Sono a lezione,
History of Magic and Witchcraft, che seguo come
audit - cioe' vado a lezione, ascolto e imparo, ma non faccio test e non ricevo un voto alla fine del trimestre (il che elimina la parte stressante dell'andare a lezione, la sacra febbre che sempre mi prende del "
devo scrivere ogni parola del prof. perche' potrebbe chiedermela") -.
Grazie alle tasse esagerate pagate dagli studenti, l'imponente campus della Ohio State University e' completamente coperto da un'ottima connessione wireless, percio' posso leggere le email e aggiornare il blog quando la discussione si fa tediosa. Grazie, studenti. Amen.
Quest'oggi gli interventi non sono certo noiosi, ma ho deciso di scrivere un po' delle questioni sollevate in classe, in quanto interessanti. Dopo aver analizzato alcuni documenti in inglese antico - che ho letto con qualche difficolta' - sui primi processi delle tristemente famose
witch hunts, l'attenzione si e' focalizzata sul perche' abbiamo l'idea della strega come una donna giovane e seducente. Varie ipotesi sono state proposte, dal mero fatto che non si volesse pensare a delle vecchie rugose impegnate in un'orgia all'ipotesi che il potere di qualunque natura sia sempre associato con un aspetto seducente - io stessa ho proposto la connessione Strega - Diavolo, Diavolo - Tentazione, ove una giovane donna dalle forme burrose e' sicuramente piu' tentatrice che una povera vecchia sciupata. Un'interessante ipotesi ha connesso l'imaginario delle Fate (nell'accezione inglese Fairies, piu' generale), con l'idea fisica che noi abbiamo dell'aspetto delle Streghe: un aspetto che dura per molto tempo - tradizionalmente le streghe sono molto piu' vecchie ci come appaiono - e non invecchia.
In sintesi, non abbiamo risolto l'origine dell'immaginario moderno della Strega, ma ho pensato che fosse molto interessante leggere dei documenti ufficiali, che copio qui sotto!
The apprehension and confession of three notorious witches. Arreigned and by iustice condemned and executed at Chelmes-forde, in the Countye of Essex, the 5. day of Iulye, last past. 1589 With the manner of their diuelish practices and keeping of thier spirits, whose fourmes are heerein truelye proportioned. Date: 1589
The araignement and execution of Ioan Cunny of Stysted in the Countye of Essex widowe, of the age of fourescore yeeres, or ther-abouts, who was brought before Anthony Mildemay Esquire, the last day of March. 1589.IN primis, this examinate saith and confesseth, that she hath knowledge and can doo the most detestable Arte of Witchecraft, and that she learned this her knowledge in the same, of one mother Humfrye of Maplested, who told her that she must kneele down vpon her knees, and make a Circle on the ground, and pray vnto Sathan the cheefe of the Deuills, the forme of which praier that she then taught her, this examinate hath now forgotten, and that then the Spirits would come vnto her, the which she put in practise about twenty yeeres since, in the Feelde of Iohn Wiseman of Stysted Gentleman, called Cowfenne feelde, and there making a Circle as she was taught, and kneeling on her knees, said the praier now forgotten, and inuocating vpon Sathan: Two Sprites did appeere vnto her within the said Circle, in the similitude and likenes of two black Frogges, and there demaunded of her what she would haue, beeing readye to doo for her what she would desire, so yt she would promise to giue them her soule for their trauaile, for otherwise: they would doo nothing for her. Wher-upon she did promise them her soule, and then they concluded with her so to doo for her, what she would require, and gaue themselues seuerall names, that is to say, the one Iack, and ye other Iyll, by the which names she did alwaies after call them. And then taking them vp, she caried them home in her lap and put them in a Box and gaue them white bread and milke.
And within one moneth after she sent them to milke Hurrelles Beastes, which they did, and they would bring milke for their owne eating and not for her.
And further, she saith that her sprites neuer changed their colour since they first came vnto her, and that they would familiarly talke with her, when she had any thing to say or doo with them in her owne language.
And likewise she confesseth that she sent her saide spirits to hurt the wife of Iohn Sparrow the elder, of Stysted, which they did, and also that where Maister Iohn Glascock of Stysted, aforesaide: had a great stack of Logges in his yarde, she by her said Spirits did ouerthrowe them.
And further, faith that she hath hurt diuers persons within this sixteene or twenty yeeres, but how many she now knoweth not.
Furthermore, she confesseth that she sent her sprites vnto William Unglee of Stysted Miller, and because they could not hurt him, she sent them to hurt one Barnabie Griffyn his man, which they did. Likewise she confesseth, that she sent her saide sprites, to hurt Maister Kitchin Minister of the saide towne, and also vnto one George Coe of the saide towne shoomaker, to hurt him likewise: but they could not, and the cause why they could not, as the saide sprites tolde her, was because they had at their comming a strong faith in God, and had inuocated and called vpon him, that they could doo them no harme.
And further she saith, that Margaret Cunny her Daughter, did fall out with Father Hurrill, and gaue him cursed speeches, and ther-vpon, she thinketh she sent her spirits to her.
Also she dooth vtteriye denye that she sent her saide spirits to Finches wife, Deuenishes wife, and Renold Ferror or any of them to hurt them.
And beeing further examined, she confesseth that although her said spirits at some time can haue no power to hurt men, yet they may haue power to hurt their Cattell.
This Ioane Cunny, liuing very lewdly, hauing two lewde Daughters, no better then naughty packs, had two Bastard Children: beeing both boyes, these two Children were cheefe witnesses, and gaue in great euidence against their Grandam and Mothers, the eldest being about 10. or 12. yeeres of age.
Against this Mother Cunny the elder Boye gaue in this euidence which she herselfe after confessed, that she going to Braintye Market, came to one Harry Finches house, to demaund some drink, his wife being busie and a brewing, tolde her she had no leysure to giue her any. Then Ioane Cunnye went away discontented: and at night Finches wife was greeuously taken in her head, and the next day in her side, and so continued in most horrible paine for the space of a week, and then dyed.
Mother Cunnye confessed that she sent her spirite Jill to torment her.
The same boy confessed that he was commaunded by his Grandmother to fetch a burden of wood, which he gathered, but another boye stole it from him, and he came home without: and tolde his Grandam: and she commaunded her sprite to prick the same boy in the foote· which was doone· and the same boye came to the barre lame and gaue euidence against her.
Againe the same boy confessed that his Grandam when he had lost his wood, saide she would haue wood enough: and bad him goe into Sir Edward Huddlestones ground beeing high Sheriffe of the Sheere, and to take with him Iack the sprite, and so he did, who went vnseene to any body but to the boy, and when they came to a mighty Oke-tree, the spirit went about it, and presentlye the Tree blew vp by the roots: and no winde at all stirring at this time: which Master high Sheriffe acknowledged to be blown down in a great calme.
The confession of Ioan Vpney of Dagenham, in the Countye of Essex, who was brought before Sir Henrye Gray Knight, the third of May. 1589. THis examinate saith, that one Fustian Kirtle, otherwise called White-cote, a witch of Barking, came to her house about seauen or eight yeeres agoe, and gaue her a thing like a Moule, and tolde her if she ought any body any ill will, if she did bid it, it would goe clap them.
She saith that Moule taryed not aboue a yeere with her, but it consumed away, and then she gaue her another Moule and a Toad, which she kept a great while, and was neuer without some Toades since till her last going away from her house, when she confesseth she ranne away, because she heard Iohn Harrolde and Richard Foster say she was a witch, and urch other woordes.
She saith that one day she lest a Toade vnder the groundsill at Harrolds house, and it pinched his wife and sucked her til she dyed, but it neuer came to her the saide Ioan Upney againe.
She saith, that one day another Toade went ouer her threshold as Richard Fosters wife was coming that way, and it went and pinched her, and neuer returned againe.
Other two Toades she left at home, when she ran away, but they consumed away.
She saith that her eldest Daughter would neuer abide to meddle with her Toades, but her youngest daughter would handle them, and vse them as well as her selfe.
The examination of Ioan Prentice, one of the women of the Almes house of Hinningham Sibble, within the saide County: beeing taken the 29. of March, in the 31. yeere of the raigne of our Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth.IN Primis, this saide examinate saith and confesseth, that about sixe yeeres last past, betweene the feastes of all Saintes, and the birth of our Lord God, the deuill appeered vnto her in the Almes house aforesaide: about ten of the Clock in the night time, beeing in the shape and proportion of a dunnish culloured Ferrit, hauing fiery eyes, and the saide Examinate beeing alone in her Chamber, and sitting vpona low stoole, preparing her selfe to bedward: the Ferrit standing with his hinder legs vpon the ground, and his fore legs setled vpon her lappe, and setling his fiery eyes vpon her eyes, spake and pronounced vnto her these woords following, namelye: Ioan Prentice giue me thy soule, to whome this Examinate being greatly amazed, answered and said: In the name of god what art thou The Ferrit answered, I am satan, feare me not my comming vnto thee is to doo thee no hurt but to obtaine thy soule, which I must and wil haue before I departe from thee to whome the saide examinate answered and said, that he demaunded that of her which is none of hers to giue, saying: that her soule appertained onely vnto Iesus Christ, by whose precious blood shedding, it was bought and purchased. To whome the saide Ferret replyed and saide, I must then haue some of thy blood, which she willingly graunting, offered him the forefinger of her left hand, the which the Ferrit tooke into his mouth, and setting his former feete vpon that hand, suckt blood therout, in so much that her finger did smart exceedingye: and the saide examinate demaunding againe of the Ferrit what his name was: It answered Bidd. and then presently the said Ferrit vanished out of her sight sodainly.
Item, the saide examinate saith further, that about one moneth after, the saide Ferrit came againe vnto her in the night time as she was sitting vpon a little stoole, preparing her selfe to bed-ward, as is aboue saide: Ioan wilt thou goe to bed, to whome she answered yea that I will by Gods grace, then presently the Ferret leapt vp vpon her lap, and from thence vp to her bosome, and laying his former feete vpon her lefte shoulder, sucked blood out of her lefte cheeke, and then he saide vnto her, Ioan if thou will haue me doo any thing for thee, I am and wil be alwaies ready at thy commaundement, and ther-upon she beeing a little before fallen out with William Adams his wife of Hinningham Sibble aforesaide: willed the Ferret to spoile her drinke which was then in brewing, which he did accordingly.
Item, the saide examinate furthermore saith and confesseth, that the saide Ferret diuers times after appeered vnto her alwaies at the time when she was going to bed, and the last time he appeered vnto her was about seauen weekes last past, at which time she going to bed, the Ferrit leapt vpon her left shoulder, and sucked blood out of her lefte cheeke, and that doone: he demaunded of her what she had for him to doo? To whom she answered, goe vnto Maister Glascocks house, and nippe one of his Children a little, named Sara, but hurt it not, and the next night he resorted vnto her againe, and told her that he had doon as she willed him: namely, that he had nipt Sara Glascock, and that she should dye therof, to whome she answered and saide, thou villaine what hast thou doon, I bid thee to nip it but a little and not to hurt it, and hast thou killed the childe? which speech beeing vttered, the Ferrit vanished away suddenly, and neuer came to her sithence.
Item, she affirmeth, that the occasion why she did will her Ferret to nippe the saide childe, was for that she beeing the daye before at the house of the saide Maister Glascok, to begge his almes, answere was made to her by one of his maiden seruantes, that both her Maister and Mistres were from home, and therfore desired her to be contented for that time, and therupon the examinate departed greatlye discontented, and that night sent her Ferret to nip the childe as is abouesaide.
Item, she saith and affirmeth, that at what time soeuer she would haue her Ferret doo any thing for her, she vsed these woordes, Bidd, Bidd, Bidd, come Bidd, come bidd, come bidd, come suck, come suck, come suck, and that presently he would appeere as is aforesaide: and suckt blood out of her left cheeke, and then perfourmed any mischeefe she willed or wished him to doo for her vnto or against any of her neighbours.
Lastly the said examinate saith, and confesseth, that one Elizabeth Whale, the wife of Michaell Whale of Henningham Sibble aforesaide labourer, and Elizabeth Mott, the wife of Iohn Mot of the saide Towne Cobler, are as well acquainted with her Bidd as her selfe is, but knoweth not what hurt they or any of them haue doone to any of their neighbours.
WHen their inditements were read, and their examinations also, they stoode vpon their tearmes, to prolong life: yet to make the matters more apparant, sundry witnesses were produced to giue euidence against them· and firste the Iudge of the circuite very wisely with a great foresight, called in the two Basterd Children before mencioned, and contended them greatlye for telling the trueth of that which he should aske them, concerning their Grandam and their mothers, which they did, and hauing saide what they could, together with the depositions of sundrye other witnesses, they hauing confessed sufficient matter to proue the inditements. The Iury found these bad women guiltie and that they had slaine Men, women, and Children, And committed very wicked and horrible actions, diuers and sundrye times, and ther-upon, the Iudge proceeded, and pronounced the sentence of death against them, as worthely they had deserued.
After they had receiued their iudgments, they were conuayed from the Barre backe againe to Prison, where they had not stayed aboue two howers, but the officers prepared them-selues to conduct them to the place of execution: to which place they led them, and being come thether, one Maister Ward a learned deuine, beeing desired by the Iustices, did exhorte these wicked women to repentance, And perswaded them that they would shewe vnto the people the trueth of their wickednes, and to call vpon God for mercy with penitent hartes. And to aske pardon at his hands for the same: some fewe prayers they saide after the precher, but little els: more then this, that they had deserued to dye, in committing those wicked sinnes: and so tooke their deathes patiently.
Note, that Mother Upney being inwardlye pricked and hauing some inward feeling in conscience cryed out saying: that she had greeuously sinned, that the deuill had deceiued her, the deuill had deceiued her, and that she had twice giuen her soule to the Deuill, yet by the meanes of Gods spirite woorking in her, and the paines which Maister ward tooke with her, she seemed very sorry for ye same, and died very penitent, asking God & the world forgiuenes, euen to ye last gaspe, for her wicked and detestable life.
FSNIS.
Inoltre, un'ottima bibliografia stilata dal Professor Green =)
Maxwell-Stuart, P. G, Witchcraft in Europe and the New World, 1400-1800 (Palgrave, 2001)
Early Modern Witches: Witchcraft Cases in Contemporary Writing, ed. by Marion Gibson (Routledge, 2000)
King James I, Demonology (Lightning Source, 2002)
Kramer, Heinrich, and James Sprenger, Malleus Maleficarum, tr. Montague Summers (Dover Publications, 1971)
Scot, Reginald, Discoverie of Witchcraft (Dover Publications, 1989)
Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History, ed. by Alan Charles Kors, Edward Peters 2nd edition (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2000)
Secondary Sources
Briggs, Robin, Witches & Neighbours : the social and cultural context of European Witchcraft Harper Collins, 1996
Cohn, Norman, Europe's Inner Demons : an enquiry inspired by the great witch-hunt (Chatto, 1975)
Ginsburg, Carlo, The Night Battles : witchcraft & agrarian cults in the sixteenth & seventeenth centuries, trans. by John and Anne C. Tedeschi (Johns Hopkins University Press, c1983)
Hutton, Ronald. The Triumph of the Moon : a History of modern pagan witchcraft (Oxford University Press, 2000)
Kieckhefer, Richard, European Witch Trials : their foundations in popular and learned culture, 1300-1500 (University of California Press, 1976)
Kittredge, George L., Witchcraft in Old and New England (Harvard University Press, 1929)
MacFarlane, Alan, Witchcraft in Tudor and Stuart England: a regional and comparative study (Routledge & K. Paul, 1970)
Robbins, Rossell Hope, The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology (Crown Publishers [1959])
Rose, Elliot, A Razor for a Goat, 2nd edition (University of Toronto Press, 2003)
Stephens, Walter, Demon Lovers : witchcraft, sex, and the crisis of belief (University of Chicago Press, 2002)
Thomas, Keith, Religion and the Decline of Magic: studies in popular beliefs in sixteenth and seventeenth century (Penguin Books, 1973)
Studies of Individual Trials
Geis, Gilbert, and Ivan Bunn, A Trial of Witches : a seventeenth-century witchcraft prosecution (Routledge, 1997)
Hoffer, Peter Charles, The Devil's Disciples : makers of the Salem witchcraft trials (Johns Hopkins University Press, c1996)
Huxley, Aldous, The Devils of Loudun (Harper [1952])
Sharpe, James, The Bewitching of Anne Gunter (Routledge, 2001)
Enjoy! =D
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