presence there we suggest many forgeries and falshoods vnto the curious so that they are more pregnant to beleeue vs then to listen vnto God After all this he said that the Diuels were theeues and added Wee vse to enter in at the gate that is the will but when that gate is shut we enter in at the windowes as we practise in the houses of Magitians and Witches where wee come in at the windowes that is the fiue senses For our manner is to make our approches and assaults on that side where we finde them most vnable for resistance This might suffice to conuert many soules yea euen the Diuels themselâ—es if they had a possibility to be conuerted S. Iohn saith Possumus bibere we cannot say this we cannot be reclaimed For In inferno nulla est redemptio The Acts of the 16. of December 1610. ON this day in the morning there chanced to arriue thither a religious person of the order of S. Francis de Paul a minime Fryer who kneeling on his knees neere the steps by which you goe to the holy Penitence there befell this dispute that followeth When Belzebub began to cruciate and shake the bodie of Magdalene Verrine one of the Diuels that was in the body of Lonyse de Capeau began to say Feare not Magdalene thou art very happy to be thus tortured in this world for they shall not haue power vpon thee in the world to come So it is Magdalene that God desireth to make triall in this world of those whom he loueth Beleeue Magdalene this is a certaine truth and I am constrained to vtter the same although my desire was to palliate and keepe it close I know not what to doe I am not able to withstand it Then the said religious person said vnto Verrine Peace thou accursed spirit thou art the father of lies and falshood To which Verrine replyed It is true I am the father of lies but being compelled therunto by the vnresistable working of the Almighty I must of necessity deliuer the truth The Frier answered Pease thou damned spirit thou canst not speake a truth thou art the father of lies and therefore art not capable to speake any thing truely S. Thomas saith that truth is no vertue in him that onely speaketh it but when the person that vttereth the same is thereby made vpright and sincere then and not before it is a vertue 2ae 2. qae 109. art 1. He further saith that this vertue is no theologicall or intellectuall vertue but a morall and therefore may be pronounced either by one that speaketh truth or by a lyar Doctor Maldonat vpon the 8. Chapter of S. Iohn doth with great subtility obserue that the diuell may speake a truth For he spake the truth in confessing Christ Iesus to be the Sonne of God and albeit it may be obiected that he doth this to an euill purpose yet was it not so in this particular for although it is to be coniectured that he spake by constranit yet doth not this hinder but that he might speake the truth Hee spake the truth in the third of Kings 22. Chapter when he said that hee would be a lying Spirit as also when he alleaged Scripture to Iesus in the desert although it was leuelled to a wicked purpose Notwithstanding wee ought to beware how we beleeue what hee saith if it be not cleere that it is by coaction and in the vertue of the name of God by Exorcismes and that he speaketh conformable vnto the Scriptures and the doctrine of the Church and in this case wee are not to beleeue him but the Scripture Then said Verrine I will proue vnto thee that what I haue spoken is true that the Diuell is able to speake truth He replyed thou canst not for thou hast no ability to doe good thou art an accursed and wicked Spirit Verrine answered It is true I am an accursed wicked and damned spirit and am not able of my selfe to speake any thing but falshood and to act nothing but mischiefe It is true that of mine owne free will I cannot doe the thing that is good but when I am constrained by Almighty God there is a necessity laid vpon me to deliuer the truth Then the Frier hearing that Masse was begun held his peace And Verrine said I will take Gods part and since I am forced vnto obedience I will serue him with more obedience then you Then he cried out as loud as he could who dares deny that Diuels may speake truth I say they may as wel denie that God is omnipotent and that there is no authority in the Church and that all the bookes of Exorcismes are idle and of none effect They must also denie and disapproue of all the oathes which Exorcists doâ— cause the Diuels to take for why do they demand it of them and make them sweare to deliuer the truth if they are disabled to speak the truth Or why do they lose so much time which they employ about those that are possessed if they can draw nothing but falshood from them True it is said Verrine when the Exorcists are not circumspect and well aduised it is likely the Diuels make their aduantages thereof and so somtimes sweare falsly against God and his Church but this is no fault of ours it is the Exorcists fault because they haue not had that circumspection as to cause them to sweare as I haue done according to the intention of God and his Church and also according to the meaning of the Exorcist in which case wee cannot lye but are constrained to speake the truth If this were not so I should then say that the Diuell had more power then God But it is cleere the Diuell must acknowledge a subordination vnto God not out of loue but by compulsion by which they are tied vnto obedience Then the Frier said vnto the Priests and other religious persons that were there make this Diuell hold his peace and himselfe said peace thou cursed spirit peace But the Diuell euer shewed himselfe more and more couragious to speake on Gods behalfe and said resolutly that he would not obey him for he had a Superior mightier theÌ„ he meaning the Frier yea more powerfull then the Exorcist that did command him At this the Frier grew angry and said peace thou wicked spirit peace get thee into Hell thou damned fiend and spake to the assemblie My Masters you should make him hold his peace this is a cursed spirit and speakes nothing but lyes and saith that God is his Redeemer To this Verrine answered that hee lyed for hee had said that God was his Creator and Iudge but not his Redeemer To which the Frier answered that hee vnderstood him so Then Verrine told him that hee had no good eares and vnderstood him amisse Hereupon the Frier said I do assure you you ought to make him hold his peace he himselfe began to threaten him saying peace thou blasphemous beast
transgression the most seuerely threatned and auenged This doctrine is the decision of Saint Thomas who concludes that if a man suffer death for any vertue whatsoeuer it is a true Martyrdome And he all eageth the example of Saint Iohn Baptist who was a true Martyr in that hee did defend continency against the incestuousnesse of Herode In like manner was that good Monke declared by a Councell to be a Martyr because in running betwixt two fencers to part them hee was slaine by them Saint Chrysostome doth precisely say that he which may be healed of some malady by inchantments and refuseth all such helpe least he might offend God and had rather dye then haue the vse of the same in this case saith he he is a Martyr Furthermore Cardinall Caietane commenting vpon the aboue-cited article of Saint Thomas saith that if a man bee slaine to auoid a veniall sinne that death is a Martyrdome for it chanced vnto him because he would not offend God and because hee desired to support vertue Those that would play the Philosophers and say the deceased King called not on the name of God in the last period of his life let them know that he might do that so suddenly and secretly that none about him might perceiue it much lesse vnderstand it How easily might he lift vp his heart and inward parts vnto God and that in a moment of time especially for that his precedent desire might minister quicke assistance heereunto because that day hee powred out his prayers vnto God more particularly and for a longer space then he accustomed to do Besides that honorable company which were with him in his Caroche do shew that hee went not surcharged with any wicked proiect or purpose THE VII DOVBT It tendeth litle to edification where it is said that the blessed Sacrament was troden vnder feet ANSWERE I Haue cleered this very largely in the Epistle to the Reader Besides the myracle which followed thereupon did much condemne Sorcerers and tended to the edification of good Christians It was further necessary to touch vpon this pointe as well for the integrity of this History as also because the said prophanation was already published and all the hereticke ministers of Xaintogne and Languedoc made their best aduantages from the same as may be seene in the said Epistle The But and aime of this History is to declare how much God is offended with such vnhallowed and sacrilegious persons as will appeare through the whole frame and body of this History I should desire that the historians in such cases would imitate the sacred Scripture which neuer sets before vs any prophanation of those things that are sanctified but it presently subioynes a miracle as may be seene in the History of the sonnes of Heli and of their death of the Philistins prophaning the Arke and their plagues of the Bethsamites who were too curious to behold it and the fire that fell from heauen vpon them of the two sonnes of Aaron Nabad and Abiud and the fire that went out from their Censers and destroied them of Choran and Dathan taking their Censers and the earth opening vnder them of king Ozias offering incense on the Altar and of the leprosie where with hee was stricken In the new Testament of the prophaners of the Temple and the whippes wherewith they were chased away which Saint Ierome taketh to be a great miracle of Ananias and Saphira and of their sudden death and to come neerer to our purpose of Iudas prophaning the blessed Eucharist and of his death the morrow after with his belly breaking asunder in the middle Saint Paul was well practised in this who when he had told the Corinthians of this prophanation he presently sets before their consideration those that for this cause were dead sick and feeble by the vengeance of the iust iudgement of God And it is a cleere truth that at sundry other times things sacred haue beene made prophane which the holy Ghost passeth ouer in silence because there insued no miracle â—hereupon which when it happeneth may edifie as much or more then the prophanation can giue occasion of scandall The same is held by S. Cyprian and S. Greâ—ory in his Dialogues To this purpose may bee alleaged â—he example of the Donatists that gaue the blessed Saâ—rament vnto doggs who running presently mad turâ—ed vpon them and tore them in peeces As also of him â—ho came in to the city of Beâ—ith recited in the workes of S. Athanasius and of him of Paris whose markes â—re yet in the Church of Bulliettes in Latine Ecclesia Doâ—ini Bullientis the blessed Sacrament being throwne â—â—to a boyling cauldron Another miracle is to be seene 〈◊〉 the holy Chapel at Diion Besides the blessed Euchaâ—â—st is more prophaned when it entereth into a soule â—â—at is polluted with the infections of sinne then it can â—e said to be in this place THE VIII DOVBT How and for what reason did Magdalene by the aduice of her Confessour write one letter to the blessed Virgin and another to the glorious S. Magdalene ANSWERE IT is a very profitable way which our spirituall fathers â— do vse to instruct inure those that haue any knowâ—edge to holy exercises and meditations and by this â—eans they become ready expert therein As a schole-â—aster coÌ„mandeth his scholar to write letters to his faâ—her or mother to the King or to the Pope not that he would haue the letters sent but that his scholar should â—y this gaine some skil and ability for it is one thing to write and another thing to send a letter So many in our â—ge haue with great deuotion dedicated the epistles of â—heir books to the blessed Virgin not with an intent to send them but to giue contentment to their deuotion As for example the Epistle of the Booke touching cases of conscience made by Frier Benedictus and of the Booke of Euangelical demonstrations vpon the 3. Maries made by another Frier The same was also practised by the Emperour Theodosius who wrote a letter to S. Chrysostome that was dead more then 30. yeeres before which letter is to be seene in Nicephorus Touching the correction of this letter which was made by the Diuell we are to conceiue that he was inforced by God to busy himselfe in the conuersion of Magdalene as is by experience verified vnto vs. There is no difficulty of this for it is apparant that a spirit is more sharpe-sighted and peircing and more particularly familiar with mens faults and imperfections then any man can be either with his owne or with others THE IX DOVBT How the Diuell could pray to God for the conuersion of the Magician presenting to God the Father the merits of the death and passion of his Sonne of the blessed Virgine and of all the Saints of Paradise ANSWERE WHen a good or bad Spirit doth put motions into a man if hee yeeld his consent and doth operate with them
yet did God suffer the Diuell to reâ—ist and stand in affront with Michael the Prince of Angels about the burying of the body of Moses And being not able to stoppe and vanquish him hee had no other remedy but to flye to God and to pray him to lay â—is command on Satan Imperet tibâ— Deus increpet te Deus Satan especially in matter of iustice whereof the Diuels are the executioners Thus when God would trye Iob in his iustice and cause all his cattell to be taken from him all his children to be destroied his houses to be throwne to the ground and fire to descend from heauen and consume all his substance then spake hee friendly to Satan as is written at large in the booke of Iob. And when hee would declare his iustice vpon Achab and had decreed to let him perish in battell for his transgressions hee spake vnto a wicked Spirit and commanded him to goe and execute his pleasure Now because this History is an act of his iustice against one of the most impious and cursed Magicians that euer was as appeared in his end and that it was not a woman that divulged this but the Diuell himselfe called Verrine who published the same in her and further in regarde that God would shew an act of iustice vpon the conuerted sinner as the vnsufferable torments wherewith for the space of fix moneths shee was in all mens sight miserably afflicted doe very well testifie it is not to bee wondered at if heerein hee imployed two executioners of his iustice Let vs then giue God leaue to doe whatsoeuer seemeth best vnto him and not dispute thus against his powerfulnesse and manifest good pleasure CONCLVSION We ought not to beleeue the Diuell yet when hee is compelled to discourse and relate a truth then wee should seare and tremble for it is a token of the wrath of God ERRATA Pag. re line 13. read The Dominican father p. 11. l. 21. read refractaric p. 12. 27. read contentations p. 18. 1. 24. them read it p. 38. l. 30. read ouuert p. 82. 2. it not so r. it is not so p. 87. l. 16. in margine from any r. from him p. 96. l. vlt. or them r. him p. 97. l. 15. leaue out and further p. 103. l. 3. for them r. him 105. l. 19. for the r. thy p. 116. l. 10. for part r. heart p. 137. l. 27. r. to the blessed 143. l. 6. for these r. thes p. ibid. l. 30. r things p. ibid. l. 36. r. store p. 146. l. 5. r. â—0000 p. 152. l. 12. r. in a good way p. 169. l. 18. as like r. like p. 172. l. 11. r. seared 174. l. 32. leaue r. liue p. 189. l. 26. r. equall p. 198. l. 8. redresse r. addresse p. 216. â—4 r. â—auourably p. 219. l. 18. in margine for this Saint r. the same p. 223. l. 13. or his r. this p. 235. l. 32. forwhom r. which p. 245. l. 34. questioned r. question 246. l. 1. r. domini p. 252. l. 31. r. follow p. 257. l. 17. r. lessoned p. 285. l. 35. ascent p. 355. l. 2. r. â—â—â—nuisibly p. 361. l. 13. r. Thrones p. 387. l. 15. the portment deportment Errata in the discourse of Spirits Pag. 12. line r. erant read erant p. 17. l. 5. this r. his Ibid. p. 25. leaue out â—t p. 50. l. 9. Spiritum r. Spirituum p. 78. l. 24. do r. did AA THE ADMIRABLE HISTORIE OF A PENITENT woman conuerted who was seduced by a Magician in the Country of Prouince in France and of the end of the said Magician The acts of the 27. of November 1610. THE reuerend Father and Frier Sebastian Michaelis Prior of the Couent of S. Magdalen at S. Maximin of the order of preaching Friers hauing sent Father Francis Domptius aboue-named to Saint Baume a place of penitence of the â—id Saints about the same time also which was the â—7 of Nouember 1610. there came thither from Saint Maximin by Father Michaelis his appointment Faâ—er Romillon and Father Francis Billet together with Magdalene de Demandouls and Louyse Capeau And it â—as held expedient that the said Magdalene should â—ere soiourne especially on S. Andrewes day to make â—ustrate the menaces of the Diuels that threatned to â—rrie her away that day according to the compact â—ade betwixt them two yeeres before as the said Magâ—lene confessed Being come thither and she hauing been formerly â—xorcised in diuers places as at nostre Dame de Grace 〈◊〉 S. Maximin and at Aix by the space of many moâ—eths in which affaire the said Father Francis Billet did exercise much patience in himselfe and charitie towards the said Magdalene yet was neuer able to draw the Diuels who did possesse her to speake one word vpon the 28.29 and 30. of Nouember the said Father Francis Billet began againe to vndergoe the office of an Exorcist at S. Baume endeuouring to make the Diuels to speake In the meane time by reason of some occurrence of busines it behoued the said Father Francis to be absent for certaine daies from S. Baume Vpon whose departure which was the 3. of December the said Magdalene was very carefully watched for in the meane space especially vpon S Andrewes day in the euening it chanced that the wicked spirits would sensibly and with great violence haue carried her away euen when she was in the holy place of Penitence whither she was led to preuent the worst as also the night before they lifted her vp very high from the ground and would haue carried her out at a window which is in the highest place of the Quire at S. Baume In so much that Father Romillon not being able to hold her was forced to call for aide and to contest with the Diuels and say She is ours The 3. of December Father Romillon and the said Father Francis Billet before his departure did intreate Father Francis Domptius the Dominican that he would make some Exorcismes for Father Romillon who by reason of his age was to vndergoe that labour assuring him that Father Michaelis would auow the fact because he had taken him as his assistant in his proceedings of Inquisitour to annihilate and breake off all contracts betweene the Diuell and Magdalene To which Father Domptius then answered very coldly because hee had been formerly trauelled and wearied with the pressure of the like charge Notwithstanding vpon the 6. of December he began to coniure Louyse and at the first Exorcisme one of the Diuels that was in her bodie began to speake Then the said Dominican Father commanded him to worship God and to bow himselfe in the adoration of him and to doe things of the same nature which he readily did to the great astonishment of the Exorcist who had vpon another occasion laboured three weekes to make a Diuell called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to performe an action of that kind The 7 â—nd 8. of December vpon the continuance of the same Exorcismes
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
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
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
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
of God towards him almost in these very words Certainly Lewes thou art an hypocrite and a Pharisie and vnder the shew of piety thou hast heaped vp such a multitude of transgressions and other damnable sacrileges that they are not to bee numbred Of a truth Lewes thou dost out-strip all magicians in malice and impiety and art the chiefe of all their sabbaths and assemblies Of a truth Lewes the Diuels are of opinion that hell it selfe will not bee sufficient to afford punishments for thee proportionable vnto thy villanies I tell thee Lewes they will protest against God if thou bee not conuerted will beg of him that he would make Hell six times more horrid and terrible then it is that thou mightest be tormented there for euermore Of a truth Lewes Cain and Iudas shall bee adiudged innocents in comparison of thee for Christ Iesus had not as then shed his blood for them as he hath done for thee I tel thee Lewes thy abominations are of that heighth vnsufferable presumption that God himselfe would bewaile thy wretched estate if hee were capable of teares and euery one would willingly bring a fagot to burne thee and would say Iust God make this impious villaine to liue a thousand times and so many times to suffer death yet is it a certaine truth Lewes that this good God is ready to die againe for thee and would if need were come now downe from heauen and suffer himselfe to be crucified on this Crosse. Besides the blessed mother of God and all the Saints doe of pure pitty plead thy cause I tell thee truth Lewes not that they haue any need of thee but that thou mayest bring backe those soules which thou hast led into perdition Of a truth Lewes God hath sent his messengers and guard vnto thee and they haue cast the rod of their power into thy house Nay I say more vnreasonable creatures would beg mercy for thee at Gods hands if they were endowed with reason What I deliuer is most true for nothing is impossible to God who is able to make a Diuell of an Angell and a Saint of a sinner The same day in the euening father Francis Billet did exorcise at the beginning whereof Magdalene moued all the assembly to commiserate her case by reason of the deepe and extraordinary sighs which shee pitifully breathed forth whiles the Diuels were inwardly torturing her And Verrine said you that hope for a future reward see you obey your God and you that are already Saints with him in heauen and haue now the full fruition of grace and eternall glory as the end and vp-shot of your labours bee you also plentifull in your duty and obedience towards him But I damned wretch as I am expect no recompence of my paines and trauell The Acts of the 24. of December being Christmas-Eve THis day in the morning the Dominican Father did exorcise and Verrine discoursed in these words Gods pleasure is that all men vnderstand that the Diuels themselues doe obey him and tremble before him I tell you God was wearied with your impieties and therefore leaped downe from Heauen to earth in the wombe of his blessed Mother that hee might redresse them Blessed Mother of God thy Sonne was impatient to be inclosed vp so long in thy flesh not for that he deprehended in thee any thing which might distast him but because his desire was to come into the world and to yssue foorth from thy holy prison with all the speed hee might to giue light vnto the world that remained darke and to make his brightnes communicable vnto his creatures Of a truth Mary thou art the Moone and thy Sonne the Sunne of this world the Saints are also the starres that shine in the same And therefore was this Sunne sent by the celestiall Father not onely to illuminate and deriue part of his light to the Moone and Starres but to giue light vnto euery man that commeth into the world which illumination could not spread it selfe ouer the earth vnlesse he had manifested himselfe to the earth by his natiuity Wonder not that I haue often said that this was a worke of admiration for Kings haue their Pallaces and bedds furnished euen to prodigality but good God thou couldest scarce finde a place to bee borne yet mightest thou haue built for thy selfe a Paris or haue chosen the cittie of Rome in her greatnes or haue caused some Royall Palace to bee prepared for thee for thou art wisedome and goodnes it selfe and hast created heauen and earth of nothing Neuerthelesse though the guide and prouidence of all things depend of thee yet wouldest thou not make choise of eminent and magnificent places for thy Natiuitie nor of Queenes and Princesses that might be assistant vnto thy Mother in the time of her t anell Great God thou art more powerfull then all the great ones of the earth and yet how il doe thy creatures demeane themselues towards thee Ioseph thou diddest doubt at first the veritie of these things but wert afterwards fully satisfied that the Mother of God was a Virgin before her deliuery at her deliuery and after her deliuery Thus doe many now question this very miracle which God hath wrought among you to wit that the Diuell should tell the truth but so is the wil of the most Highest who by his meanes would renue the league and amitie which is betweene his loue and his creatures O blessed Mother of God thy Sonne is the true God begotten of his Father Let it enter into thy consideration how choise and exquisite a Mansion did so mighty a Father prouide for this onely and welbeloued Sonne in whom he was so well pleased and thinke with thy selfe what presentments did thy deare Sonne prepare to offer vnto thee as his Mother Blessed Spirit where was the goodly beds with all the rich and pompous furniture which thou diddest prouide for thy Spouse Where were thy easie Litters to carry her Where were the Caroches Where were the horses There was but an Oxe and an Asse there present for other liuing creatures are too proud to be witnesses to such humility I say that God refused those creatures that were proud as is the horse he reiected the Lyons who figure vnto vs arrogancy he cared not for Mules who are the Hieroglyphicks of malice hee was onely contented that the Oxe and the Asse should be present who are beasts full of simplicity and deuoid of maliciousnesse The Asse pointeth out vnto vs the body the Oxe the vnderstanding so as when the Asse and Oxe doe draw together they doe beare the yoake of the Lord. The Angels were there the Princes Lords and Courtiers which is euidently declared vnto vs by that melodious song Gloria in excelsis Deo Thou Francis couldest well haue distinguished the difference betweene the musick of this world and such celestiall harmony for thou diddest so well apprehend the sweetnes of that heauenly Instrument
yoake of obedience His aduersary in heauen is Bernard a great friend of the Virgin 's and indeed an imitator of her in her obedience Fiat mihi c. 14. Belias Prince of the order of Vertues tempteth men with arrogancy His aduersary is Francis de Paule for his great and doue-like humility He also tempteth gentle-women to pranke vp themselues with new fangled attires to make wantons of their children and to prattle vnto them whiles Masse is saying and so to diuert them from the seruice of God 15. Oliuier Prince of the Arch-angels tempteth men with cruelty and mercilesnesse towards the poore His aduersary in heauen is Laurence Qui dispersit dedit pauperibus 16. Iuuart is Prince of Angels but hee is in another body and hath not his aboade heere This euening Balberith was coniured by the vertue of exorcismes to name all the Diuels which were in the body of Magdalene who answered I will name the chiefe of them but not the whole rabble who are heere in great number and are as pettie lackies who deserue not to be named Besides the twelue which I haue already named to be in this body there are also Carton Arangier Bladier Baal Agrotier Raher Coustelier Perdiguier the two Planchers Potier Stone-strong Hard-hart Stop-mouth Fire-stone There you haue seauen and twenty of them and adding vnto them the three which are in Louyse they make vp the number of thirty I will reckon vp no more Being coniured to say what their temptations were and what Saints were their aduersaries he constrainedly made answere Carton doth tempt men with vanity and pride His aduersary is Iames the Hermite who held all the vanities pompe and preferment of the world in misprision Arangier doth tempt men with pleasures His aduersary is Sebastion who did shun the allurements of earthly contentations and liued in great continency Bladier was the ninth in the order of Cherubins hee tempteth men against their vocation and maketh them weary of Inspirations and Confessions His aduersary is Ioseph the husband of Mary who was very constant in his vocation sweetly reposing himselfe in good inspirations and was very diligent in his charge without grudging at the same Baal was the 50. in the order of Thrones He tempteth men to commit murther His aduersary is Raymond of Capua confessor vnto Catherine of Sienna who was of your order vpon whom wee could neuer gaine or fasten any of our purposes for hee loued euery body with all his heart Agrotier tempteth men with a thirst of honor Hee is of the order of dominations and his aduersary is Ierome who contemned all the honors of the world Raher was the third Arch-angell Hee tempteth men to hardnesse of heart as Carreau doth his aduersary is Vincent Ferrier who continually remained penitent and was of your order Coustelier was of the order of Vertues he tempteth men with contentions wranglings and making of processes His aduersary is Peter the Martyr one of your order also who was of an admirable sweete and clement disposition and frankly forgaue all iniuries Perdiguier was of the order of Powers he tempteth men also with impurity for one cannot be euery where with those of his troope His aduersary is Bennet for his great purity Plancher was of the order of Arch-angels hee tempteth men with disobedience His aduersary is Iames that was of your order who in writing left the letter O imperfect thereby to shew his obedience Potier is the second in the order of Cherubins hee hardneth mens hearts that they should not pray to God nor meditate vpon his mercies His aduersary is Victor the Martyr who is euer praying or meditating Stone-strong was the eight in the order of Thrones he tempteth men with the difficulties and molestations which they must meete withall in the attainement of vertues especially of humility His aduersary is Iohn Chrysostome which euer practised himselfe in all sorts of vertues Hard-hart is the 15. in the order of Arch-angels he impeacheth men from lifting vp their harts vnto God His aduersary is William of the order of Augustine who euen at his time of meales did euer lift vp his heart vnto God Stop-mouth is the second in the order of Angels hee tempteth men with friuolous and impertinent speaches breeding a disgust in men that would speake of God and endeauouring to interrupt the current of all vertuous language His aduersary is Cyprian the Martyr and Doctor who was euer talking and meditating vpon God Plancher is the 15. in the order of Powers who together with the other Plancher the order of Archangels doth tempt men to doe good workes for sinister and reserued intentions His aduersary is Markâ— the Euangelist whose intention in all things was euer vpright and pure Fire-stone is the 20. of the order of vertues he tempteth men to choller and anger His aduersary is Alexus who practised his patience in the house of his father by his meekenes and by the sufferance of those insolencies which his seruants offered vnto him Belzebub in his discourse to the other Diuels which were with him in the body of Magdalene named the two familiar spirits of Lewes the Magician to wit Candelier and Ferrier The Acts of the 18. of Ianuary being Tewsday AS soone as the two that were possessed had kneeled vpon the ground before the Altar at S Baume Belzebub turning towards Louyse said vnto Verrine Behold our learned Preacher that doth so much boast of his sufficiency in making of sermons Whereunto Verrine replyed Thou lyest I neuer said that I made sermons or that I was a Preacher Goe to thou cursed lyar remember that I euer maintained that I was sent from God to publish and disclose a truth and to dismaske thy knauery Diddest not thou said Belzebub affirme that God hath promised Paradise vnto thee Thou lyest answered Verrine I neuer said so onely I did auow thus much that God by his absolute and boundlesse power hath granted vnto me diminution of my torments Then he said to Magdalene be of good cheere for God hath hyred thee and the three faculties of thy soule to be imployed about his seruice No said Belzebub shee is hyred by me Verrine answered thou lyest and shalt not gaine that for which thou now pretendest And if it were not for feare of Michaelis master of this place I would lay open such a throate as the whole frame of this house should tremble Thou bearest Magdalene in hand that thou wilt cure her I pray thee take thou no thought for her health for shee is sufficiently prouided of good Phisitians of her owne let her a Gods name beleeue her Confessours It was obserued by some that shee vsed a particular kinde of gesture and motion with the finger of her hand on which shee did weare a ring of siluer and thereupon Verrine said Take away that ring from her for it is charmed but when they endeauoured to pluck it from her finger they were not able by reason that
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
a loud voice the Diuell take all Magicians who are the cause of these so vnsupportable torments which I endure for wee might easily perceaue that hee was grieuously tormented by his puffing and fuming and turmoyling himselfe as if hee had been in a hot boyling caldron Then taking Magdalene by the throate as his manner was making shew as if he would strangle her father Anthony Boilletot did put two of his consecrated fingers vpon her throte where-upon Belzebub cryed the Diuel take these consecrated fingers that doe put me to this paine Here is to be noted and experience it selfe doth cleer it vp vnto vs that when a Priest doth put his consecrated fingers in the mouthes of those that are possessed and betwixt their teeth the Diuels dare not byte them and are at a stand as an horse checkt with a bit crying and saying Put other fingers heere and thou shall see how wee will vse them This experience ought to put the Ministers of Hereticks with all their adherents to vtter shame and confusion The Acts of the 11. and 12. of March being Fryday and Saturday THe Magician Lewes did vpon Fryday intreate Monsieur Garandeau and Monsieur Thoron two of the Comissaries to send vnto him Monsieur Gombert Priest of Nostre Dame de Grace and of the congregation of the Oratory that he might confesse himselfe vnto him hauing at that time some glimpse and dawning of that diuine light although afterward there could no great signe of contrition be perceaued in him The same Fryday after dinner a certaine gentleman publickly knowen to bee an Heretick through all the city of Aix came vnto Magdalen and said vnto her Wench take away all these Crosses that thou hast about thee and thou wilt presently be deliuered for all is nothing but imaginatioÌ„s for my part I could wish that al the Diuels which are in thy body might enter and take possessioÌ„ of me this was thoght to be a very rash speech Vpon Saturday Monsieur Garandeau did question Magdalene what those red pimples were which were found vpon the reines and shoulders of Lewes She answered I know theÌ„ wel for euery Wednesday and Friday in the moneth of March the Magicians are marked by Diuels with a peece of hote yron in contempt of the wounds of Christ Iesus In discoursing thus the Diuell who euer since Thursday was silent and had withdrawne himselfe leapes vp into her tongue and said furiously thou makest a discouery of me Being asked who it was that spake she answered It was Balberith who in Scripture is called Baalberith Iudg. 9. The Acts of the 13. 14. 15. and 16. of March being Sunday Monday Tewsday and Wednesday DVring these foure dayes there happened no new occurrents but onely certaine strange gestures and some renunciations as vpon former dayes The Acts of the 17. and 18. day of March being Thursday and Fryday THe Thursday at night because the Sexton of the Cathedrall Church at Aix called S. Sauiour which is ioyning vpon the Arch-bishops house had reported vnto Monsieur Garandean that in the Chapel which is called the Chapel of S. Sauiour and is the most priuate place of all the Church and the most charily kept there was a Reliquary locked with a key where there were many bones decently and reuerently ranked and no man knew what it was but that there was a likelyhood that it might be the Relicks of Saints the said Garandeau was of opinion to haue her that was possessed to be brought thither and to exorcise her in that very place to see the countenance and the portment of the Diuell Being come thither they tooke two skulls one of a lesser size and another greater and applyed them one after the other vnto her that was possessed where-upon she wagged her head from one side to the other and could not stand quyet but euer said take this away The Diuell being many times exorcised to tell what Relicks these were He answered with some renitency they are the Relicks of Bâ—shops would to God that I were as holy as they yet are they at deadly send and enmity with me He that spake this was Belzebub Then he cryed I can indure this no longer I must get mee gone and so he departed as he was accustomed And when the Priests that were there present had giuen thankes vnto God saying Te Deum and the prayer to the blessed Trinity Monsieur Garandeau began againe to Exorcise and applied vnto her the said skulls whereupon shee turned her head heere and there as shee had formerly done saying Touch mee not I doe very sâ—fficiently feele the vertue that is in them Being asked who it was that spake the Deuill answered I am Oscillon that doe now speake for Belzebub is gone to giue the Magician aduise to weepe because it was commonly said that Magicians doe neuer weepe and Magdalene being questioned concerning the same when the Priests had left Exorcising she confessed that when Magicians or Sorcerers would weepe they put the two fingers next the thumbe vpon the two temples of their head and then they fall a weeping presently but not from apprehension of greefe as others doe albeit they see themselues in danger of death but coldly and forcedly so that you shall scarsly see their teares to descend lower then their cheekes Father Celsus Gardian of the couent of the Capuchins at Aix being together with his companion aduertised hereof who did conuerse in prison with the Magician and kept him company all the time of Lent vntill his death remaining with him at night to comfort him to exhort him to repent that so he might dis-engage himselfe from those wicked spirits which should come to visit him for further confirmation of his obstinacy which they did with great charity and mortification God so blessing them that they did not loose their paines but were the instruments of the acknowledgment which he made of his sinnes and of the confessions and depositions which hee afterward set downe these two charitable fathers I say hauing had information heereof did forbid him to put his fingers vpon the said places where-upon his weeping left him But returning to our former purpose Oscillon was adiured to tell whose these two skulls were where-upon he answered thou together with thy Relicks shalt not know this onely thus much I will giue you to vnderstand that they vnto whom these skulls did formerly belong did master the Diuels better then all you looke and you shall finde others also Then they applyed againe vnto her the lesser skull of the two where-upon he said this is the head of an Archbishop who is my Arch. enemie and so the Deuill retired himselfe and would speake no further Magdalene being demanded what she felt in her body when the skulls were applied vnto her she answered that she felt as it were a great flame of fire in her body and that she heard the Deuils speake within her that the lesser skull
did sometimes appertaine vnto one that was a great enemy of Oscillon and the most mortall foe that Belzebub had so growing very late euery man retyred himselfe to his owne home The next day which was Friday at the morning Exorcisme performed in the Chapel belonging to the Arch-bishop Belzebub was adiured who without making any great resistance after the application of the two skulls which they had purposely brought thither said thus The greater skul is Raymonds Bishop of Arles the lesser is Anthonies Bishop of Aix I wonder said he you did not also bring the head of Charles whereupon they afterward looking among the said bones did indeede finde another head The said Monsieur Garandeau Vicar generall of the Arch-bishopricke commanded a Priest of the Church called Master Claude Meffredy to bring a skul from the Church-yard which being applied as the former Belzebub laughed at it and suddenly issued forth being called as it seemed by the Magician as he was wont The Diuell being againe Exorcised Oscillon came sorth and said This is the skull of one that is damned whom we burne and fry in Hell but these heads of Anthony and Raymond do burne me more greeuously then the fire in Hell and so he wreathed her head from one side to another shaking it and causing it neither to stand nor to lye still as long as those two skulls were vpon her and said these skulls ought to bee had in as much veneration and deserue aswell to be inchased in gold as those that are below in the vestry of Saint Sauiour And he chollerickly added the Sabbath could not bee kept heere in her chamber for feare of â—hese two skulls For the truth is these two skulls were brought and laid all night in Magdalenes chamber The Acts of the 19. 20. 21. 22. and 23. of March being Saturday Sunday Munday Tuesday and Wednesday DVring these fiue dayes there happened no new passage onely the Sunday after dinner as Magdalene was walking in the gallery which was ioyning vpon her chamber there came vnto her a Magician called Iohn Baptista who with a pin did pricke the finger which is next to the little finger and tooke some blood from her and presently vanished At that time Father Francis Billet and Fryer Anthony Boilletot did walke in the said gallery and Magdalene stood at the window looking downe into the base court and leaning with her hand vpon the window as soone as the thrust was giuen she went vnto the said fathers and shewed them the blood which still dropped from her finger and they saw three dropps of blood vpon the window And being astonished herewithall they acquainted Monsieur Thoron the Commissary and Monsieur Grassy a Physitian who were in the Hall with this accident This blood was drawne from her to make a charme therewithall against her because her loue to the Magician grew cold which charme did worke the next day so vehemently that it caused her to leape and skipp with great violence so that foure men could not hold her in and being gotten vp vpon an high place if she had not beene by fine force taken from thence she had been in danger to haue fallen and hurt her selfe Also the said charme did breed great paines in her inward parts so that shee oftentimes fell into a swoune which did thenmore especially happen when any mention of this charme was made vnto her After dinner the singing men and Musitians of S. Sauiour came to solace refresh the poore possessed woman as they were singing a straine of Musick the Diuel was sore vexed and tormented her al the time of the singing with extraordinary violence Besides the said charme tooke away from her her appetite to eate and being commanded by father Romillon to eat vpon paine of disobedience and in despite of the Dâ—uell she obeyed the same and was presently racked by the Diuels as she had been before when she would offer to taste any fish or wine for they wrested her armes and leggs backward and lifted them vp on high in a very strange manner The Acts of the 24 25. and 26. of March being Thursday Fryday and Saturday ON Thursday was Magdalene in token of her humility and obedience commanded to sweepe the Chapel which when shee accordingly performed the Diuell made her cast the besome on the ground and then tortured her as hee had done the day before For God had permitted him to redouble her torments euery day twice that shee might mortifie her selfe and giue satisfaction for her sinnes The next day in the morning about 7. of the clock she was desirous in token of her obedience to sweepe the Church but the Diuell being impatient to see this her humility did grunt and grumble crying the Diuel take him that is the cause of this and so she began to be at quiet and remained very well comforted On these three dayes whensoeuer the blessed Sacrament was tendered vnto Magdalene the Diuell would draw back her head and make her so haue the Hickcough which continued for a long season vntill the Exorcismes and patience of the Priest did master him and then she remained in good comfort The Saterday which was the Vigil or Eue of Palme-Sunday father Michaelis would haue confessed Magdalene in the Chapel but the Diuell would none running and skipping from one corner of the Church vnto the other Then did the said father Exorcise him and adiured him to tell his name who answered I am Carreau that harden mens hearts and am commanded to make her heart hard as steele that shee may not this day confesse her selfe or communicate Then did the said father râ—ply Cursed spirit art thou not ashamed to resist thy God and thy Creator To which he answered with a smal complaining womanish voice I remember indeed that God hath created me and then hee presently after sent me to hell And deseruedly said the father because after so great a blessing thou wouldest by defection fall from him Carreau said wee were at such ease and were such goodly creatures that wee would not bee in subiection vnto man But since said the father such is the pleasure of God Why then resistest thou Carreau answered When a Captaine leadeth a band of Souldiers they doe all follow him and doe not you obey your Kings when they command you Then said the father True but it must be according to our high Soueraignes intention and the obedience which we owe vnto him Lucifer did not create thee I grant it said Carreau but let a man all daies of his life treasure vp a multitude of impieties for the wrath of God to take vengeance on yet doth he euer finde mercy and we committed but one sinne were forth with damned God answered the father doth obserue that men are full of ignorance and frailty but your offence was founded vpon meer malice But said Carreau they returne to their vomit and doe more transgresse then wee that are Diuels Then
said father Michaelis Come hither when the soule is diuorced from the body it is as pure a spirit as are your selues doth God euer take pitty vpon them then To which the Diuell answered He doth not and so presently held his peace and Magdalene had liberty to confesse her selfe and receiue the Communion The Acts from the 27. of March being Palm-Sunday till Good-fryday being the 1. of Aprill VPon Sunday at morning Masse there came a wicked spirit sent from the Magician and entered into the body of Magdalene his name was Aurey and he said that hee was the sixth in the order of Seraphins who laughingly and in ieasting manner told them that he would not leaue her tongue vntill hee had executed his commission Being adiured to tell why hee laughed so immoderatly because said he yesterday about 12. of the clock it is iust 15. yeares agoe since Lewes gaue himselfe vnto the Diuell and to day this very houre it is so long agoe since hee made vnto vs his first schedule written with his bloud drawing the same from the fingar of his left hand where the veynes of his hart do lye This being done hee began to make his renunciations in the name of Lewes as hath formerly beene declared crying aloud so that hee was heard a great way off and when they applyed vnto her back a crosse of gold he said take away this there is a crosse behind me and touched one of the nayles of the feete in the said crosse After dinner there was a man brought to Marseille who was much doubted to be possessed And as soone as he entred into the chamber the Diuels that were in Magdalene began to bussell a litle and at last fell a bellowing one of them saying this man hath 15. Diuels within him and a legion that watch him without if he bee not looked vnto he will within these 15. dayes bee vtterly vndone Hee was possessed vpon the feast of S. Michael 1610 they that gouerne and are the cheefe within are two Garanier and Sandrié It is to be noted and we haue had experiment of the same that the Diuels who are in diuers bodies cannot indure to be together if they doe they grumble one against the other and seeme to be ready to deuoure one another like wolues and hogs Hence was it that wee were forced to separate Magdalene and Louyse which proceeded from their pride and malice Vpon holy Munday in the morning Magdalene was shrewdly tempted to deny Confession vnto her owne Confessor father Francis Billet and this temptation continued from the morning till eleuen of the clock when the Diuell-being ouercome by the patience and perseuerance of the said Priest did giue ouer his assault and shee acknowledging her fault confessed her selfe vnto the said father although shee had before protested that she would more willingly confesse her selfe to any other Where by the way wee may note that to change our Confessors is many times a temptation of the Diuell About this time he of Marseille that was possessed was brought vnto the chapel where-upon the Diuels that were in Magdalene began to bellow so hideously that they were forced to constraine him to goe out of the Chapell Heerein the Diuell behaueth himselfe like vnto a tyrant who cannot indure to haue a great Lord dwell neere him so high is his heart swollen with malice and arrogancy After dinner Belzebub made Magdalene take a knife and set it against her breast tempting her to kill her selfe with her owne hand When the knife was taken away hee caused her to lay hold on her owne throate and would haue strangled her if they had not hindered him About two of the clock in the after-noone Belzebub cryed so hideously that father Michaelis and his companion heard it into their lodging which was on the other side of the Arch-bishops house a great way off which when they heard they ranne thither and being adiured by the said father to tell what the reason of this so terrible an out-cry was he answered I cannot but bee mad that Magdalene doth thus surrender vp and make resignation of her owne will Vpon this day Monsier Thoron the Commissary did relate vnto vs that the Saturday last past beeing Palme-Sunday eue the court as their manner is went in visitation of the prisoners where Lewes Gaufridy to excuse himselfe said vnto them that hee did giue himselfe wholy to the Diuell if hee were not innocent which is agreeable vnto that which Aurey said on Palme-Sunday when he laughed and was so merry that the Magician had giuen himselfe vnto the Diuell Then the said Monsieur Thoron said vnto him Speake not after this manner for hereby you doe but settle and confirme your sin with greater assurednes Vpon holy Tewsday in the morning Carreau whose imployment is to harden mens hearts did withhold Magdalen from confession so that the combate continued till twelue a clock against him and when the Exorcist did impose more punishâ—ents vpon him he said he was a torturer and a hangman but in conclusion they remained with the victory against Satan Vpon holy Wednesday in the morning Monsieur de Segoyer one of the Counsellors of the Kâ—ng seing the strange gestures and torments which Magdalene according to her custome did suffer during the time of Masse hee being on his knees did pâ—â—uatly and a-part powre out his prayers to God in behalfe of her that was possessed which hee did very heartily and with much affection Then Belzebub turned himselfe towards him and said Pray for thy selfe and let her alone Whereat this Counsellor was much abashed for hee prayed with great silence On this day Magdalene was asked by the two aboue named charitable Capuchin fathers who tooke the paines to remaine all night in prison with the Magician to see if they could conuert him what the reason was that the Magician did so often fix his eies vpon the ground when they spake vnto him Where-unto she answered a Magician may be knowen by his eies when hee looketh fixedly vpon the earth and cannot endure to settle his eies vpon those that looke vpon him They are also knowen said she when they stoope downe to the ground and take vp a straw for then they aske aduice of the Diuell and doe homage vnto him by bowing for this straw Which being once obserued by the said Capuchin fathers they found that the Magicians custome was to doe so Vpon holy Thursday the Diuels did torment and vex themselues during the time of Exorcismes tossing the woman that was possessed heere and there to her great disquiet After the Communion was ended shee presently sound ease The Acts of the first and second of Aprill being holy Fryday and Saterday VPon holy Fryday in the morning the Magician by diuine grace and the particular influence of that celestiall light began to confesse his sinne to the two Capuchin Fathers who had watched with him in prison after they had all the
are not properly inuironed or bounded in by any place thereby letting vs vnderstand that his meaning was not to attribute any bodily substance vnto them The like may be obserued out of S. Ierome who saith with Saint Paul that Angels and soules doe bow their knees before God yet are wee not here saith he to conceiue that they haue their members and dimensions like vnto vs. Before wee descend to the proofes out of Scriptures wee shall doe well to examine whether the opinion of those that take the Scripture-phrase according to the rigour of the letter may bee defended S. Thomas dispureth against it and saith that it cannot be defended For first if they had bodies made of aire as Apuleius dreamed they could not bee immortall but would in the end fall into corruption as we doe because whatsoeuer is compounded of elementarie qualities must of necessitie be framed of contrary and repugnant natures which in the end by their perpetuall opposition and fight do ruine one the other and this truth is beyond exception Secondly the aire is a body which the Philosophers terme homogeneall that is whose least part is of the same nature and condition with the whole as euery drop of water is water as well as whole riuers or the sea from whence this absurditie would follow their opinion that the whole bodie of the aire must be one immense Angelicall substance Thirdly the men bers of a liuing bodie must haue seuerall organes fit for the performance of those functions whereunto nature doth ordaine them which cannot be true of the aire and if they were made of aire they may thē be dissolued and melted into water as the clouds are they should also be hot moist like vnto the aire as if they were cōposed of fire then must they burne All which absurdities doe euidently shew that they are said to bee airie only because they abide for the most part in the aire And therfore Saint Paul writing vnto the Ephesians who were great Philosophers and much addicted vnto Magicke as S. Ierome obserueth giueth them to vnderstand that this opinion was not repugnant vnto Christianitie but that they were to hold it for a truth that there are a great number of Spirits in the airie region against whom they were to combat insinuating thereby that they may in this sense bee called airie if thereby wee meane that they are Spirits without flesh and bones Non est nobis saith he colluctatio aduersus carnem sanguinem sed aduersus principes potestates aeris huius he also calleth them Spiritalia nequitiae in coelestibus Wee may safely saith that Father call them airie or heauenly but wee must alwaies suppose them to be Spirits In this sense doe the Hebrewes call birds the fowles of the heauen and of the aire and men are by them stiled terrestriall not that birds haue bodies of aire or men of earth but because they doe inhabite in the aire and dwell vpon the earth For conclusion of this point let vs hearken what the holy Scriptures say and for the old Testament King Dauid calleth them Spirits where he faith Qui facis angelos tuos spiritus as if he should haue said Lord thou hast ordained that those whom wee call Angels should be Spirits Now there is a contradiction and Antithesis betweene a bodie and a spirit so that the consequence by negation doth necessarily follow one vpon the other as if such a thing be a bodie it will be negatiuely inferred then is it not a spirit and contrariwise if it be a spirit then is it not a bodie which conclusion Christ himselfe maketh vnto his Apostles when after his resurrection they conceiued him to be a spirit Touch me said he and looke what I am being risen with my true bodie for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones as you see I haue So that this were sufficient to proue that a spirit hath no body although there should bee no other place or text to strengthen the same And lest wee should fall into the opinions of certaine Stoicks who maintained diuersities of kindes in Angels and that some had bodies and others had not S. Paul doth direct vs vnto this generall Maxime which is without exception when hee pronounceth this sentence Omnes sunt administratorij spiritus and in another place he saith that amongst Gods creatures there are some visible and some inuisible such as are Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers for confirmation whereof wee may adde that which we haue alreadie alleaged out of the Epistle vnto the Ephesians where there is an opposition expressed between the things that appertaine to flesh and blood and the things that belong vnto the spirit Touching Diuels they are also called Spirits but to put a difference betweene the good and them there is euer subioyned some restriction as in the historie of Achab one of them speaketh in this manner Ero spiritus mendax in ore prophetarum Christ Iesus often calleth them vncleane spirits or the Diuels angels conformable whereunto S. Paul termeth them the angels of Satan which must be vnderstood to proceed from their imitation not from their creation But it may be obiected that they haue a body and are tyed so really vnto the same that Abraham washed their feete they tooke Lot by the arme and by strong hand drew him forth out of Sodome and Iacob wrestled a whole day with them It is true indeed they are supported sometimes by a body for otherwise they could not be seene because of themselues as S. Paul saith they are inuisible yet wee are not to detract from the authoritie of Scriptures that do cleerely teach vs that they haue no bodies of their owne for wee must affirme with Tertullian Habere corpora peregrina sed non sua They haue bodies saith he which they borrow but haue none in their owne nature Wee know that a Spirit did appeare vnto our grandmother Eue in the forme of a Serpent yet was there neuer any of so blunt earthy an apprehension that would affirme that this body of a Serpent was the body of an Angell Wee are then to say that this body was framed of one of the foure elements not of fire for it would burne nor of water for such a body would easily fleet away and be dissolued nor of earth for that would remaine sollid vnto the view and should afterward also bee found it must therefore necessarily bee framed of aire both because Spirits haue their places of abode from aboue the good Spirits dwelling in heauen and the bad in the aire as also for that this element doth easily take the impression of all colours formes as we see what great variety of colours are in the rainebow and what diuersities of shapes and semblances bearing the formes of Dragons Serpents and the like are represented vnto vs in the clowds And these formes are dissolued
not omit the Angels but placeth them in the first rank laying Laudate eum omnes Angeli eius laudate eum omnes virtutes eius and concludeth that God fashioned and created them as hee hath done all other creatures quoniam ipse dixit facta sunt ipse mandauit creata sunt The same order is obserued by the three men that were cast into the firy furnace at Babilon who in their thanksgiuing doe inuite all the workes of Gods hand to blesse their Creator and descending to particulars they bring in the Angels as the excellentest creatures of all harmoniously to sing and say Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino cantate superexaltate eum in secula Benedicite Angeli Domini Domino Benedicite coeli Domino Where it is very remarkable that we may not digresse from the argument in hand against those who conceite that the creation of Angels was long before the creation of heauen that therefore in this place and some others the heauen is said to bee set after the Angels thereby to figure out vnto vs the transcendency of Angels aboue all other creatures but why the heauens should be mentioned and not the Angels there can be no other probable and literall reason rendered then that which wee haue formerly alleaged S. Chrysostome affirmeth that S. Iohn made mention of the creation of Angels where he saith Omnia per ipsum facta sunt sine ipso factum est nihil And S. Paul doth as it were comment vpon this sentence of S. Iohn as hauing bin rapt vp to heauen after him in his Epistle to the Colossians Quoniam in ipso condita sunt vniversa in coelis in terra visibilia inuisibilia siue Throni siue dominationes siue principatus siue potestates omnia per ipsum in ipso creata sunt And this doth vndoubtedly confute al the Manicheans Marcionists and other sectaries and disciples of Simon Magus So that wee may from hence conclude that God did create all Angels good at first that is perfect in all goodnesse both of nature and grace for whatsoeuer God made he saw that it was passing good as Moses expresseth it and towards the end of his Bookes hee giueth a reason of the same vnto the people saying Dei perfecta sunt opera Whereunto agreeth the wise-man who giueth vs to vnderstand that God made all things in number waight and measure in which the most captious can not finde the least discord or blemish And Christ Iesus himselfe doth assure vs that the Diuell did not persist in the truth that is in his first integrity wherein hee was created and that hee was once in heauen but was fallen from thence like lightning S. Peter and S. Iude doe giue the reason of this fall because say they hee sinned against God which sinne being folded vp in the pleates of malice and obstinacy was without the proportion of remission and pardon The same meaning hath Iob in the 4. chapter In Angelis suis reperit pravitatem And although there were no other text sutable vnto this purpose then that which is alleaged in Saint Matthew where Christ Iesus doth foretell that he will cast the Diuell and his Angels into hell fire yet would this bee an argument sufficient as Theodoret well inferreth to prooue that he was created in perfection and goodnesse but that from his owne desire and malice he made choice of euill by his rebellion against God Non est enim saith hee iusti Dei proprium eum punire quinecessitate malus sit And certainely it is repugnant vnto the nature goodnesse and iustice of God who neuer condemneth any that doe not through malice deserue such punishment Hence it is that S. Augustine doth worthily reprooue Porphiry the Philosopher because his assertion was that there were a kinde of Spirits who from their first nature were originally euill and deceitfull This proceeded not from their nature saith he but from their will It remaineth now that we declare what manner of sinne it was whereof they were conuicted S. Augustine giueth vs the resolution heereof saying Since they are Spirits wee are not to conceiue that they were fornicatours drunkards or addicted to any of those grosse vices which haue their sting in the flesh but we are to obserue that there are two sorts of sinnes the first are spirituall because they are proper to spirituall substances such as are pride and enuy the other are carnall and proceed from the flesh S. Augustine spake not this of his owne head but grounded it vpon the Scripture which specifying the sinnes that are peculiar vnto Satan maketh mention of these as Esay and Ezechiel when they would exaggerate the great ouer-weening and pride of the Kings of Babylon and Thir he maketh a comparison betwixt Lucifer and them And our Sauiour when he saw his Apostles to be a little pussed vp and swolne in spirit because at their words and commandement the Diuels were cast out Reioyce not saith hee in this for I saw Satan fall from heauen like lightning by which words hee insinuated thus much that the downe fall of the Diuell proceeded from pride S. Paul also in his admonition vnto Bishops that they should be humble doth charge the Bishop not to bee pussed vp with pride least hee should fall into the same condemnation with the Diuell Touching the sinne of enuy it is also written Inuidia Diaboli mors intrauit in orbem terrarum And the reason why mention of mankinde is made heerein is to giue vs to vnderstand that the Diuell fell not into the sinne of enuy till after the creation of man and that pride was his peculiar sinne for the which he was thrust out of heauen Now whether it were that by reason of his great endowments of nature hee did so farre ouerballance his owne worth that hee might conceite that hee was able to make himselfe an associate and partaker in the diuine nature which is the highest degree whereunto an intellectuall substance may aspire and that by his owne naturall and peculiar forces as Esai and Exechiel doe seeme to imply or whether he would not acknowledge Christ Iesus the Mediatour of men and Angels for his head which mystery might by reuelation be proposed vnto him as it was afterwards also vnfolded vnto Adam and all the fathers of the old Testament it is most certaine that from his owne will and in the pride of his heart he rebelled against God so that there was a battell fought in heauen after the manner that Spirites combat one against another by a strong renitency and resistance of the ones will against the others euen as wee also fight against them But the good Angels would by no meanes adhere or fauour that damnable attempt but resisted it with all their forces accomplishing that which is written of them Benedicite Domino omnes Angeli eius potentes virtute
he speaketh not absolutely but addeth that for his part he is of this opinion Hanc opinor dilecti carnis suae substantiam phantastieam assumet organi vice It may therefore well bee that all these things were reuealed vnto him by the Disciples of the Apostles saying that at the end of the world the Prince of Deuils shall shew him selfe vnto men in a humane forme and shall speake vnto them as one man doth vnto another that hee may with the more ease seduce them and that there shall be a great number of other Diuels with him in the like formes But the good Father doth from himselfe conclude that such a one Antichrist should be and therefore addeth the word opinor And this is not onely probable but necessary to excuse so great a personage who further addeth that there shall be at the end of the world many wicked Spirits in the shape of men Daemones inquit congregabit humana specie And this in effect the same which Sorcerers doe depose that there are a great company of Diuels in their assemblies and both men and women haue euery one a Diuell to commit abomination with them S. Augustine out of the obseruation which hee tooke from the Scripture that saith that in the last three yeeres wherein Antichrist shall raigne all power shall bee giuen vnto the Diuell asketh this question whether those fathers that are Christians shall then bee able to procure their children to bee baptised and shall haue power to resist the incursions of the Diuels who at that tyme will bee euery where busied Tertullian saith that Diuels haue no naturall impeachment to hinder them from entering into any place whereunto they haue a fancy because God hath not circumscribed or limited their nature to any place and therefore saith he it is an vndenyable truth that Diuels may not onely enter into mens houses but euen into their very cabinets Nemo inquit dubitauerit domos quoque daemonijs paetere nec tantum in aditis sed in cubiculis homines imaginibus circumâ—enire He addeth the reason Vtique non clausa vis est nec sacrariorum circumscribitur terminis vaga peruolatica interim libera est From whence S. Augustine draweth this conclusion that because the Diuels shall in those daies bee vnbound they shall bee able to goe in and out where they please yet are wee not to vnderstand this as though they could be at one tyme in diuers places as Iustin Martyr well declareth in his 40. question Now wee are witnesses of the beginning hereof by their frequent appearing vnto those whom they abuse and in whose behalfe they effect some things which are in themselues meerely diabolicall and as S. Paul saith of the schollers of Simon Magus and others of the same condition Qui nunc operatur in filios diffidentiae To conclude the Diuell may take vnto himselfe a body made of aire and may shape it after what forme and figure hee will and clap it about him as a garment vnlesse hee be expresly forbidden by the diuine prouidence as wee haue formerly vnfolded And this is the resolution of S. Thomas who next to Augustine doth thus affirme it Potest formare corpus ex aëre cuiuscunque formae figurae vt illud assumens in eo visibiliter appareat P.P.Q. 114. art 4. ad 2. Cardinal Caietan in his Comment vpon S. Thomas doth obserue that when a wicked Spirit is so hardy or else hath permission to shew himselfe visibly vnto a man it is an argument that such a one is either forsaken of God and hath one foote in hell already or that he is a man of an extraordinary holinesse and God permitteth it to the confusion of Satan as appeareth by Christ Iesus in the wildernesse THE SECOND ANNOTATION Whether the Diuell can make men renounce God and their Baptisme DEum rerum omnium creatorem opificem vnum trinum abnegastis c. infra Et sacratissimo Baptismati c. It is an ordinary practise of the Diuell to labour and perswade men to deny their God Venit Diabolus saith Christ Iesus tollit verbum de corde eorum ne credentes salui fiant He is the authour of al the heresies that euer were in the world and amongst other inuentions he brought in the plurality of Gods and to that end he stirred vp diuers agents of his as Basilides Carpocrates and others Hee it was that made the Arrians deny the sacred Trinity and perswadeth Atheists that there is no God all which hee practiseth that hee may by vsurpation inuade the glory of God for he stil holds him to his first pretension when hee said in his heart I will be like vnto the Highest Therefore S. Augustine doth well obserue that the greatest ambition which the Diuell hath is that men should performe vnto him those honours which they are accustomed to offer vnto God Daemones inquit diuinis honoribus gaudent And this hee can by no meanes wrest and extort from Christians vnlesse they do first deny the Trinity of persons because the very beleefe of the blessed Trinity is of sufficiency enough to giue stop vnto all Idolatry for by it we beleeue an vnitie in trinitie and a trinitie in vnitie which when wee once comprehend it cannot be fastned vpon our beleef to worship or acknowledge any thing for God except the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for our faith is limited to these three persons and therefore excludeth all other things whatsoeuer in regard that they are as much inferiour and subordinate vnto these three persons as the creature is vnto the Creator And therefore Basilides and others of his likenesse must first haue â—ost all beleefe of the blessed Trinity beefore they could giue admittance vnto this plurality of Gods The like may be said of the Arrians and Sabellians who denyed the three persons in vnity of essence and trinity of persons Hence it ariseth that neither the Diuell nor any other creature whatsoeuer can be worshipped by a Christian vnlesse hee first abandon the faith which he hath of the blessed Trinity So that it is no wonder if the Diuell doth first exact this of Christians in his Synagogue for if hee should doe otherwise hee could haue no colour to passe further Whereupon wee may obserue that there can scarce an heresie bee found if a man search narrowly vnto the same which hath retained the full and intire beleefe of the Trinity This we see daily practized by the Sabellians of our time who misconceiue of the distinction of persons and haue opened a gap to the Trinitarians of this age to mock and make a ieast of the blessed Trinity as if it were a Chimera or a conceite framed and feined in the braine of man In like manner it followeth of necessity that they must renounce their Baptisme also which is administred in the name of the blessed Trinity S. Hippolytus a very
vnto the sacred Trinity 387 The Teares which Witches shead full no lower then their cheekes 388 Tentation of the Diuell to change our confessours 394 Tentations of sundry Diuels and the Saints opposite vnto them 323.324 The time of Antichrist 316 Mounsieur Thoron is present at the Exorcisme 375 The Throat of Magdalene quitted by the Diuell 329.363 Tortures and the rack giuen vnto Magdalene by Diuels 329.373 Tortures which the Diuels inflicted vpon Magdalene 400.401 Torments which Magdalene endured more then ordinary 358.359.362 Torments redoubled vpon Magdalene twice a day 391 A Tyrant will not suffer any great Lord to dwell neere him 394 V VErrine a Diuell and Prince of Principalities with his tentations 325 Verrine tormented and why 322 Verrine saith he shall haue diminution of paines ibid. and 328 Verrine and his tentations 324 Verrine saith not that he is a Preacher 328 Verrine saith he is sent of God to speake truth 328 Verrine was neuer bound and the reason 349 Verrine crieth aloud because some would declare the Magician to be innocent 318 Verrine barketh like a dog 316 The Vertue of the blessed Sacrament 315 Vestments of Priests 382 Villanies committed in the Sabbath by Witches 3â—7 Violins and other instruments of musick vsed in the Sabbath 336 Vision of the blessed Host. 368 The Vision of Magdalene red as fire 402 The voice of a woman dying 331 The voices of the Witches plainly heard 344 W WAntonnesse of the Sabbaths 336 Weeping of Witches and the manner 388 Wicked Spirits cannot be consecrated fingers 385 Witchcrafts and Charmes cast into Magdalens eares and why 347 Witchcrafts and Charmes giuen to two ends 343 Witnesse of Physitians and Surgeons 371 Witnesses of the markes of the Magician 376 Witnesses touching those that were possessed 375 A Woman lost and sought after and the place where shee was 351 A woman bewitched 383 The working of Diuels is in vaine against the iust 344 When God worketh not all is darke but when hee worketh euery thing is full of light 380 Y A Young man that was an heretique confirmed the more in the Catholick religion by the words of the Diuell 404. and is conuerted by father Michaelis ibid. The end of the table A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS contained in the Discourse of Spirits 1. WHether there be Spirits or no There are foure points to be obserued touching Spirits that there are Spirits what their nature is from whence they came and the end why they are 1 2. Whether Spirits haue bodies 14 3. Of the Creation goodnes or maliciousnes of Angels 29 4. The meanes which Diuels haue to appeare and come vnto vs in what part of the world they reside how they are bound and their sundry waies to tempt men 41 5. That the Diuels scope is to make himselfe to bee worshipped as a God and to deceiue men that the Diuell knoweth not things to come neither can he penetrate or diue into the secrets of mans heart 51 6. That Sorcerers are as detestable and as much forbidden by the law of God as the very Oracles of the Heathen and their Idols were that it is an idle speech which is giuen out of Sorcerers that Princes should take heed of them the diuersities of customes which the Sorcerers vsed in the old time all proued by the Scripture 63 7. Of Witches and that women are more addicted to witchcraft then men are 76 8. An answere vnto those that demand what danger there is in crauing the assistance and aide of the Diuell 82 9. Whether the Articles contained in the depositions of Sorcerers ought to be taken as idely and dreamingly spoken or whether they ought to bee receiued for truth 94 FINIS 1. King 23. 4. King 21. 23. Esa. 47. Ezek. 28. The Acts of the 23. of December pag. 219. Iohn 8. Marc. 5. Nemo poterat cum domare catenas disrumpebat compedes diminuebat videns lesum à longè cucurrit procidens Matth. 8. Adorauit eum clamans voce magna dixit Quid mihi tibi Iesu fili Dei altissimi Vid Acta 16. Decemb. pag. Marc. 5. Luc. 8. Matth. 8. Dedivobis potestatem calcandi supr a serpentes c. Luc. 10. Et in nomine meo daemonia eijcient Marc. 16. 1. Sam. 19. 1. Reg. 2. 2. ad Timoth. 2. Rom. 1. Epist. 117. A thorne in a garden cannot blemish the roses or the garden but that a man may still say Behold a faire garden Hiero. contra vigil Matth 4. August lib. 20. contra Faustum Manich. c. 21. Printed by Iohn de Mongastonat Lon. grond The 6. booke and 3. discours pag. 459. Numb 22. Apoc. 1. D. Thom. 1. partic quest 113. art 2. Tob. 12. The second part pag. 311. act of the 11. of Ian. and the 6. act of the 12. Decem. pag. 39 6. Book 2 discours pag. 414. after Cardan and Strozzi Math 12. assumpsit 7. spiriritus nequiores se. Marc. 16. De qua eiecerat 7. demonia See Dr. Maldonat vpon the pastages which he literally maketh of the seauen Diuels Bartholomaeus Fayus praeses Parisiensis in Energumenico Hadrian Hofstadius ser. 52. de Eucharistia Ioan. Lorinus in acta apost c. 5. vers 16. Anthanas in vit Anthonii Ioan. Lorin in act Apost c. 16. vers 17. Marc. 5. The discours of the history which is faithfully gathered shall giue you to vnderstand that the Diuell spake after this manner Boleze 1566. Bartholomaeus Fayus praeses Paristensis in energumenico Hadrianus Hoâ—â—tadius serm 52. de Eucharistia Iohannes Lorinus in Acta Apost cap. 5. 16. Hieron in vita Hilarions Ioan. Lorin in Act. Apostol cap. 16. In registro D. Antonius in Historia In Decretis de Poenitentia Lib. de interitu Prophetarum in Danielem Matth. 8. Marc. 5. Athanasâ—n vita Anthonij Nolite iudicare c. Dijs non detrahes Principi populitui non maledices Hoc maximum est primum mandatum 2.2 quaest 124. art 5. Apud Theodoretum in hist. Ecclesiâ—st Chrysost. Hom. 3. in 1. ad Thessal Hieron in Matth. Cyprian Serm. de lapsis Lib. 14. Eccles hist. cap. 43. S. Thom. 1.2 quaest 1. art 1. 3. Reg. 22. 1. Reg. 18. Inuasit spiritus Dei malus Saul prophetabat in medio domus suae tenebatque lanceá misit eam c. Hierom super 5. cap. Matth. Marc. 5. Matth. 8.2 Pet. 2. Tob. 8. Apoc. 20. Act. of the 27. of Decem. pag. 260. Ribadeneira in her life and workes Ioachin Abbas in Hieremiam Homil. 13. in Matth. Magdalene carried vp by Diuels First speech of Verrine The act of adoration of the said Verrine Possession by witchcraft The Exorcist tries the diuel a Wee are to take these and the following discourses as we take the discourses of Balaam the Inchanter and of Caiphas that prophecied of Christ Iesus not of their owne voluntarie or proper motion S. Athanasius faith that when the diuell perswaded S. Anthony to pray vnto God he prayed vnto him not because the
d Lewes the Magician brought into the Chapel e They were saine to keeps the Chapel doore shut because of the throng of people f The markes found by the Physitians vpon the Magician g The friuolous question of the Magician h Magdalenes accusation and stoutnesse against the Magician i Magdalene did afterwards make relation of this vnto vs for we were not present at their confrontments but the commissiaries haue the acts of these things in their hands k The difference betwixt the heart of a Catholicke and the heart of a Magician When God doth not operate all is endarkned but when he beginneth to put his operations in act euery thing thereby receaueth life and light as appeareth in the worke of the Creation Gen. 1. Now by reason of this participation of Magicians with Lucifer they are not onely possessed with obstinacy and blindnesse but also with a diabolicall rage which we haue formerly touched l O wretched Magicians can you haue any affiance in Deuils puâ— your trust in your good God Quia fidelis Dominus in omnibus verbis suis sanctus in omnibus operibus suis. m The Vestments of Priests m The strange manner of Magdalens running vpon her knees n This woman was bewitched by the Magician concerning which there is mention made in the sentence giuen against the said Magician o It is the manner which some haue welobserued to be vsuall among Diuels that they hate others that come vpon their ground possessions which proceedeth from their pride enuy p A charme giuen by the Magician q Ye that are sinners consider seriously how grieuous the punishments are vnto which your sins make you liable r The horrible and rude handling vsed by the Diuels towards Magdalene s The Diuels haue no power to bite consecrated fingers t Mens conuersions from those faults that are enormous doe ordâ—narily goe by degrees succession as hath been experienced in the conuersion of Magdalene which at length was perfected vp approoued by the markes that departed from her A demonstration or externall embleme hereof is in the blinde man in S. Mark chap. 8. vpon whom Christ Iesus laid his hands two seuerall times so at first he began to see imperfectly afterwards his sight became more perfect u He conceited that it was nothing but imagination not hauing been much conuersant with her that was possessed The Diuels that were in the bodies of some harmelesse and innocent sisters of S. Vrsula vpon their being Exorcised did say wee will depart from hence in time but wee are already prouided of a body to enter into it at our pleasure Yet would we not iudge this to be ment de indiuiduo x The great charity of two Capuchin fathers y In the Acts of the Apostles the 19. chapter The handkerchifes of Saint Paule being applied vnto those that were possessed did chace away euill spirits z The Deuils are oftentimes constrained to reueale the bodies relicks of Saints as appeareth by the Ecclesiasticall histories concerning the bodies of those notable Saints Iohn and Paule whom Iulian the Apostata had caused secretly to bee hid as he also â—ndeauoured to silence the memoriall of their Martyrdome But they were knowne by an vndeceiuable marke which is by the miracles that were wrought by them which doe beare a more assured witnesse of them when they are dead then when they are aliue as was seene in the person of Christ Iesus for in mens life time they are not alwayes ineuitable arguments of predestinâ—tion Mat. 7.1 Cor. 13. but they are certaine tokens of the same after their death And by this point shall Antichrist be discouered euen by his own that shall beleeue in him a An excellent dialogue betweene one of the fathers and the Diuell b As if this miserable obstinate and blind spirit should say that there was good cause of their reuolt so to excuse and make good his sin c He returneth to his first speech where he complaineth of God d Like vnto sundry theues that are possessed with diuers towers euery one standing vpon his owne guard or like two doggs snarling one against the other when they both are gnavving of a bone e Behold the consummation and perfection of true contrition abneget semetipsum f Oculos suos statuerunt declinare in terram g Holy Fryday a day fit apt for remission of sinnes h Tharasque is a monsterous Dragon that deuoured men at Tharasconâ—n â—n Prouince and afterwards was sâ—â—ne by S. Martha i O notable Miracle being performed vpon the blessed day of Easter at the time of holy Masse by the vertue of the worthy receauing of the body of Christ Iesus al being wrought by the power of God who is alone able to enlifen that which is dead the Diuel hauing no power to quicken the least branch of a tree after it is once withered vp and dryed Thus doth God by his bounty and Omnipotency take from vs the stampe of the Diuel which is sin in steed thereof setteth vpon vs the scale of his grace by quickning putting life into our soules These are notable hansels and tokens of Easter day k For Antony they say Tony. l Meaning that men doe not goe so presently to Paradise m Obserue heere good Christian by these fore passed euents and by those accidents that doe now happen shall heereafter follow what extraordinary torments God by his iust iudgments imposeth vpon those that haue transgressed against him For wheÌ„ he would seate this distressed sinner in the state of grace he loaded her patience with many paines that did draw neer vnto the torments of hell and that by the ministery of her cruell enemies the Diuels and without compassion vnto the outward manâ— Secundum mensuâ—am delicti c. n It is a great light of God when corporâ—l torments aâ—e not so much â—steeâ—â—d as internall temptations a In like manner vpon the blessed feast of Easter the markes of the Diuell were perfectly taken from her as the tokens and hansell of her conuersion Tertul. lib. de anima Marc. 16. Tertul. lib de Testim animae Hierom. lib 15. commen in Esai ad c. 47. Tertul. lib. de anima Hierom. lib. 8. in Esai ad cap. 27. Leuit. 15. Deuter. 1. Luc. 1. Act 1. S. Thom. 2.29 95. art 8. August serm 2. in Psal. 30. Plat. in Cratil S. August in Epist 102. calleth them Daemonicolas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshippers of Diuels Vpon the 96. Psal. where he tearmeth them worse then Idolaters August lib. 20. contr Faust. Tertul. lib. de testi ani Tertul. lib. de nima August lib 13. contr Faust. Mani cap. 15. Chrysost. hom 2.11 Epist. ad Heb. hom 10. in 1. Epist. ad Timoth. Aug. lib. de ciuit Dei cap. 18. Lib. 1. Metaph. cap. 1. Exod. 16. Lib. 8 Physic. Lib. 12. Metaph text 48. Ezech. 1. S. Thom. lib. 2. cont gent. c. 92 Lib. 2. Metaph. lib. 2. de