Like stories of the saints' blessings, stories of how the Devil and his servants caused human misfortune were prevalent in the Middle Ages. The following story comes from Caesar of Heisterbach's well-known thirteenthcentury collection of miracles, which was used extensively in medieval sermons. As in most accounts of the Devil's work, he is eventually defeated by the Church and saints.

When our abbot was celebrating mass last year on the Mount of the Holy Saviour near Aachen, a possessed woman was brought to him after the mass. When he had read the gospel lesson concerning the Ascension over her head and at these words, "They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover," had placed his hand upon her head, the devil gave such a terrible roar that we were all terrified. Adjured to depart, he [the Devil] replied, "The...