the book of ceremonial magic contents - Yankeeclassic.com

Principem et ejus Angelos Conjurationes ex originale Romæ servato, Rome, 1529. The
authenticity of this work is evidently questioned by its exclusion, and it is impossible to
speak certainly concerning it, as, on account of its extreme rarity, few public libraries,
none apparently in England, possess an example. But it is evidently the formularies of
exorcism, a rite of the Church and possessing a considerable body of literature, to which
even a Pope of past ages might not inconceivably have contributed. However this may be,
the attribution in the one case will account for it in the other. The book of Black Magic
may be merely a perversion of the orthodox conjurations, and if not that, is a reprisal; it is
Sorcery revenging herself on a Pope who cast out devils by representing him as the
prince of those who dealt with them.
Having said something to justify the Grimoire from groundless condemnation, it is
necessary now to add, on the
p. 107
authority of its own evidence, that it is a malicious and somewhat clever imposture,
which was undeniably calculated to deceive ignorant persons of its period who may have
been magically inclined, more especially ignorant priests, since it pretends to convey the
express sanction of the Apostolical Seat for the operations of Infernal Magic and
Necromancy. The entire claim is set forth most curiously at the beginning of the pseudoconstitution,
and must be cited at considerable length to convey its full force.
The Holy Apostolic Chair, unto which the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given by
those words that Christ Jesus addressed to St. Peter: I give unto thee the Keys of the
Kingdom of Heaven, and unto thee alone the Power of commanding the Prince of
Darkness and his angels, who, as slaves of their Master, do owe him honour, glory and
obedience, by those other words of Christ Jesus: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and Him only shalt thou serve--hence by the Power of these Keys the Head of the Church
has been made the Lord of Hell. But seeing that until this present the Sovereign Pontiffs
have alone possessed the Power of using invocations and commanding Spirits, His
Holiness Honorius the Third, being moved by his Pastoral care, has benignly desired to
communicate the methods and faculty of invoking and controlling Spirits to his venerable
Brethren in Jesus Christ, adding the Conjurations which must be used in such case, the
whole being contained in the Bull which here follows.
HONORIUS,
Servant of the Servants of God, unto all and each of our venerable Brethren of the Holy
Roman Church, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots; unto all and each of our sons
p. 108
in Jesus Christ, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacons, Acolytes, Exorcists, Cantors, Pastors,
Clerks both Secular and Regular, Health and Apostolic Benediction. In those days when
the Son of God, Saviour of the World, generated in the fulness of time, and born,
according to the flesh, of the Race of David, did live on this earth, Whose Most Holy