PELAGII EREMITAE
II Books
Of knowledge and name
of one's good
angel.
Manuscript source: Universität Leipzig
Date of origin: ca. 1750
Copied from original Latin source dated to 1480
Material: Paper
Length: 55 double pages, 111 single pages
Author: Pelagius Eremita of Majorca
German Transcript: Anne Hila
English Translation: Frater Acher
© Frater Acher 2018
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
HOW ONE SHALL ACQUIRE TRUE KNOWLEDGE
OF DIVINATION AND WISDOM?
Because God the Almighty created two kinds of understanding and science as the angelic and thereafter the human, so the angelic [understanding] of creation of the world has to be considered a perfect science, as it understands and knows all things entirely from the beginning. Yet the human science is not made from the beginning of creation as to be able to know or understand, as one can witness with young children, who do not understand a thing, until they reach a higher age. But the angelic understanding is complete everywhere, and man with this particular kind of help of the angel can attain a knowledge of future and all present things that can become perfect, granted and divined.
But if man wants to achieve this, he must unite himself with the angelic mind and become alike.
Now I want to announce, such a man who aims to unite with the angel, who wants to gain experience and knowledge thereof, either through visible appearance of your good angel which is leaning towards you, or through dreams caused by intuition of the angel, or through lengthy secret experience. Whoever wants to attain such, he has to lead a chaste life, be without grief, live without strife and quarrel, not gorging and boozing, but live by themselves, not be desirous, not be niggardly, live God-fearing, and be a pious and holy man who avoids sin and prays diligently every day.
Whoever holds [to these things] and aspires to practice in the manner described below, he can of present, past and future things be knowledgeable to explain everything.
CHAPTER II.
NOT ANY MAN CAN INTERACT WITH THE HOLY ANGEL,
AND THROUGH DREAMS HAVE HIS DEMAND OR SCIENCE OF IT
Everywhere in this book one finds wonderful-strange things who nobody before me has described, and no one can understand it, except if he holds the mercy of our fair Lord. Therefore the practitioner firstly has to be God-fearing, and have conjunction with their good angel, even in their work and effect [they have to] be diligent, and pray without cease.
Which is why this book is not meant for the unworthy, who are not worthy of having contact with it, as there are heretics, infidel Christians, and who lead a swinish life, all devourers, boozers, unchaste, hating, lazy, rude, unsagacious, unread people, all scornful mockers, dispraisers, bandits, murderers, thieves, extortioners, liars, deceivers, gamblers, dalliers, adulterers, enchanters, black artists, are all incapable and unworthy to hold knowledge of this. As with such people the holy good angel has no dealings, and it cannot stay or dwell close to them.
CHAPTER III.
HOW ONE SHOULD HOLD THEMSELVES
WHO ASPIRES TO HAVE CONTACT WITH THEIR HOLY ANGEL?
He should be God-fearing and live by themselves so he is not hindered in divine service, and he must pray busily. The more he escapes the trouble of this world the more likes the good angel to be with him, to talk to him, or to appear in his dreams.
Yet not with human tongues [does the angel speak] but through a particular intellect, through intuitions in dreams, through visions or other knowledge. And it is for certain, the more lonely the people are the more the holy angels like to live with them. Whoever can leave behind worldly things and who has little hindrance, he will find more skilful [access to] this art.
That is also how the minds of people by means of a pious, quiet life turn to the best. When someone wants to be taught by their good angel and wants to receive instructions in the art of divination, he has to serve God the Almighty with a pure heart and have a rightful faith, live pure, chaste and properly, be humble in moments of good fortune and patient [in moments] of tribulations, friendly in their speech, decent in their manners, patient in their scorn, benignant to forgive. He has to show charity to the poor and moderation in eating and drinking, harm or object no one, so that therefore the number 1, 2 and 3 may be separated from the 4. This means, God [and] the angel, have to be together in the soul of the man, unite each other, and may not be stained nor hindered by impure life which is [indicated] by the number 4. The number 1 is God, 2 is the angel, 3 is the soul, and 4 is the human body.
And if one desires to have knowledge of something through the holy angel one should fast the evening before, hear a mass, pay offers, not sleep with skirts, and should confess, communicate or hold a mass oneself and lead a Christian life. When sometimes during the first, second and third night the visitation may not appear, he should continue with the prayers until that which he desires to know will appear to him.
CHAPTER IV.
THAT THIS ART MAY BE CHRISTIAN AND NOT MAGIC?
It is not without [likelihood] that these written things are despised by many scoffers, which is why one should not allow it to be seen or read by everyone.
Yet [these teachings] can be defended in the holy Christian Church [and] do not represent a new teaching, do not contradict the holy scriptures, but are a part of Christian, God-fearing practice, and are being applied by pious people as a Christian doctrine. May the unsagacious speak of it as they want.
Even if I am the first who puts down such art in scripture, I am not the first who began and practiced such art. There may be no doubt that the ancient monks in the monasteries in their God-fearing ways of life have prophesied and brought to daylight many wondrous things. Which is why we exhort, whoever wants to prepare themselves to this art, has to fear God before all other things and has to love with their entire heart, uphold His commandments, despise the worldly things and uphold the spiritual alone, remain daily in their prayer, and ask their holy angel for the knowledge of truth. He also shall see and venerate God in his angel, because I have known many people who have considered such practice important and divine and who have said that whoever in their particular request is not ready to search for the knowledge about the things that relate to their question neither through God nor through their angel, he does neither understand the power of the human mind nor the examples given in the holy scriptures.
Whoever wants to accept and understand it for the good, he shall act in the name of God and will not require here to draw much scribbled evidence, because the truth exists within itself: that it is not against the Christian faith and that instead it is a fair Christian work with such revelation.
CHAPTER V.
THAT THE ALMIGHTY GOD REVEALS TO MAN SECRET KNOWLEDGE
THROUGH THE SERVICE OF HIS HOLY, ASSIGNED ANGEL.
So that one does not need to have doubt about this, we want to consult the word of the Holy Scriptures and notify first how a man gains knowledge in a dream through the appearance or intuition of the angel.
As (1) the first example [we give evidence] of Jacob [Genesis 28:10-13], how he fled his brother Esau and in his dream he saw a long ladder which reached from the earth up until the heavens and upon which the angels ascended and descended, and the Lord held the ladder and spoke: I am God, the Lord of your father Abraham, and I will give to you and your seed the earth upon which you are sleeping.
Similarly (2) Joseph has had a dream, how Sun and Moon were bending for him [Genesis 37:9], and just this Joseph was an interpreter of dreams to the fellow journeymen who were imprisoned with him, for one of them [Joseph divined] that he would come free, and that the other should be imprisoned [Genesis 40:9-19]. Just like he interpreted the dream of the rich years to the king [Genesis 41:25-27], so Mordecai had a dream how small river turned into a large water-stream [Esther 1,11:10].
In Jeremiah [23:28] the Lord speaks the prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream: In such way the dream of Daniel of the 4. winds, of the 4. beasts who rose from the sea was a secret divine revelation [Daniel 7:2-3]: It [?]: it is written in [The Book of] Joel [2:28]: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall interpret dreams, and your young men shall interpret visions.
Similarly one finds in the New Testament how the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to journey into a different land [Matthew 2,2:13], the three wise men similarly received in a dream that indeed they should not return to Herod, but to take a different path [Matthew 2,2:12]. Above that the angels often appeared visibly and allowed others to see them.
CHAPTER VI.
WHY MORE OFTEN DURING SLEEP THAN DURING WAKING
THE ANGELS' INTUITIONS APPEAR AND BECOME EVIDENT?
That during our days one does not see the angels anymore as one did long time ago, that stems from the fact that the good and pure angels cannot align themselves any longer to our impure manner and nature. So also our mind is too mean and weak that one cannot come close to the angels and become alike in union.
In our weakness we have become separated from the good angels and are not deemed worthy of seeing them. Yet if we loved and feared God and acted according to the holy companionship so they would allow for to be seen by us.
And mortal man is not worthy for him to see the spiritual angels: because if the soul is polluted in the body, it cannot have tongues with the angel, yet if it was to have tongues, so it ought to be pure like the angels.
That is why in the Old and New Testament the angels were visible by the naked eye, yet in our times we are impure sinners and do not live according to God's commandment, that is why the angels do not join us. Even if occasionally we act with piety we have no perseverance. But only to the ones who persevere [in their piety] friendship with the angels is granted. And they can see them in their sleep because while asleep our soul is free of thoughts and knowledge can be imprinted in it more favourably.
Even though also in this manner many sentimentalists can be found, who all claim to have received dreams from the Holy Spirit. That however is the lowest knowledge which they receive from the dreams, because it is unintelligible and also highly dubious. As the constitution of the body of the dreamer is imbalanced, sometimes one has eaten too much, sometimes too little, one time one is cheerful, the next time sad and more often the dreams come from preceding thoughts; that is why a wrong understanding may follow them.
Alternatively the dreams turn deceitful because often they are prompted by the evil spirits which delight whenever they can deceive humans, and this happens by far the most often to haughtily people: Because God is reluctant to the haughtily and raises the humble, for the the Holy Ghost comes over the humble. That is why only the pious, god-fearing people are worthy of such knowledge and not anyone sentimentalist.
CHAPTER VII.
HOW THE GOOD ANGEL OF ANY MAN IS GOOD FOR
SUCH KNOWLEDGE OF PROPHECY AND NOT FOR OTHERS
All holy pious angels have affection for man, and delight over man's condition when the latter are well. In particular these angels take a delight when they are ordered to wait for a particular man, for every man has their good angel who allures man to the good and protects them against evil and the enemy. Just like the good angels constantly move towards good, so the evil angels, however, move towards evil.
St.Paul witnesses [in the Epistle] to the Hebrews in Chapter 9, that the angels are sent to us to serve us and at all times to be around us, and to see at all times the countenance of God. Therefore he speaks[:] Do not despise anyone, for I tell you that their angels in heaven stand in front of the face of my father [Matthew 18:10]. As the holy angels are meant to protect us in such manner, are constantly of service to us and remain close to us: that is why the knowledge to our own advantage can only be achieved and attained through our angels who await us.
For this reason this rule is to be regarded as the highest secret and mystery[:] that one desires from their good angel that he may reveal to us and share his good thoughts. Because it is the office of the angels to be supportive of generating both the divine and human mind in man.
The pious, god-fearing people and the good angels hold an insoluble communion, and an assimilation is amongst them of such kind that through the intuition of the angel we would be able at any moment to have knowledge of all things, which is why we need to control our desires.
For God will reason over this and [He] sits on the chair like a judge. But all angels stand in front of God's chair and serve God. The humans, however, they lie in front of God's chair and because of their sins are scattered below. It is reserved for the angels to stand and for the humans to lie because of their sins. That is why man shall rise and become similar to the angels and come into communion. Whoever lies [on the ground] has to rise through the help and mercy of God and whoever stands is being reinforced by the grace of God, to stand firmly, just as there is a difference between standing and lying. In the same manner the angels surpass the humans, and the angels like to dwell with the humans who walk in a pure life.
I knew a man by the name Alphonsus who lived in a forest not far from the city of Salamin [old spelling for 'Salamis', ancient capital of Cyprus], who could neither read nor write, yet served God by day and by night, and led a blessed life. At night when he was asleep an angel came to him and spoke to him in his sleep: Alphonsus, why are you grieving? The hermit answered, because I cannot understand the holy scriptures, and also cannot read it. The angel spoke: Through my service the Lord will teach you all arts and grant you to understand all scriptures, so that all people in the whole country will take marvel at you. When the hermit asked the angel who he was? answered the angel, I am your good angel who awaits and guards you, and helps you, and am called Philaxiel. If you'd liked to follow me you shall learn wondrous things. But the hermit replied, watch out that you are not a liar and a deceitful spirit, for as I am a servant of God, and have nothing to do with lies. For the angel spoke, I am an angel of God and will teach you everything good, opened a golden book and taught him how to read and understand all languages.
From this moment on he [the hermit] became more learned than all the doctors in the country and as he awakened he knew all languages. The other night the angel returns and asks him, if he still doubts his benevolence? when he [the hermit] said: he acknowledge the truth [of what the angel had said about his own nature], then the angel spoke: Stay in your Christian way of life and I will reveal and announce to you whatever you like. And so the hermit became highly skilled in the arts and strange things was he able to prophesy, of present, future and past divinations, so that he was come to be perceived as a high prophet.
CHAPTER VIII.
THEREOF THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE MANY GOOD ANGELS
AND NOT ONLY ONE, ALSO THEREOF THAT DUKEDOM
IS GOVERNED BY MANY ANGELS
Just like every man has a good angel, so is it believable that a man according to their duty and dignity has many angels, such as a duke or the King of France.
Firstly he has a good angel who guards his personality. 2. [Secondly, he has] your good angel who defends the whole realm and country, just like it is attested in Daniel [10:13] where his good angel Seraphiel is speaking to him: But the king of Persia withstood me 21. days, and, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, [from this] everyone has to acknowledge that these were good angels. For God has assigned to each realm, each city, each village, each house its particular angel, and by the order of the highest angelic intelligences the whole world is ruled.
Even mightier than the angel Michael is the Third who defends the royal office: and so it is in the entire world with all realms and countries and the same it is amongst the humans[:] the mightier the man, the more glorious his angel, the lower the man, the lower also is his angels.
For God created everything in order and separated the firmament into 7. circles[:] the first He assigned to Saturn, whose angel is called Cassiel and who is a great duke who makes the world turn. The other [angel] is called Sacquiel and is [of] Jupiter, and is a duke over all kingdoms and countries of the kings. The 3rd is Mars and his angel is called Samael, [who] is a duke of war, the 4th is Sol and his angel is called Michael, the 5th is Venus and [his angel] is called Anael and is a president. The 6th is Mercurius and [his angel] is called Raphael who is a duke of the legates; the 7th is Luna and [his angel] is called Gabriel and also is a duke of the angels, [especially] in embassies.
Such 7. are the most noble archangels and these 7. angels rule over the world, one following the other, each one of them governs for 354. years and 4. months. Following on from these 7. good angels are many myriad spirits each of which holds a particular office and knows how to protect the people.
That however not every man receives the benefit of his spirit to hold knowledge of future things is not the fault of the angel, but that he [the man] is not living according to it and knows not how to deal with it.
CHAPTER IX.
HOW THE FIRST 7. ANGELS RULE THE WORLD
There are 7. good angels who are called mighty dukes amongst the angels. The 1st Saturnus' Cassiel has governed the world from its beginning 354. years and 4. months, the other Venus' Anael ruled the following 354. years and 4. months, the 3. Jupiter's Sacquiel ruled the following 354. years and 4. months; the 4th Mercurius' Raphael again has ruled the following 354. years and 4. months. The 5th Mars' Samael equally governed 354. years and 4. months: the 6th Luna's Gabriel ruled likewise 354. years and 4. months: the 7. Sol's Michael also ruled 354. years and 4. months. After this the first takes rulership again and lasts the same time like all 354. years and 4. months.
And every year of the Moon has 354 days and 1/32 according to this ancient calculation, according to this the great flood during the time of Noah falls under the time of Samael or Mars caused by the great conjunction in the sign of the fishes. And during the time of Gabriel or Luna the 72 languages in Babylon emerged. But as these things do not belong here, it is not necessary to tell more of them.
CHAPTER X.
OF THE ANGELS WHO GOVERN THE 12. CELESTIAL SIGNS
As there are 12. celestial signs so they are all assigned a particular angel which are called good angels.
Accordingly Aries has the angel Rechiel, 2 Taurus has the angel Zohiel; 3 Gemini has the angel Heliel: 4 Cancer has the angel Barochiel; 5 Leo has the angel Ischiriel: 6 Virgo has the angel Hamiel; 7 Libra has the angel Bemiel; Scorpio has the angel Uriel; 9 Sagittarius has the angel Barchiel: 10 Capricornus has the angel Adoniel, 11 Aquarius has the angel Berolkiel: 12 Pisces has the angel Abdiel.
These good angels govern over the way of the heaven in its movement, similarly they also govern the 12. houses of every man's nativity, and whoever carries the respective angels' names and characters with them will experience particular good fortune and good deeds, as Cornelius Agrippa [1486-1535] writes in his Philosophia [De occulta philosophia, 1531/1533] about these things, and according to the sign of the first house of each man one derives the his angel.
CHAPTER XI.
THAT IT IS VERY USEFUL AND NECESSARY TO KNOW
THE NAME OF ONE'S GOOD ANGEL
A number of books have dealt with this and according to them one takes the name of a man and his date of birth and from these calculates the name of the angel; but that is not fair and not accurate, but one has to calculate them from a man's nativity, the respective ruler within it is the name of your angel, particularly the ruler of the first house and sign.
CHAPTER XII.
ONCE ONE KNOWS THE NAME OF THEIR GOOD ANGEL, ITS SEAL AND SIGN,
THEY CAN DO GREAT AND EXCELLENT THINGS
The philosopher Carolus Hispanus has created it and within just a few months become such a scholar that he exceeded all the Doctores in the university of Paris; and Parisians deemed him a magician, until he declared that this was the way how he had achieved it.
On the island of Crete once was a monk who after learning about his king's nativity drew the sigil and character of the king's good angel on a golden jagged sheet, tied it together with a silk ribbon in the color of the planet and handed it over to the king to be worn around his neck, from this time onwards the king conquered all his enemies and performed great and excellent things, so that one didn't dare to approach him, and in upcoming and future trades he always encountered the best, and in all arts did he receive the most accurate information to his questions.
CHAPTER XIII.
THAT ONE SHOULD KEEP THE GOOD ANGELS IN HONOUR
In particular one should honour the angel who is our own, for not to harm it with our impure life.
Above all we shall call for God and walk according to his commandments, because the more one separates from the world, the more they unite with their angel, and man's mind can be compared to spirituality: because the prayer is spiritual and one should fast with it and give alms, for the good angel may dwell with one: he delights more about our good life than do our brothers or parents.
For the dear angels who await us they stand in front of the face of God, like to hear us pray and are with us in their presence, and if we desire to know something so they give us intuitions in our sleep so that we can judge from it and derive the truth.
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW THESE HUMANS SHOULD BE AND BEHAVE
WHO WANT TO PARTAKE IN THE INTUITIONS OF ANGELS
It is rare to encounter such a man, by nature he has to be pious, and in addition well and virtuous educated, hold a pure conscious, frequent with holy and pious people, be wholeheartedly, persistent in faith and prayer, of decent manners, and not frivolous [but] quiet, gentle, and not stained by evil urges or carnal desires, and has to live in chastity and soberness, but a man who is of raucous nature, sour, cruel, and merciless, he can not attain such knowledge and not achieve it.
An adulterer or one with whores or unchaste man cannot partake in this art. A proud, arrogant, orotund man, a spurner or mocker, a lazy, sullen man, a niggard, unsteady man, grudger, slanderer, quarreller, gourmet, devourer, drinker, boozer, angry one, peace breaker, quailing one, sad one, a washer, a dogged, infidel blasphemer, rough, unintelligible, a greedy one, a glory seeker, an impatient, infidel heretic, a sacramentist [de: Sacramentierer, a 16th century German expression for people spreading heretic belief over the ritual of holy communion], an erratic and one who does not like to pray, of those none can partake in this art.
Similarly a magician or cantankerous man: the good angel does not like to dwell with such people, which is why this art is known to very few and comfortable to even fewer and practiced or tried by the very least.
HOW ONE THROUGH LONG PRACTICE ACHIEVES
THE ART OF DIVINATION AND KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH
No one can master an art in a speedy manner, even less so the art of coming into communion with the good angel and attaining the art of divination and knowing of him, yet it has to be accomplished over a long time and divine service and can only be done in three ways.
The first is to lead a God-fearing, pure life; once one has lost God one cannot have communion with the good and devotional angel. The other way is that one has a temper that [by nature] is always and on all paths burning towards God in ardent love, and burning [in such way] that one thinks daily of the suffering and dying of Christ. The third way is to always hold good and Christian intention and practice according to the Christian rule and order.
The first opportunity to make friendship with the good angel is to direct our thoughts towards doing this for the sake of God's glory and that we will use it to just, honest things and will only use it for good purposes. The other opportunity is [to hold clear intent] that we won't use it for sinful and evil desire, neither for thirst for revenge or vain things. The 3. opportunity is to carry lust and love even to all the cumbersome things [in life], and to know of them for the sake of others and to also plea for this: that the secrecy of knowledge might be granted to us.
CHAPTER XVI.
WHICH DREAMS STEM FROM GOOD ANGELS
AND WICH FROM EVIL ONES
As many inspirations are given partly by the good angels and partly by the evil angels, so one has to learn to recognise which one happens through the good or evil, and such can be understood from the following rules.
If someone has had unhappy thoughts and has laid down with lazy, peevish temper and has not prayed diligently, so the dreams do not stem from a good angel. If someone receives dreams that are against Got, or that hinder one from the service to God, or that prevent a good deed, so the dream does not stem from the good angel. If one is sad in the evening, so the dream is not deemed to be beneficial either. If one dreams about hate, angel and harm for their neighbour, so the dream does not stem from a good angel, if one initially has good thoughts [in their dream] but subsequently receives bewildered thoughts, so the dreams equally turn deceitful. If something amorphous, ghoulish or abominable appears in one's dream, so it is a deceitful dream, if one dreams to pay honour to an idol, so the dream stems from an evil angel.
If, however, one has had good thoughts from a pure, unhindered, valiant temper and devotionally prayed to God the Almighty, and asked put their question forward from the bottom of their heart, and a good dream or warning follows or is announced, so the dream stems from good angels, yet if the dream is even and ghoulish and its warning or direction is dangerous, so the dream stems from an evil angel and is a false dream.
CHAPTER XVII.
IN WHICH THINGS ONE SHOULD DESIRE INSIGHT
TO QUESTIONS FROM THE GOOD ANGEL,
AND IN WHICH IT IS NOT DUE TO KNOW
One should not desire insight and instruction of the good angels if a thing is against God and his commandments, such as thievery or evil deeds or homicide, or if one desires to harm or turn into physical danger, similarly [one should not ask] about minor, childish and vain things or about things one can know in other ways, because what man already knows and understands, for this he does not need to ask an angel, equally for nothing dull or unnecessary or futile, also not of evil, false opinion, neither to learn about other people's secrets, nor about bawdily, unchaste things of adulterers or fornicators, because the good angel has no dealings with evil things which is why he cannot answer to them.
Also based upon such insights and received revelations nobody should be convicted or sentenced to death, also one should not aim to do others a favour and seek for hidden treasures, in which country they ought to be found, except for if they are in one's own house, one should also not inquire about superstitious things, but only in honest, befitting things such as about your health, food, wealth, about your good fortune and reputation, about knowledge of things present or past, about absent messengers, about the outcome of war or peace, about faithful servants, things of the law, pregnant women, imprisoned people, about navigation, peregrination and other honest questions.
CHAPTER XVIII.
DURING WHICH TIME IT IS BEST TO HAVE COMMUNION
WITH ONE'S GOOD ANGEL AND TO ASK FOR THE TRUTH,
ALSO ACCORDING TO WHICH CELESTIAL COURSE SUCH SHOULD BE DONE
The man gets gay and eager to ask for one's angel insight and science, if one goes to bed happily and in good spirits, and prays busily, such a time it should be and not if one is sad or inept or lazy or has lived godless: Therefore pay attention to these three things. A pure, devout temper, a healthy body and a clear sky.
CHAPTER XIX.
OF THE KEY OR MAIN PIECE OF THIS ART
If one wants to practice and to know something about a question: so one can only understand once the celestial sign that is assigned to your angel is is rising [on the horizon], which one can learn to see if on a bright night or morning one ascends to a high place, and when it rises one needs to learn to recognise a star or 4. within it, as one can remember always the same sign; or it is much easier to search this out in one's astrological laboratory, when the sign of one's good angel is rising; for this above everything else one has to know which planet is associated with one's angel, so that he may know to call his angel and sign after his planet, which is all the foundation of this art.
If one desires to have knowledge and report of his good angel, so he has to look up during the hour and day of his planet, once the celestial sign of his angel is rising and once it holds a good aspect with his angel, so he shall kneel and pray to God, the holy Lord and prepare himself and call his angel by name afterwards, and to speak or read out your question briefly, and to plea God busily that he may grant you to know what you desire in your sleep through the help of your angel, and you should also be alone in your place, and walk alone, so not to be hindered by others.
If one does not account for such specific times when performing the operation, so it won't be very lucky to have communion with the angel and the wrong thoughts or false or doubtful or indecent dreams will fall in from which one cannot judge correctly and is easily deceived.
BOOK II
Of the Consecration.
CHAPTER I.
In the name of God we want to begin the other book and especially remind [us] that it is no dismissive [thing] to have communion with the holy angel, and that the planetary hour and time deserves particular attention as we explained in the previous chapter.
When you go to bed, your chamber shall be clean and pure and quiet, in order not to be hindered by other people, and it should have an altar with a crucifix and you shall light three wax-candles in front of the crucifix which have been consecrated on our dear women days [plural of 'dear women' (German: liebe Frauen) common folk-expression for Mariä, thus probably Assumption Day, i.e. 15th of August] and you shall write on one of them 'In the Name of the father + . In the Name of the Son + . In the name of the Holy Ghost + .' and on the other light 'In the name of my good angel + , and in the name of the 7 planets in the celestial firmament + .' And on the third light: 'In the name of our Lord Jesu Christi Nazareni + : In the name of the holy mother of God Mary + and in the name of dear Joseph and all saints of God + .'
In case you should be travelling and you cannot have the light with you, so this will be of no harm, yet at home in your house you should have an altar as described, upon which a crucifix needs to stand as well as the three wax-lights, also a prayer-paper-note shall lie on it, which contains your plea, for example for a messenger that you have sent and what he shall convey. So write 'In the name of the Father of the Son and the Holy Ghost. I beg you my dear angel, who was assigned to me by God, that you may wish to reveal to me in this night, where my messenger may be and what he [will] conveyed when he shall return.’
However, if it is another thing [you desire to know] you should write on the other side [of the paper note] the following 3 lines and 15. words: '+ . O Jesus, you Son of God + reveal to me these matters' secrecy + . + . O Jesus Knower of all Secrets + grant me to know the truth in this matter + . + . O Jesus you Blessed-Maker enlighten me, + . In the name of the Highest One during my sleep + .'
When this can take place in front of your altar, you shall sprinkle holy water in your chamber and burn consecrated myrrh and fall to your knees and speak this little prayer: 'Come Holy Spirit, Lord God', and further you shall pray: 'To Lord God who enlightens the hearts of your believers through [the force of] the Holy Spirit, grant me the true, fair wisdom through your your Holy Spirit, that I may receive the truth to my questions through the intuition of my holy angel, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen'.
After this one shall confess: 'O almighty God, Father, God Son, God Holy Spirit, I confess to you and my dear angel, that I have sinned hard against you and acted against the commandments, and have sinned in evil, impure thoughts, words and deeds, have been arrogant and lazy, and did not do the good and did not guard against the evil, but have lived godless until this hour. That is my suffering, and that is why I am unworthy of Gods benevolence, and that my holy angel my reveal the secrecy to me. O Mary, you mother of God, beg for me. O you my holy angel beg for me, o you saints of God beg for me. Almighty Lord God, God Son, God Holy Spirit, o you holy trinity have pity with me and answer my prayers through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, and of the dear Joseph and for the sake of all the saints. O Lord answer my prayer for the sake of my dear angel, and for the sake of all saints who honour and call for you. Have mercy Lord God, Jesus Christ for the sake of the suffering of your birth and death, for the sake of your ineffable love, as you have redeemed us through your holiness, hear my plea, and reveal to me my question which I desire to know. O you grand God, Lord over heaven and earth, have mercy on me, yours is the kingdom, yours is everything, and nothing is without you, you have created all things, you govern over and you maintain everything that holds life. O you wisdom beyond comprehension for you are without a beginning and an end, you I beg, have mercy on me and send your holy angel to me, so he may truthfully feed me the revelation and knowledge to my questions, so I may be able to derive the truth through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen'.
Now you shall step in front of the holy cross, and standing you shall do this prayer for revelation of your question: 'O almighty God, for you know all things, for you understand all things, and [you] know the hearts and the thoughts of people, you are within us, and we are within you, for you are a heart-explorer, and you alone know all of man's thoughts and none are hidden for you. You fly trinity, you know what I am going to ask of you, you know I am not doing this because of temptation or curiosity [Fürwitz] but because of pressing need, as it is quite well known to you. O Lord, you know my devoted heart, you know my cordial trust. O Lord I beg you, remember how you revealed knowledge of secrets to the holy Ancient Fathers through your holy angels while they were in their sleep, and to know everything that mattered to them and you showed them the holiness. O Lord, do not refuse me, such poor sinner, but have pity on me in your great mercifulness, and if it is not against your will send your holy angel who you have assigned to me, and who is around me and present at all times, and with the help of my angel and through clear, truthful understanding and bright, pure comparison show me the truth of my plea and question, which I desire to know'.
At this moment one has to name the question and explain what it is. 'For, my Lord, may this not happen in accordance with my will but with your divine will, which alone is just, holy, certain and truthful. I beg you, you may do as you have ruled and if it may come forth, and if it may be good and fair, and if it may please your unfathomable Divine Majesty, so take mercy on me and answer me, let these pleas and demands happen to me through our Lord Jesus Christ, your inborn Son, who lives and rules with you in the Holy Spirit, from now on and in eternity, Amen’.
CHAPTER II.
AFTER THIS ONE SHALL KNEEL DOWN, RAISE THE HANDS
AND PRAY TO GOD THE FATHER.
(…)
CHAPTER III.
A prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ to be performed
with raised hands and bent knees.
(...)
CHAPTER IV.
A PRAYER TO GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
(...)
CHAPTER V.
A PRAYER TO THE ANGEL [THAT IS] ASSIGNED TO US
[FOR IT] TO SERVE AND GUARD US IN GREAT, CURRENT NEEDS
You holy dear angel of God, for you are appointed over me to help and protect me and to shelter me, I laud, praise and honour you, I hold [to the fact] that God granted you to me as a companion and I delight in your amiableness and your service, for throughout my life you have protected me from much misfortune until this present day and hour. You dear, holy angel, I cannot repay you with any goods or deeds. You holy angel N.N., you blessed servant of God, for you behold God's face and take delight in standing in front of the face of God; I command myself to you dear angel, for you may dwell with me for the entire duration of my life, and for you may want to answer with truth to the request that I have for you. You holy angel N.N., you pious servant of God, I ask you for the sake of our dear Father that in this very night during my sleep you may report to me your science on this question that I have for you, which is whether this will happen to me. I ask you you dear angel N.N. in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and for the sake of the Trinity, may you want to willingly report to me your insights on this question and [may you] not conceal the bright truth.
And another prayer to your angel for attainment of knowledge in all questions.
(...)
CHAPTER VI.
A PRAYER TO VIRGIN MARY FOR ROGATION
(...)
CHAPTER VII.
To speak a prayer when one needs to know something on a significant matter, so it may be revealed and made understood in one's sleep by one's good angel who was assigned to him by the Almighty Lord
(...)
CHAPTER VIII.
After you have prayed this orison you shall speak a Lord's Prayer and an Ave Maria and then say these words kneeling: O Jesus Christ, you Redeemer, show me the truth then another Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria, then Jesus Christ, you who sent the Prophets, enlighten also me with the spirit of truth, then another Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria, then say and further pray: O Jesus Christ, you who reveals all mystery, grant me the reason to understand the mystery of my question. Then speak another Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria. If the question relates to a small matter it suffices to speak three Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria, and each time: O Jesus Christ, you eternal truth, show me the proper truth, and a Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria, then O Jesus Christ, you Redeemer of the World, then another Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria. O Jesus Christ, for you know all things, reveal to me the mystery of my question.
But if it is a great question so one shall pray another time the three Lord's Prayers and Ave Maria, and also include these words: O Jesus Christ, you King of all Angels, may you allow me to experience my plea; O Jesus Chris, you Ruler, command your angel that my wish and desire may be fulfilled. O Jesus Christ, you highest force and power, have mercy and may you experience me my plea.
In case it is a matter of great importance so one shall repeat for a third time the three Lord's Prayers and Ave Maria, after that one shall sprinkle with holy water and speak In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit this place shall be purified and hallowed and free and secure from all evil angels's access.
Then one shall turn towards the morning and the rising [East] and with united heart speak: By the might and the power of the almighty God Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Ruler over Heaven and Earth, I command and order all of you and every impure spirits, that for the sake of the force of the suffering and dying of Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer may you all be far from this place and may you not pollute me tonight with false and wrong images and thoughts. Begone therefore far from here in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Similarly after this one shall turn towards the evening [West], noon [South] and midnight [North] and call the evil spirits to begone.
Finally one shall kneel in front of the bed and speak the following prayers to your holy angel: You, God's holy angel N.N., who you have been appointed over me by the almighty God and Guard and Protector, for you shall help, guard and protect me, you shall appear to me today in this very night in a sweet vision, [you shall] teach and educate me so I may experience the bright and proper truth to this my question. In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thereafter you shall inscribe your question onto a tablet made from wax, which you have hallowed and blessed before and which is also made from blessed wax, and place it under your head and so go to sleep in the name of God. And when you lay down you shall make the sign of the cross on your head, your feet, and to all your sides and pray once more:
God Almighty and Eternal, who you have given inspiration to the three Magi through your holy angel and [who you have] made to appeared to them in dreams so they would not return to Herodotus, you shall send me this holy angel N.N. and command him to reveal to me the truth to my question and that he may show to me with clarity the mystery that I desire, by Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
After that you shall bless yourself again with the holy cross and speak The blessing of the God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit may come upon me, enlighten me and dwell within me and protect me of all evil. Thereafter [you shall] fall sleep without having spoken to anyone and not having touched any other matter with your thoughts. And when you wake up, you shall say: O Jesus Christ, may your holy angel reveal to me the truth.
One shall also know that does not have to do the prayers in the length given here, but that one should pray in brief words and with burning passion in this manner. For the ones who pray properly, they pray in their mind and not according to the number of the psalms. Yet if one is lazy and peevish with one's prayers, so one shall arrange one's heart until it catches fire in the love and passion and Christian devotion; only then the actual orison follows and then in the proper way of praying. And these orisons are written down for the ones who are weak in their prayer and do not know how to go about their prayer.
And specifically it shall be noted that if one fails to see the revelation during the first night, one should not abate until one day one shall succeed by means of these prayers and how they have been learned. And one must not doubt if it does not happen during the first time as if it could not work later on. Because one shall hold on diligently to one's prayers until one has been answered and [one has] experienced the interpretation. It [sic]: One should stick to the process also if one desires to know a question and manage according to the prayer and structure as it is given, because through such way one may finally arrive at experiencing the truth to the question. And everything rests in the diligent continuation of the prayers. On the other hand, in case one wants to report to a friend or a great lord about their question, one should hold on to the prayers in the same manner. Because by means of the prayer one can achieve everything.
Herewith we want to conclude the book of the Knowledge and Mystery in the name of God; and one shall be careful with this art and hold in secret and not make it public.
THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK IS
PELAGIUS EREMITA,
PASSED AWAY ON THE 10TH OF JULY
OF THE YEAR 1480 OF THE LORD.