Crambe Repetita

This is part 3 of 3. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.

Completo vero tam nefandissimo scelere et candelis iterum reaccensis singulisque in suo ordine constitutis, de obscuro scholarum angulo, quo non carent perditissimi homines, quidam homo procedit a renibus sursum fulgens et sole clarior, sicut dicunt, et deorsum hispidus sicut gattus, cuius fulgor illuminat totum locum. tunc magister excerpens quid de veste novitii, fulgido illi dicit: ‘magister, hoc mihi datum tibi do’, illo fulgido respondente: ‘bene mihi servivisti; pluries et melius servies; tuae committo custodiae quod dedisti.’ et his dictis protinus evanescit. corpus etiam Domini singulis annis in Pascha de manu recipiunt sacerdotis, et illud ad domos suas ore portantes in latrinam proiciunt in contumeliam redemptoris. ad haec infelicissimi omnium miserorum gubernantem caelestia pollutis labiis blasphemantes, asserunt delirando, caelorum Dominum violenter, contra iustitiam, et dolose Luciferum in inferos detrusisse. in hunc etiam credunt miseri, et ipsum affirmant caelestium conditorem, et adhuc ad suam gloriam, praecipitato Domino, rediturum, per quem, cum eodem, et non ante ipsum se sperant aeternam beatitudinem habituros. omnia Deo placita non agenda fatentur, et potius agenda quae odit. proh dolor! quis umquam audivit talia?
(Gregory IX, Vox in Rama)

When these abnormal sins have been completed, the candles are lit again and each resumes his place. Then from a dark corner of the room a man comes forward. From the loins upward he shines brighter than the sun, as they say, but his lower part is shaggy like a cat. His brilliance illuminates the entire place. Then the master plucks off something from the novice’s clothing, and says to that radiant figure: “Master, this has been given to me; I in turn give it to you.” The shining one then answers: “You have served me well; and in the future you will often serve me again, and even better. I entrust to your care that which you have given me.” And with these words he vanishes instantly. They even receive the body of the Lord every year at Easter from the hand of the priest, and, carrying it home in their mouths, they throw it into the latrine in contempt of our Saviour. These most wretched of men, who blaspheme the divine ruler with their polluted lips, also claim in their madness that the lord of heavens has acted violently, unjustly and guilefully in casting Lucifer down into hell. These wretches even worship him, they declare that he is the creator of all heavenly bodies, and that after the downfall of God he will return to his former glory. Through him, and with him, and not before him they hope to reach eternal bliss. They profess that all deeds that are pleasing to God should not be done, and one should rather do what God hates. Lord have mercy, who has ever heard of such things? (tr. Alex October1625, adapted and expanded by David Bauwens)

This is part 2 of 3. Part 1 is here.

Ad convivium postmodum discumbentibus, et surgentibus completo ipso convivio, per quandam statuam, quae in scholis huiusmodi esse solet, descendit retrorsum ad modum canis mediocris gattus niger, retorta cauda; quem a posterioribus primo novitius, post magister, deinde singuli per ordinem osculantur, qui tamen digni sunt et perfecti. imperfecti vero, qui se dignos non reputant, pacem recipiunt a magistro, et tunc singulis per loca sua positis, dictisque quibusdam carminibus, ac versus gattum capitibus inclinatis, ‘parce nobis’ dicit magister, et proximo cuique hoc praecipit, respondente tertio ac dicente, ‘scimus, magister’; quartus ait: ‘et nos oboedire debemus’. et his ita peractis exstinguuntur candelae et proceditur ad fetidissimum opus luxuriae, nulla discretione habita inter extraneas et propinquas. quod si forte virilis sexus supersunt aliqui ultra numerum mulierum, traditi in passiones ignominiae, in desideriis suis invicem exardentes, masculi in masculos turpitudinem operantur, similiter et feminae immutant naturalem usum in eum, qui est contra naturam, hoc ipsum inter se damnabiliter facientes.
(Gregory IX, Vox in Rama)

Afterwards, they sit down to a meal and when they have arisen from it, from a kind of statue that is usually present in a sect of this kind, a black cat, the size of an average dog, descends backwards, with its tail erect. First the novice, next the master, then all those who are worthy and perfect, kiss the cat on its buttocks, each one waiting his turn. To those who have not yet reached perfection, however, and are considered undeserving, the master wishes peace. Then each returns to his place and they recite certain verse, their heads inclined toward to cat. “Forgive us!” then says the master, and the one next to him repeats this, and a third one says in reply: “We know, master!” A fourth says: “We too must obey.” When this has been done, they put out the candles, and turn to the practice of the most disgusting lechery. They make no distinction between strangers and family. And if by chance those of the male sex exceed the number of women, surrendering to their despicable passions, they satisfy their lust among themselves: men engage in depravity with men, and likewise women change their natural function to one that is against nature, and most offensively do these things to each other. (tr. Alex October1625, adapted by David Bauwens)

This is part 1 of 3.

Huius pestis initia talia perferuntur. nam dum novitius in ea quisquam recipitur, et perditorum primitus scholas intrat, apparet ei species quaedam ranae, quam bufonem consueverunt aliqui nominare. hanc quidam a posterioribus et quidam in ore damnabiliter osculantes, linguam bestiae intra ora sua recipiunt et salivam. haec apparet interdum indebita quantitate, et quandoque in modum anseris vel anatis; plerumque furni etiam quantitatem assumit. demum novitio procedenti occurrit miri palloris homo, nigerrimos habens oculos, adeo extenuatus et macer, quod consumptis carnibus sola cutis relicta videtur ossibus superducta; hunc novitius osculatur, et sentit frigidum sicut glaciem, et post osculum catholicae fidei memoria de ipsius corde totaliter evanescit.
(Gregory IX, Vox in Rama)

The following rites of this pestilence are carried out: when any novice is to be received among them and enters the sect of the damned for the first time, the shape of a certain frog appears to him, the type that is usually called a toad. Some kiss this creature despicably on the hind quarters and some on the mouth, and they receive the tongue and saliva of the beast inside their mouths. Sometimes it appears unduly large, and sometimes equivalent to a goose or a duck; often it even assumes the size of an oven. At length, when the novice has come forward, he is met by a man of wondrous pallor, who has the blackest eyes and is so emaciated and thin that, since his flesh has been wasted, only his skin seems remain, drawn over his bones. The novice kisses him and feels cold like ice, and after the kiss the memory of the Catholic faith totally disappears from his heart. (tr. Alex October1625, adapted by David Bauwens)