concerning Witchcrafts

(m) Magical Investigations: Book 2, Chapter 12. original: "Disq. Magicar: Lib. 2. C. 12."; This refers to Martin Delrio’s influential work, "Disquisitionum Magicarum Libri Sex" (1599). (o) On the confessions of witches, page 191. original: "De confes. sag. pag. 191."; referring to Peter Binsfeld’s "De confessionibus maleficarum et sagarum" (1589).

...which he had certain knowledge of. A man who is in one place cannot, in his own person original: "Autoprosopos", be in another at the same time. It remains, then, that such specters are ominous and supernatural, and not without diabolical operation. It has been debated among learned men whether innocent persons might not, by the malice and deluding power of the Devil, be represented as present among witches at their dark assemblies. The previously mentioned Thyraeus Peter Thyraeus (1546–1601), a German Jesuit theologian and expert on the demonic. says that the Devil may, and often does, represent the forms of innocent persons outside of those gatherings. He states there is no question that, according to his natural power and skill, the Devil is able to make their shapes appear among his own servants; however, he supposes that the Providence of God will not suffer such an injury to be done to an innocent person.

Delrio Martin Delrio (1551–1608) was a Jesuit priest and jurist whose work became a standard manual for witch-hunters. and Spina original: "Spineus"; Bartolommeo de Spina (c. 1475–1546), an Italian Dominican who wrote extensively on witchcraft. concur with him (m). But Cumanus Bernardo Rategno da Como (c. 1450–1513), an inquisitor at Como. in his Lantern of the Inquisitors original: "Lucerna Inquisitorum" (a book which I have not yet seen) defends the affirmative in this question. Binsfeld original: "Binsfieldius"; Peter Binsfeld (c. 1540–1598), a German bishop and theologian. in his treatise concerning the confession of witches inclines to the negative, though (o) he acknowledges that "by God's extraordinary permission, innocent people can be represented in this way" original: "Dei extraordinaria Permissione Posse Innocentes sic representari". And he who asserts that the great and holy God never did, nor ever will, permit the Devil to abuse an innocent person to this extent, affirms more than he is able to prove. The story of Germanus Saint Germanus of Auxerre (c. 378–448). discovering a diabolical illusion of this nature—concerning a great number of persons who seemed to be at a feast...