Daemonologie

Three hundred Scottish 'witches' were tried in 1590 for plotting the assassination of their King, James VI of Scotland (soon to be James I of England). James was known to have had a morbid fear of violent death, and the trial heightened his uneasiness about this allegedly disloyal 'un-Christian' cult, prompting him to research the entire issue of witchcraft. The result of this royal investigation is 'Daemonologie,' which details his thoughts on the subject in the style of a Socratic conversation between skeptic Philomathes and witch-averse Epistemon, who reveals many facets of witchcraft. The book is divided into three sections: magic, sorcery and witchcraft, and spirits and ghosts, and it concludes with a graphic account of the North Berwick witch trials, based on the testimony of Dr. John Fian, the alleged coven's head, whose 'confession' was obtained using thumbscrews, the Boot, and the ripping out of his fingernails. This is an interesting concept that you should take the time to read.