mself went to Poitiers to make this request. It was immediately
granted, and the bishop appointed Bazile, senior-canon of Champigny, and
Demorans, senior canon of Thouars, both of whom were related to some of
Grandier's adversaries. The following is a copy of the new commission:

"Henri-Louis le Chataignier de la Rochepezai, by the divine will Bishop
of Poitiers, to the senior canons of the Chatelet de Saint-Pierre de
Thouars et de Champigny-sur-Vese, greeting:

"We by these presents command you to repair to the town of Loudun, to
the convent of the nuns of Sainte-Ursule, to be present at the exorcisms
which will be undertaken by Sieur Barre upon some nuns of the said
convent who are tormented by evil spirits, we having thereto authorised
the said Barre. You are also to draw up a report of all that takes
place, and for this purpose are to take any clerk you may choose with
you.

"Given and done at Poitiers, November 28th, 1632.

"(Signed) HENRI LOUIS, Bishop of Poitiers.

"(Countersigned) By order of the said Lord Bishop,

"MICHELET"

These two commissioners having been notified beforehand, went to Loudun,
where Marescot, one of the queen's chaplains, arrived at the same time;
for the pious queen, Anne of Austria, had heard so many conflicting
accounts of the possession of the Ursuline nuns, that she desired, for
her own edification, to get to the bottom of the affair. We can judge
what importance the case was beginning to assume by its being already
discussed at court.

In spite of the notice which had been sent them that the nuns would
not receive them, the bailiff and the civil lieutenant fearing that the
royal envoy would allow himself to be imposed on, and would draw up an
account which would cast doubt on the facts contained in their reports,
betook themselves to the convent on December 1st, the day on which the
exorcisms were to recommence, in the presence of the new commissioners.
They were accompanied by their assessor, by the provost's lieutenant,
and a clerk. They had to knock repeatedly before anyone seemed to hear
them, but at length a nun opened the door and told them they could not
enter, being suspected of bad faith, as they had publicly declared
that the possession was a fraud and an imposture. The bailiff, without
wasting his time arguing with the sister, asked to see Barre, who soon
appeared arrayed in his priestly vestments, and surrounded by several
persons, among whom was the queen's cha