In Milan, Italy circa 1384, the bona gems or Good People were a group that worshipped the goddess Madona Horiente. Some accounts claim Madona Horiente (lady of the East) was an Italian witch or stregha who received her powers directly from Diana, the goddess of the Moon.

Madona Horiente, it was believed had the ability to shape shift and was capable of transforming into a cat, rabbit or great owl. According to the records of the Milanese inquisition, the Madona and her group engaged visionary night travels in animal forms and in the company of the dead. It was believed the Good People were also protected by the Grigori or Watchers who were described as huge winged spirits that somewhat resembled men. In her out of body form of a cat, Madona Horiente led her Good People into battle against evil and any malevolent people who were trying to harm the community and their way of life and sustenance.

Followers of Madona Horiente were taught the knowledge of herbs and divination.  Accordingly, followers became adept in the ability to suss out the cause of sickness and to work with cures or ways to counter the illness as well as detecting theft and bewitchments. This became dangerous as in 1380 and 1390 as these practices were condemned by the Catholic Church as exemplified by the following passage from the Canon Episcopi which was the most important text in Catholic canon law concerning witchcraft. Written in France in the ninth century, the canon contains the oldest records of the European Middle Ages regarding beliefs that certain people were summoned by supernatural beings to travel out of body. Often but not always the leader was a female.

Some wicked women … believe and profess that in the late hours of the night they ride out on certain animals with Diana, the goddess of the pagans, and an innumerable multitude of other women, and in the silence of the dead of night they journey over vast distances of earth, and to obey her commands as of their mistress, and to be summoned to her service on certain nights.

The concept of Good People can be seen as traditional in the heretical movements of the Middle Ages. The perfecti, the perfected one, among the Cathars of southern France were described as bonshammes as good persons or good people, or even as boni christiani or good Christians.

Two followers of Madona Horiente  of Milan were condemned in 1384 and 1390 in light of the Canon Episcopi.

Sibilla Zanni and Pierina de' Bugatis, were brought before the Inquisition first in 1384, and with their story apparently dismissed as fantasy, were sentenced only to minor penance. When they were investigated again in 1390, however, they were charged with consorting with the Devil, condemned, and executed. – Wikipedia.org

They said they would meet every Thursday and pay homage to Madona Horiente by saying, “Be well Madona Horiente” to which they were answered, “Bene veniatis, file mee” (welcome, my daughters). They contended that every type of animal communed with the society. Sibilla claimed that through the Madona she was able to answer many questions of the community. Pierina had been with the society since the age of sixteen. She claimed the Madona and her society roamed the houses of the wealthy at night and if the house was clean and well-kept they would eat and rejoice and bless the house.

While there is no evidence that the organized group described by the women actually existed, their testimonies are remarkably similar to those of several other groups in Italy and greater Europe. The mythology of these groups has become a popular subject among adherents of modern witchcraft and Neopaganism.

I hope you have enjoyed this piece of my research ..

May the blessings be!

Resource and reference materials:

The New Encyclopedia of the Occult, John Michael Greer, pg. 287; pg. 85

Shaman of Oberstdorf: Chonrad Stoeckhlin and the Phantoms of the Night, Wolfgang Behringer, pgs. 53-54

Wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_Oriente

Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath, Carlo Ginzburg, Raymond Rosenthal, pgs. 92-93