t everybody agreed that thus it beseemed the real
Martin Guerre to have spoken. After the ordeal gone through by the wife
had been also essayed by the sisters and other relatives, who one and all
followed Bertrande's example and accepted the new-comer, the court,
having fully deliberated, passed the following sentence, which we
transcribe literally:
"Having reviewed the trial of Arnauld du Thill or Pansette, calling
himself Martin Guerre, a prisoner in the Conciergerie, who appeals from
the decision of the judge of Rieux, etc.,
"We declare that this court negatives the appeal and defence of the said
Arnauld du Thill; and as punishment and amends for the imposture,
deception, assumption of name and of person, adultery, rape, sacrilege,
theft, larceny, and other deeds committed by the aforesaid du Thill, and
causing the above-mentioned trial; this court has condemned and condemns
him to do penance before the church of Artigue, kneeling, clad in his
shirt only, bareheaded and barefoot, a halter on his neck, and a burning
torch in his hand, and there he shall ask pardon from God, from the King,
and from justice, from the said Martin Guerre and Bertrande de Rolls,
husband and wife: and this done, the aforesaid du Thill shall be
delivered into the hands of the executioners of the King's justice, who
shall lead him through the customary streets and crossroads of the
aforesaid place of Artigues, and, the halter on his neck, shall bring him
before the house of the aforesaid Martin Guerre, where he shall be hung
and strangled upon a gibbet erected for this purpose, after which his
body shall be burnt: and for various reasons and considerations thereunto
moving the court, it has awarded and awards the goods of the aforesaid
Arnauld du Thill, apart from the expenses of justice, to the daughter
born unto him by the aforesaid Bertrande de Rolls, under pretence of
marriage falsely asserted by him, having thereto assumed the name and
person of the aforesaid Martin Guerre, by this mans deceiving the
aforesaid de Rolls; and moreover the court has exempted and exempts from
this trial the aforesaid Martin Guerre and Bertrande de Rolls, also the
said Pierre Guerre, uncle of the aforesaid Martin, and has remitted and
remits the aforesaid Arnauld du Thill to the aforesaid judge of Rieux, in
order that the present sentence may be executed according to its form and
tenor. Pronounced judicially this 12th day of September 1560."
This sente
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