Letters between Agrippa and Trithemius; dedication to Hermann of Wied

To R. P. D. Iohn Tritemius, an Abbot of Saint James in the Suburbs of Herbipolis, Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheym sendeth greeting.

WHen I was of late (most reverend Father) for a while conversant with you in your Monastery of Herbipolis, we conferred together of divers things concerning Chymistry, Magick, and Cabalie, and of other things, which as yet lye hid in secret Sciences, and Arts; and then there was one great question amongst the rest, why Magick, whereas it was accounted by all ancient Philosophers the chiefest Science, & by the ancient wise men, & Priests was always had in great veneration, came at last after the beginning of the Catholike Church to be alwaies odious to, and suspected by the holy Fathers, and then exploded by Divines, and condemned by sacred Canons, and moreover by all laws, and ordinances forbidden. Now the cause, as I conceive is no other then this, viz. because by a certain fatall depravation of times, and men, many false Philosophers crep in, and these under the name of Magicians, heaping together through various sorts of errors and factions of false Religions, many cursed superstitions and dangerous Rites, and many wicked Sacriledges, out of Orthodox Religion, even to the perfection of nature, and destruction of men, and injury of God, set forth very many wicked, and unlawfull books, such as we see carryed about in these dayes, to which they have by stealth prefixed the most honest name, and title of Magick. They therefore by this sacred title of Magick, hoped to gain credit to their cursed and detestable fooleries. Hence it is that this name of Magick, formerly honorable, is now in these dayes become most odious to good and honest men, and accounted a Capital crime, if any one dare profess himself to be a Magician, either in Doctrine or works, unless haply some certain old doting woman, dwelling in the Country, would be believed to be skilful, and have a Divine power, that (as saith Apuleius she can throw down the Heaven, lift up the earth, harden fountains, wash away mountains, raise up Ghosts, cast down the Gods, extinguish the Stars, illumnate hel, or as Virgil sings,

She'l promise by her charms to cast great cares,
Or ease the minds of men, and make the Stars
For to go back, and rivers to stand still,
And raise the nightly ghosts even at her will,
To make the earth to groan, and trees to fall
From the mountains—

Hence those things, which Lucan relates of Thessala that Magicianess, and Homer of the omnipotency of Circe, whereof many Iconfess are as well of a fallacious opinion, as superstitious diligence, & pernicious labor, as when they cannot come under a wicked Art, yet they presume they may be able to cloak themselves under that venerable title of Magick. Since then these things are so, I wondered much, and was not less angry, that as yet there hath been no man, who did challenge this sublime and sacred discipline with the crime of impiety, or had delivered it purely, and sincerely to us, since I have seen of our modern writers Roger Bacon, Robert an English man, Peter Apponus, Albertus the Teutonich, Arnoldas de villa Nova, Anselme the Parmensian, Picatrix the Spaniard, Cicclus Asculus of Florence, and many others, but writers of an obscure name, when they promised to treat of Magick, to do nothing but irrationall toies, and superstitions unworthy of honest men. Hence my spirit was moved, and by reason partly of admiration, and partly of indignation, I was willing to play the Philosopher, supposing that I should do no discommendable work, who have been always from my youth a curious, and undaunted searcher of wonderfull effects, and operations full of mysteries; if I should recover that ancient Magick the discipline of all wise men from the errors of impiety, purifie and adorn it with its proper lustre, and vindicate it from the injuries of calumniators; which thing though I long deliberated of it in my mind, yet never durst as yet undertake, but after some conference betwixt us of these things at Herbipolis, your transcending knowledge, and learning, and your ardent adhortation put courage, and boldness into me. There selecting the opinions of Philosophers of known credit, and purging the introduction of the wicked (who dissemblingly, with a counterfeited knowledge did teach, that traditions of Magicians must be learned from very reprobate books of darkness, as from institutions of wonderfull operations) and removing all darkness, have at last composed three compendious books of Magick, and titled them Of Occult Philosophy, being a title less offensive, which books I submit (you excelling in the knowledge of these things) to your correction and censure, that if I have wrote any thing which may tend either to the contumely of nature, offending God, or injury of Religion, you may condemn the error; but if the scandal of impiety be dissolved and purged, you may defend the tradition of truth; and that you would do so with these books, and Magick it self, that nothing may be concealed which may be profitable, and nothing approved of which cannot but do hurt, by which means these three books having passed your examination with approbation, may at length be thought worthy to come forth with good success in publike, and may not be afraid to come under the censure of posterity.

Farewell, and pardon these my hold undertakings.

John Tritemius, Abbot of Saint James of Herbipolis, formerly of Spanhemia, to his Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettes-heym, health and love.

YOur work (most renowned Agrippa) Entituled Of Occult Phylosophy, which you have sent by this bearer, to me to be examined, with how much pleasure I received it, no mortall tongue can ever express, nor the pen of any write; I woundred at your more then vulgar learning, That you being so yong should penetrate into such secrets as have been hide from most learned men, and not only cleerly, and truly, but also properly, and elegantly set them forth. Whence first I give you thanks for your good will to me, and if I shall ever be able, I shall return you thanks to the utmost of my power; Your work, which no learned man can sufficiently commend, I approve of. Now that you may proceed toward higher things, as you have begun, and not suffer such excellent parts of wit to be idle, I do with as much earnestness as I can advise, intreat, and beseech you, that you would exercise your self in laboring after better things, and demonstrate the light of true wisdom to the ignorant, according as you your self are divinely enlightned; neither let the consideration of idle vain fellows withdraw you from your purpose; I say of them, of whom it said, The wearyed Ox treads hard, Whereas no man, to the judgement of the wise, can be truly learned, who is sworn to the rudiments of one only faculty; But you hath God gifted with a large, and sublime wit, not that you should imitate Oxen, but birds; neither think it sufficient that you stay about particulars, but bend your minde confidently to universals; for by so much the more learned any one is thought, by how much fewer things he is ignorant of. Moreover your wit is fully apt to all things, and to be rationally employed, not in a few, or low things, but many, and sublimer. Yet this one rule I advise you to observe, that you communicate vulgar secrets to vulgar friends, but higher and secret to higher, and secret friends only. Give Hey to an Ox, Sugar to a Parret only; understand my meaning, least you be trod under the Oxens feet, as oftentimes it fals out. Farewell my happy friend, and if it lye in my power to serve you, command me, and according to your pleasure it shall without delay be done; also let our friendship increase daily; write often to me, and send me some of your labors I earnestly pray you. Again farewell.

From our Monastery of Peapolis, the 8. day of April, An. M. D. X.

To the Revernd Father in Christ, and most Illustrious Prince, Hermannus, Earl of Wyda, by the Grace of God Archbishop of the holy Church of Colonia, Prince Elector of the holy Romane Empire, and Chief Chancellor through Italy, Duke of Westphalia, and Angaria, and descended of the Legate of the holy Church of Rome, one of the Vicar Generals Court, Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettes-heym, sendeth greeting.

SUch is the greatness of your renowned fame (most reverend, and Illustrious Prince) such is the greatness of your vertues, and splendor of learning, and frequent exercise of the best learning, and grave oration, with solid prudence, and elegant readines of speaking, knowledge of many things, constant Religion, and commendable conditions, with which you are endowed beyond the common custom of others; I say nothing of those ancient monuments of your eminent nobility, the treasures of your riches, both old, and new, the largness of your dominion, the ornaments of the sacred dignities, with the excellency whereof you excel, together with the comely form, and strength of the body. Though all these things be very great, yet I esteem you far greater then all these, for those your Heroick, and superillustrious vertues, by which you truly have caused, that byhow much the more any one is learned, & loves vertue, so much the more he may desire to insinuate himself into your favor, whence I also am resolved that your favor shall be obtained by me, but after the manner of the people of Parthia, i. e. not without a present, which custom of saluting Princes, is indeed derived from the Ages of the Ancients, unto these very times, and still we see it observed. And when I see certain other very learned men to furnish you with fair, and great presents of their learning, least I only should be a neglecter of your worship and reverence, I durst not apply my self with empty hands to your greatness. Now being thoughtfull, and looking about in my study to see what present I should bestow upon such an Illustrious Prince, behold! amongst such things are were closely laid up, the books Of Occult Philosophy, or of Magick, presently offered themselves, such as I attempted to write whilest I was very yong, and now many yeers being past, as it were forgetting them, have neglected to perfect them; I presently made hast, as it were to pay my vows, to present them to your honor to compleat them. Truly I was perswaded that I could give nothing more acceptable to you, then a new work of most ancient and abstruse learning; I say a work of my curious youth, but a doctrine of antiquity, by none I dare say hitherto attempted to be restored. Yet my works are not wrote to you, because they are worthy of you, but that they might make a way open for me to gain your favor. I beseech you, if it may be, let them be excused by you. I shall be devotedly yours, if these studies of my youth shall by the authority of your greatness come into knowledge, envy being chased away by the power of your worthiness, there remain the memory of them to me, as the fruit of a good conscience, seeing many things in them seemed to me, being older, as most profitable, so most necessary to be known. You have therefore the work, not only of my youth, but of my present Age, for I have corrected many Errataes of the work of my youth, I have inserted many things in many places, and have added many things to many Chapters, which may easily be perceived by the inequality of the stile; and so shall you know that I shall all my life be devoted to your pleasure. Farewell most happy Prince of happy Colonia.

From Mechlinia, Anno M. D. XXXI. In the moneth of January.