Bernardo López Portelo (en algunas cartas aparece tan sólo llamado Bernardo Portelo), mercader y lencero, vecino de Madrid y natural de Portugal, fue acusado de judaizante en 1661. Entre las distintas acusaciones se le inculpó de mantener una red de judaizantes a través de las distintas limosnas que el reo daba a algunas personas reconciliadas con la Inquisición de Toledo, Valladolid y Cuenca. Un testigo afirmó que empezaron a sospechar de él cuando en la estafeta de Bayona vieron numerosos sobrescritos de cartas pertenecientes a los judíos de Bayona con su nombre (fol. 41). Las cartas que se aportaron como prueba al juicio fueron requisadas junto al resto de papeles que se encontraron en la casa del reo: la mayoría eran peticiones de limosna. En el reverso de la carta hay una nota manuscrita que pertenece al inquisidor, y dice: "Certifico haber hallado esta carta entre los papeles que se le secuestraron a Bernardo López Portelo. Madrid, 26 de agosto de 1660. Juan Baptista de Lemos". Finalmente, el reo fue condenado a pagar una multa de 200 ducados y a destierro.

Letter from Miguel Díaz Jorge to Bernardo López Portelo, a draper and a trader.

The author writes to Bernardo López Portelo begging for help, given that he can not afford the expenses from the Holy Office trial that began in 1654 and in which he was involved.

Bernardo López Portelo (also just Bernardo Portelo in some letters), was a draper and a trader resident in Madrid and native to Portugal who was accused of judaizer in 1661. Among other offences, he was accused of being an abettor of a judaizers network by means of different alms that he was giving to some people reconciled with the Holy Office of Toledo, Valladolid and Cuenca. A witness stated that they first suspected him when they saw many superscripts that belonged to the Jews from Bayonne with his name on it (fol.41). The letters provided as exhibit to the trial together with the rest of the documents were seized from the defendant´s house: most of them were alms petitions. On the verso of the letter there is an annotation from the inquisitor, it reads: "I hereby certify that this letter was found among the papers seized to Bernardo López Portelo. Madrid, August 26th 1660. Juan Baptista de Lemos". Eventually, the defendant was condemned to exile and to the payment of 200 ducats.