First published in 1584 and written by Reginald Scot, a Justice of the Peace in England, this book was an attack on the “Witch craze” in Europe. He contended that the women who claimed to have great powers were ill or deluded. The effects attributed to so-called Witches were natural—the Will of God—not caused by magic.

This classic book was also one of the first books attempting to “debunk” a wide variety of mystical topics, including charms, astrology, alchemy, demonology, spells, divination, magic, etc. It was inspired because Scot saw so many women being abused and persecuted under the excuse of trying them for being Witches.

One of the things many people of the day couldn’t understand was the seeming miracles produced by “jugglers” and others. In a small section of the book, Scot revealed how some of these early conjuring effects were performed, making this one of the earliest books on “legerdemain” ever published. Some modern conjurors contend that this was the actual purpose of the book, but that is highly debatable.

See also:  Discoverie of Witchcraft