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As we have already made mention of the Pentacles, it is necessary that thou shouldest understand that the whole Science and understanding of our Key dependeth upon the operation, Knowledge, and use of Pentacles.
He then who shall wish to perform any operation by the means of the Medals, or Pentacles, and therein to render himself expert, must observe what hath been hereinbefore ordained. Let him then, O my Son Roboam, know and understand that in the aforesaid Pentacles he shall find those Ineffable and Most Holy Names which were written by the finger of God in the Tablets of Moses; and which I, Solomon, have received through the Ministry of an Angel by Divine Revelation. These then have I collected together, arranged, consecrated, and kept, for the benefit of the human race, and the preservation of Body and of Soul.
The Pentacles should then be made in the days and hours of Mercury, when the Moon is in an aerial 1or terrestrial sign; she should also be in her increase, and in equal number of days with the Sun.
It is necessary to have a Chamber or Cabinet specially set apart and newly cleaned, wherein thou canst remain without interruption, the which having entered with thy Companions, thou shalt incense and perfume it with the odours and perfumes of the Art. The sky should be clear and serene. It is necessary that thou shouldest have one or more pieces of virgin paper prepared and arranged ready, as we shall tell you more fully later on, in its place.
Thou shalt commence the writing or construction of the Pentacles in the hour aforesaid. Among other things, thou shalt chiefly use these colours: Gold, Cinnabar or Vermilion Red, and celestial or brilliant Azure Blue. Furthermore, thou shalt make these Medals or Pentacles with exorcised pen and colours, as we shall hereafter show thee.
Whensoever thou constructest them, if thou canst complete them in the hour wherein thou didst begin them, it is better. However, if it be absolutely necessary to interrupt the work, thou shouldest await the proper day and hour before re-commencing it.
The Pentacles being finished and completed, take a cloth of very fine silk, as we shall hereafter ordain thee, in the which thou shalt wrap the Pentacles. After which thou shalt take a large Vessel of Earth filled with Charcoal, upon the which there must be put frankincense, mastic, and aloes, all having been previously conjured and exorcised as shall hereafter be told thee. Thou must also be thyself pure, clean, and washed, as thou shalt find given in the proper place. Furthermore, thou shouldest have the Sickle or Knife of Magical Art, with the which thou shalt make a Circle, and trace within it an inner circle, and in the space between the two thou shalt write the Names of God, 1 which thou shalt think fit and proper. It is necessary after this that thou shouldest have within the Circle a vessel of earth with burning coals and odoriferous perfumes thereon; with the which thou shalt fumigate the aforesaid Pentacles; and, having turned thy face towards the East, thou shalt hold the said Pentacles over the smoke of the Incense, and shalt repeat devoutly the following Psalms of David my Father: Psalms viii., xxi., xxvii., xxix., xxxii., li., lxxii., cxxxiv. 2
(For a convenient form of Circle which may be used for preparing Instruments and other things of the same kind, as well as for consecrating the Pentacles, see Figure 3.)
After this thou shalt repeat the following Oration:--
O ADONAI most powerful, EL most strong, AGLA most holy, ON Most righteous, the ALEPH 3 and the TAU, the Beginning and the End; Thou Who hast established all things in Thy Wisdom; Thou Who has chosen Abraham Thy faithful servant, and hast promised that in his seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed, which seed Thou hast multiplied as the Stars of Heaven; Thou Who hast appeared unto Thy servant Moses in flame in the midst of the Burning Bush, and hast made him walk with dry feet through the Red Sea; Thou Who gavest the Law to him upon Mount Sinai; Thou Who hast granted unto Solomon Thy Servant these Pentacles by Thy great Mercy, for the preservation of Soul and of Body; we most humbly implore and supplicate Thy Holy Majesty, that these Pentacles may be consecrated by Thy power, and prepared in such manner that
they may obtain virtue and strength against all Spirits, through Thee, O Most Holy ADONAI, Whose Kingdom, Empire, and principality remaineth and endureth without end.
These words being said, thou shalt perfume the Pentacles with the same sweet scents and perfumes, and afterwards having wrapped them in a piece of prepared silk cloth, thou shalt put them in a place fit and clean, which thou mayest open whenever it shall please thee, and close it again, at thy pleasure and according unto thy will. We will hereafter show thee the method and manner of preparing the aforesaid place, of perfuming it with scents and sweet odours, and of sprinkling it with the Water and Water-Sprinkler of Magical Art; for all these things contain many good properties, and innumerable virtues, as experience will easily teach thee.
We have already said sufficient regarding the Solemn Conjuration of Spirits.
We have also spoken enough in our present Key, regarding the manner in which it is necessary to attract the Spirits so as to make them speak. Now, by Divine aid, I will teach thee how to perform certain experiments with success.
Know, 1 O my Son Roboam, that all the Divine Sigils, Characters, and Names (which are the most precious and excellent things in Nature, whether Terrestrial or Celestial), should be written by thee each separately,
when thou art in a state of grace and purity, upon virgin parchment, with ordinary ink, in the beginning of the month 2 of August before sunrise, raising thine eyes unto heaven, and turning towards the east. Thou shalt preserve them to suspend from thy neck, whichever thou wilt, on the day and hour wherein thou wast born, after which thou shalt take heed to name every day ten times, the Name which is hung from thy neck, turning towards the East, and thou mayest be assured that no enchantment or any other danger shall have power to harm thee.
Furthermore thou shalt vanquish all adversities, and shalt be cherished and loved by the Angels and Spirits, provided that thou hast made their characters and that thou hast them upon thee; I assure thee that this is the true way to succeed with ease in all thine operations, for being fortified with a Divine Name, and the Letters, Characters, and Sigils, applicable unto the operation, thou shalt discover with what supernatural exactitude and very great promptitude, both Terrestrial and Celestial things will be obedient unto thee. But all this will only be true, when accompanied by the Pentacles which hereinafter follow, seeing that the Seals, Characters, and Divine Names, serve only to fortify the work, to preserve from unforeseen accidents, and to attract the familiarity of the Angels and Spirits
which is one reason, my Son, that before making any experiment, I order thee to read and re-read my Testament, not once only but many times, so that being perfectly instructed In the several Ceremonies thou mayest in no way fail, and that thus what shall have previously appeared to thee difficult and lengthy, may become in process of time easy and of very great use.
I am about to endow thee with many secrets, which I charge thee never to employ for an evil purpose, for ACCURSED BE HE WHO TAKETH THE NAME OFALMIGHTY GOD IN VAIN; but thou mayest without any other ceremonies make use of them, provided that, as I have already said, thou hast only the Glory of Eternal God for thine object. Thus, after having taught thee all the Ceremonies which concern the manner of performing the Operations, I am at length determined to make thee a partaker in the secrets of which I have particular knowledge, unknown to this day unto the generality of men; but, nevertheless, only on the condition that thou attemptest not the ruin and destruction of thy neighbour, for his blood will cry for vengeance unto God, and in the end thou and thine shall feel the just wrath of an offended Deity. However, God not having forbidden honest and lawful pleasures, thou mayest perform boldly the Operations which follow, it being always especially necessary to distinguish between the good and the evil, so as to choose the former and avoid the latter, which is why I command thee to be attentive to all that is contained in this my Testament.
44:1 i.e. in Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn.
45:1 Preferably those having some reference to the work in hand.
45:2 I have given the numbers of the Psalms according to the English, not the Hebrew numbers.
45:3 The Qabalistic word AZOTH may be substituted for 'the Aleph and the Tau.'
46:1 From here to the end of the Chapter is only given in Lansdowne MSS. 1203.
46:2 i.e. When the Sun is in the Sign Leo.