| |
Familiars
According to English witchcraft handbooks of the early
seventeenth century (familiars do not appear in Continental witchcraft trials and
literature), the name given to spirits attendant upon witches
or magicians.
Usually a low-ranking
demon, familiars are visible to
ordinary sight, as, for example, in the form of dogs or cats, but in some cases it was
claimed that witches were followed by a swarm of invisible familiars. The word is from the
Latin familiares, but alternative Roman names
were magistelli and martinelli, while the Greeks
called them paredrii.
It was held that the familiar, usually
in the form of a small domestic animal, was given to the witch by the Devil as companion, helper and adviser, which
could be used to perform malicious errands, including murder, and other feats of black magic.
The familiar ―
often only visible to the witch herself
― would be
rewarded for its services by being allowed to suck some of the witch's own
blood from a teat or spot on her body known as a "witch's mark."
This frontispiece (above right) depicts one of the most famous
accounts of familiars, Matthew Hopkins' Discovery of Witches (1647) in which
the author describes the five familiars said to assist the witch Elizabeth
Clark:
1. Holt, a white kitten
2. Jamara, a fat spaniel
3. Vinegar Tom, a long-legged greyhound
4. Sack and Sugar, a black rabbit
5. News, a polecat
All medieval witches were believed to have a familiar
given to them by the Devil for the purpose of strengthening the witch's own
power. Common European familiars were believed to be cats, dogs, rabbits,
toads and insects. Japanese familiars were dogs and foxes, and in Africa it
was believed witches relied on the assistance of baboons, hyenas and owls.
Related
books.
Further info:
Confronting Familiar Spirits.
| | |
|
| |
|
|
This website is best viewed with the latest
versions of
Microsoft
Internet Explorer,
Firefox or
Netscape.
Occultopedia
makes extensive use of
Flash and Scripting in its pages and interface. Make certain your browser
permissions are set
accordingly and that you have the latest
Flash plug-in for the full experience, proper look and accurate
layout.
If using
Microsoft
Internet Explorer 7, clicking (or pressing the SPACEBAR or ENTER) on the
Flash graphics is necessary to activate it. If using the latest versions
of
Firefox or
Netscape, adjusting the browser
trust permissions to "ENABLE MAXIMUM SITE FUNCTIONALITY" is required to fully
enjoy Occultopedia's features and
Flash graphics. You can do it with confidence. This site does not contain any viruses or any malicious software
or script.
|
|
As you may have noticed, Occultopedia is being updated.
Navigation areas are completed, but the word definition pages are not. The
layout in these pages might not look as good as they should. Updating them
may take a while, so please, be patient and understanding. I am only one
person working on this site in my spare time.
As soon as these updates are concluded I will begin setting up the
Forums, so we can all discuss the
occult, paranormal and extraordinary, and whatever else we please.
Registration will be required.
Occultopedia's images and art are also undergoing an adjustment to
Flash based graphics. This process may take some time as well, so again, be
patient and understanding.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Occultopedia is the genuine article, the
original and the best internet index of the extraordinary and uncanny,
shamelessly copied by many, but never equaled. Online since the
early 90s — at first in a free web space provider, and in 1997 finally
with its own domain name and hosting — Occultopedia still is the
principal online resource for those looking for the unexplained, the
curious and the unusual. |
|
Occultopedia respects your privacy. As
such, no cookies or any other tracking software will be installed as a
part of this website's original programming. I do not seek to obtain any personal information
beyond what is volunteered through electronic communications
(e.g. emails & forms).
|
|
Occultopedia may appear to be a for profit site, but my site is
not really a commercial one. All of the commercial links are from affiliate
programs, and the little revenue I get from these is to pay for hosting,
bandwidth — that can be quite costly if you have a lot of traffic, graphics and
pages — and any other expenses related to Occultopedia's upkeep and maintenance.
For more details, visit my
ordering
information page.
Occultopedia is a
FREE online
resource available to the whole world. Usage of my word definitions and articles
by educational institutions, teachers and students alike, is here by granted. For more information, please consult my
intellectual property rights, warranties and
disclaimers information page. Support Occultopedia and make it your
online shopping
destination. If you prefer, you can also make a donation.
|
|
HELP FOOT THE BILL: this website
is created and maintained by one guy, who also pays the hosting bill.
Please donate if you like and/or use Occultopedia.
|
|
Participate in Occultopedia and submit a word
definition or article for the occult encyclopedia at my
entry submission
page. If you would like to suggest a web site or page for
addition into Occultopedia's links database, please go to my
URL submission page.
|
|
|
|
|
 Site
creation and design
by M. V. G.
|
Copyright
© Occultopedia™ . All rights reserved. |
| |
