Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

CHAP. XXVI.

Other grosse absurdities of witchmongers in this matter of conjura∣tions.

SUrely I cannot see what difference or distinction the witchmongers doe put betweene the knowledge and power of God and the divell; but that they think, if they pray or rather talk to God, till their heartsake, he never heareth them; but that the divell doth know every thought and imagination of their minds, and both can and also will do any thing for them. For if any that meaneth good faith with the divell read certaine conjurations, he commeth up (they say) at a trice. Marry if another that hath no intent to raise him, reade or pronounce the words, be will not stirre.* 1.1 And yet 1. Bodin confesseth, that he is afraid to read such conjura∣tions, as Iohn Wierus reciteth; lest (belike) the divell would come up, and scratch him with his fowle long nailes. In which sort I wonder that the divell dealeth with none other, then witches and conjurors. I for my part have read a number of their conjurations, but never could see any divels of theirs, except it were in a play. But the divell (belike) know∣eth my mind; to wit, that I would be loth to come within the com∣passe of his clawes.* 1.2 But lo what reason such people have. Bodin, Bartho∣lomeus, Spineus, Sprenger, and Institor, &c: do constantly affirme, that witches are to be punished with more extremity than conjurors; and sometimes with death, when the other are to be pardoned doing the same offense: because (say they) the witches make a league with the divell, and

so do not conjurors. Now if conjurors make no league by their owne confession, and divels indeed know not our cogitations (as I have suffi∣ciently proved) then would I weet of our witchmongers the reason, (if I read the conjuration and performe the ceremony) why the divell will not come at my cal? But oh absurd credulity! Even in this point many wise and learned men have been and are abused: whereas, if they would make ex∣perience, or duly expend the cause, they might be soone resolved; spe∣cially when the whole art and circumstance is so contrary to Gods word, as it must be false, if the other be true. So as you may understand, that the papists do not only by their doctrine, in bookes and sermons teach and publish conjurations, and the order thereof, whereby they may in∣duce men to bestow, or rather cast away their money upon masses and suffrages for their soules, but they make it also a parcell of their sacrament or orders (of the which number a conjuror is one) and insert many forms of conjurations into their divine service, and not only into their pon∣tificals, but into their masse bookes; yea into the very canon of the masse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A conjuror then belike must not be timerous or fearefull.
• * 1.2

  Where a witch cureth by in∣cantation, and the conjuror by conjuration.