The Epistle Dedicatory.

...in cruelties, absurdities, and impossibilities. These authors, my Lord, who fall into such obvious contradictions and such absurd assertions, are not low-ranking writers. Nor are they all Catholics original: "Papists", but are men of such high reputation that their names give more credibility to their cause than their own writings do. For their sake I am sorry, and out of respect for them I have partially suppressed their most foolish original: "fondest" errors and foulest absurdities. I deal specifically with those who most insist on cruelty—those "whose feet are swift to shed blood"—striving (as Jesus, the son of Sirach, says) and rushing (as Solomon, the son of David, says) to spill the blood of the innocent. Their anger against these poor wretches cannot be satisfied with any liquid other than blood. Therefore, I fear that on that day when the Lord shall say, "Depart from me, you blood-thirsty men," the blood of the souls of the poor will be found on their hands original: "under their wings".

Because I know your Lordship will not conspire against innocent blood, but will instead restrain those who seek to stain original: "imbrew" their hands with it, I have chosen to present their case to you and lay their miserable suffering before your feet. In this, I follow the advice of the learned man Johannes Brentius, who said: "If anyone warns the magistrate not to be too harsh toward those miserable women who are called witches, I believe he is a good instrument raised up for this purpose by God himself" original Latin: "Si quis admonuerit Magistratum, ne in miseras illas mulierculas sæviat, eum ego arbitror divinitus excitatum".

But perhaps those who promote the belief in witches original: "Witchmongers"—that is, those who attribute to witches the power that belongs only to God—will say: "I have chosen your Lordship to be the patron of this book because I think you favor my opinions, and that I might therefore more freely publish my own errors or whims, relying on your Lordship's authority rather than the Word of God or solid reasoning." But I swear the opposite is true. By this document, I renounce all protection and reject all friendship that might serve to help suppress or replace the truth. I also know that your Lordship is far from allowing any harm to come to people, and is even more an enemy to those who attempt to dishonor God or steal original: "embeazel" the credit due to His immortal glory. Rather, I chose you because I know you are clear-sighted original: "perspicuous" and able to see into the very depths and bottom of these matters, and are not to be carried