The history of Gostanza from Libbiano is a case in point of the vicissitudes of many women, subjected to isolation and suspicion by the small communities, who lived in the era of the Holy Inquisition. The case mirrors that of the typical processes of the time against women, particularly widows and alone, so a bit on the edge of the community, expert in using herbs and popular medicines to which the peasants turned to ask for help and remedies but that, at the same time, they were ready to accuse after a not successful care. At that time, there was a prevailing strong fear for spells they could operate and envy for their art just based on potions and herbs but payed with money, gifts and food.
Gostanza borns in Libbiano in the second half of the XVI century, as illegitimate daughter of a noble florentine and a humble servant. At the age of just eight years she is given in marriage to a pastor with rude and violent behaviours and with him she spends a rough and poor youth, giving birth to some sons.
After her husband's death she moved with her children in the village of Peccioli with the intent to exercise the profession of midwife, herbalist and healer. The poverty and the few opportunities of the country force her to entrust her children to a landowner and move to Bagni dell'Acqua (the currently village of Casciana Terme), a spa town, in the vicariate of Lari, certainly more comfortable, rich and central.
Hence she works with her art of midwife and healer, collecting medicinal herbs and producing powders and potions to sell them at the local market. She also operates in the surrounding, forced to move from place to place to avoid the common slanders by the local people, being a "foreigner" and expert of mysterious arts of healing, not accepted in the Church, remaining in solitude to pray, accused of being a "Stria" (a witch in ancient tuscan language).
The events reach them peak when Gostanza, now elder, is accused of witchcraft for having caused the death of some children, then arrested and locked up in the prisons of the castle of Lari to stand trial inquisitorial that will last thirty days.
In November 1594 Gostanza from Libbiano is convened in San Miniato in the presence of the Holy Inquisition to answer charges of witchcraft.
The woman, at first, denies the charge by describing the beneficial practices to which she used, using ointments and medicinal plants according to an oral tradition passed down from previous generations. Later, subjected to grueling interrogations based on violent torture, including the "torture of the rope" -hanging with a rope to the ceiling by the arms with the pendant body-, at the end she admits the faults, inventing about satanic acts, inspired by stereotyped tales and superstitions about witchcraft. Among these fantasious stories she ranges from the witch vampire that sucks the blood of newborns, to the nocturnal meetings with the devil with whom she has carnally sex, further, she accuses herself of crimes, spells and curses that she would have addressed to her fellows villagers, or about the partecipation in the "ritual of the Sabbath" -a meeting of witches in company of the devil with magical practices, blasphemous rituals and orgies- up to having stolen some consecrated hosts to fry them in a pan and offer them, as a sacrifice, to the devil and more other stories just to give respite to the torment of torture. During subsequent interrogations she alternates times when she confirms the allegations to moments in which she refuses them, by explaining that they are false stories told in order to avoid the pains of the tortures.
The interrogation amazes and confuses her own judges until the intervention of Dionigi di Castrocciaro -which six years later will process Giordano Bruno-, he is an experienced, wise old inquisitor of Florence, who in the absence of real evidences against her, realizes that the stories of Gostanza are the result of fantasies and clichés, absolves the woman, freeing her and forcing her into exile and into the interruption of her activities.
Gostanza will go into exile in Rivalto, where she will remain for about 10 years, by staying in a stone cottage behind Piazza della Compagnia.
The history of Gostanza has captivated the public imagination.
In 2000 was released the movie "Gostanza da Libbiano" by Paolo Benvenuti played by Lucia Poli.
Various publications and books that recount the days of the trial: "Gostanza, la strega di San Miniato" (Gostanza, the Witch of San Miniato) by Franco Cardini, "Storia di un processo inquisitorio" (Story of an inquisitorial process) by Gian Ugo and Susanna Berti winner of Campiello Prize in 2012 (known italian prize of literature).
In 2000 was released the movie "Gostanza da Libbiano" by Paolo Benvenuti played by Lucia Poli.
Various publications and books that recount the days of the trial: "Gostanza, la strega di San Miniato" (Gostanza, the Witch of San Miniato) by Franco Cardini, "Storia di un processo inquisitorio" (Story of an inquisitorial process) by Gian Ugo and Susanna Berti winner of Campiello Prize in 2012 (known italian prize of literature).
