The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scott, Kaufman and Greenberg

Details: In 1584, Reginald Scot – a country gentleman and MP from Kent – published The discoverie of witchcraft, a sceptical treatise recording and debunking popular and scholarly beliefs about witchcraft, magic and other superstitions. Scot argued that belief in magic was both irrational and un-Christian. He suggested non-magical reasons and causes for both magical phenomena and accusations of witchcraft. These included psychological and sociological causes. For example, Scot argued that the social tension and guilt felt by those who denied charity to poor women sometimes led the deniers to accuse these women of witchcraft. Scot maintained that those who had been accused and executed for witchcraft were innocent and blamed the Catholic Church for encouraging these superstitious beliefs.

The discoverie of witchcraft was very widely read in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was a central text in witchcraft debates and there were numerous challenges to Scot’s beliefs (not least from King James VI and I in his own book on witchcraft, Daemonologie) as well as a smaller number of defences. Because of the comprehensiveness of The discoverie of witchcraft, it was a useful source of information on supernatural beliefs and practices, regardless of whether the reader agreed with Scot’s scepticism or not. However, it is also important to note that Scot was not a folklorist researching and accurately recording popular beliefs for posterity; he was using these stories to support his own agenda of persuading the reader against belief in the supernatural.

Contents:

INTRODUCTION BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
BOOK I.
Chapter I.
N impeachment of Witches power in meteors and elementarie bodies tending to the rebuke of such as attribute too much unto them page I
Chapter II.
The inconvenience growing by mens credulitie herein, with a reproofe of some churchmen, which are inclined to the common conceived opinion of witches omnipotencie, and a familiar example thereof 3
Chapter III.

Who they be that are called witches, with a manifest declaration of the cause that mooveth men so commonlie to thinke, and witches themselves to beleeve that they can hurt children, cattell, &c. with words and imaginations: and of coosening witches 4
Chapter IV.

What miraculous actions are imputed to witches
by witchmongers, papists, and poets 5
Chapter V.
A confutation of the common conceived opinion of witches and witchcraft, and how detestable a sane it is to repaire to them for counsell or helpe in time of affliction 7
Chapter VI.
A further confutation of witches miraculous and omnipotent power, by invincible reasons and authorities, with dissuasions from such fond credulitie 7
Chapter VII.
By what means the name of witches becommeth so famous, and how diverslie people be opinioned concerning them and their actions 9
Chapter VIII.
Causes that moove as well witches themselves as others to thinke that they can worke impossibilities, with answers to certeine objections: where also their punishment by lawe is touched
9
Chapter IX.
A conclusion of the first booke, wherein is foreshewed the tyrannicall crueltie of witchmongers and inquisitors, with a request to the reader to peruse the same so
PAGE
xvii
xxx u
BOOK II. Chapter I.
What testimonies and witnesses are allowed to give evidence against reputed witches, by the report & allowance of the inquisitors themselves, and such as are speciall writers heerein
page 11
Chapter II.
The order of examination of witches by the inquisitors 11

Chapter III.

Matters of evidence against witches 13
Chapter IV.
Confessions of witches, whereby they are con14
Chapter V.

Presumptions, whereby witches are condemned 14

Chapter VI.
Particular Interogatories used by the inquisitors against witches 15

Chapter VII.

The inquisitors triall of weeping by conjuration 16

Chapter ‘VIII
Certaine cautions against witches, and of their tortures to procure confession 16
Chapter IX.
The fifteen crimes laid to the charge of witches, by witchmongers; speciallie by Bodin, in Dzmonomania 18
Chapter X.
A refutation of the former surmised crimes patched togither by Bodin, and the onelie waie to escape the inquisitors hands 19
Chapter XI.
The opinion of Cornelius Agrippa concerning witches, of his pleading for a poore woman accused of witchcraft, and how he convinced the inquisitors 20

Chapter XII.
What the feare of death and feeling of torments may force one to doo, and that it is no marvell though witches condemn themselves by their owne confessions so tyrannicailie extorted 21

Contents
BOOKE III.

Chapter I.
The witches bargaine with the divell, according to M. Mal. Bodin, Nider, Danaeus, Psellus, Erastus, Hemingius, Cumanus, Aquinas, Bartholomnus, Spineus, &c. page 23

Chapter II.
The order of the witches homage done (as it is written by lewd inquisitors and peevish witchmoongers to the divell in person; of their songs and dance, and namelie of La volta, and of other ceremonies, also of their excourses 24
Chapter III.
How witches are summoned to appeere before the divell, of their riding in the aire, of their accompts, of their conference with the divell, of his supplies, and their conference, of their farewell and sacrifices : according to Dannus, Psellus, &c. 25

Chapter IV.
That there can no real! league be made with the divill the first author of the league, and the weake proofes of the adversaries for the same 25
Chapter V.
Of the private league, a notable tale of Bodins concerning a French ladie, with a confutation 26
Chapter VI.
A disproofe of their assemblies, and of their bargame 27
Chapter VII.
A confutation of the objection concerning witches confessions 28
Chapter VIII
What follie it were for witches to enter into such desperate peril!, and to endure such intollerable tortures for no gain or commoditie, and how it comes to asse that witches are overthrowne by their confessions 29

Chapter IX.
How melancholic abuseth old women, and of the effects thereof by sundrie examples 30
Chapter X.
That voluntarie confessions may be untrulie made, to the undooing of the confessors, and of the strange operation of melancholic, prooved by a familiar and late example 31
Chapter XI.
The strange and divers effects of melancholic, and how the same humour abounding in witches, or rather old women, filleth them full of mervellous imaginations, and that their confessions are not to be credited 33

Chapter XII.
A confutation of witches confessions, especiallie concerning their league
Chapter XIII.
A confutation of witches confessions, concernin making of tempests and raine : of the natural cause of raine, and that witches or divels have no power to doo such things 34
Chapter XIV.
What would ensue, if witches confessions or witchmongers opinions were true, concerning the effects of witchcraft, inchantments, &c.
Page 36
Chapter XV.
Examples of forren nations, who in their warres used the assistance of witches; of eybiting witches in Ireland, of two archers that shot with familiars 36

Chapter XVI.
Authorities condemning the fantasticall confessions of witches, and how a popish doctor taketh upon him to disproove the same 37
Chapter XVII
Witchmongers reasons, to proove that witches can worke wonders, Bodins tale of a Friseland preest transported, that imaginations, proceedings of melancholic doo cause illusions 38
Chapter XVIII.
That the confession of witches is insufficient in civil! and common lawe to take await life. What the sounder divines, and decrees of councels determine in this case 39
Chapter XIX.
Of foure capital! crimes objected against witches, all fullie answered and confuted as frivolous 40
Chapter XX.
A request to such readers as loath to heare or read filthie and bawdie matters (which of necessitie are heere to be inserted) to passe over eight chapters 41
BOOKE IV.

Chapter I.
Of witchmongers opinions concerning evil1 spirits, how they frame themselves in more excellent sort than God made us 42
Chapter II.
Of bawdie Incubus and Succubus, and whether the action of venerie may be performed between witches and divels, and when witches first yeelded to Incubus 42
Chapter IV.
That the power of generation is both outwardlie and inwardlie impeached by witches, and of divers that had their genitals taken from them by witches, and by the same means again restored 44
Chapter V.
Of bishop Sylvanus his leacherie opened and covered agame, how maides having yellow haire are most combred with Incubus, how maried men are bewitched to use other mens wives, and to refuse their own 45
Chapter III.
Of the divels visible & invisible dealing witches in the waie of lecherie
43

Contents
Chapter VI.
How to procure the dissolving of bewitched love, also to enforce a man (how proper so ever he be) to love an old hag : and of a bawdie tricke of a priest in Gelderland page 46
Chapter VII.
Of divers saints and holie persons, which were exceeding bawdie and lecherous, and by certeine miraculous meanes became chaste 4.6
Chapter VIII.
Certeine popish and magicall cures, for them that are bewitched in their privities 47
Chapter IX.
A strange cure done to one that was molested with Incubus 47

Chapter X.
A confutation of all the former follies touching Incubus, which by examples and proofes of like stuffe is shewed to be flat knaverie, wherein the carnall copulation with spirits is overthrowne 48
Chapter XI.
That Incubus is a naturall disease, with remedies for the same, besides magicall cures herewithall expressed 49

Chapter XII
The censure of G. Chaucer, upon the knaverie of Incubus 50
*

BOOKE V.

Chapter I.
Of transformations, ridiculous examples brought by the adversaries for the confirmation of their foolish doctrine 51
Chapter II
Absurd reasons brought by Bodin, and such others, for confirmation of transformations 53
Chapter III.
Of a man turned into an asse, and returned again into a man by one of Bodins witches: S. Augustines opinion thereof 54
Chapter IV.
A summarie of the former fable, with a refutation thereof, after due examination of the same 55
Chapter V.
That the bodie of a man cannot be turned into the bodie of a beast by a witch, is prooved by strong reasons, scriptures, and authorities 56
Chapter VI.
The witchmongers objections, concerning Nabuchadnez-zar answered, and their errour concerning Lycanthropia confuted 58
Chapter VII.
A speciall objection answered concerning transportations, with the consent of diverse writers thereupon 58
Chapter VIII.
The witchmongers objection concerning the historie of job answered page 6o
Chapter IX.
What severall sorts of witches are mentioned in the scriptures, and how the word witch is there applied 62
BOOKE VI.

Chapter I.
The exposition of this Hebrue word Chasaph, wherein is answered the objection conteined in Exodus 22. to wit: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, and of Simon Magus. Acts. 8 64
Chapter II.
The place of Deuteronomie expounded, wherin

are recited all kind of witches; also their

opinions confuted, which hold that they can

worke such miracles as are imputed unto them

65
Chapter M
That women have used poisoning in all ages more than men, and of the inconvenience of poisonIng 67
Chapter IV.
Of divers poisoning practises, otherwise called veneficia, committed in Italie, Genua, Millen, Wittenberge, also how they were discovered and executed 68

Chapter V.
A great objection answered concerning this kind of witchcraft called Veneficium 6g
Chapter VI.
In what kind of confections that witchcraft, which is called Venificium, consisteth: of love cups, and the same confuted by poets 6g
Chapter VII.
It is proved by more credible writers, that love cups rather ingender death through venome, than love by art : and with what toies they destroie cattell, and procure love 70
Chapter VIII.
John Bodin triumphing against John Wier is overtaken with false Greeke & false interpretation thereof 71
*

BOOKE VII.

Chapter I.
Of the Hebrue word Ob, what it signifieth where it is found, of Pythonisses called Ventriloqun, who they be, and what their practises are, experience and examples thereof shewed 72
Chapter II
How the lewd practise of the Pythonist of Westwell came to light, and by whome she was examined; and that all hir diabolicall speach was but ventriloquie and plaine cousenage, which is prooved by hir owne confession 74

Contents
Chapter III.
Bodins stuffe concerning the Pythonist of Endor, with a true storie of a counterfeit Dutchman Page 75
Chapter IV.
Of the great oracle of Apollo the onist, and how men of all sorts have been eceived, and that even the apostles have mistaken the nature of spirits, with an unanswerable argument, that spirits can take no shapes 76
Chapter V.
Why Apollo was called Pytho whereof those witches were called Pythonists : Gregorie his letter to the divell 77

Chapter VI.
Apollo, who was called Pytho, compared to the Rood of grace: Gregories letter to the divell confuted 78
Chapter VII.
How diverse great clarkes and good authors have been abused in this matter of spirits through false reports, and by meanes of their credulitie have published lies, which are confuted by Aristotle and the scriptures 78
Chapter VIII.
Of the witch of Endor, and whether she accomplished the raising of Samuel truelie, or by deceipt : the opinion of some divines hereupon
79
Chapter IX.
That Samuel was not raised indeed, and how Bodin and all papists dote herein, and that soules cannot be raised by witchcraft 8o
Chapter X.
That neither the divell nor Samuell was raised, but that it was a meere cousenage, according to the guise of our Pythonists 81
Chapter XI.
The objection of the witchmongers concerning this place fullie answered, and what circumstances are to be considered for the understanding of this storie, which is plainelie opened from the beginning of the 28. chap. of the 1. Samuel, to the 12. verse 81
Chapter XII.
The 12. 13. & 14. verses of 1. Samuel 28. expounded: wherin is shewed that Saule was cousened and abused by the witch, and that Samuel was not raised, is prooved by the witches owne talke 83
Chapter XIII.
The residue of i. Sam. 28. expounded : wherin is declared how cunninglie this witch brought Saule resolutelie to beleeve that she raised Samuel, what words are used to colour the cousenage, and how all might also be wrought by ventriloquie 84

Chapter XIV.
Opinions of some learned men, that Samuel was indeed raised, not by the witches art or power, but by the speciall miracle of God, that there are no such visions in these our daies, & that our witches cannot doo the like 85
Chapter XV.
Of vain apparitions, how people have beene brought to feare bugger, which is partlie reformed by preaching of the g the true effect of Christes miracles page 86
Chapter XVI.
Witches miracles compared to Christs, that God is the creator of all things, of Apollo, and of his names and portraiture 87

*

BOOKE VIII.
Chapter I
That miracles are ceased 8g

Chapter II.
That the gift of prophesie is ceased
Chapter III.
That Oracles are ceased 91
Chapter IV.
A tale written by manic grave authors, and beleeved by manic wise men of the divels death. An other storie written by papists, and beleeved of all catholikes, approoving the divels honestie, conscience, and courtesie 92
Chapter V.
The judgments of the ancient fathers touching oracles, and their abolishment, and that they be now transferred from Delphos to Rome 93
Chapter VI.
Where and wherein couseners, witches, and preests were woont to give oracles, and to worke their feats 94
BOOKE IX.
Chapter I.
The Hebrue word Kasam expounded, and how farre a Christian may conjecture of things to come 95
Chapter H.
Proofes by the old and new testament, that certaine observations of the weather are lawfull 95
Chapter III.
That certeine observations are indifferent, certeine ridiculous, and certeine impious, whence that cunning is derived of Apollo, and of Aruspices 96
Chapter IV.
The predictions of soothsaiers and lewd priests, the prognostications of astronomers and physicians allowable, divine prophesies holie and good 97
Chapter V.
The diversitie of true prophets, of Urim, and of the propheticall use of the twelve precious stones conteined therein, of the divine voice called Eccho 98

Contents
Chapter VI.
Of prophesies conditionall: whereof the prophesies in the old testament doo intreate, and by whom they were published; witchmongers aunswers to the objections against witches supernaturall actions page 98

Chapter VII.
What were the miracles expressed in the old testament, and what are they in the new testament and that we are not now to looke for anie more miracles 99

BOOKE X. Chapter I.
The interpretation of this Hebrue word Onen, of the vanitie of dreames, and divinations thereupon 101
Chapter II.
Of divine, naturall, and casuall dreames, with their differing causes and effects 101
Chapter III.
The opinion of divers old writers touching dreames, and how they vane in noting the causes thereof 102

Chapter IV.
Against interpretors of dreames, of the ordinarie cause of dreames, Hemingius his opinion of diabolicall dreames, the interpretation of dreames ceased 102
Chapter V.
That neither witches, nor anie other, can either by words or hearbs, thrust into the mind of a sleeping man, what cogitations or dreames they list; and whence magicall dreames come 103
Chapter VI.
How men have been bewitched, cousened or

abused by dreames to dig and search for monie

104
Chapter VII.
The art and order to be used in digging for monie, revealed by dreames, how to procure pleasant dreames, of morning and midnight dreames 104
Chapter VIII.
Sundrie receipts and ointments, made and used for the transportation of witches, and other miraculous effects: an instance therof reported and credited by some that are learned 105
Chapter IX.
A confutation of the former follies, as well concerning ointments, dreames, &c. as also of the assemblie of witches, and of their consultations and bankets at sundrie places, and all in dreames i o6
Chapter X.
That most part of prophesies in the old testament were revealed in drearnes, that we are not now to looke for such revelations, of some who have drempt of that which bath come to passe, that dreames proove contrarie, Nabuchadnez-zars rule to knowe a true expositor of dreames I o6
BOOKE XI.

Chapter I.
The Hebrue word Nahas expounded, of the art of augurie, who invented it, how slovenlie a science it is : the multitude of sacrifices and sacrificers of the heathen, and the causes thereof page io8
Chapter II
Of the Jewes sacrifice to Moloch, a discourse thereupon, and of Purgatorie 108

Chapter III.
The Canibals crueltie, of popish sacrifices exceeding in tyrannie the Jewes or Gentiles log
Chapter IV.
The superstition of the heathen about the element of fier, and how it grew in such reverence among them, of their corruptions, and that they had some inkling of the godlie fathers dooings in that behalfe log
Chapter V.
Of the Romane sacrifices: of the estimation they

had of augurie, of the lawe of the twelve tables

110
Chapter VI.
Colleges of augurors, their office, their number, the signification of augurie, that the practisers of that art were couseners, their profession, their places of exercise, their apparrell, their superstition 1 10
Chapter VII.
The times and seasons to exercise augurie, the maner and order -thereof, of the ceremonies thereunto belonging 111
Chapter VIII.
Upon what signes and tokens augorors did prognosticate, observations touching the inward and outward parts of beasts, with notes of beasts behaviour in the slaughterhouse 112

Chapter IX.
A confutation of augurie, Plato his reverend opinion thereof, of contrarie events, and false predictions 112
Chapter X.
The cousening art of sortilege or lotarie, practised especiallie by Aegyptiara vagabonds, of allowed lots, of Pythagoras his lot, &c. 113
Chapter XI.
Of the Cabalisticall art, consisting of traditions and unwritten verities learned without booke, and of the division thereof 113

Chapter XII.
When, how, and in what sort sacrifices were first ordained, and how they were prophaned, and how the pope corrupteth the sacraments of Christ 114
Chapter XIII.
Of the objects whereupon the augurors used to

prognosticate, with certeine cautions and notes 115

Contents
Chapter XIV.
The division of augurie, persons admittable into
the colleges of augurie, of their superstition
page 116
Chapter XV.
Of the common peoples fond and superstitious collections and observations 116

Chapter XVI.
How old writers vane about the matter, the manor and the meanes, whereby things augurificall are mooved 117
Chapter XVII.
How ridiculous an art augurie is, how Cato mocked it, Aristotles reason against it, fond collections of augurors, who allowed, and who disallowed it
118
Chapter XVIII.
Fond distinctions of the heathen writers, concerning augurie 119
Chapter XIX.
Of naturall and casuall augurie, the one allowed, and the other disallowed 119
Chapter XX.
A confutation of casuall augurie which is meere witchcraft, and upon what uncertaintie those divination are grounded 119
Chapter XXI.
That figure-casters are witches, the uncerteintie of their art, and of their contradictions, Cornelius Agrippas sentence against judiciall astrologic
120
Chapter XXII
The subtiltie of astrologers to mainteine the credit of their art, why they remaine in credit, certeine impieties conteined in astrologers assertions 121

Chapter XXIII.
Who have power to drive awaie divels with their onelie presence, who shall receive of God whatsoever they aske in praier, who shall obteine everlasting life by meanes of constellations, as nativitie-casters affirme 122
BOOKE XII.

Chapter I.
The Hebrue word Habar expounded, where also the supposed secret force of charmes and inchantments is shewed, and the efficacie of words is diverse waies declared 123

Chapter II
What is forbidden in scriptures concerning witchcraft, of the operation of words, the superstition of the Cabalists and papists, who createth substances, to imitate God in some cases is presumption, words of sanctification 123

Chapter III.
What effect and offense witches charmes bring, how unapt witches are, and how unlikelie to worke those things which they are thought to doo, what would followe if those things were true which arc laid to their charge 124
Chapter IV.
Why God forbad the practise of witchcraft, the

absurditie of the lawe of the twelve tables,

whereupon their estimation in miraculous

actions is grounded, of their woonderous works

page 125

Chapter V.
An instance of one arreigned upon the lawe of the twelve tables, whereby the said lawe is proved ridiculous, of two witches that could doo woonders 125

Chapter VI.
Lawes provided for the punishment of such witches as worke miracles, whereof some are mentioned, and of certeine popish lawes published against them 126

Chapter VII.
Poetical authorities commonlie alleaged by witchmongers, for the proofe of witches miraculous actions, and for confirmation of their supernaturall power 127
Chapter VIII.
Poetise and poperie compared in inchantments, popish witchmongers have more advantage herein than protestants 130
Chapter IX.
Popish periapts, amulets and charmes, agnus Dei, a wastcote of proofe, a charme for the falling evill, a writing brought to S. Leo from heaven by an angell, the vertues of S. Saviors epistle, a charme against theeves, a writing found in Christs wounds, of the crosse, &c. 131
Chapter X.
How to make holie water, and the vertues therof. S. Rufins charme, of the wearing and bearing of the name of Jesus, that the sacrament of confession and the eucharist is of as much efficacie as other charmes, & magnified by L. Vairus 135
Chapter XI.
Of the noble balme used by Moses, apishlie counterfeited in the church of Rome 136
Chapter XII.
The opinion of Ferranus touching charmes, periapts, appensions, amulets, &c. Of Homericall medicines, of constant opinion, and the effects thereof 136

Chapter XIII.
Of the effects of amulets, the drift of Argerius Ferrarius in the commendation of charmes, &c.: foure sorts of Homericall medicines, & the choice thereof; of imagination 137
Chapter XIV.
Choice of Charmes against the falling evill, the biting of a mad dog, the stinging of a scorpion, the toothach, for a woman in travell, for the Kings evill, to get a thorne out of any member, or a bone out of ones throte, charmes to be said fasting, or at the gathering of hearbs, for sore eies, to open locks, against spirits, for the bots in a horsse, and speciallie for the Duke of Albas horsse, for sowre wines, &c. 138

Contents
Chapter XV.
The inchanting of serpents and snakes, objections aunswered concerning the same; fond reasons whie charmes take effect therm, Mahomets pigeon, miracle wrought by as Asse at Memphis in Aegypt, popsh charmer against serpents, of
acle workers, the tameing of snakes, Bodins lie of snakes page 142
Chapter XVI.
Charmes to carrie water in a sive, to know what is spoken of us behind our backs, for bleare eies, to make seeds to growe well, of images made of wax, to be rid of a witch, to hang hir up, notable authorities against waxen images, a storie bewraieng the knaverie of waxen images 1.16
Chapter XVII.
Sundrie sorts of charmes tending to diverse purposes, and first, certeine charmes to make taciturnitie in tortures 147

Chapter XVIII.

A charme or experiment to find out a witch 151

Chapter XIX.
That one witchcraft maie lawfullie meete with another 157
Chapter XX.
Who are privileged from witches, what bodies are aptest to be bewitched, or to be witches, why women are rather witches than men, and what they are 158
Chapter XXI.
What miracles witchmongers report to have beene done by witches words, &c.: contradictions of witchmongers among themselves, how beasts are cured herby, of bewitched butter, a charme
t witches, and a counter charme, the effect
charmes and words proved by L. Vairus to be woonderfull 159

Chapter XXII.
Lawfull charmes, or rather medicinable cures for diseased cattell. The charme of charmes, and the power thereof 161
Chapter XXIII.
A confutation of the force and vertue falselie

ascribed to charmes and amulets, by the

authorities of ancient writers, both divines and

162
BOOKE XiII.
Chapter I.
The signification of the Hebrue word Harturnim where it is found written in the scriptures, and how it is diverslie translated : whereby the objection of Pharaos magicians is afterward answered in this booke; also of naturall magicke not evill in it selfe 163

Chapter II.
How the philosophers in times past travelled for the knowledge of naturall magicke, of Salomons knowledge therein, who is to be called a naturall magician, a distinction thereof, and why it is condemned for witchcraft 163
Chapter III.
What secrets do lie hidden, and what is taught in naturall magicke, how Gods glorie is magnified therein, and that it is nothing but the worke of
nature page 164
Chapter IV.
What strange things are brought to passe by naturall magicke 165

Chapter V.
The incredible operation of waters, both standing and running; of well, lakes, rivers, and of their
woonde effects 165
Chapter VI.
The vertues and qualities of sundrie pretious stones, of cousening Lapidaries, &c. 166
Chapter VII.
Whence the pretious stones receive their operations, how curious Magicians use them, and of
their seales 168

Chapter VIII.
The sympathie and antipathie of naturall and elementarie bodies declared by diverse examples
of beasts, birds, plants, &c. 170
Chapter IX.

The former matter prooved by manie examples of
the living and the dead 171
Chapter X.
The bewitching venome conteined in the bodie of an harlot’ how hir eie, hir toong, hir beautie and behavior itcheth some men: of bones and
homes yeelding great vertue 172
Chapter XI.
Two notorious woonders and yet not marvelled at
173
Chapter XII.
Of illusions, confederacies, and legierdemaine, and
how they may be well or ill used 174 Chapter XIII.
Of private confederacie, and of Brandons pigeon
174
Chapter XIV.
Of publike confederacie, and whereof it consisteth
175
Chapter XV.
How men have beene abused with words of equi
vocation, with sundrie examples thereof 175 Chapter XVI.
How some are abused with naturall magike, and sundrie examples thereof when illusion is added Mereuunto, of Jacobs pied sheepe, and of a blacke
7
Chapter XVII.
The opinion of witchmongers, that divels can create bodies, and of Pbaraos magicians 177
physicians

Contents
Chapter XVIII.
How to produce or make monsters by art magike,

and why Pharaos magicians could not make lice

Page 177
Chapter XIX.
That great matters may be wrought by this art, when princes esteeme and mainteine it : of divers woonderfull experiments, and of strange conclusions in glasses, of the art perspective, &c.
178
Chapter XX.

A comparison betwixt Pharaos magicians and our
witches, and how their cunning consisted in
juggling knacks 18o
Chapter XXI.

That the serpents and frogs were trulie presented,
and the water poisoned indeed by Jannes and
Ja bres~of false prophets, and of teir miracles, re 180
Chapter XXII.
The art of juggling discovered, and in what points it dooth principallic consist 182
Chapter XXIII.
Of the ball, and the manner of legierdemaine therewith, also notable feats with one or diverse balles 182
Chapter XXV.
An excellent feat, to make a two penie peece lie plaine in the paane of your hand, and to be passed from thence when you list 186
Chapter XXVI.
To transforme anie one small thing into anie other forme by folding of paper 187
Chapter XX VII
Of cards, with good cautions how to avoid cousenage therein : speciall rules to conveie and handle the cards, and the maner and order to accomplish all difficult and strange things wrought with cards 188

Chapter XXXIII.
How to tell what card anie man thinketh, how to conveie the same into a kernell of a nut or cheristone, &c.: and the same againe into ones pocket : how to make one drawe the same or ame card you list, and all under one devise igo
Chapter XXIX.
Of fast or loose, how to knit a hard knot upon a

handkercher, and to undo the same with words

igo
Chapter XXX.
Juggling knacks by confederacie, and how to know whether one cast crosse or pile by the ringing
191
Chapter XXXI.
Boxes to alter one graine into another, or to con-. sume the grain or come to nothing 192
Xiv
Chapter XXXII.
To burn a thred, and to make it whole agaiae with the ashes thereof page 193

Chapter XXXIII.
How to make a booke, wherein you shall shew everie leafe therein to be white, blacke, red, yellow, greene, &c. 195
Chapter XXXIV.
Desperate or,dangerous juggling knacks, wherein the simple are made to thinke, that a seelie juggler with words can hurt and helpe, kill and revive anie creature at his pleasure : and first too kill anie kind of pullen, and to give it life againe
x96
BOOKE XIV.

Chapter I.
Of the art of Alcumystrie, of their woords of art and devises to bleare mens eies, and to procure credit to their profession 204
Chapter II.
The Alcumysters drift, the Chanons yeomans tale, of alcumysticall stones and waters 205
Chapter III.
Of a yeoman of the countrie cousened by an Alcumyst 206

Chapter IV.
A certeine king abused by an Alcumyst, and of the kings foole a pretie jest 208
Chapter V.
A notable storie written by Erasmus of two Alcumysts, also of longation and curtation 208
Chapter VI.
The opinion of diverse learned men touching the follie of Alcumystrie 212
Chapter VII.
Thatvaine and deceitfull hope is a great cause why men are seduced by this alluring art, and that there labours therein are bootelesse, &c. 214
Chapter VIII.
A continuation of the former matter, with a conclusion of the same 214
BOOKE XV.

Chapter I.
The exposition of lidoni, and where it is found, whereby the whole art of conjuration is deciphered 217
Chapter II.
An inventarie of the names, shapes, powers, government, and effects of divels and spirits, of their severall scgniories and degrees: a strange discourse woorth the reading 217
Chapter XXIV. Of conveiance of monie
184
Contents
Chapter III.
The houres wherin principail divels may be bound, to wit, raised and restrained from dooing
of hurt page 226
Chapter IV.
The forme of adjuring or citing of the spirits aforesaid to arise and appeare 226
Chapter V.
A confutation of the manifold vanities conteined in the precedent chapters, speciallie of command
ing of divels 227 Chapter VI.
The names of the planets, their characters, togither with the twelve signes of the zodiake, their dispositions, aspects, and government, with
other observations 228 Chapter VII.
The characters of the angels of the seaven daies, with their names: of figures, seales and periapts
231
Chapter VIII.

An experiment of the dead 232

Chapter IX.

A licence for Sibylia to go and come by at all times
235
Chapter X.

To know of treasure hidden in the earth 236
Chapter XI.

An experiment following, of Citrael, &c.: angeli
diei dominici 237
Chapter XII.

How to enclose a spirit in a christall stone 238
Chapter XIII.

An experiment of Bealphares 240
Chapter XIV.
To bind the spirit Bealphares, and to lose him again
Chapter XVII.

An experiment of the dead 246
Chapter XVIII.
A bond to bind him to thee, and to thy followeth 247
Chapter XIX.
This bond as followeth, is to call him into your christall stone, or glasse, &c. 249
Chapter XX.
When to talke with spirits, and to have true answers to find out a theefe page 250

Chapter XXL
A confutation of conjuration, especiallie of the raising, binding and dismissing of the divell, of going invisible, and other lewd practises 251
Chapter XXIL
A comparison betweene popish exorcists and other conjurors, a popish conjuration published by a great doctor of the Romish church, his rules and cautions 252

Chapter XXIII.
A late experiment, or cousening conjuration practised at Orleance by the Franciscane Friers, how it was detected, and the judgement against the authors of that comedie 253

Chapter XXIV.
Who may be conjurors in the Romish church besides priests, a ridiculous definition of superstition, what words are to be used and not used in exorcismes, rebaptisme allowed, it is lawfull to conjure any thing, differences between holie water and conjuration 255
Chapter XXV.
The seven reasons why some are not rid of the divell with all their popish conjurations, why there were no conjurors in the primitive church, and why the divell is not so soone cast out of the bewitched as of the possessed 257

Chapter XXVI.
Other grosse absurdities of witchmongers in this matter of conjurations 258
Chapter XXVII.
Certaine conjurations taken out of the pontificall and out of the missall 258

Chapter XXVIII.
That popish priests leave nothing unconjured, a forme of exorcisme for incense 259
Chapter XXIX.
The rules and ]awes of popish Exorcists and other conjurors all one, with a confutation of their whole power, how S. Martine conjured the divell 260

Chapter XXX.
That it is a shame for papists to beleeve other conjurors dooings, their owne being of so litle force, Hipocrates his opinion herein 261
Chapter XXXI.
How conjurors have beguiled witches, what bookes they carie about to procure credit to their art, wicked assertions against Moses and Joseph 262

Chapter XXXII.
All magicall arts confuted by an argument concerning Nero, what Cornelius Agrippa and Carolus Gallus have left written thereof, and prooved by experience 263
Chapter XV.
The making of the holie water
242
Chapter XVI.
To make a spirit to appeare in a christall

Contents
Chapter XXXIII.
Of Salomons conjurations, and of the opinion conceived of his cunning and practise therein
Chapter XXXIV. page 264
Lessons read in all churches, where the pope hath authoritie, on S. Margarets daie, translated into English word for word 265

Chapter XXXV.
A delicate storie of a Lombard, who by S. Margarets example would needs fight with a reall divell 265
Chapter XXX VI.
The storie of Saint Margaret prooved to be both ridiculous and impious in everie point 266

Chapter XXX VII.

A pleasant miracle wrought by a popish preest 267

Chapter XXX VIII.
The former miracle confuted, with a strange storie of saint Lucie 268

Chapter XXXIX.
Of visions, noises, apparitions, and imagined sounds, and of other illusions, of wandering soules: with a confutation thereof 268

Chapter XL.
Cardanus opinion of strange noises, how counterfet visions grow to be credited, of popish appeerances, of pope Boniface 269

Chapter XLI.
Of the noise or sound of eccho, of one that narrowlie escaped drowing thereby, &c. 270

Chapter XLII.
Of Theurgie, with a confutation thereof, a letter sent to me concerning these matters 270
BOOKE XVI.

Chapter I.
A conclusion, in maner of an epilog, repeating mane of the former absurdities of witchmongers conceipts, confutations thereof, and of the authoritie ofJames Sprenger and Henrie Institor inquisitors and compilers of M. Mal. 273
Chapter II.
By what meanes the common people have been made beleeve in the miraculous works of witches, a definition of witchcraft, and a description thereof page 274
Chapter III
Reasons to proove that words and characters are but bables, & that witches cannot doo such things as the multitude supposeth they can, their greatest woonders prooved trifles, of a yoong gentleman cousened 274
Chapter IV.
Of one that was so bewitched that he could read no scriptures but canonicall, of a divel that could speake no Latine, a proofe that witchcraft is flat cousenage 276
Chapter V.
Of the divination by the sive and sheeres, and by the booke and key, Hemingius his opinion thereof confuted, a bable to know what is a clocke, of certeine jugling knacks, manifold reasons for the overthrowe of witches and conjurors, and their cousenages, of the divels transformations, of Ferrum candens, &c. 277
Chapter VI.
How the divell preached good doctrine in the shape of a preest, how he was discovered, and that it is a shame (after confutation of the greater witchcrafts) for anie man to give credit to the lesser points thereof 279
Chapter VII.
A conclusion against witchcraft, in maner and forrne of an Induction 280
Chapter VIII.

Of naturall witchcraft or fascination 281

Chapter IX.

Of inchanting or bewitching eies 281

Chapter X.

Of naturall witchcraft for love, &c. 282
Xvi

• Publisher: Kaufman and Greenberg
• Pages: 282
• Location: Washington DC, USA
• Dimensions: 9″x11″
• Date: 1584, 1995
• Binding: hardbound

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