Scrying with the 7 aerial kings
From Ghent ms 1021A fol.108v-110v.
Transcription and translation by Joseph H. Peterson, copyright 2021. Updated Jan
20, 2025.
This scrying experiment has a number of points of interest. The operation uses the
practitioner’s palm or a scrying mirror with a fairly elaborate design. The spirits being
invoked are found with various spellings in magic texts going back at least to Medieval
times, including the Sworn Book of Honorius, Astromagia, Lucidarium artis
Nigromanticae, Heptameron, and others. They are variously referred to as kings of
daemons, spirits, or angels, ruling in the air, and associated with the planets, winds, and
ancient wind lore.
The manuscript itself has a fascinating history. Dating to the mid-16th century, it
contains a large collection of magic texts, many of which correspond to texts cataloged
as illicit by the famous abbot Trithemius in his 1508 Antipalus Maleficiorum
(“Adversary of black magic”). It was apparently owned by a practicing magician:
According to an accompanying note, “it was found in March 1835 during the demolition
of an old chimney at the mental hospital (hospice des alienees) in Ghent, along with the
remains of some instruments used by the magician.” 1 It also includes one of the oldest
Latin manuscripts of the Clavicula Salomonis (“Key of Solomon”), and one of a very few
surviving copies of the Lucidarium artis nigromantice (“Elucidation of the art of
necromancy”) – the one in fact which witnesses the earliest stage of that text. 2
Another manuscript containing this text can be found in Dresden N.103 fol. 31v, dated
1537.
The “Seal of Solomon” design used can also be found in Leipzig cod. mag. 57, (titled
Salomonis Trismosini Cabala), but without the accompanying details on its use. 3 As far
as I know, there are no other versions of the seals of these spirits known.
A highly-abbreviated version of this text was published in 2002 by Claude
Lecouteux.4 Unfortunately, Lecouteux didn’t explain that his version was incomplete.
My transcription and translation also differ significantly from his, including the spelling
of the voces magicae. Note the text refers to the spirits as domini dierum (“masters or
lords of the days”) not “gods” of the days as per Lecouteux.
Compare also a mirror scrying experiment found in the Latin Picatrix Book 4,
chapter 7, § 23, where the names of the “powers of the winds” are given as Barchia,
Bethel almoda, Hamar benabis, Zobaa marrach, Fide arrach, and Samores maymon
Aczabi.5
1 The note is now affixed inside the back cover of part 2 of this manuscript, cataloged as 1021B.
2 Peterson, Joseph H. Elucidation of Necromancy: Lucidarium Artis Nigromantice attributed to Peter of
Abano, Lake Worth, FL: Ibis Press, 2021.
3 Thanks to Mihai Vârtejaru for pointing this out.
4 Lecouteux, Claude. Le Livre des Grimoires. Paris: Éditions Imago, 2002. English translation by Jon E.
Graham published as Lecouteux, Claude, and Jon E. Graham. The Book of Grimoires: The Secret
Grammar of Magic. Rochester: Inner Tradition, 2013, pp. 158-160.
5 Picatrix — A Medieval Treatise on Astral Magic, Translated with an introduction by Dan Attrell and
David Porreca. Translation based on Latin version as critically edited by Pingree. 2019, p. 255. Pingree pp.
209-210.
Text and translation
[108v] ….
¶ Aliud experimentum ad Another experiment for
loquendum cum spiritibus [108r] speaking with spirits, through
Qui per se spiritus videre which spirits you will be able
volueris debet esse to see whatever you wish.
Castus tribus diebus. Postea laua bene Observe pious abstinence for three
manus tuas de aqua, postea, de qua days. Afterwards wash your hands well
proiicias per aerem et perete cum manu ad with water. Then cast the water through
honorem dominorum dierum, Et sis the air with your hand, to honor the
mundus, totus corpore et balneatus et masters of the days. And your whole body
mundus vestibus indutus. should be clean, and having bathed, put on
clean garments.
Postea scribe in manu tua sinistra cum Afterwards, write with ink on your left
incausto figuram in ficte huius hand the figure which is written below,
experimenti sub scriptam cum omnibus with all the interior letters just as shown,
litteris interioribus sicut stat, sed incipias but you should begin to write with the
scribere in domino diei in quo operaris. master of the day on which you work.
Postea accipe de nigro sartaginie cum Afterwards, take pure oil from a black
oleo puro et unge manum suprascriptam frying pan, and anoint the hand with all
cum omnibus litteris. Quibus factis dic the letters. When these things have been
hanc coniurationem 23 dicibus done, say the following conjuration 23
times.
Hyc Hensym caulesym Hyc Hensym caulesym
schemin lemeim schemin lemeim
Lechelimnetin calle Lechelimnetin calle
Hiernfaucim olfiraramhi Hiernfaucim olfiraramhi
faracim mynelmenty faracim mynelmenty
Henylcaly huheydem Henylcaly huheydem
Lotumotemie ylle calle. Lotumotemie ylle calle.
Postea inuoca sigillatim nomina scripta Afterwards invoke one by one the
in figura incipiendo a domino diei O tu names written in the figure, beginning
hamar vel tu talis sicut fuerit dies eius with the master of the day: “Manifest
Representa te mihi et sic de singulis yourself to me, O you Hamar” (or such and
Quibus sigillatim inuocatis dicas such if a different day) and so call upon
descendatis et ostendatis vos the rest in order, one by one, saying,
in palma mea et ostendatis Descend and show yourself in
mihi sine fallacia quicquid my palm, and show me
vos rogo Quia ego firmiter vos whatever I ask, without
coniuro per summam deceit, because I steadfastly
maiestatem et per illum conjure you through the
altum deum qui vos creauit et Highest Majesty, and through
quem vos creditis et tremunt the one high God who created
eum celum et terra et mare et you, and whom you trust, and
abysse et omnia quae in eis before whom all things in
sunt. heaven, on earth, and in the
Et cum apparuerit interroget de abyss tremble.
quacunque re volueris. Et interim fiat And when he appears, ask of him
suffumigatio incensi in manum. whatever things you wish. And meanwhile
Et nota que septem sunt domini suffumigate your hand with incense.
dierum, Hamath [sic] est dominus And note that there are seven masters
dominicae, Maymon est Lunae, Hamar of the days: Hamath [sic] is master of
[sic] Martis, et sic de singulis sicut est in Sunday, Maymon of Monday, Hamar
circulo. [sic] of Tuesday, and so for the rest as
shown in the circle.
Si ergo [109v] paraueris in die Martie, So for example, if you want to operate
primo scribe Hamar et primo eum on a Tuesday, first write Hamar [sic] and
inuoca, et postea reliquis demones per call upon him first, and afterwards call the
ordinem sicut in circulo continente. rest of the daemons in order as shown in
Postea in fine licentia eis sic, the border of the circle.
Ite in pace et quandocunque Afterwards release them thus:
vos vocauero redite Go in peace, and return
festinastes. quickly whenever I call you.
Et statim deleat palma. And you should erase your palm
immediately.
¶ Signaculum Salamonis The Seal of Solomon
Imprimis debet (?) fieri forma circuli In the first place, the form of the circle
cum characteribus et nominibus septem should be made, with the characters and
planetarum sicuti in precedenti capitulum names of the seven planets, as depicted in
depictum est. Postea dicas hanc the preceding chapter.
coniurationem. [110r] Afterwards, say this conjuration:
¶ Coniuratio Conjuration
Coniuro uel exorsiso te I conjure and exorcise you, O
palma vel speculum per palm (or mirror) through the
potentiam patris per power of the Father, through
sapientiam filii per the wisdom of the Son,
bonitatem spiritus sancti, through the goodness of the
Amen. Coniuro et exorsiso te Holy Spirit, amen. I conjure
per omnes angelos et and exorcise you through all
archangelos, cherubin <et Angels and Archangels,
cherubin> et seraphin, per Cherubim and Seraphin,
tronos et dominationes, per through the Thrones and
virtutes et potestates et per Dominations, through the
quatuor Seniores, et per Virtues and the Powers, and
omnes patriarchas et through the four Seniors, and
prophetas, et per omnes through all the patriarchs and
apostolos, et per omnes prophets, and through all the
martyres, et confessores, et apostles, and through all the
per omnes virgines et viduas, martyrs and confessors, and
Et per natiuitatem beate through all virgins and
marie virginis, et per omnes widows, and through the birth
sanctos [+et sanctas] dei, et of the blessed Virgin Mary,
per merita ipsorum et and through the saints of God
ipsarum. Coniuro et exorsiso – male and female, and
te palma vel speculum, per through all their merits. And I
celum et terram, et per solem conjure and exorcise you O
et lunam, per stellas et palm (or mirror), through the
harenam maris, et per pluuiy heavens and the earth,
guttas. through the Sun and the
Moon, through the stars, and
the sands of the sea, and
through the drops of rain.
Coniuro et exorsiso te per I conjure and exorcise you,
aduentum domini nostri Iesu through the advent of our
Christi, per natiuitatem eius, Lord Jesus Christ, through his
per circumsisionem eius, per birth, circumcision, baptism,
baptismum et ieiunium eius, and his fasting, through the
per sudorem suum quem sweat which he experienced
fecit in monte oliueto, per on the mount of olives,6
flagellationem et passionem through his whipping and
eius. suffering.
Coniuro et exorsiso te palma I conjure and exorcise you O
vel speculum per angustias palm (or mirror), through the
Domini nostri Iesu Christi suffering which our Lord
quem habuit in monte oliueti Jesus Christ felt on the
ubi dixit, Pater si fieri potest mountain of olives, where he
transeat a me calix iste. said, “Father, if possible, take
this cup from me.”
6 Luke 22:44.
Coniuro et exorsiso te palma I conjure and exorcise you, O
vel speculum per quinque palm (or mirror), through the
vulnera Christi, per crucem five wounds of Christ, through
et mortem et sepulchrum his cross and death and
eius et gloriosam sepulcher, and through the
resurrectionem Christi, per glorious resurrection of
aduentum spiritus sancti Christ, through the advent of
paracleti ut (?) illumines te et the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
crescas ut possim in te videre that you illuminate yourself
thesaurum absconditum. and become visible, in order
Coniuro et exorsiso te per that I may be able to see the
lachrimas eius et guttas hidden treasure in you. I
sanguinis et sudores eius. conjure and exorcise you
Coniuro te per through his tears and drops of
commendationem qua patri blood and sweat. I conjure you
animam suam comendauit through the entrusting which
[110v] he made when he entrusted
his soul to the Father.
Coniuro te per I conjure you through the pity
misericordiam factam cum which he showed to the
latronum. Coniuro te et thieves. I conjure and exorcise
exorsiso te palma vel you, O palm (or mirror),
speculum per quatuor through the four evangelists –
euangelistas Lucam, Luke, Mark, John, and
Marcum, Iohannem, et Matthew, through terrible Day
Matheum. Per Tremendum of Judgment when the Lord,
diem iudicii in quo iudicio praiseworthy and mighty, will
dominus est laudabilis et pronounce judgment over all
potens iudic{ium} (?) super the ends of the Earth.
omnes fines terre. Coniuro te I conjure you through the air,
per aerem, ignem, aqua, et the fire, the water, and the
terram ut sis Lucid{um} et in earth, that you become full of
te possim videre thesaurum light, so that I am able to see
absconditum per virtutem the hidden treasure, through
dei viui et veri patris the virtue of the living and
omnipotentis cuius regni true God, the father almighty,
non erit finis. whose rule has no end.
¶ Hanc coniurationem dicas versus You should say this conjuration facing
orientem respiciendo palmam vel east, while looking at the palm or mirror,
speculum, et fac circulum ab oriente. Et and make the circle by [=while facing?] the
hoc debet fieri in Mayo vel in Iulio vel in east. And this must be done in May, July,
Septembri, non alio tempore, ante ortum or September, not at any other time, and
solis. Quia tunc Saturnus maxime regnat. before sunrise, because then Saturn has the
greatest dominion.
