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Gaps in the Heptameron

Here is a list of discovered gaps and assumptions made within the Heptameron along with any potential reconciliation of them.

I. Angels of the four parts of the world which do govern the seven planets the seven days of the week, colors and metals…

“let him enter the Circle, and call the Angels from the four parts of the world, which do govern the seven Planets the seven dayes of the week, Colours and Metals; whose name you shall see in their places. And with bended knees invocating the said Angels particularly, let him say,

O angels spoken of before, be my helpers in these petitions, and help me in my affairs and petitions.”

These angels we are to call are not the angels ruling the day which we are to call from the four corners of the world. Those are specifically called later in the rite. These angels seem to be the primary angels of the 7 planets and days. Plus we don’t have any reference for an invocation…

The instructions given in the Heptameron here are nearly identical (save wording) to the predecessor of Liber Razial. We gain little to no insight by looking at this source alone.

Let’s look at Liber Juratus for a little help as it contains an example.

“Invocation of the angels.O you mighty angels of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon:1 Boel, Cafziel, Micrathon, [Saterquiel,] Satquiel, Raphael, Paamchociel, Asassaiel, Samael, Satiel, Yturaiel, Amabiel, Raphael, Caphael, Dardiel, Hurathaphel, Anael, Raquiel, Salguyel, Michael, Miel, Sarapiel, Gabriel, Michael, Samyel, Athithael, mighty in heaven, iin the clouds, and in the abyss.”

We have to keep in mind these names are from Juratus and differ from the Heptameron, but Juratus gives us a full invocation which we can simply place in the Heptameron names of the angels ruling the planets…

We now have a full (and traditional) invocation of the angels from the four parts of the world which do govern the seven planets, days, colors and metals.

“O you mighty angels of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury, and Luna: Michael, Dardiel, Huratapal, Gabriel, Samael, Satael, Amabiel, Raphael, Miel, Seraphiel, Sachiel, Castiel, Asasiel, Anael, Rachiel, Cassiel, Machatan, Uriel, mighty in heaven, in the clouds, and in the abyss.”

II. Then let him call the Angels from the four parts of the world, that rule the Air…

“Then let him call the Angels from the four parts of the world, that rule the Air the same day wherein he doth the work or experiment. And having implored specially all the Names and Spirits written in the Circle, let him say,

I adjure and call you all forth, by the seat of Adonay, and by Hagios, O Theos, Iscyros, Athanatos; Paracletus, Alpha & Omega, and by these three secret names: Agla, On, Tetragrammaton, that you at once fulfill what I desire.”

Here we are told to invoke the angels from the four parts of the world that rule the air the same day. We are also to implore all the names and spirits written in the circle… But how do we invoke them?

The Munich Manual has a wonderful rendition of this (Digital Ambler). I modified the wording slightly as the invocation of spirits which rule over talismans of that particular work was in the middle of it, but it does exactly as requested by the Heptamerion.

“I call upon and name you, [Angel of Day], the angel set over the [number] day, which is [name of day], that you work for me and not desist until all my wishes have been brought about to their effect.”I call upon and name you, o angels who preside over the day of [name of day], [angels and ministers of day], that you work for me and not leave me until all my wishes have been brought about to their effect.

I call upon you, o holiest name of God, Adonay Sabaoth, Adonay Cados, Adonay Amiora, and seek of you with all my heart and mouth that you deign to hear and aid me, and to fulfill all my desires, that I may be allowed to see a thousand armies in my service.””I call upon you, [name of hour of day], the [number] hour of the [day/night], that you help me and make me see the armed spirits I have called.”

“I call upon and name the angels ruling the hour, [angels ruling the hour]. I call on [planet] and his angel [archangel of planet], and his signs of [zodiac signs that planet rules], and their sigils which are these: [hold up angelic seal] that they may aid me and make all the spirits I have called appear unto me, roused into my service.”

“I call you and name you, o Earth, who in the season [season name] are called [name of earth in season], that you aid me and make the spirits I call armed into my service. I call and name you, o angels who serve the season [season name], [angels that serve in season including the head of the sign], that you make the spirits come in the form of an army, armed into my service. I call you o [name of sun], the name of the Sun in the season [season name], that you aid me to make the spirits I call come in the form of an army into my service. I beg and call upon you, o Moon, who in the season [season name] are called [name of moon in season], that you aid me for making the spirits I call come in the form of an army into my service.”

“I call upon and name you angels of the [number heaven] called [name of heaven] who serve under [overseer]. From the north [angels of the north], from the south [angels of the south], from the east [angels of the east] and from the west [angels of the west] that you deign to hear and aid me, and to fulfill all my desires.Come now by the sigil of [Planet], you spirits, [King of the wind and Ministers], that you be in this hour in my service, that you come quickly to carry out my orders.

“O angels spoken of before, be my helpers in these petitions, and help me in my affairs and petitions.”

III. The Altar

Throughout the entire work there is no mention at all about an altar or small table. The book reads as though everything is held in your hand and the hands of your assistants. In fact the garments which are to be worn are held by an assistant as you enter the circle. Many of the wording given when talking about how to use the pentacle is slightly confusing as at times it suggests holding your hands toward the pentacle and other times it speaks of the pentacle which is in your hand.

Similarly we have to consider the Holy Water, Perfumes, and Vessel of fire. These all must go somewhere and the working which is to be done with them is far too intricate to be held on your own though it could technically be done with multiple people.

In the end I believe you can use a small table or altar for the working if assistants are not available.

IV. Consecrations

For the most part consecrations are addressed. We’re told how to consecrate the garments, pentacle and sword, as well as incense. We’re told to acquire holy water from a Priest (which would already be consecrated). What we are told to do as for any other tools is as follows:“Let him have ready the perfume appropriated to the day wherein he would perform the work. He ought also to have holy water from a Priest, and a new earthen vessel with fire, a Vesture and a Pentacle; and let all these things be rightly and duly consecrated and prepared.”

What is excluded is the whistle and pentacles (plural) mentioned later in the text. Considering every tool that is mentioned in the Heptameron requires the Mass of the Holy Ghost to be said over it, it would be safe to assume this is the preferred method of consecration, but that is only an assumption. It is possible that there would be a different and preferred method to consecrate the whistle and pentacles but I think such a thing would have been a notable addition to the grimoire not overlooked.

V. Conjurations

The conjuration of the day has been fairly controversial. Many assume they are conjurations of the archangels themselves while some look more closely at the words and see it’s a poor conjuration if the target is the archangels. Looking at the text you can see the target spirits of these conjurations are being conjured by planets and heavens and angels in the heaven, all things which are inferior to the Archangel themselves. So some actually feel the conjuration is of the spirits of the air. But thanks to the discovery of the Elucidarium, the answer is finally resolved.

The Elucidarium calls forward the angels before it very clearly conjures the spirits of the air. it begins by conjuring the names in the middle ring which includes the hour, angel of the day, ministers of the angel of the day, the season, angels of the season and the name of the earth, sun and moon in the season. Then the conjuration of the day is given and after that the angels which rule in the heavens are conjured. Only after this are the spirits of the air called. Therefore we can conclude that the conjurations of the day are indeed angelic invocations. We can also note that the wording in the Elucidarium does make it a bit more clear that the target is indeed the angel of the day.

Further more the Elucidarium is very clear in distinguishing a difference between angels and spirits. Each conjuration of the day entreats angels specifically. Of further note it is not just a conjuration of the Archangel but of Angels together (angeli). It names the angel of the day, the angel which oversees the heaven and mentions in passing the angels in that heaven. Therefore it is a massive conjuration of the angels mentioned above this point.

VI. The Pentacle
Many of the wording given when talking about how to use the pentacle is slightly confusing as at times it suggests holding your hands toward the pentacle and other times it speaks of the pentacle which is in your hand. This would indicate at the very least the pentacle itself is free to move from the cloth which conceals it.

Luckily this issue is put to rest by investigating the Elucidarium. Once you enter the circle you put on your vestments. After they are put on the pentacle is then “sewn” to the chest and covered by a linen cloth. At some point the cloth must reveal the pentacle, so some degree of thought must be made in order to make this functional. The first thought is how might one sew on the pentacle if one is wearing it? I think there are two thoughts about this. First, one could actually sew it on permanently but that causes a bit of a problem because you wear the robe when doing it…

Second is that the pentacle is affixed rather than sewn. The Latin word used is “assuatur” which can me “to sew” but was not the common word for it. Perhaps this had a differing meaning which could imply to attach. I think this is more likely that we are to attach the pentacle to the robe once in the circle.

VII. The Four Parts of the World

There may be some question as to what exactly is meant by “the four parts of the world”. We see throughout the Heptameron that we are to call a number of spirits from them. One may assume it speaks to the four directions of the circle of the Heptameron such as the instructions indicate during the prayer titled, “Oratio ad Deum, quæ dici debet in quatuor partibus Mundi, in Circulo / A Prayer to God, to be said in the four parts of the world, in the Circle.” Yet this could still mean one of two things that will affect the execution of the ritual. If the four parts of the world refers to the divided circle collectively then whatever we are told to do (for example pray in the four parts of the world), we are only to do once. If however the four parts of the world refers to the divided circle in part then we are to pray four times in total from each segment of the circle.

  • We are told first, “let him enter the Circle, and call the Angels from the four parts of the world, which do govern the seven Planets the seven dayes of the week, Colours and Metals”.
  • We are told then, “Then let him call the Angels from the four parts of the world, that rule the Air the same day wherein he doth the work or experiment”.
  • Lastly we are told to recite “A Prayer to God, to be said in the four parts of the world, in the Circle”.

Depending on how one interprets the four parts of the world (either four separate parts or one part collectively it would affect how one does the steps above.

VIII. The Emphasis of Direction

In the list of the angels of the heaven which rule in the day which aught to be called from the four parts of the world, the is a format of direction. The list always goes East, West, North, South. One could overlook the importance of this direction however when we look at the source of the framework of the Heptameron, we see something that might imply a significance in the order.

Liber Razialis:
North: Est deus fortis & potens siue fine
South: Deus sanctus paciens & misericors
East: Deus magne excelse & honorate per sec’lam
West: Deus sapiens clare & iuste, Deus tuam clementiam & sanctitatem exoro quod questionem meam & opus meum & laborem meum hodie complete & integre perficere digneris qui vivis & regnas deus per v. s. b. Amen

Heptameron:
At the East: O Deus magne & excelse, & honorate, per infinita secula.
At the West: O Deus sapiens, & clare, & juste, ac divina clementia: ego rogo te piissime Pater, quòd meam petitionem, quòd meum opus, & meum laborem hodie debeam complere, & perfectè intelligere. Tu qui vivis & regnas per infinita secula seculorum, Amen.
At the North: O Deus potens, fortis, & sine principio.
At the South: O Deus potens & Misericors.

The Heptameron actually changes the order of the prayer to be said by direction. This seems to imply an emphasis on the order of direction. If one were to say a prayer in the four parts of the world, one could travel in the order of E-W and N-S. When one sprinkles the circle one could do it form E-W and N-S. When one calls the angels of the heaven could do it from E-W and N-S, etc…

IX. The Direction of the Circle

There has been commentary made that the circle actually has the upper left star in the East to match what many other grimoires state. The Elucidarium however clears this up as it states explicitly that to the East is the word “Alpha”.


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