Chicago Library Seeks Help Transcribing Magical Manuscripts

Now this could be fun and interesting

The Smithsonian has put 3 manuscripts online and the Newberry is asking for help translating and transcribing them.

For instance the The Book of Magical Charms has been put online.
It has instructions on how to speak with spirits

The three manuscripts now available online reflect the varied and complex ways that magic fit into the broader religious landscape of a shifting and modernizing West. The 17th-century Book of Magical Charms contains instructions on a range of magical practices—“from speaking with spirits to cheating at dice,” according to the Transcribing Faith website—but also includes Latin prayers and litanies that align with mainstream religious practices. An untitled document known as the “commonplace book” explores strange and fantastical occurrences, along with religious and moral questions. Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits by Increase Mather, a Puritan minister and president of Harvard who presided over the Salem Witch Trials, expresses a righteous condemnation of witchcraft.

I haven't looked at it myself yet because I wanted to post it here first. But I will most definitely spend a few hours reading this weekend. From what's in the article it promises to be quite entertaining.

Fletcher quickly scanned the documents before putting them online, but reading through users’ translations has reminded him of some of the manuscripts’ more fascinating and bizarre content. The Book of Magical Charms, for instance, proffers a rather unusual method for alleviating a toothache. “One of the remedies is finding a dead man's tooth, which apparently was just available in 17th-century England,” Fletcher said. “That was just really cool to see that.”

source

Have fun!

Witchcraft and spells are a result that happened after the exit of the ages during
the flood, and when Egyptians were practicing their art, they also chanted and
was like this subject. After the Egyptians, is was practiced by people living in
the early years after it was 1 A.D. until the present day.

Personally until telekinesis and telepathy, remote viewing and crop-circles are
explained, then perhaps, I would take on this topic. Cryptozoology will always
be needed to show us the creatures we are far removed from as there is a
seemingly infinite variety of shapes, sizes and functions in animals.

I cannot believe people read this to learn how to do bad things, that is the
essence of witchcraft. I can leave it but if you do, be nice, as the grim reaper
always smiles when claiming a soul.



a reply to: z00mster

a reply to: z00mster

I wonder if the Vatican has more stashed away in their secret archives?

a reply to: starwarsisreal

Me too! I often wish I could appeal to the foia when it comes to the information they keep hidden from us.

a reply to: z00mster

R u a witch?

Can you make magic?

a reply to: [post=22458787]z00mster[/pos
There are some really cool recipes for ailments that might still apply today, things like
loose stools, pimples, etc.

a reply to: z00mster

Sadly, it's not gonna happen because I believe the Vatican has more secrets in the archives that would have threatened their power.

a reply to: starwarsisreal

Don't you think if they had secrets they would have released them to gain more power?

a reply to: z00mster

This is so cool! Thanks for posting!

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
a reply to: starwarsisreal

Don't you think if they had secrets they would have released them to gain more power?

Not if it means telling every individual that they are powerful without the church. Without adherents where would the church be?

originally posted by: ThatHappened
Witchcraft and spells are a result that happened after the exit of the ages during
the flood, and when Egyptians were practicing their art, they also chanted and
was like this subject. After the Egyptians, is was practiced by people living in
the early years after it was 1 A.D. until the present day.

Personally until telekinesis and telepathy, remote viewing and crop-circles are
explained, then perhaps, I would take on this topic. Cryptozoology will always
be needed to show us the creatures we are far removed from as there is a
seemingly infinite variety of shapes, sizes and functions in animals.

I cannot believe people read this to learn how to do bad things, that is the
essence of witchcraft. I can leave it but if you do, be nice, as the grim reaper
always smiles when claiming a soul.



a reply to: z00mster

If you practice a religion, you practice magic. You can't have religion without magic.

Magic is like that butcher knife in your kitchen drawer. You probably only use it for cutting meats for dinner, opening packages, and other harmless but beneficial tasks. Someone else might use it to protect themselves or their family from an intruder. Another person might use it to kill in cold blood. In all cases is the knife good or evil?

Neither.

Its just a tool... the user determines the use of the tool and therefore whatever good or ill it performs the user is responsible not the tool itself.

Magic is just a tool. It can protect, heal, or harm but its just a tool.

originally posted by: AkontaDarkpaw

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
a reply to: starwarsisreal

Don't you think if they had secrets they would have released them to gain more power?

Not if it means telling every individual that they are powerful without the church. Without adherents where would the church be?

I've worked for to many christian denominations (as a musician) not to know that when it comes to adherents of organized religion it really is about sheep being herded.
No religion has anything to fear from any arcane or archaic knowledge.

a reply to: icanteven

You're welcome

a reply to: Yourmomsentme

I could tell you that I am, but then I'd have to turn you into a toad.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Depends on the secret though. If it's something like for example about Jesus being married and having descendants, then I think the Vatican would rather locked it away.

a reply to: starwarsisreal

The "I think" is where reality becomes supposition.

ETA. I started as a musician in the Catholic church. They want a "thing" to entice the masses as much as the other denominations.

They just want a lot of people to say the spell so they can raise the gait of the underworld and allow the demons to come out and play.

a reply to: starwarsisreal

Yes.
They do.
We sheep will never access them though.
They were copied renamed ans relgious texts and the originals destroyed.

6 tablespoons ground cinnamon.
1 tablespoon ground allspice.
1 tablespoon dried orange peel.
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg.
1 teaspoon ground cloves.
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger.
1 bottle chilled lemon-lime soft drink or ginger ale.
2 cups chilled vodka, optional.

a reply to: z00mster

Damn it's all done!! The Magical Charms book looks ready for the experts to sign off on. Every slide has been correctly transcribed and, where possible, translated. Here's a humorous extract about summoning the guy with the horns:

Out of an English old Manuscript called the Divine Cloud of Unknowning the 55th chapter In holy writ as often as any Angel was sent in body evermore, it was showed by his name or by some instrument or quality of his body what his maker or his message was in spirit. In the same manner it fares with the fiend; for when he appears in body he figures in some quality of his body what his servants are in spirit. An example of this may be seen in one above all others. For as I have conceived of some disciples of necromancy who have in science to make invocation of wicked spirits, and some to whom the Devil has appeared in bodily likeness, in what bodily likeness the fiend will appear evermore. He has but one nostril, which is low [on his face], and he will gladly cast it up that a man may see through it to his brain up in his head, which brain is naught else but the fire of Hell; for the fiend may have no other brain. And if he might make a man look, he will keep no altar; for at that looking, he shall lose his wits forever. But a proficient apprentice of Necromancy knows this well enough and can well [resist] therefore so that it hurts him not.

Image 15

Whoever wrote it looked to have been well educated because they've got a wide vocabulary and a decent level of spelling. They were seemingly fluent in Latin as well as English which was not a common thing in the 17th Century. Not much more than a quarter of people were literate back then; he might have had a very good schooling. It took wealth to attend the growing number of universities or perhaps he had a Church background.

This guy will have had access to other 'magic books' as well as religious books in Latin. Possibly a traveller and someone who used major libraries. It suggests a person with free time on their hands and a degree of wealth (or patronage) to afford the materials. His knowledge would have had value in such a superstitious age and pose some degree of risk also.

The risk would come from the bubbling pot that was late 17th life in NW Europe. It was an incredibly lively century with religious sects vying for tolerance and being smacked down by Church and State. Common people were asserting what we now call human rights and making progress. This book could have been written within one or two generations of Charles 1 losing his head. Superstition, ignorance, education and legal/political reforms were all in conflict. The US Constitution actually had its ideological roots in this period. I would not have liked to have lived then, but it's a fantastic period to study.