Book of Ceremonial Magic: Chapter III: Concerning the Descending Hierarchy: Section 1: The Names and Offices of Evil Spirits
IN all matters of ceremonial the inspiration of the Grimoires must be sought in the Key of Solomon proper, but for the names and offices of the demons it must be sought in the Lesser Key. The hierarchy, according to the Lemegeton, with its accompanying evoking processes, will be given in the fourth chapter, as there is no special reason for separating it from the practical context. I shall therefore deal in this place with the simpler though later summaries, which will prevent these curious issues from being confused. The Book of True Black Magic, like its prototype the original Clavicle, gives no account of the nature of the Spirits with which it professes to deal, and, as already seen, it breaks off abruptly at the point where the conjuring formulae should follow to complete the work. This Secret of Secrets, as the Grimoires term the methods for raising and discharging spirits, being omitted, it may now be dismissed from consideration till we come to the minor processes of Ceremonial Magic, chiefly venereal and fantastic, which are grouped in the eighth chapter. The Grimoire of Honorius mentions by name four kings, referred to the cardinal points, and seven lesser spirits to be invoked on the days of the week, but as will appear later on, there is no explicit notice of the Descending Hierarchy. TheseConcerning the Descending Hierarchy
§ 1. The Names and Offices of Evil Spirits
