Anno 1581: 1582.

Mysteriorum
Liber Primus

Mortlaci

-1-

The Year 1581 through 1582
The First Book of the Mysteries
At Mortlake.^*

* see R. Turner, ed., The Heptarchia Mystica     (1986), pp. 111-115, for more regarding     Dee's Mortlake residence.

 

 

		John Dee his Note.
Angelus, sive Intelligentia, toti Mundo praedominans. 4 Angeli praesidentis Cardinibus Caeli: et Agrippa notati. in scala Quaternary.		ANNAEL		Etymologia Gratiola }Dei Afflicta Misericors.
	Michael	Gabrieliii.	Raphael	Uriel
Etymologiaeii.	Fortitudo Dei	Prevalescentia---- } Dei sive Praepotentia- sive fortitudo }--   praevalescens	Medicina    Dei	Lux Dei

 

et

Anna, et Annah,

obsecrantis, et confitentis particula est hac roeiv., non absurde innuere videtur, Orantem et confitentem Deum.

 

i.			H. Agrippa, De Occulta Philosophia Libri III (1567), pp. 167-172.
ii.			Ibid., pp. 376-378.
iii.			"Virtus Dei," ibid., p. 377.
iv.			L. abbr. "rogo eum"

 

		A Note on Dee's use of Hebrew
		Dee uses Hebrew in the foregoing note to add
		emphasis, and for the elucidation of metaphysical
		and etymological meaning. In placing Aleph beneath
		the name of the archangel Michael, he is probably
		identifying this archangel's traditional primacy as
		chief of the angelic hoasts. He may also be drawing
		attention to the cabalistic significance of Michael's
1. cf. theorem xiii		triple solar, mercurial, and igneous nature1
		permeating factor in the theory of Dee's Hieroglyphic
		Monad.
2. (1+50+1=52, 1+50+5=56)		Aleph Nun Aleph and Aleph Nun He2 are both Hebrew
		roots similar in meaning to the Latin "obsecrantis
		et confitentis . . ." which follows. They mean
		entreaty and lamentation respectively. The first
		as in "I pray thee,: and the second the action of
		pleading or seeking, and tranferably to bow, or
		bowing.
		The instruction itself is proabably quite
		theologically straightforward, and somewhat akin to
		a common difficulty faced in determining the intent
3. c.f. Ambix vol. xii,     nos. 2 & 3, pp. 196-7     n. 112, for a similar     problem.		of Dee's sparse inclusion of fragmentary Hebrew3
		inscriptions.

 

 

		John Dee his Note.1.
The Angel, or Intelligence, that now predominates the whole world. The Four Angelic governors of the Cardinal points of Heaven: as Agrippa notes in his scale of four.2.		ANNAEL		Etymology: The Grace }of God The Affliction The Compassionate
	Michael	Gabriel	Raphael	Uriel
Etymologies3.	The Strength of God	The Superior expert of God or the very powerful or most influential strength       of God	The Healing Power      of God4.	The Light of God

 

and

ANA, and ANaH

It is our particular request that through our solemn appealing and confessing we may see a serious sign, of the speech and manifestation of God.

 

 

1.			This note in Elias Ashmole's hand.
2.			H. Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy (1651), trans. J. Freake, pp. 183-187. Freake translates this "Four Angels ruling over the corners of the world." This passage is also plagarized by F. Barrett, The Magus (1801), pp. 108-111.
3.			Op. cit., Agrippa, pp. 415-417, and Barrett, pp. 55-57.
4.			"The Medicine of God," ibid.

 

		EXPLICATIO.
		The preceeding angelic arrangement is a synthesis of
		Renaissance metaphysical principles; in particular combining
		the occult doctrines of H. Cronelius Agrippa with John Dee's
		own rather peculiar magical theorems. The four archangels
		central to this table are the angelic personalities whose
1. More discussion of this       will be given in the       forthcoming issue.		proper names appear in the Cannon and Apocrypha of traditional
		Hebrew and Christian scripture.1 It was the primary intention
		of Dee's religious magick, as will become clear in the exegesis
2. Note that these archangelic       beings form the foundation       of much of the ritual practice       of modern ceremonial magick.       See A. Crowley, Liber O vel       Manus et Sagittae (Book 6);       B. Heidrick, Magick and       Qabalah; and I. Regardie,       The Golden Dawn. etc.		of his spiritual diaries, to make contact with these angelic
		intelligences.2
		It is the placement of Annael in the superior position of
		this hierarchy that is rather unorthodox. It is probable that
		Dee is identifying this particular angel with the Anima Mundi,
		or World Spirit, as predominating over the rulers of the four
3. Initiates of the VIII O.T.O.       will notice Crowley's direct       application of this formula       to Enochian Magick; see De       Nuptiis Secretia Deorum cum       Hominibus (Book 24), chs. xi       & xii; also Liber XXX AErum       vel Saeculi (Book 418). aethers       ix & ii. etc.		elements. This representation of the feminine aspect of
		nature, and the female spirit in particular, can be seen in
		the concluding plate of the first edition of Dee's Monas
		Heiroglyphica, where she is pictured grasping in her right
		hand a seven-pointed star4. This heptangular symbol is
		cabalistically attributed to Netzach, whose ruling archangel
		is Haniel, an alternate form of the name Annael. Studious
4. Ambix vol. xii. nos. 2 & 3       (June & Oct. 1964), plate iii.		attention to the phonetic exposition of his concluding note,
		as well as to the etymological and hieratical implications of the
		upper right-hand notation, will support this proposition.
		The concluding note is itself both an attempt to translate
		and to latinize the given Hebrew idiom, and in so doing to set
		forth the formative method of Dee's Magical experiments in the
		science of theurgy.

 

Bibliography

The following bibliographic citations refer only to points raised in Dee's actual text. Our readers should note that this bibliography is cumulative over the course of the project, and that a comprehensive indexed listing is in the works.

Henrici Cor. Agrippae, De Occulta Philosophia Libri III: Quibus Accesserunt . . . (Paris: 1567). The classic overview of Renaissance magical thought, and the source-book for Dee's working method.

Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, trans. J. F[reake] (London: 1651). English translantion of Libri III above.

Francis Barrett, F.R.C., The Magus, or, Celestial Intelligencer (London): Lackington, Allen & Co., 1801; modern facsimile reprint Ilkeley, Yorkshire: The Scholar Press). A gathering of the essential material from Agrippa's School of occult philosophy.

Bill Heidrick, Magick and Qabalah (Berkeley: Ordo Templi Orientis, 1980). An invaluably concise introduction to the cabalistic use of Hebrew etymology in the Western mgaical tradition.

C. H. Josten, "A Translation of John Dee's Monas Hieroglyphica (Antwerp: 1564), with an Introduction and Annotations," Ambix vol. xii, nos. 2 & 3 (June & Oct. 1964). The definitive translation of Dee's Heiroglyphic Monad. Indispensable to the comprehension of Dee's metaphysical theory, and useful to the student of Dee's Latin prose.

 

Afterword & Acknowledgements.

This month we extend particular appreciation to Brother Clifton Cheshire, Brother Craig Brown, and Sister Caitlin Aliciane for their labor and support in bringing this project to fruition. And our thanks as always to the fellows and associates of the Center for Enochian Studies at Thelema Lodge, for the preparation of the foregoing offering.

For a copy of the manuscripts from which this month's article has been edited, with pertinent supporting materials, please send $3.00 (make checks payable to CASH) and request "C.E.S. appendix vol. I, #2." {Note to web edition: This offer is no longer in effect. Don't send money for this purpose. Included here for historyonly.}

Next month we present Doctor John Dee's Latin prefatory prayer to this his First Book of the Mysteries.