What Was the Point of the Trials?

In 17 51, jacques ferron was taken in the act of coition with a she ass and both were put on trial. The townspeople as well as the church prior signed a statement attesting that they had all known the donkey since she was a very good little girl. No such statement was written on behalf of jacques. He was sentenced to death, and the donkey acquitted. All right, that's that. With the animal diddling finally in the rear of your mirror, maybe it's time to return to that question, what was the point of all this? I think we can actually come to a somewhat confident understanding of the purpose of the ecclesiastical