THE INQUISITION IN SOUTH AMERICA IN 1625 DÍAZ DE CONTRERAS (Martin, Secretary of the Holy Office of the Inquisition)

Fine Document Signed in Spanish with Translation, being a Warrant for payment to a Messenger of the Inquisition stating "We, the Inquisitors against heretical depravity and apostasy in these kingdoms and provinces of Peru, Tucuman, Paraguay and Chile, who reside in this most noble and most loyal city of Los Reyes, by apostolic authority etc. command you, the Licentiate Juan de Robles, priest, Receiver General of this Holy Office, that from whatever property and finances which there may be under your control, pertaining to this said Holy Office, you give and pay to Antonio Tamayo, messenger of this Inquisition, eighty three pesos, two tomines and eight granos, assayed, for the third of his salary ...", 2 sides folio, Los Reyes, 9th January

The Inquisition started in the 4th century. It was constituted by Pope Gregory IX in 1233 at Aragon, in Venice in 1249, in France in 1255 and in Castile in 1290. The Holy Office was reinstuted in Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1480. In Latin America it was rife for over 200 years. Napoleon dissolved the Inquisition in Spain in 1806.
There are many examples of Contreras and his works in the Inquisition in this document http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/historia-del-tribunal-del-santo-oficio-de-la-inquisicion-en-chile--0/html/ff23e7d0-82b1-11df-acc7-002185ce6064_50.html
This is one example "About three o'clock in the afternoon when the sentences of those who were to be relaxed [executed] had been read, the aforementioned hurricane arose. And at that hour, together those of this genre in the bay, with the statue of the extravagant, Martín Díaz de Contreras and don Juan Tello de Sotomayor, secretary and senior bailiff of the Holy Office, handed them over to the ordinary mayors, according to the order of the entriego, that were the eleven sayings and a statue, and they caused and sentenced them to death by fire. This execution was committed to Don Álvaro de Torres y Bohórquez, the city's chief sheriff, who gave every two sheriffs a Jew, and accompanied by all the other ministers, took them to the brazier, which was warned by order of the ordinary mayors outside from the city, along Palacio street, bridge and San Lázaro street, to the place of justice. The prisoners went between two rows of soldiers to keep them from the crowd of people, who were countless who happened to see them, and many religious of all orders to preach to them. The chief bailiff attended justice, and Diego Jaramillo de Andrade, notary public, and the ministers, and he did not leave until the secretary confirmed that they were all ashes."

Translation
We, the Inquisitors against heretical depravity and apostasy in these kingdoms and provinces of Peru, Tucuman, Paraguay and Chile, who reside in this most noble and most loyal city of Los Reyes, by apostolic authority etc. command you, the Licentiate Juan de Robles, priest, Receiver General of this Holy Office, that from whatever property and finances which there may be under your control, pertaining to this said Holy Office, you give and pay to Antonio Tamayo, messenger of this Inquisition, eighty three pesos, two tomines and eight granos, assayed, for the third of his salary which began to run on 1 September and ended at the end of December of last year, at the rate of two hundred and fifty pesos a year, that they will be duly given with this warrant and his letter of payment, and we command the accountant of this Holy office that whether present or absent, it is to be passed and received with an account, without any other security.
Given in the city of Los Reyes, this ninth day of the month of January 1625
Andres, Licentiate.
Juan Gaytano
By warrant of the Holy Office of the Inquisition
Martin Diaz de Contreras
Secretary
[Overleaf]
I, Antonio de Tamayo, messenger of the Holy Office, who have received from Licentiate Juan de Robles, Receiver General of the Holy Office, eighty thress pesos, two tomines and eight granos, assayed, which are for the third of my salary, which I have received freely accordingly to the rate, and with the said money I am paid up to the said last day of December of last year, 1624.
For the truth of this I have signed it in Lima, the 14th of January 1625.
Antonio Tamayo
Messenger of the Holy Office


Item Date:  1625

Stock No:  40589      £3750

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