What do you think?
Rate this book
The Roebuck in the Thicket: An Anthology of the Robert Cochrane Witchcraft Tradition
Contains information about Robert Cochrane, his coven - The Clan of Tubal Cain, their ritual, teachings and beliefs and his workings written by himself to Evan John Jones, with additional writings by Evan John Jones.
210 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2001
2 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Read
July 28, 2011Roebuck 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
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
May 21, 2019
Robert Cochrane is one of the most fascinating, yet enigmatic figures in the modern Witchcraft Revival, he died young, in 1966, wrote no books, left a few articles in occult journals of his day, a handful of letters, yet his Clan of Tubal Cain survived, and from them the 1734 Tradition in the U.S. was birthed. This is an anthology of those articles and letters. They differ greatly from Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca. Well worth the study of any student interested in 'the crooked path.'
July 8, 2020
This book is classic Traditional Witchcraft. It's a good read, doesn't take long. But what you will glean out of it is a glimpse into Trad Craft which is important, even if you are a practicing Wiccan. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Wicca. I;m just saying this will round things out for you.
October 17, 2016
This is a collection of articles that Robert Cochrane wrote to various small magazines and newsletters in England in the early 60's. It's collected by Evan John Jones, who was one of his clan members. Since Cochrane never wrote a book about his Clan of Tubal Cain, we only have his published magazine articles and private correspondences that were kept. This is a good compantion to "The Robert Cochrane Letters," a collection of his letters to Joe Wilson and William Gray.
March 15, 2014
Excellent collection of essays from the late Robert Cochrane concerning his Clan of Tubal Cain coven, with additional writings by coven member (later magister) Evan John Jones. This should be on anyone's shelf who is interested in the revival and reinvigoration of traditional craft practices (which differ substantially from Wicca). Cochrane's influence on contemporary currents of the art is profound (Cultus Sabbati comes to mind). A great insight into the operations, tools and belief systems of one of the twentieth centuries great esoteric thinkers. Michael Howard's introduction is grand as well.
My only criticism is that I wish Capall Bann would reprint these writings in a nice hard bound edition. The flimsy paperback and amateurish design don't do justice to the material contained within.
My only criticism is that I wish Capall Bann would reprint these writings in a nice hard bound edition. The flimsy paperback and amateurish design don't do justice to the material contained within.
April 11, 2015
Interesting little book on the witchcraft of Cochrane and the Tubal Cain, his life, beliefs and practices. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews