The Center for Enochian Studies, Volume I, number 6

The Action Of 11:15am Saturday March 10th MDLXXXII era vulgaris:

Being the First Spiritual Exercise with Edward Talbot (ne Kelly)

Mortlake

In nomine Jesv CHRISTI:
Amen.
In the name of Jesus CHRIST.
Amen.

Anno 1582. Marty die 10. hora 11 1/4 Ante Meridiem, Saterday.

i. One Mr. Edward Talbot came* to my house, and he being willing and

desirous to see, or show, something in spiritual practice, would

have had me to have done something therein. And I truly excused

myself therein; as not, in the vulgarly accounted Magick¹, neither

studied, or exercised. But confessed myself long time to have been

desirous to have help in my philosophical studies through the company

and information of the blessed Angels of God². And thereupon I brought

I forth to him my stone in the frame (which was given me of a friend)

and I said unto him that I was credibly informed that to it (after a sort)

were answerable:

Aliqui Angeli boni:
Various good Angels.

And also that I was once willed by a skryer, to call for the good Angel

Anchor, to appear in that stone to my own sight. And therefore I desired

to call him and (if he would) Anachor and Anilos likewise, accounted

good Angels, for I was not prepared thereunto³, etc. He then settled

himself to the Action, and on his knees at my desk (setting the stone

before him) fell to prayer and entreaty etc. In the mean space, I in my

Oratory did pray and make motion to God and his good Creatures for the

furthering of this Action⁴. And within one quarter of an hour (or less) he

had sight of one in the Stone. But he still expected for two more: deeming

this to be one of the three (namely Anchor, Anachor, Anilos). But I then came

to him, to the stone, and required to know his name. And he spake plainly,

(to the hearing of E.T.) that his name is Uriel⁵.

: Are you one of them (said I, John Dee) that are answerable, (upon

due observations performed) to this stone?

URIEL: I am.

: Are there any more beside you?

Uriel: Michael and Raphael. But Michael est princeps in operibus

nostris.

...Michael is the foremost in our working.

: Is my book of Soyga⁶ of any excellency?

Uriel: Liber ille, erat Adae in Paradiso revelatus, per Angelos Dei

bonos.

It is that book, which was revealed to Adam in Paradise, by

the good Angels of God.

: Will you give me any instructions, how I may read those Tables

of Soyga⁷.

Uriel: I can. But solus Michael illius libri est interpretatur.

...only Michael is the interpreter of that book.

: I was told; that after I could read that book, I should live

but two years and a half.

Uriel: Thou shalt live an hundred and odd years⁸.

: What may I, or must I do, to have the sight and presence of

Michael, that blessed Angel?

Uriel: Praesentias nostris postulate et invocate, sinceritate et

humilitate. Et Anchor, Anachor, et Anilos, non sunt in hanc

lapidem invocandi.

Sincerely and humbly; demand and invoke our presence.

But Anchor, Anachor, Anilos are not to be invoked into this stone.

: Oh my great and long desire hath been to be able to read those

tables of Soyga.

Uriel: Haec maxime' respicunt Michaelem. Michael est Angelas;

qui illuminat gressus tuos. Et haec revelantur in virtute et veritate

non Vi.

This pertains especially to Michael; Michael is an Angel,

who shines over us. And this revelation is in virtue and truth not

Power.

: Is there any special time, or hour to be observed, to deal for

the enjoyning of Michael?

Uriel: Omnis hora, est hora nobis.

Every hour that is our hour⁹.

ii. : After there appeared in the stone a strange Seal or

Characterismus* of the fashion ensuing:

: What is the intent, or use, of this?

iii. Uriel*: Sigilum hoc in sculpendum, ad defensionem corporis

omni, loco, tempore et occasione; et in pectus gestandum'.

This Sigil is to be carved in gold, as a defense for the

body, in all places, times, and circumstances, and is to be worn on

the breast.

: So we ceased, with thanks to God, and I mused much upon this

Action, and laid all up in mind, and writing.

Soli Deo Honoi omnis, et gloria.
Amen.
Only to God be all honor and glory.
Amen.

.oOo.

i.

. Note: he had two days before made the like demand and

request unto me, but he went away unsatisfied. For his coming was

to entrap me, if I had had any dealing with wicked spirits, as he

confessed often times after, and that he was set on, etc¹⁰.

ii.

. An Illuding Spirit straightaway intruded himself and this

character as may appear Libri Quinti appendice where the character

is described exactly.¹¹

iii. This was not true Uriel, as may appear Anno 1583: May 5.¹²

___________________________________________________________________

1. "The 'magick' which made use of the invocation of evil or doubtful spirits was

of course always regarded as sinful; but natural magic, i.e. that which did

not involve recourse to the agency of personal spirits, was in the Middle

Ages usually recognized as a legitimate department of study and practice,

so long as it was not applied to malificent ends. Of 'natural magic' as

understood by mediaeval writers, astrological conditions, in order to injure

or benefit the health of the person represented; and the application of a

medicament to a weapon in order to heal the wound made by it. These things,

if now practiced would still be called 'magic' though the qualification 'natural'

would seem quite inappropriate. On the other hand the 'natural magick' of

the Middle Ages included much that from the standpoint of modern science is

'natural' but not 'magical', the processes resorted to being really, according

to the now known laws of physical causation, adapted to produce the intended

effects."

Taken from the Oxford English Dictionary entry of 'magic' to which

the interested student is referred. A comprehensive study of the texts therein

cited will give a invaluable understanding of the meaning and usage of this

concept throughout the history of the English language.

  2. vide Thelema Lodge O.T.O. (April and May 1988 e.v.)

  3. It would seem that Dee is either testing E.T. or more likely stalling for time, as

the use of these angels pertains to the preliminary preparation of the magician,

that is literally getting dressed before the Action proper.

  4. Various points of internal evidence here indicate that Dee is following the

instructions given by Peter of Abano in his Magical Elements (op cit. Agrippa,

The Fourth Book, and Barrett, The Magus). This would include several

preliminary conjurations in Latin, a number of ritual actions, a recitation of

the Lord's Prayer or the Paternoster in conjunction with various traditional

catholic supplications, and probably the particular invitation to the Angels

attributed to Saturday.

  5. A fuller discussion of the nature and office of Uriel will be given in the

appropriate place, but it is notable that he is one of the angels listed as

answerable to the Conjurations of Saturday by Abano in the Heptameron.

  6. The question of what Dee is referring to with regards to his Book or Tables of

Soyga has yet to be absolutely resolved by any scholarship in this area. A

number of theories have been postulated and further research may yet come

to some conclusive answer to this puzzling enigma.

  7. "Soyga = agyos", a note from the fair copy of this action in Libri Quinti

Appendix equating 'soyga' with a transposition of the spelling of the Greek

word meaning holy.

  8. Dee actually lived for 71 years.

  9. This point which obviously refers to the use of the Government Of Hours is

notable as only Michael and Raphael are questionable as to the correct

calculation of their appropriate times. The resolution of which depends

on how they are attributed to the sephiroth.

10 . The private circumstances of Dr. Dee's life leading to the events herein

discussed:

1582. JANUARY 11th Robert Gardener desired my leave to go dwell

with Sir William Herbert, hora 12. Jan. 16th Mistress Herbert came to

Essex. Jan. 17th Randal Hatton came home from Samuel's father at Stratton

Audley. Jan. 22nd Arthur Dee and Mary Herbert, they being but 3 year old

the eldest, did make as it were a show of childish marriage, of calling each

other husband and wife. Jan. 22nd and 23rd The first day Mary Herbert

came to her father's house at Mortlake, and the second day she came to her

father's house at Estshene. Jan. 23rd My Wife went to nurse Garret and

paid her for this month ending the 26th day. Jan. 27th

Barnabas Saul's brother came.

          FEBUARY 12th About 9 of the clock Barnabas Saul and his brother

Edward went homeward from Mortlake. Saul's indictment being by law

found insufficient at Westminster Hall: Mr. Serjant Walmesley, Mr. Owen

and Mr. Hyde, his lawyers at the bar for the matter. And Mr. Ive, the clerk

of the crown Office favouring the other. Feb. 20th Mr. Bigs of Stentley by

Huntingdon and John Littlechild came to me. I received a letter from

Barnabas Saul. Feb. 21st Mr. Skullthorp rude toward Barnabas. Feb. 25th

Mr. Skullthorp came home. Paid Nurse Garret for Katherine till Friday

the 23rd day, viz. then something due to nurse for iij. lbs. of candle and

4 lbs. of soap.

          MARCH 1st Mr. Clerkson brought Magnus to me at Mortlake, and so

went that day again. Mar. 6th Barnabas Saul came this day again about one

o'clock and went to London the same afternoon. He confessed that he neither

heard or saw any spiritual creature any more. Mar. 8th Mr. Clerkson and

his friend came to my house. Barnabas went home again about 2 or 3 o'clock,

he went I say, on Thursday with Mr. Clerkson. Mar. 8th Coelum ardere et

instar sanguinis in diversis partibus rubere visum est circa horam nonam

noctis, maxime versus sepentriolem et occidentalem partem: sed ultra capita

nostra versus austrum frequenter miles quasi sanguines. Mar. 9th Friday at

dinner time Mr. Clerkson and Mr. Talbot* declared a great deal of Barnabas

naughty dealing toward me, as in telling Mr. Clerkson ill things of me, that

I would so flatter his friend; the learned man, that I would borrow him of

him. But his Friend told me that Barnabas had censured both Mr. Clerkson

and myself. The injuries which this Barnabas had done me diverse ways

were very great.

* You that read this, the underwritten assure yourself that it is a shameful

lie, for Talbot neither studied for any such thing nor showed himself

dishonest in anything.

Dee: This is Talbot or that 'learned man,' his own writing in my book,

very unduly as he came by it.

The above edited from the Private Diary Of Dr. John Dee, op.cit.

11. This sigil is clearly false. The correct arrangement relates to the Tabula

Sancta or Holy Table and is dealt with in the next action. The passages

cited here are from Dee's appendix and will be given in full, in their

proper context accompanying the next article in this series.

12. Ibid. but note also this passage from Abano's

Considerations of Saturday:

"Those are the figures that these spirits usually assume, which are

generally terrible at the first coming on of the visions, but as they have

only a limited power, beyond which they cannot pass, so the invocator

need be under no apprehensions of danger, provided he is well fortified

with those things we have directed to be used for his defense, and above

all, to have a firm and constant faith in the mercy, wisdom, and goodness

of God."