will plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slowness of other motions of the Stars that are natural to them viz. that the fixed Stars move with so slow a motion from North to South back again as that their courses are not finished in less then seven thousand years Now I would very fain know of any rational man how this Answer of his in the behalf of Astrologers is able to avail them a rush or himself in his purpose since they are also hurried with the like violence aforesaid every twenty four hours once about the Earth But as all these his Quirks are brought into his advantage as he thinks so the advantage he strives to gain hereby he may brag of as much as of the former for all this his gain is but the opportunity of this Question viz. How then can any age since the beginning of the world have experience what the conjunction of the Stars may produce This is a great Conquest indeed but how slender an Artist he herein renders himself let the judicious judge since it is most certain that these stars we call fixed move not at all Ergo are nominated fixed for they move unanimously together in their sphere which is about seven thousand years finishing its course not the Stars but suppose they do move yet they move not by several motions as the one being slower or swifter then another for they are all alike distant each from other continually and if these come not to aspect nor conjunction of the Planets yet the Planets come to configuration with them as Saturn commeth in configuration of them once in 29. years some odd moneths and dayes Jupiter in twelve years Mars in three years Sol in one year or twelve moneths Venus and Mercury in the like time or there abouts the Moon in twenty eight dayes and some odd houres I hope then this experience may be learned in a far shorter time then seven or eight thousand years and since these is so apparently and vulgarly known it is sufficient ground for any one to take the exact position of the heavens either in Twinns births or any others without the errour that these motions he speaketh of can cause which indeed is none at all SURVEY The annexing of the Doctours second Argument will be a sufficient reply to these extravagancies of Will. Ramsey The Doctours second Argument was word for word thus The second Argument is from cleer experience of Twins conceived at the same instant and born in the same houre or lesse and it may be put forth themselves in part at the womb interchangeably in that houre as Pharez and Zara did Gen. 38. yet before God put any difference by any inward change by grace the Twinns may be of an apparent vast difference of complexion as we see in Jacob and Esau And experience knowes of other Twins either both naturall or both spirituall that far different events in the world have befallen them Where then is the certainty of Star-predictions Where is the verity of Astrology It may be they will reade us a lecture of difference from magnitudes and motions of Stars that some are bigger then the earth some lesser again that some finish some motions in 24. hours others not other motions in so many scores of years or more But if this be their defence the matter of predicting Astrology is thereby made to be more incredible For if as they say with Keckerman the Moon be lesse then the earth at least twenty times and the rest of the Planets below the Sunne proportionably as Venus twenty seven times lesse then the earth and Mercury twenty two how then shall these at any posture at any one and the same time effect or signifie any thing to all the world For all the Astrologers in the World will undertake to prognosticate from these Planets upon all men on Earth born at one and the same houre If the Sunne as they confesse be about an hundred and sixty times bigger then the Earth and all the Planets above the Sun proportionably as that Saturn is fourscore and eleven times bigger then the Earth Jupiter fourscore and fifteen times Mars one time bigger with one third how then is it that there is difference of natures and events in thousands born at the same hour and especially n Twins as we said afore If they say that this is because of the swift externall violent motion of all the Stars Planets and Fixed that they are hurryed round the Earth by the first moveable from East to West c. in twenty four hours which is to run sixty times sixty miles in every houre then we demand how can the Stars have time to make any distinct impression by any particular influence on one houre cspecially on one who perhaps may lie in the mouth of the womb partly born partly unborn sometimes in the head and foreparts sometimes in the hinder parts for a quarter or half an houre or many hours Or what Astrologer upon the swiftnesse of those motions and the slownesse of the birth which cannot be born in an instant but at best gradually shall be able to prognosticate punctually that such Stars with such inflnence did so complexionate such an Infant at such a Minute of time For by the computation aforesaid the Stars run in the said motion in every minute of the houre sixty Miles If Astrologers will plead any thing to help themselves herein from the slownesse of other motions of the Stars that are naturall and internall to them as that all the fixed Stars which are known by their twinckling to our sight move from North to South as they say so Alsted in three thousand five hundred years and back again in three thousand five hundred years so that they finish not that motion under seven thousand years how then can any Age since the beginning of the World have experience what the Conjunction of the Stars may produce So for the motions of the seven Planets If they say as Keckerman c. affirm that the Sun hath three Orbs First that in which the Sun it self is fixed and is the middle Orb and is excentricall to the World that is The World or Earth is not just in the middle of it by reason whereof the Sun is sometimes in the Perige namely nearer the Earth for some moneths and sometimes in the Apoge to wit more remote from the Earth for other moneths And in this Eccentrick Orb the Sun moves as they say according to the succession of the twelve Signs from West to East not finishing that motion under three hundred sixty five dayes and about six hours And withall as they assert that by reason of this Orb the Sun moves as in relation to the centre of the earth one while swifter another while slower that is to say it moves slower whiles it is on the Northern part of the World lingering there an hundred eighty six dayes eight hours and twelve minutes but runs swifter
on the Southern part of the World dispatching its race in an hundred seventy eight dayes one and twenty hours and twelve minutes and so stay es longer with some of the Signs as they say and lesse while with others And that secondly The Sun hath as they say a supreme Orb contiguously adjoyned above to the aforesaid Orb. Thirdly an inferiour Orb in like manner adjoyned beneath to the said middle Orb both partly Concentrick partly Eccentrick the use of which two Orbs as held forth by Astronomers I shall not here stay to relate And the motion of those two extreme Orbs is as they confesse very slow so that they finish not their course which is like some motion of the eighth Sphear under fourty nine thousand of years as Keckerman affirms All which makes me again demand how any men could ever attain to a certain experience of Conjunctions of Stars seeing this number of fourty nine thousand extends it self to an age above seven times older then the creation of the Stars It would be two tedious to recite all the severall Orbs and motions of all the other Planets according to the common opinion as that the Moon hath five Orbs some of which move swifter then those of the Sun putting her twice every moneth in her Apoge or exaltation and twice in her Perige or descention with differences in both that in the same Apoge it is sometimes higher and sometimes lower and so in the same Perige and hath one motion that is not finished under eighteen years seven moneths and about twelve hours That Saturn hath a motion whose course takes up thirty years Jupiter one of twelve Mars one of two Venus of one And Mercuries motion as Ceckerman affirms Est admodum varius imo magna parte adhuc incognitus that is It is wonderfull various yea for the most part yet unknown Now lay all these varieties and uncertainties together and then judge what certainty of experience there can be had of the conjunctions of Stars just so long and so much as to make such a sure impression of such influences and efficacies on men in the birth as may duly and truly prognosticate that so shall such a man be and do but so another especially in Twinnes Thus the Doctours second Argument By which it is apparent that Will. Ramsey did neither rightly take nor truly report the dint of the Doctours Argument but runnes out into many extravagancies which notwithstanding for the better clearing the coasts round about the Argument we will a little take into consideration To that at A about the Doctours not bringing of an Example touching Twins we say that the Doctour did bring examples See the Doctour second Argument afore inserted at the mark ** which if need be might be named though he then forbare in civility to the persons and their generations To that he adds of one Doctours opinion it is sufficient for me to shew Will. false tongue by minding the Reader that Doctour Homes did shew Doctour Austins opinion touching Twinns that the consideration of the diversity of them born so near at the same time is a great Argument against Astrology as is to be seen in the Doctours Demonology Chap. 10. Sect. 5. At the end of that Section in answer to the Objection that Austin should say Astrologia perscrutanda est c. inserted after in this Treatise See also in this Chapter following And if it hath not been enough to give Will. Ramsey Austin by retale yet by this time in this Reply he is given him in whole-sale with his large discourse upon that Argument of Twinns against Astrology in answer to Will. Ramsey Sect. 3. of chap. 2. the said Will. Ramsey will have his belly full of two Doctours opinions jumping in the same truth In that at B in asserting that Twinns are not conceived at the same instant of time and his Vtopian Quotations of Aristotle Pliny Cardan Dodon at D. in tending to make us believe what he could not shew Will. Ramsey shews his ignorance though he pretends to be a Physician a sucking one For in reason the formative part of the womb must needs be most tenaciously shut up for cherishing the conception as soon as the semen is clasped within it And ancient experienced Physicians have demonstrated it to the eye by corporeall diagrammes Add the authority of that universall great Scholar in all Arts Sciences and Divinity Augustine and the learned whome he quotes Possidonius a Stoick saith Austin de Civit. Dei cap. 2. and one much affected to Astrology laboureth to prove that the two Brethren whom Hippocrates supposed to be twinns by the samenesse of their diseases at the same time were both not onely born but also conceived under one and the same constellation which must needs be in the same moment or else the constellation is altered in regard of the swift motion of the heavens running as the Astrologers confesse sixty miles in a minute of an houre And Austin in his sixth chapter saith expressly and peremptorily That it is manifest that in conception there is but one generative act concurrent For natures power is such that a woman having once conceived cannot Second any conception untill she be delivered of the child And therefore it is necessary that the Twinns conception fall both in one moment To that at C and K of Will. Ramsey contending that Twinns are not born together or at the same instant it will be sufficient to say no man did affirm it and therefore Will. Ramsey doth but fight with his own phantasie For Will. Ramsey his Legend of Proconesia at E it comes to nothing if we dare believe Learned pious Austin afore Will. Ram. his ignorance Austins very words are these de Civ Dei l. 5. c. 2. Twins cannot possibly have diversitie of Fathers And learned Lemnius a Physician shews other reasons of the different faces of children of the same Father To that at F. G. H. of the difference of a few minutes and the impossibility of the same instant to finish the birth of Twinns as if the Doctour had forgot that all Locomotive motion is in time Austin shall answer Aug. de Civ Dei l. 5. c. 2 3. whose very words are these Neither Possidonius nor any Patron of this Fate in the Stars can tell what to say in this case of Twinns if he will not illude the simple and ignorant with a discourse of that they know not For that they talk of the Space of Time between that point they call the Horoscope in both the Twins Nativities it is either not so significant as the diversity of will acts manners and fortunes of the Twinns born do require or else it is more significant then their difference of honours state nobility or meannesse will permit both which diversities they place onely in the figure of Nativities And if they should be both born ere the Horoscope were fully varied then would I require a Vnity in each particular
body can have but one natural motion I say this Argument doth not evince my reason in the least to believe the existence and being of the ninth and tenth Heaven for God that by his Word at the beginning said to the Earth Stand thou still and to the Sea Move thou continually with severall motions as of flowing and reflowing twice every twenty four hours and they obey his voice to this day the same God commanding the eighth Heaven to run from East to West every twenty four hours and withall to linger and slinck back every day a little from West to East as suppose with the Astronomer as much as comes to one Degree or sixty miles in an hundred years which is about three quarters of a mile in one year and half a quarter and also to roul forward from South to North and back again from North to South so gradually till in seven hundred years it is as it was cannot chuse but obey the voice of God and so move without ceasing And to throw away Traditions in Philosophy as well as in Divinity 't is a readier way and surer to say God commanded the Heavens so to move at first Creation and they obey then to say Primus motor God moves the Angels or Intelligences they move a tenth Heaven and a tenth Heaven moves the other Heavens And to the clause of one natural body we say that there is hardly any natural motion without some violent as the Philosophers calls violent for if Fire ascends no more of the flame ascends in a pure natural motion but that which ascends in the Mathematical indivisible Line in the point of the Pyramis pointing at the Centre-point of the Earth to its correspondent point in the Sphere of the lowest Heaven Indeed if the Pyramical form of the flame were turned upside down then all the flakes of flame might seem to take their natural order proportionable from one Centre-point in the Earth to their several correspondent points in the Sphere of the lowest Heaven So of any heavy Body Stone or Bowl c. falling down from some high places to the Earth no more of it moves naturally then the very middle of it tending downward in a Mathematical strait Line to the Centre-point of the Earth the corners of such a stone or the circumference of that Bowl falling not with the like natural motion because there is but one universal Centre-point in the middle of the Earth to answer to all downward motions which is the Physical demonstrative reason why naturally the Earth is round the heavy parts more pressing to the general Centre-point the lighter lesser So the Water in its motion in a River it naturally tends downward yet desires not to be so low as the Centre of the Earth and the mean while it tends progreffively forward and in this progressive motion no more is precisely natural but what proceeds in a strait Line for the Water hath no minde of it self to go out of its Line that being out of its way and besides its design So that either we must say one man may have many natural motions or we must no more feign more Heavens then eight to move the rest in their several motions then we dare feign more Elements then four to manage the several motions that are in each one of them Secondly touching the imaginary Sphere the Zodiack this must needs be an infallible Conclusion so far as the Heaven or Firmament of the Zodiack is feigned so far of necessity must the Zodiack supposed in that Heaven or Firmament be a meer feigned thing We heard afore that most learned Philosopher and Astronomer Keckerman lay it down for a sure Rule that Astronomers may make and use Hypotheses that is Suppositions but Astrologers may not But the ninth or tenth Sphere or Heaven are feigned therefore the Zodiack imagined in them is also seigned 'T is worth the while to hear Alsted which is to our purpose what he saith concerning the Zodiack the Zodiack saith he of the first Mover that is the tenth Heaven is imaginary of the eighth Sphere real The imaginary is primarily and originally in the Mover or tenth Heaven in the inferiour Spheres it is secondarily conceited The Real changeth its situation the imaginary doth not The signes also of the real Zodiack are wonderfull unequal but in the imaginary equal In Accounts the imaginary Zodiack is more commodious but not so in Predictions Thus you see how much fiction there is about the Zodiack and more honour ascribed to the feigned then to the real Thirdly touching the twelve imaginary Signes there is no such formes of stars as of themselves seem such Compare Taurus and Aries and Aries lying under Balaena Tradition and Globes tell us such things but the stars of themselves could never make us so imagine See the Celestial Globe Fourthly touching the disorderly placing of the hot dry Signes in parts that are not hot and dry Nore that Alsted a learned Philosopher and was also an Astrologer at least in opinion affirms in his System or Treatise of Astrology that the twelve Signes are divided into four Trigonos that is Ternions or Three In primo trigono sunt signaignea videlicet Aries Leo Sagittarius In his dominantur calor siccitas quae dominantur cholerae sapori amaro that is In the first Ternion are the fiery Signes Aries the Ram Leo the Lion and Sagittarius the Archer In these Signes are predominant heat and driness which have dominion and rule over Choller and bitterness so Alsted Vranosc Par. 4. Cap. 4. Now that these Signes are thus affigned to have dominion Aries on the head and Leo on the heart and Sagittarius on the Reins and Loyns your Astrologers shew you in your ordinary and common Almanacks But your Philosophers and Physicians will assure us upon strong reason that a man hath the coldest Brain and moistest Heart and humid'st Reins Fifthly touching the imagined Signes and their supposed dominion over the parts of Man's Body this would be taken into consideration that the Traditions about them is such a Fiction in the eyes of some Astrologers that some of them omit them in their Almanacks others expresly deride them So that which goes under the name of Master Pond Should I but dare to omit the Anatomy Which long enough hath gull'd my Countrey Friend He with contempt would straight refuse to buy This Book and 't is no Almanack contend Ask him its use hee 'll say he cannot tell No more can I yet since he love'st so well I le let it stand because my Book shall sell And for my part I have of purpose tried the experiment of letting Bloud in that part where the Sign hath been as the Almanacks prescribe with good success Thus the Doctour which Will. Ram. hath in no measure answered neither in quantity nor quality either to M. Perkins or Alsted nor to the Doctour Will Ram. saith Let there be no ninth or tenth
and prevailed against the noysome flies and incursions of wilde beasts c. And though Philostratus in that large Legend of his life hath no memory of these things yet they are constantly ascribed unto this name by Codin Cedren Hesychius Olympiodorus the Greek Ms cited by Leunclavius The Chronicon Alexandrinum and John Txetzes Joseph Scalig. Ep. 180. C. 60. of his third Cbiliad quòd omnino legendum saith Scaliger siquidem horum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notitiam habere placet et sanè lectio non injucunda Nam in illo capite Apollonius sculpturâ Culicum et Ciconiarum culices Antiochiam Ciconias Byzantium ingredi prohibuit But a fuller Tradition of this matter I shall here set down out of Domninus cited by Joannes Aretiochenus Melala in the tenth Book of his Chronography 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the same times of the Reign of Domitian flourished the most learned Apollonius Tyaneus who got himself a great name by travelling about and making Telesmes in all places where he came for the Cities and the Countreys From Rome he went to Byzantium and entring into that City of Byzus now more happily called Constantinople he made there also many Telesmes at the instance of the Citizens as that against the storks against the river Lycus which passeth by through the middle of the City that against the Tortoises that against the Horses and other strange things Then afterward leaving Byzantium he went and did the like in other Cities From Tyanis he came into Syria and so to Antioch the great where also he was desired by the chief men of the City to make such Telesms as they had need of And he made one against the Northern wind and set it up upon the East part of the City The Authour goeth on and at large describeth Apollonius his charms against the gnats and Scorpions adding moreover that Apollonius walking upon a day with the chief men of the City to observe the situation of the place happened upon a ruinous pillar and inquiring into to the purpose of that the Citizens related unto him that in the dayes of Caius Caesar when the City had been shaken with an Earth-quake Johan Antioc Ms in Arch. Barocion Bib. Bod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Debborius a Talisman to prevent the falling of the City in case an earthquake should happen again set up this pillar and upon that a marble Pectorall inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but which in processe of time had been consumed by lightning c. The Citizens therefore were earnest with him to set up a new Telesme but Apollonius fetching a deep sigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refused to make any further Telesmes against the Earth quakes but the Citizens being urgent upon him he took writing Tables and foretold as followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou miserable City of Antioch shall suffer twice and a third time shall come upon thee wherein thou shalt be consumed by fire even in that part by which Orontes runneth And it may be thou shalt suffer yet once more This written he delivered the Tables to the Citizens and departed into Scleucia and from thence into Aegypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the most concerning Telesme to the matter in hand is that against the Scorpions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollonius caused an Image of a Scorpion to be molten in brasse and set it up upon a little pillar in the midst of the city of Antioch and the Scorpions vanished out of all their coasts A like Telesme to this was set up at Hempts a City of Syria Apamea that which Ptolomy calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Geograp Nubien Clim 3. p. 5. In the middle of this saith an Arabick Geographer a stone there is set up in a wall having upon it the figure of a Scorpion and when any one is bitten he bringeth clay and taketh out the figure which having applyed to the place affected he is immediately cured In the nether Region of Grand Cairo the Crocodiles were harmelesse in the upper they destroyed the Inhabitants Card. de subt l. 9. Scal. exercit 196. Num. 6. Joan. Bod. ma. daemon l. 3. c. 6. To provide against this the Talismans cast a leaden Crocodile which written upon with an Aegyptian charm they buried in the foundation of a Temple This for a long time defended the people but when at the command of Achmet Ben Tolon the Caliph the leaden Image was melted the Crocodiles returned to their own malice again The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fortune of Byzantium stood with one foot in a ship of brasse the Statue concerned the generall Genius of the whole City The Ship was a Telesme erected against the dangers of that tempestuous Sea and while it stood entire stilled the rage but some parts thereof being none knew how broken off and conveyed away the Sea began to be as unruly as before The cause whereof being curiously enquired after and discovered the broken pieces were sollicitously searched found out and put together again and forthwith the winds and seas obeyed Zonar Anna Tom. 3. in Anas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est And that it might be certainly known that this indeed was the cause why the ships could not safely arrive the pieces of the brasse were again taken away Thenceforth whatsoever vessels toucht upon the Coast were driven back by the violence of the winds This confirm'd them in opinion that the breaking of the brasen ship was that which hindred their Carriages from coming up to the City They therefore caused the ship to be most carefully repaired These consecrations for so also they are called were more usually but not onely practised in the East For Gregory of Tours reporteth that at the repairing of a Bridge in Paris there was found the Images of a Serpent and Dormouse in brasse and that at the taking away of these the Serpents and Mice came up in great number More might be added of the Serpentina columna and the Statua Equestris ahenea Leunola pandest hist Tur. N. 130. set up this latter against the Plague in Constantinople the destruction whereof hath been followed with fearfull and periodicall mortalities But enough hath been said Mizaldus may be seen Mizald. Cent. Ms Gaff curiojitez innoyes sur la sculpture Talifm des pers c. 6. and the late Authour of the Curiosities If we draw all up the summe will be the Ancient Rite of Averruncation That in case a City or Countrey should be infested with any plague either of disease or noxious Creature the Talismans were consulted and desired to erect an Image of the plague under a certain Influence of Celestiall Configuration And this I say was the cause why the Philistin Astrologers gave counsell that golden Images should be made of the Haemorrhoids and the Mice that marred the Land to give glory to the God of Israel The Telesme against the Mice according to Paracelsus is to have this
of the fourth to the Galathians by these words Ye observe moneths and times and years Therefore saith he let us not observe dayes and years and moneths and times lest we hear this of the Apostles I am afraid lest I have taken labour in vain with you for he rebuketh them which say I will not go because the Moon is thus or thus moved or I will take my journey that I may have good successe because there is such a position of Stars I will not do my businesse this moneth because such a Star governeth this moneth or I will do my businesse this moneth because such a Star ruleth How then shall a man do not to break the word of God Art thou a man that desirest to lead a Christian life Then take the example of Paul Rom. 1.10 as a pattern to govern all the actions of thy life without ceasing saith he I make mention of you in my prayers beseeching that by some means one time or other I might have proserous journey by the will of God to come unto you So thou if thou hast any businesse in hand any journey to take any thing to buy or sell or any other matter never regard the constellations of Heaven commit thy self to the onely providence of God in whom thou hast thy life and motion and being who directeth all thy steps pray unto him privately with thy self to blesse thee and all thy actions that they may tend to his glory thy welfare thou shalt find that all thy enterprises will have better successe then if the whole hoast of heaven and all the Prognosticatours of England had promised never so much prosperity Now let us shew their absurd folly in Prognosticating of the state of the yeare of which their predictions are either generall for the whole yeare or speciall for every day In their generall predictions are considered either the grounds of them or the matters which they foretell Their grounds are especially two 1. The figure of the revolution of the yeare erected when the Sun entreth the first minute of Aries 2. The figure celestiall for the time of the Eclipse of the Sun and Moon for upon these twain say they dependeth the whole state of the yeare In their celestiall figures they consider the erecting of them and the finding of the Lord of the figure The erecting of the figure containeth very many absurdities 1. They follow that way which Regiomontanus did invent never as yet proved by any experience and flatly differing from those wayes which of ancient Astrologers were used and were invented by Gazulus and Campanus Nay oftentimes it maketh the Planet or fixed Star to signifie a flat contrary thing to that which these two other do 2. The casting of the heavens into twelve parts signifying twelve distinct kind of matters is ridiculous because it being imagined and void of stars can have no force Yet some will say other stars being in those places may have and signifie such or such effects I answer that if Starres of divers natures coming to such an house alwayes signifying some one kind of thing then the house must of necessity give some force unto the Planet and so it shall have not onely an augmenting but also an effectually working power which Astrologers deny and no reason can prove 3. They make the twelfth and eleventh houses being higher above the horizon then the first to be of lesse force then it and the fourth house to be of greater power then any above the Horizon not Cardivall and the end of the ninth to be more in power then the beginning of the eleventh house all which are against reason because a Planet the more perpendicular his beams are the more is his force They answer although the force of the light be greater yet the secret influence is lesse and the first house hath more forcible influence then the twelfth or eleventh If the influence be secret how can they know it again they can by no good experience shew that those houses have more influence then the rest this influence maketh against them I say they cannot prognosticate because they know not one stars virtue For whereas they say that the Sunne and Moon and Planets have most force I answer that it is by reason of their light not their influence which is small and there is far greater in the smallest fixed Stars So that the fixed Stars although they have no light or very small light perceived yet they have most influence And so these men must needs dream because they judge by wrong causes Well their figure being framed and distinguished with fair characters then go they on to find the Lord of the figure that is that Planet which hath most dignitie in the figure The dignities of the Planets are found out by these means especially 1. Houses of Planets 2. Exaltation 3. Triplicity 4. Terms 5. Stars 6. Houses 7. Freenesse from Combustion 8. Directions 9. Velocity of course 10. Sazimi 11. Some aspects of other Planets These toyes be so foolish that a reasonable man would not vouchsafe to refute them yet a word or twain If the houses of the Planets shall be battered and puld down all the rest of their worship and dignity will lye in the dust Aries and Scorpius are appointed the houses of Mars Taurus and Libra the houses of Venus Gemini and Virgo the houses of Mercury Cancer the house of the Moon Leo the house of the Sunne Sagittarius and Pisces the houses of Jupiter Aquarius and Capricornus the houses of Saturn What reason do they give of this Leo and Cancer say they are the houses of the Sun and Moon because they resemble the nature of these Planets and because they come most near our heads such reason they give of the rest What feeble grounds are these As in the North part of the World Cancer and Leo resemble the nature of the Sunne so in the South part in the contrary Climats Capricornus and Aquarius do resemble their natures Also in every countrey some divers signs be either verticall or else come near the top of the countrey and so all signs shall be the houses of the Sun and Moon Now then the Sun being displaced I cannot find how the rest of the Planets can keep their hold To go further the exaltations of Planets in like manner are the very dreams They suppose Exaltations be those degrees in which the Planets were in the beginning of the world But why should those places give more force then any other And if they could give more force yet they have falsly assigned them For the Sun was not in Aries when it was created of God but was placed in Libra which I prove by this reason God created Man and Beast in perfect age giving unto them all kinds of fruits being then ripe so that in the beginning was the time of the year which we call Harvest Now because God never afterward changed the Seasons and we find that