at the foot, everywhere, occupying herself in distracting
my nerves, laughing, grimacing, putting before my eyes
a thousand obscene images, and causing me a thousand
wicked desires. Nevertheless, taking pity on
me, my lord the Archbishop caused the relics of St.
Gatien to be brought, and the moment the shrine had
touched my bed the said Succubus was obliged to depart,
leaving an odour of sulphur and of hell, which made
the throats of my servants, friends, and others sore
for a whole day. Then the celestial light of
God having enlightened my soul, I knew I was, through
my sins and my combat with the evil spirit, in great
danger of dying. Then did I implore the especial
mercy, to live just a little time to render glory
to God and his Church, objecting the infinite merits
of Jesus dead upon the cross for the salvation of
the Christians. By this prayer I obtained the
favour of recovering sufficient strength to accuse
myself of my sins, and to beg of the members of the
Church of St. Maurice their aid and assistance to
deliver me from purgatory, where I am about to atone
for my faults by infinite agonies. Finally, I
declare that my proclamation, wherein the said demon
appeals the judgment of God by the ordeals of holy
water and a fire, is a subterfuge due to an evil design
suggested by the said demon, who would thus have had
the power to escape the justice of the tribunal of
the Archbishop and of the Chapter, seeing that she
secretly confessed to me, to be able to make another
demon accustomed to the ordeal appear in her place.
And, in conclusion, I give and bequeath to the Chapter
of the Church of St. Maurice my property of all kinds,
to found a chapter in the said church, to build it
and adorn it and put it under the invocation of St.
Hierome and St. Gatien, of whom one is my patron and
the other the saviour of my soul.”
This, heard by all the company, has been brought to
the notice of the ecclesiastical tribunal by Jehan
to la Haye (Johannes de Haga).
We, Jehan de la Haye (Johannes de Haga), elected grand
penitentiary of St. Maurice by the general assembly
of the Chapter, according to the usage and custom
of that church, and appointed to pursue afresh the
trial of the demon Succubus, at present in the jail
of the Chapter, have ordered a new inquest, at which
will be heard all those of this diocese having cognisance
of the facts relative thereto. We declared void
the other proceedings, interrogations, and decrees,
and annul them in the name of the members of the Church
in general, and sovereign Chapter assembled, and declare
that the appeal to God, traitorously made by the demon,
shall not take place, in consequence of the notorious
treachery of the devil in this affair. And the
said judgment shall be cried by sound of trumpet in
all parts of the diocese in which have been published
the false edicts of the preceding month, all notoriously
due to the instigation of the demon, according to
the confession of the late Hierome Cornille.