THE FIRST PART
TREATING OF THE THREE NECESSARY CONCOMITANTS OF WITCHCRAFT
WHICH ARE THE DEVIL, A WITCH, AND THE
PERMISSION OF ALMIGHTY GOD
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
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
Whether Children can be Generated by Incubi and Succubi21
By which Devils are the Operations of Incubus and Succubus Practised?28
What is the Source of the Increase of Works of Witchcraft? Whence comes it that the Practice of Witchcraft hath so notably increased?31
Concerning Witches who copulate with Devils. Why is it that Women are chiefly addicted to Evil Superstitions?41
Whether Witches can Sway the Minds of Men to Love or Hatred48
Whether Witches can Hebetate the Powers of Generation or Obstruct the Venereal Act54
Whether Witches may work some Prestidigitatory Illusion so that the Male Organ appears to be entirely removed and separate from the Body58
Whether Witches can by some Glamour Change Men into Beasts61
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
Whether the Permission of Almighty God is an Accompaniment of Witchcraft66
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.
The Enormity of Witches is Considered, and it is shown that the Whole Matter should be rightly Set Forth and Declared73
It is Shown that, on Account of the Sins of Witches, the Innocent are often Bewitched, yea, Sometimes even for their Own Sins77
The Foregoing Truths are Set out in Particular, this by a Comparison of the Works of Witches with Other Baleful Superstitions80
A Comparison of their Crimes under Fourteen Heads, with the Sins of the Devils of all and every Kind82
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.
Of those against whom the Power of Witches availeth not at all89
Of the several Methods by which Devils through Witches Entice and Allure the Innocent to the Increase of that Horrid Craft and Company96
Of the Way whereby a Formal Pact with Evil is made99
How they are Transported from Place to Place104
Here follows the Way whereby Witches copulate with those Devils known as Incubi109
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
How Witches Impede and Prevent the Power of Procreation117
How, as it were, they Deprive Man of his Virile Member118
Of the Manner whereby they Change Men into the Shapes of Beasts122
How Devils may enter the Human Body and the Head without doing any Hurt, when they cause such Metamorphosis by Means of Prestidigitation124
Of the Method by which Devils through the Operations of Witches sometimes actually possess Men128
Of the Method by which they can Inflict Every Sort of Infirmity, generally Ills of the Graver Kind134
Of the Way how in Particular they Afflict Men with Other Like Infirmities137
How Witch Midwives commit most Horrid Crimes when they either Kill Children or Offer them to Devils in most Accursed Wise140
Here followeth how Witches Injure Cattle in Various Ways144
How they Raise and Stir up Hailstorms and Tempests, and Cause Lightning to Blast both Men and Beasts147
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.
The Remedies prescribed by Holy Church against Incubus and Succubus Devils164
Remedies prescribed for Those who are Bewitched by the Limitation of the Generative Power167
Remedies prescribed for those who are Bewitched by being Inflamed with Inordinate Love or Extraordinary Hatred170
Remedies prescribed for those who by Prestidigitatory Art have lost their Virile Members or have seemingly been Transformed into the Shapes of Beasts173
Prescribed Remedies for those who are Obsessed owing to some Spell175
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
Remedies prescribed against Hailstorms, and for Animals that are Bewitched188
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 Method of Initiating a Process205
Of the Number of the Witnesses208
Of the Solemn Adjuration and Re-examination of Witnesses209
Of the Quality and Condition of Witnesses209
Whether Mortal Enemies may be Admitted as Witnesses209
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
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
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
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
What Kind of Defence may be Allowed, and of the Appointment of an Advocate. This is the Fifth Action217
What Course the Advocate should Adopt when the Names of the Witnesses are not Revealed to him. The Sixth Action218
Of the Same Matter, Declaring more Particularly how the Question of Personal Enmity is to be Investigated. The Seventh Action.220
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
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
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
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
Which is the last Part of this Work. How the Process is to be Concluded by the Pronouncement of a Definite and Just Sentence232
Of Common Purgation, and especially of the Trial by Red-hot Iron, to which Witches Appeal233
Of the Manner of Pronouncing a Sentence which is Final and Definitive235
Of the Various Degrees of Overt Suspicion which render the Accused liable to be Sentenced236
Of the First Method of Pronouncing Sentence240
Of the Second Method of Pronouncing Sentence, when the Accused is no more than Defamed241
Of the Third Kind of Sentence, to be Pronounced on one who is Defamed, and who is to be put to the Question242
The Fourth Method of Sentencing, in the Case of one Accused upon a Light Suspicion244
The Fifth Manner of Sentence, in the Case of one under Strong Suspicion246
The Sixth Kind of Sentence, in the Case of one who is Gravely Suspect248
The Method of passing Sentence upon one who is both Suspect and Defamed250
The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy, but is not Penitent252
The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Relapsed, Albeit now Penitent254
The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Impenitent, although not Relapsed257
Of One who has Confessed to Heresy, is Relapsed, and is also Impenitent258
Of One Taken and Convicted, but Denying Everything259
Of One who is Convicted but who hath Fled or who Contumaciously Absents himself261
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
Of the Method of passing Sentence upon a Witch who Annuls Spells wrought by Witchcraft; and of Witch Midwives and Archer-Wizards268
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
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