Reginald Scot, The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584)

Compiled by Steven Connor as part of The Dumbstruck Archive, a continuing, online supplement to Dumbstruck: A Cultural History of Ventriloquism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
 
 
 
The seventh Booke
 
The third Chapter.
Bodins stuffe concerning the Pythonist of Endor, with a true storie of a 
counterfeit Dutchman.

Upon the like tales dooth Bodin build his doctrine, calling them Atheists that will not beleeve him, adding to this kind of witchcraft, the miraculous works of diverse maidens, that would spue pins, clowts, &c: as one Agnes Brigs, and Rachell Pinder of London did, till the miracles were detected, and they set to open penance. Others he citeth of that sort, the which were bound by divels with garters, or some such like stuffe to posts, &c: with knots that could not be undone, which is an Aegyptians juggling or cousening feat. And of such foolish lies joined with bawdie tales, his whole booke consisteth: wherein I warrant you there are no fewer than twoo hundreth fables, and as manie impossibilities. And as these two wenches, with the maiden of Westwell, were detected of cousenage; so likewise a Dutchman at Maidstone long after he had accomplished such knaveries, to the astonishment of a great number of good men, was revealed to be a cousening knave; although his miracles were imprinted and published at London: anno 1572. with this title before the booke, as followeth.


A verie wonderfull and strange miracle
of God, shewed upon a Dutchman of the age of 
23. yeares, which was possessed of ten divels
and was by Gods mightie providence
dispossessed of them againe, the 27.
of Januarie last past, 1572.



Unto this Maior of Maidstone, with diverse of his brethren subscribed, chieflie by the persuasion of Nicasius Vander Schuere, the minister of the Dutch church there, John Stikelbow, whome, (as it is there said) God made the instrument to cast out the divels, and foure other credible persons of the Dutch church. The historie is so strange, and so cunninglie perfomed, that had not his knaverie afterwards brought him into suspicion, he should have gone awaie unsuspected of this fraud. A great manie of other such miracles have beene latelie printed, whereof diverse have beene bewraied: all the residue doubtles, if triall had beene made, would have beene found like unto these. But some are more finelie handled than othersome. Some have more advantage by the simplicitie of the audience, some by the majestie and countenance of the confederates; as namelie, that cousening of the holie maid of Kent. Some escape utterlie unsuspected, some are prevented by death; so as that waie their examination is untaken. Some are weakelie examined: but the most part are so reverenced, as they which suspect them, are rather called to their answers, than the others.

 

Reginald Scot, The Discouerie of Witchcraft, Wherein the lewde dealing of witches and witchmongers is notablie detected, the knauerie of coniurors, the impietie of inchantors, the follie of soothsaiers, the impudent falshood of cousenors, the infidelitie of atheists, the pestilent practises of Pythonists, the curiositie of figurecasters, the vanitie of dreamers, the beggerlie Art of Alcumystrie, The Abhomination of idolatrie, the horrible art of poisoning, the vertue and power of naturall magike, and all the conueiances of Legierdemaine and iuggling are deciphered: and many other things opened, which have long lien hidden, howbeit verie necessarie to be knowne. Heerevnto is added a treatise vpon the nature and substance of spirits and diuels (London, 1584), pp. 132-3






 
 
 


J. Bodin. lib.de daemon. 3. cap. 2.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 


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