XXXI.—Of the Devil of Mascon in France.
Anno 1612, one Monsieur Perreaud, a Protestant minister there, being from his own house one night, and his wife being in bed, she was much troubled with noise and din in the house: the next night she felt somewhat that pulled the blankets from the bed, and the same night all the pewter vessels and brass candlesticks were thrown about the room. The minister coming home, was told this, who carefully searched every corner of the house before he went to bed, and secured all the doors and windows, to prevent suspicion of imposture. He was scarce well in bed, when he heard a strange noise in the kitchen, like the rolling of a great iron bullet, beating against a partition of wainscot; upon this the minister went to the room, but found nothing. The next morning he made it known to the elders of the church, and a public notary, one Francis Torneus, who sat up every night till midnight, but they heard nothing till September 20; at which time, about nine o’clock at night, in the presence of all who were there, the devil began to whistle three or four times with a loud and shrill voice, (though somewhat hoarse) which seemed to be about three or four steps from them, singing a little tune of five notes, which birds are taught to whistle; and after he often repeated this word, “Minister, minister;” to which Mr. Perreaud said, “Yes, indeed I am a minister, and a servant of the living God, before whose Majesty thou tremblest.” Said the other, “I know nothing to the contrary.” “I have no need of thy testimony,” says he. This being done, he says over with a loud voice, the Lord’s prayer, the creed, the ten commandments, and the morning and evening prayers, and sings the eightieth and first Psalm. He told the minister, that his father had been poisoned, and named the man that did it. He told him, that as he came by his elder brother’s house that night, he saluted him, and asked, If he had any service to command him with to Mascon to his brother? and told, they were very kind to him, and remembered their love to the minister. It was told him afterwards by those who were present, that a fellow of strange shape came riding on a very lean horse, hanging down his head, spake to that purpose. At another time the devil began to mock God, and all religion, and said over the doxology, but skipped over the second person, and made a foul, horrible, and detestable equivocation upon the third person. He also earnestly desired them to send for Mr. Du Chaffin, the Popish priest of St. Steven’s parish, to whom he would confess himself; and withal he desired him to bring some holy water along with him; for that, said he, he will presently send me a packing. That great mastiff, said he, dare not bark at me, (this was a great house-dog) because I have made the sign of the cross upon his head.—Then he fell a scoffing and jeering, and told how he did fall off the ladder into the ditch among the frogs, while the Savoys were scaling the walls of Geneva, and did most exactly imitate their croaking. At another time, he told them, with a lamentable voice, That he had a mind to make his latter will and testament, and bid the maid call for Mr. Tornus the public notary, and declared to him what legacies he would leave; and to one person he said, he would bequeath 500l.; but he answered, “I will have none of thy money, thy money perish with thee.”—At another time, while he was speaking, a man who was present rushed into the place whence the voice seemed to come, and searched it strictly, but found nothing except a small bottle, which he brought forth; at which the devil fell a laughing, and said to him, “I was told long since thou wast a fool; and I see now thou art one, indeed, to believe that I am in the bottle; I should be a greater fool myself to go into it, for so I might be catched by stopping the mouth of the bottle with one’s finger.”—At another time, the minister said to him, “Go thou cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” To whom he replied, “Thou liest, I am not cursed; I hope yet for salvation through the death and passion of Jesus Christ.”
The devil threatened the minister, that he would pull him out of his bed by his feet, and pull the blankets off him. He answered, “I will lay me down and sleep, for the Lord only maketh me to dwell in safety; thou canst have no power over me, but what is given thee from above. Whereupon he said, “It is well for thee, it is good for thee.” And at last he confessed, that he could not prevail against the family, because they did too much call on the name of God. And indeed it was observed, that as often as they kneeled down to prayer, the devil left talking, and often said, “While you are at your prayers, I’ll go and take a turn in the street. But no sooner was prayer ended, but he began as before, which course he continued till the 25th of November; at which time he spake these last words, “Alas, alas, I shall speak no more.”—The minister told Mr. Du Moulin, that a grave divine once coming to his house, and hearing the devil speak profanely, rebuked him sharply for it. Whereupon the devil answered, “Minister, you are holy and zealous in this company, but you were not so when you were singing such a bawdy song in such a tavern.” And having said this; he sung the same bawdy song over before them all. The divine said, “It is true, Satan, I have been licentious in my younger years, yet God of his mercy hath given me repentance and pardon for it; but for thy part, thou art hardened in sin, and shall never get repentance nor pardon.” On this the devil said, “O poor Hugonets, (those of the reformed religion) you shall suffer much within a few years. O what mischief is intended against you!”
A popish officer that belonged to a court of justice, being a lawyer, came out of curiosity to the minister’s house, to ask some questions concerning many matters. The minister forbade him, but he would not forbear. And after the devil had resolved him many things, anent absent friends, private business, news, and state affairs, and questions in law, he says to him, “Now, Sir, I have told you all you demanded; I must tell you next what you demanded not, that at this very same time such a man (whom he named) is taking a word of your wife at home.” And then he discovered many secrets and foul practices of the lawyer. And at last says, “Now, Sir, let me correct you for being so bold as to question with the devil: you should have taken the minister’s counsel.” Then upon a sudden the whole company saw the lawyer drawn by the arm into the midst of the room, where the devil whirled him about, and gave him many turns with great swiftness, touching the ground only with his toe, and then threw him down upon the floor with great violence; and being taken up, and carried to his house, he lay sick, and was a long time distracted.—The last ten or twelve days the devil threw stones about the minister’s house continually, from morning to evening, and of so large a size, some of them being of two or three pound weight. One of those days the public notary Mr. Tornus, had a great stone thrown at him, which falling at his feet, he took it up and marked it with a coal, and threw it into the backside of the house, but presently the devil threw it at him again; when he took it up, he found it very hot, thinking it had been in hell since he handled it last. The next day, upon the 22d of December, the devil went quiet away; and to-morrow after, was seen a great viper going out of the minister’s house, which the neighbours about seized with a pair of pinchers, and carried it all over the town crying, “Here is the devil that’s come out of the minister’s house.” It was found by an apothecary to be a true natural viper, a serpent rarely seen in those countries. Compare this with the twentieth and first relation, and you will find a notable proof of the wonderful kindness and mercy of God to those religious ministers and their families.
XXXII.—Anent Margaret Wilson.
This is a true narrative of what happened to her one night, while some persons were attending her: for what passed other nights I cannot relate, since I want information. They say the gentleman, her uncle, in the parish of Gallashiels, came on Sunday after sermon to the minister there, Mr. Wilkie, and told him, that the devil was at his house; “for,” said he, “there is an odd knocking about the bed where my niece lies.” Whereupon the minister went along with him, and found it so; she rising from her bed, sat down to supper, and from below there was such a knocking up, as bred fear to all present. This knocking was just under her chair, where it was not possible for any mortal to knock up. Supper being ended, they went all to prayer; and rising from her place, went and kneeled down in another place, and there also a knocking was heard below her, even during the time of prayer. When she was put to bed, many persons attending, she fell into a deep sleep; then her body was so lifted up, that many strong men were not able to keep it down. Sometimes her body would have made such a motion in the bed, as if something had been gripping her by the feet, and pulling her up and down. In the mean while, they heard a loud noise scratching upon the feather-bed, as with long nails. And likewise the minister affirms, that he heard a loud risping at her heart, such as risping irons make upon wood and timber. When she awaked, she told them of many things the devil had spoken to her, offering her gifts and presents: she was hardly persuaded to pray; nay could not, even when the words were put in her mouth. The minister desired her to enter into a personal covenant with God, which he drew up; but finding one composed already to his hand, in that little treatise called the Christian’s Great Interest, he made her subscribe it. When she had done this, the devil persuaded her with many arguments to break it. This was the method the devil observed ordinarily every night, during her long trouble. That same night about twelve o’clock, the minister took her uncle out to his own garden, to take a turn or two, and began to bear upon him, the sense of this sore affliction which was upon the family; and exhorted him to reflect upon his ways, and consider if he had done any thing that had provoked the Lord against him; and particularly he charged him with one thing, whereof there was a loud report. He solemnly protested, and that with dreadful imprecations, that he was innocent of that particular which was said of him, and absolutely denied it. She confessed that she had seen the devil as in a man’s likeness; but especially once going to church, when he forbade her to go and hear sermon. After much trouble of this kind, and much noise and talking, the young woman, being but 12 years of age, came to Edinburgh, and tarried with a friend there; and from thence she went to Leith, where she served a mistress. At last she went to Easter Duddingston, it seems, and married there a husband, with whom she lived some years at Magdalen Pans, where she died. I do not hear that ever she was molested after. If all the particulars of this business were truly collected, they would amount to a far longer relation than I have set down.