Proceso y causa crim[ina]l da Ysabel de Montoia, mulata o castiza, llamada la Centalla, resid[en]te en la de Guajocingo, cass[a]da con don Gasp[a]r de la pena, de offi[cio] curandera.

Format:

• Book
• Manuscript

Contributor:

• Lea, Henry Charles, 1825-1909, former owner.

Language:

Spanish

Subjects (All):

• Catholic Church. Province of Mexico City (Mexico).
• Witchcraft--Mexico.
• Inquisition--Mexico--Early works to 1800.
• Inquisition.
• Witchcraft.
• Mexico.

Genre:

• Manuscripts, Spanish, 17th century.
• Manuscripts, Latin American.
• codices (bound manuscripts)
• church records
• Early works.

Penn Provenance:

• Formerly owned by Henry Charles Lea (inscription front fly leaf, 1885; bookplate inside upper cover of each volume).
• Bequest of Henry Charles Lea, 1909.

Physical Description:

2 volumes (200, 176 leaves) : paper ; 305-315 x 205-210 mm bound to 325 x 220 mm

Place of Publication:

[Mexico City], between 1652 and 1664.

Language Note:

Spanish.

Summary:

A collection of documents in two volumes pertaining to the two criminal cases of Ysabel de Montoya before the Mexican Inquisition. The first case, contained in the first volume, was initiated in 1652 and the accusations, 25 in all (f.115r-122r), include practicing witchcraft and invoking the devil to cure illnesses and bring good fortune, riches, and love to various women, in exchange for payment. She is also accused of casting a spell to bring harm upon a woman who offended her (f.117r). In this first case she initially denied the charges, at which point torture was authorized (f.136r) to be used until she "told the truth," and confessed to the charges, which she quickly did. After her confession, she was sentenced to publicly abjure her errors, of which there is a record (f.191r-191v); to be carried throughout the streets of Mexico City on a donkey, naked from the waist up, while a town crier announced her offenses to the public; to receive 100 lashes; perpetual exile from the city of Puebla, where she allegedly committed her offenses; and three years of service in a hospital. The second volume contains documents relating to a second case brought against her in 1662 for repeating many of the same offenses. She was found guilty once again this time her sentence was increased to 200 lashes and perpetual service in a hospital. The last document tells of her death in 1664 while serving at the Amor de Dios Hospital in Mexico City. Of particular interest are the detailed descriptions of the alleged witchcraft practiced by Montoya, including the use of powders, potions, roots, seeds, and other concoctions in conjunction with incantations, which are quoted verbatim. Many of the documents are signed by the original authors.

Notes:

• Ms. codex.
• Title from title page (f.i recto).
• Foliation: v.1: Paper, iv + 200 + ii; [i], 1-7, [i], 8-46, [i], 47-59, [i], 60-80, [i], 81-88, [i], 89-194; v.2: Paper, iv + 176 + i leaves; [i], 195, [i], 196-204, [i], 205-207, 207-214, [i], 215-217, [i], 218-220, [i], 221-225, [i], 226-228, [i], 229-231, [i], 232-238, [i], 239, [i], 240-246, [i], 247, [i], 248 (printed), 249-250, [i], 251-257, [i], 258-317, [i], 318-324, [i], 325, [i] 326-328, 328-341, 341, 341-348; contemporary foliation in ink, modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. Some pages have earlier contemporary foliation. All references are to later contemporary foliation.
• Script: Written in a cursive script, by multiple hands.
• Watermark: Unidentified watermark consisting of a cross inside a crowned oval, flanked on either side by an animal rampant, possibly a griffin, and with two circles underneath, the upper circle containing either the initials A M or M A; unidentified watermark consisting of two circles stacked vertically, the upper circle containing a cross, and with what appear to be two initials above.
• Binding: Quarter morocco (Zacour-Hirsch).
• Origin: Written in Mexico City, between 1652 and 1664.

Cited in:

Described in Zacour, Norman P. and Hirsch, Rudolf. Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Libraries of the University of Pennsylvania to 1800 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965), p. 181 (Ms. Lea 160).

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 1436.

OCLC:

311864368

Access Restriction:

Access to this item is subject to staff review.