King of England James I - Daemonologie.

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The fearefull aboundingeat this time in this countrie,of these detestable slaues ofthe Deuill, the Witches orenchaunters, hath movedme (beloued reader) to dispatchin post, this followingtreatise of mine, not inany wise (as I protest) toserue for a shew of my learning & ingine, butonely (mooued of conscience) to preasse thereby,so farre as I can, to resolue the doubting harts ofmany; both that such assaultes of Sathan aremost certainly practized, & that the instrumentesthereof, merits most severly to be punished:against the damnable opinions of twoprincipally in our age, wherof the one calledSCOT an Englishman, is not ashamed inpublike print to deny, that ther can be such athing as Witch-craft: and so mainteines the old [pg xii] error of the Sadducees, in denying of spirits. Theother called VVIERVS, a German Phisition,sets out a publick apologie for al these craftes-folkes,whereby, procuring for their impunitie, heplainely bewrayes himselfe to haue bene one ofthat profession. And for to make this treatise themore pleasaunt and facill, I haue put it in formeof a Dialogue, which I haue diuided into threebookes: The first speaking of Magie in general,and Necromancie in special. The second ofSorcerie and Witch-craft: and the thirde, conteinesa discourse of all these kindes of spirits, &Spectres that appeares & trobles persones:together with a conclusion of the whol work. Myintention in this labour, is only to proue twothings, as I haue alreadie said: the one, thatsuch diuelish artes haue bene and are. Theother, what exact trial and seuere punishmentthey merite: & therefore reason I, what kindeof things are possible to be performed in thesearts, & by what naturall causes they may be, notthat I touch every particular thing of the Deuilspower, for that were infinite: but onelie, tospeak scholasticklie, (since this can not bee spokenin our language) I reason vpon genus leauing [pg xiii] species, and differentia to be comprehended therein. As for example, speaking of the powerof Magiciens, in the first book & sixt Chapter:I say, that they can suddenly cause be broughtvnto them, all kindes of daintie disshes, by theirfamiliar spirit: Since as a thiefe he delightes tosteale, and as a spirite, he can subtillie & suddenlieinough transport the same. Now vnderthis genus may be comprehended al particulars,depending thereupon; Such as the bringing Wineout of a Wall, (as we haue heard oft to hauebene practised] and such others; which particulars,are sufficientlie proved by the reasons ofthe general. And such like in the second booke ofWitch-craft in speciall, and fift Chap. I say andproue by diuerse arguments, that Witches can,by the power of their Master, cure or cast ondisseases: Now by these same reasones, thatproues their power by the Deuil of disseases ingenerally is aswell proued their power in speciall:as of weakening the nature of some men, to makethem vnable for women: and making it to aboundin others, more then the ordinary course of naturewould permit. And such like in all other particularsicknesses; But one thing I will pray thee [pg xiv] to obserue in all these places, where I reasonupon the deuils power, which is the differentends & scopes, that God as the first cause, andthe Devill as his instrument and second causeshootes at in all these actiones of the Deuil, (asGods hang-man:) For where the deuilles intentionin them is euer to perish, either the soule orthe body, or both of them, that he is so permittedto deale with: God by the contrarie, drawes euerout of that euill glorie to himselfe, either bythe wracke of the wicked in his justice, or bythe tryall of the patient, and amendment of thefaithfull, being wakened vp with that rod ofcorrection. Hauing thus declared vnto thee then,my full intention in this Treatise, thou wilteaselie excuse, I doubt not, aswel my pretermitting,to declare the whole particular rites andsecretes of these vnlawfull artes: as also theirinfinite and wounderfull practises, as beingneither of them pertinent to my purpose: thereason whereof, is giuen in the hinder ende of thefirst Chapter of the thirde booke: and who likesto be curious in these thinges, he may reade, if hewill here of their practises, BODINVS Dmonomanie,collected with greater diligence, [pg xv] then written with judgement, together with theirconfessions, that haue bene at this time apprehened.If he would know what hath bene theopinion of the Auncientes, concerning theirpower: he shall see it wel described by HYPERIVS,& HEMMINGIVS, two lateGermaine writers: Besides innumerable otherneoterick Theologues, that writes largelie vponthat subject: And if he woulde knowe what arethe particuler rites, & curiosities of these blackarts (which is both vnnecessarie and perilous,)he will finde it in the fourth book of CORNELIVSAgrippa, and in VVIERVS, whomofI spak. And so wishing my pains in thisTreatise (beloued Reader} to be effectual, inarming al them that reades the same, againstthese aboue mentioned erroures, and recommendingmy good will to thy friendly acceptation,I bid thee hartely fare-well.

IAMES R x .