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.

BOOK I.

• Chap. I. THE Philosophers opinions concerning De∣vils and Spirits; their manner of reason∣ing thereupon: and the same confuted. Page. 1
• Chap. II. Mine own opinion concerning this argument, to the disproof of some writers hereupon. Page. 2
• Chap. III. The opinion of Psellus touching spirits, of their several Orders, and a confutation of his errors therein. Page. 3
• Chap. IV. More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others, concerning the actions and passions of spirits, his defi¦nition of them, and of his experience therein. Page. 4
• Chap. V. The opinion of Fascius Cardanus touching spirits, and of his familiar devil. Page. 5
• Chap. VI. The opinion of Plato concerning spirits, devils and angels, what sacrifices they like best, what they fear; and of Socrates his familiar devil. Page. 6
• ...Chap. VII. Plato's nine orders of spirits and angels, Diony∣sius his division thereof not much differing from the same, all disproved by learned Divines. Page. 7
• Chap. VIII. The commencement of devils fondly gathered out the 14. of Isaiah; of Lucifer, and of his fall, the Cabalists, the Talmudists and Schoolmens opinions of the creation of angels. ibid.
• Chap. IX. Of the contention between the Greek and Latine Church touching the fall of angels, the variance among Papists themselves herein; a conflict between Michael and Lucifer. Page. 8
• Chap. X. Where the battell between Michael and Lucifer was sought, how long it continued, and of their pow∣er; how fondly Papists and Infidals write of them, & how reverently Christians ought to think of them. Page. 9
• Chap. XI. Whether they became devils, which being angels kept not their vocation, in Jude and Peter; of the fond opinions of the Rabbins touching spirits & bugs, with a confutation thereof. Page. 10
• Chap. XII. That the Devils assaults are spiritual, and not temporal; and how grossly some understand those parts of the scripture. Page. 11
• Chap. XIII. The equivocation of this word Spirit, how di∣versly it is taken in the Scriptures, where (by the way) is taught that the Scripture is not always lite∣rally to be interpreted, nor yet All gorically to be un∣derstood. Page. 12
• Chap. XIV. That it pleased God to manifest the power of his Sonne, and not of witches by miracles. Page. 13
• Chap. XV. Of the possessed with devils. Page. 14
• Chap. XVI. That we being not throughly informed of the na∣ture of devils and spirits, must satisfie our selves with that which is delivered us in the Scriptures touching the same; how this word Devil is to be un∣derstood both in the singular and plural number; of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the devil; of tame spirits; of Ahab. ibid.
• Chap. XVII. Whether spirits and souls can assume bodies, & of their creation and substance, wherein Writers do extremely contend and vary. Page. 15
• Chap. XVIII. Certain Popish reasons concerning spirits made of air; of day devils, and night devils, and why the devil loveth no salt in his meat. Page. 16
• Chap. XIX. That such devils as are mentioned in the scrip∣tures, have in their names their nature and qualities expressed, with instances thereof. ibid
• Chap. XX. Divers names of the devil, whereby his nature and disposition is manifested. Page. 17
• Chap. XXI. That the Idols or gods of the Gentiles are devils, their diverse names, and in what affairs their la∣bours and authorities are employed, wherein also the blind superstition of the heathen people is discove∣red. Page. 18
• Chap. XXII. Of the Romans chief gods called Dii selecti, and of other heathen gods, their names and offices. Page. 19
• Chap. XXIII. Of divers gods in divers Countreys. Page. 20
• Chap. XXIV. Of Popish provincial gods, a comparison be∣tween them and heathen gods; of physical gods, and of what occupation every Popish god is. ibid.
• Chap. XXV. A comparison between the heathen and Papists, touching their excuses for idolatry. Page. 22
• Chap. XXVI. The conceipt of the heathen and the Papists all one in Idolatry; of the Councel of Trent; a notable story of a hangman arraigned after he was dead and buryed, &c. Page. 23
• Chap. XXVII. A confutation of the fable of the hang-man; of many other feigned and ridiculous tales and appa∣ritions, with a reproof thereof. Page. 24
• Chap. XXVIII. A confutation of Johannes Laurentius, and of many others maintaining these faigned and ridi∣culous tales and apparitions, and what driveth them away; of Moses and Elias their appearance in mount Tabor. Page. 25
• Chap. XXIX. A confutation of assuming of bodies, and of the serpent that seduced Eve. Page. 26
• Chap. XXX. The objection concerning the devils assuming of the serpents body answered. ibid.
• Chap. XXXI. Of the Curse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place rightly expounded. Calvins opinion of the devil. Page. 27
• Chap. XXXII. Mine own opinion, and resolution of the na∣ture of spirits, & of the devil with his properties. Page. 28
• Chap. XXXIII. Against fond Witchmongers, and their opi∣nions concerning corporal devils. Page. 29
• Chap. XXXIV. A conclusion, wherein the Spirit of spirits is described, by the illumination of which spirit all spi∣rits are to be tryed: with a confutation of the Pneu∣matomachi flatly denying the divinity of this Spi∣rit. Page. 30