Concerened with the civil, cultural, and spiritual decay of the times, she gathered a small group of women for prayer and encouraged them to engage in charitable work. She formed the Company of St. Ursula, whose members embarked on the task of “serving the Church and God's people as the need and circumstance dictated”.
In 1626, the officials of the town acquired an old house, at well below market value; but there was a catch. The house was supposedly haunted. The previous owner, feeling that having a convent placed in the dwelling, would scare the ghosts away; was eager to make the deal and the community which was richer in blood than money, jumped at the offer.
The original class list read like a “who’s who” in the Loire Valley: Jeanne de Belfield, daughter of the late Marquis of Cose, Mademoiselle de Fazili, cousin of the cardinal-duke, two ladies of the house of Barbenis de Nogaret, Madame de Lamothe, daughter of the Marquis Lamothe-Barace of Anjou, and Madame d'Escoubleau de Sourdis, of the same family as the Archbishop of Bordeaux.
They were soon joined by other ladies of “good” family; daughters of nobles, officers, judges, and the “better class” of citizens; but young girls who were left without dowry to secure a suitable match. By placing them in a convent, their families could keep their dignity, by stating that their daughters had received a “calling”. This meant of course that not all of the young nuns were pure and chaste, and many did not want to be there.
The original owner of the house was Moussaut du Frene (DuFresne) and his brother, who was a priest, was named the first director of the convent. However, he died soon after and some boarders took advantage of the occasion to have a little fun. Knowing of the history of the house, they decided to “raise the spirits” once again. Noises began to be heard on the roof of the house, followed by cries and groans; then growing bolder, the spirits entered the attics and garrets, announcing their presence by the clanking of chains. If you listened closely you could probably hear the giggles of the young girls who were behind the antics.
This soon became the talk of the town and many lived in terror, especially the unaware within the walls of the convent. The pranks gained momentum as they began to invade the dormitories, dragging the sheets off the sisters and stealing their clothes.
The Mother Superior was in a panic to find a new director. She first asked Father Urbain Grandier, but he was too busy, so the job fell to Father Mignon; the arch-enemy of Urbain and not thrilled that he was the nun’s second choice.
At the first meeting with the Mother Superior, she briefed him on the situation, but instead of putting her at ease that no ghosts existed, he used it as an opportunity to better his position in the community. He thought that by pretending to drive out these phantoms, he could acquire the reputation for holiness he so much desired.
He immediately ordered a three day fast, to be followed by a general confession, but soon the boarders who had been playing the tricks, realizing that they may have taken it too far, confessed that they were behind the whole thing. Their ringleader was the 16 year old Marie St. Aubin. He called the girls into his office, but rather than demand that they stop, he directed them to renew their nightly frolics from time to time, but at longer and longer intervals.
The opportunity was to good to ignore. Mignon then met again with Duthibaut, Rene Menou, Meunier, and Barot who were still being threatened by Grandier with a prosecution for libel and forgery. They could turn this to their advantage, by not only bringing down Urbain, but also raising their position, especially Mignon’s, within the community.
In grand fashion, Father Mignon announced to the town that not only was the convent haunted, but many of the nuns had been possessed by the devil himself. How he got so many of the sisters to go along with him is unknown, although he may have threatened to inform their families of their antics, if they did not comply. The nuns, while throwing convulsions and wild fits, said Grandier had sent demons to possess them and the role of exorcist was of course assumed by none other than Father Mignon. On June 2, 1630, Father Urbain Grandier, was accused of witchcraft, but not everyone was convinced.
As the stories reached the higher authorities, they felt that they needed proof before prosecuting a man for such a horrendous crime. Not that devils and exorcisms were new to the church, but when a fellow human being is named, all precautions had to be taken. Before long, Cardinal Richelieu himself became involved in the affair. He appointed an investigative committee and set aside large amounts of money for the hiring of exorcists and to provide care for the demon-possessed nuns. Father Barre from Richelieu’s hometown of Chinon was brought in to assist Mignon in ridding the town of the demons.
To further complicate matters, two of the nuns who had fallen victim to Grandier’s demonic advances were none other than Sister Louise des Anges and Sister Claire de Razilly; both cousins of Richelieu. At one point Madame de Charnisnay D’Aulnay (Charles D’Aulnay’s mother), who also owned a Chateaux in Loudun, got involved to ensure the safety and vouch for the character of her two nieces. This had truely turned into a serious matter.
What followed were many displays of the “devil’s work”, that turned the whole affair into a three ring circus. There was not a person within miles (including many future Acadians), who hadn’t heard of, or even seen the acrobatic frenzies of the possessed nuns. As stories were embellished the scenes became more and more sinister, but written accounts suggest less unworldly performances. At times, up to 7,000 spectators attended the public exorcisms.
To further add credence to the accusations, the Loire Valley was hit hard by the plague that was devastating Europe at the time and 3,000 inhabitants died as a result. How easy to explain this as more of the Devil’s wrath. So despite the fact that most of the more outrageous theatrics turned out to be hoaxes, the public spectacles set the citizens of Loudun against Grandier. He was arrested on November 30, 1633, and imprisoned in the Castle of Angers. Investigators promptly set about looking for the Devil’s Mark.
“They sent for Mannouri the surgeon, one of Grandier's enemies, and the most unmerciful of them all; when he came into the chamber, they stripped Grandier stark naked, blinded his eyes, shaved him every where, and Mannouri began to search him. When he would persuade them that the parts of his body which had been marked by the Devil were insensitive, he turned that end of the probe which was round, and guided it in such a manner, that not being able to enter into the flesh, nor to make much impression, it was pushed back into the palm of his hand; the patient did not then cry out, because he felt no pain; but when the barbarous surgeon would make them see that the other parts of his body were very sensitive, he turned the probe at the other end, which was very sharp pointed, and thrust it to the very bone; and then the abundance of people outside heard complaints so bitter, and cries so piercing, that they were moved to the heart"
All the proof that the stirred up crowd needed. Grandier was denied the normal procedure of trial by a secular court. Instead, Richelieu's committee took charge of the legal proceedings. A document was produced, allegedly written and signed by Grandier which was supposed to be his contact with Satan, signed by Lucifer and other infernal beings (see above). Meanwhile, some of the nuns who had accused the priest of these terrible deeds, began to have second thoughts and recanted their statements. However, it was suggested that their change of heart was just more of the devil’s work, so their confessions were ignored. Grandier was convicted on all counts and the sentence was pronounced on August 18, 1634:
“We have ordered and do order the said Urbain Grandier duly tried and convicted of the crime of magic, maleficia, and of causing demoniacal possession of several Ursuline nuns of this town of Loudun, as well as of other secular women, together with other charges and crimes resulting therefrom. For atonement of which, we have condemned and do condemn the said Grandier to make amende honorable, his head bare, a rope
round his neck, holding in his hand a burning taper weighing two pounds, before the principle door of the church of St. Pierre-du-Marché, and before that of St. Ursual of this town. There on his knees, to ask pardon of God, the King, and the law; this done, he is to be taken to the public square of St. Croix, and fastened to a stake on a scaffold, which shall be erected on the said place for this purpose, and there to be burned alive and his ashes scattered to the wind. We have ordered and so do order that each and every article of his moveable property be acquired and confiscated by the King; the sum of 500 livres first being taken for buying a bronze plaque on which will be engraved the abstract of this present trial, to be set up in a prominent spot in the said church of the Ursulines, to remain there for all eternity. And before proceeding to the execution of the present sentence, we order the said Grandier to be submitted to the first and last degrees of torture, concerning his accomplices”.
Isaac Razillywas at La Heve in Acadia, when news of the execution reached him. Being the man he was, he no doubt shed a tear, and prayed for the soul of Father Grandier.
Everyone was afraid of the unknown, and terrified of sorcerers and witchcraft. The Canadian people at the time were no different, and the Natives who executed the Jesuits, really believed that they were sorcerers, just as the New Englanders believed that the executed women were witches, and many in France, believed that Father Grandier was a devil. The Canadians were not 'savages', they were merely a product of their time.
