Magical Manuscript 1704

1233 Radio Broadcast 17th July 2007
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Guest: Gionni Di Gravio Archivist University of Newcastle

View the Manuscript online

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Broadcast notes:

With the imminent releases of the new Harry Potter film and book on July 11 and July 21 respectively I thought it would be of interest to listeners to learn about an actual magical manuscript held in the University’s collections.

One of the more unusual and exotic treasures of The University of Newcastle is a French magical manuscript entitled Talismans Cabalistiques Magiques, grands secretes des Planettes. The manuscript from an unknown scribe bears the date 1704 in the reign of the Sun King Louis XIV, le Grand Monarque and le Roi Soleil (1638-1715).

The book is a compendium of information relating to the manufacture of celestial talismans. The availability of such works in this country are scarce and places the University in the vanguard of the great continental European libraries and Beinecke Mellon Collection of Yale University.

The work is a manual of practical Cabalistic magic which instructs the reader in the art of using talismans which will attract and magnify the powers of the planets and which in turn give the user power over angels whose names have been revealed by the Cabalistic tradition.

The work is a quarto volume of ca. 500 pages with sixteen pages of hand-colored diagrams and arcane symbols and written on twenty ruled lines within a frame of c.180 x 120 mm ruled on each page. About 10 containing human figures or mythical creatures, the others Hebrew and alchemical characters, and with dozens of other pages of tables of Hebrew, alchemical and astrological symbols. On p.455, there is an alphabetical index to the content of the book.

The impetus for the acquisition of the work was the lack of primary research materials held by the Library in this newly emerging field of historical research. Interest in the field on campus and the wider community is significant as displayed by the huge number of enrollments in the University’s Classics courses on Magic & Witchcraft in Antiquity, the most successful non first year subject in the Department’s history.

After a careful examination of the written text we can confirm that the work consists of an eclectic re-arrangement of chapters from Henry Cornelius Agrippa’s De Occulta Philosophia (Three Books of Occult Philosophy) originally published in full in 1533.

Provenance of the Manuscript

The University of Newcastle purchased the manuscript in 1999. It was formerly in the Library of the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles California. This library was established by the late Manly Palmer Hall.

The manuscript also bears the bookplate of “Newborough” with the motto “Suaviter in modo fortiter in re” (Gentle in manner, resolute in execution). There is the possibility that the manuscript could have resided at Plas Glynllifon, once the seat of the Newborough family. In 1948, a large part of the estate was sold and it was probably at this time that the book was sold as well. (see the Cyngor Gwynedd Council website for more information)

The identity of the French scribe who copied the manuscript from Cornelius Agrippa’s famous work remains a mystery.

Henry Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535)

Henry Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim was born on the 14 September 1486 Cologne and died around 1535 in Grenoble.
He was a well educated man with an encyclopediac mind who spoke eight tongues – German, French, Italian, Spanish, English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.

In the Winter of 1509 the 23 year old Agrippa met the Abbott Trithemius to discuss magic, especially the restoration of the magical arts.

Agrippa’s influences included Trithemius (Steganographia), Pliny the Elder, Raymond Lull (Ars Brevis) , Reuchlin’s De Verbo Mirifico – and attended lectures of 1509. Classical greek and latin and Arabic authors.

Other influences include Marilio Ficino especially his translation of the Corpus Hermeticum.

He sent Trithemius a copy of his work De Occulta Philosophia around 8 April 1510.
Trithemius was full of praise, but cautioned him to examine his topics more closely and be careful with how you divulge the information. This could explain why it remained in manuscript until 1531.

1519 Successfully defended a poor girl accused of witchcraft (because her mother was burned as a witch) and quoted from the ‘stupid’ book Malleus Maleficarum saying “Do figments like these move us to the torturing of harmless women?”

1526 Agrippa loses his pension

1529 Agrippa was archivist and imperial historian at the court of Margareth of Austria

1529 Declamation on the Preeminence and Nobility of the Female Sex argues that women are more than equal to men in all things that really matter, including the public spheres from which they had long been excluded.

1530 De Vanitate published

1531 De Occulta Philosophia (Book 1 only, but contents of 2-3 as well) published – brings criticism

1533 De Occulta Philosophia published in full

1535 Banished to France after being forced into exile by Emperor Charles I who saw the Vanitate as an affront.

1535 Death in Grenoble on his way to Lyons France. Aged 49 years old. Buried within a convent of the Dominicans

A Major influence on Agrippa was Marsilio Ficino translation of Corpus Hermeticum. Works attributed to Hermes Trismegistus (Thrice Greatest Hermes), a contemporary of Moses (or as it was believed until disputed by Issac Causabon in 1614.

1460 Monk Leonardo Di Pistoia brought to Florence the Greek text of the Corpus Hermeticum to Cosimo de Medici
Cosimo gives it to the 30 year old translater of Plato Marsilio Ficino to translate into Latin

1463 Translation is complete and by 1471 is brought together into one corpus

Talismans Magiques Chapter Concordance with Agrippa’s De Occulta Philosophia

1-17. Des Planetes, de leurs vertus et formules et qui sont les noms divins, les intelligences et le demons ani les government
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Ch.22
“Of the tables of the planets, their virtues, forms and what divine names, intelligences and spirits are set over them.”

18-26. Maisons de la Lune, et de leurs forces
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Ch. 33
“Of the twenty eight mansions of the moon, and their virtues”

26-28. Du movement de corps celestes qu’il sant remarquer dans la 8 sphere et ola nature du heures des planets.
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Ch. 34
“Of the true motion of the heavenly bodies to be observed in the eighth sphere, and of the ground of planetary hours.”

29-31. Des images de Saturne et de son talisman
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 38
“Of the images of Saturn”

31-32. Talismant des images de Jupiter
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 39
“Of the images of Jupiter”

33-34. Talismans des images de Mars
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 40
“Of the images of Mars”

34-35. Talismans Des images de Soliel
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 41
“Of the images of the Sun”

35-36. Talismant Des images de Venus
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 42
“Of the images of Venus”

36-37. Talismant Des images de Mercure
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 43
“Of the images of Mercury”

37-38 Talismant Touchant les images de la luna
Source Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 44
“Of the images of the moon”

38- image – 40 Talismant de la tete et de la queue du dragon de la Lune
Source Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 45
“Of the images of the Head and Tail of the Dragon of the Moon”

41-49 Talismans des images des maisons de la lune
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 46
“Of the images of the mansions of the Moon’

49-53 Talismans Touchant les images des etoiles fixes Behenies
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 47
“Of the images of the fixed Behenian stars”

53-62 Des noms des espirits et de leur diverse imposition ensuite des espirits qui president aux etoiles, aux poles du ciel, ei aux Elelmens
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 24
“Of the names of spirits, and their various imposition, and of the spirits that are set over the stars, signs, corners of the heaven, and the elements.”

62-75 Des emanations divines qui les Hebreux apellent numerations, les autres attribus les gentils des Dieux et des divinitez, ensemble des dix sephiroth, et des dix noms de Dieu tres-sacrez qui leur president, et de leur interpretation.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 10
“Of divine emanations, which the Hebrews call numerations, others attributes, the gentiles gods and deities, and of the ten sephiroths and ten most sacred names of God which do rule them, and the interpretation of them.”

76 blank

77- 88 blank – 90 Des noms de Dieu et de leur puissance et vertu
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 11
“Of the divine names and their power and virtue.”

abracadabra

91-95 De l’ecoulement de la vertu des noms de Dieu sur les creatures de ce bas monde pardes medions, siguliers
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 12
“Of the influence of the divine names through all the middle causes into these inferior things”

96-101 Des intelligences, and demons, de leurs trios genres differens and de leurs divers surnoms, ememble des demons infernaux and souterains.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 16
“Of intelligences and spirits, and of the threefold kind of them, and of their divine names, and of infernal and subterranean spirits.”

102-106 Des orders des mauvais demons de leurs diverses natures
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 18
“Of the orders of evil spirits, and of their fall, and diverse natures.”

106-108 Touchant les corps des demons
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 19
“Of the bodies of the devils”

108-116 D la haine mortelle des malins espirits contre les homes, & de la garde des bons, qui veillent sur nous.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 20
“Of the annoyance of evil spirits, and the preservation we have by good spirits”

116-120 De l’obeissance que nous devons a notre bon ange, & coment il faut decouvrir son bon genie & von inclination.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 21
“Of obeying a proper genius, and of the searching out the nature thereof.”

120-125 Que chaque home a trios anges gardiens ou genies & dequelle chacum de cestrois genies nous vient
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 22
“That there is a threefold keeper of man, and from whence each of them proceed”

125-128 Text Comment les Docteurs Hebraiques tirene les noms sacres des Anges des escritures saintes, touchant les 72 anges qui portent le nom de Geog ensemble des tables ziruph & du changement qu ils font des letters & des nombres

129-138 Tables

Source: Agrippa Book 3 Ch 25
“How the Hebrew Mecubals draw forth the sacred names of angels out of the sacred writ, and of the seventy two angels, which bear the name of God, with the table Ziruph, and the communtations of letters and numbers.

139-142 Comment il faut tirer les noms des espirits & des genies de la disposition de corps celestes
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Ch 26
“Of finding the names of spirits and geniuses from the disposition of celestial bodies.”

143 Table premiere servanteau calcul des noms des anges appartenans dux sept planets
144 blank
145 Table sconde sevante au calcul des noms des anges apartenans aux douze signes
146-148 blank
149-153 De l’art de compler ces sortes de noms selon la tradition des Cabalistes

Source: Agrippa Book 3 Ch. 27
“ Of the calculating art of such names by the tradition of the Cabalists”

153-157 Coment les noms des esprits sont quelque fois pris des choses memes aux quelles ils president
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 28
“How sometimes names of Spirits are taken from those things over which they are set.”

158 Des caracteres, et signes des espirits
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 29
“Of the Characters and Seals of spirits.”

159-164 Autre maniere de faire les caracteres donee par le cabalistes
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 30
“Another manner of making Characters, delivered by Cabalists.”

Plate:
Sccau Dieu (God) Du Vivant (the living) In hoc Signo Vincoe (Under this sign thou shalt conquer)

165-168 Encore une autre sorte de caracteres & des marques des esprits qu’on’a connus que par revelations
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 31
“There is yet another fashion of Characters, and concerning marks of spirits which are received by revelation.”

Plate 3 sigils

169-171 Que tout home porter le caractere de teog marquee suv lui var la vertu du quell il peve parvenir a faire des miracles
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 40
“That on every man a divine character is imprinted, by the vertue of which man can attain the working of miracles.”

172-174 Ce qu’on pense de l’homme après la morte et les differebtes opinions suo celle matiere.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 41
“What concerning man after death, diverse Opinions”

175-179 Quels sont les dons de Dieuque l’homme peut recevoir d’en haut tous les orders des cieux et des intelligences
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 38
“What Divine gifts man receiveth from above, from the severall Orders of the Intelligences and the heavens”
Tables
188 blank
189-190 Heure de sympatie vulgairementdite Heure du Berger ou dicpasteuu
191-195 Comment les inituences des haut dan de leur nature bones, deviennent mauvaires dans les choses de ce bas monde, et sont cause des maux
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 42
“How the superior Influences, seing they are good by nature, are depraved in these inferior thing, and are made causes of evil.”

195-198 Parquelles raisons les mages et necromantiens croient pouvoir evoquer ou faire revenir les ames
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 42
“By what wayes the Magicians and Necromancers do think they can call forth the souls of the dead.”

199- 201 Des nombres, de leur puissance &de leur virtu
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 2
“Of Numbers, and their power, and vertue.”

201- 203 Combien sont grandes les vertus que possedent les nombres tant dans les choses natus alles que dans les choses surnaturelles
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 3
“How great vertues Numbers have, as well in Naturall things, as in Supernaturall.”

203 -205 De l’unite et de son echelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 4
“Of Unity, and the Scale thereof”

206- 208 Du nombre duel, et de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 5
“Of the Number of Two, and the Scale thereof.”

209 – 212 Du nombre Trinaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 6
“Of the Number of three, and the Scale thereof.”

213 Echelle du trinaire
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 6
“Of the scale of Three”

214- 217 Du nombre quaternaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 7
“Of the Number of four, and the Scale thereof.”
Tables
2 blank pages

225 – 227 Du nombre quinaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 8
“Of the Number of five, and the Scale thereof.”
228 table

229- 230 Du nombre senaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 9
“Of the Number of six, and the Scale thereof.”
231 table

232-243 Du nombre septenaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 10
“Of the Number of seven, and the Scale thereof.”
244 table

245 – 246 Du nombre octonaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 11
“Of the Number of eight, and the Scale thereof.”
247 table

248- 249 Du nombre novenaire, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 12
“Of the Number of nine, and the Scale thereof.”
250 table

251 Du la decade, & de son eschelle
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 13
“Of the Number of ten, and the Scale thereof.”
252-253 table
Blank (2 pages)
Triangle plate Echelle du denaire
255 Triangle plate Echelle du denaire

256-257 Du onzieme et douzieme nombre avec une double echelle du douzieme nombre, la cabalistique, et ‘lorphique.
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 14
“Of the Number eleven, and the number twelve; with a double Scale of the Number twelve Cabilisticall, and Orphicall.”
258-260 Tables

261- 263 Quels nombres son dedier & chaquz divinites, & quells nombres sont attribues a chaque element
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 21
“What numbers are consecrated to the Gods, and which are ascribed, and to what Elements.”

264-266 Touchant la proportion, mesure. Et harmonie du corps humain
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 27
“Of the proportion, measure, and Harmony of mans body.”
Plate man with stars at hands, circle on head
3 blank pages
Plate man with eye and nailed serpent
267-268 text
2 blank pages
Plate of man with planetary symbols
2 blank pages
Plate of man with zodiacal symbols in square
Blank
269 – 270 text
2 Blank pages
Plate of man with arms raised vertically with numbers
Blank page
271-272 text
2 Blank pages
Plate of man with planetary and zodiacal symbols against blue green and gold backgrounds
Blank page
273 – 276 text
2 blank pages
Plate of palm of human hand with planetary symbols
Blank page
277- 303 text (290-300 not numerated in manuscript, it jumps to 280 to 301)

303- 309 Qualire necessaire pono devenir unveritable Magicien, et operateur de merveilles
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 3
“What dignification is required, that one may be a true magician and a worker of miracles.”

310 – 311Des deux adminicules de la Magie, ceremoniale qui sont la religion et la superstition
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 4
“Of the two helps of Ceremonial magic, religion and superstition.”

311- 314 Des trios guides de la religion qui nous inenent au sentier de la verite
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 5
“Of the three guides of Religion, which bring us to the path of truth.”

315 – 317 Coment l’ame assistee de a’s guides sefeve a la nature divine et deviant operatrice des miracles
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 6
“How by these guides the soul of man ascendeth up into the Divine nature, and is made a worker of Miracles.”

318 – 324 Du silence, et du recelement des choses qui sont des mystieres et secretes dans la Religion
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 2
“Of concealing of those things which are secret in religion.”

325 – 330 Touchant les caracteres qui sont tire des choses par quell quest similitudes
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 52
“Of Characters which are drawn from things themselves by a certain likeness.”

331 – 334 Des sept planets qui government le monde, et de leurs noms employez dans les discourse de magie
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 59
“Of the seven governers of the world, the Planets, and of their various names serving to Magicall speeches.”

335 – 338 Qu’on ne peut bien devinier sans la connaissance ce de L’astrologie
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 53
“That no Divination without Astrology is perfect.”

339 – 346 Traitant du sirt ou harard, et d’ou l’invient la vertu de deviner
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 54
“Of Lottery, when, and whence the vertue of Divining is incident to it.”

347 – 350 Des liens des espirits, de leur conjurations et la maniere de les exterminer
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 33
“Of the bonds of spirits, and of their adjurations, and castings out.”

351- 354 Touchant les sorts, et les notes qui on tune certaine force d’oracles
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 52?
“Of Lots and marks possessing the sure power of Oracles.”

355 Touchant le don de prophetie et de la fureur
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 45
“Of Soothsaying, and Phrensie [phrensy].”

356 – 361 De la premieres espece de fureux, provenaisse des Muses
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 46
“Of the first kind of phrensie [phrensy] from the Muses.”

361 – 362 De la deuxieme espece d’illumination provenante de Dionisius, ou Denis
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 47
“Of the second kind of phrensie [phrensy] from the Dionysus or Denis.”

363 – 369 De la troisieme espece d’illumination envoyee par Apollon
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 48
“Of the third kind of phrensie [phrensy] from Apollo.”

370 – 372 De la quatrieme espece d’illumination envoyee par Venus
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 49
“Of the fourth kind of phrensie [phrensy] from Venus.”

373 – 377 Concernant le ravissement et lexrase et les devinations qui arrivent aux epileptiques, evanouis, et agonisans
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 50
“Of rapture, and extasie [ecstasy], and soothsayings, which happen to them which are taken with the falling sickness, or with a swoune [swoon], or to them in an agonie [agony].”

378- 386 Du songe profetique
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 51
“Of prophetical dreams”

386 – 390 De la fureur ou illuminations et des devination qui se sont quand on veille, de la puissance, de l’humeur melancolique, par la quelle ont fait entrex quell que trios les demons dans les corps dews homes.
Source: Agrippa Book 1 Chapter 60
“Of Madness, and Divinations which are made when men are awake, and of the power of a Melancholy Humor, by which Spirits are sometimes induced into Men’s Bodies.”

391 – 395 Quelle preparation doit avoir celui qui veut recevoir les oracles
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 53
“How he that will receive Oracles must dispose himself.”

396 – 397 De la nettete, et coment il faut la garder
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 54
“Of cleanness, and how to be observed.”

398 – 404 de l’abstinence, du jeune, de la chastete de la solitude, de la tranquillite et de l’ascendant de l’esprit.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 55
“Of abstinence, fastings, chastity, solitariness, the tranquillity and ascent of the mind.”

404 – 408 De la penitence, et de l’au,ones
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 56
“Of Penitency, and Almes.”

409 – 411 De cequon fait exterieurment sevant a l’expiation et justification.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 57
“Of those things which being outwardly administred conduce to Expiation.”

412- 414 Des adorations et des voeux
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 58
“Of Adorations, and vowes.”

415 – 417 Des sacrifices, et oblations, de leurs especes et manieres.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 59
“Of sacrifices and oblations, and their kinds and manners.”

418 – 420 Des demandes, et des solennites que les Anciens faisaient ordinairem enten faisant leurs sacrifices, et presentant a Dieu leurs victimes
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 60
“What imprecations, and rites the ancients were wont to use in sacrifices, and oblations.”

420 – 425 Des demandes, et comment il faut presentor a dieu souverain, et aux divinites de sac our celeste au dessous deluir les sacrifices et oblations
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 59
“Of sacrifices and oblations, and their kinds and manners.”

425 – 429 Des consecrations, et de la maniere de la faire
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 62
“Of Consecrations, and their manner.”

429 – 438 Ce qu’on apelle choses sacrees, choses consacrees, et de quelle maniere elles sont entre nous et les dieux, et des tems sacres.
Source: Agrippa Book 4? [Consecration of ritual implements]

438 – 445 Decertaines observations religieuses, ceremonies et usages de parfums, d’onctions et semblables choses.
Source: Agrippa Book 3 Chapter 64
“Of certain Religious observations, ceremonies, and rites of perfumings, unctions, and such like.”

445 – 446 Coment notre espirit peut changer les chose inferieures, et les lier a ce qui il desire
Source: Agrippa Book 1 Chapter 68
“How our mind can change, and bind inferiour things to that which it desires.”

450 – 451 Des manieres de lier, da quelle sorta elles sont, et comentelles se font
Source: Agrippa Book 1 Chapter 40
“Of bindings, what sort they are of, and in what wayes they are wont to be done.”

452 – 454 De l’observation des choses celeste – necessaire dans toute pratique de magie
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 29
“Of the Observation of Celestials, necessary in every Magical Work.”

454 – 455 Qui enseigne quand les influences des Planetes sont les plus fortes
Source: Agrippa Book 2 Chapter 30
“When Planets are of most powerful influence.”

456-til index are blank

Index
Display

For those of you able to visit the University, some works on arcane subjects held by the Library are on display in the foyer outside Cultural Collections in the Auchmuty Library. The manuscript itself may be viewed in the Cultural Collections Reading Room.