Malleus Maleficarum 1519 , Hammer of Witches
Malleus Maleficarum 1519 , Hammer of Witches
AUTHOR: HEINRICH KRAMER
LANGUAGE: LATIN
DATE: 1519
PAGE #: 330
REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 8.5 X 11 X 2.25
HISTORY/DESCRIPTION:THE INFAMOUS MALLEUS MALEFICARUM, ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 1487 BY CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN HEINRICH KRAMER (UNDER HIS LATINIZED NAME HENRICUS INSTITORIS). THE COMMON TRANSLATION IS HAMMER OF THE WITCHES. IT ENDORSES EXTERMINATION OF WITCHES AND FOR THIS PURPOSE DEVELOPS DETAILED LEGAL AND THEOLOGICAL THEORY. IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE COMPENDIUM OF LITERATURE IN DEMONOLOGY OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. THE TOP THEOLOGIANS OF THE INQUISITION AT THE FACULTY OF COLOGNE CONDEMNED THE BOOK AS RECOMMENDING UNETHICAL AND ILLEGAL PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS BEING INCONSISTENT WITH CATHOLIC DOCTRINES OF DEMONOLOGY.
THE MALLEUS ELEVATES SORCERY TO THE CRIMINAL STATUS OF HERESY AND RECOMMENDS THAT SECULAR COURTS PROSECUTE IT AS SUCH IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE WITCHES. THE RECCOMENDED PROCEDURES INCLUDE TORTURE TO EFFECTIVELY OBTAIN CONFESSIONS AND THE DEATH PENALTY AS THE ONLY SURE REMEDY AGAINST THE EVILS OF WITCHCRAFT. AT THE TIME, IT WAS TYPICAL TO BURN HERETICS ALIVE AT THE STAKE AND THE MALLEUS ENCOURAGED THE SAME TREATMENT OF WITCHES. THE BOOK HAD A STRONG INFLUENCE ON CULTURE FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES.
THE FACSIMILE OFFERED IS A PRINTING FROM 1519 GERMANY. THIS 1519 VERSION OF THE MALLEUS MALEFICARUM WAS USED TO JUSTIFY THE TORTURE AND EVENTUAL KILLING OF MANY OF THE WITCHES AT THE SALEM WITCH TRIAL IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1692 AND MAY 1693.
REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
