The Revolt Defeated 225the gallows by his tongue for a period of one hour, a sentence which
was in fact carried out, although the victim died as a result. This and the
severings of hands or tongue were supposed to reflect the aggravation of
individual transgressions by written or spoken treason, while the various
combinations of the other aspects were intended to match the respective
degrees of guilt. The dozen who were not to be executed, mostly minor
figures, received sentences ranging from exile or imprisonment ‘at the
emperor’s pleasure’ down to one year in irons, while all, whatever the
rest of their punishment, were to have their property confiscated.
Meanwhile Schlick, who had originally escaped, had been arrested by
the Saxons and returned to Prague, so that his case had also to be dealt
with, and it was 17 May before Liechtenstein was able to despatch the
list of convictions and sentences to Ferdinand in Vienna, while he him-
self made appeals for clemency in several cases. The emperor promptly
passed the sentences on to a committee of councillors for consideration,
where the sheer number of the proposed executions caused some con-
cern, particularly to one of the most senior members, Peter Stralendorf.
He argued that they should be reduced to nine, three from each estate,
although others countered that his suggested alternative of condemna-
tion to the Spanish galleys for the remainder was scarcely more merciful.
In the end they recommended commutation of only a small num-
ber of the death sentences, although Stralendorf’s complaint that the
proposed quartering was ‘an atrocity’ found more support, and it was
‘mercifully’ agreed, so the judgement said, that this and the severing of
hands should be carried out only after death. Nevertheless the unfortu-
nate Dr Jessenius, a famous scholar, still had to suffer having his tongue
cut out before beheading, as he had attracted particular ire through the
employment of his talents against the Habsburgs early in the revolt,
until he had been captured while on a mission abroad.^56
Ferdinand could not avoid the final responsibility, as he had to
confirm the eventual punishments and sign the execution warrants.
Exemplary sentences had been anticipated after the arrests, but many
had also expected the emperor to reprieve most of those condemned to
death, so a Saxon envoy had noted in March. Ferdinand himself was
reportedly troubled, and after a sleepless night he consulted his con-
fessor Lamormaini to ask whether he could in good conscience pardon
them or whether it was his duty to confirm the sentences. He found lit-
tle help there, the Jesuit responding simply that both possibilities were
open to His Majesty. Left to make his own decision, Ferdinand duly
signed twenty-eight death warrants, supposedly with tears in his eyes
and with trembling hands.^57 It may be true, or it may have been good