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
answered him it is an Article of your Creede if you be wiser then God why goe you not and pluck him from his Throane To this he said I am not yet satisfied in this point but tell mee how prooue you there is a Purgatory Verrine replyed yes I will prooue it easily vnto you I affirme that God hath said that no defiled thing shal enter into the kingdome of Heauen To this the other answered that he was not content with his replications because the Deuill is the father of lies Verrine said it is true wee are the fathers of lyes when wee haue free and vncontrouled scope to speake from our selues but being constrained by God wee haue a necessity imposed vpon vs to deliuer the truth What thinkest thou that thou disputest with the woman heere Thou art too arrogant thou deseruest not to haue thy vnderstanding inlightned thou art too curious and what thou hast heere heard will not bee auaileable vnto thee The Huguenot replyed hold thy peace thou art not able to answere and art indeed but a block head Verrine answered it is not words will bring men to Heauen there must be an addition of some thing else faith good works are to be thought vpon by those that will goe to Paradise Here upon Leuiathan said turning himselfe towards the Huguenot my friend beleeue mee stand stoutly to it I will accompany thee if it seeme good vnto thee Then the Huguenot said with all my heart shake hands let vs goe if thou wilt To this Verrine said directing his speech to the Huguenot Soft and faire soft faire the Deuil hath no power on her body although he vse her toung as his instrument to expresse himselfe But you Sir where doe you conceiue you are in some wood or at some May-game and taking him vp very sharply he said the Deuil take al those who neuer go to Church but to commit a thousand sinnes and impieties The other said vnto him is there no shame in thee that speakest thus before thy God thou art worse then a Deuill to pronounce these words O accursed wretch said Verrine thou doest not deserue the least glimse of light for when thou spakest this thou diddest conceaue thou haddest spoken vnto a creature not vnto the Deuill thou miserable loathed and abhominable caytiffe thou art worse then the Deuill yea thou hast inwardly resolued to commit some notorious sinne get thee gone thou wretch get thee gone Darest thou to be so hardy as within a Church where the blessed Sacrament remaineth to conceiue that which thou hast conceiued thou deseruest death thou obstinate fellow Then the Huguenot departed Verrine said vnto the Catholicks that were present What did you see how this wretch shrunke away learne you by his example and doe not doe as you haue been accustomed kneeling onely vpon one knee when you came to heare Masse No no you should not misdemeane yourselues thus but should behaue your selues as malefactors before your Iudge In the euening Magdalene onely was exorcised and during the time of Exorcisme there was represented vnto her a vision full of horror and amazement for she saw two Diuels in the semblance of Serpents each of whom held a soule in their mouth that seemed vnto her more deformed then Hell it selfe and the fright of this spectacle did endure long after the Exorcisme and had not quite left her when shee made relation of the same The same day father Francis Billet wrote vnto the Priests of the doctrine in this manner Dearest and best beloued brethren I beseech you in the name of Almighty God that you would be pleased to come hither as soone as possibly you can yea if you could to depart vpon the very day or the day after at farthest that this messenger shall arriue vnto you and to come hither where you shall vnderstand of diuers passages and occurrences so strange so vnheard of and so vsefull that hee who is not present to see and to be made acquainted with the same will hardly beleeue it For they are things of that high nature that who so vnderstandeth not the bottome and foundation of it will hardly humble his iudgement vnto the truth thereof But come because this matter toucheth the glory of God and of his Church the conuersion of soules and the honour and aduancement of your vocation Come then and doe not wonder if I do so often inculcate this word come vnto you for I doe assure you that it is a matter of importance Letters speake but once therfore I had reason to make frequent repetition of this word Come then with all the speed you may I should conceaue my selfe guilty of a great offence if I had not disburthened and cleared my conscience by writing this letter vnto you You may obiect vnto me that I am too easie of beleefe but come and you shall see that I am not alone of this opinion If I am deceiued there are others in the same case whose iudgements I must beleeue to be more able and more piercing then mine owne I doe assure you that if you had seene and obserued these things you would receiue great contentment thereby and would rest very well satisfied For God hath permitted that a sister of the Company of S. Vrsula most vnworthy though shee be to bee bewitched hauing three Diuels in her body Her name is Louyse Capeau who hauing from her youth begged of God to set her in some course of life wherein shee might remaine to his greater glory for the saluation of her soule and the profit good of her neighbour and being entred into that vocation wherein now she standeth in the first yeere of her nouiciatship God began to instill into her strong and vehement desires to endure for her neighbours all temporall paine whatsoeuer yea to vndergoe the torments of Hell it selfe if it might bee done without her separation from God and hauing persisted till this time in her request especially when she was to receiue the blessed Sacrament at length she had her desire and did accept with great patience all the said paines and torments euer saying these words Lord I thinke my selfe vnworthy to suffer any thing for the loue of you Shee made all these requests without asking any mans aduice because shee euer conceiued that it was no way within the compasse of sin so that when shee found her selfe possessed shee was much abashed thereat and wondred with her selfe from whence it might proceed But God from whom this was not hidden did saue vs a great deale of labour by laying his charge vpon one of the Diuels that were in her body to answere vnto the Exorcismes and to deliuer the truth what the end was wherefore he remained in her body And although the Diuell after many adiurations which the Exorcists made vnto him seemed obstinate in his silence and would giue no resolution vnto any thing that was propounded yet being commanded on
from earth hence it is that the remission of one onely sinne doth chalenge from you a perpetuall giuing of thankes The least blessing that God bestoweth vpon a man is of more worth then if a mighty King would make a free donation vnto him of all his dominions And what thinke yee Did not God giue you a soule accompanied with the three goodly faculties thereof that you might vse it and them to his glory The sinne that is committed out of frailty is against the Father and is easily pardonable the sin against the Sonne who is the eternall wisedome of his father is out of ignorance and is excusable but the sinne against the holy Ghost who is that euerlasting goodnesse is hardly pardoned some may bee reclaimed that offend this way but very rarely After this Verrine by a most solemne oath confirmed all which is aboue rehearsed and in honour of the fiue wounds he said fiue seuerall times Adoramus te Christe c. and towards the end saying this word Redemisti he subioyned Redemisti that is you and not vs Diuels who are in hell Then hee said Great God I adore thee who art heere couered vnder a little Host cursed be that Christian who reputeth himselfe to bee a Christian and doth not beleeue it hee is farre worse then a Diuell This same day in the morning Belzebub departed out of the body of Magdalene and said vnto her farewell I goe to see thy friend who is in great perplexity and so he went to Marseille to aide the Magician as he said against those that did aduise him from father Michaelis to haue regard vnto his conscience The same day father Iames de Rets came from Aix to S. Baume and brought newes that father Michaelis had consulted at Aix with the Capuchin Fathers touching this particular and that hee had sent diuers vnto Marseille and willed them to bee carefull in a businesse of so rare and high a consequent The Acts of the 21. of December This day in the morning the Dominican father did exorcise and assoone as the Exorcismes began one of the Diuels which was in Louyse asked him saying In the name of God why dost thou exorcise mee who gaue thee authority to doe it the Exorcist answered him God and his Church Then said the Diuell can God compell a Diuell to deliuer truth The exorcist replyed that he could To this Verrine said Beleeue it not for we are all the fathers of lies True said the Exorcist you are the fathers of lies when you speake from your selues and that which is your owne but when you are constrained by Almighty God I affirme that then you may speake truth Verrine replyed vnto him Tell me if there bee any power or authority in the bookes of Exorcismes to force vs to take a true and a binding oath answere mee now to this It is true that we may take a true oath as for example when you interrogate vs in the name of God Almighty and by the authority of the Church tell me if in that case God hath giuen that power vnto you to force vs to take an oath that bindeth to wit according to the purpose of God and the meaning of the Church It is a truth answered the Exorcist that God hath bestowed this power vpon his Church and vs. Verrine replyed I spake this in confutation of those that auerre that Diuels cannot speake truth I tell you that such doe in effect deuise the omnipotencie of God and therefore they may saue a labour in saying their Creed and if they doe say it it is after the Hereticks cut that say their Credo without a Credo for they say it with their mouth and deny it in their heart I therefore auow that since God is omnipotent he may easily constraine the Diuell to execute his will Then did Verrine turne himselfe towards Leuiathan and said Speake Leuiathan if thou hast any thing to say for thy selfe Leuiathan answered I shall loose of mine honour to hold discourse with my slaue I am not disposed to talke Thou art faine to say this said Verrine because thou hast not wherewith all to oppose or thwart that which on Gods behalfe I haue deliuered Leuiathan answered God doth not vse to send diuels abroad to preach That is true said Verrine neither is my errant hither to bee a Preacher Leuiathan answered What need all these words then They are no words of mine said Verrine all my knowledge is nothing auaileable vnto me but he who causeth me to speake is wisedome it selfe and all these things doe proceed from the Almightie Speake now illuminate doctor defend thy selfe O thou doctor of Heretickes I doe heere my dutie and discharge my commission speaking meerely from the strength of that which God commandeth and not out of any fancie I haue thereunto I haue not so much charitie in me as to speake it from my selfe but what I haue deliuered is wrung out of me by maine force and compulsion Speake now vnto this perchance you may get aduantage by that which I haue spoken Then said Leuiathan If I did see here any one whom I might call mine meaning Heretickes I would not make daintie to speake Thinkest thou answered Verrine that God is like vnto men who are curious and choise in their phrases and lay a varnish of eloquence vpon their speeches I tell thee that with one sole motion of his will he reuealeth by an intrinsicke manner of vnderstanding whatsoeuer he pleased shal be accomplished but the truth is thou art pusillanimous and hast nothing to replie Leuiathan answered I neither feare God nor his Angels and why then should I feare thee who art but as it were a lackey It is true said Verrine I am but as thy lackey yet mightest thou answere if thou hast any courage residing in thee But thou art a very illiterate doctor and those that follow thee must needs stumble in the darke so full of obscurenesse and falsehood is all thy doctrine Darest thou sweare that thy doctrine is consonant vnto truth as I wil sweare that whatsoeuer I haue here deliuered proceedeth from the liuing God Leuiathan answered Yes I affirme that it is all true Verrine replied Accursed spirit darest thou sweare as I will Yes that will I said Leuiathan Verrine answered him thou canst not without reseruing some priuate and malitious meaning Leuiathan then said Well let vs breake off this discourse To which Verrine answered If thou mightest be let alone I doe easily conceiue thy inclination to sweare falsely and the reason is cleare for thy doctrine is false and if thou shouldest take thine oath thou wouldest sweare falselie and not according to the intention of God and his Church Not so said Leuiathan I tell thee I wil sweare according to the meaning of the Church Wilt thou sweare according to the meaning of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane Church said Verrine Leuiathan replied What neede all these
if the Diuels did represent serpents froggs and the like before Pharaoh and all the people it is not to be wondred if he shew him selfe vnto a man in a manly semblance for thus he presented himselfe before Iob during the time of his temptation as Saint Chrysostome doth well declare saying That the messengers who came to bring him newes so suddenly one vpon the necke of another were Diuels in the disguise of men for otherwise it cannot wel be reconciled how a man being in a house which in an instant was vtterly ouerthrowne and demolished could scape the ruine of this house nor how these losses being acted so farre one from the other as the sheepe which were consumed by the fire that fell from heauen the Camels that were carried away by the Chaldeans the house which was rooted vp from the foundations could bee so timed in the relations of them that as soone as one had deliuered his newes another should come at his heeles and tell what detriment Iob had receiued in other places And since Satan had liberty to kill not onely the sheepe but the sheepheards and not to ouerwhelme the house alone but to wrap vp also those that were within it in those ruines it is not probable that he who is bloodily minded a murtherer of men and a rauening wolfe that deuoureth whatsoeuer commeth in his way would let any one of them escape to bring the newes especially since it was in his power as well to deliuer the message as to commit the riotts and murther and since he had leaue to do vnto Iob whatsoeuer hee would except one onely thing Tantum saith God ne tang as animam eius So that these newes tempting him most it were no absurditie to say that the Diuell was the bringer of them neither doth the text in reciting these crosses make mention of any one that did escape but onely that he who brought the newes-said thus and thus although as the Amalechite told Dauid that he had slaine Saul although the truth was that hee had slaine himselfe Irruit super gladium suum so might this father of lyes mis-report one thing for another Therefore Saint Chrysostome doth not thinke it strange to say that the Diuell appeared vnto Iob in the habite of a messenger or seruant or to be of the age as it is to bee presumed that such and so swift messengers were of 25. or 30. yeeres Saint Augustine doth not onely say that this might be but also giueth the reason why it might be and that is by the application of naturall causes by which he shapeth vnto himselfe what body soeuer he desireth to assume especially for the quantity and quality which are meere accidents And this body the Diuell can mooue by a kind of locall motion yet doth he not viuificate and operate in the same as the reasonable soule doth in a mans body for this body is not a liue body but is onely clothed with externall accidents and seemeth to haue life by the secret working of these Spirits euen as the celestiall bodies are turned about by a locall motion which proceedeth from the Angels and yet cannot such bodies be properly said to liue This is Saint Augustines resolution Diabolus optat sibi corpus aliquod tanquam vestem and in this sort did hee oftentimes visibly appeare vnto Saint Anthony as Saint Athanasius reporteth and once to Saint Martin as Seuerus Sulpitius writeth To conclude neuer did any father of the Christian Church deny but that this either might be or hath bin really practised The Marcionites and Manicheans who thought strange that the Deuill should touch Christ Iesus denied not that the Deuill did visibly and corporally appeare vnto him but they rather held that Christ Iesus was not clothed with true flesh but had a body of the same condition as those are which are formed by Spirits Saint Paul teacheth vs that Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light the meaning is that he sometime taketh a comely humane shape as good Angels vse to do to familiarise himselfe vnto men as we see in the Gospell that the good Angels who appeared vnto those godly women that sought Christ Iesus in his sepulcher were like yong men of 18. or 20. yeeres of age so that this point is cleere and without controuersie both in the Scripture and amongst the Doctors of the Church It would therefore appeare to be an ignorance and rashnesse too too grosse to make doubt of the truth hereof since there is such a cloud of Histories to giue confirmation of the same vnto vs as for example the History recited by Gregory Nazianzen of a Magician vnto whom the Diuell spake familiarly and the like But that we may not exceede the iust limits of Annotations it shall suffice that we obserue that among other predictions of the end of the world Saint Hippolytus writeth that a great number of Diuels shall appeare vnto men in humane shapes and being thus disguised in borrowed formes they shall assemble themselues in mountaines dennes and desert places all which predictions do fitly agree vnto the depositions of Sorcerers It will not be amisse to note the antiquity and authority of this glorious Martyr for the better resolution of diuers passages in the fore-cited place which by some might be offensiuely taken He was more ancient then Origen at the least he liued in the same time with him for Saint Ierome telleth in his Homilies how he preached and how Origen was present at his Sermons It is then to be presumed that since he tooke vpon him to speake of things to come which were not expresly comprehended in the Scriptures he had either the gift of prophesie wherewith all many were indued in the Primitiue Church as Saint Paul teacheth and which endured downe vnto the times of Saint Ireneus or hee had learned these things from the Disciples of the Apostles as Saint Irâ—neus telleth how he writ many things which he hâ— learned from the Disciples of Iohn the Euangelist and that it happened vnto him as it did vnto diuers others who liued neere vnto the Apostles time who hauing faithfully treasured vp those things which the most familiar Disciples of the Apostles did reueale vnto them yet there were some that would adde thereunto certaine conceits of their owne braine which they themselues did coniecture might be deliuered by the Apostles But in this they notably abused themselues as wee may plainely see in Ireneus Papias and others The same happened vnto this holy man in whom wee may obserue many tracts directly flowing from the Spirit of prophesie and other vsefull instructions proceeding from his owne iudgement Amongst this later sort of Reuelations from the Apostles wee are to place that which he speaketh of Antichrist whom hee saith shall be a Deuill taking vpon him the shape of a man And this we may easily see to be his drift for
not beene obserued and published vpon other occurrences by three Inquisitours of Spaine in the yeere 1610. which was the very yeere that this History was acted and at the heeles of that followed another booke of the same nature made by Monsieur d' Ancre one of the Kings Counsell in the Parliament of Bordeaux But the wonders were done in the person of him who named himselfe and indeed was the Prince of all the rest in France Spaine and Turky and Monsieur d' Ancre doth write that he found by the depositions of the Sorcerers of Biscaye that one Lewes came taught them to accuse those that were innocent to excuse the nocent and to inueagle in as many sonnes and seruants to Satan as they could So that the prouidence of God hath been the true meanes to put to rout al the army of Satan in this kinde in that his Standard is ouerthrowne and the very master of his campe trampled and troden vnder foote Moreouer hee that will more narrowly consider the History of Balaam the Magician rehearsed in the booke of Numbers will not think it strange which by assiduall experiments is verified of the Magicians and Witches of our time For it is there said that King Baelac being conscious to himselfe of his weakenesse to resist the army of Israel sent to seek out Balaam as the greatest Magician of that Countrey to charme and chaine vp the armes of the Israelits and so to come to his purpose by this meanes It is also recited in that History that to make his charmes and maledictions the more potent and effectuall he caused seauen Altars to be built and this was to sacrifice and inuocate the seauen Princes of the euill Spirits which bare sway in the kingdome of Lucifer wherein he doth by way of limitation endeauour to make himselfe like to God in his Maiesty who hath seauen principall Angels to assist him Of whom S. Thomas as also S. Denis doe say that the seauen superiour orders do command and send forth and the two inferiour are commanded and sent and hence it is that these first are properly stiled Princes Yet are we not to say that the superiours doe not come vnto vs when they are sent from God for S. Michael and S. Gabriel in the 10. of Daniel and in the 1. of Luke and Raphael himselfe who is said to be one of the seauen Assistants before God were sent by him And in the 10 of Daniel Michael who is one of the chiefest is come to aide me And in our very History mention is made of seauen principall commanders amongst the other Diuels and the same is auerred in the late History of Monsieur d' Ancre touching the countrey of Biscaye These Altars were built to sacrifice a Bull and a sheepe vpon euery of them to these seauen Diuels which was the very manner of sacrificing to God in the Law and by these meanes to obteine of them that which he desired Dabo sicadens adoraueris me And because they sought to worke against the honour of God and the publicke good of the Church by him that was the Prince of all the Magicians of the East it is said that God to discocouer and giue stoppage vnto such impiety against his Maiesty and villany against his Church did shew great and vnusuall wonders to wit that a good Angell did visibly appeare highly displeased and exceedingly dreadfull brandishing a sword in his hand that an asse spake by as great a miracle that the Sorcerer himselfe became a Prophet God putting that into his mouth which was not in his heart and he speaking oppositely vnto that which hee had determined whereby Magick was by the Magician himselfe defeated and put to confusion to the end saith S. Ambrose that the perfidiousnesse of those that beleeued not in God might by their owne South-faier and Sorcerer bee reprehended We are further to hope that this History will be no lesse profitable and vsefull vnto France then that of Lion printed in French in the yeere 1566. which greatly confirmed the Catholicke faith and conuerted many hereticks that heard the Diuell which possessed a Virgin to say diuers times in a high voice that these Hereticks were his friends and confederates and that the reality of Christs body was in the Sacrament because in it there was Hoc To this purpose speaketh S. Augustine in the 1. booke of the Concordance of the Euangelists chap. 15. that in his time the Paynims durst not blaspheme Iesus Christ because their Oracles were constrained by the power of God to speake well of him and thereupon the Paynims began to blaspheme the Apostles but saith hee speaking to the Paynims question your Oracles touching the sanctity of life of the Apostles and you shall cleerly see that they will be enforced to speake well of them also If they could not haue had a power to speake a truth S. Augustine had made these other more obstinate in their vnbeleese S. Thomas in his Opusculum 17. cap. 10. answering to the fourth obiection of those that said it was vnlawfull to receiue children into the orders of Religion because that sometimes it proceedeth from the temptation of the Diuell hee saith that there is no danger to follow that which perhaps may be a temptation of the Diuell so that it bee to a good end with this prouision that if the Diuell would afterwards wreath and wrest this to an euill purpose as to scandalize or corrupt others they doe not consent vnto the euill otherwise the Diuell by this scruple may diuert vs from all goodnesse Thus did S. Anthony practise who was well versed in this arte as Athanasius obserueth And for resolution of all scrupulous doubts a late Doctor of Prouince of the society of Iesus called father Iohn Lorin hath prettily collected that the Diuell may speake truth foure severall waies first to beguile those that are vnbeleeuers and faithlesse because they may say this is not true for the Diuell saith it as S. Chrysostome and Oecumenius haue noted vpon the 16. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles where it is said that Paul being with his associats in the city of Philippi a maid hauing an euill Spirit vpon her cryed after them and said These men are the seruants of the high God and doe shew vnto you the way of saluation Saint Paul for a while suffered her to say this thinking that it might bee auaileable vnto some but when shee still continued on for many daies hee grew angry and conceiuing that this might be hurtfull vnto others hee commanded him to come out of the maiden in the name of Christ Iesus which he presently did Secondly to flatter and collogue with the Exorcist that he would cease to torment him or to cast him out which reason is also alleaged by S. Chrysostome vpon the same passage saying that hee behaueth himselfe heerein as a guilty person before his Iudge and a boy before
his deseruings not for their merits but from his owne bounty for if he should handle euery man according to his deserts there would few scape hell And this great God be your good workes neuer so meane yet if they flow from charity and the merits of his passion hee will giue them a reward as he hath promised saying Come yee blessed of my father c. Because when I was a hungry you gaue mee meate when I was thirstie you gaue me to drinke when I was a stranger you tooke me in when I was dead you buried me when I was sicke you visited me when I was naked you cloathed me when I was in prison you redeemed me Then shall he carrie them to Paradise to haue there the fruition of his pleasures because they contemned all for his sake And since they were his companions at the Crosse it standeth with reason that they be his Associates at his table These words were no sooner ended but hee cried I am mad I am mad I am compelled to expresse this not for loue but vpon constraint It is strange that a souldier should kill himselfe with his owne weapons It fareth so with mee who take armes against my selfe wherewith my owne throat is mangled But what remedie God will haue it so Is it not a thing that was neuer heard of before that the Diuell is at variance with the Diuell and that hell combateth against hell Here is to be obserued that this discourse and many others semblable vnto them were spoken with such an emphasis and efficacie that all the assembly began to weepe and to aske God forgiuenesse as also to confesse themselues and to receiue the Sacrament instantly vpon it Of which the foure aboue-named Pilgrimes would needs giue attestation in forme as followeth The 10. of December 1610. there came to S. Baume Monsieur Arnoulde Borffartigues Canon and Sexton of the Cathedrall Church of Cominge Doctor of Diuinitie Iames Audry Merchant of Troy in Champaigne Iohn Gallois Gold-smith and Claud Gaùdet a Merchant Draper of Troy in Champaigne which were present at the Exorcismes of the two women that were possessed about three seuerall times and heard very admirable accidents touching this particular In witnesse whereof we of our owne proper motion haue subscribed our names for the publique good and for the reducement bringing home of many millions of soules by the miraculousnesse of the same where the Diuell is enforced to vtter the truth of the Gospell by the mouth of a woman called Louyse being thereunto commanded by almighty God And hauing no further occasion to remaine or soiourne here any longer as men harried with the trauell and toyle of our iourney from Rome we haue left our testimony in the hands of the venerable father the Exorcist in the presence of the fathers that were present and of many others In truth whereof we haue subsigned our names Borffartigues Iohn Gallois Gaudet Audry The same day in the euening were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by the Dominican father and at the beginning of the Exorcismes Verrine discoursed of the paines of hell and other matters in this manner The paines of hell are so great and fearefull that one alone Diuell with his hideous shape were able to strike a man dead vpon the place although he had a thousand liues The diuels themselues might not indure the soules of the damned were it not that hell were the place that is destinated for euerlasting torments When the accursed soules of the damned come vnto vs wee make very much of them wee cause them to sit on a great chaire of flaming fire we present vnto them balls of fire for their repast that are all very well sulphured we giue them to drink a certaine liquor bitter as gall or wormwood and enforce also vpon them courtesies more bitter and more stinking then these Their eyes are fed with continuall visions of Diuel◠they haue for their songs and musicke wherein they tooke their pleasure in their life time vucessant blasphemies against God cursing the time that they were borne their fathers and their mothers together wirh all other creatures great and small We fling and tumble them sometimes in the fire sometimes vpon the yce sometimes in sulphure sometimes in snow and in exprobration of their transgressions we say vnto them Ha! accursed wretches behold behold the recompense for your pleasures and delicacies You that would not obey your God you that made slight to trespasse against his commandements you that haue whored after Baal and abandoned your Creator you doe deserue you doe deserue to be thus tormented you deserue to bee thus handled Neuer shall you see God but shall bee eternally depriued of those celestiall ioyes and in briefe you shall here be tortured for euer Besides said Verrine we are cruell remembrancers vnto them of the fauours and blessings which they haue receiued from their Creatour not hereby to giue them any comfort or refreshment but to torment them the more abundantly We say vnto them Miserable caitifes as you are you might haue gone to Paradise you might haue beene filled with heauenly blisse you might haue beene companions to the Saints of heauen but the tide is turned another way Behold you are the bondmen of Sathan the Gally-slaues of hell and the food and nourishment of that vnquenchable fire How wretched are you who might haue had the liberty of the children of God and doe now remaine in the thrall and seruitude of Diuels If you suffer tortures you doe well deserue them yet are you not punished according to your misdeedes and demerits Then making a great out-cry he said O wonderfull miracle O great misery The Diuels speak against themselues yea and against all hell they disgrace their owne Countrey and dehort men from trauelling thither and from cohabiting with them This is very strange Let two men speake together of their Country and it is not to be wondered at if both of them be lauish in the praises thereof but it is a great miracle that the Diuell an enemie to God and heauen recommendeth vnto men that celestiall Country and vilifieth the kingdome of hell I further auerre that men ride to hell easily in a Coach and the horses and all the furniture thereof may passe in with facility But to Paradise you must goe a-foote and enter in stouping the gates thereof are narrow so that much labour and toyle is requisite for the attainement of the same and hardly may you enter in without doing penance I also say that the fire of hell is so deuouringly hot that put all the fire in the world together and it is but a painting in regard of it Yet are there soules so desperate and vnnaturall that they runne at full speede into these gulphes of brimstone Accursed Magicians abominable Witches and relentlesse sinners can all of them relate vnto you such newes as this Then hee cried with great and ghastly exclamations
no reason that shee should goe to Paradise without humbling her selfe vnder the burthen of repentance I tell thee Magdalene thou must bee repentant and must with all lowlinesse and debasement of thy selfe make resignation of whatsoeuer appertaineth vnto thee into the hands of thy God thou art to suffer him to do with thee whatsoeuer shall seeme good vnto him thou art to obey thy superiour as if he were a God on earth for it is said honour the Priests because of their dignity and calling which in regard the Angels themselues cannot paragon or equall it standeth with reason that you should haue them in good esteeme and veneration O Magdalene these are thy Gods on earth honour them and doe all that which they shall command thee agreeable to God his Church and their authority obey Magdalene and humble thy selfe craue pardon of all and beseech euery one to say a Miserere for thee fall downe groueling vpon the ground and bid all come and put their feet vpon thee to the vtter confusion of Belzebub Lucifer and of all hell yea of Verrine himselfe that doth command it After this he began to say take all this as spoken to thy shame and thou shalt reape profit by it it will minister vnto thee occasion of contrition and of satisfaction it will asswage and lessen the paines which thy sinnes haue deserued Then he cried aloud as one beside himselfe It is true Magdalen thou hast been buffitâ—ed thou hast been spit vpon and hast borne a thousand disgraces and disparagements but bee of good cheere Magdalene all shall turne to thy aduantage Hee further made great exclamation saying O great goodnesse of your God! how wretched shall you be if you doe not serue him with all fidelity for a little affliction which you endure in this world you shall bee clothed with robes of honour in Paradise Your God is so gracious that for a little paine which a man here endureth for his sake yea for a glasse of water giuen for his loue or for a little mortification in this world hee will esteeme more of these then of a long and languishing durance of the flames in Purgatorie and turning againe to Magdalene hee said Bee of good cheere Magdalene and be glad and take into thy possession and vse those two wings wherby mens soules doe soare vp to heauen that is loue and feare the one toucheth the earth the other climbeth heauen The two wings that carried Magdalene to S. Pilon were the loue which shee did beare towards her God and that filiall feare which kept her back from offending against him The same day did those that were sent to Marseille with a purpose to giue the letter vnto Lewes returne from thence hauing effected nothing in the businesse For it seemed strange vnto the Capuchin fathers that they should be actors in reclaiming of him and would by no meanes proceed in the same till they had taken aduice and direction from father Michaelis vnto whom they sent certaine fragments of this their brotherly resolution and one of their reasons against this was because at that very time there was in the City of Aix one possessed in the couent of the Capuchins where the Diuell swore crosse and opposite to that vpon which the correction and pretended reformation of Lewes was founded saying that Lewes the Priest was no Magician neither was Magdalene bewitched This being thus related in the presence of Verrine and Belzebub Verrine said that this Dâ—uell was sent from Lucifer to stagger and make doubtfull the truth of these things and that he had taken a falâ—e oath for the Exorcist did not deale with that circumspection as hee should in exacting this oath with those solemnities that are requisite vnto the same that is to say hee was not made to sweare according to the meaning of God of his Church c. Yea Belzebub himselfe contrary to his wont and custome for hee did alwaies stand in opposition against Verrine said in great choller and fury yes that which Verrine tels you is most true for that Diuell was expresly sent from hell to say that Lewes was no Magician and that Magdalene was not bewitched but hee spake not truth in saying so neither did he sweare according to the meaning of God and of his Church and that hee was now grieuously punished for the same All which hee confirmed with a solemne oath vnto the which hee was enforced as Magdalene did afterwards testifie to haue inwardly felt in her selfe The same day I receiued a letter from father Michaelis dated the 16. of December 1610. in this teâ—our Reuerend father Pax Christi vobiscum I was well pleased to heare such good newes from you and to vnderstand that your labour towards those poore soules was not idle and without fruit of the which I doe so well approue that I delegate ouer vnto you all my authority as well of Inquisitour and Priour as of Vicar generall Cudgell these Diuels lustily who are Gods and our sworne enemies The manage of these affaires I wholly leaue vnto your selfe as being well practiâ—ed and dextrous in things of this kind and by Gods assistance hope to see you after Christmas So recommending me vnto the praiers of your reuerend selfe of the father Vicar and of father Gadrij saluting you and desiring you to tell Frier Simon from me that hee bestirre himselfe lustely herein I rest Yours most affectionate in the Lord Fr. Sebastianus Michaelis Vicarius generalis Prior Inquisitor fidei From Aix the 16. of December 1610. The same day after dinner Magdalene seemed to be much changed being full of spirituall ioy and ready to doe and leaue all for the loue of God She said that the day before shee had receiued many blowes and much disgrace without any feare or trembling in her heart although Lucifer endeauoured at the same time to make it appeare otherwise in outward shew and that she had receiued and taken in good part those instructions and disâ—ourses which in S. Baume were proposed vnto her She said that in the said place shee did for the space of 3. or 4. howres sensibly feele a kind of gentle sweetnesse softly distilling and dropping vpon her heart with a quiet internall silence so admirablie pleasing that in all her life she had not knowne nor seene nor heard the like She was also that day shut vp within S. Baume and confessed that the Sabbath and assembly of Witches was kept in S. Baume In the euening they were Exorcised by father Francis and Verrine after his accustomed manner began to say They that make difficulty to beleeue that the Diuell constrained by Exorcismes may auow and sweare a truth are worse then Hereticks because they must deny the vertue of Exorcismes the authority of the Church and the Omnipotency of God I could tell you all the villanies and sins you haue committed but I am tyed vp from doing mischiefe Wee that are Diuels can
i Verrines exhortation to Lewes k That is to say there is no hope of men after they are dead l The Magician told vs that if we did vnderstand his condition wee would be amazed at it for he had no memory But in this he did co-operate with the Diuell gaue his consent there unto which being by the Diuels oftentimes practized vpon Magdalen they could neuer by any charmes bring the same about as shall be seene heereafter because she would neuer consent there-unto m Belzebub accuseth Lewes the Magician n Louyse related vnto vs that she vnderstood wel al that Verrine had prompted vnto her and did readily co-operate and gaue her assistance to all the praiers that were powred forth for the conuersion of the Magician o Touching Antichrist see the Apology vnto the doubts p The hardnesse of the Magicians hart q The aduice for the seperation of the women possessed r The Exorcist changed s Leuiathans answeres t He said this because hee was put to silence vpon the accusations against Lewes for a season u The Diuels exclamation and inuectiue against the obduratenesse of the Magician x The hypocrisie of the Magician y This is very obseruable for he made repetition diuerse times of the same z The death of Louyse a Touching Antichrist see the doubts after the Epistle to the Reader b Two Capuchin fathers go to Marseille c Witches are carried inuisibly d Verrine barketh like a dogge e The superiour Diuels doe tye and binde vp those that are inferiour and in subordination vnto them as amongst men the stronger bindeth him that is weaker and maketh him to hold his peace So amongst liuing creatures one by the instinct of nature doth master another f We were yet in indifferency and were at that time making inquiry after these things g The difference of Diuels h By this often reprouing of the Diuell they gaue intimation vnto him that they did not beleeue him i The adoration of a Goat in their Synagogues k Verrine barketh against Lewes l The prediction that Lewes should bee burnt and the two women exorcised at Aix as it afterward happened m He was degraded by the Bishop of Marseille who was also deputed a Commissary at the hearing of his cause n The prediction of the execution death of the MagiciaÌ„ ratified by a solemne oath which prediction the Diuel gaue as a signe o The difficulty which the father 's made of the truth hereof p The prediction that the Magician should be enlarged vpon supposition of his innocence which was verified the 14. 15. of Ianuary q These departures were very sensible as well by the blast which brake forth froÌ„ her mouth as by their names which in their issuing â—orth they gaue themselues r Magicians are not possessed s This is to be seene t There were schedules rendered to Theophilus the Magician and to S. Basil for an other Magician as is set downe at large in their liues u Being in a Church of his iurisdiction x Verrines complaint vnto God y The prophesie of Ezechiel accidentally lighted on and read z These Canons did alleage that Lewes was a Priest appertaining to the Dioceâ—â—e of the Bishop of Marseille to whom we answered that hee was come thither not vpon command but by aduice a Inquisition into the verity of the writings b Lewes the Magician went away to Auignon with some others to make declaration of his innocency but he was remitted backe againe c Father Domptius sent backe vnto his superiour d This was a Priest of the Doctrine Confessor in ordinary to the sisters of S. Vrsula and particularly to Magdalene since her possâ—ssion A man godly and learned and at this present Superiour in the house of the Priests of the Doctrine in the city of Aix in Prouince who did Exorcise Magdalene in his Church c She named all the wicked spirits in their order as readily as any one could reade them in a booke f This was her vsuall prayer when she was among the sisters of her Order which she said by heart g Belzebub strangely shaketh Magdalane h This was said after the Exorcismes were past i Belzebub vaunteth that he had tempted Adam and Christ Iesus k The distinct places and Office of Diuels l Some Doctors are of opinion that he was fastned with foure nailes m Some schoole-men do hold that he did not deliuer all the soules that were in Purgatory but all those that were in Lymbo otherwise called Abrahams bosome n The horrible gestures of Belzebub in the body of Magdalene o Great cries heard on the top of the Church p Tharasque was a monstrous Dragon that deuoured men in Tharascon in Prouince q The filthy gestures caused by Asmodee r Six Knights came from Marseille to lead with them the Magician whom they fauoured and gaue countenance vnto as their speciall friend s Out of his commission we might easily conceaue him to bee a true Deuill when hee was left to his owne nature the iudgement of God permitting this to happen least otherwise men might mistake and beleeue him to be no Deuil t They try the Deuils whether they would contradict themselues u Charmes cast into the eyes of Magdalene Saint Clement in his recognitions reciteth the like of his mother who thought that she had euer Simon Magus before her eyes x The difference of the knowledge of God y The accidentall paines of the Deuils z From whence the names of Deuils haue their originall Tertullian saith Ibi nomen vbi pignus a Lucifer chained vp in hell b See the Apology vnto the 10. doubt after the Epistle to the Reader b See the Apology vnto the 10. doubt after the Epistle to the Reader c God bindeth and vnbindeth the Deuils how and when it pleaseth him yet he doth this but at times permitting them sometimes to do whatsoeuer their naturall power can accomplish at other times he weakneth this power of theirs as seemeth good vnto him Examples heereof are in the 1. of Iob in the 7. and 20. of the Apocalypse and elsewhere d Michael the cheifest of the Angels e What the temptations of Deuils are and who are their aduersaries in heauen f Balberith Iudg. 9. a Obserue the order which he here keepeth in numbring of them in the same place ranke as when hee first deliuered them b Verrine denyeth that he is a preacher See the 1. doubt after the Epistle to the reader c The absolute power of God d A charmed ring e Magdalens throte seased on by the Diuel f The tortures which Magdalen suffered g Charmes cast into Magdalene which she reuealeth h Either to beat vp and downe in the aire with them or to defend themselues against such attempters i O the goodnesse of God that will not so much as suffer the Diuell to force through a casement of paper What ought the christian to conceaue of his wil which
THE ADMIRABLE HISTORY OF THE POSSESSION AND CONVERSIon of a Penitent woman SEDVCED BY A MAGICIAN THAT MADE her to become a Witch and the Princesse of Sorcerers in the Country of Prouince who was brought to S. Baume to bee exorcised in the yeere 1610. in the moneth of Nouember by the authority of the Reuerend father and Frier Sebastian Michaëlis Priour of the Couent Royall of S. Magdalene at Saint Maximin and also of the said place of Saint Baume WHO APPOINTED THE REVEREND FATHER Frier Francis Domptius Doctor of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Louaine by birth a Fleming and residing in the said Couent of Saint Maximin vnder the regular discipline and reformation of the order of preaching Friers for the Exorcismes and recollection of the Acts. All faithfully set downe and fully verified WHEREVNTO IS ANNEXED A PNEVMOLOGY OR DIScourse of Spirits made by the said Father Michaëlis and by him renewed corrected and enlarged Together with an explanatory Apology of the many difficulties touching this History and the Annotations Erubescant impij deducantur in infernum muta fiant labia dolosa Psalm 30. Translated into English by W. B. AT LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Aspley AA TO THE QVEENE REGENT MADAME The History comprized within this Booke doth for sundry reasons appertaine vnto you First because those things which in themselues are great rare or admirable doe properly belong to great personages and your Maiesty is the greatest Queene and Princesse of our age Secondly for that your name seated in the highest place of the entry of this History may occasion Princes Lords and Gentlemen to take the paines to reade ouer the same which will aduantage and profit them as much as any booke that hath been published these many yeeres The third reason which is grounded vpon the two former is that our little King your sonne will proue another Iosias who was crowned and made King of Israel at eight yeeres of age yet neuerthelesse became the most pious King that euer was in Israel who did parallel Dauid himselfe in sanctity crushed all manner of Idolatry that for so long space was hatched amongst the people broake downe their Idols and put to death all Magicians and worshippers of Baal Neither doe I slenderly coniecture this because that since his raigne euen at the very first entrance vnto his Crowne there hath been made an admirable discouery of Magicians and of the kingdome of Satan by the extraordinary prouidence of God Henry the Great his deceased father and our so much desired King gaue the first light and life thereof vnto him who would rather die then giue credence vnto Magâ—cians cleane opposite to Saul who did affect rather to make his addresse to such men then to hazard himselfe any way to danger To which may bee added that our present King gaue the first grace and pardon vnto her who by seducements became the Princesse of Magicians God hauing through his mercy touched her heart and conuerted her vnto him as he will doe all those that of their owne accord doe make acknowledgement of their impieties which is the most proper remedy to bring the said kingdome of Satan to vtter confusion and to attract and winne in his adherents and complices to the true knowledge of God Neither can hee better assure his state and kingdome then by this meanes King Saul was dis-inuested thereof because he went to a Witch And God was stirred vp to wrath against King Manasses in that hee countenanced Magicians and Sorcerers Vpon the like occasion was the great City of Babylon ruined as it is written by the Prophets Esaias and Ezechiel Contrariwise the good Iosias although God was much prouoked and as it were challenged by their former offences yet raigned religiously and peaceably one and thirty yeeres in Ierusalem The fourth and last reason is because that in this History our late King Henry the great is mentioned not without grert Attributes of honour and praise God hauing accepted of his piety and good desires as a sacrifice and his death as a kind of Martyrdome To conclude I am not ignorant that some will heere alleage that it is not expedient to beleeue all that is written in this History and that it was not so fitly managed to put this booke in print by reason of the inconueniences which may arise thereupon But to these two points I will answere in the following Epistle which I make to the Reader fearing Madame least I proue burthensome to your Maiesty who am and alwaies will remaine Your most humble and obedient subiect and seruant F. SEBASTIAN MICHAELIS Prior of your Couent Royall of S. Magdalene at S. Maximin From Paris the 2. of October 1612. TO THE READER FRiendly Reader When first I made mention to put this History in Print I found two sorts of men that were of a contrary opinion The first had the faire cloak and couerture of Scripture saying that wee must not beleeue nor giue credence to the Diuell vpon which say they all this History is founded The second as more eagle-sighted then the former alleage that it is vnsitting to put it forth to auoid thereby the scandall of many especially of those that are strayed from the Catholicke faith which they will take at the publishing of this booke when they shall vnderstand that these things were done by a Priest To these two points I answere that as touching the former Iesus Christ himselfe doth giue vs the resolution thereof when speaking of the Diuell he saith that of a certainty there was no truth in him from the beginning of his fall but hee giueth a restriction and limitation to his Axiome adding immediately these words Cum ex proprijs loquitur mendax est that is to say when he speaketh from himselfe and of his owne accord it is most certaine he is alwaies a liar euer endeauouring to worke mans preiudice and destruction but the case is altered when being inforced and adiured in the efficacy of the name of God hee speaketh and answereth to exorcismes This wee see verified in the Gospell when Iesus Christ would vse his authority ouer the Diuels as when they cried with a loud voice worshipping him What haue wee to doe with thee Iesus the Sonne of the high God I charge thee by the same God said one of them that thou doe not torment me and earnestly besought him not to cast him out of that region nor into the bottomlesse pit of hell but to suffer them all to enter into the heard of swine And Iesus Christ demanding the Diuell that spake and was the chiefe of them what his name was he answered my name is Legion for wee are many In which we may obserue two remarkeable points first that Christ Iesus being adiured by the name of God although it was done by a Diuell yet from the respect and reuerence which hee did beare to God his father condescended vnto the request of this Diuell and
all his companions as in the like occasion being semblably charged by Caiphas to declare whether hee were the Sonne of God or no hee then answered more cleerely and amply then at any time before although hee well knew that Caiphas was vncapable of that mysterie and would not make his aduantage of the same What ought we then to cōceiue of Diuels being adiured in the power of the name of God shall they not deliuer the truth when by the vertue of the same name they are compelled to relinquish and abandon the bodies of those whom formerly they did possesse The second point to be noted is that vpon the interrogatories of Iesus Christ they haue spoken and answered truely and consequently they doe somtimes tell truth not of their owne accord or motion but vpon constraint and that of him who is powerfull to constraine them to wit Christ Iesus and his Lieue-tenants that are endowed with this power to whom hee saith I haue giuen you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemy And in another place he saith to the successors of the Apostles that they shall cast out Diuels in his name If then the answeres of Diuels are inserted in the Gospell why may not the like answeres be now written and published to the world The old Testament doth not stick to say that the euill Spirit of God hauing possessed Saul besides tormenting him did prophesie also that is to say hee spake after the manner of Prophets of things absent and hidden from the vnderstanding of men Saint Chrysostome in the 13. Homily vpon Saint Matthew giueth vs his resolution of this pointe inueighing against Atheists who deny the paines of bell They are taught by the Deuils saith he who being full of pride will not confesse that they indure any torments and being replenished with malice would disswade vs from beleeuing it yet are they oftentimes compelled besides the confessions made by them in the Gospell to say and confesse publickly the great torments which they suffer and are constrained thereunto by the omnipotency of God and the excessiuenesse of the torments wherewith they are punished as a malefactor that is questioned extraordinarily doth by the force of the tortures that are presented vnto him confesse the truth If then the Atheists will not beleeue the Scriptures God maketh the Deuils themselues to confesse it and those saith hee that will not then beleeue are worse then Deuils For answere vnto the second wee will make remonstrance vnto them that by their reckoning the Scripture should net haue laid before vs the History of the yong Preists that were the sonnes of Hely who did snatch the flesh from the pots that belonged to the sacrifice and did deflower the deuout women that came into the Temple to watch there at night Neither should the narration of the sinnes of Dauid who was a Prophet and father of the future Messias be set downe much lesse should the Euangelists mention the treason of Iudas which are so farre from ministring occasion of scandall vnto the people that on the contrary many wholesome doctrines tending much to edification may be drawne from thence This is declared by Saint Paul when hauing spoken of Hymeneus and Philetus that did scandalize the Church hee addeth The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath his seale on those that are his Notwithstanding saith he is it not true that in the house of a great Lord there bee vessels of gold and vessels of siluer vessels of wood and vessels of earth destinated vnto diuers vses If therefore any man purge himselfe frō the ordures which are in the contemptible vessels the same shall be a vessel of honour in the house of God True it is that the vessels of greatest contempt and dishonour are the wicked Preists as for example Iudas in the Colledge of Christ Iesus and Diacrus Nicolaus in the society of the Apostles and the reasons thereof are apparent First because of their great ingratitude which maketh the grace of God to depart farre from them and consequently they are the more blinded by the working of the Deuill Ingrati scelesti saith S. Paul Another reason is because they are more ignominious to Christ Iesus as appeareth by Magicians The third reason is for that the corruption of those things that are excellent is worse then the corruption of things lesse excellent as the putrification of the blood is more pernicious then of any of the other humours And this would Ieremy haue said in the vision of the two baskets of figges the one being full of figges not onely good but excellently good and the other full of figges not onely naught but extreamely naught in porta templi And this is amply declared by Saint Augustine in an Epistle which he wrote vpon a suggestion against a Preist of his who was accused of some soule crime In the house of Adam saith hee there was Abel and Cain in the Arke of Noah liuing creatures both cleane and vncleane and in his house one Cham with Sem and Iaphet In the house of Abraham Ismael with Isaac in the house of Isaac Esau with Iacob in the house of Iacob incestuous Rubin with chaste Ioseph in the house of Dauid Absolon with Salomon And how be it God himselfe had twice talked with Salomon and had bestowed on him so many indowments of his grace in the house of his father yea although himselfe was a Prophet and the author of some of the sacred and Canonicall writtes yet did not the Deuill cease to gaine vpon him and to cause him to present vnto him the sacrifices that were appointed for God Finally Saint Augustine bringeth in the example of Iudas and concludes I haue by long experiences learned that as there are not on the earth better Christians then good Preists so on the contrary I neuer knew a Christian so euill as a wicked Preist To the same purpose speaketh Saint Ierome no man did euer disesteeme the Colledge of the Apostles because Iudas plaid the villaine among them no man euer misconceiued of the Quires of Angels by reason of Lucifer and his confederates but rather by their vnhappy end we should learne to do well and be strengthned the more in the Christian faith when it commeth into our consideration that the Deuill paineth not himselfe to draw a Minister to make his supper in a Synagogue nor a Rabbin of the Iewes nor a Musulman of the Turkes for from hence can redound no ignominy vnto Christ Iesus neither can he by this gaine in any thing in his pretensions as he would by the assistance of a wicked Preist that doth consecrate the body of Christ Iesus Neither doth God suffer such execrable villanies to passe without great and maruellous wonders as shall be seene in this History but discouereth all by the extraordinary meanes of his vnbounded power and doth inforce the Deuils themselues to make
discouery and proclaime the same to their vtter ruine and confusion And from hence he ministreth matter and occasion vnto Hereticks to make acknowledgement of their Heresies vnto Magicians to abiure and abandon their abominations vnto Catholicks to implant and establish themselues with better assurance in their faith I haue made some Annotations in the margent vpon the pointes of greatest difficulty because I would giue contentment vnto euery one I must intreate the courteous reader of this History to excuse mee if in the second part heereof I haue bin constrained to make mention oâ—tentimes of my selfe and those that were with me there was a necessity for the doing of it for the more ample verification of the History Moreouer the courteous reader shall do wel to take heed that in this History he do not therefore giue credit to the Deuill in that hee speaketh naught that is contrary to the Gospell and doctrine of the Church but to giue credit to him then when hee would set on foote some new and contrary doctrine Besides he may obserue that this tendeth not any way to the ouerthrow of the company of the Virgines of Saint Vrsula for there is many times mention and repetition made in this History that God hath made special election of them to confound and crush in peeces all magicke and the abhorred villanies thereof and that for compensation of the same they shall be extolled before God and before men Furthermore the freindly reader will hold me excused for the rude and vnpollished phrase of this booke I hauing a regard in a businesse of this nature to write rather truely then elegantly hee may remember that the French Dialects are different as it was in Greece when it most flourished and that Aristotle with his harsh kind of writing was no lesse profitable then Demosthenes with his Atticke phrase was pleasing and the stile of the Gospell and of Saint Paul is more powerfull with vs then all the oratory of the world Besides those that are possessed ordinarily spake their mother tongue so that it was expedient for the more faithfull relation of the whole to follow their vaine of speaking word for word Hence it commeth that the phrases of the natiue French tongue could not be alwayes obserued The scope of this History is the feare of God and his iudgements the detestation of vice whereby the Maiesty of God is prouoked and the auoiding of the paines of hell more particularly to cause in vs a loathing of that abominable sinne of Idolatry which is perpetually committed in practising of Magick and in the Schoole of Satan In the recollection of all there hath beene vsed great faithfulnesse without any additions whatsoeuer and the diligence that hath beene employed heerein may bee seene in the page of the actes of the eighth of Ianuary and in the following page I haue suppressed this History for the space of a yeere and more and made no account to haue had it published but the zeale of the Catholicke faith hath induced me thereunto after I had once seene a letter missiue of Monsieur du Vic wherein he aduertised that the aduersaries of our faith did triumph in Rochel when the depositions of the Magician now in question were put forth in print where it is said that the said Magician did celebrate Masse in the Synagogue And thereupon they make an inference that the Masse is a diabolicall thing but doe not withall consider that the Diuels aime is to vsurpe vpon the glory of God and to inuade as much as in him lyeth the honour of his diuinity that in conclusion hee may cause himselfe to bee adored as a God For hee shamed not to demand it of Christ Iesus himselfe saying vnto him I will giue vnto thee all the kingdomes of the earth if thou wilt worship me that is to say if thou wilt acknowledge mee to be the onely God and Creator of all things as Saint Chrysostome doth interpret it as also hee dared to abuse the sacred Scripture it selfe in the presence of Christ Iesus To which purpose speaketh Saint Augustine shewing that sacrifice appertaineth to God alone as in the old Testament saith he the sacrifice of the law in the new Testament the sacrifice of the true flesh of Christ on the Crosse and after his ascension the sacrifice made in the Sacrament which is in commemoration of his death and passion hee goeth on and saith These are things which those proud spirits the Diuell and his Angels do openly chalenge and demand And in the 4. booke of the Trinity chapter 13. about the end of the chapter hee saith Non intelligunt ne ipsos quidem superbissimos spiritus honoribus sacrificiorum gaudere potuisse nisi vni vero Deo pro quo coli volunt verum sacrificium deberetur That is Idolaters doe not vnderstand that these haughty spirits could not be so pleased with the honour of sacrifices were it not that truesacrifice were due to the only true God in whose steed they would be serued and honoured Another inducement wherewith I was much mooued was a booke in Latine lately printed in Paris intituled Mimyca daemonum compiled by Henry de Montaigne a gentleman of Languedoc L. of S. Iohn de la Coste where in his precursory epistle he giueth to vnderstand that the occasion that gaue life and birth vnto this book which doth intend to shew that in al ages the Diuel hath bin Gods ape and vsurpes vpon his glory is to beat flat that shallow yet dangerous conclusion which the Ministers of Languedoc held touching the depositions of the said Gaufridy adding these words Nouatores in re tam leui insistunt libellum confessionis praedicti Gaufridij à suis curant â—mi venundari vt rudi plebeculae quam decipiunt quasi horrorem sacerdotum ineutiant But the truth of this History will cleerely demonstrate that God was grieuously offended with such impiety and that for to bring confusion on the same hee vsed a maruellous and vnusual meanes making the Diuels themselues to be the discouerers of this Magician who was afterwards burnt Neither could it be otherwise detected for the truth of this could not sinke into their apprehensions that knew him hee being after a strange manner by the aide and conuention of the Diuell growne a couert and close hypocrite and was after a stranger manner dis-masked and layd open by the omnipotency of God whom the Diuels themselues are constrained to obey when it is his good pleasure The streame of this History runneth mainly on this point to shew that al tendeth to ampliate the glory of God vnto vs and to confirme our holy Catholick faith Whence the courteous reader may also note what regard God had of our Priest hood when to conuert one Priest that had so strangely gone astray hee did draw it on with such long and admirable solemnities For matter of fact in this History there is nothing to bee wondered at which hath
his Schoolemaster holding the rodde with his hands for feare of being scourged After this manner did a Diuell flatter Christ Iesus saying I pray thee torment me not Iesus thou Sonne of God in which hee spake the pure truth Thirdly which is the most ordinary fashion when they are enforced thereunto in despite of themselues by the diuine and hidden prouidence of God or in the vertue of his name by exorcismes which reason is alleaged by the sweet and religious Poet Arator in his Poems vpon the Acts of the Apostles as also by venerable Bede and many others Fourthly hee speaketh truth to gaine thereby an opportunity to accuse and giue attestation against vnbeleeuing and impenitent men before the throne of Gods iudgement Wherevpon Saint Anthony rehearseth the history of a Diuell that hauing taken on him the shape and habite of a Preacher made a very good sharpe sermon and in the end declared before them all that hee was a wicked Spirit permitted by God to accuse vnbeleeuing and vnrepentent persons before the tribunall of Gods iudgments The friendly Reader may be pleased to haue regard vnto two things first that this is a History making a bare declaration of a fact is no foundation whereupon to build our faith though it may serue very fitly to stirre vs vp to ponder vpon the iudgements of God The other is that hee take not in ill part the frequent repetition of things for that it was expedient to expresse and fashion this History to the truth although those very repetitions were so varied and expressed with such vehemence that they were neither vnfruitfull nor superfluous to the standers by but did raise in them such passions that they cast forth many sighes and teares God for his goodnesse touch and make tender all our hearts by those many meanes and remedies which he hath bestowed vpon vs. THE SVMMARIE OF THE HISTORY OF the Magician burned at Aix in the yeare 1611. the last of Aprill IN the Citty of Marseille there was a Priest called Lewes Gaufridi that came from the side of the mountaines of Prouince and for the space of 14. yeres remained a Magician Hee fell into it by reading a certaine booke in written hand where there was French verses with diuers characters and this was found by him amongst the bookes of an Vnkle of his that died some yeeres past so that in conclusion the Diuell did visibly appeare vnto him in a humane shape and said What wilt thou with me for thou hast called me And after some discourse the said Lewes Gawfridi said vnto him If thou hast power to giue mee what I desire I aske of thee two things First that all the women that I shall be in loue withall doe affect and follow me Secondly that I may gaine estimation and honour aboue all other Priests of this Country and amongst men of worth and credit The diuell hauing promised him these two things did reciprocally demand to haue giuen him his body his soule and his workes whereunto hee answered that hee would freely bestow these three things vpon him onely hee desired to make reseruation of administring the Sacraments And being thus agreed the said Gaufridi gaue him a schedule signed with his bloud and the diuell interchangeably gaue vnto him another and promised vnto him as aforesaid And being now become such a one hee endeuoured to seduce a young girle of the age of nine or ten yeares called Magdalene de Demandoul alias de la Pallud daughter vnto Mounsieur de la Pallud a gentleman of Prouinco whose consent at last hee gained and led her whiles shee remained at a Grange of the said Monsieur de la Pallud to a Caue or denne not farre from the said Grange where she saw a great number of people who were the Synode of Sorcerers and was much abashed at the same But the magician told her these are all our friends and you must be marked like vnto them and so tooke the poore affrighted girle and marked and abused her yet for all this shee would reueale nothing when she came home neither to father nor to mother nor to any other Afterward she was ordinarilie carried by the Deuill to that Conuenticle and was made the Princesse of the Synagogue as the said Lewes was the Prince Notwithstanding this whiles shee re mained still at her Fathers by the grace of God who had regard of her yong and tender yeares she had a desire to become one of the Virgines of Saint Vrsula that are resident at Aix in Prouince vnder the conduct and gouernment of Priests called the Priests of the Christian doctrine This her intendment she communicated vnto the Magician who dehorted her from it with all the inforcements bec ould and perswaded her to marry promising to prouide for her a rich and proper man to be her husband For all this she stil persisted in her first resolution which put the Magician into such passion and choler that he menaced her and said if thou do go thither I will destroy all the company as well of the virgines of S. Vrsula as of the Priests of the Doctrine Being gone thither the Magician by Witchcraft power of a Schedule which she had formerly giuen the diuell signed with her bloud so wrought that shee was possessed by Belzebub and many others of his associates He also did by a Charme bewitch a companion of hers called Louyse Capeau by the force whereof as also because she had diuers times besought God that shee might indure all torments euen to the paines of hell as much as she could be capable of that shee might conuert certaine of her sisters there who were in a desperate estate deuoid of the grace of God the said Louyse was possessed by a wicked spirit called Verrine and by two other his companions This being so father Iohn Baptista Romillon Superiour of the Priests of the Doctrine perceiued by their extraordinarie gestures that these two women were possessed and thereupon caused them priuately to bee exorcised in their Chappell as one that feared least this might tend to the defamation of that Company And hauing continued this for the space of a yeere and certaine moneths and to his vnderstanding profited nothing for the diuels could neuer all that space be brought to speake hee brought the said Magdalene as more manifestly possessed then the other to S. Maximin to craue there the aduise of Father Sebastian Michaelis Priour of the Couent Royall that is at Saint Maximin where the body of S. Magdalene lyeth who was of opinion that there should a generall Confession be by her made to S. Magdalene and so she should receiue absolution from him as from the Inquisitour of the Faith least otherwise shee might reserue some particular fact to her selfe Afterward they made her make a vow for 9. daies in the Chappell where the blessed S. Magdalene doth lye and did exorcise her euening and morning in which time the diuells
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
I affirme that if they be humble they will acknowledge that thou art omnipotent and that being so thou art able to wring truth from the very Diuels not from their free disposition and will for we are all of vs accursed but compulsorily and as constrained thereunto by thy power We are more loyall vnto God then many Christians yet for all this we are still Diuels And heere must they denie the authoritie of the Church Why is it that those that are possessed be exorcised if it bee not auaileable and if the Diuell cannot speake truth I say it is all lost labour you may take your bookes speaking to the Exorcist and throw them all into the fire Then he spake in a great rage to her that was possessed and said What thinkest thou Louyse why doest thou suffer thy selfe to be exorcised if neither by God nor the tenents of the Church we are able to tell the truth Ha miserable wretches how many othes haue been taken in the vertue of the name of God by Exorcismes all which must proceede from Louyse if they must not be accepted of our part But miserable and abhorred wretches as you are you deceiue your selues you are exceedingly replenished and surcharged with vnthankfulnes and mis-apprehension You haue so good a God that if it were needfull that hee should suffer death for you againe he would willingly vndergoe it more especially for two soules which now I cannot name Magdalene it is true that Louyse is for thy sake possessed and will if it be requisite lay down her bodie for thy soule It is true all sinners are accursed and obstinate You will peraduenture say that God doth loue much And why Lord Hast thou neede of Christians No no thou couldest not bee God and haue neede of the aide of any creature whatsoeuer I say the creature hath neede of thee And it is a fixed truth that the more miserable the creature shall bee the more cleerely shall thy bountie shine and appeare in relieuing it It is not so great a wonder that children should goe to heauen but this is the miracle that sinners who haue a long time snored in their obstinacie should repent and turne to God I doe assure you who heare this that if you doe not treasure vp these things for your profit and health we will be your accusers at the day of iudgement We must here note that some daies past Magdalene told the Dominican father that vpon the eighth exhortation which Verrine made vnto her she felt her selfe so affrighted as if she had alreadie one foote in the pit of hell The acts of the 12. of December 1610. which was the third Aduent Sunday ON this day it was thought behoofull that the Father of the Doctrine and the Dominican Father should so interchangeably aid one another that whiles the Dominican Father was busied in exorcising one of the possessed Father Francis should supplie the place of a Scribe to note summarily the sentences that proceeded from the Diuell by the mouth of Louyse On the other side when the Father of the Doctrine did exorcise the Dominican Father should transcribe that so in conclusion all might be subiected to the Censure of the Church for the further glorie of God The same day in the morning were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by the Dominican Father In the beginning whereof many persons of the neighbouring Townes and Villages which were by this time aduertised of this accident that happened at S. Baume being assembled thither in great troupes Verrine began thus to speake Cursed be this witchcraft for from hence will God worke out a thousand benefits and a thouâ—and acts of his mercie It was not our intendment nor the purpose of the Magician that such accidents should happen Our proiect was to get her consent that so wee might haue carried her to hell Cursed cursed cursed be S Baume a thousand thousand thousand times accursed It is a wonderfull thing that the slaues of hell should be the instruments to conuert the children of light Do but obserue what I shall say vnto you Some hunt after riches and all their affection is enuassailed and taken vp therewith who by giuing a little almes imagine to goe to heauen in a featherbed without any more adoe or obseruation of the law and Commandements of God Some others are poore and haue a conceit that for their pouertie they shall enter into glorie Indeede happie are the poore but they must be poore in spirit You that are poore endure your pouertie with patience and you shall merit much Haue you in your cogitations the God of glorie how he was borne in pouertie for your sakes and laid in the manger of a stable God from all eternitie foresaw this day and that in S. Baume the Diuels should discouer themselues to the conuersion of soules Do not repine at your comming nither you I say who oftentimes haue prostituted â—our selues to the hazard of losing your goods bodies â—nd soules to offend and trespasse against him What a â—hame will it be that any should not be conuerted wheÌ„â—he Diuell himselfe exhorteth them thereunto God is â—ost powerfull and is able to bestow rewards and riâ—nes vpon you but he is not able to doe two things he â— not able to sinne and hee cannot faile of his proâ—aise Shake off your sins you who haue mortally sinned â—nd depart not from hence vntill you be coâ—sessed To â—y extreame griefe and vexation doe I speake this â—orsake your couetous desire of worldly goods which â—oth so much possesse you You poore people reioyce in your pouertie This day â—m I compelled by Mary and Magdalene to tell it â—nto you by Mary from her sonne by Magdaleneâ—om â—om her Master Humble your selues after the example of him who â—ecame poore for your sakes He died for you and not for vs. Mary knoweth well that he died on a Crosse being naked and not able to get a glasse of water The same knoweth Magdalene and Iohn the Euangelist and that for you he suffered death on the Crosse. It is strange that hell should exhort you to goe to Paradise And speaking to Louyse he said Cursed bee thy desires thou hast longed aboue a thousand times to suffer euen the paines of hell for thy neighbour Humble thy selfe Louyse and that speedily otherwise beleeue it thou art the most vnhappy the most abhorred the most detestable and accursed of all creatures Louyse beleeue me Enter into the abisme of thy lesse then nothing God would haue thee humbled Desist from beleeuing all that men will thrust vpon thee The sinnes from which God hath preserued thee are as great benefits as those for which he hath pardoned thee Thou hadst beene in hell if God had not preserued thee thou hadst remained a Huguenot and shouldest not haue had the vnderstanding to begge for that which was conuenient for thee Preachers doe trauell themselues much to thinke vpon what
Verrine Afterward she read the letter which she had formerly the day before her conuersion directed to the blessed Mother of God by the order and aduice of the Father Romillon in reading of which Verrine rebuked her and taxed her of pride saying that Pelagia being conuerted by a sermon Nonnus refused to baptize her but she threw her selfe downe at his feete and said that she would demaund satisfaction of him at the day of iudgement whereupon he did baptize her Then hee said Take courage Magdalene for God will giue assistance vnto thee but beware thou neglectest not the fiue counsels and instructions which were giuen to Louyse this morning to wit a good intention puritie of affection puritie of conscience faith and humilitie Francis for his simplicitie and humblenesse is in Paradise hee suffered himselfe to bee accounted a foole yet was hee garnished with all sorts of excellent vertues for God giueth grace to the humble and resisteth the proud He was also indowed with the gift of obedience for without obedience there is no going to Paradise yea the Sonne of God himselfe said to his Father in the garden of Oliuet Fiat voluntas tua and finally resignation is to be made of all worldly desires After this hee caused the tenour of the letter to bee changed saying that it sented of nothing but of pride and nicenesse and he made it to be mended in manner as followeth My most deare glorious worthie and vnspotted Mother of God and the most louely Mother of my Spouse I salute you in the heartiest manner and present my selfe before you as a wretched malefactor before his Iudge to the end that you would be pleased to intercede for me to your best beloued Sonne and to offer vnto him your holy and chast wombe that bare him and your blessed breasts that gaue him sucke As also to pray your dearest Sonne to present his fiue wounds vnto his Father that so I may haue remission of all the sinnes which I haue committed in my fiue senses I am a poore miserable creature vnworthie to lift vp mine eyes to heauen or once to name of my Creator But I will say like another Thais he who hath created me and framed me of nothing take pitie vpon me who am not worthie to tread on the earth or to lift vp my spirit and voyce to pray no not to S. Magdalene S. Dominicke my good Angel and all the Saints of heauen or other reasonable creatures as well absent as present I Magdalene of Demandouls haue written this letter to the most sacred and worthie Mother of God who doe not merit as much as to name her deliuered by a Diuell called Verrine that spake by the mouth of Louyse because I haue not made those instructions vsefull vnto mee which by so many learned personages whom I little esteemed of were recommended to my practise I haue rather hearkened vnto Lucifer then to them and doe now make my protestation before God that I shall neuer hereafter giue eare to Belzebub nor to his adherents by the assistance of his grace and through the prayers of the Virgin Mary the sinners Aduocate and specially of S. Mary Magdalene of all Angels and of all Saints Protesting in despite of Belzebub the chiefe of the Diuels which are in my bodie and of al hell I will heedfully obserue those fiue points which were recommended vnto me to wit a good intention a pure affection puritie of conscience simplicitie humilitie as also obedience and resignation of the world All this I doe here promise by the aide and grace of my God The subscriptioÌ„ of the said letter was dated in manner as followeth Verrine saying that the subscription of letters that were to be sent to great personages ought to be no lesse polite and elegant then the bodie of the letters themselues Your most humble and prostrate hand-maid replenished with all presumption in that she hath been so hardie as to write vnto so great a Queene although my great and compelling necessities haue pressed me vnto it and I saw that you were the Sanctuarie and refuge of those that were forlorne as also I was transported thereunto by reason of the great and violent assaults of temptations which Belzebub and all his complices did force vpon me And hauing vnderstood such wonders spoken of your greatnesse I was emboldâ—â—d to take you for my Mother and Aduocate and will remaine all my life long vntill the last houre of my death by the helpe of my God your most forlorne and worthlesse slaue Magdalene of Demandouls The superscription was thus To the most sacred worthie pretious and glorious Mother of my God and Aduocate for sinners The acts of the 13. of December 1610. being the feast of S. Luke THat day in the morning the Dominican Father came to conferre of the discourse of the day past that he might orderly couch and set downe in writing what he had obserued And seeing that hee could not conceiue where to begin hee remained a little sad that it should bee thus in hazard to bee forgotten At the length he was resolued to take the Stole and to adiure the Diuell Verrine that if it were the good pleasure of God that this should bee written to the end that the Church might take knowledge of the same it was then his part and dutie to repeate and dictate what hee had spoken to the confusion of the Diuell and to the glorie of God Presently did the Diuell begin to dictate in the presence of the fathers of the congregation as is aforesaid The Diuell protesting that he was now inforced to â—he repetition thereof but would hereafter dictate all â—nto the Church so leasureably that a man might haue â—he opportunity to write after him The same day in the morning Louyse and Magdaâ—ene were exorcised by the Dominican father and at the â—eginning of the exorcismes Verrine began to dictate â—hat which here followeth in the hearing of many taâ—ing the subiect of his discourse from the Gospell In â—rincipio which the Priest read after Masse Hee cried â—ut Cursed be In principio If I were able to smother â—t how willingly would I doe it These last words â—lunge vs into despaire Verbum caro factum est haâ—itauit The beginning speaketh of your redemption â—he conclusion of your glorie there is no habitauitâ—or â—or vs it is for others And this habitauit is it that â—addeth vs. The miracle doth not consist in this that Iohn the Euangelist wrote it but the wonder is that â— Diuell doth auow it and is constrained to his inâ—nite sorrow to annunciate this truth vnto you The â—iuels are compelled to speake the truth when God alâ—ighty doth expresse and wring it from them and are â—s Gally-slaues forced vnto it This is that God whom â—e Christians worship After Masse was finished hee began to speake after â—is sort touching the great Counsell of the most saâ—ed Trinitie about the reparation of mankinde When
aduise them thereunto Ioannes Euangelista was the great friend of God and Maryes gardian for her chastitie Stephanus cursed may'st thou be I must trumpet foorth thy charity in praying for those that stoned thee O Pernardus thou art Maries darling and thou Dominicke thou Stanislaus also though few take notice of thee Pâ—ulus thou wert a sinner and persecutor of the Christians but afterwards diddest become a great Preacher of vertues Anthonius of Padua through thy humilitie and for thy other vertues thou art now in Paradise By thy obedience O Abraham thou art the Father of beleeuers Dauid is the glasse of repentance wherein sinners may behold themselues and how they are to returne vnto their God Tu Petrus thou hast denied thy Maister Accursed Peter thou hast cost me deere O Peter by thy example those that haue denied God will learne to be conuerted William the Hermite was a great sinner yet by his repentance he found mercie Some go to heauen through repentance others through innocence Mary is in Paradise for her innocence Magdalene for her repentance Lewes King of Fraunce is the Patron of Kings It is the good pleasure of God that men of all conditions should be saued Hee hath made election of Emperours and also of the basest sort of people of Shooe-makers and of Husband-men Crispinian was a Cobler Athanasius a Labouring-man yet was hee at length chosen to be a Bishop There are of all sorts in Heauen to our confusion be it spoken to the end that none might haue any pretension for excuse God placeth those in Paradise which loue his Commandements and keepe them and doe not quench in themselues his good inspirations Hee sets them at his table He causeth them to eate of his bread and drinke of his wine He doth not as the men of this world doe vse their seruants as if they were slaues Nay there bee diuers that doe a great deale worse who cherish and make much of their dogges but doe euill entreate their seruants Then he said that hee should not be abashed if God would elect Princes and not men of base condition yea we could be contented to haue patience that he should chuse men but that women should bee gadding to Paradise that is it that maddeth vs. Cunigonda was an Empresse and is in Paradise so is Catherine of Alexandria and eleuen thousand Virgines went in one day to Paradise besides men which are not numbred Margaret of Hungary was a Queene shee entred into a Monastery and became so humble that shee would not be called the daughter of a King but of a Citizen Cursed be her humility for which we haue payd so deere To this Belzebub replied Amen Then Verrine continuing on his discourse said Barbara was beheaded by her owne Father and presently the Diuell slew him vpon the place The earth and Paradise are two Countries very distinct and different heere those that are most rich goe formost in Paradise those that are most good most humble and most obedient Marie was a poore Chamber-maid and the Chamber-maid of a Paynim yet is shee now espoused vnto the King of glory and as great as Cunigunda Margaret of Scotland was a married woman and yet shee went to Heauen Codelana also was a married woman whose husband strangled her and afterwards caused her to be throwne into a pit Elizabeth was the Queene Dowager of Hungary and in her great humility betooke her selfe to be the Mistresse of an Hospitall Notwithstanding we could let passe all this with patience but wee cannot chuse but bee enraged at those that haue committed folly and were great sinners as were Pelagia Thais and Magdalene which we speake without any preiudice to them or their glorie it doth rather conduce with the glorie of God and his bounteousnesse that he would vouchsafe to take them into blisse who did a thousand times deserue Hell They that will not beleeue what is here spoken will say that these two here be women and haue had their lesson giuen vnto them by which meanes these discourses will not proue vse-full vnto them which doth put vs in great comfort A Preacher is often wearied in preaching of one Sermon and I haue already made fifteene discourses by the mouth of this woman here meaning Louyse and haue sometimes made two or three in a day of greater extent and length then Preachers in their Aduents Cursed be thy force and cursed be him that hath bestowed it vpon thee Belzebub at this discourse cried out O power Then Verrine said it is the force which God giueth her How strange is it that Diuels should preach the Commandements of God and his Counsels and should teach the religious Clergie men Priests and Seculars and all sorts of people I tell you here are viands for all people to eate Eate he that will There are not a few of vs who are not well pleased with the sauce but would rather chuse the sauce of Hell You shall finde Notaries that for a matter of fiue sous will Register the Acts false and breake their oathes The Diuels are more faithfull vnto their Maister then you men are When the Diuels haue once sworne according to the purpose of God and his Church being thus adiured vnto the truth they want ability to lye Men haue their free-will if they doe ill they doe goe forth-with to hell if good they are straight admitted into heauen But the Diuell is meerely constrained to speake the truth when God would haue it so they haue no free-will to doe that which is good but are enforced accursed Fiends as they are to deliuer a truth Otherwise to what purpose scrueth the authority of the Church if oathes haue no tye or power or to what end are these bookes of Exorcisines published For they that denie this must denie the authoritie of the Church and those that haue composed and allowed the said bookes They must further say that there was neuer any dispossessed after the taking of an oath But they plunge into a gulfe from whence they can neuer issue out and either they must make search and inquisition after the curious persons that are in hell to make explanation of their curiosities or after the Saints in heauen to cause them to say that all their writings are nothing worth And so by a consequence they wil come to deny the Church and so stand defiled with the infectious opinions of the Caluinists How wonderfull is this that Diuels should preach of good intention pure affection puritie of conscience simplicitie humilitie and resignation of the world and teach men not to reserue the least loue of themselues as also to shew the meanes toward the attainment of Paradise and to discourse of chastitie and pouertie The Diuels will be a meanes of the reformation of many Monasteries the Diuels will yeeld more furtherance hereunto then their Bishops Abbots or Prelates are able to their great griefe doe they reueale it This must be the meanes
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
helpe to humble this cursed Belzebub let euery one of you set his foote on his head and in contempt of him say three times Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum Then he commanded on Gods behalfe that euery one should deiect Magdalene and humble her by putting their feete on her head and said Take courage vnto thee Magdalene this iâ— behoofefull for thee for the remission of thy sins and the confusion of Lucifer Belzebub and all hell O great confusion that the Diuels should be at ods and combat against diuels and take part with God it was neuer before heard of Hold thy selfe Magdalene to bee the most vile and detested creature that is vpon the earth and thou shalt proue another Magdalene and shalt die a penitent O Magdalene thou shalt be a helper vnto S. Vrsula and shalt be much honoured A great sinner shall find great mercy witnesse the Prophet Dauid and a lesse sinner â—esse mercy O great great great mercy let euery one pray for it Then the Priest tooke the blessed Sacrament at Verrines owne instance to make him sweare who said Magdalene I say this in thy behalfe Adoramus te Christum miserere ei miserere ei And as those that were there preseÌ„t were saying miserere mei Deus vpoÌ„ a suddeÌ„ he began to howle and cry like a galli-slaue and as if he were framed out of rage and despaire saying Miserere tui miserere tui miserere tui Magdalene to shew how God doth reioyce at the conuersion of this soule O Magdalene the Angels of heauen would triumph at it and Lucifer with the whole kingdome of hell would grow sad and dumpish vpon the same It is true Magdalene thou art in a desert very happie for thee Cursed be S. Baume O how fortunate is it vnto thee O how disasterous vnto hell This is the sheepe which the Prophet saw deuoured by the wolfe whereof nothing but the peeces of the eares was remnant which signifieth the soule of an obstinate sinner for men in an agonie lose their hearing last That you may therefore be conuerted you must haue the eares of your hearts open thereby to receiue in the inspirations of God O Magdalene worship the right hand of thy God worship also his left hand worship his side Magdalen where all thy sins lie buried worship his head that was couered with thornes for thy sake Magdalene and beg from him one thorne of true compunction It is true Magdalene thou hast offended him in thy fiue senses and Magdalene his fiue wounds haue made reparation of the same A braue miracle Magdalene that the diuels should say Miserere tui and should beg mercy for thee And then Verrine sware according to the meaning of God and his Church vpon the blessed sacrament confessing in the said sacrament the reall presence with his humanitie diuinity and all his glory that Louyse knew nothing of this neither vnderstood shee that Magdalene was a witch or of the schedule All which said he is true and hee that would denie this must denie the power of God the authoritie of his Church and the vertue and efficacy of Exorcismes God hauing told Peter that the gates of hell should not preuaile against his Church Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram They should further denie all bookes of Exorcismes if they denie that the diuell cannot speake truth when God forceth him thereunto And turning againe vnto Magdalene hee said vnto her Thy father gaue thee not vnto the diuell Magdalene It is true Magdalene thou diddest indeed abide in thy fathers house at that time Magdalene and yet tookest not thy bane with S. Vrsula It is no wonder that a yong girle should bee led astray as a sheep when her shepheard is the meanes hereof but this was no shepheard of the Gospell but of the number of those that fly away when they see the wolfe nay worse he is the wolfe himselfe and hell is well stuffed with such as hee It is true Magdalene thou wert and art possessed and it was expedient that the Priests should watch with thee for otherwise the diuels had carried thee away such power had they ouer thee both here and abroad and wheresoeuer thou wentest Then he discoursed of Lewes and said O Lewes if thou be not conuerted thou shalt bee burned aliue but if thou be then shalt thou proue a Theophilus and a Cyprian Mary will endeauour to conuert thee therefore beware Lewes how thou resist her I am the executioner of that high iustice and am constrained by force vnto obedience If I were capable of heauen you would peraduenture pray vnto God for me but your prayers will not be auaileable vnto me I am debaâ—'d from Paradice the sentence is gone forth against me The sentence of the highest is not as an earthly senteÌ„ce obnoxious vnto change and repealeable for money Ite maledicti venite benedicti shall stand for euermore Iurauit dominus non poenitebit he shall neuer repent himselfe thereof If the Kings of the earth make good the performance of what they haue promised who are in comparison but as gnats much more will the King of glory and God of Israel auow his denuntiations Then hee said O great miracle full of rarenesse and nouelty destinated to Gods glory and to the conuersion of sinners there is nothing in it preiudiciall to God or his Church it is for the reputation and honour of the fathers of your doctrine the Diuels hauing conspired to root them and the companie of S. Vrsula out of the Church but it is a greater wonder that a diuell should adore God and should confesse and say vnto the blessed sacrament behold my God and my Iudge then if all the Christians in the world should without intermission call vpon all the names of God and should returne backe to goe them ouer againe till the day of iudgement It is no wonder if those doe well that haue a power thereunto that is if they doe often call vpon and worship their God but this is an exceeding great wonder that those who of themselues haue no capacity vnto goodnesse should yet doe the thing that is good when it is commanded them from God This the Diuels doe without any expectance or hope of compensation And whiles that Pange lingua was said to the honour of the blessed Sacrament which the Priest held vpon the rehearsall of this verse Sola fides sufficit Verrine cryed O this is most true sola fides sufficit faith a-alone is sufficient How can it bee that so great a God should be contained in such a little Host and he cryed out saying yet is it true hee is present here worship you him for hee is here really and truly cursed bee the curious Curiositie will let them drop into a pit from whence they shall not bee able to issue forth at their pleasure We our selues are constrained to worship him and to beleeue his
peace coÌ„mest thou here to preach lies Thou saiest that thou art sent from God to preach the Gospell wee haue Preachers enow without thee To this Verrine replied thou lyest and doest misvnderstand me I said not so thou knowest not the bottome of this businesse and that maketh thee to speake so foolishly as thou doest It is most true I neuer so much as said that I was sent from God to preach the Gospell I should lye to say it I said that I was here in the bodie of this vnhappie woman who hath begged from God that shee might bee humbled euen to the paines of Hell for the saluation of her neighbours I said that God had permitted me to enter into this body for his glorie and the conuersion of many soules and in particular of these two which thou curious fellow knowest not Thou art a proud arrogant fellow and worse then a Diuell except thou humble thy selfe and I will proue it vnto thee that thou beleeuest not thy God to be omnipotent Thou art worse then an Hereticke except thou repent and beleeue what I haue spoken Get thee gon get thee gon accursed spirit said the Frier I will not beleeue the Diuell Then said Verrine I doe adiure thee by the liuing God to come with me and sweare that all which I haue said is true For thou deseruest to bee burnt aliue if thou doest not beleeue thy God to be omnipotent Why saiest thou thy Credo if thou beleeuest not what I haue spoken It is not to bee auoided thou must either denie the puissance of God or confesse that this is true To this the Frier replied that there was a woman in Paris much resembling the condition of this woman in whom was discouered a great deale of knauerie and iugling and that she did deceiue much people Verrine told him that it was true shee did indeede cousen many but Louyse was trulie possessed Let her life belooked into and let her be turned ouer to the Examinations of the sharpest vnderstandings Shee would bee readie euen to suffer Martyrdome to maintaine this auerment if need did so require because it would redowne vnto the glorie of her God Then Verrine ingeminated that speech to goâ— and sweare with him and that Louyse could not communicate till they were both sworne The Frier made great resistance hereunto and would by no meanes obey it saying that hee would not bee commanded by a Diuell Hereunto Verrine answered it standeth not with reason to obey the Diuell I command thee not from my selfe but say vnto thee on Gods behalfe that thou â—ome along and sweare with mee it waxeth late and Louyse is to communicate Then the Frier said vnto the Priest which held the blessed Sacrament Father doe â—ou commaund me for I will not obey the Diuell Whereupon the Priest commanding him he came and wore vpon the Te igitur and then vpon the blessed â—acrament Verrine also taking such an oath the like whereof hee had neuer taken before said thus I doe weare by the liuing God that whatsoeuer I haue said I â—aue been constrained to vtter the same vnto you It is â—rue O God who art here really and truly with thy boâ—ie and blood with thy diuinitie power wisdome and â—ountie The said Frier was present when hee swore â—hus to whom he said I doe sweare by the God of Isâ—ael and by the God of the Christians that all which I â—aue spoken is true I sweare vnto thee according to â—he meaning of God and his Church and according to â—he Exorcists intention also that when wee are inforâ—ed thereunto by God we must put his good pleasure 〈◊〉 execution keeping all the solemnities that are requiâ—te in taking a true and perfect oath Then the Frier submitted himselfe and said that hee â—ad spoken nothing against God or his Church and beâ—eeued that God was Omnipotent and was able to â—orce the Deuill to deliuer a truth when it pleased him â—nd so submitting himselfe he rested satisfied The Deuill thereupon told him Thou art exceeding â—roud learne to humble thy selfe and bee not so ouer-â—urious for the curious fall into a pit from whence â—hey cannot free themselues when they will alleaging Caluin Beza Luther Iulian the Apostata Simon Maâ—us and saying doe not thou boast thy strength aboue heirs for there haue been Priests and religious perâ—ons that afterwards became heretikes as Caluin Beza Luther Verrine further said vnto him And of what religion art thou Doth thy Order command thee to bee proud I will proue vnto thee that thou art arrogant and selfe-opinioned and wouldest circle in the omnipotencie of God within thy narrow vnderstanding Humble thy selfe for it ill beseemeth one of thy coate to bee thus drenched in curiositie The supremest Seraphins doe euery day make new discoueries of great perfections in God the same doth his Mother and all the Angels Salomon when hee dedicated his Temple said Hee that created heauen and earth whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe and wilt not thou that art but a worme which crauleth on the earth submit thy selfe but wouldest hoope in the omnipotencie bountie and wisedome of thy God within the cancels of thine owne memorie and braine Vpon this the Frier rested satisfied and submitted himselfe with many words of humiliation Verrine also discoursed touching the reason of these present writings in forme of a letter missiue the tenour whereof here ensueth The men of these times are so curious that God must bee as a Gardener vnto them witnesse Magdalen to whom he appeared in the semblance of a Gardener and fit diuers sorts of sallets vnto their palats lest they should be disrelished wherein he resembleth a good father who doth so affectionately loue his child that he is euer asking him What wilt thou eate childe And if the childe chance to say I haue no appetite I see nothing I can eate the father will cause daintie and exquisite meate to bee set before him the best that may bee gotten If then the childe should say nothing heere pleaseth me the fault is not in the victuals but in him that is sicke and hath his tafte ill-affected What doth the father then doth he fall a beating of him doth he threaten and chide him no but goeth about and searcheth after other strange victuals which may chance to please them for their noueltie as being such which hee had neuer seene tasted or heard talke of Euen so doth your God by you for he is an hundred times more carefull then all the naturall fathers that are This father both of your soules and bodies when he obserueth that the soule hath no appetite vnto such varietie of good meates which as a father hee hath solicitously prouided such as is the holy Scripture it is true euery one doth not vnderstand this which is a meat too lushious too delicious too precious and all cannot rellish and like the same especially women and fooles it is too hot for them and
be very aduantageous vnto you And remember that when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his sonne he asked not why or how but humbled himselfe and did adhere rather to him that commanded him then to himselfe So should the true and perfect paragon of obedience demeane himselfe if hee will do the will of God I rest your spirituall father Iohn Baptista Romillon superiour of the Christian doctrine in despite of Lucifer From S. Baume this 16. of December 1610. Superscribed to Madame Blanquart at Marseille Within the said letter was enclosed an aduertisement to sister Catherine of France as followeth Catherine of France be you very circumspect how you out of curiosity doe reueale any thing to Madame Blanquart of the Priest you wot of and withall beware how you tattle of it vnto the sisters but remit the manage of all this businesse vnto him who is euer wakefull for his owne glory and the saluation of those soules whose ransome he hath paid at a dearer rate then euer you are able to value Further you are to take heed vpon paine of disobedience vnto God himselfe how you intermingle your opinion and iudgement in things that are impertinent for you to meddle withall Be satisfied with this that God is good and so vnsearchably wife that hee hath no need of your aduice of the same Verrine hath dictated this letter by Gods appointment and I Francis Billet the vnworthie Priest of the Christian doctrine haue written it in the name of father Romillon And at the foot of the letter there was written Louyse de Capelle humbly recommendeth her selfe to the praiers of Martha d' Aguisier and of Catherine of France and sendeth vnto them to beseech them that they would cause all the sisters at Marseille to pray for her for shee standeth in great need of the same but principally shee desireth the said Martha to pray to God for her that he would enable her to endure whatsoeuer her redeemer shall bee pleased to lay vpon her and that shee may suffer all things meerely for his sake After this did he dictate another letter to the superiour of sister Louyse as here ensueth Shee that is most vnworthie to call you her mother doth pray you for Gods sake and entreateth you from your superiour to obey him in those things which hee shall now impose vpon your performance without any replication gainsaying or contradiction whatsoeuer and without disputing or saying How shall wee bee able to vndertake such a businesse wee could not come if wee were all at home and how shall we now when wee are but few venture vpon that which many would not dare to vndergoe It is the Diuels craft and wilinesse euer to cauill and dispute against obedience yea to cause grudgings and mutinies against superiours and gouernours obiecting vnto you that they doe many times impose vpon you such difficult and vneasie commands that it is almost impossible to effect them But remember that the most worthy mother of God is the gouernesse of this house giue therefore the keyes vnto her for the gouernment appertaineth to her and she shall be more regardfull and studious of your good then your selues can possibly be for she is not tied to those hinderances as you are to your spirituall exercises to your prayers and to the holy Communion neither is she filled with selfe-loue as you are Vnder a shadow and pretence of good many times religious persons doe withdraw themselues from the commands of their superiours and commit many great and grosse incongruities although not so much out of malice as for the most part out of ignorance and selfe-loue which at some times wee are content to acknowledge but for the most part our depraued nature causeth vs to dissemble it so that it lyeth hidden in the face of hypocrites For say they how can the desire to receiue the sacrament often to pray and performe those exercises that conduce vnto repentance proceed from the Diuell alleaging that God hath spoken by his Prophet Repent for if you doe not repent you shall die the death Who dares say that this is not true It is confessed to be a truth but God looketh further hee would haue a perfect Cassandra a full humiliation obedience simplicity and resignation of all things Hee doth therefore let you know that you are not to neglect the least word of your superiors command Louyse doth therefore pray you to embrace that councell which is very reasonable and which at the time of her departure from you you were pleased to lay close vnto her which is that she would endeauour to be obedient and to put her selfe wholly in the hands of God Which she taking in good worth doth likewise desire you to share in this aduice and to enioyne the same vnto your spirituall daughters exhort Margaret Burle and Martha d' Aiguisier to doe the same It standeth with reason that when the gouernesse is obedient none of the rest should behaue themselues with any dislike or contumacie For rebellion and disobedience is the daughter of Lucifer as humility is the daughter of God and should therefore be your sister Come therefore accompanied with her she is of a noble parentage but yet doth so bow her selfe to obedience that shee is continually prest and actiue to doe the will of God her father She will go with you to heauen and will assist you to climbe that steep wearisome mountaine Expect when you are come hither things so full of strangenesse and admiration that you would not for all the gold in the world but see vnderstand and bee made familiar vnto them But hee that will haue profit must take paines for the acquisition thereof No paine no gaine The subscription was Your most vnworthy slaue full of great boldnesse and presumption sendeth this vnto you you know my insufficiencie and want of vnderstanding perfectly well so that you will apprehend with ease that shee that sendeth this had neuer that ability of iudgement to fashion such a letter nor the boldnesse to speake vnto her gouernesse with so little respect and ceremony But this proceedeth not from her selfe God would haue it done by a Diuell that did dictate al these sayings Your slaue Louyse Capelle Keep this letter safe and bring it back with you and reade the same aloud before all the sister Nuns and Assistants except the little Pensioners also reade it before Mistris de Saint Iaques and pray for Louyse who hath great need thereof The superscription was To sister Catherine gouernesse of the house of S. Vrsula at Aix Then did hee dictate another letter to the fathers Andrew and Matthew Arnoult Priests of the Christian doctrine in manner as followeth My dearest brethren I send vnto you to request your speedy presence heere at S. Baume that you may bee acquainted with some things of that rare and admirable quality as the like hath not been seene from the beginning of the world And in regard that loue
exclamation and said O great miracle although in saying thus what noueltie doe I speake for it is no new thing that the Sonne of God should yeeld obedience vnto a Preist Ha God! it is no great wonder for thee to raise the dead to make the blinde to see or the dumbe to speak with many works of wonder of a parallell nature but the wonder of wonders is that the Sonne of God with foure words should be made to descend vpon this Altar although I could tell you another great wonder too and that is that the Deuill is here forced to deliuer the truth I doe auerro that it is more strange that a Deuill should thus deliuer truth then to create 1000. worlds or to raise 1000. from the dead for it is a matter of ease and course with God to command those things that giue no stoppe or resistance vnto his will When God created the World hee said but Fiat When he raised the dead he said but the word and all thing obeyed him But when he comes to command a Deuill he had need to employ all his power to enforce him to performe his will For the Deuill is so mischeeuously bent that he resisteth as much as he is able and is euer disputing with God propounding diuers reasons vnto him saying they haue preachers and they haue stoore of bookes let them giue credite vnto them He further said God is like the master of a great shop he is his crafts-master in all trades and will giue euery one of you wherewith all to employ himselfe He is so skilfull and gallant a Taylor that hee cutteth out garments with much dexterity and wants nothing but whom he may set on worke Hee is well experienced to cut out your worke you Ecclesiasticall men may doe well to employ your selues vnder him because you that are priestes ought rather to lead the life of Angels then of men and are to bee instrusted with the counsels and Commandements of God Then he turned himselfe to the Layity and said No no the Priests haue not the world at will as you conceiue they must be humble chast and poore and must chastice and mortifie themselues sundry waies which is a point full of difficulty vnto those that are deuoid of charity Then he spake to the Monkes and said You that liue in Cloisters haue an eye vnto your estate for it is not enough to bee mued vp in your walls and then to liue at your ease no you must rise at midnight you must be very studious you must bee humble you must be modest You should be a glasse vnto secular persons and harmelesse and vnblameable in your conuersations yet doe you worldlings thinke that religious persons doe liue in idlenesse and ease I tell you that the employment of one houre at mens studies is a greater toile then the trauels of a labouring man that sweateth at his worke a whole weeke The good conuersation of religious persons is of inestimable vse amongst Christians therefore obey God and his Church and ten thousand soules will be conuerted after your example Say not wee are young if you had a licence or warrant from another world I might then perchance aduise you to delay your amendment but thinke of death and consider how suddenly men are surprised by it Death is a theese and stealeth vpon men when they least looke for it Happie are they that are found to doe good and miserable are they that wallow in their sinnes when death approacheth for death will spare neither great nor small Then he spake vnto the Laity and said you are to line euery one according to his calling In Paradise there are Kings and there are poore people for some of all estates and conditions are saued Doe not mutter and say wee are poore wee haue not wherewithall to liue God will haue regard vnto your pouerty and will saue you but the great ones cannot excuse themselues you that are poore haue reason to reioyce when you shall consider that God became poore for your sakes God is a Taylor that wanteth nothing but workemen he is a Physition and a Surgeon that maketh enquirie after those that are infirme or wounded Reade well the booke of the Crucifix and you shall there find all variety of knowledge if thou doest obiect I am not able to reade this booke I tell thee thou liest for this booke may bee read by men and women yea by people of the most grosse and muddy capacity that may bee you may reade it in Churches in your houses in your beds and in the fields and all manner of vnderstanding is treasured vp in this booke that may any way concerne the saluation of your soules Looke on this booke and reade it well for in it you shall find all sorts of vertues humility pouerty patience obedience and whatsoeuer else may make full a mans perfection Rich and poore and people of all conditions looke in the glasse of the Crosse and behold therein a God so great so humble and yet so full of Maiesty you shall there see your God poore will you then hate or detest pouerty If pride suggest these haughty thoughts into you thinke that your God tooke man vpon him to humble himselfe to the death of the Crosse. It is a greater miracle to see God dwelling in the flesh of man then to behold the creation of one hundred thousand worlds The Word equall vnto his father hath taken humane nature vpon him to suffer and to be put to a cruell death And you Mary haue endured much also which hath bin the cause of the saluatiō of many soules If a King should haue a slaue and would redeeme him by giuing 10000. Crownes for his ransome this were a great summe and an extraordinarie fauour but if he should giue a Million of gold his grace and loue would shew it selfe the more by how much the more the summe encreased But this would appeare but a slender curtesie if hauing but one only sonne he would giue him away to redeeme and purchase back this slaue vnto him how infinitely would men maruell at the cortesie of such a King But all this is nothing in comparison of your God who hath but one only Sonne yet gaue him vp for you that are sinners this sonne I say that is equall to his father in power in wisedome and in goodnesse that is the blessed Word O great wonder that the Sonne of God should thus suffer for such vngrateful creatures who make so little profit of the same If stones were capable of vnderstanding they would expresse some action of acknowledgment and if leaues could bee furnished with the same they would also declare their thankfulnesse but you are the most vngratefull of creatures and doe not acknowledge the loue and tender care that God hath ouer you whose greatnesse is such that if you had but the least knowledge or side-long glance thereof you would creep with your
you haue any command or authority I charge you answere me I giue you leaue to call Lucifer to your aide now hee hath an excellent occasion to shew himselfe How now Belzebub wilt thou suffer thy slaue to tread thus disdainfully vpon thee Then crying to all the assembly hee said These are my Princes but now I doe not acknowledge them to be so but I do this by compulsion not by loue by constraint not by grace Belzebub answered him not a word but stood full of shame and confusion and was able to resist no longer Verrine then began to speake aloud to those that were there present for there was much people there come all of you come come I say and feare not to triumph ouer Gods enemies and yours Then the Company came and trod vpon him Belzebub not daring to reply against it or to mutter one word but remaining exceedingly dismayed Many other discourses were deliuered by him the relation of which would take vp too much time come you if you please and you shall bee more particularly acquainted with him Your most humble and most affectionate seruant Francis Billet Priest of the Christian doctrine hath written this letter Then hee signed it as did also Franciscus Domptius and a good distance below it was written I Magdalene of Demandoul doe testifie and confirme that all which is written in this letter is true especially that which mentioneth my repose of conscience I find my selfe much changed blessed be God and his sacred mother for I assure you shee hath much assisted me Pray vnto God that hee will giue me perseuerance and his grace that I may be a thankfull acknowledger of his manifold blessings which in such plenty he hath heaped vpon me The Acts of the 20. of December THis day Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised and in the middle of the Exorcismes Leuiathan entred into the lists of discourse and said vnto Verrine O Verrine now thou hast nothing to say then Verrine replyed it is not for thy sake I speake I now belong vnto a greater master then thy selfe and him am I to obey Leuiathan said hold thy peace thou art a proud spirit To this Verrine replied it is true wee are all the children of pride But is it not true haue not I humbled thee No said Leuiathan thou hast not been any cause thereof I tell thee it was the creature whom thou hast humbled Verrine said thou liest it was not that creature whatsoever hath been done hath been done for thy confusion and her conversion Wretched caitiffe as thou art I am heere an Embassadour from the living God and thou an agent from Lucifer darest thou deny this said Verrine to Leuiathan Not I said Leuiathan then Verrine said I am an Ambassadour from God who hath sent mee hither to put his will and not mine owne ends in execution To this Leuiathan replyed are there not other Ambassadours There are Angels and there are Preachers is it not so It is true said Verrine but thou art not ignorant that when a King would employ an Ambassadour hee hath choice of Princes great Lords and Gentlemen yet if his pleasure be to send some Lackey why he is a King and may command and doe what seemeth good vnto him for he may vse small things to effect matters of great waight and importance Leuiathan answered there is a great difference betweene them True said Verrine yet if the Kings of the earth be invested with this power how abundantly more shall the King of glory possesse the same It is true there are Princes there are Angels and great Preachers yet if his pleasure be to command his meanest slave who shall hinder him to doe it since hee is Omnipotent yet is he not a whit the lesse King or the lesse great this doth not diminish or bring an ebbe vpon his glory nay it is so different from that that it is a touch of his greatnesse to bee able to force our will for of our selves we are all wicked but God is able to transforme our rebellious nature into obedience yea to make thee Leuiathan and thee Lucifer to stoope and double vnder the yoke of subjection for hee is above you all and can easily force obedience from you Leuiathan said What dost thou looke to draw mens attention vnto thee thou art but a Divell True said Verrine I am but a Divell but being by God compelled to deliver a truth I cannot but performe it Knowest thou not that hee raised Lazarus from the dead and that his all powerfull word in speaking a fiat framed whatsoever seemed good vnto him Yes said Leuiathan but Lazarus did not hinder or resist that miracle that was wrought vpon him but these creatures here doe impeach and stoppe as much as in them lieth the execution of Gods pleasure Verrine answered He is omnipotent and changeth evill into good nay hee is of more force to attract and expresse grace out of sinne then hell is of malice to draw sinne out of grace for he is king of the whole earth and when he commandeth whatsoever suteth with his good pleasure I see he is obeyed because he that doth command it is a King God were not himselfe if he were not more powerfull then his creatures nay I affirme that then the Divell would be mightier then God for he can worke evill out of good and cannot God worke good out of evill You see how bold I am Leuiathan said God doth indeed call men vnto him by many secret inspirations by the teaching and instructions of learned men by the threatning of his judgements and by the Angels themselves yet for all this they are so hardned in sinne and so grosse of heart that although they see themselves hemmed in on all sides and cannot avoid to be converted vnto their God yet in their arrogancy and flintinesse of heart they will not sticke to say Lord thou art willing to receive me but I am not desirous to come vnto thee for I have nought to doe with thee I had rather be a pray vnto the divels and have a full fruition of all sorts of pleasure then bee received of thee and casheere them It is true said Verrine that thou hast spoken There be sinners of that improvident obstinacie that they will remaine determinately setled for many yeeres together in their wickednesse so that God is incited to a kind of anger and would be full of impatiencie at it if such passions could take place in God But I affirme that they cannot reside in God for they would argue an imperfection in him but if God were capable of impatiencie or if he could bee grieved I say hee would weepe when hee beholdeth those obstinate soules But God is not subject vnto griefe for they who affirme that the sinnes of men doe strike a sadnesse into the holy Ghost are not to be vnderstood as if the holy Ghost were indeed grieved it is a sinne to thinke so but that he
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
demand his patrimony to be giuen vnto him which when he had gotten from his father into his owne hands hee wasted all in riot and was at length driven to such necessitie and extreame penurie that he was forced to feed with hogges so fareth it with sinners God heapeth on them such plentie of his blessings that they are even glutted with the multitude of them yet when they have consumed all in the heighth of prodigalitie this gratious father embraceth them and taketh them vnto him if they will not adde wilfulnesse vnto their wast For if worldly fathers are so loving shall not God who hath created them bee much more gracious and good then they I grant said Leuiathan that there are many prodigall children but very few propose that first prodigall child for their imitation that like vnto him they may returne to God For when they have trifled and melted away all their goods and have fashioned themselves to take the impression of all manner of impieties yet doe they remaine in their obstinacie and are still nailed fast to whatsoever savoureth of malice and mischiefe and notwithstanding that God calleth vpon them by many inspirations yet are they resolved to reply vnto these his holy motions We will take our fill of all worldlie pleasures whatsoever it cost vs. It is true said Verrine but yet when God will he can worke good out of evill for otherwise he could not be Omnipotent It is no impotencie or imperfection that he is not able to sinne or lie it is rather an argument of his Omnipotencie and of his transcendent perfection We are both of vs Sargeants and doe both execute our commission though after a different manner for thou doest here fulfill the will of Lucifer but I doe accomplish the good pleasure of the Almightie Thou maiest thinke that I doe brave thee I tell thee still that wee are Sargeants sent as it were from two severall parties and doe the wil of them that sent vs and although we doe not both execute the same cōmand yet are we stil Sargeants So if two preach and both think they deliver truth as for exāple a Preacher of the Church and a Minister although the action of preaching be commō vnto them both yet doth it not proceed frō the same spirit because the Preacher of the Church vttereth the truth but the Minister hath his vnderstanding perverted by errors and doth interpret divers passages of the Scripture according to the giddines of his privatfancy and is so self-conceited for they have al of them a touch of curiosity that he doth imagine he is able to bound in the Omnipotencie of the Father the wisdome of the Son and the goodnes of the holy Ghost within the narrow limmets of his owne vnderstanding But such come far short and have their braine too much scantled to comprehend God his infinite perfections God is wise for he is Wisdome it self needeth not the advise either of Angels or men much lesse of divels I tel thee Leuiathan that I am but the bare reporter of these things and to effect this I doe thus trouble her that is possessed for except God did put in vse his authoritie and force which he hath over Divels he were not God I am of opinion that those who will not humble themselves might doe well to assault God and take his glorie from him and translate Lucifer from hell to seat him in Paradise It is a grosse errour to conceive that God is not more able to convert evill into good then the divell is to change good into evill I affirme that God is omnipotent and therfore may do al things and when he pleaseth to put his power in practise he can force the Divel as a Gally-slave as like vnto a Iudge can make the malefactor to tremble before him and can compell him to accomplish his will when it seemeth good vnto him They that do not beleeve this are accursed want the first article of their Creede which faith that God is almighty I submit my selfe to these things because God himself obeyed his Executioners when they nailed him to the crosse The Saints whēthey were lead to the place of their Martyrdome obeyed the will of their executioners and yet thereby they did not intend any glory either to the hangman or to the Divell no more then did our Lord vnto whom the vertue of obedience is most pleasing and acceptable whereof I will now speake I resisted as much as I could and said vnto our Lord no I will not deliver this truth hee told me thou shalt be inforced thereunto I answered No no they have bookes enough that doe plentifully declare this argument but hee constrained me so that I must now begin with the vertue of obedience Then Verrine began to say What say you now to this point learned Doctor speaking to Leuiathan Thou art the Doctor of the Hereticks come and deliver your opinion And thou Belzebub thou art that proud one and doest fill men with curiositie and cocker them vp in their arrogancie And thou Balbarith thou art hee that saiest Hee that loveth God will have him often in his mouth and by this meanes makest mē to fort weare God And thou Asmodee thou art he who doest corrupt youth with thy loose speeches and lascivious lookes And thou Astaroth thou art he who assaultest men with idlenesse especially you that are Religious persons and thou Carrean thou hardnest mens hearts and thinkest to gaine all before thee knowest thou not that with one poore word with a Fiat he can doe whatsoever seemeth good vnto him doest thou not know that he is able to raise the dead I tell thee it is very easie for him to doe it witnesse the daughter of the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue when he tooke her by the hand and bad her rise which signifieth vnto vs that a sinne committed in thought and only knowne vnto God and onely hurtfull vnto the soule alone of him that doth commit the same is easilie pardoned There are three sorts of dead men as there are three sorts of sinnes For there is the child of Naym the widow whom they carried out to be buried thereby intimating vnto vs that there are some who are dead in vaine speaches and they are carried out of the citie that is they flow from the soule into the mouth and are there vttered and the offence thereof commonly tendeth to the scandall of their neighbours This is represented vnto vs by that young man whom our Lord commanded to rise and gaue him to his mother Wherby hee gaue signification vnto sinners that when they have offended they are to be presented vnto their mother which is the Church as God commanded to bee done by the young man as you well know There are others that are dead in works who are for the most part those that dwell in their sinnes and remaine obstinate in them 20. 30. 40. 50. yeeres represented by
cautions and restrictions They doe declare said Verrine that thou are vanquished for thy intendment was to haue sworne according to the Church that is called the Reformed Church and is the Church of Caluin Beza Luther Arius and the like Heretikes You may doe well said Leuiathan to beleeue this babler you may perhaps find him to be a great Prophet Verrine said It is true I am of my selfe a miserable Diuell as thou art but after much resistance and long disputation against God I was at last constrained to speake the truth for God is the Prophet of Prophets and hee it was that made Balaams Asse to speake Leuiathan answered What doth God interchange commerce of language and conference with a Diuell Yes that he doth said Verrine but by a secret kind of intelligence and we resist as much as is possible for vs his commandments yet at length we are of necessitie tied vnto obedience Then answered Leuiathan For mine owne part I frequent no companie but the societie of braue and worthie fellowes Accursed spirit as thou art replied Verrine knowest thou not that when God doth worke hee worketh not for the bodies sake but from his regard vnto the soule I tell thee the soule of a pesant that is endowed with the grace of God is as pretious before his Creator as is the soule of a great King or Monarch It cannot bee denied but they are poore yet God is able to inrich them and to store vp much grace within them Speake now Leuiathan It may be thou shalt gaine some one or other vnto Lucifer and shalt not loose all thy labour Leuiathan answered Ha Verrine thou knowest well that I gaine more vpon great personages then vpon pesantly and base people It cannot bee gaine said quoth Verrine but that a man of note and qualitie is more incumbred to cleere himselfe of euill and to applie all his actions vnto good then is a poorer man yet may an honest plaine Countrie man be a cause of much good as a clowne of a wicked disposition may bee apt enough to practise a great deale of mischiefe Poore and rich are indifferently equally in Paradise for there is no distinction in that place betweene them And least any one should mis-understand mee and conceiue that there is an errour in my words I do explane my selfe I do not say that there shall be no diuersitie amongst them in the seuerall degrees of glory for who so in this world is stored with most grace shall in that other world attaine vnto a great portion of glory as appeareth in Magdalene who hauing loued much had much sinne remitted vnto her and therefore she is the second person after the mother of God and so is it also decreed and ordered by the Church in the Letany O Dominicke thou art my mortall enemie and art now dwelling amongst the Thrones and holdest that place which formerly did appertaine vnto me I say not that thou art there as an Angell but as a Saint blessed for euermore for as there fell Angels of euery Order some so God to fill up the seates that were void by the downefall of Angels hath placed the soules in them diuiding vnto euery one that place of glory which he iudged they had deserued Then said Leuiathan What haue I to doe with this preacher Verrine answered I came not to preach and those who vnderstand me cannot say that they haue heard a Sermon but that they haue seene two persons possessed to bee exorcised and that the Diuell in one of them did speake and discourse variouslie Then Verrine spake to the Exorcist and said Why doest thou not command Leuiathan to speake Vpon this the Exorcist said Leuiathan why speakest thou not Verrine answered because hee hath nothing to replie Then said Leuiathan I doe warrant it vnto you that my doctrine is the truth not the doctrine of the Church of Rome True said Verrine according to thy perplexed and cursed intention I tell thee that although the Bishop of Rome should leade an vngodly and a vitious life which yet I affirme not for I touch vpon no man in particular but suppose that it were so yet should not the authoritie and the power that God hath delegated vnto his Church be hereby diminished or impaired for the power is alwaies the same as in the Church the sacrifice is alwaies the same be the Priest good or be he bad that doth sacrifice for the Priest deriueth his power from God not God from the Priest Then he cried hola Lucifer come hither for I will dispute with thee of the Masse of Purgatorie and of Inuocation of Saines my doctrine issueth from a fountaine which is neuer dried vp to wit Iesus Christ who is the light of the world as saith Iohn the Euangelist Leuiathan among the supreame Seraphins thou wert the third after Lucifer What sayest thou now learned doctor Darest thou affirme that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Christ Iesus is not really and truly there I my selfe am able to tell thee O doctor without knowledge that God being Omnipotent may make his bodie descend vpon an hundred thousand seuerall Altars Doest thou vse thus to baite mens soules with thy faire speeches steeped in all alluring sweetnesse And thou Balbarith who doest make the Gentrie to beleeue that it is a peece of vallour to sweare and blaspheme the name of God without intermission speake if thou wilt Approch thou also Astaroth who art the master of idlenesse And thou Asmodee who doest vndoe and debauch youth by thy continuall allurements And thou Carreau who hardnest mens harts I perceive you haue nothing to say for your selues and yet doe you labour secretly the subuersion of men Vpon this Verrine turned him to the assembly and said Looke you obserue the commandements of God and of his Church which is not subiect vnto errour for Christ Iesus her Spouse is euer with her and guideth her by that cleere light which euer streameth from him Bee attentiue vnto Sunday and Holi-day Masses for those that obserue them not hauing no maine or canonicall impediment to hinder them doe sinne mortally The Church is more solicitous to instruct you then a naturall mother can be ready to succour her child that is in danger There are who goe to heare Masse as a labouring man goeth to his worke without preparation or as if a man would goe to Plaies or Reuels Consider consider these things that are so full of admiration I Verrine as I am a Diuel would rather chuse to suffer the paines of hell 20. 30. 40. 50. yeeres then to tell you one word sutable vnto what I now speake and if this creature here were of force and strength sufficient I would crie so loud in her that men should heare mee halfe a league off Conceiue of me as of one that is nothing else but a fire-brand in hell not worthie to be burned in that fire and in these contemplations thinke
quickly for Belzebub calleth for thee and forthwith Carreau flew forth from her like lightening She also said that Belzebub was departed from her body all that day and had neuer stayed from her so long And that she saw Belzebub to returne while she was reading a letter that made mention of the mother of God The same day also father d'Ambruc sub Prior of the Couent of S. Maximin came to S. Baume to informe himselfe touching Louyse because many gaue out that she was not possessed And the same day towards euening were the two women exorcised by Father Francis Billet whereupon Verrine began to speake in this manner What Belzebub art thou returned Belzebub answered whence had'st thou notice of my returne Verrine said the seruant knoweth his master and added The head draweth after it the whole body so that if it fall into a pit the body must of necessity follow after The flocke of sheepe goeth after the shepheard witnesse vs accursed spirits who haue beleeued Lucifer as our head and as our shepheard I haue been desirous to gaine thus much vpon the beleefe of Louyse that shee would conceit her selfe not to be possessed and that I am heere by the appointment of Lucifer for this day haue wee compassed her in with these tentations telling her that shee of her selfe gaue life to all these actions and gestures and that a woman might of her selfe deliuer all such discourses as these There are those that say put case that God would conuert a soule or reueale some truth vnto his Church is it probable that hee would make the Diuell his agent in an employment of so high a nature But I auerre that the Church hath receiued the Inuestiture of authority from God whereby it is enabled to command Diuels and to enforce them in the vertue of Exorcismes to deliuer truth and that the Diuell by his oath may giue assurance of the truth if so be hee bee forced thereunto by the power of God communicated vnto his Church and by the vertue of Exorcismes and that all the conditions and ceremonies of a solemne oath be performed yet for all this there is a religious person who faith that I am not able to speake a truth I answere him that as I am a Diuell I cannot speake truth indeed but am herein of his opinion yet as I am sent from God who is able to draw good out of euill I am constrained to deliuer truth and to take an oath for the further ratification thereof He must deny the first Article of his faith and in stead of Credo say Non credo if it be false that the Diuell may be forced to vtter a truth for God hath giuen all his authority to the Church to command Diuels and to constraine them to obey the charge which is laid vpon them But I am not a whit abashed if this woman stand doubtfull whether shee bee possessed or no when the religious persons themselues make question of the same Then he spake to God and said I could endure with more ease the torments of hell 50 yeeres together then to pronounce thy name onely one time yet doest thou force from my mouth speeches of reuerence vnto thy Saints which is much against the nature and custome of Diuels Giue this charge to thy children who looke for a share in thy heritage and expect a recompence for their obedience vnto thee They haue so many famous and notable Preachers and many bookes furnished and fraught with al variety of learnings and wilt thou haue me then to speake to men of all sorts both wise and foolish who waite for no other retribution but the torments of hell It is no wonder if the Diuels seeke to withstand God when his very children who haue a portion in Paradise declare themselues heady and refractary against him Was it euer knowne that Diuels should aduise men to inuocate the Saints yet am I constrained to perswade you to pray vnto them especially vnto S. Dominicke Cursed be thy deuotion Dominicke which thou diddest beare towards the Virgin Mary the mother of God Cursed bee those religious persons that haue entred into thy Order I would rather be tortured in hell then to found forth thy praises and the commendations of Bernard Let me possesse you with this truth that the Saints make intercession for you and that Dominicke is one of the intimate friends to the Virgin as also is Bernard It is thou great God that constrainest me to exalt Dominicke my greatest enemy and wouldest make it cleere vnto all how blessed and good a thing it is to honour and loue thy mother and hast enforced me to make thus much familiar vnto men that they may with the greater feruency of deuotion serue her Dominicke I hate thee as I doe the plague and I should take more contentment in that externall darkenesse of the bottomlesse pit of hell then in these discourses which I lauish thus vpon thy praises Thou wert euer very deuout vnto the Virgin as were also Bernarnardus Stanislaus Anselmus and thou Stephanus who hast contracted great familiarity with her He that will bee beloued by the blessed mother of God must serue Dominicke in feruency of spirit you are first to craue the mediation of the mother and then to make your redresse vnto the Sonne There are many who are deuout to their Creator but few vnto the Virgine yea there are not many amongst women themselues that consecrate their deuotions vnto her and yet hee that will gaine eternall life must make his approch vnto this Mary Mary is the ladder of heauen the Saints are the steps of this ladder so that hee who will enter into the Pallace of the King must first ascend by these staires You are all guilty of high treason and there is not any that can coniecture what will bee the state and issue of your cause but God onely therefore present your selues before Mary with all humble and submissiue behauiour before you approch vnto her Sonne and first take the aduise of Dominicke before you prostrate your selues to the mother of God For it would sauour of intrusion and much presumption to thrust into the conference of a Queene and not to prepare her vnto the same by a Mediatour Bee you therefore regardfull to gaine the good opinion of some one of her familiars and fauourites by meanes of whom you may more confidently get accesse and admittance into her chamber and haue spaedier audience when you are presented vnto her whereby your request shall bee with greater expedition granted vnto you for this is the will of him who is the fountaine of all grace Dominicke though thou be my sworne enemy aboue all that are in heauen yet am I compelled to depainâ— thy praises and haue already made worthy mention of thy Order vpon the day of the conception of the Virgin and it is Gods pleasure that men should now bee more deuout addicted vnto thy
obstinate soules is not such a kind of impatiency as may any way darken or preiudice his perfections but it is rather an argument in him of vnblemished goodnesse for God in iustice should dart downe lightning from heauen to destroy them or suffer the earth to gape and swallow them vp who haue better deserued this punishment then Dathan and Abiran whom the earth deuoured vp for their rebellion O Lord God he cannot flie from thee whether he descend to hel for according to thy essence thou art there or whether he doth imagine to stray from thee by wandring like a vagabond vp and downe the world for thou seest all and art euery where or if he would ascend vnto heauen for there the gates are shut against him So that if he be not repentant hee may perchance flie but he cannot euade Great God thou hast made reseruation of three things to thy selfe and wouldest not that sinners should intermeddle or dip their fingers in them to wit thy glorie iudgement and vengeance And because the guidance and gouernement of things is most proper vnto him you must let him alone in his course of gouernement for he knoweth wel when to take the cause of innocencie into his owne protection What thinke ye that God will suffer this iniquitie to branch vp higher I tell you he is wearied with his long sufferance and therefore wil see the end of this inditement and howsoeuer this busines shal fal he wil be sure to fashion and shape it to his glory the saluation of soules I say further that if he be not conuerted he shal be burned aliue if he wil needs perish God will leaue him to himself for this good God for his part was not wanting to him in any thing God resembleth a father of many children who are all stubborne and rebellious against him and will not obey him neither by allurements nor by threats then doth this father say vnto them that they deserue to be punished because they are disobedient to their father and will not harken vnto him neither for hope of inheritance nor for any other admonitions or inducements that may bee laid before them but doe continue on in their contempt against him It is a thing full of astonishment that God should prouide this great remedy for you miserable and accursed sinners and yet the number of those that lay hold vpon it should be so small There are some that conceiue that God is indebted vnto them thinking with themselues that hee hath promised Paradise vnto them and that heauen was not destinated to intertaine beasts or Infidels but for Christians It is true God is vexed with a holy kind of impatience when he considereth the mischieuous and malitious purposes of men he hath purchased their soules at an high and inestimable rate for the satisfying of which paiment it was expedient that diuinitie should be vnited vnto a humane nature Thou also who art the powerfull mother of God did'st suffer much for their sakes and wert vnder the Crosse and neere vnto thy Sonne yet for all this do they renounce thy Passion O God the nailes and al other instruments of thy torments and doest thou still hearken after them and willingly subiect thy selfe to death to saue them Why art thou so fond ouer them is not thy blessed Mother in heauen with an infinite number of Saints and Angels If all the drops of water in the sea all the leaues of trees all the Starres of heauen were capable to sound forth thy praises they would all blesse thee O God and giue thee thanks for those manifold benefits which thou hast conferred vpon men yea the blessing of their creation alone doth challenge euerlasting giuing of thanks Besides this he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer you who doe euer intercede on your behalfe and say they will be conuerted they will be conuerted you must haue a little patience The Virgin Marie is also euer mediating for you yet are you regardlesse of all this especially this wretch who shall either be burned or be conuerted for God can no longer suffer or looke on villanies of so soule a nature and this will be the end of this businesse The messengers of the King haue been at his gate and haue diuers times knocked there I my selfe also was present but not any way to further the proiect of Belzebub Then he spake to Belzebub and said Accursed feind thou diddest imagine that I would combine with thee but thou art deceiued for I cannot swarue from the commission of my Master I did indeed suffer my seruants to giue thee assistance but for my selfe I tooke part against thee and made that iourney of set purpose to declare vnto him that as the Diuel had seduced him so the Diuell should bee an occasion to set him right in the true way Then hee tooke a solemne oath that whatsoeuer hee had now vttered was agreeable vnto truth The same day when Verrine was dictating that which hee had formerly deliuered touching the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin Marie the Mother of God he was asked what he meant in saying that the humanitie of the Sonne of God did repose it selfe in the bosome of his Father and that then God did forme his blessed Mother out of one of his ribs To this Verrine answered You may here cauill and say that then this proposition must bee true the Sonne is before his Mother I tell you that the humanitie of Christ Iesus as all other things whatsoever are was alwaies present with his celestiall Father for with him nothing can bee said to bee past or to come but all is present the Sonne is before his Mother because the Father did first behold the humanitie of his Sonne before hee beheld his mother yet for all this you cannot properly say that the one precedeth the other for in God all things are present The Acts of the 23. of December THis day Verrine began to make a furious inuectiue against the Magician saying with great out-cries Accursed wretch thou deseruest to haue thy life restored vnto thee tenne thousand times that thou mightest so many times suffer death yea thou shouldest die as oft as thou hast sacrilegiouslie offended Notwithstanding God would yet deale fauourable with thee if thy selfe giue no stop thereunto Ha you Capuchins you shall bee punished with temporall calamities because you did vary from the forme which was prescribed vnto you You might well conceiue that Almighty God hath communicated power vnto his Church to bee able to command Diuels and your charity that you should beare vnto your neighbours might haue perswaded you hither that you might take information of all things but hee is not alwaies absolute that conceiteth hee is already sufficiently informed Then said Verrine to the Dominican Father who euer wrote what hee deliuered I must goe thither the third time consider how God loueth this soule Before Christmas you shall see the bottome
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
words the Diuels themselues did say Gloria in excelsis Deo for that it was no wonder that the Angels did sing Gloria in excelsis Deo but the miracle was to heare this Gloria chanted forth by the Diuels and if it were put to their choice they would rather make election to suffer all the torments of hell then once to pronounce this Gloria Hee farther said some men doe cauill and say that the Diuels cannot deliuer a truth miserable and stupid wretches is not God powerful to make Angels and men and diuels to obey him Others say that these are meere iuglings and fables Others that they are stage-playes and inuentions Others murmur because they see no signe and because those that are possessed doe not speake all kinde of languages Others beleeue that Louyse might cary away these discourses which shee had vttered from the many sermons which shee had heard It is not to bee wondred that men beleeue it not for it is a thing full of nouelty and rarenesse And thou Michaelis art to examine all this and then the censure of the Church must passe vpon it But as hee was esteemed healthie who was indeed infirme before God as appeared by the Pharisie so hee esteemed himselfe infirme before God who was indeed sound and healthy witnesse the Publican O blessed mother of God thou didst not imitate Eue nor questioned the Angell with quare quomodo but thou diddest forth with say Ecce ancilla Domini The Serpent suggested vnto Eue God hath giuen you to eate of all the fruit of these trees that are in Paradise whereunto Eue answered he hath commanded vs not to eate of this fruite and added much idle language besides so that at the last shee gaue credence vnto the serpent whereupon Adam fell also by the perswasions of Eue but he should haue said that it was not lawfull for her to take the apple that he had no commandement from God to do it nay that he was expresly forbidden Wretched sinner if thy body say vnto thee take and eate there is no offence in it thy soule as Mistrisse of the body must giue checke vnto it and say I will not venture vpon it for God himselfe hath prohibited it And if thou chance to be so seduced beware how thou follow the dangerous tract wherein Adam walked but humble thy selfe without asking quare quomodo but rather confesse thy selfe to be vnworthy to suffer euen the paines of hell for thy sinnes Then he said there are many that say vnto the Preist Father reueale and remember vnto mee my sinnes but the Preist must in reason answere them it is your part to examine your selues and to disclose vnto mee what your transgressions are for I am not God or a Prophet that I should be able to know the secrets of your consciences your cause is heere to be heard and pleaded the client ought to furnish his Advocate with instructions I tell you in this case the Preist is to demand his absolution from him because he is confessed and not to penitent person and men of this humor are worse then vnreasonable beastes The Confessour is sharply to reprehend such kind of men but his reproofes must be interlaced with discretion and must say vnto them that they wittingly and willingly haue offended and therefore they are to pray vnto God for his illumination who is not dainty to grant the same to those that beg it of him in humilitie wee must search for this light if wee will finde it and knocke at Gods mercie-gate that we may attaine vnto it For it is the sister of that eternall Word which doth easilie open this gate vnto you nay I say farther that this word is mercie it selfe and yet it is enuironed with awfull Iustice. Iustice is the sister of mercie and the indiuiduall companion of Princes take away the punishments of offenders and behold all order in confusion and all ciuill Policie trampled vpon and contemned After this hee spake to Magdalene and said Magdalene keepe this childe with all the charinesse that may bee wrap him vp in the swathling bands of the mortification of the fiue fenses for hee is euer presenting his fiue woundes to God the Father in thy behalfe which he receaued vpon the crosse for thy saluation These are those pretious pearles whose estimate is so beyound all value that God the Father casting but his eyes aside vpon them can deny no suite which he propoundeth vnto him Iesus is a goodly flower in the garden of Mary and alwayes standeth in the sight and presence of his Father Marcella it was thou that diddest cry blessed is the wombe that did beare thee but the diuine word answered rather blessed are they which heare the word of God and diligently keepe the same Then hee said O yee Kinges of the East you haue worshipped this childe what pompe found you with Ioseph and Mary his Mother surely nothing but an Asse and an Oxe in a stable Who reuealed vnto you that the King of glory was there you did certainly behold the brightnesse and radiaâ—â—re of his face as the witnesse of his Diuinity with this he strucke the souldiers to the ground who came to apprehend him and to binde him with cordes And thou good Theise who told thee that hee that was crucified vpon the crosse with thee was a King I am sure thou didst not behold any Crownes Scepters and Triumphes or any such customarie pompes and preparations yet didst thou not desist from crying Memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum For although hee had a crowne of thornes platted vpon his head yet insteed thereof hee hath acquired for you a crowne of immortalitie and in stead of his nakednes hee hath clothed you with the robes of glory If a King should say vnto a Gallie-slaue I will take thee for my adopted sonne were not hee senselesse and dishearted if he should replie vnto the King Sir I am tyed vp heere with a chayne and therefore I will not bee called your sonne You are all guiltie of high treason and your estate baser and more full of slauerie then those that rowe in Gallies for they at the least canne beholdeâ— the Heauen and Earth but you that are sinners are ouertaken and incompassed with darknesse God saith vnto you I will make you Kings I will enroll you in the catalogue of my children I will set you at mine owne table and will inrich you with all my treasures onely clense your selues and purge your soules from those filthy and ill fauouring ordours wherewithall it is is defiled O Christians bee not solicitous how to nourish your bodies but be you carefull for the foode of your soules receaue the Communion often for Christ Iesus is many times consecrated and many times sacrificed Before you doe communicate see that you diligently examine your selues for you cannot too worthily approach vnto this table for although you should liue a 100000. yeares
although she be a woman yet is shee the second after God and is neuerthelesse the mother of God After dinner Sonneillon vttered many things tending to edification that Vertue was ascended vp to heauen and in her ascent had let her mantle fall which Impiety that remained vpon the earth tooke vp and clothed it selfe therewithall vnder which couerture and maske it commeth abroad to deceiue men who otherwise would decline the rock of such seducements He further said that the damned should bee punished in all the faculties of their soule in their memory vnderstanding and will together with their fiue senses and all this by the vision of Diuels At the euening Verrine said that the time would come that his name should bee rased out and that many men should see the same The same euening Louyse was not exorcised but Verrine made a terrible inuectiue against Magdalene because she grew coole in the acknowledgement of Gods mercie towards her and had not yet humbled her selfe with a full and perfect repentance Then he admonished euery one in particular how they should discreetly carry themselues in that great businesse of their saluation The Acts of the 27. of December being the feast of S. Iohn THis day in the morning the Dominican Father exorcised and Verrine after his acustomed manner began to speake thus Harken and be attentiue the houre of that great day of Iudgement is at hand for Antichrist is borne and brought forth some moneths past by a Iewish woman God will rase out Magick al Magicians and witches shall returne home vnto him the Soueraigne high Priest shall giue them plenary absolution and all their complices shall be laid open vnto the world These are not fables or fancies or words of ieast and derision I foretell you these things by the appointment of the holy Ghost all which is true I beare but the name thereof and the Church shall heereafter admit it as a Reuelation God would preuent the Diuel and therefore he doth cause this annunciation to be made that the day of Iudgement is at hand and that Antichrist is borne Seauen yeares before the great day of the Lord the earth shall bring forth no fruite the women shall not conceiue and many signes and wonders shall bee seene as is in part already made manifest For the sonne rebelleth against his father the daughter against her mother as you see by experience euery day and that now there are some of all Nations vnder Heauen who are conuerted Iohn the Euangelist thou hast beene intrusted with many celestiall secreets thou wert a doue in thy simplicity and diddest leane vpon the breast of thy Redemer at his last supper and doest now take thy rest in Paradise Moses Enoch and Elias you are there also for your bodies were neuer found vpon the earth Great God of the Christians thy Saints haue many reuelations but such a one as this was neuer disclosed vnto them because the time of this Reuelation was not then come and the sonne of perdition was vnborne I tell thee O Spouse of God thou shalt bee beyond measure vngratefull if thou make nice to receiue so excellent a present sent vnto thee by thy husband but I am assured thou wilt receiue it as shal also the chief dealers in Magick if they will be conuerted whereby they shall reape much mercy and fauour and then the secular arme shall haue no power to inflict the rigour of iustice vpon them It is the good pleasure of God that his goodnesse should be founded forth by them and that they should bee the meanes of the conuersion of many soules as they were the instruments of their perdition The Priests duety is to absolue Magicians and Witches that shall repent and craue of God the remission of their sinnes And thou Prince of Magicians shalt be particularly sisâ—ed and examined and God shal menace and affright thee by the Diuell because other creatures haue no force to worke vpon thee France is infected with this dangerous Art of Magick all the sisters of the company of Vrsula are bewitched at Marseille at Aix and at many other places so that the country swarmeth with the multitude of charmes Come and draw neere vnto the childe Iesus his hands be tender and cannot gripe you hard yet euer haue you in remembrance that this childe onely shall be your Iudge that of all Nations some shall bee conuerted and that this miracle shall bee spread abroad ouer all the world There are yet many voyd seates in Heauen which God will haue filled Lucifer thou goest about to get those soules for whom thou hast payed no ransome but God hath fully shewed that no man can wring that out of his hands which hee hath determined to saue In this God doth offer vnto consideration a new tract of his wisedome power and authority which thou couldest not perceiue for hee confoundeth and beateth thee by a Diuell who is thy seruant and subiect and by two women hee doth conuert soules and set all hell in an vproare and distraction For since the time of this accident more then a thousand soules haue beene conuerted to the faith yet diddest thou accursed spirit think that thou knowest all things when as I â—ell thee Marie her selfe knoweth not all although she be inriched with perfection and hath much authority and power in heauen These discourses are not drawne from the pit of Hell for the tree is knowne by the fruite When God giueth the fire of Charitie he also adioyneth thereunto the cinders of humility for the fire is conserued vnder the ashes Then hee spake to Carreau and said thou also art a wretched spirit thou art he that saiest that God was not able to raise Lazarus to life I tell thee thou liest and he shall conuert the Cheife and ring-leaders in Magick and God shall be praised for his great goodnes by those that shall behold the same God perceaueth that men esteeme not of his Preachers and therefore sent the Diuell to deliuer his truth by the mouth of a woman Phisitians to new maladies haue new remedies and appliances so because this sicknesse of men went beyond ordinary it was expedient for the cure thereof to apply extraordinary remedies especially to those whom the Diuell had deceaued and conquered I affirme that it is necessary to goe to Rome for God will haue this businesse examined and looked into Then he desired to haue his oath ministred vnto him and because hee had reuealed diuerse things full of nouelty and admiration it was thought fit that he should sweare vpon the blessed Sacrament And whilest the Priest was holding the same Verrine spake of diuers matters and amongst the rest that the company of the Christian Doctrine and of Saint Vrsula and the order of Saint Dominicke should sprout vp and flourish alwaies without offence vnto other Orders as vnto the Iesuits and the like that the Father
zelousnesse and deuotion desiring Christ Iesus to take compassion on Lewes And hee pronounced this prayer so passionately and with such affection that he made many mens hearts to throb and melt with compassion yet some others did breake off this prayer said that it was not fit to suffer Verrine to make such praiers Notwithstanding after these interruptions were blowne ouer Verrine propounded certaine interrogatories vnto Lewes saying Primo Whether God bee omnipotent or no to which Lewes answered That hee was omnipotent Secundò he demanded of him Whither the Church hath power and authority to command Diuels Lewes answered that the Church had such power Tertiò hee asked him Whither Diuels may be inforced to vtter a truth Lewes answered that they might Quartò he demanded Whither the oathes which are taken by the Diuel with all the conditious and solemnities requisite vnto the same be of validity or no To which Lewes answered that they were of validity Then said Verrine to the fathers that were present Marke well with me what he hath heere granted And so he bade Lewes to exorcise him which accordingly hee did But not being able to read and being altogether vnacquainted with matters of Exorcismes at euery word he asked of father Michaelis must I say thus and thus to which the said father answered yes and bad him to proceed Here is to be obserued that the fathers Michaelis and the rest questioning with him of the truth of the fact whither he were indeed a Magician or no with other interrogatories vpon that point in steed of inuocating the name of God he bad all the Diuels of hell to fetch him if it were true which he oft repeated to all the questions that were propounded vnto him and made shew as though he wept yet as experience taught vs and as Belzebub himselfe did aduertise vs he did not shed a teare About the end of this exorcisme Verrine exhorted Lewes to renounce all Magick and to turne vnto his God and to this purpose laid before him many pregnant motiues and inducements It befell as the said Lewes was exorcising Magdalene Belzebub and Verrine beganne both together to laugh a loud saying Who would euer haue thought that Lewes would haue exorcised Magdalene Louyse At the Exorcismes that were said by Lewes and also when they were ended Magdalene shut her eies because shee would not see him hauing him in detestation because he was a seducer a Magician and a man so execrable as indeed he prooued When Verrine had once layd him open who hee was to wit that he was a Magician that he had seduced Magdalene that he was the Prince of them all and many other particulars touching the art of Magick and the charmes which he gaue as well to the house of S. Vrsula as to many other persons and places he tooke his oath vpon the blessed Sacrament that all these things were most true Also Magdalene confirmed the same by a double oath and that vpon the blessed Sacrament also After al this Verrine said that they might do wel to shut vp Lewes in the place of penance and that it might bee locked fast vpon him with a lock of iron and that two Priests should lye and watch with him in the said place of penance and two should remaine without that he might be safely kept from making an escape The acts of the first of Ianuary being the feast of Circumcision 1611. THis day in the morning father Michaelis together with the two Capuchin fathers father d' Ambruc Sub-Priour of the couēt of preaching Friers at S. Maximin and two other Priests M. Gaubert and M. de Rets held a counsell at the Kings chamber where it was concluded that father Romillon father Francis Billet and father Francis Domptius the Dominican who had assisted these two possessed women since the beginning of Aduent should bee excluded from the counsell because the said father Michaelis ment to proceed legally and to that purpose had sequestred and examined seuerally the said women that the verity of this fact might be sifted and sound out and that nothing but the pure truth might be published The same day father Michaelis did minister the Communion to Louyse and Verrine against the commandement that was imposed vpon him not to speake began to discourse and say that God by reuelation bad him make declaration of those admirable discourses which hee must vtter to those that were come purposely to heare him The Dominican father who was the Exorcist demanded leaue and licence of father Michaelis his superiour to goe home to his country but not with that modesty which is wont to be vsed to one of his ranke yet did he prostrate himselfe to the feete of the said father after the fashion of his Order in the presence of the Capuchin fathers not without some appearance of spleene and anger His resolution was to get him home because father Michaelis gaue order that he should not bee present at the consultations nor heare or examine that which had been declared by Verrine for his purpose was to examine and looke into these particulars himselfe together with the aboue mentioned fathers And this was done by good aduice and reason for the said father was a party and wrote all that Verrine had said during the whole time of Aduent so that it stood not with conueniency that he should be present at these examinations that it might bee the more fairely carryed and not obnoxious to any partiality or passion The same day in the presence of the said father Michaelis the Capuchin fathers and the others aboue named Magdalens desposition was heard who in perfect sense memory and in the presence of Lewes Gaufridy desposed many things against him touching her possession seducement and the like described at large in the acts that were gathered by father Michaelis from the eleuenth of Ianuary vntill almost the last of Aprill Furthermore she shewed the marke which shee had in her feete which to outward appearance seemed to haue lost all sense as experience made it cleare when they made proofe thereof by putting pinnes into them Notwithstanding this deposition Lewes would by no meanes make acknowledgement of his fault but in a menacing sort he said that in time hee doubted not but to haue reason against those that had accused him and that he would neuer desire to stirre aliue from S. Baume if he were not found innocent This euening father Michaelis did exorcise the two women that were possessed whereupon Lewes by the aduice of some of his friends renounced the art of Magick and at euery renunciation Verrine answered Anen and in disclayming all the scheduls Verrine likewise answered Amen and said vnto him Lewes prepare thy soule and God will giue thee the light of his grace As father Michaelis in the exorcismes was saying these words Qui inferni triumphator fuit Verrine replyed he shal
afflicted and disfauoured by those that were neerest of her blood by reason that shee thus debased her selfe They farther aduertised that Verrine began already to be wray the coÌ„plices and asfoclats in Magick by their names and sur-names and amongst others a woman called Honoria that was blind of both her eies who being apprehended had the markes found vpon her and was conuicted of witch-craft and so burnt although she died with great contrition and sense of her sinnes Let vs therefore pray vnto God that all may redound to his glory and the good of the Church and to the vtter ruine and desolation of the kingdome of Satan Amen THE CONCLVSION THe end and scope of this History which is the discouery of a Magician by the Diuell and his execution which followed there-upon doth cleerly demonstrate the vndoubtable truth contained in the same since there was nothing in the world more secret and incogitable then that the said Gaufridy was a Magician but contrariwise hee stood fauoured and well esteemed of by gentle-men and others of his owne quality the Diuel infusing into him an insinuating and well fashioned deportment of himselfe with so winning a manner of conuersation that hee was wel-be-loued and well entertained by all men But God would not suffer such hypocrites to lurke in his Church vndiscouered and vnpunished as wretched Iudas gaue the first proofe thereof be it spoken without offence and preiudice to S. Peter and the rest of the Apostles God be blessed and praised for euer for all those miracles which he hath been pleased in his good time to worke amongst vs for his glory and the further instruction of his Church Amen The whole is submitted to the iudgement of the Church THE APPROBATION WE the vnder-written Doctors in the sacred facultie of Diuinity at Paris doe certifie that we haue fully and diligently suruayed and read this present treatise intituled The admiâ—able History of the possession and conuersion of a penitent woman seduced by a Magician The collections whereof were gathered by the reuerend father Michaelis Doctor Preacher and Inquisitour of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane faith established by our holy father the Pope In which treatise and collections wee finde nothing which is not orthodox and conformable vnto the decrees and orders of our holy mother the Church Yea wee haue therein obserued many notable things that may tend to the great comfort and edification of all faithfull Christians as well Temporall as Spirituall and may induce and spurre vs on to repentance and to the practise of vertue From our Studies in Paris this present Tewsday the 10. of Iuly in the yeare of grace 1612. G Froger Fr. P. Dum. A DISCOVRSE OF SPIRITS CONTAINING WHATSOEVER is necessarie for the more full vnderstanding and resolution of the difficult Argument of Sorcerers WRITTEN AND COMPOSED BY the reuerend Father Frier Sebastian Michaëlis Doctor of Diuinitie of the Order of Preaching Friers and Prior of the Couent Royall of S. Maximin in Prouence BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Aspley THE PREFACE FRiendly Reader I doe protest with Tertullian that in the Argument of Sorcery which is the subiect of this discourse I neuer was so farre transported with curiosity as to plunge my selfe into an ouer-diligent intelligence of the same because it is a Science that serueth for nothing but to disseason and perplex my spirit as being an enemy vnto my soule and therefore the vnderstanding thereof distastfull to mee The consideration whereof is common to all those who leuell their actions to godly purposes whereof that holy and ancient Father doth draw a learned and generall deduction in these notable words Nos spiritualia nequitiae non quidem socia Conscientia sed inimica scientia nouimus nec invitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione tractamus multiformem luem mentis humanae totius erroris artificem salutis pariter animaeque vastatorem In which he hath spoken a certaine truth for what other thing can a man gaine by this vnnecessary yet dangerous knowledge but a true plague of man-kind a palpable blindnesse in all sorts of error and last of all an ir-recouerable slide and downe-fall both of body and soule into the pit of Hell Notwithstanding the Theorick and contemplation of these things is not vnnecessary vnto vs that are Clergy-men because we are expresly commanded by Christ Iesus in the persons of his Apostles to cast out and chase away all wicked and vncleane spirits by the powerfulnesse of his name for his pleasure is that wee should be in direct opposition against Magicians who doe call vpon them and wooe them to appeare vnto them by their softest and sweetest supplications But we as is already said Non inuitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione ipsos tractamus So that the admirable effects which doe continually flow from so high and weighty a charge may giue full answere and solution to the obiection of Paynâ—â—s who were wont by way of réproch to aske the Primitiue Christians wherein their knowledge of wicked spirits did excell and surmount other mens Vnto whom the same good father Tertullian answereth that it was necessary that Christians should haue a greater knowledge of Diuels because as experience did well witnesse none but Christians had authority and power to cast them out with violence and in despite of them For as a Lord or Master who is euer labouring to tame his slaue that is refractary and rebellious against him hath occasion to know his peruersues more thorowly then other men euen so fareth it with Christians in respect of vncleane spirits Daemonia itaque affirmamus esse inquit sane quasinon probemus qui ea soli de corpore exigimus Hence wee may make this deduction that for the readier way to dissipate and ouerthrowe the kingdome of Satan this kinde of Science is necessarily required in Church-men as the knowledge of Heresies is necessary vnto Catholick Doctors that they may the better confute them and those diseases that are pestilentiall must be vnderstood by Phisitians if they hope to expell them I doe heere desire that in a subiect of this nature there might bee a methode obserued in our manner of speaking as the Stoicks anciently did in their discourses of the world esteeming it as a great abuse to call things that in themselues were odious and filthy by honest names or things that were vertuous and honest by filthy names but insteed thereof euery thing was to be expressed by words and appellations apt and proper to figure out the same For vertuous actions were to bee expressed by termes that should breath and sound forth nothing but a decent and equall commendation but vicious and discommendable actions were to be set forth with such fit and conuenient epithetes as might breed an â—orrour and detestation of their filthinesse Neither doe I desire this without iust cause since that the malice of our times hath mis-applied
the names of things that are Sacred to that which is base and ridiculous and contrariwise those things which are stayned with pollutions much vnworthy of Christians are many times graced with goodly and glorious appellations Hence it ariseth that many haue so farre ouer-shot themselues that they hold those for barbarous and illiterate fellowes who in speaking of the Diuell doe vse the proper Greeke name Diabolus or the Hebrew name Satan or the word borrowed from the Latins Malignant which signifieth an aduersary a back-biter and one repleat with all maliciousnesse names so proper and proportionable vnto their nature that the holy Scripture doth sundry times vse the same yet is the vse thereof so discontinued in these times that we finde no mention of them in any Bookes Euery one doth contend to sound forth no other name then the goodly appellation of Daemon which signifieth one learned and wise and indeed Plato and other great Philosophers and Poets haue vsed it as a name of God who knoweth all things as Tertullian obserueth whereas insteed thereof they might vse plenty of names very frequent in the Scriptures and particularly recited by S. Ierome such as are the Diuell Satan Beliall the Aspe the Basiliske the roaring Lyon the great Dragon the Apostate the Deceauer and the like which make a singular expression of his bloody and malicious nature I could also wish that in our French language men should haue the vse of those names that would best befit the ordure and infamy of the desperate condition of these blinde and more then beastly Sorcerers For the tearme of Sorcerer signifieth nothing else but one that casteth lot being drawne from the Latine word Sors which is sometimes taken in good part and may safely and religiously bee vsed as these passages of the Scripture doe clearely shew vnto vs. Mittens super vtrumque hircum sortem Cuius fo rs exierit Domino offeres Iosua forte terram diuidet forte exiit vt incensum poneret Cecidit sors super Mathiam So that there may yet be vse of lots in the administration of Ecclesiasticall affaires which are of most importance as S. Thomas after S. Augustine doth notably obserue Heereupon it is that I desire the imposition of some tearme that should not thus gild-ouer this abominable art but as they that practise the same are the most filthy and brutish creatures of the world so should their appellation bee so odious that it should import nothing but downe right villany and should strike an horrour and detestation of them into those that speake of them or heare them mentioned And this was the opinion of Plato and the Stoicks when they would labour to prooue that the first institution of names did signifie according to the natures of things and had not their imposition by chance which they also euince by experience For said Plato when I say Mee I draw in my voice towards my selfe but when I say Thee I retort and let it out against him vnto whom I speake And these subtle touches of Philosophy are experienced to bee true not onely in the Greeke tongue in which Plato wrote but also in the two other principall tongues the Hebrew and the Latine If therefore these people had the stampe of these appeliations vpon them Men enthralled vnto Diuels the slaues of Satan or as S. Augustine calleth them Worshippers of Diuels or by such like tearmes as may best sute with their natures they should be expressed vnto the world a great deale more naturally and more vnto the life then by misterming them by the name of Sorcerers which is deriued from the latine word Sortilegus and by this meanes men would haue the malice and villany of such kinde of people in more horrour For if wee narrowly sift and looke into them it will be found that there is no appearance or remnant of goodnesse in them but onely they are good in their naturall essence like vnto Diuels and of a truth they are the most grosse and impure Idolaters that euer were or may bee found since that they worship the Diuell and know him to be the Diuell Whereas when Idolaters did worship him they had euer an opinion that he was God And therefore saith S. Augustine the ignorant people that are Idolaters doe not sinne so grieuously as doe your learned Philosophers for the simple people doe not apprehend the spring and first originall of these Idolls but Philosophers doe well know the head from whence they flow which proceeded from vncleannesse and from the vices and inuentions of men so that without comparison the Christians who are more particularly acquainted with the will of God shall bee in a farre more damnable estate then the former After this discourse touching their names I come now vnto the fact I am not ignorant that many haue formerly trauelled their spirits and pennes in this Argument of Sorcerers so that I might quit this labour and repute my selfe vnworthy to publish my gleanings after their baruest yet may I iustly vse the excuse of Lactantius Firmianus who crauing pardon in that hee had vndertaken to write against the Gentiles in fauour of Christian Religion since that such great and learned personages as Iustin Origen Tertullian and Arnobius had formerly written of the same I haue done it said hee as it were vpon constraint and to giue rellish and contentment vnto the variety of mens wills because wee are bound to fit and accommodate our selues both to the learned and vnlearned for the aduancement of the common good Some said he haue written against the Gentiles meerly from the grounds and authority of Scripture in which they giue no satisfaction vnto the Gentiles in that they doe repudiate the same but doe onely confirme the Christians and partly the Iewes Others haue argued the case and grounded the iudgment of their conceptions vpon naturall reason wherein those doe finde a main and an extraordinary delinquency who doe sagely and soberly prefer the Scripture before all other humane reason whatsoeuer But none saith he did euer mingle both together in any Authour which is it that now remaineth to be done And thereupon Lactantius concludeth that if hee did make a hansome medlie or mingle of all these diuersities he hoped to giue contentment to euery body euen downe to the Atheist All which I apply vnto my selfe for my lawfull excuse For some haue intreated of Sorcerers onely by way of a bare collection of Histories and of the criminall proceedings against them together with the relation of their owne auerments and confessions Others haue proceeded more scholastically and haue not departed or swarued from the Commentaries which are made vpon the 4. bookes of the Sentences A third sort not rellishing this manner of proceeding haue followed the steps and opinions of some auncient Paynim Philosophers as Mercurius Proclus Iamblicus whom they doe too much adhere vnto euen where they thwart the authority of the holy Scripture Whereupon
I did apprehend that there was yet left vntraced another way a great deale more safe and lawfull and more apt for the course and scope of my studies who for the glory of God and releefe of the Church against the opposition of heresies haue for the space of 40. yeares giuen ouer the reading of all sorts of bookes but the holy Scriptures and the fathers of the Church to wit that this discourse should be drawne from the Scriptures and from the reading of auncient fathers vpon which we are to ground the principall foundation although other authors bee alleaged on the By to adde strength and illustration therevnto For touching the first they doe â—akedly report the fact but produce no proofes of the same The second doe propound their scholesticall resolutions of this point but the nicenesse of these times will not digest such fare As for those of the third sort wee will oppose against them by way of admonition that which Tertullian faith Daemonem soli nouerunt Christiani vel quaecunque apud Dominum secta And in another place he rendreth a reason of this saying Cui veritas comperta sine Deo cui Deus cognitus sine Christo cui Christus exploratus sine Spiritu Sancto cui Spiritus Sanctus accommodatus sine fidei Sacramento By which Gradation hee pointeth out vnto vs that no man could euer exactly and without grosse errour know what belongeth vnto the soule or vnto good and bad spirits for hee speaketh of such in these aboue-cited passages vnlesse he haue dranke of the water of Christ Iesus Philosophers saith he haue sometimes chanced vpon the truth yet was it neuer without some mingle of errour or else they did draw and borrow it from the Scripture or it fared with them as with one that hath lost himselfe in a maze or labyrinth who if after many crookings and distractions he chance to light vpon the right way out it is to be attributed to hap and not to election for they haue no assurance and certainty in whatsoeuer they say or inuent and therefore the Academicks doe rather freely confesse that they haue no certaine knowledge of any thing S. Augustine is iust of Tertullians opinion if Mercurius Trismegistus saith hee or any other doe deliuer any thing that is good it is not of authority sufficient to teach vs a wholesome doctrine but it is onely able to conuince and disprooue the Infidels And as concerinng their sayings that they are agreeable vnto truth there is no lesse discrepancy and distance between their authority and the authority of the Prophets then there is between Diuels and Angels For the Diuels haue sometimes spoken truth yet are we not presently to build a conclusion of Catholick doctrine vpon the same The question then in hand is to be debated by that which is conformable to the holy Scriptures and which hath been taught by the auncient fathers of the Church which is the onely scope vnto which I aime in this worke where we will also alleage when there shall be a conueniency thereof certaine Philosophers which for the most part are already cited by S. Thomas as farre as we shall finde them in conformity and league with Scriptures and the fathers And if any shall oppose against them tdey shall find themselues repelled and confuted by the ponderous and waighty allegations of naturall reason to content and gaine in or confound the Atheists whose number is farre greater then it should be although much inferiour vnto those to my great greefe I speake it that doe symbolize and comply themselues to Sorcerers and adhere vnto them by an infinite number of superstitions in which foule crimes men of the best ranke do sundry times inbarke themselues So that I may well say with Chrysostome that if it were as easie to execute iustice vpon the great ones as it is vpon the baser sort all the prisons would be presently stuffed with Magicians and Sorcerers And else-where doth this good father with large effusion of teares deplore the blindnesse of such people where he saith Lachrymis gemitibus digna vaticinia obseruationes genesis signa ligaturae diuinationes incantationes caetera huiusmodi Quae omnia magno profecto scelere praesumuntur denique iram prouocare consueuerunt atque eò magis quo post ingentis beâ—euolentiae insignis miserationis indicia postquam ille filium suum pro redimendis hominibus misit haec nesario aufu admittimus To this purpose doth S. Augustine prettily teach vs that this is a thing which God permitteth thereby to occasion vs to fly into the close embracements of Christ Iesus our Mediatour when we shal vnderstand how shamelesly and brutishly the Diuell doth dragge vs vnto him and worrieth vs as a famished Wolfe doth the harmeles sheepe Quantò quippe in haec ima inquit potestatem daemonum maiorem videmus tantò tenacius mediatori est inhaerendum per quem de imo ad summa contendimus It remaineth that I should also handle whether those things which are spoken of Sorcerers doe proceed from dreames and illusions or whether they are reall and true But fearing a glut of words in this long Epistle which may perhaps seeme vnto some more wearisome then delightfull I haue remitted and fitted that discourse to the conclusion of this booke hauing euer before me that which S. Augustine wittily obserueth that a reader when hee seeth the end of a booke or a chapter is as glad as a passenger to see the signe of his Inne where hee is to repose himselfe A DISCOVRSE OF SPIRITS CONTAINING WHATSOEVER IS NECESsary for the more full vnderstanding and resolution of the difficult Argument of Sorcerers CHAP. I. Whither 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 TOuching the first point it is an ordinarie method in all things which men are desirous to comprehend first to search into their causes otherwise they shall not want occasions to remaine vnresolued and doubtfull and their spirits will not cease to be full of discontentment and perplexitie For this is the nature of man especially when hee seeth vnusuall and extraordinary effects as is cleere by the example of countrie people set downe and expressed by Aristotle who when they see an eclipse of the Sunne or Moone they are presently stricken with admiration like vnto the Children of Israel who wondred at the new foode of Manna and demanded what it was And such kindes of admiration saith Aristotle haue been the seed-plot and head of all Philosophie for those spirits that had a touch of generousnes and industrie did presently endeuour to comprehend the cause of those vnusuall euents The like course of proceeding is here to bee obserued and the rather because it seemeth so much the more admirable and incredible by how much the more distant the knowledge
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
of any man in the world for we finde that hee heere reciteth all most the very same sentences which hee did formerly alleage in the discourse of Anthonies life where hee addeth that the Deuils do no more then one that rideth post and aduertiseth vs of some things that are done farre from vs or as a Physitian who by feeling a mans pulses will shew him that hee is likely to fall into a feauer or as a husband-man who seeing a glutt and ouerflow of waters will foretell a scarcity of corne to ensue to conclude saith he they know whatsoeuer is already done not what is to come yet from hence did Idolatry and all those newe Gods of the heathen take their beginning and they were esteemed by the simple people to be the true Gods And this assertion which is so waighty and of such importance may be strengthened both by Scripture by prophane authors also for the most famous Oracles that euer were did flourish in the time of Cyrus in Affricke and in Greece as Herodotus writeth in which times the Prophets Esay Ezekiel Daniel and others had foretold diuers great mutations which were to befall the most renowned Nations of the world as the Assyrians the Babylonians the Grecians and the Romanes yea thâ—y were so plaine as to point out the Grecians and to call Cyrus by his proper name the like did the Sybilles also foreshowe Now when the Deuils were thus armed they then began to foretell that which they had stollen from the Reuelation of Prophets and to deliuer the great euents of things But if a man did offer to decline from these paths and did question them of lesse affaires and of particular businesses whereof they could haue no knowledge or coniecture they did so mince and perplexe their predictions with ambiguous speeches that whatsoeuer should happen they would still haue a hansome shift and euasion Many graue authors both amongst the Greekes and Latins haue handled this pointe and amongst the Latins we haue many notable passages of Lactantius and of S. Ierome who hath descended vnto some particulars heerein saying Apollo Delphicus Loxias Deliusque Clarius caetera Idola futurorum scientiam pollicentes reges potentissimos deceperunt and hee alleageth many examples of their ignorance but saith hee if there were no other thing to discouer their weaknesse but this that they could not foretell their owne ruine vpon the comming of Christ Iesus in the flesh it would sufficiently prooue their imbecillity in the apprehension of things to come It is reported that a good vnderstanding man who was desirous to trie the blockishnesse of a Magician or Chiromantick did shew him his left hand to haue his fortune told him and as the Magician was attentiuely vewing the lineaments of his hand hee strooke him with his right hand a sound boxe on the eare saying vnto him if thou knowest things that are to come why dost thou not first learne that which doth concerne thy selfe this saith Saint Ierome of Oracles Where by the way we may see how grossely they are abused who make any compacts and bargaines with this vncleane Spirit vpon promise to vnderstand from them those euents that are afterwards to follow as also how greeuously they offend who addresse themselues vnto such kind of people which is no lesse then to apply themselues vnto the Oracles themselues as the Idolaters of former times did since the Deuill is he that speaketh both in the one and in the other And this is that fearefull Apostasie from the faith which is so frequently forbidden in the law of God But saith this good father Anthonius what good shall a man get in suffering himselfe to bee palpably cousened and in stead of a Carkanet to buy a bracelet of cockles especially since this is the way to estrange him from God and to make him sell his poore soule vnto the Deuill for meere lies and gulleries But put case that hee told vs truth yet should we not labour to get this knowledge from the enemy of God and mankinde for feare he conuey poyson into this hony as hee did vnto our first parents Hereupon it was that our Sauiour commanded the Deuill to hold his peace although hee spake pure truth And albeit saith this good Monke Anthonius hee should appeare vnto vs full of splendour and brightnes as sometimes he transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light yet are we to shut our eyes and to turne aside our face from the light which proceedeth from the Deuill The history of Saul doth declare that hee had done what lay in his power to know that which did so much import him and had addressed himselfe vnto God and vnto the Preists and Prophets till at the last when he saw that God would make him no answere he went as at the last cast vnto a witch and that hastened on his ruine Let vs learne then to make our addresse vnto God and if he do not aide vs forth-with yet to hope still in him and to waite his leasure with patience knowing that all doth worke together for our good But wee will speake heereof more at large in the ensuing Chapter There is another obseruation which Saint Chrysostome noteth and suteth notably with this argument Nemo quum fallunt attendit sed solum si quid verum praedixerint aspicit And againe he saith Quiâ— homo se dedit Diabolipotestati Deus id permittit accidere Men take no heede vnto their falshoods but do onely looke to that which falleth out to bee true but saith he touching the misfortunes which do fall vpon them God doth iustly permit them to happen as the scourge and punishment for their sinne CHAP. VI. 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 whiâ—h the Sorcerers vsed in the olde time all proued by the Scripture ALthough Pliny was of opinion that Magicke was really nothing but meerely a bare name without a thing and was no more in nature then is a Chimâ—ra which hee goeth about to prooue by the experience of Nero who was so hot in the pursuite of these curious Arts that hee did initiate and dedicate himsâ—lfe vnto this trade and yet for all this he could neuer giue satisfaction vnto himselfe in this kinde although hee wanted neither wit nor will much lesse authority riches and the most knowing men in these Artes that he could get from all the quarters of the East Yet ought we not to entertaine this opinion that Pliny hath no more then his blasphemous conceite of the Deity for he affirmeth that there is no other God but the Sunne or his gibing at the resurrection of the flesh which hee thinketh a meere ridiculous fancy for in these two points he playeth the parâ—
of an Atheist as indeede hee was but the rule in Logicke doth easily ouerthrow his collection when from a particular instance he would inferre an vniuersall proposition for as wee say Ex particularibus nihil concludi potest a particulari ad vniuersale conclusio nulla We could also allow vnto him the history of Iulian the Apostatate who had as much authority riches wit and as many masters as Nero euer had and a great deale of more will but by the permission of God he grew more weary of the incertainty and barrennnesse thereof then hee was before heated with the desire of knowing it And this did rather happeÌ„ vnto them both that we may answere the obiection of Pliny because their maine drift and designe was to abolish and annihilate the memory of Christ Iesus and to prooue him a lyar in that he had said Ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque ad consummationem seculi But thereupon to deny the effects of the Deuill practised by his instruments the witches it would sauour of too much rashnesse especially since many authors so ancient and so renowned are full of them Let it suffice to haue alleaged for confirmation heereof certaine passages out of Lactantius and Saint Augustine who giuing a reason of such admirable effects do attribute them to wicked Spirits We will onely adde that which Philostratus hath written of a sorceresse who by her art did prouide a sumptuous banquet for her louer Menippus who being sate at table with many others and hauing a good appetit to taste of those delicacies vpon the suddaine all was taken away and they were forced to rise more hungry then they were before But wee will draw our proofes from the Scripture least some should with Pliny conceite this relation to bee fabulous First Saint Paule maketh mention of the Iamnâ—s and Iambres whose history is recited in the booke of Exodus that they resisted Moyses and did worke by Magicke whatsoever Moyses could do by Diuine power they changed their roddes into serpents and water into blood they also made frogges to come and couer the land of Aegypt yet at the third plague not at the third signe as it is vulgarly receiued they could not do as Moyses did before them not because as the Hebrewes would alleage the Deuill cannot counterfeit any thing that is lesse then a barly corne in regard that those things that are least require say they greatest subtilty to shape them and therefore although the Magicians did make great snakes and frogges yet they could not bring lice vpon the land of Aegypt as Moyses did for this opinion is not iustifiable because afterwards they could not make great flyes nor raise those hugh botches and tumours which were in the bodies of men neither could they make haile or lightning to descend from heauen or cause the windes to blow and combate against themselues which neuerthâ—lesse he did in Iobs time but the reason was because at the third time God tyed vp the power of Satan and restrained him from passing further as hee also inhibited him in the like case to put Iob to death as he did his children And this the Magicians were forced to confesse saying Digitus Dei est hic From hence it is apparant that there are those who contract secret familiarity with the Deuill and by this meanes worke strange things although for the most part they are ordained vnto wicked purposes The Prophet Dauid doth take his similitude from the charmer who by his arte doth charme serpents so that this is a truth not to bee gaine-said especially since God himselfe doth no lesse detest and prohibite such kinde of men in his law then he doth Idols and Oracles of the Deuill For when Sathan sawe that the people of God did abhorre his Oracles that were senslesse and framed by the hands of men hee insinuated himselfe amongst them by another way more subtile then the former by speaking vnto men and making himselfe to be secretly adored by them This is it which is so strictly forbidden in Leuiticus Non declinetis ad magos nec ab Heriolis aliquid sciscitemini ne polluamini per eos And hee repeateth the same afterwards Anima quae declinauerit ad magos Hariolos fornicata fuerit cumeis ponam faciem meam contra eam interficiam eam de medio populi sui Also it is said in Exodus Maleficos non patieris viuere where the Hebrew word doth particularly apply it selfe vnto witches And in Deutronomy God speaketh thus vnto his people Quando ingressus fueris terram quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi caue ne imitarivelis abominationes illarum gentium nec inueniatur in te qui lustret filium suum aut filiam ducens per ignem aâ—t qui ariolos sciscitatur obseruat somnia atque auguria net sit maleficus nec incantator neque qui Pythones consulat nec diuinos quaerat à mortuis veritatem Omnia haec abominatâ—r Dominus propter istiusmodi scelera delebit eos in introitu suo perfectus eris aâ—sque macula cum Domino Deo tuo gentes ist ae quarum possidetis terram augures diuinos audiunt tu autem a Domino Deo tuo aliter institutus es To bee breife the Scripture doth often speake of these people in so much as there is scarce a booke in the whole Bible where mention is not made of them Besides the passages already cited those that are desirous may see Num. 23. Ios. 13. 1. Reg. 15. and 28. 2. Paral. 33. Esay 47. and 44. Mich. 5. Naâ—um 3. In the new testament there is Simon Magus Elimas the south-sayer Barieu and a woman who had a familiar Spirit and did foretell many things by which meanes she brought in much gaine vnto her masters There is also mention made of the Ephesians who were exceedingly addicted to all kinds of curious artes and these were nothing else amongst the Ancients but the artes of Magicke but when they had their vnderstandings rectified by Saint Paules instructions they burned all their bookes that were valued at 50. thousand peices of siluer When good King Iosias would reduce the religion of God into that first integrity wherein it formerly stood thereby to appease the wrath of God against the people of the Iewes hee called a generall Councell in the temple at Hierusalem where amongst other things sit to be redressed it was decreed that all sorcerers and witches should be put to death which the good King accordingly practised Pythones saith the text ariolos figuras idolorum immunditias abominationes quae fuerunt in terra Iudae Hierusalem abstulit Iosias vt statueret verba legis After his raigne all good Princes did the like the law of God hauing expressely forbidden the vse of the same As also in the Codices there are many lawes religiously ordained by Christian Emperours as
are no fables Which relation would receiue strength and accession of authority if wee will allow that Iesus the sonne of Sirac did make that discourse which doth at large mention all these things and is attributed vnto him in the Hebrew booke We also finde the word Lilith in the Scripture and particularly in the foure and thirtieth of Esay which Saint Ierome translateth and thinketh to be a Sorceresse Ibi cubauit Lamia whereby is meant such women as vse to goe in the night Againe in the Lamentations of Ieremy he interpreteth this word Lilith to be a Sorceresse saying Sed Lamiae Lamia saith Duris was a woman who was iealous that her husband had begotten a child vpon another woman and thereupon in a great surie she gaue secret order to haue the child strangled and did the like by all those whom shee could get into her hands and from her are such kinde of women by the Latines called Lamiae whose custome was as Ieremy hath it to shew and offer their breasts vnto little children thereby to still them and to allure them to come vnto them that so they might strangle them with greater secresie Therefore when God threatneth Babylon or Ierusalem that witches should frequent thither and shew their teates it is but to shew that such places should be left desolate and vtterly ouerthrowne because desolate places are altogether frequented by witches who come there to make their assemblies and are carried for the most part thither by the Diuell that in such remote corners they might the more freely exercise the mysteries of their abominations like as theeues and murtherers haunt such kinde of sollitude Pliny lib. 25. hist. cap. 11. saith that women doe farre exceed men in this trade and Quintilian in declamat saith Latrâ—cinium in vâ—ro facilius veneficium in foemina The other kinde of Witches is not so execrable because there is no expresse bargaine with Satan but onely a tacite agreement And against them S. Chrysostome homil 13. in 1. ad Timotheum teacheth vs to proceed in another fashion Si quis inquit ligatur as inanes aut aliud quippiam eiusmodisciens prudens sequitur praecepto atque imperio tantum arcendus est sin vero ignarus in ea inciderit docendus est That is to say We are to informe the ignorant and to shew vnto them how foule the offence is where men leaue God to adhere vnto superstitions CHAP. VIII An answere vnto those that demand what danger there is in crauing the assistance and aide of the Diuel IT is a general obseruation which is made of those that forget God to fall if they doe not returne vnto him speedily into blindnesse of vnderstanding and into an obduratnesse of heart like vnto that of Diuels and the soules of the damned For as there is a sympathy and participation of good men with those that are in Paradise so that it may bee said that liuing in this world they haue their conuersation in heauen so are there others who differ very litle from the damned insomuch saith Theodoret as a man may truely say that there are Diuels in hel better then they because they exceed the Diuels themselues in mischiefe and malice The Diuels doe at the least beleeue and tremble Damones credunt contremiscunt but these doe neither beleeue nor feare the iudgements to come Whereupon the wiseman saith that when a wicked man is come vnto the depth and bottome of sinne hee scoffeth and maketh a ieast of all admonitions And to digresse no further the truth hereof is seene by the experience of those who haue giuen their poore captiue soules vnto the Diuell and did thinke that these things were meerely fabulous which did any way remember them of eternall damnation And what danger is there say they to command the Diuell did not Christ Iesus himselfe the same doth not God sometimes vse them and did not the Apostles also serue their turnes with them by commanding them as they thought good Vnto these wee may propose the question which Saint Athanasius once did to Arrius Si quis Sathanam adoret rectene an malé fecerit Vnto which Arrius replyed although his vnderstanding was darke and blind Impius sine Deo est neque communem sensum habet nec meretur hominis appellationem So that by the very confession of a limme of the Diuell wee haue foure markes of him that adoreth the Diuell First he is full of all impiety and wickednesse secondly hee is a true Atheist thirdly he is deuoyd of common sense and lastly he is not worthy the appellation of a man In this Arrius spake wonderously well being forced vnto this confession by the truth which ouercommeth all things For if our first parents fell into such labirynths and are euer since stiled hereticks blinde senselesse brute beastes although their simplicity and ignorance was much abused because they neuer heard talke of the cunning and malice of Satan how much more ought they to be called by such infamous appellations who at first dash giue themselues ouer vnto Satan and all his workes although they are admonished by many passages of the holy Scripture yea and warned by the mouth of Christ Iesus his Apostles and all the Church to auoyd and resist Satan and to make continuall intercession to God that they yeeld not vnto his temptations because hee is euer wakefull and is fierce like a roaring and famished Lyon in the wildernesse But wee liue in so wretched an age that although it were formerly said happy is he that hath not drunke of the doctrine of Arrius yet wee are forced to wish the blinded men of our times a conscience of that vprightnesse and sensiblenesse as the conscience of that accursed Arrius was For let vs see how deceitfull and how full of lyes their sophistry is How vntrue is it that a man is to imitate God and his Sonne Christ Iesus in all things It is a good note which a certaine ancient father hath In diuinis rebus quaedam sunt credenda quaedam admiranda quaedam verò imitanda as for example When we find that Christ Iesus did of bread make his body by his owne might and authority it is a worke to be apprehended by beleefe not to be expressed by imitation when he raised men from the dead this myracle is proposed vnto vs onely that wee might admire his diuine power so that if any one should labour to expresse so much hee is to bee accounted an vsurper vpon the glory of God which is the very scope whereunto the Diuell doth by his collusions leade poore blindfolded soules By this meanes he wrought our first parents destruction perswading them as himselfe had already practised to make themselues as God well knowing that this was the true cause of his expulsion out of Paradise to make themselues as God well knowing that this was the true cause of his expulsion out of Paradise for hee
meerely dreames and this is not repugnant to Scripture Fathers or Histories much lesse vnto reason and for further verification of this second rule obserue that which is written in the booke of Exodus where mention is made of Pharaohs Magicians and also that which is set downe in the first three Chapters of the booke of Iob. The third rule is grounded vpon generall causes and occurrences S. Augustine dared not to call these things fables but amasseth and heapeth together whatsoeuer had been formerly practised or remained in vse in his time in all the quarters of the world Some of those whom he questioned with did tell him what they had heard related vnto them by very credible persons others what they had seene and found by their owne experience See S. Augustine in the 16. 17. and 18. chapters of the eighteenth booke of the City of God This generality gaue occasion vnto Hippocrates to speake diuinely of those vniuersall and nationall diseases saying that a generall plague cannot proceed from ordinarie causes in nature but must bee attributed to come from God and from inuisible causes The same may be said in this theame of Witches which is no lesse important It is a wondrous thing that the Witches of France and of our times should depose no more nor no lesse then those of Germany 60. or 80. yeeres agoe And And whereas it may be said that they haue been traded in the bookes which haue been written either in Latine or in the vulgar tongue by learned men that haue set downe their behauiours agreeable vnto the truth of their owne depositions yet wee shall find them to bee mechanicall persons so deuoid of all shew of learning that through the earthinesse of their vnderstandings they rather seeme to be beasts then men Hence we may inferre that this generality and conformity of the facts doth make a full declaration of the truth thereof if wee will yeeld vnto probabilities and reason which is another ground that wee will propound to those that say that there is a repugnancy in reason against these things For how can that which happeneth vpon a set day as vpon a Thursday or the like bee said to bee a dreame if it were so why might it not as well fall out vpon some other day yet is it agreed vpon at all hands that these assemblies of Witches are neuer held but vpon Thursdaies whereupon we demand why rather on this day then vpon any other Againe if it were but a dreame how chanceth it that so many people in such diuersity of places and dwelling in countries so remote one from another should in one and the selfe same time haue all one kind of dreame Physitians hold that the diuersities of meates and their seuerall quantities doe breed and cause the variety we haue in dreames and is it likely that all those persons doe at the same time vse the same kinds of meates and in the selfe same quantity that they thus iumpe and concurre in dreames of the same chance and nature They further affirme that the seuerall complexions of men doe also beget a diuersity in dreames so that the sanguine man dreameth of pleasant things the melancholicke of sad accidents the martialist of warre in like manner the dreames of young men are ordinarily different from the dreames of old men and the dreames of men doe vary from those of women wherein I appeale to Aristotle Artemidorus and others who haue made set Treatises of this argument Since then for the most part these kind of Witches are different in complexion age sex and sect how happeneth it that they should all dreame or if they doe dreame whence ariseth it that they should all dreame the selfe same thing without variation in any circumstance one from another and which is more in the same day and houre It will bee said that the Diuell is assuredly the cause hereof Be it so now you come neere vnto the truth since you grant that this doth transcend the forces of man and that it must be attributed to the working of the Diuell Thereupon I demand since that it is by them decreed vpon that this is a true dreame because it is in the Diuels power to effect such a thing why are they so precise to acknowledge a reality in the fact when it is also in the compasse of the Diuels power to accomplish the same Besides experience confirmeth it neither is it against Scriptures Fathers or Histories nay it is foreshowen vnto vs that at the end of the world these things should bee more frequent then euer they were before as we will afterward proue But it is not probable that such a generality and conformity should bee a dreame foysted in by the Diuell For first one Diuell can worke but in one place at one time as Iustin Martyr Didymus and S. Thomas do declare So that it cannot be one Diuell alone that is to labour this businesse but they must bee many and their number must equall the number of the Sorcerers and Witches that are to dreame and then must they labour and runne in and out yea and tye themselues vnto a set day and houre which is as strange as the reality of the fact For why should the Diuell denie to doe such a thing but at a set time and should tye himselfe vnto this day and houre rather then to any other It may happen that the Diuels aduantage shall at that very time lie another way and there may some great occasion offer it selfe to tempt others in matters of a far more execrable nature then these dreames are so that they cannot attend this and then it must needs follow that many of these Sorcerers cannot dreame because their Diuels are imployed in more diabolicall negotiations and vse therein both their art and apprehension Besides the Diuell may stirre the phantasie of a man as appeareth by the temptations which he presenteth before vs and as he practised vpon Iudas Anaenias and Saphira but he cannot vse our phantasies at his pleasure and present vnto them whatsoeuer he will because it is in our power to diuert his working from them For as S. Thomas saith he cannot make an impression of colours into the phantasie of one that is borne blind neither can he make the sound of a voyce in one that is naturally deafe which is beyond the power of nature her selfe yet is he able to moue the phantasie and to offer vnto it those obiects which it hath formerly receiued Now the phantasies of all these kinds of people are not in euery respect alike neither are they at all times and vpon all occasions equally disposed so that it will bee very improbable to attribute this cōfluence of phantasies vnto dreames yea it will bee more incredible then to affirme that these things are palpablie and really practised considering what wee haue already alleaged for confirmation of the same For there is no absurdity that can
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
confesseth himselfe 127 Abyron Dathan swallowed vp by the earth for their impieties 213 Accusation of Sorcerers 8 The acts of Adoration of Verrine 3.143.185 An Act of humility in Magdalene 149 Adoration of Verrine 3.143.185 Adiuration of Verrine 103.123 Adam driuen out of Paradise for his disobedience 133 Adams Repentance 115 Adam and what he did 44.217.246.106 Adoration of the Eucharist 26.33 Adoration of the Goat in the synagogue 302 Adoration of God by a Diuell in a miracle 89 An aduertizement vnto Monkes and Priests 133.144 An aduice to write that which the Diuell deliuered 30 An aduice giuen to Priests 104. and vnto religious persons 172. and generally vnto all men 192.238.274 The Age wherein we are to doe penance 237 Agnus dei is a lambe for true Christians but a roaring Lion for Diuels 24 Against such as addresse themselves to Witches 253 Allusion made by the Diuell touching the constraint which be suffereth in exorcismes 204 Saint Andrewes day appointed by the Diuels to carry away Magdalene 1.2 Angels of heauen and their force 36 Angels which are our guardians ought to bee worshipped and why 199 Angels and Saints are our aduocates 147 Angels are not able to sing at full the praises of God 136 Angels that were goodly creatures condemned to hell for their pride 181 Angels are waiters at the table of God 184 Answers of the diuels which were in the body of Louyse 2.3 Antichrist borne 260.268.269.299.305 Antichrist will cause himselfe to bee adored and the Kings of the earth shall serue him 267 Apostrophe vnto S. Magdalene 298 Apostrophe to the laity 145.274 Arriuall of Lewes to S. Baume 287 Arriuall of S. Magdalenes mother to S. Baume 13 Arriuall of Father Michaelis to S. Baume 283 Arriuall of Magdalene to S. Baumie 1 The Attributes giuen to diuine persons 46 Audience giuen to Magdalene 290 An Auie said for our enemies waighes more then a Pater for our friends 257 Authority of the Church 171 Authority of Priests 190 B Balberith is he that tempteth meÌ„ to blaspheme God 252 S. Baume ought to be reuerenced 226.281 Baptisme not regarded 123 Barbarous nations liue in darkenesse 123 The Bee ought to be proposed to our imitation 229 Beatitude not essentiall but accidentall may bee augmented 96 Belzebub tosseth Magdaleue from one side to another 21 Belzebub belloweth like a bull and casteth Magdalenes shooes at Louyse head 6 Belzebub maketh an out cry when he heard these words Ecce Ancilla domini 24 Belzebub sweareth that Louyse is possessed 294 Belzebub in speaking to another Diuell doth imitate the Exorcist 66 Belzebub humbled and troden vnder feete 86.124 Belzebub complaineth to God of his too great mercy 62.63.73.74 S. Bernard a great familiar of the Virgins 194 Beauty of Paradise 38.281 Beades without workes are of none auaile 80.81 Birds of the aire blesse God 250 Blindnesse of men 188 He is Blind who neither hath vnderstanding nor will to do good 141 Booke of life and death in Gods keeping 271 The Booko of the Crucifix 145.275 The Booke with two leaues 173 Bread taken for the species and forme of bread 151 C CAluenists beleeue not the Church of Rome 39 Capuchins goe to Marseille 299 Carreau one of the Diuels 243.116 Catherine of France gardian vnto Magdalene 6 Caroches enter into hell but men goe to Paradise on foote 21.124 A Change in the life of Magdalene 132 The Charity of Saints 37 The Charity of Christ Iesus 77 Charity the daughter of God 44 Christians that serue not God are miserable 17 The Church shall examine all these things 116 Out of the Church there is no saluation and it is but one 209 Single Combats prohibited by God 135.242 Confession of Magdalene 8 The holy Communion the table of the King of Kings 183 Confession without due preparation is not good 126 Confessours and Exorcists are excluded from the consultations 289 Consultations touching the verification of the acts 289 Considerations to bee thought vpon when wee sit at table 228.229 Consultation touching the businesse of the Magician 185 Conuersion of Magicians 261. It is a miracle 305 Constraint of Verrine 18.20.57.58.64.106 Constraint of Belzebub to renounce the actions of the Magicians 241 Constraint of the Diuels to speake truth 42.43.91 and to humble themselues 63.92.93.160.186 Contradiction when the miracles of God are wrought 205 Contradiction of Leuiathan 152 Cooperation of the creature with God 229 Fiue Counsels or instructions giuen to Louyse 40. and to Magdalene 40 The Contrition of Magdalene 10 Another Consultation how to proceed in case that the Magician would not confesse 106 The Contempt of Diuels towards our Lady 5.182 The Contempt which some haue of Priests is not to bee regarded by Priests 135 The Crosse a glasse in which we are all to looke 145 Christ Iesus is the same also 146 The Cruelty of the Magician Lewes 298 All Creatures obey God 60 Damnable Curiosity touching the blessed Sacrament 90 The Curious fall into a pit out of which they cannot get when they will 116.90.133 The Custome of the DominicaÌ„s in saying of their Rosary 3 D DAmnation the recompence of Diuels 60.61 Dathan and Abyron swallowed vp for their impieties 213 Death and the sundry sorts thereof 170 The Deformity of Diuels and the damned 38.61 The Diuell begins to speake at the first exorcismes but by constraint 2.3.157 The Diuell boweth himselfe to worship God 3 The Diuell that is inferiour dareth not speake before his superiour 6 Diuels make dainty to tell their names for feare of being exorcised commanded and punished 66 The Diuell seene by Magdalene 14 The Diuels beaten 24.25 The Diuels are constrained to speake at S. Baume 30 The Diuels would ouerthrow the coÌ„pany of S. Vrsula 34.89 The principall Diuels that were in Magdalene 39 The Diuels condemned for one onely sinne and why 93.64 Diuels are theeues 90 Diuels are vncapable of conuersion 90 The Diuel commandeth not neither are we to obey him 94 The Diuell doth falsely affirme that Lewes was no Magician and that Magdalene was not bewitched 131 The Diuell imployed by God and why 236 The Diuels that tempted our first parents 266 The Diuell exprobateth Lewes with his villaines 289 The Diuels are bound 300 304 The Diuell resisteth and disputeth against God 24.143 The Diuell is proud and is vexed that God would chuse a woman to be the instrument of so important a business 85.54 The Diuell issueth forth like a blast from the body of Louyse 210.211 The Diuels keepe Magdalene bound in all her body to make her to despaire 84 Diuels who are forced by God or his Church to sweare a truth cannot lie 29.88.91.92.95.153.154 Diuels doe laugh at those who are curious 51 The Diuels and their number which was in the body of Louyse 3 A Dialogue of the soule and the body 217 A Dialogue betweene Verrine and Leuiathan 161.187 A Dialogue betweene Verrine and Belzebub 62 A Dialogue betweene Verrine and the Exorcist 186 A Dialogâ—e between Leuiathan one of
the fathers 296 That it is difficult to beleeue what wee cannot comprehend 277.278 The Difference of possession 301 The first Discouery of the Magician 82 Discourse touching the blessed Trinity 43.44 and of their consultation 45 Discourse touching the French King lately deceased 219.263.272 Discourse touching the possession of Louyse and the progresse thereof 137.138 Discourse vnto the people 145 Discourse touching the three Kings 306 Discourse of the paines of hell 19.20 Discourse of the birth of our Lord well worthy to bee read 230.243.244 Discourse of Verrine touching Saints 68.69 Disputation betweene one of the Fathers and Verrine 90.91.201 Disputation betweene the Exorcist and the Diuell 186 Disputation of Leuiathan with Verrine 151.152.154 Disputation of Belzebub with Verrine 62.63 Diuersities of offices amongst the Diuels 170.191 S. Dominick with the good Angell of Magdalene intercede for her 13.15 Verrines enemy 37.189.203 S. Dominicks praises 190.197.198.203 Doubt of the truth of this history 223 E THe Earth made of nothing 222 The End crowneth the worke 272 Enmity betweene Diuels 6 Eucharist 90.151.182.183.191 Eue created without sinne 207 Examination of the acts 308 Example of the Publican and Pharisee in S. Luke 180 Exclamation touching the conception of our Lady 4 Exclamation vpon the praises of God 6 Exclamation touching the day of Iudgement 16 Exclamation of Verrine to God who constrained him 27 Exclamation against the proud and curious 28 Exclamation vnto the Church 97 Exclamation of the Diuell 6.21.24.78 Exhortation to Magdalene 10.91.147 Exhortation to the poore 31.225 The Exorcist demandeth the Diuell Verrine what Saints did most trouble him 3 The Exorcist changed 296 F FAith sufficient in receiuing of the Sacrament 90 Fasts recommended 122 Father d' Abruc commeth to S. Baume 195.287 A father is not to answere for his sonnes offences and of what sonne this is to be vnderstood 177 Feare is not auaileable without loue 226 A feeling of deuotion and strength at the prayers of the Saints 3 Force of Diuels limited 35 The force of Louyse 71 Francis Billet exorciseth at Saint Baume 90 Francis Billet vseth much patience 2 Francis Billet writeth to the Priests of the doctrine a letter and the tenure thereof 155.156 The friends that God hath at his table the foure feastes of the yeere 121 Frequenting of the Sacrament 269 The Fright wherein Magdalene was 30 G GAlly-slaues are more happy then sinners and why 248 The Guardian of Magdalene 6 The Guardian of Mary was Ioseph 249 The Gates of Paradise very narrow 124.200 The holy Ghost called a fire 235 Gloria in excelsis sung at the birth of our Sauiour 224 Gloria in excelsis to bee sung by Diuels is a great miracle 245 God adored in the cratch with bowing downe of the knees 233.247 Gods goodnesse towards men 96. his mercy 101.115 268. and goodnesse towards Magdalene 84 God is a Physitian 268 God speaketh by an inward intelligence 187.189 God resisteth the proud giueth grace to the humble 40 God is neuer a witnesse vnto falshood 188 God preuenteth the sinner 115 God is so beautifull that the Diuels would willingly endure all torments to haue but one glance of him 12 God maketh reseruation to himselfe of three things 213 God is incomprehensible 96.136.259 God calleth no man to reiect him afterwards 10 God cannot lie 31 God is mercifull 99.120.167 God is not to be serued out of expectation of recompence but rather out of loue 122 God doth expresly command that they who keepe not his law should be punished 109.110 God is obeyed by all his creatures 135.136 God created the creature without any consent of it 272 God descendeth vpon the earth and how 179 The gouernment of a family appertaineth not to women but to their husbands vnlesse they doe prudently manage things 237 The grace which was giuen to the Virgin 208.281.282 Grace is farre remoued from the sinner 185 A Great reprehension of men 262 A Great sinner needeth great repentance 98 Gresill a name of one of the Diuels 237 H HArdnesse of Magdalenes heart 7 Hell in an vproare 62.66 An Hereticke withdraweth himselfe much confounded 155 An Hereticke reproued as also those that are curious 133.134.154 This History is to be published vnto all 245 This History found fault withall 245 Honour ought to be snewed vnto priests 129 Honour ought to be giuen vnto Baptisme 123 Humility representeth the birth of God 124 Humility recommended vnto vs. 70.117.134.135.220.285 The Humility of our Lady 36.281.248 The Humility of Magdalene 129 I IEremias sanctified from his mothers wombe 207 Iesus Christ hath a glorified body in the Sacrament which taketh vp no place 182 Iesus Christ descends in his diuinity and humanity in Saint Baume to visit Saint Magdalene 281 Iesus Christ a King 247.248 Iesus Christ is before his mother and how 215.216 Iesus a Painter 148.167 Incredulity reproued 132.232.234.246 Ingratitude of men 26.35.146 Intellectuall conferences internally expressed 27.28.53.56.57.176 Interrogatories propounded to Lewes 287 Interrogatories of the Exorcist 3 Interrogatories of the Exorcists to Magdalene 11 An Inuectiue against the Magician 216.220 Iohn the Euangelist compared to an Eagle and his prerogatiues 259.260 Ioseph is in doubt 223. and is sanctified 228 The Iudgement day of Godwill be very terrible 10.11 286.287 Iudgement that is rash is naught 136 K THe King of the Nineuites did wisely take sack-cloth and ashes to appease the wrath of God 119 L A Letter of Magdalene vnto the Virgin changed and corrected 40.41.42 A Letter of Magdalene to Saint Magdalene and the tenour thereof 22 A Letter sent to sundry persons 59.100.104.107.108 Lewes vnlearned 288 Lewes despised of the Diuels 288 Lewes striketh an horror into Magdalene 288.289 Lewes had no memory in him 292 Lewes accused by Belzebub to be a Magician 292 Lewes accused by Leuiathan 296. and by Verrine 301 Lewes goeth to Auignon and Aix there to bee declared innocent 308 Lewes is shut vp in the place of holy penance which was locked with a key 289 Lewes very familiar and deare vnto the Capuchin fathers 102 Lewes playeth the Hypocrite and Pharisee 288.297 298 Light what it signifieth 143 The Loue of God and the recompence that attendeth it 123 The loue of a mans selfe 251 Louyse reciteth to her superiour all her tentations and intrinsick speakings 58. Louyse to be examined 94 Louyse exorcised by Father Francis Domptius 2. Baptized in a Kitchin 55 Louyse was an Huguenot 32.55.149.263 Louyse possessed for Magdalenes sake 29.157 In Louyse many signes of possession 106.120.138.263 She is at peace with conscience although she be possessed 57 Louyse exorcised by Lewes the priest 287 Louyse is possessed for the conuersion of two soules especially and by a consequent of many others 120 Louyse offreth her praiers to God for Lewes 275.283.287 Lucia for saketh all for the loue of God 49 M Magdalene troubled with Incubi 33.300 Magdalene shall be repentant 129 Magdalene contemneth and resisteth the Diuels 33 Magdalene brought to the holy place of penance
Adam and Christ. 313 Belzebub goeth forth out of the body of Magdalene 322 Belzebub goeth to the Magician to teach him to weepe 388 Belzebub the prince of pride and his tentations 323 Belzebub beginneth to speake 313 Belzebub saith that absolution burned him more then hell fire 338 Belzebub shaketh Magdalene 312 Belzebub bound 313 Belzebub interrupteth confession 338.357 Belzebub discourseth of diuers things that were absent 372 Blood drawne from the finger of the left hand where the vaines of the heart are of Lewes the Magician to write the schedule 393 The body of Magdalene swolne by Belzebub 315 The brauado of Verrine vnto the other Diuels 316 The broome wherewith Magdalene to shew her obedience swept the Church is by the Diuell cast vpon the ground 391 C THe Charity of two Capuchin fathers 388 Charmes to what end they are giuen 343. and the remedy against them 344 Charmes spread abroad by Sorcerers 320.347 Charmes blowne through a cane by Sorcerers 300.383 and the composition and ingredients of them 330 Charmes in the eyes of Magdalene 320 The Cherubins manner of adoring God 408 Commissaries deputed to apprehend the Magician 372 Confession of the Magiciā vnto the Capuchin fathers 396 Confronting of Magdalene and the Magician 379 Contrition truly practised 394 Conuersions of men successiuely and by degrees 90.386 Cries of Magdalene 331 Cries of Belzebub 364 The Crosse of our Sauiour very high 313 The Crosse not made in the forme of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 314 The Crosse applyed to the back of her that was possessed 393 D DEfence prepared against the sorcerers that came inuisibly to Saint Baume 330 Diuels tied to charmes and the remedy against them 343 The Diuell runneth in and out in the Chapell when the woman which he possessed was to be confessed 382.383 One of the Diuels answereth the Exorcist and reuealeth many things vnto him 323.324 Diuels not able to bewitch men that are superiours as Bishops Abbots c. 344 The Diuell first blindeth men and after iests at them and why 354 The Diuell complaineth of God 392 The Diuell excuseth his sinne 392 Diuels are deceiuers 374 Diuels by constraint may speake truth 389 Diuels bound 349 Diuels tormented 321.375 Diuels feare the relicks of Saints 369 Diuels feele the efficacie of prayers 375 Diuels change their names as they please when they enter into sundry bodies 321 Diuels haue no names and why 321 The Diuels by constraint haue reuealed the bodies and relicks of Saints 389 The Diuel answereth that God was purposed that the Magician and his adherents should be discouered 366 Diuels labour to bewitch father Michaelis and cannot◠344. the cause ibid. 15. Diuels in a body of acertaine man 394. 30 Diuels in the body of Magdalene besides inferiour Diuels 325 Dialogue between Belzebub and the Magician 373 An excellent dialogue betweene one of the fathers and the Diuell 392 The difference between a marke and a stripe 379 Difference in the knowledge of God 320 Diligence of the Sorcerers to turne Magdalene vnto them 345.349 Diuers tentations of Diuels 323.324.325 c Some Doctors hold that our Lord was nayled to the crosse with foure nayles 313 A dog kneeleth before the blessed Sacrament 337 Doggs forbidden to be brought to the Sabboth 337 The dueties of those who goe to the Sabboth 334 E THe excellent effect of consecrated fingers 385 Exhortation of the Exorcist vnto Magdalene to renounce the Diuell 311 An Exorcisme called Luciferiana 342 Exorcismes and the Diuels answers vnto them 318.319 The Exorcist called Hangman by the Diuel 395 Experience teacheth that Witches being beaten or threatned doe make their withcrafts cease 354 F FIngers that were consecrated put vpon Magdalens throat 385 Fontaine the Physitian counterfaiteth himselfe a Priest to deceiue Belzebub 371 The forces of Magdalene fayle her 381.363 Force of Exorcismes 367 Fortitudo Magdalens good Angell 360 Father Francis the Capuchin doth Exorcise Magdalene and what he asked her 383 A Franciscan putteth reliques vnto Magdalens back and what reliques they were Ibid. 369 Frequencie of the Sacraments a true remedy against witchcraft 320.344 Holy Friday apt for the remission of sinnes 396 G A Gallery neere Magdalens chamber to which she vsed to come 390 Monsieur Garandeau leadeth the woman that was possessed into the Chapel of S. Sauiour 387 Garandeau Vicar generall vnto the Arch-bishop of Aix doth question Magdalene 370 Garanier the name of a Diuell 394 Gaufridy Prince of Magicians Priest of Acoules 367 A gentleman of the pretended religion speaketh vnto Magdalene and the summe of his discourse 386 A girle digged out of her graue by witches 352 God bindeth and looseth Diuels when and how he pleaseth 322 Gombert Priest of nostre Dame de Grace is sent to confesse the Magician 386 The Gormundizing of Lewes 355 Great store of Magicians come and make a noise at Louyses Exorcismes 316 Great iniurie done to the Host by Lewes 366 A Great light sent from God when corporall punishments are lesse esteemed then spirituall tentations 407 Great strokes giuen by the Diuell to Magdalene being on her knees 405 Grassy a doctor of Physick tryeth Magdalene and is helped by other Physitians 371.374 Gresill and his temptations 324 The Grumbling of the Diuels when they are together 394 H THe hate of Magdalene infused into her by the Diuell 359 The head of an Owle engrauē within a circle in a ring 328 Henrie Alphonsus the father of Marie 332 An Heritick spied out by the Diuell as he came to see these wonders 377 The Host could neuer be put into Magdalens mouth by the Magician although her mouth was forced open by the Diuell 368 The Host presented by the Magician in the sabbath vnto Magdalene and her refusall of it 368 In the Host a young childe is seene by Magdalene and what he said vnto her ibid. The Hickcough in Magdalene when she should communicate 392 Honore Lyon of the couent of S. Maximin lately arriued and his Angell 366 Horrible gestures vsed by Belzebub towards Magdalene 315 I IAmes the Hermit despised all honour and dignities 326 The Image of our Ladie brought by Mary one of Magdalens acquaintance vnto her 342 Imploring of helpe from the Virgin 333 Imploring of aide from the blessed Virgin and all Angels by Magdalene 311.312 Impotencie of Diuels 331 Impudence of Diuels 373 Insolence of Belzebub 349.352.357.363 An instrument of glasse foure cornered and the vse of it 42 Intellectuall conferences externally expressed 321 Interrogatories put vnto Belzebub and his answers 332 The iumping of Magdalene vpon her knees 383 K SIx Knights came from Marseille to leade away the Magician and fauoured him as their speciall friend 317 Knowledge of things absent 377 L LAdies and other women intercede for Lewes Gaufridy 372 Laudate Dominum sung by Magicians 336 Father Lawrence Prouinciall of the Capuchins 407 Letanie sung to awake Magdalene 349 A letter brought vnto Magdalene by the Magicians lieutenant 342 Leuiathan neigheth like an horse 333 Leuiathan Prince of
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
di uell said it but because hee spake agreeable vnto the word of God Athanasan vit Anthonij Thus we beleeue the diuels saying in Mat 8. Mark 5. Luk. 8. that Christ Iesus was the Messias and the Son of the liuing God not because they said it but because they were inforced to speake according to the Scriptures They feare and tremble saith S. Iames vnder the puissant arme of God who serueth his turne with them as he pleaseth Dragons and Serpents fire and haile doe all worke the will of God saith Dauid Psalm 148. b Exclamation vpon the conception of our Ladie a The coÌ„tempt of the diuels towards our Ladie b He limiteth this afterwards saying next to the humanitie of thy Sonne c Exclamation in the praises of God d This was Magdalenes Gardian a woman admirably vertuous whom we haue beheld rauished in a traÌ„ce as soone as she had with teares receiued the blessed Sacrament * There was obserued a great hatred betwixt the two possessed proceeding from the diuels that were contrarie a The Diuell that is inferiour dares not speake in the presence of his Superiour without his permission because he is restrained by one mightier then he for the order they haue in hell is naturall And we haue obserued that the two companions of Verrine would neuer speak without his permission nor the companions of Belzebub without his permission or in the absence of the said Belzebub b The first reprehension of Magdalene c He here begins to discouer this miracle d The hardnesse of Magdacenes heart e Prayer causeth teares a The 2. reprehension of Magdalene b These are as strokes of a hammer to conuert a relentlesse person and to bruise bray his heart c The first accusation of the Sorceresse d Exclamation that our Lady intercedeth for sinners e Belzebub inuisibly menaceth him according to the mutuall language that Spirits haue a Verrine neuer made oth or abiuration but by the commandement of the Exorcist Magdalenes contrition b The Exorcists exhortation c She was also much ashamed that she was proclaimed a Sorceresse in the presence of all the people d The mercie of God e She spit at the perswasion of the Exorcist f Verrine his perswasions to Magdalene g The arriuall of Magdalenes mother h S. Magdalene intercedeth for Magdalene i Dominicke an intercessor for Magdalene k She had seene them often at the Synagogue and elsewhere l The letter that Magdalene wrote to the mother of God See the answere vnto the doubts in the 8. obiection after the Epistle to the Reader m Great troupes did daily flocke thither n Exclamation touching the last iudgement o A worthie reprehension of Christians p The sight of the damned fearefull q The vocation and first grace is the pure meere grace of God r The constraint of Verrine which he auoweâ—h in all his discourse s The Pilgrimes arriuall and testimonie of the precedent Acts besides ordinarie witnesses t Exclamation of the paines of hell u The reproches and sorrowes of the damned x The sorrow of Verrine because he was constrained y Exclamation of the wicked Spirit z The maruellous paines of hell a Belzebub throweth Magdalâ—ne from one side of the Church to the other b The will as a faculty of nature desiretn euer that which is good c The letter to S. Magdalene See the answer to the doubts after the Epistle to the reader Obiect 8. d The triall of the wicked Spirit e The first exclamation of Belzebub f The Deuills pride g They are beaten to augment their torments as wee haue proued to be true by their howling and crying I burne I can endure it no longer and foame and boyle with the paines of it Among the deuills the superiouâ— beateth the inferiour as being more powerfull then hee The good Angells also beate them and torture them when God is pleased to haue it so Besides they are tormented by vertue of Exorcismes as experience sheweth it and theÌ„selues confesse it Mark 5. Venisti torquore nos And Christ Iesus himselfe hath giuen this power to his Apostles to tread on Serpents and ouerall the power of the enemie h He would here say that because hee had lost her and suffered her to scape his Clutches Lucifer would be enraged against him and would beate him as one more mighty then he i This is the Diuels language in hell Non mortui laudabunt tâ— Domine c. k The adoration of the blessed Eucharist l Exclamation vpon the wickednesse of the world m Exclamation vpon the ingratitude of men n Exclamation of Verrine that God constrained him o Verrine expresseth the answere of God or else the good Angell on Gods behalfe did make an internall impressiâ—n thereof vnto him As in Iob 1 chap where God by a mutuall colloquie spake to Satan Now Verrine because hee speaketh by coaction desired that God would exhort sinners by some other instrument p Exclamation against the proud and curious q Reasons why the diuels may speake the truth r The fright of Magdalene a The resolution to write that which was spoken by the diuell b God changeth the witchcrafts and charmes of the Mâ—gician into good c The diuels were not inforced to discouer themselues and to speake till he possâ—ssed were brought to Saint Baume a place sanctified and apt for that purpose through the conuersion of a famous sinner d On that day the whole assemblie consisted of the poore of the adioyning villages e Deus mentiri non potest seipsum negare non potest But this disabilitie as we terme it is a supreme power as it is a great excellence in Spirits and soules that they haue no power to dye f Louyse at some intermissions did contemne detest Magdalene as hauing beene by her charmes possessed as she conceiued g Louyse was baptized by a Minister and for a time remained a Huguenot h Hauing respect to the consecration not to him that consecrates i It may be spoken well if it be vnderstood in a good sense by way of exaggeration As in the tenth chapter of Iosuah it is written Obediente Deo voci hominis God obeying the voice of man And to speake properly God doth no more herein then hee hath ordained and promised the Priest doing his office k Magdalene cruelly handled by Belzebub l Magdalene had manfully resisted the Iucubi which ordinarily Belzebub sent vnto her m The Diuels worship him by constraint as they also beleeue by force and trembling Marc. 5. Videns Iesum à longè cucurrit adorauit eum clamans voce magna Quid mihi tibi Iesu fili Dei altissimi c. n When God permitteth them they are vnloosed and doe all they can against men o They intended to haue hindered this new erection of religion which was to profit the church of God who made profession to teach girles their Catechisme deuotion and good manners Thus would the
Diuels haue hindered the first Monks of the deserts p Both the Diuels did much resist that the two women should receiue the blessed Sacrament And it was needfull to be very patient for by that meanes at length they were ouercome They would say It is too hot for vs we will taste none and this happened euery day which we tried often from the moneth of Nouember till the moneth of May. q The oth of Belzebub and Verrine r They were bound there to discouer the Prince and Princesse of Magicians and to exhort others And beyond this bound they could not passe s Ingratitude of men to their good Angels t This is a new torment vnto them when they thinke thereupon because they doe enuie and malice the elect of God who are iâ—ucsted with their places in heauen u The humilitie of the Mother of God x S. Magdalene the chiefest amongst sinners y Dominicke is the Saint that is aduersarie vnto Verrine whom therefore he ranketh first as if he were superiour to his two coÌ„ panions He doth then first place his Saint that is aduersarie vnto him z The charity of the Saints is greater then the diuels malice towards men a The beautie of Paradise b The deformitte of the diuels and soules of the damned c We must say with Dauid Et obseruabâ— mè ab iniquitate mea d There were seuen there in ordinarie as they declared afterwards but many times they weÌ„t forth and returned very sensibly neighing as it were and saying to Belzebub See I am here Belzebub possessed her fore-part Leuiathan the middle of her head and Astaroth the hinder part The part of the head where they were did beate and moue perpetually contrarie to nature but when they depaâ—ted forth that part stirred not And when at any time wee commanded Bâ—lzebub to leaue her for the space of a Miserere hee went out of her very sensibly and maâ—e a noyse in the mouth of her that was possessed And the prefixed time being past he presently returned that iâ— might be well perceiued as we haue said And being departed the Physicians and othâ—rs thaâ— felt her head found it in moueable but vpon his returne they felt and saw the motions And this was also proued by Leuiathan and Astaroth This hath been tried at S. Baume and at Aix many weekes together to the great astonishment of the beholders especially of those who wouâ—d not beleeue it e This Nonnus was Bishop of Edesso of whom mention is made in the Romane Martyrologe the 2. of December * Magdalenes first letter corrected See the answere to the doubts the 8. obiection after the Epistle to the Reader f The wonderous miracle of the compulsion of Diuels to speake the truth g He had not beene subiect to so much miserie as he was for the excuse did aggrauate the fault h The counsell of God is eternall but the Scripture stileth the execution of his eternall counsell after this manner It is also a phrase of Scripture to say that God holdeth his Counsel when he would execute his will As in the 1. of Genesis in the creatioÌ„ of man The metaphore is borrowed froÌ„ the custome of meÌ„ when they would execute any thing i Mercy and Iustice are equally twinnes with God aâ—â— all other perfections are Yet in the putting of them in execution one sometimes gaineth vpon another according to the good sentence and pleasure of God And vpon this is the metaphore drawne from two Aduocates each pleading their righâ—â— one against another Now although the determination and sentence abideth in the Iudge yet doth not this hinder but that either the one or the other might alledge iust and ponderous reasons in diuers sorts Diuines maintaine the Idea of things in God a The mercie of Christ Iesus These are the attributes of the diuine persons c The knowledge of God foreseeth all things d The Virgin Mary likened vnto a beautifull garden a She had not confessed this sinne either froÌ„ obliuion or out of shame b The martyrdome of S. Lucia and the Virgins c That Victoria is registred in the Romane Martyrologe 27. December who was put to death because she would not take Eugenius the Paynim for her husband * The praises of the Companie of S. Vrsula d Experience doth teach that in matters of curiositie they doe laugh and make a lest of men e We haue often made triall that when Verrine spake according to his commission that tended to the conuersion of the two Witches he alwaies told the troth and neuer failed but being put from that he declared himselfe to be a true Diuell oftentimes interrupting Confession and a long space endeuouring to hinder the receiuing of the Communion The reason whereof is set downe in the acts of the 15 of Ian. in the marâ—eÌ„r f The prosecution of the praise of Virgins g The conference of Verrine with God or with the good Angell sent from God h The desire of Louyse to suffer patiently i Louyse baptized in a kitcheÌ„ by a Minister k Touching the Companie of S. Vrsula l Godpermitted this for his glorie and the exaltation of that company m In confession and out of coÌ„fession she still said that she regarded not to be possessed since it was Gods pleasure for the manifestation of his glory n In the Scripture phrase as we haue formerly cited out of the booke of Iosua the 10. chapter o WheÌ„ it pleaseth God all things accomplish his will He commanded the Rauen of Helias and the Worme that withered Ionas his gourd p Discourse of Hell q The discourse of Belzebub coÌ„plaining to God of his ouer great mercie to sinners euen to the Magician himselfe in whose custodie remained the scheduls of Magdalene r The Gloue of the Girle was too little for her and could not be pulled on but by violence s Exclamation against sinners t Belzebub constrained to sweare and to tell the truth u These are the Patrones of the Country of Prouince together with Saint Magdalene where their bodies lie interred x The Diuels are euer very daintie and squeamish to discouer them selues or to tell their names for feare of being exorcised commanded and by punishments imposed on them tormented y This was in that houre wherein the Sermon of the Aduent was ended at Aix where he preached about eleuen a clock in the forenoone z He speaketh according to the capacitie of the simple people that were there present because these two did vse to preach in the Townes of Prouince a That mortifications are â—equâ—sâ—te toward the attainement of Paradise b In the Martyrologe the third of March. c In Ribadineira 25. Ianuar. d In the Martyrologe 1. Nouemb a If God were not powerfull to compell the Diuels it must be so b An admirable inuectiue and complaint of Belzebub to God where he setteth downe a Briefe of the cuâ—sed abiuâ—ations and execrations made by the Magicians when thâ—y receiued the marke
of the Diuâ—ll and abominably gaue theÌ„sâ—lues vnto him c A discouerie worthie of admiration and of feare d O blindnes more great theÌ„ that of Infidels or of the Diuel theÌ„selues The cursed and miserable rage of Magicians doth resemble mad dogs or rather the Diuell himselfe being partakers of his obstinacie as doe also the good communicate of the vertues of Iesus Christ. e The Diuels did say that they had in horror those cursed inuentions of Lewis the Magician which he did daily contriue to prouoke God and Iesus Christ with fresh iniuries f The compassion and mercy of our Lady g An exclamation against sinners h There is an order among Diuels i Very shame did force from her teares after the discouerie being a Gentlewoman of quality and of her selfe very harmelesse k He was very cholericke because the Exorcist was not very expert to constraine the Diuels was grieued that hee should be made the instrument hereof l Concerning workes of mercie m The first discouery of the Magician n Louyse held her tung when Verrine would haue opened and named the Magician o This was done after the manner of all other Magicians but God disposed it by his speciall grace for her saluation p Magdalene was much vexed at this discouery fore-seeing that sheâ— should also bee publiquely detected r All night long two Priests of the Doctrine and two Matrones did watch with Magdalene and found that for the greater part of the night she could not stirre nor cry the diuels holding her bound in all her body the better to tempt her or cause her to despaire if by relapse she did not fall backe vnto them s The goodnes of God towards Magdalene t An exclamation of Verrine against the honour that God gaue to Louyse u The diuell is proud and is vexed that God should cull forth a simple woman to bee the instrument of such an important action disdaining her was desirous it might haue bin some Queene or Princesse by which more admiration honour might be gotten x The Princes that is to say the vices and sinnes that doe raigne beare sway according to that of Saint Paul Let not sin raigne in you Rom. 6. y A Helper that is an assistant and seruant to the religious women of S. Vrsula z It is not to be forgotten that when men did attend and watch to see whether these words Miserere mei would scape at any time from any yet they neuer did a Verrine his oth b Magdalene had said that her father gaue her vnto the Diuell and that in the power therof she was possessed but being conuerted she declared that Belzebub did cause her to equiuocate meaning within her selfe her spirituall father Which declaration did much comfort her father who was very sory if it should so fall out that through his fault she should be possessed c An exclamation against Lewes and that he should be burnt d The assembly was much agrieued that Verrine was damned considering the excellent remonstrances which he made e He meaneth this of themselues hauing reference vnto the constraint whereby God enforceth them to say or doe somthing for the good and saluation of reasonable soules f Damnable curiosity touching the blessed Sacrament g Diuels are theeues h The disputation betweene Verrine and a Frier i This is an annotation found there in the margent k That the Diuell may speake truth b It is to be vnderstood if God were not able to constraine and put his â—urbs vpon Diuels See the aduertisement to the Reader in the last leafe l The Hierarchicall order of the Church doth not appertaine or agree no not to good Angels m There are many women possessed in Paris n We are not to obey Diuels o All Angels haue their essentiall beatitude which neuer augmeÌ„teth yet their accidentall blisse doth somtimes increase as when God reuealeth somewhat of his blessed pleasures vnto theÌ„ by which they doe in a larger measure know the bountie sapience or omnipotencie of God and doe admire the same and doe worship him anew and are desirous to receiue from him fresh reuelations Non in verbo as Diuines say sed in proprio genere And in this sense doth S. Denis say That Angels propose demaunds and questions to Christ Iesus himselfe Ipsi Iesu quaestiones faciunt p The Diuell here speaketh after his manner for when the blessed Sacrament was to be giuen to the two that were possessed he resisted a long time saying it was too hot because the presence of Christ Iesus and the new grace which they receiued in the vertue of the same did augment the paine of the wicked spirit which is by fire as S. Peter saith The diuels are chained vp in eternall fire q The truth is that many Priests and religious persons did euery day say Masse for her conuersioÌ„ as the Angels themselues in cessabili voce proclamant and the other saints neuer cease Reuel 4. Non habent requiem nocte ac die r The wicked Spirits might haue knowledge hereof by reuelation s Obserue well how God honoureth priesthood in this world when he vseth such extraordinarie and vnheard of remedies for the conuersion of a Priest that wandred out of his way t Here he beginneth to perswade and labour particularly the coÌ„uersion of the Magician hauing called him publikely by his name and sur-name in a full assemblie of people after he had alreadie wonne home Magdalene u The glory magnificence of the mercy of God hath the greatest luster in sinners as Magdalene and Paul but the glory of his goodnesse snineth moâ—e in the innocents s the Angels the blessed Virgin and Saint Iohn Baptist. x Strangers that besides the Ordinary were witnesses to the discouerie of the Magician y This processe is very conformable to the Gospell and altogether opposite to the diuels manner of proceeding z He was very familiarly acquainted with the Capuchin Fathers the better to set a glosse and couering vpoÌ„ his abomination a The religious of S. Dominicke and S. Francis haue a priuiledge to say Masse before day when they shall conceiue it to be a matter expedient b She is a deuout and vertuous woman c The better to couer the businesse that was in question d This was a great friend familiar of his e A charitable and Euangelicall manner of proceeding is no way compatible or agreeable with the Diuell f The punishment transgression of the Commandements is generally addressed vnto all but that of Counsels vnto those only that haue made vowes g Another maner of proceeding in case he doe not repent vpon the sight of the letter h In the name of father Francis Billet as before * He presupposeth that those who carried the letter had made rehearsall of whatsoeuer was passed h She was the superiour of the sisters of the order of S. Vâ—sula at Marseille and was at that time vpon speciall occasions at
and snatch them from the fire to throw them on ice What say ye will you goe into this countrey And speaking vnto Magdalene hee said Cursed be the houre wherein thou wert first possessed which will cost me so deare that I shall haue cause to remember it for euer O wisedome of God too great O infinite incomprehensible admirable wisedome O what space and distance haue the iudgements of God and the iudgements of men O wonder O iudgemēt of God! whom God is disposed to saue nothing can doe him annoyance whom God will retaine Hell cannot take from him Then Belzebub spake to the Diuels which were in the bodie of Catherine of Isle who began a little to grumble and to make a noyse come come let vs march into the field we must awake and rouse vp our people Then said Verrine Responde maledicte obedi Ecclesiae Doest thou hope to bee greater then thy Maister To which Belzebub replied It is not the manner of seruants to speake before their Maister Verrine said yet doe I speake before thee although I am of lesse authoritie then thou Belzebub answered but it is full sore against thy will Verrine saide that is true for I am constrained vnto it Is it fit that Diuels should fall out with Diuels and turning to sister Catherine hee said they will not suffer thee to eate or sleepe yet doest thou beleeue that all this proceedeth from naturall causes Is it not so Catherine Catherine doe not thou hinder or giue a checke hereunto beleeue thou art possessed And speaking to the Priest he said Come your waies adiure him in the name of Iohn Peter and Bernard what must the Diuels acquaint you with the verie meanes And speaking to Sabbathon whose name Belzebub had formerly discouered he said Lucifer could not resist and doest thou that art but as a petty Cooke in Hell make shew of an abilitie of resistance Obedmaledicte But thou shewest that a Pesant is more fierce and rugged in his disposition then a Gentleman Whilst the Priest was Exorcising and saying these words Sacro-sancti baptismatis vnda regeneratus there are many said Verrine that are baptised but few that are saued there are those that would goe to Heauen i◠a feather-bed but shall be censured with the iudgemen◠of fire Then he began to cry that he was to speake bu◠it was vpon compulsion of the workes of mercie Virginitie is not sufficient of it selfe to leade vs to Heauen as the foolish virgins conceited other things ar◠also requisite such as are the workes of mercie For God hath said that he will not take an account whether men haue read much or said ouer their Beads often but they must do good works because whē the day of Iudgemēt shall come God will not reckon with our soules what knowledge they haue but what works they haue done For he will say speaking vnto the reprobate whē I was an hungry you gaue me not to eate when I was thirstie you gaue me not to drink when I was sicke you visited me not when I was in prison you redeemed mee not when I was naked you clothed me not when I was a stranger you receiued me not when I died you buried me not By the like reason will he also say when I wandred went astray you reprehended me not for my sin when in my members I liued ignorantly you taught me not when I was in doubt misaduised you counselled me not when I was in affliction you comforted mee not when I would suffer in you you haue not borne patiently the iniuries that were offered vnto you when any one offended mee in you you haue not pardoned these offences when I was persecuted in you either in the paines of Purgatory or in this world you tooke no pitie vpon those that persecuted me either for the good of your neighbours or for the good of those that were dead Hereupon it is that God saith Whatsoeuer you shall doe vnto the least of mine speaking of the poore I shall take it as done vnto my selfe And alleaging that place of the Gospel when your Lord reproueth Iudas of his auarice in blaming of Magdalene he said The poore you haue alwayes with you but mee you shall not haue alwayes And he bare record that Magdalen had done a good worke saying vnto her that she should be had in memory throughout the world wheresoeuer this Gospel shold be preached I further say that he shal set apart those that are damned shal say vnto thē Ite maledicti in ignē aeternū which is prepared for you and for the deuils Then shal he turne to the right side shal say vnto the good Come ye blessed when I was hungry c I say the foolish Virgins reposed too much confidence in themselues imagining as many doe in these dayes that Baptisme Faith and Virginitie were sufficientlie powerfull to bring them to heauen No it not so for your Lord did obiect that they had no oyle in their lampes vnderstanding thereby good works And when they came to be admitted vnto the Supper whereby is signified the day of Iudgment and to be presented before their spouse he said vnto them Neseio vos I am a bed you cannot come in That is to say obstinate sinners you come too late you will repent you of your lazinesse Then shall he turne to the elect and say Come ye blessed of God my Father possesse the kingdome of heauen which is prouided for you and my Angels It is meete that the emptie seats of the euill Angels should be filled vp with men who though they are nothing but lumpes of clay yet shall they be installed into their places Then I said that the Angels were very beautifull and demāded the reason why such goodly creatures should for one sinne be throwne downe from heauen It was answered mee because they had more knowledge then men to vnderstand what was good and auoyde what was euill but ignorant and fraile sinners although they commit thousands of offences shal yet be receiued into mercy whensoeuer they will returne Then hee began to cry againe as loud as hee could saying I know not what to doe I am constrained to tell thee Magdalene that thou art a Witch It is true Magdalene thou hast beene deceiued God will that I reueale it It is true Magdalene thou wast deceiued by a Priest who was thy Confessor It is not to be wondred if there be a lost sheepe when the sheepeheard is starke naught This is true Magdalene hee is of Marseille and is called Lewis he is of the Church of Acoules Francis knoweth him but Louyse that heere speaketh neuer saw him True it is Magdalene that Louyse would haue resisted this and was not willing at the beginnig that this should be published Thou hast giuen and bequeathed thy selfe vnto the Diuell Magdalene and hast renounced thy God and his Mother thy baptisme and all heauen thou hast giuen