neither their
master nor their servant, and that it was incredible that they should in
the same breath acknowledge him for their master and express a desire
to strangle him: on hearing this, the frenzy of the nuns reached its
height, and they kicked their slippers into his face.
"'Just look!' said he; 'the shoes drop from the hoofs of their own
accord.'
"At length, had it not been for the help and interposition of people
in the choir, the nuns in their frenzy would have taken the life of the
chief personage in this spectacle; so there was no choice but to take
him away from the church and the furies who threatened his life. He was
therefore brought back to prison about six o'clock in the evening, and
the rest of the day the exorcists were employed in calming the poor
sisters--a task of no small difficulty."
Everyone did not regard the possessed sisters with the indulgent eye
of the author of the above narrative, and many saw in this terrible
exhibition of hysteria and convulsions an infamous and sacrilegious
orgy, at which revenge ran riot. There was such difference of opinion
about it that it was considered necessary to publish the following
proclamation by means of placards on July 2nd:
"All persons, of whatever rank or profession, are hereby expressly
forbidden to traduce, or in any way malign, the nuns and other persons
at Loudun possessed by evil spirits; or their exorcists; or those who
accompany them either to the places appointed for exorcism or elsewhere;
in any form or manner whatever, on pain of a fine of ten thousand
livres, or a larger sum and corporal punishment should the case so
require; and in order that no one may plead ignorance hereof, this
proclamation will be read and published to-day from the pulpits of
all the churches, and copies affixed to the church doors and in other
suitable public places.
"Done at Loudun, July 2nd, 1634."
This order had great influence with worldly folk, and from that moment,
whether their belief was strengthened or not, they no longer dared to
express any incredulity. But in spite of that, the judges were put to
shame, for the nuns themselves began to repent; and on the day following
the impious scene above described, just as Pere Lactanee began to
exorcise Sister Claire in the castle chapel, she rose, and turning
towards the congregation, while tears ran down her cheeks, said in a
voice that could be heard by all present, that she was going to speak
the tru
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