Read Trial of Gilles De Rais Online
Authors: George Bataille
Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Cultural Anthropology, #Psychology, #True Crime, #European History, #France, #Social History, #v.5, #Literary Studies, #Medieval History, #Amazon.com, #Criminology, #Retail, #History
Trial of Gilles De Rais (33 page)
(Gilles de Raisʹ submission and first confessions. Swearing-in of the accused and production of the first witnesses.)
Then, in the presence of the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, hearing and understanding and expressly consenting to this, the said prosecutor and plaintiff earnestly solicited the aforesaid Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar of the Inquisitor for permission to establish the proof of the aforesaid articles; which Lords Bishop and Vicar, at the said prosecutor’s request, declared the said articles and positions admissible to this effect. Consequently the aforesaid prosecutor requested the said Gilles, the accused, to respond to the aforesaid articles and positions. Which Gilles, under oath, acknowledged spontaneously and declared to be true the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth Articles set forth in order and in French by the Reverend Father, Lord Jean Prégent, Bishop of Saint-Brieuc, by mandate of said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor; and acknowledged and declared more particularly that there had existed and existed still a church cathedral in Nantes, and that according to the content of the Thirteenth Article, the said Reverend Father, Lord Jean de Malestroit, was the true bishop of that same church; that so far as concerns the spirit he himself was that same Lord Bishop’s subject and justiciable; in addition, that the Machecoul and Saint-Étienne-de-Mermorte castles stood within the limits of the said diocese of Nantes. Item, he avowed voluntarily that he had received the sacrament of baptism and renounced the Devil and his ceremonies, but that he had never invoked, nor caused others to summon evil spirits, or offered or caused to be offered anything whatsoever in sacrifice to these spirits; that he had received from a certain Angevin knight, now imprisoned for heresy, a certain book on the art of alchemy and on the invocation of demons, which he read, and caused to be read several times publicly in a certain room at Angers before several listeners; that he had spoken with the said knight now in prison about practicing the said art of alchemy and the invocation of demons; which book he claimed to have returned to the said knight and not to have held for very long. Moreover, the said Gilles, de Rais, the accused, confessed to having practiced the said art of alchemy for a certain period of time and to having had it practiced by certain Lombards named Antoine
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and Francois,
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and by a certain Parisian goldsmith,
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that in practicing this kind of art and experimenting in it he had frozen mercury and had it frozen, which he affirms to be quicksilver; and that he would have carried out many other experiments in this art, which he had believed and believes led to results in the said art, if it had not been for the Lord Viennese Dauphin’s arrival at Tiffauges castle, where he had constructed and prepared furnaces for practicing the said art, which furnaces were demolished upon the Lord Viennese Dauphin’s arrival. As for other deeds contained and narrated in the said promulgated articles, the aforesaid Gilles de Rais, the accused, denied their veracity; he denied also the invocations of evil spirits mentioned in the published articles, claiming and attesting that in the event that it were proved by witnesses whom the said prosecutor would produce against him in the cases, and in the depositions wherein he wanted to believe and maintain as above or elsewhere that the accused had invoked demons; or had them invoked, or entered into contracts with them; or sacrificed to them or caused others to sacrifice to them, or made oblations to them; then in that event, he would voluntarily undergo the test of fire. Moreover, the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, voluntarily requested that the said prosecutor produce against him in the case or the cases of this order witnesses to the deeds expressed in the articles by the prosecutor; that there was a broader declaration of the things contained in the prescribed articles and other things not expressed in those articles; and that their depositions had value; which the same Gilles also consented to believe. Whereupon the said prosecutor requested of the Reverend Father in God, Lord Bishop of Nantes, and Vicar of the said Inquisitor, in the presence of the aforesaid Gilles de Rais, the accused, hearing and understanding, that they be allowed to swear not to resort to calumny. Thereupon the said Lords Bishop and Vicar, judging that the said prosecutor and Gilles, the accused, ought to be allowed to take the said oath seeing as both of them asked for it, allowed them to do so. And immediately, at the request of the said Lords Bishop and Vicar, touching the Holy Writ, and upon the Holy Gospels which were in the hands of these same lords, they took according to usage, each of them successively, an oath to abstain from calumny and to tell the truth by all and every one of the clauses in the oath, as much regarding the promulgated articles as all the case and the cases of this order. Which oath thus taken, the said prosecutor, fulfilling the assignment of the term, and in the presence of the said Gilles de Rais, who consented to this, produced in the capacity of witnesses Henriet Griart,
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Étienne Corrillaut,
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also known as Poitou, Francois Prelati
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of Monte-Catini, Milord Eustache Blanchet, priest,
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Triphaine, the widow of the deceased Robin Branchu, and Perrine Martian,
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peremptorily summoned by the said Robin Guillaumet, cleric, by mandate of the said Lords Bishop and the aforesaid Vice-Inquisitor, according as the same Robin reported verbally to have summoned them in the capacity of witnesses in this same trial, before the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar and before us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, immediately to bear witness to the truth in the case and the cases.
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and Francois,
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and by a certain Parisian goldsmith,
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that in practicing this kind of art and experimenting in it he had frozen mercury and had it frozen, which he affirms to be quicksilver; and that he would have carried out many other experiments in this art, which he had believed and believes led to results in the said art, if it had not been for the Lord Viennese Dauphin’s arrival at Tiffauges castle, where he had constructed and prepared furnaces for practicing the said art, which furnaces were demolished upon the Lord Viennese Dauphin’s arrival. As for other deeds contained and narrated in the said promulgated articles, the aforesaid Gilles de Rais, the accused, denied their veracity; he denied also the invocations of evil spirits mentioned in the published articles, claiming and attesting that in the event that it were proved by witnesses whom the said prosecutor would produce against him in the cases, and in the depositions wherein he wanted to believe and maintain as above or elsewhere that the accused had invoked demons; or had them invoked, or entered into contracts with them; or sacrificed to them or caused others to sacrifice to them, or made oblations to them; then in that event, he would voluntarily undergo the test of fire. Moreover, the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, voluntarily requested that the said prosecutor produce against him in the case or the cases of this order witnesses to the deeds expressed in the articles by the prosecutor; that there was a broader declaration of the things contained in the prescribed articles and other things not expressed in those articles; and that their depositions had value; which the same Gilles also consented to believe. Whereupon the said prosecutor requested of the Reverend Father in God, Lord Bishop of Nantes, and Vicar of the said Inquisitor, in the presence of the aforesaid Gilles de Rais, the accused, hearing and understanding, that they be allowed to swear not to resort to calumny. Thereupon the said Lords Bishop and Vicar, judging that the said prosecutor and Gilles, the accused, ought to be allowed to take the said oath seeing as both of them asked for it, allowed them to do so. And immediately, at the request of the said Lords Bishop and Vicar, touching the Holy Writ, and upon the Holy Gospels which were in the hands of these same lords, they took according to usage, each of them successively, an oath to abstain from calumny and to tell the truth by all and every one of the clauses in the oath, as much regarding the promulgated articles as all the case and the cases of this order. Which oath thus taken, the said prosecutor, fulfilling the assignment of the term, and in the presence of the said Gilles de Rais, who consented to this, produced in the capacity of witnesses Henriet Griart,
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Étienne Corrillaut,
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also known as Poitou, Francois Prelati
82
of Monte-Catini, Milord Eustache Blanchet, priest,
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Triphaine, the widow of the deceased Robin Branchu, and Perrine Martian,
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peremptorily summoned by the said Robin Guillaumet, cleric, by mandate of the said Lords Bishop and the aforesaid Vice-Inquisitor, according as the same Robin reported verbally to have summoned them in the capacity of witnesses in this same trial, before the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar and before us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, immediately to bear witness to the truth in the case and the cases.
(Gilles de Raisʹ submission and first confessions. Swearing-in of the accused and production of the first witnesses.)
Which witnesses thus produced, the aforesaid Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, in the presence of Gilles de Rais, the accused, judged that they should be admitted and allowed them to take an oath, and consented to absolve them under surety since they had to depose in the case and the cases of this order. All of which witnesses thus admitted, in the presence of the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, swore on the Holy Gospels to tell, and depose, and attest to, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, insofar as they knew it, on the subject of the articles put forward and expressed by the said prosecutor in the case and the cases of this order, and also on the subject of the things in general and in specific not expressed in the articles, on which they were soon to be examined and interrogated: to which the said Gilles, the accused, then consented; entreaty, love, fear, favor, rancor, hatred, mercy, friendship, or enmity being set aside and ceasing totally among the parties. The said Gilles, the accused, for his own part, consented to believe in the depositions of the said witnesses and also in those of no matter what other witnesses the said prosecutor would have to produce; he also agreed to adhere to things not covered in the articles, and declared that he did not intend to speak, object to, or allege anything against the allegations or characters of the witnesses. Of which witnesses and of any others that the prosecutor would have to produce for his part in the case and the cases of this order, the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar of the Inquisitor charged us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, to proceed faithfully with the examination.
This being done, the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, at the said prosecutor’s request, asked the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, whether he himself intended to interrogate the witnesses as to what they would present that merited examination and questioning, in expectation of which case they fixed and assigned for Gilles, the accused, the same day and all the following day to do so. Which Gilles responded then to the Lord Bishop and Friar Jean Blouyn, aforesaid Vice-Inquisitor, that he did not intend to interrogate anyone in the case and the cases, relying on the said witnesses’ conscience for that. And things being arranged in the aforesaid manner, the aforesaid Gilles de Rais, the accused, falling to his knees and expressing contrition by great sighs, grievously and tearfully, begged humbly to be absolved in writing of the sentence of excommunication brought against him, as has been recorded above, by the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and the aforesaid Vice-Inquisitor on account of the fact that the same Gilles, the accused, although requested and exhorted canonically, had refused to respond to the said depositions and said articles. To which accused the said Lord Bishop of Nantes, in his name, the Vicar of the Inquisitor consenting to this, absolved the same accused in writing and restored him to participation in the sacraments and to the unity of the faithful in Christ and our Holy Mother Church, in due form of law and according to the customs of the Church, a salutary penance corresponding to the fault being ordained by the aforesaid Lord Bishop of Nantes for the same Gilles, the accused; whereupon he had the absolution everywhere publicly announced.
Then, at the said prosecutor’s request, the aforesaid Lords Bishop of Nantes and Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor assigned and fixed to the prosecutor and said Gilles de Rais, the accused, in order to proceed immediately in these same cases as by law, the following Monday, so that the said Gilles could see the other witnesses produced on the part of the prosecutor in the case and the cases of this order.
Of which the said prosecutor requested us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, to make one and several public instruments,
In the aforesaid place, in the presence of the Reverend Father in God, Milord Jean Pregent, Bishop of Saint-Brieuc, the honorable and discreet Master Pierre de L’Hôpital, President of Brittany, Regnaud Godelin, licensed in law, the aforesaid Guillaume de Grantbois, Jean Chauvin, Guillaume de Montigné, Robert de La Rivière, licensed in both courts of law, and many other witnesses assembled in large numbers, specially called and requested.
[Signed:]
Delaunay, J. Petit, G. Lesné.
Delaunay, J. Petit, G. Lesné.
Monday, October 17, 1440.
Production of various witnesses.
Monday, October 17th, arraigned before the aforesaid Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, aforesaid Vice-Inquisitor, sitting on the bench to administer the law in the great upper hall of the said Tour Neuve, at the hour of Vespers, the said prosecutor and plaintiff, on the one side, and Gilles de Rais, the accused, on the other, appeared in person.
(Production of various witnesses.)
Which prosecutor, satisfying the term, produced in the capacity of witnesses the men named Lenano, Marquis de Ceva,
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Bertrand Poulein,
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Jean Rousseau,
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Master Gilles Heaume, licensed in law,
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and Friar Jean de Lanté, Benedictine prior of Chéméré, in the said diocese of Nantes, peremptorily summoned by the aforesaid Robin Guillaumet, cleric, by mandate of the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, as the said Robin reported verbally to have summoned them before the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar, and us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes in the same court, in order to bear immediate witness to the truth in the case and the cases of this order; which witnesses the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the said Inquisitor, in the presence of the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, judged that they should be admitted and allowed them to take an oath, and they required to excuse them from bail since they would have to depose in the case and the cases of this order. All and every one of which witnesses thus admitted, in the presence of the said Gilles, the accused, swore to tell and attest to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as they knew it, on the subject of the articles put forward by the said prosecutor in the case and the cases of this order, and also on all and every one of the things on which they would be interrogated; entreaty, favor, love, fear, rancor, mercy, friendship, and enmity being set aside and ceasing totally among the parties. This being done, at the said prosecutor’s request the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, asked the said Gilles, the accused, whether he himself intended to interrogate the witnesses as to their merit in examination and interrogation, in expectation of which the said Lords Bishop and Vicar assigned to the accused the same day and all the following day to do so. Which Gilles, the accused, then responded to the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the Inquisitor, that he did not intend to interrogate any witnesses. Of which witnesses the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, charged us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, to proceed faithfully with the examination. Moreover, at the said prosecutor’s request, the aforesaid Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the Inquisitor, fixed and assigned to the prosecutor and Gilles, the accused, the following Wednesday, so that the aforesaid Gilles, the accused, could see certain other witnesses by the said prosecutor produced, received, and admitted to take an oath in the case and the cases of this order.
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Bertrand Poulein,
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Jean Rousseau,
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Master Gilles Heaume, licensed in law,
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and Friar Jean de Lanté, Benedictine prior of Chéméré, in the said diocese of Nantes, peremptorily summoned by the aforesaid Robin Guillaumet, cleric, by mandate of the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, as the said Robin reported verbally to have summoned them before the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar, and us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes in the same court, in order to bear immediate witness to the truth in the case and the cases of this order; which witnesses the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the said Inquisitor, in the presence of the said Gilles de Rais, the accused, judged that they should be admitted and allowed them to take an oath, and they required to excuse them from bail since they would have to depose in the case and the cases of this order. All and every one of which witnesses thus admitted, in the presence of the said Gilles, the accused, swore to tell and attest to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as they knew it, on the subject of the articles put forward by the said prosecutor in the case and the cases of this order, and also on all and every one of the things on which they would be interrogated; entreaty, favor, love, fear, rancor, mercy, friendship, and enmity being set aside and ceasing totally among the parties. This being done, at the said prosecutor’s request the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, asked the said Gilles, the accused, whether he himself intended to interrogate the witnesses as to their merit in examination and interrogation, in expectation of which the said Lords Bishop and Vicar assigned to the accused the same day and all the following day to do so. Which Gilles, the accused, then responded to the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the Inquisitor, that he did not intend to interrogate any witnesses. Of which witnesses the said Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the aforesaid Inquisitor, charged us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, to proceed faithfully with the examination. Moreover, at the said prosecutor’s request, the aforesaid Lords Bishop of Nantes and Friar Jean Blouyn, Vicar of the Inquisitor, fixed and assigned to the prosecutor and Gilles, the accused, the following Wednesday, so that the aforesaid Gilles, the accused, could see certain other witnesses by the said prosecutor produced, received, and admitted to take an oath in the case and the cases of this order.
Of which things the said prosecutor requested us, aforesaid notaries public and scribes, to make one and several instruments.
In the said place in the presence of the Reverend Father in God, Lord Jean Prégent, Bishop of Saint-Brieuc, Masters Pierre de L’Hôpital, President of Brittany, Robert de La Rivière, Regnaud Godelin, Jean Chauvin, Hervé Levy, Guillaume de Montigné, and the aforesaid Milord Guillaume Després, rector of the church parish of Bourg-Barré, in the Rennes diocese, and Master Olivier Solidé, canon of Nantes, with many other witnesses assembled in the same place in large numbers, specifically called and requested.
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