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. III.

That Women have used poysoning in all ages more than Men, and of the inconvenience of poysoning.

AS Women in all ages have been counted most apt to conceive Witch∣craft, and the Devils special instruments therein, and the only or chief practisers thereof: so also it appeareth, that they have been the first inventers, and the greatest practisers of poysoning, and more naturally addicted and given thereunto than men: according to the saying of Quintilian, Latro∣cinium facilius in viro, veneficium in foemina credam: From whom Pliny differeth nothing in opinion, when he saith, Scientiam foeminarum in veneficiis praevalere. To be short, Augustine, Livy, Valerius, Diodorus, and many other agree, That Wo∣men were the first inventers and practisers of the art of poysoning. As for the rest of their cunning, in what estimation it was had, may appear by these verses of Horace, wherein he doth not only declare the vanity of Witchcraft, but also ex∣poundeth the other words, wherewithal we are now in hand.

Somnia, terrores Magicos, miracula, sagas, Nocturnos lemures, portenta{que} Thessala rides.

These dreames and terrors Magical, These Miracles and Witches, Night-walking Sprites, or Thessal bugs, Esteem them not two rushes.

Here Horace (you see) contemneth as ridiculous, all our Witches cunning; marry, herein he comprehendeth not their poysoning art, which hereby he only seemed to think hurtful. Pythagoras and Democritus give us the names of a great many Magical herbes and stones, whereof now, both the vertue, and the things themselves also are unknown: as Marmaritin, whereby Spirits might be raised: Archimedon, which would make one bewray in his sleep, all the secrets in his heart, Adincantida, Calicia, Mevais, Chirocineta, &c. which had all their several vertues, or rather poysons. But all these now are worn out of knowledge; marry in their stead, we have hogs-turd and chervil, as the only thing whereby our Witches work miracles.

Truly this poysoning art called Veneficium, of all others is most abominable; as whereby murthers may be committed, where no suspition may be gathered, nor any resistance can be made; the strong cannot avoid the weak, the wise cannot prevent the foolish, the godly cannot be preserved from the hands of the wicked; Children may hereby kill their Parents, the Servant the Master, the Wife her Husband, so privily, so unevitably, and so incurably, that of all other it hath been thought the most odious kind of murther; according to the saying of Ovid:

— Non hospes abhospite tutus, Non socer à genero, fratrum quo{que} gratia rara est: Imminet exitio vir conjugis, illa mariti; Lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercae; Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos.

Englished by Abraham Fleming:

The travelling guest opprest, Doth stand in danger of his host, The host eke of his guest:

The Father of his son-in-law, Yea rare is seen to rest 'Twixt brethren love and amity, And kindness void of strife: The husband seeks the goodwifes death, And his again the wife. Ungentle stepdames grizly poy∣son temper and do give: The Son too soon doth aske how long His Father is to live.

The Monk that poysoned King John, was a right Veneficus, to wit, both a Witch and a Murtherer; for he killed the King with poyson, and perswaded the people with lyes, that he had done a good and a meritorious act; and doubtless, many were so bewitched, as they thought he did very well therein. Antonius Sa∣bellicus writeth of a horrible poysoning murther, committed by Women at Rome, where were executed (after due conviction) 170 Women at one time; besides 20 Women of that consort, who were poysoned with that poyson which they had prepared for others.

Notes

• Plin. lib. 25. c. 2.
• Ovid Metamo. lib. 1.
• Aenoid. 4. lib. 4.