Daemonologie
In Forme of a Dialogie
Diuided into three Bookes.
By James RX
Printed by Robert Walde-graue,
Printer to the Kings Majestie. An. 1597.
Cum Privilegio Regio.
CONTENTS
The Preface. To The Reader. First Booke. Chap. I. Chap. II. Chap. III. Chap. IIII. Chap. V. Chap. VI. Chap. VII. Seconde Booke. Chap. I. Chap. II. Chap. III. Chap. IIII. Chap. V. Chap. VI. Chap. VII. Thirde Booke. Chap. I. Chap. II. Chap. III. Chap. IIII. Chap. V. Chap. VI. Newes from Scotland. To the Reader. Discourse.
THE PREFACE. TO THE READER.
The fearefull aboundinge at this time in this countrie, of these detestable slaues of the Deuill, the Witches or enchaunters, hath moved me (beloued reader) to dispatch in post, this following treatise of mine, not in any wise (as I protest) to serue for a shew of my learning & ingine, but onely (mooued of conscience) to preasse thereby, so farre as I can, to resolue the doubting harts of many; both that such assaultes of Sathan are most certainly practized, & that the instrumentes thereof, merits most severly to be punished: against the damnable opinions of two principally in our age, wherof the one called SCOT an Englishman, is not ashamed in publike print to deny, that ther can be such a thing as Witch-craft: and so mainteines the old error of the Sadducees, in denying of spirits. The other called VVIERVS, a German Phisition, sets out a publick apologie for al these craftes-folkes, whereby, procuring for their impunitie, he plainely bewrayes himselfe to haue bene one of that profession. And for to make this treatise the more pleasaunt and facill, I haue put it in forme of a Dialogue, which I haue diuided into three bookes: The first speaking of Magie in general, and Necromancie in special. The second of Sorcerie and Witch-craft: and the thirde, conteines a discourse of all these kindes of spirits, & Spectres that appeares & trobles persones: together with a conclusion of the whol work. My intention in this labour, is only to proue two things, as I haue alreadie said: the one, that such diuelish artes haue bene and are. The other, what exact trial and seuere punishment they merite: & therefore reason I, what kinde of things are possible to be performed in these arts, & by what naturall causes they may be, not that I touch every particular thing of the Deuils power, for that were infinite: but onelie, to speak scholasticklie, (since this can not
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: Daemonologie. by King of England James I
- 2: Cure or cast on disseases Now by these same reasones
- 3: For ought I can yet perceaue and namelie
- 4: By the hearing tell onely of an olde man with an mantil
- 5: Whereof the one is called Magie or Necromancie
- 6: But the Necromanciers are his maisters and commanders
- 7: Which is one of the speciall members of the Mathematicques
- 8: So they who ignorantly proues these practicques
- 9: Discourse me some what of their circkles and conjurationes
- 10: In the formes he will oblish himselfe
- 11: As Moyses rod being casten downe
- 12: For the slaughter of an AEgyptian
- 13: Whose reasons I wil shortely alleage vnto you
- 14: The Melancholicques neuer spares to bewray themselues
- 15: Yet burnes in a desperat desire of reuenge
- 16: At the time of their conueening
- 17: That by diuerse meanes they may conueene
- 18: The Deuill will be reddie to imitate God
- 19: Betuixt Charybdis and Scylla
- 20: Which yee haue put mee in memorie of
- 21: He knowes well inough what humor domines most in anie of vs
- 22: Can neuer the Deuill be casten out
- 23: Fra they be once apprehended and put in firmance
- 24: Ceases not sensine at sometimes to appeare
- 25: To mocke and accuse their barnelie erroures
- 26: Which the Deuill knowing well inough
- 27: And are not our war woolfes one sorte of these spirits also
- 28: Or else being persones of the beste nature peraduenture
- 29: Was it not euill inough to deceiue simple ignorantes
- 30: Can woorke nothing in generation
- 31: The description of the Daemoniackes possessed
- 32: By reason of the faithfull report that men sound of religion
- 33: The deuil illuded the senses of sundry simple creatures
- 34: Euen the knauerie of that same deuil
- 35: May of our law serue for sufficient witnesses and proofes
- 36: SAMVEL was dead aswell before that
- 37: That the said witches were first discouered
- 38: Had a maide seruant called Geillis Duncane
- 39: Maister of the Schoole at Saltpans in Lowthian
- 40: He at their comming enioyned them all to a pennance
- 41: But that would preuaile as little
- 42: He caused the said Gentleman that once in xxiiij
- 43: Into the which the Hayfer went
- 44: And woulde saie nothing therevnto but this