England’s First Demonologist: Reginald Scot & ‘The Discoverie of Witchcraft’

Description

'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.' Reginald Scot, whose words these are, published his remarkable book The Discoverie of Witchcraft in 1584. England's first major work of demonology, witchcraft and the occult, the book was unashamedly sceptical. It is said that so outraged was King James VI of Scotland by the disbelieving nature of Scot's work that, on James' accession to the English throne in 1603, he ordered every copy to be destroyed. Yet for all the anger directed at Scot, and his scorn for Stuart orthodoxy about wiches, the paradox was that his detailed account of sorcery helped strengthen the hold of European demonologies in England while also inspiring the distinctively English tradition of secular magic and conjuring. Scot's influence was considerable. Shakespeare drew on The Discoverie of Witchcraft for his depiction of the witches in Macbeth. So too did fellow-playwright Thomas Middleton in his tragi-comedy The Witch. Recognising Scot's central importance in the history of ideas, Philip Almond places his subject in the febrile context of his age, examines the chief themes of his work and shows why his writings became a sourcebook for aspiring magicians and conjurors for several hundred years. England's First Demonologist makes a notable contribution to a fascinating but unjustly neglected topic in the study of Early Modern England and European intellectual history. Cover Contents Acknowledgements 1. 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft' The Book Noblesse Oblige Motivations and Methods The Bible, the Book, and the Books 2. Witchcraft Apocalypse Soon A Witch in Brenchley Evil and Providence The Witches of Windsor The Witches of St. Osyth Witches, Deluding and Deluded Mad and Melancholic Imaginings 3. Demonology Demonological Foundations The Demonic Pact On Sabbatical Travels Animal Transformations Sex and the Devil 4. Magic Poisons and Potions Pythonists and Ventriloquists The Pythonist of Endor Miracles, Oracles, and Apparitions Reading the Stars Divining and Dreaming Guessing Upon Uncertain Toys Of Enchanters, Priests, and Physicians Magic, Angelic and Demonic 5. Philosophy and Religion Natural Magic Secular Enchantments 'Of the Art of Alchumystrie' A Devilish and Spiritual Discourse The Secret Sadducee? Carnal and Spiritual Men The Spiritual Demonologist Notes Bibliography Index