true And further I sweare according to the meaning of God and his Church that the Deuill and all Hell haue made a combination and solemne agreement to ruinate the company of the Christian doctrine and the company of S. Vrsula because there is a dependance of one vpon another and by abolishing the one the other will of it selfe fall to decay Many other things he spake at this Exorcisme and bade vs not from Romillon but from God to send and search after all those that were tempted and particularly one who is very high and haughty and is too ful of conceite of his iudgment and of selfe-will and to warne him if hee bee wise to submit himselfe to the will of God and to his obedience that is to returne to his calling and that he come hither to plead for himselfe For heere is said hee an Aduocate that is so skilfull in matters of pleading that he will quickly ease and disburthen him of all care and scruple and of all those doubts which did stagger him in his apprehending of the pleasure of God for hauing sought the same with an obscure and dimme lanthorne it was not to bee wondered at if hee were not able to finde it But God seeing him thus benighted did send vnto him a bright and cleare burning flame so that hee can now no longer shift things off with excuses if hee bee wise let him come that it may bee discerned what belongeth vnto the light and what vnto darknesse what to lyes and what vnto truth and what difference there is betweene his iudgement and the iudgment of God Come therefore hither with all promptitude and readinesse and for-slow not your time to bee informed in a point that toucheth you so neerely and call to minde how earnestly you haue besought God for this very particular and these prayers of yours God hath heard so that you need not feare to be forsaken as they haue beene a sweete sacrifice vnto him so shall they prooue very profitable vnto you if you wil but humble your self to his good pleasure Remember what God hath spoken that hee will giue grace to the humble and resist the proud of heart You are vnworthy to know his pleasure neither shall you euer vnderstand the same if you doe not bow vnder obedience and humble your selfe towards him You may turne ouer as many bookes as you will this is a new booke and very lately composed and not yet published to the world within this booke there are not aboue two words and yet heere is comprised the Epitome and abridgment of all perfection this is our Philosophy and Diuinity which wee are so seriously to study Call also to your remembrance that they who will not read this booke are very vnworthy to ascend vnto so great and sublime perfections Come therefore and trifle not with any studied or prepared delaies for God expecteth you that he may bestow vpon you that which with such ardency you haue besought at his hands that is to open your vnderstanding that you may be made acquainted with his will Remember what hee saith Aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened vnto you Call to minde how often you haue knocked at the gate of this King and how he who had the key of this gate to wit Peter hath said yea and interceded for you as for the Cananite saying Lord giue to this poore blinde man that which he demandeth who would haue thought then that thou wouldest haue prooued so darke in the knowledge of Gods will But God grew angry at these intercessions and said I doe not vse to cast away my graces vpon a proud man If thou say that thou art not proud then thinke thy selfe to be depriued of light and that hee who conceiteth himselfe to bee humble doth notwithstanding appeare in full pride before God But if thou say that thou art proud I also will confesse the same and there is no hurt done if proud men be taught and lessoned to bee humble If thou tell mee thou art humble I must bee bold to say that it suteth not with truth for he that is humble indeed taketh no notice of his owne vnderstanding or will but suffereth himselfe to be guided as a blind-man by him that leads him and verely beleeueth that the other feeth better then hee and if thou be blinde then can it not bee hurtfull that he who of himselfe is depriued of light should goe and seeke it of him who hath the same And I doe assure thee thou shalt plentifully finde it if thou obey the will of thy Superiour and acknowledge thy selfe to be subiect vnto him that is to say to the Reuerend Father Romillon Louyse prayeth you for the loue of God to begg of God fiue things for her which shee hath long desired and that you would also lay hold vpon them for your selfe that is an vpright intention a pure affection integritie of conscience simplicity and humility together with obedience and resignation of your selfe in all things that may concerne the glory of God for the saluation of soules and for our good in particular She further intreateth that you would be pleased to pardon her if she hath beene too presumptuous to take on her to teach you for it is not her intention so to doe but the vrgent necessitie of the matter is such that shee hath beene hold to make thus much familiar vnto you which shee prayeth you to take in good part Shee should be very sorry notwithstanding any pride that may be in her but to take all your counsels and admonitions with due respect and to humble her selfe to him whom she knoweth to be inuested with so great dignitie as is the calling of Priests for she desireth nothing more then to honour them as Gods on earth and as befitteth so high a dignitie Your most humble affectionate and obedient seruant to doe whatsoeuer you shall be pleased to command Francis Billet the most vnworthie Preist of the Congregation of the Christian Doctrine being a witnesse of what is aboue mentioned The Acts of the 19 of December 1610. THis day at the eleuation of the blessed Sacrament Verrine began to speake aloude when he saw them take the was candles which they vse to light at the eleuation of the Sacrament This light which you heere see represents the faith which you ought to haue of Gods being in the blessed Sacrament with his Diuinity Humanitie and Blood yea I say further he is also within the Chalice What seekest thou further I confesse it it is a truth is it not sufficient that I haue confessed these to be present in the blessed Hoast And so fell downe and worshipped him Speaking of God he said yes I adore thee Adoramus te Christe And when they came to these words Redemisti c. he cryed out You you not me for he is not my Redeemer but a seuere and terrible Iudge Then he made an
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
Adam had transgressed God was highly â—â—spleased against him yet would he not by and by inâ—ct his vengeance and indignation vpon the soule â—hich was so goodly a creature although it had receiâ—ed a taint and blemish by the pollution of sinne and â—as growne refractarie and mutinous against him who â—d showred downe so many blessings vpon the same â—at had shaped and created the whole world for man â—d did assubiect all creatures vnto him to vse them as â—e thought good euen downe to the very beasts This â—ould man haue excused when he said Eue did cause me to doe this but in this he did bewray the impotencie of his iudgement that would so facilely beleeue the counsell of a woman Yet if hee had humbled himselfe without excusing his faults he should not haue felt so much displeasure as he did God loueth not that men should endeuour to euade by excuses If that Adam had craued pardon God would presently haue forgiuen him yea the very Angels that fell if they had humbled themselues should haue tasted of his mercy Now the blessed Trinity held their counsell vpon this point concerning man The eternall Father according to true iustice would haue him punished but presently did the diuine word giue himselfe vp to be your pledge saying that hee would be incarnated and take your flesh vpon him and would be euer readie to endure whatsoeuer the father would thinke fit to be inflicted Then presented themselues the two daughters of the eternall Father to wit Iustice and Mercie and made them readie for the encounter Iustice as the younger daughter said that they were to be punished for their disobedience and that they did very well deserue it Mercie as the elder said My Father I am thy eldest daughter and my sister here is much younger then my selfe it therefore standeth with reason that I be beleeued and that for many causes As first to what end haue you created a creature thus beautifull to cast him headlong into hell There is a remedie to saue him For there will come a woman called Mary that will be more humble then Eue hath beene proud after her transgression and will bee more replenished with simplicity then euer Eue was with curiositie Mary will be more obedient then euer Eue was rebellious and more prompt to say I am the handmaid of the Lord then euer Eue was to take and taste the apple From thence shall proceede that great pay-maister of debts that shall giue satisfaction more then a hundreth fold On the contrary part Iustice pleaded that they did well deserue sharpest castigation who doe yet stand vpon their iustification although they are guilty of the highest treason in rebelling against their Prince yea such a Prince as their God is That they knew the Edict of their King yet would not obserue the same and sinned not through ignorance but through their too much knowledge that brought them to their destruction To this the diuine Word made replication Father Father you are to pardon them you are to pardon them repeating the same often not in words but by the power of vnderstanding and euer saying that hee would take vpon him your flesh for your sakes The eternall Father according to the rigour of Iustice and as being iustly prouoked against them would not haue â—t so but alwaies the diuine Word did oppose himselfe vnto it and said Father I will endure for their sakes a more ignominious death then euer any creature shall be able to suffer The eternall Father hauing regard vnto the person which was to suffer and giue plenarie satisfaction and that by no other meanes then this could a thing of that nature be accomplished as also knowing how much hee was to suffer for in God all things are present and there is nothing past or to come did yeeld vnto this ouerture yet what Father would haue consented to giue vp his Sonne as he did For he fore-saw â—he ingratitude and disesteeme which you would beare vnto him yet was he contented to agree vnto this because his sonne alwaies said Father some or other will be conuerted The Holy Ghost gaue assistance vnto the Word for he is the God of loue the Father is the God of power and of vengeance the Sonne the God of wisedome and the Holy Ghost the God of bountie But the Diuels themselues doe confesse that there is but one God in three persons and haue made confession of the same at Baume the place of S. Magdalens penitence in the presence of the whole assemblie Then spake Mercie and said Father it is expedient that the voyd seates of the cursed Angels that fell should be filled vp and why was this goodly fabricke and frame of the world created and the heauen so varied with diuersities of beauties Was it for your selfe alone let them liue let them liue they will be repentant and haue vertuous children and iust Abel will proceed from them Hereunto Iustice replied that there should be a Cain as wicked as the other was iust But Mercie did alwaies ingeminate that many of them would proue good as Mary who should make reparation of the fault committed by Eue. And in truth Mary hath been more vertuous then euer Eue was wicked and gaue more reputation vnto good then euer Eue gaue aduantage vnto sinne The Serpent held diuers discourses with Eue to cause her to fall but Gabriel spake but a few words and Mary presently obeyed saying Ecce ancilla Then the Word said to his Father that as the person offended was diuine so a diuine person should giue satisfaction since no other could make reparation of the same the person offended being infinite might iustly expect satisfaction from a person infinite That there was no creature neither men nor Angels that could make vp this offence which was committed by a man that at the time of his tentation was altogether innocent And as this sinne was committed in a garden so reparation thereof should be made in a garden at what time he should say fiat voluntas tua and this should be the act of his giuing himselfe vp vnto death To conclude this transgression came by eating of an apple and â—hould be remitted by the fruite of life issuing from the â—arden of Mary Vpon this mention of the Virgin â—errine tooke occasion to say This was a garden hedâ—ed in where that goodly fruite of her puritie remaiâ—ed excellently qualified with beautie sent and taste which make representation of the properties of the â—lessed Trinitie In this garden there were all sorts of goodly trees whose roots were humilitie whose leaues were vertuous desires and whose fruites were good workes that might deseruedly bee placed vpon the taâ—le of the King of glorie And vpon this table are euer â—trowed all kinds of flowers which signifie her vertues â—nd these she hath kept fresh by her humilitie acknowâ—edging that all the good which euer she had receiued did streame from her
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
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
but you are to conceiue your selues to bee vnworthie of that life vnlesse you humble your selues beleeuing that you are vnworthy of such a place as Hell nay if that God shall make ten thousand helles yet are you to thinke that your deserts doe surmount the torments of them all If you fast in this world you shall feast in the world to come The excellency of the choise delicacies of the world to come doth breed a sacietie and disgust of the meats you heere enioy and whosoeuer could but get a crumme or the least rellish in the world of those dainties they are so exquisitely prepared that they would cause all the viands of this world to bee loathed Wee may talke of them but wee shall neuer taste them it is too late now to repent vs. That horse is not a horse of price and value that gallopeth not but when hee is spurred and hee who serueth God with an ill will is of no reckoning It is many times a greater fault to omit that thou oughtest to doe then to doe that which thou oughtest to omit There are three sorts that serue God the first serue him as slaues and they are those that are alwaies in Hell Others serue him as Hirelings and those haue regarde to nothing but to the rewarde of Heauen and are like those that work and trauel meerely for their profite and there are those that serue him more faithfullie who serue him as children out of meere loue A vertuous childe hath no regard vnto the goods of his Parents neither doth hee murmure at those blowes which for his reformation they giue vnto him but is respectiue of his duty and is seruiceable vnto them meerely out of affection so doe the children of God they serue him not out of expectancie of reward but from the strength of their loue A cup of fresh water that is giuen vnto the poore payeth a whole yeeres ransome in Purgatorie O great God it is no wonder if neither beasts Barbarians nor Indians doe know thee for they either haue no vnderstanding or doe liue in darknesse but I meruaile at thy children the Christians that they doe not acknowledge thee whose name and stampe they carrie For a Christian hath his appellation from Christ as the Bride beareth the name of the Bridegroome In the blessed baptisme God the Father taketh the soule for his daughter the sonne taketh it for his sister the holy Ghost for his Spouse and all the blessed Trinity for their Temple You doe so little reckon of Baptisme that when you approach to this Sacrament a man would say that you went to some May-game or dance for you talke in the Church and doe nothing but laugh vsing many other scandalous misdemeanments of this nature and do indeede any thing rather then conceiue of this Sacrament with reuerence S. Iohn did not runne into such an error but when he baptized our Lord hee baptized him in great feare and deuotion How great an ouersight is this in you thus to dis-esteeme the Sacraments that haue their institution from God himselfe and are the pillars on which this Church doth leaâ—â—e neither is there any Sacrament that hath not drawne blood from him Then Verrine set his foote vpon Belzebub and said Belzebub I doe adiure thee by the liuing God that if thou haue any thing to reply that what I haue now said is not true thou giue answere thereunto speake Belzebub whether that which I haue spoken be true or no. I doe further adiure thee by Lucifer that if thou canst take me tripping thou doe directly tell mee wherein I lye O cursed Belzebub thou canst not reply against me for I deliuer the truth and that by the appointment of God Thou art accursed and as wretched as my selfe speake wicked spirit if thou hast any thing to say Then Verrine began to cry All you here may obserue speaking to the Assembly that was there present he is my Prince but I doe not now acknowledge him to be so It is true Belzebub thou art my Prince but I here renounce any superiority which thou pretendest to haue ouer me I also renounce thee Lucifer and the authority of all the Diuels in Hell for wee are not powerfull to resist the Almightie You who take Lucifers part can reply nothing of any moment or importance neither haue you more force then a sort of Flies All this while did Verrine in contempt tread vpon Belzebub saying Thou proud Spirit and full of arrogancie as my selfe thou swellest art in the highth of pride I hope there is no offence done if that these proud creatures bee deiected and throughly dishattened Then Verrine said to Magdalene Magdalene the gate of Heauen is opened so is the gate of Hell and there men may enter in at full Carroche yea foure Caroches together may haue easie passage thither and all foure may enter in a front but the gate of Paradise is so narrow that few passe in thereat and much humiliation is expedient to enter in at the same Ouer this gate Obedience is seated and vnder it is Humilitie on the one side standeth Charitie on the other Hope and Perseuerance is the Porter that letteth in those that come thither Humilitie represents the birth of the Sonne of God and Obedience signifieth that the Sonne of God hath humbled himselfe from his birth vntill the time of his death Sinne is more vgly and deformed then the Diuell If a man-had a conuenient house of his owne and a reasonable competencie wherewith to liue and yet without cause should giue and cast himselfe into the hands of Turkes and should from them receiue hard vsage and entertainement if such a one should plaine himselfe men would say vnto him Friend you were not well aduised you liued well in your owne house and who is cause of this calamitie but your selfe I say there is no man that would compassionate such a fellow Euen so euery man hath somewhat whereby hee is enabled to make opposition against the world prouided that hee haue the grace of God but if he will sinne and inuassall himselfe to the Diuell who will pitty his case He is disabled in his braine that enioyeth libertie and doth voluntarily render himselfe vp to slauerie Then hee confirmed this speech with a solemne oath and after said to what vse and purpose are wholesome waters if there be none to drinke of them you must frequent the Sacraments that you may make your profit and aduantage of them Magdalene the iudgements of God are not to bee squared by the iudgements of men you are to stoope and abase your selues in this world if you will ascend to that which is to come This which I haue spoken Magdalene was neuer hammered in the shop of Hell The Diuels haue at sundry times preached and broached diuers curiosities to the preiudice and perdition of those that entertained the same but the things which I deliuer conduce to the amendment of mens
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
sonne and proceeded not from her selfe By these meanes of humbling her selfe she conserued them and lent also of her store vnto others The Word was content to repaire the fault of Adam and in â—egard thereof to subiect himselfe to all the torments which Adam had deserued and said that by his obedience there would redound more benefit vnto manâ—ind then euer did preiudice by Adams transgression â—nd by how much the greater the offence was so much â—he greater would his mercie appeare that his bountie would then shine cleerest when these his creatures appeared most miserable as hath been verified in Peter Paul Dauid the Publican Matthaeus and Iames the Hermite as also in Magdalene Pelagia Mary of Aegypt Thais and the woman of Samaria That his bounâ—ie would dart forth the raies thereof so effectually vpon his creatures that many soules by their examples â—hould be conuerted Besides the Sonne made offer vnâ—o his Father to endure all the torments that should bee put vpon him and that he would debase himselfe euen â—o the cratch to giue satisfaction for the pride of Aâ—amâ— that he would be obedient for his rebellion euen to the death of the Crosse that for the wantonnesse of Adam hee would vndergoe all vexations and would fast for his gluttonie that the offence was committed by a tree and should bee remitted by the tree of the Crosse and that at the same houre or instant that the first man offended the breach in mankinde should bee built vp in the second Doe but consider that at that time when in his humanitie he suffered the loue which he did beare to you did cause him to crie out that hee was thirstie that is to say after the saluation of your soules This is euident by the theefe who speaking vnto him but these words Memento met was by him refreshed as also was Longinus and all those which at that time were conuerted Obserue further that hee died with a great longing to haue his very tormentors to be conuerted and his sorrow to leaue his enemies plunged in their obstinacie as Pilate Caiphas Annas and Herod was more apparent and sensible then to leaue his Mother whom he so much loued Magdalene Iohn the Euangelist or Martha Witnesse those words which he spake Pater ignosce illis Father pardon them for they know not what they doe His second griefe was to leaue his children the Iewes hardned in their wickednesse sorrowing that they would make such bad compensation vnto him foâ— all his benefits For neuer was there naturall father that hath powred downe so many blessings vpon his children as your God hath done vpon the people of the Iewes It was no nouell thing with them to disobeâ— his commandements and mutinie against him Theâ— made a Calfe of golde and worshipped him and without sense or consideration of his manifold blessing they did long for the garlike onyons and leekes of Aegypt so gluttonous and rauenous were they Notwithstanding all this he cried vpon the Crosse Pater ignosce illis Then did Verrine cause this which ensueth to be adioyned vnto that letter that the day before hee did dictate vnto the blessed Virgin I protest by the assistance of God to obserue the good instructions which were giuen vnto me vpon the Vigile of S. Luke and wil reade them fiue times a day Obserue heere that Verrine said that they would proue fiue exorcismes more terrible vnto Belzebub then all those that were comprehended in bookes and added Cursed be your exorcismes After this he said that Magdalene was to say at least an hundred times a day if she could He who hath created and fashioned me haue mercie vpon me as one that well knew how vnworthie she was to name the name of God and to suffer for his loue or that Belzebub himselfe should remaine in her bodie since that her God did patiently beare the appellations of foole drunkard and possessed by Belzebub and that hee wrought wonders in the name of Belzebub But the good woman in the Gospel confessed that all which they obiected were lies and that hee wrought those wonders by a peculiar puissance of his own without borrowing the assistance of any creatures Afterward as they should haue communicated Magdalene was vpon the sudden strangely tempted by Belzebub But Verrine taking vpon him as her counsellor and admonisher did lay before her the imbecilitie of the Diuell and dismasked all his slights and subtilties And it happened that after Magdalene had receiued the holy Host in her mouth Belzebub made shew as if he would force her to spit it out vpoÌ„ the earth In which fact hee discouered that there was some enormous sin in Magdalene which was familiar only vnto those that knew the inward guilt of her conscience The same day in the euening Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised by Father Francis Billet and Verrine began to speake in this manner It is requisite first to passe the Altar of thornes and kniues before you come to the Altar of Crownes I tell you that Lucia was a poore woman and of such base condition to outward semblance that a man would not haue bestowed a farthing vpon her yet being betrothed she abandoned all for the loue of him who had redeemed her and in regard of him vnderualued all worldly things whatsoeuer So must all they whom he takes to wife they must forsake father mother brothers and all and onely set their affection on him who doth so wholly deserue it Hee will place them there where no person is able to sing the hymnes which they shall sing and they shall follow the Lambe wheresoeuer hee goeth to the great vexation of the Diuell and of all hell Magdalene doth not sing at all yet is she next vnto Mary for in loue she doth surmount Martha Martha is the next that singeth after the Mother of God she was hostes vnto him and lodged him in her house and next vnto the Mother of God was the principall Virgin Catherine of Sienna thou bearest a part in that song and thou Barbara and thou Lucia and thou Clara. Vrsula is a Queene and Catherine is another and thou Victoria hast also thy share in that melodie It is true I rage against those that liue chastly in their Monasteries but the Companie of Vrsula makes mee starke mad both by their Christian doctrine and by their holesome instructions and the exceeding great labour which they take for the good of their neighbours maketh hell it selfe to bee swallowed vp in despaire I doe not speake this to puffe them vp let them be as humble as they will but the truth is that all the diuels doe straine their vttermost subtilties to worke their finall extermination God is desirous to haue them proued cursed be my words they will cost me ful deare Mary why shouldest thou so affectionatly loue them wherein haue they been seruiceable vnto thee Wee haue sisted them all by temptation to breede in them a longing to
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
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
Church was the true Church The Deuill answered There is one God and one Church The Huguenot replyed vpon this I beleeue the Church Verrine said Dost thou beleeue the true Church which is the Church of Rome I know thou dost not beleeue it He answered let vs leaue that point I affirme that I am in the true Church Verrine replyed that it was not true Then did the other bid him to show some reason whereby it might bee declared whither the Saints may pray for vs or no. Verrine said Who so denyeth the Prayers and Intercessions of Saints denyes an Article of his Creede which doth confesse the communion of Saints Then replyed the other I am not satisfied with this giue me a better reason To which Verrine answered Doe not you your selues pray sometimes one for another You know full wel that you pray for your Kings and Princes and doe you conceite that there is lesse charity in Paradise I say no for standing before the presence of God and God being Charity it selfe it falles not within the compasse of doubt that Saints pray for vs. But the other said that for all this hee was not yet satisfied Then Verrine told him Thou art proud yea and curious in thy nature thou deseruest not to haue fruition of the light for thou dost not endeauour to search forth the same Then they fell vpon the point of the blessed Sacrament and the Huguenot said that it was necessary to beleeue that his diuinity onely was there and not his humanity Verrine answered that he was really and truely there both in Diuinitie and Humanity and alledged diuerse reasons for the same saying that who so denyeth that denyeth the first Article of his Creede Thou dost acknowledge said hee to the Huguenot in thy Creede that God is Omnipotent and yet dost now crosse that and denyest heere his Omnipotency for if hee be Omnipotent then is hee of powerfulnesse to performe the same which he also doth for his body and diuinity are in the blessed Sacrament whereunto hee added that Gods word ioyned with his power could not but take effect and that when God had affirmed a thing it was impossible for him to lye Then said the other And I affirme that wee receiue him not but by Faith Verrine answered This by Faith will lead you all to Hell if you bee not humbled and giue way vnto the truth The other said And how is the body heere when it is said that he sitteth at the right hand of God Verrine replyed It is true hee is so yet doth he not say I can be no where but at his right hand he said when he made the first institution of this blessed Sacrament Take this is my body and my bloud it is not said this is by faith but it is said This is my body as often as you doe this you shall doe it in remembrance of my Passion Then Verrine added You deceiue your selues in that you thinke that the body of our Lord doth fill or take vp any place No no it is not thus for his body is a glorified body and is adorned with all the qualities of a glorious body yea I doe further say that he being more perfect then all hath therefore a body so blessed aboue all other that hee occupyeth no place but is couered and shrouded in a litle bit of bread onely Then there began a disputation between Leuiathan and Verrine in the presence of the said Huguenot and of sundry Catholicks one of the Deuils speaking anâ— sustaining the cause of God which is Verrine and the other to wit Leuiathan who is the master of all Hereticks the cause of Lucifer and speaking interchangeably they reasoned to this purpose What said Verrine is not God Omnipotent May not hee exact this seruice from the Deuill to enforce him to doe his will when it shall be best pleasing vnto him Leuiathan taking the Huguenots part replyed My friend doe not beleeue him wee are all the fathers of lyes Ha! you shall shew your selfe very weake to giue credite to his words beleeue me you are in good way beleeue me and hold on your course Verrine answered thou lyest and art not able to prooue it Leuiathan said I will sweare solemnly that he is in a good way Verrine replyed thou art an accursed spirit and wilt take a false oath against God and his Church Leuiathan said vnto him No I say I will take mine oath according to the meaning of God and his Church Verrine answered Thou canst not doe it vnlesse thou haue some sinister and reserued intention Leuiathan said leaue this talke you neede not search so deeply into the botome of this I onely bid thee answere to what thou oughtest Verrine said I am heere on Gods behalfe It is true said Leuiathan and I am heere on the behalfe of Lucifer Then Verrine said that is the very reason that thou art not able to say what I say but onely tellest lies thou art in the body of Magdalene that thou maist destroy soules but I am heere to saue them That is true Leuiathan Then said Verrine wilt thou take an oath as I will affirming that there is but one God one Baptisme and one Church I am heere to take part with God Leuiathan turning himselfe towards the Huguenot said Bee resolute my friend bee resolute thy Church is the true Church thou mayst safely follow these paths Then Verrine told him that hee lyed and that it was the Church of Darknesse wherein no truth was to bee found and because they tooke not the help of a candle to direct them to the habitation of truth but stumbled along with a dimme and darksome Lanthorn what wonder was it if they miscaryed from their way and could not attaine vnto it Leuiathan said No this is the true Church which is beawtified with the fair appellation of the reformed Church Verrine replyed I tell thee it is the Gulfe of Hell because the curious tread dangerously on the brimme of that Gulfe and are euer labouring and digging neere the brinke thereof and not being able to finde that which they search after they doe at length tumble in and when the head falleth into this pit first the rest of the members of that body doe easily follow after witnesse Beza Caluin and Luther who alledged and said that they were Preists and Religious persons yet did they despise all Religion and all Ecclesiasticall Discipline And although darknes issued from thence where light should haue remained yet for all that said Verrine men ought not to take away Preist-hood or to abolish the orders of Religion because there are some wicked Preists and ill-disposed Religious persons For prooofe whereof he alledged that in the company of our Lord himselfe there was a Iudas yet who would bee so foolish to conclude that the rest must be as wicked as hee Then said the Huguenot how prooue you that God hath commanded vs to pray to Saints Verrine
answered him it is an Article of your Creede if you be wiser then God why goe you not and pluck him from his Throane To this he said I am not yet satisfied in this point but tell mee how prooue you there is a Purgatory Verrine replyed yes I will prooue it easily vnto you I affirme that God hath said that no defiled thing shal enter into the kingdome of Heauen To this the other answered that he was not content with his replications because the Deuill is the father of lies Verrine said it is true wee are the fathers of lyes when wee haue free and vncontrouled scope to speake from our selues but being constrained by God wee haue a necessity imposed vpon vs to deliuer the truth What thinkest thou that thou disputest with the woman heere Thou art too arrogant thou deseruest not to haue thy vnderstanding inlightned thou art too curious and what thou hast heere heard will not bee auaileable vnto thee The Huguenot replyed hold thy peace thou art not able to answere and art indeed but a block head Verrine answered it is not words will bring men to Heauen there must be an addition of some thing else faith good works are to be thought vpon by those that will goe to Paradise Here upon Leuiathan said turning himselfe towards the Huguenot my friend beleeue mee stand stoutly to it I will accompany thee if it seeme good vnto thee Then the Huguenot said with all my heart shake hands let vs goe if thou wilt To this Verrine said directing his speech to the Huguenot Soft and faire soft faire the Deuil hath no power on her body although he vse her toung as his instrument to expresse himselfe But you Sir where doe you conceiue you are in some wood or at some May-game and taking him vp very sharply he said the Deuil take al those who neuer go to Church but to commit a thousand sinnes and impieties The other said vnto him is there no shame in thee that speakest thus before thy God thou art worse then a Deuill to pronounce these words O accursed wretch said Verrine thou doest not deserue the least glimse of light for when thou spakest this thou diddest conceaue thou haddest spoken vnto a creature not vnto the Deuill thou miserable loathed and abhominable caytiffe thou art worse then the Deuill yea thou hast inwardly resolued to commit some notorious sinne get thee gone thou wretch get thee gone Darest thou to be so hardy as within a Church where the blessed Sacrament remaineth to conceiue that which thou hast conceiued thou deseruest death thou obstinate fellow Then the Huguenot departed Verrine said vnto the Catholicks that were present What did you see how this wretch shrunke away learne you by his example and doe not doe as you haue been accustomed kneeling onely vpon one knee when you came to heare Masse No no you should not misdemeane yourselues thus but should behaue your selues as malefactors before your Iudge In the euening Magdalene onely was exorcised and during the time of Exorcisme there was represented vnto her a vision full of horror and amazement for she saw two Diuels in the semblance of Serpents each of whom held a soule in their mouth that seemed vnto her more deformed then Hell it selfe and the fright of this spectacle did endure long after the Exorcisme and had not quite left her when shee made relation of the same The same day father Francis Billet wrote vnto the Priests of the doctrine in this manner Dearest and best beloued brethren I beseech you in the name of Almighty God that you would be pleased to come hither as soone as possibly you can yea if you could to depart vpon the very day or the day after at farthest that this messenger shall arriue vnto you and to come hither where you shall vnderstand of diuers passages and occurrences so strange so vnheard of and so vsefull that hee who is not present to see and to be made acquainted with the same will hardly beleeue it For they are things of that high nature that who so vnderstandeth not the bottome and foundation of it will hardly humble his iudgement vnto the truth thereof But come because this matter toucheth the glory of God and of his Church the conuersion of soules and the honour and aduancement of your vocation Come then and doe not wonder if I do so often inculcate this word come vnto you for I doe assure you that it is a matter of importance Letters speake but once therfore I had reason to make frequent repetition of this word Come then with all the speed you may I should conceaue my selfe guilty of a great offence if I had not disburthened and cleared my conscience by writing this letter vnto you You may obiect vnto me that I am too easie of beleefe but come and you shall see that I am not alone of this opinion If I am deceiued there are others in the same case whose iudgements I must beleeue to be more able and more piercing then mine owne I doe assure you that if you had seene and obserued these things you would receiue great contentment thereby and would rest very well satisfied For God hath permitted that a sister of the Company of S. Vrsula most vnworthy though shee be to bee bewitched hauing three Diuels in her body Her name is Louyse Capeau who hauing from her youth begged of God to set her in some course of life wherein shee might remaine to his greater glory for the saluation of her soule and the profit good of her neighbour and being entred into that vocation wherein now she standeth in the first yeere of her nouiciatship God began to instill into her strong and vehement desires to endure for her neighbours all temporall paine whatsoeuer yea to vndergoe the torments of Hell it selfe if it might bee done without her separation from God and hauing persisted till this time in her request especially when she was to receiue the blessed Sacrament at length she had her desire and did accept with great patience all the said paines and torments euer saying these words Lord I thinke my selfe vnworthy to suffer any thing for the loue of you Shee made all these requests without asking any mans aduice because shee euer conceiued that it was no way within the compasse of sin so that when shee found her selfe possessed shee was much abashed thereat and wondred with her selfe from whence it might proceed But God from whom this was not hidden did saue vs a great deale of labour by laying his charge vpon one of the Diuels that were in her body to answere vnto the Exorcismes and to deliuer the truth what the end was wherefore he remained in her body And although the Diuell after many adiurations which the Exorcists made vnto him seemed obstinate in his silence and would giue no resolution vnto any thing that was propounded yet being commanded on
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
yoake of obedience His aduersary in heauen is Bernard a great friend of the Virgin 's and indeed an imitator of her in her obedience Fiat mihi c. 14. Belias Prince of the order of Vertues tempteth men with arrogancy His aduersary is Francis de Paule for his great and doue-like humility He also tempteth gentle-women to pranke vp themselues with new fangled attires to make wantons of their children and to prattle vnto them whiles Masse is saying and so to diuert them from the seruice of God 15. Oliuier Prince of the Arch-angels tempteth men with cruelty and mercilesnesse towards the poore His aduersary in heauen is Laurence Qui dispersit dedit pauperibus 16. Iuuart is Prince of Angels but hee is in another body and hath not his aboade heere This euening Balberith was coniured by the vertue of exorcismes to name all the Diuels which were in the body of Magdalene who answered I will name the chiefe of them but not the whole rabble who are heere in great number and are as pettie lackies who deserue not to be named Besides the twelue which I haue already named to be in this body there are also Carton Arangier Bladier Baal Agrotier Raher Coustelier Perdiguier the two Planchers Potier Stone-strong Hard-hart Stop-mouth Fire-stone There you haue seauen and twenty of them and adding vnto them the three which are in Louyse they make vp the number of thirty I will reckon vp no more Being coniured to say what their temptations were and what Saints were their aduersaries he constrainedly made answere Carton doth tempt men with vanity and pride His aduersary is Iames the Hermite who held all the vanities pompe and preferment of the world in misprision Arangier doth tempt men with pleasures His aduersary is Sebastion who did shun the allurements of earthly contentations and liued in great continency Bladier was the ninth in the order of Cherubins hee tempteth men against their vocation and maketh them weary of Inspirations and Confessions His aduersary is Ioseph the husband of Mary who was very constant in his vocation sweetly reposing himselfe in good inspirations and was very diligent in his charge without grudging at the same Baal was the 50. in the order of Thrones He tempteth men to commit murther His aduersary is Raymond of Capua confessor vnto Catherine of Sienna who was of your order vpon whom wee could neuer gaine or fasten any of our purposes for hee loued euery body with all his heart Agrotier tempteth men with a thirst of honor Hee is of the order of dominations and his aduersary is Ierome who contemned all the honors of the world Raher was the third Arch-angell Hee tempteth men to hardnesse of heart as Carreau doth his aduersary is Vincent Ferrier who continually remained penitent and was of your order Coustelier was of the order of Vertues he tempteth men with contentions wranglings and making of processes His aduersary is Peter the Martyr one of your order also who was of an admirable sweete and clement disposition and frankly forgaue all iniuries Perdiguier was of the order of Powers he tempteth men also with impurity for one cannot be euery where with those of his troope His aduersary is Bennet for his great purity Plancher was of the order of Arch-angels hee tempteth men with disobedience His aduersary is Iames that was of your order who in writing left the letter O imperfect thereby to shew his obedience Potier is the second in the order of Cherubins hee hardneth mens hearts that they should not pray to God nor meditate vpon his mercies His aduersary is Victor the Martyr who is euer praying or meditating Stone-strong was the eight in the order of Thrones he tempteth men with the difficulties and molestations which they must meete withall in the attainement of vertues especially of humility His aduersary is Iohn Chrysostome which euer practised himselfe in all sorts of vertues Hard-hart is the 15. in the order of Arch-angels he impeacheth men from lifting vp their harts vnto God His aduersary is William of the order of Augustine who euen at his time of meales did euer lift vp his heart vnto God Stop-mouth is the second in the order of Angels hee tempteth men with friuolous and impertinent speaches breeding a disgust in men that would speake of God and endeauouring to interrupt the current of all vertuous language His aduersary is Cyprian the Martyr and Doctor who was euer talking and meditating vpon God Plancher is the 15. in the order of Powers who together with the other Plancher the order of Archangels doth tempt men to doe good workes for sinister and reserued intentions His aduersary is Markâ— the Euangelist whose intention in all things was euer vpright and pure Fire-stone is the 20. of the order of vertues he tempteth men to choller and anger His aduersary is Alexus who practised his patience in the house of his father by his meekenes and by the sufferance of those insolencies which his seruants offered vnto him Belzebub in his discourse to the other Diuels which were with him in the body of Magdalene named the two familiar spirits of Lewes the Magician to wit Candelier and Ferrier The Acts of the 18. of Ianuary being Tewsday AS soone as the two that were possessed had kneeled vpon the ground before the Altar at S Baume Belzebub turning towards Louyse said vnto Verrine Behold our learned Preacher that doth so much boast of his sufficiency in making of sermons Whereunto Verrine replyed Thou lyest I neuer said that I made sermons or that I was a Preacher Goe to thou cursed lyar remember that I euer maintained that I was sent from God to publish and disclose a truth and to dismaske thy knauery Diddest not thou said Belzebub affirme that God hath promised Paradise vnto thee Thou lyest answered Verrine I neuer said so onely I did auow thus much that God by his absolute and boundlesse power hath granted vnto me diminution of my torments Then he said to Magdalene be of good cheere for God hath hyred thee and the three faculties of thy soule to be imployed about his seruice No said Belzebub shee is hyred by me Verrine answered thou lyest and shalt not gaine that for which thou now pretendest And if it were not for feare of Michaelis master of this place I would lay open such a throate as the whole frame of this house should tremble Thou bearest Magdalene in hand that thou wilt cure her I pray thee take thou no thought for her health for shee is sufficiently prouided of good Phisitians of her owne let her a Gods name beleeue her Confessours It was obserued by some that shee vsed a particular kinde of gesture and motion with the finger of her hand on which shee did weare a ring of siluer and thereupon Verrine said Take away that ring from her for it is charmed but when they endeauoured to pluck it from her finger they were not able by reason that
doe when Antichrist shall bee borne Hee was confined and chained vp by the death and passion of Christ Iesus from speaking any more by Oracles as appeareth by the Apocalypse and as experience it selfe teacheth vs but when the end of the world shall approch hee shall speake vnto men in a more familiar manner and shall appeare vnto them in a visible shape All which discourses are epitomized in a word by Saint Thomas when he saith Daemones dicuntur ligari quando impediuntur agere quae naturaliter possunt solui quando permittuntur The Diuell then hauing this permission like a subtle serpent and one that well vnderstandeth his grounds whereupon hee buildeth his attempts hee practiseth diuers and cunning slights to inueagle and gaine vpon the sillines of men which we may manifestly see in two visible apparitions set downe in the Scriptures the one in the old the other in the new Testament and this ought to be sufficient to informe our beleefe heerein It also plainly appeareth by the experience which the good old father Anthonius Monachus had thereof whose history is written at large by Saint Athanasius for in that discourse it seemeth that this good man was selected by God himselfe expresly to indure the assaults of Satan both sensibly and visibly so that we may learne from him what the subtilties of the Diuell are and what meanes we haue to keepe vs from his snares and ambushes Touching the first visible apparition of Satan which is described in the third chap. of Genes it thereby appeareth that he may take a visible body vpon him and so appeare vnto men not that it is in his power to take a body vpon him when hee pleaseth for the confusion and danger that might grow thereby would be exceeding great Repraesentaret enim se vxori tanquam maritus seruo tanquam Dominus religioso tanquam Praelatus poenitenti tanquam Confessarius sic nullus esset securus tentaremur suprae id quod possemus 1. Corinth 10. Et esset contra prouidentiam Dei He is therefore inhibited and restrained by the omnipotencie of God as both S. Augustine and S. Thomas doe notably shew but God doth sometimes permit the same partly to force a beleefe vpon our vnderstandings that there are wicked spirits which practise nothing else then how they may destroy vs and partly to informe vs how foule and vgly these vncleane spirits bee since the time that they were chased from God and tooke armes against him For now the Diuell appeares in a fearfull and hideous shape as in the forme of a Serpent or some such deformed beast And therefore in the beginning of the Bible he is set foorth vnto vs like a venomous snake which is agreeable vnto the second reason and in the beginning of the Gospell preached by Christ Iesus he is described to be one full of talke and pratling which-answereth the first reason but he hath no other end in this talke then to snare vs and to breake our neckes And from the abundance of his cunning his custome is to accommodate and fit himselfe vnto the humour of those whom hee would circumuent wherein he sheweth himselfe to bee Gods ape who doth descend vnto our capacitie and imperfection and doth practise that saying of Paul Omnia omnibus factus sum vt omnes lucrifacerem Thus when the Diuell commeth vnto a silly woman that hath little knowledge but what by nature and sense is prompted to her he wil straight begin to derogate from God and to make it questionable whether those things that are affirmed of him be true or no. And because he knoweth that this sex is very liquorous of honour and greatnes he will not stick to make large promises vnto them And in the third place beside the exquisite meates and drinkes he further promiseth vnto them all sensuall and fleshly pleasures whatsoeuer all which temptations are easily discerned in the assaults which hee vsed to tempt the first woman who representeth vnto vs all those that forget God and his blessings For it is a certaine truth that if hee had applied himselfe vnto Adam hee would haue laboured his subuersion by more couert guilefull meanes then hee vsed towards the woman And therefore S. Paul attributeth the glory of this conquest to haue proceeded from a womanish simplicitie concluding in these words Ne sicut serpens seduxit Euam ita seducantur sensus vestri à simplicitate quae est in Christo Iesu. But when he was to tempt Christ Iesus he tooke another course for without any derogation from God because a man of a setled vnderstanding and faith doth abhorre such grossenes and stoppeth his eares against it hee beginneth with that which seemeth to haue no apparancie of euill but rather to haue bin vsed by holy men as Moyses did by his prayer change the blood of the riuer into water and made the rocke to gush forth with fresh and wholesome streames as it is written Qui conuertit petram in stagna aquarum for then the people were in great extremitie for water So he laboured to perswade Christ Iesus to make the stones bread when as it might seeme hee had neede of sustenance and was in the desert as Moyses was Secondly knowing that Christ Iesus was conuersant in the holie Scriptures and would be most attentiue vnto them he alleageth diuers passages from thence And being able to doe no good that way he offereth vnto him the Monarchie of the world knowing that science puffeth vp those that haue no charitie and maketh them beleeue that they are able to sit at the sterne and gouerne the whole world better then any other whatsoeuer To conclude he resembleth the Crocadiles of Aegypt who when they perceiue a traueller neere vnto Nilus they begin to faine the voyce of a man weeping and taking on as if they had great neede of succour and when the poore man shall simply make his approch he is suddenly deuoured S. Athanasius reciteth that on a time the Diuell did thus plaine himselfe neere vnto the Cell of of that godly Father Antonius who demanding him what he was hee answered when hee saw that hee was discouered that he had iust cause to complaine for all the world did taxe and burthen him to be the author of all the villanies that were done although he were very innocent and free from any such matter And sometimes hee would sing Psalmes the better to insinuate himselfe vnto him but hee stopped his eares against him and would take no heed what the Diuell did sing practising that which is written Ego autem tanquam surdus non audiebam At other times he presented himselfe before him with great glorie transforming himselfe into an Angell of light but he shut his eyes and would not gaze vpon the beautie of Satan so that when hee perceiued that he could gaine nothing by all these baites and allurements for by his often
first Apologie which he made for the Christians hee is bold confidently and resoluedly to affirme that wicked Spirits haue had carnall knowledge sometimes with women and sometimes with men And in his second Apologie he saith that Deuils will seildome do what a man would haue them except it be with certaine conditions as in Necromancy hee will haue a boy to bee brought vnto him that is yong and tender of age And in the 52. question which he proposeth vnto Christians he wisheth all men to proceede warily and with all aduised circumspection in this argument of wicked Spirits of Sorcerers In which he giueth vs to vnderstand that we are not to goe on inconsideratly in searching after two things which are very strange vnto the simple people and which we now will recite out of him for we ought to imbrace the aduise of so great a personage seeing Saint Paul himselfe doth declare vnto vs that the workes of Sathan shall bee set out with all signes and wonders so that they shall exceede all our naturall forces for resolution hereof wee must heere make a distinction which many not obseruing haue runne and plunged themselues into many errors The distinction is this amongst all the effects that Sathan doth practise in the behalfe of those that owe their seruice vnto him there are two manners of working the first doth happen vnto them when they sleepe the second is practised also when they wake Hereunto wee might adioyne many sub-diuisions but it shall suffice hereafter to alleage such as we shall adiudge necessary for this purpose Now that this happeneth after these two seuerall wayes the Scriptures in many passages doth confirme it for numbring vp the workes which Satan practiseth for them that haue made an expresse couenant with him they do seildome faile of the one side to alleage the obseruation of dreames and of the other side the abhomination of charmes where we may obserue that diuination from dreames is euer practised by sleeping and charmes when men are awake The first place that confirmeth the truth hereof may be taken from the 19. of Leuiticus where it is said Non augurabimini nec obseruabitis somnia Another place is in the second booke of the Chronicles the 33. Chapter where it is said of King Manasses Obseruabat somnia sectabatur Auguria maleficis artibus inseruiebat habebat autem secum Magos incantatores multaque mala operatus est There is another passage in the 27. Chapter of Ieremy where God saith vnto his people Vos ergo nolite audire Prophet as veslros diuinos somniatores Augures maleficos The fourth place is in the tenth of Zacharie where it is said Diuini viderunt mendacium somniatores locuti sunt frustra And this was the very practise of Balaam whose custome was first heedfully to obserue his dreames and when he was awake to make his charmes as you may see in the 22. Chapter of Numbers I am not ignorant that some may here cauil say that those dreames were of a different quality vnto the dreames of the Sorcerers of our times notwithstanding it doth sufficiently make for our purpose if we declare by Scripture that among the wicked and prohibited workes which Satan acteth in those that giue themselues vnto him some are by way of dreames and others are done waking and are really true And although the natures of dreames may be infinitely varied a thing incident to all dreames whether they be diuine naturall or diabolicall which is the full and complete diuision of dreames that Tertullian maketh in his booke of the soule in the Chapter de somnijs yet cannot these seuerall qualities or diuersities make these dreames that they should not bee the reall workes of Satan as in like manner the diuersity of them doth not hinder them to be diuine or naturall This distinction doth prompt vnto vs another and that is that those things which are dreames to some are truthes to others and this is also common vnto diuine and naturall dreames for there is no repugnancy that one man may really practise that which another man dreameth of himselfe as in the booke of Iudges we heare of a souldier who dreamed that Gedeon came to assault and force their campe and at the same time Gedeon did indeede come vnto their campe and did that which the other dreamed I do purposely let passe diuers other whether they be diuine naturall or diabolicall which are recited by Tertullian in the place aboue alleaged let it suffice to relate one discourse out of Saint Augustine very pregnant for the purpose now in hand where he maketh mention of a certaine man of his time who was very desirous to vnderstand the meaning of a passage in Plato that was very obscure vnto him and to that purpose did oftentimes addresse himselfe vnto a Philosopher and repared much vnto his house to haue his opinion concerning the same but he could neuer vnderstand the interpretation of it At the last as this man was vp late in his study there came vnto him as he thought this Pâ—ilosopher and began to speake vnto him of the said passage and in conclusion did so cleerely explaine and vnfold it that he rested very fully satisfied It chanced not long after that this Philosopher came againe vnto him whereupon hee demanded him why he would not giue explication of the said passage at home in his owne house but had rather interpret it in the house of another man To which the Philosopher replied I did indeede dreame that I had expounded this passage vnto you but the truth is I neuer did From hence Saint Augustine inferreth that the same thing which is a dreame to one may be a truth to another for whiles the Philosopher was dreaming that he was expounding the said passage the other receiued waking the reall words of that exposition He also telleth of another who hauing slept diuers dayes together so that hee could bee waked by no meanes that they could vse vnto him he told his seruants when he did awake that hee dreamed that hee was changed into an horse and that hee hid prouender in a certaine field which hee described vnto them and it was indeede found that such an accident had happened Vpon these two suppositions we affirme that those things which are reported of Sorcerers might bee both dreamed and done and that which was a dreame to one might bee a truth to another And for the first wee are to attribute vnto dreames whatsoeuer is written in the 26. distinction of the Decretals in cap. Episcopi which is so often alleaged by those that hold all witch-crafts whatsoeuer to be nothing else but dreames when as the particulars there recited are not onely false and fabulous but repugnant vnto Scripture and impossible to Satan such as is the raising of Herodias to life this opinion wee ought to haue of the like sentences and authorities
speciem foedissimi nigerrimâ— hirci c. That the Diuell is ambitious of nothing more then to bee worshipped as a God wee haue formerly at large declared and concerning the visible forme in which hee doth appeare wee haue likewise shewed out of S. Augustine that it is not permitted vnto him to inuest himselfe with what forme he will or naturally can take vpon him but hee is limited vnto such semblances as God is pleased to permit vnto him and therefore saith S. Augustine there is no question but he would haue taken a goodlier and more specious resemblance vpon him then the forme of the Serpent was if God would haue suffered him so to doe but God would not haue it so When hee comes to bee adored he appeareth not in a humane forme but as the Witches themselues haue deposed as soone as they are agreed of the time that he is to mount vpon the altar which is some rock or great stone in the fields there to bee worshipped by them hee instantly turneth himselfe into the forme of a great black Goate although in all other occasions hee vseth to appeare in the shape of a man for God will not suffer him thus to abuse the nature of man because Christ Iesus his onely Sonne is a true man and worshipped as God and man both together for the Hypostaticall vnion of both natures is so indissoluble and so fast linked one to the other that there is but one essence or person that ariseth from both natures Againe if the Diuell had presented himselfe in an humane forme our first parents might haue conceited him to haue beene the Messias who was already reuealed and fore promised to Adam as Saint Paul expresseth it Hence it is that God will not suffer him to assume the forme of the Sonne of God when hee goeth about to bee worshipped but onely of a beast or of some such monstrous and iâ— fauoured shapes which are one halfe of them beasts and the other addition of a different forme vnto it as are Centaures and other such prodigious resemblances which were indeed nothing else but Diuels and many times they appeare as Pliny saith of sea monsters with a long taile of a Serpent by which exorbitant parts and so vnusuall in the course of nature they are knowen to be true monsters And this is S. Iohns meaning when in the Reuelation hee doth so often ingeminate that men shall come and worship the Beast by which a man may probably gesse that hee meaneth Satan changing himselfe into a beast for wee need not to make inquiry after a mysticall sense of such places as these when literally a man may interpret the Scripture Touching the forme of the beast which hee ordenarliy assumeth vnto himselfe it is a thing not to bee controuerted that hee presenteth himselfe in the forme of a Goate And heere we are to note that there are three or foure passages in the Scripture which haue a great resemblance and affinity with this point The first is in the 17. of Leuiticus where it is said Nequaquam vltra immolabunt hostias suas daemonibus The second and third passage is in the 30. and 34. of Esay Pilosi saltabunt ibi In which places the Hebrew word Sehir signifieth three seuerall things first a Goate secondly something that is hairie as Esau was for his hairynesse surnamed Sehir and the mountaines vnto which hee vsed to resort were called Montes Sehir thirdly it signifieth the Diuell and thus doth S. Ierome render the word in the 17. chap. of Leuiticus the like also doth the author of the Chaldean translation Touching the two first significations it appeareth that the one hath a dependance vpon the other because a Goat is the most shaggie beast of al other creatures but why the Diuel should be called by the name of Goate or of a beast that is shaggie Rabby Quimhi the best interpreter of Hebrew words amongst the Iewes rendereth this reason because hee appeareth in the shaggie forme of a Goate to those that put their confidence in him This is the obseruation of S. Thomas 12. q. 102. art 3. And Doctor Lyranus vpon the 12. of â—xod and 1. Reg. 30. Hence it is that the Chaldean interpreter and S. â—erome haue by this word Goate meant and interpreted the Dâ—uell and thus is hee called by the Witches themselues as is euinced out of their owne depositions So that it is no new thing that the Diuâ—ll doth shew himselfe in the forme of a Goate to those that haue slâ—uâ—d themselues vnto him and doe him homage and seruice Sanctes Pagninus following the same signification vpon the place of the 30. and 34. of Esay where the text saith that the Sebirins shall leape and daunce in the wildernesse doth thus interpret the same The Diuels shall daunce there And this also is verified by the witnesse of Witches who affirme that this goatish Diuell doth leape and daunce amongst them in their night assemblies in the deserts Moreouer it is very remarkable that the Septuagint Interpreters haue rendered this Hebrew word of the 17. of Leuit. by the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say fooles and the Italians borrowing that word from the Grecians doe call those that are ridiculous and impertinent in their behauiour Matos that is to say fooles And the truth is men doe now in the countrey of Prouince call such Spirits fooles or mad-capps because they play many fond prankes as laughing leaping dauncing and whisteling and in this respect haue the Septuagints traÌ„slated the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this purpose is the saying of S. Thomas who affirmeth that the Diuels doe shew many light and carelesse behauiours as laughing leaping whisteling which are but veniall sinnes in men but the Diuels vse these kind of gestures thereby to familiarize themselues with men and in conclusion to intice them into his nets by these semblances of merriment Thus S. Aâ—hanasius maketh mention of Diuels that sung songs In prophane histories wee find that the two most auncient Oracles the one called Hammonium which commeth from the word Ham or as wee pronounce it Cham the other called Dodonaeum which commeth from the word Dodonum of whom mention is made in the tenth of Genesis amongst the grand-children of Noah the first of them was in the forme of a Goate and the second in the shape of a Ramme with great hornes So that it is no nouelty to affirme that the Diuell doth cause himselfe to be adored in the forme of a Goat And to descend to our more moderne relations Alphonsus de Castro doth report that in the countrey of Biscay they haue found it to bee certaine that diuers women and some men haue assembled themselues together in a Mountaine where a black Goate did visibly present himselfe before them whom they all worshipped In this late history of the Magician Gaufridy Belzebub
Scripture where it is oft-ten said that God descēded on earth or the Word came from Heauen as also the same phrase is giuen to the holy ghost although they stirre not frō thence neither moue they by a natural locall motion but they are here often in the truth l That is to say they are worthy of a higher punishment that to indure them is a fauour in respect of their deseruings as a Parricide is not worthy of whipping * The example of the Publican and the Pharisie in S. Luke 18. cap. m Dilexerunt homines magis tenebras quam lucem n Satisfaction o By intelligence and reuelation See the following Act. This is also a discourse of the blessed Sacrament but hauing mentioned by compulsion the same things formerly he was vnwilling to begin another discourse of an argument to full of disgust vnto him and touching which he had as yet no commission to speake of p God leauing him to his naturall disposition and not employing his absolute force against him q Of the blessed Sacrament r Of the holy Communion Qui manducat indigne c s The Divels and the damned are witnesses of this t A consultation of this businesse with sundry religious persons u A Dialogue betweene Verrine and Leuiathan x See the answere to the first obiection after the Epistle to the Reader y Obserue the maner of speaking when God will discouer any thing to Spirits or will keepe any thing close from them Dicta facta sunt a God is neuer a witnesse vnto falsehood b Verrine in all his discourses confessed himselfe to bee a Diuell c Obserue that it is by intelligence d There is nothing repugnant hereunto why this should not be so e S. Dominick an enemie to Verrine f Verrine denieth that he is a preacher See the answere to the first obiection after the Epistle to the Reader g The distinct offices which Diuels haue in tentations h Touching the blessed Trinitie i Verrine constrained to speake k Touching S. Dominicke l The Saints who are most deuoted to the Virgine m Scala Coeli so Fulgentius calleth her in his Sermon of the Virgins praises for without the fruit which she carried there had been no ladder for vs to mount vp into heauen and the tree was as a ladder whereby we were enabled to plucke this fruit n Touching the Angels that are guardians vnto men o S. Dominick an aduersary vnto Verrine p It is a great perfection not to omitt to doe wel◠because omission doth not necessarily imply a mortal sinne q It is an allusion to the constraint which was forced vpon him by the Exorcismes As if hee should haue said that he was compelled three manner of waies by the will of God by the merits of the Virgin and by the intercessions of S. Dominick all this being acted in a church of his Order r This for the most part falleth out to be so s Original actuall and veniall t Touching the conception of the Virgin u By his eternal knowledge foresight into things x By his intimate graces which are communicable vnto a creature And it is a metaphore borrowed from the ribbe of Adam y Thus did Magdalene afterward report z He speaketh of Lewes the Magitian a See the answere vnto the 5. doubt after the epistle to the Reader b They that were thus possessed felt thēselues much lighter and in greater ease when the euill spirits departed from them c An inuectiue against the Magician d A prediction that the Magician should be burned e That is with the eye of his grace f Because of his dignity g An inuective against the Magician h See the Apology vnto the 5. doubt i The soule compared to a Common-wealth k See the Apology vnto the 5. doubt there is further mention made hereof in the pag. A discourse touching the late King Mounsieur Boutereau Aduocate in the Counsell doth elegantly as his manner is expresse this Saint in the life of Henry the 4 lately deceased which was composed by him who did expresly send into Flanders to father Francis Domptius that faithfully collected this history to be informed of that which is heere spoken which for the better assurance and attestation of the truth hee sent vnto him word for word Although there be also other witnesses thereof The two discourses in Latine and French did containe this relation heere word for word so that we dared not to change one title hereof as we haue for borne the like alteration through the whole frame and body of this history God turne it all to his Glory l He is called Seruus seruorum m A mauellous Apostrophe vnto the Magician n He meaneth the Crosse set vp in S. Baume o Verrine confesseth himselfe to be damned p A discourse vpon the natiuity of Christ Iesus very obseruable worth the reading q S. Gregory in his 26. Homily maketh a comparison between Ioseph S. Thomas for both of them were scrupulous doubtful of the truth for a season God permitting such staggerings sometimes in our vnderstādings to the end that our assurance may bee the stronger r The doubt that some haue of this History s Touching the labours and paines taken by Preachers t A signe of predestination u Gerson and some others hold this Tenent that he was sanctified from his mothers wombe x Acquisition of vertues y The co-operation of the creature with God z See the answere vnto the doubts the 10. obiection a A pious discourse vpon the feast of Christmas b Spirits doe goe and come with incredible celerity c As a man that being obstinately set and bent on a thing will rather be plucked asunder in peeces then be beaten off the same d Why a Diuell was employed in this worke he being but a contemptible and slauish caitise e Belzebub constrained to make an abjuration f Before the tribunall of God all things are so exactly waighed in al the circumstances that the Diuels haue nothing to reply against it g The temptation vsuall against Nobility h The temptation vsuall against Hereticks i Temptations to single combats k Temptations against youth l Temptations to hardnesse of heart m A breefe discourse touching the feast of Christmas b Diuers iudgements touching this history see the pag. 27. 28. m Diuers iudgments touching this History see the p. 15. n He did examine this two seueral times first at S. Baume in the moneth of Ianuarie then next ensuing where he looked into the verification of all these discourses and tooke knowledge of the witnesses that had been present at the acts In the second place hee did read with great aduisednes and attention this whole cōposure written in the Latine French copies There is a likelihoode also that the whole body of this history wil be re-examined at Rome by the authority of the supreme Inquisition o After the Angel had once