Miguel Antonio Dundana, alias Maleti, a native of the city of Coni, in
Piedmont, aged twentyfour years, a soldier in the regiment called the
Queen’s Dragoons, confined in the secret prison of this tribunal on the
sixth day of December last, for heretical speeches. On the tenth,
fourteenth, and seventeenth of the same month, the customary audiences
were held, in which the prisoner confessed nothing to the point. On the
last day he nominated for his counsel, Dr Manuel Bonvehi, who accepted
the trust, and the confessions of the prisoner were ratified. The
accusation was then presented, to the several articles of which the
prisoner replied on the sixteenth and nineteenth of the same month,
declaring that some of them were false, and some true; but that he had
uttered the words in mere jest. On the twentieth, an audience was held,
in which the prisoner conferred with his counsel concerning his defence,
and ratified the answers made to the articles of the accusation, making
an end by calling for the proofs. On the same day, letters were sent to
the other Inquisitions, requesting that their records might be inspected
to know if any proceedings existed against this person. On the eleventh
of the present month, a commission was granted to ratify the testimony
for a decisive trial.
March, 1737.
On the sixteenth of this month, the ratifications of the testimony were
received in the tribunal, the business having been delayed on account of
the great diversity of quarters occupied by the regiment of the Queen’s
Dragoons.
May, 1737.
On the eighth, ninth, and tenth of April, the testimony was given in
publication, and a copy of the same given to the prisoner, that he might
arrange his defence by the help of his counsel. On the eleventh, an
audience was held, in which he conferred with Dr Manuel Bonvehi, his
advocate, and on the second of May, an audience was held, in which his
defence was received. On the ninth of the same month, the commission and
papers relating to the affair, were sent for.
June, 1737.
The papers were not received this month, on account of the difficulty in
finding the requisite persons, but it is expected the business will be
accomplished shortly.
July, 1737.
On the sixth of this month, the papers were received, and on the eighth
the prisoner communicated with his counsel. On the seventeenth, the
testimony against him was attested _in plenario_, and his condemnation
confirmed. On the twentyninth, the proceedings of the trial were
examined, and the Reverend Father M. Fr. Mariano Anglasell being
present in the capacity of Judge Ordinary of the bishopric of Solsona,
it was unanimously ordered that the prisoner be put to the regular
torture; which sentence was ordered to be previously submitted to your
Highness.
September, 1737.
On the thirtieth of August, your Highness confirmed the above sentence,
and ordered that the torture should be given _ad arbitrium_, to extort a
confession of the acts and intentions of the prisoner. The papers
relating to the trial which had been forwarded, were received back on
the seventh of the present month. The prisoner being under the hands of
the physician, on account of his health, the torture could not be
applied till the twentieth, when the physician having certified that he
was then in a condition to endure it, an audience was held, and the
charges against the prisoner repeated, to which he answered that he had
nothing to reply, further than what had been already said. He was then
apprised of the sentence against him, and despatched to the torture
room, where he confessed that he had uttered many of the assertions
imputed to him, but that it was done in sport, and at times when his
companions had intoxicated him, and he was not conscious of what he
said, believing in his heart the contrary to what he had uttered.
On the twentyfifth, an audience was held, in which he confirmed without
alteration, what he had confessed under the torture, adding that he had
made other assertions of the like nature, all for the motive above
stated, and without entertaining inwardly any belief contrary to the
precepts of the Holy Mother Catholic Church. In this manner the prisoner
attempted to palliate his heretical speeches. On the twentyseventh, his
confessions having been examined, they were attested, and the censure
previously passed upon him confirmed, by which he was declared to be
strongly suspected in the faith. On the twentyeighth, a final decision
was given in the presence of Father P. Mro. Fr. Mariano Anglasell as
Ordinary, and the prisoner was sentenced unanimously to be brought into
the hall of the tribunal, and there, with open doors before the Secret
Ministers, and with the insignia of his offences, to hear his
condemnation read, make an abjuration _de vehementi_, be absolved _ad
cautelam_, be severely reprehended, admonished, and warned, and then to
be banished from this city, Madrid, the Court of His Majesty, and the
town of Guisona and Tarragona, to a distance of eight leagues, for the
period of eight years; the first five of them to be spent in
confinement, in some garrison in Africa, to be fixed upon for this
purpose, and that he be previously intrusted to the care of some learned
person to receive instruction in the faith.
November, 1737.
On the sixteenth of October your Highness was pleased to order that the
prisoner attend at an _auto de fe_ if one should occur soon, otherwise
to be led to some church in the guise of a penitent, and there hear his
sentence read, make an abjuration _de levi_, be severely reprehended,
admonished, and warned, and banished for life from Spain, after passing
five years of confinement in the garrison of Oran, where he should be
put under the care of some learned person, to receive instruction in the
mysteries of our Holy Faith. On the third of November, the sentence was
executed in the church of Sta Agueda. The same day he was sworn to
secrecy, and despatched to the Royal Prison of this city, thence to be
transported to his confinement in Oran. A letter was sent to Father Fr.
Pablo de Colindus at that place, intrusting to him the instruction of
the prisoner.
Inquisition of Barcelona, Nov. 28th, 1737.