[John Dee would have you know he was no wizard or sorcerer and that he was as devout and God-fearing as any man (or woman). He was, undoubtedly so, yet he tried to contact the spirits, and it is debatable who responded. Did they, like Mephistopheles come to corrupt him? Was he taking too big a risk? How can anyone be sure who he is contacting? Like Faust, who was he that he thought he knew better than anyone else and could do what he chose?]Prayer from Dee’s Primus:
Omnipotens, Sempiterne, vere, et vive Deus, in adjutorium meum intende: Domine Dominantium, Rex Regum, Jeovah Zebaoth, ad adjuvandum me festina:Gloria Deo, Patri, Filio, et spiritui Sancto: Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper et in sæcula sæculorum: Amen.Recte sapere, et intelligere doceto me, (ô rerum omnium Creator,) Nam Sapientia tua, totum est, quod volo: Da verbum tuum in ore meo, (ô rerum omnium Creator,) et sapientiam tuam in corde meo fige.O Domine Jesu Christe (qui sapientia vera es, æterni et Omnipotentis tui Patris) humilimè tuam oro Divinam Majestatem, expeditum mihi ut mittere digneris, alicuius pii, sapientis expertique, Philosophi auxilium, ad illa plenissimè intelligenda perficiendaque, quæ maximi valoris erunt ad tuam laudem et gloriam amplificandam: Et si Mortalis nullus iam in terris vivat, qui ad hoc munus aptus sit: vel qui ex æterna tua providentia, ad istud mihi præstandum beneficium assignatus fuerit: Tunc equidem humilime, ardentissimè et constantissimè a tua Divina Majestate requiro, ut ad me de cælis mittere digneris bonos tuos Spirituales Ministros, Angelosque, videlicet Michaëlem, Gabrielem,Raphaëlem ac Urielem: et (ex Divino tuo favore) quoscunque, alios, veros, fidelesque tuos Angelos, qui me plene et perfecte informent et instruant, in cognitione, intelligentiaque vera et exacta, Arcanorum et Magnalium tuorum (Creaturas omnes tuas, illarumque naturas, proprietates, et optimos usus, concernentium)et nobis Mortalibus scitu necessariorum; ad tui nominis laudem, honorem, et gloriam; et ad solidam meam, aliorumque (per me,) plurimorumtuorum fidelium consolationem: et ad Inimicorum tuorum confusionem, et subversionem.Amen.Fiat Jeovah Zebaoth: Fiat Adonay, fiat Elohim. O beata, et superbenedicta Omnipotens Trinitas, Concedas mihi (Joanni Dee) petitionem hanc, modo tali, qui tibi maximè placebit.Amen.Pasted from <http://www.john-dee.org/Primus.pdf>
[Translated at john-dee.org:][from “Recte sapere”:]
Teach me to know aright and to understand (O Creator of all things) for thy wisdom is all that I desire. Give thy word in my mouth (O Creator of all things) and fix thy wisdom in my heart.O Lord Jesus Christ (who art the true wisdom of thine eternal and almighty Father), I most humbly beseech thy Divine Majesty, that thou deignest to send me the speedy aid of some pious, wise and expert philosopher for the complete understanding and accomplishing of that which will be of the greatest worth for the increase of thy praise and glory: And if there should be no Mortal now living on earth who might be fitting for this gift, or who by thy divine providence might be assigned to the fulfillment of this my prayer, then equally most humbly, most ardently and most constantly, I request from thy Divine Majesty that thou deignest to send to me from the heavens thy good Spiritual Ministers and Angels, which is to say, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel: and (out of thy Divine favor) whatever other true and faithful of thy Angels, who might completely and perfectly inform and instruct in the knowledge and in the true and exact intelligence of thy Secrets and Miracles (concerning all thy Creatures and their natures, properties and best uses) the understanding of which is necessary to us Mortals; to the praise, honor and glory of thy name and to my thorough consolation and (through me) that of many others of thy faithful, and to the confusion and subversion of thine enemies. Amen.Pasted from <http://www.john-dee.org/primus_notes.pdf> [Remainder from Google Translate:]let it be done Jehovah of hosts: let it be done Adonay, and let it be done Elohim. Oh, Blessed and Most almighty Trinity, yield to me (John Dee) this request this, in such a way as is most pleasing to you.Amen.