Newberry library in Chicago is looking for people who will help to decipher the texts of three books-manuscripts created in the 17th century and containing magic spells.
“The Book of Magical Charms”, “The Commonplace Book” and “Cases of Conscience Concerning Witchcraft,” it is written in archaic Latin and English, and is now available online on the portal an independent research library, “Transcribing Faith”.
«We want to fully translate the texts, to give the opportunity for an artist to join the study of these interesting materials,» says New York Post Christopher Fletcher, coordinator of the project «Smithsonian.com».
At the moment, the experts found that “The Book of Magical Charms (the Book of magic charms»), most likely, was written in England in 1600-ies of the two witches. The book contains spells which can be used to communicate with spirits.
Increase Mather, who presided over the Salem witch trials and protecting witches from executions, wrote “Cases of Conscience Concerning Witchcraft” («Cases of conscience, about witchcraft»). The third text is called “the Commonplace Book” («the Usual book») is a collection of religious and moral issues, as well as excerpts from famous Christian Scriptures.
«These manuscripts provide the basis for new ideas about the coexistence of Christianity and magic, and the role that religion played in private and public life in the XVI and XVII centuries,» says Alex teller of The Newberry Library.
In General, the texts contain 522 pages, 170 of which require a detailed explanation. In the library plan will include these books in the exhibition «Religious change: 1450-1700 years,» which opens in September.
