Dæmonologie

Dæmonologie, or modernized, Demonology, published in 1597, is a book by King James VI of Scotland, later James I of England.

You may peruse James's Demonology below. This presentation does not preserve the form of the original. It does preserve the original spelling, and the original punctuation. I have inserted some paragraph breaks.

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Title Page

DÆMONOLOGIE,

IN FORME

of a Dialogue,

Diuided into three Bookes.

EDINBVRGH

Printed by Robert Walde-graue

Printer to the Kings Majestie. An. 1597

Cum Privilegio Regio

Preface

THE PREFACE

to the Reader.

THE fearefull aboundinge at this time in this countrie,
of these detestable slaues of the Deuill, the Witches or
enchaunters, hath moved me (beloued reader) to dispatch
in post, this following treatise of mine, not in any wise
(as I protest) to serue for a shew of my learning & ingine,
but onely (mooued of conscience) to preasse thereby, so
farre as I can, to resolue the doubting harts of many;
both that such assaultes of Sathan are most certainly
practized, & that the instrumentes thereof, merits most
severly to be punished: against the damnable opinions of
two principally in our age, wherof the one called SCOT an
Englishman, is not ashamed in publike print to deny, that
ther can be such a thing as Witch-craft: and so mainteines
the old error of the Sadducees, in denying of spirits.

The other called VVIERVS, a German Phisition, sets out a
publick apologie for al these craftesfolkes, whereby,
procuring for their impunitie, he plainely bewrayes
himselfe to haue bene one of that Profession.  And for to
make this treatise the more pleasaunt and facill, I haue
put it in forme of a Dialogue, which I haue diuided into
three bookes: The first speaking of Magie in general,
and Necromancie in special. The second of Sorcerie and
Witchcraft: and the thirde, conteines a discourse of all
these kindes of spirits, & Spectres that appeares &
trobles persones: together with a conclusion of the whol
work.

My intention in this labour, is only to proue two things,
as I haue alreadie said: the one, that such diuelish artes
haue bene and are.  The other, what exact trial and seuere
punishment they merite: & therefore reason I, what kinde
of things are possible to be performed in these arts, & by
what naturall causes they may be, not that I touch every
particular thing of the Deuils power, for that were infinite:
but onelie, to speak scholasticklie, (since this can not bee
spoken in our language) I reason vpon genus leauing species,
and differentia to be comprehended therein.  As for example,
speaking of the power of Magiciens, in the first book & sixt
Chapter: I say, that they can suddenly cause be brought vnto
them, all kindes of daintie disshes, by their familiar spirit:
Since as a thiefe he delightes to steale, and as a spirite,
he can subtillie & suddenlie inough transport the same.

Now vnder this genus, may be comprehended al particulars,
depending thereupon; Such as the bringing Wine out of a
Wall, (as we haue heard oft to haue bene practised) and
such others; which particulars, are sufficientlie proved
by the reasons of the general. And such like in the second
booke of Witch-craft in speciall, and fift Chap. I say and
proue by diuerse arguments, that Witches can, by the power
of their Master, cure or cast on disseases: Now by these same
reasones, that proues their power by the / Deuil of disseases
in generall, is aswell proued their power in speciall: as of
weakening the nature of some men, to make them vnable for
women: and making it to abound in others, more then the
ordinary course of nature would permit. And such like in
all other particular sicknesses; But one thing I will pray
thee to obserue in all these places, where I reason vpon the
deuils power, which is the diferent ends & scopes, that God
as the first cause, and the Devill as his instrument and
second cause shootes at in all these actiones of the Deuil,
(as Gods hang-man:) For where the deuilles intention in them
is euer to perish, either the soule or the body, or both of
them, that he is so permitted to deale with: God by the
contrarie, drawes euer out of that euill glorie to himselfe,
either by the wracke of the wicked in his justice, or by
the tryall of the patient, and amendment of the faithfull,
being wakened vp with that rod of correction.

Hauing thus declared vnto thee then, my full intention in
this Treatise, thou wilt easelie excuse, I doubt not, aswel
my pretermitting, to declare the whole particular rites and
secretes of these vnlawfull artes: as also their infinite
and wounderfull practises, as being neither of them pertinent
to my purpose: the reason whereof, is giuen in the hinder
ende of the first Chapter of the thirde booke: and who likes
to be curious in these thinges, he may reade, if he will here
of their practises, BODINVS Dæmonomanie, collected with greater
diligence, then written with judgement, together with their
confessions, that haue bene at this time apprehened.

If he would know what hath bene the opinion of the Auncientes,
concerning their power: he shall see it wel descrybed by
HYPERIVS, & HEMMINGIVS, two, late Germaine writers: Besides
innumerable other neoterick Theologues, that writes largelie
vpon that subject: And if he woulde knowe what are the
particuler rites, & curiosities of these black arts (which
is both vnnecessarie and perilous,) he will finde it in the
fourth book of CORNELIVS Agrippa, and in VVIERVS, whomof
spak.  And so wishing my pains in this Treatise (beloued
Reader) to be effectual, in arming al them that reades the
same, against these aboue mentioned erroures, and recommending
my goodwill to thy friendly acceptation, I bid thee hartely
farewell.

JAMES Rx

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