Manuscripts of the 'Key of Solomon' in English

British Library MS. Sloane 3645.
Here beginneth the Booke of King Solomon called the Key of Knowledge.
[13 short chapters with text in English.]
Ch 1 What Orations and Prayers ought to be said before you worke.
Ch 2 Of the Confession before you worke.
Ch 3 Of your Conjuration with a Malediction thereunto belonging.
Ch 4 Of Pentacles and how they ought to be made.
Ch 5 Of the way how to worke.
Ch 6 For things Stolne.
Ch 7 For to be Invisible.
Ch 8 For Love how they ought to be prepared.
Ch 9 For to make a woman dreame of Thee.
Ch 10 Of Experiments of Favor and Friendship.
Ch 11 Of Experiments of Hatred and Malice.
Ch 12 For to faiyne a thing to be true which indeed is false.
Ch 13 Of Extraordinary Experiments and how they are prepared.

Here beginneth the Second Booke of the Key of Knowledge of Solomon.
[22 short chapters in English.]
Ch 1 Here followeth in what hower Experiments ought to be done.
Ch 2 Here followeth how the Conjurer ought to behave himselfe.
Ch 3 How his Fellowes must behave themselves.
Ch 4 Of Fasting and Watch.
Ch 5 Of Bathes, how they must be made.
Ch 6 The Blessing of the Salt.
Ch 7 Here followeth of Apparrell and Shoes.
Ch 8 Here followeth of the Knife required in this Arte, and how itt must bee made.
Ch 9 Here followeth how Circles must be made and how you must enter
into them.
Ch 10 Here followeth of Water and Ysope.
Ch 11 Here followeth of Ysope.
Ch 12 Here followeth of Fyer and Lighte.
Ch 13 Here followeth of Penn and Inke.
Ch 14 Of the Bloud of a Batt, and how you must worke by it.
Ch 15 Here followeth of Virgin Paper or Parchment called Membrana.
Ch 16 How you must work with waxe.
Ch 17 Here followeth a Needle wherewith thou must worke.
Ch 18 Here followeth of Odours and Perfumes how they ought to be made.
Ch 19 Here followeth the Chapter wherein is declare what cloath you must use to putt in your things necessary for your Experiments.
Ch 20 Of the worke of Images.
Ch 21 Of the howers to work in.
Ch 22 Here followeth of the Colours of the Planetts.
The manner and way how to make the Pentacle shall bee shewed on
the other side next following.
[Diagram.]
[Other illustrations of magical circles are found on f16v,17r.]

British Library MS. Sloane 3847.
The worke of Salomon the Wise called his Clavicle, Revealed by King Ptolomeus ye Graecian.
Truly copyed verbu pro verbo by H:G: in Ann° Christo 1572 in mense Aprielis circa octavo.
[magical diagram in the form of a square.]
The Prologue.
"Here begineth the prologue of ye Booke of Clavicles of Salomon containinge the Secrets of all Secrets of all crafts magicall of Nigromancy, the which booke of Craftes as Ptolomei the most wisest philosopher on greece, doth testify. Remember my sonne Roboam more dearer to me then Isaack, for I had all my Scyience of ye Creator or all Creatures. Roboam sayd what have I deserved. Why should I in any case be likened to my father. Salomon sayd, I have revelation by an Angell of God, it chanced on night, in my sleepe I named the holy name of god. Isaack and I desired to have the ineffable wisdome of god, for ye Angell Raziell appeared to me in my sleepe, shewinge this ennarration gently, Salomon, shut or tye the secretts of secrets, for it shall be time that all wisdome shall be destroyed and shall be hydde and shall come to nothing, and ye shall know that time is nye..."
[Text in English with prayers in Latin.]

Here beginneth the first booke of the Clavicles of Secrets as the most wisest philosopher, Ptolomy the Grecian sayeth.
Of which days, howres and poyntes nessesary and experiments magical.
Of arts magicall or nigromanticall, or of some spirits how they should beordered.
[Circle of the Art diagram.]
These prayers followinge ought to be sayed at your uprisinge.
The Rubrice of exorsization.
[First the ‘Conjuration', then the ‘Admiration']
After you have donne in the East and South, then say to the West and North pts.
How and by what manner the pentacles be made.
Heare followeth the forme and manner of the pentacles or canderarin distirecoes.
How experiments should be made and ordayned for theft.
How experiments of invisability should be prepared.
How experiments of Love should be ordayned.
How experiments of grace and imprecration should be prepared.
How experiments of envy and destruction should be ordayned.
How experiments of mockinge and laughinge should be prepared.
How experiments extraordinary be prepared and ordayned.
Finis primi libri Claviculi Salomoni. Heare endeth the first prologue, and heare beginnethe the Prologue of the 2nd Booke, as Ptolomeus the grecian witnesseth, that hath elucidated and made cleere the Secrett of secretts from obscure Darkness...

Heare beginneth the rubrice of the 2nd Book.
[Text in English with prayers in Latin.]
Ch 1 What howres the artes and experiments ought to be fulfilled and
exercised when they be prepared.
Ch 2 Of Fastinge in Custody.
Ch 3 How the Coniurer should order himselfe.
Ch 4 Of Bathes and how they should be.
Ch 5 How the fellowes and scollers should doe.
Ch 6 Of Clothinge and Shooes.
Ch 7 Of Places where they should coniure, and where the crafts should be excersised and made, and the experiments.
Ch 8 Of the knife, the Sword, Vel, arthano, or the instruments, by what
means they worke in the Craft.
Ch 9 How the Circles be made, and how ye should enter into them.
Ch 10 Of the fumigations of all artes and experiments.
Ch 11 Of Water and Isope, and how ye should worke.
Ch 12 Of Light and Fyer, and how ye should worke with them.
Ch 13 Of the precepts of all artes and experiments.
Ch 14 Of Pen and Inke, and other colloures, and how ye should worke.
Ch 15 Of Virgin paper how ye should worke.
Ch 16 Of a Penne, and an instrument to write withall.
Ch 17 Of certain bloud necessary in artes and experiments.
Ch 18 Of a needle, and an Instrument of Iron, how to make them.
Ch 19 Of Caracters to be written, how they should be wrought.
Ch 20 Of the Sacrifice, and how it should be done and wrought.
Ch 21 Of the silke or linnen cloth to put the hallowed things in.
Ch 22 Of the worke of Images, and of Astronomy."

Heare followeth one the other side the forme of the circle whosoever be in such a circle shall be as sure as in a very stronge Castle wherein he needeth to feare nothinge.

Hic incipit opus mirabile et etia verissima de 40 annulis sapientissimi salomonis.
[text in Latin]
[four square diagrams with enclosed circles.]
[Item 3 - Sepher Raziel.]

British Library MS. Add. 36,674.
Here begynneth the Booke of Kynge Solomon called the Kay of Knowledge. Clavicula Salomonis. Extat Latine: et Legi.
Cabalisttica: sed sophistica.
Orysons to be sayde, when you coniure.
A confession to be sayde before thou worke.
[No Ch 1-3.]
Ch 4 Here followeth, howe and after what sorte, Pentacles must be made; wherein all the science of the Kay of Knowledge dependethe.
Ch 5 Here followeth, the way to worke, wch is the cheyfest chapiter of all.
Ch 6 Here followeth, howe experimentes for things that are stolne, ought to be wroughte.
Ch 7 Howe experiments to be invysible must be preparedd.
Ch 8 Howe and by what meanes, experiments of Love ought to be wrought, as well in gettinge hyr, whome thou desyreste; as yn touchinge hir in her sleape, or talkynge wythe her.
Ch 9 Here followeth an other waye wherby yt ys brought to passe, that she shall dream of the.
Ch 10 Of experimentes of favor and freyndshipp.
Ch 11 Howe experyments for hatred ar prepared that any may bee made deadly enemyes.
Ch 12 An experiment to sayne a thinge to bee which indeade is false whereby many men de deceyved as in playinge, or in showinge any other thinge.
Explicit. Thus endeth the fyrst booke of the kay of knowledge of Solamon.

Here begynnethe the Seconde Booke, of the key of Knowledge of Solamon.
Ch 1 Here followeth yn what hower experiments ought to be done.
Ch 2 Here followeth howe the coniurer ought to behave himselfe.
Ch 3 Howe his fellowes must behave them selves.
Ch 4 Of fastynge and watche.
Ch 5 Of Bathes, howe they muste be made.
Ch 6 The blyssynge of the Salte.
Ch 7 Heare followeth of apparrell.
Ch 8 Here followeth of the knyfe reqred in this Arte, and howe yt muste bee made.
The forme and shape of ye knife, wth words and caracters. [Drawings of weapons.]
Ch 9 Here followeth howe Circles, muste bee made, and howe you must enter into them.
The manner to make Circles, shall bee showed, on the other syde of this same leafe.
[Diagrams of two circles.]
Ch 10 Here followeth of water, and ysope.
Ch 11 Here followeth of ysope.
Ch 12 Here followeth of fyer and lighte.
Ch 13 Here followeth of penn and ynke.
Ch 14 Of the blode of a Batt, howe you muste worke by yt.
Ch 15 Here followeth of vyrgyn paper, or Parchment, called Membrana.
Ch 16 Howe you must worke wth waxe.
Ch 17 Here followeth of a nedle wherenth thou muste worke.
Ch 18 Here followeth of odours and perfumes, howe they ought to be made.
Ch 19 Here followeth the chapter, wherin is declared, what cloth you muste use to putt yn your thinges necessary for your experyment.
Ch 20 Of the worke of ymages.
Ch 21 Of the howers to worke yn.
Ch 22 Here followeth, of the colors of the Planetts.
The manner and waye howe to make thy Pentacle, shalbe showed on the other syde, next followynge.
Here followeth the manner howe to make the Pentacle. Caput Ultimum et Praecipium.
[Diagram. Circles within squares.]
Here endeth the booke of Salomon the wise, called the Key of Knowledge.

MS. in Private Collection.
58 folios. Late 18th or nineteenth centuries.
The Keys of Rabbi Solomon. Translated accurately from the Hebrew into English by Edward Hunter. The whole embellished by a vast number of mysterious Figures, Talismans, Pentacles.
Ch 1 The dispositions required of a person wishing to partake to the secrets of the Cabalistic Science.
Ch 2 Which are the places and times proper and suitable for the operation of the great art.
Ch 3 Of the matters which serve for the operations, and of the manner of preparing them in a cabalistic manner.
Ch 4 What are the instruments proper and necessary for operations in the art.
Ch 5 What are the influences and secret virtues of the different situations of the Moon, to the success of the operations of the art.
Ch 6 Of the manner of working the figure, talismans, characters, and following the Rules of the art.
[Drawing of the Great Pentacle of Solomon.]
Ch 7 Of the hourse of the day and of the night in respect to the planets which govern them.
Ch 8 Of the proper perfumes suitable to the seven planets.
Ch 9 Of the Oraisons, invocations, and conjurations for each day of the week.
Ch 10 Of the oraisons in form of exorcisms, to consecrate all things which serve to the operations of the great art.
[Oraisons in Latin.]
[Following this the work is not divided into Chapters, but deals in turn with the Pentacles, Oraisons, Invocations and Conjurations, Talismans, hours of day and night, mysterious characters, precious stones, trees, perfumes for each of the seven planetary days. This section runs to 41 folios.]
[Drawing of "The Mysterious Ring which several of Doctors have used with success"].
The Mysterious Ring. [2 folios only.]

MS. in Private Collection.
168 folios. Late 18th Century.
The Clavis or Key to Unlock the Mysteries of Magic of Rabbi Solomon. Translated from the Hebrew into French and from French into English with additions by Ebenezer Sibley M.D. Fellow of the Harmoniac Philosophical Society at Paris, Author of the Complete Illustration of Astrology, Editor of Culpepper's Complete Herbal, Placidus De Titus on Elementary Philosophy, etc. The whole enriched with Coloured Figures, Talismans, Pentacles, Circles, Characters, etc.
[opposite Title page there is coloured drawing of "Signs, Seals & Magical Knife".]
Ch 1 What Disposition they ought to possess who are willing to participate in the secrets of he Cabalistical Science.
Ch 2 What are the proper Places and Time for the Exercise of this Great Art.
Ch 3 Of Matters relating to the operatons and the manner of preparing them Cabalistically the Talismans, Pentacles, Mysterious Magic characters, and other Figures which are the principal Matters of the Science, and may be formed different ways.
Ch 4 Concerning the necessary Instruments.
Ch 5 What are the Influences a[nd] secret Virtue the different situations of the [Moon] requisite in this Art.
Ch 6 Of the manner of working the Figures of Talismans, Characters, etc according to the Rules of Art.
Ch 7 Concerning the Hours of the day and Night for the Seven days of the week and their respective Planets which govern them.
[Full page coloured drawing of "The Grand Pentacle of Solomon".]
Ch 8 Concerning the Perfumes that are proper for the seven Planets for every Day of the week and the manner of composing them.
Ch 9 Concerning the Orations, Invocations and Conjurations for every Day in the Week.
Ch 10 Concerning Orations in the form of Exorcisms to consecrate all the things which belong to the Operation of this Grand Work.
[Oraisons in Latin.]
p17-87 [Section without chapters but divided into seven sections, in each of which is shown the Pentacles, Cabbalistic Names of the hours, magical characters, talismans, precious stones, trees, etc associated with each of the seven planets.]
p87 The Mysterious Ring.
[Diagram of "The Mysterious Ring many Doctors of the Cabala have made use thereof with wonderful success.]
p95 An Experiment of the Spirit Agares.
p98 Of the Spirit Bealpharos.
[Drawing of Magic square with internal circle. Underneath is a shield with "Homo Sacarus Meus Elomeas Cherubosca".]
An Experiment of the Spirit Vassago who may be called upon to appear in Chrystal Stone or Glass or otherwise without.
[Full page drawing of "The Wheel of Magic" divided into eight sectors, coloured according to the Planets, with 13 concentric circles. Each sector bears various correspendences, i.e. Trees, Stones, days of week etc.]
The Wheel of Wisdom with its Key and full Directions for its use in Magical operations together with a familiar Example for its Application.
The Key to the Wheel of Wisdom.
Full Directions for Magical Operations.
Example.
Preface to the first part.

[Diagram of Circle with inscribed triangle, above a square with inscribed circles.]
[On facing page] The Complete book of [12 letters in a magical alphabet, which spell out "Magic Science"] Containing The Method of Constraining [7 letters in magical alphabet speeling out "Spirits"] to Visible Appearance, the consecration of Lamens Pentacles and the seals & Characters of the Planetary [6 letters of magical alphabet, probably spelling out "Angels"] with a form of a bond of spirits.
[Drawings of Circles, candlesticks and magical apparatus.]
Names of the offices of the ruling presiding and Ministering Spirits.

The form of the bond of Spirits given one J.W. 1573.
The Pentacles of the Seven Planets.
The Seals and Characters of the Seven Planets.
[Series of circular seals of Olympian spirits.]
The spiral Semaphora for Success in Life.
[Circular diagram.]
[Elaborate circle with various rays emanating and inscribed cross.]
[In separate signature taken from another MS. but placed within the present manuscript.]
Crystaliomancy Or the Art of Invocating Spirits By the Crystal.
12 folios.

National Library of Scotland MS. Crawford 158.
Paper. 152 folios. 18th Century.
E. Sibley.
The Clavis or Key to unlock the mysteries of Magick of Rabby Salomon.
Translated from the Hebrew into French and from French rendered into English with additions by Ebenezer Sibley, M.D.... and enriched with Figures, Talismans, Pentacles, Circles, Characters, etc. London, No 18 Bartlett's Buildings, Holburn, 7th August, 1789.