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.

CHAP. V.

Of Bishop Sylvanus his Lechery opened and covered again. How Maids having yellow hair are most combered with Incubus. How marryed men are bewitched to use other mens wives, and to refuse their own.

* 1.1YOu shall read in the Legend, how in the night-time Incubus came to a Ladies bed-side, and made hot love unto her: whereat she being offended, cryed out so loud, that company came and found him under her bed in the likeness of the holy Bishop Sylvanus, which holy man was much defamed thereby, until at the length this infamy was purged by the confession of a Devil made at S. Jeroms tombe.* 1.2 O excellent piece of Witchcraft wrought by Sylvanus! Item, S. Christine would needs take unto her another maids Incubus, and lie in her room: and the story saith, that she was shrewdly accloyed. But she was a shrew indeed, that would needs change beds with her fellow, that was troubled every night with Incubus,* 1.3 and deal with him her self. But here the Inquisitors note may not be forgotten, to wit, that Maids having yellow hair, are most molested with this Spirit. Also, it is written in the Legend, of S. Bernard, that a pretty Wench that had had the use of Incubus his body by the space of six or seven years in Aqui∣tania (being belike weary of him, for that he waxed old) would needs go to S. Bernard another while: But Incubus told her, that if she would so forsake him, being so long her true lover, he would be revenged upon her, &c. But, befal what would, she went to S. Bernard, who took her his staffe, and bad her lay it in the bed beside her. And indeed the Devil fearing the bed-staffe, or that S. Bernard lay there himself, durst not approach into her chamber that night: what he did afterwards, I am uncertain. Marry you may find other circumstances hereof, and many other like bawdy lies in the golden Legend. But here again, we may not forget the Inquisitors note, to wit; that many are so Bewitched, that they cannot use their own wives, but any other bodies they may well enough a∣way withal. Which Witchcraft is practised among many bad husbands, for whom it were a good excuse to say they were Bewitched.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In vita Hiero∣nym.
• * 1.2

  Saints as holy and chast as horses and mares.
• * 1.3

  Maids having yellow hair. Mal. malef. par. 2. qu. 2. cap. 2.