Newberry Library - Book of magical charms : manuscript

Book of magical charms : manuscript

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Open book Book of magical charms

Title Book of magical charms : manuscript

Creator Ashley, Robert, 1565-1641

Date 1612

Language Latin

Subjects Magic, Manuscripts, English, Manuscripts, Latin

Description Some watermarks visible (chalice and grapes?) but tightness of the binding makes identification difficult.

Summary Occult commonplace book mainly compiled by Robert Ashley. First section (foliated leaves 4r-38v) written by Ashley includes charms, spells, ritual magic, and medical recipes. First section titles include: ""To speak with spiritts, " "Fryer Bacons charme against the toothache, " "To make a barren woman conceive and beare, " "Salomons girdle against witchcraft and ill tongue's, " etc. Followed by blank leaves (39r-251v). Second section inverted and beginning on opposite end with prayers, charms, lists of saints is in red, green and black ink, and rudimentary table of contents, mostly in Latin, some text in Ashley's hand.

Biographical/Historical Note English lawyer and translator. Robert Ashley (1565-1641) was born in Damerham, Hampshire. In 1588 he entered New Inn and was admitted to Middle Temple. He shortly left the Inn to travel and study languages such as Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian. Ashley was elected Member of Parliament for Dorchester in 1597. He died in October 1641, leaving his personal library to Middle Temple.

Extent 1 volume (285 leaves) : paper, illustrations ; 16 x 11 cm

Format Manuscript waste

User-Contributed Transcription To make white Ink Take Roche Allome powder it lay it in a little of thy own water, let it stand 24 houres at the least; then write therwith and let it dry in the Paper. Afterward hold the paper against the fire til it look browne; and than you may plainly read it. Or write with the Juice of an onion mixed with the white of an egg: Et fiet. [horizontal rule] To know whether a Woman be with child with a boy or a girle. Let the woman milk her brest into a bason of cleare welwater: If it sink it is a boy: but yf it swim a girle. [horizontal rule] To know whether a man or woman be barren, or not. Take the first water in a morning either of man or woman, put a quantity of Barley into it letting lye therin 2 or 3 day[s.] Yf they be barren the Barley will grow. [horizontal rule] For pumples in the face Take the white of an egg wel beaten wth a Spoonful of Salle + oyle; an other of rosewater the like of the iucce of fenel, half a Spoone of vinegr anointing the pimbles therwith.

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Case MS 5017

BibID 100278

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Size 2846px × 4190px 34.16 MB

File Created 02/06/2017

Filename 991002788805867_case_ms_5017_046.tif

Unique Identifier NL199C9