keyes thereof and suffer him to haue the gouernment of them Locke fast your gate that is to say your will against all manner of vice shut vp your windowes to wit the fiue externall senses that theeues steale not in and make a cheate vpon your soules Then Verrine said I had rather an hundred thousand times sup in Hell then haue giuen you such a supper as by this discourse I haue done and withall swore that hee had vttered all which is aboue mentioned for the glorie of God that all proceeded from God and that the Diuel was forced thereunto as a slaue or a captiue in the galleys Then he said to those that were there present This Baume this Rocke these leaues will rise vp against you at the day of Iudgement if you make not your aduantage of these things Your God loueth you so well that if it were behoofull for you hee would at this very instant returne to Mount Caluary The same day this dialogue chanced to be betweene Verrine and Belzebub Verrine said You that heare Masse doe say I beleeue that my God is there in blood and bones and that in the Chalice both his flesh and bones his Humanitie and Diuinitie are present But you must conceiue that you are there as poore malefactors before your Iudge pray therefore vnto your Iudge and he will heare you for hee giueth grace vnto the humble and casteth downe the proud of heart Oh how narrow is the gate of Paradise and how low you are to stoope to enter into it Then Belzebub said Ha God thou art too plenteous in thy pitie to sinners the Diuell is enforced to acknowledge it I am not at this time possessed with the scheduls Lewis hath them in his custodie to the confusion of Diuels is this great mercie shewed towards sinners Christ Iesus is euer shewing his wounds to his Father hee doth alwaies renue and make them fresh and doth still represent them vnto him All Hell is confounded Misericordia Dei plena est terra O Mercie thou art too too exceedingly great You haue no more to doe but only to crie peccaui and presently all is pardoned a mercy indeede too spatious Let a man renounce God his Passion and all the merites of the same and let him onely say Miserere mei and presently all is pardoned confusion vnto vs Confundatur superbia Diabolorum Lord thou diddest cast forth the Angels which would haue bandied themselues against thee and diddest crush in pieces all their forces yet let a sinner cast himselfe headlong into Hell and renounce thy precious blood and wounds yet wilt thou euer mediate for them to thy Father and wilt receiue them into grace if they bring with them a pure desire to returne backe to God for thy sake a mercy too large for sinners and damnation too great for the Diuell Cursed be the wound that cost me so deere because in it all sinnes are swallowed vp Cursed be Long in us that made that wound O God most bountifull vnto sinners O vertuous and most mercifull Mary The Diuell is their God and yet O Mary thou art alwaies falling at the feete of thy sonne thou art euer interceding for them thou art alwaies saying To day and to morrow and doest euer prolong and driue things off In saying this hee desired against his ordinary manner to haue an oath ministred vnto him and for further confirmation of the truth he said that one of Magdalens Gloues should fall to the ground and that hee would stretch himselfe flat vpon the earth Then said Verrine to him humble thy selfe Belzebub What is now become of thy strength Belzebub said Confundatur suâ—erbia Diaboli I am now constrained to humble my selfe Then Verrine said All you that are here come and tread vpon him speaking this to the Assembly Then Belzebub began to cry what vnder the feete of men Doe men resist God and am not I able to doe the same Verrine said God is so mercifull that he will fill vp the empty seates in heauen and will pardon men â—heir offences Then did Belzebub inferre O what a iudgement is heere against those which will not turne and be conuerted Next after Lucifer I am the proudest yet learne from hence to humble your selues For one offence am I damned for euer for euer for euer And that iustly said Verrine we are damned because wee had more illumination then was giuen vnto men O O O Mercy said Belzebub how great art thou for the sinner O Iustice how seuere art thou against vs Occasions of doing good are neuer wanting vnto the sinner he hath the benefit of Preachers of Confessours and of Miracles yet remaineth obstinate in his sinne and still God is so fauourable in his behalfe that he will at the last cast make vse of Diuels for his conuersion Verrine replied superbos humiliat he is more powerfull to attract sinners vnto goodnesse then are the Diuels in their malice to allure them vnto ill Further hee said I feare not Belzebub nor Lucifer nor all Hell besides I am not to bee punished for this God hath commanded me and yet there be some found that will not beleeue this Neuer busie your selues further about repentance for the day of iudgement doth approach and 〈◊〉 very stones shall rise vp and the leaues shall bandy themselues against those that shall dwell still in their obstinacie I warne you all of this both young and olde for Death is a thiefe that spareth none but sweepeth all away rich and poore great and small and as the hooke moweth downe the hay so Death with his sithe cutteth downe all Then said Belzebub it is no longing of ours to deliuer the truth Whereupon Verrine tooke occasion to say Magdalene this he vttereth in confirmation of the letter directed to the blessed Mother of God and pronounced by Verrine in the mouth of Louyse reade iâ— often and keepe it as thou wouldest doe relickes Then said Belzebub I sweare that I haue reasoned of the mercy of God to confound all Diuels Magicians and Witches that are in the world and all them that doâ— practise or trade with Magicke At this Verrine said Through maine compulsion art thou drawne to sweare and although thou bee my Prince yet at this present thou art but as a Fly Where are thy braues and forces now thou that but a while since diddest out-face heauen and earth doest now humble thy selfe vnder the feete of Frauncis Then Verrine setting his foote vpon Belzebub said I am thy vassall Thou wouldest haue pluckt God from his Throne Consider you that are here whither Monsieur de Guyse your Gouernour would euer haue endured that a Lackey should braue him thus as I doe now my Prince And turning to Magdalene he said Endure patiently Magdalene for the remission of thy sinnes and thinke thy selfe euen vnworthie to humble thy selfe Resist thou Belzebub for thou seest how I braue him and yet there are heere fiue
vnto Lucifer that hee would change his state and condition with them and that by exchange he would seate himselfe in their place and they in his protesting that they would vndergoe all the torments paines and punishments of all the Diuels and of all damned soules which are and might be so if they might be able totally to bandie themselues against God and to ouerthrow his intentions in respect whereof they would no more care for all these torments then they would for a flye They cause the pictures of their bodies to bee drawne to the end to giue them to Diuels and Magicians that they might make vse of them to offend God In despight of thee O God the Diuels the sea and the earth doe conspire together to swallow them vp at what time thou wouldest conuert them They renounce thy passion and the blessed Sacrament of Confession and doe pray that when the Priest should giue absolution vnto them that then the wrath and indignation of God might fall vpon them and their blood for their finall condemnation They protest before your Sauiour that their desire is that when they shall truly and really receiue the blessed Sacrament that then the ayre may bee thronged with multitudes of Diuels to take possession of their soules and bodies and of whatsoeuer else is in them They protest that they haue no part or portion in God but would bee possessed by all the Diuels imagining this to bee the greatest good fortune that euer could happen vnto them to haue the Diuels as guests within them Yea they haue still such a spleene and disdaine against thee that by their will there should be nothing in their bodie that should not some way or other make a shift to offend God giuing all the parts of their bodie as their blood their marrow their bones their humours the haire of their browes and all to the Diuell and to the Magician to make charmes of the same or whatsoeuer else may displease God his Mother all Angels and all Saints O mercie of too large extention for sinners Thou makest shew as if thou diddest not see nor vnderstand of al these their villanies and abominations but art euer readie to present thy wounds vnto thy Father that hee might not vnbend and let flie his indignation vpon them saying alwaies vnto thy Father Father consider here what I haue endured for sinners I pray you haue regard vnto my death and to the loue you beare towards mee and giue these vnto mee I will send vnto them so many Angels so many Preachers and sanctified inspirations that in conclusion they shall be enforced to cast themselues into my armes as did the poore prodigall childe Let not my blood be shed for them in vaine Belzebub continued on and said O ô ô the bountie and mercie of God of too large an extent for sinners O iustice too cruell for Hell And said He doth vs wrong to take frō vs those who by so many meanes haue been knit and fastned vnto vs and to the Art of Magicke His bountie vnto them is so great that to the end they may be conuerted he doth trauell them with great sicknesses and by strange and violent temptations yet for all this they would not be conuerted He doth permit to the vtter confusion of Diuels that they should be possessed for their more easie conuersion he causeth the Diuell to shew them the iudgements of God the greatnes of their sinnes and the paines belonging vnto them for their more easie conuersion yet for all this do they remaine for the most part obstinate saying that all these things are trifles and that they are not the first that haue offended God but that there are many others as well as they yet for all this God is so gracious that he euer knocks at the doore of their hart that so at last he may win them home vnto him Mary doth euer present her wombe and her breasts vnto her Sonne in their behalfe yet haue they many times despised and renounced them She prayeth her Sonne that for her sake he would compassion their wretched estate and inspire some or other to pray for their conuersion that being thus beset and besieged on euery side they may no longer resist God but may runne and shelter themselues vnder the wings of his goodnesse and mercie as a chicken runneth vnder the wings of the henne that nourisheth it O ô ô confusion of the Diuell of all Hell and of all the Sabbaths and assemblies of Witches If the sinner did but know the bountie and mercy of God he would be ready to creep trale his belly vpon the earth and to pray vnto stones thornes trees flowers fruites the sea the earth and in briefe all things that euer were created to conspire and bandie against him for the sinnes and offences which he hath committed against his God He would desire to be forsaken of all Gods creatures because he hath so grieuously transgressed he would thinke himselfe vnworthie to tread on the earth yea vnworthie of eternall damnation conceiuing and assuredly beleeuing that the greatest grace that God can bestow vpon him is to stirre vp all the Diuels in Hell to punish torture and giue castigation vnto his villanies thinking that all this was nothing in comparison of his transgressions Furthermore sinners would pray all that euer was created to aske mercie of God for them But Lord sinners are so stuffed with pride and presumption that they thinke much when they haue transgressed to reueale their sinnes to a Confessor but say what will hee doe for vs if wee should confesse our grieuous sinnes vnto him And because Lord they are so loaden with pride and obstinacie giue giue giue them to vs otherwise you doe offer vs exceeding iniurie Thus being readie to retire and hide my selfe I cried with a loud voyce in a great rage for I was driuen into desperation and deliuered this whole discourse with great furie and was indeede besides my selfe Finally turning towards sinners I said thus vnto them Ha! sinners thinke thinke thinke vpon the goodnesse of your God saying vnto them againe Ha ha ha thinke vpon his goodnesse and haue in your remembrance the mercie of your Redeemer Creator and Sanctifier Goe your waies and assure your selues that if you make not your vse hereof the wrath and indignation of God will fall vpon you and all hell will rise vp in iudgement against you The same day in the euening were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by Father Francis Billet and in the beginning of the Exorcismes Belzebub did fearefully shake the body of Magdalene and said O mercie of God thou art too spatiously great Doest thou alwaies Lord present thy wounds vnto thy Father in the behalfe of sinners is this a bagge that neuer shutteth Then he said We that are Diuels doe thus torment the soules in Hell in the middest of the flames sometimes wee tosse them of one side and sometimes of another
helpe to humble this cursed Belzebub let euery one of you set his foote on his head and in contempt of him say three times Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum Then he commanded on Gods behalfe that euery one should deiect Magdalene and humble her by putting their feete on her head and said Take courage vnto thee Magdalene this iâ— behoofefull for thee for the remission of thy sins and the confusion of Lucifer Belzebub and all hell O great confusion that the Diuels should be at ods and combat against diuels and take part with God it was neuer before heard of Hold thy selfe Magdalene to bee the most vile and detested creature that is vpon the earth and thou shalt proue another Magdalene and shalt die a penitent O Magdalene thou shalt be a helper vnto S. Vrsula and shalt be much honoured A great sinner shall find great mercy witnesse the Prophet Dauid and a lesse sinner â—esse mercy O great great great mercy let euery one pray for it Then the Priest tooke the blessed Sacrament at Verrines owne instance to make him sweare who said Magdalene I say this in thy behalfe Adoramus te Christum miserere ei miserere ei And as those that were there preseÌ„t were saying miserere mei Deus vpoÌ„ a suddeÌ„ he began to howle and cry like a galli-slaue and as if he were framed out of rage and despaire saying Miserere tui miserere tui miserere tui Magdalene to shew how God doth reioyce at the conuersion of this soule O Magdalene the Angels of heauen would triumph at it and Lucifer with the whole kingdome of hell would grow sad and dumpish vpon the same It is true Magdalene thou art in a desert very happie for thee Cursed be S. Baume O how fortunate is it vnto thee O how disasterous vnto hell This is the sheepe which the Prophet saw deuoured by the wolfe whereof nothing but the peeces of the eares was remnant which signifieth the soule of an obstinate sinner for men in an agonie lose their hearing last That you may therefore be conuerted you must haue the eares of your hearts open thereby to receiue in the inspirations of God O Magdalene worship the right hand of thy God worship also his left hand worship his side Magdalen where all thy sins lie buried worship his head that was couered with thornes for thy sake Magdalene and beg from him one thorne of true compunction It is true Magdalene thou hast offended him in thy fiue senses and Magdalene his fiue wounds haue made reparation of the same A braue miracle Magdalene that the diuels should say Miserere tui and should beg mercy for thee And then Verrine sware according to the meaning of God and his Church vpon the blessed sacrament confessing in the said sacrament the reall presence with his humanitie diuinity and all his glory that Louyse knew nothing of this neither vnderstood shee that Magdalene was a witch or of the schedule All which said he is true and hee that would denie this must denie the power of God the authoritie of his Church and the vertue and efficacy of Exorcismes God hauing told Peter that the gates of hell should not preuaile against his Church Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram They should further denie all bookes of Exorcismes if they denie that the diuell cannot speake truth when God forceth him thereunto And turning againe vnto Magdalene hee said vnto her Thy father gaue thee not vnto the diuell Magdalene It is true Magdalene thou diddest indeed abide in thy fathers house at that time Magdalene and yet tookest not thy bane with S. Vrsula It is no wonder that a yong girle should bee led astray as a sheep when her shepheard is the meanes hereof but this was no shepheard of the Gospell but of the number of those that fly away when they see the wolfe nay worse he is the wolfe himselfe and hell is well stuffed with such as hee It is true Magdalene thou wert and art possessed and it was expedient that the Priests should watch with thee for otherwise the diuels had carried thee away such power had they ouer thee both here and abroad and wheresoeuer thou wentest Then he discoursed of Lewes and said O Lewes if thou be not conuerted thou shalt bee burned aliue but if thou be then shalt thou proue a Theophilus and a Cyprian Mary will endeauour to conuert thee therefore beware Lewes how thou resist her I am the executioner of that high iustice and am constrained by force vnto obedience If I were capable of heauen you would peraduenture pray vnto God for me but your prayers will not be auaileable vnto me I am debaâ—'d from Paradice the sentence is gone forth against me The sentence of the highest is not as an earthly senteÌ„ce obnoxious vnto change and repealeable for money Ite maledicti venite benedicti shall stand for euermore Iurauit dominus non poenitebit he shall neuer repent himselfe thereof If the Kings of the earth make good the performance of what they haue promised who are in comparison but as gnats much more will the King of glory and God of Israel auow his denuntiations Then hee said O great miracle full of rarenesse and nouelty destinated to Gods glory and to the conuersion of sinners there is nothing in it preiudiciall to God or his Church it is for the reputation and honour of the fathers of your doctrine the Diuels hauing conspired to root them and the companie of S. Vrsula out of the Church but it is a greater wonder that a diuell should adore God and should confesse and say vnto the blessed sacrament behold my God and my Iudge then if all the Christians in the world should without intermission call vpon all the names of God and should returne backe to goe them ouer againe till the day of iudgement It is no wonder if those doe well that haue a power thereunto that is if they doe often call vpon and worship their God but this is an exceeding great wonder that those who of themselues haue no capacity vnto goodnesse should yet doe the thing that is good when it is commanded them from God This the Diuels doe without any expectance or hope of compensation And whiles that Pange lingua was said to the honour of the blessed Sacrament which the Priest held vpon the rehearsall of this verse Sola fides sufficit Verrine cryed O this is most true sola fides sufficit faith a-alone is sufficient How can it bee that so great a God should be contained in such a little Host and he cryed out saying yet is it true hee is present here worship you him for hee is here really and truly cursed bee the curious Curiositie will let them drop into a pit from whence they shall not bee able to issue forth at their pleasure We our selues are constrained to worship him and to beleeue his
I affirme that if they be humble they will acknowledge that thou art omnipotent and that being so thou art able to wring truth from the very Diuels not from their free disposition and will for we are all of vs accursed but compulsorily and as constrained thereunto by thy power We are more loyall vnto God then many Christians yet for all this we are still Diuels And heere must they denie the authoritie of the Church Why is it that those that are possessed be exorcised if it bee not auaileable and if the Diuell cannot speake truth I say it is all lost labour you may take your bookes speaking to the Exorcist and throw them all into the fire Then he spake in a great rage to her that was possessed and said What thinkest thou Louyse why doest thou suffer thy selfe to be exorcised if neither by God nor the tenents of the Church we are able to tell the truth Ha miserable wretches how many othes haue been taken in the vertue of the name of God by Exorcismes all which must proceede from Louyse if they must not be accepted of our part But miserable and abhorred wretches as you are you deceiue your selues you are exceedingly replenished and surcharged with vnthankfulnes and mis-apprehension You haue so good a God that if it were needfull that hee should suffer death for you againe he would willingly vndergoe it more especially for two soules which now I cannot name Magdalene it is true that Louyse is for thy sake possessed and will if it be requisite lay down her bodie for thy soule It is true all sinners are accursed and obstinate You will peraduenture say that God doth loue much And why Lord Hast thou neede of Christians No no thou couldest not bee God and haue neede of the aide of any creature whatsoeuer I say the creature hath neede of thee And it is a fixed truth that the more miserable the creature shall bee the more cleerely shall thy bountie shine and appeare in relieuing it It is not so great a wonder that children should goe to heauen but this is the miracle that sinners who haue a long time snored in their obstinacie should repent and turne to God I doe assure you who heare this that if you doe not treasure vp these things for your profit and health we will be your accusers at the day of iudgement We must here note that some daies past Magdalene told the Dominican father that vpon the eighth exhortation which Verrine made vnto her she felt her selfe so affrighted as if she had alreadie one foote in the pit of hell The acts of the 12. of December 1610. which was the third Aduent Sunday ON this day it was thought behoofull that the Father of the Doctrine and the Dominican Father should so interchangeably aid one another that whiles the Dominican Father was busied in exorcising one of the possessed Father Francis should supplie the place of a Scribe to note summarily the sentences that proceeded from the Diuell by the mouth of Louyse On the other side when the Father of the Doctrine did exorcise the Dominican Father should transcribe that so in conclusion all might be subiected to the Censure of the Church for the further glorie of God The same day in the morning were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by the Dominican Father In the beginning whereof many persons of the neighbouring Townes and Villages which were by this time aduertised of this accident that happened at S. Baume being assembled thither in great troupes Verrine began thus to speake Cursed be this witchcraft for from hence will God worke out a thousand benefits and a thouâ—and acts of his mercie It was not our intendment nor the purpose of the Magician that such accidents should happen Our proiect was to get her consent that so wee might haue carried her to hell Cursed cursed cursed be S Baume a thousand thousand thousand times accursed It is a wonderfull thing that the slaues of hell should be the instruments to conuert the children of light Do but obserue what I shall say vnto you Some hunt after riches and all their affection is enuassailed and taken vp therewith who by giuing a little almes imagine to goe to heauen in a featherbed without any more adoe or obseruation of the law and Commandements of God Some others are poore and haue a conceit that for their pouertie they shall enter into glorie Indeede happie are the poore but they must be poore in spirit You that are poore endure your pouertie with patience and you shall merit much Haue you in your cogitations the God of glorie how he was borne in pouertie for your sakes and laid in the manger of a stable God from all eternitie foresaw this day and that in S. Baume the Diuels should discouer themselues to the conuersion of soules Do not repine at your comming nither you I say who oftentimes haue prostituted â—our selues to the hazard of losing your goods bodies â—nd soules to offend and trespasse against him What a â—hame will it be that any should not be conuerted wheÌ„â—he Diuell himselfe exhorteth them thereunto God is â—ost powerfull and is able to bestow rewards and riâ—nes vpon you but he is not able to doe two things he â— not able to sinne and hee cannot faile of his proâ—aise Shake off your sins you who haue mortally sinned â—nd depart not from hence vntill you be coâ—sessed To â—y extreame griefe and vexation doe I speake this â—orsake your couetous desire of worldly goods which â—oth so much possesse you You poore people reioyce in your pouertie This day â—m I compelled by Mary and Magdalene to tell it â—nto you by Mary from her sonne by Magdaleneâ—om â—om her Master Humble your selues after the example of him who â—ecame poore for your sakes He died for you and not for vs. Mary knoweth well that he died on a Crosse being naked and not able to get a glasse of water The same knoweth Magdalene and Iohn the Euangelist and that for you he suffered death on the Crosse. It is strange that hell should exhort you to goe to Paradise And speaking to Louyse he said Cursed bee thy desires thou hast longed aboue a thousand times to suffer euen the paines of hell for thy neighbour Humble thy selfe Louyse and that speedily otherwise beleeue it thou art the most vnhappy the most abhorred the most detestable and accursed of all creatures Louyse beleeue me Enter into the abisme of thy lesse then nothing God would haue thee humbled Desist from beleeuing all that men will thrust vpon thee The sinnes from which God hath preserued thee are as great benefits as those for which he hath pardoned thee Thou hadst beene in hell if God had not preserued thee thou hadst remained a Huguenot and shouldest not haue had the vnderstanding to begge for that which was conuenient for thee Preachers doe trauell themselues much to thinke vpon what
of that reformation Then he tooke an oth after this forme I doe here sweare by that God whom you worship and who is your Creator and Redeemer that whatsoeuer I haue here spoken is true and that all is done for his glorie the saluation of soules and instruction of the Clergie and Laytie and all sorts of people for the good and the bad and for the reformation of many Monasteries as well of men as of women All which is most true I sweare this according to the intention of God and his Church which I neuer did before and this oth I haue taken vpon the blessed Sacrament and without being spoken vnto by you and haue sworne this with all the solemnities that are required to a true oth according to the intention of God and his Spouse the Church that whatsoeuer I haue deliuered was for his glorie as also for the conueâ—sion of soules and the extirpation of Heresies and Magicke All which is true and nothing is heere vttered against the glorie of God or against his Church And I haue said that it shall haue approbation from the Church and that I neuer tooke such a kind of oth before And when I was to take this oth I said I doe sweare by the liuing God which is the greatest oth that may be taken After this he said Those that are so preiudicate as to say these things are false and very vnsutable to truth shall doe a wrong to God They affirme that God is omnipotent and yet in effect denie his omnipotencie and perhaps 〈◊〉 that God is lesse puissant then the Diuell And in regard these euents runue in a course beyond ordinarie there are many that will rather denie Gods power then confesse that this is true The Diuell by the first article of their Creed Credo Patreâ—s omnipotentem doth proue that they are to beleeue that God is omnipotent And if it be so he might then haue done all this by a Pismire yea and greater things then these for hee can if the concurrence of his will and power should resolue thereon create a hundred thousand worlds out of nothing After this Louyse retired her selfe into her chamber as being all in a sweate through her exceeding toyle and the vehement action of the Diuell Presently did Belzebub prince of the Diuels in the bodie of Magdalene begin to contest against the mercie of God in manner as followeth O mercie too great O God canst thou not be contented to take from vs sinners but must thy mercie also extend to those who haue giuen and made ouer vnto vs bodie and soule and whatsoeuer else they did or could possesse And this they gaue vs in writing and in schedules signed with their blood yet for all this doest thou take them from vs It is strange that thou takest them from vs in such a manner when they haue made renunciation of thee thy Father and the holy Ghost together with all his goodnesse loue and mercie that they might bee made vncapable of the same and bee damned for euermore They haue renounced thy Mother and all her prayers that she might make for them with her wombe and breasts that they might neuer proue compassionate in their behalfe her remembrance that she might neuer be mindfull of them her will that she might neuer pray vnto her Sonne for their conuersion her vnderstanding that she might neuer think vpon them but might abandon and giue them vp into the hands of the Diuels all Angels and all Saints and all 〈◊〉 benefits which God had euer bestowed vpon them or was to bestow vpon them hereafter all inspirations that might be infused into them to draw them vnto him They haue cursed all that euer God created for the good of man all the prayers that Angels Saints and men might make in their behalfe to the end they might be without all possibilitie of returning to God saying they had nought to doe with him his blessings fauours or Paradise They haue renounced his passion and blood with all the merits thereof that they might haue no power or efficacie vpon their soules but might lay a pressure vpon them of greater obstinacie They haue inuocated vpon themselues the wrath of Almightie God of his all-knowing Sonne of the euer-bounteous holy Spirit as also the indignation of the Mother of God of all Angels and of all Saints saying the blood of the Sonne of God fall vpon vs bodie and soule eternally Yet for all this doest thou take them from vs. And notwithstanding that in despite of thee and all that thou hast done for them they are desirous to be ours yet doest thou take them froÌ„ vs. They haue taken the Diuell and the Magician for their God Creator and Redeemer Sauiour and sanctifier and will not haue any reference or dependance vpon God but from the Diuell and from the Magician and doe worship magnifie and praise as well the Diuell as the Magician as if they were Gods They haue renounced God who hath created all they haue blasphemed him making retractation of all the good that euer they did for Gods sake and attribute all their subsequent actions to the Diuell and the Magician yet for all this art thou so good that thou wouldest bereaue vs of them and hast thy armes alwaies open to receiue them They were bequeathed and consecrated to thee and notwithstanding this they haue by a sure earnest contracted mariage with the Diuel and the Magician for greater confirmation whereof they did not sticke to signe it with their owne blood witnessing that they had now nothing to doe with God but were affianced wholly vnto the Diuell This mariage was authentically solemnized in the presence of the blessed Sacrament and written by the Priest that was the Magician yet for all this thou art still so good that thou wouldest bereaue vs of them I said to Mary what hast thou to doe with them to present them to thy Sonne for they haue prostituted themselues to all kinde of voluptuousnesse as well of men as of diuels and beasts What hast thou then to do to present such to thy Sonne who is puritie it selfe They renounce their good Angels lest they might infuse some inspiration into them to returne vnto thee And in counterchange they take the Diuell for their gard-Angell to direct them in whatsoeuer they doe yet art thou so good and so mercifull that thou giuest them in exchange theirvsuall Angell and wilt doe the same twentie thirtie fourtie times and in the end wilt cause all the Angels to to bee assistant to plucke them from betwixt our hands They make protestation that they haue conceiued such great anger rage disdaine and indignation against God that they would willingly become Diuels that they might the better hinder others from the fruition of the glorie of God by those temptations which they would lay close vnto them cursing God that hee had made them men and not Diuels inuocating and heartely praying
there are hundreds that burne their fingers for being too nimble and presumptuous and because they would make their priuate interpretations vpon the same which they vse to square by their owne iudgements and further hee prouideth for them other good wholesome foode to wit the liues of Saints and many miracles yet for all this they are euer squemish and cannot downe with these course cates Where lieth the fault it is because their palate is by some infirmitie and indisposition disseasoned for the meate remaineth good though the taste bee naughtely affected What doth this father then he doth loue his children so tenderly that hee enquireth after fresh and vnaccustomed delicacies by new and vnusuall miracles Like vnto the Spouse who loueth his wife so dearely that he is euer presenting her with some new token of his affection O Church reioyce now at thy husband Thou art that chast wife whom if any will follow hee must not walke in darknesse for the holie Ghost doth guide thee by his light and illumination I am not a whit abashed that the Caluinists make refusall of thee for they are exiled from the bosome of the Church and haue no light to vnderstand the truth but I wonder most that the children of this Church doe not make vse of the light of the Gospell Here now is nothing spoken either against God or his Church The same day in the euening the sister Louyse and the sister Magdalene were exorcised by Father Francis Billet Then Verrine turning himselfe toward Magdalene said Beware Magdalene Belzebub would cast thee downe headlong into despaire It is a good signe Magdalene He saith that thou shalt not be able to resist him but Magdalene hee lieth in saying so for thou hast more brothers in heauen then thou hast aduersaries in hell Take courage Magdalene one of thy brothers is able to doe more then all hell set together And speaking to Belzebub he said Ha wretched fiend thou doest tempt Magdalene and tell her that she shall be damned I say no Magdalene thou shalt be saued and I tell thee againe from the liuing God Magdalene thou shalt be saued He said againe to Lucifer In Hell I acknowledge thee for my superiour but in this body God hath made me thy Master It is not to bee wondred at if many men shall with difficultie bee induced to beleeue a matter altogether vnusuall A great sinner ought to vse great repentance thou shalt repent Magdalene and God shall giue thee life put thy confidence in him for he shall more helpe thee then all Hell can hurt thee God hath promised to heare the prayers of the iust a thousand Magdalene haue begged for thee mercie and grace and at the last haue found it for thee Magdalene haue they knocked at the doore of mercie and at length it hath been opened vnto them Thy good workes Magdalene shall not be able to saue thee but the blood of thy Redeemer It will bee proued that there haue been more then a thousand Masses said for thee and doest thou think that so many sacrifices haue been all barren and vneffectuall shall not the eternall Father haue regard vnto his Son equall vnto him in power wisedome and bountie Take a good courage Magdalene I doe assure thee that hee is Omnipotent and euer-bounteous that he hath pardoned thy offences and being that all-knowing vnderstanding he hath taken notice of thy miseries for in the glasse of his owne essence he seeth all things and there is a perfect representation in him of all euents whatsoeuer as if they were now present It is true thou blessed Mother of God thou hast presented thy breasts for her more then ten thousand times And thou Magdalene hast made tender of thy repentance and thou Peter prince of Apostles hast shed many teares for the conuersion of this Magdalene Ioannes Baptista hath also interceded for thee and did present his innocencie in thy behalfe And thou Dominicke hast been very fauouâ—able vnto her and thou Bernardus and Antonius haue prayed for her Take a good heart Magdalene keep thy owne Magdalene and thou shalt become another Magdalene or another Thais God is wearied in expectation of thee giue him to drinke Magdalene but O Lord how canst thou bee thirstie since thou hast no neede of thy creatures But as Christ demanded drinke of the Samaritane woman and then also when hee was nailed to the Crosse so Magdalene thou shalt doe well to let him drinke of thy teares and for a little of this liquour hee shall bestow vpon thee the wine of his loue and shall take from thee all thirstinesse and alteration whatsoeuer Who will beleeue that the Diuell should thus endeuour to conuert Magdalene and the Magician Magdalene I doe assure thee from God that he who hath deliuered the children of Israel from the red Sea will if thou humble thy selfe euen to the pit of hell although thou haddest committed an hundred million of sins more then thou hast done receiue thee into grace saying In quacunque hora. For Magdalene hee cannot be lesse then his word This and many other discourses of a semblable nature did hee confirme and strengthen with his accustomed oath Quod licet dicere licet scribere Whatsoeuer is lawfull to be said is lawfull to be written But as the wicked Spirits doe not speake vnto men but by the tongues of men so neither can they write to men but by the ministerie and seruice of men God not permitting vnto them a free vse either of the one or the other Vpon the same day did Verrine dictate many letters saying to Father Francis Billet Write me certaine letters after this tenure and first of all one to the Priest Lewis Lewis for the saluation of thy soule for the glorie of God and edification of thy neighbour come to S. Baume and obey the Sonne of the Virgin that calleth thee vnto him or doth otherwise threaten thee that if thou doe not obey him for loue thou shalt be enforced thereunto by iustice Come if thou be wise come if thou be wise come if thou be wise obey obey obey for the honour of the blessed Trinitie come along with those that goe to seeke thee who will accompanie thee and will become pledges for thee If thou be well aduised thou wilt come For there is a great processe betwixt the iustice and mercie of God which are the two daughters of the eternall Father obey Mercie the eldest daughter for she is euer fauourable vnto sinners The Virgin Mary is thy aduocate and Theophilus prayeth for thee and is one of thy solicitors Cyprian is another and was a Magician as thou art Dauid is another William the Hermite doth also pray for thee and so doth Matthew the Publican Mary the sister of Martha is thy aduocate Pelagia is another Mary of Aegypt is another Thais also is another and the woman of Samaria is another who doth inuite thee to come and slake thy
the fathers 296 That it is difficult to beleeue what wee cannot comprehend 277.278 The Difference of possession 301 The first Discouery of the Magician 82 Discourse touching the blessed Trinity 43.44 and of their consultation 45 Discourse touching the French King lately deceased 219.263.272 Discourse touching the possession of Louyse and the progresse thereof 137.138 Discourse vnto the people 145 Discourse touching the three Kings 306 Discourse of the paines of hell 19.20 Discourse of the birth of our Lord well worthy to bee read 230.243.244 Discourse of Verrine touching Saints 68.69 Disputation betweene one of the Fathers and Verrine 90.91.201 Disputation betweene the Exorcist and the Diuell 186 Disputation of Leuiathan with Verrine 151.152.154 Disputation of Belzebub with Verrine 62.63 Diuersities of offices amongst the Diuels 170.191 S. Dominick with the good Angell of Magdalene intercede for her 13.15 Verrines enemy 37.189.203 S. Dominicks praises 190.197.198.203 Doubt of the truth of this history 223 E THe Earth made of nothing 222 The End crowneth the worke 272 Enmity betweene Diuels 6 Eucharist 90.151.182.183.191 Eue created without sinne 207 Examination of the acts 308 Example of the Publican and Pharisee in S. Luke 180 Exclamation touching the conception of our Lady 4 Exclamation vpon the praises of God 6 Exclamation touching the day of Iudgement 16 Exclamation of Verrine to God who constrained him 27 Exclamation against the proud and curious 28 Exclamation vnto the Church 97 Exclamation of the Diuell 6.21.24.78 Exhortation to Magdalene 10.91.147 Exhortation to the poore 31.225 The Exorcist demandeth the Diuell Verrine what Saints did most trouble him 3 The Exorcist changed 296 F FAith sufficient in receiuing of the Sacrament 90 Fasts recommended 122 Father d' Abruc commeth to S. Baume 195.287 A father is not to answere for his sonnes offences and of what sonne this is to be vnderstood 177 Feare is not auaileable without loue 226 A feeling of deuotion and strength at the prayers of the Saints 3 Force of Diuels limited 35 The force of Louyse 71 Francis Billet exorciseth at Saint Baume 90 Francis Billet vseth much patience 2 Francis Billet writeth to the Priests of the doctrine a letter and the tenure thereof 155.156 The friends that God hath at his table the foure feastes of the yeere 121 Frequenting of the Sacrament 269 The Fright wherein Magdalene was 30 G GAlly-slaues are more happy then sinners and why 248 The Guardian of Magdalene 6 The Guardian of Mary was Ioseph 249 The Gates of Paradise very narrow 124.200 The holy Ghost called a fire 235 Gloria in excelsis sung at the birth of our Sauiour 224 Gloria in excelsis to bee sung by Diuels is a great miracle 245 God adored in the cratch with bowing downe of the knees 233.247 Gods goodnesse towards men 96. his mercy 101.115 268. and goodnesse towards Magdalene 84 God is a Physitian 268 God speaketh by an inward intelligence 187.189 God resisteth the proud giueth grace to the humble 40 God is neuer a witnesse vnto falshood 188 God preuenteth the sinner 115 God is so beautifull that the Diuels would willingly endure all torments to haue but one glance of him 12 God maketh reseruation to himselfe of three things 213 God is incomprehensible 96.136.259 God calleth no man to reiect him afterwards 10 God cannot lie 31 God is mercifull 99.120.167 God is not to be serued out of expectation of recompence but rather out of loue 122 God doth expresly command that they who keepe not his law should be punished 109.110 God is obeyed by all his creatures 135.136 God created the creature without any consent of it 272 God descendeth vpon the earth and how 179 The gouernment of a family appertaineth not to women but to their husbands vnlesse they doe prudently manage things 237 The grace which was giuen to the Virgin 208.281.282 Grace is farre remoued from the sinner 185 A Great reprehension of men 262 A Great sinner needeth great repentance 98 Gresill a name of one of the Diuels 237 H HArdnesse of Magdalenes heart 7 Hell in an vproare 62.66 An Hereticke withdraweth himselfe much confounded 155 An Hereticke reproued as also those that are curious 133.134.154 This History is to be published vnto all 245 This History found fault withall 245 Honour ought to be snewed vnto priests 129 Honour ought to be giuen vnto Baptisme 123 Humility representeth the birth of God 124 Humility recommended vnto vs. 70.117.134.135.220.285 The Humility of our Lady 36.281.248 The Humility of Magdalene 129 I IEremias sanctified from his mothers wombe 207 Iesus Christ hath a glorified body in the Sacrament which taketh vp no place 182 Iesus Christ descends in his diuinity and humanity in Saint Baume to visit Saint Magdalene 281 Iesus Christ a King 247.248 Iesus Christ is before his mother and how 215.216 Iesus a Painter 148.167 Incredulity reproued 132.232.234.246 Ingratitude of men 26.35.146 Intellectuall conferences internally expressed 27.28.53.56.57.176 Interrogatories propounded to Lewes 287 Interrogatories of the Exorcist 3 Interrogatories of the Exorcists to Magdalene 11 An Inuectiue against the Magician 216.220 Iohn the Euangelist compared to an Eagle and his prerogatiues 259.260 Ioseph is in doubt 223. and is sanctified 228 The Iudgement day of Godwill be very terrible 10.11 286.287 Iudgement that is rash is naught 136 K THe King of the Nineuites did wisely take sack-cloth and ashes to appease the wrath of God 119 L A Letter of Magdalene vnto the Virgin changed and corrected 40.41.42 A Letter of Magdalene to Saint Magdalene and the tenour thereof 22 A Letter sent to sundry persons 59.100.104.107.108 Lewes vnlearned 288 Lewes despised of the Diuels 288 Lewes striketh an horror into Magdalene 288.289 Lewes had no memory in him 292 Lewes accused by Belzebub to be a Magician 292 Lewes accused by Leuiathan 296. and by Verrine 301 Lewes goeth to Auignon and Aix there to bee declared innocent 308 Lewes is shut vp in the place of holy penance which was locked with a key 289 Lewes very familiar and deare vnto the Capuchin fathers 102 Lewes playeth the Hypocrite and Pharisee 288.297 298 Light what it signifieth 143 The Loue of God and the recompence that attendeth it 123 The loue of a mans selfe 251 Louyse reciteth to her superiour all her tentations and intrinsick speakings 58. Louyse to be examined 94 Louyse exorcised by Father Francis Domptius 2. Baptized in a Kitchin 55 Louyse was an Huguenot 32.55.149.263 Louyse possessed for Magdalenes sake 29.157 In Louyse many signes of possession 106.120.138.263 She is at peace with conscience although she be possessed 57 Louyse exorcised by Lewes the priest 287 Louyse is possessed for the conuersion of two soules especially and by a consequent of many others 120 Louyse offreth her praiers to God for Lewes 275.283.287 Lucia for saketh all for the loue of God 49 M Magdalene troubled with Incubi 33.300 Magdalene shall be repentant 129 Magdalene contemneth and resisteth the Diuels 33 Magdalene brought to the holy place of penance
Diuels haue hindered the first Monks of the deserts p Both the Diuels did much resist that the two women should receiue the blessed Sacrament And it was needfull to be very patient for by that meanes at length they were ouercome They would say It is too hot for vs we will taste none and this happened euery day which we tried often from the moneth of Nouember till the moneth of May. q The oth of Belzebub and Verrine r They were bound there to discouer the Prince and Princesse of Magicians and to exhort others And beyond this bound they could not passe s Ingratitude of men to their good Angels t This is a new torment vnto them when they thinke thereupon because they doe enuie and malice the elect of God who are iâ—ucsted with their places in heauen u The humilitie of the Mother of God x S. Magdalene the chiefest amongst sinners y Dominicke is the Saint that is aduersarie vnto Verrine whom therefore he ranketh first as if he were superiour to his two coÌ„ panions He doth then first place his Saint that is aduersarie vnto him z The charity of the Saints is greater then the diuels malice towards men a The beautie of Paradise b The deformitte of the diuels and soules of the damned c We must say with Dauid Et obseruabâ— mè ab iniquitate mea d There were seuen there in ordinarie as they declared afterwards but many times they weÌ„t forth and returned very sensibly neighing as it were and saying to Belzebub See I am here Belzebub possessed her fore-part Leuiathan the middle of her head and Astaroth the hinder part The part of the head where they were did beate and moue perpetually contrarie to nature but when they depaâ—ted forth that part stirred not And when at any time wee commanded Bâ—lzebub to leaue her for the space of a Miserere hee went out of her very sensibly and maâ—e a noyse in the mouth of her that was possessed And the prefixed time being past he presently returned that iâ— might be well perceiued as we haue said And being departed the Physicians and othâ—rs thaâ— felt her head found it in moueable but vpon his returne they felt and saw the motions And this was also proued by Leuiathan and Astaroth This hath been tried at S. Baume and at Aix many weekes together to the great astonishment of the beholders especially of those who wouâ—d not beleeue it e This Nonnus was Bishop of Edesso of whom mention is made in the Romane Martyrologe the 2. of December * Magdalenes first letter corrected See the answere to the doubts the 8. obiection after the Epistle to the Reader f The wonderous miracle of the compulsion of Diuels to speake the truth g He had not beene subiect to so much miserie as he was for the excuse did aggrauate the fault h The counsell of God is eternall but the Scripture stileth the execution of his eternall counsell after this manner It is also a phrase of Scripture to say that God holdeth his Counsel when he would execute his will As in the 1. of Genesis in the creatioÌ„ of man The metaphore is borrowed froÌ„ the custome of meÌ„ when they would execute any thing i Mercy and Iustice are equally twinnes with God aâ—â— all other perfections are Yet in the putting of them in execution one sometimes gaineth vpon another according to the good sentence and pleasure of God And vpon this is the metaphore drawne from two Aduocates each pleading their righâ—â— one against another Now although the determination and sentence abideth in the Iudge yet doth not this hinder but that either the one or the other might alledge iust and ponderous reasons in diuers sorts Diuines maintaine the Idea of things in God a The mercie of Christ Iesus These are the attributes of the diuine persons c The knowledge of God foreseeth all things d The Virgin Mary likened vnto a beautifull garden a She had not confessed this sinne either froÌ„ obliuion or out of shame b The martyrdome of S. Lucia and the Virgins c That Victoria is registred in the Romane Martyrologe 27. December who was put to death because she would not take Eugenius the Paynim for her husband * The praises of the Companie of S. Vrsula d Experience doth teach that in matters of curiositie they doe laugh and make a lest of men e We haue often made triall that when Verrine spake according to his commission that tended to the conuersion of the two Witches he alwaies told the troth and neuer failed but being put from that he declared himselfe to be a true Diuell oftentimes interrupting Confession and a long space endeuouring to hinder the receiuing of the Communion The reason whereof is set downe in the acts of the 15 of Ian. in the marâ—eÌ„r f The prosecution of the praise of Virgins g The conference of Verrine with God or with the good Angell sent from God h The desire of Louyse to suffer patiently i Louyse baptized in a kitcheÌ„ by a Minister k Touching the Companie of S. Vrsula l Godpermitted this for his glorie and the exaltation of that company m In confession and out of coÌ„fession she still said that she regarded not to be possessed since it was Gods pleasure for the manifestation of his glory n In the Scripture phrase as we haue formerly cited out of the booke of Iosua the 10. chapter o WheÌ„ it pleaseth God all things accomplish his will He commanded the Rauen of Helias and the Worme that withered Ionas his gourd p Discourse of Hell q The discourse of Belzebub coÌ„plaining to God of his ouer great mercie to sinners euen to the Magician himselfe in whose custodie remained the scheduls of Magdalene r The Gloue of the Girle was too little for her and could not be pulled on but by violence s Exclamation against sinners t Belzebub constrained to sweare and to tell the truth u These are the Patrones of the Country of Prouince together with Saint Magdalene where their bodies lie interred x The Diuels are euer very daintie and squeamish to discouer them selues or to tell their names for feare of being exorcised commanded and by punishments imposed on them tormented y This was in that houre wherein the Sermon of the Aduent was ended at Aix where he preached about eleuen a clock in the forenoone z He speaketh according to the capacitie of the simple people that were there present because these two did vse to preach in the Townes of Prouince a That mortifications are â—equâ—sâ—te toward the attainement of Paradise b In the Martyrologe the third of March. c In Ribadineira 25. Ianuar. d In the Martyrologe 1. Nouemb a If God were not powerfull to compell the Diuels it must be so b An admirable inuectiue and complaint of Belzebub to God where he setteth downe a Briefe of the cuâ—sed abiuâ—ations and execrations made by the Magicians when thâ—y receiued the marke
vsed strange motions and gestures and greeuously tormented her but would neuer speake And now approached the time of Aduent in which the said Father was to preach in the city of Aix hee therefore aduised Father Romillon to bring Magdalene and Louyse likewise to S. Baume a place where S. Magdalene for thirty yeares space did her penance and as a Vicarige that belongeth vnto the Couent Royall of S. Maximin and told him that some dates past he had sent thitheâ— Father Francis Domptius a Feming by birth and Doctor of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Louaine who beside â—his oâ—hâ—r sufficiencies had formerly exorcised in this kind And all this was done accordingly When the two that were possessed came to S. Baume Vertine that was in the body of Louyse began to discourse vpon the day of the conception of our Lady and spake a full hower and continued on these discourses twice a day at the two Exorcismes till the third of Ianuary saying that hee was abiding there by Gods appointment although constrained and compelled thereunto to conuert and make knowne vnto the world two magicians especially him who was the Prince of them and commanded al the Magicians of Spain France England and Turkie and had Lucifer foâ— his diuill And further he added that God could no longer indure the blasphemies iniuries which they in the depth of night committed against his maiesty and against the blessed Sacrament and said that vpon speciall causes God had destinated him vnto this and to be an instrument of their conuersion which neuer yet tooke effect because they had renounced God the merits of Christ Iesus his blessed mother all the Quires of Angells and all the blessed Saints as also all confessions and the other Sacraments all preaching and exhortations of men all motions and inspirations from God and al visible creatures which might any way lead them on to their conuersion vnto God the diuell said he onely excepted Hence it is that God hath made choice by a great and new miracle of the diuells themselues said he for the manifestation and conuersion of them In these discourses he principally endeuoured the conuersion of Magdalene and did rudely lay to her charge in the presence of a great multitude of people that stocked thither euery day that she was not intirely conuerted that she had a heart of stone and that she did still practise and hold intelligence with Belzebub hauing the day or the night before consented anew vnto him Finally he told her before all the standers by whatsoeuer she did in that Synagogue of witches And heereupon she became so ashamed of her selfe especially when she heard him say she was a Magician that she began to shed many teares and remained afterwards a perfect Conuert This once performed Verrine began to inueigh against the Prince of the Sorcerers without naming him but said that hee knew well enough what was spoken of him eyther by the report of wicked spirits or himselfe comming there in person to hold his synode or by the speech of the lookers on who cryed with a loud voice That if hee would not bee conuerted he should be burnt aliue yet he made slight of his conuersion and therefore one day hee named him aloud in the presence of much people and wrote him a letter by the hand of the Father the Exorcist of which hee made little reckoning The Aduent being finished Father Michaelis parted from Aix after Christmas and came to Saint Baume where he remained from the first of Ianuarie till the fifth of February to try whether the two women were really possessed or no because they spake diuersly of it and himselfe had a desire to make tryall thereof in regard they were in a Church of his Iurisdiction So hauing obserued all and being confident that the two girles were indeed possessed as also seeing what strange euents had befallen which were caused eyther by the diuells or the Magicians when the time of Lent drew neere hee went againe to Aix to continue there his preaching and acquainted Monsieur du Vair cheefe President of the Court of Parliament in Prouince with euery circumstance and told him that there were three distinct infallible essences or realities in Magdalene which when he found to be true he together with the parliament of Aix proceeded against the Magician but obtained grace and pardon for Magdalene from his Maiesty who had regard and compassion of her tender yeares and considered that the seducements were very full of craft and subtlety The Acts that were taken day by day from the beginning of December vntill the 24 of Aprill in the yeere 1611. do extend and inlarge more amply all these strange euents and passages as also any new occurrence that happened vntill that time The said father Michaelis was present at all the acts and Exorcismes foure monethes together to wit Ianuary February March and Aprill besides that whereof he was an eye witnesse about the end of December A TABLE OF THE DIFFIculties that are propounded touching this History 1. WHether it be lawfull for a woman to discourse and reason in a Church 2. Whether it behooues vs to beleeue all the Diuell saith 3. He saith that Antichrist is borne Whereupon it were good to be prepared least we should be surprised as those in the time of the Deluge 4. Whether Salomon be damned and Nabuchodonosor saued 5. The Diuell seemeth to command the Exorcist 6. Whether Henry the great the fourth of that name be saued See the discourse of S. Hierome vpon the first chapter of the Prophet Nahum 7. That the blessed Sacrament hath been trodden vnder foot 8. Whether it be lawfull to write letters vnto Saints in Paradise 9. Whether the Diuell may pray to God for to saue sinners 10. The Diuell saith that God did promise him a diminution of his torments 11. Whether there bee not heere an appearance of ambition THE REPORT AND EXPLICATION OF the passage of S. Ierome vpon the 1. chapter of the Prophet Nahum where it is said WHat doe you imagine against God hee will make an vtter destruction that is to say he will bring all things to an end affliction shall not rise vp the second time or according to the Septuagints Hee will not take vengeance twice vpon the same subiect in affliction Hereupon S. Ierome discourseth against the Marcionites and other ancient Heretickes who accused God in the old Testament of cruelty and alleaged the examples of those that perished in the flood of those that were stricken with lightning from heauen in Sodome and the neighbouring townes of the Egyptians that were drowned in the red sea and of a great multitude of people that died in the desert To which he answereth that in all this there is more mercy then iustice for he afflicted them with some temporall punishment that they might not bee eternally damned This is cleer in the Prophet who saith plainly that God will not take vengeance twice on the same
sonne and proceeded not from her selfe By these meanes of humbling her selfe she conserued them and lent also of her store vnto others The Word was content to repaire the fault of Adam and in â—egard thereof to subiect himselfe to all the torments which Adam had deserued and said that by his obedience there would redound more benefit vnto manâ—ind then euer did preiudice by Adams transgression â—nd by how much the greater the offence was so much â—he greater would his mercie appeare that his bountie would then shine cleerest when these his creatures appeared most miserable as hath been verified in Peter Paul Dauid the Publican Matthaeus and Iames the Hermite as also in Magdalene Pelagia Mary of Aegypt Thais and the woman of Samaria That his bounâ—ie would dart forth the raies thereof so effectually vpon his creatures that many soules by their examples â—hould be conuerted Besides the Sonne made offer vnâ—o his Father to endure all the torments that should bee put vpon him and that he would debase himselfe euen â—o the cratch to giue satisfaction for the pride of Aâ—amâ— that he would be obedient for his rebellion euen to the death of the Crosse that for the wantonnesse of Adam hee would vndergoe all vexations and would fast for his gluttonie that the offence was committed by a tree and should bee remitted by the tree of the Crosse and that at the same houre or instant that the first man offended the breach in mankinde should bee built vp in the second Doe but consider that at that time when in his humanitie he suffered the loue which he did beare to you did cause him to crie out that hee was thirstie that is to say after the saluation of your soules This is euident by the theefe who speaking vnto him but these words Memento met was by him refreshed as also was Longinus and all those which at that time were conuerted Obserue further that hee died with a great longing to haue his very tormentors to be conuerted and his sorrow to leaue his enemies plunged in their obstinacie as Pilate Caiphas Annas and Herod was more apparent and sensible then to leaue his Mother whom he so much loued Magdalene Iohn the Euangelist or Martha Witnesse those words which he spake Pater ignosce illis Father pardon them for they know not what they doe His second griefe was to leaue his children the Iewes hardned in their wickednesse sorrowing that they would make such bad compensation vnto him foâ— all his benefits For neuer was there naturall father that hath powred downe so many blessings vpon his children as your God hath done vpon the people of the Iewes It was no nouell thing with them to disobeâ— his commandements and mutinie against him Theâ— made a Calfe of golde and worshipped him and without sense or consideration of his manifold blessing they did long for the garlike onyons and leekes of Aegypt so gluttonous and rauenous were they Notwithstanding all this he cried vpon the Crosse Pater ignosce illis Then did Verrine cause this which ensueth to be adioyned vnto that letter that the day before hee did dictate vnto the blessed Virgin I protest by the assistance of God to obserue the good instructions which were giuen vnto me vpon the Vigile of S. Luke and wil reade them fiue times a day Obserue heere that Verrine said that they would proue fiue exorcismes more terrible vnto Belzebub then all those that were comprehended in bookes and added Cursed be your exorcismes After this he said that Magdalene was to say at least an hundred times a day if she could He who hath created and fashioned me haue mercie vpon me as one that well knew how vnworthie she was to name the name of God and to suffer for his loue or that Belzebub himselfe should remaine in her bodie since that her God did patiently beare the appellations of foole drunkard and possessed by Belzebub and that hee wrought wonders in the name of Belzebub But the good woman in the Gospel confessed that all which they obiected were lies and that hee wrought those wonders by a peculiar puissance of his own without borrowing the assistance of any creatures Afterward as they should haue communicated Magdalene was vpon the sudden strangely tempted by Belzebub But Verrine taking vpon him as her counsellor and admonisher did lay before her the imbecilitie of the Diuell and dismasked all his slights and subtilties And it happened that after Magdalene had receiued the holy Host in her mouth Belzebub made shew as if he would force her to spit it out vpoÌ„ the earth In which fact hee discouered that there was some enormous sin in Magdalene which was familiar only vnto those that knew the inward guilt of her conscience The same day in the euening Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised by Father Francis Billet and Verrine began to speake in this manner It is requisite first to passe the Altar of thornes and kniues before you come to the Altar of Crownes I tell you that Lucia was a poore woman and of such base condition to outward semblance that a man would not haue bestowed a farthing vpon her yet being betrothed she abandoned all for the loue of him who had redeemed her and in regard of him vnderualued all worldly things whatsoeuer So must all they whom he takes to wife they must forsake father mother brothers and all and onely set their affection on him who doth so wholly deserue it Hee will place them there where no person is able to sing the hymnes which they shall sing and they shall follow the Lambe wheresoeuer hee goeth to the great vexation of the Diuell and of all hell Magdalene doth not sing at all yet is she next vnto Mary for in loue she doth surmount Martha Martha is the next that singeth after the Mother of God she was hostes vnto him and lodged him in her house and next vnto the Mother of God was the principall Virgin Catherine of Sienna thou bearest a part in that song and thou Barbara and thou Lucia and thou Clara. Vrsula is a Queene and Catherine is another and thou Victoria hast also thy share in that melodie It is true I rage against those that liue chastly in their Monasteries but the Companie of Vrsula makes mee starke mad both by their Christian doctrine and by their holesome instructions and the exceeding great labour which they take for the good of their neighbours maketh hell it selfe to bee swallowed vp in despaire I doe not speake this to puffe them vp let them be as humble as they will but the truth is that all the diuels doe straine their vttermost subtilties to worke their finall extermination God is desirous to haue them proued cursed be my words they will cost me ful deare Mary why shouldest thou so affectionatly loue them wherein haue they been seruiceable vnto thee Wee haue sisted them all by temptation to breede in them a longing to
aduise them thereunto Ioannes Euangelista was the great friend of God and Maryes gardian for her chastitie Stephanus cursed may'st thou be I must trumpet foorth thy charity in praying for those that stoned thee O Pernardus thou art Maries darling and thou Dominicke thou Stanislaus also though few take notice of thee Pâ—ulus thou wert a sinner and persecutor of the Christians but afterwards diddest become a great Preacher of vertues Anthonius of Padua through thy humilitie and for thy other vertues thou art now in Paradise By thy obedience O Abraham thou art the Father of beleeuers Dauid is the glasse of repentance wherein sinners may behold themselues and how they are to returne vnto their God Tu Petrus thou hast denied thy Maister Accursed Peter thou hast cost me deere O Peter by thy example those that haue denied God will learne to be conuerted William the Hermite was a great sinner yet by his repentance he found mercie Some go to heauen through repentance others through innocence Mary is in Paradise for her innocence Magdalene for her repentance Lewes King of Fraunce is the Patron of Kings It is the good pleasure of God that men of all conditions should be saued Hee hath made election of Emperours and also of the basest sort of people of Shooe-makers and of Husband-men Crispinian was a Cobler Athanasius a Labouring-man yet was hee at length chosen to be a Bishop There are of all sorts in Heauen to our confusion be it spoken to the end that none might haue any pretension for excuse God placeth those in Paradise which loue his Commandements and keepe them and doe not quench in themselues his good inspirations Hee sets them at his table He causeth them to eate of his bread and drinke of his wine He doth not as the men of this world doe vse their seruants as if they were slaues Nay there bee diuers that doe a great deale worse who cherish and make much of their dogges but doe euill entreate their seruants Then he said that hee should not be abashed if God would elect Princes and not men of base condition yea we could be contented to haue patience that he should chuse men but that women should bee gadding to Paradise that is it that maddeth vs. Cunigonda was an Empresse and is in Paradise so is Catherine of Alexandria and eleuen thousand Virgines went in one day to Paradise besides men which are not numbred Margaret of Hungary was a Queene shee entred into a Monastery and became so humble that shee would not be called the daughter of a King but of a Citizen Cursed be her humility for which we haue payd so deere To this Belzebub replied Amen Then Verrine continuing on his discourse said Barbara was beheaded by her owne Father and presently the Diuell slew him vpon the place The earth and Paradise are two Countries very distinct and different heere those that are most rich goe formost in Paradise those that are most good most humble and most obedient Marie was a poore Chamber-maid and the Chamber-maid of a Paynim yet is shee now espoused vnto the King of glory and as great as Cunigunda Margaret of Scotland was a married woman and yet shee went to Heauen Codelana also was a married woman whose husband strangled her and afterwards caused her to be throwne into a pit Elizabeth was the Queene Dowager of Hungary and in her great humility betooke her selfe to be the Mistresse of an Hospitall Notwithstanding we could let passe all this with patience but wee cannot chuse but bee enraged at those that haue committed folly and were great sinners as were Pelagia Thais and Magdalene which we speake without any preiudice to them or their glorie it doth rather conduce with the glorie of God and his bounteousnesse that he would vouchsafe to take them into blisse who did a thousand times deserue Hell They that will not beleeue what is here spoken will say that these two here be women and haue had their lesson giuen vnto them by which meanes these discourses will not proue vse-full vnto them which doth put vs in great comfort A Preacher is often wearied in preaching of one Sermon and I haue already made fifteene discourses by the mouth of this woman here meaning Louyse and haue sometimes made two or three in a day of greater extent and length then Preachers in their Aduents Cursed be thy force and cursed be him that hath bestowed it vpon thee Belzebub at this discourse cried out O power Then Verrine said it is the force which God giueth her How strange is it that Diuels should preach the Commandements of God and his Counsels and should teach the religious Clergie men Priests and Seculars and all sorts of people I tell you here are viands for all people to eate Eate he that will There are not a few of vs who are not well pleased with the sauce but would rather chuse the sauce of Hell You shall finde Notaries that for a matter of fiue sous will Register the Acts false and breake their oathes The Diuels are more faithfull vnto their Maister then you men are When the Diuels haue once sworne according to the purpose of God and his Church being thus adiured vnto the truth they want ability to lye Men haue their free-will if they doe ill they doe goe forth-with to hell if good they are straight admitted into heauen But the Diuell is meerely constrained to speake the truth when God would haue it so they haue no free-will to doe that which is good but are enforced accursed Fiends as they are to deliuer a truth Otherwise to what purpose scrueth the authority of the Church if oathes haue no tye or power or to what end are these bookes of Exorcisines published For they that denie this must denie the authoritie of the Church and those that haue composed and allowed the said bookes They must further say that there was neuer any dispossessed after the taking of an oath But they plunge into a gulfe from whence they can neuer issue out and either they must make search and inquisition after the curious persons that are in hell to make explanation of their curiosities or after the Saints in heauen to cause them to say that all their writings are nothing worth And so by a consequence they wil come to deny the Church and so stand defiled with the infectious opinions of the Caluinists How wonderfull is this that Diuels should preach of good intention pure affection puritie of conscience simplicitie humilitie and resignation of the world and teach men not to reserue the least loue of themselues as also to shew the meanes toward the attainment of Paradise and to discourse of chastitie and pouertie The Diuels will be a meanes of the reformation of many Monasteries the Diuels will yeeld more furtherance hereunto then their Bishops Abbots or Prelates are able to their great griefe doe they reueale it This must be the meanes
thirst with that water which God gaue vnto her when he was so weary as she also gaue him to drinke when she was conuerted Our Lord was so exceedingly thirstie that being fixed to the tree of the Crosse he cried I thirst that is to say after the saluation of soules especially of obstinate soules such as thine is and God from all eternitie hath foreseene this miracle Be conuerted be conuerted be conuerted vnto me saith Iesus Christ to all trangressing and sin-burthened soules for I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should liue and bee conuerted that God might take mercie vpon him Take heede how thou check and giue impeachment to the words contained in this letter and how thou doest slight and disesteemest the same Thinke thy selfe vnworthie yea most vnworthie of that solicitude and care which God of his great goodnesse hath of thy soule Hee hath said it that hee came not for the iust but for sinners and by how much the greater their transgressions are by so much the more will the glory of God bee magnified and the greater will the compensation bee which they shall receiue at Gods hands if there doe precede a great contrition that they haue offended him Beware of the temptations and subtilties of Lucifer Belzebub Leuiathan Balberith Asmodee and Asteroth who doe slily drop their temptations into thee But as thou diddest not feare to renounce thy God thy Baptisme and part in Paradise so bee not thou affraid seriously to renounce Lucifer and all the aboue named Princes and that portion which is prepared for thee in the depth of the lowest Hell according to thy demerits Doe not saile to come hither for vpon thy comming all Hell will fall into despaire and the Diuels will be put to their last shifts and subtilties Behold the seales of those that haue seene this miracle and haue beene present when Louyse Capeau was exorcised and when one of the Diuels named Verrine began to cry as loud as hee could that hee was constrained from the liuing God to say that Lewes Gaufridy whose aboad is at Accoules neere the Palace is a Magician and hath said and sworne that whatsoeuer he hath spoken is true to the glory of God and saluation of soules The oath was taken vpon the blessed Sacrament with great solemnitie according to the meaning of God and his Church and of the Priest that did exorcise him And also the vnder signed witnesses doe promise all in generall that is the said Lewes be conuerted priuatly in S. Banme they will silence his sinnes as if they were his Confessours It was signed after this manner I Paschalis vnworthie Priest haue seene and vnderstood the oath that is within written and am thereof an eye-witnesse I Geraud vnworthy Priest yea the most vnworthie of all haue seene and vnderstood the oath that is within written and am thereof an eye-witnesse I Peter Michaelis vnworthy haue seene and vnderstood the oath that is within written and am thereof an eye-witnesse I Denis Guillemini Prior of Romoules most vnworthie haue seene and vnderstood the oath that is within written and am thereof an eye-witnesse I Balthazar Charuaz haue seene and vnderstood the oath that is within written and am thereof an eye-witnesse Then did hee dictate the manner how the said witnesses who did voluntarily tender themselues to carrie the saide letter were to proceede in the execution of this Information in manner as followeth To remember that if they came late they should goe to the Capuchins and should giue the letter to the Father Gouernour together with the three that hee would chuse to conferre with Lewes and they all should bee present at the reading of the letter and should first heare Masse although it were before day and should receiue the Communion to this purpose and the Capuchins should make themselues ready to seeke him out as soone as it was day and should cause a Masse to be said for a soule that had great neede thereof And if they shall finde him well disposed to renounce Magicians with all due ceremonie and solemnitie as the Church hath commanded and to returne to his God the Capuchins are then to bring them to their Church and to examine him that all may bee by him performed that is requisite to draw him from the hands of the Diuell and to reseate him in the grace of his God And in this case it shall not neede to bring him hither vnlesse it be afterwards to giue thankes vnto God to his and Mary Magdalenes glory and to the further honour and reputation of Saint Baume And if he be conuerted then those that goe thither are to tarry there two or three dayes if there bee occasion for the same and shall make knowne vnto him many particulars which they haue obserued from these Exorcismes and shall speake of the ingratitude of obstinate soules vnto God to their euerlasting perdition and to the confusion of Diuels and all Hell As also how one of the seruants of Belzebub was forced to cry out O the great mercy O the great mercy O the great mercy of God! men are vngratefull and notwithstanding all their ingratitude and renunciation of God he doth yet take them into fauour without any exprobration of their faults against them Also how the said seruant of Belzebub did out-braue Lucifer and adiured Belzebub treading him vnder his feete and commanding the whole Assembly to set their feete vpon his head and how he was contented to assubiect himselfe to whatsoeuer was commanded him by his owne slaue meaning Verrine and how that if Verrine had beene capable to be prayed for they would haue made intercessions for him But they being not to doe this for him because his place was determinatly set downe to be in Hell God commanded him to say vnto them that they should rather haue compassion of this soule that had a capacitie to bee conuerted and should pray to God for him Among other Memorials touching Lewis the Priest there was this ensuing aduertisement set downe That they should chuse three of the most auncient learned and able Capuchins that the Father the Gouernour could make election of who were to goe to the house of Madame Blanquart and to cause Lewis to come along with him and that those who were to goe to enquire after him should disclose nothing to Madame Blanquart but should onely say that they were come about an affaire of importance and that she should rest satisfied with this generality There were then fiue of them that were to goe from hence who with the three Capuchins should make eight and Lewis himselfe the ninth and thereupon they should tell him that the nine quires of Angels would reioyce at his conuersion and that he should turne home if he were wife being now detected by the prouidence of God After this did he dictate another letter to the Superiour of the Capuchins of the Couent at
sinnes of those that are damned in hell If Iudas had been penitent if Cain had craued pardon if Adam had not stood vpon his iustifications and excuses God would haue forgiuen them of such vnspeakable goodnesse is the God of the Christians and so wel doth humility please accord with him The God of the Turks and the Gods of the Gentiles are all Deuils there is but one God one Church one Baptisme The God of the Christians is the true God the Baptisme of the Christians is the true Baptisme the Church of the Christians is the true Church The Baptisme of Turks or Iews is of no auaile for the soule The Christian shall say In te Domine speraui and shall neuer perish It is true Magdalen thy life shall be written and described from the first three yeeres of thy age and Louyse shal endure much sorrow and afterwards dye in paine but the end crowneth the worke Thinke not Magdalen that thy God will come to thee and take thee by the hand No no hee will not descend in his humanity for such a purpose Where is thy Credo Magdalen thou must now beleeue Magdalen dost thou looke for miracles as many others doe To this Belzebub said I haue nothing to doe with that Credo Verrine replyed Ha wicked spirit it was not for thy sake I spake it Magdalen shall be conuerted in despite of Lucifer and of all hell besides I am true of my word Belzebub answered No no she shall be mine she shall be damned for the gate of mercy is shut against her Then said Verrine It is not so her will to doe wel wil proue acceptable and pleasing and thou saist this accursed as thou art to plunge her into dispaire But the â—ust shall say In te Domine speraui and shall finde the gates of Paradise opened vnto them as witnesseth S. Augustine The Church shal examine this whole tract wherein is nothing contained either against God or his Church â— hereshal many be illuminated he that shall diue into the botome of the sacke shall easily approoue the same the curious and proud shall haue their abode in the pit of hell and shall not haue the power to beleeue Then hee said Carreau cannot fill thy hart Magdalen thy part is set triangle-wise and the blessed Trinity is to replenishe and comfort the same The same day Verrine told Magdalen roundly and rigourously of her faults being in her chamber and spake vnto her in this sort Magdalen if thou resolue not vpon thy conuersion between this and Christmas thou shalt bee euerlastingly damned and burnt aliue and shalt not for all this escape our hands as none haue euer scaped vs these hundreth ninty nine yeeres because wee made them all to dispaire This indeed will bee the Magicians confusion but shall leaue no touch or taint vpon the company of S. Vrsula the company of the Christian doctrine or vpon thy father whom I haue pronounced innocent though Belzebub tooke a false oath against him saying that thy father had giuen thee vnto him which was false for thou of thy owne accord and from a full and franke will diddest giue thy selfe to Lucifer and to all his adherents renouncing God the blessed Trinity and Paradise renouncing all the merits of the Passion of Christ Iesus all the prayers of the sacred mother of God and of all Angels and Saints taking and chusing hell accepting the same as thy last and euerlasting habitation saying that thou hadst rather liue in this world in all varieties of delights and villanies then to serue God thy Creator and thy Redeemer Iesus Christ promising Belzebub to bee obedient vnto all his commands and that thou diddest giue him with all thy heart thy body and soule with the powers thereof reseruing nothing to thy selfe but hell which those that are culpapable of the like abominations doe deserue if they remaine and dye in their sinnes making a schedule written in thy bloud by thine owne hand and giuing it to Belzebub which afterwards the Magicians got into their custody It is true she did not enter into these infernall courses her self but was induced and by allurements drawne vnto it by the theeues of her soule But Lodouicus seeing that dreadfull wolfe of hell to approch left this silâ—ie sheepe to be seazed by him yea intised her into the clawes of rauenous wolues which are the Diuels of hell Shee was young which will bee a good plea for her because God is accustomed to compassionate youth witnesse the prodigall child who left his fathers house as Magdalene hath done and fed with hogs as she did Yet did he not die in his obstinacie but acknowledged his fault and prostrated himselfe at the feete of his father in great humilitie So if Magdalene shall cast her selfe at the feete of the mercie of her God and shall knock at his gate that father of pitie will commaund her to be let in and will bid the fat calfe to be killed he will also cause new garments to be fetched and cast vpon her which signifieth a good conscience and repentance and will put a ring on her finger to declare the faith and trust she ought to giue to the words of her father and how grateful she should be in her acknowledgements of his benefits Then is shee to â—o say Father father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and am no more worthie to be esteemed thine intreate me as one of your hirelings although most vnworthie of such a place as that Thus should Magdalene humble her self and should say approaching to the seate of his mercie Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee against thy blessed Mother against the whole Court of heauen and against all thy creatures I am therefore vnworthie to bee called your daughter nay your slaue nay I am not worthie to lift vp mine eyes to heauen but take mee vnto your mercie if it stand with your good pleasure who am the most wretched and disconsolate creature that liues vnder the heauen or vpon the earth Then he added further Magdalene be conuerted and abandon thy sinnes thou hast been hitherto gently led on in calmenesse and in softnesse thou hast been priuilie reproued by secret inspirations by preaching by reading of good bookes by many spirituall instructions which haue from time to time been infused into thee as well in the house of S. Vrsula as by the fathers the Confessors and other learned and illuminated personages who haue giuen them vnto thee both for thy practise and for a remedie against thy aduersaries He further said Magdalene being rebelliously bent against her God and the admonitioÌ„s of his Spouse the Church and God seeing her perdition so neere and her selfe so obstinate in her sinnes and hauing by all the aboue-named remedies profited nothing hath permitted that an vnworthie yea thrice-vnworthie sister of the Companie of S. Vrsula Louyse Capelle who of her selfe is lesse
of your selues and the paines of that other world as a malefactor would doe that waiteth hourely for the sentence of his death I tell you that this expectation is many times more grieuous then the torment it selfe and doth oft preuent punishment by hastening on of death Say vnto your soule Soule remember thy worth and consider how God hath created thee capable of eternal blisse How expedient then is it that thou walke in the commandements of thy God and that the Bride should be obseruant of her Spouse Al that thou canst performe is not able to ballance the least of his mercies yea hee should shew compassion towards thee in punishing thee with the tortures of hell You that goe to Church to heare Masse are to say Soule whether goest thou Thou goest to receiue either thy saluation or damnation I doe not say said Verrine that sinners offend God afresh in going to heare Masse but I affirme that they are like vnto those who when a shower of raine falleth stop all the spouts and conduit-pipes of their cisterne for feare left the water should be conueied into it If those are not watered with the dew of Gods grace the Priest is no cause thereof but they themselues whose heart is fashioned out of stone not composed of earth which is apt to bring foorth fruit Say further Soule let vs goe and craue pardon of God for being a wretched malefactor and worthie of condemnation it is reason the soule should prostrate it selfe and implore his mercie Yet fareth it not with sinners as with malefactors who appeale vnto the Court and Counsell of the King at Paris for oftentimes notwithstanding their delaies and paines they loose their life and the first sentence of death is ratified against them But your God doth inuite you vnto him saying Come vnto me and I will refresh you aske and I will giue you Notwithstanding the requests which you present vnto me must be of vertues and of spiritual blessings which concerne the saluation of your soules not of earthly goods or of riches or of knowledge or of any curiositie whatsoeuer Search after the light of your soules for God doth communicate it to all the world to rich and poore to noble and to men of base condition Your memorie resembleth the eternall Father your vnderstanding the Sonne your will the holy Ghost and all your soule the sacred Trinitie The Father saith vnto you call to mind the benefits which I haue diuided amongst you the Sonne saith in these benefits which you haue receiued from your God contemplate his power and his mercie his wisedome and his iustice the holy Ghost pusheth you on to the feare and loue of your God The memorie the vnderstanding and the wil are three things and yet but one thing the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are three persons and yet but one God When you heare Masse enter you into a deepe meditation and say thus vnto your selues Infinit God and Saint of Saints I do not know but this may be the last Masse that euer I shall heare for you are to take a strict account of your conscience as if your last houre were pronounced against you since that death doth threaten you all at all times and in all places But alas what man thinketh vpon these things the Angels tremble before the Maiesty of God and the malefactors are lulled asleepe in their stupide repose and securitie the first borne do honour their Creator with all awfull reuerence and the seruants go on in their vneuen courses without any feare at all Then he cried vnto God saying of a truth thou art the God of might and puissance and makest thy selfe to bee obeyed by men and Angels yea by the Diuels themselues as it plainely appeareth at this instant Herein thy Omnipotencie doth make full declaration of it selfe and amazeth the world with this new wonder for O great God thou doest not esteeme the wisdome of this world but al they that humble themselues shall participate of thy light and those that are puffed vp shall remaine obstinate in their pride You should demand three things from your God before all things else whatsoeuer first the glory of heauen then whatsoeuer appertaineth to your saluation and thirdly the good of your neighbour You are also to beg of your Creator in humility of spirit that hee will make you prosper and grow by the dew of his grace and this you are to doe as malefactors vpon your knees with an halter about your necke and must say My God and my Lord grant me thy light to consider confesse my sins implant within me a penitent and broken heart that I may bewaile my offences and haue my sinnes in detestation that so I may bee accounted worthy to receiue absolution from the Priest If thy body may stand thy brother instead to saue his soule doe not delay to bestow it vpon him or if his body haue need of sustentation by thy goods thou art not to deny them vnto him for it is not the will of God that you should giue a soule for a soule or a body for body or goods for goods but that you should preferre the saluation of a soule before the life and the life before goods and worldly possessions not that you should alwaies be tied vnto this but that hee who putteth it in practise doth doe the will of God for God hath said thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but how few are there that doe this Then he cried out and alleaging an example answerable vnto what he formerly spake he said Ha Thomas thou wert not ignorant of the death of thy master thou knewest well that hee was to rise againe yet diddest thou say except I touch the prints of the nailes and put my hand into his side I will not beleeue I doe not speake this to disgrace thee but I say that if thou haddest beene more pregnant to beleeue thy Sauiour had not reproued thee neither shouldest thou as afterward thou diddest haue had experience of thy frailty yet wert thou named in the roll of the Apostles as well as the rest and diddest afterward constantly suffer death in confirmation of that truth whereof thou haddest formerly doubted God pardoned Dauid that you might know he hath power to remit sinnes hee did eate with the Publican to declare that hee came not meerely for the iust nay I say further that your God doth make narrower search and inquisition after the lost sheepe which is the sinfull soule then after that soule that standeth in her sanctity and innocency O great God thou art that true shepheard who hath laid downe his life for the saluation of his wandring flocke thou hast searched and at last found thy sheepe which stragled away from the pasturage of their shepheard The same day Magdalene said that there came a certaine Diuell from abrode to speake with Carreau who was one of those that resided in her body saying come
of God towards him almost in these very words Certainly Lewes thou art an hypocrite and a Pharisie and vnder the shew of piety thou hast heaped vp such a multitude of transgressions and other damnable sacrileges that they are not to bee numbred Of a truth Lewes thou dost out-strip all magicians in malice and impiety and art the chiefe of all their sabbaths and assemblies Of a truth Lewes the Diuels are of opinion that hell it selfe will not bee sufficient to afford punishments for thee proportionable vnto thy villanies I tell thee Lewes they will protest against God if thou bee not conuerted will beg of him that he would make Hell six times more horrid and terrible then it is that thou mightest be tormented there for euermore Of a truth Lewes Cain and Iudas shall bee adiudged innocents in comparison of thee for Christ Iesus had not as then shed his blood for them as he hath done for thee I tel thee Lewes thy abominations are of that heighth vnsufferable presumption that God himselfe would bewaile thy wretched estate if hee were capable of teares and euery one would willingly bring a fagot to burne thee and would say Iust God make this impious villaine to liue a thousand times and so many times to suffer death yet is it a certaine truth Lewes that this good God is ready to die againe for thee and would if need were come now downe from heauen and suffer himselfe to be crucified on this Crosse. Besides the blessed mother of God and all the Saints doe of pure pitty plead thy cause I tell thee truth Lewes not that they haue any need of thee but that thou mayest bring backe those soules which thou hast led into perdition Of a truth Lewes God hath sent his messengers and guard vnto thee and they haue cast the rod of their power into thy house Nay I say more vnreasonable creatures would beg mercy for thee at Gods hands if they were endowed with reason What I deliuer is most true for nothing is impossible to God who is able to make a Diuell of an Angell and a Saint of a sinner The same day in the euening father Francis Billet did exorcise at the beginning whereof Magdalene moued all the assembly to commiserate her case by reason of the deepe and extraordinary sighs which shee pitifully breathed forth whiles the Diuels were inwardly torturing her And Verrine said you that hope for a future reward see you obey your God and you that are already Saints with him in heauen and haue now the full fruition of grace and eternall glory as the end and vp-shot of your labours bee you also plentifull in your duty and obedience towards him But I damned wretch as I am expect no recompence of my paines and trauell The Acts of the 24. of December being Christmas-Eve THis day in the morning the Dominican Father did exorcise and Verrine discoursed in these words Gods pleasure is that all men vnderstand that the Diuels themselues doe obey him and tremble before him I tell you God was wearied with your impieties and therefore leaped downe from Heauen to earth in the wombe of his blessed Mother that hee might redresse them Blessed Mother of God thy Sonne was impatient to be inclosed vp so long in thy flesh not for that he deprehended in thee any thing which might distast him but because his desire was to come into the world and to yssue foorth from thy holy prison with all the speed hee might to giue light vnto the world that remained darke and to make his brightnes communicable vnto his creatures Of a truth Mary thou art the Moone and thy Sonne the Sunne of this world the Saints are also the starres that shine in the same And therefore was this Sunne sent by the celestiall Father not onely to illuminate and deriue part of his light to the Moone and Starres but to giue light vnto euery man that commeth into the world which illumination could not spread it selfe ouer the earth vnlesse he had manifested himselfe to the earth by his natiuity Wonder not that I haue often said that this was a worke of admiration for Kings haue their Pallaces and bedds furnished euen to prodigality but good God thou couldest scarce finde a place to bee borne yet mightest thou haue built for thy selfe a Paris or haue chosen the cittie of Rome in her greatnes or haue caused some Royall Palace to bee prepared for thee for thou art wisedome and goodnes it selfe and hast created heauen and earth of nothing Neuerthelesse though the guide and prouidence of all things depend of thee yet wouldest thou not make choise of eminent and magnificent places for thy Natiuitie nor of Queenes and Princesses that might be assistant vnto thy Mother in the time of her t anell Great God thou art more powerfull then all the great ones of the earth and yet how il doe thy creatures demeane themselues towards thee Ioseph thou diddest doubt at first the veritie of these things but wert afterwards fully satisfied that the Mother of God was a Virgin before her deliuery at her deliuery and after her deliuery Thus doe many now question this very miracle which God hath wrought among you to wit that the Diuell should tell the truth but so is the wil of the most Highest who by his meanes would renue the league and amitie which is betweene his loue and his creatures O blessed Mother of God thy Sonne is the true God begotten of his Father Let it enter into thy consideration how choise and exquisite a Mansion did so mighty a Father prouide for this onely and welbeloued Sonne in whom he was so well pleased and thinke with thy selfe what presentments did thy deare Sonne prepare to offer vnto thee as his Mother Blessed Spirit where was the goodly beds with all the rich and pompous furniture which thou diddest prouide for thy Spouse Where were thy easie Litters to carry her Where were the Caroches Where were the horses There was but an Oxe and an Asse there present for other liuing creatures are too proud to be witnesses to such humility I say that God refused those creatures that were proud as is the horse he reiected the Lyons who figure vnto vs arrogancy he cared not for Mules who are the Hieroglyphicks of malice hee was onely contented that the Oxe and the Asse should be present who are beasts full of simplicity and deuoid of maliciousnesse The Asse pointeth out vnto vs the body the Oxe the vnderstanding so as when the Asse and Oxe doe draw together they doe beare the yoake of the Lord. The Angels were there the Princes Lords and Courtiers which is euidently declared vnto vs by that melodious song Gloria in excelsis Deo Thou Francis couldest well haue distinguished the difference betweene the musick of this world and such celestiall harmony for thou diddest so well apprehend the sweetnes of that heauenly Instrument
thou the master of Pride and doest thou now slinke away in this sort Thou art he that doest suggest vnto the Nobility What sir will you yeeld to him you are noble and of an ancient stock why will you abase your selfe before a fellow of such cheapenesse You must not doe it it doth detract from your nobility Miserable Belzebub was it not thou that wouldest haue throwne God from his seate of Maiesty How art thou now abased hauing nothing to reply and being swallowed vp in shame and confusion And thou Leuiathan the Arch-Doctor of Hereticks art thou not hee that bestowest vpon them the apparance and shew of light But thy light is nothing else but darknesse for no man can giue that which hee hath not Thou bringest an itch vpon the curious to dispute of this place and of that place of Scripture because it is not interpreted as it ought to bee and seing them to bee proud beyond measure thou diddest by this course hinder them from humbling themselues I tell thee that the proud and curious shall not enter into Paradise vnlesse they become humble and lay aside their curiosity What answerest thou vnto this thou art a iolly doctor and very pregnant in replyes but I see thou hast litle to say for thy selfe and giuest sufficient proofe of thy insufficiency There bee heere very able men that would gladly heare thee argue but it appeareth that thou art confounded as much as thy companion And thou Balberith that doest secreetly whisper in the eares of Gentle-men and doest tell them that what they loue in their hart they should ofteÌ„times vse in their mouth and by this meanes thou makest them to deny and foresweare God from the head to the soale of the foote Thou doest also suggest vnto them what sir doe you not meane to defend your reputation Can you endure such an affront Remember such and such speaches and how he thus and thus belyed you hee is a base fellow and in an vnder-ranke vnto you I tel you you must reuenge yourselfe vpon him and call him into single combate Thus though they be forbidden by God excommunicated by the Church and prohibited by the Kings Edicts yet are they transported beyond their temper and reason and doe desire nothing but to come to blowes neither lyeth it in the power of man to giue preuention vnto these mischances Then Verrine iested at Asmodee and said and thou accursed fiend doest perswade yong folke that it is no sinne to offend God and so doest spread a vaile over their eies that they cannot haue the light to bee their guide but are forced to stumble in the darke And thou Astaroth master of the slouthfull be thou their speaker defend thy cause for thou art a powerfull Prince and doest excuse no man Kings and Clergy men are allured by thy blandishments and thou hast accesse euery-where euen when the gates and windowes of mens hearts are locked vp And thou Carreau art he that maintainest that Lazarus could not be raised vp to life by Lazarus meaning the obstinate sinner but I doe hold it as a truth that he may bee raised againe not of himselfe but by the assistance of the Church and of God who said Lazare veniforas and so commanded the stone to be taken away Hee it is that is able without paine vnto him to doe whatsoeuer seemeth pleasing in his sight I affirme that God is able to take away the stone from the heart of an vnrepenting sinner but hee must confesse himselfe receiue absolution from the Priest according vnto that authority which God hath giuen vnto his Church and in this manner is the dead raised vp to life Then he said hee that wants charity is not truely noble for true nobility commeth from aboue All the Citizens of heauen did reioyce at the birth of the Sonne of God neither is there any difference there put betweene the soule of a King and of a begger if it stand in the state of grace Vnto you a child is borne and to you a son is giuen he is both a King a Iudge yet but litle in his natiuity that it might be published vnto all how tractable he is and how easie to be appeased euen with an apple The apple signifieth the soule with the three powers thereof the Memory pointeth out vnto vs the Father the Vnderstanding the Son and the Will the holy Ghost Dâ—dicate and bequeath your thoughts your desires and your workes to this Childe whereby you shall also offer vp vnto him the odour sweetnesse and bewty of this apple this is the present that will appease and still him and for this cause was hee made contemptible that you might bee bold to tender the same vnto him He is co-eternal with his Father which Marie and none but shee did at the first vnderstand yet had he not where to lay his head giue therefore now vnto him the stone of your heart that hee may make a pillow of the same whereupon to repose himselfe If the deceased King of glorious memory should haue giuen his Sonne the Dauphin vnto you it is to be conceiued that you would haue receiued him with great ioy and applause the celestiall Father hath giuen vnto you the Dauphin of heauen equall to himselfe in Maiesty the Kings of the East came from a farre to seeke after him and to worship him and doth it not become you to adore him in like manner The time is at hand that God will fill the voide seates of heauen that great day of the Lord approacheth wherein hee will place you in Paradise for euermore Then Verrine said I Verrine doe renounce c. as is before mentioned at midnight Masse After that he inuited againe all creatures to praise God for his vnexpresseable bounty and infinite mercy as is afore written When he had finished his abiurations Gresill followed with the like and last of all Sonneillon did the same who further added Almighty God mai'st thou be pleased to create a thousand hells anew for all those that will not be conuerted giue vnto them a thousand liues and as many as there bee starres in the firmament for all this is very possible vnto thee that they may suffer as many seuerall deaths as they had seueral liues bestowed vpon them The same day in the euening the two possessed women were exorcised by Father Francis Billet Priest of the Doctrine and Verrine began to discourse thus The heate of hell is not more vnsupportable vnto mee then are thy Exorcismes and would God I had beene dease when I was first exorcised Then he said Belzebub thou tormentest Magdalene yet let it not trouble thee Magdalene for it is now our custome to doe thus because wee were guided neither by reason nor counsell The Exorcist said vnto him Recede maledicte who answered him in latine Non est tempus And when the Exorcist said Angeli decantanerunt Gloria Verrine spake these
the proueth hath it they that neglect to doe good are at length oâ—ertaken with euill and hee who doth not chuse Christ Iesus for his host shall haue the Diuell to be his companion Christ Iesus is the good sheep-heard that leadeth his sheepe into pastures fatned by his body and blood hee is a sheepe-heard and a lambe together and was offered vp as a sacrifice for your sinnes giue him the staffe of your will and leaue the guide and gouernement of your selues vnto him for he will preserue you from the fury of rauening wolues Cursed be the sheepe that doth not suffer it selfe to be guided by him it doth well deserue to be deuoured The sheepe doth graze and chew the cudde so saith Christ Iesus must you take and eate not flesh that is dead but the liuing and celestiall foode of his body there is no dainty in the world comparable to this viande Paul in his extasie of spirit had an essay thereof so had also some others after him yet is there stil plenty of this food and the treasure of Gods mercies is so infinite that the Seraphins themselues cannot found the depth or know the end of his riches for they doe euer see new and vndiscouered perfections in God maruell not therefore if hee bestow a new rePsent vpon his Church Then he turned to the image of S. Magdalene and said O Magdalene thou wer 't abiding in this Baume where thou diddest repent neither is it lawfull for any man to enter into the litle caue where thou diddest lye but vpon his bare feete and I Verrine am of opinion that God will hardly giue way to a man hardened in his sin to passe into that sacred place God spake to Moses from the â—iery bush Put off thy shooes for the place whereon thou treadest is holy ground and I also affirme that this place is no lesse sacred then that because the Sacrament resteth here which is the Saint of Saints and Christ Iesus himselfe in his diuinity humanity came downe from heauen to visite Magdalene in this Baume Consider therefore seriouslie you that approach vnto the Communion how pretious a foode it is which is administred vnto you to the seruing in of which the Angels themselues are assistant as the seruants and pages of God O Marie sacred mother of God thou wer 't the first that diddest taste of this meate and wer ' more familiar there withal then any other creature whatsoeuer for thou diddest humble thy selfe at the comming and salutation of the Angell and diddest repute thy selfe vnworthy to be the seruant of seruants of the Lord. It is the custome of God where hee bestowes other vertues to circle them in all with perfect humility to the end that the soule bee not stayned with the spots or pollutions of ingratitude but may acknowledge those benefits which it hath receaued For the grace of God is a waight by which a man sinketh into the gulfe of his nothing and is drawne vp againe on high to make a coniunction and concurrence of the creatures will to the good pleasure of the Creator by this meanes also doth he vnderstand how slauish and fearefull his condition were if that God did not wing and protect him from all danger Mary thou art shee that like a waight diddest draw downe thy Sonne from heauen to earth not for thy owne sake alone but for all other distressed sinners so that he who will enioy euerlasting life must haue recourse vnto thee God indeed is that fertile cloud from whence all vertues drop downe vpon men Thy sonne doth indeed present his wounds before his father and thou art a remembrancer vnto thy sonne of all the seruices and offices which thou hast done vnto him not by way of ostentation but out of loue and to the end thou maiest obtaine mercy and forgiuenesse for comfortlesse sinners Whilest thou liued'st in this world thou wer 't fired with zeale and charity how much more now when thou art so neere vnto the furnace of loue and the fountaine of mercy Then hee said Lewes hath committed an infinite number of sacrileges against God and hath caused a thousand and a thousand persons to deny their Sauiour but God is desirous to expect a litle longer the euent of things Magick is the most pernitious and diabolicall art that may be France hath taken a strong spreading infection of the same and at Paris the schooles of Magick are more frequented then the diuinity lectures in Auignon God hath oftentimes offered himselfe and as it were way-laid the soule of Lewes sometimes by preaching and sometimes by other inspirations but he would not giue him a drop of drinke Belzebub drew him on to practise Magick and inchantments the schedules are now in his hand he hath been the occasion that many haue died very strange and sudden deathes and although God doth labour his conuersion yet doth hee thrust away and reiect the same All that which hath beene aboue spoken began vpon the day of the conception of the Virgine in the very place of pennance to figure out vnto you that you are first to receiue into your embracements repentance represented vnto you in Mary Magdalene and then innocence pointed out by Mary the mother of God When hee had thus said hee tooke his oath as hee was accustomed The same day in the euening were these two possessed women Exorcised whereupon Belzebub said I am assured that about this time they hold their synod and assembly will he relinquish this charge to come hither I must goe see Then Asmodee issued forth to giue aduertisement vnto the Magicians and witches as he said The same time which was about nine of the clocke at night father Michaelis came to S. Baume from Aix whence hee came with his companion father Anthony Boilletot and the master of the Chapter-house at Aix hauing finished his sermons for the Aduent Vpon whose arriuall there was inquiry made after Lewes for father Michaelis did imagine that Lewes was come because hee set forth from Aix the day before in the company of two Capuchin fathers but hee was not as then arriued The Acts of the 31. of December 1610. THis day in the morning were the two possessed women exorcised by father Domptius the Dominican and Verrine began to speake in this manner Blessed mother of God Veni Maria veni in adiutorium Lodouico Sancta Maria Magdalena veni in adiutorium Lodouico Sancte Ioannes Euangelista veni in adiutorium Lodouico Sancta Martha veni in adiutorium Lodouico Then he said Most sacred mother of God thou knowest those insupportable paines which thy Sonne suffered on the Crosse Verrine also did inuocate many other Saints that were assistant vnto Christ at his passion on mount Caluary Afterwards he added O sacred humanity I adiure and charge thee in the name of thy eternall father that thou offer thy wounds for Lewes I charge thee that thou present before him all the
omnium creatoris contumeliam iniuriam Quam ob causam Nos fratres Florus prouincius ordinis fratrum Praedicatorum sacrae Theologiae Doctor ac sanctae fidei in tota ista legutione Auenionensi Inquisitor generalis Dei timorem prae oculis habentes pro tribunali sedentes per hanc nostram sententiam diffinitiuam quam de Theologorum iurisperitorum consilio more maiorum in his fermus scripti Iesu Christi Domini noslri ac beatae Mariae Virginis nominibus pie inuocatis dicimus declaramus pronunciamus diffinitiue sententidmus vos omnes supra nominatos vest rum quemlibet fuisse esse veros Apostatas idololatras sanctissimae fidei defectores Dei omnipotentis abnegatores contemptores sodomiticos nefandissimi criminis reos adulteros fornicatores sortilegos maleficos sacrilegos haereticos fascinarios homicidas infanticidas daemonúmque cultores sathanicae diaebolicae atque infernalis disciplinae damnabilis ac reprobatae fidâ—i assertores blasphemos periuros infames omnium malorum facinorum delictorum conuictos fuisse Ideo vos omnes vestrúmque quemlibet tanquam sathanae membra hac nostra sententia curiae seculariremittimus realiter in effectu condignis legitimis poenis eorum peâ—uliari iudicio plectendos ANNOTATIONS VPON THE sentence giuen against the Witches Whether the Deuill may at any time visibly shew him selfe PEr vestram propriam confessionem c. infra c. Cacodaemone in humana specie existente c. It appeareth by the inditement that all both men and women do agree in this that the Deuill doth appeare vnto them in a humane shape but the meanes and occasions are diuers One of the women deposed that when she was vpon the losse of a daughter of hers who was a little before deceased very melancholicke and almost distracted there appeared vnto her a man clothed all in blacke about the age of 25. or 30. yeares saying I see good woman that you are in great distresse and much grieued yet if you will beleeue me I will shew you the meanes how you shall bee very happy Others depose that in the time of the great dearth when the poorer sort â—of people were constrained to eate wilde hearbes and to dry and seeth the dunge of horses and asses and when they had now no meanes left them to giue sustenance vnto their children a certaine man appeared to them all in blacke saluting them and speaking vnto them and being aged as it is aboue mentioned who laboured to draw them vnto him but the most of them do depose that at the first they would not condescend vnto his purpose but yeelded at the second or at the third time after that they had a little accustomed themselues thereunto From whence we are to learne how pleasing it is to God and how profitable vnto our owne soules to succour and giue sustenance vnto the poore in their necessities and disconsolation since that it is as much as to preserue or gaine them from the iawes of that great infernall Lyon so that it is not without cause that the workes of mercy shall bee particularly mentioned at the great day of Iudgement either to our saluation or to our condemnation For as Saint Iames saith whosoeuer shall turne a side a soule from the way of perdition he shall saue his owne soule and shall by this meanes couer a multitude of his sinnes Which the Apostles well knowing did ordaine as the first policie in the Church that there should be men deputed to helpe and minister vnto the poore and foâ—eseeing that in their time there would a great dearth happen they gaue order for a generall collection thorow all the Cities and townes where any Christians were thereby to succour and relieue the necessities of the poore in which worke Saint Paul did diligently imploy himselfe as appeareth by his Epistles and money was sent from all quarters as from Corinth Thessalonia and other Townes to Ierusalem and Iudea where there was little to be had by reason of the warres and the Garrisons which were set ouer them by the Romanes so that as it was said of their preaching In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum the same might be said of their almes In omnem terram exierunt elecmosynae eoâ—um By their example the first Christian Emperors and Princes as Constantine and others gaue large and goodly temporall possessions vnto the Church and built many Hospitals in so much that Iulian the Apostate could not deny but that it was religiously and piously done and there vpon gaue order that more Hospitals should be founded and plentifully endowed because he scorned as he said to bee in this particular out-stripped by Christians Those who with-hold the possessions of the Church and others that haue a conuenient estate where with all to liue in a plentifull and decent manner and do not releiue the poore are guilty of this crime for those necessitous persons who by reason of their pouerty haue vowed and dedicated themselues vnto the Deuil shall one day be presented before them because they haue receiued no succour from them On the other part poore people should consider that Christ Iesus himselfe the vndoubted sonne of God and King of glory was content to become poore in this world to teach vs that for his sake we are to endure what necessity so euer he shall be pleased to try vs with all especially since this pouerty is an instrument of our saluation and is daily perfecting vp a crowne of glory for vs enriched with all the treasures and pretious stones which a man can expresse or imagine Thus it happened vnto poore Lazarus who could not obtaine the crummes of bread which were cast to doggs vnder the table although he laboured what he could to get the same but putting his confidence in God and bearing his pouerty with patience he was after his death thought worthy to bee carried vnto God by the Angels of Paradise Christ Iesus himselfe had scarce a pillow whereon to rest his head and at his birth he was glad to haue a cratch for his cradle and was faine for his bed to vse straw and hay to be briefe as Saint Paul saith Cum diues esset egenus pro nobis factus est Concerning the visible apparition of the Diuell we are not to thinke so strangely of it especially in these dayes of which the prediction goeth soluetur sathanas He also appeared visibly vnto Eue and discoursed familiarly vnto her touching his assumption of an humane shape it cannot be denied but that he thus presented himselfe before Christ Iesus yea hee tooke stones and shewed them vnto him saying Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant As for the appearing of good Angels there is no difficulty to bee made hereof considering that euery where especially in the booke of Genesis there is mention made how Angels appeared vnto men in humane shapes and
confesseth himselfe 127 Abyron Dathan swallowed vp by the earth for their impieties 213 Accusation of Sorcerers 8 The acts of Adoration of Verrine 3.143.185 An Act of humility in Magdalene 149 Adoration of Verrine 3.143.185 Adiuration of Verrine 103.123 Adam driuen out of Paradise for his disobedience 133 Adams Repentance 115 Adam and what he did 44.217.246.106 Adoration of the Eucharist 26.33 Adoration of the Goat in the synagogue 302 Adoration of God by a Diuell in a miracle 89 An aduertizement vnto Monkes and Priests 133.144 An aduice to write that which the Diuell deliuered 30 An aduice giuen to Priests 104. and vnto religious persons 172. and generally vnto all men 192.238.274 The Age wherein we are to doe penance 237 Agnus dei is a lambe for true Christians but a roaring Lion for Diuels 24 Against such as addresse themselves to Witches 253 Allusion made by the Diuell touching the constraint which be suffereth in exorcismes 204 Saint Andrewes day appointed by the Diuels to carry away Magdalene 1.2 Angels of heauen and their force 36 Angels which are our guardians ought to bee worshipped and why 199 Angels and Saints are our aduocates 147 Angels are not able to sing at full the praises of God 136 Angels that were goodly creatures condemned to hell for their pride 181 Angels are waiters at the table of God 184 Answers of the diuels which were in the body of Louyse 2.3 Antichrist borne 260.268.269.299.305 Antichrist will cause himselfe to bee adored and the Kings of the earth shall serue him 267 Apostrophe vnto S. Magdalene 298 Apostrophe to the laity 145.274 Arriuall of Lewes to S. Baume 287 Arriuall of S. Magdalenes mother to S. Baume 13 Arriuall of Father Michaelis to S. Baume 283 Arriuall of Magdalene to S. Baumie 1 The Attributes giuen to diuine persons 46 Audience giuen to Magdalene 290 An Auie said for our enemies waighes more then a Pater for our friends 257 Authority of the Church 171 Authority of Priests 190 B Balberith is he that tempteth meÌ„ to blaspheme God 252 S. Baume ought to be reuerenced 226.281 Baptisme not regarded 123 Barbarous nations liue in darkenesse 123 The Bee ought to be proposed to our imitation 229 Beatitude not essentiall but accidentall may bee augmented 96 Belzebub tosseth Magdaleue from one side to another 21 Belzebub belloweth like a bull and casteth Magdalenes shooes at Louyse head 6 Belzebub maketh an out cry when he heard these words Ecce Ancilla domini 24 Belzebub sweareth that Louyse is possessed 294 Belzebub in speaking to another Diuell doth imitate the Exorcist 66 Belzebub humbled and troden vnder feete 86.124 Belzebub complaineth to God of his too great mercy 62.63.73.74 S. Bernard a great familiar of the Virgins 194 Beauty of Paradise 38.281 Beades without workes are of none auaile 80.81 Birds of the aire blesse God 250 Blindnesse of men 188 He is Blind who neither hath vnderstanding nor will to do good 141 Booke of life and death in Gods keeping 271 The Booko of the Crucifix 145.275 The Booke with two leaues 173 Bread taken for the species and forme of bread 151 C CAluenists beleeue not the Church of Rome 39 Capuchins goe to Marseille 299 Carreau one of the Diuels 243.116 Catherine of France gardian vnto Magdalene 6 Caroches enter into hell but men goe to Paradise on foote 21.124 A Change in the life of Magdalene 132 The Charity of Saints 37 The Charity of Christ Iesus 77 Charity the daughter of God 44 Christians that serue not God are miserable 17 The Church shall examine all these things 116 Out of the Church there is no saluation and it is but one 209 Single Combats prohibited by God 135.242 Confession of Magdalene 8 The holy Communion the table of the King of Kings 183 Confession without due preparation is not good 126 Confessours and Exorcists are excluded from the consultations 289 Consultations touching the verification of the acts 289 Considerations to bee thought vpon when wee sit at table 228.229 Consultation touching the businesse of the Magician 185 Conuersion of Magicians 261. It is a miracle 305 Constraint of Verrine 18.20.57.58.64.106 Constraint of Belzebub to renounce the actions of the Magicians 241 Constraint of the Diuels to speake truth 42.43.91 and to humble themselues 63.92.93.160.186 Contradiction when the miracles of God are wrought 205 Contradiction of Leuiathan 152 Cooperation of the creature with God 229 Fiue Counsels or instructions giuen to Louyse 40. and to Magdalene 40 The Contrition of Magdalene 10 Another Consultation how to proceed in case that the Magician would not confesse 106 The Contempt of Diuels towards our Lady 5.182 The Contempt which some haue of Priests is not to bee regarded by Priests 135 The Crosse a glasse in which we are all to looke 145 Christ Iesus is the same also 146 The Cruelty of the Magician Lewes 298 All Creatures obey God 60 Damnable Curiosity touching the blessed Sacrament 90 The Curious fall into a pit out of which they cannot get when they will 116.90.133 The Custome of the DominicaÌ„s in saying of their Rosary 3 D DAmnation the recompence of Diuels 60.61 Dathan and Abyron swallowed vp for their impieties 213 Death and the sundry sorts thereof 170 The Deformity of Diuels and the damned 38.61 The Diuell begins to speake at the first exorcismes but by constraint 2.3.157 The Diuell boweth himselfe to worship God 3 The Diuell that is inferiour dareth not speake before his superiour 6 Diuels make dainty to tell their names for feare of being exorcised commanded and punished 66 The Diuell seene by Magdalene 14 The Diuels beaten 24.25 The Diuels are constrained to speake at S. Baume 30 The Diuels would ouerthrow the coÌ„pany of S. Vrsula 34.89 The principall Diuels that were in Magdalene 39 The Diuels condemned for one onely sinne and why 93.64 Diuels are theeues 90 Diuels are vncapable of conuersion 90 The Diuel commandeth not neither are we to obey him 94 The Diuell doth falsely affirme that Lewes was no Magician and that Magdalene was not bewitched 131 The Diuell imployed by God and why 236 The Diuels that tempted our first parents 266 The Diuell exprobateth Lewes with his villaines 289 The Diuels are bound 300 304 The Diuell resisteth and disputeth against God 24.143 The Diuell is proud and is vexed that God would chuse a woman to be the instrument of so important a business 85.54 The Diuell issueth forth like a blast from the body of Louyse 210.211 The Diuels keepe Magdalene bound in all her body to make her to despaire 84 Diuels who are forced by God or his Church to sweare a truth cannot lie 29.88.91.92.95.153.154 Diuels doe laugh at those who are curious 51 The Diuels and their number which was in the body of Louyse 3 A Dialogue of the soule and the body 217 A Dialogue betweene Verrine and Leuiathan 161.187 A Dialogue betweene Verrine and Belzebub 62 A Dialogue betweene Verrine and the Exorcist 186 A Dialogâ—e between Leuiathan one of
of the Diuâ—ll and abominably gaue theÌ„sâ—lues vnto him c A discouerie worthie of admiration and of feare d O blindnes more great theÌ„ that of Infidels or of the Diuel theÌ„selues The cursed and miserable rage of Magicians doth resemble mad dogs or rather the Diuell himselfe being partakers of his obstinacie as doe also the good communicate of the vertues of Iesus Christ. e The Diuels did say that they had in horror those cursed inuentions of Lewis the Magician which he did daily contriue to prouoke God and Iesus Christ with fresh iniuries f The compassion and mercy of our Lady g An exclamation against sinners h There is an order among Diuels i Very shame did force from her teares after the discouerie being a Gentlewoman of quality and of her selfe very harmelesse k He was very cholericke because the Exorcist was not very expert to constraine the Diuels was grieued that hee should be made the instrument hereof l Concerning workes of mercie m The first discouery of the Magician n Louyse held her tung when Verrine would haue opened and named the Magician o This was done after the manner of all other Magicians but God disposed it by his speciall grace for her saluation p Magdalene was much vexed at this discouery fore-seeing that sheâ— should also bee publiquely detected r All night long two Priests of the Doctrine and two Matrones did watch with Magdalene and found that for the greater part of the night she could not stirre nor cry the diuels holding her bound in all her body the better to tempt her or cause her to despaire if by relapse she did not fall backe vnto them s The goodnes of God towards Magdalene t An exclamation of Verrine against the honour that God gaue to Louyse u The diuell is proud and is vexed that God should cull forth a simple woman to bee the instrument of such an important action disdaining her was desirous it might haue bin some Queene or Princesse by which more admiration honour might be gotten x The Princes that is to say the vices and sinnes that doe raigne beare sway according to that of Saint Paul Let not sin raigne in you Rom. 6. y A Helper that is an assistant and seruant to the religious women of S. Vrsula z It is not to be forgotten that when men did attend and watch to see whether these words Miserere mei would scape at any time from any yet they neuer did a Verrine his oth b Magdalene had said that her father gaue her vnto the Diuell and that in the power therof she was possessed but being conuerted she declared that Belzebub did cause her to equiuocate meaning within her selfe her spirituall father Which declaration did much comfort her father who was very sory if it should so fall out that through his fault she should be possessed c An exclamation against Lewes and that he should be burnt d The assembly was much agrieued that Verrine was damned considering the excellent remonstrances which he made e He meaneth this of themselues hauing reference vnto the constraint whereby God enforceth them to say or doe somthing for the good and saluation of reasonable soules f Damnable curiosity touching the blessed Sacrament g Diuels are theeues h The disputation betweene Verrine and a Frier i This is an annotation found there in the margent k That the Diuell may speake truth b It is to be vnderstood if God were not able to constraine and put his â—urbs vpon Diuels See the aduertisement to the Reader in the last leafe l The Hierarchicall order of the Church doth not appertaine or agree no not to good Angels m There are many women possessed in Paris n We are not to obey Diuels o All Angels haue their essentiall beatitude which neuer augmeÌ„teth yet their accidentall blisse doth somtimes increase as when God reuealeth somewhat of his blessed pleasures vnto theÌ„ by which they doe in a larger measure know the bountie sapience or omnipotencie of God and doe admire the same and doe worship him anew and are desirous to receiue from him fresh reuelations Non in verbo as Diuines say sed in proprio genere And in this sense doth S. Denis say That Angels propose demaunds and questions to Christ Iesus himselfe Ipsi Iesu quaestiones faciunt p The Diuell here speaketh after his manner for when the blessed Sacrament was to be giuen to the two that were possessed he resisted a long time saying it was too hot because the presence of Christ Iesus and the new grace which they receiued in the vertue of the same did augment the paine of the wicked spirit which is by fire as S. Peter saith The diuels are chained vp in eternall fire q The truth is that many Priests and religious persons did euery day say Masse for her conuersioÌ„ as the Angels themselues in cessabili voce proclamant and the other saints neuer cease Reuel 4. Non habent requiem nocte ac die r The wicked Spirits might haue knowledge hereof by reuelation s Obserue well how God honoureth priesthood in this world when he vseth such extraordinarie and vnheard of remedies for the conuersion of a Priest that wandred out of his way t Here he beginneth to perswade and labour particularly the coÌ„uersion of the Magician hauing called him publikely by his name and sur-name in a full assemblie of people after he had alreadie wonne home Magdalene u The glory magnificence of the mercy of God hath the greatest luster in sinners as Magdalene and Paul but the glory of his goodnesse snineth moâ—e in the innocents s the Angels the blessed Virgin and Saint Iohn Baptist. x Strangers that besides the Ordinary were witnesses to the discouerie of the Magician y This processe is very conformable to the Gospell and altogether opposite to the diuels manner of proceeding z He was very familiarly acquainted with the Capuchin Fathers the better to set a glosse and couering vpoÌ„ his abomination a The religious of S. Dominicke and S. Francis haue a priuiledge to say Masse before day when they shall conceiue it to be a matter expedient b She is a deuout and vertuous woman c The better to couer the businesse that was in question d This was a great friend familiar of his e A charitable and Euangelicall manner of proceeding is no way compatible or agreeable with the Diuell f The punishment transgression of the Commandements is generally addressed vnto all but that of Counsels vnto those only that haue made vowes g Another maner of proceeding in case he doe not repent vpon the sight of the letter h In the name of father Francis Billet as before * He presupposeth that those who carried the letter had made rehearsall of whatsoeuer was passed h She was the superiour of the sisters of the order of S. Vâ—sula at Marseille and was at that time vpon speciall occasions at