ANDRES FERNANDEZ DE LA CUESTA,
_Presbyter Commissary, Notary_.
* * * * *
In the city of Barcelona, on the twentysecond day of March, one thousand
eight hundred and ninetytwo, before Dr Andres Fernandes de la Cuesta,
Presbyter and Commissary of the Holy Office, by virtue of a commission
from the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition of Catalonia, and me,
Francisco Junca, Presbyter Notary, appointed for this investigation,
sworn to preserve secrecy and perform faithfully the duty,--appeared
according to summons, and made oath formally to declare the truth and
preserve secrecy, Francisco Beau, clerk, a native and inhabitant of
Barcelona, and residing in the Calle dels Tallers, in the house of the
Earthen Ware Company, on the second floor, of age, as he stated,
thirtyeight years.
Questioned, if he knew or conjectured the cause of his being summoned to
appear.
Answered, that he supposed it might be for the purpose of inquiring
about the following matter. Being one day at dinner, in the tavern of
Domingo ----, in the Calle de la Paja, he heard a certain Estruch, and
another person who was a fifer in the Walloon Guards, talking about the
French affairs. The said fifer spoke against the christian religion and
Spain, and Estruch opposed him. Among other things in the conversation,
this fifer observed that he believed only three things; but what these
were, the deponent could not recollect--it was so long ago--only one of
them, as it appears to him, related to giving charity. He declared that
he possessed many books, and was not afraid of the Inquisition, for he
had already been engaged in some disputes relative to a woman, which had
come under the cognisance of the Holy Tribunal, or some of the officers.
More of the conversation than this, he does not remember.
The deponent was then told that information had been received and sworn
to, that a certain person had uttered, in his presence, and in that of
others, the following assertions; _that fornication was no sin, and as
to the rest, the whole was made good by giving charity to the poor_.
Other persons having mentioned the commandments, he replied, that they
were all fulfilled by giving alms. Speaking disrespectfully of the
church, he asserted, _that the friars and chaplains did nothing but eat
and stuff their paunches; that the church sought nothing but her own
interest, collecting tithes from one year’s end to another; that the
Pope had no more power than any other man; that he did not believe in
the decalogue, nor the obligation to hear mass and confess, but only
that there was a God, and that men were bound to give to the poor, and
not steal_. The conversation turning upon the miracles performed by the
intercession of the Saints, he asserted _that he believed none of them,
because he had not witnessed them_. Those of Christ being mentioned, he
made this remark;--‘_What a length of time from that period to 1791! and
yet you believe them!_’ thereby giving it to be understood that he did
not believe them.
The deponent was therefore admonished in the name of God our Lord, and
his Glorious and Blessed Mother, Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, to bethink
himself and declare the whole truth.
Answered, that he heard the whole of these assertions except the first
and last, relating to the miracles.
Questioned, why he had not given information of what he had heard to the
Holy Office, inasmuch as it was so directly contrary to Our Holy
Religion and Evangelical Law.
Answered, that he was so occupied with his dinner, and the debates going
on, that he never thought of the obligation.
Questioned, from what cause and motive, and to what end the said fifer
uttered these scandalous expressions; how many times, and what persons
were present. Also, whether he was mad or drunk at the time, and whether
he had been rebuked; how many times this was done, and if he abstained.
Answered, that he knew nothing of the cause, motive, or end of these
words being spoken; that they were uttered only once at the noon above
specified, in the sight and hearing of the deponent. That the persons
present were the abovementioned Domingo, and a certain Juan, who, he
believed, resided in the Calle Condal, next the house of Dr Juncia, on
the second or third floor; also another person whom he did not remember;
that he judged him to have been in his right mind, having asked the said
Domingo in the presence of Estruch whether this man had not drunk too
much, to which he replied that it could not be the effect of the wine,
as he had, on other occasions, drunk more. That he did not recollect
whether he was rebuked, but only that they kept disputing.
Questioned, what was the personal appearance and age of the said fifer.
Answered, that he was of a middling size, about forty years old, and had
been the gardener of the citadel; that he belonged to the grenadier
company of Brias, according to his own statement.
The whole of the above is the truth according to the oath sworn by the
deponent, who also declared that the declarations were not made by him
out of malice or ill will, but solely to discharge his conscience. The
whole being read in his hearing, was declared by him to be correctly
recorded, and he added his signature.
FRANCISCO BEAU.
DR ANDRES FERNANDEZ DE LA CUESTA,
_Presbyter and Commissary_.