A witch was a woman who:

- has a magical or bewitching effect, as through her beauty; enchantress

- one that is credited with usually malignant supernatural powers; especially : a woman practicing usually black witchcraft often with the aid of a devil or familiar

- made a pact with the devil through a sexual union;

- used black magic to harm others [disease, impotence, storms, cattle, infanticide, cannibalism, milk, butter, food & water supplies];

- engaged in night-flying;

- attended sabbaths.

- Most women are destined to become witches because they don not live a life of devout chastity as virgins in convents & because of the intensity/depravity of their carnal desire.

- witches: pact with the devil = sexual [devil = invisible, so if a woman is observed/heard masturbating or having a sexual dream, this was interpreted as having relations with an invisible partner! or if men had the same experiences, they felt an invisible witch was actually visiting them and having sexual relations];

- witchcraft = comes from "carnal lust, which is in women insatiable";

- witches = women : all non-virgin women have the potential to be witches.

- woman touching genitals - witchcraft is located in her body

- fall from grace when they lose virginity

- weak-minded, like children

- governed by passions [anger, envy, lust] : lust is insatiable in women

- corrupt, vengeful, greedy, jealous of other women = rivalries

- amoral, creduluous

- ability to seduce & deceive men

- if man is good , women are EVIL

- Bringing a Witch to Trial How to identify a witch: [tr] suspicious moles, certain warts, wrinkles, ugly features, bleary eyes, red hair, red shoes, aversion to men, non-observance of holy days, aversion to cooking & washing, avoiding churches & crosses

- Hard Evidence of Witchcraft: [tr] oils, salves, powders, pots with vermin, human bones, magic wax candles, wax dolls with needles, sacramental wafers, crystal balls, letters to devil, mandrake roots, sorcery books, incantations.