Edition of the first judicial process about the attack on Joan de Palomar (1426-1428)

Abstract

This is the instruction of the court of the magistrate of Barcelona to investigate the crime (by the law Cornelia de sicariis, the law Julia de la majesty and by sacrilege) that the brothers Vidal, Narcís, shoemaker, Francesc, barber, and Pere, squire of the jurist and canon Narcís de Sant Dionís would have committed. They are accused of assaulting, beating and attempting to murder the deacon and auditor of General Joan de Palomar on Christmas night 1426 near the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia, when the clergyman was going to attend Matins. According to the instruction, they would have committed the crime to avenge the honor of the canon Narcís de Sant Dionís, who in the middle of 1425 had been dismissed from the position of auditor of accounts of the Deputation, after being co-opted there for the triennium of 1425-1428, but before taking the oath of office, and had been replaced by Joan de Palomar. The crime was carried out with the complicity of the veguer of Girona, nephew of Sant Dionís, and his namesake, who instigated another nephew of the clergyman, Bernat Sarriera, to organize the attack.