Reginald Scot: The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1584

Influences

First major work of English scepticism

Rationalist style of criticism popular in other areas

Came from Kent gentry, well read, attention to Dutch physician Johann Weyer’s On the Illusions of Demons, argued that the majority of supposed witches suffering from melancholia, those guilty unable to cause harm themselves as mere tools of devil

Family of Love

Scot a member of this radical Protestant sect

Rejected many traditional practices like infant baptism

Core belief that nature controlled daily events on earth rather than God

Particular contempt for Catholic Church

Many wealthy or high profile members and usually remained CofE members to avoid prosecution

Trials prior to publication

Chelmsford Essex - high profile cases

John Samon suspected witch accused and acquitted in 1561, 1570 and 1572 before convicted in 1587 of using witchcraft to commit murder and kill a cow

1566 three women charged, one hanging, one year in prison, one acquitted

1582 hunt driven by JP Brian Darcy who favoured harsh continental style punishments

14 arrests and two executions

Scot influenced - in area he knew well, believed witches existed but disapproved of terrible effects of hunts

Claims in book

Had to self publish as too controverisal

Begins by claiming disturbances to often attribued to witches when no evidence, other explainations possible

• Doubted more far fetched charges such as cannibalism

• Direct John Weyer influence - claimed that women who genuinely believed they were witches could suffer from melancholia or delusions

• Witches who harmed animals or people used natural means eg posion

Significant proportion of text dedicated to discounting magic tricks diguised as supernatural and frauds who performed them

Includes sacraments of Catholicism in list of magic tricks, believed heightened fear of witches

Inquisition given much blame for cruelty to supposed witches

More harm than good in short term - James I ordered all copies of book to be burnt and wrote Daemonologie in response, mentions Scot by name in intro and denounces him as unchristian

Why sceptical

Devoted to belief in ‘supernatural unknown’

Commonly held in intellectual circles and Family of Love

Undiscovered elements of nature contained many mysteries which could explain unknown phenomena

Hidden properties of plants and stones undiscovered

Able to discount witchcraft as explaination

Influenced by Weyer - argued belief in witchcraft incompatible with views of Canon Episcopi, medieval text informing European religious law - acknowledged it wasn’t real and cases merely deception

Lived on estate in Kent for most of life, most social contact in daily life with tenants, stronfg believers, learned man so found it hard to rationalise their beliefs

Children used as witnesses in Chelmsford trials so saw most held on dubious foundations