Pounds which she has established to Saint Croix, she said that she wanted to deposit this sum of money with Saint Croix to have it in case of need, a sum which her debtors knew nothing about. She has, for that reason, obtained from Saint Croix a receipt which, however, has been lost during the trip. Her husband knew nothing about this promissory note. On the question whether she has established this promissory note before or after the death of her brothers, she answered that she can not remember any more, and from her answers the case could not advance in any way.
Afterwards, however, she said that Saint Croix has lent for her the mentioned amount of money to one of his friends, and she has reminded him about it by showing him the relevant promissory note. She confessed that she has been three times at Glazer’s, to have his opinion about her health condition. On the question why she has sought Penautier's advice, she answered that she knew through his friends that he was capable to be expressly used in her businesses. Why did she give him the assurance that she will do everything that he has advised? She does not specifically know why; in her present condition, however, she is necessitated to ask good advice from everyone. Why did she write to Theria that he should free her? She answered that she did not understand what people wanted to know with that question. Why did she say in another letter to Theria that she was lost, if he can not take hold of her coffer? She answered she could not remember this particular detail.
She affirmed that she did not know anything about her father being sick, in the year 1666, during his travel to Offemont neither on the way there, nor on the return trip. As people showed her Saint Croix's small coffer, she said that it did not belong to her, and that she did not want to know to whom it belonged. Only with Penautier she affirmed having had some relationships, only because of the 30 000 Pounds which he was owing her. At another time, she has, together with her husband, lent 10 000 Thalers to Penautier, after which payment she has confessed further not having any relationships with him any more. The small coffer found at Saint Croix”s, she has demanded upon her relatives' advice.”
People needed only to read these answers to see how the truth which she oppressed, will come out even more forcefully. People sees in her the discouragement of a dark soul which is capable of committing the most gruesome acts without trembling, so long as she fears not to be discovered, but loses all prudence at the mere sight of a judge. She decided to deny everything; only that devastation and fear have put in her mouth answers which, against her will, revealed the truth which she strove to cover up with all the forces of her spirit.
If she was really innocent, would she have really only answered that she knows not that she has poisoned her father and her brothers, against an accusation which must have outraged her most inner being? Must not the mere question have provoked in her an answer in which were expressed the highest reluctance against her accuser and even against her judges? But she did not once have enough strength to pull herself back behind a determined “no”, and in her confusion knew nothing more than to protect herself behind the ignorance of some facts. She did not know whether she has killed her father and her brothers or not!?Yet, all her remaining answers carry traces of such knowledge.
The Marquess' personal testimonies, hence, together with the witness testimonies existing against her, were enough to convict her with the clearest evidence. People knew not whether the Parliament has also relied upon proofs from the confession or not; in the meantime, it is enlightening to observe that the trial had enough proofs to do away with this means which, one would like to remind the Marquess' opponents, might not be used either as recognition of a crime, or as a proof in the trial.
Hence, finally, on July 16th, 1676, in a session of the upper chamber and the Parliament criminal chamber, the following judgement would be pronounced against the Marquess:
“Mary Margaret of Aubray, the wife of Marquis of Brinvillier, will be herewith declared convicted and condemned of having poisoned her father, Lord Drogo of Aubray and her two brothers, Lord Anton of Aubray, Attorney and civil Lieutenant in Paris, and Lord Aubray, Member of Parliament, and of intending to kill her deceased sister. She will for that reason be condemned to the well deserved punishment of being brought on a cart barefoot, with a rope around her neck and a two-pound burning candle in the hand, on the gates of a main church of Paris to do repentance for the same crimes to the Church, and to recognize on her knees, publicly, that she has in a shameful manner, out of revenge as well as out of greed, poisoned her father and her two brothers and intended to kill her sister. From there, she should be led onto the public place of execution and to be beheaded on the scaffold erected for her for that purpose; her body will be burned, and the ashes scattered in the air.
Beforehand, however, she should still undergo ordinary and extraordinary torture, in order to know about her accomplices.
At the same time, she will be declared ineligible for her father's, her brothers' and her sister's inheritance from the day of her crimes, and her total fortune should be seized by the authorities, should pay 4 000 Pounds as repentance to the King, 5 000 Pounds to the prison chapel of the Parliament for requiems for the deceased father, her brothers and her sister, 10 000 Pounds damage to Lady Villarceau, the widow of Lord Aubray, and above all, pay all the costs of her trial as well as that of LaChaussée.”
The Marquess who, in the meantime, still hoping to find out a deceit for her judges, has previously denied stubbornly her crimes, confessed them now by herself, after her judgement was already pronounced. Mister Pirot, a doctor from the Sorbonne, to whom she confessed and who accompanied her on the judgement place, gives a very moving tale of the last twenty four hours of her life. She asked to receive the host, but it would be refused to her; it has never been given to criminals condemned to the death sentence. She demanded then only to receive a blessed bread, just like her uncle, Marshall of Marillac, did before his execution. But this would also be refused to her, because the crime of the Marshall, said people to her, by far, was not so abominable as hers; she must repent of her crimes by being deprived not only of the host itself, but even of the symbol of the same host.
The crowd present on her execution day was extraordinary numerous. Not only the execution place, but rather also all the streets through which she would be led, were full of people. The famous painter LeBrun stood at a place where he could observe exactly the scene to draw the expression of fear before a violent death on her face. But he found not what he was looking for. The Marquess observed through a trusted, long exercise with death which she has so often given with her own hands, a hardness which made her insensitive to her own death. She lost so little her presence of mind, that already on the way to the place of execution where she expected a painful death in the most shameful position which a human being can possibly find, she has freed herself totally from anything happening around her, and was completely unafraid of being observed. She threw a fixed look in the eyes of some well born ladies whom curiosity have also led there and said to them really bitterly: “In fact, this is a very beautiful scene for you, my ladies!”
Hence, we also want this execution to be told by Lady Sévigné.
“It is over with Brinvillier,” she says in a letter of July 17th, 1676, the day after the publication of the judgement, “she will ultimately find herself scattered in the air. Her poor, small body would after the beheading be thrown in a great fire and her ashes scattered in the air. We can inhale her now, and who knows with what kind of poisonous moods we will catch from this transfer! Her sentence was pronounced yesterday, people have read it to her today in the morning. People wanted to torture her; she assured, however, that it was not necessary, she wanted to confess everything voluntarily. She has really given an account of her life which is even more frightful than people may ever think, until four o'clock in the morning. She has given poison to her father ten times in a row, before she reached her goal; and ever feigned with him the highest filial tenderness. She demanded still to speak to the General Attorney. He remained one hour with her, people did not know, however, what she had still have to say to him.
“At six o’clock, dressed only with a shirt with a rope around the neck, she would be led to the church of Our Lady to do her repentance to the Church and then be put again on the cart. I saw her at this moment; leaning her back on a pile of straw, in a shirt with a short hood on her head, the spiritual authorities on one side, the judges on the other. All my limbs were trembling at this moment.
Those who have seen