[The xvii. Chapter.]
An experiment of the dead.
IRST go and get of some person that shalbe put to death, a promise, and sweare an oth unto him, that if he will come to thee, after his death, his spirit to be with thee, and to remaine with thee all the daies of thy life, and will doo thee true service, as it is conteined in the oth and promise following. Then laie thy hand on thy booke, and sweare this oth unto him.Promises & oths interchangeablie made betweene the conjuror & the spirit. I N. doo sweare and promise to thee N. to give for thee an almesse everie moneth, and also to praie for thee once in everie weeke, to saie the Lords praier for thee, and so to continue all the daies of my life, as God me helpe and holie doome, and by the contents of this booke. Amen.
Then let him make his oth to thee as followeth, and let him saie after thee, laieng his hand upon the booke. ¶ I N. doo sweare this oth to thee N. by God the father omnipotent, by God the son Jesus Christ, and by his pretious bloud which hath redeemed all the world, by the which bloud I doo trust to be saved at the generall daie of judgment, and by the vertues therof, I N. doo sweare this oth to thee N. that my spirit that is within my bodie now,/424. shall not ascend, nor descend, nor go to anie place of rest, but shall come to thee N. and be verie well pleased to remaine/306. with thee N. all the daies of thy life, and so to be bound to thee N. and to appeare to thee N. in anie christall stone, glasse, or other mirror, and so to take it for my resting place. And that, so soone as my spirit is departed out of my bodie, streightwaie to be at your commandements, and that in and at all daies, nights, houres, and minutes, to be obedient unto thee N. being called of thee by the vertue of our Lord Jesu Christ, & out of hand to have common talke with thee at all times, and in all houres & minuts, to open and declare to thee N. the truth of all things present, past, and to come, and how to worke the magike art, and all other noble sciences, under the throne of God.Note the penaltie of breaking promise with the spirit. If I doo not performe this oth and promise to thee N. but doo flie from anie part thereof, then to be condemned for ever and ever. Amen.
Also I N. doo sweare to thee by God the Holie-ghost, and by the great wisedome that is in the divine Godhead, and by their vertues, and by all the holie angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principats, potestats, virtutes, cherubim and seraphim, and by all their vertues doo I N. sweare, and promise thee to be obedient as is rehearsed. And heere, for a witnesse, doo I N. give thee N. my right hand, and doo plight thee my faith and troth, as God me helpe and holiedoome. And by the holie contents in this booke doo I N. sweare, that my spirit shall be thy true servant, all the daies of thy life, as is before rehearsed. And here for a witnesse, that my spirit shall be obedient to thee N. and to those bonds of words that be written in this N. before the bonds of words shall be rehearsed thrise; else to be damned for ever: and thereto saie all faithfull soules and spirits, Amen, Amen.
Then let him sweare this oth *three* Three times, in reverence (peradventure) of the Trinitie, P. F. S S. times, and at everie time kisse the booke, and at everie time make marks to the bond. Then perceiving the time that he will depart, get awaie the people from you, and get or take your stone or glasse, or other thing in your hand, and saie the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo, and this praier as followeth. And in all the time of his departing, rehearse the bonds of words; and in the end of everie bond, saie oftentimes; Remember thine oth and promise. And bind him stronglie to thee, and to thy stone, and suffer him not to depart, rea/ding425. thy bond 24 times. And everie daie when you doo call him by your other bond, bind him stronglie by the first bond: by the space of 24 daies applie it, & thou shalt be made a man for ever.
Now the Pater noster, Ave, and Credo must be said, and then the praier immediatlie following.
O God†[† This par. in smaller type.] of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of Tobias; the which diddest deliver the three children from the hot burning oven, Sidrac, Misac and Abdenago,‡ [‡ sic] and Susanna from the false crime, and Daniel from the lions power: even so O Lord omnipotent, I beseech thee, for thy great mercie sake, to helpe me in these my works, and to deliver me this spirit of N. that he may be a true subject to me N. all the daies of my life, and to remaine with me, and with this N. all the daies of my life./307. O glorious God, Father, Sonne, and Holie-ghost, I beseech thee to help me at this time, and to give me power by thine holie name, merits and vertues, wherby I may conjure & constreine this spirit of N. that he may be obedient unto me, and may fulfill his oth and promise, at all times, by the power of all thine holines. This grant O Lord God of hosts, as thou art righteous and holy, and as thou art the word, and the word God, the beginning and the end, sitting in the thrones of thine everlasting kingdoms, & in the divinitie of thine everlasting Godhead, to whom be all honour and glorie, now and for ever and ever, Amen, Amen.