Marie Volet was a young woman from Pouillat, near Bourg in Bresse, who, around 1691, claimed possession by a supernatural entity. She exhibited symptoms such as screaming, thought to be in Hebrew, and physical convulsions in the presence of holy relics, holy water, and priests. A canon from Lyon sought medical advice and she was diagnosed with a corrupted stomach and unbalanced humors, considered a natural cause. She was sent to mineral springs and recovered after being isolated from talk of the devil and the inferno, resuming her ordinary life. Her case illustrates the intersection of early modern medicine and belief in demonic possession.
Marie Volet
Creature Types: Other
Mythological/Cultural Origins: Christian, French
Roles/Functions in Lore: Possessed Individual
Literary Sources/Traditions: Historical Record, Medical Accounts
Historical/Legendary Time Periods: 17th Century
Attributes/Powers: Convulsions, Glossolalia, Recovery
Alignments/Moral Standings: Ambiguous
