The Poetry and Astrology of the Renaissance Period

Various Theories on Something much more Sinister.

As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Ive begun reading a book entitled, Dr. Simon Forman: The Notorious Physician
and Astrologist by Judith Cook. In the introduction, she mentions that the edited
edition of The Casebooks of Simon Forman that were published by A.L Rowse
with his commentary. He was not just seeking information on the physician, but of
a woman by the name of Emelia Bassano Lanier! WhyI cannot help but wonder
what his interest in her was besides that she was a candidate for the Dark Lady
Sonnets by William Shakespeare. Simon Forman was not only a physician of this
time period, but also a skilled astrologer with whom Emilia had visited many times.
I sometimes feel about the same way he didover 400 years is quite a long time
ago, the past with little re-liable information can leave a lot to the imagination, to
say the least. I suppose Simon Forman was better at keeping diaries (casebooks)
than William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser and Emilia
Bassano Lanier and the like. Perhaps they were just too busy writing Sonnets and
Plays for the Queens Court: Queen Elizabeth I. I have to admit that my purpose in
reading this book had not much to do with the fact that Simon Forman was a
physician of that time period, but that he was also an astrologer of the above
mentioned people.
Although I have never wanted to get involved with debate about the true
authorship of Shakespeares work, I felt that I needed the support; the clear,
undeniable clues that only a creative writer with a little imagination could plainly
identify with. With the wealth of websites dedicated to the honour of these 16th
century poets, it was also something that couldnt be avoided. There have been
many great researchers and scholars alike that have done some wonderful work
on the subject of Shakespeares true authorship; however, I would quickly

become discouraged after reading thier works for various reasons and always ask
myself: How can the author of Shakespeares work be Francis Bacon when he was
visibly too busy with his own perspective career developing and nurturing the
Bacon theory in science, not literature. As well, his efforts are recorded in the
literature world as masterful essayist. Also, Christopher Marlowe would have only
had time in his very short life span to write the first four of Shakespeares plays
before his untimely death in 1593.
In Judith Cooks book, Dr. Simon Forman: The Notorious Physician and Astrologer,
dedicates an entire chapter to a clandestine group of scientists, mathematicians,
astrologers, astronomers, and writers called The School of Night with the support
of Sir Walter Raleigh and Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. The support of
these two noblemen was obviously not strong enough to prevent Christopher
Marlowes arrest on the 20th of May or his death ten days later. My imagination
cant help but wonder what this fellow tavern patron meant when he said who
should pay the reckoning before killing Christopher MarloweWas it just a tavern
brawl over the payment of the bill as Judith Cook believed or was it something
much more sinister? Christopher Marlowe was known to be a little eccentric and
out spoken. I am imagining that Judith Cook may have dedicated an entire chapter
to The School of Night because Christopher Marlowe was a good friend of Simon
Forman.
After visiting a couple of websites on the life of Christopher Marlowe and learning
about a few good book titles, I discovered that my theory about the tavern brawl
being something much more sinister wasnt that far off, especially the title of one
of the biographies that I found: The Reckoning: The Murder of Christopher
Marlowe by Charles Nicholl. The online synopsis of the few books that I have
found claimed that Deptford wasnt a tavern, but a lodging place or temporary
housing facilityI have even read that Christopher Marlowe may have been
planning to retreat to Scotland, not Italy, as some websites that I found claim. In
Judith Cooks book, the Deptford Tavern was owned by Eleanor Bullshe was half
right, the Deptford House was owned by Eleanor Bull and it may have been The
School of Nights meeting place. I was originally looking for information on a
different poet of the Renaissance period of writing, but with all the rich history to
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be found in the 16th century Elizabeth society, I suppose a person cant help to
become side tracked.
After the almost year of reading and research, I decided that it was time to
formalize my astrological educationto learn the various ways of determining a
birth time when no other option than the particular planets position above was
available. So far, it has been quite beneficial in helping with that discerning
process. One of the assignments was to assign ruler-ship of every living thing on
planet Earth to one of the particular planet above: the shrub myrtle is governed by
the planet Mercury. After discovering this fact, I l quickly looked to where
Christopher Marlowes planet Mercury was positioned in his natal chart, then
matched the degree of this planet to its corresponding Sabian Symbol. Mercury, to
be found only a few degrees from the chart that I had already drawn up, to me,
related well with the Sabian Symbol that represents the 25th degree of Aquarius. I
feel that I have properly developed Christopher Marlowes natal chart and may
have found an adequate time of birth.
From a poem @ http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/passionateshepherd.htm The
Passionate Shepherd to his Love two separate lines have found a place in my
imagination and have continued to peek my curiosity level ever since. The first
line: Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; clearly establishes the above
paragraph and what I am about to perceive about Christopher Marlowes time of
birth @ 03:22:47. The second line: A belt of straw and ivy-budsthe planet
Saturn, not only governs the sign of Capricorn, but the ivy vine or climber plant as
well. On Christopher Marlowes natal chart, the fixed star Facies is in paran with
the planet Mercury @ 01~ 10 Capricorn. This fixed star has always denoted eye
problems of any kindusually just weak eyesight today; however, its symbolism
was a little more direct in latter days. It is thought to be one of the most intense
and concentrated stars above; concentrated in a passionate sense, which could
have constructive energy; as well as, destructive energy. I found it a little ironic to
discover that Christopher Marlowe was stabbed in the eye and, therefore, died
instantly.
Sabian symbols are degrees that have intrinsic meaning for the entire 360 degrees
of the zodiac wheel; each degree encompasses a zodiac sign, planet or the angle
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within a particular natal chart. The 25th degree of Aquarius, where the planet
Mercury is located in the birth chart of Christopher Marlowe, is entitled A Butterfly
with the Right Wing more perfectly formed. The right wing of the butterfly
represents spiritual wholenessa sort of look beneath (or opposite) the aspects of
the physical nature, represented by the left wing of the butterfly; the key phrase
for this degree of the zodiac wheel represents a transference of emotional
energies. Would not the above mentioned poem The Passionate Shepherd to his
Love represent the transference of emotional energies?
I find the Sabian Symbol for the first degree of Capricorn is quite interesting! The
explanation given, at the time of Christopher Marlowes supposed accidental
death, leads me to wonder whether his relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh
intimidated another within The School of Night group. The Sabian Symbol for this
degree of Capricorn represents The power and responsibility applied in any claim
for leadership. Whether the role of leadership is nothing more than a turning point
in a your life that stresses a circumstance where you may need to adjust certain
standards within your own domain or from what I learned, thus far, about the
incident of Christopher Marlowes death, he just may have, inadvertently, stepped
on the toes of some other member of The School of Night.

I have recently ordered the above mentioned book The Reckoning: The Murder
of Christopher Marlowe by Charles Nicholl. When it comes in, hopefully, it will
help support my own developing theory. In the meantime, I left a few the links
below that I found quite interesting!
There are many various theories on the death of Christopher Marlowe. This website
that I have found @
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/famous/christopher_marlowe
/index.html highlights just a few of them.
http://www.marlowe-society.org/marlowe/life/deptford5.html A website dedicated to
Christopher
Marlowes life.
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/marlowebio.htm The works of Christopher
Marlowethe biography on this website clearly states that his birth date was
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February 6, 1564; while, the date he was christened was February 26, 1564
perhaps this 20 day gap lends to his and obviously his families atheist beliefs, for
the London law (Roman Catholic tradition) of that period ordered any baby to be
baptized within five days of his/her birth. Upon further reading, I was to discover
that Christopher Marlowe was born in Canterbury, England perhaps the London
law didnt extend as far as their neighboring village.
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/marlobib.htm

The Signature of a Horary Question

The Priest of the Sun title of chapter 22 in the The Reckoning: The Murder of Christopher Marlowe by
Charles Nicholl, not only engages the reader, but the writer in search of a writing idea, or a horary chart to
learn from. This old, ancient adage, in my opinion, has proven itself to be not only factual, but faithful. When
I read a comment made by fellow playwright, Robert Greene, referring to Marlowe as The Mad Priest of the
Sun after his debut play Tamburlaine the Great, I created the following Horary Chart Aug 31st, 2015 @ 6:09
PM, and asked,
Was Robert Greene suspicious of Christopher Marlowes belief in a sun-centred solar system, introduced by
Giordano Bruno in the year 1583, via a visit to Londonin short, did Brunos work inspire Marlowes
Tamburlaine the Great?
Act I: scene I, of Tamburlaine the Great begins with the conversation between the brothers Mycetes and
Cosroe, which reveals five of the seven known planets of that time period: the Sun, Cynthia: the Moon,
Saturne, Lord Jove: Jupiter and Mercurie. Bruno was an advocate of the Nicholas Copernicus belief that the
universe revolved around the Sun as opposed to the general, widespread wisdom that the earth lay at the
center of the solar system.

As I go through the list of fundamental questions to prove the validity of any horary chart, I find my self
with my first dilemmadoes the ascendant and its ruler physically describe the querent and the situation?
While I cant help but be intrigued that the Ascendent (ASC), which lay upon the 6 th degree of Aquarius, and
the sign Sabian symbol for this degree, A performance of a mystery play. Considering thatTamburlaine the
Great was Christopher Marlowes debut play, it can; therefore, be categorized within the meaning of the
above stated Sabian symbol. Although it is the midpoint at 6`Leo, An old woman and a flapper, peeks my
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interest, this Sabian symbol for this sign involves the perspective of various generational views. Have we all
not lost time in the attics and basements of our grandparents and their long kept mementos and imagined what
life back then must have been like; how about going even further back to our earlier ancestors or even the
ancestors from various cultures and also imagining what life back then must have been like? Still, I need to ask
myself what does this have to do with the querent and the situation? Everything!
Although the above stated question is the one that I will be beginning with, the continouosly developing
desire to discover the identity of the person who was vulnerable until Marlowes murder on May 30 th, 1593, will
always be the underlying theme of any future horary chart or question. I do not know of any other way to
solve this puzzle then to open with the basics and the beginning of Christopher Marlowes career. I am hoping
that the inquisitiveness of the sign Aquarius will shed light upon the various details needed in order to discover
the answer that I am seeking.
I also believe that the placement of the Moon @ 10~ 22 Aries may have some bearing on the matter at hand
because the 1st house in a horary chart represents new projects and personal interests. The sign of Aries also
signifies new beginnings and self-assertion which, in my opinion, would be highly valued for a new-comer in
the competitive theatre genre. As for me, I am hoping that this placement of the Moon will propel my
enthusiasm in discovering who was spared by Christopher Marlowes murder.
One of the concepts that the 7th house deals with is person who has dealings with another but whose
relation is not specified by another houseI am asking a question about someone I do not know, yet have read
much about; someone who had lived in a time much earlier, a time with very different social, religious, and
political viewsas far as I know, there is no particular house that represents asking a question about a
historical figure. While the cusp of the 7th house is in Leo, the placement of the second light, the Sun is
intercepted @ 8` 18 Virgo. The sign Leo is about entertainment and theatre; the sign Virgo is about the
needed detailed work that new projects require. The most recent past major aspect made by the Moon to the
Sun was a trinea trine signifies a positive relationship; a positive relationship between Giordano Bruno and
Christopher Marlowe perhaps? Since there are no classical considerations presentMoon in Via Combusta, Moon
Void of Course, Moon in late degrees, or Saturn in 7th house, the chart is, therefore, considered radical;
significant and useful. The signature of a horary chart!
Because of various religious up-heavels and the Great London Fire of 1666, few factschurch records, court
registries and political archives , remain to reveal what life must have been like back then. Much has been left
up to the imaginationthe imagination and a visual aid a horary chart.