, the clerk had instructions to warn
Mignon and Barre that they were not to undertake exorcisms unless in
presence of the bailiff and of such officials and doctors as he might
choose to bring with him, and that they would disobey at their peril; he
was also to tell them that Grandier's demands to have the nuns
sequestered and other exorcists called in were granted.

Mignon and Barre listened while the clerk read his instructions, and then
said they refused to recognise the jurisdiction of the bailiff in this
case; that they had been summoned by the mother superior and Sister
Claire when their strange illness returned, an illness which they were
convinced was nothing else than possession by evil spirits; that they had
hitherto carried out their exorcisms under the authority of a commission
given them by the Bishop of Poitiers; and as the time for which they had
permission had not yet expired; they would continue to exorcise as often
as might be necessary. They had, however, given notice to the worthy
prelate of what was going on, in order that he might either come himself
or send other exorcists as best suited him, so that a valid opinion as to
the reality, of the possession might be procured, for up to the present
the worldly and unbelieving had taken upon themselves to declare in an
off-hand manner that the whole affair was a mixture of fraud and
delusion, in contempt of the glory of God and the Catholic religion. As
to the rest of the message, they would not, in any way prevent the
bailiff and the other officials, with as many medical men as they chose
to bring, from seeing the nuns, at least until they heard from the
bishop, from whom they expected a letter next day. But it was for the
nuns themselves to say whether it was convenient for them to receive
visitors; as far as concerned themselves, they desired to renew their
protest, and declared they could not accept the bailiff as their judge,
and did not think that it could be legal for them to refuse to obey a
command from their ecclesiastical superiors, whether with relation to
exorcism or any other thing of which the ecclesiastical courts properly
took cognisance. The clerk brought this answer to the bailiff, and he,
thinking it was better to wait for the arrival of the bishop or of fresh
orders from him, put off his visit to the convent until the next day.
But the next day came without anything being heard of the prelate himself
or of a messenger from him.