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011 - Chapter Xi The Marechal De Retz I The Investigation Of Charges · Book of Werewolves

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Speaker 1: Chapter eleven of the Book of Werewolves. This is a
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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Speaker 1: Recording by Morgan Scorpion. The Book of Werewolves by Sabine
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Speaker 1: bearing Gold, Chapter eleven, The marechal doray One, The investigation
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Speaker 1: of charges, introduction, history of Gielde la Valle, the Castle
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Speaker 1: of Masha Corps, surrender of the Marshal, Examination of witnesses,
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Speaker 1: Letter of Deray, the Duke of Brittany reluctant to move,
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Speaker 1: the Bishop of Nantes. The history of the man whose
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Speaker 1: name heads this chapter. I purpose giving in detail as
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Speaker 1: the circumstances I shall narrate, have I believe never before
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Speaker 1: being given with accuracy to the English public. The name
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Speaker 1: of Guilld de la val may be well known, as
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Speaker 1: sketches of his bloody career have appeared in many biographies.
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Speaker 1: But these sketches have been very incomplete, as the material
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Speaker 1: from which they were composed was meager. Monsieur Michelais alone
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Speaker 1: ventured to give the public an idea of the crimes
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Speaker 1: which brought the Marshal of France to the Gallows, and
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Speaker 1: his revelations were such that, in the words of Monsieur
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Speaker 1: Henri Martin, this iron age, which seemed unable to feel
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Speaker 1: surprised at any amount of evil, was struck with dismay.
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Speaker 1: Monsieur Michelais derived his information from the abstract of the
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Speaker 1: papers relating to the case made by order of Anne
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Speaker 1: of Brittany in the Imperial Library. The original documents were
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Speaker 1: in the library at Nantes, and a great portion of
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Speaker 1: them were destroyed in the revolution of seventeen eighty nine,
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Speaker 1: but a careful analysis had been made of them, and
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Speaker 1: this valuable abridgment, which was inaccessible from the Ssieur Michelais,
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Speaker 1: came into the hands of Monsieur la Croix, the eminent
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Speaker 1: French antiquarian, who published a memoir of the Marshal from
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Speaker 1: the information he had thus obtained. And it is his work,
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Speaker 1: by far the most complete and circumstantial, which has appeared,
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Speaker 1: as I condense into the following chapters, the most monstrously
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Speaker 1: depraved imagination, says Monsieur Henri Martin, never could have conceived
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Speaker 1: what the trial reveals. Monsieur la Croix has been obliged
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Speaker 1: to draw a veil over much that transpired, and I
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Speaker 1: must draw it closer. Still. I have, however, said enough
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Speaker 1: to show that this memorable trial presents horrors probably unsurpassed
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Speaker 1: in the whole volume of the world's history. During the
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Speaker 1: year fourteen forty, a terrible rumor spread through Brittany, and
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Speaker 1: especially through the ancient paid Array, which extends along the
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Speaker 1: south of the Loire from Nantes to palm Boux, to
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Speaker 1: the effect that one of the most famous and powerful
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Speaker 1: noblemen in Brittany, Gilde la Val Marechal d'array, was guilty
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Speaker 1: of crimes of the most diabolical nature. Gildo la Val,
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Speaker 1: eldest son of guisd Deo la Val, second of his name,
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Speaker 1: Sire de Ray, had raised the junior branch of the
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Speaker 1: illustrious House of Laval above the elder branch, which was
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Speaker 1: related to the reigning family of Brittany. He lost his
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Speaker 1: father when he was aged twenty, and remained master of
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Speaker 1: a vast territorial inheritance, which was increased by his marriage
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Speaker 1: with Catharine de Thouars in fourteen twenty. He employed a
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Speaker 1: portion of their fortune in the cause of Charles set
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Speaker 1: and in strengthening the French crown. During seven consecutive years,
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Speaker 1: from fourteen twenty six to fourteen thirty three, he was
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Speaker 1: engaged in military enterprises against the English. His name is
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Speaker 1: always cited along with those of du Nois, gantrial Font, Juliere, Gaucourt, Richemont,
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Speaker 1: and the most faithful servants of the King. His services
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Speaker 1: were speedily acknowledged by the King, creating him Marshal of France.
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Speaker 1: In fourteen twenty seven, he assaulted the Castle of Blood
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Speaker 1: and carried it by storm. He killed with his own
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Speaker 1: hand the commander of the place. Next year he captured
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Speaker 1: from the English the fortress of Reneforre and the Castle
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Speaker 1: of Malicorn. In fourteen twenty nine he took an active
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Speaker 1: part in the expedition of Joanovac for the deliverance of
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Speaker 1: Orleans and the occupation of Jago, and he was with
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Speaker 1: her in the moat when she was wounded by an arrow.
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Speaker 1: Under the walls of Paris, the Marshal, councilor and chamberlain
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Speaker 1: of the King participated in the direction of public affairs,
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Speaker 1: and soon obtained the entire confidence of his master. He
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Speaker 1: accompanied Charles to Rhim on the occasion of his coronation,
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Speaker 1: and had the honor of bearing the Oriflan brought for
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Speaker 1: the occasion from the Abbey of Saint Remi. His intrepidity
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Speaker 1: on the field of battle was as remarkable as his
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Speaker 1: sagacity in council, and he proved himself to be with
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Speaker 1: an excellent warrior and a shrewd politician. Suddenly, to the
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Speaker 1: surprise of every one, he quitted the service of charlespt
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Speaker 1: and cheathed for ever his sword in the retirement of
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Speaker 1: the country. The death of his maternal grandfather, Jean de
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Speaker 1: Corant in fourteen thirty two made him so enormously wealthy
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Speaker 1: that his revenues were estimated at three hundred thousand livres. Nevertheless,
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Speaker 1: in two years, by his excessive prodigality, he managed to
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Speaker 1: lose a considerable portion of his inheritance. Maulion sar Etienne
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Speaker 1: de Malamourt, lau Us, Boteaux, Pornis and Chantole he sold
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Speaker 1: to Jean Sanc, Duke of Brittany, his kinsman and other
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Speaker 1: lands and seigniorial rights. He ceded to the Bishop of
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Speaker 1: Nantes and to the chapter of the cathedral in that city.
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Speaker 1: The rumor soon spread that these extensive sessions of territory
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Speaker 1: were SOPs thrown to the Duke and to the Bishop
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Speaker 1: to restrain the one from confiscating his lia goods and
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Speaker 1: the other from pronouncing excommunication for the crimes of which
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Speaker 1: the people whisperingly accused him. But these rumors were probably
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Speaker 1: without foundation, for eventually it was found hard to persuade
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Speaker 1: the Duke of the guilt of his kinsmen, and the
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Speaker 1: Bishop was the most determined instigator of the trial. The
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Speaker 1: Marshal seldom visited the ducal court, but he often appeared
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Speaker 1: in the city of Nantes, where he inhabited the Hotel
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Speaker 1: de las Sourse, with a princely retinue. He had always
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Speaker 1: accompanying him a guard of two hundred men at arms,
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Speaker 1: and a numerous suit of pages, esquires, chaplains, sinners, astrologers,
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Speaker 1: et cetera, all of whom he paid handsomely. Whenever he
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Speaker 1: left the town or moved to one of his other seats,
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Speaker 1: the cries of the poor, which had been restrained during
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Speaker 1: the time of his presence, broke forth. Tears flowed, curses
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Speaker 1: were uttered, A long continued wail rose to heaven. The
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Speaker 1: moment the last of the Marshal's party had left. The
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Speaker 1: neighborhood mothers had lost their children, babes had been snatched
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Speaker 1: from the cradle, infants had been spirited away almost from
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Speaker 1: the maternal arms, and it was known by sad experience
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Speaker 1: that the vanished little ones would never be seen again.
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Speaker 1: But on no part of the country did the shadow
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Speaker 1: of this great fear fall so deeply as on the
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Speaker 1: villages in the neighborhood of the Castle of marsh Corps,
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Speaker 1: a gloomy chateau composed of huge towers and surrounded by
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Speaker 1: deep moats, a residence much frequented by deray. Notwithstanding its
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Speaker 1: somber and repulsive appearance, this fortress was always in a
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Speaker 1: condition to resist the siege. The drawbridge was raised, the
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Speaker 1: portcullis down, the gates closed, the men under arms, the
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Speaker 1: culverins on the bastion always loaded. No one except the
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Speaker 1: servants had penetrated into this mysterious asylum, and had come
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Speaker 1: forth alive. In the surrounding country, strange tales of horror
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Speaker 1: and devilry circulated in whispers, and yet it was observed
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Speaker 1: that the chapel of the castle was gorgeously decked with
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Speaker 1: tapestries of silk and cloth of gold, that the sacred
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Speaker 1: vessels were encrusted with gems, that the vestments of the
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Speaker 1: priests were of the most sumptuous character. The excessive devotion
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Speaker 1: of the Marshal was also noticed. He was said to
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Speaker 1: hear mass thrice daily, and to be passionately fond of
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Speaker 1: ecclesiastical music. He was said to have asked permission of
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Speaker 1: the Pope that a crucifer should precede him in processions.
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Speaker 1: But when dusk settled down over the forest, and one
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Speaker 1: by one the windows of the castle became illumined, peasants
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Speaker 1: would point to one casement high up in an isolated tower,
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Speaker 1: from which a clear light streamed through the gloom of night.
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Speaker 1: They spoke of a fierce red glare which irradiated the
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Speaker 1: chamber at times, and of sharp cries ringing out of
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Speaker 1: it through the hushed woods, to be answered only by
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Speaker 1: the howl of the wolf as it rose from its
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Speaker 1: lair to begin its nocturnal rambles. On certain days, at
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Speaker 1: fixed hours, the drawbridge sank, and the servants of Dray
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Speaker 1: stood in the gateway, distributing clothes, money, and food to
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Speaker 1: the mendicants who crowded round them soliciting alms. It often
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Speaker 1: happened that children were among the beggars as often one
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Speaker 1: of the servants would promise them some dainty if they
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Speaker 1: would go to the kitchen for it. Those children who
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Speaker 1: accepted the offer were never seen again. In fourteen forty,
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Speaker 1: the long pent up exasperation of the people broke all bounds,
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Speaker 1: and with one voice they charged the marshal with the
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Speaker 1: murder of their children, whom they said he had sacrificed
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Speaker 1: to the devil. This charge came to the ears of
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Speaker 1: the Duke of Brittany, but he who poured it and
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Speaker 1: would have taken no steps to investigate the truth, had
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Speaker 1: not one of his nobles insisted on his doing so.
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Speaker 1: At the same time, Jean de Chateau Guillnond, Bishop of
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Speaker 1: nant and the noble and sage Pierre de l'o Pictalde
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Speaker 1: Grand Senichal of Brittany wrote to the Duke, expressing very
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Speaker 1: decided their views that the charge demanded thorough investigation. Jean Quinnes,
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Speaker 1: reluctant to move against a relation a man who had
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Speaker 1: served his country so well and was in such a
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Speaker 1: high position, at last yielded to their request and authorized
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Speaker 1: them to seize the persons of the sired array and
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Speaker 1: his accomplices. A so gendarme Jean Labay was charged with
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Speaker 1: this difficult commission. He picked a band of resolute fellows,
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Speaker 1: twenty in all, and in the middle of September, they
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Speaker 1: presented themselves at the gate of the castle and summoned
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Speaker 1: the sired array to surrender. As soon as Jale heard
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Speaker 1: that a troop in the livery of Brittany was at
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Speaker 1: the gate, he inquired who was their leader. On receiving
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Speaker 1: the answer Labai, he started turned pale, coursed himself and
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Speaker 1: prepared to surrender, observing that it was impossible to resist fate.
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Speaker 1: Years before, or one of his astrologers had assured him
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Speaker 1: that he would one day pass into the hands of
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Speaker 1: an abbe, and till this moment, de Ray had supposed
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Speaker 1: that the prophecy signified that he should eventually become a monk.
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Speaker 1: Gild' Sillie, Boggett de Briqueville and other of the accomplices
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Speaker 1: of the marshal took to flight, but n Rie and
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Speaker 1: Pontou remained with him. The drawbridge was lowered and the
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Speaker 1: marshal offered his sword to Jean l'abbay. The gallant sergeant approached,
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Speaker 1: kneeled to the marshal and unrolled before him a parchment
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Speaker 1: sealed with the seal of Brittany. Tell me the tenor
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Speaker 1: of this parchment, said Jild'ray, with dignity, our good sire
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Speaker 1: of Brittany enjoins you, my lord, by these presents, to
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Speaker 1: follow me to the good town of Nantes, there to
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Speaker 1: clear yourself of certain criminal charges brought against you. I
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Speaker 1: will follow immediately, my friend, glad to obey the will
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Speaker 1: of my Lord of Brittany. But that it may not
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Speaker 1: be said that the Senor de Ray has received a
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Speaker 1: message without largess. I order my treasure Nie to hand
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Speaker 1: over to you and your followers twenty gold crowns. Guan mercy, monseigneur,
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Speaker 1: I pray God that he may give you good and
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Speaker 1: long life. Pray God only to have mercy upon me
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Speaker 1: and to pardon my sins. The Marshal had his horses
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Speaker 1: saddled and left Mascha Corps with Pontou and Nrier, who
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Speaker 1: had thrown in their lot with him. It was with
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Speaker 1: lively emotion that the people in the villages traversed by
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Speaker 1: the little troop saw the redoubted Yielde la Val ride
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Speaker 1: through the streets, surrounded by soldiers in the livery of
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Speaker 1: the Duke of Brittany, and unaccompanied by a single soldier
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Speaker 1: of his own. The roads and streets were thronged. Peasants
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Speaker 1: left the field, women their kitchens, laborers deserted their cattle
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Speaker 1: at the plow to throng the road to Nantes. The
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Speaker 1: cavalcade proceeded in silence. The very crowd which had gathered
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Speaker 1: to see it, was hushed. Presently a shrill woman's voice
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Speaker 1: was raised, my child, restore my child. Then a wild,
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Speaker 1: wrathful howl broke from the lips of the throng, rang
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Speaker 1: along the nant road, and only died away as the
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Speaker 1: great gates of the Chateau de Bouffet closed on the prisoner.
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Speaker 1: The whole population of Nant was in commotion, and it
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Speaker 1: was said that the investigation would be fictitious, that the
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Speaker 1: Duke would screen his kinsmen, and that the object of
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Speaker 1: general execration would escape with the surrender of some of
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Speaker 1: his lands. And such would probably have been the event
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Speaker 1: of the trial, had not the Bishop of Nant and
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Speaker 1: the Grand Saint Michal taken a very decided course in
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Speaker 1: the matter. They gave the Duke no peace till he
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Speaker 1: had yielded to their demand for a thorough investigation and
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Speaker 1: a public trial. Jean Cans nominated John de Toucheuons to
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Speaker 1: collect information and to take down the charges brought against
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Speaker 1: the Marshal. At the same time, he was given to
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Speaker 1: understand that the matter was not to be pressed, and
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Speaker 1: that the charges upon which the Marshal was to be
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Speaker 1: tried were to be softened down as much as possible.
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Speaker 1: The Commissioner, Jeann de Toouchemins, opened investigation on the eighteenth
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Speaker 1: of September, assisted only by his clerk, Jean Tommins. The
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Speaker 1: witnesses were introduced either singly or in groups if they
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Speaker 1: were relations. On entering, the witness knelt before the commissioner,
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Speaker 1: kissed the crucifix and swore with his hand on the
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Speaker 1: Gospels that he would speak the truth and nothing but
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Speaker 1: the truth. After this he related all the facts referring
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Speaker 1: to the charge which came under his cognizance, without being
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Speaker 1: interrupted or interrogated. The first to present herself was Perrying Lessar,
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Speaker 1: living at wash Bernhard. She related with tears in her eyes,
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Speaker 1: that two years ago, in the month of September, the
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Speaker 1: sied Array had passed with all his retinue through the
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Speaker 1: wash Bernard on his way from Van and had lodged
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Speaker 1: with Jan Corlins. She lived opposite the house in which
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Speaker 1: the nobleman was staying. Her child, the finest in the village,
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Speaker 1: a lad aged ten, had attracted the notice of Pontou,
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Speaker 1: and perhaps of the Marshal himself, who stood at a
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Speaker 1: window leaning on his squire's shoulder. Pontu spoke to the
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Speaker 1: child and asked him whether he would like to be
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Speaker 1: a chorister. The boy replied that his ambition was to
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Speaker 1: be a soldier. Well, then said the squire, I will
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Speaker 1: equip you. The lad then laid hold of Pontou's dagger
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Speaker 1: and expressed his desire to have such a weapon in
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Speaker 1: his belt. Thereupon the mother had run up and had
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Speaker 1: made him leave hold of the dagger, and saying that
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Speaker 1: the boy was doing very well at school and was
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Speaker 1: getting on with his letters, for he was one day
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Speaker 1: to be a monk. Pontou had dissuaded her from this project,
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Speaker 1: and had proposed to take the check with him to
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Speaker 1: mash courls and to educate him to be a soldier. Thereupon,
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Speaker 1: he paid her down a hundred souls to buy the
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Speaker 1: lad address, and had obtained permission to carry him off.
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Speaker 1: Next day, her own son had been mounted on a
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Speaker 1: horse purchased for him from Jean Corlins, and had left
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Speaker 1: the village in the retinue of the side Array. The
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Speaker 1: poor mother, at parting had gone in tears to the
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Speaker 1: Marshal and had entreated him to be kind to her child.
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Speaker 1: From that time she had been able to obtain no
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Speaker 1: information regarding her son. She had watched the side Array
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Speaker 1: whenever he had passed through their wash Bernard, but had
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Speaker 1: never observed her child among his pages. She had questioned
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Speaker 1: several of the Marshal's people, but they had laughed at her.
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Speaker 1: The only answer she had obtained was be not afraid.
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Speaker 1: He is either at mash Cours or else at Tiufoge,
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Speaker 1: or else at Pawnie or somewhere. Perine's story was corroborated
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Speaker 1: by Jean Corlin, his wife, and his mother in law,
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Speaker 1: Jean l'meagon and his wife A las Dulis Perot duponat Guillougne,
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Speaker 1: Guillon Guillonne Potaire, Etienne de Montclarde and Jean de Februr,
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Speaker 1: all inhabitants of Saint Etienne de montlu deposed that a
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Speaker 1: little child son of Guillon Greis of the said parish,
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Speaker 1: having lost his father at the age of nine, lived
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Speaker 1: on arms and went round the country begging. The child
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Speaker 1: named Gianmeat had vanished suddenly at midsummer, and nothing was
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Speaker 1: known of what had become of him, but strong suspicions
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Speaker 1: were entertained of his having been carried off by an
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Speaker 1: aged hag who had appeared shortly before in the neighborhood,
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Speaker 1: and who had vanished along with the child. On the
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Speaker 1: twenty seventh of September, Jean de Touchemon, assisted by Nicola Chateau,
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Speaker 1: notary of the Court at Nant, received the depositions of
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Speaker 1: several inhabitants of Pont de l'aunay, near Beauvon, to wit
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Speaker 1: Grillum fourage and wife, Jean, wife of Jean Lafou, and Ricard,
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Speaker 1: wife of Jean Gandau. These depositions, though very vague, afforded
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Speaker 1: sufficient cause for suspicion to rest on the marshal. Two
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Speaker 1: years before, a child of twelve, son of Jean Bernard,
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Speaker 1: and another child of the same age, son of Menegue,
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Speaker 1: had gone to Marche Corps. The son of Menegue had
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Speaker 1: returned alone in the evening, relating that his companion had
18:31
Speaker 1: asked him to wait for him on the road, whilst
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Speaker 1: he begged at the gates of the Sire de Ray.
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Speaker 1: The son of Manegue said that he had waited three hours,
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Speaker 1: but his companion had not returned. The wife of Guillam
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Speaker 1: Fourage deposed that she had seen the lad at this
18:47
Speaker 1: time with an old hag who was leading him by
18:50
Speaker 1: the hand towards marche Corps. That same evening, this hag
18:55
Speaker 1: passed over the bridge of Lornee, and the wife of
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Speaker 1: Fourage asked her what had become of little Bernard. The
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Speaker 1: old woman neither stopped nor answered further than by saying
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Speaker 1: he was well provided for. The boy had not been
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Speaker 1: seen since. On the twenty eighth of September, the Duke
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Speaker 1: of Brittany joined another commissioner, Jean Coupert Gorge, and a
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Speaker 1: second notary, Michel Estalour, to Touchemont and Chateau. The inhabitants
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Speaker 1: of mache Courps, a little town over which the Sired
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Speaker 1: Array exercised supreme power, appeared now to depose against their lord.
19:33
Speaker 1: Andrea Barbier Shoemaker declared that last Easter, a child, son
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Speaker 1: of his neighbor George Les Barbier had disappeared. He was
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Speaker 1: last seen gathering plums behind the Hotel Rondeaux. This disappearance
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Speaker 1: surprised none in mach Corps, and no one ventured to
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Speaker 1: comment on it. Andrea and his wife were in daily
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Speaker 1: terror of losing their own child. They had been a
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Speaker 1: pilgrimage to Sain Geen Ngalis and had been asked there
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Speaker 1: whether it was the cast at marsh Courps to eat children.
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Speaker 1: On their return they had heard of two children having vanished,
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Speaker 1: the son of Jean Gandon and that of Alexandra Chatellier.
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Speaker 1: Andrea Barbier had made some inquiries about the circumstances of
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Speaker 1: their disappearance, and had been advised to hold his tongue
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Speaker 1: and to shut his ears and eyes unless he were
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Speaker 1: prepared to be thrown into a dungeon by the Lord
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Speaker 1: of marsh Corps. But bless me, he had said, Am
20:32
Speaker 1: I to believe that a fairy spirits off and eats
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Speaker 1: our little ones? Believe what you like, was the advice
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Speaker 1: given to him, but asked no questions. As this conversation
20:43
Speaker 1: had taken place, one of the marshals men at arms
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Speaker 1: had passed. When all those who had been speaking, took
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Speaker 1: to their heels. Andrea, who had run with the rest,
20:53
Speaker 1: without knowing exactly why he fled, came upon a man
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Speaker 1: near the church of the Holy Trinity who was weeping
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Speaker 1: bitterly and crying out, Oh, my God, wilt thou not
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Speaker 1: restore to me my little one. This man had also
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Speaker 1: been robbed of his child. Lisette, wife of Jong Chargon,
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Speaker 1: living at La Boncardier in the parish of Saint Qua
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Speaker 1: de Marche Corps, had lost her son two years before
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Speaker 1: and had not seen him since. She besolved the commissioners
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Speaker 1: with tears in her eyes, to restore him to her.
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Speaker 1: I left him, said she at home, whilst I went
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Speaker 1: into the field with my husband to sew flax. He
21:33
Speaker 1: was a bonny little lad, and he was as good
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Speaker 1: as he was bonny. He had to look after his
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Speaker 1: tiny sister, who was a year and a half old.
21:42
Speaker 1: On my return home, the little girl was found, but
21:46
Speaker 1: she could not tell me what had become of him. Afterwards,
21:49
Speaker 1: we found in the marsh a small red woolen cap,
21:52
Speaker 1: which had belonged to my poor darling. But it was
21:55
Speaker 1: in vain that we dragged the marsh. Nothing was found
21:58
Speaker 1: more except good afe evidence that he had not been drowned.
22:03
Speaker 1: A hawker who sold needles and thread passed through mar
22:06
Speaker 1: school at the time and told me that an old
22:08
Speaker 1: woman in gray with a black hood on her head,
22:11
Speaker 1: had moments after passed him leading a little boy by
22:15
Speaker 1: the hand. George Le Barbier, living near the gate of
22:19
Speaker 1: the Chateaulais de Marche Corps, gave an account of the
22:22
Speaker 1: manner in which his son had ever neest. The boy
22:26
Speaker 1: was apprenticed to Jean Pellettier, tailor to Madame de Ray,
22:30
Speaker 1: and to the household of the castle. He seemed to
22:33
Speaker 1: be getting on in his profession when last year, about
22:37
Speaker 1: Saint Barnabac's day, he went to play at ball on
22:40
Speaker 1: the castle green. He never returned from the game. This
22:45
Speaker 1: youth and his master, Jean Pellettier, had been in the
22:48
Speaker 1: habit of eating and drinking at the castle, and had
22:51
Speaker 1: always laughed at the ominous stories told by the people.
22:56
Speaker 1: Julam Hilaire and his wife confirmed the statements of the Barbier.
23:00
Speaker 1: They also said that they knew of the loss of
23:02
Speaker 1: the sons of Jean Gandan, Jean Vouen, and Alexander Chartellier,
23:08
Speaker 1: the son of Jean Gendroan, aged twelve, lived with the
23:12
Speaker 1: said de Hilaire and learned of him the trade of skinner.
23:15
Speaker 1: He had been working in the shop for seven or
23:17
Speaker 1: eight years and was a steady, hard working lad. One day,
23:22
Speaker 1: Mensieur Gildecille and Borget de Bricville entered the shop to
23:26
Speaker 1: purchase a pair of hunting gloves. They asked a little
23:30
Speaker 1: gandon might take a message for them to the castle.
23:33
Speaker 1: Hilaire readily consented, and the boy received beforehand the payment
23:37
Speaker 1: for going a gold angelus, and he started promising to
23:41
Speaker 1: be back directly, but he had never returned. That evening,
23:46
Speaker 1: Hilaire and his wife, observing Gildecille and Roger de Brigville
23:50
Speaker 1: returning to the castle, ran to them and asked what
23:53
Speaker 1: had become of the apprentice. They replied that they had
23:57
Speaker 1: no notion of where he was, as they had been
23:59
Speaker 1: at hunting, but that it was possible he might have
24:03
Speaker 1: been sent to Tifoge, another castle of Deray. Juloam Hilaire,
24:08
Speaker 1: whose depositions were more grave and explicit than the others,
24:12
Speaker 1: positively asserted that Jean de gendant valet to Roger de Brigeville,
24:16
Speaker 1: had told him he knew of a cask secreted in
24:19
Speaker 1: the castle full of children's corpses. He said that he
24:23
Speaker 1: had often heard people say that children were enticed to
24:26
Speaker 1: the chateau and then murdered, but had treated it as
24:30
Speaker 1: an idle tale. He said moreover that the Marshal was
24:34
Speaker 1: not accused of having any hand in the murders, but
24:37
Speaker 1: that his servants were supposed to be guilty. Jean Jenjan
24:42
Speaker 1: himself deposed to the loss of his son, and he
24:45
Speaker 1: added that his was not the only child which had
24:47
Speaker 1: vanished mysteriously at marsh School. He knew of thirty that
24:51
Speaker 1: had disappeared. Jean Cheffoulon elder and junior. Jean Aauban and
24:57
Speaker 1: Clement d'urray, all inhabitants of the parish of Tomage, deposed
25:02
Speaker 1: that they had known a poor man of the same
25:04
Speaker 1: parish named mathelon Tomars, who had lost his son aged twelve,
25:08
Speaker 1: and that he had died of grief in consequence. Jean
25:12
Speaker 1: Roouon of mache Cour, who for nine years had been
25:15
Speaker 1: in a state of uncertainty whether her son were alive
25:18
Speaker 1: or dead, deposed that the child had been carried off
25:21
Speaker 1: whilst keeping sheep. She had thought that he had been
25:24
Speaker 1: devoured of wolves, But two women of mache Courp, now deceased,
25:29
Speaker 1: had seen Jial de Sillee approach the little shepherd, speak
25:32
Speaker 1: to him and point to the castle. Shortly after the
25:36
Speaker 1: lad had walked off in that direction. The husband of
25:39
Speaker 1: Jean Rouron went to the chateau to inquire after his son,
25:43
Speaker 1: but could obtain no information. When next Jial de Sille
25:47
Speaker 1: appeared in the town, the disconsolate mother entreated him to
25:51
Speaker 1: restore her child to her. Jill replied that he knew
25:55
Speaker 1: nothing about him, as he had been to the king
25:57
Speaker 1: at Ano. Was Jean, widow of Amory Hedelon living at Machecourts,
26:03
Speaker 1: had also lost eight years before a little child as
26:06
Speaker 1: he had pursued some butterflies into the wood. At the
26:10
Speaker 1: same time, four other children had been carried off, thoseon Jondan,
26:14
Speaker 1: Roouon and Marseilles. Soon She said that the story circulated
26:19
Speaker 1: to the country was that Gild de Sillt stole children
26:22
Speaker 1: to make them over to the English in order to
26:25
Speaker 1: obtain the ransom of his brother, who was a captive.
26:28
Speaker 1: But she added that this report was traced to the
26:31
Speaker 1: servants of Silas, and that it was propagated by them.
26:35
Speaker 1: One of the last children to disappear was that of
26:38
Speaker 1: noel As, living in the parish of Saint Croix. A
26:42
Speaker 1: man from Tiffoge had said to her, Jean Hedelon, that
26:46
Speaker 1: for one child stolen at March School, there were seven
26:49
Speaker 1: carried away at Tiffoge. Marseilles. Sanan confirmed the deposition of
26:54
Speaker 1: the widow Hedelon and repeated the circumstances connected with the
26:58
Speaker 1: loss of the children of Chatel Rouon, Gendon and the Barbier.
27:04
Speaker 1: Perine Rondeau had entered the castle with the company of
27:07
Speaker 1: Jean l'abais. She had entered the stable and had found
27:11
Speaker 1: a heap of ashes and powder which had a sickly
27:14
Speaker 1: and peculiar smell. At the bottom of a trough, she
27:18
Speaker 1: had found a child's shirt covered with blood. Several inhabitants
27:22
Speaker 1: of the borg of Renet to Wit Perrout, Paquiteau, Jean Solau,
27:28
Speaker 1: Catherine de Gripe, Gilgarnier, Perin Vieillard, Marguerite rediern Marie Carfon,
27:36
Speaker 1: Jean Laudai said that they had heard Gillom Hamelon last
27:40
Speaker 1: Easter lamenting the loss of two children Isabeau, wife of
27:45
Speaker 1: guillom Hamelon, confirmed these depositions, saying that she had lost
27:49
Speaker 1: them seven years before. She had at that time four children.
27:54
Speaker 1: The eldest aged fifteen, the youngest aged seven, went together
27:58
Speaker 1: to much Cool to buy some bread, but they did
28:01
Speaker 1: not return. She sat out for them all night, and
28:04
Speaker 1: next morning she heard that another child had been lost,
28:08
Speaker 1: the son of Michau Bonnel of Saint Surrey du Ray. Guillamet,
28:13
Speaker 1: wife of Michau Bonnell, said that her son had been
28:16
Speaker 1: carried off whilst guarding cows. Guillaum Roudigoux and his wife,
28:21
Speaker 1: living at brogueenerfon Way, deposed that on the eve of
28:25
Speaker 1: La Sant Patholomio's day, the side Array lodged with Guillonne
28:29
Speaker 1: Plumet in his village. Pontou, who accompanied the marshal, saw
28:34
Speaker 1: a lad of fifteen named Bernard Lecanino, servant to Rodigo,
28:39
Speaker 1: standing at the door of his house. The lad could
28:42
Speaker 1: not speak much French, but only Barbreton. Pontou beckoned to
28:47
Speaker 1: him and spoke to him in a low tone. That evening,
28:50
Speaker 1: at ten o'clock, Bernard left his master's house. Mordigo and
28:54
Speaker 1: his wife being absent. The servant maid, who saw him
28:57
Speaker 1: go out, called to him that the supper table was
29:00
Speaker 1: not yet cleared, but he paid no attention to what
29:03
Speaker 1: she said. Vaudigo, annoyed at the loss of his servant,
29:07
Speaker 1: asked some of the marshal's men what had become of him.
29:10
Speaker 1: They replied mockingly that they knew nothing of the little breton,
29:15
Speaker 1: but that he had probably been sent to Teffoge to
29:18
Speaker 1: be trained as page to their lord. Marguerite Souren, the
29:22
Speaker 1: chambermaid alluded to above, confirmed the statement of Rodigo, adding
29:26
Speaker 1: that Ponteau had entered the house and spoken with Bernard Guillonne.
29:31
Speaker 1: Plumet and wife confirmed what Rodigo and Sooram had said.
29:35
Speaker 1: Tomar Asi and wife deposed to the loss of their son,
29:38
Speaker 1: aged ten, who had gone to beg at the gate
29:41
Speaker 1: of the castle of mash Corps, and a little girl
29:44
Speaker 1: had seen him drawn by an offer of meat into
29:46
Speaker 1: the chateau. Jamette, wife of Eustache Drouet of Saint Leger,
29:51
Speaker 1: had sent two sons, one aged ten, the other seven,
29:55
Speaker 1: to the castle to obtain alms. They had not been
29:59
Speaker 1: seen sin. On the second of October, the commissioners sat again,
30:04
Speaker 1: and the charges became graver, and the servants of the
30:07
Speaker 1: Marshal became more and more implicated. The disappearance of thirteen
30:12
Speaker 1: other children were substantiated under circumstances throwing strong suspicion on
30:16
Speaker 1: the inmates of the castle. I will not give the details,
30:20
Speaker 1: for they much resemble those of the former depositions. Suffice
30:24
Speaker 1: it to say that the former commissioners closed the inquiry
30:27
Speaker 1: a herald of the Duke of Brittany and Tabard blew
30:30
Speaker 1: three calls on the trumpet from the steps of the
30:32
Speaker 1: tower of Bouffet, summoning all who had additional charges to
30:36
Speaker 1: bring against the si array to present themselves without delay.
30:41
Speaker 1: As no fresh witnesses arrived, the case was considered to
30:44
Speaker 1: be made out, and the commissioners visited the Duke with
30:47
Speaker 1: the information they had collected in their hands. The Duke
30:51
Speaker 1: hesitated long as to the steps he should take should
30:55
Speaker 1: he judge and sentence a kinsman, the most powerful of
30:58
Speaker 1: his vassals, the bravest of the captains, a counselor of
31:01
Speaker 1: the king, a marshal of France. Whilst still unsettled in
31:06
Speaker 1: his mind as to the course he should pursue, he
31:08
Speaker 1: received a letter from Gille de'ray which produced quite a
31:12
Speaker 1: different effect from that which it had been intended to produce.
31:16
Speaker 1: Monsieur my cousin, an honored sire, it is quite true
31:20
Speaker 1: that I am perhaps the most detestable of all sinners,
31:24
Speaker 1: having sinned horribly again and again. Yet have I never
31:28
Speaker 1: failed in my religious duties. I have heard many masses vespers,
31:32
Speaker 1: et cetera, have fasted in lent and on vigils, have
31:36
Speaker 1: confessed my sins, deploring them heartily, and have received the
31:40
Speaker 1: blood of our Lord at least once. In the year
31:44
Speaker 1: since I have been languishing in prison awaiting your honored justice,
31:48
Speaker 1: I have been overwhelmed with incomparable repentance for my crimes,
31:52
Speaker 1: which I am ready to acknowledge and to expiate as
31:54
Speaker 1: is suitable. Wherefore, I supplicate you, Monsieur my cousin, to
31:59
Speaker 1: give me license to retire into a monastery, and there
32:02
Speaker 1: to lead a good and exemplary life. I care not
32:05
Speaker 1: into what monastery I am sent, but I intend that
32:08
Speaker 1: all my goods, et cetera, should be distributed among the poor,
32:12
Speaker 1: who are the members of Jesus Christ on earth. Awaiting
32:16
Speaker 1: your glorious clemency on which I rely. I pray God,
32:20
Speaker 1: our Lord, to protect you and your kingdom. He who
32:24
Speaker 1: addresses you is in all earthly humility by a jille
32:29
Speaker 1: carmelite in intention. The Duke read this letter to Pierre
32:33
Speaker 1: delo Pital, President of Brittany, and to the Bishop of
32:37
Speaker 1: nut who were those most resolute in pressing on the trial.
32:41
Speaker 1: They were horrified at the tone of this dreadful communication
32:44
Speaker 1: and assured the Duke that the case was so clear
32:47
Speaker 1: and the steps taken had been so decided, that it
32:50
Speaker 1: was impossible for him to allow de Ray to escape
32:53
Speaker 1: trial by such an impious device as he suggested. In
32:57
Speaker 1: the meantime, the Bishop and the Grand Seneschal had set
33:00
Speaker 1: on foot an investigation at the castle of mash Corps,
33:03
Speaker 1: and had found numerous traces of human remains, but a
33:06
Speaker 1: complete examination could not be made as the Duke was
33:10
Speaker 1: anxious to screen his kinsmen as much as possible and
33:14
Speaker 1: refused to authorize one. The Duke now summoned his principal
33:19
Speaker 1: officers and held a council with them. They unanimously sided
33:23
Speaker 1: with the Bishop and delo Pital, and when John still hesitated,
33:27
Speaker 1: the Bishop of nunt rose and said, Monseigneur, this case
33:31
Speaker 1: is one for the Church as much as for your
33:33
Speaker 1: court to take up. Consequently, if your President of Brittany
33:37
Speaker 1: does not bring the case into secular court, by the
33:39
Speaker 1: judge of Heaven and Earth, I will cite the author
33:42
Speaker 1: of these execrable crimes to appear before our ecclesiastical tribunal.
33:47
Speaker 1: The resolution of the Bishop compelled the Duke to yield,
33:50
Speaker 1: and it was decided that the trial should take its
33:53
Speaker 1: course without let or hindrance. In the meantime, the unhappy
33:57
Speaker 1: wife of gild' ray, who had been separated from him
34:01
Speaker 1: for some while, and who loathed his crimes, though she
34:04
Speaker 1: still felt him as her husband, hurried to the Duke
34:07
Speaker 1: with her daughter to entreat pardon for the wretched man,
34:11
Speaker 1: but the Duke refused to hear her. Thereupon she went
34:15
Speaker 1: to Envoirs to intercede with the King for him, who
34:17
Speaker 1: had once been his close friend and adviser. End of
34:22
Speaker 1: Chapter eleven.