Prelatiatlastpersuadedhimtowaitseventimessevendays。Theythenwentatmidnightwithpicksandshovelstodigupthegroundundertheoak，wheretheyfoundnothingtorewardthembutagreatquantityofslates，markedwithhieroglyphics。ItwasnowPrelati’sturntobeangry；andheloudlysworethatthedevilwasnothingbutaliarandacheat。TheMarshaljoinedcordiallyintheopinion，butwaseasilypersuadedbythecunningItaliantomakeonemoretrial。Hepromisedatthesametimethathewouldendeavour，onthefollowingnight，todiscoverthereasonwhythedevilhadbrokenhisword。Hewentoutaloneaccordingly，andonhisreturninformedhispatronthathehadseenBarron，whowasexceedinglyangrythattheyhadnotwaitedthepropertimeeretheylookedfortheingots。Barronhadalsosaid，thattheMarechaldeRayscouldhardlyexpectanyfavoursfromhim，atatimewhenhemustknowthathehadbeenmeditatingapilgrimagetotheHolyLand，tomakeatonementforhissins。TheItalianhaddoubtlesssurmisedthis，fromsomeincautiousexpressionofhispatron，forDeRaysfranklyconfessedthatthereweretimeswhen，sickoftheworldandallitspompsandvanities，hethoughtofdevotinghimselftotheserviceofGod。
　　InthismannertheItalianluredonfrommonthtomonthhiscredulousandguiltypatron，extractingfromhimallthevaluableshepossessed，andonlywaitingafavourableopportunitytodecampwithhisplunder。Butthedayofretributionwasathandforboth。Younggirlsandboyscontinuedtodisappearinthemostmysteriousmanner；
　　andtherumoursagainsttheownerofChamptocegrewsoloudanddistinct，thattheChurchwascompelledtointerfere。RepresentationsweremadebytheBishopofNantestotheDukeofBrittany，thatitwouldbeapublicscandaliftheaccusationsagainsttheMarechaldeRayswerenotinquiredinto。Hewasarrestedaccordinglyinhisowncastle，alongwithhisaccomplicePrelati，andthrownintoadungeonatNantestoawaithistrial。
　　ThejudgesappointedtotryhimweretheBishopofNantesChancellorofBrittany，theVicaroftheInquisitioninFrance，andthecelebratedPierrel’Hopital，thePresidentoftheProvincialParliament。Theoffenceslaidtohischargeweresorcery，sodomy，andmurder。Gilles，onthefirstdayofhistrial，conductedhimselfwiththeutmostinsolence。Hebravedthejudgesonthejudgmentseat，callingthemsimoniacsandpersonsofimpurelife，andsaidhewouldratherbehangedbythenecklikeadogwithouttrial，thanpleadeitherguiltyornotguiltytosuchcontemptiblemiscreants。Buthisconfidenceforsookhimasthetrialproceeded，andhewasfoundguiltyontheclearestevidenceofallthecrimeslaidtohischarge。Itwasprovedthathetookinsanepleasureinstabbingthevictimsofhislust，andinobservingthequiveringoftheirflesh，andthefadinglustreoftheireyesastheyexpired。TheconfessionofPrelatifirstmadethejudgesacquaintedwiththishorridmadness，andGilleshimselfconfirmeditbeforehisdeath。NearlyahundredchildrenofthevillagersaroundhistwocastlesofChamptoceandMachecoue，hadbeenmissedwithinthreeyearsthegreaterpart，ifnotall，ofwhomwereimmolatedtothelustorthecupidityofthismonster。Heimaginedthathethusmadethedevilhisfriend，andthathisrecompencewouldbethesecretofthephilosopher’sstone。
　　GillesandPrelatiwerebothcondemnedtobeburnedalive。Attheplaceofexecutiontheyassumedtheairofpenitenceandreligion。
　　GillestenderlyembracedPrelati，saying，“Farewell，friendFrancis！
　　Inthisworldweshallnevermeetagain；butletusplaceourhopesinGod；weshallseeeachotherinParadise。“Outofconsiderationforhishighrankandconnections，thepunishmentoftheMarshalwassofarmitigated，thathewasnotburnedalivelikePrelati。Hewasfirststrangled，andthenthrownintotheflames:hisbody，whenhalfconsumed，wasgivenovertohisrelativesforinterment；whilethatoftheItalianwasburnedtoashes，andthenscatteredinthewinds。[Forfulldetailsofthisextraordinarytrial，see“Lobineau’sNouvelleHistoiredeBretagne；“andD’Argentre’sworkonthesamesubject。]
　　Thisremarkablepretendertothesecretofthephilosopher’sstone，wascontemporarywiththelastmentioned。HewasagreatpersonageatthecourtofCharlesVII，andintheeventsofhisreignplayedaprominentpart。Fromaveryhumbleoriginherosetothehighesthonoursofthestate，andamassedenormouswealth，bypeculationandtheplunderofthecountrywhichheshouldhaveserved。
　　Itwastohidehisdelinquenciesinthisrespect，andtodivertattentionfromtherealsourceofhisriches，thatheboastedofhavingdiscoveredtheartoftransmutingtheinferiormetalsintogoldandsilver。
　　HisfatherwasagoldsmithinthecityofBourges；butsoreducedincircumstancestowardsthelatteryearsofhislife，thathewasunabletopaythenecessaryfeestoprocurehisson’sadmissionintotheguild。YoungJacquesbecame，however，aworkmanintheRoyalMintofBourges，in1428，andbehavedhimselfsowell，andshowedsomuchknowledgeofmetallurgy，thatheattainedrapidpromotioninthatestablishment。HehadalsothegoodfortunetomaketheacquaintanceofthefairAgnesSorel，bywhomhewaspatronizedandmuchesteemed。
　　Jacqueshadnowthreethingsinhisfavour-ability，perseverance，andthecountenanceoftheKing’smistress。Manyamansucceedswithbutoneofthesetohelphimforward:anditwouldhavebeenstrangeindeed，ifJacquesCoeur，whohadthemall，shouldhavelanguishedinobscurity。WhilestillayoungmanhewasmadeMasteroftheMint，inwhichhehadbeenajourneyman，andinstalledatthesametimeintothevacantofficeofGrandTreasureroftheroyalhousehold。
　　Hepossessedanextensiveknowledgeoffinance，andturneditwonderfullytohisownadvantageassoonashebecameintrustedwithextensivefunds。Hespeculatedinarticlesofthefirstnecessity，andmadehimselfveryunpopularbybuyingupgrain，honey，wines，andotherproduce，tilltherewasascarcity，whenhesolditagainatenormousprofit。Strongintheroyalfavour，hedidnothesitatetooppressthepoorbycontinualactsofforestallingandmonopoly。Asthereisnoenemysobitterastheestrangedfriend，soofallthetyrantsandtramplersuponthepoor，thereisnonesofierceandrecklessastheupstartthatsprangfromtheirranks。TheoffensiveprideofJacquesCoeurtohisinferiorswasthethemeofindignantreproachinhisowncity，andhiscringinghumilitytothoseabovehimwasasmuchanobjectofcontempttothearistocratsintowhosesocietyhethrusthimself。ButJacquesdidnotcarefortheformer，andtothelatterhewasblind。HecontinuedhiscareertillhebecametherichestmaninFrance，andsousefultotheKingthatnoimportantenterprisewassetonfootuntilhehadbeenconsulted。Hewassentin1446onanembassytoGenoa，andinthefollowingyeartoPopeNicholasV。Inboththesemissionsheacquittedhimselftothesatisfactionofhissovereign，andwasrewardedwithalucrativeappointment，inadditiontothosewhichhealreadyheld。
　　Intheyear1449，theEnglishinNormandy，deprivedoftheirgreatgeneral，theDukeofBedford，brokethetrucewiththeFrenchKing，andtookpossessionofasmalltownbelongingtotheDukeofBrittany。
　　Thiswasthesignalfortherecommencemeritofawar，inwhichtheFrenchregainedpossessionofnearlythewholeprovince。Themoneyforthiswarwasadvanced，forthemostpart，byJacquesCoeur。WhenRouenyieldedtotheFrench，andCharlesmadehistriumphalentryintothatcity，accompaniedbyDunoisandhismostfamousgenerals，Jacqueswasamongthemostbrilliantofhiscortege。HischariotandhorsesviedwiththoseoftheKinginthemagnificenceoftheirtrappings；andhisenemiessaidofhimthathepubliclyboastedthathealonehaddrivenouttheEnglish，andthatthevalourofthetroopswouldwouldhavebeennothingwithouthisgold。
　　Dunoisappears，also，tohavebeenpartlyofthesameopinion。
　　Withoutdisparagingthecourageofthearmy，heacknowledgedtheutilityoftheablefinancier，bywhosemeanstheyhadbeenfedandpaid，andconstantlyaffordedhimhispowerfulprotection。
　　Whenpeacereturned，Jacquesagaindevotedhimselftocommerce，andfittedupseveralgalleystotradewiththeGenoese。HealsoboughtlargeestatesinvariouspartsofFrance；thechiefofwhichwerethebaroniesofSt。Fargeau，Meneton，Salone，Maubranche，Meaune，St。GerantdeVaux，andSt。AondeBoissy；theearldomsorcountiesofLaPalisse，Champignelle，Beaumont，andVilleneuvelaGenet，andthemarquisateofToucy。Healsoprocuredforhisson，JeanCoeur，whohadchosentheChurchforhisprofession，apostnolessdistinguishedthanthatofArchbishopofBourges。
　　Everybodysaidthatsomuchwealthcouldnothavebeenhonestlyacquired；andbothrichandpoorlongedforthedaythatshouldhumbletheprideoftheman，whomtheoneclassregardedasanupstartandtheotherasanoppressor。Jacqueswassomewhatalarmedattherumoursthatwereafloatrespectinghim，andofdarkhintsthathehaddebasedthecoinoftherealmandforgedtheKing’ssealtoanimportantdocument，bywhichhehaddefraudedthestateofveryconsiderablesums。Tosilencetheserumours，heinvitedmanyalchymistsfromforeigncountriestoresidewithhim，andcirculatedacounter-rumour，thathehaddiscoveredthesecretofthephilosopher’sstone。Healsobuiltamagnificenthouseinhisnativecity，overtheentranceofwhichhecausedtobesculpturedtheemblemsofthatscience。Sometimeafterwards，hebuiltanother，nolesssplendid，atMontpellier，whichheinscribedinasimilarmanner。Healsowroteatreatiseuponthehermeticphilosophy，inwhichhepretendedthatheknewthesecretoftransmutingmetals。
　　Butalltheseattemptstodisguisehisnumerousactsofpeculationprovedunavailing；andhewasarrestedin1452，andbroughttotrialonseveralcharges。Upononeonly，whichthemaliceofhisenemiesinventedtoruinhim，washeacquitted；whichwas，thathehadbeenaccessorytothedeath，bypoison，ofhiskindpatroness，AgnesSorel。