Heptameron des Ludowici Zypriani, de Mongold Arcanum Secretum, die Schaetze zu heben
The Heptameron des Ludowici Zypriani is a magical grimoire written (in a single hand) by the German Ludowici Zypriani during the late 18th century that contains instructions for conjuring angels for the 7 days of the week - which is the basis of the grimoire’s title as the word, Heptameron translates from Greek to mean 7 days. Within the text are various sections that include information on magical circles, prayers for conjurations and a list of divine names with their corresponding hours.
This manuscript is archetypal of the entire genera of treasure hunting grimoires that were popular or became popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland during the 18th century. Also typical with this genera, these grimoires were associated or attributed to saints such as St. Christopher, Corona, Gertrude or like this one, St. Cyprian (Zypriani) of Antioch.
While the text and instructions are not the same between the two, the directions specified in the “Circulus” or magic circle of the Heptameron fits the “Prayers for the 4 Evangelists” as found in the St. Christopher Prayer in Johann Scheible’s III volume of his Das Kloster in 1846.
Treasure hunting or treasure seeking was considered illegal, a capital crime as a matter of fact within the German Catholic states during this time, making this grimoire and other grimoires of this genre highly illegal or “high risk”. Because of this, it created somewhat of a black market for grimoires of this type and people who were interested in acquiring said grimoires would go to great lengths - spending lots of money and exerting much effort - to “procure” a copy or copies of these types of manuscripts.
Not to be confused with another text bearing the same title (written by Pietro d’Abano) but not the same context, the Heptameron text contains intercessory prayers imploring the respective saint to compel spirits to “raise treasure from under the earth” - much like the Gertruden Booklets and St. Christopher Prayer - as well as conjurations for demons such as Lucifer, Beelzubub, Mefistofiles, Belfagor, Baal, Mustaphor, Astrapon and Aschmodi.
The manuscript is divided into 2 parts separated by its respective title page. In addition to being rich in prayers and invocations, the text also includes instructional tables outlining incenses, auspicious days, planetary signs, sigils to bind terrestrial spirits and other figures including the Grand Pentacle of Solomon.
The Manuscript Codex 1679, housed at the University of Pennsylvania (as part of the Charles Rainsford Collection Alchemical and Occult Manuscripts), has a written layout of 15-17 long lines with alchemical symbols appearing in red ink. It was formerly owned by Charles Rainsford (1728-1809), who was an alchemist, a British army officer, Rosicruscian & Freemasonic enthusiast and a fellow in the Royal Society. Interestingly, Rainsford bequeathed the MS to the 2nd Duke of Northumberland (Hugh Percy) and passed down until the 12th Duke of Northumberland (1809-2014) until it was auctioned at Sotheby’s (London) on July 15, 2014 (Lot 411).