The Officers of Justice went to demand the Prisoner, but they demanded
in vain; the Jesuits had now a Right to protect him, and would do so.
All his overjoy’d Friends went to see in what Condition he was, and all
of Quality found Admittance: They saw him in Bed, going to be dress’d by
the most skilful Surgeons, who yet could not assure him of Life. They
desired no body should speak to him, or ask him any Questions. They
found that the Head’s-man had struck him too low, and had cut him into
the Shoulder-bone. A very great Wound, you may be sure; for the Sword,
in such Executions, carries an extreme Force: However, so great Care was
taken on all Sides, and so greatly the Fathers were concern’d for him,
that they found an Amendment, and Hopes of a good Effect of their
incomparable Charity and Goodness.
At last, when he was permitted to speak, the first News he ask’d was
after the Princess. And his Friends were very much afflicted to find,
that all his Loss of Blood had not quenched that Flame, not let out that
which made him still love that bad Woman. He was sollicited daily to
think no more of her: And all her Crimes are laid so open to him, and so
shamefully represented; and on the other Side, his Virtues so admir’d;
and which, they said, would have been eternally celebrated, but for his
Folly with this infamous Creature; that at last, by assuring him of all
their Assistance if he abandon’d her; and to renounce him, and deliver
him up, if he did not; they wrought so far upon him, as to promise, he
would suffer her to go alone into Banishment, and would not follow her,
or live with her any more. But alas! this was but his Gratitude that
compell’d this Complaisance, for in his Heart he resolv’d never to
abandon her; nor was he able to live, and think of doing it: However,
his Reason assur’d him, he could not do a Deed more justifiable, and one
that would regain his Fame sooner.
His Friends ask’d him some Questions concerning his Escape; and since he
was not beheaded, but only wounded, why he did not immediately rise up?
But he replied, he was so absolutely prepossessed, that at the third
lifting up his Hands he should receive the Stroke of Death, that at the
same Instant the Sword touch’d him, he had no Sense; nay, not even of
Pain, so absolutely dead he was with Imagination; and knew not that he
stirr’d, as the Head’s-man found he did; nor did he remember any Thing,
from the lifting up of his Hands, to his fall; and then awaken’d, as out
of a Dream, or rather a Moment’s Sleep without Dream, he found he liv’d,
and wonder’d what was arriv’d to him, or how he came to live; having
not, as yet, any Sense of his Wound, tho’ so terrible an one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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