Book II, chapters 46–50: Images of the lunar mansions and Behenian stars; geomantic figures; practice of images

CHAP. XLVI. Of the Images of the Mansions of the Moon.

THey made also Images for every Mansion of the Moon; in the first for the destruction of some one, they made in an Iron ring the Image of a black man in a garment made of haire, and girdled round, casting a small lance with his right hand; they sealed this in black wax, and perfumed it with liquid Storax, and wished some evil to come. In the second, against the wrath of the Prince, and for reconcilation with him, they sealed in white wax and mastick, the Image of a king crowned, and perfumed it with Lignum Aloes; In the third, they made an Image in a silver ring, whose table was square, the figure of which was a woman well clothed, sitting in a chair, her right hand being lifted up on her head; they sealed it and perfumed it with muske, Camphire and Calamus Aromaticus. They affirmed that this giveth happy fortune and every good thing. In the fourth, for revenge, separation, enmity and ill will, they sealed in red wax the Image of a souldier sitting on an horse, holding a Serpent in his right hand; they perfumed it with red myrrhe, and Storax; in the fifth, for the favor of Kings and officers, and good entertainment, they sealed in Silver the head of a man, and perfumed it with Sanders; in the sixth, for to procure love betwixt two, they sealed in white wax two Images imbracing one another, and perfumed them with Lignum Aloes and Amber; in the seventh, for to obtain every good thing, they sealed in Sil[…]m the Image of a man well clothed, holding up his hands to heaven as it were praying and supplicating, and perfumed it with good odors; In the eight, for victory in war, they made a seal of Tin, being an Image of an Eagle, having the face of a man, and perfumed it with Brimstone. In the ninth, to cause infirmities, they made a seal of Lead, being the image of a man wanting his privy parts, shutting his eyes with his hands; and they perfumed it with Rosin of the Pine. In the tenth, to facilitate child-bearing, and to cure the sick, they made a seal of gold, being the head of a Lyon, and perfumed it with Amber: In the eleventh, for fear, reverence and worship, they made a seal of a plate of gold, being the image of a man riding on a Lion, holding the ear thereof in his left hand, and in his right, holding forth a bracelet of gold, and they perfumed it with good odours and Saffron. In the twelth, for the separation of Lovers, they made a seal of black lead, being the image of a Dragon fighting with a man, and they perfumed it with the hairs of a Lion, and Assa fetida. In the thirteenth, for the agreement of married couples, and for the dissolving of the charms against copulation, they made a seal of the images of both, of the man in red Wax, of the woman in white, and caused them to imbrace one another, perfuming it with Lignum Aloes and Amber. In the fourteenth, for divorce and separation of the man from the woman, they made a seal of red Copper, being the image of a Dog biting his tail, and they perfumed it with the hair of a black Dog, and black Cat. In the fifteenth, for to obtain friendship and good will, they made the image of a man sitting, and inditing of letters, and perfumed it with Frankincense and Nutmegs In the sixteenth, for to gain much Merchandizing they made a seal of Silver, being the image of a man sitting upon a Chair, holding a ballance in his hand, and they perfumed it with well smelling spices. In the seventeenth, against Theeves and Robbers, they sealed with an Iron seal the Image of an Ape, and perfumed it with the hair of an Ape. In the eighteenth, against Feavors and pains of the belly, they made a seal of Copper, being the image of a Snake, holding his tail above his head, and they persumed it with Harts-horn, and re[…]orted the same seal to put to flight Serpents and all venemous […]eatures from the place where it is buried. In the nineteenth for acilitating birth & provoking the menstrues, they made a seal of opper, being the image of a woman, holding her hands upon her […]ace; and they perfumed it with Liquid Storax. In the twentieth, for hunting, they made a seal of Tin, being the image of Sagittary, half a Man, and half an Horse, and they perfumed it with the head of a Wolf. In the twentie one for the destruction of some body, they made the image of a man with a double countenance, before and behinde, and they perfumed it with Brimstone and Jet, and did put it in a box of brass, and with it Brimstone and Jet, and the hair of him whom they would hurt. In the two and twentieth, for the security, of Runaways, they made a seal of Iron, being the image of a man with wings on his feet, bearing an helmet on his head, and they perfumed it with Argent vive. In the three and twentieth, for destruction and wasting, they made a seal of Iron, being the image of a Cat, having a Dogs head, and they perfumed it with the hairs of a Dogs head, and buried it in the place where they did pretend to hurt. In the four and twentieth, for the multiplying of Heards of Cattle, they took the horn of a Ram, Bull, or Goat, or of that sort of cattle which they would increase, and sealed in it burning with an Iron seal, the image of a woman giving suck to her son, and they hanged it on the neck of that cattle who was the leader of the flock, or they sealed it in his horn. In the five and twentieth, for the preservation of Trees and Harvests, they sealed in the wood of a Fig-tree, the image of a man planting, and they perfumed it with the flowers of the Fig-tree, and did hang it on the tree. In the six and twentieth for love and favor, they sealed in white War and Mastick the image of a woman washing and combing her haires, and they perfumed it with things smelling very well. In the seven and twentieth for to destroy Fountains, Pits, Medicinal Waters and Baths, they made of red Earth the image of a man winged, holding in his hand an empty vessel, and perforated, and the image being burnt, they did put in the vessel Assa fetida, and liquid Storax, and they did overwhelm and bury it in the Pond or Fountain which they would destroy. In the eight and twentieth, for to gather Fishes together, they made a seal of Copper, being the image of a Fish, and they perfumed it with the skin of a sea fish, and did cast it into the water, wheresoever they would have the fish to gather together. Moreover together with the foresaid Images, they did write down also the names of the Spirits and their Characters, and did invocate and pray for those things which they pretended to obtain.

CHAP. XLVII. Of the Images of the fixed Behenian Stars.

BUt now for the operations of the fixed stars, according to Hermes opinion, under the head of Algol, they made an image whose Figure was the head of a man with a bloody neck; they report that it bestoweth good success to Petitions, and maketh him who carrieth it bold and magnanimous, and preserveth the members of the body sound: also it helpeth against Witchcraft, and reflecteth evil indeavors and wicked incantations upon our adversaries. Under the constellation of Pleiades, they made the image of a little Virgin, or the Figure of a Lamp; its reported to increase the light of the eyes, to assemble Spirits, to raise Winds, to reveal secret and hidden things: Under Adlebora, they made an image after the likeness of God, or of a flying man; it giveth riches and honor: Under the Goat they made an image, the Figure of which was, as it were, a man willing to make himself merry with musical instruments; it maketh him who carrieth it acceptable, honored and exalted before Kings and Princes; and helpeth the pain of the teeth: Under the greater Dog-star, they made the […]mage of an Hound and a little Virgin; it bestoweth honor and good will, and the favor of men, and Aerial spirits, and giveth power to pacifie and reconcile Kings, Princes, and other men: Under the lesser Dog-star they made the image of a Cock, or of three little maides; it conferreth the favor of the gods, of spirits, and men; it giveth power against Witchcrafts, and preserveth health: Under the Heart of Leo, they made the […]mage of a Lion or Cat, or the Figure of an honorable Person sitting in a Chair; it rendreth a man temperate, appeaseth wrath, and giveth favour: Under the tail of Vrsa Major they made the image of a pensive Man, or of a Bull, or the Figure of a Calf; it availeth against incantations, and maketh him who carrieth it secure in his travels: Under the wing of Corvus, they made the image of a Raven, or Snake, or of a black Man cloathed in black; this maketh a man cholerick, bold, couragious, full of thoughts, a backbiter, and causeth naughty dreams; also it giveth the power of driving away evil spirits, and of gathering them together; it is profitable against the malice of Men, Devils and Winds: Under the Spike they made the image of a Bird, or of a man laden with Merchandize; it conferreth riches, and maketh one overcome contentions, it taketh away scarcity and mischief: Under Alchameth they made the image of an Horse of Wolf, or the Figure of a man dancing; it is good against Feavers, it astringeth and retaineth the bloud: Under Elphrya, they made the image of an Hen, or of a man crowned and advanced; it bestoweth the good will and love of men, and giveth chastity. Under the Heart of Scorpio they made the image of a man armed, and with a coat of Male, or the Figure of a Scorpion; it giveth understanding and memory, it maketh a good colour, and aideth against evil spirits, and driveth them away, and bindeth them: Under the Vulture, they made the image of a Vulture or Hen, or of a traveller; it maketh a man magnanimous and proud, it giveth power over devils and beasts. Under the tail of Capricorn they made the image of an Hart, or Goate, or of an angry man; it bestoweth prosperity, and increaseth wrath. These are the images of some of the fixed stars which they command to be ingraven on their stones under them.

CHAP. XLVIII. Of Geomanticall Figures, which are the middle betwixt Images and Characters.

THere are moreover certain other Figures, framed by the number and situation of the stars, and ascribed both to the Elements, and also to the Planets and Signs, which are called Geomantical, because that Geomantical Diviners do reduce the points of their lot projected, by the excess of parity or imparity into those figures; and they also being engraven or imprinted under the dominion of their Planets and Signs, do conceive the vertue and power of images; and these Figures are as a middle betwixt Images and Characters; But whosoever desireth exactly to know the natures, qualities, proprieties, conditions, significations, and Nativities of these Figures, let him read the Volums of Geomancy; but they are in number sixteen, whose names and figures are these.

CHAP. XLIX. Of Images, the figure whereof is not after the likness of any Celestiall figure, but after the likeness of that which the mind of the worker desires.

THere remains as yet an other manner of images not according to the similitude of Celestiall figures, but according to the similitude of that which the mind of the worker desires, of whose they are the effigies, and representation: So to procure love we make images embracing one the other: to discord, striking one the other; to bring misery, or destruction as dammage to a man or house, or City or any thing else, we make images distorted, broken in members, and parts after the likeness and figure of that thing which we would destroy or damnifie; And Magicians advise us that in casting or engraving images we would write upon it the name of the effect; and this on the back when evill, as destruction; on the belly when good, as love. Moreover in the forehead of the image let be written the name of the species or Jndividuum which the image represents, or for whom or against whom it is made. Also on the breast let the name of the signe or face ascending, and Lord thereof be written; also the names and Characters of its Angles. Moreover in making the image they advise that prayer for the effect for which it is made, be used. All which Albertus Magnus in his Speculo affirms. Now they use the images being made diversly according to the vertues thereof; Sometimes they hang them or binde them to the body; Sometimes they bury them under the Earth, or a River; sometimes they hang them in a Chimny over the smoak, or upon a tree that they be moved by the wind; sometime with the head upward, & sometimes downward; sometimes they put them into hot water, or into the fire. For they say as the workers of the images do affect the image it self, so doth it bring the like pas[…]ons upon those to whom it was ascribed, as the mind of the operator hath dictated it. As we read that Nectanabus the Magician made images of ships with wax after that manner, and art that when he drowned those images in water, that the ships of his enemies were in like maner drowned in the Sea, and hazarded. Now that part of Astrology which is writ concerning elections, teacheth us that the constellations also are to be observed for the making of images, and such like.

CHAP. L. Of certain Celestial observations and the practise of some Images.

I will now shew thee the observation of Celestiall bodyes, which are required for the practise of some of these kind of images; So to make any one fortunate, we make an image in which these are fortunate, viz. the significator of the life thereof, the givers of life, the signs, and Planets. Moreover let the ascendent, the middle of the heaven, and the Lords thereof be fortunate: also the place of the Sun, and place of the Moon; part of fortune, and Lord of conjunction or prevention made before their nativity, by depressing the Malignant Planets. But if we will make an image to procure misery, we must do contrarywise, and those which we place here fortunate, must there be infortunate, by raising malignant Stars. In like manner must we do to make any place, Region, City, or house fortunate. Also for destroying or prejudicing any of the foresaid; Let there be made an image under the ascension of that man whom thou wouldst destroy, and prejudice, and thou shall make unfortunate, the Lord of the house of his life, the Lord of the ascending, and the Moon, the lord of the house of the Moon, and the lord of the house of the lord ascending, and the tenth house, and the lord thereof. Now for the fitting of any place, place fortunes in the ascendent thereof; and in the first, and tenth and second, and eighth house, thou shall make the lord of the ascendent, and the lord of the house of the Moon fortunate. But to chase away certain Animals from certain places, that they may not be generated, or abide there, let there be an image made under the ascension of that Animal, which thou wouldst chase away, and after the likeness thereof; as if thou wouldest chase away Scorpions from any place, let an image of the Scorpion be made, the sign of Scorpio ascending with the Moon, and thou shalt make unfortunate the ascendent, and lord thereof, and the Lord of the house of Mars; and thou shall make unfortunate the lord of the ascendent in the eighth house, and let them be joyned with an aspect malignant, opposite, or quadrant: and let there be writ upon the image the name of the ascendent, of the Lord thereof, and of the Moon, and of the lord of the day, and of the Lord of the hour. And let there be a pit made in the middle of the place, from which thou wouldst drive them; and let there be carryed into it, some of the earth taken out of the four corners of the same place, and let the image be buryed there with the head downward, with saying, this is the burying of the Scorpions, that they may not come into this place, and so of the rest. So for gain let there be made an image under the ascendent of the nativity of the man, or under the ascension of that place to which thou wouldest appoint the gain; and thou shall make the lord of the second house, which is in the house of substance to be joyned with the Lord of the ascendent in the trine or sextil, and let there be a reception amongst them; thou shall make fortunate the eleventh and the Lord thereof, and the eighth; and if thou canst, put part of the fortune in the ascendent, or second; and let the image be buryed in that place, or carryed from that place, to which thou wouldest appoint the gain. Also for concord, and love, let there be an image made in the day of Jupiter under the ascendent of the nativity of him whom thou wouldst have be beloved, make fortunate the ascendent, and the tenth, and hide the evil from the ascendent; and thou must have the Lord of the tenth, and planets of the eleveneth fortune, joyned to the Lord of the ascendent, from the trine or sextil with reception; then make an other image for him whom thou wouldest stir up to love; consider if he be a friend, or companion of him whom thou wouldst have be beloved; and if so, let there be an image made under the ascension of the eleventh house from the ascendent of the first image; but if the party be a wife, or a husband, let it be made under the ascension of the seventh; if a brother, or a sister, or a cousin, let it be made under the ascension of the third, and so of the like; and put the significator of the ascendent of the second image, joyned to the significator of the ascendent of the first image; and let there be betwixt them a reception, and let the rest be fortunate, as in the first image; afterwards joyn both images together into a mutual embraceing or put the face of the second image to the back of the first image, and let them be wrapt up in silk, and cast away or spoiled. Also for success of petitions, and for the obtaining of a thing denyed, or taken, or possessed by an other, let there be an image made under the ascendent of him who petitions for the thing; and cause that the Lord of the second be joyned with the lord of the ascendent from a trine, or sextile, and let there be a reception betwixt them, and if it can be, let the Lord of the second be in the obeying signs, and the Lord of the ascendent in the ruling, make fortunate the ascendent, and the Lord thereof, and take heed that the lord of the ascendent be not retrograde or combust, or falling, or in the house of opposition i. e. in the seventh from his own house; let him not be hindred by the malignant, let him be strong, & in an angle; Thou shalt make fortunate the ascendent, and the Lord of the second and the Moon; and make another image for him that is petitioned to, and begin it under the ascendent belonging to him, as if he be a King or a Prince, begin it under the ascendent of the tenth house from the ascendent of the first image; If he be a father under the fourth; if a son under fifth, and so of the like; and put the significator of the second image, joyned with the lord of the ascendent of the first image, from a trine, or sextile, and let him receive it, and put them both strong, and fortunate without any let; make all evill fall from them. Thou shall make fortunate the tenth, and the fourth if thou canst or any of them; and when the second image shall be perfected, joyn it with the first, face to face, and wrap them in clean linnen, and bury them in the middle of his house who is the petitioner under a fortunate significator, the fortune being strong, and let the face of the first image be toward the North, or rather toward that place where the thing petitioned for doth abide; or if it happen that the petitioner goeth forward towards him with whom the thing petitioned for is, let him bring the images with him as far ar he goes. And let there be made an image of dreams, which being put under the head of him that sleeps, makes him dream true dreams concerning any thing that he hath formerly deliberated of; and let the figure of that be the figure of a man sleeping in the bosome of an Angel, which thou shall make in the Lyon ascending, the Sun keeping the nineth house in Aries; thou shalt writ upon the breast of the man the name of the effect desired, and in the hand of the Angel the name of the intelligence of the Sun. Let the same image be made in Virgo ascending, Mercury being fortunate in Aries in the ninth house, or Gemini ascending in Mercury being fortunate, and keeping the ninth house in Aquarius; and let it be received from Saturn with a fortunate aspect, and let the name of the spirit of Mercury be writ upon it. Let also the same be made in Libra ascending, Venus being received from Mercury in Gemini in the ninth house, by writting upon it the Angel of Venus. Besides also let the same image be made in Aquarius ascending, Saturn fortunately possessing the ninth house in his exaltation, which is in Libra, and let there be writ upon it the Angel of Saturn. Moreover let it be made in Cancer ascending the Moon being received by Jupiter and Venus in Pisces, and being fortunately placed in the ninth house, and let there be writ upon it the spirit of the Moon. There are also made rings of dreams of wonderfull efficacy; and there are rings of the Sun, and Saturn, and the constellation of them is when the Sun or Saturn ascend in their exaltations in the ninth house, and when the Moon is joyned to Saturn in the ninth house, and in that signe, which was the ninth house of Nativity; and let there be writ upon the rings the name of the spirit of the Sun, or Saturn. Let this which hath been spoken suffice concerning images, for nowthou mayst find out more of this nature of thy self. But know this that such images work nothing, unless they be so vivified that either a naturall, or Celestiall, or Heroicall, or animasticall, or Demoniacall, or angelicall vertue be in them, or assistant to them. But who can give a soul to an image, or make a stone to live, or mettal, or wood, or wax? and who can raise out of stones children unto Abraham? Certainly this Arcanum doth not enter into an Artist of a stiffe neck; neither can he give those things which hath them not. No body hath them but he who doth (the Elements being restrained, nature being overcome, the Heavens being over powered) transcend the progress of Angels, and comes to the very Archetype it self, of which being then made a cooperator may do all things, as we shall speak afterwards.