Mais auant qu’ils couchent ensemble, il s’accouple auec elles, oste la virginité des filles. Lancre, _Tableau de l’Inconstance_, p. 132. [81] This has been emphasized by Miss Murray in _The Witch-Cult in Western Europe_ (“The Rites”), but she did not realize that the fascinum was well-known to demonologists, and the use thereof severely reprobated _sub mortali_ by the Church. [82] See G. Belluci, _Amuletti Italiani antichi e contemporanei_; also _Amuletti italiani contemporanei_. Perugia, 1898. [83] Auctore P.P. Parisiis, MDCCCXXVI. [84] Crudelissima anus. _Petronii Satirae._ 138. p. 105. Tertium edidit Buecheler. Berlin. 1895. [85] _Titi Petronii Satyricon_, Concinnante Michaele Hadrianide. Amstelodami, 1669. Amongst the figures on the engraved title-page is a witch mounted on her broomstick. [86] _Priapeia._ LXXXIV. [87] For whose impudicities see S. Augustine, _De Ciuitate Dei_, VII. 26. [88] Priapi lignei in honorem Bacchi. [89] Francis Hutchinson, _Historical Essay_, London, 1718. [90] _Witches at Chelmsford_, Philobiblion Society, VIII. [91] Francis Hutchinson, _Historical Essay on Witchcraft_, 1718. [92] _Elogia Doctorum Uirorum_, c. 101. [93] Liber II.; c. v.; 11, 12. CHAPTER IV THE SABBAT The Assemblies of the witches differed very much from each other in an almost infinite number of ways. On certain ancient anniversaries the meeting was always particularly solemn, with as large an attendance as possible, when all who belonged to the infernal cult would be required to present themselves and punishment was meted out to those who proved slack and slow; at other times these gatherings would be occasional, resorted to by the company who resided within a certain restricted area, it might be by only one coven of thirteen, it might be by a few more, as opportunity served. There were also, as is to be expected, variations proper to each country, and a seemingly endless number of local peculiarities. There does not clearly appear to be any formal and fair order in the ceremonies throughout, nor should we look for this, seeing that the liturgy of darkness is of its essence opposed to the comely worship of God, wherein, as the Apostle bids, all things are to be done “decently and in order.”[1] The ceremonial of hell, sufficiently complex, obscure, and obscene, is even more confused in the witches’ narratives by a host of adventitious circumstances, often contradictory, nay, even mutually exclusive, and so although we can piece together a very complete picture of their orgies, there are some details which must yet remain unexplained, incomprehensible, and perhaps wholly irrational and absurd. “Le burlesque s’y mêle à l’horrible, et les puérilités aux abominations.” (Ribet, _La Mystique Divine_, III. 2. Les Parodies Diaboliques.) (Mere clowning and japery are mixed up with circumstances of extremest horror; childishness and folly with loathly abominations.) In the lesser