The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-27
Death OF francesca MaIiai, ia Prison In
Florence.

From the london atyert er Jan. l0.l
The Church Of Rome has had another victim. To
the endless list of those whose lives she has exacted,
there is now TO be added one OF the two Madiai,
Francesca, who has inst expired in the prison of
Florence from the combined effects of the coscness Of
his confinement in the dungeon to which he was
consigned by popery, and the severity Of the labor
to which he was subjected. Nothing short of his
death would satiate the vengetul spirit OF the
Romish church, nor sit likely, unless some strong
political pressure from some OF the European powers
he applied to the Grand Duke, who is the veriest
slave Of the priests, that the surviving wife viii ever
cross the door of her dungeon living woman.
Our readers are aware of the "crime' for which
the Madiai were doomed, the wife to fortysix, and
the husband to ftty-four, months imprisonment and
hard labor. That crime was neither more nor less
than the simple reading Of the Bible in the privacy
of their own humble abode. For that offence the
husband has paid the penalty of his life He paid it
cheerfullv. He never murmured nor repined at his
cruel doom. That Divine Power which endowed
him with strength to renounce the errors Of Roman
ism, enabled him, with calmness and resignation
which have never been surpassed to suffer and to
die for his principles The vengeance OF his priestly
prosecutors followed him TO his dungeon and cla-
mored loudly until it got bis life; but in the midst
Of all his suielgs and in the hour of dissolution he
was happy-happer far than the ducal prince, or
any Of his ministers, at whose instance the sentence
was passed.
IT may not be known to all our readers that the
Madiai were imprisoned in loathsome dungeon
ten months before the sentence was passed them,
ana tnuL during il LUll tiS NSll uS III
teryening months they never were permitted to see
each other To show the spirit in which these poor
pious people met the fate TO which the relentless
spirit of the Church of Rome subjected them, We
print the following letter written by Rosa Madai to
her husband on the 7th Of June the day before the
sentence of foIty-six months Imprisonment, in q
dark and dismal dungeon, with hard labor, was
passed on her and ftyfouT months imprisonment
In similar dungeon, with hard labor. passed on her
husband
Ny dear Madiai--You know that have always loved
you, but how much more ought % love you now that
We nave been toge'er IN 'Ie pa..s o. ,nG Ile1' &
@ ta We navg o1en ssa of cs od or s,bpr
Viii hay aeccpted our testimony, and win give us grace
IN drint TO The last drop the portion Of that bitter cup
which Il prepared for as With returning of thanks My
good Madia life is only day, and lay OF grief Yes
terday were young, day We are Old Nevertheless
We can say with od simeon : Lord now ettest ny ser
want Depart ID peace i0f "'n' eyes nave see" my 50"
VaIion NV DOM s;rco No tro,v nv tbe uo,y snirit
,t III; Iri. loaded vim onnrotriyn tro9dcn down
and calumniated. il our saviour and We by Ills holy
ght and power are called d defend the Holy Cross and
Christ who died for us receiving His reproaches, that we
may afterwards PARTICIPATE In His Glory DO not fear
the punishment he hard God who made the cha,ns q ia
from Peter ena openca e pH. - e M m tr enav m Il