The Equinox (Volume I, Number V)

THE EQUINOX eighteen years ago, in the valley of Hinnom, on the stone called Succoth, bind yourself in a diabolical pact with Satan, whereby he granted the power to change your sex at will, since which time you have become the father of an innumer- able brood of devils, and in particular have travelled by night in the form ofan owl to assault the virtue of many holy servants of the True Faith, notably at the Convent of St Anne in this city, whereby the bodies and souls of the nuns were possessed and destroyed. PROSECUTOR. We say this is plain witchcraft. [LAYLAH lakes no notice. BISHOP. Silence under such a charge is contumacious, and equivalent to confession. On the fourth count, guilty. [JUDGES echo “Guilty.” CLERK. Fifthly, that you do take the form of a bat, and suck the blood of sleeping children, and moreover have be- witched divers cows to the prejudice of the Holy Orders of Knights Hospitaller and others, lawful owners of the aforesaid cows. PROSECUTOR. All clear marks ofa witch! LAYLAH. Your Saviour sent devils into swine. BISHOP. Blasphemy on blasphemy! [crosses himself]. Sure only the devil could speak thus. On the fifth count, guilty. [JUDGES echo “ Gui/ty." CLERK. Sixthly— BISHOP. Stay, gentle sir. Have we not heard enough? Must the ears of the Court be further polluted with a recital of these abominations ? G. M. OF ST ]. We have heard enough. G. M. OF MALTA. Enough, my lord Bishop. IOO