The Discoverie of Witchcraft
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They sacrifice their owne children to the divell before baptisme, holding them up in the aire unto him, and then thrust a needle into their braines … They use incestuous adulterie with spirits … They eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of men and children openlie … They kill mens cattell … They bewitch mens corne … They ride and flie in the aire, bring stormes, make tempests … They use venerie with a divell called Incubus and have children by them, which become the best witches …In 1584, when there were few who would even defend witches against these charges, Reginald Scot went one step furthe...
Chapters (942)
- THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT
- PREFACE
- INTRODUCTION.
- WILL OF RAYNOLD SCOT.
- ABSTRACT OF INQUIS. POST MORTEM, 18 ELIZ. p. 1, No. 84.
- ABSTRACT OF INQUIS. P.M., 45 ELIZ., pars. 1, No. 71.
- The Epistle
- To the Honorable, mine especiall good Lord, Sir Roger Manwood Knight, Lord cheefe Baron of hir Majesties Court of the Eschequer.
- To the right worshipfull Sir Thomas Scot Knight, &c.
- To the right worshipfull his loving friends, Maister Doctor Coldwell Deane of Rochester, and Maister Doctor Readman Archdeacon of Canturburie, &c.
- To the Readers.
- The forren authors used in this Booke.
- The summe of everie chapter conteined in the sixteene bookes of this discoverie, with the discourse of divels and spirits annexed thereunto.
- The first Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The second Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The Ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The third Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- The xv. Chapter.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- The xvii. Chapter.
- The xviii. Chapter.
- The xix. Chapter.
- The xx. Chapter.
- The fourth Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fifth Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The fift Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The sixt Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The seventh Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- The xv. Chapter.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- The eight Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The ninth Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The tenth Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- The xv. Chapter.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- The xvii. Chapter.
- The 18. Chapter.
- The 19. Chapter.
- The xx. Chapter.
- The xxi. Chapter.
- The xxii Chapter.
- The xxiii. Chapter.
- The twelfe Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- ¶ A charme against shot, or a wastcote of proofe.
- ¶ Against the falling evill.
- ¶ A popish periapt or charme, which must never be said, but carried about one, against theeves.
- ¶ Another amulet.
- ¶ A papisticall charme.
- ¶ A charme found in the canon of the masse.
- ¶ Other papisticall charmes.
- ¶ A charme of the holie crosse.
- ¶ A charme taken out of the Primer.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- For the falling evill.
- ¶ Against the biting of a mad dog.
- ¶ Against the biting of a scorpion.
- ¶ Against the toothach.
- ¶ A charme to release a woman in travell.
- ¶ To heale the Kings or Queenes evill, or any other sorenesse in the throte.
- ¶ A charme read in the Romish church, upon saint Blazes daie, that will fetch a thorne out of anie place of ones bodie, a bone out of the throte, &c: Lect. 3.
- ¶ A charme for the headach.
- ¶ A charme to be said each morning by a witch fasting, or at least before she go abroad.
- ¶ Another charme that witches use at the gathering of their medicinable hearbs.
- ¶ An old womans charme, wherewith she did much good in the countrie, and grew famous thereby.
- Another like charme.
- A charme to open locks.
- ¶ A charme to drive awaie spirits that haunt anie house.This is called and counted the Paracelsian charme.
- ¶ A prettie charme or conclusion for one possessed.
- ¶ Another for the same purpose.
- ¶ Another to the same effect.
- ¶ Another charme or witch-craft for the same.179.
- ¶ A charme for the bots in a horsse.
- ¶ A charme against vineager.
- The xv. Chapter.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- ¶ A charme teaching how to hurt whom you list with images of wax, &c.
- The xvii. Chapter.
- ¶ Counter charmes against these and all other witchcrafts, in the saieng also whereof witches are vexed, &c.
- ¶ A charme for the choine cough.
- ¶ For corporall or spirituall rest.
- ¶ Charmes to find out a theefe.
- ¶ Another waie to find out a theefe that hath stolne anie thing from you.
- ¶ To put out the theeves eie.
- ¶ Another waie to find out a theefe.
- ¶ A charme to find out or spoile a theefe.
- ¶Saint Adelberts cursse or charme against theeves.
- ¶ Another inchantment.
- The xviii Chapter.
- ¶ A charme or experiment to find out a witch.
- To spoile a theefe, a witch, or anie other enimie, and to be delivered from the evill.
- ¶ A notable charme or medicine to pull out an arrowhead, or anie such thing that sticketh in the flesh or bones, and cannot otherwise be had out.
- ¶ Charmes against a quotidian ague.
- ¶ For all maner of agues intermittant.
- Periapts, characters, &c: for agues, and to cure all diseases, and to deliver from all evill.
- ¶ More charmes for agues.
- ¶ For a bloudie flux, or rather an issue of bloud.
- ¶ Cures commensed and finished by witchcraft.
- ¶ Another witchcraft or knaverie, practised by the same surgion.
- ¶ Another experiment for one bewitched.
- ¶ Otherwise.
- ¶ A knacke to knowe whether you be bewitched, or no, &c.
- The xix. Chapter.
- The xx. Chapter.
- The xxi. Chapter.
- ¶ A charme to find hir that bewitched your kine.
- ¶ Another, for all that have bewitched anie kind of cattell.
- ¶ A speciall charme to preserve all cattell from witchcraft.
- The xxii. Chapter.
- The charme of charmes.
- ¶ Otherwise.
- The xxiii. Chapter.
- The xiii. Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- The xv. Chapter.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- The xvii. Chapter.
- The xviii. Chapter.
- The xix. Chapter.
- The xx. Chapter.
- The xxi. Chapter.
- The xxii. Chapter.
- The xxiii. Chapter.
- To make a little ball swell in your hand till it be verie great.
- To consume (or rather to conveie) one or manie balles into nothing.324.
- How to rap a wag upon the knuckles.
- The xxiiii. Chapter.
- To conveie monie out of one of your hands into the other by legierdemaine.325.
- To convert or transubstantiate monie into counters, or counters into monie.
- To put one testor into one hand, and an other into the other hand, and with words to bring them togither.
- 326.To put one testor into a strangers hand, and another into your owne, and to conveie both into the strangers hand with words
- How to doo the same or the like feate otherwise.
- To throwe a peece of monie awaie, and to find it againe where you list.
- With words to make a groat or a testor to leape out of a pot, or to run alongst upon a table.
- To make a groat or a testor to sinke through a table, and to vanish out of a handkercher verie strangelie.
- A notable tricke to transforme a counter to a groat.
- The xxv. Chapter.
- To conveie a testor out of ones hand that holdeth it fast.232.
- To throwe a peece of monie into a deepe pond, and to fetch it againe from whence you list.
- To conveie one shilling being in one hand into another, holding your armes abroad like a rood.
- How to rap a wag on the knuckles.
- The xxvi. Chapter.
- The xxvii. Chapter.
- How to deliver out foure aces, and to convert them into foure knaves.
- How to tell one what card he seeth in the bottome, when the same card is shuffled into the stocke.
- An other waie to doo the same, having your selfe indeed never seene the card.
- To tell one without confederacie what card he thinketh.
- The xxviii. Chapter.
- The xxix. Chapter.
- A notable feate of fast or loose; namelie, to pull three beadstones from off a cord, while you hold fast the ends thereof, without remooving of your hand.
- The xxx. Chapter.
- To make a shoale of goslings drawe a timber log.
- To make a pot or anie such thing standing fast on the cupboord, to fall downe thense by vertue of words.
- To make one danse naked.339.
- To transforme or alter the colour of ones cap or hat.
- How to tell where a stollen horsse is become.
- The xxxi. Chapter.
- 240.How to conveie (with words or charmes) the corne conteined in one box into an other.
- Of an other boxe to convert wheat into flower with words, &c.
- Of diverse petie juggling knacks.
- The xxxii Chapter.
- To cut a lace asunder in the middest, and to make it whole againe.
- How to pull laces innumerable out of your mouth, of what colour or length you list, and never anie thing seene to be therein.
- The xxxiii. Chapter.
- The xxxiiii. Chapter.
- To eate a knife, and to fetch it out of anie other place.
- To thrust a bodkin into your head without hurt.
- To thrust a bodkin through your toong, and a knife through your arme: a pittifull sight, without hurt or danger.
- To thrust a peece of lead into one eie, and to drive it about (with a sticke) betweene the skin and flesh of the forehead, untill it be brought to the other eie, and there thrust out.
- To cut halfe your nose asunder, and to heale it againe presentlie without anie salve.
- To put a ring through your cheeke.246.
- To cut off ones head, and to laie it in a platter, &c: which the jugglers call the decollation of John Baptist.
- To thrust a dagger or bodkin into your guts verie strangelie, and to recover immediatlie.
- 351.To drawe a cord through your nose, mouth or hand, so sensiblie as is woonderful to see.
- 248.The conclusion, wherin the reader is referred to certeine patterns of instruments wherewith diverse feats heere specified are to be executed.
- Heere follow patternes of certeine instru*ments [* Hence Rom.] to be used in the former juggling knacks.
- To thrust a bodkin into your head, and through your toong, &c.
- To thrust a knife through your arme, and to cut halfe your nose asunder, &c.
- To cut off ones head, and to laie it in a platter, which the jugglers call the decollation of John Baptist.
- The xiiii. Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The xv. Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The vi. Chapter.
- The disposition of the planets.398. 282.
- The aspects of the planets.
- How the daie is divided or distinguished.
- The division of the daie, and the planetarie regiment.399. 283.
- The division of the night, and the planetarie regiment.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- This is the waie to go invisible by these three sisters of fairies.291.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- ¶ Saie first the praiers of the angels everie daie, for the space of seaven daies.
- ¶ Saie this praier fasting, called *Regina* O queene or governesse of the toong. linguæ.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- 414. 295.A figure or type proportionall, shewing what forme must be observed and kept, in making the figure whereby the former secret of inclosing a spirit in christall is to be accomplished, &c.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- ¶ The two and twentieth psalme.
- This psalme also following, being the fiftie one psalme, must be said three times over, &c.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- A licence for the spirit to depart.
- 420. 302.A type or figure of the circle for the maister and his fellowes to sit in, shewing how and after what fashion it should be made.
- The xv. Chapter.
- To the water saie also as followeth.
- 304.Then take the salt in thy hand, and saie putting it into the water, making in the maner of a crosse.
- Then sprinkle upon anie thing, and saie as followeth.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- The xvii. Chapter.
- Now the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo must be said, and then the praier immediatlie following.
- The xviii. Chapter.
- The xix. Chapter.
- Then being appeared, saie these words following.
- A licence to depart.
- The xx. Chapter.
- To speake with spirits.
- The xxi. Chapter.
- The xxii. Chapter.
- The xxiii. Chapter.
- The xxiiii. Chapter.
- The xxv. Chapter.
- The xxvi. Chapter.
- The xxvii. Chapter.
- ¶ A conjuration written in the masse booke. Fol. 1.445.
- ¶ Oremus.
- The xxviii Chapter.
- The xxix Chapter.
- The xxx. Chapter.
- The xxxi. Chapter.
- The xxxii. Chapter.
- The xxxiii. Chapter.
- The xxxiiii. Chapter.
- The xxxv. Chapter.
- The xxxvi. Chapter.
- The xxxvii. Chapter.
- The xxxviii. Chapter.
- The xxxix. Chapter.
- The xl. Chapter.
- The xli. Chapter.
- The xlii. Chapter.
- The copie of a letter sent unto me R. S. by T. E. Maister of art, and practiser both of physicke, and also in times past, of certeine vaine sciences; now condemned to die for the same: wherein he openeth the truth touching these deceits.*[* Lines 1, 3, 5 Rom. 2, 4 Ital.]
- The xvi. Booke.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- A Discourse upon divels and spirits, and first of philosophers opinions, also the maner of their reasoning hereupon; and the same confuted.
- The first Chapter.
- The second Chapter.
- The third Chapter.
- The fourth Chapter.
- The fift Chapter.
- The sixt Chapter.
- The seventh Chapter.
- The eight Chapter.
- The ninth Chapter.
- The tenth Chapter.
- The eleventh Chapter.
- The twelfe Chapter.
- The xiii. Chapter.
- The xiiii. Chapter.
- The xv. Chapter.
- The xvi. Chapter.
- The xvii. Chapter.
- The xviii. Chapter.
- The xix. Chapter.
- The xx. Chapter.
- The xxi. Chapter.
- The xxii. Chapter.
- The xxiii. Chapter.
- The xxiiii. Chapter.
- The xxv. Chapter.
- The xxvi. Chapter.
- The xxvii. Chapter.
- The xxviii. Chapter.
- The xxix. Chapter.
- The xxx. Chapter.
- The xxxi. Chapter.
- The xxxii. Chapter.
- The xxxiii. Chapter.
- The xxxiiii. Chapter.
- Appendix I.
- Chap. I.
- How to consecrate an imaginary Circle.
- Chap. II.
- Chap. III.
- Chap. IV.
- Chap. V.
- An Exorcism for the fire.
- At the putting on the Garments,
- Chap. VI.
- Chap. VII.
- Chap. VIII.
- Chap. IX.
- Appendix II.
- Chap. I.
- Chap. II.
- Chap. III.
- Chap. IV.
- Chap. V.
- Chap. VI.
- Chap. VII.
- SHAKESPEARE NOTINGS.
- MIDDLETON’S “WITCH”.
- EXTRACTS FROM WIER.
- I.
- II. SCOT ON THE NAMES, ETC., OF DEVILS FROM WIER, BUT PROBABLY THROUGH T. R., MENTIONED P. 393.
- Additions to Part I, p. 558.
- GENERAL NOTINGS ON SCOT’S TEXT.
- GLOSSARY.
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