such like or by inundations over-flowings of Water or too much abundance of Rain cold Frost or the like so that thereby there shall be such a scarcity and deerness of such things that many men shall dye for want of bread Of Jupiter when he is chief Ruler what he signifieth in general If Jupiter be chief Ruler he causeth generally an increase and plenty of all things and particularly to man he elevateth their condition to honour renown and plenty giveth health tranquillity peace and an increase of riches and goods and all things appertaining to the life of man in a natural way Increaseth the benefits and goods received from Princes or such as are in Authority and causeth also even these Grandees to be more Illustrious inlargeth their Territories and Dominions and abundantly augmenteth their Grandure generally Jupiter denotes success and happiness in every thing To Beasts belonging chiefly to the use of Man he signifieth an increase but such as are destructive and not profitable he destroyeth The ayr also he tempereth and maketh wholsome and sendeth convenient moisture in seasons requisite for the Production of the fruits of the Earth the which he multiplyeth and increaseth by his sweet influence The Sea also for Navigation shall be safe the floods of Rivers temperate c. Of the significations of Mars if he be chief Ruler If Mars be chief Lord of any Eclipse he generally threatneth mischief to all sorts and kinds of men which shall happen through extremity of drought and particularly he causeth much war intestine hatreds fewds quarrels and discords amongst men especially of that kinde of life viz souldiers he excites men also to many robberies spoilings sacking tyranny and rebellion he also causeth the wrath of Kings and Great men and troubles in general sudden death sicknesses and those chiefly tertian Agues or Feavers and those principally or more particularly to those of younger years or in their strength of youth much choler and anger amongst men of small repute they shall commit unlawful things and violate the Law many Combustions slaughters rapines thefts and robberies In the ayr he causeth extremity of heat and very warm windes also ligthning and little rain In the Sea destruction to ships and submersions suddenly by mixt winds lightning and such like In Rivers a scarcity of waters a drought of Fountains and detriment by drinking of waters which for the most part will be corrupted And in things appertaining to the life of Man viz. Beasts and Vegetables he shall cause a scarcity and destruction of the fruits of the Earth by reason they shall be scorched with extremity of heat or eaten with Locusts and Caterpillers or destroyed by winds or nipt in the bud Of Venus and her significations general But if Venus be chief Significatrix she denotes the same as doth Jupiter generally but together with it some Venereal sports and particularly to men she causeht honour fame joy fortunate success in every thing happy marriages abundance of children and felicity in all things belonging to Matrimony and an increase of riches and an unusual familiarity and correspondency between Princes and their Subjects and Familiars In the ayr winds but temperate bringing abundance of showers yet they very seasonable and convenient for the fructifying of the Earth a seasonable time according to the nature of the season In the Sea such Ships as Navigate shall be safe and prosperous In Rivers abundance of waters by reason of many showers Beasts Vegetables and such things as are for the use of man shall be plentiful Of Mercury and his significations when he is chief Ruler If Mercury be chief Ruler he signifieth such events generally as are of the nature of the Planet he is in Conjunction with and in Configuration for you have been taught in our second Book of this Volume that he participateth in Nature with the Planet in Conjunction or Configuration with him but properly in his own nature he furthers the natural signification of the other Particularly in men he excites expedition industry cunning and ingenuity in every thing In the Sea he causeth unfortunate Navigation when he is joined in judgement with the Infortunes as being in Configuration or Conjunction with them but if with the Fortunes judge the contrary with the Malevolents also he denotes many diseases and infirmities Quotidian Feavers Imposthumes Consumptions and Coughs Phthisis and dry diseases as touching matters of State Laws Customs and Priviledges he orders all according to the Planets and Stars in Configuration with him wherefore we see he being dry of constitution being so nere the Sun and of a swift motion and because he is often Retrograde he stirs up frequent turbulent and pernicious winds also thunder and lightning openings of the Earth and Earth-quakes and perhaps much damage thereby to Vegetables and Creatures for the use of Man I conceive Ptolomy might very well have left out perhaps also in the houres of his setting he causeth a diminution of Waters and Rivers in the houres of his rising an augmentation and thus much of the innate significations of the Planets Now when according to the variety of the Aspects and Signs they are mingled by being mutually behold of each other and their Position in respect of the Sun they thereby vary their effects or actions according to the variety of significations and judgements arising from their several Conjunctions and Configurations Wherefore since it is impossible to relate exactly unto thee all their Configurations and their commixtures or at least for that it would be so intricate a thing we shall refer it to the study and consideration of the Student for as I have said before unless thy Genius leadeth thee to the exact knowledge thereof the reading of all the Books in the World will no wise avail thee But we ought diligently to observe the nature of those Stars by which the events are signified and their affinity with those Regions where the effects are to be manifested thus If they be fortunes and have relation to the evil places where the events shall happen and no wise contradicted by other Stars they more effectually perform what events were afore promised but if they have no relation to those places or if they be gainsayed by malevolent Stars their good influence is by so much lessened and so thou mayest judge on the contrary And thus much of Eclipses according to Ptolomy Some lines towards the latter end of the eighth chapter of his aforesaid second Booke I have willingly omitted for that I do not in every word agree with him and therfore herein I shall desire to be excused as also if I have in any other places varied somewhat from him I know no reason why any man that standeth on his shoulders may not see farther then he truly I must really confess he hath merited much honour from his successors wherefore I shall esteem him as for his shortness so for his accurate and sufficient largeness and
you must regard the Sun the Planet that is Almuten of the tenth the Planet placed within five degrees of the cusp thereof if any such be or the Lord of Part of Government the which if you finde first beginning with the Sun and then considering the rest as they are set down in order placed and dignifyed essentially or free from affliction as you have heard he shall be Significator of the King otherwise not The Rules of the Ancients in this particular are not to be grounded on So that then by these their Rules omitting many such like Instructions for brevities sake there shall no Revolution whatsoever though never so bad or mischievous in the least have any relation or extend unto the King or Chief Rulers of any place as if they were excusable from misfortunes or the Heavens afraid to molest or afflict them which must needs be if these Documents of the Ancients must be admitted authentick who will have no Significator for them but such as is free from all impediment from which consequently we must conclude they shall never be molested or disturbed by Wars Commotions Insurrections Losses or Crosses whatsoever which I could wish were true but we can wofully testifie to the contrary besides to affirm it were both ridiculous and preposterous The greatest Potentate in the World is not free from the influence of the Heavens and stars For the Grandees of the Earth although never so great and proud yet they must know with us they are but men and such too as are not excused from the harmonious configurations of the Celestial Planets and Heavens But the Ancients although they have deserved by their writings infinite applause from all ingenious and judicious souls as also high esteem for both their care and learning yet in this particular they have come short for the generality of them I mean and therefore if in this I dissent from them as also in some other of their Rules I desire to be excused since I know no Reason why in every Age and in every study there may not some one or other not only finde out some failings of ancient Authors but also correct them nay far exceed them though perhaps in every particular they may again come short for we see even the best Divines the best Philosophers and Physitians have been corrected and in some things amended and so also the Astrological Philosopher may come short of another that stands upon his shoulders The true significators of Kings and Rulers after the opinion of the Author Wherefore then know that the true significator of the King or chief Rulers is the tenth house of Heaven at the time of the Suns ingress into Aries the Lord thereof and the Planets therein posited but more especially the cusp of the tenth and its Lord whether well or ill disposed 〈◊〉 mattereth not These in any Revolution to the end of the World shall still be Significators of the King or Rulers particularly and the Sun and Saturn in general but more especially the Sun The true significators of the People of any Nation in any Revolution of the years of the World In like manner look what ever sign ascends at the time aforesaid viz. the Suns ingress into Aries in any year and that sign together with its Lord shall particularly denote the common People of that Kingdom or Nation for which your Scheam is erected and shall be their significators and the Moon generally as the Sun is the general Significator of the Rulers In declaring unto you the sign ficators of the Enemies of both King and People in any Revolution I might also shew you the defects of some of the Ancients but I should rather choose though I had not a desire to be as brief as may be to pass them over in silence they meriting so much at our hands otherways wherefore let us to our business Of the enemies of King and people in any Revolution See that in every Revolution of the World you have regard to the opposite house signifying your Significators as the seventh house denotes the open Enemies of the Common People and King in a hostile way the twelfth house their private and the ninth house the secret Enemies of the King or Rulers because as you have heard in the 42. Chapter of the Second Book it is the twelfth from the tenth Of their assistance c. Even so as the second house signifies the wealth and assistance of the people so doth also the eleventh the Kings ayd wealth and assistance the eighth the assistance ayd and wealth of their open enemies c. as you have been fully instructed before in the same 42. chapter CHAP. IV. Of the Significators of Rich and Noblemen the Kings Standard or Armour-Bearer also Clergy-men and of Students Merchants Lawyers and Women in general also Fryers and Monks and these according to the significations of the Planets I Shall here only give you the general Significators of these according to the Antients as brief as may be that I may proceed to the second Section having at large spoken of them already in the second Book Wherefore know that Rich and Noblemen are signified by Jupiter and the Lord of the sign in which he is located in the Sun his ingress into Aries Souldiers Armour or Standard-Bearers Generals of Armies and the like are understood by Mars The ninth house and the Lord thereof denotes Clergy-men particularly and generally they are signified by Jupiter Also Judges and the graver sort of men Students Merchants and Lawyers and Scribes Clerks and all Pen-men Picture-drawers and ingenious wits also youth and young men in general are signified by Mercury Venus generally denotes women and all females see chap. 5. Book the 2. and the Moon the vulgar and rural sort of People as the Sun you have heard doth Emperours and Kings And lastly all such as live obscurely and devoutly to the service of God as Monks Abbots Fryers and the like amongst the Papists as in the 1. chap. of the second Book and amongst us such as slight all things in the World in comparison of Gods Service and Divine Mediation are signified by Saturn As touching Cities and Countries subject both to the signs and Planets you have also fully heard them declared in the Second Book where we treat of them Now to know the state and condition of any of these in a general way in any Annual Revolution you have no more to do but this look to your significator from which judgement is to be required and see if he be essentially or accidentally strong or assisted and judge according to his strength or debility good or bad to the parties signified for if well dignified and located good may be expected if afflicted and impedited the contrary c. SECTION II. Shewing the state and condition of the King or Rulers and their continuation and durability in any Revolution as also the condition of the People from the
cattel shall be in good condition if Retrograde the good condition and state of those that follow Trading is also promised Retrograde who shall gain and profit CHAP. XVIII Containing the Accidents signified by the Sun when he is Lord of the year in any of the twelve Signs LAbour but to understand the nature of every Planet and Sign and to distinguish exactly every ones strength and fortitudes from his debilities and then by observing the reasons of what hath been already said in these three forgoing Chapters in handling the Significations of these Superior Planets thou mayst soon know how to understand the Significations of the Sun in every Sign when ever he is Lord of the year and judge of them without any further instruction The Sun Lord Lord of the year in Aries free from affliction Yet thus much I shall say If the Sun be Lord of the year in Aries free from the Malevolent Aspects of the Infortunes it shall be well with the Common people the year shall be fruitful and succesful unto them as also to great noble and rich men Kings and the Grandees of the earth and that they shall be fortunate in honor and shall overcome their enemies be gracious and loving to their people and shall do them justice c. The Sun Lord of the year in Aries weak or afflicted But if he be in Aries afflicted and impedited judge the contrary yet know that whatever he signifies whether good or evil in Aries or its triplicity shall chiefly happen in and to those parts subject unto the Sign and their Cities and Towns and more particularly to the Eastern parts thereof so understand of the rest of the signs when he or indeed any of the other Planets are located in them or in any Triplicity The Sun Lord of the year in Taurus When in any annual Revolution you finde the Sun Lord of the year and in Taurus you shall judge the state both of rich and poor great and small noble and vile to be but so so although he be no wise afflicted by the Malevolent beams of the Infortunes for in Taurus he hath no manner of dignity but is wholly peregrine and weak the fruits of the earth also shall not be very plentiful especially if he be afflicted and you must still remember as you have been sufficiently taught before that according to the nature and quality of the affliction you are to judge dammage or detriment to such things as are signified by the Sun and that they shall chiefly be incident to those places subject unto Taurus and in the Southern parts of those places The Sun Lord of the year in Gemini If the Sun be Lord of the year and in Gemini if he be well aspected by the Fortunes judge success health and good according to the nature and accidental Significations and the adjuvant Planets or Planet to the Commons and year in general fruits of the earth nobles rich and great men and that these shall chiefly be incident to the Regions and Cities subject unto Gemini and the Western parts but if he be afflicted judge also the affliction accordingly by the nature and signification of the afflicting Planet c. The Sun Lord of the year in Cancer If he be in Cancer or its Triplicity judge the good or evil signified by him according to the natures of the Planets afflicting or assisting him to happen to the Northern parts of those places Cities Regions and Kingdoms signified or ruled by the Signs wherein he is this you have had often reiterated I do it not through forgetfulness or carelesness but through a willingness and an earnest desire the Rules may be easily apprehended and retained by the young Students for whose sakes only I did undertake these my labours for I doubt not but thereby they will soon be inabled to give a probable judgement upon any position of the heavens without the help of any Book when they have well pondred as I have often said the Rules of Art and the reasons thereof The Sun Lord of the year in Leo. Again if the Sun be Lord of the year and in Leo it shall be well with the Grandees of the earth and people in general the fruits of the earth shall be plentiful c. for you must know the Sun in Leo is very potent and strong by being in his own house unless he be afflicted at that time by the Malevolent Aspects of the Infortunes and then according to their mischievous power you are to judge the misfortune and detriment of such things as they shall naturally or accidentally signifie c. In the fourth Chapter of the second Book of this volumn you have heard the Sun hath no latitude neither can be Oriental Occidental Stationary Retrograde or Combust and therefore if you but remember to judge according to his strength essential and accidental in all the other subsequent signs as you have heard the method before this shall suffice to be said of the significations of the Sun when he is Lord of the year and located in any of the twelve Signs of heaven Wherefore let us proceed to the significations of Venus when she is Lady of the year and so posited CHAP. XIX Of the things signified by Venus when she is Lady of the year in any of the Twelve Signs LIttle will it avail you to observe the Latitudes of the three inferiour Planets in this manner of Judgement as you have heard of the Superiors as say most of the Ancients and truly in this I do agree with them though not in in many other of their tenets especially in their Rules in the last Chapter where they would teach the significations of the Sun in the 12. Signs in Annual Revolutions when it is impossible for him at such a time to be in any other sign then Aries and if the Judgement be half yearly or quarterly in Libra Cancer or Capricorn he must needs be but in no other for oftentimes we shall finde the Rules in the inferiour Planets vary and prove false by reason of their swift motion and frequent variations but in the superiour seldom or never This I thought good to prefix before our Discourse of the inferiour Planets that it might not seem strange to the diligent Inquirer we follow not the same Method in these as in the former Venus Lady of the year in Aries When Venus then is Lady of the year and in Aries in any Annual Revolution well aspected and in Configuration of none of the Malevolents and neither Retrograde nor Combust the ayr shall be temperate the Earth fruitful men in general successful shall thive be merry and delight in all pleasant recreations it shall also be well with Great and noble men and with the smaller sort of Cattel men shall be peaceably given and many pleasant moderate showers of rain shall fall and generally there shall be plenty of provisions and these shall
from whence we shall judge that Noble men rich and great in power authority and esteem shall be the fomenters of the War threatned or Bishops Pope Cardinals Church-men and Religious people they being all Signified by him In like manner if it Venus Saturn the Sun the Moon or Mercury you have no more to doe then judge in the like manner according to their several Significations which you are sufficiently taught in the second Book of this Volume When we may predict peace victory loss dammage assistance and from whence the assistance is to â—e expected and from wâ—at kinde of men Now when thou hast found in any Revolution that wars are threatned have regard unto the Planet signifying it for if he be direct and well dignified the war shall not continue or last long but shall be broken by the King of that Region for which your Revolution is for it signifieth a cessation of arms and that there shall be peace see also how he is aspected and by what Planets and by how many for many Planets beholding him especially being then essentially strong it signifies the people shall be in good condition shall be strong and able to defend themselves and offend their enemies shall overcome them and have assistance from others according to the nature of the Planets so aspecting him But if he be retrograde they shall be beaten shall run away and be dejected and if stationary to Direction they shall be strong and powerful in war but if stationary to Retrogradation at the beginning of the war they shall be strong but it shall go hard with them in the end In like manner have regard to the Significator of their enemies or those that begin and first foment strife and judge of their condition mutatis mutandis as you have of these for if their Significator be direct there is a probability of peace and that to proceed from their desire and willingness or if there be war that they shall overcome but if thou wouldst know by what means they shall thus become victorious if thou findest their Significator strong essentially and not beheld by any other Planet say by their own strength and policy but if it be aspected and assisted by the benevolent rayes of other Planets their Significator essentially not being very strong say by the help of such as are signified by those Planets so assisting and beholding their Significator shall they become victorious as if it be Saturn say by the help of some King if the Sun by some Prince or Noble man for the Sun signifieth rather petty Princes then â—aturn if Mars by souldiers and warlike men If Jupiter by noble wise and discreet grave men If Mercury by scholars and learned witty politick men If Venus by riches or by some noble spirited women If Luna by Merchants Sea men or the common people of any place but if thou wouldst particularly know the place or from what Countrey Nation or Province it is no more then thus look to the Sign wherein your adjuvant Planets or Planet is and judge according to discretion that they will be such as are of the Nation or place thereby signified remembring that antient Aphorism à te à scientia for you must not judge impossibilities or what is contrary or repugnant to reason By what Nation or People the war shall be begun Again If thou wouldst know by what Nation or men the war threatned is to be begun or acted look to which part Mars seems to be assistant remembring that the ascendent the Lord thereof and Planet from whom Mars last separated are Significators of the Kingdom People or Nation wherein your Revolution is the seventh House the Lord thereof and the Planet Mars next applies unto are Significators of their enemies and that he is more assistant to that party with whose Significator he is applying or in Configuration or that which he doth more lovingly behold for on whose side soever you finde Mars say that that party shall be the beginners or fomenters of the war if he be direct and that they shall be valiant and stout and turn their backs upon no enemy whatsoever but if he be retrograde it shall be occasioned by divers men who aim at the honour and applause of such actions as they are never able to perform or are worthy of the name yet attributing that unto themselves which was acted and accomplished by others shall boast of great and high matters but shall perform little or nothing and lay the burthen of the war on other mens shoulders and shall themselves only thieve pillage and plunder and cut by the high ways and if Mars be stationary as abovesaid the war shall be the more greivous and hot and the men more strong and couragious Have regard also unto Saturn who stirs up most deadly fewds and heart-burnings above any of the other Planets when he is Significator of dissentions and troubles and that to those to whose side he takes also grievous troubles and miseries unto those Cities and Towns subject unto the sign wherein he is according to the signification of the house of Heaven he is in as if in the second they shall be damnified in their estates substance and riches in the third in their small journeys brethren and kindred and so as you have been taught above you may run over the signification of every house of Heaven if he be retrograde he shall signifie the same mischiefs which you have heard of Mars but they shall be more grievous and intolerable What may be expected when the Lord of the year half year quarter moneth or day are in good aspect and reception of the Planet signifying war Know also that if the Planet denoting war be in good aspect and reception of the Lord of the Year he shall denote good during that Revolution viz. peace and no war If with the Lord of the half Year or quarter no mischief by war shall happen that half year or quarter In like manner if he be thus in Configuration with the Lord of the moneth and day such mischief shall not happen therein and if this reception by either body or aspect be in the first seven degrees of any sign the good shall be chiefly at the beginning of the year and during the first quarter If it be between the seventh and fifteenth degree during the first half year If betwixt the fifteenth and one and twentieth in the third quarter If between that and the end in the last quarter and later end of the year In like manner judge of the moneths days and hours Whether the Enemies General be young or old The Antients amongst other curiosities in this nature have given these rules for the knowing whether the Generall or chief Commander of the enemies party be young or old have regard to the Significator of the afflicting Planet and Significator of the enemy and see if they be Oriental for then it denoteth him young especially if then the
subject and scope of the second Treatise The Second comprehending the Names Number and Characters of the Signs and Planets Celestial together with the Reasons why they were so named and charactered and why there are but just twelve Signs and neither more nor less and why the Planets are assigned Rule both by House Exaltation Triplicity Term and Face therein and the Reasons why the Signs are reckoned from Aries with the number of the Sphears their Order and Motions whereby is plainly delivered a most easie and short Introduction to the whole Art of Astrology and the great and Universal Book of the Creatures made manifestly legible to the meanest and ordinariest capacity as also sufficient grounds whereby to answer all Gainsayers and Carpers thereat and to vindicate it in every respect Of the third The Third Treateth of the Rules of the Ancients touching the Election of a time proper for the accomplishment of any manner of Work necessary in this life but more especially for the Administration of Physick letting of Blood Husbandry and the like to the which it is both effectual and lawfull though in every particular in other matters not altogether so certain except depending on the general Accidents of the World as Revolutions Eclipses Comets Great Conjunctions Blazing-Stars and the particular Nativities of men Yet I have thought fit to deliver the Instructions of the Learned in former Ages in those matters also for that they may in sundry things by the weighing and considering the Natures and Temperatures of the Celestial Signs and Planets be of much use to the Wel-willers and Students in this most Heavenly and Lawfull Science of ASTROLOGY Of the fourth The Fourth is a compendious Tract of the whole general part of the Art wherein is at large manifested the Order and Course of the Government of the World by the Natural Operations and Harmonical Motions and Aspects of the Heavens Celestial Signs Stars and Planets in Revolutions of the Years of the World Eclipses Great Conjunctions Comets and Blazing Stars whereby is portended the general Accidents of Countreys Kingdoms Provinces and Cities the Alterations of Kingdoms and Empires Laws and Customs cause of Scarcity Plenty Wars Peace Health Sickness Alteration of the Ayr and to be short of all things appertaining in a Natural way to the life of Man whereby is manifest the infinite Wisdom of the Great Creator and the Innocency Legality and Purity of the Art demonstrated and proved by demonstration of the inevitable Events so long as God by his Providential Care upholdeth the Order and Course of Nature inviolate and unchanged Also the Students thereof consequently proved rather Divines then Conjurers or Practitioners of what is unlawfull for thereby may a man easily judge of any Revolution Eclipse c. or any part of them to the end of the World by being thereby instructed of the Nature and Signification of every Planet in every House and Sign of the Heavens and Aspects one amongst another and of their effects when Lords of the year and well or ill located c. In which Book if thou beest well instructed and perfected thou hast the whole body of Astrology The Body of Astrology in its Purity for neither is the Judgement of Horary Questions Ordinary Elections Charactery-Astrology Nativities or any other to be esteemed in comparison thereof but as trifles uncertainties fallacies illegalities and abuses of the purity of the Art The Reason why so many Books are Printed against Astrology For truly may I say the truth such like Practises of men unacquainted with the depth of this most heavenly Science by their frequent failings have been the main and only cause of so many Books against Astrology which is in it self so pure and undefiled that the most scrutinous Wit alive cannot have one Word for the Condemnation thereof for amongst the Learned the abuse never takes away the use of a thing for then there would be nothing under the Heavens Lawfull for we see even the Purest and most Lawfull Arts Sciences and things most abused and most apt to be counterfeited As for instance is there any thing in the World more Lawfull then Divinity in its purity and is there any thing more hard to finde or more commonly abused by false Tenets Schisms Sects and Heresies And yet if upon these grounds or out of these considerations a man should positively conclude no verity in Religion or truth in Divinity you would say that man were in a most gross Errour and very Impious Then I say let no man that is not willing to forfeit both his Reason Discretion and Understanding be so weak as without an assurance of the Nature and Quality of this most Lawfull Art which I here undertake to Vindicate and deliver to the World conclude ought against it either by Tradition or the common Voice of the World both which being known to the Judicious to be very false and to hold nothing of Credit in them The Authors first inducement to vindicate Astrologie For as it was meerly a Natural inclination within me to the Truth and the propagation thereof so far as in me lies that first drew my Pen to Paper so is it the same which maketh me now this once more appear and content my self to incur all the Currish Snarls Barkings and Bawlings of the envious and ingratefull and the same it is also that imbolbeneth me not to fear nor be danted at them it is no new thing with me to know that Dogs will bark at Strangers and such as are not of their kinde Gentlemen will shew themselves what they are and love each other but what shall I expect of Gallantry from Coblers Hay-makers Taylors and Serving-men The first occasion of his writeing The first occasion of my Writing in the Vindication of this Science was the appearance of a railing Pamphlet against it without any fear or wit to whom I returned a Reply in the year 1650. it is a short Tract of two Sheets what and who the Author thereof was you may see in the latter part of my Lux Veritatis Printed 1651. for I hold him not worthy the inserting in these my Labours The second occasion The second time of my Writing was occasioned through the weak Arguments flashes and suppositions of Doctor Homes who being a Scholler should me thinks have had more understanding then to condemn this worthy Art under the notion of Witchcraft Sorcery and such like illegalities or discretion then to rail down one of the chief of the Liberal Sciences meerly for the abuses thereof The third occasion The third was that I might manifest the innocency of this Science and the legality verity excellency and validity thereof if not abused and therefore who so shall warily peruse that Discourse of mine intituled Vox Stellarum or The Voice of the STARS Printed in the year 1652. shall be satisfied that God doth work by Causes and that he hath ordained the Stars and Celestial Planets to be immediate Causes next
unto Him of all our Natural injoyments and casualties viz. Fertility Sterility Wars Peace Health Sickness Alterations of the Ayr Inundations Earthquakes Thunders Lightnings Storms Tempests Commotions Troubles Alteration of States Kingdoms Laws Customs and of all things in a Natural way incident to and in this Elementary World for there is nothing more certain then that the Portencies of the Stars so far as conduceth to the government of the Natural and Elementary World and the things therein composed of the same matter and stuff shall prove true and effectual unless God do work a Miracle and pervert the Order and Government of the World c. I do not deny the omnipotent power of God that he is able to alter the course of Nature he that made them with and by the word of his mouth can questionless by the same word not only alter their motions and pervert their effects but also annihilate them again but as this is not by me denyed so cannot the Objectors against this Science but confess that God is the God of Order and worketh in order and not preposterously for because he can alter the course and influence of the Stars argueth not at all that therefore he will for why should this be any Argument to us since we read but of three times he hath wrought in this manner since the Creation of the World viz. first in Joshuahs time when he made the Sun stand still the second in Hezekiahs time when he made the Sun go back and the third and last time at the passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ when he miraculously Eclipsed the Sun at the time of the Full Moon which caused Dionysius the Areopagite thus to burst forth Aut Deus Naturae patitur aut Mundi machina dissolvitur Either the World is at an end or the God of Nature suffereth Wherefore it is clear God worketh not or createth new things he finished his Work in the first six days he therefore now upholdeth all things by his Providence and bringeth them to pass by secondary causes according unto his inevitable Decrees and Divine Will for it were great impiety in us and detraction from the Al-sufficient Wisdom and Power of the Almighty to affirm he hath not preordained all things to come to pass from the first Creation even to the Subversion and that they are signified unto us in the Heavens have recourse to Gerson his Trilogium Astrologiae Theologizatae for we read that before the destruction of Jerusalem there appeared a Comet in the Heavens in form of a Sword for many days Horsmen also fighting in the Ayr Josephus Bel. Jud. Lib. 7. Cap. 12. Eusebius Eccles Hist. Lib. 3. Cap. 8. presaging the overthrow thereof which was after accomplished by Titus Vespasian also before the death of Claudius Caesar there appeared a Comet for a long time and before the Civil broils in Rome Octavius being Consul and again before the War between Great Pompey and Julius Caesar as Plinie testifieth Lib. 2. Cap. 25. De Nat. And if we come neerer home we shall finde the Comet in 1618. to be the forerunner of all our late Civil Un-civil Wars in England Scotland and Ireland as well as of the Commotions and Desolations in Germany c. But this will be very clear unto us even from The word of GOD That Theologie and Astrologie agree together if we but with diligence and observation read the Histories of the Old Testament of the Subversion of Kingdoms and Nations but especially that of the Jews by the Babylonians the which People upon condition they would follow the Law of the Lord were promised to be established for ever shall any one from this Promise aver that their Kingdom was not preordained to destruction in its due time and the limitation thereof long before set down but that immediatly because they disobeyed they were destroyed and carried away captive or rather that that Age wherein they were so captivated should in the fulness of that time be so inclined to wickedness as to bring that affliction so long before threatned upon them So then these two THEOLOGY and ASTROLOGY must agree together or we shall never be able to agree in Truth but run our selves into many Errours and Absurdities In that Book also you may see how far we may safely attribute to the power of the Stars and that their effects may be altered yet but by one means viz. Prayer for if GOD give an heart to pray as it ought no question he also therewith grants the Petition requested in those Prayers Lastly my main scope and chief drift in this my fourth fourfold Work is since I have so often stood up for the maintenance of this Science to endeavour to manifest unto the World the purity thereof The Authors chief drift in these his Labors having cleansed it from its pollutions and abuses that so it may appear what TRUE ASTROLOGY is and what I maintain to be so and the abuse be not only discovered but taken away that once more it might shine gloriously and be able to stand against all Gain-sayers whatsoever For notwithstanding I had delivered my self so plainly in my former Works especially in my Vox Stellarum yet did the purity of this Science remain under the censure being by many deemed no other then jugling by others to extend no further then to the resolution of Horary Questions and the Judging of Nativities and the Fates and Fortunes of men thereby or at least that this was the main and chief subject thereof when the truth is the practise of some men in these ridiculous vanities together with some other abuses of this MOST NOBLE SCIENCE OF ASTROLOGIE have brought the purity thereof into question by the unworthy and the Science it self generally into reproach with the illiterate The Authors opinion touching Nativities and Horary Questions For I dare positively affirm and shall be ready to prove it to any Rational man That the Resolution of Horary Questions is wholly vain and uncertain as also Nativities on which they depend or at least should excepting how to Judge of the particular Constitution and Temperature of the Body and the Natural inclination of Man as I shall specifie in the 20. Chapter of the first Book of this Quadripartite fol. 38. But it may be some may here demand the Reason then I do in my Lux Veritatis undertake the Resolution of some Questions But I shall answer in that vulgar and rustical Proverb It is a good Horse that never stumbles and truly this is Language fit enough for such Horse stuff as are they I am but flesh and blood Ergo as all in my condition have failings I desire not so much as to hide my fault when I finde it either of my self or by the loving advise of others much less then do I desire to continue in an obstinate way of simplicity I must confess there are many Faults in that Tract yet not so many neither as some would perswade
known by observation wherefore to descend to particulars That the Sun hath influence If we have regard first to the Sun we shall finde that the power of the Sun and the quality of the Heavens cause the inhabitants of the Torrid Zone to be black such are they which we call vulgarly Blackmoors or Negroes and causeth them also to be of constitution Cholerick their hair curled of mean stature by reason of the temperature of their bodies which is hot and dry Look Ptol. lib. 2. cap. 2. de quadripar We further know the Sun doth also tan even us in this our climate and is the cause also of Spring Summer Autumn and Winter day and night and the chief cause of the generation of all living creatures but more especially those which proceed from putrefaction c. every one knows bringeth also to maturity all the fruits of the earth and extimulateth all creatures to the act of generation for the procreation of their several kinds But to be short that 33. of Deut. ver 14. before mentioned and the testimony of Moses Gen. 1.14 of which anon that the Sun and the Moon were constituted for signs and seasons as well as other stars is cleer We know also he is of a drying and attractive Nature That Chronick diseases follow his course as acute and sharp the course of the Moon cum multis aliis but here I shall pass them by since there is no Peasant but can acquaint us with some one effect or other of this clearly by experience known unto him And who is so ignorant but knoweth that the Moon hath a great influence on the ebbing and flowing of the Sea which every waterman on the Thames can justifie The Moon Object Answ Why there is no Tides or such as can hardly be discerned in the Atlantick seas Why there is no Tides in fresh waters and why in some places there are no Tides but if some urge that in the Atlantick sea there is no Tides and so think by this their ignorance to make ought against this most heavenly Art they are mistaken for as touching this their idle and vain conceit I shall not need for the answering thereof use many words but let them know that by reason of the profundity and vast wideness of those seas I must confess little or no Tide can be discerned yet is it most probable there is an increase and decrease of that current as I shall appeal to all the learned in Navigation for by reason of the indisposition of the subject the influence I must confess of the Moon is not so much discerned as in other things as all moist and watery bodies that she wholly rules as in fresh waters by reason of the rarity and subtilty thereof she not having that fit subject to work on which is requisite causeth no Tide there also expert Navigators can testifie that in some places of the Ocean Tides are letted by the strength of a contrary Current c. But there is no female of twenty one yeers of age though some at sixteen nay sooner but can testifie its effects on their bodies by causing their menstrues once a moneth this they finde by experience though perhaps all know not the cause or reason thereof you have already heard her influence on lunaticks causing their fits sometimes to be more grievous then again at other times wherefore then if we further look to shell-fish we shall see cleerly that they are made by her divers illuminations of or with the Sun both to increase and decrease this there is no Oyster-wench but knows the same effect she hath in the humours of all bodies sublunary And there is none so ignorant but knoweth also that those who sleep in the open fields in Moon-light-nights she filleth them with dulness and heavy drowsiness and their heads with moisture moreover flesh newly slain being hung forth in moon-light-nights doth soon putrifie and Pease sown in the increase of the Moon never leave blooming and blossoming and that she is the cause of critical days and also judicial you have had shewn you in my Lux Veritatis wherefore here I shall not insist thereon but refer you thereunto and to Galen de diebus decretoriis and you shall there finde what admirable vertue and power he assigns her over all alterations of ayr and other inferiour Elementary things as well as over diseases especially acute c. And not only shell-fish and the humours in men and women do increase and decrease according to her increase and wane but also the Brain of man and other living creatures Again there is no Sow-gelder but can justifie he observes the age and configurations of the Moon with the Sun for gelding of Cattle and every husband-man or Peasant knoweth that it is very useful for him to observe a time of the Moon to put his cattle to ingender and as it is reported by Gesner in his 300 page of beasts Democritus affirmeth that if a Horse cover a Mare the third day before the full Moon the Mare shall conceive a male foal if the third day after the Full a female If a Horse cover a Mare the third day before the Full Moon a male Foal will be conceived and also in his 207 page testifieth that Pliny knowing the strange secret operation of the Moon in Elephants doth as it were ascribe a kinde of Religion in this creature for from the Change of the Moon till the prime and appearance thereof they take boughs from off the Trees and first look or lift them up to Heaven and then look upon or towards the Moon which they many times together do as it were in a supplication or adoration thereof He further relateth of the Baboon who by the influence of the Sun and Moon on him in the equinoctial times of the yeer barks every hour once viz. twelve times a day The third day after the Full Moon a female and as often pisseth and at the Change of the Moon the male Baboon will neither look up or eat but in a forlorn condition through the sence of that conjunction of the Luminaries goes up and down and the female purging her self of abundance of blood But this is further handled in the fourth chapter of the second Book of this Volumn viz. That which we call the Introduction wherefore here I shall hasten to proceed Those born at the time of an Eclipse or Change of the Moon live not long and why Again we see that those that are born at the time of an Eclipse of either of the Luminaries or at the Change of the Moon cannot live long for the Sun or Moon being eclipsed he being fons vitae and she the mother as it were of moisture the native then by this defect must be deprived in the eclipse of the Sun of natural heat and nourishment he being deprived of his light and in the defect of the Moon of convenient moisture to mitigate and to
man rather a fool then a Physitian that is not an Astrologer and he farther saith that Physick given at unseasonable times doth not only little avail or help but oftentimes prove very hurtfull even to the indangering of the life of the Patient and that these times are only to be known and judged by the stars CHAP. XI Containing an Introduction to the Vindication of my Lux Veritatis from the aspersions of Doctor Homes and his second with the first Reason why I account neither of them worthy of my notice EVen amongst us notwithstanding all this there are some that labour all they can to eclipse the radiant splendor of this most heavenly Science being blinded with ignorance and malice as hath been said for Ars non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem Art hath no enemy but an ignorant man Ignorance converteth all the desires and inclinations of a man to wretchedness The wretched estate of an ignorant man and taketh away the sight of the minde and intellect that he is herein as blinde as a man is externally that hath lost his eyes of which the former is a great deal the greater curse for knowledge doth distinguish us from bruit beasts and by how much we excell in knowledge and understanding by so much we transcend the inferiour Creatures What distinguisheth us from bruit beasts for it is in my opinion better not to live then to live in ignorance for an ignorant man is not indeed worthy to live or the earth to bear him the consideration of which caused the Antients to say That every ignorant man was evil c. Wherefore then since it is so of necessity there must much inconveniency and mischief come thereby both to the ignorant themselves and others I forbear here for brevitie sake to shew you the prodigious and wofull effects of ignorance in some of former ages as well as in this wherein we live this is already clear to all judicious and ingenious souls wherefore to our purpose I say there are in this perverse age many sticklers or so in pretence against this Liberal and most divine Science one whereof for the undeceiving of my Reader having published a pretended Reply to my Answer to Doctor Homes I shall craving pardon for my tediousness here take notice of although he be not worthy of the same as you your self shall judge when you have perused what follows for both his quality and * For I am informed he is an Hay-maker Plaster maker Chyrurgion Quack-salver and Tub Preacher or at least after he hath been all these he ayms at the Preaching of the Gospel but I will advise him first to get a good and true tongue in in his head variety of professions as also rural behaviour and disposition in whose name it is published speaketh him not worthy the naming or answering as I would have done had it been otherwise and better fathered that the errours and absurdities of that railing Pamphlet might have been divulged to the world This may be the first reason why the Author holds not the pretended Reply to his defence of Astrology worthy the answering CHAP. XII Comprehending three Reasons more why that Rabble of theirs was not worthy the answering THus have you one reason whereby I am induced to slight it yet have I these five more for my further inducement thereunto first for that there is nothing in it but what hath been long since answered by Bellantius Goclenius Marasealertes Pirovanus and Sir Christopher Heyden though in the Title page there be sophistically promised an answer thereunto which the penner thereof is as much able to do as to remove St. Pauls Church The second reason The third reason Secondly for that by the Author himself it was not thought worthy of his name in the Frontispiece thereof or else his name was not worth the inserting Thirdly for that it was not worthy of the Authors owning or else he was ashamed of it or he had never sent it abroad in another mans name for let whose name will be at the end of the Epistle to the Reader it is well known by Mr Daniel the Printer in Pater-noster-row and the then Composers and Presse-men that Doctor Homes was the Author of it and not onely payed for the printing but also Corrected every day at the Press and let him deny if he can his peevishness with the Presse-men when they were angry he came not to Correct and made them all that afternoon stand idle For it is not likely that a Hay-maker as it is very well known the owner thereof or he under whose name it was published was but two or three yeers since should be able to hold an Argument against one of the Liberal Sciences although his ignorance might condemn it But truly I cannot but commend the policy of the Doctor herein who knowing the insufficiency of his brat to refell the Arguments in my Answer to his first discourse being loth to be seen bafled the second time in Print for a piece of mony knew how to make another father it and truly therein he also did a very charitable deed for of all sneaks that ever I saw in my life that pretended to any thing was this poor fellow he got to be the father of this Rable for hearing he lay at the Bell in Carter-lane I went purposely to confer with him touching some passages of that book which went under his name but could not meet with him whereupon I left a note desiring him to do me the favour if it were he that owned such a book for I was unacquainted with him to let me know or whether it might be some other of his name and he should oblige me therein and for an answer thereunto I would be there again the next day at eleven of the clock c. To this purpose I say I writ a note and left it with the Chamberlain of the aforesaid Inn and desired that he would importune him for an answer he promised me he would and so for that time I departed came the next day according to promise inquired for the Chamberlain demanded an answer who had no more for me then this that he had delivered my note and importuned an answer but could receive none then I acquainted the Chamberlain with the business that there was a Book published in the name of such a one and being informed it was him that lay there that owned it and therefore I desired him in my note to let me receive that favour from him to know whether he was the man or some other of his name and so wished him to acquaint him again with my being there at the time appointed and wondred he would refuse to do so small a favour as to resolve me in such a question I or no which he again promised me he would But what courtesie could I expect from so mean a spirit which was never either acquainted with courtersie civility or manners who would
refuse to answer me who wrote unto him in so indifferent a maâ—â—â—r for had I known it had been him which at last I found it was I should have saved that pains I put my self to and had never expected other then I found at his hand For what can one have of a beggar but a louse but thinking it might be some other of his name was the cause of this my oversight but to return again to our business I told the Chamberlain after he had promised me I say to acquaint him with my further desire I would call again the next day at two of the clock in the afternoon and if he were the man I should be very glad to converse with him if his occasions could permit but when I came at the aforesaid hour his answer was he acquainted him to the full with all my desire but could not perswade him to stay within to speak with me but bid him tell me he scorned to deny any thing he owned whereupon I answered I did no wise question that if he were a man that had any spark of honour dwelling in his brest and this was all I could understand The which rugged preposterous and uncivil answer caused me presently to believe him to be whom I found him at the last for I knew one of that name and no other but could never imagine it was he that should shew himself to be Author of such a Discourse though for the simplicity thereof he might very fitly have served so then I inquired of the Chamberlain what manner of a man he was and upon his ill-favoured description I immediately resolved my selfe of my former question and then I was very urgent to know when I might meet with him he told me about noon any day but he knew he was resolved not to speak with me and so indeed I perceived by a friend of mine as soon as I was parted from thence whom I met and in some discourse I acquainting him with what I had been about he told me that the other day he was chid by this â—ral Rufus Rolandus or Orlando Furioso Perswading him that he and none other had acquainted me with his lodging and then also I was assured and confirmed that it was him of that name which I knew that was the Author or at least so in pretence of that Pamphlet After this being very desirous to meet with him that I might shew him some of his absurdities and abuses towards me whom for matter of acquaintance he was a stranger to I went twice or thrice about noon thinking I might meet with him but could not till the 22 day of January 1651. I accidentally rancountred him it were here both superfluous and too tedious to relate what discourse we had he not being able to speak one word without anger and choler as if his heart were also on fire as well as his head but amongst other passages I fell into a very great laughter the which he not seeming to take notice of I asked him if he wondred not at this my suddain passion who answered yes I told him then I could not possibly forbear laughing to see so young a man as he was pretend to be the Author of that Book wherein I am termed but a boy and he not above three or four yeers at the most older then my self and therefore I told him I rather expected to see some grave fellow whose Beard was at least as long as his waste and not one whose Beard was hardly so long as his teeth But both he and the Antient Doctor his Master and Author of that wise word who confessed to a friend of mine nothing vexed him but that he was answered by so young a man must know that neither wisdom learning knowledge nor grace is to be measured by the Beard or age and therefore but a most weak evasion in his Arguments of the validity and verity of Astrology neither is it any extraordinary witty quibble since he cannot as yet confute with all his manhood what a boy hath affirmed and if he thought I would take acceptions at this with the rest of his silly jeers and affronts railings and abuses wherewith his Pamphlet is fraught and therefore thought it fit to make it proceed from one so neer my own age he must needs think it worthy of much more notice to procure laughter onely but no otherwise perhaps out of a tender respect to my health he did it knowing me to be a melancholy man for I know he is also a Doctor of Physick testis Bredstreet nihil amplius dico for the which good receit before the closure of this Book if I forget not I shall requite him with a double Fee for I abhor to be in his debt but therein he did very ill to send me this medicine by so unworthy an Apothecaries boy or man I crave your pardon if he intended I should ever have taken notice of it otherwise he had been repayed long ere now I must confess I am not able to compare Beards with the Doctor for mine is not by at least two inches so long as a Goats yet it was full as long as his though not so hoary the Sunday after the Eclipse of the Sun in March last when he beat down Astrology which Phreneticus and such like Phrensies and therefore in this he shall haâ—e the prehemiency for senex bis puer and so being now in his dotage I will give him â—eave to reckon up as many Boys of 26 yeers of age as he pleases and make himself more ridiculous then already if possible it being no unusual thing with him to speak repugnancies to both Reason and Sense as will appeare to any that shall peruse his Book and therefore I shall not need here further to inlarge CHAP. XIII Containing the fourth Reason and a Vindication from some of their abuses and untruths HAving thus entred let us proceed to a fourth Reason Fourthly for that it is a discourse patcht up with nothing but evasions as not disputing ad idem and scurrillous railing language and abuses towards me amongst hundreds of which I shall here-onely trouble thee with these three First that a godly scholler reported unto him I was assisted in the penning of my defence of Astrology Page 33 of his discourse the which he heathenishly simply and ignorantly I will not say foolishly termeth unchristianlike I would he had not been thus hypocritical but had named his godly schollars name if any such there were and not have left his Reader and indifferent men thus in doubt nor so diabolically wicked as thus to invent untruths rather then he will not disgrace and disparage me which I shall prove and also that he is as I here term him and so consequently not worthy the taking notice of crediting and that first affirmatively and then negatively That he is most diabolically wicked and inventer of untruths First affirmatively that since it is granted that no godly
man will lye he could not by any one be informed of any such thing since I never in the least was assisted or inlightned in any part of the Art by any man or party living or dead much less in penning of that Book which none ever saw till it was finished and brought to be Licenced besides I do here declare to all the world I am not familiarly acquainted with any man living upon the face of the earth that is a student in this most Noble Science and therefore defie that man whosoever he be that shall herein so grosly abuse me for I desire any one be it whom it will that can herein disprove me to publish it to the world and I shall be content to subscribe my selfe no other and then I am sure I shall be bad enough then this most malicious and unworthy Orlando would perswade the world of me But he had done well for the prevention of this my Answer to have acquainted his Reader as I have said both with the name of his godly schollar and the names of those that I borrowed aid of wherefore to any rational man what hath been already said is sufficient to conclude him not worthy my Answer to every particular of his Rabble and that he is as I have affirmed him And therefore I refer him to Rev. 21.8 to receive his portion with such as are there exprest That he is not godly or religious Secondly negatively that he is neither Godly nor Religious for since there is nothing more certain then that a godly man will not lye so by the rule of contraries is there any thing more affirmative then that that man that doth lye is nowise godly or religious that he erred in this particular is cleer Ergo Not Religious nor godly himself Upon the cleering of his words the Author promiseth him that honor as to answer him which otherwise he holds him not woâ—thy of although such a pretender And for the assurance therof let him but make it yet appear to the world that he was by any whether godly or no informed of any such matter and the names of those should give me any assistance that there be any in the world that will justifie it and I do here promise though if I overcome I shall gain thereby no credit I will honour him so far as to let posterity know he was worthy of RAMESEYS Answer And such is his malice he cannot be content with this but upon my expression of the Blessed stone of the Philosophers which was but brought in by the way he quibbles on it leaving the matter still in question and his Reader unsatisfied and that with invective malicious slanderous speeches against my father inferring by his rabble in the 39 page thereof that my father was not onely ruined by his study in that matter but also lay in prison thereby which is most notoriously false as all that are of his acquaintance can justifie for that he neither is in prison or ever was upon any such score there is nothing more certain It is true much he hath expended in trying conclusions that way but I defie any man living to say he put him to a peny charges therein but so intolerable is his further abuse herein that I cannot but deliver it to the world both for the clearing of my father and manifesting this Furioso's maliciousness in the same place he hath these words persisting thus in his wicked standers and truly for this had he his due his ears should be cropt to teach him to keep his tongue within compass after he had mentioned most falsly and unworthily he was in prison thereby he saith though the late King bore with his defeating him of his expectations and of scores of pounds yet other men will not cannot bear such wrongs intimating as will soon appear to the judicious Reader that he had mony from the King for his charges in those works but to his great dammage brought naught to pass which of all mischiefs and envies is the greatest for there is none who had any acquaintance with the King but can acquaint the world he was ever averse to such a belief and had many times disswaded him from such expensive courses this truly is a pretty world when such fellows as he shall speak of kings actions and expectations and so far was he from lending him mony that he owed him in arrear when he died 5500. l. as is testified under the hands of Sir Robert Pye Sir William Vuidale Sir David Cunningham Cap. Falkonbridge Auditor Collins and others but certainly he that will presume in print thus to affirm untruths and those so scandalous will not stick to say any thing right or wrong so he may but advantage himself sixpence Wherefore what he saith in derision of that most sublime Revelation and heavenly secret which men vulgarly call the Philosophers Stone but in effect the soul of the world and that whereby all things both Coelestial and Terrestial that are creatures subsist increase and next under God himselfe have their being I say whatever he or any such Animal to whom God hath not bestowed so much mercy as to believe such a thing to be in rerum natura or in posse saith against it is not much material for my part if I should see such kind of creatures believe and discourse thereon I should had I never before heard thereof have concluded it to be meer foolery and madness as these mad kind of people do * A good jest were it not too tedious to relate but if I should ask him what he thinks of Coining I believe he would conclude that a great deal the better Trade but I shall pass by that for he knows well enough what I mean I le warrant you he thinks his a more blessed thing a great deal Again secondly in his 43 page he saith I was set on by my Brethren the Astrologers being one of the silly weak ones to confute Doctor Homes and in divers places he informs and assures his Reader I study and practice the Art in a mercenary way and gain mony by resolving questions whereby you may plainly see how his envy runs him into an absurdity and instead of speaking sense he committeth nonsense and rendreth himself ridiculous by this his Bull that I being one of the silliest weakest Students in Astrologie was chosen out of all the other to confute the Doctor and vindicate the Art Ha ha he by this the Doctor and he are both very much credited that their strong Arguments should be refelled by the weakest Astrologer and that all that they can do cannot silence him nor vindicate themselves in the least point save with railing quibling and evading with quillets nothing appertaining to the business in hand for if high words and abuses are of sufficient force to maintain an Argument I will get an Oyster-Belins-gate-wench shall confute them both in any Argument they dare mention and as
they remain as yet by them unshaken and that they have no other refuge but barely to face it down with a bold and impudent forehead especially being in the former so shamefully bafled Wherefore now it resteth I snew you the full power and subject of Astrology and how far I maintain or allow of the Art and here desist referring you for further satisfaction to that discourse of mine which is able to justifie these my words since for all that the Replyers thereunto can say the Art remains still unshaken and it unanswered wherefore they had but small reason to title that weak piece Judicial Astrology Judicially condemned when alas there is hardly a judicious sentence to be found between the beginning and end thereof unless borrowed of some other Author neither are they or it able to shew their faces before the judicious and impartial Judges of the matter without suffering condign condemnation themselves CHAP. XX. Containing the power and subject of Astrology and how far the Author vindicateth it YOu are now to receive The power and subject of Astrology which by all what you have heard How the Author sets down the power and subject of Astrology dealeth with such things as are performed by Art and Nature with the will of man indirectly and accidentally and his inclinations temperature and dispositions as also with his affections and body and with natural and secondary causes and general accidents and contingencies But not with rare contingencies or such as have an indifferent respect to the opposites as depending upon unknown and indeterminate causes which may happen one way or other neither with mans will doth Astrology meddle but accidentally so far as the Soul with the faculties thereof follows the temperature of the body neither with the Providence of God or shew a cause of miracles or with the secrets of God for they are saith the Scripture past finding out Ergo Astrologers that are men that contemplate but natural causes are falsly and most scandalously abused when thus impeached neither hath the influence of the stars any fatality as inevitable except some contigency be mixed therewith for this were to deny the Providence of God How far the Author maintaineth or justifieth Astrology Now as touching the parts of Astrology I shall here according to Ptolomy in the beginning of his second Book of his Quadripartite chap. 1. divide into two the first and chief part being general as having relation to Countries Kingdoms Provinces and Cities alterations of Kingdoms Laws Customs death plenty wars peace health sickness and mutations in the Air c. The second particular viz. To mens Nativities as to know the particular constitution temperature and natural inclination of any man or woman but not other accidents as whether a man shall live long the time when he shall die and what manner of death whether he shall be rich and how attain it c. which are as also Horary questions depending thereon not certain The first is judged by the position of the Heavens and the Planets and their Natures and significations at the time of any Revolution of the yeers of the world the appearance of Eclipses Comets Blazing-stars or great Conjunctions The latter at the time of the parties birth and so far and no farther do I any wise allow of the Art for what is called Astrology more then this is not ASTROLOGY but the meer abuse of the Art I meand Charactery-Astrology and other superstitions of the Arabians and Chaldeans also horary questions and elections if not depending or grounded on the Radix of the parties Nativitie or rather on that part which teacheth of the general accidents of the world are neither countenanced or vidicated by me in the least for I have studied and know sufficiently the experience thereof neither do I wholly relie on the setting of any mans Nativity though it hath been approved of by some of the learned The Authors opinion touchiug Nativities fer since the stars have no power on such as are ruled either by Reason or Grace as you have heard where I say Astra agunt not cogunt are sapiens dominabitur astris to what end then is it for a man to busie his head about such uncertainties when except the native be a man meerly natural no Prediction shall fall out true as to accidents and disposition sure is worse then madness then to spend time on this part of the Art Touching Horary questions and Elections Wherefore it must needs follow then that the resolutions of questions and elections thereon depending are more uncertain yet I must confess the Astrologer may undertake in some sense to answer the demands of the Querent by his Art without regard to the Radix or ought else since he may be confidently assured that such inquirers are nowise either rational or religious and so consequently are easily carried on to the temptations and delusions of the devil or according to the natural inclination and influence of the Heavens Yet know that Elections touching the administration of Physicke Phlebotomy using of Husbandry and Navigation I do allow of as also all other elections if they depend on this matter but what is more then this doth in my opinion subject mans will to the power of the stars and all his voluntary actions which to affirm were most ridiculous Needs must he be most impious and ignorant that traduceth Astrology And thus far is the glory of God made cleerly manifest in his creatures and to deny this which is indeed the pure Art of Astrology is to deny the most heavenly and chiefest study next to Divinity under the Sun and also that which of all studies else most conduceth to the praise and glory of the omnipotent and omniscient creator for which they and all things else were first created and then consequently must the treducers thereof be most impious and ignorant Reader I shall here for conclusion say no more then this that thou first seek thy Creator and serve him before thou apply thy minde unto this subsequent or any other study for that so thou shalt be made the more excellent and perfect therein yet particularly as for this heavenly contemplation let me tell thee wert thou an Heathen before thou wert seen therein yet wilt thou cleerly be made thereby when thou art acquainted therewith to see thy Creator and his unspeakable wisdom therein * Ergo far from making men Athiests as some have affirmed except they believe a fatality which in this study is to be wholly denyed and by me ever was wherefore in all thy study give him the whole praise and glory who hath disposed and ordered all things according to his divine will and inevitable decree and that thou mayest be the better inabled thereunto thou shalt never want my prayers nor service Die ♄ 31. Januarii 1651. FINIS AN INTRODVCTION TO THE Iudgement of the Stars WHEREIN The whole ART of ASTROLOGY Is plainly Taught and
the last by Gods assistance found out by the Antients Wherefore so called The are called Terms Ends or Bounds for that the Planets have their proportion so allotted them at the end of so many degrees begin the bounds term or ends of another Planet As for example from the first degree of Aries to the sixt is the term end or bounds of Jupiter from the 6. to the 14. is the term of Venus c. To know the greater years of the Planets by the Terms Ptolomie Albumazer and Bonatus shew that the greater years of the Planets are found out by their several terms through the Zodiack which is no more but this look what number of degrees every Planet hath assigned him in every sign and add them together and the make the just number of the great years as you have the before as for example more plainly  ♄ ♃ ♂ ♀ ☿ Signs Terms ♈ 4 6 5 8 7 ♉ 2 7 6 8 7 ♊ 4 6 6 7 7 ♋ 3 7 6 7 7 ♌ 6 6 5 6 7 ♠6 5 6 6 7 ♎ 6 8 6 5 5 ♠3 8 6 7 6 ♠6 8 5 6 5 ♑ 6 7 5 6 6 ♒ 6 5 5 8 6 ♓ 5 6 5 8 6 Greater years 57 79 66 82 76 These being added together make just 360. degrees But the reason why the Planets are after this manner divided into terms is briefly this The Sages and Philosophers in former Ages followed this rule The reason why the terms are so attributed to the Planets first to observe what Planet had most dignities in a sign whether by Exaltation and House Triplicity and House or House Exaltation or Triplicity only and to that Planet that had two or more Dignities they assigned the first term whether he were a Fortune or Infortune and if an Infortune have not two dignities in a sign they placed them last and gave them the last term of the sign and the first term to the Lord of the Exaltation to the Lord of the Triplicity or the Lord of the House ever preferring him who hath two dignities before those or him that had but one except only in Cancer and Leo for because Cancer is the opposite sign to the exaltation of Mars viz. Capricorn therefore is the first term of Cancer assigned to Mars and because Leo is the opposite sign to the house and joy of Saturn is the first term of Leo given to him to the Infortunes are given still the last of all the signs except of Leo the last term is given to Jupiter the quantity of the terms are thus divided when Iupiter and Venus have not two of the aforesaid dignities in the same sign nor in the second third nor fourth they have seven degrees alotted them for their term Saturn and Mars because they are infortunes except in their own houses but five sometimes four three and two Mercury for that he is of a mixt nature and naturally neither good nor bad hath six degrees alotted him In like manner when a Planet hath the aforesaid dignities he hath assigned him one more as Venus in the first term of Taurus hath assigned her eight degrees and Saturn in the first term of Aquaries hath six degrees alotted him and where Venus hath eight you see Saturn hath but two in Taurus being so much diminished he being very weak in Taurus so also in Sagittary you see Jupiter is increased one being he is there strong and Mercury being weak is diminished one Jupiter hath eight Mercury but five but why they are so divided throughout the signs I finde no Author give sufficient reasons I mean for this Table according to Ptolomie which he saith he found in an old rotten worm-eaten book which was half consumed with worms and age in which he saith there was a long story of the utility and reasons of the terms but by reason of the so much decay of the Book it could not be legible so that he could not transcribe it and so leaveth the Reader still in doubt concerning this point the clearing whereof requireth much time and study which shall not be wanting hereafter in me to bestow God granting me life and health for the benefit both of the Art and Students therein In the interim be content with what I have now delivered CHAP. XIV Shewing the use which is to be made of the Terms REmember that a Planet in his own Term is strong and that the more dignities he hath there the stronger he is for Iupiter in the first term of Sagittary is stronger and more powerfull then in the first term of Aries yet they are both his terms the reason is because Sagittary is both his House and Triplicity Aries is but his Triplicity only wherefore you see in Sagittary he hath the first eight degrees for his term in Aries but six and so observe the neerer a Planet is in nature to the place of his term the stronger is the Planet therein for Iupiter being hot and moist hath but five degrees for his term in Virgo which is cold and dry yet in Gemini which is hot and moist he hath six it agreeing with his temper yet in Cancer which is cold and moyst you will perhaps say he hath seven which agreeth not so near to his nature but the reason thereof is Cancer is his house of Exaltation and so hath alotted him one for that as you have heard before for you must know the more dignities a Planet hath in a sign the stronger he is and hath the greater term alotted him In like manner if a Planet that is cold and dry be in a term so likewise qualified viz. cold and dry also his cold and dryness is the more increased and will work the more forcibly on the Inferiours he is significator of observe the same rule in all the rest of the qualities and humors still remembring that a Planet is so much the more increased in strength by how much the more he is located in the places of his own temper and nature Moreover a Planet that is hot and dry is lessened of his vigour in a term that is cold and moyst so likewise is he augmented in heat if he be naturally cold and moyst and in a term that is hot and dry In like manner note that if a fortunate Planet be in a fortunate term I say note in general his goodness is the more increased and augmented having more power and strength to operate in any thing whatsoever he is significator of as if he have signification of good he is then so much the better and on the contrary an evil or malevolent Planet in a malevolent sign and term is the more mischievous The Lord of a Termwhen he is in that Term let it be what sign it will hath more power therein then the Lord of that sign or the Planet that hath that sign for his Exaltation if he be Peregrine anywhere which is as much to say Possession is
the seventh Also it upon the 2d there were the 3d. deg of Taurus and the 4th min. we are to place the 3. deg and 4th min. of â™ upon the 8th house because the 8th is opposite to the second and â™ to ♉ and so of the rest remember still to place the opposite sign and the same degrees and minutes on the opposite house and you cannot erre and thus much shall suffice at this time FINIS AN INTRODVCTION TO ELECTIONS Fully comprehending The RULES of the ANCIENTS IN Electing a Time for any manner of Work Never before made publique in our Mother Tongue But now by the Blessing of GOD for the benefit of all true Lovers of knowledge sent abroad By VVILLIAM RAMESEY Gent. Student in Astrology Physick and the most Heavenly and Sublime Sciences Eccles 3.1 To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the Heaven Sapiens Dominabitur astris LONDON Printed for R. VV. 1653. HONORATISSIMO AT QUE ILLVSTRISSIMO DOMINO DOMINO HENRICO PERREPOINT MARCHIONI DE DORCHESTER COMITI DE KINGSTON APVD HVLL PROCOMITI NEVVARK ET DOMINO PERREPOINT DE HOLMES PERREPOINT Salutem Pacem Felicitatem Perpetuam DOMINO SUO CLEMENTISSIMO HANC SUAM IN ELECTIONIBVS INTRODVCTIONEM SUBMISSE DEDICAT Wilhelmus Rameseus TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Henry Perrepoint Marquess of DORCHESTER Earl of KINGSTONE upon HVLL Vicount NEW ARK and Lord PERREPOINT of HOLMES PERREPOINT Health and life here and Eternal happiness hereafter MY LORD WHen Your Honour shall consider the reason of this my bold Dedication I know were not Your Honour of a more Noble Spirit then to judge of things by the first sight or glimpse thereof I should have little or no cause to hope of acceptance at Your Honours hands but should rather justly be induced to expect since it is my unhappiness to be a stranger to Your Honour Your frown rather then favour and reprehension for this my boldness But as it was nothing but really Your Honours Vertues which according to the Philosopher are the onely Badges of Honour and love to Learning that was the occasion of this my transgression I humbly presume through them my fault will be venial since the blame is Your Honours and that my self and this my small Present shall finde access into Your Honours favour and Protection The subject of this piece is that part of Astrology or NATURAL PHILOSOPHY which treateth of Elections teaching by the powerful Influence of the Superior and Coelestial bodies how to frame a fit and proper time for any manner of work belonging to the life of Man in a Natural way there being according to that most elegant expression of the chief of Philosophers and sagest of Mortals SOLOMON Eccles 3.1 A season for every thing and a time for every purpose under the Sun And truly it is a peice of that sublime Learning that I fear it will pass the bounds of not only the common and ordinaryest but the indifferent capacities of most men and in some measure put even the most Judicious to seek unless they are true sons or Contemplators of Nature and its mysteries and secrets this for the generality Yet what conduceth to the administration of Physick and Phlebotomy which according to Hippocrates and Galen as I have sufficiently shewn in the 10 Chap. of the first Book of this Volume and the 1. Chapter of the 7. Sect. of this very third Treatise can never be rightly administred without the help of this Art is more easily to be comprehended as also what tendeth to the use of Navigation and husbandry Wherefore since this my fabrick of THE RESTAURATION OF ASTROLOGY or the true Natural Philosophy which is four square is finished now after my great pains and care and brought to light it imploreth Your Patronage and especially this Corner least the unworthyness of the Author may be a means of its fall to the ground without the least notice taken thereof or hope of recovery unless Your Honours Nobility Virtues and Learning be a gracious support thereunto the which if Your Honour be Munificently pleased to grant it will be a perpetual rock unto it and an inexpressible fame unto him whose highth of ambition is to be My LORD Your HONOURS Servant Whilest he is William Ramesey To the Reader READER THou art here presented with the whole Art of Elections which may be very beneficial unto â—ee in many things especially in the administration of Physick using of Husbandry and Navigation for which considerations I have undertaken to divulge the whole Body thereof for herein are the rules infallible yet in others by reason they are to depend on several other considerations which we place as ground-works Note viz. the Revolutions of the Years of the World Eclipses great Conjunctions and in some measure Nativities they are very intricate and doubful and truly I may say they seldom or never prove true by reason few that undertake the practice thereof understand the fundamentals and ground-works and how to order and dispose of them or will take the pains to consider every particular which is requisite to be seriously pondered and weighed before Election can be made on any particular thing The Authors admonition to the Students in Elections Wherefore let him that presents this Book unto thee advise thee as thou tendrest the propagation of the Art and thy own Reputation not to dare to put any part thereof in practise unless it be I say so much as thou findest tend to the administration of Physick Phlebotomy or using of Husbandry and Navigation till thou art very well acquainted with Nature and canst prove thou knowst the fundamentals and reasons of every particular point of this Science lest thou become ridiculous and odious to the Ignorant and the rural of the World by thy frequent failings which thou canst never avoid if thou knowest no more then what is here verbally delivered or if thou trustest barely to the writings of any man whatsoever for the illiterate by this thy weakness being no wise capable of the mysteries of these knowledges will sooner condemn the Art as imperfect or faulty then thee or thy judgement which art rather worthy reprehension for by the right knowledge of the divine practice thereof thou mayst attain to admirable speculations and rare things For it was far from my intentions in the penning thereof to have it thus abused which thou mayst soon do by basely putting it openly in practise as some have the resolution of Questions and so not only become an occasion of derision to thy self with them but also an ill requiter of my pains and care towards thee and bring this part of the Art if not all under the notion thereof into the contempt of the World the which in it self is good and pure though sublime for there is nothing more certain then that there is a proper time and season for every thing under the Sun A time to be born and a time to dye a
when the sign ascending is a common sign at the beginning of any two playing it signifies that as soon as they have left off others shall begin and thus much for this remember what hath been said and you are well enough also let the Moon when you go out of your house intending to play be in your face and the Lord of the Ascendent applying to the Fortunes and in the mid-heaven or in the eleventh house and how ever let him be above the earth free from combustion and the affliction of the Malevolents CHAP. IX Of Hunting Fowling and Fishing Of hunting of Beasts either wilde or tame IN this manner of Judgement you are to know the sign most proper for the business as in all other is especially to be chosen for here are three several elements to rove in If on the earth you hunt either Hare Deer Fox or wilde Beast in every of these you are to place your Ascendent accordingly as if ordinary Beasts place a Beastial or fourfooted sign upon your Ascendent and place the Moon therein as Aries Taurus or Capricorn but if you Hunt feral Beasts such as are Wolfs Lions Bears Leopards or the wilde Boar let your Ascendent be Leo or Sagittary the last 15. degrees and let your Ascendent be strong as also its Lord the Moon and the sign of the sixth and its Lord and weaken and debilitate the seventh house and its Lord as much as you can for the Ascendent its Lord and the Moon hath signification of the Hunters and therefore it strengtheneth them The sixth and its Lord denote the Dogs Nets or other Instruments of Hunting and the seventh hath signification of the thing chased wherefore I rather advise thee to place the sign of the seventh of the Nature of the thing you would take or Hunt rather then the Ascendent and debilitate it and if possible place Mars therein for that denotes bloodshed and that you shall take what you seek but be sure you fortifie the Ascendent its Lord the Moon the sign of the sixth and the Lord thereof and it will be the more certain but by no means let Saturn be in the seventh least you toil and labour to no purpose for he signifyeth you shall not obtain your desire though you see the beast you aym at or if you take it yet shall it escape again and these Rules you are Mutatis mutandis to use in Fowling and Fishing c. Of Fowling or taking of Birds on the land As if you are to hunt Birds or more properly to Fowl and the Birds are such as are taken by Nets Setting-dogs Pinfals or any other device let your Ascendent be aëry and the Lord thereof in an earthy sign well dignified but debilitate the seventh house and its Lord and fortifie also the sixth and its Lord as you have heard for it addeth vigour to the Springes Nets Dogs c. and other instruments appropriate to your work In the Ayr. But if you aym at such Birds as are usually taken in the ayr by Hawk or Faulcon let the Ascendent be an aëry sign and the Lord thereof also in an aëry sign yet let them both be strong and also the sixth and its Lord and debilitate the seventh and its Lord as you have heard In the Water And if you hunt Water-fowl as Duck Mallard or the like let your Ascendent be an aëry sign and the Lord thereof strong in a watry or place the Lord thereof in an aëry and the ascendent in a watry or earthy in like manner do with the sixth and its Lord and dispose of the seventh as you have heard Of fishing in Sea Rivers or Pools Again if your sport be fishing place the Ascendent and its Lord in watry signs and well dignified fortifie also the sixth and its Lord and place the Ascendent if you would catch shel-fish and are roving in the Sea in Cancer and let Iupiter be in Pisces well dignified and debilitate the seventh house and its Lord. For smaller fish if you angle or fish by any other Instrument in Rivers or Pools prefer Pisces and so according to discretion frame your business for since you have had the fundamental Rules of Elections delivered you at the beginning of this third Book you must not expect I shall do any more then hint at any thing we are hereafter to handle in this Book for if your own ingenuity will not lead you and enable you to go through with any election pertaining to the life of man by what thou hast already heard thou wouldest never apprehend the mystery thereof should I inlarge as much as is possible upon every particular Of teaching of Dogs to hunt In teaching of Dogs to Hunt such as are Hounds Grew-hounds and such like place the Moon in Aries in Conjunction of Mars for this will make them soon learn and put vigour and courage in them to slay and bite but let Jupiter be also in aspect unto them for the better preservation of them from danger in hunting In teaching of Setting-dogs place the Moon in an earthy sign and the Lord of the Ascendent in an Aëry in Conjunction with the Moon and in good aspect of Mercury and Venus that he may be the more docible and gentle In teaching of Hawks Faulcons and such like let the Moon be in Aquaries applying to Mars To teach Hawks and Faulcons and let Mars be in Scorpio Note that if the Moon be applying to a Retrograde Planet when any one begins either to Hunt Fowl or Fish it signifieth they shall get nothing but weariness pain and trouble but if it be in the Ascendent it denotes great agility in Hunting or in the Sport and if Mars be in the mid-heaven it denotes the same to the Birds or Beasts pursued And if the Moon be in the Mid-heaven afflicted by Mars it signifies the Faulconer shall lose his Hawk But let those that delight much in hawking place the Moon in Aries applying to Mars in Capricorn for this denotes good sport both in the ayr and on the earth To be short in hunting it is most necessary you place the Moon in the mid-heaven and a moveable sign in the ascendent and Jupiter therein in good aspect of the Moon and Mars in the seventh and Saturn Cadent and in no aspect of the Ascendent and Venus in the Ascendent or mid-heaven and the Moon applying unto her for thereby shall both man horse and hounds be elevated and strengthened to undergo the business chearfully and they shall obtain their desire without much pains toil or trouble neither shall they be much wearied SECTION IX Containing Elections appertaining to the signification of the eighth House CHAP. 1. Of making of Wills UNder the signification of this House cometh the Wills of the dead and the heritages left thereby as touching Wills we are in this place to treat viz. what time is best for to make them When thou makest thy Will let not
unacquainted with the preceding Discourses which serve but as it were Introductions hereunto for which cause My Lord it is that I humbly presume to lay it at Your Honours Feet above any others being so nerely bound to Eternise for ever Your late Honorable and Vertuous Consort of happy memory doubting not but by the unparalleld splendour of Your Honours surpassing Endowments it might be exalted to that hight of Honour as to be but accepted into Your Honours Presence which will be a perpetual Fame unto it and him who in all humility Presents it to Your Honour and from thence assumes that Honour as to subscribe himself My LORD Your HONOURS most Humble Servant William Ramesey To the Studious Reader READER IN this following Discourse is presented unto thee the chiefest knowledge of the whole World and the Mysteries of Nature so I call them because they seem no other then Mysteries and strange unto us whilst we are Ignorant in the causes thereof In this peice thou mayest read the time past present and future the whole Government of the World from its Creation to its Subversion in a Natural way by the Revolutions of the Years of the World Eclipses Comets and great Conjunctions of the Celestial Planets and all accidents that shall happen in any Year whether good or evil whether Wars or Peace and who shall overcome whether Sickness or Health Plenty or Scarcity what shall be the condition of Kings or Grandees and those that are placed in Authority in any Region or Kingdom as also of the Beggar and such as are of low and poor degree the state of the Commons in any place the wealth and prosperity or want of any City Town or Village and of all things belonging to Man also of Rain Hail Snow Frost Dew fair Weather Tempests Storms Thunder Lightnings Earthquakes Apparitions in the Ayr and alterations therein and the causes of all these and to be short thou hast here Jasons Golden Fleece and the greatest riches of Divine Knowledge and Learning that any Man that is Philosophically given can wish or desire hereby thou shalt not only with SOLOMON know all things under the Sun but be able to Govern the World with Solomons wise man and not with Phaeton Wherefore lest it should be attempted by any such giddy rash Yongsters I prefixed these preceding Books that so this may be made the more plain and thy destruction thereby avoided I mean the gross absurdities thou wilt be ready to run into as also that thou mightest not be lulled asleep with self-conceited ignorance read it therefore warily and with attention but first be throughly informed of the Nature and Quality of every Sign Planet and Configurations thereof which thou hast delivered thee in the second and third Books and then there is no question but thou wilt soon attain to this most heavenly and delectable Science the which that thou mayst be the better enabled let me advise thee to seek first the true Knowledge of thy Creator and then afterwards study to see him in his Nature and his Works for perhaps otherwise thou wilt be apt to attribute all to His great Hand-maid NATVRE and so rob him of the glory most due unto him Yet upon better consideration I cannot see but even the most rural in Divine matters must needs acknowledge if they throughly understand the Mysteries of this Science some Superiour and Divine Power although they cannot be led to the perfect knowledge of him and this we have found in most Philosophers in former ages especially in Plato who for his rare knowledge in Divine matters which he attained to by his study in Philosophy was termed DIVINE PLATO the which Title he very well deserved as will appear to any that shall peruse his labours And this may serve very well to reprehend such Carpers at Humane Sciences and the Students thereof that think it is impossible for them to be seen in such matters without being Heathens for if I may deliver my judgement I think it will be a means rather to induce them to acknowledge a Divinity and to draw them neerer to the knowledge of the Creator the which I can experimentally aver to be true if they be any thing first grounded in Christianity Reader I shall here say no more but wish thou mayst make no worse a use of these my labours then I intended in my publishing thereof and remain Thy Loving Friend William Ramesey ASTROLOGIA MVNDA OR Pure Astrologie BEING An Introduction to the Judgement of the Stars Touching all general Accidents and Events in this Elementary VVorld portended by the Revolutions of the Sun Eclipses Comets and Great Conjunctions in a Natural way and course of the Government of the Universe SECTION I. Containing the Ground-work of Revolutions considerations before Judgement and the true Significators of such things as are necessary to be judged of in this manner of Work WE shall desire the Studier and Well-willer to this most Heavenly and delectable Art seriously to consider and weigh the subsequent Rules since this general part and it only as you have sufficiently heard is to be accounted ASTROLOGIE in its purity without fallacy or abuse Wherefore for the better illustration thereof as also instruction of the well-willers thereunto I shall in the handling of this our Introduction to the Judgement of Annual Revolutions of the World follow this Method The method the Author follow in this Book First to demonstrate since you have heard already in the Epistle the extent of Revolutions and what general Accidents may be foreknown thereby in the Elements and Elementary World the ground on which Astrological Judgements are to be laid or from whence to be deduced for the predicting or knowing any accident or mutation in the World and how many Schemes or Figures of the Heavens ought to be erected for the performance thereof Secondly what is to be considered before Judgement be given thereon necessary for the accomplishment of the work Thirdly and lastly most rational and authentick Rules deduced from natural causes how to judge of all accidents whatsoever portended by Revolutions of the years of the World which notwithstanding you have already heard them expressed by reason some of the Antients have reduced them excellently to four heads I shall thus further illustrate What accidents are portended by Revolutions of the years of the World The first denoteth such accidents as are visible in this World and to every mans sight obvious and common to every one as any Epidemical or general thing fertility and sterility rain hail storms and the alteration of the ayr and weather and such like The second such as are invisible in the Elementary World either general or particular as are Earthquakes Thunders Floods c. The third things peculiar to one single Nation or People as Wars Peace c. The fourth relateth to such things as happen in the ayr such as are fiery apparitions Lightnings Comets or Blazing stars and such like
c. CHAP. I. Showing the Ground-work on which Astrological Iudgements for the judging of Revolutions are to be built and how many Schemes or Figures of Heaven ought to be erected for this Work IN this matter the Ancients in those days wherein the Art remained obscure in some points have had divers opinions some grounding their judgments in these businesses on the Ascendent of the Law Nation Commonwealth or Kingdom concerning which they have undertaken to write and others on Eclipses and great Conjunctions the which although considerable in some matters and to be taken also into consideration in every annual Judgement yet the true time from whence Judgement is to be raised for the exact knowledge and predicting of future natural events in the Elements for any year The Ground-works from whence Astrologers raise or derive their judgements of future accidents and events in the elementary world is when the Sun enters the first point or minute of Aries which as you have heard is the first sign of the Zodiack and in the 24. Chapter of our Second Book Of the Judgement of the Stars that the Sun was in this very sign and in this very punctum at the first Creation and therefore I say it is all the reason in the World his return thereunto every year ought to be the chiefest ground on which Astrologers are to build their judgements touching the Natural events of all sublunaries especially since he is as you have been shewn in the first Book Fons Vitae the Fountain of life and Anima mundi the soul of the World by which all things as well Vegetatives as Sensitives have their subsistence and vivifying nourishment Besides we see that when the Sun enters this Equinoctial all things increse and flourish the Trees and Earth grow green and blossom and also fructifie by degrees afterwards which may also prove unto us the manifest certainty of that opinion or rather affirmation of the Antients that the Sun was in this first sign at the Creation of them and truly if we will be regulated by reason it will be sufficiently proved by the very Word of God which although not expresly in terminis testifying so much unto us in plain words yet will the Text delivered in the first of Genesis verse 11. be sufficient together with the sequel verse 12. shewing the effect be enough in all reason to evince the Carpers at both this Art and Artists tenets which for the most part are guided by passion errour and tradition in all their discourses they publish against them See more of this in the first Book So likewise on the contrary we see when he enters Libra which is the sign opposite to Aries and the other Equinoctial all things decay and diminish in their vegetative vigour the earth becomes as it were barren the leaves fall from the Trees c. How to erect the Scheme Thus have you heard the time of erecting your Scheme for your Work now you are further to note thus much that your Figure of Heaven be exactly set for the Region or place on which you would give Judgement having first punctually taken the Elevation of the Pole How to place the Planets therein And then having also reduced the Planets and Dragons-head to the instant of time the Sun enters the aforsaied point and erected your figure according to Art and placed them therin you may proceed to Judgement Yet first take this for a Rule Note if your ascendent at this time be a moveable sign then must you not content your self with that Scheme alone but for every quarter of the year must you erect another this induring no longer then till the Sun enter the first point of Cancer and from thence as of the former you do judge of the Spring Quarter comprehending March April and May under the signs Aries Taurus and Gemini may you know the events of the Summer Quarter being June July and August under Cancer Leo and Virgo the third figure for the third Quarter and that which is termed Autumnal being September October and November under Libra Scorpio and Sagittary is to be erected for the Sun his entrance into Libra and then the last for the Winter Quarter when he enters Capricorn which together with Aquaries and Pisces doth rule December January and February If it be a common sign two are necessary to be framed If your Ascendent at the Suns ingress into the first point of Aries be a common sign you have already in the Second Book Chap. 24. been shewn which signs are common also which are movable and which fixed wherefore we shall not here make any repetition then must you erect two Figures that of the ingress into Aries continuing in force but the first half year viz. but till the Sun enters the first Punctum of Libra for which time you must erect a Scheme for the other half year and for the knowing of the effects portended thereby If it be fixed that alone is sufficient But if your sign ascending be fixed then will that figure serve for all that Revolution or to the end of the year viz. you may thereby undertake to predict or acquaint your self with all matters signified thereby even till the next ingress without erecting any figure of the Suns ingress into the other points Thus much for your foundation and Platform viz. the Schemes but first now before thou layest one stone let me advise thee to acquaint thy self well with these following necessary considerations and then mayst thou safely and with more judgement go through with thy work CHAP. II. Containing some necessary considerations before Iudgement LOok that you can readily and exactly distinguish of your true significators as which House and Planet denotes the King which the People which their Assistants and which their Enemies c. and from whence you are to inquire of the fertility and sterility of the Earth Wars or Peace or any other Accident otherwayes you shall never be able to come to any perfection in this most Divine Science Ever be sure you weigh well the Fortitudes and Debilities of your Significators as how they are essentially and accidentally dignified which you are sufficiently taught in the eight Chapter of the Second Treatise how located in the Figure of the Heavens and how Aspected benevolently or malevolently by the Fortunes or Infortunes and so judge according to the Nature of the Planet afflicting or assisting your Significator good or bad as the signification and nature of the Aspect Planet Sign and House wherein he is denotes and the signification of the Planet to which he transfers his light saturn and ♂ not always evil neither ♃ and ♀ ever good Do not conclude Saturn and Mars alwayes Malevolents and Infortunes and Jupiter and Venus ever Fortunes and Denoters of good for as it may happen they may be contrary to this general and simple opinion Fortunes and Infortunes as they may be posited in Houses
Fourth Book I have already declared what an Eclipse of either of the Luminaries is and the cause of that defect in each of them wherefore it would be both needless and superfluous here again to touch thereon I shall therefore give you now the whole Method whereby to judge of any Mutation or Accident in this World portended by Eclipses and that in brief according to the Rules of our Predecessor Ptolomy whom I prefer for his shortness and plainness before any or all other Writings that I have mett with it is true Leovitius hath been very large on this subject and others but since what Ptolomy hath delivered us is sufficient for instruction to any that are to seek in these matters I shall pass them by as more mysterious and intricate and yet tending no more to edification In the first Section and first Chapter of this Fourth Book you have been taught that in your judgement of Revolutions you are to consider the place of the Eclipses of either Luminaries or both if any such happen and joyn them in judgement for if there be any Eclipse or Eclipses you are to see if there be any agreement betwixt them and the Lord of the Year and Ascendent of the Revolutions for there is nothing more certain then that there followeth many inconveniencies and alterations in the World after any of the great Lights are Eclipsed for by them all things have their subsistence and nutriment in a natural way and therefore it must needs follow sublunary things must suffer detriment in one kinde or other when either of them are deprived of their lights and influences especially if both in one Moneth whence Hermes saith Note There shall much inconveniency and trouble happen in the World when both the Luminaries shall be Eclipsed in one Moneth and chiefly in those places in which their Effects shall be manifested Wherefore in any Year if either or both the Luminaries are Eclipsed or in any quarterly Revolution see if the Lord of the Sign wherein the Eclipse is to fall be strong or weak or in Conjunction or any Configuration with the Lord of the Ascendent at the time of the middle of the Eclipse which you are to know is the time wherein you are to erect your Scheme or Figure of the Heavens for the judging of the Effects of any Eclipse or with the Lord of the Year or Quarter What time the figure of Heaven is to be erected for the judging of Eclipses or whether the Fortunes behold these or the Infortunes for if the Fortunes you are to judge good if the Infortunes the contrary The nature and quality thereof judge from good if the Infortunes the contrary The nature and quality thereof judge from the nature of the Significators as you have heard before likewise whether much evill or good is to be expected by considering the strength of your Significators and their Receptions and nature of their Aspects What things or places are signified good or evill in any Eclipse And judge this evill or good to those signified by the Planet in Configuration with these Lords or the Fortunes or Infortunes whether men or things as if the Ascendent or its Lord be beheld by the Fortunes then you may safely say the People of that Nation or Kingdom wherein the Revoluton is shall be safe of good health and prosperous c. and so judge of all the rest of the Houses according to their several significations as you have been taught before and so on the contrary evill if by the Infortunes And this shall be the more encreased if the Lord of the Ascendent or Lord of the Year be the Lord of the Sign wherein the Eclipse is to happen In like manner pronounce evill and dammage to the persons and things signified by any other House of whom you find the Lord of the Sign of the Eclipse Ruler c. Judge the time when it shall be most grievous unto them to be when the Sun comes to the same House in the Eclipse I mean the very degree and minute of the Cusp whereby they are signified or to the degree and minute of the Zodiack their chief Sgnificator was then in as if it be the Common People when the Sun comes to the degree and minute of the Ascendent at the time of the middle of the Eclipse if it be the Rulers or King it will be most grievous when the Sun comes to the degree and minute of the Tenth House at that time and so of the rest Detriment and mischief also is to be expected to all things signified by the House wherein any Eclipse is as if in the Tenth to Kings Grandees and chief Rulers if in the Ninth to Church-men in the Eighth the death of Old men c. and it shall be chiefly incident unto men if any Eclipse be in Humane Signs if in Aiery to Birds if in Earthy to the Fruits of the Earth and Seeds yet Junctinus assureth us that if an Eclipse be in Libra it signifies the rottenness of Herbs and that there shall be Sects and Schisms amongst Church-men in watery to the Fish and Creatures living in the Watery Element in Bestial Signs to Beasts according to the nature of the Sign as if Aries to Sheep if Capricorn to Goats if Taurus to Bulls Cows and Oxen if Sagittary the last 15 degrees to Horses c. and if feral signs to wild Beasts The Portence of an Eclipse in any Triplicity See also in what Triplicity the Luminaries are Eclipsed for Junctinus saith An Eclipse either of the Sun or Moon in the Fiery Triplicity denotes the motion of Armies the death and destruction of Cattell Kings and Great men imprisonments enmity between the Vulgar and Nobler sort of People dissemblings fewd and discords wars and grievous slaughter and destruction of men murthers thefts depopulations abortions to women sharp Feavers and Epidemical diseases through excess of heat apparitions in the Air scarcity of Rain especially in those Regions and places subject to the sign wherein the Eclipse is admirable and strange mutations In the Earthy Triplicity when any of the Luminaries are Eclipsed it occasions scarcity of the Fruits of the Earth and chiefly of Corn and such things as are usually sown every Year In the Aiery shews Famine fierce and violent Maladies and Pestilential Diseases tempestuous stormy winds and those very pernicious In the Watry Triplicity it promiseth the death of the Vulgar and ignobler sort of People seditions and rumors of wars and eruptions and overflowings of the Sea-banks In the Cardinal points Moreover he further testifieth that if an Eclipse happen in Aries it causeth alteration in Fruits Vines and Fig-trees shall be corrupted If in Libra in Seeds and Herbs and Schisms amongst Ecclesiastical men as you have already heard In Cancer a rot tenness or corruption of the fruit when it is gathered causing sickness to those that eat them perhaps surfeits In Capricorn it denotes Olives to be devoured