A Table shewing what members in Mans Body
every Planet Signifieth in any of the twelve Signs.
[from William Lilly's Christian Astrology. pp.119-22]
This is short segment from William Lilly's Christian Astrology regarding astrological diagnosis and prognosis. Lilly was the great 17th Century astrologer who predicted many things, including the Fire of London. His book was named as such for political reasons during the Interregnum. The following serves as a good example of his style as well as providing jewels of wisdom! Personally, I've found that familiarity has bred content.
I have left the text unedited, except for the most glaring typos, most notably in the title itself. The layout has been altered to display more clearly in web format. A coloured true type astrological font was added. Lilly has a crabbed style, with the occasional scintillating moment. His knowledge and skill was and remains astounding! [PJC].
P.119
The Use and Reason of the Former Table.
It was well neer four yeers after I had studied Astrology, before I could finde any reason, why the Planets in every of the Signs should signifie the members as mentioned in the Table: at last, reading the 88. Aphorisms of Hermes, I understood the meaning of it, viz. Erit im-pedimentum circa 111am partem corporis quam significat signum, quod fuerit nativitatis tempore impeditum. There will be some impediment in or neer that part of the body, which it signified by the Sign that shall be afflicted at the time of the Birth The use of all comes to thus much:
That if you would know where any Disease is, I mean
in what member of the body, see in what Sign the significator of the sick Party
is, and what part of mans body that Planet signifies in that Sign, which you may
doe by the former Table, in that member or part of the body shall you say the
sick party is grieved or diseased.
As if Saturn be Significator of the sick party, and
at time of your question in Gemini; have recourse to your Table, and you see
Saturn in Gemini a Disease in the Belly or heart &c. Do so in the rest.
P120
Now the reason of this signification of every Planet in such or such a Sign is this.
Every Planet in his own House or Sign, governeth the Head; in the second Sign from his House, the neck; in the third Sign from his house, the Arms and Shoulders; and so successively through the twelve Signs: as Saturn in Capricorn ruleth the Head, in Aquarius the Neck, in Pisces Arms and Shoulders; so Jupiter in Sagittarius ruleth the Head, in Capricorn the Neck, in Aquarius the Arms and Shoulders.
The Moon observes the same order as the rest; yet the Arabians, from whom this learning is, doe allow her in Aries the Head as well as the Knees: The Head, because Aries signifies so much:
The Knees, because Aries is the ninth Sign from Cancer.
You may observe this in the marks of mans Body, and many other judgments, and make singular use of it; ever remembering this, the more the Sign is vitiated, the greater mole or scarre; or the neerer to an Azimene, Pitted or Dificient degree of the Sign, the stronger is the deformity, sicknesse, &c,
CONSIDERATIONS before Judgment.
All the Ancients that have wrote of questions, doe give warning to the
Astrologer, that before he deliver judgment he well consider whether the
Figure is radicall and capable of judgment; the Question then shall be taken
for radicall, or fit to be judged, when as the Lord of the hour at the time of
proposing the Question, and erecting the Figure, and the Lord of the Ascendant
or first House, are of one Triplicity, or be one, or of the same nature.
As for example;
let the Lord of the hour be Mars, let the Sign of Scorpio, Cancer or Pisces
ascend, this Question is then radicall, because Mars is Lord of the Hour, and
of the Watry Triplicity, or of those Signs Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.
Again, let the
Lord of the hour be Mars, and Aries ascend, the Question shall be radicall,
because Mars is both Lord of the hour and Sign ascending.
P.121
Let the Lord of the hour be Mars, and let the Sign Leo ascend, here, although the Sun is one of the Lords of the Fiery Triplicity, and the Lord of the Sign Leo, yet shall the Question be judged; because the Sun, who is Lord of the Ascendant, and Mars who is Lord of the hour, are both of one nature, viz. Hot and Dry.
When either 00. degrees, or the first or second degrees of a Sign ascend (especially in Signs of short ascentions, viz. Capricorn, Aquarius, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, you may not adventure judgment, unlesse the Querent be very young, and his corporature, complexion and moles or scarres of his body agree with the quality of the Sign ascending.
If 27, 28, 29 degrees ascend of any Sign, it’s no wayes safe to give judgment, except the Querent be in yeers corresponding to the number of degrees ascending; or unlesse the Figure be set upon a certain time, viz, a man went away or fled at such a time precise; hope you may judge, because it’s no propounded question.
It’s not safe to judge when the Moon is in the later degrees of a Sign, especially in Gemini, Scorpio or Capricorn; or as some say, when she is in Via Combusta, which is, when she is in the last 15 degrees of Libra, or the first fifteen degrees of Scorpio.
All manner of matters goe hardly on (except the principall significators be very strong) when the Moon is void of course; yet somewhat she performs if void of course, and be either in Taurus, Cancer, Sagittarius or Pisces.
You must also be wary, when in any question propounded you find the Cusp of
the seventh house afflicted, or the Lord of that house Retrograde, or
impedited, and the matter at that time not concerning the seventh house, but
belonging to any other house, it’s an argument the judgment of the
Astrologer’s will give small content, or any thing please the Querent; for the
seventh house generally hath signification of the Artist.
The Arabians, as
Alkindus and others, doe deliver these following rules, as very fit to be
considered before a Question be judged.
Viz. if Saturn be in the
Ascendant, especially Retrograde, the matter of that Question seldom or never
comes to good.
P.122
Saturn in the seventh either corrupts the judgment of the Astrologer, or is a Sign the matter propounded will come from one misfortune to another.
If the Lord of the Ascendant be Combust, neither question propounded will take, or Querent be regulated.
The Lord of the 7th unfortunate, or in his fall, or Terms of the Infortunes, the Artist shall scarce give a solid judgment.
When the testimonies of Fortunes and Infortunes are equal, deferre judgment, it’s not possible to know which way the Ballance will turn: however, deferre you your opinion till another question better informs you.
