Malleus Maleficarum (1487)

The "Hammer of Witches". The instruction manual for how to detect witches. Originally published in 1489, this book is now only worthy for historical interest. The typeface is old and the reproduction is not always great. Still very interesting reading. ( )

000895 ( )

What we have here in Kramer and Sprenger is an artifact. And as an artifact it is a splendid example of historical Christian thought. Part I; Question XIV contains a subheading that summarizes the point of this tome: "That Witches Deserve the heaviest Punishment above All the Criminals of the World."

The "Hammer" was written to offer a protocol for trying and adjudicating (read: killing) alleged witches. It is safe to say that Salem and other incidences of spurious witch trials would not have been legitimized but by reference to this 15th century work of folklore. There is no doubt that Kramer and Sprenger were learned canons of the Church and they were attempting to remedy the problem of falsely accused witches being lynched by torch-and-pitchfork mobs. What they accomplished instead was bringing witch-hunts under the authority of the Church. The Malleus Maleficarum facilitated the further enmeshment of Church and State by prescribing the manner in which these cases should be adjudicated in the ecclesiastical and civil courts.

If you enjoy studying mythology or Church History (they often overlap)this is a compelling read. More than any other single artifact, this book sheds light on what was plaguing the collective mind of Christendom in the late middle ages. A read well worth the time. ( )

Considered as a scholarly edition of an important historical source, this is very useful for those (like me) who cannot afford the complete new Latin text edition. It is far superior to the old Montague Summers version. Its content, of course, is fairly horrible. ( )

Not exactly a page-turning book, but it is useful to have as reference when reading about the Dark Ages and early Renaissance. This handbook for witch hunters is a useful tool for understanding how simple actions are mistaken for nefarious acts. ( )