of transplanting such promising shoots into their society. But as to Grandier they were, it seems, of opinion, that he would be more useful to them in the world, for which reason they presented him to the Church of St. Peter du Marche in Loudun, of which they were patrons. He had also a prebend of the Church of the Holy Cross. These two benefices filled many of the ecclesiastics in the neighbourhood with envy, of which Grandier himself was so sensible, that in the midst of his misfortunes he was want to say, that amongst those who sought his ruin, as some hated his person, so others had their eyes on his preferments. He was (as to his person) of an exact height. He had an agreeable gente l air, managed every thing with much address, and was extremely neat and exact in whatever he wore, and in his manner of wearing it. He had always appeared in a long habit, and it is not easy to describe his manner of conversing, which was at once instructive and entertaining. He joined in his discourse an easiness of speaking with an elegance of terms. He delighted in preaching, and he really preached well. The Monks hated him, because he declared himself in his pulpit against confraternities, and blamed such as neglected going to mass to their parish church. The Monks were exceedingly displeased on another account, viz. his faculty of preaching, in which undoubtedly he much excelled them. Thus, if his parts gained him friends and a support, they also drew on him envy, which, assisted by his own imprudence, drew on his ruin.-He composed a funeral oration for Scevola of St. Martha. This work is much esteemed for the strokes of eloquence with which it abounds, and which demonstrate its author to have been a man of wit and genius. Among his friends he was a pleasant easy Companion, but towards his enemies he carried hi self with much haughtiness and disdain. He was steady in his designs, jealous of his character, and one who was intractable in points where his interest was concerned. He repelled injurics with such violence, as to make his enemies irreconaileable, of whom it was his great misfortune to have a large number to deal with. If Grandier was innocent as to magic, he was far from being so with respect to gallantry. On the contrary, he gave himself a loose that way. Hence it came to pass, that among his enemies, rivals, passionate fathers, and outrageous husbands, distinguished themselves, he having provoked the indignation of these furious sort of peo ple, by his amourous disposition, the frequency and success of his loves. M. Seguin, a Fhysician of Tours, says in his letter inserted in the Mercury, that even the partizans of Grandier owned his being addicted to Amours. Menage, who undertook his defence, when it was objected that he had conversed criminally with a woman in the church, does not deny it. Monconis says, that this woman was the wife of one of the magistrates of Loudunt However, much of this might be spite, though somewhat might be true. An excellent caution to the clergy of all Churches to be careful in every point of their corduct? In spite of the coquetry of his heart, he had a reigning mistress, with whom it was shrewdly suspected he had contracted what is called a marriage of conscience, and that to obviate her scruples, he composed a Treatise against the Celibacy of Priests, which was found among his papers; and these conjectures turned upon Magdelain de Brou, who was known to be his intimate friend. But he was so cautions, that he never mentioned her name, and to say the truth, he was no less prudent ia respect to all the other girls and women with whom he conversed intimately, so that their reputations could not suffer from any indiscretions of his. The idea we must have of a priest so gallant, will naturally give us to understand, that he was at the same time not over pious; however, it does not follow that though his heart. was very corrupt, all principles of religion were utterly extinguished there.His passion for women, though it governed him in such a manner as to lead him into mighty offences, yet it left him some notions of his duty to God, such as they were; this we have reason to believe from the condition in which we find other christians addicted to the same vice, who nevertheless are far enough from entertaining impious opinions; so that his debauchery, admitting what his enemies said to be true, could be no proof of his being a magician. In 1620, he gained a Process in the Officiality of Poitiers against a Priest, whose name was Mouiere, whom he used with so much rigour on that occasion, that the man hated him vehemently even afterwards. He had the same success in a suit between him and the Canons of the Church of the Holy Cross, about a house they disputed with him, and on this occa sion he used one Mignon, a Canon, who : solicited for his brethren, with such inve- on this occasion by the assistance of Migterate insolence, that he conceived for him non, Mons. Menuan, the King's advocate, so bitter an aversion, as to resolve to let who had the misfortune to be in love with no occasion slip of doing him a mischief. a Lady, in whom Grandier was his rival, Grandier likewise incurred the displea- and what was worse a favourite rival too. sure of the whole family of M. de Barot, At such a mecting one need not be surprizPresident of the Commissioners of Taxes, ed that it was determined utterly to ruin and uncle to Mignon; this gentleman, in Grandier, or at least to drive him out of the a difference he had with him, Grandier neighbourhood of Loudun. A little after had treated with great contempt, and as they exhibited, in the Court of the Official one far below him. The President being Poitiers, an information against him. in the very rich, and childless, all his relations name of the Promoter, in which they achad great expectancies, and for this reason cused him of having seduced girls and made their court to him, by shewing on all women, and taxed him at the same time occasions their spleen to Grandier. But with impiety and irreligion. Two miseraof all his enemies there was none so fierce, ble rascals, picked out from the dregs of the or so formidable, as M. de Trinquant, the people, were raised up by his enemies to beKing's attorney. This gentleman had a come dilators. The Official commissioned mighty handsome daughter, for whom the Lord Lieutenant Civil, and the ArchGrandier had testified a high respect, and Priest of St. Marcellus in the Loudunois, with whom it was generally suspected he to enquire into this cause. An Official has had pushed his amourous commerce to the no right to commission a Royal Judge, so greatest height. The young lady grew dis- that on this occasion he was guilty of an coloured, and fell into a languishing sort of irregularity. About this time one Duthiillness, upon which it was rumoured that baut, a man considerable for his wealth, she was with child. The public, ever so- and who was united with the enemics licitous to discover intrigues of such a na- of Grandier, committed the highest inture as this, watched her motions very sult on him, in the presence of the closely But Martha Pelletier, a young Marquis du Belay. It seems he had woman of small fortune, with whom Ma- spoke very disrespectfully of the priest, and demoselle Trinquant had contracted a strict had characterised him with all that foulness friendship, gave on this occasion an extra- of language, which should be heard from ordinary proof of fidelity and affection, she none but the vulgar.-Grandier reproved took the child, and declared it to be her him for it, in terms so quick and piercing, own, putting it as such to nurse. The that Duthibaut could not help striking him town however ceased not to talk, or to as- with his cane, though he was in his surcribe the infant to her whom they took for plice, and just ready to enter the Church its true mother, which gave all the family of the Holy Cross, where he was going to the utmost uneasiness. The King's Attor-assist at Divine Service. Grandier went ney caused Martha Pelletier to be apprehended, and to be interrogated strictly as to the birth of this child; she insisted positively on the truth of what she had at first given out, that it was hers, and promised to take such care of it, that they were constrained to discharge her. The foolish indiscretion of this Father would have been at justly recompensed, if the woman had told him and all the world the truth; as it was, it served only to mortify him the more, the suspicion still continuing, and all the trouble he had given himself made the matter but the more talked of, his heart therefore burnt with sentment against him whom he took to be the auther of his, and his daughter's disgrace. The enemies of Grandier assembled in Council, in order to consider of some method for destroying him; there joined them rage and re and threw himself at the feet of the King, and complained heavily of the public affront that had been offered him and his character. The King, moved with the matter of his complaint, referred the consideration thereof to the Parliament, with directions that Duthibaut should be immediately called to an account and prosecuted.During this time that Grandier was at Paris, an information was brought against him by his enemies at Loudun, the King's attorney deposed first, in order to encou rage the rest, and took every measure possible to support the mean people who were witnesses with him. When the information was made out, they sent it to the Bishop of Poitiers, whom some people had prejudiced against Grandier. They ex aggerated an indiscretion this curate had committed, in transgressing on the Bishops rights, in giving (as they said) a dispen- | beset by the secret adversaries of Grandier, sation for proclaiming the banns of mar-who ceased not to set him out in the riage in a certain case. On these allega-blackest colours, and who knew how to tions they obtained (without much difficulty) a warrant from the Bishop to secure his person. mix so much probability with their calum nies, that, on the 3d of Jan. 1630, he was condemned to fast with bread and water, Monsieur Duthibait, in order to avoid by way of pennance, every Friday, during being punished for what he had done, at- three months; and interdicted from divine tacked with the utmost violence the cha- offices, in the diocese of Poitiers, for five racter of his accuser; he charged him with years, and in the town of Loudun for ever. being a scandalous person, leading a pro- His enemies flattered themselves that they fligate life, and disgracing the priesthood; had now effectually overcome him; nor in support of all which he produced the were they at all apprehensive of what warrant for his apprehension, which had might happen before another tribunal on been granted by the Bishop of Poitiers, both sides, therefore there was an appeal and this was the cause that the Court, be- from this sentence. Grandier appealed to fore justice was done, sent Grandier back the Bishop of Bourdeaux; and his adverto the Bishop, to clear himself of the crimes saries, in the name of the Promoter of the laid to his charge. He returned to Lou- Officialty, by writ of error, to the Par dun, and in a few days came to Poitiers, liament of Paris, to the intent only to to put himself into a condition for his de- perplex him, and to bring him into fence, but could not do it; for he was no such a condition, as not to be able to sooner arrived, but he was arrested prisoner undergo the burden of all the affairs, with by an usher of the Court, named Charri. which they sought to overwhelm him, but Although it was the 15th of November, they succeeded not as they desired; for he and that the Bishop's prison was cold and prepared himself, and had his cause pleaded dark, he remained, however, there more before the Parliament.-But it being nethan two months, and began to believe that cessary to hear yet a greater number of he would never get out of this affair. His witnesses, who dwelt in a place very far enemies at least seemed very much in- off, the Court remitted the cognizance duced to think so; Duthibaut thought him- thereof to the Presidial of Poitiers, to self secured from his prosecution, the issue judge definitively. The Lieutenant Criwhereof could not but be very troublesome minal of Poitiers gave instruction for reto him; and Barot caused a devolution to newing the process, as well as by the be executed upon his benefice, to the profit re-examination and confronting of the of Ismael Bouliean, a priest, and one of his witnesses, as by the fulmination of a maheirs. The fierceness of the prosecution nitory. This instruction was not favourbegan now to abate, not from a decay of able to his accusers, there were found conmalice, but from the consideration of the ex-tradictions in the witnesses, who would pence, of which some of the parties grew weary; however, Trinquant re-animated them, and taught them with much-a-do to value their money less than their revenge. In spite of all their intrigues, they were unable to support their information by Jegal proofs. It was laid to Grandier's charge that he had debauched women and maidens; but there were no plaintiffs produced; these women and maids were not named; there was not any witness that swore directly to this fact; and the greater part acknowledged at last, that they never heard a word concerning many things which they found writ in the information. At last, it being neccessary to proceed to the judgment of the process; there was admitted into the number of the Judges, the Advocate Richard, who was Triaquant's kinsman; and the Bishop was yet persist; and there were many others who ingenuously acknowledged that they had been tampered with; one of the accusers desisted from the action which he had begun, and declared with some wit nesses, who also gave over, that they had been put on and solicited by Trinquant. At the same time it came to the knowledge of Mealieu and Boulieu, priests, that they were made to say in their deposition, things that they had never thought of; they were desirous of disowning them, by writings under their hands. Thus, in spite of all their assiduity and pains, this hopeful structure fell to the ground; the Presidial of Poitiers gave his judgment the 25th of May, 1631, whereby Grandier was sent away absolved. for the present, of the accusation made against him. He triumphed and insulted over his adversaries with so much haughtiness, as if he had been wholly clear of this business; in the mean time it was necessary that he should present himself before the tribunal of the Archbishop of Bourdeaux, to whom he ħal appeled, and that ne might there obuil a sentence of justification.-This Preate, a little after that this judgment had been given at Poitiers, came to visit his Aubey of St. Joui les Mames, which is but three leagues from Loudun. Grandier prepared himself to appear before him; and his adversaries, who seemed to have lost all courage, did defend themselves with vigour. The Archbishop, however, acquitted him, fully restored him to the possession of his benefices, and left him at liberty to pursue such legal measures as he should think fit for recovering damages, and restitution of the profits during his suspension. The Archbishop considering the animosity of Grandier's enemies, and the iniquity of their contrivances, having also a regard for him on account of his great parts, advised him to change his benefices, and to withdraw himself from a place where so powerful a conspicy was made against him, But he was not capable of following such wholesome advice both love and hatred had too much blinded him, he hated his enemies with too great a passion to satisfy them in this point; but he was yet more violently posse sed by love; and although this was divided towards diferent objects, there was one, nevertheless, which was the true object of bis tender affections, to which his heart was tied by such strong bands, that far from being able to break them, he had not the power to remove himself any distance from her. Her turned then to Londun, with a branch of laurel in his hand, as an ensign of his victory. Persons that were indifferently concerned, were scandalized at his conduct, wherein he shewed so little modesty, his enemies were enraged, and his own friends disapproved it. He took possesion of his benefices, and scarcely gave himself leisure to breathe; so that, being wholly filled with the resentment of the injury that had been done him by Duthibaut, he begun his suit a ainst him, and drove it so far. that he obtained a decree from the Chamber of Tournelle, whither Duthibant was sent for, and reproved, and was condemned to divers fines and reparations and to my the charges of the process.-Not satieded with the right hitherto done him in this affair, he resolved to carry on his revenge as far as the law would permit; and in order thereto, began to sue his ene.nics for reparation, damages, and restitution of the picfits of his benefices. It was in vain that his principal friends would have dissuaded him, upon the consideration of what had already happened to him, which ought to make him know what his enemies were like to do if he attempted every way to drive them to extremities, and to distress their purse, at which they would not be less sensible than they had shewes themselves in what concerned their re utation.—-—But Lis stars drew him to a precipice. Divinę Providence, whose ways ar impenetrable, would punish him for his pride and debauchery, and suffer at the same time to appear upon the theatre of the world, one of the tra ical acts which false zeal or impiety cause to be represented there from time to time; and which never fail to find in te credulity of the people an approbation and applause, which the experience of what is passed ought to hinder them from gi iag so lightly, and which are the evident signs of the weakness of man's unde standing. It is now time to give the reader an account of the methods which the enemies of this unhappy Priest took to rid themselves of him, who was the object of their malice. Mignon was the principal person concerned, he set in order the springs of his intrigues, that he might have them in a condition to play w n he should find it couvenient; to this ed he caused his scholars to be exercised in feigning to fall into convulsions, to make contortions and postures of their bodies, to the end they might gain a habit, and he forgot nothing for their instruction to make them appear true Demoniacks. Twas believed that he kept some of the simple and over-credulous Nuns in their error, in the fear which they had at first, and that by degrees he insinuated into them, that which he was desirous they should at last strongly believe, and which it was thought they really did: How little resemblance soever of truth there might be in this imposture, he drew others into the party, who had no knowledge of it in the beginning; he secured himself of the fidelity of all those who were engaged, as well by caths, as by the consideration of the interest of the glory of God, and the Catholic Church; persuading them that it would draw great advantages by this epter to them that it concerned them to be present at the exorcisms, and to see the strange and almost incredible effects of this possession. He told them that there was one who answered in Latin to all questions that could be put to her, although she had no knowledge of the languages before this accident. The two magistrates went to the Convent, either to assist at the exor cisms, or to authorize them if they found of this illusion, if they judged the possession to be feigned and counterfeited.Mignon met them with his surplice and tippet; he told them that the Nuns had prize, which would serve to confound the Heretics, of whom the town was very full, and be rid of a pernicious curate, who, by his debaucheries, had dishonoured his character, who was also a şecret Heretic, and who drew a numerous company of soul into hell.; adding, that their Convent would not fail to obtain, by this means, an extraordinary reputation; and that the gifts and alms that would be bestowed would bring a great plenty, which was then want-themselves obliged, or to stop the course ing in a word, he forgot nothing that he believed would contribute to his designs, and when he saw that the business was very near to the point of perfection, which he wished, he began to exer-been disturbed for fifteen days with appacise the superior, and two other Nuns. ritions and frightful visions, and that after The report of the Nuns being possessed that the Mother Superior, and two other beginning to be whispered about the town, Nuns, had been visibly possessed for eight Mignon thought it high time to draw some or ten days by evil spirits, that they assistants into his plot, at first he called had been driven out of their bodies, as well to his exorcisms Peter Barre, Curate of by the ministry of him, as of Barre, and St. James of Climon, and Canon of St, some other religious Carmelites; but that Meme. He was a bigot and a hypocrite, on Saturday night, the 16th of the month, almost of the same character with Mignon, the Mother Superior, named Jane Belsiel, but much more melancholic, and more the daughter of the late Baron of Cose, of enthusiastic, and who practised a thousand the country of Zaintonge, and a Lay-sister, extravagancies, that he might pass for a the daughter of Maignoux, had been torSaint. He came to Loudun, at the head mented afresh, and that they were possess, of his parishioners, whom he led in pro ed again by the same spirits; that they cession, coming all the way on foot, that had discovered in their exorcising that this he might the better put a gloss upon his was done by a new pact or covenant, the hypocrisy.-After that these two pretended symbol or mark whereof were roses, as the exorcists had busied themselves together token of the first had been three black yery privately for ten or twelve days, they thorns. That the evil spirits had not been believed this act was in a condition to be willing to name themselves during the first exposed upon the stage, to the eyes of the possession, but that he who then possessed public, and for this effect they resolved to the Mother Prioress, called himself the inform the magistrates of the lamentable enemy of God, and said his name was condition of these Nuns, to whom they Astaroth; and that he who possessed the employed Granger, Curate of Veiner, a Lay-sister, named himself Sabulun. man malicious and impudent, feared and last he told them, that the possessed were hated of all the priests in the country, now taking their rest, and he desired them because, being in favour with the Bishop of to defer their visit to another hour of the Poitiers, he many times di them ill offices day. These two magistrates were ready with him: He had never any difference to go out, when a Nun came to give them with Grandier, but had even received some notice that the persons possessed were services from him, which did not hinder again tormented. They went up with him from suffering himself to be tampered Mignon and Granger, into an upper chamwith by Mignon and Trinquant, and enter-ber, furnished with seven little beds, in ing openly into the league with them.--one of which lay the Lay-sister, and the He went then on Monday, the 11th of Prioress in another. This last was enOctober, 1632, to find William de Ca-compassed with some Carmelites, with rizni de la Gueramere, Bailiff of the Loudunois, and Lewis Chanvet, Lieutenant-Civil, and he intreated them, on the hehalf of the exorcists, to come to the Convent of the Ursulines, to see the two Nups possessed by evil spirits, representing At some of the Nuns of the Convent, with Matharin Rosseau, Priest and Canon of St. Cross, and Manouin the surgeon. The Superior had no sooner discovered the two magistrates, but she had violent commotions, and performed strange actions; she |