Three Books of Occult Philosophy · 123 of 186

Book II, Ch. 49: Of Images, the figure whereof is not after the likeness of any Celestiall figure, but after the likness of that which the mind of the worker desires

There remains as yet an other manner of images not according to the similitude of Celestiall figures, but according to the similitude of that which the mind of the worker desires, of whose they are the effigies, and representation: So to procure love we make images embracing one the other: to discord, striking one the other; to bring misery, or destruction as dammage [damage] to a man, or house, or City or any thing else, we make images distorted, broken in members, and parts after the likeness and figure of that thing which we would destroy or damnifie; And Magicians advise us that in casting or engraving images we would write upon it the name of the effect; and this on the back when evill, as destruction; on the belly when good, as love. Moreover in the forehead of the image let be written the name of the species or Individuum which the image represents, or for whom or against whom it is made. Also on the breast let the name of the signe or face ascending, and Lord thereof be written; also the names and Characters of its Angles. Moreover in making the image they advise that prayer for the effect for which it is made, be used. All which Albertus Magnus in his Speculo affirms. Now they use the images being made diversly according to the vertues thereof; Sometimes they hang them or binde them to the body; Sometimes they bury them under the Earth, or a River; sometimes they hang them in a Chimny over the smoak [smoke], or upon a tree that they be moved by the wind; sometime with the head upward, & sometimes downward; sometimes they put them into hot water, or into the fire. For they say as the workers of the images do affect the image it self, so doth it bring the like passions upon those to whom it was ascribed, as the mind of the operator hath dictated it. As we read that Nectanabus the Magician made images of ships with wax after that manner, and art that when he drowned those images in water, that the ships of his enemies were in like maner drowned in the Sea, and hazarded. Now that part of Astrology which is writ concerning elections, teacheth us that the constellations also are to be observed for the making of images, and such like.