Questions For the Defense in Inquisition Trial of Marina Gonzalez: February 1, 1494

In Toledo, on February 1, 1494 one Diego Tellez, a defense attorney representing Marina Gonzalez submitted a list of questions to the court of inquisition.  Ten years previous, this woman had confessed her prior sins and sought reconciliation with the church. But now, in January, a prosecutor brought her before the tribunal to accuse her of being a relapsed conversa and returning to pre-Christian ways. In response, this defense lawyer used what was called an abonos strategy, calling witnesses to testify on behalf of his client Mrs Gonzalez, and submitting specific questions for the witnesses to be asked. This way, it was hoped, the client's reputation could be upheld by community testimony.
All this comes from the marvelous resource of Lu Ann Homza, The Spanish Inquisition 1478-1614: An Anthology of Sources a quick, plain and far-reaching exposition of the methods and means the court used to rectify it's concerns about their understanding of their Christian faith.  Translated into English from primary documents, the author's choice of materials brings fresh light on the clear differences between jurisprudence then and now. In this example of double jeopardy, the author notes how the prosecutor was using the very prior confessions that the accused had previously offered during the so-called Edict of Grace. Her own confessions were used as evidence against her after she had been accpted back into the church.
So summarized here, are questions for character witnesses that were submitted to the court on behalf of the accused.

• Did the witness know the accused and for how long? 
• Did the witness know that Marina Gonzalez had reconciled with the church and completed her penance? 
• Did the witness know that after her reconciliation if they witnessed the accused of acting like a good Christian, observing Sundays, Christian festivals, and properly receiving the eucharist? 
• Did the witness see her after her reconciliation do work on Saturdays as much or more than other days?
• Did the witness notice that after her reconciliation, did she never drain fat from cooked meat, or throw pork into any pot along with other Christian foods?
• Did the witness notice the accused ever praying with great devotion to the cross of St Anthony and pictures of St Catherine and any others she had?
• Did the witness know if the accused never wore prohibited things, nor anything red?
• Did the witness know if after her reconciliation the accused never said or did anything against the Holy Faith?

This story continues with responses from witnesses through the month of February.
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notes from Document 5, pp 27, 32-33 in The Spanish Inquisition 1478-1614: An Anthology of Sources, edited and translated by Lu Ann Homza, Indianapolis, Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. 2006