2742. In general it must be kept in mind that those who imagine they are capable of anything on their own are counted among sorcerers or sorceresses. Of such there are kinds and species, not those who do this out of simplicity, or who in their action intend good to the neighbor and to society, but those who do so out of cunning and intend evil. Therefore, such imagine they are capable of anything at all on their own, and had been such in the life of the body that they had loved nothing better than to think up ways of being able to subject others to themselves and rule over them, from numerous motives regarding themselves and the world. Therefore in the other life, when they come into possession of different powers and different arts, and amongst those called sorcerers, soothsayers, etc., because it is their nature they think of nothing else but to rule by right means or wrong and subject others to themselves by arts that in that world they easily learn and seize upon.
2742. It is a general tenet, that they who think that of themselves they are adequate to all things are reckoned amongst sorcerers male and female [proestigfiatores et proestigiatrices]. Of such there are even genera and species. [They are not those] who [act] from simplicity, and who, when they act, purpose good to the neighbor and society, but are those who [act] from cunning and purpose evil. Wherefore such suppose that of themselves they are adequate to all things; and because they have been of such a character in the life of the body, that they loved nothing more than to devise ways [modus] how they could subject others to themselves and command them, from very many causes [springing] from self and the world, therefore in the other life when they [come] into other powers and other arts, and amongst such as are called sorcerers, diviners, etc., therefore because they are of [in] such a nature, they think of nothing else, than to command by right or wrong [her fas et me fas] and to subject others to themselves, by arts which they easily learn and take up in that world.
2742. In genere tenendum, quod ii qui ex se omnia posse putant, inter praestigiatores seu praestigiatrices recensentur, talium dantur genera et species, non qui ex simplicitate, et qui dum agunt, intendunt bonum proximo, et societati, sed qui ex astutia, et qui intendunt malum: quare tales ex se omnia et singula posse putant; et quia tales fuerunt in vita corporis, ut nihil prius amaverint, quam excogitare modos, quomodo subjicere potuerint sibi alios, et imperare iis, ex causis ex se et ex mundo perplurimis, ideo 1
in altera vita, dum in alias potentias et in alias artes, et inter tales qui praestigiatores, harioli, etc. vocantur [veniunt] 2
, quia in tali natura sunt, nihil aliud cogitant quam per fas et nefas imperare, et alios sibi subjicere, artibus quas in eo mundo facile discunt et arripiunt.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has quare
2. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition