The melancholic condition was associated with the dark forces of the human psyche, and melancholy was most often depicted as a woman as in Cranach's painting. Through the open window we can see The Furious Horde, wild and naked riders, cavalcades of demonic spirits and souls, especially those who died before their time and enjoy no peace: soldiers killed in battle, young children, victims of violent acts. The Furious Horde was believed to bring wide spread devastation to the countryside. The melancholic nature, as expressed by The Furious Horde, was seen to be manifested in a woman of immoral nature, sexually deviant, bent on destruction and disorder. The accused women of Finnmark were viewed as such. Although not overtly expressed, this attitude is discernible in the subtext of much of the court testimony recorded.
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