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

Monks at St. Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury integrated learned magic into their religious practices, justifying its study through intellectual discernment and pragmatic utility despite official condemnations. Sophie Page's analysis of the abbey's occult texts—including astral magic, Hermetic works, and image magic—reveals a nuanced approach where monks distinguished between permissible and prohibited forms of magic, such as natural magic (used in medicine) versus necromancy. The collection, enriched by donations from monks like Michael Northgate and John of London, demonstrates a persistent interest in occult knowledge, blending spiritual devotion with scholarly inquiry. Page's study highlights the abbey's role in preserving and transmitting magical theories, including the transfer of power from higher to lower forms, which persisted even after the dissolution of St. Augustine's in 1538.

Wade-Sirabian, E. (2015). Magic in the Cloister: Pious Motives, Illicit Interests, and Occult Approaches to the Medieval Universe (Sophie Page). Preternature: Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural, 4(2), 217–221. https://doi.org/10.5325/preternature.4.2.0217