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
4th Article of Accusation. Jeanne was not instructed in her youth in the
belief and primitive faith, but was imbued by certain old women in the use
of witchcraft, divination, and other superstitious works or magic arts;
many inhabitants of those villages have been noted from antiquity for the
aforesaid misdeeds. Jeanne herself has said that she had heard from her
godmother, and from many people, of visions and apparitions of Fairies, or
Fairy spirits [gallice _faées_]; by others also she has been taught and
imbued with wicked and pernicious errors of such spirits, insomuch that in
the trial before you she confessed that up to this time she did not know
that Fairies were evil spirits. Answer: As to the Fairy-ladies, she did not
know what it was. As to instruction she learnt to believe and was well and
duly taught to do what a good child should. As to her godmother she
referred to what she had said before.[922]
5th Article. Near the village of Domremy is a certain great, big, and
ancient tree called vulgarly The Charmed Fairy-tree of Bourlemont[923]
[l'arbre charmine faée de Bourlemont]; beside the tree is a spring; round
these gather, it is said, evil spirits called fairies, with whom those who
use witchcraft are accustomed to dance at night, going round the tree and
spring. Answer: as to the tree and spring, referred to her previous
answers; denied the rest.[924]
6th Article. Jeanne frequented the said tree and spring alone, chiefly at
night, sometimes in the day most often at the hour that divine service was
celebrated in church, in order to be alone; and dancing went round the
spring and tree; afterwards hung many garlands of various herbs and flowers
on the branches of the tree, made with her own hands, saying and singing
before and after, certain incantations and songs with certain invocations,
witchcrafts and other misdeeds; which [garlands] the following morning,
were not found. Answer: Referred for part to previous answers, denied the
rest.[925]
23rd Article. Her letters showed that she had consulted evil spirits.
Denied ever having done anything by inspiration of evil spirits.[926]
1566. John Walsh, of Netherberry, Dorset. He being demaunded how he knoweth
when anye man is bewytched: He sayth that he knew it partlye by the Feries,
and saith that ther be .iii. kindes of Feries, white, greene, and black.
Which when he is disposed to vse, hee speaketh with them vpon hyls, where
as there is great heapes of earth, as namely in Dorsetshire. And betwene
the houres of .xii. and one at noone, or at midnight he vseth them. Whereof
(he sayth) the blacke Feries be the woorst.[927]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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