312:
duty. They are arresting only people who have been implicated by the confession of other witches."' The Duke then led the
Jesuits to a woman being stretched on the rack and asked her, "You are a confessed witch. I suspect these two men of being warlocks. What do you say? Another turn of the rack, executioners." "No, no!" screamed the woman. "You are quite right. I have often seen .. . They can turn themselves into goats, wolves, and other animals. ... Several witches have had children by them. ... The children had heads like toads and legs like spiders." The Duke then asked the Jesuits. "Shall I put you to the torture until you confess, my friends?" Spee thanked God he had been led to this insight by a friend, not an enemy.
437:
163:
33:
258:
128:
337:
582:
740:. Note, Marcus Hellyer (2003) translates this line in the index as "doubts or questions of this book" but thereafter translates Spee's use of "Dubium" as the somewhat milder choice of "Question" i.e. "Dubium I" becomes "Question I" instead of "Doubt I." Here we are following Gerhard Schormann in leaving it in the Latin i.e. "Dubium 9" see
400:
so vehemently against sorcerers in their towns and villages are not at all aware and do not notice or foresee that once they have begun to clamor for torture, every person tortured must denounce several more. The trials will continue, so eventually the denunciations will inevitably reach them and
311:
Spee was reportedly brought to this awareness by the Duke of
Brunswick, who invited Spee and another famous Jesuit scholar to supervise a continuation of the torture of a confessed witch. The Jesuits had previously carefully studied the issues and 'told the Duke, "The Inquisitors are doing their
307:"If the reader will allow me to say something here, I confess that I myself have accompanied several women to their deaths in various places over the years and I am now so certain of their innocence that I feel there's no effort that would not be worth my undertaking to try to reveal this truth."
413:
helped bring an end to witch-hunting. The moral impact created by the publication was considerable. Already within the 17th century, a number of new editions and translations had appeared. Among the members of Spee's Jesuit order, his treatise found a favorable reception.
786:*Note, per Marcus Hellyer, this edition may have been anonymously shepherded into print by Spee working with a printer in Cologne (not Frankfurt). For publication history both of the Rinteln 1631 edition and of the Frankfurt (= Cologne) 1632 edition, see Frank Sobiech:
444:
Spee wrote the lyrics and tunes of dozens of hymns, and is still the most heavily attributed author in German
Catholic hymnals today. Although an anonymous hymnist during his lifetime, today he is credited with several popular works including the
73:, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Knowledge.
391:
Spee was particularly concerned about cases where a person was tortured and forced to denounce (accuse) accomplices, who were then tortured and forced to denounce more accomplices, until everyone was under suspicion:
383:(Dubium 44) That accusations against alleged accomplices stemming from torture were of little value: either the tortured person was innocent, in which case she had no accomplices, or she was really in league with the
315:
Spee wrote in direct opposition to many of the most well-known witch-mongers of his time and, like those works and most others in the demonological lineage going back to the 15th century, Spee also wrote in Latin.
280:(Rivaling the Nightingale), a collection of fifty to sixty sacred songs, which take a prominent place among religious lyrics of the 17th century and have been repeatedly printed and updated through the present.
380:(Dubium 31) Documents the barbarous cruelty, and sexual assaults on women, brought on by the practice of strip- searching and fully shaving every part of prisoner's body prior to the first session of torture.
298:
and attributed to an "unknown Roman theologian ." It is based on his own experiences in the time and place (along the Rhine) that experienced some of the most intense and fatal witch-hunts, notably the
241:
in 1629. He resumed his activity as professor and priest at
Paderborn and later at Cologne, and in 1633 removed to Trier. During the storming of the city by the imperial forces in March 1635 (in the
268:
Spee's literary activity was largely confined to the last years of his life, the details of which are relatively obscure. Two of his works were not published until after his death:
154:, and as an eyewitness he gathered a book full of details regarding its cruelty and unreliability. He wrote, "Torture has the power to create witches where none exist."
332:, and others... since virtually every one of their teachings concerning witches is based on no other foundations than fables or confessions extracted through torture."
76:
Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article.
348:
Spee pleaded for measures of reform, such as a new German imperial law on the subject, and liability to damages on the part of the judges.
498:
249:
infection contracted while ministering to wounded soldiers in a hospital. His name is often incorrectly cited as "Friedrich von Spee".
147:
884:
825:
150:
and one who was an insider writing from the epicenter of the
European witch-phobia. Spee argued strongly against the use of
925:
377:(Dubium 27) That torture does not produce truth, since those who wish to stop their own suffering can stop it with lies.
877:
Jesuit Prison
Ministry in the Witch Trials of the Holy Roman Empire. Friedrich Spee SJ and his Cautio Criminalis (1631)
790:, (Bibliotheca Instituti Historici Societatis Iesu, 80). Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu, Rome 2019, pp. 106-164.
788:
Jesuit Prison
Ministry in the Witch Trials of the Holy Roman Empire. Friedrich Spee SJ and his Cautio Criminalis (1631)
84:
17:
910:
631:
478:
450:
352:
contains 51 "doubts" which Spee discussed and carefully de-constructed. Amongst his more notable conclusions were:
97:
Content in this edit is translated from the existing German
Knowledge article at ]; see its history for attribution.
303:, during which Spee was present. Spee was present as a Jesuit confessor during sessions of torture and executions.
667:
Frank
Wegerhoff, Heiko SchÀfer, WDR-Fernseh-Dokumentation: Vorfahren gesucht - Wolfgang Niedecken; Rainer Decker,
848:
767:
537:
458:
294:
is a passionate plea on behalf of those accused of witchcraft. The book was first printed anonymously in 1631 at
940:
920:
436:
879:, (Bibliotheca Instituti Historici Societatis Iesu, 80). Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu, Rome 2019,
474:
401:
their families, since, as I warned above, no end will be found until everyone has been burned." (Dubium 15)
706:
320:"I pronounce from my soul that for a long time I have not known what trust I can place in those authors,
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367:(Dubium 20) That most prisoners will confess to anything under torture in order to stop the pain.
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424:(1692) refers favorably to the work of the Jesuit Spee. Limborch was close with the Englishman
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confessing under torture (i.e. having employed the so-called "sorcery of silence") is absurd.
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245:), he distinguished himself in the care of the suffering, and died soon afterwards of a
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Friedrich Spee zum 400 Geburtstag. Kolloquium der
Friedrich-Spee-Gesellschaft Trier
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Pinker (2011, pp. 138-139). Mannix (1964, pp. 134-135). McKay ( 2009, p. 320).
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626:(1631), translated by Marcus Hellyer. University of Virginia Press, 2003.
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priest, professor, and poet, most well known as a forceful opponent of
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to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is
736:"Dubiorum seu Qaeestionum huius Libri." Cautio Criminalis (1632) see
227:
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Memoirs of extraordinary popular delusions and the madness of crowds
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in 1610, and pursued extensive studies and activity as a teacher at
585: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
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Neue Quellen zu Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld und seiner Familie
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364:, the enormity of the crime making this all the more important.
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387:, in which case her denunciations could not be trusted either.
272:(Golden Book of Virtues), a book of devotion highly prized by
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The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined
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German postage stamp honoring Spee's 400th birthday (1991)
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of the Latin edition. For English translation see below.
489:
Other prominent contemporary critics of witch hunts:
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473:" widely used with the 20th-century English texts "
142:; February 25, 1591 â August 7, 1635) was a German
671:, in: WestfÀlische Zeitschrift 165 (2015) S. 160f.
601:. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
356:(Dubium 17) That the accused should be provided a
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91:accompanying your translation by providing an
57:Click for important translation instructions.
44:expand this article with text translated from
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683:(in German). Paderborn: Gunther Franz, 2001.
624:Cautio Criminalis, or a Book on Witch Trials
462:
428:as the two pushed for religious toleration.
420:was a Dutch Protestant but his influential
237:An attempt to assassinate Spee was made at
766:1731 English translation of Limborch, see
344:, attributed to "unknown Roman theologian"
696:from Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Muenchen
649:vis tormentorum parit Sagas quae non sunt
636:translator's introduction (pp. viiâxxxvi)
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222:in 1624. From 1626 he taught at Speyer,
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370:(Dubium 25) Condemning the accused for
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178:. On finishing his early education at
709:. For Hellyer's translation see p.39.
638:contains many details on Spee's life.
226:, Trier and Cologne, and preached at
784:Cautio Criminalis, 2nd Edition, 1632
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26:
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479:All Creatures of Our God and King
595:. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
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103:{{Translated|de|Friedrich Spee}}
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459:Vom Himmel hoch, o Engel, kommt
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451:O Heiland, reiĂ die Himmel auf
101:You may also add the template
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140:Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld
705:Spee, Question (Dubium) XI,
475:Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones
396:"Many people who incite the
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926:17th-century German Jesuits
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422:History of the Inquisition
210:, where he was ordained a
65:Machine translation, like
742:Der Krieg gegen die Hexen
707:Reason (Ratio) III, p. 50
591:Hermann Cardauns (1912).
463:
405:
46:the corresponding article
911:Critics of witch hunting
727:Spee trans Hellyer p. 83
495:Gianfrancesco Ponzinibio
469:", and the Easter hymn "
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220:University of Paderborn
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112:For more guidance, see
818:The history of torture
532:Alonso Salazar y Frias
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941:Witchcraft in Germany
921:German Catholic poets
598:Catholic Encyclopedia
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301:WĂŒrzburg witch trials
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131:Contemporary portrait
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114:Knowledge:Translation
85:copyright attribution
651:" from Dubium 49 of
593:"Friedrich Von Spee"
465:Zu Bethlehem geboren
418:Philipp van Limborch
562:Christian Thomasius
290:His principal work
270:Goldenes Tugendbuch
214:in 1622. He became
166:Statue in Paderborn
556:Francis Hutchinson
471:Lasst uns erfreuen
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93:interlanguage link
18:Friedrich von Spee
931:German male poets
885:978-88-7041-380-9
827:978-0-88029-071-5
801:, Digireads.com,
653:Cautio Criminalis
411:Cautio Criminalis
350:Cautio Criminalis
342:Cautio Criminalis
292:Cautio Criminalis
285:Cautio Criminalis
243:Thirty Years' War
182:, he entered the
170:Spee was born at
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89:edit summary
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53:(April 2017)
51:
43:
906:1635 deaths
901:1591 births
570:(1633â1730)
564:(1655-1728)
558:(1660â1739)
552:(1648â1719)
546:(1634â1698)
540:(1572â1632)
538:Adam Tanner
534:(1564â1636)
528:(1560â1613)
522:(1546â1595)
516:(1538â1599)
510:(1515â1588)
502: 1520
447:Advent song
398:Inquisition
895:Categories
836:Q116896896
807:Q116897625
576:References
426:John Locke
232:Hildesheim
862:16239379W
228:Paderborn
216:professor
107:talk page
48:in German
870:Q1520283
866:Wikidata
846:(2011),
832:Wikidata
816:(1964).
803:Wikidata
797:(2009),
485:See also
326:Binsfeld
196:WĂŒrzburg
83:provide
589::
477:" and "
461:" and "
453:", the
340:Spee's
296:Rinteln
274:Leibniz
261:Spee's
218:at the
180:Cologne
174:on the
152:torture
105:to the
87:in the
50:.
883:
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656:p. 419
634:. The
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406:Legacy
360:and a
358:lawyer
330:Delrio
276:, and
247:plague
200:Speyer
144:Jesuit
138:(also
755:p.231
738:Index
432:Hymns
385:Devil
239:Peine
224:Wesel
208:Mainz
204:Worms
192:Fulda
188:Trier
176:Rhine
67:DeepL
881:ISBN
822:ISBN
692:See
628:ISBN
322:Remy
206:and
158:Life
81:must
79:You
499:fl.
481:".
372:not
69:or
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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