6. Regarding the hierarchies, see end of the Third Book.
7. Thus in the Indian "mantras" the force and mystery of the words themselves is especially insisted on.
THE TENTH CHAPTER.
It being understood that in this operation we have to do with a great and powerful enemy, whom through our own weakness and human strength or science we cannot resist without particular aid and assistance from the holy angels, and from the Lord of the good spirits; it is necessary that each one should always have God before his eyes, and in no way offend Him. On the other hand, he must always be upon his guard, and abstain as from a mortal sin from flattering, obeying, regarding, or having respect to the demon, and to his viperine race; neither must he submit himself unto him in the slightest thing, for that would be his ruin and the fatal loss of his soul.
As it happened unto all the seed descended from Noah, Lot, Ishmael, and others who did possess the blessed land (before our forefathers) who inherited this wisdom from father to son, from family to family; but in the course of time having lent an ear unto the treacherous enemy, they let themselves be turned away from the veritable path, and did lose the true science which they had received from God by the means of their fathers, and gave themselves over unto superstitious sciences, and unto diabolical enchantments, and unto abominable idolatries, the which was the cause that thereafter God did chastise them, defy1 them, and chase them from their country; and did introduce in their stead our predecessors; from which same errors again later came the cause of our present misery and servitude, the which will last even unto the end of the world; since they in no way wished to know the gift which God had given unto them, but instead abandoned it to embrace and follow the deceits of the demon.
1. Les deffit. -SLM. D: Weshalb sie, von Gott bestraft, aus dem Vaterland vertrieben und ausgerottet, unsere Väter aber eingesetzt wurden. ("That is why God punished them, and drove them out and exterminated our forefathers from their native country.") -JHP
This is wherefore each one should take care to submit himself unto him2 neither by acts, nor by words, nor by thoughts, because he is so adroit and prompt that he can seize one unexpectedly; just as a spider may take a bird.3 Let that miserable Bohemian and the others whom I have before mentioned, serve thee for an example to avoid (even as they did unto me).
2. I.e., the demon.
3. There is a very large species of spider, which can even capture and kill small birds, but it is only met with in tropical regions, especially in Central America and Martinique; the zoological name of this species is Mygalé.
In the commencement of the operation there appeareth a man of majestic appearance, who with great affability doth promise unto thee marvellous things. Consider all this as pure vanity, for without the permission of God he can give nothing; but he will do it unto the damage and prejudice, ruin and eternal damnation of whomsoever putteth faith in him, and believeth in him; as we may see in the Holy Scripture in the matter of Pharaoh and his adherents, the which despised the veritable and certain wisdom of Moses and Aaron, and were in the beginning backed up by the Devil who showed them by the means of enchantments that he could both do and put in practice all the works of the aforesaid holy men, whence he ultimately did reduce them to such a condition of obstinacy and blindness, that without perceiving their own error and the deceit of the demon, they were cruelly chastised by God with divers plagues, and were at last all drowned in the Red Sea. This is wherefore in conclusion I say unto thee in few words, that we must rely upon God alone, and put all our confidence in him.
THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER.
God be my witness that I have not learned this science out of curiosity, nor in order to avail myself of it for an evil purpose, but rather to use it for the honour and glory of my,1 for mine own use, and for that of my neighbour; and I have never wished to employ it for vain and vile things, but I have always laboured with all my strength to aid all creatures, friends and enemies, faithful and unfaithful, as well the one as the other, with a perfect will and a good heart, and I have also made use of it for the animals.
1. Here a word is evidently omitted in the MS. by a slip. It should probably read "of my God". -SLM. D: "... aus Liebe zur Weisheit des Herrn, auch meinem Nächsten zu dienen..." ("but for love of the wisdom of the Lord, and to serve my neighbors...") -JHP.
I have before cited certain examples in order to show unto thee that God Almighty doth not in any way grant the art or the science unto a person in order that he may use it for himself alone, but in order that he may provide for the needs of others, and of those who do not possess this sacred science. This is why I pray everyone to follow mine example, and if he doeth otherwise the malediction of the Lord will fall upon him, and as for myself I shall be excusable and innocent before God, and before all men.
In the third book there will be found a very beautiful garden,2 the like of which assuredly no one hath ever made, and which no king nor emperor hath ever possessed. He who shall wish to be as an industrious bee therein, can there suck the honey which it containeth in abundance; but if he shall maliciously wish to transform himself into a spider, he can also draw poison from thence. God, however, accordeth and giveth his grace, not unto the evil, but unto the good; and if it seemeth unto thee that some chapters of the third book can be rather applied unto evil and unto the hurt of our neighbour, than unto a useful end; each one shall know that I have so placed them, in order that we may understand that this science can be applied alike for evil or for good, as I will show thee more fully in the other books. We must then study to flee the evil and to obtain all the forces of good. He who shall act thus all the days of his life shall have the succour and assistance of the faithful, benign and holy angels; and he who shall use it for evil shall be abandoned by the same angels, and shall be in the power of the treacherous enemy, who never faileth to obey the commands of such an one to work evil, in order to render him his slave. It is necessary to have as a general rule and maxim which never faileth, that whenever thou shalt see a man filled with an extraordinary desire to procure this operation for himself, if thou wishest to give it unto him, it is necessary to test his sincerity and his intentions, and delay him, according to the instructions which I give unto thee in these three books. And if he seeketh to obtain it by indiscreet methods, and sayeth unto thee that this operation may be true or not true, feigning doubts in order to compel thee to give it unto him, or that he maketh use of other stratagems, thou mayest then conclude that such a man walketh not in the Way of the Lord. If any person wisheth it in a way opposed to that which God employeth to grant it, this would be presumptuous.
2. This is a very usual expression in Qabalistic books to denote a valuable collection of occult or magical information.
And if any person seeketh to obtain it not for himself, (but for either) a child or a relative, who is not such as he should be who receiveth so great a treasure; he who shall grant it unto him shall be culpable of a great evil, and shall himself lose the grace and wisdom of the Lord, and shall deprive his heirs of the same eternally.
If a man of evil life, whom one shall feel by means of this sacred science will persist in his evil way of life, shall come unto thee to seek this sacred science, it is probable that such a man doth not desire to use it for good and in a right intention, but that having received it, he will use it for evil. I have also in such case myself, however, seen and felt that God, who penetrateth the secret of our hearts, hath put by indirect means obstacles in the way of such an one's success, causing difficulties to arise of one kind and another. So that he who at the first wisheth to possess this science in order to use it against his neighbour, and to commit all sorts of abominations, manifesteth himself as an unworthy person unto him who had resolved to give it unto him.
Shun commerce, and the converse of those who actually in the search for this science shall do and say all things which tend to evil; seeing that such men can become the enchanters of the Devil. Thou shalt know the rest hereafter in the other books. Here I am very prolix upon this point, and I am exaggerating much, because it is certain that once the operation is given in due form, it is an irrevocable act.
But if, on the other hand, after an exact examination and inquisition thou shalt find a person tranquil and sincere, thou must aid him, because God who hath aided thee wisheth also to aid him; unto this end hath he put into thine hands this sacred science.
Thou must make every effort to procure peace amongst those who are at discord, and sworn enemies among themselves; and it is imperative to do good unto everyone, this being the sole and true means of rendering favourable unto thee, God, the angels, and men; and of making the demon thy slave, and obedient in all and through all. And such an one shall pass the rest of his life with a good and right conscience, in honour and peace, with contentment, and useful unto all beings. I entreat those who shall be possessors of a so great treasure to employ it in the proper manner, and never to cast it before swine.
Thou shalt use it for thyself, O Lamech, my son, but of the fruit which thou shalt draw therefrom, thou shalt make partakers those who have need, and the more thou shalt give, the more shall thy means increase. The same shall happen unto him to whom thou shalt give it.
In these regions and countries we are slaves, and justly afflicted for our sins and those of our fathers; however, we ought to serve the Lord in the best manner which shall be possible unto us.
And by such an one shall the treasure be kept secret, and shall be given unto his heirs as far as he can, being ware of disinheriting them in order to give it unto others, and of causing it to fall into the hands of the infidels, or of rendering the wicked possessors thereof.
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER.
Mine intention was in no way to be so prolix in this first book; but what will not paternal love do? and the importance of the matter permitteth it.
Let each one who will carry out this glorious enterprise rest in peace and surety, because in these three books is comprised all that can be necessary for this operation. For I have written it with much care, attention, and exactitude; so that there is no phrase which doth not give thee some instruction or advice. However, I pray such an one for the love of God, who reigneth and will reign eternally, to commence no operation unless beforehand for the space of six months he hath read and re-read this book with care and attention, considering all points in detail; for I am more than sure that he will not encounter any doubtful matter which he will not be able to solve himself, but further day by day will he assume unto himself a great and ardent desire, pleasure, and will, to undertake this so glorious operation; the which can be effected by any person of any religion soever,1 provided, however, that during the six Moons he hath not committed any sin against the Law and commandments of God.
1. It is noticeable how constantly Abraham the Jew insists upon this point.
Now it remaineth unto me, O Lamech, my son, to show unto thee the marks of my extreme paternal tenderness, by giving thee two principal pieces of advice, by the means of which, and observing all the other particulars which I shall describe, thou (and any person unto whom thou shalt accord this sacred science) mayest indubitably arrive at the perfection of this same wisdom. It is necessary, however, to understand that many have undertaken this operation; and that some have obtained their wish; but that there are others who have not succeeded, and the reason of this hath been because their good angel hath not appeared unto them in the day of the conjuration, their angel being by its nature Amphiteron,2 because the angelic nature differeth to so great an extent from that of men, that no understanding nor science could express or describe it, as regardeth that great purity wherewith they3 be invested.
2. This word in Greek would mean "exhausted in every way" or "hemmed in and hindered on every side".
3. I.e., the angels.
I do not wish that thou, Lamech, my son, and thy successor, and friends, should be deprived of a so great treasure. I in no way wish to abandon thee in so essential a matter. The other point is the Psalm which I will tell thee also; and though thou givest the operation unto another person, although he be a friend, thou shalt in no wise communicate this unto him, because this Psalm is the preservative against all those to whom thou shalt have given the holy magic, should they wish to make use of it against thee; and thou shalt be able thyself to make excellent use of it against them. This was granted by the Lord unto David for his own preservation.
For the first point: the day being come when it is necessary to perform the orations, prayers, and convocations of thy guardian angel, thou shalt have a little child4 of the age of six, seven, or eight years at the most, who shall be clothed in white, the which child thou shalt have washed from head to foot, and thou shalt place upon his forehead a veil of white silk very fine and transparent, which covereth the forehead even unto the eyes; and upon the veil it is necessary to write beforehand in gold with a brush a certain sign made and marked in the manner and order as it will be shown in the third book; the which doth serve to conciliate and to give grace unto the mortal and human creature to behold the face of the angel. He who operateth shall do the same thing, but upon a veil of black silk, and shall put it on in the same manner as the child. After this thou shalt make the child enter into the oratory and thou shalt cause him to place the fire and the perfume in the censer, then he shall kneel before the altar; and he who performeth the operation shall be at the door and prostrate upon the ground, making his oration, and supplicating his holy angel that he will deign to appear and show himself unto this innocent being,5 giving unto him another sign if it be necessary in order to see him himself6 on the two following days.
4. The following instructions recall some of Cagliostro's methods of magical working.
5. I.e., the child.
6. I.e., the operator.
It is requisite that he who shall operate shall take heed to in no wise regard the altar, but having his face towards the ground let him continue his orations, and as soon as the child shall have seen the angel thou shalt command him to tell thee, and to look upon the altar and take the lamen or plate of silver which thou shalt have placed there for this purpose, in order to bring it unto thee if it be necessary, and whatever other thing the holy angel shall have written thereon, wherewith thou oughtest to work on the two following days. The which being done he will disappear. Which being carefully done, the child will tell thee (for this, it is necessary to have instructed him beforehand), and thou shalt command him to bring unto thee the little plate,7 by the which when thou hast received it thou shalt know what the angel hath ordered thee to do. And thou shalt cause it to be replaced upon the altar, and thou shalt quit the oratory, thou shalt close it, and thou shalt in no wise enter therein during the first day, and thou shalt be able to send away the child. And he who shall perform the operation shall prepare himself during the rest of the day for the morrow following, to enjoy the admirable presence of the holy guardian angel, in order to obtain the end so earnestly desired, and which shall not fail thee if thou followest the path which he shall show unto thee. And these two signs are the key of the whole operation. Unto the glory of the most holy name of God and of his holy angels!
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