the Moon to the Sun as they are in Almanacks or Ephemerides which is but the Father of an Almanacke but from the place in which the Moon was found at the Decumbiture as shall appear by a few examples hereafter There are acute and Chronick diseases Of Acute diseases some are simply acute others are peracute others are very acute per-per-acute or exceeding acute Those which are simply acute are finished in 8. 10. 11. 14. 20. 21. dayes and they are called Monthly diseases by some and Lunary by others and they none of the greatest fools neither they are terminated in the time the Moon traceth the 12. Celestiall signes of the Zodiack which is in 27 dayes some odd houres and some odd minutes Thoseacute diseases which suffer changes or degenerate are to be judged of by an imperfect way as for them sometimes they increase sometimes they are remitted they are as fickle as a weather Cock according as the Moon meets with the beames either of good or evill Planets and that is not all the trick they have neither For sometimes they change out of acute diseases into Chronick diseases and so a continued Fever may change into a Hecktick Fever or an intermitting Fever into a continued Fever and these diseases terminate in forty dayes very acute diseases such as are concluded in 5. 6. 7. 8. dayes among which are the Fevers the Greeks call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an inflamation of the Lungs In exceeding acute diseases they are such which end in three or four dayes at furthest as Pestilencies Apoplexies c. Chronick diseases follow the motion of the Sun and 't is about nine dayes before the first Crisis appears for in that time the Sun comes to the proper Quartile of the place he was in at the Decumbiture as appeares in Hecktick Fevers Dropsies but when he comes to his Sextile or Trine aspect of the place he was in at the Decumbiture some motion appeares whereby a man if he have any guts in his braines may judge of the Crisis to come It falls out well if the Sun be well aspected by good Planets and worse if to evill Planets and this holds true if you consider it from the Nativity throughout all the whole course of a mans life for diseases are particularly attendants on a mans life if Dr. Experience tell truth Moreover of the Crises some are perfect some are imperfect A perfect Crisis is when the disease appeares intirely and perfectly to be judged of and this is sometimes hopefull sometimes desperate hopefull when there is great probability of health and recovery desperate when there is palpable signes of death An imperfect Crisis is when the disease is changed upon every light occasion and if Mars be Author of the disease and in a sign of a double body upon my life you shall not faile for the Critis happens as true as the Weather-cock Your safest way then to judge of the disease is by the Aspects of the Moon to the Planets when the Moon meets with the Inimicall or hostil beames of Saturne or Mars have a care of your Patient And if you know what hinders by the same reason you may know what helps Physitians in former when they were wise and minded the common good and not their own gain they distinguished the Crisis of diseases thus Some were safe some doubtfull some fit to be judged and some not fit to be judged That Crisis is safe which comes without great and pernitious aspects It is doubtful suspitious I had almost said dangerous which comes with great pernitious aspects The disease is fit to be judged when signes of Concoction come the fourth day and then certainly the Crisis will appear the 9th The Moon moves not upon a equal motion therefore you had best trust to her motion rather then the dayes The Sun hath domination in Chronick diseases the Moon in acute if you be a wise man your judgement shall be as sure as the Sun and that never failes without a miracle In times of yore when knowledge was scant men went a begging for it and they that had gotten knowledge monopolized it A few glimpses of Adams happinesse in Paradise which happinesse all the World have been reaching after ever since They knew well enough the Moon moved so many degrees in so many dayes an evill Angell I had almost said the Devill perceiving there was want of knowledge in the World goes and transformes himself into an Angel of light and taught men to count the time by dayes 'T is no great marvail the Egyptians should worship Garlick and Onyons for Gods when we defie Christmas-day though perhaps it may be cloudy What I have spoken I have onely spoken to shew that it is the motion of Sun and Moon that produceth the Crisis in diseases and not the number of dayes I must return to the place I intended Of dayes some are called by their own name Criticall dayes other are called Judiciall dayes and they are so called because upon them dame Nature and her Son Doctor Reason would make manifest what the disease is and Doctor Experience tels me 't is true Another time is called Intercidental which is a time falls out between the judicial dayes and Criticall Upon these Intercidental dayes the disease is usually remitted if so then a good Crisis may be expected if not an evill I shall explain these terms before I go further a man fals sick there is the first Crisis let the cause of the disease be what you will when the Moon comes to the same degree of the next figue she was in at the Decumbiture there is the judiciall dayes for in that time the disease shews it self in its colours with bag and baggage When the Moon comes to her Sextile it brings the Intercidental Day and should mitigate the disease if she do not she is aspected to evill Planets and if she be aspected to ill Planets an ill Crisis is to be expected and so the contrary and you shall never find this faile CHAP. II. The way to finde out the Critical dayes as also the Decumbiture both by Ancient and Modern Writers ANcient Physitians because they were ignorant of the motion of the Moon though not of her operation as many of our modern are made their account by number of dayes and in so doing erred egregiously And although Durate my Author counts their opinions I hold it not worth time to recite mens failings But of the certain term or time when the Criticall dayes begin I shall quote these few words When any notable disease comes if you would discern whether it tends to Health Death Mutation or Continuance it is necessary that you begin at the first punct of time of the invasion of the disease This Galen saith is very hard if not impossible to find 't is taken proconfesso that it may be easily known when a man takes his bed in his sicknesse but when the beginning of the sicknesse is
An example of a figure of eight houses and Judgement upon it p. 40. CHAP. VI The way to set a figure of 16 houses illustrated by a Decumbiture judged upon p. 51 CHAP. VII How to set a Criticall figure of twelve houses illustrated by an example and judged p. 57 CHAP. VIII Twelve precepts premised before the Prog. nosticks p. 70 CHAP. IX Eighteen generall prognostications of the disease p. 76. Particulars PAAT I. The diseases each Planet signifies p 77 PART II. What diseases are under every sign of the Zodiack p. 89 PART III What parts and numbers of the body every planet rules p 93. PART IV. What parts of the body are under every sign of the Zodiack and house of the heaven In all these the Errors of writers are corrected by the Author p. 100. CHAP. X. How the nature and kind of the disease may be found out by the Decumbiture laid down in 22 Aporismes p. 106. CHAP. XI How to know whether the disease lye in the minde or body p. 110 CHAP. XII How to know what part of the body is afilicted p. 113 How to know which side of the body is afilicted p. 116 CHAP. XIII Whether the disease shall be long or short mortal or not mortal p. 118 Six Cautions premised PART I. Signs of long and short sicknesse laid down in fifty Aphorismes p. 119 PART II. Signs of life at the Decombiture laid down in sixteen Aporismes p. 129 PART III. Signs of death at the Decumbiture laid down in forty four Aphorisms p 133. Presages of Life and death by the body of the sicke Patient p. 144 Lib. 1. Chap. 1. Presages by the face p. 146 Chap. 2. Presages by the eyes and lips P. 147 Chap. 3. Presages by the manner of lying in bed p. 148 Chap. 4. Presages by the teeth p. 150 Chap. 5. Presages by Ulcers and Issues ibid Chap. 6. Presages by the hands p. 151 Chap. 7. Presages by the breath ibid Chap. 8. Presages by sweat p. 153 Chap. 9. Presages by Tumours ibid Chap. 10. Presages by Aposthumes p. 154 Lib. 2. Chap. 1. Presages by dropsies in fevers p. 157. Chap. 2. Presages of life and death in Fevers p. 158 Chap. 3. Presages by the Testicles p. 160 Chap. 4. Presages by sleeping ibid Chap. 5. Presages by the Excrements of the belly in Fevers p. 161. Chap. 6. Presages by winde in the bowels and womb p. 164 Chap. 7 Presages by the Urine in Fevers p. 166 Chap. 8. Presages by vomiting in Fevers p. 169 Chap. 9. Presages by the Spittle in Fevers p. 171 Chap. 10. Presages by sneezing in Fevers p. 172 Chap. 11. Presages of suppuration of Apostums p. 172 Chap. 12. Presages by the time of the breaking of Apostumes p. 175 Chap. 13. Presages of Apostumes about the ears p. 177 Chap. 14. Presages of Apostumes in the feet ibid. Chap. 15. Presages by the bladder in Fevers p. 179 Lib. 3. Chap. 1. Presages in Fevers p. 181 Chap. 2. Presages in the Quinsey p. 185 Chap. 3. Presages by the Uvula p. 187 Chap. 4. Presages of vomiting in Fevers p 188 I promised a Table of explanation of some hard words in one place of the Book but having looked over the Book I can find none but those at that place which can exceed almost the meanest capacity The words there are these three Uvula Grgarcon Columella the signification of them is all one I shall tell you 1. What i'ts substance and place is 2. What i'ts uses are 1. The Uvula Gargarcon or Columell chuse you whether is a red spungy piece of flesh sticking to the roof of the mouth near the throat 2. It's uses are 1. To give pleasantness to the voice therefore in hoarceness this is afflicted 2. To stay the aire that it passe not to fast upon the Lungues therefore such as have gotten colds cannot sing well 3. It hinders drink and such liquid things as we eat from comming out at our Noses Courteous Reader you may expect an Ephemerides or Prediction for the year 1652. in which there is treated on the effects of the great Eclipse of the Sun which will appear on the 29th of March 1652. Yours Nich. Culpeper Errors thus to be corrected Abscence of the Author and folly or rather madness of the Transcriber hath introduced such a numerous rout of errors as would make a man sick to look upon therefore kind Reader let me entreat thee 1. To set the Saddle upon the right Horse 2. Before thou readest the Book have but so much patience as to mend these capital ones with thy Pen PAge 3 line 4. read earth p. 4. l. 24. r. another p. 6. l. S. for in r. is p. 10. l. 3. r. gill l. 10. for compasse r. compare l. 28 r. significator p. 11. l. 4. sor so r. for l. 27. for in the quartile r. of the humour l. ult. r. choler p. 12. l. 5. r. have latitude l. 26. r. for l. ult. for accidental r. occidental p. 13. l. 28. r. at the p. 15. for Duryet r. Duret and so throughout the treatise p. 17. l. r. for as r. its p. 18. l. 21. r. and so breaks out p. 19 l. 2. dele not l. 14. r. sixt l. 16. r. down right p. 21 l. 13. r. for hangs r. hanged p. 23. l. 3. dele as them l. 15 for Fever 1. disease l. 16. r. 〈◊〉 l. 22. for nine r. ninty p. 2 l. 〈◊〉 r. particular p. 25 l. 2. r. former times p. 27. l. 20. r. 〈◊〉 counts r. quotes p. 31. l. 2 for Jupiter r. Saturn l. 21. r. hot some cold p. 32 l. 4. for 〈◊〉 r. Element l. ult. sor Leo or p. 37. l. 8. 〈◊〉 hours r. house p. 44. l. 10. r. 〈◊〉 p. 〈◊〉 l. 2. place a comma after about p. 44. l. 13 r. so p. 51. l. ult 〈◊〉 the Sun p. 54. l. 15. r. 〈◊〉 p. 55. l. 1. for iust r. not p. 56. l. ult. r. to be his p. 5. l. 13. for and 30. r. add 30. l. antepen r. as walking p. 58. l. 17 1 r. what r. that p. 60. l. penult r. as like p. 65. l. 6. r. intercidental time 66. l. 15. for her r. his p. 67. l. 16. r. hurtial l 25. place a period after past l. 26. 〈◊〉 the period p. 63. l. 19. r. of such sick p. 69. l. for chance r. change p. 〈◊〉 l. 12. for ascendent r. attendants l. 18. dele that p. 〈◊〉 l. 23. for et r. cit p. 85 l. 8. r. will do l. 9. dele another l. 24. r. Antipathy for nothing r. notice p. 90. l. antepenult 〈◊〉 all the Ague in the breast p. 93 l. 6. for for r. in p. 95. l. 16. 〈◊〉 breech r. teeth p. 97. l. 12. for every r. very p. 98. l. 15. for sickly r. sickle p. 99. l. 4. dele is in l. 16 for one r. me l. Antepenult for Genesis r. Gemini p. 105. l. 16. for therein r. they are in p. 108. l. 17 for a dusk r.
especially her head by reason of that admirable congruity betwixt that part and her wombe kind women take notice of it for it is as true as that the Sun is up when he is upon the meridian All Cephalick medicines helpe the wombe and remedy its griefe I am confident you desire a reason of it you shall not fail of your desires It is because Aries and Scorpio are both the Houses of Mars 10 If Mars be retrograde in Scorp io and in the Ascendent the whole body is universally afflicted but externally viz. the man breaks out in boils and ulcers or iteh perhaps it is the small pox or measles if Venus set forward the mischiefe the French pox is shrewdly to be suspected 11 If Mars be Lord of the 6th in Leo the sick is extreamely pained in his back in this you need never fear failing 12 If Mars be Lord of the 6th in Virgo my Author saith it will lye in the left side or left legge But after I had had halfe an houres talke with Dr. Experience he proved to me it was alwayes the Colick and heat in the bowels take heed it comes not to the gravell in the kidneys when Mars comes into Libra and to the stone in the bladder when Mars comes to Scorpio He that is a Physician knowes as well how to prevent a disease before it comes as how to remedy it when it is come 13 The Moon in the Ascendent afflicted by Saturne or Mars bestowes difficulty of breathing and infirmities in the lungs upon a man I confesse I can give no reason for it 14 Venus Lady of the 6th and infortunated by Mars gives suspitions enough in the French pox Here is enough to teach you more lot not all your wits lye in your books be diligent and studious or else you may happen to dye fools let not all you wits lye in your books but some in your heads it is within you and not that without you must do you good As for the side of the body afflicted my Author hath left a few rules to know it which I will declare to you and leave them to the approbation or exprobration of Dr. Experience they are these 1 If the Lord of the sixth house be afflicted above the earth and in a diurnall signe the sicknesse is in the right side of the body and in the upper part of it 2 If the Lord of the 6th be under the earth and in a nocturnall signe the sicknesse lyes in the inferiour parts of the body and on the left side 3 Whether he be under or above the earth in a diurnall the sicknesse is in the forepart of the body imagine the forehead face breast belly or some other visible part 4 If it be in a nocturnal sign the disease lies in the backe parts of the body or else in some part but lies invisible as the bowels c or perhaps the disease lies occult for take this for a generall rule the diseases are more hid from the eyes of your understanding when the significators of them are in nocturnall signes then they are when they are in Diurnall 5 If the significators be corrupted by other Planets and a difference in these rules between the significator and the planet that corrupts them the patient is afflicted both wayes namely according as he signifies and according as the Planet corrupting signifies 6 In such a case view diligently which of them is most afflicted and your reason if you have any will tell you that the most part of the malady lies in that part of the body signified by the Planet which is most afflicted 7 To wind up all in a word Masculine Planets denote the right side of the body Feminine the left all of them afflict that part of the body which they governe CHAP. XIII Whether the disease shall be long or short or whether it shall end in Life or Death FOr judging of this take a few cautions by the way 1 Consider if the Sun Moon Ascendent and their Lords be much or little afflicted 2 Consider the age of the sick party for old age brings longer sicknesses then youth 3 Consider the time of the year for Autumne and Winter bring longer sicknesses then Spring or Summer 4 Consider the complexion of the Patient for a melancholy man is more subject to retaine a sicknesse then a cholerick 5 Consider the Planet afflicting for Saturne produceth longer sicknesses then Mars 6 The Planets generally and briefly order the sicknesses they give in this manner Saturne gives long sicknesses the Sun in Jupiter short Mars shorter then either of them but acute Venus meane Mercury various and unconstant according to the Planet he is joyned with or aspected The Moon gives such sicknesses as often returne as Agues falling sicknesse c. And therefore tht direction of the Moon to the body or in aspect to Saturne will sooner cause a falling sicknesse then the direction of any other significator These are the cautions and according to these cautions so understand these following Aphorismes which you shall find marshalled into these three divisions First Signs of long or short sicknesse Secondly Signes of recovery Thirdly Signes of death PART I. Signes of long or short sicknesse 1 FIrst the 6th house being possessed by a fixed sign argues length in the disease if the signe that possesseth the Cuspe by the 6th be moveable the disease will be short if the signe be common the disease will either be meane in respect of length or else a change of the disease or a relapse is to be feared 2 If the latter degrees of a signe be upon the Cuspe of the 6th the disease will quickly end either one way or another 3 A fixed signe under Cuspe of the 6th shews tough and hard humours to be the causes of the disease and such as are hard to be expelled they stick to the body like birdlime 4 Saturne Lord of the 6th shewes long diseases Jupiter Mars and the Sun short Mercury such as are as constant as the weathercock 5 If the Lord of the 6th be stronger then the Lord of the Ascendent the sicknesse gets strength against nature if you find it so upon a figure in urine judge the disease increaseth 6 If the Lord of the 6th be weaker then the Lord of the ascendent nature gets strength over the disease and will at last put him to a totall rout 7. Common signes shew the disease will stay in one state as long as a Cat is tyed to a Pudding 8. The Lord of the 6th if he be a Malevolent it is an ill omen if he be a benevolent you need not so much as feare a long sicknesse for the disease will be cured both speedily and easily unlesse the said benevolent be Lord also of the 8th 9. If the Moon apply to the Lord of the 6th the disease will be increased till it has put life to it's trumps If the moon be Lady of the ascendent ill dyet
He is a wise Physician that can remedy them but he is wise that can anticipate them 26 The Moon in the fourth house with the body square opposition or antiscion of Mars soon brings a man to his last inheritance the Grave she threatens it if she be there no way afflicted unlesse she be very strong 27 As I have judged by the Moon so judge by Mars if you find him for if he being there have any dignities in the ascendent he will urge a man as fast to his grave as ever sleep urged him to bed 28 Saturne opposite to the Lord of the eighth house threatens danger enough to the ficke 29 The Moon in Conjunction with Mars in the fourth house will send the sick to take a supper in another world though both their fortunes stand and look upon him 30 The Moon in the ascendent if you will believe Authors alwayes hurts and they give some shew of reason of it because there she hath most power over the body of the sick Yet mine owne opinion for the present is that if she be there and in Cancer or Taurus she will rather helpe then hinder the sick If the Moon doe hate the ascendent as Authors say I suppose the reason to be because Saturn loves it And then she hates the eighth and twelfth houses by the same rule And if you wil call yourwits into examination they will tell you it is true enough 31 If the Moon be in the a cendent and the signe ascending of a contrary nature to her it is a hundred to one that the sicke die not of that disease And here my Author spoke something to the purpose If the former Aphorisme made a discord in your braine this if rightly understood will reduce them to a harmony 32 The Moon applying to the body of the Sun within twelve degrees at the Decumbiture the sicknesse comes not so much to terrifie your body as to give you warning of your end And the neerer the Moon is to the body of the Sun the speedier dispatch will death make of the body of his captive 33 The Moon besieged by the bodies of the malevolents positive between the Sun and one of them the hopes of life are very small or none at all 34 Authors say That if a man or woman fall sick when the Moon is going out of combustion their sicknesse will increase till she comes to the opposition of the Sun And if then she meet with an ill Planet the sick recovers if not they die For mine own particular I speake no more then I have found by continuall experience I have often found this false and never true 35 If the Sun or Moon be Lord of the house at the decumbiture and behold the Lord of the eighth the sicknesse is sent to proclaime the approach of death 36 It is very bad when the Moon carries the light of the lord of the ascendent to the lord of the eighth it threatens death but it does not so in all diseases neither for example in such as come and goe by fits as Agues falling sickness c. you may make this use of it that none are fit to make Physicians but such as are intimately acquainted with Madam Nature and her eldest son Dr. Reason 37 It is extreame bad when the Moon applies to any star in the eighth as bad as when she applies to the lord of the eighth himselfe 38 The Moon cumbust in the eighth in Leo threatens death sayes my Author and so the truth is she doth if she be cumbust in any other house or signe unlesse she separate from the body of the Sun 39 The disease will appeare little otherwise then the fore-runner of death if the Moon be in Libra and Jupiter and Venus in conjunction he that knowes any thing in Physick that he should know knows the reason well enough 40 The Moon with the Pleiades and the Aries or with any other violent fixed star shewes danger of death 41 The Moon applying to her own Nodes namely the head and taile of the Dragon is very bad but not so bad if she separate from them 42 It is very bad when Saturne is in his Apogeon or neer it if the disease come of retention 43 Judge the like by Mars if the disease be a Feaver or proceed of choler and here you have another instructer to teach you knowledge the neerer a planet is to the earth the more stoutly will he maintaine and increase the humours he governes 44 It is a very bad signe if not disperate if there be an Ecclipse of either Luminary upon a criticall day and if it misse a day of it it will breake no squares in such a case the time of the Ecclipse hath to my knowledge anticipated the time of the Crisis a whole day naturall and proved mortall too as I have had experience in Essex in the latter end of October 1649. Thus have I given you the signs of death by Astrology I do not say absolutely a man must needs dye when any of these signs appeare but this I say the danger of death is much I advise the Physician to have a care what he doth let him advise with nature and her two sons Doctor Reason and Doctor Experience let him have some brains in his head and not all in his books let the Patient provide for a change and make his peace with God and set his house in order and then hath he the lesse need to care whether he live or dye One Chapter of Noel Duryet which is the last and contains certain observations taken out of Cardanus and other expert Physicians which at first I intended to translate but finding them very imperfect I thought good to forbeare for wanting an Ephemerides of that age to perfect them my selfe I thought better to leave them quite out then trouble this prying age with imperfections Presages of life and death by the body of the patient being sick Two wayes did the famous Hippocrates leave to posterity for they judging of the life and death of sick people one by the Celestiall aspects of the Planets and the other by the Symptoms of the body of the man lying sick The latter of these must first be performed the profit of which for 't is good for something according to Hippocrates is first the credit of the Physitian so first of all he hence avoid defamation evill speeches and reproaches the world shall never say he is a Dunce 2. It will better his own knowledge he need not apply living medicines to a dying man Secondly for the profit of the sick hereby you may give them warning of death before it comes and they will the more confidently commit themselves to the hands of a Physitian when they know he knows something If the credit of Hippocrates may passe for starling he protest's that what I here write was confirmed in all his practises in Ethiopia Lybia Mauiritania the Isle of Delos Schythia and Italy
Onely in one part of the body usually in the fore-head and face if the Patient afllicted by such sweats dyes not his diseases will continue longer then he would have it CHAP. IX Presages by Tumours 1. IF the Patient that lyeth sick of a Fever feeleth neither pain inflammation tumour nor hardnesse upon or near about his Ribbs 't is a very good signe 2. If any of these be there and upon both sides 't is but a bad signe at the best 3. If he feel great motions and pulsations in one of his sides it prognosticates great pain and deprivation of his senses 4. If with his pulsation his eyes move faster then they should do the Patient is in danger to fall into a frenzie if not to mischief himself The last Chapter of Apostumes 1. The Collection of an Apostume in both sides in a burning Fever is more dangerous then if it had been but upon one side for two men will sooner kill a man then one 2. 'T is more dangerous one the left side then one the right 3. If it continue 20 dayes and the Fever ceaseth not neither the Apostumes deminisheth it will come to mature action 4. If there come a Flux of blood through the nose upon the first critical day it easeth the Patient onely he will be pained in his head and troubled with dimnesse of sight at noon day chiefly if he be about thirty or thirty five years of age 5. When the Apostume is soft and with pain when 't is handled it requires a longer time to cure then the former did but not halfe so dangerous 6. Such a one may continue two months before it comes to be ripe 7. That Apostume that is hard great and painful if it be not mortal I am sure it is dangerous 8. Apostumes of the belly are never so great as those that grow under the midrife and yet those that grow under the Navel are lesse then they and usually come to suppuration 9. 'T is a good signe when they purge by a Flux of blood in the nostrils 10. Some Apostumes purge onely outwards and they are little round and sharp pointed and they are most healthful lesse mortall 11. Such as are large grosse not round but flat are most dangerous 12. Those that purge and break within the belly and make tumours outwardly are as bad as the Devil himself or Robin Good-fellow and are very pernicious s those that make no tumour outwardly excell them as far as the shot of a Canon doth that of a Pistol 13. The matter which comes out of the impostumes being white and not unsavory is very good and healthfull 14. The more the colour differs from white the worse it is and thus much for the first book The second Booke of the Presages of Hippocrates you shall find marshalled in this Order 1. FIrst of all Presages by Dropsies in Fevers 2. Life and Death in Fevers 3. By the Yard and Testicles 4. By sleeping and dreaming 5. By the Excrements in the bowels 6. By wind in the bowels 7. By Urine 8. By vomiting 9. By Spittle 10. By Sneezing 11. By suppuration of impostumes 12. From the time of breaking 13. By pasions of the Lungs 14. By Apostumes in the feet 15. By the bladder and Fevers CHAP. I. Presages by dropsies in Fevers FIrst All manner of Dropsies in Fevers are dangerous if not mortal I know you would fain know a reason I le tell you a Fever proceeds of heat Dropsies of cold and as fire and water agree so doth a Fever and a Dropsie and what you give to mitigate a Fever increaseth a Dropsie a Dropsie and a Fever agree like fire and water the Sun having drawn up a fiery quality from the earth and invellopeded it round with a cloud of Snow thence comes lightning and thunder and terrifies the people and as well doth a Fever and a Dropsie agree in Microcosms as fire and water doth in the Region of the aire many men know their is a middle Region in the aire but few know what it is and as little where onely a few Sons whom mother Wisdom hath instructed in it 2. If a Dropsie and a Fever meet in one body they will play reaks as sometimes they do though not often the Liver pays all the score 3. It afflicts the Vena lectua and most commonly the guts themselves the legs are presently tormented and they cannot march handsomely a flux follows and the swelling in the belly is not a whit lessened by it 4. If the Liver be most afflicted the Patient hath got a dry cough and he knows not how to help it he spits but very little and wishes he could spit more the belly is very hard and if he goes to stool 't is with more pain then he would willing his feet swell there is tumours inflammation in his sides sometimes they dissipate and sometimes they swell again CHAP. II. Presages of Life and Death in Fevers 1. WHen the Patient is cold on his head or face or hath cold sweats there also if his hands and feet be cold but his belly and sides hot and burning the case is extream dangerous and is a signe that death hath taken possession of the house and clay where life formerly dwelt 2. It is a healthfull signe in a Fever when all the parts of the body is equally hot though they be something hotter then they should be 3. The body heavy the nailes of a leaden swarthy colour the disease will be cured by death and not by Physick 4. Induring of a sicknesse without anguish shews strength of nature and so long as she hold up her head there is some hopes 5. Let every one that views a Patient if he would act the part of a wise man inquire after the custom of the mans body when he was in health and if his spittle sleep or excrement c. be as they were when the body was in health recovery is comming and it comes a pace and will speedily be with the sick for his comfort The more these signs differ in sicknesse from what they were in health the more is the danger 6. By these signes you may also know in some measure what part of the body is afflicted and by what humor if you can but understand their language if you cannot go to the school of dame Nature she is an excellent School-Mistris CHAP. III. Presages by the Testicles WHen the yard and testicles are shrunk in and apparently diminished against nature it signifies great paine and anguish and death follows them at heels as swist as the wind CHAP. IV. Presages of Sleeping FIrst of all when the sick sleeps in the night and keeps waking in the day this is usually a lovely hopefull signe of recovery to the sick the reynes of government are not yet forced out of the hands of dame Nature and if she be not hindred by intemperance or other impediments governs prudently 2. Although it be not altogether wholsome to sleep
he wrote true that writes that pride goes before a fall and a haughty mind before destruction my Genius is too dull to commend my Author or to give him the thousanth part of his due praise I desire to be censured by Dr. Experience who will give judgement without partiality and I hope 't is no disparagement to Monsieur Duryat that I deliver him in my own Language CHAP. I. The Definition of the word Crisis as Vse Cause Kinds Division and Difference CRisis according to Galen is a swift and suddain change of any disease whereby the sick is either brought to recovery or death and a sick man can be brought to nothing else unless you will make him a beast of a man For every swift and suddain change where-ever it happens whether in the Moon or the Aire or sick body Galen playes the man and calls a Crisis and from this Crisis is Judgement given whether the sicke be like to live or dye The word Crisis is a Greek word derived {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth to judge or discern or pass sentence upon a thing therefore Criticall dayes are nothing else but dayes wherein a man may discern a disease or give Judgement upon it be it good or bad it matters not much 't is taken by a Metaphor from the Judiciall Court to the Art of Physick because 't is something like to plead mans cause for his life and to labour acutely under a disease to be drawn by Inimicall accusers before the Judgement Seat and to run the hazzard of life with a cruell and hoftil Disease Moreover there are three things requisite to a judicial Court the Accuser the Person indicted and the Judge So likewise are there three things by which the Art of Physick consisteth and by which every cure is perfected 1. The Disease 2. Nature and the Physitian which is natures servant or at least should be so and 3. the accidents which manifest what the disease is and stand as witnesses The cause of the Crisis is twofold inward outward the internal cause is taken from i'ts one proper principle if you will believe Hippocrates and that is double or two-fold for either nature labours to expell the humour that causeth the disease or else the humour it selfbeing drawn to a place and not fit for Excretion by i'ts own weight or quality burdens nature and soares break out Hippocrates was but a man and I am no more a man saith he is troubled when he is in a Fever and the sign is horror trembling running hither and thither throughout the Microcosm this is one internal cause The second internall cause Others there be 't is no matter who that ascribe the efficient cause of the Crisis to nature it self Nature if she be strong as 't is pitty but she should not is a good Physitian for all diseases and concocts the humour which causes the disease and separates that which is good from that which is bad and having done so prepares that which breeds annoyances for Excretion and at last makes a shift to cast it out The externall cause of the Crisis is caused by an alteration of the Aire whence ariseth an alteration of the breath a man draws in from cold to heat from dry to moist or the contraries to them both For Hippocrates himself in his six Aphorisme three Comment and in his Treatise De {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} speaks in down dunstable language that heat and moisture in the body moves forward the Crisis for diseases some saith he come by ill Dyet other by the Aire we draw in So then the Dyet as it breeds such and such humours in the body is internal but the Aire we draw in is the externall cause of the Crisis And now give me leave to leave my Author and yet I will not forget him quite neither The Lord eternall in the beginning when he made the Creation made it of a composition of contraries discord makes a harmony as in Musicke if the World be composed of a composition of contraries various must needs be the disposition of mans life Hence comes sometimes health sometimes sicknesse sometimes melancholy sometimes choler to the body of man and happy is that man that knows himself These qualities in man being altered by the various influences of the Stars the Sphere of the one carrying a swifter motion then the Sphere of the other then various must needs be the disposition of mans body The Luminaries carry the greatest strength in the heavens and so do the time-servers in the State and this needs not be doubtful to any body if you consider that the sound of a Drum or Trumpet incites a man to valour and the sound of a Fiddle to dancing Besides other manifest effects of the Luminaries appeare to our eyes Who makes hours and dayes and seasons in the year is it not the Sun who makes alterations in the Aire in Plants and in living Creatures What is the reason that Oysters are suller at the ful moon then at the new To the number of Oysters joyne Crabs and Lobsters nay the marrow in the body of Man is it not the Moon A man if he pleaseth may say his right hand is his left and a prating Priest may preach his pleasure let Doctor experience be judge Now then we have brought the matter to this purpose that the Universall cause of the Crisis is the influence of the heavens for the Celestiall bodyes either by heat light motion or aspect configuration or all of them or some of them act not onely in the four Elements but Elementary bodyes for if they act in the one they must needs in the other and then by consequence in man which is but compounded of Elements The earth is a great lump of dirt rolled up together and by an onely wise God hangs in the Aire the Stars are no more neither is the Moon onely what mettle the Sun is made of I know not If the bodies of men are Elementary composed of Fire Aire Earth and Water he must needs participate in one measure or other of all these Elements The Elements being contraries cannot alwayes agree hence comes the cause of health sometimes of sicknesse sometimes death it self and Aristotle was halfe of my opinion when he wrote these words From the Rain and Dew of Heaven both good and bad things are caused to bud The kinds of Crisis are two one in acute diseases and they are to be judged by the Moon the other in long and lasting or chronick diseases which are to be judged of by the Sun For those Crises which come from their own proper principle are from the internall cause depending onely upon the motions of the Moon and her Configurations and aspects to the place she was in at the Decumbiture But you must note in acute diseases the aspects or radiations of the Moon to wit her Quartile or Opposition are not taken from the Coniunction of
of great Ptolomy himselfe and of all the sons of Art this day living who build their judgement upon Doctor Tradition and not upon the sound principles of Doctor Reason if this be the originall of the enmity of of a square aspect as is agreed upon on all sides Then Why do they hold that a Quartile in Signs of long ascentions is aequivalent to a Trine and a Trine in Signs of short Ascentions as pernicious as a Square put the rest of the non-sence into the bundle and when you have done look upon it a little while and when you have viewed it a little tell me I pray Doth the longnesse or shortnesse of the ascentions adde or take away any thing from the quality of the Signes Is not this the way the onely way to bring the Art into a Labyrinth if not into a confusion in truth in my opinion it is This I will confesse and give you my reason for it when I have done one square is not so bad as another as from Aries to Cancer is worse then from Cancer to Libra because the Signs Cancer and Libra are in better harmony as agreeing in passive qualities namely moisture whereas Aries and Cancer disagree totally By this rule you may find out the rest Also this I affirme and will prove it when I have done that some Semisextiles are worse then some Quartiles for Pisces is more inimical to Aries then Capricorne first because it is the twelfth Signe from him 2. besides disagrees more in qualities A Sextile Aspect is good because the Signs which are in Sextile the one to the other are both of the same active quality both of a sexe both of a time for example Aries and Gemini are both masculine both Diurnall Taurus and Cancer are both cold both Feminine both Nocturnall but because they differ all in passive qualities it is not altogether so friendly as trine aspect is for that consists altogether of Signes of the same nature sexe quality and time and are correspondent the one to the other every way A Conjunction or Synod is the strongest of all and cannot properly be called an aspect A Conjunction of good Planets with good is exceeding good It is good in the highest degree A conjunction of bad Planets with bad Planets is as bad as the former was good A conjunction of good Planets with bad is no ways commendable I have now done if you will be pleased but to take notice that the conjunction of all Planets with their Sun is bad because the Sun who gives them their efficacy takes it awâ—y at such times I could be Criticall at this but I shall sorbear it at this time CHAP. IV. The way of finding out the Critical and Judiciall dayes by a Figure of eight houses THis is the method of Hyppeerates and from him Galen used and it is to be done in this manner 1 Make your scheme of eight equal parts 2 Search out the Signe Degree and Minute the Moon was in at the beginning of the sicknesse 3 Place the sign degree minute the Moon was in at the beginning of the sicknesse upon the cuspe of the first house as though that were ascending at the time 4 Add forty five degrees to this you need not regard the latitude of the Region for it is of no use in Criticall Figures but take the degrees barely from the Ecliptick when you have added forty five degrees to the place of the Moon at the decumbiture the point of the Zodiack answerable to that shall make the cuspe of the second house 5 Forty five degrees more added to that will bring you to the Cuspe of the third House to which when the Moon comes she comes to the quartile of the place she was in at the decumbiture and this makes the first Crisis 6 Forty five degrees more added to this makes the 4th house 45 degrees more added to that points out the place of the true opposition of the Moon to the place she was in at the decumbiture and this makes the second Crisis The second quartile of the Moon to her owne place at the decumbiture makes the third Crisis And the fourth is when she comes to the same sign degree and minute that she was in at the decumbiture The time or houres noted betwixt the Crisis are called the Judiciall times or such times wherein a man may judge what the disease is or what it will be remember this all along in such kinds of judgement And do not forget not to number the time by dayes as the ancients did for they were either ignorant or regardlesse of the course of the Moon for the Moon comes to the Judiciall or Criticall days sometimes sooner sometimes latter as she is either swifter or slower in motion Now the time called Criticall is alwayes evill because of the contrariety of the signe the Moon is in then to the sign she was in before or the contrariety of her nature to the opposite place At such a time there ariseth a controversie or battaile as it were between the disease and nature the Moon maintains nature in acute diseases And now you have the reason why that if she be afflicted upon a Critiall day by the bodies or ill beames of Saturne or Mars or the Lord of death which is alwayes Lord of the eighth House and sometimes the Lord of the Fourth House will serve the turne if he be a malevolent because the fignisies the grave the disease increaseth and sometimes the sick dies But if the Moon at the time of the Crisis beholds the Lord of Ascendent or the fortunes fortunately health ensues for the malady is vanquished and routed in the conflict If the disease terminate not upon the first Crisis see how the Moon is configurated on the second Crisis and judge then by the same Rules If it terminate not then neither as sometimes such a thing happens view the third Crisis and judge by that the same way if your judgement ballanced by reason and the former rules certifie you the disease will not end one way nor other neither in health nor death see what you can say to the Moon when she returnes to the place she was in at the decumbiture which is about twenty seven days eight hours and some few minutes and see how the Moon is then seated and to what Planets she is configurated then And this of necessity must be the end of all acute diseases Thus you see an acute disease can last but a moneth at longest not one in a hundred lasteth so long not one in twenty lasteth above halfe so long If the disease end not then the acute disease is turned into a Chronick disease And all Chronick diseases must be judged of by the Sun The rules of judging of Chronicall diseases by the Sun are the same by which we judge of acute diseases by the Moon As for Judiciall days which fall out just in the midest betwixt the Critiall days I shall
is 2. The sixth House and i'ts Lord and the Planets in it if there be any there best describe the nature of the disease usually nay alwaies if they afflict either of the Luminaries or the Lord of the ascendent 3. The aspects of the Moon to the Planets are alwaies to be noted for they still produce something to the sick but especially upon Critical and Judicial dayes for you shall find this a certain truth even as certain as the Sun and he never failes without a miracle That when the Moon passes by the bodies of Jupiter or Venus or their aspects especially their good ones if they be not Lords of death remits the most desperate Symptoms in a sickness and gives the sick some ease as also the bodies or any aspect of Saturn or Mars exasperates a disease and spoiles the most hopefull Symptoms 4. Here then you have one way to doe your selves good A Physitian is natures helper or at least he should be so whosoever would help nature must of necessity be well acquainted with her a little communication between them will instruct him the way and manner which Almighty God hath allotted her to govern the world by wisdome instructs her Children in the knowledge of time for there is an appointed time for every thing under the Sun if then when a disease seems extream dangerous you wovld make an essay to relieve languishing nature do it at the time when the Moon passeth by the body or good aspect of Jupiter or Venus then is nature in a capability of receiving helpe you may better lift up a living man with onefinger then a dead man with both hands a Bird whilst she hath wings can fly but cut off her wings and hang a couple of Milstones on her legs she cannot Even so the bodies and good aspects of Jupiter and Venus are like wings to carry a man from sicknesse to health The bodies and aspects of Saturn and Mars are like Milstones to weigh him to his Grave One thing more let me tell you and I le tell you but the truth they say if Saturn afflict Jupiter helps more then Venus but if Mars afflict Venus helps more then Jupiter let them say so still but if you will be ruled by me make use of that fortune which is strongest a rich friend may relieve your wants a poor friend cannot he may wish you well and so forth but suppose you dare not stay while the Moon come to the good aspect of Jupiter and Venus administer you medicine when she is in the place where one of them was at the Decumbiture if you dare not stay that time neither for delay is dangerous in acute diseases be sure you place one of them two in the ascendent when you administer the medicine Put all these together and it will tell you in words at length and not in figures that a Physitian without Astrology is like a pudding without fat 5. That place and state of the Planet from which the Moon is separated at the Decumbiture and the condition of the Planet also for Planets are of different conditions as wel as men some good and some bad is to be heeded If you please to observe the state of that same Planet by it you may know the state of the sick and what the cause of his sicknesse is 6. When you have done so it is your wisest way to consider to what Planet the Moon applies and then do but so much as view what signe that Planet is in what his conditions be whether he be benevolent or malevolent whether he be Masculine or Feminine Diurnal or Nocturnal hot drie cold or moist what parts of the body he governs and what disease he governs 7. Consider whether the Planet the Moon applies to be in an Angle in a succeeding or in a Cadent house and when you have done so do but so much as consider what the House he is in signifies and what members of the body it governs and then take but a little notice whether the Planet joy in the House or not that you may not be mistaken herein I will certifie you in what houses every Planet takes his delight as being confident even amongst Astrologers more are ignorant of it then know it 1 The Sun rejoyceth in the fourth ninth and eleventh houses 2 The Moon rejoyceth in the third and seventh houses 3 Saturn rejoyceth in the ascendent eight and twelfth houses 4. Jupiter rejoyceth in the second ninth and eleventh 5. Mars rejoyceth in the third sixth and tenth 6. Venus rejoyceth in the fifth and twelfth 7. Mercury rejoyceth in the ascendent and sixth Here 's but a few words yet so significant that the nature and condition the Sympathy and Antipathy of the Planets and by consequence of the Creation may be known from it 'T is not my present scope to tell you which way whet your wits upon it and they will be the sharper 8. Consider whether the Planet the moon applics to be direct or retrograte swift or slow in motion Oriental Occidental or Combust whether fortunated or infortunated by other Planets and 9. And when you have done so it is your wisest way to consider whether the threatning Planet be in his own House or Exaltation or other essential dignities whether he be in Terms of good Planets or evill for if a good Planet have gotten an ill Planet in his Terme he will order him To wind up this in one word consider whether the threatning Planet have power to execute his will or not for sometimes a curst Cow hath but short hornes 10. Do but so much as note what consigurations the Lord of the ascendent six and eight Houses have one with another And amongst the rest do not forget the lord of the seventh twelfth Houses and I le give you my reason why The seventh because it opposeth the ascendent he assaults life openly and is not ashamed of what he doth he plaies the part of Ajax goes too t with down right blows without policy The sixth eighth and twelfth Houses have no affinity at all with the ascendent And they have more of Vlysses in them then Ajax they take away a mans life when hee 's asleep or else when he knows not how 11. Partile aspects are far more strong and prevalent then Platick 12. Be pleased but to consider that the sixth House and his Lord signifies the sicknesse The seventh the Phyfitian the eighth Death the tenth the Medicine the fourth the end of the Disease and when you have done so I have done with this point These things thus premised when you have read them you shall finde I first come to CHAP. IX Generall Prognostications of the Disease 1. FIrst of all quoth my Author The House of Heaven is of more force then the Sign and it s very like and the Signe then the Planet and the Planet then the fixed star he is with But Doctor Reason told me the Planet was of more force then
If the significator of the sicknesse be an infortune and applyed to the lord of the ascendent it mightily retards the cure you see what need there is the Physitian be an Astrologer I know not how a man should help nature unlesse he knows it 38. If the moon be with the lord of the ascendent or applyed to him the cure comes gallantly on if she be swift in motion but if she be slow in motion she hales the cure back-wards 39. If the moon decrease both in light and motion and be with the Quartile Opposition or body of Saturn the disease is extream for the next time she comes to his body or opposition unlesse you can cure the disease before and he is a Physitian indeed that can do it death takes possession of the breathlesse Corps of the Patient 40. The moon or any other significator of the sick joyned to a Planet direct and swift in motion shews but a short sicknesse But if the Planet be retrograde or slow the cure will be as slow to a haire 41. If Scorpion ascend the sick is the causer of his own sicknesse because then Aries is upon the cuspe of the 6th house and one Planet is lord of both places and if he be in either of both those houses it is so much the worse for he will add fire to the fuel and blow the Bellows too 42. Both the Luminaries in Cadent houses and their dispositors together with the lord of the ascendent afflicted shews a disease so dangerous that the Physitian hath need enough to look about him 43. If in such a case the benevolents set the helping hands the disease will be prolonged and ever acute become chronick yet if the benevolent be strongest the disease will at last be cured beyond all hope if the malevolents be strongest t is shrewdly to be feared that death must turn Physitian when all comes to all 44. Suppose Mars be lord of the ascendent and in the 6th yet if he be in any aspect to Venus 't is not desperately bad because she mitigates his evill 45 The lord of the 6th in the 8th afflicted by Saturn or Mars if he be weak viz. retrograde or combust or in his detriment the discase will continue till death cures it 46. The Sun Moon or lord of the ascendent with a fortune and that fortune they are with retrograde promiseth cure but together with the promise comes a threatning of length of the disease 47. The Moon in a blad place of the heavens prolongs thr disease if she be in a fixed signe without any further dispute of the story 48 Never forget this generall rule the stronger the Moon is at the decumbiture the better it is for the sick the weaker she is at that time the worse 49 It were a good thing and very commendable if the nativity of the sick could be procured for if Saturne be Lord of the Nativity the sick may live though the Moon be in with his body or opposition at the decumbiture 50 Judge of the length or shortnesse of the disease according as the disease is for it is not to be expected that a Feaver should last seven yeare and it is as little to be hoped that a Consumption should be cured in a day PART II. Signes of life at the Decumbiture FIrst Jupiter Venus the Sun and Moon in the Ascendent not afflicting nor beholding the Lord of the 8th nor being Lord of the eight themselves take away not onely the feare of death but also promise a speedy cure 2 The conjunction of the Moon with Jupiter is alwayes prosperous most propitious if it be in Cancer if doubtfull at all it is when they are in Capricorne because in the one they are both dignified in the other both Cadent from their dignities And yet let me tell you but thus much Jupiter is Jupiter still be he where he will 3 The Moon in an angle well disposed in good termes and free from the body i 〈◊〉 beames of Saturn or Mars it restores the sick to health and scornes to be beholding to any of them all 4 The Moon applying to the Lord of the Ascendent unlesse she carries the beams of the Lord of death to him doth the like 5 The Moon increasing in light and swift in motion and not posited in the 6th 8th nor 12th houses applying to the Sextile Trine or antiscion of Lord of the Acendent though the Lord of the ascendent be a malevelent it matters not so he be direct and not infortuned by house nor impedited by another malevolent neither in his detriment nor fall it promiseth recovery 6 If the Moon be void of course at the decumbiture if on the Criticall day she behold a good star there is no question of recovery to be made 7 If on a Criticall day the Moon be in her own house or exaltation though she be void of course the fear of death is more then the harme for the sick will recover 8 The Sun Moon and Lord of the Ascendent free from the beames of Saturne Mars or the Lord of death at the Decumbiture there cannot be so much as a bare suspition of death 9 If the benevolence be stronger then the malevolence at the decumbiture and withall if they behold the Moon the Ascendent or his Lord they promise recovery The Malevolence may threaten hard c. but the benevolence wil stay the deadly blow 10 If the Moon be separated from a weak malevolent and applyed to a strong benevolent the sick is easily recovered for the weakest alwayes goes to the wall 11 If Saturne be significator of the sicknesse orientall of the Sun the disease coming of cold c. occidentall of the Sun the disease coming of heat seldome kils My Author may be something questioned for this yet this I le easily grant him that Saturne is not so subject to take away life in such a life as in the contrary I dare not be positive in the thing because I have not spoken with Dr. Experience about it 12 Mars is not so formidable when he is occidentall as when he is orientall 13 Mars afflicteth the Moon more when she is orientall then he doth when she is occidentall 14 A reception between the Lord of the Ascendent and the Lord of the eighth if they be benevolent or if the benevolence lend them aid shews recovery 15 Also my Author saith that if the Lord of the eighth receiveth the Lord of the Ascendent without the malicious beames of ill fortunes the sick will escape even when there is no hope of life I know not the truth of it because as yet I know not the judgement of Dr. Experience in the thing but Dr. Reason is of opinion that it is far better that the Lord of the Ascendent dispose the Lord of the eighth then that the Lord of the eighth dispose the Lord of the Ascendent Is it not better that life dispose of death then that death dispose of life Indeed
this he told me That if the Lord of the Ascendent doe dispose the Lord of the eighth the sick will take such a course as will be for his owne prejudice and the hastning on of his end But if sick people will not be ruled by fair means they must by ruled by foule and that is all that I can say unto it 16 If good Planets be in the Ascendent or Mid-heaven at the decumbiture pretty strong withall they will stand to their tackling stoutly to maintaine life though the significators of it be never so much afflicted PART III. Signes of Death FIrst of all the Lord of the Ascendent afflicted in the eighth the Patient is more madde to be apud inferos then death is to have him The man will dye and his life will be cast away absolutely with evill guidance 2 If at the Decumbiture you find the Lord of the ascendent combust in the ascendent passe the same judgement with the former 3 If the Lord of the eighth house be in the mid-heavens and afflict the Lord of the Ascendent the Physick will be in a shrewd mistake and instead of curing goe neer to kill Listen to this O Colledge of Physicians let me intreat you to learn the principles of your trade and I beseech you no longer mistake avarice for witt and honesty 4 The Lord of the eighth very strong in the Ascendent gives you faire warning that death 's a coming 5 A conjunction between the Lord of the eighth and the Lord of the Ascendent is as mortall a signe as the Lord of the heavens can shew 6 It is a very unlucky signe when the Lord of the eighth house is Lord of the house at the decumbiture And not much better if the Lord of the house at the decumbiture be afflicted by the Lord of the eighth especially if the Lord of the eight be a malevolent Such ill beginning of a disease usually proves fatal at the latter end unlesse the Physician be a very able man 7 If the Lord of the Ascendent fall retrograde from the body of the Lord of the eighth it gives you a timely warning of death at their next conjunction unlesse the Lord of the ascendent meet with the Sun before he meet with the Lord of death againe 8 The Lord of the eighth in conjunction square or opposition to the Moon at the decumbiture threatens death unlesse there be a reception between them If the Lord of the eight be retrograde or infortunated you may the more confide in his judgement 9 The Lord of the eighth in an angle especially the westerne angle the Moon and Lord of the ascendent being in cadent houses or afflicted by malevolents death may be feared and that justly to especially if a malevolent be in the eighth or Lord of that house 10 The Moon with both Saturne and Jupiter profits not he sick at all unlesse Jupiter be much stronger then Saturne or with the Lord of the Ascendent then either of them In such a case medicines under the influence of Jupiter will do good because his body is afflicted by so potent an adversary This had I from Dr. Reason neither is it barely to assist him of truth but a foundation to build other truths upon a rule for practice a key to open the closet of practice an heurete to find other truths by 11 The Lord of the ascendent in the aspect or with the antiscion of an infortune in the eighth threatens death unlesse the wholsome beames of Jupiter and Venus helpe which if there will be a strong contest between nature and the disease The fortunes strive to maintain nature the infortunes to destroy them In such acase look which is strongest and passe judgment upon the end of the dispute accordingly 12 If you find the Moon in like case in an acute disease or the Sun in a Chronical passe the same judgement If there be a reception between the Lord of the ascendent and the Lord of the eighth by any aspect the sick will probably live and that as I remember I told you before But the sicknesse will be long and tedious and the effects of it lye long in the body and that I never told you till now 14 The Moon with Saturne and Mars or the Moon with the one and the Sun with the other or either of them with one and the Lord of the ascendent with the other or the Lord of the ascendent with both gives shrewde suspitions that the sicknesse is but the Prodomus or usherer in of death 15 The slower in motion the afflicting infortune is the worse it is for then the Moon meets him againe upon the Criticall day 16 The Lord of the ascendent in the seventh or fourth houses and there afflicted gives warning to the sick man that his dissolution is at hand 17 An infortune upon the Cuspe of the Horiscope bids the sick provide for a change 18 Fixed stars of a violent nature speaks the same language if they be upon the Horiscope 19 Those fixed stars are said to be of a violent nature which are of the nature of Saturne or Mars as Lanx Australis the Buls eyes the Scorpions heart c. and some which are of the nature of the fortunes if Authors mistake not their natures as Algol or the head of Midusa which is placed in the Buckler of Perseus The Grecian Astrologers call him the Devils-head and yet all the Astrologers Jupiter and Venus to have a share in his nature Let it suffice that all hold and Doctor Experience himselfe certifies that his conditions are as bad as who is worst Neither shall he come behind any one of the fixed starres in doing mischiefe 20 If the Moon be void of course at the beginning of the sicknesse and yet afflicted upon a criticall day a good Crisis cannot be hoped an ill Crisis may justly be feared and that not without grounds from sober rules of Art 21 The Lord of the ascendent in Leo or Aquarius impedited by the body of the Lord of the 6th or 12th houses signifies danger of death 22 Both the Luminaries afflicted under the earth carry the same signification 23. It is evill if the Moon be in a detriment or fall at the Crisis though she be not afflicted at all The time of the Crisis is the time of a combate between nature and the disease And if the Moon be weake she is not able to maintaine nature in the combate 24 The Sun afllicted by the body Square or Opposition or Antiscion of a malevolent it tels the patient the disease will be long and tedious if not mortall and bids him provide himselfe of such a Physician as knowes how to do something else besides onely to tell mony 25 The Moon opposed to the Lord of the ascendent at the beginning of a sicknesse if the Lord of the ascendent be also retrograde or cumbust shews bitter accidents will fall out to the sick during the time of his sicknesse
And he that diligently observes these and compares them with the aspects of heavenly bodyes can never without a miracle faile in his judgement upon diseases For my own part I dare command the greatest part of them for authentick though I have not made tryal of them all yet 't is very probable set the antiquity of the Author aside that the meanest of them if wel heeded may give a more infallable judgement upon a disease then a whole Tub-full of Physicians I have somewhat inverted Hippocrates order and my reasons was because I would bring the businesse into one single ingresse and make them as plain to the meanest capacity as a pike staffe and if they cannot understand them as I have committed them to posterity the fault is in the dulnesse of their own wits and there let it rest Hippocrates divides them into three books and in that I will follow him to a haire The first book I shall divide into these parts presages of diseases 1. The face 2. The eyes and lips 3. The manner of lying 4. The teeth 5. Ulcers or Issues 6. The Hands 7. The breath 8. The sweat 9. Tumours and Aposthumes CHAP. I. Presages by the Face 1. IF in a sick body the face look as it did in the time of health or but little different the hope of recovery is not small signes of death in the face of a sick body are these 1. The Nostrils are extenuated and very sharpe 2. The Eyes are hallow 3. The skin of the fore-head or eye-brows hard dry and loose and looks as though it were tan'd 4. The Eares are cold shrunk and almost doubled 5. The face is black pale or swarty or deformed he looks but ill favouredly If these or most of these appear be not to rash neither for rashnesse is the daughter of ignorance but be sober minded and first inquire whether the Patient have not fasted much or wanted sleep or had a flux a long time if these or any of these had not a being before the sicknesse the danger of death is to be feared If the sicknesse have been four or five dayes before you see these Symptoms they are but the harbengers of death and he follows them at the taile CHAP. II. Presages by the Eyes and Lips 1. Signes of death by the eyes are if they be deprived of sight or weep against the patients will 2. If thy seem as though they would fall out of his head 3. When one of the eyes becomes lesse then the other 4. When the white of the eyes become readish 5. When they are blear-ey'd or dimmeey'd and not used to be so before 6. When they are very moveable gashful staring up and down or funck deep into the head 7. When the sick grows squint ey'd and not so before and stares up and down as though he was frighted 8. When the Patient sleeps with his eyes open and was not so accustomed to do Then inquire if these come not by flux nor laxative medicines if not they are signes of death 9. When the Eye-lids Nose and Lips are crooked or drawn in to one side 10. If the lips are thin cold pale and hanging down and the nose very sharpe it denotes death CHAP. III. Presages by the manner of lying in Bed IT is best when men lye in bed in that form in sicknesse as they did when they were in health mortal signs are first 1. When the neck hands and feet are extended stiffe and inflexible not to be moved 2. Suddain starting up out of the bed 3. Casting their head down to the feet of the bed 4. Sleeping with their mouth open contrary to former custom 5. Tousing and tumbling or throwing himself from one end of the bed to the other shews the man in a terrible condition if not in a dying condition 6. To sleep with the belly down-ward contrary to custom shews aches of the belly or little lesse then madnesse 7. If the desire in sicknesse be to go out of one roome into another mistake the room for a world 8. He that is impatient and forceth himself to rise upon a Critical day puts himself in great danger if the disease be violent and touch his Lungs the Critical day may prove mortall CHAP. IV. Presages by the teeth 1. GNashing of the teeth in a Fever if not naturally is a dangerous signe 2. If with all he be deprived of his sences and his sicknesse onely a Fever not a frensie and gnasheth his teeth he calls for death and he will quickly come CHAP. V. Presages by Vlcers and Issues IF a sick person have any Ulcer or issue whether it came before the sicknesse or with it their is not a half penny to choose and it will dry up and become green black or swarthy if the Patient become worse and worse Doctor Death is comming to cure him CHAP. VI Presages by the Hands 1. IF in Fevers or any other acute diseases frensie exeepted the sick by pedling or plucking the bed-cloaths or pulling straws if he could find them a thousand to one if he lives the age of a little fish Judge the like if he take violent hold of the bed-cloaths seeling or wall CHAP. VII Presages by the Breath 1. BY the breath is best judgement given upon the spirits heart and lungs If a disease have invaded the spirits and that is the quickest way to kill a man carry a urinal full of Piss to the Doctor and he will say he ailes nothing the reason is there is no digestion found in the urine because the disease seizeth not the body but the spirits A man is troubled in mind his Wife and Children do not please him being troubled is sick for madnesse his wife as bad as she is loves him and as ill as she hates him she will carry his Pisse to the Doctor he looks upon it and thinks the man is at well as himself and that is bad enough onely his trouble is not so great he knows as much by his urine as if he had looked into a Crows nest he hath no more skill in Astrologie then I have in making of Candles the man speaks out all his wit at once and saith her husband ails nothing it may be t is true enough he ailes nothing but onely to be out of this world the drift of this discourse is onely to show you some diseases seizeth onely upon the spirits others onely upon the body But to the purpose 1. The distance between breathing if it be too long and coldnesse of the breath shows death is not above two or three foot off gentle breath in hot diseases is an argument of death CHAP. VIII Presages by Sweat THose kind sweats which happen upon judicial or critical days are wholsom commendable and good for they are sent by Doctor Health 2. If sweat be universall 't is excellent and if the Patient mend by his sweating 't is a fore-runner of a Cure 3. Mortal sweats are first of all cold 4.
would take this matter into consideration and take a little care for the lives of the poor Commonalty that a poor man that wants money to buy his wife and Children bread may not perish for want of an angel to fee a proud insulting domineering Physitian to give him a Visit I think it is a duty belonging to the Keepers of the Liberty of England I would help my poor brethren in this particular if I could but I cannot Whosoever reads what I have here written and approves of it let him joyn with me in a Petition to the State for the rectifying of this disorder Those which approve not of it let them answer me to this question who made a difference between the Rich and the poore was it God or the world If the world as is most certain then wil it not stand for the fashion of the world passeth away 3 If many good signs appear at the beginning of a Fever note the sign and degree the moon is in at the Decumbiture And the party will recover when the moon comes to the Sextile of the place she was in then Hippocrates was against Astrologers as appears by this Aphorism And our Colledge the Physitians hug his writing under their arms But follow him as much as the Pope follows Saint Peter 4. Note the place the moon is in at the Decumbiture then view the sick body when the moon comes to the Sextile of that place If you find ill Symptoms of the sick body then you may fear death when she comes to the Quartile of that place and you have cause enough 5. Short Maladies are better judged of then long a great deale of time may produce more alteration then a little 6. If Fevers happen to women in child-bed begin the Calculation at the time of her delivery and not at the Initiation of the sicknesse and take their Crisis that way 7. If the Fever continue to the third Crisis which is not often you may presage bleeding at the Nose and it is twenty to one it comes not upon the day of the third Crisis or near it 8. If the Patient bleed not at the Nose be sure he hath an Inpostume in some of the infetiour parts of his body 9. Flux of blood in such a case most usually haps to people that are under thirty years of age Impostumes to them that are older 10. If the sick find a vehement pain about his fore-head or places near it he is very subject to bleed at the Nose and that may save his life 11. Young persons oftener dye at the first Crisis in Fevers then ancient and the reason is becanse their nature is hotter and the more subject to take fire for he that knows but his A. B. C. in Physick knows a Fever comes of heat 12. Old persons sooner dye upon relapses then young and the reason is because their bodies are weaker 13. Ulcerations in the throat are usually mortal in hot diseases 14 Fevers continue longer in ancient people then they do in young and the reason is because the bodyes of ancient people are colder dry wood will burn most violently it is confest but wet wood will be longer a burning 15 Ancient people are more subject to quarten Agues then young and the reason is because Saturn causeth them a child wil leave playing with his Father to play with it 's equals CHAP. II. Presages of the Quinsey 1. ALL Quinses are extream dangerous and sometimes mortal 2. The most dangerous signes in a Quinsey are great pain great difficulty in breathing yet no swelling outwardly appearing for if the swelling appear the external part of the throat is most afflicted And if you do not believe better to have the External part of the throat afflicted then the Internal I wish you did 3. Here you find that in the Quinsey it is better when they appear outwardly then when they do not 4. If the swelling appear not outwardly they usually kill within four days at the furthest although no Crisis come at that time My own opinion is though I hold an absolute truth in the Crisis as I have laid them down in this book yet withall I know as well that there is a difference to be made between the time that the disease overcomes the vitals and the time of the dissolution as also That in a proper acute disease The moon to the semie Sextile of the place she was in at the Decumbiture often kills because she is then in a signe opposite in respect of nature sex and time 5. If a red tumour appear outwardly and fall in again the danger of death is great Life may borrow a little time and so forth but 't is to be feared must be forced to yeild to her enemy Death at last 6. If the tumour in a Quinsey increase upon a Critical day and break neither inwardly nor outwardly death or a relapse or some thing as bad is to be feared though the Patient feel case for the time CHAP. III. Presages by the Vvula THe presages are but few happily honest Hippocrates whom Authors call divine for his ingenuity rather then his religion because the diseases in this part of the body are but few and those few appear but seldome 1 Incision in the Uvula Gargarion or Columella when it is swoln red or grosse is dangerous Physicians love to trouble your pates with hard words for if they would write plaine English they could not make silly people believe wonders and then their Diana would downe you shall find an explanation of all such words which he that can but read his Primmer shall find at the latter end of the book 2 If the Uvula look pale or livid and the upper part not swelled you may make an incision without danger 3 Be sure you purge the belly before you be too busie in making incision in those parts Thus Hippocrates The truth is I cannot find any reason why any incision at all should be made there a man may as well plead Excise as Custome for ought I know If there be an inflammation there blood-letting in the arme will serve the turne if putrefaction or ulcer as sometimes happen to such as our company of Chyrurgeons Flux for the French pox either for want of care or skill or something else clensing medicines will do the deed I do not in this Treatise professe to write an Anatomy if I did I could tell you what the use of the Uvula was and how difficult an incision there is and how dangerous the effects of it may prove but I passe it and come to CHAP. IV. Presages of Vomiting in Feavers FIrst of all when there appears blacke things or things like flies before the eyes of him that hath a Feaver viz. when he thinks he sees flies when ther 's no such thing neer him be sure the sick will vomit yellow choler and the surer if withall he find an ilnesse at his stomack 2 If there be a stiffnesse and chillinesse in those parts neer the Hypocondria the vomiting will the sooner be hastened 3 My Author doth not tell whether this vomiting be good or bad in a Feaver therefore I le tell it you for him it shews strength of nature therefore take it as a hopefull signe the choler which is vomited up lies in the stomack and that 's not the place dame nature hath provided to hold choler Dame nature iis like a Prince in the body and holds in tenure by Soccage under Almighty God and if the can expell her enemy out of her dominions doth she not doe well 4 If together with what was mentioned before there happen swelling or ringings by reason of wind under one of the sides be not too hasty to predict vomiting it is more probable to be onely bleeding at the nose 5 Bleeding at the nose in such a case usually happens to people under 30 yeares of age vomiting to such as are older 6 These presages hath Hippocrates left to posterity verified by his owne experience I have ordered them for your owne good as well as I can I haue given you the reasons of some of them because I would instruct you of others I have not because I would incourage you to study for take this for an absolute truth my writings may teach you but it is your selves must make your selves Physicians Doctor Reason told me these presages were true And Experience tells you by my penne that you shall find them so I now take my leave of you for this time and withall tell you that if you be not so free to do good to others as I am to you look to answer for it another day at the generall acount I remaine Yours to do you good whilst I remain amongst the Living Nich. Culpepper 15. Aprilis 1651. Imprimatur JOHN BOOKER Kinds of Crisis