Page 223 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

THE BLACK TRAGEDY OF AMBOINA 223

This concluded “ the Saboth Day’s work,” but the next
morning the inquisitors were at their dreadful operations
again. Beomont was one of the first to suffer. He was
“ triced up and drenched with water till his inwards were
ready to crack.” Like the rest he could not withstand the
terrible argument employed. “ He answered affirmatively
to all the Fiscal’s interrogatories.”
As soon as the examination of all the prisoners was com­
plete Towerson was called in “ deeply protesting his inno­
cence.” Coulson was brought to confront him and there
was a painful moment of silence. At length on being told
that he would be taken to the torture again if he did not
speak Coulson “ coldly re-affirmed ” his confession. Griggs
and Fardo were next ushered in. A dramatic scene fol­
lowed. Towerson “ seriously charged them as they should
answer at the dreadful day of Judgment they should speak
nothing but the truth. Both of them instantly fell down
on their knees, praying him for God’s sake to forgive them
and saying further openly before them all that whatsoever
they had confessed was false and spoken only to avoid
torment.” Upon this the fiscal threatened them again
with the torture, with the inevitable result that the poor
fellows “ affirmed their former confessions to be true.”
When Coulson was required to sign his confession he
asked the fiscal “ upon whose head he thought the sinne
would be, whether upon his that was constrained to confess
what was false or upon the constrainers ? ” The fiscal
after a little pause upon this question went to the governor
then in another room and anon returning told Coulson he
must subscribe, at which he did yet withal make this
protest:—
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Well,’ quoth he, ‘you make me accuse myself and