The Malleus Maleficarum, first published in 1486-7, is the standard medieval text on witchcraft and it remained in print throughout the early modern period. Its descriptions of the evil acts of witches and the ways to exterminate them continue to contribute to our knowledge of early modern law, religion and society. This highly acclaimed translation, based on the translator's extensive research and detailed analysis of the Latin text, is the only complete English version available, and the most reliable. With detailed explanatory notes and a guide to further reading, this volume offers a unique insight into the fifteenth-century mind and its sense of sin, punishment and retribution.;Introduction -- Authors -- Purpose of the work -- Composition and publication of the work -- Outline of the work -- Sources -- Disputed questions -- Intellectual context -- Role of women in sorcery -- Historical background -- Overall assessment of the Malleus -- Suggestions for further reading -- Notes on the translation -- Method of making references to the text -- Sources not from canon law -- Citations of canon law -- Outlining of the disputed questions -- Remarks on certain words in the translation -- Difficulties with grammatical gender -- The hammer of witches (Malleus Maleficarum).