Quotes:Binsfeld, Pierre

Zirkoff, Boris

Binsfeld, Pierre (Petrus Binsfeldius). Flemish theologian, b. in Luxemburg early in 16th cent.; d. at Trêves (Trier), Nov. 24, 1598. His parents were quite poor, and he worked as domestic in his youth; his inclinations for sciences noted by Jean von Bridell, abbé of Hemmenrode, of the Order of Citeaux, who gave 358 him means to study; after studying humanities, he went to the Collège Germanique, Rome, graduating in philosophy and theology, becoming doctor of theology, 1577. At first, canon at Trêves, then suffragan bishop under the Elector Jacques d’Eltz; continued as such under Jean of Schoenenburg, who appointed him to combat in his diocese the heresy of Olevianus; was ordered later to re-establish discipline among the monks of the Abbaye de Prûm, in which he was quite successful. He became bishop in partibus of Azot, 1589. Works: De maleficis et mathematicis, 1589, 1591, 1596, a learned defense of the credibility of witch-confessions, which for over a century played the part of a Code to the witch-prosecutors. He also wrote a Commentary on the title of this work.—*Tractatus de confessionibus maleficorum et sagarum recognitus. Augustae Trevirorum, 1591, 1596, 1623.—Enchiridion Theologiae pastorales, Douay, 1630, 1636.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 7, pp. 357-358