Chapter IX: The Inquisitorial Process

Inquisitor both Judge and Confessor 399

Difficulty of Proving Heresy 400

The Inquisitorial Process universally Employed 401

Age of Responsibility.--Proceedings in _Absentia_.--The Dead 402

All Safeguards Withdrawn.--Secrecy of Procedure 405

Confession not Requisite for Conviction 407

Importance Attached to Confession 408

Interrogatory of the Accused 410

Resources for Extracting Confession.--Deceit 414

Irregular Tortures, Mental and Physical.--Delays 417

Formal Torture 421

Restricted by Clement V. 424

Rules for its Employment 426

Retraction of Confessions 428

CHAPTER X.--EVIDENCE.

Comparative Unimportance of Witnesses 430

Flimsiness of Evidence Admitted 431

The Crime Known as "Suspicion of Heresy" 433

Number of Witnesses.--No Restrictions as to Character or Age 434

Mortal Enmity the only Disability 436

Secrecy of Confessional Disregarded 437

Suppression of Names of Witnesses 437

Evidence sometimes Withheld 439

Frequency of False-witness.--Its Penalty 440

CHAPTER XI.--THE DEFENCE.

Opportunity of Defence Reduced to a Minimum 443

Denial of Counsel 444

Malice of Witnesses the only Defence 446

Prosecution of the Dead 448

Defence practically Impossible.--Appeals 449

Condemnation virtually Inevitable 453

Suspicion of Heresy.--Light, Vehement, and Violent 454

Purgation by Conjurators 455

Abjuration 457