Bibliomancy also called sortes biblicae, or sortes sanctorum is divination by means of the phrases in a book, especially the verses in the bible. Bibliomancy was an ancient practise, the ancients drew prognostications from the works of Homer and Virgil. In 465 the Council of Yannes condemned the practice, as did the Councils of Agde and Auxerre. But in the twelfth century we find it employed as a mode of detecting heretics, and in the Gallican Church it was long practised in the election of bishops, the installation of abbots, etc. The idea was to open a book, frequently the bible, at a random page, and without looking to point to a verse. The verse thus indicated would be applicable.
Bibliomancy was also employed as a form of trial, whereby a person suspected of witchcraft or heresy was weighed against a bible. If the bible bore down the other scale, the accused would be acquitted. It is unlikely many such unfortunate victims were acquitted. Research Bibliomancy
In their original sense the words 'witch' and 'wizard' denoted the possessors of knowledge, or wise people. Much of the witchcraft of Europe was derived from the science of the Magi, or the magicians of ancient Chaldaea and Persia. Original witchcraft was both a science and a religion, hence leading to its persecution. In early Hebrew enactments against witchcraft it is evident that a struggle existed between conflicting sets of ideas, and this struggle continued in Christian times resulting in the persecution of the science as well as the religion and to the perversions that exist today, for example much herbalism is the scientific aspect of ' witchcraft', but much has been forgotten. It is likely that the struggle was predominantly one for power over the people - an ignorant or unwise people are easier to exploit by priests than a people well educated in the ways of science and nature.
In the USA, the early New Englanders believed that human beings could, by compact with evil spirits, obtain power to suspend the laws of nature and thus injure their fellows. In 1671 Samuel Willard, a minister of Massachusetts, proclaimed that a woman of his congregation, Knapp by name, was bewitched, though her insanity was clearly proven. Between 1684 and 1693 more than 100 persons were tried and convicted of witchcraft in the United States, and many of them were hanged. Special courts were appointed by Governor Phipps for the trial of witches. Witnesses were frequently guilty of open perjury, for the charge of witchcraft soon came to be used as a means of striking a private enemy. The witchcraft epidemic was especially prevalent at Salem, where a number of persons professed themselves bewitched and singled out those who had bewitched them. Educated men like Increase Mather firmly believed in it. In 1693 the superstition in the USA began to weaken chiefly through the writings and protests of Thomas Brattle and Robert Calef, of Boston. The same belief prevailed elsewhere at that time. Research Witchcraft
Angelica is a genus of umbelliferous plants, one of which, Angelica sylvestris, a tall plant bearing large umbels of white flowers tinged with pink, is common in wet places in Britain, and was formerly believed to possess angelic properties as an antidote to poison, a specific against witchcraft, etc. The name is also given to an allied plant, the Archangelica officinalis, found on the banks of rivers and ditches in the north of Europe, once generally cultivated as an esculent, and still valued for its medicinal properties. It has a large fleshy aromatic root, and a strong-furrowed branched stem as high as a man. It is cultivated for its agreeable aromatic odour and carminative properties. Its blanched stems, candied with sugar, form a very agreeable sweetmeat, possessing tonic and stomachic qualities. Research Angelica
The Rowan, Mountain Ash, Quicken Tree or Witchen (Pyrus aucuparia) is a tree of the pear and applegenus of the family Rosaceae. It is native to the British isles, and is found chiefly in mountainous woods. It has compoundpinnate leaves, smaller than those of the ash, and flowers in May or June, the flowers being about the size of those of the hawthorn, but the corymbs are larger. The fruit is a bitter, juicy scarlet berry about the size of the red currant and is used for flavouring apple jelly and making a condiment. The wood is tough and close grained, mostly heart-wood and is used for making furniture and tools. Formerly the tree was used as a charm against witchcraft - whence the name Witchen. Research Rowan
Rue (Ruta graveolens) or herb of grace is a poisonous, perennial evergreen herb or sub shrub of the family Rutaceae, with erect, little-branched stems, which are often woody at the base. Its leaves, which are alternate, smooth, grey-green in colour, gland-dotted and two or three times pinnately divided with rectangular segments, were formerly used as a flavouring and in medicine. The flowers are yellowish-green in colour, glandular and arranged in terminal cymes. The flowers have four petals with undulate margins. The fruit is a capsule with black coloured, crescent-shaped seeds. Rue was believed a defence against witchcraft, and signified repentance and grace (hence its alternative name of herb of grace). Rue has been recommended as a cat repellent since the Roman times, cats detest intensely the smell of crushed rue leaves. Research Rue
The Battas are a people belonging to the Malayan race inhabiting the valleys and plateaus of the mountains that extend longitudinally through the island of Sumatra. They traditionally practised agriculture and cattle-rearing, and were skilful in various handicrafts; they also had a written literature and an alphabet of their own, their books treating of astrology, witchcraft, medicine, war, etc. They were traditionally under the rule of hereditary chieftains. Research Battas
Cotton Mather was an American religious fundamentalist. He was born in 1663 and died in 1728. Eduated at Harvard, he graduated before he was sixteen years old. He was active in urging on the witchcraft persecutions. He wrote much against intemperance, and in every way aimed at being useful to society, but was exceedingly meddlesome, pedantic and conceited. He was probably the most learned man in America at the time in which he lived, having a wide acquaintance with books and foreign languages. His works number 382. The chief is his 'Magnalia Christ! Americana', a churchhistory of New England, published in 1702. Research Cotton Mather
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Bibliomancy
