Note 22 — Chapter X · (continued 2)

These facts are notorious in Portugal, and circumstantial accounts, too horrible to be repeated, are published of them. General Thiebault only says in his text, that there was a desperate conflict in the streets, and that “all who were found in arms were exterminated.” He annexes the following note: “Si l’on ne put de suite arrêter ces terribles représailles, si l’on ne put éviter le pillage de beaucoup de maisons, les officiers-généraux, superieurs, et d’état-major, parvinrent du moins à faire respecter les églises, où les femmes, les vieillards, et les habitans paisibles s’étoient retirés, avec ce qu’ils avoient de plus précieux; ils firent plus, ils allèrent rassurer eux-mêmes tous ceux qui s’y trouvoient, et dès que l’ordre commença à se rétablir, ils firent escorter les femmes jusques chez elles, afin de les préserver de toute insulte.” P. 164.

That there were some men of honour and humanity, who protected the inhabitants as far as they could, must be believed for the sake of human nature. But the Revolution and the school of Buonaparte had done all that was possible for eradicating both humanity and honour; and I affirm, on the testimony of the Portugueze, and of those British officers who have had full opportunities of ascertaining the truth, that the conduct of the French in Evora was marked with deliberate and sportive cruelty of the most flagitious kind. Concerning the conduct of the general officers, as respects their sense of honour, I happen to possess some rather curious information. Loison promised the Archbishop that his property should not be touched. After this promise, Loison himself, with some of his officers, entered the Archbishop’s library, which was one of the finest in Portugal; they took down all the books, in the hope of discovering valuables behind them, they broke off the gold and silver clasps from the magnificent bindings of the rarest part of the collection, and in their disappointment at finding so little plunder, tore in pieces a whole pile of manuscripts. They took every gold and silver coin from his cabinet of medals, and every jewel and bit of the precious metals with which the relics were adorned, or which decorated any thing in his oratory. Loison was even seen in noon-day to take the Archbishop’s episcopal ring from the table and pocket it. These circumstances are stated on the authority of the Archbishop himself.