officers; but this ungrateful villain speedily murdered him and his friends, ravaged the island, forced some soldiers to go along with him, and pretended to conquer the Indies, but was defeated, taken, and hanged by the governor of New Grenada. The wretch murdered his own daughter, that she might not be insulted by his enemies; and then attempted to murder himself, but was prevented. says " 18. Philip de Comines, in his life of Lewis XI. says, "There never was a king in France whose cruel conduct and extortions came so near to tyranny as those of that king did." "Had Comines," says Mr. Bayle, "designed to give the portraiture of a cruel prince, he could have employed no stronger colours than those which describe his rigorous prisons, his iron cages, and nets." He Theywere made of wood, covered with plates of iron; that he had got some Germans to make very weighty and terrible irons to put on the feet, and in, which there was a ring to put one foot, very hard to be opened, like an iron collar, with a thick and heavy chain, and a great iron ball at the end, very heavy; and these were called the king's nets.' Clande de Seyssel, another historian, says, "That about the places where he was, were seen great numbers of people hanging on trees, and the prisons, and other neighbouring houses, full of prisoners, which were often heard, both by day and by night, to cry out through the torments they endured; besides those who were seeretly castinto the rivers." The same historian observes, "That this king carried his absolute power to excess." He caused Trestan, his provost, to take the prisoners who were in the palace-goal, and drown them near the Grange aux Mercier. Mezaria, another historian, relates, "That he had put to death above four thousand, by different punishments, which he sometimes delighted to see. Most of them had been executed without form of law; several drowned with a stone tied to their necks; others precipitated going over a swipe, from whence they fell upon wheels, armed with spikes and cutting instruments; others were strangled in dungeons. Trestan, his companion, and provost of his palace, being judge, witness, and executioner." 19. Amurath, at the taking of the Isthmus, immolated six hundred young Greeks to his father's soul, in the nature of a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the deceased. And in those new countries discovered in the last age, this practice is in some measure every where received. All their idols reek with hu man blood, not without various examples of cruelty. Some they burn alive, and half-broiled take them off the coals, to tear out their hearts and entrails; others, even women, they flay alive, and with their bloody skins clothe and disguise others. 20. The ambassadors of the king of Mexico, setting out to Fernando Cortez, the power and greatness of their master, after having told him, that he had thirty vassals, of which each of them was able to raise an hundred thousand fighting men, and that he kept his court in the fairest and best fortified city under the sun, added at last, that he was obliged yearly to offer the gods fifty thousand inen. And it is confidently affirmed, that he maintained a continual war wh some potent neighbouring nation, not only to keep the young men in exercise, but principally to have wherewithal to furnish his sacrifices with his prisoners of war. Some of these people being beaten by Cortez in battle, sent to compliment him, and to treat with him of a peace, whose messengers carried him three sorts of presents, which they delivered to him in these terms: "Behold, Lord, here are five slaves, if thou art a furious God, that feedest upon flesh and blood, eat these, and we will bring thee more; if thou art an affable God, behold, here is incense and feathers; but if thou art a man, take these fowls and fruits that we have brought thee." 21. How many millions of men have the Spaniards made away with in America; Barthol. Casa affirms, that in forty-five years they destroyed above ten millions of human souls; an unaccountable way of converting those poor savages to Christianity! These millions were (17.) W. Rogers's Voyages round the World.-(18.) Bayle's Dict. vol. 3. Art. Lewis. XI.—(19.) Montaigne's Essays.-(20.) Ibid. butchered butchered outright; and if we add those who died labouring in the mines, doing the drudgery of asses, oxen and mules, what a vast number will they amount to? Some of them carrying burdens upon their backs of a hundred and sixty pounds weight, above three hundred miles. How many of these poor wretches have perish ed by water, as well as by land, by diving so many fathoms deep for the fishing of pearl, who stay there sometimes half an hour under water, panting and drawing the same breath all the while, and are fed on purpose with coarse biscuit and other dry things, to make them long winded. And if what is reported be true, they hunt the poor Indians with dogs, to make themselves sport. 'Tis easy to imagine how detestable the Spaniards became to these poor Pagans for these cruelties. There is a story goes of Hathu Cacica, a stout Indian, who being to die, was persuaded by a Franciscan friar to turn Christian, and then he should go to Heaven. Cacica asked him, "Whether there were any Spaniards in Heaven,-"Yes," says the Friar, "it is full of them."--"Nay then," said the Indian, "I had rather go to hell than have any more of their company." 22. On Saturday, the first of March, 1755, Macdonald, Beriy, Salmon, and Egan, thief-takers, were tried at the Old Bailey, for being accessaries, before the fact, in a robbery on the highway near Deptford, for which two lads, ramed Ellis and Kelly, were capitally convicted at the assizes at Maidstone. It appeared upon the trial, that the above four thieftakers had employed a fellow named Blee, to draw in any two lads, to commit with him a robbery on the highway, that they might afterwardstake and convict them for the sake of the reward; and that it might be the larger, the scene was laid in the parish of Greenwich, there being twenty pounds extraordinary for any one convicted of a highway robbery within that parish. Accordingly Salmon, one of the four, was to go down to Depford, to be robbed of sundry things provided for that purpose by Berry and Macdonald. After the robbery was committed, Blee was to carry the lads to the Spread-eagle in Kent. street, where Egan, another confederate, was to be placed, on purpose to buy the goods, and who, as soon as he had fixed them there, was, under pretence of fetching money for the goods, to go and acquaint Micdonald and Berry, who were to be waiting in readiness, and who were immediately to come and seize them; in the mean time Blee, the other confederate, was, under pretence of being shaved, to go out and make his escape. All this was accordingly executed; the lads were committed to Maidstone goal, sworn against by the four confederates, and capitally convicted; but the whole conspiracy having been discovered by the vigilance of Mr. Cox of Deptford, who had apprehended, unknown to them, Elee, the other confederate, and induced him to a confession; they were all apprehended in court at Maidstone, and thereby disappointed of the reward they expected, though they are likely to meet with one they have long and greatly merited. The fellows have received so large a sum as 1720l. from the Treasury, as rewards for persons taken and convicted by them at the Old Bailey only; and it is said, that there and at other places, they have ensnared and hanged no less than severty persons. The following fact, at the same time it clears from infamy the memory of a poor unfortunate honest man, will tead to open the eyes of mankind to a dreadful scene of villany, which has of late been successfully practised, and which calls aloud for the wisdom of our legislators to endeavour to put a stop to. I he above Macdonald (who was a sort of a marshal to the constables) having ordered Blee, his servant, to look out for one or two more men to engage in a robbery, Blee soon informed him he had pitched on one Jeshua Kiddon, a porter in the Fleet-market. Macdonald then, and Berry, having settled their plan, concerted with Ble to act as follows. Blee went to the porter, and told him a gentleman at Edmonton, in distress, wanted to move off his goods in the night, and if he would assist, he should have five shillings, and victuals and drink. The porter agreed, and they went to Ed (21.) Howell's Germ. Dict. monton: rogues must be lessened, at the same time that they ate plundered by veteran villains, every one of whom is under contribution to thief-takers, &c. and are rarely brought to justice by them, unless to answer their political purposes. 23. Peter Frie being appointed in the year 1584, by the Senate of Venice to the command in the Adriatic, he captured a vessel driven thither by tempestuous weather, on board which was the widow of Ramadan Bacha, of Tripoli, who was carrying to Constantinople property to the amount of eight hundred thousand crowns. Having made himself matter of the ship, and the persons in her suite, he caused two hundred and fifty men, who were on board, to be put to death; pierced with his own sword the son of that lady, in the arms of his mother, and causing forty women to be violated, or dered their bodies to be cut to pieces, and thrown into the sea. This cruelty, more than barbarcus, did not remain, however, unpunished, for the Senate of Venice caused Eric to be beheaded, and sent to Amurath II., emperor of the Turks, the whole of the booty he had taken. monton: and after refreshing themselves at a public-house there, Blee pretended to go out to see if the gentleman was ready; and returning, told the porter, the gentleman suspected he was watched that night, and would defer moving his goods to another time; and then treating the porter with a pot or two of beer, they set forward for London. Blee soon began to endeavour to perfuade the porter, that they might easily pick up a little money on the road without any risk; but the porter giving no ear tohi, they came on, and soon saw at a little distance a woman on foot (who had been designed y set down there out of a chaise by Berry, thit the robbery being committed within that parish, they might get the additional reward). Plee then urged the little danger there was in robbing her; but the porter absolutely refusing, Blue proposed mending their pace to town; the porter accordingly put on, but Blee designedly lagging behind, the porter looked back, and saw him with the woman; but he soon came up to the porter, told him how easily he had robbed her, and offered him half the money. The porter frighted, said "He would have none of it" and Blee pretending an occasion to stop, made quite off. Berry and the woman (in the chaise) soon overtook the porter, and Macdonald coming up at the same time, the woman and Behaving married a young lady belonging to ry charged the porter with holding a knife to her throat, whilst his companion robbed her; and the thief-takers secured him, and carried him before a justice, who committed him to Newgate, and on their evidence he was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey, and executed at Tyburn in February 1754. Thus monstrous cruelly was this poor man brought to a shameful death, which it was almost impossible for him to avoid, from the moment they had fixed on him. His reasons for being on the road at that time must appear like an idle excuse; and the cou federates seemed to be strangers to each other till that time. And thus have sev.ral innocent people lost their lives for sham robberies, and the public been amused with numerous executions, and flattered with hopes that the number of 24. In the sixth century lived a French Prince named Rachings, who rendered himself odious by his cruelty. A young gentleman who was in his service, his family, without acquainting him of his intention, the prince, it is said, was so cruel when he heard of their marriage, as to cause them to be inclosed alive, one on the other, in he trunk of a tree, which he had ordered to be made hollow for the purpose, and to be buried in this man ner in a ditch. This however was the last of his cruelties; for, having entered into a conspiracy some time after against Childebert I. he was seized by the guards of that monarch, and cut into pieces, which Childebert caused to be thrown to the dogs. 25.. After the death of John Duke of Milan, which took place in 1411, the Casalcabos, a powerful family of Cremona,、 made themselves matters of that city. Gabrinus Fundulus, an Italian, became at first one of their most zealous partizans ; (22.) Gazetteer, March 4, 1755.-(23.) De Lavau Recueil de diverses Histoires, vol. ii. part 1. P. 53-(24.) Paradin. Annales de Bourgogne; De Lavau Recueil de diverses Histoires, vo i. part i. p. 22. VOL. 11. but but he aspired afterwards to the sovereign authority, and with that view having formed a party, he invited Charles de Cavalcabos, chief of that family, with nine or ten of his relations, to an entertainment at a house in the country, where he caused them all to be assa sinated. He immediately seized on the government of the town, where he exercised every kind of cruelty, in order to maintain his authority; but he was not able to guard against the secret machinations of Philip Visconti Duke of Milan, who had succeeded his brother John, for he was seized and carried prisoner to Milan, where he was beheaded. Before the execution, while the confessor was exhorting him to repent of his crimes, he replied with a stern look, that instead of repenting of what he had done, he was sorry that he had not thrown Pope John XXIII. and the empe ror Sigismund, from the top of a tower, at a time when he had them both there after an entertainment he had given to them. 25. The Bulgarians were the moft dangerous enemies of the eastern empire, and made themselves masters of several of its provinces. Their prince Samuel having gained a battle against the emperor Basilius II. was afterwards defeated in chancellor, the master of his household, and his mother, to be put to death. He gained several victories over his enemies by the valour and good conduct of his generals, rather than by his own courage and prudence. The unfortunate Kribschah, king of the Kileks, experienced also his cruelty; for his troops being entirely defeated, and he himself taken prisoner, he was conducted to Casbin, where Schah Seti caused him, when introduced to him, to be accompanied by five hundred prostitutes, who treated him with a thousand indignities, during this ridicu lous ceremony. When he was afterwards condemned to death, the execution was preceded by a very extroardinary kind of punishment. Iron shoes, like those of a horse, were nailed to his hands and his feet; and after he had been suffered to languish in this manner three days, he was tied to the top of a pole, in the Miedan, or great market-place, and put to death with arrows. The king himself discharged the first arrow, and obliged all the nobility of his court to follow his example. CHAP. XI. upon their Enemies. 1013, by that prince, who killed part of the bitter Revenges that some have taken of his troops, and took fifteen thousand of them prisoners. The latter, however, were more unfortunate than those who had fallen with arms in their hands; for Basilius being desirous to render these poor wretches a monument of his cruelty, caused their eyes to be put out, sparing only a captain in each company, to whom he left one eye, that they might be able to conduct the rest back to their own country. This strange spectacle affected Samuel so much, that he died of grief a few days after. 27. When Schah Sefi, king of Persia, came into the world, he had both his hands, it is said, covered with blood; and it is added, that this was a presage of his cruelty. When he ascended the throne in 1629, he deprived his only brother of his eye-sight, and caused his uncles, and their children, his prime minister, his WHEN the Emperor Frederick had newly obtained a most signal victory in Hungary, he made a speech to his soldiers, whereof this was a part: "We have done," said he, "a great work, and yet there is a greater that still remains for us to do; which is, to overcome ourselves, and to put an end at once to our covetousness, and the desire of revenge." Thus great and generous souls are ever found to be the most placable, and are easiest appeased; while the weak and fearful are guilty of the greates barbarities, as not knowing how to allot any measure or bounds to their anger. 1. In the isle of Majorca, there was a lord of a castle, who amongst others kept a Negro slave, and for some fault of his had beaten him with some severity. The (25.) Fulgosus, lib. ix. c. 11-(26.) Zonaras; De Lavau Recueil de diverses Histoires, vol. i, part i. p. 48.—(27.) Olearius Voyage de Persc; De Lavau Recueil de diverses Histoires, vol i̟, part i. p. 108. villain villain Moor watching his opportunity, when his master and the rest were absent, shut the door against him; and at his return he thus acted h's damnable revenge; while his lord stood without, demanding entrance, he reviled him, violated the honour of his lady, threw her and two of his children out at the castle windows, and stood ready to do the like with the third and youngest child. The miserable father, who had beheld the ruin of all his family but this one, begged of his slave to save the life of that little one; which the cruel slave refused, unless he would cut off his own nose: the pitiful parent accepted the condition, and had no sooner performed it, but the bloody villain first cast the infant down head-long, and then himself, in a barbarous bravery, thereby to elude the revenge of his abused lord. 2. "As I went from Rome with my company," says Camerarius, "passing through the Marquisate of Ancona, we were to go through a city called Terni. As we entered the city, we saw over the gate, upon a high tower, a certain tablet, to which were fastened (as at first it seemed to us) a great many bats or reermice; we thinking it a strange sight, and not knowing what it meant, one of the city, whom we asked, told us thus :" "There was,' ," said he, "in this city two noble, rich, and mighty houses, which for a long time bore an irreconcilable hatred one against the other; their malice passed from father to son, as it were by inheritance, by occasion of which many of both houses were slain and murdered. At last, the one house, not many years since, resolved to stand no more upon murdering one or two of the adverse party by surprise, but to run upon them all at once, and not to leave one of them alive. This bloody family secretly gathered together, out of the country adjoining, with their servants, and such other bravoes as many Italians keep in pay to employ in the execution of their revenges; these were privily armed, and had notice to be ready at a word. About midnight they seize upon the person of the governor of the city, and leaving guards in his house, go on silently to the house of ter enemy, disposing troops at the end of every street. About ten of them take the overnor in the midst of them, as if they had been the archers of his guard, whom they compelled, by setting a poignard to his throat, to command speedy entrance. He caused the doors to be opened; they seeing the governor there, made no refusal; which done, they call their accomplices that stood not far off, put the governor into the safe-keeping, enter, and kill man, woman and child, and the very horses in the stable. That done, they forced the governor to command the city gates to be opened, and so they departed, and dispersed into private places amongst their friends; some fled to the next seaports, and so got far off: but such as staid near, were so diligently searched for, that they were found, drawn out of their holes, and put to death with griev ous tortures; after which, their hands and feet being cut off, were nailed to that tablet," saith he, "which you saw as you came along, as a lesson to posterity. The sun having broiled those limbs so fastened, mak's travellers, that know nothing of the tragedy, suppose they are ree mice." 3. Dionysius, the younger, a tyrint of Sicily, came to Locris, the birth-place of his mother Doris; there he took the most stately and capacious house in all the city: he caused all the rooms of it to be strewed with a sort of wild betony and roses; and having utterly cast off all shame; seat for several of the Locrensian virgins, whom, having stripped na ked, he tumbled with upon a bed, being himself also naked. But the incensed citizens took a sharp revenge upon him for this affront, in the persons of his wife and children; for having inflicted a thou sand torments upon these innocent per sons, at last they thrust needles into their fingers, betwixt their flesh and the nails, and then cut their throats; after which, they chopt their flesh into small pieces, of which they boiled some, cursing all those that would not eat of it; the rest they dried and ground, that it might be (1.) Treasury of Ancient and Modern Times, 1. 2. c. 10. p. 135.-(2.) Camer. Oper. Sub. sent. 1. c. 84. p. 390. F 2 swallowed |