To come to the story, one of our earliest examples of a 'medium,'
and of communications by raps. The nunnery was reformed in 1516. A
pretty sister, Alix de Telieux, fled with some of the jewels, lived
a 'gay' life, and died wretchedly in 1524. She it was, as is
believed, who haunted a sister named Anthoinette de Grolee, a girl
of eighteen. The disturbance began with a confused half-dream. The
girl fancied that the sign of the cross was made on her brow, and a
kiss impressed on her lips, as she wakened one night. She thought
this was mere illusion, but presently, when she got up, she heard,
'comme soubs ses pieds frapper aucuns petis coups,' 'rappings,' as
if at the depth of four inches underground. This was exactly what
occurred to Miss Hetty Wesley, at Epworth, in 1716, and at Rio de
Janeiro to a child named 'C.' in Professor Alexander's narrative.
{112} Montalembert says, in 1528, 'I have heard these rappings many
a time, and, in reply to my questions, so many strokes as I asked
for were given'. Montalembert received information (by way of raps)
from the 'spirit,' about matters of importance, qui ne pourroient
estre cogneus de mortelle creature. 'Certainly,' as he adds,
'people have the best right to believe these things who have seen
and heard them.'
The rites of the Church were conferred in the most handsome manner
on the body of Sister Alix, which was disinterred and buried in her
convent. Exorcisms and interrogations of the spirit were practised.
It merely answered questions by rapping 'Yes,' or 'No'. On one
occasion Sister Anthoinette was 'levitated'. Finally, the spirit
appeared bodily to her, said farewell, and disappeared after making
an extraordinary fracas at matins. Montalembert conducted the
religious ceremonies. One case of hysteria was developed; the
sufferer was a novice. Of course it was attributed to diabolical
possession The whole story in its pleasant old French, has an
agreeable air of good faith But what interests us is the remarkable
analogy between the Lyons rappings and those at Epworth, Tedworth,
and countless other cases, old or of yesterday. We can now
establish a catena of rappings and pour prendre date, can say that
communications were established, through raps, with a so-called
'spirit,' more than three hundred years before the 'Rochester
knockings' in America. Very probably wider research would discover
instances prior to that of Lyons; indeed, Wierus, in De Praestigiis
Daemonum, writes as if the custom was common.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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