The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-03-17

"t"oee ohect. ucstBucu tuia tecOnu I'm
terrogatory," as il was called. in n firn
hand with his full name. and added TO IL
French couPlet, which may he translated
thus
May Jesus always In my heart
Bear away the conqucrot's part"
Thirteen days after he hal committc,
that crimo. he was led TO execution in on,
Of the public places OF Paris, which wal
crowded with spectators OF every rank
Many ladies OF the court. il is recorded
were present 10 witness the hOrrid seen,
and sought 10 display their loyalty by
openly exulting the prolonged agonies oI
the deludnd man. Being bound TO cross
on an elevated scaiIold. the dagger with
which he had slain the hing was tied in his
right hand. aud Que hand was fastened ovei
slow fire and burned from tho arm.-
Then with red-hot pincers. the flesh was
torn from various parts of the body. aud
melted pitch aud lead poured into the
wounds. Finally. four powerful horses
were brought in the square. one Of which
was attached 10 each limb. aud the horses
were driven in opposite directions. with the
design OF tearing him 10 pieces. such was
the strength OF his frame. aud such The
difficulty Of controlling the animals. that
after two hours ofsiruggle. the poor wretch
was still alive aud his body entire.
During this torment. his great anxiety
was To receive formal absolutiOn from the
priest who attended him. Give IL me.
then." he cried. d" on condition that I have
told the truth" This consolation was, nt
length conceded 10 him, aud his mind was
evidently relieved. The horses being una.
BILE 10 complete the tragedy. his body was
cut into quarters by tho cxccutioners. and
the fragments were thrown to the populace
who dragged them about the streets till the
end OF the day
Ravaillac was simply a mOuomaniac. -
An age more civilized would have regarded
him as an object Of compassion and con.
signed him tO an asylum and u physician.
insteah Of torture and the scafold. In all
Europe. there were no voices raised in r..
buke OF the horrors of his execution, cx.
cept those Of the party opposed to the po.
liticS Of the King. The extreme partisans
OF the Catholic interest applauded his act
as that OF hero and affected to regard his
execution as mariyrLon,. Aside from par.
~ feeling his punishment evidently salts.
fed the popular sense OF Justice OF that
age Of the rulers Of Europe Of that cen
tury. the slain King alone. parhaps, was
enlightened enough ic have held in proper
exccration such hideous scene as the exc.
cuiion OF his murderer presented
Meanwhile, the body of the king lay in
state in his palace. for il was the custom
not To bury u King Of France until be bad
been dead forty days. The corpse en-.
balmed. was enclosed in coffin OF lead and
covered with pail. upon which was placed
n HUnra nf has, tetfe laWrv..
in q sitting posture Every day at the
Kings dinner hour a royal repast was
spread on table before the eiIigy. and the
viands after remaining on the table the
usual time, were given 10 the poor Day
and night. during the whole period OF for.
ty days priests knelt around the coiln. and
chanied prayers for the reposc Of the Kings
soul. On the day before the funeral, the
body was conveyed to the Noire Dame. the
waxen eiligy being carried on litter be.
hiud the collin. Tn the day following. the
corpse was borne TO the tomb Of The French
Kings. at the church Of st. Denis. follow.
cd by great concourse of noblcmen. min
listers. judges. generals, and members Of par.
limcnt, all arrayed in the costume or insig.
MIA OF their rank or vocation.
Srhc death OF Henry ". changed the
politics Of Europe. Ills son. the heir Of
the throne. was a boy OF nine years. and
the kingdom iell Into the hands of his
mother, weak aud wicked woman. under
whom France was divided aud powerless.
The Protestant powers were defeated aud
snbdued. For several years the kingdom
was distracted by internal dsscnsions and
Inundated by internal disasters until the
reins Of power were adroitly graspcd by the
great tichelieu. who restored public tran.
guilty. made France once more felt in the
politics Of Europe, aud ruled the county
with tirni. severe aud able hand. II was
the Cardinal dc Richclieu who prevented
the assassination of Henry ". from being
fatal TO France aud check TO the advanc.
ing civilization OF Europe. llc WIS often
harsh aud sometimes seemed cruel bu,
upon the whole. his rule was just aud wise.