| The Wiccan Laws: page one # 1 to 50 1. The law was made of old by those whom the art called The Old ones. 2. The law was made for Wicca, to advise and help comfort in their troubles. 3. The Wicca should give due worship to the Gods and obey their will, which they ardane for it was made for the good of Wicce, as the worship of the Wicce is good for the gods. For the Gods love the brethren of the Wicce, and from this love cometh the power. 4. As a man loveth a woman by mastering her, 5. so should the Wicce love the Gods by mastering them. 6. And it is necessary that the Magick circle, which is the temple of the Gods, should be duly cast and purified that it may be a fit place for the Gods to enter and dwell. 7. And the Wicce should be properly purified and prepared in heart to enter into the presence of the Gods. 8. With love and worship in their hearts, they shall raise power from their bodies to give power the the Gods. And in doing so the complete circle is formed. 9. As have been thought of old. 10. For in this way only may man have communication with the Gods, for the Gods cannot help men without the help of man. 11. And the High Preistess shall rule her coven as the representative of the Goddess. 12. And the High Preist shall support and Protect her as the represtative of the God. 13. And the High Priestess shall choose whom she will (if he have suffieceint rank) to be her High Preist. 14. For as the God himself kiss her feet in five-fold salute, laying his power at the feet of the Goddess, becouse of her youth and beauty, her sweetness and kindness, her wisdom and justice, her humility, gentleness and generosity, 15. so he resigned all his power to her 16. but the High Preistess should ever mind that the power comes from him 17. It is only lent to be used wisely and justly. 18. and the greatest virtue of a High Preistess be that she recognizes that youth is necessary to the representative of the Eternal Goddess 19. so she will retire is favor of a younger woman, should the coven so decide in council. 20. for the true High Preistess realizes that gracefully and humbly surrendering pride of place is one of the greatest virtues. 21. and it shall be that she thereby return to that pride of place in anouther life, with greater power and beauty. 22. In the old days, when Witches extended far, we were truly free and joyfully worshipped in all the greatest temples. 23. but in these unhappy times of woe, we must celebrate our Sacred Mysteries in secret. 24. So be it ardane, that none but the Wicce may see our mysteries, for our enemies are many and torture loosens the tounge of men. 25. So be it ardane, that no coven may know where the next coven bide. 26. Or who its members be, save only the Preist and Preistess and messanger. 27. and there shall be no communication between them, save only by the messenger of the Gods, or the Summoner. 28. and if it be safe may the Covens meet in some safe and sacred place for the Geart festivals. 29. and wheile there, none shall say whence they came, nor give their true names. 30. to this end, that if any be tortured, in their aganony, they may not tell if they do not know. 31. So be it ardane, that no one shall tell anyone, not of the Craft, who be of Wicce, nor give any names, or where any bide, or in any way tell anything which can betray any of us to our foes. 32. Nor may he tell where the Covendom be. 33. Nor the Covenstead. 34. Nor where the meetings be. 35. And if any break these laws, without express permission, even under torture, the curse of the Goddess shall be upon them, so they may never be reborn on earth, and may remain where they belong, in the hell of the Christians. 36. Let each High Priestess goven her coven with justice and love, and with the help and Advice of the High Priest and Elders, always heading the advice of the Messanger of the Gods, if he cometh. 37. she will heed all complaints of all the brothers and strive to settle all diffrences among them in reason and justice. 38. but it must always be recognized that there will always be people who will ever strive to force others to do as they will. 39. these are not neccesarily evil 40. and they oft have good ideas, and such ideas should be talked over and decided in council. 41. but if they will not agree with their brothers or if they say 42. "I will not work under this High Preistess." 43. it hath ever been the old law, to be convienient to the Brethren, and to avoid disputes. 44. any of the third may claim to form a new Coven, becouse they live over a league away from the Covenstead or are about to do so. 45. Anyone living within the Covedom and wishing to form a new Coven shall tell the Elders of their intentions and on the instant avoid their dwelling and remove to the new Covendom. 46. members of the old Coven may join the new one when it is formed, but if they do so, they must not utterly, unless otherwise so bidden, avoid the old Coven. 47. the Elders of the new and old Coven shall meet in peace and brotherly love to decide new bounderies. 48. those of the craft who live outside both covens may join either indiffrently, both certainley not both. 49. though all may, if the Elders be in agreement, meet,for the great feastivals,i f it be truly in peace and brotherly love. 50. but it is known that the splitting of the Coven often means strife, so for this reason these laws were made of old and may the Curse of the Goddess be on any who disregard or take these laws lightly. |
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