1134. I inquired who and what kind of people those are who become spirits like these, who disturb spirits in the other life this way. I was told they are those who try to elicit from others what they are thinking and find out what lies they have told about people about whom it is [especially] forbidden to speak falsely, such as kings, princes, important people, friends, and the laws. And when they find out these things, they make malicious use of them by keeping the person as if in chains, and under their own will, for the sake of some profit. They also want to know what people's passions are, and what evils they have committed, and then they hold them even more tightly fettered. But because they actually hate the people and only keep them chained to themselves for the sake of filthy gain, therefore this is not allowed, just as it is not in bodily life-except for those passions which are accepted, such as striving for honors and riches, and other things not considered disgraceful.
1134. I have diligently inquired who and of what quality were the men who become those spirits, who thus infest spirits in the other life. It was said that they are men who are eager to elicit from others what they are thinking about, and to learn the falsities which they have uttered against those of whom it is forbidden to speak falsely, such as kings, princes, magnates, friends, and the laws. When they have this knowledge, they use it to perform the malignant use of thereby holding the man, as it were, in bonds and under their disposal for the sake of some gain. They also desire to know the man's cupidities, and then, if they know them, or know the evils he has committed, they hold the man still more strongly in bonds. But, because they then hold the man in hatred and keep him bound to themselves merely for the sake of filthy gain, this is not allowed; neither is it allowed in the life of the body, save as regards those cupidities which men favor, as that they seek after honors and riches, besides other things which they do not regard as disgraceful.
1134. Perquisivi, qui et quales isti homines essent, qui tales spiritus fiunt, qui ita infestant spiritus in altera vita, dictum est, quod sint ii, qui cupiunt elicere ab aliis quae cogitant, ac scire eorum falsa, quae loquuti sunt de iis de quibus false loqui vetitum est, ut contra reges, principes, magnates, amicos, leges; dumque ea sciunt, eum malignum usum ex eo praestant, quod sic teneant hominem, quasi in vinculis, subque arbitrio suo, ex causa lucri alicujus; desiderant etiam cupiditates hominis scire; quae si scirent 1
, seu quae mala patraverat, adhuc magis hominem tunc in vinculis tenent, sed quia tunc odio eum habent, ac solum foedi lucri causa eum sibi vinctum tenent, ideo id non conceditur, sicut nec in vita corporis, praeter eas cupiditates, quibus favent, sicut quod honores affectet, et divitias, praeter alia, quae non ut turpia putant.
Footnotes:
1. sic manuscript; J.F.I. Tafel's edition has sciunt