Martin Antoine Del Rio (1551-1608)
1652
Martin Antoine Del Rio’s Disquisitionum Magicarum Libri Sex [Magical Investigations] was primarily a reworking of Malleus Maleficarum. It became very popular in parts of Northern Europe, and was responsible for importing Kramer’s ideas, including his misogynistic views, into the Low Countries. Although Del Rio was a Jesuit, and the Jesuit order was heavily involved in the Inquisition, most historians believe Del Rio had no personal experience with witchcraft or witch trials, and as such the book is a piece of textual scholarship. It draws on the author's knowledge of the classics, his familiarity with Church history, and his knowledge of contemporary European history. It was originally printed in three volumes in 1599 and 1600, and continued to appear in print until the mid-18th century, long after the printing of other contemporary works had ceased.