--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A prisoner in the Inquisition is never…" description: "\"A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg" --- # A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the… ![“A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats and tortures, to oblige him to accuse himself, and by that means corroborate their evidence.” quote by John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg) > “A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats and tortures, to oblige him to accuse himself, and by that means corroborate their evidence.” [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Inquisition forces self‑incrimination through intimidation, making the accused’s confession the primary evidence. **In simple terms:** Self‑incrimination via terror Key Takeaway Confessions under duress are unreliable Themes Power dynamics Legal injustice Psychological coercion Historical oppression Institutional abuse Mood Oppressive Sombre Cautionary Type Historical observation Political critique Moral warning When to use this quote - Judicial interrogation - Authoritarian regimes - Historical trials - Modern police interrogations - Psychological experiments Key Concepts Inquisition Torture Self‑accusation Evidence validation Practical Applications - Legal reform to prevent coerced confessions - Training for ethical interrogation techniques Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can protect the accused from coercion? - How does fear influence the reliability of testimony? A Different Perspective Some argue that confessions, even under pressure, can reveal truth, but modern research shows stress distorts memory and honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Inquisition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inquisition/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) ## Related quotes > [“in Spain, thus gleaned of all heresy, the Inquisition could still swell its lists of murders to thirty-two thousand!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/in-spain-thus-gleaned-of-all-heresy-the-inquisition-could-still-swell/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“On the death of Leo X. in 1521, Adrian, the inquisitor general was elected pope. He had laid the foundation of his papal celebrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/on-the-death-of-leo-x-in-1521-adrian-the-inquisitor-general-was/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [A defence in the Inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is deemed sufficient cause of condemnation, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-defence-in-the-inquisition-is-of-little-use-to-the-prisoner-for-a/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [We cannot permit any inquisition either within or without the law or apply any religious test to the holding of office. The mind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/we-cannot-permit-any-inquisition-either-within-or-without-the-law-or/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“The important question to ask is why these bodies are allowed to exist. If a country such as Spain allowed a repressive body like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cullen-murphy/the-important-question-to-ask-is-why-these-bodies-are-allowed-to/) Cullen Murphy > [If you compare the United States with Europe, my view is that what happened in Europe is that the church became deeply distrusted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/if-you-compare-the-united-states-with-europe-my-view-is-that-what/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Intolerance has always been one of the cornerstones of Christianity - the glorious heritage of the Inquisition. It's no coincidence that most of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/intolerance-has-always-been-one-of-the-cornerstones-of-christianity/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [The Christians who engaged in infamous persecutions and shameful inquisitions were not evil men but misguided men. The churchmen who felt they had an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-christians-who-engaged-in-infamous-persecutions-and-shameful/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [After the survivor of the Spanish conquest has told his life's story he is convicted by the Inquisition: He posted no brief in defense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/after-the-survivor-of-the-spanish-conquest-has-told-his-life-s-story/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [“pro scienta atque sapienta-Latin- for science and wisdom It's a Darwinian popularity contest. at all times, the question on everyone's mind is, "who's coolest?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/pro-scienta-atque-sapienta-latin-for-science-and-wisdom-it-s-a/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [Institutional psychiatry is a continuation of the Inquisition. All that has really changed is the vocabulary and the social style. The vocabulary conforms to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/institutional-psychiatry-is-a-continuation-of-the-inquisition-all/) [Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/) > [You find this curious fact, that the more intense has been the religion of any period and more profound has been the dogmatic belief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/you-find-this-curious-fact-that-the-more-intense-has-been-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Where there is no danger of overt action there is rarely any interference with freedom. That is why there has so often been amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/where-there-is-no-danger-of-overt-action-there-is-rarely-any/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [If Galileo had said in verse that the world moved, the inquisition might have let him alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/if-galileo-had-said-in-verse-that-the-world-moved-the-inquisition/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) ## More by John Foxe > [“The account given us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, ought not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/the-account-given-us-by-an-eminent-primitive-writer-clemens/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“About the same time one Purderve was put to death, for saying privately to a priest, after he had drunk the wine, "He blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/about-the-same-time-one-purderve-was-put-to-death-for-saying/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“ah! I thought the wolves used to devour the heretics, but now I see the heretics eat the wolves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/ah-i-thought-the-wolves-used-to-devour-the-heretics-but-now-i-see-the/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [ With his continual doctrine \[Bishop Hooper\] adjoined due and discreet correction, not so much severe to any as to them which for abundance of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/with-his-continual-doctrine-bishop-hooper-adjoined-due-and-discreet/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“Here he employed himself in reading St. Augustine and the school men; but, in turning over the leaves of the library, he accidentally found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/here-he-employed-himself-in-reading-st-augustine-and-the-school-men/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“I fear neither death nor fire, being prepared for both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/i-fear-neither-death-nor-fire-being-prepared-for-both/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [A Protestant has seldom any mercy shown him, and a Jew, who turns Christian, is far from being secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-protestant-has-seldom-any-mercy-shown-him-and-a-jew-who-turns/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“Moreover, the papal system has opposed the march of civilization and liberty throughout the world, by denouncing the circulation of the Bible, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/moreover-the-papal-system-has-opposed-the-march-of-civilization-and/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [The pope being informed of the great increase of Protestantism, in the year 1542 sent inquisitors to Venice to make an inquiry into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/the-pope-being-informed-of-the-great-increase-of-protestantism-in-the/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [“Marcellus, bishop of Rome, being banished on account of his faith, fell a martyr to the miseries he suffered in exile, 16th Jan. A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/marcellus-bishop-of-rome-being-banished-on-account-of-his-faith-fell/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [But, though persecuting malice raged, yet the Gospel shone with resplendent brightness; and, firm as an impregnable rock, withstood the attacks of its boisterous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/but-though-persecuting-malice-raged-yet-the-gospel-shone-with/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [The Gospel having spread itself into Persia, the pagan priests, who worshipped the sun, were greatly alarmed, and dreaded the loss of that influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/the-gospel-having-spread-itself-into-persia-the-pagan-priests-who/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [When the Christians, upon these occasions, received martyrdom, they were ornamented, and crowned with garlands of flowers; for which they, in heaven, received eternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/when-the-christians-upon-these-occasions-received-martyrdom-they-were/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [Each of the seventeen tribunals during a long period burned annually, on an average, ten miserable beings!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/each-of-the-seventeen-tribunals-during-a-long-period-burned-annually/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) > [A defence in the Inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is deemed sufficient cause of condemnation, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-defence-in-the-inquisition-is-of-little-use-to-the-prisoner-for-a/) [John Foxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) [Explore all 27 John Foxe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/) ## More Evidence quotes > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [“What you owe your critics are your RESULTS not explanations not defence just RESULTS.Evidence terminates Arguments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/what-you-owe-your-critics-are-your-results-not-explanations-not/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Dogmatism compensates for evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-wallace/dogmatism-compensates-for-evidence/) Dana Wallace > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) Deyth Banger > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Human unhappiness is evidence of our immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/human-unhappiness-is-evidence-of-our-immortality/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The state is in danger of falling into disrepute due to the evidence of its inadequate resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-habermas/the-state-is-in-danger-of-falling-into-disrepute-due-to-the-evidence/) [Jurgen Habermas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-habermas/) > [You are innocent until proven guilty. And if folks have come forward, whether it is judge Roy Moore or whether it is anyone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rosendale/you-are-innocent-until-proven-guilty-and-if-folks-have-come-forward/) [Matt Rosendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rosendale/) > [There is still zero empirical evidence that anthropogenic production of CO2 is making any measurable contribution to the world's present warming trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-is-still-zero-empirical-evidence-that-anthropogenic-production/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [“‎If you regard evidence as a constraint and seek to free yourself, you sell yourself into the chains of your whims. For you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/if-you-regard-evidence-as-a-constraint-and-seek-to-free-yourself-you/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) Browse all 3,643 Evidence quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats and tortures, to oblige him to accuse himself, and by that means corroborate their evidence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Foxe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-allowed-to-see-the-face-of-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-allowed-to-see-the-face-of-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-foxe-22663_evidence_a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-a_63967.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A prisoner in the Inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against…” — John Foxe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Foxe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foxe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A prisoner in the Inquisition is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-allowed-to-see-the-face-of-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foxe/a-prisoner-in-the-inquisition-is-never-allowed-to-see-the-face-of-his/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```