‘℞. _Sium_, _acarum vulgare_, _pentaphyllon_, the blood of a flitter mouse, _solanum somniferum_ and _oleum_. They stampe all these togither, and then they rubbe all parts of their bodies exceedinglie, till they looke red, and be verie hot, so as the pores may be opened, and their flesh soluble and loose. They ioine herewithall either fat, or oil in steed thereof, that the force of the ointment maie the rather pearse inwardly, and so be more effectuall. By this means (saith he) in a moonlight night they seeme to be carried in the aire.’ [Illustration] Thus, then, their means of conveyance being assured, they all meet together, at some appointed place, it may be hundreds of miles away--in a social congress of a very mixed character, Continental writers giving a fuller and more detailed report of their transactions than do the English. One Henri Boguet, a French _Grand Juge_, in his ‘Discours des Sorciers,’ Lyons, 1608, is particularly lucid on this subject. [Illustration] [Illustration] He says that at this assembly the first thing the witches do is to adore Satan, who appears in the form, either of a huge black man or as a he-goat, and by way of doing homage to him they offer him candles which burn with a blue flame, and kiss his back, some kissing his shoulders. Sometimes he holds a black image which the witches kiss, at the same time offering a candle or burning brand which they light at a candle, which the Devil carries between his horns. They next proceed to dance a curious circular dance, in which they are placed back to back, whilst the lame witches incite them to leap and dance. The music of the hautboy is not wanting, someone always being found who will thus oblige the company, besides which Satan himself sometimes plays the flute; but if no orchestra is forthcoming, the witches and devils sing each their own song, making a sort of ‘Dutch medley.’ Sometimes they dance two and two, at other times they perform _pas seuls_, but always in confusion, and they dance back to back, so that they may not be recognised; indeed, it is for that reason that they hold their assemblies at night. [Illustration] After the dance they break into couples, and indescribable orgies take place. The next part of the programme is a banquet, composed of different kinds of viands, according to the place of meeting and the quality of the guests; but, according to the illustrations, the _pièce de résistance_ was a dead child. The table was covered with butter, cheese, and meat, and according to some authorities a large copper was provided, from which each witch could take her meat. They drank wine out of wooden goblets, but the chief drink was water. But at these feasts there was never any salt, because it is an emblem of immortality, which the Devil hates more than anything. Besides, it is put in holy-water, and the Apostles were called the ‘salt of the earth’--sufficient reasons to disgust any Devil. [Illustration]