Punishment, Torture, and Ordeal

He must not be too quick to subject a witch to examination, but must pay attention to certain signs which will follow. And he must not be too quick for this reason: unless God, through a holy Angel, compels the devil to withold his help from the witch, she will be so insensible to the pains of torture that she will sooner be torn limb from limb than confess any of the truth. -- Kramer and Sprenger, the Malleus Maleficarum

Disclaimer

This is NOT a page about Wiccans or neo-pagans, and I do not advocate the belief that Wiccans are Satan-worshippers and/or baby-killers. I am well aware that they are not. This is a starting point for historical research into the great witch craze of 1100-1700 AD. And please, don't ask me for spells.

Introduction

Before the opinions of philanthropists held sway, torture was a necessary part of most trials. The witch hunt trials were no exception. The following punishments, tortures, and ordeals were meted out to many accused witches as part of secular or ecclesiastical court methods.

The following is a very incomplete cataloque of such tortures, ordeals, and punishments.

Blooding The Boots Burial Burning Cleansing the Soul The Collar The Ducking Stool Ducking the Witch The Garotte Hanging The Heretic's Fork Impalement The Iron Maiden of Nuremberg

The Judas Cradle Knotting Ladder Rack Mastectomy Ordeal By Fire Ordeal By Water The Oven at Neisse The Pear Pressing Psychochemical Torture The Rack Rippers The Saw The Scold's Bridle/Brank

The Shin-Vice The Spider Squassation Stoning Strangulation The Strappado Thumbscrews Tormentum Insomniae The Turcas The Wheel The Whip The Witch's Cradle

Lost?

Punishment, Torture, and Ordeal copyrighted 1996-1998 to Shantell Powell.