y of those crimes. The sermon concluded, the
clerk of the tribunal read the sentence of the penitents, who, on their
knees, and with their hands laid on the Missal, repeated the confession.
Those around them stood aside as the presiding inquisitor, descending
from his throne, advances to the altar, and absolves the penitents _a
culpa_ under the obligation to bear the several punishments which have
been awarded, whether banishments, penances, whipping, hard labour, or
imprisonment--the deprivation of property being in all cases rigidly
enforced, to the great advantage of the inquisitors. The Bishop, then,
in a loud voice, administered to all present on the platform, as well as
to the surrounding multitude, an oath binding them to live and die in
the communion of the Roman Church, and to uphold and defend against all
adversaries the tribunal of the Holy Inquisition.

As he spoke the multitude fell on their knees, lowly bowing their heads.
Of the vast assemblage two men only were standing, with heads erect and
arms folded on their bosoms. They were the martyrs resolved to undergo
the fiery trial of the stake rather than disavow one article of their
holy faith. They were Antonio Herezuelo, the advocate, and Francisco de
Vibero Cazalla, parish priest of Hermigos, who was likewise gagged.
There were twelve other unhappy persons condemned to death, but, having
confessed, they were allowed the poor favour of being strangled before
their bodies were committed to the flames. They, less courageous than
the advocate and Francisco Cazalla, were compelled to kneel. But why
does Antonio Herezuelo start and cast an inquiring look towards the
group of black penitents kneeling near the altar? Before he could cast
a second look they were hid from his sight; and now the Bishop of
Placencia advances towards the group of those sentenced to death, and
with a knife commences the operation of degrading the priests by
scraping off the crown of the head the part which was supposed to have
received the holy oil at their consecration. Then garment after garment
was torn from them, the Bishop pronouncing all the time terrible curses
on their heads. This done, the secular judges were summoned to receive
the prisoners, and the Inquisitor formally delivered them over into
their hands, saying, as he did so, in a hypocritical tone of compassion,
"We beseech you to treat these poor people with the utmost
commiseration--not to break a bone of their