Primary sourceBook1597 (reprinted 1603)

Daemonologie

James VI and I · 1597 (reprinted 1603)

A treatise on witchcraft written by King James VI and I, defending witch-hunting and influenced by his belief that witches had plotted against him.

James wrote this treatise himself, revealing his personal fear of witchcraft and his role in legitimising witch persecution.

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Title page of a early 17th-century book. Ornate woodcut border at top. Text reads: DAEMONOLOGIE, IN FORME OF A DIALOGUE, Diuided into three books, written by the high and mighty Prince, James by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. Below is a small ornament, then LONDON, Printed by Arnold Hatfield for Robert Waldegraue, 1603. — James VI and I, Daemonologie, London, 1603 edition (first published 1597).

About this source

What it is

Daemonologie is a philosophical dialogue on witchcraft and demons, written by King James and first published in 1597, then reprinted in 1603 after he became King of England.

It is structured as a conversation between two characters discussing magic, sorcery and the punishment of witches.

Why it matters

James wrote it partly in response to sceptical writers and partly because of his own involvement in the North Berwick witch trials, where he believed witches had conspired against him. The book argues witchcraft is treason against God and supports witch hunts. It is thought to have influenced Shakespeare's Macbeth, showing how royal beliefs could shape culture and law.

Look closer

Why might a king feel the need to prove that witchcraft is real?
What does this book suggest about how fear and power worked together in James's reign?
What might this text have meant for people later accused of witchcraft?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.