ON the 4th of August a criminal was beheaded, in the Place de Grêve. I did not see the execution, because, as the hour is never specified, I might have waited many hours in a crowd, from which there is no extricating one's self. I was there immediately after, and saw the machine, which was just going to be taken away. I went into a coffee-house and made a drawing, which is here engraven. It is called la Guillotine, from the name of the person who first brought it into use in Paris: that at Lisle is called le Louison, for a similar reason. In English it is termed a maiden.[10]
I have seen the following seven engravings of such an instrument. The most ancient is engraven on wood, merely outlines, and very badly drawn; it is in Petrus de Natalibus Catalogus Sanctorum, 1510.
There was a German translation of some of Petrarch's Works, published in 1520; this contains an engraving in wood, representing an execution, with a great number of figures, correctly drawn.
Aldegrever, in 1553, published another print on this subject.
The fourth is in Achillis Bocchii Quæstiones Symbolicæ, 1550.
There is one in Cats's Dutch Emblems, 1650.
And the two last are in Golfrieds's Historical Chronicles, in German, folio, 1674. These five last are engraven on copper.
In all these representations the axe is either straight or semicircular, but always horizontal. The sloping position of the French axe appears to be the best calculated for celerity.
Machines of this kind are at present made use of for executions throughout all France, and criminals are put to death in no other manner.