Books

London: [Henry Denham for] William Brome, 1584. First edition. Early calf. Very Good. Extremely rare first edition of this far-reaching exposé that provoked King James, inspired Shakespeare and was the first significant work to document the secrets of illusion and the occult. A magnificent copy from the Biblioteca Lindesiana. The Discoverie of Witchcraft, written by Reginald Scot in 1584, upended many sixteenth-century beliefs in Britain about witches, superstition, spirits and magic. Scot proves that what was believed to be witchcraft was little more than illusion and delusion. Infuriated by a "ridiculous" 1581 witchcraft trial, Scot in The Discoverie challenges popular beliefs about dark magic, providing diagrams documenting the performance of staged illusions previously ascribed to witchcraft (Reid, "The Discoverie of Witchcraft"). The evidence presented in this pivotal work angered political and religious leaders, gave inspiration to literary masters of his era and…

Reginald Scot's 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft,' first published in 1584, is one of the earliest works in English to openly denounce witchcraft and magic as folklore and superstition. Through comprehensive chapters, Scot debunks the myths surrounding witchcraft practices and critiques the witch hunts and trials of his time.