Chapter XLVI. Of Natural Alligations and Suspensions

The Philosophy of Natural Magic, by Henry Cornelius Agrippa, L. W. de Laurence ed. [1913], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER XLVI.

Of Natural Alligations and Suspensions.

When the Soul of the World by its virtue doth make all things that are naturally generated or artificially made to be fruitful, by infusing into them celestial properties for the working of some wonderful effects, then things themselves—not only when applied by suffumigations, or collyries, or ointments, or potions, or any other such like way, but also when they, being conveniently wrapped up, are bound to or hanged about the neck, or in any other way applied, although by never so easy a contact—do impress their virtue upon us. By these alligations, therefore, suspensions, wrappings up, applications, and contacts, the accidents of the body and mind are changed into sickness, health, boldness, fear, sadness, and joy, and the like. They render them that carry them gracious or terrible, acceptable or rejected, honored and beloved or hateful and abominable. Now these kind of passions are conceived to be by the above said to be infused, and not otherwise, like what is manifest in the grafting of trees, where the vital virtue is sent and communicated from the trunk to the twig grafted into it by way of contact and alligation. So in the female palm-tree, when she comes near to the male her boughs bend to the male, and are bowed, which, the gardeners seeing, bind ropes from the male to the female, which becomes straight again, as if she had by this connection of the rope received the virtue of the male. In like manner we see that the cramp-fish, or torpedo, being touched afar off with a long pole, doth presently stupefy the hand of him that toucheth it. And if any shall touch the sea-hare with his hand or stick will presently run out of his wits. Also, if the fish called stella, or star-fish, as they say, being fastened with the blood of a fox

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and a brass nail to a gate, evil medicines can do no hurt to any in such house. Also, it is said, that if a woman take a needle and beray it with dung, and then wrap it up in earth in which the carcass of a man was buried, and shall carry it about her in a cloth which was used at the funeral, that she shall be able to possess herself so long as she hath it about her.

Now, by these examples, we see how, by certain alligations of certain things, as also suspensions, or by a simple contact, or the connection or continuation of any thread, we may be able to receive some virtues thereby. It is necessary that we know the certain rule of Alligation and Suspension, and the manner which the Art requires, viz., that they be done under a certain and suitable Constellation, and that they be done with wire, or silken threads, with hair, or sinews of certain animals. And things that are to be wrapped up must be done in the leaves of herbs, or the skins of animals, or fine cloths, and the like, according to the suitableness of things—as, if you would procure the Solary virtue of any thing, this being wrapped up in bay leaves, or the skin of a lion, hang it about thy neck with a golden thread, or a silken thread of a yellow color, whilst the Sun rules in the heaven—so thou shalt be endued with the Solary virtue of that thing. But if thou dost desire the virtue of any Saturnine thing, thou shalt in like manner take that thing whilst Saturn rules, and wrap it in the skin of an ass, or in a cloth used at a funeral (especially if you desire it for sadness), and with a black thread hang it about thy neck. In like manner we must conceive of the rest.