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Libra Esoterica

Cabale misterieuse des 150 pseaumes du Roy David

Author not recorded

  • First published:
  • 18th century
  • Language: French
  • Content type: ManuscriptPrimary source
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Description

Description from Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries (opens in a new tab)

Instructions on the magical use of the psalms divided into one section for each psalm. The text begins with an introduction explaining that the magic of the psalms may only be used by those with faith, humility, and devotion and that the practitioner will therefore live happily, but that they may never be used for vengeance, avarice, passion, or curiosity (f. 1r-2v). Each section includes the first line of the psalm, its uses by King David and according to various saints and figures such as Cassiodorus who claimed that psalms could be used for victory over one's enemies in war provided that the war was a just one (f. 40r), and applications for practical magic such as calming a crying baby (f. 10r), escaping the hands of privateers or assassins (f. 11v), ensuring that a husband avoids temptation and loves his wife (f. 40r), stopping a nosebleed (f. 44r), and demonic possessions (f. 60r). Practical instructions include recitations of the psalms and writing of magical characters on surfaces such as thresholds, kid skin parchment using pigeon's blood (f. 76v), or individuals using olive oil. The end of each section includes a pen and ink drawing of the magical character to be used for that particular psalm's practical instructions.

Provenance

Why this book is in the catalog

Included because retained bibliographic metadata links this work to Kabbalah and Jewish esotericism, Occultism and esotericism, and Ritual magic and grimoires.

  • Occultism and esotericism

    Controlled discovery queries from colenda matched “Occultism”. Retained metadata contains “Occultism” in the subject metadata and “occult” in the cataloging notes.

    • “Occultism”· via Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries
    • “Occultism”· in subject
    • “occult”· in cataloging note
  • Ritual magic and grimoires

    Controlled discovery queries from colenda matched “Magic”. Retained metadata contains “Magic” in the description and “Magic” in the subject metadata.

    • “Magic”· via Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries
    • “Magic”· in description
    • “Magic”· in subject
  • Kabbalah and Jewish esotericism

    Controlled discovery queries from colenda matched “Cabala”. Retained metadata contains “Cabala” in the subject metadata.

    • “Cabala”· via Colenda Digital Repository — University of Pennsylvania Libraries
    • “Cabala”· in subject

Membership records how this book met the catalog’s discovery criteria — relevance to a tradition, not a judgment of the book’s claims.

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Editions

One edition cataloged here.

University of Pennsylvania digitized manuscript

124 leaves : paper ; 212 x 162 (168 x 118) mm bound to 215 x 168 mm; Binding: Contemporary pasteboards.; Decoration: Pen and ink drawings of magical characters throughout.; Foliation: Paper, i (contemporary paper) + 124 + i (contemporary paper); [i], 1-123; contemporary foliation in ink, upper right recto.; French.; Layout: Written in 16-18 long lines.; Ms. codex.; Origin: Written in France[?] in the second half of the 18th century.; Purchased with support from the B. H. Breslauer Foundation.; Script: Written in a cursive script by a single hand.

1750—French—Public download

Subjects

4 subject headings

Identifiers & provenance

How this record was assembled, and the authority identifiers it carries.

Identifiers

Colenda
  • ark:/81431/p3086355x

Cataloged from

Cataloging notes

  • Colenda collection: Charles Rainsford Collection of Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts (University of Pennsylvania)
  • Penn Libraries catalog identifier: 9962935053503681
  • Physical location: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Ms. Codex 1668
  • Provenance: Formerly owned by Charles Rainsford (British army officer, fellow of the Royal Society, and alchemist); bequeathed by Rainsford to Hugh Percy, Second Duke of Northumberland.; Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817, former owner.; Owned by the 2nd through 12th Dukes of Northumberland, ms. 579, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, 1809-2014 (bookplate, inside upper cover; stamp, f. 1r).; Rainsford, Charles, 1728-1809, former owner.; Sold at auction at Sotheby's (London), 15 July 2014, as part of Lot 411.
  • Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0
Catalog id
colenda:81431-p3086355x
Edition coverage
Multi source partial
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