In Spanish Prisons

From In Spanish Prisons:“Formal Sentence to the torture chamber was then passed, after invoking the name of Christ. The method of infliction was detailed whether by pulley’s or by water or cords, or by all, to be continued for as long a time as may appear well, with the proviso that if in die said torment, ‘he (or she) die or be wounded, or if there be any effusion of blood or mutilation of member, die blame should be his (or hers).’”For 300 years The Inquisition was the most powerful and deadly force in Spain. Thousands were condemned and executed and we can only guess at the number tortured. Although some exaggeration has crept into die popular history' of The Inquisition, the simple historical truth is enough to give us pause and reason to reflect. It was created to eradicate heresy in Spain. We should remember that at that time spiritual and temporal powers were closely allied (pope and king) and all believed that uniformity was necessary and desired. Heresy was everywhere treated not only as an attack on the Church but as treason to the State. The Spanish Inquisition was an affair of state as well as an ecclesiastical court. It was a court of torture and death run by the Church in the name of God, but sanctioned and supported by the State.Major Arthur Griffiths devotes much of In Spanish Prisons to separating the fact from the legend of the Inquisition, but he does not stop his narrative there. Sadly enough, Spain has been slow in the progress of prison reform and Griffiths traces Spain’s almost unwilling advancement towards a modern penal system. In Spanish Prisons is not always pleasant reading, but it is history that needs to be told and remembered for it teaches us in a horrifyingly unforgettable way, lessons that need to be learned.