The Discoverie of Witchcraft, published by Reginald Scot in 1584, is a remarkable early attack on the belief in witchcraft. Scot argues that accusations of sorcery rested on superstition, fraud, and the persecution of the poor and elderly, and he exposes the tricks of conjurers to show that supposed magic was mere illusion.
Bold for its time, the book was condemned and reputedly ordered burned, yet it stands as a landmark of skeptical thought in the early modern era. Its exposure of sleight of hand also makes it an early manual of conjuring. This free EPUB edition presents the complete text for readers of religious and intellectual history.