Page:A history of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, volume 2.djvu/351

LUCIFERAN HERESY. 335 According to these revelations, when a novice is received into the sect and first attends the assembly, there appears to him a toad, which he kisses either on the posteriors or on the mouth ; in the latter case it deposits something in his mouth. Occasionally It has the aspect of a goose or of a duck, and sometimes it is as large as an oven. Then there comes to him a man of wonderful paleness, with the blackest of eyes, and so thin that he is naught but skm and bone. Him the novice likewise kisses, finding him ice-cold, and with that kiss all remembrance of the Catholic faith vanishes from his heart. Then all sit down to a feast, after which from a statue which is always present, there descends a black cat' as large as a dog, with the tail bent back. She comes down back' wards and her posteriors are kissed, first by the novice, then by the master of the assembly, and finaUy by aU who are worthy and perfect, while those who are imperfect and feel themselves unworthy receive peace from the master. Then each resumes his place, songs are sung, and the master says to his next neieh bor, "What does this teach?" The answer is, "The highest peace," and another adds, "And that we must obey." All lights are then extinguished and indiscriminate intercourse takes place after which the candles are relighted, each one takes his seat, and from a dark corner appears a man shining like the sun in his up per half, while from the hips down he is black like the cat He lUuminates the whole place, and the master, taking a fragment of the novice's garment, hands it to him, saying, " Master, I give this to thee which has been given to me." To this the shining man replies, " Thou hast served me well, thou wilt serve me more and better. I leave to thy care what thou hast given me," and then he disappears. Each year at Easter they receive the host, carrv it home in their mouths, and spit it out into a cesspool to show their contempt for the Kedeemer. They hold that God unjustly and treacherously cast Satan into hell ; the latter is the Creator who in the end will overcome God, when they expect eternal bliss with him. That which is pleasing to God is to be avoided and that which he hates is to be cherished. This transparent tissue of inventions was apparently doubted by no one, and it excited almost to insanity the credulous old man who fiUed the papal chair. He replies that he is drunk with worm- wood, and in fact his letters read like the ravings of a madman