The reader will be happy to find here that practical conclusion to Demoniality.

(Note by the Editor.)

PROBATIO DÆMONIALITATIS

PROOF OF DEMONIALITY

SUMMARIUMSUMMARY
1. De probatione criminis Dæmonialitatis,distinguendum est.1. Distinctions to be made in the proof ofthe crime of Demoniality.
2. Indicia probantia coitum Sagæ cum Diabolo.2. Signs proving the intercourse of a Witchwith the Devil.
3. Requiritur confessio ipsius malefici adplenam probationem.3. The confession of the Sorcerer himself isrequisite for a full eviction.
4. Historia de Moniali habente consuetudinemcum Incubo.4. Tale of a Nun who had an intimacywith an Incubus.
5. Si adsint indicia visa in recitata historia,potest ad torturam deveniri.5. If the indictment is supported by therecitals of eye-witnesses, torture may beresorted to.
1. Quantum ad probationem hujus criminisattinet, distinguendum est de Dæmonialitate,puta, vel ejus, quæ a Sagis seuMaleficis fit cum Diabolis; sive de ea, quæab aliis fit cum Incubis.1. As regards the proof of that crime, adistinction must be made of the kind ofDemoniality, to wit: whether it is thatwhich is practiced by Witches or Wizardswith the Devil, or that which other personsperpetrate with Incubi.
2. Quoad primam, probato crimine pactifacti cum Diabolo, probata remanet Dæmonialitasex consequentia necessaria;nam scopus tum Sagarum, tum Maleficorumin ludis nocturnis, ultra convivia, etchoreas, est hujusmodi infamis congressus:aliter, illius criminis nullus potest essetestis, quia Diabolus, qui Sagæ visibilisest, aliorum oculos effugit. Verum est,quod aliquoties visæ sunt mulieres in sylvis,agris, et nemoribus, supinæ jacentes,ad umbilicum tenus denudatæ, et juxtadispositionem actus venerei, divaricatis etadductis cruribus, clunes agitare, proutscribit Guacc., lib. 1, cap. 12, v. Sciendumest sæpius, fol. 65. Tali casu emergeretsuspicio vehemens talis criminis,dummodo esset aliunde adminiculata, etcrederem talem actum per testes sufficienterprobatum, sufficere Judici ad indagandamtormentis veritatem; et hoc maxime,si post aliqualem moram in illo actu, visusfuisset a muliere elevari quasi fumus niger,et tunc mulierem surgere, prout ibidemscribit Guaccius; talis enim fumus,aut umbra, Dæmonem fuisse concumbentemcum fœmina inferre potest. Sicut etiam, simulier visa fuisset concumbere cum homine,qui post actum de repente evanuit, ut nonsemel accidisse idem auctor ibidem narrat.2. In the first case, the compact enteredinto with the Devil being proved, the evidenceof Demoniality follows as a necessaryconsequence; for, the purpose, bothof Witches and Wizards, in the nightly revelsthat take place after feasting anddancing, is none other but that infamousintercourse; otherwise there can be nowitness of that crime, since the Devil, visibleto the Witch, escapes the sight ofothers. Sometimes, it is true, women havebeen seen in the woods, in the fields, inthe groves, lying on their backs, ad umbilicumtenus nudatæ, et juxta dispositionemactus venerei, their legs divaricatis et adductis,clunes agitare, as is written byGuaccius, book I, chap. 12, v. Sciendumest sæpius, fol. 65. In such a case therewould be a very strong suspicion of sucha crime, if supported by other signs; andI am inclined to believe that such action,sufficiently proved by witnesses, wouldjustify the Judge in resorting to torture inorder to ascertain the truth; especially if,shortly after that action, a sort of blacksmoke had been seen to issue from thewoman, and she had been noticed to rise,as is also written by Guaccius; for it mightbe inferred that that smoke or shadow hadbeen the Devil himself, concumbens cumfœmina. Likewise if, as has more thanonce happened, according to the same author,a woman had been seen concumberecum homine, who, the action over, suddenlydisappeared.
3. Cæterum ad probandum concludenteraliquem esse Maleficum, seu Maleficam,requiritur propria confessio; nullusenim haberi potest de hoc testis, nisi fortesint alii Malefici, qui in judicio deponuntde complicibus; sed quia socii criminissunt, eorum dictum non concludit, necetiam ad torturam sufficit, nisi alia existentindicia, puta, sigillum Diaboli impressumin eorum corpore, prout diximussupra num. 23.; et in eorum domibus,facta perquisitione, inveniant signa, acinstrumenta artis diabolicæ, ut ossa mortuorum,præsertim calvariam; crinesartificiose contextos; nodos plumarumintricatos; alas, aut pedes, aut ossiculavespertilionum, aut bufonum, aut serpentium;ignotas seminum species; figurascereas; vasculos plenos incognito pulvere,aut oleo, aut unguentis minime notis, etc.,ut ordinarie contingit reperiri a Judicibus,qui, accepta accusatione de hujusmodiSagis, ad capturam, et domusvisitationem deveniunt, ut scribit Delbene,de Off. S. Inquis., par. 2. dub. 206,num. 7.3. Moreover, in order to prove conclusivelythat a person is a Wizard or a Witch,the own confession of such person is requisite:for there can be no witnesses tothe fact, unless perhaps other Sorcerersgiving evidence at the trial against theiraccomplices; from their being confederatesin the crime, their statement is not conclusiveand does not justify the recourseto torture, should not other indications beforthcoming, such as the seal of the Devilstamped on their body, as aforesaid, Nr 23,or the finding in their dwelling, after asearch, of signs and instruments of thediabolic art: for instance, bones and, especially,a skull, hair artfully plaited, intricateknots of feathers, wings, feet orbones of bats, toads or serpents, unfamiliarseeds, wax figures, vessels filled withunknown powder, oil or ointments, etc., asare usually detected by Judges who, upona charge being brought against Sorcerers,proceed to their apprehension and thesearch of their houses.
4. Quantum vero ad probationem congressuscum Incubo, par est difficultas;non minus enim Incubus, ac alii Diabolieffugiunt, quando volunt, visum aliorum,ut videri se faciunt a sola amasia. Tamennon raro accidit, quod etiam visi sint Incubimodo sub una, modo sub alia speciein actu carnali cum mulieribus.4. The proof of intimacy with an Incubusoffers the same difficulty; for, no lessthan other Demons, the Incubus is, atwill, invisible to all but his mistress. Yet,it has not seldom happened that Incubihave allowed themselves to be surprisedin the act of carnal intercourse with women,now in one shape, now in another.
In quodam Monasterio (nomen ejus eturbis taceo, ne veterem ignominiam memoriærefricem) quædam fuit Monialis,quæ cum alia Moniali, quæ cellam habebatsuæ contiguam, simultatem ex levibus causis,ut assolet inter mulieres, maxime Religiosas,habebat. Hæc sagax in observandoquascumque actiones Monialis sibi adversæ,per plures dies vidit, quod ista indiebus æstivis, statim a prandio non spatiabaturper viridarium cum aliis, sed abiis sequestra, se retrahebat in cellam, quamsera obserabat. Observatrix igitur æmulacuriositate investigans, quid tali temporeilla facere posset, etiam ipsa in propriamcellam se recipiebat; cæpit autem audiresubmissam quasi duorum insimul colloquentiumvocem (quod facile erat, namcella parvo simplicis, scilicet lateris unius,disterminio dividebatur), mox sonitum poppysmatum[4],concussionis lecti, gannitus,ac anhelitus, quasi duorum concubentium;unde aucta in æmula curiositate stetit inobservatione, ut sciret, quinam in illa cellaessent. Postquam autem per tres vices vidit,nullam aliam Monialem egressam ecella illa, præter æmulam, dominam cellæ,suspicata est Monialem in camera absconditumaliquem virum, clanculum introductum,retinere; unde et rem detulit ad Abbatissam,quæ consilio habito cum discretis,voluit audire sonitus, et observare indiciarelata ab accusatrice, ne præcipitanter etinconsiderate ageret. Abbatissa igitur cumdiscretis se receperunt in cellam observatricis,et audierunt strepitus, et voces,quas accusatrix detulerat. Facta igiturinquisitione, an ulla Monialium potuissetsecum in illa cella clausa esse, et repertoquod non, Abbatissa cum discretis fuit adostium cellæ clausæ; et pulsato frustrapluries ostio, cum Monialis nec respondere,nec aperire vellet, Abbatissa minataest, se velle ostium prosterni facere, etvecte aggredi opus fecit a quadam conversa.Tunc aperuit ostium Monialis, etfacta perquisitione, nullus inventus est incamera. Interrogata Monialis cum quonamloqueretur, et de causa concussionislecti, anhelituum, etc., omnia negavit.In a Monastery (I mention neither itsname nor that of the town where it lies,so as not to recall to memory a past scandal),there was a Nun, who, about trifles,as is usual with women and especiallywith nuns, had quarrelled with one of hermates who occupied a cell adjoining tohers. Quick at observing all the doings ofher enemy, this neighbour noticed, severaldays in succession, that instead ofwalking with her companions in the gardenafter dinner she retired to her cell,where she locked herself in. Anxious toknow what she could be doing there allthat time, the inquisitive Nun betook herselfalso to her cell. Soon she heard asound, as of two voices conversing in subduedtones, which she could easily do,since the two cells were divided but by aslight partition), then a peculiar friction[4],the cracking of a bed, groans and sighs,quasi duorum concumbentium; her curiositywas raised to the highest pitch, and she redoubledher attention in order to ascertainwho was in the cell. But having, three timesrunning, seen no other nun come outbut her rival, she suspected that a manhad been secretly introduced and waskept hidden there. She went and reportedthe thing to the Abbess, who, after holdingcounsel with discreet persons, resolvedupon hearing the sounds and observingthe indications that had been denouncedher, so as to avoid any precipitate or inconsiderateact. In consequence, the Abbess andher confidents repaired to the cell of thespy, and heard the voices and other noisesthat had been described. An inquiry wasset on foot to make sure whether any ofthe Nuns could be shut in with the otherone; and the result being in the negative,the Abbess and her attendants went to thedoor of the closed cell, and knocked repeatedly,but to no purpose: the Nunneither answered, nor opened. The Abbessthreatened to have the door broken in,and even ordered a convert to force itwith a crow-bar. The Nun then openedher door: a search was made and no onefound. Being asked with whom she hadbeen talking, and the why and whereforeof the bed cracking, of the sighs, etc.,she denied every thing.
Cum vero res perseveraret, accuratior,ac curiosior reddita Monialis æmula perforavittabulas lacunaris, ut posset cellamintrospicere; et vidit elegantem quemdamjuvenem cum Moniali concumbentem, quemetiam eodem modo ab aliis Monialibus videndumcuravit. Delata mox accusationead Episcopum, ipsaque Moniali omnianegante, tandem metu tormentorum comminatorumadacta, confessa est se cumIncubo consuetudinem habuisse.But, matters going on just the same asbefore, the rival Nun, become more attentiveand more inquisitive than ever, contrivedto bore a hole through the partition,so as to be able to see what wasgoing on inside the cell; and what shouldshe see but an elegant youth lying withthe Nun, and the sight of whom she tookcare to let the others enjoy by the samemeans. The charge was soon broughtbefore the bishop: the guilty Nun endeavouredstill to deny all; but, threatenedwith the torture, she confessed havinghad an intimacy with an Incubus.
5. Quando igitur adessent talia indicia,sicut in recitata historia intervenerunt,posset utique in rigoroso examine reaconstitui; sine tamen ejus confessione, noncensendum est delictum plene probatum,quantumvis a testibus visus fuisset congressus;siquidem aliquando accidit, quodDiabolus, ut infamiam alicui innocentipararet, præstigiose talem concubitum repræsentaverit.Unde in his casibus debetJudex Ecclesiasticus esse perfecte oculatus.5. When, therefore, indications are forthcoming,such as those recited above, acharge might be brought after a searchinginquiry; yet, without the confession of theaccused, the offence should not be regardedas fully proved, even if the intercoursewere testified by eye-witnesses; for it sometimeshappens that, in order to undo aninnocent female, the Devil feigns such intercourseby means of some delusion. Inthose cases, the Ecclesiastical Judge mustconsequently trust but his own eyes.

PŒNÆ

PENALTIES

Quantum ad pœnas Dæmonialitatis, nullalex civilis, aut canonica, quam legerim,reperitur, quæ pœnam sanciat contra crimenhujusmodi. Tamen, quia crimen hocsupponit pactum, ac societatem cum Dæmone,ac apostasiam a fide, ultra veneficia,atque alia infinita propemodum damna,quæ a Maleficis inferuntur, regulariter, extraItaliam, suspendio et incendio punitur.In Italia autem, rarissime traduntur hujusmodiMalefici ab Inquisitoribus Curiæsæculari.As regards the penalties applicable toDemoniality, there is no law that I knowof, either civil or canonical, which inflictsa punishment for a crime of that kind.Since, however, such a crime implies a compactand fellowship with the Demon, andapostasy of the faith, not to speak of themalefices and other almost numberlessoutrages perpetrated by Sorcerers, as arule it is punished, out of Italy, by the gallowsand the stake. But, in Italy, it isbut very seldom that offenders of thatkind are delivered up by the Inquisitorsto the secular power.