Part 3

Hoc in tumbo, jacet presbyter et nebulo!

Here in this tomb lies a presbyter and a knave!

He had the impudence to assert, that he had predicted Gataker’s death! But the truth is, it was an epitaph to the “lodgings to let:” it stood empty, ready for the first passenger to inhabit. Had any other of that party of any eminence died in that month, it would have been as appositely applied to him. But Lilly was an exquisite rogue, and never at a fault. Having prophesied, in his Almanack for 1650, that the parliament stood upon a tottering foundation, when taken up by a messenger during the night, he contrived to cancel the page, printed off another, and shewed his copies before the committee, assuring them that the others were none of his own, but forged by his enemies.

PRACTICAL ASTROLOGY, &c.

By the word Astrology (derived from the Greek αστηρ, _a star_, and λογος, _a discourse_,) is meant the art of prognosticating or foretelling events[8] by the ASPECTS, POSITIONS, and INFLUENCE of the HEAVENLY BODIES.

By ASPECT is to be understood an angle formed by the rays of two planets meeting on earth, able to execute some natural power or influence; which may be better explained by the following table.

CHARACTERS OF THE │ │ │

═════════════════╤═════════════════╤═════════════════╤═════════════════ _Six Northern │_Six Southern │_Planets._ │_Aspects._ Signs._ │ Signs._ │ │ ─────────────────┴┬────────────────┴─┬───────────────┴─┬─────────────── ♈︎ Aries. │♎︎ Libra. │♄ Saturn. │☌ Conjunction. ♉︎ Taurus. │♏︎ Scorpio. │♃ Jupiter. │⚹ Sextile. ♊︎ Gemini. │♐︎ Sagittarius. │♂ Mars. │Δ Trine. ♋︎ Cancer. │♑︎ Capricorn. │☉ Sun. │☐ Quartile. ♌︎ Leo. │♒︎ Aquarius. │⦵ Earth. │☍ Opposition. ♍︎ Virgo. │♓︎ Pisces. │♀ Venus. │ │ │☿ Mercury. │ │ │☽ Luna. │ ═════════════════╧═════════════════╧═════════════════╧═════════════════

This art, or rather this conjectural science, is principally divided into NATURAL and JUDICIARY.

NATURAL ASTROLOGY

Is confined to the study of exploring natural effects, as CHANGE OF WEATHER, WINDS, STORMS, HURRICANES, THUNDER, FLOODS, EARTHQUAKES, and the like. In this sense it is admitted to be a part of natural philosophy. It was under this view that Mr. Goad, Mr. Boyle, and Dr. Mead, pleaded for its use. The first endeavours to account for the diversity of seasons from the situations, habitudes, and motions of the planets; and to explain an infinity of phenomena by the contemplation of the stars. The Honourable Mr. Boyle admitted, that all physical bodies are influenced by the heavenly bodies; and the Doctor’s opinion, in his treatise concerning the POWER OF THE SUN AND MOON, &c. is in favour of the doctrine. But these predictions and influences are ridiculed and entirely exploded by the most esteemed modern philosophers, of which the reader may have a learned specimen in ROHAULT’S _Tract. Physic._ pt. ii. c. 27.

JUDICIAL OR JUDICIARY ASTROLOGY

Is a further pretence to discover or foretel MORAL EVENTS, or such as have a dependence on the FREEDOM OF THE WILL. In this department of astrology we meet with all the idle conceits about the HORARY REIGN of planets, the DOCTRINE OF HOROSCOPES, the DISTRIBUTION OF THE HOUSES, the CALCULATION OF NATIVITIES, FORTUNES, LUCKY and UNLUCKY HOURS, and other ominous fatalities.

The professors of this conjectural science maintain “that the Heavens are one great book, wherein God has written the history of the world; and in which every man may read his own fortune and the transactions of his time. This art, say they, had its rise from the same hands as Astronomy itself: while the ancient Assyrians, whose serene unclouded sky favoured their celestial observations, were intent on tracing the paths and periods of the heavenly bodies; they discovered a constant settled relation or analogy between them and things below; and hence were led to conclude these to be the _parcæ_, or fates or destinies, so much talked of, which preside at our birth, and dispose of our future fate.”

The study of Astrology, so flattering to human curiosity, got early admission into the favour of mankind, especially of the weak, ignorant, and effeminate, whose follies induced the avaricious, crafty, and designing knaves, to recommend and promote it for their own private interest and advantage.

_Origin of Astrology._

We meet with the first accounts of Astrology in Chaldea; and at Rome it was known by the name of the BABYLONISH CALCULATION; against which Horace very wisely cautioned his readers—

—— nec Babylonios Tentaris numeros.—_Lib._ l. _od._ xi.

that is, consult not the tables or planetary calculations used by Astrologers of Babylonish origin. This therefore was the opinion of the Romans on the subject of Astrology. Others have ascribed the invention of this deception to the Arabs: be this as it may, judicial Astrology has been too much used by the priests of all nations to increase their own power and emoluments.

The Egyptians, the Chaldeans, the Greeks and Romans, furnish us with innumerable instances of the extent to which Astrology was carried for interested purposes. Brahmins in India, who take upon themselves to be the arbiters of good and evil hours, and who set an extravagant price upon their pretended knowledge of planetary influence and predictions, maintain their authority at the present day by similar means. Nor among the Christians, notwithstanding the enlightened era in which we live, are we without our Astrologers, as well as its admirers and advocates; for though they may not have all pursued and adopted the same technical method, still it is certain, that whoever pretends to discover future events by other means than through the light of Divine revelation, may be properly classed under the species of judicial Astrologers.

_Astrological Schemes, &c._

Those who pretend to reduce the practice of Astrology to a system, present the world with certain schemes formed upon the ASPECTS of the planets, and attribute certain qualities or powers to each sign. Thus, to discover the influence of the heavens over the life of a person, they erect a THEME, at the given time of the moment the person was born, by which the Astrologers pretend to discover the star that presided, or in what part of the hemisphere it was placed, when the individual came into the world. The erection of this THEME they perform, or at least pretend to reform, with the assistance of the celestial globe, or planisphere, with regard to the fixed stars; but with respect to the planets, they do it with Astronomical tables. To accomplish these, they have recourse to a semi-circle, which they call POSITION, by which they represent the six great circles passing through the intersection of the Meridian and Horizon, and dividing the Equator into twelve equal parts. The spaces included between these circles, are what they call the twelve HOUSES; which they refer to the twelve triangles marked in their theme; placing six of those HOUSES above and six underneath the horizon.

The first of the HOUSES under the horizon toward the East, they call the HOROSCOPE, or HOUSE OF LIFE; the second, the HOUSE OF WEALTH; the third, the HOUSE OF BROTHERS; the fourth, the HOUSE OF PARENTS, &c.; as is clearly expressed in the following lines:

Vita, lucrum, fratres, genitor, natique Valetud, Uxor, Mors, pietas, et munia, amici inimici.

Which, translated by some English students in Astrology, runs thus:

The first house shews life, the second wealth doth give; The third how brethren, fourth how parents live; Issue the fifth; the sixth diseases bring; The seventh wedlock, and the eighth death’s sting; The ninth religion; the tenth honour shews; Friendship the eleventh, and twelfth our woes.

_Table of the Twelve Houses._

Astrologers draw their table of the TWELVE HOUSES into a triple quadrangle prepared for the purpose, of which there are four principal angles, two of them falling equally upon the horizon, and the other two upon the meridian, which angles are sudivided into 12 triangles for the 12 houses, in which they place the 12 signs of the Zodiac, to each of which is attributed a particular quality,—viz.

1.— ARIES, denoted by the sign ♈︎, is, in their extravagant opinion, a masculine, diurnal, cardinal, equinoctial, easterly sign, hot and dry,—the day house of Mars.

2.— TAURUS, ♉︎, is a feminine, nocturnal, melancholy, bestial, furious sign—cold and dry.

3.— GEMINI, ♊︎, is a masculine sign, hot and moist, diurnal, aërial, human, double-bodied, &c.

4.— CANCER, ♋︎, is a feminine, nocturnal, phlegmatic sign, by nature cold and moist, the only house of Luna.

5.— LEO, ♌︎, is a sign, masculine, diurnal, bestial, choleric and barren; a commanding, kingly sign—hot and dry, the only house of the sun.

6.— VIRGO, ♍︎, is a feminine, nocturnal, melancholy, and barren sign.

7.— LIBRA, ♎︎, is a sign masculine, cardinal, equinoctial, diurnal, sanguine and human, hot and moist.

8.— SCORPIO, ♏︎, is a feminine, nocturnal, cold and phlegmatic northern sign.

9.— SAGITTARIUS, ♐︎, is a sign masculine, choleric, and diurnal, by nature hot and dry.

10.— CAPRICORN, ♑︎, is a feminine, nocturnal, melancholy, solstitial, moveable, cardinal, and southern sign.

11.— AQUARIUS, ♒︎, is a masculine, diurnal, fixed, sanguine, and human sign.

12.— PISCES, ♓︎, is a feminine, nocturnal, phlegmatic, northerly double-bodied sign, the last of the twelve.

Having thus housed their signs and directed them in their operations, they afterwards come to enquire of their tenants, what planet and fixed stars they have for LODGERS, at the moment of the nativity of such person; from whence they draw conclusions with regard to the future incident of that person’s life. For if at the time of that person’s nativity they find Mercury in 27° 52 min. of Aquarius, and in the _sextile aspect_ of the horoscope, they pretend to foretel that that infant will be a person of great sagacity, genius, and understanding; and therefore capable of learning the most sublime sciences.

Astrologers have also imagined, for the same ridiculous purpose, to be in the same houses different positions of the signs and planets, and from their different aspects, opposition and conjunction, and according to the rules and axioms they have prescribed to themselves and invented, have the sacrilegious presumption to judge, in _dernier resort_, of the fate of mankind, though their pretended art or science is quite barren either of proofs or demonstrations.

_Signs to the Houses of the Planets._

The planets have allowed themselves each, except SOL and LUNA, two signs for their houses; to SATURN, Capricorn and Aquarius; to JUPITER, Sagittarius and Pisces; to MARS, Aries and Scorpio; to SOL, Leo; to VENUS, Taurus and Libra; to MERCURY, Gemini and Virgo; and to LUNA, Cancer.

_Angles or Aspects of the Planets._

By their continual mutations among the twelve signs, the planets make several angles or aspects; the most remarkable of which are the five following, viz.—

☌ CONJUNCTION.—Δ TRINE.—☐ QUADRATE.—⚹ SEXTILE.—☍ OPPOSITION.

A CONJUNCTION is when two planets are in one and the same degree and minute of a sign; and this, according to Astrological cant, either good or bad, as the planets are either friends or enemies.

A TRINE is when two planets are four signs, or 120 degrees distant, as MARS in twelve degrees of ARIES, and SOL in twelve degrees of LEO. Here SOL and MARS are said to be in _Trine Aspect_. And this is an aspect of perfect love and friendship.

A QUADRATE ASPECT is when two planets are three signs, or 90 degrees distant, as MARS in 10 degrees, and VENUS in 10 degrees of LEO. This particular aspect is of imperfect enmity, and Astrologers say, that persons thereby signified, may have jars at sometime, but of such a nature as may be perfectly reconciled.

A SEXTILE ASPECT, is when two planets are two signs, or 60 degrees distant, as JUPITER in 15 degrees of Aries; and SATURN in 15 degrees of Gemini; here JUPITER is in a sextile aspect to SATURN. This is an aspect of friendship.

An OPPOSITION is, when two planets are diametrically opposite, which happens when they are 6 signs, or 180 degrees (which is one half of the circle) asunder; and this is an aspect of perfect hatred.

A PARTILE ASPECT, is when two planets are in a perfect aspect to the very same degree and minute.

DEXTER ASPECTS, are those which are contrary to the succession of signs; as a planet, for instance, in Aries, casts its sextile _dexter_ to Aquarius.

SINISTER ASPECT, is with the succession of signs, as a planet in Aries, for example, casts its sextile sinister in Gemini.

In addition to these, Astrologers play a number of other diverting tricks; hence we read of the APPLICATION—PROHIBITION—TRANSLATION— REFRENATION—COMBUSTION—EXCEPTION—RETROGRADATION, &c. of planets.

_The Application of Planets._

Application of the planets is performed by Astrologers in three different ways.

1. When a light planet, direct and swift in its motion, applies to a planet more ponderous and slow in motion; as Mercury in 8° of Aries, and Jupiter in 12° of Gemini, and both direct; here Mercury applies to a sextile of Jupiter, by direct application.

2. When they are both retrograde, as Mercury in 20° of Aries, and Jupiter in 15° of Gemini; here Mercury, the lighter planet, applies to the sextile aspect of Jupiter; and this is by retrogradation.

3. When one of the planets is direct, and the other retrograde; for example, if Mercury were retrograde in 18° of Aries, and Jupiter direct in 14° of Gemini; in this case Mercury applies to a sextile of Jupiter, by a retrograde motion.

_Prohibition_,

is when two planets are applying either by body or aspect; and before they come to their _partile_ aspect, another planet meets with the aspect of the former and prohibits it.

_Separation_,

is when two planets have been lately in conjunction, or aspect, and are separated from it.

_Translation of Light and Virtue_,

is when a lighter planet separates from the body or aspect of a heavier one, and immediately applies to another superior planet, and so translates the light and virtue of the first planet to that which it applies to.

_Refrenation_,

is when a planet is applied to the body or aspect of another; and, before it comes to it, falls retrograde, and so refrains by its retrograde motion.

_Combustion._

A planet is said to be combust of Sol, when it is within 8° 30″ of his body, either before or after his conjunction: but Astrologers complain, that a planet is more afflicted when it is applying to the body of Sol, than when it is separating from combustion.

_Reception_,

is when two planets are in each other’s dignities, and it may either be by house, exultation, triplicity, or term.

_Retrogradation_,

is when a planet moves backward from 20° to 9°, 8°, 7°, and so out of Taurus into Aries.

_Frustration_,

is when a swift planet applies to the body or aspect of a superior planet; and before it comes to it, the superior planet meets with the body or aspect of some other planet.

_The Dragon’s Head and Tail._

To the seven planets, viz. SATURN, JUPITER, MARS, SOL, VENUS, MERCURY, and LUNA; Astrologers add, two certain nodes or points, called the Dragon’s head, distinguished by this sign ☋, and the Dragon’s tail by ☊. In those two extremities of the beast, our students in Astrology place such virtues, that they can draw from thence wealth, honour, preferments, &c. enough to flatter the avarice, ambition, vanity, &c. of the fools who follow them. Sensible, however, that the admirers of this art support their principles and defend their doctrines by examples founded on their own experience and on the authority of history; there is no necessity for us here to expose the weakness and futility of their arguments. Tully’s proof will suffice; who, amidst the darkest clouds of superstition and ignorance, and in the very heyday of paganism and idolatry, and whilst religion itself seemed to countenance Astrology, inveighs severely against it in _Lib. 2, de devinat._ “_Quam multa ego Pompeis, quam multa Crasso, quam multa huic ipsi Cæsari a Chaldæis dicta memini, neminem eorum nisi senectute, nisi domi, nisi cum clantate esse moriturum? ut mihi per Mirum videatur quem quam extare, qui etiam nunc credastis, quorum predicta quotidie videat re et eventis refelli[9]._”

_Climacteric._

Astrologers have used their best artifices, and employed all the rules of their art, to render those years of our age, which they call climacterics, dangerous and formidable.

Climacterick from the Greek, κλιμακτης, which means by a scale or ladder, is a critical year, or a period in a man’s age, wherein, according to Astrological juggling, there is some notable alteration to arise in the body; and a person stands in great danger of death. The first climacterick, say they, is the seventh year of a man’s life; the rest are multiples of the first, as 21, 49, 56, 63, and 84; which two last are called the grand climactericks, and the danger more certain.

Marc Ficinus accounts for the foundation of this opinion: he tells us there is a year assigned for each planet to rule over the body of a man, each in his turn; now Saturn being the most _maleficent_ (malignant) planet of all, every seventh year, which falls to its lot, becomes very dangerous; especially those of 63 and 84, when the person is already advanced in years. According to this doctrine, some hold every seventh year an established climacteric; but others only allow the title to those produced by the multiplication of the climacterical space by an odd number, 3, 5, 7, 9, &c. Others observe every ninth year as a climacterick.

There is a work extant, though rather scarce, by Hevelius, under the title of _Annus Climactericus_, wherein he describes the loss he sustained by his observatory, &c. being burnt; which, it would appear, happened in his grand climacterick. Suetonius says, that Augustus congratulated his nephew upon his having passed his first grand climacterick, of which he was very apprehensive.

Some pretend that the climacterick years are fatal to political bodies, which perhaps may be granted, when they are proved to be so to natural ones; for it must be obvious that the reason of such danger can by no means be discovered, nor what relation it can have with any of the numbers above-mentioned. Though this opinion has a great deal of antiquity on its side; Aulus Gellius says, it was borrowed from the Chaldeans, who, possibly, might receive it from Pythagoras, whose philosophy turned much on numbers, and who imagined an extraordinary virtue in the number 7.

The principal authors on the subject of climactericks, are PLATO, CICERO, MACROBIUS, AULUS GELLIUS, among the ancients; ARGOL, MAGIRUS, and SALMATIUS, among the moderns. ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. AMBROSE, BEDA, and BŒTIUS, all countenance the opinion.

_Lucky and Unlucky Days._

Astrologers have also brought under their inspection and controul the days of the year, which they have presumed to divide into lucky and unlucky days; calling even the sacred scriptures, and the common belief of Christians, in former ages, to their assistance for this purpose. They pretend that the 14th day of the first month was a blessed day among the Israelites, authorised therein, as they pretend, by the several following passages out of _Exodus_, c. xii. v. 18, 40, 41, 42, 51. _Leviticus_, c. xxiii. v. 5. _Numbers_, c. xxviii. v. 16. “_Four hundred and thirty years being expired of their dwelling in Egypt, even in the self same day departed they thence._”

With regard to evil days and times, Astrologers refer to _Amos_, c. 5, v. 13, and c. vi. v. 3. _Ecclesiasticus_, c. ix. v. 12. _Psalm_, xxxvii. v. 19. _Obadiah_, c. xii. _Jeremiah_, c. xlvi. v. 21, and to Job cursing his birth day, chap. iii. v. 1 to 11. In confirmation of which they also quote a calendar, extracted out of several ancient Roman catholic prayer books, written on vellum, before printing was invented, in which were inserted the unfortunate days of each month, as in the following verses;—

JANUARY.—_Prima dies mensis, et septima truncat ensis._ FEBRUARY.—_Quarta subit mortem, prosternit tertia fortem._ MARCH.—_Primus mandentem, disrumpit quarta bibentem._ APRIL.—_Denus et undenus est mortis vulnere plenus._ MAY.—_Tertius occidit, et Septimus ora relidit._ JUNE.—_Denus Pallescit, quindenus fædera nescit._ JULY.—_Ter denus mactat, Julii denus labefactat._ AUGUST.—_Prima necat fortem, perditque secunda cohortem._ SEPTEMBER.—_Tertia Septembris, et denus fert mala membris._ OCTOBER.—_Tertius et denus, est sicut mors alienus._ NOVEMBER.—_Scorpius est quintus, et tertius est vita tinctus._ DECEMBER.—_Septimus exanguis, virosus denus ut Anguis._

This poetry is a specimen of the rusticity and ignorance at least of the times; and is a convincing proof that Christianity had yet a very strong tincture of the Pagan superstitions attached to it, and which all the purity of the gospel itself, to this very day, has not been able entirely to obliterate.

That the notion of lucky and unlucky days owes its origin to paganism, may be proved from Roman history, where it is mentioned that that very day four years, the civil wars were begun by Pompey the father; Cæsar made an end of them with his son, Cneius Pompeius being then slain; and that the Romans accounted the 13th of February an unlucky day, because on that day they were overthrown by the Gauls at Allia; and the Fabii attacking the city of the Recii, were all slain with the exception of one man: from the calendar of Ovid’s “Fastorum,” _Aprilis erat mensis Græcis auspicatissimus_; and from Horace, lib. 2, ode 13, cursing the tree that had nearly fallen upon it; _ille nefasto posuit die_.

The number of remarkable events that happened on some particular days have been the principal means of confirming both Pagans and Christians in their opinion on this subject. For example, Alexander the Great, who was born on the 6th of April, conquered Darius and died on the same day. The Emperor Bassianus Caracalla was born and died on a sixth day of April. Augustus was adopted on the 19th of August, began his Consulate, conquered the Triumviri, and died the same day.

The Christians have observed that the 24th of February was four times fortunate to Charles the Fifth. That Wednesday was a fortunate day to Pope Sixtus V. for on a Wednesday he was born, on that day made a Monk, on the same day made a General of his order, on that day created a Cardinal, on that day elected Pope, and also on that day inaugurated. That Thursday was a fatal day to Henry VIII. King of England, and his posterity, for he died on a Thursday; King Edward VI. on a Thursday; Queen Mary on a Thursday; and Queen Elizabeth on a Thursday. The French have observed that the feast of Pentecost had been lucky to Henry III. King of France, for on that day he was born, on that day elected king of Poland, and on that day he succeeded his brother Charles IX. on the throne of France.

_Genethliaci._

(From γενεθλη, _origin_, _generation_, _nativity_.)

These, so called in Astrology, are persons who erect Horoscopes; or pretend what shall befal a man, by means of the stars which presided at his nativity[10]. The ancients called them _Chaldæi_, and by the general name mathematici: accordingly the several civil and canon laws, which we find made against the mathematicians, only respect the Genethliaci, or Astrologers; who were expelled Rome by a formal decree of the senate, and yet found so much protection from the credulity of the people, that they remained unmolested. Hence an ancient author speaks of them as _hominum genus, quod in civitate nostra sempe et vetabitur, et retinebitur_.

GENETHLIACUM, (_Genethliac poem_,)

Is a composition in verse, on the birth of some prince, or other illustrious person; in which the poet promises him great honours, advantages, successes, victories, &c. by a kind of prophecy or prediction. Such, for instance, is the eclogue of Virgil to Pollio, beginning

_Sicelides Musæ, paulo majora Canamus._

There are also _Genethliac_ speeches or orations, made to celebrate a person’s birth day.

_Barclay’s Refutation of Astrology._