Henry Cornelius Agrippa

“ In the twelfth House Conjunctio signifies wary and quick-witted enemies; causeth such as are in prison to remain and continue so very long, and causeth a man to eschew very many dangers in his life. White Albus in the first House signifies a life vexed with continual sickness and grievous dis- eases; signifies a man of a short stature, broad brest, and gross arms, having curled or crisped hair, one of a broad full mouth, a great talker and babler, given much to use vain and unprofitable discourse, but one that is merry, joyous, jocund, and much pleasing to men. ”

“ In the seventh House Puer causeth a wife to be a virago, of stout Spirit, of good fidelity, and one that loveth to bear the Rule and Government of a house; maketh cruel strifes and conten- tions, and such adversaries as will scarcely be restrained by Justice. Puer in the eighth House sheweth him that is supposed to be dead to live, signifieth the kinde of death not to be painful, or laborious, but to proceed from some hot humour, or by iron, or the sword, or from some other cause of like kinde; sheweth a man to have no legacies or other inherit- ance. ”

“ But he that is willing always and readily to receive the Oracles of a Dream, let him make unto himself a Ring of the Sun or of Saturn for this purpose. There is also an Image to be made, of excellent efficacie and power to work this which being put under his head when he goeth to sleep, doth effectually give true dreams of what things soever the minde hath before determined or consulted on. The Tables of Numbers do likewise confer to receive an oracle, being duly formed under their own Constellations. And these things thou mayst know in the third book of Occult Philosophy. ”

“ And whereas in the good spirits we number from the degree of the ascendant; contrarily, in the evil, we must calculate from the degree of the seventh House. But according to the Egyptians, the name of an Angel is collected according to the Almutel of the twelfth House, which they call an evil spirit. Now all those rites, which are elsewhere already by us delivered in our third book of Occult Philosophy, may be made by the characters of any language. ”

“ Moreover, the invocant ought to conserve himself all these days, chaste, abstinent, and to separate himself as much as may be done, from all perturbation of minde, and from all maner of forraign and secular business. Also, he shall observe fastings all these days, as much as shall seem convenient to him to be done. Also, let him daily between sun-rising and sun-setting, being clothed with a holy linen garment, seven times call upon God, and make a deprecation to the Angels to be called according to the rule which we have before taught. ”

“ They will for the most part appear in a great and full body, soft and phlegmatic, of colour like a black obscure cloud, having a swelling countenance, with eyes red and full of water, a bald head, and teeth like a wilde boar. ”

“ Then let there be chosen a convenient time, both for the quality of the Air, serene, clear, quiet, and fitting for the Spirits to assume bodies; as also of the quality and nature of the Planet and of the Spirit, as to wit, on his day, or the time whereas he ruleth: he may be fortunate or infortunate, sometimes of the day, and sometimes of the night, as the Stars and Spirits do require. These things being considered, let there be a Circle framed in the place elected, aswel for the defence of the Invocant, as for the confirmation of the Spirit. ”

“ In our Books of Occult Philosophy, we have not so compendiously, as copiously, declared the principles, grounds, and reasons of Magick it self, and after what maner the experiments thereof are to be chosen, elected, and compounded, to produce many wonderful effects ”

“ And if we shall call onely one spirit, nevertheless there shall be made four Pentagones, wherein the name of the spirit or spirits with their characters, is to be written. Now this table ought to be composed when the Moon is increasing, on those days and hours which then agree to the Spirit. And if we take a fortunate star herewith, It will be the better. Which Table being made in this manner, it is to be consecrated, according to the rules above delivered.
And this is the way of making the general Table, serving for the invocation of all good spirits whatsoever. ”

“ And of this sort there are two pentacles of sublime vertue and great power, very useful and necessary to be used in the consecration of experiments and Spirits: one whereof is that in the first chapter of Apocalypse; To wit, a figure of the Majesty of God sitting upon a Throne, having in his mouth a two-edged Sword, as there it is written, about which let there be written, I am Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I am the first and the last, who am living, and was dead, and behold I live for ever and ever ”

“ Then having obtained of the Spirit that which you desire, or are otherwise contented, license him to depart with courteous words, giving command unto him, that he do no hurt: and if he will not depart, compel him by powerful conjurations; and if need require, expel him by Exorcismes, and by making contrary fumigations. And when he is departed, go not out of the Circle, but make a stay, making prayer, and giving of thanks unto God and the good Angels, and also praying for your defence and conservation: and then all those things being orderly performed, you may depart. ”

“ And lastly, with these we invoke and call upon some certain holy names of God, God; to wit, such as are significative to accomplish our desire, and accomodated to the desired effect: as, if it be to overthrow enemies, we are to invoke and call upon the names of wrath, revenge, fear, justice, and fortitude of God: and if we would avoid and escape any evil or danger, we then call upon the names of mercy, defence, salvation, fortitude, goodness, and such-like names of God. ”

“ Therefore the force, secrecy and power, in what maner the sacred names of spirits are truly and rightly found out, consisteth in the disposing of the vowels, which do make the name of a spirit, and wherewith is constituted the true name and right word. Now this art is thus perfected and brought to pass: first, we are to take heed of the placing the vowels of the letters, which are found by the calculation of the celestial figure, to finde the names of the spirits of the second order, Presidents and Governours. ”

“ Lastly, they which bear an humane shape and figure, have greater dignity then those which appear under the Forms and Images of Beasts; they also who ride, do excel them which appear on foot. And thus according to all their commixtures, you may judge the dignity and excellency of Spirits, one before another. Moreover, you must understand, that the Spirits of the inferior order, of what dignity soever they be, are alwaies subject to the Spirits of the superior order: so also, that it is not incongruent for their Kings and Dukes to be Subject and Minister to the presidents of the superior order. ”

“ The good spirits may be invocated of us, divers ways and in sundry manners do offer themselves unto us. For they do openly speak to those that watch, and do offer themselves to our sight, or do inform us in dreams by oracle of those things which are desired. Whosoever therefore would call any good spirit, to speak or appear in sight, is behoveth them especially to observe two things: one whereof is about the disposition of the invocant; the other about those things which are outwardly to be adhibited to the invocation, for the conformity of the spirits to be called. ”