Origin of Witches broomsticks

[Michael Weber]

I subscribe to to a daily email nonfiction book excerpt that almost always provides fascinating and generally little known historical facts. Today's excerpt is about witches and vampires etc (tis the season). The whole excerpt is interesting but the origination of the idea of flying broomsticks particularity interesting and something I had never even considered. I'll just paste the relevant paragraph.
"During the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, scattered previous references to groups of witches called covens and a conclave of witches called the witches sabbath became much more widespread, with detail upon detail being added to the description of satanic orgies and conspiracy plans that supposedly happened there. When it was objected that otherwise poor old women scattered around the countryside had no way of getting to their infernal meetings, these theorists of witchcraft found it necessary to supply flying broomsticks as a ready transportation device."
Link to the entire brief excerpt. https://delanceyplace.com/

[Lee DeRaud]

Googling "origin of witches riding brooms" coughs several explanations that are quite a bit more plausible, but not necessarily suitable for discussion here.

[Mel Fulks]

I've got a book here about witches and their ways. Can't find it now. Has a bit about about an eye witness to witch sighting giving testimony in a trial. A sharp eyed soul who remembers seeing a witch flying over a building. The reason they remember it so well is the witch's cape corner snagged and tore on a weather vane.

[Bill Carey]

I believe it was my mother in law.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I believe it was my mother in law.

Flying or witnessing?

BTW..I was blessed with my departed MIL. We locked horns twice in 46 years before she died.