The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage

The Book of the Melin the : if tess, 5570017) or a SO Oty LEY, fi i ‘ #4 4, Hd aed, eth 1 As delivered by Abraham the Jew unto his son Lumech, A.D, 1458. 4 Aw ’ ix" * et , a ‘ i a a, , “ ‘ . bas i * 4 5 ’ d Ea , ‘ 2 AS DELIVERED BY ABRAHAM THE JEW UNTO HIS SON LAMECH, A.D; 2458. Translated from the Original Hebrew into the French, and now rendered from the latier language into English. From a unigue and valuable MS. in the “Bibliotheque de l’Arsenal” at Paris. Author of ‘* The Kabbalah Unvalted,” ‘The Key of Solomon.” “The Tarot,” etc. wh a special and copious Introduction and Explanatory Notes by the Translator, and numerous Magical Squares of Letters. | . LONDON : JOHN -M. WATKINS, 26 Charing Cross, S.W. rs a . = 1898. : | _ ar i oP +e pee Tai . : AS DELIVERED BY ABRAHAM THE JEW UNTO HIS SON LAMECH, A.D. rgs8. 4 Translated from the Original Hebrew into the French, and now rendered from the datier language into English. From a unigue and valuable MS, in the “Bibliotheque de ? Arsenal” at Paris.

Author of "The Kabbalah Unveiled,” “ The Key of Solomon,’ “The Tarot,” etc. with a special and copious Introduction and Explanatory Notes by the Translator, and numerous Magical Squares of Letters. LONDON: JOHN M. WATKINS, 26 Charing Cross, S.W. | Phase | Entered at Stationers’ Hall. All vights reserved. By S. L, MAC GREGOR-MATHERS. Notice of the “ Bibliothéque de |’Arsenal” at Paris—The Manuscript of the present work known to Bulwer Lytton and Eliphas Lévi. —Similarity between Viejnour’s style of instruction of Glyndon in “Zanoni” and that employe: by Abra-Melin to Abraham the Jew.—-Critical description of the present Manuscript ; its style; examples: apparent date-~Abraham the Jew, his era, and occult contemprraries—His faith and travels-—Abra-Melin. ~~P'ace of residence, and family of Abraham the Jew -—Value of this Book to Oecult students.- Notable persons with whom Abrahani was brought in contact, and for or against whom he worked Macic.—His warnings against the error of changing one’s religion, whether Jew, Turk, Christian, or Pagan.—The absolute necessity cf unshaken faith in order to produce a Magica! effect. —-The Author comparatively broad in hir views, though unjust to wormen,—-Good advice tn other matters given by him.—His counsel of a retired life not borne out by his own bistory. - White and Black Magic.-—Apparent basal definitions of this particular system of Sacred Magic.-—lts advantages, especially as regards Abraham’s comments on other Professors of Magic he had met, —The employment of a Child-Clairvoyant. necessary or not.— Abraham’s intolerance of other Magical systems.—Basis of his system in the Qabaah.~.Feeairude o* Magical Square of Letters from Third Book, cuinper: with a Featacle in “Key of Solomon ”.—-General character of these—Practical Qabalah.— Definitions of the nature of Angels, Elemental Spirits, and Devils, with their differences —-Behaviour toward these, as advocated by Abraham.—Meaning of the word Demon, as distinct

TABLE or: Continers a THe. INTRODUCTION... from Devil _-Magic: in ‘the - ‘Arabian. Nights,” saree recipes in Third Book of this work.—Faust and the ‘effects he is said to have produced.—Magic and the Qabalah derived from. Egypt; difference between Egyptian and Chaldean: Magic—. Value of a Sacred language and one’s mother tongue compared, —Pentacles and Symbols.—Evocation by the Magic Cirele and Licence to Depart.——-Abraham’s Remarks on Astrology.—Notes to this work,—This Introduction written for Occultists only _ page xv Appendix A :—Table of Hebrew Letters and English Equivalents page xii B :—Cagliostro’s use of a Child-Clairvoyvant page xiii C :-—F- xamples of other forms of Angelic Evocation page xiiii The Chapters of the First Book have no separate heading of contents given in the text; while those of the Second and Third Books have. I have therefore here placed those of the Chapters of the First Book in parentheses. (The First Book to be considered as introductory to the two others, which form the actual original Magic as taught by Abra-Melin) page 3 (Abraham’s reasons for giving this work as a legacy to his son Lamech) : ‘ ; , ‘ . page 4 (His Father Simon had told him somewhat of the Qabalah.—Of the Magic of Rabbin Moses of Mayence, and how greatly inferior this was to the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin) . . page &

(Beginning of the Travels of Abraham the Jew.—-His going to Mayence in Vormatia (the district under the rule of Worms) to study under Rabbin Moses, for four years.—He then forms a friendship with a young Bohemian Jew named Samuel. - They resolve to travel together to Constantinople, with the intention of afterwards visiting Palestine—They begin their journey on February 13th, _ 1397, pass through Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, and vi —s TaBE® oF CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS. Greece, arriving at length at Constantinople, where they stop two years, and Samuel dies.—Abraham the Jew then travels into Egypt, where he remains four years, afterwards going.into the _Holy Land, where he remains a twelvemonth.—He there meets a Christian student of Magic with whom he passes on into the wilds of Arabia; but finding no Adept a Abraham thinks of returning home) ; , . page 7 (He commences his return journey, travelling by Arabia Deserta and Palestine into L.gypt.—Here he lodges with an old Jew named Aaron, in a small town called Arachi, situated on the banks of the Nile-—He tells Aaron of his numerous and fruitless travels in search of some Great Adept in Magic.—— Aaron inforins him that in the desert, not very far from Arachi, there dwells a very learned and pious Mage called Abra-Melin ; and that he will find him a guide to shew him the rovte dhitheraaA Graham visits Abra-Melin, and finds in him at length the Great and Wise Magician he has so tong »ouzht.—He remains with him and studies under him.—Abra-Melin gives him two Books on Magic to copy, which form the basis of the Second and Third Books of this work.-Abra-Melin imphes that this true Sacred Magical science will only remain among the Jews seventy-two years longer.—At length Abraham quits Abra-Melin, and goes to Constantinople, where he is detained by illness for two months: —He returns home by ship to Trieste, and thence through Dalmatia) . : ; : : ; . page 10

(Concerning the various Professors of Magical Art, whom Abraham had found in the course of his travels-—Of Rabbin Moses of Mayence.—Of James a Christian of Argentine, and a juggler.— Of a Black Magician called Antony of Prague in Bohemia, and his fearful end.—Of the Magicians in Austria.—Of the Magicians in Greece. - Of a Magician of Ephiba, near Constantinople, who wrote certain numbers on the ground.—-Of the Magicians, Simon, and Rabbin Abraham of Constantinople-—-Of the Egyptian Magicians, Horay, Abimech, Alcaon, Orilach, and Abimelec.— Of the Arabian Magicians.—Abra-Melin the only truly Great TABLE OF CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS, - _ vii Adept.—Of a Magician, Joseph of Paris, a Christian who had become converted to the Jewish faith, and whose Magic was after the nature of that of Abra-Melin.—Abraham warns Lamech of the error of renouncing the religion in which a man is brought up) . F ; ‘ : ; : : . page 15 (Errors in the Magic of Rabbin Moses.—The Black Magic of Antony the Bohemian of Prague.—The manner of his death.—Of the Austrian Magicians.—Of the young Sorceress of Lintz, with whom he experimented.—Of the Greck Arts of Magic-—Of the may systems of Magical working, and how thet of Abra-Melin was the best; because based on the “yiaclon: of the Qabalah) page 19

(Abraham prepares to perform the Operation recommended in this work.—-He acquires the knowledge and vision of his Guardian Angel and ef the Symbojs of Magic like those of the Third Book). ; ; . page 24 (That he practised Magic with success from iqo9 to 1458.—Of the ‘ivers persons he healed-—Of the Mayical aid he gave.to the Emperor Sigismund of Germany; bow ke lent hin a Farniliar Spirit ; and how he facilitated his marriage —Of the aid he gave to Count Frederic by making magically an army of 2000 horsemen appear—How he helped the Bishop of his Vity.— Hlow he delivered the Count of Varvich (Warwick) from an English prison.—-How he aided the flight of Pope John AAT, from the Council of Constance-—How he forced a person whe had stolen from him, while with the Duke of Bavaria, to confess the theft and restore the money.—Of his warnings and prophecies to the Greek Emperor (Constantine Palzologos),— How he performed the feat of raising a dead person to life, on two occasions, in Saxonia, and in the Marquisate of Magdeburgh. ~-How he obtained by Magic, both his marriage and a considerable treasure of money) . ‘ 2 , : Vili t TARLE OF CONTENTS OF

THE NINTH cHaPrer. (General Advice.—That this Artis founded on the Holy Qabalah.— That all the Signs written in the Third Book are written with the. Letters of the Fourth Hierarchy ; but that the mysterious words are taken from Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Chaldee, Persian, and Arabic) . 6. wl, toe kg PABA ZS THE TENTH CHAPTER. | (Warning advice against the deceits of the Devil and the © vi] Spirits) page 38 THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER (General Advice) . : : . : . page 40 (Additional advice regarding the communication with the Guardian Angel; and of the use of a Child as Clairvoyant in the Invocation) . ; . : : ; : : . page 43 THE SECOND BOOK. PROLOGUE. (Concerning the Sacred Magic), . . page 49 Aer THE FIRST CHAPTER. What we ought to take into consideration before the undertaking of this Operation. ; ; ; . page §2 Of the Age and Quality er the person who wisheth to undertake this Operation . 6 gw lw es Pe 5S THE FOURTH CHAPTER. That most Books on Magic be false and vain : . page §& “" TaBie OF CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS. ix That in this Operation it.is necessary to make election neither « of time, day, morhour. . . 1 6 page 59

‘Concerning the Planetary Hours, and other Errors of the Astrologers page 60 THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. Regarding what it is necessary to accomplish during the first two Moons of the beginning of this Veritable and Sacred Mazzic es page 64 THE EIGHTH CHAPTER, Concerning the two second Moons ~ oe elle eae 69 THE NINTH CHAPTER. Concerning the two last Mcons which must be thus commenced page 70 THE TENTH CHAPTER. Concerning what things a Man may learn and study during these two Moons. ; ; 2 . page 72 THE ELEVENTEL Cri APTER Concerning the Selection of the Place. , Hig > DEE TWELPIE CHAPTER. How one should keep onescif in order to carry out this Operation well + ’ ‘ ‘ . . e . e a . fuge 7/ THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. Concerning what you should demand of the Spirits, who are divided x TABLE OF CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS. into three different Troops, and convoked on three separate days i we. 2a . we a Se , . page 92 THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER, Concerning the sending them away wi, 4 « page 97 What we should answer unto the interrosations of che Spirits, and hoe we should resist their demands , . page gs

How he who intendeth to operate ought to conduct hiinself with regarcl to the Spirits : . ‘ . : : free bot Description cf the Names of the Spirits upon whom we may call to obtain that which we desire. : , ; page 104 THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER. tn what manner we ought to carry out the Operations . pose 123 lik} PHIRI}? BOOK. PROLOGUE. ‘Erief Advice) . , . fee 163 THE FIRST CHACTER. }iow to know all kinds of things Past and Future, which be not how- ever directly opposed to God, and ayain.t His Tety Will pyge 165 How to acquire information, and be enlivhtened concerning every kind of preposition. and all doubtful sciences . page 72 How to cause any Spirit to appear, and tuke vavious forms, as of man, of animal, of bird, etc. . 2 2 page 174. Tani pe-ConTENTS OF CHAPTERS. xi To procure divers Visions . . «6 +» « » «page 195 How one may retain the Familiar Spirits bound or free, in whatsoever form ‘ ; | CS , . : ; page 178 THE SIXTH CHAPTER. How to make manifest mines, and push on all manner of work con-

nected therewith . : page 182 THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. To cause a Spirit to perform all manner of Chemical work and Operations with facility and promptitude, especially as regards Metals. : ; ; : : page 184 THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. To excite Tempests , : ; ; : page 186 THE NINTH CLIAPTER. Tv transform Animals into Men, and Men into Animals. (Also to transform Animals into Stones) —. : : page 187 THE TENTH CHAPTER. To prevent all operations of Necromancy and Magic from producing any effect; except the Operations of the Qabalah, and of thi. sacred Magic... a ee ee , , page {go To cause to be brought to one any kind of book, and whether lost or stolen =, : : : : : page 192 THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER. How to make a Corpse rise from the Dead, and perform all the Opera- ia NG perhaps to the circumstance that the indis- -, pensable “ Badecker” accords only a three or -. four line notice to the “ Bibliotheque de ? Arsenal”; but few Engltsh or American visitors fo Pipe are ecqareetes with its name, situation, , conn. , though nearly all know at least by sight the Biblioth2que Nationale” and the “ Bibhotheque Mazarin”. This “ Library of the Arsenal,” as it ts now called, was founded as a prevate collection hy Antone René Voyer D’ Argenson, Marguts de Paulny ; and was first opened to the public on the oth Floréal, in the fifth year of the French Republic (that 1s to say, on 28h April, 1797), or just a century ago, This Marquis de Pau iny was born in the year 1722, died in 1787, and was successively Minister of War, and Ambassador to Switzerland, to Poland, and to the Venetian R.

public. His later years were devoted to the furmaton of this Lrorary, satd tobe one of the richest private collections known, It was acguired tn 1785 by the Cumte D'Artas, and to-day belongs to the State, It is situated on the right bank of the Seine, in the Rue de Sully, near the river, and not far frum the Pie de la Bastille, and is known as the “ Bibhothegue de P Arsenal”. In round numbers it now possesses 700,000 prinied books, and about 8000 manuscripts, many of them being sf ‘considerable wale. Among the latter ts this Book of the Sacred Magic of AbraMetin, as delivered by Abraham the “few unto his son Lamech ; which I now grve to the public in printed form for the pirst time.

Many years ago I heard of the ex script from @ celebrated occultist, since dea ry attention was again called to it by m. cocll-known French author, lecturer ar whose atterition has been for some time turn: My first-mention:! informant told me that ?: Bulwer Lytton and Eliphss Lévt, that th part of his description of the Sage Rostcruct of Abra-Melin, while the account of the so-c of Sir Philip Derval in the “ Strange Story” copied from and suggested by that of the Magn. Terrace, given in the Eleventh Chapter of the & this present work. Certainly also the manner | applud by Mvjnour in “ Zanont” to the Neoph together with the test of leaving him alone in his ai a short gourney and then returning unexpectedly, CLO5e8} similar to that employed by Abra-~Melin to Abraham, with this difference, that the latter successfully passed through thai test, while Glyndon failed, It would also be espectally such expertments as those described at length in the Third Book, which the author of the “ Strange Story” had in view when he makes Sir Philip Derval in the MS. history of his life speak of certain books describing occult experiments, some of which he had tried and ta his surprise found succeed,

t~-Melin, from which the present work is translated, is a@ French translation from the original Hebrew of Abraham the, Yew. It ts in the style of script usual at abcut the end of the seventeenth and b ginning of the eighteenth centuries, and 1s\ apparently by the same hand as another MS. of the Magic of P.catrix® also in the “ Bibliotheque de [ Arsenal”, I know' cf no other existing copy or replica of this Sacred Magi o Abra-Melin, not even in the British Museum, whose enormous collection of Occult Manuscripts I have very thoroughly oa * Probably the same as Gio Peccatrix the Magictan, the author many Manuscripts on Magic. Neither have 1 cue heard by traditional report of the existence of any other copy.* In. giving it now to the Public, I feel, therefore, that I am conferring a real benefit upon English and American students of Occultsm, by placing within ther reach Jor the first time a Magic al work of such importance from the Occult standpoint. The Manuscript is druided into three Books, each with its separate Title Page, surrounded by an ornamental border of simple design, in red and black ink, and whtch 1s evidently not intended to be symbolical m the shigatest degree, but is simply the work of a consctentious caligraphist Ywishing to give an appearance of cleanness and completeness to the Title Page. The wording of cach is the same: “ Livre Premier (Second or Troisieme, as the case may be) de la Sacrée Magie que Dieu donna a Moyse, Aaron, David, Salomon et a’ d’autres Saints Patriarches et Prophetes qui enseigne la vraye sapience Divine laissée par Abraham & Lamech son Fils traduite de Vhébreu 1458”. J give the translated ttle at the commencement of each of the Three Books.

On .the fly-leaf of the orignial MS. ts the following note ‘9 the hahdwriting of the end of the eighteenth century :— “ This Volume contains 3 Bocks, of which here ts the st—Uhe Abraham and the Lamech, of whom there is here ede gucsiiun, were Sews of the fifteenth century, and it ts vt known that the fews of that period posses sing the Cabala Solgmon passed for being the best Sorcerers ans Astrologers.” n follows tn another and recent hand :— a Volume composed of three parts-— Ist part 102 pages. * Sime writing the nbove, 1 have heard cassally that a copy of at ast part, ot perhaps of the whole, : satd to exist in Holland, The style of the French employed in the text of the MS. 1s somewhat vague .and obscure, two qualities unhappily heightened by the almost entire absence of any attempt at punctuation, and the comparative rarity of paragraphic arrangement. Even the full stop at the close of a sentence ts usually omitted, netther is the commencement of a fresh one marked by a capttal letter. The following example 1s taken from near the end of the Third Book: “‘ Cest pourquoy la premiere chose que tu dois faire principalement ates esprits familiers sera de leur commander de ne tedire jamais aucune chose deuxmemes gue lorsque tu les interrogeras amoins queles fut pour tavertir des choses qui concerne ton utilite outon prejudice parceque situ ne leur limite pas leparler ils tediront tant etdesi grandes choses quils tofusquiront lentendement et tu ne scaurois aquoy tentenir desorte que dans la confusion des choses ils pourroient te faire prevariquer ettetaire tomber dans des erreurs irreparables ne te fais jamais prier en aucune chose ou tu pourras aider et seccourir tonprochain et nattends pas quil tele demande mais tache descavoir afond,” etc.

This extract may be said ta give @ fair wea of the querage quality of the French. ‘The style’ however, of the First Book 1s much more colloquial than thé of the Second and Third, it being especially addressed ¢ Abraham ia Lamech, his son, and the scvsa’ person singul: being employed throughout it. As some English readers m be ignorant of the fact, it ts perhaps as well here to rem that in French “tu,” thou, ts only used between very intin Jriends and relations, between husband and wife, lovers, ¢ while “vous,” you, is the more usual mode of address to . world in general. Again, in sacred books, in prayers, et “vous” is used, auhere we employ “thou” as having a mo. solemn sound than “tu”. Hence the French verb “tutoyer,”: “to be very familiar with, to be on extremely friendly terms wit any one, and even to be msolently famtar’. This First Boc. contains advice concerning Magic, and a description of dbra ham's Travels and experiences, as well as @ mention of the

marvellous works he had been able to accomplish by means of this system of Sacred Magic, The Second and Third Books {which reatly contain the Magic of Abra-Meln, and are practically based on the two MSS, entrusted by him to Abraham, the Sew, but with additional comments by the latter) difkr in style from the former, the phraseology is quaint and at tire wee, and the second person plural, “vous,” 1s employed for the mis? part instead of “tu”. The work may then be thus roughly classthed :—~ First Book := Advue-and Autobiography ; both addressed by the Author to his son Lamech, Second Book :=General and complete description of the means of obtaining the Magical Powers destred, Trird Bok := The appiteation of thes Poawcrs fo produce an immense number af Mewical restles, Though the chapters if the Second and Th: ird Books have speci! headings in the actual text, those of tre es Book have mone ; wheretore in the © T. able of Contents” L have Sup plencnird this defect oy a careful analysis of thetr subject matter. TArs system of Sacred “Magic Abraham ackicw deudges to have recerved from the Maa .déra-Melin ; ard ciatms fo have himself personally and actually wrouvht mest of the anne dontu/ sHects described in the Uhird Buk, and many cthers

Who then was this Abraham the “few? It is porsthle, though there is no mention of tnis in the MS., that he was a descendant of that Abraham the “Few who wrote the celebrated Alchemical work on twenty-one pages of bark or papyrus, which came ints the hands of Nicholas Flame/, and by whose study the latter is: said eventually t haw attamed the possesston of the “Stone of the Wise”. The onty remasms of the Church of Saint “facques ae la Boucheric which exists at the present day, ts the tower, which staads near the Place du Chdtelet, about ten minutes walk from the Bibfthéque de f Arsenal; and there is yet a street near thts tower which bears the title of “ Rue Nila: Flamel, ” so that Ats memory still survives in Paris, together with thai of the Church close to which he lrved, and to which, after the attainment of the Philosopher's Stone, he and his wife "Pernelle caused i handsome peristyle io be erected, From his own acvount, the author of the present work appears to have ocen born in AD, 1362, and to have written this manuscript for Ais sm, Lamech, in 14.58, bemg then in his ninety-sixth year. Thai i: to say, that he was the contemporary both of Nicholas Flamel snd Pernelle, and also of the mystical Christian Rosenkreutz, th. jounder of the celebrated Rosicrucian Order or Fraternity in Ewe rope. Lake the latter, he appears fo have bern very carly setzed with the desire of obiatning Magica’ Kneledge: tke him and Flamel, he left his home and travellec? Ut see! we of the Intiated Wisdom ; tthe them hoth, he returned to become a worker of wonders, At this perid, it coats admast are rsally bebeed that the Secret Knowledge was only really cbiatnable by ot. twhs were willing to quit their Awme and their pe to undergo danger and Aardships in its

west; and this ula even obtais toun ext mt im the present dey. The life of the late Madume B way is an cxamply wt point. This pertod in which Abvaham ithe ow teed was one wm which Magi was almost eatversally beheved in, and in which tts Pr» ofessors were hela in ionour ; Faust (zoho was probadiy also a contemporary of our author), Corneitus Agrippa, Str Michael Scatt, and mary others £ could name, are ex, wmples of this, not to mention the cclebr sted Dr. Dee in a later age. The history of this latter Sage, /is association «uth Sir Edward Keily, and the part he tok 1 the European potiies “f his time are t99 well kiown to necd weseription here. That Abraham the pes was nol one whit behind any of these Magicians tn political influence, is evident to any one whe beruses this work. He stands « dint and shadowy figure behind the tremendous compluaton of centrul sare PeGe upheaval at that terrible and imstructrve epoch; as aidepts of his type always appear and abiaays have appeared upon the theatre of history tn great crises ¢ ff nations. The age whwh could boast stmul-

taneously three rtval claimants to the direction of two of the greatest levers of the society of that era—the Papacy and the Germanic Empire—when the gealoustes of rtval Bishoprics, the overthrow of Dynasties, the Roman Church shaken to her foundations, sounded in Europe the tocsin of that fearful struggle which invariably precedes sacial reorganisation, that wild whirlwind of national convulsion which engulfs in tts vortex the civilisation of a yesterday, but to prepare the reconstitution of a morrow. The enormous historwal importance of such men as cur Author is always underrated, generatly doubted ; notwithstanding that like the writing on the wall at Belshazzar's feast, their manifestation in the political and historical arena ts like the warning of a Mane, Mena Texez, Uriansin, to a foolish and undiscerning world. The full and true history of any Adept could only be written by himself, and even then, if brought before the eyes of the world at large, how many persons would lend credence to it? and even the short und incomplete statement of the notable events of our Author's fife contained in the Firs: Book, will be to most readers utterly incredible of betuf. But what must strike all alike 1s the tremendous faith of the man himself, as witnessed by his many and dangerous journevings for so many years through wild and savage regions and places a‘fficult of access even in our own day with all the increased facies of transit which we enjoy.

This faith at length brought him its reward, though only at the moment when even he was becoming discourazed and sick at heart with disappointed hope. Lik: fits great namesake, the forcfather of the Hebrew race, he had not in vain left his home, his “Ur of the Chaldces,” that he might at denzth ducover that Ligh? of lrikated Wisdom, for which Ais soul had cricd aloud within him for so many years. This culmmation of his wanderings was his meeting with AbraMelin, the Egyptian Mage. From him he recetved that system of Magical instruction and practice which forms the body of the Second and Third Books of this work.

In the Manuscript original this name is spelt in several different ways, I have noted this m the text wherever occurs. The vartations are: Abra-Metin, Abramelin, Abramelim, and fAbraha-Meln. From these I have selected the orthog: — Abra-Melin to place on the tithe page, and T have adhered the same in this Introduction. : As far as can be gathered from the text, the chief place of residence of Abraham the “few after his travels was Wurzburg, or, as it was called in the Middle Ages, “ Herbipolis”. He appears to have married his cousin, and by her to have had two sons, the elder, named “foseph, whom he instructed wm the Mysteries of the Holy Qabalah, and Lamech, the younger, to whom he bequeaths this system of Sacred Magtc as a legacy, and to whom the whole of the First Book ts addressed. He speaks further of three daughters, tu cach of whom he gave 100,000 golden florins as a dowry. He expressiy states that he obtained both jus wife, and a treasure 9f 3,000,000 golden florins, by means of some of the Magwail Operations described in the Third Book. He further admits that bis first mclination to Qubalistical and Magical studies was owing to certain instructions in the Secrets of the Ogbalah, which he recetrved when young from his father, Simon; sc that after the death of the latter his most earnest desire was to travel in search of an Initiated Master.

To the sincere and earnest student of Occultism this work cannot fail to be of value, whether as an encouragement to that most rare and necessary quality, unshaken faith ; as an atd to Ais discrimination between true and false systems of Magic ; or as presenting an assemblage of directions for the production of Maga effects, whin ihe Author of the book afirms to have tried with success. Especially valuable are the remarks of Abraham the Few on the various Professors of the “ Art which none may name” in the course of his wanderings and travels; the account of the many wonders he worked ; and, above all, the careful classification of the Magical Experwments im the Third Book, together with hts observations and advice thereon, . Not least in interest are the many notable persons of that age for or against whom he performed marvels : The Emperor Sigismund of Germany: Count Frederic the Quarreller : the Bishop of his city (probably ether “fohn I., who began the foundation of the Wirzburg Untversity in 1403 with the authorisation of Pope Boniface IX., or else Echter von Mespelorunn, who completed the same noble work): the Count of Warwick: Henry VI. of England: the rival Popes—fohn AXITT,, Martin V., Gregory XII, and Benedict XIII: the Council of Constance: the Duke of Bavaria: Duke Leopold of Saxony : the Greek Emperor, Constantine Paleologos : and probably the Archbishop Albert of Magdeburg: and also some of the Hussite Leaders—a roll of names celebrated in the history of that stirring time.

Considering the era in which our Author lrved, and the nation to which he belonged, he appears to have been somewhat broad in his religious views ; for not only does he sist that this Sacred system of Magic may be attamed by any one, whether Yew, Christian, Mahometan, or Pagan, but he also continually warns Lamech against the error of changing the religion in which one has been brought up ; and he alleges this circumstance as the reason of the occastonal fatlures of the Magician Foseph of Parts (the only other person he mentions besides himself and Abra-Melin wha was acquainted with this particular system of Magic), namely that having been brought up a Ghristian, he had renounced that faith ind became a “few. At first sight it does not seem clear from the Orcult point of view what particular Occult disadvantage should be attached to such a line of action. But we must rememo-r, that in his age, the conversion to another religion invariably meant an absolute, solemn and thorough renunciation and denial of any truth in the religion previously professed by the convert. Herein would be the danger, because whatever the errors, corruption, or mistakes in any particular form of refgion, all are based on and descended from the acknowledgment of Supreme Droine Powers. Therefore to deny any religion

(instead of only abjuring the mistaken or erroneous parts thereof ) would be equivalent to denying formally and ceremonially the truths on which it was originally founded ; so that whenever a person having once done this should bugin to practise the Operations of the Sacred Magic , he wild find himself compelled to afirm swith his whole will-force those very formulas which he had at one time magically and ceremonially (though ignorroth dented ; and whenever he attempted to do this, the occult Law of Reaction would raise as a Ceremonial Obstacle against the effect which he should wish to produce, the memory of that Ceremonial Denial which his previous renunciation had firmly seated in his atmosphere. .4nd the force of this would be in exact proportion to the manner and degree in which he had renounced Ais former creed, Bor of al! Dantes i) Magica! action, the very gresies? and mist fatal is unbehef, for it checks and stops the action of the Will. Even in the commonest natural operatons we see this, Ne child could learn ta walk, no student could assimiiate the formulas of any science, were the unpractiability and impossibility of sa doing the frst thing in his mind. Wherefore tt 1s that ull Aldvpis and Great Teachers af Religion and of Magic have invartably insisted on the necesstty of fatth. But though apparently more broad in view in admitting the excellence of every religron, unfortunately he shows the usual injustice be and jealousy of women which has distinguished men for so many ages, and ¢ which as far as J can see arises purely ‘and simply from an innate conscisusness that wire women once admitted 16 « wmpete with them on any plane without beng handicapped as they have been for so many centuries, the former would speec fay prove their fe ih rity, as the Amazons of old did;

which latter (as the % itings even of their especial enemies, the Greeks, unwillingly admit) when voerconmte, were conquered by superior numbers, not by superior valour. However, ibraham the Few grudgingly admits that the Sacred Magu may be attained hy a virgin, while at the same time dissuading any onc from te aching it to her! The numerous advanced female accult students of the present day are the best answer to this.

But notwithstanding the forementioned shortcomings, his advice on the manner of using Magical Power, when acquired, to the honour of God, the welfare and relief of our neighbour, and for the benefit of the whole Animate Creation, 1s worthy of the highest respect ; and no one can peruse it without feeling that his highest wish was to act up to his beltef. His counsel, however, of a retired hfe after attaining Magical Power by his system (I do not speak of the retirement during the six months preparation for the same) is not borne out by his own account of his life, wherein we find fim so constantly involved in the contests and Ttnvulsions of the time. Also, however much the hfe of a hermit or anchorite may appear * he advocated, we rarely, if ever, find it followed by thase Aare whom I may perhaps call the inttiated and wonderworking medium between the Great Concealed depts and the Outer World. An example of the former class we may find in our Author, an example of the latter in Abra-Meitn, The particular scheme or system of Magic advocated m the present work is fo an extent “sui generis,” 4uf to an extent only, It is rather the manner of tts application which makes it unigue. In Magic, that ts te say, the Science of the Control of the Secret Forces of Nature, there have always been tee great schools, the one great in Gusd, the other in Fil; the former the Magic of Light, the latter that of Darkness ; the Jormer usually depending on the knowledge and invocaten of the Angelic natures, the fatter on the method of evocation of the Demome races. Usaatly the former is term d White Magic, as opposed to the latter, or Black Magic.

The invocation of Angelic Forces, then, 1s an idea common in works of Magic, as also are the Ceremonies of Pact with and submission to the Evil Spirits. The system, however, taught in the present work 1 based on the following conception : (a) That the Good Spirits and Angelic Powers of Light are superior in power to the Fallen Spirits of Darkness. (B) That these latter as a punishment have been condemned to the service of the Initiates of the Magic of Light. (This Idea is to be Sound “xvi 0 om le LNTRODUCTION. also in the Kéran; or, as it 1s frequently and perhaps more correctly written, “Qtr-an”.) (y) As a consequence of this doctrine, al’ ordinary material effects and phenomena are produced by the labour of the Evil Spirits under the command usually of the Gout. (8) That consequently whenever the Evil Demons can escape from the control of the Good, there ts no evtl that they will not work by way of vengeance. (€) That therefore sooner than obey man, they will try to make him their servant, by inducing him to conclude Pacts and Agreements with them. (€) Unat to further this progect, they will use every gears that offers to obsess him. (9) That in order to become an, Adept, therefore, and dominate them; the greatest possible firmness of will, purity of soul and intent, and power of selfcontrol 1s necessary. (8) That this is only to be attained by self-abnegation on every plane.

(s) That man, therefore, is the mitale mature, amd natural controller of the middle nature between the Angels and the Demons, and that therefore to each man 1s attached naturally both a Guardian Angel and a Malevolent Demon, and also certain Spirits that may become Familtars, so that with him it rests to give the victory uito the which he will, («) That, therefore, in order to control and make service of the Lower and Evil, the knowledge of the Higher and Good is regursite (i.e., m the language of the Theosophy of the present day, the knowledge of the Higher

From this it results that the magnum opus propounded in this work 1s; by purtty and self-denial to obtain the knowledge af and conversation with one’s Guardian Angel, so that thereby and thereafter we may obtam the right of using the Eruil Spirits for our servants in all matertal matters. This, then, is the system of the Secret Magic of AbraMelin, the Mage, as taught by his disciple Abraham the ‘few; and elaborated down to the smallest points. Except in the professed Black Magtc Grimetres, the necessity of the invocation of the Divine and Angelic Forces to control the Demons is urvariably insisted upon in the operations af evocation described and taught in Medieval Magical Manuscripts and published works. So that it is not se much, as I have before said, this circumstance, as the mode of tts development by the Six Moons’ preparation, which ts unusual ; while again, the thorough and complete classification of the Demons with their offices, and of the effects to be produced by their services, is not to be found elsewhere. Apart from the interest attaching to the description of his travels, the careful manner in which Abraham has made note of the various persons he had met professing to be tn the possesston of Magical powers, what they really could do and could not do, and the reasons of the success or fatlure of their experiments, has a particular value of tts own.

The idea of the employment of a Child as Clairvoyant in the invocation of the Guardian Angel is not unusual; for example, in the “ Mendal,’ a style of Ortental Drvination famifiar to all readers of Wilkie Collins novel, “ The Moonstone,” ink ts poured nto the palm of a Child's hand, who, after certain mystical words being recited by the Operator, beholds visions clatrvoyantly therein. The celebrated evocation at which the great Mediaeval Sculptor, Benvenuto Celli, 13 saud to have assisted, also was in part worked by the aid of a Child as Seer. Gaghostra® also ts said to have avatled himself of the services of Children in this particular, But for my part I cannot understand the wiperattie tic sity of the employment of a Child in the Angelic evocation, if the Operator be pure im mind, and has developed the clairvoyant jucuity which is latent in every Auman being, and which 1s based on the utilisation of the thoughtvision. This thought-viston is exercised almost unconsctously by every one in thinktng of either a place, person, or thing, which they know well ; immediately, coincident with the thought, the image springs before the mental sight; and it is but the conscious and voluntary development of this which 1s the basis of what is commonly called clairvoyance. Among the Highlanders of Scotland, the faculty, as 1s well known, 1s of common

* See Appendix B. manifestation ; and by the English it ts usually spoken of as “ Second-Sight”’. Unfortunately, like far too many modern Occultists, Abraham the ‘few shows a marked intolerance of Magtal systems differmg from his own ; even the renowned name of Petrus di Abano* 1s not sufficient to save the “ Heptameron or Magical Elements” from condemnation in the concluding part of the Third Book, iWorks on Magic, Written Conjurations, Pentacles, Seals, and Symbuls, the employment of Magical Circres the use of any language but one’s mother tonguc, appear at pins ‘t sight to be damned wholesale, though on a more careful examsnation of the wet I think we shall find that it 1s rather thetr abuse throgh ignorance of thetr meaning whith he intends t) decry, than er inte lligent and properly regulated use. It will be well here to carefully examine these points from the occult standpoint of an Initiate, and for she hem fit of real students. Abraham in several places inststs that the basts of se system of Sacred Magic is to be found in the Qabalah. Nox he expressly states that he has instructed his eldest son, Yoseph. herein as being his right by primogemture, even as he himself had recerved somewhat of Qgbaltstic mstruction from his father, Simon. But this system of Magic he bequeaths to his younger son. Lurmech, capressly as a species of recumpense to him for not berg tithe the Qabalah, Ais status as a younger son being apparently @ serious rrrdtirional divguatifcation, This bving so, the reason ts evident why he warns Lamech agams?

th: use of certain Seals, Pentacles, incomprehensible words, etc. ; because most of these being based on the secrets of the Qabalah, tit use by a person ignorant hereof might be excesstvely dangervus through the not only possible but probable perversion of the Secret Formulas therein contained, Any advanced student af Occultism who is conversant with Medieval works on Magic, whether MS. or printed, knows the enormous and incredible number of errors in the Sigils, Pentacles, and Hebrew or

* Born about 1250. een | xxix Chaldce Names, which have artsen from ignorant transcription and re production , - this being carried to such an cktent that in some cascs the use of the distorted formulas gruen would actually have the effect of producmg the very opposite result to that expected from them. (T np commented at length on this subject in my notes to the © Key of Solomon,” published by mea few years ago.) Wherefure € ee the “Sew it appears to me, in his anxicty to save his son from dangerous errors in Magical x “4 RINZ, has preferred to enaeavour to fill him with contempt fur any aes systems and methids of operation than the one here laid down. For-alsy besides the unintentional perversions of Magtcal Symbels I have absve mentioned, there was further the circunistanve not only possible but probable of the miny Black Magn Grimoirc: fall rug into his hands, as they et idently utd ito are ahi s, the S Ne uw which are MH MEANY Case's ieee porver sans of Dreine ames and Seals, sues ts attract the Foul Spirits und repel the Gaul. Por the ‘Third Ai af’ tis work is creutded aie) QubaiIStIC Squares ¢ abo da thers, which are simply so many Pentactes, and in sohich the Names employed are He very factors which make them of value. Am mg them & find a form of the celebrated Sartor, Axgra, Taxr7, Opie 4, Roras, which is one of the Peatachs in the “ Key of Sclomon”, Abrahams furmula ts slightly differcni :-—-

L{BIM?iBIL een ee mes sc cial Glrlnt Ria M/O;L/A!S and is to be used for obtatnng the love of a maiden. The Pentacle in my “ Key of Solaman the Kine” ts classed under Saturn, waitle the above tu appled to the nature of I grve the Hebrew form (see Appendix A, Table of Hebrew and Chaldee Letters) of mee on Or wn Luitn Letters + a rare ae eae ayaa apni fa! % E ’ P i O es ee eee asia aa sed i a if 2 [oe TIieE N; E r - § Saree emt en ree 2 RE Re Be ag ‘ PiE: Ria an er we of my Lechnontiinatinamnadt tiementetlimonad In the “ Key of Solomon” it ts (as being a Peniactes inscribed within a double circle, whereut 1 written the poll AvINe wersicle from Pealm lxxti., v. & 2% Lis daminian shall he alsu from the one sea unin the other, and from the ood unto the world's end”, dn the Hebrew, this versn le consists of exactly fwentyfive letters, the number of the letters of the square. Tt wilt Se at once noticed that hoth thts form and that cien by 4! oaham

« Few are pertect examples of double Acrostics, thar 1s, ae they read in every direction, whether forrocntas or "perpen dicular, whether backwards or forwards. But tare form groen as a Pest’ on the “© Key of Sloman the Kong” ts there saul to be of waluc in adversity, and for repressing: the pride of the This example therefore shirws cles ig that 1 ts not so much the use of Symbolic Pentaches that Abraham is opposed to, as their ignorant perversions and inapprop-tate use. It ts also to be observed, that while many of the Symbolw Squares of Letters .f the Third Book present the nature of the double eferostic, there wre dso manw which do not, and in the case of « great number wre letters do not fill up the square entirely, but are arranged somewhat m the form of a ree wsen, etc. Others again leave the centre part of the square hionee In Appen dix C%® t, the Introduction ¢ will, Sor the sake of comparison, arve sonic examples of Jngelic invocation taken from other sources. Abraham the jew repeated/y udmits, as I have bef ore urged, that ti particular System of the sacred Magi of Abra-Melin has its Basis in the Qabalah. It ts well ta examine what ts here meant. The Qabalah itself is drvided into many parts: the great bulk of it ts of a mystic doctrina! nature, grving the mner Occult nicaning of the “Fewish Sacred Writings. Also wt enploys the numerical values jt Hebrew Letters, io draw analogies between words, the total numerwal value of wirose letters is the same; this branch alone ts a most complicated siudy, and it witt be foreig rn ty our purpose [0 go into it here ; the more so as my work, the “ Kabbalah Unvetied,” treats at eugth of all the points, The socalled Practical Duhalo' «+s the application the mystw teachings to the pro-

| Mugtcul effects. Far the fen of . Ce meres, 6 O found carried out even to minute deticl in. the Qebalu', $0 that the dannwledge hereof cat grve a eritical appreciatin of the correspe and antipathtes obtaning om the Invr sible World. "Therefore what Abraham eam is, that this system v7 Sicred Magic ts thuroughty reliable, because correct im alt its attributions, and that this being so, there is no chance of the Operator using Names and Formaias on wrong occasions and ia error. But also it is notable that Abraham the ‘few (probably again with the mtent of confusing Lamech as tittle as possthie) * See Appendéx C, “ Exanzpies of A speaks only of twa great classes of Spirtts: the Angels and the Dewtls ; the Sormer to control, the fatter to be controlled ; and heaves entirely out of consideraticn, or rather does not describe that wast race of beings, the bitemental Spirits, who in themselves comprise an infinitude of varivus drvisions of classification, some of these bein ¢ good, some evil, and a great proportion neither the ane nor the other. Exsidently, also, many of the risults proposed to be attained in the Third Baok, would imply thos ot the Eiemental Spirits rather than that of the Demons. Ne sawed Adept, such as Abraham evidently seas, couid posts > ignorant of thetr existence, power, and value; and uv are therefore forced ti conclude either that he was unwilling fo reveal this knowledge to Lamech;

or, which is infinitely more! probable, that he feared to confuse him by the large amount of vddtional instruction which would be necessary to make hin thoroughly understand thetr classification, nature, and offices. “This latter tine of action would be the vss impcrairve, as the correctness of the symbole of the Third Book wuoald minimise chances of error; and what Abraham is undertaking in tach Lamech, 13 Ries to arrtce at practicc:l Magical resudts ; rather thin the Secret Wssdoni f the Qahalah,

fi is entircly beyind the scupe af thas intr: duction for me f9 x an Rere any is ngthy Li 6 rtation on the nalre®, gond or eel, of Spare ual beings. 1 will, therefore, only state briefly aie conctiely the principal differences between Angels, Ele~ e may then cinctude that Angels, though themselus mto numerous orders and classes, possess generally the wing characteristics: That they are entirely good in nature and operation, the conscient admmtsirators of the Devine Will upon the plane of the ma terial untuerse; that they are responsible, not irresponsible azents, and therefore capable of fall; and that they are independent of the currents of the infinite Secret Forces of Nature, and can therefore act beyond them, though their classification and quatities will cause them fo be mare sympathetic with certain among these forces than 2: INTRODUCTION. a XXxili with the rest, and this in varying degree. Also that they are ‘superior in power to Men, Spirits, Elementals, and Deut!s. The Elementals on the other hand, though consisting of .an -tnfinitude of classes, are the Forces of the Elements of Nature, the administrators of the currents thereof; and can therefore never act beyond and independently of ther own particular currents, In a sense, therefore, they are irresponsible for the action of a current as a whole, though responsible for the part

- thereof in which they immediately act, Therefore also they are at the same time subject to the general current of the Force, wherein they lrve, move, and have their bemg ; though supertor to the immediate and partuular part-of it which they direct. Such races, supertor to man in intuition, and magical powers ; infer tor to him in other ways; supertr to him in their power ina particular current of an Element; infertor to him in only purtaking of the nature of that one Element ; are of necessity to be found constantly recurring in all the Mythologies af Antiquity, Th: Dwarfs and Fhas of the Scandnauans ; the Nimphs, Hamad; yads, and Nature Sprrits of the Greeks ; the Fairies good and bad of the legends dear to our childish days ; th: host of Mermaids, Satyrs, Fauns, Sylphs, and Fays ; the Forces intended to be attracted and propitiated by the Fetishes of the Negro-Race ; are for the most part no other thing than the H-understend manifestations of this great class, the Elementals. tmong thes. some, as I have befor: observed, are good ; such are the Sufamanders, Undines, Svlphs, and Gnomes, of the | Rosteructan Philosophy 3 many are frightful y malignant,

avlightng in every Rind of evil, and migit casily be mistaken Jor Devils by the uninitiated, save that their power ts less; a great proportion are neither good nor evil, irrationally working either 3 just as a monkey or a parrot might act; in fact such Closely resemble antmals in their nature, and especially combinations of animals, in which forms distorted and mingled, would tte their symbolic wmanifestation. Another very large class, would nat act irrationally & 4c waaner s but with intent, only awa ys following the prediaannane force either Lond or eutl in thew then entourage; a@ spirit of this kind, for example, attracted ita an assembly of good persons would endeavour to excite ther ideas towards good; attracted among evil-minded persons wild incite them mentally to crime. Among how many criminals 1s not their only excuse that “ they thought they kept hearing something telling them to commit the crime”! Yet these suggestions would not always arise from Elementals alone, but frequently from the depraved astral remnants of deceased evil persons. Devils, on the other hand, are far more prwerful than Elementals, but their action for Eutl is parallel to that of the Good Angels for Good; and their malignancy is far more terrible than that of the Evil Elementals, for not being, like them, subjected ty the limits of a certain current, their sphere of speration extends over a far greater area; while the Evil they commit is never irrational or mechanical, but worked with full consctousness and intent,

I do not agree entirely with the manner of. behaviour, advised by Abraham towards the Spirits; aa the contrary, the true Initiates have aly, mye maiutained that the very greatest courtesy should be muinttested by the Exorciser, and that it ts only «when they are obstindte and ricaleitrant that severe measures shoitld be resarted ta; and that cven with the Dewtl: we should not reproach them for their condition ; seein that ua contrary tine of action %& certain ts lead the Magiciar ints error. But. perhaps, Abraham has rather intended to ware Lamech aginst the danger of yielding to then man Exorcism even in the sight st degree, . The coord “ Demon” is evidently employed in this work almost as a synonym af Devil; Aut, i2s most educated pesple are aware, it ty derned prom the Greek *Daimon, which anctently simply meant any Spirit, good oF bad, | | A work filled with suggestrve Magical references ts the well-knnen “ Arabian Nights.” and it is interesting fo note the number of directions in the Third Baok of this woeb for producing similar effects to those there celebrated. For example, the ninth chapter of the Third Book gerves the symbols to be employed for changing human beings into animals, one of the commonest incidents in the “ Arabian Nights,” as in the story of the “first old man and the hind,” that of the “three Calendars and the five ladies of Bagdad,” that of “* Beder and Giauhare,” etc., etc. ; as distinct from the voluntary transformation of the Magician into another form, as exemplified in the “ story of the Second Calendar,” the symbols for which are grven in the twenty-first chapter of our Third Book, _

Again these chapters will recall to many of my readers the extraordinary magical effects which Faust ts satd ta have produced ; who, by the way, as I have before remarked, was in all probability contempcrary with Abraham the “few. But the mode of thetr production as grven in this work !s nut the Black Magic of Pact and Devil-rcorship, against which our Author so constantly inveighs, but instead a system of Qabalistic Magi, similar to that of the “ Key of Solomon the King” and the “ Clavwks of Rubdt Solomon,” though differ ti une ctrcumstatce of the prior ueocatun of the Guardian Angel once for all, while in the works I have just mentioned the Angels are invoked in each Evocation by means of the Magwal Circle. Such works as these, then, and their like, it could nat be the intention of Abraham to decry, Seemg thet Hike le syskn ehey are faanded on the Secret Knowledge of th: Qebalah ; as this im its turn was derived from that vurhty scheme Gf Aneini Wisdsm, the Initiated Magic of haypt, Pur te aHY deep stddent at te gen se ibalah and of modern Bevptil gv, tie pedir é eee mer is ecntenily to be sought in that cuunirr op oy. ries, the ee of the Gus whase synods itt a ste asses ud OP } oF iMed 3% spreuous a part of +h Guered Kites; and from which even oe ‘ p Sik f day, s i a uy reelpes of . Magn have descended. Mor if Make a2 very careful distinction between the really Muwnt Fgyptian Magic, and the Arabian ideas and traditions prevailing in Egypt in recent times. I think it is the karned

Lenormant who pomts out in jus work on Chaldean Magic, that the great difference between this and the Egyptian was that the Magician of the former School indeed invoked the Spirits, but that the latter alhed himself with and took upon himself the characters and names of the Gods to command the Spirits by, in his Exorcism; which latter mode of working would not only amply on his part a critical knowledge of the nature aid power of the Gods ; but also the affirmation of his reliance upon them, and hts appeal to them for atd to cantrol the forces evoked ; in other words, the most prafeund system of White Magic which t ts possiéle ta concerve. The aext point worthy of notice is what Abraham urzes reger ding the proferability of employing one’s mother tongue beth in praver and evocation ; hrs chief reason being the absolute necessity uf eamprehending utterly and th raughily with the whol si! and heart, that which the lips are formulating, While Jelly admitting the necessity of thit, IL yet wrsh ta state some reasons in favour of the employment of a lancucge other than oes aNd, ( Ais, aud fro that it aids the mind to concetve cf his ier crpcct of the Operation . whit a TOT ENE lang ude cid ove loiked upon és sacred is emplayed, and the phrases 4 ich dy not therefore suggest matters of erdinary life.

Next thet Hebrew, Uhaldec, Egvpuen, Grek, 1 win, eti'., if pro perly pronounced! wre more sanoreus 11 othration than mos, modern languazes, and from that circumstance Can sugges ereater solemnity, Alsa that the farther a Magtcal Oper atin I remih cf fram the commonplace, tht | bottler, E ut / perfec th agree with Abraham, that it is nefore all tangs miperatrn that the Operatar shcihd thorawghty ¢ mprehend the impart & his Prayer or Conjuratio. — Furvsevasvre the words m thes: ancient JangUages UPL a oa artthes Z f corres pondences Wile, more ease than those of the Maitre OP, -

Pentactes and Symbols av valuable as an ads and fitting basis fur the reception 7} Mag.cal i ene y des the Operator cun really attract that force ie a pies ee nothing but so may dead, and to him wortness, diagrams. But used by the Initiate who fully comprehends their meaning, they become to him a powerful protection and ard, seconding and focussing the workings of his Will. “At the risk of repeating what I have elsewhere said, I must caution the Occult student against forming a mistaken judgment from what Abraham the “few says regarding the use of Magi Circles and of Licensing the Spirits to Depart. It ws true that in the Convocation of the Spirits as laut down by him, it ts not necessary to form a Magic Circle for defence ad protection; but why ? - Because the whole group of the Bedchamber, Oratory, and Terrace, are consecrated by the preparatory Ceremonies of the previous Six Moons ; so that the whole place is protected, and the Maguian 1s, as tt were, residing constantly within a Magic Circle. Therefore abso the Licensing to Depart may be to a great extent dispensed with because the Spirits cannot break mta the consecrated limtt of the poe) af the walls of the house. But fet the worker of ordinary Eoscations be assured that were this not so, and the Convocation was perforr ned th an unconsecrated place, without any Magical Circle Aavt. ng been traced fir ch Pence, the invucatian to visible appearance of such fearful pute ne ies as Amaymon, E BN, and Beelzebub, would probably result mn the death of the Exorcist on the spot; such death presenting the

symptoms of one ar TNg from Epilepsy, Apoplexy, or Strangulifon, varying with the conditions obtaining at the trme, Als the Circle having bcen once firmed, let the Eevocator guard carctully against cithr passiig, cr stooping, or leaning 4Aeyond, its /units during the progress of the Exorcism, before the fecnse to apart hus been grven. — Because that, even apart from other causes, the whale obgect and effect of the Circle working, 18 to create abnormal atmospheric condttions, by exetti ing a different status of force within the Circle to that which exists without it ; so that even without any malignant occult action of the Spirits, the sudden and unprepared change of atmosphere will seriously affect the Exorciser in the intensely strained state of nervous tension he will then be in. Also the License to Depart should not be umitted, because the Extl Forces will be only too glad to revenge themselves on the Operator for having disturbed them, should he incautiously quit the Circle without having previously sent them away, and if necessary even forced them to go by contrary conjurations. I do not share Abraham's opinion as to the necessity of agen: the Operation of this Sacred Magic from a Prince

x Potentate. Evvery great system of Oc cultism has its own Osi t Guards, who will know how to avenge mistaken tampering therewith, At the risk of reper ting myself I will once more earnestly caution the Student against ihe dangerous automatic nature of cemramn of the Muguwal Squares of the Third Book ; Sor, if left care dessly about, they are very Hable to obsess sensitive persons. children, or even anunals, Abraham's remarks concerning the errors of Astroingy ti the common sense, and cf the attribution of the Plonetar ‘y Hours are worthy 9 careful note. Yet L have found the ordinary attribution <f the Planetary Hours effective to an extent, = all cases where there 1s anything dificult or vhscure m the text, I have added copius explanatory nutes; $9 many miler ve as to form a specws of commentary in parts. Espectally have those on the Names of the Spirits cost me incredible labour, from the dificulty of identifying their rort-forms, The same may be sard of those on the Symbols of the Third Book. Wherever I have enipluyed parentheses in the actual text, they shew certain words or phrases supplied to make the meanwg clearer. Ln conclustan I will only say that I have written this explanatory Introduction purely and sulely as a help to genuine Occult students ; and that for the opinion of the ordinary hterury critic whs neither understands nor bebo: 0, Occustism, I care nothin

With regard to the manner in which he employed this Child-Clarrveyant, the documents of the trial give the followin. g information :—- This Child had to kneel Lefore a small table, cin which a vessel of water and some lighted candles were placecd. He then instructed the buy to look into the vessel of water, and so commenced his conjurations 5 he next laid his haud on thie head of the Child, and in this position addressed a praver to God for a successful issue of the experiment. The Child now became Clairvoyant, aud said at first thar he saw something white ; the:n that he saw visions, an Angel, etc.” Again the documents say, “* That he worked through tl usual ceremonies, and that all was woidertully corroborate through the appearance of the Angel”. Caghostro is alse said at Milan to have availed himself « the services of an orphan maiden of marriageable age as clairvoyan It will be remarked that this modus operandi differs strong from that employed by the mesmerists and hypnotists of to-day wt their clairvevanis. For here the whole force of the Operator w: concentrated on a magical ritual of evocation, the hand bein merely laid on the child's head to form a ink ; and it in no wi appears that the child was reduced te the miserable condition + automatic trance now practised, and which a really advance Occultist would be the firsi to condemn, as knowing its dangers.

On the other hand, there seems to be a distinct sirmularit between Cagliesiro’s method, and the system of Oriental Divin: tion called che Mendal, to which I have previously referred. (APPENDIX C.) va EXAMPLES OF OTHER METHODS OF ANGELIC EVOCATION. For the benefit of the Occult Student I here give two other systems of Angelic Evocation. The first is taken from that part of the Book called “ Barrett's Magus” (1801), which is entitled “the Key to Ceremonial Magic”. The second is copied from my ‘Key of Solomon the King”. From “ The Perfection and Key of . . . Ceremonial Magic" ; being the second part of the second Book of “The Magus or Celestial Intelligencer ” ; * by Francis Barrett, F.R.C. “ The good Spirits may be invocated of us, or by us, divers ways, and they in sundry shapes and manners offer themselves to is, for they openly speak to those that watch, and do offer them- ‘elves to our sight, or do inform us by dreams and by oracle of those things which we have a great desire to know. Whoever heretore would call any goud Spirit to speak or appear in sight, ie must particularly coserve two things ; one whereof ts about the disposition of the invocant, the other concerning those things which arc outwardly to be adhibited to the invocation for the cuntormity of the Spirit to be called.

“Tt 1s necessary therefore that the invocant religiously lispose himself for the space of many days to such a mystery, nd to conserve himself during the time chaste, abstinent, and to abstract himself as much as he can from all manner of foreign ind secular business ; likewise he should observe fasting, as much as shall seem convenient to him, and Jet him daily, between sun- * Published originally by Lackington & Alien, London, 1801 ; yut reprinted and re-issued by Bernard Quaritch, Piccadilly, some ars since. rising and setting, being clothed in pure white linen, seven times call upon God, and make a deprecation unto the Angels to be called and invocated. according to the rule which we have before taught. Now the number of days of fasting and preparation is commonly one month, #.c., the time of a whole Junation. Now, in the Cabala, we generally prepare ourselves forty days before. ‘“ Now concerning the place, it must be chosen clean, pure, close, quiet, free from all manner of noise, and not subject to any stranger's sight. This place must first of all be exorcised and consecrated ; and let there be 2 Table or Altar placed therein, covered with a clean white linen cloth, and set towards the east : and on each side thereof place two consecrated wax-lights burning, the flame thereof ought not to go out all these days. In the middle of the Altar let there be placed lamens, or the holy paper we nave before described, cuvered with fine linen, which ts not to be opened until the end of the days of consecration. You shall also have in readiness a precious perfcume and a pure anointing oil. And Jet them both be kept consecrated. Then set a censer on the head of the Altar, wherein you shall kindle the Ac/y fire, and make a precious perfume every dav that you prav. |

‘Now fur your habit, you shall have a long garment of white linen, close before and behind, which may come down quite over the feet, and gird yourself about the loins with ; girdle. You shall likewise have a veil made of pure white linen cr which must be wrote in a gilt Jamen, the name Telragrammaion all which things are to be consecrated and sanctified in orde But you must nut go into this hely place all it be first washe and covered with a cloth new and clean, and then you may enter but with your feet naked and bare ; and when you enter therei you shall sprinkle with holy water, then make a perfume upo. the altar ; and then on your knees pray before the altar as w have directed. ‘Now when the time 1s expired, on the last day, you she fast more strictly ; and fasting on the day following, at the risin of the sun, enter the holy place, using the ceremonies befo spoken of, first by sprinkling thyself, then, ee a perfums you shall sign the cross with holy oil on the forehead, an anoint your eyes, using prayer in all these consecrations. The open the lamen and pray before the Altar upon your Knees ; an then an invocation may be made as follows :—-

. AN INVOCATION OP THE GOOD SPIRITS. Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity, I do desire + and mighty Angels (here name the Spirtt or Spirits have appear), that if it be the Divine Will of is called Tetragrammaton, efc., the Holy God, the t ye take upon ye some shape as best becometh your cure, and appear to us visibly here in this place, and r demands, in as far as we shall not transgress the _ of the Divine mercy and goodness, by requesting un- - al knowledge ; but that thou wilt yraciously shew us what wings are most profitable for us to know and do, to the glory nd honour of His Divine Majesty Who liveth and reigneth vorld without end. Amen. i “Vord, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven— nake clean our hearts within us, and take nuit Thy [oly Spirit rom us. O Lord, by Thy Name we have calied them, suffer chem to administer unto us. “ And that all things may work together for Thy Honour, and Glory, to Whom with Thee, the Son and blessed Spint, be scribed all might, majesty, and dominion, world without end. Imei.

‘Luc Invocation being made, the Good Angels will appear nto you whicn you desire, which you shall entertain with a haste communication, and Sicence them to depart. “ Now the Lamen which is used to invoke any Good Spirit must be made after the folowing manner : erther 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 trivngular, or of the like sort, according to the rule of the numbers; in which there must be written the Divine Names, is wel] genera] 2s special. And in the centre of the amen draw a hexagon” or character of six corners ; in the aiddle thereof write the Name and Character of the Star, or of he Spirit his Governor, to whom the Good Spirit that is to be ‘alled is subject. And about this Character let there be placed so many Characters of hve corners, or pentacles,t as the Spirits we * Probably an error for “hexagram,” or “ hexangle”. + Probably an error for “ pentagrams,” or “ pentangles ”. would call together at once. But if we should call o nevertheless there must be made four pentagons, why name of the Spirit or Spirits with their characters ; written. Now this Lamen ought to be couiposed . Moon is in her increase, on those days and hours whic the Spirit ; and if we take a fortunate planet therewith, the better for the producing the effect ; which Table being rightly made in the manner we have fully descr. be consecrated according to the rules ahove delivered,

“And this is the way of making the genera! Tab. Lamen for the invocating of all Spirits whatever; the for. whereof you may see in plates of pentacles, seals, and lamens. “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 <hosen pure, clean, and covered everywhere 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 coa! ; let there be written in the outer part of the Circle the Name of the Angels; in the inner part thereof write the Mighty Name of Gud ; and let be placed within the Circle, at the Four Parts o the World,* the vessels for the perfumes. Then being washed and fasting, let him enter the place, and pray towards the Eas this whole Psalm :-—‘‘ Blessed a.c the undefiled in the way, ete.’ Psalm ciy. Then make a funvigation, and deprecate the Ange: by the said Divine Names, that they will appear unto you, anu reveal or discover tnat whica vou so earnestly desire ; and do this continually for six days washed, and fasting. Ou 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 c:

both hands, and upon the feet; then with bended knees, say th. Psalm aforesaid with Divine and aAugeieal Names. 9 Whreet bite said, arise, and walk round the Circle fram Eusr i fey: until thou shalt be wearied with a giddiness of thy head ana brait then straightway fall down in the Circle, where thou mayest res! and thou wilt be wrapped up in an cestasy; ond a Spent wu appear and inform thee of all things necessary to be known, Wi must observe also, that in the Circle there ought to be four holy

* fe. The Cardinal Points, or Quarters. 13 burning at the Four Parts ot the World, which ought not nt light for the space of a week. “And the manner of fasting is this: to abstain from all gs having a life of scuse, and from those which do proceed vm them, Re him drink only pure running water ; neither is chere any food or wine to be taken tili t= going down of the Sun. “Let the perfume and the holy anointu.g oil be made as ts set forth in Exodus, aid other holy books of the Biutz It is also ‘to be observed, that as often as he enters the Circle he hac upon his forehead a golden lamen, upon which must be written tne Name Tetragrammaion, in the manner we have before mentioned.” In “ The Key of Solomon the King " * (Book IJ.—Chapter <XL.) will be found other directions for invoking spirits as lows :-— “Make a small Book containing the Prayers for all the perations, the Names of the Angels in the form of Litanies, eir Seals and Characters; the which being done thou shalt “igecrate the same unto God and unto the pure Spirits in the anner following :—

“Thou shalt set in the destined place a small table covered ith a white cloth, whereon thou shalr Jay the Book opened at ‘e Great Pentacle which should be drawn on the first leaf of the id Book ; and having kindled a lamp which should be susmnded above the centre of the table, thou shair surround the ’ table with a white curtain; f clothe thyself in the proper ments, and holding the Book open, repeat upon thy knees following prayer with great humility :— “Avon at, dfcowms, Fa. Marien AsHeR KHEIEH, Prince ’ Princes, Existence of Existences, have mercy upon me, and st Vhine eyes upon Thy servant (N.) who invoketh Thee most veutiy, and supphlicateth Thee be Thy Holy and tremendous sme, Tetragrammaton, to be propitious and to order Thine igels and Spirits to come and take up their abode in this ce; O ye Angels and Spirits of the Stars, O all ye Angels and ‘mentary Spirits, O all ye Spirits present before the Face of * Published by G. Redway, London, 1889. + So as to make a species of small tabernacle around the altar. God, I the Minister and faithful Servant of the Most High jure ye, let God Himself, the Existence of Existences, conju. to come and be present at this Operation ; I the Servant of C most humbly entreat ye. Amen.

“ After which thou shalt incense it with the incense prope. to the Planet and the Day, and thou shalt replace the Book on the aforesaid table, taking heed that the Fire of the Lamp be kept up continually during the operation, and keeping the curtains closed. Repeat the same Ceremony for seven days, beginning with Saturday, and perfuming the Book each Sd with the Incense proper to the Planet ruling the day and hour, and taking age that the Lamp shall burn both day and night; afte the which thou shalt shut up the Book in a small Drawer und. the table, made expressly for tt, until thou shalt have occasic to use if; and every time that thou wishest to use it, clot thyself with thy vestments, inner the lamp, and icpeat upon th Knees the aforesaid prayer, ‘Aponat, Evonim, ete. “Tits nevessary also in the Consceration of the Book, summon atl the An screeds whose Names are written therein in t form or batanies, the which thou shalt do with devotion ; at. even ifthe Anpels and Sperits appear noc in the Consecration ¢ the Buok, be not thou astonished thereat, seeing that they are a pure nature, and consequently have much difficulty in familia ising themselves with men who are inconstant and impuic, & the Ceremonics and Characters being correctly carried devoutly, and with perseverance, they will be ‘constrained come, and it will at Jength happen that at thy first invoca thou ele he able to see and communicate with them. Bu advise thee to pain nothing unclean or impure, for then tl impertunity, far from attracting them will only serve to chr them from coe - and it will be thereafter exceedingly difficult f. thee to attract them for use for pure ends.”

JHICH GOD GAVE UNTO MOSES, AARON, DAVIY, SOLOMON, AND OTHER SAINTS, PATRIARCHS AND PROPHR’S; WHICH TEACHETH THE TRUE DIVE WISDOM, © oh) a eeenencnnn an, for pro! ogue shai ae the seta rales to acquire Wk Divine and Sacred Magic ; nevertheless, O! Lamech, my son, thou ae me wilt herein find certain examples and other es which will be none the less useful and protitable unto thee than the precepts and dogmas which [| shall give thee in the Second and Third Books. Wheretore thou shalt nor nevlect the study of this First Book, which shall serve thee for an introduction} unto the Veritable and Sacred Magic, and unto the practice of that which I, ABRAHAM, THE SON oF Simon, have learned, in part from my father, and in part also from other Wise and faithtul Men, and which | have found true and real, having submitted it unto proof and experiment. ‘And having written this with mine own hand, I have placed it within this casket, and locked it up, as a most precious treasure ; in order rhat when thou hast arrived at a proper age thou mayest be able to admire, to consider, and to enjoy the marvels of the Lord; as well as thine elder brother Joseph, who, as the first-born, hath received from me the Holy Tradition of the Qabalah. +

*Deser es et des ctrconstances. + D'acheminement. tI consia: this a truer orthography of the word than the usual rendering of “Cabala”. mi \ MIECH, if thou wishest to know the reason wherefore I give unto thee this Book, it is that if thou considerest thy condition, which is that of being a last-born Son, thou shalt know wherefore it appertaineth unto thee ; and Sait commit a great error should I depreve thee of that grace which God hath given unto me with so much profusion and liberality. I will then make every effort to avoid and to fly prolixity of words in this First Bo. . uaving alone in view the ancientness of this Vene.stble and Indubitable Science. And seeing that Tecra hath no need of enlightenment and of exposition, she being simple and neht; be thou only obedient unto all thar L shall say unto thee, conrenting thyself with the SsIMphcity therect, be thou good and upright.* and thou shalt acquire more wealth than 1 coukd know how to promise unto thee. May the Only and Most Holy Gad grant unto all, the grace necessary to be able to cuimprehend and penetrate the high Mysteries of the Qabalah and of the Law ; but they should content themselves with that which the Lord accordeth unto them ; seeing that if against Hi- Divine Will they wish to fly yet higher, even as did Lucifer, this will but procure for them, a most shameful and fatal fall. Wherefore it is necessary to be

extremely prudent, and to consider the Intention which I have had in describing this method of cperation ; because in consideration of thy great youth 1 attempt no other thing but to excite thee unto the research of this Sacred Magic. But the manner of acquiring the same will come later, in all its perfection, and in its proper time ; for it will be taught thee by better Masters chan I, that is to say, by those same Holv Angels of C No man is born into the World a Master, and for that reason are we obliged to learn. He who applieth himself thereunto, and studieth, learneth; and a man can have no more shameful and evil title* than that of being an Ignorant MMBHEREFORE do I confess, that I, even I also, am not born a Master; neither have ] invented this science of my Own proper Genius; but I have learned it from others me in the avaniee which I will hereafter tell ome ae in truth. My father, Simon, shortly before his death, gave me certain signs and instructions concerning the way in which it is necessary to acquire the Holy Qabalah ; but it is however true that he did not enter into the Hotv Mystery by the true Path, and I couid ne know how to understand the same sufficiently and periectly as Reason demanded. My tather was alw: ays contented ‘and satisfied with such a method of understanding the same, and he sought out no further the Veritable Science anc Magical Art, which I undertake to teach thee and to *xpound unto thee.

After his death, finding myself twenty years or age, I had a very great passion to understand the True Mysteries of the Lord ; but of mine own strength I could not arrive at the end which I intended to attain. I learned that at Mayence there was a Rabbi who was a notable Sage, and the report went that he possessed in full the Divine Wisdom. The great desire * This is identical with the Oriental doctrine that Ignorance is in itself evil and unhappiness. 6: “S$ Tar Book or THE SACRED MAGIC which I had to study induced me to go to seek him in order tO learn from him. But this man also had not received from the Lord the Grrr, and a pertect grace ; hecause, although he forced himself to manifest unto me certain deep M ysteries of the Holy Qabalah, he by no means arrived at the goal; and in his Magic he did not in any way make use of the Wisdom of the Lord, but instead availed himself of certain arts and superstitions of infidel and idolatrous nations, in part derived from the Egyptians,* together with images of the Medes and of the Persians, with herbs of che Arabiaus, together with the power of the Stars and Constellations ; and, finally, he had drawn from every people and nation, and even from the Christians, some diabolical Art. And in everything the Spirits

blyded him to such an extent, even While obeving him in some madiculous and inconsequent matter, that he actually beleved that his blindness and error were the Veritable Magic, and he therctore pushed no further his research into the True and Sacred Nlagic, I also learned his eke Sa experiments, and for ten years did ] remain burica in so yreat an error, until that after the ten years I arrived in Egypt at the house of an Ancient Sage who way called ApRaxrenim, who put me into the true Path as 1 will declare it unto thee hercatter, and he gave me better instruction and doctrine than all the others ;

but this particular grace was granted me by the Aluughty Father of all Mercy, that is to s say, Aumigairy Gor, who little by hethe in minated mine understanding and opened iinc eyes to see and admire, to contemplate, and search out Liis Divine Wisdom, in such a manner that it became possible unto me to further and further undertand and comprehend the Sacred Mystery by which 1 entered into the knowledge of the Holy Angels, enjoying * Yet the true Gabalah is umloubtedly derived from the Egyptian and Eastern Wildesn, oF ABRA-MELIN: THE MAGE. 7 their sight and their sacred conversation, from whom* at length I received afterwards the foundation ,of the Veritable Magic, and how to command and dominate the Evil Spirits. So that by way of conclusion unto this chapter I cannot say that I have otherwise received the True Instruction save from ABRAMELIM,} and the True and Incorruptible Magic save from the Holy Angels of God. HAVE already said in the preceding chapter that shortly after the death of mv father, I attached myself unto the research of the True Wisdom, and of the Mystery of the Lord. Now in this chapter I will briefly mention the places and countries by which I have passed

in order to endeavour to learn those things which are good. And | do this in order that it may serve thee for a rule and example not to waste thy youth in petty and useless pursuits, like little girls sitting round the freplace. For there ts nothing more deplorable and more unworthy ina man than to find himself ignorant in all circum- stances. ETe who worketh and travelleth learneth much ; and he who knoweth not how to conduct and govern himself when far trom his native land, will know still less in his own house how to do so. I dwelt then, after the death of mv father, for four years with my brothers and sisters, and T studied with care how to put to a profitable use What my father had left me after his death; and seeing that my means were insufficient to counterbalance “fie. from the Angels. +This name is spelt * Abramelin’’ in some places, and “ Abramelim” in others, T have consequently carefully in all cases put the orthography as it there occurs in the MS, the expenses which I was compelled to be at, after having set in order all my affairs and business as well as my strength permitted ; I set out, and IT went into Vormatia* to Mayence, in order to find there a verv aged Rabbi named Moses, in the hope that I had found in him that which I sought.

As [ have said in the preceding chapter, his Science had no foundation such as that of the True Divine Wisdom. 1 remained with him for four years, miserably wasting all that time there, and persuading myself that I had learned all that I wished to know,+ and I was only thinking of returning to mv paternal home, when I casually aie a young man of our sect, named 5S. eee a native of Bohemia, whoce manners aaa mode of life showed me that he wished to tive, walk, and dic in the Way of the Lord and in His Holy Law ; and FT contracted so strong a bond of f: dendship with we that I showed him all my feelings and intentions. As he had resolved to make a journey to Constantinople, in order to there join a brother of his father, and thence te pass into the Holy Land wherein our foretathers had dwelt, and from the which for our very great crrors and misdeeds we had been chased and cast forth by God. He, } having so willed it, the rmoment that he§ had made me acquainted with his design, I felt an ee nda desire to accompany him in thie journey, and I believe that Almighty God wished by this means to awaken me, for I could take no rest until the moment that we mutually and reciprocaliy passed our word to each other and sw:re to make the voyage together.

On the jth day of February, in the year £397, we commenced our journey, passing through Germany, “ Vormatie” ; that is to say, the district under the govermuciié of ie town of W orms, called in Latin “ Vormatia’ anciently. t In the previous chapter he says that he remained in this path of study for ten years. ; Ze, God. § Sarmuel, Bohemia, Austria, and thence by Hungary and Greece unto Constantinople, where we remained two years, and I should never have quitted it, had not death taken Samuel from me at length through a sudden illness. Finding myself alone, a tresh desire for travel seized me, and so much was my heart given thereto, that I kept wandering from one place to another, until] at length I arrived in Egypt, where constantly travelling for the space of four years in one direction and another, the more I practised the experiments of the magic of RasBin Moses, the less did it please me. I pursued my voyage towards our ancient country, where I fixed my residence for a year, and neither saw nor heard of any other thing but misery, calamity, and unhappiness. After this period of time, I there found a Christian who also was travelling in order to find that which I was seeking also myself. Having made an agreement together, we resolved to go into the desert parts of Arabia for the search for that which we ardently desired ;

feeling sure that, as we had been told, there were in those places many just and verv learned men, who dwelt there in order tv be able to study without any hindrance, and to devote themselves: unto that Art for which we ourselves were seeking ; Gut a. «e there tound nothing equivalent to the trouble we had taken, or which was worthy of our attention, there came into my head the extravagant idea to advance no farther, but to return to my own home. J] communicated my intention to my companion, but he for his part wished to follow out his enterprise and seek his good fortune ; sv I prepared to return,

10° THE BooK OF THE SACRED MAGIC fegN my return journey I began to reflect on | the time which I had lost in travelling, and on the great expense which I had been at without any return, and without having i made any acquisition ar that which I wished for aad which had caused me to undertake the voyage. I had, however, taken the resolution of returning to my home on quitting Arabia Deserta by way of Palestine, and so into Egypt; and I was six months on the way. | at length arrived at a little town called Aracui, situated on the bank of the Nile, where | lodged with an old Jew named Aaron, where indeed I had already lodged before in my journey ; and | cominunicated unto him my sentiments. He asked me how I had succeeded, and whether I had found that which I wished. IT answered mournfully that I had done absolutelv nothing, and I made him an exact recital of the labours and troubles which I had undergone, and my recital was accompanied by my tears which I could not help shedding in abundance, so that I attracted the compassion of the old man, and he began to try to comfort me by telling me that during my journey he had heard say that in a desert place not tar ‘from the atoresaid town of Aracwi dwelt a very Icarned and pious man whose name was ABRAMELINO,*® and hed exhorted me that as ] had already done su much, not to fail te visit dim, that perhaps the Most Merciful God might regard me with pity, and grant me that which I righteously wished for. It seemed to me as though | was listening to a Voice, not human but celestial, and J felt a joy in mine heart such as f could not express; and I had neither rest nor intermission until AARON und me aman who conducted me

* [hus spelt here, + Aaron the Jew, to the nearest route, by which walking upon fine sand during the space of three days and a half without seeing any human habitation I at length arrived at the foot of a hill of no great height, and which was entirely surrounded by trees. My Guide then said: “In this small wood dwelleth the man whom you seek ;” and having showed me the direction to take he wished to accompany me no further, and having taken his leave of me he returned home by the same route by which we had come, together with his mule which had served to carry our food. Finding myself in this situation I could think of no other thing to do than to submit myself to the help of the Divine Providence by invoking His very holy Name, Who then granted unto me His most holy Grace, for in turning my eyes in the aforementioned direction, I beheld coming towards mea venerable aged Man, who saluted me in the Chaldean language in a loving manner, inviting me to yo with him into his habitation : the which courtesy ] accepted with an extreme pleasure, realising in that moment how great is the Providence of the Lord. The good old Man was very courteous to me and treated me very kindly, and during an tnfimitude or days he, never spake unto me of any other matter than of the Fear of God, exhorting me to lead ever a well-regulated life, and trom time to time warned me of certain errors which man commits through human frailty, and, further, he made me understand that he detested the acquisition of riches and goods which we were constantly employed in gaining in our towns through so severe usury exacted from, and harm wrought to, our neighbour.

He required from mea ae solemn and precise promise to change my manner of life, and to live not according to our false dogmas, but in the Wav and Law of the Lo:d. The which promise i having ever after inviolably observed, and being later on again among my relatives and other Jews, I passed among them for a wicked and fuolish man ;

but I said in myself: “Let the Will of God he done, and let not respect of persons turn us aside trom the right path, seeing that man is a deceiver ”. The aforesaid AsrAmeLin, knowing the ardent desire which I had to learn, he gave me two manuscript books, very similar in form unte these which I new bequeath unto thee, O Lamech, my son; but very obscure: and he told me to copy them for myself with care, which I did, and carefully examined both the one and the other. And he asked me if I had any money, I answered unto him “Yes”. He said unto me that he required ten golden florins, which he must himself, eccording to the order which the Lord had given unto him, distribute by way of 2ims among seventy-two oo persons, who were obliged te repeat certain Psalms ;* and having kept the feast of Saturday, which is the day of the Sabbath, he set eat to go to ARacHI, because it was requisite that he * The Qabalistical reader will at one remark the syr + lism of the numbers “ten” and “seventy-two,” the first being the 7 imber of the Sepheroth, and the second that of th: Schemahamphe sch. But as many readers may be ignorant of the meaning ane ,efcrence of these terms, | will briefly explain them. The Ten Ser.iaroth are the most abstract ideas and conceptions of the ten numbers of the ordinary Decimal Scale, and are employed in the Qabalah as an ideal means of explaining the different imanations or Attributes of the Deity.

I¢ was thus that Pythagoras employed the abstract ideas of Numbers as a means of metaphysica! instruction. The Schemahamphorasch or ‘Divided Name” is a Qabalistical method of investigating the natures of the Name of four letters 1] Il V H (Jehovah), which is considered to contain all the Fore.» of Nature. There are in the Bock of =xodus three verses in the fourtcenth chapter, describing the pillars of fire and of cloud forming a defence unto the children of Istacl against the Egyptians. Each of these three verses consists in the Uebrew of seventy-two letters, and by writing them in a certain manner one above another, seventy-two columns of three letters each are obtained ; each column is then treated as a Name of Three Letters, and the explanation of these is sought for in certain verses of the Psalms which contain these Names; and these latter would be the verses of the Psalms alluded to in the text, which the seventy-two poor persons were toid to recite.

Boge | OF ABRA-MELIN THE MAGE. _ 13 ‘should himself distribute the money. And he ordered me to fast for three days, that is to say, the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday following ; contenting myself with only a single repast in the day, wherein was to be neither blood nor dead things;* also he commanded me to make this commencement with exactness, and not to fail in the least thing, for in order to operate well it is very necessary to begin well, and he instructed me to repeat all the seven-+ psalms of David one single time in these three days; and not to do or practise any servile operation. The day being come he set cut, and took with him the money which I had given him. I faithfully obeyed him, executing from point to point that which he had ordered me todo. His return was fifteen davs later, and being at last arrived he ordered ine the day following (which was a Tuesday), before the rising of the Sun, to make with great humility and devotion a general confession of all my life unto the Lord, with a true and firm proposal and resolution to serve and fear Him otherwise than I had done in the past, and to wish to live and die in His most Holy Law, and in obedience unto Him. I performed my confession with all the attention and exactitude necessary. It lasted until the going down of the Sun ;

and the day folluwing | presented myself unto ABRAMELIN, Who with a smiling countenance said unto me: “It is thus IT would ever have you”. He then conducted me into his cwr apartment where 1 took the two little manuscripts which [ had copted ; and he asked of me whether truly, and without fear, I wished for the Divine Science and for the ‘True Magic. I answered unto him that it was the only end and unique motive which had induced me tv undertake a so long and troublesome voyage, with the view of receiving this

* This would not necessarily exclude eggs or milk. + Soin the MS special grace from the Lord. “ And I,” said ABRAMELIN, ‘trusting in the mercy of the Lord, I grant and accord unto thee this Holy Science, which thou must acquire in the manner which is prescribed unto thee in the two little manuscript books, without omitting the least imaginable thing of their contents; and not in any way to gloss or comment upon that which may be or may not be, seeing that the Artist who hath made that work is the same Gud Who from Nothingness hath. created all things. Thou shalt in no way use this Sacred Science to offend the Great God, and to work ill unto thy neighbour; thou shalt communicate it unto no living person whom thou dost not thoroughly know by long ne and conversation, examining well whether such a person really intendeth to work for the Good or tor the Evil. And if thou shalt wish to grant it unto him, thou shalt well observe and punctually, the same fashion and manner, which I have made use of with shee. And if thou doest otherwise, he who shall receive it shall draw no fruit therefrom. Keep thyself as thou wouldst from a Serpent from selling this Science, and from making merchandise of it ; because the Grace of the Lord is given unto us free and gratis, and we ought i no wise to sell the same.

This Veritable Science shall remain in thee and thy generation tor the space of seventy-two * years, and will not remain longer in our Sect. Let not thy curlosity push thee on to understand the cause of this, but gure to thyself that we are so good {: that our Sect hath because insupportable not only to the whole human race, but even to God Himself!” 1 wished in receiving these two smali manuscript books tu throw myself on my knees before him, but he rebuked me, saying that we ought only to bend the knee before God.

* Note again the number of seventy-two. + This is evidently said ironically. I avow that these two books* were so exactly written, that thou, O Lamech my son, mayest see them after my death, and thou shalt thus recognise how much respect 1 have for thee.{- It is true that before my departure I well read and studied them, and when | found anything difficult or obscure I had recourse unto ABRAMéLIN, who with charity and patience explained it unto me. Being thoroughly instructed, I took leave of him, and having received his paternal blessing ; a symbol which is not only in use among the Christians, but which was also the custom with our forefathers; I also departed, and [ took the route to Constantinople, whither having arrived I fell sick, and my malady lasted for the space of two months ; but the Lord in His Mercy delivered me therefrom, so that T soon regained my strength, and finding oa vessel ready to depart for Venice I embarked thereon, and I arrived there, and having rested some days T set out to go unto Trieste, where having landed, I took the road through the country of Dalmatia, and arrived at length at my paternal home, where I lived among my relatives and my brothers.

@| Tis not sufficient to travel and journey abroad and see many lands, if one does not draw some useful experience therefrom. Wherefore, in order to show unto thee a good s example, I will in this chapter speak of the Mysteries t of this Art which I discovered in one way * He probably means the copies he himself had been ordered by Abramelin to make, and not the originals. +“ Et tu connoiteras la deference dont je mie sers avec toy.” } Mistéres, evidently a slip for Mfazstres, Masters. 16 THE Book OF THE SACRED MaGic . and another while travelling in the world, and also of the measure and understanding of their various sciences ; while, in the Sixth Chapter following, I will recount the things which I have learned and seen with some among them, and whether in actual practice I found them true or false. I have already before told you that my first Master had been the Ragsin Moses at Mayvence, who was indeed a good man, but entirely ignorant of the True Mystery and of the Veritable Magic. Hey fy devoted himself to certain superstitious secrets ¢ . ih he had collected from various infidels, and which were full of the nonsense and foolishness of Pagans and Idolaters ; to such an extent that the Good Angels and Holy Spirits judged him unworthy of their visits and conversation ; and the Evil Spirits mocked him to a ridiculous extent. At times, indeed, they spake to him voluntarily and by caprice, and obeyed him in matters vile, profane, and of no account, in order the better to entrap, deceive and hinder him from searching further for the true and certain Foundation of this Great Science.

At ArGentine I tound a Christian called James, who was reputed as a learned and very skilful man ; but his Art was the Art of the Juygler, or Cup and Balls Player; and not that of die SP ean, In the town of pacer 1 found a wicked man named AntTony, aved twenty-five years, who in truth showed me wonderful and supernatural things, but may God preserve us from falling into so great an error, for the infamous wretch avowed to me that he had made a Pact with the Deatox, and had given himself over to him in body and in soul, and that he had renounced God and all the Saints; while, on the other hand, the deceitful LeviaTHAN had promised him forty years of life to do his pleasure. He made every effort, as he was obliged to by the Pact, to persuade me and drag me to the precipice of the same error and misery ; but at first I kept myself wo Oe ABRASMELIN THE MAGE 17 ‘apart from him, and at last I took flight. Unto this day do they sing in the streets of the terrible end which befel him, may the Lord God of His Mercy preserve us from such a misfortune. This should serve us as a mirror of warning to keep far from us all evil undertakings and pernicious curiosity.

In Austria I found an infinitude, but all were either ignorant, or like unto the Bohemians. In the Kingdom of Huncary I found but persons knowing neither God nor Devil, and who were worse than the beasts. . In Greece I found many wise and prudent men, but, however, all of them were infidels, among whom there were three who principally dwelt in desert places, who showed unto me great things, such as how to raise tempests in a moment, how to make the Sun appear in the night, how to stop the course of rivers, and how to make night appear at mid-day, the whole by the power of their enchantments, and by applying superstitious ceremonies. Near ConsraAnrinop.e, in a place called Epnina, there was a certain man, who, instead of Enchantments, made use of certain numbers which he wrote upon the earth ; and by means of these he caused certain extravagant and terrifying visions to appear; but in all these Arts there was no practical use, but only the loss of soul and of body, because all these only worked by particular Pacts, which: had no true foundation ; also all these Arts demanded a very long space of time, and they were very false, and when these men were unsuccessful they had always ready a thousand lies and excuses.

In the same city of Consrantinopte I found two men of our Law, namely, Stmon and the Rassin AspraHAME, whom we may class with Rassin Mosss of Mayence. In Eoypr the first time I found five persons who 18 . THE Book OF THE SACRED Macic were esteemed and reputed as wise men, among whom were four, namely, Horay, Asmmecnu, ALcaon, and OrmacH, who performed their operations by the means of the course of the Stars and of the Constellations, adding many Diabolical Conjurations and impious and profane prayers, and performing the whole with great dificulty. The fifth, named Axnimetu, operated by the means and aid of Demons, to whom he prepared statues, and sacrificed, and thus they served him with their abominable arts. In Arasia they made use of plants, of herbs, and of stones as well precious as common. The Divine Mercy inspired me to return thence, and led me to ABRAMELIN, who was he who declared unto me the Secret, and opened unte me the fountain and true source of the Sacred Mystery, and of the Veritable and Ancient Magic which Gad had given unto our toretathers, Alse. at Paris IT tound a wise man called Josepu, wiv, having denied the Christian faith, had made himself a Jew. This man truly practised Magic in the same manner ag ABRAMrLIN, but he was very tar from arriving at sieiietie n therein ; because God, Who is just, never granteth the perfect, veritable and fundamental treasure unto those who deny Him ;

notwithstanding that in the rest or their life they might "be the most holy and perfect men in the world. I am astonished when I consider the blindness of many persons who let themselves be Jed by Evil Masters, whe take pleasure in falsehood, and, we may rather say, in the Demon himself; giving themselves over unto Sorceries and Idolatries, une in one manner, another in another manner, with the result of losing their souls, But the Truth is so great, the Devil is so deceitful and malicious, and the World so frail and so infamous that I must admit that things cannot be otherwise. Let us then open our eyes, and follow that which ] shall la down in the following chapters ; and let us not wal

or ABRA-MELIN’ THE. MAGE.’ 19 in another Path, whether of the Devil, or of men, or of Books which boast of their Magic ; for in truth I declare unto thee that I had so great a quantity of such matters written out with so much Art, that had I not had these of Aprametin, I could herein have given thee those. However, it is true that just as there is only one God, that not one of these Books is worth an obolus.* Yet with all this there are men so blind that they buy them at exorbitant prices, and they lose their money, their time, and their pains, and which is worse, very often their souls as well, MPlIi Fear of the Lord is the True Wisdom, and he who hath it not can in no way penetrate the True Secrets of Magic, and he but buildeth upon a foundation of sand, padGaeees = oand his building can in no way last. The Rapain Moses persuaded me to be wise, while he. himself, with words which neither he himself nor any other person understood, and with extravagant symbols made bells to sound, and while with execrable conjurations he made appear in glasses him who had committed a theft, and while he made a water causing an old man to appear young (and that only tor the space of two hours and no longer). All the which things he indeed taught me, but the whole was but vanity, Jow curiosity, and a pure deception of the Demon, leading to no useful end imaginable, and tending to the loss of the Soul. And when I had the Veritable Knowledge of the Sacred Magic, I both forgot them, and banished them from mine heart.

* A coin of base money formerly in use, its value being about a halfpenny. avowed plainly to me, when I had the True and Sacred Magic. There are also many operations which they say are handed down from the Ancient Sibyls. There is an Art called White and Black ;* another Angelical, TeaTm™ ; in which I avow that I have seen orations so learned and heautiful, that had J] not known the venom therein hidden, I would have given them herein. I say all this because it is very easy to him who is not constantly upon his guard to err. One old scribbler of symbols gave me many enchantments which only tended to work evil. He performed other operations by means of numbers, which were all odd, and of a triple proportion, in no way similar to the other, and for proot of this, he caused by such means in my presence a very fine tree which was near my hose to fall to the yround, and all the leaves and fruits were consumed in a very short time. And he told me that in Numbers there was hidden a very Great Mystery, because that by the means of numbers one can perform all the operations for friendships, riches, honours, and all sorts of things, good and evil ; and he assured me that he had tried them, but that yer some that he knew to be very true had not vet succeeded with him.

With regard to this particular, | found out the reason through the Wise ABRAMELIN, who told me that this came and depended from a Divine Ministry, that is to say, from the Qabalah, and that without that, one could net succeed. All these things have I beheld, and many others, and those who possessed these secrets gave them to me out of friendship. J] burned these recipes afterwards in the house of Asrameyin, they being absolutely things very far removed from the Will of God, and contrary to the charity which we owe unto our neighbour. Every

*? the Book “ Ambrosius ”. _ + Evidently the man mentioned in Chapter V., as living at Ephilia, near Constantinople. The word I have rendered by “ scaibbler of symbols” is grt/as. Magic, but many things of importance and hindrances presented themselves; among the which my marriage was one of the greatest. I therfore judged it fitting to defer putting it in practicg, and a principal obstacle was the inconvenience of the place in which I dwelt. I resolved to absent myself suddenly, and go away into the Hercynian Forests, and there remain during the time necessary for this operation, and lead a solitary life. It was not possible for me to do it sooner for many reasons and dangers of which latter I ran a risk in that place, besides which it would be neeessary to leave my wife, who was young and now eacemte. Finally, I resolved to follow the example of ApRrametin,* and | divided my house + into two parts ; I took another house at rent, which I in part furnished, and I gave over to one of my uncles the care of providing the necessaries of life and the needs thereof. Meanwhile I with my wife and a servant remained in my own house, and | began to accustom myself to the solitary life, which it was to me extremely difficult to support, because of the melancholic humour which dominated me, ard 1 lived thus till the season of Easter which I celebrated with all the family according to custom, Then first, on the tollowing day, in the Name and to the honour of God Almighty the Creator ot Heaven and of Earth, ] commenced this holy operation, and [ continued it for Six Moons without omitting the slightest detail, as thou wilt understand later.

And the period of the Six Moons being expired, the Lord granted unto me His Grace by His Mercy ; according to the promise made unto our forefathers, since while 1 was making my prayer unto Him He deigned to grant unto me the vision and apparition of His holy Angels, together with which I experienced so great joy, consolation and contentment of soul, that I could neither

© Dembrasser le parti d’ A bramielin. } Probably meaning “household ”. express it nor put it into writing. And during the three days, while I was enjoying this sweet and delightful presence with an indicible contentment, my holy Angel, whom God the Most Merciful had destined rom my creation for my Guardian, spake unto me with the greatest goodness and affection ; who not only manifested unto me the Veritable Magic, but even made easier for me the means of obtaining it. He confirmed as being true the Symbols of the Qabalah which I had received from ABRAMELIN ; and he gave me the fundamental means by which I could have an infinitude of others in my operavions according to my pleasure, assuring me that he would instruct me fully thereon, (These Symbols are all like those of the Third Book.) He gave me further very useful advice and admonition, such as an Angel could give ; how [ should govern myself the following days with the Evil Spirits so as to constrain them to obey me; the which | duly followed out fulfilling always from point to point his instructions very faithfully, ind by the Grace of God | constrained them to obey me and to appear in the place destined for this operation ; and they obligated themselves to obey ine, and to be subject unto me. And since then even until now, without offending God and the Holy Angels I have held them in my power and command, always eer by the power of God and ot His Holy Angels.

And this with so great a prosperity of our house, that | confess that ] held mysclf back trom the vast pokes which I could have accumulated ; although I possess enough to be counted among the aninee of the rich, as thou wilt know when thou shalt be more advanced in age. May the Grace of the Lord, and the defence and protection of His Holy Angels never then depart from me, ABRAHAM, nor fromm my two sons JosEPH and Lamecu ; nor from all those who by your means and D4 the Will or God, shall receive this operation! So be it ! '

learned and prudent man may fall if he be not defended and guided by the Angel of the Lord, who aided me, and prevented me from falling into such a state of wretchedness, and who led me undeserving from the mire of darkness unto the Light of the Truth. I have known and felt the effects of the goodness of the Wise ABRAHA Meuin,* who of his own free will, and before I had asked him so to do, accepted me for his disciple. And before that I had declared my wish unto him he would accomplish and fulfil my desire ; and all that 1 wished to obtain from him he knew before I could open my mouth. Also he recounted to me all that I had seen, done, and suffered from the time of my father’s death down to this moment; and this in words obscure and as it were prophetic, which I did not then comprehend, but which I understood later. He told me many things touching my zood fortune, but, which was the principal thing, he discovered to me the Source of the Veritable Qabalah, the which according to our custom, I have in turn communicated unto thine elder brother Josrpu, after that he had fultilled the requisite conditions without the accomplishment of which the Qabalah and this Sacred Magic cannot be exercised, and which I will recount in the two following books. Afterwards he did manifest unto me the Regimen of the Mystery of that Sacred Magic which was exercised and put into practice by our forefathers and progenitors, Noau, ABRAHAM, JAcos, Moses, Davin, and SoLomon, among whom the last misused it, and he received the punishment thereof during his life.

In the Second Book I will describe the whole faith- — and clearly, in order that if the Lord God should wish to dispose of me before that thou shalt have attained a competent age, thou shalt find these three small manuscript books as forming at the same time both an inestim- ¢ * So written here in the MS. 24 "THE Book oF THE SACRED MacIc able treasure and a faithful master and teacher ; because there are very many secrets in the Symbols of the Third Book which I have seen made experiment of with mine own eyes by Asrametim,* and to be perfectly true, and which afterwards I myself have performed. And after him I found no one who worked these things truly ; and although Josrry at Paris walked in the same Path, nevertheless God, as a just Judge, did not in any way wish to grant unto him the Sacred Magic in its entirety, because he had despised the Christian Law. For it is an indubitable and evident thing that he who is born Christian, Jew, Pagan, Turk, Infidel, or whatever religion it may be, can arrive at the perfection of this Work or Art and become a Master, but he who hath abandoned his natura] Law, aud embraced another religion opposed to bis own, can never arrive at the summit of this Sacred Science.

mOD, the Father of Mercy, having granted unto me the grace to return sate and sound Into my country ; |] paid unto Him according to my small power, some little portion of that which ] owed [lim -;: thanking Him for so many benefits which | had received from Him, and in particular for the acquisition of the Qabalah which I had anade at the house of Anrasiviam.[ Tt now only remained for me to reduce to Practice this Sacred * Thus spelt here, + Many Occultists will doubtless not be of this opinion. It is one thing to simply quit one debased and materialised form or sect of religion for another, which is perhaps little if any better; and quite another thing to seek out the true religion which is at the basis of all, and which could not be entirely true, were it not free from Sect. ; Thus spelt here. Maa) N order to show that Man ought to make use of the good things of the Lord by applying thern unto a good end, that is to say, unto His honour and glory, both for his own use and that of his See Ne ] will describe in a few words in this present chapter many and the most considerable operations which 1 have carried out; and the which, with the aid of the All-Powerful Lord and of the Holy Angels, by the means of this Art I have

easily conducted unto the desired end. And J] write not this description im any way to vaunt myself, nor out of vain glory, the which would be a great sin against God, because it is HHe Who hath done the whole, and not I; but only do I write this that it may serve tor instruction unto otbers, so that they muy know wherein they ought to avail themselves of this Art, as also that they may use it to the honour of Him Who hath given this wisdom unto men, and glority Him; and in order that each one may know how great and inexhaustible are the treasures of the Lord, and render unto Him particular thanks for so precious a gift. And especially (do T thank Him) for having granted unto me, who am but a little worm of Earth, through the means of ABRAMELIN the power to give and communicate unto others this Sacred Science. After my death a book will be found, which 1 commenced to write at the time when I was beginning to put in practice this Art, which, reckoning the number of the years, was in 1409, until to-day on which I am arrived at the géth* year of mine age, with all honour and augmentation ot fortune ; and in this book can be read in detail even to the very least thing which I have

* As this MS. bears the date of 1458, Abraham must have been in 1362, and was consequently 47 years old in 1409, done. But here, as I have aforesaid, 1 will describe only the most remarkable. Up till now I have healed of persons of all conditions, bewitched unto death, no less than 8413, and belonging unto all religions, without making an exception in any case. I gave unto mine Emperor Sictsmonp,* a very * Sigismond, Emperor of Germany, was born the 14th February, 1368, and died at Znaim on the oth December, 1437. Son of the Emperor Charies IV. and of Aune of Silesia, he received an excellent education. Atten years of age his father gave him the Margravate of Brandenburg, and two years later he was betrothed to Mary, the daughter of Louis the Great of Hungary. whom he afterwards married. He was nominated by hts father-in-law his successor on the throne of Poland. Hut the nobles preferred Ladisiaus, the nephew of Casimir the Great. However, in 1386, he took possession of [fungary, repulsed the Poles, overcame the rebellious nobles ; and then marched against the Wallachians and Turks, but he was beaten, and later, notwithstanding the help of France and England, he lost the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396. He escaped on board a vessel in the Black Sea, and for eighteen months was a fugitive from his Kingdom; and at the moment of his re-entering Hungary he was made prisoner by the discontented nobles, and shut up in the citadel of Ziklos.

Escaping thence into Bohemia, he, however, reconquered his throne, and in 141G was raised to the Empire by one party among the Electors, while Josse, Marquis of Moravia, and Wenceslaus were elected by other factions. «A remarkable coincidence, sceing that at this moment when three Emperors possessed the Fmpire, the Papacy had also three Popes, ws.. John AXILL (Balthazar Cossa), a Neapolitan; Gregory XIJT. (Ange Conrario), a Venetian; and Benedict XII. (Pierre de Lune), a Spaniard. The death of Josse, and the resignaroaof Wenceslaus, left Sigismond sole master of the Empire. .\iter havin received the Silver Crown at Atx-la-Chapelle ia 1414, he went to preside at the Council of Constance, where John Huss was condemned, notwithstanding the safe conduct which he had obtained from the Emperor ce endeavoured to end the differences between the Roman ana Greek Chaiches, visited France and England under pretext of reconciling Charles VI. and Henry V., but, as some say. in order to form a leayue with the latter against France, so as to recover the ancient Kingdom of Arles. The death of his brother, Wenceslaus, in 1419, rendered him Master of Bohcmia, at the moment when the revolt of the Hussites was at its height. He commenced a war of extermination against them, but was defeated by Ziska in 1420,

clement Prince, a Familiar Spirit of the Second Hierarchy, even as he commanded me, and he availed himself of its services with prudence. He wished also to possess the secret of the whole operation, but as I was warned by the Lord that it was not His Will, he contented himself with what was permitted, not as Emperor, but as a private person; and I even bY means of mine Art facilitated his marriage with his wife; and I caused him to overcome the great difficulties which opposed his marriage. I delivered also the Count FREpERICK™ by the micans and a war of fifteen years’ duration ensued. In 1431, whilst he was being crowned King of Italy at Milan, his troops experienced such severe defeats that he was forced to concede advantageous terms to the rebels. But dissensions arose among them, and Sigismond profited by this to completely crush them at length and make Bohemia submit. He reigned twenty-seven years as Inmyperor of Gerinany, cighteen years as King of Bohemia, and fifty-one years as King of Hungary. His second wife, Barbe, has been called by some, the Jlessalina of Germany. * Frederick T., surnamed the Quarreller, Duke and Elector of Saxony, was born at Altenburg in 1369, and died in 1428. He was son of the Landgrave and Margrave Frederick the Severe, and of Catherine, Countess of Henneberg. At only four years of age, Frederick had been betrothed to Anne, daughter of the Emperor Charles IV.

; later on he had serious disputes concerning this matter with the Emperor Wence-laus (the brother of Anne), who had disposed of her hand to another, but who ultimately consented, in 1397, to pay Frederick a considerable sum by way of damages. In 1388 he fonght as ally of the Burgrave of Nuremberg in the war of the German towns; and gained his knightly spurs in 1391, in the war which he, in concert with the Teutonic Knights, waged against the Lithuanians. Next, he fought against Wenceslaus. He married Catherine of Brunswick in 1402, and after varivus wars and quarrels, the University of Leipzig was founded in 1409. The indefatigable activity which this Prince displayed from 1420 against the movements of the Hussites, who were directly menacing his possessions, pointed him out as a valuable auxiliary to the Emperor Sigismond, who was then in a very critical position. In order to assure himself definitely of the aliiance of Frederick the Quarreller, the Emperor conferred upon him the Electorate and Duchy of Saxony ; but the former could not long enjoy his new found dignities in peace, for the Emperor shifted the whole weight of the war with the Hussites on to his shoulders. As the other German Princes did not respond readily to the Elector’s appeal, the latter had the misfortune to lose the greater part of his

of 2000 artificial cavalry (the which I by mine Art caused to appear according unto the tenor of the Twenty-ninth | Chapter of the Third Book here following), free out of the hands of the Duke Leopold of Saxonia ; the which Count Frederick without me would have lost both his own hfe, and his estate as well (which latter would not have descended) unto his heirs, Unto the Bistrop oF ocr Crry also, IT showed the betrayal of his government at Orembergh, one year before the same occurred ; and I say no more concerning this because he 1s an Ecclesiastic*® passing over in silence all that 1 have further done to render unto him service. The Counr of Varvicn-: was delivered by me from Army near Brux in 1425. But his wife, Catherine, summoned the whole of Catholic Germany to unite ina Crusade against the tonovating JTussites: wee 20,000 strange and Jorcten Warriors came wunerpretedly te ranze themselors under tne Standard of Frederick. It is tu be noted that Abraham the Jew puts the Artificial Cavalry he supped at 2000 ithouch this may easily be a slip for 20,000) and rumour would of course soon magnify the number. But the Elector was ut length defeated at the disastrous battle of Aussiv in 1426, where the ¢drte of the Gaerman Warriors fell. The following year again witnes-ed a fresh defeat of the Elector, and the chagrin which this excited, ultimately fecl tu his death. He was suceceded by his son, Frederick [L, called “the Good bern in 141i, who began to reign im 1428, and died tn 1404 (see Def, LvCUS se).

* The same ambiguity exists in the French as in the translation, as to whether it is Abrahara or the Bishop who passes over the matter in silence. ft? ze wen dts furs dai antage acatise quil est un eclesiastique passant sous stlence cegue jor fait deplus pour luy vendrr service ( preserve the orthography of the French oriyinal.) t+ By “Count of Varvich.”’ Abraham evidently means ‘Count of Warwick,” as throughout the MS. aw ts never ased, but always av. wherever the former occurs in a proper name. This Count of Warwick is probably Henri de Beauchamp, the brother-in-law of Warwick the “ King-Maker,” and son of that Richard de Beauchamp, so infamous for his instrumentality in bringing about the torture and burning of the heroic Joan of Arc. Henri de Beauchamp was at first deprived of his goods by Henry VI; but in 1444 that Monarch created him Duke of Warwick, and later, King of the islands of Wight, Jersey, and Guernsey. He did not long survive to enjoy these honours oF ABRA-MELIN THE MAGE. 31 prison in England the night before he was to have been beheaded. I aided the flight of the Duxe,* and of his Pope Joun,{ from the Council of Constance, who would other-