SEWN IN AN ANIMAL’S BELLY

‘We must discover some sort of death, whereby this maiden may be endure long-term and bitter torment; so let us kill this ass and afterwards cut open its belly, and after removing the inwards, shut up the girls inside in such a way that only the head be left outside (this to prevent her being entirely suffocated) while the rest of her body be hid within the carcass.

Then, when this has been sewn up, let us expose them both to the vultures – a strange meal prepared in a new and strange manner. Now just consider the nature of this torture, I beg you. To begin with, a living woman will be shut in a dead ass; then by reason of the heat of the sun will she be roasted within its belly; further, she will be tormented with mortal hunger, yet entirely unable to destroy herself . Yet other features of her agony, both from the stench of the dead body as it rots, and the swarm of writhing worms, I say of. Lastly, the vultures that feed on the carcass will rend in pieces the living woman at the same time.’