{"collection":"Paganism & Neopaganism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/pag/mm/mm01_11a.htm","path":"pag/mm/mm01_11a.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/pag/mm/mm01_11a.htm","text":"That Witches who are Midwives in Various Ways Kill the Child Conceived in the Womb, and Procure an Abortion; or if they do not this Offer New-born Children to Devils.\nHere is set forth the truth concerning four horrible crimes which devils\ncommit against infants, both in the mother's womb and afterwards. And since\nthe devils do these things through the medium of women, and not men, this\nform of homicide is associated rather with women than with men, And the\nfollowing are the methods by which it is done.\nThe Canonists treat more fully than the Theologians of the obstructions due\nto witchcraft; and they say that is is witchcraft, not only when anyone is\nunable to perform the carnal act, of which we have spoken above; but also\nwhen a woman is prevented from conceiving, or is made to miscarry after she\nhas conceived. A third and fourth method of witchcraft is when they have\nfailed to procure an abortion, and then either devour the child or offer it\nto a devil.\nThere is no doubt concerning the first two methods, since, without the help\nof devils, a man can by natural means, such as herbs, savin for example, or\nother emmenagogues, procure that a woman cannot generate or conceive, as has\nbee mentioned above. But with the other two methods it is different; for\nthey are effected by witches. And there is no need to bring forward the\narguments, since very evident instances and examples will more readily show\nthe truth of this matter.\nThe former of these two abominations is the fact that certain witches,\nagainst the instinct of human nature, and indeed against the nature of all\nbeasts, with the possible exception of wolves, are in the habit of devouring\nand eating infant children. And concerning this, the Inquisitor of Como,\nwho has been mentioned before, has told us the following: that he was\nsummoned by the inhabitants of the County of Barby to hold an inquisition,\nbecause a certain man had missed his child from its cradle, and finding a\ncongress of women in the night-time, swore that he saw them kill his child\nand drink its blood and devour it. Also, in one single year, which is the\nyear now last passed, he says that forty-one witches were burned, certain\nothers taking flight to the Lord Archduke of Austria, Sigismund. For\nconfirmation of this there are certain writings of\nJohn Nider in his Formicarius, of\nwhom, as of those events which he recounts, the memory is still fresh in\nmen's minds; wherefore it is apparent that such things are not incredible.\nWe must add that in all these matters witch midwives cause yet greater\ninjuries, as penitent witches have often told to us and to others, saying:\nNo one does more harm to the Catholic Faith than midwives. For when they do\nnot kill children, then, as if for some other purpose, they take them out of\nthe room and, raising them up in the air, offer them to devils. But the\nmethod which they observe in crimes of this sort will be shown in the\nSecond Part, which we must soon approach. But first one more question must\nbe inquired into, namely, that of the Divine permission. For it was said at\nthe beginning that three things are necessary for the effecting of\nwitchcraft: the devil, a witch, and the Divine permission.\nNext: Question XII Whether the Permission of Almighty God is an Accompaniment of Witchcraft.","title":"Malleus Maleficarum Part 1 Question XI","type":"page"}