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Liber Primus – Notes and Translations

refer to Clay Holden’s transcription; taking Page 1 as the first page of Dee’s text after the

Anno 1581:1582 Mysteriorum Liber Primus title page.)

Page 1

Praeter alias meas extemporaneas preces, et ejaculationes ad Deum vehementiores: Haec

una, maxime usitata fuit

Oratio mea Matutina, Vespertinaque: pro Sapientia.

Among my other extemporaneous prayers and most fervent outpourings to God:

this one was most customarily used. My Morning and Evening Prayer: for

wisdom.

In nomine Dei Patris, Dei Filii, Dei Spiritus Sancti Amen

In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Amen

“In Nomine Dei Patris…”

Dee implies (here and elsewhere) that he started all his Actions with the prayers on this page. This

particular phrase is the standard Western Christian formula for marking the ritual start of an

Office, Service, or other ceremony or rite. It is also used within a service to mark a change of

focus or as a section boundary. As an example of the former, it is used at the start of the Mass,

and after it is said the priest is instructed to ignore anything else going on in the church, even the

elevation of the Host at another Mass. As an example of the latter, it is used in the Anglican rite to

introduce the sermon or homily.

Omnipotens, Sempiterne, vere, et vive Deus, in adiutorium meum intende: Domine

Dominantium, Rex Regum, Jeovah Zebaoth, ad adiuvandum me festina:

Gloria Deo, Patri, Filio, et spiritui Sancto: Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper et in

saecula saeculorum: Amen.

Almighty, Everlasting, True and Living God, make haste to deliver me. Lord of

Lords, King of Kings Jehovah Zebaoth, make haste to help me.

Glory be to God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now

and forever, world without end: Amen.

Translator’s Note: ‘semper et in saecula saeculorum” is generally given in English translations as

“forever, world without end” or “for ever and ever.” Literally, it is “always, unto an Age of

Ages”, and is done in imitation of a Hebrew idiom.

“Omnipotens…Amen”

Christian communal life (monastic and secular) was, until the Reformation, built around the Daily

(or Divine) Office, a series of eight liturgical services centered on the recitation of psalms and

prayers. It was also common for individuals to structure their private devotions around parts of

the Office.

Almost every service of the Daily Office opened with the psalm verse “Deus ad adiuvandum me

festina”, followed by the lesser doxology. (The exception was Matins, the first service of the day,

where “Deus ad adiuvandum” usually came as the second element.) See the notes below for

details of the psalm and the doxology.

The elaboration of the simple biblical “God” to a longer list of names and attributes is a cabbalistic

practice, detailed by Reuchlin and Agrippa. See, for example, the works cited in the discussions

of PELE and NA later in Liber Primus.

The daily office ended with a simple “Benedicamus Domino” (“Let us bless the Lord.”) Every

Action in Liber Primus is closed with a more elaborate blessing (e.g. the doxology, Soli Deo

honor omnis , “Glorie, thanks, and honor be unto the Almighty Trinitie”, etc.)

Thus, Dee not only marked out his ritual time and space using the same formula a religious service

would use (see note on “In nomine” above), but also began the Actions with the standard

introductory formula from the daily cycle of prayer and devotion, and ended each one with an

elaboration of the traditional closing.

“Ad adiuvandum me festina” – Ps 69:2 (Vulgate), Ps 70:1 (English Bibles)

Vulgate ex Septuaginto: Deus in adiutorium meum intende Domine ad adiuvandum me festina;

Vulgate ex Hebraeo: Deus ut liberes me, Domine ut auxilieris mihi festina

BCP: Haste thee, O God, to deliver me: make haste to helpe me, O Lord.

Geneva Bible: O god, haste thee to deliver me: make haste to helpe me, O Lord.

KJV: Make haste, O god, to deliver me; make haste to help me O LORD

“Gloria…”

This is the short doxology, generally used after psalms, hymns, and canticles. Generally, though,

it begins “Gloria Patri” rather than “Gloria Deo, Patri.”

Recte sapere, et intelligere doceto me, (o rerum omnium Creator,) Nam Sapientia tua,

totum est, quod volo: Da verbum tuum in ore meo, (o rerum omnium Creator,) et

sapientiam tuam in corde meo fige.

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.

“Fige”

Note that figo is also the word used for driving nails.

O Domine Jesu Christe (qui sapientia vera es, aeterni et Omnipotentis

tui Patri) humilime tuam oro Divinam Majestatem, expeditum

mihi ut mittere digneris, alicuius pii, sapientis expertiquie, Philosophi

auxilium, ad illa plenissime intelligenda perficiendaque, quae 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 aeterna tua providentia, ad istud mihi praestandum beneficium

assignatus fuerit: Tunc equidem humilime, ardentissime et constan-

tissime a tua Divina Majestate requiro, ut ad me de caelis mittere

digneris bonos tuos Spirituales Ministros, Angelosque, videlicet Mi=

chaelem, Gabrielem, Raphaelem 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 (Creaturs 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,) plurimorum

tuorum fidelium consolationem: et ad Inimincorum tuorum confusionem,

et subversionem. Amen.

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.

“Spirituales”

“Spirituales” has senses of form (as in spiritual beings – i.e. Angels) and function (as in ‘Spiritual

Father’, when applied to a priest.)

Fiat Jeovah Zebaoth: Fiat Adonay,

Fiat Elohim. O beata, et superbenedicta Omnipotens

Trinitas, Concedas mihi (Joanni Dee) petitionem hanc, modo tali , qui tibi maxime

placebit.

Amen

Let it be so, Jehovah Zebaoth: Let it be so Adonai, let it be so Elohim. Oh Holy

and Surpassingly Blessed Almighty Trinity, May you grant me (John Dee) this

petition in the way that is most pleasing to you. Amen.

“Fiat”

“Let it be so" is one translation of "Fiat" which may have many translations. This one was chosen

for its resemblance to "Fiat Lux" commonly translated "Let there be light". Alternative

translations for "Fiat" are “May it be so" and "Make it so.”

Ab anno 1579. hoc fere modo: Latine, vel Anglice; (ast circa annum 1569 alio et

peculiari, particulari modo: interdum pro Raphaele, interdum pro Michaele) ad Deum

preces fundere: mihi gratissimum fuit:

Mirabilem in me faciat Deus Misericordiam suum.

Amen.

From the year 1579, it was done in this way: in Latin and in English; (but around

the year 1569 in another and peculiar, particular way: sometimes for Raphael,

sometimes for Michael. To pour prayers out to God: this was most pleasing to me.

May God bring forth his marvelous mercy in me. Amen.

John Dee His Note (Page 2)

Angelus sive Intelligentia, nunc toti mundo praedominens

The Angel or Intelligence now ruling over the whole world.

“Intelligentia”

In a theological sense intelligentia is a ‘a non-corporeal Being or Intelligence’, and is commonly

used for angels and spiritual beings. Agrippa, Ficino, and Aquinas use it in this sense.

‘Intelligentia’ can also be a ‘rational activity, rational comprehension’, in a more philosophical

than theological way (also used by Aquinas and various neoplatonizing Christians.) Here, it is

easy to opt for the former meaning, though in Liber Tertius the choice is not so clear.

“Annael praedominens”

Oddly enough, Trithemius in his De Septem Secundeis (also called Chronologia Mystica) says

that Gabriel is the Angel currently (in 1582) presiding over the world. Annael is problematic in

other ways as well. (See below.)

Etymologia: {Gratiosa/Afflicta} misericors Dei

Etymology: The Gracious/Afflicted Merciful … of God.

Translator’s Note: This is a little problematic, since there is no noun here. (The four other Angels

in the Note are all described with nouns.) It could be, for instance, the “merciful nature” or

“merciful things” of God. “Gratiosa/afflicta” can be explained in Christian terms, in which God’s

mercy is both gracious (in many senses of the word) and suffering (because of the Passion and

Death of Christ.)

4 Angeli praesidentes 4 Cardinibus Caeli: ut Agrippa notat in scala Quarternarii.

4 Angels presiding over the 4 cardinal points of Heaven, as Agrippa notes in his

scale of fours.

“scala Quarternarii”

Note that this reads “scale of fours”, not “scale of four”. This is translated “The Scale of the

Number of Four” in James Freake’s edition of 1651. The table can be found in Agrippa, De

Occulta Philosophia, II.7

Etymologiae --

Etymologies --

Fortitudo Dei

The Strength of God

Praevalescentia -- sive praepotentia -- sive Fortitudo Praevalesecens -- Dei

The growing strong -- or the great power -- or the Prevailing Strength -- of God

Medicina Dei

The Medicine of God

Lux Dei

The Light of God

Anna, et Annah, obsecrantis, et confitentis particula est. Hac ratione, non absurde

innuere videtur, Orantem et confitentem Deum.

Anna, and Annah, is a particle of one beseeching or acknowledging. By this

reason, it is seen, not absurdly, to signify praying to and acknowledging God.

Translator’s Note: “Confiteor” is more commonly translated “confess”, as in “confess the strength

of Christ crucified”. “Acknowledge” was chosen instead as it might be less ambiguous to a

modern reader.

“ratione”

For expanding “roe” to “ratione”, see Dizionario di Abbreviature latine ed italiane. Other editors

have taken the text as “coe”, which has no satisfactory expansion.

First Page of text after prayer (Page 3)

Ad Deum Omnipotentem Protestatio fidelis:

ad pertetuam rei memoriam Anno 1582

A faithful declaration to Almighty God for the perpetual memory of the event(s)

in the year 1582.

Translator’s Note: In more modern English, this might read “I swear to Almighty God that this is

an accurate account of what happened in 1582”. Also, the phrase “Protestatio fidelis” might make

one think of Dee as a faithful Protestant, but this is a mere hint or interpretation and not a literal

rendering.

Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo etc.

For if any of you is in need of wisdom, let him ask of God, etc.

“Si quis…” – James 1:5

The text in the microfilm of Sloane 3188 may have a dot over the final “a” or it may not. If it

does, this would then read “sapientiam”, which is also grammatically correct, and the reading in

the Vulgate.

Vulgate: si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientiam postulet a Deo qui dat omnibus affluenter et

non inproperat et dabitur ei.

KJV: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and

upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Geneva Bible: If any of you lacke wisdome, let him aske of God, which giveth to all men liberally,

and reprocheth no man, and it shall be given him.

Mittas lucem tuam et veritatem tuam, que me ducant etc.

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