_Urban Grenadier, and the Nuns of Loudun._
XCIII. Francis Urban Grenadier, canon of Loudun, in the province of
Poictou, is the last person we shall enumerate in this catalogue; his
tragedy has been, and still is, much animadverted upon, both within
France and without it. This man, who was endued with talents above
mediocrity, was genteel in his person, sufficiently learned, and an
eloquent orator; but a lover of, and beloved by the other sex, to a
degree bordering upon excess. Either his talents or his vices, or both
together, raised him many enemies, but their animosity was most probably
directed against the first; for the world is more apt to attack people
out of envy to their good qualities, than from motives of morality, or
from being disgusted at their vices. It happened, that all the nuns of
a convent at Loudun seemed affected in a strange way, which was imputed
by many to their being bewitched. What reason the enemies of Grenadier
had, or pretended to have, for attributing this mischief to him, I can’t
imagine; but they gave information of this matter to Cardinal Richlieu,
who was at that time, under colour of being minister, the king _de
facto_ of France; to this man of power, they accused Grenadier of being
the author of the possession of these nuns. The cardinal had more than
one motive to wish the ruin of Grenadier; for when he was no more than
Bishop of Louzon, there had been a sharp dispute between them; but what
irritated him most against Grenadier, was an information which those who
accused him of the crime of sorcery gave the cardinal, that Grenadier was
the author of a satyr intitled _Le Cordonier de Loudun_, which was very
severe upon his person, birth, and pedigree. The cardinal ordered that
an enquiry should immediately be made respecting the possession of the
nuns, and the sorcery of Grenadier; in which he directed, they should be
careful to observe the colour and appearance of strict justice. Twelve
ecclesiastics were appointed judges in the cause; who, after a formal and
seemingly minute enquiry, condemned him to be burnt alive; which sentence
was afterwards executed upon him, and he, at the terrible crisis of his
suffering, shewed great Christian patience and fortitude.
XCIV. But notwithstanding all the judicial solemnity of the process,
many people doubted of the justice of the sentence, and attributed the
whole proceeding to political artifice, assisted by the delusion of some,
and the credulity of others. The cardinal, who from aloft directed the
movements of the machines, although he was allowed to be a man of great
abilities, was generally known to be furiously vindictive. He neither
wanted capacity nor power, to crush the most spotless innocence under
the colour and shew of justice. The judges are said to have been good
men, but very credulous, and people of little penetration, who were on
this account pitched upon by the enemies of Grenadier. The rigour of the
sentence shews, that some other motive intervened to produce it besides
the love of justice; and what above all manifested such a motive, was the
cruel oppression that was practised on him, in obliging him to make use
of a particular confessor, notwithstanding he alledged that he disliked
him, for that he was his enemy, and had been one of the principal
instruments in working his ruin. He intreated, that for the expiation of
his sins, they would permit him to have Father Guardian of the society
of Franciscans at Loudun, who was a learned man, and a divine of the
Sorbone; but it was not possible for him, either to obtain this grace,
or a permission to have any other man but him whom he had objected to
as his enemy. It is also said, that the witnesses who deposed against
Grenadier, were the very Devils who tormented the nuns; and the testimony
of such men, by all laws, divine and human, is unworthy to be admitted.
Many observations were written and sent to the press upon the possession
of the nuns, with a view of evincing, that it was all delusion and a
made-up tale. The Devils at first, answered in French, to the questions
that were asked them in Latin; afterwards, when they were desirous of
speaking a little Latin, they made many false concords, which caused some
wags in France to remark, that the Devils of Loudun were but novices
in grammar, who had not yet advanced to the third form. There were two
men of ability, who offered to demonstrate the delusion and imposture
of the possession of the nuns; but they were so severely threatened by
the cardinal, that one of them fled to Rome, and the other was obliged
to conceal himself. The exorcists were sent from Paris by the cardinal;
which circumstance, joined to the great pains that were taken to persuade
the truth of the possession, sufficiently demonstrates the complexion
of the business. Finally, in consideration of the circumstances we have
recited, and others which we have omitted to mention, many authors within
France itself, and among them Egidius Menagius, and the most learned
Naudæus, have taken the part of Grenadier, and there is scarce any one,
who when he touches upon this matter, does not express himself with some
doubt.