Witch Trial Transcript

[CelticGypsy]

The witch-trial transcripts are hideous but sobering reading. From such transcripts Ann Forfreedom gleaned the story of Frau Peller. It seems a notable German judge, Franz Buirmann, lusted after Frau Peller's sister. The sister refused to sleep with him. In retaliation, Frau Peller was arrested. She was arrested in the morning, and by 2 pm, she was tortured: she was exorcised, shaved, searched - and raped by the torturer's assistant - and further tortured. To silence her cries, Judge Buirmann himself stuffed a dirty handkerchief into her mouth. After being tortured into naming her " accomplices in witchcraft ", Frau Peller was indeed convicted, and burned alive in a hut of dry straw. Her husband, a court assessor, protested her trial and was thrown out of the courtroom, he died a few months later. Judge Buirmann was a busy man. In two visits to three small German villages near Bonn, in 1631 and in 1636, he manage to burn alive 150 people from a total of 300 households. All this hideous activity, we must remember took place in 'the name of christ' and not to mention, ' the will of god ' and was said to be aimed solely at the " disapline and the salvation of the human soul ". The exodus 22:18 injunction, ' thou shall not suffer a witch to live ' was frequently quoted, though in 1584, and an Englishman, Reginald Scot, pointed out that the hebrew word for 'poisoner' had been mistranslated as 'witch'. But pagan witches, as specialists in herbal medicine and hallucinogens, were easy to slander as 'poisoners', in the old testament hebrew as well as medieval European times, the words could have been used interchangeable. There are numerous biblical texts expressing yahweh's hatred and condemnation of all people who could be generically defined as witches, diviners, pythons, conjurers, fortune tellers. Neolithic goddess worshiping peoples were identified by the hebrew prophets and patriarchs as 'evil' , ' idolatrous,' and 'unclean', and yahweh wanted them all dead. How could the pagan witches avoid this conclusion, when yahweh's people instructed by yahweh to murder anyone practicing a rival sacred religion?

 

Regards,

Gypsy

[Guest MissTree]

Very interesting post! Thanks for sharing this. Poor Frau Peller!

The witch trials, imo, are an appalling example of people using their religion as an excuse to commit atrocities.

What I find annoying is that even today, there are many christians who still believe the bible is the absolute word of god, and that witches are evil. *snort* Never mind the many different human authors, spanning several hundred years. As well as the numerous translations where passages were altered to suit the translator's personal & political viewpoints. The King James translation, with it's changing of the word "poisoner" to "witch", was a good example of that.

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[CelticGypsy]

Oh I know ! We have been persuaded to believe, by xtian apologists, that the church only meant to execute the bad witches, people who cursed and poisoned their fellow beings. This is a LIE. The xtian church, during the Inquisition, DID make a distinction between the " good witch " and the " bad witch ", and ordered that BOTH kinds be destroyed. Theologians of the day wrote that the good witch was " a more horrible and detestable monster " than the wicked one, the church claimed that good witches were even more harmful to ITS authority than the maleficent ones. Civil law did not call for punishment of the " white witch " or " unbinding witch, " as the helpful witches were called, but ecclestiastical law did. Why ?? Because the good witch more effectively persuaded his/her neighbors of the genuine power of her/his religion. He/she successfully undermined " god's will " that humans should suffer. His/her cures worked !!

 

*** For a thousand years the people had one healer and one only, the Sorceress. Emperors and kings, and popes, and the richest barons, had sundry Doctors of Salerno, or Moorish and Jewish physicians, but the main body of every State, the whold world we may say, consulted no one but the Saga , the Wise Woman. The priests realizes clearly where the danger lies, that an enemy, a meancing rival, is to be feared in the High-priestess of Nature he pretends to despise.

***( Satanism and Witchcraft : A Study in Medieval Superstition, by Jules Michelet )

 

Regards,

Gypsy

[Guest MissTree]

Absolutely. Well said!

[LadyShalott]

Fascinating thread. I have been doing some research recently on the history of women healers and the role the medical profession played in support of the hunts. The witch-hunts were well-organized campaigns, initiated, financed and executed by Church and State. A witch was accused and persecuted not only of murdering and poisoning, sex crimes and conspiracy—but of helping and healing. A juxtaposition of damned if you do and damned if you don't .

 

As a leading English witch-hunter put it: For this must always be remembered, as a conclusion, that by witches we understand not only those which kill and torment, but all Diviners Charmers, Jugglers, all Wizards, commonly called wise men and wise women...and in the same number we reckon all good Witches, which do no hurt but good, which do not spoil and destroy, but save and deliver...It were a thousand times better for the land if all Witches, but especially the blessing Witch, might suffer death.

 

Witch-healers were often the only general medical practitioners for a people who had no doctors and no hospitals and who were bitterly afflicted with poverty and disease. In particular, the association of the witch and the midwife was strong: "No one does more harm to the Catholic Church than midwives," wrote witch-hunters Kramer and Sprenger.

 

The Church itself had little to offer the suffering peasantry: "On Sundays, after Mass, the sick came in scores, crying for help,—and words were all they got: "You have sinned, and God is afflicting you. Thank him; you will suffer so much the less torment in the life to come. Endure, suffer, die. Has not the Church its prayers for the dead?"

(Jules Michelet, Satanism and Witchcraft)

 

When faced with the misery of the poor, the Church turned to the dogma that experience in this world is fleeting and unimportant. But there was a double standard at work, for the Church was not against medical care for the upper class. Kings and nobles had their court physicians who were men, sometimes even priests. The real issue was control: Male upper class healing under the auspices of the Church was acceptable, female healing as part of a peasant subculture was not.

 

(Side note: All this reminds me of the health condition/care in the Appalachia in the 30's and 40's and although much improved continues with the rural health initiative lead by advanced nurse practitioners and mid-wives today, much to the chagrin of the "medical" profession. They balk and protest advance nurse practitioners being independent to practice in these areas, yet refuse to fill the gap and meet the needs.. arrgghhh.. )

The Church saw its attack on peasant healers as an attack on magic, not medicine. The devil was believed to have real power on earth, and the use of that power by peasant women—whether for good or evil—was frightening to the Church and State.

Thanks for sharing CelticGypsy.

Edited May 7, 2011 by LdyShalott

[CelticGypsy]

The Church saw its attack on peasant healers as an attack on magic, not medicine. The devil was believed to have real power on earth, and the use of that power by peasant women—whether for good or evil—was frightening to the Church and State.

Xtian authorities admitted that the good witches' help to the country people was of ancient tradition and good effect, but this was the cause of burning them. The white witch's power to cure sickness proved that he/she had a pact with the Devil. The priests could not cure, they had only punitve dogmas, abstract words, empty gestures typical of rootless ritual. If the good witch could cure, clearly he/she possessed superiour knowlege and power a possibility the church could not allow. Instead, it officially sourced her/his power in evil. The white and the black witch were both guilty alike in compounding with the devil. Thus with one stroke, the priestly hierarchies elimated both their rivals for public influence, AND the living evidence that their OWN religion was a fraud. As the Witch-Hammer spelled it out, any unexplained " power " or phenomenon was suspicious, sourced in evil, and 15th century Europe was a hotbed of unexplained phenomena. There were rationalist extant who scoffed at the notion of " witchery", arguing that strange occurrences could be the result of simple manipulation of hidden but " natural " powers, not neccessarily demonic ones.

 

Regards,

Gypsy

[Droghon]

.... The real issue was control: Male upper class healing under the auspices of the Church was acceptable, female healing as part of a peasant subculture was not ....

 

 

 

Yes the issue is one of control. This is the danger of any religion becoming the 'state' accepted one, and it extends to any belief system that holds itself up as the sole repository of 'truth'. Such a shame that the Roman, 'state' version rather than the Celtic version (from what I have read of it) gained precedence. Or perhaps I should day that Paulianty gained precedence, I believe that mystical, original Christianity died when the writings of Paul became the accepted truths

[Blyss]

Personally, to me, there's not a whole lot of difference from those days and today. The ferocity and brutality of the hatred was more public certainly than is witnessed today, but the hatred still remains. I bet if it wasn't illegal, crap like that would still be going on. I think it all stems from fear. I work for some xtians, and I have to say I have never seen more terrified people in my life. They worry about the 'world' influencing and harming their teenage children. They worry about 'satan's music' that their kids listen to. I have a butterfly tattoo on my wrist. They actually were worried that it was some kind of 'new-age' sign of idolatry....OMG! I think their god instills fear as a mode of control....when they feel out of control, they revert to violence (bombing abortion clinics, etc.). All their hell speak has penetrated their lives and they live in terror of 'what if'.....it's our calm assurance, peace and knowledge that sees us pagans through. Just my opinion, tho. :lol_witch:

[WVWitch]

Good day, all.

I think their god instills fear as a mode of control....when they feel out of control, they revert to violence (bombing abortion clinics, etc.).

 

 

As far as organized religion goes, how better to make certain your adherents will return to you, week after week, than to instill in them sufficient fear that they are genuinely terrified to go elsewhere? Without them you have no tithes, no collective power to influence politicians, etc. It is all about money and power, the two things that have made the world go around since antiquity.

 

This brings to mind a good friend of mine, an Xtian minister-in-training, one of few that I truly respect. He, more than most I have encountered, spends every iota of his strength in an attempt to live that which he preaches. At the same time, I don't think I am acquainted with a more fearful, paranoid individual; he spends so much time worrying about his wife and his kids, terrified they will fall under the influence of dark powers, that he isn't living life. The guy stays physically ill probably 80% of the time, and has suffered an alarming rash of ailments in recent months. I'm really surprised he hasn't ended up in the hospital. Sad, really.

 

As far as violence against witches, I agree that the law is the fine line barely protecting us from violence today. I will also say that I have the knowledge, ability and means to defend myself and those around me on both magical and mundane levels. Woe be unto the ignorant that would declare war on me for my beliefs - I am not the kind of witch to go quietly.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Kurt

Edited June 13, 2011 by Abydos

[CelticGypsy]

While doing a meditative study on the Crone, recently, I went back to some old books in my library.

 

"Restrictions on medical training didn't apply to men. Even without a formal education, male wizards or "conjurers'" were allowed to cure sickness by the black arts, at the same time when a female witches were executed for it. (1)

 

"Sometimes the fatal charge of witchraft was used to bilk female healers of their fees. A famous witch pratitioner, Alison Peirsoun of Byrehill, once cured the archbishop of Saint Andrews of a serious illness. After his recovery, she asked him for payment. He had her arrested and burned for witchcraft. " (2)

 

Regards,

Gypsy

 

Sources: Julio Caro Baroja (1) and Reginald Scot (2)

[Jevne]

While doing a meditative study on the Crone, recently, I went back to some old books in my library.

 

"Restrictions on medical training didn't apply to men. Even without a formal education, male wizards or "conjurers'" were allowed to cure sickness by the black arts, at the same time when a female witches were executed for it. (1)

 

"Sometimes the fatal charge of witchraft was used to bilk female healers of their fees. A famous witch pratitioner, Alison Peirsoun of Byrehill, once cured the archbishop of Saint Andrews of a serious illness. After his recovery, she asked him for payment. He had her arrested and burned for witchcraft. " (2)

 

Regards,

Gypsy

 

Sources: Julio Caro Baroja (1) and Reginald Scot (2)

 

 

This illustrates perfectly that the Witch Trials, regardless of which country or time noted, had/have absolutely nothing to do with actual Witchcraft. These atrocities were undertaken as a political move by the church or ruling entity of the time (usually one in the same) and intended to oppress anyone who had the knowledge or power to help those who needed it most. As was said, keeping the masses dependent on the ruling class meant money flowing into the coffers. I guess my point is that I am sympathetic and horrified by the information being discussed here, but I'm not more or less horrified than I am talking about any group who is marginalized or discriminated against. This isn't really about Witchcraft history, but human history, and is a lesson that many folks would do well to learn lest it continue to happen.

[CelticGypsy]

 

This illustrates perfectly that the Witch Trials, regardless of which country or time noted, had/have absolutely nothing to do with actual Witchcraft. These atrocities were undertaken as a political move by the church or ruling entity of the time (usually one in the same) and intended to oppress anyone who had the knowledge or power to help those who needed it most. As was said, keeping the masses dependent on the ruling class meant money flowing into the coffers. I guess my point is that I am sympathetic and horrified by the information being discussed here, but I'm not more or less horrified than I am talking about any group who is marginalized or discriminated against. This isn't really about Witchcraft history, but human history, and is a lesson that many folks would do well to learn lest it continue to happen.

 

The Inquistion's usefulness was proven beyond a doubt, by the fact that it was enoumously profitable, thanks to the rule that every heretic's property could be confiscated immediately, even before the trial. There was no need to wait. Torture made conviction virtually a foregone conclusion. People could be tried and convicted enen long after they were dead and buried. The property of a decesed heretic's heirs could be seized, to the third generation. The heirs had no choice but to surrender whatever was demanded or else face the suspicion that might lead them, too, to the torture chamber and stake. No one knew when he might be deprived of all his worldly goods because of a long-dead grandparent was suddendly declared a heretic. When the immediate supply of heretices began to run out, with the consequent thinning of profits, the church's elite international terrorist organization had to seek new sources of income. In 1375 a French inquisitor complained that there were no more wealthy heretics left, and it was a pity that so salutary an institution as theirs should be so uncertain of its future. Soon, however the Inquisition obtained a new lease on life by creating a new form of heresy. To the medieval mind, this was the worst possible kind, because it centered on women always suspected of a less than total commitment to the patriarchal god who had declared them accursed.

 

Regards,

Gypsy