COLLECTIONS Relating to Magic and Witchcraft From

British Library: Western Manuscripts

COLLECTIONS relating to Magic and Witchcraft from the papers of various 16th and 17th century astrologers, finally put together probably in the library of John Somers, Lord Somers (v. catalogue in Har... (16th century-17th century) (Add MS 36674) Table of Contents

Key Details...... 1

Provenance...... 3

Key Details

Collection Area British Library: Western Manuscripts

Reference Add MS 36674

Creation Date 16th century-17th century

Extent and Format 1 item

Languages of Material English; Latin

Title COLLECTIONS relating to Magic and Witchcraft from the papers of various 16th and 17th century astrologers, finally put together probably in the library of John Somers, Lord Somers (v. catalogue in Harl. MS. 7191, f. 158 b). The table of contents on f. 3 is in the same hand as Somers' catalogue. Artt. 1-4 belonged early in the 17th cent. to Gabriel Harvey, the poet and friend of Spenser, who has annotated them throughout (compare the hand with Add. MS. 32494). Art. 10 and probably some other articles were collected by Elias Ashmole. Later owners are noticed below. Contents:- 1. " Here begynneth the booke of Kynge Solomon called the Kay of Knowledge," to which Harvey adds "Clavicula Salomonis. Extat Latine: et legi." In two books. There are many treatises with similiar titles, but this does not agree with the Clavicula edited by S. L. M. Mathers (London, 1889), nor with the treatise known as Lemegeton. The first rubric is " Orysons to be sayde when you coniure," and the last " Here follow the the manner howe to make the Pentacle." In a late 16th cent. hand. f. 5. 2. " This torne booke was found amongst the paper bookes and secret writings of Doctor Caiis, master and founder of Caius Colledg. Doctor Legg gave it to Mr Fletcher, fellowe of the same colledg, and a learned artist for his time " (so Harvey). A note-book containing: (a) A long extract from the De Occulta Philosopliia of Henricus Cornelius Agrippa, lib. iv. (miswritten iii.), and the Heptameron of Petrus de Abano (pr. at Lyon, n. d., as an appendix to Cornelius Agrippa), corresponding to pp. 521-589 of the Lyon edition, but not quite in the same order. The table of " angeli horarum " occurs twice, at the beginning and end, in both cases incomplete. f. 23;-(b) Miscellaneous forms of conjuration, rules etc. f. 38. Dr. John Caius died in 1573, only two days after be bad resigned the mastership to Thomas Legge. For John Fletcher, who became fellow in 1587 and died 1613, see Venn's Biogr. Hist. of Gonville and Caius College, i. p. 95. At the end (f. 45) Harvey has added the note, " The best skill that Mr Butler [William Butler, d. 1618] physician had in niggromancie with Agrippa's occulta philosophia, as his coosen Ponder upon his oathe often repeated seriously intimated unto me." ' 3. " An excellent booke of the arte of magicke first begoone the XXIIth of Marche anno Domini 1567," preceded by a few notes, including a prayer " reuealed by Kinge Solomon anno Domini 1567 die 20 Februarii." Beg. " First it is good arte allwayes for the mr that must begin this arte to leaue swearinge." The whole is in a hand "certified by Mr Macray of the Bodleian, July 1868 " (f. 47), as that of Simon Forman, the astrologer (d. 1611). f. 47. 4. " Vision," dated 24 Feb. 1567 [? more astronomico = 156]- 6 Apr. 1567, seen by " H. G." and his " skrier " John Davis. Harvey endorsed them " Certaine strang visions or apparitions of memorable note. Anno 1567. Lately imparted unto mee for secrets of match importance. A notable journal of an experimental magitian." He was ignorant of the name of the magician, since he adds the note (f. 59) " The visions of Sir Th. S. himself as is credibly supposed. Though Mr Jon Wood imagines one G. H. Tempus demonstrativum reuelabit." Possibly they reached Harvey through Sir Thomas Smith, but it seems worth suggesting that the skrier may have been John Davys the navigator, and his master Humphrey Gilbert, who was then apparently in England but left shortly afterwards for Ireland. f. 58. 5. " Regulae utilissirmae in artem magicam " and other collections in Latin and English in a 17th cent. hand. Begins with a figure which " tulit angelus Domini Danieli." Another copy is in Sloane MS. 3850, ff. 76-113, but is incomplte. f. 64. 6. Conjurations and diagrams, partly perhaps in the same hand as art. 5. At ff. 97, 98 are two large magical figure., each covering a double page. f. 92. 7. Tract, in a hand of about the beginning of the 17th cent., beg. First you must knowe that none of the spirits will obey thee." f. 104. 8. Three vellum sheets with large magical figures in 17th cent. hands. f. 110. 9. Medical and other charms, Latin and English, in a band of the early l6th cent. Beg. " Heliotropia collecta sole existente in ariete."

Page 1 2021-03-03 f. 113. 10. Collections of Elias Ashmole, viz. : (a Notes of astrological questions, etc., dated 12 July 1597-10 Oct. In Ashmole's hand. Probably copied from some of' Simon Forman's praticebooks, now in the Ashmole collection at Oxford. f. 122;-(b) " Catalogue of Mr Boevey's magical bookes "; the first page is in Ashmole's hand. f. 123;-(c,) Extract, in Ashmole's hand, from the Vision of Humphrey Smith the quaker (printed, 1660), which was held to predict the fire of London. f. 129;-(d) Prayers and conjurations.. f. 13() ;-(e) Examinations, etc., in the case of Margaret Russell alias Countess, accused of bewitching Elizabeth Jennins, 25-27 Apr. 1622, with note by Ashmole referring to the practice-book (Ashm. MS. 222) of Richard Napier (a pupil of Forman's, Rector of Gt. Linford, co. Bucks), who was called in to the child Jennins in July following. f. 134;-(f) Theological notes on " diabolus," etc., and on St. Luke xi. 24. ff. 138, 140; (g) Notes, including the nativity of " our queene Mary " [Henrietta Maria], books lent to " the Lady Cleveland " [Anne 1st, or Lucy 2nd, wife of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Cleveland] and to " Mr Bostock," etc. f. 141 ;-(h) Prayer " transcribed from a printed paper which Moses the Jew preacher to the Jewes and liueth at Mr Whitbyes house brought mee. It was given by a French astrologue to Maria Rodrigues a French Jew that lyeth at Mr Cookes," etc., 4 Mar. 165 6, followed by other prayers. f. 143;- (i) Recipes " against witchcraft," etc., in the hand of Richard Napier. f. 145, (k) Another prayer. f. 146;-(l) Conjurations (cf. art. 6). On the back are questions put to some astrologer by Richard afterwards Sir Richard) Napier, nephew of the above Richard, relating to his family fortunes, dat. 16 Mar. 1629. f. 147; -(m) " How to discover a witch." f. 148. 11. Magical treatise in a late 16th cent. hand, with colophon, " Here is ane end of theise approved experimentes, being the practizes of 31, Roger. Bacon and a certayne Turke, then his fellow in Brazenhowse Collidge in Oxford. And often since tried for moost certayne experimentes as ever were, being both the keyes and bondes of Salomon his secret bookes of art, the which he let graven in brasse." The tract, which is much mutilated at the edges, is an abridged translation of the Latin contained in Sloane MSS. 3885, f. 26, 3853, f. 9. The begnning is torn. f. 149. 12. " Compendium heptarchiae mysticae," by John Dec. Holograph. Written not earlier than 1583, apparently a rough draft of the treatise contained in Sloane MSS. 3191 (f. 33, also holograph) and 2599 (Ashmole's copy). f. 167. 13. Papers relating to witches, etc., viz, : (a) Evidence purporting to have been given at Taunton, co. Som., against Edward Bull and Joan Greedie, 13 Aug. 1626, being a long dialogue of the spirits possessing one Edward Dynham. f. 189 ;-(b) Examination of Edmund Robinson, son of Edmund Robinson of Pendle Forest, freemason, taken at Padiam [Padiham, co. Lane.], before Richard Shuttleworth and John Starkey, 10 Feb. 163 . f. 193;-(c) Examination and confession of Margret Johnson of Marsden, widow, taken before the same, 9 Mar. 163. f. 196 ;-(d) " The offenders condemned and accused for witchcraft with their markes at their attainder a list of these alleged Lancashire witches (cf. Gardiner's History of England, ch. lxxiii.). f. 199. Paper (except ff. 110-112); ff. 197. XVI.-XVII. centt. The magical part of Lord Somers' library was in the moiety which passed to Sir Joseph Jekyll and was sold in his sale 26 Feb. 173, where this MS. (sale-cat., lot. 397) was purchased by Joseph Ames. Ames was probably mistaken in identifying it (note on f. 4b) with a lot bought by Christopher Bateman at the sale of Thomas Britton, " the small-coal man," in 1694. At any rate it is not the principal book described in that lot (sale-cat., MSS. no. 38). At Ames' sale, 1760, it was bought (lot 357) by Snelling for £2 4s. Bookplate of arms of Henry White (sale-cat. 1902, lot 1408). Modern red morocco binding. 12 1/4 in. x 8 1/4 in. (16th century-17th century)

Scope and Content Bookplates: White (Henry), F.S.A.: 19th cent.

Magic: Collections relating to: 16th-17th cent.

includes:

• f. 5 Solomon, King: "Clavicula Salomonis": 16th cent.: Lat. • f. 23 b Henricus Cornelius Agrippa: Extract from "De occulta philosophia" of: 16th cent. • f. 31 Petrus, de Abano: Heptameron: 16th cent. • f. 45 William Butler, physician: Note concerning: 17th cent. • f. 47 Dr Simon Forman, Astrological Physician at Lambeth: Tract in the hand of: 17th cent. • f. 49 Derick: Note marked "quoth Derick ": 17th cent.

Page 2 2021-03-03 • f. 58 Humphrey Gilbert: Visions seen by (?): 1567. • f. 58 John Davys, navigator (?): Visions seen by: 1567. • f. 113 Medicine: Charms, etc.: 16th cent.: Lat. and Engl. • f. 122 Dr Simon Forman, Astrological Physician at Lambeth: Astrological questions put to: 1597-1599. • f. 123 Boevey: Catalogue of magical book of: 17th cent. • f. 129 Humphrey Smith, Quaker: Extract from Vision of: 17th cent. • f. 134 Margaret Russell: Examinations of, on charge of witchcraft: 1622. • f. 134 Elizabeth Jenyns: Papers relating to alleged witchcraft practised upon: 1622. • ff. 134, 145 Richard Napier, rector of Great Linford, county Buckinghamshire: Astrological papers of: 17th cent. • ff. 134, 145, 148, 189-197 Witchcraft: Papers relating to: 17th cent. • ff. 134-199 passim Manners and Customs: Collections relating to witches: 16th-17th centt. • f. 147 Sir Richard Napier, nephew of R Napier, the astrologer: Questions put by: 1629. • f. 149 Roger Bacon: Magical " practices " of: 17th cent. • f.167 John Dee, Warden of Manchester College (1595-1604): Compendium Heptarchiae Mysticae: post 1583.: Hologr. • f. 189 Edward Bull: Papers relating to accusation of witchcraft against: 1626. • f. 189 Joan Greedie: Papers relating to accusation of witchcraft against: 1626. • f. 193 Edmund Robinson, of Pendle, county Lancashire: Papers relating to accusations for witchcraft brouht by: 1634.

Provenance

Legal Status Not Public Record(s)

Custodial History Sir Joseph Jekyll, Master of the Rolls: Owned: 1716-1739.

John Somers, Baron Somers 1697: Owned: 18th cent.

Joseph Ames, d 1759 FRS; Secretary, Society of Antiquaries: Owned: 1739-1760.

Henry White, FSA: Owned: 19th cent.

(part) Elias Ashmole, founder of the Ashmolean Museum: Owned: 17th cent.

artt. 1-4 Gabriel Harvey, poet: Owned.

art. 2 John Caius, Founder and Master Of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge: Owned: in 1573.

art. 2 John Fletcher, Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge: Owned: 16th cent.

art. 4 Sir Thomas Smith, Secretary of State: Owned (?): 16th cent.

ff. 23-46 Thomas Legge, Master of Caius College, Cambridge: Owned: in 1573.

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