〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caput redundantium The Sanguine Complexion from the abundance of Bloud causeth men to dream of the Incubus which Physicians hold is the cause of a future Apoplexy And that is the reason that many ignorant people that are of Sanguine Complexion and feed on Flesh Eggs Veal and drink Wine and such like which causeth Bloud that believe that in their Sleeps they often feel the Night-mare or an Incubus which is nothing else but a Disease arising of Vapours disturbing those that are at repose in the night whose external force doth seem to evade their senses and to press their Bodies with their ponderous weight and this is the reason that Physicians hold that the Incubus is a sign of future Apoplexy because the Apoplexy is a stupefaction of the Nerves in the whole Body with a privation of the sense and motion Again Apoplexia stupefactio nervorum totiue corporis cum privatione sensus motus a verbo Graeco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est percutio aitonitum reddo some hold that the cause of dreams arise from the business and affairs a man is most imploied in the day time so that the impression of them sticking in the Table of the Fantasie makes a man dream of those things in the Night which he hath done in the Day as for example Men given to drink much often dream that they are in the bottom of some Noblemans Seller drinking Healths And men according to their Employments dream of their business over Night Your Lawyer he dreams of Angels a most blessed dream and if he chance to talk in his sleep it is most commonly of Demurs Habeas Corpusses Scisseraries Writs Latitats and Procidendoes The Physician he dreams of a great Plague and if he talks it is of nothing but Purgations Vomits Glisters and Pills I knew a Player dream'd that his Brains were beaten out with the Cork of a Groat Bottle of Ale and as he was speaking the Prologue it hist at him because he spake it so scurvily The Cutpurse and Catchpole most commonly dream of a Michaelmas Term for that is their best time to pick Pockets and cheat in and so of all the rest according to their Employments therefore this makes me not of Simonides opinion who held that all Dreams are sent from God which all honest men will deny because they know that God is not Authour of any ill Again Dogs and Kine dream especially when they have lost their Whelps and Calves who suddenly will wake out of their sleeps and howling and lowing into divers places to finde them Nor must we believe these Negromancers in their devilish work of working in our Fantasies by Dreams that they can do any thing that is true as when they cause us to dream of Gold or Silver and we chance to finde it instantly to affirm with many old Women that all Dreams are true for this is but a Trick of the Devil to bring us into Superstition which Trick is not much unlike that he hath put upon the Papists making them believe that at the sight of the Cross he cannot be quiet but must flie away from it but there is no true Christian will think that the Devil is afraid of a piece of Wood Gold or Silver but flies from the Cross of purpose to draw them into the Superstition of adoring the Cross and kneeling to it in stead of adoring him that once hung on the Cross for although it be a Cross yet it hath no more virtue and influence in it then when it was a piece of Wood Stone or Silver Thus then you see we must trust to no Dreams except they come by the inspiration of God and the Holy Ghost of which God spake in the 12. of Numbers I will speak to him in a Dream this was now by a good Angel that God warned Joseph to flie into Egypt And oftentimes God suffereth the evil Angel to delude the mindes of men so that many times they have been banquetting with gallant Ladies and by the fantastical illusion of the Devil think that they have been in the company of divers Women that rid on the backs of Cats Dogs Hogs or that they have been sailing on the main Sea in Ships no bigger then Egg-shells and that in the peace of midnight they have travelled through many parts of the World Holy Job prayeth against such illusions saying Thou doest terrifie me by dreams and doest shake me with horrour by visions There are many Monks as the Golden Legend testifies that report this of their holy S. Dominicus that his Mother before he was born dream'd that she bare a huge Dog in her womb holding a burning firebrand in his mouth who entering into the world set it on fire This Dream the holy Monks did thus expound that the Vision was not vain seeing Preachers in the Scriptures are called dogs But I will give them a truer Exposition then this not sparing their holy Order It was certain that this Dominick was the Authour of one of the four Mendicant Orders and the first that found out the burning and firing of the Professours of the Gospel Therefore his imitatours have peculiarly challenged to themselves the Inquisition and many other such places to exercise their Fire and Sword And so by this was signified the burning Fire-brand Dominicus held in his mouth by which an infinite company of godly men were consumed into Ashes Thus by this dream did the devil delude Dominicus Mother and many more that did belive the interpretation of it by the Monks But in general dreams are not to be believed for they are most wicked and odious in the sight of God that think so as may appear in the 19. of Leviticus Deut. 23. ibid. 18. Ecclesiast 24. and many other places of the Scripture Thus much for your divination by dreams Sometimes they do divine by a Spirit and that is called Pythonissa Sometimes they answer to that they are called for by divers Figures Men or Women set in polish'd stone Iron Brass Steel Glass or the Nails of ones hand and this is called by the general Name of Geomancy And most commonly to such as these they chuse out Women and Children And I my self have known many old Women old dog at this kinde of divination who hold that if the Nails of the hand grow yellow it is a great sign of ill luck and that specks are the true signes of future ill luck If these Apparitiors appear in the Water then it is called Hydromancy These I have heard are very incident to Catch-poles Eum-bailies and the like when they are duck'd under Water at a high Tide at one of the Temples If these Apparitions are in the Air then it is called Aeromancy If in the Fire Pyromancy If by the Bowels of Beasts offered up on Altars to the devil it is called Aruspicium But if by Incantations the devil seems to rise and answer to Questions propounded to them then it
his third Book of the soul Now no bodily thing can make an impression upon an incorporeal thing Whence it follows that IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE HEAVENLY BODIES CAN DIRECTLY MAKE AN IMPRESS VPON THE VNDERSTANDING AND THE WILL. For this were to make the understanding not to differ from sense From whence it follows that the heavenly bodies cannot be a cause per se of the actings of free will yet may they disposingly incline to this so farr as they impress upon mans body and by consequence upon the sensitive powers which are acts of the corporal organs which incline to humane acts Yet because THE SENSITIVE POWERS ARE OBEDIENT TO REASON as appears by the Philosopher in his 3. book of the soul and in his 1. book of Manners NO NECESSITY HEREBY IS IMPOSED UPON THE SPONTANEOUS WILL BUT A MAN CAN ACT CONTRARY TO THE INCLINATION OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES BY THE POWER OF HIS REASON Therefore IF ANY MAN shall make use of the CONSIDERATION OF THE STARRS to foreknow CASUAL or CONTINGENT EVENTS or also to know with certainty the FUTURE WORKS OF MEN this proceedeth from a false and vain opinion and so the OPERATION OF THE DEVIL INTERMINGLES IT SELF from whence the divination is SUPERSTITIOUS AND UNLAWFULL Thus farr Aquinas on whom commenting we have learned and profound Cajetan to boot Et ex his patet saith Cajetan quomodo intelligendum est c. that is By these it is apparent how we must understand that celestial bodies are not over-ruling our elections or free chusings and voluntary acts and how the consultation of Astrologers about the Nativities of men c. are condemned For if these things be applied for a certainty of knowledge of contingencies or which is the same thing if we must use such a figure of the Nativity c. as a law they are diabolical and condemned And this Austin intends in his fourth book of his Confessions But if they be onely to attain a conjecture of natural inclinations they are not evil With all know that albeit some truth may be had out of those things yet THE WAY OR MANNER OF THE CONJECTURE IS SO WEAK THAT IT IS SCARCELY A CONJECTURE And this because of humane ignorance of the greatest of Causes both Celestial and next Causes For the whole of that we know in these kinde of the things doth not deserve to be called A Part how small soever of those things we are ignorant of concerning the same as in relation to us and still daily are so ignorant untill the whole compleat course of heavenly bodies be once gone over Because the Starrs are unknown to us how they are one towards another and their motion is not compleated untill six and thirty thousand years be over I say that daily there is a new situation of the starry Heaven which situation yet hath never been considered unto which the Planets and Starrs being referred who can tell what causality they are clothed with or how they cause change or destroy I mention not the Calculation of Motions because perhaps it is impossible to have Instruments exactly to know the rising and setting of Starrs as I hear it from the Astrologers themselves As for W. R. alleadging Moses and Daniel he deserves rather a Ferula then an answer because the Doctour hath fully answered that those Saints were not judiciary Astrologers so that William could not here give us any solid reply William Ramsey's proof in this Section that Judiciary Astrology is not condemned by the Word of God is onely his passing his Word for it which is worth nothing for how unable he is to keep his Word will appear after His alleadging that God shews Blazing Starrs onely to Astrologers is a gross untruth confuted by thousands of the vulgar yet alive in England who saw the Blazing Starr many nights that appeared afore the Swedish Warrs in Germany For what hinders but Shepheards Sailers Watchmen c. illiterates should perceive that which is obvious to the common eyes of mankinde and distinguish a Comet from a Starr by his nearness motion and his feather or long tail And just as William proves here Judicial Astrology not to be condemned by the Word of God just so and no wiselier doth he prove it not impugned by Councils namely by bare facing it down with a bold forehead whiles that Councils to the contrary are in his sight that of necessity the Art must be allowed by Councils yet in the same place professeth his contempt of Councils if they be not of his minde Is this Williams proof of the lawfulness of Astrology by Councils To one of those Councils alleadged by the Doctour for he alleadged two in his Demonology and might have done more Will. can say nothing To the other he hoped he could W. Ram. is shamefully out in his LATIN See before in this Section at * but hath miserably disgraced himself in not construing a plain piece of Latin right For the words of the Council as Will. Ram. reports them Si quis animas corpora humana fatal bus stellis credit adstringi sicut Pagani Priscillianus dixerunt Anathema sit are according to true Grammar thus to be rendered If any one doth beleive the Souls and Bodies of Men to be bound to or necessitated by fatal Starrs as the Pagans and the Priscillâ—anists do let him be accursed So that if you compare Will. Ram. interpretation with this which is close according to the Latin you shall finde that he did not onely leave out something because it might prejudice him but which is the thing I mainly insist upon he doth interpret the Latin most falsely in the main thing which condemns any with Anathema that shall believe that the Starrs have a necessitating power over mens Bodies and Souls which in plain English is to believe the Astrologers to say true who in their practise so teach and by that undertake to predict humane events by their Judicial Astrology For the Philosophers Stone he hath little cause to call it Blessed seeing the attempts about it have undone Will. Ramseys father Testis M. Rowl Minister who lies in Prison by it Though the late King bore with his father defeating him of his expectation and of scores of pounds yet other men will not cannot bear such wrongs Nor hath Will. Ram. so blessed himself with his father skill and the Philosophers Stone as to enrich themselves and deliver him To his large alleadging the honour and antiquity of Astrology a brief answer will serve viz. 1. That till Will. Ramsey or his associates do produce some true Christians whiles such to have been practisers of Judicial Astrology all his instances amount but to the Proverb Ask my Fellows whether I be a Thief or to a self contradiction For the Astrologers W. R. W.L. c. when they see their advantage inveigh against godly and learned Ministers with the name of Priests and H.H. Vox coelorum in the behalf of Astrology saith
pretty piece of Magick performed by a Roman Priest who had it not out of any place of the Scripture I am sure that invited a company of Ladies to a Banquet In Epicureo bidding them bring good stomacks with them The Ladies came were welcommed by him entertained by delicate Musick and were seated at the last at the Table according to their Births There were such variety of rare and strange Dishes that they thought that others not their own Nation did furnish their Table they eat well drunk well and were merry and which is better then a piece of Cheese Pippins or Carroways to close up the mouth of the stomack after Supper they were welcome When this Feast rather this Fast was ended and which is not very usuall with Courtiers Grace being said they rendred the Priest hearty Thanks for their Banquet and went home But they had not been there at the most half an hour but their stomacks began to call upon them for meat for they were all as hungry as if they had eat nothing at the Banquet therefore did much wonder at themselves that they should have such a great desire to meat seeing they did but newly come from such a royal Entertainment But this queint delusion the Priest afterward revealed to them For although he invited them to a Feast yet they had never a bit of meat For his Art did delude both the Eye that thought it saw such things and the Pallat that seemed to taste those delicates I my self have seen a Fellow that would make people believe that they saw Orange trees spring out of his Forehead having Birds sit and sing on the Boughs which in an instant would vanish away again This Fellow was at Cambridge drinking at the Dolphin and made a Drawer that fill'd him bad Wine believe that he would geld him if he would not bring him of the best Claret in the Cellar which the Drawer laugh'd at and the more to cross him fetch of the worst he could finde This Juggler swore he would be even with him before it be long but the Drawer went away laughing bidding him do his worst But the Conceit came at the last like a Jest in the last Lines of an Epigram for when the Drawer lest thought of it as he was running down stairs to fetch Wine he felt something trickle down his Thighes at the first thinking it had been some Wine he had spilt on his Breeches but putting his Hands into his Hose he pull'd them out bloudy again so that he came running up stairs and with a wide mouth came roaring into the Room where we were drinking crying the lame man had gelt him and that he was utterly undone At the first this Vox exclamantis did beget such a Laughter in us that we were not able to speak to him but yet at the last by giving the Fellow good words and good Wine he made him a perfect man again This was but deceiving of the Senses and so not done or if done the work of the Devil Lib 9. Rhodoginus makes mention of one Syreneus that would run his Horse a straws breadth a Mile together and make him amble curvet trot pace and gallop within the compass of a Bushel Martin Berrhaus reports that he saw a Dancer carry two men on his shoulders two on his arms and one upon his neck yet would dance and vaunt with such agility that a Baboon with his drinking-glasse could not tumble nimbler Rhodoginus and Erasmus makes mention of an Indian that by a trick he had learnt of a Witch l. 12. c. 40 would shoot through the narrow circumference of a small Hoop-ring standing a furlong off Julius Piscarius reports Quiuti l. 2. c. 2. that a Dice-player who commanded that after he was dead his skin should be made a Cafpet for Gamesters to play on his bones Dice to play with and Tressels for stooles to sit on by a Magicall trick he had would cheat the most cheatingst Gamester Therefore if these that are but Mataotechnia vain imitations of Art seem so wonderfull to people beholding them on Stages and Theaters how lesse miraculous is it if the devil by Elements can make stranger apparences or by secret inspirations delude the sense by framing the Phantasmes of Images by which he will deceive men running Phantas sleeping or walking Why may not these Spirits be turned into as many shapes as Diomedes companions were that were in the Island called Diomede not far from the mountain Garganus that is in Apulea Why not as well as Vlysses companions that were turned into beasts and whom Circes the famous Sorceresse inchanted Why not as well as the Arcadians that were turned into Wolves Why may not there be a transmutation in these incorporeall spirits as in these terrestriall bodies And why may not there be as strange Metamorphosis in these dayes as there was in the dayes of Ovid and Varro nay I will stand to it that in these dayes there are as marvellous changes and more true for I have known a Gallant that at the age of fiveteen hath been a pregnant witty youth but before twenty he hath been turned into a right Asinego There have been many Citizens that have been very handsome personable men in the morning who before the Exchange hath been done have been turned into monstrous beasts There are many tradesmen that at their first setting up have been very honest men but after the third or fourth breaking have been turnd into most fearful Sergeants I have known many that have been accounted wise fellows in the University that have no sooner peept into the Temples or one of the Innes of Court but have been transformed into monstrous Asses Then seeing there is such a transmutation in earthly bodies why should we think it so strange and rare in incorporeall spirits Yet these and the like are not recited as if they were true but to shew how the senses may be deluded and the like may appear by those women that oftentimes are perswaded that they are riding on the backs of beasts Yet for all this I will not grant there is any virtue in the words or charms of a Negromancer to raise up these forms Also there is no virtue in those ceremoniall Exorcisms with which Priests exorcise Wine Salt Water and the like which I will manifestly shew you First in respect of the Matter for the Matter is but Aire or Water or Ink which can have no virtue in them for by that reason every substance of the like kind should have the same virtue Secondly in respect of the Accidentall Form which is nothing else but a configuration of divers Characters either in writing or speaking for Phylosophy teacheth that Accidentall forms have no Action of themselves Thirdly in respect of the thing signified as the word fire to burn this paper or the word Death to kill this Man or the word God to save this Soul or to raise up any dead
Nature know what influences shall be predominant in their Effects Fifthly they have more time to alter the Complexions of young People from the Cradle to Manhood carried and walking abroad I say to alter their Complexion by radiation and influence then to stamp an unchangeable impression upon them in the secret Chamber of their Birth as we see many natural Men and Women not differenced by grace much altered from Melancholly to chearfulness c. So that if some Stars in one Position in an instant at Birth have a power to imprint other Stars and perhaps more prevalent have likewise a power to blot out that in many years and to instill a new one Sixthly there are many Causes below between us and the Stars to alter the influence of the Stars or interrupt their native operation as the various Complexion of the Air diversity of Windes the different postures and situations of men as sometimes under a direct sometimes under an oblique radiation c. Seventhly Astrologers depend on Clocks and Dials to know the posture of the Heavens at the hour of their prognosticating which Dials and Clocks often are false which may make a wide difference in a minute in which as we heard some motions of the Heavens run sixty Miles Eighthly the Astrologer cannot be able to allow exactly for the exaltation in the Apoge and descension in the Perige of the Planets with their swifter motion in the one then in the other so as â—o determine justly how much power of prevalence they may be in their influences at such changes Ninthly man can never certainly conclude of a particular Event from a Cause that is most universal most remote and â—o but a partial Cause of the thing predicted But the Stars are no other but such a kinde of cause of mens Complexions and Actions and theresore are no sure Grounds of Prediction concerning the future affairs of men The Parents Complexion divine Dispensations occasions and opportunities among men and a mans own obedience or disobedience to God have far more influence into man to dispose him to be or do this or that then all the myriads of Stars Tenthly Astrology contending for such a power of Stars over the Soul of man which is the Principle of all Actions infers as if the Soul of Man were ex traduce generated by the Parents First contrary to many Scriptures Psal 102.18 The people that shall be Created shall praise the Lord. Eccles 12.7 The spirit returns to God that gave it whiles the Body returns to Earth Hebr. 12.9 VVe have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Secondly contrary to the Rules of Art Reason and Experience Coelum non agit in animam c. The Heavens cannot act directly upon the Soul nor can a mans Body complexionate alter or master his natural spirit So that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligere and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velle the Acts of Reason and Will do not depend on Sense For in sleep we have strong Actings of Reason and when awake in the time of deepest rational meditations the Senses are useless and their Acts suspended as if we did neither see nor hear 2. Will. Ram. his juggling in his Figures It is well worth our observation to see VVill. Ramsey juggling in these his Schemes or Figures compared with his Epistle to the Reader and some Passages in his Book In that Epistle he hath these particulars 1. That Astrology doth not meddle with Contingences 2. Mans will is not subject to the influence of Stars 3. Neither doth Astrology meddle with the providence of God In his first Chapter Section he defines Astrology to be that which teacheth to prognosticate by the Stars of Natural Effects c. But here by his Figures in this Section he undertakes to tell of Events purely humane and altogether depending on God's providence in the acting of Man's will viz. whether the Gentleman should receive his Money from his Vncle the Gentlewoman receive hers from the Parliament the other woman know where her Husband was and when she should see him again Now let all the World judge whether Astrologers do not juggle with us professing one thing but practising another in the way of their pretended Art 3. Proofs of the concurrence of wicked Magick or Inchantment and of mans confidence or desire and consequently of the Devils assistance with and in Judicial Astrological predictions H.C. Agrippa an Astrologer in his second Book of Occult Philosophy cap. 60. hath these words Non ab aliâ causâ quà m à coelesti terrem orbis virtutes provemunt Hinc Magus c. that is The virtues of the terrene Orb. proceed from no other cause then celestial Hence the Magician that will work by them useth a cunning Invocation of the Superiours with mysterious words and a certain kinde of witty Expression drawing the one to the other c. Hence saith Aristotle in the sixth Book of his Mistical Philosophy that when any one by binding or bewitching doth call upon the Sun or other Stars praying them to be helpfull to the thing desired the Sun and other Stars do not hear his words but are moved after a certain manner by a certain Conjunction and mutual series whereby the parts of the World are mutually subordinate the one to the other c. And though the said Agrippa did in some shew retract some of his devilish Inchamments or Superstitions yet in that Retraction he retracteth not this but there affirmeth it viz. Magna cum Astrologia sic conjuncta atque cognita est c. that is That Magick and Astrology are so conjoyned and of near kin that he that professeth Magick without Astrology doth nothing but wholly errs from the way The Book named the Centiloquy asserteth that No Astrologer is able by meer Art without the help of a familiar Spirit to foretell any particular Event Ficinus proveth that Judicial Astrological predictions are managed not by Art but by instinct Jamblicus boldly affirmeth Lib. de Myst Est impossibile judicare certos c. that is It is impossible to judge of certain Events when as we cannot comprehend the concurrence of all Causes unless we attain it by inspiration c. and disputing against Porphyry saith that The Lord of the Figure is a Devil Philostratus writing the life of Apollonius lib. 3. c. 13. the most famous Magician and Astrologer saith that Arcanas libationes per quas Astrologicam facultatem c. that is Jarchas the chief of the Indian Wizards called Brachmanae did privately communicate to Apollonius the secret sacrificings by which they did finde out the Astrological faculty and skill of divining Touching elevation of minde either in confidence or desire hear Cornelius Agrippa in his second Book of Occult Philosophy and his 22. Chapter Nihil materiales c. that is Material Numbers and Figures can do
the Lords inclination and direction Again in the Proverbs we reade this that the heart of the King is in the hands of the Lord as the Rivers of water he directeth it whether he will Prov. 21.1 It will be said that although God properly and immediately inclineth the will of man yet also some small inclination must be given unto the Stars and that immediately For say some Constellations work upon the Elements by the four first qualities Elements work upon and alter the compound Bodies and humours Compound Bodies by their qualities change the Senses The Senses being altered the understanding is altered The understanding lastly altereth and inclineth the will of man Therefore Constellations incline the will This Reason is not much unlike that which the drunken man maketh serving as well for the defence of his Vice as the former for approving of truth in Divination He which drinketh well sleepeth well He which sleepeth well thinketh no harm He which thinketh no harm is a good man Therefore he which drinketh well is a good man The deceits and untruths which be in their Reasons are very many 1. The stars work upon mens bodies yet so that the nature of the Countrey and Soil the Meats and Drinks have most commonly greater force Why are the bodies of Gentlemen of England and poor labouring men of divers dispositions Are they not both in one Countrey Do not the Stars shew their force in them alike Yes truly but the kinde of life and diet prevaileth In the same Region why are they which dwell upon hills of other temperatures then they which dwell upon plain and champion ground why do not the same influences of Starrs make them of like natures is it not because the nature of the soil prevaileth So then when as there be many causes effectuall and differing in altering mens bodies to build an argument upon one cause is most unreasonable 2. The starrs work upon the Elements earth water air by making heat cold moisture driness The elements how work they on mens bodies They will also say by making heat cold moisture drinesse which is most untrue for the hotter and dryer the Elements be the colder and moisture by nature are mens bodies According to the saying of Empedocles Nature placed a hot Body in a cold Countrey and a cold Body in a hot Countrey 3. The Philosophers say that all causes are either per se or per accidens Now the heavens being causes of the alteration of the senses per accidens they must not be causes of the inclination of the will either per se or per accidens but per accidentis accidens which is most ridiculous 4. This long chain by which they link the will of man to the starrs if it shall be applied unto particulars it must needs break for the actions of the will is buying selling travailing lying heaping up wealth murdering spreading of fals ruomrs offering of discourtesies hating of kinsfolks and such like which our Heaven-gazers foretell have no coherent with the first qualities heat cold moisture drinesse neither can they any way proceed from them and therefore the stars cannot be causes of them for they work onely by these qualities 5. This reason is nothing to their purpose for because they grant that a man may freely resist the inclination of the starrs and he may hinder that unto which the starrs bend his will how dare they presume to say this or that will come to pass The heathen men gave up themselves to their own lusts and vanities and followed every little and vain inclination and of them in this order did ancient Astrologers among them divine that this or that time such actions such vices such enterprises such affaires should be among them In like manner our English wise men speak of us as though we were beasts not reasonable men as though we never heard the blessed Gospel of God never tasted of the grace of God never learned what is good and what is bad never laboured to subdue our lusts and affections alwayes turned too and fro with the blast of any influence working very slenderly in us Thus much of Civil Affaires They make mention also yearly of the diseases which shall reign but the way which they follow is taken forth of the barren and uncertain rules of the old Astrologers who do so ascribe unto every Planet certain Diseases that if need shall requite they may referre the same disease unto any signicatours as in the Plague the putrefaction of humours is attributed unto Jupiter the sharp Feaver unto Mars the madnesse which followeth unto Mercury the whole Plague unto Mars In the Plurisie the inflammation of the bloud between the skin called Pluritis and the ribbs is attributed unto Jupiter the suppuration of the Bloud unto Saturn and the whole Plurisie unto Jupiter In the Jaundies the inflammation and corruption of humours unto Jupiter the yelow humour in the gaul unto Mars the obstruction of the parts unto Saturn the whole Jaundies being white unto Mars blak unto Saturn And so in every disease they use this inconstancy and ambiguity in Prognosticating It is a rule among the Astrologers that if the Planets signifiers of diseases be well affected then there shall be no diseases but health if they be evilly affected then diseases follow Our Prognosticatours never mark this rule but howsoever the Planets be affected they straightwayes pronounce that such diseases shall reign For example the last winter quarter it was said by one of them that the diseases which should afflict mens bodies were rheums coughs cold lasks swelling of the face and throat falling of the Colmel sore eyes deafness the stone gout dropsie green-sickness madness quartern feavers c. And all the Planets signifiers of diseases in the quarter were indifferent well affected wherfore thou hast not one cause to fear their threatnings but rather to be sorry for their continuall deceits wishing them minds that they may one day see their own folly Concerning the time when the constellations take their effects our Prognosticatours say that some take their effects the same year some not the same year but long after as great Conjunctions and Eclipses for they say if the Moon be eclipsed one hour she worketh her effect a moneth after if two hours two moneths after and the Sunn for every hour it is eclipsed taketh his effect an whole year after Truely this rule which they follow must needs be against all reason For why should not all conjunctions and oppositions of the Sunne and Moon disserre their effects as well as those conjuctions and oppositions in which the Sunne and Moon is eclipsed if they show forth their power immediatly after why should not these also do the same Moreover the Epignosticall Astrologers who have conferred the course of the heavens with Histories shew very manifestly that Eclipses do not deferr the time of working their spite upon the Earth In the year of our Lord 1419 the Sunne was