Reginald Scot | The discoverie of witchcraft, London, 1584, later calf tooled in period style, Sutherland copy

Reginald Scot

The discoverie of witchcraft, wherein the lewde dealing of witches and witchmongers is notablie detected, the knaverie of coniurors, the impietie of inchantors, the follie of soothsayers... and all the conveiances of legierdemaine and iuggling are deciphered... (London: [Henry Denham for] William Brome), 1584

4to (192 x 138mm.), woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, woodcut illustrations, early annotations to c.10 pages, including citations of the demonological works of Johannes Wier, queries about the text, and references to “Papist” superstitions, late nineteenth-century smooth calf blind-tooled in period style, gilt lettering on spine, small rust-hole in Dd1, extremities very slightly rubbed

FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST EXTENSIVE TREATMENT OF WITCHCRAFT IN ENGLISH. However, Scot's viewpoint was that of a complete sceptic, and he uses this work to express his disbelief in all kinds of witchcraft and instead to attribute it to ignorance; that it would only be believed by "children, fooles, melancholike persons and papists" (p.472).

Contemporary writers sought to discredit Scot and brand him an atheist; he was subsequently attacked by James I, a strong believer in witches, as well as by Henry Holland in his Treatise against witchcraft (1590). Scot's work also acted as a rich source for authors and playwrights, such as Ben Jonson and Thomas Middleton. The descriptions of conjuring tricks display Scot's research and are considered to be the earliest systematic explanations.

LITERATURE

ESTC S116888; STC 21864

PROVENANCE

George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland (1758-1833), gilt armorial stamp (no.5) on inside front cover, sale of the Trentham Hall Library, Sotheby's, 23 November 1906, lot 1501