Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
’RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. 5t
man, of fomething more than fixty years, who ftill preferves a fine ruddy complexion.
His ftrong long beard, and beautiful black hair, are here and there mixed with grey
very thinly fcattered. His carriage is as light, and he holds himfelf as ftraight as a
youth in his full ftrength. His forehead, and the whole formation of his countenance
is regular, and his large blue fpeaking eyes, muft fix the attention of any one the leaft
acquainted with mankind upon him. An inexpreflible ferenity of foul, and the pride in-
feparable from a great charaéter, are pidtured in his countenance. I defired to hear
him tell his hiftory, and now give it you from his own words, as nearly as I can.
“T have been now,”’ faid he, ‘twenty-four years a prifoner here. I ftill remember
the emigration of the many thovfands of my countrymen, in which, though I was then
but young, I took great concern. As I grew up, the memory of this event made the
ftrongeft impreflion on me. The joy with which fo many of my neighbours quitted
their native country, to fhun any force on their confciences, and be unreftrained and
free in their faith, had fomething great and affecting in it to me. This made the re-
monftrances of my friends and acquaintances, who did not agree in opinion with the
capuchins, find an eafy accefs to my mind. © I opened the Scriptures, compared the
doétrine I met with there with the Pope’s, and formed my own religion, the principles
of which I did not keep very fecret, becaufe I believed them true. As at that time the
capuchins, who wandered about the whole country as miffionaries, had {pies every where,
they. could not fail but hear at laft of fome affertions which efcaped me in the heat of
religious difputation. They inftantly purfued and perfecuted me wherever I was. .At
jaft they came into my houfe, and infifted on a confeffion of my faith. I anfwered ac-
cording to my conviction, and laid my doubts before them; however this did not fig-
nify. They conftantly went from the point; it was of no avail to interrogate them on
matters of faith; faith muft be implicit, and I muft deliver a confeflion of faith. I told
them it was utterly impoffible to believe what was contrary to the conviGtion of my
mind; but all did not ferve.
“‘ When I {aw that they could not convince me, and that they paid no regard to my
internal conviction, I told them to leave me in peace, and ftaked my honour and my life
to them that I would conceal my religious opinions, nor make any converts to them.
This was in vain; every day they rudely broke into my houfe, and preffed me to a con-
feffion of faith which belied my confcience. Sir, I did all that was pofflible to obtain
peace from them, but it was impoflible. One day, as I returned fatigued from the field,
and was going to refrefh myfelf with fome provifion, the capuchins came again riotoufly
into my houfe. I had for fome time before this refolved not to fay a word to them,
except good day or good evening. As they began their old clamour again, I heard
them a long time compofed and quiet, and took my fare with better relifh the more
they curfed me. However, as there appeared to be no end of it, I retired into a corner
behind the oven, to let them rail as long as they pleafed. But even there I was not
fecure; at laft Ithrew myfelf impatiently on the bed, and as one of them approached me
even here, and dunned in my ears, I turned my back to him, but immediately there was
another of them at the other fide, who made a ftill more horrid clack than his com-
.panion. At laft 1 became enraged, and told them I was mafter in my own houfe, and
as they continued {till to behave worfe and worfe, I fprung up, feized the firft thing I
sould lay hold of, which I believe was a broom, and beat them out of my houfe. I was
now treated not only as an obdurate heretic, but as a blafphemer who had laid facrilegi-
ous hands upon the holy priefts. They took me prifoner, and brought me here in
chains. At firft I fuffered dreadfully. A hundred times | faid, if they would only con-
vince me, I would confefs with heart and foul, But it was all to no purpofe. They
H 2 endeavoured
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
