The Particular Form Of The Lamen

The particular Form of the LAMEN.--(For the form of the Lamen see the Plate.)

THE invocation being made, the good angels will appear unto you which you desire, which you shall entertain with a chaste communication, and licence them to depart.

Now the lamen which is used to invoke any good spirit must be made after the following manner: either in metal conformable or in new wax mixed with convenient spices and colours; or it may be made with pure white paper with convenient colours, and the outward form of it may be either square, circular, or triangular, or of the like sort, according to the rule of the numbers, in which there must be written the divine names, as well general as special. And in the centre of the lamen draw a hexagon or character of six corners, in the middle thereof write the name and character of the star, or of the spirit his governor, to whom the good spirit that is to be called is subject. And about this character let there be placed so many characters of five corners or pentacles as the spirits we would call together at once. But if we should call only one, nevertheless there must be made four pentagons, wherein the name of the spirit or spirits, with their characters, are to be written. Now this lamen ought to be composed when the moon is in her increase, on those days and hours which agree to the spirit; and if we take a fortunate planet

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therewith, it will be the better for the producing the effect: which table or lamen being rightly made in the manner we have fully described, must be consecrated according to the rules above delivered.

And this is the way of making the general table or lamen for the invocating of all spirits whatever; the form whereof you may see in the Plates of pentacles, seals, and lamens.

Nevertheless, we make special tables congruent to every spirit by the rule which we have above spoken concerning holy pentacles.

We will yet declare unto you another rite more easy to perform this thing: let the man who wishes to receive an oracle from a spirit be chaste, pure, and sanctified; then a place being chosen pure, clean, and covered every where with clean and white linen, on the Lord's-day in the new of the moon, let him enter into that place clothed with white linen; let him exorcise the place, bless it, and make a circle therein with a consecrated coal; let there be written in the outer part of the circle the names of the angels; in the inner part thereof write the mighty names of God; and let be placed within the circle, at the four parts of the world, the vessels for the perfumes. Then, being washed and fasting, let him enter the place and pray towards the cast this whole Psalm, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way," &c. Psalm cxix. Then make a fumigation, and deprecate the angels by the said divine names, that they will appear unto you, and reveal or discover that which you so earnestly desire; and do this continually for six days, washed and fasting. On the seventh day, being washed and fasting, enter the circle, perfume it, and anoint thyself with holy oil upon the forehead, eyes, and in the palms of both hands, and upon the feet; then, with bended knees, say the Psalm aforesaid, with divine and angelical names. Which being said, arise, and walk round the circle from East to West, until thou shalt be wearied with a giddiness of thy head and brain, then straitway fall down in the circle, where thou mayest rest, and thou wilt be wrapped up in an ecstasy; and a spirit will appear and inform thee of all things necessary to be known. We must observe also, that in the circle there ought to be four holy candles

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burning at the four parts of the world, which ought not to want light for the space of a week.

And the manner of fasting is this: to abstain from all things having a life of sense, and from those which do proceed from them, let him drink only pure running water; neither is there any food or wine to be taken till the going down of the sun.

Let the perfume and the holy anointing oil be made as is set forth in Exodus, and other holy books of the Bible. It is also to be observed, that as often as he enters the circle he has upon his forehead a golden lamen, upon which there must be written the name Tetragrammaton, in the manner we have before mentioned.