Paracelsvs Of the supreme mysteries of nature.: Of [brace] the spirits of the planets. Occult philosophy. The magical, sympathetical, and antipathetical cure of wounds and diseases. The mysteries of the twelve signs of the zodiack. / Englished by R. Turner, philomathēs.

CHAP. III. Of Characters.

WE are not to give credit also, neither to Cha∣racters nor Words; for the Poets and Ne∣gromancers do also much exercise themselves in them, and do fill their Conjuring-Books full of them, which they raise out of their own imagi∣nations, meerly and rashly, without any Founda∣tion, and do feign them against all Truth; whenas many thousands of them are not worth a nut-shell. But in the mean time I will be silent in their Cha∣racters, which they draw in Paper & Parchment, which are uselessly blotted with such trifles. It was a custome amongst those kinde of men, which amongst some is hardly left to this day, That by imposing these Characters upon these men, they drew them to admiration of themselves with these Characters, and speaking such words as are wonderful to me, and which were never heard of; yet they say, they are found out and devised by themselves. Wherefore it is chiefly necessary to have perfect knowledge, to discern these Letter, Words and Characters.

There are many such-kinde of words found amongst them, which have no affinity at all with the Idioms of the Latine, Greek, or Hebrew Tongues, neither with any other; which cannot possibly be interpreted by any man, nor rendred

into any other Tongue. Therefore I speak not without cause, and say, That we are not to credit all Letters, Characters or Words, but to keep to those onely which are true, and have been often proved, and taken out of the Foundation of Truth.

That we may come to these, and declare what Words or Characters are just and true; we shall onely in the first place detect and unfold two: although there may be found many other, yet nevertheless, these are most especially and principally to be accounted and esteemed of, be∣fore all other Characters, Pentacles, and Seals: note the delineation of them, which is thus:

Two Triangular Figures, cutting one another thorow with a cross, are so painted or engraven, that they do include and divide themselves into seven spaces within, and do make six corners outwardly, wherein are written six wonderful Letters of the great Name of God; to wit, A∣donay, according to their true order. This is one of those Characters whereof we have spoken.

There is another which excelleth the former in power and virtue, and this hath three Hooks cutting one another through by a cross, and are so delineated, that by their mutual intersection they include six spaces, and outwardly five angles, wherein are written five syllables of the supream name of God; to wit, Tetragrammaton, also ac∣cording to their true order.

I would have put down the Figures themselves; but because you may happily finde them in many

other places and Books, I have the rather omit∣ted them.

By these two Characters some of the Israelites and Nigromancers of Judea, obtained many things; and they are now esteemed of great price amongst very many, and held as great secrets: for they are of so great virtue and power, that whatsoever is possible to be done by Characters and Words, the same may be effected by them or one of them. I would gladly know, where and in what place in all the Books of the Nigro∣mancers may be found any other, wherein there is made the like against the malignant Spirits, Devils, & Inchantments of the Magitians, by all the deceits and devices of the Sorcerers. For they do deliver him that is already inchanted either in his minde or understanding, so that he is forced or compelled to act any thing against his own natural will or nature; or if he suffer any loss or hurt in his body, by the administration of these, made in their just and due time and hour, and being taken in his mouth with a Wafer, Pan∣cake, or such-like thing, in four and twenty hours he shall be free from the Inchantment.

There are also many other thing which are helpful in such cases; as those which shall be by me laid down hereafter, when I come to speak of Tempests, and the Seasons.

Briefly, these Characters are of so great force and power, that if the Nigromancers did but know and believe their power and and virtue, they would forthwith reject and cast away all other things, even all their other Characters,

Words, Names, Signs, Figures, Pentacles, con∣secrated Seals of Solomon, Crowns, Scepters, Rings, Girdles, and such-like Ceremonies what∣soever, and wherein hitherto they have reposed any hope, thinking by them to secure themselves from their dangerous experiments and operati∣ons, when they would invoke, conjure, or think to compel and force the Spirits. Truely those which we have spoken of, are the true Pentacles to be had and used against all unclean Spirits, which they do all fear, even they which wander in the Elements. Nevertheless, Faith doth strengthen and confirm all these things.

But some may carpingly object, although unde∣servingly, and say, That I break the third Com∣mandment of God, of the first Table of Mo∣ses, wherein it is forbidden of the Lord God, for any one to take his name in vain. But who a∣mongst any wise men, can be able to say, That I have done this; or, that I have herein offended God? whenas I use not this for that purpose, nor after the same manner, as the Nigromancers and Inchanters; but onely for the extream necessity and help of men, and in those diseases and infir∣mities wherein no Medicines, no Aurum potabile, nor quintessence of Gold, neither Antimony, nor no such secret can help them, although they are of very great virtue and efficacy.

It becometh a Physitian to know the origi∣nal cause of all diseases, that he may know which proceeds from evil meat or drink, as from Ap∣ples, Herbs, and other fruits of the Earth: and it

is expedient for him to know the secrets of Herbs and Roots, &c. whereby the disease may be cured. But if it happen under the cause of Mi∣nerals, such diseases are to be expelled by the secrets of those Metals; which the secrets of Herbs and Roots do not admit of, and have not power to do.

In like manner, if diseases do proceed from the influences of Heaven, neither of the secrets aforesaid, are able to profit any thing in the cure thereof, but it must be expelled by Astronomy and the heavenly influences, as it is written of Parsicaria.

Lastly, if any disease or grief happen or be in∣flicted upon any man in a supernatural manner, by Inchantment or some Magical Sorceries, none of those three remedies aforespoken of, will help them; but there must be a Magical remedy whereby it may be expelled, as we have before delivered.

Many men who have in this kinde been made miserable through inchantments, have also hither∣to been forsaken and cast off by the Ignorant Physitians; because these things hitherto were hidden unto them: And if they chance to be told them of others, they will answer, that if they should use them, they should act against God, and take his name in vain; and that this which I have done hath no truth in it. But if I should use these things to the hurt or prejudice of man, I should Blaspheme against God; or if I should Conjure any Spirits, man, herbe, roote or stone, &c. by his name, it might then justly

be said that I did take his name in vain, and of∣fend God; but not before. Let the Divines them∣selves also, and the Sophisters speake what they list to these things, the thing which I speake will not be found contrary to the truth, although herein their opinions may be very contrary unto me: they will call me Inchanter, Nigromancer, and a contemner of the Commandments of God, which Calumnies and reproches I do not at all care for: for it will be most certainly made ma∣nifest, that their exceptions against me, will ap∣peare no otherwise then those of the Jews and Pharisees who carped against Christ, because he healed the sicke on the Sabbath day: For they said unto him, that Christ had broke the Sabbath and the commandment of God: the like they did with David when he was forced and oppres∣sed, and did eat the shew-bread; But amongst these fault-finders and slanderers, how or what shall be done that will please them all? But the Ignorant will not cease to talke until the beasts or stones can teach them, which we must expect will be a long time, and then they will hold their peace.