Whether Witches can
Hebetate the Powers of Generation or Obstruct the
Venereal Act.
Now
the fact that adulterous drabs and whores are chiefly
given to witchcraft is substantiated by the spells which
are cast by witches upon the act of generation. And to
make the truth more clear, we will consider the
arguments of those who are in disagreement with us on
this matter. And first it is argued that such a
bewitching is not possible, because if it were it would
apply equally to those who are married; and if this were
conceded, then, since matrimony is God's work and
witchcraft is the devil's, the devil's work would be
stronger than God's. But if it is allowed that it can
only affect fornicators and the unmarried, this involves
a return to the opinion that witchcraft does not really
exist, but only in men's imagination; and this was
refuted in the First Question. Or else some reason will
be found why it should affect the unmarried and not the
married; and the only possible reason is that matrimony
is God's work. And since, according to the Theologians,
this reason is not valid, there still remains the
argument that it would make the devil's work stronger
than God's; and since it would be unseemly to make such
an assertion, it is also unseemly to maintain that the
venereal act can be obstructed by witchcraft.
Again, the
devil cannot obstruct the other natural actions, such as
eating, walking and standing, as is apparent from the
fact that, if he could, he could destroy the whole
world.
Besides,
since the venereal act is common to all women, if it
were obstructed it would be so with reference to all
women; but this is not so, and therefore the first
argument is good. For the facts prove that it is not so;
for when a man says that he has been bewitched, he is
still quite capable as regards other women, though not
with her with whom he is unable to copulate; and the
reason for this is that he does not wish to, and
therefore cannot effect anything in the matter.
On the
contrary and true side is the chapter in the Decretals
(If by sortilege, etc.): as is also the opinion of all
the Theologians and Canonists, where they treat of the
obstruction to marriage caused by witchcraft.
There is also
another reason: that since the devil is more powerful
than man, and a man can obstruct the generative powers
by means of frigid herbs or anything else that can be
thought of, therefore much more can the devil do this,
since he has greater knowledge and cunning.
Answer.
The truth is sufficiently evident from two matters which
have already been argued, although the method of
obstruction has not been specifically declared. For it
has been shown that witchcraft does not exist only in
men's imaginations, and not in fact; but that truly and
actually in numerable bewitchments can happen, with the
permission of God. It has been shown, too, that God
permits it more in the case of the generative powers,
because of their greater corruption, than in the case of
other human actions. But concerning the method by which
such obstruction is procured, it is to be noted that it
does not affect only the generative powers, but also the
powers of the imagination or fancy.
And as to
this, Peter of Palude (III, 34) notes five methods. For
he says that the devil, being a spirit, has power over a
corporeal creature to cause or prevent a local motion.
Therefore he can prevent bodies from approaching each
other, either directly or indirectly, by interposing
himself in some bodily shape. In this way it happened to
the young man who was betrothed to an idol and
nevertheless married a young maiden, and was
consequently unable to copulate with her. Secondly, he
can excite a man to that act, or freeze his desire for
it, by the virtue of secret things of which he best
knows the power. Thirdly, he can also disturb a man's
perception and imagination as to make the woman appear
loathsome to him: since he can, as had been said,
influence the imagination. Fourthly, he can directly
prevent the erection of that member which is adapted to
fructification, just as he can prevent local motion.
Fifthly, he can prevent the flow of the vital essence to
the members in which lie the motive power; by closing as
it were the seminary ducts, so that it does not descend
to the generative channels, or falls back from them, or
does not project from them, or in any of many ways fails
in its function.
And he
continues in agreement with what has been treated of
above by other Doctors. For God allows the devil more
latitude in respect of this act, through which sin was
first spread abroad, than of other human acts.
Similarly, serpents are more subject to magic spells
than are other animals. And a little later he says: It
is the same in the case of a woman, for the devil can so
darken her understanding that she considers her husband
so loathsome that not for all the world would she allow
him to lie with her.
Later he
wishes to find the reason why more men than women are
bewitched in respect of that action; and he says that
such obstruction generally occurs in the matter of
erection, which can more easily happen to men; and
therefore more men than women are bewitched. It might
also be said that, the greater part of witches being
women, they lust more for men than for women. Also they
act in the despite of married women, finding every
opportunity for adultery when the husband is able to
copulate with other women but not with his own wife; and
similarly the wife also has to seek other lovers.
He adds also
that God allows the devil to afflict sinners more
bitterly than the just. Wherefore the Angel said to
Tobias: He gives the devil power over those who are
given up to lust. But he has power also against the just
sometimes, as in the case of Job, but not in respect of
the genital functions. Wherefore they ought to devote
themselves to confession and other good works, lest the
iron remain in the wound, and it be in vain to apply
remedies. So much for Peter. But the method of removing
such effects will be shown in the Second Part of this
work. Some Incidental Doubts on the subject
of Copulation
prevented by Evil Spells are made Clear.
But incidentally, if it is asked why this function is
sometimes obstructed in respect of one woman but not of
another, the answer, according to S. Bonaventura, is
this. Either the enchantress of witch afflicts in this
way those persons upon whom the devil has determined; or
it is because God will not permit it to be inflicted on
certain persons. For the hidden purpose of God in this
is obscure, as is shown in the case of the wife of
Tobias. And he adds:
If it is
asked how the devil does this, it is to be said that he
obstructs the genital power, not intrinsically by
harming the organ, but extrinsically by rendering it
useless. Therefore, since it is an artificial and not a
natural obstruction, he can make a man impotent towards
one woman but not towards others: by taking away the
inflammation of his lust for her, but not for other
women, either through his own power, or through some
herb or stone, or some occult natural means. And this
agrees with the words of Peter of Palude.
Besides,
since impotency in this act is sometimes due to coldness
of nature, or some natural defect, it is asked how it is
possible to distinguish whether it is due to witchcraft
of not. Hostiensis gives the answer in his Summa
(but this must not be publicly preached): When the
member is in no way stirred, and can never perform the
act of coition, this is a sign of frigidity of nature;
but when it is stirred and becomes erect, but yet cannot
perform, it is a sign of witchcraft.
It is to be
noted also that impotence of the member to perform the
act is not the only bewitchment; but sometimes the woman
is caused to be unable to conceive, or else she
miscarries.
Note,
moreover, that according to what is aid down by the
Canons, whoever through desire of vengeance or for
hatred does anything to a man or a woman to prevent them
from begetting or conceiving must be considered a
homicide. And note, further, that the Canon speaks of
loose lovers who, to save their mistresses from shame,
use contraceptives, such as potions, or herbs that
contravene nature, without any help from devils. And
such penitents are to be punished as homicides. But
witches who do such things by witchcraft are by law
punishable by the extreme penalty, as had been touched
on above in the First Question.
And for a
solution of the arguments; when it is objected that
these things cannot happen to those joined together in
matrimony, it is further to be noted that, even if the
truth in this matter had not already been made
sufficiently plain, yet these things can truly and
actually happen just as much to those who are married as
to those who are not. And the prudent reader who has
plenty of books, will refer to the Theologians and the
Canonists, especially where they speak of the impotent
and bewitched. He will find them in agreement in
condemning two errors: especially with regard to married
people who seem to think that such bewitchment cannot
happen to those who are joined in matrimony, advancing
the reason that the devil cannot destroy the works of
God.
And the first
error which they condemn is that of those who say that
there is no witchcraft in the world, but only in the
imagination of men who, through their ignorance of
hidden causes which no man yet understands, ascribe
certain natural effects to witchcraft, as though they
were effected not by hidden causes, but by devils
working either by themselves or in conjunction with
witches. And although all other Doctors condemn this
error as a pure falsehood, yet S. Thomas impugns it more
vigorously and stigmatizes it as actual heresy, saying
that this error proceeds from the root of infidelity.
And since infidelity in a Christian is accounted heresy,
therefore such deserve to be suspected as heretics. And
this matter was touched on in the First Question, though
it was not there declared so plainly. For if anyone
considers the other sayings of S. Thomas in other
places, he will find the reasons why he affirms that
such an error proceeds from the root of infidelity.
For in his
questions concerning Sin, where he treats of devils, and
in his first question, whether devils have bodies that
naturally belong to them, among many other matters he
makes mention of those who referred every physical
effect to the virtue of the stars; to which they said
that the hidden causes of terrestrial effects were
subject. And he says: It must be considered that the
Peripatetics,the followers of Aristotle, held that
devils did not really exist; but that those things which
are attributed to devils proceeded from the power of the
stars and other natural phenomena. Wherefore S.
Augustine says (de Ciuitate Dei, X), that it was
the opinion of Porphyry that from herbs and animals, and
certain sounds and voice, and from figures and figments
observed in the motion of the stars, powers
corresponding to the stars were fabricated on earth by
men in order to explain various natural effect. And the
error of these is plain, since they referred everything
to hidden causes in the stars, holding that devils were
only fabricated by the imagination of men.
But this
opinion is clearly proved to be false by S. Thomas in
the same work; for some works of devils are found which
can in no way proceed from any natural cause. For
example, when one who is possessed by devil speaks in an
unknown language; and many other devil's works are
found, both in the Rhapsodic and the Necromantic arts,
which can in no way proceed except from some
Intelligence, which may be naturally good but is evil in
its intention. And therefore, because of these
incongruities, other Philosophers were compelled to
admit that there were devils. Yet they afterwards fell
into various errors, some thinking that the souls of
men, when they left their bodies, became devils. For
this reason many Soothsayers have killed children, that
they might have their souls as their co-operators; and
many other errors are recounted.
From this it
is clear that not without reason does the Holy Doctor
say that such an opinion proceeds from the root of
infidelity. And anyone who wishes may read S. Augustine
(de Ciuitate Dei, VIII, IX) on the various errors
of infidels concerning the nature of devils. And indeed
the common opinion of all Doctors, quoted in the
above-mentioned work, against those who err in this way
by denying that there are any witches, is very weighty
in its meaning, even if it is expressed in few words.
For they say that they who maintain that there is no
witchcraft in the world go contrary to the opinion of
all the Doctors, and of the Holy Scripture; and declare
that there are devils, and that devils have power over
the bodies and imaginations of men, with the permission
of God. Wherefore, those who are the instruments of the
devils, at whose instance the devil at times do mischief
to a creature, they call witches.
Now in the
Doctor's condemnation of this first error nothing is
said concerning those joined together in matrimony; but
this is made clear in their condemnation of the second
error of believing that, though witchcraft exists and
abounds in the world, even against carnal copulation,
yet, since no such bewitchment can be considered to be
permanent, it never annuls a marriage that has already
been contracted. Here is where they speak of those
joined in matrimony. Now in refuting this error (for we
do so, even though it is little to the point, for the
sake of those who have not many books), it is to be
noted that they refute it by maintaining that it is
against all precedent, and contrary to all laws both
ancient and modern.
Wherefore the
Catholic Doctors make the following distinction, that
impotence caused by witchcraft is either temporary or
permanent. And if it is temporary, then it does not
annul the marriage. Moreover, it is presumed to be
temporary of they are able to healed of the impediment
within three years from their cohabitation, having taken
all possible pain, either through the sacraments of the
Church, or through other remedies, to be cured. But if
they are not then cured by any remedy, from that time it
is presumed to be permanent. And in that case it either
precedes both the contracting of a marriage, and annuls
one that is not yet contracted; or else it follows the
contract of marriage but precedes its consummation, and
then also, according to some, it annuls the previous
contract. (For it is said in Book XXXII, quest. 1. cap.
1 that the confirmation of a marriage consists in its
carnal office.) Or else it is subsequent to the
consummation of the marriage, and then the matrimonial
bond is not annulled. Much is noted there concerning
impotence by Hostiensis, and Godfrey, and the Doctors
and Theologians.
To the
arguments. As to the first, it is made sufficiently
clear from what has been said. For as to the argument
that God's works can be destroyed by the devil's works,
if witchcraft has power against those who are married,
it has no force; rather does the opposite appear, since
the devil can do nothing without God's permission. For
he does not destroy by main force like a tyrant, but
through some extrinsic art, as is proved above. And the
second argument is also made quite clear, why God allows
this obstruction more in the case of the venereal act
than of other acts. But the devil has power also over
other acts, when God permits. Wherefore it is not sound
to argue that he could destroy the whole world. And the
third objection is similarly answered by what has been
said.
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