European Magic and Witchcraft: A Reader

478 Pages·2018·8.156 MB·English

by  Martha Rampton (editor)

EUROPEAN MAGIC AND WITCHCRAFT
READINGS IN MEDIEVAL CIVILIZATIONS AND CULTURES: XX
series editor: Paul Edward Dutton
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EUROPEAN MAGIC AND WITCHCRAFT
A READER
edited by
MARTHA RAMPTON
Toronto Buffalo London
Copyright © University of Toronto Press Incorporated 2018
Higher Education Division
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European magic and witchcraft: a reader / edited by
Martha Rampton.
(Readings in medieval civilizations and cultures ; 20)
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1. Witchcraft—Europe—History—Sources. 2. Magic—Europe—
History—Sources. I. Rampton, Martha, 1952–, editor II. Series: Readings
in medieval civilizations and cultures ; 20
BF1584.E9E97 2018 133.4'3094 C2017-905336-1
C 2017-905337-X
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In memory of my parents
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  •  xi
PREFACE  •  xiii
CHAPTER ONE: LATE CLASSICAL AND EARLY  
CHRISTIAN ARCHETYPES  •  1
 1.  Moses and Aaron Challenge Pharaoh’s Magicians  •  6
 2.  The Pythoness Brings the Dead to Life: The Witch of Endor  •  9
 3.  Odysseus and Circe the Sorceress  •  11
 4.  Medea: The Classic Witch  •  15
 5.  Erictho: Divination through the Dead  •  23
 6.  Simon Magus: Money for Miracles  •  28
 7.  Goddess Diana of the Ephesians Bests the Apostle Paul  •  30
 8.  Hecate and the Chaldean Oracles  •  32
 9.  Magic Transforms One into a Bird, Another into an Ass  •  35
 10.  Justin Martyr and the Fallen Angels  •  36
 11.  The Apostle Peter Triumphs Over Simon Magus  •  39
 12.  Antony of the Desert Combats Demons  •  50
 13.  Curse Tablets and Binding Spells  •  57
 14.  Saint Martin Battles with Pagans and Demons  •  61
 15.  Augustine: Demons and Magic in the City of God  •  67
CHAPTER TWO: POST-ROMAN KINGDOMS OF  
EUROPE: TRAFFIC WITH DEMONS (500–750)  •  81
 16.  Three Post-Roman Law Codes against Malicious Magic  •  85
 17.  Caesarius of Arles Preaches against Magic and Paganism  •  89
 18.  Continuity in Magic Spells  •  97
 19.  A Warning to Peasants about the Evils of Trafficking with 
Demons  •  98
 20.  Sorcery in Gregory of Tours’s Sixth-Century Gaul  •  102
 21.  Saint Patrick Battles Pagan Magicians  •  104
 22.  Early Medieval Sainthood and Demons: Saint Radegund  •  110
 23.  Isidore of Seville Defines Magic: The Etymologies  •  113
 24.  Penance for Sins of Magic  •  119
 25.  A Demoniac in Early Medieval England: Bede  •  122
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european magic and witchcraft: a reader
CHAPTER THREE: THE CAROLINGIAN DYNASTY: DEMONS
CUT DOWN TO SIZE (750–1000) • 125
26. An Eighth-Century List of Pagan Practices • 129
27. Paganism of the Saxons • 131
28. Beowulf Fights the Demons: Grendel, and Grendel’s Mother • 133
29. Agobard of Lyons and Weather Magic • 139
30. Carolingian Catalogue of Magical Acts: Council of Paris • 142
31. Treatise on Magic: Hrabanus Maurus • 143
32. Magic at the Court of Louis the Pious: Paschasius Radbertus • 146
33. The Devil of Kempten and the Villager • 150
34. Marriage and Magic: The Divorce of Lothar • 151
35. Loosed Women and Night Flight: Canon episcopi • 153
36. Anglo-Saxon Healing Cures and Charms • 156
37. Anglo-Saxon Sermon against Augury: Aelfric of Eynsham • 160
38. A Prayer to Mother Earth and Other Charms • 165
39. An Eleventh-Century Penitential: Burchard of Worms • 168
CHAPTER FOUR: THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES:
MANY THREADS (1000–1300) • 175
40. Evil Angels: Lombard’s Sentences • 179
41. Divination and the Court: The Policraticus • 181
42. Lanval and the Fairy Queen: Marie de France • 187
43. The Gentle Werewolf: Marie de France • 195
44. Guide for the Perplexed: Jewish Magic and Maimonides • 199
45. Weather Well and Magic Ring: Chrétien de Troyes • 205
46. Norse Magic: Saga of the Volsungs • 208
47. Magic as a Cautionary Tale: Caesarius of Heisterbach • 214
48. A Saintly Dog and the Changelings • 218
49. Picatrix: Arabic Magic • 220
50. Astronomy: Natural Magic or Necromancy? • 224
51. The Golden Legend: Saints and Devils • 230
52. Heresy versus Sorcery • 234
53. A New Kind of Devil: Thomas Aquinas • 234
CHAPTER FIVE: THE FOURTEENTH AND
FIFTEENTH CENTURIES: DIABOLISM • 243
54. A Priest Dupes His Friend with a Promise of Magic in
The Decameron • 247
55. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight • 249
56. Key to Occult Mysteries of Solomon • 254
57. Clerical Magic: A Handbook • 262
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contents
58. A Warning to the People of Siena to Expunge Witches from the
City • 269
59. Trial of Joan of Arc • 272
60. Witch Beliefs Coalesce: Formicarius • 281
61. The Ordinal of Alchemy • 286
62. Natural Magic and Renaissance Humanism: Oration on the
Dignity of Man • 290
63. Pope Innocent VIII Empowers the Inquisitors • 292
64. The Witch Hammer • 295
CHAPTER SIX: THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH
CENTURIES: THE FULL FURY OF THE WITCH-HUNTS • 315
65. Defending the Harvest: The Cult of the Benandanti • 319
66. In Praise of Natural Magic: Cornelius Agrippa • 327
67. Martin Luther’s Devil • 333
68. Papists, Popedom, and Witchery: John Calvin • 339
69. A Voice of Skepticism from the Medical Profession: Johann
Weyer • 344
70. Witch Persecutions in Trier • 356
71. Charms, Tricks, and Day-to-Day Sorcery • 357
72. Demon Mania in France: Jean Bodin • 366
73. Mechanics of Torture: Dr. Fian and Suzanne Gaudry • 377
74. King James and the Witches of North Berwick: “News from
Scotland” • 387
75. Skepticism and a Forced Recantation • 390
76. King James I of England: Treatise on Demons and Witchcraft • 393
77. A Midsummer Night’s Dream • 399
78. Shakespeare’s Witches: Macbeth • 404
79. A Jacobean Comedy • 413
80. The Witches’ Sabbath • 422
81. Persecution of the Burgomaster of Bamberg • 423
82. The Witches of Würzburg • 428
83. Witch Panic in Bonn • 429
84. In Defense of the Accused • 430
85. The Demonic Possession of the Nuns of Loudun • 434
86. England’s Witch Finder General • 446
SOURCES • 453
INDEX OF TOPICS • 459
ix