The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-03-08
A PEEP AT THE INQUISITION.

a new work just issued by the Harpers, viz
James Dark Scenes Of History. II is embodied
in his history of "The Last Days Of the Templarsh
The Temple-house at Paris wheuce had issued
forth, like glorious stream host Of heroes TO de-
iend the Holy Land, was again crowded with
gallant knights but they were no longer armed for
the defence of the sepulchre. The sword was no
longer drawn for the fight. The baitle-horse bore
them no more to the charge. Captlves to their el-
low Christians, in the power Of enemies more pitt
less than the Saracens, they lay in chains, each in
his silent cell loaded with base accusations, and ex-
pecting death. All their immense possessions
were gone. Their wealth, the gift Of pous and ad-
miring friends, filled the Golfers Of tyrant, or
swelled the purses Of his minions and no one re-
tanned sufficient to pay even a hired advocate TO
plead his cause before the judges. The Grand
Master OF the Temple, himself, had not four sous TO
buy him bread and bread was often wanting, for
no sort of torture was forgotten.
Look into that dark cell, where lies, upon his
miserable pallet, the form of an old man, with a
long white beard, aud floating locks as pure as
snow. He is old brother OF the order, OF a
princey race, with the blood of long line oi no.
bles flowing in his veins. Sixly-fve years have
passed since his mother first held him with pride
and delight in her arms. Watchfui love hung over
his cradle. Care and thought iostered and in
structed his youth. Wealth, and honor, and dis
tinction. were at his command. Every joy that the
world could give was his. But he abandoned all,
to become soldier of the Cross and this is his re-
ward. Forty-two years ago, he was received into
the order Of the Temple at the city Of Tyre; and in
many field, his blood had moistened the sands Of
Palestine. He aided in storming Lilion. He was
at the attack upon Ascalon. He was Of the
| first in Bisan. He escaped, almost by miracle,
at the capture of Cesarea and he held the standard
of the Cross at the Pilgrims Castle. At Saftza,
| and the Castle of the Kurds, he displayed his
valor and he was one of the few who, after the
walls were thrown down, and the citadel heap OF
ashes marched out OF Beaufort, lance in the rest
and banner displayed with all the pageantry OF
war, in presence of the whole host OF Bondocdar,
compelled to grant honorable capitulatlon to the
unconquerable valor of the Temple. In many
another field he has fought, and in the defence OF
many another place he had aided. The banner Of
| the Cross has never been dlsgraeed by any one Of
long life; and this is his reward.
They have kept him without food or drink for
eightand- forty hours they condemning the old
hero of the cross to die the death Of the wolf Lank
hunger is upon him, gnawng his very entrails He
| could tear his own flesh with his teeth. He has
knocked and called in vain at the barred and boled
| door; and now he lies and gazes at it with hag-
gard eye. listening the steps pass and rePass, but
they bring him no relief This is one species Of
| torture.
| In great hall-where once the knights of the
| order were wont to assemble upon solemn occa-
sions, to receive a brother, to consult to the
| means Of succoring the Holy Land, or to Judge
| nlaleiactor-stretched upon machine formed some.
various wheels and windasses, lay tall and pow
erful man Of the middle age. His broad brow was
knit with stern and resolute frown but his eyes
had the anguish of apprehension in them; and his
| teeth were firm set, as If to prevent any sound
| escaping from his lips. His ankles and his wrists
were firmly fastened with cords to the beams Of the
machine and his body, too, fixed with hoop
| of iron. By his side stood the Grand lnquisitor,
| William of Paris. A number of Dominican monks
| were around. Near at hand was surgeon with a
vial and cup; but by the side Of the machine
stood two powerful men, in lay habit, with their
arms bare.
- exhort you, brother, in the name Of God and
the Holy Trinity" said the Inqusitor, in low
sweet voice, to make confession oil the truth, ant
save US the necessity of using means to force /
from you"
al have said the truth, replied the Templar firm
y; and take notice, every one, that it, under you
diabocal hands, | speak otherwise than il hay
spoke, lie. These are my last words. Do you
worst"
, There was profound silence. The two stron
men, bending by the machine, lifted their eyes, an
, gazed earnestly on the face of the Inqusitor. II
spoke not, but made little sign, waving his hand
t so slightly you could hardly perceive it, The me
applied their whole force, and moved round tn
winch. There was a creaking sound, of strain
ing wood The thick beams were forced apar
l The joints in the wooden frame separated. Th
limbs of the Templar were drawn slowly but forc
bly, from each other. You could hear the stout sinew
crack. There was a deep groan.
Hold hold" said the surgeon, who had watche
the tortured mans face. But the Inqusitor mad
no sign The strong men forced the wheels rounC
and there was a shrek of dire(ul agony.
In the wide chimney of the refectory there wa
a great fire, logs piled upon it and blazing high
and before it were two screens covered with linel
CLOTH The fire had cheerful light, blazing an'
flashing the stone walls and the arches of thu
windows, and the great round columns.
But what is that before the fire 1t is the goot
knight Bernard de Vao, stretched out upon an iroi
frame, pinioned with Cords and bound tightly
down, so that his limbs can have motion. Tn
screens placed, to cover his face and bod
from the blaze of the fire; but his naked feet ar
extended to the full heat, within fewinches OF tn
, burning logs. What are those inoarnate devils do
ing, in their gowns Of black and white, those Do
minican fends, bred to the art OF torture :? The
are greasng the scorched soles, to prevent the es
from being actually burned away. Vain are hi
| cries, his groans, his shrieks. 1t is speech the
: want and he speaks not. They interpose
the to moderatethe heat, and then ask him
v " Wilt thou confess now q
n He is silent; the Dominican moves his hand 10
/, wards the screen again.
"What must confess What must confess?
! cries the unhappy man; and, with a smile, the sol
: Dominican instructs him.
In the interior of small cell, one OF the cells
the order, and on his own pallet-bedis seen anolhe
knight, with single figure seated quietly besid
t him. Is the poor Tempar sick Ii must be SC
for see the kind Dominican drops water from his Gu
upon his mouth Now this is charity indeed
Under the coarse rug that covers him his bod
is bound down to the bed He can move neitlle
e hand foot. Over his face is stretched thc
a wet CLOTH through which he is forced to draw u
: breath Of life: and even the fearful heat Of b
intense agony dries up the moisture, that he ca
;; breathe more freely, the Dominican drops MOI
= water the cloth, and renders every sigh PAM
See how convulsively his chest heaves. See no
the fingers move in the struggle for air no
clinched, till the nails sink into the palms of h
hands, now extended wide with every sinew star
ing out like rope; aud NOW, faint and i'll, define
lis stains of crimson begin to mark the cloth over
face, 1t is the blood starting from his eyes an
nostrils.
But let us drop the curtain over the awful seen
l There were more tortures and others too ind
cent and horrible to be mentioned; but be ye sur
f. nv friends, torment spared that huma
beings could fnlict or suffer. Revenge may
more fiery and impetuous than any other passion
nd the evils wrought by ambition may be wde-spre;
n and destructive but avarice is the mot cold
h cruel of all the vices which alct mankind. Thirt
six Templars died under the torture without havlI
uttered one word which could criminate their O
der Many more were crippled for life I; but
bic would appear that every one maintained the perfe
IA innocence Of the soldiers Of the Temple, till forg
u letters were shown to them purporhng to con
# from the hand Of the Grand Master and exhortil
W thein to confess their gull. g, 1T James de Mol
viii welded to anguish or to fear, who should ress
et' Such was the argument which some Of the Tel
L t,..r .u4 IL