Storia do Mogor 298.8

298.8

Next they asked if he desired them to assign him an attorney to reply to the process, and the same inquisitor nominated the Reverend Father Commissary of the Order of St. Francis. The statement (proces) referred to was sent to him in his prison, with two sheets of paper, some pens, and some ink. Without delay Father Ephraim set to work to copy the statement word for word on the scraps of paper in which some powders sent to his comrade were wrapped, for in no other way could he have concealed it. After that he wrote brief replies to the accusations, and had them fair copied by his attorney when he came to see him. It is the practice of the Inquisition to send for the attorney and administer an oath to him on the Holy Gospels that he will divulge all that passes between him and the prisoner, and that he will not supply to him any argument for his defence even if he were desired to do so. Nothing can be kept secret that passes between them, for when they are talking together there is always present in the room an officer of the Inquisition, sword at side. Thus the attorney is of no other use than for writing out the arguments and replies that the prisoner dictates to him, or hands over to him to be copied. Here follows the statement (proces), with the replies to the accusations contained in it.