XXI - Berith

21 - Berith, Beale, Beal, Bofry, Bolfry, Berthi - Appears in Munich Manual of Demonic Magic, The Book of the Office of Spirits, The Grimoire of Pope Honorius, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, The Lesser Key of Solomon, and Dictionnaire Infernal.

From Libre Officorum

5. The 5 is called Berith,90 he giveth dignitie, he turneth mettalls into gold & silver, he can tell all things past etc, he appeareth like a knight rydinge one a red horse, crowned with 2 red crownes, he speaketh cleerly, unles he be maistered & strongely constrayned.

From Discoverie

Berith is a great and a terrible duke, and hath three names. Of some he is called Beall; of the Jewes Berithi; of Nigromancers Bolfry: he commeth foorth as a red souldier, with red clothing, and upon a horsse of that colour, and a crowne on his head. He answereth trulie of things present, past, and to come. He is compelled at a certeine houre, through divine vertue, by a ring of art magicke. He is also a lier, he turneth all mettals into gold, he adorneth a man with dignities, and confirmeth them, he speaketh with a cleare and a subtill voice, and six and twentie legions are under him.

From Pesudomonarchia

(26) Berith is a great and a terrible duke, and hath three names. Of some he is called Beall; of the Jewes Berithi [Berith]; of Nigromancers Bolfry [Bolfri]: he commeth foorth as a red souldier, with red clothing, and upon a horsse of that colour, and a crowne on his head. He answereth trulie of things present, past, and to come. He is compelled at a certeine houre, through divine vertue, by a ring of art magicke. He is also a lier, he turneth all mettals into gold, he adorneth a man with dignities, and confirmeth them, he speaketh with a cleare and a subtill voice, and six and twentie legions are under him.

From the Lesser Key

The 28th spirit in order as salomon bound them, is named Berith. he is a Mighty great and terrable duke, he hath two other Names given to him by men of latter Times, viz: Beal & Bolfry, he appeareth like a souldier wth red clothing, ridding on a red horse & [having] a Crown of Gold upon his head he giveth True answards of things [concerning the] past present & to come; you [must] use a Ring as is before spoken of [with] Beleth in calling him forth; he can turne all mettals into Gold, he can give dignity & [can] confirm them to Men, he speaketh wth a very clear & subtill voice, he is a great Lyer and not to be Trusted much he governeth over 26 Legions of spirits his seal is this which must be worne as [a] lamin.

Appearance: Appears as a knight riding a red horse, wears two crowns. 

Subrace: Fallen, angelic rank unknown.  

Abilities: Alchemy, divination

Legions: 26

Rank: Duke

Notes: A liar, the summoner will be forced to compel him to speak truly. Seems like a real pot of trouble to summon. 

Berith’s name is a doozy. It is likely derived from Ba’al Berith, meaning “Lord of the Covenant” in Ugaritic. According to rabbinical literature, Ba’al Berith was a god worshipped in shechem, or ancient israel, by the jewish people after the death of Gideon. Ba’al is a title, meaning “owner” or “lord.” He is mentioned in the book of Judges three times. 

From Judges 8:3 “No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god”

From Judges 9:4 “They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers.”

From Judges 9:46 “On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.”

Additionally 2 Kings 1-2 draws comparison between Berith and the patron deity of Ekron known as Ba’al-Zelbub. This provides a clear connection between former levantine deities and modern demons, though the comparisons are not perfect, and information on the exact nature of the Levantine deities makes gathering additional wisdom difficult.

Additionally Still, dominican inquisitor Sébastien Michaëlis recorded an exorcism in which he conversed with Lord Berith, and compelled him to give his name as well as the names of the lesser demons in his command, and the names of the saints that would best be invoked to oppose them. I attempted to track down a citation in his book “The admirable historie of the possession and conversion of a penitent woman. Seduced by a magician that made her to become a witch and the princes of sorcerers in the country of Province, who was brought to S. Baume to be exorcised in the yeere 1610 in the moneth of November” But my search turned up nothing. 

Reginald Scotts etymology of “to the Jewes Berithi; of Nigromancers Bolfry” seems entirely false. There is no jewish literature that mentions the name Berithi, and no necromantic text that mentions the name Bolfry. 

Due to her relationship to alchemy. I am going to place Berith under Zagan. His martial appearance but abilities related to alchemy would make him ideal as guard to the treasury house. Possibly the most interesting piece of wisdom gained here is the idea of older levantine deities becoming abrahamic demons either through force or only as a portion of themselves or aspect. 

Brand of the Covenant - The marked is able to gain a limited sort of mind control over others, however, the brands effects are only triggered when the other party pays the marked for a service.