The belief in witchcraft, witches, evil spirits and devils is as old as
humanity. It prevailed among all primeval people as well as among all
nations of the classic past and the middle ages. It still exists among
many nations who call themselves civilized. Witches have been and are
feared as persons, who maintain intercourse with evil spirits, demons or
devils. They are believed to be able, through the assistance of these
spirits, of inflicting injury on other people, who attract their dislike
and hatred. In former times people were convinced, that such witches
could transform themselves into animals, clouds, water, rocks, trees or
anything else; that they could cause disastrous thunderstorms, hail,
invasions of grasshoppers, whirlwinds and droughts; that they could
steal the dew and the rain, hide the moon and the stars, and produce
plagues in men and cattle.
From the Hebrews, who were firm believers in witchcraft and sorcery,
this superstition was handed down to the early Christians, and with the
extension of Christianity, it affected all other European nations. The
earliest ecclesiastical decree against witchcraft appears to have been
that of Ancyra, 315 A. D., condemning soothsayers to five years’
penance. In canon law the Decretum subjected them to excommunication as
idolators and enemies of Christ. And in accordance with the command of
Moses: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,” all women suspected of
witchcraft were killed.
Later on the Popes John XXII. and Eugene IV. issued bulls exhorting all
Christians to greater diligence “against heretics as well as the human
agents of the Prince of Darkness, and especially against those who have
the power to produce bad weather.” To exterminate these enemies of the
Holy Faith all fighting forces of the church were set in motion, among
them an institution, which had been founded in Spain during the 12th
Century: the Inquisition.
As its name, derived from the Latin “inquirere,” indicates, it was the
office of this institution to inquire about, or spy into all sins
committed against the Holy Faith and the authority of the church, and to
deliver witches as well as heretics to the proper authorities for
punishment.
Confirmed and sanctioned by the Popes, this Inquisition had already
performed excellent work during the crusades against the Albigenses and
Waldenses. But the most vigorous crusade against witchcraft began when
in 1484 Pope Innocent VIII. published his bull “Summis desiderantes
affectibus,” of which Andrew D. White in his “History of the Warfare of
Science with Theology” has said that of all documents, ever issued, this
has doubtless caused the greatest shedding of innocent blood.
By this bull several professors of theology were appointed as
inquisitors for large parts of Germany, with full power to prevent the
further spread of heresy and witchcraft. The clergy as well as all other
authorities were warned that these inquisitors must not be hindered in
any way nor by anyone. “All who try to do so, will be, whatever office
they may hold, subdued by excommunication, suspension, interdict and
other still more terrible punishments, without any appeal: and if
necessary, they shall be turned over to the civil authorities. It shall
not be permitted to anyone to act wantonly contrary to our message.
Whoever may try to do so, should know that he directs upon himself the
wrath of Almighty God as well as of the Apostles Peter and Paul.”
Under the authority of this bull the inquisitors opened in Germany not
only a systematic crusade against witchcraft, but at the same time
prepared a manual, the Malleus Maleficarum, or “the Witch-Hammer,” which
became the great text-book on procedure in all witchcraft cases. Never
before had a volume been published that contained an equal amount of
idiotic superstition. And never before nor after has any book caused
more unnecessary suffering, misery, and disaster. When J. Scherr, one of
the foremost historians of Germany, said that this bungling composition
was written with the venom of monks, who had become crazy with violent
fanaticism, voluptuousness, avarice and the passion for cruelty, he
spoke only too true.
Of the unfortunate human beings, who fell victims to this madness, the
overwhelming majority were women.
In fact, the authors of the “Witch-Hammer” boldly asserted, that
witchcraft is more natural to women than to men, on account of the
inherent wickedness of their hearts. “What else is woman but a necessary
evil, a domestic danger, an attractive temptation, and a natural
mischief, painted with nice colors? According to her mind woman seems to
belong to another species than man. She is more voluptuous, as is proven
by many immodest and lustful acts. This fault became apparent in the
creation of the first woman, who was formed out of a crooked rib.”
The inquisitors go on to explain: “Witchcraft is the most unpardonable
among all acts of heresy and sins. Generally heretics are punished very
severely. If they do not recant, they are burned. If they change for the
better, they are imprisoned for life. But such dealing is not rigorous
enough for witches. They must be annihilated, even if they regret their
sins and announce their readiness to return to our Christian faith.
Because the sins of the witches are far greater than the sins of the
fallen angels and of the first men.”
After having made these statements, the authors of the “Witch-Hammer”
explain what witches are able to do to their unsuspecting fellow-men in
violation to the rules of the church.
Decency forbids the translation and reprinting of those passages which
deal with the character of the obscene acts, charged to witches. We must
confine ourselves to the remark that they were accused of sexual
intercourse with innumerable devils, and that, in describing the various
forms of such intercourse, the authors of the “Witch-Hammer” revealed
their own infernal depravity.
To point out only a few of the countless crimes ascribed to witches: it
was asserted that witches, disguised as midwives, killed unborn children
and tormented the unfortunate mothers by sharp thorns, bones and pieces
of wood, produced in their wombs. Other witches, by looking at mothers
and cows, made them dry; they also prevented milk from being churned
into butter. By dipping brooms into water and swinging them in the air,
numerous witches were accused of having caused terrible thunderstorms.
Witches also stopped springs, wells and rivers from flowing; others
caused an invasion of earthworms, mice, locusts, and other vermin.
To remain undetected in the performance of such hellish tricks, the
witches transformed themselves into dogs, cats, owls, bats and other
animals.
But the most horrible crime imputed to witches, was, that during certain
nights they would go up chimneys and ride on broomsticks, goats, or pigs
through the air to some bald hill, to take part in the celebration of
the Witch-Sabbath. Here they would meet their master, Satan, whose upper
half is that of a hairy man with a pale face and round fiery eyes. On
his forehead he has three horns, the middle one serving as a lantern and
radiating light similar to that of the full moon. The lower half of
Satan’s body is that of a buck, but the tail and the left foot are those
of a cow, while the right foot has the hoof of a horse. Assisted by
innumerable devils of lower degrees Satan would preside over the
Sabbath, during which the most sacred ceremonies of the church were
ridiculed. Having read the Mass, he would administer the Devil’s
Sacraments and the Devil’s Supper, after which the whole assemblage
would indulge in the most obscene orgies.
Even more nauseating volumes on witchcraft were published in Italy,
Spain, France and the Netherlands. Their authors had wrenched the most
insane confessions from tortured women about their carnal intercourse
with the Prince of Hell and with hosts of other evil spirits.
Notwithstanding the absurdity of such confessions they were believed by
the superstitious priests as well as by the people, because the Popes
and all other dignitaries of the church approved of such books and
summoned every true Christian to join in the universal warfare upon
witchcraft.
As superstition, like hysteria and other mental diseases, is contagious,
it cannot surprise us that the belief in witches also affected the
countries in which the Reformation had taken root. We must consider that
in these times education was still confined to a few. It was a privilege
of the wealthy and of a small number of distinguished thinkers. Even
these stood entirely under the influence of the Bible, and they
believed, as the example of Luther proves, in the corporal existence of
the devil and evil spirits. Among the common people, who grew up in
blind credulity, enlightenment made very slow progress.
Thus, all Christianity became polluted with superstition and the belief
in witchcraft. Furthermore, from the European countries it spread to
every Spanish, French, Dutch and English colony founded in different
parts of the world.
But there is also another explanation for the passionate zeal developed
by the inquisitors. By the trials for witchcraft the church as well as
the inquisitors and other officials grew enormously rich, as all
property of the witches and their families was confiscated under the
pretense that the taint of witchcraft hung to everything that had
belonged to the condemned. If such property should remain, in the hands
of their relatives it might cause them all kinds of misfortune and
deliver them also into the hands of Satan.
Where thus suspicion, ignorance and avarice were lying in wait, no woman
was sure of her life for one hour. No matter what her social position
might be, the slightest grounds of suspicion, or the slandering
denunciation by some enemy was sufficient to deliver her into the power
of the inquisitors.
Generally the proceedings began with searching the body of the suspected
witch for the mark of Satan, as it was asserted that all who consorted
with devils had some secret mark about them, in some hidden place on
their bodies, as, for instance, on the inside of the lips, between the
hair of the eyebrows, in the hollows of the arm, inside of the thigh, or
in still more private parts, from whence Satan drew nourishment. To find
these marks, was the task of the “Witch-Prickers,” who, after divesting
the supposed witch of all clothing, minutely examined all parts of her
body. If they found a mole or another peculiar blemish, they pricked it
with a needle. If the place proved insensitive and did not bleed, this
was an undeniable proof that the person had sold herself to the devil,
and that she must be turned over to the inquisitors.
Then these human tigers began to ask questions, suggesting satisfactory
answers, and if these answers were not equal to a confession of guilt,
the prisoner was subjected to tortures which sooner or later surely
brought out such answers and in such language as was suggested to her by
the inquisitors. And these answers were given though the poor creature
knew that they would send her to the stake or scaffold.
To indicate the horrible sufferings, that hundreds of thousands of
delicate and aged women had to go through, a few of the many implements
of torture may be described. Robert G. Ingersoll in his great lecture
“The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child” has said about them:
“I used to read in books how our fathers persecuted mankind. But I never
appreciated it. I read it, but it did not burn itself into my soul. I
did not really appreciate the infamies that have been committed in the
name of religion, until I saw the iron arguments that Christians used. I
saw the Thumb-screw—two little pieces of iron, armed on the inner
surface with protuberances, to prevent their slipping; through each end
a screw uniting the two pieces. And when some person denied the efficacy
of baptism or her guilt of witchcraft, then they put his thumb between
these pieces of iron and in the name of love and forgiveness, began to
screw these pieces together. When this was done most men said “I will
confess!” Probably I should have done the same and I would have said:
“Stop! I will admit that there is one god or a million, one hell or a
billion; suit yourselves; but stop!”—
“But there was now and then a person who would not swerve the breadth of
a hair. Heroism did not excite the respect of our fathers. The person
who would not confess or recant was not forgiven. They screwed the
thumb-screws down to the last pang, and then threw their victim into
some dungeon, where, in the throbbing silence and darkness, he might
suffer the agonies of the fabled damned. This was done in the name of
love—in the name of mercy—in the name of the compassionate Christ!
“I saw, too, what they called the Collar of Torture. Imagine a circle of
iron, and on the inside a hundred points almost as sharp as needles.
This argument was fastened about the throat of the sufferer. Then he
could not walk, nor sit down, nor stir without the neck being punctured
by these points. In a little while the throat would begin to swell, and
suffocation would end the agonies.
“I saw another instrument, called the Scavenger’s Daughter. Think of a
pair of shears with handles, not only where they now are, but at the
points as well, and just above the pivot that unites the blades, a
circle of iron. In the upper handles the hands would be placed; in the
lower the feet; and through the iron ring, at the center, the head of
the victim would be forced. In this condition, he would be thrown prone
upon the earth, and the strain on the muscles produced such agony that
insanity would in pity end his pain.”
“I saw the Rack. This was a box like the bed of a wagon, with a windlass
at each end, with levers, and ratchets to prevent slipping; over each
windlass went chains; some were fastened to the ankles of the sufferer;
others to his wrists. And then priests, clergymen, divines, saints,
began turning these windlasses, and kept turning until the ankles, the
knees, the hips, the shoulders, the elbows, the wrists of the victim
were all dislocated, and the sufferer was wet with the sweat of agony.
And they had standing by a physician to feel his pulse. What for? To
save his life? Yes. In mercy? No; simply that they might rack him once
again.
“This was done, remember, in the name of civilization; in the name of
law and order; in the name of mercy; in the name of religion; in the
name of the most merciful Christ.”
Christian people in England had invented a machine called the “Witches’
Bridle.” It was so constructed that by means of a loop which passed over
the victim’s head, a piece of iron having four points or prongs was
forcibly thrust into the mouth. Two of these prongs pressed against the
tongue and palate, the other outward to the cheeks. This infernal
instrument was secured by a padlock. At the back of the collar was fixed
a ring, by which to attach the witch to a staple in the wall of her
cell. Thus “bridled,” and day and night watched over by some person
appointed by her inquisitors, the unhappy creature, after a few days of
such torture, maddened by misery and pain, would be brought to the point
of confessing anything in order to be rid of her wretched life.
But thumb-screws, the collar, the scavenger’s daughter, the rack and the
bridle were not the only means of inflicting pain devised by the
ingenuity of cruelty. There was also the “Spider,” a diabolic implement
with curved claws, for tearing out a woman’s breast. There were the iron
Spanish Boots, the inner sides of which were set with points. After
these machines had been placed around the lower legs of the victim they
were screwed so tightly that often the shin-bones were crushed. To
increase the horrible pain the torturer from time to time knocked with a
hammer on the screws, so that sharp shocks like strokes of lightning
shot through the victim’s body.
Another implement was an iron band which was fastened around the head
and screwed tight and tighter until the eyes of the maltreated person
protruded and she went almost crazy.
If the rack had not brought confession, the inquisitors ordered the
“Elevation.”
After the writhing sufferer’s hands had been tied to the back, a rope,
running over a pulley on the ceiling, was fastened to the hands. Then,
by pulling the rope, the body of the victim was slowly lifted until the
contorted and dislocated arms stood over the head, while the feet were
high above the floor. To render such torment more severe, heavy stones
were fastened to the feet, and now and then the body was allowed to drop
suddenly, only to be lifted again after a while. In this dangling
position the heretic or witch was often left for hours, while the
tormentors sat in some nearby saloon over their ale and wine.
There were many other methods of torment, each more cruel than the
others, among them the gradual pouring of water drop by drop on a
particular part of the head or body, or the pouring of water onto a
piece of gauze in the back of the throat, thus gradually forcing the
gauze into the stomach. Boiling hot oil, burning sulphur and pitch, or
molten lead were poured on the naked body, or the poor creatures were
incessantly pricked and prodded in their dungeons so that they could not
rest a second for weeks at a time, until they were finally driven to
despair and madness.
No periods in human history are more terrible, revolting and depressing
to contemplate than these times of the Inquisition and of persecution
for witchcraft. The student, who has courage enough, to go through the
blood-stained documents of these dreadful times, must feel as Ingersoll
felt when he said:
[Illustration: