THE GOD OF THE WITCHES - World eBook Library - World Public ...

covens of the Horned God took their rise before the introduction of Christianity into the world.
There is only one trial in which the number thirteen is specifically mentioned, when Isobel Gowdie, stated that in
each coven of her district there were thirteen persons. In the other trials the number is indicated and can be
recovered by counting up the accused persons. As I have noted above, the Old Religion held its place longer
among the women than among the men. The coven of Romulus consisted of thirteen men; if the legendary
companions of Robin Hood[8] were real personages, then that coven was composed of twelve men and one
woman; Gilles de Rais (1440)[9] had eleven men and two women, Bessie Dunlop (1567)[10] spoke of five men
and eight women, and in Kinross-shire (1662)[11] one man and twelve women formed the coven.
The Incarnate God, called the Devil by the Christian recorders, was the supreme chief of the coven; the second
in command was known as the Officer, who represented the Chief in his absence, and there was besides a
woman-member called in Scotland the "Maiden".[12] All offices could be held by women, including that of Chief,
though they were usually filled by men, except of course that of the Maiden, who was always a woman. In
England women appear to have sometimes doubled the offices of deputy-chief and of Maiden. Wherever she is
recorded the Maiden appears as a more important person than the officer and as ranking next to the
Grandmaster though without executive power. She sat at the right hand of the Incarnate God at feasts, and she
generally led the dance with him. If, as I maintain, Joan of Arc belonged to the Old Religion her title of La
Pucelle, the Maid, takes a new significance and emphasises her position in regard to her royal master, for she
was not only Maid of Orleans but bore the higher title of La Pucelle de France.
To any member of the coven might be deputed the task of summoner. In a small district the Chief himself would
notify all members as to the place where the Esbat or weekly meeting would be held; but in a large district a
member, well known to the whole coven, went from house to house with the information. "Many times himself
warneth them to meet, sometimes he appointeth others to warn them in his stead",[13] as was the case with
Robert Grieve of Lauder in 1649, "the Devil gave him that charge, to be his officer to warn all to the
meetings".[14] The summoner, whether Chief or ordinary member, was careful to be inconspicuous when
employed in this way. In Renfrewshire this secrecy was carried further than usual, "for particular warning there
appeared a Black Dog with a Chain about his Neck, who tinkling it, they were to follow".[15]
The duties of the officer were varied; he was often the summoner, he arranged for the meetings and saw that
due notice was given, he kept the records of attendance and of work done, he presented new members and
informed the Chief of any likely convert. If the Chief did not choose to dance the officer led the ring and if the
officer were also a Christian priest, as was not uncommon, he performed part of the religious service.
The musician was another important member of coven. The Chief was often the performer, sitting in the centre
of the ring and playing on the pipes, the flute or the Jews' harp. Jonet Lucas of Aberdeen 16 in 1597 was
accused that "thou and they was under the conduct of thy master the Devil, dancing in a ring, and he playing
melodiously upon an instrument". On another occasion Isobel Cockie of the same coven did not approve of the
Devil's playing, "thou wast the ringleader, next Thomas Leyis, and because the Devil played not so melodiously
and well as thou crewit, thou took the instrument out of his mouth, then took him on the chaps therewith and
played thyself thereon to the whole company". As a rule, however, the musician did not dance the round dance
but sat outside the ring (plate X), though in the long dance he was often the leader.
The organisation was very complete, each coven being independent under its own officer, yet linked with all the
other covens of the district under one Grandmaster. This was the system, which in all probability was followed by
Augustine when he "placed bishops in every place where there had been flamens, and archbishops where there
had been arch-flamens".
A coven could act alone or, when numbers were needed, could combine with others. For a combined effort the
witches of North Berwick afford one of the best examples.[17] There were thirty-nine men and women, i.e. three
covens, who met together to aid their Master in destroying James VI of Scotland. Some raised the storm, some
undertook the slow destruction of the wax image, some prepared the toad poison, and some arranged to get a
garment which the King had worn. These duties were more than the members of one coven could manage, and
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