spanish INQUISITION INVESTIGATES BARBARA GARCIA FOR CASTING A SPELL ON HER LOVER; REFERENCE MADE TO SCANDALOUS PRIESTS

S ynopsis and editors notes: Bárbara Gárcia, a Spanish widow from Sandia, was reported by a neighbor, María Gertrudes Sánchez, also a widow, to be using magic recommended by Catalina, a third widow. The magic was intended to increase the ardor of her lover, the husband of a woman also from Sandía. Gárcia did not deny the allegations, stating that the magic did what it was supposed to, but said that she did not think what she had done was a sin. She said that after her lover's wife com­plained to her about her husband's decreasing interest, she burned the love potion and told her lover to go back to his wife. The accusation was heard by fray Pedro Montaño, a representative of the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition in New Mexico. The names of the husband and wife were not given, following Inquisition procedures for victims.

This example of sexual witchcraft is one of many cases that occurred in New Spain, as cited in witchcraft studies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These studies point out that while the Inquisition frequently investigated such cases, the inquisitors were likely to attribute the behavior to ignorance, illusion, or superstition. The persons investigated were often treated leniently as long as the accused were penitent. According to Rawlings, the same was true of the Inquisition in Spain (Rawlings, Spanish Inquisition: 128-34).

The background to this document, as reflected in the few lines about two other denunciations with which the document begins, was the political rivalry among several Franciscan officials, including Pedro Montaño, Juan Agustín Iniesta, Juan Sáenz de Lezaun, and José de Irigoyen. The situation seems to have been that, while Montaño had argued with governors and com­munity leaders in earlier years (see Doc. 25), in the 1750s he did not support proceedings against Governor Cachupín, when the governor insisted that only he could legitimatize Franciscan mail before it left New Mexico. The effort to denounce Cachupín was supported by the three frailes named in this document: Fray Juan Sáenz de Lezaun, fray José de Irigoyen, and fray Juan Agustín de Iniesta. Because of Montaño's stand on Cachupín or for other reasons, these three asked for the recall of Montaño.  Montaño then coun­tered by accusing Iniesta and Irigoyen of having sexual relations with several women and of fathering their children. In turn Irigoyen accused Montaño himself of living with several different women. The fracas seems to have ended when Montaño was recalled from New Mexico in 1752, the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition apparently having decided that he had overstepped his authority. It may be that the two denunciations listed at the beginning of this document (for which no detail was given) were those made against Iniesta and Irigoyen by Montaño. Note that Montaño is the same priest that denounced Pedro Gárcia Jurado for wearing his hair in a braid in Document 25. Fray Angélico Chávez later stated that by 1752 the handwriting of Montaño was extremely shaky, his age perhaps another reason for his recall to Mexico City (Chávez, Archives: 239, 252; Greenleaf, "Inquisition": 43-45; Norris, Year Eighty: 91, 126-27).

New Mexico -  Year of 1752

Proceedings brought forth by the Comisario of this Holy Office, fray Pedro Montaño,regarding a denunciation.

Second Time against the priest frayAgustín de Yniesta, missions of the order of San Francisco in these missions.

Another one a second Time: against the priest fray Joseph de lrigoyen of the same order,

Also, a denunciation against Bárbara Gárcia, of little substance, over superstitions which are included in these proceedings, for which reason the first denunciation was brought forth against Yniesta. This is no lie, and it was brought before me, (rubric)

Not knowing how to sign, it was signed by the Reverend Father Comisario before me, the said notary, to which I certify, etc.

Fray Pedro Montaño (rubric): Comisario of the Holy Office                     

Before me,

Fray Juan Sáenz de Lezaun6 (rubric): notary

    [Marginal note] This denunciation is against Bárbara Gárcia and is of little substance.

At this mission of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y San Antonio de Sandía on the 29th of October, 1751. There appeared before me, the Reverend Father Comisario of the Holy Office of this kingdom, without being called, doña Maria Gertrudes Sánchez, Spanish, widow and resident of this jurisdiction. She stated that upon examining her conscience, she denounced Bárbara Gárcia.  She had heard her say that because she [Bárbara] was badly in a state of love with a certain man, her friend, asked her if the said married man loved her a lot.  Bárbara said it appeared that he did according to the feelings that she experienced with him. Her friend then told her that if she wanted him to show even more love and affection for her, she should do the following:

When she combed him, she was to take a few hairs from him, tie them in her sash or belt and she would experience how much more he would love her. The said Bárbara Gárcia, to see if what her friend had told her would work, did as her friend had said. From all of this she experienced that what her friend had told her was true, finding that her male friend showed her much more love than he had shown before, to the point that he showed little emotion for his wife, not even making love to her. His legitimate wife complained to the said Bárbara Gárcia about the lack of love that her husband was showing to her, asking her what her reason was for having his hairs in her belt. Because of this and upon seeing the type of life that his legitimate wife was leading, Bárbara Gárcia determined to take the hairs from her belt and burn them in the fire, and she indeed did burn them. When the man went to see her, she told him to go back to his wife. He then did that immediately in order to show his wife the love as he had for her before, which he did in a very distinct manner, and from then on they were once again very much in love.

This is what she heard from the said Bárbara Gárcia and was what she denounced, ratifying the sworn statement which she had made. She did not sign it because she did not know how, and it was signed by the said Reverend Father Comisario on the said day, month, and year, etc.

Fray Pedro Montaño (rubric): Comisario of the Holy Office

Done before me, fray Juan Miguel Menchero (rubric), assigned notary.

At this mission of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y San Antonio de Sandía on the 31st of October, 1751, there appeared, upon being summoned, Bárbara Gárcia, Spanish, widow and a resident of this jurisdiction, before the Reverend Father Comisario of this kingdom. She was asked if she knew why she had been summoned. She responded that she did not. She was then asked if she remembered ever having told anyone during a conversation that she was madly in love with a married man, and another woman, her friend, had asked her if the man loved her very much, and she, Bárbara, told her that he did love her very much. In spite of this, the other person then told her, if you want him to love you more, do the following and he will love you more. The said Bárbara then asked her what it was that she had to do. Her friend told her, when you comb his hair, take a few hairs from him and tie them in your sash and you will see that he will love you even more. The said Bárbara then asked her if this was done as an evil act. Her friend responded that it was not, that it was only to unite them closer. The said Bárbara then took the hairs and tied them in her sash, and it indeed worked according to what her friend had told her. From this point on, the said married man totally abandoned his legitimate wife. The wife then complained to the said Bárbara, being that they were friends, about what had happened with her husband.

Bárbara then realized that what had happened was due to what she had done with the hairs, and she then and there decided to burn them and return to believing in God. After that she never did that again and proposed never again to do anything like this, which was in opposition to the true doctrine of God. After she had burned the hair, the said married man returned to his wife and repented for what he had done, and stopped being the person that he was with her before the hairs were burned. Bárbara Gárcia was then asked who it was who had given her the said remedy. She responded that it was Catarina Gutiérrez, widow, Spanish and a resident of this jurisdiction. She was then asked if she had anything to add or delete. She responded that she did not. She was asked if she would ratify what she had said. She said that she did, regarding the sworn statement that she had given. She did not sign because she did not know how. The said Reverend Father Comisario signed it along with me on the said day,  month, and year, etc.

Fray Pedro Montaño (rubric): Comisario of the Holy Office

Fray Juan Miguel Menchero (rubric): assigned notary

[Marginal note]

This Catalina [Gutiérrez] appears to be the same person who denounced Fray Agustín de Yniesta, and as such is

credited with having done it.