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'T'HE RITESSexual ritual occurs in many religions of the Lower Cultureand has always horrified members of the higher religions bothin ancient and modern times. In fertility cults it is one of thechief features, not only symbolizjng the fertilizing power inthe \\'hole animate world, but, in the belief of the actors, actuallyassisting it and promoting its effects.Such fertility rites arc governed by certain rules, which\~ary in different countries, particularly as to the age of girls,i.e. whether they are over or under puberty. Among thewitches there appears to have been a definite rule that no girlunder puberty had sexual intercourse with the Devil. 1'hisis eyen stated as a fact by so great an authority as Bodin :' Les diables nc font point de paction expresse auec lesenfans, qui leurs sont vouez, s'ils n'ont attaint l'aage clepubcrte.' 1 rfhe details of the trials show that this statementis accurate.' i\Iagdalene de la Croix, Abbesse des l\1onialesde Cordoiie en Espaigne, confessa que Satan n'eust pointcopulation, ny cognoissance d'elle, qu 'elle n 'eust douze ans.' :zBodin and De Lancre both cite the case of Jeanne Hervillierof \ ' erbery in Compiegne; she was a woman of fifty-t\YO atthe time of her trial in r 5i8. She 'confessa qu 'a l'aage dedouze ans sa mere Ia presenta au diable, en forme d'vn grandhom1ne noir, & ycstu de nair, botte, esperonne, aucc vne espeeau coste, et vn cheual nair a la porte, auqnel la mere dit:Voicy n1a fille que ie vous ay promise : Et a la fille, Voicyvostre amy, qui vous fera hien heureus e.~ et deslors qu'ellcrenon9a a Dieu, & a la religion, & puis coucha aucc ellecharnellement, en Ia mesme sorte & maniere que font leshommes auec les femmes.' ~ De Lancre also emphasizes the age:' leanne Haruillicr depose qu 'encore sa mere 1 'eust vouee aSatan des sa naissance, neantn1oins qu'il ne la cognut charnellementqu 'elle n 'eust attainct 1 'aage de