Witchcraft in Caldes de Montbui During the seventeenth

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Witchcraft in Caldes de Montbui
During the seventeenth century, in Catalonia is known this period as a "bad
years", a few years where droughts in summer and freezing winters affected
much to the population. The peasant world would find the culprit of all these
calamities, believing it was the work of the devil himself with the help of his
earthly worshipers, witches and warlocks.
By popular pressures, during the years 1617-1627, there was a hard chase to
catch and convict all witches.
Who the witches were?
Most women who were convicted of witchcraft had a rural background. Many of
them were elderly and had great knowledge of the local flora, with that prepared
ointments and natural medicines. Also they tended to be women who helped in
childbirth neighbouring.
What were the witches accused for?
All the accused were convicted of having made a pact with the devil, denying
thus the Catholic religion. They are used to assign spells that harmed farmers in
the area, including the creation of storms, longer droughts, livestock deaths, the
death of creatures, poisoning, have carnal dealings with the devil ....
Trial and conviction
Most people who were accused of witchcraft were tried by civilian courts
typically advised by people claiming to be able to see, in the skin of witches,
invisible marks that the devil had left during the deal of witchcraft. One of the
most famous man who was able to watch the brands that left the devil was
Cosme Solé, known as "Tarragó".
Those accused of witchcraft had no guarantee at trial. In most trials, the
accused received torture to force them to confess their crimes.
When a person was accused of witchcraft, it was hung on the gallows.
Legends of witches
Many of the legends that remain today speak of witchcraft. Most of these
legends served to demonstrate the magnificence of God against the devil,
giving a pattern of good behaviour who listened.
Caldes de Montbui
Since the fourteenth century Caldes became the capital of the Vallès Vegueria
(a Catalan Region) and became the seat more stable magistrate's residence
with the notary the magistracy and numerous Clerk and Attorney...
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In 1445 Alfonso the Magnanimous proclaimed Caldes Arm, Member and Part
of Barcelona, this meant for the inhabitants of Caldes a social and economic
benefits because they were considered as inhabitants of Barcelona.
In the sixteenth century Caldes enjoyed a certain economic stability. Out of
some episodes featuring brigands like the squad that faced the troops vice regal
1544, we have little information on the history of the town. What stands out is
the construction activity: it was the remodelling inside the medieval hospital
facility, the remodelling of Banys Nous and the beginning of construction of a
new town hall on the Old Roman Baths. In 1549 began the construction of the
chapel of Remedy and in 1549 the new parish church of Santa Maria. These
facts reveal a remarkable economic vitality of the city, resulting in a sustained
population growth.
During the seventeenth century Caldes de Montbui still resisted to be one of the
economic centre of this region. This city kept the Curia judicial and the prison.
From COOLTUR we suggest a tour through Caldes places where events
were held witchcraft, as well as the processes and executions.
Font del Lleó Square - Roman Baths
This tour will begins and ends at the Font del Lleó Square. We can see, in this
Square, the remains of Roman baths, now restored. For much of the last
century, these terms were part of the building of the University of Caldes. The
University was, for a town, the actual Town Council. The University was
generally formed by the heads of people's house and had legal personality
before the King or feudal lords. Although the meetings were in public places
(not all fit), the Mayor, the Diocesan Curia and the scribes were placed in this
building.
In early May of 1619, the mayor
of La Garriga sent a letter to
invite several nearby villages to
attend the interrogation of an
alleged witch who had captured
into the town. The representative
of
Caldes
was
Francesc
Ragasol and he moved to La
Garriga on 22 May and heard
the interrogation of this woman.
On 29 May he took the order to arrest two women accused of witchcraft in
Caldes: Margarida Pujol i Ras i Eulàlia Puig i Raga. The wave of arrests
swept across the Vallés region and the the most famous witch hunters of
Catalonia were presented in more than one town.
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These two women exposed a total of eight more
women, who were arrested and driven to jail. It
must be said that these accusations were made
without interrogation or torture. But the arrests
were made between six and fourteen of
September, so the two women had closed in
prison for more than three months.
The jail of Caldes consisted were placed in the
corridor of the old bath, were the cells were placed
into the bricked arches. On the other side of these
cells was running a bathhouse. We can imagine
the dark and the warmth of this prison. .
Head north to Font del Lleó Square to Pont Street
8m
Turn left onto Pont Street
Pont Street
The 7th of September, while other arrests were made, the
council of Caldes agreed to interrogated and tortured women
outside the town, in a discreet place. To perform this task was
designated the attic of the house of Joseph Bonvilar, farmer
and member of the Caldes Council. The
house was just across the Roman
Bridge, just beside the Sentmenat road.
It was agreed to enable an entrance
porch and a car to make the transport.
Surely, the car left the prison and went
down the street to the Pont Street of the
same name. After crossing the bridge
women were tortured one by one.
Head northwest to Pont Street to Les Cremades
31 m
Turn left to Les Cremades
160 m
Enter the roundabout.
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12 m
Torre Roja Street, 1
Les Cremades - Bonvilar House
The abundant documentation says that as
of September 12 were a series of rapid
interrogations at accused women. In the
attic of Bonvilar House there were the
mayor and councilors of Caldes, Judge
Joseph Estevanell of Barcelona, Nicolau
Adrià as a fiscal and three friars. A few
months later, on November 6, began the
torture. To this torture team was
incorporated the scribe and notary of
Caldes, the surgeon and the executioners
of the town magistrate of Barcelona. With the threat of hair and shave all body
hair or tying the arms back and tighten them with ropes, because there was
enough for the women, almost naked, confessed to being guilty of the charges.
In the adjoining room, the accused had to sign their confessions, perfectly
recorded by the clerk. If the accused women didn’t know read or write, most of
them didn’t know, one of the attendees signed by the condemned.
Head east
12 m
Exit the roundabout towards the Les Cremades bridge
160 m
Turn left onto Major Street
290 m
Turn left onto Bigues Street
750 m
Turn right on Sant Salvador / C-59 crossing the c-59
23 m
Take the paved right to the cemetery
190 m
At the cemetery turn the track on the left.
1.2 km
Can Camp 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona
Can Camp
The first women tortured in Caldes,
Eulàlia Puig I Braga was the only one
that was applied physical torture. The
woman gave a long list of names of
other alleged witches and, above all, a
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list of places where they had gathered, at least in the last 14 years. The area
around Can Camp, called the events Casa de Can Padrós, was a meeting
place for witches in the area. It is a place that is more or less in the middle of all
the populations of the "witches" who came to the meetings. Can Camp was
used several times to perform spells.
Head northeast along the same track
450 meters
Slight right onto Lledoners Avenue
500 meters
Turn right onto Lledoners Avenue
54 m
Lledoners Avenue
08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona
Forn de Can Padrós
One place that stands out is the Field oven of Can Padrós, probably a lime kiln,
relatively far from the house, as used to be
the custom of the time. Today there is no
rest, but we know its approximate location,
near the stream. Here there were witches
between 1605 and 1617, according to the
confessions of Eulàlia Puig. There, about
twenty-five people worship the devil and it
was put some poison into the water stream
nearby, then broke with long sticks and this
provoked a storm of stones. Fog was also
caused and the poisoning of a mule in Polinyà.
Head south on Lledoners Avenue
190 m
Slight right onto the track. Always follow the middle path. Most of the route
along green and white, but when you turn right into the woods, leave it and
follow the wide track.
1.2 km
Puig Aguilar – Pla d’Aguilar
In 1614 there was an important
meeting of a dozen witches of the
region, according to the confessions
of the accused. There she worshiped
the Devil with blue light yellow
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candles and danced traditional
dances (Sardana) around. Then
some went down to the stream and
sent to Can Camp a powder of
dried herbs and arsenic, which
created a storm of stone that fell on
Caldes and Torre Negrell, causing
damage to many crops.
Optional visit
Follow the same path south to the C-1415b
150 meters
Crossing the C-1415b
5m
Salt de les Bruixes (optional)
This place is one of the few who has kept a name related
to the events of 1619. As we have seen, has always been
associated with many streams of witches covens and
spells. The waterfall was in a gorge of the Torrent de les
Bruixes, which opened from there. Unfortunately the roads
of Granollers crop this water jump and today we can only
contemplate the drying pool.
From the hill Aguilar
Return along the same path, we take the first track on the right
100 meters
We arrive at a crossroads; take the path down the left. We follow new green
and white (itinerary Roure Gros)
300m
We cross the stream twice Can Camp, we go on the road to finish crossing the
Manolo Hugué street
2.3 km
Head west towards Street Manolo Hugué to Jaume I Street
32 m
Turn right on Joan Miró Street
33 m
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Turn left onto Granollers Street
400 meters
Turn right onto Balmes Street
260 m
Turn left on Torrent de Salze Street
91 m
Turn right on Major Street
130 m
Turn right onto Remei Boulevard
280 m
Remei Boulevard, 42
Puigdomí
Finally, once the confessions, women were
brought car back to prison. After a short
deliberation, the Council of the University of
the Town decided to run in the November 26
market day. The intention was that all the
people around, coming down to buy would
witness how the law was respected in
Caldes (and incidentally, increase sales).
Early three women were hanged in the
Major Square and, later, the other four were
executed at the Forks of Puigdomí. This
place should be found, more or less, at the end of the current Sant Jordi Street
or slightly above. These forks, documented since the fourteenth century, were
strategically located on the road from Vic (Remei Boulevard today). Thus, both
the way the city of Vic, just as the Roman Bridge contemplated the executed.
The Puigdomí hanged on 26 November were Úrsula Roca i Beya, Magdalena
Vadrena del Pont, Maria la Gavatxa i Elisabet Rossell.
Head south on Remei Boulevard
230 m
Turn right onto Canal Street
11 m
Slight left to stay on Canal Street.
60 m
Turn right onto Bell Street
80 m
Turn left onto Vic Street
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17 m
Continue straight to Font dels Lleons Square
12 m
Font dels Lleons Square
08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona
Font dels Lleons Square
In the Major Square of Caldes, as we said
earlier, November 26 of 1619, market
days, three accused of witchcraft were
hanged: Eulàlia Puig i Braga, Margarida
Pujol i Ras i Caterina David. On 30
November he was hanging in the same
place Francina Marrast of Palau-Solità.
This was questioned and enclosed in
Caldes, though judged by the Council of
Palau. Although on 21 January of 1620
Durga Sobregran such Casavellor were executed. Throughout the year 1620
still posted a Eulàlia of Castellar del Vallès and other women were arrested.
On 3 December of 1619 the University of Caldes met clashed to decide how the
expenses of the witch hunt. Just keep in mind that some prisoners came to be
closed more than 300 days, with maintenance by the municipal treasury. We
should also add money to cover the witch hunters, executioners, notaries,
prosecutors, monks, the judge and the town councillors to attend the
interrogations. The mayor Joan Brunes was the only one who resigned to have
a wage. A total of 153 accounts were 17 pounds and 4 sous. These processes
were as expensive as made a new altar with gold for the Church. The Council
decided to make a cut to the inhabitants of the municipality to cover at least half
of the process. In 1620, the coffers were empty.
The processes were well documented in a list of 75 double-sided sheets, which
today are in the Notarial Archive of Sabadell. This document represents one of
the most reliable sources on cases of witchcraft that took place in 1619 and
1620 Vallès.
After a few months, Joseph Bonvilar and his family left their home because,
apparently, the tortured screams of the night were still listening to the attic.
From COOLTUR we hope that you have enjoyed this tour, and you’ll have
a nice day.
© COOLTUR