Suspicions enough of the French Pox.

 

Chapter XIII.

How it may be known what part of the body is afflicted.

That this may be known, for 'tis not only possible but also probable, be pleased to consider:

If the sign of the Lord of the Sixth possesses, especially if he be an unfortunate or a fortune unfortunated. (Here the Lord of the Sixth or afflicting the Sixth shall signify the disease.)

And then consider what part of the body the sign he is in governs, as Aries governs the head, Taurus the neck and throat, &c., and be sure that part is afflicted. (viz. the planet that afflicts the Sixth or planets there.)

Consider what part of the body the afflicting planet rules, what sign, which are under that sign, and you need not question but that's afflicted. For example, Venus though she rule many parts of the body, yet in Scorpio she rules only the privities. (viz. that planet being in the sign of Venus in Virgo rules the privities &c.)

(Good rules also you may observe, and I think not amiss, though any planet should cast out an aspect to the Sixth to see what parts the aspecting planet governs in the sign, as well as though he were daily in that sign, and so by aspect afflicts that part he governs. And so in all aspects in physical judgement to consider the part the aspecting planet governs in that sign he aspects, as if any planets aspect the aged, see whether the planets aspecting govern first in that sign, so that part is afflicted according to the nature of the planet afflicting. You may, if you please, consider according to the second rule what sign the planet afflicting is in.)

Saturn Lord of the Sixth and in the Tenth in Taurus afflicts the body universally, but especially the left side.

Saturn Lord of the Sixth in the last degrees of Gemini, or in the first degree of Cancer, causes pain in the left side, as though an awl were run into it.

Saturn Lord of the Sixth in Leo in the Second House causes pain in the back and heart, the original of which (says my author) is blood; but I should rather think it melancholy.

If he be in Virgo in the Twelfth House, signifies pain in the head. If he be in Scorpio oriental and slow in motion, signifies diseases in the reins as the gravel, stone and pissing blood. I confess I can give no reason for all this. 

If Saturn be Lord of the Disease and in Aquarius, the disease comes to travel.

Mars Lord of the Sixth and in the Fifth, and in Scorpio, gives an internal pain in all parts of the body. If it be a woman, she is not well in her womb, the illness of which afflicts all her body, especially her head, by reason of that admirable congruity betwixt that part and her womb; kind women, take note of it, for it is as true as that the Sun is up when he is upon the meridian. All cephalic medicines help the womb and remedy its grief; I am confident you desire a reason of it, you shall not fail of your desires. It is because Aries and Scorpio are both the houses of Mars.

If Mars be retrograde in Scorpio and in the Ascendant, the whole body is universally afflicted, but externally, viz. the man breaks out in boils and ulcers or itch, perhaps it is the smallpox or measles (Venus in Scorpio). If Venus set forward the mischief, the French Pox is shrewdly to be suspected.

If Mars be Lord of the Sixth in Leo, the sick is extremely pained in his back; in this you need never fear failing.

If Mars be Lord of the Sixth in Virgo, my author says it will lie in the left side or left leg; but after I had half an hour's talk with Doctor Experience, he proved to me it was always the cholic and heat in the bowels. Take heed it comes not to the gravel in the kidneys when Mars comes into Libra, and to the stone in the bladder when Mars comes to Scorpio. He that is a physician knows as well how to prevent a disease before it comes, as how to remedy it when it is come.

The Moon in the Ascendant afflicted by Saturn or Mars bestows difficulty of breathing and infirmities in the lungs upon a man. I confess I can give no reason for it.

Venus Lady of the Sixth and unfortunated by Mars gives suspicions enough of the French Pox. 

Here is enough to teach you more; let not all your wits lie in your books. Be diligent and studious, or else you may happen to die fools; let not all your wits lie in books, but some in your heads. It is that within you, and not that without you must do you good.

As for the side of the body afflicted, my author has left a few rules to know it, which I will declare to you, and leave them to the approbation or exprobation of Doctor Experience. They are these:

If the Lord of the Sixth House be afflicted above the Earth, and in a diurnal sign, the sickness is in the right side of the body, and in the upper part of it.

If the Lord of the Sixth be under the Earth, and in a nocturnal sign, the sickness lies in the inferior parts of the body and on the left side.

Whether he be under or above the Earth in a diurnal, the sickness is in the forepart of the body; imagine the forehead, face, breast, belly or some other visible part.

If it be in a nocturnal sign, the disease lies in the back part of the body, or else in some part that lies invisible as the bowels &c., or perhaps the disease lies occult; for take this for a general rule, the diseases are more hid from the eyes of your understanding, when the significators of them are in nocturnal signs, than they are when they are in diurnal. 

If the significators are corrupted by other planets, and a difference in these rules between the significator and the planet that corrupts them, the patient is afflicted both ways; namely, according as the planets corrupting signifies.

In such a case, view diligently which of them is most afflicted, and your reason, if you have any, will tell you that the most part of the malady lies in that part of the body signified by the planet which is most afflicted. 

To wind up all in a word, masculine planets denote the right side of the body, feminine the left; all of them afflict that part of the body which they govern, as Venus secrets, Mars head &c.

Chapter XIV.

Whether the disease shall be long or short, or whether it shall end in life or death.

For judging of this, take a few cautions by the way.

Consider if the Sun, Moon, Ascendant and their Lords be much or little afflicted.

Consider the age of the sick party, for old age brings longer sickness than youth.

Consider the time of the year, for autumn and winter bring longer sicknesses than spring and summer.

Consider the complexion of the patient, for a melancholy man is more subject to retain a sickness than a choleric.

Consider the planet afflicting, for Saturn produces longer sickness than Mars.

The planets generally and briefly order the sicknesses they give in this manner; Saturn gives long sicknesses, the Sun and Jupiter short, Mars shorter than either of them but acute, Venus mean, Mercury various and inconstant according to the planet he is joined with or aspected to. The Moon gives such sickness as often return, as agues, falling sickness &c. And therefore the direction of the Moon to the body, or aspect of Saturn will sooner cause a falling sickness than the direction of any other sigificator.

These are the cautions, and according to these cautions, so understand these following aphorisms which you shall find marshalled into these three divisions; first, signs of long or short sickness; secondly, signs of recovery; thirdly, signs of death.