Cautio Criminalis, or a Book on Witch Trials

Studies in Early Modern German History

by Friedrich Spee, Marcus Hellyer (Introduction)

In 1631, at the epicenter of the worst excesses of the European witch-hunts, Friedrich Spee, a Jesuit priest, published the Cautio Criminalis, a book speaking out against the trials that were sending thousands of innocent people to gruesome deaths. Spee, who had himself ministered to women accused of witchcraft in Germany, had witnessed firsthand the twisted logic and brutal torture used by judges and inquisitors. Combined, these harsh prosecutorial measures led inevitably not only to a confession but to denunciations of supposed accomplices, spreading the circle of torture and execution ever wider. Driven by his priestly charge of enacting Christian charity, or love, Spee sought to expose the flawed arguments and methods used by the witch-hunters. His logic is relentless as he reveals the contradictions inherent in their arguments, showing there is no way for an innocent person to prove her innocence. And, he questions, if the condemned witches truly are guilty, how could the testimony of these servants and allies of Satan be reliable? Spee’s insistence that suspects, no matter how heinous the crimes of which they are accused, possess certain inalienable rights is a timeless reminder for the present day. The Cautio Criminalis is one of the most important and moving works in the history of witch trials and a revealing documentation of one man’s unexpected humanity in a brutal age. Marcus Hellyer’s accessible translation from the Latin makes it available to English-speaking audiences for the first time. Studies in Early Modern German History

Genres: History, Witches, Nonfiction

233 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Lesung vor Acht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diese Schrift bezeugt als Memorial der Zeiten eines der schrecklichsten Verbrechen gegen die Menschheit. Spee argumentiert sachlich und stringent gegen ein Phänomen, das aus heutiger Sicht nur noch als "Wahn" bezeichnet werden kann.
Ein zeitloser Klassiker der Geschichte und der Rechtsphilosophie.

[Paola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo libro vuole essere un consiglio spassionato ai principi dell' epoca che pretendevano di eliminare la stregoneria dal proprio paese lasciando i processi in mano a dei veri e propri carnefici. L'autore dice di aver assistito di persona a tali crudeltà e nonostante non scenda in particolari ci fa capire quanto tutti, a partire da giudici, preti e inquisitori, abusavano della tortura per condannare più gente possibile, senza curarsi di sapere se effettivamente quelle persone erano colpevoli o meno. Questo fatto disturbava molto la sua cristianità, ma sapeva anche che non poteva subito pubblicare quel libro perché, visto a che punto era arrivata questa "purga", temeva di essere additato anche lui come strega e mandato al rogo.
Apprezzo la sua buona volontà, ma per essere preciso il più possibile a metà libro comincia a ripetersi e si fa fatica a concludere.