From allegation to formal accusation

Abstract

The Danish and the Italian trials alike usually began by someone feeling offended by the suspected person. It is the aim of this chapter to explore more thoroughly the content of the allegations of witchcraft that were submitted to the courts, then to identify the kind of behaviour associated with them. Focus in this chapter will, therefore, be especially on the initial phase of an inquisitorial trial, the denunciation, and on the allegations found in testimonies in the Danish trials. The intention is a close reading of the narratives surrounding the suspect, in order to establish what eventually led to a formal accusation. The narratives in denunciations and accusations tell us about the limits of socially acceptable behaviour and what kinds of behaviour contributed to raising suspicions. Common to both Italian and Danish cases is that perceptions of witchcraft were closely linked to norms and transgressions of social and moral behaviour.