Lady Gwen Thompson (September 16, 1928 – May 22, 1986) was the "craft name", or pseudonym of Wiccan author Phyllis Thompson, born Phyllis Healy. In later life she altered her craft forename to "Gwynne". She was married and divorced three times. Thompson is her final married surname. September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The pentagram within a circle is a symbol of faith used by many Wiccans. ...

After her final divorce, she decided to initiate outsiders into what she claimed was her family tradition of witchcraft, inherited from her long-deceased grandmother Adriana Porter, along with a book of magical lore. This was because it would otherwise have died out. She founded the "New England Covens of Traditionalist Witches" in 1972 and taught as its "primary teacher" until her death. Adriana Porter (?1850, Nova Scotia, Canada - 1946) was a poet. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Thompson's claims to be an hereditary witch have no independent support, since she states that she destroyed the original version of her grandmother's lore-book after copying its contents. Her unpublished works predate the modern Wicca movement. But, much of her published work is close to Wicca and popular witchcraft practices of our time.

In 1975 she published a poem entitled The Rede of the Wiccae in Green Egg magazine, attributing it to her grandmother. The attribution is disputed because the language of the poem refers to Wiccan concepts that are not known to have existed in her grandmother's lifetime. It is sometime ascribed to Thompson herself. The poem has since been widely used in Wiccan circles. A recent book by Robert Mathiesen and Theitic argued that part of the published poem is by Thompson, part by Porter. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

See also

• The Wiccan Rede

An it harm none, do what ye will is the quintessential Wiccan (a popular Neopagan religion; a subset of witch) Rede (saying or advice). ...

References

Mathiesen, Robert; & Theitic (2005). The Rede of the Wiccae: Adriana Porter, Gwen Thompson and the Birth of a Tradition of Witchcraft. Olympian Press. ISBN 0-9709013-1-3.

External links

• Official website of the New England Covens of Traditionalist Witches
• The Wiccan Rede: A Historical Journey
• Wicca-Pagan Potpourri: Gwen Thompson's article containing The Rede of the Wiccae