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Libra Esoterica

The discovery of witchcraft

proving, that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars, are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals, by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected : and the knavery of juglers, conjurers, charmers, soothsayers, figure-casters, dreamers, alchymists and philterers; with many other things that have long lain hidden, fully opened and deciphered : all which are very necessary to be known for the undeceiving of judges, justices, and jurors, before they pass sentence upon poor, miserable and ignorant people; who are frequently arraigned, condemned, and executed for witches and wizzards : in sixteen books

by Reginald Scot

  • First published:
  • 16th century
  • Language: English
  • Content type: Primary source
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Description

Description from Internet Archive (opens in a new tab)

[20], 292, [12], [2], 72, [2] pages : 28 cm (fol.) Half-title: Scot's discovery of witchcraft "A discourse concerning the nature and substance of devils and spirits. In two books. The first by Reginald Scott, Esq; The second, added in this third impression, as succedaneous to the first, and conducing to the compleating of the whole work. London; printed in the year M. DC. LXV."--[2], 72, [2] p., at end, has separate title page Signatures: pi2 a-b⁴ B-2B⁶ 2C-2D⁴ 3A-3F⁶ 3G² (3G2 verso blank) Errors in paging: pages 96, 139,220, 255, 256 misnumbered 60, 136, 221, 256, 257 A variant of the edition with "Mris. Cotes's" in the imprint Includes bibliographical references "A catologue [sic] of authors used in this book."--Page [19-20], first count

Provenance

Why this book is in the catalog

Included because retained bibliographic metadata links this work to Demonology, angelology, and possession, Ritual magic and grimoires, and Witchcraft and folk magic.

  • Ritual magic and grimoires

    Controlled discovery queries from internet-archive and openlibrary-historical matched “Magic”. Retained metadata contains “Charms” in the subtitle, “Magic” in the subject metadata, and “Charms” in the edition subtitle.

    • “Magic”· via Internet Archive
    • “Magic”· via Open Library
    • “Charms”· in subtitle
    • “Magic”· in subject
    • “Charms”· in edition subtitle
  • Witchcraft and folk magic

    Controlled discovery queries from internet-archive and openlibrary-historical matched “Witchcraft”. Retained metadata contains “Witchcraft” in the title, “witches” in the subtitle, “Witchcraft” in the description, and 3 additional metadata match(es).

    • “Witchcraft”· via Internet Archive
    • “Witchcraft”· via Open Library
    • “Witchcraft”· in title
    • “witches”· in subtitle
    • “Witchcraft”· in description
    • “Witchcraft”· in subject
  • Demonology, angelology, and possession

    Controlled discovery queries from internet-archive and openlibrary-historical matched “Demonology”. Retained metadata contains “Demonology” in the subject metadata.

    • “Demonology”· via Internet Archive
    • “Demonology”· via Open Library
    • “Demonology”· in subject

Membership records how this book met the catalog’s discovery criteria — relevance to a tradition, not a judgment of the book’s claims.

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Editions

Open Library reports 4 editions; 1 cataloged here.

proving, that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars, are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals, by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected : and the knavery of juglers, conjurers, charmers, soothsayers, figure-casters, dreamers, alchymists and philterers; with many other things that have long lain hidden, fully opened and deciphered : all which are very necessary to be known for the undeceiving of judges, justices, and jurors, before they pass sentence upon poor, miserable and ignorant people; who are frequently arraigned, condemned, and executed for witches and wizzards : in sixteen books

Internet Archive institutional pre-1900 scan

1665London : Printed for A. Clark, and are to be sold by Dixy Page at the Turks-Head in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange; Printed for A. Clark, and are to be sold by Dixy Page at the Turks-Head in Cornhill near the Royall ExchangeEnglish—Public

Subjects

4 subject headings

Identifiers & provenance

How this record was assembled, and the authority identifiers it carries.

Cataloging notes

  • Contributing institution: Boston College
  • Digitization sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries
  • Discovery required Internet Archive search metadata to report a PDF format; the exact direct-file URL is added only after the item's file listing confirms an unrestricted PDF filename.
  • Internet Archive institutional collection: americana
  • Open Library reports 4 editions; this snapshot catalogs one representative edition and preserves work-level ISBN, date, and publisher aggregates.
Catalog id
openlibrary-work:OL10649805W
Edition coverage
Multi source partial
Retrieved