16th century lycanthropy: How did the belief in werewolves influence the crime and literature of 16th century Europe?

"Lycanthropy... 1 : a delusion that one has become a wolf 2 : the assumption of the form and characteristics of a wolf held to be possible by witchcraft or magic," (Webster's). Today, the idea of humans transforming into animals seems absurd. No sane person could ever believe such fairy tales of times long gone. In 16th century Europe, however, the belief was widespread. Accompanying the wave of satanism that swept Europe after the Middle Ages, a fear of …

…in werewolves caused numerous deaths and widespread fear. Fortunately for us, the maniacal craze that drove the European witch-hunts has faded over time, but still we find werewolves all over our culture, throughout modern literature and films. Some human fascination with bloodthirsty mutants will never let lycanthropy die. So we may research historical werewolves out of curiosity, and perhaps cases of lycanthropy from over four centuries ago can help us understand the people of today.