JournaloftheWesternMysteryTradition

No.12,Vol.2.VernalEquinox2007

TheLittleBookofBlackVenus
andtheThreeFoldTransformation
ofHermeticAstrology

AppendixI
SomeBrief
Thoughtson
JohnDees
TubaVeneris
byPhilLegard

byTeresaBurns

TheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus,attributedtoJohnDee,presentsus
withacuriouspuzzleinthehistoryofmagicalmanuscripts.Itinstructsthereaderhow
toperformtheHornofVenus,whichatfirstseemsalengthybutstraightforwardrite
inthetraditionofHenryCorneliusAgrippa.DeetellsusthatthisHornmightbe
usedforliftinghiddentreasures,forNavigating,Trade,war,andotherwayslikewise
wheretheSpiritcanbeofservicetoyouandinstructsthereader,repeatedly,to
AppendixIII
makeallpreparationsonthedayandhoursofVenus,andtoperformtheriteitselfonly
Excerptsfrom
DasBchlein duringthesehours.[1]WemightsuspectthisHorndescribesanotsoveiledtantric
derVenusby
working,alsoappropriatetothedaysandhoursofVenus.Butthenwhywritethe
JrgM.Meier
bookonSaturday,[2]whichwouldseemaquiteinauspiciousdayformostofthese
activities?
AppendixII
Notesto
DeesMonas
Hieroglyphica
byVincent
Bridges

Theritesfinalsectionadvisesthereadertomakesurethatanytreasureorcoins
broughtbytheSpiritsbeemptiedintoanewperfumed,consecratedcontainer.Yetin
Englandafter1563,apersoncaughtevenattemptingsomethinglikesendinggoetic
spiritstofetchcoinswouldfacelifethreateningconsequences:usingmagictodiscover
hiddentreasurewasagainstthelaw.Afirstconvictiongotthetreasurehunterayears
imprisonmentandfourtripstothepillory,andasecondonemeantdeath.Inthelate
1570s,JohnDeehadalreadyaskedtheLordTreasurer,WilliamCecil,foran
exemptiontothisrule,andwasturneddown.[3]
Moreover,theConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenussoundsnothinglikeanyof
DeesotherworksandlackshisusualheavyChristiantone.Itlacksthesternvaluingof
scholarshipweseewhenwereadthefrontispieceoftheHieroglyphicMonad:QUI
NONINTELLIGIT,AUTTACEAT,AUTDISCAT(Hewhodoesnotunderstand,
shouldeitherbesilentorlearn.")IntheHornofVenus,intheeightlinesthatfollow
JohnDeesgreeting,thewriteralmostseemstotellusnottoworryabout
understandingmagicatall,becauseitstoohard,sowesoundaHornforyou,
BelovedReader!IsDeetellingthereadertonotworry,justfollowdirections?
Onemightbetemptedtostoprightnowanddismissthebookasnothingmorethanan
opportunisticforgerywhichtellsuslittleaboutDeeorhismagiccircle.Yetthename
TubaVeneris,theHornorTrumpetofVenus,seemsechoedinaworkmentionedby
noneotherthanEdwardKelly,TheSoundingoftheTrumpet.Kellymakesrepeated
referencetoTheSoundingoftheTrumpetinhistreatiseTheStoneofthe
Philosophers,[4]whichKellyreportedlywrotefortheHolyRomanEmperorwhilein
prison,yearsafterDeehadreturnedtoEngland.Furthermore,JohnDeesFiveBooks
ofMysterycontainrepeatedreferencestotheArchangelAnael,whoDeeconsidered
therulingArchangeloftheAge,andwhotheHornofVenuscallsuponinitsclosing.
[5]

HandwrittencopiesoftheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusappearin
differentplacesonthecontinentfromtheearly1600saslateas1794.[6]Severalofthe
figuresontheSealofVenusappearina1614manuscriptbyJohannBaptista
Grochedel,[7]andareengravedin1620byJohannesTheodorusdeBryandretitled
MagicalCalendar.[8]DeBry,thePalatinepublisherwhosehousealsoputoutthe
beautifullyillustratedworksofRobertFluddandMichaelMaier,ismademuchofby
FrancesYatesinherclassicTheRosicrucianEnlightenment.[9]TheMagical
Calendarcomesoutin1620,justafterFluddandMaier.Inshort,atleastsomeofthe
imagesintheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusspringfromanunderground
traditionoftentracedbacktoDee,oneslowlyreturningtolightthesepastfewyearsas
moreandmoreconnectionshavebeenmadebetweendifferentRosicrucianwritersand
DeesHieroglyphicMonad.
Similarly,otherimagesappearingintheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus,
particularlytheglyphsontheSealofVenus,appearintheHeptameron,orMagical
Elements,attributedtoPeterdeAbano(12501316)andtranslatedintoEnglishby
RobertTurnerin1655.[10]ThesameglyphsappearinDr.RuddsNineGreat
CelestialKeysorAngelicalInvocationsaspartoftheSealofAnael,[11]twoothers
withthediscussionoftheOlympicSpiritofVenus(Haggith)andathirdwiththe
discussionoftheOlympicSpiritofMercury(Ophiel).[12]Itappearswithagroupof
manuscriptsthatAdamMcLeanreferstoasTheTreatisesofDr.Rudd,likely
ThomasRudd,whopublishedaneditionofDeesPrefacetoEuclidin1651.This
groupofmanuscriptscopiedbyPeterSmartin1714wasbundledwithanotherwork
attributedtoDee,theRosieCruciansecrets,whichVincentBridgeslinkstothe
recentlypublishedmanuscriptsrediscoveredinManchester,theByromCollection,
whichhadbeeninthepossessionofafamilyrelatedtoDeebymarriage.[13]
Ifthosearentenoughtantalizingconnectionstofragmentedtraditions,themysteryin
themanuscriptitselfswirlsaroundtheBlackVenustowhomitisconsecrated.One
wondersiftheHornofVenuscouldbepartofthesametraditioncataloguedbyEan
BegginTheCultoftheBlackVirgin.[15]BeggarguesthattheBlackVirgincult
seemstopointinthedirectionoftwoalternativesinparticular.One,thealternative
churchofMaryMagdalene,James,Zacchaeus,Gnosticism,Cathars,Templars,and
alchemists...[which]containsmuchofthewisdomoftheoldreligionsaswellas
certainnewphenomenathatreachedconsciousnessinthetwelfthcentury,suchasthe
HolyGrailandcourtlylove.Secondly,thedarkMarymaystandforaheretical
JudaismwhereChristianandJewareone.[16]
InTheHebrewGoddess,RafaelPatainotesthattheMatronit,thefourthbeingofthe
KabbalistictetradwhichcorrespondstosomeextentwiththeGnosticaeons,in
populartermssharesmanycharacteristicswithancientloveandwargoddessesfrom
InannaandIshtartoVenus,Diana,andAphrodite.[17]InGnosticwritings,shealso
parallelsmanyofthemedievalrepresentationsofMary:Mary,liketheMatronit,was
consideredtohavetakenovertheroyal,governing,andcontrollingfunctionsofGodto
theextentthathersovereigntyactuallyeclipsedthatofGod.[18]ButwhiletheVirgin
Maryspurityandchastityareinterwoven,theMatronit,asshebecomesthe
MatronitShekhina,themedievalKabbalisticGoddessfigure,remains,likethe
ancientlovegoddesses,bothpureandsexualized.Sheisthereflectionofthedark
energiesofBinahgivingformtotheuniverse,expressedasthereflectionoftheSephira

BinahinthepathofTau,unitingYesodtoMalkuth.TononKabbalists,Sheismost
easilyconceptualizedasadarkGoddess.
ThemostintenseconcentrationofBlackMadonnasareinthesouthofFrance,
springingfromthesameculturalwellasthefirstArthurianstoriesoftheMagicHorn[19]
intheOldFrenchLaiduCor,aswellastheprimarytextoftheKabbalah,theBahir.
[20]CouldourBlackVenusbeasurvivalofthat12thcenturysyncretictradition?Ifso,

findingtextswillbeevenmoredifficultthanpiecingtogetherthelaterRosicrucian
stream,sincethelastlikelypublicsurfacing,amongthe13thcenturyCatharPerfecti,
wasveryliterallyburnedoutofexistenceinwhatmanyconsiderthefirstgenocideof
moderntimes.IfitexistsatallinDeestime,itsmemberssurvivebyappearingtobe
somethingelse.
TheBlackVenusonthedifferentfrontispiecesoftheLittleBookcertainlyappears
tobesomethingelse:foronething,theyreneverdark,muchlessblack.Butmoreto
thepoint,asPhilLegardpointsout,[21]VenusasdescribedbyDeeinthis
manuscriptisatalismanicimage,notapagangoddess.Certainly,itisimportanttolook
atConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusfirstaspracticalmagic,andunderstandit
withintheSolomonictradition,beforeleapingtootherreadings.Butmightitnotbe
easyforaKabbalistandaSolomonicmagiciantoconflatethetwo,remembering
especiallythebrideofSolomoninSongofSongs1:5,whoevenintheKingJames
versionisblack,butcomely,OyedaughtersofJerusalem,asthetentsofKedar,as
thecurtainsofSolomon?
IfwewanttospeculateabouttheBlackVenussconnectiontobothJohnDeeanda
morefeminizedandsexualizedundergroundtradition,weneedtoanalyzeitintermsof
Deesownmagicalsystem,tothedegreethatwecanunderstandthatsystem.IfJohn
DeewereteachingstudentsNegromancia(asthismanuscriptimplies)inthe
Solomonictradition(asthisriteis),thenthatmeansweshouldbeabletoexplainboth
intermsofDeesHieroglyphicMonadandtheconceptionofHermeticastrologyand
sacredgeometrycontainedtherein.
Thiswriterthinksthatispossible,andtheimplicationsextremelysignificant:itwould
seemwehaveatlastfoundamanuscriptthatfusesthehighmagicofmale
Renaissancescholars,artists,magicians,andprotoRosicrucianslikeDeeandhiscircle
withthesocalledwitchcult,describedbyMargaretMurryinhercontroversialbook
TheWitchCultinWesternEurope,[22]butperhapsnowbetterthoughtofasan
amalgamationofindigenousfollowersoftheoldreligion,hereticalChristians,Jews,
Moslems,gypsies,andmysticsofvariousspiritualtraditionsforwhomhidinghas
becomeawayoflife.[23]
Thedarkartpracticedbysomeofthesecultistswasalchemy,ofaschool
typifiedbythewritingsofMariatheJewess,Comarius,Hermes,andCleopatra.[24]
Theiconographyoftheirdarkgoddess,beSheMary,Venus,Diana,orAphrodite,
connectsalmostseamlesslytothetraditiontoIsisandtheabsorptionofthoseIsean
symbolsintoahereticaltraditionthatexistedforhundredofyearsunderthethinnestof
Christianveneersbeforebeingforcedunderground.[25]IfthatisthetraditionDeeis
drawingupon,thenthebadLatinofthetitle(LIBELLUSVENERINIGRO
SACER,whichgrammaticallyshouldbenigrinsteadofnigro)isaninsidenodtothe
traditionwhereNigromanciaorNegromancia,thedarkart,doesnotusedark

pejorativelybutasareferencetotheartoftheblackland(Egypt,AlKhem),or
alchemy.[26]
Thoughitmaynotseemapparentatfirst,thiswouldalsomeanwevefinallyfoundthe
keytounderstandingwhattheDees,Kellys,andtheirfollowersandbenefactorswere
tryingtoaccomplishinTrebona.Whileastrology,alchemy,Kabbalah,andhieros
gamosritualsdontalwaysorevenoftenintersectwitheachother,inDeesMonadic
universetheoverlapistotal.TheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus,evenifit
isnotbyDeebutoneofhisstudents,affordsusthechancetopiecetogethertheparts
ofthiscosmologywhichhavebeenmostoftencensored,andspeculateaboutwhatthe
DeesandKellysmayhavebeentryingtoaccomplishintheirmuchsnickeredatbut
littleunderstoodspousesharingpactinTrebona.
Idontpresumetobeabletoturnthatkeyinonearticle,oreventwo,buthopetoat
leastsetouttheoutlinesofwhatTheHornofVenusmayhavebeentryingto
accomplishandwhatgroupsitwouldhavebeenassociatedwith.
LetsstartbylookingattheopeningfourlinesintheirLatinoriginal:
EstVENUSaSuperismihidatumnomeninAstris
IncolamoxStygiusdumTUBAcantatadest
SubditusEnDmonSIGNIvirtutegemiscit
Euge!animimactusvictorabhosteredis.
ReaderswhoenjoyscanningLatinpoetrymayagreethissoundsabitstrained,the
wordchoiceawkward,pronounreferencesambiguous,andincludesakeyword
(mox,Englishsoon)whoseplacementdependstotallyuponunderstandingthe
esotericcontext.Inthefinalline,whichwetranslatedasWelldone!Asthevictor,
infusedwithglory,youreturnfromtheenemy,theyoucanrefertoeitherthereader,
orVenus,orboth.LetsstopamomentandthinkaboutwhyJohnDeeputsthese
linesintotheworking,andforthatmatter,whytheworkingitselfisinLatin,whenit
wasbecomingmoreandmorecommontowriteinthespeakersnativelanguage,beit
English,French,German,orItalian.[27]
Latinisthelanguageofmostalchemicaltexts.Beyondthat,itaffordsthiswriteraway
ofsafelyconveyingverypackedconceptsimpossibletocommunicateinEnglish,
becausebypunandallusiononecould,inLatin,conveyideasthathadbecome
heretical.Latindmon,forinstance,couldretainthemeaningbroughtinfromancient
Greekmythology,ofadivinity,genius,ortutelarydeityorofasupernaturalbeing
whichservesasanintermediarybetweengodsandhumans.InRenaissanceEnglish,
demonalreadymeantmainlyanevilspirit,andbyextensionthegodsandgoddesses
oftheolderdemonicreligions.Ifonestillbelievesinthoseoldreligions,onemight
preferdmon.
Venus,Mars,andtheTreeofLife

Nowhereisthepoetsabilitytoconveycomplexideasviawhatseemsawkward
poetrymoreevidentthaninthechoiceoftubainsteadofcornu.Tubausuallyrefersto
thestraightbronzewartrumpetoftheancientRomans.Hereshowthistrumpet
appearsinFrenchversionoftheKeyofSolomon:[28]

ElohimGibor,DieudesArmes(ElohimGibor,LordofArmies)remindsusofthe
familiarKabbalisticassociationswiththeSephiraGeburahorSeverity,includingits
attributiontoMars.TheenergiesassociatedwiththereflectionofthesphereofMars
ontothepathofPehoftencalledVictory(Netzach)overSplendor(Hod)might
giveonepauseifweconsiderwhatalargescaleworkinginvolvingtheKabbalistic
pathofPehmightentail.InTarotdecksthenandnowthispathisusuallyshownasthe
BlastedTower.ThepathofPeh,thelowestofthereciprocalpathsontheTree,is
oftendescribedasVictoryoverSplendor,thealchemicaltransformationwherethe
energiesofMercury(Hod),propelledbythoseofMars(thepathofPeh)actupon
Venus(theSephiraNetzach).ThatseemsalludedtointhestraightRomanwartrumpet
picturedabove.
Now,letslookatourcurvedHornofVenus:

ThisHornlooksmorelikeacornu,thecurvedhornofthecornucopiaorhornof
plenty.TheengravingsontheleftHornarethesimilartosomeofthoseontheSealof
Venus,exceptforsecondlongglyph,whichaswellseelaterisaglyphforAnael.The
rightHornhastheSealsofthesixspirits.Ifwecountoneforthesymbolsassociated
withVenus(ontheleft)plusthesixspirits,wehaveseven,thenumberusually
associatedwithVenusandthenumberofplanetsinRenaissanceastrology.Incontrast
totheblastupthetreeannouncedbytheFrenchTrumpet,theenergyrunsthroughour
HornofVenustheotherway,asalightningflashbringingabovetobelow:Venus
(Netzach)givesmotiveorforcethroughMars(pathofPeh)toMercury(Hod.)
Imagineaninfluxofartisticinspirationandknowledgeofwhatformtoputitin,and
youllhavetheidea.Thelastlineofthepoemalsoimpliesthatafterwehavesounded
theHornandbroughtdowntheenergy,wellbeabletoagainconnectbelowwith
above:Welldone!Asthevictor,infusedwithglory,you[Venus,orthe
magician/alchemist,havinginvokedtheenergiesofVenus]return[ascend]fromthe
enemy.SowhydoesntDeejustsaycornu?
DeelikelymuddieshisLatinandusestubaratherthancornusohisHornclearly

referstotheTreeofLifeinmultipletraditions.Tubastressedonthefirstsyllable
soundsliketubahintheKoran,whichmaycomefromtheAramaicwordfor
beatitude(tuba)ortheHebrewwordforprosperity(tobah),basicallyimplyinga
stateofhavinggoodthingsflowintooneslifeandbeinghappy.Thetubatree,to
MoslemandespeciallySufipoets,referstoatreegrowinginParadisewherethe
Simorghbird(oftentranslatedintoEnglishasPhoenix)nests.InwriterslikeHafiz,we
findtherecurrentimageofthesoulasabirdrestingonthetubatree,descendinginto
materialexistenceagain,andthenreturningtothetreetofindpeacebeforedescending
again.Bychoosingtubainsteadofcornu,Deeprovidesagoverningimage
instructinganinformedreadertounderstandtheHornofVenusintermsofKabbalah
andsuggestingthatthissamegoverningimagecouldbringpeacetothreewarring
traditions.
WealsonoticethatthedrawingofthisHornlooksperspectivallychallenged.Ifitistwo
sidesofthesamehorn,theycantbeshownsidebysidepointinginthesame
direction,astheyareinthelinedrawingsinthismanuscript.Mightthisbeawinkto
aninformedreader,tonottaketherenderingofVenustooliterally,either?
ThisHornofVenussuggeststheshofarhornsoftheHebrewBibleandTalmud.The
shofar,traditionallymadeofaramshorn,issoundedtoannouncetheNewMoon
andfeasts,andasperLeviticus23:24,announcesRoshHashanah,thefirstdayofthe
seventhmonthofTishriandtraditionallythebeginningoftheJewishNewYear.More
thananyotherJewishholiday,RoshHashanahisthoughtofasaDayofJudgment.
ThehornasashofaralsoresonatesagainsttheoddLatinphrasingScopusqueLibelli
whichcomesrightafterJohnDeesgreeting,inthelinetranslatedasItisnotour
intentionorthegoalofourlittlebooktowriteaboutthedifferentNegromanticArts,
theirdefinitions,subdivisions,methodsoreventheirvariouspracticesofwhichViews
andBooksmanyhavealreadywrittenabout.WevetranslatedScopusqueLibelli
asViewsandBooks.EnglishscopecomesfromtheLatinscopus,whichusually
meansagoal,view,ortarget.ItcomesintoLatinfromancientGreek,alanguageDee
knewwelljustashewouldknowtheancientGreekskopusinBiblicaltextscarrieda
builtinallusiontoMountScopusintheHolyLand,famedforitsstrategicviewof
Jerusalem.
Finally,wegettotheopeningverseslastline,IncolamoxStygiusdumTUBA
cantatadest,translatedasSoontobeaStygianSojourner,sheappearswhenthe
Hornsounds.Stygiusreferstotheunderworldandpunsonstigaorwitch,and
suggeststhatVenus,ortheenergiesassociatedwithVenus,willgoundergrounduntil
thisworkingisundertaken.Italsodirectsustoanancientastrologicalunderstandingof
night,whentheSunwasconceivedasgoingundergroundorthroughthe
underworld,toberebornthenextday.Inasense,becauseofitssmallerorbit,Venus
viewedfromEarthseemstofollowtheSun,orKephera(theSunatnight)throughthe
underworld:Venusappearsintheskyastheeveningstar,thenfadesbehindtheSun,
reappearsasthemorningstar,disappearsastheSunbrightens,disappearsasit
reachesoccultation,thenreappearsoncemoreastheeveningstar.Soontobea
StygianSojournersoontodisappearintotheunderworldbehindtheSunmakes
moresensethanputtingmoxwiththeindependentclause(Shesoonappearswhen
theHornsounds)becausethatmakesitsoundasiftheHornofVenuscouldspeed
theplanetsjourney.Yetintermsofregularastrology,thelineremainsproblematiceven
withoutmox:ifweassociatetheHornwithMars,wecantsayVenusappearsbecause

ofMars.
However,ifweturntoDeesHieroglyphicMonad,theanswerbecomesclearer.As
VincentBridgeshasnoted,theMonadmaybethemostbrilliantlysimpleexplanation
everwrittenonsacredgeometry.[29]TheoremsXIIXVshowthegeometriesof
differentplanetsontheTreeofLife.LetslookbrieflyatTheoremXV:

Wesuggest,therefore,thatPhilosophersshouldconsidertheactionoftheSunandthe
MoonupontheEarth.TheywillnoticethatwhenthelightoftheSunentersAries,then
theMoon,whensheentersthenextsign,thatistosayTaurus,receivesanewdignityin
thelightandisexaltedinthatsigninrespectofhernaturalvirtues.TheAncients
explainedthisproximityoftheluminariesthemostremarkableofallbyacertain
mysticsignunderthenameoftheBull.Itisverycertainthatitisthisexaltationofthe
Moontowhichintheirtreatisestheastronomersfromthemostancienttimesbear
witness.ThismysterycanbeunderstoodonlybythosewhohavebecometheAbsolute
PontiffsoftheMysteries.ForthesamereasontheyhavesaidthatTaurusisthehouse
ofVenusthatistosay,ofconjugallove,chasteandprolific,fornaturerejoicesin
nature,asthegreatOstanesconcealedinhismostsecretmysteries.Theseexaltations
areacquiredbytheSun,becausehehimself,afterhavingundergonemanyeclipsesof
hislight,receivedtheforceofMars,andissaidtobeexaltedinthissamehouseof
MarswhichisourRam(Aries).
ThismostsecretmysteryisclearlyandperfectlyshowninourMonadbythe
hieroglyphicfigureofTaurus,whichishererepresented,andbythatofMars,whichwe
haveindicatedinTheoremXIIandTheoremXIIIbytheSunjoinedtoastraightline
towardsthesignofAries.
InthistheoryanotherKabbalisticanalysisofourMonadoffersitself,becausethetrue
andingeniousexplanationisthis:theexaltationsoftheMoonandoftheSunaremade
bymeansofthescienceoftheElements.[30]
ThehornsofTaurusremindusofthehornsofPan,andcontaintheglyphsforbothSun
andMoon,andsosuggestahierosgamosnearthetopoftheTree.Ifonelooksatthe
TaureanglyphintheMonadandprojectsitontotheTreeofLife,centeringthedoton
Tiphareth,theSun/Son'scircleencompassesalloftheSephirothbutthethree
SupernalsandMalkuthandcorrelatestotheZauirAnpin,"theSonoftheconcealed
Father,"theLogosorHeavenlyMan,AdamKadmon.Thehornsspringfromthenon
Sephira,Daath,andgouptoAimaandAbbaElohim.Thisimage,lookedatstrictly
fromtheperspectiveofKabbalah,becomesaglyphofthefallandtheredemption.
Taurus,anEarthsignruledbyVenusandperhapsthemostsensualsignoftheZodiac,

isexaltedhighontheTree.ItsplacementshowstheconjugalunionofAimaandAbba
Elohim,theSupernalFatherandMotherwhosehornsspringfromDaath.Thisunion
manifeststhecircle,ZauirAnpin,theSonthatencompassesalltheSephirabelowthe
SupernalsexceptMalkuth.Viatheactionshownbythisglyph,theconjugalunionof
theSupernalsreflectedintheSon,theUniverse(Malkuth)manifests.[31]
Tohookbackoncemoretoourlinefromthepoem,SoontobeaStygianSojourner,
she[Venus]appearswhentheHornsoundsnowmakessensebecausewereno
longertalkingaboutyearlyastrology,butHermeticastrology.Hermeticastrology[32]
concernsitselfmuchmorewiththeastrologyoflongerAgesandhowtheprecessionof
differentplanetsthroughtheZodiacmightbeusedtopredicteventsinthoseAgesand
byimplicationmayconcernitselfwiththealchemicaltransformationofthatage.Venus
appearswhentheHornsoundsbecausesherulestheHorn,whichisnownotMarsbut
TaurusinaparticularlyrelevanttheoreminDeesMonad.Notetheresonancetoboth
thesignsofAries,theramwhosehornmakestheJewishshofar,andtheTaureanbull
hornrequiredforthisworking.
Further,DeebelievedthetimehelivedinwastheAgeofVenus,anditsprinciple
rulerwastheArchangelAnael,theOlympicSpiritcalledupontoconsecratethe
BookofBlackVenus.TheHornofVenus,theworkinggovernedbyand
consecratedtoAnael,sounds,andVenusappears,suggestingboththeAgeandthe
familiarprojectionofVenusontotheTreeofLifeasasymbolencompassingallten
Sephiroth.
Beforemovingon,wemightalsolookattwopossiblereasonswhythisworkwas
(allegedly)writtenonJune4,1580,aSaturday.RecallthatthatthecultoftheBlack
VirginmayamongotherthingsexpresshowanonKabbalistwouldconceptualizethe
SephiraBinah.BinahistheSphereofSaturn(rulingSaturday),andthereflectionofthe
SphereofSaturnrulesthepathofTau,thepathofmanifestationfromYesodto
Malkuth.SaturdayalsoistheseventhdayoftheJewishweek,theSabbath.
DeeandFearsoftheApocalypse

Manyinthelate1570sworriedaboutaverydifferentkindofSaturnianmanifestation.
EuropeandBritainwererifewithapocalypticastrologicalpredictions,manyofwhich
turnedaroundthe1583Saturn/JupiterconjunctioninPisces,andthereturnofthe
conjunctivecycleofthesetwoplanetstothesocalledFieryTrigon,startinginMay
1584withamassconjunctioninAriesofSaturn,Jupiter,andeveryvisibleplanet
exceptfortheSun.AsAstondescribesinherarticleTheFieryTrigonConjunction:an
ElizabethanAstrologicalPrediction,thisconjunctionmarkedtheendofverylong
cycle:astheastrologersemphasized,therewereonlysixparallelsinthehistoryofthe
world,andonlyonesincethebirthofChrist.Theyassignedtheseconjunctionstothe
timesofEnoch,Noah,Moses,thetentribesofIsrael,theRomanEmpireatChrists
birth,andempireofCharlemagne.[33]BenjaminWoolleynotesthatPtolomyhimself
hadshownthateachconjunctionwithinatrigonwasassociatedwithaparticularpart
oftheworld,andtheoccurrencewithinthecomingsignofArieshelinkedwithBritain
andGermany.[34]
RecallourearlierdiscussionofTheoremXVofDeesMonadandtheexaltingof
sensualVenus/TaurusovercombativeMars/Aries.IftheHornofVenusisinanyway
connectedtotheselargerpredictionsandtoDee,westarttoseetheoutlinesofhowit
maybeanattempttoreplacethemanifestationofMartialenergieswithVenusianones.

June4,1580maynotbethedatetheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenuswas
writtenon,butitsappearanceonthemanuscriptiscertainlynotrandom.In1580,the
calendarwassofarbehindthatthesummersolstice,ratherthanfallingonJune21or
22,wouldbeatleasttendaysbefore.Thusthewriterappearstobewritingona
Saturdayafewdaysbeforethesolstice,thedayinwhichonemightconceivethe
Sun/Sonasbeingenthronedforthenextyear,andthegoldenenergyofTipharethat
itspeak.Theyear1580alsomarksaclearshiftinDeesfocusandintheiconography
ofElizabethscourt.
ElizabethIsrelianceonDeeforadvice,astrologicalandotherwise,iswellknown.He
pickedJanuary15,1559asanauspiciousdateforhercoronationin1564he
presentedherwithhisHieroglyphicMonadandlatersaidshewasasacredwitness
ofitssecrets[35]and,accordingtohisCompendiousRehearsal,hewasaskedto
explaintheappearanceofwhatwenowcallthe1577cometinCassiopeia.Infact,this
comet[36]wasonlythemostfamousofaseriesofunexplainedobjectsintheskythat
sentastronomersscurryingforexplanations.Inoneofthemorefamoussetsof
calculations,TychoBrahedeterminedthecometwasinthesphereofVenus,andlike
manyotherastronomers,suggesteditheraldedwarfare,pestilence,andextremesof
heatandcold,aswellaschangesinreligion.[37]
InApril1580,anearthquakeshookLondon.WhentheCrowncommissionedareport
thatsameyearonthepossibleusesofmirrorsandglasses,thetwoleadingfigures
namedwereDeeandhisprotge,ThomasDigges.[38]YetDeessuggestionsfora
BritishEmpireandhisroleasanadvisortoexplorerssearchingforaNorthwest
Passageseemtocollapsethissameyear.In1580then1583,ElizabethcametoDee
foradifferentsortofadvice:aboutwhetherornottomarrytheDukeofAnjou.Dees
commentsabouttheDukesprospectsbiothanatosseemedtopresageAnjous
deaththenextyear.
From1580on,asitbecamemoreandmoreclearthatElizabethwouldnevermarry
(andthatthezealousProtestantsinEnglandwouldnotstandforhermarryinga
Catholic),theexotericMoon/VenusCultoftheVirginQueentakesoffinearnest.[39]
ThepubliccultofawhiteVirgin,whichportrayedtheQueenasAstraea,Eliza
Triunphans,Diana,orVenusVirgo,makesamajoriconographicshiftfromyears
before,andsomehaveevenarguedthatElizabethsfamous1559speechdeclaringshe
wouldnevermarryexcepttoherkingdomewasreverseengineeredafter1580.[40]
ButtheimagesofElizabethasDiana,Cynthia,oranyofavarietyofothersynthesesof
Moon/VenusianGoddessesofLoveandWar,andProtectressesofVirginity,couldnot
dissolvethereligiousconflictsacrossthecountrynorcalmtheexpectationofwar.
SeveralastrologicaltractsinEnglandpredictedtheendoftheworld,mostnotably
thoseofRichardHarveyandRobertTanner.Tannerannouncedthattheconjuctionof
SaturnandJupiterdoethmarveilouslyagreewiththefamousprophesieofElias,&
manyotherplacesofscriptures,ofthelatterdayesoftheworldsdestructiontobe
neereathande,&thatthecomingofourLordandSaviourIesusChristtoiudgement,
willnotbelong.[41]BothinEnglandandonthecontinent,1588waspeggedasthe
mostlikelydateoftheendoftheworld.[42]
WedontknowwhatJohnDeespredictionswere.From1580on,hisfocusshifted
awayfromoptics,mathematics,geography,andadvisingtheCrowntosearchingfora

strongermagicallever.December22,1581,hetriesviahisscryerBarnabusSaulto
reachAnael/Aal,hereachesANNAEL.[43]Justthreemonthslaterheand
EdwardKelleybegantheirangelicworkings.Intheveryfirstworking,whenAnnael
appears,Deewritesthatthisisthespiritorintelligencegoverningthewholeworld.
DeeandKellysworkingscontinueduntiltheendof1588,thedatesomanysageshad
announcedwastheendoftheworld.Itwasoneofthemosttriumphantyearof
Elizabethsreign,thedefeatofSpainsInvincibleArmada.TheDeesandKellys
finishedtheirmagickalprojectandpartedcompanyinTrebona.TheDeesreturnedto
EnglandinpovertySirEdwardKelley,whoreportedlyhaddemonstratedhowtoturn
leadintogold,wasforafewshortyearsthealchemicalstarofthecontinent.
WhilehisdisenchantmentwithKellyiswellknown,Deesdiaryentriesfrom1588
suggestthathebelievedwhateveritwastheyweredoinghadsucceeded.Whatwere
theydoing,anddoestheHornofVenusconnecttothisinanyway?
Evenscratchingthesurfaceofananswerwillofnecessitytakeusthroughalonger
discussionofHermeticastrologyandsacredgeometry.First,letsseewhatother
writershavehadtosayabouttheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus.
PreviousanalysesoftheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus

MostworksonJohnDeenevermentionthisworkatall.Oneofthefirstreferencesisa
footnoteinGeraldSustersbookJohnDee,whereSusterconsidersthisoneofDees
laterwritingsbutmistranscribesthetitleasTubaVeneris(c.1600)LibellusVeneri
nigroDee.[44]Untilrecently,theoneandonlyanalysisofConsecratedLittleBook
ofBlackVenuswasJrgM.MeiersexcellentDasBchleinderVenus(Libellus
VenerisNigroSacer):einemagischeHandschriftdes16.Jhrs,whichNancy
TurnerandIfoundalmostindispensableinmakingourowntranslation.Meier
comparesseveralversions,theearliestbeingLondonsWarburgInstituteMs.FBH51,
thenprovidesadetailedcommentaryonthetextanddrawings.Healsolocatestwo
versionsofatextbyJosephAntonHerpentil,Indegriffderbernatrlichen
magie[45]thatusemanybarbarousnamessimilartothoseinthefourthchapterof
HornofVenusandanother,derMagiaOrdinisKornreutheri,thatusesoneof
them.Finally,MeieranalyzestheritualstructureoftheHornofVenuscomparedto
thatoffiveothermanuscripts(includingthethreejustmentioned),andfindssome
similarities.[46]AdetaileddiscussionofMeiersstudyisbeyondthescopeofthis
article,thoughIveincludedsomeofhisconclusionsinAppendixII.
Meier,likethiswriter,doubtsthatthewriterwasJohnDeeandthatthedateof
compositionwas1580.Yetaspseudoepigraphygoes,hefindsitaveryunusualcase:
theoldestcopy,theWarburgmanuscript,seemswritteninDeeslifetime,andenough
ofthedetailsmatchthoseofJohnDeeslifeandworkthattheauthormaywellhave
knownDee.Meiernotesthatacounterfeiterrarelytieshimselftoanameforno
reason,andspeculatesthatDeecouldhavehadsometypeofinvocationsimilartothis
one.[47]
ThemotivesforwritingthisritualandputtingDeesnameonit,Meierargues,willmore
likelybefoundonthecontinentfrom15831589ratherthaninEngland.Meierthinks
thebesthypothesisisthattheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusoriginatedon
theEuropeancontinent,specificallyinaGermanspeakingcountry,andwasperhaps
writtenbysomeonewhoknewDeewellandwishedtotakeadvantageofhis

reputation.[48]WhenDeetellshisreadersthatallevilDmonsstillhavethenames
andSignsthatweregiventothembytheGreatCreator,andthereforeitisnecessary
tocallandforcethembyusingthesamemeansbywhichwecanalsocallthegood
Angels,asIhaveshownandtaughtinotherplaces,itseemstoalludetohis
famousangelicworkingswithEdwardKelleyandperhapstoteachingthosewho
witnessedsimilarworkings,eventhoughtheseweresupposedtobestrictlyangelic
ratherthangoeticworkings.Thetypesofcallsusedseemtocomefrom1585or1586.
[49]

Althoughthiswriterdisagrees,MeierbelievesthatDees"ActionswithSpirits"were
fundamentallyincompatiblewiththetypeofmagicusedinConsecratedLittleBookof
BlackVenus,despitethewritersknowledgeofmuchofDeesmagic,includingthe
specialroleplayedbyAnaelinDeescosmology.RatherthantryingtohurtDee,Meier
suggeststhewritermayhavejustwantedtomakeaprofit.Inanycase,whileMeier
doesnotwanttosaythemanuscriptabsolutelyhadtobewrittenduringDeessixyear
stayonthecontinent,thatseemstohimthemostlikelyhypothesis.[50]
ThehandwritingoftheWarburgmanuscriptalmostcertainlyisntDees,and,basedon
thestyleofletteringused,itsveryunpolishedpenmanshipappearstobepoorGerman
calligraphyratherthanpoorEnglishcalligraphy.[51]Yetsomehowthismanuscriptmade
itswaybacktoEngland.RecallthattheearliestcopyoftheMagicalCalendar,whose
sigilsforAnaelappearalmostidenticaltosomeoftheimagesontheSealofVenus,
alsoappearsinEngland.[52]SoevenafterMeiersexcellentanalysis,werestillback
tothesamemysteryandsamequestions:howisthistextconnectedtoDeescircleand
perhapstoearlyRosicrucianism(ifitis),andhowdoesDeescircleconnecttothe
mysterytraditionssurroundingtheCultoftheBlackVirgin(ifitdoes)?
Severalwriters,Meieramongthem,havetriedtoanalyzetheConsecratedLittle
BookofBlackVenusasapieceofcryptography,buttonoavail.[53]
TheonlyotheranalysisthiswriterisawareofwasonestartedbyPhilLegardbackin
2001andpostedasanewsgroupdiscussionquestion.WhenIcontactedhimearlier
thisyear,Ilearnedhedexpandedthatanalysisquiteabit,andhegraciouslyofferedto
letmeadditasanappendixtothisarticle.[54]LikeMeier,heplacestheworkwithin
thetraditionoftheKeyofSolomonandAgrippa,butnotestheuniquenessofthe
BlackVenus.Heprovidesaveryclearsurveyofdifferentmagicalelementsinthetext,
[55]soratherthanrecoveringthesameground,Illreturntoourearlierdiscussionof

theAgeofVenusandHermeticastrology.
TheAgeofVenus,theOlympicSpiritAnael,andthePlatonicGreatYear

Asnotedearlier,Hermeticastrologytendstoconcernitselfmuchmorewiththe
astrologyoflongerAgesandhowtheprecessionofdifferentplanetsthroughthezodiac
mightbeusedtopredicteventsinthoseAges.Tocalculatewhereweareinthis
precessionalcycle,oneobservesthepositionofthesunsplanetheeclipticonthe
equinoxandnoteswheretheeclipticplaneintersectstheplaneofthecelestialequator.
Eachyear,thislocationmovesslightlywestward,andtakesabout25,920yearsto
returntothesamelocation.
OneprecessionalcycleisoftencalledonePlatonicGreatYear,oronePerfectYear,
alludingtoafamouspassageinPlatosTimaeus.Inthisdialog,mainlyonebetween
SocratesandCritiasthenSocratesandTimaeus,Timaeusdescribeshowtheworld

souliscomposedoffourelements,howtheCreatorformedfromthatsoulaperfect
body,andhowthatmixtureorcompoundwasthendividedintopartsaccordingto
variousratios,thenthepartsbentintocircles,sothat,beingcomposedofaperfect
Creator,theharmonicintervalsofthesecirclesbecomethemovingimageofGod.In
section38ofTimaeus,weretoldthattheSun,Moon,andfiveotherwandering
starstheplanetsweremadetopreservethenumbersoftime.RecallthatDeeis
oftenstudiedasaneoplatonistandwouldwithoutdoubtknowthispassageandits
focusonthesevenplanetsasawayofdividingtime.
Timaeusnevermentionsthezodiac,nordoeshetellsusthatthismeansthatoneGreat
SiderealorPlatonicYearofthezodiactakesalmost26,000years,northatthis
breaksintotwelveastrologicalagesofabout2160years,eachagecorrespondingto
30degreesofprecession,nordoeshecalculatefurtherthatittakes72yearsto
precessonedegree.Timaeusassuresusthatthecyclescanbecalculatedandatsome
pointcomeintoagrandconjunction,butheneversayshow.Theassumptionmadeby
manyHermeticistsisthatthemostlearnedpeopleknew,andthisknowledgehadbeen
handeddownfromancientEgypt.
Certainly,Platoisfarfromtheonlyancientwritertoalludetowhatwemightnowcall
theGreatYear.GodefroiddeCallatasAnnusPlatonicus.Astudyofworld
cyclesinGreek,LatinandArabicsources(1996)cataloguesancientwriterswho
seemtorelyonsomesortofGreatYeardoctrine.HisGreekandRomanlistincludes
Plato,Aristotle,thecultofPythagorus,Lucretius,Cicero,Varro,Seneca,Tacitus,
Plutarch,Vitruvius,Ptolemy,ClementofAlexandria,Origen,andMacrobius,among
others.Healsodescribestherefinementsmadetothesesystemsastheywerewritten
aboutbylaterArabscholars.
DifferentHermeticwritersdividetheprecessionalcycleintodifferentagesusingmany
differentsystems,andbytheRenaissance,whatmayhavebeenaveryprecisesystem
toancientEgyptianshaddegeneratedtothepointthateventhesmallersolaryear
calendarswereoutofwhackwecansafelyassumethatsystemsdividingthelarger
cyclesalsodidnotagree.Whilesomewriters,notablyRobertPowellinHermetic
Astrology(1987),arguethatatleastoneRenaissanceastronomer(TychoBrahe)was
usingasystemalmostidenticaltothatofancientEgypt,mostdonot.
PerhapswecanreverseengineerabetterexplanationbylookingatDeessystemof
agesandwhereitcamefrom.Trithemius,whoseSteganographiawasgreatlyprized
byDee,dividedtimeintosevenAngelicAgesandbasedonhissystemwedconclude
DeewaslivingintheAgeoftheMoon,ruledbyGabriel.
TheArbatelofMagic,publishedinBaselin1575,similarlydividesthetimeintoseven
ages,andtellsuseachageis490years,correspondstoaparticularplanet,andisruled
byanOlympicSpiritassociatedwiththatplanet.Dr.RuddsNineKeyswillcombine
both,andthecopyist(PeterSmart?)says:EveryOlympicPowerrules490years...
ThenbeganOch[OlympicSpiritoftheSun]andcontinueduntiltheyear1410,and
thenceforthHaggith[OlympicSpiritofVenus]rulethuntiltheyear1900.[56]The
writerofTheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus,likeDee,seemstohave
substitutedthemorefamiliarSolomonicArchangels,sonowtheOlympicSpirit
associatedwiththeAgeofVenusisAnael,whoDeeconsidersthegoverning
ArchangeloftheAgeofVenus.
GiventhefrequencyofVenusiansevensandmultiplesofsevensinDeesFiveBooks

ofMystery,onemightwonderwherethe490years/agecalculationcomesfrom.Ifwe
takethe25,920yearprecessionalGreatYearanddivideitby490,wedcalculate:
25,920(oneGreatYear)/490=approximately52,yielding52490yearweeksina
GreatYear.
Curiously,ifonelooksattextsDeesupposedlyhadnoaccesstoQumranictexts
includingJubilees,theMelchizedekdocument,theTestamentofLevi,theEthiopic
Enoch,andfourofthePseudoMosesTexts,onewillfindasimilardatingsystem.
RogerBeckwithsrecentdetailedanalysisofthesetexts[57]concludesthatthefrequent
useof49yearintervalsinsacredJewishhistoricaltexts,includingtheritualofJubilee
years,wereallbasedonDanielsprophecy(Dan9:2427)of70weeks,whereone
week=sevenyears.Withinthissystem,whichBeckwithfindsconsistently
throughouttheabovetexts,70weeks=490years=10Jubilees,sooneJubilee=
49years.
Suchdatingsystemsarealmostalwaysassociatedwitheitheramessiahoran
apocalypseorboth...whetherthewritersareHellenisticJewsfrom2,000yearsago,
likeJosephusorDemetriustheChronographer,orRenaissance
physicist/alchemist/astrologerSirIsaacNewtonwritingaboutthepropheciesofDaniel.
Newton,likesomecontemporaryapocalypticChristians,wantedtousethesame
formulatopredictthesecondcoming.
RecallourtimelinefromtheearliersectiononDeeandFearsoftheApocalypse.
ApocalypticpredictionsfocusmainlyontheveryyearsDeeisonthecontinent,with
1588themostlikelypredicteddatefortheworldtoendand/ortheMessiahto
return.WecanassumethatmuchofwhatDeebelievedhecouldnotputintohis
writing,justaswemustassumehereadmanytextswehavenorecordof.Wecanalso
assume,asascholarofancientGreek,heunderstoodtheGreekmeaningof
apokalepsisasanunveilingofwhathasbeenhiddenratherthantheendoftheworld.
Wecanfurtherassumethat,asaKabbalist,heunderstoodthe
Sun/Son/Tiphareth/SacrificedGodastheascensionofconsciousnessratherthanone
SonreturningasMessiah.Inthisway,thegoldofTiphareth,thepurificationofones
ownpersonalenergiessoonemaybringintheenergyofthecosmosandliterallymake
abovelikebelowandwithinlikewithout,becomesatleastoneofthetreasures
oftheworking.[58]
SuchaninterpretationjibeswiththeunderstandingofalchemyC.H.Jostenderived
fromDeesHieroglyphicMonad,whonotesthatpartoftheMonadsuggeststhatthe
subjectwhichistobetransmutedintheprocesssymbolizedbythemonadistheartist,
ormagus,himself,andthatitishissoulwhich,inamysticalsense,hastobeseparated
fromitsbody:Whentheterrestrialcentreofthemonad(whichcentremayherewell
meanthehumanbody)hasbeenunitedinaperpetualmarriagetoacertainsupernal
influenceofsolarandlunarquality,themonadcannolongerbefedorwateredonits
nativesoil,andhewhofeditwillhimselfundergoametamorphosisasaresultof
whichhewillhenceforthonlyrarelybebeheldbymortaleye.YetJostenalsonotes
thatinDee'sview,thechancesofalchemicalsuccessintheexternalworldare
diminishingasthatworld,byprogressingintime,descendsintospirituallydarkerages,
andthatanypalpablesuccessinthetransmutationofmetalsmay,ifatall,behopedfor
onlyafterthesuccessfulcompletionofamostunusualanddangerouswork.[59]

ThiswritersuggeststhattheunusualanddangerousworkDeeandhiscirclestart
attemptingin1580,andcontinuefrom15831588onthecontinent,isthe
transmutationofanAge,toperformwhatKabbalistsmightcallacosmicrestorationof
theSephirothviaTikkunhaolom(therepairandrestorationoftheworld).[60]Bridges
arguesthatthethreefoldtransmutationofsomealchemicalworksis1)theinner
transformationofthebodysenergies,2)theexternaltransmutationofusingthose
energiestoeffectphysicalstates,and3)thetransmutationoftimeitself,fromthe
darknessoftheIronAgetotheSplendouroftheGoldenAge.[61]Exploringhowthat
mightbedonewillsoonreturnustotheBlackVenusatthecenterofthework.
TheArchangelAnaelandAlchemy

LetscomparetheSealofVenusfromtheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus
tothoseinthreeothermanuscripts.HeresourSeal:

AndtheSealsofAnaelfromPeterdeAbanosHeptameron,whichisthesameone
reproducedbyDr.RuddinhisNineGreatCelestialKeysofAngelicInvocation:

AquicklooksuggeststhatalloftheseareinourSealexceptforthelongdrawinginthe
lowercenter.Inaddition,theupperglyphineachhexagonlikelyreferstothesigns
TaurusontheleftandLibraontherightruledbyVenus,andmayalsorefertotheir
geomanticattribution,sincetheremainingthreefiguresontheleftseemdrawnfrom
geomancy:inthecenter,Conjunctio,associatedwithMercury,Earth,andVirgotoits
left,Amissio,associatedwithVenus,Earth,andTaurusandPuella,associatedwith
Venus,Air,andLibra.ThismatchesLegardsanalysisinAppendixIandthe
attributionsinDr.RuddsNineGreatCelestialKeys,thoughhecallstheglyphsfor
VenusKedemelHasmodelandKedemelZurielinsteadofAmissioandPuella.[62]
Theseglyphsalsohavealchemicalcorrespondences,whilethefinalglyphontheright
hexagonmayrefertoconnectionsbetweendifferentpartsofthekameaormagic
squareofVenus.
PartsofeachoftheseglyphsalsoappearinthesixCallsforthespirits.Wellreturnto
theseintheseparatestudyofonsacredgeometry.
ThelowermiddleglyphindeAbanosandRuddsSealofAnaelmatchesoneofthe
engravingsontheHorn.Infact,ifwetakethatdrawingfromtheHornofVenusand
putitnexttooneofthedrawingsfromtheSeal,itmatchesalmostexactlytoofthe
SealsofAnaelfromathirdwork,GrochedelsMagickalCalendar.

FromtheHornandSealintheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenus:

FromMagicalCalendar:

Ittakeslittleimaginationtoseedirectsexualreferenceinthesesigilsoneoftheglyphs
forAnaelactuallylookssimilartotheEgyptianhieroglyphforphallus.Infactthewhole
ritemaybeconsideredametaphorichierosgamosritualattemptingtoreplaceone
typeofinteractionbetweentheenergiesofVenusandMercuryonthepathofPehwith
another,asdescribedearlier,andanexaltationofthemarriageoftheSunandMoonin
TaurustoaplacehighontheTree.ButitisalsoabasicKabbalisticunderstandingthat
cogitatingoveranenergytransformationisnotthesamethingasembodyingsomething
andbringingitintomanifestation.DeesdiaryentriesshowingVenusconjunctMercury
presumablymeanthedhadsexwithhiswifeandtheyhadembodiedthoseenergies,
notthatoneorbothofthemhadamentalunderstandingofit.Itwouldseemthat
whateverneedstobedoneinthisworkingtomakethesetransformationstakeplaceis
onlyhereifyoualreadyknowwhatitis.
Similarly,theworkingsreferencetoaDayofJudgmentisalsothereonlyifyoualready
knowtolookforit,andremembertheHornofplentyisalsoashofarhorn,associated
withRoshHashanahandaDayofJudgment,asistheArchangelAnaelinpartofthe
KeyofSolomonbookonechaptersix(andbythenameANAEL,andinthename
ANAEL,bywhichGodwillcastdownthemountainsandfillupthevalleys,sothatthe
surfaceoftheearthshallbelevelinallparts).[63]Mathers'translationofthispartof
theKeyofSolomonmaywellbewhyheassignedAnaeltoTarotTrump20,theLast
Judgment.LookingattheLastJudgment/Apocalypseasremovingtheveilsoallmay
beseenisamoreinitiatoryunderstanding...again,oneareaderrecognizesitifheor
shealreadyknows.
Ifthisworkingsintentandexpectedtreasureisnolessthanthealchemical
transformationoftheAgeofVenus,thenmostofwhatthemagician/alchemistneeddo
toeffectthatchangeseemsmissing.TheTreasureofconjugalloveandthepleasureof
enlightenmentthroughthatkindoflovewouldbepartofthethreefoldtransformation,
butlikelyforsafetyssakeisleftoffstage.Werestillleftwiththequestion:whowas
doingthisworking?
EnglishandContinentalFamilists,orTheFamilyofLove

ManywritershavesuggestedDeeslikelyinvolvementwiththeFamilyofLove,[64]a
fellowshipstartedbyHendrikNiclaesin1540thatby1580waspresentinthe
Netherlands,Germany,France,EnglandandSpain.FrancesYatessays,weknow
thattheFamilyofLovewasasecretsociety,whichundoubtedlyhadarealexistence
andorganization,growingoutofthesituationintheNetherlandsinthelate16th
century.Weknowmanypeopleweremembersofthissectorsociety,whichallowed
itsmemberstobelongostensiblytoanyreligiousdenominationwhilstsecretly
maintainingtheiraffiliationwiththeFamily.[65]
ManyofDeesassociatesoutsideofEnglandwereFamilists:Antwerpprinter

ChristopherPlantin(whopublishedtheworksofNiclaes),mapmakerAbraham
Ortelius,theBirkmanns,booksellersfromColognewhohadastoreinLondon.Others
likelywere,andknewotherswhowereorlikelywere.TakeJohannesTheodorusde
Bryasastartingpoint,thepublisherwhoputouttheMagicalCalendarwhoseimages
closelymatchsomeintheHornofVenus.DeBryhadclosetiestoNiclaess
publisherPlantin,bothofwhomhadtiestotheFrankfurtprinterWechel,whoreprinted
DeesHieroglyphicMonadin1591,providedGiordanoBrunowithaplacetostay,
andpublishedsomeofBrunosmoreinterestedgeometricdrawings.Orconsiderthe
PolishprinceAlbertLaski,whoarrivedinLondonin1583ataboutthesametimeas
BrunoandleftwiththeDeesandKellysnotlongafter:oneofhisrelatives,Johannesa
Lasko,livedinEmden,atownwhichhadbecomethecenterofFamilismeversince
themovementsfounder,HendrikNiclaes,settledthere.[66]
TheEnglishFamilyofLovewasnotnearlysocosmopolitanasitscontinental
counterparts,andJohnDeemayhavebeenoneof,ifnottheonly,Englishscholarwho
couldhaveeasilymovedbackandforthbetweenAntwerpandLondonFamilists.[67]
WedontknowmuchabouttheactualbeliefsoftheFamilyofLovebecausethey
tendedtodissemblewhenquestioned,buttheirquestforPerfectabilityand
illuminationechoesthatofthePerfectifromthreecenturiespast,justasthename
seemstohearkenbacktoEleanorofAquitainesCourtofLove.
FamilistsbelievedininterpretingBiblicalpassagesincludingthebirth,death,and
resurrectionofJesusmysticallyandallegoricallyratherthanliterally,believedina
mysticaltransformationoftheflesh,andbelievedinthemutualincorporationor
implantingofGodandhuman,tothepointwhereaneffectiveunitywasachieved.[68]
Bythe1560s,asecondgenerationofFamilistswasgrowingupintheServiceofthe
Love,andchildrenmayhavebeennourishedupbybeingsenttolivewithother
Familisthouseholds.Marsh,inTheFamilyofLoveinEnglishSociety15501630,
tracesthefellowshipspracticeofmarryingwithinthegroup,andnotestheprominent
involvementofwomenwithintheFamily.Theremusthavebeendifficultiesfinding
availablepartners,butthesewereminimizedbyanimpressivereadinessonthepartof
members,particularlyfemalemembers,todepartthevillagesortownsinwhichthey
hadlived...toenterspirituallysuitablerelationships.Whatseemslikeratherlargeage
differencebetweenspousestousseemedunremarkabletothem.Whenthespouseof
aFamilistdied,thewidoworwidowerusuallyremarriedassoonaspossible.[69]
JohnDeesmarriagesfollowedthatpattern.Weknowlittleofhisfirsttwowives,
exceptthataftereachonedied,itwasnotlonguntilheremarried.Histhirdwife,Jane
Fromond,fromCheam,aged22yearstoDees50,wasfromafamilythatappeared
tobeoftheoldreligion.(Ifnot,theFromondsseemedtoknowanunusualamount
aboutraisingexoticplants:oneoftheearliestknownlistsofherbsnecessaryfora
garden,includingafewimportedfromhundredsofmilesawayandagarnishcalled
CresseofBoleyn,wascompiledforThomasFromond,likelyJanesgrandfather.)
[70]Especiallyforwomenofthesocalledwitchcult,theFamilyprovidedassafe

andtolerantasocietyascouldbefoundinElizabethanEngland,andlikeDeehimself
soughtanallencompassingtheology.
NooneexceptperhapsthoseofusreadingovertheConsecratedLittleBookof
BlackVenusknowsanythingaboutwhattheFamilyofLovessecretpractices
were.ThomasMiddleton,inhisplayTheFamilyofLove(1604)satirizesthe

fellowshipasaclosedsocietyoffreelovehypocritesbusilygoingtotheFamilyfor
exercisesandgivingeachothersecretsigns.A1641satireofFamilymeetings
describedthembeingheldintheSurreywoodsandconsistingofobscenereadings
fromVirgil,exaltationsofCupid,communalmeals,and,ofcourse,sex.[71]Bythat
time,theFamilyofLovehadbeeneffectivelydrivenoutofEngland.Butinthefirstten
yearsofElizabethIsreign,thetimesheappearedtorelyonDeemostforadvice,they
livedinrelativepeace.
Infact,ElizabethscourtandinparticularherYeomanoftheGuardseemedpopulated
bymembersoftheFamilyofLove.Bytheendofthe1570s,Familistsatcourtmay
haveincludedtheKeeperoftheRoyalArmouryatEastGreenwich,oneorbothofthe
YeomenoftheJewelHouse,fiveoftheYeomenoftheGuard,andoneofthe
GentlemenPensioners.TheYeomenoftheGuard,inparticular,controlledaccessto
theQueen,andinexchange,shefedthem,clothedthem,lodgedthem,andpaid
them.TotheincreasingnumbersofzealousProtestants,thedailycloserelationship
betweenElizabethandherFamilyofLoveYeomenmusthavebeengallinginthe
extreme.[72]
Addedtothis,twoofhersuitorshadFamilistassociations:ErikXIVofSwedenhad
chansonbooksforElizabethboundbyChristopherPlantin,theAntwerpFamilist
printer,andwhenElizabethresumedmarriagenegotiationswiththeDukeofAnjouin
1579,shemayhaveknown,throughDee,thatseveralmembersoftheDukes
entouragehadclosetiestotheFamilyofLoveonthecontinent.Manyhistorians
believethehightreasonchargesagainstEdmundCampionandotherJesuitsin1580
81werefueledbyProtestantconservativestoinciteparanoia,especiallyinlightofthe
QueensigningamarriagetreatywithAnjouin1581.
NowwecanaddanotherdimensiontotheConsecratedLittleBookofBlack
Venussallegeddateof1580.FortheFamilyofLoveinEngland,1580wastheyear
thecrackdownbegan,connectedhoweverstrangelytoElizabethsunpopularcourtship
oftheDukeofAnjouandtheeasyaccesssomemenintheFamilyofLovehadtothe
Queenherself.MarsharguesthatthecriticismoftheFamilywastoacertainextent
somethingratherlikedisplaced,evensubconsciouscriticismofElizabeth,especiallya
fearthatshemightsharetheviewsofherYeomen.Whatifherphilosopherandadvisor
JohnDeewasalsoamemberoftheFamilyofLove?LikesomeofherYeomen,he
wassoontobegone.
The1580dateseemsreversedengineeredtopointtothiscrackdown.Ifthe
ConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusinanywaydrawsuponFamilistritualsdone
through1580,theseritualsobviouslywerenotbringingaboutthereligioustolerancethe
FamilyofLovemighthavewanted.Also,aswevenoted,theoldestmanuscriptlikely
datestoabout1600,not1580,andthecalligraphyisGerman,notEnglish.Someone
otherthanDeelikelycopiedit,andbroughtitback.Who?Perhapssomeoftheother
EnglishvisitorstothecastleinTrebona:EdwardDyer,ThomasKelley,oroneofthe
Garlandbrothers?Partofthispicturemustbemissing,justaspartoftheritualseems
missing,asifitwerewrittenasateaseforsomeonewhoalreadyknowswhatheorshe
islookingat.
Takealeapforamoment,andconsiderthishypothesis:whatiftheHornofVenus
embodiessomeremnantofamucholderritual,hearkeningbacktothe12thcentury
synthesisofhereticalChristianity,Kabbalah,Sufism,andindigenousGoddessreligions

thatwetalkedaboutintheopeningofthisarticle?Ifsuchritesstillexistedthree
centurieslater,theyverylikelyhaddegeneratedovertime.Ifonereadsoversomeof
thebarbarousnames,theysoundlikenothingsomuchasnamesfilteredthrougha
Semiticlanguage(beitArabicorsomeother)thatarentSemiticinorigin.
SupposesomeversionofariteliketheHornofVenuswasreceivedbyDee
sometimeafterhewrotetheHieroglyphicMonadbutbefore1580.Perhapshemight
havetriedtoexplainittoafewFamilyofLovefriends...butmanyoftheallusions,
especiallythoseinvolvingtheKabbalah,SufismortheMonad,likelywouldntbe
understoodbymostEnglishFamilists,andwritingdownalengthyexplanationwould
behereticalintheextreme.
MostEnglishFamilistswouldlikelybeatalossathowtogoaboutbringingback
whateverhadbeenlost,butDeehadconnectionstolearnedindividualsonthe
Europeancontinentfarbeyondmostofhiscountrymen.Mighthenotdowhatmany
Kabbalistsdidfromthe12thcenturyon,andtrytoimprovethesystembyapplyinghis
knowledgeofsacredcorrespondencesinHebrew?Wecanfindmany,manyexamples
ofKabbalistscorrectingotherwritersmistakesinHebrewbasedontheirdifferent
understandingofKabbalah.
AstheDeesandKellysjourneyedonthecontinentfrom15831589,theirmain
contactslikelywerecontinentalFamilists.Buttheirtravelstookthemtocitieswithlarge
Jewishpopulations,anditsinconceivablethatJohnDee,theChristianKabbalist,
wouldnothavemetwiththem.Mostwhostudyhislifeassume,forinstance,thatDee
metwithRabbiJudahLoew,theKabbalistwhocreatedaGolemtodefendPragues
Jewishquarter,eventhoughtheresnorecordofit.
LetshypothesizethatDeeandKellyencounteredtheteachingsofRabbiIsaacLuria,
whosepracticalKabbalawasexplicitlytantricandfocusedontheideathatachosen
fewpeoplecouldliterallyhealtheworld.Thoughconventionalwisdomsaysthat
LuriasteachingswouldnotyethavetraveledfromtheGalileancityofSafed,wherehe
diedin1572atonly38yearsofage,tonorthernEurope,weknoworalteachingscan
travelfasterthanprintedones,andinmynextarticleIllsuggestseveralpossibleroutes
oftransmission.
TheBlackVenusinourworkingwillbecometheShekinahwhenLurianicKabbalism
issuperimposedovertheritethealchemicalintentthesameasaLurianicKabbalists
focusontiqqun,metempsychosesandredemption.LawrenceFine,inhisexcellent
surveyPhysicianoftheSoul,HealeroftheCosmos:IsaacLuriaandhis
KabbalisticFellowship,pointsoutthatmuchofthistiqqunisfocusedonthe
theologicalandtheurgicalimplicationsofsexualrelationsincludingrigorousconcern
forthedayandhourduringwhichrelationsshouldtakeplace,andthedirectionin
whichacoupleshouldlie[73]aswellasamultitudeofotherconcernswhichcanbe
mappedoutintermsofsacredgeometry.
IfwelookatTheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusthroughthelensof
LurianicKabbalah,aswelldonextissue,wellhaveaprettygoodideaofwhathas
beenleftoutandwhy:butwellalsohavearitethatwouldlikelynothavetakenthis
formuntil1585or1586,theyearsMeiermentionsinhisanalysis.Thiswriterthinkswe
canpinpointexactlywhyitwasbroughtbacktoEnglandandconnectitdirectlyto
Deesmagicalworkinthefinalyearsofhislife.Theconclusionsmaysurpriseyou!

Index
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Index
Notes
[1]Foranexcellentsynopsisofplanetaryattributionsandcharacteristicsofmagickalhoursand

daysingrimoiresrangingfromtheKeyofSolomontheKingtoAgrippasThreeBooksofOccult
Philosophy,seeLeitch,especiallychapterfive,MagicalTiming.Fordiscussionofmagical
hoursrelationspecificallytoterrestrialastronomy,seeSkinner,pp.240241.
[2]June41580fallsonSaturdayontheJuliancalendar.CatholicstatesinEuropeswitchedtothe
Gregoriancalendarin1582,andProtestantcountriesfollowedovernext170years,withBritain
changinglast,in1752.JohnDeesattempttoreformtheEnglishcalendarin1583metwithlittle
success.
[3]Wooley,pp.8993.
[4]Kelley,pp.18,31,35,37,4041,43,44.
[5]Firinstance,intheveryfirstactiononDecember22,1581,DeeaskstheArchangelAnaelabout
Thesauroabscondita(hiddentreasure).SeeDee2003a,pp.6166.
[6]Forinformationondifferentdocuments,seeMeiersdetailedcomparison.
[7]JosephPetersonhasputexcerptsofthismanuscriptonlineat
http://www.esotericarchives.com/mc/index.html.
[8]SeefurtherdiscussioninPhilLegardsappendixtothisarticle.DeBrysengravingsof
Grochedelsworkhavebeenrepublished,translated,andexplicatedbyAdamMcLeaninhis
MagicalCalendar.
[9]Seeespeciallychaptersix:ThePalatinatePublisher:JohannTheodoreDeBryandthe
PublicationoftheWorksofRobertFluddandMichaelMaier,pp.8296.
[10]Peterson1999(ed).Available:http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/heptamer.htm.
[11]McLean2006,p.208.
[12]Ibid,pp.220222.
[13]Ibid,pp.917.
[14]Bridges,AngelMagick,DeesRosieCrucianSecretsandtheByromCollection:
FragmentationandTransmissioninthe18th century.Available:
http://www.jwmt.org/v2n11/angel.html.
[15]Beggtalksaboutthistraditioninmanyplaces,butfocusesonEuropeandparticularlyFrance
andSpain.
[16]Begg,pp.145146.Ofcourse,thiswritermustaddthat,fromaJewishperspective,thereligions
werealwaysone:itwasthehereticalChristianswhobrokethingsoffbyturningarabbiintoa
divinity.Forfurtherdiscussionoficonography,seeallofchapter5,TheSymbolicMeaningof
theBlackVirgin.
[17]Patai,pp.187206.
[18]Patai,pp.202203.
[19]SeeHeller,TheStoryoftheMagicHorn:AStudyintheDevelopmentofaMediaevalFolk
Tale.
[20]SeeBridgesandWeidner,GrailKnights,Perfecti,andtheIlluminatedSagesofProvence,in
Mysteries,pp.151188.
[21]SeeAppendixI.
[22]ImentionMurraybecauseofherinfluenceonmanyintheWiccanandneopaganrevivalof
70sand80s.http://www.sacredtexts.com/pag/wcwe/index.htm.

[23]Asmanyhavepointedoutsince,Murraysargumentmakesmoresenseifoneassumesthe
socalledwitchcultattimesfusedwithandattimeshidwithindifferenthereticalChristian
movements,justasJewishmarranosandconversoswereoftensuspectedofcontinuingtheir
JewishpracticesafterconvertingtoChristianity,andjustaspapistsinEnglandduringDees
timewereconstantlyundersuspicionofremainingCatholicinaProtestantcountry.Within
ProtestantEngland,differentProtestantmovementsliketheFamilyofLovewerealso
consideredheretical.
[24]Taylor,p.114.ThissurveyofGreekalchemymakesnoefforttodistinguishbetweengenuine
authorsandfalseattribution.AtextwhichpresentsitselfasauthoredbyIsis,therefore,helists
asbeingbyIsis.
[25]Foradetaileddiscussion,seeWitt,IsisintheAncientWorld,especiallychapterXX,which
looksatIsisasTheGreatForerunnerofMaryanddiscussesthewellknownphenomenonof
Maryassumingtheattributesoflocalpagandivinities.Italsopresentsiconographicparallels
betweenEgyptianandChristianmotifs,suchasIsis/HorusresemblingMary/Jesusor
Horus/St.Georgekillingaserpent/dragon.
[26]IftheoriginalwriteroftheConsecratedLittleBookofBlackVenusintendsNegromanciato
refertoalchemy,thatinsidemeaningseemsbythetimethe1794authoroftheGedtruckertext
recopiesit,andchangesthewordtonecromancia.SeeMeier,pp.21,22,30.
[27]Ofcourse,thisassumesthatthespeakerspokethelanguageofthegroupsinpower.Minority
languagesweregenerallyoutlawed,andtheTudorsWelshrevivaldidnotincluderevivingthe
rightofpeopletoconductbusinessandlegalmattersinWelsh.
[28]Meier,p.72.
[29]BridgesguidetotheMonasHieroglyphicatheoremsisincludedasAppendixII.
[30]Dee1975,pp.1820.
[31]ThankyoutoAlanMooreforthisexplanation.

[32]Foroneofmanyextendedexplanationsofthedifference,seePowell,
[33]Aston,p.160.
[34]Wooley,p.141.
[35]Ibid,pp.7374.
[36]SeeHellman,TheCometof1577:ItsPlaceintheHistoryofAstronomy.
[37]Christianson,TychoBrahesTreatiseontheCmetof1577:AStudyinScienceandPolitics.
[38]Wooley,pp.132143.
[39]SeeYates,Astraea.
[40]King,pp.5862.
[41]Tanner,qtd.inAston,p.168.
[42]Aston,pp.177179Christianson,p.130.
[43]Dee2003a,pp.5666.
[44]Suster,p.153.
[45]Meier,pp.8485.HerpentilsworkiscollectedbyScheible,1846.Ofnote,Schieblesother
interestsjudgingbyhisbooktitlesseemtobetheSixandSeventhBookofMoses(1849)andDr.
JohannFaust(1846).

[46]Meier,p.106117.
[47]Meier,p.135136.SeeAppendixIIIforGermantext.
[48]Meier,p.144145.SeeAppendixIIIforGermantext.
[49]DeesangelicworkingswithKelleybeganin1582.WhileDeemayhavecalledangelicspirits
beforethis,wehavenorecordofit.
[50]Meier,p.144145.SeeAppendixIIIforGermantext.
[51]Darlene,theartistwhorecreatedthecolorfrontispieceforourtranslation,saystheWarburg
manuscriptshowsawriterwhowasdefinitelynotaskilledcalligrapher.Thelettersreflectthe
Germanstyle,butpoorly.
[52]CarlosGillyidentifiedthemanuscripttheMagicalCalendarwasbasedontobeBritish
LibrarymanuscriptHarley3420.
[53]AsLegardmentionsinAppendixI,andPetersoninhisonlineintroductiontoTubaVeneris,
partoftheimpetusbehindthisisDeeswellknowninterestincodesandcryptography.Also,
Voynichmanuscriptresearchersoftentheorizethatthisincomprehensiblemanuscriptattributedto
RogerBaconmayhavebeeninDeeandKelleyspossession,andtheycouldhavesoldittoHoly
RomanEmporerRudlfIIofBohemia.GivenMeiersthesisthattheHornofVenusmayhave
originatedinthesameplaceatthesametime,lookingforTrithemianorotherciphersinitseems
logical."
[54]SeeAppendixI.
[55]SeeAppendixI.
[56]McLean2006,p.212.
[57]Beckwith,ArbeitenzurGeschicktedesAntikenJudentumsunddesUrchristentums.
[58]ComparethisTreasuretothatofanotherworkofNigromancy,attributedtoRogerBacon,
whoDeefeltwastheidealphilosopher:HerebeginneththepracticeofNigromancyorthe
BlackArtwhichistheconvocationandextricationoftheSpiritswheresoevertheymaybeand
inveritytogatherthemlikefellowstothyselfasthouwouldsheavesofwheat,thatbythese
meansyoumayobtaintheThesaurusSpiritumortreasureofspirits.BythisArtisscarcely
anythingcompletedunlessitisnewlysetapart,atoncemadevenerable,mighty,andoccult.Thus
thesecretworkbefore[my]discoverywaswidelyknownbythepopuliceofancientAlexandria,
bywhichI,Fra.RobertLombard,abrotherminoroftheFransicanOrdertogetherwithFra.Roger
Baconthroughmanyyearsofstudyofthatplacefelluponit.
[59]Josten,p.100101.
[60]ForadetaileddiscussionintermsofLurianicKabbalism,seeFine,PhysicianoftheSoul,
HealeroftheCosmos:IsaacLuriaandhisKabbalisticFellowship.
[61]Bridges1999,TheGnosticScienceofAlchemy,reprintedinBridgesandWeidner2004,p.61.
[62]McLean2006,pp.220222.
[63]Mathers(trans),Peterson(ed)Available:
http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/ksol.htm#chap6.
[64]SeeWoolley,pp.63,186Yates1972,p.100MacLean1993,p.7.
[65]Yates1972,p.273.
[66]Woolley,p.186.
[67]Hamilton.

[68]Marsh,pp.1749.
[69]Ibid,pp.146147.
[70]Harvey.
[71]Marsh,p.238.
[72]Ibid,p.117.
[73]Fine,p.203.

Index