Podcast Summary:

New Books Network – Anne Lawrence-Mathers, "The Magic Books: A History of Enchantment in 20 Medieval Manuscripts"
Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Morteza Hatizadeh
Guest: Professor Anne Lawrence-Mathers (University of Reading)

Episode Overview

This episode features a captivating interview with Professor Anne Lawrence-Mathers, author of The Magic Books: A History of Enchantment in 20 Medieval Manuscripts (Yale UP, 2025). The conversation explores the multifaceted history of magic in medieval Europe, focusing on 20 unique manuscripts. The discussion challenges conventional ideas about medieval magic, revealing its central role in society, and highlighting the artistry and complexity of magical texts.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. Origins and Motivation Behind the Book

• Personal and Academic Roots:

  • Lawrence-Mathers has spent 25 years researching medieval magic’s role in society, long before pop culture’s recent interest (e.g., Harry Potter) ([02:38]).
  • Her fascination combines the love of studying magic with the thrill of handling original medieval manuscripts.

  Quote ([03:45]):

  "As well as being a fan of magic, I just adore medieval manuscripts... being able to go to an archive or a library and actually sit there with a handmade thousand-year-old book... is just such a privilege."
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

2. Scope and Methodology

• Defining ‘Magic’ and ‘Enchantment’:
  • Magic is a broad, slippery term in the Middle Ages, ranging from astrology and divination to complex ritual magic.
  • "Enchantment" intentionally chosen to capture the spectrum of magical ideas, from popular charms to learned ritual ([05:32]).
• Selection of Manuscripts:
  • Focus on manuscripts made for elite audiences (church, nobility, universities) due to their survival and visual richness.
  • Each chapter addresses a different period or region to demonstrate the breadth and ubiquity of magical practice.

3. The Social Hierarchies of Magic

• Popular vs. Learned Magic ([09:38]):

  • Popular magic: Practiced by commoners, often using church elements, characterized by oral traditions and simple charms.
  • Learned magic: Practiced by nobles, clerics, and scholars; written in Latin; found in luxury manuscripts.
  • Magic only became dangerous when overlapping with heresy or causing tangible harm.
  • Clerical manuals addressed practical issues, warning priests about “strange words and sounds” used in folk healing.

  Notable Example ([12:25]):

  • Story of a peasant woman using the consecrated host to bless her crops, seen by the Church as heresy rather than “magic.”

4. The Status of Magical Manuscripts

• Manuscripts as Artworks and Knowledge Objects ([17:16]):

  • Expensive, visually opulent magical manuscripts served as display items and status symbols for the powerful.
  • The material production of such books paralleled the reverence and resources devoted to sacred texts.

  Quote ([17:36]):

  "The books, mostly in the Magic Books, are really kind of art and display objects and treasures. But what I’m saying, I think, is precisely for that reason. They show that this is not some kind of irrational or marginalized or illegal activity."
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

5. Production of Manuscripts

• Medieval Bookmaking ([21:09]):
  • Early manuscripts were painstakingly produced in monasteries; later, urban workshops emerged as literacy and wealth grew.
  • Manuscript creation was predominantly male-driven, but women’s involvement increased in later centuries (e.g., Christine de Pizan).

6. Divinatory and Magical Texts in Monastic Life

• Presence in Monasteries ([24:41]):

  • Divinatory texts were openly included in monastic manuscripts, suggesting their acceptance at high intellectual levels.
  • Example: Prayer book of an Anglo-Saxon abbot included predictions and calendars for auspicious days.

• Case Study: Matthew Paris ([27:00]):

  • His manuscript contained elaborate divinatory tools, indicating active use for counseling, not just “rainy day entertainment.”

  Quote ([31:09]):

  “The reason that this Abbot has these texts… is because one of his functions was as a royal counselor and advisor.”
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

7. Navigating Theological Risks ([32:43])

• Tensions in the Church:

  • Even while theologically problematic, divinatory practices were used for political and practical guidance.
  • Scholars like John of Salisbury warned against magic yet recounted personal experiences and the allure of divinatory knowledge.

  Quote ([36:52]):

  "The gains or the potential gains were worth the risk… you can see the appeal of being able to get an insight into the likely outcome of what you want to do and when to do it."
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

8. Alfonso X of Castile and Multicultural Magic ([39:18])

• His Court as a Hub:
  • Alfonso X deliberately cultivated a wide-ranging magical program, employing Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars.
  • Magic intertwined with law, politics, and science—and seen as legitimately supporting imperial ambitions.

9. The Ars Notoria Manuscript ([41:10])

• Intellectual Magic with Risks:

  • The Ars Notoria promised accelerated knowledge but involved complex, risky rituals.
  • Popular among students and scholars; widely copied despite (and because of) its notoriety.

  Quote ([41:21]):

  “The appeal to scholars was very direct… it offered speeded up, in some cases very speeded up, knowledge of a very full range of all of the learned subjects.”
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

• Jean of Morigny’s Testimony:

  • He recounted acquiring knowledge via the text but warned of terrifying supernatural encounters—compelling evidence of the text’s allure and dangers.

10. Shifting Attitudes and "Magical Crimes" ([50:21])

• 14th-15th Century Developments:

  • “Magical crimes” began to appear in royal courts, especially in France, often weaponized for political intrigue rather than prosecuted as witchcraft.
  • Elite patrons might escape with reputation damage, while hired magicians faced severe punishment.

  Quote ([51:47]):

  "You look at the French royal court in the 14th century; it’s just incredible how many people are quite openly hired as practitioners of magic to come and cure King Charles VI..."
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

11. Women, Magic, and Astrology—Christine de Pizan ([54:23])

• Astrology as Empowerment:

  • Christine de Pizan, daughter of a royal astrologer, strategically advocated for astrology as a kingly duty in her writing.
  • Used her knowledge and social position to champion “acceptable” astrology without drawing accusations.

  Quote ([56:52]):

  "She says that it’s almost a duty of a responsible king to consult astrologers… she sort of says, well, that’s because it’s complicated and they used different techniques and it’s why a responsible monarch should consult several and listen to their wisdom."
  —Anne Lawrence-Mathers

12. Ongoing Research ([58:23])

• Next Projects:
  • Further analysis and translation of Alfonso X’s magical texts, emphasizing their multicultural and political context.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the thrill of handling manuscripts:

  "Being able to go to an archive or a library and actually sit there with a handmade thousand-year-old book ... it's just such a privilege." (03:45)

• On the normalization of magical texts:

  “These books ... show that this is not some kind of irrational or marginalized or illegal activity.” (17:36)

• On the appeal and danger of magic for scholars:

  "The idea of being able to be on top of a university course of study that would take years in maybe a month or so, has to be attractive." (41:21)

• On the blurred boundaries of magic, religion, and law:

  "Magic was not yet specifically defined theologically as a crime of its own. It's when magical practices verge into forms of heresy that it really becomes an issue." (13:32)

Key Timestamps

• 02:38—Origins of the book and personal motivation.
• 05:32—Defining ‘magic’ and choosing manuscripts.
• 09:38—Popular vs. learned magic and social boundaries.
• 17:16—Manuscripts as status items and symbols of learned magic.
• 21:09—Production and artisanship of manuscripts.
• 24:41—Divination texts in monasteries (examples: Anglo-Saxon prayer books, Matthew Paris).
• 32:43—Tensions between condemnation and practice among clergy.
• 39:18—Alfonso X’s magical program: science, religion, and politics.
• 41:10—The appeal and peril of the controversial Ars Notoria.
• 50:21—14th-century “magical crimes”; political uses of magic.
• 54:23—Christine de Pizan and the gendered politics of astrology.
• 58:23—Future research directions on Alfonso X.

Conclusion

Professor Anne Lawrence-Mathers’ The Magic Books dismantles the myth that medieval magic was marginal or irrational. By interweaving manuscript art, intellectual history, and power dynamics, she demonstrates that magic was deeply embedded in medieval religion, science, and statecraft—embraced by elites and negotiated with caution by all. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the true history of magic and its enduring enchantments.