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ask leave to assure my readers that I have not emulated their zeal by seeking to follow in
their footsteps, and, so far as I am concerned, the method therefore remains in the bosom
of its proper mystery. Possibly Agrippa and his successor were only fooling their readers,
and did not disclose the secret. The treatise on Names is followed by one upon Characters
and, depending as it does from the first, this is also not readily intelligible. I have left it to
those whom it may concern. Thereafter comes a formal tabulation of all the known
shapes familiar to the spirits of the planets, followed by a disquisition upon Pentacles and
Sigils, another upon the consecration of instruments used in magical ceremonies, as also
of fire, water and so forth. The work concludes with methods for
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the invocation of good and evil spirits and a short process in Necromancy. As I shall have
occasion to cite it frequently in the Second Part, the analysis may here be confined to
establishing its connection with diabolism, and the kind of manifestations which are
supposed to be obtained by its processes.
Like the Lemegeton, it gives specific directions for communicating with evil spirits, and
there is no question whatever as to the lawful nature of the experiment, by which I mean
that no doubt on the subject entered into the mind of the writer, who offers what he has to
the artist without attempting to justify its nature. Refinements of this kind were evidently
outside the magic of the fifteenth century. In the following citation I shall depart from my
usual custom of translating at first hand, and make use, with some needful prunings, of
the version of Robert Turner, which is quite faithful and has, moreover, the pleasant
flavour of antiquity.
CONCERNING THE INVOCATION OF EVIL SPIRITS
If we would call any evil Spirit to the circle, it first behoveth us to consider and to know
his nature, to which of the planets it agreeth, and what offices are distributed to him from
the planet. This being known, let there be sought out a place fit and proper for his
invocation, according to the nature of the planet and the quality of the offices of the same
Spirit, as near as the same may be done. For example, if his power be over the sea, rivers
or floods, then let a place be chosen on the shore, and so of the rest. In like manner, let
there be chosen a convenient time, both for the quality of the air-which should be serene,
clear, quiet and fitting for the Spirits to assume bodies---and for the quality and nature of
the planet, and so
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too of the Spirit, to wit, on his day, noting the time wherein he ruleth, whether it be
fortunate or unfortunate, day or night, as the stars and spirits do require. These things
being considered, let there be a circle framed at the place elected, as well for the defence
of the invocant as for the confirmation of the Spirit. In the circle itself there are to be
written the general Divine Names, and those things which do yield defence unto us; the
Divine Names which do rule the said planet, with the offices of the Spirit himself; the
names, finally, of the good Spirits which bear rule and are able to bind and constrain that