12 The letters of remission which were granted to St. Aignan
on this occasion will be found in the Appendix to the First
Day (B). It will be noted that Margaret in her story gives
various particulars which St. Aignan did not fail to conceal
in view of obtaining his pardon.--L.
To this end he went in disguise to Paris with his wife. She, finding
that he used to shut himself up for a great while in a room with Gallery
without acquainting her with the reason thereof, spied upon him one
morning, and perceived Gallery showing him five wooden images, three of
which had their hands hanging down, whilst two had them lifted up.(13)
“We must make waxen images like these,” said Gallery, speaking to the
Proctor. “Such as have their arms hanging down will be for those whom
we shall cause to die, and the others with their arms raised will be for
the persons from whom you would fain have love and favour.”
“This one,” said the Proctor, “shall be for the King by whom I would
fain be loved, and this one for Monseigneur Brinon, Chancellor of
Alençon.” (14)
13 This refers to the superstitious practice called
_envoûtement_, which, according to M. Léon de Laborde, was
well known in France in 1316, and subsisted until the
sixteenth century. In 1330 the famous Robert d’Artois, upon
retiring to Brabant, occupied himself with pricking waxen
images which represented King Philip VI., his brother-in-
law, and the Queen, his sister. (_Mémoires de l’Académie des
Inscriptions_, vol. xv. p. 426.) During the League the
enemies of Henri III. and the King of Navarre revived this
practice.--(L.) It would appear also from a document in the
Harley MSS. (18,452, Bib. N’at., Paris) that Cosmo Ruggieri,
the Florentine astrologer, Catherine de’ Medici’s
confidential adviser, was accused in 1574 of having made a
wax figure in view of casting a spell upon Charles IX.--M.
14 John Brinon, Councillor of the King, President of the
Parliament of Rouen, Chancellor of Alençon and Berry, Lord
of Villaines (near Dreux), Remy, and Athueuil (near
Montfort-l’Amaury), belonged to an old family of judicial
functionaries. He was highly esteemed by Margaret, several
of whose letters are addressed to him, and he was present at
the signing of her marriage contract with Henry II. of
Navarre (Génin’s _Lettres de Marguerite_, p. 444). He
married Pernelle Perdrier, who brought him the lordship of
Médan, near Poissy, and other important fiefs, which after
his death she presented to the King. His praises were sung
by Le Chandelier, the poet; and M. Floquet, in his History
of the Parliament of Normandy, states that Brinon rendered
most important services to France as a negotiator in Italy
in 1521, and in England in 1524. The _Journal d’un Bourgeois
de Paris_ mentions that he died in Paris in 1528, aged
forty-four, and was buried in the Church of St. Severin.--L.
According to La Croix du Maine’s _Bibliothèque Françoise_,
Brinon was the author of a poem entitled _Les Amours de
Sydire_.--B. J.
“The images,” said Gallery, “must be set under the altar, to hear mass,
with words that I will presently tell you to say.”
Then, speaking of those images that had their arms lowered, the Proctor
said that one should be for Master Gilles du Mesnil, father of the dead
man, for he knew that as long as the father lived he would not cease to
pursue him. Moreover, one of the women with their hands hanging down was
to be for the Duchess of Alençon, sister to the King; for she bore
so much love to her old servant, Du Mesnil, and had in so many other
matters become acquainted with the Proctor’s wickedness, that except she
died he could not live. The second woman that had her arms hanging down
was his own wife, who was the cause of all his misfortune, and who he
felt sure would never amend her evil life.
When his wife, who could see everything through the keyhole, heard him
placing her among the dead, she resolved to send him among them first.
On pretence of going to borrow some money, she went to an uncle she had,
named Neaufle, who was Master of Requests to the Duke of Alençon, and
informed him of what she had seen and heard. Neaufle, like the old and
worthy servant that he was, went forthwith to the Chancellor of Alençon
and told him the whole story.
As the Duke and Duchess of Alençon were not at Court that day, the
Chancellor related this strange business to the Regent,(15) mother of
the King and the Duchess, and she sent in all haste for the Provost of
Paris,(16) who made such speed that he at once seized the Proctor
and his sorcerer, Gallery. Without constraint or torture they freely
confessed their guilt, and their case was made out and laid before the
King.