Spanish Inquisition Monologue

The Inquisition

“They are getting closer!” my wife trembles beside me. “Hush, darling, we must be still.” I quietly remind her. Suddenly, the clearing is full of loud voices and torchlight. My young son yelps in fright as he is torn away from his mother, and I am thrown into a cart full of dirty, bedraggled villagers. Helpless, I watch as he is left alone in the clearing, while I am carted off to who-knows-where and my lovely wife is left lying unconscious in the dirt and leaves. The Inquisition has begun.
I sit up rather quickly, trembling. I had another nightmare. Slowly, I climb out of bed, careful not to disturb my wife as she sleeps. I tiptoe down the hall, and check in my children’s rooms. All sound asleep. The street is

quiet; I cannot even hear any cars passing by. I make my way into my office and sit heavily in my chair. The same dream has occurred to me over the past few weeks. It is becoming increasingly persistent, and I do not know what it means.
The next day, as I am on my way to my class, I think about the dreams I have been having.

All of them contain some element of the Inquisition. Coincidently, the course I am teaching is about to start a section studying the Inquisition. Today is the day I begin to prepare for my presentation. Maybe I can find something while researching.
The Inquisition itself is a very broad field of research. When one hears the word “Inquisition,” the main thing that comes to mind is the Spanish Inquisition. But in reality, the Inquisition was not restricted to just Spain. It started in Rome, the Holy City itself.
In 1231, Pope Gregory IX instituted the Papal Inquisition. The name Inquisition comes from the Latin word inquiro, which means “inquire into.” The main goal of the Inquisition was to rid the world of those who did not agree with the Catholic Church. These heretics, as they were called, were not only captured and put on trial, but also brutally tortured. If a person was suspect of saying something heretical, there was no escape. Once caught by the Inquisition, a person was rarely ever heard from

again.
The Inquisition had several different time frames. In 1231, Pope Gregory IX issued an edict marking the beginning of the Papal Inquisition. In 1478, Pope Sixtus IV authorized the founding of the Spanish Inquisition. In 1483, Tomas de Torquemada was named Inquisitor General of Spain. In 1540, the Portuguese Inquisition was founded. In 1542, Roman Inquisition was signed into existence by Pope Paul III.
During the 1600s, pressure was put on the Inquisitors to relent towards their victims.

Instead, they increased their persecution. The Spanish Inquisition was officially defeated in 1834, after almost thirty years of debate among the royalty of Spain. Interestingly, the Roman Inquisition is still in existence today; only under another name. In 1908, the Roman Inquisition was given the new title of “Holy Office.” The name was changed again in 1965 to “Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith.” Although the Inquisition may still be alive, it does not serve any purpose today other than to spread Catholic knowledge, just as harmless as any other religion. I was thankful to learn

that!
Because the Roman Catholic Church held a strong influence over many different countries, the Inquisition was divided up into several different sections. Of course, the headquarters were in the Vatican. The most common section of the Inquisition that is referred to most often is the Spanish Inquisition. Obviously located in Spain, it became known rather rapidly for its outstanding methods of treating its victims. The tentacles of the Roman Inquisition, called Tribunals, extended throughout Europe and Northern Africa. The Inquisition literally had eyes and ears everywhere.
We have been traveling for three days now. My fellow prisoners and I have been locked up in a jail cart, and we have not been allowed any freedom to stretch our legs. Meanwhile, the guards have built camp every night, and we can smell the stew they are cooking. My stomach growls as the savory scent reaches my nostrils. Every morning they toss in a few handfuls of stale bread, but only those who are close to the window are lucky enough to grab a morsel to eat. I have learned that some of my fellow travelers have been incarcerated for a few years, and are used to this constant shuffling around. Apparently the Inquisition is not as speedy in their trials as they would like the villagers to think they are.
I slowly shake my head as I try to recall every detail of my dream. As I continue to prepare notes for my upcoming lecture, I stumble across some startling images. Most do not realize that many people were actually brutally treated during the Inquisition. Today, torture is not something we see. Pieces of art depicting the horrendous cruelties the victims suffered are our window to viewing what life looked like during that time.
The Inquisition even produced several written works. In 1460, Alfonso de Espina wrote The Fortress of the Faith against Jews, Muslims and other Enemies of the Christian Faith. This book contained information on how to distinguish a heretic from among the common people. Also, several “guides” were written for the Inquisitors. These included instructions on how to behave around a victim while preparing him for his punishment. According to Tomas de Torquemada, they were to go about the process “slowly and deliberately, with halting steps; in order to frighten the accused into confession.” But the Inquisition not only produced instruction manuals on how to properly torture its victims. It also caused those who disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church to stand up and publish their beliefs. In 1517, Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses. In 1536, Calvin published his first copy of his Institutes of the Christian Religion. So not only did the Inquisition come up with literature to promote its own cause, it also produced a counterattack.
I have been waiting in this cell for how long, I have no idea. It could have been a few weeks, it could have been years for all I know. When I first arrived, we were led deep into a dark fortress. Down many flights of stairs, until I lost count. My fellow prisoners and I have been locked up in a large dungeon, with no windows. There is no way for us to tell if it is day or night. Occasionally, a guard will come in and select a person. That person never comes back. We do not know what happens. Is he released? Or are the stories true? Judging from what we have experienced so far, I dread the day the Inquisitor comes for me.
The Inquisitors. The men who mercilessly handed out orders of torture and cruelty. Who were these men, and how were they chosen for the all-important job of Grand Inquisitor? Most Inquisitors were actually friars or monks. They were selected from their ranks and given great power. Tomas de Torquemada was by far the most notorious. Appointed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, he was known for his ruthlessness. Before his appointment as Grand Inquisitor, the Inquisition did not wield nearly as much terror. But after Tomas was given control, he quickly revised the rules to fit his liking. If someone was rumored to be a heretic, that person was hunted down. The victim would then be locked up, and possibly tortured before he was even put on trial. The trials would consist of nothing more than a chance for the accused to confess his heresy. He was not told what he was accused of, nor was he allowed any defendants. In most cases, he would not even know who his accuser was. If the victim confessed to his accused heresy, he was given the punishment associated with that heretical act. If not, he was taken to the torture chambers.
The people who suffered the most at the hands of the Inquisition were most often those of different ethnic backgrounds, or different religious beliefs. Obviously, those who did not agree with the Roman Catholic Church were targets. Jews, Muslims, and Christians were common sufferers. Also, the Inquisition was in charge of hunting down those who were rumored to practice witchcraft or sorcery.
One day, we noticed a change in the behavior of the guards. They seemed hurried, and were more brutal in their treatment of us than normal. Suddenly, the door to our holding cell opened, and in filed a few monks. Behind them came another man; he carried himself with an air of great importance. A chair was carried in, and positioned in front of us. He took his seat, and the monks lined up on either side. The room was silent as he stared at us and we stared at him. Suddenly, he spoke.
“Many of you are probably wondering why you have been held here. I am here to bring enlightenment to your poor, misguided souls. You have been misled by certain men who call themselves ‘teachers,’ but have not attended the schools of our Holy Roman Church. They have been feeding you lies; you have been brought here to recant from your heretical ways and pledge yourselves to our Holy Roman Church.”
The teachings of the Roman Catholic Church during the Inquisition could best be described as unsound. Although the Church was originally based upon the teachings of the Bible, as the years passed, and new popes rose to power, the Church strayed from their original teachings. Each release of a papal bull allowed more and more freedom to the Inquisitors. For example, originally torture was against the views of the Church. By the end of the Inquisition, a papal bull was issued that stated the monks could recant from any sins they committed during the torture of their victims. The teachings of the Roman Catholic Church shifted dramatically, from one end of the spectrum to the other. It appears that to the rulers of the time, the end justified the means. As long as the accused confessed to his heresy, the way they got the confession did not matter.
But what was actually viewed as heretical? What could a person do that attracted the attention of the Inquisition? Anyone who even questioned the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church was immediately suspect. Most of the victims were actually falsely accused. The Inquisition was a blood-thirsty predator, and as soon as they were informed that there may be a heretic in a location, they hunted the individual down. No concrete evidence was required. If a person so much as talked to another suspected heretic, they were also considered a heretic.
We have been moved to another holding area, this one even larger. An unfamiliar stench fills the room. As we are placed in stocks, we cautiously take in our new surroundings. There are numerous contraptions around the room. My attention shifts to another captive being led into the room by the guards, with the monks following. He is placed on a table, and strapped down. Then, a monk starts to turn a crank. As I realize what is happening, my heart sinks. The stories are true. As the screams and cries of the poor man grow louder, I turn my head, trying to remove the scene from my mind.
My dream last night was the worst so far. I have reached the section of my research I am most dreading. Torture. Slowly dismembering a body while keeping the victim alive. How on earth would a person be able to do that? Unfortunately, there are some human beings that take joy in the torment of others. Scientifically, there had to be some research involved for the Inquisitors to come up with such cruel methods of inflicting punishment.
The favorite tools used by the Inquisitors were the rack and the pulley. The victim would be strapped down on the rack, and stretched. While his appendages were being pulled apart from his body, he would be begged by his tormentors to confess. In some cases, the victim’s arms and legs would be torn off before a confession was secured. On the pulley, the victim would be lifted into the air, and weights would be attached to his feet. He would then be left hanging, and eventually his joints would dislocate. Other torture techniques included mutilation, strangulation, and burning the victims alive.
Light. I see light! When I woke up this morning, I noticed the guards were gone, and our door was open. Cautiously, I made my way through the halls. I approached the outer gate, barely able to contain my joy at the thought of being free at last! As I crossed the threshold, I realized that the fortress had been abandoned. As I traveled on, I passed through a village. There was celebrating on every street corner. I heard many cheers, and suddenly the most joyful statement I could hear reached my ears. “The Inquisition is over!”
Finally, my research is done. I feel as if I have had to censor my every word; as if the Inquisition was still alive today and would condemn me of heresy. Before, I never really thought about the Inquisition, and what it meant. I always just thought of it as a time in history where one religion persecuted another. Just looking at the surface, that is exactly what it is. But by digging deeper, I have realized that there is so much more to the Inquisition than that. It was truly a time of terror, and no one was safe. I cannot help but feel a sense of relief as I wrap up my final notes. I thank God that I have the freedom to believe whatever I want, without having the fear of being condemned for my beliefs. But this project has helped me be a little more grateful than usual.