And as Sire Robert was not learned in such matters, he determined to take counsel with his priest.
Now one day when Catherine and Jeanne were at home spinning, they beheld the Commander coming accompanied by the priest, Messire Jean Fournier.

They asked the mistress of the house to withdraw; and when they were left alone with the damsel, Messire Jean Fournier put on his stole and pronounced some Latin words which amounted to saying: "If thou be evil, away with thee; if thou be good, draw nigh."[408] [Footnote 408: _Trial_, vol.ii, p.

446.] It was the ordinary formula of exorcism or, to be more exact, of conjuration.

In the opinion of Messire Jean Fournier these words, accompanied by a few drops of holy water, would drive away devils, if there should unhappily be any in the body of this village maiden.
Messire Jean Fournier was convinced that devils were possessed by an uncontrollable desire to enter the bodies of men, and especially of maidens, who sometimes swallowed them with their bread.

They dwelt in the mouth under the tongue, in the nostrils, or penetrated down the throat into the stomach.