Three Books of Occult Philosophy

Front matter

THREE BOOKS OF Occult Philoophy,

WRITTEN BY Henry Cornelius Agrippa, OF NETTESHEIM,

Couneller to Charles the Fifth, Emperor of Germany: AND Iudge of the Prerogative Court.

An Encomium on the Three Books of Cornelius Agrippa Knight

An Encomium on the three Books of Cornelius Agrippa Knight, By Eugenius Philalethes.

Great, glorious Pen-man! whom I hould not name, Let I might Seem to meaure Thee by Fame. Natures Apotle, and her Choice High Priet, Her Myticall, and bright Evangelit. How am I rapt when I contemplate Thee, And winde my elf above All that I ee! The Spirits of thy Lines infue a Fire Like the Worlds Soul, which makes me thus apire: I am unbody’d by thy Books, and Thee, And in thy Papers finde my Extaie. Or if I pleae but to decend a train, Thy Elements do skreen my Soul again. I can undres my Self by thy bright Glas, And then reume th’ Incloure, as I was. Now I am Earth, and now a Star, and then A Spirit: now Star, and Earth agen; Or if I will but ramate all that be, In the leat moment I ingros all Three. I pan the Heaven and Earth, and things above, And which is more, joyn Natures with their Jove. He Crowns my Soul with Fire, and there doth hine But like the Rain-bow in a Cloud of mine. Yet there’s a Law by which I dicompoe The Ahes, and the Fire it elf dicloe, But in his Emrald till He doth appear; They are but Grave-clothes which he catters here. Who ees this Fire without his Mask, His Eye Mut needs be wallow’d by the Light, and die. Thee are the Myteries for which I wept Glorious Agrippa, where thy Language lept, Where thy dark Texture made me wander far, Whiles through that pathles Night, I trac’d the tar, But I have found thoe Myteries, for which Thy Book was more then thrice-pil’d o’re with Pitch. Now a new Eat beyond the tars I ee Where breaks the Day of thy Divinitie: Heav’n tates a Commerce here with Man, had He But gratefull Hands to take, and Eyes to ee. Hence you fond School-men, that high truths deride, And with no Arguments but Noye, and Pride; You that damn all but what your elves invent, And yet find nothing by Experiment; Your Fate is written by an uneen Hand, But his Three Books with the Three worlds hall tand.

Book I

Book I.

Book 1, Chapter 1

Three Books of Occult Philoophy, or of Magick; Written by that Famous Man

Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Knight,

And Doctor of both Laws, Counellor to Cæars Sacred Majety, and Judge of the Prerogative Court.

CHAP. I.

How Magicians Collect vertues from the three-fold World, is declared in thee three Books.

Seeing there is a three fold World, Elementary, Celetiall, and Intellectuall, and every inferior is governed by its uperior, and receiveth the influence of the vertues thereof, o that the very original, and chief Worker of all doth by Angels, the Heavens, Stars, Elements, Animals, Plants, Metals, and Stones convey from himelf the vertues of his Omnipotency upon us, for whoe ervice he made, and created all thee things: Wie men conceive it no way irrationall that it hould be poible for us to acend by the ame degrees through each World, to the ame very originall World it elf, the Maker of all things, and firt Caue, from whence all things are, and proceed; and alo to enjoy not only thee vertues, which are already in the more excellent kind of things, but alo beides thee, to draw new vertues from above. Hence it is that they eek after the vertues of the Elementary world, through the help of Phyick, and Naturall Philoophy in the various mixtions of Naturall things, then of the Celetiall world in the Rayes, and influences thereof, according to the rules of Atrologers, and the doctrines of Mathematicians, joyning the Celetiall vertues to the former: Moreover, they ratifie and confirm all thee with the powers of divers Intelligencies, through the acred Ceremonies of Religions. The order and proces of all thee I hall endeavor to deliver in thee three Books: Whereof the firt contains naturall Magick, the econd Celetiall, and the third Ceremoniall. But I know not whether it be an unpardonable preumption in me, that I, a man of o little judgement and learning, hould in my very youth o confidently et upon a buines o difficult, o hard, and intricate as this is. Wherefore, whatoever things have here already, and hall afterward be aid by me, I would not have any one aent to them, nor hall I my elf, any further then they hall be approved of by the Univerall Church, and the Congregation of the Faithfull.

Book 1, Chapter 2

CHAP. II.

What Magick is, what are the Parts thereof, and how the Profeors thereof mut be qualified.

Magick is a faculty of wonderfull vertue, full of mot high myteries, containing the mot profound Contemplation of mot ecret things, together with the nature, power, quality, ubtance, and vertues thereof, as alo the knowledge of whole nature, and it doth intruct us concerning the differing, and agreement of things amongt themelves, whence it produceth its wonderfull effects, by uniting the vertues of things through the application of them one to the other, and to their inferior utable ubjects, joyning and knitting them together thoroughly by the powers, and vertues of the uperior Bodies. This is the mot perfect and chief Science, that acred, and ublimer kind of Phyloophy, and latly the mot abolute perfection of all mot excellent Philoophy. For eeing that all regulative Philoophy is divided into Naturall, Mathematicall, and Theologicall: (Naturall Philoophy teacheth the nature of thoe things which are in the world, earching and enquiring into their Caues, Effects, Times, Places, Fahions, Events, their Whole, and Parts, alo

The Number and the Nature of thoe things, Cal'd Elements, what Fire, Earth, Aire forth brings: From whence the Heavens their beginnings had; Whence Tide, whence Rainbow, in gay colours clad. What makes the Clouds that gathered are, and black, To end forth Lightnings, and a Thundring crack; What doth the Nightly Flames, and Comets make; What makes the Earth to well, and then to quake: What is the eed of Metals, and of Gold What Vertues, Wealth, doth Nature's Coffer hold.

All thee things doth naturall Philoophy, the viewer of nature contain, teaching us according to Virgil's Mue.

7Whence all things flow, Whence Mankind, Beat; whence Fire, whence Rain, and Snow, Whence Earth-quakes are; why the whole Ocean beats Over his Banks, and then again retreats: Whence trength of Hearbs, whence Courage, rage of Bruits, All kinds of Stone, of Creeping things, and Fruits.

But Mathematicall Philoophy teacheth us to know the quantity of naturall Bodies, as extended into three dimenions, as alo to conceive of the motion, and coure of Celetiall Bodies.

6As in great hat, What makes the golden Stars to march o fat; What makes the Moon ometimes to mak her face, The Sun alo, as if in ome digrace.

And as Virgil ings,

How th' Sun doth rule with twelve Zodiack Signs, The Orb thats meaur'd round about with Lines, It doth the Heavens Starry way make known, And trange Eclipes of the Sun, and Moon. Arcturns alo, and the Stars of Rain, The Seaven Stars likewie, and Charles his Wain, Why Winter Suns make tow'rds the Wet o fat; What makes the Nights o long ere they be pat?

All which is undertood by Mathematicall Philoophy.

6Hence by the Heavens we may foreknow The eaons all; times for to reap and ow, And when 'tis fit to launch into the deep, And when to War, and when in peace to leep, And when to dig up Trees, and them again To et; that o they may bring forth amain.

Now Theologicall Philoophy, or Divinity, teacheth what God is, what the Mind, what an Intelligence, what an Angel, what a Divell, what the Soul, what Religion, what acred Intitutions, Rites, Temples, Obervations, and acred Myteries are: It intructs us alo concerning Faith, Miracles, the vertues of Words and Figures, the ecret operations and myteries of Seals, and as Apuleius aith, it teacheth us rightly to undertand, and to be killed in the Ceremoniall Laws, the equity of Holy things and rule of Religions. But to recollect my elf thee three principall faculties Magick comprehends, unites, and actuates; deervedly therefore was it by the Ancients eteemed as the highet, and mot acred Philoophy. It was, as we find, brought to light by mot age Authours, and mot famous Writers; amongt which principally Zamolxis and Zoroater were o famous, that many believed they were the inventers of this Science. Their track Abbaris the Hyperborean, Charmondas, Damigeron, Eudoxus, Hermippus followed: there were alo other eminent, choice men, as Mercurius Tremegitus, Porphyrius, Iamblicus, Plotinus, Proclus, Dardanus, Orpheus the Thracian, Gog the Grecian, Germa the Babilonian, Apollonius of Tyana, Othanes alo wrote excellently in this Art; whoe Books being as it were lot, Democritus of Abdera recovered, and et forth with his own Commentaries. Beides Pythagoras, Empedocles, Democritus, Plato, and many other renowned Philoophers travelled far by Sea to learn this Art: and being returned, publihed it with wonderfull devoutnes, eteeming of it as a great ecret. Alo it is well known that Pythagoras, and Plato went to the Prophets of Memphis to learn it, and travelled through almost all Syria, Egypt, Judea, and the Schools of the Caldeans, that they might not be ignorant of the mot acred Memorials, and Records of Magick, as alo that they might be furnihed with Divine things. Whooever therefore is deirous to tudy in this Faculty, if he be not skilled in naturall Philoophy, wherein are dicovered the qualities of things, and in which are found the occult properties of every Being, and if he be not skilfull in the Mathematicks, and in the Apects, and Figures of the Stars, upon which depends the ublime vertue, and property of every thing; and if he be not learned in Theologie, wherein are manifeted thoe immateriall ubtances, which dipence, and miniter all things, he cannot be poibly able to undertand the rationality of Magick. For there is no work that is done by meer Magick, nor any work that is meerly Magicall, that doth not comprehend thee three Faculties.

Book 1, Chapter 3

CHAP. III.

Of the four Elements, their qualities, and mutuall mixtions.

There are four Elements, and originall grounds of all corporeall things, Fire, Earth, VVater, Aire, of which all elementated inferiour bodies are compounded; not by way of heaping them up together, but by tranmutation, and union; and when they are detroyed, they are reolved into Elements. For there is none of the enible Elements that is pure, but they are more or les mixed, and apt to be changed one into the other: Even as Earth becoming dirty, and being diolved, becomes VVater, and the ame being made thick and hard, become Earth again; but being evaporated through heat, paeth into Aire, and that being kindled, paeth into Fire, and this being extinguihed, returns back again into Aire, but being cooled again after its burning, becomes Earth, or Stone, or Sulphur, and this is manifeted by Lightening: Plato alo was of that opinion, that Earth was wholly changeable, and that the ret of the Elements are changed, as into this, o into one another ucceively. But it is the opinion of the ubtiller ort of Philoophers, that Earth is not changed, but relented and mixed with other Elements, which do diolve it, and that it returns back into it elf again. Now every one of the Elements hath two pecificall qualities, the former whereof it retains as proper to it elf, in the other, as a mean, it agrees with that which comes next after it. For Fire is hot and dry, the Earth dry and cold, the VVater cold and moit, the Aire moit and hot. And o after this manner the Elements, according to two contrary qualities, are contrary one to the other, as Fire to VVater, and Earth to Aire. Moreover, the Elements are upon another account oppoite one to the other: For ome are heayy, as Earth and VVater, and others are light, as Aire and Fire. Wherefore the Stoicks called the former paives, but the latter actives. And yet once again Plato ditinguiheth them after another manner, and aigns to every one of them three qualities, viz. to the Fire brightnes, thinnes and motion, but to the Earth darknes, thicknes and quietnes. And according to thee qualities the Elements of Fire and Earth are contrary. But the other Elements borrow their qualities from thee, o that the Aire receives two qualities of the Fire, thinnes and motion; and one of the Earth, viz. darknes. In like manner Water receives two qualities of the Earth, darknes and thicknes, and one of Fire, viz. motion. But Fire is twice more thin then Aire, thrice more movable, and four times more bright: and the Aire is twice more bright, thrice more thin, and four times more moveable then Water. Wherefore Water is twice more bright then Earth, thrice more thin, and four times more movable. As therefore the Fire is to the Aire, o Aire to the Water, and Water to the Earth; and again, as the Earth is to the Water, o the Water to the Aire, and the Aire to the Fire. And this is the root and foundation of all bodies, natures, vertues, and wonderfull works; and he which hall know thee qualities of the Elements, and their mixtions, hall eaily bring to pas uch things that are wonderfull, and atonihing, and hall be perfect in Magick.

Book 1, Chapter 4

CHAP. IV.

Of a three-fold conideration of the Elements.

There are then, as we have aid, four Elements, without the perfect knowledge whereof we can effect nothing in Magick. Now each of them is three-fold, that o the number of four may make up the number of twelve; and by paing by the number of even into the number of ten, there may be a progres to the upream Unity, upon which all vertue and wonderfull operation depends. Of the firt Order are the pure Elements, which are neither compounded nor changed, nor admit of mixtion, but are incorruptible, and not of which, but through which the vertues of all naturall things are brought forth into act. No man is able to declare their vertues, becaue they can do all things upon all things. He which is ignorant of thee, hall never be able to bring to pas any wonderfull matter. Of the econd Order are Elements that are compounded, changeable, and impure, yet uch as may by art be reduced to their pure implicity, whoe vertue, when they are thus reduced to their implicity, doth above all things perfect all occult, and common operations of nature: and thee are the foundation of the whole naturall Magick. Of the third Order are thoe Elements, which originally and of themelves are not Elements, but are twice compounded, various, and changeable one into the other. They are the infallible Medium, and therefore are called the middle nature, or Soul of the middle nature: Very few there are that undertand the deep myteries thereof. In them is, by means of certain numbers, degrees, and orders, the perfection of every effect in what thing oever, whether Naturall, Celetiall, or Superceletiall; they are full of wonders, and myteries, and are operative, as in Magick Naturall, o Divine: For from thee, through them, proceed the bindings, looings, and tranmutations of all things, the knowing and foretelling of things to come, alo the driving forth of evill, and the gaining of good pirits. Let no man therefore, without thee three orts of Elements, and the knowledge thereof, be confident that he is able to work any thing in the occult Sciences of Magick, and Nature. But whooever hall know how to reduce thoe of one Order, into thoe of another, impure into pure, compounded into imple, and hall know how to undertand ditinctly the nature, vertue, and power of them in number, degrees, and order, without dividing the ubtance, he hall eaily attain to the knowledge, and perfect operation of all Naturall things, and Celetiall ecrets.

Book 1, Chapter 5

CHAP. V.

Of the wonderfull Natures of Fire, and Earth.

There are two things (aith Hermes) viz. Fire and Earth, which are ufficient for the operation of all wonderfull things: the former is active, the latter paive. Fire (as aith Dionyius) in all things, and through all things, comes and goes away bright, it is in all things bright, and at the ame time occult, and unknown; When it is by it elf (no other matter coming to it, in which it hould manifet its proper action) it is boundles, and inviible, of it elf ufficient for every action that is proper to it, moveable, yielding it elf after a maner to all things that come next to it, renewing, guarding nature, enlightening, not comprehended by lights that are vailed over, clear, parted, leaping back, bending upwards, quick in motion, high, alwayes raiing motions, comprehending another, not Comprehended it elf, not tanding in need of another, ecretly increaing of it elf, and manifeting its greatnes to things that receive it, Active, Powerfull, Inviibly preent in all things at once; it will not be affronted or oppoed, but as it were in a way of revenge, it will reduce on a udden things into obedience to it elf, incomprehenible, impalpable, not leened, mot rich in all dipenations of it elf. Fire (as aith Pliny) is the boundles, and michievous part of the nature of things, it being a quetion whether it detroys, or produceth mot things. Fire it elf is one, and penetrates through all things (as ay the Pythagorians) alo pread abroad in the Heavens, and hining: but in the infernall place treightened, dark, and tormenting, in the mid way it partakes of both. Fire therefore in it elf is one, but in that which receives it, manifold, and in differing ubjects it is ditributed in a different manner, as Cleanthes witneeth in Cicero. That fire then which we ue is fetched out of other things. It is in tones, and is fetched out by the troke of the teele: it is in Earth, and makes that, after digging up, to moake: it is in Water, and heats prings, and wells: it is in the depth of the Sea, and makes that, being toed with winds, warm: it is in the Aire, and makes it (as we oftentimes ee) to burn. And all Animals, and living things whatoever, as alo all Vegetables are preerved by heat: and every thing that lives, lives by reaon of the incloed heat. The properties of the Fire that is above, are heat, making all things Fruitfull, and light, giving life to all things. The properties of the infernall Fire are a parching heat, conuming all things, and darknes, making all things barren. The Celetiall, and bright Fire drives away pirits of darknes; alo this our Fire made with Wood drives away the ame, in as much as it hath an Analogy with, and is the vehiculum of that Superior light; as alo of him, who aith, I am the Light of the World, which is true Fire, the Father of lights, from whom every good thing that is given, Comes; ending forth the light of his Fire, and communicating it firt to the Sun, and the ret of the Celetiall bodies, and by thee, as by mediating intruments, conveying that light into our Fire. As therefore the pirits of darknes are tronger in the dark: o good pirits, which are Angels of Light, are augmented, not only by that light, which is Divine, of the Sun, and Celetiall, but alo by the light of our common Fire. Hence it was that the firt, and mot wie intitutors of Religions, and Ceremonies ordained, that Prayers, Singings, and all manner of Divine Worhips whatoever hould not be performed without lighted Candles, or Torches. (Hence alo was that ignificant aying of Pythagoras. Do not peak of God without a Light) and they commanded that for the driving away of wicked pirits, Lights and Fires hould be kindled by the Corpes of the dead, and that they hould not be removed, untill the expiations were after a Holy manner performed, and they buried. And the great Jehovah himelf in the old Law Commanded that all his Sacrifices hould be offered with Fire, and that Fire hould always be burning upon the Altar, which Cutome the Priets of the Altar did always oberve, and keep amongt the Romanes. Now the Bais, and foundation of all the Elements, is the Earth, for that is the object, ubject, and receptacle of all Celetiall rayes, and influences; in it are contained the eeds, and Seminall vertues of all things; and therefore it is aid to be Animall, Vegetable, and Minerall. It being made fruitfull by the other Elements, and the Heavens, brings forth all things of it elf; It receives the abundance of all things, and is, as it were the firt fountain, from whence all things pring, it is the Center, foundation, and mother of all things. Take as much of it as you pleae, eperated, wahed, depurated, ubtilized, if you let it lye in the open Aire a little while, it will, being full, and abounding with Heavenly vertues, of it elf bring forth Plants, Worms, and other living things, alo Stones, and bright parks of Metals. In it are great ecrets, if at any time it hall be purified by the help of Fire, and reduced unto its implicity by a convenient wahing. It is the firt matter of our Creation, and the truet Medicine that can retore, and preerve us.

Book 1, Chapter 6

CHAP. VI.

Of the wonderfull Natures of Water, Aire, and Winds.

THe other two Elements, viz. Water, and Aire, are not les efficacious then the former; neither is nature wanting to work wonderfull things in them. There is o great a neceity of Water, that without it no living thing can live. No Hearb, nor Plant whatoever, without the moitening of Water can branch forth. In it is the Seminary vertue of all things, epecially of Animals, whoe eed is manifetly waterih. The eeds alo of Trees, and Plants, although they are earthy, mut notwithtanding of neceity be rotted in Water, before they can be fruitfull; whether they be imbibed with the moiture of the Earth; or with Dew, or Rain, or any other Water that is on purpoe put to them. For Moes writes, that only Earth, and Water bring forth a living oul. But he acribes a twofold production of things to Water, viz. of things wimming in the VVaters, and of things flying in the Aire above the Earth. And that thoe productions that are made in, and upon the Earth, are partly attributed to the very Water, the ame Scripture tetifies, where it aith that the Plants, and the Hearbs did not grow, becaue God had not caued it to rain upon the Earth. Such is the efficacy of this Element of Water, that Spirituall regeneration cannot be done without it, as Chrit himelf tetified to Nicodemus. Very great alo is the vertue of it in the Religious Worhip of God, in expiations, and purifications; yea, the neceity of it is no les then that of Fire. Infinite are the benefits, and divers are the ues thereof, as being that by vertue of which all things ubit, are generated, nourihed, and increaed. Thence it was that Thales of Miletus, and concluded that Water was the beginning of all things, and aid it was the firt of all the Elements, and the mot potent, and that becaue it hath the matery over all the ret. For, as Pliny aith, Waters wallow up the Earth, extinguih flames, acend on high, and by the tretching forth of the clouds, challenge the Heaven for their own: the ame falling become the Caue of all things that grow in the Earth. Very many are the wonders that are done by Waters, according to the Writings of Pliny, Solinus, and many other Hitorians, of the wonderfull vertue whereof, Ovid alo makes mention in thee Veres.

2Hornd Hammons Waters at high noon Are cold; hot at Sun-rie and etting Sun. Wood, put in bubling Athemas is Fir'd, The Moon then farthet from the Sun retir'd, Circonian treams congeal his guts to Stone That thereof drinks; and what therein is thrown. Crathis, and Sybaris (from the Mountains rold) Color the hair like Amber, or pure Gold. Some fountains, of a more prodigious kinde, Not only change the body, but the minde. Who hath not heard of obcene Salmacis? Of th' Æthiopian lake? for who of this

But only tat, their wits no longer keep, Or forthwith fall into a deadly leep. Who at Clitorius fountain thirt remove, Loath Wine, and abtinent, meer Water love. With treams oppos'd to thee Lincetus flowes: They reel, as drunk, who drink too much of thoe. A Lake in fair Arcadia tands, of old Call'd Pheneus; upected, as twofold: Fear, and forbear to drink thereof by night: By night unwholome, wholome by day-light.

Joephus alo makes relation of the wonderfull nature of a certain river betwixt Arcea, and Raphanea, Cities of Syria: which runs with a full Channell all the Sabboth Day, and then on a udden ceaeth, as if the prings were topped, and all the ix dayes you may pas over it dry-hod: but again, on the eaventh day (no man knowing the reaon of it) the Waters return again in abundance, as before. Wherefore the inhabitants thereabout called it the Sabboth-day river, becaue of the Seaventh day, which was holy to the Jews. The Gopel alo tetifies to a heep-pool, into which whooever tepped firt, after the Water was troubled by the Angel, was made whole of whatoever dieae he had. The ame vertue, and efficacy we read was in a pring of the Ionian Nymphs, which was in the territories belonging to the Town of Elis, at a Village called Heraclea, neer the river Citheron: which whooever tepped into, being dieaed, came forth whole, and cured of all his dieaes. Pauanias alo reports, that in Lyceus, a mountain of Arcadia, there was a pring called Agria, to which, as often as the drynes of the Region threatned the detruction of fruits, Jupiters Priet of Lyceus went, and after the offering of Sacrifices, devoutly praying to the Waters of the Spring, holding a Bough of an Oke in his hand, put it down to the bottome of the hallowed Spring; Then the waters being troubled, a Vapour acending from thence into the Air was blown into Clouds, with which being joyned together, the whole Heaven was overpread: which being a little after diolved into rain, watered all the Country mot wholomly. Moreover Ruffus a Phyitian of Epheus, beides many other Authours, wrote trange things concerning the wonders of Waters, which, for ought I know, are found in no other Authour.

It remains that I peak of the Aire. This is a vitall pirit, paing through all Beings, giving life, and ubitence to all things, binding, moving, and filling all things. Hence it is that the Hebrew Doctors reckon it not amongt the Elements, but count it as a Medium or glew, joyning things together, and as the reounding pirit of the worlds intrument. It immediately receives into it elf the influences of all Celetiall bodies, and then communicates them to the other Elements, as alo to all mixt bodies: Alo it receives into it elf, as it were a divine Looking-glas, the pecies of all things, as well naturall, as artificiall, as alo of all manner of peeches, and retains them; And carrying them with it, and entering into the bodies of Men, and other Animals, through their pores, makes an Impreion upon them, as well when they leep, as when they be awake, and affords matter for divers trange Dreams and Divinations. Hence they ay it is, that a man paing by a place where a man was lain, or the Carkae newly hid, is moved with fear and dread; becaue the Aire in that place being full of the dreadfull pecies of Man-laughter, doth, being breathed in, move and trouble the pirit of the man with the like pecies, whence it is that he comes to be afraid. For every thing that makes a udden impreion, atoniheth nature. Whence it is, that many Philoophers were of opinion that Aire is the caue of dreams, and of many other impreions of the mind, through the prolonging of Images, or imilitudes, or pecies (which are fallen from things and peeches, multiplyed in the very Aire) untill they come to the enes, and then to the phantay, and oul of him that receives them, which being freed from cares, and no way hindred, expecting to meet uch kind of pecies, is informed by them. For the pecies of things, although of their own proper nature, they are carryed to the enes of men, and other animals in generall, may notwithtanding get ome impreion from the Heaven, wilet they be in the Aire, by reaon of which, together with the aptnes and dipoition of him that receives them, they may be carryed to the ence of one, rather then of another. And hence it is posible naturally, and far from all manner of upertition, no other pirit coming between, that a man hould be able in a very time to ignifie his mind unto another man, abiding at a very long and unknown ditance from him; although he cannot preciely give an etimate of the time when it is, yet of necesity it mut be within 24. hours; and I my elf know how to do it, and have often done it. The ame alo in time pat did the Abbot Tritenius both know and do. Alo, when certain appearances, not only pirituall, but alo naturall do flow forth from things, that is to ay, by a certain kind of flowings forth of bodies from bodies, and do gather trength in the Air, they offer, and hew themelves to us as well through light as motion, as well to the ight as to other enes, and ometimes work wonderfull things upon us, as Plotinus proves and teacheth. And we ee how by the South wind the Air is condened into thin clouds, in which, as in a Looking-glas are reflected repreentations at a great ditance of Catles, Mountains, Hores, and Men, and other things, which when the clouds are gone, preently vanih. And Aritotle in his Meteors hews, that a Rainbow is conceived in a cloud of the Aire, as in a Looking-glas. And Albertus aith, that the effigies of bodies may by the trength of nature, in a moit Aire be eaily repreented, in the ame manner as the repreentations of things are in things. And Aritotle tels of a man, to whom it happened by reaon of the weaknes of his ight, that the Aire that was near to him, became as it were a Looking-glas to him, and the optick beam did relect back upon himelf, and could not penetrate the Aire, o that whitheroever he went, he thought he aw his own image, with his face towards him, go before him. In like manner, by the artificialnes of ome certain Looking-glaes, may be produced at a ditance in the Aire, beide the Looking-glaes, what images we pleae; which when ignorant men ee, they think they ee the appearances of pirits, or ouls; when indeed they are nothing ele but emblance kin to themelves, and without life. And it is well known, if in a dark place where there is no light but by the coming in of a beam of the Sun omewhere through a litle hole, a white paper, or plain Looking-glas be et up againt that light, that there may be een upon them, whatoever things are done without, being hined upon by the Sun. And there is another leight, or trick yet more wonderfull. If any one hall take images artificially painted, or written letters, and in a clear night et them againt the beams of the full Moon, whoe reemblances being multiplyed in the Aire, and caught upward, and reflected back together with the beams of the Moon, any other man that is privy to the thing, at a long ditance ees, reads, and knows them in the very compas, and Circle of the Moon, which Art of declaring ecrets is indeed very profitable for Towns, and Cities that are beieged, being a thing which Pythagoras long ince did often do, and which is not unknown to ome in thee dayes, I will not except my elf. And all thee, and many more, and greater then thee are grounded in the very nature of the Aire, and have their reaons, and caues declared in Mathematicks, and Opticks. And as thee reemblances are reflected back to the ight, o alo ometimes to the hearing, as is manifet in the Echo. But there are more ecret arts then thee, and uch whereby any one may at a very remote ditance hear, and undertand what another peaks, or whipers oftly.