The Discoverie of Witchcraft
partially sceptical book published by Reginald Scot in 1584, intended as an exposé of early Modern witchcraft; contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by charlatans
The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584) is a book by Reginald Scot. It treats witchcraft with skepticism. Scot's purpose in writing the book was to prevent the persecution of the poor, the aged, and the simple for witchcraft. Scot blames the Roman Catholic church for keeping alive the belief in witches.[1]
 Title page of the 1651 edition | |
| Author | Reginald Scot |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Exposé |
Publication date | 1584 |
| Media type | |
Shakespeare found a description of Puck in the book while he was writing A Midsummer Night's Dream.[2] The book created much controversy. King James I of England believed in witches. He ordered all copies of the book to be burnt.[3]
References
change- ↑ The Progress of Social Literature in Tudor Times: Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft
- ↑ "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Archived from the original on 2013-06-26. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
- ↑ "Dangerous Ideas: The Discoverie of Witchcraft". Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
