A team of horses cannot draw me to believe that the Moon rules the taste.

 

The particular parts and members of the body which the planets generally rule.

Herein I must either a little be critical, or else part from my loving friend Doctor Reason. I am loth to do the latter, and therefore must make bold with the former. 

Saturn, say authors, rules in the body of man the spleen, and there he keeps his court; the right ear, the bladder, the bones, the teeth, the retentive faculties throughout the body which, what is it, be pleased to see my short Treatise of Human Virtues in the latter end of my Ephemerides for anno 1651, where you shall find not only what it is, but also what it is good for.

Against all this I except but against only one, which is the bladder, for that is under the dominion of the Moon.

They say Jupiter rules the lungs, ribs, sides, liver, veins, blood, the digestive faculty, the natural virtue of man which he rules, as lawyers call it, toto & solido.

Besides, authors he rules the arteries and seed, but how they can bring it about I know not, nor I think themselves neither why should Jupiter rule the arteries when the Sun rules the heart.

He that can give a reason erit mihi magnus Apollo, and as little reason can be given and that's little enough why Jupiter should rule the seed, which is Dame Venus her fee simple; surely the planets will not rob one another, though men do. Howsoever, Jupiter seems to keep his court in the liver, and if you are minded to strengthen his operations in your bodies, begin there. 

Mars rules in the body of man the gall, the reins, the secrets, the left ear. Thus authors. 

And there is but two true words in it, which is the gall and the left ear. The truth is he rules the apprehension, and that's the reason that choleric men are so quick witted. 

Yea, a man of a mean apprehension, when he is angry, will make a quicker apprehension in things satisfying his fury, then a man of a quicker apprehension has when he is pleased. Anger summons up all the powers of the body and mind to revenge wrong, though it be but imaginary. And then again, Mars rules that faculty which incites men to valour; he makes a man a soldier every inch of him, he fortifies the smell, and that the reason why martial creatures have so good smells as dogs, &c.

But very little reason, or none at all, unless you will make a reason of tradition who derives his pedigree rather from Doctor Corruption than from Doctor Reason why Mars should rule the veins, seeing Jupiter rules the liver; if Jupiter rule the fountain, shall he be denied the streams? And then the reins and secrets are under Venus, and that's apparent without anymore dispute of the story. 

Venus rules the womb, testicles, yard, and all instruments of generation; the reins or kidneys, the throat, women's breasts and milk contained within them, the seed and liver. 

But by my author's favour, I can give no other reason why Venus should rules the liver, unless I should give this for a reason, because Jupiter stole the seed from her before; she, to quit scores with him, steals away the liver from him.

Under the dominion of Mercury is the brain, especially the rational part of it, the imaginations, the tongue, hands and feet, the motional part of man. 

And that the reason Mercurialists (if Mercury be strong) are so swift in motions, so fluent of speech.

He gives a quick apprehension a strong imagination and conceit; he makes a good penman, and stirs up that faculty in man which causes a thirst after knowledge. He is very fickle in his disposition, and that's what makes men so fickle-headed. 

If Saturn vouchsafe him a friendly look, he is very constant; otherwise, if you look upon a weathercock, you may safely draw his picture, and no disparagement to his person neither.

The Sun governs (if you will believe authors) the brains and nerves, the heart and arteries, the sight, the eyes; and in the eyes, the right eye of a man, the left eye of a woman. Against these I except the brain and nerves, the bulk of which is under the Moon. Their operation is under Mercury; now then, if Mercury afflict the brain, the failing is in the operation.

If the Moon, in the bulk or body of the brain or nerves, he that is a physician knows what the operations of nature are, and then he knows what I say is truth and the foundation of it built upon a rock. He will esteem it as a jewel. 

It is the property of a fool to carp at what he cannot imitate. 

Under the Moon is the bulk of the brain, the stomach, the bowels, the bladder, the taste, the left eye of a man, the right eye of a woman. A team of horses cannot draw me to believe that the Moon rules the taste. 

If you please to procure my Treatise of Human Virtues, at the latter end of my Ephemerides for Anno 1651, I think you shall find there that Jupiter rules it, and my reason for it may there be found. Besides, I have something from Doctor Experience for it, my own taste being exceeding good, and yet the Moon exceeding weak in my genesis, being in a cadent house and in Gemini, a sign which in my opinion more afflicts the Moon than Capricorn. 

I confess Mr Lilly affirms Gemini to be a most noble sign, but I dare scarce believe him. Aries is the most principal of all the signs; Gemini is cadent from Aries, ergo &c. But not now to enter into a contest with that famous man, to whom this nation is so much beholding. 

Be pleased to take notice that the Twelfth House is more inimical to the Ascendant that the Seventh, which if so, then is the Moon more afflicted in Gemini than in Capricorn.