The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.
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Title
The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.
Author
Scot, Reginald, 1538?-1599.
Publication
London :: Printed for Andrew Clark ...,
1665.
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Subject terms
Witchcraft.
Magic.
Demonology.
Cite this Item
"The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A62397.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 30, 2024.
Pages
CHAP. I.
Of Witchmongers opinions concerning evil Spirits, how they framethemselves in more excellent sort than God made us.
JAmes Sprenger and Henry Institor, in M. Mal. agreeing with Bodin, Barth, Spineus, Danaeus, Erastus, Hemingius, and the rest, do make a bawdy Discourse; labouring to prove by a foolish kind of Philosophy; that evill Spirits cannot on∣ly take earthly formes and shapes of men; but also coun∣terfeit hearing, seeing, &c. and likewise, that they can eat and devour meats, and also retain, digest, and avoid the same; and finally, use divers kinds of activities, but spe∣cially excel in the use and art of Venery: For M. Mal. saith, that the eyes and ears of the mind are far more subtil then bodily eyes or carnal ears. Yea, it is there affirmed, that as they take bodies, and the likeness of members; so they take minds and similitudes of their operations. But, by the way, I would have them answer this question. Our minds and souls are spiritual things. If our cor∣poral ears be stopped, what can they hear or conceive of any external wisdom? And truly, a man of such a constitution of body, as they imagine of these Spirits, which make themselves, &c. were of far more excellent substance, &c. than the bodies of them that God made in paradise; and so the devils workman-ship should exceed the handy-work of God the Father and Creator of all things.