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
Magdalene de la Croix, Abbess of a religious house in Cordova in 1545, made
a contract 'for the space of thirty years', she being then a girl of
twelve.[259] In Paris in 1571 'il y eut vn aduocat lequel confessa qu'il
auoit passé l'obligation au Diable renonceant à Dieu, & icelle signee de
son propre sang. Encores s'est il verifié par plusieurs procez, que
l'obligation reciproque entre le diable, & le sorcier, contient
quelquesfois le terme d'vn an, deux ans, ou autre temps.'[260] At Faversham
in 1645 Joan Williford said 'that the Devil promised to be her servant
about twenty yeeres, and that the time is now almost expired'.[261] In
Huntingdonshire in 1646 Elizabeth Weed of Great Catworth confessed that
'the Devill then offer'd her, that hee would doe what mischiefe she should
require him; and said she must covenant with him that he must have her
soule at the end of one and twenty years, which she granted'.[262] In 1652
Giles Fenderlin of Leaven Heath was tried for that when he was a soldier at
Bell in Flanders he made a five-years' covenant with a Jesuit; 'after the
said five years was expired, in 1643 he renew'd the said Covenant with the
Jesuit for 14 years longer: whereupon he drew a Covenant for him with the
Devil, pricking the two fore-fingers of his right hand with an needle, and
drew bloud, wherewith he writ his name with his own bloud, and then
covenanted with the Devil, That if he should be safely protected during the
space of 14 years aforesaid, while such time as it expired, that then he
was to take away both body and soul as his own right and interest.'[263] At
Lille in 1661 Madame Bourignon's girls indicate the renewal of the
contract: 'The Devil gives them a Mark, which Marks they renew as often as
those Persons have any desire to quit him. The Devil reproves them then
more severely and obligeth them to new Promises, making them also new Marks
for assurance or pledge, that those Persons should continue faithful to
him.'[264] In Somerset in 1664 Elizabeth Style said that the Devil
'promised her Mony, and that she should live gallantly, and have the
pleasure of the World for Twelve years, if she would with her Blood sign
his Paper, which was to give her Soul to him'.[265] At Groton in New
England in 1671, according to Elizabeth Knap, 'the terme of time agreed
upon with him was for 7 yeers; one yeere shee was to be faithfull in his
service, and then ye other six hee would serve her, and make her a
witch'.[266] At Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1673 Ann Armstrong 'deposeth that Ann
Drydon had a lease for fifty yeares of the divill, whereof ten ar expired.
Ann Forster had a lease of her life for 47 yeares, whereof seaven are yet
to come. Lucy Thompson had a lease of two and forty, whereof two are yet to
come, and, her lease being near out, they would have perswaded this
informer to have taken a lease of three score yeares or upwards.'[267] In
New England some of the 'afflicted' said of Goodwife C. that 'she had
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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