Anon,
Conjuration and an Excellent Discourse of the Nature and Substance
of Devils and Spirits S.E.E. 2006
Numbered limited edition of 120 copies. 98pp Some illustrations.
1)
The Nature of the Text
In
1584 Reginald Scot published the Discoverie of Witches. Scot was daringly
sceptical as to the reality of witchcraft and opposed the persecution of witches,
referring to witch hunters as “witchmongers”. This was a courageous position to
take in 1584 and copies of his book were burnt when James ascended the English
throne at the beginning of the 17th Century, the king himself having authored
an anti-witchcraft book in response to Discoverie of Witches. Yet despite the
witchcraft trials, as the century progressed Scot’s book was increasingly
sought out not for his sceptical viewpoint but as a source for demonic and
angelic lore by those who desired to practice magic. “Conjuration and an
Excellent Discourse of the Nature and Substance of Devils and
Spirits” appeared as appendices to the third edition of Scot’s Discoverie
issued in 1665. This can be seen in the context of a number of significant
publications with the first issues of English translations of Paracelsus,
Agrippa, numerous alchemical works and the popularisation of astrology and
astrological herbalism.
a)
Book I
Provides
a great deal of general information as to the magical regalia and practices of
the conjurors of spirits. Some aspects seem quite modern, for instance a magic
circle need only be imagined to be effective. Some of the regalia, such as
snakeskin belts and so forth, is rather reminiscent of shamanism. Four rituals
are described in detail:-
i) An
act of necromancy by which the magician may gain knowledge from the spirit of a
suicide, the magician being encouraged to do what he can to bring rest to the
spirit and is warned that the practice is highly dangerous.
ii)
The conjuration of three infernal spirits with considerable detail as to what
the magician actually experiences whilst the ritual is performed.
iii)
The ritual invocation by the magician of his own Genius or Good Angel into a
skrying crystal. A fascinating account of the visions that will precede the
appearance of the angel is followed by the revelation that the Angel will take
on the appearance of the magician himself. This has harmonics with the
pre-Crowley 1st degree O.T.O. initiation where oaths are taken to ones inner guardian
who is represented by the candidates reflection in the mirror. This ritual is
very different from the usual cajoling and commanding of spirits as the
magician respectfully invites the spirit to attend.
iv)
Finally a ritual is given for the obtaining of a familiar. The process
described here involves the conjuring of spirits that have changing
relationships between themselves and changing affinities with different areas
of northern Europe. Indeed the text demonstrates a sophisticated awareness and magical
view of geography. A volcano in Iceland is named as a place where airy and
fiery demons habitually frequent where they wage battles. An illustration of
the volcano with two witches is given as a sigil to invoke spirits.
Remarkably
one of the names of power used to control the spirits that grant the familiar
is Coronzon, a name so important in the Enochian system of John Dee and Edward
Kelly (the latter being mentioned in Book II). However, this of the text is
attributed to a named Scandinavian magician. The appearance of this Enochian
name in this context is a matter for some intriguing speculation! Once evoked
the spirits will provide the familiar which, significantly, is then named
by the magician whom it serves.
Presents
a treatise upon the nature of spirits. The writer is clearly learned, giving
many references to classical writers though sometimes he disagrees with their
statements. However he also describes more contemporary faery lore and both
folk and intellectual European traditions concerning spirits with a
sophisticated differentiation of their various orders with an implied cosmology
concerning the subtle nature of Man and the world. There is a discussion of the
nature of Good and Evil Genii that men attract to them and the benefits that
can be obtained from establishing a relationship with ones benevolent angel.
Comparison can be made with the state Crowley referred to as Knowledge and
Conversation with ones Holy Guardian Angel though there are important
differences and a good deal of unfamiliar lore concerning guardian angels with
discussion as to the nature of evil Angels. The source of some of this material
is a named Indian, an example as to the remarkably cosmopolitan nature of the
text with statements as to the magical practices and events in Europe, the New
World and China. A truly magical vision of the world is evinced; various
spirits inhabit the skies, mines, forests, rivers and guard over cities and so
forth. They interact with man bringing both good and evil but also pursue their
own business that does not concern us. Whilst Book I is a straightforward
description of the practices of magicians and witches in Book II the treatise
states various points of view as to the practice of magic. The writer is
clearly a believer. At some points he condemns the actions of some magicians as
diabolic, however, the condemnations may fall wide of the mark. For instance
the criticism of magicians in Book II for seeking familiars for the purpose of
copulation is quite alien to the extensive ritual for obtaining a familiar and
the history of a particular one in Book I. Perhaps this ambiguity results from
discretion as a practitioner of the rituals described risked being hung as a
witch. Perhaps the writer was genuinely equivocal about that which he
describes. At other points, for instance when discussing making contact with
ones good Angel the writer appears cautiously approving. Often the writer
appears non-judgemental and at another point he gives detailed disagreements
with Scot which would only make sense to a practitioner.
An
interesting question arises. How does this text relate to the Witchcraft? Two
factors obscure the issue. Firstly modern witches often distinguish themselves from
ceremonial magicians, astrologers and so forth. This compartmentalisation may
be a modernism. In earlier times astrologers provided ceremonially charged
astrological talismans. In his Discoverie of Witches Scot talks about
astrology, alchemy, demonology, ceremonial magic, planetary hours etc. and so
forth, for him these were all aspects of witchcraft. Secondly in times past
people tended not to identify themselves as witches as some do now. To some
degree “Witchcraft” in the past meant an act of malevolent magic done by your
enemy. In fact a great deal of what we would now call witchcraft (acts of
psychic protection for example, protective charms etc.) was then magical ritual
intended to protect against “witchcraft”. The text is not immune from this and
there are negative references to witchcraft. These acts of protection were an
important aspect of the activities of Cunning men and women. It has been
suggested that as Protestant churchmen abandoned as superstitious traditional
priestly acts as blessing crops and livestock Cunning Folk stepped to fulfil
the role sometimes using occult rather than Catholic glamours. Certainly the
text presented here had influence upon Cunning men. The component dealing with
invocation of ones Good Angel appears in the manuscripts of John and Henry
Harries, father and son Cunning men who operated in Wales in the latter part of
the 18th and early part of the 19th Century. Another Welsh Cunning Man called
William Harris was taken to court in 1867 where the content of a charm he
supplied was read out, it derived from this text. In Cornwall the body of a
woman was discovered with a charm deriving from Conjuration and most Excellent
Discourse contained in a silk bag. She was probably a practitioner as the
relevant daimon was a good angel who appeared “..to those devoted to the
knowledge of magick; teaching them how to exercise Infernal Witchcraft without
danger.” The work as a whole was very influential upon Ebenezer Sibly, the late
18th Century astrologer whose New and Complete Illustration of Occult Sciences
encompassed astrology and ceremonial magic. It is to be noted that there is an
oral tradition amongst some Cultus Sabbatai witches that Sibly was influential
upon their Craft. If we consider witchcraft to be folk magic tradition then
“Conjuration and an Excellent Discourse of the Nature and Substance
of Devils and Spirits” is an important but previously overlooked influence upon
the authentic tradition of witchcraft. As to how it would have been regarded in
its day, an authoritative text in 17th Century England describing procedure for
the persecution of witches was William Perkins, Discourse of the Damned Art of
Witchcraft published in 1608. In regards to evidence of witchcraft Perkins
states that true evidence proving witchcraft requires either a confession or
the testimony of two witnesses that the accused either “…hath made a league
with the devil. Or hath done some known practices of witchcraft. (Such as hath
invocated and called upon the devil; hath entertained a familiar spirit, and
had conference with it in form or likeness of a mouse, cat or some other
visible creature. Or have used glasses” [ie crystals for skying]. Practitioners
of the rituals described in the work therefore would most certainly have been
considered to be practising witchcraft. Previously, it has been very difficult
to obtain. Virtually all reprints of Scot’s Discoverie of Witches republish the
first edition which lacks this text rather than the third. “Conjuration and an
Excellent Discourse of the Nature and Substance of Devils and
Spirits” is a previously overlooked treasure which, it is hoped, will now
receive the attention it deserves
2)
The Physical Incarnation of the Book
Some
illustrations of sigils plus one of witches practicing a conjuration. It is
printed with red embellishments on mould made 160 gramme Fabriano Ingres paper
which has an appealing texture, subtle shade and lush feel. This paper is
usually only used for endpapers an is far superior to papers generally used for
books. A typeface has been used that mirrors the imperfections of 17th Century
printing and the 17th Century design of type. For the sake of legibility it has
some nods to modernity, important, as this text should be read. The typesetting
of the book has followed 17th Century conventions. In fact these are a great
aid to legibility. Chapter headings summarise contents and most paragraphs have
shoulder comments in the margin that briefly state its contents. This allows
one to very effectively scan the text. At the bottom of each page appears the
first word of the next page, to assist the binder. The archaic and variant
spellings have been retained. The conventions of magical manuscripts have been
followed, with magical names and certain other portions of text being rubricated.
The typesetting and printing is by Mandrake Press Ltd. of Thame in Oxfordshire,
England.
It is
bound in cloth and leather. The leather being used is Grade One Spanish
goatskin leather. This is one of the finest book leathers obtainable, the skins
being subjected to a shrinking process which emphasises its natural texture.
Aside from its flexibility the organic nature leather makes it pleasing to the
touch in a way that is unobtainable by artificial materials. The cloth is
traditional bookcloth which has a better feel than the treated surface of
modern buckram. In the 17th Century the use of wooden blocks to create repeat
patterns was first introduced from India where it was used for cloth. In the
west the technique was soon applied to paper decoration and the decorated
endpapers of this book employs a traditional block design. Each component of
the pattern has been located by eye so that the imperceptible variations in
position of the components make the overall result more organic. The paper for
the endpapers used is Italian, 160 gramme tinted and has a high cotton content,
in fact one can see the fibres. The paper used for the text itself is 160
gramme Fabriano Ingres, a lush mould made paper with a handsome texture,
usually only used for endpapers it is far superior to papers generally used for
books. The intent has been to utilise the best leather, cloth and paper
feasible.
Copies
number 1 to 12 Are quarter bound in leather and have gilt blocked (using pure
gold) decoration down the full length of the spine, raised bands, top edge of
the pages gilt (using pure gold leaf). The are supplied in a stout slipcase
employing the same decorated paper and cloth employed in the binding of the
book with a gilt blocked leather label giving the title on the front panel, it
being designed so that the spine of the book faces the wall for better
protection. For the same reason the slipcase is designed so the spine does not
protrude from the slipcase. Internally the slipcase has a suede like material
to better cushion and hold the book. The edges of the slipcase are embellished
with gilt. These copies are priced at 175 UK Pounds each
Copies
number 13 to 30 are quarter bound and have raised bands blind blocked
decoration to the leather spine and all edges have a speckled decoration. They
are supplied with a stout slipcase employing a the same decorated paper and
cloth used in binding the book. Internally the slipcase has a suede like
material to better cushion and hold the book. These copies are priced at 125 UK
Pounds each
Copies
number 31 to 120 are quarter bound and have raised bands the blind decoration
to spine and speckled decoration to page edges. These copies are priced at 90
UK Pounds each
If no
preference is stated I will supply one of the copies numbered 31 to 120. All
orders will be dealt with in strict order of receipt. Unless I am otherwise
instructed, if one of the first twelve has been ordered but all have sold out I
will supply one of next 18 and if they have all sold then I will supply a
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