Sceptical Publications

Reginald Scot's 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft' 158

Influenced by Johann Weyer, a dutch physician who argued those suspected where suffering from melancholia
Member of the family of love who believed nature controlled events on earth
Made connections between fraudulent witch-hunts and the Catholic church
Influenced by trials at Chelmsford
Although he believed in witches, he disapproved of the effects of hunts
Had to self-publish as it was controversial
Doubted far-fetched charges, believed women who thoguht they were witches to be suffering from melancholia or delusions, harm to animals or people was done through natural means such as poison
King James I ordered all copies to be burned and wrote Daemonologie in response, denouncing Scot as unchristian
Devoted to a belief in the supernatural unknown
Belief was not compatible with the views in 'Canon Episcopi' which acknowledged witchcraft was not real
Found it difficult to rationalise beliefs

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Deeply suspicious of the boy of burton case and John Darrel's work
Was present at examination of Darrell and George More
Aware of Chelmsford trials and deeply religious growing up
Claims misleading people through magic was nothing new, criticises catholic church, exorcisms can only be done by God so those who claim they can are heretics and frauds.
Five sections: 1) survey of those Darrell exorcised, 2) outlines how Darrell instructed Somers to feign possession 3) recounts confession of Somers and claims his fits were misinterpreted, 4) discredits Somers fits, 5) details of the Boy of Burton case
triggered the pamphlet war in which Darrell defended himself against Harsnetts view and that of John Deacon and John Walker
Scepticism still of a minority opinion
Arminian tendencies which might explain his immediate dislike for Darrell
Layed sole blame for witchcraft in the catholic church

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Witnessed trials at Bury St Edmunds and was highly educated
Wrote 3 books, A Candle in the Dark, A perfect discovery of witches and the doctrine of devils, proved to be the grand apostacy of these later times
critical of physicians who did not understand diseases and blamed them on witchcraft
Suggested possession could be attributed to mental illness
Uses the Bible as its only source and how the actions/suspicions of witchfinders cannot be foudn in written form in the bible
Inspired to write due to wrongful accusations
Inspired by Scot and is essentially a rewrite of his original message
Three sections: 1) definition of a witch according to the Bible, astrologers, jugglers and those who are idolaters, 2) explains original scriptures have been misinterpreted, 3) critique of works that promoted witch-hunts, including Daemonologie
Used rational common sense to explain concepts associated with the hunts
Critical of methods such as sleep deprivation
Believed in witches but the Bible's definition - someone who led others on an ungodly path
Influenced a steep decline and increased scepticism in Britain

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Doctor but known for being a preacher
Curate of Kidwick church and studied at Gresham college
Became a nonconformist after the civil war
Similar attitudes to Ady and wrote in response to those who claimed witch-hunts were legitimate
Intended to rebuff Glanvill after Demon Drummer case and Meric Casaubon, who wrote that witchcraft was genuine
believed witches existed but couldn't command supernatural powers, evil acts were carried out using their own power
Blames Mompesson as responsible
Met with Edmund Robinson and was not allowed to speak with him, when he met him alone the boy was taken away before he could answer if the story was true
Cites the case of Roland Jenks who supposedly cursed at trial and then people died, it was actually an outbreak of typhus, Webster blames him but claims he used natural resources
Work was well received and Seth Ward, John Wilkins and Henry More wrote in response
Taken seriously by members of the royal society

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Son of calvanist minister so deeply religious
Published 'De Philosophia Cartesiana' where he argued natural events cannot be explained by the Bible, which he also states in the enchanted world
Accepted as a fellow of the royal society after his death
Believed to be the most influential critical work
Influenced by Scot, who he agreed with on the impossibility of witchcraft
Bible is the primary source but tried to use it in a reasoned and unbiased way, similar to Ady
Doubtful of cases and believed there was some form of deception or irregularity
Argued it was impossible for the devil to possess and influence those on Earth as he is in hell so can't operate on Earth
Those who believe the devil has power are heretics, as they practise the belief of two gods
His work coincides with changes in the intellectual climate, like science, which led to decline in beliefs
4,000 copies sold in first 2 months
Translated into range of languages
Put on trial for blasphemy and spreading atheism, which he was aquitted, showing how influential his work was

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