The well- and tree-worship noticed in these laws continued to be retained, though in a somewhat altered form, until a very late period; and especially it was usual to perform religious ceremonies at the salt-springs, spots always looked upon as holy[[863]].
The confessional however was more likely to be in the secret of the popular heathendom than the civil legislator. Accordingly the Poenitentials supply us with a variety of information upon this subject. The Poenitential of Theodore has a long chapter devoted to the heathen practices of communicants, and their appropriate penances.
“xxvii. De Idolatria et Sacrilegio, et qui Angelos colunt, et maleficos, Ariolos, Veneficos, Sortilegos, Divinos, et vota reddentes nisi ad aecclesiam Dei, et in Kalendas Januarii in cervulo et in vitula vadit, et Mathematicos, et Emissores tempestatum.”
The points principally noted here are, sacrificing to dæmons, that is, the ancient gods; eating and drinking near heathen temples, fana, in honour of the god of the place; or eating what has been sacrificed to dæmons; or celebrating festal meals in the abominable places of the heathen[[864]]; seeking auguries by the flight of birds, making philacteries or philtres. Other forms may be gathered from the following heads:—
Si quis maleficio suo aliquem perdiderit vii. annos poeniteat. Si quis pro amore veneficus sit et neminem perdiderit, etc. Si autem per hoc mulieris partum quis deceperit, etc. Si quis ariolos quaerit, quos divinos vocant, vel aliquas divinationes fecerit, quia et hoc daemoniacum est, etc. Si quis sortes habuerit, quas Sanctorum contra rationem vocant, vel aliquas sortes habuerit, vel qualicunque malo ingenio sortitus fuerit, vel divinaverit, etc. Si qua mulier divinationes vel incantationes diabolicas fecerit, etc. Si qua mulier filium suum vel filiam super tectum pro sanitate posuerit, vel in fornace, etc. Qui grana arserit ubi mortuus est homo, pro sanitate viventium et domus, etc. Si quis, pro sanitate filioli, per foramen terrae exierit, illudque spinis post se concludit, etc. Si quis ad arbores, vel ad fontes, vel ad lapides, sive ad cancellos, vel ubicunque, excepto in aecclesia Dei, votum voverit aut exsolverit, etc., et hoc sacrilegium est vel daemoniacum. Qui vero ibidem ederit aut biberit, etc. Si quis in Kalendas Januarii in cervulo aut vetula vadit, id est, in ferarum habitus se communicant[[865]], et vestiuntur pellibus pecudum, et assumunt capita bestiarum; qui vero taliter in ferinas species se transformant, etc., quia hoc daemoniacum est. Si quis mathematicus est, id est, per invocationem daemonum hominis mentem converterit, etc. Si quis emissor tempestatis fuerit, id est, maleficus, etc. Si quis ligaturas fecerit, quod detestabile est, etc. Qui auguria vel divinationes in consuetudine habuerit, etc. Qui observat divinos, vel praecantatores, philacteria etiam diabolica, et somnia vel herbas, aut quintam feriam honore Jovis, vel Kalendas Januarii, more paganorum, honorat, etc. Qui student exercere quando luna obscuratur, ut clamoribus suis ac maleficiis sacrilego usu eam defendere confidunt, etc. Qui in honore lunae pro aliqua sanitate ieiunat, etc.
Other fragments of Theodore contain this additional provision:—
“Qui nocturna sacrificia daemonum celebraverint, vel incantationibus daemones invocaverint, capite puniantur.”
Archbishop Ecgberht has further details: he says[[866]]:—
“Si quis daemonibus exigui quid immolaverit, annum unum iciunet. Quicunque cibum daemonibus immolatum comederit, etc. Quicunque grana combusserit in loco ubi mortuus est homo, pro sanitate viventium et domus, etc. Si mulier filiam suam super domum, vel in foornace posuerit, eo quod eam a febri sanare velit,” etc.
The Saxon version in the MS. at Brussels, applies this to other illness besides fever: “Gif hwylc wíf seteð hire bearn ofer hróf oððe on ofen, for hwylcere untrymðe hǽlo .vii. gear fæste.”