Inquisitorial File of Gonzalo Perez Ferro, Mexico City, 1597

Manuscript folio from the Mexican Inquisition, documenting the 1597 trial of Gonzalo Perez Ferro. This file, dated 1597, is not registered in the National Archives of Mexico and offers unique insight into the Carvajal circle and the Mexican Inquisition. The folio includes a handwritten confession by Gonçalo Pérez Ferro, a Portuguese New Christian, presented to the Tribunal de la Inquisición in Mexico City. The folios, written in dense and expressive early modern Spanish, reflect both the formal structure of inquisitorial proceedings and the deeply personal voice of an accused converso navigating the immense social and religious pressures of colonial New Spain. Across these pages, Pérez Ferro recounts his religious background, confessional moments, personal anguish, and efforts to comply with the expectations of the Inquisition. One page prominently features a poetic metaphor comparing his confession to that of a child speaking openly to a parent, emphasizing sincerity and sorrow. The manuscript includes marginalia, corrections, and annotations likely made by inquisitorial officials. Pérez Ferro’s signature appears repeatedly, often at the end of confessional passages, reinforcing the testimonial nature of each section.

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Geography

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Subjects

• Inquisition
• Persecution

Physical Location