"About the same time (the early part of 1499) a
courtesan named La Corsetta was imprisoned for having
had commerce with a Spanish Moor, who visited her in
woman's clothes. To atone for their scandalous conduct,
both were taken through the streets, she without shift
or petticoat and with nothing to cover her except the
Moor's frock, no button of which was buttoned, so that
it was entirely open in front ; and he in his female garb,
with his arms tied behind his back and the skirts turned
up above his waist, so that the part which had sinned
was exposed to every eye. When they had made the
circuit of the city thus, La Corsetta was sent back to
prison with the Moor. But on the seventh of April
following the latter was dragged out again and taken
with two robbers to the Field of Flowers. They were
preceded by an archer riding backwards upon an ass
and holding in his hand a long pole, to the end of which
were fastened the bleeding organs of a Jew, who had
been deprived of them because he was detected having
commerce with a Christian woman. When they reached
the place of execution the two robbers were hanged
and the unfortunate Moor was made fast to a stake sur-
rounded with wood, where he was to be burned alive ;



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144 THE BOEGIAS.
