BelgiumOmond, George W. T. (George William Thomson)
History
Belgium
Omond, George W. T. (George William Thomson)
Belgium -- Description and travel
By this time the news of the burgomaster's death was known in the
town, and a vast crowd had gathered in front of the house, shouting
'To arms!' and demanding admission. The Count ventured to open the
door, and allow the burgomaster's cousin and his friends to escape.
The noise increased, as the people knocked loudly at the door, and
uttered threats of vengeance upon the Count. Warfusée, now trembling in
every limb, pale and terror-stricken, ran hither and thither between
the courtyard and the garden, and at last hid himself in a room on the
upper story, just as an armed crowd of townsmen burst in, and forced
their way to where the soldiers were guarding Abbé de Mouzon and the
other prisoners. Baron de Saizan at once called on the Spaniards
to give up their weapons, and promised them quarter. They allowed
themselves to be disarmed; but the townsmen instantly attacked them.
There was a short, but desperate, struggle, during which the ladies,
cowering on the floor, protected themselves as best they could from the
musket-balls which flew about, and the sword-cuts which the infuriated
townsmen dealt in all directions. In a few minutes the Spaniards were
slain to the last man; and then some of the burghers, moved by pity,
led the daughters of Warfusée from the blood-stained house to the Hôtel
de Ville, where they obtained shelter.
Their father at this time was lying on a bed upstairs, where he was
soon discovered by La Ruelle's cousin, who had returned, and some of
the burghers, who dragged him down to the door of the house and threw
him out into the street. The mob rushed upon him, stabbed him, and beat
him to death with bludgeons, tore off his clothes, pulled him by the
feet to the market-place, hung him head downwards on the gallows, and
finally tore the dead body to pieces. A fire was lighted, his remains
were burned, and the ashes thrown into the Meuse.
Even this revenge did not quench the thirst for blood which consumed
the people of Liége. The advocate Marchand, who had been one of
Warfusée's guests, and another eminent citizen, Théodore Fléron, fell
under suspicion, and were slaughtered. It is said that one of those
who slew Fléron was so mad with rage that he flung himself on the dead
man's corpse, tore it with his teeth like a wild beast, and sucked
the blood. The church of the Carmelites, who were also suspected of
some guilty knowledge of Warfusée's plot, was sacked. The Rector of
the Jesuits was murdered, and the members of that society were driven
from the town. The mob went through the streets shouting, 'Death to
the Chiroux! Death to the priests!' A list was drawn up of suspected
persons, who were condemned, without trial, on a charge of having
conspired against the State; and many of the Chiroux faction were hung
on the gallows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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