Detail View: LUNA: Folger Digital Image Collection: Book of magic, with instructions for invoking spirits, etc.

42343

V.b.26 (1)

Book of magic, with instructions for invoking spirits, etc.

ca. 1577-1583

page 138

FSL collection

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Bible. O.T. Psalms. English.

Book of magic, with instructions for invoking spirits, etc. [manuscript], ca. 1577-1583.

2 v. : ill. and charts ; 35-40 cm.

Alchemy -- Early works to 1800 -- Manuscripts.

Angels, depicted. lctgm

Annotations (Provenance) rbprov

Astrology -- Early works to 1800 -- Manuscripts.

Astronomical charts -- 16th century -- Manuscripts. aat

Demons, depicted. lctgm

Drawings -- 16th century -- Manuscripts. gmgpc

Ghosts, depicted. lctgm

Magic -- Early works to 1800 -- Manuscripts.

Manuscripts -- 16th century. aat

Occultism -- Early works to 1800 -- Manuscripts.

Poems -- 16th century -- Manuscripts. rbgenr

Bacon, Roger, 1214?-1294.

Hockley, Frederick, 1808-1885, former owner.

Lenkiewicz, R. O. (Robert O.), 1941-2002, former owner.

Meyerstein, Edward Harry William, 1889-1952, former owner.

Meyerstein, Edward Harry William, 1889-1952.

Raphael, 1795-1832, former owner.

A poem, "Fairy lore," by E.H.W. Meyerstein, dated September 8, 1929, corrected May 20, 1935, appears in V.b.26 (1) on verso of leaf after p. 205. An additional leaf of 20th century notes appears loose in V.b.26 (2) after p. 235.

An eclectic anthology of spells and invocations with charts, magic circles, and descriptions and drawings of spirits, angels, and demons. Draws on the Solomonic tradition, with traces of the Lemegeton (including the Goetia), references to "Friar Bacon" (Roger Bacon), and set within a Christian framework. Multiple spells relate to deterring or catching thieves and curing or preventing sicknesses. Includes translations of Psalms 43, 47, 51, 54, 67, 121, 138, and 150 (p. 25-26).

Annotations in several hands, contemporary and modern, in pencil and ink.

Both volumes: Pagination added later in blue ink (contemporary foliation in brown ink survives, foliated 16-114; wanting leaves 15-17, 26-28, 38, 40, 111-113).

Dates: May 8, 1577 on p. 51; 1583 on p. 105.

Exhibited: The Curatorial Eye: Discoveries from the Folger Vault, curated by Folger Shakespeare Library staff, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., June 13-August 29, 2009.

In English and Latin with some Hebrew.

In the text appears the names: John Weston (p. 143) and in anagrammatic form, John Porter (nh4z retr4p) (p. 135).

Most poems from V.b.26 (1) listed in Folger index of first lines.

Mowat, Barbara A. "Prospero's book," Shakespeare Quarterly, Spring 2001, p. 1-33.

V.b.26 (1) : Acquired from Day's (Booksellers) Ltd., Highfield, 1958.

V.b.26 (1) : Exhibited: Shakespeare: The Globe and the World, traveling exhibition, October 4, 1979-September 6, 1982.

V.b.26 (1) Spine title: Theurgia M.S. 1583 Book of Magic. V.b.26 (2) Case and cover title: Key of Solomon.

V.b.26 (1): p. 15-205, 35 x 23 cm; pages 1-14 wanting.

V.b.26 (2) : Gift of B.H. Breslauer Foundation, Inc., August 2007; acquired from Sotheby's (London), July 12, 2007 (lot 1).

V.b.26 (2): p. 206-235, leaves mounted individually (33-34 x 23 cm) and interleaved with modern paper, housed in case (40 x 28 cm); page 218 lower left hand corner damaged and missing 2 of the sigils (1 on p. 218 and 1 on p. 219).

Written in black and red ink. V.b.26 (1): Decorated initials added later by R.C. Smith. V.b.26 (2): Red ink faded.

V.b.26 (1) : "R.C.S., 1822" (the astrologer R.C. Smith aka Raphael), p. 15 -- Frederick Hockley -- Hockley's sale, Sotheby's April 6-7, 1887 (lot 380) -- "E.H.W. Meyerstein, July 8, 1929," [leaf 4] -- Meyerstein's sale, Sotheby's (London) December 15-17, 1952 (lot 474).

V.b.26 (1): Formerly Folger MS Add 158.

V.b.26 (2) : R.C. Smith -- Robert Lenkiewicz.

V.b.26 (1)