Five Books of the Mysteries (Quinti Libri Mysteriorum)

These five books (preserved as Sloane MS 3188) cover the years from December 22, 1581 to May 23, 1583. Their subject is the transmission of the “Heptarchia,” a form of magick that centers around the mystery of the seven Archangels who stand before the Throne of God (see Revelation Ch. 4). It focuses upon the seven planets, days of the week, and even the seven Biblical days of creation. The magick itself works through the patronage of 49 planetary Angels, all of whom have very typical (though lofty) grimoiric functions- such as the bestowing of wisdom and knowledge, or military protection.

The tools of Angelic magick are very typical of grimoiric technology. In fact, most of them pre-exist John Dee, having been adopted from various Medieval texts. For instance, the influence of the Almadel of Solomon (see above) is quite obvious. Its design- square in shape, a boarder inside its edges containing Divine Names, and a hexagram in its center- is the basis for Dee’s Holy Table (or Table of Practice). Although the Almadel is made of wax while Dee’s Table is made of “sweetwood”, wax is used to fashion the Sigillum Dei Ameth (Seal of God, or of Truth). This Seal rests upon the Holy Table and, like the Almadel, is intended to facilitate the skrying of the Angels; perhaps in a crystal ball resting upon it as They did for Kelley. Even the design on the face of the Sigillum is traditional. The “Seal of God” makes its original appearance in The Sworn Book of Honorius, though (like the Table) the names and characters inscribed upon it differ from Dee’s final versions.

Also included is a Ring of Solomon, fashioned of pure gold, and featuring the Divine Name “Pele.” This Name is found in Agrippa’s Three Books, as well as Judges 13:18: “Why askest thou thus after my name seeing it is a secret?” The Hebrew word for “name” (PLE) indicates “a miracle of God.” The Archangel Michael delivered the design of this ring to Dee, stating that this was the actual ring worn by Solomon when he worked his miracles. Dee himself was instructed to attempt nothing without it.

Further tools consisted of seven talismans known as the Ensigns of Creation (corresponding to the seven Biblical days of creation) fashioned from purified tin and arrayed around the Sigillum Dei Ameth, a Lamen written in Angelic characters, several covers of silk, a crystal “shewstone”, Lamens for each planetary Angelic King (and perhaps the Princes of each planet as well), and four miniature wax seals for placement underneath the legs of the Table. Toward the end of the Five Books, the Angels delivered the first of the truly “Enochian” material. This came in the form of a holy book named Liber Logaeth, the Book of the Speech From God. This text consisted of forty-nine pages covered with an indecipherable language arranged in the form of huge magickal squares. The Angels proclaimed that it was a new doctrine, and that it contained the words by which God created the universe (as per Genesis I). From there the records continue with: