The three different stages of the torture of John Coustos. Etching with engraving by S.J. Neele, 1810.

John Coustos was accused of the crime of freemasonry and imprisoned in 1743 by the Inquisition of Lisbon. Refusing to divulge the secrets of his order, Coustos was tortured. He was fixed on his back on the rack, his neck enclosed in an iron collar, and his feet attached to two rings. Two ropes were wound around each arm and leg and passed through holes made for the purpose on the rack. The ropes were drawn tight by the executioners, cutting through the flesh to the bone, and causing blood to gush out from the wounds made. The executioners bent their strength to the task four times, and at the fourth their victim fainted. After six weeks, which were allowed for recuperation, Coustos was brought again to the torture chamber. He was made to stretch out his arms with the palms of his hands turned outwards. His wrists were tied, and then a machine gradually drew his hands together behind him until the backs of them touched. The operation was repeated a second and a third time. His shoulders were dislocated and blood gushed from his mouth. Back in his dungeon, Coustos' bones were set by a surgeon and he was tortured again two months later. On this occasion a thick iron chain was passed twice around his body and crossed over the stomach. The chain terminated in rings which were fastened to his wrists. He was the placed against a thick wooden partition, at each end of which was a pulley. Ropes were fastened to the rings on his wrists and run through the pulleys, the other end being fixed to a roller. This roller, being set in motion, the ropes gradually tightened, pulling the chain until it pulled the wrists out of joint and dislocated the shoulder . The surgeon set the bones again and the torture was repeated. But Coustos remained silent. Finding their efforts to no avail, the inquisitors sentenced him to four years' service as a galley-slave, after which he was banished from the country