Note 539 — Chapter II · THE WITCH TRIALS

Although the Popes, such as John XXII., Innocent VIII., Julius II., and Adrian VI., legislated on witches, the Protestants were quite as vindictive. See, for instance, J. Michelet, Life of Luther, bk. v. chap. vi.: “The crazed, the halt, the blind, and the dumb are all possessed with demons. Physicians who treat these infirmities as arising from natural causes are fools who know not the power of the devil.” We shall deal later with the works of Puritan divines in England and America.