[_Further proceedings were carried on against this person, but suspended
by his death._]
* * * * *
In the town of Besahi, on the twentysecond day of February, one thousand
seven hundred and eightyfour, before me, Estevan Castanir, Presbyter and
Curate of the Parochial Church of St Vicente, and me, Lorenzo Terrader,
Presbyter and Canon of the Collegial Church of Besahi, Notary, sworn to
preserve secrecy and perform faithfully our duties, appeared, according
to summons, and made oath to declare the truth, and preserve secrecy,
Juan Ricart, porter royal, a native of the above town, of age, as he
stated, thirtyfive years or thereabout.
Questioned, if he knew the cause of his being summoned to appear.
Answered, that he could conjecture nothing.
Questioned, if he knew that any person had said aught which was, or
appeared to be contrary to our Holy Catholic Faith and Evangelical
Doctrine.
Answered, No.
He was then given to understand that information had been received and
sworn to in this Holy Office, that a certain person had, accompanied by
others, been to a certain castle in search of enchanted money; that they
had signed a compact with the devil; that on reading a book the devil
had appeared to them and promised them riches; and that he, the said
Juan Ricart could give intelligence of these and many other things. For
this reason he was admonished, in the name of our Lord and his glorious
and blessed Mother, to bethink himself and declare the whole truth.
Answered, that in June or July, 1783, he learned that Narcisso Mañalich,
Advocate, with some associates were about to visit the devil in search
of money; which information he had communicated to the Alcalde of this
town; that these persons went to the castle of Madremaña, where the
devil appeared to them. They read from a book, and the devil asked what
they wanted. The one who was reading (name not known) answered,
‘Twentyfive millions.’ The devil replied they must give themselves to
him. They signed the agreement, and were allowed six years to live. They
then demanded the money and were told that they must bring him a certain
stone (_piedra de espiritu_). They went afterwards to the castle of
Esponella, read the book, and the devil came. He asked what they wanted.
They answered, the money which he had promised. He asked for the stone,
and they replied that some one had stolen it. He then exclaimed, ‘Fulfil
your promise, and I will fulfil mine,’ and disappeared. All this the
deponent learned from the account of Mañalich and his companions.
Some days afterwards, the greater part of the same persons were
assembled at the house of Juan Traver de Ursall, in Barcelona, where the
deponent was present to watch their proceedings, by the direction of the
Alcalde of Besahi. He was also to endeavour to get possession of the
book, and have them all apprehended. The other persons present were the
said Mañalich, Juan Fraver de Ursall, his wife, a young man of the
family, and Monsieur Josef. It was resolved in the meeting, to choose a
new reader, and practise further operations. A person in the town of
Junquera was elected, and it was resolved to go to the castle of Benda,
on the next Tuesday. The deponent went to the Alcalde with this
intelligence, and he despatched a party, with the deponent, to lie in
wait for them at a place on their route, but they had taken the alarm
and avoided the deponent’s company. The deponent was informed by Tomas
Riera that he had gone by night to Gerona, to get some nails out of the
coffin of a child of three or four years, and that on beginning to dig,
there appeared to him many visions. Mañalich told the deponent that he
believed the devil never cheated any one, but performed all his
promises. The abovementioned Tomas Riera had slept with Monsieur Josef,
and he was accustomed to hold conversations with the devil in his own
language; and the persons aforementioned had informed the deponent that
Monsieur Josef had obtained money of the devil.
Questioned, what was the age, personal appearance, &c., of the said
Narcisco Mañalich, and of all the others. [_Here follows the
description._]
The above is the truth according to the oath of the deponent, &c.