In the 1600s, this Basque village's population was terrorized by the Inquisition, hysteria and charges of witchcraft. Pierre de Lancre presided over the persecution.
The Reign of Tyranny
Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, (Checkmark Books 1993) wrote about the persecution of alleged witches in a small European village. The Supreme Inquisition, a Roman Catholic council dedicated to finding and persecuting heretics including witches, appointed Dom Juan Valle Alvarado in charge of the investigation of witchcraft in Zugarramurdi. It took him several months to suspect almost 300 adults as being witches. He decided that forty of them were guilty and sent them to Logrono for trials. No one, not even children, were safe from being under suspicion.
The Trials of the Accused
There was testimony that the witches had a hierarchy. At the head of this were the senior witches. These were followed by second grade initiates who mentored novices. The first grade initiates cast spells and made poisons. Children who were recruits were forcibly taken to Sabbats which included tykes who were less than five years old. Those older than five were told they would get treats or given false promises. Older novices were getting ready to renounce Christ. Initiates had done so. All of the witches were said to have worshipped an ugly repulsive looking devil.
During the renunciation rite, novices were presented to devils and renounced God, Virgin Mary, the saints, rites of baptism and confirmation, parents and grandparents. Then, they kissed the devil’s posterior and he put a mark on the novice, allowing the blood to be gathered in a bowl. A toad’s shape was branded into the pupil of an eye.
Initiates were given, as slaves, to a master. The devil gave masters silver that had to be spent in twenty-four hours. It disappeared if not spent. The initiates were given toads as familiars and told how to use them for evil purposes. After completing a trial period, the initiate has complete control of the animal and was allowed to make poison.
Children who were recruits were given many toads and were, in turn, given to instructors.
The witches allegedly gathered in a huge underground cave that had a river, the stream of Hell, flowing through it. They met on Friday nights and held special services on nights before Christian holidays. The devil gave sermons at these.
The accused witches turned themselves into animals to scare and hurt other people. They poisoned crops while chanting. Generally this was done during the autumn south winds that were called the wind of the witches. They raised storms. They poisoned people and animals. They kidnapped children at night and ate them. Some were accused of being vampires.
The Outcome
Of the forty originally accused witches, eighteen confessed and were given salvation. Six were burned at the stake. Five had died during the trials and were burned in effigy along with those put to death. There was no mention of what happened to the rest.
Accounts vary about how many Basque deaths Pierre de Lancre was responsible. Estimates range from 400 to over 600. He did not spare children.
