A Physician without Astrology is like a Pudding without Fat.

 

Chapter IX.

Certain precepts premised before the prognostics.

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 less principal.

The general or more principal are these, the Sun and Moon, and the Ascendant. Of these, the Sun is most principally to be look'd upon in chronic diseases, the Moon in acute.

Significators particular or less 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.

The Sixth House and its Lord, and the planets in it 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 Ascenant.

The aspects of the Moon to the planets are always to be noted, for they still 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 body of Jupiter or 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 or Mars exasperate a disease and spoil the most hopeful symptoms. 

Here you have one way to do yourselves good. 

A physician 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 has allotted her to govern the world by. Wisdom instructs her children in the knowledge of time, for there is an appointed time for everything under the Sun; if then when a disease seems extreme dangerous you would make an essay to relieve languishing nature, do it at the time when the Moon passes by the body, or good aspect of Jupiter or Venus, then is nature in a capability of receiving help. You may sooner lift up a living man with one finger than a dead man with both hands; a bird whilst she has wings can fly, but cut off her wings and hang a couple of millstones on her legs, she cannot; even so the bodies and good aspects of Jupiter and Venus are like wings to carry a man from sickness to health.

The bodies and aspects of Saturn and Mars are like millstones to weigh 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 than Venus, but if Mars afflict, Venus helps more than 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 while 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, for delay is dangerous in acute diseases; be sure you place one of them two in the Ascendant when you administer the medicine (viz. observe by the Table of Houses when Jupiter or Venus will cross in the Ascendant). Put all these together, and it will tell you in the words at length and not in figures that a physician without Astrology is like a pudding without fat.

That place and state of the planet from which the Moon is separated at the Decumbiture, and the condition of 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 the 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 that 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. 

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 certify you in what houses every planet takes his delight, as being confident even amongst Astrologers more are ignorant of it than know it. 

(These things are carefully to be observed in gathering herbs, viz. if you cannot have the planet in the Ascendant in his own sign, see to have him in the house he delights in. Vide The English Physician.)

1. The Sun delights in the Fourth, Ninth and Eleventh Houses.
2. The Moon rejoices in the Third and Seventh Houses.
3. Saturn rejoices in the Ascendant, Eighth and Twelfth Houses.
4. Jupiter rejoices in the Second, Ninth and Eleventh.
5. Mars rejoices in the Third, Sixth and Tenth.
6. Venus rejoices in the Fifth and Twelfth.
7. Mercury rejoices in the Ascendant and Sixth.

Here's but a few words, yet so significant, that the nature and condition, the sympathy and antipathy of the planets, and by consequence of the creation may be known from it. 'Tis not my present scope to tell you which way; whet your wits upon it, and they will be the sharper.

Consider whether the planet the Moon applies to be direct or retrograde, swift or slow in motion, oriental, occidental or combust, whether fortunated or infortunated by other planets. 

And when you have done so, it is your wisest way to consider whether the threatening planet be in his own house or exaltation, or other essential dignities, whether he be in planets of good terms or evil; for if a good planet has gotten an ill planet in his term, he will order him. To wind up this in one word, consider whether the threatening planet has power to execute his will or not, for sometimes a curs'd cow hath short horns.

Do but so much as note what configurations of the Lord of the Ascendant, Sixth and Eighth Houses have one with another. And amongst the rest, do not forget the Lord of the Seventh and Twelfth, and I'll give you my reason why: the Seventh, because it opposes the Ascendant, he assaults life openly and is not ashamed of what he does; he plays the part of Ajax, goes to't with downright blows without policy. The Sixth, Eighth and Twelfth Houses have no affinity at all with the Ascendant, and they have more of Ulysses in them than Ajax; they take away a man's life when he's asleep, or else when he knows not how.

Partile aspects are far more strong and prevalent than platick.

Be pleased but to consider that the Sixth House and his Lord signify the sickness, the Seventh the physician, the eighth death, the Tenth the medicine, the Fourth the end of the disease. And when you have done so, I have done with this point. 

These things thus premised, when you have read them you shall find I first come to . . .