irons were off he fell on his knees, uttering a short prayer,
that God would be pleased to enable him to be steadfast, and undergo
courageously the grievous trial he had to encounter. The alcade and
notary having placed themselves in chairs, he was stripped naked, and
fixed upon the rack, the office of these gentlemen being to be witness
of, and set down the confessions and tortures endured by the delinquent.

It is impossible to describe all the various tortures inflicted upon
him. Suffice it to say, that he lay on the rack for above five hours,
during which time he received above sixty different tortures of the most
hellish nature; and had they continued them a few minutes longer, he
must have inevitably perished.

These cruel persecutors being satisfied for the present, the prisoner
was taken from the rack, and his irons being again put on, he was
conducted to his former dungeon, having received no other nourishment
than a little warm wine, which was given him rather to prevent his
dying, and reserve him for future punishments, than from any principle
of charity or compassion.

As a confirmation of this, orders were given for a coach to pass every
morning before day by the prison, that the noise made by it might give
fresh terrors and alarms to the unhappy prisoner, and deprive him of all
possibility of obtaining the least repose.

He continued in this horrid situation, almost starved for want of the
common necessaries to preserve his wretched existence, till Christmas
day, when he received some relief from Mariane, waiting-woman to the
governor's lady. This woman having obtained leave to visit him, carried
with her some refreshments, consisting of honey, sugar, raisins, and
other articles: and so affected was she at beholding his situation, that
she wept bitterly, and at her departure expressed the greatest concern
at not being able to give him further assistance.

In this loathsome prison was poor Mr. Lithgow kept till he was almost
devoured by vermin. They crawled about his beard, lips, eye-brows, &c.
so that he could scarce open his eyes; and his mortification was
increased by not having the use of his hands or legs to defend himself,
from his being so miserably maimed by the tortures. So cruel was the
governor, that he even ordered the vermin to be swept on him twice in
every eight days. He, however obtained some little mitigation of this
part of his punishment, from the humanity of a Turkish slave that
att