TRADITIONAL ASTROLOGY

It hinders dring, and such liquid things as we eat, from coming out at our noses.

Yours, NICH. CULPEPER.

Lib. 1.

It is a palpable and apparent truth that God carries men to the Principles of grace by the Book of the Creatures; For this beginning of ABRAHAM AVENEZRA an Arabian Physitian, and a singular Astrologer (whom the Priests of our times call Heathen) favoureth of the things beyond Heathenism; for in this Treatise of CRITICAL DAYS, he begins thus;

I entreated the Lord God, that he would enlighten my heart with his light and truth, so long as my spirit remains in me, for his light is very delightful and good for the eye of my soul to see by; for so shall the night be enlightened to me as the day, neither shall the clouds shadow it; it shall not be like the light of the Sun by day, because it shall not be clouded; nor like the light of the Moon, because it shall never be diminished as her light is. God hath made these lights as he hath made man, and he appointed the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser to rule the night; Hence it appears the Sun was made to rule the day, and not to give light to it only, as the Priestes affirm; and the Moon was made to rule the night, not to give light to it onely, as appears Gen. 1 because she hath no light to give; also he hash made the whole host of Heaven, the fixed Stars and Planets, and gave them vertues, together with the Luminaries; but their vertues are not so great as the vertues of the Luminaries; neither is the vertue of the Moon so great as the vertue the Sun, because she borrows her light from the Sun; aslo the whole host of Heaven, that is, the fixed Stars move all in the same Sphere; and therefore their distance is always the same the one from the other, and their latitude is always the same; but it is not so with the Planets; for their course is various, and so is their distance the one from the other, and so is their latitude; for sometimes they are upon the Ecliptick, sometimes North from it, sometimes South, sometimes Retrograde, sometimes direct, sometimes in conjunction one with another, sometimes in opposition, sometimes in other aspects; the reason of this is, because the Sphere of one is lower then the Sphere of the other, and the lower the Sphere is, the sooner they make their revolution.

The nearest to the earth of all the Planets is the Moon, and therefore her course is swiftest; and besides her difference in Longitude and Latitude, there happen other accidents to her which are not visible to other Planets; for sometimes she encreaseth, sometimes decreaseth, and sometimes she is invisible or faileth in light; the reason why the Planets are not seen horned as the Moon, is, because their distance is greater from us; all the Planets seem biggest when they are at their greatest distance from the Sun, or when they are nearest the Earth, according to COPERNICUS; also sometimes the Moon is Eclipsed, but not in the same manner as the Sun; for the Sun never loseth its light, but is onely ane shadowed from a particular people or place, by the body of the Moon; but the Moon Eclipsed totally loseth her light; and the reason is, the Sun's light is his own, but the Moon is a borrowed light.

This being premised, consider that all things under the Moon universally, whether men, beasts, or plants, are changed, and never remain in the same state, neither are their thoughts and deeds the same; take counsel of your head, and it will certifie you what I speak is true, and they are varied according to the various course and disposition of Planets: look upon your own genesis, and you shall find your thought moved to choler, so often as the Moon transits the place where the body or aspect of Mars was in your genesis; and to melancholy when she doth the like to Saturn; the reason is, because the Moon is assimilated to the body of man; whose vertue as well as her light increaseth and diminisheth; for she brings down the vertue of the other Planets to the creatures, and to man if he lives upon the earth.

The Sun causeth heat and cold, day and night, Winter and Summer. When he arrives to the house of his honour or exaltation, to wit Aries, then the trees spring, living creatures are comforted, the birds sing, the whole creation rejoyceth, and sicknesses in the body shew themselves in their colours; Also when he arrives at his fall, to wit Libra, the leaves of the trees fall, all creatures are lumpish, and mourn like the trees in October.

Also another notable experiment is, usually sick people are something eased from midnight to noon, because then the Sun is in the ascending part of Heaven; but they are most troubled when he is descending, that is, from noon to midnight.

The course of the Moon is to be observed in many operations both in the Sea and Rivers, Vegetables, Shel-fishes, as also in the bones and marrow of men, and all creatures; also seed sown at the wain of the Moon grows either not at all, or to no purpose.

Also wise men have experiences of many vertues of the Stars, and have left them to posterity; and Physitians in old time (when they were minded to be honest) have found out the changes and terminations of diseases by the course of the Moon; Where fore the 7, 14, 20 or 21, 27, 28, or 29 days of sickness are called CRITICAL DAYS, which cannot be known but by the course of the Moon; for let not your brain rest in the number of the days, because the Moon is sometimes swifter, sometimes slower.

As for such diseases that do not terminate in a moneth (I mean a Lunar moneth) viz. the time the Moon traceth around the Zodiack, which is 27 days, some odd hours, some few minutes; you must judge of these by the course of the Sun. The day is not called Critical, because it is the seventh day from the decumbiture, as if the vertue lay in the number 7, but because the Moon comes to the Quartile of the place she was in at the decumbiture, it's no-matter whether it be a day sooner or later.

When she comes to the opposition of the place she was in at the day of the decumbiture, she makes a second Crisis, the third when she comes to the second quartile, and the fourth when she comes to the place she was in at the decumbiture, and it's well she can make so many.

The reason of the difference of the Moon's motion is the difference of her distance from the Earth; for when the centre of her circle is nearest to the centre of the Earth, she is swift in motion; and hence it comes to pass that sometimes she moves more than 15 degrees in 24 hours, sometimes less than 12, therefore if she be swift in motion, she comes to her own quartile in six days; if slow, not in seven; therefore you must judge according to the motion of the Moon, and not according to the number of days.

Upon a Critical day, if the Moon be well aspected with good Planets, it goes well with the sick; if by ill Planets, it goes ill; but I know you would be resolved in one particular, which is, if the Crisis depend upon the motion of the Moon and her aspect to the Planets, what is the reason, if two men to be taken sick at one and the same time, that yet the Crisis of the one falls out well, and not so the other?

I answer, The vertue working is changed according to the diversity of the venue receiving; for you all know the Sun makes the Clay hard, and the Wax soft; it makes the Cloth white, and the Dace black; so then, if one be a child whose nature is hot and moist, the other a youn man, and the third an old man, the Crisis works diversely in them all because their ages are different.

Secondly, the time of the year carries a great stroke in this business; if it be in the Spring-time, diseases are most obnoxious to a child, because his nature is hot and moist; a disease works most violently with a choleric man in Summer; with a melancholy man in Autumn; with a flegmatick man by reason of age or complexion in Winter.

Thirdly, To this I add, suppose at the beginning of a disease the Moon was in the place of Mars, in the genesis whose nature is hot and dry, if the disease be of heat, it mightily aggravates it; not so if it be cold; and you shall seldome find two men that had Mars in the one and the same place in their genesis, fall sick together, and the disease differ neither as the middle nor at the end.

QUESTION. Put the case the age of the people, and the season of the year be the same, and the disease be the sme, would the Crisis be the same, yes or no?

1. answer thus, Their complexions may be different, the one hot and dry, the other cold and moist: If the diseases be hot and dry, the effect will not be so violent upon a cold and moist body, as it will upon a hot and dry; the fire will soon seize upon that which is hot and dry, then that which is cold and moist.

2. Imagine the complexions to be the same upon both parties? I answer, That it is impossible, there must be some difference upon complexions; for though they may be the same in the universal, yet in particulars there must needs be some difference, by reason of their different dyet, exercise and climate, unless they be born and brought up altogether under one latitude.

3. Let us imagine they be all alike, yet divers things may intervene and alter the Crisis; their nativities may not agree; for example, if the Moon be in the place of Saturn or Mars in the nativity, the disease is dangerous: not so if she be in the place where Jupiter or Venus was in then; of it's possible Jupiter or Venus may hurt in the nativities of such to whose ascendants they are inimical or posited in the sixth or eighth houses.

4. Again, Saturn may be Lord of the one nativity, and not of the other; and then he may hurt the one and not the other, whose nativity he is Lord of; for the Divel will not hurt his own; the like of Mars.

Innumerable such things may be added, as that the one may provide for the sicknesse beforehand, not the other, but it is needless.

OBJECTION. But then you will say there can be no certainty at all found in the Crisis?

The first we call Universal, and so Saturn rules Consumptions, Mars feavers, Venus over women, Mercury over Schollars, etc.

The Second is particular, and the Seventh house hath dominion over women, the Ninth over Schollars, etc.

Now no particular can destroy an universal; for example, if Venus be ill seated in a nativity, and Lord of the Seventh well seated, we say the native shall generally incur evil by women, though some particular good may incur from them; in like manner judge in this case by the general significators of sickness, viz. Saturn and Mars.

But, Secondly, if you can possibly get the nativities, you shall not erre; and now give me leave to quote one experiment of my own. If the Nativities be one and the same; the Crisis will be one and the same; For example, I know three Children born at one and the same time (as the event proved): at five years of age they all three had convulsions, whereby they were all three lame of one leg, the boys on the right leg, and the girl on the left; at 14 years of age they died altogether in one and the same day of the small pox.

Thirdly, if the Nativity cannot be gotten, view the urine, and erect a celestial Scheme upon the sight of it, and if you have the decumbiture, compare the decumbiture with the celestial Scheme at the view of the urine, and you may judge clearly of the Crisis.

To proceed to the matter, if the Moon be strong when she comes to the Quartile, or opposition of the place she was in at the decumbiture, viz. in her house of exaltation, the sick recovers, if she be aspected to no Planet.

Judge the like fo the Sun in Chronical diseases, but judge the contrary if either of them be in the detriment or falls, for there is as much difference between them as there is between the Zenith and the Nadir: if the Moon be void of course at the beginning of a disease, the sign is neither good nor bad. Look then to the sign ascending at the beginning of a disease, and let the Moon alone for a time.

If the Moon be angular at the decumbiture and in the Ascendant, judge of her alone, and make use of no other significator; if she be not so, joyn the Lord of the Ascendant with her in your judgement.

'Tis very dangerous when the Moon is Eclipsed, when she comes to the quartile or opposition of the place she was in at the decumbiture, for usually at such a time death turns Physitian.

If in the beginning of a sickness the Moon be in a moveable sign, the sickness soon moves to an end one way or other; fixed signs prolong sickness, and common signs set a stop to the wisest brain in the world.

Also this is a certain rule, as sure as the Sun is up at noon day, that diseases of plentitude are very dangerous when a man is taken sick upon a full Moon. Diseases of fasting or emptiness are very dangerous, when a man is taken sick upon a new Moon. Let me entreat you to give Physick for a disease of emptiness when she is near the Full. And for diseases of fullness when the Moon hath lost her light.

Diminish a humour when - the Moon diminisheth in light; Increase when she increaseth in light; Flegm opposeth Choler, Melancholy opposeth Blood;

'Tis none of the worst ways to diminish choler by increasing flegm; a word is enough to the wise.

'Tis very bad when in the beginning of a sickness the Moon is in a sign of the nature of the humour offending.

Naturally when she is in a fiery sign, amend a disease of flegm; but if choler abound, 'tis very good if she be in a watery sign; you may know by a penny how a shilling is coyned.

If the Moon be in conjunction or aspect with any Planet, and neither of them have latitude, the Crisis will be firm; if they differ much in latitude, the Crisis will be weak.

The Moon in conjunction with Saturn at the decumbiture shews long sickness; and if Saturn be slow in motion, so much the worse (and bad is the best) at all times in such a case.

If Saturn be retrograde when he comes to the opposition of the Sun, beware of a relapse.

If Saturn have North latitude, be sure the sock is bound much in body. If the Moon be joyned to a retrograde Planet, the sick vomits up his Physick.

Venus helps more in the Sicknesses of young men and women, then she doth in old.

If the disease come of heat, Venus helps more than Jupiter; if the disease comes more of cold, Jupiter helps more than Venus. If the disease comes of Love, there is not a more pestilent Planet in the Heavens then Venus; then call for help of Jupiter; in persecutions of Regligion, Jupiter is little better then the Divel; call help of Venus in such a case.

If Mars cause the disease, Venus helps more then Jupiter; If Saturn, then Jupiter more then Venus.

If in the beginning or a sickness the Moon be in conjunction with any fixed Stars of the first magnitude, whose latitude from the Ecliptick is but small, you may safely judge of diseases by the nature of that Star she is joyned to: suppose he be of the nature of a Planet good or ba, take him according to his nature.

When the Moon is joyned to any planet by body or aspect in the beginning of any sickness, if she aspect that planet when she comes to the quartile or opposition of the place, the Crisis will be firm and stable, and 'twill move no faster then a house, and 'twill not be altered by it good or bad.

But if when she comes to the quartile or opposition, she meets with another Planet, be sure the disease changes either to better or worse, according to that star she meets withall.

And this will appear in the sick party, or else in the Physitian, or in the course of Physick.

See what house the Planet she meets withall at the Crisis is Lord of in the decumbiture, and judge accordingly; and so a sick person may happen to have more wit then an old doting Physitian.

If it be a fixed star of another nature to that fixed star she was withall at the decumbiture, it will not alter so much, or at least there will not be a universal alteration of the disease; and my reason is, because the fixed stars are so far from the Earth. And the last thing is,

Whatsoever is said of the Moon in acute diseases, will hold as true of the Sun in Chronick Diseases.

The Basis of the Story was borrowed from BOEL DURST Cosmographer to the King of FRANCE, and the most excellent Cardinal the Duke of RICHELIEU.

'Tis confest, in some place I have abbreviated him, in others corrected him; let another doe the like by me; What I have done, I have done, and am not ashamed the world should see it. Through the never failing mercies of God, I had an opportunity put ino my hand to finish this so much desired, so long wished for work; if there be any weaknesse in it, it is my own; if there be any exellency in it, give God the glory.

He that writes Ignominy upon the backside of another man's book, never setting forth any of his own, let the name of Ingominy be branded, and not ingraven upon his Sepulchre.

I would fain see the piss Prophets of this ag deliver such a judgement of diseases by the Urine; he that can do so, ERIT MIHI MAGNUS APOLLO. Why do I trouble my head with the Physitians, whose Covetousness or Lazinesse, or both, or something worse, will not suffer them to study those Arts which are essentially to their Monopolized calling; but I will be silent, for their fall is approaching by reason of their pride, if he wrote true that writes, that pride goes before a fall, and a haughty mind before destruction: my Genius is too dull to comprehend my Author, or to give him the thousandth part of his due praise. I desire to be censured by Dr. EXPERIENCE, who will give judgement without partiality; and I hope 'tis no disparagement to MONSIEUR DURST that I deliver him in my own language.

Crisis according to Gallen, 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, unlesse you will make him a beast of a man. For every swift and suddain change wherever it happens, whether in the Moon or in the Air, or sick body, GALEN plays the man and calls a Crisis, and from this Crisis judgement given, whether the sick be likely to live or die.

The word Crisis is derived from a Greek word which signifieth to judge or discern, or pass sentence upon a thing; therefore Critical 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, 'tis taken by a Metaphor from the judicial Court to the Art of Physick, because, 'tis something like the plead a man's cause for his life, and to labour acutely under a disease to be drawn by inimical accusers before the judgement Seat, and to run the hazard of life, with a cruel and hostil 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, nd the Physitian, which is nature's servant, or at least should be so: and 3. the accidents which manifest what the disease is, and stand as witnesses.

The cause of teh Crisis is twofold, inward and outward, the internal cause is taken from its own proper principle, if you will believe Hippocrates, and that is double or twofold; for either nature labours to expell the tumour that causeth the disease, or else the humour it self being drawn to a place, and not fit for Excretion, by its own weight or quality, burdens nature, and so break out. Hippocrates was but a man, and I am no more; a man saith he, is troubled when he is in feaver, and the sign is horror, tremblings, running hither, and thither throughout the Microcosm, this is one internal cause.

THE SECOND INTERNAL CAUSE:

Others: there be, 'tis no matter who, that ascribe the efficient cause of the Crisis to nature itself; Nature if she be strong, is a good Physitian for all diseases, 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 external caus eof the Crisis, is caused by an alteration of the Aire, whence ariseth an alteration of the breath a man draws in, from cold to hear, from dry to moist, or the contraries to them both.

For Hippocrates himself in his sixth aphorism and in his Treatise DE NATURA HUMANA 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 humours in the body, is internal, but the Air we draw in, is the external cause of the Crisis.

And now give me leave to leave my Author, and yet I will not forget him quite either. The Lord eternal in the beginnings 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 man's life: Whence 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 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 man's 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 ayes, 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 fuller at the full Moon, then at the new? To the number of Oysters, joine 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 universal cause of the Crisis is the influence of the Heavens: for the Celestial bodies, either by heat, light, motion, or aspects, configuration, or all of them, or some of them, act not only in the four Elements, but Elementary bodies; for if they act in the one they must needs in the other, and then by consequences in man, which is but compounded by Elements.

The Earth is a great lump of dirt rolled up together, and by an only wise God hanged in the Air: the Stars are no more, neither is the Moon; only what mettle the Sun is made of I know not.

But 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 contrarires, cannot always agree; hence comes the cause of helath, sometimes of sickness, sometimes death it self; and ARISTOTLE was half of my opinion when he wrote these words: From the rain and dew of Heaven both good and bad things are caused to bud.

KINDS OF CRISIS

The kinds of Crisis are two; one is 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 Crisis which come from their own proper principle are from the internal cause depending only upon the motions of the Moon, and her Configurations and aspects to the place she was in at the Decumbiture.

If you must note in your acute diseases the aspects or radiations of the Moon, to wit, her Quartile or Opposition, are not taken from the Conjunction of the Moon to the Sun, as they are in Almanacks or Ephemerides, which is but the Father of the Almanack, but from the place in which the Moon was found at the Decumbiture, as shall appear by a few examples hereafter.

Of Acute Diseases, some are simply acute, others are peracute, others are very acute, per-per-actue, 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 Celestial Signs of the Zodiack, which is in 27 dayes, some odd hours, and some odd minutes.

These acute diseases which suffer changes, or degenerate, are to be judged by an imperfect way; for sometimes they increase, sometimes they are remitted; they are as fickle as a weather cock,: according as the Moon meets with the beams either of good or evil 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 continual Fever may change into a Hectick Fever; or an intermitting Fever into a continual Fever; and this disease terminates in forty days; very acute diseases, such as are concluded in 5, 6, 7, or, days, among which is an inflammation of the Lungs.

Exceeding acute diseases, they are such which end in three or four dayes at furthest, as Pestilences, Apoplexies, etc.

Chronick diseases follow the motion of the Sun, and 'tis about ninety days before the first Crisis appears, for in that time the Sun comes to the comes to the proper quartile of the place he was in at Decumbiture, as appears 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 appears whereby a man if he have any guts in his brains, may judge of the Crisis to come.

It falls out well, if the Sun be well aspected by good Planets; and worse if to evil Planets: and this holds true, if you consider it from the Nativity, throughout all the whole course of a man's life, if Doctor Experience tell truth.

Moreover of the Crisis, some aer perfect, some are imperfect.

A perfect Crisis is when the disease appears intirely, and perfectly to be judged of; and this is sometimes hopefull, when there is great probability of health and recovery; desperate, when there is palpable signs of death.

An imperfect Crisis, is when the disease is changed upon every light occasion; and if Mars be the Author of the disease, and in a signe of a double body, upon my life you shall not fail; for the Crisis happns as true as the Weather-cock.

Your fastest way then is to judge of the disease, is by the Aspects of the Moon to the Planets: when the Moon meets with the inimical or hostile beams of Saturn 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 times, when they were wise, and minded the common good, and not their own gain, they distinguished the Crisis of the diseases thus:

Some were safe, some doubtful: some fit to be judged, and some not fit to be judged.

That Crisis is safe which comes without great and pernicious aspects.

It is doubtful, suspicious, and I had almost said dangerous, which comes with great pernicious aspects.

The disease is firt to be judged, when signs of concoction come the fourth day, and then certainly the Crisis will appear the ninth. The Moon moves not upon an equal motion; therefore you had best trust to her motion rather than the dayes.

The Sun hath dominion 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 fails 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 ADAM'S happiness in Paradise, which happiness all the world have been reaching after ever since.

They knew well enough the Moon moved so many degrees in so many days: an evil Angel (I had almost said the Devil) perceiving there was want of knowledge in the world, goes and transforms himself into an Angel of light, and taught men to count the time by dayes: 'Tis no great marvel the AEGYPTIANS would worship Garlic and Onyons for Gods, when we deifie CHRISTMAS-DAY, though perhaps it may be cloudy.

What I have spoken, I have only spoken to show that it is the motion of the Sun and Moon that produceth the Crisis in diseases, and not the days.

I must return to the place I intended; Of days some are called by their own name, Critical days; others are called Judicial days, and they are so called, because upon them dame Nature and her son Dr. Reason, would make manifest what the disease is, and Dr. Experience tells me 'tis true.

Another time is called Intercidental, which is a time falls out between the Judicial days and Critical. Upon these Intercidental days the disease is usually remitted; if so, then a good Crisis may be expected; if not, an evil. I shall explain these terms before I go further, a man falls 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 sign she was in at the Decumbiture, there is the Judicial day; for in that time the disease shews it self in itscolours, 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 evil Planets: and if she be aspected to ill Planets, and ill Crisis is to be expected, and so the contrary; and you shall never find this fail.

Ancient Physitians, because they were ignorant of the motion of the Moon, thoughnot of her operation, as many of our modern are, made their account by number of dayes; and in so doing, erred egregiously; And although DURET my Author quotes their opinions, I hold it not worth time to recite men's failings. But of the certain term or time when the Critical days 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 invasion of the disease. This GALEN saith is very hard, if not impossible to find; 'tis taken PRO CONFESSO, that it may be easily known, when a man takes his bed in his sickness; but when the beginning of the sickness is, that's the question: For a lusty Stout man bears the disease longer, and is longer before he takes his bed, then a puny weak sickly man is: a meer suspition of a Sicknesse will send a fainthearted man to bed; you may perswade him he is sick, whether he be or no.

Notwithstanding this is most certain, that in most acute diseases, as also in many other diseases, as the Falling Sicknesse, Palsies, Apoplexies, Pluresies, tec. 'tis an easy thing to find out the beginning, or the precise time of the invasion of the disease.

The common opinion of such as are learned in Astrology is, and according to their opinion I affirme, that the moment of time is to be taken for the beginning of the disease, in which a man finds a manifest pain or hurt in his body: for instance, when a man hath got a fever, usually the head akes certain days before; this is not the Fever, but a Messenger or forerunner of the Fever; the true beginning of the Fever is when the disease appeares sensibly, or when a horrour or trembling invades the Sick, as does usually in the beginning of a Fever: that is the beginning of the disease, when the disease appears manifest to sense; and this was the judgement of Hippocrates, one of the honestest of Physitians: And you shall find this always, that the more acute the disease is, the more manifest the beginning of it is to sense: yea, so manifest, that it is almost impossible that the beginning should lie hid from any one that wants reason, if he have but sense.

Before we come to Prognostick, we must know that there is a Sympathy between Celestial and Terrestrial bodies; which will easily appear, if we consider that the whole creation is one entire and united body, composed by the power of an All-wise God, of a composition of dicords.

Also there is friendship and hatred between one sign of the Zodiack and another; for fiery signs are contrary to watry, and nocturnal to diurnal, etc.

The Planets are also friendly and inimical one to another; but in their friendship and enmity, whatever the matter it, I cannot agree with neither ancient nor modern Writers. And when I cannot do so, I fly to Dr. Reason for advise; they hold Mars and Venus to be friends. And what your opinion is of all the rest, you may find by Mr. LILLIES Introduction; My own opinion grounded upon reason, is this, that there are two causes of friendship and enmity between Planets. Essential and Accidental: Planets are essentially inimical three ways.

First, when their Houses or Exaltations are opposite one to the others; and so Saturn is an enemy to both Luminaries, Jupiter to Mercury, Mars to Venus.

2. Planets are inimical one to the other, when their temperatures or qualities are opposites; and so Jupiter is an enemy to Saturn, he being hot and moist, Saturn cold and dry: So Mars is enemy to venus, he being hot and dry, she cold and moist.

3. Planets are inimical when their conditions differ; so there is enmity between Sol and Saturn for one loves the Court, and the other the Country; Jupiter is enemy to Mars for he loves peace and justice, Mars violence and oppressions; Mars is enemy to Venus, for he rejoyceth in the field, she in the bed; he loves to be public, she plays least in sight. And thus you see in every respect, what a difficult thing it is to make Mars and Venus rationally friends.

Accidental inimicalness to Planets, is when they are in square or opposition, etc. the one to the other. Also Inimicalness must needs be in the Signs; for if cold and heat, moisture and dryness be inconsistent together in one and the same place, as your eyes will tell you, if you will but please to take a pail of water and throw it into the fire, then can they not be in one and the same place in the heavens. And if so, as is most true, then myst signs be, some cold, some hot, and some moist; and seeing the first qualities are adverse the one to the other, there is necessity, that sometimes one must yield, and sometimes overcome: and this is the reason of the corruption, generation, and vicissitude of things.

Moreover, the Moon constituted in a Sign, commonly strikes upon the nature of the sign she is in: as if she be in a fiery sign, she stirs up Choler, etc.

Also as every Element hath two qualities, so hath every celestial sign; the Aerial signs are hot and moist, the Earthly signs cold and dry; the Fiery signs hot and dry, the Watery signs cold and moist; For Aery signs are joyned to fiery by heat, and to watry by moisture, and to earthly by coldness; the Earthly are joyned to the watry by coldness, and to fiery by dryness: this is an old true maxim of Philosophers, which I shall not at this time be captious against.

Besides, the congress and the configurature of the Planets and fixed Stars is diligently to be heeded; of these some are obnoxious and hatefull; a Quartile and Opposition, as also the Conjunction of bad Planets; others are healthful, as Sextile and Trine, and Conjunction of good Planets; and indeed the chiefest part of Astrology consisteth in the due observation of configurations; for by these some alterations in things below, either to better or worse, according to the nature of the Planets or Stars are jouyned with, or aspected to one another, they seminate something in Sub-Lunary bodies according to their own nature: If dissention be between the stars, the sperm proves malicious and destructive, and tumultuous; even as the opposition of winds, especially the North and South winds, produceth thunder, lightning, and pestilential vapours; and this we find never fails if the South-wind prevails, and the Moon and Mercury behold one another.

Thus you see a reason, if you know but what a reason is, or even heard of such a thing, why diseases in the body of a man are either exasperated, or remitted, according to the good or evil meeting of the Planets.

Of the Aspects, Opposition is the worst of all by any contrariety or diversity of nature of the Signs in which the Oppositions fall out; but in respect of the Planets themselves opposing, which being at the greatest distance are inmical they being in a posture to outface one another, and this is the most principal cause of enmity.

A Quartile is inimical, because the Stars so aspected be in signs of contrary nature: as SOL in Aries, LUNA in Cancer, the aspect is hateful, because Aries is hot and dry, Cancer cold and moist; Aries masculine, Cancer feminine; Aries diurnal, Cancer nocturnal.

And now by the leave of my Author, and aso the great PTOLEMY himself, and of all the sons of art this day living, who build their judgement on Dr. TRADITION, and not upon the sound principles of Dr. REASON, if this be the Original of the enmity of a square aspect, as is agred upon all sides.

Then, why do they hold that a Quartile in Signes 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 bundel, and when you have done, look upon it a little while; and when you have viewed it a little, tell be I pary; Doth the longness or shortness of the ascentions adde or take away any thing from the quality of the Signs?

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 confess, 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 than 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 affirm, and will prove it when I have done, that some Semisextiles are worse than some Quartiles; for Piesces is more inimical to Aries then to Capricorne; first because it is the twelfth Sign 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 sex, both of a time; for example, Aries and Gemini are both masculine, Diurnal; Taurus and Cancer are both cold, both Feminine, both Nocturnal; but because they differ all in passive qualities, it, is not altogether so friendly as Trine aspect is; for that consists altogether of Signs of the same nature, sex 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 Planet's 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 the Sun is bad, because the Sun, who gives them their efficacy, takes it away at such times. I would be Critical at this, but I shall forbear at this time.

This is the method of Hippocrates, 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 Sign, Degree, and Minute the Moon was in at the beginning of the sickness.

3. Place the sign, degree, and minute the Moon was in at the beginning of the sickness upon the cusp 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 Critical Figures; but take the degrees barly from the Eckliptick, 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 cusps 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 fourth house; 45 degrees more added to that points of 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 own 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 houses noted betwixt the Crisis, are called the judicial 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 judgment; 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 Judicial or Critical days sometimes sooner, sometimes later, as she is either swifter or slower in motion.

Now the time called Critical, is always evil, because of the contrareity of the sign the Moon is in when to the sign she was in before, or the contrareity of her nature to the opposite place: at such time there ariseth a controversie or battell, 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 Critical day by the bodies, or ill beams of Saturn and Mars, or the Lord of death, (which is always Lord of the eighth house, and sometimes Lord of the fourth House, will serve the turn, if he be malevolent, because he signifies the grave,) the disease increaseth, and sometime the sick dies; But if the Moon at the time of the Crisis beholds the Lord of the Ascendant, or the fortunatecs fortunately health ensues; for the malady is vanquished and routed in the conflict.

If the disease terminate upon the first Crisis, see how the Moon is configured 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 same way; if your judgement balanced 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 returns to the place she was in at the Decumbiture, which is about twenty seven days, eight hours, and some 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 half so long.

If the disease end not then, the acute disease is turned into a Chronick disease; and all Chronick diseases must be judged by the Sun. The rules of judging of Chronical diseases by the Sun, are the same by which we judge the acute diseases by the Moon.

As for Judicial days, (I suppose he means the Intercidental time which fall out between the first and judicial dayes in Crisis) which fall out just in the midst betwixt the Critical days, I shall passe them by at this time, because I fancy not this way of judgment by a Figure of eight houses; yet I shall not passe them by, but that I shall remembr them in this Treatise.

A certain man fell sick of an Acute disease at PARIS in FRANCE, Anno 1641. Jan 12, about eight of the clock in the afternoon, at which time the Moon was posited in Aquarius, 10.19. This is place in the Ascendent.

To this Aquarius 10.19 I adde 45 degrees; the product in Pisces 25.19 which makes the first Judicial time.

To which adding 45 degrees more, it will bring you to Taurus 10.19 to which place when the Moon arrives, she comes to the exact quartile of the place she was in at the decumbiture, and makes the first Crisis.

Adde 45 degrees to that, and it produceth Gemini 25.19 which is the second judicial time.

If you would know when the second Crisis comes about, it is but only adding 45 degrees to that, and you will find the result to be Leo 10.19 just the place opposit to the Moon at the decumbiture. The remainder is found out in the same manner.

First, Seek the time when the Moon comes to Taurus 10.19 and you shall find it comes upon the 19th of JAN' about eight of the Clock at night.

Secondly, View first the face of heaven, Secondly the position and configuration of the Planets one with the another at the same time. VIDE GEORGE WHARTON HEMEROSCOPEION 1652, his Discourse at large.

The History of this observation is of a certaine person, who by reason of great wear inesse in a journey, was supprised with a Fever at the time before mentioned; together with his Fever he had a Cough and a Plurisie.

The original of this disease is Choler putrefied with blood in the veins, and is the most viilent of all Fevers. The night after the decumbiture the Fever appear'd, although on the third day all shaking left him, yet felt not the Patient the least intermission, the Moon being in Aquarius 10.19 Aquarius being also a signe of infirmity, the Moon being in Sextile to Mars applying to Venus and Saturne, Mars afflicting the Sun with a Quartile, as also Jupiter and Mercury who were in combustion.

The 16th day of the same moneth of JANUARY the disease increased, at which time the Moon came to a Swemi-quadrant making the first judicial time. And meeting then with never an Aspect, the Crisis could be expected no other then doubtful and unformtunate.

The 19th day of the same moneth at eight of the clock in the afternoon, the first Crisis came about, some little sweat the diseased had. And if I may be bold to leave my Author for a little time, if you view the presages of Hippocrates, which you shall find at the latter end of this book:

The words run thus, or to this purpose: It is very hopeful when a man sick of a Fever sweats upon a Critical day; however my Author confesses, that both his Cough, and his paine in his side left him, though his Fever still remained, nay increased, by reason of the Quartile of Mars and Venus at the same time, Mercury being Lord of the Ascendant at the Decumbiture. Also it is worth nothing, that the Moon being in Aquarius at the Decumbiture, and comes to Taurus at the first Crisis, both Taurus and Aquarius are of infirmity; yet you see the Plurisie left him, the Moone being strong in her exaltation, though void of course.

JANUARY 23. When the Moon by transit made the second judicial time, she was afflicted by the trine of Saturne, which prognosticates cause enough of fear in the second Crisis.

JANUARY 27. at 5h 50 in the morning, the Moon came to the true opposition, to the place she was in at the Decumbiture, she being then without any aspect, either good or evil; this brought no hopes of cure to the sick man at that time; and indeed the sick was at that time very bad; yea, so bad that his Physitians were in doubt whether he would live or die.

JANUARY 30. at 3 hours 44 minutes after noon, comes about the third judicial time, at which time the Moon was in Trine to Jupiter, which gives strong hopes that a healthful and propitious Crisis would ensue, and so it did; for upon

FEBRUARY the second, at nine a clock after noon, the Moon coming to 10 degrees 19 minutes of Scorpion, where she made the second Quartile to the place she was in at the decumbiture; and the third Crisis she applyed to the trine of beautiful Venus, his Fever began to leave him, and he began to attain his pristine health.

By this one example you may see the wonderful harmony and consent of diseases with the motions of the Heavens, which that it may appear more clear, and be visible to all, unless it be to such are so blind they will not see; my Author adjoyns a rational Figure of the decumbiture, and gives his judgement upon it.

The Chief Significations of this Figure are the Ascendant and Mercury Lord of it, Retrograde in Capricorne, a moveable Signe in the 5th House of the Heaven, and in the House of Saturne.

The Moon in the 6th house upon the cuspe of it; Sol in the 5th House with the Lord of the eighth afflicted by the Quartile of Mars in a fiery Signe; this plainly shewes a disease of Choler.

Jupiter in a moveable Sign in the 5th House, who rules the Stomack, Liver and Sides, combust and in Quartile to mars, stirred up a Pleurisie, and Mercury afflicted shewed a dry Cough. Hence it appears that Monsieur DURET was no Physitian; for if he had, he would easily have known that a Plurisie never comes without a dry Cough; the most excellent of men may have failings.

The Moon in Aquarius applying to Saturn at the beginning of the disease, shewes the disease comes of weariness, according to the Doctrine both of Hippocrates and HERMES; but here arises another question; Shall the disease be long or short? This is answered thus: the fixed Signe upon the cuspe of the 6th House shewes length of the disease.

Again Saturn Lord of the 6th stronger then the Lord of the Ascendant, shewes a violent increase of the disease.

Seeing Mars in a fiery signe afflicts both Luminaries, the Sun by a Quartile, and the Moon by a Sextile; hence we may safely gather, that Saturn and Mars are Authors of the disease, and two part stakes between them; the one made it violent, the other continuing.

Give me leave not a little to passe my judgment upon this Figure; when first I viewed the Figure, upon the first blush I admired the man would live, the Lord of the Ascendant being combust, and applyed to the Sun, Mars casting Antiscion to the Sun, the Moon upon the cusp of the 6th CUM MULTIS ALIIS; The onely reasons that I could finde of the life, were these:

1. Saturne and Mars are both strong, and neither of them Lord of death, though both of them skew themselves like potent enemies, that are able to hurt their foe, but scorn it; though they are enemies to life, yet they are honourable enemies, because strong.

2. The Moon applyes not immediately to Saturne, but to the body of Merury, who is Lord of the 10th which shews the disease might be cured by Physick if a wise Physitian had it in hand.

3. There is a Reception between the Sun and Mars which tyes the sword of Mars from killing.

4. Venus beautifieth the signification of the 6th house, almost as much as Saturne deforms it.

5. Neither Saturne nor Mars behold the Ascendant, and thats good.

6. The disease came by the mans own misguiding himself, because the Lord of the 12th and Ascendant are together.

7. The Moon applies to a fortune which hath triplicity in the Ascendant, though in an ill House.

8. I am confident that man journeyed again so soon as he was well; First, because Mars Lord of the end, is near the House of journeys at the decumbiture; Secondly, because the Moon applyes to the Lady of the third House at the decumbiture, which is Venus.

The way of setting this Figure, differs nothing from the former, save onely that the Heavens are divided into twice as many parts. The manner of erecting it, is this, the true place of the Moon being taken at the decumbiture, place that upon the cusp of the Ascendent, as though it were Ascending at the time, to which adde 22 degrees 30 minutes and you have the first intercidental time, 22.30 being added to that skew the second intercidental time, and as many added to them bring about the first Crisis; this shall be clearly skewed in this Example. A figure of Crisis in 16.

The History of this second observation is of a certain religious person, some monke or Fryer a hundred to one else; who is 1640, December the ninth, STILO NOVO, was taken with a feaver and shivering at eight o'clock in the morning, the next day the shivering left him, the Feaver remaining, the Feaver seeming like a Hemitritaer, or double tertian, or a Causos, which is a continual burning Feaver; which of them soever it was, this is certain, it arose from some Choleric matter.

The place of the Moon at the decumbiture was in a preterited trine of Saturne. The Moon applied to the Sextile of mercury, Venus, and Jupiter.

The Fifteenth day of the same moneth of December appears the first Crisis; and though to sweat well many medicines were applyed, and those powerful; yet the Feaver gave not way an inch, because the Moon applyed to Mars, and the Sun to Saturne, though by good aspects, neither was in mitigated till the eighteenth day, at which time the Moon applyed to Mercury, Venus and Jupiter.

Here was that Aphorism of Hippocrates ratified, Chap. 5. Aphorism 15 that if the Moon be not afflicted at the decumbiture, yet if she be with the beams of the Malevolents at the Crisis, a good Crisis is not to be expected, but health will be staved off.

An Astrological Judgment upon the Figure

1. I Confesse in this judgement my Author is very faulty; he is dead, and I shall not make known his faults: however this is true; In this figure Capricorn is upon the cuspe of the ascendent; and it is a moveable figure, therefore the disease is likely to be short.

2. Saturn Lord of it, is very potent and strong in his own house, and swift in course; there's a second Argument.

3. Both fortunes in the Ascendent may well make up a third.

4. The Moon applying to the fortunes, makes up a fourth; this is enough; onely the Quartile of the Sun and Mars showes the sickness of Choler.

This seems to be the most rational of all the rest; and it is the most easily and readily done; and it may be that's the reason my Author left it out, though he promised it. And indeed the wayes of God are all easy, very easy, 'Tis the wayes of men that are crabged and difficult.

I shall first of all shew you the way how to do it; secondly give you an Example of mine own upon it.

First of all if you would know how to make such a critical Figure upon a decumbiture, make you a Figure after the vulgar form; then note when what signe, degree and minute of the Moon is in at the decumbiture; set that signe, degree and minute on the ascendent, and thirty degrees to that, and the same degree and minute of the next sign will be upon the Cusp of the second house; the work is as easie as walking up and down without a staff, as I shall by and by make appear by an example.

Then be pleased to take notice, that the first house is the decumbiure, the second the judiciak time, the third the intercidental; which word Dr. PHAGE of NIDHURST in SUSSEX, in his book called SPECULUM AEGROTORUM, so sillily translates MORTALL, mistaking the word CAEDO to kill, for CADEO to fall: wherein the man most egregiously shewed his deficiency, both in schollership and Physick: yet this commendation I'le give him, his heart was more free to do good, then his brain was able.

The fourth house brings the first Crisis about: and when you come to that, begin again as you did before: you may see the way without a pair of spectacles by the decumbiture that I have quoted: you may take it PRO CONFESSO, if you please, that I have many Decumbitures by me. But I want time to insert them; or if I did not, I would not blot paper with them.

This unhappy creature being untowardly matched with an unnatural husband, came up to London and lived in a service; and in her service was surprised with a furious disease at the time, and under the face of heaven before noted.

I shall first give a rational judgement of the Figure, and afterwards treat of the Crisis.

The person of this young woman is signified by Venus in Sagittarius; and truly, I believe she was an upright dealing creature. That the cause of her disease lay hid, or at least very obscure is plainly signified by so many Planets being under the earth.

That she procur3ed her own disease, because the Lord of the 6th is in the twelfth; As also because the Lord of the Ascendant is disposed by a Planet in the 12th.

Pisces is the Cuspe of the 6th: Her disease came by wet taken at the feet. Jupiter in Virgo gave corruption in blood, and informitie in the bowels; with what they were, more anon.

Venus with the Scorpions heart skews a violent Fever; neither proved it to be any lesse.

The Sun and Mars in the Fourth house with the Dragons tail in Quartile to the ascendent, shew violence in the disease, danger of poyson, and an ill end of it; her Physitian is signified by Mars, which was a French Quack which lay in the house, and he was as like Mars in Capricorn, as a Pomewater is to an Apple.

He was always troubled with sore eyes, a man of forlorn fortunes; view the position of Mars and you shall easily see the reason without a pair of spectacles.

The position of Mars in the Fourth combust with the Dragons-tail, and in the Quartile of the ascendent, First, clouded his judgement; secondly, corrupted his practice; Thirdly, set hard for her life.

'Tis a sad thing when the Lord of Death must be the Physitian in the disease.

Her disease was the small pox, in which being exceedingly bound in her body, not going to stool in a week together and above; he plied her all that time with strong purges (ob acute Physitian!) never one of them working, nor so much as coming from her; though there was SCAMMONY in every one of them; that had not I so soon as I knew of it perswade3d her Nurse to give her Clyster ever day, and she had absolutely perished; her purges increasing her ever, and poysoning her body, and this I am confident was the reason both of her being so much disfigured by her disease, and of her aches and swellings in the knees; (for Mars was in Capricorn) which continued upon her until her dying day, which followed about a year and a half after.

Neither was her Doctor's judgement one jot inferiour to his practice: for in the beginning of the disease, viz. the next day after she fell sick, came accidentally to the house, and found all the household weeping; every one that could eat an egg, shed a tear. A Joyner was busie pulling down the bed-steds, the whole household preparing for a flight with bag and baggage.

And what was the reason, think you? The Doctor had passed a wild piece of Non-sense that she was got the Pestilence, and was full of the tokens; up run I to see the creature; I found her in a strong Fever, that's true; But I could see no tokens, unlesse 'twere tokens of the Doctor's ignorance. I demanded the time of her falling sick, which she very exactly gave me. And having taken the pains to erect the figure, I did what I could to cherish up her spirits. I told her, my judgement was, that she would live. I certified the household that she had no such disease as Pestilence, much lesse any tokens. And thus whoever lost, the Joyner he got by the bargain on both hands; First, pulling the bed-steds and tables to pieces, and for setting them together again. And thus you see, 'tis an ill wind that blows no body no profit.

I have but two questions to answer, and then I come to the Crisis,

1. Will she live or die?
2. Will her sicknesse be long or short?

To the first of these I answer; That Mars is Lord of death, and also an afflicting Planet, in trine to the Lord of the Sixth, and in Sextile to the Moon, with the Sun are in Quartile to the Ascendent; this is all the signs of death, that is, besides the great sign (viz.) her Doctor swore she would die, and could not possibly live; having as the Coxcomb said, not so much of her lungs left, as amounted to the quantity of three of her fingers; a likely tale forsooth, was it not?

I was a diligent observer of every passage of this sicknesses and I found it always true, that during her sicknesse, the Moon by transit to the body or beams of Mars afflicted her sorely.

But not so, to the beams of Saturn; for that only possesed her body with coldnesse and chillinesse.

That she should live, is very clear; the Moon being with the Sextile of Jupiter, and the Lord of the Ascendant no way afflicted, save only by the Scorpions heart.

To the Second Question, namely, whether her disease should be ong or short;

The Angles being all Cardinal, and the Moon swift in motion, and in Sextile to Jupiter, shew a short sickness; The Lord of the Ascendant, and the Lord of the Sixth being both stationary, prolong the disease.

And indeed though the disease taken under the notion of acute, were long, yet taken according to reason, it is shorter then could be imagined.

The first judicial time is when the Moon comes to 10.40 Sagitarius. It is called a judicial because at that time the disease appears in his colours, that a man may know what it tends to.

The second time which you may find upon the third house in the Critical Figure, is called intercidental, because it falls between the judicial and Critical times and upon this intercidental time, there is usually some remission of the disease, that so nature may have time to rally up her forces against her encounter with the disease on her Crisis. And according as it falls out upon the intercidental time either to good or bad, so a good or bad Crisis may be expected. But to return: the Moon comes to Sagittarius 10.40 upon the 14th December, about a half an hour after six in the Morning. If you please but to set a figure, you shall find she is just upon the Cusp in the ascendant, newly spearated from the body of Venus, and the Quartile of Jupiter: now the small pox came out and not till now.

The first intercidental time happens when the Moon comes to 10.40 of Capricorn, the place where Mars was at the Decumbiture, and now she applies to his body, having newly left the Trine of Jupiter. If you please to set the Figure, the time was December 16th. 1 hour 24 minutes, P. M. Saturn is upon the Cusp of the ascendant: about this time she got cold.

And I am of opinion, that the ascendant and sixth House being earthly signs at this time, and the Moon in conjunction with Mars, in another earthly sign, doth clearly shew her being bound in body. This day, which should have mitigated her disease, increased it; and now her Doctor (if I may call him so without a Solecism) begins to play the antique, I had almost said, the mad man. Now he exerciseth his purging faculty, and left his wits a bed and asleep with his last night's Mistresse. Sure I am, a Physician would admire to hear SCAMMONY given to a creature that had the small pox coming out upon her. To conclude, a very ill Crisis is threatened.

The first Crisis comes about, upon the 18th of December, three quarters of an hour past 11, of night; the face of heaven is not much altered from what it was at the Decumbiture. The Moon separates from the Sextile of Venus, lady of the ascendant, and applyes to the Quartile of Saturn; and had Doctor Dunce only judged she would have died now, as indeed he did, he might have been pardoned, although he had fail'd; but also, he poor man, had little skill in times and seasons; his skill was employed to know a woman from a man, when he had got her in bed.

He did not only say, but also swore, that she would die about the intercidental time, though such a thing be seldom seen in a man's age; but let us to our Art, and let the Doctor's ignorance alone.

You shall find, if you please to set the positions of Heaven, the Scheme almost the same with that of the Decumbiture; the Moon carries the beams of the Lady of the ascendant to the Quartile of Saturn. The Sun and Mars cast hurtful beams to the ascendant; and indeed my own opinion is, that had the Moon applied to Mars, as she did to Saturn, it had kill'd her.

Howsoever, the premises considered, it is clear, that this is likely to be the time of greatest danger in all her sicknesses and so indeed it was. Now must the disease needs be strongest, nature weakest; and if this time be past the bitterness of death is past. Indeed at this time, the combat was fore, the distracted, senselesse, the small pox began to fall down; and withal, strength almost spent; but above all, the Doctor swore she could not live while morning.

Rational hopes of her life are the dignities of Saturn in the ascendant, but especially the Trine of the Sun and Jupiter upon that day. It is the opinion of the learned in this Art, that let the Significators of life or death seated or disposed as badly as they can be, yet if Sun be in Conjunction or good aspect with Jupiter, the sick will live; and truly so did she, almost to admiration.

But some will ask, and 'tis a question' worth the answering; that if the Sun and Jupiter perserve life, as they say, when they are so seated, what's the reason men die at that time? for we see men die dayly.

To this I answer briefly, that truly in the nativity of some people, Jupiter is the killing Planet; and in the sickness of such sick persons, Jupiter will as soon kill as Saturn and Mars; every Planet must do his office: I proceed

The second judicial time comes about the 21st of December, at noon, or a very little after; at which time Mars is Lord of the ascendant, strong, and in his exaltation.

The Moon having left the Sextile of the Sun, applies to his Sextile. The face of heaven is quiet and clean altered from what it was at the Decumbiture; a manifest sign of some change. Besides, though Saturn be in the ascendant, and Mars in the 10th House; yet Jupiter is in the 6th, therefore some good may be hoped; I do not know that it is besides the rule of Art, if I should affirm that as Mars in the 4th House of the Decumbiture kept her Doctors (you may call it folly), or madnesse (which you please) close, so now in the 10th House reveals it. Now, and not till now did I know of her Doctor's frantick course of Physick, and of her not going to stool: from this time she took a Clyster every day until she amended.

The second Crisis comes upon the Sun the 26th of December, about one hour after noon; at which time the Moon is Strong in her own exaltation, and applies to the Trine of the Sun and Mercury; at this time her fever left her, and she began to recover: And upon the third Crisis, which happened upon the first of January, she went abroad.

Seeing that many are unskilful in finding, or calculating the true time of the Crisis after Decumbiture; I have in this edition inserted a Table by which it may be easily performed, if the following Rules be duly observed; (and if they be not, I cannot help it).

In the head of the Table is placed the 24 hours of the natural day, which also serve for degrees, as occasion serveth. In the little Colume to the left hand are placed the minutes, as is usual in other Tables; in the greater Columes are placed the LOGISTICAL LOGARITHMES of any hour and minute of the natural day, etc.

When you would find the LOGISTICAL LOGARITHME of any hour and minute, or Degree and minute, seek the hour or degree in the head, and the minutes in the side, and at the angle of meeting you have the same.

I would know the LOGISTICAL LOGARITHMS of 6 hours 40 minutes, I seek for 6 at the head of the dexter page, and for 40 in the side, and at the angle of meeting, I have 12809, the LOGIS. LOGAR. Thereof.

When you have a LOGARITHMS, and would know the hours and minutes belonging thereto seek the same at the nearest thereto (for that will serve very well) in the Table, and at the head of the colume where you find it, you have the hour, and then cast your eye to the little colume on the left hand, and you have the minutes.

I would know what hours and minutes this LOGARITHME 9025 doth belong to; having found the same in the Table, at the head of that colume where I find it, is placed 9 and against it in the side

Having the hour and minute of the Decumbiture, find the places of the Planets for that time. In the Ephemeris you haev their places every day at noon.

When Planets are direct, subtract their place the day precedent, from their place the day subsequent, and you have their diurnal motions; but when they are retrograde, subtract their place the subsequent day, from their place the precedent day, and you have likewise their diurnal motions. Unless the Logistical Logarithme of the hours and minutes, afternoon of the Decumbiture, add severally the Logistical Logarithme of the Planets diurnal motions, and the sums shall be the Logistical Logarithm of the proportional degree or minute: which when Planets are direct (the Sun and Moon are always so, if you call your self to remembrance) must be added to their place the day precedent; but when they are retrograde, it must be subtracted from their place the day precedent, and their aggregate of remainder will be their true place at the Decumbiture.

Having found the Moons place at the Decumbiture, by adding 45 degrees thereto, you have her place at the first judicial time; by adding three signs to her place at the Decumbiture, you have her place at the first Crisis; and so by a continual addition of 45 degrees, the Moons place at the Crisis and judicial days is found, as is shewed in Chapter 5.

Observe in the Ephemeris what day the Moon's place is next lesse then her place at the Crisis, or judicial day and note the difference; and also note the diurnal motion that day. Then from the Logistical Logarithm of the difference of the Moon's place at noon that day, and her place at the Crisis, subtract the Logistical Logarithm of her diurnal motion, and the remainder will be the Logistical Logarithm of the time after noon, of the Crisis, or judicial day.

A man fell sick of Feber, 1652, November 7th, being Sunday at 8 and 10 minutes at night. At which time he was taken with a great horrour, and with shaking, as in a violent Ague, etc.

In my Ephemeris for that year, you will find (if you look) the Planets places upon the 7th and 8th days of that month, as followeth

Then subtract their places the 7th day from their places the 8th day, because they are all direct, and the diurnal motion will be

The Logistical Logarithm of 8 hours 10 minutes is 10780 which is added unto the Logistical Logarithm of the Planets diurnal motion, the work will be as in the following examples -

to 20 degrees Gemini, the Moon's place on the 7th day, which will make 25 degrees Gemini 08 minutes her place at the Decumbiture.

If you deal after the same manner with the rest of the Planets, as in these two examples of the Sun and Moon, their places at the Decumbiture will be,

Then the first judicial day will be when the Moon cometh to 10.08 of Leo on the 10th day of the same month. Moon's place is 29.52 of Cancer being the next lesse, and wanteth of 10.08 in Leo, 10.16, and her diurnal motion is 12.27.

afternoon that the first judicial day falleth on, viz. the 11th day at 7h and 48m in the morning.

The first Crisis happeneth when the Moon cometh to 25.08 Virgo on the 14th day, the Moon's place in 19.44 and wanteth of 25.08, 5.24. Her diurnal motion is 11.55

afternoon of the first Crisis, viz. at 10 o'clock and 53 minutes at night, the 14th day of November.

The second Crisis will be when the Moon cometh to 25.08 of Sagittarius, the 21st day. Moon's place is 14.50 in Sagittarius and wanteth of 25.08 (the place of the Crisis) 10.18 and her diurnal motion is 12.40.

of the second Crisis afternoon, viz. at half an hour after 7 in the morning, the 22nd day.

The like method used in the other, as in these examples; the Moon's place, and time, etc. will be as in the following Synopsis.

A Synopsis of the Whole Calculation

1. First of all take notice that the Significators of Diseases are to be taken under these two notions.

   1. General, or more principal.
   2. Particular, or lesse principal.

   The genral or more principa are these, the Sun, the Moon, and the Ascendant; of these the Sun is most principally to be looked upon in Chronick diseases, the Moon in Acute.

   Significators particular or lesse principal are these:
   1. The Lord of the Ascendant.
   2. The sixth House.
   3. The Lord of the sixth House.
   4. The Planets in the Ascendant or sixth House.
   5. Saturn and Mars; for they naturally hurt the body, whatsoever the matter is.

2. The sixth House and its Lord, and the Planets init, if there be any there, best describe the nature of the disease usually, nay always, if they afflict either of the Luminaries, or the Lord of the Ascendant.

3. The Aspects of the Moon to the Planets are always to be noted; for they produce something to the sick, but especially upon Critical and Judicial days; for you shall find this a certain truth, even as certain as the Sun, (and he never fails without a miracle). That when the Moon passes by the bodies of Jupiter and Venus, or their aspects, especially their good ones, if they be not Lords of death, she remits the most desperate symptoms in a sickness, and gives the sick some ease; as also the bodies or any aspect of Saturn to Mars exasperates a disease, and spoils the most hopeful symptoms.

4. Here then you have one way to do yourselves good.

   A Physitian is Nature's 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 bath allotted her to govern the world by; wisdom instructs her Children in the knowledge of time; for ther is an appointed time for everything under the Sun; if then when a disease seems extream dangerous, you would make an essay to relieve languising Nature, do it at the time when the Moon passeth by the body, or good Aspect of Jupiter or Venus, then its Nature in a capability of receiving help; you may before lift up a living man with one finger, then a dead man with both hands; a Bird while she bath wings can fly; but cut off her wings, and hang a couple of mill-stones on her legs, she cannot; Even so the bodies, and good Aspects of Jupiter and Venus are like wings to carry men from a sicknesse to health.

   The bodies and Aspects of Saturn and Mars, are like Mill-stones, to weight him to his grave.

   One thing more let me tell you, and I'll 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 wile the Moon come to the good aspect of Jupiter and Venus [When the Moon comes to that degree and minute and Sign Jupiter or Venus was in at the Decumbiture], administer your medicine when she is in the place where one of them was at the Decumbiture; if you dare not stay that time neither, one of them two in the Ascendant [viz. observe by the table of houses when Jupiter or Venus will crosse in the Ascendant] 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 the Planet also (for Planets are of different conditions as well 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 sickness is.

   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 sign that Planet is in, what his conditions be, whether he be benevolent or malevolent; whether he be Masculine or Feminine, Diurnal or Nocturnal, hot, dry, cold or moist; what part of the body he governs, and what disease he governs.

6. 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