Early Witchcraft Texts
Early writers on witchcraft and demonology had, by 1550, evolved the concept of witchcraft as being a heresy because it involved a pact with the devil, and thus it had to be ruthlessly exterminated. Nearly all these early works were written in Latin but translations of these titles soon spread the concept to the general public. It is from these early works that many of the concepts which were to become familiar, such as the witches sabbath, were to emerge.
Surprisingly, the views they proposed were often resisted by the common
people; the witchcraft persecutions were originally driven by the Church
and its theologians, especially the Dominicans and there was a considerable
degree of skepticism. It was only later, when these extreme views had been
propounded for a number of years, that popular support for the witchcraft
delusion was to grow.
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INSTITORIS, Henricus & SPRENGER, Jacobus Malleus maleficarum, maleficas, & earum haerisim, ut phramea potentissima conterens Cologne: Excudebat Joannes Gymnicus, 1520 |
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INSTITORIS, Henricus & SPRENGER, Jacobus Malleus maleficarum. Translated, with an introduction and notes by the Rev. Montague Summers London: John Rodker, 1928 |
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BINSFELD, Peter Tractatus de confessoribus maleficorum et sagarum, secundo recognitus, & auctior redditus….. quantanta fides ijs abhihenda sit Augustae Trevirorum: Ex Officina Typographia Henrici Bock, 1605 Description |
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BODIN, Jean |
| BOGUET, Henri (1550-1619) An examen of witches: drawn from various trials of many of this sect ... edited by the Rev, Montague Summers London: John Rodker, 1929 Description |
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DEL RIO, Martin Antoine |
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GRILLANDUS, Paulus Tractatus de hereticis et sortilegis, earumque poeni. In Mallei maleficarum tractatus ... Lyons: Claude Landry, 1620. pp.344-506. Description |
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LE LOYER, Pierre A Treatise of specters or strange sights, visions and apparitions ... also of witches, sorcerers, enchanters and such like London: Val. S[immes] for Matt. Lownes, 1605. Description |
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MAZZOLINI, Sylvestro De Strigimagarum, daemonumque mirandis libri tres: una cum praxi exactissima, et ratione formendi processus cintra ipsas, a mendis innumeris quibusscantebant, in hac ultima impressione purgati, & indice locupletissimo illustrati Rome : In aedibus populi Romani, 1575 Description |
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NIDER, Johannes Formicarius. In Malleus Maleficarum, maleficas et earum haeresim framea contens, ex variis auctoribus compilatus… Lyons: Claude Bourgeat, 1669 Description |
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NODE, Pierre. Declamation contre l'erreur execrable des maleficiers, sorciers, enchanteurs, magiciens, devins, & semblables observateurs des superstitions: esquelz pullulent maintenant couuertement en France: à ce que recherche, & punition d'iceux soit faicte, sur peine de rentrer en plus grands troubles que iamais Paris: Jean du Carroy, 1578. Description |
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PERERIUS, Valentinus De Magica. De observatione somnorium, et de divinatione astrologica libri tres, adversus fallaces, et superstitiosas artes Cologne: Joannes Gymnicus, 1598 Description |
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REMY, Nicholas Demonolatry... in three books. translated by E.Ashwin London: John Rodker, 1930 Description |
| SPINA, Bartholomaeus (1475-1546) Questio de strigibus ... apologia de lamiis contra Ponzinibium Rome: In aedibus populi Romani, 1576. Description |
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VAIRO, Leonardo (De Fascino libri tres) Trois livres des charmes, sorcelages ou enchantements… Paris: Nicholas Cheaneau, 1583 Description |
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WIER, Jean Histoires disputes et discours des illusions et impostures des diables, des magiciens infames, sorcieres et empoisonneurs… Paris: Bureaux du Progrès Médical, 1885. Description |
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