, 1874-11-03

u =
Mny0owcra md bargcs.
WINp-douth. Weather 1nc.
VVlTCHCIsAET.
a witch Trial i'll tho Fourteenth Ccn-
tnry.
In this paper re Intend to follow tho course
which tho trial actually took. Perhaps 1t wonld
DO possible to improve tho storyi tells by throw
ing it into another shape. But it il also poHsi-
bio that alcli process might ci1cctral'y destroy
its ynluc "s an illustration Of uanncra aud su-
porstiion 500 years ago.
visit to tho CAateot-tLo Old Daiioy Of
Paris--on Saturday. tho 30th Of July,
1880. Originally erected as n toto do
Pont to cover the ontrnnce Of the city by way Of
tho Bridge ~ Change # consisted Of q, u square
eootro, straight to tho bridge, ran narrow pass
ngc, with heavy gatos at it's extreu,itics. Tho
1aat cr,,mbling rclnnins Of the Chatcet were 1o-
moved IN 17o2. but 900 yesrB, earor,, though It
was thon ancient TINT tho date of its fonntla-
tion had passed. out Of memory, it was still for
1nidublo. Like n,any another old fertilization,
tho course Of time, in tnnorin3 1t from thu uut-
Bkir.a Of tho city to tho centre, ia tutned it into
nprison. Having surveyed its tnassy walls md
grim old batticnicnts, Mo penetrate through Il
number OF gloomy corridors to tho Gricc!lc, or
womah's cell. It IL q low, yaIlted chan,-
ber Of considerable tent,-dim, damp
auro: stono toncl which runs round it soryos
ns scat by day aud couch by night. And got
this miserable lodging must bo paid Tor, ut tho
rate of 2 tenlcrH 4 night, by those who cannot
or will not rny great deal moro for acconlmoda-
ton hardly superior elsewhere. Tho authorities
do not provide the prleonors with food. OF this,
however there is seldom nuy scaIc'ty. Conf
miseration for tho captive s ono Of the foremost
dutios inulleated by modltpval religion. aud tho
bags which hang from tho gratings OF tho Chat-
oot aro Elcd daily with tho contributions ot tho
charitable. Besides, it is so common for THO
conscientious to trAycrae tho city, at htntcd
times, III search al nliua for those III ditrnnco
TINT contemporary ealiro has Seized upon tho
practice US onc Of tho many characteristics Of
lypoerlny.
1he prisoners in the Grlctche arc vnriouBly occu-
pied. Some exchange blows. for not only do they
uunrro1, but not ulsfrequeitly curry tlor conten-
tlpn to a fasul closo. Some merely exchange
coarse cpthcts. Some carouRo, for here money
will procure anything. And -yokefellows
i'll iniquity these-arrango their dcfelse, and dis
CUES the probabilities Of conviction. Tic lust il
the occupation Of tho two committed ou tho
charge of bowitching and poisoning. uainHcllin
paneso, and his wife, Agnnsot, Of THO huc tps
FoHacs st. Gern,ai1s. Ono of tho two, Mlrgot do
10 Barro, alias du Coignet III hari-foa.rrcd
notwithstanding woman, bctwceu 80 und GO,
vino previous to Aor incarceration. kept tavern
Of no good rep',to III tho kme Froidmantol, n
street III tho vicinity of the Louvre. rs indeed
nro all tic strectH mentioned III this Trial Tho
other, Marion In Droitutierc, alipB lEBta[oe, is
less than half the hEe Of her companion, but of
quito anotlor cxtelor, being remarkably tall
and tllin.. 1t is evident thnt slc has bcc, y
gaudy bird at no distant dato but impyiHon-
lnent has stripped of much Of hes gay plumage,
md eoTely bedragGlcd the rest. She is by pro-
fession what re would term ian unfortunate"
-one Of the highest Clans, however. being Q
member Of singular body attached to the
trcuch court.
The iailors appear, and Margot is led up to the
ball OF judgment. On this occasion, Tho Court
is compoBed OF the Provost Of tue Uhatelet, ha
Lieutenant,. bis Auditor, tho Kings Advocate,
aud nix other rcrsonagca lournel IN tho law,
termed Examiners. THO preliminary formaticB
are gonu through, and tllo t,inl hegina. Muir
got is questioned on oatl respecting ler former
life SAo reples TINT she WAS boru in tho
Town Of Deaune, in tho Gastonois TINT
for many year ahe had lcd fagabonl and an
Immoral life, "Eometimee in QUO town, aoync-
tines in Rnothc.," settling eventually IN the Ruo
by bit In tho course of tho trial, tint during the
latter portion OF her career, tho professions OF
eorcoreeB, Quacls, anu not iRiprobably poiBoner,
had beeu conjoinod to that Of keeper Of II house
mout Of Plnnote and his wife she explains that
the man WIS M old Acquaintance, in tha habit Of
frequcuting her tavern with rEstallce, his Rmie,
up almost TO tho day Of his 1nagrlage-an event
which hnd taken place but few weeks previous
to the trial. Immediately after tho wedding, I"
Bao goes on to relate, !" Iwaa informed by mutual
friends TINT Agnesot was afflicted with a
dlsease which caused her, brain to ox''t1o
requested to do Homeshlng for tho poor woman.
Thon bot4uuglt me of q certain secret Which
my mother bad taught mo u my youth: and I
told thnae people that. with God to old, Iwonld
OF herbs which hat purchased On tho owe Of Vt.
John last past, went to the 1sue dos ToHaeB st.
dermatn: On the, way I pauecd to gather
huaoh ot ahephard'a-purse, which saw grow
Louvre, and which twine1 In the garland as 1
went. Admitted to tho bedaido OF Agnegot,
acquainted mYaelf. % we'll as ] could, witt, lior
mulady. Ihon said to her. Mon amie, I gave
you one now, md ssauro you Tint you could not
wcar better one 1t ID garland to unho-
witch yortrael! or nny other person upon whom
spell hah been laid So sayins, twinol tho
garland round her head. outside her cn,,. Yhen
Iropeatod three paters. md III many ares, and
o1oasod her Ia tho nalne OF tho Trinity. After
wards said, Twice hayo cunt u blight upon
you. and tArlca &c do remove II, in tho namo Of
tho Trtnity!'" The laat sentence was q damn
ing admission.
Concer1ling llalnhelin, slo told TINT aon,o lara
preceding ler visit to hs vito 10 Ind called At
her tavern to request asslstaaco for himself who
the eaka of old acquaintance, Aha Ind furnished
him With charm composed of shepherd s-n,,rso
wrapped up ln whfto rag, which sho directed him
to say M on bis person. promising that it would
70 further questions sho replied tllat Ala waa
totally ignorant OF tho art OF witohoraft. When
Eemindet OF an admission mado by her during
the examination preceding hor committal for
trial, Hlte dented ln tho strongest manIior, lay-
ing aver Bata that hho knew Agnosot to DO spall-
bound, or having made any romark at al con-
cerning her, saYa that, within threo or four days
OF putting on tho wreatl,. . notable chango
would take paco in har health,
Having heard all TINT Murgob thought nt to
state, tho Judges consulted thoreuno1l. rIlen
"dulY considering hcr fot,nar lie, Ills consralia.
tons between her various statements, tho sus-
Tho weed named was uutcl ;narcdicut in witch
preparations, ANuro Of this. Margol elloayor1ti Ia
Ktyo s appearance lii her garlanl tic securing Of no.
rtf1rpt- - :" -