Mr Thomas de Ljsle depose que Thomas Brouart, qui demeure en sa maison, ayant appellé le fils de Collas Becquet, sorcier, il arriva qu'il fut un jour trouvé au lict du djt Thomas grand nombre de vers, et les ayant le djt Sieur de Ljsle veus, les jugea comme une formioniere, tant estoyent mouvans et espais, et à peine en peuvent vuider le dit enfant, l'ayant mis en plusieurs endroits; qu'appres fut le djt enfant accueillis de poulx de telle maniere que quoyque luy changeassent des chemises et habits tous les jours ne l'en pouvoyent franchir; et qu'ayant le djt Thomas Brouart un corset tout neuf, fut tellement couvert de poulx qu'on n'auroit peu cognoistre le drap, et fut contraint le faire jetter parmy les choux; surquoy fait menacer aultre Massi de la batre si elle ne s'abstenoit d'ainsy traiter son enfant; qu'estant revenu trouva le djt corset parmis les choux denue de poulx, lesquels du depuis ont quitté le djt Brouart.
Jacques le Mesurier depose qu'il y a viron deux ou trois ans qu'il rencontra Collas Becquet et Perot Massi, quj avoyent du poisson, et d'aultant qu'ils lui debvoyent de l'argent, il voulut prendre de leur poisson à rabatre, mais ne luy en voulant bailler, eurent quelque dispute; sur quoy l'un des djts Becquet ou Massi le menacerent qu'il s'en repentiroit; qu'au bout de deux ou trois jours il fut saisi d'un mal que le brusloit, et quelques fois devenoit tout morfondu, sans qu'on le peust eschauffer, et sans aulcune relache; qu'il fut en ces tourments pres d'un mois. Collas Becquet entendit que le deposant le chargeoit d'estre causte de son mal, et menacoit qu'il tueroit le djt deposant; mais bientost appres fut le djt deposant guery; dit de cuider et de croire les djts Becquet et Massy, ou un d'iceux, fut cause de son mal.
[TRANSLATION.]
DEPOSITIONS AGAINST COLLAS BECQUET.
MAY 17, 1617.
Susanne Le Tellier, widow of Pierre Rougier, deposed that after her husband was dead she found witches' spells in his bed; and that while he was upon his said deathbed he complained of being bewitched by Collas Becquet, with whom he had had a quarrel, and who during the quarrel told him he would repent of it; whereupon he was taken with ...[C], whereof he was ill for twelve days; they also found forty-four witches' spells in her child's pillow, some of which were made like hedgehogs, others round like apples, and others again flat like the palm of the hand; and they were of hempen thread twisted with feathers.
Susanne, wife of Jean Le Messurier, deposed that her husband and Collas Becquet had angry words together one day; they had an infant about six weeks old, and as she was undressing it in the evening to put it to bed, there fell upon the stomach of the said infant, a black beast which melted away as soon as it fell, so that although she carefully sought for it, she could never discover what had become of it; immediately afterwards the infant was taken ill and would not suck, but was much tormented; being advised to look into the said infant's pillow, she found there several witches' spells sewn with thread; these she took out and carefully dressed all the feathers in the pillow; yet when she examined it again a week afterwards, she found there a black bean with a hole in it; of which, the said Becquet hearing that he was suspected, his wife came to witness's house while the said Becquet was at sea, and told her that on account of the rumour which witness had raised about her husband, he the said Becquet would thrash the said Messurier, her husband, and herself, and would kill them; after that, witness went to their house to say they were not afraid either of him or her, or of their threats to kill her husband and her; witness had six big chickens which ran after their mother, going out of the house in the morning and returning at night; and one by one they began to jump up against the chimney and eat the soot, so that they all died one after the other, ...[D] as they jumped, until the last one which remained alive up to one hour of daybreak, when it died; after they had told this to Mr. de Lisle, and he had threatened the people, her infant recovered and remained well.
Collas Rougier deposed that his brother Pierre Rougier when dying charged Collas Becquet with causing his death.
Collas Hugues reported that being at a wedding, Collas Becquet arrived there, and began to toy with his daughter-in-law, who repelled his advances; the very same evening she was taken ill in such a manner that they thought she would have died from one hour to another; besides which she remained under the charm, and they found one of the witches' spells in her bed, which was shown to the Members of the Court, who were making an inspection at St. Peter's; the said girl sometimes fell to the ground quite blinded.
The wife of the said Hugues deposed to exactly the same as her husband.