EverywhereincontinentalEuropethismadpersecutionwenton；
butitisapleasuretosaythatonegreatchurchman，PopeClementVI，stoodagainstthispopularunreason，and，sofarashecouldbringhisinfluencetobearonthemaddenedpopulace，exerciseditinfavourofmercytothesesupposedenemiesoftheAlmighty。[331]
[331]ForanearlyconceptioninIndiaoftheDivinityactingthroughmedicine，seeTheBhagavadgita，translatedbyTelang，p。
82，inMaxMuller’sSacredBooksoftheEast。Forthenecessityofreligiousmeansofsecuringknowledgeofmedicine，seetheAnugita，translatedbyTelang，inMaxMuller’sSacredBooksoftheEast，p。388。ForancientPersianideasofsicknessassentbythespiritofevilandtobecuredbyspells，butnotexcludingmedicineandsurgery，andforsicknessgenerallyascausedbytheevilprincipleindemons，seetheZend-Avesta，Darmesteter’stranslation，introduction，passim，butespeciallyp。xciii。Fordiseaseswroughtbywitchcraft，seethesame，pp。
230，293。Onthepreferencesofspellsinhealingovermedicineandsurgery，seeZend-Avesta，vol。i，pp。85，86。ForhealingbymagicinancientGreece，see，e。g。，thecureofUlyssesintheOdyssey，“Theystoppedtheblackbloodbyaspell“Odyssey，xxix，457。FormedicineinEgyptaspartlypriestlyandpartlyinthehandsofphysicians，seeRawlinson’sHerodotus，vol。ii，p。136，note。ForideasofcuringofdiseasebyexpulsionofdemonsstillsurvivingamongvarioustribesandnationsofAsia，seeJ。G。Frazer，TheGoldenBough：aStudyofComparativeReligion，London，1890，pp。184-192。FortheFlagellantsandtheirprocessionsatthetimeoftheBlackDeath，seeLea，HistoryoftheInquisition，NewYork，1888，vol。ii，pp。381etseq。ForthepersecutionoftheJewsintimeofpestilence，seeibid。，p。379andfollowing，withauthoritiesinthenotes。FortheexpulsionoftheJewsfromPadua，seetheActaSanctorum，September，tom。viii，p。893。
Yet，aslateas1527，thepeopleofPavia，beingthreatenedwithplague，appealedtoSt。BernardinoofFeltro，whoduringhislifehadbeenafierceenemyoftheJews，andtheypassedadecreepromisingthatifthesaintwouldavertthepestilencetheywouldexpeltheJewsfromthecity。Thesaintapparentlyacceptedthebargain，andinduetimetheJewswereexpelled。
Astowitches，thereasonsforbelievingthemthecauseofpestilencealsocamefromfar。Thisbelief，too，hadbeenpouredmainlyfromOrientalsourcesintooursacredbooksandthenceintotheearlyChurch，andwasstrengthenedbyawholelineofChurchauthorities，fathers，doctors，andsaints；but，aboveall，bythegreatbull，SummisDesiderantes，issuedbyPopeInnocentVIII，in1484。ThisutterancefromtheseatofSt。
PeterinfalliblycommittedtheChurchtotheideathatwitchesareagreatcauseofdisease，storms，andvariousillswhichafflicthumanity；andtheScriptureonwhichtheactionrecommendedagainstwitchesinthispapalbull，aswellasinsomanysermonsandtreatisesforcenturiesafterward，wasbased，wasthefamoustext，“Thoushaltnotsufferawitchtolive。”
Thisideapersistedlong，andtheevolutionofitisamongthemostfearfulthingsinhumanhistory。[332]
[332]Ontheplaguesgenerally，seeHecker，EpidemicsoftheMiddleAges，passim；butespeciallyHaeser，asabove，III。Band，pp。1-202；alsoSprengel，Baas，Isensee，etal。Forbriefstatementshowingtheenormouslossoflifeintheseplagues，seeLittre，MedecineetMedecins，Paris，1875，pp。3etseq。ForasummaryoftheeffectsoftheBlackPlaguethroughoutEngland，seeGreen’sShortHistoryoftheEnglishPeople，chap。v。ForthemortalityintheParishospitals，seeDesmazes，Supplices，PrisonsetGracesenFrance，Paris1866。Forstrikingdescriptionsofplague-strickencities，seethewell-knownpassagesinThucydides，Boccaccio，DeFoe，and，aboveall，Manzoni’sPromessiSposi。Forexamplesofavertingtheplaguesbyprocessions，seeLeopoldDelisle，EtudessurlaConditiondelaClasseAgricole，etc。，enNormandieauMoyenAge，p。630；alsoFort，chap。xxiii。FortheangerofSt。SebastianasacauseoftheplagueatRome，anditscessationwhenamonumenthadbeenerectedtohim，seePaulusDiaconus，citedinGregorovius，vol。
ii。p。165。ForthesacrificeofanoxintheColosseumtotheancientgodsasameansofavertingtheplagueof1522，atRome，seeGregorovius，vol。viii，p。390。AstomassacresoftheJewsinordertoavertthewrathofGodinpestilence，seeL’EcoleetlaScience，Paris，1887，p。178；alsoHecker，andespeciallyHoeniger，GangundVerbreitungdesSchwarzenTodesinDeutschalnd，Berlin，1889。ForalonglistoftownsinwhichburningsofJewstookplaceforthisimaginarycause，seepp。
7-11。Astoabsolutewantofsanitaryprecautions，seeHecker，p。292。Astocondemnationbystrongreligionistsofmedicalmeansintheplague，seeFort，p。130。ForadetailedaccountoftheactionofPopesEugeneIV，InnocentVIII，andotherpopes，againstwitchcraft，ascribingtoitstormsanddiseases，andforthebullSummisDesiderantes，seethechaptersonMeteorologyandMagicinthisseries。ThetextofthebullisgivenintheMalleusMaleficarum，inBinsfield，andinRoskoff，GeschichtedesTeufels，Leipzig，1869，vol。i，pp。222-225，andagoodsummaryandanalysisofitinSoldan，GeschichtederHexenprocesse。Foraconciseandadmirablestatementofthecontentsandeffectsofthebull，seeLea，HistoryoftheInquisition，vol。iii，pp。40
etseq。；andforthebeststatementknowntomeofthegeneralsubject，Prof。GeorgeL。Burr’spaperonTheLiteratureofWitchcraft，readbeforetheAmericanHistoricalAssociationatWashington，1890。
InGermanyitsdevelopmentwasespeciallyterrible。Fromthemiddleofthesixteenthcenturytothemiddleoftheseventeenth，CatholicandProtestanttheologiansandecclesiasticsviedwitheachotherindetectingwitchesguiltyofproducingsicknessorbadweather；womenweresenttotortureanddeathbythousands，andwiththem，fromtimetotime，menandchildren。OntheCatholicsidesufficientwarrantforthisworkwasfoundinthebullofPopeInnocentVIII，andthebishops’palacesofsouthGermanybecameshambles，——thelordlyprelatesofSalzburg，Wurzburg，andBambergtakingtheleadinthisbutchery。
InnorthGermanyProtestantismwasjustasconscientiouslycruel。
ItbaseditstheoryandpracticetowardwitchesdirectlyupontheBible，andaboveallonthegreattextwhichhascostthelivesofsomanymyriadsofinnocentmen，women，andchildren，“Thoushaltnotsufferawitchtolive。”NaturallytheProtestantauthoritiesstrovetoshowthatProtestantismwasnolessorthodoxinthisrespectthanCatholicism；andsuchtheologicaljuristsasCarpzov，Damhouder，andCalovdidtheirworkthoroughly。AneminentauthorityonthissubjectestimatesthenumberofvictimsthussacrificedduringthatcenturyinGermanyaloneatoverahundredthousand。
AmongthemethodsofthiswitchactivityespeciallycreditedincentralandsouthernEuropewastheanointingofcitywallsandpavementswithadiabolicalunguentcausingpestilence。In1530
MichaelCaddowasexecutedwithfearfultorturesforthusbesmearingthepavementsofGeneva。ButfarmoredreadfulwasthetorturingtodeathofalargebodyofpeopleatMilan，inthefollowingcentury，forproducingtheplaguebyanointingthewalls；andalittlelatersimilarpunishmentsforthesamecrimewereadministeredinToulouseandothercities。ThecaseinMilanmaybebrieflysummarizedasshowingtheideasonsanitaryscienceofallclasses，fromhighesttolowest，intheseventeenthcentury。ThatcitywasthenunderthecontrolofSpain；and，itsauthoritieshavingreceivednoticefromtheSpanishGovernmentthatcertainpersonssuspectedofwitchcrafthadrecentlyleftMadrid，andhadperhapsgonetoMilantoanointthewalls，thiscommunicationwasdweltuponinthepulpitsasanotherevidenceofthatSatanicmalicewhichtheChurchalonehadthemeansofresisting，andthepeoplewerethusexcitedandputuponthealert。Onemorning，intheyear1630，anoldwoman，lookingoutofherwindow，sawamanwalkingalongthestreetandwipinghisfingersuponthewalls；sheimmediatelycalledtheattentionofanotheroldwoman，andtheyagreedthatthismanmustbeoneofthediabolicalanointers。Itwasperfectlyevidenttoapersonunderordinaryconditionsthatthisunfortunatemanwassimplytryingtoremovefromhisfingerstheinkgatheredwhilewritingfromtheink-hornwhichhecarriedinhisgirdle；butthisexplanationwastoosimpletosatisfythosewhofirstobservedhimorthosewhoafterwardtriedhim：amobwasraisedandhewasthrownintoprison。Beingtortured，heatfirstdidnotknowwhattoconfess；but，oninquiringfromthejailerandothers，helearnedwhatthechargewas，and，onbeingagainsubjectedtotortureutterlybeyondendurance，heconfessedeverythingwhichwassuggestedtohim；and，onbeingtorturedagainandagaintogivethenamesofhisaccomplices，heaccused，athazard，thefirstpeopleinthecitywhomhethoughtof。
These，beingarrestedandtorturedbeyondendurance，confessedandimplicatedastillgreaternumber，untilmembersoftheforemostfamilieswereincludedinthecharge。Againandagainalltheseunfortunatesweretorturedbeyondendurance。Underpaganism，theruleregardingtorturehadbeenthatitshouldnotbecarriedbeyondhumanendurance；andwethereforefindCiceroridiculingitasameansofdetectingcrime，becauseastalwartcriminalofstrongnervesmightresistitandgofree，whileaphysicallydelicateman，thoughinnocent，wouldbeforcedtoconfess。Henceitwasthatunderpaganismalimitwasimposedtothetorturewhichcouldbeadministered；but，whenChristianityhadbecomepredominantthroughoutEurope，torturewasdevelopedwithacrueltyneverbeforeknown。Therehadbeenevolvedadoctrineof“exceptedcases“——these“exceptedcases“beingespeciallyheresyandwitchcraft；forbyaverysimpleandlogicalprocessoftheologicalreasoningitwasheldthatSatanwouldgivesupernaturalstrengthtohisspecialdevotees——thatis，tohereticsandwitches——andthereforethat，indealingwiththem，thereshouldbenolimittothetorture。Theresultwasinthisparticularcase，asintensofthousandsbesides，thattheaccusedconfessedeverythingwhichcouldbesuggestedtothem，andofteninthedeliriumoftheiragonyconfessedfarmorethanallthatthezealoftheprosecutorscouldsuggest。Finally，agreatnumberofworthypeopleweresentencedtothemostcrueldeathwhichcouldbeinvented。Therecordsoftheirtrialsanddeathsarefrightful。Thetreatisewhichinrecentyearshasfirstbroughttolightinconnectedformanauthenticaccountoftheproceedingsinthisaffair，andwhichgivesattheendengravingsoftheaccusedsubjectedtohorribletorturesontheirwaytothestakeandattheplaceofexecutionitself，isoneofthemostfearfulmonumentsoftheologicalreasoningandhumanfolly。
Tocaptheclimax，afterapoorapothecaryhadbeentorturedintoaconfessionthathehadmadethemagicointment，andwhenhehadbeenputtodeathwiththemostexquisiterefinementsoftorture，hisfamilywereobligedtotakeanothername，andweredrivenoutfromthecity；hishousewastorndown，andonitssitewaserected“TheColumnofInfamy。”whichremainedonthisspotuntil，towardtheendoftheeighteenthcentury，apartyofyoungradicals，probablyinfluencedbythereadingofBeccaria，salliedforthonenightandleveledthispiousmonumenttotheground。
HereinwasseentheculminationanddeclineofthebullSummisDesiderantes。IthadbeenissuedbyhimwhomamajorityoftheChristianworldbelievestobeinfallibleinhisteachingstotheChurchasregardsfaithandmorals；yetherewasadeliberateutteranceinamatteroffaithandmoralswhichevenchildrennowknowtobeutterlyuntrue。ThoughBeccaria’sbookonCrimesandPunishments，withitsdeclarationsagainsttorture，wasplacedbytheChurchauthoritiesupontheIndex，andthoughthefaithfulthroughouttheChristianworldwereforbiddentoreadit，eventhiscouldnotpreventthevictoryoftruthoverthisinfallibleutteranceofInnocentVIII。[333]
[333]AstothefearfuleffectsofthepapalbullSummisDesiderantesinsouthGermany，astotheProtestantseveritiesinnorthGermany，astotheimmensenumberofwomenandchildrenputtodeathforwitchcraftinGermanygenerallyforspreadingstormsandpestilence，andastothemonstrousdoctrineof“exceptedcases。”seethestandardauthoritiesonwitchcraft，especiallyWachter，BeitragezurGeschichtedesStrafrechts，Soldan，Horst，Hauber，andLangin；alsoBurr，asabove。InanotherseriesofchaptersonTheWarfareofHumanitywithTheology，Ihopetogomorefullyintothesubject。ForthemagicspreadingoftheplagueatMilan，seeManzoni，IPromessiSposiandLaColonnaInfame；andfortheoriginofthecharges，withallthedetailsofthetrail，seethePrecessoOriginaledegliUntori，Milan，1839，passim，butespeciallythelargefoldingplateattheend，exhibitingthetortures。Fortheafter-historyoftheColumnofInfamy，andfortheplacingofBeccaria’sbookontheIndex，seeCantu，VitadiBeccaria。Forthemagicspreadingoftheplagueingeneral，seeLittre，pp。492andfollowing。