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.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A62397.0001.001
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 June 9, 2024.
Pages
CHAP. XIX.
That one Witchcraft may lawfully meet with another.
SCotus, Hostiensis, Gofridus, and all the old Canonists agree, that it is lawful to take away Witchcraft by Witchcraft, Et vana vanis contundere.* 1.1 And Scotus saith, It were folly to forbear to encounter Witchcraft by Witch∣craft, for (saith he) there can be none inconvenience therein, because the over∣thrower of Witchcraft assenteth not to the works of the Devil. And therefore he saith further, that it is meritorious so to extinguish and overthrow the Devils works. As though he should say, It maketh no matter, though S. Paul say, Non fa∣cies malum ut inde veniat bonum, Thou shalt not do evil, that good may come there∣of. Lombertus saith,* 1.2 that Witchcraft may be taken away by that means whereby it was brought. But Gofridus inveyeth sore against the oppugners thereof. Pope Nicholas the fifth gave indulgence and leave to Bishop Miraties (who was so be∣witched in his privities, that he could not use the gift of Venery) to seek reme∣dy at Witches hands. And this was the clause of his dispensation, Ut ex duolus malis fugiatur majus, that of two evils, the greater should be avoided. And so a Witch, by taking his doublet cured him, and killed the other Witch; as the sto∣ry saith, which is to be seen in M. Mal. and divers other Writers.