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, as mentioned
above, 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
the ingredients can become incorporated. Then put it away for
use.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
—formula
dated 1600 and also 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 3½ 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 .
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