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. IV.

Against Iterpreters of Dreams; of the ordinary cause of Dreams: Hemingius his opi∣nion of Diabolical Dreams; the Interpretation of Dreams ceased.

THere are Books carryed about concerning this matter, under the name of Abraham, who (as Philo, in lib. gigantum, saith) was the inventor of the exposition of Dreams; and so likewise of Solomon and Daniel. But Cicero, in lib. de divinatione, confuteth the vanity and folly of them that give credit to Dreams. And as for the Interpreters of Dreams, as they know not before the Dream, nor yet after, any certainty; yet when any thing afterwards happeneth, then they apply the Dream to that which hath chanced.

Certainly, men never lightly fail to Dream by night, of that which they medi∣tate by day: and by day they see divers and sundry things, and conceive them severally in their minds: Then those mixed conceits being laid up in the closet of the memory, strive together; which, because the phantasie cannot discern nor discuss, some certain thing gathered of many conceits is bred and contrived in one together. And therefore in my opinion, it is time vainly im∣ployed,* 1.1 to study about the interpretation of Dreams. He that list to see the folly and vanity thereof, may read a vain Treatise, set out by Thomas Hill a Londoner, 1568.

Lastly, there are Diabolical Dreams,* 1.2 which Nicholaus Hemingius divideth into three sorts. The first is, when the Devil immediately of himself (he meaneth corporally) offereth any matter of Dream. Secondly, when the Devil sheweth Revelations to them that have made request unto him therefore. Thirdly, when Magicians by Art bring to pass, that other men Dream what they will. Assuredly these, and so all the rest (as they may be used) are very Magical and Devilish Dreams. For although we may receive comfort of mind by those which are called Divine Dreams, and health of body through Physical Dreams: yet if we take upon us to use the office of God in the Revelation,* 1.3 or rather the Interpre∣tation of them; or if we attribute unto them miraculous effects (now when we see the gifts of Prophesie, and of interpretation of Dreams, and also the opera∣tion of Miracles are ceased, which were special and peculiar gifts of God, to confirm the truth of the Word, and to establish his people in the faith of the Messias, who is now exhibited unto us both in the Testament, and also in the blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ) we are bewitched, and both abuse and offend the Majesty of God, and also seduce, delude and cosen all such as by our per∣swasion, and their own light belief, give us credit.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The pleasant Art of the In∣terpretation of Dreams.
• * 1.2

  N. Hemin. in admonitionib. de superstitionib. Magicis vitan∣dis.
• * 1.3

  The end and use of Prophe∣sie, interpreta∣tion of dreams, operation of Miracles, &c.