The Encyclopedia Of Demons And Demonology

pact 195
In England in the mid-17th century, the famous “witch
finder” Matthew Hopkins tortured many accused witches
into confessing Devil pacts.
JOHANN WEYER, an influential physician and writer
on demons and witchcraft in the 16th century, acknowledged
in his work De praestigiis daemonum (On the Illusions
of Demons) that there were witches who made pacts
with Satan but said that Satan, not the witches, caused
harm. If such a witch killed cattle, she did so by poison,
not by supernatural means. He acknowledged that there
were sorcerers who entered into demonic pacts for their
own personal gain, but they were not the same as those
who were being persecuted by the church. He argued for
forgiving accused witches if they renounced Satan and
repented.
As for the pacts themselves, Weyer said they were “illusory,”
a fabrication of mind that had “no weight.” Legally,
there could be no contract between a human and
a demon, he said: “The deception occurs when an apparition
of Satan’s choice is cunningly imposed upon the
optic or visual nerves by the disturbing of the appropriate
humors and spirits, or when whistling, or whispering, or
murmuring, corresponding in form to the corrupt image,
is aroused in the organs of hearing by the evil spirit’s
art. . . . Satan needs the help of no second creature in displaying
his power and declaring his actions, he who is
constrained by the will or command of none but God and
God’s good ministers.”
Weyer was one of the first authoritative voices to speak
out against the witch hysteria and Devil pacts.
Pacts in Satanism
In some practices of modern SATANISM, followers pledge
to serve Satan, a form of pact. The Church of Satan holds
that a formal pact is not necessary to become a satanist.
The church founder, Anton Szandor LaVey, states in The
Satanic Bible (1969) that the Devil’s pact was a threat “devised
by Christianity to terrorize people so they would
not stray from the fold.”
Pacts in Magic
Magical GRIMOIRES give instructions for making pacts
with demons for procuring favors. There are two types of
pacts: a unilateral pact, in which a demon agrees to serve
without condition, and a bilateral pact, in which a demon
agrees to conditional service, on penalty of forfeiture of
one’s body and soul. According to grimoires, some spirits
bind easily and some do not; the latter are dangerous and
not to be trusted.
The most important grimoire, the Key of Solomon, mentions
“penal bonds” and “pacts” only in connection with
magic for love and favors. It states that pentacles—magical
inscriptions of words and symbols—are sufficient to
protect the magician from demons.
The Grand Grimoire states that if the magician cannot
master a magic circle and a blasting rod, a magical wand
feared by every demon, then a pact is an absolute necessity.
Even with those two instruments of magic, a pact
is advisable. A pact cannot be made directly with major
demons such as LUCIFER, BEELZEBUB, and ASTAROTH, but
only with one of their lieutenants. The grimoire provides
a lengthy pact for commanding LUCIFUGE ROFOCALE, the
prime minister of Lucifer.
One magical formula for conjuring the Devil for a pact
calls for sacrificing a cock at the center of a CROSSROADS
and letting its blood drip into the center while reciting a
spell. The Devil will appear and offer a pact to be signed
in the blood of the magician.
Another formula calls for composing a pact and signing
it in one’s own blood. The pact must be written on
virgin parchment, which is made from the first calf borne
by a cow, while standing or sitting in a magic circle. The
pact should read, “I promise GREAT DEMON to repay him
in seven years for all he shall give me. In witness thereof,
I sign my name.”
The pact is held while the following incantation in
recited:
LUCIFER, Emperor, Master of All Rebellious Spirits, I
beseech thee to be favorable to me in calling upon thy
GREAT MINISTER which I make, desiring to make a pact
with him.
BEELZEBUB, Prince, I pray thee also, to protect me in my
undertaking.
ASTAROTH, Count, be propitious to me and cause that
this night the GREAT DEMON appear to me in human
form and without any evil smell, and that he grant me,
by means of the pact which I shall deliver to him, all the
treasures of which I have need.
GREAT DEMON, I beseech thee, leave thy dwelling, in whatever
part of the world you may be, to come speak with
me; if not, I shall thereto compel thee by the power of the
mighty words of the Great Key of Solomon, whereof he
made use to force the rebellious spirits to accept his pact.
Appear then instantly or I shall continually torment
thee with the mighty words of the Key: AGLON,
TETRAGRAMMATON, VAYCHEON, STIMULAMATHON,
EROHARES, RETRASAMMATHON, CLYORAN, ICION,
ESITION, EXISTIEN, ERYONA, ONERA, ERASYN, MOYN,
MEFFIAS, SOTER, EMMANUEL, SABAOTH, ADONAI. I
call you. AMEN.
Breaking Pacts
Pacts with the Devil are not necessarily irrevocable, and
redemption is always possible. In moral tales, appeals
are made to the Virgin Mary or Jesus, who intercede. (In
some versions of the Faust legend, however, there is no
salvation once the pact is made).
St. Alphonso Maria de Liguori, who founded the Redemptorist
order in the 18th century, gave advice for
breaking demonic pacts. He said that one must renounce
and abjure the pact, burn it if in writing, or declare it to
be rejected; destroy all CHARMs, talismans, and writings