De la Demonomanie des Sorciers, by Jean Bodin, 1580.
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French jurist Jean Bodin (1529-96) was highly educated in the humanist tradition, and his works on political philosophy and economics were much respected and highly influential--which makes his belief in witchcraft and strong support of witch hunting all the more puzzling and lamentable. This book is the first appearance of a manual for judges in witchcraft trials and a landmark work notable for its particularly hard-line support of the prosecution and persecution of witches.