[545] Concil. Trevirens. ann. 1310 c. 81 (Martene Thes. IV. 257).—Concil. Ambianens. c. 1410 cap. iii. No. 8 (Martene Ampl. Coll. VII. 1241).—Eymeric. p. 341.—Alonso de Spina, Fortalic. Fidei, fol. 284.—Albertini Repertor. Inquisit. s. v. Xorguinœ.
[546] Thom. Cantimprat. Bonum universal. Lib. II. c. 56.—Alonso de Spina, Fortalic. Fidei, fol. 284.—Bern. Basin de Artibus Magicis.—Ulric. Molitor. de Python. Mulierib. Conclus. IV.—Th. Cantimprat. ubi sup.—Mall. Maleficar. P. ii. Q. i. c. 3.—Prieriat. de Strigimag. Lib. i. c. xiv., Lib. ii. c. 1.
Friar Thomas gives circumstantial contemporary instances occurring in Flanders, where women were carried away and their images were on the point of burial, when the deception was accidentally discovered, and the images, on being cut open, were found to consist of rotten wood covered with skin. He admits his inability to explain these cases, and says that on consulting Albertus Magnus about them the latter evaded a positive answer (Bonum universale, ubi sup.).
[547] Fr. Nich. Jaquerii Flagellum Hæret. Fascinar. c. vii., xxviii.—Mall. Malef. P. I. Q. i. c. 10; P. II. Q. i. c. 3, 9.—G.F. Pico della Mirandola, La Strega, Milano, 1864, pp. 61, 73.—Bernardi Comensis de Strigiis c. 3-6.
[548] Ponzinib. de Lamiis c. 49, 50, 52-3, 61-3, 65-6.—Prieriat. de Strigimagar. Lib. II. c. 1.
Paramo (De Orig. Offic. S. Inq. p. 296) also adopts the date of 1404 as that of the origin of the sect of witches. This is probably founded on confusing Innocent VIII., who commenced to reign in 1484, with Innocent VII., who began in 1404. In the former’s bull Summis desiderantes, dated in his first regnal year, he speaks of witches as a new sect, and Prierias refers this to 1404.
[549] Ponzinib. de Lamiis c. 65.—Bart. Spinei de Strigibus, p. 175, Romæ, 1575.
[550] Mémoires de Jacques du Clercq, Liv. IV. ch. 4.—Chron. Cornel. Zantfliet ann. 1460 (Martene Ampl. Coll. V. 502).—Bernardi Comensis de Strigiis c. 3.—Prieriat. de Strigimag. Lib. I. c. 2, 14; Lib. II. c. 1, 4.
[551] Mall. Maleficar. P. II. Q. i. c. 2, 4, 11, 15; Q. ii. c. 4.—Prieriat. de Strigimag. Lib. II. c. 7, 9.—Ulric. Molitor. de Python. Mulierib.—Ripoll III. 193.—Pico della Mirandola, La Strega, pp. 84-5.—Bernardi Comens. de Strigiis c. 7.
It is the universal testimony of the demonologists that vastly more women than men were thus involved in the toils of the Devil. To explain this, Sprenger indulges in a most bitter tirade against women, and piously thanks God for preserving the male sex from such wickedness (Mall. Malef. P. I. Q. vii.).