A General Instruction concerning the Instruments required for the Art

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§ 2. A General Instruction concerning the Instruments required for the Art

Most Goëtic rituals specify with considerable minuteness the instruments which are required for the operations, and in these respects, but with variations peculiar to themselves, and distinguishing them also from one another, they follow the authority of the Key of Solomon. Peter de Abano tells us nothing concerning them, nor yet pseudo-Agrippa, with the one exception of the sword, which, following a physical analogy, seems to be universal in practical magic. In the Grimoires, however, though sometimes the first weapon to be mentioned, its position is comparatively insignificant, as the knife is a readier instrument. Speaking generally, there is little in the literature to justify the complex modern elaborations of Éliphas Lévi and of Christian.

Among the necessary properties mentioned by the Book of True Black Magic are the sword, the staff, the rod, the lancet, the arctrave or hook, the bolline or sickle, the needle, the poniard, a white-handled knife and another knife, with a black handle, used to describe the circle. The most important to make is that called the bolline; it must be forged on the day and in the hour of Jupiter, selecting a small piece of unused steel. Set it thrice in the fire and extinguish it in the blood of a mole mixed with the juice of the pimpernel. ¹ Let this be done when the Moon is in her full light and course. On the same day and in the hour of Jupiter, fit a horn handle ² to the steel,

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shaping it with a new sword forged thrice as above in the fire. When made and perfected, recite over it this

PRAYER OR CONJURATION

I conjure thee, O form of this instrument, by the authority of God the Father Almighty, by the virtue of Heaven and the stars, by the virtue of the Angels, by that of the elements, by that of stones and herbs, and in like manner by the virtue of snowstorms, thunder and winds, that thou receive all power unto the performance of those things in the perfection of which we are concerned, the whole without trickery, falsehood or deception, by the command of God, Creator of the ages and Emperor of the Angels. Amen.

The ensuing salutations must then be pronounced over the instrument: Domine, Deus meus, in te speravi; Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto corde meo: Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum, ¹ &c., adding the following words: DAMAHII, LUMECH, GADAL, PANCIA, VELOAS, MEOROD, LAMIDOCH, BALDACH, ANERETHON, MITATRON, most holy angels, be ye wardens of this instrument, because I shall make use of it for several necessary works.

Place it in a new wrapper of red silk, making suffumigation with odoriferous perfumes, as will be hereinafter set forth. Take care not to perfect the instrument otherwise than on the day of Venus, and in the hour thereof, when also the needle and other like instruments may be prepared.

Subsequently, on the day of Venus, the Moon being in the sign of Capricorn, or otherwise of the Virgin, ² if the same be

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possible, thou shalt make the first knife and shalt steep it in the blood of the mole ¹ and the juice of the pimpernel. Let the Moon be in an acute time of course and light, the operation beginning in the first hour of Venus and ending at the ninth hour of the same day. Fit the knife with a handle of white wood cut at a single stroke with a new sword or knife, and on this handle engrave the following characters:--

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Fumigate as before, and with this knife do all things needful to the Art, the circle excepted. But if such a knife be too difficult to manufacture, procure one of the same form ready made; steep it in the blood and juice as above; fit thereto the same handle bearing the same characters, and upon the blade, proceeding from point to handle, write with a male goose-quill the words: AHARARAT, TÔ. Perfume as before, sprinkle with exorcised water, and place in the silken wrapper already mentioned. ²

That with the black handle, destined to describe the circle and intimidate the spirits, and for performing other similar things, must be made in every respect like the first, except as regards the day and hour, which should be those of Saturn. The steel should be extinguished in the blood of a cat ³ and the juice of hemlock, while the handle should be of sheep's horn. The

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PLATE VII: INSTRUMENTS OF BLACK MAGIC

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poniard or stiletto and the lancet should be made after the same manner on the day and in the hour of Mercury, and the steel extinguished in the blood of a mole and the juice of the herb Mercury. They should be fitted with horn handles, ¹ shaped with a new sword in the day and hour of Mercury, and should bear these characters upon the said handles.--

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Fumigate as before, and use in their proper place as required.

The Grimorium Verum, which makes for simplicity, reduces the steel instruments to three--namely, knife, graver and lancet. The two first should be made on the day and in the hour of Jupiter, with the waxing Moon in the ascendant, which is at issue with the previous authority. When finished, the following Prayer or Conjuration must, in each case, be recited over them. The knife should be large enough to sever the neck of a kid at one blow; it should be fitted with a haft of wood, made on the same day and in the same hour, and graven with magical characters. The instrument should then be sprinkled, fumigated and preserved for use as required.

CONJURATION

I conjure thee, form of the instrument, N., by God the Father Almighty; by the virtue of Heaven and by all the stars Which rule; by the virtue of the four elements; by that of all stones, all plants and all animals whatsoever; by the virtue of hailstorms and winds; to receive such virtue herein that we may

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obtain by thee the perfect issue of all our desires, which also we seek to perform without evil, without deception, by God, the Creator of the Sun and the Angels. Amen.

Recite the Seven [Penitential] Psalms, and add these words: DALMALEY, LAMECK, CADAT, PANCIA, VELOUS, MERROE, LAMIDECK, CALDULECH, ANERETON, MITRATON, most pure Angels, be ye guardians of these instruments, which are needful for many things.

The lancet, which is mentioned but not described in the Book of True Black Magic, should, according to the Grimorium Verum, be made in the day and hour of Mercury, the Moon waxing, and should be conjured after the same manner as the knife and graver. If assistants accompany the operator, each must be provided with his knife, and the like rule obtains concerning the Sword of the Art, which should be polished on the day of Mercury, from the first to the third hour of the night. ¹ That designed for the Master or chief operator should bear the words ELOHIM JITOR, ² proceeding from point to hilt. For that of the first disciple, write the name CARDIEL upon the handle, and upon the blade REGION, proceeding from point to hilt. It should appear on both sides transversely, but add on the one PANORAIM ✠, and on the other HEOMESIM ✠. On the sword of the second disciple write URIEL, SARAION, GAMERIN ✠, DEBALIIN, in the manner before described. On that of the third disciple write DANIEL, IMETON, LAMEDIIN ✠, ERADIN, and fit the same with a handle of white bone. ³

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The following Conjuration must be recited secretly over the swords:--I conjure you, O sword, by the three Holy Names, ALBROT, ABRACADABRA, JEOVA! Be thou my fortress and defence against all enemies, visible and invisible, in every magical work. By the Holy Name SADAY, which is great in power, and by these other names, CADOS, CADOS, CADOS, ADONAY, ELOY, ZENA, OTH, OCHIMANUEL, the First and the Last, Wisdom, Way, Life, Virtue, Chief, Mouth, Speech, Splendour, Light, Sun, Fountain, Glory, Mountain, Vine, Gate, Stone, Staff, Priest, Immortal, MESSIAH, Sword, do thou rule in all my affairs and prevail in those things which oppose me. Amen.

Footnotes

154:1 Or, according to the Key of Solomon, in the day and hour of Mercury, and substituting the blood of the magpie and the juice of the herb Mercury, the French Foirole, from which a so-called Elixir of Long Life was formerly made.

154:2 The Key of Salomon substitutes white boxwood; it omits the planetary influence, leaving it to be inferred that it should be done in the hour that the steel is; forged, which must also be sunrise.

155:1 Psalms vii., cx., and xli., according to the computation of the Vulgate.

155:2 According to the Key of Solomon, it should be on the day and in the hour of Mercury, when Mars is in Aries or Scorpio.

156:1 Of a gosling, says the Clavicle.

156:2 It should be understood that wherever the use of animal blood is prescribed I have made an alteration at some hypothetically essential point, and now give notice, generally and especially, to this effect. The course taken does not mean that I believe in the efficacy of these foolish processes, but that knavish persons may be dissuaded from trying them. It is out of respect to the animals and not consideration to them.

156:3 Of a black cat, says the Clavicle, and the weapon when finished should be wrapped in a cloth of black silk, which, however, contradicts Book ii. c. 20, of the same work.

159:1 White boxwood is prescribed by the Key of Solomon.

160:1 The first or the fifteenth hour is the reading of the Key, but there is more reason in the longer period, having regard to the nature of the operation.

160:2 i.e., Elohim Gibor. The Key of Solomon prescribes other Divine Names for the Sword of the Master.

160:3 These instructions are terribly confused. Compare the English version of the Key of Solomon, wherein the passage is thus amended:--"The first sword should have on the pommel the name Cardiel or Gabriel; on the Lamen of the Guard, Region; on the Blade, Panoraim Heamesin. The second should have on the pommel the name Auriel; on the Lamen of the p. 161 Guard, Sarion; on the Blade, Gamorin Debalin. The third sword should have on the pommel the name Damiel or Raphael; on the Lamen of the Guard, Yemeton; on the Blade, Lamedin Eradim."