"They added, likewise, that these carriers filled themselves so full sometimes that they were forced to spue by the way, which spueing was found in gardens where colworts grew, and not far from the houses of witches. It was of a yellow colour like gold, and was called butter of witches.
"The Lords Commissioners were very earnest, and took great pains to persuade the witches to show some of their tricks, but to no purpose; for they unanimously said that, since they had confessed, they found that all their witchcraft was gone, and that the devil appeared to them very terrible, with claws on his hands and feet, and with horns on his head, and a long tail behind, and showed them a pit burning with a hand put out; but the devil did thrust the person down again with an iron fork, and suggested to the witches, that if they continued in their confession, he would deal with them in the same manner."
CHAPTER LXVII.
Superstition in France—Pope John XXII. celebrated in the History of Sorcery and Magic—A Bishop skinned alive and torn by Horses for Witchcraft—King Philippe and Superstition—Springs poisoned by Lepers and Jews—Extracting Teeth without Pain—A Dentist strangled by a Demon—Berne Witch—Charmed Ointment—Sorcerers in Navarre—Demoniacal Operations—Voice in the Air—Witch Flying—Witches meeting their Deserts—Maria Renata's Witchcrafts—Nuns possessed of Devils—Promise of Life by Satan—End of Renata—Jeanne D'Arc—Credulity of France and England—Fairies of Domremi—Charmed Tree—Sparkling Spring—Mandrakes—Jacques D'Arc and his Wife—Jeanne D'Arc in Childhood—Converse with Spirits and Angels—France under Tyranny—Jeanne's Heavenly Mission communicated to the Dauphin—Maid at the head of Troops—Her Achievements—Siege of Orleans—Great Victories—Dauphin Crowned—Jeanne's Desire to retire into Private Life—Opposition to her Retirement—The Maid's Feats of Valour—Heroine Betrayed—Charmed Sword—Jeanne's Surrender—King's Ingratitude—Great Rejoicing at the Maid's Downfall—Attempt to Escape—Trial and Condemnation—Maid Burned—A white Dove rising from her Ashes—Imitators—Unreliable Reports.
France, like her neighbouring nations, entertained strong opinions in regard to superstition; and so did the high dignitaries of Rome. Pope John XXII. is celebrated in the history of sorcery and magic. He believed that sorcery had been resorted to to procure his untimely death, soon after his accession to the Papacy, by the Bishop of Chahors, the Pope's native place. The bishop being brought before the College of Cardinals, was, after deposition from his holy office, delivered to the secular powers in Avignon to receive punishment. A cruel fate awaited him; the unfortunate bishop being first skinned alive, next torn by horses, and then burned. Pope John continued to persecute persons suspected of sorcery, and many an unhappy creature suffered at his suggestion.
In the spring of 1321 King Philippe summoned the States-General to meet at Poictiers, and proceeded in person to Poitou to hold his court there. Soon after the assembly of the Estates, information was given to the king that the lepers, of whom there were many in the place, had entered into a conspiracy to poison and bewitch the springs throughout Aquitaine, in order to kill the Christians, or reduce them to the same state of loathsome disease as they themselves suffered. Some who were arrested admitted, under torture, the accusation. The king became so greatly alarmed that he fled from Poitou, after giving orders to arrest and imprison all the lepers in France. Multitudes of them were condemned and burned; still the king thirsted for more blood. Jews were also accused of aiding to poison and bewitch the wells. At Chinon upwards of one hundred Jews suffered the extreme penalty of the law for such groundless crimes. After a show of trial, and trumped-up charges equally false, many more Jews and lepers were put to death in Paris.
Dentists will be surprised to learn that in bygone days none but those acquainted with occult science were supposed capable of extracting teeth without pain. In the seventeenth century an astrologer in France, who sold talismans and extracted teeth without pain, was strangled in bed by a demon.
A woman, executed at Berne, stated she belonged to a sect who had sworn eternal subjection to the devil, and that she knew how to prepare a decoction which, when swallowed by any one, would convert the novice into a witch equal in knowledge and power to the older members of her fraternity.