On this, the spookiest day of the year, we thought we’d share some images and text from books which tackle the subject of demons, devils, spirits and witches; all creatures regarded as a serious threat to body and soul in times past.
Our first tome is The hierarchie of the blessed angels, a long didactic poem by the playwright Thomas Heywood (ca. 1570-1641) which also features Lucifer and his fallen angels, and includes many folkloric anecdotes and tales of demonic creatures engaged in spreading dread and devilment. Note the tumbling angels falling towards a demonic mouth on the right hand side of the title page below.
The hierarchie of the blessed angels. Their names,orders and offices. The fall of Lucifer with his angels by Thomas Heywood: London, 1635. Keynes.C.10.01
One illustration within the volume depicts the Archangel Michael standing victorious over the defeated Satan and his minions:
The Archangel Michael
Page 494 of Keynes.C.10.01
A detail from another appears to show a court of horned demons in hell:
Demons in hell. A detail from Keynes.C.10.01 page 406
Elsewhere, men of God try to ward off the forces of evil:
Detail from page 462 of Keynes.C.10.01
The poem has many evocative descriptions of various creatures up to the kind of mischief and mayhem you might associate with Halloween:
Pugs and hob-goblins disturbing people’s sleep with their revels. Extract from page 574 of Keynes.C.10.01
Spooky inhabitants of church yards. Extract from page 505 of Keynes.C.10.01
Another passage vividly describes the marks by which evil creatures may be identified, including hooked noses and flaming eyes:
Extract from page 581 of Keynes.C.10.01
One of the anecdotes later in the text tells of a German illusionist who performed an aerial display with a woman and child in tow, only to end his life being burned at the stake as a witch:
Extract from page 613 of Keynes.C.10.01
Other works on demonology held in the Library include a late 16th-century Latin tome by a German theologian, Peter Thyraeus (1546-1601) and an 18th-century pamphlet by theologian William Whiston (1667-1752):
Title page of Daemoniaci, hoc est: De obsessis a spiritibvs daemoniorvm hominibvs by Peter Thyraeus, Cologne, 1598. D.8.5/1
Title page of An account of the daemoniacks, and of the power of casting out demons … by William Whiston: London, 1737. Keynes.F.10.14/8
The latter work describes the manner in which demons were cast out in the early years of Christianity:
Extract from page 56 of Keynes.F.10.14/8
Whatever you are doing this Halloween, stay safe out there, and watch out for things that go bump in the night!
AC
King's Treasures 