Observations placeholder
Rudolphi Glabri – Sees a demon
Identifier
028782
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
According to Ernest Petit ("Raoul Glaber," in Revue Historique, XL VIII, 1892) Glaber stayed in Saint-Leger between 997 and 1005 AD. This is the first of his visions. The five books of his Historiae contain other such experiences as well as many anecdotal accounts of superstitions around the year 1000.
A description of the experience
Circa 999, Abbey of Saint-Leger, Cote d’Or, France - Bedroom visitation
Rodulphus Glaber, a monk and chronicler, writes "Not so long ago such (visions) happened to me, by the favor of God. At the time I was staying in the monastery of the martyr Saint-Leger, also named Abbaye de Champeaux.
I saw one night, before Matines, a hideous little monster of vaguely human form appear at the foot of my bed. It seemed to be, as much as I could discern, of medium size with a frail neck, a thin face, very black eyes, a wrinkled and narrow forehead, a goatee, straight and pointed ears, straight and dirty hair, dog teeth, a sharp occiput, its breast swollen, a bump on the back, hanging buttocks and dirty clothes, with its whole body appearing to shake.
"He grabbed the edge of the bed in which I was lying and shook it with terrible violence and said: 'You will not stay here any longer.' And at once I woke up terrified, and suddenly I saw the figure I just described. It was gnashing its teeth while repeating the same thing: 'You will not stay here any longer.'
I got up from bed at once and ran to the monastery, where I kneeled in front of the altar of the very Holy Father Benedict, extremely terrified. And I began to recall the offenses and serious sins I had committed by being impudent or negligent."
Source: Rudolphi Glabri, Historiarum Libri Quinque ab anno incarnationis DCCC usque ad annum MXLIV, book V, chapter I, paragraph 2.