| Citation |
BNL.754.012
19 Sep 1754:11,12 (2724)
From the New-York Gazette, Lest my countrymen should
imagine the neighbourhood of the French less dangerous than
it really is, I here send you an account of part of what the
poor Protestants suffer'd in France in the years 1626 and
1687, which I have extracted from Mr. Salmon's History of
France . . . [graphic description of torture to convert
Protestants to Catholicism; But the common torture, and that
which seems to be purely of French invention, was the
keeping people awake for a week together, either by pinching
them, dashing water in their faces, plucking off the hairs
of their beards, and drumming in their ears 'til they had
almost lost their senses, and then no wonder if they chose
any religion that was offered them. Those that have been
proof against every other studied cruelty, have been
overcome by this. The torment of being thus kept from
sleep, 'tis said, is inexpressible. But it was not only upon
those in health that they exercised this piece of tyranny,
for where people of either sex lay ill of feavers or other
violent diseases, they would bring seven or eight drums to
the bed-side, and drum 'til they made them distracted or
renounce their religion. . .
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