# Now here is an interesting read..The Malleus Maleficarum
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 19, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147 "2003-05-19T00:46:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/1 "2003-05-19T00:46:41Z")
> [@](#):
>
> The Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer), first published in 1486, is arguably one of the most infamous books ever written, due primarily to its position and regard during the Middle Ages. It served as a guidebook for Inquisitors during the Inquisition, and was designed to aid them in the identification, prosecution, and dispatching of Witches.
[http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/](http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/)
Enjoy.
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### Author:  [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/2 "2003-05-19T01:47:36Z")
Among the many “facts” in the MM are the following:
Incubi can’t get women pregnant by themselves; instead, they assume succubus form and have sex with men, then store the sperm and use it to impregnate women.
Incubi are usually invisible while having sex with a witch or are only visible as a black vapor.
Witches feel just as much pleasure when having sex with incubi as they do when having sex with men. (And just how did Kramer and Sprenger find this out?)
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/3 "2003-05-19T06:42:38Z")
Man, I wanted to read that, but it’s in the restricted section, and I couldn’t swindle a note out of a teacher to get it for me.
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### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/4 "2003-05-19T07:39:35Z")
I was at Renaissance Faire outside L.A. two weeks ago- AND THE MALLEUS WAS FOR SALE IN THE GIFT STORE!!!
It was like seeing The Protocols of the Elders of Zion for sale at an Oktoberfest _G_
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### Author:  [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/5 "2003-05-19T11:16:15Z")
Ah yes, the Malleus. Picked it up at Amazon allong with the Compendium Malleficarum, a sort of medieval ‘Petersons Field Guide to Demons’.
Neat books.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/6 "2003-05-19T12:53:02Z")
I got it through Interlibrary Loan.
They librarians have looked at me funny ever since…
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/7 "2003-05-19T12:54:03Z")
“ **The** librarians…”
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### Author:  [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/8 "2003-05-23T02:41:20Z")
“They” sounds… edgier.
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### Author:  [@Psycho\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Penguin)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/9 "2003-05-23T02:47:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \*
> \*\*I got it through Interlibrary Loan.
>
> They librarians have looked at me funny ever since… \*\*
I’m a librarian and I’ve owned a copy for about 10 years. But then again the customers always look at me suspiciously 😛
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### Author:  [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-here-is-an-interesting-read-the-malleus-maleficarum/176147/10 "2003-05-23T18:44:27Z")
My dad has this book on his shelf, along with many books on demonology and the Inquisition. I read them all when I was 13 and subsequently abandoned Catholicism for an exploration of Wicca for a period of five years.