제임스1세왕의 귀신론 악령학.The Book of Daemonologie. by King James I

제임스1세왕의 귀신론 악령학.The Book of Daemonologie. by King James I
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 [ pg xii] error of the Sadducees, in denying of
spirits. The other called VVIERVS, a German Phisition, sets out a publick apologie
for al these craftes- folkes, 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 Witch- craft: 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 [ pg xiii] 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: