WITCHCRAFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

WITCHCRAFT.

Although the majority of people condemned in the past for witchcraft were humble folk, the wealthy, the great and the noble were often suspected and convicted, simply because the imputation of witchcraft was the easiest their enemies could bring against them. The most notorious example of this kind was the burning of Joan of Arc as a witch. The brave, fervent Maid of Orleans had become* a serious problem to the political and religious parties of England and France. Both were afraid of her, neither could understand her wise simplicity or her lack of hatred, and, as it was impossible to accuse her of any obvious crime, her enemies resorted to the deadly imputation of witchcraft. There was not even sincerity in their Sold to the Duke of Burgundy, who again sold her to the English, she was condemned by the military and ecclesiastical authorities and went to the stake as a witch to satisfy their political hatred. Her trial is too well known to be commented upon, but one of the crimes brought against her was that she had sometimes worn a bunch of mandragofa, 6r mandrake, a, plant associated with love potions since the days of Circe, and one which witches were supposed to use for evoking spirits. But the burning of Joan of Arc must have differed very much from others of the same nature, for the common English soldier who came in delight to see the witch burn, and probably thought it only ordinary justice, was overcome with shame as he said", "We are lost; we have burnt a saint." Nearly 500 years later the church also decided that she was a saint.

Ferdinand, Earl of Derby, who lived in the reign of Elizabeth, was another victim. He died mysteriously of continual sickness, and his death was said to be the result of witchcraft: Nobody was accused of killing him by slow poison, which was probably the case, but his house was searched for signs of witchcraft, and an image stuffed with hair the same colour as the Earl's was found in his chamber. This was considered a proof that evil had been used against him.

That very complicated person, Louis XIV., did not regard witches with the fanatical eye of his subjects. When in 1070 the Parliament of Normandy condemned some poor old woman to death on the charge of riding to meet the devil on broom sticks, Louis commuted the punishment to banishment for life, and Parliament was amazed and horrified. A remarkable document was sent to the king reminding him how, in past, the Sieur de Beaumont, the Marshal' dc Rays aid others, both humble and great, had paid the price of using witchcraft, and asking him graciously to punish such infamy by the usual death sentence, Louis took no notice of this plea, and his attitude may be considered the beginning of a saner outlook. Witchcraft and belief in charms are not dead by any means, but both have become mild follies rather than the cruel results of ignorance anrl fear.