# Rules Of The Inquisitors.

14th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: RULES OF THE INQUISITORS.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

1. It is not permitted or advisable to dispute concerning
the faith in the presence of the laity.

2. No one is to be regarded as converted, if
he will not accuse all those whom he knows to
be such as he is.

3. He who does not accuse those who are such as
he is, must be severed from the church as a diseased
member; that the sound members may not become
corrupted by it.

4. After any one is delivered to the secular judge,
great care must be exercised, that he be not allowed
to prove his innocence, or show his harmlessness
before the people; for if he is put to death, the people
will take offense; and if he is discharged, the
(Catholic) faith will be endangered.

5. Care must be taken not to promise his life, before
the people, to him who is condemned to death
(namely, if he indicates his willingness to become
converted); seeing that no heretic would allow himself
to be burned, if he could escape by such a
promise; and if he should promise conversion before
the people, and his life would not be granted him
thereupon, the people would take offense at it, and
think that he were put to death unjustly.

6. Observe: The inquisitor must always take
the deed for granted, without any consideration,
and ask the questions only in regard to the circumstances
of the matter, not saying: Have you made
confession to the heretics? but, How often have you
made your confession to the heretics? Again, do
not ask: Have they slept in your house? but, In
what room of your house did they sleep? and
the like.

7. The inquisitor may look into a book, as
though he had noted down in it, the life and
conduct of the accused, together with everything in
regard to which he is interrogating him.

8. The accused must be threatened with death, if
he will not confess, and be told that his doom is
sealed; that he must regard his soul, and, first of
all, forsake his heresy; “For,” it shall be said, “you
must die; accept with patience whatever shall befall
you.” If he then answer: “Since I must die, I
would rather die in this my faith, than in the faith of
the Roman church,” rest assured, that previously
he only pretended to be desirous of becoming converted;
and therefore he must then be brought to
justice.

9. The thought is not to be entertained of overcoming
the heretics by skill of learning, or knowledge
of the Scriptures, since the learned men are
much sooner confounded by them; the result of
which is, that the heretics are then still more confirmed
and encouraged, seeing they thus outwit
even those who are educated.

10. It is to be well observed, that the heretics
never speak right out, and that, when compelled by
much questioning, they generally allege that they
are simple and unlearned men, and, hence, know
not how to answer; and that, seeing that the bystanders
are moved to compassion for them, as
though they were wronged, regarding them as simple
and harmless people, they take courage from
this and pretend to weep, as poor, miserable men,
and, imploring their judges, make strenuous efforts
to free themselves from the inquisition, saying:
“My Lords, if I have erred in any matter, I will
gladly accept the penance for it; but assist me to
free myself from this reproach, in which I have
fallen through hatred and envy, without having
transgressed.”

But the courageous inquisitor must then in no
wise be moved by such entreaties, nor give credit
to such dissimulations.

11. Moreover, the inquisitor shall announce to
them beforehand, that they will gain nothing by
swearing falsely (from necessity); since they (the
lords) have matter enough to convict them by witnesses;
and that therefore they need not think that
by means of swearing they will escape sentence of
death; but it must be promised them, that as far as
they voluntarily confess their error, they shall obtain
mercy; for in such perplexity many are found, who
confess their errors, in order to escape.

“Behold,” says the writer of this inquisition,
“these are the cunning artifices formerly employed
by the inquisitors throughout Europe, against the
Waldenses,” etc. In the second book of the first
part of the History of the Waldenses, by J. P. P. L.,
pages 62, 63, 64.

Note.—About this time (A. D. 1303) Peter Johannis
taught that the Pope was the antichrist, and
the Roman synagogue the great Babylon. About
his martyrdom, however, we have not been able to
learn anything. See P. J. Twisck, Chron., p. 643,
col. 2, from Georg. Pac., cap. 11.





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