Sophie Page. Magic in the Cloister: Pious Motives, Illicit Interests, and Occult Approaches to the Medieval Universe.

Medieval monks at St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, were not the demon-worshipping figures often depicted but instead engaged with natural and theurgic magic, as revealed by a reconstructed 14th-century manuscript collection. This study challenges historical narratives by demonstrating that the abbey's library contained no explicitly demonic texts, but rather works focused on astrology, alchemy, and spiritual revelation—practices justified within a scholarly-monastic framework. While evidence of actual usage is limited, the research suggests that such texts were likely employed for private rituals or practical purposes like locating lost property. The study also hints at St. Augustine's as a potential haven for occult experimentation, though this aspect remains underexplored.

Bailey, M. D. (2015). Sophie Page. Magic in the Cloister: Pious Motives, Illicit Interests, and Occult Approaches to the Medieval Universe. The American Historical Review, 120(1), 314. https://doi.org/10.1093/ahr/120.1.314