{414} Practically the only plea open to the suspect was that the informers against him were actuated by malice.

As he was not told who his accusers were this was difficult for him to use.
[Sidenote: Penalties] The penalties were various, including scourging, the galleys and perpetual imprisonment.

Capital punishment by fire was pronounced not only on those who were impenitent but on those who, after having been once discharged, had relapsed.

In Spain, heretics who recanted before execution were first strangled; the obstinately impenitent were burned alive.

Persons convicted of heresy who could not be reached were burnt in effigy.
Acting on the maxim _ecclesia non sitit sanguinem_ the Inquisitors did not put their victims to death by their own officers but handed them over to the civil authorities for execution.