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. X.

The exposition of Iidoni, and where it is found, whereby the whole Art of Conjuration is deciphered.

THis word Iidoni is derived of Iada, which properly signifieth to know; it is sometimes translated, Divinus, which is a Diviner or Soothsayer, as in Deut. 18. Levit. 20. sometimes Ariolus, which is one that also taketh upon him to foretel things to come, and is found Levit. 19. 2 King. 23. Isai. 19. To be short, the opinion of them that are most skilful in the tongues, is,* 1.1 that it comprehendeth all them, which take upon them to know all things part and to come, and to give answers accordingly. It alwayes followeth the word Ob, and in the Scriptures is not named severally from it, and differeth little from the same in sense, and do both concern Oracles uttered by Sririts, possessed people, or Coseners. What will not Coseners or Witches take upon them to do? Wherein will they profess ignorance? Ask them any question, they will undertake to re∣solve you, even of that which none but God knoweth. And to bring their pur∣poses the better to pass, as also to win further credit unto the counterfeit Art which they profess, they procure confederates, whereby they work Wonders. And when they have either learning, eloquence, or nimbleness of hands to ac∣company their confederacy, or rather knavery, then (forsooth) they pass the degree of Witches, and intitle themselves to the name of Conjurors. And these deal with no inferiour causes: these fetch Devils out of Hell,* 1.2 and Angels out of Heaven; these raise up what bodies they list, though they were dead, buried and rotten long before; and fetch souls out of Heaven or Hell, with much more expedition than the Pope bringeth them out of Purgatory. These I say (among the simple, and where they fear no law nor accusation) take upon them also the raising of Tempests, and Earthquakes, and to do as much as God himself can do. These are no small fools, they go not to work with a baggage Toad,* 1.3 or a Cat, as witches do; but with a kind of Majesty, and with Authority they call up by name, and have at their commandement Seventy and nine Principal and Princely Devils, who have under them as their ministers, a great multitude of Legions of petty Devils; as for example.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The large sig∣nification of the word Iidoni.
• * 1.2

  Vide Philast. Brix. Episc. hae∣reseon catal. de Phitonissa.
• * 1.3

  J. Wierus in Pseudomonar∣chia daemonum.