Section A Timed Essay: Assess the value of the source for revealing the role of torture and contemporary beliefs in
witchcraft in the 17th century
The official court account of John Junius’ interrogation at Bamberg, June 1628.
On Wednesday, June 28, 1628, was examined without torture Johannes Junius, Burgomaster at Bamberg.
Says he is wholly innocent…has never in his life renounced God; says that he is wronged before God and the world,
would like to hear a single human being who has seen him at such gatherings.
Hereupon he was told that his accomplices had confessed against him and was given time for thought…
Thumb-screws were applied. Says he has never denied God his saviour nor suffered himself to be otherwise baptised
[initiated by the Devil]; will again stake his life on it; feels no pain in the thumb-screws.
Leg-screws. Will confess absolutely nothing; knows nothing about it…feels likewise no pain.
Is stripped and examined; on his right side is found a bluish mark, like a clover leaf, is thrice pricked therein, but feels
no pain and no blood flows out.
Strappado. He has never renounced God; God will not forsake him… He knows nothing about witchcraft.
On July 5, the above named Junius is without torture, but with urgent persuasions, exhorted to confess, and at last
begins and confesses.
When in the year 1624 his law-suit at Rothweil cost him six hundred florins, he had gone out… into his orchard…
there had come to him a woman like a grass-maid, who had asked him why he sat there so sorrowful… she had led
him by seductive speeches to yield him to her will… and thereafter the wench had changed into the form of a goat…
the transformed spirit had seized him by the throat and demanded that he should renounce God Almighty.
He was then names Krix. His paramour he had to call Vixen… At this time his paramour had promised to provide him
with money, and from time to time to take him to the other witch-gatherings…
Of crimes. His paramour had immediately after his seduction demanded that he should make away with his young
son Hans Georg, and had given him for the purpose a grey powder; this, however, being too hard for him, he had
made away with his horse instead.
His paramour had also often spurred him on to kill his daughter… because he would not do this he had been
maltreated with blows by the evil spirit.
Once at the suggestion of his paramour he had taken the holy wafer out of his mouth and given it to her.
witchcraft in the 17th century
The official court account of John Junius’ interrogation at Bamberg, June 1628.
On Wednesday, June 28, 1628, was examined without torture Johannes Junius, Burgomaster at Bamberg.
Says he is wholly innocent…has never in his life renounced God; says that he is wronged before God and the world,
would like to hear a single human being who has seen him at such gatherings.
Hereupon he was told that his accomplices had confessed against him and was given time for thought…
Thumb-screws were applied. Says he has never denied God his saviour nor suffered himself to be otherwise baptised
[initiated by the Devil]; will again stake his life on it; feels no pain in the thumb-screws.
Leg-screws. Will confess absolutely nothing; knows nothing about it…feels likewise no pain.
Is stripped and examined; on his right side is found a bluish mark, like a clover leaf, is thrice pricked therein, but feels
no pain and no blood flows out.
Strappado. He has never renounced God; God will not forsake him… He knows nothing about witchcraft.
On July 5, the above named Junius is without torture, but with urgent persuasions, exhorted to confess, and at last
begins and confesses.
When in the year 1624 his law-suit at Rothweil cost him six hundred florins, he had gone out… into his orchard…
there had come to him a woman like a grass-maid, who had asked him why he sat there so sorrowful… she had led
him by seductive speeches to yield him to her will… and thereafter the wench had changed into the form of a goat…
the transformed spirit had seized him by the throat and demanded that he should renounce God Almighty.
He was then names Krix. His paramour he had to call Vixen… At this time his paramour had promised to provide him
with money, and from time to time to take him to the other witch-gatherings…
Of crimes. His paramour had immediately after his seduction demanded that he should make away with his young
son Hans Georg, and had given him for the purpose a grey powder; this, however, being too hard for him, he had
made away with his horse instead.
His paramour had also often spurred him on to kill his daughter… because he would not do this he had been
maltreated with blows by the evil spirit.
Once at the suggestion of his paramour he had taken the holy wafer out of his mouth and given it to her.
