Beginning with the arrival of Father Urbain Grandier; the arrogant, charismatic and drop-dead gorgeous priest of St.-Pierre-du-Marché in Loudun, and ending with his execution after allegations by the nuns that he had engaged in witchcraft.
The entire ordeal would last for almost fifteen years and would be the topic of converstaion and debate throughout the entire Loire Valley and beyond.
At it’s peak, the news would have assuredly reached Acadia, and no doubt had a profound effect on the inhabitants, especially Isaac Razilly, since so many of his family members were directly involved.
Soon after his arrival in Loudun, he was engaged in battle with many of the local citizens. In 1620, he won a lawsuit against a fellow priest named Meunier, and soon after enjoyed another victory when he sued the chapter of Sainte-Croix, over a house they had promised him. The attorney for the chapter was a man named Mignon, who would become Grandier’s mortal enemy and would be instrumental in bringing many influential people into the conflict. Mignon was a canon of the collegiate church of Sainte-Croix and director of the Ursuline convent.
To make matters worse, about the same time, Urbain got into another dispute with a man name Barot, who happened to be an uncle of Mignon, as well as his partner. Barot was very rich, and having no children was always surrounded by a horde of relatives, all hoping to get their name on the old man’s will. Many were present when Urbain insulted their uncle, so were added to his list of his enemies; a list that was growing daily.
The first scandal revolving around Urbain Grandier involved a pretty young girl by the name of Julie, who happened to be the daughter of the king's attorney, Trinquant, yet another uncle of Mignon. Gossip mongers had noticed her new fondness for entering the confessional and when she suddenly went into a state of depression, refusing to leave her room; tongues began to wag. One of her friends, Marthe Pelletier, gave up her high society lifestyle to nurse the young girl back to health, sequestering herself with Julie Trinquant.
Several months later, the young girl felt well enough to leave her self imposed prison, but it seems that while the two women were in isolation, one of them gave birth to a baby girl. It didn’t take much imagination to determine the reason for the young Trinquant girl’s hibernation, and most felt that the father was none other than the handsome and virile priest, Urbain Grandier.
However, Marthe Pelletier came forward to state that she was the proud mother of the little girl, though few believed her. When Julie’s father heard the reports, he tried to have Miss Pelletier arrested but since it may have been considered a sin to have a baby out of wedlock, it was not a crime, so he was forced to let her go. Marthe raised “her daughter” on her own, but it was believed that she had actually been paid for her services, and that the baby did indeed belong to Julie Trinquant.
Urbain's enemies were determined to unite in order to crush him. They held a meeting at Barot’s home, and in attendance besides Barot himself, were the disgruntled priest, Father Meunier, Trinquant, Mignon and Renee Menou (Charles Menou D’Aulnay’s father); who was a member of the King's private council and Council of State under his cousin; Cardinal Richelieu.
The elder Menou also had a personal vendetta against Grandier. Seems that he had taken a fancy to a woman who had repeatedly spurned his advances. Feeling himself a good catch, despite the fact that he was married, there could only be one reason for her disinterest: she was in love with Grandier. The priest certainly had a way with women, and was known to have strayed from his vow of celibacy. As a matter of fact, he had once written a paper on the subject, urging the Catholic Church to abandon the rule. This was all the ammunition they needed.
The campaign started off slowly. A well placed rumour here and there, and as the stories went from person to person they grew in detail, and soon everyone in Loudun believed they were true. Apparently in his latest amorous adventure, Father Grandier had taken a mistress, a local girl (though no name was ever given, unusual in itself for a small town) and had secretly married her, performing the ceremony himself. He soon forced the girl to perform indecent acts that went against her religious beliefs. Apparently, one such story invloved a crucifix, and it seemed that the more absurd the reports, the more credence they gained. When Grandier got word of the rumours, he dismissed them in his normal scornful and haughty manner. Far too ridiculous to take seriously.
Apparently, another man responsible for spreading the rumours was M. Duthibaut, another high profile member of Loudun society. Like Grandier, he was considered a learned man with advanced views, whom many turned to for enlightenment. One day when Urbain was about to enter the church of Sainte-Croix to assist in the service, he encountered Duthibaut, and in his usually high handed manner, confronted the man regarding his involvement in the slander. Because of his wealth and the influence he had in the community, Duthibaut, who was deeply offended by the public reprimand, raised his cane and struck Urbain.
The civil lieutenant, Louis Chauvet, along with the archpriest of Loudun, were appointed to investigate the matter. At the hearing, Trinquant appeared as a witness, and drew many others with him. The case was sent to the Bishop of Poitiers for trial, and it just happened that the Bishop also held a grudge against Grandier. A warrant was issued for his arrest, which read:
"Henri-Louis, Chataignier de la Rochepezai, by divine mercy Bishop of Poitiers, in view of the charges and informations conveyed to us by the archpriest of Loudun against Urbain Grandier, priest-in-charge of the Church of Saint-Pierre in the Market-Place at Loudun, in virtue of a commission appointed by us directed to the said archpriest, or in his absence to the Prior of Chassaignes, in view also of the opinion given by our attorney upon the said charges, have ordered and do hereby order that Urbain Grandier, the accused, be quietly taken to the prison in our palace in Poitiers, if it so be that he be taken and apprehended, and if not, that he be summoned to appear at his domicile within three days, by the first apparitor-priest, or tonsured clerk, and also by the first royal sergeant, upon this warrant, and we request the aid of the secular authorities, and to them, or to any one of them, we hereby give power and authority to carry out this decree notwithstanding any opposition or appeal, and the said Grandier having been heard, such a decision will be given by our attorney as the facts may seem to warrant.
"Given at Dissay the 22nd day of October 1629, and signed in the original as follows:
"HENRI-LOUIS, Bishop of Poitiers."
Grandier was forced to abandon his case at the Paris court until he could answer these new accusations, but no sooner had he set foot in Poiters, when he was arrested by a sheriff's officer named Chatry, and confined in the prison of the episcopal palace. He remained there for two months at which time, Barot, had one of his heirs, Ismael Boulieau, named as his successor. Finally, it was evident that the accusations were founded on hearsay and not fact, so a sentence was handed down whereby Grandier would “For three months to fast each Friday on bread and water by way of penance; to be inhibited from the performance of clerical functions in the diocese of Poitiers for five years, and in the town of Loudun for ever”.
Urbain appealed. There had been many conflicting statements made by the witnesses and some began to declare openly that they had been bribed; while others stated that their depositions had been tampered with. Finally, Ishmael Boulieau and a priest named Mechin recanted. Mechin's testimonial read:
"Done the last day of October 1630,
"(Signed) G. MECHIN."
