Martin Lister, Montpellier, August 1664

Dr. Joly wanted us at in his Vineyard . . .[for] entertaiments . . .

There was alsoe in our company a French man in our Company that fained a voice from his stomach, which was heard of us, although it came a great way off and which way soever he turned his head, it seemed to come younceward: or if he lifted it upwards, out of the aire; if downe. out of the ground.

this he did soe strangely that he affrighted a Nurce of the next M[on]esterie into offa great passion which had been of ill consequence, but that he \soe did mainly/ disabuse her [1] out of hand  He had at certaine times imposed upon the whole citte at Montpelier in a body and upon the most \[two words]/ in particular.

He \had/ made Pagans[2] stripp them selves starke-naked and made others fall upon their knees severall times in 10 paces going.  He was learnt it at Paris and though he lived in Italie 16 yeares durst nev[e]r partise[3]afeard the Inquisition.


[1] Clearly a ventriloquist.

[2] Pagan could mean uncivilized, but in early modern parlance, it was also a euphemism for a prostitute.

[3] Practice.

 

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