The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-07-29

public places of Paris, which was crowde
with spectators of every rank. Many ladie
OF the court, it is recorded were present +
witness the horrid scene, and sought to dis
play their loyalty by openly exulting in tn
prolonged agonies of the deluded man.
Being bound to cross on an elevated scat
fold, the dagger with which he had slail
the King was tied in his right hand, ant
the hand was fastened over a slow fire ant
burned from the arm Then with red -ho
pinchers, the flesh was torn from variou,
parts of the body, and melted pitch ant
lead poured into the wounds. Finally, foul
powerful horses were brought into the
square, one of which was attached to eact
limb, and the horses were driven in opposite
directions, with the design Of tearing him
to pieces. Such was the strength of his
frame: and such the difficulty of controll.
ing the animals, that after two hours oil
struggle, the poor wretch was still alive
and his body was entire.
During all this torment, his great anxiety
was to receive formal absolution from the
priest who attended him. "Give it me.
then," he CRIED on condition that | have
told the TRUTH This consolation was. at
length conceded to him, and his mind was
evidently relieved. The horses being unable
to complete the tragedy, his body was cut
into quarters by the executioners, and the
| fragments were thrown to the popuace, W ho
dragged them about the streets till the end
of the day.
Ravaillac was simply monomanac
An age moro civilized would have regarded
him as an object of compassion, and con-
signed him to an asylum and a physician,
instead of torture and the scaffold In all
Europe, there were no voices raised in re-
buke of the horrors of his execution, ex-
cept those of the party opposed to the
politics of the King. The extreme par
tisans Of the Catholic interest appIauded
his act as that of hero, and affected to re-
gard his execution as martyrdom. Aside
from party feeling, his punishment evidently
satisfied the popular sense Of justice of
that age. OF the rulers of Europe Of that
century, the slain King alone, perhaps, was
enlightened enough to have held in proper
eXecration such hideous scene as the ex-
ecution of his murderer presented.
Meanwhile, the bodyof the King lay in
state in his palace, for it was the custom not
to bury King of France until he had been
dead forty days. The corpse embalmed,
was enclosed in coffin Of lead and covered
with PAIL upon which was placed wax
figure Of the King as large as life, in sit
ting posture, Every day, at the Kings din
ner hour, a royal repast was spread on
table before the efigy, and the viands, after
remaining on the table the usual time, were
given to the poor. Day and night, during
the whole period of forty days, priests knelt
around the coffin, and chanted prayers for
the repose of the Kings soul. On the day
before the funeral, the body was conveyed
to the cathedral Of Notre Dame, the waxen
effgy being carried on litter behind the
coffin. On the day following, the corpse
was borne to the tomb Of the French Kings,
at the church of St. Dennis, followed by
great concourse of noblemen, ministers,
judges, generals, and members of Parlia-
ment, all arrayed in the costume or insignia
of their rank or vocation.
The death of Henry w. changed the
politics of Europe. His son, the heir of
the throne, was boy of nine years and
the kingdom fell into the hands of his
mother weak and wicked woman, under |
whom France was divided and powerless.
The Protestant powers were defeated and |
subdqed. For several years the kingdom
was distracted by internal dissenson and
uuulHldIeu Ny eAteFual ulSaSLefS until the
reins OF power were adroitly grasped by the
great Richelieu, who restored public tran
guilty, made France once more felt in the
politics of Europe, and ruled the country
with firm, severe and able hand. It was
The Cardinal de Richelieu who sr,feSeSn;;1" Sl;1~
he assassination of Henry ~. from oelns
my rFssuersa or 1r5ur5ee!e tnt the saaTaAc-
marsh, and sometimes seemed cruel, but
lpon the whole, his rule was just and wise.