J. Random Folksinger writes:

I had reason to search the Web under my pseudonym, J. Random Folksinger,
and found a couple of my works included in your Book of Shadows Index.
While it is nice to see my writings still in circulation, my Commentaries
on the Abbreviated Laws (included in the Abbreviated Laws file) and the
Book of the New Law (free-standing) are among my more negative works.

I am much prouder of my modern-English version of the Old Laws of the
Craft, which is mainly different from the other versions because you can
understand the language.  I made no deletions and extremely few additions
to the original texts, and compared over 10 different versions as well as
various exigeses which were lovingly sent me by Judy Harrow.

I would very much like to have this added to your files, and have attached
a copy for your perusal and/or addition.  This is in DOS Text format, feel
free to convert it to HTML if needed.

In Service to the Goddess,

Moss Bliss
aka J.Random Folksinger and Harry Smothers (many filk references)
-------------------------------------------------------------------

THE LAWS

YOUR HIGH PRIESTESS

In the Magic Circle, the words, commands, and wishes of the High
Priestess are Law.  She is the earthly representative of our gracious
Goddess.  She is to be obeyed and respected in all things. She is our
Lady and, above all others, a Queen in the highest sense of the word.
All female coveners  will curtsy and say "Blessed Be" when they come
before Her, and all male coveners will bend their knee and kiss Her on
the right cheek and say "Blessed Be".

YOUR HIGH PRIEST

In the Magic Circle, the High Priest is the earthly representative of
the Great God.  He commands the respect due a Magus, Lord Counselor, and
father.

THE LAWS

THE LAWS WERE MADE FOR THE WITCHES TO ADVISE THEM IN THEIR TROUBLES.  DO
NOT CHANGE THEM LIGHTLY.

1.   The Witches should worship the Gods as is their due, and obey
their will.  For the worship of the Gods is good for the Witches even as
the worship of the Witches is good for the Gods:  For the Gods love all
their Witches.

2.   As a man loves a woman more by learning more of her wants and
desires, so should the Witches love the Gods by the learning (mastering)
of them.

3.   It is necessary that the Magic Circle, which is the Temple of
the Gods in these times, be cast and purified such that it may be a
fitting place for the Gods; and the Witches should be properly prepared
and purified to enter into the presence of the Gods.

4.   With love and worship in their hearts the Witches shall raise
power from their bodies (and the elements around them), and they shall
offer this power to the Gods so that the Gods may help their Witches.

5.   The High Priestess shall rule her coven as the representative
of the Goddess, and the High Priest shall support her as the
representative of the God.  The High Priestess will choose any member of
the coven to be her High Priest, if he has sufficient standing in the
coven.  As the God Himself kissed our Lady's feet, gave Her the
five-fold salute, and offered Her His power because of Her youth and
beauty, Her sweetness and kindness, Her wisdom and justice, Her
humility, gentleness, and generosity, and shared His power with Her, so
therefore the High Priestess should always be aware that all power comes
from Him; it is only lent, to be used wisely and justly.

6.   The greatest virtue of a High Priestess shall be recognition
that youth is necessary to the representative of the Goddess.  She will,
therefore, gracefully retire in favor of a younger covener should the
coven so decide in council.  The true High Priestess should realize that
gracefully surrendering the pride of place is one of the greatest
virtues, and that thereby she will return to that pride of place in
another life with even greater power and beauty.

7.   In the Old Days, when there were many Witches, we were free
and worshipped freely in the greatest temples; but in these times, we
must celebrate our sacred mysteries in secret. Therefore, none but the
Witches is to see our mysteries; no coven shall know the location of any
other coven or who its members are, except the High Priest, the High
Priestess, and the Messenger; and that there shall be no communication
among the covens, except by the Messenger of the Gods or the Summoner.
Only if it is safe may the covens meet in some safe place for the Great
Festivals; and while there, none shall give their true names or any
information about their coven or its members.  This law is made for this
reason:  no one can tell our enemies what they do not themselves know.

8.   It is ordained that no one shall tell any person not in the
Craft who other Witches are, or give them names, or addresses, or in any
way tell anything that can betray a Witch to their face.  Nor may anyone
tell where the covendom or covenstead is, where any meetings are held,
or any other information about the coven unless directed to do so by the
coven in council.

9.   If anyone breaks these laws, even under torture, may the Curse
of the God and the Goddess be upon them, so that they may not be reborn
upon the Earth (but shall live forever in the Hell of the Christians).

10.  Let each High Priest and High Priestess govern their coven
with justice and love, with the help and advice of the other and of the
elders of the coven, always heeding the advice of the Messenger of the
Gods if he should arrive.  They will heed all the suggestions of their
coveners and strive to settle any differences among them.

11.  It is recognized that there will always be people who will try
to make everybody agree with their ideas:  these people are not
necessarily bad -- they often have good ideas, and these ideas should be
discussed in council.  But if they will not come to agree with their
other coveners, or if they say, "I will not work with this High
Priestess," then the elders will have them leave.  It should be
suggested that they might join another coven, or if they are of
sufficient standing they may be encouraged to found their own coven. For
it is better this way, to avoid strife among the family of Witches.

12.  When using geographic boundaries, whenever anyone of Third
Degree lives more than a league from the covenstead (or are about to),
any of these may found a new coven; indeed, any Witch living within the
covenstead who wishes to form a new coven will inform the elders of this
intention, and immediately move to a new dwelling beyond the boundaries
of known covensteads.  Members of any coven may choose to join the new
coven when it is formed, but they must totally avoid their old coven if
they choose this course.  The elders of the old and new covens should
meet in peace and love to determine the boundaries of the covens.  Any
Witch living outside of any two covens may choose to join either coven,
but never both.  All may meet for the Great Festivals if the elders
agree, so long as they meet in peace and love.  Let the elders confer as
to the use of this law when it is not directly applicable. Always be
aware that the splitting of a coven breeds bad feelings (energy
vortices?); this law was made chiefly for this reason.  And may happier
times come!

13.  If you would keep a Book (whether it is called a Black Book,
Book of Shadows, Book of Light, or whatever), write it in your own hand.
Let your brothers and sisters in the Craft copy as they will from your
book in their hand, but never let your Book out of your hands and never
keep the writing of another.  Every Witch should keep and guard their
own writings, that none may be discovered through their Book being found
in another's possession.

14.  Destroy your Book whenever danger threatens, and commit as
many as possible of these Laws to memory.  Destroy the writings of a
deceased Witch if they did not have time to do so themselves.  If any of
their writings are found, it is clear proof against both the writer and
the holder, for our enemies firmly believe that "one may not be a Witch
alone":  their family and all who are known to be friends may be
suspected as Witches.  Be responsible with your writings and you will
protect all who love you.

15.  If your Book is found on you, it is clear proof against you
along unless you tell our enemies what you know.  You may be taken and
tortured, but keep all thoughts of the Craft from your mind.  If the
torture is too much to bear, tell them, "I cannot bear this torture.  I
will confess. What do you want me to say?"  If they try to make you talk
about the Craft, do not; but if they try to make you speak of absurd
things, such as flying through the air, consorting with the Christian
devil, sacrificing children, or eating men's flesh, say, "I held an evil
dream; I was beside myself; I was crazed," or words to that effect, to
obtain relief from the torture.   Not all magistrates are bad -- if
there is any semblance of an excuse, they may show mercy.  If you have
confessed to anything, deny it afterwards:  say that you babbled under
torture, or that you don't remember what you said.  If you are
condemned, do not be afraid, for the Craft is powerful and your escape
will be aided if you stand fast.  If you go steadfast to the flames, be
certain that drugs will reach you and you will feel nothing of the pain.
You will only go to death and what lies beyond -- the ecstasy of the God
and the Goddess.  If you betray anything, however, there is no hope for
you in this life or that which is to come.

16.  To avoid being discovered, choose your working tools to be
ordinary items which you would have around the house.  Make your
Pentacles out of wax so that you can break and melt them at once.  Do
not keep a sword unless its presence would alarm no one.  Have no signs
or names visible on anything: write the signs in ink or water
immediately before consecrating the tool, and wash them off immediately
after.  Do not engrave anything, for this will only help you be
discovered.  Keep your athame and kerfan (working knife) among your
kitchen knives, and let the colors of the hilts determine the one from
the other and from the other knives.  Always remember that we are the
Hidden Children of the Goddess.  Never do anything to disgrace the Craft
or Her -- never boast, never threaten, and never say that you wish ill
of anyone.

17.  It is not forbidden to say, "There is Witchcraft in the land,"
for the Christians say so themselves and have made it heresy not to
believe so; but always say, "I know nothing of it here, though it may be
elsewhere."  If any person speaks about the Craft outside of the Circle,
say, "Don't speak of such things -- it frightens me.  It is bad luck to
talk about such things." Say this for this reason:  the Christians have
their spies everywhere.  These spies have been known to talk as if they
were drawn to the Craft and as if they would want to come to our
meetings, and they say such things as, "My fathers and forefathers
worshipped the Old Ones, and my mother; I would like to worship in this
way myself."  To all of these, tell them that you do not know what they
are talking about, and that you wish they would stop.  But to others,
say, "It's silly to talk about Witches flying around in the air; they
would have to be lighter than feathers or thistle-down. Besides,
everyone knows that Witches are all bleary-eyed old hags; what fun could
they possibly have at their meetings, and why should I want to
participate?  And besides, you know we were taught in school that there
are no such things as Witches." Always make fun of the subject, that we
may worship in peace when the persecution ends:  let us all work for
that happy time.  May the blessing of the God and the Goddess be upon
all who keep this law.

18.  If any in the Craft holds any property, let all Witches guard
it and keep it clear and good for the use of the Craft.  It is the
further responsibility of all Witches to guard Craft funds wisely.

19.  If any Witch offers a well-made item, it is proper to pay them
for it according to the value of the work; this is not taking money for
the Craft, but payment for honest work -- even the Christians believe
that "the labourer is worth his hire".  Still, if any Witch works
willingly for the good of the Craft and will not accept payment, this
shall be to their greater honor.

20.  It is known that a coven may be bound together by sexual ties,
and that this is often not desirable.  When it is found that this is not
desirable, the coven should be made up of loving couples, and there may
also be single coveners.  In such cases, it is required that the search
for new love be undertaken outside the coven except when two single
coveners find love with each other; otherwise, it will often cause
division in the coven. For while all acts of love and pleasure are
indeed the rituals of our beloved Goddess, She is not inclined to favor
acts which divide Her covens and scatter Her Witches unnecessarily.

21.  If there should arise quarrels or disputes among the Witches,
the High Priestess or High Priest shall immediately convene the elders
and inquire into the problem.  The elders shall hear each side
separately, and then both together.  Their decision should be just, not
siding with one side until the matter is determined, recognizing that
there are people who cannot work under others, and others who cannot
make wise decisions.  To those who must always be in charge, the
possible solutions for them are to void the coven altogether, find
another coven for them, or for them to found a new coven (taking with
them all who will go).  To those who cannot rule wisely, the solution is
that those who cannot bear the rule will leave the coven.  No one can
truly worship the Gods when personal conflicts among the coveners are
not resolved; all who cause strife in the coven must be told, "Go away
from us, for the Craft must ever survive."

22.  In the Old Days, we could use the Art against anyone who
treated the Witches badly; but in these times, we must not do so.  Our
enemies have invented a burning pit of everlasting fire into which their
God throws everyone who does not worship Him, except for those few who
buy their penance from His priests (for their God always seems to be in
need of money). Even as our Gods need our aid to make fertility for
people and crops, so it is that the God of the Christians is always
needing men to find and destroy us. Their priests tell them that any man
who is helped by us will be damned to their Hell forever, to the point
that men are mad with the terror of it.  But the priests also make them
believe that they may escape this Hell if they give up Witches to be
tortured, so that these men are always thinking, "If I catch only one
Witch, I will escape the fiery pit."  For this reason we have our hiding
places, and when no Witches are found, the searchers will say, "There
aren't any Witches, or at least not in this area."  But as soon as one
of our oppressors dies or even catches a cold, the cry will go up that
it is "Witches' work", and the hunt will be on again.  And while they
may kill ten Christians for every Witch, they will not care, for they
are countless millions while we are few indeed.

23.  THEREFORE, IT IS ORDAINED that none shall use the Art in any
way to harm anyone or even wish them ill.  However much they may injure
us, HARM NONE, and may the Christians forget that we exist.

24.  These laws are ordained to help us in our difficulties.  No
person, no matter how large the injury or injustice they incur, may  use
the Art in any way to do evil or harm anyone.  But they may use the Art,
after great consultation with the elders and fellow coveners, to keep
the Christians and their tools from harming anyone -- but only to
constrain them.  To this end, some day men will say, "That man says he
is a mighty persecutor of Witches, but all we ever see him torture are
old women -- we cannot see that they have hurt anyone, and if they are
all such powerful Witches, why has he not been harmed?"  They will see
him as the evil person he is, regardless of his professed beliefs.  We
know that too many people have died because someone had a grudge against
them, or were persecuted because another wanted their wealth or because
they were too poor to bribe the witch-hunters.  And many have died only
for being old women -- so many that most men now seem to believe that
only old women are Witches.  This is to our advantage, for it turns many
suspicious eyes away from us; but we mourn deeply for the old women.
Still, in England and  Scotland, it has been hundreds of years since a
Witch "died the death"; be vigilant, for the misuse of our power might
begin the persecutions again.  Never break this law no matter how much
you are tempted.  Never consent to the breaking of this law:  even a
High Priestess who merely consents to the breaking of this law must be
deposed immediately, for it is the blood of all the Witches that she
endangers.  DO ONLY GOOD, and then only when it is safe to do anything
at all.

25.  Never accept money for the use of the Art, for money always
smudges the receiver. Christians take money for the use of their arts,
and they sell pot-metal charms, pardons, and potions to men so that they
may escape from their sins.  Do not act like these; as long as you
refuse to take money, you will be free from the temptation to use the
Art for evil causes.  All may use the Art for their own advantage, or
for the advantage of the Craft, but you must always be certain that no
one will be harmed by its use.  Let the coven debate the use of the Art
at length, and only when all are satisfied that none will be harmed by
its use will the use be allowed. Remember that if you cannot achieve
your means in one fashion, your aim may still be reached through another
-- always harming none.

26.  If anyone in the Craft needs a house or land and there is no
one willing to sell to them, you may use the Art to incline an owner's
mind to be willing to sell, provided that the spell does not harm the
owner or the property and that the full value is paid without haggling.
Never bargain or cheapen anything while living by the Art.

27.  The most important of laws:  Do nothing that will endanger
anyone in the Craft or which will bring them into conflict with the law
of the land or any of our persecutors.  In this regard, it is NEVER
permissible, in any dispute involving the Craft, to invoke any laws
other than those of the Craft, nor may any tribunals be held other than
one consisting of the High Priestess, the High Priest, and the elders.

28.  The coven is to keep two books on herbalism:  one of these
will list the names and uses of all herbs which are cures for ills or
are otherwise good for humans, and all may have access to this book to
learn these things.  But keep a separate book with the names of all
poisonous herbs and those used in dark spells, letting only the elders
and other trusted Witches know of these secrets or even of this book's
existence.

29.  Remember that the Art is the secret of the Gods and may only
be used in earnest -- never for show, or pride, or personal glory.  The
Christians may taunt you saying, "You have no power:  Perform some magic
for us, and then we may believe."  Do not listen to them, for the Art is
holy and is to be used only in need.

30.  It has always been the way of men and women that they should
seek after love, and while no one should be reproved for this, it may be
to the disadvantage of the Craft sometimes.  It has happened too many
times that a High Priestess has found a new love and run off with him,
giving no word to the coven of this.  A High Priestess may resign in
full coven at any time, and this resignation is valid; but if she has
not resigned, the coven shall wait for her to return for a year and a
day (for she may return sooner, having left for love).  If she has a
deputy, that deputy is to act as Priestess for as long as the High
Priestess is away.  If she returns within this time, all will be as if
she had never left; but if she does not return within this time, a new
High Priestess shall be elected in full coven. Unless there is a good
reason to the contrary, the deputy, having done the work, should reap
the reward and be chosen as the new High Priestess.  But if another is
chosen, the deputy shall be the maiden and deputy of the new High
Priestess.

31.  The High Priest serves at the pleasure of the High Priestess.
If the High Priestess is gone for more than a year and a day, he shall
continue in his office while the deputy serves in her place.  However,
once a new High Priestess has been chosen, the new High Priestess will
appoint her own High Priest (and it may be the current High Priest or
not).  Neither the prior High Priest nor his friends may be angry if a
new High Priest is chosen, for pride must always give way to harmony in
the coven.

32.  The Art is sacred: it is the Art of the working of energies,
and it must always be taught inside of the Magic Circle.  It has been
found that teaching the Art frequently leads to a sexual attraction
between the teacher and student -- and that this often improves the
result.  If for any reason this is not desirable, it should be avoided
at the beginning by both persons firmly - and verbally - resolving that
their relations will be limited to that of brother and sister, or parent
and child.  It is for the reason that shared love often increases the
result of working magic that teaching should always be done from
man-to-woman and from woman-to-man.  When a coven is made up of members
of all one sex, the masculine-to-feminine energy exchange should be
adhered to whenever possible.  Teaching people about the Craft, however,
may be done whenever and wherever it is safe, so long as the teacher is
knowledgeable, the student is willing, and the information taught is
available publicly or is not a secret of the Art.  No one may charge for
teaching, unless it is to cover such expenses as the cost of the room,
books or other printed materials, refreshments, and so forth.

33.  Order and discipline must be kept within the coven: the High
Priestess or the High Priest should and may punish all faults.  To this
end, all in the Craft should receive their correction willingly.  With
the culprit kneeling, all in the Circle should be told of the offense,
and the sentence will be pronounced.  Punishment might include the
scourge or the recasting of the Circle, followed by something silly such
as several kisses.  The culprit must acknowledge the justice of the
punishment by kissing the scourge upon receiving sentence, and afterward
by thanking everyone for their loving correction.

SO MOTE IT BE!

Source:  "J. Random Folksinger" (I did this as a project for my 2nd
Degree.)  - Available on most pagan BBSes and the Web as JRFLaws.  These
laws are a combination of what I was taught and what I learned, using
many different sources, including my neo-Gardnerian training, two
different sets of Celtic Craft laws, several other versions found in
print, exigeses lovingly provieded me by Judy Harrow, and the picked
brains of several of my students. You may contact the redactor at
mordewis@infotrail.net, as of 11/99 (subject to change).

Chroma, hue, brightness, contrast and depth
....or the world is grey and flat.

Seuss/Zappa: 2000 -- Ascended Masters Party

Visit my webpage at http://moss.witchesgathering.com; 
hear some of my songs at http://www.witchesgathering.com/moss.html