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IN order to properly carry out the greatest and most important Operations of the Art, various Instruments are necessary, as a Knife with a white hilt, another with a black hilt, a short Lance, wherewith to trace Circles, Characters, and other things.
The Knife with the white hilt (see Figure 61) should be made in the day and hour of Mercury, when Mars is in the Sign of the Ram or of the Scorpion. It should be dipped in the blood of a gosling and in the juice of the pimpernel, the Moon being at her full or increasing in light. Dip therein also the white hilt, upon the which thou shalt have engraved the Characters shown. Afterwards perfume it with the perfumes of the Art.
With this Knife thou mayest perform all the necessary Operations of the Art, except the Circles. But if it seemeth unto thee too troublesome to make a similar Knife, have one made in the same fashion; and thou shalt place it thrice in the fire until it becometh red-hot, and each time thou shalt immerse it in the aforesaid blood and juice, fasten thereunto the white hilt having engraved thereon the aforesaid characters, and upon the hilt thou shalt write with the pen of Art, commencing from the point and going towards the hilt, these Names Agla, On, as shown in Figure 61. Afterwards thou shalt perfume and sprinkle it, and shalt wrap it in a piece of silken cloth.
But as for the Knife with the black hilt (see Figure 62) for making the Circle, wherewith to strike terror and fear into the Spirits, it should be made in the same manner, except that it should be done in the day and hour of Saturn, and dipped in the blood of a black cat and in the juice of hemlock, the Characters and Names shown in Figure 62 being written thereon, from the point towards the hilt. Which being completed, thou shalt wrap it in a black silk cloth.
The Scimitar (Figure 63), and the Sickle (Figure 64), are made in
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Plate XIII.
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Plate XIV.
the same way, as also the Dagger (Figure 65), the Poniard (Figure 66), and the short Lance (Figure 67), in the day and hour of Mercury, and they should be dipped in the blood of a magpie and the juice of the herb Mercury. Thou must make for them handles of white boxwood cut at a single stroke from the tree, at the rising of the Sun, with a new knife, or with any other convenient instrument. -The characters shown should be traced thereon. Thou shalt perfume them according to the rules of Art; and wrap them in silk cloth like the others.
The Staff (Figure 68) should be of elderwood, or cane, or rosewood; and the Wand (Figure 69) of hazel or nut tree, in all cases the wood being virgin, that is of one year's growth only. They should each be cut from the tree at a single stroke, on the day of Mercury, at sunrise. The characters shown should be written or engraved thereon in the day and hour of Mercury.
This being done, thou shalt say:--
ADONAI, Most Holy, deign to bless and to consecrate this Wand, and this Staff, that they may obtain the necessary virtue, through Thee, O Most Holy ADONAI, Whose kingdom endureth unto the Ages of the Ages. Amen.
After having perfumed and consecrated them, put them aside in a pure and clean place for use when required.
Swords are also frequently necessary for use in Magical Arts. Thou shalt therefore take a new Sword which thou shalt clean and polish on the day of Mercury, and at the first or the fifteenth hour, and after this thou shalt write on one side these Divine Names in Hebrew, YODHE VAU HE, ADONAI, EHEIEH, YAYAI; and on the other side ELOHIM GIBOR (Figure 70); sprinkle and cense it and repeat over it the following conjuration:--
I conjure thee, O Sword, by these Names, ABRAHACH, ABRACH, ABRACADABRA, YODHE VAU HE, that thou serve me for a strength and defence in all Magical Operations, against all mine Enemies, visible and invisible.
I conjure thee anew by the Holy and Indivisible Name of EL strong and wonderful; by the Name SHADDAI Almighty; and by these Names QADOSCH, QADOSCH, QADOSCH, ADONAI ELOHIM TZABAOTH, EMANUEL, the First and the Last, Wisdom, Way, Life, Truth, Chief, Speech, Word, Splendour, Light, Sun, Fountain, Glory, the Stone of the Wise, Virtue, Shepherd, Priest, Messiach Immortal; by these Names then, and by the other Names, I conjure thee, O Sword, that thou servest me for a Protection in all adversities. Amen.
This being finished thou shalt wrap it also in silk like all the other Instruments, being duly purified and consecrated by the Ceremonies requisite for the perfection of all Magical Arts and Operations.
Three 1 other Swords should be made for the use of the Disciples.
The first one should have on the pommel the Name CARDIEL or GABRIEL (Figure 71); on the Lamen of the Guard, REGION (Figure 72); on the Blade, PANORAIM HEAMESIN (Figure 73).
The Second should have on the pommel the Name AURIEL (Figure 74); on the Lamen of the Guard, SARION (Figure 75); on the Blade, GAMORINDEBALIN (Figure 76).
The third should have on the pommel the Name DAMIEL or RAPHAEL (Figure 77); on the Lamen of the Guard, YEMETON (Figure 78); on the Blade, LAMEDIN ERADIM (Figure 79).
The Burin 2 (Figure 80) or Graver is useful for engraving or incising characters. In the day and hour either of Mars or of Venus thou shalt engrave thereon the characters shown, and having sprinkled and censed it thou shalt repeat over it the following Prayer:--
ASOPHIEL, ASOPHIEL, ASOPHIEL, PENTAGRAMMATON, ATHANATOS, EHEIEH ASHER EHEIEH, QADOSCH, QADOSCH, QADOSCH; O God Eternal, and my Father, bless this Instrument prepared in Thine honour, so that it may only serve for a good use and end, for Thy Glory. Amen.
Having again perfumed, thou shalt put it aside for use. The Needle may be consecrated in the same way.
98:1 The description of these three Swords for the Disciples is only given in 1307 Sloane MSS.
98:2 From here to the end of the Chapter is from 1203 Lansdowne MSS.