e the priest, having arrayed himself in necromancer's robes, began
to describe circles on the earth with the finest ceremonies that can
be imagined. I must say that he had made us bring precious perfumes
and fire, and also drugs of fetid odor. When the preliminaries were
completed he made the entrance into the circle, and taking us by the
hand, introduced us one by one inside it. Then he assigned our several
functions; to the necromancer, his comrade, he gave the pentacle to
hold; the other two of us had to look after the fire and the perfumes;
and then he began his incantations. This lasted more than an hour and
a half; when several legions appeared, and the Coliseum was all full
of devils. I was occupied with the precious perfumes, and when the
priest perceived in what numbers they were present he turned to me and
said, "Benvenuto, ask them something." I called on them to reunite me
with my Sicilian Angelica. That night we obtained no answer; but I
enjoyed the greatest satisfaction of my curiosity in such matters. The
necromancer said that we should have to go a second time, and that I
should obtain the full accomplishment of my request; but he wished me
to bring with me a little boy of pure virginity.

I chose one of my shop-lads, who was about twelve years old, and
invited Vincenzio Romoli again; and we also took a certain Agnolino
Gaddi, who was a very intimate friend of both. When we came once more
to the place appointed, the necromancer made just the same
preparations, attended by the same and even more impressive details.
Then he introduced us into the circle, which he had reconstructed with
art more admirable and yet more wondrous ceremonies. Afterwards he
appointed my friend Vincenzio to the ordering of the perfumes and the
fire, and with him Agnolino Gaddi. He next placed in my hand the
pentacle, which he bid me turn toward the points he indicated, and
under the pentacle I held the little boy, my workman. Now the
necromancer began to utter those awful invocations, calling by name on
multitudes of demons who are captains of their legions, and these he
summoned by the virtue and potency of God, the Uncreated, Living, and
Eternal, in phrases of the Hebrew, and also of the Greek and Latin
tongues; insomuch that in a short space of time the whole Coliseum was
full of a hundredfold as many as had appeared upon the first occasion.
Vincenzio Romoli, together with Agnolino, tended the fire and heaped
on quantities of