Paolo Grillandi (born c. 1490) was an Italian jurist, from Abruzzo, active as a papal judge in

witch trial A witch-hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. The classical period of witch-hunts in Early Modern Europe and Colonial America took place in the Early Modern perio ...

s, from 1517. He was an influential observer of confessions. His book ''Tractatus de hereticis et sortilegiis'' (1536), based substantially on his judicial experience, became a standard text on

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have ...

and

demonology Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or pseudoscience. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may ...

. Other related works are his ''De Questionibus et tortura tractatus'', ''De relaxatione carceratorum'', and the ''De Lamiis'' of Gianfrancesco Ponzinibio that was later printed with the ''Tractatus de hereticis et sortilegiis''. James Franklin''The Science of Conjecture'' (2001), p.46. writes

''Grillandus's'' On the Question and Torture ''distinguishes between doubtful or hall-full indication, full indication, reputation, rumor, four types of
presumption In the law of evidence, a presumption of a particular fact can be made without the aid of proof in some situations. The invocation of a presumption shifts the burden of proof from one party to the opposing party in a court trial. There are two ...
, argument, vehement and nonvehement support, conjecture, the likely, and the notorious, before going on to detail with equal learning the five degrees of
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. definitions of tortur ...
.''

Notes

1490 births Year of death unknown 16th-century Italian jurists Occult writers Witchcraft in Italy Witch hunters {{Italy-law-bio-stub