A Cunning Man S Grimoire

This manuscript is a grimoire, a manual of practical magic, a sorcerers handbook. It is a composite grimoire drawn from a number of different sources. It is not the sort of grimoire which has a complete method of calling up a set register of spirits, like the Goetia, nor does it have a wide range of pentacles or talismans like the Key of Solomon. It is however quite special as it was also was a practising Cunning man's grimoire, a very interesting blend of learned and local village magic. It also contains a lot of critical astrological information (including its own set of astrological tables) which are an important part of magic, but which dont feature to a large extent in other grimoires. It goes way beyond Planetary days and hours, to detailed aspects of timing and also contains magical operations connected with the 28 Mansions of the Moon and image magic, which were usually absent from Solomonic grimoires. The 28 Mansions of the Moon belong to a different magical tradition which owes its origins to Arabic and Indian roots, rather than the Greek roots of Solomonic magic. This manuscript literally stands at the crossroads of several different magical streams.

From Dr. Stephen Skinner and the Golden Hoard Press comes a historical grimoire that features a fascinating blend of high magic and local village magic. Originally a handbook for a working sorcerer, this book includes a wealth of magical workings in addition to a treasure trove of critical astrological information, including a unique set of astrological tables that are generally absent from other grimoires. Going beyond the planetary days and hours, A Cunning Man's Grimoire reveals detailed aspects of timing and magical operations connected with the 28 Mansions of the Moon and image magic, which rarely appear in Solomonic grimoires. This practical manual of magic is strongly influence by Arabic and Indian roots, placing it at the crossroads of several powerful magical streams.

The Grimoire of Arthur Gauntlet is an outstanding example of a seventeenth century London Cunning-man's book of practice. Cunning-folk were practitioners of magic and herbal medicine who dealt with problems in their local communities. Cunning-man Arthur Gauntlet was based in Gray's Inn Lane in London, and his personal working book contains a fascinating diverse mixture of herbal remedies, prayers, magical and biblical charms, with previously unseen angelic conjurations and magic circles, in an eclectic blend of practical magic for health, wealth, love and protection. This unique manuscript demonstrates both the diverse and spiritual nature of such Cunning-folk's books of practice, as well as their magical emphasis on Biblical scripture, particularly the Psalms, and their opposition to witchcraft, found in charms and conjurations. Arthur Gauntlet worked with a female skryer called Sarah Skelhorn, and drew on numerous preceding sources for his craft, including the Arbatel, the Heptameron, Folger Vb.26, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, the Book of Gold, the writings of the German magus Cornelius Agrippa, the astrologer William Bacon and Queen Elizabeth I's court astrologer Dr. John Dee, as well as other London Cunning-folk. In his introduction, the author provides fresh insights into the hidden world of seventeenth century magical London, exploring the web of connections between astrologers, cunning-folk and magicians, playwrights, authors and church figures. These connections are also highlighted by the provenance of the manuscript, which is traced from Arthur Gauntlet through the hands of such notable angel magicians as Elias Ashmole (founder of the world's first public museum, the Ashmolean in Oxford), Baron Somers (the Lord Chancellor), Sir Joseph Jekyll (Master of the Rolls) and Sir Hans Sloane (founder of the British Museum), as well as the astrologer John Humphreys and the cunning-woman Ann Savadge. This is a unique work which draws attention to the often neglected place of women in seventeenth century magic, both as practitioners (such as skryers and Cunning-women), and customers. It also emphasises the vital and influential role played by Cunning-Men and Women in synthesising and transmitting the magical traditions of medieval Britain into the subsequent centuries, as well as their willingness to conjure a wide range of spiritual creatures to achieve results for their clients, including angels, demons, fairies, and the dead.

"The desire to understand magic in any specific cultural context is an intellectual puzzle not only for scholars but believers." - Jim Baker

What is a grimoire? The word has a familiar ring to many people, particularly as a consequence of such popular television dramas as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed. But few people are sure exactly what it means. Put simply, grimoires are books of spells that were first recorded in the Ancient Middle East and which have developed and spread across much of the Western Hemisphere and beyond over the ensuing millennia. At their most benign, they contain charms and remedies for natural and supernatural ailments and advice on contacting spirits to help find treasures and protect from evil. But at their most sinister they provide instructions on how to manipulate people for corrupt purposes and, worst of all, to call up and make a pact with the Devil. Both types have proven remarkably resilient and adaptable and retain much of their relevance and fascination to this day. But the grimoire represents much more than just magic. To understand the history of grimoires is to understand the spread of Christianity, the development of early science, the cultural influence of the print revolution, the growth of literacy, the impact of colonialism, and the expansion of western cultures across the oceans. As this book richly demonstrates, the history of grimoires illuminates many of the most important developments in European history over the last two thousand years.

Cunning-folk were local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued service to the community. They were far more representative of magical practice than the arcane delvings of astrologers and necromancers. Mostly unsensational in their approach, cunning-folk helped people with everyday problems: how to find lost objects; how to escape from bad luck or a suspected spell; and how to attract a lover or keep the love of a husband or wife. While cunning-folk sometimes fell foul of the authorities, both church and state often turned a blind eye to their existence and practices, distinguishing what they did from the rare and sensational cases of malvolent witchcraft. In a world of uncertainty, before insurance and modern science, cunning-folk played an important role that has previously been ignored.

A practical manual of Traditional non-Wiccan Witchcraft. While there are a lot of texts that cover advanced and academic subjects of interest to traditional Crafters, all of the introductory books tend to focus on Wicca... until now. In this Book Peter Paddon - Magister of Briar Rose and host of the popular Crooked Path podcast - covers his particular path of Witchcraft from scratch. He goes over the basics of his personal Path, along with examples of alternatives from other traditions, covering philosophy, lore and practical techniques. The Crooked Path is a way of Crafting based on experiencing the Mysteries of Ancestors and the Sacred Landscape first-hand, and Peter guides the seeker through the basics with competence and humor.

The secret book of the cunning man of Denbighshire, a Welsh magical notebook from the 1830s, was published in part in the 1970s but is now lost. Andrew Phillip Smith reconstructs and translates the notebook. The cunning man, or dyn hysbys, straddled two worlds, providing magical services to his community, preserving traditional charms and magical techniques yet eager to discover other techniques or spells that were coming to light. Smith digs into a lost world of first-hand accounts and folklore in which Welsh magicians had a particular command over fairies, and were regularly sought out for charms against malign witchcraft. Chapters provide a mass of information on the wise women and fraudulent rogues of Denbighshire, the relationship between magicians and fairies in tradition and folktale and the methods of unwitching cattle, and a possible author for this lost notebook. '... both a worthwhile addition to scholarship and an easy introduction for the newcomer.' Dr Ronald Hutton, Professor of History Bristol university, author of The Triumph of the Moon, The Witch, Queens of the Wild 'This is a remarkable book that offers in-depth insight into the secret world of the Welsh Dyn Hysbys. . . a fascinating study of magic and folklore in Wales that will surely become a classic of its time.' Kristoffer Hughes, Head of the Anglesey Druid Order, author of Cerridwen & The Book of Druidry. 'Anyone with an interest in magic, folklore, or even Welsh history in general will find something in this book, read it and revel in the magic of Wales' traditional folk magical culture.' Mhara Starling, author of Welsh Witchcraft: A Guide to the Spirits, Lore, and Magic of Wales '... a thoroughly enjoyable, as well as illuminating, read.' David Conway, author of Magic: An Occult Primer 'In this work Andrew Phillip Smith lifts the veil to reveal a lost Secret Book, a veritable Cunning Man's cornucopia.' David Rankine, author of The Grimoire Encyclopaedia