r
prodigies; but that neither the devil nor sorcerers can do anything
like it. He remarks that there were among his people superstitious
persons who would pay very punctually what they called _canonicum_,
which was a sort of tribute which they offered to these
tempest-brewers (_tempetiers_), that they might not hurt them, while
they refused the tithe to the priest and alms to the widow, orphan,
and other indigent persons.

He adds that he had of late found people sufficiently foolish enough
to spread a report that Grimaldus, Duke of Benevento, had sent persons
into France, carrying certain powders which they had scattered over
the fields, mountains, meadows, and springs, and had thus caused the
death of an immense number of animals. Several of these persons were
taken up, and they owned that they carried such powders about with
them and though they made them suffer various tortures, they could not
force them to retract what they had said.

Others affirmed that there was a certain country named Mangonia,
where there were vessels which were borne through the air and took
away the productions; that certain wizards had cut down trees to carry
them to their country. He says, moreover, that one day three men and a
woman were presented to him, who, they said, had fallen from these
ships which floated in the air. They were kept some days in
confinement, and at last having been confronted with their accusers,
the latter were obliged, after contesting the matter, and making
several depositions, to avow that they knew nothing certain concerning
their being carried away, or of their pretended fall from the ship in
the sky.

Charlemagne[214] in his Capitularies, and the authors of his time,
speak also of these wizard tempest-brewers, enchanters, &c., and
commanded that they should be reprimanded and severely chastised.

Pope Gregory IX.[215] in a letter addressed to the Archbishop of
Mayence, the Bishop of Hildesheim, and Doctor Conrad, in 1234, thus
relates the abominations of which they accused the heretic
_Stadingians_. "When they receive," says he, "a novice, and when he
enters their assemblies for the first time, he sees an enormous toad,
as big as a goose, or bigger. Some kiss it on the mouth, some kiss it
behind. Then the novice meets a pale man with very black eyes, and so
thin that he is only skin and bones. He kisses him, and feels that he
is cold as ice. After this kiss, the novice easily forgets the
Catholic faith;