Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Map
- Introduction
- THE HAMMER OF WITCHES
- Structure of the text
- Author's Justification of the “Hammer for Sorceresses”
- Text of the Apostolic Bull
- Approbation and Signatures of the Doctors of the Illustrious University of Cologne
- PART I
- Question 1
- Question 2
- Question 3
- Question 4
- Question 5
- Question 6
- Question 7
- Question 8
- Question 9
- Question 10
- Question 11
- Question 12
- Question 13
- Question 14
- Question 15
- Question 16
- Question 17
- Question 18
- PART II
Question 6
from PART I
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2015
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Map
- Introduction
- THE HAMMER OF WITCHES
- Structure of the text
- Author's Justification of the “Hammer for Sorceresses”
- Text of the Apostolic Bull
- Approbation and Signatures of the Doctors of the Illustrious University of Cologne
- PART I
- Question 1
- Question 2
- Question 3
- Question 4
- Question 5
- Question 6
- Question 7
- Question 8
- Question 9
- Question 10
- Question 11
- Question 12
- Question 13
- Question 14
- Question 15
- Question 16
- Question 17
- Question 18
- PART II
Summary
AS a third and related difficulty concerning the sorceresses who subordinate themselves to demons, several difficulties can be raised about the method of undertaking such filthy acts. First, in terms of the demon and the body assumed by him, which element the body is formed from. Second, in terms of the act, whether it is always performed with an introduction into the sorceress of seed taken from another man. Third, in terms of the time and place, whether he carries out the act at one time rather than another. Fourth, whether he acts visibly with reference to the by-standers. In terms of the women, whether only those who are begotten as a result of such filthy acts are habitually visited by demons; | second, whether those who are offered by midwives to demons at the time of birth are so visited; and third, whether the sexual pleasure is lessened in the case of such women. Since a response to all these questions is not necessary at the present time because our interest is only in the generality, and since those questions will be explained individually in Part Two of the work through their deeds, as will be explained in Chapter Four, where there will be mention of the individual methods, let us turn to the second basic topic, and first to the question of why this form of breach of the Faith is found more often in the delicate sex than in males. The first question will be a general one concerning the general circumstances of the condition of women, the second will be a specific one concerning which specific sort of women are found to be superstitious and sorceresses, and the third will be a particular one concerning midwives, who surpass all others in evil.
As for the first, namely why a larger number of sorcerers is found among the delicate female sex than among men, it would certainly not be helpful to cite arguments to the contrary, since experience itself makes such things believable more than do the testimony of words and of trustworthy witnesses.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Hammer of WitchesA Complete Translation of the Malleus Maleficarum, pp. 159 - 173Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009