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in the Basses-Pyrénées said, regarding the renunciation which she made on admission, 'il luy faisoit
renouueller toutes les fois qu'elle alloit au sabbat, puis elle l'alloit baiser au derriere.'[10] At the celebrated
trial of Louis Gaufredy at Aix in 1610, Magdalene de Demandouls gave a detailed account of the homage
rendered by the witches:
[1. From a trial in the Guernsey Greffe.
2. De Lancre, Tableau, p. 123.
3. Bodin, p. 187.
4. Melville, p. 396; see also Pitcairn, i, pt. ii, pp. 210-12, 239, 246.
5. F. Hutchinson, p. 43.
6. Spalding Club Misc., i, pp. 121, 125.
7. Boguet, p. 411.
2. Homage 79
The Witch Cult in Western Europe
8. Cannaert, p. 46.
9. Id., p. 50.
10. De Lancre, Tableau, p. 131.]
'First the hagges and witches, who are people of a sordid and base condition, are the first that come to adore
the Prince of the Synagogue, who is Lucifers lieftenant, and he that now holdeth that place is Lewes
Gaufridy: then they adore the Princesse of the Synagogue who is a woman placed at his right hand. Next they
goe and worship the Diuell who is seated in a Throne like a Prince. In the second place come the Sorcerers
and Sorceresses, who are people of a middle condition, and these performe the same kind of adoration with
the former, kneeling vpon the ground, but not prostrating themselves as doe the other; although they kisse the
hands and feet of the Diuell as the first likewise doe. In the third place come the Magicians who are
Gentlemen and people of a higher ranke.'[1]
Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne in 1662 said, 'Somtym he vold be lyk a stirk, a bull, a deir, a rae, or a dowg, and
he vold hold wp his taill wntill we wold kiss his arce.'[2] The explanation of this rite is given in the French
authorities:
'Le Diable estoit en forme de bouc, ayant vne queue, & au dessoubs vn visage d'homme noir, où elle fut
contrainte le baiser. [Elle] depose, Que la premiere fois qu'elle luy fut presentee 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 aussi ce visage faict
comme le museau d'vn bouc. Il a vne grande queuë au derriere, & vne forme de visage au dessoubs: duquel
visage il ne profere aucune parole, ains luy sert pour le donner à baiser à ceux qui bon luy semble. Es festes
solemnelles on baisoit le Diable au derriere, mais les notables sorcieres le baisoient au visage.'[3] The two
faces are thus distinctly vouched for, and the use of them seems to have been to distinguish the position of the
witch in the society. The mask or disguise is clearly indicated in the evidence of Isaac de Queyron, who with
others 'le baiserent á vne fesse qui estoit blanche & rouge, & auoit la forme d'vne grande cuisse d'vn homme,
& estoit velue'.[4]
The Devil was also kissed on other parts of his person. Marion Grant of the Aberdeen witches (1597)
confessed that he 'causit the kis him in dyvers pairtis, and worship him on thy kneis as thy lord'.[5] Some of
the Lyons witches 'le baiserent aux parties honteuses de derriere: les autres le
[1. Michaelis, Historie, pp. 334-5.
2. Pitcairn, iii, p. 613.
3. De Lancre, Tableau, pp. 68, 126, 128.
4. Id. ib., p. 148.
5. Spalding Club Misc., i, p. 171.]
baisent sur l'espaule.'[1] Jeannette d'Abadie in the Basses-Pyrénées (1609) confessed 'que le Diable luy
faisoit baiser son visage, puis le nombril, puis le membre viril, puis son derriere'.[2] In connexion with this
last statement, it is worth comparing Doughty's account of an Arab custom: 'There is a strange custom, (not
only of nomad women, but in the Arabic countries even among Christians, which may seem to remain of the
old idolatry among them,) of mothers, their gossips, and even young maidens, visiting married women to kiss
with a kind of devotion the hammam of the male children.'[3]
2. Homage 80
The Witch Cult in Western Europe
2. The Dances
Dances as an important part of fertility rites are too well known to need description. The witches' dances,
taken in conjunction with the dates of the four great Sabbaths of the year, point to the fact that they also were
intended to promote fertility. There were several forms of ritual dances, varying apparently according to the
form of fertility required, whether of crops, animals, or human beings. The jumping dance seems to have had
for its object the growth of the crops; the higher the performers jumped the higher the crops would grow. The
so-called 'obscene' or 'indecent' dance was for the promotion of fertility among animals and women. When
the dancers were disguised as animals, the dance was for the increase of the animals represented; when
undisguised, for the fertility of human beings.
Although the dances took place at English witch meetings, they are merely mentioned and not described. The
Scotch trials give rather fuller accounts, but the chief details are from France.
The two principal forms of the dance were the ring-dance and the follow-my-leader dance, but there was
also a very complicated form which was not understood by the Inquisitors, who therefore dismiss it with the
words 'tout est en confusion'. It still survives, however, in the Basses-Pyrénées, in some of the very villages
which were inhabited by witches in the
[1. Boguet, p. 131.
2. De Lancre, Tableau, pp. 721 131
3. Doughty, Travels in Arabia Deserta, i, 89.]
sixteenth century those witches whose proceedings de Lancre describes so vividly.[1]
The ring dances were usually round some object; sometimes a stone, sometimes the Devil stood or was
enthroned in the middle. Thomas Leyis, with a great number of other witches, 'came to the Market and Fish
Cross of Aberdeen, under the conduct and guiding of the Devil present with you, all in company, playing
before you on his kind of instruments: Ye all danced about both the said crosses, and the meal market, a long
space of time; in the which Devil's dance, thou the said Thomas was foremost and led the ring, and dang the
said Kathren Mitchell, because she spoiled your dance, and ran not so fast about as the rest. Testified by the
said Kathrein Mitchell, who was present with thee at the time forsaid dancing with the Devil.'[2] Margaret Og
was indicted for going to Craigleauch 'on Hallow even last, and there, accompanied by thy own two
daughters, and certain others, your devilish adherents and companions, ye danced all together, about a great
stone, under the conduct of Satan, your master, a long space'.[3] Jonet Lucas was accused of 'danceing in ane
ring' on the same occasion.[4] Beatrice Robbie was 'indited as a notorious witch, in coming, under the
conduct of the Devil thy master, with certain others, thy devilish adherents, to Craigleauche, and there
dancing altogether about a great stone, a long space, and the Devil your master playing before you'.[5] In the
Basses-Pyrénées, 'Ils se mettent à dancer à l'entour d'une pierre, qui est plantée audit lieu, sur laquelle est
assis un grand homme noir.'[6] Jane Bosdeau, who 'confessed freely and without Torture and continued
constant in it in the midst of the Flames in which she was burnt', said that she had been to a witch-meeting,
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