'The fables of witchcraft have taken so fast hold and deepe root in the heart of man, that few or none can indure with patience the hand and correction of God.' Abstract: A partially skeptical book published by the English gentleman Reginald Scot in 1584, intended as an exposé of medieval witchcraft. There are four dedications: to Sir Roger Manwood, chief baron of the exchequer; another to Scot's cousin, Sir Thomas Scot, a third jointly to John Coldwell, then dean of Rochester, and to William … Part of its content exposes how (apparently miraculous) feats of magic were done, and the book is often deemed the first textbook on conjuring. First Edition. The magic section starts with Booke 13 and Chapter 22. The discoverie of witchcraft by Reginald Scot, unknown edition, 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 … The Discoverie of Witchcraft itself is a shotgun blast against the belief in witches and against the credulous and conniving people who promote that belief. It is said that so outraged was King Ja. It contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by charlatans, which is considered the first published material on "magic" trickery. It remains well worth reading. Scot believed that the prosecution of those accused of witchcraft was irrational and un-Christian, and he held the Roman Church responsible. Reginald Scot published The Discoverie of Witchcraft, one of the first magic books ever written in the English language. The Damned Art: Essays in the Literature of Witchcraft(London, 1977). Scot's treatise was first published in 1584, just at the height of the European witchcraze, and was one of the few published works that argued vehemently against the belief in witches and demons. Reginald Scot (or Scott) (c. 1538 – 9 October 1599) was an Englishman and Member of Parliament, the author of The Discoverie of Witchcraft, which was published in 1584. Hard Cover. Reginald Scot (or Scott) (c.1538 - 9 October 1599) was an English country gentleman and Member of Parliament, now remembered as the author of The Discoverie of Witchcraft, which was published in 1584. 17 illustrations. It contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by charlatans, which is considered the first published material on magic. 2. Excerpts from Inquisition, interviews with convicted witches, discussions of alchemy, astrology, much more. It was written against the belief in witches, to show that witchcraft did not exist. The Discoverie of Witchcraft was intended as an exposé of medieval witchcraft. It was written against the belief in witches, to show that witchcraft did not exist. Indispensable primary source on witchcraft. Condition: Very Good. “The fables of witchcraft have taken so fast hold and deepe root in the heart of man, that few or none can endure with patience the hand and correction of God.” Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft (published in 1584) was England’s first major work of demonology, witchcraft, and the occult. There are a number of angles from which Scot makes his attack; a list (by no means complete) is given below: Scot's book appeared entitled The Discoverie of Witchcraft, wherein the Lewde dealing of Witches and Witchmongers is notablie detected, in sixteen books ... whereunto is added a Treatise upon the Nature and Substance of Spirits and Devils, 1584. Scot, Reginald. Scot, Reginald, The Discoverie of Witchcraft(London, 1584). You won't be adding any of the tricks in this book to your repertoire, but the book makes for a great read for anyone interested in the very early days of the publication of … You will find rich full accounts of charges against witches, witch trials and practice of the black arts. Discoverie showed a superstitious public that magicians were not witches, but entertainers with clever effects and methods. Reginald Scot published The Discoverie of Witchcraft in 1584. Reginald Scot intended his Discoverie of Witchcraft as a sensible argument disputing the existence of witches. Reginald Scot's Discouerie of Witchcraft (1584) is the first extant treatise on witchcraft by an English author. WorldCat Home About WorldCat Help. But so rich and full of data on the charges against witches, on witch trials and on the actual practice of the black arts was Scot's Discoverie of Witchcraft that it remained a much-used source throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and is still one of the few primary sources for the study of witchcraft today. This essay shall analyse Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584) in its historical context and explore sixteenth century attitudes towards witchcraft. Reginald Scot was an English parliamentary member . Reginald Scot's The Discoverie of Witchcraft (published in 1584) was England's first major work of demonology, witchcraft, and the occult. Introduction by Montague Summers. Create lists, bibliographies and reviews: or Search WorldCat. The Discoverie of Witchcraft was actually written in opposition to the popular attitude of its time, which was to blame black magic for almost anything that one wanted. Reginald Scot's "Discoverie of Witchcraft" is one of the few prose books from Elizabethan England that still enjoys an actual readership in the 21st century. First English translation, published by the English gentleman Reginald Scot in 1584, intended as an exposé of early Modern witchcraft. He argued that witchcraft and spirits were fictional, and caused by mental disturbances and hoaxes, rather than the supernatural. His father fought was knighted by Charles V and fought alongside King Henry VIII. It remains well worth reading. But so rich and full of data on the charges against witches, on witch trials and on the actual practice of the black arts was Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft that it remained a much-used source throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and is still one of the few primary sources for the study of witchcraft today. Sub Category: 'Discoverie of Witchcraft' 1584, 'once a common book' The Book Collector Podcasts. There were later London editions in 1651, 1654, and 1665; the 1665 edition had some extra material added to it. England's first major work of demonology, witchcraft and the occult, the book was unashamedly sceptical. Reginald Scot wrote The Discoverie of Witchcraft as a refutation of witchcraft and the inquisition. The book was unashamedly skeptical. Discoverie of Witchcraft was written by Reginald Scot. 127 and 218) Professor Almond interchanges Saul and Samuel in his re-telling of the Witch of Endor story. At the end of the volume the printer gives his name as William Brome. Reginald Scot's "Discoverie of Witchcraft" is one of the few prose books from Elizabethan England that still enjoys an actual readership in the 21st century. This is the reprint of the Montague Summers edition of Reginald Scot's "Discoverie of Witchcraft". Reginald Scot deserves a better book than this, and so too does the purchaser, who will have paid out over £50 for it. It contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by charlatans, which is considered the first published material on magic. This alone would make it a notable work, but its real interest lies in the fact that Scot was uncompromisingly Remarkable 16th-century classic attempted to disprove existence of witches. Articles from our Archive brought to life in audio - listen now via soundcloud.com. He was born in 1538 in the southeastern region of England. Download (PDF, 789KB) Reginald Scot expressed his extreme skepticism of witchcraft in his treatise The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584), England’s first major work on demonology and witchcraft.Eventually, Scot’s book was burned for its utility as a source book for magic, ironic because the book is rooted around skepticism. It also features a small section on magic. Reginald Scot, whose words these are, published his remarkable book The Discoverie of Witchcraft in 1584. But so rich and full of data on the charges against witches, on witch trials and on the actual practice of the black arts was Scot's Discoverie of Witchcraft that it remained a much-used … Reginald Scot addresses many phenomena attributed to witches and, using the same Christian ideology that the witch mongers supposedly lived by, points out that they give entirely too much credit to the accused for things only … Sales Category: Author. Search for Library Items Search for Lists Search for Contacts Search for a Library. The discoverie of witchcraft. The book was unashamedly skeptical. The Discoverie of Witchcraft is a partially sceptical book published by the English gentleman Reginald Scot in 1584, intended as an exposé of early Modern witchcraft.It contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by charlatans, which is considered the first published material on illusionary or stage magic. [Reginald Scot; Montague Summers] Home. Scot believed that the prosecution of those accused of witchcraft was irrational, so his aim was to show that witches did not exist, by exposing how feats of magic were performed. Details are muddled—twice (pp. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by Project Gutenberg. England's first major work of demonology, witchcraft and the occult, the book was unashamedly sceptical. We commemorate this historic moment in history with a deck befitting the Discoverie legacy. The work is carelessly presented and poorly edited. Reginald Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft... stands brightly out amid the darkness of its own and the succeeding age, as a perfectly unique example of sagacity amounting to genius.” He adds: “Nothing, however, is more evident than that Scot, however indebted to Wier (and both of them, probably, to Cornelius Agrippa ...), was far in advance of either in the clearness of his views and the unwavering … Search. Rich full account of charges against witches, witch trials, practice of the black arts. At the heart of Scot's book are stories and charges pulled from the writers of the … The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot – Raking Light The Discoverie of Witchcraft, wherein the Lewde dealing of Witches and Witchmongers is notablie detected, in sixteen books … whereunto is added a Treatise upon the Nature and Substance of Spirits and Devils. 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