"The angel hosts are singing. The incense mists rise high. The dark dolmens are ringing, and the Crystal Orbs do cry."--from a song by The Most Rev. Jon Ryner
The Isle of Avalon, greedy in the burial of pagans, above others in the world, decorated at the burial place of all of them with vaticinatory little spheres of prophecy, and in the future it will be adorned with those who praise the Most High. Abbadare, powerful in Saphat, most noble of pagans, took his sleep there with 104,000. Amongst them Joseph de Marmore, named "of Arimathea", took everlasting sleep. And he lies on a forked line close to the southern corner of the chapel with prepared wattle above the powerful venerable Maiden, the thirteen aforesaid sphered things occupying the place. For Joseph has with him in the tomb two white and silver vessels filled with the blood and sweat of the prophet Jesus. When his tomb is found, it will be seen whole and undefiled in the future, and will be open to all the earth. From then on, neither water nor heavenly dew will be lacking to those who inhabit the most noble island. For a long time before the Day of Judgement in Josaphat will these things be open and declared to the living. -- Prophecy of Melkin the Bard
Nicholas R. Mann, in his book, The Isle of Avalon, puts forth the theory that the spheres referred to above are part of a floor mosaic, which portrayed the planets. In this, as in other parts of the aforementioned book, it seems Mann is very mistaken. This is exceptionally hard to fathom, as he even mentions in the section in question that Bond's monks referred to the symbols of the zodiacal signs being present, and these are not spheres, which are three-dimensional. As an aside, quite mysterious is the reference to the measure of the "Body of Christ" being also present, if we ignore that all were "measurements". If we do, we would be led to believe that his actual corpse was also there interred!
Although the Rev. Richard Warner in the 1820s saw traces of paintings of "the suns, moons, and stars" on the walls of the Mary Chapel, this was in the chapel proper, not the crypt, and it is there that the spheres are said to be, if they served the same role they did for the Pagans (and there is nothing in the prophecy to refute this). Also, it would be far easier to understand the zodiac being on the walls surrounding the floor. Indeed, this is certainly what Warner wrote.
We should note precisely what the prophecy says. "Vaticinatory little spheres of prophecy" indicates a smaller size than the good-sized floor mosaic versions would be, and gives one the impression that a little stronger singing than the vague "music of the spheres" (planets) would. If there were really 104,000 crystal spheres, one can easily grasp another interpretation of a different prophecy that Glastonbury's grass will some day "be as glass"!
Secondly, it states that the Pagan graves were decorated with them: "all of them". Once again, something other than floor mosaics must be meant. These crystals have always been thought of as personal tools, as opposed to a floor covering, which would most likely have been recycled by the monks.
It is implied, and not denied, that the spheres of the of the Christians would be of the same type as those of their Pagan forebears.
Merovingian Remains
"In 1653 an important Merovingian tomb was found in the Ardennes--the tomb of King Childeric I, son of Merove'e and father of Clovis, most famous and influential of all Merovingian rulers. The tomb contained arms, treasure, and regalia such as one would expect to find in a royal tomb. It also contained items less characteristic of kingship than of magic, sorcery, and divination--a severed horse's head, for instance, a bull's head made of gold, and a crystal ball."--Holy Blood, Holy Grail, p. 211 (As an aside, it is interesting to note here that there was an old curse practised by the Norse rune mages which utilized a horse's head.)
The authors reproduce a photograph of this crystal in their book, and state, "Many similar have been found in Merovingian tombs. Their use is unknown."--plate 29
"In any case, by virtue of his dual blood Merove'e was said to have been endowed with an impressive array of superhuman powers. And whatever the historical actuality behind the legend, the Merovingian dynasty continued to be mantled in an aura of magic, sorcery, and the supernatural. According to tradition Merovingian monarchs were occult adapts, initiates in the arcane sciences, practitioners of esoteric arts--worthy rivals of Merlin, their fabulous near-contemporary. They were often called the sorcerer-kings or thaumaturge-kings. By virtue of some miraculous property in their blood they could allegedly heal by the laying on of hands; and according to one account the tassels at the fringes of their robes were deemed to possess miraculous curative powers. They were said to be capable of clairvoyant or telepathic communication with beasts and with the natural world around them and to wear powerful magical necklaces. They were said to possess an arcane spell that protected them and granted them phenomenal longevity--which history, incidentally, does not seem to confirm."--p. 210
"In fact the Merovingian monarchs were not regarded as kings in the modern sense of that word. They were regarded as priest-kings--embodiments of the divine, in other words, not unlike, say, the ancient Egyptian pharaohs.-- Holy Blood, Holy Grail, p. 210
Pupils of the Perigrini
Since we know that the Gothic style of architecture prevailed at Glaston, and since Glaston was in the British Isles, the question should naturally arise as to whether the crystals may not have been tools used formerly by the Celtic Druids, and whether the Christians continued any such practices. If such links may be found, they would certainly help our case by showing a continuity of practice throughout many centuries.
Celtic Orbs
"Some stones or crystals have associations with curative magical agencies: such are the Ardvoirlich Charm, Barbreck's Stone, the Loch Mo Nair Stone, and the varieties of 'witch' stones one has known of; others are associated with clairvoyance and divination, such as Coinneach Odhar's Stone; a few may be specially remarkable as having been omens of success: the merits imputed to such have influenced human lives, and their story belongs to local history. An instance of a stone of good fortune is that of Clar Na Brataich, i.e., the Banner Stone of the Clan Robertson. Its story as told by Mr. D. Robertson in his A Brief Account of the Clan Donnachie, with Notes on its History and Traditions is as follows:
'In joining the muster of St. Ninians under King Robert Bruce, previous to the Battle of Bannockburn, Donnachadh Reamhar encamped with his men on their march to the rendezvous. On pulling up the standard pole out of the ground one morning before marching off, the chief observed something glittering in a clod of earth which adhered to the end of the staff. He immediately plucked it out, and there being something apparently fateful in such an incident occurring under such circumstances, he retained it in his own possession after holding it up to his followers, as a happy omen of success in the fortunes of their expedition.
'It became associated with the glorious victory of Bannockburn, and thenceforth was accepted by the clan as its Stone of Destiny or Palladium. It has always been carried by the chief on his person when the clan mustered for war or foray, and its various changes of hue were consulted as to the result of the coming strife.
'It was carried by The Tutor when in command of Clan Donnachaidh under the great Montrose, and the Poet Chief carried it gallantly at the head of 500 of his men at Sheriffmuir. On this occasion he, as his ancestors had done before him, consulted the oracle, and observed for the first time an extensive flaw or crack in it. This was accepted as an adverse omen, inasmuch as the Stuart cause was for the time crushed, and from this time, it has been held, dates the decline of the power and influence of the clan.
'But besides being regarded merely as a warlike emblem, the Clach na Brataich was also employed as a charm-stone against sickness. It was, after a short preliminary prayer, dipped in water by the chief, who then with his own hands distributed the water thus qualified to the applicants for it. In this connection it was used by the grandfather of the present chief, in whose possession it now of course remains. For a time it was deposited by him in the museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for the inspection of the public, but serious warnings were addressed to him as to the fatality which might result.
'In form it is a ball of clear rock crystal, in appearance like glass, two inches in diameter, and has been supposed to be a druidical beryl. It may, however, quite as probably be one of those crystal balls which have from time to time been unearthed from ancient graves in the country, and which are said to be the abodes of good or evil spirits, or amulets against sickness or the sword. These symbols were usually carried on the person of the chief, attached to his girdle or suspended from his helmet.'"--Illumination by George Henderson, republished in The Celtic Seers' Source Book: Visions and Magic in the Druid Tradition, edited by John Matthews, p. 127-128
Modern Scrying Mages
The Mormons and Their Crystal Balls
This includes interesting stuff on Joseph Smith's fraudulent practices, including sometimes admitting that he scryed for money (usually when criminally charged!), other times denying he ever scryed. There are pictures of the Mormon seer stones here, as well.
Don't Enoch It! Enochian Scryers and the Extraterrestrial Purveyors of Depravity
They're here!!!
Precious Mirror, Crystal Ball, Who's the Greatest Mage of All? The Implications of Scryers' Moral and Personal Disasters
Coming soon...
Crystals in the Avalonian Catholic Caim
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