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The Incarnate God, called the Devil by the Christian recorders, was the
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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
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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 they were obliged to have help from the other covens under the
domination of the one Master.
Recruiting for the religion was not required while the cult was in its
prime, but as the Church gained power and began to persecute there was
difficulty in obtaining converts, and judging by the statements of the
witches a Chief had often to use persuasion and bribery to secure a likely
recruit. Once secured it was difficult for the member to withdraw, for
discipline was strict within the coven. In most places the Master ruled
through the love which the members bore to himself as the Incarnate God, for
as de Lancre[18] puts it, "the Devil so holds their hearts and wills that he
hardly allows any other desire to enter therein". This personal affection of
the worshipper for the God must always be taken into account in considering
the cult of the Horned God. "The love of God" was no façon de parler among
the witches but was a vital force in their lives.
"This passionate clinging to their own religion and their own god was
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