Demonologies

 

These texts were enormously popular at or about the time that Shakespeare was writing Hamlet. They were learned treatises on the subject of spirits, apparitions, and ghosts, and went into questions of psychology, religion, and metaphysics. Some were originally written in English. Others were first published in French or Latin, but were very soon translated into English.

1. James I, King of England, 1566-1625.
      Daemonologie. Amsterdam, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; New York, Da Capo Press, 1969. Series title: The English experience, its record in early printed books; published in facsimile no.94. (see above)

2. Lavater, Ludwig, 1527-1586.
      Of ghostes and spirites walking by nyght. 1572, edited with introduction and appendix by J. Dover Wilson ... and May Yardley. Oxford, Printed for the Shakespeare Association at the University Press, 1929.

3. Le Loyer, Pierre, sieur de La Brosse, 1550-1634.
     A treatise of specters or straunge sights, visions and apparitions apppearing sensibly vnto men. Wherein is delivered, the nature of spirites,angels, and divels: their power and properties: as also of... London,Printed by Val S. for M. Lownes, 1605.

4. Scot, Reginald, 1538?-1599.
     The discoverie of witchcraft, by Reginald Scot: with an introduction by the Rev. Montague Summers. [London] J. Rodker, 1930.

5. Taillepied, Noel, 1540-1589.
      A treatise of ghosts; being the Psichologie, or Treatise upon apparitions and spirits ... Written in French by Noel Taillepied, and translated into English, with an introd. and commentary by Montague Summers. London,... Ann Arbor, Mich., Gryphon Books, 1971