The Encyclopedia Of Demons And Demonology

Loudun Possessions 151
One of the most interesting items from the exorcisms
and trial was the alleged written PACT between the Devil
and Grandier, allegedly stolen from Lucifer’s cabinet of
devilish agreements by Asmodeus and presented to the
court as proof of Grandier’s complicity. Purportedly written
backward by Grandier in Latin and signed in BLOOD,
the pact outlined Grandier’s duties to the Devil and the
benefits he accrued thereby. Cosigners were SATAN, BEELZE-
BUB, LUCIFER, ELIMI, LEVIATHAN, and ASTAROTH, and it was
notarized by “signature and mark of the chief devil, and
my lords the princes of hell.” The recorder, BAALBERITH,
countersigned the pact. Asmodeus also accommodatingly
wrote out a promise to leave one of the nuns he was possessing,
as reported by an earlier exorcist, Father Gault:
I promise that when leaving this creature, I will make
a slit below her heart as long as a pin, that this slit will
pierce her shirt, bodice and cloth which will be bloody.
And tomorrow, on the twentieth of May at five in the
afternoon of Saturday, I promise that the demons Gresil
and Amand will make their opening in the same way,
but a little smaller—and I approve the promises made
by Leviatam, Behemot, Beherie with their companions to
sign, when leaving, the register of the church St. Croix!
Given the nineteenth of May, 1629.
The message is written in Jeanne des Anges hand.
Other demonic “evidence” was that of Astaroth, a devil of
the angelic order of seraphim and chief of the possessing
devils; from Easas, Celsus, Acaos, Cedon, Alex, Zabulon,
Naphthalim, Cham, and Ureil; from Asmodeus of the angelic
order of thrones; and from Achas of the angelic order
of principalities.
As the circus escalated, skeptics and defenders of
Grandier came forward to protest. On July 2, 1634, they
were officially silenced, forbidden to speak out against the
nuns, the exorcists, or any others assisting in the exorcisms,
under pain of stiff fines and physical punishment.
Jeanne des Anges appeared in court with a noose
around her neck, threatening to hang herself if she could
not expiate her previous perjury. Such efforts were ignored,
and other defense witnesses were either pressured
to keep silent or threatened with arrest as accessory
witches or traitors to the king. Many had to flee France.
Grandier believed almost to the end that he would
be exonerated. He appeared before the 14 judges only
The Devil’s pact allegedly signed by Father Urbain Grandier (AUTHOR’S COLLECTION)