THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT by REGINALD SCOT-1584 THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT BY REGINALD SCOT, 1584. On Incubi: p43: Howbeit M. Mal, proceedeth, affirming that All witches take their beginning from such filthie actions, wherin the divell, in likenes of a prettie wench, lieth prostitute as Succubus to the man, and reteining his nature and seede, conveieth it unto the witch, to whome he delivereth it as Incubus. p 43-44: For proofe hereof James Sprenger and Institor affirme, that Manie times witches are sene in the fields, and woods, prostituting themselves uncovered and naked up to the navill, wagging and mooving their members in everie part, according to the disposition of one being about that act of concupiscence, and yet nothing seene of the beholders upon hir; saving that after such a convenient time as is required about such a peece of worke, a blacke vapor of the length and bignesse of a man, hath beene seene as it were to depart from hir, and to ascend from that place. p45: You shall read in the legend, how in the night time Incubus came to a ladies bed side, and made hot loove unto hir: whereat she being offended, cried out so lowd, that companie came and found him under hir bed in the likenesse of the holie bishop Sylvanus, which holie man was much defamed therebie, untill at the length of this infamie was purged by the confession of a divell made at S. Jeroms toombe. p45: But here the inquisitors note maie not be fogotten, to wit: that Maides having yellow haire are most molested with this spirit. BOOK V Chapter IX - What severall sorts of witches are mentioned in the scriptures, and how the word witch is there applied (page 62)Sometimes such are called conjurors, as being but roges, and lewd people, would use the name of Jesus to worke miracles, whereby, though they being faithlesse could worke nothing; yet is their practise condemned by the name of conjuration. Sometimes jugglers are called witches. Sometimes also they are called sorcerers, that impugne the gospell of Christ, and seduce others with violent persuasions. Sometimes a murtherer with poison is called a witch. Sometimes they are so termed by the verie signification of their names; as Elimas, which signifieth a sorcerer. Sometimes because they studie curious and vaine arts. Sometimes it is taken for woonding or greeving of the hart. Yea the verie word Magus, which is Latine for magician, is translated a witch; and yet it was hertofore alwaies taken in the good part. And at this daie it is indifferent to saie in the English toong; She is a witch; or, She is a wise woman. Sometimes observers of dreames, sometimes soothsaiers, sometimes the observers of the flieng of foules, of the meeting of todes, the falling of salt, &c: are called witches. Sometimes he or she is called a witch, that take upon them either for gaine or glorie, to doo miracles; and yet can doo nothing. Sometimes they are called witches in common speech, that are old, lame, curst, or melancholike, as a nickname. But as for our old women, that are said to hurt children with their eies, or lambs with their lookes, or that pull down the moone out of heaven, or make so foolish a bargaine, or doo such homage to the divell; you shall not read in the bible of any such witches, or of any such actions imputed to them. 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. (page 64) Chaspah, being a Hebrue word, is Latined Veneficium, and is in English, poisoning, or witchcraft; if you will so have it. The Hebrue sentence written in Exodus, 22. is by the 70. interpreters translated thus into Greeke, (sorry-unprintable), which in Latine is, Veneficos (sive) veneficas non retinebitis in vita , in English, You shall not suffer anie poisoners, or (as it is translated) witches to live. The which sentence Josephus an Hebrue borne, and a man of great estimation, learning and fame, interpreteth in this wise; Let none of the children of Israel have any poison that is deadlie, or preparted to anie hurtfull use. If anie be apprehended with such stuffe, let him be put to dfeath, and suffer that which he meant to doo to them, for whom he prepared it. The Rabbins exposition agree heerewithall. Lex Cornelia differeth not from this sense, to wit, that he must suffer to death, which either maketh, selleth, or hath anie poison, to the intent to kill anie man. This word is found in these places following: Exodus. 22, Deut. 18, 10. 2 Sam. 9, 22. Dan. 2,2. 2 Chr. 33, 6. Eay. 47, 9, 12. Malach, 3,5. Jerem. 27, 9, Mich. 5, 2. Nah. 3,4. bis. Howbeit, in all our English translations, Chaspah is translated, witchraft. BOOK X 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 (page 105) It shall not be amisse here in this place to repeate an ointment greatlie to this purpose, rehearsed by the foresaid John Bapt. Neap. wherein although he maie be overtaken and cousened by an old witch, and made not onelie to beleeve, but also to report a false tale; yet bicause it greatlie overthroweth the opinion of M. Mal. Bodin, and such other as write so absolutelie in maintenance of witches transportations, I will set downe his words in this behalfe. The receipt is as followeth. R/ The fat of yoong children, and seeth it with water in a brasen vessell, reserving the thickest of that which remaineth boiled in the bottome, which they laie up and keepe, untill occaision serveth to use it. They put hereunto Eleoselinum, Aconitum, Frondes populeas, and Soote. Another receipt to the same purpose. R/ Sium, acarum vulgare, pentaphyllon, the bloud of a flitter-mouse, solanum somniferum, & oleum. They stampe all these togither, and then they rubbe all parts of their bodies exceedinglie, till they looke red, and be verie hot, so as the pores may be opened, and their flesh soluble and loose. They joine herewithall either fat, or oilie in steed thereof, that the force of the ointment maie the rather pearse inwardly, and so be more effectual. Book XV Chapter II. An inventarie of the names, shapes, powers, government, and effects of divels and spirits, of their severall segniories and degrees: a strange discourse woorth the reading. Chapter XLII. Of Theurgie, with a confutation thereof, a letter sent to me concerning these matters. (page 270) There is yet another art professed by these cousening conjurors, which some fond divines affirme to be more honest and lawfull than necromancie, which is called Theurgie; wherein they worke by good angels. Howbeit, their ceremonies are altogether papistaicall and superstitions, consisting in cleanlines partlie of the mind, partlie of the bodie, and partlie of things about and belonging to the bodie; as in the skinne, in the apparell, in the house, in the vessell and houshold stuff, in oblations and sacrifices; the cleanliness whereof, they saie, dooth dispose men to the contemplations of heavenlie things. They cite these words of Esaie for their authority; to wit: Wash yourselves and be cleane, &c. In so much as I have known diverse superstitious persons of good account, which usuallie washed all their apparell upon conceits ridiculouslie. For uncleanlinesse (they say) corrupteth the aire, infecteth man, and chaseth awaie cleane spirits. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------