The History of the Devils of Loudun, Volumes I-III: The Alleged Possession of the Ursuline Nuns, and the Trial and Execution of Urbain Grandier, Told by an Eye-witness — John Shaqi
The History of the Devils of Loudun, Volumes I-III: The Alleged Possession of the Ursuline Nuns, and the Trial and Execution of Urbain Grandier, Told by an Eye-witnessDes Niau
History
The History of the Devils of Loudun, Volumes I-III: The Alleged Possession of the Ursuline Nuns, and the Trial and Execution of Urbain Grandier, Told by an Eye-witness
Des Niau
Couvent des Ursulines (Loudun, France); Demoniac possession; Grandier, Urbain, 1590-1634
Thus, as it was a matter rather of religion than of jurisprudence, they
resolved to begin by prayer to God, who is the Father of all Light,
rightly considering that all France was watching the trial with eager
eyes, that it was shrouded in a thick veil of obscurity, and that their
verdict would entail important consequences. They therefore prepared
to receive divine assistance and grace by frequent confessions, and
by often receiving the Holy Sacrament. Then they decreed a general
procession to implore celestial aid in so difficult a matter; and, to
excite the devotion of the masses by their example, they went in a
body, during the whole of the trial, to visit the Churches of the city,
set aside by the Bishop for forty hour services, and reached each in
time for the elevation of the host. Thence the Exorcists went to the
Church fixed upon for the Exorcisms, and the judges proceeded to the
tribunal to continue the case; in the evening all returned to church
for evensong.
The examination lasted forty days, during which Demons gave them
the clearest proofs of their presence in the bodies of the persons
exorcised, and every day added new evidence against Grandier, and yet
never said anything against him which did not turn out strictly true.
These assertions merit distinct proof, which will be found interesting.
As regards the presence of Devils in the possessed, the Church
teaches us in its ritual, that there are four principal signs, by
which it can be undoubtedly recognised. These signs are the speaking
or understanding of a language unknown to the person possessed;
the revelation of the future, or of events happening far away; the
exhibition of strength beyond the years and nature of the actor; and
floating in the air for a few moments.
The Church does not require, in order to have recourse to Exorcisms,
that all these marks should be found in the same subject; one alone, if
well authenticated, is sufficient to demand public exorcism.
Now, they are all to be found in the Nuns of Loudun, and in such
numbers that we can only mention the principal cases.
Acquaintance with unknown tongues first showed itself in the
Mother-Superior. At the beginning, she answered in Latin the questions
of the Ritual proposed to her in that language. Later, she and the
others answered in any language they thought proper to question in.
M. de Launay de Razilli, who had lived in America, attested that,
during a visit to Loudun, he had spoken to them in the language of a
certain savage tribe of that country, and that they had answered quite
correctly, and had revealed to him events that had taken place there.
Some gentlemen of Normandy certified in writing that they had
questioned Sister Clara de Sazilli in Turkish, Spanish, and Italian,
and that her answers were correct.
M. de Nismes, Doctor of the Sorbonne, and one of the chaplains of the
Cardinal de Lyon, having questioned them in Greek and German, was
satisfied with their replies in both languages.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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