Chapter II — On natural and superstitious magic, witches, and hags

I. Question I. What, and of how many kinds, is magic? Answer. Magic, taken generally, is a certain wondrous and unusual art of operating, and is twofold: natural, and superstitious. The former uses the application of natural causes; the latter, the help of the demon. Natural magic is licit, since it is natural philosophy, which penetrates the force and efficacy of natural causes, and their effects. It is most difficult to discern and distinguish natural magic from superstitious. The general rule is: when the cause is inept for producing the effect, then the magic is superstitious.

II. Question II. What must be said of those called "healers"? Answer. The Theologians call "healers" those who display a power of healing several diseases and deadly wounds, by the sign of the Cross imprinted, or by breathing upon, or by other signs. Azor, with others, contends that there are found such healers who induce health by natural virtue. Others hold that this is done by the virtue of the demon, which is more likely. Let Christ's faithful implore health from God, the intercession of the Saints having been invoked, not from these tricksters and crafty enchanters, who lyingly claim to restore health with fictitious prayers concocted from their own brains. The natural fascination of women who by mere sight infect onlookers rests on no sufficiently firm foundation.

III. Question III. Is there such a thing as a superstitious magic art? Answer. Christ's Gospel, Matthew 7 and Mark 9, and all catholic Doctors, testify that a magic art exists. Superstitious magic is divided into maleficence of poisoning and of love: the former is directed to harm, the latter to arousing carnal love. The maleficence of love, which the Greeks call a philtre, is executed in two ways, namely either through food or drink inflaming to Venus, or through sacred objects appended, which are sometimes bound to garments, or placed beneath the bed on which the person to be bewitched lies.

IV. It is not licit to cure a bewitchment through sorcerers, whatever some men fable. Yet it is licit to compel a sorcerer to remove a bewitchment by a licit means, when it is certainly established that the sorcerer has ready honorable means by which to remove the bewitchment; not so if you are uncertain and doubt that the sorcerer has licit means by which to remove it. It is also licit to destroy the signs of a bewitchment, because this can be done without the demon's help. A sorcerer who has handed the demon a document signed with his own blood ought not to demand it back from the demon, but should detest and abjure it, and perform sincere penance, and implore pardon from God with bitter tears.

V. Question IV. What must be said of witches and hags? Answer. Bewitching women are commonly called by three names. They are called Lamiae, from an analogy with the Lamia, which is a monstrous animal bearing a woman's countenance. From craftiness and destructiveness they are called Sagae. They are called Striges from the little bird so named, the strix. They are also called poisoners, since they use bewitchments. Women are more given to bewitchments than men, both on account of their greater credulity and curiosity, and on account of impotent anger and lust.

VI. Question V. Are witches transported from place to place? Answer. No one can rightly deny that this transportation is possible, since it does not exceed the powers of the demon.