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means of respiting his processe and as he hopes intercession may
bee made for him； but people talk so variously of him that I cannot
tell whether hee ought to bee owned by any Prince； the Suisses have
indeed the greatest ground to reclayme him as being taken in
theirs。 They have all his papers which speake much of the Triple
Alliance； if they have no other pretext of hanging him I know not
whether they can lawfully for this； hee having been naturallised in
Holland and taken in a priviledged Country。 。 。 。
V。 Francis Vernon to ＇Mr。 Williamson？＇。＇1＇
＇1＇ State Papers； France； vol。 126。
Paris： June 19/25； 1669。
Honored Sir；
My last of the 26th Currt was soe short and soe abrupt that I fear
you can peck butt little satisfaction out of it。
I did intend to have written something about Marsilly but that I
had noe time then。 In my letter to my Lord Arlington I writt that
Friday 21 Currt hee wounded himself wch he did not because hee was
confronted with Ruvigny as the Gazettes speake。 For he knew before
hee should dye； butt he thought by dismembering himself that the
losse of blood would carry him out of the world before it should
come to bee knowne that he had wounded himselfe。 And when the
Governor of the Bastille spied the blood hee said It was a stone
was come from him which caused that effusion。 However the governor
mistrusted the worst and searcht him to see what wound he had made。
So they seared him and sent word to St。 Germaines which made his
execution be hastened。 Saturday about 1 of the clock he was
brought on the skaffold before the Chastelet and tied to St。
Andrew's Crosse all wch while he acted the Dying man and scarce
stirred； and seemed almost breathless and fainting。 The Lieutenant
General prest him to confesse and there was a doctor of the Sorbon
who was a counsellr of the Castelet there likewise to exhort him to
disburthen his mind of any thing which might be upon it。 Butt he
seemed to take no notice and lay panting。
Then the Lieutenant Criminel bethought himself that the only way to
make him speake would bee to sende for a ministre soe hee did to
Monsr Daillie but hee because the Edicts don't permitt ministres to
come to condemned persons in publique but only to comfort them in
private before they goe out of prison refused to come till hee sent
a huissier who if he had refused the second time would have brought
him by force。 At this second summons hee came butt not without
great expectations to bee affronted in a most notorious manner
beeing the first time a ministre came to appeare on a scaffold and
that upon soe sinister an occasion。 Yet when he came found a great
presse of people。 All made way； none lett fall soe much as a
taunting word。 Hee came up the Scaffold； great silence all about。
Hee found him lying bound stretched on St。 Andrew's Crosse naked
ready for execution。 Hee told him hee was sent for to exhort him
to die patiently and like a Christian。 Then immediately they were
all surprized to see him hold up his head wch he lett hang on one
side before like a drooping calfe and speake as loud and clear as
the ministre； to whom he said with a cheerful air hee was glad to
see him； that hee need not question butt that hee would dye like a
Christian and patiently too。 Then hee went and spoke some places
of Scripture to encourage him which he heard with great attention。
They afterward came to mention some things to move him to
contrition； and there hee tooke an occasion to aggravate the
horrour of a Crime of attempting against the King's person。 Hee
said hee did not know what hee meant。 For his part hee never had
any evill intention against the Person of the King。
The Lieutenant Criminel stood all the while behind Monsieur Daillie
and hearkened to all and prompted Monsr Daillie to aske him if hee
had said there were 10 Ravillacs besides wch would doe the King's
businesse。 Hee protested solemnly hee never said any such words or
if hee did hee never remembered； butt if hee had it was with no
intention of Malice。 Then Monsieur Daillie turned to the people
and made a discourse in vindication of those of the Religion that
it was no Principle of theirs attempts on the persons of King＇s＇
butt only loyalty and obedience。 This ended hee went away； hee
staid about an hour in all； and immediately as soon as he was gone；
they went to their worke and gave him eleven blows with a barre and
laid him on the wheele。 He was two houres dying。 All about Monsr
Daillie I heard from his own mouth for I went to wait on him
because it was reported hee had said something concerning the King
of England butt hee could tell mee nothing of that。 There was a
flying report that he should say going from the ChasteletThe Duke
of York hath done mee a great injury。 The Swisses they say
resented his ＇Marsilly's＇ taking and misst but 1/2 an hour to take
them which betrayed him ＇the monk＇ after whom they sent。 When he
was on the wheele he was heard to say Le Roy est grand tyrant； Le
Roy me traitte d'un facon fort barbare。 All that you read
concerning oaths and dying en enrage is false all the oaths hee
used being only asseverations to Monsr Daillie that he was falsely
accused as to the King's person
Sr I am &c
FRANS。 VERNON。
VI。 The Ambassador Montague to Arlington。＇1＇
＇1＇ State Papers； France； vol。 126。
Paris： June 22； 1669。
My Lord；
The Lieutenant criminel hath proceeded pretty farre with Le Roux
Marsilly。 The crime they forme their processe on beeing a rape
which he had formerly committed at Nismes soe that he perceiving
but little hopes of his life； sent word to the King if hee would
pardon him he could reveale things to him which would concerne him
more and be of greater consequence to him； than his destruction。
VII。 The same to the same。
Paris： June 26； '69。
My Lord；
I heard that Marsilly was to be broke on the wheel and I gave order
then to one of my servants to write Mr。 Williamson word of it； soe
I suppose you have heard of it already： they hastened his execution
for feare he should have dyed of the hurt he had done himself the
day before； they sent for a minister to him when he was upon the
scaffold to see if he would confesse anything； but he still
persisted that he was guilty of nothing nor did not know why he was
put to death。 。 。 。
PART IITrue Stories of Modern Magic
M。 Robert…Houdin
A Conjurer's Confessions
I
SELF…TRAINING
＇Sleight…of…hand theories alone cannot explain the mysteries of
〃magic〃 as practiced by that eminent Frenchman who revolutionized
the entire art； and who was finally called upon to help his
government out of a difficuityRobert…Houdin。 The success of his
most famous performances hung not only on an incredible dexterity；
but also on high ingenuity and moral courage； as the following
pages from his 〃Memoirs〃 will prove to the reader。 The story
begins when the young man of twenty was laboring patiently as
apprentice to a watchmaker。＇
In order to aid my progress and afford me relaxation； my master
recommended me to study some treatises on mechanics in general； and
on clockmaking in particular。 As this suited my taste exactly； I
gladly assented； and I was devoting myself passionately to this
attractive study； when a circumstance； apparently most simple；
suddenly decided my future life by revealing to me a vocation whose
mysterious resources must open a vast field for my inventive and
fanciful ideas。
One evening I went into a bookseller's shop to buy Berthoud's
〃Treatise on Clockmaking；〃 which I knew he had。 The tradesman
being engaged at the moment on matters more important； took down
two volumes from the shelves and handed them to me without
ceremony。 On returning home I sat down to peruse my treatise
conscientiously； but judge of my surprise when I read on the back
of one of the volumes 〃SCIENTIFIC AMUSEMENTS。〃 Astonished at
finding such a title on a professional work； I opened it
impatiently； and； on running through the table of contents； my
surprise was doubled on reading these strange phrases：
The way of performing tricks with the cardsHow to guess a
person's thoughtsTo cut off a pigeon's head； to restore it to
life； etc。； etc。
The bookseller had made a mistake。 In his haste； he had given me
two volumes of the Encyclopaedia instead of Berthoud。 Fascinated；
however； by the announcement of such marvels； I devoured the
mysterious pages； and the further my reading advanced； the more I
saw laid bare before me the secrets of an art for which I was
unconsciously predestined。
I fear I shall be accused of exaggeration； or at least not be
understood by many of my readers； when I say that this discovery
caused me the greatest joy I had ever experienced。 At this moment
a secret present