d possession or on the exorcisms, and will
forward to us his report thereon, and the reports and other documents
sent in by former commissioners and delegates, and will be present at
all future exorcisms, and take proper steps to obtain evidence of the
said facts, that they may be clearly established; and, above all,
will direct, institute, and carry through the said proceedings against
Grandier and all others who have been involved with him in the said
case, until definitive sentence be passed; and in spite of any appeal or
countercharge this cause will not be delayed (but without prejudice to
the right of appeal in other causes), on account of the nature of the
crimes, and no regard will be paid to any request for postponement made
by the said Grandier. His majesty commands all governors, provincial
lieutenant-generals, bailiffs, seneschals, and other municipal
authorities, and all subjects whom it may concern, to give every
assistance in arresting and imprisoning all persons whom it may be
necessary to put under constraint, if they shall be required so to do."

Furnished with this order, which was equivalent to a condemnation,
de Laubardemont arrived at Laudun, the 5th of December, 1633, at nine
o'clock in the evening; and to avoid being seen he alighted in a suburb
at the house of one maitre Paul Aubin, king's usher, and son-in-law of
Memin de Silly. His arrival was kept so secret that neither Grandier
nor his friends knew of it, but Memin, Herve Menuau, and Mignon were
notified, and immediately called on him. De Laubardemont received
them, commission in hand, but broad as it was, it did not seem to
them sufficient, for it contained no order for Grandier's arrest, and
Grandier might fly. De Laubardemont, smiling at the idea that he could
be so much in fault, drew from his pocket an order in duplicate, in
case one copy should be lost, dated like the commission, November 30th,
signed LOUIS, and countersigned PHILIPPEAUX. It was conceived in the
following terms:

LOUIS, etc. etc. "We have entrusted these presents to Sieur de
Laubardemont, Privy Councillor, to empower the said Sieur de
Laubardemont to arrest Grandier and his accomplices and imprison them
in a secure place, with orders to all provosts, marshals, and other
officers, and to all our subjects in general, to lend whatever
assistance is necessary to carry out above order; and they are commanded
by these presents to obey all orders given by the said Sieur; and