The Phantom World; or, The philosophy of spirits, apparitions, &c, &c.

M. Pichard refutes him fully; but he remarks that persons who are weak minded, or of a dull and melancholy character, heavy, taciturn, stupid, and who are naturally disposed to frighten and disturb themselves, are apt to fancy that they see the devil, that they speak to him, and even that they are possessed by him; above all, if they are in places where others are possessed, whom they see, and with whom they converse. He adds that, thirteen or fourteen years ago, he remarked at Nancy a great number of this kind, and with the help of God he cured them. He says the same thing of atrabilarians, and women who suffer from furor uterine, who sometimes do such things and utter such cries, that any one would believe they were possessed.

Mademoiselle Ranfaing having become a widow in 1617, was sought in marriage by a physician named Poviot. As she would not listen to his addresses, he first of all gave her philtres to make her love him, which occasioned strange derangements in her health. At last he gave her some magical medicaments (for he was afterwards known to be a magician, and burnt as such by a judicial sentence). The physicians could not relieve her, and were quite at fault with her extraordinary maladies. After having tried all sorts of remedies, they were obliged to have recourse to exorcisms.

Now these are the principal symptoms which made it believed that Mademoiselle Ranfaing was really possessed. They began to exorcise her the 2d September, 1619, in the town of Remirémont, whence she was transferred to Nancy; there she was visited and interrogated by several clever physicians, who, after having minutely examined the symptoms of what happened to her, declared that the casualties they had remarked in her had no relation at all with the ordinary course of known maladies, and could only be the result of diabolical possession.

After which, by order of M. de Porcelets, Bishop of Toul, they nominated for the exorcists M. Viardin, a doctor of divinity, counselor of state of the Duke of Lorraine, a Jesuit and Capuchin. Almost all the monks in Nancy, the said lord bishop, the Bishop of Tripoli, suffragan of Strasburg, M. de Sancy, formerly ambassador from the most Christian king at Constantinople, and then priest of the Oratoire, Charles de Lorraine, Bishop of Verdun; two doctors of the Sorbonne sent on purpose to be present at the exorcisms, often exorcised her in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and she always replied pertinently to them, she who could hardly read Latin.

They report the certificate given by M. Nicolas de Harley, very well skilled in the Hebrew tongue, who avowed that Mademoiselle Ranfaing was really possessed, and had answered him from the movement of his lips alone, without his having pronounced any words, and had given several proofs of her possession. The Sieur Garnier, a doctor of the Sorbonne, having also given her several commands in Hebrew, she replied pertinently, but in French, saying that the compact was made that he should speak only in the usual tongue. The demon added, "Is it not enough that I show thee that I understand what thou sayest?" The same M. Garnier, speaking to him in Greek, inadvertently put one case for another; the possessed, or rather the devil, said to him, "Thou hast committed an error." The doctor said to him in Greek, "Point out my fault;" the devil replied, "Let it suffice thee that I point out an error; I shall tell thee no more concerning it." The doctor telling him in Greek to hold his tongue, he answered, "Thou commandest me to hold my tongue, and I will not do so."

M. Midot Ecolâtre de Toul said to him in the same language, "Sit down;" he replied, "I will not sit down." M. Midot said to him moreover in Greek, "Sit down on the ground and obey;" but as the demon was going to throw the possessed by force on the ground, he said to him in the same tongue, "Do it gently;" he did so. He said in Greek, "Put out the right foot;" he extended it; he said also in the same language, "Cause her knees to be cold," the woman replied that she felt them very cold.

The Sieur Mince, a doctor of the Sorbonne, holding a cross in his hand, the devil whispered to him in Greek, "Give me the cross," which was heard by some persons who were near him. M. Mince desired to make the devil repeat the same sentence; he answered, "I will not repeat it all in Greek;" but he simply said in French, "Give me," and in Greek, "the cross."

The Reverend Father Albert, Capuchin, having ordered him in Greek to make the sign of the cross seven times with his tongue, in honor of the seven joys of the Virgin, he made the sign of the cross three times with his tongue, and then twice with his nose; but the holy man told him anew to make the sign of the cross seven times with his tongue; he did so; and having been commanded in the same language to kiss the feet of the Lord Bishop of Toul, he prostrated himself and kissed his feet.

The same father having observed that the demon wished to overturn the Bénitier, or basin of holy water which was there, he ordered him to take the holy water and not spill it, and he obeyed. The Father commanded him to give marks of the possession; he answered, "The possession is sufficiently known;" he added in Greek, "I command thee to carry some holy water to the governor of the town." The demon replied, "It is not customary to exorcise in that tongue." The father answered in Latin, "It is not for thee to impose laws on us; but the church has power to command thee in whatever language she may think proper."

Then the demon took the basin of holy water and carried it to the keeper of the Capuchins, to the Duke Eric of Lorraine, to the Counts of Brionne, Remonville, la Vaux, and other lords.

The physician, M. Pichard, having told him in a sentence, partly Hebrew, and partly Greek, to cure the head and eyes of the possessed woman; hardly had he finished speaking the last words, when the demon replied: "Faith, we are not the cause of it; her brain is naturally moist: that proceeds from her natural constitution;" then M. Pichard said to the assembly, "Take notice, gentlemen, that he replies to Greek and Hebrew at the same time." "Yes," replied the demon, "you discover the pot of roses, and the secret; I will answer you no more." There were several questions and replies in foreign languages, which showed that he understood them very well.

M. Viardin having asked him in Latin, "Ubi censebaris quandò mane oriebaris?" He replied, "Between the seraphim." They said to him, "Pro signo exhibe nobis patibulum fratris Cephæ;" the devil extended his arms in the form of a St. Andrew's cross. They said to him, "Applica carpum carpo;" he did so, placing the wrist of one hand over the other; then, "Admove tarsum tarso et metatarsum metatarso;" he crossed his feet and raised them one upon the other. Then afterwards he said, "Excita in calcaneo qualitatem congregantem heterogenea;" the possessed said she felt her heel cold; after which, "Repræsenta nobis labarum Venetorum;" he made the figure of the cross. Afterwards they said, "Exhibe nobis videntum Deum benè precantem nepotibus ex salvatore Egypti;" he crossed his arms as did Jacob on giving his blessing to the sons of Joseph; and then, "Exhibe crucem conterebrantem stipiti," he represented the cross of St. Peter. The exorcist having by mistake said, "Per eum qui adversus te præliavit," the demon did not give him time to correct himself; he said to him, "O the ass! instead of præliatus est." He was spoken to in Italian and German, and he always answered accordingly.

They said to him one day, "Sume encolpium ejus qui hodiè functus est officio illius de quo cecinit Psaltes: pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii;" he went directly and took the cross hanging round the neck and resting on the breast of the Prince Eric de Lorraine, who that same day had filled the office of bishop in giving orders, because the Bishop of Toul was indisposed. He discovered secret thoughts, and heard words that were said in the ear of some persons which he was not possibly near enough to overhear, and declared that he had known the mental prayer that a good priest had made before the holy sacrament.

Here is a trait still more extraordinary. They said to the demon, speaking Latin and Italian in the same sentence: "Adi scholastrum seniorem et osculare ejus pedes, la cui scarpa ha più di sugaro;" that very moment he went and kissed the foot of the Sieur Juillet, ecolâtre of St. George, the Elder of M. Viardin, ecolâtre of the Primitiale. M. Juillet's right foot was shorter than the left, which obliged him to wear a shoe with a cork heel (or raised by a piece of cork, called in Italian sugaro).

They proposed to him very difficult questions concerning the Trinity, the Incarnation, the holy sacrament of the altar, the grace of God, free will, the manner in which angels and demons know the thoughts of men, &c., and he replied with much clearness and precision. She discovered things unknown to everybody, and revealed to certain persons, but secretly and in private, some sins of which they had been guilty.

The demon did not obey the voice only of the exorcists; he obeyed even when they simply moved their lips, or held their hand, or a handkerchief, or a book upon the mouth. A Calvinist having one day mingled secretly in the crowd, the exorcist, who was warned of it, commanded the demon to go and kiss his feet; he went immediately, rushing through the crowd.

An Englishman having come from curiosity to the exorcist, the devil told him several particulars relating to his country and religion. He was a Puritan; and the Englishman owned that everything he had said was true. The same Englishman said to him in his language, "As a proof of thy possession, tell me the name of my master who formerly taught me embroidery;" he replied, "William." They commanded him to recite the Ave Maria

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

1

2 Cor. iii. 16.

2

1 Thess. v. 21.

3

Gen. iii. 24.

4

Gen. xviii. 1-3.

5

Gen. xix.

6

Gen. xxi. 17.

7

Gen. xxviii. 12.

8

Gen. xxxi. 10, 11.

9

Gen. xxxii.

10

Exod. iii. 6, 7.

11

Exod. iii. iv.

12

Numb. xxii. xxiii.

13

Jude 9.

14

Josh. v. 13.

15

Judges xiii.

16

Judges vi. vii.

17

Dan. viii. 16; ix. 21.

18

Tobit v.

19

Zech. v. 9, 10, 11, &c.

20

Psalm xvii. 10; lxxix. 2, &c.

21

Tobit xii. Zech. iv. 10. Rev. i. 4.

22

Luke i. 10-12, &c.

23

Luke i. 26, 27, &c.

24

Luke ii. 9, 10.

25

Matt. ii. 13, 14, 20.

26

Matt. iv. 6, 11.

27

Matt. xviii. 16.

28

Matt. xiii. 45, 46.

29

Luke xxii. 43.

30

Matt. xxviii. John.

31

Acts v. 19.

32

Acts vii. 30, 35.

33

Exod. xxiii. 21.

34

Acts xii. 8, 9.

35

Rom. i. 18. 1 Cor. iv. 9; vi. 3; xii. 7. Gal. iii. 19. Acts xvi. 9; xxiii. 9. Rev. i. 11.

36

Rev. iv. 4, 10.

37

Rev. vii. 1-3, 9, &c.

38

Rev. vii. 13, 14.

39

Rev. vi. 9, 10.

40

Josh. v. 29.

41

Exod. iii. 3, 44.

42

Exod. xiii. xiv.

43

Psalm civ. 4.

44

Ezek. i. 4, 6.

45

Dan. x. 5.

46

Rev. iv. 7, 8.

47

Gen. iii. 24.

48

Numb. xxii. 22, 23.

49

1 Chron. xxi. 16.

50

Tobit v. 5.

51

Matt. xxviii. 3.

52

Acts ii.

53

Matt. xxviii. 1, 2.

54

John xix. 20.

55

Luke xxiii. 15-17, &c.

56

Deut. iv. 15.

57

Numb. xii. 22, 23.

58

Dan. x. 7, 8.

59

D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. Perith. Dives, 785. Idem, 243, p. 85.

60

Gen. vi. 2.

61

Joseph. Antiq. lib. i. c. 4. Philo, De Gigantibus. Justin. Apol. Turtul. de Animâ. Vide Commentatores in Gen. iv.

62

Acts xii. 15.

63

Acts x. 2, 3.

64

1 Cor. xi. 10.

65

Acts xxvii. 21, 22.

66

Gen. xvi. 9.

67

Gen. xxii. 11, 17.

68

Gen. xxiv. 7.

69

Jamblic. lib. ii. cap. 3 & 5.

70

"Quod te per Genium, dextramque Deosque Penates,Obsecro et obtestor." —Horat. lib. i. Epist. 7. 94.– "Dum cunctis supplex advolveris aris,Ei mitem Genium Domini præsentis adoras." Stac. lib. v. Syl. I. 73.

71

Antiquitée expliquée, tom. i.

72

Perseus, Satire ii.

73

Senec. Epist. 12.

74

Tertull. Apol. c. 23.

75

"Troja vale, rapimur, clamant; dant oscula terræTroades." —Ovid. Metam., lib. xiii. 421.

76

"Quamquam cur Genium Romæ, mihi fingitis unum?Cùm portis, domibus; thermis, stabulis soleatis,Assignare suos Genios?" —Prudent. contra Symmach.

77

Odyss. XI. sub. fin. Vid. Horat. lib. i. Satire 7, &c.

78

Virgil. Æneid. I. 6. August. Serm. 15. de SS. et Quæst. 5. in Deut. i. 5 c. 43. Vide Spencer, de Leg. Hebræor. Ritual.

79

Dan. x. 13.

80

Acts xvi. 9.

81

Josh. v. 13. Dan. x. 13, 21; xii. 1. Judg. v. 6. Rev. xii. 7

82

Forsitan quis quærat, quid causæ sit, ut merum fundendum sit genio, non hostiam faciendam putaverint… Scilicet ut die natali munus annale genio solverent, manum à cœde ac sanguine abstinerent. – Censorin. de Die Natali, c. 2. Vide Taffin de Anno Sæcul.

83

Dan. viii. 16; ix. 21.

84

Zech. i. 10, 13, 14, 19; ii. 3, 4; iv. 1, 4, 5; v. 5, 10.

85

Rev. i. 1.

86

Rev. x. 8, 9, &c.; xi. 1, 2, 3, &c.

87

Heb. ii. 2.

88

Gen. iii. 1, 23.

89

Rev. xii. 9.

90

Bel and the Dragon.

91

Wisd. xi. 16.

92

Elian. Hist. Animal.

93

Numb. xxi. 2 Kings xviii. 4.

94

On this subject, see a work of profound learning, and as interesting as profound, on "The Worship of the Serpent," by the Rev. John Bathurst Deane, M. A. F. S. A.

95

Aug. tom. viii. pp. 28, 284.

96

Ab-racha, pater mali, or pater malus.

97

August. de Gen. ad Lit. 1. ii. c. 18.

98

Matt. iv. 9, 10, &c.

99

Gen. xxxii. 24, 25.

100

Sever. Sulpit. Hist. Sac.

101

A small city or town of the Electorate of Cologne, situated on a river of the same name.

102

There were in all ten letters, the greater part of them Greek, but which formed no (apparent) sense. They were to be seen at Molsheim, in the tablet which bore a representation of this miracle.

103

Lib. de Anima.

104

1 Pet. iii. 8.

105

Eph. vi. 11. 1 Tim. iii. 7.

106

Sulpit. Sever. Vit. St. Martin, b. xv.

107

2 Cor. xi. 14.

108

Job i. 6-8.

109

1 Kings xxii. 21.

110

Exod. ix. 6.

111

Gen. xviii. 13, 14.

112

Gen. xxxviii.

113

Prov. xvii. 11.

114

Rev. ii. 24.

115

Vide Bodin Preface.

116

Gen. xxxi. 19.

117

Josh. xxiv. 2-4.

118

Hosea ii. 4, &c. Zech. v. 2.

119

Zech. x. 2. Ezek. xxi. 21.

120

Gen. xliv. 15.

121

Gen. xliv. 5.

122

Exod. vii. 10-12. Exod. viii. 19.

123

Exod. xxii. 18.

124

Numb. xxii., xxiii.

125

Judg. xvii. 1, 2.

126

Judg. viii. 27.

127

2 Kings i. 2, 2.

128

1 Sam. xxviii. 7, et seq.

129

2 Kings xxi. 16.

130

2 Kings xxii. 24.

131

Dan. iv. 6, 7.

132

Matt. x. 25; xii. 24, 25.

133

Luke xi. 15, 18, 19.

134

Acts viii. 11; xiii. 6.

135

Acts xix. 19.

136

Psalm lvii.

137

Ecclus. xii. 13.

138

Acts xvi. 16, 17.

139

Acts xvi. 10.

140

Page 31, et seq.

141

Capitular. R. xiii de Sortilegiis et Sorciariis, 2 col. 36.

142

Capitular. in 872, x. 2. col. 230.

143

Eph. vi. 12.

144

M. de St. André, Letter VI. on the subject of Magic, &c.

145

Apud Syncell.

146

Matt. iii. 1, 7, 36.

147

Lev. xix. 31; xx.

148

Acts viii. 9; xiii. 8.

149

Porph. de Abstinent. lib. iv. § 16. Vid. et Ammian. Marcell. lib. xxiii.

150

Numb. xxiii. 1-3.

151

Diodor. Sicul. lib. i. p. 5.

152

Ezek. xxi. 21.

153

Homer, Iliad, IV.

154

Acts xix. 19.

155

Acts viii. 9; xiii. 8.

156

Pind. Od. iv.

157

Plin. I. 28.

158

Cato de Rerustic. c. 160.

159

Psalm lvii. Jer. vii. 17. Eccles. x. 11.

160

Plin. lib. viii. c. 50.

161

Job xl. 25.

162

Ecclus. xii. 13.

"Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis." —Virgil, Ecl. viii."Vipereas rumpo verbis et carmine fauces." —Ovid.

163

Plin. lib. xxviii.

164

The fables of Jason and many others of the same class are said by Fortuitus Comes to have a reference to alchemy.

165

Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. xviii. c. 16-18.

166

Frederici Hoffman, de Diaboli Potentia in Corpora, p. 382.

167

See John Schesser, Laponia, printed at Frankfort in 4to. an. 1673, chap. xi. entitled, De sacris Magicis et Magia Laponia, p. 119, and following.

168

Plin. lib. iii. c. 2.

169

Philost. Vit. Apollon.

170

Lactant. lib. vi. Divin. Instit. c. 13.

171

Aug. ad Simplic.

172

Tertull. de Animâ, c. 57.

173

Lucan. Pharsal. lib. vi. 450, et seq.

174

"Cessavere vices rerum, dilataque longa,Hæsit nocte dies; legi non paruit æther;Torpuit et præceps audito carmine mundus;Et tonat ignaro cœlum Jove."

175

"Cantat et e curro tentat deducere LunamEt faceret, si non æra repulsa sonent." Tibull. lib. i. Eleg. ix. 21

176

Pietro della Valle, Voyage.

177

"… Obscurum verborum ambage nervorumTer novies carmen magico demurmurat ore.Jam ciet infernas magico stridore catervas,Jam jubet aspersum lacte referre pedem.Cùm libet, hæc tristi depellit nubila cœlo;Cùm libet, æstivo provocat orbe nives." Ovid. Metamorph. 14.

178

"Naïs nam ut cantu, nimiumque potentibus herbisVerterit in tacitos juvenilia corpora pisces."

179

"Vipereo generi et graviter spirantibus hydrisSpargere qui somnos cantuque manque solebat,"

180

Plin. lib. viii. c. 48.

181

Herodot. lib. ix.

182

Vide Joan. Marsham, Sæc. iv. pp. 62, 63.

183

Pausan. lib. vii. p. 141.

184

Homer, Iliad, xii. 2, 235.

185

Herodot. lib. ii. c. 52, 55.

186

Exod. xxv. 22.

187

Deut. xviii. 13.

188

2 Kings i. 2, 3, 16, &c.

189

1 Sam. xiv. 24.

190

Deut. xiii. 1, 2.

191

Isaiah xli. 22, 23.

192

Tertull. Apolog. c. 20.

193

Hieronym. in Dan.

194

Matt. xxiv. 11, 24.

195

Jonah i. 2.

196

2 Kings xx. 1. Isai. xxxviii. 1.

197

Numb. xxii. xxiii. xxiv.

198

Numb. xxxi. 8.

199

Aug. de Divinat. Dæmon. c. 3, pp. 507, 508, et seq.

200

Idem. c. 5.

201

S. August. in his Retract. lib. ii. c. 30, owns that he advanced this too lightly.

202

Porphr. apud Euseb. de Præpar. Evang. lib, iv. c. 5, 6.

203

Plutarch, de Defectu Oracul. p. 434.

204

Macrob. Saturnal. lib. i. c. 23.

205

Lettres édifiantes, tom. x.

206

Cicero, de Divinat. lib. ii. c. 57.

207

"Reges timent futuraEt superos vetant loqui." Lucan, Pharsal. lib. v. p. 112.

208

Strabo, lib. xvii.

209

Joan. Vier. lib. ii. c. 7.

210

A remarkably fine print on this subject was published at Paris some years ago; if we remember right, it was suppressed.

211

Horat. Epodon. xviii. 4.

212

"Quædam sceleratæ mulieres dæmonum illusionibus et phantasmatibus seductæ, credunt se et profitentur nocturnis horis cum Dianâ Paganorum deâ et innumerâ multitudine mulierum equitare super quasdam bestias et multa terrarum spalia intempestæ noctis silentio pertransire ejusque jussionibus veluti dominæ obedire." – Baluz. Capitular. fragment. c. 13. Vide et Capitul. Herardi, Episc. Turon.