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. X.

A confutation of all the former follyes touching Incubus, which by examples and proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be flat knavery, wherein the carnall copulation with spirits is over-throwne.

THus are lecheries covered with the cloke of Incubus and witch-craft, contrary to nature and verity: and with these fables is maintained an opinion, that men have been begotten without carnall copulation, as Hy∣perius and others write that Merlin was,* 1.1 An. 440;, specially to excuse and maintain the knaveries and lecheries of idle priests & bawdy monkes, and to cover the shame of their lovers and concubines.

And alas, when great learned men have been so abused, with the ima∣gination of Incubus his carnall society with women, misconstruing the Scriptures, to wit, the place in Genesis 6. to the seducing of many others; it is the lesse wonder, that this error hath passed so generally among the common people.

But to use few words herein, I hope you understand that they affirme and say, that Incubus is a spirit; and I trust you know that a spirit hath no flesh nor bones, &c. and that he neither doth eat nor drink. Indeed your gran dames maides were wont to set a boll of milke before him and his cousine Robin good-fellow, for grinding of malt or mustard, and sweep∣ing the house at mid-night: and you have also heard that he would chase exceedingly, if the maid or good-wife of the house, having compassion of his nakednesse, laid any clothes for him, besides his messe of white-bread and milke, which was his standing fee. For in that case he saith; What have we here? Hemton hamten, here will I never more tread nor stampen.* 1.2

But to proceed in this con••••tation. Where there is no meat eaten, there can be no feed which thereof is ingendred: although it be granted, that Robin could both eat and drink, as being a cosening idle frier, or some such rogue, that wanted nothing either belonging to lechery or kna∣very, &c. Item, where the genitall members want, there can be no lust of the flesh: neither doth nature give any desire of generation, where there is no propagation or succession required. And as spirits cannot be greeved with hunger, so can they not be inflamed with lustes. And if men should live ever, what needed succession or heires? For that is but an ordinance of God, to supply the place, the number, the world, the time,* 1.3 and specially to accomplish his will. But the power of generation consisteth not onely in members, but chiefly of vitall spirits, and of the heat: which spirits are never in such a body as Incubus hath, being but a body assumed, as they themselves say. And yet the most part of writers herein affirme, that it is a palpable and visible body; though all be phansies and fables that are written hereupon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Merlin begot∣ten of Incu∣bus.
• * 1.2

  Quia humor spermaticus ex succo ali∣mentari pro∣venit.
• * 1.3

  Ad faculta∣tem generandi tam interna quam externa organa requiruntur.