The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.

CHAP. IX.

How to Conjure the Spirit Balkin the Master of Luridan.

AS in the former Chapter, the Exorcist is instructed to draw the form of the Mountain Hecla within the circle, so in this form of Conjura∣tion he must do the same, adding these names to be written round the Mountain Mathiel;* 1.1 Rahuniel, Seraphiel, Hyniel, Rayel, Fraciel. These are the names of Olympick Angels, governing the North, and ruling over every airy Spirit that belongs unto the Northern Climate; so that the authority of these names must be used in the calling up of this Spirit, because he is a great Lord, and very lofty, neither will he appear without strong and powerful Invocations.

Therefore the Magician must make upon Virgin Parchment the two Seals of the Earth, and provide unto himself a Girdle made of a Bears skin with a rough side next his body, and these names wrote round about in the outerside, ✚ Alpha ✚ Coronzon, Yah, Laniah, Adonay ✚ Soncas ✚ Damael ✚ An∣geli fortes ✚ pur pur ✚ Elibra, Elohim ✚ Omega ✚ per flammam ignis ✚ per vitam Coronzon ✚ Amen. ✚. Also he must provide a black Priestly Robe to reach to his ankles, and a new Sword with Agla on the one side, and On upon the other; having likewise been very continent and chast for three days before the execution of his design: and when the appointed night approach∣eth, he must take with him an earthen pan with fire therein, and a little Viol with some of his own blood, as also some of the Gum or Rozin that comes from the Firr-tree.

And coming to the appointed place in some solitary Valley, the circle must be drawn with chalk, as the former, one circle within another, and these powerful names in the circumference, Otheos on Panthon ✚ Breshit Ha∣shamaim, Vaharetz Vahayah ✚ Lohu ✚ va Bohu ★ ✚ ✚ ✚ ★ mag∣nus es tu ben Elohim qui super alas ventorum equitaris ✚.

This Circumscription is accounted amongst Magicians of all the most pow∣erful and prevalent.

After this the Circle, Mountain, Fire, Turpentine, Girdle, Garments, Sword and Blood must be consecrated according to the foregoing forms of Conse∣cration, adding also this to the end of the consecration.

Mighty art thou O Adonay, Elohim, Ya, Ya, Aie, Aie, Acimoy, who hast created the light of the day, and the darkness of the night, unto whom every knee bows in Heaven and on Earth, who hast created the Lohu and the Bohu, that is stupor or numbness in a thing to be admired, and mighty are thy magnificient An∣gels

Damael and Guael, whose influence can make the winds to bow, and every airy Spirit stoop; Let thy right hand sanctifie these consecrated utensils, exterminating every noxious thing from their bodies, and the circumference of this Circle. Amen. Calerna, Shalom, Shalom, Agla on Sassur, Lafrac, Angeli fortes. In Nomine Patris, Filii, & Spiritus Sancti. Amen, Amen, Amen. After that, he shall sweep the circle gently with a Foxes tayl, and sprinkle the same round with his blood, dipping also the Sword, or anointing it with the same, and brandishing the same in his right hand, he shall begin to conjure the Spirit on this following manner:

I Exorcize and Conjure thee thou great and powerful Balkin, Lord of Glauron, Lord of Luridan, and of fifteen hundred Legions, Lord of the Northern Mountains, and of every Beast that dwells thereon by the holy and wonderful Names of the Almighty Iehovah, Athanato ✚ Aionos ✚ Dominus sempiternus ✚ Aletheios ✚ Sa∣day ✚ Iehovah, Kedesh, El gabor ✚ Deus fortissimus ✚ Anaphexaton, Amo∣rule, Ameron ✚ ✚ ✚ Panthon ✚ Craton ✚ Muridon ✚ Iah, Iehovah, Elo∣him pentasseron ✚ ✚ trinus et unus ✚ ✚ ✚ ★ I Exorcize and Conjure, I Invocate and Command thee thou aforesaid Spirit, by the powers of Angels and Arch∣angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, by the mighty Prince Coronzon, by the blood of Abel, by the righteousness of Seth, and the Prayers of Noah, by the voyces of Thunder and dreadful day of Judgment; by all these powerful and royal words abovesaid, that with∣out delay or malitious intent, thou do come before me here at the circumference of this consecrated Circle, to answer my proposals and desires without any manner of ter∣rible form either of thy self, or attendants; but only obediently, fairly, and with good intent, to present thy self before me, this Circle being my defence, through his power who is Almighty, and hath sanctified the same, In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

After the Magician hath thrice repeated this Conjuration, Let him immedi∣ately set the fire before him, and put the Rozin thereon to fumigate at the ap∣pearance of the conjured Spirits, and at the instant of their appearance he shall hold the Censer of fire in his left hand, and the Sword in his right, still turning round as the Spirits do.

For in a little space after the Invocation is repeated, he shall hear the noise of Thunders, and perceive before him in the Valley a mighty storm of Lightning and Rain; after a while the same will cease, and an innumerable company of Dwarfs or Pigmies will appear mounted upon Chamelions to march towards the Circle surrounding the same.

Next comes Balkin with his Attendants; he will appear like the god Bac∣chus upon a little Goat, and the rest that follow will march after him afoot.

Assoon as they come near the Circle, they will breath out of their mouths a mist, or fog, which will even obscure the light of the Moon, and darken the Magician, that he cannot behold them nor himself; yet let him not be dis∣comfited, or afraid, for that fog will be quickly over; and the Spirits will run round the Circle after Balkin their Lord, who rides upon a Goat; they will continue to surround the Circle, till the Magician begin the form of obligation or binding their Leader or King in this form, with the Sword in his right hand, the Fire and Rozin burning before him.

I conjure and bind thee Balkin, who art appeared before me, by the Father, by the Son, and by the Holy Ghost, by all the holy Consecrations I have made, by the powerful Names of Heaven, and of Earth, and of Hell, that I have used and uttered in calling upon thee, by the Seals which thou here beholdest, and the Sword which I present unto thee, by this sanctified Girdle, and all the sanctified and po∣tent things aforesaid, That here thou remain peaceably, and of thy present shape before the Northern quarter of this Circle, without injury to me in body, soul, or fortune; but on the contrary, to answer faithfully unto my demands, and not hence to remove, till I have licenced thee to depart, In the Name of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit. Amen.

When he is thus obliged, he will alight from his Goat, and cause his At∣tendants to remove further into the Valley, then will he stand peaceably before the Circle to answer the Magician.

After this the Magician shall begin to demand into his own possession a Fa∣miliar to build or pull down any Castle or strong hold in a night; and that this Familiar bring with him the Girdle of Conquest, or Victory, that the Magician being girded with the same may overcome all enemies what∣soever,

And further, the Spirit is able to inform him of all questions concern∣ing Thunder and Lightning, the Motions of the Heavens, the Comets and Apparitions in the air, Pestilence and Famine, noxious and malevolent blasts, as also of the Inhabitants of the Northern Pole, and the wonders undiscovered throughout the world.

Likewise if the Exorcist inquire concerning the habitations of starry Spi∣rits, he will readily answer him, describing their orders, food, life, and past-time truly and exactly.

After the Magician hath satisfied himself with inquiries, and curious que∣stions unto the Spirit, there will come from amongst the company a little Spi∣rit of a span long, like a little Ethiop, which the great King Balkin will de∣liver unto the Exorcist to continue as a Familiar with him as long as his life shall last. This familiar the possessor may name at it pleaseth him.

The three last, who had this Spirit into possession, were three Nor∣thern Magicians, the first Honduros a Norwegian, who called it Philenar, and commanded it at his pleasure with a little Bell.

After him Benno his eldest Son injoy'd the same under the same name.

And Swarkzar a Polonian Priest was the last who enjoy'd it under the Name of Muncula; all which names were imposed upon it, according to the pleasure of the Masters; and therefore the naming of this familiar is left to the discretion of the Exorcist.

Now when the Master hath taken this familiar into his custody and service, the Spirit Balkin will desire to depart, being wearied if the action continue longer then an hour. Therefore the Magician must be careful to dismiss him in this following form:

Because thou hast diligently answered my demands, and been ready to come at my first call, I do here licence thee to depart unto thy proper place, without in∣jury or danger to man or Beast; depart, I say, and be ever ready at my call, be∣ing duly exorcized and conjured by sacred Rites of Magick; I charge thee to withdraw with quiet and peace; and peace be continued betwixt me and thee, In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then the Spirits company will begin to march about their Prince, and in a formal Troop will march along the Valley, whilest the Magician re∣peateth Pater Noster, &c. until the Spirits be quite out of sight and va∣nished.

This is a compleat form of conjuring the aforesaid Spirit, according to the Rules of Vaganostus the Norwegian.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The names of Olympick Angels.