This is the best known (i.e., the most infamous) of the witch-hunt manuals. Written in Latin, the Malleus was first submitted to the University of Cologne on May 9th, 1487. The title is translated as "The Hammer of Witches". Written by James Sprenger and Henry Kramer (of which little is known), the Malleus remained in use for three hundred years. It had tremendous influence in the witch trials in England and on the continent. This translation is in the public domain.

The Malleus was used as a judicial case-book for the detection and persecution of witches, specifying rules of evidence and the canonical procedures by which suspected witches were tortured and put to death. Thousands of people (primarily women) were judically murdered as a result of the procedures described in this book, for no reason than a strange birthmark, living alone, mental illness, cultivation of medicinal herbs, or simply because they were falsely accused (often for financial gain by the accuser). The Malleus serves as a horrible warning about what happens when intolerence takes over a society.

Although the Malleus is manifestly a document which displays the cruelty, barbarism, and ignorance of the Inquisition, it has also been interpreted as evidence of a wide-spread subterranean pagan tradition which worshiped a pre-Christian horned deity, particularly by Margaret Murray.

Question II

If it be in Accordance with the Catholic Faith to maintain that in Order to bring about some Effect of Magic, the Devil must intimately co-operate with the Witch, or whether one without the other, that is to say, the Devil without the Witch, or conversely, could produce such an Effect.

Question III

Whether Children can be Generated by Incubi and Succubi.

Question IV

By which Devils are the Operations of Incubus and Succubus Practised?

Question V

What is the Source of the Increase of Works of Witchcraft? Whence comes it that the Practice of Witchcraft hath so notably increased?

Question VI

Concerning Witches who copulate with Devils. Why is it that Women are chiefly addicted to Evil superstitions?

Question VII

Whether Witches can Sway the Minds of Men to Love or Hatred.

Question VIII

Whether Witches can Hebetate the Powers of Generation or Obstruct the Venereal Act.

Question IX

Whether Witches may work some Prestidigatory Illusion so that the Male Organ appears to be entirely removed and separate from the Body.

Question X

Whether Witches can by some Glamour Change Men into Beasts.

Question XI

That Witches who are Midwives in Various Ways Kill the Child Conceived in the Womb, and Procure an Abortion; or if they do not this Offer New-born Children to Devils.

Question XII

Whether the Permission of Almighty God is an Accompaniment of Witchcraft.

Question XIII

Herein is set forth the Question, concerning the Two Divine Permissions which God justly allows, namely, that the Devil, the Author or all Evil, should Sin, and that our First Parents should Fall, from which Origins the Works of Witches are justly suffered to take place.

Question XIV

The Enormity of Witches is Considered, and it is shown that the Whole Matter should be rightly Set Forth and Declared.

Question XV

It is Shown that, on Account of the Sins of Witches, the Innocent are often Bewitched, yea, Sometimes even for their Own Sins.

Question XVI

The Foregoing Truths are Set out in Particular, this by a Comparison of the Works of Witches with Other Baleful Superstitions.

Question XVII

A Comparison of their Crimes under Fourteen Heads, with the Sins of the Devils of all and every Kind.

Question XVIII

Here follows the Method of Preaching against and Controverting Five Arguments of Laymen and Lewd Folk, which seem to be Variously Approved, that God does not Allow so Great Power to the Devil and Witches as is involved in the Performance of such Mighty Works of Witchcraft.

Chapter I

Of the several Methods by which Devils through Witches Entice and Allure the Innocent to the Increase of that Horrid Craft and Company.

Chapter II

Of the Way whereby a Formal Pact with Evil is made.

Chapter III

How they are Transported from Place to Place.

Chapter IV

Here follows the Way whereby Witches copulate with those Devils known as Incubi.

Chapter V

Witches commonly perform their Spells through the Sacraments of the Church. And how they Impair the Powers of Generation, and how they may Cause other Ills to happen to God's Creatures of all kinds. But herein we except the Question of the Influence of the Stars.

Chapter VI

How Witches Impede and Prevent the Power of Procreation.

Chapter VII

How, as it were, they Deprive Man of his Virile Member.

Chapter VIII

Of the Manner whereby they Change Men into the Shapes of Beasts.

Chapter IX

How Devils may enter the Human Body and the Head without doing any Hurt, when they cause such Metamorphosis by Means of Prestidigitation.

Chapter X

Of the Method by which Devils through the Operations of Witches sometimes actually possess men.

Chapter XI

Of the Method by which they can Inflict Every Sort of Infirmity, generally Ills of the Graver Kind.

Chapter XII

Of the Way how in Particular they Afflict Men with Other Like Infirmities.

Chapter XIII

How Witch Midwives commit most Horrid Crimes when they either Kill Children or Offer them to Devils in most Accursed Wise.

Chapter XIV

Here followeth how Witches Injure Cattle in Various Ways.

Chapter XV

How they Raise and Stir up Hailstorms and Tempests, and Cause Lightning to Blast both Men and Beasts.

Chapter XVI

Of Three Ways in which Men and Women may be Discovered to be Addicted to Witchcraft: Divided into Three Heads: and First of the Witchcraft of Archers.

Question II

Introduction, wherein is Set Forth the Difficulty of this Question.

Chapter I

The Remedies prescribed by the Holy Church against Incubus and Succubus Devils.

Chapter II

Remedies prescribed for Those who are Bewitched by the Limitation of the Generative Power.

Chapter III

Remedies prescribed for those who are Bewitched by being Inflamed with Inordinate Love or Extraordinary Hatred.

Chapter IV

Remedies presribed for those who by Prestidigitative Art have lost their Virile Members or have seemingly been Transformed into the Shapes of Beasts.

Chapter V

Prescribed Remedies for those who are Obsessed owing to some Spell.

Chapter VI

Prescribed Remedies; to wit, the Lawful Exorcisms of the Church, for all Sorts of Infirmities and Ills due to Witchcraft; and the Method of Exorcising those who are Bewitched.

Chapter VII

Remedies prescribed against Hailstorms, and for animals that are Bewitched.

Chapter VIII

Certain Remedies prescribed against those Dark and Horrid Harms with which Devils may Afflict Men.

Question I

The Method of Initiating a Process

Question II

Of the Number of Witnesses

Question III

Of the Solemn Adjuration and Re-examination of Witnesses

Question IV

Of the Quality and Condition of Witnesses

Question V

Whether Mortal Enemies may be Admitted as Witnesses

Question VI

How the Trial is to be Proceeded with and Continued. And how the Witnesses are to be Examined in the Presence of Four Other Persons, and how the Accused is to be Questioned in Two Ways

Question VII

In Which Various Doubts are Set Forth with Regard to the Foregoing Questions and Negative Answers. Whether the Accused is to be Imprisoned, and when she is to be considered Manifestly Taken in the Foul Heresy of Witchcraft. This is the Second Action

Question VIII

Which Follows from the Preceding Question, Whether the Witch is to be Imprisoned, and of the Method of Taking her. This is the Third Action of the Judge

Question IX

What is to be done after the Arrest, and whether the Names of the Witnesses should be made Known to the Accused. This is the Fourth Action

Question X

What Kind of Defence may be Allowed, and of the Appointment of an Advocate. This is the Fifth Action

Question XI

What Course the Advocate should Adopt when the Names of the Witnesses are not Revealed to him. Ths Sixth Action

Question XII

Of the Same Matter, Declaring more Particularly how the Question of Personal Enmity is to be Investigated. The Seventh Action

Question XIII

Of the Points to be Observed by the Judge before the Formal Examination in the Place of Detention and Torture. This is the Eighth Action

Question XIV

Of the Method of Sentencing the Accused to be Questioned: and How she must be Questioned on the First Day; and Whether she may be Promised her Life. The Ninth Action

Question XV

Of the Continuing of the Torture, and of the Devices and Signs by which the Judge can Recognize a Witch; and how he ought to Protect himself from their Spells. Also how they are to be Shaved in Parts where they use to Conceal the Devil's Masks and Tokens; together with the due Setting Forth of Various Means of Overcoming the Obstinacy in Keeping Silence and Refusal to Confess. And it is the Tenth Action

Question XVI

Of the fit Time and of the Method of the Second Examination. And it is the Eleventh Action, concerning the Final Precautions to be Observed by the Judge

The Third Head

Which is the last Part of this Work. How the Process is to be Concluded by the Pronouncement of a Definite and Just Sentence

Question XVII

Of Common Purgation, and especially of the Trial of Red-hot Iron, to which Witches Appeal

Question XVIII

Of the Manner of Pronouncing a Sentence which is Final and Definitive

Question XIX

Of the Various Degrees of Overt Suspicion which render the Accused liable to be Sentenced

Question XX

Of the Firth Method of Pronouncing Sentence

Question XXI

Of the Second Method of Pronouncing Sentence, when the Accused is no more than Defamed

Question XXII

Of the Third Kind of Sentence, to be Pronounced on one who is Defamed, and who is to be put to the Question

Question XXIII

The Fourth Method of Sentencing, in the Case of one Accused upon a Light Suspicion

Question XXIV

The Fifth Manner of Sentence, in the Case of one under Strong Suspicion

Question XXV

The Sixth Kind of Sentence, in the Case of one who is Gravely Suspect

Question XXVI

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who is both Suspect and Defamed

Question XVII

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy, but is still not Penitent

Question XVIII

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Relapsed, Albeir now Penitent

Question XXIX

The Method of passing Sentence upon one who hath Confessed to Heresy but is Impenitent, although not Relapsed

Question XXX

Of One who has Confessed to Heresy, is Relapsed, and is also Impenitent

Question XXXI

Of One Taken and Convicted, but Denying Everything

Question XXXII

Of One who is Convicted but who hath Fled or who Contumaciously Absents himself

Question XXXIII

Of the Method of passing Sentence upon one who has been Accused by another Witch, who has been or is to be Burned at the Stake

Question XXXIV

Of the Method of passing Sentence upon a Witch who Annuls Spells wrought by Witchcraft; and of Witch Midwives and Archer-Wizards

Question XXXV

Finally, of the Method of passing Sentence upon Witches who Enter or Cause to be Entered an Appeal, whether such be Frivolous or Legitimate and Just