“First, the Dominicans, honored with everlasting precedence on all such occasions, led the way.  Singing-boys also preceded, chanting a litany.  The banner of the Inquisition was intrusted to their hands.  After the banner walked the penitents—­a penitent and a sponsor, two and two.  A cross bearer brought up the train, carrying a crucifix aloft, turned towards them, in token of pity; and, on looking along the line, you might have seen another priest going before the penitents with a crucifix turned backwards, inviting their devotions.  They to whom the Inquisition no longer afforded mercy, walked behind the penitents, and could only see an averted crucifix.  These were condemned to be burnt alive at the stake!  On this occasion there were but two of this class, but sometimes a large number were sentenced to this horrible death, and presented to the spectator a most pitiable spectacle.  Many of them bore upon their persons the marks of starvation, torture, terror, and heart-rending grief.  Some faces were bathed in tears, while others came forth with a smile of conquest on the countenance and words of triumphant faith bursting from the lips.  These, however, were known as dogmatizers, and were generally gagged, the month being filled with a piece of wood kept in by a strong leather band fastened behind the head, and the arms tied together behind the back.  Two armed familiars walked or rode beside each of these, and two ecclesiastics, or some other clerks or regulars, also attended.  After these, the images of heretics who had escaped were carried aloft, to be thrown into the flames; and porters came last, tagging under the weight of boxes containing the disinterred bodies on which the execution of the church had fallen, and which were also to be burnt.

“Poor Dellon went barefoot, like the rest, through the streets of Goa, rough with little flint stones scattered about, and sorely were his feet wounded during an hour’s march up and down the principal streets.  Weary, covered with shame and confusion, the long train of culprits entered the church of St. Francis, where preparation was made for the auto, the climate of India not permitting a celebration of that solemnity under the burning sky.  They sat with their sponsors, in the galleries prepared, sambenitos, grey zamarras with painted flames and devils, corozas, tapers, and all the other paraphernalia of an auto, made up a woeful spectacle.  The inquisitor and other personages having taken their seats of state, the provincial of the Augustinians mounted the pulpit and delivered the sermon.  Dellon preserved but one note of it.  The preacher compared the Inquisition to Noah’s ark, which received all sorts of beasts wild, but sent them out tame.  The appearance of hundreds who had been inmates of that ark certainly justified the figure.