The First Book about Witchcraft and Witches
The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584) is considered to be the first published book on witches and witchcraft, and the earliest known text on stage magic.
Shockingly, the first book on magic was written by a magic sceptic. Reginald Scot, an English gentleman and member of Parliament lived during a time when witch trials were common. In the 16th century witch trials were routinely used to unfairly persecute innocent people. Alleged witches tended to be the vulnerable, unwanted members of society. The accused were poor, sick, aged, mentally unwell, and more often than not, female.
Scot recognized that someone needed to educate the superstitious population. He hoped to dissuade people from believing in witches, and convince them that persecution of “witches” was irrational. Scot believed witch persecution was un-Christian and that the Roman Catholic church was responsible for encouraging mob mentality.
Scot, of course, was right on all accounts. Unfortunately the book was not successful in ending witch trials. It may have inadvertently led to even more trials, as it enraged both the church and the King of Scotland. King James VI of Scotland was a strong believer in witches. He supervised their torture, and found them a convenient target of blame for misfortunes. He even wrote his very own book on witches called Daemonologie (1597) which inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In 1603 the Scottish and English crowns merged, and James VI of Scotland became James I. It is believed that at this time all obtainable copies of The Discoverie of Witchcraft were burned.
Magic and Illusion
Part of the book is dedicated to illusions and magic tricks that magical charlatans might use. It is the earliest known text on stage magic or illusion, and Scot’s writing became a substantial portion of the content of 17th and 18th century stage magic books.
The famous magician Harry Houdini claimed to own an earlier text: “Gantziony’s work of 1489, Natural and Unnatural Magic“, but there is no proof it (or the author) ever existed. Houdini did actually own a first edition of The Discoverie of Witchcraft.
We’ve reworded a few of the magic tricks below as the original text is quite challenging to understand.
To thrust a bodkin into your head without hurt
This trick requires a knife (bodkin) and a trick version of the same, designed so the blade slips inside the hilt when you hold it a certain way. Appear to thrust the trick bodkin into your head. With a little sponge in hand wring out blood or wine. If wine, you may tell the onlookers you have drunk too much. After expressing plenty of pain, drop the trick knife into your lap or pocket and show the onlookers a real knife.
To move a coin from one hand to another, while holding your arms outstretched like a rod
This one is described as “a knacke more merrie than marvellous”. It is always necessary to mix in some small tricks with your miracles. In this case with money, put a coin in each hand, hold both of your arms out wide, and wager that you will move one coin from one hand to the other without bringing them together in any way. After the wager is made, with your arms held out wide, turn to a table, drop the coin from one hand, and then turn again and pick it up with the other hand.
With words to make a coin leap out of a pot or run along a table
You might see a magician put a coin into a pot or in the middle of a table, and with enchanting words cause the coin to leap out of the pot or run toward him, or away. It may seem miraculous until you realize it is done with a long black hair from a woman’s head, fastened to the edge of the coin through a tiny hole created by a needle. If you wish to have the coin race away from you then you will need an accomplice. This trick is best done at night. By putting a candle on a table between the magician and the onlookers their eyesight will be hindered from seeing the trick.
“To thrust a bodkin into your head, and through your toong, &c.” (right)
If you’d like to dip into The Discoverie of Witchcraft we recommend starting with the 1886 reprint. It is much more readable than the original and contains a well researched introduction. What did Reginald Scot think about unicorns? The introduction knows. The magic tricks (juggling as it is described) start in the reprint on page 262. 🧙‍♀️
