We have already treated of this fascination. And now with reference to the
second point, namely, that blood will flow from a corpse in the presence of
a murderer. According to the Speculum naturale of Vincent of Beauvis,
c. 13, the wound is, as it were, influenced by the mind of the murderer, and
that wound receives a certain atmosphere which has been impressed by and is
permeated with his violence and hatred, and when the murderer draws near,
the blood wells up and gushes forth from the corpse. For it would seem that
this atmosphere, which was cause and as it were entered the wound owing to
the murderer, at his presence is disturbed and greatly moved, and it is owing
to this movement that the blood streams out of the dead body. There are some
who declared that it is due to some other causes, and they say that this
gushing forth of blood is the voice of the blood crying from the earth against
the murderer who is present, and that this is on account of the curse
pronounced against the murderer Cain. And with regard to that horror which a
person feels when he is passing near the corpse of a man who has been
murdered, although he may not be in any way cognizant of the vicinity of a
dead body, this horror is psychic, it infects the atmosphere and conveys a
thrill of fear to the mind. But all these explanations, be it noted, do not
in any way affect the truth of the evil wrought by witches, since they are
all perfectly natural and arise from natural causes.
In the third place, as we have already said above, the operations and rites
of witches are placed in that second category of superstition which is called
Divination; and of this divination there are three kinds, but the argument
does not hold good with reference to the third kind, which belongs to a
different species, for witchcraft is not merely any divination, but it is
that divination, the operations of which are performed by express and explicit
invocations of the devil; and this may be done in very many ways, as by
Necromancy, Geomancy, Hydromancy, etc.
Wherefore this divination, which is used when they are working their spells,
must be judged to be the height of criminal wickedness, although some have
attempted to regard it from another point of view. And they argue thus, that
as we do not know the hidden powers of nature, it may be that the witches
are merely employing or seeking to employ these hidden powers: assuredly if
they are employing the natural power of natural things to bring about a
natural effect, this must be perfectly lawful. as indeed is obvious enough.
Or even let us conceive that if the superstitiously employ natural things,
as, for example, by writing down certain characters or unknown names of some
kind, and that then they use these runes for restoring a person to health,
or for inducing friendship, or with some useful end, and not at all for
doing any damage or harm, in such cases, it may be granted, I say, that
there is no express invocation of demons; nevertheless it cannot be that
these spells are employed without a tacit invocation, wherefore all such
charms must be judge to be wholly unlawful.
And because these and many other charms like to them may be placed in the
third category of superstition, that is to say, idle and vain observing of
time and seasons, this is by no means a relevant argument as to the heresy
of witches. But of this category, the observing of times and seasons, there
are four distinct species: A man may use such observations to acquire certain
knowledge: or he may in this way seek to inform himself concerning lucky or
unlucky days and things: or he may use sacred words and prayers as a charm
with no reference to their meaning: or he may intend and desire to bring
about some beneficial change in some body. All this S. Thomas has amply
treated in that question where he asks, Whether such observing be lawful,
especially if it be to bring about a beneficial change in a body, that is to
say, the restoration of persons to health. But when witches observe times
and seasons, their practices must be held to belong to the second kind of
superstition, and therefore, in so far as they are concerned, questions
concerning this third class are wholly impertinent.
We now proceed to a fourth proposition, inasmuch as from observations of
the kind we have discussed certain charts and images are wont to be made,
but these are of two separate sorts, which differ entirely one from the
other; and these are Astronomical and Necromantic. Now in Necromancy there
is always an express and particular invocation of demons, for this craft
implies that there has been an express compact and contract with them. Let
us therefore only consider Astrology. In Astrology there is no compact, and
therefore there is no invocation, unless by chance there be some kind of
tacit invocation, since the figures of demons and their names sometimes
appear in Astrological charts. And again, Necromantic signs are written
under the influence of certain stars in order to counteract the influence
and oppositions of other heavenly bodies, and these are inscribed, for
signs and characters of this kind are often engraved upon rings, gems, or
some other precious metal, but magic signs are engraved without any
reference to the influence of the stars, and often upon any substance, nay,
even upon vile and sordid substances, which when buried in certain places
bring about damage and harm and disease. But we are discussing charts which
are made with reference to the stars. And these Necromantic charts and
images have no reference to any heavenly body. Therefore a consideration
of them does not enter into the present discussion.
Moreover, many of these images which have been made with superstitious rites
have no efficacy at all, that is to say, in so far as the fashioning of
them is concerned, although it may be that the material of which they are
made does possess a certain power, although this is not due to the fact that
they were made under the influence of certain stars. Yet many hold that it
is in any case unlawful to make use even of images like these. But the
images made by witches have no natural power at all, nor has the material
of which they are formed any power; but they fashion such images by command
of the devil, that by so doing they may, as it were, mock the work of the
Creator, and that they may provoke Him to anger so that in punishment of
their misdeeds He may suffer plagues to fall upon the earth. And in order to
increase their guilt they delight especially to fashion many such images
at the more solemn seasons of the year.
With regard to the fifth point, S. Gregory is there speaking of the power of
grace and not of the power of nature. And since, as S. John says, we are
born of God, what wonder then that the sons of God enjoy extraordinary powers.
With regard to the last point we will say this, that a mere likeness is
irrelevant, because the influence of one's own mind on one's own body is
different from its influence upon another body as though the body were the
material form of the mind, and the emotions are an act of the body, but
separate, therefore the emotion can be changed by the influence of the mind
whensoever there is some bodily change, heat or cold, or any alteration,
even to death itself. But to change the actual body, no act of the mind is
sufficient by itself, unless there can be some physical result which alters
the body. Whence witches, by the exercise of no natural power, but only by
the help of the devil, are able to bring about harmful effects. And the
devils themselves can only do this by the use of material objects as their
instruments, such as bones, hair, wood, iron, and all sorts of objects of
this kind, concerning which operation we shall treat more fully a little
later.
Now with regard to the tenor of the Bull of our Most Holy Father the Pope,
we will discuss the origin of witches, and how it is that of recent years
their works have so multiplied among us. And it must be borne in mind that
for this to take place, three things concur, the devil, the witch, and the
permission of God who suffers such things to be. For S. Augustine says,
that the abomination of witchcraft arose from this foul connexion of mankind
with the devil. Therefore it is plain that the origin and the increase of
this heresy arises from this foul connexion, a fact which many authors
approve.
We must especially observe that this heresy, witchcraft, not only differs
from all other heresy in this, that not merely by a tacit compact, but by
a compact which is exactly defined and expressed it blasphemes the Creator
and endeavours to the utmost to profane Him and to harm His creatures, for
all other simple heresies have made no open compact with the devil, no
compact, that is, either tacit or exactly expressed, although their errors
and misbelief are directly to be attributed to the Father of errors and
lies. Moreover, witchcraft differs from all other harmful and mysterious
arts in this point, that of all superstition it is essentially the vilest,
the most evil and the worst, wherefore it derives its name from doing evil,
and from blaspheming the true faith. (Melaficae dictae a Melficiendo,
seu a male de fide sentiendo.)
Let us especially note too that in the practice of this abominable evil,
four points in particular are required. First, most profanely to renounce
the Catholic Faith, or at any rate to deny certain dogmas of the faith;
secondly, to devote themselves body and soul to all evil; thirdly, to offer
up unbaptized children to Satan; fourthly, to indulge in every kind of
carnal lust with Incubi and Succubi and all manner of filthy delights.
Would to God that we might suppose all this to be untrue and merely
imaginary, if only our Holy Mother the Church were free from the leprosy of
such abomination. Alas, the judgement of the Apostolic See, who is alone
the Mistress and the Teacher of all truth, that judgement, I say, which has
been expressed in the Bull of our Holy Father the Pope, assures us and makes
us aware that amongst us, and we dare not refrain from inquiring into them
lest we imperil our own salvation. And therefore we must discuss at length
the origin and the increase of these abominations; it has been a work of
much labour indeed, and we trust that every detail will most exactly and
carefully be weighed by those who read this book, for herein will be found
nothing contrary to sound reason, nothing which differs from the words of
Scripture and the tradition of the Fathers.
Now there are two circumstances which are certainly very common at the
present day, that is to say, the connexion of witches with familiars, Incubi
and Succubi, and the horrible sacrifices of small children. Therefore we
shall particularly deal with these matters, so that in the first place we
shall discuss these demons themselves, secondly, the witches and their works,
and thirdly, we will inquire wherefore such things are suffered to be. Now
these demons work owing to their influence upon man's mind and upon his free
will, and they choose to copulate under the influence of certain stars
rather than under the influence of others, for it would seem that at certain
times their semen can more easily generate and beget children. Accordingly,
we must inquire why the demons should act at the conjunction of certain
stars, and what times these are.
There are three chief points to discuss. First, whether the abominable
heresies can be multiplied throughout the world by those who give themselves
to Incubi and Succubi. Secondly, whether their actions have not a certain
extraordinary power when performed under the influence of certain stars.
Thirdly, whether this abominable heresy is not widely spread by those who
profanely sacrifice children to Satan. Moreover, when we have discussed
the second point, before we proceed to the third, we must consider the
influence of the stars, and what power they have in acts of witchcraft.
With regard to the first question there are three difficulties which need
elucidation.
The first is a general consideration of these demons, which are called
Incubi.
The second question is more particular, for we must inquire, How can these
Incubi perform the human act of copulation?
The third question is also a special one, How do witches bind themselves
to and copulate with these devils?