BAS': 
ethers, or facilitate' his efcape. Thefe were put into a 
box, with a label on the outlide of it, mentioning the tow¬ 
er and number of the chamber where he was to be con- 
finedr The boxes containing the effects of the pri(oners 
were all ranged in a room near the council-chamber. Ha¬ 
ving figned the inventory of the things that were taken 
from him, and a copy of his examination, he was then 
fent to his room. He was next examined by one of the 
king : s commiffaries, and fometimes in the prefence of the 
lieutenant of the police. The examinations ot home pri- 
foners were frequently repeated, and it appears by the 
teflimony of many, that they were made with much art, 
or rather with that fort of cunning which is nurfed under 
defpotifm, and there fuccefsfully employed either to con¬ 
ceal or difeover guilt. The prifoners were not allowed to 
be fliaved, until after the fecond examination; or until 
all had been obtained from them that was required. There 
are indances of fome remaining feveral months without 
obtaining this indulgence ; which, .and the hearing ntafs, 
and the ufe of books, were condantly denied them until 
leave came in writing, from the minifter of Paris, through 
the lieutenant of the police. They were fliaved by the 
afiiftant-furgeon of the Badile, who likewife pared their 
nails; the turnkey or a foldier condantly attending, led 
they lliould attempt to feize the indrument by violence. 
It was not until the officers had full experience of a pri- 
foner’s calmnefs and relignation that he was ; permitted to 
have a knife to cut his victuals, or even tongs for his 
fire : nor could any of the regulations on this head be de¬ 
viated from, but by exprefs permidion. Yet, notwith- 
ftanding thofe extreme precautions, there are feveral in¬ 
fiances of prifoners who dedroyed themfelves. One threw 
liiinielf from the top-Of one of the towers, on which ac¬ 
count the walks there were for fome time forbidden, and 
never permitted but to perfons in whom the governor 
thought he'could.confide. We find a remarkable circum- 
fiance mentioned in a letter to. M. de Sartine, from M. 
Chevalier, major of the Badile, dated the 19th of Novem¬ 
ber, 1767, of which the following is an exnacl: 
“ The prifoner Drohart in going through the court flew 
back to his room. The turnkey followed him. He flood 
at the door to defend the entry; the turnkey tried to force 
it, not perceiving that lie had a kn'fe in his hand, till lie 
received a wound in his belly, of which it is thought he 
will probably die before the morning, and he has accord¬ 
ingly received the facraments. The prifoner immediately 
gave himfelf a wound alfo, and expired about ten minutes 
after.” 
M. de Sartine writes iii reply : “ i have learnt with ve¬ 
ry great concern, the melancholy and unlucky accident 
that happened this morning at.the caflle. If the precau¬ 
tion of not leaving a knife or any other indrument-with 
the prifoners, had been exafUy obferved, and their rooms 
and perfons regularly fearched, this misfortune would 
have been prevented. I hope, fir, that you will redouble 
your zeal and attention, for the good of the fer.vice, and 
fecurity of the prifoners. Iam, &c. De Sartine.” 
. Vi (its to prifoners, if from perfons abroad, was an in¬ 
dulgence feldom granted, and extended only to thofe who 
enjoyed fome particular protection, and were confined for 
flight offences. Perhaps we cannot give the reader a bet¬ 
ter idea of the manner in which the general clafs of pri¬ 
foners was treated, than by communicating to him what 
was related by a perfon of fcrupulous veracity upon iiis 
examination," after he had been confined in the Badile above 
eight months. 
“ About five in the morning on the 2d of April, 1771, 
I was awaked by a violent knocking at my chamber-door, 
and was commanded, in the name of the king, to open it. 
I did fo, and an exempt of the police, three men who ap¬ 
peared to be under his orders, and a commiffary, entered 
the room. They defired me to drefs myfelf, and began 
to fearch the apartment. They ordered me to open my 
drawers, and, having examined my papers, they took fuch 
as they chofe, and put them into a box. w hich, as I found 
VOL. li. No. 103, 
I L E. j8gr 
afterwards, was carried to the police-office. The commif¬ 
fary a Iked me my name, my age, the place where I was 
born, how long I had been at Paris, and the manner f 
fpent my time. The examination .was written down by 
him ; a lid was made of every thing found in the room, 
which, together with the examination, I was aelired to 
read and fign. The exempt then told me to take dll my 
body linen and fuch clothes as I chofe, and to come along 
with them. At the word all I darted; I gueifed where 
they were about to take me, and it feemed to announce to 
me a long train of rnifery. Having Ihut and fealed the 
drawers, they defired me to follow them ; and, ingoing 
out, they locked the chamber-door and took the key. On 
coming to the dreet, I found a coach, into which I was 
defired to gp, and the others followed me. After fitting 
for fome time, the commiffary told me they were carrying 
me to the Badile, and foon afterwards 1 law the lowers. 
They did not go the fliortefl and direCt road ; which 1 fup- 
pofc was to conceal our dediaation from thofe who might 
have obferved us. The coach flopped at the gate in the 
dreet St. Anthony. I favv the Coachman make figns to 
the fentinel, and foon after the gate was opened : the guard 
was under arms, and I heard the gate Ihut again. On co- 1 
ming to the firfit drawbridge, it was let down, the guard 
there being likewife under arms. The coach went an, and 
entered the caflle, where I law another guard under arms. 
It flopped at a flight of fleps at the bottom of the court, 
where, being defired to go out, I was conducted to a room 
that I heard named the council-chamber. ] found three 
perfons fitting at a table, who, as 1 was told, were the lieu¬ 
tenant du roi, the major, and his deputy. The major 
afked me nearly the fame quedions which the commiffary 
had done, and obferved the fame formalities in directing 
me to read and fign the examination. I was then defired 
to empty my pockets, -and lay what I had in them on the 
table. My handkerchief and {huff-box being- returned ta 
me, my money, watch, and indeed every thing elfe, were 
put into a box that was fealed in my prefence, and, an in¬ 
ventory having been made of them,,it was likewife read 
and figned by me. The major then called for the turn¬ 
key v> hole turn of duty it was, and, having afked what 
room was empty, he faid, the Calotje cle la Bertaudiere. He 
was ordered to convev me to it, and to carry thither my 
linen and clothes. The turnkey, having done fo, left nie 
and locked the doors. 'The weather was extremely cold, 
and 1 was glad to fee him return foon afterwards with fire¬ 
wood, a tinder-box, and a candle. He made my fire, but 
told me, on leaving the tinder-box, that I might in future 
do it myfelf when, fo inclined. Prifoners v\*ho. were not 
allowed to have a fervant of their.own, fometirne.s were 
indulged with an in valid foldier to attend them ; but.thofe 
who had neither, made their b.ed, lighted.their fire, .and 
Iwept .their room, themfelves. From the time tii c-exempt 
of the police came into my room, I had nqt ceafed to form 
conjectures about the caufe of my impr.ifanment, I knew 
of none, unlefs it were fome verfps and.(ketches’’.relative 
to the affairs of the times. Though tli.e.y. were Lndifcreet, 
they were of little importance. The only writing thtit 
might have feriouily given offenqe .to the,.government, I 
had never (hewn, but to o,ne perfon in whom I thought | 
could confide: I found afterwards he had betrayed me. 
When I heard the double doors Ihut upon me a..fee 0 mi 
time, calling my eyes round my habitation, I fancied l 
now faw the extent of all that was left to me in this world, 
for the p.efl of my days, Befides the malignity of enemies, 
and the anger of. a minifler, I felt that I ran the. rilk of 
being forgotten; the fate of many who have no one of in¬ 
fluence to intercede for them, or who have not particularly 
. attrafted the notice of the public. Naturally fond of fo- 
ciety, I confefs I looked forward to the 'abyfs of lonely 
wretchedness, that I thought awaited me, with a degree 
of horror that cannot eafily be deferibed. It was diffe¬ 
rent from any thing I had felt before. I even regretted, 
now, what I had formerly confidered as the great ell-blef- 
fing, a healthy conditution that had never been affedled 
. r* ... 
