The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot (English) Paperback Book

Description: The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot, Philip Hofer 16th-century classic debunks witchcraft but offers remarkable primary source of information on witchcraft, witch trials, practice of the black arts. Introduction by Montague Summers. 17 illustrations. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description 16th-century classic debunks witchcraft but offers remarkable primary source of information on witchcraft, witch trials, practice of the black arts. 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 further. He actually set out to prove that witches did not and could not exist! King James later found Scots opinion so heretical that he ordered all copies of his book to be burned. 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 Scots 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.At the heart of Scots book are stories and charges pulled from the writers of the Inquisition about the supposed nature of witches. Scot believed that the utter absurdity of the facts would be enough to stop belief in witchcraft forever. But he also goes on to give opinions of medical authorities, interviews with those convicted of witchcraft, and details about the two-faced practices of those in charge of the inquisitions to show even further why the charges of witchcraft were simply not true. In later chapters Scot details the other side of the question through a study of the black arts that are not purely imaginary. He discusses poisoners, jugglers, conjurers, charmers, soothsayers, figure-casters, dreamers, alchemists, and astrologers and, in turn, sets down the actual practices of each group and shows how the acts depend not upon the devil but upon either trickery or skill. In the process, many of the magicians secrets and much other folk and professional lore of the time is made available to the reader of today. Shortly after the Spanish Inquisition, directly in the wake of Sprenger and Kramers Malleus Maleficarum, during the great upsurge of witch trials in Britain, Scot was a direct witness to the witchmonger in one of witch-huntings bloodiest eras. Whatever your interest in witchcraft - either historical, psychological, or sympathetic - Scot, in his disproof, tells you much more about the subject than the many, many contemporary writers on the other side of the question. Long Description Remarkable 16th-century classic attempted to disprove existence of witches. Rich full account of charges against witches, witch trials, practice of the black arts. Excerpts from Inquisition, interviews with convicted witches, discussions of alchemy, astrology, much more. Indispensable primary source on witchcraft. Introduction by Montague Summers. 17 illustrations. Details ISBN0486260305 Author Philip Hofer Language English ISBN-10 0486260305 ISBN-13 9780486260303 Media Book Format Paperback Imprint Dover Publications Inc. Place of Publication New York Country of Publication United States DEWEY 133.409 Series Dover Occult Birth 1538 Death 1599 Edition New edition Short Title DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT REV/E DOI 10.1604/9780486260303 UK Release Date 1990-05-01 AU Release Date 1990-05-01 NZ Release Date 1990-05-01 Pages 283 Publisher Dover Publications Inc. Edition Description New edition Illustrations Illustrations, unspecified Audience General Year 2000 Publication Date 2000-02-01 US Release Date 2000-02-01 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:7598540;

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