Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory

by Craft, Kimberly

  The 10th witness was the honorable Georgius Mladých, about 45 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said the same as the previous witness regarding the cruelty, and also in all things like the first witness; at the time, however, when the two aforementioned virgins had died during the wedding of György Homonnay, the witness was the sexton in Kosztolány, and he himself had dug graves for them in the middle of the night in Kosztolány; they had been buried in the early dawn at Kosztolány, without any funeral ceremony. The witness had himself seen their disfigured appearances, shattered and covered with stains.

  The eleventh witness was the honorable Martinus Vurzko, about 40 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said that he knew nothing, that he had not lived long in Kosztolány.

  The 12th witness was the noble Michael Horwath, Officialis (official) in Kosztolány, 40 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said the same as the judge of the city of Kosztolány and added that he himself heard from the same young servants, mentioned by the judge of the city of Kosztolány, that the Lady Widow sometimes tore off the girls’ limbs with glowing tongs; he also added that last year at the same time as the illustrious Palatine came in for the eight days of court, two girls were buried in Leszetice.

  The 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th witnesses were the honorable Nicolaus Syny, 35 years old, Stephanus Belwczky, 30 years old, Johannes Hronyak, 30 years old, Michael Dubrawczky, 30 years old, Nicolaus Kwochka, 40 years old, Janós Mychalowech, 20 years old, all residents of the said city of Kosztolány, sworn and interrogated; they unanimously said the same as the first witness regarding the cruelty of Lady Erzsébet Báthory.

  The 18th Witness was the noble Michael Horwoytth (also Herwoyth), Provisor (administrator) of Castle Csejthe, 38 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said that the rumors of the cruelty of the Lady Widow Nádasdy were already in circulation far and wide for several years; the same witness also knew that whenever the Lady Widow stayed in Csejthe, one could hear everyday the sounds of beatings being heard from her Gynaecaeum, including the crying and lamenting of the beaten girls; the fact that they were beaten more and more often and that they could be heard crying changed nothing; the same witness had also seen that almost every day the Lady Widow was briefly bound together with switches, which the girls got to feel; he had also heard from the noble, Michael Horvath, who lived in the castle of the city of Csejthe, that last year when the Lady Wife of the illustrious and famous Count Zrínyi stayed with the Lady Widow in Csejthe, five virgins were killed and buried here in Csejthe in a grain cellar; also in this year, two more virgins were cruelly killed and buried in a similar way in Leszetice; this witness also added that he had heard from the same noble that a dead girl had been buried in the small garden behind the castle courtyard; however, as it had not been buried deeply enough, the dogs dug it up again; this witness also reported that the Lady Widow Nádasdy went into the dungeon, where a coat was placed over a dead girl and, before the eyes of even this Lady Widow, the body was placed into a carriage and, thereafter, the Lady Widow departed; however, after the Lady Widow’s departure, the witness and many others were able to see these dead bodies down there more closely, that on their cheeks, between the shoulder blades and other parts of the body cruel injuries caused by torture were visible; he had also seen another girl that had been cruelly tortured, with two rather large wounds between the shoulder blades and also burned hands, which, when asked how these wounds and this injury had come about, he answered, by cruel blows; and then had the Lady Widow, through her old women, torn the flesh from the body with pliers, the body already swollen and reddened from beatings.

  The 19th witness was the honorable Emeritus (retired from service) Ocskay of Ochko, encountered in the city of Kosztolány, about 32 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said, regarding the items included for questioning, he had seen none of it with his own eyes; he had only heard about everything from others.

  The 20th, 21st, 2nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th witnesses were the honorable Paulus Horvath, about 50 years old, Mattheus Morawczik, about 40 years old, Martinus Blanar, about 60 years old, Michael Janychowyk, about 50 years old, Janós Janychowyk, 33 years old, Gasparus Lyptaak, 36 years old, Martinus Sebanowyk, 40 years old, Mátyás Swecz, 30 years old, Adamus Kowach, about 80 years old, György Lehoczky, 33 years old, Martinus Koryttko, 30 years old, all residing in the city of Kosztolány, sworn and interrogated; the first, Paulus Horwath, said that to his knowledge he could not confirm, but that he had heard from others, two dead girls have been buried in the city of Kosztolány; but at least he knew that in the last year, a girl from Schar who was a maid of the Lady Widow was buried in Leszetice, whose coffin the witness himself had prepared; he knew also that the boy named Ficzkó came into Leszetice with the dead girl; Mattheus Morawczik said the same as the 9th witness, Janós Palenyk; Martinus Blanar said the same as Paulus Horwath, the 20th witness, regarding the two virgins buried in Kosztolány, and nothing more; Michael Janychowyck said the same as the previous witness; Gasparus Lyptaak said the same as the previous witness; Janós Janychowyk said the same as the previous witness; Mattheur Sebanowyk said the same as the previous witness; Matthias Swecz spoke of the two virgins who were buried in Kosztolány at the time of the wedding celebration of György Homonnay, like Paulus Horvath, the 20th Witness; Adamus Kowach said the same as the previous witness; Georgius Lehoczky said the same as the previous witness, adding that he heard from the wife of Stephenus Literatus, Mrs. Barbara, a relative, that she herself had seen, in the city of Trencsén, two virgin maids of the Lady Widow Nádasdy with pierced hands; Martinus Koryttko said that he knew nothing other than the fact that whenever one heard of the arrival of the Lady Widow in this area, some of the female servants fled the property in fear of her arrival.

  The 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th, und 40th witnesses were Petrus Hrenkaar, about 70 years old, Nicolaus Podhoczky, 40 years old, Stephanus Gasparowych, 65 years old, Janós Seban, 30 years old, Georgius Peczyk, 80 years old, Georgius Porwbzky, 50 years old, Nicolaus Blaho, 28 years old, Martinus Knyebko, 40 years old, Petrus Lybay, 30 years old, Mattheus Janowych, 50 years old, all residents of the city of Kosztolány, sworn and interrogated; the first, Petrus Hrenkaar, said that he knew nothing regarding the questions, except what he had heard from others; regarding the content of the questions, Nicolaus Podhoczky and Stephanus Gasparowych said the same as previous witness; Janós Seban said he knew that at the time of the wedding celebration, two girls were buried in Kosztolány; he also heard from others that Lady Widow Nádasdy tore apart the body of her maid with pliers; Georgius Peczyk, Georgius Porwbzky, Nicolaus Blaho, Martinus Knyebko, Petrus Lybay, Mattheus Janowych said the same as Petrus Hrenkaar, the 40th witness; Nicolaus Blaho said, in addition, that he had heard 300 maidens had been put to death by the Lady Widow Nádasdy.

  The 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th, and 50th witnesses were the honorable Georgius Pepliczky, 40 years old, Adamus Panychowek, 45 years old, Stephanus Dyenak, 40 years old, Janós Urbanowych, 28 years old, Janós Janychowek, 40 years old, Michael Pepliczky, 28 years old, Adamus Janychowych, 32 years old, Janós Potoczky, 25 years old, Janós Rekra, 30 years old, Martinus Zaryeczky, 20 years old, all residents of the city of Kosztolány, sworn and interrogated; they spoke unanimously that they could not confirm the questions from their own knowledge but that they had heard much about the Lady Widow’s cruelty; Michael Pepliczky also said that this autumn, after the Lady Widow had come to Csejthe, he saw two ladies from her entourage with bruises and black and blue marks, and their faces scratched as if by nails.

  The 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th, 59th, 60th, 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 64th, 65th, and 66th witnesses were the honorable Janós Kadlwecz, 40 years old, Martinus Gonda, 50 years old, Janós Petryk, 50 years old, Janós Gazda, 50 years old, Nicolaus Zmatana, 30 years old, Mattheus Stephanozowych, 30 years old, Martinus Polyak, about 40 years old, Janós Hawran, 40 years old, Janós Kubychokowych, 30 years
old, Janós Morawchyk, 25 years old, Martinus Hornyak, 55 years old, Jonas Zlatynsky, 28 years old, Felix Kowach, 55 years old, Janós Sebanowych, 30 years old, Georgius Horenyczky, 60 years old, Georgius Habdak, 33 years old, all residents of the city of Kosztolány, sworn and interrogated; The first, Janós Kadlwecz, said that recently and not so long ago that he was in the city of Bitcá, having come from the city of Zolna; there in Bitca, he had heard that the boy Ficzko, servant of the aforementioned Lady Widow Nádasdy, had been interrogated and had confessed to killing 130 virgins in this Lady Widow’s Gynaecaeum; however, the old women of this Lady Widow, who were burned in Bicsa, admitted to having killed 50 and 70, respectively; he had also heard that the Mistress of Miava, after they interrogated her under torture, had confessed that she sent many girls with cheese and cheese products from the estate to Csejthe, all of whom came to the court of the Lady Widow and were killed there. Martinus Gonda said that, after the Lady Widow came to Kosztolány, he himself often saw virgins with swollen faces and hands covered with blue patches; regarding the girl who had been plunged into the stream in the winter, he said the same as the judge of Kosztonány; the second witness from this group, Janós Petryk, said that he knew nothing more except what he had heard about her, that two dead virgins had been buried during the wedding celebrations of György Homonnay in Koszolány; Janós Gazda said the same as the previous witness; Nicolaus Zmatana said, overall, he knew nothing; Mattheus Stephanozowych said the same as Janós Pettryk; Martinus Hornyak said he knew by hearsay the same as Martinus Gonda, the 52nd witness; Jonas Zlatynsky said the same as Janós Pettryk, the 53rd witness; Felix Kowach said he knew nothing; Janós Seban said the same as Janós Pettryk; Georgius Horenyczky said the same as the previous witness; Georgius Habdak said the same as Georgius Markowych, the 7th witness, regarding the girl who was forced to swim in the creek in the winter, and added that he had seen girls who were cruelly shattered and covered in bleeding wounds; this same witness had also personally seen girls who had been kept shackled by the creek and asked why this was happening, and was told, their mistress could neither eat nor drink if she had not previously seen one of the virgins from amongst her maids killed in a bloody way.

  The 67th, 68th, 69th, 70th, 71st, and 72nd witnesses were the honorable Adamus Mojzes, 50 years old, Kosztolány property owner, Janós Werwrowech, 52 years old, Janós Steffanczowech, 30 years old, Janós Stywgel, 40 years old, Martinus Kyswkha, 40 years old, Janós Nedoraz, 36 years old, all residents of the city of Kosztolány, sworn and interrogated; the first, Adamus Mojzes, said the same as Michael Horwath, Officialis, the 12th witness, regarding the maidens buried here in Kosztolány; regarding the rest, he said the same as Michael Herwoyth, Provisor, the 18th witness; Janós Werwrowech (also Wendrowych) said the same as Janós Pettryk, the 53rd witness, regarding the two dead maidens buried in Kosztolány; Janós Steffanczowech (also Stephanowych) said the same as the previous witness; Janós Stywgel said that he knew that two dead maidens were buried in Kosztolány at the time of György Homonnay’s wedding celebration because he himself was one of the gravediggers; Martinus Kyswkha said that he knew nothing; Janós Nedoraz said that he heard that the boy Ficzkó confessed under torture that he sealed the lips of girls together with large-headed nails so that they could not scream; eventually, their flesh was cut out, whereupon the Lady Widow Naáasdy ground it up and gave it to the servants to eat.

  The 73rd witness was the noble Balthasar Zelessy, living in the city of Verbo, about 50 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said, regarding the questions he was asked, that he had seen nothing with his own eyes, rather had only heard from others.

  The 74th witness was the noble Chrisophorus Zelessy, 20 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said the same as the previous witness.

  The 75th witness was the noble Georgius Rathkay, living here in the city of Verbo, 43 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said, regarding the girls who were forced to bath in the brook in winter, the same as the pastor and the judge of the city of Kosztolány.

  The 76th witness was the noble Daniel Rathkay, living here in Verbo, 28 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said that he knew nothing.

  The 77th witness was the noblewoman Anna Welykey, former wife of Nicolaus Kardos, and now the wife of Georgius Hodossy, about 45 years old, sworn and interrogated; she said, regarding the questions asked, that she had seen nothing with her own eyes, but, regarding the Lady Widow Nádasdy she knew the following: When she asked this Lady Widow if she would bring her girls and let them be introduced, (the Lady) said: “Ah, how could I trust or introduce you girls, after so many bad and terrible things are told far and wide about you”; then (the Lady) said to this witness: “These whores lie”; this witness added that she herself had often seen tortured virgins with swollen and bluish colored faces; nothing further.

  The 78th witness was the noble Mátyás Sakathyartho, Verbo city official, 28 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said he knew nothing regarding the questions posed, other than, while for the past 7 years he served as cellar master at the court in Csejthe, a maiden named Lady Sittkey died and was brought to the town of Csejthe and buried there.

  The 79th witness was the honorable Stephanus Puskas, residing in the town of Verbo, about 45 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said he knew nothing at all regarding the questions posed.

  The 80th witness was the honorable Mátyás Gabansky, residing in the same Verbo, about 45 years old, sworn and interrogated; he indicated that he knew nothing.

  The 81st witness was the venerable Nicolaus Barosius, pastor in the town of Verbo, sworn in by the purity of his conscience; he said he had heard much regarding the tremendous cruelty of said Lady Widow Nádasdy; regarding the questions posed, he cannot state anything further except, he himself came to the Lady Widow at her court at Csejthe, six days before she was put in prison, together with other pastors because of her terrible deeds, which, as we know, have been committed by her, and to exhort her to pray for her salvation, and later, there he himself saw a virgin at the time of her incarceration, found as if dead, but still alive yet very weak and frail; he also saw other virgins in similar condition; he, in turn, after this Lady Widow had been brought to the prison (dungeon), they urged her to consider how much suffering she accomplished and what terrible deeds she had committed, and counted all of them that are included in the points in question and what they heard from the witnesses. Next, she retorted to the witness and the other pastors with him: "You," she said, "you nefarious and wicked priests are the cause of my captivity, but have you not yet heard of the Hajdukes at the Theiss? I gave my brother Gabor Báthory a message, and you'll soon have realized that you and your children will regret my fate." A little later, however, as the witness and the others present with him called this Lady Widow not to despair, but rather to repentance and to partake of Holy Communion, she said: "How could I do this when all of you are my enemies." As the witness then recounted to her what outrages were already discovered and those of which she had already been convicted and how much and what terribleness were confessed under torture by her old women and the servant Ficzkó, she replied that she would not admit to anything, whether she was tortured by fire or otherwise; and the witness asked her whether she had also considered and still stood by her statement; she replied that she stood firmly by it and nothing else; the witness also said, he asked her why she allowed her old women to do such things; whereupon she replied that she let them do it because even she herself was also afraid of them.

  The 82nd witness was the noble Janós Zluha, residing in the town of Verbo, 29 years old, sworn and interrogated; he said the same as the previous witness and added that he would be sent from Csejthe, and from the Official of the town of Verbo, letters would be sent; upon a response, he would be instructed to travel to Tirnau to the local pharmacy to obtain antimony which would be sealed for the return trip; letter in hand, the witness went to Doctor Martinus and showed him the letter with the instructions to obtain this drug; after he had read this, D
octor Martinus asked for what purpose he wished to have this drug, which the witness answered, he knew not how it was to be used; thereupon Doctor Martinus told the witness, because many people can be killed with this drug, it would be delivered once by the pharmacy and then issued to the administrator of Csejthe.

  The 83rd witness was the noble Janós Felon, 52 years old, encountered in the town of Csejthe, sworn and interrogated; he said he saw a maiden whose hands were maimed, wounded, and dismembered through excessive beatings and torment, and as if by cutting, and had been rendered useless; he had seen three dead girls who were brought to Leszetice to be buried there; also, he knew and had seen the two virgins who had died at the time of the wedding celebration of György Homonnay, and afterwards had been brought to Leszetice in order to be buried there; the witness added that a few years ago, he took a virgin from Tirnau with him, who remained with him for a few years and was regarded as a talented embroiderer; as this girl was twelve years old, the Lady Judith Pogan, wife of John Lyptay, tempted this girl to come to her with flatteries and then handed her over to the said Lady Widow Nádasdy; she was then killed, to the knowledge of the witness, in her court or Gynaecaeum; he knew also, and has also seen that the Lady Judith Pogan brought over a bourgeois girl from the upper parts of the country who, afterwards, was introduced to the Lady Widow Nádasdy by those old whores who were burned in Bicsa; and the witness had heard that this girl had been killed after about a week in Varanno; this witness also reports that, at the time when he was in the service of the former Ferenc Nádasdy, the son of the former Janós Trombitás, named Vitus, was also employed by the former Ferenc Nádasdy, and that he had heard, Lady Widow Nádasdy had an adulterous relationship with this Vitus Trombitás, who was later killed while serving as a soldier of the said Ferenc Nádasdy.