Roebuck in the Thicket

Roebuck in the Thicket
Evaan John Hones, Capall Bann
Sept 22,2002

This book is an awesome little book. Every page is chock filled with information. The book covers everything about the Clan of Tubal Caine and Robert Cochrane. Starting with a brief biography of Cochrane's life it goes all the way through philosophy,history and rituals.

Born in 1931, Robert Cochranewas born and he grew up in the slums of London. By his pown admission to William Grey, a ceremonial magician, Robert Cochrane had a violent temper. He ran through a variety of careers. He started off as a blacksmith then went on to run barges on the river. The river folks used many craft motifs such as the rose. Cochrane would later become a type face setter. While leading his clan or coven Robert Cochrane always believed that pagans and witches were not necessarily the same. Cochrane also made the controversial statement that he was descended from witches. It was his grandparents converted from the witch religion to Methodist christianity. They would be cursed by the great grandfather. This was on his father's side. after his father passed on his mother let him in on the family secret. He as trained by his aunt Lucy. Before starting the Clan of Tubal Caine he was trained in other Family Traditions. He would write for the publication belong to Witchcraft Research association under the pen name , John Math. Cochrane had a major Feud with Gerald Gardner, the founder of Wicca. He claimed tht Gardner was a charlatan and a fraud. Cochrane also made other claimss. Such claims were that pagan season festivals went out in the 12th to 13th century. it was also in the 12 century that Middle Eastern influences became prevalent. Before this time Catholicism and paganism were able to live side by side. After that the Catholics persecuted the pagan and witches.

The 1734 movement was based on correspondences between Cochrane and Joe Wilson. The tradition was brought to the United States. In 1989 the Finnins started the ancient keltic church which recieved tax exempt status. There was a lot of curiosity as to what 1734 meant. It pertained to the nature and attributes of the Goddess. Many of Cochrane's groups did not believe many of the claims that Cochrane made. one of the most famous instances revolves around a copper plate that he recieved from Doreeen Valiente. In the news he claimed it was an ancient keepsake from his family. This deception clearly annoyed Doreen Valiente. She made a good record of Cohrane's rituals. Often times they had a big fire and would dance around it chanting.

His clans theology was different from Wicca. At the head of his pantheon was a great mother goddess who was totally unknowable. She would give birth to the witch goddess and the horned god. The witch goddess was known ass the maiden, mother and crone. she was also linked to the three sisters of fate or wyrd. The witch goddess could go by three different names ; Hecate, Diana and Artemis. The male or horned god was the god of fire, magic and the underworld. He was associated with Bran,Wayland and Herne. In Cochrane's tradition he was called Tubal Cain. When these two coupled they ended up giving birth to seven god and goddesses,they corresponded to the seven planetery bodies. Each one was in charge of his or her own world. Four of them had control over the four elements.

Cochrane was often vague and his statement were difficult to prove whether they were true or false. This is what Cochrane believed in and it was called Grey Magic. The idea behind this was to never let someone be able to confirm their opinion about him. He also believed that what started out as deceit or illusion would eventually become real.

Cochrane's system of witchcraft had a unique way of casting a circle. The altar faced north and the stang which also was in the north represented the horn god. This was the gateway to the spirit world. The stang was garlanded with different flowers pending on the season. it was also crossed with arrows and libations could be left at it's base. Circle casting was done in a deosil direction going North to North. The Northern Direction was governed by the old hag, the east by the young horned god, the south by the maiden, and the west by the old horned god. These were invoked when casting the circle.

The author Evan John Jones believes that there is no unbroken or true tradition of witchcraft. There is no purity just pieces left over from the past and reconstructed. If a group or individual learned up on enough knowledge and was dedicated to finding the truth could forge their own system and initiation and it would be valid to the goddess. The system also believed that mankind were active agents of creation. After death each group of people and religion created their own after life which member of the clan went to after they passed on. After the after life the people would reincarnate. Rituals gave form to worship. When active in the craft there were several form of vision; poetic vision- inward access to dream images and symbol, vision of memory- Past life remembrance, magic was vision of the triad. Religious vision gave one access to godhead.Mystical vision was unification with godhead.

The Roebuck in the thicket was a symbol of sacrifice. In old Britain when a roebuck was killed it's head was posted on a pole. something was placed in it's mouth. This was meant as a sacrifice to the old god. The morning and evening stars were also ways of telling time. The symbol of the Rose was symbolic of things hidden.

For such a short book this is really comprehensive. This lengthy review only covers part of it. If you read this and are serious about the craft you will refer to it many times. This book gets a 5/5