Lea, Henry Dawson

Five treatises upon Magic. The Wheel of Wisdom, with a Key for its use in Magical Operations. An Experiment with the Spirits, Brito, Bealphoros, Agares and Vassago, made by T. W. at the request of King Edward the 4th. Description of the Urim and Thummim, the method of using it, Magic Lamps, Rings, Cup, the Homunculi, etc. Two Books of Solomon the King called Goetia and Theurgia Goetia, with the Names, Offices, Circles and Seals of 336 Spirits. The Sacred and Divine Cabal, by M. Lenain. Transcribed by my friend Henry Dawson Lea from MSS. I lent to him in the year 1843. Illustrated by numerous pen-drawn figures, diagrams, sigils, etc., some coloured, and some inscribed on slips of tracing-paper, pasted down. The title, as given above, is by the hand of Frederick Hockley [1808-1885] who has written a short preface on the 6th leaf, dated 13 Oct. 1869. The transcriber states that the first and second works are 'Transcribed from an Autograph Manuscript of Dr. Sibley's' (i.e. Ebenezer Sibly, 1757-99). In his 'Preface' Hockley gives an account of the first four MSS. only. As regards the first and second, he states he had transcribed them himself in 1824. The third MS. he declares to be translated 'from the German MS. of Thualdi [sic], entitled 'Coelum reseratum chymicum' 12th May 1612, formerly belonging to the Sect of the Mercurii ... The original MS. and the translation are in my possession'. 'Thualdi' here is a mistaken version of the name of Johann Thölde (fl. 1600), who appears to have been the original author of a work named above, which was printed and published in 1737 under the name of 'J. G. Toeltius'. [Cf. Ferguson 'Bibliotheca Chemica', Vol. II, pp. 445, 446, 457, 458]. The fourth work is incomplete, and contains the first two parts only of the 'Clavicula Solomonis'. Of this Hockley says 'I transcribed my MS. copy from a MS. in two volumes, about the date of 1680 to 1700, very finely written. I finished it 1st March 1828'. Hockley's signature appears on the title-page. Produced in London.

1843-1869

1 volume 2 bl. ll. + 93 ll. + 6 bl. ll. 4to. 24 x 19 cm. Contemporary half-roan-gilt binding.

Purchased 1931.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

Digital copy held by Wellcome Images, reference: F0002840