An Examen of Witches/Chapter 46
Chapter XLVI.
That Satan companies with his Witches when they are in Prison and even Assists them in the Presence of the Judge.
Now because there are those who believe that, once witches are made prisoners and are fallen into the hands of Justice, the Devil deserts them and assists them no more, I wish to rid them of this opinion by what I shall here shortly set forth.
The examples I have quoted in the last chapter are entirely relevant to this point. For in them we see that for one thing Françoise Secretain confessed that they tried five or six times to burn her in prison, to the extent of thrusting fire down her throat; and although she did not assert that it was the Devil who made this attempt, it is impossible for us to suppose that it was anyone else. Again, we read that four days after Antide Colas was imprisoned at Betoncourt the Devil appeared to her in the shape of a big black man and incited her to throw herself from a window or to hang herself from it; and for this reason. For here I may add that he then lay with her and abode with her for about an hour, being all the time quite cold; and since she would in no respect follow his evil advice he tormented her throughout her whole body and caused her to shiver, and stung her on the left side as he had already done before, and also on the right arm.
I cannot omit to record that when the Devil was urging her to hang herself, there was a Voice which counselled her not to do so and showed her that, by hanging herself, she would dishonour her parents, and that it would be better for her to die another death. It is to be supposed that this was the voice of her good Angel, who wished to prevent her from hanging herself, so that by dying at the hands of Justice she might come to repentance; as she did.
Another time, on the first and second days of her imprisonment at the Château of Betoncourt, there appeared to her a little white dog which advised her to let herself be ducked, telling her that she would sink to the bottom of the water unless anything prevented her; and that if they wanted to hang her she should permit it, because the rope would break and she would fall on her feet without hurting herself; and soon afterwards he beat her all over, on the head and arms and shoulders and other parts, and stung her in the left side when he wished to go away.
A witch of S. Preuve removed the fetters from her arms in the presence of the Judge, a feat which, says Bodin, was humanly impossible. Demonom. III.Apollonius of Tyana did the same at Rome in sight of all his fellow-prisoners; and he did much more. For when, in the reign of Nero, he was shown the text of his accusation, which was held in the hands of Tigellinus, nothing was found written on the scroll; and another time, being accused before the Emperor Domitian, he vanished, and was seen the same day at Pozzuoli.
Thievenne Paget, who was burned in this place, confessed that the Devil had three times carnally known her in prison: a thing which I should never have believed if this confession had not been made before me, and if others as well as she had not confessed the same thing, especially that Antide Colas of whom we have spoken.
Clauda Coirieres, who was likewise burned in this place for witchcraft, gave an ointment to François Gaillard, who was detained in prison with her on a charge of murder; and when François had smeared his hands with this ointment, he escaped from prison as by a miracle: I have touched upon this matter elsewhere.
But what stronger confirmation of our contention could we wish than that which happens when the Judge examines witches? For at that time the Devil assists them and advises them what to answer, as they themselves have confessed. Also at this time they always keep their eyes bent upon the ground, and continually mutter I know not what between their teeth, so that the Judge has difficulty in making them answer and look him in the face.
Now whatever may be the truth of this matter, it will not appear very strange to those who have studied the story of Job. For there we read that when God was assembled with His Angels (which are called the Sons of God), Satan also came, and God asked him from whence he had come. And he answered that he came from going to and fro in the earth, etc. Now if the Proud Spirit dared to present himself at the assembly of God and His Angels, why should he not be found in a prison to assist his own followers, even though the Judge be present?
Demonom. II. 5.For these reasons it seems to me that, in a case of which Bodin speaks, the liberation of the prisoner by the Judge was no necessary concomitant of what followed. The witch rubbed some ointment upon herself, fell down as if she were dead and without any feeling, and five hours later recovered consciousness and arose and related many matters of different places, which were afterwards verified. For she could have done as much even if she had not been liberated. And I am the more persuaded of this by the fact that, although the Judge liberated her, he did not allow her to go far away, so that she was all the time rather in the hands of Justice than actually free and out of prison.
It is obvious, therefore, that Satan frequents witches in prison. And therefore they should be carefully watched and often visited, so as to prevent such a meeting as far as it is possible, and to obviate the inconveniences and misfortunes which may result from it.
Yet I must say that although we have shown that witches and other prisoners sometimes escape from prison through the magic arts of the Devil, it is nevertheless known that they have all been quickly recaptured. So it was in the case of Apollonius of Tyana, and of François Gaillard, of whom we have spoken. And this comes of the just permission of God, who wills not that they who are worthy of death should escape from the hands of Justice.