And the aldermen gave sentence of torture for the Friday which was the day after the morrow.
And Nele cried: “Grace, Messeigneurs!” and the people cried with her. But it was in vain.
And Katheline, looking at Joos Damman, said:
“I have Hilbert’s hand; come and take it to-night, my beloved.”
And they were taken back to the prison.
There by order of the tribunal, the gaoler was ordered to assign two guardians to each of them, to beat them every time they would have slept; but the two guardians of Katheline left her to sleep all night, and those of Joos Damman beat him cruelly every time he closed his eyes or even nodded his head.
They were hungry all day on Wednesday, the same night and all Thursday until night, when they were given food and drink, meat salted and saltpetred, and water salted and saltpetred likewise. That was the beginning of their torment. And in the morning they brought them, crying out for thirst, into the torture chamber.
There they were set face to face with one another, and bound each upon a bench covered with knotted ropes which made them suffer grievously.
And they were each forced to drink a glass of water, full of salt and saltpetre.
Joos Damman beginning to sleep upon his bench, the constables struck him.