Witchcraft-and-the-Gay-Counterculture-1

The English drew attention to Joan’s transvestism and urgedthe church to condemn her for that reason. The King of England,Henry VI, even got involved on this point. In a letter he wrote aboutJoan, he said: “It is sufficiently notorious and well-known that forsome time past a woman calling herself Jeanne the Pucelle [theMaid], leaving off the dress and clothing of the feminine sex, a thingcontrary to divine law and abominable before God, and forbiddenby all laws, wore clothing and armour such as is worn by men” (W. S.Scott, 52). The sell-out French faction that had captured Joan calledher homasse, which was a derogatory word in Old French meaningmasculine woman (Lightbody, 60).Not only did Joan wear men’s clothing as a religious duty,but in the eyes of her judges she did something else just as bad – sheacted masculine. Contrary to the Christian view of womanhood, shewas bold, self-assertive, strong willed, and contemptuous of her captors.In article sixty-three of the original indictment, the judges condemnher for “allowing herself a tone of mockery and derision suchas no woman in a state of holiness would allow” (T. Douglas Murray,363). The judges were horrified that Joan had rejected the traditionalwoman’s role: “She disdains also to give herself up to feminine work,conducting herself in all things rather as a man than as a woman”(Murray, 348). The fact that Joan had led male troops in battle andhad even given them orders seemed to her judges another sign ofheresy: “In contempt of the orders of God and the Saints, Jeanne, inpresumption and pride, hath gone so far as to take command overmen” (T. Douglas Murray, 359).The judges were interested in Joan’s relationship with otherwomen. In the summer of 1424, Joan had left her parents againsttheir will and went to live with another woman, La Rousse (“TheRed”), who lived in Neufchateau. La Rousse, it turns out, was aninnkeeper, which is interesting since inns in the middle ages wereoften brothels. In article eight, the judges accused Joan of hangingout with prostitutes: “Towards her twentieth year, Jeanne, of herown wish, and without permission of her father and mother, wentto Neufchateau, in Lorraine, and was in service for some time atthe house of a woman, an innkeeper named La Rousse, where livedwomen of evil life, and where soldiers were accustomed to lodge ingreat numbers. During her stay in the inn, Jeanne sometimes stayedwith these evil women” (T. Douglas Murray, 344).The judges also questioned Joan about her relationship withanother woman, Catherine de la Rochelle. Joan admitted to thejudges that she had slept in the same bed with Catherine on twosuccessive nights, but that her reason for doing so was religious. Joanclaimed that Catherine told her she often had visions of “a lady” atnight, and Joan said she wanted to see this lady too. Whatever herreason, Joan admitted to sleeping twice with Catherine (W. S. Scott,97).18Christianity, breaks out in nearbyArmenia (Obolensky, 28).689 AD The Christian missionaryKilian is killed for trying to convertthe East Franks away fromthe worship of Diana (Grimm,237; Russell, 61, n. 25; Cohn,Demons, 212).690 AD A penitential of theArchbishop of Canterbury isthe first to mention lesbianism(Hyde, 31).693 AD The Council of Toledocondemns male homosexuality(Bailey, 63).700 AD Armenian Massaliansare accused of holding orgiesand worshipping Satan (Cohn,Demons, 18).744 AD A note attached tothe regulations of the Synod ofSeptinnes condemns the practiceof men dressing as women on theoccasion of pagan feasts (Russell,67).787 AD Charlemagne decreesthat anyone making sacrificesto “the Devil” should be put todeath (Cohn, Demons, 157); laterhe outlaws sodomy (Hyde, 31).864 AD Boris, the King ofBulgaria, is forced to convert toChristianity after a Christianinvasion of Bulgaria (Obolensky,71). He tries to force Christianityon the rest of the country.Paulicianism enters Bulgaria andbegins to spread (Obolensky, 82;Loos, 42).866 AD Pope Nicholas I writes toKing Boris of Bulgaria, complainingthat many Bulgarianscontinue to practice paganism(Obolensky, 85; Loos, 242; Runciman,5).889 AD Boris retires as Kingof Bulgaria in favor of his sonVladimir, who tries to restorepaganism as the official religion.Boris returns from retirement,defeats and blinds his son, andrestores Christianity (Loos, 42;Obolensky, 87).906 AD Regino of Prum publishesa lost ordinance of the 9thcentury, the canon episcapi. Itderides the widespread belief ofwomen who “profess themselvesin the hours of the night to rideupon certain beasts with Diana,the goddess of the pagans” (Russell,75-76).950 AD Theophylact, Patriarch ofConstantinople, writes to Tsar Peterof Bulgaria mentioning a newheresy there, which he defines asManicheism mixed with Paulicianism(Runciman, 67; Loos, 47;Obolensky, 112 & 112, n. 7).969-972 AD The priest Cosmascondemns a new Bulgarian heresycalled Bogomilism, which he saysrecognizes two gods and rejectsthe church and its sacraments(Loos, 50-59; Runciman, 68-69;Obolensky, 117 122).1000 AD Burchard of Wormscalls the goddess of the nightriders “the witch Holda” (Russell,81).1000 AD Adam of Bremenreports that a large dildo figureis still being worshipped underthe name of Fricco in the city ofUpsala (Wright, 26).1022 AD Heretics are uncoveredat Orleans and are said to practiceritual sex orgies, worship theDevil, and have visions of travelingafter eating a “heavenly food.”They are called “Manichaeans”155