The Witch-cult in Western Europe: A Study in AnthropologyMurray, Margaret Alice
Religion
The Witch-cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology
Murray, Margaret Alice
Ethnology; Witchcraft -- Great Britain
places: Elizabeth Style 'hath been at several general meetings in the night
at High Common, and a Common near _Motcombe_, at a place near _Marnhull_,
and at other places'.—Alice Duke 'hath been at several meetings in Lie
Common, and other places in the night'. But the Brewham Coven appear to
have met commonly at Hussey's Knap in Brewham Forest.[445]
Occasionally a reason is given for the change of site. 'Parfois vn Sabbat
finy à vn coin de paroisse, on s'en va le tenir à vne autre, où le Diable
mene les mesmes personnes: mais là, on y en rencontre d'autres'.[446]
Sometimes also a sidelight is thrown upon these gatherings, which explains
the fact that in many cases the witches said that they did not know all the
people present at a given meeting:
'Antoine Tornier, Et Iaquema Paget ont confessé, que comme elles
retournoient à certain iour par ensemble de glanner, passans au long
du [=p]ré de Longchamois, elles apperçeurent que l'on y tenoit le
Sabbat; Surquoy elles poserent bas leurs fardeaux, & allerent au lieu
predict, où elles firent comme les autres, & puis se retirerent
chacune en leurs maisons, apres auoir reprins leurs fardeaux.'[447]
The Salem Witches (1692) met 'upon a plain grassy place, by which was a
Cart path and sandy ground in the path, in which were the tracks of Horses
feet'.[448]
_Date and Hour._—There was no fixed day or hour for the Esbat, and in this
it differed from the Sabbath, which was always at night. The Devil let his
followers know the time, either by going to them himself or by sending a
message by the officer. The message might be by word of mouth, or by some
signal understood by the initiated.
Though there was no fixed day for the Esbat, it seems probable that one day
in the week was observed in each locality.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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