This episode digs onto the spectacle of the 1599 possession case of Martha Brossier... beginning with a demonic performance that threatened to reignite the French Wars of Religion.
A young woman claimed to be controlled by the devil, weaponizing exorcism to pit Catholics against Protestants. And the twist isn't just that she was a fraud... it's that her 'demon' was dismantled not by a priest, but by a rigorous scientific process. Was the possession real? See what the first documented use of the scientific method discovered.
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Some images and historical documents in this episode are public domain, Creative Commons licensed, or used under U.S. Fair Use for educational analysis, historical commentary, and transformative storytelling.
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🏆 Episode Credits
All research, writing, editing, narration, and production by:
Jessica M. Lathrop, M.A. (Ancient & Classical History)
Larry Lathrop, M.S. (Data Science + MBA)
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🖼️ Image Attributions
•A Post-Medieval silver needle (FindID 191404) – Public Domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Post-Medieval_silver_needle_(FindID_191404).jpg
• Beelzebub and Them With Him – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beelzebub_and_them_with_him.jpg
• King Henry IV of France – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_Henry_IV_of_France.jpg
• Title Page – Discours véritable sur le faict de Marthe Brossier – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Page_de_titre_de_Discours_veritable_sur_le_faict_de_Marthe_Brossier.jpg
• The Massacre of St. Bartholomew – Public Domain. François Dubois (c. 1572–1584).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_masacre_de_San_Bartolom%C3%A9,_por_Fran%C3%A7ois_Dubois.jpg
• John Calvin (young portrait) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Calvin_-_Young.jpg
• Procession de la Ligue (1590) – Public Domain. Musée Carnavalet.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Procession_de_la_Ligue_1590_Carnavalet.jpg
• Édit de Nantes (1598) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edit_de_nantes.jpg
• Tailor – Book of Trades illustration – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tailor_Book_of_Trades.png
• A Huguenot on St. Bartholomew’s Day – Public Domain. Sir John Everett Millais (1852).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sir_John_Everett_Millais._A_Huguenot,_on_St._Bartholomew%27s_Day_Refusing_to_Shield_Himself_from_Danger_by_Wearing_the_Roman_Catholic_Badge..jpg
• Croix Huguenote – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Croix_huguenote.png
• Michel Marescot (1539–1605) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michel_Marescot_(1539-1605).png
• Young Peasant Girl with Arms Folded – Public Domain. Louis Peter Boitard.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louis_Peter_Boitard_-_A_Young_Peasant_Girl_with_Arms_Folded_-_B1975.4.50_-_Yale_Center_for_British_Art.jpg
• Young Milkmaid (MET) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_Milkmaid_MET_DP818776.jpg
• Ion Andreescu – Portrait of a Peasant Woman – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ion_Andreescu_-_PortretDeTaranca.jpg
• Woodcut – Witch Trial (1598) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woodcut-1598-witch-trial.jpg
• Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève (pre-destruction) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Front_of_the_Ancient_Church_of_the_Abbey_of_Sainte_Genevieve_in_Paris_founded_by_Clovis_and_rebuilt_from_the_Eleventh_to_Thirteenth_Centuries_State_of_the_Building_before_its_Destruction_at_the_End_of_the_Last_Century.png
• Reliquaire du Clou et du Bois de la Croix – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reliquaire_du_Clou_et_du_Bois_de_la_Croix.jpg
• The Cross and Holy Water – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Cross_and_Holy_Water.jpg
• Medieval Casket Key (FindID 257079) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medieval_key;_casket_key_(FindID_257079).jpg
• Roman Ritual – Title 11 – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Ritual_Title_11.png
• Cristoforo Majorana – Leaf from Eclogues, Georgics and Aeneid – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cristoforo_Majorana_-_Leaf_from_Eclogues,_Georgics_and_Aeneid_-_Walters_W40055R_-_Open_Obverse.jpg
• Hunting Trousse (1560–1580) – Public Domain. Wellcome Collection.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hunting_trousse,_England,_1560-1580_Wellcome_L0057356.jpg
• Grand Châtelet de Paris – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_ch%C3%A2telet_de_Paris.JPG
• Triomphante victoire du précieux corps de Dieu… (Laon, 1566) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Carte_et_Image_repr%C3%A9sentant_au_vif_la_triomphante_victoire_du_pr%C3%A9cieux_corps_de_Dieu_sur_l%27esprit_maling_Beelzebub,_par_grand_miracle_obtenue_%C3%A0_Laon_mil_cinq_cens_soixante-six_-_estampe_-_btv1b8400591m.jpg
• The History of Witches and Wizards (1720) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_History_of_Witches_and_Wizards,_1720_Wellcome_L0026618.jpg
• Coat of Arms – House of La Rochefoucauld – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_the_House_of_La_Rochefoucauld.svg
• Cardinal d’Ossat – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cardinal-ossat.jpg
• General Biography (1818) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:General_biography;_or,_Lives,_critical_and_historical,_of_the_most_eminent_persons_of_all_ages,_countries,_conditions,_and_professions,_arranged_according_to_alphabetical_order_(1818)_(14763952942).jpg
• Pope Clement VIII – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pope_Clement_VIII_portrait.jpg
• Guillaume Quiquer – Dictionnaire et colloques – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guillaume_Quiquer_Dictionnaire_et_colloques.jpg
• Johnson Dictionary – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JohnsonDictionary.png
• Latin Epiriote Dictionary – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latin_Epiriote_Dictionary.jpg
• Thucydides (Venizelos modern Greek translation) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thucydides_Venizelos_Modern_Greek_translation_Oxford_c1937.jpg
• Boule Puante – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boule_puante.jpg
• Asafoetida Resin (Iran) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asafoetida_resin_(Iran).jpg
• Attentat de Jean Chastel – Public Domain.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Attentat_de_Jean_Chastel.jpg
• Dive Bouteille (Gustave Doré) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dive_Bouteille_par_Gustave_Dor%C3%A9.jpg
• Fragment of red silk fabric with embroidery in yellow and light green – Public Domain. Source: LookAndLearn.
https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/YR0311310/Fragment-of-red-silk-fabric-with-embroidery-in-yellow-and-light-green
• Lit de justice held by the king in the Grand Chamber of the Parliament of Paris (1651) – Public Domain. Source: LookAndLearn.
https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/YP0354397/Lit-de-justice-held-by-the-king-in-the-grand-chamber-of-the-parliament-of-Paris-in-1651
• Ballerina performance (vector illustration) – Public Domain. Source: Pixabay.
https://pixabay.com/vectors/ballerina-performance-theater-9333398/
• Eucharist – Body of Christ – Public Domain. Source: Pixabay.
https://pixabay.com/photos/eucharist-body-of-christ-church-1591663/
• Blue rosary with silver crucifix on white background – Free to use under Pexels License. Photo by Rasha Saadeh.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-rosary-with-silver-crucifix-on-white-background-31678923/
• Human fist – Free to use under Pexels License. Photo by Pixabay.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/human-fist-163431/
• Priest hand holding chalice and communion wafer – Free to use under Pexels License. Photo by Gabriel Manjarres.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/priest-hand-holding-chalice-and-communion-wafer-13386194/
• Woman in dress sitting on chair (indoors) – Free to use under Pexels License. Photo by Gabriel Manjarres.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-dress-sitting-on-chair-indoors-16007003/
• Pièces concernant Marthe Brossier (1596–1600) – Public Domain. Source: Gallica, Bibliothèque nationale de France.
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9061972v/f99.item
• Additional Marthe Brossier archival material – Public Domain. Source: Gallica, Bibliothèque nationale de France.
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k8704967t
• Sage beside wood piece – Free to use under Pexels License. Photo by www.KaboomPics.com https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-sage-beside-wood-piece-4040613/
😅 Whew!
You’ve reached the end of the details for this episode.
Thank you for being a part of the Cursed Voices community. We believe that history is most haunting when it’s handled with care, and your support allows us to keep digging for the truth behind these legendary tales. We sincerely appreciate every view, every like, every follower, and every donation.
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Stay curious, question everything, and we’ll meet you in the next episode. - Jess & Larry