hts were
attached to the feet, thus doubling the torture. This last form of
torture was only applied when an atrocious crime had been proved to have
been committed upon a sacred person, such as a priest, a cardinal, a
prince, or an eminent and learned man.

Having seen that Beatrice was sentenced to the torture ordinary and
extraordinary, and having explained the nature of these tortures, we
proceed to quote the official report:--

"And as in reply to every question she would confess nothing, we caused
her to be taken by two officers and led from the prison to the torture
chamber, where the torturer was in attendance; there, after cutting off
her hair, he made her sit on a small stool, undressed her, pulled off
her shoes, tied her hands behind her back, fastened them to a rope
passed over a pulley bolted into the ceiling of the aforesaid chamber,
and wound up at the other end by a four lever windlass, worked by two
men.

"Before hoisting her from the ground we again interrogated her touching
the aforesaid parricide; but notwithstanding the confessions of her
brother and her stepmother, which were again produced, bearing their
signatures, she persisted in denying everything, saying, 'Haul me about
and do what you like with me; I have spoken the truth, and will tell you
nothing else, even if I were torn to pieces.'

"Upon this we had her hoisted in the air by the wrists to the height
of about two feet from the ground, while we recited a Pater Noster;
and then again questioned her as to the facts and circumstances of the
aforesaid parricide; but she would make no further answer, only saying,
'You are killing me! You are killing me!'

"We then raised her to the elevation of four feet, and began an Ave
Maria. But before our prayer was half finished she fainted away; or
pretended to do so.

"We caused a bucketful of water to be thrown over her head; feeling its
coolness, she recovered consciousness, and cried, 'My God! I am dead!
You are killing me! My God!' But this was all she would say.

"We then raised her higher still, and recited a Miserere, during which,
instead of joining in the prayer, she shook convulsively and cried
several times, 'My God! My God!'

"Again questioned as to the aforesaid parricide, she would confess
nothing, saying only that she was innocent, and then again fainted away.

"We caused more water to be thrown over her; then she recovered her
senses, opened her eyes, and cried, 'O cursed exec