In Systema historico-chronologicum Ecclesiarum Slavonicarum per provincias varias … distinctarum, 1 published in 1652, in the section De reformatis speciatim ecclesiis in Min. Polonia”(L. I, cap. XV, p. 130-133) contains a description of a case of interest on the topic of Polish demonology of the past centuries. “Memorabilis et stupenda historia, quae in districtu Cracoviensi a. 1649. contigit "- this text is placed there under this heading. True, it does not belong to the pen, as it might seem, of the author of the work, Andrei Hungersky (also known under the pseudonym Adrjan Regenvolscjus), but was added there later, probably during the publication of the book by Jan Laetus, who at that time was an Oksha pastor. This is indicated by the additional postscript “Ex MS Joh. Laeti "(p. 130), as well as the factthat Hungarian had already died by the time an evil spirit raged on the Reyev estate (January 12 - March 8, 1649).
The theater of events became Oksha2, “Grenerosorum Reiorum avita et haereditaria possessio”, a place founded by the forefather of Polish poetry Mikolaj Rey on the site of the village of Tworowa in 1554.
In Oksha, there was a meeting of its own, 3 where Protestants repeatedly gathered for provincial synods. After the death of its founder, Oksha passed to his son Andrey, and in 1634 it was already in the property of Martin, the grandson of Mikolai, who confirmed all the privileges given to the town by his grandfather and father. So, almost a hundred years after its foundation (like other possessions of the Rey, for example, Bobin, Naglowice, etc.), as can be seen from the message of Laetus, Oksha was a strong and prosperous center of Protestantism, and its owners were in the third or fourth generation, considering from Mikolaj, stubbornly adhered to the faith of their forefathers, despite the changed times and a strong religious Catholic reaction.
Among other things, the story of the Oksha devil has another meaning: it contains several details that present in an interesting light, so to speak, the soul of Polish Protestantism and Polish customs of the 17th century. Now there is no longer any doubt that Protestantism in Poland, especially among the general population, in its details did not correspond to what its founder had in mind. Laetus's message clearly shows how he himself, like the senior seigneur of the Lesser Poland gatherings, instructed his parishioners, for example, to fast as zealously as if they were papists, and the pastors were Catholic priests. No less attention is drawn to the picture contained in the message, in bright colors showing the customs of the then world of Polish women, among whom there were enough of those who killed their children, conceived in sin,and such as the doctor's wife, who helped the first with advice and means.
Given this, Laetus's story can be considered important from the point of view of the history of our culture. I cite it below in a literal translation from Latin into Polish. Perhaps this will encourage someone else to search in the sphere of our beliefs in demons in the past centuries, and for sure material on this issue will be found in ancient manuscripts and in old books. Here's the story:
“By God's special permission, it so happened that in Oksha, a town in the Krakow district, the old hereditary possession of the Rejs, for several weeks uninterruptedly - from January 12 to March 8 - diabolical intrigues and terrible temptations harassed and persecuted a certain Protestant gentry Andrei Kosnu4, his wife and children who lived in the rented house. The testimony of trustworthy and direct witnesses suggests that this was not some kind of deception of the senses or fiction, but the real tricks of the devil. The evil spirit did a lot for the death and misfortune of the aforementioned Andrei Kosna, his wife and children, but here I have no intention of describing everything in detail, it will be enough if I briefly present the general state of affairs.
In fact, then he caused a lot of trouble not only to the inhabitants of the house, but even to passers-by and visitors, frightening them, making malicious jokes and beating them. He beat and broke dishes and all household utensils to the horror and amazement of all those present, since no one saw him; he beat many in the face, on the head, in the chest, on the legs, on the back; burning coals, taken out of the stove or hearth, and even scattered thick logs; the baby cradle, no matter how many supports they put under it, overturned; spoiled dishes, food and drinks, throwing impurities into them; the imagination of one young man, Alexander Chin Shkot, who spent several nights in this house, harassed him with terrible dreams; moreover, the widow of the gentry, Elzhbeta Gurska, the mother-in-law of the aforementioned Kosna, in that house during prayer, so much pestered that some sheets from the prayer book turned over and over and always that sheet,from which they began to read the prayer, took it out, and put another in its place.
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At that time, a certain nobleman - a papist and apostate - Vyzhitsky5 arrived in Oksha, who began to mock the fruitless efforts of the Protestants, who had read prayers in vain so many times, saying, without hesitation, the ministers that the devil grabbed them by the balls. He himself decided to fight the devil and, boasting, promised that he would drive him out by giving the Rosary to the Virgin Mary. But as soon as he began to mutter prayers in his little book, the evil spirit poured into him so much that he was forced to abandon his intention and, without doing anything, either out of shame or out of fear, backed down. Here, for a proper consideration of the case, it is worth noting that at a time when the venerable Minister and the local Pastor read sermons and prayers in this house in the presence of many people, the devil was completely calm and silent. Until then no words were heardbut suddenly those present heard terrible voices, as if someone was howling and groaning. We heard some strange sounds: “An an, Halata, Halata, Halata”. Then conversations began, in which the evil spirit presented itself as the soul of a certain doctor of medicine, a Protestant, once killed by the Pavlovskys, and now demanding God's punishment for the shed blood, so he treated badly those who called him the devil. Subsequently, he talked a lot about the wife of this doctor and some gentlemen who, having conceived a child in fornication, came to her and, on her advice and with her help, got rid of the fetus. In the end, he indicated the measures that, if carried out, would get rid of the anxiety caused to them: namely, the children should have been removed, buried in pots under the stoves, buried in coffins with respect, as well as a commemoration for the poor and other people whom the devil will indicate. But following the devil's advice to Protestants seemed unworthy and vile. They did not seek any other weapon against him other than fasting and prayer, since they - according to the testimony of Christ himself - drive away demons of this kind. Therefore, in the local gathering, public prayers were held and the imposed posts were carried out. The pastor of the collection, Jan Laetus, especially urged the unfortunate inhabitants of the said house to make efforts to drive out the evil spirit. He visited them very often, sent prayers there, lifted the spirit with examples from the Holy Scriptures (Eph., VI, 12, i V, 8, 9), each visitor, be it a man or a woman, urged to confess the sins, because of which experienced these ailments; in the end, realizing that especially, in addition to other sins, malice, slander and terrible perjury led to this disaster, he called for faith, chastity and modesty.
At a time when the diabolical temptations still did not stop, the seigneur of the Krakow powiat collection, after the Venerable Laetus in a letter asked for advice on what should be done under such circumstances, in a short reply voiced his opinion and gave instructions: “First, the devil, according to God's admission, persecutes and disturbs people with terrible phenomena, not only by deceiving the senses, but also acting in reality. I repeat, it is not worthy that a person professing a pure religion should participate in conversations with the devil, listen to his persuasions, or follow his advice and instructions. Thirdly, the intentions and goals of the devil in this kind of intentions can be different: partly to divert from the real faith in God and the grace of the Protestant religion to the papal zaboons, partly to plunge people who are dejected and strained by poverty into the abyss of despair. To get rid of the temptations of the devil, neither pious superstitions, nor frivolous promises, nor satanic antics and spells, nor vain exorcisms are needed. But the confusion caused by an evil spirit can drive away and suppress stubborn patience, sincere confession of sins, fasting and tireless prayer. " First of all, this advice and opinion was followed by people, indulging in fasting and prayer. Finally, when the devil, after a long wait, realized that he could not achieve anything from true and patient worshipers of God, especially when the mercy of God descended thanks to indefatigable bitter prayers, then he retreated and left this house on March 8.can drive away and suppress stubborn patience, sincere confession of sins, fasting and tireless prayer. " First of all, this advice and opinion was followed by people, indulging in fasting and prayer. Finally, when the devil, after a long wait, realized that he could not achieve anything from true and patient worshipers of God, especially when the mercy of God descended thanks to indefatigable bitter prayers, then he retreated and left this house on March 8.can drive away and suppress stubborn patience, sincere confession of sins, fasting and tireless prayer. " First of all, this advice and opinion was followed by people, indulging in fasting and prayer. Finally, when the devil, after a long wait, realized that he could not achieve anything from true and patient worshipers of God, especially when the mercy of God descended thanks to indefatigable bitter prayers, then he retreated and left this house on March 8.
This is how the devil left the house of Kosna 260 years ago, but still has not abandoned the beliefs of our people, from time to time reviving again even in our days and imitating in his antics, sometimes very thoroughly, his Oksha ancestor. Here we can recall the sensational case in Nenaduvka three years ago, about which Galician publications wrote a lot (see Kurjer Lwowski, 1897, nr. 342-3 and 346-7, “Latająca rzepa.” The case of Eusapia of Nenaduvka).
Notes:
1. Systema historico-chronologicum, Ecclesiarum Slavonicarum per Provincias varias, Praecipue, Poloniae, Bohemiae, Litvaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Moraviae, & c. Distinctarum: Libris IV. adornatum; Continens Historiam Ecclesiasticam, a Christo & Apostolorum tempore, ad An. Dom. MDCL. opera Adriani Regenvolscii EP Trajecti ad Rhenum: Ex Officina Johannis a Waesberge, Bibliopolae, 1652. [10], 499, [3] s.
2. Oksha (pol. Oksza) - now a Polish village located in the Gorzów district of the Lubuskie voivodeship. [Note. translator]
3. Gatherings are called Protestant churches, or Protestant communities. [Note. translator]
4. This Andrey Kosno was probably a relative of the Reyevs, the then owners of Oksha, since Mikola Reya's wife, Sophia, was from the Kosnuvna house.
5. Vyzhitsky was originally a Protestant, and later converted to Catholicism.
Original article: Bruchnalski W. Dyabeł w Okszy 1649 roku // Lud. Organ Towarzystwa Ludoznawczego we Lwowie. T. 7. Lwów, 1901. S. 146-150.