Concerning the Pen and Ink of the Art

§ 4. Concerning the Pen and Ink of the Art

Preliminary magical ceremonial seems to have as its chief object the personal consecration of every article, great or small, indispensable or occasional, which is connected with the several processes. The pen and ink with which characters and names

p. 165

are written must both be specially prepared. Take a new quill, says the Grimorium Verum; asperge and fumigate it after the manner of the other instruments; when you hold it in your hand to shape it, say the following words:--ABABALOY, SAMOY, ESCAVOR, ADONAY: I have expelled all illusion from this pen, that it may retain efficaciously within it the virtue necessary for all things which are used in this Art, as well for operations as for characters and conjurations. Amen.

In like manner, a horn or ink-well must be bought on the day and in the hour of Mercury, and in the same hour the following names of God must be written about it:--JOD, HE, VAU, HE, METATRON, JOD, ¹ CADOS, ² ELOYM, ³ SABAOTH. It must then be filled with fresh ink which has been exorcised as follows --

EXORCISM OF THE INK

I exorcise thee, creature of Ink, by ANSTON, CERRETON, STIMULATOR, ⁴ ADONAY, and by the name of Him Whose one Word created all and can achieve all, that so thou shall assist me in my work, that my work may be accomplished by my will, and fulfilled with the permission of God, Who ruleth in all things and through all things, everywhere and for ever. Amen.

BENEDICTION OF THE INK

Lord God Almighty, Who rulest all and reignest through all eternity, Who dost fulfill great wonders in Thy creatures, grant unto us the grace of Thy Holy Spirit by means of this pen. Bless it ✠, sanctify it ✠ and confer upon it a peculiar

p. 166

virtue, so that whatsoever is said, whatsoever we desire to do and to write herewith, may succeed through Thee, Most Holy Prince ADONAY. Amen. ¹

Then asperge, fumigate and exorcise.

The Book of True Black Magic, on the other hand, directs the operator to pluck the third feather from the right wing of a male goose ² and to say when extracting it: ABRACHAY, ARATON, SAMATOY, SCAVER, ADONAY! Expel all evil from this feather, so that it may possess full power to write whatsoever I will.

Then shape it with the Knife of the Art, namely, that having a white handle; incense also and asperge it. Lastly, take a new earthen cornicle or inkhorn, made on the day and in the hour of Venus, and write about it these names with the exorcised lancet of the Art: JOD, HE, VAU, HE, MITATRON, JAE, ³ JAE, JAE, CADOS, ELOYN, ZEVAO. ⁴ Then dip the pen therein, pronouncing the following words:--I exorcise thee, creature of the feather kind, by ETERETON, ⁵ by STIMULATON ⁵ and by the name ADONAY. Do thou aid me in all my works.

The instruction continues---As it is sometimes necessary to write with coloured inks, have several horns containing white inks, in which infuse thy colours for the pentacles and characters. The colours must be diluted with the blessed water which we term exorcised, and with gum arabic. Lastly, perfume them. Let this be done with all devotion, humility and

p. 167

faith, wanting which nothing can be accomplished, says the Grimoire.

The same work gives particulars concerning the extraction of the sword-feather from the right wing of a swallow, preceding the action with the words Yin He. It should then be made into a pen by means of the Knife of the Art, and the name Anereton must be written on it with the goose-quill, after which the Psalms Ecce quam bonum et quam jucundum and Laudate Dominum ommes gentes ¹ are to be recited over it, followed by aspersion and fumigation.

It is not to be supposed that any ordinary ink could be suitable for so serious a business as that of engrossing pacts. Even the consecrations previously given are inadequate in such a case. It is understood that the signature is written with the blood of the operator, but the deed itself requires a special preparation, as follows:--Place river-water in a new, varnished earthenware pot, together with the powder hereinafter described. Then take sprigs of fern gathered on the Eve of St. John and vine twigs cut in the full moon of March. Kindle this wood. by means of virgin paper, and when the water boils the ink will be made. It must be changed each time that there is occasion to write, that is to say, whensoever the appellation of a spirit is undertaken.

Powder for Pact-Ink

Make an impalpable powder, and when you would compose the ink, use as above described.

The authorities for this process are not the Grimoires proper

p. 168

but the collections of Magical Secrets which are sometimes appended to them but sometimes form independent works.

Footnotes

165:1 The Key of Solomon substitutes the Divine Name, Jah, thrice repeated.

165:2 i.e., Kadosh.

165:3 i.e., Elohim.

165:4 The Key of Solomon reads Anaireton, Simulator.

166:1 This prayer, like many others in the Grimoires which derive from the Clavicle, is the introduction of a Christian compiler. The Key of Solomon has no Trinitarian references and no crosses.

166:2 This process is identical with that of the Clavicle, the names only being mutilated.

166:3 i.e., Jah.

166:4 i.e., Elohim Tzabaoth.

166:5 As before, Anaireton and Simulator.

167:1 Psalms cxxxii. and cxvi. of the Vulgate.