casa, por estar ávergonzada, respecto de Saber el Suzeso los Mas de dicho Pueblo, y que podian dar razon de ello Miguel Martín, y Manuel Bautista a quienes mandó comparezer dicho Cura. Dicho Miguel Martín, Yndio, de 50 años de hedad, y fiscal de dicho Pueblo Ecxaminado del mismo modo en 6 de dicho mes, Dixo devajo de Juramento que era Cierto que dicha Juana Antonia habia llegado a Confesarse con este Reo, y Yncadose por la rejezita, la Vido Lebantar, y Yncar por Delante, y que se resistia Diziendo no Padre, por dos Vezes, Riyendose la susodicha, y que segun abia perzebido le andaba este Reo |
| La recombino este Reo con ello, y ella misma respondió no Padre, no Padre, con que no abian recaydo estas palabras sobre lo que Dizen este, y Ótros testigos, quienes sí son hombres afirman lo que no pudieron Ver, respecto de que haviendolos echado fuera de la Yglesia con motibo de la Denuncia antezedente que mandó hazer a la Ótra Casada, no Volbieron á entrar, y Solo podrian estar en dicha Yglesia Como Unas Cinco, ó mas Mugeres, de quienes no podia dar Yndibidual razon por falta de Conozimiento, Mediante á que era nuebo en dicho Pueblo y por Ultimo que era falso que el Ubiera querido llebar á palos á Ninguna Ótra, pues ni Usaba, ni tenia Palo alguno, y menos ótro fin que el de ecxaminar-las publicamente como lo abia efectuado con Ótras, y que todo lo Demas era embuste, ficzion, y ecxajerazion de los Yndios. | metiendo la mano á los pechos, y haviendose lebantado se sentó devajo del Pulpitó, y Yncandose la hizo seña este Reo de que se sentara, y haviendolo echo, y Confesado á Un Yndio Luego que acabó, sin Confesar á Ótros que állí estaban, se Levantó, y Dijo á dicha Juana Vamos te preguntare la Doctrina Cristiana, y que entrandola este Reo en su casa el Declarante se abia quedado afuera y Viendo que la orazion de la noche todavia no sabia, quiso entrar, pero hallando la Puerta de la calle entre cerrada, y á un español sentado en ella, dio buelta hazia dicha Recamara que cae á la Plaza, y hallo escobando á un topile, quien le dijo, no le pregunta el Pe. la Doctrina, el Pecado estan haziendo; Con lo qual el Declarante se retiró y mantubo Devajo de un Arbol, hasta que salio la susodicha, á quien pregunto que abia echo, y ella le respondio que este Reo la abia detenido a fuerza, y que Despues por su ejerzizio |
| que no quieren Doctrina Cristiana, ni Padre Espiritual. | de fiscal, se abia quedado a asistir ál este Reo Contestando en aberse echo publico este suzeso, en el Lanze de las tres Yndias, y en que las de el Pueblo no querian Confesarse con el, y Concluyendo con que dezian esperarian á que su Cura los Confesase, porque este Reo era Loco, Segun lo que hazia.
Ytem que habia Óydo que abia havido Pleyto con Ótras que este Reo quiso |
A este y demas Ynformes que se refieren Dixo que era Cierto que Viniendo Yá a presentarse, pasó por Casa de el Cura de dicho Pueblo y se ablo en-tre los dos Sobre el referido Lanze de la Donzella, azerca de Cuya Circunstanzia solo le abia dicho hiziese la prueba Conbeniente á Saber si todavia lo era, ó no. Ytem que en Semana Santa solo abia Jugado tal, qual noche, Cientos por pura diversion con Un Manuel de Nafara, sin que entonzes, ni Despues Ubiese Jugado con mulato alguno, y menos puesto Barajas de su Cuenta, ni ejerzido el ofizio de Coyme; pues quienes las ponian fueron dicho Nafara, y el Theniente | llebar á su casa, para preguntarlas la Doctrina en dicha su recamara: fue su ecxamen dicho dia 6. El expresado Cura Villa Nueba en su Auto de Remision con fecha del dicho dia 22. Dize: Como pasando este Reo por su Casa Ya de Camino para Mexico, le recombino secretamente, y sin darle á entender tenia echos Autos, de su exzeso, en llebar de el Confesionario á Una Donzella para quitarla como la quitó su Virginidad, haziendo Ódioso Un Sacramento nezesarisisimo para que las almas se Labasen de Sus Culpas, y de que por aberse sabido esto no abian querido sus feligreses Confesarse con el, A lo qual respondio este Reo que Ya sabia (pues la abia Visto) tenia la Yndia en su Casa, y los Queros que le abian echo pero que era falso la Ubiese quitado su |
| Del Pueblo de Titipac, de que el se alegraba por tener ese mas pretesto para abstenerse de el Confesionario, respecto deel remordimiento con que Ya se hallava, y animo que Ya tenia de presentarse quanto antes pudiese al Santo Ofizio. | Virginidad, y que la abia llebado porque no sabia la Doctrina, y que era Donzella como Vería, por tener los Pechos parados, y la garganta Delgada, Como lo Juraria delante de un Ara Consagrada; y Concluye dicho Cura con aber practicado posteriormente en solizitud de esta Verdad, Ótras diligencias que no se expresan, por no Conduzir al Delito de Solizitazion de que se trata.
|
En 8 de Agosto, se rezivio en este tribunal Carta de dicho Cura, Con fecha de V. de el, en que remita evaquado lo Siguiente. Es á saber.
La Ratificazion de dicha Juana Antonia echa en Vastante forma en lo de Junio de el, y en que Devajo de juramento buelve á expresar menudamente todo lo dicho, ante el referido Cura solo; y añade que en el Confesionario no abia ramas, y que antes de dicha su Confesion abia este Reo llebado á Maria Antonia Yndia, Casada, Con Juan de la Cruz, Detras de la Puerta de la Yglesia, y estado hallí Largo rato con ella, y en el que pidio tintero y escribio, y Despues Volbiendo Juntos al Confesionario prosiguió y acabó aquella su Confesion, y se siguio la de la De-
clarante, y tambien que á las tres Yndias referidas la abian dicho Preguntó este Reo la Doctrina presentes dos fiscales; y que era la Verdad, etc.
La de dicho Miguel Martín ejecutada en la Propia forma el referido Dia 10 y tambien en el de 18 manteniendose Ygual, y menudamente en lo Declarado ante dicho Cura solo, y Contestando en lo de dicha Maria Antonia Yndia Casada, y en que abia tambien Ultimamente Óydo ser mas Cierto que este Reo abia preguntado á dichas tres Yndias la Doctrina presentes lo dos fiscales sin aber solizitado entrar á ninguna de ellas en su recamara; y que era la Verdad.
Ytem el ecxamen y Ratificazion asimismo que en los Propios dias 10 y 18,
A los Capitulos 10 y 20 de dicha Acusación dixo que tambien de esta tenia Confesado lo sustanzial en dicha su expontanea Denuncia. En Cuya Vista tanpoco respecto de esta podia dezirse diminuto Confitente, respecto de aber Confesado solizitazion punible por el Santo Ofizio. Ytem que la abia Citado el Paraje referido para que extra Confesionem | hizo el expresado Blas Santos manteniendose tambien con toda espezificazion, y devajo de Juramento en su declarazion antezedente, y Contestando en el Suzeso de la otra Yndia Maria Antonia, y en que para la Combersazion con ella hizo este Reo salir fuera de la Yglesia a la Jente que hallí estaba; menos á dicha Juana antonia Donzella, y a Una Vieja; y en que era la Verdad.
|
hiziese Cierta Denuncia Contra un Bernardo de la Ó. Con quien abia estado mal amistada, y por lo mismo y aberlo sospechado su marido, la maltrató hiriendola cerca de Una Mano, de lo qual Conserbava reliquias a lo que se podia acordar; y en consequenzia de todo el deseo de Yr á casa de la susodicha era con el fin de cojer hallí á dicho Amasio para que se prozediese Contra el; asegurando por Conclusion con toda Verdad. Que quando La Citó para dicho efecto en el Confesionario, no sabe si Yá estaba tentado Ympuramente.
| echo La Cristiana y acostumbrada Jestion de arrodillarse y Signarse, y dadole el Papelito por donde Constaba que Sabia la doctrina, dixo y Confesó Sus Culpas, y todo aquello que la parezio hazia peso á su álma hasta dezirle que Ya no tenia Ótra Cosa, y que entonzes que solo esperaba la absoluzion la expresó este Reo no podia Confesarla, y preguntandola que si era Verdad abia Ydo con Yntenzion de Confesarse y á que ella respondio que Yá le abia dicho Sus Culpas, y asi la absolviese, por que deseaba Labar su Alma, yá que Correspondio este Reo con dezirla que Ótro dia la confesaria, que se Lebantara y fuera con el, y replicandole ella que para que La dixo hiziera lo que la mandaba, á Cuya Vista se lebantó Conturbada y fue en Seguimiento. |
| ria de el de la Donzella eran esajeraziones de dichos Yndios. | de este Reo detras de la Puerta prinzipal de la Yglesia en donde y en un escalon de la escalera que sube al Coro, se sentó este Reo, y arrodillandose ella, y mandado salir á todos de la Yglesia, menos á las dos Yndias átras, Citadas, que se hallaban Como al medio de dicha Yglesia, la Dijo se parase, ó Lebantase, y haziendolo asi, Luego Luego metió la mano y la cojió el Pecho Yzquierdo, y palpandoselo la dijo te has asustado pues te está Palpitando el Corazon? y á que ella respondio, amado Padre no me e de asustar, pues me hé Confesado, y no quiere Vm absolverme? y entonzes la dixo soltandola el Pecho, y metiendola la |
A su Publicación, Reprodujo lo dicho sobre el Particular, y por Consiguiente que no le parezia abia pasado tal Cosa, y que quando mas podria alguna vez aber prorrumpido Colerico en que daria con un Palo ó amagase á tomar el de el fiscal pues no abia Ótro. | Verdad, y en que dicho Confesionario no tenia enrramada; se ratificó en ello el dia 17 sin añadir cosa alguna.
|
queriendo este Reo salir por ellas con un Palo, Los Alcaldes le rogaron se contubiese, asegurandole que ellos Yrian por ellas y las llebarian al Cementerio donde era costumbre preguntarlas dicha doctrina, y con lo qual se abia sosegado este Reo, y por Ultimo Contestan con el Lanze Ultimamente referido de las Ótras tres Yndias, y en el Pabor de los feligreses para Confesarse y en que era la Verdad.
Cierra dicho Cura las referidas diligencias con su Auto de remision mui Largo, pero que en la sustanzia se reduze á abonar á los testigos ecxaminados, y asear los prozedimientos de este Reo, Ymputandole el que
se abia dedicado mucho por su Ynteres á promober el Juego de Naypes, de dia, y de noche, abandonando el Confesionario, etc.
Dado de todo Vista al Ynquisidor fiscal puso La Clamosa en 18 de dicho Mes de Agosto, Concluyendo con que en el modo de prision, pedia se le tratase como á expontaneo; y asi se proveyó el mismo Dia, Órdenando a este Reo Guardarse Carzeleria en esta dicha ciudad, y sus arrabales presentandose cada terzero dia, Pena de etc. Como se le notificó el dia 25 de el.
El 29 se Volbió á Órdenar á dicho Cura, La sigilosa busca, eczamen, y ratificazion de la primera de las solizitadas por este Reo que refiere en dicha su denuncia pero sin embargo debolvió la Comision
Con Ótro Ynforme prolijo, en que por Ultimo dize no abia podido dar con ella, y que segun el corto numero de familias, y Diligenzias practicadas, se Ynclinaba á que no abia abido tal solizitazion, é Ynsistiendo en su Ynforme antezedente, sobre que esta haya de ser dicha Donzella Juana Antonia.
Órden de el Prozeso.
En dicho dia 29 de Agosto, se le dio la primera Audiencia de Ofizio á que y despues de las Generales, A la Pregunta de si sabe ó Presume etc. Dijo: que presumia seria por Cosa de Solizitante, pues no abia muchos dias que Un Don Joseph de Estrada feligres de dicho Curato de Pilcaya y Conozido suyo, le abia dicho en esta dicha ciudad (aunque con sigilo) que su Cura dezia que el declaranteabia Solizitado en Confesionario á Una Muchacha nombrada Juana, con que Juntando á esto dicha Ultima notificazion de Carzeleria y Comparezenzia en este tribunal cada terzero dia, havia llegado á presumir que alguno de los dos Ubiese denunziado algo de lo mismo que el Declarante expontaneamente se abia delatado por dicho Mes de Abril, y á que se remitia, sin que hallase en su conzienzia Cosa digna de añadir; Y a su monizion, se mantubo en lo mismo.
En 31 de dicho Mes de Agosto, y 2 de Septiembre se le dieron Las Ótras dos Audienzias de Ófizio, Con sus Moniziones. Y dijo que sin embargo de ellas, no se le ofrezia que añadir, y se remitia á su expontanea Comparezenzia.
En 16 de dicho Mes de Septiembre se le puso la Acusación, Compuesta de Cinco Capitulos á que respondio Devajo de Juramento lo que Vá Al margen de la Prueba.
En 26 de el Mismo, la Comunicó con su Abogado.
En 3 de Octubre se le puso la Publicación de testigos á que asimismo respondio Devajo de Juramento lo que Vá Al margen de la prueba.
En 7 de el, La Comunicó con su Abogado, quien pidio se le entregase todo lo que fuese de dar, y Condujese á que pudiese Órdenar la defensa permitida respecto de ser la Primera que en este Santo Ofizio abia tenido á su Cargo, y haviendose ejecutado Conforme a dro y estilo, La trajo y se presentó en 11 de el, Alegando ser Verdadero
expontaneo, y no Corresponderle mas que Penitenzias saludables, por Todo lo favorable y de Justizia.
Y por que es cierto que [inserted text] aunque [end inserted text] su delicto fuera de los mayores y mas atrozes, quedaba de el todo purgado Con su expontanea Comparezenzia, en Cuya Virtud se relebava de qualquiera Pena, haziendose solo digno de el Perdon, y de la misericordia, prinzipalmente en este Santo tribunal en donde tanto se aprezia y solizita el arrepentimiento, y se atiende y prefiere la venignidad y equidad. Y aunque quiera discurrirse que no comparezio expontaneo, no debia gozar de este Venefizio, porque temio ser denunziado, mayormente quando Uno de los echos que fue el de la Donzella, Sa abia publicado segun dizen los testigos, y por que
de la Doctrina, para que dizen la mandó llamar, toca á Ótro Ministerio Distinto de el Cura, en Cuyo Lugar se hallava, y no prezedio aquel Dia que la susodicha le pidiera en alguna manera Confesion, que es Circunstanzia prezisa para que el caso fuese de Solizitazion.
Tambien á quien con fundamento pudiera Discurrir Ubieran Ócurrido los Denunziantes, era á Uno de los Curas, Cercanos, que son el de el mismo Partido de Pilcaya, y el de Teticpac, por no haver Ótras Personas mas á mano proporzionadas para semejante denunzia, pero con Uno y Ótro tubo tan asegurado su Credito, que nunca se [tachado] pudiera persuadir á que sabian Cosa en Contrario,
Quando ambos se convinieron en que se quedara en teticpac, para que desde halli les ayudase en la administrazion, acudiendo á Nostepec por lo tocante á Pilcaya, y á los Pueblos de abajo pertenezientes á dicho curato de Teticpac, por Cuyo Cura como á mediado de Abril de este año se le mostró la Carta respuesta de el de Pilcaya en que Convenia en lo referido, Concurriendo por su parte en darle, Ciento y Cinquenta pesos annuales. Y pareziendo á VS. ser Util, ó nezesario á su Defensa Justificar este echo, desde Luego pido se Libre el Despacho correspondiente para que dicho Cura de Teticpac Declare al thenor de este Parrapho, y exhiba la Carta, la qual se reconozca por el de
Pilcaya, quien declare sobre lo mismo: para Cuyas Diligenzias no puede Óbstar la Publicazion de testigos que se halla hecha, por que recaen sobre nueba Articulo emergente, separado, y Distincto de lo que Contubo la prueba á que se rezivio esta Causa, y demas de esto en las Personas referidas Cesa toda sospecha de Ynduzion, subhornazion, ó coecho, y asi no embaraza la Publicazion para dichas diligenzias si parezen Convenientes.
Lo segundo que Concurre para Calificar su denunzia por espontanea sin embargo de las declaraziones anteriores se reduze á que assi Como la ignoranzia, ó poca esperanza de estas pruebas, y Califica la espontaneidad, de
la misma suerta Concurriendo Ótras Circunstanzias y Conjeturas que la persuadan, porque Una presumpzion Venze á Ótra, y Deven prebalezer Ceteris paribus Las que le favorezen: De manera que si por estar antes denunziado se presume que no compareze espontaneo, esta presumpzion puede removerse con Ótras; y en este supuesto hallava Vs. que Segun las Circunstanzias que Concurren, Se persuade que lo menos que le movio fue el temor de ser ó haver sido Denunziado, y lo prinzipal fue como tenia declarado el remordimiento de Conzienzia, y el mayor Vien(?) de su Alma.
Esto se persuade con el echo de que Luego que le suzedio el Caer en su Culpa de Solizitante, assi que pasó aquella pasion que le Cegó por la tarde de el Suzeso, se abstuvo quanto fue posible de Confesar, como lo persuade el
Ynforme serio de que se le hizo Publicazion aunque con el termino de abandono, y azeptandolo solamente en lo favorable, es Cierto que con el se justifico lo que antes inpensadamente tenia declarado sobre aberse apartado de el Confesionario: de donde se Ynfiere el terror que Conzibio a la Culpa, por que de Ótra manera poco se le Ubiera dado de proseguir Confesando Con frequenzia.
Siguiose á esto que asi que tubo Lugar se puso en camino y Vino á esta Ciudad, á el efecto de su denunzia para la qual Vido á el Señor fiscal el Sabado en la tarde que se Contaron Veynte y tres de Abril de este año, y dicho señor le Órdenó Viniese Como Vino á este tribunal el Martes Siguiente Veynte y Seis de dicho Mes, por aver sido feriado el Dia Lunes; y no pudo antes
Venir, por que estando ayudando á el Cura de Pilcaya, quien le habia llamado para que le ayudase por aquel tiempo de Confesiones y Comuniones de Quaresma, antes andubo mui dilijente en su Venida, pues la efecutó Luego en la Semana de la Dominica in albis.
Despues en su denunzia Vien se le notaria que en quanto estubo de su parte procuró aunque con el rubor de Reo expresar los echos de manera que no le quedase gravamen alguna de Conzienzia, y en la Substanzia no faltó en Cosa, Como fundare Despues, sino que antes declaró Ótra solizitazion de que no ha avido testigo segundo que tengo entendido, y asi a el tiempo de Denunziarse, como hasta áhora han sido Continuar sus Lagrimas, prinzipalmente Spre que se trata de esta Causa, y
es Constante la humillazion y prompta Óbedienzia con que ha asistido á este Santo tribunal y Conozido su animo naturalmente timido: Circunstanzias todas que manifiestan su Verdadero arrepentimiento de que se sigue que mas de el, que de Ótra Causa nazio el que se presentara ante VS.
Conzilio de trento solo expresa que se confiesen las que mudan de espezie: Con que aun en el Caso no Confesado de haver sido Cierto el tocamiento de los pechos de la Donzella en el Confesionario, que es lo mas ponderoso que añaden los testigos, siendo esta circunstanzia de las que no Varian en espezie el Delicto de Solizitazion, sino solo en el modo: Ya se Ve que por Ómitirla (caso que fuera Cierta) no áy Variazion substanzial ni diminunzion.
Y siendo esto assi en quanto á dicho tocamiento con mayor fundamento y mas claro milita en Ótras Circunstanzias que los testigos añaden, y no las refiero particularmente por no molestar la atenzion de VS. quien no dudo que las sabra distinguir y Venir en Conozimiento de que Unas
se expresaron Vien en su Denunzia Devajo de las palabras tocamientos torpes, y Ótras no nezesitaban de expresarse por no ser Conzernientes á el Delicto de Solizitazion.
Para que la venignidad de VS. le trate como acostumbra con la suabidad Correspondiente a los que Comparezen antes de ser Citados, no nezesito de fundarlo, quando el echo en que se funda el Dro. es notoriamente Constante de el Prozeso. Y en quanto á que no se le condemne á tortura tambien le pareze no es nezesario mas fundamento que el estar Confesso Voluntariamente, sin haver negado ni dudarse de su Culpa, y si se le quisiera
Ymponer el tormento por lo que toca á la Yntenzion en el abuso de el Sacramento, tampoco es el Caso para ello, pues regularmente solo resulta contra el Confesor Solizitante presumpzion á sospecha Leve, y para tormento es nezesario que haiga presumpziones Vehementes y mui Urgentes.
Cierto que Dimanaron de Una sola pasion, y son Constantes las Señales de su Verdadera penitenzia, Cuyas Circunstanzias con las demas favorables pido á VS. las tenga presentes para que logre de Su Veniginidad. En cuyos terminos negando lo perjudizia, y sin Ómitir, sino antes aprovechandole para su Defensa de las tachas que padezeran los testigos y Concluyendo para Difinitiva, u Ótra Sentenzia que mas Convenga. A VS. Suplico assi lo determine, pido Justizia. Juro en forma, y en lo nezesario etc.
Doctor Romero ------ ----------
Y Concluyó difinitivamente expresando que [atruque?] de ganar algun tiempo por lo que tenia expresado renunziaba dichas Diligencias pedidas en su escrito.
Lo qual se notificó ál fiscal.
| Votos | En Consulta de 21 de Óctubre de 35 fue Votado este Reo por lo Inquisidores, Órdinario, y Consultores Conformes á que se le Leyese su sentenzia sin Meritos, en la sala de el Tribunal presentes los secretarios de el Secreto, fuese repreendido gravemente de sus exzesos, abjurase de Levi, suspendido de Confesar Mugeres prezisamente hasta los quarenta años de su hedad, y de halli en adelante al Arbitrio de el Tribunal quien en Vista de sus prozedimientos deliberará sobre la mayor durazion de tiempo de dicha suspension; y Desterrado de los Curatos de Pilcayan y Tetipac, y sus Jurisdicziones, por espazio de tres años, y ayune los Viernes de el primero |
Permitiendolo su salud, y Los Sabados de el reze el Ófizio Parbo de Nuestra Señora, y que Dentro de un Mes se Confiese Generalmente, si no lo Ubiese echo, Despues que se halla Detenido de Órden de el tribunal a quien ha de dar notizia de haverlo efectuado; y el Órdinario fue de parezer se suspendiese tambien de Confesar hombres por dos años.
Executose en 29 de Óctubre de 1735.
1735
Account of the case against Bachiller Don Antonio Montoro, second [part]
|
At the beginning of the accusation he confirmed what it contains and even though he has offended, as he spontaneously confessed, he is a criminal not because of any ill feeling toward the sacrament of penance or any other, but |
The prosecuting Inquisitor of this Holy Office of Mexico.
Bachiller Don Antonio Montoro, native of the Real y Minas de Sultepeque of this Archdiocese, thirty years old, prisoner in this city and its suburbs. For solicitation in the confessional Proof of crime:
On April 26, 1735 this offender presented himself in this Holy Office, and having been granted audience, he made the following declaration. Bachiller Don Antonio Montoro, 29 years of age, presbyter and resident of this Archdiocese has requested this audience in order to tell and denounce himself. Having been called by Bachiller Don Felix de Villa nueba parish priest of the district of |
|
only because of his weakness and wretchedness, abetted by a potion called mescalillo, an exceptionally hot [strong] medicine that he was taking day and night to cure a case of tertian fever [malaria]; that he had not been guilty of anything like this before, nor served as a bad example, and for all these reasons he has not been, nor was he, a heretic, apostate, or anything of the sort. And with the publication of this, his denunciation, he said that it was and happened as he said; and he said the same in chapter 2 of the aforementioned accusation in which an individual described what happened with the first solicited woman, who was not available to be examined. |
Pilcayan to help him administer the sacraments this past Holy Week. He did so in the town of Nochtepec, where he confessed various people, among them a woman whose name, surname, and status he does not know, but who seems to be an Indian, unmarried, about thirty years old, with whom the following occurred. She was confessing in an uncomfortable position because of some branches. He told her to straighten them, and she situated herself in front of him. Then he touched her inappropriately, telling her that her flesh should experience the fire to see if she would suffer the fires of Hell; nevertheless, there is no doubt on his part that this was solicitation ad turpia [solicitation to carnal sin], although he does not know if the woman he confessed took it as such. |
Ytem: he made a certain denunciation that with another woman, also Indian, married, a little older than twenty-two years of age according to his estimate, whom he encountered in the confessional and directed in confession, at the end of which the declarant left the confessional and went to a certain location in the said church. She followed him there, and he made the said denunciation, in which he undertook with her another impure touching; in both instances he touched her on her private parts, confirming that this instance was like the previous one, and he does not know what conclusion she came to.
Ytem: With another young woman named Juana,
also an Indian, who seems about 18-20 years old, who did not have a certificate confirming that she knows the prayers. She knelt at his feet, and seeing that she did not have the certificate, he told her to wait for him to examine her. After confessing one or two people the declarant went to his house followed by her and church officers. He examined her there, alone, in the room that served as his bedroom where he again indulged in illicit touching. He accuses and denounces himself to this Holy Office to the extent that it is a matter of its [the tribunal’s] purview and right, and for which he humbly asks to be absolved and punished in the
form and manner that corresponds to his spontaneous confession. That this is the truth, under oath, of what he has done, and he signs it. Br. Antonio Montoro.
Note that it is certain and verified that on the 23rd of last month the accused came to denounce himself at the Inquisidor Fiscal’s house, and was told to present himself to the Tribunal on the first available day. On the 26th the Tribunal received a letter from Br. Don Felix de Villa Nueba Arlanzon y Guemez, beneficed pastor and ecclesiastical judge of Pilcayan and its district dated the 22nd of said month (note that it is some 25 leagues from Mexico City) along with various records whose contents have the following tenor.
|
Regarding chapter 3 of the aforementioned accusation, he said that he had also confessed to the substance of this matter in his spontaneous self-denunciation, which amounted to a criminal solicitation subject to the Holy Office. In his view, it should not be considered more than a minor matter, so that his self-confession did not go into greater detail about the matter of this young woman. It was the result either of his agitation or a lapse of memory or because it did not seem essential in such as trifling matter. He concluded by saying that he did not think she could have lost her virginity. And to the statements of this and the other witnesses concerning this matter, he added that in the confessional there was no such illicit touching. Item: that she did not know Christian Doctrine. Item: that he had not |
That Juan Santos, a married man of said pueblo of Noxtepeque declared before said pastor (who signed it and wrote it by his own hand) that the accused had solicited a niece of his named Juana Antonia and had taken her from the confessional to his house and took her virginity on the pretext that he was going to examine her knowledge of Christian doctrine; and that on another day he sent a topil [servant] to get her. Her vigilant mother, having followed them to the house of the accused and entering the bedroom, saw her daughter on the bed with her petticoats lifted from behind and this criminal menacing her with a whip. He attempted to mollify the mother in a low voice, telling her that her daughter was an adult and that her |
|
put his hand over her mouth. Item: that the following day he had called her or given a sign in order to examine her and also to calm the scandal or rumor of the preceding day so it could not be said that on the pretext of said Doctrine he was continuing illicit acts with her. But having been called to administer Extreme Unction, when he returned from this errand he was told that this young woman had returned home. So, for the innocent reason already mentioned he had sent a servant to call her back. And lastly, that she returned with an aunt of hers who spoke to him of the past scandal, to which the accused replied |
body required a man, that she should leave her alone and not impede her marriage, if there is someone who may wish to marry her. And lastly, bringing her [home], her mother found in her sash two reales and a biscuit; and pressing her about this, she [Juana Antonia] said the accused gave them to her for having taken her virginity, taking her from the confessional. This declaration was made on March 31 of said year.
On April 4 of this year, the said pastor called the abovementioned Juana Antonia, |
|
That she [the aunt] should keep her [niece] in her house and try to teach her the Christian Doctrine because she was certain to be asked to give an account of it, and if she did not [learn it] the said young woman could lose the chance to marry. During the remaining two weeks that he was in this pueblo he did not ask after her or try to see her. |
he immediately and without hesitation reached under the covering and took one of her breasts in his hand. When she covered her breasts, he tried to grab them, and she called out twice “No, Father! No, Father!” Those who were present heard this and moved away. And the accused told her he could not confess her until he could ascertain if she knew the Doctrine, that she should get up and wait for him under the pulpit. After getting up and kneeling [below the pulpit] he gave her a sign to sit down. She did so, and after he finished confessing someone he got up and said “Let’s go.” He took her to his house and made her sit down, and said that this Spaniard [who was present there] would give them chocolate and then he [the accused] would test her on |
Doctrine. The accused spoke with him for a long time, and close to nightfall he left him seated by the door of the living room and took her hand and went into the bedroom where he told her she did not know the Doctrine well. She responded, kneeling, asking him to ask her again. He asked her [again] and grabbing a leather whip told her “you don’t know it,” and told her to get up and sit on this box. And when she resisted the accused lifted her up and set her down and immediately began to fondle her, which she resisted. Then he threw her down on his bed, putting one hand over her mouth and lifting her petticoats with the other. Seeing herself overwhelmed and frightened, and also unable to defend herself, he took her virginity and then
he gave her two reales and a biscuit and sent her home.
The next day she was going to Doctrine class with the other young women when the accused called to her. She took a walk and returned home, but at noon that day the accused sent sent a topil (that is, a messenger, sacristan, or community servant) for her and she obeyed. He took her into his bedroom, threw her on the bed, and raised her petticoats. Then her mother entered and had angry words with this accused, saying to him that the bedroom was no place to be teaching Christian Doctrine.
Item: that the topiles had let him run loose in that pueblo among the Indians and non-Indians, as they had also
|
Item: He said in his response to the aforementioned proclamation of [the testimony of] this and other witnesses concerning the said
young woman, that she had not confessed through the screen but in front of him. Item: that she did not present a certficate that she knows Christian Doctrine, for which reason he had examined her and seen (as he has said) that she did not know it. |
allowed the accused to take three Indian women to the cemetery and wishing to take one of them to his bedroom, which had caused a scandal. All three had gone out with the accused, and for that reason the people did not want to confess with him. Finally, she pleads with the said pastor and his assistant not to return her to her home because she was ashamed now that most of the townspeople knew what had happened. Miguel Martin and Manuel Bautista can testify to this. The pastor ordered they appear before him. The aforementioned Miguel Martin, Indian, 50 years old, fiscal of said pueblo, was examined in the same manner on the 6th of said month. He said under oath it was true that said Juan Antonia had gone to confess with the accused, and kneeling by a little grille he told her to get up and kneel in front of him, and that she resisted, saying no, Father two times, laughing [nervously?], and that according to what he could discern, the accused was going about |
|
The accused rebuked her with this, and she, herself, replied
“No, Padre. No, Padre,” which did not have the meaning ascribed by this and
other witnesses who, if they are men, should not affirm what they could not
see, considering that they had been sent out of the church because of the
preceding denunciation that he ordered for the other married woman. They did
not come back into the church, leaving about five women [in there]. He could
not identify them individually because he did not know them, being new to the
town. And lastly, it was not true that he would have wanted to beat with a
stick any other one [woman] since he did not use or have a stick in his
possession, and less for any other purpose than to examine them publicly as he
had done with others [women]. And everything else [he is charged with] was a
fraud, fiction, and exaggeration by the Indians, |
putting his hand on her breasts. When she got up, she went
and sat under the pulpit. Kneeling there, the accused motioned to her to sit, and
she did so. As soon as he finished confessing an Indian, without confessing any
of the others who were waiting, he got up and told the said Juana let’s go and
I will examine you on Christian Doctrine. The accused entered his house and the
witness remained outside. Seeing that at sunset he still did not know what had
happened, he wanted to enter, but the door from the street was guarded by a
Spaniard seated there. He went around to the bedroom side facing the plaza and
found a topil sweeping there who told him that rather than examining her about
Doctrine, the priest was doing the Sin. At that point the witness withdrew and
stayed under a tree until she came out. He asked her what he had done. She
replied that the accused had held her by force. Then, because of his duties |
|
who are not interested in Christian Doctrine or having a Spiritual Father. |
as fiscal, he stayed behind to assist the accused, answering that he had made public what had happened in the episode of the three Indian women, and that the women of the pueblo did not want to confess with him, and adding that they said they would wait for their pastor to confess them because the accused was crazy.
Blas Santos, also an Indian, 56 years old and cantor by occupation, said under oath that he had seen the said Juana Antonia in the confessional and that from the screen she had moved in front of the accused, but he had not seen whether he touched her. He saw her get up and sit under the pulpit. Meanwhile the witness confessed, and afterward he [the accused] told her to go to his house to be examined about Doctrine. On that pretext they left. Item: He said he had said that there had been an argument with other women that the accused wanted |
To this and other reports that have been mentioned, he said it was true that in coming to present himself [to the Inquisition] he passed by the house of the pastor of said pueblo and they spoke between the two of them about the said matter of the young woman, about which he [the accused] had only told him to present the suitable proof, that is if it existed or not.
Item: that during Holy Week he had only gambled Cientos [a card game] on one night or another purely for amusement with one Manuel Najara, without then or later gambling with any mulato, and certainly did not play cards on his own account or serve as Coyme [gambling house owner] because those who organized it were the said Najara and the Lieutenant |
to take to his house to examine them on Doctrina in his bedroom. His interrogation took place on the 6th.
The aforementioned pastor Villa Nueba in his referral of the matter on said day, the 22nd, says that as the accused passed by his house on his way to Mexico City, he [the pastor] reproached him privately, and without letting him know that he was referring the matter [to the Inquisition], about his excesses in taking a young woman from the confessional in order to deflower her, as he did, making loathsome a most necessary sacrament so that souls can be cleansed of their sins; and that for this reason his parishioners had not wanted to confess with him. To this, the accused replied that it was known (for she had been seen) that he had the Indian woman in his house and that he had whipped her but that it was false that he had robbed her of her |
|
of Titipac pueblo, from which he kept his distance and had more reason to absent himself from the confessional because of the remorse he already felt, and the desire he already had to present himself as soon as possible to the Holy Office. |
virginity; that he had taken her because she did not know the Doctrine and that she was a maiden as one could see from her firm breasts and slender neck, to which he would swear before a consecrated altar. The pastor concluded in his report that he had subsequently pursued other legal proceedings in pursuit of the truth in this matter, which he does not specify because they do not lead to the petition of crime now pending.
|
On August 8 this tribunal received a letter from the aforementioned pastor [of Pilcaya] dated the 5th in which he reports having carried out the following. To whit:
The ratification of said Juana Antonia carried out according to form on June 1, in which under oath she again expresses in detail all that she said before the aforementioned pastor alone. And she adds that in the confessional there was no enclosure and that before this confession the accused took Maria Antonia, Indian, married to Juan de la Cruz, behind the church door and was there for a long time with her, and that he called for an ink well and wrote [something], and afterward the two of them returned to the confessional and continued and finished that confession, followed by that of the
witness and also of the aforementioned three Indian women who the accused had asked about Doctrine in the presence of two fiscales; and that it was the truth, etc.
That [the testimony] of said Miguel Martin, given in the proper form on the said 10th of the month and also on the 18th maintained again, with equal detail, his declaration before the said pastor; and he answered in the matter of said Maria Antonia, married Indian, and that he had recently heard that it was more certain that the accused examined the said three Indian women about Doctrine in the presence of two fiscales without soliciting them or any of them entering his bedroom. That this was the truth.
Item: the examination and ratification on the same 10th and 18th days
|
To chapters 1 and 2 of said Accusation he said he has also confessed to the substance of this in his aforementioned spontaneous denunciation. In his view, it should not be considered more than a minor matter since he confessed to solicitation punishable by the Holy Office.
Item: that he sought an extra confesionem place for her |
given by the aforementioned Blas Santos again maintained with complete specificity and under oath what he said in his previous declaration; and answering in the matter of the other Indian woman, Maria Antonia, and concerning the conversation the accused had with her, while sending the people in the church outside except for the said Juana Antonia, maiden, and an old woman; and that this was the truth.
Said Maria Antonia, Indian, married to said Juan de la Cruz, 26 years old, was examined on June 12 and said under oath that on Monday, the preceding March 21 between three and four in the afternoon, this accused was seated in the confessional and she began to confess with him, and having |
|
[Maria Antonia] to make a certain denunciation against one Bernardo de la O, with whom she had been in an illicit relationship, and also because her husband had suspected this, he abused her, wounding her on one hand, the scars of which are apparent. As a result, his [the accused’s] desire to go to the home of the aforementioned woman was to catch the lover there so he could be brought to justice. To conclude, he said this was all true. When he approached her in the confessional about this, he was not sure whether he was already tempted by impure thoughts.
|
|
to the matter of the young woman, it was all exaggerations of the aforementioned Indians. |
this accused behind the main door of the church, and on a stair of the stairway up to the choirloft, he sat down. She knelt before him and he ordered everyone to leave the church except for the two Indian women already mentioned who were in the middle of the church. He told her to stop or get up, which she did. Right away he placed his hand on her left breast, and groping it he said to her, are you afraid, because your heart is beating fast. She answered, beloved Father, I don’t have a reason to be afraid because I have confessed, so won’t you absolve me? And then, letting go of her breast and putting |
his hand between her sash and stomach, said I’ll confess you some other day. Go to my house with me. She replied that she couldn’t because the people outside were watching and she had come to confess. The accused replied that if you don’t want to go to my house, I’ll go to yours. She responded that that could not happen either because her husband was very crazy, and for the love of God please absolve her. The accused continued with some half reasons about if he didn’t want want to or couldn’t; and at the same time he removed his hand from between her sash and stomach and lowered it, and over her skimpy clothing he groped and took hold of her private parts, asking her what her name was. And he called the fiscal to bring him an inkwell and wrote down her name, telling the fiscal to leave in the interim.
And finally she pressed the matter of the absolution on the pretext that it was late and her husband would reprimand her, he told her to follow him to the confessional. He sat down and she knelt before him and he absolved her, without delay or more questions. She got up and went home, with the said maiden Juana Antonia confessing, which occurrence, she had heard, resulted in the bad reputation that the accused acquired among the parishioners, who called him crazy and a bad priest, and for that reason not confessing with him and saying that if their pastor would not throw him out, they would come to Mexico (presumably to complain) and they would not send their daughters to pray so that this would not happen to them. And that this was the
| To this testimony, he repeated what he said about the matter, and as a result it didn’t seem to him that anything of the sort had happened, and at most one time he may have burst out in anger that he would beat or threaten to use it [the staff] of the fiscal, for there was no other [club handy]. |
Truth, and that the said confessional did not have any enclosure. She ratified her testimony on the 17th without adding anything else.
The examination of Antonia Garzia, Indian, married to Pedro Garzia, 38 years old, and that of Pasquala Maria, also an Indian, widow of Pasqual Gaspar, 35 years old. They said under oath that having been summoned on orders of the accused to come pray at his house, they did not want to go. It was not the custom, and they knew what had happened and what the accused had done with the said Juana Antonia in his house, after taking her from the confessional. And so he whipped them and when he |
attempted to go after them with a stick, the alcaldes pleaded with him to control himself, assuring him that they would find them and bring them to the cemetery where it was customary to examine them on said Doctrine. This mollified the accused. And lastly, they answered with regard to the recent difficult moment mentioned about the other three Indian women and the parishioners’ fear about confessing. And this was all true.
The pastor closed
the proceedings with a very long trial order, the substance of which comes down
to presenting the witnesses he examined and tidying up [his account] of the
accused’s behavior, imputing that
he had devoted much of his attention to promoting card playing, day and night, abandoning the confessional, etc.
Considering all of this, the Inquisidor Fiscal announced on August 18 that he had settled on the type of confinement, requesting that he [the accused] be treated as a spontaneous confessee. And so it was provided that same day, ordering the accused to confine himself to this city and its suburbs and present himself every third day under penalty of, etc. He was notified to this effect on the 25th.
On the 29th, he turned to order said pastor to undertake the secret search for, examination, and ratification of the first of the women solicited by the accused, to whom he refers in his denunciation. But instead he returned
another prolix report in which he ended by saying that he had not been able to find her, and that given the small number of families and proceedings undertaken, he was inclined to the conclusion that there had been no such solicitation. He went on to say, as he did in his previous report, that this would have to be the young woman Juana Antonia.
Trial Order
On August 29 the first official audience [hearing] took place. After the standard [questions were asked]—the question of if he knows or presumes, etc.—he said that he presumed it was the matter of solicitation since recently one Don Joseph de Estrada, parishioner of the said parish of Pilcaya and an acquaintance of his, had told him that in this city (although in secret) [the parish’s pastor] reported that the declarant
had solicited in the confessional a girl named Juana. This, along with the recent notification of confinement and order to appear before this tribunal every third day, led him to presume that one of the two had denounced something of the sort, which the declarant had divulged during the month of April, and to which he referred. He could find nothing else in his conscience to add. Being admonished, he remained there.
On August 31 and September 2 the other two official audiences [hearings] took place, with their admonitions. And he said that in spite of them [in spite of the time to reflect further], he had nothing to add and referred to his spontaneous appearance [before the court].
On September 16 the Accusation was entered, consisting of five chapters, to which he responded under oath in the margin of the trial record [that is, in the left margin of the preceding pages]
On the 26th of the same month he consulted with his attorney about it.
On October 3 he was presented with the witnesses’ testimony, to which he also responded under oath in the margin of the trial record.
On the 7th he consulted with his attorney [Dr. Romero] who requested all the relevant materials permissible for organizing the defense [in this court] since this was the first time he [the attorney] was responsible for a case before the Holy Office. And having prepared it in accordance with rights and proper form, he brought and presented it on the 11th of the month, alleging that this was a true
spontaneous [self-denunciation] deserving of no more than beneficial penances, considering all the favorable aspects, as a matter of justice.
And because it
is certain, in spite of the crime being one of the gravest and most atrocious,
that it is completely purged by his spontaneous appearance [to denounce himself
before the court], relieving him of any punishment, making him deserving only
of pardon and mercy, especially in this Holy Tribunal which especially values
and calls for repentance, and pays attention to and prefers benignity and
equity. And even though one might conjecture that he did not appear
spontaneously and should not enjoy its benefit because he feared being
denounced, especially when one of the deeds, which was the one involving the
young woman, had been made public, according to witnesses, and also because
other declarations had been made before his appearance [before the Holy Office], the following fundamentals counter [this conjecture]: first, the aforementioned declarations could never have reached his notice by any stretch of the imagination because the seal of secrecy could not have been broken in such a serious matter, and he could only have had a suspicion or presumption of them, which could not extend in all probability to another case than the one involving the said young woman since it had been made public; nevertheless, by the attempt to keep it hidden, for him it was confusing other than what he admitted, and he he had not heard what the witnesses said. All that was known was what happened in his house, which deed by itself
and without evidence of a forewarning in the confessional that she was to wait for him, and [the fact that he] went on to confess other people before going home, and having gone there without any intention of returning to the confessional did not constitute a crime of solicitation. And so, only for this deed in the form proposed the denunciation was not so terrible as it is echoed in the dressed up testimony of the witnesses saying that it had been public; and similarly and with greater reason it should be said about what they add concerning what happened with the same young woman the following day, and it being a deed separate and independent of the confession and the confessional; and as for teaching
Doctrine, for which they say he ordered her to attend to, that concerns another part of a pastor’s ministry. He found himself in that situation and did not proceed on that day to allow her in any way to confess. This is an essential circumstance for establishing whether the deed was solicitation.
Also, for someone to reasonably conjecture about those who denounced him, it would have to be one of the nearby pastors, that is, those from this district of Pilcaya and that of Teticpac because there are no other people so close at hand who are appropriate for such a denunciation, but he had such an assured reputation with them that one could never be persuaded that they knew anything to the contrary
when both agreed that he should settle in Teticpac so that from there he could help them with their priestly duties, serving Nostepec, which is part of Pilcaya [parish] and the pueblos further on belonging to the parish of Teticpac, whose pastor showed him the written response of the [pastor] of Pilcaya in which he agreed to this arrangement and agreeing, for his part, to pay him 150 pesos annually. And judging this fact to be useful to you in passing judgment, and necessary to his defense, I immediately request that an order be drawn up that the pastor of Teticpac testify to the content of this paragraph and present the letter, which is also acknowledged by
the [pastor] of Pilcaya, who should be called to testify about it. These proceedings should not be hampered by the dissemination of the witness testimony that has been taken because it touches upon a newly emergent article that is separate and distinct from what the proof in this case contained. And, furthermore, concerning the persons referred to [in the trial record], there is no suspicion of influence, suborning, or bribery. As a result, the dissemination of witness testimony for the said proceedings is not prejudicial, assuming it is judged appropriate [by the court].
Secondly, [we ask that] it be agreed to classify his [the accused’s] denunciation as spontaneous in spite of his previous declarations that said it was a matter of ignorance or the expectation that these proofs would not be brought forward. And it should be classified as spontaneous
also by because of other persuasive circumstances and conjectures, with one presumption canceling out another, and, ceteris paribus [other things equal], those favoring [spontaneity] should prevail, so that if having been denounced before it is presumed that it does not appear to be spontaneous, this presumption can be canceled out by others. By this reasoning you will find that, according to the competing circumstances, it is convincing that what moved him was the fear of being or having been denounced, and principally it was as he declared because of his conscience’s regret and the greater good of his soul.
Convincing evidence is that as soon as his guilt in soliciting occurred, from the passion that blinded him on the afternoon of the event, he stopped confessing people, as far as possible. Also convincing
is the important report that was circulated: even though it [his move to stop confessing] is called neglect, if it is accepted only in a favorable sense, it is certain that for him it [his sense of guilt] justified what previously had been unthinkable; that is, separating himself from the confessional. From this, one can infer the terror he felt over his guilt, because otherwise there would have been little to keep him from continuing to confess frequently.
Beyond this, as soon as [his guilty behavior] happened, he took to the road and came to this city to make his denunciation before the [Inquisidor] Fiscal on Saturday afternoon, April 23 of this year; and the aforesaid [Inquisidor Fiscal] ordered him to present himself to this tribunal the following Tuesday, the 26th of said month because Monday was a holiday. He could not
come [to the city] before then because he was helping the pastor of Pilcaya, who had called him to help out during that time of Lenten confessions and communions. He was very diligent in coming, for he did so right away during the week of Dominica in Albis [Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter Sunday].
Then in his denunciation it is well noted that in presenting his side, even with the blush of a criminal, he searched for a way to express his deeds so that he would completely unburden his conscience. And in the substance [of his denunciation] he left nothing out, as would be apparent later. Rather, he even admitted to another solicitation that, as far as I know, no witness mentioned. And so, from the time he denounced himself to the present, his tears have continued, especially every time this case comes up, and
his feeling of humiliation is constant, and he promptly obeyed this holy tribunal by coming forward, in spite of his naturally shy disposition, which is well known. All these circumstances display his true repentance, for which reason more than any other, he presented himself before you.
Neither can it be said that he was remiss in his declaration and that by this route he was relinquishing the benefit of spontanteity because, while there is substance [to this argument], there is no diminution [of spontaneity in this case]; and even in sacramental confessions, to which some authors refer, in the case of the spontaneous confessee who appears before a judge, opinion has it that the declaration of notabiliter agravantes [notably worse] circumstances is most probably not required because the
Council of Trent only mentions that they [the circumstances] only need to be confessed if they change [literally, if they change species], so that even in a case where it was certain that the touching of the breasts of the young woman in the confessional was not confessed, that is the weightiest [charge] brought forward by the witnesses, and this circumstance does not affect [change species] the crime of solicitation. It only changes the manner. So it is apparent that in omitting it (a matter that was certain), there is no substantial variation or diminution [of spontaneous denunciation].
And this being so in the matter of the aforementioned touching, with greater reason it applies to other circumstances that the witnesses add. I do not refer to them specifically so as not to bother you who, I have no doubt, will know how to distinguish and recognize that some
were well expressed in his self-denunciation in terms of indecent touchings and others that it is not necessary to state because they do not pertain to the crime of solicitation.
So that your benign selves may treat him with the customary gentleness that befits those who appear before being summoned, I don’t need to establish when the act about which the law is settled is notoriously consistent in this trial. And as for the reason he should not be tortured it also seems unnecessary to do more than point out that he confessed voluntarily without denying or casting doubt on his guilt, and if there is a wish
to impose torture with regard to the question of intentionality in the abuse of the sacrament, there is no case for that here since a confessor who has solicited is generally regarded as a perpetrator of a minor crime, and for torture [to be applied], vehement and very urgent suspicions are necessary.
As for the question of whether he should be condemned to abjure [resign the priesthood?] even though the transgression is minor—although it is true that for this to happen even suspicion in a minor transgression is enough, which as I said applies to the confessor [accused of] solicitation—I also said that it [not being condemned to abjure] was not out of the ordinary and is one of the exceptions that is evident in other cases. Those who read or have the Books of Heretics will recognize that this is forbidden
when the coincident circumstances eliminate the suspicion. The authors say that the judges must attend to this consideration, and you have before you [the fact] that [the accused] voluntarily denounced himself and even added another solicitation that no one else had denounced, that he was not obstinate and unrelenting in his guilt[ty acts]. On the contrary, he quickly separated himself from the confessional and came and appeared [before the tribunal] as soon as he had the opportunity. Also, at his age it is necessary or natural that the passions of sexual desire are more alive; that the solicitations all took place on one afternoon and in rapid succession; that in a certain way they are connected and it is very
certain that they sprang from a single [episode of] passion, and the signs of his true penance are unceasing. I ask you to keep in mind these circumstances and the other favorable [reasons adduced] so that your kindness arrives at [a just verdict], casting aside what is prejudicial and without omitting—rather, taking into account for his defense—the defects of the witnesses, as you come to a definitive or other [kind of] sentence that is most appropriate. I ask that you decide ][the case in this manner. I ask for justice. I swear in the proper and necessary form, etc.
Doctor Romero --------- ---------
And he concluded definitively by saying that in order to save a little time he waived the aforementioned proceedings requested in his written [petition].
The fiscal was notified of this.
| Votes |
In deliberations on October 21, 1735 the Inquisitors, the Ordinary, and advisers took a vote in the tribunal in the presence of the court’s secretaries on this accused who is without merits [of his own]. He is to be severely reprimanded for his excesses; ordered to renounce them [de levi—in a matter regarded as of secondary importance?]; suspended from confessing women until he is forty years old, and after that his behavior will be evaluated by the Tribunal to determine if the suspension should be extended; he is to be exiled from the parishes of Pilcayan and Tetipac and their jurisdictions for a period of three years; he is to fast on Fridays during the first year |
his health permitting, and on Saturdays that first year he is to pray the Little Office of Our Lady; and within a month he is to make a general confession, if he has not already done so. After he has been detained by order of the tribunal, he is to demonstrate to the tribunal that he has complied. And the Ordinary is to see that he is not permitted to confess men either for two years.
Issued on October 29, 1735.