Brady, (O.Carm.), Father John
Proceedings carried out against Father Juan Brady for having married Pedro Cervantes and M(ari)a Roger without banns, and Roberto Jonsons and Maria Souvage without previous proceedings, there being suspicion of his having been married in (Kentucky) Kentoque.
--------
1796 Apr. 16
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
Natchez, (Mississippi)
to Bishop Louis Penalver y Cardenas
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
As requested by Penalver's letter of March 5, Lennan took the enclosed statements of the Catholic couple married by Father Juan Brady. As for the Protestants, also married by Brady in Lennan's short absence from the parish, it is true that he married them without the usual permission of the governor and without proof that the man was unmarried. According to reports one of the parties was married in (Kentucky) Kentucci. The couple is not in the district now and there are no witnesses who could verify the first marriage in Kentucky.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
Enclosures:
--------
1796 Apr. 15
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
Natchez, (Mississippi)
As requested by Penalver's letter of March 5, Lennan, pastor of Natchez, named as witnesses Ignacio de Acosta and Juan Perez. They took oath and signed with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
(1796) (Apr. 15)
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
(Natchez, Mississippi)
Lennan named Juan Giraul (Girault) who knows both French and Spanish as interpreter. Girault, de Acosta and Perez signed with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
(1796) (Apr. 15)
Lennan, Father Fran(cis)co
(Natchez, Mississippi)
Pedro Servan appeared and testified that he was married, a resident of this district, a laborer and a native of Canada, that he was married in the parish church here by Father Juan Brady, the last part of February of the present year, that the banns were not ordered until his groom's man, Jose Tagles, gave Brady a sum of money; that he did not go to Confession or Holy Communion because the priest did not ask him about it; that the assistant priest did not ask him whether he had been married before or was related to the prospective bride; that he asked only about the governor's permission given in writing and sent to the priest; that in New Madrid he had given his word to marry a girl whose name he cannot recall; that he is 29 years old. This testimony is signed by Servan with his mark and by Girault, Acosta and Perez with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 Apr. 15
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Lennan has been told that Jose Tagles is absent from the city. Acosta and Perez sign with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
(1796) (Apr. 15)
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
(Natchez, Mississippi)
Maria Aroeger appears and testifies that she is married and a native of At(t)acapas; that she was married in the parish church of Natchez by the little priest whose real name she does not know, two months before; that she knew that the banns were not published because there was not time; that Jose Tagles gave the priest a sum of money; that she had not gone to Confession and Holy Communion because there was not time and the priest had not asked about it; that the priest had not asked her whether she had ever married or given her word to marry anyone else or whether she was related to the prospective bridegroom; that she is 18 years old. She signs with her mark; Girault, Perez and Acosta sign with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 Apr. 16
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Lennan makes it seem as if Tagles who was absent from the city, had appeared and testified. Acosta and Perez sign with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
( ) ( )
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
(Natchez, Mississippi)
At a later date, Tagles testifies that he is a native of Palina, of the See of Mallorca, a resident of this district engaged in business; that he was the groom's man at the marriage of Pedro Servan and Maria Aroeger; that he does not know whether the banns were published; that the bridegroom was a sailor on the governor's ship and had to leave for the city on the following day; that he gave Father Brady 8 pesos for the wedding and 13 pesetas for the pledge; that inquiries about whether they were single had been made in the church; that it seemed to Tagles that it was (Antonio) Molina who told the priest that he knew the groom to be single; that the couple did not go to Confession nor receive Holy Communion because of the short time between the arrival of the groom and the time of the wedding. Tagles is 24 years old. He signs the testimony; Acosta and Perez also sign with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
(1796) (Apr. 16)
Lennan, Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co
(Natchez, Mississippi)
Not being able to secure the testimony of the master of the governor's ship, Antonio Molina, who was absent, Lennan records this. Acosta and Perez sign with Lennan.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 7
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
Natchez, (Mississippi)
The information given to Penalver upon his arrival in the city by Lennan, is to be recorded as a continuation of the testimony called for in the letter of March 5, completed by the appearance of Antonio Molina. This is also signed by Father Isidro Quintero as pro- secretary.
D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 Mar. 5
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop of
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Father (Francis) Fran(cis)co Lennan
(Natchez, Mississippi)
Penalver has been informed that Father Juan Brady performed a marriage without sanction and another without inquiries about marital status, dispensing with the banns, with the result that it was learned that one of the parties had been married in Kentucky. Lennan is to tell Penalver what he knows about the case and whether there was any justification for the act.
D. Copy (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 9
Quintero, Father Isidro
Natchez, (Mississippi)
(The above) is a copy of the letter sent and which was turned over to him in a packet of letters.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 Jan. 18
Brady, (O.Carm.), Father (John) Juan
(Natchez, Mississippi)
Brady as pastor of Natchez married Pedro Cervantes, son of Pedro Cervantes and Magdalena Blodth, natives of Bisharville, Canada, and Maria Roger daughter of Luis Roger and Maria Andree, natives of Bisharville, Canada; witnesses were Antonio Molina, Guillermo Betaugh and Simon de Arce.
D. Copy (Spanish)
--------
1796 Jan. 1
Brady, (O.Carm.) Father (John) Juan
(Natchez, Mississippi)
As pastor, Brady presided at the marriage ceremony between Roberto Johnson and Maria Savage both of this province and Protestants; witnesses were Jacobo Kirk and Juan Ellis.
D. Copy (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 9
Quintero, Father Isidro
Natchez, (Mississippi)
(The above) conforms to the original entry in the parish register of marriages and to the contract for the marriages of Protestants which was sent to Quintero.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 9
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Antonio Molina testified that he was a witness at the marriage of Pedro Cervantes and Maria Roger, that Cervantes was a sailor on the ship of which Molina was a master, that Cervantes was given permission to marry by the Governor, that the pastor asked Molina if Cervantes was married and Molina said no; that he believed there were no banns published because Cervantes did not finally decide to marry until three or four days before the ceremony; that he did not know whether Cervantes had any previous obligation; that having asked for a license he brought it to the church where the ceremony took place. Molina is 33 years old. Molina signs the testimony.
D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 9
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Father Brady is to appear and answer the questions put to him. Quintero certifies to the decree as pro-secretary and in a note adds that he notified Brady.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 10
Quintero, Father Isidro
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Brady appeared before (Penalver) and swore that he officiated at the marriage of Pedro Servantes and Maria Roger on January 18, the witnesses being Antonio Molina, Guillermo Betagh and Simon de Arce; that the license from the Governor was presented and since banns had just been published for Maria Roger for (her marriage) with another without impediment and this pact had been dissolved by mutual assent, there was not the difficulty of investigating the marriage; to the question whether he did not investigate the marital status of strangers he replied that he had never handled marriage papers and that this was his first marriage as a pastor; that he had not published the banns for Servantes and Roger because Servantes was going away and believing that they were from Canada, the banns could not be published; that he did not have the faculty of dispensing from banns but considered in this case that he could perform the marriage; that Servantes' license was granted by the governor and that Miss Roger's father was the one who had come to talk about the marriage; that Roberto Jonsons and Maria Saubage had presented themselves as Protestants on January 1 of this year; the witnesses being Jacobo Kirk, Juan Ellis, and Abraham Ellis conforming to the instructions of November 30, 1792; that the marriage was performed outside the church, without ecclesiastical vestments, and without a blessing according to the above instructions; that he made no inquiry about marital status of the license because the instructions did not provide for that, although (Penalver) had provided for it later, the order came afterward; that after the marriage was performed the rumor came that Jonsons had been married in Cumberlan(d); that Jonsons had shown him a document made before a magistrate and witnesses who proved the contrary, of which he will present a copy in Spanish; that he did not know if Servantes had (parental?) permission; that she had that of her guardian who with his family were present; since nothing came up about this point, there was no need to settle it. Father Brady signs; Penalver signs with his flourish.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 11
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis) Bishop
Natches, (Mississippi)
Pedro Cervantes is to appear to answer the questions put to him. Quintero certifies as Pro-secretary and in a note adds that he notified Cervantes of the decree.
D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 11
Quintero, Father Isidro
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Cervantes appeared before Penalver and swore that he had given his word in New Madrid to marry but that had been in the spirit of a joke; that he believes the banns were not published; that a sponsor gave Father Brady some money but whether for dispensing from the banns or for the wedding he does not know. This is signed with the bishop's flourish.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
(1796) May 12
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis) Bishop
(Natchez, Mississippi)
It is evident that Brady, assistant priest at the Church of the Saviour at Natchez married Pedro Servantes and Maria Roger without investigating their marital status nor publishing the banns and without their Confession; that he also presided at the marriage of Roberto Johnsons and Maria Saubage, without ritual and later it was reported the (Johnsons) had been married in Cumberlan(d). Penalver orders Brady to be given over to the authorities so that in three days he may be tried. Quintero certifies to this and adds in a note that he notified Brady.
D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 14
Brady, (O.Carm.), Father (John) Juan
Natchez, (Mississippi)
Brady can say nothing to justify himself but will reveal what moved him to act as he did. (In addition to statements already presented in the case Brady adds) that Maria Roger's father begged him to perform the marriage because he feared that if they did not marry, his daughter would not go through with it at Cervantes' return. Brady having proofs of her fickleness and rumors of her bad reputation thought it would be a lesser evil to perform the marriage without banns than to leave her to continue her dishonorable acts. Brady did not prepare them for marriage by Confession and Communion because he does not understand French which was the only language the couple spoke and he did not think that an interpreter should be used. As for the marriage of Roberto Jonson the King's instructions say nothing about establishing the marital status; that (Penalver's) instructions arrived after the marriage; that it seemed to him that he was doing his duty particularly as he had seen the pastor presiding at marriages of Protestants without other formalities than those he employed. The rumor that Jonson was married in Cumberland he believes was started by those who wished to see if they could make Brady suffer. Two months before the marriage Jonson had talked to the pastor about it and the pastor, leaving for the city, (New Orleans)) had said nothing to Brady about it; it was public knowledge that they were to be married and nothing was said until afterwards. His Excellency can judge of the truth of the rumor by the accompanying document executed by Jonson. This is signed also with the Bishop's flourish to which Quintero certifies and adds in a note that he notified Brady of the decree.
D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 Mar. 10
(Murdoch), Mordock, T
Natchez, (Mississippi)
There appeared before Mordock, a syndic for this district, Rolley (Raulegh) Hogan and John McDowell who swore that they were neighbors and intimate acquaintances of Doct(o)r Rob(er)t Johnson in the United States and that they never knew or heard of him being married; that they never knew or heard of the wife of Joseph Caradine, at present of this district and a laborer in the United States visiting or being in habits of intimacy with any person of distinction in that country; that Caradine's report that Johnson was married in the United States and that Caradine's wife visited Johnson's wife in the company of the wife of Governor Blunt is a false report and without any foundation; that Johnson is known to be a person of good character. This document is signed by Raulegh Hogan and John McDowell and the following who certify that they were present at the taking of the deposition: Stephen Minor, G. Cochran, Rob(er)t Scott, George Overaker, John Brooks, Lewis Evans, David Ferguson. Murdoch certifies that the above deposition is a true copy of the original in his possession.
D. Copy
--------
1796 May 13
Vidal, Jose
Natchez, (Mississippi)
(Vidal translates the above document into Spanish and) certifies that it conforms to the original written in English.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
--------
1796 May 16
(Penalver y Cardenas, Luis), Bishop
Natchez, (Mississippi)
(After reviewing the facts of the case) Penalver imposes the following sentence upon Father Brady. For a period of eight days, Brady is to say a Mass for the souls in purgatory particularly for those of the parish, praying for the exaltation of the Faith, extirpation of heresies, welfare of the monarchy and of this church with the hopes that in the future he will follow the instructions of December 21, 1796. Brady is to pay the costs(?). Quintero adds in a note that he notified Brady of the above decree and in a second note lists the costs totaling 99 reales, 12. He adds: All gratis.
D.S. (Spanish)
IV-5-j D.S., A.D.S. (Spanish) 35pp. 4to. (2 8vo.)
35