The Discoverie of Witchcraft

THE DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT

BY REGINALD SCOT, ESQUIRE

BEING A REPRINT OF THE FIRST EDITION PUBLISHED IN 1584

►Edited◄ WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES, GLOSSARY, AND INTRODUCTION BY BRINSLEY NICHOLSON, M.D. DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL

LONDON ELLIOT STOCK, 62 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. ———— 1886

This edition of SCOT’S DISCOVERIE consists of 250 copies only.—E. S.

DR. NICHOLSON’S SUBSCRIBERS.

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THE ROYAL LIBRARY, WINDSOR CASTLE. W. ALDIS WRIGHT, LL.D., Cambridge. FABYAN AMERY, Esq., Ashburton. J. E. BAILEY, Esq., Stratford, Manchester. W. W. BAYNES, Esq., London. ERNEST BLACKER, Esq., Midsomer Norton. D. BRODIE, Esq., Canterbury. A. H. BULLEN, Esq., West Hampstead. Miss BURSILL, London. J. PATTERSON CASSELLS, M.D., Glasgow. Prof. CHRYSTAL, Edinburgh. Sir ANDREW CLARK, Bart., M.D., LL.D., etc., London. The Lord Chief Justice COLERIDGE, London. C. W. SHIRLEY DEAKIN, Esq., Allahabad. K. DEIGHTON, Esq., Agra. EDW. DENHAM, Esq., New Bedford, U.S.A. The Right Hon. the EARL OF DERBY, Knowsley Hall. The DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE, Devonshire House. R. DILL, M.D., Brighton. Dr. J. MATTHEWS DUNCAN, A.M., F.R.S., etc., London. Mrs. D. P. EVANS, Clifton, Bristol. P. F. SPARKE EVANS, Esq., Clifton, Bristol. Prof. JOHN FERGUSON, Glasgow. ALEX. FORSYTH, M.D., Greenwich. FRANCIS F. FOX, J.P., Chipping Sodbury, Bristol. Prof. T. R. FRASER, M.D., Edinburgh. H. H. FURNESS, Esq., Philadelphia, U.S.A. JAMES GAIRDNER, Esq., London. Prof. W. T. GAIRDNER, M.D., LL.D., Glasgow. EDM. GOLDSMID, F.S.A. (Scot.), Edinburgh. The Rev. A. B. GROSART, D.D., LL.D., Blackburn. C. O. HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS, Esq., F.R.S., etc., Brighton. HENRY HUCKS GIBBS, Esq., London. The Rev. W. A. HARRISON, South Lambeth. W. A. HAMMOND, Esq., New York. C. M. INGLEBY, Esq., LL.D., Essex. Sir WM. JENNER, Bart., M.D., F.R.S., etc., London. W. OSCAR JENNINGS, M.D., Paris. DAV. A. KING, M.B., London. F. de M. LEATHES, Esq., London. LIBRARY, British Museum. ———— Exeter College, Oxford. ———— Harvard Coll., Cambridge, U.S.A. ———— Royal Institution, London. ———— Leeds. ———— McGill University, Montreal. ———— National, of Ireland. ———— Society of Antiquaries, Scotland. ———— St. Andrew’s University, Aberdeen. ———— Free, Sydney. LOUIS LEISLER, Esq., Frankfort-on-the-Main. The MARQUIS OF LOTHIAN, Newbattle Abbey. DOVE MACCOLMAN, M.D., Argyleshire. Prof. DOUGLAS MACLAGAN, M.D., Edinburgh. J. D. MARWICK, Esq., LL.D., Glasgow. Prof. DAVID MASSON, Edinburgh. JOHN MORISON, Esq., Glasgow. Prof. H. MORLEY, LL.D., London. Sir JAS. PAGET, Bart., F.R.S., LL.D., etc., London. CORNELIUS PAYNE, Esq., Kemp Town, Brighton. Miss E. PHIPSON, London. THE EARL OF POWIS, Berkeley Square. The Right Hon. the EARL OF ROSEBERY, Dalmeney Castle. JOS. CARNE ROSS, M.D., Penzance. The Rev. E. E. BAYLEE SALISBURY, B.D., Horncastle. ALEX. STEWART, M.D., Pendleton, Manchester. W. G. STONE, Esq., Walditch, Bridport. LAWSON TAIT, F.R.C.S., Birmingham. SAMUEL TIMMINS, Esq., F.S.A., Arley, Coventry. D. HACK TUKE, M.D., LL.D., London. G. H. WHITE, Esq., Torquay. WALTER G. WHITTINGHAM, Esq., London. W. WILSON, Esq., Berwick-on-Tweed. A. J. YOUNG, Esq., Edinburgh.

DEDICATION.

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►To the Memory◄ OF H.R.H. PRINCE LEOPOLD, DUKE OF ALBANY, UNTIMELY TAKEN FROM US, THIS WORK OF AN ELIZABETHAN ENGLISHMAN, AND OF A KINDRED SPIRIT, WHOSE HONESTY, INTELLIGENCE, AND COMPASSION FOUGHT AGAINST THE CRUEL SUPERSTITION AND IGNORANCE OF HIS AGE, IS, BY ROYAL PERMISSION AND WITH REGRETFUL ESTEEM, DEDICATED BY THE EDITOR.