The Malleus Maleficarum (Witch Hammer)

[SwampFire]

Great Witch Hammer site


The Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer), first published in 1486, is arguably one of the most infamous books ever written, due primarily to its position and regard during the Middle Ages. It served as a guidebook for Inquisitors during the Inquisition, and was designed to aid them in the identification, prosecution, and dispatching of Witches. It set forth, as well, many of the modern misconceptions and fears concerning witches and the influence of witchcraft. The questions, definitions, and accusations it set forth in regard to witches, which were reinforced by its use during the Inquisition, came to be widely regarded as irrefutable truth. Those beliefs are held even today by a majority of Christians in regard to practitioners of the modern “revived” religion of Witchcraft, or Wicca. And while the Malleus itself is largely unknown in modern times, its effects have proved long lasting.
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[bellwitch74]

I read a small part of this when I was doing research on the real Exorcist story. The rules for determing if someone was a witch or not were ridiculous. Example - tie bolder to said witch and if person does not drown, then person is a witch and execute; if person drowns, then person is not a witch and passes on with a cleared name. WTH?

[Spooky]

bellwitch74 said:

I read a small part of this when I was doing research on the real Exorcist story. The rules for determing if someone was a witch or not were ridiculous. Example - tie bolder to said witch and if person does not drown, then person is a witch and execute; if person drowns, then person is not a witch and passes on with a cleared name. WTH?

You're screwed either way with that one.