The Malleus Maleficarum Read online

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  The eBook & Online Editions

  The 1928 Edition

  The 1948 Edition

  A Note on the Bibliography

  The Bull of Innocent VIII

  Letter of Aprobation

  Summation by Edo Nyland

  The Text

  THE FIRST PART - Treating on the three necessary concomitants of witchcraft which are the Devil, a witch, and the permission of Almighty God.

  THE SECOND PART - Treating on the methods by which the works of witchcraft are wrought and directed, and how they may be successfully annulled and dissolved.

  THE THIRD PART - Relating to the judicial proceedings in both the Ecclesiastical and Civil courts against witches and indeed all heretics. Containing XXXV questions in which is most clearly set out the formal rules for initiating a process of justice, how it should be conducted, and the method of pronouncing sentence.

  Table of Contents - THE FIRST PART

  Treating on the three necessary concomitants of witchcraft which are the Devil, a witch, and the permission of Almighty God.

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  Question I - 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.

  Question II - 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.

  Question III - Whether Children can be Generated by Incubi and Succubi.

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

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

  Question VI - Concerning Witches who copulate with Devils. Why is it that Women are chiefly addicted to Evil superstitions?

  Question VII - Whether Witches can Sway the Minds of Men to Love or Hatred.

  Question VIII - Whether Witches can Hebetate the Powers of Generation or Obstruct the Venereal Act.

  Question IX - Whether Witches may work some Prestidigatory Illusion so that the Male Organ appears to be entirely removed and separate from the Body.

  Question X - Whether Witches can by some Glamour Change Men into Beasts.

  Question XI - 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.

  Question XII - Whether the Permission of Almighty God is an Accompaniment of Witchcraft.

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

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

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

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

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

  Question XVIII - 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.

  Table of Contents - THE SECOND PART

  Treating on the methods by which the works of witchcraft are wrought and directed, and how they may be successfully annulled and dissolved.

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  Question I

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

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

  Chapter II - Of the Way whereby a Formal Pact with Evil is made.

  Chapter III - How they are Transported from Place to Place.

  Chapter IV - Here follows the Way whereby Witches copulate with those Devils known as Incubi.

  Chapter V - 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.

  Chapter VI - How Witches Impede and Prevent the Power of Procreation.

  Chapter VII - How, as it were, they Deprive Man of his Virile Member.

  Chapter VIII - Of the Manner whereby they Change Men into the Shapes of Beasts.

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

  Chapter X - Of the Method by which Devils through the Operations of Witches sometimes actually possess men.

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

  Chapter XII - Of the Way how in Particular they Afflict Men with Other Like Infirmities.

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

  Chapter XIV - Here followeth how Witches Injure Cattle in Various Ways.

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

  Chapter XVI - Of Three Ways in which Men and Women may be Discovered to be Addicted to Witchcraft: Divided into Three Heads: and First of the Witchcraft of Archers.

  Question II

  The Methods of Destroying and Curing Witchcraft. Introduction, wherein is Set Forth the Difficulty of this Question.

  Chapter I - The Remedies prescribed by the Holy Church against Incubus and Succubus Devils.

  Chapter II - Remedies prescribed for Those who are Bewitched by the Limitation of the Generative Power.

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

  Chapter IV - Remedies presribed for those who by Prestidigitative Art have lost their Virile Members or have seemingly been Transformed into the Shapes of Beasts.

  Chapter V - Prescribed Remedies for those who are Obsessed owing to some Spell.

  Chapter VI - 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.

  Chapter VII - Remedies prescribed against Hailstorms, and for animals that are Bewitched.

  Chapter VIII - Certain Remedies prescribed against those Dark and Horrid Harms with which Devils may Afflict Men.

  Table of Contents - THE THIRD PART

  Relating to the judicial proceedings in both the Ecclesiastical and Civil courts against witches and indeed all heretics. Containing XXXV questions in which is most clearly set out the formal rules for initiating a process of justice, how it should be conducted, and the method of pronouncing sentence.

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

  THE FIRST HEAD

 
Question I - The Method of Initiating a Process

  Question II - Of the Number of Witnesses

  Question III - Of the Solemn Adjuration and Re-examination of Witnesses

  Question IV - Of the Quality and Condition of Witnesses

  Question V - Whether Mortal Enemies may be Admitted as Witnesses

  THE SECOND HEAD

  Question VI - 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

  Question VII - 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 Manifestly Taken in the Foul Heresy of Witchcraft. This is the Second Action.

  Question VIII - 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.

  Question IX - 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.

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

  Question XI - What Course the Advocate should Adopt when the Names of the Witnesses are not Revealed to him. Ths Sixth Action.

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

  Question XIII - 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.

  Question XIV - 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.

  Question XV - 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 Parts where they use to Conceal the Devil's Masks and Tokens; together with the due Setting Forth of Various Means of Overcoming the Obstinacy in Keeping Silence and Refusal to Confess. And it is the Tenth Action.

  Question XVI - 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

  THE THIRD HEAD

  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.

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

  Question XVIII - Of the Manner of Pronouncing a Sentence which is Final and Definitive.

  Question XIX - Of the Various Degrees of Overt Suspicion which render the Accused liable to be Sentenced.

  Question XX - Of the Firth Method of Pronouncing Sentence.

  Question XXI - Of the Second Method of Pronouncing Sentence, when the Accused is no more than Defamed.

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

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

  Question XXIV - The Fifth Manner of Sentence, in the Case of one under Strong Suspicion.

  Question XXV - The Sixth Kind of Sentence, in the Case of one who is Gravely Suspect.

  Question XXVI - The Method of passing Sentence upon one who is both Suspect and Defamed.

  Question XVII - The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy, but is still not Penitent.

  Question XVIII - The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Relapsed, Albeir now Penitent.

  Question XXIX - The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Impenitent, although not Relapsed.

  Question XXX - Of One who has Confessed to Heresy, is Relapsed, and is also Impenitent.

  Question XXXI - Of One Taken and Convicted, but Denying Everything.

  Question XXXII - Of One who is Convicted but who hath Fled or who Contumaciously Absents himself.

  Question XXXIII - 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.

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

  Question XXXV - 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.

  The Malleus Maleficarum

  of Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger

  Unabridged eBook republication of the 1928 edition. Introduction to the 1948 edition is also included. Translation, notes, and two introductions by Montague Summers. A Bull of Innocent VIII.

  The Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer), first published in 1486, is arguably one of the most infamous books ever written, due primarily to its position and regard during the Middle Ages. It served as a guidebook for Inquisitors during the Inquisition, and was designed to aid them in the identification, prosecution, and dispatching of Witches. It set forth, as well, many of the modern misconceptions and fears concerning witches and the influence of witchcraft. The questions, definitions, and accusations it set forth in regard to witches, which were reinforced by its use during the Inquisition, came to be widely regarded as irrefutable truth. Those beliefs are held even today by a majority of Christians in regard to practitioners of the modern revived religion of Witchcraft, or Wicca. And while the Malleus itself is largely unknown in modern times, its effects have proved long lasting.

  At the time of the writing of The Malleus Maleficarum, there were many voices within the Christian community (scholars and theologians) who doubted the existence of witches and largely regarded such belief as mere superstition. The authors of the Malleus addressed those voices in no uncertain terms, stating: 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. The immediate, and lasting, popularity of the Malleus essentially silenced those voices. It made very real the threat of one being branded a heretic, simply by virtue of one's questioning of the existence of witches and, thus, the validity of the Inquisition. It set into the general Christian consciousness, for all time, a belief in the existence of witches as a real and valid threat to the Christian world. It is a belief which is held to this day.

  It must be noted that during the Inquisition, few, if any, real, verifiable, witches were ever discovered or tried. Often the very accusation was enough to see one branded a witch, tried by the Inquisitors' Court, and burned alive at the stake. Estimates of the death toll during the Inquisition worldwide range from 600,000 to as high as 9,000,000 (over its 250 year long course); either is a chilling number when one realizes that nearly all of the accused were women, and consisted primarily of outcasts and other suspicious persons. Old women. Midwives. Jews. Poets. Gypsies. Anyone who did not fit within the contemporary view of pieous Christians were suspect, and easily branded "Witch". Usually to devastating effect.

  It must also be noted that the crime of Witchcraft was not the only crime of which one could be accused during the Inquisition. By questioning any part of Catholic belief, one could be branded a heretic. Scientists were branded heretics by virtue of repudiating certain tenets of Christian belief (most notably Galileo, whose theories on the nature of planets and gravitational fields was initially branded heretical). Writers who challenged the Church were arrested for heresy (sometimes formerly accepted writers whose works had become unpopular). Anyone who questioned the validity of any part of Catholic belief did so at their own risk. The Malleus Maleficarum played an important role in bringing such Canonical law into being, as often the charge of
heresy carried along with it suspicions of witchcraft.

  It must be remembered that the Malleus is a work of its time. Science had only just begun to make any real advances. At that time nearly any unexplainable illness or malady would often be attributed to magic, and thus the activity of witches. It was a way for ordinary people to make sense of the world around them. The Malleus drew upon those beliefs, and, by its very existence, reinforced them and brought them into the codified belief system of the Catholic Church. In many ways, it could be said that it helped to validate the Inquisition itself.

  While the Malleus itself cannot be blamed for the Inquisition or the horrors inflicted upon mankind by the Inquisitors, it certainly played an important role. Thus has it been said that The Malleus Maleficarum is one of the most blood-soaked works in human history, in that its very existence reinforced and validated Catholic beliefs which led to the prosecution, torture, and murder, of tens of thousands of innocent people.

  The lasting effect of the Malleus upon the world can only be measured in the lives of the hundreds of thousands of men, women, and even children, who suffered, and died, at the hands of the Inquisitors during the Inquisition. At the height of its popularity, The Malleus Maleficarum was surpassed in public notoriety only by The Bible. Its effects were even felt in the New World, where the last gasp of the Inquisition was felt in the English settlements in America (most notably in Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem Witch Trials).