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 the confiscation.
It is unnecessary stress that bringing torture unbearable suffering limits all are willing to admit all than a lunatic Inquisitor wants You confessing:

Have you attended the sabba? You need only answer is whether but remember that if answer no continuous torture.

The first known case of application of torture for inquisitorio purposes dates At 1228, in the Court of the city of Verona. The sample was then baldanzosamente followed by the clergy in the 1252 with Papal blessing and the Innocent IV support.

The application of torture not competeva only to suspected witches, also the accusation that showed reluctant witnesses could be tortured in order to achieve "adequate" testimonials and in line with the inquisitori wanted to hear you say.

Tried to make sure - but was not always possible - the victim does not died during the horrors; it was necessary to arrive at the end of the process and proceed with much fuss, the execution in public so that this served as an example.

If pear ' the victim died due to the horrors judges were not held responsible; blame was attributed to the devil had advance the expiry of the Pact, signed as described in § 18.3 , impossessandosi of his first prey that was reduced to ashes on burned.

Never is not been established how many accused are died in prison for the suffering incurred and how many others have suicide to not be subject to other torments. One thing is certain that in 95 % of cases of execution capital it is treated of accused "confessi" later in the suffered torture.

Torture could be applied more ' times in the case of suspected reticence or of confused admissions. In the city of Dreissigacher (Germany) it is reached to limit case of torture one victim 56 times in succession.
Amor God and carita ' Christian did it ' that the inquisitori escogitassero so refined torments that are worth mention someone; the reader impressionabile can ' Skip at the end of paragraph:

strokes rope . Were usually applied for three times in succession. Of the victim's hands were tied behind the back and then set to a rope served by carrucola. By raising the victim from the ground with follow more ' or less violent is producing the the omeri lussazione. This was the type of torture most too frequently.

Lo squassamento . It is a variation of the previous method. The victim was burdened with linked to the foot, variable loads between the 15 and 25 kg. An extremely violent tear of the rope producing the release of the joints of the arms and often breaking your wrists.
Il Tripod . Tavolaccio on which the victim was expanse with ropes wrists and ankles that were chapter with a winch. The action of the winch led to the stretch of limbs with effects similar to the two previous treatments. This type of torture could also be continued for 30-40 hours and with growing tension of the ropes.
La ruota: This figure does not need to comments

Le compression. Among the most in common:
screws for stritolare arts and fingers
JAWS screw head
stritolatori for male genital
boots with screws, be applied to legs and feet.
Chair Iron . It was a speciality of German. The victim It was made to sit naked on an arroventata Iron Chair.
grippers and tenaglie:
The grippers were used for tearing nail (Scotland)
Them arroventate grabs you used to tear skin flaps.
torments several . Applied in various places ' according to the inspiration of the inquisitori:
the victim was forced to consuming enormous quantity '(d)' water (Spain and France)
them nostrils of the victims were filled water and lime alive
the victim was lengthened bocconi on a bed of rovi and then passes along the backbone a heavy roller bearing Quills
Burns with alcohol and sulphur dispersed on the body of the victims
the victim was incatenata at a wall (or walk on to a stool) and forced to beaten to a vigil enforced for several days, until in total istupidimento
the cradle of Judah where the questioned linked hands and feet, was done dondolare on of a wedge that the tagliava slowly the belly
removal of the female teats taglientissime blades with Cauterization of the sores with casting of molten lead (specialties ' of some inquisitori) (papal of southern Italy)
mutilation varie. Removal of eyes, ears, fingers.
The physical pain of the victims must also add (and wasn't what recently) the bitter humiliation due to the total nudita ' and the loss of effluents consequent to the incapability ' to check their sfinteri.
Note that those times the Church considered sinful deprived naked also to take a bath. On certain occasions the bathroom was allowed only in presence of a priest salmodiante (and probably dirty) as a pig.

Just to name a few:

TO Ringingen (Germany); the alleged witch Anna Spulerin was private to the eyes, ears and the strappate were arms.
To the alleged magician Fian the zealous Scottish inquisitori applicarono boots with so much savagery by frantumargli the bones of the legs and feet up to procurargli the release of the bone marrow.

§ 18.6 the processo: THE CONFESSION

The confession was everything ' that the magistrate wanted to feel say, on the basis of predetermined schemas, for which the term itself "confession" is completely pleonastico; you should rather speak of

"admission" "blindly and unreservedly facts impossible and non-existent"

There were however, in the schema confessional, points, key carefully verbalizzati, from which no could regardless.

Pact CON the devil. where, as and when the witch had signed the Pact demoniaco, in terms already ' shown in § 18.3 . Provided that However was as shown, without doubt, the mark consistently found on the body of the accused.
IL VOLO. given for without saying that all witches were "fly", the accused should clarify where, when and why ' had flown and which of the workarounds detailed in § 19 .
LA PARTICIPATION in the SABBA. no witch could escape to attend the sabba and pay tribute to the devil; then the accused had to extensive information about the progress of the Sarabande, in the terms detailed in the § 20 .
THE NAME ACCOMPLICES.Perhaps the point more ' important of the confession and throughout the process. Was to acquire the names of other possible perpetrators (malefici, accomplices) (the sabba participating) from process, preferably rich or at least wealthy, for they can conveniently spolpare.
Some witches sought to overcome the embarrassment denouncing the names of people already ' died, something that the investigators not accepted and that implied a new tour torture room for the accused.
Others were forced with atrocious horrors to denounce their family members on which the Inquisition had ' made eyes and only a valid excuse was to catch them.
Finally many accused alert had no more ' nothing to lose, colsero the opportunity for a belated vengeance (.. .is go from dying I,) (vòi its arrears ancus other ), denouncing:
those on some occasion had denied astiosamente charity and aid
Bishops and priests belonging to the Inquisition
noble superbi and intolerant
rich merchants which took selfishly close the seams of the bag
the same Magistrates of the Tribunal and their wives
etc.
Also If many names excellent were left fall, for obvious reasons, nevertheless all this contribui ' due to generate the bulk processes to chain to which refers to § 21 .

MALEFICI AND VARIOUS SINS.What you thought directly implemented by the strega such as poisoning, grandinate, shipwrecks, pestilence livestock, unzioni, etc. puntigliosamente listed and detailed.
The latter part wasn't pear ' very important; was a further motivation (as if other enough) to justify fierce judgments and make satisfaction to the whistle-blowers, those who you thought damaged and fools in General.

§ 18.7 the processo:THE EVE

Completed the process and pronounced judgment, witch very emphatically sentenced to death were abandoned on a pile of straw in some fetida cell. Devastated by torture and pressocche ' unable to move, awaited the day of execution that was often postponed to the purpose of doing so coincide with a public holiday, to enable a wide public and to some authorities ' to the slaughterhouse.

But for some witches, young or even welcome this expectation could make a further nightmare. Young for good and timorati groups of God now agree to commit collective rape of the victim through the complicita ' of the jailers in exchange for a little money, allowed access to the cell and repeated sexual violence on the bodies disgraziate incapable of defending themselves, straziate from torture and with the Member disarticolate.

Was what enough common bearing in mind, according to the mentalita '(d)' then that:

the Act was not considered sin and not needed then confession and penance.
All plus the young good (including some Inquisitor) you were worthy before God for this supplement of suffering inflicted to a creature deemed and declared "demon".
THE jailers accontentavano just (discount party!), and then act It was less than what claimed a common prostitute. And then in this case was Sin be carried forward in confession.
The exuberance of these pious Sometimes groups was such that the witch died; we must not forget that could be considered and judged as witch also any girl that had made eight years.

§ 18.8 - the processo: the run

Always publish and very spettacolarizzata, execution envisaged as final step burned, understood as an act of purification of the world from the presence of a demoniaco being whose ashes were scattered be in some water course.

Notwithstanding above, the mode of execution could vary According to local uses and the inspiration of the persecutors.
In the fear that some convicted could at the last minute withdraw in public confession, in some cases it was to make physically the lips of the victim to a tablet of wood, to drag it on the place of the ordeal.

(A Giordano Bruno) eretico, was applied a mouthpiece of wood with nails conficcati (in the language and on the palate)

In particular, before being arsa:

in England the victim was hanged
in Germany, Scotland and some French regions victims were strangolate with the garrota
in the The Principality of Ellwanghen victims were passed to sword fil
in Sweden the victims were previously decapitate.

In Italy, France and Spain victims were burned alive suffering last outrage of some hypocritical cleric that alzava in their eyes a long black cross.

Particularly spectacular were some celebrations organized by the Papal inquisitori of Spain, the autodafè , during which dozens, if not hundreds of victims (witches heretic, Jews,....) were butchered mercilessly.

Don't forget the "variation" Nicolas Remy .The latter had introduced obliged to attend the burning of mothers minor children of 10 years doing them in the while flogging in blood.

§ 19 OF THE WITCH FLIGHT

To order go to the sabba, concept Foundation of the Demonology and justification of the witch hunting needed the witch itself could fly.
Problem that the "Crows" 14 § risolvettero easily based on a distinguished precedent. The authors concerned, since even the Christ in the desert was completed in flight from the Devil with a logic, it absolutely stronger dedussero that he could well take flight also witches. Nothing more ' easy.

Needed pear ' which also witches, on the other hand, to cooperate to the We must, for which were invented a whole series of shrewdness and devices to facilitate the work of the devil.
As a means of transport attention focus ' on the sweeper (in some) (cases on a stick), being a typical tool the same Sweeper almost only used at home by women, and then of course together to the concept of donna-strega. Wizards and demons instead you most addiceva ' the farm.
Someone more 'fanciful i' to other means to fly; we see of synthesize all found they were outside.

The witch can ' fly a broom or a stick horse after denudata and having strofinato your body with a few magical ointment. The best SALVES were obviously to baby fat.
Through the flight the strega may ' also escape to a possible shutdown.
The witch in flight can ' go, in an instant, immense distances, and then go to the sabba also in town ' very remote.
The power the magical ointment should be by make is that nobody could notice its absence from home. Being married witches the Devil created a sham women ' s continued to rest in the read next to her husband. If ever you was something!
The witch could fly in groppa animals such as the horse, the ass, the caprone and even the Wolf.

the witch could become a Moscow and fly hidden inside the ear of a caprone
Them witches were dedicated to night flight not only to go to the sabba but also to quickly reach places where they intended to run some maleficio.
A flight could not be enabled if beyond all the precautions described handed special magic formulae were not. For example:
for go to the sabba (on sweeper or caprone): Harr, shebath hemen ethan harr
for occasions: horse and hat, horse goes! He has! He has! He has!
The belief that the witch could fly at night to his liking was the appearance that most impressionava mass stupid of the populace. In the course of various processes there were many witnesses are prepared to swear to have seen, at night, the flight of a witch.
To Rouen then, in 1670, it reached the level of a hallucination collective. Groups of people said have seen, for 30 minutes (!), hundreds of naked witches fly sky, intent to spread a disease epidemic which, at the time had already too many victims.

§ 20 SABBA

Let's see what happened during a sabba according imagination of the authors of § 14 , who invented by the fertile, perverse unconsciously projected images of their incoffessati in their writings and well hidden turpi wishes.

It was Pierre Mamoris, which in 1490, gave an accurate definition of the Sabba raccattando in all his time dustbins fairy tales, the nightmares, obsessions and attitudes, shared badly and poorly repressi, the Church in respect of sex.

The sabba was thus a large, regular and infernal night Sarabande with which was credit to the devil, renewing the infernal Pact linking the evil witch.
We must not confuse the sabba with the esbat. These last seems weekly meetings of witches belonging to a few dark were held to discuss problems.... associative (?).
The sabba were generally places ' very remote and unknown (for Scandinavian witch mount Blakulla) in accordance with a precise timetable seasonal, in the nights ahead:

the Candelora (February 2)
the Calendimaggio (1 May)
Eve of all Saints (31 October = Halloween)
or, according to others authors:

Eve of 2 February
Eve 1st July
Eve of 1st August
Eve 1st September
Eve 1st November
In the details:

As you concluded the sabba?
Using transport already ' described in § 19 .
Who were the participants?
Course all witches and wizards. Was rigorous stand bare and scarmigliati.
The Devil himself that, in the case of previous commitments, could have done replace by a few other prestigious daemon.
Many several daemons including the incúbi and the succúbi.
A certain number of stigian caproni.
The Banquet: what you ate?
Usually the flat strong was not yet baptized babies abducted their mothers and the attendants. The Cubs were cooked to dot and cheerfully sbranati.

Other meat and food foul, sometimes donated by the devil, or brought from home. Had to be stigian and unsavoury over each limit.
Them drinks consumed were among the most ' immonde you can imagine.Seems to be preferred was orina of horse.
A rule was confirmed: all foods should be cooked and eaten without Salt . The presence of a single pinch of salt would have caused indignation, the escape of the devil and the consequent fall in disgrace all participants.
Dances
Totally chaotic and underworld. Walked back to the sound of a violin played by a caprone.
All the dancers were to be naked and produce oscenamente their pudendal.
Dances were accompanied by sound strident, dissonanti and with a corollary of horrendous bestemmie.
THE participants (witch) could dance between them or accompany these demons or the caproni.
The orgy sexual
With the Devil himself (only for the most... worthy!).
With demons incúbi and succúbi.
With other Witches.
With a puzzolente caprone.
Without no limitation in the copulazione, the sodomizzazione or the meet wishes more ' obscene and snaturati.
Ceremonies different
The acting on the other side of the credo of Nicaea.
The formal blessing of the participants with a black aspersorio intinto in some depraved liquid.
Consecration of ostie made by various offal.
Parody of the Eucharist with introduction of ostia in the seating of the comunicandi.
Songs choral anthems conveniently obscene and blasfemi.
Etc.etc.
All This during the night awake…. At its first part of the cock all at home!
Some "expert" demonologi have "calculated" that the sabba could participate from the 500 to the...100.000 witches.

All as described can ' seem overly absurd and disgusting but the reader will know more and worse with directly the works of "virtuous"as De Lancre, F.M.Guazzo, Sprenger and Kramer and other valenti authors listed in § 14 , of which there are even recent, duly translated editions.

§ 21 CONCATENATED PROCESSES

Remaining firm basic considerations that led to genocide of witches, all attributed to the search for a scapegoat for allay the anger and frustrations of the masses in the course of events a important became aspect: the search for accomplices and activation of other numerous jobs somehow concatenated first proceedings.

The first trial was, generally, a poor and miserable dead of hunger which you could not seize anything, even for expenses view and its maintenance in prison.
What that pear ' interested the inquisitori had the chance ' of extracted in this first "bait" the names of other facoltose persons from drag themselves in court with the expectation of a return financial all respect.

This scateno ', in the long term, a domino with hundreds of other effect dialogues, that is protraevano for years, giving the opportunity of the apparatus judiciary to households which you saw great crisis forced to flee leaving land and buildings that were immediately and "legally"confiscated .

Was seeing just a first witch confessasse participate in the apples or Caio sabba or other names that were suggested with skill and the witch itself then confessava to stop to his torments.

Phenomenon took incredible size and, to give some examples:

to Trier, by a group of 306 witches processed initially, you revenue for the impressive figure of 1500 accomplices in turn pursued;
at Rouen, nine accused initial trascinarono proceedings 525 others;
the alleged witch Karin Persdotter, Finland, purposes ' on the burning in company of other 13 victims;
in 1585 in Germany, the citizens of Rottemburg you replaced against the inquisitori why 'city' was nearly devoid of women;
always in Germany and in the same period, after furibonde persecution, some villages were deprived women or with a single woman.

§ 22 AFFAIRS AND POLICY

Over the years became ever more ' clear as hunting at the witches, as well as to be a despicable means to eliminate those that in somewhat gave nuisance to the company ' in General and the Church in particular, always assuming more ' characteristics of a lucrosa activities ' "industrial".

Apart from those witches poveraccie and nullatenenti for which the process walked quickly to avoid excessive costs of maintaining in prison, for the wealthy victims things were generally to slowly in as carrying costs were borne by the family of the prisoner, as well as the costs; unless, at the end, ruining the nucleus familiar with the inevitable confiscation of assets.

It should be noted however that witchcraft to background processes Politico-affaristico maturarono mainly within citizen and many defendants were male.

In a period of economic crisis continued thousands of people, in some way linked to the judiciary, found in the massacre of witches a source of income and sometimes enrichment.
Between the main lucratori of the system remind:

the to which it was a massive "share" clericali inquisitori "pontificale" on carpiti to convicted persons and their goods families
the lay magistrates paid and rewarded according to their zeal
notaries and the Chancellors of the courts
the writers
the jailers
the pungitori
the experts torturers
the executioner and his helpers
the taglialegna (minimum 40-50 large faggots to each individual burning)
the exorcists (protection against demoniache influences processes)
the Bounty professionals recruited by the authorities hunters ' to increase the business of the massacre
the witnesses of convenience
the whistle-blowers
etc.
In Trier, sadly famous for its mass, inquisitori and accumularono, magistrates processes towards the end of 1500, substantial wealth through the Division and the sale of confiscated assets.
From the second half ' of 1500 and almost throughout Europe, the financial aspect became the main reason for the statement of the processes of witchcraft.

Other numerous and convenient justification for accusations of witchcraft were those policies through which sought to prevent the rise to power (local authorities) of someone or kill those that such power already ' the held.
Estimate in thousand cases of this kind, recalling that almost always It expenses were the wives of the objectives: the condemnation of the wife trascinava inevitably in the disaster also husband and family.

Qulche time were members of the same family that is accanivano one against each other for conflicts of interests, succession and others secret reasons.
The same applies to those merchant who sought to eliminate competition at allegations that, as far as ridiculous, could lead to ruin the adversary competitor.

Many authors remind, as symbolic, the case of Anna Pedersdotter Absalon, ended on burned after three processes. Processes were celebrated in Bergen, Norway.
Anna was the wife of Absalon Pedersdotter Beyer, a luterano priest entered conflict with other local priests futile religious. Women's came ' free from the first two processes with the support they were the husband.
Dead husband, adversaries from good Christian, they did their revenge calling a third process that spedi ' Anna on burned into the 1590. Women's He was accused of:

you have caused the "coma" a man
you have caused the "disease" a second man
having given to a four-year-old child a "biscuit stregato" for do it die
you have transformed the handmaid of home in a "horse" which It was then served to fly to the sabba.

§ 23 MAJOR HUNTERS

Big hunts were particularly due to the zeal of the:

courts ecclesiastical
courts secular (with reminder and nothing shall preclude the diocese)
hunters professionals (private citizen assoldati by the authorities ').
They were, to all the effects of the real and their "hunters of" "size", squinzagliati and subsidised by the clergy or secular, magistrates responsible for identifying victims possible and collect and/or manufacture and produce false sufficient prima facie evidence to educate a process.
For obvious reasons of interest hunters were preferably on possible victims financially equipped or however wealthy.
Elenchiamo the names of individuals turpi (fanatics or hunters) passed the history for their brutal relentlessness.

Denmark : si recalls in particular the luterano Bishop Peter Palladius for the his hunting waged in the 1544, concluded with 52 sentences to death.
Finland : in the 1640 you distinguished Isaac Rothovius luterano Bishop and 1666 and 1674, salts ' to the fore even a judge of the secular courts of Islands, Nils Psilander, promoter of a gigantic hunt chain, which is distinguished for refined torture used in research of the "mark of the devil" on the body of the victims.
France : in the single Lorraine, Nicolas Remy, between the 1586 and 1595, did toasting 800 alleged witches. The "galantuomo", at the end of the career you prided of bringing at least 2000 processes.
Germany :
the judge luterano Benedickt Carpzov battle the primacy to Torquemada adding 20,000 sentences in his career.
Fuchs von Dornheim, principe-vescovo of Bamberg, also called the "witch Bishop". Good Fuchs badava costs; did build a "witches House" with a extraordinary Hall of torture from the walls coated with shelves containing thousands of bibbie ; this is because of cries them of the seviziati no trapelassero outside. With regard to the equipment was the best of his time and consisted of terrifying tools apply sexual bodies of both sexes. And since the investment was "make" within 10 years (1600 end), the Principe-vescovo rotations of the world 600 victims after personally infierito on the sexual organs of the same.
The Catholic Prince Philip von Ehrenburg of Würzburg, within 10 years, at the beginning of 1600, totalizzo of the beautiful figure of 900 executions, I well understand some relatives. Victims also include 17 children age ' including between 5 and 7 years accused of had sexual relations with Satan.
England : in the 1645-1647 years Mattew Hopkins and John Stearne sent to death several hundreds of victims.
Italia:
Antonio from Casale Inquisitor, in the last decades of 1400 has raged in the southern Lombardy 100 fires and with an average points of 400 victims. In particular, the from Como and around 1600, some hunters of witches you proved so ' zealous to cause genuine riots in the population.
The brother MINO San Quirico, Inquisitor in Florence from 1332 to the 1334, is banished to people for his irresistible avidita furor ' and the its harassed.
The Ghislieri Pope (St. Pius v)
Scozia : John Kinkaid and John Dich were even arrested in the 1662, for the ferocity, the relentlessness in torture and the take on the tricks perpetrated during the processes against hundreds of alleged witches.
Spagna : How can we forget the better? The great Torquemada that during his career colleziono ' nearly 45,000 victims with a 10,000 funeral pyres in only exploit 18 months. (Inclusive digits of the Jews persecuted and) (other heretic).
Juan Antonio Llorente, history of the Inquisition (reference.) (245) , attaches to Torquemada, over 15 years of mandate:

· 10.280 died between the flames of the burning pyres victims

· 6.860 sentenced burned in effigy why ' latitanti or dead in prison for the torture suffered

· 27.321 persons punished with perpetual prison, infamanti punishments (requirement of the sanbenito) and confiscation of assets.

· n ° 114.401 families investigated and/or completely ruined.

Switzerland : also Calvino gave a significant impetus to the msssacro defining witch as "the whores the devil".

§ 24 FAR AS THE MASSACRE

Quantify the size of the massacre not is only difficult but is practically

IMPOSSIBLE.

Although many scholars have grappled in the difficult attempt to determine the acceptable and shareable figures from the most ', the values that are proposed are totally inadequate and unreliable.
Many hundreds (or thousands) processes it is now lost every track. AND This for several reasons:

fires
looting
studies on special areas, incomplete or not run
destruction accidental archives
destruction took archives
Wanted destruction relate in particular the archives of the ecclesiastical courts, in as the clergy has always and systematically destroyed and/or concealed all the documents and historical artifacts that could be considered harmful to the its facade image.
On many occasions processes records were burned on the burning together with the strega so ' was destroyed any testimony of Satanic existence.

Then the figures that follow are to be considered as orders of magnitude, and how the opinions of authors that expression.
It is however possible group assessments (are always of the) (estimates!), from most ' proposals, parties in three major groups:

estimates minimum
estimates averages
estimates maximum
It gives course to discounted minimum and maximum estimates reflect the thinking and the placement of authors in respect of the Church; medium-sized estimates reflect the attitude of authors apparently neutral but not for This must be regarded as ' trusted. Acceptance of such figures is therefore totally against the reader.
We have as evaluation:

Minimum: approximately 300,000 processes and 145.000 executions (RIF. 240)
Average: 1.200.000/1.500.000 processes and 900.000/1.200.000 executions
Maximum: approximately 12.000.000 processes and 9.000.000 executions (RIF. 305)
In the newspaper "The Republic" of 4 10 1985 was published an article of the Scholar Hans Kühng (priest and theologian), which says that the number of "witches" killed , from the 1484, until in 1782, amounts the impressive EUR 9 million .

As a You can ' see the gap is enormous.
The situation makes clear, but not so, when you take in view partial figures related to specific geographies (regions) that were subject of studies, more ' or less extensive, on the basis of procedural documents found.
There is still no certainty that everything has been rediscovered and studied.
Many of these figures originate from extrapolation, based on what ' that is known, also very accurate but not certain.
To accommodate the natural curiosity ' the reader some values (s) (more ' trusted) have been grouped into the following table with the warning that doubts remain always legitimate.

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

AREA/TERRIT.
REGION/CITY
POPOLAZ.
PROCESSES
ESECUZ.

ITALY
## (1)
=
4000
1500

.
Venice
=
700
.

.
Como (2)
=
.
300

.
Triora (3)
=
.
40

.
Bormio (1485)
=
.
41

.
Bormio (1514)
=
.
30

.
Valcamonica (1518)
=
.
80

.
Cavalese (1505)
=
.
14

GERMANY
##
=
50000
20000-30000

.
Bamberga(1625-1630)
=
.
600

.
Constance
=
.
50

.
Eichstatt (4)
=
.
274

.
Quedlinburg (5)
=
.
133

.
Ellwangen(1611-1618) (6)
=
.
400

.
Trier
=
.
7000

.
Wurzburg
=
.
900

.
Wiesensteig (1562)
=
.
63

.
Oppenau (1562)
=
.
300

.
Obermachtal (1562)
=
.
54

SPAIN
## (7)
=
6000
.

.
Countries Basques Labourd (1600)
=
.
600

.
Logrono
=
.
30

SCANDINAVIA
##
=
4000
1700

.
Denmark
580000
2000
1000

.
Norway (8)
=
1400
350

.
Sweden North (9)
=
.
200

.
Finland
=
152
28

EUR.EAST RUSSIA
##
=
5000
.

.
Pskov (Russia) (10)
=
.
12

SWITZERLAND
## (11)
=
.
10000

.
Geneva
=
.
660

.
Vaud
=
4000
3000

FRANCE BELGIUM
##
=
.
.

.
Lorraine
=
3000
2700

.
Region Paris
=
4000
.

.
Periodic
=
.
300

.
Ardennes (12)
=
.
300

.
Flanders
=
.
98

.
Toulouse
=
.
400

ENGLAND
(+ (Islands brit. (13)
=
3000
2500

SCOTLAND
## (14)
1000000
2500
1500

POLAND
##
=
3000
.

HUNGARY
## (15)
=
1500
450

LUXEMBOURG
## (1509-1687)
=
.
358

AUSTRIA
##
=
1700
900

BOHEMIA
##
=
.
1000

THE NETHERLANDS
##
=
.
150

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

In Italy the main areas where avvennero the most horrendous massacres were:
Benevento
Como and adjoining teritori
Engadine (Poschiavo territory)
Friuli
Milan
Modena
Trentino
Valcamonica
Valtellina
The Court of the Diocese of Como sent burned 300 alleged witches in less than a month.
During the process Triora (Liguria), witch that is cost the lives to 40 suspected witches, then St. ' man that was the Archbishop of Liguria I authorize ' at its inquisitori riesumazione ordalia focus, in disused now for centuries. The result was that some victims were the carbonizzati feet; other died during the test, and others still incapable of coping on burnt limbs had done the distance that separated the place of the ordalia by the Tribunal, dragged on the ground in knee, with consequent scarnificazione of the joints.
(On the) (made up of Triora see on this site Triora, the Salem d'Italia)

In a year only.
Killed in one day and bruciate on of a gigantic burned.
Eight years: from 1611 to 1618.
Referred c.4000 managed by the ecclesiastical courts, others by the courts secular on behalf of the Inquisition.
In 1650.
In nine years: from the 1668 in 1676.
Bruciate in one day.
In Switzerland and in some occasions total victims is status equal to the 90 % of jobs.
It is illegal executions that took place at the beginning of 1600.
Protestant from the 1560.
Protestant from the 1560.
In the 1728-29 at Szeged, 13 women sentenced to death for having "caused" hail.

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

It was estimated that the rate of the death penalty, according to various town ' and eras, you be circumvented on 67-81 % of processes, with-pointed exceptional 92 % maximum (Switzerland).
In cases in which was not imposed death, the "punishment" "child" (!) could consist of marking for fire, blinding, grubbing-up language, various mutilation, etc. In a few cases lucky the alleged offender could be released and mandate in exile.

The territories where was celebrated the greatest number of processes for witchcraft, around 75 %, were:

France
Switzerland
Germany
Countries Low
In the collection of these territories was then concentrated around 50 % of the entire population European.
Particularly active centres have been:

Alsace
Bavaria
Brandenburg
Lorraine
Savoy
Scotland
Region Tolosana
Region Thirty
It is estimated that in the these territories, between the 1550 and 1600 (50 years!), have been killed over 300,000 people.
The maximum of barbarism, determination, savagery in torture and number of executions verifico ' in Germany (German territories).

Also seen that that is successful at the time of Nazism made defendant thinking that it is of a characteristic genetics; a DNA problem of the crucchi?

§ 25 SPECIAL WITCHES

In addition to the witches 'traditional' already ' described, the fury murderer of Christianity befallen ' on groups of people that with the white or black magic had little to see.
The natural task of courts that should be the of screening tests and a fair judgement was upset to the point of consider the accused already ' guilty and sentenced before the process same.
The procedural debate was only making those tests that justified "morally" the attitude mostruosamente criminal of the Church.

midwifery - category of people highly at risk due to the widespread nonsense by theologians imbeciles on using the midwives were made of babies not baptized. This is accentuated by the tragic conditions of life at that time, the cause of an extended mortalita ' child. Without count that many parents are incapable of feed other mouths were led to abolish their children themselves burying them live in a few corner hidden.
(Today) at times, someone is convenient to use the roll of garbage for (dispose of infants.)

Many accused of stealing babies then Duo on burned midwifery enshrine them the evil battezzando them in the name of the devil.
The midwives were often also erboriste and guaritrici and constituted, in the countryside, the only form of assistance medical able to turn.Some have driving licences issued by the authorities ' local, not always sufficient to protect them against accusations and arrests.
Many of them were probably deleted why ' pose in serious competition, especially within the city, with doctors and special that enjoyed greater prestige within the company 'd' then.
On the persecution of the midwifery the survey is impressive and also Here, we just a few significant examples.

Dillingen, Germany, year 1587. Implementation of the midwife Walpurga Hausmannin accused did die 40 babies over 12 years for obscure reasons of witchcraft.
Szegerin, Hungary, year 1728. Other alive scorched midwife accused of having christened 2000 (!) children in the name of the devil.
Lindheim, Germany, 1661 year. Enlightened Judge George l. Geiss condemns to death a midwife and other accomplices 6 accused of having stolen and made pieces an infant to derive a magical ointment. Parents of the child are opposed to the judgment. Make resurrect the cadaverino of the child to prove the charge, are unfounded but the Geiss not demorde (too much money at stake). Accused of complicita of the same parents and others 28 and them is ruthlessly tortured why ' ritrattino and deny the same evidence.
CHILDREN-Also children and adolescents (in particular female) were extensively tried and killed accused of witchcraft; was sufficient to have made the eight years to fall into the clutches of the inquisitori.
As teaches the infamous "Malleus" "Maleficarum", fanciulle impuberi of 8-10 years, consecrated by the their mothers to the Devil would be able to unleash furiose storms at sea and devastating hail on crops.
Sprenger and Kramer take for granted the maleficio transmission from mother to daughter:
... experience shows that daughters have always reputation of being the imitatrici materni crimes.... and that almost always the progeny is infected.
However it was felt that the "children of the devil"generated by witches were not really children of a demon, but men, because the Lateran Council-IV (1215) had established that the Angels are deprived of sex, and the fact that angels demons decaduti, may the most ' fertilise woman accopiandosi, succúbi, daemons as first with a man receiving the seed then pass it, as of incúbi women demons. View a preview of the seed bank!
(Still) Shakespeare did not agree on this theory and in his work "The" "Storm" explicitly stated that Caliban was the son of a (old witch and the devil.)

Some examples of the heavy hand of the inquisitori:

Wurzburg, Germany, over the years by 1627 to 1629. About 160 jobs for witchcraft well 64 are borne by children.
Wurzburg, Germany, year 1629. Many children were sentenced for witchcraft After acts of paedophilia on the part of the local bishop of the its Registrar and other church.
Countries Basques, from the 1610 in 1614. Were sentenced 1600 confesse witches. Of These 1300 were children.
BENANDANTI - a strange sect was born and grew up in Friuli, at the beginning of the 600; it was of individuals, born with amniotica membrane, protected from Special talismans, fell into trance and asserivano go such been and night, to combat witches and their malefici. So good wishes 'not slaves' them to nothing because ' the Inquisition them accuse ' witchcraft themselves (connoisseurs of ancient rites of) (fertility) and they went out.
ARMIERS - Some cases in some parts of the Pyrenees. An armier was an individual that claimed to have the capacity ' to see the souls of dead and talk with them. It seems that these souls irrequiete amassero taking refuge in comfortable homes and well heated, drinking plenty the best wine that pear ' not eaten.
FOLLOWERS OF DIANA (?) - according to the confession of beauty Orsini (1540), certain witches were collected into groups chaired by one Patron Saint elected for three years. All charged fulfilled to a Queen call Befania, Rieti-resident.

§ 26 BOOKS OF MAGIC

More magic book ' "Paper" used by seems witch has been "of the command", often quoted, it is said, still in use today at:

them witches (masche) of Piedmont and Haute-Savoie
them witches (strie) tonale
them the Beneventano witches
them Witches of the Isle of Man (England)
Despite these statements you suspect that this book is not never existed and that it is one of those many manual of witchcraft known as "Grimoires" .

Of grimoires instead there are many. I appeared, in the form of manuscripts, around 1100-1200 and, with the advent of printing, despite the disqualification of the Church, were quickly multiplied and disseminated in throughout Europe.
The grimoires, also now easily available in specialized libraries contain a quantity ' of recipes, more ' or not strange and also ' collected of magic to perform sortilegi, metamorphoses, prevent formulas horns and other singular magic.
Many of them contain formulas "contro-magia" for dissolve spells, Hunt the malocchio and still defend themselves from any negative magic made to the detriment of the reader.

The alleged witch beauty Orsini, executed in 1540 in Rome for having made many malefici, during the process I say ' of owning a Book of 180 sheets containing "all them secret boni et" "bad...".
These books were passed from generation to another, from teacher to disciple. Among the most ' famous grimoires remembers:

The Clavicle King Solomon (very ancient Hebrew text)
The (Re-release of the previous around 1650) Red Dragon
The great Albert
The Little Albert
The Grimoire of Pope Honorius III (sic), great expert Arts magical (1216-1227)
Recently, some authors have believed in a book appeared around 1586, see one revival of the "King Solomon clavicle" . The book in question, also known as "Michael Voynich manuscript" , It has resisted, since now, any attempt at breaking.
Assume still be a scam, skilfully made at the expense of Rudolf II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

§ 27 INGREDIENTS AND RECIPES

By witchcraft manuals referred to in § 26 (grimoires) there as witches use, in addition to herbs, other ingredients that today we seem as if less weird not shocking. Indeed some of them we will asks what real possibility ' had procurarseli; we think, to example, in the "not baptized baby fat" often indicated as a basis for many applications ingredient.

Just for curiosity ' player mention some components and some curious recipes dubitando strongly that some of them were never really used. The list is obviously incomplete and purely indicative.

ingredients vegetali:
acconito
achillea
alligante
Aloe
Belladonna (grass Witches)
hemlock virtuous
cinquefoglie
datura stramonio (herb Devil's)
flowers of periwinkle
mushrooms various
hascish
Marjoram
Mint
mold various
pastinaca aquatic
Ruta
Sage
Rye cornuta
Solano
Valerian (root)
Verbena
Saffron
. . . ..
ingredients several :
vinegar
wings of bat
brain CAT
rope of Hangman
excrement of Toad
gall of cow
soot
grease of infant
earthworms
Jam of spiders
oil aromatic
bones of dead
frogs and toads (dried and ground)
kidneys of mice
salnitro
blood of pigeon
blood of bat
sulphur
. . . ..
The "mandragora" , Magic plant for excellence, could, at times, be used as an ingredient but generally its function was another.
The root of the mandragora vaguely reminiscent of the human form was sculpted and processed, following a punctilious ritual to get the "magistello" , Talisman particularly dear to the witch as it was thought had a Special protective power for the same witch, preserving from magic and sortilegi operated by other Witches enemy or competitors.

With regard to recipes:

Them pomate, with which witch is spalmavano body to prepare you night flight, would have been formed by parts of acconito, Belladonna and hemlock; totally confused and made substantial through soot, fat (of baby?), blood of bat and a little of aromatic oil.
In the absence those times the pill you could get a anticoncezionale "safe" decimating of the horns castrated deer and miscelando then with venom of cow; after appropriate drying, completely should then be Once again reduced powder. Every Friday the woman had sprinkle with you the body with such dust and the effect was guaranteed for a week.
The contraindication was born from the difficulties ' find a deer willing to pay in addition to the attributes, also the horns.
For seduce a man was enough to collect some periwinkle flower and some earthworms; for boiling completely, dissecare and reduce the remaining powder from sprinkle with desired human.
More ' hastily: grease lips and language with Holy oil stolen in Church, and then kiss man.

PART III - END OF A NIGHTMARE

§ 28 DISPEL THE MYTH

Many researchers who are dedicated to the subject of the genocide of the witches had been able to see, not without some concern ', as many alleged witches interrogated by the inquisitori, while denying tenaciously certain allegations (up to be torture), had no special ridden admitting "flew" have and have "involved" "to the sabba".
Admissions made with conviction and overall good faith, who greatly astonished scholars, up until someone does not begin ' to consider carefully the unusual ingredients that entering into the ricettari of the books of magic. (§ (27)

An explanation convincing has been given by the A. j. Clark (RIF. 140) scholar who asked particular attention to the hallucinogenic and narcotic substances contained in the ricettari, capable of mislead were witches Transpersonal very similar to those produced by certain modern drugs.

In reality ' witches not volavano and not participated in the sabba but were "satisfied" "to do so" due to drugs that assorbivano when you denudavano and spalmavano body with their magic ointment.
Confusion State in which it svegliavano, after a few hours from the treatment, was not another that really involved have to convince impossible events that in reality ' were only of the nightmares auto-indotti. In particular:

the feeling of flyingto move quickly and overcome instantly distances was due especially the absorption through skin (ointment), massive doses of acconito, belladonna, pastinaca and other minor components.
During short time necessary for dermal absorption, these substances gave a feeling of fall or flotation in a vacuum like much to flight. Taking account the witch itself wanted "fly", the produced feeling had already ' of If a convincing thing.
participation in the sabbaand especially at the banquet (virtual) was the implementation in a dream, that problem that daily assillava the witch: eat ; deceive in eating, sometimes up to the complete sazieta '! If This could not be made conscious state then the witch abbandonava in his madness to the feeling of power is Finally feed.
This feeling was due to absorption, as well as compounds above, also of doses well regulated extract of hemlock. It was noticed that many recipes also included the hemlock but always in quantity ' not fatal.
(For) impact: some Andean people use chewing coca (betel?) leaves for (better withstand fatigue but mainly the hunger bites).

la copulazione with , other often desire demons repressed conscious level which was met at the level of dream through other ingredients of oppiacee substances and hascish (cannabis) who had the power to act on vaginal mucous ingenerando violent been excitement.
The absorption of such substances and other smaller doses could lead to States of schizophrenia, motor excitement and obfuscation of the capacity of percettive for which the witch, so drogata, vagava night in a State of recklessness then rediscover the awakening in unusual places away from its normal home. Confusion status and amnesia that followed led the witch believe having participated in extraordinary events and met all these desires that State normal were suppressed and unrealistic.

Taking advantage of this provision of witches accept as true certain absurdity ' (flight, sabba, etc.), the inquisitori were good game in turn those dreams in real blame , in accusing the same accompanied them with all those stupidaggini result of the imagination witches some theologians and were mentioned in previous paragraphs.

Over the centuries of witches, in addition to known outbreaks of cholera, hunting smallpox and fever, there were also those of "ergotism"due the presence "Ergot" infestante in crops of the .If present in quantity on cereals, and consequently ingerita, could cause terrible hallucinations. Not is pear ' sure this substance is entry to be part of the ricettari witches.

To remember that some doctors at the time such as g. Cardano (1557) E.Jones, J.Cotta and other seriously at risk, had tried to dispel the lies of the inquisitori showing as many of the evils assigned to witches were only made hysterical, epilettici arising from the abbruttimento due to malnutrition.
According to the cardan, was too easy to indicate in the grip of the devil groups of lonely and miserable women living in the prealpine valleys, though almost exclusively of chestnuts and wild vegetables, what the was deformed, macilente, scontrose, often mad because of hallucinations due to hunger.

§ 29 END OF THE NIGHTMARE

Developed in silence, already ' from the 13th century and affected summits allucinanti, the genocide of ando witches ' slowly blurred, on the finish 1600, not without agitation and late resurgence of intolerance.
The reasons that concorsero to the mitigation of the phenomenon are different and between the more ' important include:

the birth of the cartesianesimo as a powerful rival of philosophy school;
the birth and the dissemination among a thousand grounds, works of Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Kepler and others;
the slow take root in the conscience of a philosophy meccanicista in opposition the lies of the Church in the area of miracles, spirits, divine Providence, utilities ' prayer and other similar;
lessen it it a religious superstition either totally blind and the first failure of a credo imposed for centuries with the ferocity and terror;
the refusal dogmatism and the principle of authority of the Church;
lessen it it the economic crisis and slowly improving conditions of life, especially in rural areas;
the improving general wages and the almost total disappearance inflation;
the influence humanism and the slow but constant dissemination of a culture of basic due in the first half ' of the 1700's, the work of enlightened writers and the French enciclopedici;
the decriminalisation of the crime of witchcraft, of itself palesamente absurd, made by some States from 1700
All this 'contribui' to the deleting nearly of the terrible persecution, in all countries Europeans, not a few exceptions and at different times. With regard to the years celebration of the latest processes has:

Austria 1775
Denmark 1762
France (Territories) 1783
Germany (Territories) 1805
England 1717
Ireland 1711
Italy (Territories) 1859
The Netherlands 1659
Poland 1776
Scotland 1727
Spain 1820
Sweden 1779
Switzerland (cantons) 1782
. . . . .
not all concluded with death sentences.

But regarding the enforcement of judgments last years capital we have:

Austria 1750
Denmark 1693
France (Region) 1683
Germany (Kemten) 1775
England 1685
Ireland 1711
Italy (Palermo) 1724
The Netherlands 1609
Poland 1775
Scotland 1708
Spain 1781
Sweden 1710
Switzerland (Glarus) 1782
. . . . .
Speaking of exceptions to the outside of the dates mentioned, here is some striking cases:

1894 In Ireland a supposed witch is tortured to death by some "nostalgic" without any process.
1900- Always in Ireland some willing burning alive a witch, in the its same fireplace.
1981 In Mexico a husband denounces the crowd his own wife accusing it of have led the attack on Pope John Paul II with a magical rite. The devotissima crowd hastens to accoppare women to blows of stone.
2001- In southern Italy an entire family, including parents, is arrested for having caused the death of an infant in the course of a magical ritual.
Just to mention. To Alexandria (I) many elderly people still remember a briccone friar, on the Finally years 30, in a church via S.Francesco of Assisi, wondered ritual against the malocchio.
Despite was mistrust by the Bishop and the podesta ' fascist, introduced in Church of hidden, three in the morning, sprovvedute madame and related marmocchi, cascavano in land by sleep, and executed a strange Rite of capable of removing the possible thrown malocchio contro-magia on the Pupo, do not know well by who.
Rate: shield Silver (at that time = 5 Maltese lira) that those times was a figure in all respect. Then was the war and the frataccio shooting ' from the movement.

§ 30 WITCHES TODAY

In the 20th century scientific and technological is been progress such that Let assume that witchcraft in General could be relegated between the memories of the past.
Instead it happened exactly the opposite; limited to Europe alone, increased witch was, at least slightly, staggering.

We must now move away from the premise of the § 02 where the term "strega" It was used in neutral sense. The huge development of the operators of magic has seen emerge inexorably men, so make a little obsolete the strega period. Today is more ' correct talk of magicians and maghe.

This means that witches "old-fashioned" are sparite; you are only modernized, updating their way d ' être and operate, their products and their activities 'in conformity of the question of market.

Practically the progress of knowledge and dissemination at every level a scientific culture basic social were not sufficient to delete the "need to believe" in human, the "the" ' needs ' of any faith malriposta ", a something that cling blindly without many rational and logical reasoning; thinking remains an activity ' uncomfortable and difficult, and then is much too easy leave to any pre-confezionato without asking too many think problems.
At the bottom of religion and Magic (which are the same thing) thrive in the measure in which the individual feels needs ' of autoammettere, unconsciously, its stupidita '.

In addition to all, the offer of the market products consolatori-illusori is great and well replaces similar products, obsolete and sclerotici, offered by a now decadent Church that bite powerless the brake faced competition always more ' lock on the market of the Divine.

The situation is precipitated from the age of the 1970s when Marilyn Recovering instances of ' 68, , Ferguson has published his manifesto of the New Age (the new was or, as someone said, the era of the death of) (God).
Certainly the author not imagined to put in place a huge pot in which goes, in a tremendous confusion, all those movements spiritual, partisan, animistici, pseudo religious and magical born in opposition to traditional official cults.
It is than the cults of fertility ( wicca ) shapes, ancient more or less idiote of Satanism.

Turning to our witch, as we them known in paragraphs earlier, it is important to highlight their art and their way d ' être are advanced in Beard to an massacratore clergy and certainly scorched meat conveyed by the burning pyres feeling nostalgic. In particular:

The age of witches average is around, today, the 35-40 years.
They have almost all of a culture of medio-superiore level and many are Laureate.
Care their appearance and their presence in public have become essential factors for the exercise of the magical arts, so that many dress signed clothes, who can afford views tariffs by feel dizzy demanding to exercise their sortilegi.
Some of they are young and very fine to the point that many men would prepared to conclude a pact with the devil to spend with the same few eventful night of Saint Walpurga .
Not you spalmano more ' with unsavoury; SALVES prefer to attend the profumerie the Centre; it seems that the most beauty product line ' the Chanel both gettonata.
The old broom was relegated in a corner which go to the sabba annual Ario, train or car.
THE Sabba held preferably in the meeting rooms of prestigious four or five star hotels.

To the sabba where discuss professional issues and marketing, the Devil (in) (deep existential crisis) makes no more ' see.
Than Banquet was rigorously excluded the meat of neonato-non-baptized, preferring to shrimps, cocktails tartines the salmon, caviar, etc.
Today no witch is most ' round to collect herbs and obtain certain ingredients shocking as § 27 . Filters of love, waters of light, Judah blood, blood Dragon, etc. are produced on an industrial scale and can be purchased at firms wholesale specialised, choosing them from strictly reserved catalogues only business operators.
All the modern witches claim to practice black magic and not throw the malocchio, but does not exclude that what ' can be done in secret. Fund is the customer which so requests and... pays!
So much for It is witch anchored traditions. The market of the illusion is PEAR 'more' broad, diverse and largely, managed by operators men: wizards. These wizards many appear often on television where, on time, make the figuraccie from sink below ground. I am in gender specialists of:

Astrology
cartomanzia
chiromancy
divination
occultism demoniaco
occultism miracolistico
Pantheism
pranoterapia
Satanism
Spiritism and Necromancy
automatic
ufologia
etc.
In short everything What can ' serve to deceive the children of the famous Grand mother who is always pregnant.

In Italy a large proportion of magical operators adheres to the Trade Union "USAODE-CISL" who are fighting for the establishment of practise, regulation of the rates (?), received tax and other management problems often in collision with the tax authorities.

Note that the "ICFTU" is a "Catholic" syndicate.

According to estimates made, a few years ago, by the Trade Union USAODE-CISL, in Italy would be approximately 150,000 operators of the occult (priests twice) (Catholics present in the country) serving a population of 15 million customers, of which 60 % women and 40 % men. Regarding the level of education customers you have:

30 % = graduates
40 % = graduates
15 % = lower average license
15 % = Elementary license
Operators really enrolled in trade unions are around 2000.

The distribution of operators in the occult on national territory not is uniform. It goes, according to ISTAT figures:

from a maximum of a magician each 9500 inhabitants (Alexandria)
a minimum of a magician each 21400 inhabitants (Catania)
The round of business is Vortex and it seems many lengths exceeds the infamous eight per thousand that the sprovveduti allocate annually to the Vatican.

Finally, according to what is believed, the big city ' magical European would today:

Lyon
London
Paris
Prague
Stonehenge
Turin
In particular, some burlone has scattered the voice that Torino (one of the vertices) (of Turin-Lyon-Prague magic triangle) has a link directly with the hell, where suffering souls of the dead. Entry would be located under the Obelisk of Meridian (Spire Beccaria), in piazza crankcase Statute. To midnight in point, if new ear to the obelisk, you can listen to the groans of the damned and perceive a vague sentor sulphur.

APPENDIX

Cats and demons
Since the beginning of Christianity cats have never had much luck with the Church. Especially black ones.
Formerly, in Egypt the cat was considered an almost sacred animal. Those who maltrattava a cat could be punished with death. When a cat died the components of the family which housed rasavano the sopracciglie as a sign of mourning and, after the embalming, the animal was inumato with a completely ceremony.
The Egyptian goddess Bastet was depicted with a head of cat. Than ever the civilization famous ' was always recognised cat the fundamental utilities ' take granaries and storehouses of foodstuffs mackerel by rats.
Then was Christianity enlightened proclaim ', of course in the name of God, the extermination of cats, defining them animals of the devil.
To give the green in this crusade santa was that pia soul of Gregory IX, around the 13th century thirties, and since then (and still today) the household felino, as a symbol of evil and the devil has suffered all colors:

during the witch hunt many were atrocemente tortured and thrown on the burning with their control;
for centuries, June 24, in many countries in Europe, was considered the Feast of witches, thousands of cats were:
thrown Live than bell towers of the churches
locked cages and arrostiti focus slow on public squares
scorticati live
killed in bastonate;
the same did the fat, Tuesday before the ashes, and in other "Holy" religious; events
many were seppelliti live in the foundations of houses to encourage a "greater" ' solidita ' of the walls ";
you murdered cats after harvesting as augurs well for crops future;
or, with the smoke of a cat burnt alive, affumicava livestock for preserve it from moria;
a pinch of ash cat scattered at home, favoured the welfare and the Blessed ';
Finally, strong of the bubble of Gregory IX, each Christian could buy special merit in the eyes of God torturando atrocemente and then killing any felino malcapitato.
Still today at Ypres (France), June 24 use throw the cats from a tower; the cats have now changed, are wrapped in cloth, but that that does not is changed is the ancestral imbecillita ' of those engaged in this "sports" under the complacent and indulgent gaze of the local pretaglia.

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The golden rules of Eymerich
Nicolau Eymerich was one that particularly worried of the shape. In the its manual (RIF. 165) lays down detailed rules on how and when ( almost always ) apply torture by rope follow.

1 torture the accused quaking in their responses, now saying one thing, now the opposite, but always denied the counts of more ' important. You assumed in this case the accused to conceal the true ' and that incalzato by the investigators, it contradicts. If negasse once and then you confessasse and pentisse would be regarded as a heretic penitent and therefore condemned.
2 Sara ' tortured the accused has against a single witness. The public ruthless and witness together constitute a test half What natural since testimony only applies to If ' as a clue. The testis unus, testis nullus rule applies to the sentence but not for the presumption. A single witness to load is therefore sufficient, although the testimony of only one not It has the same strength of a civil judgment.
3- The accused against which there are one or more ' serious signs must be tortured. The most suspicious ' clues are insufficient. For the priests just the suspicion ( but only the infamous priests will be tortured ). In this case there are numerous and sufficient conditions.
4 Sara ' tortured the accused against which deporra ' only witness in concerning the heresy and against which we have indications vehement and violent.
5 The suspected against which there are more ' signs vehement or violent will ' tortured even if you do not have borne witness.
6- Then a fortiori you shall ' torture any person which, in similarity the previous one, will ' if against the deposition of a witness.
7 The suspected against which he only defamation or a single witness or a only symptom will not be 'tortured why' one of these conditions by only one not enough to carry out torture.

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Madame Voisin
It happened in Paris in 1679-1680. Montespan Marquise is forced to leave its prestigious position in Versailles. Lover of Louis XIV from the 1667 1679 (eleven years, a record), period during which gift ' to the King Well only 8 children, has had to yield place to another competitor more ' young and attractive.

The PEAR Marquise ' not it gives peace and tries desperately to any artifice in order to regain the support of the King.
Is so ' in contact with a famous Parisian Witch of those times, Madame VOISIN and known Abate Guilbourg (regularly ordained priest), somewhat in the Court for certain environments his bizarre between the such as that of sponsor, in great secrecy, black masses which then in reality ' ends in orgie sfrenate for the delight of participating nobles.

The two are convincing the Montespan that only the intervention of the devil could encourage the return of the Marquise in the alcova of the King and decide to invoke his help with an adequate number of put black.
The celebration in question, in accordance with a ritual invented by the same Abbot provided:

an altar consisting of the naked body of the laying down on a tavolaccio Montespan
Goblet and monstrance settled between the legs and the Marquise pubis
ostie consecrated by the officiante and impastate with abominable material with unpublished bestemmie
acting putting on the contrary, from the ITE missa East to Introibo....
blessing run with blood of domestic animals sacrificed at the time or with human sperm (o,_come_alcuni_sostengono,_con_sangue_di_bambini) (sacrificed to demons Astaroth and Asmodeo)
conclusion the ritual with an obscene kiss of the celebrante to the postulant.
Become the thing of public domain, the Court I order ' a process that he made scandal throughout Europe and that it concluded with:

the condemnation of the Montespan to the perpetual solitary confinement in the keeping of Bourbon - the Archambaut, where mori 'in the 1707, at the age of 67 years
the condemns the burning of the Voisin was executed on 22 February 1680 on the Place de Grève Paris
the condemnation of the Guilbourg to be murato live in the cell in a convent.Some authors pear ' have doubts about the real fate of the singular Abbot.

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The Isle of Man
Even today, and exactly on the night between 2 and 3 February, the witch obediently, all parts of the world, a magnificent sabba on the island of Man, situated between the United Kingdom and Ireland.
On this island, in place Witches Mill, is one of the most important museums of witches. It seems that witches are involved in the sabba of you in many cats without the tail that populate the island.
However the local.. .Ente for tourism may ' give much information in respect.

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Master and horse
In Scotland in 1600 a court rotations ' to the burning a farmer and the respective horse. The tapino was accused of practising magic why ' had taught his horse to do the reverence, folded on front legs.

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Those of Triora
Girolamo Pozzo Inquisitor of Triora (Albenga), in the autumn of 1588, to begin the process, held a splendid preached for "prepare" the public in the event. During both sermon I say ' that witch below accusation, among other things:

played at ball with newly born children
were Relive the dead
preparing filters of love and hate with putrefatti corpses
were leave their vulve caterpillars, grasshoppers and mice to destroy the collected
orinavano on the sacred ostia
and other vaccate of this kind.
(On the facts of Triora) see on this Web site Triora, the Salem d'Italia)

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Regain the unfaithful husband
Fairly laborious to perform Mage but safe effect as to say the witch Gabrina during the process against him, celebrated in Reggio Emilia in the 1375. The Gabrina not purposes ' on the burning; was "only" "least focus and had the amputata language".
The wife must tear some hair of the pubis, add them to some fragment ' thumbnail of the husband and then put all inside the heart of one black hen.
Women must then slip is the heart of the chicken in the vagina, taking into hand a blessed candle lit, then nine steps. At the end you trita finely completely and mixes it with some dish serve with her husband fedifrago.

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Chosen shooter
In England, at the time of Mary the Sanguinaria, an Archer of exceptional skill to achieve its targets, it is finished on burned in the accused had bought the his enable ' with a pact with the devil.

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St. Charles Borromeo
Not was a Hunter of witches as close, but a staunch .. .tifoso .Encouraged the Jesuits in their work of purification of the world , promoting and welcoming to the mumerosi processes and executions of the Valley Mesolcina. On this occasion were kept 162 processes concluded with 12 executions, in the course of the what witches were burned alive, linked to head on down to the pole of burned. A singular variation to the traditional systems.

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Kepler
In the second half ' of 1600, in the village of Gorlingen (Leonberg), the widow Katharina Kepler, mother of John Kepler, was for many years suspected and persecuted for witchcraft because of his work of guaritrice. Not is never been sentenced.

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JUDGMENT OF 16 NOVEMBER 1632
State of Lucerna-Fascicolo COD store. 4545

In the month of September last year Mr Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Am Rin, Knight, currently the territory of the Entlibuch, balivo has learned a name Cathrin Schmidlin of 11 years-old girl born in Roomos, was vantata in two different to be able to do small birds places. You is willing to try to honored people also said then. When not There is successful, it is justified explaining to do only alone and night, because of a small black and evil, boy who had often come to find, had prohibited them do birds when people could see it. After that has been translated in prison, where was interrogated with each severita ' on the indicia mentioned by Mr municipal judge Mooren and other specially responsible persons.
In the presence of Mr municipal magistrate and the write it has repeated to do, if there it was dedicated with firm resolve, birds fitted with d 'eyes, heart and vitalita'. He added that, when is it alone are various species, becchettano on soil and svolazzano, birds and has learned to be an evil boy named Blundtsch, the which called Fighetta Stracciona.

Item the boy, when it came from you-Tower, has promised them to them do birds outside the warlords, ordering them pear ' to swear to not pray and not to eat the Holy bread.

Item the boy did solleticata in the secret nature with the Member who It has seen and is very like and has shamelessly touched it throughout its size.

Item the Blundtsch has often solleticata as also described in the Tower, in which it was then repeatedly found completely sconciata.

Item subject technician surveillance has heard the evil spirit, the that presence is often is felt in the Tower, talk about three times with the girl in a language that pear ' has not understood and that seemed South.The girl did not disclose what had spoken. The boy always there with strepito and Biel from a half-window, leaving a puzzo thus ' horrible subject has thought of having to fall without of forces.

Item says the girl that the boy is great as the room and that however can ' come equally from the window; also says that sweeping straw under the table up to do small and then disappear.

Item appears sometimes as a monster from very infuocati eyes. When is tired of him is the sign of the cross, to which that if it flee.

Item as proof that the boy know everything, the person engaged in monitoring complaint that the cleric came with father Wolfgang did diffidata from the beating the child and to treat it with bad words. Although of what ' you was only referred to below in the room, the girl in tower above the knew and gliel ' rinfacciato, by telling you that could not beating it because of the the long cleric Wolfang I had banned.

Item are coupled, which you wanted to hear it and the Blundtsch had come inside of you.

Item subject complains of the great malvagita ' of the girl who invests it with epithets very vulgar and not Christian, bestemmie and scongiuri, and that this it draws more once were congedati you the priests, to which it always says it, except then behave in that so miserable.

Today 16 November 1632 the podesta ladies ' advisers and their follow-up, found that there was hope no improvement in the little girl, have made strangle Tower but without removing them the life (?), have enclosed in a bag, conduct was why ' was scorched and reduced to ashes along with Brigitta Testacanuta, which in turn had that day be executed and incinerated.

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RETRIEVED FROM THE JUDICIAL ACTS OF 27 NOVEMBER 1662
Document stored in the main Stuttgart - State Archives Book 166, volume 9.

The 27 November this year 1662 in the forest, with discretion (in order to prevent the usual pusillanimita ' and the resulting perigli for the anime) were to death with sword Isau and Mary, sons of the Lehner of Dürnau.
Received the complaint, were considered colpevolo horrific and repeated misdeeds committed with delight, rinnegando the Divine Majesty ' of Christ, his blessed mother and all saints. The malicious enemy devotees have shamefully disgrace the consecrated ostie, copulato - convicted- innumeri times with the enemy malicious and committed between of their libidinoso incest.
In acceptance of an intercession, have been buried in the tomb of the innocent children.

1 Isau Lehner, roughly years 12 or 13 may, after having played the Padrenostro, the Avemaria and the credo, and also be made the sign of the Cross, it was very benignamente asked if he had a good father. He said no and the request to explain why ', replied: Why 'so'. He declared having unto with an ointment black, received from the enemy malicious, horses and other livestock people, killing them. Those the taught any other species of maleficio, i.e. ' for the more ' to produce mists, Frost, Thunder and hail. Should make a circle, grease an stick with an ointment also above, and wrap it in a cloth (all) (things that had received from the devil), pass it around the circle, and then were insects, flea, brine, mists, Thunder, hail and a thousand other diavolerie. So 'sees immediately made what' who wants to. The devil has removed whenever the why stick ' was not found at him and then why ' not punisse.

2 Declares that initially the devil is come from him in the form (d) ' a great girl as his sister, without goat stand, that the is seemed very nice, and that only subsequently noted that it was very bad, with horns on his head, goat foot, claws and a long tail; the gave a stick together a cloth and an ointment, so that could the sopraspecificate mists, and frost, spiders, flea, Thunder and hail. Then he gave two pallottoline, one of the such as white and the other green, not very harsh, sweet the a but the other very bitter. After they are mangiate, has been vomiting.

3 Encouraged by the devil laido, orinato and defecate in the blessed water.Your lover is a girl named Schindele, become its druda to Dürnau. If had promised them not to alcunche ' good, would lead it to a beautiful place.
The lover is wearing a black jacket with horns on their heads, has a queue long and thin as a cow, but not the point touch the ground and goats feet. He has also done the sign on the left arm; has produced it and it appeared yellowish.
This sign the devil he has done