Witchcraft and Devil Lore in the Channel Islands: Transcripts from the Official Records of the Guernsey Royal Court, with an English Translation and Historical IntroductionPitts, John Linwood
History
Witchcraft and Devil Lore in the Channel Islands: Transcripts from the Official Records of the Guernsey Royal Court, with an English Translation and Historical Introduction
_Marie_, wife of _Pierre Massy_, after sentence of death had been
pronounced against her, having been put to the question, confessed
that she was a Witch; and that at the persuasion of the Devil, who
appeared to her in the form of a dog: she gave herself to him: that
when she gave herself to him he took her by the hand with his paw:
that she used to anoint herself with the same ointment as her mother
used: and had been to the Sabbath upon the bank near Rocquaine Castle
with her, where there was no one but the Devil and her as it seemed:
in the aforesaid form in which she had seen him several times: She was
also at the Sabbath on one occasion among others in the road near
_Collas Tottevin's_; every time that she went to the Sabbath, the
Devil came to her, and it seemed as though he transformed her into a
female dog; she said that upon the shore, near the said Rocquaine: the
Devil, in the form of a dog, having had connection with her, gave her
bread and wine, which she ate and drank.
The Devil gave her certain powders: which powders he put into her
hand, for her to throw upon those whom he ordered her: she threw some
of them by his orders upon persons and cattle: notably upon the child
of _Pierre Brehaut_. Item, upon the wife of _Jean Bourgaize_, while
she was _enceinte_. Item, upon the child of _Leonard le Messurier_.
CONFESSION D'ISABEL BECQUET.
_Isebelle_, femme de _Jean de Moygne_, ayant este mise a la question,
a tout aussytost confesse qu'elle est Sorciere: et que sur ce qu'elle
tomba en querelle avec la _Girarde_, sa belle-soeur: le Diable en
forme de lievre print occasion de la seduire: se representant a elle
en plain jour dans une rue pres de sa maison: et la persuadant et
incitant de se donner a luy: et que l'aideroit a se venger de la dite
_Girarde_ et de tous aultres: a laquelle persuation n'ayant icelle a
l'instant voulu condescendre: aussy tout disparut: mais incontinent
luy vint derechef au devant en la mesme rue, et poursuyvant sa
premiere pointe: l'exhortoit aux mesmes fins que dessus: cela fait,
ill la laissa et se retira, apres luy avoir, au prealable, mis une
pochee de pasnes; qu'elle portoit pour lors, une certaine pouldre
noire envelopee dans ung linge qu'il mist: laquelle pouldre elle
retint par devers soy. S'aparut a elle une autre fois en mesme forme
au territoire de la ville, l'incitant dereschef a se donner a luy, a
quoy ne voulant icelle condescendre luy fist adonc requeste de luy
donner une beste vive: lors de ce pas revint ches elle querir ung
poullet, qu'elle luy apporta au mesme lieu ou l'avoit laisse, lequell
ill print: et appres l'avoir remerecie luy donna assignation de se
trouver le lendemain avant jour au Sabath, avec promesse qu'il
l'enverroit querir: suivant laquelle promesse, estant la nuittee
ensuivant, la vielle _Collette du Mont_ venant la querir, lui bailla
de l'onguent noir qu'elle avoit eu du Diable; duquell (appres s'estre
despouillee) s'oignit le dos, et le ventre, puis s'estant revestue,
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