The Rings of Messalah: Cambridge Version

1. Source:

Cambridge University Library Dd. xi. 45, fols. 134v-135r,   XVth century, edited, translated and published by Juris G. Lidaka in Conjuring Spirits:Texts and Traditions of Medieval Ritual Magic (Clair Fanger Ed.), Penn State University Press, 1998.

2. Mentions:

Lidaka correctly assumes that the text transcribed by Bokenam is not an original work but rather a compilation of three or four sources, the fist section, on the ring of the planets, being or Arabic origin. He presumes that the author, Messayaac, would be a corruption of the word Messiah, which leads me to think that he was only guessing at its origin and was unaware of the origin of the work in the astro-magical treatises ascribed to Messalah. 

The fragment is quite detailed but censored: the author scrupulously records the details of the workings attributed to the rings, but knowingly refrains from including the names and characters of the spirits or the circle employed in their rings` consecration.  He does not do so for the astral characters in the following treatises, but I suppose his motives are of a religious nature, considering that the few mentioned spirits in [11], Storax, Abamecta and Paymon, would be demons, which would be in line with the practice of blood sacrifices in the Christian frome-of-mind, thus deeming this work one of demonic magic. 

It`s notable that the spirits cited are in the same form and order cited in Wellcome 110. 

3. Text and translation:

Ad mea principia tibi dico salue Maria, quod Bokenham HIC INCIPIT LIBER DE ANGELIS, ANNULIS, KARECTERIBUS & YMAGINIBUS PLANETARUM [Experimentum magistri Messayaac de secretis spirituum planetis]	At my beginning I greet you, Maria, quod Bokenham HERE BEGINS THE BOOK OF ANGELS, RINGS, CHARACTERS AND IMAGES OF THE PLANETS [THE EXPERIMENTUM OF MASTER MESSAYAAC OF THE SECRETS OF THE PLANETARY SPIRITS]
[1] Signum admirabile experimentorum dixit Messayaac & incipit cum adiuncto Altissimi & est mirabile signum & ualde admirandum in quo sunt secreta Altissimi. Per illud autem Iudei operabantur, Caldei, Egipcij, & prudentes Babilonici. Cum igitur operare uolueris, fiat annulus Solis, ex auro fiat, in quo scribantur carecter & nomen angeli solis & hoc annulus habeatur in omni sacrificio super minore digito sinistre manus. Cartam itaque cum mente curiose & sludiose custodire in loco mundissimo, & inuoluc in rubco serico.	[1] Messayaac reported an amazing revelation of experiment and begins with one touching the Most High, and it is an amazing revelation, and certainly to be admired, in which are the secrets of the Most High. Moreover, the Jews worked their magic with this, the Chaldeans, the Egyptians, and the prudent Babylonians. When, therefore, you wish to practice magic, make a ring of the Sun (and make it of gold) on which are written the character (magical sign) and name of the angel of the Sun. And this ring should be worn in all the sacrifices on the little finger of the left hand. Also, with a keen and studious mind, keep some paper in a clean place, and roll it in red silk.
[2] & hec sunt opera annuli Solis. Cum itaque secundum annulum Solis die dominice ieiunes usque ad noctem, nocte autem facies sacrificium de quada que non domestica prope litus aque decurrentis, & cum eiusdem auis sanguine scribe carecter & nomen angeli Solis in carta uirginea, & hanc tecum porta. Et cum uolueris transire de vna terra in alteram, depinge in terra carecter Solis & nomen angeli eius, & statim veniet equus niger qui portabit te vbicumque uolueris. Tene tamen cartam in manu dextera & annulum in manu sinistra.	[2] And these are the works of the ring of the Sun. When, in keeping with the ring of the Sun, on Sunday you fast until dark, at night sacrifice some undomesticated bird near the shore of running water, and with the blood of this same bird write the character and name of the angel of the Sun on virgin paper and carry this with you. And when you wish to go from one land to another, write in the dirt the character of the Sun and the name of its angel, and immediately will come a black horse which will carry you wherever you wish. Hold the paper in the right hand and the ring in the left hand.
[3] Sicud prius, habeas carecter & nomen angeli eius & scribantur in annulo, & ieiunes in die Lune quo fit annulus Lune, sicud fecisti in annulo Solis, in quo si operare uolueris continuo, sacrificabis anguillam flumalem, cuius sanguine scribe carecter Lune & nomen angeli eius in pelle tue, & inuolue in pelle anguille & reserua vt cum volueris ut appareat flumen ucl arbor cum fructu, scribe in terra nomen angeli & nomen fructus, & uoca angelum carta aperta, & apparcbit. Si uis ut non apparcat, claude cartam.	[3] As before, have the character and name of its angel written on the ring, and fast on the day of the Moon (Monday), on which is made the ring of the Moon, as you did on the ring of the Sun. If you wish to work with it right away, sacrifice a river eel, with whose blood write the character of the Moon and the name of its angel on your skin and roll it in the eel skin and keep it. When you wish a river to appear or a tree with fruit, write on the ground the name of the angel and the name of the fruit, and then call the angel with the paper open, and it will appear. If you wish it not to appear, close the paper.
[4] De annulo Martis. Fiat sacrificium de aue   rapaci intra domum ad ignem et scribe cum eiusdem sanguine in pelle eiusdem nomen angeli & carecteris. Et cum uolueris ut appareant milites armati uel castella uel lubricus ludus, uel ut vincas in prelio, fac carecterem & nomen angeli in terra & aperi cartam & apparebit & faciei que preceperis. & cum clauditur carta recedet & cessabit.	[4] On the ring of Mars. Sacrifice a bird of prey to the fire in the house, and write with its blood on its skin the name of the angel and the character. And when you wish for armed soldiers to appear, or castles or mock swordplay, or that you conquer in battle, write the character and name of the angel on the ground and open the paper and it will appear and do as you wish. And when the paper is closed it will stop and go away.
[5] Totum fac ut de alijs, sacrificium fiat de uulpe uel de cato in loco deserto, scribe careterem et nomen angeli in fronte - vinces in omni placito. Tene cartam in manu.	[5] Do all as with the others; let there be a sacrifice of a wolf or a cat in a deserted place, write the character and name of the angel on the forehead - you will prevail in all contests. Keep the paper in hand.
[6] Fac sacrificium de gallo, karetter & nomen angeli scribe in pelle, intelligi, in quo inuoluas denarium, & qociens ipsum donaueris reuertetur.	[6] Sacrifice a cock, write the character and name of the angel on the skin, of course, in which you should fold a penny. And no matter how often you give it away, it will return to you.
[7] Fac sacrificium de columba alba viuente, carecterem & nomen angeli eius scribe in pelle [f. 135r] leporis, quod si mulieri ostenderis sequentur te uelociter.	[7] Sacrifice a live white dove, write the name and character of its angel on the skin of a hare; if you show it to a woman, she will quickly follow you.
[8] Totum ut supra. Sacrificium de capra inter vepres, carecterem & nomen angeli scribe in percameno veteri. Cum uolueris inter duos odium mittere, eorum nomina in percameno, eodem carecterem & nomen angeli in pelle capre, ut predicatur. Cum uolueris aliquem intoxicare, in eius potu intinge annulum Saturni: cum idem potauerit intoxicabitur.	[8] All as above. Sacrifice a she-goat among brambles, write the character and name of the angel on old parchment. When you wish to set up hatred between two people, write their names on the parchment, as well as the character and name of the angel on the goatskin, as said above. When you wish to poison someone, dip the ring of Saturn in his drink: when he drinks, he will be poisoned.
[9] Nunc de generalibus mandatis restat docere. Annulus Solis in omni sacrificio habeatur, & annulus Febe, in quo nomen angeli ipsius; Febe tam in memoria habeatur quam in opera, & fiat sacrificium in circulo infundali, prius scriptus carecter, & in medio magister dicat: 'Oya, sacrificium tue laudis suscipe', proiciens carnes extra circulum. In qualibet autem operacione, nomen angeli inuocetur & annulus in digito habeatur. Carte uero mundissime reseruentur, nec in noctis tenebris aperiantur nisi operis necessario ingrauerit. [10] Nunc de annulis. Annulus Solis ad equum & fiet de auro. Annulus Lune ex argento ad fluuium. Annulus Martis ex ere ad uictoriam in bello. Annulus Mercurij ex cupro ad scienciam. Annulus Iouis ex electro ad denarium. Annulus Veneris ex plumbo ad amorem. Annulus Saturni ex ferre ad odium. Annulus Capitis Draconis ex calibe ad toxicandum.	[9] Now it remains to teach general mandates. The ring of the Sun should be worn in all sacrifices, and the ring of Phoebus, on which the name of its angel; Phoebus is kept in mind as well as in work. And let there be a sacrifice in a circle traced on the ground, with the character written first, and in the middle the master speaks: 'Hear! Take the sacrifice in your praise', throwing the meat outside the circle. In all these procedures, however, invoke the name of the angel and wear the ring. The papers should indeed be kept clean, nor should they be opened in the dark of night unless   required by the needs of the operation. [10] Now about the rings. The ring of the Sun is for the horse and should be of gold. The ring of the Moon is of silver for the river. The ring of Mars is of bronze for victory in war. The ring of Mercury is of copper for knowledge. The ring of Jupiter is of amber for money. The ring of Venus is of lead for love. The ring of Saturn is of iron for hatred. The ring of the Head of Draco is of steel for poisoning.
[11] Hoc signum mirabile est experimentum magistri Messayaac de secretis spirituum planetis, secundum mencionem, & sumitur sic. Omitto nomina angelorum cum carecteribus  suis (que incipiunt sic: Storax, Abamecta, Paymon, cum ceteris) propter certam causam hie scribenda.	[11] This wondrous revelation is the experimentum of master Messayaac, concerning the secrets of the spirits of the planets as mentioned, and proceeds in this way. For a particular reason, I omit the names of the angels with their characters (which begin thus: Storax, Abamecta, Paymon, with others).

5. Errata:

I`ve taken the liberty to note a few mistakes in the text, both in the original and in mister Lidaka`s translation, which are understandable since he had no similar text to confront, whereas I had at least two other versions. 

[3] “in pelle tue” that is, in your skin, is obviously an error, since the paragraph mentions opening and closing the parchment. Other versions as for “pelle catuli” that is, a young dog`s skin.

[5] “uulpe / vulpe” is fox, not wolf.

[6] “ in pelle, intelligi” is a copyist`s error, other versions read “in pelle vitulli” that is, in calfskin, regularly called vellum, a premium material of writing.

[7] “Columba alba vivente”, a live white dove, might seem pleonastic. All animals sacrificed are live animals of course. Dead animals could not be sacrificed. The expression is a copyist s error, as other versions read “Columba alba in loco virenti” that is, a white dove, in a green place, full of lush vegetation, as we would expect of a place connected to Venus.

[9] The exclamation “Oya” is virtually nonexistent. Other versions read “O, Tu, Angele N.” that is, O thou Angel N., whose initials, O.T.A. might originate this confusion.

[10] While  “electrum” might mean “amber”, its primary meaning is of the alloy called electrum, made of varying quantities of silver and gold, very common in native state.

6. Synthetic chart

The book is structured on the classical planetary affinities. Each ring is made out a specific metal (the modern reader will be surprised to find that not all texts agree with the contemporary attribution of metals found in all post-agrippan magical literature), in the day and hour of the planet, and a certain animal is to be sacrificed in a place of planetary affinity, the character and name of the spirit employed being written with the blood of the specific victim on a certain kind of parchment and enveloped carefully until use.  

Ring	Planet	Angel	Metal	Sacrifice	Place	Parchment	Wrapping
1	Sun	Storax	Gold	Wild bird	River shore	Virgin parchment	Red sink
2	Moon	-	Silver	River eel	-	See note [3]	Eel skin.
3	Mars	-	Bronze	Bird of prey	An indoor fire	Bird`s skin	-
4	Mercury	Paymon	Copper	See note [5]	Desert	Forehead	-
5	Jupiter	-	Electrum	Cock	-	See note [6]	-
6	Venus	Abamecta	Lead	White dove	See note [7]	Hare`s skin	-
7	Saturn	-	Iron	Goat	Brambles	goatskin	-