William Godwin's Diary

Texts Godwin Read

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Reginald Scot, çala (6  June  1818) Scot, ReginaldScot's Discovery of witchcraft. Proving the common opinion of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars; and their power to kill, torment, and consume the bodies of men[,] women, and children, or creatures by diseases or otherwise; their flying in the air, &c. To be but imaginary, erroneous conceptions and novelties. Wherein also, the lewde unchristian practices of witchmongers, upon aged, melancholy, ignorant, and supersti[ti]ous people in extorting confessions, by inhumane terrors and tortures is notably detected. Also the knavery and confederacy of conjurors. The impious blasphemy of inchanters. The imposture of soothsayers, and infidelity of atheists. … The horrible art of poisoning and all the tricks and conveyances or juggling and liegerdemain are fully deciphered. With many other things opened that have long lain hidden. … whereunto is added, a treatise upon the nature, and substance of spirits and divels &c. all written and published in anno 1594. By Reginald Scot, Esquire. 1651

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