“Item; That the intermeddlers be hereafter called and reputed the devils’ body-lice, because they fetch blood of those that feed and nourish them.”
Lucifer then casting a sour look over his shoulder, and spying the gouvernante: “I’m of his mind,” quoth he, “that said, ‘Let God dispose of the Doüegnas (or gouvernantes) as He pleases; for I’m in no little trouble how to dispose of these confounded carrions.’” Whereupon, the damned cried out, with one voice, “Oh, Lucifer! let it never be said that it rained Doüegnas in thy dominions. Are we not miserable enough without this new plague of being baited by hags?” “Ah! cursed Lucifer,” cried every one to himself, “stow them anywhere, so they come not near me.” And with that, they all clapped their tails between their legs, and drew in their horns, for fear of this new torment. Lucifer, finding how the dread of the old women wrought upon the devils, contented himself, at the present, to let it pass only in terrorem; but withal he swore, by the honour of his imperial crown, and as he hoped to be saved, that what devil devil’s dam, or reprobate soever, should in time to come be found wanting to his duty and in the least degree disobedient to his laws and ordinances, all and every the said devil or devils, their dams and reprobates so offending, should be delivered up to the torture of the Doüegna, and tied muzzle to muzzle; so to remain in sæcula sæculorum, without relief or appeal, or any law, statute, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. “But in the meantime, cast them into that dry ditch,” says he, “that they may be ready for use upon any occasion.”
Immediately, upon the pronouncing of this solemn decree, Lucifer retired to his cell, the weather cleared up, and the company dispersed in a fright, at so horrible a menace, and so went about their business: when a voice was heard out of the clouds, as the voice of an angel, saying, “He that rightly comprehends the morality of this discourse, shall never repent the reading of it.”
THE END