in private houses, or in any place, in short, of which the bishop approves, provided it be not within hearing of any person except the priest and the penitent. The Greek Church retains the practice of auricular confession, but differs from that of Rome in the form of the absolution. The reformed churches do not as a rule encourage the practice, and in Scotland it is not even recognized. In the Church of England, although admitted by the Prayer Book, private confession has long been viewed with extreme suspicion, but of late years attempts have been made by a certain section to revive it. [6] The reference is evidently to Mark XVI., p. 17 and 18. END OF VOL. I. THE DEVILS OF LOUDUN. [COLLECTANEA ADAMANTÆA.--XXI.] THE HISTORY OF THE Devils of Loudun, _The Alleged Possession of the Ursuline Nuns, and the Trial and Execution of Urbain Grandier_, TOLD BY AN EYE-WITNESS. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL FRENCH, AND Edited by EDMUND GOLDSMID, F.R.H.S., F.S.A. (Scot.) VOL. II. PRIVATELY PRINTED. EDINBURGH. 1887. _This Edition is limited to 275 small-paper copies, and 75 large-paper copies._ [Illustration] The Devils of Loudun. _PART II._ THE declaration of the Evil Spirit could not fail to make a great commotion, and to have results which required precautions to be taken at once. The Canon, like a wise man, put himself in communication with Justice, and informed the magistrates of what was passing at the convent, on the 11th October, 1632. Grandier, prepared for all contingencies, had already taken his measures. Many of the magistrates belonged to the new religion and were favourable to him, looking upon him as a secret adherent; they served him as he expected. At the same time, he made all possible use of his extraordinary talents for pettifogging, presented petition on petition, questioned every statement of the exorcists and of the nuns, threatened their confessor Mignon, complained that his reputation was attacked, and that the means were thus taken from him of doing the good his position required, and demanded that the nuns should be locked up and the exorcisms be put an end to. He knew well enough that his demands were out of the question, and that civil justice has nothing to do with the exercise of religious functions. But he wished, if possible, to embarrass the exorcists, and commit the judges with the bishops, or, at any rate, throw discord among them, and give his Calvinists an opportunity of crying out; he succeeded.