Chapter VII: Witchcraft

Its Origin in the Fifteenth Century 492

The Sabbat.--Regarded at first as a Diabolic Illusion 493

Adopted by the Church as a Reality 497

Its Ceremonies 500

Power and Malignity of the Witch 501

The Church Helpless to Counteract her Spells 506

Belief Stimulated by Persecution 508

Witches Lose Power when Arrested 509

Secular and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over Witchcraft 511

Inquisitorial Process as Applied to Witchcraft 513

Case of the Witches of the Canavese 518

Case of the Vaudois of Arras 519

Slow Development of the Witchcraft Craze 534

Stimulated by the Inquisition and the Church 538

Influence of the _Malleus Maleficarum_ 543

Opposition to the Inquisition.--France.--Cornelius Agrippa 544

Opposition of Venice.--The Witches of Brescia 546

Terrible Development in the Sixteenth Century 549

CHAPTER VIII.--INTELLECT AND FAITH.

Intellectual Aberrations not Dangerous 550

Theological Tendencies and Development 551

Roger Bacon 552

Nominalism and Realism 555

Rivalry between Philosophy and Theology 557

Averrhoism 558

Toleration in Italy in the Fifteenth Century 565

Modified Averrhoism.--Pomponazio.--Nifo 574

Raymond Lully 578

Evolution of Dogma.--The Beatific Vision 590

The Immaculate Conception 596

Censorship of the Press 612

CHAPTER IX.--CONCLUSION.

Omissions of the Inquisition.--The Greek Heretics 616

Quæstuari, or Pardoners 621

Simony 624

Demoralization of the Church 627

Morals of the Laity 641

Materials for the Improvement of Humanity 645

The Reformation Inevitable 647

Encouraging Advance of Humanity 649

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS 651

INDEX 665

THE INQUISITION.