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"; 1
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 us, for they openly speak to those that watch, and do offer themselves to our sight, or do inform us by dreams and by oracle of those things which we have a great desire to know. Whoever therefore would call any good Spirit to speak or appear in sight, he must particularly observe two things; one whereof is about the disposition of the invocant, the other concerning those things which are outwardly to be adhibited to the invocation for the conformity of the Spirit to be called.
"It is necessary therefore that the invocant religiously dispose himself for the space of many days to such a mystery, and to conserve himself during the time chaste, abstinent, and to abstract himself as much as he can from all manner of foreign and secular business; likewise he should observe fasting, as much as shall seem convenient to him, and let him daily, between sun-
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, i.e., the time of a whole lunation. 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 a 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 have before described, covered with fine linen, which is not to be opened until the end of the days of consecration. You shall also have in readiness a precious perfume and a pyre anointing oil. And let them both be kept consecrated. Then set a censer on the head of the Altar, wherein you shall kindle the holy fire, and make a precious perfume every day that you pray.
"Now for 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 a girdle. You shall likewise have a veil made of pure white linen on which must be wrote in a gilt lamen, the name Tetragrammaton; all which things are to be consecrated and sanctified in order. But you must not go into this holy place till it be first washed and covered with a cloth new and clean, and then you may enter, but with your feet naked and bare; and when you enter therein you shall sprinkle with holy water, then make a perfume upon the altar; and then on your knees pray before the altar as we have directed.
"Now when the time is expired, on the last day, you shall fast more strictly; and fasting on the day following, at the rising of the sun, enter the holy place, using the ceremonies before spoken of, first by sprinkling thyself, then, making, a perfume, you shall sign the cross with holy oil on the forehead, and anoint your eyes, using prayer in all these consecrations. Then open the lamen and pray before the Altar upon your knees; and then an invocation may be made as follows:--
AN INVOCATION OF THE GOOD SPIRITS.
"IN the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity, I do desire ye, strong and mighty Angels (here name the Spirit or Spirits you would have appear), that if it be the Divine Will of Him Who is called Tetragrammaton, etc., the Holy God, the Father, that ye take upon ye: some shape as best becometh your celestial nature, and appear to us visibly here in this place, and answer our demands, in as far as we shall not transgress the bounds of the Divine mercy and goodness, by requesting unlawful knowledge; but that thou wilt graciously shew us what things are most profitable for us to know and do, to the glory and honour of His Divine Majesty Who liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.
"Lord, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven--make clean our hearts within us, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from us. O Lord, by Thy Name we have called them, suffer them to administer unto us.
"And that all things may work together for Thy Honour and Glory, to Whom with Thee, the Son and blessed Spirit, be ascribed all might, majesty, and dominion, world without end. Amen.
"The Invocation being made, the Good Angels will appear unto you which you desire, which you shall entertain with a chaste communication, and licence them to depart.
"Now the Lamen which is used to invoke. any Good Spirit must be made after the following manner: either in metal conformable or in new wax mixed with convenient spices and colours; or it may be made with pure white paper with convenient colours, and the outward form of it may be either square, circular, or triangular, or of the like sort, according to the rule of the numbers; in 1 or character of six corners; in the middle thereof write the Name and Character of the Star, or of the Spirit his Governor, to whom the Good Spirit that is to be called is subject. And about this Character let there be placed so many Characters of five corners, or pentacles, 2 as the Spirits we
would call together at once. But if we should call only one, nevertheless there must be made four pentagons, wherein the name of the Spirit or Spirits with their characters are to be written. Now this Lamen ought to be composed when the Moon is in her increase, on those days and hours which agree to the Spirit; and if we take a fortunate planet therewith, it will be the better for the producing the effect; which Table or Lamen being rightly made in the manner we have fully described, must be consecrated according to the rules above delivered.
"And this is the way of making the general Table or Lamen for the invocating of all Spirits whatever; the form whereof you may see in 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 chosen 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 coal; let there be written in the outer part of the Circle the Names of the Angels; in the inner part thereof write the Mighty Names of God; and let be placed within the Circle, at the Four Parts of the World, 1 the vessels for the perfumes. Then being washed and fasting, let him enter the place, and pray towards the East this whole Psalm:--"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, etc.". Psalm cix. Then make a fumigation, and deprecate the Angels by the said Divine Names, that they will appear unto you, and reveal or discover that which you so earnestly desire; and do this continually for six days washed, and fasting. On the seventh day being washed and fasting, enter the Circle, perfume it, and anoint thyself with holy oil upon the forehead, eyes, and in the palms of both hands, and upon the feet; then with bended knees, say the Psalm aforesaid, with Divine and Angelical Names. Which being said, arise, and walk round the Circle from East to West, until thou shalt be wearied with a giddiness of thy head and brain, then straightway fall down in the Circle, where thou mayest rest, and thou wilt be wrapped up in an ecstasy; and a Spirit will appear and inform thee of all things necessary to be known. We must observe also, that in the Circle there ought to be four holy
[paragraph continues] God, I the Minister and faithful Servant of the Most High conjure ye, let God Himself, the Existence of Existences, conjure ye to come and be present at this Operation; I the Servant of God, most humbly entreat ye. Amen.
"After which thou shalt incense it with the incense proper 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 day with the Incense proper to the Planet ruling the day and hour, and taking heed that the Lamp shall burn both day and night; after the which thou shalt shut up the Book in a small Drawer under the table, made expressly for it, until thou shalt have occasion to use it; and every time that thou wishest to use it, clothe thyself with thy vestments, kindle the lamp, and repeat upon thy knees the aforesaid prayer, 'ADONAI, ELOHIM,' etc.
"It is necessary also in the Consecration of the Book, to summon all the Angels whose Names are written therein in the form of Litanies, the which thou shalt do with devotion; and even if the Angels and Spirits appear not in the Consecration of the Book, be not thou astonished thereat, seeing that they are of a pure nature, and consequently have much difficulty in familiarising themselves with men who are inconstant and impure, but the Ceremonies and Characters being correctly carried out, devoutly, and with perseverance, they will be constrained to come, and it will at length happen that at thy first invocation thou wilt be able to see and communicate with them. But I advise thee to undertake nothing unclean or impure, for then thy importunity, far from attracting them will only serve to chase them from thee; and it will be thereafter exceedingly difficult for thee to attract them for use for pure ends."
xliii:1 Published originally by Lackington & Allen, London, 1801; but reprinted and re-issued by Bernard Quaritch, Piccadilly, some years since.
xlv:1 Probably an error for "hexagram, or "hexangle".
xlv:2 Probably an error for "pentagrams," or "pentangles".
xlvi:1 I.e., The Cardinal Points, or Quarters.
candles burning at the Four Parts of the World, which ought not to want light for the space of a week.
"And the manner of fasting is this: to abstain from all things having a life of sense, and from those which do proceed from them, let him drink only pure running water; neither is there any food or wine to be taken till the going down of the Sun.
"Let the perfume and the holy anointing oil be made as is set forth in Exodus, and other holy books of the Bible. It is also to be observed, that as often as he enters the Circle he has upon his forehead a golden lamen, upon which must be written the Name Tetragrammaton, in the manner we have before mentioned."
In "The Key of Solomon the King" 1 (Book II.--Chapter XXI.) will be found other directions for invoking spirits as follows:--
"Make a small Book containing the Prayers for all the Operations, the Names of the Angels in the form of Litanies, their Seals and Characters; the which being done thou shalt consecrate the same unto God and unto the pure Spirits in the manner following:--
"Thou shalt set in the destined place a small table covered with a white cloth, whereon thou shalt lay the Book opened at the Great Pentacle which should be drawn on the first leaf of the said Book; and having kindled a lamp which should be suspended above the centre of the table, thou shalt surround the said table with a white curtain; 2 clothe thyself in the proper vestments, and holding the Book open, repeat upon thy knees the following prayer with great humility:--
THE PRAYER.
ADONAI, ELOHIM, EL, EHEIEH ASHER EHEIEH, Prince of Princes, Existence of Existences, have mercy upon me, and cast Thine eyes upon Thy servant (N.) who invoketh Thee most devoutly, and supplicateth Thee by Thy Holy and tremendous Name, Tetragrammaton, to be propitious and to order Thine Angels and Spirits to come and take up their abode in this place; O ye Angels and Spirits of the Stars, O all ye Angels and Elementary Spirits, O all ye Spirits present before the Face of
xlvii:1 Published by G. Redway, London, 1889.
xlvii:2 So as to make a species of small tabernacle around the altar.