Blue-beard: A Contribution to History and Folk-lore / Being the history of Gilles de Retz of Brittany, France, who was executed at Nantes in 1440 A.D., and who was the original of Blue-beard in the tales of Mother Goose

CONTENTS

	PAGE
Introduction	ix
CHAPTER I
Gilles de Retz. 1404–1420
His Name, Family, Marriage, and Education	1
CHAPTER II
Gilles as a Soldier. 1420–1429
First for John V., Duke of Brittany, against the House of Blois. He Joins the Army of France and is Assigned to Duty with Joan of Arc. Crowning of the King, and Gilles made Marshal of France	9
CHAPTER III
Gilles’s Life at Home in Brittany 1430–1439
The Personal Appearance of Gilles de Retz. An Epitome of his Life. His Extravagance and Ruinous Expenditures. His Inheritance. His Sales and Transfers of Property. His Love for the Theatre. Mysteries. That of the Siege of Orleans. Mysteries at Nantes. The Cathedral. Expensive Visit to Orleans. Maison de la Suze. The Decree of the King Interdicting his Sale or Incumbrance of Property. An Increasing Demand for Money Drives him to Magic in Search for the Philosopher’s Stone and the Transmutation of Base Metals into Gold. Magic	24
CHAPTER IV
Gilles’s Crimes
Gilles’s Abduction of Children. His Familiars. ChÂteau de Tiffauges. First Process against Gilles. Warrant. Arrest and Imprisonment. ChÂteau de Nantes	64
CHAPTER V
Gilles’s Trial before the Ecclesiastical Tribunal
The Ecclesiastical Tribunal. Record in the Archives of Loire-InfÉrieure. The Trial. His Confession. Judgment and Sentence	93
CHAPTER VI
The Trial before the Civil Court
Trial before the Civil Court. Depositions. Conviction and Sentence	167
CHAPTER VII
The Execution	177
APPENDIX A
Mother Goose Publications	183
APPENDIX B
Bluebeard Stories	186
APPENDIX C
Mystery of the Siege of Orleans	189
APPENDIX D
Depositions in Civil Court against Gilles	195

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