The Witch cult in Western Europe

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Some authorities appear to think that the witches ate the best of
everything. 'They sit to Table where no delicate meats are wanting to
gratifie their Appetites, all dainties being brought in the twinckling of
an Eye, by those spirits that attend the Assembly'.[541] Though this is
dramatically expressed it is confirmed by the statements of the witches
themselves. The Lancashire witches had a great feast when they met in
Malking Tower to consult as to the rescue of Mother Demdike.

'The persons aforesaid had to their dinners Beefe, Bacon, and roasted
Mutton; which Mutton (as this Examinates said brother said) was of a
Wether of Christopher Swyers of Barley: which Wether was brought in
the night before into this Examinates mothers house by the said Iames
Deuice, this Examinates said brother: and in this Examinates sight
killed and eaten.... And before their said parting away, they all
appointed to meete at the said Prestons wiues house that day
twelue-moneths; at which time the said Prestons wife promised to make
them a great Feast.'[542]

The feast of the Faversham witches was also indoors. 'Joan Cariden
confessed that Goodwife Hott told her within these two daies that there was
a great meeting at Goodwife Panterys house, and that Goodwife Dodson was
there, and that Goodwife Gardner should have been there, but did not come,
and the Divell sat at the upper end of the Table.'[543] This was always the
Devil's place at the feast, and beside him sat the chief of the women
witches. The Somerset trials give more detail than any of the other English
cases. Elizabeth Style said that 'at their meeting they have usually Wine
or good Beer, Cakes, Meat or the like. They eat and drink really when they
meet in their bodies, dance also and have Musick. The Man in black sits at
the higher end, and _Anne Bishop_ usually next him. He useth some words
before meat, and none after, his voice is audible, but very low.'[544] She
enters into a little more detail in another place: 'They had Wine, Cakes,
and Roastmeat (all brought by the Man in black) which they did eat and
drink. They danced and were merry, and were bodily there, and in their
Clothes.'[545] Alice Duke gave a similar account: 'All sate down, a white
Cloth being spread on the ground, and did drink Wine, and eat Cakes and
Meat.'[546] The Scotch trials show that it was usually the witches who
entertained the Master and the rest of the band. Alison Peirson, whose
adventures among the fairies are very interesting, stated that a man in
green 'apperit to hir, ane lustie mane, with mony mene and wemen with him:
And that scho sanit her and prayit, and past with thame fordir nor scho
could tell; and saw with thame pypeing and mirrynes and gude scheir, and
wes careit to Lowtheane, and saw wyne punchounis with tassis with
thame'.[547] On another occasion a very considerable meeting took place 'in
an old house near Castle Semple, where a splendid feast was prepared, which
pleased the royal visitor so much, that he complimented his entertainers
for their hospitality, and endearingly addressed them as "his
bairns"'.[548] The Forfar witches had many feasts; Helen Guthrie says of
one occasion:

'They went to Mary Rynd's house and sat doune together at the table,
the divell being present at the head of it; and some of them went to
Johne Benny's house, he being a brewer, and brought ale from hence ...
and others of them went to Alexander Hieche's and brought aqua vitae
from thence, and thus made themselfes mirrie; and the divill made much
of them all, but especiallie of Mary Rynd, and he kist them all except
the said Helen herselfe, whose hand onlie he kist; and shee and Jonet
Stout satt opposite one to another at the table.'[549]

Of the meeting at Muryknowes there are several accounts. The first is by
little Jonet Howat, Helen Guthrie's young daughter: 'At this meiting there
wer about twenty persones present with the divill, and they daunced
togither and eat togither, having bieff, bread, and ale, and shoe did eat
and drink with them hir self, bot hir bellie was not filled, and shoe
filled the drink to the rest of the company.'[550] Elspet Alexander
confirms this statement, 'The divill and the witches did drinke together
having flesh, bread, and aile';[551] and so also does the Jonet Stout who
sat opposite to Helen Guthrie at the table, 'The divill and the said
witches did eat and drinke, having flesh, bread, and aile upon ane table,
and Joanet Huit was caper and filled the drinke'.[552] On one occasion they
tried to wreck the Bridge of Cortaquhie; 'when we had done, Elspet [Bruce]
gaive the divell ane goose in hir own house, and he dated hir mor than them
all, because shee was ane prettie woman.'[553] The Kinross-shire witches
obtained their food from the Devil, and this is one of the few instances of
complaints as to the quality of it. 'Sathan gave you [Robert Wilson] both
meat and drink sundry times, but it never did you any good';[554] and Janet
Brugh 'confessed that ye got rough bread and sour drink from Sathan at the
Bents of Balruddrie'.[555] According to Marie Lamont, 'the devill came to
Kattrein Scott's house, in the midst of the night. He gave them wyn to
drink, and wheat bread to eat, and they warr all very mirrie.'[556] Isobel
Gowdie's confession gives a wealth of detail as usual:

'We would go to several houses in the night time. We were at
Candlemas last in Grangehill, where we got meat and drink enough. The
Devil sat at the head of the table, and all the Coven about. That
night he desired Alexander Elder in Earlseat to say the grace before
meat, which he did; and is this:[557] "We eat this meat in the Devil's
name" [etc.]. And then we began to eat. And when we had ended eating,
we looked steadfastly to the Devil, and bowing ourselves to him, we
said to the Devil, We thank thee, our Lord, for this.--We killed an
ox, in Burgie, about the dawing of the day, and we brought the ox with
us home to Aulderne, and did eat all amongst us in an house in
Aulderne, and feasted on it.'[558]

At Borrowstowness the witches went to different houses for their feasts,
which seem to have been supplied partly by the hostess, partly by the Devil
and the guests.

'Ye and each person of you was at several meetings with the devil in
the links of Borrowstowness, and in the house of you Bessie Vickar,
and ye did eat and drink with the devil, and with one another, and
with witches in her house in the night time; and the devil and the
said William Craw brought the ale which ye drank, extending to about
seven gallons, from the house of Elizabeth Hamilton.'[559]

In 1692 Goodwife Foster of Salem gave a rather charming description of the
picnic feast with the Coven from Andover:

'I enquired what she did for Victuals' [at the meeting]; 'She answered
that she carried Bread and Cheese in her pocket, and that she and the
Andover Company came to the Village before the Meeting began, and sat
down together under a tree, and eat their food, and that she drank
water out of a Brook to quench her thirst.'[560]

The Continental evidence varies very little from the British. Except in a
few details, the main facts are practically the same. De Lancre summarizes
the evidence which he himself collected, and contrasts it with what other
authorities said on the subject:

'Les liures disent que les sorciers mangent au Sabbat de ce que le
Diable leur a appreste: mais bien souu[~e]t il ne s'y trouue que des
viandes qu'ils ont porte eux mesmes. Parfois il y a plusieurs tables
seruies de bons viures, & d'autres fois de tres meschans: & a table on
se sied selon sa qualite, ayant chacun son Demon assis aupres, &
parfois vis a vis. Ils benissent leur table inuoquant Beelzebub, & le
tenant pour celui qui leur faict ce bien.'[561]

The young man-witch, Isaac de Queyran, told de Lancre that the witches sat
at a table with the Black Man at the end, and had bread and meat which was
spread on a cloth.[562] The evidence at the trial of Louis Gaufredy at Aix
in 1610 gives other details, though the eating of children's flesh is
probably an exaggeration:

'They prouide a banquet, setting three tables according to the three
diuersities of the people above named. They that haue the charge of
bread, doe bring in bread made of corne. The drink which they haue is
Malmsey. The meate they ordinarily eate is the flesh of young
children, which they cooke and make ready in the Synagogue, sometimes
bringing them thither aliue by stealing them from those houses where
they haue opportunity to come. They haue no vse of kniues at table for
feare least they should be laid a crosse. They haue also no
salt.'[563]

Boguet also collected a considerable amount of information from the witches
who fell into his hands:

'Les Sorciers, apres s'estre veautrez parmi les plaisirs immondes de
la chair, banquettent & se festoient: leurs banquets estans composez
de plusieurs sortes de viandes, selon les lieux, & qualitez des
personnes. Par deca la table estoit couuerte de beurre, de fromage, &
de chair. Clauda Ianguillaume, Iaquema Paget, & quelques autres
adioustoient qu'il y auoit vne grande chaudiere sur le feu, dans
laquelle chacun alloit prendre de la chair. On y boit aussi du vin, &
le plus souuent de l'eau.... Antoine Tornier a confesse qu'elle en
auoit beu [le vin] dans vn goubelet de bois; les autres parloient
seulement d'eau. Mais il n'y a iamais sel en ces repas.... Les
Sorciers auant que de prendre leur repas benissent la table, mais auec
des parolles remplies de blasphemes, faisans Beelzebub autheur &
conseruateur de toutes choses.... Ils accordent tous, qu'il n'y a
point de gout aux viandes qu'ils mangent au Sabbat, & que la chair
n'est autre chair que de cheual. Et adioustent en outre, que lors
qu'ils sortent de table, ils sont aussi affamez que quand ils
entrent. Antide Colas racontoit particulierement que les viandes
estoient froides.... Toutesfois il faut croire que bien souuent l'on
mange au Sabbat a bon escient, & non par fantaisie &
imagination.'[564]

The cold food occurs also in the accusation against a Belgian witch,
Elizabeth Vlamynx, in 1595: 'Vous-meme vous avez apporte aux convives un
hochepot [hutsepot] froid, que vous aviez prepare d'avance.'[565]

In Sweden the witches collected the food and sent it to the Devil, who gave
them as much of it as he thought fit. The feast was always held indoors in
the house known as Blockula.

'In a huge large Room of this House, they said, there stood a very
long Table, at which the Witches did sit down.... They sate down to
Table, and those that the Devil esteemed most, were placed nearest to
him, but the Children must stand at the door, where he himself gives
them meat and drink. The diet they did use to have there, was, they
said, Broth with Colworts and Bacon in it, Oatmeal, Bread spread with
Butter, Milk and Cheese. And they added that sometimes it tasted very
well, and sometimes very ill.'[566]

6. _Candles_

At first sight it would seem that the candles were naturally used only to
illuminate the midnight festivities, but the evidence points to the burning
lights being part of the ritual. This is also suggested by the importance,
in the cult, of the early-spring festival of Candlemas; a festival which
has long been recognized as of pre-Christian origin.

The light is particularly mentioned in many instances as being carried by
the Devil, usually on his head; the witches often lit their torches and
candles at this flame, though sometimes it seems that the Devil lit the
torch and then presented it to the witch. To call the chief of the cult
_Lucifer_ was therefore peculiarly appropriate, especially at the Candlemas
Sabbath.

In 1574 the witches of Poictiers went to a cross-roads: 'la se trouuoit vn
grand bouc noir, qui parloit comme vne personne aux assistans, & dansoyent
a l'entour du bouc: puis vn chacun luy baisoit le derriere, auec vne
chandelle ardente.'[567] The witches of North Berwick in 1590 mention
candles as part of the ritual:

'At ther meting be nycht in the kirk of Northberick, the deuell, cled
in a blak gown with a blak hat upon his head, preachit vnto a gret
nomber of them out of the pulpit, having lyk leicht candles rond about
him.[568]--John Fian blew up the Kirk doors, and blew in the lights,
which were like mickle black candles, holden in an old man's hand,
round about the pulpit.[569]--[John Fian] was taken to North Berwick
church where Satan commanded him to make him homage with the rest of
his servants; where he thought he saw the light of a candle, standing
in the midst of his servants, which appeared blue lowe [flame].'[570]

In 1594 at Puy-de-Dome Jane Bosdeau went 'at Midnight on the Eve of St John
into a Field, where there appeared a great Black Goat with a Candle between
his Horns'.[571] At Aberdeen in 1597 Marion Grant confessed that 'the
Deuill apperit to the, within this auchteine dayis or thairby, quhome thow
callis thy god, about ane hour in the nicht, and apperit to the in ane
gryte man his lickness, in silkin abuilzeament [habiliment], withe ane
quhyt candill in his hand'.[572] In 1598 the witches whom Boguet tried said
that--

'les Sorciers estans assemblez en leur Synagogue adorent premierement
Satan, qui apparoit la, tantost en forme d'vn grand homme noir,
tantost en forme de bouc, & pour plus grand hommage, ils luy offrent
des chandelles, qui rendent vne flamme de couleur bleuee. Quelquefois
encor il tient vne image noire, qu'il fait baiser aux Sorciers. Antide
Colas & ses compagnes, en baisant ceste image, offroient vne chandelle
ou buche d'estrain ardente. Ces chandelles leur sont baillees par le
Diable, & se perdent & esuanouissent des lors qu'elles luy out este
offertes. Il s'en est trouue qui ont confesse qu'ils alloient allumer
le plus souuent leurs chandelles a vne autre chandelle, que le Demon,
estant en forme de bouc, portoit au dessus de la teste entre les deux
cornes.'[573]

Some of the witches of the Basses-Pyrenees, tried in 1609, said that the
Devil was--

'comme vn grand bouc, ayat deux cornes deuant & deux en derriere. Mais
le commun est qu'il a seulement trois cornes, & qu'il a quelque espece
de lumiere en celle du milieu, de laquelle il a accoustume au sabbat
d'esclairer, & donner du feu & de la lumiere, mesmes a ces Sorcieres
qui tiennent quelques chandelles alumees aux ceremonies de la Messe
qu'ils veulent contrefaire. On luy voit aussi quelque espece de bonet
ou chapeau au dessus de ses cornes.--Toute l'assemblee le vient adorer
le baisant sous la queue, & allumant des chandelles noires.'[574]

Barthelemy Minguet of Brecy, a man of twenty-five, tried in 1616, described
the ceremonies of the Sabbath; after the sermon the worshippers 'vont a
l'offerte, tenant en leurs mains des chandelles de poix noire qui leur sont
donnees par le Diable'.[575] In 1646 Elizabeth Weed of Great Catworth,
Hunts, confessed that the Devil came to her at night, 'and being demanded
what light was there, she answered, none but the light of the Spirit.'[576]
In 1652 a French witch stated that at the Sabbath 'on dansait sans musique,
aux chansons. Toutes les femmes y etoient tenues par les diables par lors
il y avoit de la lumiere une chandelle tenue au millieu par une femme que
ne connoit.... Au milieux il y auoit une feme masquee tenant une
chandelle.'[577] Barton's wife was at a witch meeting in the Pentland
Hills, 'and coming down the hill when we had done, which was the best
sport, he [the Devil] carried the candle in his bottom under his tail,
which played ey wig wag wig wag.'[578] Helen Guthrie in 1661 does not
expressly mention candles or torches, but her description of the flickering
light on the ground suggests their use. She 'was at a meiting in the
churchyeard of Forfar in the Holfe therof, and they daunced togither, and
the ground under them wes all fyre flauchter'.[579] The Somerset witches
stated that, when they met, 'the Man in Black bids them welcome, and they
all make low obeysance to him, and he delivers some Wax Candles like little
Torches, which they give back again at parting.'[580] The light seems to
have been sometimes so arranged, probably in a lantern, as to be diffused.
This was the case at Torryburn, where the assembly was lit by a light
'which came from darkness', it was sufficiently strong for the dancers to
see one another's faces, and to show the Devil wearing a cap or hood which
covered his neck and ears.[581] The latest account of a witch-meeting in
the eighteenth century describes how the witches of Strathdown went to
Pol-nain and there were 'steering themselves to and fro in their riddles,
by means of their oars the brooms, hallooing and skirling worse than the
bogles, and each holding in her left hand a torch of fir'.[582]

There is one account where the candle was for use and not for ritual. John
Stuart of Paisley, in 1678, admitted the Devil and some witches into his
room one night in order to make a clay image of an enemy. 'Declares, that
the black man did make the figure of the Head and Face and two Arms to the
said Effigies. Declares, that the Devil set three Pins in the same, one in
each side, and one in the Breast: And that the Declarant did hold the
Candle to them all the time the Picture was making.'[583] John Stuart was
the principal person on this occasion, and therefore had the honour of
holding the light. The description of the event suggests that the saying
'To hold a candle to the Devil' took its rise in actual fact.

The material of which the candles or torches were made was pitch, according
to de Lancre, and at North Berwick the lights were 'like lighted candles'
burning with a blue flame. The white candle seems to have been essentially
the attribute of the devil, the black candles or torches being distinctive
of the witches. That the lights burned blue is due to the material of which
the torches were made. The evanescent character of the light, when a wisp
of straw was used, is noted in the evidence of Antide Colas.

7. _The Sacrament_

The earliest example of the religious services occurs in 1324 in the trial
of Lady Alice Kyteler: 'In rifeling the closet of the ladie, they found a
Wafer of sacramentall bread, hauing the diuels name stamped thereon in
stead of Jesus Christ.'[584] According to Boguet (1589) the Devil did not
always perform the religious service himself, but mass was celebrated by a
priest among his followers; this custom is found in all countries and seems
to have been as common as that the Devil himself should perform the
service.

'Celuy, qui est commis a faire l'office, est reuestu d'vne chappe
noire sans croix, & apres auoir mis de l'eau dans le calice, il tourne
le doz a l'autel, & puis esleue vn rond de raue teinte en noir, au
lieu de l'hostie, & lors tous les Sorciers crient a haute voix,
_Maistre, aide nous_. Le Diable en mesme temps pisse dans vn trou a
terre, & fait de l'eau beniste de son vrine, de laquelle celuy, qui
dit la messe, arrouse tous les assistans auec vn asperges noir.'[585]

The Devil of the Basses Pyrenees (1609) performed the religious ceremony
himself:

'Il s'habille en Prestre pour dire Messe, laquelle il fait semblant de
celebrer auec mille fourbes & souplesses, aupres d'vn arbre, ou
parfois aupres d'vn rocher, dressant quelque forme d'autel sur des
colones infernales, & sur iceluy sans dire le _Confiteor_, ny
l'_Alleluya_, tournant les feuillets d'vn certain liure qu'il a en
main, il commence a marmoter quelques mots de la Messe, & arriuant a
l'offertoire il s'assiet, & toute l'assemblee le vient adorer le
baisant sous la queue, & allumant des chandelles noires: Puis luy
baisent la main gauche, tremblans auec mille angoisses, & luy offrent
du pain, des [oe]ufs, & de l'argent: & la Royne du Sabbat les recoit,
laquelle est assise a son coste gauche, & en sa main gauche elle tient
vne paix ou platine, dans laquelle est grauee l'effigie de Lucifer,
laquelle on ne baise qu'apres l'auoir premierement baisee a elle. Puis
il se met a prescher, son subiect est communement de la vaine
gloire.... Il finit son sermon, & continue ses autres ceremonies,
leuant vne certaine Hostie laquelle est noire & ronde, auec sa figure
imprimee au dessus: & disant ces paroles, _Cecy est mon corps_, il
leue l'Hostie sur ses cornes: & a cette esleuatio tous ceux de
l'assemblee l'ador[~e]t en disant ces mots, _Aquerra Goity, Aquerra
Beyty, Aquerra Goity, Aquerra Beyty_, qui veut dire, _Cabron arriba,
Cabron abaro_, de mesme en font ils au Calice repetant ces mots,
iusqu'a ce qu'il a vuide tout ce qui est dans iceluy. Puis toute
l'assemblee enuironnant l'autel en forme de croissant ou demy-lune,
prosternez par terre, il leur fait vn autre sermon, puis leur baille a
communier par ordre, donnant a chacun vn petit morceau de l'hostie, &
pour leur donner moyen de l'aualer aisement, il leur donne deux
gorgees de quelque medicine infernale, & certain breuuage de si
mauuais goust & odeur, que l'aualant ils suent, & neantmoins il est si
froid, qu'il leur gele le corps, les nerfs, & les moueelles. Puis il
s'accouple auec elles, & leur commande d'en faire de mesme, si bien
qu'ils commettent mille incestes & autres pechez contre nature. Puis
il les inuite a se mettre a table.'[586]

At Aix in 1610 Magdalene de Demandouls 'said that that accursed Magician
Lewes [Gaufredy] did first inuent the saying of Masse at the Sabbaths, and
did really consecrate and present the sacrifice to Lucifer.... She also
related, that the said Magician did sprinkle the consecrated wine vpon all
the company, at which time euery one cryeth, _Sanguis eius super nos &
filios nostros_.'[587]

Lord Fountainhall remarks, 'In 1670 we heard that the Devil appeared in the
shape of a Minister, in the copper mines of Sweden, and attempted the same
villainous apery.'[588] The Scotch witches, like the Swedish, performed the
rite after the manner of the Reformed Churches. In 1678--

'the devill had a great meeting of witches in Loudian, where, among
others, was a warlock who formerly had been admitted to the ministrie
in the presbyterian tymes, and when the bishops came in, conformed
with them. But being found flagitious and wicked, was deposed by them,
and now he turnes a preacher under the devill of hellish doctrine; for
the devill at this tyme preaches to his witches really (if I may so
term it) the doctrine of the infernall pitt, viz. blasphemies against
God and his son Christ. Among other things, he told them that they
were more happy in him than they could be in God; him they saw, but
God they could not see; and in mockrie of Christ and his holy
ordinance of the sacrament of his supper, he gives the sacrament to
them, bidding them eat it and to drink it in remembrance of himself.
This villan was assisting to Sathan in this action, and in
preaching.'[589]

Fountainhall in writing of the same convention of witches says that the
Devil 'adventured to give them the communion or holy sacrament, the bread
was like wafers, the drink was sometimes blood sometimes black moss-water.
He preached and most blasphemously mocked them, if they offered to trust in
God who left them miserable in the world, and neither he nor his Son Jesus
Christ ever appeared to them when they called on them, as he had, who would
not cheat them.'[590]

The Abbe Guibourg (1679), head of the Paris witches, 'a fait chez la
Voisin, revetu d'aube, d'etole et de manipule, une conjuration.'[591] The
same Abbe celebrated mass more than once over the body of a woman and with
the blood of a child, sacrificed for the occasion, in the chalice (see
section on Sacrifice). The woman, who served as the altar for these masses,
was always nude, and was the person for whose benefit the ceremony was
performed. Marguerite Montvoisin makes this clear:

'Il est vrai aussi qu'une sage-femme qui demeurait au coin de la rue
des Deux-Portes, distilla aussi les entrailles d'un enfant dont la
mere y avait accouche.... Avant la distillation, les entrailles de
l'enfant et l'arriere-faix de la mere avaient ete portes a
Saint-Denis, a Guibourg, par sa mere, la sage-femme et la mere de
l'enfant, sur le ventre de laquelle sa mere, a son retour, lui dit que
Guibourg avait dit la messe.'[592]

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