We have learned that when men fear for their safety and the sanctity of their own wives, they are less inclined to act adulterously with the wife of another. Therefore, if a man be found in adultery and married he will forfeit half his possessions to the wronged husband, and bis wife will also pass into the house of the wronged husband, or if he have neither dwelling nor land, he shall be bound into the keeping of the wronged husband. We have learned that the minds of men are like a maze and therefore the rights of marriage are to stand against all others and prevail at all times. All children born within a marriage union are equal in rights. Their inheritance is not to be diminished, even though they be the offspring of adultery or incest, for the wrongdoing was not theirs. Such children should be received with mercy, for they are helpless and will repay in full with love and devotion.
We have learned that it is unwise to give a daughter in marriage to an outsider, for if her husband die she shall be given to his father or his brother. Therefore, no woman may be given in marriage to an outsider, unless the contract of marriage be heard by one of the council and given his approval. We have learned that these things should never be taken from a man or shared:
His wife, excepting he commit adultery; his children, his clothes, his nightcovering, his weapons and his tools of craft.
We have learned that it is no longer necessary to forbid the eating of swine’s flesh in this land and its eating is allowed, but the flesh of horse is not to beeaten except to prevent starvation.
We have learned that the soul departs with the last breath and whatever is done to the body does not affect the soul. Therefore, a body may be either buried or burned, but a high mound is not to be raised over the body or the ashes. Only husband and wife, parent and child, or brother and sister may be buried in the same grave within a graveyard. No one may be buried within his habitation.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
THE LAST OF THE METAL PLATES
In the containers I have gathered together all the books given into my care and I have done all the things I was instructed to do, and the work of my father is now complete. The metal will stand the test of age and the cutting is the finest workmanship.
The five great bookboxes contain one hundred and thirty-two scrolls and five ring-bound volumes. There are sixty-two thousand four hundred and eighty three words in The Greater Book of the Egyptians and eighty-one
thousand six hundred and twenty-six words in The Lesser Book of The Egyptians, of which eight thousand nine hundred and eleven are in The Book of The Trial of The Great God and six thousand one hundred and thirty-four are in The Sacred Register, and sixteen thousand and fifty-six are in The Book of Establishment. The Book of Magical Concoctions has six thousand eight hundred and ten words and this was the most difficult to remit, for it was a work of mystery and hidden things.
The Book of Songs and The Book of Creation and Destruction were not worked under my hand, but they are well constituted and will not perish. The Book of Tribulation was beaten under my eye and there are the books in The Great Book of The Sons of Fire which are not of my workmanship. I helped in part where the words were marked out and I struck them.
The Book of Secret Lore and The Book of Decrees are joined into The Great Book of The Sons of Fire and they, too, are enabled to last forever.
The metal is as our masters desired, made cunningly by the secret methods of our tribe and it will never perish. The marks are cut so that when seen to the right of the light they stand out clearly.
The bookboxes are of twinmetal founded with strength and turned with great heat, so that there is no joint where the ends come together. When closed and sealed water cannot enter.
When you read these things in times ahead, think of us who made the metal so imperishable and cut the words on it with such care and heavy labour, using such skill that in the years of rest they have not been eaten off. Observe its brightness and wonder, for it will never tarnish.
We are the sons of The Sons of Fire, men so called because fire was necessary to their metalworking. Today we name our sons over the fire and forge, as they did, and each one of us belongs to the same fire.
Read carefully the sacred words which are written and may they be a lodemark to a greater life. I, Efantiglan, and my father, attended to the making of these books and their covering containers. Those who mixed the metal and worked it by forging and those who cut upon it are members of our tribe, and it is well made and will last forever.
Malgwin recorded these books before they were consigned to the future and the name by which they were called is The Living Book For The Living’.
**** Ends at Chapter 7
THE BOOK OF MANUSCRIPTS incorporating
THE TREASURY OF LIFE
Compiled from writings preserved by Amos, an Egyptian; Claudius Linus, a Roman; and Vitico, a Gaul. Chapter 1 - THE SCROLL OF EMOD Chapter 2 - THE SCROLL OF KAMUSHAHRE
Chapter 3 - THE DESTROYER - PART 1 - FROM THE GREAT SCROLL Chapter 4 - THE DESTROYER - PART 2 - FROM THE GREAT SCROLL Chapter 5 - THE DESTROYER - PART 3 - FROM THE SCROLL OF ADEPHA Chapter 6 - THE DARK DAYS
Chapter 7 - THE THIRD OF THE EGYPTIAN SCROLLS
Chapter 8 - THE FOURTH OF THE EGYPTIAN SCROLLS
Chapter 9 - THE HALF SCROLL OF JASOP
Chapter 10 - THE SCROLL OF KULOK - FOURTH SECTION
Chapter 11 - THE SIXTY-FOURTH EGYPTIAN SCROLL
Chapter 12 - THE EIGHTY-SEVENTH SCROLL
Chapter 13 - THE NINETY-THIRD SCROLL
Chapter 14 - THE NINETY-SIXTH SCROLL
Chapter 15 - THE SCROLL OF KULOK - SECOND AND THIRD SECTION Chapter 16 -
THE THE ONE HUNDRED AND ONE SCROLL (SCROLL OF HOREMAKET) Chapter 17 - THE SCROLL OF NETERTAT Chapter 18 - THE PRAYER OF HAPU
Chapter 19 - THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEENTH SCROLL Chapter 20 -
THE COMMENTARY OF FRATER ASTORUS Chapter 21 - A SCROLL
MARKED ‘THE NIGHTFIGHT’ Chapter 22 - THE LADY’S SCROLL
(SCROLL OF NEFERMAKET) Chapter 23 - THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
SECOND SCROLL Chapter 24 - AN EARLY EGYPTIAN SCROLL
Chapter 25 - THE SONG OF SACRIFICE - FROM THE BOOK OF SONGS (part only and confused with other writings) Chapter 26 - THE
SCROLL OF KABEL - FIRST SECTION
Chapter 27 - AN UNNAMED AND UNNUMBERED SCROLL
Chapter 28 - TWO COMBINED PORTIONS OF AN UNNAMED SCROLL
Chapter 29 - THE SECOND SCROLL OF KISON
Chapter 30 - THE SCROLL OF PANUBIS
Chapter 31 - THE SCROLL OF THOTIS
Chapter 32 - THE SCROLL OF HARMOTIF