the book of ceremonial magic contents - Yankeeclassic.com
the book of ceremonial magic contents - Yankeeclassic.com
the book of ceremonial magic contents - Yankeeclassic.com
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>of</strong> his great prosperity is acknowledged by him in a letter <strong>of</strong> thanks addressed to Pope<br />
Leo, <strong>the</strong> original <strong>of</strong> which, it is affirmed, may still be seen in <strong>the</strong> Library <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vatican,<br />
written with <strong>the</strong> monarch's own hand. He states <strong>the</strong>rein that since his reception <strong>of</strong> a little<br />
volume entitled Enchiridion, filled with special prayers and mysterious figures, sent by<br />
His Holiness as a precious gift, he has never ceased to be fortunate, and that <strong>of</strong> all things<br />
in <strong>the</strong> universe which are capable <strong>of</strong> harming man, not one has shewn any malignity<br />
against him, in gratitude for which he proposes to devote himself and all that is his to <strong>the</strong><br />
service <strong>of</strong> his benefactor. The letter is in Latin; <strong>the</strong> monarch styles himself Carolus<br />
Magnus, which appears highly unlikely, and he terms <strong>the</strong> pontiff Summus Antistitum<br />
Antistes, but this is not in itself improbable, as <strong>the</strong> Papal claim to Episcopal supremacy<br />
was fully developed at <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ninth century.<br />
It is needless to say that <strong>the</strong>re is no such document preserved in <strong>the</strong> Vatican Library;<br />
fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, <strong>the</strong>re are no letters <strong>of</strong> Charlemagne extant, and, despite <strong>the</strong> encouragement<br />
he gave to men <strong>of</strong> learning and <strong>the</strong> Academy mentioned by Alcuin, it is not at all certain<br />
that he could ei<strong>the</strong>r read or write. Lastly, while it is quite true that his empire included<br />
Germany, as it did also Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and part <strong>of</strong> Italy, after his<br />
coronation it is much more probable that he would have styled himself Emperor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Romans. There is, in fact, no colourable pretence <strong>of</strong> genuineness about <strong>the</strong> so-called<br />
autograph letter, or to be precise it betrays itself--as I have indeed suggested already.<br />
This fact being established, we may proceed to <strong>the</strong> consideration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> alleged date <strong>of</strong><br />
publication--Rome, 1523. This edition is mentioned by Pierre Christian in his Histoire de<br />
la Magie, and he defends <strong>the</strong> au<strong>the</strong>nticity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Enchiridion<br />
p. 42<br />
on <strong>the</strong> ground, among o<strong>the</strong>rs, that it passed unchallenged in <strong>the</strong> Eternal City during such<br />
a pontificate as that <strong>of</strong> Clement VII. A second edition is said to have been printed at<br />
Rome in 1606; between 1584 and 1633 it appeared four times at Lyons and once at<br />
Mayence. In 1660 it was published for <strong>the</strong> last time at Rome. Unfortunately for <strong>the</strong><br />
purposes <strong>of</strong> this criticism, <strong>the</strong> examples <strong>of</strong> 1633 and 1660 have been alone available. The<br />
first claims to be nuperrime mendis omnibus purgatum, but it has been evidently in <strong>the</strong><br />
hands <strong>of</strong> a Grimoire maker, and it appears to have been edited and extended in <strong>the</strong><br />
Grimoire interest. 1 This is certain, but it is impossible to say how much beyond <strong>the</strong> Seven<br />
Mysterious Orisons connected with <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> Pope Leo are to be found in <strong>the</strong> original,<br />
or whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> original was antedated. Outside <strong>the</strong>se Orisons <strong>the</strong> modern accent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
work is unmistakable, and it is difficult to understand how any instructed person, much<br />
less a bibliophile like M. Christian, could have been deceived by it. It is certain, however,<br />
that when he approached <strong>the</strong> secret sciences, <strong>the</strong>ir substitutes and <strong>the</strong>ir memorials in<br />
literature, he depended more on his imagination than on his knowledge or research.<br />
The work itself, as already said, is simply a collection <strong>of</strong> religious charms, effectual<br />
against all <strong>the</strong> perils to which every sort and condition <strong>of</strong> men may be made subject on<br />
land, on water, from open and secret enemies, from <strong>the</strong> bites <strong>of</strong> wild and rabid beasts,<br />
from poisons, from fire, from tempests. While it thus ensures against evil, it gives