THe Inquisitors of Spaine hauinge practised a longe time to entrappe and ouer­throwe all the secreet pro­fessors of Christe Iesus which might bee founde in that Land, procured their officers and ministers to attache and appre­hend such as did any way deale contrary to the lawes of their holy house, or varrie in religion from the ordinaunces and detestable decrees of the Church of Rome: For wee are to note and may easilye coniecture that although the people of Spaine, are for the most parte gi­uen to imbrace Idolatrie and superstition, yea and to be aduersaries and sworne enemies to gods truth and to the fauourers thereof: yet may we be assured that among so many, there is doubtlesse some that are of the contrary o­pinion, such as not onely feareth God, but also are secret imbracers of his truth, yea and such [Page] as shunneth not to teach and instruct othersse­cretly, in the principles of Christian religion. Among whom one Doctor Cacalla a very lear­ned man, who sometime had beene Chaplin vnto the Emperour Charles he fifte, beeing heereof greatly suspected, was suddainely at­tached and openly accused to be a Lutheran, Heriticke, and thereby an vtter enemie to the Church of Rome: whereupon he with sundry others his fauourers were sent to prison who remained there a longe space while in the meanetime, the whole house, stocke and lin­nage of Madam de biuero, were all also atta­ched and sent to prison for the said cause, who would not shunne in prison openly to saye and offer to prooue with the losse of their liues, That the religion of Spaine was false, abho­minable, full of superstition and idolatry, and that God blessed England for professing of his truth. The names of which persons, the Popes ministers there neuer ceased till they had giuen ouer vnto the Inquisitors who soone after being openly denounced for Heretickes, were brought to Veledolid, the place where for the most part the King of Spaine commonly kept his Court, there was the sentences pub­lished against those Godly professors, where according to the tenour thereof the prissoners were to bee executed for example to others, with many circumstaunces and seremonies hereafter insuing.

Whereupon as well for the proceedinge to iudgement, as also for the due execution of [Page] their sharpe and bitter lawes continually put in execution in those causes, there was erected a large Skaffold in the middest of the greate market place of the said Citty of Valedoled, be­tween S. Frauncis Church and the holy house. Whereupon was placed a chaire of sixe steps high, for euery man to behold, right against y^e face of the towne house, vnder which was seates very broad and so large steps that ma­ny people might thereupon sit and be placed.

At the one side of the scaffolde there was made a gallery leading from the towne house, aswel to auoide the preace of people, as also for the cheefe states & Princes of the blood, to haue free recourse too and fro, in which Gallery was placed a ritch seate towards the market place, onely appointed for the Princes and Kinges sister and Regent of Spaine, the kings bastard sonne, and for diuers other Princes and cour­tiers, to heere the sentence and to see the law e­fectually prosecuted.

The appointed day beeing come, there was such a multitude of people assembled to heere the sentence and so see the execution of the pri­soners, (because the prisoners were of great account,) that not onely al windows and hou­ses were full of beholders, but also al the mar­ket place & streets ther about were stored with such great prease, that hardly might the traine haue passage to the place skaffold.

Whereupon about tenne of the clocke of the same day, there arriued the princes Lady Iane sister to King Phillip, beeing first Regent of the [Page] Kingdome of Spaine beeing accompanied with the Kinges great stewarde and sundrye other Lords and nobles and attended on with a cō ­pany of knights, the guard, the Archers, bow­men and Halberders, issuing forth of the kings Pallace, who marched on horsebacke directly to the towne house, with foure Harraldes of Armes going before her and the Earle of Beu­dia carried the naked sword.

When these Princes and nobles were come to the place and set in degrees one nexte vnto an other, vpon the aforesaid scaffold: presently the Archbishop of Ciuill, the cheefe Iudges of the spirituall court, and the counsell of the In­quisitors togeather with the Bishop of Valen­cia rid through the towne vnto a scaffolde for them appointed, but the whole traine of the rest of the spirituall courte and those of the ho­lie house went all vpon an other scaffolde tho­rowe the gallery.

The prissoners beeing in number thirtye, were brought foorth and led, as it had beene in a triumph, one carying in the middle of them the picture of a deceased gentle-woman: These prisoners did all seuerally weare the Sambe­nito as the Spaniards call it, which is a yel­lowe coate made like a fooles coate full of red crosses before and behinde with vglye faces painted vpon the coates, all carrying in theyr handes waxen lightes, or wax candels.

Nowe the cheefest malifactors as they tear­med them, namely those that before were se­cretlie appointed to bee burned, had on their [Page] heads Miters or crownes of paper, called in Spa­nish Crocas, vppon the which was also painted de­uils and vglie faces, before thē was carried a crosse couered ouer with black lining, in token of mour­ning, & after them issued a bundance of people, cry­ing out, and reuiling them in most clamarous & foo­lish manner.

Immediatly after that, the Iudges and chiefe Inquisitors were placed vpon the Skaffold, the pri­soners were placed also in order, beeing brought in euery one led between two false brothers, Officers to the Inquisition, called Familiars, such as to a mans face will speake him fayre, and seeke to cutte his throte behind his backe. Nowe were the priso­ners sette vpon the sixe steps before the Chayre, and as a principall partie, Doctor Cacalla aforesaid, was set upon the first step, and so euery one in order, ac­cording to the quallity of his offence. Then was there a Friar of S. Dominicks order called Melchior Cano, thys Fryar made a sermon to the companie and prysoners, which continued y^e space of an houre, which being ended the L. chiefe Iustice, went from his first place to another Chayre, purposely made ready for him. The Archbishoppe of Ciuile went also from hys Skaffold, vnto that Skaffold where the Princes sate, and aduised them to sweare, (hauing theyr fingers layd vpon a crosse, which stoode pictu­red in a Masse-booke) namely, that they should vp­on theyr honors, support, maintaine, fauour and de­fend the holy Inquisition, and thereunto to shewe daily theyr good affection towardes it, neuer to hin­der theyr intentions, but to gyue them full power heereafter, to burne all those, that (departing frō the Romish Church) should followe the doctrine of the [Page] Lutheran Hereticks, without exception of person, of what age, state, qualitie or calling so euer. Second­ly, that they should force and commaunde theyr sub­iects, to submit themselues to the Romish Church, and to obserue theyr Lawes without force or any violence. The Princes tooke thys oath, and there­vpon the Archbishop gaue thē with his forefingers hys benediction or blessing, saying, God sende long lyfe to your Highnesses. Which being dooue, the se­uerall sentences and iudgements of the prysoners, were them read before them, and afterwarde pub­liquely pronounced by the Official, who called vnto him Doctor Augustine Cacalla, priest in Valedolid, who being come from his seate, was set vpon ano­ther by the sayd Officiall, to heare the sentence of Condemnation, namely, for that it was known vn­to them, that the said Cacalla, was the chiefest prea­cher of that new secte & eronious doctrine, (as they termed it) to those that were of that Conuenticle, that therfore hee was first to be disgraduated, & af­ter to be burned, and hys goods confiscated to the benefite of the Iustice.

After his sentence was read & pronounced, Fran­cis de biuero, Priest of Valedolid, and brother to the a­boue named Cacalla, receiued like iudgement, and to the end he should speake nothing against the horri­ble abuses of the Spanish Inquisition, and theyr detestable doctrine, as he had before very constant­ly doone, as well without as within the prison, the said Frauncis biuero (beeing very well beloued of the Common people) had his mouth gagged, by meanes wherof he could not speake one word. The next was Mistris Blanch de biuero, called & condem­ned as her brother was before. The fourth was [Page] Iohn de biuero, brother to the rest, and hee was con­demned to perpetuall imprisonment, and there to weare the Sambenito or fooles coate as is aforesayd, all the dayes of his lyfe. The next was Madame Constance de biuero, sister to the aforesaide Gentle­man, being the widdowe of Ferdinando Ortis, dwel­ling before in Valedolid, she followed the rest in lyke iudgement, and was condemned to be burned. The sixt sentence was denounced against Madame Le­onore de biuero, mother to those persons, aforesaide, who beeing dead and buried long since in Valedolid, yet forasmuch as in her life time she had greatly fa­uoured all true professors of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, & had suffered many godly assemblies and Sermons to be made in her house, as appeared by the confessions of sundry, examined to that purpose, her bones were commaunded to be digged foorth of the graue, and beeing brought thether in a Coffin, were condemned to be burnt, for that (as they sayd) they were the reliques of a Lutheran Hereticke, and that all her goods should be confiscated to the bene­fite of the Magistrate: and finally, that the house wherein she dwelt in her life time, shoulde bee raced downe to the ground and left vacant. And that the occasion of racing the said house, might be common­ly knowne to all persons, it was ordained at that present, that a pyller of stone should be erected in the same place, and the occasion thereof to be engrauen in the sayd pyllar: which thing was presently put in execution and performed forthwith▪ so y^t the stone pyllar standeth still in memory heereof. The next was, Alphous Pieres, Priest of Valentia, he was con­demned, first to be disgraduated, and afterwarde to be burned, and his goods confiscated.

[Page] After these 7. had receiued their sentence of con­demnation, the Bishop of Valencia put on his episco­pall ornaments, and clothed Doctor Cacalla, Frauncis his brother, and Alphonse Pierze, with the vestments appertaining to Priests, each of thē holding a chal­lice in their hands, but he presently vnclothed them againe. When they were now disgraduated, & that all the holy Oyle was cleane scrapt off from the crownes of theyr heads & their fingers endes, then was the Sambenitoes, namely the coates of shame and dishonor cast againe ouer theyr shoulders, and their Miters of paper in scorning manner set again vpon their heads. This doone Cacalla, opened his mouth, desiring the Princes and other Nobles there pre­sent, to giue him audience, but hee might not obtaine that fauour. Neuerthelesse, he openly protested be­fore the whole assembly, that his fayth, for which he was so rigorously handled, was not false, but true, agreeing with the worde of God, for the which hee was ready to dye as a true Christian, and not as a seminary Hereticke, as they reputed him to be.

The eyght man condemned, was Don Piero Sar­menta Knight, of the order of Alcantera, sonne to the Marquesse of Poza, who after he was declared to be an Hereticke, was condemned to were the coate of dishonor all the dayes of his lyfe, and so to remaine prisoner, besides, to be displaced of his estate of knight-hood, and forbidden for euer, to weare anie gold, siluer, pearle or precious stones whatsoeuer. Next to him his owne Lady was declared to be an Heretick, and therfore condemed with her husband, and in the like sorte adiudged to sustaine imprison­ment. Next after them was called Don Lowys de Royas, heyre to the Marquesse De Poza, who beeing [Page] declared an heretick, was condemned to weare the Sambenito perpetually, yet at the importunate sute of his friendes and Allies, he wore the coate but from the Skaffold to the Towne-house, neuerthelesse, he had all his goods confiscated, and so was released.

After him was called the Lady Anne Hentiques, dwelling in Toro, daughter to the Marquesse Dalca­uizes, and mother to the aforesaid Marquesse De Po­za, shee also was condemed to were the Sambenito to the Towne-house, and had her goods confiscated. Next after was called Christofell del Campo, Citti­zen of Zamora, he was condemned to be burned, and his goods confiscated. Christophell Padilla receiued the same sentence. Alphonso de Huesuuelo dwelling in Toro and being a batcheler, was declared to be an hereticke, wherefore his goods was confiscated and he condemned to be burned. And forasmuch as hee did speake his conscience to the Nobilitie, and offe­red to speake a fewe words to the people, he had an yron violently thrust through his lyps, onely to hyn­der his speech. Katherin Roma was next called and condemned to be burned, & her goods confiscated. After whom Isabella de strado, and Iane Valasques, receiued the like sentence. There was also a Smith condemned to be burned, for keeping watch for the Congregation while they were at prayer. And a Turke condemned to the fyre for reuolting to hys Turkish opinions, after he had beene christened.

To conclude, the wife of Iohn de Biuera was also condemned to perpetuall imprisonment. Leonora de Lisneros, Martin de Saranedra, and Daniell Quadra, were all condemded to perpetuall prison in like sort. The Lady Mary de Royas, sister to the Marquesse of Royas, because she had beene in a Monasterie, & come [Page] of great kindred, she was fauoured by wearing the coate from the stage to the Towne-house, & awar­ded to doo pennance all the dayes of her life. At the same time there was Anthony Dominick a Skots man, and Anthony Baser an Englishman, both con­demned together, the Skots man had three yeeres imprisonment, and in that space to weare the coate of dishonor, but the Englishman was conueied into a Monastery, to be instructed in the Romish Religi­on. Then Trumpets sounded, and y^e Princes with the Iudges departed, but the prisoners immediatly were layd hands on by the executioners who forth­with did set them vpon Asses backs, garded by ma­ny Souldiours, who did beate and misuse them greeuously in the way to y^e place of execution, which was about a quarter of a myle without he sayde Cittie, where 14. wodden stakes were sette vp, of equall distance one from another, euery one hauing a seate with three steps, to goe vp and downe to thē all, hauing on the tops of those stakes a peece cros­sing ouerthwart, whereunto they bound the armes of the prysoners. Some of them they strangled for curtesie, and burned them afterwardes. Making a very soft fyre vnder some of them, especially to those whose mouthes were pinned vp, who continued in great payne many howers.

Thus these true Christians suffered death, for professing of the Gospell, betrayed and innocentlie slain, euen as sheepe led to the slaughter, yet comfor­ted one another, while the beholders and standers by, meruailed greatly at their inuincible constancie and stedfastnes.