Memorandum to Most Reverend Archbishop Rinaldo Orsini of Florence

copy to Don Lorenzo di Medici

Your grace,

On the morning of Tuesday, the seventeenth of February in the year of our Lord fourteen hundred and seventy-eight, we received word from the village of Montesusino that a young woman had been murdered by a monk. Our initial concern was potential dispute over the jurisdiction in the matter between the Olivettan order and the secular authorities. This might lead to strong feelings and some individuals might be tempted to actions that would imperil both their souls and the rule of law.

At your instruction, I set out without dellay to investigate. I am grateful to Don Lorenzo di Medici who provided me with an escort, consisting of Sir Andrea da Rimini, Sir Jean de Vichy, Niccolo Moro and Luan Nexhat. We were also accompanied by Donna Maria. At the time, I thought her inclusion in the party ill-advised. In this I was mistaken, on more than one occasion there were tasks could not have been decently be performed by a man, and she according proved useful.

We rode directly to the castle where we were entertained to lunch by Don Arturo Silvestri della Montesusino, and his daughter, Caterina. Don Arturo could provide us with little information, not even the identity of the victim. All he knew was that both the victim and the murderer were now in the Priory.

After lunch we proceeded to Priory of Monte Olivetti Maggiore; there we met with Prior Vittore Patrici. I was initially encouraged to learn that it was a novice, rather than an avowed monk who was accused. I hoped that Father Vittore could be prevailed upon to expel him from the order and hence into Don Arturo's jurisdiction. With his next breath, he dashed this hope by expressing his confident belief in his innocence.

The novice Emilio had arrived at the gate around midnight. He was in a state of agitation and with his habit greatly stained with fresh blood. A villager called Jacopo claimed he had found Emilio with a murdered woman in the night. In the morning, he had shown the monks the body which was now in the infirmary.

Emilio was questioned in the chapter house. He confessed to having committed sins of the flesh with the woman, who he identified as Simona Notariano, but denied having otherwise harmed her. He had met Simona, they had sinned and parted. Shortly afterwards, he had heard her screams and ran back. He found her horribly mauled and made futile attempts at giving her succour, which accounted for the bloody state of his habit. He was found there by Jacopo, he assumed that Emilio was the perpetrator. Emilio fled and return to the priory. It was clear that there was great anger among the villagers that risked unrest if the monks were seen to be protecting one of their own from deserved punishment.

We then went to the infirmary to inspect the corpse. The injuries were too awful to describe in detail. I was myself unable to bear the sight of them, so I rely on the assessments of my companions who are more inured to the wounds of violence to describe them. All who examined her agreed that the injuries had been inflicted by a beast rather a man. Some small parts of the body, including the hands and most of the face, were missing. There was a clear bite mark that is thought most likely to have been inflicted by a large dog or wolf.

The evidence seemed clear that Emilio was not the murderer. This left no problem over jurisdiction, but a very severe problem over how to assuage the anger of the populus. Worse, Simona had served as maid to Caterina Silvestri so was a member of Don Arturo's household. Don Arturo could not but demand action in such a case.

Donna Maria went with an escort to the castle to find out what Caterina knew about her maid's whereabouts. Meanwhile I went to Giovanni Notariano's house to break the news about his daughter.

Notariano was not at home. His wife told me he was at the castle so I proceeded there. I found Notariano with Don Arturo. I broke the news to both of them. Both displayed complete disbelief; both were certain that she was safely in the castle. A servant was called to confirm this but he reported that Simona was absent and assumed to be at her parents’ house. Notariano left to inform his wife.

Donna Maria confirmed that Caterina also believed that Simona was with her parents. She also reported that Caterina seemed to have dreamt of the attack.

In the afternoon, the scene of the attack was examined. A severed finger was found. It proved possible to follow the tracks of the beast after its attack. This was initially done by men and then confirmed with dogs. In both cases, the track led from the scene towards the mill, near the castle. The track ended when the beast entered the mill race. It proved impossible to find where it had left the water.

Meanwhile enquiries were made into all dogs kept in the castle and the village. There did not seem to be any dogs that were plausibly the attacker, most importantly because none seemed large enough.

I spent the evening with Father Vittore while my escort went to the local tavern to research the local folklore. We learnt that there had been a number of deaths by dog attack in the vicinity. Most notably Don Bartolomeo, Don Arturo's predecessor and father-in-law, had apparently been killed by his own hunting dogs.

I met with the others in the guest house and learnt that they had uncovered much of interest. The most valuable information came from one of the oldest living inhabitants of the village.

Accordingly to this peasant, Don Bartolomeo had been cursed by Agnella Volpone because her son, Piero, had given Don Bartolomeo cause to set his dogs on him and he had been marred by the mauling. His recollection was that the wording of the curse was, “You are no better than a dog, and the dog in your blood will kill the adulterer”.

There were a number of suspicious deaths similar to Simona's in the years immediately after the curse. They had then ceased around the time that Donna Angela, Don Arturo's wife, had been locked away on account of her insanity. In all cases, it seems that the victims had committed sins of the flesh and thus were adulterers. (It was not practical to determine if any had received the absolution of the holy church for those sins, but it is entirely plausible that none had.)

The theory is that the curse followed Don Bartolomeo's bloodline, that Donna Angela had committed the early murders under the influence of the curse and that the curse was doing the same to Caterina now that she was coming into womanhood. The curse, in spite of being cast upon Don Bartolomeo, does not seem to have affected any men of the family. As Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us, man is the perfect image of god, and woman is defective. It seems that the curse acts upon this defect.

Whereas I was concerned that we had yet to find the evidence to prove it to a court, there seem ample grounds for arresting the suspected witch on a charge of maleficium. Some of my companions favoured swifter summary justice. This could have been disastrous. Whereas the curse would be lifted by the lawful death of the witch, it was arguably a moral curse, slaying only sinners, which might survive countless generations if she was murdered.

When we tried to approach Agnella’s hovel we were threatened by Piero, who claimed to have a cross-bow. Whereas this seemed unlikely, I decided not to take any risks and retired. I left Sir Jean and Nexhat to stand guard.

On my way back to the castle I met Cosimo, who told me that his sister was abroad, transformed into an enormous dog. He was concerned that one of my escort might encounter her and kill her.

On reaching the castle, I found that Donna Maria had actually witnessed the transformation, and many had seen her fleeing as a beast. With such impeccable witnesses, there could no longer be any doubt that this was maleficium and I expected little trouble in finding witnesses to incriminate the culprit.

There was nothing further that could be done in the night. We bedded down as best we could in the castle hall.

At first light, Donna Maria and Niccolo Moro embarked to try to find the unfortunate Caterina. At the same time I embarked with Sir Andrea to arrest the witch.

There was no trace of last night's mist and we found the hovel without any difficulty. Sir Jean and Nexhat were still standing guard. I approached the door and demanded entrance. There was no answer but sobbing. I tried the door, found it unbarred and entered. There I found Piero clutching the lifeless body of Agnella, who had an empty vial in her hand. It was clear that she had chosen self-murder rather than face justice.

Whereas I hope I will never encounter a more hopeless case, there remained the possibility that she had truly repented between taking and succumbing to the poison. We must never abandon any soul to damnation if there is any chance of salvation. Accordingly I offered to officiate at her burial. Obviously this could not be in consecrated ground, nor as a manifest sinner could it be the full funeral rites of the holy church. I confess I was relieved when Piero declined my offer. I left him to bury his mother; and her to eternal damnation.

I returned to the castle to find Caterina had been found naked in the woods. Donna Maria had dressed her before she was brought back. All noticed that she seemed healthier than formerly, which encouraged our growing hope that the curse was lifted. That she slept undisturbed the next night is further evidence.

Agnella's self-murder was very opportune. This ended the affair most satisfactorily. My one recommendation is that we should send back a portion of my party (who are fully familiar with the case) to stay in Montesusino over the next full moon, and check that Caterina is indeed free of the curse. I would recommend Donna Maria to closely observe her, and Sir Andrea & Sir Jean to escort Donna Maria.

All that remained was to ensure that the villagers were content with the resolution. We remained another day. This allowed us to attend the funeral of Simona. Father Vittore presided. He allowed me to include a brief homily on the evils of witchcraft, and the importance of bringing it to the attention of the appropriate authorities. I observed that had this been done promptly after Agnella pronounced her curse, then several souls would have been spared unshriven deaths and the consequence purification in purgatory. I left confident that the villagers understood what had passed and there is no risk of further unrest over this.

That completes the account of the business upon which you sent me.

———

There has not been a diocesan visit to the Montesusino for a number of years and I would be remiss if I was not to report on its state.

In spite of the recent disturbance, Montesusino seems to be in good order. Don Arturo is a gentle and generous lord. He is neither particularly enterprising or talented, but nothing in his rule seems endanger good order.

I found Father Vittore a pious, wise and conformant priest; both within the priory and in ministering to the villagers. Indeed I think he would make a good abbot for a monastery.

As with any parish, there are a number of minor problems. The novice Emilio is now shriven, but there remain serious doubts about his vocation. There is the sinner, Piero Volpone, to be brought to Christ. There is the soul of Simona Notariano in purgatory that must be prayed for. I have complete confidence that these matters are in good hands and will be resolved as the Lord wishes.

There seems to be no discord between the secular and the church. Don Arturo and Father Vittore are good friends and occasionally hunt together. While these two men remain, I think that the village is in good hands and unlikely to be the source of any further trouble.

Your servant

Father Lorenzo