the ancient notions believed that the most proper way to punish a “witch” was burning them to death
Most of the ancient notions believed that the most proper way to punish a “witch” was burning them to death. This stance has been in action for several years, thus claiming an enormous uncountable number of lives. However, these acts of “judgement” still leave most historians with the question: were trials against witches ever fair in any way? Or were they schemes for eliminating innocent unvoiced people for some gain on specific individuals and systems? Johannes Nider, Innocent VIII and the excerpt from Malleus Malefica express the vividness of what transpired in the quest for ending witchcraft in the past. From their stories, it is believed that people accused or even thought of being witches had high chances of unfair trials. Therefore, these sources vividly make it clear that there was relentless unfairness to the people accused of witchcraft. These people were prosecuted unfairly and suffered under the watch of the church.
According to Nider’s story (1476), it is palpable that “methods of primaeval infection” people underwent to enter the witchcraft family were specific oath-taking sentiments and renouncing the church. This practice of cult formation existed earlier in the history of humanity. However, this is perceived to be a heinous offence that even warrants punishment by death or other torturous kinds of punishment by the people against witchcraft. The existence of such mindset had adverse effects in the society; there is no hope for a fair trial for an individual accused of witchcraft. Nider gives a scenario whereby even the Christianity virtues of repentance and forgiving were not upheld during the trial of a man who had repented and confessed of his way into witchcraft; he was not spared of the death punishment. This indicates how unfair witches were prosecuted and suffered at the hand of Christians and the community infused with a common destructive notion about the cult.
Astonishingly, it was even acceptable to make the people accused of witchcraft disclose their secrets by lying to them that they would be spared. However, in the end the accused were innocently killed or without bad conscience (Malleus Maleficarum, 1486). When the couple is arrested, the man asks “If he could obtain absolution for his sins if he barely confessed all he knew about witchcraft because he expected death” (Nider, 1437). When this kind of dishonesty and murder is officially accepted in society, fairness is a thing of the past. Such acts infringe rights to fair trials in society. In this case “the right to prepare for defense, call and examine witnesses or even the right to be presumed innocent” were not in the vocabulary of the trial, none was given to the accused people thus no concept of fairness.
According to Malleus Maleficarum, the German inquisitors had the mandate of preparing the code for finding and punishing witches. However, the code contains an elaborate description to inflict pain and torture on accused individuals (Malleus Maleficarum, 1486). For example, stripping women and putting them to stappado (1486). The intensity of the torture was severally increased to make the accused confess their crimes repeatedly while they falsely gave them hope of being freed. However, despite the physical pain, torture and confession, the accused were killed.
It is evidently, in all the sources that witch trials were nowhere near to being fair for the witches. Any accusations of being a witch lead severe torture forced confess and death as a result. Failure to confess increased torture until one broke. This indicates how the trials for witches were so unfair in the hands of Christians and society. Therefore, these sources vividly make it clear that there was relentless unfairness to the people accused of witchcraft. These people were prosecuted unfairly.