Page:Life and surprising adventures of Frederick Baron Trenck.pdf/21

 strong escort he was conducted to the Garrison of Magdeburgh, in Prussia."

The King ordered a new dungeon to be built on purpose for me, and prescribed the form of the chains I was to wear. When I was led to it, good Heaven! What did I perceive; two locksmiths, with their hammers and anvil, and the whole floor covered with chains. They went immediately to work; my feet were fastened with enormous chains to a ring sunk in the wall, at about three feet from the ground, so that I could only take two or three steps on each side. They then girt my naked body with a broad iron girdle, from which descended a chain, fastened at the other extremity to a bar of iron, two feet long. At each end of this bar was a handcuff, that confined my hands; and a collar was added in 1756. As soon as the work was completed, every body retired in silence; and I heard the dreadful creaking of four doors, which shut close upon one another.

The name of Trenck had been incrusted on the wall with rid bricks; and under my feet was a tomb intended for me, on which also was my name, and a Death's-head. There were two oaken doors to the dungeon; and on the way to it a kind of lobby, into which a window had been opened, and which was likewise secured by two doors of the same kind. It was the King's intention that this dungeon should be built in such a manner, as to put it out of my power to have the least communication with the centinel; it was surrounded with pallisades twelve feet high, forming a kind of park; and the key was deposited with the guard officer.

Here then did I remain, without consolation and without assistance, stretched out; in the dark, upon a damp pavement. My chains seemed insupportable