EXPLANATION OF FULL-PAGE PLATES

PLATE I

FRONTISPIECE—Edward Kelley, the Alchemist and supposed Magician, in the act of summoning the Spirit of a Deceased Person.
This plate is a copy from the second edition of Ebenezer Sibley's Illustration of the Occult Sciences. The man standing with Kelley inside the magic circle is likely Paul Waring, who—according to the historian Weaver in his book Funeral Monuments (1631, pages 45–46)—was Kelley's partner in all his magical summonings original: "conjurations". The scene is meant to show the churchyard of Walton-le-Dale original: "Walton Ledale" in the county of Lancashire. Sibley’s information comes from Weaver, who claimed that Waring himself was the source. Regarding this event and the broader topic of Kelley’s attempts at necromancy The practice of communicating with the spirits of the dead, see the Biographical Preface to The Alchemical Writings of Edward Kelley, pages xxvii–xxx.

PLATE II

The Angels of the Seven Planets, their Sigils Magical symbols or seals representing a specific spirit or power, the Signs and Houses of the Planets, and the names of the Seven Heavens, based on the Magical Elements of Peter de Abano. It also includes the names of the "Olympic Spirits" of the planets from the Arbatel of Magic, and the hellish symbols of the Evil Planetary Spirits from the Red Dragon A famous French grimoire, also known as Le Grand Grimoire.

The name of Michael, the Angel of Sunday original: "the Lord's Day", appears above his symbol, along with the astrological symbol of the Sun original: "Sol", the zodiac sign of Leo (which is the Sun's "House" or ruling sign), and the name of the Fourth Heaven, Machen Hebrew: Ma'on, meaning "Dwelling".

The name of Gabriel, the Angel of Monday, appears above his symbol, along with the astrological symbol of the Moon original: "Luna", the zodiac sign of Cancer (which is the Moon's ruling sign), and the name of the First Heaven, Shamain Hebrew: Shamayim, meaning "The Heavens".

The name of Samael, the Angel of Tuesday, appears above his symbol, along with the astrological symbol of Mars, the zodiac signs of Aries and Scorpio (which are the ruling signs of that planet), and the name of the Fifth Heaven, Machon Hebrew: Machon, meaning "Fixed Place" or "Foundation".

The name of Raphael, the Angel of Wednesday, appears above his symbol, along with the astrological symbol of Mercury, the zodiac signs of Gemini and Virgo (which are the ruling signs of that planet), and the name of the Second Heaven, Raquie Hebrew: Raki'a, meaning "Firmament" or "Expanse".

The name of Sachiel, the Angel of Thursday, appears above his symbol, together with...