thattheyhadtriedtokillhimbypiercingawaxenimageofhimwithneedlesinthenameofthedevil。Hethereforecalledonallrulers，secularandecclesiastical，tohuntdownthemiscreantswhothusafflictedthefaithful，andheespeciallyincreasedthepowersofinquisitorsinvariouspartsofEuropeforthispurpose。
Theimpulsethusgiventochildishfearandhatredagainsttheinvestigationofnaturewasfeltforcenturies；moreandmorechemistrycametobeknownasoneofthe“sevendevilisharts。”
ThusbeganalongseriesofdemonstrationsagainstmagicfromthecentreofChristendom。In1437，andagainin1445，PopeEugeneIVissuedbullsexhortinginquisitorstobemorediligentinsearchingoutanddeliveringovertopunishmentmagiciansandwitcheswhoproducedbadweather，theresultbeingthatpersecutionreceivedafearfulimpulse。Buttheworstcamefortyyearslaterstill，when，in1484，therecametheyetmoreterriblebullofPopeInnocentVIII，knownasSummisDesiderantes，whichletinquisitorslooseuponGermany，withSprengerattheirhead，armedwiththeWitch-Hammer，thefearfulmanualMalleusMaleficarum，totortureanddestroymenandwomenbytensofthousandsforsorceryandmagic。Similarbullswereissuedin1504byJuliusII，andin1523byAdrianVI。
Thesystemofrepressionthusbegunlastedforhundredsofyears。
TheReformationdidlittletochangeit，andinGermany，whereCatholicsandProtestantsviedwitheachotherinprovingtheirorthodoxy，itwasatitsworst。OnGermansoilmorethanonehundredthousandvictimsarebelievedtohavebeensacrificedtoitbetweenthemiddleofthefifteenthandthemiddleofthesixteenthcenturies。