HORSE AND OWNER BURNT 185 



so astounding that questions were asked in all 

 seriousness as to whether supernatural aid of some 

 kind had not been invoked ! 



In addition to this, Marocco would rear, kneel, 

 sit, or lie down, when told to do so, and he would 

 indicate amongst the spectators any individual 

 selected by his trainer. 



What was deemed most remarkable of all, 

 however, was a performance in which Marocco 

 walked backwards, "the while turning in circles," 

 when Banks ordered him to do so. 



We are told that upon witnessing this perform- 

 ance a proportion of the audience was so deeply 

 affected that several people dared not remain. 

 Consequently one is less surprised at reading 

 that when, later, Banks and his pupil gave a per- 

 formance in Rome, both man and horse were 

 pronounced to be in league with the devil and 

 ordered to be publicly burnt as magicians, which 

 monstrous sentence was duly carried out. 



In justice let it be said that this act of barbarity 

 — the direct outcome of the pitiable ignorance of 

 the age — created intense indignation in England, 

 while in Italy it stirred up a strong feeling of 

 resentment. 



Attempts were made later to create the im- 

 pression that political wirepullers had been at 

 work, and that man and horse had been sacrificed 

 expressly to make bad blood between the British 

 Court and the Vatican, if not between England 



