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
Another point which goes to prove that the intercourse was by artificial
means was that pregnancy did not follow, except by special consent of the
woman. Jeannette d'Abadie, aged sixteen, said, 'Elle fuyoit l'accouplement
du Diable, à cause qu'ayant son membre faict en escailles il fait souffrir
vne extresme douleur; outre que la semence est extresmement froide, si bien
qu'elle n'engrosse iamais, ni celle des autres hommes au sabbat, bien
qu'elle soit naturelle.'[710] Boguet remarks, 'Il me souuient,
qu'Antoinette Tornier, & Antoinette Gandillon, estans interroguées, si
elles craignoient point de deuenir enceintes des œuures du Diable; l'vne
respondit qu'elle estoit trop vieille; l'autre que Dieu ne le vouloit pas
permettre.'[711] According to Jeanne Hervillier, the Devil 'coucha auec
elle charnellement, en la mesme sorte & maniere que font les hommes auec
les femmes, horsmis que la semence estoit froide. Cele dit elle continua
tous les huict ou quinze iours.... Et vn iour le diable luy demanda, si
elle vouloit estre enceinte de luy, ce qu'elle ne voulut pas.'[712] But
when the witch was willing to have a child, it is noticeable that there is
then no complaint of the Devil's coldness. At Maidstone in 1652 'Anne
Ashby, Anne Martyn, and one other of their Associates, pleaded that they
were with child pregnant, but confessed it was not by any man, but by the
Divell.... Anne Ashby and Anne Martyn confessed that the Divell had known
them carnally, and that they had no hurt by it.'[713]
The Devil appears to have donned or doffed his disguise in the presence of
his worshippers, and this was often the case at the time of the sexual
rites, whether public or private:
'Il cognoist les Sorcieres tantost en forme d'homme tout noir, &
tantost en forme de beste, comme d'vn chien, d'vn chat, d'vn bouc,
d'vn mouton. Il cognoissoit Thieuenne Paget, & Antoine Tornier en
forme d'vn homme noir: Et lors qu'il accouploit auec Iaquema Paget, &
Antoine Gandillon, il prenoit la figure d'vn mouton noir, portant des
cornes. Françoise Secretain a dit que son Demon se mettoit tantost en
chien, tantost en chat, et tantost en poule, quand il la vouloit
cognoistre charnellement. Or tout cecy me fait de tant mieux asseurer
l'accouplement reel du Sorcier, & de la Sorciere auec le Demon.'[714]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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