By Reginald Scot. The complete text, and scans, is available at archive.org.
Scot's 'The Discovery of Witchcraft'
Log in to post an annotation.
If you don't have an account, then register here.
References
Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.
1667
- Aug
5 Annotations
First Reading
Michael Robinson • Link
Scot, Reginald, 1538?-1599.
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, o 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, ... are notably detected. ... In sixteen books. By Reginald Scot Esquire. 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, as succedaneous to the former, and conducing to the compleating of the whole work: with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth book of the discovery.
London : printed for A. Clark, and are to be sold by Dixy Page at the Turks-Head in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange, 1665.
fo., [18], 292, [14], 72, [2] p. : ill. ;
"A discourse concerning the nature and substance of devils and spirits." has separate title page, with imprint "printed in the year M.DC.LXV.", and begins new pagination with quire 3A. With a final contents leaf. [A variant of the edition with "Mris. Cotes’s near the Golden-Ball in Aldersgatestreet " in the imprint, Wing (CD-ROM, 1996), S945A]
Wing (CD-Rom, 1996), S945. PL 2046
Earlier editions in 1584, 1651, 1654
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.
Scot, Reginald, 1538?-1599.
[London]: Printed by R.C. and are to be sold by Giles Calvert ..., 1651.
Early English Books Online [full text]
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/…
Terry Foreman • Link
The discoverie of witchcraft
by Scot, Reginald, 1538?-1599; Nicholson, Brinsley, 1824-1892
Published 1886
https://archive.org/details/disco…
Terry Foreman • Link
The Discoverie of Witchcraft is a partially sceptical book published by the English gentleman Reginald Scot in 1584, intended as an exposé of medieval witchcraft. It contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by charlatans, which is considered the first published material on magic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The…
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
Until 1736, English law allowed courts to convict and execute people for witchcraft. However, once the law had been repealed, it didn’t mean that belief in the craft was eradicated.
80 years later, a trial took place in Yorkshire that caused huge media attention. According to broadsheets from the time, a woman named Mary Bateman was executed for ‘witchcraft and murder’.
Mary wasn’t formally accused of witchcraft -- she was prosecuted for fraud as well as murder, but the media highlighted her popularity for telling fortunes and making charms and referred to her as the ‘Yorkshire witch’.
It was her claims to be able to cure people which led to the death of her victim, Rebecca Perigo. In 1808, Mary treated Rebecca with white powders for a nervous or spiritual ailment, instructing her to mix them into a pudding. Rebecca died a week after eating it.
Authorities found corrosive mercury powder on Mary, leading to her arrest, charge of murder, and hanging at York Castle on 20 March 1809, 3 days after her trial.
The story of the ‘Yorkshire Witch’ drew 5,000 people to witness Mary’s hanging, with more lining the road to see her coffin travel to Leeds General Infirmary, where hospital staff charged 3 pence to view her corpse.
The story of the ‘Yorkshire Witch’ and physical evidence of protective measures like witches’ marks demonstrate that belief in witchcraft and the supernatural was widespread until the late 19th century.
Throughout the 20th century suspicions around witches and magic in England began to reduce. However, it’s important to remember the lives lost during past centuries, when the fear of the unknown, accusations and misunder- standings led to tragic consequences.
Pictures of York Castle and the original story (along with other witch stories) at
https://heritagecalling.com/2024/…