Malleus Maleficarum

by Heinrich Kramer

Layout 2

MALLEUS
MALEFI -
- CARUM

MALLEUS
MALEFICARUM
translated with an Introduction, Bibliography
and Notes by the
Rev. Montague Summers

 

JOHN RODKER PUBLISHER 1928

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

This edition of Malleus Maleficarum, comprising 1275 numbered copies, is here translated into English from the edition of 1489 for the first time. The book is printed by Messrs. R. Clay & Sons, Ltd., Bungay, Suffolk, on a Dutch paper specially made for the edition.

This copy is No. 417

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION

xi

A NOTE UPON THE BIBLIOGRAPHY

xli

THE BULL OF INNOCENT VIII

xliii

THE FIRST PART

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

PART ONE

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 Heresypage 1

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 Effect12

Question III.

Whether Children can be Generated by Incubi and Succubi21

Question IV.

By which Devils are the Operations of Incubus and Succubus Practised?28

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?31

Question VI.

Concerning Witches who copulate with Devils. Why is it that Women are chiefly addicted to Evil Superstitions?41

Question VII.

Whether Witches can Sway the Minds of Men to Love or Hatred48

Question VIII.

Whether Witches can Hebetate the Powers of Generation or Obstruct the Venereal Act54

Question IX.

Whether Witches may work some Prestidigitatory Illusion so that the Male Organ appears to be entirely removed and separate from the Body58

Question X.

Whether Witches can by some Glamour Change Men into Beasts61

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 Devils66

Question XII.

Whether the Permission of Almighty God is an Accompaniment of Witchcraft66

Question XIII.

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 place71

Solutions of the Arguments.

Question XIV.

The Enormity of Witches is Considered, and it is shown that the Whole Matter should be rightly Set Forth and Declared73

Question XV.

It is Shown that, on Account of the Sins of Witches, the Innocent are often Bewitched, yea, Sometimes even for their Own Sins77

Question XVI.

The Foregoing Truths are Set out in Particular, this by a Comparison of the Works of Witches with Other Baleful Superstitions80

Question XVII.

A Comparison of their Crimes under Fourteen Heads, with the Sins of the Devils of all and every Kind82

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 Witchcraft84

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

Resolved in but two Questions, yet these are divided into many Chapters.

QUESTION I

Of those against whom the Power of Witches availeth not at all89

Chapter I.

Of the several Methods by which Devils through Witches Entice and Allure the Innocent to the Increase of that Horrid Craft and Company96

Chapter II.

Of the Way whereby a Formal Pact with Evil is made99

Chapter III.

How they are Transported from Place to Place104

Chapter IV.

Here follows the Way whereby Witches copulate with those Devils known as Incubi109

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 Stars114

Chapter VI.

How Witches Impede and Prevent the Power of Procreation117

Chapter VII.

How, as it were, they Deprive Man of his Virile Member118

Chapter VIII.

Of the Manner whereby they Change Men into the Shapes of Beasts122

Chapter IX.

How Devils may enter the Human Body and the Head without doing any Hurt, when they cause such Metamorphosis by Means of Prestidigitation124

Chapter X.

Of the Method by which Devils through the Operations of Witches sometimes actually possess Men128

Chapter XI.

Of the Method by which they can Inflict Every Sort of Infirmity, generally Ills of the Graver Kind134

Chapter XII.

Of the Way how in Particular they Afflict Men with Other Like Infirmities137

Chapter XIII.

How Witch Midwives commit most Horrid Crimes when they either Kill Children or Offer them to Devils in most Accursed Wise140

Chapter XIV.

Here followeth how Witches Injure Cattle in Various Ways144

Chapter XV.

How they Raise and Stir up Hailstorms and Tempests, and Cause Lightning to Blast both Men and Beasts147

Chapter XVI.

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 Archers150

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 Holy Church against Incubus and Succubus Devils164

Chapter II.

Remedies prescribed for Those who are Bewitched by the Limitation of the Generative Power167

Chapter III.

Remedies prescribed for those who are Bewitched by being Inflamed with Inordinate Love or Extraordinary Hatred170

Chapter IV.

Remedies prescribed for those who by Prestidigitatory Art have lost their Virile Members or have seemingly been Transformed into the Shapes of Beasts173

Chapter V.

Prescribed Remedies for those who are Obsessed owing to some Spell175

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 Bewitched179

Chapter VII.

Remedies prescribed against Hailstorms, and for Animals that are Bewitched188

Chapter VIII.

Certain Remedies prescribed against those Dark and Horrid Harms with which Devils may Afflict Men192

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 are most Clearly set out the Formal Rules for Initiating a Process of
Justice, how it should be Conducted, and the Method of Pronouncing Sentence.

QUESTION I

General and Introductory

Who are the Fit and Proper Judges in the Trial of Witches?194

THE FIRST HEAD

Question I.

The Method of Initiating a Process205

Question II.

Of the Number of the Witnesses208

Question III.

Of the Solemn Adjuration and Re-examination of Witnesses209

Question IV.

Of the Quality and Condition of Witnesses209

Question V.

Whether Mortal Enemies may be Admitted as Witnesses209

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 Ways210

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 as Manifestly Taken in the Foul Heresy of Witchcraft. This is the Second Action213

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 Judge214

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 Action216

Question X.

What Kind of Defence may be Allowed, and of the Appointment of an Advocate. This is the Fifth Action217

Question XI.

What Course the Advocate should Adopt when the Names of the Witnesses are not Revealed to him. The Sixth Action218

Question XII.

Of the Same Matter, Declaring more Particularly how the Question of Personal Enmity is to be Investigated. The Seventh Action.220

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 Action222

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 Action225

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 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 Action227

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 Judge230

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 Sentence232

Question XVII.

Of Common Purgation, and especially of the Trial by Red-hot Iron, to which Witches Appeal233

Question XVIII.

Of the Manner of Pronouncing a Sentence which is Final and Definitive235

Question XIX.

Of the Various Degrees of Overt Suspicion which render the Accused liable to be Sentenced236

Question XX.

Of the First Method of Pronouncing Sentence240

Question XXI.

Of the Second Method of Pronouncing Sentence, when the Accused is no more than Defamed241

Question XXII.

Of the Third Kind of Sentence, to be Pronounced on one who is Defamed, and who is to be put to the Question242

Question XXIII.

The Fourth Method of Sentencing, in the Case of one Accused upon a Light Suspicion244

Question XXIV.

The Fifth Manner of Sentence, in the Case of one under Strong Suspicion246

Question XXV.

The Sixth Kind of Sentence, in the Case of one who is Gravely Suspect248

Question XXVI.

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who is both Suspect and Defamed250

Question XXVII.

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy, but is not Penitent252

Question XXVIII.

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Relapsed, Albeit now Penitent254

Question XXIX.

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Impenitent, although not Relapsed257

Question XXX.

Of One who has Confessed to Heresy, is Relapsed, and is also Impenitent258

Question XXXI.

Of One Taken and Convicted, but Denying Everything259

Question XXXII.

Of One who is Convicted but who hath Fled or who Contumaciously Absents himself261

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 Stake264

Question XXXIV.

Of the Method of passing Sentence upon a Witch who Annuls Spells wrought by Witchcraft; and of Witch Midwives and Archer-Wizards268

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 Just271