Paris: June 19-29 1669.
Honored Sir,
My last of the 26th Currt was soe short and soe abrupt that I fear you
can peck butt little satisfaction out of it.
. . . . . .
I did intend to have written something about Marsilly but that I had
noe time then. In my letter to my Lord Arlington I writt that Friday 21
Currt hee wounded himself wch he did not because hee was confronted with
Ruvigny as the Gazettes speake. For he knew before hee should dye, butt
he thought by dismembering himself that the losse of blood would carry
him out of the world before it should come to bee knowne that he had
wounded himselfe. And when the Governor of the Bastille spied the blood
hee said It was a stone was come from him which caused that effusion.
However the governor mistrusted the worst and searcht him to see what
wound he had made. So they seared him and sent word to St. Germaines
which made his execution be hastened. Saturday about 1 of the clock
hee was brought on the skaffold before the Chastelet and tied to St.
Andrew’s Crosse all wch while he acted the Dying man and scarce stirred,
and seemed almost breathlesse and fainting. The Lieutenant General
presst him to confesse and ther was a doctor of the Sorbon who was a
counsellr of the Castelet there likewise to exhort him to disburthen
his mind of any thing which might be upon it. Butt he seemed to take no
notice and lay panting.
Then the Lieutenant Criminel bethought himself that the only way to
make him speake would bee to sende for a ministre soe hee did to Monsr
Daillie butt hee because the Edicts don’t permitt ministres to come
to condemned persons in publique butt only to comfort them in private
before they goe out of prison refused to come till hee sent a huissier
who if hee had refused the second time would have brought him by force.
At this second summons hee came butt not without great expectations
to bee affronted in a most notorious manner beeing the first time a
ministre came to appeare on a scaffold and that upon soe sinister an
occasion. Yet when he came found a great presse of people. All made way,
none lett fall soe much as a taunting word. Hee came up the Scaffold,
great silence all about. Hee found him lying bound stretched on St
Andrew’s Crosse, naked ready for execution. Hee told him hee was
sent for to exhort him to die patiently and like a Christian. Then
immediately they were all surprized to see him hold up his head wch he
lett hang on one side before like a drooping calfe and speake as loud
and clear as the ministre, to whom he said with a chearful air hee was
glad to see him, that hee need not question butt that hee would dye like
a Christian and patiently too. Then hee went and spoke some places of
Scripture to encourage him which he heard with great attention. They
afterward came to mention some things to move him to contrition, and
there hee tooke an occasion to aggravate the horrour of a Crime of
attempting against the King’s person. Hee said hee did not know what hee
meant. For his part hee never had any evill intention against the Person
of the King.
The Lieutenant Criminel stood all the while behind Monsieur Daillie and
hearkened to all and prompted Monsr Daillie to aske him if hee had said
there were 10 Ravillacs besides wch would doe the King’s businesse. Hee
protested solemnly hee never said any such words or if hee did hee never
remembred, butt if hee had it was with no intention of Malice.
Then Monsieur Daillie turned to the people and made a discourse in
vindication of those of the Religion that it was no Principle of theirs
attempts on the persons of King[s] butt only loyalty and obedience. This
ended hee went away; hee staid about an hour in all, and immediately as
soon as he was gone, they went to their worke and gave him eleven blows
with a barre and laid him on the wheele. Hee was two houres dying. All
about Monsr Daillie I heard from his own mouth for I went to wait on him
because it was reported hee had said something concerning the King of
England butt hee could tell mee nothing of that. There was a flying
report that he should say going from the Chastelet--The Duke of
York hath done mee a great injury--The Swisses they say resented his
[Marsilly’s] taking and misst butt half an hour to take them which
betrayed him [the monk] after whom they sent. When he was on the wheele
hee was heard to say Le Roy est grand tyrant, Le Roy me traitte d’un
facon fort barbare. All that you read concerning oaths and dying en
enrage is false all the oaths hee used being only asseverations to Monsr
Daillie that he was falsely accused as to the King’s person.