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
The witches never admitted in so many words that the Devil was a man
disguised, but their evidence points strongly to the fact. In some cases
the whole body was disguised, in others a mask was worn, usually over the
face. The wearing of the mask is indicated partly by descriptions of its
appearance, and partly by the description of the Devil's voice. The
Lorraine witches in 1589 said that the Devils 'können nimmermehr die
Menschliche Stimme so aussdrücklich nachreden, dass man nicht leicht daran
mercke, dass es eine gemachte falsche Stimme sey. Nicolaea Ganatia, und
fast alle andere sagen, dass sie eine Stimme von sich geben, gleich denen,
so den Kopff in ein Fass oder zerbrochenen Hafen stecken und daraus reden.
Auch geben sie etwann eine kleine leise Stimme von sich.'[157] The North
Berwick Devil in 1590 was purposely disguised out of all recognition: 'The
Devil start up in the pulpit, like a mickle black man, with a black beard
sticking out like a goat's beard; and a high ribbed nose, falling down
sharp like the beak of a hawk; with a long rumpill' [tail].[158] This was
Barbara Napier's account; Agnes Sampson describes the same personage, 'The
deuell caused all the company to com and kiss his ers, quhilk they said was
cauld like yce; his body was hard lyk yrn, as they thocht that handled him;
his faice was terrible, his noise lyk the bek of an egle, gret bournyng
eyn: his handis and legis wer herry, with clawis vpon his handis and feit
lyk the griffon, and spak with a how voice.'[159] Boguet states that 'on
demanda à George Gandillon, si lors qu'il fut sollicité par Satã de se
bailler à luy, Satan parloit distinctement. Il respondit que non, & qu'à
peine pouuoit il comprendre ce qu'il disoit.'[160] The evidence of the
witches in the Basses-Pyrénées makes it clear that a disguise was worn, and
that a mask was placed on the back either of the head or of the person;
this also explains part of Agnes Sampson's evidence given above. The effect
of the mask at the back of the head was to make the man appear two-faced,
'comme le dieu Janus'. In the other case 'le diable estoit en forme de
bouc, ayant vne queue, & au-dessoubs vn visage d'homme noir ... & n'a
parole par ce visage de derriere.—Vne grande queüe au derriere, & vne
forme de visage au dessoubs: duquel visage il ne profere aucune parole,
ains luy sert pour donner à baiser à ceux qui bon luy semble.—Marie
d'Aspilecute dit qu'elle le baisa à ce visage de derriere au dessoubs d'vne
grande queuë; qu'elle l'y a baisé par trois fois, & qu'il auoit ce visage
faict comme le museau d'vn bouc.—Bertrand de Handuch, aagee de dix ans,
confessa que le cul du grãd maistre auoit vn visage derriere, & c'estoit le
visage de derriere qu'on baisoit, & non le cul.'[161] The Devil of the
Basses-Pyrénées evidently wore a mask over the face, for he had 'la voix
effroyable & sans ton, quand il parle on diroit que cest vn mullet qui se
met à braire, il a la voix casse, la parole malarticulee, & peu
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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