The history of witchcraft and demonologySummers, Montague
History
The history of witchcraft and demonology
Summers, Montague
Demonology; Demonology -- History; Witchcraft; Witchcraft -- History
Cushioned prie-dieus and luxurious chairs, crimson and gold, were set
in order for the assistants; the chamber being lit by electricity,
fantastically arrayed so as to glare from an enormous human eye. The
visitors soon quitted the accursed spot, the scene of devil-worship
and blasphemy, nor had they any desire more nearly to examine the
appointments of this infernal chapel.[122]
The missal used at the black mass was obviously a manuscript, although
it is said that in later times these grimoires of hideous profanity have
actually been printed. It is not infrequently mentioned. Thus De Lancre
notes that the sorcerers of the Basses-Pyrénées (1609) at their worship
saw the officiant “tournant les feuillets d’vn certain liure qu’il a en
main.”[123] Madeleine Bavent in her confession said: “On lisait la messe
dans le livre des blasphèmes, qui servait de canon et qu’on employait
aussi dans les processions.”[124] The witches’ missal was often bound in
human skin, generally that of an unbaptized babe.[125] Gentien le Clerc,
tried at Orleans, 1614-1615, confessed that “le Diable ... marmote dans
un liure duquel la couuerture est toute veluë comme d’vne peau de loup,
auec des feuillets blancs & rouges, d’autres noires.”
The vestments worn by the celebrant are variously described. On rare
occasions he is described as being arrayed in a bishop’s pontificalia,
black in hue, torn, squalid, and fusty. Boguet reports that a witch
stated: “Celuy, qui est commis à faire l’office, est reuestu d’vne chappe
noire sans croix,”[126] but it seems somewhat strange that merely a plain
black cope should be used, unless the explanation is to be found in the
fact that such a vestment was most easily procurable and no suspicion of
its ultimate employment would be excited. The abbé Guibourg sometimes
wore a cope of white silk embroidered with fir-cones, which again seems
remarkable, as the symbolism is in no way connected with the Satanic
rites he performed. But this is the evidence of Marguerite, La Voisin’s
daughter, who was not likely to be mistaken.[127] It is true that the
mass was often, perhaps, partially erotic and not wholly diabolic in the
same sense as the Sabbat masses were, but yet Astaroth, Asmodeus, and
Lucifer were invoked, and it was a liturgy of evil. On other occasions
Guibourg seems to have donned the orthodox eucharistic chasuble, stole,
maniple, girdle, alb, and amice. In the thirty-seventh article of his
confession Gaufridi acknowledged that the priest who said the Devil’s
mass at the Sabbat wore a violet chasuble.[128] Gentien le Clerc, tried
at Orleans in 1614-1615, was present at a Sabbat mass when the celebrant
“wore a chasuble which was embroidered with a Cross; but there were
only three bars.”[129] Later a contemporary witness points to the use
of vestments embroidered with infernal insignia, such as a dark red
chasuble, the colour of dried blood, upon which was figured a black buck
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account