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DR. JOHN DEE’S SPIRITUAL DIARIES

Stephen Skinner ed.

2011 680pp Golden Hoard h/b in d/w. Illus.

Being a reset and corrected edition of a True & Faithful Relation of what Passed for many Yeers between Dr John Dee...and Some Spirits...

This is a completely revamped and reader-friendly edition of the 1659 Meric Casaubon book. Now edited by Stephen Skinner, with a detailed introduction, appendices, extensive footnotes, supplementary texts, additional illustrations, and a Dee timeline.

This book contains John Dee's Spiritual Diaries for 25 years (1583-1608), now made available for the first time in an organized and readable form. For any scholar or practitioner of magic, easy access to Dee's Enochian system is one of the most important parts of the Western Esoteric tradition. This book covers Dee's invocation of the angels, the reception of their Enochian system of magic, his experiments in alchemy, and experiences in the courts of the crowned heads of Europe.

This book has been totally re-set, re-formatted and updated, incorporating corrections from the original notes of Meric Casaubon, Elias Ashmole and William Shippen, with reference to the original manuscript written by Dee. Sections which were originally missing from Casaubon's edition have been added. Angels, spirits, people, places, dates and times have been fully footnoted, and many of Casaubon's errors corrected. The reader will find this a much more accessible entrance to the world of Dr Dee's conferences with angels and spirits, and a welcome improvement.

Stephen Skinner was responsible for initially stimulating the renewed interest in John Dee and Enochian magic by first re-publishing Meric Casaubon's book in 1973. £59.00

THE MAGICAL TREATISE OF SOLOMON OR HYGROMANTEIA

Translated and edited by Ioannis Marathakis

2011 376pp Golden Hoard h/b in d/w. Illus.

This is the true ancestor of the Key of Solomon. Containing the full translation of the Hygromanteia, a Solomnike. This book is sometimes called the Hygromanteia, and this book has hidden behind the mistaken idea that all of it is a work on water divination, a scholarly mistake that has hidden the true value of this book for centuries. Throughout history thousands of people have been fascinated by the grimoire the Key of Solomon. This is the original Greek book of magic that was the source of the Key of Solomon, and in turn the ancestor of most of the grimoire-based ceremonial magic practiced in Europe and the US today.

This is a ground-breaking work. For the first time (outside of a handful of pages in academic works) the full Greek original of the Key of Solomon appears in English.

Contrary to popular opinion the Key of Solomon was not translated from a Hebrew original. During the gradual decline and fall of the Byzantine Empire, this precious text, along with many others, was taken to Italy. This may even have happened when Constantinople was sacked in 1453. It is quite likely that it was taken to Venice, where parts of it were translated into Latin and Italian.

Abridged Latin copies entitled the Clavicula Salomonis circulated in Europe, going through many changes, languages and versions to become the Key of Solomon as we know it (some of those manuscripts are published as Volume IV of the present series). Now for the first time you can read the whole text (large portions of which were left out of the Latin translations) arranged clearly in the order in which it was meant to be read. £46.00

A BOOK OF THE OFFICES OF SPIRITS

The Occult Virtue of Plants and Some Rare Magical Charms & Spells Transcribed ... from a Sixteenth Century Manuscript on Magic and Necromancy.

From a manuscript by by John Porter, transcribed by Frederick Hockley, With an Introduction by Colin D. Campbell.

1st 2011 102pp Teitan Press 4to h/b. Illus. Ltd. ed. 800 copies.

A Book of the Offices of Spirits is the first ever publication of this Solomonic text or grimoire which, in common with the better-known "Goetia," is essentially a catalog of demons, giving their name, description, rank in the infernal hierarchy, number of attendant legions, offices (abilities), as well as a variety of magical rituals for their conjuration and other purposes. The text has its origin in a magical manuscript written by one John Porter in 1583, which was itself probably drawn from earlier European sources. In the early nineteenth century the Porter manuscript came into the possession of the British occult fraternity, "the Mercurii," and a transcription of key sections was compiled by John Palmer. Palmer's transcription was in turn copied by the renowned occult scholar Frederick Hockley, and this transcription, along with another anonymous late nineteenth century manuscript copy, for the basis for the present work. 

Colin D. Campbell, author of The Magic Seal of Dr. John Dee has edited and written an Introduction for the book in which he examines the history of the manuscript, its place in the Goetic canon, and its relevance to contemporary occultists. £37.50

ABRAHAM THE JEW ON MAGIC TALISMANS

From a manuscript by Frederick Hockley

1st 2011 102pp Teitan Press. Illus. Ltd. ed. 800 copies.

Abraham the Jew on Magic Talismans is a previously-unpublished manuscript by Frederick Hockley, probably transcribed by him circa 1850 from an earlier work. The manuscript deals with the creation of talismans, and is divided into two parts, the first of which details methods for their manufacture "under the fixed stars" and the second "under the twenty-eight mansions of the moon." Both sets of concepts were popular in mediaeval and later European astrological and magical practice, having apparently been incorporated into them from Arabic astronomical and astrological treatises composed during the "Golden Age" of Arabic science from the middle of the eighth to the middle of the thirteenth centuries 

This first published edition comprises an Introduction in which Silens Manus explores the history of the manuscript, and its relationship with other early magical works, notably those of Cornelius Agrippa. It is followed by a typeset transcription of the text of the manuscript, with explanatory footnotes, etc., and a reproduction of various relevant passages from the 1651 edition of Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy. The final section is a facsimile of the original manuscript, printed on special coated paper that gives a photograph like quality to the reproduction. £44.99

THE AUTHENTIC RED DRAGON/THE BLACK HEN

Translated from the French Edition of 1521

by Joshua A. Wentworth, With an Introduction by Silens Manus

1st 2011 208pp Teitan Press small hardback. Ltd. ed. 800 copies.

Le Véritable Dragon Rouge, or as it is more commonly known, Le Dragon Rouge (The Red Dragon) is one of the most notorious of the little books of black magic known as grimoires. This Teitan Press publication includes a complete facsimile of the earliest known edition - a French printing that is dated 1521 (although it was probably actually published in the early 1800s) - along with a complete English translation by Joshua A. Wentworth. It is prefaced with a thoughtful and sometimes humorous Introduction by Silens Manus.

The text of Le Dragon Rouge is typical of grimoires of the time, and is clearly related to the Grand Grimoire. Its anonymous author claims that the work is derived from the wisdom of the legendary King Solomon, and then sets down instructions for the creation of a number of magical implements: blasting rod (wand), talisman and magic circle, that are to be used to summon the demon "Lucifugé Rofocale," who is then bound over to serve the sorcerer. In the process a great many sub-demons are named, and their attributes listed. This is followed by a series of magic spells or recipes for various purposes; from making oneself invisible, to winning the affections of another, to the cure of various common ailments. The book ends with a chart of lucky and unlucky days and a short version of the treasure-finding text known as La Poule Noire (The Black Hen). Le Dragon Rouge was very popular in early nineteenth century France, going through a number of clandestine and semi-clandestine printings, and is still said to be one of the most highly revered magic texts in certain Voodoo circles in Haiti. £36.50

THE GRIMOIRE OF ARTHUR GAUNTLET

A 17th century London Cunning-man’s book charms, conjurations and prayers

David Rankine (ed)

1st 2011 336pp Avalonia. Illus.

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.

Available in two editions:

Hardback in dustwrapper £45.00

Paperback £22.99

FENRIS WOLF Volume 1-3

Edited by Carl Abrahamsson

1st 2011 312pp Edda Bok trade paperback. Ltd. ed. 500 numbered copies.

New anthology with many occultural classics! This journal was originally published between 1989 and 1993. Collects all the material from the first three issues. From the contents: John Alexander, Helgi Pjeturss, Tim O’Neill, Carl Abrahamsson, William S Burroughs, TOPYUS, Anton LaVey, Lionel Snell, Genesis P-Orridge, Phauss, Jack Stevenson, Terence Sellers, Stein Jarving, 93/696, Coyote 12, von Hausswolff & Elggren, Frater Nigris, William Heidrick, Peter H Gilmore, ONA, Zbigniew Karkowski, Fetish 23, Ben Kadosh, Freya Aswynn, Austin Osman Spare, Rodney Orpheus, Nemo, Philip Marsh, Hymenæus Beta, Andrew M McKenzie/The Hafler Trio, Harry Smith, Kenneth Anger, Jayne Mansfield and a lot more. £26.99

CONJURE CODEX

Edited by Dis Albion, Erzebet Carr and Jake Stratton-Kent

1st 2011 180pp Hadean Press trade p/b. Illus. inc. colour.

Conjure Codex breaks new ground in presenting inter-related material from a range of traditions, embracing ancient cultures, the grimoires, New World traditions and others; by publishing new translations and rare texts alongside accounts of work in these traditions, and elucidations of them.

Contents include: Old Wizard by Jake Stratton-Kent, The Paladins of Earth and Fire by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold, The Tree of the Grimoires by Humberto Maggi, Modern Grimoiric Evocation by Michael Cecchetelli, The Comte de Gabalis by Abbé N. de Montfaucon de Villars, English trans. anon. with an introduction by Jake Stratton-Kent and much more. Artwork by Johnny Jakobsson, Audrey Melo, S. Aldarnay & our own Mrs. Midian. £25.00

THE SERPENT TONGUE: LIBER 187

Jake Stratton-Kent

1st 2011 226pp Hadean Press Trade p/b. Illus.

A workbook of English Qaballa. The Serpent Tongue: Liber 187 was first published online in 2000 by Ye Olde Goat’s Shoppe and made available for personal use only. With the 2008 reappearance of The Equinox, in whose earlier incarnation much of the writing contained herein was first published, and subsequent renewed interest in the English Qaballa, permissions were obtained for the publication of a newly revised edition.

The idea that the letters of the alphabet can be equated to numbers, and that meaningful correspondences and values can be attained by way of those numbers, has teased humanity for centuries. Ceremonial magicians appropriated the Hebrew Kaballah  ne of the oldest of such systems  o long ago that to question its use by non-native Hebrew speakers is almost a blasphemy, but question it we do. For some of us, finding meaning in an unfamiliar language has never sat well. Historically the problem was a lack of any other viable system, in particular one devised from the English language. With the discovery of the English Qaballa, that problem was solved.

The subject of an English qaballa is a controversial one. The idea that a group of English magicians had discovered a solution to the cipher of chapter 2, verse 76 of Liber AL: The Book of the Law was met with disbelief and, in some cases, scorn. The fact of its discovery, however, could not be overlooked. As more proofs were revealed and a consistent and coherent system of magick unfolded, the English Qaballa cemented its place in the annals of occult history. Liber AL’s puzzle may have no singular solution, and we do not present the English Qaballa as such. All we can claim is that this solution works. £15.00