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.