STUDIES IN THE NAPOLEONIC WARS 075
The Grand Master's Aid
10. The Grand Master’s Aid (8)
July 15th. We had been but a few days in the Inquisition Prison when the Grand Master of the French Freemasons’ Lodge discovered that I and Captain Allman were brother masons. He waited on me, and told me that both their Lodge Room and his own private quarters were in this same vast building where we were confined. The former was a great room in the centre of the building, and very superb. Thence he led me to the dungeons and the old torture-chamber. This was a room of about 24 feet long, with an arched ceiling. In the walls at each end were fixed three staples in a triangle. The upper staple was about 7 feet from the ground; through this the inquisitors used to run a rope, which was passed round the prisoner’s neck: the other two are placed opposite each other, 5 feet from the ground, to confine the hands of the wretched criminal. To extort confession they made use of a machine of boards, which was pressed across the breast of the prisoner. These lumps of wood were commencing to decay: in my opinion the sooner such instruments are entirely gone the better. He also showed me the wheel, on which they break the bones of the legs and arms of their victims.
From this dreary place the Grand Master took me to his own quarters on the first floor of the front of the prison. They were most elegantly furnished, and he showed me many pictures of immense value. He introduced me to his lady and her sister, who gave me cake, wine, and French liqueur. He requested his wife to bring me half a dozen of his own shirts and as many pairs of stockings, which he wished to give me as a brother mason. I refused them with thanks, but accepted half a dozen bottles of choice wine, which he sent to the room of our confinement. A few days later he called; in company with a deputation from his lodge, on Captain Allman and myself, to ask whether they could serve us in any way: he assured us that even if we wanted a thousand dollars the masons could get it for us. Being already provided with money, we did not accept this kind offer. But next morning we wrote a polite note to thank the Master and Lodge for their attention to our welfare, and requested it might be read to the Lodge at its first meeting. We said that we should not fail to represent their conduct to our brethren in England. Captain Allman delivered this note in person to the Grand Master.
In this situation we remained for some time; often for days together not a soul was permitted to visit us. But towards the end of July Marshal Soult, having collected and reorganized the remainder of his dispirited army, took his departure for Granada with some 12,000 or 14,000 men. Our former indulgence of seeing friends and visitors was renewed the moment he was gone. They brought us many small presents, and told us all the chit-chat of Seville. At this moment communications between Seville and Madrid had been completely cut off for many weeks by the guerrillas. But now a very large escort, guarding the invalids, prisoners, and officers under orders for France, was ordered to be got ready to march, at a day’s notice, for Madrid. We were told that we should be sent with it, and our friends all came to bid us farewell.
Mrs. Stoker brought with her a lady whose story you will probably recollect. She was a young Englishwoman, who effected the escape of a French colonel who had been a prisoner in England. She supplied him with money, ran away with him, and married him in France. It was all published in the newspapers two years ago. The husband’s name was Lestruc; he, with ten other chiefs of battalion, was killed at Albuera. Mrs. Lestruc came to solicit the protection of the British officers for herself and certain other widowed ladies, who were returning to France with the convoy. She said that if attacked by guerrillas on the road, they would be massacred, unless covered by our protection. This we gladly promised, and such was the last visit I received in prison.
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Interesting how Masonic brotherhood supercedes other boundaries even in war. Not surprising, but this is the first first-hand account of an example I’ve read.