... unique in that it almost always required confession as a condition of conviction (Paine 71). Witchcraft was a crime that took place at a sabbat unobserved, at night or in remote places. People were supposedly in contact with, selling their souls to and making pacts with the Devil himself. It was clear that the lawyer prosecuting the case could not persuade the Devil to appear in court against his own disciples (Paine 6). It was also difficult to obtain evidence for this unseen crime. No witness in his or her right mind would confess to seeing a witch at the sabbat for fear of also being named a witch or an accomplice. Therefore, with weak accusations, no witnesses or evidence, a confession was the only plausible means for proving the accusation. There was, of course, only one method for gaining this confession: torture. These tortures ranged from primitive to sadistic, ...

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