Ars Notoria (classical)

(118)

the praise and glory of thy Name , by thy glorious and unspeakeable Name. O Lord , who art the Fountain of all goodness,and original of all piety,have patience with me, and give unto me a true understanding, to know whatso- ever is fitting for me, and retain the same in Memory: thou who dost not presently Judge a sinner, but merciful- ly expectest repentance ; I beseech thee, though unworthy, to wash away the filth of my sins and wickedness, and grant me my petitions, to the praise and glory of thy Holy Name ; who livest and reignest one God in perfect Trinity, World without end, Amen.

Some other precepts to be observed in this work.

Fast the day following with bread and water, and give Almes ; if it be the Lords day, then give double Almes ; be clean in body and mind ; both thy self, and put on clean Cloaths,

The

(119)

The processe follows:

When thou wilt operate concerning any difficult Probleme or Question , with bended knees, before thy bed, make Confession unto God the Father; and having made thy Confession , say this Oration. Send Oh Lord thy wisdome to assist me, that it may be with me, and labour with me, and that I may alwayes know what is acceptable before thee ; And that unto me N. may be manifested the truth of this question or Art. This being done, Thrice in the day following, when thou risest,give thanks to God Almighty, saying, Glory and honour , and benediction be unto him that sitteth on the Trone , and that liveth for ever and ever , Amen. with bended knees and stretched out hands. But if thou desirest to understand any book, ask of some that hath know- ledge therein, what that book treateth of: This being done, open the book, and read in it ; and operate as at first three times, and alwayes when thou goest to sleep, write† Alpha and Ome-

K 4

ga,

(120)

ga, and afterwards sleep on thy right side, putting the palme of thy hand un- der thy Ear , and thou shalt see in a dream all things thou desirest ; And thou shalt hear the voyce of one in- forming and instructing thee in that book, or in any other faculty wherein thou wilt operate: And in the morn- ing, open the book, and read therein ; and thou shalt presently understand the same, as if thou hadst studyed in it a long time : And alwayes remember to give thanks to God, as aforesaid.

Afterwards on the first day say this Oration : Oh Father, Maker of all Creatures ;by thy unspeakeable power wherewith thou hast made all things, stir up the same power , and come and save me , and protect me from all ad- versity of Soul and Body, Amen. Of the Son, say , O Christ , Son of the living God, who art the Splendor and Figure of light, with whom there is no altera- tion nor shaddow of change ; Thou Word of God most high , thou wis- dome of the Father ; open unto me,thy unworthy servant N. the veins of thy saving Spirit , that I may wisely under- stand , retain in Memory , and declare all

(121)

all thy wonders : Oh wisdome , who proceedest out of the mouth of the most high , powerfully reaching from end to end , sweetly disposing of all things in the World , come and teach me the way of prudence and wisdome. Oh Lord which didst give thy Holy Spirit to thy Disciples , to teach and illuminate their Hearts, grant unto me thy unworthy servant N. the same Spirit , and that I may alwayes rejoyce in his consolation.

Other precepts.

Having finished these Orations, and given Almes, when thou entrest into thy Chamber , devoutly kneel down before thy bed,saying this.Psalm : Have mercy upon me, O God, according to the multitude of thy great mercies,&c. and , In thee Oh Lord have I trusted, &c. Then rise up, and go to the wall, and stretch forth thy hands , having two nayles fixed , upon which thou maist stay up thy hands , and say this Prayer following with great devotion: O God , who for us miserable sinners didst undergo the painful death upon the

(124)

in thee do I trust; excepting that verse, Confundantur, &c.

Having fulfilled these things upon the wall, descend unto thy Bed , wri- ting in thy right hand Alpha and Ome- ga : then go to bed, and sleep on thy right side, holding thy hand under thy right Ear, and thou shalt see the great- ness of God as thou hast desired. And in the morning, on thy knees, before thy bed, give thanks unto God for those things he hath revealed to thee: I give thanks unto thee, Oh great and wonderful God, who hast given Salva- tion and knowledge of Arts unto me thy unworthy servant N. and confirm this Oh God,which thou hast wrought in me, in preserving me. I give thanks unto thee,O powerful Lord God, who created me miserable sinner out of no- thing, when I was not, and when I was utterly lost; not redeemed, but by the precious blood of thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ; and when I was ignorant thou hast given unto me learning and knowledge, grant unto me thy unwor- thy servant N. O Lord Jesus Christ, that through this knowledge, I may be al- wayes constant in thy Holy services, Amen.

These

(125)

These operations being devoutly compleated , give thanks daily with these last Orations. But when thou wouldst read, study, or dispute,say, Re- member thy word unto thy Servant, O Lord, in which thou hast given me hope ; this is my comforter in humi- lity. Then add these Orations : Re- member me O Lord of Lords, put good words and speech into my mouth, that I may be heard efficaciously and powerfully,to the praise, glory,and ho- nour of thy glorious Name, which is Alpha and Omega, blessed forever, World without end, Amen.

Then silently say these Orations.

O Lord God, that daily workest new signs and unchangeable wonders , fill me with the Spirit of wisdome, under- standing and Eloquence ; Make my mouth as a sharp Sword ; and my Tongue as an arrow elected,& confirm the words of my mouth to all wisdome: mollifie the Hearts of the hearers to un- derstand what they desire , Elysenach, Tzacham, &c.

The

(126)

The manner of Consecrating the Figure of Memory.

It ought to be consecrated with great faith, hope and charity; and be- ing consecrated,to be kept and used in operation as followeth.

On the first day of the new Moon, having beheld the new Moon, put the Figure under your right Ear, and so consequently every other night, and seven times a day; the first hour of the morning saying this Psalm, Qui habi- tat, &c. throughout ; and the Lords Prayer once, and this Oration Theos Patyr once in the first hour of the day : then say this Psalm, Confitebor tibi Do- mine, &c. and the Lords Prayer twice, and the Oration Theos Patyr twice. In the third hour of the day say this Psalm Benedicat anima mea Dominum, &c. the Lords Prayer thrice , and the Oration Theos Patyr. In the sixth hour say this Psalm: Appro- pinquet deprecatio mea in conspectu tuo Domine, secundum eloquium tuum.

Grant unto me Memory , and hear my voyce according to thy great mercy, and

(127)

and according unto thy word grant Eloquence , and my lips shall shew forth thy majesty, when thou shalt teach me thy Glory : Gloria patria, &c. say the Lords Prayer nine times, and Theos Patyr.

In the nineth hour,say the Psalm Beati immaculati in via; the Lords Prayer 12 times, and Theos Patyr.

In the Evening say this Psalm, Deus misereatur nostri ; the Lords Prayer 15 times, and Theos Patyr as often.

The last hour say this Psalm , Deus Deus meus respice in me,&c. & Deus in adjutorium meum intende , and te Deum Laudamus ; the Lords Prayer once , and Theos Patyr : then say the Orati- on following twice.

O God, who hast divided all things in number , weight , and measure , in hours,nights and dayes ; who countest the number of the Stars, give unto me constancy and virtue, that in the true knowledge of this Art N. I may love thee, who knows the gifts of thy good- ness, who livest and reignest, &c.

Four

(128)

Four dayes the Figure of Memory ought to be consecrated with these Orations.

O Father of all Creatures,of the Sun and Moon.

Then on the last day let him bath himself, and put on clean garments, \ Lectisternium,and clean \ Ornaments, a Robe in which the Priests used to sleep in the Tem- ples , to receive the Divine Ora- cles. and in a clean place, suffumigate himself with Frankincense,and come in a convenient hour in the night with a light Kindled , but so that no man may see thee; and before the bed upon your knees say this Oration with great de- votion. O most great and most Holy Father, seven or nine times:then put the Figure with great reverence about your Head ; and sleep in the Bed with clean linnen vestiments;and doubt not but you shall obtain whatsoever you desire: for this hath been proved by many , to whom such coelestial secrets of the Heavenly Kingdome are granted, Amen.

The

(129)

[figure: circular Figure of Memory with a cross through the circle, small crosses at the four cardinal points, and the outer inscription Eni Coronathon Michall.]

The Oration following ought to be said as you stand up.

O great God, Holy Father , most Holy Sanctifier of all Saints, three and one , most high King of Kings , most powerful God Almighty, most glorious and most wise Dispensor, Moderator, and Governour of all Creatures , visi- ble and invisible : O mighty God, whose terrible and most mighty Maje- sty is to be feared ; whose omnipo- tency the Heaven, the Earth, the Sea,

L

Hell

(130)

Hell, and all things that are therein,do admire, reverence, tremble at , and obey.

O most powerful, most mighty, and most invincible Lord God of Sabaoth : O God incomprehensible ; the won- derful Maker of all things,the Teacher of all learning,Arts and Sciences ; who mercifully Instructest the humble and meek : O God of all wisdome and knowledge, In whom are all Treasures of wisdome, Arts and Sciences ; who art able instantly to infuse Wisdome, Knowledge and Learning into any man; whose Eye beholdeth all things past, present , and to come ; who art the daily Searcher of all hearts ; through whom we are,we live & dye;who sittest upon the Cherubims ; who alone seest and rulest the bottomeless pit : whose Word gives Law throughout the uni- versal World : I confess my self this day before thy Holy and glorious Ma- jesty , and before the company of all Heavenly virtues and Potentates,pray- sing thy glorious Majesty , invoking thy great Name,which is a Name won- derful, and above every Name, blessing thee O Lord my God : I also beseech thee

(131)

thee,most high,most omnipotent Lord; who alone art to be adored; O thou great and dreadful God Adonay, won- derful Dispensator of all beatitudes, of all Dignities, and of all goodness; Giver of all things , to whomsoever thou wilt,mercifully, abundantly and permanently : send down upon me this day the gift of the grace of thy Holy Spirit. And now O most merciful God , who hast created Adam the first man , according to thy image and likeness ; fortify the Temple of my body , and let thy Holy Spirit descend and dwell in my Heart,that I may shine forth the wonderful beams of thy Glory : as thou hast been pleased won- derfully to operate in thy faithful Saints; So O God, most wonderful King,and eternal glory,send forth from the seat of thy glorious Majesty , a seven-fold blessing of thy grace , the Spirit of Wisdome and Understan- ding,the Spirit of fortitude and Coun- sel, the Spirit of knowledge and Godli- ness,the Spirit of fear and love of thee, to understand thy wonderful Holy and occult mysteries , which thou art plea- sed to reveal , and which are fitting for thine

(136)

A certain Magnetick Experiment, how every Man or Woman may by the virtue of the Loadstone, and the use of this Chard, exactly discover their minds one to another, at any time night or day , be they never so far distant one from the other, in any parts of the World: the rarest secret in Nature , of the greatest use for all persons whatsoever.

[figure: circular Chard with a central double-headed needle and the 24-letter ring A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T V W X Y Z.]

The way to use this,is thus : let the form of a Needle be made of pure steel , as you see here in the Figure ; such as are used

in

(137)

in the Seamens Compasses ; but of the double Magnitude ; that it may be cut asunder into two pieces: after it is formed and fashioned , let it be very well touch with the Loadstone , in the manner as other Needles are ; and afterwards cut into two Needles of a like Magnitude ; which being both together touch again, let them be placed in two several boxes or Chards, as in Sun-Dialls is used, having the 24 Letters written round about , as you see in this Figure: Then the use there- of is, that by the Magnetick virtue of the Loadstone, as the one Needle moves, so will move the other , and rest where he rests ; so that if one man were about to go into any far Country, having two of these thus made, one for himself , and the other for his friend at home , they may agree and appoint one another at what hours they will speak together, and acquaint one ano- ther with their conditions, by the one going to his Chard, and turning the Needle with his finger to every Letter,as they make the Words he would speak ; and the other ob- serving, the motions of his Needle will be the same , and rest still at the same places, or upon the head of the same Letter the other points to ; which he may presently

write

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]

[figure: an illuminated nota of the Ars Notoria — red-ink geometric figures (circles, lozenges, hatched frames) with columns of voces magicae, from Beinecke Mellon MS 1. The dense sacred-name columns are shown in the facsimile rather than re-typed.]