and killed a party of shepherds, road menders, and vagrants, who, knowing the disturbed state of Tours, came to swell the ranks of the malcontents.  The Sire Harduin de Maille, an old nobleman, reasoned with the young knights, who were the champions of the Moorish woman, and argued sagely with them, asking them if for so small a woman they wished to put Touraine to fire and sword; that even if they were victorious they would be masters of the bad characters brought together by them; that these said freebooters, after having sacked the castles of their enemies, would turn to those of their chiefs.  That the rebellion commenced had had no success in the first attack, because up to that time the place was untouched, could they have any over the church, which would invoke the aid of the king?  And a thousand other arguments.  To these reasons the young knights replied, that it was easy for the Chapter to aid the girl’s escape in the night, and that thus the cause of the sedition would be removed.  To this humane and wise requests replied Monseigneur de Censoris, the Pope’s legate, that it was necessary that strength should remain with the religion of the Church.  And thereupon the poor wench payed for all, since it was agreed that no inquiry should be made concerning this sedition.

“Then the Chapter had full licence to proceed to the penance of the girl, to which act and ecclesiastical ceremony the people came from twelve leagues around.  So that on the day when, after divine satisfaction, the Succubus was to be delivered up to secular justice, in order to be publicly burnt at a stake, not for a gold pound would a lord or even an abbott have been found lodging in the town of Tours.  The night before many camped outside the town in tents, or slept upon straw.  Provisions were lacking, and many who came with their bellies full, returned with their bellies empty, having seen nothing but the reflection of the fire in the distance.  And the bad characters did good strokes of business by the way.

“The poor courtesan was half dead; her hair had whitened.  She was, to tell the truth, nothing but a skeleton, scarcely covered with flesh, and her chains weighed more than she did.  If she had had joy in her life, she paid dearly for it at this moment.  Those who saw her pass say that she wept and shrieked in a way that should have earned the pity of her hardest pursuers; and in the church there were compelled to put a piece of wood in her mouth, which she bit as a lizard bites a stick.  Then the executioner tied her to a stake to sustain her, since she let herself roll at times and fell for want of strength.  Then she suddenly recovered a vigorous handful, because, this notwithstanding, she was able, it is said to break her cords and escape into the church, where in remembrance of her old vocation, she climbed quickly into galleries above, flying like a bird along the little columns and small friezes.  She was about to escape on to the roof when a soldier perceived