




                               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 bee spoken in our
language) I reason vpon _genus_ leauing species, _and differentia_ to be
comprehended therein. As for example, speaking of the power of Magiciens,
in the first book & sixt Chapter: I say, that they can suddenly cause be
brought vnto them, all kindes of daintie disshes, by their familiar
spirit: Since as a thiefe he delightes to steale, and as a spirite, he can
subtillie & suddenlie inough transport the same. Now vnder this _genus_
may be comprehended al particulars, depending thereupon; Such as the
bringing Wine out of a Wall, (as we haue heard oft to haue bene practised]
and such others; which particulars, are sufficientlie proved by the
reasons of the general. And such like in the second booke of Witch-craft
in speciall, and fift Chap. I say and proue by diuerse arguments, that
Witches can, by the power of their Master, cure or cast on disseases: Now
by these same reasones, that proues their power by the Deuil of disseases
in generally is aswell proued their power in speciall: as of weakening the
nature of some men, to make them vnable for women: and making it to abound
in others, more then the ordinary course of nature would permit. And such
like in all other particular sicknesses; But one thing I will pray thee to
obserue in all these places, where I reason upon the deuils power, which
is the different ends & scopes, that God as the first cause, and the
Devill as his instrument and second cause shootes at in all these actiones
of the Deuil, (as Gods hang-man:) For where the deuilles intention in them
is euer to perish, either the soule or the body, or both of them, that he
is so permitted to deale with: God by the contrarie, drawes euer out of
that euill gl