Chap. I.
Of Magical Circles, and the reason of their Institution.
Agitians, Imaginary Circles.and the more learned sort of Conjurers, make use of Circles in various manners, and to various intentions. First, when convenience serves not, as to time or place that a real Circle should be delineated, they frame an imaginary Circle, by means of Incantations and Consecrations, without either Knife, Pensil, or Compasses, circumscribing nine foot of ground round about them, which they pretend to sanctifie with words and Ceremonies, spattering their Holy Water all about so far as the said Limit extendeth; and with a form of Consecration following, do alter the property of the ground, that from common (as they say) it becomes sanctifi’d, and made fit for Magicall uses.
How to consecrate an imaginary Circle.
LEt The form of Consecration.the Exorcist, being cloathed with a black Garment, reaching to his knee, and under that a white Robe of fine Linnen that falls unto his ankles, fix himself in the midst of that place where he intends to perform his Conjurations: And throwing his old Shooes about ten yards from the place, let him put on his consecrated shooes of russet Leather with a Cross cut on the top of each shooe. Then with his Magical Wand, which must be a new hazel-stick, about two yards of length, he must stretch forth his arm to all the four Windes thrice, turning himself round at every Winde, and saying all that while with fervency:
I who am the servant of the Highest, do by the vertue of his Holy Name Immanuel, sanctifie unto my self the circumference of nine foot round about me, ✠✠✠ from the East, Glaurah; from the West, Garron; from the North, Cabon; from the South, Berith; which ground I take for my proper defence from all malignant spirits, that they may have no power over my soul or body, nor come beyond these Limitations, but answer truely being summoned, without daring to transgress their bounds: Worrh*. [* ? Mispr. for Worrah.] worrah. harcot. Gambalon. ✠✠✠.
The time for Conjurations.Which Ceremonies being performed, the place so sanctified is equivalent to any real Circle whatsoever. And in the composition of any Circle for Magical feats, the fittest time is the brightest Moon-light, or when storms of lightning, winde, or thunder, are raging through the air; because at such times the infernal Spirits are nearer unto the earth, and can more easily hear the Invocations of the Exorcist.
The places for Circles.As for the places of Magical Circles, they are to be chosen melancholly, dolefull, dark and lonely; either in Woods or Deserts, or in a place where three wayes meet, or amongst ruines of Castles, Abbies, Monasteries, &c. or upon the Sea-shore when the Moon shines clear, or else in some large Parlour hung with black, and the floor covered with the same, with doors and windowes closely shut, and Waxen Candles lighted. But if the Conjuration be for the Ghost of one deceased, the fittest places to that purpose are places of the slain,/216. Woods where any have killed themselves, Church-yards, Burying-Vaults, &c. As also for all sorts of Spirits, the places of their abode ought to be chosen, when they are called; as Pits, Caves, and hollow places, for Subterranean Spirits: The tops of Turrets, for Aerial Spirits: Ships and Rocks of the Sea, for Spirits of the Water: Woods and Mountains for Faries, Nymphs, and Satyres; following the like order with all the rest.
The form of a Circle.And as the places where, so the manner how the Circles are to be drawn, ought to be perfectly known. First, for Infernal Spirits, let a Circle nine foot over be made with black, and within the same another Circle half a foot distant, leaving half a foot of both these Circles open for the Magitian and his assistant to enter in: And betwixt these Circles round about, write all the holy Names of God, with Crosses and Triangles at every Name; making also a larger triangle at one side of the Circle without on this manner with the names of the Trinity at the seven corners, viz. Yehowah,*[* sic] Ruah Kedesh, Immanuel, written in the little circles.
The reason of Circles.The reason that Magitians give for Circles and their Institution, is, That so much ground being blessed and consecrated by holy Words, hath a secret force to expel all evil Spirits from the bounds thereof; and being sprinkled with holy water, which hath been blessed by the Master, the ground is purified from all uncleanness; besides the holy Names of God written all about, whose force is very powerful; so that no wicked Spirit hath the ability to break through into the Circle after the Master and Scholler are entered, and have closed up the gap, by reason of the antipathy they possesse to these Mystical Names. And the reason of the Triangle is, that if the Spirit be not easily brought to speak the truth, they may by the Exorcist be conjured to enter the same, where by vertue of the names of the Sacred Trinity, they can speak nothing but what is true and right.
But if Astral Spirits as Faries, Nymphs, and Ghosts of men, be called upon, the Circle must be made with Chalk, without any Triangles; in the place whereof the Magical Character of that Element to which they belong, must be described at the end of every Name./
Chap. II. 217.
How to raise up the Ghost of one that hath hanged himself.
THis experiment must be put in practice while the Carcass hangs; and therefore the Exorcist must seek out for the straightest hazel wand that he can find, to the top whereof he must binde the head of an Owl, with a bundle of St. John’s Wort, or Milliès Perforatum: this done, he must be informed of some miserable creature that hath strangled himself in some Wood or Desart place (which they seldom miss to do) and while the Carcass hangs, the Magitian must betake himself to the aforesaid place, at 12 a clock at night, and begin his Conjurations in this following manner.
The ceremonies of Necromancy.First, stretch forth the consecrated Wand towards the four corners of the World, saying, By the mysteries of the deep, by the flames of Banal, by the power of the East, and the silence of the night, by the holy rites of Hecate, I conjure and exorcize thee thou distressed Spirit, to present thy self here, and reveal unto me the cause of thy Calamity, why thou didst offer violence to thy own liege life, where thou art now in beeing, and where thou wilt hereafter be.
Then gently smiting the Carcase nine times with the rod, say, I conjure thee thou spirit of this N. deceased, to answer my demands that I am to propound unto thee, as thou ever hopest for the rest of the holy ones, and the ease of all thy misery; by the blood of Jesu which he shed for thy soul, I conjure and bind thee to utter unto me what I shall ask thee.
Then cutting down the Carcass from the tree, lay his head towards the East, and in the space that this following Conjuration is repeating, set a Chafing-dish of fire at his right hand, into which powre a little Wine, some Mastick, and Gum Aromatick, and lastly a viol full of the sweetest Oyl, having also a pair of Bellows, and some unkindled Charcole to make the fire burn bright at the instant of the Carcass’s rising. The Conjuration.The Conjuration is this:
I conjure thee thou spirit of N. that thou do immediately enter into thy antient body again, and answer to my demands, by the virtue of the holy resurrection, and by the posture of the body of the Saviour of the world, I charge thee, I conjure thee, I command thee on pain of the torments and wandring of thrice seven years, which I by the power of sacred Magick rites, have power to inflict upon thee; by thy sighs and groans, I conjure thee to utter thy voice; so help thee God and the prayers of the holy Church. Amen.
Which Conjuration being thrice repeated while the fire is burning with Mastick and Gum Aromatick, the body will begin to rise, and at last will stand upright before the Exorcist, The answers of the Spirit.answering with a faint and hollow voice, the questions proposed unto it. Why it strangled it self; where its dwelling is; what its food and life is; how long it will be ere it enter into rest, and by what means the Magitian may assist it to come to rest: Also, of the treasures of this world, where they are hid: Moreover, it can answer very punctually of the places where Ghosts reside, and how to communicate with them; teaching the nature of Astral Spirits and hellish beings, so far as its capacity reacheth.
All which when the Ghost hath fully answered, the Magitian ought out of commiseration and reverence to the deceased,How to lay the Spirit. to use what means can possibly be used for the procuring rest unto the Spirit. To which effect he must dig a grave, and filling the same half full of quick Lime, and a little Salt and common Sulphur, put the Carcass naked into the same; which experiment, next to the burning of the body into ashes, is of great force to quiet and end the disturbance of the Astral Spirit.
But if the Ghost with whom the Exorcist consulteth, be of one that dyed the common death, and obtain’d the ceremonies of burial, the body must be dig’d out of the ground at 12 a clock at night; and the Magician must have a com/panion218. with him, who beareth a torch in his left hand, and smiting the Corps thrice with the consecrated rod, the Exorcist must turn himself to all the four winds, saying:
Another form.By the virtue of the holy resurrection, and the torments of the damned, I conjure and exorcize thee spirit of N. deceased, to answer my liege demands, being obedient unto these sacred ceremonies on pain of everlasting torment and distress: Then let him say, Berald, Beroald, Balbin gab gabor agaba; Arise, arise, I charge and command thee.
After which Ceremonies, let him ask what he desireth and he shall be answered.
A Caution for the Exorcist.But as a faithful caution to the practicer of this Art, I shall conclude with this, That if the Magician, by the Constellation and Position of the Stars at his nativity, be in the predicament of those that follow Magical Arts, it will be very dangerous to try this experiment for fear of suddain death ensuing, which the Ghosts of men deceased, can easily effect upon those whose nativities lead them to Conjuration: And which suddain and violent death, the Stars do alwayes promise to such as they mark with the Stigma of Magicians.