QUESTION CONCERNING WITCHES

[...those af]fected by the aforementioned heresy. And the brief begins: original: "Accepimus non sine animi &c." "We have received, not without [great distress] of mind," etc. Our most holy Lord [the Pope] would not have narrated this, nor commanded such things, if such persons—namely, striges Witches; the term "striges" specifically refers to night-witches or owl-like hags from classical folklore, who are judged as heretics—were not truly heretical; or if those things done by them, and for which they are judged as heretics, were merely illusions of the devil. Indeed, all these things were established and committed to the judgment of the Inquisitors of heretical depravity for no other reason than that such malignant persons show, through these works which exceed the capacity of human power, that they have an express pact with the devil. Consequently, they have apostatized from the Catholic faith, according to the words of the divine Augustine In the legal collection known as the Decretum Gratiani, Case 26, Question 7, Chapter "Non observetis" and according to the divine Thomas [Aquinas] in his commentary on the second book of the Sentences (distinction 7, final article), and all the doctors of theology follow him in that same distinction. And in his commentary on Isaiah, chapter 3, the divine Thomas repeats the same, also citing divine Augustine, as he does elsewhere where he teaches this very thing. Moreover, from this express pact made with a demon—which smacks of apostasy from the faith and is classified as heresy, as is clear from St. Thomas Summa Theologiae II-II, Question 12, Article 2 in the argument made to the contrary—such sorcerous and divinatory works of malefici Evildoers or sorcerers who use magic to harm others are said to clearly "savor of heresy." Against such perpetrators of these works, the Inquisitors must proceed, as is clear in the chapter original: "Accusatus" "The Accused" regarding heretics in the Sixth Book of Decretals and through the glosses and doctors on that passage regarding the phrase "they should savor" original: "saperent". Therefore, I intend to prove this very point—namely, that Inquisitors of heretical depravity can and should proceed against the aforementioned evildoers—no further, but leave it as manifest both by what has been said and by many other points that easily occur to even a moderately learned person.

What is the principal intention of this work, and how many points are to be specially declared within it. Chapter IV.

However, our principal intention in this question is to show that those things said to be done by witches are true for the most part; but for the other part, they are to be considered true only in the manner permitted by the condition of things, as will be more fully declared. And thus, those things which the Inquisitors do against such most impious persons proceed appropriately and according to the laws. And nevertheless, the opinion of the common folk, or even of some wise men who are proved to be unskilled in sacred Theology and for this reason simply deny all the aforementioned things pertaining to the impiety of witches, is in many ways vain and irrational; yet in some respects, it rests upon the truth. For of those things said to be done or seen physically by witches: some are not true in the way the witches themselves believe, as we shall declare below. Because, indeed, the principal intention of this assumed labor is