rs being forbidden access to the nuns without his permission.

The clerk was again sent to the convent with a copy of this decision, but
the superior having listened to the reading of the document, answered
that in her own name and that of the sisterhood she refused to recognise
the jurisdiction of the bailiff; that she had already received directions
from the Bishop of Poitiers, dated 18th November, explaining the measures
which were to be taken in the matter, and she would gladly send a copy of
these directions to the bailiff, to prevent his pleading ignorance of
them; furthermore, she demurred to the order for her removal, having
vowed to live always secluded in a convent, and that no one could
dispense her from this vow but the bishop. This protest having been made
in the presence of Madame de Charnisay, aunt of two of the nuns, and
Surgeon Mannouri, who was related to another, they both united in drawing
up a protest against violence, in case the bailiff should insist on
having his orders carried out, declaring that, should he make the
attempt, they would resist him, as if he were a mere private individual.
This document being duly signed and witnessed was immediately sent to the
bailiff by the hand of his own clerk, whereupon the bailiff ordered that
preparations should be made with regard to the sequestration, and
announced that the next day, the 24th November, he would repair to the
convent and be present at the exorcisms.

The next day accordingly, at the appointed hour, the bailiff summoned
Daniel Roger, Vincent de Faux, Gaspard Joubert, and Matthieu Fanson, all
four physicians, to his presence, and acquainting them with his reasons
for having called them, asked them to accompany him to the convent to
examine, with the most scrupulous impartiality, two nuns whom he would
point out, in order to discover if their illness were feigned, or arose
from natural or supernatural causes. Having thus instructed them as to
his wishes, they all set out for the convent.

They were shown into the chapel and placed close to the altar, being
separated by a grating from the choir, in which the nuns who sang usually
sat. In a few moments the superior was carried in on a small bed, which
was laid down before the grating. Barre then said mass, during which the
superior went into violent convulsions. She threw her arms about, her
fingers were clenched, her cheeks enormously inflated, and her eyes
turned up so that only the wh