Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-03-06

NNfNN ~ ftt'e'St e"N ~ fe'NNN 80 49,
cent Bernardo; aud their prayers pre-
vailed so far as that Bernardo was par
doned, with the condition that he should
be present at the death of the others, aud
that their punishment was mitigated TO
simple decapitatiOn. But so sudden was
the order for the sentence, that the life Of
Bernardo was only saved BY the delay of
few hours, necessitated by the building
Of the scaffold, and by the tardiDess Of the
coufraternty Of Mercy who were to ae-
company the condemned to the scaffold !
an nr as only informed Of his reprieve
after he had left bis cell on the way to
execution, aud when ho was already on
the scuGo J., which he was the FIRST to
mount.
On Saturday, the llth of September,
1899, the sentence was executed on
lofty scaffold erected over the bridge Of
St. Angelo, in front of the castle. The
order was carried to the prisoners at. 5
o'clock on Friday evening, and communi
Gated to them at 6 the next morning.
Beatrice, on hearing it, broke into pierre
ing lamentatiOu and passionate gesture,
exclaiming "How is it possible, . my
God, that must so suddenly dIe!" But
Lucrezia received it with resignation, and
by her exhortations calmed her daughter.
in-law, and both proceeded at once to the
chapel to pray. A notary was then sum-
moned to make their wills. Beatrice left
fifteen thousand crowns to the Sacrc-Stim-
mate fraternity and ordered her dowry
to be distributed into marriage portions
for fifty maidens. After reciting pray.
ers, psalms and litanies, they confessed
at 8 o'clock, heard mass, aud received
the holy communion. After this they
dressed themselves in black, each assist
ing the other, and conducted themselves
with simple courage, dignity, and resigua-
ton. Mother" said Beatrice, ''the
hour of our departure is drawing near
let us dress, therefore, in these clothes,
aud mutually aid each other in this last
Office"
The funeral procession began at the
bridge of St. Angelo, and passed down the
via del Orso, trayersing the city to the
palazzo Ceuci, and then turning to the
Corte-Savela, where it was joined by
Beatrice and Lucrezia, each dressed il
black, and covered BY veil which reach
ed to the girdle. They wore velvet slip
pers, with silk roses and gold fastenings
and instead of manaclcs, their wrists were
bound by siken cord fastened to theil
girdles, and allowing free use of theil
hands, and each bore in her left hand the
sign of benediction. On arriving at tht
: bridge of st. Angelo, Bernardo was lef
on the scaffold, while the others were con
Quoted to the chapel. During their alb
sence the poor youth, overcome by tn,
: horror Of his position, and supposing tina
he was to be the first to suffer death, fel
! down in deadly swoon, from which h,
was with difficulty recovered, and then h,
: was seated opposite the block. Lucrezi'
! was first brought forth alone, and fndin,
it difficult to accommodate her head to th
block, the exccutioner removed her hand
+ kerchief and uncovered her neck, whicl
was still handsome, although she was 81
e years of age. She blushed deeply as thi
: was done, and, lifting her eyes, filled will
4 tears, to heaven, exclaimed, "Behold
: dearest Jesus, this guilty soul about t
d appear before Thee to give an account 0
: its acts mingled with so many crimes
a When it shall appear before thy Godhead
!. | pray Thee too look on it with an eye O
e mercy, and not of Justice" She the
J. placed her head on the block, and bega
# to recite the psalm. "Miserere mel, Deus,
j. and when she arrived at the words G
secundun multitudinem. the Ak fell Whe
i, the executioner lifted up the head, tn
! face retained its vivacity, until it was Gov
|, cred in black cloth, and placed in col
J. ner below the scatfold
& While the scaffoid was being arrange
s for Beatrice, and the confraternity ha
!. gone to the chapel for her, the balcony 9
e shop, which was overcrowdcd with spec
h tators, gave way, and four persons be
Il meath it were wounded, of whom tw
i died. On hearing this noise, Beatric
i asked il her mother had died we'll an
# being assured that she had, she knelt be
fore the crucix and said "Be Thou e,
!, erlastlDgly thanked. Y my most graclou
l. Savoir, since, by the good death of m
a mother, Thou hast given me assurance {
n Thy mercy toward me-" Then, rising
d she couragcously and devotedly wake
}, toward the scaffold, repeating by the wa
d several prayers with such fervor of spir
that all who heard her shed tears of con
|. nass;on Ascendino the scaffold she th,