The Grand Grimoire
The Grand Grimoire is a black magic grimoire.
Textual history
Different editions date the book to 1521, 1522 or 1421, but it was probably written in the early 19th century. Owen Davies suggests 1702 is when the first edition may have been created and a Bibliothèque bleue version of the text may have been published in 1750. Some of the information in this book can also be found in the Grimoire of Pope Honorius, although since authorship of both books is dubious, it is difficult to determine which was the original.
The 19th century French occultist Éliphas Lévi believed the contemporary edition of Le Dragon Rouge to be counterfeit of the true, older Grand Grimoire.
Content
The introductory chapter was authored by someone named Antonio Venitiana del Rabina who supposedly gathered this information from original writings of King Solomon. Much of material in this grimoire derives from the Key of Solomon and the Lesser Key of Solomon. Also known as Le Dragon Rouge or The Red Dragon, this book contains instructions to summon Lucifer and Lucifuge Rofocale, for the purpose of forming a diabolical pact.
The work is divided into two books. The first book contains instructions for summoning a demon and for the construction of tools with which to force the demon to do one's bidding. The second book is further divided into two parts: the Sanctum Regnum and Secrets, de L'Art Magique du Grand Grimoire ("Secrets, of the magic art of the Grand Grimoire"). The Sanctum Regnum contain instructions for making a pact with the demon, allowing one to command the spirit without the tools required in book one, but at greater risk. Secrets contains simpler spells and rituals one can employ after having performed the ritual in the first book. Some editions contain a short text between these two parts, Le Secret Magique, où le Grand Art de pouvoir parler aux Morts (The Magic Secret, or the Grand Art of being able to speaking with the dead), dealing with necromancy.
The book describes several demons as well as the rituals to summon them in order to make a pact with them. It also details spells for winning the lottery, talking to spirits, being loved by a girl, making oneself invisible, etc. It recommends the magician have a bloodstone in their pocket while working the rituals.
The Hierarchy of Hell
This book mentions higher and lower demons, and ranks them with positions in the Hierarchy of Hell. These demons are similarly prioritized in Grimorium Verum. Although, in Tarl Warwick's English translation of the work, the "demons" are referenced by the more generic term of "spirits."
- Lucifer, emperor
- Beelzebub, prince
- Astaroth, grand duke
- Lucifuge Rofocale, prime minister
- Satanachia, commander in chief (in French, "commandant en chef", although Warwick translates it as "great general")
- Agaliarept, commandant
- Fleurety, lieutenant-general
- Sargatanas, brigadier-major
- Nebiros, marshal and inspector general ("camp marshal" in Warwick's translation)