Prince Rupert, the Buccaneer

by Charles John Cutcliffe Wright Hyne

"So that it rids me of your society, Señor," said Rupert, "I care not what others of your devilish compatriots you hand me over to."

"You will be transferred from our keeping to the secular arm, and on the afternoon of this very day you will take part in an act of faith already arranged for three other obstinate heretics. You who hold them, remove the prisoners. And," he shrieked, thrusting himself in an ecstasy of passion half across the table, "if they offer to speak, beat in their faces."

Two of the familiars stepped back, each with a heavy iron bar uplifted in his hands, and under this persuasion the prisoners kept silence. Then the men in charge turned them round and marched them out of the judgment chamber.

Formally they were handed over to armed guards in another part of the building, and these put on over their clothing, gabardines of coarse canvas, named San Benito robes, which were painted grotesquely with flames flickering upwards, and devils in black and red fully equipped with hoof and horn. So the victims were decked ready for the sacrifice.

Nor was the sacrifice to be kept long in waiting, and the secretary stoutened her heart and thanked God that this glorious Prince whom she served was great enough to offer himself as a martyr for his faith, and that she would have the privilege alone of all those that had followed him of being with him to the last, and sharing his end. The thoughts of pain and indignity were gone; if her sex were discovered during the burning, at least it would be when it was too late to snatch her from death; and so to the last she would avoid shame from the eyes of this great patron whom she so truly loved.

The doors opened, and the troop marched out with the prisoners in charge, three other poor wretches with joints dislocated by torturings also hobbling along by their side. The streets hummed with people. The windows were gay with sight-seers. And presently, when they came to the plaza, where five stakes sprouted up each from its pyre of faggots, there were stands built so that no citizen might miss the spectacle of the day. It may be thought that the present historian exaggerates concerning this: but on her honour, these bloody-minded Spaniards look upon an Act of Faith, (as they term the burning of those who refuse the idolatrous Faith of Rome) as we at home in England look upon an innocent bull-baiting or a dog-fight.

"Keep a bright face, my Stephen," whispered the Prince as they were marched along. "It would grieve me if these curs had the satisfaction of thinking that they had cowed us."

"I could smile," said the secretary, "when I think of the pleasure that mermaiden will feel at having been so clever with her prophecy."

"Pooh!" said Rupert, "you and your mermaiden! I'll never believe there was one, and that's my dying conviction. What think you of my diplomacy, Stephen, with that black-avised Inquisitor? If I hadn't maddened that man into losing his temper, we'd have been writhing in their filthy torture-chamber this minute. However, lad, enough of this sullying talk. Let us turn to that genteeler matter that occupied us before."—And with that he spoke once more upon the elaboration of that process of mezzotint engraving in which during politer days he had taken so clever and abiding an interest.

In due order the five prisoners were marched out into the plaza and there under the burning midday sunshine were fastened by chains to the stakes which stood out from the piles of faggots. The audience ceased to chatter; the Inquisitors and the other dignitaries of the city came up and took their places on a high draped dais in due order of precedence; and all was ready for the torchmen to set light to the pyres. But at the last moment one of the three other prisoners, ashen-white, screamed out, "I recant! I recant!" and immediately a monk went to him and received his last confession and pronounced absolution. More time was occupied whilst this wretch received the reward of his apostasy, for as is well known, all those of the condemned, that in words embrace the Roman faith before it is yet too late, are privileged to enjoy strangulation before that they are burnt. The which operation of course occupies time.