execrable is that impure carnall commixtion with Diuels although there be onely a desire delectation or contentment in the same But to confute him in one word since in his 12. proposition he mainteineth that Magicians doe really renounce God and their Baptisme and doe adore the Diuell doing all which hee commandeth them and putting their whole trust and confidence in him so farre as to recommend their soules and bodies vnto him at the point of death wee would aske a reason of him why Sorcerers should not be as lyable vnto death as those whoÌ„ he calleth Magicians when they trespasse in the same or in amore abominable manner then the others doe For example if a murtherer be guilty of death much more doth a parricide deserue the same and if a fornicatour be seuerely punished a far greater degree of castigation ought to be inflicted vpon him that committeth adultery but it is certaine that Sorcerers are knowen to do whatsoeuer he conceiueth Magicians are able to performe nay many tymes they doe a great deale worse and therefore are more punishable then they And what letteth it but that all these things may concurre in one man since the Scripture itselfe maketh mention of some that were Inchanters Magicians Diuiners Poysoners and Witches altogether as amongst the rest King Manasses for one So that we shall do wel to call those sentences to minde which wee haue formerly cited to this purpose as also those which are alleaged in the 6. chapter of this booke But this mans errour is in that he thinketh it an impossibility that Diuels should carry men or women in the aire or should haue carnall knowledge with women or that such kind of persoÌ„s should haue the resemblaÌ„ces of woolfes doggs or cats as hee expresseth it in his 68. Proposition as also in the 69. and 71. All which errours haue their full confutation in this booke The grace of our Lord be present with vs alwayes Amen THE EXTRACT OF THE SENTENCE GIVEN IN AVIGNON AGAINST EIGHTEENE men and women Witches in the yeere of grace 1582. at which I my selfe was present and was an assistant vnto the Inquisitour of the faith which is heere set downe in Latine iust as it was then read and pronounced EXEMPLAR SENTENTIAE CONTRA fascinarios latae Auenioni anno domini 1582. VIsis processibus contra N.N.N. c. coram nobis constitutosreos accusatos delatos quibus tam per vestram quorumlibet vestrum relationem ac propriam confessionem iuridicè coram nobis factam saepius inramento vestro medio quà m per testium depositiones eorumque accusationes altas legitimas probationes ex dictis actis processuresultantes nobis legitimè constitit constat quod vos vestrum quilibet Deum nostrum omnium creatorem opificem vnum trinum abnegastis immitem diabolum hostem antiquum humani geneneris coluistis vosque illi perpetuò deuonistis sacratissimo baptismati his qui in eo fuerant susceptores leuantes proparentes vestraeque parti paradisi aeternae haereditatis quam provobis toto generi humano dominus noster Iesus Christus sua morte acquisiuit coram praefato cacodaemone in humana specie existente abrenunciastis infundente fundente ipso rugiente diabolo denuò aquam quam accepistis vestro vero mutato nomine in sacro baptismatis fonte vobis imposiâ—o sicque aliud commentitium nomen vobis imponi fictitio baptismate passi fuistis accepistis atque in pignus fidei daemoni datae vestimentorum vestrorum fragmentum particulam illi dedistis vt à libro vitae vos deleâ—i obliterari pater mâ—ndacij curaret signa vestra propria manu ipso mandante iubentâ— in reproborum damnatorum mortisque perpetuae libro nigerrimo ad hoc parato apposuistis vt ad tantam perfidiam impietatem vos maiori vinculo deuinciret notam vel stigma cuilibet vestrum veluti rei suae propriae inussiâ— illius maÌ„datis iussis iureiurando super circulo quod diuinitatis symbolum est in terram sculpto quae scabellum pedum Dei est per vos quemlibet vestrum praestito vos obstrinxistis signo dominico cruce conculcato illi parendo adminiculo baculi quodam uefandissimo vnguento ab ipâ—o diabolo vobis praescripto illit i cruribus positi per aera ad locum constitutum intempesta nocte hora commoda malefactoribus statisque diebus ab ipso tentatore portati translati fuistis ibique in communi synagoga plurimorum aliorum maleficiorum sortilegorum haereticorum fascinarioruÌ„ cultorumque daemonum accenso igne tetro post mult as iubilationes saltationes comessationes compotationes ludos in honorem ipsius praesidentis Belzebub principis daemoniorum in formam speciem foedissimi nigerrimi hirci immutati vt Deum re verbis adorastis adillum complicatis genibus supplices aecessistis candelas piceas accensas obtulistis illius foedissimum ac â—urpissimu anum prob pudor summa cum reuerentia ore sacrilegâ— deosculatiestis illumque sub veri Dei nomine inuocastis illiusque auxilium pro vindicta in omnes vobis velinfensos vel petita denegantes exercenda efflagitastis atque abipso edocti vindictas maleficia fascinationes ium in human as creaturas tum etiam in animalia exercuistis atque homicidia infantium quam plurima commisistis imprecationes ablactationis tabes alios grauissimos morbos ope iam dicti sathanae immisistis infantes que per vos nonnullis etiam scientibus tantum annuentibus arte iam dicta malefica oppressos confossos interfectos fuisse ac denique in coemeterio sepultos noctu clà m exhumastis atque in synagogam praedictam fascinariorum collegium poriastis denique daemoniorum principi in solio sedenti obtulistis detracta vobis conseruata pinguedine capite manibus pedibus abscissis truncumque decoqui elixari interdum assari curastis iubentéque ac mandante praefato patre vestro comedistis damnabiliter deuorastis mala denique malis addendo vos viri cum succubis vos mulieres cum incubis fornicaâ—i est is sodomiam veram nefandissimum crimen misere cum illis tactus frigidissimo exercuistis quod etiam detestabilissimum est Augustissimum Eucharistiae sacramentum per vos in Ecclesia sancta Dei aliquando sumptum iam dicti serpentis à paradâ—so eiecti praecepto in ore retinuistis illudque in terram nefariè expuistis vt cum maiori omnis contumelia impietatis contemptus specie Deum nostrum verum sanctum dehonestaretis ipsum verò diabolum eiusque gloriam honorem triumphum regnum promoueritis atque omni honore decore laudibus dignitate authoritate adoratione honoraretis decoraretis honestaretis Quae omnia grauissima horrendissima ac nefandissima sunt directè in omnipotentis Dei
and with a rage and fiercenesse beyond ordinarie and spake these words fiue seuerall times For euer for euer for euer for euer for euer alas shall the damned soules be depriued of the vision of God You will tell mee perchance that as yet I haue tolde you no great newes it may be so notwithstanding it is strange newes as I haue said formerly to heare a Diuell speake for God and for the saluation of your soules All the assembly were so affrighted with these and the like words and at the dreadfull passages which Verrine had touching the paines of hell that there gushed from their eyes abundance of teares when they called to remembrance their offences which they had committed After this discourse Belzebub who was in the body of Magdalene cried out very hideously Hola I will acquaint you with the repose and contentation which the soules of the damned haue in hell And then taking Magdalene he rudely and without intermission tossed her from one side of the Church of S. Baume to the other and presently from that side backe againe and so continued in tormenting of her without any cessation so that if it had not ended as it did she would surely haue died Thus said hee doe wee torture the soules of the damned without allotting vnto them the least moment of relaxation Besides this that hath beene said Verrine added that God was so beautifull that the Diuels would be content to vndergoe all the torments of the world and all the paines of hell so they might but once haue a sight of his beauty The same day after dinner Magdalene wrote a letter to the blessed S. Magdalene the tenour whereof ensueth Most holy glorious and beloued sister I heartily beseech you to compassionate the deplored estate of your poore and worthlesse sister Take me by the hand and leade mee to my dearest and louely spouse And with all my soule I doe entreate you to indow me with those fiue goodly qualities where with you were able to prostrate your selfe at his blessed feete and which induced him to receiue you with such speed for his best-be loued friend The first is humility that I may vnder-value and set at naught all things with you The second is perfect contrition that I may bewaile and euer abominate all my sinnes The third is perfect faith that I may beleeue that the almighty can pardon me The fourth is perfect hope that I may assuredly expect his mercy The fifth is feruent charity and loue that I may affect and cleaue to him as to my dearest spouse and disingage my selfe from those incongruous desires which may thwart or giue impeachment vnto the same I instantly pray you dearest sister to begge for mee these fiue louely vertues that I may be confident through them to present my selfe to my most glorious Spouse and so to receiue from him the blessings and grace of heauen that together with you I may praise and blesse him for euer My most blessed and glorious sister Your most humble obedient vnworthie and meanest sister and seruant the wretched slaue and forlorne creature Magdalene of Iesus The Acts of the 11. of December VPon that day the Dominican father began to consider with himselfe whither it were not expedient to force the Diuell to dictate the words and discourses which he affirmed did come from God and so to submit them to the censure of the Church to the end that the wilinesse and subtilties of Sathan might be detected and to make knowne whither hee spake from his owne motion and scope or no that so both those that saw it not and those that were present at it and also those that are to come after vs might be partakers of this history to the encreasing of the glory of God of his blessed mother of S. Mary Magdalene and of all other Saints to the extirpation of all heresies and to the conuersion of mis-led and wandering soules Conceiuing for a certainty that whither the pitcher fall vpon the stone or the stone vpon the pitcher it is still the pitcher that is broken and all shall turne to the confusion of the Diuell be it this or that way Since that in strange and new occurrences it is lawfull to vse and search forth new remedies prouided that nothing bee done against God and his Church This was for certaine daies put in execution when as he Exorcist not being able to write downe all for hast Verrine did dictate vnto him word after word that which hee had formerly discoursed and that for eight daies after And this was done by the vertue of the Exorcismes Afterwards hee had liberty to speake as hee would which he also did The same day came the reuerend father Francis Billet Priest of the Christian Doctrine And in the morning Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised by the Dominican father who saying Masse to the honour of the blessed mother of God Belzebub vpon these words ecce Ancilla Domini began to crye O accursed words for vs. O would they had neuer beene spoken And a little before the beginning of the said masse Belzebub lifted himselfe vp with great arrogancy and vnusuall fury howling and crying with a loud voice Should I adore thee Christ Should I adore thee No no I am as mighty as thy selfe See how vn-stoupingly and vpright I stand In all this hee made the body of the girle serue his turne as his instrument Then Verrine who was in the body of Louyse said vnto him Ha! Belzebub wretched spirit as thou art thou wilt bee lasht and punished for this Belzebub answered I regard not I had rather be punished then adore him After Masse the Priest holding the blessed Hoast that Louyse and Magdalene might communicate and saying Ecce Agnus Dei Belzebub began to cry yes yes yes hee is a Lambe for others but vnto vs a roaring Lyon Then the Dominican father said vnto him Adora Deum tuum To which Belzebub replied Why should I worship this God I will not doe it I will not doe it Ha God! in despight of thee in despight of Mary in despight of Magdalene this Magdalene is mine Then said Verrine Ha thou cursed and as abominable as my selfe thou hast nought to do with Magdalene thou shalt come short of thy reckoning Magdalene this is but to fright thee feare not be confident and take God for thy husband Then answered Belzebub No no shee is married to mee I will make demonstration vnto you shee is mine I haue the Bondes I haue the Seales Vpon these words the Exorcist said to Magdalene beleeue not this deceiuer and father of lies Your God calleth himselfe your spouse the Virgin Mary stiles her selfe your mother and Saint Magdalene your deare sister Then said Belzebub No I will make it appeare that in all equity she is mine Verrine answered No more then I am thou diddest not create her neither diddest thou redeeme her and if thou hast lost
Paradise you cannot goe any other way beleeue mee this is the path that leadeth to Heauen The same day Verrine bid Father Francis Billet to take the Stole and the booke of Exorcismes and willed him from God in the vertue of thē to command him to dictate this ensuing letter directed vnto a Preist of the Christian doctrine that was tempted to doubt of his vocation the Exorcismes being performed accordingly he began to dictate in forme as followeth Dearest and welbeloued brother I heere aduertise you that we assuredly know for a truth that whatsoeuer your Reuerence hath conceiued against your vocation is nothing else but a meere suggestion of the Deuil who is an vtter enemie to God and all obedience He endeuoureth to infuse into you rebellion against God and your Superiour and would haue you to beleeue that your iudgment is able to comprehend all the secrets of God But I assure you it would require and take vp all our time if we should endeauour to learne and enquire into the secrets of God For his secrets and iudgments are so abstruse that none of themselues can bee certaine of the manner of them Many there are that haue a conceite they know the will of God and that their vnderstanding is very perfitely illuminated but for the most part they are beguiled For wee see by daily experience that they may be deceaued and no question are deceaued since euery day there are new wonders full of rare and admirable strangenes discouered in this our God And perceauing a burthen and pressure vpon my soule if I should bee wanting vnto you in this office I haue sent this letter vnto you to wishe you instantly to dispatch your selfe hither for S. Baume with as much speed as possibly you may If you come before Christmasse you shall vnderstand as I conceiue diuers passages so excellent in themselues and so aduantageous vnto you that you would not for the world but bee made familiar with them for they are so full of nouelty and strangenesse that no man aliue did euer see the like Knowe that Louyse Capean whom you haue formerly beene acquainted withall one of the vnworthiest and meanest Sisters of the company of S. Vrsula that are at Aix is bewitched and possessed by three Deuils that are within her body It was a Charme that gaue way to this possession of Deuils which did befall her by the permission of God and out of a zeale shee had to suffer Hell it selfe and all the paines thereof so that she might not be separated thereby from her God for his glory and the saluation of soules And being setled for many yeares in this resolution and comming often times to blessed Communion shee prayed still vnto God that he would take compassion vpon the soules of her neighbours and this she demanded with such ardency of desire that it is almost impossible for any to attaine vnto the like And being moued by him that internally spake vnto her and said Whether if it were expedient to hazard thy body and to expose it euen vnto death for the saluation of thy neighbours wouldst thou willingly vndertake the same she accepted of it many times saying that shee was ready to endure all and that it was fit to prefer the soule of our neighbour before our body or our owne life Thus God out of his great goodnesse hath made choice of her for a worke which neither you nor I euer dreamed of nor should euer haue beleeued if wee had not seene the experience of the same and those who haue not had the oportunity to behold it may perchance heereafter at the least haue meanes to read this wonder For euery one laboureth with all diligence that may be to make such vnhard of euents and so strange a Miracle to appeare vnto the world And I doe assure you if you did but vnderstand it aright you would leaue meate and drinke nay your very studies to haue knowledge of that which euery day offereth it selfe vnto our considerations For Father Michaelis being inspired from God counselled Father Romillon to bring Magdalene from Palud and to search out al other that were bewitched and bring them to S. Baume that they might there make their vowes Being there Louyse Capeau came from Aix her selfe alone accompanied with none of the rest that were possessed where shee found Magdalene already arriued Touching Louyse she would by no meanes at the first heare tell of Exorcismes saying that she was not possessed and that all might arise from naturall causes or by the sleights and power of the Deuils that were in the body of Magdalene She was at Aix when they discouered themselues and it was done in the time of Confession◠then was Magdalene at S. Maximin and although her Confessours did cleerly demonstrate vnto her that this straine and fancie of hers against possession could no way sute with probability yet was shee so swolne with pride arrogancy and rebellion that shee would not submit her iudgment vnto her Superiour who commanded diuerse to make inquiry of this matter at S. Baume And the Deuill within her said I will not obey him so that when it was offered vnto her consideration how that she was no win the presence of God himselfe for it was within the Church of S. Vrsula and when he that confessed her at the time the Deuils began to bee discouered did reproue her and say How darest thou to speake thus before thy Superiour She answered that she would subiect her selfe to the command neither of Gouernour nor Gouernesse neither would she regarde or thinke of them that shee thought her selfe more knowing how to conduct her selfe in her owne behauiours and deportments then they could be that she would rely vpon her owne iudgment and that Superiours did many times command things very vnfit to be put in execution All this while did not she vnderstand that this was a stratagem of the Deuils to giue hindrance and stoppe vnto the worke which is now so well begun And although the Deuill would haue shifted this off by sundry slights and collusions yet in the end either by force or out of loue she was contented to be obedient although she still was stiffe in her opinion that she would not suffer her selfe to be exorcised But God changed her intendment and disposed her hart to embrace the good pleasure of God and of her Superiour and to renounce and disclaime her owne so that she came to S. Baume and there suffered her selfe to be exorcised Whereupon one of the Deuils named Verrine began to speake and to tell his name and after many adiurations where withal he was chained and bound vp he reuealed the names of his companions and vpon the continuance of the Exorcismes he said and swore taking a solemne oath with all the properties and particulars there unto belonging vpon the blessed Sacrament saying these words I sweare by the liuing God that all which I haue spoken is
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
left vnto posterity they haue stolne or borrowed the same from the customs of the people of Israel S. Chrysostome commendeth the inuention of Poets in describing the sonne drawne in a burning Chariot by foure horses running at full speede this is not a meere fable saith he if it be rightly vnderstood because the Sunne in Greeke is called Helios For finding that Helias was carried to heauen in a firy Chariot drawne with foure horses they applied this vnto the Sunne conceiting that the Scripture spake metaphorically and by Helias meant Helion that is the Sunne The Cherubins also are said to be drawne in a Chariot and Abacuc calleth them the horses of God saying Qui ascendis super equos tuos This the Poets would expresse when they say that the heauens are wheeled and rowled about by Angels as if they were drawne by swift horses Moreouer whereas the Iewes had within their Temple two manner of Oracles the one vocall the other mute and without a voyce the first was when God spake out of the midle of the Tabernacle to Moyses the other when from the precious stones of the high Priests Ephod their beamed forth a certaine splendor that betokned good fortune which is mentioned in the 1. of Kings The Gentiles herein endeauoured to imitate the Iewes and had also two manner of Oracles the one which spake and was called Oraculum Dodoneum the other which spake not and was called Oraculum Hammonium which word Oracle signifieth in the Hebrew nothing else but a place of speaking and where answeres are commonly giuen for it is called Debir in Greeke it may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Loquuterium as Saint Ierome hath obserued And as it is commanded in the Law that they should offer cakes vnto God in their sacrifices but that no sacrifice should be without salt so doth Pliny also note of the Gentiles omnibus sacrificijs adhiberi solitam molam salsam which is also witnessed by Ouid Ante deos homini quod conciliare valebat far erat puri lucida mica salis Hence haue the customes of the Gentiles there beginning and this Plato hath more excellently and accurately followed then any other whereupon he gained the surname of Diuine being commonly styled Diuinus Plato We are not then to wonder though Plato do affirme that Angels haue bodies of fire or ayre since that the Scripture doth so cleerely and frequently make repetition of the same and it may be that he vnderstood those speeches according to the sense and meaning of the Scripture that is to say metaphorically because either they are not so grosse and heauy as humane bodies which indure wearinesse in their motion or rather because they are like birds or clouds in the ayre or else because they appeare to men in such formes and fashions For if it bee lawfull for Moyses to say that God is a fire Deus noster inquit ignis consumens est because he was thus represented vnto him in the bush and vpon the mountaine why may it not be lawfull for vs to say that Spirits are made of aire or fire because in their apparitions they euer take an airie or a firie body vpon them And thus wee are to vnderstand S. Augustine when he seemeth to affirme that spirits haue bodies and thus S Bernard also is to bee interpreted that is that spirits are then said to haue bodies when they would appeare vnto vs for they can haue no other meaning since our eye hath no proportion with spirituall substances It may well be that some haue thus spoken of them thereby to intimate that spirits are not pure qualities but essences subsisting of themselues which maketh much against the error of the Sadduces who reduced all the apparitions recited in the fiue bookes of Moyses to the imaginations and fancies of men whereas indeed Angels doe vnderstand conferre and direct men managing and gouerning Prouinces and kingdomes and as our Sauiour saith they doe alwaies behold the face of God the Father which is in heauen Thus ought Tertullian to be vnderstood when he saith that God hath a bodie not that he hath the least composition of matter but he is a body that is to say a thing really subsisting accommodating his manner of speaking to the weakenes of ruder apprehensions and it may bee to the vnderstandings of certaine Anthropomorphites who as Cassianus saith by reason of their great dulnesse and simplicitie could not conceiue that any thing could bee reallie subsisting vnlesse it had a body not being able as wee are vsed to say to iudge further then their nose Notwithstanding the experieÌ„ce of the soules working may be sufficient to sublime mens thoughts from such earthie conceptions touching Spirits since the soule doth discourse and worke although the body be fallen into a sound sleepe Adam when he sleeped very profoundly saw God when he tooke from him one of his ribbes thereof to make the woman and when the soule at the houre of death is diuorsed from the body it cannot bee seene by any because it is a spirit as Christ himselfe vpon such an occasion did say Pater in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum and afterward inclinate capite emisit spiritum That we may vse these phrases of speaking in a good sense it appeareth by that which wee haue formerly said for wee cannot doe amisse in vsing Scripture-phrases if so bee they bee taken according to the meaning of the Scripture as Christ Iesus himselfe declareth in S. Iohn chap. 10. where he argueth against the Pharisies who in those daies stood nicely vpon words as wee haue many of that captious bâ—ood amongst vs in these times Againe it is not to be conceiued that so great and learned personages should be so ignorant as not to be conuersant in the texts of the new Testament which doe cleerely declare that they haue no bodies In the third place they doe for the most part expresse and interpret themselues as S. Atbanasius amongst the rest who in his definition of Angels doth briefly say Angelus est animal rationale but because the word Animal doth signifie a bodily substance he doth therefore afterwards explane himselfe and say Est autem expers materia Wherein although he seemes to contradict himselfe yet his meaning is that since the holy Scripture doth stile these spirits Animalia in Exodus and Abacuc In medio duorum animalium it is no absurditie to giue vnto them the same appellations but these places are to bee vnderstood metaphorically and then there can be no inference of bodily substance fastened vpon them Thus doth Didymus S. Ieromes Master say that an Angell can bee but in one place at one time and lest any man should misconceiue him as though he should maintaine them to be corporeall because it is the propertie of a body to be circumscribed in a place hee addeth in that very passage that they
into that from whence they were exhaled and drawne faith Tertullian Eadem ratione species illa intercepta est qua edita fuerat si non fuit initium visibile nec finis By which it appeareth that the Doue that descended from heauen and lighted vpon Christ Iesus was fashioned of aire and not of earth for it is said Descendit spiritus sanctus corporali specie sicut columba in ipsum The like may be said of the firy tongues that sate vpon the Apostles at the feast of Whitsontide Factus est repente de coelo sonus tanquam aduenientis spiritus vehementis So that it is cleere that these apparances are framed of aire as the cloud out of which God the Father spake to his Sonne in his transfiguration which vanished into aire as did Moyses also whose body in that apparition was composed of the same element and whiles the Apostles eyes were fixed on these obiects it vanished and they saw none but Christ Iesus alone So when the Angell appeared to Manoah the father of Samson he mounted vp into heauen in a flame of fire and in his ascent was visibly seene of him but by little and little Manoah and his wife lost the sight of him because his body began to dissolue into the first matter whereof it was framed Thus did the Angell that accompanied Tobias in his iourney It is now time said hee for me to returne to him that sent me and presently hee vanished from them And for addition vnto the truth hereof some alleage experience saying that if a man should cut such airie bodies it would fare with them as it doth with the Sun-beame which doth runne together and presently vnite it selfe without any signe of such separation which very well agreeth with the nature of aire and is fit to confute the error of Psellus who in the seuenth chapter of his booke maintaineth that they haue a naturall body yet in the 23. chapter he granteth that such bodies being smit asunder doe ioyne againe as doth the aire when it is diuided whence he might easily haue collected that these bodies must bee made of aire and not proper vnto Angels For touching the reason which he bringeth that if they had not bodies they could not be tormented with fire it is certaine that the diuine prouidence may easily bring to passe that a body may really worke vpon a spirit and likewise the contrary which no Christian can deny to bee by diuine prouidence wrought in the Sacrament of Baptisme where the water as the instrument of the diuine bountie doth really and truly wash and purge the soule that is a spirit and experience teacheth vs this truth in nature for imaginations which are corporall things doe depresse the soule and make it heauie euen vnto death as Christ Iesus himselfe said Besides by this reason we should say that the soules of the damned being departed from this world are not cast into hell-fire because they haue no bodies and must therefore bee impassible And so wee shal fall into their heresie that maintaine that the soules lie sleeping till the day of iudgement which doth directly oppose the holy Scriptures which shew vnto vs that the soules of good men returne vnto God who hath created them to be at quiet in his hands and vnder his protection as S. Stephen saith Domine suscipe spiritum meum and S Paul wished for death to no other end but to be with Christ Cupio inquit dissolui esse cum Christo which is confirmed by S. Iohn in the Reuelation saying Henceforth doe the soules rest from their labours for their good workes follow them and death saith S. Paul shall be a gaine vnto me on the other side they teach that the soules of the reprobate are tormented in the flames of hell as appeareth in the Gospell by the rich Glutton and by the saying of Saint Iohn Baptist who told the Pharisies that the axe was alreadie applied vnto the roote of the tree and euery tree that brought not foorth good fruite should bee hewen downe and cast into the fire This S. Iude affirmeth is already happened to the Sodomites as also to Chorah Dathan and Abiron with their complices and that they went quicke downe to hell But here may an obiection be made how Spirits are able to frame vnto themselues such bodies at their own pleasure S. Augustine answereth that Spirits by a certaine agilitie and naturall power can bring to passe whatsoeuer may be done in nature for they doe perfectly know not onely the effects of nature but the causes also which proceedeth from the refinednesse and subtilitie of spirit wherewith they are indowed which they so well know how to manage and applie that whatsoeuer nature maketh successiuely and at leisure they doe the same in an instant We see the aire diuers times being disposed thereunto by certaine causes is variously depainted with colours and diuers semblances and in the sommer wee sometimes see toades and frogs fall with the raine which proceedeth frō the corruption of the aire from whence also butter-flyes and catterpillers and the like vermine are ingendred all which is produced from the successiue operations of nature The like effects may bee produced by Spirits by vniting of causes whereupon the effects doe necessarily follow Thus we reade that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of a Serpent which cannot be denied as also that Pharaohs Magicians by the assistance of Satan did make serpents and frogs appeare before the people and surely they may in the like manner shape and counterfeit any other figure yea of a man himselfe as is cleere by the apparitions recited in the book of Genesis From whence we must draw this necessarie conclusion that it is contrary both to naturall reason and to Scrip that Spirits should haue bodies but that they are incorporeall and inuisible The resolution of all this discourse may bee had in the booke intituled De Ecclesiastic is dog matibus which is amongst the workes of S. Augustine where in the 11. chapter he saith We beleeue that God is inuisible and incorporeall because hee is euery where and is present in all places yet not bounded in by any place but we beleeue that intellectuall substances are corporeall because they are circumscribed in a place as the soule within the body and hence it is that they are called corporeall because they are limited in their substances It remaineth that wee endeuour to know when they were created since Moyses maketh no mention of it and from whence it proceedeth that there is a difference betwixt Spirits so that some are good and some bad CHAP. III. Of the Creation goodnesse or maliciousnesse of Angels SAint Athanasius when he was to giue his full resolution and opinion concerning Spirits vnto Prince Antiochus demandeth in the first place whether Angels were created or no for Moses maketh no mention thereof in the first chap. of Genesis
were truly that which they seemed to bee It also declareth that what the Diuell wrought against Iob was not seemingly done but really acted with a great deale of malice witnesse the death of his children and seruants and the downefall of the house vpon them This rule we are to practise in the charmes of Witches and to see if there be any reality in that which they giue out they haue done which falling out so frequently true we are no longer to question the verity of the same There is a reality in their murthering of Infants for it is confirmed by the report of their parents that the children which they said they had strangled were found strangled indeed as they had themselues deposed In like manner the dis interring of their bodies was a truth because their bones were not found lying in their graues There is a reality in the mark which they beare in their bodies the which of all other parts is leprous and deuoid of sense and which can bee found vpon none but vpon such as are said to be Witches There is also a reality in the peece of their garment which in signe of homage they present vnto the Diuell and wee haue seene with our eyes that such a like peece was wanting in their garment as they themselues had reported There is a manifest reality in the charmes which they cast vpon man and beast making them dull and almost dead and by their words reuiuing and setting them in as good plight as they were before not saith Lactantius that they can heale diseases for this is not in the compasse of the Diuels power although it be in their naturall power to infuse an infirmity into any part of a liuing body as appeareth in the history of the Demoniaek that was both dumbe and deafe and of the woman that was crooked so that shee could not lift vp her eyes to heauen and therefore by taking away this impediment they doe not really cure a disease but withdraw the stop that hindered those operations of nature God somtimes permitting him by his iust though hidden iudgement to doe this although further then this hee cannot passe as S. Augustine often inserreth So that it is apparant by the first rule that the confessions made by Sorcerers are not alwaies dreames but doe oftentimes containe facts that haue been really practised The second rule drawne both from S. Augustine and from S. Thomas is to obserue whether all that is spoken in this argument doth lie in the naturall power of the Diuell This S. Augustine obscurely noteth when in the history of Diomedes hee saith that this transmutation was by a secret substraction and conueying away of their bodies because it doth transcend the naturall power of Diuels to change one body into another according to their substance and therefore it must needs bee that this collusion was by transporting and placing one body into the roome of another S. Augustine would not yeeld vnto the first because as hee had already declared it was aboue the naturall power of the Diuell but he granteth the second in regard that it is within the compasse of his force and working Neque enim saith he daemonibus iudicio dei permissis huiusmodi praestigia difficilia esse possunt And as hee expresseth it else where the Diuell can do this when he will how he will if so be that God doth expresly command him or doth leaue him to his owne nature Quando volunt quomodo volunt Deo vel iubente vel sinente S. Thomas betaketh himselfe to this rule when he saith that if the Diuell should busie himselfe in the resurrection of the dead or in any other supernaturall workings wee must be strong that all these things are meere illusions for although God by his vniuersal prouidence doth imploy wicked Spirits vpon many occasions yet doth hee neuer vse them in working of miracles which he reserueth vnto himselfe and to his because Diuels haue no capacity to receiue such supernaturall endowments This rule did distinguish the magicall workes of Simon Magus from those of S. Peter and the other Apostles as S. Clement and S. Ireneuâ— doe witnesse and this rule shall make the workes of Antichrist to bee discerned from those of the Christians And this rule gaue Saint Augustine occasion to say that not onely the admirable workes of the Diuell comprehended in the old and new Testament were to bee beleeued but also many other things were to be credited which prophane histories and Poets themselues doe mention of them and which were in former ages accounted fables although S. Augustine out of the great subtility of his spirit and his deepe knowledge in holy Writ would not venture to say that they were fables hee rather sheweth that this might bee true either really or in outward apparance For as Tertullian said Daemones soli nouere Christiani From whence could the Christians better know this then from the Scriptures Whereupon it followeth that none can truly and iudicially determine this point vnlesse he bee conuersant in the holy Scriptures and in the ancient Fathers from whence the true resolution hereof may be drawne To conclude this point touching the extent of the Diuels naturall power and how farre it teacheth it is not my intendment to enlarge my discourse thereof to the full I will onely say with Saint Thomas who had the soule of S. Augustine as a maÌ„ may say doubled vpon him that it is in the Diuels naturall power to doe as much as the vtmost strength of nature can reach vnto for he is able to vse those meanes which nature accustometh to serue her selfe withall and applieth one thing vnto another iust as nature doth as when a man by applying a torch vnto char-coale doth presently fire the same which nature would also produce but at more leisure and this appeareth in the causes of lightning which are longer ere they produce their effect whereas wee shoot off our Artillery suddenly and without premeditation And this we are taught by experience for the Angels who wheele about the heauens by the application of their motions vnto these iâ—feriour elements doe cause naturall things to bee produced euer presupposing a matter and forme whereupon to worke which were immediately created by God himselfe Hence it is that they are called both in the Psalmes and in the Gospel Virtutes Coelorum for without them the heauens would haue no more efficacie or power in the production of things then the body hath to worke without a soule which S. Augustine wel glanceth at in the third Booke against Maximin the Arrian the seuenteenth chapter So that those things which Sorcerers depose are within the natural power of SataÌ„ as may be seene in the whole frame of this Booke especially in the Annotations vpon the ensuing Sentence Therefore it is plaine that the second rule doth positiuely conclude that all these workings are not
his Schoolemaster holding the rodde with his hands for feare of being scourged After this manner did a Diuell flatter Christ Iesus saying I pray thee torment me not Iesus thou Sonne of God in which hee spake the pure truth Thirdly which is the most ordinary fashion when they are enforced thereunto in despite of themselues by the diuine and hidden prouidence of God or in the vertue of his name by exorcismes which reason is alleaged by the sweet and religious Poet Arator in his Poems vpon the Acts of the Apostles as also by venerable Bede and many others Fourthly hee speaketh truth to gaine thereby an opportunity to accuse and giue attestation against vnbeleeuing and impenitent men before the throne of Gods iudgement Wherevpon Saint Anthony rehearseth the history of a Diuell that hauing taken on him the shape and habite of a Preacher made a very good sharpe sermon and in the end declared before them all that hee was a wicked Spirit permitted by God to accuse vnbeleeuing and vnrepentent persons before the tribunall of Gods iudgments The friendly Reader may be pleased to haue regard vnto two things first that this is a History making a bare declaration of a fact is no foundation whereupon to build our faith though it may serue very fitly to stirre vs vp to ponder vpon the iudgements of God The other is that hee take not in ill part the frequent repetition of things for that it was expedient to expresse and fashion this History to the truth although those very repetitions were so varied and expressed with such vehemence that they were neither vnfruitfull nor superfluous to the standers by but did raise in them such passions that they cast forth many sighes and teares God for his goodnesse touch and make tender all our hearts by those many meanes and remedies which he hath bestowed vpon vs. THE SVMMARIE OF THE HISTORY OF the Magician burned at Aix in the yeare 1611. the last of Aprill IN the Citty of Marseille there was a Priest called Lewes Gaufridi that came from the side of the mountaines of Prouince and for the space of 14. yeres remained a Magician Hee fell into it by reading a certaine booke in written hand where there was French verses with diuers characters and this was found by him amongst the bookes of an Vnkle of his that died some yeeres past so that in conclusion the Diuell did visibly appeare vnto him in a humane shape and said What wilt thou with me for thou hast called me And after some discourse the said Lewes Gawfridi said vnto him If thou hast power to giue mee what I desire I aske of thee two things First that all the women that I shall be in loue withall doe affect and follow me Secondly that I may gaine estimation and honour aboue all other Priests of this Country and amongst men of worth and credit The diuell hauing promised him these two things did reciprocally demand to haue giuen him his body his soule and his workes whereunto hee answered that hee would freely bestow these three things vpon him onely hee desired to make reseruation of administring the Sacraments And being thus agreed the said Gaufridi gaue him a schedule signed with his bloud and the diuell interchangeably gaue vnto him another and promised vnto him as aforesaid And being now become such a one hee endeuoured to seduce a young girle of the age of nine or ten yeares called Magdalene de Demandoul alias de la Pallud daughter vnto Mounsieur de la Pallud a gentleman of Prouinco whose consent at last hee gained and led her whiles shee remained at a Grange of the said Monsieur de la Pallud to a Caue or denne not farre from the said Grange where she saw a great number of people who were the Synode of Sorcerers and was much abashed at the same But the magician told her these are all our friends and you must be marked like vnto them and so tooke the poore affrighted girle and marked and abused her yet for all this shee would reueale nothing when she came home neither to father nor to mother nor to any other Afterward she was ordinarilie carried by the Deuill to that Conuenticle and was made the Princesse of the Synagogue as the said Lewes was the Prince Notwithstanding this whiles shee re mained still at her Fathers by the grace of God who had regard of her yong and tender yeares she had a desire to become one of the Virgines of Saint Vrsula that are resident at Aix in Prouince vnder the conduct and gouernment of Priests called the Priests of the Christian doctrine This her intendment she communicated vnto the Magician who dehorted her from it with all the inforcements bec ould and perswaded her to marry promising to prouide for her a rich and proper man to be her husband For all this she stil persisted in her first resolution which put the Magician into such passion and choler that he menaced her and said if thou do go thither I will destroy all the company as well of the virgines of S. Vrsula as of the Priests of the Doctrine Being gone thither the Magician by Witchcraft power of a Schedule which she had formerly giuen the diuell signed with her bloud so wrought that shee was possessed by Belzebub and many others of his associates He also did by a Charme bewitch a companion of hers called Louyse Capeau by the force whereof as also because she had diuers times besought God that shee might indure all torments euen to the paines of hell as much as she could be capable of that shee might conuert certaine of her sisters there who were in a desperate estate deuoid of the grace of God the said Louyse was possessed by a wicked spirit called Verrine and by two other his companions This being so father Iohn Baptista Romillon Superiour of the Priests of the Doctrine perceiued by their extraordinarie gestures that these two women were possessed and thereupon caused them priuately to bee exorcised in their Chappell as one that feared least this might tend to the defamation of that Company And hauing continued this for the space of a yeere and certaine moneths and to his vnderstanding profited nothing for the diuels could neuer all that space be brought to speake hee brought the said Magdalene as more manifestly possessed then the other to S. Maximin to craue there the aduise of Father Sebastian Michaelis Priour of the Couent Royall that is at Saint Maximin where the body of S. Magdalene lyeth who was of opinion that there should a generall Confession be by her made to S. Magdalene and so she should receiue absolution from him as from the Inquisitour of the Faith least otherwise shee might reserue some particular fact to her selfe Afterward they made her make a vow for 9. daies in the Chappell where the blessed S. Magdalene doth lye and did exorcise her euening and morning in which time the diuells
subiect Then saith he those that haue been once punished shall not bee punished afterwards otherwise it might occasion men to say that the Scripture is not true out subiect to lies Wee are then to say addeth Saint Ierome that these receperâ—nt mala in vita sua and consequently not in the other world Hee groundeth this vpon the saying of S. Peter that many at the time of the flood repented them of their sinnes and went not immediately into hell fire but were put into a prison from which Christ Iesus deliuered them when hee descended into hell The same also must bee vnderstood of the others aboue named After all this Saint Ierome maketh a very apposite question saying What shall wee then iudge of a Christian whom another findeth in adultery and cutteth off his head To this hee answereth in another manner and saith No man can preuent or anticipate the sentence of God our righteous Iudge thereby to giue impeachment vnto the course of his vengeance which hee inflicteth according to the measure of those punishments that are by him decreed for our great offences He meaneth that if a man should pretend to delude God and say I will hinder God from condemning of this sinner and will punish him my selfe in this world he would much deceiue himselfe For the reason why God doth not punish in the other world doth presuppose that God himselfe in his prouidence hath punished it and that he who receiueth castigation in this world doth whiles his affliction is vpon him repent him of his sinnes and semblable vnto the good theese aske pardon in his punishment On the other side if a Christian be beheaded in the very act of adultery he hath no leisure to make an acknowledgment and craue pardon of God which is another case and not comprized in the sentence of the Prophet Nahum Better it is saith S. Ierome that the transgressor bee punished in this world as he who cursed the people of Israel or hee that gathered wood on the Sabbath day for they had time to acknowledge their sinnes which yet were much more pardonable then the sinne of adultery From this discourse of S. Ieromes some schoole diuines haue drawne this concâ—â—sion that if a malefactor that is condemned to die receiueth his death willingly because hee hath offended God and in hope of the remission of his sinnes hee is not to endure further paine in the other world because there can bee no greater loue in the world then freely and willingly to die for God for the remission and satisfaction of the offence committed against his Maiesty AN EXTRACT OF THE Kings Priuiledge BY the permission and priuiledge of the King it is granted to Charles Chastellaine sworne Printer in the vniuersity of Paris to print or cause to be printed to sell and to disperse this present booke intituled The admirable History of the possession and conuersion of a penitent woman seduced by a Magician compiled and disgested into order by the Reuerend Father Michaelis Doctor of Diuinity and Preacher Wee doe therefore sorbid all Stationers Printers and all others of what estate quality or condition soeuer they bee to print or cause to be printed the said booke or to sell and vent the same during the tearme of six yeeres vpon paine of confiscation of the said Copies and an arbitrary amersement besides as is more lagely declared in the Letters Patents Giuen at Paris the third of August in the yeere of Grace 1612. And of our Raigne the third By the King in his Counsell DV FOS AN APOLOGIE VNTO THE DOVBTS that are proposed touching this admirable History of the possession and conuersion of a Penitent woman c. AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE Reader This booke is a bare History that maketh true declaration of all the passages which happened in the discouery of a Magician and conuersion of a seduced sinner THe wicked Spirit that was the instrument of this discouery called himselfe Verrine and declared that himselfe was a Diuell damned eternall without hope or redemption This he well shewed by his deeds for from the moneth of December vntill the end of Aprill he did what in him lay to stoppe and hinder Louyse whom he possessed from making an end of her confession and from receiuing the blessed Sacrament the like did Belzebub by Magdalene God saith he is not my redeemer but my seuere Iudge And addeth that it is a wonder extraordinarily rare that he is thus constrained to speake the truth yea it is more saith he then to create the world in that the Diuels in this constraint resist as much they are able and enter into dispute with God He also said I was not sent by God to preach the Gospell I should lye to say it but said that God had permitted him to enter into this body for his glory and for the conuersion of many soules especially of these two Both the Deuils did discouer and declare all the enormous and grosse villanies that these Magicians committed in their cursed Synagogue Verrine further said I speake vnto you things tending to your saluation take and make vse of that which is good as if a wicked Preist should giue you good exhortations and if you will not I tell you you shall not be constrained vnto it These particulars with many others of a semblable nature will giue an easie checke to those apprehensions that should misconceiue them to be Angels of light for they do plainly appeare what they are to wit true Deuils And consequently in this regard there is no danger of being abused by those which speake in persons possessed because we know they are very Deuils which in these cases we must alwaies presuppose as a foundation The strange torments and gestures which do appeare beyond the strength of man in the bodies of those that are possessed do prooue also the same vnto vs. This being presupposed it remaineth now to cleere vp some difficulties that were propounded since the impression of this booke which not withstanding consistunt in facto tantum and not in any points of our faith And although I had for the most part breefly swept away these doubts in my Annotations in the margent yet because I will giue no disrellish vnto any I will make a longer explication of the same alwayes supposing that which I haue noted in the 260. page vpon the day of Saint Iohn the Euangelist that touching the predictions to come time will make the truth or false-hood thereof to appeare haereafter and touching those things that are abstruse and hidden wee must in the meane time hold vs to that which is decreed and taught by the Church THE DOVBTS BY SOME PROPOVNDED TOVching the History comprized in this booke THE I. DOVBT Whether it bee lawfull that a woman should speake and preach in the Church since that Saint Paul forbiddeth a woman to speake there THE ANSWERE THat a woman possessed should speake in the Church or rather the Deuill by her mouth
Verrine so that therewith he strucke Louyse on the head Notwithstanding these brauadoes of Belzebub Verrine addressed his speach vnto the said Magdalene and said O Magdalene how blest is S. Baume in thee It is true Magdalene blessed for euer is this S. Baume because in this place if thou wilt thou shalt become a second Magdalene but hitherto thou remainest arrogant vnthankfull obdurate I tell the Magdalene that thy Creatour is yet readie to die for thee This is true Magdalene Marie intercedeth for thee and pleadeth for thee before her sonne and euer saith vnto him My sonne Magdalene will be conuerted vnto thee But O cursed polluted detestable woman as thou art thou still shuttest vp the dore of thy heart Magdalene take heed vnto thy selfe take heede take heede take heede Magdalene I tell thee neuer was Iudas neuer was Herode so tormented as thou shalt bee except thou amend thy life and conuersation Magdalene forsake these Diuels Belzebub Leuiathan Balberith Asmodee Astaroth forsake this infernall societie Magdalene they all doe thirst after nothing else but after thy damnation Louyse is but the instrument of this discourse shee is possessed out of loue to thee God giueth the touch vnto this instrument to make thee listen after his melodious harmonie It is true Magdalene this good God will receiue thee to grace if thou doe repent thou wilt proue another Thais Humiliate thy selfe Magdalene and returne and obey S. Vrsula A miracle an vn-heard of miracle and which will neuer happen againe that the Diuell should conuert soules and be in steed of a Physitian an Apothecarie â—nd a Surgeon After all these discourses Magdalene still remained obstinate and in her first desperate estate at which all â—he compassionate spectators were much amazed not onely for the hardnesse of her heart but also to heare â—uch high and mysterious discourses and pronounced after more then a customarie manner It was then held sit to offer her vnto God by the 7. penetentiall Psalmes and other prayers When this was accomplished the Dominican father said vnto her Magdalene where are thy teares where are those gnawings and remorses of conscience where are those sighes which a penitent woman ought to haue At this Magdalene began to weep and bitterly bewailing her selfe she fell downe at the feete of those that were present and asked forgiuenesse with this protestation that she knew her selfe to be a cursed and disconsolate sinner so that euery one remained well edified thereby and conceiued good hope of her conuersion The Acts of the 9. of December ON which day in the morning Louyse and Magdalene were by the said Dominican father exorcised and at the entrance of the same Verrine began to speake in this manner Accursed woman listen and bee attentiue vnto what I shall now say vnto thee I call thee accursed because in the world there is none so impure as thou it is true thou art most wicked and shalt bee most vnfortunate vnlesse thou bee conuerted Neuer was Cain neuer was Iudas neuer was Pilat neuer was the rich Glutton so horribly tortured as thou shalt bee Louyse is no Philosopher Louyse hath no indowments of literature Louyse neuer was a student and thou well knowest that Louyse vnderstandeth not the secrets of thy heart but almightie God who knoweth thy most reserued cogitations compelleth me to say that thou hast againe harkened vnto Belzebub with stronger attention dissembling and gracelesse Witch as thou art then vnto thy Creatour and this thou couertly doest bay by day Gracelesse and accursed woman I do here lay it vnto thy heart that he is fearfully incensed against thee And though it be an vncontroulable truth that thou art a thanklesse and proud wretch yet doth the mother of God stand for thee shee is euer euer euer speaking for thee she is euertelling her sonne to morrow Magdalene will be obedient to morrow Magdalene will be humbled to morrow she wil turne to goodnesse to morrow shee will be conuerted O heart of stone O heart of marble and of Diamond nothing can soften or make thee tender but the blood of the Lamb. Looke to thy selfe Magdalene and be no more wilfull else art thou euerlastingly vndone O thou a thousand and a million of times accursed damned shalt thou be and that more deepely then any other the Diuels shall carrie thee body and soule to hell I say vnto thee neuer was there nor shall be such a wonder as God hath now wrought for thy sake It is true thou vngracious and flint-hearted woman that God could doe no good vpon thee neither by his inspirations nor by preaching nor by reading nor by Angels nor by all those that are in heauen nor by so many good men as haue prayed for thee What must thou haue a Diuell to conuert thee must thou haue a Diuell to be thy Physitian Apothecarie and Surgeon This is more strange then to see a hundred and a hundred and a hundred dead bodies raised and enlifened againe The defect is no where but in thee to be if thou wilt another Magdalene another Thais another Mary of Aegypt and another Pelagia Magdelene I aduise thee resist no longer open the dore which thou hast locked against thy God and he will compassion thy youth and giue pardon to thy â—ransgressions Verrine continued on and said Magdalene Thou knowest well that Louyse is very scrupulous and daintie of an oath and will not sweare for any good I then doe sweare by your God and by your Redeemer that it is most true which I haue formerly spoken And till this present thou diddest conceiue it was Louyse is not this true The all-powerfull God who seeth thy in-most imaginations constraineth me to speake it Then hee cried Ha woe is me Ha Belzebub thou doest threaten me but I must not regard thy threates for a maister more potent then thou and all hell besides doth command me Then turning to Magdalene hee said Magdalene renounce Belzebub Leuiathan Baal-berith Asmodee Astaroth say but I renounce thee cursed Belzebub and thee wretched Leuiathan thee Baalberith and thee Astaroth and thee Asmodee Then he willed the Exorcist that hee would force him to make this abiuration which hee did by the mouth of Louyse After the end of this discourse and of so terrible an inuectiue the Father Dominican turned to Magdalene and commanded her to say Conuerte me Domine conuertar ad te Then began she to weepe very tenderly and in external appearance shewed maruellous great contrition for her life past and oftentimes kissed a Crucifix which she held in her hand The Dominican when he perceiued in her so much compunction after the terrible batteries of such a hammer that did so beate at the gate of her heart asked her how she found her selfe Magdalene answered Ha! my father I am at the brink of desperation To which the said Father replied No Magdalene God doth not call thee
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
they haue to say wee also thinke vpon many things but it is for wicked purposes Be yee deuout and obseruant vnto Mary and vnto Magdalene vnto Dominicke and vnto all the Saints in Paradise and the Diuell shall haue no power to huâ—â— you The word of the Diuell is in this respect as good aâ— the word of a great Philosopher Doctor or Preacher The Diuell is alwaies in extreames be it in despaire or be it in presumption but here I am forced to keep the middle when God commandeth me It is a great matter that the Masse of a wicked Priest should bee as auaileable as the Masse of a holâ— man If you should see a malefactor punished and yet hiâ— Iudge to yeeld obedience vnto him you would be much abashed at it for it were a strange case Thus doth God obey a wicked Priest in descending on the Altar at his command the Creatour obeyeth the creature the Father his childe the Redeemer his slaue and the Iudge his malefactour Hereupon the Priest held forth the blessed Host that Louyse and Magdalene might communicate and said Ecce Agnus Dei Which Verrine straight takes hold of and saith True he is a Lambe for you but a Lion for vs it is the innocent Lambe the true God and your father but our Iudge a Lambe sacrificed for you and not for vs. Then the Priest presented the blessed Host vnto Magdalene and said Receiue thy spouse Magdalene the sonne of thy good mother Vpon which Belzebub began to torture and tosse all her body making her to knocke her head against the ground yet without wounding her and made her to wreath and bend her body in diuers manners sometimes backward and sometimes with her head doubled downe to the earth Saying to those that were present Thus doe we practise in hell learne how we torment soules If we now torment them thus when the edge of our power is blunted and abated thinke how we plague them in hell when we are enabled to imploy all our fury thereunto Aye me God doth enforce me to torment her thus to present vnto your view the punishments of hell Then the Priest said vnto him Belzebub worship thou God with thy face on the earth At this Belzebub began to yell and cry as if hee were enraged and said Ha miserable and accursed caitise speaking to Magdalene I am enforced to worship Christ for the contempt which at midnight I receiued from thee In the meane space Verrine spake to these that were present saying Beleeue that your Redeemer is heere with his flesh and bones and with all his diuine essence really and truly Wee worship him although hee be our Iudge you worship him as your Sauiour and Redeemer and yet doe you serue him but badly We put his commandements in execution by compulsion and you haue no respect vnto them at all Preachers make Sermons either for loue or for reward and God will plenteously reward them but we preach by force It is no wonder that a man preacheth vnto another man that so they may attaine vnto a place whither all men desire to come But the wonder is that Diuels should preach to men that they may haue accesse vnto that place where they themselues haue no meanes to be It is no small matter that the Diuels should occasion the Angels to reioyce who in times past were their brethren but are now their mortall enemies Then speaking to Magdalene he said Cursed be thy desire which wrought in thee a liking to enter into the Order of S. Vrsula Vrsula Vrsula thou hast cost mee deare But no man is exalted vnlesse he be first humbled We were all set loose to ruine this company we haue tempted them all to goe into Monasteries would God they had all gone thither then should we not haue beene put to this paine O you of that company you haue beene mis-prised and set at naught yet were you abashed at nothing Therefore shal you hereafter be exalted and that by the meanes of Diuels to our infinite sorrow and confusion Lucifer thou hast no power left thee nor thou Belzebub O great confusion that Diuels to our exceeding griefe should preach against Diuels Then said Belzebub to Magdalene God confound thee and all hell swallow thee For thou art the occasion of my downe-fall At which words Belzebub and Verrine began to cry as though they were outragiously mad Confundetur infernus Confundetur by our selues Louyse cursed be thy force and him that gaue it vnto thee And Verrine speaking to God said Thou couldest not be God if thou wert not stronger then vs and all hell besides Lucifer it must bee so thou art to be obedient Then the Priest commanded Verrine that in testimonie of the truth of that which he had said he should suffer Louyse to communicate to which Verrine answered In confirmation of all which I haue said I obey the blessed Host let her communicate Then did Belzebub and Verrine agree both together to take an oath And Belzebub beginning said to the Priest I sweare vnto thee my Soueraigne maketh me to sweare that I doe shew you the truth how wee cruciate and torment soules from time to time without any intermission After Belzebub Verrine spake I sweare that God hath enforced mee to say all these things in the vsuall tongue and language of Prouince for the instruction of the ignorant in which the full bounty of your God towards his creatures doth make cleare manifestation of it selfe The same day towards euening Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised by father Francis Billet and presently Verrine began to make relation of the eternall glory of the Angels and discoursed of many other matters in this sort Cursed cursed cursed be the Charme and he that gaue it But should it not haue beene giuen to her it had beene giuen to some body else Wee are bound vp from doing mischiefe but let loose to doe good We desired to be loosed to tell you your sinnes in another fashion but we cannot resist the Almighty Lucifer and all hell are but flies hand-wormes Pismires Gnats and wee haue no more power then what God pleaseth to giue vs he bestoweth vpon vs so much as will try who are his that are to be placed in Paradise Witnesse Iob who is the Patrone of patience as is Magdalene of repentance and Francis of humility You are all vnthankfull to your good Angels whom your Redeemer hath giuen vnto you they attend alwaies vpon you they doe euer preserue you from a thousand dangers from fire from water and other like perils and without them you would many times bee choaked in your sleepe Speaking this he added withall in a great fury and said It is to our exceeding griefe and to our confusion and deepe damnation that I say this Great goodnesse of God! Hee giues vnto you creatures of that transcendencie in perfection to waite vpon you and those who are
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
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
a schedull to the Diuel Magdalene which Louyse neuer saw It is a truth Magdalene that when thou wert first seduced thou wert in thy Fathers house and as true is it that thou hast giuen leaue and licence vnto the Diuell to enter into thy body Take heede Magdalene take heede take heede least thou incurre some dreadfull iudgement thou being now confessed as thou art if it were not so I had no reason to speake it Thy Confessours are wise and haue not reuealed thy sinnes vnto me This is most true Magdalene Louyse knoweth nothing of it beware therefore beware beware how thou doest coniecture that this should come either from thy Confessours or from Louyse This is true Magdalene this is true neuer striue and struggle for the matter it is for the glory of God and thou shalt receiue benefit by it It is true Magdalene that hee stands not in neede of thee for he should not be God if he had neede of thee or of any other creature All shall redound vnto thy profit doe not vexe at it God is so gracious that his end is not to publish any mens disgrace to the world but to conuert them Then hee â—aid to those that were present if you doe not make inquirie after him you shall all stand charged with him thereby meaning Lewis He further said with a high voice you Priests be not you troubled at any thing euill Priests cannot preiudice those that are good neither are the good to be despised or disesteemed because there are some that are euill If Lewis will not be conuerted hee well deserueth to be burned aliue It is true Magdalene hee first seduced thee to renounce thy God thy Baptisme and thy part in Paradise Thou hast chosen Hell for thy Mansion place yet shalt thou not goe thither because God will assist thee It is true Magdalene the Magician hath those schedules trouble not thy selfe he shall be forced to restore them It is true Magdalene the Priests haue watched with thee and happie was it for thee that they did so if they had not the Diuels would haue carried thee away It is true Magdalene thou art a Witch and hast performed whatsoeuer belongeth thereunto in great solemnitie Thou hast renounced God at three seuerall Masses one at mid-night another at the dawning of the day and the third was at high Masse It is true Magdalene God hath pardoned thee resist cursed Belzebub the Diuels haue no more force then is allotted vnto them It is true Magdalene thou hast alwaies withstoode thy God his inspirations and all other admonitions as well of the Angels of heauen as of the men of this world so that they could preuaile nothing in thy behalfe yet is thy God so gracious Magdalene that hee hath harkened vnto many soules that haue beene acceptable vnto him when they made intercession for thee It is true Magdalene many haue said Masses many haue done pennance and giuen almes many haue wrought good workes for thy sake and all this hath beene done by thy Fathers and Mothers as well corporall as spirituall Magdalene if the Starres of heauen were capable to thanke God for thee or the leaues of trees or the very stones of this Baume they would willingly do it for thy sinnes in number doe surmount the sand of the Sea O Magdalene the goodnesse of God doth not shine so bright in Peter Paul Dauid William the hermite in Theophilus or in Cyprianus as it shineth in thee It appeareth not so bright in Magdalene the sister of Martha nor in Pelagia nor in Thais nor in Marie of Aegypt nor in the woman of Samaria as it shineth in thee Yet Magdalene art thou a greater sinner then they Then Verrine cried to all the Assembly that they should haue compassion of her soule and that if God did not protect them with his grace they would bee farre worse then she Then he said humble thy selfe Magdalene and acknowledge that thou art lesse then nothing It were no wonder to see a little Innocent goe to heauen but O great wonder to see a soule that hath renounced her Maker Baptisme and Heauen to returne to God Hell it selfe is confounded thereat Lucifer now doe all thou canst call together all the Princes which are in the body of Magdalene for this is done against thee Then he began to talke in this manner What a wonder would it be to see a King take a Pismire and exalt it vnto honour Men would be amazed to see him thus honour a Pismire and this amazement would be encreased if he should take it and set it in his Chamber to honour it the more His Princes would mocke at him and say there were Ladies enough for him to honour without exalting a Pismire or if hee should take a Country wench to wife they will say that Kings ought to wed with equals and those of their owne ranke Yet for all this the Pismire should not haue eares to vnderstand when it was honoured nor words to vaunt and boast it selfe nor a proud body to swell at it and continuing still a Pismire it would neuer come to be a Lyon a Leopard or an Horse but would alwaies remaine a Pismire So Louyse because thou art a Pismire thou shouldest the more admire the puissance wisedome bounty and humilitie of thy King that hath made election of thee and would haue thee to be prouident as is the Pismire fore-casting in the Summer how to liue in Winter So must thou Pismire doe thou must amasse and treasure vp much good workes in the Summer of this world against the Winter which is the houre of thy death From this Pismire will God glorifie himselfe and make vse of her although she be but a Pismire for hee is able to make a Pismire speake if he please This will he doe to gaine soules vnto himselfe and she shall doe well to conceiue that all proceedeth from God and that she her selfe is but as a leafe of a tree nay lesse nay that she is nothing thereby to declare that all this commeth from God Then turning againe to Magdalene he said Magdalene thy soule is like a common-wealth thou must put to death the Princes that are within that a peace may bee there established It is true Magdalene disarme them all their weapons are thy consents cut off their heads and thy common-wealth will be free from danger Doest thou not know that God doth alwaies worke order out of disorder Courage Magdalene humble thy selfe and subiect thy selfe vnder the feete of euery one Then speaking to Belzebub Verrine said humble thy selfe cursed Belzebub and Verrine was the first that made him to humble himselfe who setting his foot vpon his head said Accursed miserable and proud Spirit Thou wouldest on Sunday last haue plucked God from his Throne if thou haddest been able and wouldest not worship him yet now thou art debased vnder my feete Then he cried to the Assembly Come heere and
peace coÌ„mest thou here to preach lies Thou saiest that thou art sent from God to preach the Gospell wee haue Preachers enow without thee To this Verrine replied thou lyest and doest misvnderstand me I said not so thou knowest not the bottome of this businesse and that maketh thee to speake so foolishly as thou doest It is most true I neuer so much as said that I was sent from God to preach the Gospell I should lye to say it I said that I was here in the bodie of this vnhappie woman who hath begged from God that shee might bee humbled euen to the paines of Hell for the saluation of her neighbours I said that God had permitted me to enter into this body for his glorie and the conuersion of many soules and in particular of these two which thou curious fellow knowest not Thou art a proud arrogant fellow and worse then a Diuell except thou humble thy selfe and I will proue it vnto thee that thou beleeuest not thy God to be omnipotent Thou art worse then an Hereticke except thou repent and beleeue what I haue spoken Get thee gon get thee gon accursed spirit said the Frier I will not beleeue the Diuell Then said Verrine I doe adiure thee by the liuing God to come with me and sweare that all which I haue said is true For thou deseruest to bee burnt aliue if thou doest not beleeue thy God to be omnipotent Why saiest thou thy Credo if thou beleeuest not what I haue spoken It is not to bee auoided thou must either denie the puissance of God or confesse that this is true To this the Frier replied that there was a woman in Paris much resembling the condition of this woman in whom was discouered a great deale of knauerie and iugling and that she did deceiue much people Verrine told him that it was true shee did indeede cousen many but Louyse was trulie possessed Let her life belooked into and let her be turned ouer to the Examinations of the sharpest vnderstandings Shee would bee readie euen to suffer Martyrdome to maintaine this auerment if need did so require because it would redowne vnto the glorie of her God Then Verrine ingeminated that speech to goâ— and sweare with him and that Louyse could not communicate till they were both sworne The Frier made great resistance hereunto and would by no meanes obey it saying that hee would not bee commanded by a Diuell Hereunto Verrine answered it standeth not with reason to obey the Diuell I command thee not from my selfe but say vnto thee on Gods behalfe that thou â—ome along and sweare with mee it waxeth late and Louyse is to communicate Then the Frier said vnto the Priest which held the blessed Sacrament Father doe â—ou commaund me for I will not obey the Diuell Whereupon the Priest commanding him he came and wore vpon the Te igitur and then vpon the blessed â—acrament Verrine also taking such an oath the like whereof hee had neuer taken before said thus I doe weare by the liuing God that whatsoeuer I haue said I â—aue been constrained to vtter the same vnto you It is â—rue O God who art here really and truly with thy boâ—ie and blood with thy diuinitie power wisdome and â—ountie The said Frier was present when hee swore â—hus to whom he said I doe sweare by the God of Isâ—ael and by the God of the Christians that all which I â—aue spoken is true I sweare vnto thee according to â—he meaning of God and his Church and according to â—he Exorcists intention also that when wee are inforâ—ed thereunto by God we must put his good pleasure 〈◊〉 execution keeping all the solemnities that are requiâ—te in taking a true and perfect oath Then the Frier submitted himselfe and said that hee â—ad spoken nothing against God or his Church and beâ—eeued that God was Omnipotent and was able to â—orce the Deuill to deliuer a truth when it pleased him â—nd so submitting himselfe he rested satisfied The Deuill thereupon told him Thou art exceeding â—roud learne to humble thy selfe and bee not so ouer-â—urious for the curious fall into a pit from whence â—hey cannot free themselues when they will alleaging Caluin Beza Luther Iulian the Apostata Simon Maâ—us and saying doe not thou boast thy strength aboue heirs for there haue been Priests and religious perâ—ons that afterwards became heretikes as Caluin Beza Luther Verrine further said vnto him And of what religion art thou Doth thy Order command thee to bee proud I will proue vnto thee that thou art arrogant and selfe-opinioned and wouldest circle in the omnipotencie of God within thy narrow vnderstanding Humble thy selfe for it ill beseemeth one of thy coate to bee thus drenched in curiositie The supremest Seraphins doe euery day make new discoueries of great perfections in God the same doth his Mother and all the Angels Salomon when hee dedicated his Temple said Hee that created heauen and earth whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe and wilt not thou that art but a worme which crauleth on the earth submit thy selfe but wouldest hoope in the omnipotencie bountie and wisedome of thy God within the cancels of thine owne memorie and braine Vpon this the Frier rested satisfied and submitted himselfe with many words of humiliation Verrine also discoursed touching the reason of these present writings in forme of a letter missiue the tenour whereof here ensueth The men of these times are so curious that God must bee as a Gardener vnto them witnesse Magdalen to whom he appeared in the semblance of a Gardener and fit diuers sorts of sallets vnto their palats lest they should be disrelished wherein he resembleth a good father who doth so affectionately loue his child that he is euer asking him What wilt thou eate childe And if the childe chance to say I haue no appetite I see nothing I can eate the father will cause daintie and exquisite meate to bee set before him the best that may bee gotten If then the childe should say nothing heere pleaseth me the fault is not in the victuals but in him that is sicke and hath his tafte ill-affected What doth the father then doth he fall a beating of him doth he threaten and chide him no but goeth about and searcheth after other strange victuals which may chance to please them for their noueltie as being such which hee had neuer seene tasted or heard talke of Euen so doth your God by you for he is an hundred times more carefull then all the naturall fathers that are This father both of your soules and bodies when he obserueth that the soule hath no appetite vnto such varietie of good meates which as a father hee hath solicitously prouided such as is the holy Scripture it is true euery one doth not vnderstand this which is a meat too lushious too delicious too precious and all cannot rellish and like the same especially women and fooles it is too hot for them and
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
is the daughter of God I â—m commanded by my superiour and yours to send you out of my loue this letter which I could not but performe for I should haue been shrewdly burthened â—f I had neglected the same It is to tell you that you â—orthwith come hither without faile and not aske wherefore or how or wee cannot come because wee â—aue a great charge and are here but few in number â—hese excuses and tergiuersations doe all flow from the Diuell Remember that true obedience doth neuer â—nter into dispute especially when the good pleasure of God is to bee executed in matters of such importance â—s these are humble your selues in imitation of Christ â—esus and doe not murmur and say This crosse is heaâ—ier then I am able to beare He would neuer vtter such â— thing but like an innocent lambe and as an oxe vnder â—he yoke he suffered himselfe to bee led away and carâ—ied his crosse without disputing or reasoning the matâ—er with the hangman He said not this mountaine is so â—teepe that I cannot climbe vp vnto it but submitted â—elfe to the guidance and gouernment of his heauenly Father It standeth with good reason that the seruant should be directed by his maister since that the maister hath bene content to bee ledde by his slaues and cursed seruants yea by hell it selfe Therefore humble your selues and bee obedient otherwise you shall incurre Gods heauy displeasure vnlesse you doe that which I haue aduertised vnto you I deserue not to bee obeyed at your hands but hee who caused this letter to be written doth wel deserue it from you After all this hee did dictate another letter which beginneth Andrew Chicolle Louyse prayeth thee to calâ— to remembrance the speech which thou diddest vse vnto her in the Chappell of S. Vrsula in Confession when shee said that shee had prayed vnto God to haue the grace to suffer for his sake Then diddest thou say vnto her obserue well my speech looke you obserue it well and call it to minde Suffer thy selfe to bee guided and directed which aduise shee afterward found to be of speciall vse vnto her and being now acquainted with the truth thereof shee is desirous to returne vnto you some fruite of your owne counsell whereby you did theâ— particularly giue instance in the obedience which weâ— did owe vnto our superiour when hee sendeth for vs. You wel remember the resistance and denyalls which shee at that time made against God and her superiour notwithstanding your counsel together with the aduise of Mathew Arnout and of Peter Thion was treasured vp in her hart and proued afterward very vsefull vnto her And God is well pleased that acknowledgment of these thinges bee first made to him and then vnto his creatures for the loue of him Shee doth therefore exhort you thereunto since for her owne part shee hath sped so well in obeying the pleasure of God and of her superiour which shee hath no reason to conceiue but that you if you be wise will also be very ready to performe For vnhappy and miserable is that man who giueth good counsell vnto others and can practise or follow none himselfe Your most humble and vnworthy the slaue of God and for his loue the slaue also of his creatures Louyse Pray vnto God for her and cause others to doe the like for shee standeth in great need of the same The same day departed the said Paschalis Preist Geraud Preist Peter Michaelis Denis Guillemini Priour of Ramoules and Balthazar Charuas to goe to Marseille with the said letters who promised to giue a good account of their proceedings The Acts of the 17. of December THis day Verrine for an insallible marke to discerne whither this spirit came by Gods permission or no did yeeld very readily his obedience and in token that he was there on Gods behalfe hee said hee would suffer Louyse to communicate without any resistance whatsoeuer vpon the commandement of her superiour father Romillon which before this time hee neuer did and did dictate very distinctly vnto vs the disputation of the 16. of this present moneth by the vertue of the like commandement Also Louyse being twice or thrice as it were rauished in an extasy shee recouered and came to her selfe as soone as her superiours command was layd vpon her The same day Magdalen was shrewdly tempted by the Deuill and was depressed with a great and extraordinary sadnesse And whiles Masse was saying the temptation ended Magdalen performing all acts of humility and weeping very bitterly in S. Baume when shee called to minde what had happened vnto her In the morning shee was exrocised by the Dominican father and Verrine began to speake in this manner Let the Luxurions liue let those that beare false witnesse liue let these and the like liue for hell but let obedience simplicity a good intention pure affection vnspotted conscience humility and resignation of the world liue for the liuing God as doe all they that are belonging vnto the traine and company of the Lambe I say that immaculate Lambe Hee that will conquer must suffer Petrus thou hast seene thy maister in the mountaine of glory and hast indured martyrdome for his sake and thou Iames hast drunke of his cup which thy mother did so litle esteeme of Surrender your selues vp into the hands of God hee knoweth what is good for you and shall be a guide vnto you in all your waies Ioannes Euangelista thou diddest tell thy maister Possumus and diddest indeed afterward prooue a Martyr but it was a martyrdome of passion and greese when thou wert with thy maister at the Crosse. He that will goe to heauen must honour God and loue his neighbour as himselfe and be ready to depart with his goods for his neighbours body and with his owne body for his soule and if any shall remaine obstinate they shall frye in those vnquenchable flames It is true many Sacrifices haue beene offered vp vnto God in the behalfe of Magdalen and Lewis the Priest Thou Louyse diddest beg of God to suffer for his sake and thou shalt suffer and for the better support of thy patience God will augment and double thy force vpon thee And to show that this proceedeth from God he shall make thee obedient Then Belzebub said that Magdalen had giuen vp her keyes vnto him Verrine answered Thou lyest God seeth more cleerly then thy selfe thy aime is to ouerthrow her and make her perish by impaciency and despaire No no Belzebub this soule belongeth vnto God But put case she had made a bequeath of her soule vnto thee I say that God may at any time take her home vnto himselfe cannot a King enter into his owne Palace at any time that pleaseth him Belzebub answered That is true but not against the will of the creature Then said Verrine vnto him Hee will enter either by force or loue and will haue her to himselfe although she had committed all the
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
exclamation and said O great miracle although in saying thus what noueltie doe I speake for it is no new thing that the Sonne of God should yeeld obedience vnto a Preist Ha God! it is no great wonder for thee to raise the dead to make the blinde to see or the dumbe to speak with many works of wonder of a parallell nature but the wonder of wonders is that the Sonne of God with foure words should be made to descend vpon this Altar although I could tell you another great wonder too and that is that the Deuill is here forced to deliuer the truth I doe auerro that it is more strange that a Deuill should thus deliuer truth then to create 1000. worlds or to raise 1000. from the dead for it is a matter of ease and course with God to command those things that giue no stoppe or resistance vnto his will When God created the World hee said but Fiat When he raised the dead he said but the word and all thing obeyed him But when he comes to command a Deuill he had need to employ all his power to enforce him to performe his will For the Deuill is so mischeeuously bent that he resisteth as much as he is able and is euer disputing with God propounding diuers reasons vnto him saying they haue preachers and they haue stoore of bookes let them giue credite vnto them He further said God is like the master of a great shop he is his crafts-master in all trades and will giue euery one of you wherewith all to employ himselfe He is so skilfull and gallant a Taylor that hee cutteth out garments with much dexterity and wants nothing but whom he may set on worke Hee is well experienced to cut out your worke you Ecclesiasticall men may doe well to employ your selues vnder him because you that are priestes ought rather to lead the life of Angels then of men and are to bee instrusted with the counsels and Commandements of God Then he turned himselfe to the Layity and said No no the Priests haue not the world at will as you conceiue they must be humble chast and poore and must chastice and mortifie themselues sundry waies which is a point full of difficulty vnto those that are deuoid of charity Then he spake to the Monkes and said You that liue in Cloisters haue an eye vnto your estate for it is not enough to bee mued vp in your walls and then to liue at your ease no you must rise at midnight you must be very studious you must bee humble you must be modest You should be a glasse vnto secular persons and harmelesse and vnblameable in your conuersations yet doe you worldlings thinke that religious persons doe liue in idlenesse and ease I tell you that the employment of one houre at mens studies is a greater toile then the trauels of a labouring man that sweateth at his worke a whole weeke The good conuersation of religious persons is of inestimable vse amongst Christians therefore obey God and his Church and ten thousand soules will be conuerted after your example Say not wee are young if you had a licence or warrant from another world I might then perchance aduise you to delay your amendment but thinke of death and consider how suddenly men are surprised by it Death is a theese and stealeth vpon men when they least looke for it Happie are they that are found to doe good and miserable are they that wallow in their sinnes when death approacheth for death will spare neither great nor small Then he spake vnto the Laity and said you are to line euery one according to his calling In Paradise there are Kings and there are poore people for some of all estates and conditions are saued Doe not mutter and say wee are poore wee haue not wherewithall to liue God will haue regard vnto your pouerty and will saue you but the great ones cannot excuse themselues you that are poore haue reason to reioyce when you shall consider that God became poore for your sakes God is a Taylor that wanteth nothing but workemen he is a Physition and a Surgeon that maketh enquirie after those that are infirme or wounded Reade well the booke of the Crucifix and you shall there find all variety of knowledge if thou doest obiect I am not able to reade this booke I tell thee thou liest for this booke may bee read by men and women yea by people of the most grosse and muddy capacity that may bee you may reade it in Churches in your houses in your beds and in the fields and all manner of vnderstanding is treasured vp in this booke that may any way concerne the saluation of your soules Looke on this booke and reade it well for in it you shall find all sorts of vertues humility pouerty patience obedience and whatsoeuer else may make full a mans perfection Rich and poore and people of all conditions looke in the glasse of the Crosse and behold therein a God so great so humble and yet so full of Maiesty you shall there see your God poore will you then hate or detest pouerty If pride suggest these haughty thoughts into you thinke that your God tooke man vpon him to humble himselfe to the death of the Crosse. It is a greater miracle to see God dwelling in the flesh of man then to behold the creation of one hundred thousand worlds The Word equall vnto his father hath taken humane nature vpon him to suffer and to be put to a cruell death And you Mary haue endured much also which hath bin the cause of the saluatiō of many soules If a King should haue a slaue and would redeeme him by giuing 10000. Crownes for his ransome this were a great summe and an extraordinarie fauour but if he should giue a Million of gold his grace and loue would shew it selfe the more by how much the more the summe encreased But this would appeare but a slender curtesie if hauing but one only sonne he would giue him away to redeeme and purchase back this slaue vnto him how infinitely would men maruell at the cortesie of such a King But all this is nothing in comparison of your God who hath but one only Sonne yet gaue him vp for you that are sinners this sonne I say that is equall to his father in power in wisedome and in goodnesse that is the blessed Word O great wonder that the Sonne of God should thus suffer for such vngrateful creatures who make so little profit of the same If stones were capable of vnderstanding they would expresse some action of acknowledgment and if leaues could bee furnished with the same they would also declare their thankfulnesse but you are the most vngratefull of creatures and doe not acknowledge the loue and tender care that God hath ouer you whose greatnesse is such that if you had but the least knowledge or side-long glance thereof you would creep with your
belly vpon the earth and would esteeme your selues vnworthy of that deiection God is a glasse and blessed is he that taketh Christ Iesus and the mother of God for his glasse to looke on It is true that whilest shee liued in the earth shee was contemned and held to bee a woman of meane condition but know you not that Gods custome is to abase the proud you that are poore would very faine liue in the desert of this world but you want money to buy drugges or confections of the Apothecaries this want may easily be endured Come and vnderstand what may more neerely import you how you ought to be deuout to the blessed mother of God I tell you those that are deuout vnto her shall neuer die in mortall sinne Mary is the sinners aduocate There is a great inditement betweene God and the soule the blessed mother of God makes the report the Angels and Saints are the Aduocates Mary is the poore sinners refuge and thou Magdalene hast obtained remission of thy sinnes Let the Crosse therefore bee your Grammer your Philosophy and your S. Thomas Then he confirmed all this discourse and diuers other matters by an oath as his maner was Then he spake to Magdalene and said Well Magdalene are you satisfied now Is it not better to obey God then Belzebub Then Magdalene said aloud yes I finde a great deale of difference betwixt them Verrine replied a minute of the ioyes of God is more thon the eternity of all hell and all the delights of the world put together Magdalene thou must change thy selfe thy name shall remaine still Magdalene but touching thy first workes thou shalt bee Magdalene no longer Thou shalt be changed Magdalene and as it were transformed from what thou art into a new forme You know that those who make cheese when they haue failed in making it good they doe vnmould it againe and make it better euen so God when hee seeth a soule disfigured and defeated of shape by sinne hee taketh it vnto him and doth alter and fashion and new frame it and so makes it pliable vnto his will And as the cheese doth still remaine the same cheese so doth the creature remaine still the same creature but he that hath refashioned the same is Omnipotent vnto whom all things owe subiection and whom the Diuels themselues obey when they are constrained to execute his pleasure The creature may for a short space resist but God hauing waited a long time and growing now impatient to stay so long without doores saith these words No no I will enter in I am master of this house and am come to fashion this Image a new whom the Diuell hath so deformed I am the Painter shall not I mend this picture when it seemeth good vnto me Witnesse my Passion when my holy and sacred face was couered ouer with spittle but it was to make my countenance shine the brighter I am content that in this world you should be despised and defaced euen by the Diuels themselues for all creatures are my pictures I am the Painter and haue made them all but the Diuels my mortall enemies doe often come by stealth and disfigure these portraictures and do deface them after such an outragious manner that I my selfe doe tremble to behold them But remembring that they were my handy-worke I take the pencell of holy inspirations with the colours of my graces and come to this picture and giue him the first draught by contrition and another by confession and after that by satisfaction I am content that the linnen cloth should still remaine the same that is the body and the soule of the creature Now God who hath all manner of liuely colours in his hands knowes well to dispense these colours as seemeth best vnto him giuing men the white of Humility the red of Charity the orange of Patience the greene and yellow of Hope that he may one day take comfort in this-his pourtraying and that this excellent peece may come and giue him thankes in that he hath framed him and fashioned him anew when the Diuell in his malice had razed and disfigured him Thus doth God by the soule of Magdalene shee was a portraicture that God himselfe had made but Belzebub Lucifer and all Hell did bandie themselues and were resolued to deface it not once or twice but I dare say a thousand times God being impatient to see them so maliciously bent was desirous to conuert her gaue her to vnderstand that hee had a long time with patience waited for her threatned her with great authority with words so strong with such violent strokes as it were with hammers that she was constrained to open the gate to him who saith Open vnto mee and I will enter in and dwell with thee it is long since that I haue been heere at thy gate Magdalene suffer me to enter in and giue me thy keyes The same morning after the Exorcismes were finished Magdalene performed three acts of humilitie at the first she craued pardon of the whole Assembly at the second she desired to be forgiuen by all those that were absent confessing that she was not worthy so much as of Hell and intreating that they would set their feete and treade vpon her Hereupon Verrine said that this was more pleasing to God then a whole yeares repentance At the third she said to the Assembly that she would lie along at the entry of the Church desiring all that were present to tread vpon her as the most wretched creature of the world which was accordingly performed then Verrine said that such an act of humiliation was neuer before performed by any that euer was possessed and that Belzebub would rather chuse to be tortured in Hell a thousand yeares then to haue endured such an affront and infamy in the body of Magdalene The same day about two a clock in the afternoone there came thither in the company of certaine Gentlemen a Huguenot that would needs dispute with the Deuill When suddenly the Deuill Verrine began to say Shee whom thou seest heere is the daughter of an Hereticke shee is of S. Rhemy her father and mother died Huguenots and Monsieur de Beaucamp is her kinsman who would haue disswaded her from dedicating her selfe to the seruice of God but now by his permission she is bewitched and possessed hauing three deuils in her body Doe not thou conceiue that thou art now to enter into the lists of disputation with a woman no thou shalt not direct thy speech to her it is I that will grapple with thee Come neere and aske what thou wilt To this he answered I aske nothing Then said the Deuill you are quickly satisfied it seemes you are very rich that you haue need to aske nothing And bid the Gentle-man propound what hee had thought to haue said What is it said hee that you would bee resolued of To this the Gentle-man said How prooue you that the
Church was the true Church The Deuill answered There is one God and one Church The Huguenot replyed vpon this I beleeue the Church Verrine said Dost thou beleeue the true Church which is the Church of Rome I know thou dost not beleeue it He answered let vs leaue that point I affirme that I am in the true Church Verrine replyed that it was not true Then did the other bid him to show some reason whereby it might bee declared whither the Saints may pray for vs or no. Verrine said Who so denyeth the Prayers and Intercessions of Saints denyes an Article of his Creede which doth confesse the communion of Saints Then replyed the other I am not satisfied with this giue me a better reason To which Verrine answered Doe not you your selues pray sometimes one for another You know full wel that you pray for your Kings and Princes and doe you conceite that there is lesse charity in Paradise I say no for standing before the presence of God and God being Charity it selfe it falles not within the compasse of doubt that Saints pray for vs. But the other said that for all this hee was not yet satisfied Then Verrine told him Thou art proud yea and curious in thy nature thou deseruest not to haue fruition of the light for thou dost not endeauour to search forth the same Then they fell vpon the point of the blessed Sacrament and the Huguenot said that it was necessary to beleeue that his diuinity onely was there and not his humanity Verrine answered that he was really and truely there both in Diuinitie and Humanity and alledged diuerse reasons for the same saying that who so denyeth that denyeth the first Article of his Creede Thou dost acknowledge said hee to the Huguenot in thy Creede that God is Omnipotent and yet dost now crosse that and denyest heere his Omnipotency for if hee be Omnipotent then is hee of powerfulnesse to performe the same which he also doth for his body and diuinity are in the blessed Sacrament whereunto hee added that Gods word ioyned with his power could not but take effect and that when God had affirmed a thing it was impossible for him to lye Then said the other And I affirme that wee receiue him not but by Faith Verrine answered This by Faith will lead you all to Hell if you bee not humbled and giue way vnto the truth The other said And how is the body heere when it is said that he sitteth at the right hand of God Verrine replyed It is true hee is so yet doth he not say I can be no where but at his right hand he said when he made the first institution of this blessed Sacrament Take this is my body and my bloud it is not said this is by faith but it is said This is my body as often as you doe this you shall doe it in remembrance of my Passion Then Verrine added You deceiue your selues in that you thinke that the body of our Lord doth fill or take vp any place No no it is not thus for his body is a glorified body and is adorned with all the qualities of a glorious body yea I doe further say that he being more perfect then all hath therefore a body so blessed aboue all other that hee occupyeth no place but is couered and shrouded in a litle bit of bread onely Then there began a disputation between Leuiathan and Verrine in the presence of the said Huguenot and of sundry Catholicks one of the Deuils speaking anâ— sustaining the cause of God which is Verrine and the other to wit Leuiathan who is the master of all Hereticks the cause of Lucifer and speaking interchangeably they reasoned to this purpose What said Verrine is not God Omnipotent May not hee exact this seruice from the Deuill to enforce him to doe his will when it shall be best pleasing vnto him Leuiathan taking the Huguenots part replyed My friend doe not beleeue him wee are all the fathers of lyes Ha! you shall shew your selfe very weake to giue credite to his words beleeue me you are in good way beleeue me and hold on your course Verrine answered thou lyest and art not able to prooue it Leuiathan said I will sweare solemnly that he is in a good way Verrine replyed thou art an accursed spirit and wilt take a false oath against God and his Church Leuiathan said vnto him No I say I will take mine oath according to the meaning of God and his Church Verrine answered Thou canst not doe it vnlesse thou haue some sinister and reserued intention Leuiathan said leaue this talke you neede not search so deeply into the botome of this I onely bid thee answere to what thou oughtest Verrine said I am heere on Gods behalfe It is true said Leuiathan and I am heere on the behalfe of Lucifer Then Verrine said that is the very reason that thou art not able to say what I say but onely tellest lies thou art in the body of Magdalene that thou maist destroy soules but I am heere to saue them That is true Leuiathan Then said Verrine wilt thou take an oath as I will affirming that there is but one God one Baptisme and one Church I am heere to take part with God Leuiathan turning himselfe towards the Huguenot said Bee resolute my friend bee resolute thy Church is the true Church thou mayst safely follow these paths Then Verrine told him that hee lyed and that it was the Church of Darknesse wherein no truth was to bee found and because they tooke not the help of a candle to direct them to the habitation of truth but stumbled along with a dimme and darksome Lanthorn what wonder was it if they miscaryed from their way and could not attaine vnto it Leuiathan said No this is the true Church which is beawtified with the fair appellation of the reformed Church Verrine replyed I tell thee it is the Gulfe of Hell because the curious tread dangerously on the brimme of that Gulfe and are euer labouring and digging neere the brinke thereof and not being able to finde that which they search after they doe at length tumble in and when the head falleth into this pit first the rest of the members of that body doe easily follow after witnesse Beza Caluin and Luther who alledged and said that they were Preists and Religious persons yet did they despise all Religion and all Ecclesiasticall Discipline And although darknes issued from thence where light should haue remained yet for all that said Verrine men ought not to take away Preist-hood or to abolish the orders of Religion because there are some wicked Preists and ill-disposed Religious persons For prooofe whereof he alledged that in the company of our Lord himselfe there was a Iudas yet who would bee so foolish to conclude that the rest must be as wicked as hee Then said the Huguenot how prooue you that God hath commanded vs to pray to Saints Verrine
answered him it is an Article of your Creede if you be wiser then God why goe you not and pluck him from his Throane To this he said I am not yet satisfied in this point but tell mee how prooue you there is a Purgatory Verrine replyed yes I will prooue it easily vnto you I affirme that God hath said that no defiled thing shal enter into the kingdome of Heauen To this the other answered that he was not content with his replications because the Deuill is the father of lies Verrine said it is true wee are the fathers of lyes when wee haue free and vncontrouled scope to speake from our selues but being constrained by God wee haue a necessity imposed vpon vs to deliuer the truth What thinkest thou that thou disputest with the woman heere Thou art too arrogant thou deseruest not to haue thy vnderstanding inlightned thou art too curious and what thou hast heere heard will not bee auaileable vnto thee The Huguenot replyed hold thy peace thou art not able to answere and art indeed but a block head Verrine answered it is not words will bring men to Heauen there must be an addition of some thing else faith good works are to be thought vpon by those that will goe to Paradise Here upon Leuiathan said turning himselfe towards the Huguenot my friend beleeue mee stand stoutly to it I will accompany thee if it seeme good vnto thee Then the Huguenot said with all my heart shake hands let vs goe if thou wilt To this Verrine said directing his speech to the Huguenot Soft and faire soft faire the Deuil hath no power on her body although he vse her toung as his instrument to expresse himselfe But you Sir where doe you conceiue you are in some wood or at some May-game and taking him vp very sharply he said the Deuil take al those who neuer go to Church but to commit a thousand sinnes and impieties The other said vnto him is there no shame in thee that speakest thus before thy God thou art worse then a Deuill to pronounce these words O accursed wretch said Verrine thou doest not deserue the least glimse of light for when thou spakest this thou diddest conceaue thou haddest spoken vnto a creature not vnto the Deuill thou miserable loathed and abhominable caytiffe thou art worse then the Deuill yea thou hast inwardly resolued to commit some notorious sinne get thee gone thou wretch get thee gone Darest thou to be so hardy as within a Church where the blessed Sacrament remaineth to conceiue that which thou hast conceiued thou deseruest death thou obstinate fellow Then the Huguenot departed Verrine said vnto the Catholicks that were present What did you see how this wretch shrunke away learne you by his example and doe not doe as you haue been accustomed kneeling onely vpon one knee when you came to heare Masse No no you should not misdemeane yourselues thus but should behaue your selues as malefactors before your Iudge In the euening Magdalene onely was exorcised and during the time of Exorcisme there was represented vnto her a vision full of horror and amazement for she saw two Diuels in the semblance of Serpents each of whom held a soule in their mouth that seemed vnto her more deformed then Hell it selfe and the fright of this spectacle did endure long after the Exorcisme and had not quite left her when shee made relation of the same The same day father Francis Billet wrote vnto the Priests of the doctrine in this manner Dearest and best beloued brethren I beseech you in the name of Almighty God that you would be pleased to come hither as soone as possibly you can yea if you could to depart vpon the very day or the day after at farthest that this messenger shall arriue vnto you and to come hither where you shall vnderstand of diuers passages and occurrences so strange so vnheard of and so vsefull that hee who is not present to see and to be made acquainted with the same will hardly beleeue it For they are things of that high nature that who so vnderstandeth not the bottome and foundation of it will hardly humble his iudgement vnto the truth thereof But come because this matter toucheth the glory of God and of his Church the conuersion of soules and the honour and aduancement of your vocation Come then and doe not wonder if I do so often inculcate this word come vnto you for I doe assure you that it is a matter of importance Letters speake but once therfore I had reason to make frequent repetition of this word Come then with all the speed you may I should conceaue my selfe guilty of a great offence if I had not disburthened and cleared my conscience by writing this letter vnto you You may obiect vnto me that I am too easie of beleefe but come and you shall see that I am not alone of this opinion If I am deceiued there are others in the same case whose iudgements I must beleeue to be more able and more piercing then mine owne I doe assure you that if you had seene and obserued these things you would receiue great contentment thereby and would rest very well satisfied For God hath permitted that a sister of the Company of S. Vrsula most vnworthy though shee be to bee bewitched hauing three Diuels in her body Her name is Louyse Capeau who hauing from her youth begged of God to set her in some course of life wherein shee might remaine to his greater glory for the saluation of her soule and the profit good of her neighbour and being entred into that vocation wherein now she standeth in the first yeere of her nouiciatship God began to instill into her strong and vehement desires to endure for her neighbours all temporall paine whatsoeuer yea to vndergoe the torments of Hell it selfe if it might bee done without her separation from God and hauing persisted till this time in her request especially when she was to receiue the blessed Sacrament at length she had her desire and did accept with great patience all the said paines and torments euer saying these words Lord I thinke my selfe vnworthy to suffer any thing for the loue of you Shee made all these requests without asking any mans aduice because shee euer conceiued that it was no way within the compasse of sin so that when shee found her selfe possessed shee was much abashed thereat and wondred with her selfe from whence it might proceed But God from whom this was not hidden did saue vs a great deale of labour by laying his charge vpon one of the Diuels that were in her body to answere vnto the Exorcismes and to deliuer the truth what the end was wherefore he remained in her body And although the Diuell after many adiurations which the Exorcists made vnto him seemed obstinate in his silence and would giue no resolution vnto any thing that was propounded yet being commanded on
Gods behalfe and by the authority which he hath giuen vnto his Church and by the vertue and powerfulnesse of Exorcismes hee did in conclusion roare aloud as though hee had been outragiously mad with such high and affrightfull cries that he was heard a great way off and so turning to Magdalene of Palud hee said three seuerall times it is true Magdalene it is true it is true Louyse is possessed for thy sake and for thee doth she suffer this affliction O Magdalene Louyse is thy pledge and repeated these words three times her body shall bee afflicted particularly for thy soule and by a consequent for many others Then speaking to Louyse he said consider that thou art an accursed detestable wretched and abominable creature and so repute of thy selfe before God I am constrained to lay it close vnto thee endeauour to beleeue that of thy selfe which diuers would perswade thee to beleeue If thou thinkest thou shalt be hurt thereby thanke thy selfe I cannot doe withall Doest thou not know what is commonly said harme watch harme catch thereby meaning the torments which shee had and was to suffer saying vnto her that she was not to vex her selfe if these afflictions did fall heauie vpon her for said he why wouldest thou then aske them Cursed bee the charme by the which God shall receiue so many offerings of thanksgiuing and men so many showers of benefits and repeating three times cursed bee that charme it was not said hee our intention noâ— the purpose of the Magician and the rest that agreed thereunto that these things should bee brought to so vnexpected an issue Our intendment is alwaies sinister and mischieuous to cause all villanies to be set on foote and acted and to procure iudgement to follow on the necke of them wee haue been constrained from God to pronounce and declare him innocent whom wee suggested vnto Louyse to bee the author of her troubles wee haue opened and disclosed the name of the Magician by the vertue of Exorcismes and haue cried aloud that he is such an one Notwithstanding all this declaration of mine yet will your apprehension come short of these things whose life consisteth rather in their action then in their relation Afterward vpon the day of the conception of the blessed mother of God towards euening there were diuers discourses vttered full of excellency and vse which hee promised should continue till Christmasse Hee did in particular labour the conuersion of Magdalene and in her the conuersion of many others so that those who heard it twice a day at the time of the two seuerall Exorcismes returned from thence with full satisfaction the whole assembly being filled with the admiration of it Whereupon I will ingeminate this word vnto you againe come if you be wise and herein make declaration of your wisedome for true wisedome is to harken and be obedient vnto the will of God But you may obiect how proue you that this is the will of God Doe but come and these doubts shall bee cleared vp and dispelled You know that there is no good but is accompanied with some difficulâ—y come come and bee assistant vnto our Lord and suffer your selues to be a little diseased for his sake who for the loue of you did not feare to approch to Mount Caluary doe not you then from the dutie you should be are vnto him be dishartened to vndergo iâ— is trouble hee hath shewed you the way follow your Captaine And since you are his souldiers it standeth with reason that you should abide in your Carrisons I meane your vocation Come and bee not fearefull to combate with his enemies for now occasion doth present it selfe the enemy is discouered and you are to fight no longer in corners and God hauing regard vnto their patience that haue suffered so much for his sake will in a full measure recompence the same The Diuell had sworne very solemnly that all Hell had a resolution to abolish and root out the Christian doctrine and the Company of S. Vrsula to their vtter ruine and perdition if their power bad been of sufficiency to compasse the same God himselfe permitting this for his glory as he did tolerate the like practise vpon Iob. And to assure vs the better hereof hee hath suffered the Diuel to reueale it who hath been enforced to affirme that God would doe now as hee did by Iob worke good out of these tentations which the Diuell projected for euill purposes God is very cunning to draw good out of euill and is like a skilfull Surgeon who when hee obserueth a man to abound with more blood then is expedient for his health hee launceth him and draweth that vnnecessarie superflux of blood from him not thereby to kill him but as the Surgeon taketh some blood from him that is sicke the better to prepare him to be cured and this is done to preserue him from many inconueniences and dangerous maladies which otherwise would grow vpon him so doth God demeane himselfe towards vs hauing permitted that we all without exempting any one should be tossed in this tempest For the Diuell himselfe did affirme that hee had left none of vs vnattempted but said aloud Francis be not angry thou hast had thy share in these tentations as wel as others and so hast thou Iames speaking to Father Rets It is true Romillon it is true all thy people haue been tempted but be of good cheere Romillon for thou shalt regaine them all Peter Barmond hath been tempted likewise but you will recover him and most vnhappie shall he be if he doe resist it And hee charged vs to send for him whereupon there was a letter written which also did concerne the Fathers of Aix and was deliuered by Father Rets We doe already see a good and happy beginning in Magdalene of Palud who is now much strengthened and exceedingly altered in her inward man Belzebub and all the Diuels in Magdalens body are forced to obey God and Verrine doth so taunt and braue them on Gods behalfe that we all remained greatly astonished He would not sticke to say cursed art thou Belzebub and you Balberith Leuiathan Asmodee Astaroth and Carreau yea hee out-dared Lucifer himselfe telling him that it was fit Almighty God should bee obeyed and not Lucifer or Hell or the rest of the Diuels Hee would oftentimes cry aloud Belzebub thou art my master and I am a vassall of thine when I am employed from Lucifer but now I haue my abode here by the appointment of God hence it is that I speake so arrogantly before my Prince and doe braue all Hell saying to Belzebub Belzebub I charge thee in the name of Almighty God that thou lie all along vpon the ground and so treading vpon him Verrine vttered these words full of arrogancy and pride where are thy Princes now Belzebub and you that are there abiding what is become of you now speaking to the Diuels you are all of you Princes at the least fiue of you if
doth dislike and abhorre these abominations yet being an excellent painter he is able when he pleaseth to correct any deformitie in this his portraicture Thou knowest Leuiathan that this is true and that I am here by the appointment of God but am tied and bound from revealing of sinnes Leuiathan said Thou lyest for thou hast divulged them and art now convicted of a manifest vntruth It is true said Verrine but this is done for the good of these sinners neither could the miracle be manifested if the sinnes were not divulged Then turning himselfe to Saint Magdalene hee said these words It is true Magdalene thou wert a sinner neither doth it redound vnto the dishonor of God or lay any disreputation vpon thee that thou wert so nor is there any diminution of thy happinesse because thou diddest formerly offend That is true said Leuiathan but there is a great difference betweene this and that Magdalen she needed no Divels to convert her but was reclaimed by her owne care and industry and therefore it is not probable that God hath sent thee into this body for the conversion of these two soules since there be many other meanes to bring this to passe without thy helpe who art the father of lies and whom no man will scarce beleeve Hold thy peace said Verrine accursed spirit as thou art and give me audience It is true I am in this body God having suted and fitted his pleasure to the desire of this creature I am here expresselie from Almightie God for his glory and particularliâ— for the conversion of these two soules and miserable shall they bee if they bee not converted Thou tellest me that Saint Magdalene was not converted by the Divell it is true but wee live not now in that time when God came downe from heaven and with his Humanitie and Devinitie did labour the conversion of soules but I say withall that he is still the same God and therefore is able to give birth vnto those works whose greatnesse may equall the former It is a truth said Leuiathan that God is not in the world as in times past yet hath he bequeathed vnto his Church his Sacraments Preachers and many other remedies which were not practised in those daies But none did euer reade that God made Divels his instruments to convert soules since they are the fathers of lies and stuffed with all kind of malice and falsehood Who without great difficultie would give credite vnto them there is no man but would be readie to object that God hath many other meanes to gaine soules vnto him without taking the service and furtherance of the Divels It may be so said Verrine but tell me Leuiathan are there not oathes whereby a truth may be averred Leuiathan answered Knowest thou not that we never sticke to take a false oath I am sure thou knowest it witnesse the oath that was lately taken amongst the Capuchins you know my meaning To this Verrine said Either make it appeare vnto mee that there is no oath that may bind and stand in full strength or else thou art vanquished For I say that an oath taken according to the meaning of God and his Church with all other due ceremonies and circumstances requisit thereunto doth bind and is in force and whosoever will deny this must deny the omnipotencie of God all the authoritie of the Church and all the bookes of Exorcismes To what purpose doe men exorcise and make interrogatories vnto diuels if their replies be never consonant vnto truth It were an idlenesse to be prodigall of so much time and to wast so many yeeres if this were so It were much better that Exorcists should spend their time otherwise and take vpon them some other course of study To this Leuiathan answered I have affirmed that all oathes are not true because of the sinister and perverse meaning and reservations of the Divels I confesse said Verrine all are not true because when the Exorcists are not heedy and well advised of what they goe about wee are so mischeevous that wee reserve some secret and sinister intention but when we are enforced like gally-slaves by the power of God I tel thee wee must obey his pleasure and therefore Leuiathan thou art consounded For I my selfe not from my owne will but vpon constraint from God haue lessoned and warned the Exorcists to apprehend aright all the intentions and ceremonies whatsoever that are requisite in the making vp of a true oath Then said Leuiathan How darest thou speake thus in my presence knowest thou not that I am mightier then thy selfe I grant it said Verrine thou art mightier then I to do a mischiefe for thou hast more knowledge to doe it thou being of the order of Seraphins and I onely of the order of Throanes I am one of your slaves but let me tell you I doe not now respect any of you meaning the princes that were in the body of Magdalen every one of whom hee braved one after another What said he answere you nothing Are you such gallant doctors and can you make no reply Ha you would answere now if you knew what Come on speake speake Leuiathan replied knowest thou not that when sinners are obstinate they are vncapable of conversion nay God himselfe is not able to winne them vnto him witnesse Iudas whom our Lord could not convert How canst thou then conceive that a Divel should bring this to passe when God himselfe by the practise of all his art and cunning cannot accomplish the same Verrine said I have affirmed that God is omnipotent and may make an alteration in the free will of man and change it from evill to good Knowest thou not that God is a cunning Painter who can fashion and make vp a picture when it seemeth good vnto him and is contented if they doe but leave him the table to worke vpon It is true said Leuiathan if the creature doe not hinder it for God hath created man without his aide but cannot save him vnlesse he co-operate and give assistance vnto it Verrine answered If the body and soule doe remaine together it is all that God desireth who well knowes when to take his pencels to correct and perfect vp this table I affirme further that if he will he is able to make it more beautifull and more goodly then ever it was before which he may easily doe by laying on colours of more freshnesse and luster Knowest thou not that hee is the father of the prodigall child If the fathers of this world be thus loving towards their children and doe cherish them and yet doe sometimes threaten them not to hurt them thereby but to make them wiser and better advised how much more shall hee shake the rodde of his iudgements over them to preserve them from the hands of Iustice. And when the child of God shall acknowledge his fault then shall he returne vnto his father and humble himselfe before him for as the prodigall child did
are to bow your knees as oft as you shall heare the name of Iesus wee are a great deale better then you for although wee obey not God for loue yet doe wee yeeld vnto his pleasure by constraint and in the vertue of Exorcismes If a Harbinger of Court should come and tell thee behold the King is desirous to come and lodge in thy house thou wouldest make many excuses because thou dost esteeme thy selfe vnworthie of such honour and wouldest labour to garnish thy house with whatsoeuer might be pleasing or might adde any beawty vnto thy habitation So should you take the broome of true contrition and repentance to brush and sweepe the chambers and roomes of your soule that when the King shall come to reside there hee may make it his Palace You that are poore and ignorant people you must not say when you kneele to the Priest in Confession Father declare vnto me my sinnes this is no good forme of proceeding for if in matters of slight importance concerning the body euery man hath his vnderstanding quick and able much more should their conceptions bee free from dulnesse and earthinesse in those things that appertaine vnto the benefite of their soules and which are of a higher consequence yet contrariwise men for the most part are insensible and dull in the apprehension of them There are those that doe daily confesse themselues and doe yet forget many of their offences how then shall they giue an exact account of them that confesse themselues but from yeare to yeare or from six moneths to six moneths Thou wilt not shame to say Father I doe not remember my sinnes let me heare you to aske and examine mee O deafe and blinde caitife art thou able to giue audience vnto the Diuell and to fall into those sinnes which hee inticeth thee to plunge into and dost thou refuse to harken vnto the voice of God who desireth to breath into thee the remembrance of thy misdeeds Others say To what purpose should I confesse my selfe Is not the Priest a sinner as I am Haue I nothing to doe but to expose my sinnes to his knowledge Beware of these contempts I tell you they are instigations of Sathan framed purposely to bring Priest-hood into disgrace which is a calling more high and noble then is the dignity of Angels for the Angels doe indeed contemplate the face of their God but he discendeth from Heauen vpon the Altar at the consecration made by a Priest Your processe that is entred in the high Court of Heauen is full of difficultie and doubt so that the euent thereof is not knowne to the Saints themselues yet is the Mother of God a party with you who together with your guide-Angels is euer pleading on your behalfe and saying Lord take compassion on them Before the time of Confession prooue your selues examine your owne consciences pray vnto God with teares and make your intercessions vnto Peter Magdalene and the good theefe The good theefe of his owne accord confessed his sinne and reproued his companion What hast thou no feare of God He was also pricked in heart by contrition saying Domine memento mei Lord remember me he also did in a sort satistisfie by dying for hee linked and mingled his death and torments with the death and torments of Christ Iesus Your God doth endeuour to draw you vnto him by many admirable meanes he will diuide the contrition and acknowledgment of your sinnes amongst you and will stirre you vp to recall them into remembrance if you will giue eare vnto him You should be patient in whatsoeuer aduersity may befall you you should euer stand before your iudge like vnto men that are guilty of high treason and should thinke that the paines of Hell are not of equall proportion vnto your demerits and that you are not worthy to suffer them God is better knowne vnto them that cast downe their eies on the earth then to those that stare vp to heauen For what are you but a compound of dust and ashes meate for wormes and a pitcher of hansome earth apt to breake and subiect to a thousand miseries and mischances You are therefore to abstract your cogitations and to place them aboue vpon the goodnesse of God who for your sakes hath created the Heauens and filled vp the number of Angels yet are you still hardned in your iniquities God pardoneth mans offences easily if so bee that hee lendeth his helpe and forwardnesse vnto it for God is hee that doth operate and man doth co-operate with him If you should dwell in a darksome house and would faine enioy the benefit of the light you ought to open the doore vnto him that bringeth his torch lighted vnto you for hee is not worthie to bee enlightned by the torch that will refuse to open the doore to him that bringeth it And if hee should afterwards complaine that hee sitteth in darknesse and by meanes of being depriued of this light hee is not able to worke hee will bee answered that himselfe is the cause of his owne misery and that hee iustly looseth the light of the day because he shutteth his doores against it Thus when God speaketh to the soule that is ouercast with mists and darknesse open thou poore blinde soule open the gates of thy will vnto mee I am that Sunne of Iustice which will illuminate and shine vpon thee yet will not the soule open vnto mee but chuseth rather to bee wrapped vp in darknesse And why because if I should enter in I should discouer by the cleernesse of my light whatsoeuer lieth buried in obscurity and should chase thence that palpable darksomnesse wherein the soule is so dangerously muffled But alas it rather laboureth to be shadowed with darknes and to wallow stil in voluptuousnesse and delights which are lost in their very fruition then by paines and industry to bee blest with the full possession of a perfect light Confession followeth contrition and before Confession euery one ought to examine himselfe and say O my God! what am I that I should receiue such manifold blessings at thy hands Thou hast redeemed mee from the clawes of Sathan and hast retired mee vnder the couerture of thy wings Good God I esteemed my selfe a malefactour waiting to heare the sentence of death pronounced against mee and yet hast thou in goodnesse repriued mee from this prison which is narrow darke and full of horrour and besides the free donation of my life thou hast infranchised mee with the seruants of God Good God I was a malefactour and stood conuicted of grieuous and master-sinnes yet was it thy good pleasure to remit them vnto mee After Confession euery one is to looke vnto satisfaction but how many are there that hold not themselues endebted to God but that God is a debtour vnto them Who so demeaneth himselfe in this sort let him know that Heauen is barred against him except hee labour to strengthen himselfe
with good workes and not to appeare empty-handed before his God For to what purpose serue the commandements if good workes be not necessary to saluation You goe awry if you imagine to bee saued by doing of nothing for God cannot lie Therefore you may boldly say vnto him Ha! my God with what aboundant mercy hast thou brought back my soule from Hell and endowed it with thy sanctified grace Good God what haue I miserable creature deserued to haue thy fauours doubled and heaped vpon me O infinite and immense eternitie thy benefits towards mee know neither end nor number and I frankly confesse my incapacity to comprehend them God of mercy thou hast condemned those once-beawtifull and goodly Angels to the pit of Hell for one sinne of pride and doest thou take compassion of me what of me that haue so often transgressed against thee After this discourse God commanded Verrine to giue the assembly there present the last course of confections and sweet meats Then began Verrine to confesse and say I am able to say no more let them goe to the Apothecaries if they will and buy them comfeits What regard I whether their mouthes be sweetened or distasted for my part I would they might bee all dragged by vs to hell they should see how well wee would entertaine them God answered him This supper is not dressed for thee I command thee to say and doe that which I haue now decreed After much resistance Verrine said I can resist no longer he is farre stronger then I and being omnipotent as he is he will bee obeyed by faire meanes or foule otherwise he could not be omnipotent Then said Verrine God himselfe hath instituted the blessed sacrament of the Eucharist I speake it as forced vnto it and against my custome and the fashion of the other Diuels For when they were to speake of God or of Mary they were all accustomed to say him and her without any other addition but I who take Gods part and am not now-sided with hell am constrained to speake these words Sacred and Saint and Paradise for confirmation of which I am ready to take my oath Then before the Communion of the Priest Verrine added Ponder in your selues how God saith open mee thy heart for to you doth it belong to open and garnish it with faith hope and charity and to beleeue that Christ Iesus is in the blessed Sacrament with his humanity and diuinity You will aske mee how or by what meanes is hee there I tell you you are not with such curiosity to pry into the meanes Beleeue simply that hee is a glorified body and taketh vp no place and therefore may easily lie hidden vnder the species of bread Hauing spoken thus hee said vnto the Priests that were there present You that are Priests how could you dare to touch your God if hee were there visibly and not vnder the forme of bread I tell you you could not be so hardy as once to approch vnto so great a light for his sacred mother on the day of his natiuity dared not as it were to touch his hands although she had carried him nine moncths in her wombe Know ye not that Moses when hee came downe from the Mountaine and had spoken with God was faine to couer his face with a vaile for otherwise the people could not endure to speake with him so brightsome was the light that beamed and proceeded from his face Then he suddenly turned to Leuiathan one of the Diuels in the body of Magdalene and said Hola you that are such an illuminate doctor what is it you now say pleade now thine owne cause O Doctor in a close corner of Hell as heereafter I my selfe may chance to doe but now I am a partisan with the Doctor of doctors who is also wisedome it selfe Then againe hee turned his speech and said Beware beware you that approch vnto the holy Communion how you receiue God in your harts whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe If the King of France O man were desirous to come to thy house wouldest not thou presently say Ha sir my house is too little to giue entertainment or harbourage vnto your Maiesty I beseech you sir spare your paines to visit my poore cottage and haue respect vnto my wants and pouerty To this some or other will answere It is the Kings pleasure to haue it so hee is wealthy enough and will cause whatsoeuer is necessarie to bee conueyed vnto thy house for hee hath his Pages seruants and traine that will take care of these things he hath no need to borrow thy goods or any thing else that belongeth vnto thee it shall suffice that thou lend him thy house and because where the King is there is the Court also by a consequent the King honouring thy house with his presence it shall put on the nature and appellation of a Palace So doth God when hee commeth to thy soule if thou doe but bequeath vnto him the habitation of thy will he will hang the roomes thereof with the rich Tapistrie of all sorts of vertues The holy Communion is the table of the King of glory yet do you carelesly venture vpon the same as if it were the common boord of an Inne or as if it were a may-game and place to dance in The Pages and seruitours of this table are the Angels yet not regarding all this you giue a thousand occasions of scandall in the Church to wit by thoughts words and other misdemeanours which I will not speake of yea you there act diuers villanies and vncleannesses where of the Turkes would blush to be found guilty Aske therefore those sweet fruits the seven guifts of the holy Ghost and so shall God water you with the dew of his grace in this world and cloth you with eternall glory in the world to come How easily would you loath all the pleasures of the world if you had relished your mouthes neuer so little with the delicacies of your God You that are poore are many times riotous and spend in an howre all that you haue gotten in a whole weeke for the maintenance of your families A Christian should imitate Christ Iesus and since that reward is the fruit of labour in vaine doth hee who will not labour expect a reward Thinke againe and againe vpon this fearfull sentence which God will one day pronounce Ite maledicti then all processes shall bee ended And there shall bee no more Appeales Giue thankes vnto God after you haue receiued the Communion for it is a great blessing which hee bestoweth vpon you in that he hath vouchsafed to admit you to the participation of his body It were a clemency not easily parallelled if a King should grâ—â—t life and liberty to a man that stands conuicted of high treason but it is a greater wonder to withdraw soules from sinne and to winne them to grace for sinne is of a greater distance from grace then heaven is
cautions and restrictions They doe declare said Verrine that thou are vanquished for thy intendment was to haue sworne according to the Church that is called the Reformed Church and is the Church of Caluin Beza Luther Arius and the like Heretikes You may doe well said Leuiathan to beleeue this babler you may perhaps find him to be a great Prophet Verrine said It is true I am of my selfe a miserable Diuell as thou art but after much resistance and long disputation against God I was at last constrained to speake the truth for God is the Prophet of Prophets and hee it was that made Balaams Asse to speake Leuiathan answered What doth God interchange commerce of language and conference with a Diuell Yes that he doth said Verrine but by a secret kind of intelligence and we resist as much as is possible for vs his commandments yet at length we are of necessitie tied vnto obedience Then answered Leuiathan For mine owne part I frequent no companie but the societie of braue and worthie fellowes Accursed spirit as thou art replied Verrine knowest thou not that when God doth worke hee worketh not for the bodies sake but from his regard vnto the soule I tell thee the soule of a pesant that is endowed with the grace of God is as pretious before his Creator as is the soule of a great King or Monarch It cannot bee denied but they are poore yet God is able to inrich them and to store vp much grace within them Speake now Leuiathan It may be thou shalt gaine some one or other vnto Lucifer and shalt not loose all thy labour Leuiathan answered Ha Verrine thou knowest well that I gaine more vpon great personages then vpon pesantly and base people It cannot bee gaine said quoth Verrine but that a man of note and qualitie is more incumbred to cleere himselfe of euill and to applie all his actions vnto good then is a poorer man yet may an honest plaine Countrie man be a cause of much good as a clowne of a wicked disposition may bee apt enough to practise a great deale of mischiefe Poore and rich are indifferently equally in Paradise for there is no distinction in that place betweene them And least any one should mis-understand mee and conceiue that there is an errour in my words I do explane my selfe I do not say that there shall be no diuersitie amongst them in the seuerall degrees of glory for who so in this world is stored with most grace shall in that other world attaine vnto a great portion of glory as appeareth in Magdalene who hauing loued much had much sinne remitted vnto her and therefore she is the second person after the mother of God and so is it also decreed and ordered by the Church in the Letany O Dominicke thou art my mortall enemie and art now dwelling amongst the Thrones and holdest that place which formerly did appertaine vnto me I say not that thou art there as an Angell but as a Saint blessed for euermore for as there fell Angels of euery Order some so God to fill up the seates that were void by the downefall of Angels hath placed the soules in them diuiding vnto euery one that place of glory which he iudged they had deserued Then said Leuiathan What haue I to doe with this preacher Verrine answered I came not to preach and those who vnderstand me cannot say that they haue heard a Sermon but that they haue seene two persons possessed to bee exorcised and that the Diuell in one of them did speake and discourse variouslie Then Verrine spake to the Exorcist and said Why doest thou not command Leuiathan to speake Vpon this the Exorcist said Leuiathan why speakest thou not Verrine answered because hee hath nothing to replie Then said Leuiathan I doe warrant it vnto you that my doctrine is the truth not the doctrine of the Church of Rome True said Verrine according to thy perplexed and cursed intention I tell thee that although the Bishop of Rome should leade an vngodly and a vitious life which yet I affirme not for I touch vpon no man in particular but suppose that it were so yet should not the authoritie and the power that God hath delegated vnto his Church be hereby diminished or impaired for the power is alwaies the same as in the Church the sacrifice is alwaies the same be the Priest good or be he bad that doth sacrifice for the Priest deriueth his power from God not God from the Priest Then he cried hola Lucifer come hither for I will dispute with thee of the Masse of Purgatorie and of Inuocation of Saines my doctrine issueth from a fountaine which is neuer dried vp to wit Iesus Christ who is the light of the world as saith Iohn the Euangelist Leuiathan among the supreame Seraphins thou wert the third after Lucifer What sayest thou now learned doctor Darest thou affirme that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Christ Iesus is not really and truly there I my selfe am able to tell thee O doctor without knowledge that God being Omnipotent may make his bodie descend vpon an hundred thousand seuerall Altars Doest thou vse thus to baite mens soules with thy faire speeches steeped in all alluring sweetnesse And thou Balbarith who doest make the Gentrie to beleeue that it is a peece of vallour to sweare and blaspheme the name of God without intermission speake if thou wilt Approch thou also Astaroth who art the master of idlenesse And thou Asmodee who doest vndoe and debauch youth by thy continuall allurements And thou Carreau who hardnest mens harts I perceive you haue nothing to say for your selues and yet doe you labour secretly the subuersion of men Vpon this Verrine turned him to the assembly and said Looke you obserue the commandements of God and of his Church which is not subiect vnto errour for Christ Iesus her Spouse is euer with her and guideth her by that cleere light which euer streameth from him Bee attentiue vnto Sunday and Holi-day Masses for those that obserue them not hauing no maine or canonicall impediment to hinder them doe sinne mortally The Church is more solicitous to instruct you then a naturall mother can be ready to succour her child that is in danger There are who goe to heare Masse as a labouring man goeth to his worke without preparation or as if a man would goe to Plaies or Reuels Consider consider these things that are so full of admiration I Verrine as I am a Diuel would rather chuse to suffer the paines of hell 20. 30. 40. 50. yeeres then to tell you one word sutable vnto what I now speake and if this creature here were of force and strength sufficient I would crie so loud in her that men should heare mee halfe a league off Conceiue of me as of one that is nothing else but a fire-brand in hell not worthie to be burned in that fire and in these contemplations thinke
Order then euer formerly they haue been because thou art the Virgins darling and art able to preuaile much with her in mens behalfe You will tell me that God hath created heauen not for beasts nor for Turkes but for Christians I grant it yet for all this your deuotion must not coole within you neither must your life bee bestiall nay worse then the conuersation of Infidels The Saints who are full of charity and all perfection will obtaine sanctification for you if you direct your prayers to them for that purpose and doe not make intercession for these temporall and momentary commodities By performance where of you shall fulfill the will of the Saint of Saints You may peraduenture conceit that God will come downe from heauen and take you by the hand and so leade you with him to his kingdome hee doth indeed behold you a great way off and goes before you with open armes but before you bee entertained with his embracements you must haue recourse vnto Dominick Stanislaus â—ernardus Anselmus Stephanus and to your guard-Angell and entreat them to conuey you into the Palace of his Maiesty Also those that are desirous to speak vnto the Queene must run the same course for it is she aboue all that maketh intercession for you neither is there any better acquainted with the pangs and torments which her deare Son suffered for your sakes then is her selfe Honour the Angell that is your guardian for hee is one of the Pages of your Soueraigne King and alwaies beholdeth the face of God in his full of Maiesty and glory Be euer carefull of your saluation and say vnto him O my good Angell that takest charge of me lend me thy hand and bring me the directest way vnto the Court of this King and doe me this fauour as to make my introduction vnto some grace with your Prince I tell you that all Saints are Kings and Princes and haue great authority and power in the Court of that Soueraigne King The body of a man is not more different from the soule then is the Court of this world from that celestial mansion If you had but tasted the delicacy of the wine of loue which was broached in the Mount of Tabor without doubt you would despise all things in coÌ„parison of it This wine is at one time both delicate and pure but the wine of voluptuousnesse is mingled and sophisticated with water and retaineth no sweetnesse or sauour Who so drinketh of the wine of heauen shall quench his thirst as Magdalene did who dranke at the feet of our Sauiour The Court gates of the King of glory are very narrow and euery one that will cannot enter in thereat For first a man must knocke at the gate of mercy taking an Angell for his guide and humility and obedience for his two companions for you can haue no admittance into the kingdome of heauen if you bee not associated with these two vertues The Sonne of God is the protector thereof who died obediently vpon the Crosse nay more in being obedieÌ„t vnto his executioners he was obedient vnto the instrument of the Diuell may therefore in right now challenge obedience froÌ„ him He who shall deuoutly serue the mother of God and Dominick shall bee sure to obtaine plenary remission for his sins After all this Verrine confirmed all with an oath which he tooke very solemnly imprecating the wrath of God vpon himselfe and all hell Then hee said three seuerall times but with a great deale of resistance Aue Maria and in saying of Ora he added Orapro illis miseris peccatoribus nunc in hora mortis to the honour of the mother of God and of Dominicke And then hee cried O Dominicke neuer diddest thou receiue so much honour from a Diuell but thou dost merit this and much more and turning to the Sub-prior he said cursed bee thy comming hither which hath brought such shame and confusion vnto Diuels The Acts of the 22. day of December This day in the morning the Dominican father did exorcise in the beginning whereof there happened a disputation between father Peter d'Ambruc Sub-prior of the Couent royall of S. Magdalene at S Maximin of the order of S. Dominicke and the Diuell Verrine who was one of those that possessed Louyse Capeau The said Sub. prior affirmed that hee could conceiue no true proofe or demonstration to induce him to beleeue that the said Louyse was possessed Verrine answered him Thou pleasest me well in not beleeuing it and in affirming that all these extraordinary actions and gestures doe expresly proceed from her selfe The said Father said I will neuer beleeue her possession I perceiue well answered Verrine what thou beleeuest thou saiest Credo and non Credo and art indeed irresolute and doubtfull Thou maiest tell mee that thou art bound to beleeue it because it is an Article of faith but what commendation is this vnto thee when thou doest not beleeue it The said father replyed thou art not able to speake Latine to which Verrine answered God will not haue it so but constraineth me to speake in the vulgar tongue Then said the father Thou lyest in saying so I lie not said Verrine I tell thee againe God will not haue it so that Louyse may be the more abundantly humbled and that wee might haue the greater power to tempt her concerning this point that so shee might for a time giue easie credit vnto those who tell her that either this which shee doth proceedeth from God or from the Diuell alone or that all these strange deportments and discourses are made and counterfaited by her selfe No no Gods pleasure is that she should be deiected for it is no matter of difficulty to beleeue that which a man beholdeth Then replyed the said father It is false and thou giuest my ielousies no satisfaction Verrine answered What desirest thou to build and firme in thee a beleefe that Louyse is possessed Doest thou beleeue it or doest thou not I doe very well perceiue that thou are not hasty to beleeue yet is this a very vnusuall accident neither is shee possessed after the ordinary fashion of many who striue to expresse themselues with eloquent and affected phrases and so make a cheate vpon mens beleefe and vpon their soules also but I am heere on Gods behalfe to conuert soules and not to deceiue them Then the Exorcist holding the Booke of Exorcismes in his hand commanded him in the Name of God to answere vnto such things as hee would demand of him But Verrine snatched away the booke by violence and threw it to the ground saying What Wilt thou exorcise Louyse when shee is not possessed Then hee said vnto her that was possessed No Louyse doe not suffer thy selfe to be exorcised any longer thou art a foole and art not possessed If thou permit them to exorcist thee I will cry aloud that thou art giuen over vnto the Diuell but I will take heed how I sweare this
of this sacke emptied there was neuer such villany seene neither was there euer the like miracle or the like remedy Verrine also said vnto the Dominican Father in the presence of the aboue-mentioned Sub-prior Take the booke of Exorcismes and enioyne me in the name of God to goe the third time to Marseille to solicite and labour the conuersion of the Magician When Verrine issued forth Gresil who held his place declared that he would speake to the Magician in another manner then he did to Magdalene And as Magdalene at the first would not beleeue because the Diuell busied himselfe in the cause of God or rather because Louyse did take vpon her to teach and instruct her or else some Diuell in her as was reported so should not this Magician regard any thing which should be spoken for his reformation The same day in the morning the Dominican Father did exorcise Verrine began to speake in this manner The will that is guided by the grace of God is able to compasse any thing and is mightier then the powers of hell it selfe How Idle then are they that say I cannot be conuerted It is vnbeseeming to adde excuses to your sinnes it was the old dotage of Adam and Eue. Adam thou haddest sufficient grace to keepe thy selfe vntainted but thou diddest suffer thy selfe to bee abused as many wretched sinners doe euery day The soule is the mistrisse and the body as the Chambermaid yet when the soule shall say let vs rise betimes to pray and serue God the body will forthwith oppugne it and say I am yet but young let old age first approch we shall haue leisure and time enough before vs to be repentant The memory will say let vs call to mind the blessings which are showred vpon vs from aboue the vnderstanding will thereunto adioyne let vs contemplate the goodnesse wisedome and power of the Creator in these his blessings and the will is ready to push vs on to loue and feare this good God because he is the sourse and first originall of all your happinesse The soule will say I will heedfully obserue thy diuine inspirations and will bequeath my selfe vnto thy seruice I will endure no longer that my seruant should inuade the gouernment of my house To which the chambermaid will reply Ha mistrisse what meane you to doe with your selfe take compassion of your tendernesse you are of too delicate a composition to bee martyred with such austere courses of life you haue time enough to repent you solace and glut your selfe with delights whiles occasion is offered and vse your goods with freenesse and profusenesse that you may varie and runne through all manner of pastimes whiles the time will giue this liberty vnto you Then Verrine said My words you see sauour of the spirit and doe maintaine that the soule is and ought to be the mistrisse of the body It is certaine that where the chambermaid holdeth the raines of gouernment in her hands the family will soone sinke and fall to decay therefore it ill beseemes the body to beare sway because it resembleth a woman who wanteth discretion to gouerne her selfe and God will not exact a reckoning from the body but from the soule and the soule shall haue the precedency of the body both in the reward and in the punishment because the soule ought rather to beleeue him that framed it then the seruant A blind man is vnfit to raigne and why because he is blind The soule is a common-wealth and if the conscience bee in quiet all the rest is the more peaceable Hence it is that the soule should gouerne and not the body because it is deuoid of all true apprehension of the misery which it may suffer Eue spake but once in excuse of her fault but the body grumbles and kickes perpetually Your God hath an armory garnished with all perfections and can euery day present new graces to those that demand them of him for hee keepeth them in his storehouse to bestow them vpon his children In like manner hath your God giuen the holy Scriptures the new Testament and the liues of Saints vnto his Church yet he resteth not heere but doth euery day offer new presents vnto her Embrace your God who for you hanged naked vpon on the Crosse for he is your father and the blessed mother of God is your aduocate Angels and Saints are your brethren and their pedigree is very noble God will also ennoble you after the same manner and this nobility is more venerable then all the royalty of descents that may bee giuen to the Kings of the earth The King of France lately deceased did worthily esteeme of this nobilitie he did humble himselfe and call vpon his God demeaning himselfe in his presence as a malefactor and oftentimes heard Masse with much deuotion and effusion of teares I tell you many Priests doe not so attentiuely meditate vpon the greatnesse and excellency of God as he did therefore was his death a kinde of martyrdome because hee would rather suffer death for the regard and reuerence which he bare vnto his God then giue credit to that which the Magicians had foreshowne vnto him and in dying hee pronounced the word Iesus and recommended his soule into the hands of God Hee had offended his God as David had done before him and was guilty as hee was and they were both Kings of mighty Nations but this had been infected with heresie as thou Louyse formerly wert yet O Henry it is a truth thou art now in Paradise Be glad Marie of Medicis for thou hast the honour to haue wedded a King who is now a Saint in heauen and if thou shalt imitate his godly end God will inuest thee with the same honour and thou Dauphin now a young tender King bee thou an imitator of the rare indowments of thy father who was so solicitous to giue thee vertuous education And doe you all loue this Prince for he well deserueth to beeloued by you and cursed be him that shall bandy or plot against this Prince and will not yeeld all dutifull obedience vnto him especially vnto a Prince of so sweet and harmelesse a nature as this is who will proue another Lewes in France that for his great vertue was canonized a Saint Reioyce little King for thy father is high in the glory of heauen I speake now to you that are but wormes of the earth examine well your selues for if your Prince did so humble and deiect himselfe how much more should you be prostrated in the lowlinesse of spirit thinke and consider seriously of these things Since also the holy Father doth humble himselfe who knoweth no superiour in this world it is to be admired that you should bee negligent or dainty in humbling of your selues The same day Verrine went againe to the Magician but before hee departed from the body of Louyse hee discoursed of the wretched estate of the Magician and of the mercy
them they warme not themselues when they are benummed with colde and doe trauaile a fresh when they are already tyred and wearied Wherein they doe like faithfull children who are not allured by the promises of Heauen nor yet affrighted with the threats of Hell But as a dutifull childe obeyeth his father not out of any second respect but meerely out of affection so the true children of God respect not their particular interests neither do they decline those laborious courses which they haue vndertaken but discharge that duty whereunto God by a sanctified vocation hath called them And of this number are Preists Religious persons and Preachers One signe and infallible argument of eternall predestination is to heare the word of God with willingnes and alacritie to make a free confession of himselfe to communicate and to serue Mary the Mother of God with all submissiuenesse and deuotion Then he said it standeth with good reason that he who was to be the Guardian vnto the Virgin should be inuested with a prerogatiue of greater excellency then all other Saints and was to haue precedency of Iohn Baptist and the Prophet Ieremy For hee was to bee the Spouse vnto the Mother of God and was to be the maintainer and putatiue Father of her son Mary was indeed thy sister Ioseph and thou doest alwaies shew thy selfe a deare and trusty associate vnto her He said further that Ioseph had for a space a touch of feare and iealousie vpon him not vnderstanding the mistery which lay vailed ouer in silence neither doe I wonder at it said he for Mary was not of the humour of the women of these times who doe blab and disclose vnto their husbands all they know shee was of a contrary straine and did commit all that was reuealed vnto her by Gabriell the Archangell who came from that supreme Counsell of the blessed Trinity vnto the close custody and guard of secrecy and silence Al her words that came from her were full of waight and wisedome for Mary was not like vnto Eue a multiplyer of words and impertinent discourses At dinner also Verrine spake of sundry subiects tending much to edification and amongst the rest he discoursed that the soules in blisse did more thirst after the saluation of our soules and the enioying of our company with them in Paradise then Hell and all the Diuels together could after their ouer-throw and perdition for the power and efficacy of the Saints in Heauen farre surmounted the impiety and malice of the damned He further said When you sit downe to eate imagine that those blessings which are set before you doe point out vnto you three things Accipe Redde Time Accipe take thy refection Redde giue thanks vnto God and Time beware how thou bee found vngratefull for such manifold blessings In the meane space some or other had giuen part of a honny-combe to these two women which they had found lying on the ground and was blowne downe from a tree by the winde And Verrine from this honny-combe tooke occasion to discourse and to say vnto Magdalene Magdalene thou shouldest propose the Bee vnto thy imitation which silently flieth vp and downe and gathereth the extraction of whatsoeuer iuice is most precious among the flowers by this I meane vertues Magdalene goe thou likewise to Saint Vrsula and from euery one of thy sisters pluck a vertue from one gather Humility from another Patience from another an vpright intention from another Charity from another Obedience for thus Magdalene doth that industrious honny-fly demeane himselfe sometimes dieth through his laboriousnes and trauell for hee was framed to take paines You are to doe the like and should die after the same manner Then he spake further of the blessed Virgin saying O immense God! Mary did beare thee according to thy humanity and thou diddest support her according to thy diuinity for of a truth thou wer 't at one time a litle Childe and a mighty God God would haue the creature to co-operate with him as is verified in thee O Mary vnto whom although God did inlarge his bounty and did garnish thy minde with rare and inestimable indowments yet diddest thou still appeare more humble and shouldest not indeed be the Mother of God vnlesse thou haddest contributed some-what of thine owne vnto his working it being his good pleasure that his creatures should euer make contribution of some-thing You haue nothing to bestow vpon him but your will from which no man is to exempt himselfe giue him therefore your body and soule for that will content him The same day Verrine compared himselfe to a barren and withered tree and although said he God hath spouted such sappe into mee that by the power of it I doe bring foorth sweete and wholesome fruite yet am I still a barren and an accursed tree and shall neuer behold the face of God but shall alwaies remaine a Diuell yet thus much I may say that there was neuer any Deuill raised to the like honour as to laud the Name of God and to accomplish his pleasure as I now am And he further said that he had promised vnto him a diminution and abatement of some degrees of his punishment if he did his duty with faithfulnesse The Acts of the 25 of December being Christmas day ON Christmas day towards midnight the three Diuels which were in Louyse were commanded to goe to Marseille to labour the conuersion of Lewes the Magician At that time was Magdalene lulled and as it were benummed with a heauy slumber which proceeded from the Diuell and indured all the time that Masse was saying and the Masse once ended shee returned againe to her accustomed temper The same day and houre aforesaid the Dominican Father did exorcise Louyse and Magdalene and then Verrine began to speake in this manner Hee that will come to the knowledge of his God must looke for him vpon the earth and make inquiry after the litle childe which lieth in the stable as hee is your Iudge you must looke vp to Heauen and tremble at his Diuinity but as hee is a litle childe you must intertaine him in your affections According to his Humanity he is but litle but according to his Diuinity hee is a great God and worthy to be praised Euery one may if hee will dedicate his seruice vnto this litle childe neither can any excuse himselfe from the same for there is no man but hath an Oxe and an Asse the Asse signifieth the body the Oxe the soule for the soule resembleth the Oxe that easily knoweth his masters cribb This Oxe and this Asse must vngrudgingly beare the yoak that their master laieth on them that is to say all mortifications afflictions and troubles and whatsoeuer else hapeneth vnto a man by the will of God all which may bee said to be the yoake of the Lord. This yoake is sweete and this burthen light to all those that doe perfectly loue him you must
vp and swathed in his clours but you must warme him with the milde heate of perfect deuotion which is a permanent and standing seruency of the blessed spirit He also spake many other things to wit that those that were most humble are most high in Paradise as Christ Iesus and Mary doe well exemplifie vnto vs that loue allayeth and extenuateth labour for the Diuels failing in the point of loue are more grieued and extremely cruciated in saying an Aue Maria then in suffering the torments of ten thousand yeeres in hell It standeth also with reason said hee that if Princes bee forced vnto obedience the inferiour seruants doe not stand out in defiance Hee further said that if a man could but see the soule that standeth in the state of grace and haue a full view of the totall beauty thereof he would sinke downe and die for ioy and admiration thinking that he beheld the glorious Deity but this is a request not fit to be demanded If thy body complaine of thy hard vsage say vnto thy soule Soule thou must not groane and sinke vnder this burthen take notice of thy owne worth how thou art created to sway and haue dominion be thankfull therefore vnto him that hath framed thee God is not like vnto men for a man doth many times omit to doe a good turne to him that hath deserued it from him and is ingratefull for those benefits which hee hath receiued but your God foresaw the ingratitude of men and heard with his eares their sinnes that cried loud for vengeance yet for all this his resolution was firme to giue his Sonne vnto you Your Redeemer was borne at midnight receiue him in to you your body is the stable your soule the cratch to entertaine him and although hee bee a King yet doth hee not disdaine so meane a place as a stable There is no man therefore that can excuse himselfe You are to warme this little child and doe not say I haue no fier to warme him by for the holy Ghost is a burning furnace and will let you haue fier enough if you will but lend him fuell that is to say your sinnes whom hee will cast and consume in the neuer-dying flames of his loue After all these and many other discourses in a great rage and violent agitation hee made this abiuration as followeth I Verrine in the name of all Magicians of both sexes forcerers and forceresses doe renounce and disclaime all the abiurations which they haue made against the power of the Father the wisedome of the Sonne and the goodnesse of the holy Ghost I do further renounce all the abiurations by which they haue disclaimed and forsaken the blessed Virgin all the Angels and all the Saints in Paradise I also renounce all their abominable impieties through which they haue made choice of hell for their eternall habitation and haue told God that they did not regard his inspirations and graces but desired an euerlasting sequestration from him and his Angels Then in the name and right of all Hell hee cried I disclaime all donations and schedules which they haue made vnto the Diuell Afterwards he said Beleeue me God is so powerfull that hee is able to cause the Diuels to bring together in this Church the bodies of all Sorcerers and witches that they may heare their sentence and iudgement pronounced against them I speake in generall not in particular Then he added that therefore God would not vse the ministerie of an Angell because if hee should come inuisibly men would say that hee was a Diuell but if hee should appeare in the forme of a man they would say This is but a man and would not regard his message God herein resembleth a King who hauing many Princes subiects and seruants waiting on him taketh one of a more ordinary and cheape condition to bee employed in his ambassage and this hee doth not so much to honour this seruant of his but rather to manifest and magnifie his greatnesse for he needeth not the countenance or authority of his Ambassadour because all the power and splendour where withall hee goeth is deriued vnto him from the King So God would not chuse any Prince or great subiect of his Court but was pleased to serue his turne with the most sordide and base slaues hee could thinke vpon who are the Diuels not thereby to honour them with the same of his employments but to publish the more his greatnesse and absolute command vnto to the world For God compelleth the diuell to bee the instrument of effecting his will and giueth him authority to bring that to passe which hee shall adiudge fit to his greater glory and to the vtter confusion of all hell Hence it ariseth that God is pleased to make experience of a new remedy for the conuersion of soules and for the more ample expression of his bounty When Verrine bad done Gresill his companion made the like abiuration as afore-said that was also made by the mouth of Louyse whom he possessed After him the third Diuell that was in the same body and was called Sonneillon made his renunciation like vnto the former and added that when the Magicians and witches were there present they were mightily dismayed to see and heare these things and that this would turne either to their greater condemnation or else to their conuersion if they would apply their wills thereunto Then did they all three confirme that which they had auowed by a solemne oath and added that something or other they were to discourse of at the celebration of euery Masse At the morning Masse the Dominican father began to exorcise and Verrine spake in this manner Man is the head and chiefe of his family it is a thing vnsightly and full of indecency that the gouernment should bee put into the hands of a woman for women are to bee subiect vnto their husbands It therefore is proper vnto the head to gouerne and vnto the master to command the soule is the head the body but the woman the soule is the mistrisse and the body but the chambermaid yet doth the body euer grudge and grumble against the soule saying Why doe we disquiet our selues with this early rising we should now take our repose and make vse of the creatures for our pleasures and contentments while wee haue time to doe it and in the declination and setting of our age wee may haue leisure enough to thinke of our conuersion If the mistrisse bee discreet and well aduised shee will keepe this chambermaid no longer that taketh thus vpon her to prescribe and giue directions but will turne her out of her house Thus ought the soule to demeane it selfe towards the body when it complaineth and ought to say Flesh thou art but the chambermaid and not the mistrisse it is thy duty to serue not to command I tell thee if thou wilt eate hereafter with me of those choice and rare delicacies whose plenty knoweth no satiety thou
words the Diuels themselues did say Gloria in excelsis Deo for that it was no wonder that the Angels did sing Gloria in excelsis Deo but the miracle was to heare this Gloria chanted forth by the Diuels and if it were put to their choice they would rather make election to suffer all the torments of hell then once to pronounce this Gloria Hee farther said some men doe cauill and say that the Diuels cannot deliuer a truth miserable and stupid wretches is not God powerful to make Angels and men and diuels to obey him Others say that these are meere iuglings and fables Others that they are stage-playes and inuentions Others murmur because they see no signe and because those that are possessed doe not speake all kinde of languages Others beleeue that Louyse might cary away these discourses which shee had vttered from the many sermons which shee had heard It is not to bee wondred that men beleeue it not for it is a thing full of nouelty and rarenesse And thou Michaelis art to examine all this and then the censure of the Church must passe vpon it But as hee was esteemed healthie who was indeed infirme before God as appeared by the Pharisie so hee esteemed himselfe infirme before God who was indeed sound and healthy witnesse the Publican O blessed mother of God thou didst not imitate Eue nor questioned the Angell with quare quomodo but thou diddest forth with say Ecce ancilla Domini The Serpent suggested vnto Eue God hath giuen you to eate of all the fruit of these trees that are in Paradise whereunto Eue answered he hath commanded vs not to eate of this fruite and added much idle language besides so that at the last shee gaue credence vnto the serpent whereupon Adam fell also by the perswasions of Eue but he should haue said that it was not lawfull for her to take the apple that he had no commandement from God to do it nay that he was expresly forbidden Wretched sinner if thy body say vnto thee take and eate there is no offence in it thy soule as Mistrisse of the body must giue checke vnto it and say I will not venture vpon it for God himselfe hath prohibited it And if thou chance to be so seduced beware how thou follow the dangerous tract wherein Adam walked but humble thy selfe without asking quare quomodo but rather confesse thy selfe to be vnworthy to suffer euen the paines of hell for thy sinnes Then he said there are many that say vnto the Preist Father reueale and remember vnto mee my sinnes but the Preist must in reason answere them it is your part to examine your selues and to disclose vnto mee what your transgressions are for I am not God or a Prophet that I should be able to know the secrets of your consciences your cause is heere to be heard and pleaded the client ought to furnish his Advocate with instructions I tell you in this case the Preist is to demand his absolution from him because he is confessed and not to penitent person and men of this humor are worse then vnreasonable beastes The Confessour is sharply to reprehend such kind of men but his reproofes must be interlaced with discretion and must say vnto them that they wittingly and willingly haue offended and therefore they are to pray vnto God for his illumination who is not dainty to grant the same to those that beg it of him in humilitie wee must search for this light if wee will finde it and knocke at Gods mercie-gate that we may attaine vnto it For it is the sister of that eternall Word which doth easilie open this gate vnto you nay I say farther that this word is mercie it selfe and yet it is enuironed with awfull Iustice. Iustice is the sister of mercie and the indiuiduall companion of Princes take away the punishments of offenders and behold all order in confusion and all ciuill Policie trampled vpon and contemned After this hee spake to Magdalene and said Magdalene keepe this childe with all the charinesse that may bee wrap him vp in the swathling bands of the mortification of the fiue fenses for hee is euer presenting his fiue woundes to God the Father in thy behalfe which he receaued vpon the crosse for thy saluation These are those pretious pearles whose estimate is so beyound all value that God the Father casting but his eyes aside vpon them can deny no suite which he propoundeth vnto him Iesus is a goodly flower in the garden of Mary and alwayes standeth in the sight and presence of his Father Marcella it was thou that diddest cry blessed is the wombe that did beare thee but the diuine word answered rather blessed are they which heare the word of God and diligently keepe the same Then hee said O yee Kinges of the East you haue worshipped this childe what pompe found you with Ioseph and Mary his Mother surely nothing but an Asse and an Oxe in a stable Who reuealed vnto you that the King of glory was there you did certainly behold the brightnesse and radiaâ—â—re of his face as the witnesse of his Diuinity with this he strucke the souldiers to the ground who came to apprehend him and to binde him with cordes And thou good Theise who told thee that hee that was crucified vpon the crosse with thee was a King I am sure thou didst not behold any Crownes Scepters and Triumphes or any such customarie pompes and preparations yet didst thou not desist from crying Memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum For although hee had a crowne of thornes platted vpon his head yet insteed thereof hee hath acquired for you a crowne of immortalitie and in stead of his nakednes hee hath clothed you with the robes of glory If a King should say vnto a Gallie-slaue I will take thee for my adopted sonne were not hee senselesse and dishearted if he should replie vnto the King Sir I am tyed vp heere with a chayne and therefore I will not bee called your sonne You are all guiltie of high treason and your estate baser and more full of slauerie then those that rowe in Gallies for they at the least canne beholdeâ— the Heauen and Earth but you that are sinners are ouertaken and incompassed with darknesse God saith vnto you I will make you Kings I will enroll you in the catalogue of my children I will set you at mine owne table and will inrich you with all my treasures onely clense your selues and purge your soules from those filthy and ill fauouring ordours wherewithall it is is defiled O Christians bee not solicitous how to nourish your bodies but be you carefull for the foode of your soules receaue the Communion often for Christ Iesus is many times consecrated and many times sacrificed Before you doe communicate see that you diligently examine your selues for you cannot too worthily approach vnto this table for although you should liue a 100000. yeares
there should not one of them be saued therefore I say that God speaketh not of the light which wee see and comprehend but of the light of faith Then he spake to Baalberith and said Impious and accused Baalberith thou art he that doest continually make Gods name to be blasphemed Thou also suggestest What are not you a great counsellor doe not you moderate the scales of Iustice are not you a great familiar of the Kings whereof should you stand in feare Vpon these suggestions doest thou lay the first foundations of single combats and Magicke But thou thy selfe being blinde and full of villany doest make those to fall that followes the paths wherein thou doest trace Thou doest also say Your ranke and quality will beare thus many Lackeys thus many Horses thus many Pages for from these externall apparances will men iudge of your true Nobility but I tell thee true Nobility is euer accompanied with liberality and as it is studious to act those deeds that sauour of charity and bounty so doth it hate all viciousnesse and prodigality Thou wilt neuer stand forth to answere for thy Disciples when God shall demand of them an account of their workes Resist the Diuell and he will fly from you there are too too many that suffer themselues to bee deceiued for some will chase at the poore that beg almes of them and tell them they are too importunate yea they will not stick many times not onely to withdraw their almes but to bestow many stripes and blowes vpon them others say vnto the Diuels giue vs a dinner in this world and wee will bestow a supper vpon you in the world to come others there are that will lay an imputation vpon a whole company for the default of some one that doth not orderly demeane himselfe Behold Baalberith cursed are all thy doctrines and instructions Hee further said There are those who when their children are bewitched will vse vnlawfull meanes to know who the witch is that did it and in stead of hauing recourse vnto God that hee may by his good blessing cure the same they goe vnto a witch and entreate him to come and heale their children wretches as you are your misfortune proceedeth from the Diuell and you with your children were innocent but are now partakers of the euill Ought you not to goe to God who knoweth the reason why he hath permitted this euill and not to the Diuell or the sorcerer to vnderstand from them the remedy you ought not to haue familiarity with him but to giue the Church notice of the same and seeke redresse from them who haue the care and charge of soules But cleane contrary vnto this you eate and drinke with sorcerers and by a necessary inference with the Diuell vnto whom they haue abandoned themselues bodies and soules surrendring vp their part of Paradise and all the pretensions they may haue for heauen Nay I say further they are of that impious and execrable disposition that if it lay in their power they would betray God into the hands of Diuels The Diuels doe also cause them to renounce that natural affection which they should carry towards their fathers and mothers and to all those vnto whom they are tyed vnto by propinquity of blood they forbid them to pray for them and which is more to bee abominated they doe many times command them to murther them for it is the custome of Diuels to mischieue those whom they should loue and to returne euill for good as it is the property of God to render good for euill I say further that the children of darkenesse doe serue the diuell with more diligence then the children of light doe their God yet is there a great difference betweene the seruice of God and the seruice of the Diuell for your seruice vnto God is associated with a setled and in-disturbed repose but the bondage of the Diuell is full of great vexations for he commandeth them day and night winter and summer in sicknesse and in health and in what state soeuer they bee they must make their apparance and if they faile but the least scruple or minute of time I tell you they are well beaten for their slacknesse so that a gally-slaue is not so manicled and bechained nor a lackey so buffetted and beaten as they are chained and beaten that make but the least omission in the Diuels seruice and which is worse he giueth least recompence vnto those that serue him most for he hath nothing indeed to bestow vpon them Doe you serue him with the grâ—atest faithfulnesse that may bee yet all the reward you shall gaine thereby is nothing but the horrid paines of hell witnesse those that haue died without confessing themselues and such as haue departed the world in the like sort I speake in generall not in particular The children of God when they die doe recommend their soules vnto God saying In manus tuas c. But the last words that the children of Satan breath forth are The Diuell take me body and soule This is the recompence which they demand of him whom they haue so industriously serued and this is it which he hath promised to bestow vpon them And certainly they doe well deserue hell Then he said to Asmodee What saiest thou Is it not all true which I haue here deliuered Asmodee answered that it was so Sonneillon replyed sweare Asmodee that it is true and I will take my oath with thee Asmodee said I will not sweare with thee Sonneillon answered sweare thou then by Lucifer and I will take mine oath on the behalfe of God To this Asmodee replied I tell thee I will not sweare yet I confesse and doe assure euery body that what thou hast said is consonant to the truth Then said Sonneillon doe you not perceiue the malice of this accursed fiend Hee vseth these tergiuersations and delaies to stagger your beleese and it is Gods pleasure that you should merit more in that God to try you will not comn and him to sweare then if hee had actually commanded him to take his oath for then hee must of necessity obey But let it suffice that I doe sweare by the liuing God that whatsoeuer I haue aboue spoken is most true and therefore let this satisfie you which being spoken he accordingly tooke his oath Hee further said I will also sweare that the Church will approue of all this and that neuer Diuell spake in the presence of his Princes as I haue done hence it is that I shall receiue an abatement and mitigation of my torments Besides God would neuer endure that this should be acted if it were counterfaited because it would set open a vast gap to let in the perdition of many soules He further said consider heere the goodnesse of your God whose manner is to set first before you those things that are worst for you know that hither-vnto the viands which
be pleasant with Belzebub saying A Princes fashion is not to beate a base fellow himselfe but commandeth one of his meanest seruants to doe it so fareth it with thee Belzebub thou art not worthy that I should auenge my selfe vpon thee I doe not care if I bid my seruant to doe it Then he spake to Gresill and said Cudgell me this Belzebub wicked wretch as hee is that would dare to pluck God from his Throne but therein his forces and designements were broken and crusht to peeces I am Gods Apparitor I will bee paid with good money yet shall neither thou nor I euer attaine to Paradise although he were willing to bestow it vpon mee I doe not say that he will giue it me but I affirme that I shall be more happy then thy selfe because there is a reward that attendeth vpon my labors and paineful endeauours so that although I shall not enioy felicity yet at the least I shall not bee tormented with the like extent of punishment for God hath promised to allay and giue mitigation to the same Moreouer he said wretched Belzebub I see thou wilt speake speake on for all will light vpon thy owne head Belzebub replyed I speake not to thee Ha Belzebub said Verrine I perceaue it goeth hard with thee the keyes of Magdalens soule are not now in thy custody for the gates are shut vp and the rod of command is taken from thee Then the Exorcist spake these words Ecce non dormitabit whereupon Verrine said true the Diuel neuer sleepeth but is euer wakefull to doe a mischeefe God neuer sleepeth also but hee alwaies is vigilant to doe good for his goodnesse is greater then the iniquity and malice of all hell Iohn thou wert the disciple of Loue and Magdalene the hand-maid of Affection Antichrist when he commeth shall cause himselfe to be adored and shall haue Kings and Princes to bee attendants in his traine but what reward shall they haue of him iust nothing Hee shall cause himselfe to bee carried pompously in the aire and say that hee is Christ and the Messias but hee shall be conuicted of a lie and be prooued to be Antichrist Then shall there be discerned the difference and distinction betweene the children of God and the children of Satan The Iewes were once Gods best beloued children but because they would not take knowledge of their God but after a flood of so many blessings did crucifie him vpon the Crosse for this cause did God repudiate and reiect them Christ Iesus was promised vnto them but they would none of him no not when hee prayed for them therefore they are deseruedly depriued of so glorious a light for he that hateth that which is good shall in the end be seased vpon by that which is euill the patient is well enough serued if the Phisitian leaue him when he refuseth and scoffeth at his counsell You are all subiect to sicknesses some are infirme in their head others in their braine some in their eyes others in their eares Now if God who is the true Physition of your soules shall aske you whether you be sicke or no will you answere you are not sicke when you are for hee well knoweth by your pulse how you are affected To those that are troubled with a paine in their head that is to say to the proud he ministreth the sweet and gentle physicke of deepe humility to others that are sicke of impatiency of curiosity or the like diseases he doth ordaine and point forth for euery man a particular remedy according to the nature of his infirmity But there is alwaies some bitternesse in these potions which breedeth a difficulty in the Patient to take them Mis-conceiue me not as if I should speake of corporall medicaments which are composed of hearbs and simples I speake spiritually of all sorts of vertues which are the true receits to cure languishing soules take therefore and taste this medicine I dare assure you it wil make you whole although you were sicke euen vnto death for you haue a very cunning Physition Then he said alas behold the great day of Iudgement is at hand for Antichrist is borne If vertue seeme bitter vnto your taste God will sweeten your mouthes with diuine consolations and will not that you should rise from his table with your palate disseasoned It is high time O yee Christians to surrender and giue vp your will into the hands of your Creator giue vnto him the three powers of your soule your memory that you may haue him in remembrance your vnderstanstanding that you may thinke vpon his benefits and your will that you may be obedient vnto him Imitate the Oxen who feede all the day and chew the cud or ruminate in the night and let the seruant no longer gouerne your house The holy Ghost is at your beds side and hath in his hand a potion for the health of your soules the ingredients are a little humility a little charity a little patience a little perseuerance a little hope and a little resignation This potion is not without some bitternes and mortification but he is at hand with the sugar of his consolations to sweeten and allay the offensiâ—enesse thereof Ought you not first to goe vnto Mount Caluary and there taste vineger and gall befor you feed on those delicious viands and drinke that sweet wine and hipocras of heauen or haue the frâ—ition of the vision of that eternall brightnesse Receiue therefore the Sacrament of the Altar for it will preserue you it will restore you it will consolidate whatsoeuer is loose and disioynted within you yet must euery one of you alwaies say vnto himselfe I am a miserable sinner and most vnworthy to receiue my Creator Thou Iohn Baptist was by wer 't this great Sâ—crament was first instituted thou diddest rest thy selfe vpon the breast of the Sonne of God at what time there were many celestiall secrets reuealed vnto thee thou knowest full well that this is a Sacrament of loue and that the best aduice that may be giuen is that men frequent the same euery fifteenth day and haue this meditation continually in their mindes that Antichrist is borne You are therefore to play the parts of valiant and able souldiers and not to shew your selues base or womanish â— nay I say further that Virgins and married women are likewise to arme themselues against him for the Church had neuer such plenty of martyrdomes as shall bee in the time that is prepared for the same There shall bee two bands and two armies the one belonging to God the other fighting for the Diuell and in this army shall Antichrist bee God would saue his whom he hath redeemed with the price of his blood on the other side the Diuell would rauine vpon that which is none of his owne Nothing happeneth but by the prouidence and will of God and his pleasure it is that this time should come When Antichrist
that which hee hath resolued to retaine vnto himselfe After this was spoken the Dominican father did exorcise and at the beginning of the Exorcismes Verrine was very pleasant with Belzebub and scoffed at him saying Hola Belzebub I pray thee relate vnto vs in what estate are the affaires of Hell if I bee not deceiued thou droopest and seemest to bee troubled with the headache it may bee that these honest men haue affrighted thee Thou doest not imitate my example who desire the censure of the Inquisitour of the faith and of mine owne accord cal for the most penetrating and iudicious persons that are But I perceiue thy stinge is taken from thee yet is it not fiftene dayes agoe that thou diddest conceite with thy selfe that thou wer 't able to chase God away from S. Baume I would haue thee now expresse thy selfe Belzebub answered I will speake when I see cause and not when thou wilt haue me Well well said Verrine I see thou hast nothing to answere Then hee said to Carreau thy weapons are wrested from thee for that stone which was before so hard is now mollified and the bloud of the lambe shall souple and soften the same Lewes say Miserere mei for thou art yet blinde but at thy arriual hither peraduenture thou shalt haue a greater portion of illumination O poore Princes where is now your state and power how cursed is hee that lendeth his eare vnto your sly suggestions What can you giue away that which you haue not Ha ha if the Princes bee astonished and at their wits end what shall the poore lackeies then doe I tell you that since God hath appointed me to be heere I will dis-mantle and vnfould all your subtleties I doe not wonder if this seeme harsh vnto some mens beleefe for if a man should shew vnto another that is altogether ignorant and vnexperienced the egges of silke-wormes and that this man had neuer seene or heard what manner of thing this silke or these wormes were and should bee told that by the assistance of that industry which God hath bestowed vpon man there should wormes bee ingendred of these egges which being fomented and diligently cherished would in time spinne and make silke whereof excellent veluets and taffaties should bee made from a peece of which a fair Altar-cloth might be taken I say that this rustical fellow being deuoyd of iudgement to apprehend these particularss and altogether vnpractised in this art would in conclusion say that hee did not beleeue one word of this for it is a difficult matter to beleeue that which a man cannot comprehend But he that is conuersant heerein doth very well vnderstand the art of cherishing and bringing them to their perfection Your Merchants also doe easily beleeue it for they know the manner how the wormes make silke and the art how to dresse a faire peece of damaske from the same yet they had neede of great patience before they can see a peece perfected vp and finished So fareth it with God in this worke he hath taken a litle graine such a one as my selfe said Verrine and another abiect creature a litle graine also called Louyse and will from their weaknesse draw workes of power and wonder that you may know that hee needeth not the helpe of his creatures when he would put any great designe in execution for being Almightie and the soueraigne master-fencer hee doth alwaies reserue some blowes and passages of his art of his power and of his wisedome to the confusion of all Hell but the Diuell doth presently teach all the skill hee hath to those that giue themselues vnto him Moreouer he said you are all of you prodigall children for some of you will not tary at home in your fathers house other of you that tary at home lead a debauched and vicious life and at the last are forced to dyet with hoggs Wallow not in these your delights for they are but the outward pills and rindes of akornes the fragments of the feeding of hoggs let it enter into your consideration that the composition of your soules is very noble and that it standeth neither with decency nor honesty to serue Kings with huskes for if the steward should serue them so he should well deserue to bee sharpely punished It is not Gods pleasure that you should seed vpon such course and sordid viands he hath set you at his table and will feede you with the bread of Angels The tables of great personages are abundantly profuse in delicacies but what agreemēt is there betwixt Christ and Belial The loftiest trees are most obnoxious to stormes and falling but the low shrubbs stand safe vpon the ground It is not enough to be seemingly honest in the eies of men as the Pharisie was and yet to haue a heart stieped in the gall of malice before God Then Verrine said that hee would discourse no more as hee had done but bade them ruminate well on that which he had said for Louyses voice was to bee preserued for other occasions The same day in the euening the Dominican father exorcised in the beginning whereof Verrine and Belzebub did dialogue-wise confer one with the other thei◠speech was touching the state of Magicians and witches and of diuerse kinds of superstitions to the astonishment and admiration of the whole assembly Hee further said that very euening that father Michaelis had been dogged and pryed into by soure Diuels and so many Witches to bewitch him and that the charme was so violent in operation that if hee had once taken it he could not haue out-liued it three dayes The acts of the 30. of December THis day in the morning the Dominican father did exorcise the two women that were possessed and before the Exorcismes began the said father did humble himselfe before them all and craued pardon of the assembly in that he had the day before beene guilty of some open impatience Then Verrine said many times the mistresse is as foolish as the chamber maide and doth nothing that is pleasing in the eies of the master but is too much addicted to her ease and delicacies What then doth the master he complaineth on them both and taketh away the keies of the house from them yet without any manner of violence The same doth God by the soules of men for when he perceiueth that neither the chamber-maide who is the body nor the mistresse who is the soule doth performe any action agreeable vnto him he as master of the house takes the keyes from them and shut's the gates and windowes himselfe that theeues might not breake in vpon them yet doth hee all this without violence or noise and patiently causeth the said keyes to be deliuered vp vnto him Then he laboureth an attonement and reconciliation betweene the mistresse and the seruant but in case they should resist and grow refractary then doth hee suffer them to fall through their owne default into the bottomlesse pit of hell for as
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
Magdalene were bound and could not speake and that hee was free from the same and therefore said hee you ought to listen vnto mee who am of a contrary faction vnto them Vpon this hee was bid to discouer the ambushments of the Diuell whereunto Verrine said since you will needs haue mee to expresse and explaine vnto you what I formerly had said listen vnto me It is the pleasure of God that all men know what I haue said this morning and not the confessors of Louyse onely for God will now make demonstration of his exceeding bounty The truth is Magdalene is not throughly conuerted but is perpetually vexed with the Incubi who commit a thousand impurities with her It is true Michaelis that God will bee offended with thee vnlesse thou take some order that this be redressed and doe not thinke that I speake it for her behoofe or for the sake of her heere whom I now possesse for if shee bee not possessed why doe you exorcise her were it not better to send her backe into the kitchen She would be contented with such a place as she was formerly before she came hither What think you why doth not Magdalene harken now vnto mee The reason is because I speake the truth and shee is not yet throughly conuerted shee obeyeth not her superiours and confesseth her sins with nicenesse and affectation like a Player Magdalene you must not confesse them so but you are to reueale them vnto the Priest with much penitency and compunction Then Verrine was commanded to speake lower for he cried as loud as possibly the forces of a woman could giue assistance thereunto Vnto which Verrine answered when I speak low you despise mee and when I talke aloude you put me to silence Sodome neuer were such abominations spoken by thee nor in the time of the flood did there euer happen so strange a fact as this is yet were they drowned in the waters and burned with the fire Was it euer heard of before that the Diuell should come to reprehend sinners You know there is a difference to haue a Diuell in the body and to haue a Diuell in the soule or to haue him in the body for the conseruation of the soule Afterward when some or other had told him that hee was to obey the Church as the spouse of God hee answered that this spouse also was to humble her selfe before her husband God goeth about to enlighten you with the brightnesse of his grace yet do you euer cry vnto me Verrine obmutesce I tell you I will speake but it shall be for the glory of God Did I euer bid you worship Verrine no I euer told you that I was a damned Diuell If I haue spoken euill reproue me of this euil but good God said hee command me to speake Hebrew or to doe some other prodigious and amazefull act for these poore blind caitiffes are yet calling vpon me for a signe But what did you Lord to those that asked a signe of you you could haue giuen them signes from heauen which their curiosity did itch after but you would not satisfie their brain-sicke fancies herein because they wanted faith which should be in men Michaelis the young sucking Infants which they haue eaten and others which they haue strangled and digged vp from graues to make pies withall cry loud for vengeance before God for crimes so punishable and full of execration Yet are not these accursed Magicians contented but will plucke God from his Throne they worship a Goate and sacrifice vnto him euery day What Thinke ye not that God is exceedingly incensed by these audacious prouocations At their tables and meales they vse no kniues because they will not pare off their imperfections they vse no salt because they hate the vertue of wisedome they haue no Oliues nor oyle because they loue nothing but crudities and cruelties In this very Baume doe they keepe their Sabbaths in this very Baume doe they deuoure manâ— flesh in this very Baume do they belch forth vnconceiueable blasphemies against the sacred Trinity the Sacraments the mother of God and all the Saints in Paradise Hath not God then inst occasion to bee incensed against them The Turke with his vnbeleefe the Iewes with their expectation of the Messias the Heretickes with their adorations of the bastardly figments and conceptions of their owne braines are not to bee held in such detestation as these Magicians heere for they doe day by day renounce God and there passeth not a minute wherein they crucifie him not I do further affirme that if this which hath been pronounced and published in S. Baume had been declared at Geneua they would haue shaken off the chaines and â—etters of their obstinacy yet doe the children of the Church keepe the Magician from mee and will not suffer mee to speake vnto him O Michaelis the Magician is now in thy custodie haue a curious and quick regard ouer him for hee doth yet put Magdalene to shrewd plunges After this Lewes was sent for from his chamber to come vnto the Church and as he entred Verrine did barke and bay wondrous like a dogg and said Meruaile not that I thus barke for I see the woolfe Then he spake to Lewes and said thou art a Magician thou art an execrable Sorcerer I lay it heere before thee that if thou be not speedily conuerted thou shalt bee burned and these two women heere must bee exorcised before the Parliament at Aix If Lewes be not conuerted within eight dayes I tell you heere before hand and doe call to witnesse the blessed mother of God the Seraphins Martyrs Virgins Saints and as many as be of you that he shall be deliuered vp into the hands of the gouernour of Marseille and then let them speak whither Louyse were possessed or no. Heere is to bee obserued that the Capuchin fathers found not any thing in the chamber of Lewes that might any wayes concerne Magick and this search displeased many at Marseille and presently it was bruted abroad through all the citty that father Michaelis was the author of all this You must further note that the Magicians and Witces which came inuisibly into S. Baume left very vile and offensiue sauours behind them and cast now vpon one and now vpon another certaine powders and oyles once vpon father Francis Billet and twice vpon father Anthony Boilletot who found himselfe benoynted ouer the lippes and when hee asked Lewes what the meaning thereof might bee hee onely laughed at the same They also threw such kinde of stuff vpon sister Catherine who was co-adiutour of the company of S. Vrsula so that shee was a long time greeuously sick vpon the same Besides all this Verrine tooke his oath on Gods behalfe the Creator of heauen and earth and on the behalfe of the blessed mother of God and of Angels Patriarches Apostles Martyrs Doctors Confessors Virgins and Widowes and on the behalfe of the whole
asked if any Sorcerers or witches had beene hurt the day before after dinner when the charmes that were vsually throwne against Magdalene were dispersed hee made answere that there were two hurt and they were called Rousse and Marine Being demanded in what place they had their abode hee answered In the City where the Prince of the Turkes remaineth for the Prince of the Magicians commandeth all those of France Spaine and England where their number is greater as also those of Turkey his power reacheth vnto them also This being said Belzebub and Leuiathan did very sensibly depart from her as they vsed to doe The Acts of the 22. of Ianuary being Saturday AFter dinner Belzebub committed many outrages in the chamber dauncing and singing and within a while hee ranne suddenly and hauing opened the doore hee made Magdalene to runne very nimbly towards the great gate of S. Baume but she was presently followed and taken Afterward Belzebub being exorcised with the stole to make answere why hee had so done at length replyed that the Magician Lewes and his lieftenant stayed for her at the fountaine to the end they might transport her together with themselues if shee would yeeld consent therunto pretending they would giue her a charme to that purpose And this happened three or foure seuerall times At night after the Exorcismes Belzebub fell to his old trickes by reason whereof they were inforced to bring her into the holy house of Penance where being once setled she fell so soundly a sleepe that she seemed for a while to be dead but in the end the holy Host being applyed vnto her shee awoke and was againe exorcised The acts of the 23. day of Ianuary being Sunday AT the morning Exorcisme Belzebub being often adiured and not willing to answere yet at length and surely wee haue often tried it that long patience with perseuerance in prayer ouercomes the wicked spirits and that as well at Confession as at the time of Exorcismes and the Communion after wee had imposed as many degrees of punishments on him as there were Masses said that day in the Catholicke Church it was then about eleuen before noone hee answered By my pride I despise as much as I can your exorcismes and in what I can doe obey the Magician who commands me in the name of Lucifer my Master Being put to the question why they delayed to goe forth before the Magician were either conuerted or dead hee answered if wee goe forth who is it that would induce him to conuersion or make his designes manifest Verrine added we are indeed confined hither by inchantment but God hath turned it to the aduancement of his glory and the conuersion of Magicians Belzebub being againe adiured to leaue Magdalene and to goe and torment the Magician corporally fell a laughing and answered sure a likely matter that I should goe and torment him sithence we neuer torment or possesse Magicians for they are ours already and for the body we care not much so wee possesse the soule but being possessed of the body and not of the soule as it falleth out in this case wee desire rather to remaine in hell where wee feele onely our ordinary punishment then heere where we suffer daily addition to our vsuall torments Notwithstanding hauing hope to gaine a soule to hell wee care not what torture wee vndergoe Whiles the Exorcist was reading his Exorcisme intituled Luciferiana not marking the rubrique which directed him to the pronouncing of certaine words in the eare of the possessed with a lowe voice and passing beyond it in the same tenor of sound Belzebub cryed out thou shouldest haue spoken that in her eare and it being looked into it was indeed found to bee so Being demanded to what end the day before after dinner so many charmes were in Magdalens mouth he set himselfe to laugh saying It is to very good purpose Afterward beeing often adiured and hauing grieuous punishments imposed on him for the speaking of the truth to what end hee threw so many powders and liquors vpon her he answered what meane you by powders and liquors I vnderstand it not vnfold it to mee I meane quoth the Exorcist charmes and inchantments then hee replyed it was to prouoke her to the loue of one who was not far from thence for she loues the Magician no more but rather hates him And it is to bee obserued that a certaine person came thither within a while after who confessed that hee had been extremely affected in that kind and did penance for it The acts of the 24. of Ianuary being Munday AFter this Magdalene complained that since midnight she had been vexed with visions as namely that the Magicians liuetenant had brought her letters frō the Magician himselfe written in characters of gold to incense her to loue the Magician as shee had done in former times which she refused to read After that a young maid of Paris her familiar friend and ancient acquaintance at the Synagogue brought her from the same Magician a faire picture of our Lady which shee had brought from Paris for Magdalene to behold and to pray vnto for the loue of the Magician but shee vtterly refused once to looke on it as knowing that this were to yeeld cōsent to the suggestion of the Diuel vpon this occasion Belzebub was adiured to tell the place where the meeting had been held the night before He answered that it was kept at the holy pillar in the cleft of the rock of S. Baume where were assembled all the Magicians of Prouince of Dophine Languedoc to consult what course they should take for the regaining of Magdalene and at last it was concluded that a charme should be made her of hote spices as Peper Cinnamon Ginger the like to inflame her to lust and it was indeed found to be true as both Magdalen her selfe confessed those who watched with her obserued where we may note that Verrine affirmed that the matter or stuff of charmes worketh nothing but that there are three Diuels bound as it were or fettered to euery charme which according as occasion presents worke for the effecting of his intention who made it and further we may obserue that inchantments or charmes are giuen for two respects either for the vexation of the body as are Palsies choliques turning of the guts deafnesse and the like and these God permits sometimes to be inflicted vpon the iust as he did vpon Iob seruing for merits and satisfaction for their sinnes and in that case we must arme our selues with patience as he that lay sick of the palsie at the poole of Bethesda and pray to God either for deliuerance or patience and these mischiefes which meerely concerne the body are common to all euen to young infants in their cradles when they are newly baptised Other charmes are spred to mooue mens passions as ambition hatred reuenge carnall lust and to set men head-long after these affections and when a christian perceaueth
of prison eight daies after he was committed but it was to bring him to the Palace there to confront him with Magdalene and afterwards to search for his markes The Acts of the 26. of February being Saturday ABout foure of the clock in the after-noone the Phisitians Founteine and Grassi together with Bâ—ntemps the Surgeon and Anatomist found againe the motion in the forenamed parts of Magdalens head as if it had been Frogs mouing in the inside but Belzebub being once departed out of her they found the beating of the braine to cease and to be in her as in other men And hauing felt her pulse in both armes and found that it beat equally without any alteration they thereupon concluded that the foresaid motion was not naturall but arysing rather from voluntary then naturall spirits At the same time Asmodeus the cheiftaine of Luxurie began to moue Magdalene to wanton and vnchast actions as hee had often done at S. Baume thereby to bring her to shame After this the said Phisitians and Surgeons caused her sometimes to walke and then to sit and to make repression of those motions as much as she could but she being then in her right senses answered that she could not by any meanes hinder it nor could they themselues withstand or remedy this same whence they inferred that by the course of nature this could not be It is obseruable that euery day during the holy Masse the Diuell assaulted her extremely in all the parts of her body and it was maruelous to the beholders to see that when shee had once receaued the holy Communion presently those motions ceased and there followed a great calme as well in her soule as in her body The same day one of the Diuels who called himselfe Carton cried and howled saying that hee was beaten and burned Being adiured to yeeld the reason why he onely answered it is that accursed Fortitude the good Angell of Magdalene which beats mee often repeating Accursed Fortitude let mee alone and this lasted by the space of an houre The acts of the 27. of February being Sunday FAther Francis Billet saying Masse and being come to his memento Belzebub cryed out foure times Why prayest thou for Magdalene And when Masse was ended the Priest assured vs that hee then prayed for her Afterward the Diuell would not suffer her to set her knee on the ground And as they forced her to doe it Belzebub said no it is not yet time but as soone as the Priest had ended the last words of the Consecration presently he made her kneele saying loe there After dinner the markes of the woman that was possessed were searched which shee had in her feet in her reines and right ouer against her heart and they were all found to be voyd of sense Then said Belzebub I laboured to make them sensible but God hath hindred me After this the Diuels put Magdalene to the rack very sorely by the space of a quarter of a houre in the presence of Monsieur Thoron Counsellor in the Court of Parliament and deputed for a commissioner in this businesse and Monsieur Garandeau Vicar generall vnto the most reuerend the Arch-bishop of Aix and also one of the deputed Commissioners there being withall present Thomassin the Aduocate generall in the Court of accompts and de Calas of the Kings Counsell in the Parliaments of Aix Concerning the foresaid markes it is worth the marking that Monsiour Simeonis an honest man and a wife well knowen in that Citty who managed all the affaires of the Arch-bishop told father Michaelis that after the markes were found vpon the Magician hee went to see him beeing of his acquaintance since his youth who in a familiar manner assured and told him I shall but mock the world in comming thither for I haue a spirit at my command who can free mee from all men liuing and couer my markes And hee demanding how they were then found The Magician answered Gods finger is in it The acts of the first of March being Tewsday untill Sunday FRom that day vntill the 15. of the same moneth during the holy Masse Belzebub began to make his renouncements in behalfe of the Magician as Lewes had giuen him comission to do thereby to assure his obstinacy and fastnesse to him But hauing in charge to do it inwardly God intended to manifest his malice by the ministery of Fortitude and therefore caused them to make them outwardly with as loud a voice as the maide could cry in so much as it was doubted least shee had broken a vaine terrifying all the beholders and driuing away some who were the more fearefull He cryed saying I renounce Paradise in the behalfe of Lewes Gaufridy I renounce the Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost in the behalfe of Lewes Gaufridy I renounce the Eucharist all holy Inspirations all the members of Iesus Christ naming them all from the head to the feet and particularly renouncing euery particular member all the Masses and Prayers which were said for him and any thing that might serue as a meanes for his saluation After this hee added I renounce the Virgin Mary I renounce Michael Gabriel Raphael Vriel Fortitude and all the Quiers of Angels Peter and all the Apostles Lawrence and all the Martyrs Gregory and all the Doctours Lazarus and all the Bishops Dominique and Francis with all the Confessours and Votaries Mary Magdalene and all Penitents Martha and all Virgins all Instructions and Sermons adding to euery one In the behalfe of Lewes Lastly hee concluded with the Masses of Michaelis Romillon Francis Billet and Anthony Boilletot And when the Chalice was eleuated hee cryed out sundry tymes Lord I renounce thee and thy bloud and let the bloud of the Iust one fall vpon me in the behalfe of Lewes Gaufridy There was at that present an Heretick walking in the hall which ioynes vpon the Chapell of the Palace whom his brother being a Catholike had brought thither to beholde these strange sights but hee durst not enter the Chapell Then Belzebub cryed make that Heretick come in whereat the by-standers were much astonished Then said the brother of the Heretick who was there present he speakes truth for my brother who is an Heretick walkes in the hall Thus continued he all the dayes following during which time the Magician Lewes was brought to the Chappel to the end he might vnderstand the renouncements which Belzebub made on his behalfe And as Lewes beheld Magdalene thus tormented of the Diuel Belzebub turning himselfe towards him said Come hither my friend and see if I doe not torment her as much as thou desirest At this passage was present Monsieur Thoron Counsellour of the Court of Parliament and Commissioner in this businesse with diuers others This hapened on Saturday after Masse The same Saturday after dinner the Magician was againe brought to speake with Magdalene face to face who still
maintained stoutly and stifly all that shee had before deliuered against him This done at euening hee was visited by the three Physitians Founteine Merindol and Crassy and two Chirurgeons Bontemps and Pronet and hauing stripped him in the presence of Thoron and Garandeau the forenamed Commissioners they found him in a shamefull and odious fashion whereat they were ashamed themselues and turned their faces aside Afterwards being blindfolded they searched him with needles and when they touched the sensible parts hee cryed saying You hurt mee and when hee cryed not they thurst in the needle vp to the head without any appearance of sense By which meanes they found vpon his body three markes where-upon hauing his eies vnmufled and being re-apparelled hee thought that they had found no markes on his body and so returned very merry to the prison but two dayes after being aduertised of the relation which the forenamed Phisitions and Surgeons had made he was much dismaid at it and would needs moue a question whether the Diuell had power to marke a Christian without his consent Then said father Michaelis to Monsieur Thoron if this man were in Auignion he should be burnt to morrow next for such markes doe plainely conuince him and they are neuer found but vpon Magicians For God permitteth not that his children who are members of the mysticall body of Iesus Christ should beare the marke of his enemie but hee markes them inwardly by the holy Ghost and the character of Baptisme and outwardly in the forehead by the chrisme and the signe of the Crosse and by this marke hee distinguisheth the elect from the reprobate in the 7. of the Reuelation And as it is said in the same booke he will not suffer his elect to carry the marke of the beast some being willing to dispute vpon the point alleaged that God permitted Satan to strike Iob in all his bodie To which the said father answered there is great difference betwixt a blow or a stripe and a marke the blow is giuen for correction the marke in token of subiection the slaues of Turkie carry their masters marke in their forehead burnt with an hoat yron but it is another matter when their masters whip them till the bloud come S. Antony and other holy men haue beene beaten by Diuels as Iob was but you shall neuer finde that the Diuell stamped markes vpon their bodies the stripes cease but the markes remaine and if that could be the Diuell would marke the Pope himselfe and all the Iudges and who is that father of a family who would suffer his sheepe or bull to carry another mans marke and so the question was at an end The selfe same Saterday at the confronting of the one against the other Magdalene said vnto the Magician Thou canst not deny foure things first thou canst not but remember how thou diddest abuse my body and take away my virginity at my fathers house in Marseille Secondly how thou diddest lead me to the Synagogue and with thine owne hand diddest baptise me in the name of the Diuell and anoynt me with their execrable Chrisome causing me to renounce God and my portion in Paradise and to make all other renounciations which they vse to doe in Synagogues Thou diddest also stampe the Diuels markes vpon me which I still carry in my body Thirdly thou hast giuen me an Agnus Dei and a peach charmed Fourthly how thou hast sent the Diuels vnto mee which doe now possesse mee because I would enter into the order of S. Vrsula To these accusations Lewes the Magician made answere that they were all false and that hee would take his oath in the name of God the Virgin and S. Iohn Baptist that it was most maliciously vntrue Then said Magdalene I vnderstand you well This is the oath of the Synagogue where by God the Father you meane Lucifer by the Sonne Belzebub by the holy Ghost Leuiâ—ithan O damned villaine By the Mother of God thou meanest the mother of Antichrist and thou callest the Deuill who is the forerunner of Antichrist Saint Iohn Baptist. Whereupon the said Magician remained much confounded And for the more ample demonstration of his villany It is to be noted that in an Exorcisme performed at Saint Baume within the holy Penitence Belzebub said that this Magician was more swolne with rancor and malice against Christ Iesus then themselues were for they did abhorre and hold in detestation the more then deuellish inuentions which hee daily deuised hee also made certaine accursed memorialls to helpe the remembrance of those that were in the Synagogue that they might more abundantly and readily blaspheme and do villany to Christ Iesus especially during the time that he liued vpon the Earth But said he he hath cousened himselfe for we haue deceaued him in the schedule which he hath made vnto vs wherein it is couenanted that after the tearme of 24. yeares he was to be ours and we were to carry him away body and soule but wee haue so cunningly changed the number of yeares that there are but two yeares remaining It is 14. yeares agoe since he was first a Magician and now we haue reduced the schedule to sixteene yeares It is to be obserued that Magdalene did vpon this occasion tell vs that she had vnderstood by him that at the first he was but a sorcerer but the Synagogue seeing that he had a practicke head and did performe the deuillish acts that were enioyned him to their content and liking as also because he was a great inuenter of new dâ—uiceâ— thereby to aduance the kingdome of Sathan they made him a Magician and at last they made choice of him for their Prince In the whole course and current of the Magicians obstinacie we haue obserued that as the true Christian hath a true sympathie with the hart of Christ Iesus and therefore his heart is humble charitable patient c. So the Magicians haue in their heart a participation of the obstinacy of Lucifer vnto whom they haue dedicated themselues but this is not by any infusion for that were impossible but by adhering and consenting to the ceaslesse batteries and temptations of the Deuill by which they are endarkned and remooued from the beame of grace The Acts of the 6. of March being Sunday AS well at the Exorcismes as at all the Masses which were said this day in the Chapel of the Archbishops Palace Belzebub did not cease to make diuers renunciations in the name and behalfe of Lewes Gaufridy as wee haue formerly noted vpon the first of March but now he vsed more vehemency and cryed so lowde that Magdalene grew hoarse so that her words could hardly be vnderstood yet did the Deuill still go on with that impeatuous course of speaking The same day Belzebub made recitall of the conference he had with Lewes in prison after that hee was searched whether he had any markes vpon him or no saying vnto him if thy markes be found
afflicted and disfauoured by those that were neerest of her blood by reason that shee thus debased her selfe They farther aduertised that Verrine began already to be wray the coÌ„plices and asfoclats in Magick by their names and sur-names and amongst others a woman called Honoria that was blind of both her eies who being apprehended had the markes found vpon her and was conuicted of witch-craft and so burnt although she died with great contrition and sense of her sinnes Let vs therefore pray vnto God that all may redound to his glory and the good of the Church and to the vtter ruine and desolation of the kingdome of Satan Amen THE CONCLVSION THe end and scope of this History which is the discouery of a Magician by the Diuell and his execution which followed there-upon doth cleerly demonstrate the vndoubtable truth contained in the same since there was nothing in the world more secret and incogitable then that the said Gaufridy was a Magician but contrariwise hee stood fauoured and well esteemed of by gentle-men and others of his owne quality the Diuel infusing into him an insinuating and well fashioned deportment of himselfe with so winning a manner of conuersation that hee was wel-be-loued and well entertained by all men But God would not suffer such hypocrites to lurke in his Church vndiscouered and vnpunished as wretched Iudas gaue the first proofe thereof be it spoken without offence and preiudice to S. Peter and the rest of the Apostles God be blessed and praised for euer for all those miracles which he hath been pleased in his good time to worke amongst vs for his glory and the further instruction of his Church Amen The whole is submitted to the iudgement of the Church THE APPROBATION WE the vnder-written Doctors in the sacred facultie of Diuinity at Paris doe certifie that we haue fully and diligently suruayed and read this present treatise intituled The admiâ—able History of the possession and conuersion of a penitent woman seduced by a Magician The collections whereof were gathered by the reuerend father Michaelis Doctor Preacher and Inquisitour of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane faith established by our holy father the Pope In which treatise and collections wee finde nothing which is not orthodox and conformable vnto the decrees and orders of our holy mother the Church Yea wee haue therein obserued many notable things that may tend to the great comfort and edification of all faithfull Christians as well Temporall as Spirituall and may induce and spurre vs on to repentance and to the practise of vertue From our Studies in Paris this present Tewsday the 10. of Iuly in the yeare of grace 1612. G Froger Fr. P. Dum. A DISCOVRSE OF SPIRITS CONTAINING WHATSOEVER is necessarie for the more full vnderstanding and resolution of the difficult Argument of Sorcerers WRITTEN AND COMPOSED BY the reuerend Father Frier Sebastian Michaëlis Doctor of Diuinitie of the Order of Preaching Friers and Prior of the Couent Royall of S. Maximin in Prouence BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Aspley THE PREFACE FRiendly Reader I doe protest with Tertullian that in the Argument of Sorcery which is the subiect of this discourse I neuer was so farre transported with curiosity as to plunge my selfe into an ouer-diligent intelligence of the same because it is a Science that serueth for nothing but to disseason and perplex my spirit as being an enemy vnto my soule and therefore the vnderstanding thereof distastfull to mee The consideration whereof is common to all those who leuell their actions to godly purposes whereof that holy and ancient Father doth draw a learned and generall deduction in these notable words Nos spiritualia nequitiae non quidem socia Conscientia sed inimica scientia nouimus nec invitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione tractamus multiformem luem mentis humanae totius erroris artificem salutis pariter animaeque vastatorem In which he hath spoken a certaine truth for what other thing can a man gaine by this vnnecessary yet dangerous knowledge but a true plague of man-kind a palpable blindnesse in all sorts of error and last of all an ir-recouerable slide and downe-fall both of body and soule into the pit of Hell Notwithstanding the Theorick and contemplation of these things is not vnnecessary vnto vs that are Clergy-men because we are expresly commanded by Christ Iesus in the persons of his Apostles to cast out and chase away all wicked and vncleane spirits by the powerfulnesse of his name for his pleasure is that wee should be in direct opposition against Magicians who doe call vpon them and wooe them to appeare vnto them by their softest and sweetest supplications But we as is already said Non inuitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione ipsos tractamus So that the admirable effects which doe continually flow from so high and weighty a charge may giue full answere and solution to the obiection of Paynâ—â—s who were wont by way of réproch to aske the Primitiue Christians wherein their knowledge of wicked spirits did excell and surmount other mens Vnto whom the same good father Tertullian answereth that it was necessary that Christians should haue a greater knowledge of Diuels because as experience did well witnesse none but Christians had authority and power to cast them out with violence and in despite of them For as a Lord or Master who is euer labouring to tame his slaue that is refractary and rebellious against him hath occasion to know his peruersues more thorowly then other men euen so fareth it with Christians in respect of vncleane spirits Daemonia itaque affirmamus esse inquit sane quasinon probemus qui ea soli de corpore exigimus Hence wee may make this deduction that for the readier way to dissipate and ouerthrowe the kingdome of Satan this kinde of Science is necessarily required in Church-men as the knowledge of Heresies is necessary vnto Catholick Doctors that they may the better confute them and those diseases that are pestilentiall must be vnderstood by Phisitians if they hope to expell them I doe heere desire that in a subiect of this nature there might bee a methode obserued in our manner of speaking as the Stoicks anciently did in their discourses of the world esteeming it as a great abuse to call things that in themselues were odious and filthy by honest names or things that were vertuous and honest by filthy names but insteed thereof euery thing was to be expressed by words and appellations apt and proper to figure out the same For vertuous actions were to bee expressed by termes that should breath and sound forth nothing but a decent and equall commendation but vicious and discommendable actions were to be set forth with such fit and conuenient epithetes as might breed an â—orrour and detestation of their filthinesse Neither doe I desire this without iust cause since that the malice of our times hath mis-applied
and experience thereof is from the best and soundest part of men We are therefore to diue into the causes which when we once shall steddily comprehend it will easily bow and incline our vnderstandings to the beleefe of those things and make vs conceiue them not only to be possible but of a more ordinarie frequencie then hath hitherto bin beleeued And in regard that Spirits are the cause of these euents wee are first to know whither there are Spirits or no. There are three sorts of men that haue denied Spirits the first are Philosophers the second are the Sadduces and the third are Atheists Touching Aristotle the prince of Philosophers hee is of opinion that there is one supreme cause not tyed to the pressure and incumbrance of a bodie And he sets downe 47. Spirits subordinate to that supreme cause according to the number of motions which he obserued in the celestiall Orbes of heauen thinking with himselfe that those heauenly bodies could not so ordinately moue vnlesse they were animated and quickened thereunto by some Spirits of life Now whither hee had stolne this out of the holie Scripture or at the least had borrowed it from his Master Plato who might take it from thence because it is said in Ezekiel speaking of the celestiall bodies which are there called wheeles Spiritus vitae erat in rotis or whether hee had inuented the same by the collections which his experience had made from his frequent obseruing of them I cannot tell but surely he said truth except where hee seemeth by exclusion to shut out the rest as if there were no more then those that he recited Wherein he might consider that if those Spirits were necessarie for the vniforme and vncessant motions of the Spheares and by a consequent for the seruice of man Qui est quodammodo finis omnium much more is it conuenient that this first and supreme cause whom hee calleth the alone Prince of all things should be waited on with an infinite number of them for his owne vse and seruice Whereunto agreeth that of Daniel who teacheth vs that Millia millium ministrabant ei decies centena millia assistebant ei Thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand times tenne thousand stood before him Whereof Dauid giueth the naturall reason saying Ministrieius vt faciant voluntatem eius and this doth tacitely agree with the saying of Ezechiel Spiritus vitae erat in rotis Mercurius Trismegistus as S. Thomas recites him doth determinately denie that there are good Spirits except those who wheele about the heauens And in this he agreeth with Aristotle although hee was a better Diuine then the other because he yeeldeth that God did make and create them which Aristotle seemed to deny who frameth to himselfe an eternitie euen of thistles and butter-flyes but touching the number of Spirits they are both of one opinion Aristotle doth deny that there are wicked Spirits whose authoritie Physitians did follow and adhere vnto as Psellus witnesseth intending those that were not Christians or which had apostated from the true Religion This sort of men doth ordinarily fall into two grosse errors the one against the immortalitie of the soule as it is recited in the 2. of Wisedome saying that the soule doth altogether resemble the flame that is nourished from the lampe the other is against Spirits for when they are shewed the effects wrought really by the Diuell in the bodies of those hee doth possesse they do adiudge of it more meanely then Aristotle did and affirme that these incongruities doe happen through the indisposition and depraued temper of humours and vitall spirits And thus as they doe by the immortalitie of the soule so heere also they change an immortall and incorruptible spirit into a spirit more earthly and which they would haue to bee quintessented from the temperament of naturall qualities which indeed is nothing else but a blast or smoake Hence it is that S. Augustine doth to this purpose fitly alleage the historie of a Physitian who saith hee was constrained to confesse the immortalitie of soules by a vision which hee had when he lay asleepe wherein hee saw although the casements of his eyes were shut vp and heard although his sense of hearing was tied vp and possessed by sleepe his good Angell speaking vnto him and making him to consider that his soule of it selfe without the aide or seruice of the bodie or any of the organs thereof did see and heare And this is the reason why such kinde of people doe relie and leane too much vpon Philosophie and causes in nature The Sadduces also may be ranked with them because they also denie Spirits as it is recited in the Acts of the Apostles from thence they fall into another inconuenience and that is to deny the immortality of the soule whereupon it followeth of necessitie that they must deny the resurrection of the body which three points are common vnto Atheists and all those that deny Spirits Others there are that are not so frontlesse and grosse in their opinions as the former but grant that as there are good Spirits for the motion of the heauen doth force from them that confession in that so good and necessarie a worke cannot proceed but from a good agent so there are also bad Spirits and that from them many actiōs of villany and naughtinesse doe proceed Of these Porphiry maketh mention in Epistola ad Anebuntem cited by S. Thomas saying that these are the Masters of Sorcerers and of all that vse witchcraft and that they neuer direct any man in a course of goodnesse but giue all passage and furtherance vnto those who haue any propension to doe mischiefe Plato also and his sect doe grant that there is a great number of Spirits whose residence is in the highest region of the aire as birds haue their abiding place in the low and middle region and fishes in the water but they doe heere intermingle many absurdities as wee will declare heereafter To conclude none haue euer perfectly knowen the nature of Spirits but those that haue receiued and vnderstood the holy Scripture Now against Philosophers and Painims wee haue experience against the Saduces who are hereticks amongst the Iewes as Tertullian saith wee haue the fiue bookes of Moses which they themselues admit and for Catholicks and Christians wee haue the consent of all the holy Scriptures both of the old and new Testament S. Thomas in his third booke against the Gentiles doth solidly and learnedly dispute against all the arguments of the Philosophers who affirmed that when any prodigie in nature did happen it was to be attributed to the influence of celestiall bodies which are able to bring forth many things that are hidden and buried from our knowledge It is true saith hee that nature is able to doe much yet notwithstanding it is bounded in and limited so strongly that for
Moses replyed saying Nisi tu ipse praecedas nos so that it appeareth that these spirits were the messengers of God The ex perience also of those that are possessed is a sufficient argument to confute the Saduces Heere upon it came saith Iansenius that Christ Iesus did permit the Diuels in his time to inuade not onely men but swine also for conuiction saith hee of the errour of the Saduces whom Christ Iesus was saine to traine vp by such rutourage as knowing that if a man did once apprehend there were Spirits hee would forth-with beleeue that there is another world where they make their abode and from thence would easily bee induced to admit the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body Whereas contrariwise hee who doth not beleeue that there are Spirits can hardly conceiue that there is another world or that the soule is immortall or that it is possible for God himselfe to call men vnto him by resurrection from the dead Heereupon S. Luke reciting the principal errours of the Saduces doth ioyne these three points together Concerning Christians and Catholicks besides the aboue named bookes they haue S. Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles and S. Paul in the 3. to the Galathians to witnes that the Law was giuen to Moses and the people by the ministery of Angels that God hath appointed good Angels to guard vs from the perrills of this world and from the attempts of wicked Spirits against vs in the 90. Psalme Moreouer that they ayde and succour vs so farre as to combate for vs none said an Angel to Daniel did aide me in the people of Israels deliuerance but Michael Prince of this people and that the number of them is exceeding great doth clearly appeare by the history of Helizeus when he opened the eies of his disciple made him see the great multitude of Angels at what time he was afraide of the huge army of the Assirians Plures saith he nobiscum sunt quaÌ„ cum illis The same spake Iacob who saw himselfe circled in with an heauenly army when hee stood in feare of his brother Esau Castra inquit Dei sunt haec Their office is to praise God vncessantly as Esay and Ezechiel doe declare the one speaking of Seraphins the other of Cherubins He that shall â—ound the trumpet to raise the dead shall bee an Arch angell and presently there shall come a great troope of Angels to collect and gather in the elect from all quarters of the world and to assemble them in one place Touching wicked Spirits it is declared in the history of Achab that a spirit did offer himselfe to be a spirit of lyes and Satan tempted Dauid to number his people in the pride of his heart and did much mischiefe in Egypt as being there the hang-man of God Immissiones saith Dauid per Angelos malos God also frequently forbiddeth in the law to sacrifice vnto Diuels which hee would not doe but that there were Diuels It was the Diuell that did afflict Iob in his body goods children and seruants It was he that dared to tempt Christ Iesus and did exact adoration from him as if he were a God it is hee that by his commandement and by the prayers of the Apostles hath beene so often cast out from mens bodies and for conclusion for the places that may heere bee brought are numberlesse God will say at the last day to the reprobate Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum qui paratus est Diabolo Angelis eius Being then ascertained that there are Spirits both good and bad as well from the grounds of naturall reason as from inuincible experiences and especially from the authority of the holy Scripture we are in the next place to know whether they haue bodies or no. CHAP. II. Whether Spirits haue bodies THis question beareth with it more difficultie then any other either in Philosophy or Diuinity next after the question of the Diuine nature first because Spirits do approch neerer vnto the nature of God then any other creature as also because it is impossible to see or comprehend them but onely by their effects as by the print of the foote which is left in the sand wee know that a man hath passed that way yet haue we not a possibility to conceiue of his vertue knowledge force beauty or constitution thereby and hence it ariseth that so many ingenuous Spirits as haue laboured in this argument haue almost all of them missed their scope and run into some errour For if as Saint Augustine teacheth it bee one of the most difficult things in the world to know the essence of the soule which Aristotle also toucheth in his first booke of the soule where he reciteth an infinitie of opinions together with their seuerall mistakes and exorbitances from the truth much more shall this argument of Spirits be incumbred with many difficulties since there is no man who hath not daily experience of the nature of soules euen in their very dreames Which maketh me say with Saint Thomas of Aquin that Themistius the Philosopher hath more grossely ouer shot himselfe in this point then any others For he did not onely teach it for a truth that in this mortall life we might attaine vnto the full and complete knowledge of Angels but also that this kinde of knowledge was more facile then any other by reason of their constancy and naturall stabilitie whereby it commeth to passe that they are not so obnoxious vnto change as all other elementary bodies are Against this Saint Thomas doth learnedly oppose himselfe laying downe demonstratiuely that whatsoeuer knowledge a man might attaine vnto in this mortall life for after this life our knowledge shall without comparison be farre more excellent by the contemplation of that great Myrrour that comprehendeth all things it doth all necessarily proceed and flow from the outward senses and in the intermission of their working a man doth afterward apprehend a conception of that which was offered and imprinted into his sense The truth of this may be obserued in a man that is blind and deafe from his natiuitie who hath no knowledge of any thing whatsoeuer Since then Spirits haue no bodies they cannot be seene by the eye nor receaued into any externall sense and thereupon it ariseth that a man cannot forme them in his imagination vnlesse it bee because we see them dimly by their effects Saint Augustine himselfe confesseth that it is one of the hardest questions in the world and is not ashamed to vse these words Fateor excedere vires intentionis meae and Aristotle as it were to preuent Themistius doth declare that this obscurity doth not proceede from Spirits but from the imbecility both of our senses and vnderstanding which as he prettily noteth resembleth the eye of an Oule that cannot endure the brightnesse of the Sunne although it be the
world that doth more transplant the Crownes and Kingdomes of the Princes of the Earth especially of christian Princes then to tollerate by any indulgence or conniuencie whatsoeuer an impiety so derogatory from God and Christ his Sonne and to let it spread in the middest of the Church Hence Dauid concludeth according to the Hebrew phrase Kâ—sse the Sonne least hee bee angry and ye perish in the way â—hen his wrath shall suddenly burne To kisse and to worship the Sonne is to adore Christ Iesus with all purity and sincerenesse of heart who will haue no fellowship or alliance with Beliall as S. Paul teacheth We are not to imitate those of Geneua before mentioned but wee are to execute the rigour and extremity of iustice vpon those that are guilty of this crime because it is agaiâ—st the diuine Maiesty and directly contrary to the first commandement of the law although it be true withall that this art cannot bee practised without the endamâ—agement of our neighbours as shall heereafter appeare by their depositions But the honour of God must take vp the first consideration and wee are not to inuert and misplace things or as the common saying is put the cart before the horse Yet it is not to be maruelled that the practise of Geneua runneth thus for besides their rage in depressing as much as in them lies the honour of God and his Saints which was foretold in the Reuelation that they should blaspheme God his tabernacle the humanity of Christ Iesus and them that dwelt in heauen they haue the property that all Hereticks naturally haue to loue Magicians and Sorcerers as appeareth by the fiâ—st Hâ—retick Simon Magus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and by the rest that followed after him as Irenaeus and others do declare it The Turkes as I conceiue doe not much esteeme these Arts but the Sarazens did permit that men should teach this impietie publikely about a thousand yeeres after Christ. And if Antichrist bee to proceed from the â—urkes whereof there is great likelihood then is their Monarchie pointed out vnto vs by Babylon and the sauage beast that was to receiue great power strength from the great Dragon by vertue whereof hee might worke wonders euen to make fire to descend from heauen all which he should doe through the power of the Diuell shadowed out vnder the nature of the Dragon Touching the meanes which such kinde of people vse in their witchcrafts there can bee no certaine number set of them for they are infinite and the Diuell is so craftie and malicious withall that as it is said of a naughty fellow Habet mille technas mille nocendi artes He inuenteth euery day new deuises the more to please him whom hee most desireth to hold fast in his gripe and seeing that some are delighted with one thing and some with another he fitteth all according to their seuerall humours And put case that these seuerall manners of Charmes be not hurtfull vnto the body yet doe they defile and staine the soule of the Sorcerer because they are euer tyed vnto superstition which is a kinde of Idolatrie Neuerthelesse the Diuell striueth as much as hee can to practise those charmes which are hurtfull vnto men as bloodshed and murther but when he meeteth with any as sometimes he doth whose consciences are scrupulous to commit murther or otherwise to hurt mens persons hee then is contented to applie himselfe vnto them that at the least hee may gaine vnto him their beguiled soules And it is probable since there are so many diuersities of them mentioned in the Hebrew Bible that as the Diuels in the Scriptures take their denominations from the effects that are obserued in them so haue the Sorcerers their diuersities of names from the diuersities of effects and charmes which they ordinarily practise Thus the Magicians of Pharaoh to make their charmes more powerfull besides the roddes which they had in their hands to shew themselues equall vnto Moyses they also vsed whether secretly or openly it is not expressed certaine plates of red-hot iron newly forged and their charmes in the 7. chapter of Exodus are called by the word Lahatim which signifieth burning plates and so is the flaming sword called which the Cherubin brandished in his hand in the fourth chapter of Genesis which is the particular obseruation of Rabby Dauid Quimhi And from hence we may gather an excelleÌ„t morall since as S. Paul teacheth vs the Magicians in this historie did represent Heretikes as Moyses did shadow forth the Catholike Doctors Moyses did remaine contented with the rod which he held in his hand the catholike Doctor doth shake the rod of Gods word ouer those that doe transgresse against the same The Heretike likewise holdeth the rod of Gods word in his hand but hee cannot preuaile with it except hee also vnsheath that flaming sword which betokeneth warre and the effusion of blood And it may well be that they mingled the blood of men in the tempering and making of such swords which is in these daies practised and hath been vsuall in former times amoÌ„gst the Theraphins But let vs descend to other passages In the 19. and 20. chapters of Leuiticus these Magicians are called by this word Aob which signifieth a pitcher or a barrell And it might be there were a kinde of Sorcerers which did vse such vessels as many doe in these daies who cast certaine names into a vessell or bason full of water to diuine and presage of something In the 18. of Deuteronomy they are called Menahhesh which importeth as much as to vse Serpents and it is probable enough that they vsed Serpents in their charmes as wee haue heretofore noted of the Romanes who did the like ro rid Rome of the plague Aben Ezra doth thinke that it was nothing but certaine figures and characters of Serpents which such people did vse in their charmes and inchantments King Manasses who was the greatest Sorcerer of the world was accused to bee Mecasheph which word is deriued from a verbe that signifieth to paint or by imbellishing the face with colours to attract and deceiue men which is the propertie of wanton women as Rabby Dauid Quimhi saith in his Comment vpon Nahum and thereupon Aben Ezra who together with Quimhi is quoted by Sanctes Pagninus and by Munsterus doth declare that these are Sorcerers who make a shew that they transshape things and by this meanes doe grossely abuse those men whom they doe blinde with their apparitions and so make them beleeue they see that which indeed they doe not see like vnto those loose and light women who set a glosse of whitenes vpon their face which is not indeed in their persons There is another word in the 3. of Michah that also expresseth these Magicians and that is Quassam which Dauid Quimhi as is to be supposed by the passages already alleaged doth interprete to signifie all manner
Iesus which two last points are comprehended in these words In nomine meo Daemonia eijcient But Sorcerers and Magicians doe not vse to resist the Diuell and bruse his head but they flatter him and call him vnto them by a certaine bargaine or agreement which directly importeth a subiection and dependancy and to be briefe they doe first worship him before hee will come vnto them Againe in steed of repelling him they come vnto him for aduise aide or fauour whereas Christ Iesus would not so much as suffer him to speake and this is not as Origen obserueth to force the Diuell by inuocation vpon the name of God it rather argueth a familiarity and intercourse which they haue together So that if wee doe seriously consider all circumstances they doe crosse and goe a contrary course vnto Christ Iesus and the Apostles It cannot bee gaine-said but that sometimes they will make a semblance as if they wept although in truth it be nothing so S. Augustine reciteth the history of a certaine Magician who boasted much what a command hee had ouer Diuels saying that when they were lasie to doe that he commanded them he threatned to pull the heauens with such violence that they should fall vpon the earth and thereupon the Diuels would readily execute what he had enioyned them for feare least they should be brused betweene heauen and earth as corne is brused betweene two milstones But who seeth not that this is the craft and counterfaite weeping of Crocodiles that is to say Diabolical fictions framed for deceit and cousonage For first it is not the power of Angels to make the heauen descend and touch the earth because vnto them as S. Paul saith God hath not subiected the round frame of the world Non enim saith he Angelis suis subiecit Deus orbem Nay it is so farre from being so that it is not in the naturall power of all wicked spirits that are to wheele about the orbe of the Moone which is the least of all the rest for as God hath appropriated the natural operations of mans body vnto a reasonable soule so that it is not in the power of an Angell to make this body to liue the life of plants the life of beasts or the life of man although he can enter at his pleasure into the same as we see by experience in those that are possessed euen so God hath limited the passiue power of the motions of the heauens vnto certaine Angels whom hee hath destinated thereunto so that it is a ridiculous thing to conceiue that Spirits may be brused or crushed in peeces But they doe herein take the aduantage of mens simplicity and their owne craft by infusing these fables into them wherein they resemble naughty seruants that wait for an occasion to cut their masters throates The fifth error that blindeth those Sorcerers is because they haue a conceite that the Diuell is very ready to doe them seruice but how is it possible that the Diuell should inuassall himselfe vnto man that is but a worm of the earth since that thorow the excessiiuenes of his pride which brooketh no equals hee scorneth to bee the seruant of God whom he knoweth to be his Creator How can he debase himselfe to be mans Lackey when hee did rather choose to relinquish his portion in Paradise and to burne euerlastingly in hell fire then he would acknowledge Christ Iesus for his better For when it was laid before him that hee should become man the Diuel said in his heart no before I will acknowledge a man and a worme of the earth I will first be damned as that deuoute and auncient father S. Bernard hath well expressed it He doth indeed make shew of seruice vnto man but to this end that he may be his master for if hee be delighted corporally to possesse a man when hee hath gotten the mastery of his body how much more is hee pleased when by his subtilties and by taking from him the knowledge of God hee getteth possession of his soule For when hee possesseth the body this affliction is many times the instrument of saluation as S. Paul saith Traedidi huiu smodi Sathanae vt spiritus eius saluus fiat But when hee possesseth the soule and withdraweth it from the grace of God hee is then the instrument of damnation And therefore the Scripture doth euer figure out Satan vnto vs by things that are both dangerous and dreadfull vnto men as by a Serpent by a Dragon and by a roaring Lyon for feare least wee should say as Athiests doe that the Diuell is not so black as men doe paint him whereas contrariwise he is so terrible and so dangerous that all the comparisons of Centaures doggs with three heads and the like monsters described vnto vs by Poets fall farre short of his vglinesse If then any one should be familiar with such furious beasts might hee not well bee accounted mad and depriued of common sense Yet Witches and Magicians do ordinarily expose themselues to these things And this horridnesse of Diuels was declared vnto Iob who had partly experimented the rage and bloody malice of Satan but hee tryed not all his forces because God suffered him not to doe all that he was willing to inflict vpon Iob. God then described Satan vnto him by the similitude of the most great and horrible monster of the world called Behemoth This beast saith God is the most fearfull and cruell monster of the world his body is armed as it were with iron his flesh is harder then stone so that hee cannot be crushed or hurt by the violent strokes of hammers neither can the sharpest launces enter into him nor pierce him more then so many strawes if men should goe about to strike him downe with tumbling vpon him great stones from a rock it would be but lost labour and hee would be no more endāgered thereby then if they threw balls of flax against him God further speaketh vnto Iob of this monster dost thou thinke to put a hooke into his nostrills as men take fishes or when hee is before thee dost thou conceiue that he is affraide of thee Nunquid multiplicabit tibi preces aut loquetur tibi mollia Will he behaue himselfe like a dogg that flattereth his master and lyeth at his feet for feare of being beaten or if hee come to some agreement with thee doest thou imagine that he doth it to any other end then to deuoure thee Nunquid feriet tecum pactum accipies eum quasi seruum sempiternum Wilt thou play with him as a bird and tye a thread about his legg to keep him in or to let him fly at thy pleasure Nunquid illudes ei quasi aui Last of all God saith Memento belli nec vltra addas loqui remember that hee is a murtherer from the beginning that hee is thy arch-enemy and doth continually wage warre against thee Doe not hurt thy selfe by these foolish speeches
In the second place we are to ranke all charmes and wicked practises wrought by Sorcerers and Magicians which the holy Scripture the Fathers and a cloud of Histories do mention as things really put in execution By which meanes we shall easily reconcile as well the Scriptures and the Fathers as Histories also which otherwise might seeme to crosse and contrary one the other As for example Iohn Baptista the Neapolitan in his 2. booke and 26. Chapter reporteth that himselfe being curious to know the truth of that which witches do depose he so ordered the matter that he beheld with his owne eyes that which they did and indeede hauing gotten the consent of an olde witch hee saw all their manner of proceeding thorow the chinke of a doare and beheld an olde woman standing naked and annointing her selfe with a certaine oyntment which when she had done she fell into such a sound sleepe that she could not be awaked by the most violent stripes that could be laid vpon her At the last being awaked shee affirmed that she had passed ouer the seas and had seene diuers strange sights which shee recited in his presence and in the presence of diuers others who together with him came to see the same And when they shewed vnto her the markes of the stripes which shee had receaued when she was a sleepe shee would beleeue nothing of these things Apuleius reporteth of himselfe that being curious to see the fashions of witches hee was brought by a chamber-maide to a secret place where he might behold them and looking in like manner thorow the chinke of the chamber doore he saw a naked witch besmearing of her selfe with an oyntment which she had and while she was rubbing and annointing her selfe she was transformed by little and little as seemed vnto him into an Oule and at the last there appeared winges vpon her and soone after she flew abroad through the window of which strange metamorphosis himselfe as hee said was the spectator These two Histories reported by two men curious beyond ordinary to vnderstand the truth of these secrets do well shew that both the one and the other might be true enough for we ought not to giue more credite to Iohn Baptista the Neapolitan then to Apuleius the Affrican since Saint Augustine himselfe dared not to affirme that those strange things which Apuleius wrote were fables hee rather sheweth how these things may bee done Wee may therefore do well to yeeld both to the one and the other and not from a particular fact to inferre a generall conclusion as they doe who attribute all these things vnto dreames onely which is against the rule in Logicke à particulari ad vniuersale consequentia nulla There might also be mistakes and mistes in the eyes as Saint Augustine teacheth in the booke and Chapter before cited where relating the History of Iphigenia he saith that she was not really sacrificed as all the assemblie did imagine but there was a stagge conueyed in steede of her which by the charms of the Deuil did appeare vnto the lookers on to bee Iphigenia It may also fall out that thorow the same impostures of the Deuill men may thinke they see the body of a man when it is nothing so and hauing their eyes dazeled and disaffected they may mistake one thing for another And hereof there are many relations in Saint Clement which he reciteth in his bookes of Recognitions where hee also describeth sundry feates which he saw Simon Magus to practise Yet on the contrary part it is not alwaies true that this happeneth thorow impostures and illusions as the History of Hermotymus wâ—ll witnesseth who sundry times told his wife that in the time of his sleepe hee visited diuers parts and quarters of the world his soule for a time relinquishing his body and afterwards returning home vnto him whereof hee was verily perswaded His enemies would make triall of the truth hereof by cutting his throat but as Tertullian ieastingly saith his soule came not backe againe in time so that he neuer waked after Now if this had been done by charmes and delusions hee had been in no danger to haue died because they should not haue medled with his body but with a seeming and supposititious body but it being otherwise it appeareth that it was his owne body So that there are three manners of proceeding for either they sleepe and dreame or they goe thither really or the Diuell putteth himselfe in their place and carrieth them some where else Thus may these sundry waies be all true and such an accident may happen either meerely in a dreame or really and indeed or else the body which appeareth to lie asleepe may proue a phantasme although it may so fall out that sometimes it is the true body of him whose wee thinke it to bee The difficulty then lyeth in the distinguishing and discerning when such a thing really is acted or when there is but an apparancy of the same by dreames and impostures S. Augustine in that notable chapter aboue cited doth if wee marke him well giue vs the resolution hereof for hee telleth vs that in these cases there are three remarkeable rules that present themselues vnto our obseruations The first is that you must iudge of these things by the experience and reality that ensueth thereupon as if a man would know whether there were the true and perfect reality of that which was represented in the sacrifice of Iphigenia the answere is that there was not but that there was another substance by a diabolicall art foysted into her place for experience saith he did afterwards declare that Iphigenia was found in another country farre remote from thence whether she had been carried aliue by the Diuels and liued a long time after this accident By the like experience he concludeth that the companions of Diomedes were not turned into birds as was conceiued because the said birds did build their nests and multiplyed their kind as other birds vsually doe Now this propagation of their kind is a reality which giueth sufficient proofe to conclude that these men were carried into other places by Diuels and these birds were cunningly and suddenly conueied into their roomes neither could these birds be meerely apparances but they were truly as they seemed and the experience of the reality of their nature doth blow away all suspitions of illusion Besides the Diuels impostures as S. Thomas hath learnedly obserued can haue no long time of subsistence because they are not reall natures but onely common accidents as the Logicians tearme them whose property is to bee easily changed by any naturall alteration This rule giueth vs to vnderstand that what Moyses did in Aegypt and in the wildernesse was not done by illusion for the fishes did die indeed in the riuer that was changed into blood and the Caterpillers and other vermine that spoyled the corne the barly the vines and trees of Aegypt
if the Diuels did represent serpents froggs and the like before Pharaoh and all the people it is not to be wondred if he shew him selfe vnto a man in a manly semblance for thus he presented himselfe before Iob during the time of his temptation as Saint Chrysostome doth well declare saying That the messengers who came to bring him newes so suddenly one vpon the necke of another were Diuels in the disguise of men for otherwise it cannot wel be reconciled how a man being in a house which in an instant was vtterly ouerthrowne and demolished could scape the ruine of this house nor how these losses being acted so farre one from the other as the sheepe which were consumed by the fire that fell from heauen the Camels that were carried away by the Chaldeans the house which was rooted vp from the foundations could bee so timed in the relations of them that as soone as one had deliuered his newes another should come at his heeles and tell what detriment Iob had receiued in other places And since Satan had liberty to kill not onely the sheepe but the sheepheards and not to ouerwhelme the house alone but to wrap vp also those that were within it in those ruines it is not probable that he who is bloodily minded a murtherer of men and a rauening wolfe that deuoureth whatsoeuer commeth in his way would let any one of them escape to bring the newes especially since it was in his power as well to deliuer the message as to commit the riotts and murther and since he had leaue to do vnto Iob whatsoeuer hee would except one onely thing Tantum saith God ne tang as animam eius So that these newes tempting him most it were no absurditie to say that the Diuell was the bringer of them neither doth the text in reciting these crosses make mention of any one that did escape but onely that he who brought the newes-said thus and thus although as the Amalechite told Dauid that he had slaine Saul although the truth was that hee had slaine himselfe Irruit super gladium suum so might this father of lyes mis-report one thing for another Therefore Saint Chrysostome doth not thinke it strange to say that the Diuell appeared vnto Iob in the habite of a messenger or seruant or to be of the age as it is to bee presumed that such and so swift messengers were of 25. or 30. yeeres Saint Augustine doth not onely say that this might be but also giueth the reason why it might be and that is by the application of naturall causes by which he shapeth vnto himselfe what body soeuer he desireth to assume especially for the quantity and quality which are meere accidents And this body the Diuell can mooue by a kind of locall motion yet doth he not viuificate and operate in the same as the reasonable soule doth in a mans body for this body is not a liue body but is onely clothed with externall accidents and seemeth to haue life by the secret working of these Spirits euen as the celestiall bodies are turned about by a locall motion which proceedeth from the Angels and yet cannot such bodies be properly said to liue This is Saint Augustines resolution Diabolus optat sibi corpus aliquod tanquam vestem and in this sort did hee oftentimes visibly appeare vnto Saint Anthony as Saint Athanasius reporteth and once to Saint Martin as Seuerus Sulpitius writeth To conclude neuer did any father of the Christian Church deny but that this either might be or hath bin really practised The Marcionites and Manicheans who thought strange that the Deuill should touch Christ Iesus denied not that the Deuill did visibly and corporally appeare vnto him but they rather held that Christ Iesus was not clothed with true flesh but had a body of the same condition as those are which are formed by Spirits Saint Paul teacheth vs that Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light the meaning is that he sometime taketh a comely humane shape as good Angels vse to do to familiarise himselfe vnto men as we see in the Gospell that the good Angels who appeared vnto those godly women that sought Christ Iesus in his sepulcher were like yong men of 18. or 20. yeeres of age so that this point is cleere and without controuersie both in the Scripture and amongst the Doctors of the Church It would therefore appeare to be an ignorance and rashnesse too too grosse to make doubt of the truth hereof since there is such a cloud of Histories to giue confirmation of the same vnto vs as for example the History recited by Gregory Nazianzen of a Magician vnto whom the Diuell spake familiarly and the like But that we may not exceede the iust limits of Annotations it shall suffice that we obserue that among other predictions of the end of the world Saint Hippolytus writeth that a great number of Diuels shall appeare vnto men in humane shapes and being thus disguised in borrowed formes they shall assemble themselues in mountaines dennes and desert places all which predictions do fitly agree vnto the depositions of Sorcerers It will not be amisse to note the antiquity and authority of this glorious Martyr for the better resolution of diuers passages in the fore-cited place which by some might be offensiuely taken He was more ancient then Origen at the least he liued in the same time with him for Saint Ierome telleth in his Homilies how he preached and how Origen was present at his Sermons It is then to be presumed that since he tooke vpon him to speake of things to come which were not expresly comprehended in the Scriptures he had either the gift of prophesie wherewith all many were indued in the Primitiue Church as Saint Paul teacheth and which endured downe vnto the times of Saint Ireneus or hee had learned these things from the Disciples of the Apostles as Saint Irâ—neus telleth how he writ many things which he hâ— learned from the Disciples of Iohn the Euangelist and that it happened vnto him as it did vnto diuers others who liued neere vnto the Apostles time who hauing faithfully treasured vp those things which the most familiar Disciples of the Apostles did reueale vnto them yet there were some that would adde thereunto certaine conceits of their owne braine which they themselues did coniecture might be deliuered by the Apostles But in this they notably abused themselues as wee may plainely see in Ireneus Papias and others The same happened vnto this holy man in whom wee may obserue many tracts directly flowing from the Spirit of prophesie and other vsefull instructions proceeding from his owne iudgement Amongst this later sort of Reuelations from the Apostles wee are to place that which he speaketh of Antichrist whom hee saith shall be a Deuill taking vpon him the shape of a man And this we may easily see to be his drift for
repining at the too abundant mercy of God doth reprehend the Magicians for their adoring of a Goate THE ELEVENTH ANNOTATION Whether there be Incubi and Succubi VOs viri cum succubis vos malieres cum insubis fornicati estis c. From hence wee may learne the reason why the Diuel appeareth in the forme of a Goate because hee is the most ranke and the most lustfull of all other creatures whatsoeuer neither doth hee euer obserue set times for his hot luxurious nature as all other beasts vse to doe The Diuell doth assemble his people in a place designed for such a purpose and there maketh them to commit vncleannesse and himselfe is the first and forwardest to practise the like abominations and appeareth vnto women in the shape of a man and vnto men in the fashion of a woman by which meanes hee induceth them to defile themselues with those diuelish and execrable copulations with him not that hee receiueth any delectation or pleasure from the same but as S. Thomas saith giuing the reason why S. Augustine did affirme that the Diuell tooke more delight in Idolatry and fornication then in any other sinne whatsoeuer hee therefore is delighted with them both because by the first he vsurpeth vpon the glory of God which is his first and principall intention and secondly he keepeth both men and women in his clawes with more security by fastning them vnto him through the sinne of lust for by reason of the strong and vehement delectation which it carryeth with it hee maketh them to sticke close vnto him so that when they fall into the same they will bee hardly able to recouer themselues againe Hee also maketh them to loose the vse of their reason so that they haue no more command and soueraignty of themselues then the very beastes haue especially when they are once enured to these sensuall delights which are so vehement that Tertullâ—an was of opinion that as the body of an Infant is ingendred from a portion of corporeall substance so is the soule also begotten from a part of his soule that doth beget for saith he wee see that in the act of generation the soule as if it were diuided into portions hath not the power to produce any act of reason And heereupon it groweth that the Diuell is so much taken with this filthy and vncleane sensuality as appeareth by the reasons which we haue alleaged Neither are we to question whether such a thing may bee practised by the helpe and working of the Diuell since it is out of all controuersy that he doth and may take when he is not in the act of adoration any externall forme that he pleaseth to inuest himselfe withall especially amongst those who haue abandoned themselues vnto him and haue done him fealty and homage And although there were no other proofe then that two of the most famous Doctors the one amongst the fathers the other amongst the Schoolemen that is to say S. Augustine and S. Thomas doe concurre and agree vpon this point and doe expresly auerre that it were impudence to deny the cleerenesse of this truth yet is this confirmation enough to create a beleefe in men that it is a certaine and vndoubted verity And heereupon it is why the Turkes do not thinke it strange which we haue amoÌ„gst the Articles of our Creed that a Virgin should bee conceiued by the holy Ghost because they thinke that this may bee easily done vnto all Virgins since they are assured by experience that bee there Virgins neuer so closely restrained and kept from the company of men yet are they many times found to bee with childe and this is the cunning and practise of the Diuell Qui surripit aes demum in fundit semen Moreouer this is shadowed out vnto vs by the auncient Histories and Poets who doe frequently mention that their Gods came downe from heauen to commit folly and vncleannesse with their fairest women and had often times yssue by them The like doth Apuleius report of his times and these Gods as they tearmed them are nothing else but Diuels as it is written Omnes Dij gentium Daemonia To conclude this and the precedent Annotation I should thus remember these kinde of people that God doth permit the Diuell to appeare vnto them in the forme of a Goate thereby to put them in minde that they are to assure themselues they shall bee placed amongst the Goates in that great and last day of iudgement because they haue leagued and combined themselues with Goates in this world and haue committed execrable idolatry vnto them as if they had beene Gods Wee will onely adde that the greatest part of the auncient Greeke and Latine Poets are cleare of opinion that Diuels doe desire and practise to haue carnall knowledge with women yea S. Ierome himselfe vseth these words Daemones quibujdam amoribus seruiunt c. And Iustin Martyr saith that this is not peculiar to women alone but is common vnto men also whereby he doth plainly expresse himselfe that Deuils doe vary sexes which is also the opinion of S. Augustine For although they that did labour to interpret and accommodate the sixth chapter of Genesis to this particular are worthily reproued by him because the precedent and following passages doe declare that the mention which is there made is of men and not of Angels as S. Augustine well sheweth yet doth hee not disapproue the opinion of the ancients touching this carnall commixtion but on the contrary hee affirmeth that it is an impudency to deny it Iustin the Historian in his 11. Booke relateth that Olympias mother vnto Alexander the great did freely confesse vnto her husband that Alexander was no sonne of his but was begotten by a serpent with whom she had carnall knowledge And heereupon did her husband repudiate her as an adultresse and euer after would Alexander stile himselfe the sonne of the Gods and not of Philip. Hee also reporteth in his 15. Booke that Loadice mother vnto Seleucus did affirme that shee kept company with the God Apollo in her sleepe who as shee thought in her dreame gaue a ring vnto her and when she awoke in the morning shee found the ring in her bed But such kinde of women are full of impiety and God hath vtterly abandoned and giuen them vp vnto themselues FINIS Ad Authorem Epigramma ANgelicum nomen claris virtutibus aequas Conueniunt rebus nomina saepe suis Angelus vt Domini magna virtute Draconum Turbam deuicit corpora foeda necans Sortilegos tua sic vincit doctrina Michaël Quae clarè illorum dogmata falsa probat Angelicae laudi tua credito gloria par est Damonis astutiam fortis vter que fugat BAPTISTA BADERVS Parisiensis in eodem Parisiensi Senatu Patronus AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE principall matters contained in the first part A ABominations of the synagogues of magiciaÌ„s 302.305 Abraham sacrificeth his sonne 107 Absolution required in him that
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
287.300 Sinners are not punished according to their offences 181. Sinners reprehended 163.278.279 He Sinneth mortally who heareth not Masse vpon Holy-daies and Sundaies 191 The Sinnes of Magdalene 116 Sonneillon the name of a Diuell and to what hee tempteth men 258 Sorcerers abominable before God 240. their superstitions 250. They goe inuisible 299.300 The sorrowes of Christ Iesus in his passion 48 The sorrow of Verrine to be constrained 20.36.231 The Soule of a poore man as welcome to heauen as the soule of a King so that it stand in the grace of God 225 The soules in heauen doe thirst after the saluation of our soules 57.100 The soule is a mistrisse and the body as aâ—chambermaid 237.238 The soules of the damned were faire at the first but afterwards by sinne grew most deformed 122 Euery soule belongeth to God 192 The Soule representeth the sacred Trinity 193 The soules fall as thick into hell as flower doth from the milstone 125 The soule is a vineyard 285 The soule compared to a Common-wealth 218.86 The souldier to kill himselfe is an extraordinary accident 18 Spirits goe and come exceeding swiftly 230 The stable made honourable by the birth of our Sauiour 226 Three suffrages presented by the Dominican father to three seuerall Saints 3 We are to Suffer for to raigne 114 The Sunbeame doth not breake glasse but addeth a brightnesse vnto it 224 Suspicions of a certainâ— father 91 Sympathy betweene God and his creatures 272 T TE Deum sung by the assembly to giue thankes vnto God 14 Temptation of some persons 140 Temptation to hardnesse of heart 243 Temptation of the world 174.175 Temptation to single combats and against youth 121.242 Temptations of diuers sorts 204.251.252 Temptation against the gentry and hereticks 241.242 Temptation of the Diuell to Magdalene 98 Thankesgiuing ought to be vsed after the communion 184 The Thirst of Christ Iesus 284 S. Thomas was not ignorant of the death of his master 194 Three things we are to aske of God 194 Three sorts of people serue God 122.174 Time past or future is not in God 46 The Time prepared for Martyrs 269 Torments of hell 19.60.61 Torments of the Diuels 24.33.79 Torments of Magdalene 90.91 V VErity a morall vertue 91 Verrine doth nothing but at the command of the Exorcist 10 Verrine causeth that which was spoken disputed by him to be written 30 Verrine doth dictate word by word that which he spake vnto the Dominican 41.42 Verrine maketh excellent discourses leauing all men full of astonishment at the same 11 Verrine doth renounce all Magicians of both sexes Sorcerers and Sorceresses 235 Verrine remaineth mute and silent and why 51 Verrine confesseth God to be in the Host and in the Chalice with his blood and bones with his humanity and diuinity 52.126 Verrine disputeth with God 52.53.176.275 Verrine braueth Belzebub 93.261.266 Verrine neuer said Miserere mei 87 Verrine curseth S. Baume 87 Verrine the executioner of Gods Iustice. 89 Verrine incapable to be prayed for 89 Verrine denieth that God is his redeemer 93.185 Verrine denyeth that heâ—is a Preacher 93.187 Verrine Gods sergeant 119.127 his Ambassadour 162 Verrine craueth to be commanded 126.211.240 Verrine constrained 18.57.106.197 Verrine asketh his owne confusion 129 Verrine an accursed Diuel 28. and a lyar when he speaketh besides his commission 51. is damned 92.188.221 Verrine a naughty and barraine tree 230 Verrine saith he shall haue diminution of his torments 230 Sonneillon saith the same 255 Verrine forceth no man to beleeue 249 Verrine is angry at vnbeleeuers 301 Verrine complaineth that he is made the instrument of this History by the mouth of Louyse 263 Verrine barketh like a dog 300.303 Verrine neuer assured the conuersion of Lewes 277 Verrine resisteth God 169.203 Verrine turneth towards Magdalene and crieth as much as he can 6 Verrine crieth out when he heard them say in principio 43 Verrine disputeth with Bezebub 114.115 Verrine one of the Diuels in Louyse body and why 3.94 164 Vertues recommended 171.229 Vertues properly tearmed the physicke of the soule 268 Vices are as Princes 86 Virgins 11000. went in one day to Paradise 125 Virgins praised 53 Vision of the damned very fearefull 17 A Vision which struck a great fright into Magdalene 155 The Vnderstanding representeth the Sunne 295.297 Vnion of the humane nature with the diuine 44 Vnion of God with his Church 275 Vocation and the first grace is from the meere and sole fauour of God 17 W WOmen possessed of the company of S. Vrsula 56 Wicked Spirits laboured to carry away Magdalene by maine force 2 The Will desireth to doe well 20 The Will representeth the holy Ghost 193 The Will and power thereof 217 The wings which carry vs into heauen is loue and feare 289.130 Witchcraft changed into a blessing 30.67 Witnesses of the acts 18.102.142.289 The words of Verrine 4.5.291.301 The Words of Verrine to Magdalene 7.265.8.9.10 c. 247 The words of Verrine to Lewes 288.292.300 The words of Verrine to Louyse 305 The words that sinners are to say when they are conuerted 117.118 Y THe Yoke of our Lord is easie and his burthen light 231 Young people doe not thinke it a sinne to offend God 242 AN ALPHABETICALL Table of the principall matters contained in the second part of this Booke A ABnegare sâ—ipsum is the perfection of true contrition 395 Acoules a parish in Marseille 357 Acts of humility performed by the woman that was possessed 315 Adam was the first that presented himselfe to Christ Iesus in Lymbo 314 Adoration of the Eucharist by the Diuell 375 Aegidius giueth himselfe to the Diuell that hee might bee a skilfull Physition 384 Affectation of Priests in their cloathes very pleasing to Belzebub 382 An Agnus dei charmed and giuen by a Magician to Magdalene 379 An Angell assisteth Magdalene 367 Angels who are Gardians vnto men are of an inferiour order and are commanded by the superiour Angels 360 The Angell which is Magdalene Gardian tormenteth the Diuell and why 360.375 Father Angell the Capuchin bewitched at Marseille 383 Anthony bishop of Aix 389 Arrest of the Court of Parliament in Prouince against Lewes Gaufridy 410 Arriuall of the women that were possessed at Aix 370 Asmodeâ— tempteth Eue taking on the shape of a girle 313 Asmodee Prince of wantons and his tentations 313.323 Asmodee shaketh Magdalene by the commandement of Belzebub with vncleane gestures 317.374 Astaroth tempteth men to lazinesse and his enemy in heauen is S. Bartholomew 324 Aurey the name of a Diuell 393 B BAlberith tempteth men to single combats and his enemy in heauen is Barnabas 324 The banquets in the Synagogue 335 Saint Baume held in detestation by the Diuels 338 S. Baume to be reuerenced 338 Belias the Diuel prince of vertues and his tentations 325 Belzebub taketh Magdalene by the throat to strangle her 315 Belzebub saith that many Diuels did issue forth vpon the day of the exaltation of the holy Crosse. 311 Belzebub was he that tempted
said Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te c. shee neuer replide against it with the quomodâ— of infidelity p An Apostrophe vnto Magdalene a Obserue that he tyeth no man to beleeue him See the answere vnto the 2. obiection after the Epistle to the reader a The slights and subtleties of Asmodeâ— b This is a description of pride and selfe-loue which esteemeth that the hayres and nayles nay the veâ—y excrements themselues are as gold or pretious stones c Touching the point of Salomons saluation their appeareth no certainty of any thing touching the same in the Scripture There are arguments of both sides and the Doctors of the Church do differ in their opinions vpon this particular It is â—uident that Nabuchodonosor repented See the Apology vnto the 4. doubt after the Epistle to the reader a The slights and tentations of Baalberith b Touching true nobility c Against those that goe to witches d The outragious madnesse of Magicians e The witches that were conuerted did assure vnto vs that this was true so that they are but plagues and the authors of mischiefe in the house where they abide f It is a toyle to serue the Diuell but it is a repose and contentment to serue God g The finall obstinacy and hardnesse of heart of witches together with their blindnesse of vnderstanding h The Dialogue between Sonneillon and Asmodee i This oath containeth foure remarkable points and obseruations k See the Apology vnto the doubts the 10. obiect aftet the Epistle to the Reader l A discourse touching S. Stephen m Sonneillon his constraint n The powerfulnesse of prayer for our enemies o The tentations of Sonneillon p It is a probleme in the Church q The mantle of impiety r He repeated this ouer diuerse times time will make the truth therof to appeare s The reuelation hereof if it be true was reserued for the feast of S. Iohn the Euangelist t These are Predictions whose truth or falshood time wil bring to light in the meane time we must hold vs to that which the Church teacheth and practiseth u After the signes of the last iudgment there shal come a shortime wherein all things shall be husht quiet in which men shall lull themselues in securitie and sleep as in the time of Noâ—h Luk. 17. x See the Apology vnto the 3 doubt after the epistle to the reader y Some Doctors are of opinion that S. Iohn is in Paradise body and soule but in the parallell with the three following he meaneth that his body is in that terrestrial Paradise with the body of Moses z The conuersion of Magicians a This was put in practise at Aix as it shall afterward appeare b The brauado of Verrine to Lucifer c A great reprehension inuectiue against men See the Apology why this is the highest signall of Gods indignation d Touching religious orders e It were a straÌ„ge wonder that a woman honourably descended should speake this of her father and mother in publick from her selfe out of her fits she is of a composed vnderstanding very sensible in her discourse f See the page 259. touching King Henry the fourth g When his discourse is not drawne from Scripture the Diuel constraineth no man to beleeue And we conceaue that this which is here so spoken is spoken out of flattery h He did exorcise when he was at S. Baume as shal be seene afterwards in the acts of the last of December pag i This is a new reuelation k The fall of the Angels ' l See the Apology the 10. doubt after the Epistle to the Reader m The action of Antichrist n The seuerall sicknesses of men o The medicines for these sicknesses p See the Apology the first doubt after the Epistle to the Reader q The frequenting of the blessed Sacrament r The time that is prepared for martyrdome s The reprehension of the wise men of this world t The booke of death kept by Satan is nothing else but the sleights and deuices which he hath to ensnare vs. But if by this booke of death you vnderstand reprobation then is this booke in the eternity of God as the booke of Predestination is u The shipwrack of men commeth from themselues x Concerning the deceased King Henry 4. see more at large in the page 219. y Which kinde of pouerty is the best z Consolation vnto the poore a The booke of the Crucifix b On this day Lewes the Magician was vpon his way iourneying towards S. Baume This was vttered with an admirable vehemency of spirit so that the woman was all ouer in a great sweate He seemeth to lesson vs with what seruency of spirit and charity we should pray vnto God for such mis-led wandering soules And hee made Louyse pray by moouing her tongue as also he caused her to dictate letters in the name of Louyse not in his owne name to which the said Louyse gaue consent as vnto a thing which shee much desired See the annotations vpon the 304. pag. c See the Apology and the answere vnto the 9. doubt d A prediction of the comming of Lewes e He neuer assured the conuersion of Lewes f A simile against â—hose that are sâ—rupulous in beleeuing this wonder g The application of the simile h The goodnes of God and the malice of men i An authentical history reporteth this k An inuectiue against Lewes the Magician l He spake of the Magician m The arriuall of father Michaelis to S Baume n This is to be vnderstood as in the piecedent Acts. o There is a great faire Crosâ—e at S. Baume p The stop which was laid to hinder the Magicians comming by great store of raine that tell downe in great plenty two daies together q The soule is a Vineyard r Touching the day of iudgement s The arriuall of the Magician t The Diuels interrogatories vnto the Magician u The Diuels inference vpon the Magician x Lewes performeth the office of an Exorcist which was according to the prediction mentioned in the page 265. y Belzebub and Verrine laugh at the Magician for that hee was become an Exorcist z The feare that Magdalene had to looke vpon the Magician a The Diuel reproueth the Magician and telleth him his wicked acts b Magdalene and the Diuel doe both accuse the Magician c A counsell held for the verification of the precedent acts with the exclusion of the fathers the Exorcists and Confessors d The two women that were possessed are separated that they might bee examined e The Dominican father was â— litle discontented because he was excluded from the counsell for he â—â—ceaued that they did him wrong as suspecting him of partiality f The audience of Magdalene g The Magicians renouncing of Sorcery h Verrine would often say that the Magician was the loste of an infinite number of soules â—s Adâ—m in times past had been