THE LORE

Always surrounding the historical facts
are the myths and fantasies put forth
by certain herbalists
through the centuries.

Most notably
were the follies of Nicholas Culpeper,
with his notions of astrological botany.

As early as 1600,
witchcraft
popularized herbal potions, and spells
to conjure up as well as spells
to keep spirits away
were performed ritually.

Not to perpetuate the myths
nor to belittle the importance
and real healing qualities of herbs
and their legitimate uses today,
I offer you a little bit of this
"other worldly"
lore:

To Enable One To See The Fairies
Take 1 pint of virgin olive oil and wash it
with rose water and marigold water
until it is white.

The roses and the marigolds
are to be gathered towards
the east and the water
thereof to be made
of pure spring water.
Put the washed oil into
a vial glass and add
hollyhock buds, marigold flowers,
wild thyme tops and flowers,
young hazel buds, and the grass
of a fairy throne*.
The thyme must be gathered near
the side of a hill where
fairies used to be.
Set the glass in the sun
for three days so that
he ingredients can
become incorporated.
Then put it away for use.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
—formula dated 1600 and seen
in Eleanour Rohde's
A Garden of Herbs



*When field mushrooms grow
they generally release their spores
on the ground just outside
the diameter of their cap.
These spores take root and eventually
exhaust the nutrients of the soil.
Thus, the mushrooms
grow outward in ever-widening circles
leaving a bare central area
where the original mushrooms
were located.
(This bare area is thought
by some to be caused by
the dancing of elves.)
In time, grass begins
to grow and fill in the area.
The center of the circle
where the original mushroom grew,
and where now only grass remains,
is the fairy throne.




For Riding On A Broomstick And Flying
Make an ointment from the leaves
of belladonna, stramonium,
monkshood, and celery seeds.
Add to it one toad and boil
until the toad's flesh
has fallen off the bones.
Strain and rub the ointment
on the body,
under the armpits,
on the forehead,
and on your broom.
(Eat celery seeds so that you
won't get dizzy when flying
about on your broom.)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
—a 1600's formula





To Stop Dogs From Barking At You
Carry the leaves
of the hound's tongue
and put them under your feet.



Incense To Keep The Incubus Away
Brew the following in 3˝ quarts
good French brandy and spring water:

sweet flag, cubeb seed, aristolochia root,
great and small cardamom, ginger, long pepper,
clove-pink, cinnamon, clove, mace nutmegs, resin,
benzoin, aloe wood and root, and santal.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
— Sinistrari from
The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology
by R.H. Robbins




Heliotrope Amulet
If one gathers the heliotrope
in August and wraps it in a bay leaf
with the incisor tooth from a wolf,
no one can speak an angry word
to the wearer.

If you have been robbed,
put it under your pillow and it
will bring a vision before your
eyes of the robber and all
the items stolen.

If set up in a house of Worship,
no woman who has committed adultery
will be able to leave the place
until it is removed.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
—Albertus Maximus




To Summon Minor Devils
Burn incense made of
parsley root, coriander, nightshade, hemlock,
black poppy juice, sandalwood, and henbane.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
— a sixteenth-century formula



Success Incense
Mix together thoroughly:
35% frankincense,
30% sandalwood,
10% cinnamon,
10% myrrh,
7% patchouli leaves,
5% orris root, and
3% potassium nitrate.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
—Legends of Incense, Herbs & Oil Magic
by Lewis de Claremont .

Astrological Botany
A bit of Culpeper's philosophy and rules
for treating diseases
astrologically from Culpeper's Herbal
and, in italics, interpretation
of his meaning by Jeanne Rose
from Herbs and Things:

1. Fortify the body with herbs
of the nature of the Lord of the Ascendant,
'tis no matter whether he be
a Fortune or Infortune in this
case. Strengthen your body with herbs
belonging to the planet ruling
your rising sign.

2. Let your medicine be something
antipathetical to the Lord of the Sixth.
Let your medicine be herbs
in opposition to the planet
ruling your sixth house.

3. Let your medicine be something
of the nature of his sign ascending.
Let your medicine be herbs belonging
to your rising sign.

4. If the Lord of the Tenth be strong,
make use of his medicines.
If the planet ruling your tenth house
[house of honor] is strong,
use his herbs.

5. If this cannot well be,
make use of the medicines
of the Light of Time.
If you can not use
any of the above,
then use herbs that have
been proven over a period of time.

6. Be sure always to fortify
the grieved part of the body by
sympathetical remedies.
Strengthen the sick part
of your body with remedies that
have an affinity to that part.
As an example, elecampane
is ruled by Mercury and Mercury rules
the respiratory and pulmonary
circulation, therefore elecampane
is good for consumption and
colds and coughs.

7. Regard the heart,
keep that upon the wheels,
because the sun is the
foundation of life; and
therefore those universal remedies
Aarum Potabile, and the Philosopher's
stone cure all diseases
by fortifying the heart.

And lest you have no idea where
Culpeper was going with all this,
perhaps a few of his words of wisdom
will help you catch on:


Basil
A French physician affirms
upon his knowledge, that an
acquaintance of his,
by common smelling of it,
had a scorpion bred
inhis brain.



Chives
are under the dominion of Mars.
If they be eaten raw,
(I do not mean raw, opposite
of roasting or boiled,
but raw, opposite
to chymical preparations)
they send up very hurtful
vapours to the brain,
causing troublesome sleep,
and spoiling the eye-sight,
yet of them prepared
by the art of the alchymist,
`may be made an excellent remedy
for the stoppage of the urine.



Mint
is governed by Venus
and it stirs up bodily lust.



Sweet marjoram
Governed by Mercury.
The juice dropped in the ears
eases the pains and singing
noise in them.


Rosemary
is governed by the Sun.
The flowers and conserve
made of them are singularly good
to comfort the heart and to expel
the contagion of pestilence."



And so goes the lore,
although there is far
more not mentioned here.





http://groups.yahoo.com/group/culpepersapprentice/message/1570
eriess
Wed Aug 13, 2003 10:41 am
Lore