Toermentor
TMF Regular
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2021
- Messages
- 177
- Points
- 43
The Relation of the Examination of Urszula Brzeska, a Woman Suspected of Witchery, in the Town of Brzeźnica, Recorded in the Year of Our Lord 1616, During the Reign of the Sacred Law of Magdeburg.
Upon the sixth day of the month of November, within the chamber of the town hall upon the market square of Brzeźnica, there was brought forth into the presence of the honourable reeve, the town aldermen, and the sword-bearer of the borough, one Urszula Brzeska, a woman of the hamlet of Zaborze, suspected of dealings with the Devil, the casting of evil charms, the afflicting of cattle with wasting, and the suspicious knowledge of herbs, wherewith she was said to concoct both love philters and poisons. And forasmuch as the said Urszula answered all inquiries of the court with silence, and did mock the sworn testimonies of the witnesses with a scornful smile, the court did resolve to proceed unto sharp examination, as is permitted by the sacred law, to draw forth the truth from her.
First, therefore, was she bound fast unto the bench of inquiry with stout cord, and her bare feet were immersed in salt’d water, whereby the skin was drawn tight, and a piercing pain from the briny bath did strike through unto her shins. Then was a goat brought in, a creature of the house, much given to the love of salt. At the signal of the executioner, the beast was loosed upon the woman’s feet, and with its rough and nimble tongue began to lick the soles of Urszula. Then was the woman cast into great torment—snatches of laughter, gasping, mingled with cries and spasms, burst forth from her lips. A pain most strange it was—not blow nor flame, but a rending of the nerves, which the elder folk do name the spiritual pinch or the inward torment of the tongs—so unbearable that her whole frame did writhe, though she was held tight to the bench.
Yet the goat, stubborn and unmindful of human pain, with unceasing tongue did lap the spaces between her toes, the heels, and the arches of her feet, where tickling is most grievous. And it was said that such penance-torture was held among the cruelest, for laughter commingled with pain driveth a man or woman swiftly to madness. And so, after half an hour of affliction, when Urszula could scarce draw breath, and her face was red as brick, she cried aloud and confessed, saying:
“Aye, 'tis true! He came unto me, the Unclean One, in guise of a black goat with burning eyes and a tongue of flame! In the clearing behind the mill I swore obedience unto him, and in turn he granted me knowledge of herbs and powers—to dry the milk of kine and to turn husbands from their wives! I taught Maryna Krzeczunówna as well how to make the salve for flight through the chimney...”
Then the sword-bearer looked unto the aldermen, and they, nodding their heads, did cause the record to be made. Yet the torment was not ended, for—as the law declareth—whosoever hath once trafficked with the Devil, holdeth yet more sins hidden in the heart. Therefore, it was resolved that in days to follow she should be put to the torment of the mouse and the wheel, lest the whole of truth be left unspoken.
This was the fantasy part but I have found proof that it was NOT fiction but an actual thing that happened often in Poland in the XV and XVI hundreds. (I posted about this in the discussion forum but some of you might have not seen it)
I found a piece of an actual historical account of goat tickle torture. This is a quote (translated) from a polish book "The Order of Courts and Urban Matters of Magdeburg Law" published in Cracov in 1616 (and reprinted in the 1760): "Confessions were extracted with water, vinegar, pouring boiling oil down the throat, smearing with sulfur, hot tar or lard, hunger, great thirst, placing a mouse on the navel, a shrew or some other poisonous insects covered with a jar so they couldn’t escape, tormenting the body of the suffering; also, when the criminal is tied to a bench, their legs smeared with brine, then a goat is brought, which licks off the salt vigorously from their heels—said to be cruel without causing bodily harm... then further by dragging with ropes, the criminal (with all natural shame covered), on a narrower bench than the body, they are pulled through the chest, then the big toes are tied together and a rope is wound around a wheel so that the body of the criminal is dragged until they speak the truth. Some also had their hair completely shaved with a razor, to cause burns, so that no magical aid hidden in the hair could help, according to witchcraft or other magic, for which others feel no pain... Before these torments, the criminal was first beaten with rods." Im adding the images of the proof of that actual quote (If you can read polish that is...).
So as you can imagine I'm a simple goblin so now you get this scene. A full set can be found on Patreon and on DeviantArt for my subscribers.
Hope you enjoyed this long post,
Raz
Upon the sixth day of the month of November, within the chamber of the town hall upon the market square of Brzeźnica, there was brought forth into the presence of the honourable reeve, the town aldermen, and the sword-bearer of the borough, one Urszula Brzeska, a woman of the hamlet of Zaborze, suspected of dealings with the Devil, the casting of evil charms, the afflicting of cattle with wasting, and the suspicious knowledge of herbs, wherewith she was said to concoct both love philters and poisons. And forasmuch as the said Urszula answered all inquiries of the court with silence, and did mock the sworn testimonies of the witnesses with a scornful smile, the court did resolve to proceed unto sharp examination, as is permitted by the sacred law, to draw forth the truth from her.
First, therefore, was she bound fast unto the bench of inquiry with stout cord, and her bare feet were immersed in salt’d water, whereby the skin was drawn tight, and a piercing pain from the briny bath did strike through unto her shins. Then was a goat brought in, a creature of the house, much given to the love of salt. At the signal of the executioner, the beast was loosed upon the woman’s feet, and with its rough and nimble tongue began to lick the soles of Urszula. Then was the woman cast into great torment—snatches of laughter, gasping, mingled with cries and spasms, burst forth from her lips. A pain most strange it was—not blow nor flame, but a rending of the nerves, which the elder folk do name the spiritual pinch or the inward torment of the tongs—so unbearable that her whole frame did writhe, though she was held tight to the bench.
Yet the goat, stubborn and unmindful of human pain, with unceasing tongue did lap the spaces between her toes, the heels, and the arches of her feet, where tickling is most grievous. And it was said that such penance-torture was held among the cruelest, for laughter commingled with pain driveth a man or woman swiftly to madness. And so, after half an hour of affliction, when Urszula could scarce draw breath, and her face was red as brick, she cried aloud and confessed, saying:
“Aye, 'tis true! He came unto me, the Unclean One, in guise of a black goat with burning eyes and a tongue of flame! In the clearing behind the mill I swore obedience unto him, and in turn he granted me knowledge of herbs and powers—to dry the milk of kine and to turn husbands from their wives! I taught Maryna Krzeczunówna as well how to make the salve for flight through the chimney...”
Then the sword-bearer looked unto the aldermen, and they, nodding their heads, did cause the record to be made. Yet the torment was not ended, for—as the law declareth—whosoever hath once trafficked with the Devil, holdeth yet more sins hidden in the heart. Therefore, it was resolved that in days to follow she should be put to the torment of the mouse and the wheel, lest the whole of truth be left unspoken.
This was the fantasy part but I have found proof that it was NOT fiction but an actual thing that happened often in Poland in the XV and XVI hundreds. (I posted about this in the discussion forum but some of you might have not seen it)
I found a piece of an actual historical account of goat tickle torture. This is a quote (translated) from a polish book "The Order of Courts and Urban Matters of Magdeburg Law" published in Cracov in 1616 (and reprinted in the 1760): "Confessions were extracted with water, vinegar, pouring boiling oil down the throat, smearing with sulfur, hot tar or lard, hunger, great thirst, placing a mouse on the navel, a shrew or some other poisonous insects covered with a jar so they couldn’t escape, tormenting the body of the suffering; also, when the criminal is tied to a bench, their legs smeared with brine, then a goat is brought, which licks off the salt vigorously from their heels—said to be cruel without causing bodily harm... then further by dragging with ropes, the criminal (with all natural shame covered), on a narrower bench than the body, they are pulled through the chest, then the big toes are tied together and a rope is wound around a wheel so that the body of the criminal is dragged until they speak the truth. Some also had their hair completely shaved with a razor, to cause burns, so that no magical aid hidden in the hair could help, according to witchcraft or other magic, for which others feel no pain... Before these torments, the criminal was first beaten with rods." Im adding the images of the proof of that actual quote (If you can read polish that is...).
So as you can imagine I'm a simple goblin so now you get this scene. A full set can be found on Patreon and on DeviantArt for my subscribers.
Hope you enjoyed this long post,
Raz
