Familiar Spirits and The Witches' Familiar
What is a familiar, and how do they fit into modern magic?
Familiars are spirits that act as assistants or guides to magic users, helping them with domestic and/or magical duties.
Familiars were and sometimes still are classified as a type of demonic spirit that often take the form of an animal, mostly thought to be cats, dogs, toads, and hares.
They are thought to help witches or magic users in domestic areas as well as in their magical affairs. Familiars can take on any color or shape.
In the 17th century, Familiars were more likely to be called “Imps”!
The word Familiar comes from the Latin familiaris meaning "of or belonging to the family". Familiaris may come from the Latin word famulus meaning "slave" or "servant".
As far as we know, the first usage of the word in the context of witchcraft is attested from the 1560s. Before this, it was used as a noun meaning “familiar friend”.
The idea of familiars being a witch’s helper spirit was especially strong in the 17th century when King James I wrote about them in his book titled Daemonologie in which he talks about witches and their supposed "relations" with the devil.
This belief was most popular in East Anglian Europe and was scarcely found elsewhere during the witch trials.
The first recorded witch trial to reference a familiar in witchcraft is that of Dame Alice Kyteler, in 1324 (Wright 1833, p. 2) but it would be two centuries later that the idea of the witch's familiar took off.
Margaret Alice Murray talks about two different kinds of familiars The Witch-Cult in Western Europe: "those by which the witch divined and those who attended on the witch to obey her commands." *
Many historical accounts that we have regarding the confessions of supposed witches were likely falsified since the people being accused were under duress as they were being tortured. This doesn’t mean all historical accounts of Familiars are false, but we should take them with a grain of salt.
Most of the time those accused of witchcraft and of having "familiars" were lonely or isolated folks, likely older in age, that would talk to the animals probably similar to how we speak to our pets now.
However, keeping animals as pets wasn't too popular among the working class, and relationships with animals that were more than a farmer and his stock were seen as unnatural.
Cunning folk practices were said to involve familiars as well, though were often thought to be different than the witch’s “demonic” familiar and were sometimes referred to as the “fae” or “fairy” familiar in literature.
Side Note: We can’t talk about familiars without talking about demons!
“The noun meaning 'demon, evil spirit that answers one's call' is from the 1580s (familiar spirit is attested from 1560s); earlier as a noun it meant "a familiar friend" (late 14c.).
The Latin plural, used as a noun, meant ‘the slaves,’ also ‘a friend, intimate acquaintance, companion.’
The usual ancient Greek sense, ‘supernatural agent or intelligence lower than a god, ministering spirit’ is attested in English from the 1560s and is sometimes written daemon or daimon for purposes of distinction.
Meaning ‘destructive or hideous person’ is from the 1610s; as ‘an evil agency personified’ (rum, etc.) from 1712.” (etymologyonline)
Familiar spirits were confessed to during the witch trials of Huntingdon. Two of their names were Greedigut and Grissel and they were given to the witch in spirit form by a demon who went by the name Blackeman. They were said to look like black dogs with hoglike, bristled hair on their back.
-> It was said that they would do whatever their master requested and when they were not given a task would attack or rob passersby.
Agathion is a type of Familiar demonic spirit that can appear as an animal or a man. Once bound as a familiar it will live inside a ring or talisman of some sort. They were said to only appear at midday or to be most powerful at midday.
Sybacco was the familiar to the Comte de Corasse, the Comte de Foix, and Adriano Lemmi. Described as having bull horns and three eyes on his forehead, he is under the command of the demon Botiz.
Thomas "Tom" Reid was said to be the Familiar of Bessie Dunlop of Scotland, who was tried in 1576. Tom was described as the spirit of a soldier as well as an honest, elderly man. Tom told Bessie that he lived in Elfhame with the fae.
Boye was Prince Rupert’s dog that some believed to be his familiar due to their closeness and Boye’s tagging along during the British Civil War, though this was likely a smear campaign against the prince.
Similarities and Comparisons
Fylgr, a Norse guardian or “follower” spirit, was attached to a person related to their fate. These were often only seen by those with the ability to see the supernatural. In some cases, they would foretell the death of the person they followed but they weren’t inherently a sign of death.
Ancient Romans had genii that fall under the “helpful spirit” category, such as Lares Familiares which were household deities or spirits that were guardians of the family.
The Greeks believed in daimons which refer to supernatural beings between men and gods, such as minor gods or spirits of dead heroes.
-> Some believed you could have personal daimons that acted as guides, guardians, or spiritual companions. Socrates was said to have a personal daimon, see: De Genio Socratis.
Fetches, historically considered bad omens, are now sometimes seen as a servitor spirit with a time limit that a person creates for a specific purpose. The Fetch will disappear once their task is completed or they’ve been dismissed. (pg 63-66 Barbarous Words)
-> Originally, fetches were seen as a sort of spectral doppelganger, and seeing one foretold the death of the person they took the shape of.
Familiars in Modern Magic
Not dissimilar to their old definition, Familiars are seen as spirits that aid and guide witches. They are teachers, helpers, and companions.
Familiars can teach you magic, help with spells, or perform tasks for you.
They are not a pet. Treat a Familiar the way you’d treat a colleague or even a friend.
Divination is a great way to contact familiars. If you've done spirit work before then it's similar to contacting any other spirit.
Familiars are usually seen as a contractual spirit relationship.
On Familiars
Familiar - Britannica
Etymology of Familiar - Etymology Online
Notes on Familiars by Early Modern Whale
Guardian spirits or Demonic Pets by James A Serpell
CunningFolk and Familiar Spirits by Emma Wilby
Paltrie Vermin, Cats, Mise, Toads, and Weasils: Witches, Familiars, and Human-Animal Interactions in the English Witch Trials. by Helen Parish
On the Witch Trials
Witch Persecutions edited by George L. Burr.
Malleus Maleficarum or The Witch’s Hammer by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger
The Witch-Cult in Western Europe by Margaret Murray
Daemonologie by King James I
*Note: While her witch-cult theory has been thoroughly debunked, Murray helped shape modern witchcraft whether she meant to or not and as such her texts are worth a read.
Misc
Encyclopedia of Demons in World Religions and Cultures by Theresa Bane
The Folklore of Isle of Man ch. III by A. W. Moore
Barbarous Words: A compendium of Conjurations, British folk magic, and other Popish charms by George Hares
The Witch’s Familiar and the Fairy in Early modern England and Scottland
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