Year: 1866

terr0gatOry, as 1t was called, IN hrm
hand with his full name, and added to it a
French couplet, which may be translated
thus


May Jesus always in my heart


Bear away the conqueror's part"


Thirteen days after he had committed
that crime, he was led to execution in one
of the public places of Paris, which was
crowded with spectators of every rank
Many ladies Of the court, it is recorded
were present to witness the hOrrid scene
and sought to display their loyalty by
openly exulting the prolonged agonies of
the deludnd man. Being bound to cross
on an elevated scaffold the dagger with
which be had slain the king was tied in his
right hand, and one hand was fastened over
slow fire and burned from the arm
Then with red-hot pincers, the flesh was
torn from various parts Of the body, and
melted pitch and lead poured into the
wounds. Finally. four powerful horses
were brought in the square, one of which
was attached to each limb, and the horses
were driven in opposite directions, with the
design oftearing him TO pieces. Such was
the strength Of his frame, and such the
difficulty Of controlling the animals, that
after two hours ofstruggle, the poor wretch
was still alive and his body entire


During this torment, his great anxiety
was to receive formal absolution from The
priest who attended him. "Give it me,
them" 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 una
BILE to complete the tragedy, his body was
cut into quarters by the eXecutioners, and
the fragments were thrown to the populace
who dragged them about the streets till the
end of the day


Ravaillac was simply mouomaniac.-
An age more 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 po-
litics of the King. The extreme partisans
Of the Catholic interest applauded his act
rs that of hero and affected to regard his
execution as martyrdoni. Aside from par
ty 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 to have held in proper
execration such hideous scene as the exc
cution of his murderer presented.


Meanwhile, the body of 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 en-
covered with q pail, upon which was placed
a wax figure of the King as large as life
in sitting posture. Every day at the
Kings dinner hour royal repast was
spread on table before the effigy, and the
viands after remaining on the table the
usual time, were given to the poor. Day
and night, during the whole period Of for
tY 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 Notre Dame, the
waxen ef1igy being carried on a litter be-
hiud the coffin. On the day following, the
corpse was borne to thetomb ofthe French
Kings, at the church of St. Denis, follow
ed by great concourse Of nobemen, min
listers, judges, generals, and members ofpar-
lment, all arrayed in the costume or insig
MIA of their rank or vocation.


GFhe 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 aud wicked woman, under
whom France was divided and powerless.
The Protestant powers were defeated and
subdued. For several years the kingdom
was distracted by internal dssensions and
humliated by internal disasters until the
reins of power were adroitly grasped by the
great RicheIieu, 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 1t was
the Cardinal de Richelieu who prevented
the assassination Of Henry ~ from being
fatal to France and check to the advanc-
ing civilization of Europe. lie was often
harsh, and sometimes seemed cruel, but
upon the whole, his rule was just and wise.