[f. WITCH sb.2 or v. + -ERY.]
1. The use or practice of witchcraft.
1546. Bale, Engl. Votaries, I. 35 b. Besydes the art Magyck, Sortilege … Geomancye, and witcherye, that was taught there also.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., III. x. 57. She sawe not anie one carrieng a faggot to the fier, but she would saie it was to make a fier to burne hir for witcherie.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, II. vi. Cla. What devil’s pater noster mumbles she? Alk. Stay, you will heare more of her witcherie.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. i. (1840), 32. There is a manifest difference between magic, which is wisdom and supernatural knowledge, and the witchery and conjuring by which we now understand the word.
1810. Southey, Kehama, IV. iii. While young and old assembled round, Listened, as if by witchery bound.
1854. Milman, Lat. Christ., II. 328. No one answering the citation to accuse the Empress of adultery or witchery.
attrib. 1627. R. Bernard, Guide Grand-Jury Men, 19. The parents … sent for a wise woman, who played her witchery trickes.
1650. A. B., Mutatus Polemo, 12. Like the blacke Prince of the ayre in his witchery Apparitions.
1906. Daily Chron., 28 Aug., 6/2. Prisoner burnt some candles over the fire,… and used some witchery words.
b. pl. Deeds of witchcraft.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Hechizos, witcheries, witchcraft.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, VII. vii. 575. The Heathens in those parts are giuen to Auguries and Witcheries.
1634. Milton, Comus, 523. Great Comus, Deep skill’d in all his mothers witcheries.
1781. Cowper, Expost., 494. As dark as witch’ries of the night.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxvii. Rebecca, daughter of Isaac of York—a woman infamous for sortileges and for witcheries.
1874. H. H. Cole, Catal. Ind. Art S. Kens. Mus., App. 306. Spells, enchantments, and witcheries are supposed to be incessantly at work.
2. fig. Charming or fascinating power or influence.
1582. G. Harvey, Marginalia (1913), 191. Ye sweet bayte, & lure of curtesy: The cunningist and most intellectual witchery of all other.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. Ps. cxix. 60, Wks. 1686, III. 194. If we can disengage our selves from the witcheries of present allurement.
1798. Wordsw., P. Bell, I. 265. He never felt The witchery of the soft blue sky!
1834. A. Cunningham, Burns’ Wks., I. Life 355. The witchery of his conversation, and the magic of his songs, were too powerful for the resolution of some.
1844. Kinglake, Eöthen, v. A beautiful Greek woman … soothing him with the witchery of her guitar.
b. jocular. A body of bewitching women.
1777. T. Twining, in Recreat. & Stud. (1882), 54. Remember me to Mrs. B. and the whole witchery.
