Malleus Maleficarum

For nearly three centuries, Malleus Maleficarum (The Witches' Hammer) has been the professional guide to witch hunters. The work of two of the era's most famous investigators is still a document of the beliefs of that era. Under the leadership of Thor from Pope Innocent VIII, Kramer and Springer exposed the heresy of those who did not believe in witches and established the correct order of the world with demons, sorcerers, and the will of God. Even if you don't believe in magic, the scientist of 1484 believes in it. Contemporary cases illustrate the methods by which witches attempt to take over and subvert the world: how and why women roast their firstborn male son; acknowledgment of how the storm was lifted by a trough suspended "barely grounded" from his thumb; ways of concluding the solemn covenant with Satan; How witches deprive men of their vital organs; And several other things. The authors identify ways to destroy and cure witchcraft, such as treatments against foster demons and demons. The formal rules for initiating the process of justice are defined: how it should be conducted and the manner of pronouncement of the sentence; when to use the experiment with a hot iron; how the plaintiff should protect himself; The method of shaving the body and searching for symbols and amulets, including those that are sewn under the skin. As Summers says, the case book was on every judge's table. Montage Summers provided a very friendly translation. His introductions are filled with examples of the magic and historical significance of Malleus Maleficarum. This famous document should interest the historian, student of occultism, and psychologist interested in the medieval mind because it encountered various forces that can only be explained by magic.