Cornelius Agrippa

“ A phrase of Cornelius Agrippa flew through his mind and then there flew hither and thither shapeless thoughts from Swedenborg on the correspondence of birds to things of the intellect and of how the creatures of the air have their knowledge and know their times and seasons because they, unlike man, are in the order of their life and have not perverted that order by reason.
And for ages men had gazed upward as he was gazing at birds in flight. The colonnade above him made him think vaguely of an ancient temple and the ashplant on which he leaned wearily of the curved stick of an augur. ”

“ The second Philosophicall work is commonly cal’d the gross work, but ’tis one of the greatest Subtilties in all the Art. Cornelius Agrippa knew the first Præparation, and hath clearly discovered it, but the Difficulty of the second made him almost an enemy to his own Profession. By the second work, I understand not Coagulation' but the Solution of the Philosophical Salt, a secret' which Agrippa did not rightly know, as it appears by his practise at Malines, nor would Natalius teach him, for all his frequent, and serious intreaties. ”

“ And Cicero writes that at Thebais Cocks, by their crowing all night, did presage that the Bætians would obtain victory against the Lacedæmonians: and the reason is according to the Augures interpretations, because that bird when he is beaten is silent, but when he himself hath overcome, crows. In like manner also omens of events are taken from beasts. For the meeting of a Weesel is ominous, also meeting of a Hare is an ill omen to a traveller, unless she be taken. A Mule also is bad, because barren. A Hog is pernicious, for such is his nature, and therefore signifies pernicious men. ”

“ So a harlot being hid in some very large house, is sometimes perceived to be there by some one that is altogether ignorant of her being there. It is mentioned in Histories that Heraiscus a certain Egyptian, a man of a divine nature, could discern unclean women, not only by his eyes, but by their voice, being heard afar off, and thereupon did fall into a most grievous headach. William of Paris also makes mention of a certain woman in his time, that by the same instinct perceived a man whom she loved, coming two miles off. ”

“ Of divers certain Animals, and other things which have a signification in Auguria's. All the Auspicia which first happen in the beginning of any enterprise are to be taken notice of: as, if in the beginning of thy work thou shalt perceive that Rats have gnawn thy garments, desist from thy undertakings; If going forth thou shalt stumble at the threshold, or if in the way thou shalt dash thy foot against any thing, forbear thy journey; If any ill omen happen in the beginning of thy business, put off thy undertakings, least thy intentions be wholly frustrated, or accomplished to no purpose ”

“ This therefore is to be known, That the names of the intelligent presidents of every one of the Planets are constituted after this maner: that is to say, By collecting together the letters out of the figure of the world, from the rising of the body of the Planet, according to the succession of the Signes through the several degrees; and out of the several degrees, from the aspects of the Planet himself, the calculation being made from the degree of the ascendant. In the like maner are constituted the names of the Princes of the evil spirits ”

“ In the fourth House Puella signifies a very small patrimony, and a Father not to live long, but maketh the fields fertile with good fruits. In the fifth House a woman with child is signified to bring forth a woman-child; denotes no Embassages, causeth much commerce with women, and some office to be obtained from them. Puella in the sixth House signifies much weakness of the sick, but causeth the sick shortly to recover; and sheweth a Physi- cian to be both unlearned and unskilful, but one who is much esteemed of in the opinion of the vulgar people ”

“ They say that certain acts, and observations have a certain power of naturall things, that they believe diseases may be expelled, or brought thus, and thus. So they say that quartanes may be driven away if the parings of the nails of the sick be bound to the neck of a live Eel in a linnen clout, and she be let go into the water. And Pliny saith, that the paring of a sick mans nailes of his feet, and hands being mixed with wax, cure the quartan, tertian, and quotidian Ague, and if they be before Sun rising fastened to another mans gate, will cure such like diseases. ”

“ In the ninth House Puella signifies very few journeys, sheweth a man of good religion, indifferent skill or knowledge in sciences, unless happily Musick, aswel vocal as instrumental. In the tenth House Puella signifies Princes not to be very potent, but notwithstanding they shall govern peaceably within their Dominions, and shall be beloved of their Neighbours and Subjects; it causeth them to be affable, milde and courteous, and that they shall alwayes exercise themselves with continual mirth, plays, and huntings ”

“ For hence voices, and words have efficacy in Magicall works: because that in which nature first exerciseth Magicall efficacy, is the voice of God. But these are of more deep speculation, then to be handled in this book. But to return to the division of the Letters. Of these, amongst the Hebrews, are three mothers, viz. א ו י‬‎; seven double, viz. ב ג ד כ פ ר ת‎. The other 12, viz. ה ז ח ט ל מ נ ס ע צ ק ש‎ are simple. The same rule is amongst the Chaldeans; And by the imitation of these also the letters of other tongues are distributed to Signs, Planets, and Elements, after their order. ”

“ Then expounding their names, he saith, Fernova is an Augurium; when thou goest out of thy house to do any business, and in going thou seest a man, or a bird going, or flying, so that either of them set himself before thee upon thy left hand, that is a good signification, in reference to thy business. ”

“ In the second House, Populus sheweth a mean substance, and that to be gotten with great difficulty: maketh a man also always sensible of laborious toyl: things stoln are never regained: what is lost shall never be wholly recovered: that which is hidden shall not be found. ”

“ For seeing there are in all other Animals so many discoveries of presages, without all question these are more efficacious, and cleer, which are infused into mans soul; which Tully himself testifies, saying, that there is a certain Auspicium naturally in mens souls of their eternity, for the knowing of all the courses, and causes of things. In the foundation of the City of Rome the head of a man was found with his whole face, which did presage the greatness of the Empire, and gave the name to the Mountain of the Capitoll. ”

“ It is also reported, that a Candle made of some certain Saturnine things, if being lighted, it be extinguished in the mouth of a man newly dead, will afterwards, as oft as it shines alone, bring great sadness, and fear upon them that stand about it. Of such like Torches, Lamps, doth Hermes speak more of, also Plato, and Chyrannides, and of the latter writers Albertus in a certain Treatise of this particular thing. Colours also are a kind of lights, which being mixed with things, are wont to expose them to those Stars, to which they are agreeable. ”

“ And some by the dream of one night, have grown up from boies into perfect men. Hitherto may be referred those many scarrs of King Dagobertus, and Marks of Franciscus, which they received, the one whilest he was afraid of correction, the other whilest he did wonderfully meditate upon the wounds of Christ. ”

“ Moreover there are some Hearbs by which the dead are raised to life; whence Xanthus the Historian tels, that with a certain Hearb called Balus, a young Dragon being killed, was made alive again, also that by the same a certain man of Tillum, whom a Dragon killed, was restored to life: and Juba reports, that in Arabia a certain man was by a certain Hearb restored to life. But whether or no any such things can be done indeed upon man by the vertue of Hearbs, or any other naturall thing, we shall discourse in the following Chapter. ”

“ And John Bocatius makes mention of a man in his time, in Venice, who would every yeer fast four dayes without any meat. But that was a greater wonder, that there was a woman in lower Germany at the same time, who took no food till the thirteenth yeer of her age, which to us may seem incredible, but that he lately confirmed it; as also he tels of a Miracle of our Age, that his brother Nicolaus Stone, an Helvetian by Nation, who lived twenty yeers in the wilderness without meat, till he dyed. ”

“ Also they foretell the places of slaughter, coming seven dayes before hand; and because they have most respect to that place where the greatest slaughter shall be, as if they gaped after the greatest number of the slain; therefore the ancient Kings were wont to send out spies to take notice what place the Vulturs had most respect to. The Phoenix promiseth singular good success, which being seen anew, Rome was built very auspiciously. The Pellican, because she hazards her self for her young, signifies that a man should out of the zeal of his love undergo much hardship. ”

“ People Populus being found in the first House, if a Question be propounded concerning that House, sheweth a mean life, of a middle age, but inconstant, with divers sicknesses, and various successes of Fortune: signifies a man of middle stature, a gross body, well set in his members; perhaps some mold or mark about his left eye. But if a Question be propounded 11 concerning the figure of a man, and to this figure if there be joyned any of the figures of Saturn or Rubeus, it sheweth the man to be monstrously deformed ”

“ In the eleventh House Laetitia increaseth favour with Princes, and multiplies friends. And in the twelfth House Laetitia giveth the victory over enemies; causeth good servants and families, delivereth from imprisonment, and preserveth from future evils. Maid. Puella in the first House signifies a person of a short life, weak constitution of body, middle stature, little fat, but fair, effeminate and luxurious, and one who will incur many troubles and dangers in his life-time for the love of women. In the second House, it nei- ther encreseth riches, nor diminisheth poverty ”

“ The Methanenses, Citizens of Trezenium, accounted it as a present remedy for preserving of Vines from the wrong of the Southern wind, having alwaies found it by most certain experience; if whilest the wind blows, a white Cock should be pulled to pieces in the middle by two men, both which keeping their part, must walk round the Vineyard, and both meeting in the place from whence they began their Circuit, must that place bury the pieces of the Cock. ”

“ So also Pyromancy divines by fiery impressions, and by Stars with long Tailes, by fiery Colours, by visions, and imaginations in the fire. So the wife of Cicero foretold that he would be Consul the next year, because when a certain man after the Sacrifice was ended, would look in the ashes, there suddenly broke forth a flame. Of this kind are those that Pliny speaks of, that terrene, pale, and buzzing fires presage tempests, Circles about the snuffs of Candles betoken rain; if the flame fly turning, and winding, it portends wind. ”

“ So they say that in the Colick, if a live Duck be applyed to the belly, it takes away the pain, and her self dies: like to this is that which Archytas sayes. If you take a heart newly taken out of an Animall, and whilest it is yet warm, and hang it upon one that hath a quartane feavor, it drives it away. ”

“ In the sixth House Rubeus causeth mortal wounds, sicknesses and diseases; him that is sick shall die; the Physitian shall erre, servants prove false and treacherous, cattel and beasts shall produce hurt and danger. In the seventh House Rubeus signifies a wife to be infamous, publickly adulterate, 17 and contentious; deceitful and treacherous adversaries, who shall endeavour to overcome you, by crafty subtil wiles and circumventions of the Law. ”

“ Also there is the stone Pyrophylus, of a red mixture, which Albertus Magnus saith Æsculapius, makes mention of in one of his Epistles unto Octavius Augustus, saying, that there is a certain poison so wonderfull cold, which preserves the heart of man being taken out from burning, so that if for any time it be put into the Fire, it is turned into a stone, and this is that stone which is called Pyrophylus, from the fire. ”

“ So the Soul being strongly elevated, and inflamed with a strong imagination, sends forth health or sickness, not only in its proper body, but also in other bodies. So Avicen is of the opinion, that a Camell may fall by the imagination of any one. So he which is bitten with a mad Dog presently fals into a madness, and there appear in his Urine the shapes of Dogs. So the longing of a woman with Child, doth act upon anothers body, when it Signs the infant in the womb with the mark of the thing longed for. ”

“ All these are effects of occult vertues. So the Estrich concocts cold, and most hard Iron, and digests it into nourishment for his body; whose Stomack they also report, cannot be hurt with red hot Iron. So that little Fish called Echeneis doth so curb the violence of the Winds, and appease the rage of the Sea, that, let the Tempests be never so imperious, and raging, the Sails also bearing a full Gale, it doth notwithstanding by its meer touch stay the Ships, and makes them stand still, that by no means they can be moved. ”