manner so that, by not being clearly heard, he can the better disguise his subtleties and lies. Another reason is that it is impossible for art to imitate nature so closely but that there is always some difference between the two. And here it may be mentioned that, when George Gandillon was asked whether Satan spoke distinctly when he tempted him to give himself to the Devil, he answered that he did not, and that he could with difficulty understand what he said.
Now it is easy for the Devil to speak by the mouth of a demoniac, for then he uses the teeth, tongue and lungs of the possessed, just as he uses his other members in whatever manner he wishes; for he grimaces with the mouth, and uses the hands to push away the Cross and Holy Water, as I have seen in the case of Rollande du Vernois and several others who were possessed. This leads me to believe that, when the Devil enters into the body of a dog or a goat or a bird or any other animal, he can counterfeit the voice of a man, as he has several times done according to the statement of many witches. The first time he spoke to Rollande du Vernois, and to Pierre and George Gandillon, he was in the shape of a black ram; and it is known that he usually assumes this shape at the Sabbat when he speaks to his people, inciting them to evil either by soft words or by threats. This will not seem strange to any who have read the story of Balaam’s ass, or who have seen jays and parrots counterfeit human speech so well that it seemed as if a man was speaking. The parrot given to Augustus, which he valued so greatly, is an example. I pass over the lamb which in human speech foretold good fortune to Egypt in the reign of Bochorus,
