The Hammer of Witches

Subsequently, following the Bull original: "bullam"; a formal decree issued by the Pope. of Innocent VIII recently issued against the heresy of witches, forty-eight questions are to be discussed. These must principally declare three things: First, the origin; second, the progress; third, the final remedy. The origin regarding its multiplication; the progress regarding the execution of works; and the final remedy regarding the extermination of that heresy.

The first part, concerning the three elements that meet in an effect of witchcraft—namely, the demon, the witch, and divine permission—contains eighteen questions. Four of these concern the power of the demon; the rest concern their works. The first question, which introduces the entire work, is: Whether asserting that witches exist is so Catholic a belief that to stubbornly defend the opposite is entirely heretical?

The second is: Whether it is a Catholic belief to assert that, for a witchcraft effect to occur, a demon must always cooperate with a witch, or whether one can produce such an effect without the aid of the other?

The third: Whether it is a Catholic belief to assert that effects of this kind are procured by "incubus" and "succubus" demons original: "incubos & succubos"; "incubi" were believed to be male demons who impregnated women, while "succubi" were female demons who collected semen from men. such that true human beings are produced by such demons for the multiplication and origin of witches?

The fourth question: Whether it is a Catholic belief to assert that the acts of incubus and succubus demons belong only to the lowest spirits?

The fifth: Whether it can in any way be considered a Catholic belief that the origin and multiplication of the works of witches proceed from the influence of celestial bodies i.e., astrology or the movement of the stars. without the aid of demons? Or from "separate substances" like the movers of the celestial spheres? Or even from the malice of men concurring with voices and words through some power of the stars?

The sixth, regarding witches who meet with demons: Why are women found to be more infected by this heresy than men? What kind of women are more involved than others is declared through the five following questions.

The seventh: Whether witches, by the power of demons, are able to incite the minds of men to hatred or inordinate love? This also includes the method for presenting this material in sermons to the people.

The eighth: Whether they can

impede and bewitch the generative power or the venereal act? original: "actū venereū"; the sexual act. This includes a certain incidental question: why that act is sometimes impeded in respect to one person and not in respect to another?

The ninth: Whether, by a prestigious illusion, they are accustomed to take away male organs as if they were torn from the bodies? This refers to the infamous "vanishing penis" claims in the Malleus. This is accompanied by certain other related difficulties.

The tenth: Whether they can transform humans into the forms of beasts? This includes another incidental difficulty.

The eleventh: Concerning midwife-witches, who in various ways kill infants both inside and outside the womb.

The twelfth, regarding divine permission original: "pmissionē diuinaz"; the theological concept that evil only happens because God allows it to happen for a greater purpose. which must concur with the demon and the witch: Whether commending divine permission in these works of witches is so Catholic a belief that to deny it—that is, to find fault with it—is entirely heretical?

The thirteenth is also incidental, concerning two divine permissions: regarding the fall of the devil and of our first parents Adam and Eve., from which all the works of witches are justly permitted.

The fourteenth: Whether, notwithstanding the aforementioned permissions, the sins of witches are more grevious than the sins of the fallen angels and our first parents? This entire matter is suitable for preaching, along with the declaration that they deserve the most severe punishments even in the present world, beyond the shameful punishments of the world meaning secular or civil law..

The fifteenth: Whether an innocent person is often bewitched because of the sins of witches?

The sixteenth: Whether the heresy of witches exceeds all other types of superstition?

The seventeenth explains the fourteenth, comparing the gravity of the crime in witches to any sins whatsoever of demons.

The eighteenth: Against five arguments of the laity non-clergy or common people. claiming that God would not permit such great power to the devil and witches. In this matter, the end is joined to its beginning, as this last question is annexed to the first.

The second part of the work contains sixteen chapters under two questions, one of which is placed at the beginning and the other at the end. The first is on preservative remedies; the other is on remedies for removing witchcraft. The intermediate chapters discuss the method of proceeding used by witches in inflicting their spells.

The first question: Whether someone can be so benefited by the holy angels