Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871 edition. Excerpt: ...of sackcloth. Their faces were invisible; but they looked at the prisoners through two holes in their sackcloth hoods. 3. If the accused persons would not plead guilty, they were tortured in various ways. Sometimes they were drawn up to the roof of the chamber by a rope, and, after hanging a considerable time, the rope was loosened, so that they fell almost to the floor, 4. The rope was then suddenly tightened again, and the prisoner's limbs were put out of joint by the shock. If he still refused to confess, the inquisitors rubbed his feet with lard, and roasted them before a fire. In short, their cruelties were too dreadful to be told. 5. When the inquisitors had satisfied themselves with torturing their prisoners, they prepared to burn them. The condemned persons walked in a procession, dressed in garments which were painted with flames. On their breasts they wore their own likenesses in the act of being devoured by serpents and wild beasts. 6. When they reached the place of execution, the victims were fastened to a stake with iron chains, and roasted to death by a slow fire. They sometimes suffered the agony of this torment for two or three hours before death relieved them. Such were the horrors of the Inquisition; yet it was introduced into Italy and other Catholic countries, and continued in operation for nearly three hundred years. Between thirty and forty thousand persons were burned alive before the Inquisition was abolished. 7. The remembrance of the Inquisition will ever cause a stain to rest upon the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella. It was the greatest glory of this king and queen, that they gave Christopher Columbus the means of discovering America. But Columbus was thrown into a dungeon as the reward of his discovery! 8. The...