The Discoverie of WitchcraftFolk Magic / White MagicScholarly ReconstructionEarly Modern EnglishShareThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.71886 reprint of 1584 edition - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 available1886 reprint of 1584 editionLanguageEnglishEspañol‹The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.10The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.11The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.12The Discoverie of Witchcraft 3.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 3.2The 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15.40The Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.41The Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.42The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.10The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.11The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.12The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.13The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.14The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.15The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.16The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.17The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.18The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.19The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.20The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.21The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.22The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.23The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.24The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.25The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.26The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.27The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.28The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.29The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.30The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.31The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.32The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.33The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.34›Book 16, Chapter 7: A conclusion against witchcraft, in maner and forme of an InductionThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.7ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1By this time all kentishmen know (a few fooles excepted) that Robin goodfellowe is a knave. All wisemen understand that witches miraculous enterprises, being contrarie to nature, probabilitie and reason, are void of truth or possibilitie. All protestants perceive, that popish charmes, conjurations, execrations, and benedictions are not effectuall, but be toies and devises onelie to keepe the people blind, and to inrich the cleargie. All christians see, that to confesse witches can doo as they saie, were to attribute to a creature the power of the Creator. All children well brought up conceive and spie, or at the least are taught, that juglers miracles doo consist of legierdemaine and confederacie. The verie heathen people are driven to confesse, that there can be no such conference betweene a spirituall divell and a corporall witch, as is supposed. For no doubt, all the heathen would then have everie one his familiar divell; for they would make no conscience to acquaint themselves with a divell that are not acquainted with God. 2I have dealt, and conferred with manie (marrie I must confesse papists for the most part) that mainteine every point of these absurdities. And surelie I allow better of their judgements, than of others, unto whome some part of these cousenages are discovered and seene: and yet concerning the residue, they remaine as wise as they were before; speciallie being satisfied in the highest and greatest parts of conjuring and cousening; to wit, in poperie, and yet will be abused with beggerlie jugling, and witchcraft. 1Plato proposeth or setteth foorth nine severall orders of spirits, besides the spirits and soules of men. The first spirit is God that commandeth all the residue; the second are those that are called Ideæ, which give all things to all men; the third are the soules of heavenlie bodies which are mortall; the fourth are angels; the fift archangels; the sixt are divels, who are ministers to infernall powers, as angels are to supernall; the seventh are halfe gods; the eight are principalities; the ninth are princes. From which division Dionysius dooth not much swarve, saving that he dealeth (as he saith) onelie with good spirits, whome he likewise divideth into nine parts or offices. The first he calleth Seraphim, the second Cherubim, the third thrones, the fourth dominations, the fift vertues, the sixt powers, the seventh principalities, the eight archangels, the ninth and inferior sort he calleth angels. Howbeit, some of these (in my thinking) are evill spirits: or else Paule gave us evill counsell, when he willed us to fight against principalities, and powers, and all spirituall wickednes. 2But Dionysius in that place goeth further, impropriating to everie countrie, and almost to everie person of anie accompt, a peculiar angell; as to Jewrie, he assigneth Michael; to Adam, Razael; to Abraham, Zakiel; to Isaach, Raphael; to Jacob, Peliel; to Moses, Metraton, &c. But in these discourses he either folowed his owne imaginations and conceipts, or else the corruptions of that age. Nevertheles, I had rather confute him by M. Calvine, and my kinseman M. Deering, than by my selfe, or mine owne words. For M. Calvine saith, that Dionysius herein speaketh not as by hearesaie, but as though he had slipped downe from heaven, and told of things which he had seene. And yet (saith he) Paule was rapt into the third heaven, and reporteth no such matters. But if you read M. Deering upon the first chapter to the Hebrues, you shall see this matter notablie handled; where he saith, that whensoever archangell is mentioned in the scriptures, it signifieth our saviour Christ, and no creature. And certeine it is that Christ himselfe was called an angell. The names also of angels, as Michael, Gabriel, &c: are given to them (saith Calvine) according to the capacitie of our weakenesse. 3But bicause the decision of this question is neither within the compasse of mans capacitie, nor yet of his knowledge, I will proceed no further to discusse the same, but to shew the absurd opinions of papists and witchmongers on the one side, and the most sober and probable collections of the contrarie minded on the other side. ‹Previous chapterThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.6Next chapterThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.8›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg