Great Kabbalistic Art — Hartmann Schopper, 1564-1569

First, it should be noted that if diphthongs occur in the words of the Query, one should operate no differently than by joining them as a single unit, yet without the diversity of the diphthong, as many have falsely thought. So that you may understand this better, take this example with the word Prelium battle. Its numbers are 60, 70, 6, 20, 9, 100, 80. Where again the number corresponding to the third letter "e" is actually 5 in the above Alphabet; but because that letter is written as a diphthong æ/oe, therefore it is expressed by adding a unit, making it 6. Observe this also in other diphthongs.

Note secondly that where the letter Y occurs, which is mostly found in Greek names or those derived from Greek, such as Hieronymus Jerome, it is not to be written as the letter I, nor noted with the number 9. Instead, you shall consider it to be the sound Y, marked with the number 400. Similarly, where K is placed, express it as it is, not as Ch (as in Charlos) or as Ca (as in Krems, the proper name of a city located in Austria).

Thirdly, where you read H, although it is not a letter but a light aspiration, whether in places where it changes its own sound, like Philosophus Philosopher and similar words in which it changes the sound when joined with the letter P and is pronounced as F; or where it does not generate a change, as in Haugia or Homo Man; write it as it is found in both the first and second cases. Even if in the first case like "Ph" it is expressed as F, and in the second like H, although it does not generate a letter in expression.

Whatever has been said here regarding diphthongs being made by a single unit, and regarding the letters Y and K not being changed in Petitions formed in the Latin idiom, is also to be understood in any other idiom in which diphthongs and sounds occur that do not resonate as they are written.

And first, if the petition was written in the Greek language, and you see mixed diphthongs in it, such as αι or ει, you shall write the numbers thus: 6, 14, 9, 00, and 201, 10, 101, 40. In the first example you will see 6 marked for αι. In the second, a double value arises for 201. But letters which are not expressed as they are, and vary by producing a sound, like γγ double gamma in the name which although in reading is called Angelos Angel and the first Gamma is pronounced as N, in the table it will nevertheless be necessary to write that Gamma as itself.

But it must be noted here that if it is necessary to mark the Query with numbers written in this Greek language, one should not use the above alphabet. For just as the Greeks have their own letters entirely different from ours, so they must be given their own numbers. Lest you lose your oil and labor a phrase meaning to waste time and effort, do not be reluctant to adorn the query with this same alphabet noted for it, so it may obtain a Greek response. Accept the alphabet for such use thus:

Secondly, for the French language, you will note exactly the same observations. For example, in French, Manteau Cloak, which retains the proper diphthongs of the whole language, you will count thus: 70, 6, 40, 5; or otherwise 130, 1, 20, 100, 200. Likewise similarly the word Cheval Horse, which although in reading it is pronounced Sceval by the mouth, or that Marquis, which is likewise said by pronouncing it Marchi, you shall not abolish its letters from which they are adorned.

In this language it must finally be noted that the same Latin alphabet serves. For although the sound of the words is seen to vary from the Latin, nevertheless the books of both are the same, as is clear. You shall also observe this in the Spanish idiom.

Thirdly, for petitions in the German idiom, as said above, join the diphthongs, as in the word Kälte Cold or Lieb Dear/Love, which you will note with numbers thus: Kälte as 10, 6, 30, 10, 5, and Lieb as 10, 10, 2. Similarly, regarding words that are pronounced differently when changed, as we said above, do not change their proper characters, such as Bach or Ciceron, even though they are read by us as Pach and Zicero.

However, it must be observed in this idiom that there are certain particular sounds which are marked by a double V, thus W, as in Wette Wager. Surely you should not think that for the letter itself a double number opposed to that letter should be noted, but that a single one is sufficient. For also for that double letter in the German Alphabet, a number is inserted which seems to cause a variation between the Latin and the Alphabet of this language. Therefore, we will place this proper one for Petitions of that idiom in the following form.

Finally, if you make your Query in that purest Hebrew Language, the mother of all languages (I warn you so you are not deceived, for the best responses emanate from it), since you do not find diphthongs in it...