RIght worshipful, according to my duety vnto your worship, and my natiue Country, (though some­what preuented by the hasty and rashe atemptes of other some). I haue at this present [Page] published that, whereof I hope your worship will accept, which is my censure and opinion (accor­ding to the groundes of Art) of the coniunction of the two supe­riour Planettes, hapning in this yeare of our Lord, a thousand fiue hundred eightie three, the twen­tie eight day of Aprill, about the fifteenth houre of the Astronomi­call daye. The which reduced to our vulgar accountp, is the twen­tie ninth day, at three of the clocke in the morning, or neare about the same, as I am able to prooue by plaine Demonstration, though Leouitius and an imitatour of him, Frauncis Liberati, an Italian Doc­tor, Vir equidem ab omni liberatus iudicio, affirme the same to be the second day of May, at three of the clocke, fifteene Minutes in the morning, vnder suche a Celesti­all Scheme as followeth, erected for the Meridian of Paris. But howe farre hee erreth from the [Page] truth, the thing it selfe wil suffici­ently shew.

Likewise Stadius somewhat nea­rer to the truth, though farre diffe­rent, putteth it the twentie eight [Page] day of Aprill, iust at noone to them of Antwerpe, vnder such a figure as followeth.

The same by some reduced to Lon­don very sleightly. Wherfore before I can come to say any thing there­of. I am driuen to disprooue many [Page] of their mistaken Axiomes. Wher­with they seem to bring the world into such admiration, that they of the better sort, knowe not what to thinke thereof, and the rest more simple, brought into no small feare and discomfort therby. As touching the first, who yeeldeth no reson of his predictions, I boldly say, they are meere immaginary and alto­gether friuolous. For if he iudge by the coniunction, he seemeth to leap ouer the stile before hee come at it. For that a great Coniunction, E­clipse, Comet, or Reuolution can not worke any matter that shoulde come to effect before the same first appeare vnto the world, and there­fore were it, so that his estimate of the Coniunction were anye thing neere vnto the trueth, yet he coulde not prognosticate therby anything to fall out before the time of the sayd Coniunction (the same being the efficient occasion thereof) as he doth in the beginning of this yeare [Page] 1583. the 26. day of February two moneths before the coniunction, a­monges a greate manye of other strange matters. His wordes bee these preparation de guerre en Angli­terre &c. non obstant les iours qua­resme. Likewise the thirteenth day of March Diuision in Angliteire cour­riers en Flanders & en Almaygne. &c Which saying because it touched our natiue Country. I thought good to recite as also for y^t (God be praysed therefore) it came nothing so to passe. Nor nothing neere the trueth, for as all men know there was no cause of preparation to warre or likelihood thereof: much lesse any preparation at all. But it is an ancient saying, and not so old as true, written by Ptholomi in his Cen [...]iloquio propositione 12. Amor odiumque ne vera eueniant iudicia pro­bibent, s [...]quidem minuunt maxima, au­gent minima: and therefore my trust and confidence is, that the rest of his predictions, wherewith hee [Page] threatneth vs shall hurte vs no more then the former hath hyther­to done. Si deus enim nobiscum quis contra nos, if God bee on cure side, who can be against vs. Agayne, if he had iudged by the reuolution (as it should rather seeme he did) wher he putteth the ingresse of the sunne into the first minute of Aries, to bee the tenth daye of Marche at 8. a clock thirty two minutes at night, The twentie eight degree of Libra ascending, and Mars in Cancer in the ninth house, if that position had been true, as it is nothing so, yet Mars can not be Lord of the yeare by any reasō Astrologicall, being neither strong in himselfe, nor wel placed in the figure, for he is both in his fall, and in a cadent house, farre vnfit for that function, after the mind of any learned wryter in this science. And yet this is his opi­nion. Mars plus puissant en la figure & lieu de ciel, de tous les autres Pla­nets sera seigneur & le dispositeur de [Page] le an 1583. And therefore with very good reason I conclude against him with the saying of Schoner, uomodo e [...]iahit Astrologus errorem, si capue anni (radicem predictionis suae) prors [...]s ignorauerit. That is to say how shal the Astrologer auoyd an errour in iudgement, if he be vtterly igno­rant of the true beginning of the yeare the very ground of his pre­diction.

And now to returne to the other, who seemeth to write more lear­nedly and more amply of the same matter, though not vppon the same ground. Wherein verily he shewes him selfe a toward scholler, though not so perfect an Astrologer, in that hee leaneth somewhat too muche, (without cause) to the workes of o­ther wryters, as shall be declared hereafter, not examining whether there hath beene any errour or o­uersight committed, either by the author or printer of the same. For in one of them there must of ne­cessity [Page] some negligence appeare As for example [...]eouitius, who was ex­cellently well learned, and daylie exercised in the Mathematicals, putteth the coniunction to bee the second day of May, at thre of y^e clock in the morning? Who as it is well known, followed the Alphonsine ac­count, which at this day & long since is founde (by the best learned) to halt, & prooued insufficient, exactly to account any apparent motiō by. Wherfore no doubt (if he were li­uing at this present) he would not let, (after proofe made) to say with othersom, Errare po [...]um bereticus es­senolo. And Stadius of like credite, and no lesse experience then the for­mer, affirmeth it to be the twenty eight day of April exactly at noone, vnder the constitution that goeth before, which is more then foure dayes different, and therefore must needes breede greate alteration in iudgement.

Lastly, Moestlin who endeuoresh himselfe to winne no lesse accepta­tton and credit then the rest, wher­of there is no doubt but he will if he perseuer, (as he hath already be­gun) putteth it to be the same day, but sixteene houres from noone, or at foure of the clocke the next day in the morning, and nearest to the truth for certain. And though these writers do wryte for sundry meri­dians, as Augusta, Antwerpe, and Tubing, yet can not any reduction bring them all to be vnited or a­greable to any one of the said thrée Cities, or any other meridian els, that one may safely say, this is the true houre and minute of the con­iunction. For neither Stadius (if he had beene willed) or Moestlin (if he should be required) to put it downe to the view of the worlde, woulde trust to his own Ephemerides, much lesse to anye others, but rather woulde vouchsafe the supputation of the same out of the grounds ther­of. [Page] For although et be thought suf­ficient, in the supputation of an E­phemerides to come, within a mi­nute, two, or three of the true place of the Plar et at noone, yet is it to be otherwise requyred in this be­halfe. For not onely to know the degree and minute is requysite herein, but also the second, where­in the sayde coniunction shall at a­ny time happen. For as much as they may be both conioyned togea­ther in one degree, and same mi­nute, the space of fiue houres at least, before the true coniunction, or no lesse tyme after the same, throgh the slownesse of their motions. All which considered, I haue here set downe according to my simple skill, the figure thereof, so neere the truth as I possibly coulde. Which though I dare not warrant the ex­act minute of time, yet of the hour, I am well assured that no way I am deceiued, for as much as it hath bin supputated out of the grounds, [Page] esteeming the same to bee with vs at London, the twentie ninth day of Aprill, at three a clocke in the mor­ning, vnder such a position as fol­loweth.

THis coniunction hapneth in the fift minute of the 22. degree of [Page] Pisces, the last signe of the zodiacke, and in the latter part of the twelfe house, which is termed of y^e Astronomers. Domus tristitiae, laboris, aerum­nae, maeroris, inimicitiarum, inuidiae, susurrationis, carceris, seruorum, de­ceptorum, animalium magnorum. &c. And whether it ought to seeme so fearefull and terrible vnto vs, as it is thought by some, we are to exa­mine. And for asmuch as it is a con­iunction of the very best and worst of all the Planets: we ought well to consider, whether Saturne in his mallice and mischiefe, be able and of sufficient power to subdue the influence of Iupiter, and those good haps by him signified. And in as much as they twain, are not all in all, hauing to doe wholly in all causes, it is therefore requisite and needfull, ioyntly io consider with them, the Dominion and authori­tie of the rest in order, as follow­eth.

♄ est

FORTITVDINES.

Liber directus, velox, orientalis, au­ctus lumine & numero, receptus a io­ue in domum, coniunctus loui, in do­mo gaudij, in quarta conformi, in gra du lucido.

DEBILITATES.

Peregrinus, in 12, desc. in eccent, e­picicio, & in meridiem, in gradu va­cuo & in contrarietate haiz.

♃ est

Directus, velox, auctus lumine & nu­mero in domo propria, in conformi quarta, gradu lucido, coniunctus cum stella fixa de natura fortunae, orien­talis, liber.

Desc. in epiciclo, eccentrico, & in meridiem, coniunctus saturno, in 12. in gradu vacuo, in contrarietate haiz.

♂ est

Directus, asc. in epici, & eccē [...], in cō ­formitate sexus & quartae, in gradu augēte fortunam, liber a cōbustione. Tardus, minutus lumine & numero peregrinus, in sexta, in contrarietate haiz occidentalis.

☉ est

Asc. in eccent auctus numero, in suo haiz, in conformi quarta, in lextili io­uis, in horoscopo.

Tardus, peregimus.

[Page]♀ est

Directa, velox, asc. in eccent, aucta lumine & numero, occidentalis, in 2. domo, in conformi quarta, gradu lucido, lib. a combustione.

Desc. in epici, in contrarietate haiz, peregrina.

☿ est

Liber, directus, velox, asc. in epici, in horoscopo.

Desc in eccent, & in metid, perigri­nus, in gradu vacuo.

☽ est

Lib [...]ra a combus. in facie propria, recepta, in suo haiz, in conformi quarta, gradu lucido & augente for­tunam.

Tarda, desc. in epici, & eccent, minu­ta lumine & numero, in 8. domo, in quadrato saturni.

And now to come to the purpose, these former considerations wayd, if we compare the fortituds of Sa­turne with his debilities, we shall then find that he is strong (propor­tione sesquialtera) his strengths be­ing aboue thirtie, his debilities, on­ly 20. wherefore I may safely say, he is well affected, well situat, and very well configurate: no lesse may he thought of Iupiter, though not [Page] hauing the same fortitudes and de­bilities in all pointes, yet the like in number, and same proportion, and are both as witnesseth Cardan. In primo & optimo statu, robustissimi, quia orientales, veloces & aparentes. ‘Wherefore it were very grosse to cōclude y^t Saturn shold be so hatefull so hurtful, so dispitefull, or so mali­cious by his force and authority, to ouercome and subdue the good nature, the sweete influence, and prosperous irradiation of the bene­uolent and friendly Planet Iupi­ter.’ Vpon his trial, who is found in all respectes to be as strong, as a­ble, as manlike, and as mighty as himselfe, and hauing him at home in his owne house, hee may either entreate him as a friend, or else (de iure) commaunde him as a guest to be ruled, and be of good behauiour, yeelding the superiority vnto his Host, without causing great abun­dance of waters, cold weather, vn­wonted mischiefes, sorrow, enuie, [Page] debate, quarrelling, hate, strife, lawing for the goods of the deade, reconinges, accountes, or such like, the rather because hee is neither in the eight, neither hath any domi­nion therein, nor beholdeth Mars the Lorde of the cuspe of the same: for Leo and Pisces no way beholde the one the other. And whereas he threatneth thorow the influence of Saturne, vprores, tumultes, many­folde troubles, violence and oppres­sion, he greatly mistaketh the mat­ter, for that they are rather the ef­fects of the outragious, fell, and fu­rious Planet Mars, who in the coniunction hath little or nothing to doe. But if therevpon hee had threatned hunger, want, penurie, and pouertie vnto the poore and in­digent, his prediction had not been vnlike to haue taken effect, for that their estate is neuer better, and why he should discomfort the Cler­gie or Ecclesiasticall estate, I sée no cause considering that Iupiter their [Page] generall significator (as also Domi­nus 9. of the figure) is so strong and well affected, both in himselfe and his essentiall dignities, eleuated a­boue the rest, and also small reason he hath, to mooue him to pronounce ‘the ruine and ouerthrow of Noble men, great personages and gentle­men,’though some and sundry from time to time fall into like extre­mities, and bee ouerthrowne with the losse of estimation, goodes and lyfe, by the secret working of their owne pryuate natiuities, without anye generall constitution. But were it so, that Saturne (as he sayth hee is) were disposed to woorke straunge feates, or to bring greate matters about: yea, and that his might were so much, and his ma­lice so great, as to shew the ful force of his mischieuous and malicious nature, seeking to bring vpon the world, Plague, pestilence, famine, and other calamities whatsoeuer, which haue at any tyme since the [Page] creation thereof, hapned for the pu­nishment of sinne: yet could he not at this present play these pageāts, beeing otherwise brydled and re­strayned of his will, for that he is neither Lorde of the coniunction, neither hath dominion in the reuo­lution of the yeare, nor ought to doe in the gouernement of the greate Orbe, or anye commertion with those who haue authoritie therein. Therefore if any alteration extra­ordinary happen in the yeares fol­lowing, different from the others past, it must of necessitie rise and proceed of some more farther cause, then any alleadged in al the whole Astrologicall discourse: for as much as there is not anye one Maxime therein alleadged, that may not seeme. Puerile quiddam, not woorth the hazarding of any small credite in Astrology, that hath beene al­ready purchased (els how can one loose that he neuer had). And for the better proofe of these my spée­ches, [Page] consider what is by him al­leadged. Iupiter on whom some part of the charge is layd, shall begin to shrincke the tenth of Iuly, and goe backward, whereby his influence shoulde bee hindred, which is no­thing materiall. For why the com­bat (the coniunction I meane) be­ing fought & past long before, it is requisite that the combattants doe retire and repose them selues in a­ray, returning backe from whence they came, which well they may do without any kind of impeachment or discredit in this respect. Besides it is a passion which hapneth vnto them euery yeare once, which they can not possibly auoyde. Then to thinke, or bee perswaded that Sa­turne, Iupiter, or any other of the Errones can be or shall be, these fiue or sixe yeares next ensuing, eyther oftener retrograde then heretofore they haue beene, or than common­ly they vse to bee, is moste absurde & chieldish, and argueth that who­soeuer [Page] is of that opinion can be but a simple Astrologian, not seene at all in the Theory of the Planettes, nor well acquainted with Coperni­cus his Hypotheses, Rein [...]olts obser­uations, or Pe [...]rbachius. Forasmuch as it is a position or rule infallible that a Planet cannot passe by his first station aboue once, while hee maketh his reuolution in his epicicle, & by it he must of necessity once passe, and the tempus periodicum of his reuolution is certain, constant, and without alteration. Where­fore, if hee euer see Saturne oftener retrograde, then once in twelue moneths and eighteen daies (men­ses solares I mean) or Iupiter in 13. moneths and 9. dayes, Mars, in 3. years and 2. moneths, Venus in one yeare 7. monethes and 14. dayes, Mercury in 3. moneths & 26. dayes, or if he can find that they escape re­trogradation in any of those pre­scribed times, then let me loose the credite of mine Astrology, vnlesse it [Page] please the almighty to work mira­cles more in these 6. yeares follow­ing, thē in 1600. yeres heretofore: and were his meaning no lesse, yet were it doubtfull, whether the au­thour of the Astrological discourse. were a consilijs illius, and priuie to his intent. But admit it were as he saith, that they were oftner retro grade then in times past, and that which is more then so, that the sun stood stil, or went backward, contrary to his naturall motion: yet were it no argument thervpon to inferre the dissolution of the world, or ende of the same: considering that in the time of Iosua, the Sunne stoode still: and in the tyme of Ezechias, the Sunne went backe: and the world notwithstanding continuing after the space of sixtéene hundred yeres, and not so little. And whereas he also sayth, that the 26. day of October they are almost in coniunction a­gain. I answere that almost neuer won the game, nor almost did ne­uer [Page] hit y^e nail on the head, & althogh they bee in application, yet is the same but aplicatio auersa, and is pre­uented by refranation, afore they come to the full coniunction and as for their situation in the 10. house, at the Sunn his entrance into Li­bra, in the thirde part of the Astro­nomicall yeare: it cannot any way increase the hurt, sith they haue no dominion in the said yeare, for how can he gouerne a part, that is exclu­ded from the whole. And to returne to the constitution of the other Planets, which are supposed to help forward this cause, & play their parts in this tragedy. Mars is the man most suspected herein: who though he be peregrine, yet by his dignities coequall with his debilities, and therefore become indifferent and of a meane disposition, who although he be in Leo, yet is he not in Cacode­mon, neither is he any way so gret­ly disgraced or euil affected, wher­by it shoulde be thought to pretend [Page] ‘any such wonderfull contention, se­dition, treason, rebellion, warres, tumultes, mutines or vprores, with horrible slaughter and bloud­shed,’ but rather warranteth there­by, this his terrible prediction and fearefull prognostication to passe like a shaddowe, or vanishe like a smoke, not vnlike quicksiluer mol­ten at y^e fire, or as y^e crack of a Can­non charged without a bullet, only making a fearful noise, and causing no further harm. ‘He saith also ther­vpon, that great multitudes shalbe spoiled, subdued, destroied & murthered, by the enemy y^t should oppresse them with the sworde & fire, and o­ther tragical mischeifs & notorious calamities, to be presaged to some mighty ruler or gouernor, appoin­ted in high dignitie or supreme au­thoritie.’ Mars being neither in the 10. nor hauing dominion therein. Furthermore, he supposing Mars to be Lord of the 9. house, inferreth therevpon euill successe to the clear­gy, [Page] whereas in truth Mars hath no­thyng to doe in the same, neither is Mercury there vnluckily apointed, or lately of hym discomforted or dis­couraged with a hatefull square as­pect," but rather receiued with a trine into his house, which can by no mea­nes" forshewe any persecution of the Cleargy, or any disquiet thereby, what soeuer is signified otherwise. ‘Likewise Mars in Leo, not in y^e 12. house frō the ascendent (as he would haue hym) can not threaten losse or destruction in those kindes of beasts that haue houes, hornes, and fleeces, nor hinder the increase of Waspes, Pismires, Caterpillers, Cormoran­tes, and vermin:’ but that thei should aboūd to much (if it pleased not God otherwise to hinder the same) who because he is not seated in the eight house from the Moone, Ipse non si­gnificat interfectiones & infirmitates magnai in hominibus. Moreouer, the Sunne beyng not Lorde of the As­cendent, nor resident in the 10. house [Page] but Lord of the sixt, and situate in the ascendent, sheweth that ‘he should im­ploye his influence farre otherwise then to busie hymself, with causing muche trouble, vexation or sorrowe, to Noble men, or Honourable perso­nages: much lesse to thrust any Ma­gistrates out of Office, depriue them of their dignities, or place other in their roomes:’ though some may feele these inconueniences threatened vn­to them, but by some particular and priuate cause, as is before mētioned. Likewise, Venus no Lady of the 10. house, though peregrine, not cōbust, and in the 2. house, meaneth to be no partaker with the Sunne herein, though he bee in her house: yet is she from home, minding to visit her olde frende Mars with a sextile aspecte, intending to make some banquett or good cheare, whereby to helpe away with the substaunce that els would rust, rather then to forshewe ‘the bad estate not onely to Princes, but of their subiectes likewise: whiche bad [Page] estate saieth he, shall be founde in the Countries that be situate betweene the East and the West,’ a sentence worthy the notyng: for it contayneth muche matter, and is most like to be truest of al his predictions: for if any suche thyng happen in any place of the whole worlde, he thereby hits it. For what place is there vnder the Sunne, whiche is not betweene the East and y^e West, and if he had like­wise saied betweene the Northe and the South, or betweene the Earth & the Sky, he should haue left no place of the worlde vnconsidered: for with­in the twoo extremes, of either these three euen distances, not onely the v­niuersal earth, but the whole is com­prised, and by including the whole he can not lightly misse a parte. And Venus, if she were in the 11. house, as she is in the 2. is not there weakened, or vnluckely affected, for that shee hath 23. strengthes to helpe her selfe withall, onely 9. debilities to bee de­ducted: and if it may helpe, rather she [Page] is in optimo statu, quia apparēs in or­tu vespertino, & velox cursu, farre e­nough from the Moone Catabiba­zon: ‘and therefore can not signifie that subtile dissemblyng & false pac­kyng amongst men, or want of faith­full and sounde freendship, or muche counterfeite and faigned amitie, vn­curteous dealyng, falshood, breache of frendship, hate, discord, strife, diui­sion or factions, &c. Nor after Haly, Destructionem futuram in mulieri­bus, neque presagit leguminum cari­tatem:’because she not infortunate in the 11. house. And as for Mercury, as he is not nere his 2. station by 25. degrees, so is he not in the house of Religion, or long iourneyes, though peregrine in Aries, his place is in the Ascendent, and hath not to signi­fie muche iourneying or remouyng: for although he bee Conuertibilis & mobilis, yet he is slowe of course, and therfore by that Arologicall reason, can not signifie trauellyng or iour­neying. Also Mercury hauyng no­thyng [Page] to doe in the 7. house, nor as­pecting the cuspe of the same, cannot inferre sundrie greeuances, ‘violent Robberies, Spoyles, wilfull Mur­thers, and cruel man slaughters.’ For Mercury his influence, when he hath to doe therein, is rather to incline the euill disposed to secrete filching, pri­uie picking, purloining, pilferie, and pety lasseny, then vnto forcible brea­ches, riots, or violēt Robberies. And that the same configuration, should" cause irreligious, impious, obstinate" wicked, stubborne, & disorderly per­sons to abounde: the marueile were not greate, consideryng the worlde lacketh them not at this present, nor hath not wanted them in former a­ges: how beit Mercury (who is Con­uertibilis naturae) chaūgyng himself into the nature and dispositiō of hym whom he most pertily aspecteth, who is the Moone, in this behalf, ‘can pro­duce no suche effect, no more then a­ny other kinde of infortune vnto the estate of Embassadoures, Secreta­ries, [Page] Notaries, Registers, Clarkes, Scriueners, Mercers,’ and those e­specially of the learneder sort, which is no way to bee feared, consideryng that Mercury their Significator, is both strong in himself, and in the po­sition of the Figure: and as for busie "minded fellowes, and factious heads "wedded to their owne conceites, I haue no doubt, but that they are like­wise wedded to their owne sorrowes and harmes, for that the busie man neuer wanteth woe. But to come now to the Moone, who beeyng nei­ther peregrine, for that she is in suo Decano, neither in opposition with Venus, but seperating from the trine of Mars: neither she beeyng Ladie of the tenth house, but of the seconde: it were against reason to thinke, that ‘she should in that constellation shew any heauie calamities, imprison­mentes, disturbances, tribulations,’ thought, anguishe, and sorrowe vnto the common people: so that in very truthe, there is not one Aphorisme in [Page] the whole tract, that agreeth with y^e figure of the true Coniunction: then how is it possible to pronounce ex faelsis verum. ‘Neither is it hereby to be thought, that the Commons shall carrie either disloyall, bisobedient, or rebellious hartes towardes their gouernors.’ And though the world be wickedly giuē, yet it is not like that any should bee so vnfaithfull to their Prince, or vnnaturall to their Coū ­trey, as to disquiet the cōmon wealth therof, vnlesse it be some suche, whose significatours of their Natiuities be infortunately situate, in signis odiose obedientibus, whiche from the begin­nyng, as thei haue vnhappely be­gunne their Insurrections and Re­bellions, so haue thei vnfortunately proceeded, and miserablie ended the same. I praie GOD with my whole harte, that all so mynded and dispo­sed, maie come to the like successe in the ende, as no doubte they shall through GOD his Iustice, had this Coniunction neuer been. And for [Page] ‘as muche as the Sunne, beyng A­nima Mundi, is not become Male­ficus, neither the Fiery triplicitie in­fortunate, neither the Signe of the eleuenth and fift house,’ wherein the Moone can no way bee placed, nei­ther Saturne in the eight, nor Lorde of the sixth and seauenth house, his iudgement dependyng therevppon, together with other incidentes of that Figure by hym erected, are wil­lingly (as vnneedefull) for breuitie sake omitted, and had been here vnto "small purpose recited, but as hee is verely perswaded that there is no Countrey, or Nation, shall beholde the same Coniunction vnpunished: so am I certainely assured, that he is greatly deceiued: and were it so, that it extended the force and significatiō thereof, vnto the first and second Cli­mate (whiche is Per Meroen Ae­thopiae, & per Syenē Aegipti sub Tro­pico Cancri) it is no doubt farre dif­ferent from the 8. Climate, and 18.19. and 20. Paralell, wherin this our [Page] Countrey lyeth, neither are Pisces, Gemini, Virgo, or Sagittary, signes that ascendent, or Horoscopicall vn­to all the Countries and Cities of the whole worlde: neither Saturne or Iupiter, Dij topici omnibus gentibus: and therefore the influence of this Coniunction not to stretche ouer all the worlde, nor vpon al sortes of peo­ple in the same: For the omnipotent and almightie Iehouah, who sitteth aboue bothe Planettes and Starrie Firmament, and rules them at his wil and pleasure, hath ordeined them as well to bee signes and tokens of his mercie and loue towardes vs his chosen and elected, as of his wrathe and iustice towarde the wicked & re­probate, vpō whom he neuer brought any iust scourge or punishment for their sinnes and wickednesse, but he first called them to repentaunce, by some suche fearefull signes and to­kens: if the same might haue pearced their obstinate and stony hartes. But to come to the Author his perticuler [Page] Iudgemētes, as touching weathers, and suche like accidentes. Nothyng there is therin contained more praise worthy, then the reste before mentio­ned. ‘And whereas vpon the conuent and assemblie of the Planettes, hap­penyng in the Moneth of Aprill, in the yeare of our Lorde 1584. in the Signe of Aries, at what tyme Sa­turne and Iupiter shall forsake the Signe Pisces, is promised a Comet immediatly to ensue.’ I plainly saie, it is a verie weake argument where­vpon to inferre suche a greate matter and accident by, as by the induction of Histories will bee proued. In the yere of our Lorde GOD 1505. in the latter ende of Iuly, there was as­sembled the Sonne, the Moone, Sa­turne, Iupiter, Venus, and Mercu­rie, in Leo, a fierie signe: after whiche there followed no Comet. Again, in the yere of our Lorde God 1544. in the middest of Nouember: there was Saturne, Iupiter, Sol, Venus, Mer­curie, Luna, all conuented in Sagit­tarie, [Page] a fierie signe as the former, af­ter whiche there followed no Comet at all. Likewise in the yere of our Lorde God 1564. in the ende of Iune there was Saturne, Iupiter, Mars, Ʋenus, and Mercurie, assembled in Leo a fierie signe, and the first before mentioned: After the whiche there followed no Comette, Drought, or Heate, but rather greate floodes and inundatiōs, increasyng the Riuer of Thames in suche sort, that it ouerflo­wed the marshes, and drouned muche cattell: and also the same yere there insued a verie cold and hard Winter in so muche that the riuer of Thames was frosen ouer, the like whereof hath not been seen at any tyme since nor in many yeares before. As also Owse bridge at Yorke, carried awaie with the force of the Ise at the same tyme: Howbeit, Leouitius promised a Comet, and the contrary weather, who was therein deceiued, & so maie" other presumyng no lesse. And as" for the Comette, whiche appeared [Page] "in the yeare of our Lord 1556. in the beginnyng of March, it coulde not any way be signified or forshewed by that assembly, that thē was in Aries: for that the saied Comett appeared before there was any more entered into Aries then three, who were Sa­turne, Mars, and Venus: and there­fore I may safely conclude, that the saied blazyng Starr or Comet, was no more caused thereby, then that whiche happened after y^e meeting in Leo, in y^e yere 1434. or y^e which hap­pened before y^e death of Charlemaine Anno domini, 814. after their con­course in Sagittary. Wherefore, whē a Comet is to be presaged, debet ali­unde peti, & therfore dare I not giue any consent, to thinke that wee shall haue a Comet 1584. vpō that Astro­logicall conclusion, and slender rea­son before mētioned. For why, I am certainely perswaded, that they are ingendred vppon some other farther cause: for that in the yere of our Lord God 1572. when there was no con­course [Page] of Planettes in fierie signes, there appeared a straunge Comet in the Asterisme of Cassiopeia, towarde the North parte of the worlde, in the Moneth of October, whiche was of long continuance. And again, in the yere 1580. in the moneth of Nouem­ber, there appeared an other toward the Southwest, which lasted y^e space of a fortnight, & appeared very great whē as there was no meetyng of the Planettes in any of the fiery signes, at, or immediatly before the same. ‘Furthermore, it is saied by hym, that in the Moneth of Aprill, 1584. there should be excessiue cold, and extreme heate,’ caused by the Coniunction of Saturne and Mars in Pisces, and Iu­piter and Mars in Aries, whiche is a thyng very absurd: for al mē know, that two extremes do make a meane, and two contrarie causes the one cō ­sumes the other, and they both bring forth a third: as scaldyng hot water, and extreme colde, doe make luke warme. As cōcerning the iudgemēt [Page] "of the yeare 1585. it is not to bee thought, that the assemblie in Aries, should pul on the effect of a Coniun­ction that was before in Pisces, a wa­trie signe, and of a contrary Elemēt, and fire & water so hardly agreeing, as also, for that Transitus (as the A­stronomers tearme it) is the least of all the influences. ‘Againe, where as it is saied, that thei whiche haue in their Natiuities the Ascendent, the Sunne, the two superious Planets, or the Lorde of the Ascendent or Na­tiuitie in Aries, Inprimis, ad choreas caelestes inuitabuntur, aliquid (que) noui molientur: and that Germany & Italy, with other Countries subiect to A­ries,’should beware of greeuous ca­lamities, chaunces and chaunges: it is farre against reason to thinke that any Constellation should fore­shewe generall calamities to whole Countries, and particular prefer­mentes to priuate persons, bothe be­yng vnder the gouernement of one and the same signe. As touchyng the [Page] continuance of the former effectes, euen as the coniectures of them are very slender, so is the text of Cardane very weake to this purpose: ‘Effectus durant vs (que) ad reditū, vt pote coniū ­ctio Saturni & Iouis, vs (que) ad aliā con­iunctionē: whereby his meanyng is, that it should last the tearme & space of 20. yeres following, whereas it is recorded amōg them of no small cre­dite in this science, that the significa­tions vpon the chaunge of a Trigon, hath been sometimes deferred vntill the 3. or 4.’ Coniunction followyng, which is a 60. or 80. yeares from the same, or it take effect, and hath not la­sted aboue 7. or 8. yeares in effecte. But to come to the comparison of this Coniunction with others here­tofore. The Coniunction which was in Cancer in Nouember, that shewed the generall Deluge, called Nohae floud, had other accidents cōcurring with the same, which did aggrauate the force thereof, as these. The Con­iunction was in Cancer, whiche then [Page] likewise was the signe of the greate Orbe, & Saturne was then lorde of y^e greate Orbe, and was there far worse disposed then at at this present, foras­muche as thē he was Tardus motu, prope stationē, in detrimēto, aswell as Peregrine, &c. & being so many waies lorde and gouernor of the whole, and so diuersly feebled and weakened, no maruell though so greate effecte did then followe, suche as the world shall neuer see again: neither y^e like cōstellation in all respectes. As for the Ro­mane Monarchie, & his beginning, which happened after a coniunction in Scorpie, (but fortie yere before the beginnyng of the fierie Trigon at the leaste) whiche Coniunction of it self could as then haue doen naught, had there not been a little before, a con­course of Orbes, y^t hed of Aries, octa­ui orbis, beyng in longitude w^t Aries noni orbis, and beginnyng as then to make a new reuolutiō, which is Res magnaīcaelo, as witnesseth Cardane. Furthermore, y^e signe of y^e great Orb [Page] at y^e same time was Aquarie which Orbe was as then newly begunne, and Saturn Lord of the sayde Orbe, who did by a square aspect, beholde the signe of the great Orbe ex siguis se odiose intuentibus. All which con­sidered, there is more cause to think that then there should follow some notable subuersion, rather then now, when as none of the like ac­cidents do any way concur, againe it is no reason to thinke that the watry Trygon, which beganne the fourth Monarchy, shoulde likewyse finish the same: Quia idem non po­test esse causa generationis & corrup­tionis. And as touching the cōiuncti­on, which was sixe yéeres before the blessed and happye byrth of our sauiour Christ, the which Leoui­tius putteth in Pisces, Cardane affir­meth the same to be in the thyrd de­gree of Aries, and the fiery Trygon already begun, which controuersye of theyrs (béeing men excellentlye read and learned) I referre to my [Page] betters to decide. Lastly in the time of Carolus magnus, the Trygon chan­ging into Aries, came as then into the signe of the great Orbe and Do­minion of Mars. And sith that by processe of time, we are now come againe to the ende of the watry Trigon, and beginning of the fierye, it is requisite before we shal presume by Astrologicall coniecture, to af­firme y^t the ende and consumation of the world, shoulde be in the yéere of our Lord 1588. We should firste consider whether there happen any chaunge of the greate Orbe, or con­course of the eyght and ninth Orbe, eyther els the chaunge of any Absit out of one signe into an other. All which, as Cardane witnesseth. Sunt res magnae in Coelo. If so bée that ther be any such cause concurrent, then is somewhat to bee spoken thereof, otherwise little to bee ex­pected. The prophesies of the sa­cred Scriptures firste most reue­renced and beste considered aboute [Page] the same, and then the Astroglio­call coniectures compared there­withall, and carefully foreseeing that we alleadge not, Non causam pro causa, some reasonable estimate may bee made thereof. But the day and houre is vnknowne to the an­gels of heauen, And so to return to the last notable matter by him spe­cified, which is, that there shall not appeare vnto vs in our Horizon, anie Eclipse, of the Sun, or moone this year. But how greate or how notable a thing, y^t is to be cōsidred, I leaue to those y^t are meanely ex­ercised in Astronomy. But as tou­ching the influence of the Eclipse of the Sunne, that was in Cancer, the last yeare 1582, whereof there is wonders promised, we are to ex­amine. And first the cause of an E­clipse well knowne, we are to con­sider the quantitie of the Eclipse, and the continuaunce of the same. Leouitius at Augusta, putteth it to be the twenteth of Iune, at foure [Page] of y^e clock, fiftie thrée minuts in the morning, and thrée poyntes seuen minutes darkened, and continued an houre & twentie two minutes. Maestlin for Tubing, affirmeth it to be at foure of y^e clock fiftie minutes, and but two poynts foure minuts darkned, and lasted an houre and fourtéen minutes. And Stadius for Antvverp hath it at foure of the clock fourtie two minutes: But not so much as one sixt part of one point darkned, nor of any continu­ance at all, but onely a touch as it were.

Wherfore if they which dwel in longitude, thirtie degrées, and haue the pole eleuated fortye eight de­grées, had it thrée points darkned, & they in longitude thirtie one de­grées, vnder the eleuation of four­ty nine degrées, had but two points darkned. Likewise they that dwel in longitude twentie six degrées vnder the eleuation of fiftie one de­grees, sawe nothing at all. How [Page] is it possible that they which are in longitude nintéene degrées, vnder the eleuation of fiftie two degrées, should sée any thing. And for be­cause the surreption of light is the grounde wherby to iudge of the e­uents: I thought good to take the paines, to prooue by the princi­ples of the Art, whether there were any surreption in our Horizon or no, with the rest of the circumstan­ces therunto apertayning. Wher­by it may appeare to any that is studious or desirous to come to the trueth thereof, in manner as fol­loweth.

WHereby it may euidently ap­peare that there was scant the sixt parte of one pointe of the Sunnes body eclypsed, what soe­uer was seene at Cambridge, be­fore whome so euer, vnlesse they had their Ossa iugalia nimium exten­sa. As Cornelius Gemma had, when he considred the Comet that was in Cassiopeia, which made them see the thing which was not, els had they not Neruum opticum bene dis­positum, which made that small darkenesse to appeare sixteene tymes bigger then it was, and the obscuration beeing but the sixte parte of one poynt, is a thing of none account at all, as the se­quell shewed. For that small in­fluence [Page] that it had, began the sixt day of Iuly, lasted two monethes, and ended the seuenth of Septem­ber following in the same yeare. Wherefore the effectes thereof can not by any Astrologicall reason be deferred till May 1583, and so con­tinue a yeare. Thus is there ney­ther good nor bad can bee aspected from this Ecclipse. As for the com­paring with other Eclipses is néedlesse. But one example muste not be omitted. ‘If this Eclipse had beene darkned three pointes as it was not (thogh he so say therof) In the yeare sayth he, 1536. the 13. day of Iune, at one of the clocke after noone was an eclipse of the Sun in the seuenth degree of Cancer, the sun was darkned eight pointes al­moste,’ with them at Tubing, but much lesse with vs at London, and from the beginning to the end, la­sted two houres and sixe minutes. The effectes whereof began in Ianuary following, the tenth day, [Page] and lasted two yeeres, which de­clareth that this Eclips could not foreshew the two great commoti­ons, that were in Lyncolneshire and Yorkshire, which were bothe of them begun & ended in October before the influence of this eclipse tooke place, at least the space of 2. monethes. But for confirmatiō of Art, let vs sée what happened frō Ianuary 1537 till Ianuary 1539. when as the influence of this E­clipse raged. In February there was stirred a rebellion, wherein Carlile was besieged. In April af­ter ther was a cōmotion in Som­mersetshire, about taking vp of Corne, and there was from the beginning to the ende, aboue sixtye persons executed and put to death for treason, rebellion, and denying the Kinges Supremacy: of which number there was a Marquesse, thrée Lordes, sixe Knightes, thrée Abbotes and a Ladye, that was brent in Smithfield (Quiae Eclip­sis [Page] fuit in decima domo regis, & prope locum solis aphetae suae genesis) If we may giue credit to Cardane, al so in y^e time there were sundry ab­beys suppressed, y^e black Fryers, the white Fryers & the Monckes of Charterhouse, soone after all the rest, (Quia in nona domo quae est do­mus religionis) As for any dearth or scarsity, sicknesse or mortalitye, I reade of none y^t followed, neither of inundatiōs or flouds but great hurt by fire was done in London amongst y^e basketmakers in Roode Lane, where twelue houses and nine persons were burnt in the space of thrée howers, besides frier Forest and other that were brent in Smithfield, and a great many of Images (for auoidīg of Idolatry) were burnt at Chelsey (Mars ferie­bat gradū Eclipticu quadrato breui­um) Likewise on a sūday at y^e ser­mō time, appeared at Pauls Crosse the Rood of grace, and there moued the mouth and lips, very straung­lie. [Page] But it was brought thither out of Kent, and with sundry deuises made so to doe. Afterwarde by the same Preacher the Bishop of Ro­chester was shewed the bloud of Hales, and prooued to be no bloud, but clarified hony mixte with Saf­fron. And lastly, to conclude and to shew, that some good as well as ill, may be foreshewed by an Eclipse, as wel priuatly, as publiquely, particularly, as generally. Ther were (during y^e influence of that Eclipse) 18. States created and aduaun­ced. Also the vertuous and Godly Prince Edward, afterwardes king Edward the sixt was borne, a great ioye to the whole Lande. Also the Bible in english was set in euery Church of the Realme for all men to read: And thus much for the con­futation of the Astrologicall dis­course and positions therin contai­ned. And for as much as it is not thuoght sufficient for any one to reprehend or reprooue the doinges [Page] and procedinges of other writers vnlesse after confutation of their erroure made, hee séemeth further to adde of his owne, somewhat ei­ther more Substantiall in doc­trine, reasonabler in hearing, or with the truth of the matter bet­ter agreeing. I haue there vppon thought it not amisse, to follow an order and platfourme of iudgement in the declaration hereof vsed by Ptholomy, and other learned wry­ters of later tyme. Wherein it is first requisite to vnderstand, who at this present is Lorde of the great Orbe, what the signe of the same is, as also the degree pro­fectionall, and the diuisor thereof. Likewise the Ascendent of the con­iunction, and reuolution, and last­ly, who hath the Dominion in the cōiunction, or preuention next and imediately going before the same. Al which, for the better vnderstan­ding of that which followeth, I wil breifly in order set down, therby y^t it [Page] may appeare, who of these twaine thus conioined hath most force and dominion in all or most, of the for­mer considerations, for that the coniunction simply of it selfe, vn­lesse it hath a further consent of the premisses, can not pretend or for­shew any great matter worthy the penning. Much lesse the alteration of Kingdomes, the comming of Christe in iudgement, or consuma­tion of the world. For as much as it is a matter vsually hapning once in each twentie yéer, foure times in euery signe, and twelue times in euery Trygon before they shyft, or chaunge the same. So that with­in the space of two hundred fourty yeares, they are twelue tymes conioyned togither, and not abooue.

And what horrible matters about twentie yeares last past, in respect of the former resited haue hapned, there are none of sufficient yeares, who are not able to testifie. And therfore moste straunge it is, that [Page] the audacitie of euery slender stu­dent in this science, should be such as vpon so small causes so certain­ly and peremptorily, to pronounce such great and wonderful effects, assuring the same vpon his credit. But how so euer his credit be, cer­taine I am, that thorowe the like rashe, and vnlearned attempts the art it self, hath béen greatly discredited. In so much as it is in a maner contemned of the common people: the which was in times past estée­med both of Prince and Potentate in such sort as they became earnest Studēts therof. Wherfore, it were to be wished, that some of the chie­fest Mathematicians of this Age, and of this our Country wel lear­ned, and long experienced, would vndertake the wryting of these, and the like cases, wherby other yunger Schollers might bee the more benefited, and the common wealth the better profited. And were there any cause of feare by [Page] this Coniunction portended, it were more reasonable and conue­nient, that Liberati the Italian, shoulde rather admonish the king­dome of France, and Italy his coun­try, then threaten the realme of England thereby. For that in the yere of our Lord 1524. after the like Coniunction in Pisces, the French king was taken prisoner, at the siege of Paui, by the Duke of Bour­bon: which in dispight of the Car­dinall Wolsey, went to Rome, be­sieged the Citie, his Souldiers fact and spoiled it, the Pope driuen to fly to y^e castle of S. Angelo, wher hee continued long in calamitye. The seconde yeare after, was a peace concluded betweene Eng­land and France, the fift yeare fol­lowing was the newe Testament translated into Englishe by Wil­liam Tindall, and printed: the sixt year following, the Pope was ba­nished, and suite to the courte of Rome forbidden, and the same year [Page] died Cardinal Wolsey, all which I am perswaded, was no losse to England, likewise the cleargy was con­demned in the premunire. No o­ther great matter happned in this land, by the space of 10. years after that Coniunction, except it were the losse of the holy mayde of Kent: who with her complices, Monkes, and Fryers, were worthely execu­ted and put to death, and certaine houses of obseruaunt Friers put downe. But to return from whence I first digressed, the signe of the great Orbe at this present, is Ge­mini. The Lady and gouernesse of the Orbe, Venus. The degree of the profection the twenty eight of Li­bra, the diuisor Mars, the ascendent of the coniunction, the twentie nine degree, and 51. minutes of Pisces. The Lady of the hour of the sayd coniunction Venus. The Lord and gouernour of the preuention, precéeding Venus. Al which considered, it euidently appeareth that [Page] Saturn hath no Dominion in any of the premises, much lesse in al, or the most of them. And there­fore were he Potentior Joue in loco coniunctionis, as some in conside­rately haue supposed him, yet cold-he not at this present, work those effects by him signified, by reason of his dissent and disagréement o­therwise. But according as Iels where promised. I wil first begin with y^e doctrine of Ptolemy, in the sixtie three propositiō of his Cen­tiloquium, whose words are these. Cum Saturnus Iupiterque cōiūgunter vtrum eorum sublimior sit vide, & iuxta illius naturā pronuntiato. The which propositiō containeth much matter, and very difficult in few wordes. For by the word coniun­ction, as some of the learned haue interpreted, he meaneth in y^e same place, Coniunctionem tam secundum latitudinem, quā longitudinē. Both which at this presēt by great good hap, in a maner concurre, though [Page] the same by the Aucthor bee neglec­ted and omitted. A farther considera­tion thē the whiche notwithstanding of other some there is required here­in, the vniting and contactiō of their bodies, the whiche (for that the diffe­rence of their Latitudes is more thē the Semidiameters of their bodies) can not be: for as muche as the Se­midiameter of the bodie of Saturne is but 4. minutes, and the Semidia­meter of the bodie of Iupiter is 6. mi­nutes, bothe whiche added together maketh 10. minutes, and the diffe­rence of their Latitudes is 26. minu­tes: Ergo, it appeareth as is saied: and how requisite this third conside­ration is in the iudgement of corpo­rall Coniunctions: saie thei, the E­clipse of the Sunne and the Moone doth euidently declare. For that whē as the Latitude of the Moone excee­deth the Semidiameter of both their bodies, there happeneth no Eclipse, be the Coniunction otherwise neuer so partile, the which opiniō although [Page] it bee very reasonable and probatle, yet will I not much stande therevp­pon, for that it seldome happeneth to concurre with the two former consi­derations, and yet the Coniunction pretending matter to insue: how be it it must of necessitie be graunted whē it so happeneth, to be the more signi­ficatiue, and of greater effect Ceteris paribus. The second point contained in the former proposition, is to consi­der in this Coniunction Quis eleua­tur super alterum, the whiche worde eleuatio, for that it is somewhat am­biguous, is therefore diuersly vnder­stoode of sondrie Writers, some ta­kyng it in one sence and some in o­ther, as Trapezuntius commentyng vpon the same proposition vnderstā ­deth Per eleuationem altitudinē pla­netae in epiciclo, affirming that when soeuer two Planets are cōioyned to­gether, he that is nearest of y^e twaine vnto the Apogeon of his Epicicle, di­citur eleuatus super alterum, & when they are of like distaunce frō the for­mer [Page] Apogeon: Quod nullus eleuatur supra alterū: And some there are, as Guido, and such like, who referre the same vnto the latitudes of y^e planets so conioyned thus saiyng thereof, that if it happen their Latitudes to be both one way and into the North, he whose Latitude is greater to be e­leuated aboue the other, but if bothe their Latitudes bee into the South, thē he to be eleuated whose latitude is least of the twaine: If the latitude of the one bee into the North, and the Latitude of the other into y^e South, then he whose Latitude is into the North, is eleuated aboue the other in to y^e South: but if their Latitudes be bothe one way and like muche, then he who is ascendent to be eleuated a­boue the other descendēt in the same, and when as neither of them haue a­ny Latitude from the Ecliptike, thē none to be eleuated aboue the other, and a third sorte there are who consi­der Per eleuationem, declinationem ab Equatore: saiyng, that in this and [Page] the like Coniunctions, it is to be cō ­sidered, Quis planetarum habet ma­iorem declinationem, whiche if they happen to bee bothe into the North, then he who hath the greatest decli­nation of the twaine is thought to be eleuated aboue the other: but if their declination bee into the Southe, he whose declinatiō is lesse of y^e twain: but if so be that the declination of the one be into the North, and the decli­nation of the other into the Southe, then he who hath his declination in to the North: but if their declinatiōs bee bothe one waie, and equidistaunt from the Equator, then none to be e­leuated aboue other, and they seeme to yeeld this reason of their opinion, that he who hath the greater declina­tion of the twaine bothe beeyng into the North, hath likewise the greater altitude Meridian, and therefore commeth of the twaine nearest vnto our Zenith or Verticall, the highest and nearest poynt of our Countrey, but when as their declinations are [Page] bothe into the South, the reason is contrarie, for that he whose declina­tion is then moste, hath the least alti­tude Meridian of the twaine, and when their declinations are bothe one waie and like muche, then is the altitude Meridian one and the same, and none commeth nearer to our Verticall then the other. A fourth sorte likewise there are, and they no small number, who vnderstande Per eleuationem, the distaunce of a Pla­nett from the Apogeon of his Ec­centriciti, so that hee who commeth nearest vnto the same, is by them e­leuated aboue the other, and if they bee both equidistaunt from the same, then he who is ascendent in his Ec­centriciti aboue the other descen­dyng: but if bothe ascendyng or bothe descendyng and equidistaunt from the same, then none eleuated aboue other, who thinke themselues to haue great reason of their opiniō, because it is daily seene by y^e Sonne and other Planettes, the nearer they [Page] come vnto the same, the more they are eleuated aboue the earth, and higher and further from vs. A fift sorte there are, who vnderstande ele­uationē after a farre other maner, re­ferryng the same vnto the essentiall dignities of the Planettes, pronoun­sing that Planet in any Coniunctiō to be eleuated aboue the other, who hath Plures dignitates in loco coniun­ctionis: saiyng, that he in reasō ought to haue the superioritie in any suche case, who hath moste to doe therein: alledgyng Pthol. in his thirde booke in the tracte de animae facultatibus for their warrant in this behalfe, whose words are these: Magna au­tem est vis planetarum potentiorum, & eleuatorum super mercurium & lunam, where it is euident by that whiche goeth before the same, as thus: Quum autem sunt in proprijs, & familiaribus locis, & dignitatibus planetae gubernantes animi inclina­tiones &c. And Cardane commen­ting vpon the said tracte, affirmeth [Page] no lesse. A sixt and last sorte vnder­stande Per eleuationem altitudinem planetae super Horizontem, accomp­ting that Planett to bee eleuated a­boue the other, who is nearest to the Meridian of the twaine: As the Pla­net in the 12. house aboue an other in the ascendent, and one in the 11. a­boue the same in the 12. and one in the 10. aboue the same in the 11. For as much say thei as it is daiely seen, that as the Sūne passeth these posi­tions and houses, he ascēdeth higher and higher vntill he come vnto the highest poynt thereof, and his heate and force in eache of the saied poin­tes more and more encreasing, vntill he come at the full Meridian and highest poynt from the Horizon. And of this opinion is the learned Leonitius in his iudgement de nati­uitatibus in the chapter de coniugio, his wordes beeyng these: Saturnus proxime supra vtrum (que) significatri­cem coniugij, stellam (lunam ac ve­nerem) eleuatus, ita vt nullus, pror­sus, [Page] planeta interueniat, & ex loco maxime sublimisz. medij coeli apice vtrunque velu [...] deprimens, cōiugium huic nato denegat: & other late Wri­ters for the better maintainyng of this opinion, alledge the aucthoritie of Pthol. in the thirde Booke in the tracte de lesionibus, & morbis corpo­ris. Whose wordes are these: Rur­sus quando venus est in cardinibus dictis maxime in occid. iuncta Satur­no, aut eum aspiciens, aut domicilia mutarunt, Mars super cum eleuatur &c. And in the fourth Booke in the Chapter de facultatibus, alledgyng these wordes following: Consideren­tur alij fausti planetarum aspectus ad hos & illi qui eleuantur super hos ex eadem vel contraria qualitate. And again in the same Booke in the trac­te de magisterio as followeth: & cum beneficae stella sūt eleuati super domi­nantes, faciunt magnos gloriosos &c. Econtra cum malefici eleuantur su­per dominatores, faciunt submissos i­gnobiles, nihil lucrantes &c. In all [Page] whiche places alledged it is euident say thei that the authors vnderstand, Per eleuationem, altitudinem plane­tae quoad mundum vel Horizon­tem, by reason of whiche diuersitie and cōtrarietie of opinions, it is not a little difficult to determine the ele­uation or superiority of these twaine thus conioyned: but for as muche as the proposition before resited is takē out of Pthol I thincke it most reaso­nable to confirme his meaning here­in by hymself, and the like wordes v­sed of hym els where, takyng eleua­tionem in this place in bothe the sen­ces by hym alledged, accordyng vn­to bothe whiche it will appeare that Iupiter is Sublimior of the twaine. First, for that he is in domo propria & dominus coniunctionis, & Saturne hauyng no one dignitie therein, nor ought to doe in the same. Second­ly, because hee is Saturno eleua­tior quo ad mundum vel Horizon­tem, whereof there maie bee some doubt, consideryng that thei are both [Page] in one degree and minute very par­tilly conioyned, which not withstan­dyng because Iupiter his latitude is least of the twaine, his distaunce therefore a Meridie must be least of them bothe, and therfore his altitude aboue the Horizon most, Et ergo sub­limior Saturno: What then follo­weth in the former proposition, Iu­xta illius naturam pronunciaeto, wher by it is manifest that this said Con­iunction of the two superiour follo­weth the influence, operation, and propertie of the moste happy, prospe­rous and beneuolent Planette Iupi­ter, whose influence and irradiation is not at any tyme to work hurt to a­ny, muche lesse when as he is strong in hymself, well affected, and dispo­sed, and hauyng the prorogatiue and preheminence aboue the rest, for whē at any tyme he hath the Dominion and gouernement of an Eclipse, a matter farre more significatiue then this seely and simple Coniunction, consideryng that the said Iupiter the [Page] gouernor and disposer thereof is nei­ther dominus ascendētis cōiunctionis, because the ascendent is the last de­gree & almost last minute of y^e signe Pisces: neither dominus ascendentis reuolutionis: neither dominus orbis magni, nor preuentionis prox. prece­dentis. For Pthol. writing and decla­ryng the naturall causes of generall calamities, ascribeth more vnto the Eclipses then vnto any other: thus saying of thē, Prima & efficacissima taliū euentuū causa, est copulatio solis & lunae in defectibus: And next after Eclipses, he affirmeth Cometts and blasing Starres to haue a greate af­fect and signification, whereof he thus testifieth in the 28. proposition of his Centiloquium. Tratectiones at­que crinitae secunda partes in Iudi­cijs ferunt, and yet whensoeuer this Planette Iupiter or Ʋenus haue the whole dominion in either of the said places, as they haue in this Cōiunc­tion, they turne the significations thereof, vnto much good prosperous [Page] happe and effect, as appeareth by the saied Pthol. Thus writyng of y^e said Iupiter in the seconde Booke in his tracte de eclipsibus there inquiryng, Quales futuri sunt euentus boni vel mali. Thus muche affirmyng of the saied Planette Iupiter cum solus do­minatur, incremēta efficit, cumque e­uentus ad homines pertinēt, gloriam, fertilitatem, tranquillitatem, & pa­cem significat &c. And no lesse signi­fication hath the saied Iupiter and Ʋenus, and either of them in the do­minion of Comettes and Meteors, as witnesseth Mizaldus and others, who haue written de Cometographiae and were this not so, Commets and Eclipses could not at any tyme sig­nifie and pretende good happ and ef­fect to followe and ensue: the contra­rie whereof experience doeth testifie: for as muche as after the appearance of the Comette in Libra the Diur­nall house of Ʋenus, and vnder the beames and irradiation of the moste prosperous and beneuolent Planett [Page] Iupiter, in the Natiuitie of our Sa­uiour, there followed greate ioye, peace and comforte vnto the whole worlde, and what good effectes haue insued of Eclipses in parti­cular Countries, eache meane Chro­nographer is able to testifie. If then in suche greate matters as E­clipses and Comettes, the force of these Planettes bee suche, vppon their dominion there, I see no cause but to hope and expect the like here­after, the power and authoritie of Iu­piter and Venus being no lesse in this Coniunction, the one quia dominus, the other quia Almutē, and the same so muche the rather for that the saied Iupiter hath none eleuated aboue hym thereby to lett and inhibite his influence, but is both the highest and the strongest in the figure, and there­fore the good effectes promised ther­by so muche the more, as witnesseth Pthol. in his seconde Booke de pre­dictionibus Astronomicis: His wor­des being these: Etenim beneficae stel­l [...] [Page] & locis euentui obnoxijs cognatio­ne aliqua iunctae, si non superentur ab alijs contrariae sectae stellis, efficatius quod policentur naturae suae bonitate absoluunt: Wherefore it is requisite to shewe and declare to whom and what Countries this saied good by this Coniunction promised is espe­cially portended: for as muche as it were absurde in reason to thincke this same to bee prefigured vnto the whole, or vnto these to whō the same in the Exacte tyme of the Coniunc­tion doth not appeare: For as a Co­mett signifieth not but vnto those to whom the same doeth first shewe and appeare: or an Eclipse, but vnto such as se and behold the same, their reuo­lutions notwithstandyng about the whole within the space of foure and twentie houres: the like considera­tion therefore of this Coniunction not without cause at this present in this behalfe, accordyng to the whiche tyme and position it see­meth moste reasonable to thincke [Page] the good effectes by this Coniun­ction promised and presaged, e­specially to touche suche Regions and Countreis, as lye vnder the in­fluence thereof, and as haue the said Iupiter their patron and significator, as also vnto those Countries that are subiect vnto the signe of the Cō ­iunction, or signe ascendent of the same, or signe wherein the Almuten of the Coniunction is as then seated and placed: And for as muche as the signe wherein the Coniunction wil happen is knowne to be of the fourth and last triplicitie, it hath his signifi­cation in the Countries, liyng in re­spect of the whole Southwest, and those especially of the same situate on the Sea coste, and certaine I­landes liyng in the saied point, as al­so other Countries in the like posi­tion inuironed with many Riuers or greate waters, and to discende more particularly, vnto Normandy, Por­tingall, and Compestella in Spaigne, and no lesse good hap promised like­wise [Page] vnto the Countries lying and situate in respect of vs Southeast, adioyning and bounding vppon the North Seas, Quia Iupiter huius bo­ni author & significator orientalis a sole, & in latitudine australi, ac in pi­scibus, signo aqueo ac septentrionali. And the signe Gemini wherein the Almuten of the saied Coniunction moueth, somewhat confirmeth the same: Habet enim signum geminorū, ex regionibus Flandriam, Brabantiaē &c. Et quia Iupiter huius rei domi­nator fortis est per se, & erga solem, & in domo pauoris, tristiciae, meroris, captiuorum, ac incarceratorum sit us, ac supra saturnum eiusdem domus dominum exaltatus, eumque de pri­mens, exilij, inopiae, angustiarum, lu­ctus, pauoris, interitus, vastitatis, ca­ritatis ac penuriae dominū, ac signifi­catorem maxime necessariorū ad vi­ctum. What is hereby to be thought? but that the imprisoned in the saied places to bee released, & the captiues set at libertie, their dearth & penurie [Page] turned into more abundance & plen­tie, their feare to ioy, their thraldome to libertie, their sorrow to comfort, & their long warre to sodaine and short peace, & the same so much the rather, if other more forcible & effectual cau­ses cōcur with y^e same as y^e two eclip­ses héereafter following, the one ligh­ting néere vnto the degrée of the sayd coniunction, & the other not far from the degrée oposite to the same, but the good before promised is not like pre­sently to take effect, but after certain smal tresons, trecheries, secret conspi­rasies, & a few like troubles before going: for although Iupiter haue héer­in y^e victorie & superioritie, disposing for the most part the coniūction after his own inclination & disposition: yet can it not be denied, but y^e Saturne worketh therin some little and smal effect, though nothing in respect of y^e former good, & far lesse then otherwise he would, had he had the superioritie and supremacie therein. And it may séeme somwhat strāge thus to think, [Page] considering that y^e said Saturne is in this coniunction peregrine, weake, & w^tout dignitie, as also in domo ca­dente, a weak place of y^e figure, wher vnto I answere, w^c Haly, Abenragell, & other, that although he be without dignitie, yet is he not voide of influ­ēce, as also y^t the malefici being pere­grine, are then readier & apter to mis­chiefe then otherwise: howbeit their force & abilitie, as then not answera­ble to their will, as appeareth in the direction of an Aphaeta, vnto a weake & peregrine Anaraeta, and although Saturne be in Cadente, yet must it be considered with al, y^t he is in domo in qua gaudet. And therefore it is not a­nie way to be intended, y^t the domi­nion and superioritie of the one, can quite & wholly extinguish the influ­ence & operation of the other, but ra­ther causeth it to appere mild, weak, féeble, and verie remisse, Vt rerū vm­brae potius, quam res ipsae videantur, y^t otherwise would appeare, In inten­ciori ac summo gradu. And for as [Page] much as Cardane in his first cōment vpon the second booke of Pthol. his quadrupartite, there speaking some­what of the coniunction of the second superiour planets, Saturne & Iupiter, thus saith of them. Hi tamen effec­tus vt dictum est, ab eclipsibus augen­tur vel minuantur, vel etiā ad effectum ducuntur. And therfore I will héer af­ter (whē as I haue occasiō to write of those two eclipses before mentioned) diligently consider what consent, or discent they haue with the same, & ac­cordingly to yéeld my censure & opi­niō thereof, knowing not what shuld moue the author of the late Astrolo­gicall discourse, without the consent of anie of the former considerations, so much to ascribe vnto the said con­iunction, vnlesse the remembrance of the fiftie propositiō Centiloquij Ptho. y^e words being these. Ne prete [...]mittas centum & decem nouē coniunctiones, in his enim posita est vis eorum quae fiunt in mūdo, & generationis & cor­ruptionis. The which words, if hée [Page] simply vnderstand, without any fur­ther respect (as I am certainly per­swaded of no lesse), thē sée I no cause but that he may vpon y^e same ground take no lesse occasion to pronounce y^e like meruailes & miracles, vpon the coniūction of the two luminaries, the Sunne & the Moone, a matter happe­ning once euery month, y^e same being one of the Centum & decem nouem coniunctiones there specified. But for y^t I purposed not to be ouer tedious and troublesome vnto your worship in this behalfe, I wil at this present cease the further examination & de­claration héereof, hoping that your worship will accept in good part, my simple and true meaning héerin, vn­till such time as it may please y^e Al­mightie, to indue me with a farther knowledge in this science, worthie the better liking and contentation of your worship.