tuated
by the purest motives and the highest integrity; that he had no desire to
harm anyone on earth; and he adjured God to strike him dead if he had
been guilty of any bad action or collusion, or had instigated the nuns to
any deceit during the investigation.

The prior of the Carmelites next advanced and made the same declaration,
taking the oath in the same manner, holding the pyx over his head; and
further calling down on himself and his brethren the curse of Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram if they had sinned during this inquiry. These
protestations did not, however, produce the salutary effect intended,
some of those present saying aloud that such oaths smacked of sacrilege.

Barre hearing the murmurs, hastened to begin the exorcisms, first
advancing to the superior to offer her the holy sacrament: but as soon as
she caught sight of him she became terribly convulsed, and attempted to
drag the pyx from his hands. Barre, however, by pronouncing the sacred
words, overcame the repulsion of the superior, and succeeded in placing
the wafer in her mouth; she, however, pushed it out again with her
tongue, as if it made her sick; Barge caught it in his fingers and gave
it to her again, at the same time forbidding the demon to make her vomit,
and this time she succeeded in partly swallowing the sacred morsel, but
complained that it stuck in her throat. At last, in order to get it
down, Barge three times gave her water to drink; and then, as always
during his exorcisms, he began by interrogating the demon.

"Per quod pactum ingressus es in corpus hujus puellae?" (By what pact
didst thou enter the body of this maiden?)

"Aqua" ( By water), said the superior.

One of those who had accompanied the bailiff was a Scotchman called
Stracan, the head of the Reformed College of Loudun. Hearing this
answer, he called on the demon to translate aqua into Gaelic, saying if
he gave this proof of having those linguistic attainments which all bad
spirits possess, he and those with him would be convinced that the
possession was genuine and no deception. Barre, without being in the
least taken aback, replied that he would make the demon say it if God
permitted, and ordered the spirit to answer in Gaelic. But though he
repeated his command twice, it was not obeyed; on the third repetition
the superior said--

"Nimia curiositas" (Too much curiosity), and on being asked again, said--

"Deus non volo."

This time the poor devil went astra