16th century punishments.

Exceeding strange cruelty punished.

 

The year year 1514. happened the horrible sedition and butchery of the Crusaders in Hungary. There was a general discontent amongst the people against the King and the chiefest of the realm, because they went not about to conquer those places again from the Turk (then very much entangled elsewhere) which he held in Hungary. But King Vladislaus loving his ease, little regarded it, and his nobles ruled him in such sort that he commanded them in nothing. Thereupon the pope’s legate published pardons for all those that would cross themselves to go war against the Turk. Suddenly there gathered together a wonderful company of thieves and robbers, from very corner of Hungary. And therewith all great multitudes of the commons (not able any longer to bear the insolence of the nobility, much less of the bishops) flocked from all parts to the camp. The King's negligence had given liberty to the intolerable dissoluteness and cruelty of the Lords over their subjects. This army of Commons having created them a general, in an instant dispersed themselves and committed a most horrible spoil almost all over Hungary: murdering al the Gentlemen and Bishops they could meet with all. The richest and those that were noble descended were impaled alive. This cruel rage continuing, the King began to stir, and by his command certain towns joining their forces to a number of the Nobility under the conduct of a Lord named Bornemisse, had some conflicts with those crusaders, wherein a great sort of them were slain, and many taken which were executed in the capital city of the realm. Finally John the son of Voivode Steven (that afterwards possessed himself of the kingdom) defeated them in a set battle, and having cut the most part of them in pieces, he took their leaders, whom he put to death with such strange torments as I have horror to remember it, for he caused the general of these peasants called George [György Dózsa], to be stripped naked, upon whose head the executioner set a crown of hot burning iron then he opened some of his veins, and made Lucatius [brother's name was actually Gregory, Lucatius could refer to Laurence Mészáros a Franciscan friar that took part in the rebellion] his brother drink the blood which issued from them. After that the chiefest of the peasants (who had been kept three days with∣out meat were brought forth, and forced to fall upon the body of George (yet breathing) with their teeth, and every one to tear away and eat a piece of it. In the midst of these horrible torments, George never cried; but only beseeched them to take pity of his brother Lucativs, whom he had forcibly drawn into that war. George being torn in pieces, his bowels were pulled out and cut into morsels, and some being boiled and the rest roasted, the prisoners were constrained to feed on them: which done all that remained with Lucatius were put to most horrible and languishing deaths. An example of greater cruelty can hardly be found since the world was a world. And no marvel if God hath punished the King and the Realm of Hungary for such strange and extraordinary cruelties, suffering the cruelest people of the North, namely the Turks, to make that spoil which they have and continually yet do there. Cruel chastisements are prepared for them that be cruel and inhumane. The following books shall represent a great number of other Histories of strange accidents and cruelties. IOACH: CVREVS in his Annales of Silesia, pag. 233.

During the Peasants war in Germany, in the year 1525. both before and since, a Gentleman their enemy, not content to have massacred a great number, even of those which had humbly craved pardon of him, confessing that they had been ill advised, he gloried in all companies of his brave exploits, adding thereunto a commendation of his thefts, having cut many good purses, and slain great store of cattle. Some months after this fury, he fell sick, and languished many days of an extreme pain in the reins of his back, the which thrust him into such despair, as he did not cease to curse and deny his Creator, (who is patient, just, and fearful in revenge,) until that both speech and life failed him. The severity of God’s Justice doth yet pursue his house: for soon after, his eldest son seeking to exalt the prowess and valour of his Father, who in the Peasants war had done wonders above mentioned, and excelled all his companions and wanting much of these valiant exploits in an open assembly at a banquet, a countryman, moved at this bravery, draws out his dagger, and strikes him dead upon the place. Some few days after, the plague falls into this cruel man’s house, and kills all that remained.

 

In the year 1577. in the beginning of September, the fire of the second troubles being kindled in France the President of Birague, (afterwards Chancellor and Cardinal) being at that time Governor of Lyon, there were then in Lyon, two brethren called Bougrats, goldsmiths by their professions, but very much disordered. As the liberty of those times did give means to many to glute their passions upon them whom they did malice the Bougrats laid hands upon a companion of theirs a dyer, upon pretext that he was of a contrary religion but it was to revenge themselves for a quarrel which they had formerly against him, and not ended to their liking. They take him and lead him to their dwelling house, towards the Abbey of Esnay, being out of the way, far from resort of people. They bind him fast hand and foot and then tie him by the neck unto the chimney, so as he did hang upright, not being able to sit nor lean any way. They leave him in this sort a whole day, threatening him with present death. At night they bring in men of their own sort and living to supper, to be spectators of this tragedy they are merry and make good cheer, and after supper they spend the time, some in playing at cards, others in pinch∣ing, pricking, and burning the nose of this poor prisoner, being bond hand and foot, and tied in the corner of the chimney. This continued until eleven of the clock at night, when their companions went away and retired. As for the Bougrats, without proceeding any further, they cast themselves clothed, with their swords by their sides, upon a bed, where they both fell presently asleep. Their lackey (who was in the corner of the chimney,) doth as the masters. The prisoner perceiving them all asleep, and remembering how they had threatened him, begins to think how he might escape, and having recommended himself to God, from whom only he attended help, he did st[…]iue in such sort, as he untied one hand, and then the other, afterwards his neck, and lastly his feet. Being thus loose, he was mightily perplexed what he should do. For if these people did awake, he was but a dead man, having no means to defend himself, they being armed, and he disarmed, and he alone against three for the lackey was grown great. If he had had a table cloth, a sheet or a covering, he might have slipped down by the window but in opening it, the noise might awake them, so as they might follow him and overtake him, the ways being strongly and very straightly guarded: In this grievous perplexity, he discovers, that the lackey (who slept in the other corner of the chimney) had a dagger at his girdle. He therefore resolves to kill those two brothers his enemies with this dagger.

But there was some difficulty and hazard in the taking of it, for that the lackey awaking would give the alarm, yet by the light of the fire, he comes softly unto him, and draws out his dagger, so quickly, and in such sort as the lackey stirred not. Hauing it, he suddenly went up into the chamber, and leaped upon the Bougrats, and stabbed either of them in the breast with this dagger. As he would have doubled his stroke, one of them leaped up and lays hold of an halberd which stood hard by, he runs after the dyer, who flies down the stairs apace to save himself, at the foot whereof this Bougrat fell, and presently died. The dyer mounts again, and finds the other dead in the chamber. He begins to threaten the lackey to kill him presently, if he made any noise: he took a candle, lead the lackey into the cellar, and forced him to eat, and to drink a glass of wine, then he binds him surely, doing him no other harm, barres the cellar door, comes up and takes that which was easiest to be transported, out of his enemies chamber. And at the break of day, the guards being raised, he leaves the house locked, and so gets out at Saint Sebastian’s gate, without any hinderance or stay, the which was to be admired, seeing they suffered none to go out but with a passport. The friends and companions of Bougrats, seeing them neither in the morning nor after dinner, grew into some doubt, and after notice given to the captain of the quarter, under whom these Bougrats had charge and command, with his consent, they broke open the door, and then drew forth the lackey, who cried for help in the cellar, and found the rest as we have said. The dyer lived some time after, and reported this history to many, and died elsewhere. Memoires of Lion