The Eternal Jew’s Tale, #159, Inquisition, 3

In this episode… what stands as evidence?

The Eternal Jew’s Tale
Twentieth Era, Part 1, ~1438 C.E., Enrique’s Tale, 3

October 17, 1435
[Shabbat, and beginning of Sukkot holy days — again, this date added by me, Saadia][Repeats previous formalities, but Judges arrive after prime this time — note added by me, Saadia]

Oath repeated. Defendant sits.
“Señor Nuñez tell the Court: have you searched your memory? Do you remember anything that you failed to tell the Court before? Confession will free your soul of sin, and inspire leniency from the Court.”
“Your Honors, these many days I have searched my heart, but did not find anything to cause me guilt.”

“Is it true, then, that you never sinned in thought or deed with nun or maid?”
“Surely, every man has thoughts sinful or inclined towards sin. And such thoughts I frankly confess monthly as befits a priest. But never with woman have I sinned, not forcefully nor with consent.”

“Then tell us why so many cells in Santa Clara are empty now, when not a week before your arrest every cell was occupied. And we can not find your devoted maids. Hid, they are, in their old haunts, or fled from the Law to other lands. Why did these women run away if there be no sin hidden there?”

At length the defendant silently sits before he responds to the inquiry.
“I cannot account for why they have gone.”
Again the Court reminds the accused that he is under oath to confess all his memories and all his sins. Still, the defendant does not confess.

Court is adjourned. Defendant is led out. I lock the doors. Bells of terce.

October 31, 1435
[Rosh Chodesh Cheshvon, and Shabbat, both holy days — note added by me, Saadia]
[Official repetitive details left out.]

“Let the Court reiterate one more time your obligation to tell the truth and reveal the hidden facts of this case. Confess your secrets and lies and sins. And let us remind you, we have no doubt that you are guilty. This Court is not frivolous. We have gathered the facts: evidence, confessions, certain reports. The charges against you are mortal sins. So let us repeat this warning to you: do you have further facts to confess?”
“Your Honors, contrite, I have searched my soul and placed my life into your hands, wracked as I am with tremulous fear. But I don’t know what you want me to say. I have nothing to hide from you.”
[Repetitive details here left out — note by me, Saadia]

December 5, 1435
The Court presents the following facts in the case against an ordained priest, Enrique Nuñez, presbyter of the convent attached to Santa Clara: charged with committing immoral acts that violate the sanctity of the Church and Our Savior’s natural Law.

On November 1 Nuñez was moved to the torture room as his prison cell, but this did not inspire him to confess his sins, so we arrested a close compatriot of his, and placed him in Nuñez’s cell, and hired a guard to listen and observe from a secret spy-hole all that they did. He reported to us that they engaged in nefarious acts of sodomy, and they often spoke in the devil’s tongue. And many times they declaimed the Church as evil, Her ways corrupt.

This report was read in the Court. The accused was then allowed to respond.
“This is all a pack of lies. Who is the witness that makes this accusation? Bring him here, that eye to eye I may interrogate the man.”
This request the Judges dismissed.
“The Court’s secrecy is sacrosanct. Our witnesses are anonymous to allow them to speak with honesty and to assure their safety from revenge.”

[Repetitive details here left out — note by me, Saadia]
Thus found guilty of a mortal sin and corrupting the sanctity of the Church, and undermining society, Nuñez was tortured until he confessed. The Court then relaxed him to the state who had him burnt in a public square.

Here the Court’s transcript ends along with its proceedings against the accused, Enrique Nuñez, presbyter.

=================

Now, what am I to do with this? Where to publish? Who to tell? And of the convent, who can say what happened to its hidden Jews. So let the Lor of all the worlds judge this court and judge this church. And those who are worthy in this world, are jury for the Court of courts.

A ramble:
Oh, the Lor is woven into this world in waves our mind can’t comprehend. Consider these details, true but strange:
Trade with China has brought much art and fanciful treasures through our hands. Here’s a boxful of tiny blocks carved for making miniature prints. Such talent to serve useless ends! But who can say what change will cascade? Now we hear from Strasbourg on Rhine a man is using tiny blocks with letters carved out of their faces to print whole books, many of them. And in Florence and Venice lenses are cut to help an old man read a book. And not long aft, from these same places, hand cannons are being invented that shoot out balls to kill men before their eyes grow weak with age. A place of virtue, or a place depraved? And here come the Osman Turks from the east breachin’ the walls of the Byzantines, until that empire has crumbled away, while all of Europe watches, aghast. But me, I shed no tear for them who trod on us Jews with utmost contempt. And wherever I turn, conflict and war upheavin’ lives and burnin’ up the plans each person makes to sustain theirselves. Til justice is just another word for enslavin’ the poor to serve the rich. And many a reformer has writ his book and now must refute it or flee the law. Ruin and chaos, dismay and despair succeed. Parents build and children must sift thru the embers and start again.

But here in Portugal, bathed in light, and here in Sagres on a spur of land… The earth’s horizon curves around more than 300 degrees in blue. Sea and sky, breeze and tide unfurl us into a thousand dreams.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the next episode, meetings with remarkable men.