luy mettoit dans la main, pour ietter sur ceux qu'il luy commanderoit:
qu'elle en a ietté par son commandement sur des personnes et bestes:
notament sur l'enfant _Pierre Brehaut_. Item, sur la femme _Jean
Bourgaize_ lors qu'estoit enciente. Item, sur l'enfant _Leonard le
Messurier_.
CONFESSION OF MARIE BECQUET.
_Marie_, wife of _Pierre Massy_, after sentence of death had been
pronounced against her, having been put to the question, confessed
that she was a Witch; and that at the persuasion of the Devil, who
appeared to her in the form of a dog: she gave herself to him: that
when she gave herself to him he took her by the hand with his paw:
that she used to anoint herself with the same ointment as her mother
used: and had been to the Sabbath upon the bank near Rocquaine Castle
with her, where there was no one but the Devil and her as it seemed:
in the aforesaid form in which she had seen him several times: She was
also at the Sabbath on one occasion among others in the road near
_Collas Tottevin's_; every time that she went to the Sabbath, the
Devil came to her, and it seemed as though he transformed her into a
female dog; she said that upon the shore, near the said Rocquaine: the
Devil, in the form of a dog, having had connection with her, gave her
bread and wine, which she ate and drank.
The Devil gave her certain powders: which powders he put into her
hand, for her to throw upon those whom he ordered her: she threw some
of them by his orders upon persons and cattle: notably upon the child
of _Pierre Brehaut_. Item, upon the wife of _Jean Bourgaize_, while
she was _enceinte_. Item, upon the child of _Leonard le Messurier_.
CONFESSION D'ISABEL BECQUET.
_Isebelle_, femme de _Jean de Moygne_, ayant esté mise a la question,
a tout aussytost confessé qu'elle est Sorciere: et que sur ce qu'elle
tomba en querelle avec la _Girarde_, sa belle-soeur: le Diable en
forme de lievre print occasion de la seduire: se representant à elle
en plain jour dans une ruë pres de sa maison: et la persuadant et
incitant de se donner à luy: et que l'aideroit à se venger de la dite
_Girarde_ et de tous aultres: à laquelle persuation n'ayant icelle à
l'instant voulu condescendre: aussy tout disparut: mais incontinent
luy vint derechef au devant en la mesme ruë, et poursuyvant sa
premiere pointe: l'exhortoit aux mesmes fins que dessus: cela fait,
ill la laissa et se retira, apres luy avoir, au prealable, mis une
pochée de pasnés; qu'elle portoit pour lors, une certaine pouldre
noire envelopée dans ung linge qu'il mist: laquelle pouldre elle
retint par devers soy. S'aparut à elle une autre fois en mesme forme
au territoire de la ville, l'incitant dereschef à se donner à luy, à
quoy ne voulant icelle condescendre luy fist adonc requeste de luy
donner une beste vive: lors de ce pas revint ches elle querir ung
poullet, qu'elle luy apporta au mesme lieu où l'avoit laissé, lequell
ill print: et appres l'avoir remerecie luy donna assignation de se
trouver le lendemain avant jour au Sabath, avec promesse qu'il
l'enverroit querir: suivant laquelle promesse, estant la nuittée
ensuivant, la vielle _Collette du Mont_ venant la querir, lui bailla
de l'onguent noir qu'elle avoit eu du Diable; duquell (apprès s'estre
despouillée) s'oignit le dos, et le ventre, puis s'estant revestuë,
sortit l'huis de sa maison: lors fut à l'instant enlevée: et
transportée au travers hayes et buissons, pres la banque sur le bord
de la mer, aux environs du Chasteau de Rocquaine, lieu ordinaire où le
Diable gardoit son Sabath; là où ne fut sytost arivée, que le Diable
ne vint la trouver en forme de chien avec deux grandes cornes dressées
en hault: et de l'une de ses pattes (qui lui sembloyent comme mains),
la print par la main: et l'appellant par son nom, luy dist qu'estoit
la bien venuë: lors aussytost le Diable la fist mettre sur ses genoux:
luy se tenant debout sur ses pieds de derrière; luy ayant fait
detester l'Esternelle en ses mots: _Je renie Dieu le Pere, Dieu le
Fils et Dieu le St. Esprit_; se fist adorer et invocquer en ses
termes: _Nostre Grand Maistre aide nous!_ avec paction expresse
d'adherer à luy; que cela fait, ill ont copulation avec elle en la
susdite forme de chien, ung peu plus grand: puis elle et les aultres
danserent avec luy dos à dos: qu'apres avoir dansé, le Diable versoit
hors d'un pot du vin noir, qu'il leur presentoit dans une escuelle de
bois, duquell elle beut, toutesfois ne luy sembloit sy bon que le vin
quj se boit ordinairement: qu'il y avoit du pain--mais n'en mangea
point: confesse qu'elle se donna lors à luy pour ung mois: ainsy
retournerent du Sabath comme y estoyent allés.
Que seconde fois fut au Sabath, apres que la vielle _Collette_ l'eut
esté querir et qu'elle se fist oindre d'onguent cy dessus;--declare
qu'à l'entree du Sabath eut dereschef copulation avec le Diable, et
dansa avec luy; appres avoir dansé, à sa solicitation de prolonger le
temps, se donna à luy pour trois ans; qu'au Sabath le Diable faisoit
evocation des Sorciers et Sorcieres par ordre (se souvient tresbien y
avoir ouy le Diable appeller la vielle _Collette_, la premiere, en ces
termes: _Madame la Vielle Becquette_); puis la _Fallaise_; appres la
_Hardie_. Item, _Marie_, femme de _Massy_, fille de la dite
_Collette_. Dit appres eux, elle mesme estoit evosquée par le Diable,
en ses termes: _La Petite Becquette_; qu'elle y a ouy aussy evosquer
_Collas Becquet_, fils de la dit vielle (lequell la tenoit par la main
en dansant, et une que ne cognoist la tenoit par l'autre main): qu'il
y en avoit viron six autres que ne cognoissoit: que la dite vielle
estoit tousjours proche du Diable: que quelque fois tandis que les uns
dansoyent les autres avoyent copulation avec les Diables en forme de
chien: et estoyent au Sabath viron trois ou quatre heures, non plus.
Qu'estant au Sabath le Diable la mercha en haut de la cuisse: laquelle
merche ayant esté reuisitée par les sage femmes, ont raporté avoir mis
dedans une petite espingue bien avant, qu'elle n'a point senty, et
n'en est sorty aulcuns sang; ne scait par ou le Diable a merche les
autres: que les premiers venues au lieu du Sabath attendoyent les
autres; et apparoissoyent tous les Sorciers et Sorcieres en leur
propre formes: toutesfois noircis et defficgurés, et ne les pouvoit en
cognoistre.
Que le Diable apparoissoit quelque fois en forme de boucq au Sabath;
ne la veu en autres formes; qu'au departir, ill se faisoit baiser la
derriere, leur demandant quant reviendroyent: les exhortoit qu'eussent
à adherer tousiours a luy: et faire des maux, et pour cest effet leur
bailloit certaines pouldres noires envelopées dans ung drapeau, pour
en ietter sur ceux qu'ils vouloyent ensorcerer: qu'au departir du
Sabath le Diable s'en alloit d'un coste et eux de l'autre: appres les
avoir toutes prinses par la main: Qu'à l'instigation du Diable elle en
a jetté sur plusieurs personnes et bestes: notament sur _Jean Jehan_,
lors qu'il vint chez elle querir ung pourceau. Item, sur l'enfant
_James Gallienne_, et sur aultres: Item, sur les bestes de _Brouart_
et aultres.
Que c'estoit le Diable qui fut veu ches le susdit _Gallienne_, en
forme de rat et bellette, ycelle estant pour lors aux environs de la
maison du dit _Gallienne_, et s'estant venu rendre à elle en
resemblance d'homme, la frapa de plusieurs coups par le visage et
teste: dont estoit ainsy meurdie et deschirée lors que fut veüe le
lendemain par _Thomas Sohier_. Et croit que la cause de ce
maltraitement fut pour ce que ne voulut aller avec le Diable chez le
dit _Gallienne_.
Qu'elle n'alloit point au Sabath sinon lors que son mary estoit
demeuré la nuict en pescherie à la mer.
Que lors qu'elle vouloit ensorceler quelcun, sa poudre estant faillie,
le Diable s'aparoissoit à elle, luy disant qu'allast en querir en tell
endroit qu'il luy nommoit, ce qu'elle faisoit, et ne falloit d'y en
trouver.
CONFESSION OF ISABEL BECQUET.
_Isabel_, wife of _Jean le Moygne_, having been put to the question,
at once confessed that she was a Witch: and that upon her getting into
a quarrel with the woman _Girarde_, who was her sister-in-law: the
Devil, in the form of a hare, took occasion to tempt her: appearing to
her in broad daylight in a road near her house: and persuading and
inciting her to give herself to him: and that he would help her to
avenge herself on the said _Girarde_, and everybody else: to which
persuasion she would not at the moment condescend to yield: so he at
once disappeared: but very soon he came again to her in the same road,
and pursuing his previous argument: exhorted her in the same terms as
above: that done, he left her and went away, after having previously
put her a sackful of parsnips; she then took a certain black powder
wrapped in a cloth which he placed; which powder she kept by her. He
appeared to her another time under the same form in the town district,
inciting her anew to give herself to him, but she not wishing to
comply, he next made a request to her to give him some living animal:
whereupon she returned to her dwelling and fetched a chicken, which
she carried to him to the same place where she had left him, and he
took it: and after having thanked her he made an appointment for her
to be present the next morning before daylight at the Sabbath,
promising that he would send for her: according to which promise,
during the ensuing night, the old woman _Collette du Mont_, came to
fetch her, and gave her some black ointment, which she had had from
the Devil; with this (after having stripped herself) she anointed her
back and belly, then having dressed herself again she went out of her
house door: when she was instantly caught up: and carried across
hedges and bushes to the bank on the sea shore, in the neighbourhood
of Rocquaine Castle, the usual place where the Devil kept his Sabbath;
no sooner had she arrived there than the Devil came to her in the
form of a dog, with two great horns sticking up: and with one of his
paws (which seemed to her like hands) took her by the hand: and
calling her by her name told her that she was welcome: then
immediately the Devil made her kneel down: while he himself stood up
on his hind legs; he then made her express detestation of the Eternal
in these words: _I renounce God the Father, God the Son, and God the
Holy Ghost_; and then caused her to worship and invoke himself in
these terms: _Our Great Master, help us!_ with a special compact to be
faithful to him; and when this was done he had connection with her in
the aforesaid form of a dog, but a little larger: then she and the
others danced with him back to back: after having danced, the Devil
poured out of a jug some black wine, which he presented to them in a
wooden bowl, from which she drank, but it did not seem to her so good
as the wine which is usually drunk: there was also bread--but she did
not eat any: confessed that she gave herself to him for a month: they
returned from the Sabbath in the same manner that they went there.
The second time she was at the Sabbath was after the old woman
_Collette_ had been to fetch her, and she anointed herself with the
ointment as above stated;--declared, that on entering the Sabbath, she
again had connection with the Devil and danced with him; after having
danced, and upon his solicitation to prolong the time, she gave
herself to him for three years; at the Sabbath the Devil used to
summon the Wizards and Witches in regular order (she remembered very
well having heard him call the old woman _Collette_ the first, in
these terms: _Madame the Old Woman Becquette_): then the woman
_Fallaise_; and afterwards the woman _Hardie_. Item, he also called
_Marie_, wife of _Massy_, and daughter of the said _Collette_. Said
that after them, she herself was called by the Devil: in these terms:
_The Little Becquette_: she also heard him call there _Collas
Becquet_, son of the said old woman (who [_Collas_] held her by the
hand in dancing, and someone [a woman] whom she did not know, held her
by the other hand): there were about six others there she did not
know: the said old woman was always the nearest to the Devil:
occasionally while some were dancing, others were having connection
with the Devils in the form of dogs; they remained at the Sabbath
about three or four hours, not more.
While at the Sabbath the Devil marked her at the upper part of the
thigh: which mark having been examined by the midwives, they reported
that they had stuck a small pin deeply into it, and that she had not
felt it, and that no blood had issued: she did not know in what part
the Devil had marked the others: those who came first to the place of
the Sabbath, waited for the others; and all the Wizards and Witches
appeared in their proper forms: but blackened and disfigured so that
they could not be recognised.
The Devil appeared sometimes in the form of a goat at the Sabbath;
never saw him in other forms: on their departure he made them kiss him
behind, and asked them when they would come again: he exhorted them
always to be true to him: and to do evil deeds, and to this end he
gave them certain black powders, wrapped in a cloth, for them to throw
upon those whom they wished to bewitch: on leaving the Sabbath, the
Devil went away in one direction and they in the other: after he had
taken them all by the hand: At the instigation of the Devil she threw
some of the powder over several persons and cattle: notably over
_Jean Jehan_, when he came to her house to look for a pig. Item, over
the child of _James Gallienne_, and over others. Item, over the cattle
of _Brouart_, and of others.
It was the Devil that was seen at the said _Gallienne's_ house in the
form of a rat and a weazle, she herself being then in the
neighbourhood of _Gallienne's_ house, and he [the Devil] came to her
in the form of a man, and struck her several blows on the face and
head: by which she was bruised and torn in the way that she was seen
the next day by _Thomas Sohier_. And she believed that the cause of
this maltreatment was because she would not go with the Devil to the
house of the said _Gallienne_.
She never went to the Sabbath except when her husband remained all
night fishing at sea.
Whenever she wanted to bewitch anyone and her powder happened to have
been all used up, the Devil appeared to her and told her to go to such
a place, which he named, for some more, and when she did so, she never
failed to find it there.
DEPOSITIONS CONTRE COLLAS BECQUET.
_Le xvij Mai 1617._
_Susanne Le Tellier_, veufve de _Pierre Rougier_, depose que son mary
estant decedé, trouva des sorcerots en son lict; et qu'en son djt lict
mortuaire, il se plaignoit esté ensorcelé par _Collas Becquet_, avec
lequel avoit eu dispute, sur laquelle dispute luy dyt que s'en
repentiroit; et la dessus fut prins de m...[A] duquel fut douze jours
malade; qu'ils trouverent quarante-quatre sorcerots en l'oreiller de
son enfant, que les uns estoyent fait comme herissons, les autres
comme pommes, et les autres plats comme la rouelle de la main; et du
fill de chanvre entortillé avec de plumes.
[Footnote A: Illegible in the record.]
_Susanne_, femme de _Jean Le Messurier_, depose que son mary et
_Collas Becquet_ plaiderent à jour passé ensemble; qu'allors ils
avoyent ung enfant ayant de viron six semaines, et comme elle le
despouilloit au soir, pour le coucher, il tomba sur l'estomac du djt
enfant une beste noire laquelle fondit si tost que fut tombée,
d'aultant qu'elle fist debvoir de la rechercher et ne peut jamais
apercevoir qu'elle devint; incontinent l'enfant fut prins de mal et ne
voulu teter, mais fut fort tormenté; que s'estant avisée de regarder
dans l'oreiller du djt enfant y trouverent des sorcerots cousus de
fil, et les ayant tirés et bien espluché la plume de l'oreiller, y
regarda sept jours appres et y entrouva derechef avec une febve noire
percée; dequoy, ayant le djt _Becquet_ ouy qu'il en estoit suspecté,
sa femme vint ches la deposante comme le djt _Becquet_ estoit à la
mer, et luy djt qu'à raison du bruit que la deposante avoit sucité sur
son mary, iceluy _Becquet_ fuetteroit le djt _Mesurier_, son mary, et
elle, et les tueroit; qu'apres cela la deposante fut ches eux leur
dire que ne les craignoit, ny luy ny elle, de ce qu'ils la menacoyent
de tuer son mary et elle; qu'ayant la deposante un jour six grands
poulets qui couroyent appres leur mere, ils sortirent de leur maison
et revinent au soir; et un à un se mirent a saulter en hault contre la
cheminée et manget la scie, qu'ils moururent tous un à un, à voy
...[B] comme ils sautoyent, jusques au dernier qui dura en vie jusqu'à
une heure devant le jour qu'il mourut; que depuis que l'eurent declare
à _Mr Deljsle_ et les eut menacés, il a amendé à son enfant et se
porte bien.
[Footnote B: Illegible in the record.]
_Collas Rougier_ depose que son frere _Piere Rougier_ en mourant
chargeoit _Collas Becquet_ de sa mort.
_Collas Hugues_ raport qu'estant en une nopsce y survint _Collas
Becquet_ jouet avec sa belle-fille, laquelle le rebouta; et des le
mesme soir elle fut frapée de telle facon qu'on pensoit qu'elle
mourust à chacune heure; qu'elle est demeurée mechaignée de coste, et
trouva un des sorcerots en son lict, qui pour lors furent monstrés à
Messrs de Justice qui estoyent à tenir des veues à St. Pierre; que
la djte fille tomboit quelque fois y terre toute aveuglée.
La femme du djt _Hugues_ depose tout de mesme que son mary.
_Jean De Garis_, fils _Guillaume_, depose qu'il y a viron deux ou
trois ans qu'ayant presté quelque argent sur un gage à _Collas
Becquet_, luy demandant son argent, ou qu'il feroit ventiller son
gage; luy repartit le djt _Becquet_ à feray donc ventiller autre
chose; qu'estant le djt _de Garis_ arivé en sa maison, trouva la fille
malade et affligée; qu'ils trouverent des sorcerots et aultres
brouilleries par plusieurs fois à l'oreiller de leur enfant; mais que
la mere du djt _Becquet_ estant venue en la maison du djt _de Garis_,
luy donna à boire de l'eau et la moitié d'un pain comme avoit esté
conseillé de faire; depuis ne trouverent plus rien à l'oreiller du djt
enfant; toutesfois pour eviter les djts sorcerots, ont toujours depuis
couché leur enfant sur la paille; croit que ce mal leur ariva par leur
moyen.
_Mr Thomas de Ljsle_ depose que _Thomas Brouart_, qui demeure en sa
maison, ayant appellé le fils de _Collas Becquet_, sorcier, il arriva
qu'il fut un jour trouvé au lict du djt _Thomas_ grand nombre de vers,
et les ayant le djt _Sieur de Ljsle_ veus, les jugea comme une
formioniere, tant estoyent mouvans et espais, et à peine en peuvent
vuider le dit enfant, l'ayant mis en plusieurs endroits; qu'appres fut
le djt enfant accueillis de poulx de telle maniere que quoyque luy
changeassent des chemises et habits tous les jours ne l'en pouvoyent
franchir; et qu'ayant le djt _Thomas Brouart_ un corset tout neuf, fut
tellement couvert de poulx qu'on n'auroit peu cognoistre le drap, et
fut contraint le faire jetter parmy les choux; surquoy fait menacer
aultre _Massi_ de la batre si elle ne s'abstenoit d'ainsy traiter son
enfant; qu'estant revenu trouva le djt corset parmis les choux denue
de poulx, lesquels du depuis ont quitté le djt _Brouart_.
_Jacques le Mesurier_ depose qu'il y a viron deux ou trois ans qu'il
rencontra _Collas Becquet_ et _Perot Massi_, quj avoyent du poisson,
et d'aultant qu'ils lui debvoyent de l'argent, il voulut prendre de
leur poisson à rabatre, mais ne luy en voulant bailler, eurent quelque
dispute; sur quoy l'un des djts _Becquet_ ou _Massi_ le menacerent
qu'il s'en repentiroit; qu'au bout de deux ou trois jours il fut saisi
d'un mal que le brusloit, et quelques fois devenoit tout morfondu,
sans qu'on le peust eschauffer, et sans aulcune relache; qu'il fut en
ces tourments pres d'un mois. _Collas Becquet_ entendit que le
deposant le chargeoit d'estre causte de son mal, et menacoit qu'il
tueroit le djt deposant; mais bientost appres fut le djt deposant
guery; dit de cuider et de croire les djts _Becquet_ et _Massy_, ou un
d'iceux, fut cause de son mal.
DEPOSITIONS AGAINST COLLAS BECQUET.
_MAY 17, 1617._
_Susanne Le Tellier_, widow of _Pierre Rougier_, deposed that after
her husband was dead she found witches' spells in his bed; and that
while he was upon his said deathbed he complained of being bewitched
by _Collas Becquet_, with whom he had had a quarrel, and who during
the quarrel told him he would repent of it; whereupon he was taken
with ...[A], whereof he was ill for twelve days; they also found
forty-four witches' spells in her child's pillow, some of which were
made like hedgehogs, others round like apples, and others again flat
like the palm of the hand; and they were of hempen thread twisted with
feathers.
[Footnote A: Illegible in the record.]
_Susanne_, wife of _Jean Le Messurier_, deposed that her husband and
_Collas Becquet_ had angry words together one day; they had an infant
about six weeks old, and as she was undressing it in the evening to
put it to bed, there fell upon the stomach of the said infant, a
black beast which melted away as soon as it fell, so that although she
carefully sought for it, she could never discover what had become of
it; immediately afterwards the infant was taken ill and would not
suck, but was much tormented; being advised to look into the said
infant's pillow, she found there several witches' spells sewn with
thread; these she took out and carefully dressed all the feathers in
the pillow; yet when she examined it again a week afterwards, she
found there a black bean with a hole in it; of which, the said
_Becquet_ hearing that he was suspected, his wife came to witness's
house while the said _Becquet_ was at sea, and told her that on
account of the rumour which witness had raised about her husband, he
the said _Becquet_ would thrash the said _Messurier_, her husband, and
herself, and would kill them; after that, witness went to their house
to say they were not afraid either of him or her, or of their threats
to kill her husband and her; witness had six big chickens which ran
after their mother, going out of the house in the morning and
returning at night; and one by one they began to jump up against the
chimney and eat the soot, so that they all died one after the other,
...[B] as they jumped, until the last one which remained alive up to
one hour of daybreak, when it died; after they had told this to _Mr.
de Lisle_, and he had threatened the people, her infant recovered and
remained well.
[Footnote B: Illegible in the record.]
_Collas Rougier_ deposed that his brother _Pierre Rougier_ when dying
charged _Collas Becquet_ with causing his death.
_Collas Hugues_ reported that being at a wedding, _Collas Becquet_
arrived there, and began to toy with his daughter-in-law, who repelled
his advances; the very same evening she was taken ill in such a manner
that they thought she would have died from one hour to another;
besides which she remained under the charm, and they found one of the
witches' spells in her bed, which was shown to the Members of the
Court, who were making an inspection at St. Peter's; the said girl
sometimes fell to the ground quite blinded.
The wife of the said _Hugues_ deposed to exactly the same as her
husband.
_Jean de Garis_, son of _William_, deposed that about two or three
years ago, having lent some money on pledge to _Collas Becquet_, he
asked him for the money, or else for a verification of his security;
when the said _Becquet_ replied that he would let him know what his
security was; the said _de Garis_ having then returned home, found his
daughter sick and afflicted; they found witches' spells and other
conjurations several times in their child's pillow; but the mother of
the said _Becquet_ having come to the said _de Garis's_ house, he gave
her a drink of water and half-a-loaf of bread, as he had been advised
to do; since which time they had found nothing more in the child's
pillow; however to avoid all risk of the said witches' spells they had
always since then let their child sleep upon straw; he fully believed
that this evil had come upon them by their means.