Here follows the Way whereby Witches copulate with those Devils known as
Incubi.
As to the method in which witches
copulate with Incubus devils, six points are to be noted. First, as to the
devil and the body which he assumes, of what element it is formed. Second, as
to the act, whether it is always accompanied with the injection of semen
received from some other man. Third, as to the time and place, whether one
time is more favourable than another for this practice. Fourth, whether the
act is visible to the women, and whether only those who were begotten in this
way are so visited by devils. Fifth, whether it applies only to those who were
offered to the devil at birth by midwives. Sixth, whether the actual venereal
pleasure is greater or less in this act. And we will speak first of the matter
and quality of the body which the devil assumes.
It must be said that he assumes an
aerial body, and that it is in some respects terrestrial, in so far as it has
an earthly property through condensation; and this is explained as follows.
The air cannot of itself take definite shape, except the shape of some other
body in which it is included. And in that case it is not bound by its own
limits, but by those of something else; and one part of the air continues into
the next part. Therefore he cannot simply assume an aerial body as such.
Know, moreover, that the air is in
every way a most changeable and fluid matter: and a sign of this is the fact
that when any have tried to cut or pierce with a sword the body assumed by a
devil, they have not been able to; for the divided parts of the air at once
join together again. From this it follows that air is in itself a very
competent matter, but because it cannot take shape unless some other
terrestrial matter is joined with it, therefore it is necessary that the air
which forms the devil's assumed body should be in some way inspissated, and
approach the property of the earth, while still retaining its true property as
air. And devils and disembodied spirits can effect this condensation by means
of gross vapours raised from the earth, and by collecting them together into
shapes in which they abide, not as defilers of them, but only as their motive
power which give to that body the formal appearance of life, in very much the
same way as the soul informs the body to which it is joined. They are,
moreover, in these assumed and shaped bodies like a sailor in a ship which the
wind moves.
So when it is asked of what sort is
the body assumed by the devil, it is to be said that with regard to its
material, it is one thing to speak of the beginning of its assumption, and
another thing to speak of its end. For in the beginning it is just air; but in
the end it is inspisated air, partaking of some of the properties of the earth.
And all this the devils, with God's permission, can do of their own nature;
for the spiritual nature is superior to the bodily. Therefore the bodily
nature must obey the devils in respect of local motion, though not in respect
of the assumption of natural shapes, either accidental or substantial, except
in the case of some small creatures (and then only with the help of some other
agent, as has been hinted before). But as to local motion, no shape is beyond
their power; thus they can move them as they wish, in such circumstances as
they will.
From this there may arise an
incidental question as to what should be thought when a good or bad Angel
performs some of the functions of life by means of true natural bodies, and
not in aerial bodies; as in the case of Balaam's ass, through which the Angel
spoke, and when the devils take possession of bodies. It is to be said that
those bodies are not called assumed, but occupied. See S. Thomas, II. 8,
Whether Angels assume bodies. But let us keep strictly to our argument.
In what way is it to be understood
that devils talk with witches, see them, hear them, eat with them, and
copulate with them? And this is the second part of this first difficulty.
For the first, it is to be said
that three things are required for true conversation: namely, lungs to draw in
the air; and this is not only for the sake of producing sound, but also to
cool the heart; and even mutes have this necessary quality.
Secondly, it is necessary that some
percussion be made of a body in the air, as a greater or less sound is made
when one beats wood in the airs, or rings a bell. For when a substance that is
susceptible to sound is struck by a sound-producing instrument, it gives out a
sound according to its size, which is received in the air and multiplied to
the ears of the hearer, to whom, if he is far off, it seems to come through
space.
Thirdly, a voice is required; and
it may be said that what is called Sound in inanimate bodies is called Voice
in living bodies. And here the tongue strikes the respirations of air against
an instrument or living natural organ provided by God. And this is not a bell,
which is called a sound, whereas this is a voice. And this third requisite may
clearly be exemplified by the second; and I have set this down that preachers
may have a method of teaching the people.
And fourthly, it is necessary that
he who forms the voice should mean to express by means of that voice some
concept of the mind to someone else, and that he should himself understand
what he is saying; and so manage his voice by successively striking his teeth
with his tongue in his mouth, by opening and shutting his lips, and by sending
the air struck in his mouth into the outer air, that in this way the sound is
reproduced in order in the ears of the hearer, who then understands his
meaning.
To return to the point. Devils have
no lungs or tongue, though they can show the latter, as well as teeth and lips,
artificially made according to the condition of their body; therefore they
cannot truly and properly speak. But since they have understanding, and when
they wish to express their meaning, then, by some disturbance of the air
included in their assumed body, not of air breathed in and out as in the case
of men, they produce, not voices, but sounds which have some likeness to
voices, and send them articulately through the outside air to the ears of the
hearer. And that the likeness of a voice can be made without respiration of
air is clear from the case of other animals which do not breathe, but are said
to made a sound, as do also certain other instruments, as Aristotle says in
the de Anima. For certain fishes, when they are caught, suddenly utter
a cry outside the water, and die.
All this is applicable to what
follows, so far as the point where we treat of the generative function, but
not as regards good Angels. If anyone wishes to inquire further into the
matter of devils speaking in possessed bodies, he may refer to S. Thomas in
the Second Book of Sentences, dist. 8, art. 5. For in that case they
use the bodily organs of the possessed body; since they occupy those bodies in
respect of the limits of their corporeal quantity, but not in respect of the
limits of their essence, either of the body or of the soul. Observe a
distinction between substance and quantity, or accident. But this is
impertinent.
For now we must say in what manner
they see and hear. Now sight is of two kinds, spiritual and corporeal, and the
former infinitely excels the latter; for it can penetrate, and is not hindered
by distance, owing to the faculty of light of which it makes use. Therefore it
must be said that in no way does an Angel, either good or bad, see with the
eyes of its assumed body, nor does it use any bodily property as it does in
speaking, when it uses the air and the vibration of the air to produce sound
which becomes reproduced in the ears of the hearer. Wherefore their eyes are
painted eyes. And they freely appear to men in these likenesses that they may
manifest to them their natural properties and converse with them spiritually
by these means.
For with this purpose the holy
Angels have often appeared to the Fathers at the command of God and with His
permission. And the bad angels manifest themselves to wicked men in order that
men, recognizing their qualities, may associate themselves with them, here in
sin, and elsewhere in punishment.
S. Dionysius, at the end of his Celestial
Hierarchy, says: In all parts of the human body the Angel teaches us to
consider their properties: concluding that since corporeal vision is an
operation of the living body through a bodily organ, which devils lack,
therefore in their assumed bodies, just as they have the likeness of limbs, so
that have the likeness of their functions.
And we can speak in the same way of
their hearing, which is far finer than that of the body; for it can know the
concept of the mind and the conversation of the soul more subtly than can a
man by hearing the mental concept through the medium of spoken words. See S.
Thomas, the Second Book of Sentences, dist. 8. For if the secret wishes
of a man are read in his face, and physicians can tell the thoughts of the
heart from the heart-beats and the state of the pulse, all the more can such
things be known by devils.
And we may say as to eating, that
in the complete act of eating there are four processes. Mastication in the
mouth, swallowing into the stomach, digestion in the stomach, and fourthly,
metabolism of the necessary nutriment and ejection of what is superflous. All
Angels can perform the first two processes fo eating in their assumed bodies,
but not the third and fourth; but instead of digesting and ejecting they have
another power by which the food is suddenly dissolved in the surrounding
matter. In Christ the process of eating was in all respects complete, since He
had the nutritive and metabolistic powers; not, be it said, for the purpose of
converting food into His own body, for those power were, like His body,
glorified; so that the food was suddenly dissolved in His body, as when one
throws water on to fire.
and how they are Multiplied by this Means.
In answering these two doubts we shall say, as to the former of them, something of the activities of the witches who lived in olden times, about 1400 years before the Incarnation of Our Lord. It is, for example, unknown whether they were addicted to these filthy practises as modern witches have been since that time; for so far as we know history tells us nothing on this subject. But no one who reads the histories can doubt that there have always been witches, and that by their evil works much harm has been done to men, animals, and the fruits of the earth, and that Incubus and Succubus devils have always existed; for the traditions of the Canons and the holy Doctors have left and handed down to posterity many things concerning them through many hundreds of years. Yet there is this difference, that in times long past the Incubus devils used to infest women against their wills, as is often shown by Nider in his Formicarius, and by Thomas of Brabant in his book on the Universal Good, or on Bees.
But the theory that modern witches are tainted with this sort of diabolic filthiness is not substantiated only in our opinion, since the expert testimony of the witches themselves has made all these things credible; and that they do not now, as in times past, subject themselves unwillingly, but willingly embrace this most foul and miserable servitude. For how many women have be left to be punished by secular law in various dioceses, especially in Constance and the town of Ratisbon, who have been for many years addicted to these abominations, some from their twentieth and some from their twelfth or thirteenth year, and always with a total or partial abnegation of the Faith? All the inhabitants of those places are witnesses of it. For without reckoning those who secretly repented, and those who returned to the Faith, no less than forty-eight have been burned in five years. And there was no question of credulity in accepting their stories because they turned to free repentance; for they all agreed in this, namely, that there were bound to indulge in these lewd practices in order that the ranks of their perfidy might be increased. But we shall treat of these individually in the Second Part of this work, where their particular deeds are described; omitting those which came under the notice of our colleague the Inquisitor of Como in the County of Burbia, who in the space of one year, which was the year of grace 1485, caused forty-one witches to be burned; who all publicly affirmed, as it is said, that they had practised these abominations with devils. Therefore this matter is fully substantiated by eye-witnesses, by hearsay, and the testimony of credible witnesses.
As for the second doubt, whether witches had their origin from these abominations, we may say with S. Augustine that it is true that all the superstitious arts had their origin in a pestilent association of men with devils. For he says so in his work On the Christian Doctrine: All this sort of practices, whether of trifling or of noxious superstition, arose from some pestilent association of men with devils, as though some pact of infidel and guileful friendship had been formed, and they are all utterly to be repudiated. Notice here that it is manifest that, as there are various kinds of superstition or magic arts, and various societies of those who practise them; and as among the fourteen kinds of that art the species of witches is the worst, since they have not a tacit but an overt and expressed pact with the devil, and more than this, have to acknowledge a form of devil-worship through abjuring the Faith; therefore it follows that witches hold the worst kind of association with devils, with especial reference to the behaviour of women, who always delight in vain things.
Notice also S. Thomas, the Second Book of Sentences (dist. 4, art. 4), in the solution of an argument, where he asks whether those begotten in this way by devils are more powerful than other men. He answers that this is the truth, basing his belief not only on the text of Scripture in Genesis vi: And the same became the mighty men which were of old; but also on the following reason. Devils know how to ascertain the virtue in semen: first, by the temperament of him from whom the semen is obtained; secondly, by knowing what woman is most fitted for the reception of that semen; thirdly, by knowing what constellation is favourable to that corporeal effect; and we may add, fourthly, from their own words we learn that those whom they beget have the best sort of disposition for devil's work. When all these causes so concur, it is concluded that men born in this way are powerful and big in body.
Therefore, in return to the question whether witches had their origin in these abominations, we shall say that they originated from some pestilent mutual association with devils, as is clear from our first knowledge of them. But no one can affirm with certainty that they did not increase and multiply by means of these foul practices, although devils commit this deed for the sake not of pleasure but of corruption. And this appears to be the order of the process. A Succubus devil draws the semen from a wicked man; and if he is that man's own particular devil, and does not wish to make himself an Incubus to a witch, he passes that semen on to the devil deputed to a woman or witch; and this last, under some constellation that favours his purpose that the man or woman so born should be strong in the practice of witchcraft, becomes the Incubus to the witch.
And it is no objection that those of whom the text speaks were not witches but only giants and famous and powerful men; for, as was said before, witchcraft was not perpetuated in the time of the law of Nature, because of the recent memory of the Creation of the world, which left no room for Idolatry. But when the wickedness of man began to increase, the devil found more opportunity to disseminate this kind of perfidy. Nevertheless, it is not to be understood that those who were said to be famous men were necessarily so called by reason of their good virtues.
But it is asked whether he is able to collect the semen emitted in some nocturnal pollution in sleep, just as he collects that which is spent in the carnal act, the answer is that it is probably that he cannot, though others hold a contrary opinion. For it must be noted that, as has been said, the devils pay attention to the generative virtue of the semen, and such virtue is more abundant and better preserved in semen obtained by the carnal act, being wasted in the semen that is due to nocturnal pollutions in sleep, which arises only from the superfluity of the humours and is not emitted with so great generative virtue. Therefore it is believed that he does not make use of such semen for the generation of progeny, unless perhaps he knows that the necessary virtue is present in that semen.
But this also cannot altogether be denied, that even in the case of a married witch who has been impregnated by her husband, the devil can, by the commixture of another semen, infect that which has been conceived.
And the devils do this for three reasons. First, that in this way witches may become imbued not only with the vice of perfidy through apostasy from the Faith, but also with that of Sacrilege, and that the greater offence may be done to the Creator, and the heavier damnation rest upon the souls of the witches.
The second reason is that when God is so heavily offended, He allows them greater power of injuring even innocent men by punishing them either in their affairs or their bodies. For when it is said: “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father,” etc., this refers only to eternal punishment, for very often the innocent are punished with temporal afflictions on account of the sins of others. Wherefore in another place God says: “I am a mighty and jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers unto the third and fourth generation.” Such punishment was exemplified in the children of the men of Sodom, who were destroyed for their fathers' sins.
The third reason is that they have greater opportunity to observe many people, especially young girls, who on Feast Days are more intent on idleness and curiosity, and are therefore more easily seduced by old witches. And the following happened in the native country of one of us Inquisitors (for there are two of us collaborating in this work).
A certain young girl, a devout virgin, was solicited one Feast Day by an old woman to go with her upstairs to a room where there were some very beautiful young men. And when she consented, and as they were going upstairs with the old woman leading the way, she warned the girl not to make the sign of the Cross. And though she agreed to this, yet she secretly crossed herself. Consequently it happened that, when they had gone up, the virgin saw no one, because the devils who were there were unable to show themselves in assumed bodies to that virgin. And the old woman cursed her, saying: Depart in the name of all the devils; why did you cross yourself? This I had from the frank relation of that good and honest maiden.
A fourth reason can be added, namely, that they can in this way more easily seduce men, by causing them to think that if God permits such things to be done at the most holy times, it cannot be such a heavy sin as if He did not permit them at such times.
With regard to the question whether the favour one place more than another, it is to be said that it is proved by the words and actions of witches that they are quite unable to commit these abominations in sacred places. And in this can be seen the efficacy of the Guardian Angels, that such places are reverenced. And further, witches assert that they never have any peace except at the time of Divine Service when they are present in the church; and therefore they are the first to enter and the last to leave the church. Nevertheless, they are bound to observe certain other abominable ceremonies at the command of the devils, such as to spit on the ground at the Elevation of the Host, or to utter, either verbally or otherwise, the filthiest thoughts, as: I wish you were in such or such a place. This matter is touched upon in the Second Part.
It is certain also that the following has happened. Husbands have actually seen Incubus devils swiving their wives, although they have thought that they were not devils but men. And when they have taken up a weapon and tried to run them through, the devil has suddenly disappeared, making himself invisible. And then their wives have thrown their arms around them, although they have sometimes been hurt, and railed at their husbands, mocking them, and asking them if they had eyes, or whether they were possessed of devils.
If it be asked: Whether the venereal delectation is greater or less with the Incubus devils in assumed bodies than it is in like circumstances with men in a true physical body, we may say this: It seems that, although the pleasure should naturally be greater when like disports with like, yet that cunning Enemy can so bring together the active and passive elements, not indeed naturally, but in such qualities of warmth and temperament, that he seems to excite no less degree of concupiscence. But this matter will be discussed more fully later with reference to the qualities of the feminine sex.
Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, Malleus Maleficorum, 1487
