Origin of Source La Caccia Alle Streghe translated The Witch Hunt

 

All religions have a respectable side and a manchevole. We must not more ' break each the idols of the other; but gently guiding men outside the idolatry.
The sacred books of all Nations at all times were collections of fairy tales.
(Levi Eliphas)

THE WITCH HUNT

SUMMARY OF GENOCIDE

alateus

PART -BEFORE THE MASSACRE

§ 01 SET LIMITS

Since "witch hunt" many authors tend to grow, in the course of their exposure, to consider as arguments related and relevant also:

hunting to the heretic (Jews and Conversos, catari, valdesi, etc.)
them obsessions
them demoniache possessioni
rites Satanic
and as Another was linked to more times ' dark history of the Christianity.
For various reasons for brevita ' and exhibition synthesis in these pages you are only of the "witches" and martyrdom who had suffer during the three centuries ranging from the 1400s to 1700.
Between 1400 and 1700 is usually indicated by the historians as the"typical" which have been operated by the Church large massacres to the detriment of its enemies or suspected such, even if This essentially is not exact, being placed limits for need and comfort ' study.
In reality of the persecution of witches you is expressed, albeit in tone child, already ' starting from the top middle ages and is continued well beyond the 1700.

In the text are untreated cases of "demon possession", that occurred in some convents (such as the Loudun Ursuline), which are only esasperate sexual turbe of poor disgraziate condemned by their families, to consume their existence between the walls of a convent; Furthermore it was inherent episode also omitted the "Witches" "of Salem" why 'already' dealt with in other page of this site, and to limit exposure to what happened in only European countries.

Always on this site please visit:
* I. e. Ferrario - Triora, the Salem d'Italia.
* A. c. Marturano - witches and sorcerers in medieval Russian.
* E. the garlic - the jester and the witches.
* G.T. Garella - history of the Witchcraft in the u.s.

In this part I, regardless of the murderous fury of Christianity, we try define, broadly speaking, who and what was intended to for witch before the 1200-1300.

§ 02 THE OLD WITCH

To get into the history of the genocide of witches is then must make good nature and characteristics of these singular and disturbing characters.
For comfort ' exposure agree indicate as a "witch" both female players and those men (magicians, negromanti, sorcerers) (%); this is a generally accepted Convention, taking into account that the massacre took place between 1400 and 1700 struck in most subject women; gender we then use the strega term in neutral sense.

The witch is a figure without time that you can ' be traced back, if not to the prehistory, certainly to the protostoria. It is necessary to move so far; let us remember some witches famous that culture and the ancient literature we have passed which Medea, circle, Canidia, Panfila, Hecate, Diana and others by imaginative and impossible authorities.
It was said by more ' parts that:

"it" "witch is fear only to those who we believe"

This statement suggests that, from a rational standpoint, the Strega can have a figure of all negative, a parasite in the social context of past times.
You must however then consider also the other common assertion:

"it" "strega has been a figure feared but everywhere wanted"

and what ' suggests that, despite the incredible charged nonsense to This remarkable figure, a few positive function may ' be them attached.

We must therefore see how operated, where and what was really a witch before of the great massacre and before the clergy accusasse it those activities ' horrendous, linked to the figure of the devil, that the clergy itself had invented justification for their abomination.
One other thing which can ' let the perplexed reader but that should be accepted - albeit with reservations - is that:

"it" witch was honest fondalmente and believed in good faith, although wrongly , "in what ' which was in his imaginary powers"

The claim is justified if you examine in particular those who were its activities ' and the scope where operated.

The witch is was a figure typically rural, peasant; it was this and operated in the countryside, living isolated in the woods or small margins often miserable villages.
City witch ' may seem an exception but in reality 'i' they belonged to the same category.
Many of them had abandoned the countryside and chosen to live in the pushed citizen from hunger, looking for a newspaper and precarious piece of bread.
In the city ' introduced in addition to their art also prostitution, up to When the age of permitted it; insediavano normally in the shallow to contact with the city, preparing and selling products kieselguhr medicated filters of love, SALVES cosmetics, abortivi and also those veleni that the company ' then he used often and willingly.

In campaign in town ' you can ' say that the Witch (at times that) (also: lammia, masca, bagiura), operating in two very specific areas:

the magic White
the magic Black

§ 03 WITCHES SCHOOL

Witches are born, it becomes. Claim enough discounted that pear ' leaves guess what should be a trainee strega training.

In principle the art was transmitted from mother to daughter or Strega-maestra to strega-apprendista, through long years of learning and of practice.
First needed to be acquiring a good knowledge about the virtue of various herbs, mold, mushrooms, minerals and various substances.
You had to learn how to obtain raw materials, gathering herbs necessary in the right season, when they maturavano fully their quality ' venefiche, soporifere or hallucinogenic drugs.
It was necessary to learn the art of essicarle and keep them with special tricks so 'not lost their properties'.
You had to learn to dose them, mix them right extent with other components, to prepare decotti, filters, pomate, poisons, SALVES and Elixir intended to produce specific effects.
In fact the witch, you may not realize it, sometimes reflected ancient recipes, some of which perhaps dating back to Galen, achieving many of These medicinal products today are purchased in pharmacy as "specialities" .

To do so ' witch had "Book Magic" (see § 26 ) that were, to the same time, collections of recipes mixed with magic formulae to exercise certain spells. This suggests that some witches knew read, if not write, and this sometimes raised about a plan cultural and knowledge than some sprovveduti that the perseguitavano.

all witches "believed" in their art and exercised it with belief and in good faith ,

also when it was improbable magic or spells do not have effect; all this regardless of imaginative pacts with the devil who were an invention of the Church and its persecutori espionage to purposes only.

§ 04 THE WHITE MAGIC

Basic objective of white magic was to make healing (or) (at least give relief) to the different and more ' common ailments and skin infections then common extremely, views the questionable hygiene habits of those times.

This was carried out by the witch following ancient recipes, to handwritten times, dating back to the depths of time, passed from mother to daughter or teacher to apprentice. Were basically recipes, proven from the time of herbs and roots witches received based and dealt with the skill they handed down, turning them into potions, decotti, plasters, SALVES that

"of" "usually worked".

And is precisely the fact that usually purchased to believe in the witches in all good faith, to be in possession of "special" "powers" which then thought to exercise on other occasions, with other means and imaginary, as happened in the results of all activities ' of black magic.

One thing must be clear and obvious: Witches recognised the most ' common diseases and preparing the specific remedies with ingredients more ' suitable suggested by their traditional ricettari pear ' ignored completely what were the contained active therapeutic principles in the same ingredients.

In addition to what ' were able to treat fractures of the arts (conciaossa) , healing wounds, assist the partorienti (mammane) when in the villages lacked "patented" midwife.

The fact remains that a company ' where it was forbidden to Jews and women to practise medicine, some risk ran it, sometimes with tragic consequences. Despite what 'their knowledge about the virtue' of herbs could, in some cases, give them some recognition and an eye When were forced to beg for land the lunario.

Keep in mind that the widespread and generalized poverty of the world peasant did not allow large salaries in exchange for their remedies; often had to settle for a bit of milk, a bowl of soup, some slice of bread and other slightest mercedi.
Absence of any assistance in the countryside, their capacity ' of guaritrici posed them as a point of reference: feared then but at the occorenza looks for .

Other activities ' who usually fall within the scope of magic White could be:

the preparation of love, filters if not worked were not not bad;
predict the future;
propitiate with formulas and magic rites obtaining certain benefits;
do benign sortilegi and package amulets and talismans to protect a person from the malasorte from injuries, diseases;
propitiate come true it, in life, of the happiness ' and the pleasures that priests only promising deaths and culmination of a life of hardship;
prepare beauty and cosmetics.
All What's with the usual corollary of rites and magic formulae that if nothing aggiugevano the effectiveness of the remedy, had the merit of emphasizing, to deceive and inspire a reverenziale fear in the minds of the sprovveduti customers.

For example: this is a magic formula that accompanied the clutch skin with an ointment specific: moetas naeta daries dardaries asiadaries a naeta.

But the fear of people became palpable when the witch was its alleged powers of black magic.

§ 05 BLACK MAGIC

Included that complex of products, activities ' and rituals that were required in the witch to revenge, damage or cause the death of a third person.
In doing so ' the witch attached (and the customer attached) the possession of mysterious powers and unnatural, often linked to issues misterici of some ancient divinita religion of pagan.

Sovente consider that we have this power was due to suggestions and the use, not aware of hallucinogenic substances , as indicated under § 28 .

In the context of the black magic, the only possibility ' real make malefici witch could exercise, were those related to the production of poisons, sonniferi and other harmful, exploiting negative products their knowledge of the special properties of herbs and other simple substances.
Nevertheless the belief and the people's superstition either assigned witch well other powers that same witches looked good at from the deny for quite understandable reasons:

of utilities ' staff and wish / needs ' profit
Why ' they were convinced possesses these powers
Why ' the sense of fear at which were considered was to them one species protection.
And in this regard, even if it is very likely that has occurred, you remind not cases of witches killed by an individual. For the great massacre witch murdered were mostly victims of collective punishment, linciaggi due to the anger populate in the face of adverse events and unexplained epidemics such as, extended moria livestock, grandiose fires and similar things.

Among the many capacity ' malefiche that usually you assigned the antiquity witch-hunt ', elenchiamo some of the most in common:

make die someone trafiggendo a wax or containing cloth snowman personal parts of the designated victim: hair, nails, saliva, urine, etc.
cause diseases in children with spells and magic rituals
the preparation of hate filters
make fall hail property of the victim
cause a fire in the home of the victim
cause a shipwreck
generate the sterilita ' a woman
generate the helplessness in a man doing appropriate nodes on a strip of leather
cause moria livestock
throw the "malocchio" playing certain formulas
transform a man into beast making him eat a "stregato cheese"
and other fole of this kind.
In some occasion some of these "magic" could work If you had the care to know the victim, indirectly and in great secrecy, a maleficio had been made on him. Fear and psychological disturbance in simple and ignorant souls could cause those effects that single magic would never have achieved.

Something very strange generate the hail to the field of the victim was to go on to importance of land, next to destroy, digging a hole orinarci inside and then to disperse the liquid in the air with a twig of core playing special formulas magic (!).

§ 06 THE DIANA COMPANY

About this mysterious affiliation that would be grouped around if ' a large number of witches, it is written much but, in balance, the information who you are not sufficient to demonstrate the real existence. Indeed the opposite.

It is assumed that source was a company ' female secret, a company of "Bonae Foeminae" and is ' of expert guaritrici in the art of white magic, usual sit at night in the Woods to celebrate special ceremonies never defined nature.

Some authors claim that this belief is derived from an ancient Legend of Celtic strain posed at the head of affiliates some Morrigan: the great mother. In ancient Roman world Morrigan was replaced with Diana, considered as well as goddess of hunting, the fertility goddess '.

These night meetings were also called "Diana game" and, if well improbable inspired to the inquisitori of the great hunt the next morbid the sabba fantasy. Unrelenting in their fury distruggitrice the priests replaced with the figure of Diana foot ', telling the suckers that when the head of John the Baptist was submitted to the daughter of Herod over a pot, from the mouth of the off I start ' to leave a strong wind that rise it' for air and since then the ill-fated tapina is forced every night flying from midnight to the part of the rooster.

The faith in the "real God" Christians also fuelling these things!

§ 07 ADVERSARIAL SYSTEM

One of the reasons why, in the antiquity ', witches were very little persecuted, may ' also be sought in the functioning of courts that then operated on the principle of adversarial system.
This system of criminal procedure, derived from Roman law, remained in force at almost all European courts up to 1200 or just over.

The adversarial system required a person making (actor) or its successors in title case in a timely charge public oath and the burden of supporting that accusation in court, and also ' provide evidence and useful to demonstrate the validity evidence for the same charge in the (agreed); in other words the terminated against the plaintiff assumed those functions now compete in the public prosecutor.

In doing so 'actor you wound of a heavy responsibility'; where the agreed was able to prove his innocence the accuser was in turn pursued and punished according to usage and as under the old "The Lynch law".
The risk of retaliation (contro-processo) to be borne by the plaintiff was a heavy qualms to engage in certain processes relating to evil and sortilegi, indimostrabili offences by their nature. The defendant could be condemned only if confessava his fault, which is very unlikely when that was witchcraft.
If then the accused was person good reputation, generally estimated could easily leave free giurando debate on the same innocence or by delegating the oath to witnesses considered ladies and men and Probi.
Not was the case of witches!

Finally, when in the course of special debates judges is believed Unable to make a fair verdict then it was at the loophole of the ordalia.
The "ordalia or judgment of God" consisted of the delegate to the wisdom of the padreterno to decide who was right and who had wrong.

A special case of ordalia was called "bilateral ordalia" .The actor and the defendant, or people from their own choices (samples) had to fight in duel during which most who picchiava ' strong ended with demonstrating its name.

In other cases judges sottoponevano the accused with evidence of truth ' very strange and very cruel. For which it could be demonstrated the his innocence:

treading a certain distance taking a hot carrying case iron fist. After some days fasciatura and linimenti hand should appear "miraculously unscathed".
A Variant of the previous test was to immerse an arm in a pot of boiling water.
The body the accused was immersed in a river or in a tub of cold water.If remained afloat was innocent.
The accused had to swallow a big piece of bread without chewing it and without suffocate.
The accused should exit free a walk on the ardent coal; this was the evidence most ' classical (pirobasia/pirobazia).
(A few years ago a) Merry "mattacchioni" group the has made direct T.V., seems that proof may be exceeded without harm if held, for some now, the ft (immersed in allume Fortress (?) solution)

The adversarial system prevented at least so far towards the 1300 that witches and magicians were subjected to ridiculous and unnecessary processes.

§ 08 A PROFILE

We have already ' pointed out that witches were predominantly of peasant source and operated within the framework of the countryside; those that are in the city ' was an exception, since this is still young women who had tried best opportunities in citizen within ' lives, adding to their art availability ' into prostitution.

In relation to the age of average of the population of low middle ages (approximately 35) (years and with a less than 50 years life expectancy), the age of average of one witch was between 50 and 62 years, with exceptional peaks of 80-85 years.
Whether a person of 60 years could also treat you old represented However, an exception; the age ' average of 35 (?) years, calculated by the historians with statistics, it is strongly conditioned method from the great rate of mortalita ' child of those times: approximately 30-40 %.
Average statistics, in certain situations, may ' give a distorted idea of the reality '. It would be more ' correct use the value of "fashionable" , not always Computable based on facts available. We know however that, to those times, in the world farmer rarely someone came to know the his grandchildren.
(Reference. 105)

Therefore These figures should be considered very uncertain and uncertain.

Witches were processed between 1400 and 1700 who, in principle part, an age ' more than 50 years, as it is could detect possessing procedural.
Always with due reservations, was established on a few hundred of alleged witches, that:

50 % were married
28 % were widows
22 % were single
While part of the widowed and single sought to place in the context of families, at the time of patriarchal mold, many others preferred (or were forced) live Sun and independent.
The thing was very embarrassing for the element and "annoying" male of the company ' that saw the woman be assogettato and not approved the condition of freedom ' in alquante women, whether we like or not enjoyed. Were particularly feared women widowed and free that had exceeded the age of menopause.

Finally, with regard to the sex of witches:

70-90 % were women
10-30 % were men
but These percentages vary greatly according to the places and times. To example, while in Russia prevailed the male, element in the Scandinavian countries the two sexes were equal.

§ 09 SUMMARY

In the previous paragraphs it is sought to give an idea, approximate and certainly not exhaustive , of what was the figure of the witch from the antiquity of up to low middle ages, before of great persecution.

It turns out the portrait of a person marginalized company ' then that, in the eyes of other Member could appear as a figure worrying, source of concern but basically harmless and often useful.

A constant that accomunava these strange figures was undoubtedly poverty.A today hardly conceivable, to reduce any misery individual at most ' low degradation and the enslavement; anything of procacciare the wretched daily food ration is necessary to survive!
Eat every day was an objective which few witches were to to achieve.

Not always places and circumstances allow them to live with the only exercise of their art; the furtarello, begging and prostitution were activities ' complementary and necessary for not literally dying of hunger.

The witch was a miserable acting predominantly in a context rural, populated by farmers almost equally destitute which, although using his work, were not always in a position to compensate for it properly.

In principle the witch was pear ' respected and tolerated as a "necessary evil" but this does not mean that were not sometimes persecuted and killed.
These episodes, even if recurrent, were while always isolated cases due to fiammate of localized collective Madness: looking for a scapegoat to calm the hearts exacerbated by some inexplicable disaster.

So were isolated cases that had nothing in common with the shocking murderous madness of the Church, erupted between 1400 and 1700.

PART II - THE MASSACRE

§ 10 CONDITIONS FOR THE MASSACRE

Many valenti authors are dedicated to the study of the reasons economic, social and religious that have unleashed a massacre without previous to the detriment of creatures substantially innocent.
Tens of possible causes, were found between them combined, which may be considered responsible for such aberration, all however due to the pairing

misery and superstition, either

Here we confine ourselves to summarise the main historical reasons, generally shared by the authors that caused the trigger time of persecution, even if none of them may ', of per se ', justify the sacrifice of many lives.

Fever Black: generated in Asia (Crimea?) in 1346, advertising in Europe was from commercial vessels Genoa, coming from Syria. Spreads before in Sicily and then, between 1348 and 1352, aggredisce Italy, France, Spain, UK and subsequently the rest of Central Europe and Scandinavia.
It is a terrifying outbreak that kills 25 in a very short time millions of people in Western Europe alone, i.e. ' a third the entire population. In some areas the mortalita ' touches-pointed 75 %.
For some inexplicable reason affects most of men that women generating millions of widows alone and without resources accordingly.
(G. Boccaccio us gives a dramatic description of the fever rages on (Florence in 1348). Rif.115

La famine. It is a direct consequence of the plague; in the absence of the arms necessary to the work of the camps, many land they are abandoned and returning to the wild. Products Agriculture become insufficient to feed the people survivor.
crisis economic . Since the early years of 1400, due a series prolonged bad harvests caused by conditions particularly unfavourable weather (la_piccola_glaciazione) (from 1560 to the 1630).
inflation . Insufficient harvests obliges often to import cereals from other countries without the existence of adequate commercial counterparts. The money (gold, silver) is becoming more ' little. Faced with an offer of necessities always most lacking goods, the question remains constant and in certain circumstances, tends to grow.
erosion wages as a reduction in the purchasing power employees and the overwhelming majority of the peasant class.
fees and tithe : in relation to the previous factors not suffer significant reductions and always weigh more ' on workers and small owners landowners. Deaf to all instances nobilta ' and clergy continue to fattening it and are always more too expensive.
La revocation of the papacy . Indifference to the misery of those who work; voracita ' and crapuleria of the papacy and the prelati in General. Eventually these things are risanno and determine a:
crisis religious a large part of the believers. Many deaths hunger are beginning to have doubts about a God that occurs not ever and leaves it in despair, at the mercy of famine and the diseases.
rebellion . In many parts of Europe groups of farmers are starting to arise against conditions of life pressocche ' impossible, questioning the authorities ' divine and absolute the potentates and the Church. It is of always local riots, isolated and easily domate that pear ' not lack of concern the authorities ' involved. Although you burn villages and impicchino peasants, the uprisings constant continues.
Finally to everything ' add, since the 1520 reform Lutheran, for as regards the persecution of witches, is dimostrera ' fierce at least as Catholic, if not more '.

It should be noted that in the City 'ran with democratic forms or, more' frequently oligarchic, while always existed opposition to the excessive power of the noble and of the priests. These city ', centronord Italy and Germany, were often at the control of the feudatari and sometimes the sovereign. This is the case of the Republic of Genoa, despite the terrible events of Triora, although belonging to this territory. When these 'lost' city part of their power on the surrounding countryside, the increased persecution ' significantly.
(Reference. 105)

§ 11 RUSH TO THE SHELTERS

Unable to resolve (or to best manage) an economic crisis intended to their attention to last centuries, rulers and volsero Church to some aspects which, if not governed threatened to put in serious danger their privileges and their benefits:

the crisis religious
them farming rebellions.
To bring the masses obedience and the liabilities ' needed first make subservient again the same masses blindly and Christian religious superstition, either unconditionally.
It was necessary to rebuild the faith of people in a God that brillava for the his absence and for its indifference to the human miseries.

Do a "restiling" this God's a bit dull was still a difficult task which would entail subtleties and implications theological that people with empty stomachs have included diffcilmente.
We needed something more ' immediate and easily understandable, although rough; therefore the Church to the question:

Why ' God sees and shall not?

replied surreptitiously:

Why ' There is a powerful enemy that glie prevents it.

Brilliant response that accollava to the devil and his cronies the liability for all the evil that affected the Earth and showed it as the real enemy to fight with faith and the massacre of his followers.

The man, by its nature, needs an enemy to fight, or at least against which vent their helpless; anger if it feels inetto and emptied, something that all holders of power knows very well.

In all the companies ' totalitarian is always need to locate a domestic enemy, a fifth column on which cruel:

(a) to get rid of persons or uncomfortable categories
(b) to give an example to those who might have to say.
(c) to catalyse external category to popular discontent with the scheme, so that all if they will take it with them and the mass, which feels threatened by something, you most entrusts the regime itself.

The Jews for the Nazis, the culachi and the sabotage to Stalin, citizens corrupt for Pol Pot may be considered modern examples of hunting witch. It is usually inoffensive categories that while not Since enemy may be however considered source of embarrassment and comfortable scapegoats.
How many people it is heard spiazzata after the fall of communism and the collapse of the Berlin wall?
Else did Hitler identifying Jews as the natural enemies of the Reich, providing a daemon to fight to the crucchi, distogliendo their attention from well other problems?

Then, on the basis of witches, hunting at the of the ' of any inquisitoria contingency, there certainly was the mechanism of terror are consistently in all totalitarianism, because the Church, (Catholics, Protestants, anglicani, etc.) in area religious, it is a totalitarianism.
(Reference. 105)

Until then the devil was for the most part of the Christians a figure somewhat vague; some the accounts if possibly do with which had happened to the aldila ' without the "nulla-osta" the priest. Now the devil was becoming something concrete, almost tangible, an enemy to keep an eye and possibly to defeat.

Smart theologians are meagre working fishing in the Bible (where you can ' find) (of all) and

avoiding on the fact writing says that God had bound due the devil in hell to prevent him from evil; to
strong of the comfort of St. Thomas he instead said the devil was free to make any thing;
looking at with a careful eye and respect what the school had almanaccato's Demonology
the devil did a Figure from the contours well-defined, long live, almost palpable and looming. (v. § 15)

§ 12 LOCATE ENEMIES

It was natural that the devil and his army of demons, as with of good wishes ', not could address materially all the This low world misdeeds. Was then necessary and assumed that the Devil had allied land processors run practically and punctually its wishes.

This was the other problem theologians had to face: since the Devil was invincible needed to be at least find his land accomplices to combat them and destroy them. Problem that, in fact, the theologians misogini risolsero brilliantly focusing their attention on the woman, source of all the trouble possible and boast.

Regardless of easy and very discounted spirit, the bile bars defenders of faith said guilt and the malvagita ' female with the following "conclusive" arguments:

Women's was thrown from a rib of Adam, as is well known, is shape block that curves and therefore the woman is inherently flawed and twisted, both in the physical in the spirit.
By the statement previous is easy to deduce the woman is constitutionally perfidious, evil, infidel, fornicatrice, lussuriosa and untruthful, (impudico) (treasure chest of malizia and lust) .
Women's It is absolutely guilty of original sin as lei to offer the Apple poor Adam and lead it into temptation (benche') you have created only after that God warned Adam of not (to eat the forbidden fruit) .
Women's is a less being. Also says it St. Paul in his first Letter to Timothy 2, 11-15, says "the woman learn in silence," with all submission. Not grant you any woman to teach them to dictate law to man; rather whether it is in attitude quiet. Why ' first it was formed Adam and Eve; and was not Adam to be fooled, but was the woman, deceived, it yields guilty of infringement. It will ' be saved early children, If we persevere in their faith in the carita ' and the sanctification, "with modesty."
The lust of the woman is perniciosa and from lead men to acts abominable sexual incontinence. The sexual incontinence is the defect preferred salut why women is of course brought to be an accomplice of the devil.
Women's is the tentatrice in absolute sense according to the misogino attitude of the in General and the monks in paticolare, absurdly relegated clergy in the their monasteries, ricettacoli of unbridled homosexuality.
Since Finally the devil Lord of the evil, only that he witch could get their powers, abiurando Holy faith.
Because above does not exhaust certain list of erudite arguments; the reader may ' find other chicche such reference books and documents § 14 specialized.
You came to be inferred if uterus had a hidden diabolical animal in the female belly or intimate part of the evil nature of the woman.
What need stress is that these "praise" added to the fact that some of these women introduced the white magic and Black (opposed by the Church), became fatal to their incolumita '.

Returning with their feet on the ground, whereas the conditions of the company ' of then ( § 10 ) and taking in mind that guaritrici, erbarie or alleged witches were now become a Army of mouths to feed in a context of overall poverty ', as desire to remove means playing above an inconfessato a great mass of competitors in the little daily food. This at least at the beginning of persecution until ' was not fiutato "business". (§22)

The alms, applied ever more insistently for these unhappy, began to generate signs of intolerance of donors faced with their problems newspapers and, often, the refusal to grant something was a desperate, reaction sometimes offensive and threatening on the part of the petitioners.

Witch, or alleged, were becoming invise to the most ' that unconsciously wanted liberarsene; this attitude became a fertile ground to accept the masses the massacres that followed and the their "santa and hypocritical" and contested justification.

§ 13 DEFINE THE SINS

For how strong was the desire to physically eliminate individuals who lived on the margins of the company '(streghe,_maghi,_omosessuali,_ecc.), had to be found of the solid reasons justified the massacre of thousands of people and, at the same time, provide a "coverage" "moral" (Christian morals!) to maintain that glow of fradicia "sainthood '" "that still beset the Church."

For the heretic the thing was pretty easy, being as such considered apostates , they fully deserved air ritual of the burning, without anyone if it scandalizzasse more time.
Needed so that also witches were defined eretiche and apostate as idolatre and adoratrici of evil, according to the definition of evil from the same church and had the greatest an expression in the devil. Was that so defined concept of crimen exceptum (witchcraft and heresy) that allowed the courts to ignore most basic standards of Justice and fairness.

Theologians unscrupulous lawyers sadistic and philosophers scalzacani you put to the work to give those necessary blame alleged witches and sufficient to justify their ammazzamento unscrupulous and burned.
He was systematic, ongoing, scrupulous and successful work that comes here briefly summed up:

The first ideas were probably provided by the Bible:
"Not" "lascierai live who practice the magic". (Bible Ebr. exodus) (22,17)
"Those" who do not believe in me will be thrown dry way as branches. The men "raccatteranno them and provide them fire and will be burnt". (John) (15,16)
Were attributed to the devil extraordinary evil powers up to see it as a contro-tipo of the Christian God (ricadendo partly heresy) (Manichaean dualista).
At a later time Calvin and some school settled, very Strangely, that the devil can ' Act only with permission of God, of the which is a servant and performer; this pear 'impedi' to continue the persecution.
May not ' exist witch that it is not bound by a pact with the devil.
It is a eretico those who believe maleficent witches opera and the Pact demoniaco.
Placed the Pact with the devil, and its assistance, witch may perform the most ' atrocious crimes, such as those listed in the following collection:
kill and devour their children and those of others
becoming owls or black cats and introduce homes at night to kidnap, kill, extract the bowels, sucking the blood and devour babies not yet baptized (resumed nonsense from ancient beliefs) (mythological)
distilled SALVES and malefiche essences such as fever and cholera and disseminate ungendo doors of their victims; what willingly attached to the Jews untori
distilled and sell veleni fatal (si_dice_che_chi_puo'_guarire_puo'_anche) (kill)
build Magic mirrors that answer their questions evil
draw circles within which call for the devil to worship him and to give sacrifices
mention some particular imprison him in a bottle daemon and use it as coadjutor malefiche arts
with the help of the devil can find things and hidden treasures
operate malefici on honest men:
pushing them to sexual dissolutezze
translating them in beasts
asportando their virile member
causing with malefici their sterilita '
copulare with the devil, especially after menopause, because of their body needs and continuously brama the semen of the devil
may cause storms and hail, destroying crops
may cause shipwrecks
practise acts blasfemi soldiers holy religion
operating the metamorphosis onto themselves turning into dogs, wolves, mannari wolves Caproni, bats, donkeys, crows, owls, etc.

flywheel of night horse brooms, sticks or animals to go to the sabba or make malefici in town ' remote
participating night meetings with other witches and the periodic sabba.
As above is more ' that sufficient to highlight the stupidita crowds ' and the protervia of the pruriginosi authors of § 14 that, without notice, are themselves fallen into giving heresy to human beings, flesh and blood, the powers and the Faculty of the world pay were relevance of the or semidei.

Those that do not are never been analysed and studied in depth are the incoffessate motivations and secret such as:

delete from the social context uncomfortable persons alien to the "moral" rulers imposed by the Church
project and punish the unnatural sexual continenza that intention on others the Clero-misogino-suppressed and his cronies, transferring on witches the meaning of guilt (and envy) caused by their own and absurd rules of life
transform defenceless people into scapegoats for many of the related misfortune to the newspaper
resolve indirectly conflicts of interest or intolerance between the communities ' neighbouring rural
reverse the attention of the Community 'from problems more' serious and unresolved focusing on the persecution of poor victims
point the finger at one or more ' guilty by sacrificing when prayers, the masses, the blessings and the processions not served to avoid disastrous weather that distruggevano harvests events
bring ultimately the doubters and rebels under the supervision of the Church, giving the forces of evil all misfortune and the coil a company ' in ruin.
The Church and the company ' contemporary rinverdirono the concept of 'scapegoat' 'scapegoat' own egizi ancient and Jews, and it did a solution of convenience for those events which seemed then unexplained.

Only at a later time, with the "concatenated processes" , the witch hunting transformed ' in a business all who gave rise to a colossal transfer of wealth in favour of the clergy and a slave, incompetent and corrupt judiciary.

§ 14 - THEORETICAL EXTERMINATION-(THE CROWS)

What follows is a partial list of writings and who works helped to transform the harmless figure of the old witch in one creature perverse and demon by investigating and destroy with fanatical determination.
The hypothesis that all these masterpieces is one only, agrees:

in name of God, murdered!

Between the goal ' of 1300 and the end of the 1600 works similar to these if they you were hundreds.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REGINONE OF PRÜM
-
Bishop and canonical legiferatore.

Year 906
-
LIBER DE SYNODALIBUS CAUSIS ET DISCIPLINIS
ECCLESIASTICIS

.


BURCARDO OF WORMS
-
Bishop and canonical legiferatore.

Year 1006
-
CORRECTOR ET MEDICUS

Year 1025
-
DECREED
At those times were the fundamental texts of reference for the punishment be imposed to those who introduced the magic and for those that you left draw from such practices. It was punishment and penances enough read that, over time, were heavily accentuated.

.

IX GREGORIO
-
Pope.

Year 1233
-
VOX IN ROME
Papal Bull establishing the institution of the "Holy" "Inquisition".

.


INNOCENT IV
-
Pope.

Year 1252
-
TO EXSTIRPANDA
Pontifical bubble which foresaw and authorised the inquisitori to apply torture on suspects.

.


JOHN XXII
-
Pope.

1320 Year
-
SUPER ILLIUS SPECULATE
Papal Bull for the systematic definition of crimes of magic and the Regulation of penalties.
This Pope always wore a "talisman" , donatogli by Countess Margaret of Foix, that protected it from any poisoned food thing very frequently the papal court.

.


BERNARDO GUI
-
Theologian and Inquisitor.

Year (1320)
-
PRACTICA INQUISITIONIS HAERETICAE ET PRAVITATIS
Among other things, on the practice of demoniache invocations, extends accused of witchcraft to those who performed the collection of the plants herbs.

.


UNIVERSITY PARIS
-
Faculty of of theology.

Year 1328
-
TWENTY-NINE ARTICLES ON WITCHCRAFT
These articles "legally" define the offence of witchcraft distinguishing it into two types: natural witchcraft and the eretica witchcraft. It stipulates that eretica witchcraft is closely linked to a demoniaco Pact.
* * * * *
Later other University ' will contribute to the definition of the theory demonologica, both through writings, and direct answers to questions that sometimes judges pose. All this 'contribui' to ensure "legal" support that scaricava awareness of judges providing comfortable justifications to their work.

NICOLAU EYMERICH
-
Friar Dominican Inquisitor.

Year 1376
-
DIRECTORIUM INQUISITORUM
(See appendix)

.


.


CLAUDE THOLOSAN
-
Judge of the Dauphiné processes of witchcraft.

Year 1436
-
UT MAGORUM ET MALEFICORUM ERRORES

.


JOHANNES NIDER
-
Dominican, theologian and Inquisitor.

Year 1457
-
FORMICARIUS

.


JEAN VINETI
-
Theologian and Carcassonne Inquisitor.

Year 1450
-
TRACTATUS CONTRA DAEMONUM INVOCATORES
Distinguishes the witches into two categories: those old, already ' treated in the Canon episcopi and those of his time, deemed particularly dangerous why ' belonging to a dark demonolatrica sect. While for those ancient (now nonexistent) proposes a mild punishment (penance), those modern provides for the death penalty, at the end of legitimise all apparatus inquisitorio and related income.

.


NICOLO ' V
-
Pope.

Year 1451
-
CONTRA SACRILEGOS ET DIVINATORES
Special bubble intended for the Inquisitor-General of Flanders and the his cronies with explicit call to act decisively against the enemies sacrileghi of Christianity.

.


NICOLAS JACQUIER
-
Theologian.

Year 1458
-
FLAGELLUM HAERETICORUM FASCINARIORUM
Defines the witches as a demon sect that it is opposite and has fought the authorities ' since the famous church.

.


IV SISTO
-
Pope.

Year 1475
-
BUBBLE PAPAL
Confirmation and reaffirms as already ' provisions of its predecessors.

.


INNOCENT VIII
-
Pope.

Year 1484
-
SUMMIS DESIDERANTES
Bubble that validates the work of two writers, Sprenger in advance and Kramer, which accingevano to publish their new work (Malleus) (Maleficarum).



.


BERNARDO RATEGNO
-
Dominican Inquisitor

Year 1485
-
LUCERNE INQUISITORUM HAERETICAE PRAVITATIS
Manual for the persecution of witches in comasco territory.

.


SPRENGER AND KRÄMER
-
Jacob Sprenger, Professor of theology in Cologne and Inquisitor for the region Rhine.
Heinrich von Krämer (said Institor-Institoris), already ' then considered suffering from psychological problems; theologian and Inquisitor for Germany Southern.

Year 1486
-
MALLEUS MALEFICARUM
This text validated by the previous bubble Summis Desiderantes, has had 29 editions and was translated by Latin in Italian, French and German.
This is one of most works ' shameful never produced under the auspices of the Church.Represents the maximum expression of human ignorance of perversion, of blind fanaticism and a push misogyny at the extreme limit; both from say, in absolute and unequivocal manner the reporting link between women and the devil.
For these its "quality" text is become the basis and the other similar writings reference series over time, type: "Epitome lettered Maleficas" and similar.



.


ULRICH VON MÜLLER
-
(Said) (Molitoris). Doctor in Canon law and public prosecutor to Constance.

Year 1489
-
DE LAMIIS ET PYTHONICIS MULIERIBUS
Treaty of stregonesche theories.

.


PIERRE MAMORIS
-
Theologian and Inquisitor.

Year 1490
-
FLAGELLUM MALEFICARUM
Text contains the first comprehensive definition of the concept of "sabba" .

.


ULRICH TENGLER
-
Governor of Hochstadt.

Year 1510
-
LAYENSPIEGEL

.


SILVESTRO MAZZOLINI
-
Dominican, also called Prierias.

Year 1514
-
EPITOME SUMMARUM
It is a kind of theological dictionary.

Year 1520
-
DE STRIGIMAGARUM DAEMONUNQUE MIRANDIS
Distinguishes between Witch frequentatrici the sabba and those, less dangerous, participating in the "Diana Parade" .

.


PAULUS GRILLANDUS
-
Magistrate Pontifical.

Year 1524
-
TRACTATUS DE HAERETICIS ET SORTILEGIIS

.


JEAN BODIN
-
Inquisitor.

Year 1586
-
DE DEMONOMANIE DES SORCIERES

.
Lawyer reputation, in his treatise denies that witch can be applied the usual procedural rules.
Establishes a child of three years, just able to speak, can accuse their parents of witchcraft.
It also provides that witches should be burned alive but 'fire' "slow".

.



GIACOMO VI-GIACOMO THE
-
James Stuart: King of Scotland and 1601, King of England.

Year 1590
-
DAEMONOLOGIE

.


NICOLAS REMY
-
Attorney of Lorraine, in the pay of the Duke Charles III. Prided did condemn 800 witches in 16 years.
It is a vocation Remy had heard from childhood when, while playing the streets of Toulouse, "the devil you divertiva as a" "love to tirargli of the stones in the legs".

Year 1595
-
DEMONOLATREIAE

.


MARTIN ANTON OF THE RIO
-
Inquisitor.

Year 1600
-
DISQUISITIONUM MAGICARUM - BOOKS SEX
This work was reprinted 20 times. It is a real and Handbook of witchcraft. A practical use for the "perfect" encyclopaedic manual "Inquisitor".

.


HENRI BOGUET
-
Judge in Burgundy.

Year 1602
-
DISCOURS DES SORCIERES
This text had 8 editions.

.


FRANC.MARIA GOUACHE
-
Franciscan and Inquisitor.

Year 1608
-
COMPENDIUM MALEFICARUM
The author has included in the text many xilografie to better illustrate its concepts: seduction of the witch, Kiss the ass, etc.

.


PIERRE DE LANCRE
-
Judge in the Basque country.

Year 1612
-
TABLEAU DE THE INCONSTANCE DES MAUVAIS ANGES ET DEMONS
Equipped with explanatory illustrations.

.


WILLIAM PERKINS
-
English of Puritan confession.

Year 1613
-
DISCOURSE OF THE DAMNES ART OF WITCHCRAFT

.


CHRISTIAN IV
-
King of Denmark.

Year 1617
-
SPECIAL ORDER AGAINST WITCHCRAFT
While not being a specific text had a significant weight in the unleash many processes against suspicions of witchcraft in Copenhagen and Elsinore.

.


BENEDIKT CARPZOV
-
Inquisitor and luterano lawyer.

Year 1635
-
PRACTICA NOVA INPERIALIS SAXONICA POTUIT CRIMINALIUM
Collection of specimens judgments of the Court of Leipzig, reprinted 9 times.

.


TRIB. INQUISITION
-
Court of the Inquisition of Bologna.

Year 1679
-
SACRED ARSENAL
Manual used by the Court to find and process the witches.

.


JOSEPH GLANVIL
-
Rector of the Abbey Church of Bath (England).

Year 1681
-
SADDUCISMUS TRIUMPHATUS

.


VARIOUS AUTHORS
-
Generally theologians, magistrates and inquisitori.

Year *
-
PRACTICAL PROCEDURAL MANUALS
Three centuries where hard ' the genocide of witches, the inquisitori able organise themselves to one always more ' shipped celebration processes.
The first "official manuals" were soon to Add the "personal manuals" that each judge compilava by writing down characteristics, particolarita ', the process and for judgment. Later these manuals passed hand, entrusted to new judges and further updated.
It was, over time, to constitute a legal body to settle procedural, rich doubt many practical information on the nature of devil, on the search for the satanico, mark on methods and extent in the application of torture, on the mode of execution of the sentences, etc.
Some of these manuals also contained suggestions for questionnaires already ' prepared for the questioning of victims; so much for not forget the essential!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

§ 15 FLOCK OF THE DEVIL

The Devil (Satan) was a typical product of the absurd and dequalificante contro-Cultura of the medieval Christian clergy. This is therefore a reconstruction the image of the devil made on the basis of the baggianate contained in the texts of some of the listed "crows" to the§ 14.
As physical appearance has been defined:

Figure generically antropomorfa
color lengthen, black or nerissimo
wings membranate (pipistrello type)
Beard of goat type
has a only tooth uses to label the witches (not all the) (authors agree)
cervical with a large and robust horns
feet forcuti
skin grinzosa
with of long tail with peloso or forcuto Terminal
with of large breasts
devoid of blood circulation replaced by frozen water
body sex with the following characteristics:
extraordinarily large and long
pesantissimo
done in part of iron and part of meat and covered with scalings material horny
constantly stand and bellavista
temperature cold
emission semen cold as ice.
Usually occurs naked. When pear ' attempts to circuire or deceive someone resort to various mascheramenti, for example:

takes the form of a beautiful young
always elegantly dressed
with of shoes or boots to hide forcuti feet.
However, even if disguised, is easy to warn its presence as stench of sulphur.
We must then be very careful because 'may' penetration in the form of beasts immonde in the body of a person (preferably woman) generating one terrible demon possession, or instantly depriving a human the male organ.

Similar to what already ' made by the Church earlier in the definition angelic hierarchy, which includes unit ' ranging from the archangels to the .... cherubs, the devil has at its disposal a hierarchy of unit ' Underworld with specific and well-defined tasks.
Let certain confusion!
Name of the devil is Satan ; other names used inappropriately and relevance of demons, which tends to confusion, are more ' or less important and with particular tasks, orders and the narrow employed by the devil; here is ' talk of:

Asmodeo
Astarotte
Baal
Baphomet
Behemoth
Belfagor
Belial
Belzebu '
Berlicche
Iblis
Leviathan
Lucifer
Malcommetto
Mammone / to
Manometto
Mefistofele
Messer Gaius
Messer Leonardo
Prince of darkness
Salvanello
Tizia
etc.
etc.
In addition to these characters, going for the greater, there is also the large army of demons not qualified (the low troops), which some genius demanded count and quantify. Recall here's some of these graphics and committed scholars:

the Spanish theologian Alfonso López De La Spina has counted 133.306.668
the Sigmund Feyerabend, theologian in 1569, was already ' arrived at 26 billion
other willing unknown have not gone further the 6.700.000.
Particularly important concerns the sabba ceremony, are demons "incúbi" "and succúbi", that the "crows" of § 14 themselves hasty to invent upon natural completion of their idiozie. Therefore, between the participating in the sabba:

demons incúbi represent a particular gratification made by the devil in the witches: they had the task to satisfy the sexual desires of the participants with an "ice" nature coitus;
Similarly demons succúbi were assogettarsi to the desires of any participants of male gender.
Some theologians, experts demonologi, argued that hell is organized as a structure/feudal system which is head an emperor (Satan), which shall be submitted:

· seven Kings (Asmoneo, Astarotte, Baal, etc.)

· 20 of Dukes

· 10 marchesi

· eleven accounts

· and some Presidents

Other instead support the existence of a "Court Infernale", where the Antichrist would buffone Court and Mammone the Treasurer; There then coppieri, siniscalchi, bakers, etc.
Others certainly damage the Inferno is structured as an army with a general, colonnelli, captains, marshals, etc. at the head of legions of diavolacci ugly and bad.

The Demonology remained long little studied in European environment (while) in the Middle East had been studied in manichei, (zoroastriani, iazidi, gnostici, sufi, etc.). Just in time more 'late start' also develop from us by a Devils - "catalog" and then also of Angels - with its attributes and hierarchical framework (King, principles,) (General hell, etc.) Thus ' is that, while in the 300 have had to invent the names of the Devils and angels in the course of 500, is to following the neoplatonismo and contacts with the cabala (in turn in) (development) either as a result of the greatest interest caused by processes to the witches, start ' to develop the culture of the heavenly powers and underworld that sfocio ' in the treaties of Demonology ' 600 and the centuries subsequent.
(Reference. 105)

§ 16. THE SEARCH FOR CONSENSUS

Reinventing the devil and demonising witches and guaritrici were not Nevertheless sufficient evidence for also convince the most ' sprovveduti not only accepting the massacre that was presenting but also to do so consider "Holy work" aims to save the only real faith and the Holy and proterva mother church.

Needed that that vague fear, by always fed by people in the the witch, against tramutasse furibondo hatred and terror. For kill with impunity witches had to be mass peculiar blindly in witch demoniaci powers themselves.

The clergy you mise so hard at work to achieve a colossal brainwashing, through many devices and showing from the pulpit the witch as the sole source of all the evils that plagued the company '. Between the many initiatives:

was sets the reading in Church of the allegations and of convictions witches
the same reading was performed in public shortly before execution
you held martellanti preaching against witchcraft processes and before you run
you organizzavano rounds of collective prayer
you held sermons liable to induce the same faithful to "monitor" and identify possible witches in the context of his family and between the friends and those moments was under threat of excommunication
the premises processes were transferred to city ', or large villages, and the performances fixed holidays to encourage the highest turnout public (first listen entry and then attend burned!)
many priests became famous for the zeal with which identified and deferivano to the Inquisition the alleged perpetrators of witchcraft (region of the) (Cambresis)
in some parishes calling for the inquisitori affissero letters and notices categorically the informing of the faithful (Franche-Comté, 1657)
Catechism and preaching contributed to disseminate those concepts of:
Pact with the devil
Sabba
that the mass was still unaware

the clergy development and food an absurd repressive feeling towards of the sessualita ' generally grounds of per se itself, Act inspired by the devil, and in some time, due to act of real and own witchcraft.
First the Catholic Church and then the reformed agreed then appropriately absurdly theoretical concept of witchcraft up to then unknown and the album to a company ' ignorant and servile to remove means those who believed in short, potential enemies and competing with their interests of shop.

Was unacceptable that a witch could cure with its preparations, of the ailments which prayers and blessings had not had effect!

Another factor that contribui ' to bring the persecution at levels allucinanti was the adoption in almost throughout Europe, the legal system inquisitorio.

Still Today, in some countries of the Lunigiana are visible above the entrances of houses, strange sculptures (faccioni) at the time their willingness to take distant witches and/or demoniaci spirits.

§ 17 SYSTEM INQUISITORIO

Successful slowly in Europe (except a few exceptions), in the course of the 1200-1300, this system was "the manna fell from heaven" for all the inquisitori and allowed their remaining unpunished, exercise any sort of barbarism.
This system, eliminating the liability for direct to the complainant, delegava the task of supporting the allegation to the magistrate who could act and arrange, unhindered and protected by the Church and the system, both on the basis of "soffiate" anonymous whistle-blowers, is acting personally on the basis of his personal and prevented "feelings".

The inquisitorio system first and the adoption of the torture almost immediately afterwards, facilitarono enormously and poor in the hands of the inquisitori a weapon powerful and uncontrollable. The recommendations of moderation in the use These instruments, principles and rulers enlightened, landing almost always in a vacuum.

Deleted the liability for direct whistle-blowers anonymous and therefore protected from possible retaliation, a myriad of individuals feel ' duty of terminate for reasons of revenge, envy, rivalsa, illicit gains and other low instincts, innocent people dragged in processes of witchcraft from which you came, in most cases, for the path of the burning.
Guarantees for the charged were totally cleared; very few of them could afford a defender that practice was powerless against the System. The Declaration of two witnesses to the accusation was enough and the confession wrested with torture to be sent to death.

As regards concerned courts they you may distribute in two categories:

courts ecclesiastical(Inquisition in the strict sense) who had the task of identifying and exposing the crimes of witchcraft, make accusations and then deliver the accused to secular courts (secular) for carrying out the process (the dirty work) .
For a simple much reason as hypocritical: the priest is Minister of God on Earth, and then "Holy and good" for definition; therefore the priest may not ' exercise of violence on Nobody, including witches
courts secular(ordinary judiciary), which as of the ecclesiastical courts, could find, stop and lead the process of suspected criminals (with the consent of the inquisitori), by loading also of the "dirty work" that the Church refused hypocritically: torture, execution, etc.

Some of these courts, at times but not always expected the presence of a secular people's jury that had the task of issuing the final verdict.

We need now an important clarification.
In certain circumstances, when the accused was rich and influential person (and therefore could able) the presence of a lawyer was permitted Defender that if in the case, very little could against blind fury and progress of the local inquisitori, became important as a result for the Appeal appeal against the judgment in those States where was a Supreme Court which invoke.
It is necessary to recall that at the time of witches, Europe-hunting was fragmented into a lot of statelets (small kingdoms, ducati) (principalities, etc.) many of which did not provide for degrees of judiciary higher, such as the 9 French Parlaments, courts appeal Imperial and others structures of this kind which does not always existed or were operating.
All this, at least partly explained the gap between processes educated and executions carried out (by 50 to 90 % of processes).

Both structures were on the assumption that:

the accused It was guilty until evidence of the opposite.

If it was innocent was certainly protected by God , and then in Unable to withstand any angheria, including torture. Another important assumption said that if the process:
-the accused taceva was a sign clearly that devil claimed
-the accused spoke to deny and resist then you gave to discounted his complicita ' with the devil.

A particular it should be noted: many jobs were activated as a result of specific complaints from persons who, "in good faith", believed to be been victims and damaged by some Mage (the) (loss of harvest for a hail, moria livestock and so on). In these cases the courts were hesitant to consider the alleged witch guilty of the maleficio, but none of them stable ' a share of "compensation" "damage" in favour of the complainants. Everything ' could crack the victim by the seizure of assets, invariably ended in the pockets of judges and the Inquisition.

§ 18. THE PROCESS

Riportiamo the following sequential stages more ' important through which you performed a process of witchcraft with the inquisitorio system. The sequence is that you can ' derive from the examination of procedural acts existing and the directions on the manuals referred to in § 14 .
Not is said that this sequence had always respected; some stages they could be omitted and some other repeated. However this is the process most ' logical and commonly found full.

The trend towards spettacolarizzare process was very marked; it sought to give maximum publicity for the debate and protrarlo in time (especially if the accused was wealthy).
Another feature was to write down and record any act, Declaration or procedural event with extreme pedant; this has allowed to historians rebuild carrying very accurately some very significant processes.
Normally the verbalization of procedural acts was entrusted to a patent notary.

§ 18.1 the processo: SUSPICIONS AND CHARGES

During the period of maximum hostile fury of witches, be accused of having made a pact with the devil and practise evil was something easy, especially in the countryside, in the context of small appalling villages.
Certain conditions, very frequent in the social context were necessary in which was gained this madness:

be woman
be single and independent
live miserably on the margins of the company '
live in alms, often demand with insistence.
In some cases, and without other reasons, the existence of one or some of these conditions was more ' enough to cause stop "professional" and start the process for witchcraft.
Many of these people, even though the appalling, were arrested as "bait" to get, with torture, names other people, alleged accomplices, economically more ' equipped, and then in able to enrich, with subsequent processes, judges, clergy and all others belonging to the judiciary.

But in other cases the victim was accused by witnesses of convenience, to the which was guaranteed anonymity and an appropriate rewards, willing to swear the false on facts and circumstances which today can appear as dementi.
What follows is a collection, obviously incomplete circumstances and even innocent acts that could pave the way towards the burning:

not practise any religion
not regularly go to church
not observe Sunday rest
you have pronounced a few blasphemy
fornicare and prostitution
be suspected of adultery
you have aborted or helped to have abortions
mention a few steps dancing along the Central Opatija ' or around to a fire, Sun or company
possess a free Rosary on cross
keep in womb, pet and/or feeding a black cat (§31_-_Gatti_e_demoni)
say prayers or do acts of devotion in churches in ruins and sconsacrate
keep in home a black cockerel
collect herbs and roots during the feast of St. Anthony
collect herbs and roots genuflessi East towards
be homosexual
you have treated with potions or ointment an infermo then had died
practise typically the art of cure with herbs
you have used during a quarrel, considered obscure words maledizioni to obtain the "malocchio" and the "malasorte"
be daughter/son of women already ' condemned for witchcraft
you have inveito and/or threatened someone who had refused to begging.
This It is therefore a collection of the banalita ', if properly testimoniate by someone, could lead to the arrest and the process.
Was enough that in some isolated village happen something of unusual as:
an any accident, a hail, sudden death of a person, a disease, fire, theft, a wreck, an accident to a child, the sudden death of a malnutrita cow
that suffered is was related to the maleficent by one a few beggar past brontolona, some days before, to beg or in some neighbouring / or particularly provocative, which you wanted RID.

In other cases the accusations were most ' specific and which would suggest as the excuse of witchcraft was often a convenient means for settling family, political issues or to remove from the disagreeable attendance feet and unwanted.
Many mothers family dispotiche and authoritarian towards her husband or children adults, were accused of witchcraft by their own joint and removed to a half.
If then a woman alone was rich and had some influence in the context of the communities ' local, an accusation of well unified witchcraft allowed to distant relatives and judges appropriate and do it the heritage without many problems of succession.

Incidentally, Joan (d) arc purposes on the burning not only for politicians, insufficient grounds to This condemnation, but because also accused of being Witch and have run Pagan rites dancing around the great magic beech of Domrémy and have them adorned the branches with flowers; ghirlande if you were only of treason or political crime should be decapitata or strangolata.

Originally Celtic countries the sacerdotesse local cult (druidesse), man Christian invasion his/her, were declared witches by definition. Although we cannot be accused of having a Pact with the devil, the druidesse were invise to the clergy in as competitors the Christian shop and, mainly because ', although women exercising priesthood; functions absolutely inconceivable thing to the absurd misogyny of Christian priests.

In most cases, the witch was poor and miserable person vivacchiava with the collection of spontaneous fruits which nature offered and of denied often elemosine. In rural areas where medical assistance was unknown (and even unthinkable), the witch was trying to draw livelihood exploiting those concepts that them had been passed, preparing remedies herbal sell or Exchange with food with those who they were in the needs of cure you. That it was suspected, and then offence of the Church, for at least two reasons:

the disease was considered and predicata from the Church as a "punishment" "divine" for the sins committed and therefore the only remedies the poveracci were repentance and prayer. Was hazardous the only think that be no could other remedies to the of the ' of the superstition, Christian either.
PEAR ' who had money could induce the padreterno to turn a blind eye by to all similar to those of the witches remedies, prepared in the cellars of monasteries from monks erboristi and/or alchemists; towards them the witch, with its modest claims, raised in annoying competition.
remained Anyway ill having regard to competition between doctors "graduate", from the Orthodox University environment and the erboriste mammane, etc. that were in a suspicious teologicamente environment.
it is interesting read here SHAKESPEARE, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Sc.III -The cell of Friar Lawrence .

§ 18.2 the processo:THE ARREST

On order of the magistrate or the Inquisition at least four militi were responsible for arrest alleged witch, playing on the surprise factor.
The arrested should be immediately mail within a large Crate and carried out in prison taking much raised by land. It was felt that if the witch had touched land would have acquired the strength to resist to any torture procured the so-called "maleficia taciturnitatis" .

The surprise factor was also important because the witch, if put into alarm, could fly at horse a broom or an animal, or acquire maleficia taciturnitatis:

drinking a mixture of water, wine and Mint
eating a flat cake impastata with milk of a mother and a daughter
inghiottendo SOAP ammollato water
killing an infant, not yet baptized, burning it and cospargendo in chapter with his ashes.

§ 18.3 the processo: THE MARK OF THE DEVIL

Witchcraft processes the search for brand was an act prior and essential for the continuation of the process itself and the application of torture.
Then at the beginning of the process the witch was denudata and sheared from head at the foot so that track on his body that mark that was trying undoubtedly your demoniaco Pact.
According to the wise inquisitori:

not could there be strega that had not made a pact with the devil
not It was not marked by the essential mark Pact could exist.
Search for the mark, if This was not immediately and clearly identifiable, could take hours, sometimes days, in which time zealous and experienced pungitori trafiggevano the body of the victim, including most parties ' intime, with of the spilloni for Locate and stand the hidden sign.

Was supposed that the Pact with the devil could be concluded in various occasions, for example during special night solemn ceremonies at which participated witches and would-be these. During these ceremonies witches evocavano Devil and onoravano it killing babies and drinking the blood.
PEAR ' most of the authors of § 14 believed that things could in any other way and that was the devil to choose and adescare the woman (or human) with which conclude the Pact, in accordance with procedures enough conventional:

Usually the devil assumed the appearance of a young beautiful, very elegant and appeared to the candidate witch adescando succulent offering rewards, granting of personal power or promises of resounding appagamenti sexual thing it very appreciated and well received by part of a certain age women ' and only in the world.

The candidate should repudiate the Christian faith sputando and riding roughshod over a crucified or other sacred image.

The witch was then renamed in the name of Satan and the make tribute baciandogli the seating.

A few time (not everyone agrees) the witch gift received a currency, to turn into a useless stone, soon the Pact had been concluded.
The Pact was drafted and signed with blood on of a parchment Virgin and contained a formal declaration of the following content:

"I commitment to reward my Lord Satan, between 20" years, of all the gifts that he I will too. With this Pact the grant you the "my body and my soul in may ' have to his liking."
Finally the new witch received from the Devil a mark well hidden somewhere the body; typically in the intimate partners, but not always. The mark could consist of the particular provision of some, a sign on the skin with the form of a chicken leg or the so-called "eye" "Devil"'s which was a special placed neo in the part of a drumstick along the Central Opatija internal ' of the vagina.
The mark could also be invisible and consist of a small part of the insensitive made skin pain and not sanguinante if trafitta. In certain occasions, at the end of locate however Mark , were used special spilloni with falling tip When were pressed on the body of the victim. In this case the lack of pain was interpreted as clear sign of the existence of the Mark . These spilloni with the Barb retractable were invented, at the beginning of the 600 medical English Hopkins to facilitate the work of the inquisitori.
Some texts, reported nostrane witch, claimed that after initial consensus the stability pact, the Devil lead women in flight to the "Big Walnut of Benevento" , under which received the oath of the new adepta.

Sometimes the devil esagerava. In 1657, on the body of Janet Bruce, a witch Scot, the careful researchers marks it found four.

Become witch in fact, the new adepta had the power ' of invoke the devil, or other demons, and receive precise instructions and support the Act evil, dial potions and evil SALVES and learn secret formulas and magic symbols.

§ 18.4 the processo: THE INTERROGATION

After you find on the body of the victim satanico brand (which was) wholly discounted and that of per se deserved already ' air ritual of the (burning), walked the questioning, had any negations of the accused declarations of the texts of the accusation convenience.

Still considered established blame when there were two witnesses eye to load or a confession made by the accused voluntarily or as torture.

The texts of the prosecution were usually the ruffiani sprovveduti, often paid backroom, prepared to swear anything as "it had" Since the witch operate evil and fly at night horse of "something" and other such nonsense (proof of spectrum).Sometimes it was who thought of having been injured by killed the witch as a result of hail, malefici sudden relatives and another.

Conversely the texts to defence were almost always absent; anyone who had dared testify in favour of the accused was automatically suspected of complicita ' and was the risk to be tried in turn.

The interrogation his/her second almost standardized schemas and assumed admission (religion), unreservedly, of any blame the investigators wanted to addosssare to the victim, worth the use of torture.
The idea of torture incuteva this terror in the victims, in order to avoid it, many confessavano at this stage of the process the most ' fantastic and horrendous malefici, believing that burned was still a lesser evil in compared to the ferocity of the inquisitori.

Another reason which could cause the accused to confess "around and" "immediately" was vague and not always maintained promise of judges switch between the death penalty in prison for life in the notice or other penalties children.

Despite their availability ' initial many accused were equally passed to torture when the inquiry, faced with confusing responses dictated by fear, suspected some reticence.

§ 18.5 the processo: THE TORTURE

You must first distinguish between two basic types of torture:

the torture punitive
the torture inquisitoria
Punitive torture was, on certain occasions, in an increase of suffering and pain applied to a person sentenced before of its capital implementation, as attanagliare with difficult pliers or another. Was a fairly frequent thing in the case of conviction for the offence of injured Majesty '. Also the pillory, the frustate, the cutting of a hand may be considered acts of torture punitive.
In the context of the persecution of witches this measure is not It has never been applied.

Torture is heavily applied was inquisitoria (c. 90 % of cases) in the processes against alleged witches. The purpose of this measure was twofold:

the witch had to admit of committing all the incredible idiozie provided accusing it the inquisitori clericali or laity.
The witch had denounce his accomplices or other Witches of his knowledge to enable a chain of processes that, in ultimately allowed to judges and the clergy to initiate a spiral persecutoria usually source of illicit and substantial enrichment. A process of witchcraft, besides the condemnation of the witch "bait" always involved the confiscation of its assets and those of the family; this in the practice came into use from the 1184 and following years, which added to the penalty of burned also