JOSEPH GASULL, _Presbyter Notary_.
* * * * *
In the city of Gerona, on the twentysecond day of June, one thousand
eight hundred and seven, before Dr Narciso Coll, Presbyter, Inquisitor
Honorary, and Commissary appointed for this investigation, and me,
Joseph Gasull, Presbyter Notary, sworn to preserve secrecy and perform
faithfully our duties, appeared, voluntarily, and made oath to declare
the truth and preserve secrecy in everything which she knew, and about
which she might be interrogated, a person calling herself Eulalia
Forcat, of the city of Barcelona, aged about thirty years, a nun, and
attendant upon the foundlings in the Royal Hospicio of this city.
Questioned, if she knew or suspected the cause of her being summoned to
appear by the Holy Office.
Answered, that she did not know.
Questioned, if she knew or had heard that any person had said or done
anything which was or appeared to be contrary to our Holy Catholic
Faith and Evangelical Law, or against the just proceedings of the Holy
Office. Answered, that at present she could remember nothing.
Questioned, if she knew or had heard that any Ecclesiastic had practised
irregularities towards any person of the other sex in hearing them often
at confession.
Answered, that all she knew was this; about two years ago she served as
a domestic in this city, along with Agustina Buxeras, who afterwards
lived in the family of Puigcech, a button maker, in the Plazuela de
Basea in Barcelona, and being at that time in the house of Señores
Francisco Galup and Cayetano, merchants, in the Calle de la Merced in
Barcelona, she heard, on several occasions, the said Agustina declare
that on confessing herself to the Reverend Father Fr. Antonio Puig, of
Barcelona, of the order of San Francisco de Asis, he had ordered her
many times at evening to go into a room at the entrance of the church of
the Convent of San Francisco, on the right hand, where he disciplined
her and caused her to do the same to herself, and that, he had done this
also at the house of the abovementioned Señores Galup. This the deponent
learned from the mouth of the said Agustina, and furthermore by
examining her person on the second occasion, when she found her
posteriors were black and blue, and that she had evidently been severely
handled.
The said Augustina also informed her that in one or more of these
instances while she was in the room with the abovementioned Confessor,
at the entrance of the Convent, he had taken off her petticoat and stays
to give her the discipline; at the same time he uncovered his back,
which she supposed was done for the purpose of exhibiting the effect of
his flagellation. These confessions and disciplines continued, as the
deponent learned, for some time, when finding that he did nothing to
effect her admission as a nun into some Convent, of which she was
desirous, she left him and sought another Confessor. What other things
were done was not known.
The deponent was then informed that information had been received in
this Holy Office that on the time above specified, while she was
confined to her bed by some indisposition, her Confessor had paid her a
visit, and in conversation upon penal mortifications he had uncovered a
part of her body, examined it, and touched with his hands the places
where she exercised her discipline, demanding if she felt any pain while
he was touching them. Therefore, by virtue of the oath she had sworn,
she was exhorted to bethink herself, reflect attentively upon the
matter, and declare the truth.
Answered, that this was all true; that it occurred in the abovementioned
house of the Señores Galup, with the aforesaid Father Fr. Antonio Puig,
her Confessor, and that on this occasion she did not confess herself to
him. She did not remember how long she had then gone without confessing,
nor how long she deferred afterwards confessing to the same person. She
however continued in company with him but without ever speaking of the
matter. She knew not whether the abovementioned Father had ever
solicited any person during confession or at any other time, nor had
ever heard that any person has declared that there was no obligation to
denounce such things to the Holy Office, but has heard the contrary from
her present Confessor, Father Fr. Vicente Xaus, a monk of the same
order, and now a conventual in this city of Gerona.
Questioned, what was the age and personal appearance of the said Father
Fr. Antonio Puig, also his condition, residence, &c.
Answered, that she believed him to be under forty years of age, that he
was of a middling height, rather thin, with a handsome face, large black
eyes and eyebrows, hair and beard a little whitened, and that she
believes he resides in Barcelona as one of the four ordinary Confessors
of the aforesaid Convent.
The above having been read in her presence, she affirmed that it was
correctly recorded conformably to her declaration; that she had nothing
to add or alter respecting it, as it was the truth; and that it was not
uttered by her out of malice or ill will against the abovementioned
ecclesiastic, but solely to discharge her conscience. Secrecy was
enjoined upon her, which she promised, and being unable to write, I, the
said commissary sign in her name.
NARCISO COLL, _Commissary,
and Presbyter for the Deponent_.