A few years previously to the catastrophe of Dr. Lamb, there occurred
a scene in France which it is eminently to the purpose of this work
to record. Urbain Grandier, a canon of the church, and a popular
preacher of the town of Loudun in the district of Poitiers, was in
the year 1634 brought to trial upon the accusation of magic. The first
cause of his being thus called in question was the envy of his rival
preachers, whose fame was eclipsed by his superior talents. The second
cause was a libel falsely imputed to him upon cardinal Richelieu,
who with all his eminent qualities had the infirmity of being
inexorable upon the question of any personal attack that was made
upon him. Grandier, beside his eloquence, was distinguished for his
courage and resolution, for the gracefulness of his figure, and the
extraordinary attention he paid to the neatness of his dress and the
decoration of his person, which last circumstance brought upon him
the imputation of being too much devoted to the service of the fair.
About this time certain nuns of the convent of Ursulines at Loudun
were attacked with a disease which manifested itself by very
extraordinary symptoms, suggesting to many the idea that they were
possessed with devils. A rumour was immediately spread that Grandier,
urged by some offence he had conceived against these nuns, was the
author, by the skill he had in the arts of sorcery, of these
possessions. It unfortunately happened, that the same capuchin friar
who assured cardinal Richelieu that Grandier was the writer of the
libel against him, also communicated to him the story of the possessed
nuns, and the suspicion which had fallen on the priest on their
account. The cardinal seized with avidity on this occasion of private
vengeance, wrote to a counsellor of state at Loudun, one of his
creatures, to cause a strict investigation to be made into the charge,
and in such terms as plainly implied that what he aimed at was the
destruction of Grandier.
The trial took place in the month of August 1634; and, according to
the authorised copy of the trial, Grandier was convicted upon the
evidence of Astaroth, a devil of the order of Seraphims, and chief
of the possessing devils, of Easas, of Celsus, of Acaos, of Cedon,
of Asmodeus of the order of thrones, of Alex, of Zabulon, of
Naphthalim, of Cham, of Uriel, and of Achas of the order of
principalities, and sentenced to be burned alive. In other words,
he was convicted upon the evidence of twelve nuns, who, being asked
who they were, gave in these names, and professed to be devils, that,
compelled by the order of the court, delivered a constrained
testimony. The sentence was accordingly executed, and Grandier met
his fate with heroic constancy. At his death an enormous drone fly
was seen buzzing about his head; and a monk, who was present at the
execution, attested that, whereas the devils are accustomed to present
themselves in the article of death to tempt men to deny God their
Saviour, this was Beelzebub, which in Hebrew signifies the God of
flies, come to carry away to hell the soul of the victim. [222]