Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-07-14
TRIAL OF
FRANCIS REVAILLAC

Another of the great trials which
was the outcome of religious con-
troversy was that of Revaillac. Over
three hundred years ago Henry ~
OF France was on his way in car
riage to visit the Duke of Sully.
Evidently there We're no traffic regu-
lations at that time, for even the
kings carriage was forced to wait
in the street called Feronnerie, one
of the principal thoroughfares, be-
cause a wagon hauling hay and an
other one laden with wine obstruct-
ed the free passage of the royal
carriage. All the footment but two
had walked by a shorter way, so
that they might come up with the
coach at the end of the lane. Of
these two, one walked along the
street to try to clear way for the
coach. and the othe9- took that pre-
else moment to tie his shoe-lace.
Revaillac, who had been following
the coach ever since it had passed
the Louvre, perceiving that no per
son was near it, barring the occu-
pants, advanced to the side at which
he observed the king. Silently step
ping on the spokes of the carriage,
he drew knife from his coat, which
was wrapped around his arm, and
he stabbed at the king, who was
leaning over and showing a letter
70 the Duke of EpernOn. The king
Immediately shouted, Il am wound
eG," and the assassin, seeing that he
had struck a rib, with a blow like
lightning stabbed once more, this
time right to the heart near the
auricle, so that the blood gushed in
a stream out of the unfortunate
monarch's mouth. He expired al :
most instantly.
Amid the tumult of the rushing
people in the street, who discerned
that something unusual was happen
ing, Revaillac was captured and
held. On May Il, 1910, he was in
dicted for the murder Of Henry ~.
of France, at the instigation of the
| attorney general by Achilles de
Ilarlay, first president; Nicholas Po-
tier, president; John Conrtin and
Prosper Bavin, being commissioners
appointed by the court for that pur-
pose.
The emperor, the king of Spain
| the queen of France, the Duke Ep-
ernon and the Jesuits We're all in
| turn suspected of having instigated
| the crime, because they all profited
| by it; but the assassin declared that
he had no accompliceS
At the beginning of the trial hi
was severely cross examined, ant
among other questions he was asked
| his motive.
! He answered that amongst Other
reasons was this, that the king haC
not, as he was able to do, brought
| back the followers of the pretended
| reformation to the Catholic, Apos
tolic, and Roman church" The muir
Revaillac confessed that he had 70
some little time contemplated tn,
death of the king. AS he himsel
said, he went to the Louvre Wher'
he had been several times since h
had resolved upon killing him." tina
he had gone there the previous Wed
nesday and intended to kill him be
| tween the gates. as he was goin9
into his coach. that he followed hin
as far as St. Innocents, near tn
place where he had once before me
him, and observing that the coacl
was stopped by two carts. and tina
his majesty turned his face and lean
ed toward that side where Epernol
sat, he struck him twice in the sid
with his knife, passing his arm
above the coach wheel
The court then condemned Revail
, lac to be put to torture to confes
his accomplices. He was put in
brodequin and the first wedge bein
drove in he said, with loud erie
and shrieks: Il am a sinner.
know no more than I have declared
BY the faith / owe to God, | knoV
nc more than what | have declared.
Three more larger wedges were driv
eli but still he insisted that he kneN
no moe.
He was then found guilty and
long sentence was read
"The flesh shall be torn to piece!
with redhot pincers. from hi
breasts. his arms and thighs and tn
calves Of his legs; his right hant
. holding the knife wherewith he com
mitted the aforesaid parricide, sha
I be scorched and burned with flam
I ing birthstone: and on the place
I where the flesh has been torn by tn
! pincers, melted lead, boiling OF
: scalding pitch. ETC. shall be pou.e,
lis body torn by four horses, an
) then burned to ashes and disperse
in the air"
Nearly all this was carried out. +
al! the while yelling and shriekin
|. with the terrible pain. He was cor
scious all of the time, crying oil
"Jesu Marie, o Cod" After beir
pulled around bv the four horses f
more than an hour, after the 9TH
fortunes had been carried out.
still denied that he had any accom-
rlices. Instead. as his sentence sal
OF his body being burnt at the en-