The Discoverie of WitchcraftFolk Magic / White MagicScholarly ReconstructionEarly Modern EnglishShareThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 14.41886 reprint of 1584 edition - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 available1886 reprint of 1584 editionLanguageEnglishEspañol‹The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 1.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.10The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.11The Discoverie of Witchcraft 2.12The Discoverie of Witchcraft 3.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 3.2The 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15.40The Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.41The Discoverie of Witchcraft 15.42The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.1The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.2The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.3The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.4The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.5The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.6The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.7The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.8The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.9The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.10The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.11The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.12The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.13The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.14The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.15The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.16The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.17The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.18The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.19The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.20The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.21The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.22The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.23The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.24The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.25The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.26The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.27The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.28The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.29The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.30The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.31The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.32The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.33The Discoverie of Witchcraft 16.34›Book 14, Chapter 4: A certeine king abused by an Alcumyst, and of the kings foole a pretie jestThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 14.4ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1The second example is of another Alcumyst that came to a certeine king, promising to worke by his art manie great things, as well in compounding and transubstantiating of mettals, as in executing of other exploites of no lesse admiration. But before he beganne, he found the meanes to receive by vertue of the kings warrant, a great summe of monie in prest, assuring the king and his councell, that he would shortlie returne, and accomplish his promise, &c. Soone after, the kings foole, among other jestes, fell into a discourse and discoverie of fooles, and handled that common place so pleasantlie, that the king began to take delight therein, & to like his merrie veine. Whereupon he would needes have the foole deliver unto him a schedull or scroll, conteining the names of all the most excellent fooles in the land. 2So he caused the kings name to be first set downe, and next him all the names of the lords of his privie councell. The king seeing him so sawcie and malepert, ment to have had him punished: but some of his councell, knowing him to be a fellow pleasantlie conceipted, besought his majestie rather to demand of him a reason of his libell, &c: than to proceed in extremitie against him. Then the foole being asked why he so sawcilie accused the king and his councell of principall follie, answered; Bicause he sawe one foolish knave beguile them all, and to cousen them of so great a masse of monie, and finallie to be gone out of their reach. Why (said one of the councell) he maie returne and performe his promise, &c. Then (quoth the foole) I can helpe all the matter easilie. How (said the king) canst thou doo that? Marie sir (said he) then I will blotte out your name, and put in his, as the most foole in the world. Manie other practises of the like nature might be hereunto annexed, for the detection of their knaverie and deceipts whereupon this art dependeth, whereby the readers maie be more delighted in reading, than the practisers benefited in simplie using the same. 3For it is an art consisting wholie of subtiltie and deceipt, whereby the ignorant and plaine minded man through his too much credulitie is circumvented, and the humor of the other slie cousener satisfied. ‹Previous chapterThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 14.3Next chapterThe Discoverie of Witchcraft 14.5›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg