¶ THE GREAT CONIVNCIONS OF THE thre hyest Planettes, Saturne, Iupiter, and Mars, that are called, Maior, Media, and Minor.
ASPTHOLOME sayth in centiloqui, verbo. 50. all the mutations, chaunges, and alteracions, that happen in this worlde, amonges the Creatures, are knowen by the hundreth and twentye coniunctions, amonges the seuen planettes, of the which .vi. are most pryncypall.
THe fyrst is betwyxte Saturne and Iupiter in the begynnynge of Aries, the whiche is but ones in .ix. hundreth .liii. yeres, and. lxxxxi, dayes, so that in eyghte of these comunctions remaine seuen other yeres from theyr beginnynges, the influence of this coniunctyon causeth greate and meruelous chaunges, and notable alteracions, throughe all the clymattes of the worlde, and sygnyfyeth newe sectes, and chaungynge of customes [Page] lawes, and disposicions amonges the people, and mutacyons of greate Empires, Kyngedomes, and Lordeshyppes, and also great plages, pestylence, and mortalyte, and of all other vnyuersall thynges that is notable throughe the worlde, because of the slowe mouynge of them, theyr orbes and cyrcles ar so hye and great, for the spere of Saturne is from the earthe, syxe hundreth thousande, thousand, fyue hundreth thousande, thre hundreth thousande, fifty thousande, seuen thousande, and fyue hundreth myles, and the thicknes of his orbe is within fyue hundreth thousande thousande myles, of as muche, and his compasse, is nereby thre folde as muche as his heyght, and the verye sterre of Saturne is .ix. tymes greater then all the earth.
¶ The seconde coniunction is also betwyxt Saturne, and Iupiter, in the begynnynge of euery triplicite, the whiche is but ons in two hundreth .xxxviii. yeres, and two hundrethe and .xv. dayes. Whose influence bryngeth in mutacions, and alteracyons of these sectes, disposicions, and notable thinges aboue said, accordynge to the nature of the tryplicites. Also Saturne and Iupiter is ioyned .xii. tyme together in euery triplicite, that is to saye, in euery twenty yeres, they are ons ioyned in euery signe of one tryplicite, whose influence makethe alteracyon of these thynges aforesayd, [Page] accordynge to the nature of the sygnes, in whome this coniunction fallethe, for the tyme of .xx. yeres, and then at the entrance into an other triplicite, the influence altereth accordynge to the nature of the triplicite.
❧ And this coniunction of .xx. yeres is the thyrde of the .vi. pryncypall. Also Saturne hath in euery triplicite tenne reuolucions by whose influence is knowen the remaynynge and chaungynge of these sectes, and dysposicions aforesayd, accordynge to the entrance of Saturne into the mouable or fyry sygnes, & also according to his nature. Furthermore according to the cōiunction of Iupiter to the other .vii. planettes, so altereth and changeth the sectes, customes, and lawes, that are fyrst brought in by the great cōiunctions, as when he is ioyned with Saturne, he bringeth in the Iewyshe lawe, and causethe mankynde to be styfe, and stubbourne, agaynst the true lawe, of Chryst: with Mars the Caldes lawe, that worshypped the fyre, and other false ymages, with the Sonne, the Egyptians law that worshypped the Sonne, Moone, and Sterres, euen as all thynges hadde bene destened to come by them of necessyte, with Venus, the Saracens lawe, the whiche was al together lecherie, regarding neither order, nor lawe, but all in common, and oftymes, agaynst kinde, with Mercury, the Christians [Page] lawe, and al other lerning, perteyning to the knowledge of God, and his workes, with the Moone, the inconstancy of al lawes, and contrary disputaciōs of these aforsaid, according to other planetes that the Mone hath aspecte vnto: and thus as Iupiter betokeneth lawes, Mars doth sygnifie batels, the Sonne peace and concorde: Mercury lerning and knoweledge, & after theyr cōiunctions, thus consider their influences as saith Albumasar .li. de magis coniunctionibus, tract .ii. differetur octa.
¶ The .iiii. coniunction is betwixe Saturne and Mars in the beginninge of Cancer, the which is but ons in .xxx. yeres, whose influēce bringeth in warres, debates, and battels, and much contrariousnes, for these thinges aforesaid. Also a coniunction betwyxte Iupiter and Mars signifieth tempestes of weather, with rayne, and snowe, and corruption of the ayre, and also stryfe, debate, and batell.
❧ The fyfth coniunction is betwyxte the Sonne and Moone at the entraunce of the Sonne into Aries of whose influence commeth yerely dispositions.
¶ The .vi. is of the Sonne and Moone in euery moueth, of whose influence commeth monethly and wekely, dispositions. Also the Moone is ioyned withal the planetes ons in a moneth, wherof cometh dayly inclinatiōs, so that al most frō a, M. yeres to euery daye, the [Page] alteratiō and disposition of al creatures may be knowne by these .C. and .xx. coniunctions aforesaide, also to haue the true computation and calculacion of the beginning of these cō iunctions ye must considre, that in their reuolutiōs they come not to the same poynt where they began correspondinge the zodiake of the viii. spere by, iii. minutes in one yere. Whose hole course is .vii. M. yeres, wherin is conteyned nereby .viii. great coniunctions betwyxte Saturne & Iupiter in the beginning of Aries
¶ Also the zodiake of the. ir. spere changeth and altereth the begynnynge of these▪ greate coniunctions xxvi. secōdes in one yere, whose hole course is xlir. thousande yeres, wherein is conteyned .lii. coniunctions, betwixte Saturne and Iupiter in the beginninge of Aries.
¶ Also ye must consider the space of the daye that the Sonne dyd stande styll, and not remoue in the time of Iosue, & also the .x. houres in the tyme of Ezechie, the which dothe alter the beginninges of these great cōiunctions, so that the ꝑfyt calculacion knowne, their meruelous influence shal surely be prognosticated
¶ Furthermore knowe ye that the .x. spere goeth round about in. xriiii. houres & draweth al the other speres & planetes with hī, so that al the worlde hath therby influence, & inclination, euery houre, and minute, so that frome euerye houre of the daye, tyl .xlix. M. yeres, ye [Page] may consydre the influences and inclinations of the sterres and planettes, after the science of Astronomye.
❀ Howe many great coniunctions hath ben betwyxte Saturne, and Iupiter, in the begynnynge of Aries, sence the creacyon of the worlde, vntyll this present yere, and of theyr sygmfycations.
FROM the creacyon of the worlde to the byrthe of Chryst is dyuerse opynions of yeres, both of the Hebrewes, and Latyus, whose difference is within xxir. or xxx. yeres the which is about .v. thousand .iii. hundreth .xliii. yeres: so that from the Creacyon of the worlde to this presente yere, is. vi, thousande .viii. hundreth .lxxxx. yeres, in the which tyme hath ben vii. great coniunctions betwyxte Saturne and Iupiter in the begynnyng of Aries .iii. before Noyes flodde, and .iiii. after, and for to knowe the true tymes of these coniunctions, ye shal vnderstande that the Sonne, Moone, and Sterres, was create the .iiii. daye of the worlde, beinge the tyme of VER in the moneth [Page] of Marche, in the vernall poynt of the equinoctiall, the Sonne, and Moone, beyng vnder Aries, in the myddes of heauen, also al the planettes was sette in theyr owne proper houses, in the degrees of theyr exaltacions, and dygnites, also after some opinions Saturne, Iupiter, Mars, and the Sonne was set in the .iiii. angles, Iupiter in the ascendent in the .xv. degre of Cancer, the Sonne in the myddes of heauen in the .xix. degre of Aries, and also the Moone, was aboute the fyrste quarter, begynnyng her course from the Bul, goynge by the heade of the Dragon, and so commynge to a coniunction with Mercurye, the whiche was the fyrst coniunction of the worlde, and thus passyng by all the planettes tyl she was ioyned with the Sonne, the. xxvii day after their creacion, the which by putting to the thre fyrste dayes before theyr creacion, maketh a perfyt lunacion of .xxx. dayes. Also the planettes kepyng theyr coursses from the places of theyr creacion, Saturne and Iupiter was ioyned together about .xv. yeres after, in a earthlye triplicite, in the signe of the Bull, at the whiche tyme Cayme was borne the fyrst murderer, that afterwarde slewe his brother Abell, with other greate alteracions, that befel in the world, at that tyme, by Caimes generacyon. Also at a hundreth, and .xv. yeres, and .xli. daies, was an other coniuncion [Page] in the .xxii. minute of Libra in an eayry triplicite, in the whiche tyme was borne Seth, the son of Adam and his generaciō, of whom was an alteracion and contrarye disposition to the generation of Cayme. Also at .iii. hundreth .liii. yeres, and an hundreth and .lv. daies was another coniunction betwyxte Saturne and Iupiter, in a warry triplicite, in the .vii. degree of Scorpion, about the which tyme, the generacion of Cayme, beganne to bylde Cytyes, and Townes, for the safegarde and defence of theyr spoyles and tyrannye.
❧ Of the fyrst great coniunction betwyxte Saturne and Iupiter, in the begynnynge of Aries, in a fyrye triplicite.
THE fyrste great coniunction was in the yeare fyue hundrethe .xxxviii. after the creacion, the whiche dyd sygnyfye the holynesse of Enos, of the generacyon of Seth, and of his good lyuynge towarde GOD. Also in the fyue hundreth .lxxxxi. was an other coniunction in the fyrye triplicite, in the .xii. degre of Sagittary, the whiche dyd contynewe tyll the holynes of Seths generacyon by Malaleell, Iareth, Euoche, and Mathusale. &c.
¶ Of the .ii. great coniunction.
THE .ii. great coniunction was in the yere of the worlde a thousand .iiii. hundreth .lxxxxviii. the whiche did signifie the generacion of Lameth, that slewe Caym by whose children was first found al craftes, and sciēces liberal, with many other vnnatural vsages, first inuented by their generacion
¶ Also in the yere of .ii. M. and .xxi. was a middel coniunction betwixte Saturne & Iupiter in a watry triplicite in the .xiiii. degre of Cancer, the which did naturally signify some great and wonderous alteracion by water, as apered by Noyes flud, that was sent miraculouslye to punyshe, and dystroy the lecherous, and myscheuous people for theyr synne.
¶ Of the thyrde great coniunction.
THe .iii. coniunction, was in the yere .ii. thousande .iiii. hundreth .lviii. and .xxii. yeres, after Noys flod, about this tyme reigned the generacion of Noy, Cem, Cham and Iaphet, the which deuided the worlde, in thre paxtes, in Europe, Affryke, and Asia, and of them came .ii. thousande. and .iiii. C. persons, besides women and children. Also in the yere .ii. M .iiii. hundreth .lxxxxviii. was a middell coniunction betwyxte Saturne and Iupiter, in a carthy triplicite, in the eyghtene [Page] degre of Virgo, the whiche dyd sygnifye the tyme of Nemroth, the fyrst begynnyng of all couetousnes, with the byldynge of the towre of Babylon, where the deuysion of languages was fyrst made. And afterwarde succeded the Idolatry of Belus, the which began the fyrst worshyppinge of false ymages. Also in the .iii. thousande and two hundreth yeres, was a coniunctyon called Maior, betwyxte Saturne, and Iupiter, at the entraunce into a ayry triplicite, in the sygne of Aquary, by the whiche was sygnyfyed great and meruelous sygnificacions, as the byrth of Abraham and his generaciō, with the promesses of god made to Abraham. &c.
¶ Of the fourth great coniunction.
THe fourth greate coniunction was in the yere .iii. thousande foure hundreth and xviii. the whiche dyd sygnyfye the tyme of Sirapis or Apis, with the blynde ydolaterye of the Gentyls, and many other alteracions, as the storye telleth, also in the .iii. thousande and .vi. hundreth yeres after, was a myddle coniunction in a watrye tryplicite, that dyd sygnifie the byrthe of Moyses, with all his holynes and workes. &c.
¶ Of the .v. great coniunction.
THe fyfth coniunction was in the yere .iiii. thousande thre hundreth. 78. the whiche dyd signifie the deuision of the kyngdome of the Hebrues, and the captyuite of the Iues, and the alteracions of the kyngdome of Rome. &c.
¶ Of the .vi. great coniunction.
THe .vi. coniunction was in the yere .v. thousand .iii. hundreth .xxxviii. and but v. yeres before the byrth of Chryst, at the whiche tyme was ryght great alteracyon, for al mankynde was redemed frō the bonde of the deuyl, and made the chyldren of god. &c
❧ Of the .vii. great coniunction, for the whiche I haue specyally wrytten thys treatyse aforesayde, because it began .vi. C. yeres before our tyme, and cōtynueth nereby .iiii. hundreth yeres after, of the which iiii, hondreth yeres .xii. of them shalbe prognosticated accordynge to the coniunctions, Maxima, Maior, Media, and Minor.
THe .vii. coniunction, was in the yeare .vi. M .ii. C, lxxxxiii. and in the yere of our Lorde, nyne C .lv. and before this tyme about .iii. C. yeres, at the ende of .x. reuolutiōs of Saturne, was the tyme of Machomet, whose meruelous secte is knowne [Page] well ynoughe, and by other .x. reuolutions of Saturne, from the tyme of Machomet vnto this our present tyme is also knowne, the dyuersitie & manyfolde alteracions of this secte as the herises of Arians Pagauns, and false christen men. Also about this aforesaid greate coniunction began the scismes & dissencyon amonges the Bishops of Rome, & great battel for setting vp of ymages with great pestilence & deth in the time of the Emperour Leo with other, much discēcion bewixte the Englishe men & the Danes in the tyme of kinge Adelston, Edmonde, Eldred, and Edwyn. Also in the yere of our Lorde a. M. and. xxxii was a middle coniunction in the signe of Virgo: and was changed from a fyry triplicite in to an earthly triplicite, about the which tyme was Pope Syluester, and kynge Knaght of Englande, with such alteracions and warres as was about that tyme.
¶ Also after other .x. reuolucyons of Saturne in the yere of our Lorde a. M. a C. and lvi. was an other coniunction in a earthly triplicite in the. 27. degre of Capricorne, about the which tyme began the two orders of begging freers, the one of S. Dominic, & the other of S. Fraunces, & Adrian was Byshop of Rome, and Richarde kyng of Englande, with many alteracions both by wars, famine and deth, that happened about that tyme.
¶ Also in the yere of our Lorde a M .ii. C. and .xxv. was a cōiunction betwyxe Saturne and Iupiter, by the chaungynge of the triplicite into the .xx. degre of Aquary, as saith Henricus de Machlimia, the whiche was aboute kynge Iohns tyme of Englande, and Fredericke the seconde Emperoure.
¶ Also in the yere of our Lorde a. M .iii. C. and .xlv. the .xxiiii. day of Marche about the xir. degre of Aquary, was a great coniunction both of Saturne, Iupiter and Mars, and both before and after that coniunction was a Minor coniunction of Saturne & Mars, the first was in the yere a M .iii. C .lvii. the .ii. in the yere a M .iii. C .xxvii. after the which cō iunction dyd folowe meruelous alteraciōs, as gret drought, and lacke of water, with much penury & scarsnes, of sustenance both for mā and beast, and also pestilence wt great death.
❧ Also in the yere a thousande foure hundreth and .iiii. was a coniunction in a watrye triplicite in the .xx. degre of Pisces, about this tyme was the scisme and dyssencion betwixte the thre Byshoppes of Rome, Innocencius, Gregorius, and Alexander, and the tyme of Henry Bolynbroke kynge of Englande, and shortlye after that tyme, was a great froste in Englande, that lasted fyftene wekes longe.
❧ Also in the yere a. M .iiii. C .lxxxix. the x. reuolucions of Saturne was fully ended, [Page] the whiche was about .xlviii. yeres sence, so that the sayd Saturne hath made but one reuolucion and a halfe, vntyll this present yere, in the whiche tyme hath ben no small alteracion and chaungyng, yf ye marke it wel. Also in the yere a thousande. v [...] hundreth and .xxx. Saturne beganne his reuolucion againe, departynge from the coniunction of Iupiter in Cancer, the which reuolucion shal contynew to the yere a. M .v. hundreth and .lx. the which is about .xiii. yeres after this our presēt yere.
Furthermore, ye shal know, that in the reuolution fygure for the yere, in the begynnynge of Saturnes reuolucyon, Iupiter was set in a moueable sygne in the house of religion beynge retrograde, the which doth signifie vnstedfastnes of lawes, faith, and customes, for the tyme of this Saturmens reuolution, bycause that Iupiter is not strong in the fygure and also lodged in an vnstedfast place. Furthermore ye shall knowe, that in the tyme of this reuolution, the wether shal stande chiefelye with moystnes, and by watry more then with drought, and the earth shall brynge forth all growynge thynge ryghte well, and many colde syckenes of flume shall reygne, as dropses, goutes, poses, and suche lyke. Also no great vnyuersal warres are lyke to reygne in this reuolucion, but accordynge to the application of Mars to the other planettes, as [Page] chyefelye, when he is ioyned with Saturne, he causeth the people, and specially the Saturniens, and those that be vnder Mars, to be of preuey sectes and councels in hye matters of the faith, lawes, and religion, and also to moue warre and battell in suche causes. And thus consyder of all the other planettes as he ioyneth with them. Also yf ye maruell why in this reuolucion of Saturne, the tyme shall stande most with varyacion, alteracyon of faith, lawes, religion, and customes, know that in the fygures of the yeare, at the begynnynge of Saturnes reuolucion, the lorde of that yere dyd commytte his power and dysposycyon to Iupiter, the sygnyfycatoure of faythe, and lawes, and by his retrogradacyon is sygnyfyed the wekenesse and inconstantnes of the aforesayde fayth, and lawes, and bycause the Lorde Iupiter beynge in the house of relygion, and in a moueable sygne, it is sygnyfyed thereby, the mutacyon and great alteracyon thereof, and chyefelye amonges the relygyon professours, and teachers of the same, so that the perfecte stablisment and seasynge of this varyacyon, is not lyke to be fullye ended in all peoples hertes, vnto the ende and terme of this sayde reuolucyon of Saturne.
And thus fynallye, all these greate coniunctions considered, and these. [...]. reuolucyons of [Page] Saturne, with the fygures and places of the planettes, at the begynuynge it may well be prognostycated of the dysposycion alteracyon, and chaungynge of the people, euen frome the Creacyon vntyll .xlix. thousande yere be ended; the whiche is the course of the. ir. spere (if it please god to suffer the worlde so longe.)
To whom praye we daylye to sende vs grace and good dysposycyon, that throughe wysdome, we may rule with the Sterres as saythe Ptholome, the prince of Astronomyes.