The Key of Solomon: Book I; Chapter XII

How to Make the Magic Garters

[This Chapter is also taken from 1203 Lansdowne MSS.]

Take enough of the skin of a stag to make two hollow tubular Garters, but before stitching them up thou shalt write on the side of the skin which was next the flesh the words and characters shown in Figure 8, with the blood of a hare killed on the 25th of June, and having filled the said Garters with green mugwort gathered also on the 25th of June before sunrise, thou shalt put in the two ends of each the eye of the fish called barbel; and when thou shalt wish to use them thou shalt get up before sunrise and wash them in a brook of running water, and place them one on each leg above the knee. After this thou shalt take a short rod of holm-oak cut on the same 25th of June, turn in the direction thou wishest to go, write upon the ground the name of the place, and commencing thy journey thou wilt find it accomplished in a few days and without fatigue. When thou wishest to stop thou hast only to say AMECH and beat the air with the aforesaid wand, and incontinently thou shalt be on firm ground.

From This Head Crafter:

In England there is an order of knights reverencing S^t George the Dragon Slayer. This order is also known as the Order of the Garter. There was a time when clothing technology was still primitive (trousers were only pieces of cloth wrapped and tied about the legs on cold days) wool hose were the preferred garment for the legs. To keep these from falling down (Ladies, you know it happens, even with a waist band) a garter was employed.

There is a story, about how the Order of the Garter got its start. King Henry the Second (I think) was dancing with one of the Ladies (some think she was a Witch). In the dance, her garter had fallen off, and King Henry quickly put it upon his leg. As the courtiers were either scowling or snickering, he gave them that look that kings do when he wants their attention. He scolded everyone by saying, “Honi soit que mal y pense.” (Shame to them who evilly think.) Hence, the Order of the Garter’s moto was established, and a quality ethic was proposed.

Hinder a Sportsman

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