John Dee's Introductory Prayer to His First Angelic Communication.
Ad Deum Omnipotentem Protestatio fidelis:
ad perpetuam rei memoriam Anno 1582.
A Testimony to the faithful Omnipotence of God:
as a continual memorial concerning the matters
of the year 1582.
O God Almighty, thou knowest, and art my director, and witness herein, That
I have from youth up, desired and prayed unto thee for pure and sound wisdom and
understanding of some of thy truths natural and artificial: such as by which thy
wisdom, and goodness, and power bestowed in the frame of the world might be
brought, in some bountiful measure under the talent of my capacity, to thy honor
and glory, the benefit of thy servants, my brethren and sistern in and by thy
Christ1 our Saviour.
And for as much as many as years, in many places, far and near, in many
books,2 and sundry languages, I have sought, and
studied; and with sundry men conferred; and with my own reasonable discourse
laboured, whereby to find or get some inkling, glimpse or beam of such foresaid
radical truths.3 But, (to be brief) after all my
foresaid endeavor, I could find no other way, to such true wisdom attaining, but
by thy extraordinary gift; and by no vulgar School Doctrine, or Human Invention.
And seeing, I have read in thy books, and records, how Enoch4
enjoyed thy favor and conversation, with Moses5 thou
wast familiar. And also that to Abraham,6 Isaac,7
and Jacob;8 Joshua9 Gideon,10
Esdras,11 Daniel,12 Tobias,13
and sundry others, thy good Angels were sent, by thy disposition to instruct
them, inform them, help them, yea in worldly and domestic affairs, yea and
sometimes to satisfy their desires, doubts and questions of thy Secrets.14
And furthermore considering the Shewstone,15 which
the High Priests did use by thy own ordering wherein they had lights and
judgments in their great doubts. And considering also that thou (O God) didst
not refuse to instruct thy prophets (then, called seers16)
to give true answers to common people of things economical, as Samuel, for Saul,
seeking for his father's asses being gone astray:17
and of other things vulgar, true predictions, whereby to win credit unto thy
weightier affairs. And thinking to myself, the lack of thy wisdom to me, to be
of more importance, than the value of an ass or two, could be, to Saul's father.
And remembering what good counsel thy Apostle James gives, saying:
"Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientiam, postulet a Deo, qui
dat omnibus affluenter et non inproperat: et dabitur ei."
Jacobi I:5
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, that giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
James I:5
And that Solomon the wise, did so, even immediately by thy self, attain to
this wonderful wisdom.18 Therefore, seeing I was
sufficiently taught and confirmed, that this wisdom could not be come by at
man's hand or by human power, but only from thee (O God) mediately or
immediately. And having always a great regard and care to beware of the filthy
abuse of such as willingly and wittingly, did invoke and consult (in diverse
sorts) spiritual creatures of the damned sort: Angels of darkness, forgers and
patrons of lies and untruths. I did fly unto thee by hearty prayer, full oft,
and in sundry manners, sometimes crying unto thee:
"Mittas Lucem tuam et veritatem tuam, quies me ducant etc."
"Send forth thy Light and truth that I might draw myself unto thee etc.
sometimes:
"Recte sapere et intelligere doceto me, Nam sapientia tua totum est quod
volo: etc."
"Teach me to properly sense and rightly discern, for I desire your wisdom,
because
it is all that is." 19
sometimes:
"Da verbum tuum in ore meo, et Sapientiam, tuam in corde meo fige etc."
"Give your word to my established practice and fix your wisdom in my heart."20
And having perceived by some slight experience, with two diverse persons,
that thou hadst a special care to give me thy light, and truth, by thy, holy and
true Ministers Angelic and Spiritual, and at length hearing of one (a Master of
Art, and a preacher of thy word admitted21) accounted
as a good Seer, and skryer of Spiritual apparitions in Crystalline22
receptacle23, or in open aire, by his practice,
procured; and trusting to frame him, by my earnest and faithful prayers unto
thee (my God) to seem my help in my foresaid studies; till, thou (O heavenly
father) wouldest by thy unsearchable providence, send me some apter way or means
thereto. Thereupon trying him and using him I found great diversity between his
private usual manner, and intents of practice, and my pure, devout, and faithful
prayer unto thee only. And therefore often and fervently I exhorted him to the
good, and reproved both him, and his ministers, with my no small danger, but
that thou (in manner unheard of) didst pitch thy holy tent to be my defense, and
comfort, in conflict most terrible; as thou best knowest, o God, and I willed
him thereupon to preach thy mercies and the verity of the kingly prophet his
testimony;
"Immittet Angelus Domini, in circuitu timentium eum."
"The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him
Psalms XXXIV:7
And out of Roger Bacon his book written:
De mirabili potestate Artis et Naturae24,
Concerning the wonderful power of Arts and of Nature
(where he writes against the Wicked Devil Callers) I noted unto him this
sentence:
"Facilius (sine comparatione a Deo * impetrandum foret, vel
a bonis spiritibus, quie quid homini utile reputare. etc.)"
"In order to free himself from difficulty (To reflect upon the
profit with which a man, may entreat the incomparable will
of God, as well as that of his good spirits etc.)"
which my counsel he promised me to follow, as thou art witness, O our true and
almighty God.
And as thy good Spiritual Creatures neither had delight in the man, neither
would so plainly and precisely give me their answers or informations by him,
that he might be able to perceive the pith thereof. So was he at length very
unwilling to hear himself rebuked for his naughtiness, and to be barred from the
Mysteries of thy truths understanding; which were the only things that I
desired, through thy grace; o our most merciful God.
Therefore, as well for a Memorial answerable to the premises, as for the
better warrant of my such exercises to be made account of hereafter: (leaving
all unto thy infinite mercies, and unsearchable providence,) I have thought it
not impertinent, to note down, even in this place one of the last Actions, which
I had with the foresaid preacher; when I made earnest and faithful petitions
unto thee (o the true and Almighty God) for sending, unto my comfort and
erudition, (if it were thy blessed will) thy holy, and mighty Angel Annael.'. of
whom and of all the Hierarchies heavenly all praise honor and thanks, be
rendered unto thy divine majesty: now and ever and world without end.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
*
"Numquid non est Deus in Israel, ut eatis ad
consulendum Beelzebub, deum Accaron?"
Reg.4.cap:1.
"Is it not because there is not a God in Israel,
ye go enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron
II Kings I:3
Notes
The notes which follow pertain to the Biblical references in Dee's above
given prayer. They are generally concerned with specific points raised in the
text itself, except in the case of note 1. which is an examples of the extremes
to which scriptural referencing may be taken. The following texts were consulted
in the course of our research, comparison, and translation:
The Hexaglot Bible edt. Rev. Edward Riches De Levante, Ph.D. (London:
Dickinson and Higham, 1874) xv vols.
C.I. Scofield, D.D. edt. Holy Bible, The New Scofield Reference Edition of
the Authorized King James Version (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1967)
The New English Bible with the Apocrypha (U.S.A.: Oxford Univ. Press, 1970)
R.H. Charles D.D. edt., The Apocrypha and Pseudepigripha of the Old Testament
in English, 2 vols. (Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1916)
__________________________________________________________________
1. Mk.I:1; XIII:6; XIV:61; XV:32; Lk.II:11; XXII:67; XXIII:2,39;
XXIV:26,47;
Jn.I:17,20,25,41: III:28; IV:25,29,42; VI:69; Act.I:31,41-2; IX:22; X:24;
XI:27; XVII:3; XXII:31,34; XI:17; XV:11,26; XVI18,32; XVII:3; XVIII:5;
XIX:4; XX:21; XXIV:24; XXVI:23; XXVIII:31 Rom.I:1,2,6,8,16; II:16;
III:24; V:1,6,8,11,15,17,21; VI:4,8,9,11,23; VIII:1,2,8-11,17,34-5,39;
IX:1,3,5;X:4,7; XII:5; XII:14; XIV:9-10,15,18; XV:3,5-8,16-20,29-30;
XVI:3,5,7,9-10,16,18, 20,24-5,27;I Cor. I:1-4,6-10,12-3,17,23-4,30; II:2,16;
III:1,11,23; IV:1,10,15,17; V:4,7; VI:15; VII:22; VIII:6,12; IX:1,12,18,21;
X:4,9,16; XI:1,3; XV:12-20,22-3,31,57; XVI:22-4; II Cor. I:1-3,5,19,21;
II:10,12,14-5,17; III:3-4,14; IV:4-6; V:10,14,16-20; VI:15; VIII:9,23;
IX:13;
X:1,5,7,14; XI:2-3,10,13,23,31; XII:2,9-10 XIII:3,5,14;
Gal.I:1,3,6-7,10,12,22;
II:4,16-7,20-1; III:1,14,16-7,22,24,26-9; IV:7,1,19; V:1,4,6,24;
VI:12,14-5,18;
Eph.I:1-3,5,10, 12,17,20; II:5-7,10,12-3,20; III:1,4,6,8-9,11,14,17,19,21;
IV:7,13,15,20,32; V:2,5,14,20,23-5,32; VI:5-6,23-4; Phi.I:1-2,6,8,10-1,13,
15-6,18-20,23,26-7,29; II:1,5,11,16,21,30; III:3,8-9,12,14,18,20; IV:7,13,
19,21,23; Col.I:1-4, 7,24,27-8; II:1,5-6,8,11,20; III:1-3,11,16,24; IV:3,12;
I Thes.I:1,3; II:6,14,19; III:2,11,13; IV:16; V:9,19,23,28; II
Thes.I:1,2,8,12;
II:1,14,16; III:5-6,12,18; I Tim.I:1-2,8,12; II:1,14,16; III:13; IV:6;
V:11,21;
VI:3,13-4;II Tim.I:1-2,9,10,13; II:1,38,10; III:12,15; IV:1,22; Tit.I:1,4;
II:13; Phil.I:1-2,6,8-9,23,25; Heb.III:1,6,14; V:5; VI:1; IX:11,14,24,28;
X:10; XI:26; XIII:8,21; Jam.I:1; II:1;I Pet. I:1-3,7,11,13,19; II:5,21;
III:18,21; IV:1,11, 13-4; V:1,10,14; II Pet. I:1-2,8,11,14,16; II:20;I
II:18;
I Joh.I:3,7; II:1,22; III:23; IV:2-3; V:1,6,20; II Joh:3, 7,9;
Jude:1,4,17,21;
Rev.I:1,2,5; XII:10,17; XX:6; XXII:20.
2. James Orchard Halliwell, F.R.S., ed. The Private Diary Of Dr. John Dee
And
The Catalogue Of His Library Of Manuscripts (London: Camden Society,
1842)pp. 65-89.
3. Peter J. French, John Dee, The World Of An Elizabethan Magus
(London:
Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1972)
4. Gen.V:18-24; Sir.XLIV:16; XLIX:14; Wisd.IV:10-16 Jub.IV:16-24; VII:38-9;
X:17; XIX:25-6; XXXI:10, 1 En.I-X, XI-XXXV, XXXVII-LXIII, LXVII-CV;
2 En.I-LXVIII; T.Sim.V:4; T.Lev.X:5; XIV:1; T.Jud.XVIII:1; T.Dan V:6;
T.Nap.IV:1; T.Ben.IX:1 Lk.III:37; Heb.XI:5; Jude:14-5.
5. Ex.II:23-5; III:2-22; IV:1-17,19-28; V:22-3; VI-XIV, XV:25; XVI:4-35;
XVII:1-7,14-5; XIX:3-25; XX-XXI; XXXII:9-16, 31-35; XXXIII:1-5,8-23;
XXXIV; XXXVI:2; XL Lev.I-VIII; IX:22-5; X:1-2,8-11; XI-XXVII Num.I:1-15;
II; III:5-15,40-1,44-8; IV:1-40; V:1-3,5-31; VI; VII:11; VIII:1-19,22;
IX:1-3,9-23; X:1-10,34-6; XI:1-3,11-33; XII:2-14; XIII:1-2; XIV:10-5, 20-38;
XV; XVI:19-25,31-40; XVII:1-11; XIX; XX:6-13,23-8; XXI:2-3,6-9,16-7,34;
XXII:7-41; XXIII:16-9; XXV:1-5,10-3, 16-8,52-6; XXVII-XXIX; XXX-XXXI:
2,25-30; XXXII:10-12; XXXIII:51-6; XXXIV:1-12;; XXXV; XXXVI:5-11,13
DT.II:2-6,9,31; III:2,21-8; IV:1-40; V; IX:3-29; X:1-5,8-22; XI:18-32;
XII:11,13-4,20,26-32; XV:5-6; XVI:6-7; XVII:14-20; XVIII:5,10-22; XIX;
XXIII:14; XXVIII; XIX:10-29; XXXI:24-6; XXXII; XXXIV:4.
6. Gen.XII:1-3,7; XIII:14-7; XV:1-21; XVI:7-12; XVII:1-22; ;XVIII; XXX:3-7;
XXI:1,12-3; XXIII:1-18; XXIV:7.
7. Gen.XXII1-18; XXV:21,23; XXVI:2-5,24-5.
8. Gen.XXV:21-3; XXVIII:11-22; XXX:22; XXXI:3,11-3,24; XXXII:1,24-31;
XXXV:1-7,9-15; XLVI:1-4 Dt.XXXII:9-18.
9. Num.XIV:30-8; XXVI:15-23; Dt.III:28; XXXIV:9 Jos.I:1-7; III-VIII, X:7-XI,
XIII:1-12; XV:13; XVIII:8-10; XIX:50-1; XX; XXI:43-5; XXIII-XXIV:28.
10. Jud.VI:11-40,VII,VIII:23-7.
11. 2 Esd.I-XVI.
12. Dan.I:8-II:49; IV-XII; Bel.
13. Tob.I-XIV.
14. The following is a chain reference dealing with the practices of Theurgy and
Thaumaturgy in the "Holy Scriptures". It has been constructed with
particular emphasis on the dealings of men with Angels, Gods, and spirits.
Citations throughout the earlier portions of the Old Testament are of some
importance in the understanding of Dee's veiw of religious magick, but
reference to the minor prophets (except Zechariah), which are cited in
their totality, may be ignored without loss.
New Testament passages have varying degrees of value but it should be
noted that the gospels, and the books of Hebrews, Jude and Revelations
bear directly on issues of Angelic Magick as subsequently practiced by
Dee and his followers.
Gen.III:24; VI:2-4; XVI:7-13; XVIII2,9,16,22; XIX; XXI:17-21;
XXII:10-18; XXXI:11-6; XXXII:24-32; XLVIII:16; Ex.III:2; XIV:19
XXIII:20-33; XXXII:34-5; XXXIII:1-2; Num.XXII:21-41; XXV;
Jud.II:1-7; V:19-31; VI:11-24; XIII-XVI; I Sam.IV-VI 2 Sam.V:10-3;
VI-VII; XXIV:11-25; I Kin.VIII-XI:8; XII:25-XIII; XIV; XV:21-6
XVI:28-XIX:18; XXII:52-3 II Kin.I:2-II:24; IV:1-V:14; VI:1-7,15-24;
IX:30-7; X:18-28; XVII:24-41; XVII:24-41; XVIII:4-6; XIX:20-37;
XXI:1-18; XXII:3-XXXIII:20; XXIV-XXV; I Chr.XXI-XXV,XXVIII-
XXIX:25; II Chr.I-X; XXI:12-7; XXIII:12-21; XXIX:3-36; XXX:13-
XXXI; XXXIII-XXXVI; Ezr.I; III-VII; VIII:21-X:19; Neh.I:4-IV:9;
VIII-IX; XII:27-XIII:31; Est.I:1-II:18; Job I:6-II:8; IV:12-V:27;
XXVI-XXXI; XXXIII-XLII; Ps.VI; VIII; XI; XVIII-XXIV; XXIX;
XXXIII-XXXV; XLVI-XLVIII; LI-LII; LXIV-LXVI; LXVIII-LXX;
LXXIV-LXXXVII; LXXXIX-C; CII-CX; CXIII-CXV; CXXXII;
CXXXV-CXXXVIII; CXL; CXLV; CXLVIII-CL; Isa.I-LXVI;
Jer.I:11-XXXVIII:18; XLII:7-22; XLIII:8-LII:34; Ezek.I-XLVIII;
(note part. I,IX-X,XXVIII,XLVIII) Dan.III; Hos.I-XIV; Joel I-III;
Amos I-IX; Obad. Mich.I-VII; Zeph.I-III; Hag.I-II; Zech.I-XIV;
Mal.I-IV; Mt.I-XXVIII; Mk.I-XVI; Lk.I-XXIV; Jn.I-XXIV; Act.I:2-11;
16-20; II:1-III:26; IV:24-VII:60; VIII:6-XXVIII:27; Rom.I:18-II:16;
VII-IX: XII:1-16: Heb.XI: Jude; Rev.I-XXII.
15. Ex.XXVIII:15-35; Lev.VIII:8; I Sam.XXIII:9-12; XXX:7-8.
16. I Sam.IX:9; XV:27.
17. I Sam.IX:3-20.
18. I Kin.III; IV:29-VII; Ps.LXXII; Prov.I-II; V-XVII; XXV-XXIX; Ecc.I-XII;
Cant.I-VIII; Wisd:I-XIX.
19. cf. Thelema Lodge O.T.O.(Berkley: Apr.1988 e.v.)
20. ibid.
21. Saul Barnabas, op cit. Halliwell pp.13-15.
22. Dee give Christalline for crystalline which may be an allusion to Christ
cf. note 1.
23. Frater Achad(Charles Stanfield Jones), Crystal vision Through Crystal
Gazing (Chicago: Yogi Publication Society, 1923) John Melville,
Crystal Gazing and Clairvoyance (New York:Samuel Weiser, 1970).
24. T. Zetzneri ed., Theatrum Chemicum Praecipros Selectorum Auctorum
Tractus...(1613) vol.v. pp.932-969. Tenney L. Davis Ph.D. trans., Roger
Bacon's Letter Concerning the Marvelous Power of Art and of Nature
and Concerning the Nullity of Magic (Easton Pa.: The Chemical
Publishing Co. 1923).
