The Malleus Maleficarum of Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger

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ISBN: 9781585090983 | 1585090980
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 2/1/2000

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One of the most notorious books in history. Thousands of innocent people, especially women, lost their lives at its expense. First published around 1489, shortly after the invention of the printing press and five years after a papal bull was issued legitimizing the belief in witches. It went through at least 30 printings and became the handbook for witch hunters, both Protestant and Catholic. Bishops and secular authorities could prosecute witches if there were no representatives from the Inquisition around, with this book giving full directions. Some villages were left with as few as two women. So if this book is so bad, why should one read it? Because there are lessons to be learned, both psychologically and historically, and there is an ignorance to overcome. This is a fascinating study of mass hysteria, greed, and delusional behavior.

Introductions to 1948 and 1928 Editions

A Note Upon the Bibliography

xli

The Bull of Innocent VIII

xlii

THE FIRST PART TREATING OF THE THREE NECESSARY CONCOMITANTS OF WITCHRAFT WHICH ARE THE DEVIL, A WITCH, AND THE PERMISSION OF ALMIGHTY GOD

PART ONE

Whether the Belief that there are such Beings as Witches is so Essential a Part of the Catholic Faith that Obstinacy to maintain the Opposite Opinion manifestly savours of Heresy

(11)

If it be in Accordance with the Catholic Faith to maintain that in Order to bring about some Effect of Magic, the Devil must intimately co-operate with the Witch, or whether one without the other, that is to say, the Devil without the Witch, or conversely, could produce such an Effect

(9)

Whether Children can be Generated by Incubi and Succubi

(7)

By which Devils are the Operations of Incubus and Succubus Practised?

(3)

What is the Source of the Increase of Works of Witchraft? Whence comes it that the Practice of Witchcraft hath so notably increased?

(10)

Concerning Witches who copulate with Devils. Why is it that Women are chiefly addicted to Evil Superstitions?

(7)

Whether Witches can Sway the Minds of Men to Love or Hatred

(6)

Whether Witches can Hebetate the Powers of Generation or Obstruct the Venereal Act

(4)

Whether Witches may work some Prestidigitatory Illusion so that the Male Organ appears to be entirely removed and separate from the Body

(3)

Whether Witches can by some Glamour Change Men into Beasts

(5)

That Witches who are Midwives in Various Ways Kill the Child Conceived in the Womb, and procure an Abortion: or if they do not this, Offer New-born Children to Devils

(1)

Whether the Permission of Almighty God is an Accompaniment of Witchcraft

(5)

Herein is set forth the Question concerning the Two Divine permissions which God justly allows, namely, that the Devil, the Author of all Evil, should Sin, and that our First Parents should Fall, from which Origins the Works of Witches are Justly suffered to take place

(2)

Solutions of the Arguments

The Enormity of Witches is Considered, and it is shown that the Whole Matter should be rightly Set Forth and Declared

(4)

It is Shown that, on Account of the Sins of Witches, the Innocent are often Bewitched, yea, Sometimes even for their Own Sins

(3)

The Foregoing Truths are Set out in Particular, this by a Comparison of the Works of Witches with Other Baleful Superstitions

(2)

A Comparison of their Crimes under Fourteen Heads, with the Sins of the Devils of all and every Kind

(2)

Here follows the Method of Preaching against and Controverting Five Arguments of Laymen and Lewd Folk, which seem to be Variously Approved, that God does not Allow so Great Power to the Devil and Witches as is Involved in the Performance of such Mighty Works of Witchcraft

(5)

THE SECOND PART TREATING OF THE METHODS BY WHICH THE WORKS OF WITCHCRAFT ARE WROUGHT AND DIRECTED, AND HOW THEY MAY BE SUCCESSFULLY ANNULLED AND DISSOLVED

Of those against whom the Power of Witches availeth not at all

(7)

Of the several Methods by which Devils through Witches Entice and Allure the Innocent to the Increase of that Horrid Craft and Company

(3)

Of the Way whereby a Formal Pact with Evil is made

(5)

How they are Transported from Place to Place

104

(5)

Here follows the Way whereby Witches copulate with those Devils known as Incubi

109

(5)

Witches commonly perform their Spells through the Sacraments of the Church. And how they Impair the Powers of Generation, and how they may Cause other Ills to happen to God's Creatures of all Kinds. But herein we except the Question of the Influence of the Stars

114

(3)

How Witches Impede and Prevent the Power of Procreation

117

(1)

How, as it were, they Deprive Man of his Virile Member

118

(4)

Of the Manner whereby they Change Men into the Shapes of Beasts

122

(2)

How Devils may enter the Human Body and the Head without doing any Hurt, when they cause such Metamorphosis by Means of Prestidigitation

124

(4)

Of the Method by which Devils through the Operations of Witches sometimes actually possess Men

128

(6)

Of the Method by which they can Inflict Every Sort of Infirmity, generally Ills of the Graver Kind

134

(3)

Of the Way how in Particular they Afflict Men with Other Like Infirmities

137

(3)

How Witch Midwives commit most Horrid Crimes when they either Kill Children or Offer them to Devils in most Accursed Wise

140

(4)

Here followeth how Witches Injure Cattle in Various Ways

144

(3)

How they Raise and Stir up Hailstorms and Tempests, and Cause Lightning to Blast both Men and Beasts

147

(3)

Of Three Ways in which Men and not Women may be Discovered to be Addicted to Witchcraft: Divided into Three Heads: and First of the Witchcraft of Archers

150

(14)

The Methods of Destroying And Curing Witchcraft

Introduction, wherein is Set Forth the Difficulty of this Question

The Remedies Prescribed by Holy Church against Incubus and Succubus Devils

164

(3)

Remedies prescribed for Those who are Bewitched by the Limitation of the Generative Power

167

(3)

Remedies prescribed for those who are Bewitched by being Inflamed with Inordinate Love or Extraordinary Hatred

170

(3)

Remedies prescribed for those who by Prestidigitatory Art have lost their Virile Members or have seemingly been Transformed into the Shapes of Beasts

173

(2)

Prescribed Remedies for those who are Obsessed owing to some Spell

175

(4)

Prescribed Remedies; to wit, the Lawful Exorcisms of the Church, for all Sorts of Infirmities and Ills due to Witchcraft; and the Method of Exorcising those who are Bewitched

179

(9)

Remedies prescribed against Hailstorms, and for Animals that are Bewitched

188

(4)

Certain Remedies prescribed against those Dark and Horrid Harms with which Devils may Afflict Men

192

(2)

THE THIRD PART RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS IN BOTH THE ECCLESIASTICAL AND CIVIL COURTS AGAINST WITCHES AND INDEED ALL HERETICS

QUESTION I General and Introductory

Who are the Fit and Proper Judges in the Trial of Witches?

194

(11)

THE FIRST HEAD

The Method of Initiating a Process

205

(3)

Of the Number of the Witnesses

208

(1)

Of the Solemn Adjuration and Re-examination of Witnesses

209

(1)

Of the Quality and Condition of Witnesses

209

(1)

Whether Mortal Enemies may be Admitted as Witnesses

209

(1)

THE SECOND HEAD

How the Trial is to be Proceeded with and Continued. And how the Witnesses are to be Examined in the Presence of Four Other Persons, and how the Accused is to be Questioned in Two Ways

210

(3)

In Which Various Doubts are Set Forth with Regard to the Foregoing Questions and Negative Answers. Whether the Accused is to be Imprisoned, and when she is to be considered as Manifestly Taken in the Foul Heresy of Witchcraft. This is the Second Action

213

(1)

Which Follows from the Preceding Question, Whether the Witch is to be Imprisoned, and of the Method of Taking her. This is the Third Action of the Judge

214

(2)

What is to be done after the Arrest, and whether the Names of the Witnesses should be made Known to the Accused. This is the Fourth Action

216

(1)

What Kind of Defence may be Allowed, and of the Appointment of an Advocate. This is the Fifth Action

217

(1)

What Course the Advocate should Adopt when the Names of the Witnesses are not Revealed to him. The Sixth Action

218

(2)

Of the Same Matter, Declaring more Particularly how the Question of Personal Enmity is to be Investigated. The Seventh Action

220

(2)

Of the Points to be Observed by the Judge before the Formal Examination in the Place of Detention and Torture. This is the Eighth Action

222

(3)

Of the Method of Sentencing the Accused to be Questioned: and How she must be Questioned on the First Day; and Whether she may be Promised her Life. The Ninth Action

225

(2)

Of the Continuing of the Torture, and of the Devices and Signs by which the Judge can Recognize a Witch; and how he ought to Protect himself from their Spells. Also how they are to be Shaved in those Parts where they use to Conceal the Devil's Masks and Tokens; together with the due Setting Forth of Various Means of Overcoming their Obstinacy in Keeping Silence and Refusal to Confess. And it is the Tenth Action

227

(3)

Of the fit Time and of the Method of the Second Examination. And it is the Eleventh Action, concerning the Final Precautions to be Observed by the Judge

230

(2)

THE THIRD HEAD

Which is the last Part of this Work. How the Process is to be Concluded by the pronouncement of a Definite and Just Sentence

232

(1)

Of Common Purgation, and especially of the Trial by Red-hot Iron, to which Witches Appeal

233

(2)

Of the Manner of Pronouncing a Sentence which is Final and Definitive

235

(1)

Of the Various Degrees of Overt Suspicion which render the Accused liable to be Sentenced

236

(4)

Of the First Method of Pronouncing Sentence

240

(1)

Of the Second Method of Pronouncing Sentence, when the Accused is no more than Defamed

241

(1)

Of the Third Kind of Sentence, to be Pronounced on one who is Defamed, and who is to be put to the Question

242

(2)

The Fourth Method of Sentencing, in the Case of one Accused upon a Light Suspicion XXIV.

244

(2)

The Fifth Manner of Sentence, in the Case of one under strong Suspicion

246

(2)

The Sixth Kind of Sentence, in the Case of one who is Gravely Suspect

248

(2)

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who is both Suspect and Defamed

250

(2)

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy, but is not Penitent

252

(2)

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Relapsed, Albeit now Penitent

254

(3)

The Method of Passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Impenitent, although not Relapsed

257

(1)

One who has Confessed to Heresy, is Relapsed, and is also Impenitent

258

(1)

Of One Taken and Convicted, but Denying Everything

259

(2)

Of One who is Convicted but who hath Fled or who Contumaciously Absents himself

261

(3)

Of the Method of passing Sentence upon one who has been Accused by another Witch, who has been or is to be Burned at the Stake

264

(4)

Of the Method of passing Sentence upon a Witch who Annuls Spells wrought by Witchcraft; and of Witch Midwives and Archer-Wizards

268

(3)

Finally, of the Method of passing Sentence upon Witches who Enter or Cause to be Entered an Appeal, whether such be Frivolous or Legitimate and Just

271

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The Malleus Maleficarum of Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger

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