Delriocitesthistoshowtheextremeequityofthecommissioners。
Theyneverburnedanybodytillheconfessed；andifonecourseoftorturewouldnotsuffice，theirpatiencewasnotexhausted，andtheytriedhimagainandagain，eventothetwentiethtime！Wellmayweexclaim，whensuchatrocitieshavebeencommittedinthenameofreligion，“Quellion，queltigreegaleencruaute，Uneinjustefureurqu’armelapiete？“
ThetrialoftheunhappyUrbainGrandier，thecurateofLoudun，forbewitchinganumberofgirlsintheconventoftheUrsulinesinthattown，was，likethatoftheMarechaled’Ancre，anaccusationresortedtobyhisenemiestoruinoneagainstwhomnootherchargecouldbebroughtsoreadily。Thisnotedaffair，whichkeptFranceincommotionformonths，andthetruecharacterofwhichwasknownevenatthattime，meritsnomorethanapassingnoticeinthisplace。Itdidnotspringfromtheepidemicdreadofsorcerythensoprevalent，butwascarriedonbywretchedintriguers，whohadsworntohavethelifeoftheirfoe。Suchachargecouldnotberefutedin1634:theaccusedcouldnot，asBodinusexpressesit，“makethemaliceoftheprosecutorsmoreclearthanthesun；“andhisowndenial，howeverintelligible，honest，andstraightforward，washeldasnothinginrefutationofthetestimonyofthecrazywomenwhoimaginedthemselvesbewitched。Themoreabsurdandcontradictorytheirassertions，thestrongertheargumentemployedbyhisenemiesthatthedevilwasinthem。Hewasburnedalive，undercircumstancesofgreatcruelty。[A
verygraphicaccountoftheexecutionofthisunfortunategentlemanistobefoundintheexcellentromanceofM。AlfreddeVigny，entitled“CinqMars；“butifthereaderwishesforafullandaccuratedetailofallthecircumstancesofoneofthemostextraordinarytrialsuponrecord，heisreferredtoaworkpublishedanonymously，atAmsterdam，in1693，entitled“HistoiredesDiablesdeLoudun，oudelaPossessiondesReligieusesUrsulines，etdelaCondemnationetduSuppliced’UrbainGrandier。“]
AsingularinstanceoftheepidemicfearofwitchcraftoccurredatLille，in1639。Apious，butnotverysanelady，namedAntoinetteBourignon，foundedaschool，orhospice，inthatcity。Oneday，onenteringtheschool-room，sheimaginedthatshesawagreatnumberoflittleblackangelsflyingabouttheheadsofthechildren。Ingreatalarm，shetoldherpupilsofwhatshehadseen，warningthemtobewareofthedevil，whoseimpswerehoveringaboutthem。Thefoolishwomancontinueddailytorepeatthesamestory，andSatanandhispowerbecametheonlysubjectofconversation，notonlybetweenthegirlsthemselves，butbetweenthemandtheirinstructors。Oneofthematthistimeranawayfromtheschool。Onbeingbroughtbackandinterrogated，shesaidshehadnotrunaway，buthadbeencarriedawaybythedevil——shewasawitch，andhadbeenonesincetheageofseven。Someotherlittlegirlsintheschoolwentintofitsatthisannouncement，and，ontheirrecovery，confessedthattheyalsowerewitches。Atlast，thewholeofthem，tothenumberoffifty，workeduponeachother’simaginationstosuchadegreethattheyalsoconfessedthattheywerewitches——thattheyattendedtheDomdaniel，ormeetingofthefiends——thattheycouldridethroughtheaironbroom-sticks，feastoninfants’flesh，orcreepthroughakey-hole。