InFranceandEngland，thewitchesweresupposedtorideuniformlyuponbroomsticks；butinItalyandSpain，thedevilhimself，intheshapeofagoat，usedtotransportthemonhisback，whichlengthenedorshortenedaccordingtothenumberofwitcheshewasdesirousofaccommodating。Nowitch，whenproceedingtotheSabbath，couldgetoutbyadoororwindow，wereshetotryeversomuch。Theirgeneralmodeofingresswasbythekeyhole，andofegress，bythechimney，upwhichtheyflew，broomandall，withthegreatestease。Topreventtheabsenceofthewitchesfrombeingnoticedbytheirneighbours，someinferiordemonwascommandedtoassumetheirshapesandlieintheirbeds，feigningillness，untiltheSabbathwasover。
　　Whenallthewizardsandwitcheshadarrivedattheplaceofrendezvous，theinfernalceremoniesoftheSabbathbegan。Satan，havingassumedhisfavouriteshapeofalargehe-goat，withafaceinfrontandanotherinhishaunches，tookhisseatuponathrone；andallpresent，insuccession，paidtheirrespectstohim，andkissedhiminhisfacebehind。Thisdone，heappointedamasteroftheceremonies，incompanywithwhomhemadeapersonalexaminationofallthewizardsandwitches，toseewhethertheyhadthesecretmarkaboutthembywhichtheywerestampedasthedevil’sown。Thismarkwasalwaysinsensibletopain。Thosewhohadnotyetbeenmarked，receivedthemarkfromthemasteroftheceremonies；thedevilatthesametimebestowingnicknamesuponthem。Thisdone，theyallbegantosingand。
　　danceinthemostfuriousmanner，untilsomeonearrivedwhowasanxioustobeadmittedintotheirsociety。Theywerethensilentforawhile，untilthenew-comerhaddeniedhissalvation，kissedthedevil，spatupontheBible，andswornobediencetohiminallthings。Theythenbegandancingagainwithalltheirmight，andsingingthesewords，“Alegremos，Alegremos！
　　Quegentevatenemos！“
　　Inthecourseofanhourortwo，theygenerallybecameweariedofthisviolentexercise，andthentheyallsatdownandrecountedtheevildeedstheyhaddonesincetheirlastmeeting。Thosewhohadnotbeenmaliciousandmischievousenoughtowardstheirfellow-creatures，receivedpersonalchastisementfromSatanhimself，whofloggedthemwiththornsorscorpionstilltheywerecoveredwithblood，andunabletositorstand。
　　Whenthisceremonywasconcluded，theywereallamusedbyadanceoftoads。Thousandsofthesecreaturessprangoutoftheearth；andstandingontheirhind-legs，danced，whilethedevilplayedthebagpipesorthetrumpet。Thesetoadswereallendowedwiththefacultyofspeech，andentreatedthewitchestorewardthemwiththefleshofunbaptizedbabesfortheirexertionstogivethempleasure。Thewitchespromisedcompliance。Thedevilbadethemremembertokeeptheirword；andthenstampinghisfoot，causedallthetoadstosinkintotheearthinaninstant。Theplacebeingthuscleared，preparationwasmadeforthebanquet，whereallmannerofdisgustingthingswereservedupandgreedilydevouredbythedemonsandwitches；
　　althoughthelatterweresometimesregaledwithchoicemeatsandexpensivewinesfromgoldenplatesandcrystalgoblets；buttheywereneverthusfavouredunlesstheyhaddoneanextraordinarynumberofevildeedssincethelastperiodofmeeting。
　　Afterthefeast，theybegandancingagain；butsuchashadnorelishforanymoreexerciseinthatway，amusedthemselvesbymockingtheholysacramentofbaptism。Forthispurpose，thetoadswereagaincalledup，andsprinkledwithfilthywater；thedevilmakingthesignofthecross，andallthewitchescallingout，“InnominePatrica，AragueacoPetrica，agora！agora！Valentia，jouandogouregaitsgoustia！“whichmeant，“InthenameofPatrick，PetrickofAragon，——
　　now，now，allourillsareover！“
　　Whenthedevilwishedtobeparticularlyamused，hemadethewitchesstripofftheirclothesanddancebeforehim，eachwithacattiedroundherneck，andanotherdanglingfromherbodyinformofatail。Whenthecockcrew，theyalldisappeared，andtheSabbathwasended。
　　ThisisasummaryofthebeliefwhichprevailedformanycenturiesnearlyalloverEurope，andwhichisfarfromeradicatedevenatthisday。Itwasvariedinsomerespectsinseveralcountries，butthemainpointswerethesameinFrance，Germany，GreatBritain，Italy，Spain，andthefarNorthofEurope。
　　TheearlyannalsofFranceaboundwithstoriesofsupposedsorcery，butitwasnotuntilthetimeofCharlemagnethatthecrimeacquiredanygreatimportance。“Thismonarch，“saysM。JulesGarinet，[“HistoiredelaMagieenFrance。Roisdelaseconderace，“
　　page29。]“hadseveraltimesgivenordersthatallnecromancers，astrologers，andwitchesshouldbedrivenfromhisstates；butasthenumberofcriminalsaugmenteddaily，hefounditnecessaryatlasttoresorttoseverermeasures。Inconsequence，hepublishedseveraledicts，whichmaybefoundatlengthinthe’CapitulairedeBaluse。’
　　Bythese，everysortofmagic，enchantment，andwitchcraftwasforbidden；andthepunishmentofdeathdecreedagainstthosewhoinanywayevokedthedevil——compoundedlove-philters——afflictedeithermanorwomanwithbarrenness——troubledtheatmosphere——
　　excitedtempests——destroyedthefruitsoftheearth——driedupthemilkofcows，ortormentedtheirfellow-creatureswithsoresanddiseases。Allpersonsfoundguiltyofexercisingtheseexecrablearts，weretobeexecutedimmediatelyuponconviction，thattheearthmightberidoftheburthenandcurseoftheirpresence；andthoseevenwhoconsultedthemmightalsobepunishedwithdeath。[M。Michaud，inhis“HistoryoftheCrusades，“M。Guinguene，inhis“LiteraryHistoryofItaly，“andsomeothercritics，haveobjectedtoTasso’spoem，thathehasattributedtotheCrusadersabeliefinmagic，whichdidnotexistatthattime。IfthesecriticshadreferredtotheEdictsofCharlemagne，theywouldhaveseenthatTassowasright，andthatadispositiontooeagertospyoutimperfectionsinagreatworkwasleadingthemselvesintoerror。]
　　Afterthistime，prosecutionsforwitchcraftarecontinuallymentioned，especiallybytheFrenchhistorians。Itwasacrimeimputedwithsomuchease，andrepelledwithsomuchdifficulty，thatthepowerful，whenevertheywantedtoruintheweak，andcouldfixnootherimputationuponthem，hadonlytoaccusethemofwitchcrafttoensuretheirdestruction。Instances，inwhichthiscrimewasmadethepretextforthemostviolentpersecution，bothofindividualsandofcommunities，whoserealoffenceswerepurelypoliticalorreligious，mustbefamiliartoeveryreader。TheexterminationoftheStedinger，in1234；oftheTemplars，from1307to1313；theexecutionofJoanofArc，in1429；andtheunhappyscenesofArras，in1459；arethemostprominent。Thefirstoftheseisperhapstheleastknown，butisnotamongtheleastremarkable。Thefollowingaccount，fromDr。Kortum’sinterestinghistory[“EntstehungsgeschichtederfreistadlischenBundeimMittelalter，vonDr。F。Kortum。“1827。]oftherepublicanconfederaciesoftheMiddleAges，willshowthehorribleconvenienceofimputationsofwitchcraft，whenroyalorpriestlywolveswantedapretextforaquarrelwiththesheep。
　　TheFrieslanders，inhabitingthedistrictfromtheWesertotheZuydersee，hadlongbeencelebratedfortheirattachmenttofreedom，andtheirsuccessfulstrugglesinitsdefence。Asearlyastheeleventhcentury，theyhadformedageneralconfederacyagainsttheencroachmentsoftheNormansandtheSaxons，whichwasdividedintosevenseelands，holdingannuallyadietunderalargeoaktreeatAurich，neartheUpstalboom。Heretheymanagedtheirownaffairs，withoutthecontroloftheclergyandambitiousnobleswhosurroundedthem，tothegreatscandalofthelatter。Theyalreadyhadtruenotionsofarepresentativegovernment。Thedeputiesofthepeopleleviedthenecessarytaxes，deliberatedontheaffairsofthecommunity，andperformed，intheirsimpleandpatriarchalmanner；nearlyallthefunctionsoftherepresentativeassembliesofthepresentday。Finally，theArchbishopofBremen，togetherwiththeCountofOldenburgandotherneighbouringpotentates，formedaleagueagainstthatsectionoftheFrieslanders，knownbythenameoftheStedinger，andsucceeded，afterharassingthem，andsowingdissensionsamongthemformanyyears，inbringingthemundertheyoke。ButtheStedinger，devotedlyattachedtotheirancientlaws，bywhichtheyhadattainedadegreeofcivilandreligiouslibertyveryuncommoninthatage，didnotsubmitwithoutaviolentstruggle。Theyaroseininsurrection，intheyear1204，indefenceoftheancientcustomsoftheircountry——refusedtopaytaxestothefeudalchiefs，ortithestotheclergy，whohadforcedthemselvesintotheirpeacefulretreats，anddroveoutmanyoftheiroppressors。Foraperiodofeight-and-twentyyearsthebraveStedingercontinuedthestrugglesingle-handedagainsttheforcesoftheArchbishopsofBremenandtheCountsofOldenburg，anddestroyed，intheyear1232，thestrongcastleofSlutterberg，nearDelmenhorst，builtbythelatternoblemanasapositionfromwhichhecouldsendouthismarauderstoplunderanddestroythepossessionsofthepeasantry。
　　Theinvinciblecourageofthesepoorpeopleprovingtoostrongfortheiroppressorstocopewithbytheordinarymeansofwarfare，theArchbishopofBremenappliedtoPopeGregoryIX。forhisspiritualaidagainstthem。Thatprelateenteredcordiallyintothecause，andlaunchingforthhisanathemaagainsttheStedingerashereticsandwitches，encouragedalltruebelieverstoassistintheirextermination。Alargebodyofthievesandfanaticsbrokeintotheircountryintheyear1233，killingandburningwherevertheywent，andnotsparingeitherwomenorchildren，thesickortheaged，intheirrage。TheStedinger，however，ralliedingreatforce，routedtheirinvaders，andkilledinbattletheirleader，CountBurckhardtofOldenburg，withmanyinferiorchieftains。
　　Againthepopewasappliedto，andacrusadeagainsttheStedingerwaspreachedinallthatpartofGermany。Thepopewrotetoallthebishopsandleadersofthefaithfulanexhortationtoarm，torootoutfromthelandthoseabominablewitchesandwizards。“TheStedinger，“
　　saidhisHoliness，“seducedbythedevil，haveabjuredallthelawsofGodandman；slanderedtheChurch——insultedtheholysacraments——
　　consultedwitchestoraiseevilspirits——shedbloodlikewater——
　　takenthelivesofpriests，andconcoctedaninfernalschemetopropagatetheworshipofthedevil，whomtheyadoreunderthenameofAsmodi。Thedevilappearstothemindifferentshapes；sometimesasagooseoraduck，andatothersinthefigureofapale，black-eyedyouth，withamelancholyaspect，whoseembracefillstheirheartswitheternalhatredagainsttheholychurchofChrist。ThisdevilpresidesattheirSabbaths，whentheyallkisshimanddancearoundhim。Hethenenvelopesthemintotaldarkness，andtheyall，maleandfemale，givethemselvesuptothegrossestandmostdisgustingdebauchery。“
　　Inconsequenceoftheselettersofthepope，theEmperorofGermany，FredericII，alsopronouncedhisbanagainstthem。TheBishopsofRatzebourg，Lubeck，Osnabruek，Munster，andMindentookuparmstoexterminatethem，aidedbytheDukeofBrabant，theCountsofHolland，ofCloves，oftheMark，ofOldenburg，ofEgmond，ofDiest，andmanyotherpowerfulnobles。Anarmyoffortythousandmenwassooncollected，whichmarched，underthecommandoftheDukeofBrabant，intothecountryoftheStedinger。Thelattermusteredvigorouslyindefenceoftheirlivesandliberties，butcouldraisenogreaterforce，includingeverymancapableofbearingarms，thaneleventhousandmentocopeagainsttheoverwhelmingnumbersoftheirfoe。
　　Theyfoughtwiththeenergyofdespair，butallinvain。Eightthousandofthemwereslainonthefieldofbattle；thewholeracewasexterminated；andtheenragedconquerorsscouredthecountryinalldirections——slewthewomenandchildrenandoldmen——droveawaythecattle——firedthewoodsandcottages，andmadeatotalwasteoftheland。