The Letters of martinez De pasqually 1767-1773

Martinez de Pasqually Letter of 2 September, 1768

It is the month of September which guides us. We have from the first quarter to the full to work; that is to say, by beginning four to five days before the full.

As to keeping your spiritual obligations, you will personally recite the Office of the Holy Spirit the Miserere Mei and the De Profundis, once a week, which is Thursday, as the sign and day of Jupiter, even as David used it for his reconciliation, which I will teach you in due order. When you have experienced the value and force of this prayer you will recite the Office of the Holy Spirit at the same hour of the day. I do not limit you but for the Miserere Mei and the De Profundis you will recite them at night before sleeping; the De Profundis with the face against the Earth and the Miserere Mei with the face towards the Orient [East]. You will be wholly anticipated upon the points about which you inquire as touching our work and your eight days; or, at the start, candles will also be fully forwarded. The mode of placing the wax candles will also be fully forwarded. You will purchase a small ritual that you may have the prayers, benedictions and exorcisms, which I will indicate for you at the conclusion.

Martinez de Pasqually Letter of 11 September, 1768

I write to you for the first and last time of our mysterious equinoctial year, which includes the time from one Equinox to the other, in order to anticipate your being at the eastern angle of observation on September 27, 28 and 29, there to receive your sympathetic ordination of virtue and power relative to your dignity and quality as a Rosicrucian.

When the Eternal is named, you are instructed to prostate yourself in the circle towards the west, where the letters I A B are inscribed precisely at midnight between the 27th and 28th. Understand clearly that you will only make this prostration after having thoroughly traced all the emblems which are in your fourth of the circle, beginning by the figure and finishing with all that is generally dependent upon it, as it was given you at Paris. Part 4: Notes, Extracts & Letters

You will place three wax candles at the angle of your fourth of the circle, one at the interior of the circle, which is in your quarter circle, upon the west bar, inscribed R A P; you will uniformly place two tax candles at each extremity of your fourth of the circle and one only at the centre of your quarter, at the middle of the second line, which divides the names and the hieroglyphics which are written there within; this single light is the symbol of my presence with your operations. The circle where you should make your prostration will be at two feet distance from the western angle, which is in front of the eastern angle where your fourth of the circle will be traced. After having made this preparation, you will perform your prostration with regalia. You will be clad above with vest, leggings, and black stockings, stripped of all metal – not a single pin shall be upon you; you will not even have shoes upon your feet at the time of your prostration, be you will have slippers on your feet at the time of your invocations, halting until you are well prepared. If it is possible to be more thoroughly in due form, have your shoes soled and your hat lined with cork, and finally have nothing within the place or about you immodest and impure, and then you have duplicated the pope's slippers; you doubtless understand me. After that you trill have above your first dress a long white robe, around which there will be a great border, the colour of fire, about a foot broad; and about the sleeves which are made in the fashion of an alb, there will be likewise a border, the colour of fire, about a half a foot; there will be also around the collar of the said robe, a lining of the same colour, outside of said collar, about five fingers broad. Moreover, you will have upon you all the colours of the Order, to understand, viz. the sky blue cord, have the form of a Saint Andrew's cross on the neck, without any emblem; afterwards, the black cord, passed from: the right to the left; afterwards, the red scarf, from right to left around the waist, below and under the belly; afterwards you will pass the sea-green scarf from left to right upon the chest. The place of the two scarfs upon the body indicates the separation between the animal and spiritual natures.

Being thus dressed, you will take out the light which is lighted in your circle of prostration and place it, upon your right, outside of said circle. Afterwards you will prostrate yourself within, entirely stretched out, the belly upon the earth, and you will support your forehead upon your two closed fists. This prostration will last, without imprecation, six minutes, being taken on account of your ordination of virtue. Afterwards you will lift yourself upright and light all the wax candles which are in your circle of prostration, leaving no doubt that new fire is used, and when all are lighted, make your prostration within your fourth of the circle, in the range of the two wax candles within at the extremities of the quarter circle; and when you will pronounce some one of the names which are traced, you will ask God, in virtue of the power which he has given to his servants, such and such – naming all the names written within the angle. The grace which you seek from him of a sincere heart, and truly contrite and humble, and to assure you of his compassion, obliges you to repeat the hieroglyphic or some one of the hieroglyphics which you will have traced before you, with white chalk, in the midst of the chamber between your quarter circle and your circle of retreat, which is towards the West, where: you ‘will always be placed, when you wish to ‘work in future, awaiting your time, when I will exchange work for you, which will be more advantageous and profitable, if possible, than that of an Apprentice. After your two prostrations you will restore the words of the two circles, the same as those who are about the quarter circle, the knees straight and the two hands set square, flat upon the earth; you will speak Part 4: Notes, Extracts & Letters

in rising three words; “In quali que die tel, tel, tel, invocavero te vetociter exaudi me.”122 After you have done all these things, you will take all your perfumes and place them in a small plat of fresh earth, in which there shall be charcoal lighted with a new fire, and you till perfume your quarter of circle, East, and your circle of retreat, which is towards the West.

The first days of your operation you will only go out from your circle of retreat an hour and a half, about two hours after midnight; and you will observe to dine that day precisely at noon and to finish eating at a fixed hour. You will take no food until you have finished your operation. You will drink water if necessary, but neither coffee nor spirits. Observe carefully the precise nature of your duties.

Martinez de Pasqually Letter of 2 October, 1768

I have forwarded a small triangular talisman which you will turn from point to point during your three days' work. As to the situation of your apartment, it is better in future to prefer one towards the West for your quarter circle than towards the North. The wax candles used are placed within the circumference of the quarter circle. The wax candle which alone should be lighted is at the centre of your quarter circle, which you will bear to your angle of retreat, or circle of correspondence, and as to the other wax candles, have them well placed.

It is the usage, and even ordered and prescribed by oath, that every principal chief, ruler of circles of operation, spiritual and divine, shall hold his circles open by quarter, by half, and every year; to be proof against surprise, and not go astray, either by his success or on account of the Order, or the particular and general instructions, or any evils, or on account of the propagation of the Order and the conservation of the faithful members. Observe the ritual of first operations. It is necessary, after a lapse of two years, to retrace our steps [February, 1770], in order to recover the order of practical instruction, with the new modifications, concerning the higher initiatory degree.

In addition to the circle of retreat to the West, there is also a great circle at the centre of the chamber and the customary quarter of circle at the East.

Martinez de Pasqually Letter of 15 March, 1770

You will draw a circle with white chalk in the midst of your chamber; you will also trace your C.D.C. towards the angle of the East which is customary. That done, you will prostrate yourself upon your face, entirely within the circle which you have made at the centre of your chamber; said circle will have about six feet diameter; the top of your head, in prostration, will be towards the angle of the East, where the quarter circle is marked. You will prostrate yourself the 22nd of the month – nearest the day of the Equinox – to receive your ordination; precisely at ten o'clock at night, and you will remain prostrate about half an hour, with face to the earth. And I will be within my angle, precisely at nine o'clock at night, to work for myself remained the hour indicated within your circle of prostration you will extinguish should be withdrawn and even a little obscured, to allow liberty to the things which should appear, free from all elementary light, according as those things bear their light with them, either white, red or otherwise, as I have indicated to you in my last letters.

your ordinary lights, which are at your quarter of circle; you will efface all that which you have traced and retire to your house.

On the 25th of said month of March next you will trace again exactly the same things which you have done for your ordination, or circle of C.D.C. You will have everything well prepared for tracing at eleven o'clock precisely and, all being well prepared, you will begin with the last invocations which I have forwarded you. Afterwards you will attend to your ordinary work. Firstly, you will observe to put no wax in the centre of your circle, which will be traced in the midst of your chamber; you will trace there the letters which I have marked for you in my letter. The Spoken word will be at your feet during all the time of your work. You will work, during your three days, the last directions I have sent you, although this work is only for Wednesday and Saturday. As to the matters which you constrain me to give a reply concerning the work during the three days of your operation, the days do not matter. To great evils bring great remedies.

The last work, which I have sent you, you will use after the last operation, all the days being precisely indicated by previous directions. You will be able to do this all weeks and months, or two or three times ? year, agreeably to your wish when you feel well disposed to do the work. For the future you will not trace anything, neither circle nor other thing, considering that this operation can be done in all places without any other form of proceeding.

The visions are white, blue, pink; in short, they are mixed, or all white, the colour of the flame of a white wax candle; you will see the sparks you will feel the flesh creep all over your body; all that announces the beginning of the traction which La Chose makes with the one who works. Try to procure from your Master for yourself some of those things, since the common competitors which I have, under the ordination of the Great Architect, see by night and day, without light, neither candle nor other fire whatever. That does not surprise me since they are entirely given according to La Chose and ordered by rule. By this they have exhibited their certificates of vision, complete and signed with the proper hand, by which you are convinced of their success in the Order. You will have care to make them pass before the deputy Past Master so that he may see clearly the success of the Venerable Masters. They are four – the first the brother d'Hauterive, gentleman, ancient royal captain; the other is the second brother, de Fore, captain of artillery and the other the brother de Fournie, citizen, living o? the Revenue of Bordeaux, nephew of the Grand Prior of the Augustinians of Paris. If the brother, the Baron of Calvimont, were here, he would also have given his certificate, but he will give it upon his return from his estates. If it should be necessary to have others, there are the Venerable Brothers Cabory, Schild and Marcadi. These last are in the same condition as the first. Note the Past Masters of these persons, so well instructed and renowned, who are not willing to deceive La Chose, nor men of good faith by illusions and cannot be self-deceived. In the name of the Great Architect of the Universe, joy, peace and blessing to those who hear me.

I respond to all your questions. The arrangement of the wax candles is perfect according to the number ten and the number eight. ???? You can follow the illumination exactly as marked in your quarter circle, and you will change nothing at that illumination. The wax candle placed at the West, without the quarter circle, Part 4: Notes, Extracts & Letters

The Illumination of the East should be bright when you have your meditations and there should positively be only the single West light aforesaid. You will observe to extinguish your lights, beginning with those which are at the bottom of the quarter circle, taking the first two which are towards the South, marked by the letters M R, after having effaced the word. Afterwards you will extinguish those which are towards the North, marked with the letters W G. From that point you will proceed to extinguish the two wax candles which are enclosed by the two radii, which are at the top of the projecting angle, towards the East, commencing always by pronouncing the word which is inscribed, effacing it with the hand, and extinguishing the wax candle. We always begin to extinguish towards the South by the letters O Z. Then you will extinguish, by the same rule, that which is at the ether extremity, marked with the letters I A. Afterwards you will extinguish in the same manner, that which is entirely within the angle of the East, as you have done with the others. That done, you will place yourself within the great circle, which is in the midst of your quarter circle, where are marked the letters R A P; you will restore all the words which are around the said circle, beginning with that which looks toward the West, at the letters I A. Afterwards you will restore that which is towards the South, and, from there, that which is towards the North and then that which is towards the East. These four words restored signify to you the four celestial regions and those which govern them spiritually. That done you will take in hand the wax candle, which at the centre of the said circle, as a light to read your invocations and place the word according to the mark at the letter R A P, between your legs, and then perform all your invocations whatsoever. That done, you will efface the word R A P, extinguish the wax candle and place yourself at the circle of retreat, upright, having the face turned toward the East to make your observation, and you will have between your legs the word marked by the letters I A B. You will observe that the wax candle which is placed within the circle of retreat is that which you should conceal. The time having come for you to retire, you will replace the wax candle, which you have withdrawn from its own circle, as it was before; you will restore the words which are about; the circle the same as that of the centre, according to the same usages and ceremonies which you have observed with those which are about the great circle which is at the centre of your quarter circle. The wax candle which represents me will be extinguished after the finished invocations by saying: ‘Blessed be he who assists me and hears me, ?, Bagnaikim. Amen.'

You will observe to restore all words through having your right knee upon the earth, the left knee being elevated. Observe also to light one wax candle, by that which burns in the circle of retreat, before it is extinguished, in order to have a light to do that which is judged proper; this last light, placed at the circle of retreat, being that which should serve for the observation of the situations; and, having consecrated a word, it should be extinguished, as were the others, in order to dismiss the spirit which is attached to it. The stars which are upon the top of the wall of the East and West should not be placed within the circle but should be traced quite simply with the letters which surround them. Regarding the circle which should serve for the ordination, it will be placed between the circle of retreat and the two radii of your quarter circle. You will observe for that day your circle of retreat and contract your

quarter, in in order to make the circle five feet and eight inches in diameter, your height not being six feet. It is very necessary that your body be exactly enclosed within a circle; that is why we fix six feet rather than less for ordinations.

You will find marked in your paper the place fixed to make the circle of ordination. When you have lighted the wax candles for your work, you will recite your seven Psalms of David; afterwards you will perfume your circle of retreat three times. From that point you will incense the two small circles, which are at the bottom of the quarter circle, marked by the letters M R, with three incensings for each one. You will perform as many for the two others, which are at the bottom of the said quarter circle, towards the North, marked by the letters W G. afterwards you will incense the circle, which is at the centre of the quarter circle, marked by the letters R A P, with three incensings as the others. Afterwards you will make the same incensing for the two small circles which are above the projecting angle, beginning with that which is marked with the letter Z; afterwards to the one marked with the letters I A with three incensings to the small circle, marked with the letters I W. That will make, in all, twenty-eight distinct incensings, which will produce the mysterious number ten. The circle of prostration, and the letters of the word, which are necessary for your ordination, are marked at the bottom of your quarter circle, as you will see and as you will perform the same.

I forewarn you that I am going to work for the general re-establishment of my wife's health, having already worked more than twelve days and having obtained but very feeble hints of her recovery. I commend her to your work, that together we may receive from God her complete restoration. Her malady is very singular and without fever. About the certificates which I have sent you, there is no suspicion of illusion, directly or indirectly, neither variation nor' change of days nor of season, which can produce surprise in the persons addressed by illusory things or sophistical subjects. They present things which appear to you still more surprising than the journals, inasmuch as I have made use of the same journals, which have greatly prospered me in the research which I have made and which I have quite successfully interpreted upon present and future events and which have crowned me with success by the grace of our grand ?. of L.

You will begin your prostrations before perfuming. The first is made at the circle of retreat, the second at the letters M R, the third at the letters W G, the fourth at the letters R A P, the fifth at the letter Z, the sixth at the letters I A, the seventh at the letters I W. After the prostrations you will perfume as I have told you. Note all that I have written R… ?… concerning what you ask of me, as I have very little time to give to your instruction. Hold yourself prepared for the 22nd, also the 25th, 26th or 27th of the present month. That which is done at noontide is exceedingly good. You will begin, by Ex. and Exc., about Monday, which will be done immediately afterwards, before the invocation, where the Order is followed, or we shall place the Exc. mentioned in the invocations.

You have written me that you should return to Paris, about next April, where the President ?. de Grainville, should return also to make definite arrangements for the personal good of the Order. Which I most earnestly desire. And may God bless your enterprise to all on that occasion. I will not contribute less by my next work so that it may aid you both spiritually and temporally and hold you for time immemorial to its Order. Amen.

D. ?. De Pasqualis, G.S.

I have forwarded your letter for the P.M., Grainville, with the name of Maitre Conf., who is named M. De Grivan, Captain of Infantry.

Don Martinez, at Bordeaux, 15 March, 1770. NEXT PAGE