The Holy Scripture - english version B.indd - Sabbat

364John's Foreview of Romanism.and awful. Then the inquisitor admonished him to confess the truth before historments began. When he answered hat he had told the truth, the inquisitorgravely protested that since he was so obstinate as to suffer the torture, the holyoffice would be innocent (what exquisite hypocrisy!) ifhe should even expire in his torments. When he had said this, they put a linengarment over his body, and drew it so very close on each side as almost squeezedhim to death. When he was almost dying, they slackened all at once the sides ofthe garment, and, after he began to breathe again, the sudden alteration put himto the most grievous anguish and pain. When he had overcome this torture, thesame admonition was repeated, that he would confess the truth in order to preventfurther torment. As he persisted in his denial, they tied his thumbs so very tightwith small cords as made the extremities of them greatly swell, and caused theblood to spurt out from under his nails. After this he was placed with his backagainst a wall and fixed upon a bench ; into the wall were fastened iron pulleys,through which there were ropes drawn and tied round his arms and legs in severalplaces. The executioner, drawing these ropes with great violence, fastened hisbody with them to the wall, his arms and legs, and especially his fingers and toes,being bound so tightly as to put him to the most exquisite pain, so that it seemedto him just as though he was dissolving in flames. After this a new kind of torturesucceeded. There was an instrument like a small ladder, made of two uprightpieces of wood and five cross ones sharpened in front. This the torturer placedover against him, and by a single motion struck it with great violence both hisshins, so that he received upon each of them at once five violent strikes, whichput him to such intolerable anguish that he fainted away. After this he came tohimself, and they inflicted on him a further torture. The torturer tied ropes aboutOrobio's wrists, and the put these ropes about his own back, which was coveredwith leather to prevent his hurting himself ; then falling backwards he drewthe ropes with all his might till they cut through Orobio's flesh, even to the verybones. And this torture was repeated twice, the ropes being tied about his armsat the distance of two finger's breadth from the former wound, and drawn withthe same violence. On this the physician and surgeon were sent for out of theneighbouring apartment to ask whether the torture could be continued withoutdanger of death. As there was a prospect of his living through it, the torture wasthen repeated, after which he was bound up in his own clothes and carried backto his prison. Here, opposite to this recital, is a picture representing these varioustortures. After prolonged imprisonment, Orobio was released and banished fromthe kingdom of Seville.Before we let fall the curtain upon this awful subject, let us listen for amoment to some of the words of William Lithgow, a Scotchman, who suffered thetortures of the Inquisition in the time of James I. After telling of the diabolicaltreatment he received, which was very similar to that I have just described, hesays, " Now my eyes did begin to startle, my mouth to foamand froth, and my teeth to chatter like the dobbling ofdrumsticks. Oh, strange, in-human, monster man-manglers !... And notwithstanding of my shivering lips in this fiery passion, my vehementgroaning, and blook springing from my arms, my broken sinews, yes, and my