4996. Among the dreadful things he did was also to send stubborn spirits who held another spirit by the elbows from behind. Through them he caused the spirit to become as it were bound by them, no longer able to speak from himself but from them, also heaping on anger so that the spirit could not but be as it were enraged against them. But they would not let go except at his [Nerez 1] command. He even sent such spirits to me from behind, and then I was unable to say anything whatever from myself, but it was their speaking in everything I was speaking. Thus he provoked me to the point of indignant rage against them. He did this with those whom he had under his command, who afterwards actually gave him half of what they owned.
Footnotes:
1. Joachim Nerez (1689ֱ748), Swedish ambassador and civil servant, ennobled in 1731, later served as President of the Royal College of Commerce.
4996. Among the dreadful things which he perpetrated was also this, that he sent stubborn spirits to hold another by his elbows, behind the back, and through them caused that the spirit became, as it were, bound to them, unable to speak any longer from himself but only from them - also inspiring anger, so that he could not but be as it were infuriated against them; but they did not let go except at his [Nerez's] command. He also sent such ones to me at the back, and then I was not able to speak anything from myself, but their speech was in all things of my speech, so that it was they who spoke; and he excited indignation against them, amounting to a fury of indignation. His policy, with those whom he ruled, was to exact profit from them; and they also, afterwards, gave him half of their possessions.
4996. Inter dira quae patrabat, etiam erat, quod mitteret contumaces spiritus qui tenerent alterum in ulnis a tergo, per quos id patrabat, quod spiritus fieret illis quasi ligatus, non posset loqui amplius a se, sed ab illis, ingerendo etiam iram, ut non posset quin quasi in furore esset, contra illos, sed illi non relinquebant nisi ex ejus jussu: tales etiam ad me misit, a tergo, et tunc non potui loqui a me quicquam, sed illorum loquela erat in omnibus meae loquelae, sic ut ii loquerentur, et incutiebat indignationem usque ad furorem indignationis contra illos; ita fecerat cum illis quibus imperabat, ut lucrum ab illis exigeret, qui etiam postea dabant dimidium ab illis quae possidebant.