The last two exorcisms had been so much talked about in the town, that
Grandier, although he had not been present, knew everything that had
happened, down to the smallest detail, so he once more laid a complaint
before the bailiff, in which he represented that the nuns maliciously
continued to name him during the exorcisms as the author of their
pretended possession, being evidently influenced thereto by his enemies,
whereas in fact not only had he had no communication with them, but had
never set eyes on them; that in order to prove that they acted under
influence it was absolutely necessary that they should be sequestered,
it being most unjust that Mignon and Barre, his mortal enemies, should
have constant access to them and be able to stay with them night and
day, their doing so making the collusion evident and undeniable; that
the honour of God was involved, and also that of the petitioner, who had
some right to be respected, seeing that he was first in rank among the
ecclesiastics of the town.
Taking all this into consideration, he consequently prayed the bailiff
to be pleased to order that the nuns buffering from the so-called
possession should at once be separated from each other and from their
present associates, and placed under the control of clerics assisted by
physicians in whose impartiality the petitioner could have confidence;
and he further prayed that all this should be performed in spite of any
opposition or appeal whatsoever (but without prejudice to the right of
appeal), because of the importance of the matter. And in case the
bailiff were not pleased to order the sequestration, the petitioner
would enter a protest and complaint against his refusal as a withholding
of justice.
The bailiff wrote at the bottom of the petition that it would be at once
complied with.
After Urbain Grandier had departed, the physicians who had been present
at the exorcisms presented themselves before the bailiff, bringing their
report with them. In this report they said that they had recognised
convulsive movements of the mother superior's body, but that one visit
was not sufficient to enable them to make a thorough diagnosis, as the
movements above mentioned might arise as well from a natural as from
supernatural causes; they therefore desired to be afforded opportunity
for a thorough examination before being called on to pronounce an
opinion. To this end they required permission to spend several days and
nights uninterruptedly in the same room with the patients, and to treat
them in the presence of other nuns and some of the magistrates. Further,
they required that all the food and medicine should pass through the
doctors' hands, and that no one, should touch the patients except quite
openly, or speak to them except in an audible voice. Under these
conditions they would undertake to find out the true cause of the
convulsions and to make a report of the same.
It being now nine o'clock in the morning, the hour when the exorcisms
began, the bailiff went over at once to the convent, and found Barre
half way through the mass, and the superior in convulsions. The
magistrate entered the church at the moment of the elevation of the
Host, and noticed among the kneeling Catholics a young man called
Dessentier standing up with his hat on. He ordered him either to uncover
or to go away. At this the convulsive movements of the superior became
more violent, and she cried out that there were Huguenots in the church,
which gave the demon great power over her. Barre asked her how many
there were present, and she replied, "Two," thus proving that the devil
was no stronger in arithmetic than in Latin; for besides Dessentier,
Councillor Abraham Gauthier, one of his brothers, four of his sisters,
Rene Fourneau, a deputy, and an attorney called Angevin, all of the
Reformed faith, were present.
As Barre saw that those present were greatly struck, by this numerical
inaccuracy, he tried to turn their thoughts in another direction by
asking the superior if it were true that she knew no Latin. On her
replying that she did not know a single word, he held the pyx before her
and ordered her to swear by the holy sacrament. She resisted at first,
saying loud enough for those around her to hear--
"My father, you make me take such solemn oaths that I fear God will
punish me."
To this Barre replied--
"My daughter, you must swear for the glory of God."
And she took the oath.
Just then one of the bystanders remarked that the mother superior was in
the habit of interpreting the Catechism to her scholars. This she
denied, but acknowledged that she used to translate the Paternoster and
the Creed for them. As the superior felt herself becoming somewhat
confused at this long series of embarrassing questions, she decided on
going into convulsions again, but with only moderate success, for the
bailiff insisted that the exorcists should ask her where Grandier was at
that very moment. Now, as the ritual teaches that one of the proofs of
possession is the faculty of telling, when asked, where people are,
without seeing them, and as the question was propounded in the
prescribed terms, she was bound to answer, so she said that Grandier was
in the great hall of the castle.
"That is not correct," said the bailiff, "for before coming here I
pointed out a house to Grandier and asked him to stay in it till I came
back. If anybody will go there, they will be sure to find him, for he
wished to help me to discover the truth without my being obliged to
resort to sequestration, which is a difficult measure to take with
regard to nuns."
Barre was now ordered to send some of the monks present to the castle,
accompanied by a magistrate and a clerk. Barre chose the Carmelite
prior, and the bailiff Charles Chauvet, assessor of the bailiwick,
Ismael Boulieau a priest, and Pierre Thibaut, an articled clerk, who all
set out at once to execute their commission, while the rest of those
present were to await their return.
Meanwhile the superior, who had not spoken a word since the bailiff's
declaration, remained, in spite of repeated exorcisms, dumb, so Barre
sent for Sister Claire, saying that one devil would encourage the other.
The bailiff entered a formal protest against this step, insisting that
the only result of a double exorcism would be to cause confusion, during
which suggestions might be conveyed to the superior, and that the proper
thing to do was, before beginning new conjurations, to await the return
of the messengers. Although the bailiff's suggestion was most
reasonable, Barre knew better than to adopt it, for he felt that no
matter what it cost he must either get rid of the bailiff and all the
other officials who shared his doubts, or find means with the help of
Sister Claire to delude them into belief. The lay sister was therefore
brought in, in spite of the opposition of the bailiff and the other
magistrates, and as they did not wish to seem to countenance a fraud,
they all withdrew, declaring that they could no longer look on at such a
disgusting comedy. In the courtyard they met their messengers returning,
who told them they had gone first to the castle and had searched the
great hall and all the other rooms without seeing anything of Grandier;
they had then gone to the house mentioned by the bailiff, where they
found him for whom they were looking, in the company of Pere Veret, the
confessor of the nuns, Mathurin Rousseau, and Nicolas Benoit, canons,
and Conte, a doctor, from whom they learned that Grandier had not been
an instant out of their sight for the last two hours. This being all the
magistrates wanted to know, they went home, while their envoys went
upstairs and told their story, which produced the effect which might be
expected. Thereupon a Carmelite brother wishing to weaken the
impression, and thinking that the devil might be more lucky in his,
second guess than the first, asked the superior where Grandier was just
then. She answered without the slightest hesitation that he was walking
with the bailiff in the church of Sainte-Croix. A new deputation was at
once sent off, which finding the church empty, went on to the palace,
and saw the bailiff presiding at a court. He had gone direct from the
convent to the palace, and had not yet seen Grandier. The same day the
nuns sent word that they would not consent to any more exorcisms being
performed in the presence of the bailiff and the officials who usually
accompanied him, and that for the future they were determined to answer
no questions before such witnesses.
Grandier learning of this piece of insolence, which prevented the only
man on whose impartiality he could reckon from being henceforward
present at the exorcisms, once more handed in a petition to the bailiff,
begging for the sequestration of the two nuns, no matter at what risk.
The bailiff, however, in the interests of the petitioner himself, did
not dare to grant this request, for he was afraid that the
ecclesiastical authorities would nullify his procedure, on the ground
that the convent was not under his jurisdiction.
He, however, summoned a meeting of the principal inhabitants of the
town, in order to consult with them as to the best course to take for
the public good. The conclusion they arrived at was to write to the
attorney-general and to the Bishop of Poitiers, enclosing copies of the
reports which had been drawn up, and imploring them to use their
authority to put an end to these pernicious intrigues. This was done,
but the attorney-general replied that the matter being entirely
ecclesiastical the Parliament was not competent to take cognisance of
it. As for the bishop, he sent no answer at all.
He was not, however, so silent towards Grandier's enemies; for the
ill-success of the exorcisms of November 26th having made increased
precautions necessary, they considered it would be well to apply to the
bishop for a new commission, wherein he should appoint certain
ecclesiastics to represent him during the exorcisms to come. Barre
himself went to Poitiers to make this request. It was immediately
granted, and the bishop appointed Bazile, senior-canon of Champigny, and
Demorans, senior canon of Thouars, both of whom were related to some of
Grandier's adversaries. The following is a copy of the new commission:
"Henri-Louis le Chataignier de la Rochepezai, by the divine will Bishop
of Poitiers, to the senior canons of the Chatelet de Saint-Pierre de
Thouars et de Champigny-sur-Vese, greeting:
"We by these presents command you to repair to the town of Loudun, to
the convent of the nuns of Sainte-Ursule, to be present at the exorcisms
which will be undertaken by Sieur Barre upon some nuns of the said
convent who are tormented by evil spirits, we having thereto authorised
the said Barre. You are also to draw up a report of all that takes
place, and for this purpose are to take any clerk you may choose with
you.
"Given and done at Poitiers, November 28th, 1632.
"(Signed) HENRI LOUIS, Bishop of Poitiers. "(Countersigned) By order of
the said Lord Bishop, "MICHELET"
These two commissioners having been notified beforehand, went to Loudun,
where Marescot, one of the queen's chaplains, arrived at the same time;
for the pious queen, Anne of Austria, had heard so many conflicting
accounts of the possession of the Ursuline nuns, that she desired, for
her own edification, to get to the bottom of the affair. We can judge
what importance the case was beginning to assume by its being already
discussed at court.
In spite of the notice which had been sent them that the nuns would not
receive them, the bailiff and the civil lieutenant fearing that the
royal envoy would allow himself to be imposed on, and would draw up an
account which would cast doubt on the facts contained in their reports,
betook themselves to the convent on December 1st, the day on which the
exorcisms were to recommence, in the presence of the new commissioners.
They were accompanied by their assessor, by the provost's lieutenant,
and a clerk. They had to knock repeatedly before anyone seemed to hear
them, but at length a nun opened the door and told them they could not
enter, being suspected of bad faith, as they had publicly declared that
the possession was a fraud and an imposture. The bailiff, without
wasting his time arguing with the sister, asked to see Barre, who soon
appeared arrayed in his priestly vestments, and surrounded by several
persons, among whom was the queen's chaplain. The bailiff complained
that admittance had been refused to him and those with him, although he
had been authorised to visit the convent by the Bishop of Poitiers.
Barre' replied that he would not hinder their coming in, as far as it
concerned him.
"We are here with the intention of entering," said the bailiff, "and
also for the purpose of requesting you to put one or two questions to
the demon which we have drawn up in terms which are in accordance with
what is prescribed in the ritual. I am sure you will not refuse," he
added, turning with a bow to Marescot, "to make this experiment in the
presence of the queen's chaplain, since by that means all those
suspicions of imposture can be removed which are unfortunately so rife
concerning this business."
"In that respect I shall do as I please, and not as you order me," was
the insolent reply of the exorcist.
"It is, however, your duty to follow legal methods in your procedure,"
returned the bailiff, "if you sincerely desire the truth; for it would
be an affront to God to perform a spurious miracle in His honour, and a
wrong to the Catholic faith, whose power is in its truth, to attempt to
give adventitious lustre to its doctrines by the aid of fraud and
deception."
"Sir," said Barre, "I am a man of honour, I know my duty and I shall
discharge it; but as to yourself, I must recall to your recollection
that the last time you were here you left the chapel in anger and
excitement, which is an attitude of mind most unbecoming in one whose
duty it is to administer justice."
Seeing that these recriminations would have no practical result, the
magistrates cut them short by reiterating their demand for admittance;
and on this being refused, they reminded the exorcists that they were
expressly prohibited from asking any questions tending to cast a slur on
the character of any person or persons whatever, under pain of being
treated as disturbers of the public peace. At this warning Barre, saying
that he did not acknowledge the bailiff's jurisdiction, shut the door in
the faces of the two magistrates.
As there was no time to lose if the machinations of his enemies were to
be brought to nought, the bailiff and the civil lieutenant advised
Grandier to write to the Archbishop of Bordeaux, who had once already
extricated him from imminent danger, setting forth at length his present
predicament; this letter; accompanied by the reports drawn up by the
bailiff and the civil lieutenant, were sent off at once by a trusty
messenger to His Grace of Escoubleau de Sourdis. As soon as he received
the despatches, the worthy prelate seeing how grave was the crisis, and
that the slightest delay might be fatal to Grandier, set out at once for
his abbey of Saint-Jouinles-Marmes, the place in which he had already
vindicated in so striking a manner the upright character of the poor
persecuted priest by a fearless act of justice.
It is not difficult to realise what a blow his arrival was to those who
held a brief for the evil spirits in possession; hardly had he reached
Saint-Jouin than he sent his own physician to the convent with orders to
see the afflicted nuns and to test their condition, in order to judge if
the convulsions were real or simulated. The physician arrived, armed
with a letter from the archbishop, ordering Mignon to permit the bearer
to make a thorough examination into the position of affairs. Mignon
received the physician with all the respect due to him who sent him, but
expressed great regret that he had not come a little sooner, as, thanks
to his (Mignon's) exertions and those of Barre, the devils had been
exorcised the preceding day. He nevertheless introduced the archbishop's
envoy to the presence of the superior and Sister Claire, whose demeanour
was as calm as if they had never been disturbed by any agitating'
experiences. Mignon's statement being thus confirmed, the doctor
returned to Saint-Jouin, the only thing to which he could bear testimony
being the tranquillity which reigned at the moment in the convent.
The imposture being now laid so completely bare, the archbishop was
convinced that the infamous persecutions to which it had led would cease
at once and for ever; but Grandier, better acquainted with the character
of his adversaries, arrived on the 27th of December at the abbey and
laid a petition at the archbishop's feet. In this document he set forth
that his enemies having formerly brought false and slanderous
accusations, against him of which, through the justice of the
archbishop, he had been able to clear himself, had employed themselves
during the last three months in inventing and publishing as a fact that
the petitioner had sent evil spirits into the bodies of nuns in the
Ursuline convent of Loudun, although he had never spoken to any of the
sisterhood there; that the guardianship of the sisters who, it was
alleged, were possessed, and the task of exorcism, had been entrusted to
Jean Mignon and Pierre Barre, who had in the most unmistakable manner
shown themselves to be the mortal enemies of the petitioner; that in the
reports drawn up by the said Jean Mignon and Pierre Barre, which
differed so widely from those made by the bailiff and the civil
lieutenant, it was boastfully alleged that three or four times devils
had been driven out, but that they had succeeded in returning and taking
possession of their victims again and again, in virtue of successive
pacts entered into between the prince of darkness and the petitioner;
that the aim of these reports and allegations was to destroy the
reputation of the petitioner and excite public opinion against him; that
although the demons had been put to flight by the arrival of His Grace,
yet it was too probable that as soon as he was gone they would return to
the charge; that if, such being the case, the powerful support of the
archbishop were not available, the innocence of the petitioner, no
matter how strongly established, would by the cunning tactics of his
inveterate foes be obscured and denied: he, the petitioner, therefore
prayed that, should the foregoing reasons prove on examination to be
cogent, the archbishop would be pleased to prohibit Barre, Mignon, and
their partisans, whether among the secular or the regular clergy, from
taking part in any future exorcisms, should such be necessary, or in the
control of any persons alleged to be possessed; furthermore, petitioner
prayed that His Grace would be pleased to appoint as a precautionary
measure such other clerics and lay persons as seemed to him suitable, to
superintend the administration of food and medicine and the rite of
exorcism to those alleged to be possessed, and that all the treatment
should be carried out in the presence of magistrates.
The archbishop accepted the petition, and wrote below it:
"The present petition having been seen by us and the opinion of our
attorney having been taken in the matter, we have sent the petitioner in
advance of our said attorney back to Poitiers, that justice may be done
him, and in the meantime we have appointed Sieur Barre, Pere l'Escaye, a
Jesuit residing in Poitiers, Pere Gaut of the Oratory, residing at
Tours, to conduct the exorcisms, should such be necessary, and have
given them an order to this effect.
"It is forbidden to all others to meddle with the said exorcisms, on
pain of being punished according to law."
It will be seen from the above that His Grace the Archbishop of
Bordeaux, in his enlightened and generous exercise of justice, had
foreseen and provided for every possible contingency; so that as soon as
his orders were made known to the exorcists the possession ceased at
once and completely, and was no longer even talked of. Barre withdrew to
Chinon, the senior canons rejoined their chapters, and the nuns, happily
rescued for the time, resumed their life of retirement and tranquillity.
The archbishop nevertheless urged on Grandier the prudence of effecting
an exchange of benefices, but he replied that he would not at that
moment change his simple living of Loudun for a bishopric.