The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-09-12

III ~ ss9ysP1NS uocs 'AAs. 1tssyyAn' 1Out
70 sudden was tbe order for the sen.
tsase, that the life Of Bernade was on
ly saved BY tie dsl.y Of few hours, n.
nsooasitated by the building Of the
scsfold, and by the tardiness of tho
e9qntrats'ni.y Of Mercy Who we're to 40.
company tho condemned to tho scafold;
and hs vas OILY Informed of bis re.
prieve afier he had left his cell on the
way to execution, and when he was al
ready on tho seafold, which he was
first to mouiit. s"7 -
% Saturday, the 18th Of September
l599,the sentence was executed on a
lofty scaffold erected over the bridge
of'st. Angelo, in front Of the, c.stle.-
The order was carried to the prisoners
; At s o'clock on Friday evening, and
communicated TO them at 6 the next
morning. Beatrice, on hearing it broke
into PIERCING lamentations and passion.
ate gestures, 'exclaimiog, "Hov is it
possible, @ my God, that I must 80
suddenly die ?" But Lucrezia re.
ceived it with resignation, and by her
exhort.tions oalned her daughter
law, and both proceeded at once to the
chapel to pray. A notary was then
summoned tom.ke their wills. Bea.
trioe left fifteen thousand crowns to the
Saere Stimmate fraternity and ordered
her dowry 70 be distributed into mar
risse portions for II fifty maidens. After
[reoitiog prayers, psalms and litan,es,
they confessed at 8 O'clock, heard mass,
and received tho holy communion. AT.
ter this they dressed themselves in
black, each assisting the other. and
conducted themselves With simple
courage, dignity and resignation
Smother" }" said Beatrice, "the hour Of
our departure is dfawini : near let us
dress, therefore, in these clothes, aud
mutually aid each other In this last Of
foe." =. . =:
The funeral procession began at the
bridge Of st. Angelo, and passed down
the via del Orso, traversiug the city to
the palaszo Ceuoi, and then turning
the Corte.S .Savella, where it was joined
bys Beatrice and Lucrezis, each dressed
In black and covered BY a veil, which
reached to the ,girdle.. They wore vel.
vet slippers, with. silk roses and gold
t*stenings and instead of manacles,
their wrists were bound by a silken
cord fastened to their girdles, .nd al
lowing free use of their hands, and
each bore in her left hand the sign of
benedictiou. On arriving at the bridge
OF St Angelo, Bernardo was left on the
seafold, while tho others we're conduct.
cd 70 the chapel. During taeir .b-
senos the poor youth, overcome by the
horror Of his position, and supposiug
that he vas to be the first to suffer
death, fell down in q deadly swoon,
from which he vas With difficnl.
y recovered, and then he was
seated opposite the block. Lu-
cresia was first brought forth
alone, aud finding it difficult to accom-
modate her head to the block, the ex-
ecutionsr removed her hankerchief and
uncovered her neck, which was still
handsome, although she was so years
ofage. She blushed deeply as this was
done, and, lifting her eyes, filled with
tears, to heaven exclai med, "Behold,
dearest Jesus, this guilty soul about to
appear before Thee to give an &C.:
count of Its acts mingled with so
many crimes. When it shall appear
before thy Godhead, I pray Thee to
look 90 it with an eye Of mercy. and
not Of justice" She then placed her
head on the block, and began to recite
the psalm, "Miserere mel, Deus," and
when she arrived At the words ct sesun-
dam n'ultitudinens, the az fell. When
the executioner lifted up the head,
tho face retained its vivacity, until it
was covered in q corner below tho
scaffold.
While the scaffold was being arrang-
ed for Beatrice, and tho confraternity
had gone to tho chapel for her, the bal.
eony Of shop, which was overcrowd-
ed With spectators, gave way, and four
persons beneath it were wounded, of
whom two died. On bearing this, Bea-
trice asked if her mother had died veil;
and being assured she had, she knelt
before the eruoiix and said "Be
Thou everlastiugly thanked, O my
most gracious Savior, since, by the good
death Of my mother, Thou hast given
me assurance Of Thy mercy toward me-"
Then, rising, she ooursgeously and de.
voutly walked toward the scaffoId, re-
peatiog by the way several prayers With
such fervor Of spirit that oil who heard
her shed tears Of compassion. Ascend
ing the 'seatfold, she thus prayed:
"Most beloved Jesus, who, reIinquish-
ing Thy divinity, bec.mest man, aud
didst through love purge my sinful
soul Of its original SIN With Thy prec.
ious blood deign, I beseech Thee, to
accept that which I am about to shed
At Thy most meroiful tribunal as a pen.
atty which may cancel my many ximes,
.no spare me : part of that punishment
Justly due to me-" She then bent her
head 70 the block >, reolting the psalm,
"De profandis )" and a. she arrived
! at the Vords ss6.nt anraa tnae - tha AZ