Indago Aftrologica:

O R,
A brief and modcft Enquiry into

fome Principal Points

ASTROLOGY,

As it was delivered

By the FATHERS of it,

And is now generally received

By the SONS of it.

By /efjua Chlldrey of Fenjtrfim in

1552.
 The Preface,

LEt the RuJer jirfi.fif qll.Jfutr wefo

v., <ufogi%em have to Mtfrtffle
his fevtretenfmfor wyUptigJwit

demnfir^Uv$fod to
needf roof as much as any thing elfe I
Jhall fay ; For though in former times
the motion of the Earth hath been exploded as abfnrd,
and in this lafl Age by Noble Vcrulam himfelf (rvhofe
profound Philofophy I no left admire, then I do at their
unworthy (lighting of it, mho proud of their own high
fearingfMntofies, .contemn experiment *<■ hrl™ thtm.
and though they demolijh the airy Caflles of the Stagi ■
rite, doit, but to make their own more jpeclahle) con-
demned as vain • yet it is by Galileo, Philolaus in his
•J^SjfpcmatcMundi, andother accurate obferversand
Comparers of fie Phaenomena of Heaven, fo plainly de-
monfirated ad oculum, that it mufi tloiv no longer pa fs
/orOpinio, but in the Language of the Schools under the
Notion of Scientia. Neither can ^attribute the error of
the Ancients, and the Lord Verulam touching this point,
to any thing Co much as this, That they were not fuffi-
ciently verfdin Aftronomy : For the Phenomena and
reafons whereon this piece of truth hangs, are for the
A 2 mofi
 The Preface;
mofi fdrt fitch, that be fides thefe who are wad acquainted
: with fj&eTheoriqucs of the Planets (abfitdi<So mvidia)
few or none, either know, mark, or can nnderftandthem,
as I might imfisnce in Particulars: but that is ho part of
my task. For that which follows, the moderate Reader
will finde it to be Sphxra plumbca, though dully penned,,
yet of more weight then length : Had Jome Mercuries
hadfo much News to have told the world, three or four
quire of Paper would have been too firaita girdle for
their Tympany • which difeafe is grown fo mifch into
fafhion, that the fmalnefs of my Book toils me, I mufb
etepeff no ptheKwefcome for it into the world but Fujh,
' andhoother name bui'a Trifle,
 J

Indago Aftrologka.

Self. i.
THc old Hyfothejis of the World according fo
to Ftolomey is found to be falfe, and that neiv
one of Copernicus (where the Q is thc immova-
ble Centre of the Univcrfcj and the Earth moved in
the faid Orb which' Ptolomy gwc the®} is evinced to be
theonely true one.
Secf. 2,
Notwirhftanding this cvidion in behalf of Coperxi-
rus, the Afpe£h arc by all Aftronomcrs yet calculated
according to the old Syjteme of Ptolmy^is if thcEanh
were the Center,which the motions of the Planets,and
by confcquence the Afpc&s did refpedt. Sothat though
Aflronomy be corrected, yet Aftrology (which judges
moflly by Afpeds,) remains, yet uncorreftcd. Inaf-
much as
Self. 3.
The AfpeAs ought to be calculated (a? the Schools
fpealt'J as they are, not quoad nos, bur quoad tiAtunmi Pi.
diftindlion that ftiits marvclloufly well with our prefenc
pi ■ pofe, better a great deal then with their priority and
notiority.) For
 f
Ifa Line drawn from the Center of the Earth through
ef a Planet (ehis bdng fuppoftd and grants
ed that'the' Earth moves in art O'rb'abdvej^'andfb
continued do interfcdl the Ztdiack (for examples fake)
in the 22 degree of as-, again, if a Line drawn from
the Center of the o through the Center of the fame
Planet, and continued do interfedlthe Zodmk in the
29 degree of certainly the place of that Planet is
rathcrtobe accounted the 29 degree of $ then the 22,
Ence this determines but his apparent place and qtmd
nes, that his true place and qutaditaturam: And ijf Jo,
thenhis, point of b1 will be not thezi but 29 of %his
A of K and m hisf of T and -, and his^ not the 3;
but 29 of v and And if fo too.
Self. 5,
Wcfoall alTumcdhe boldncfs to; begin the 'correction
of the Arabian Aftrdogy after this fort. i. Let the
(notions of all thoPJanctsand their places be calcula-
ted , us they rektc to the G (an caficr and more cxpe-
dfolepiece of Arithmetick, then to relate them tothe
Earth.) And when this is done, ,
SeSt. 5.
2. Let their Afpeds be collected thence according to
the common cultom of onr Bfhemrides that arc now
in requCft: rAfter .which done, you will .pctceivc this
widodifttrcncehetweejidbisaad ihedld Awology. ;
■Sltf.'.j.
Fir it, Inthc 3 fupcrior Planets T? V and thatrvhich
in the Ephemerides is now called^©, will be found to
 ., 1
be 8 of the Earth (whole Chatadcr for brevity and di-
ftinflions fake may be r this.Q#]) • and thejr "S o will, be
found; to be d #'• their 0 to be a ^ their A o a
and their d^andO^ dexter for finifter,. and fiailter
for dexter.
fed. 8.
Further, not onely thefpeetes of the Afpcft will be
altered, but the time too: For onely the rf • and 89
willexadty agree with the tiraesor (?0and ^o> The
^ and ^ of o will differ fomewbat from the times of
the A and * (af •, and the dg will differ moft from
the time of cl ••■
5e<7. g .
More-then this, all tlreir that they haweach
toother, will be found diffetem ftom theold'o((rt(iM5W-
received) quoadtmpuf, ttori quoadjpe&M'> f¥VpoYti(i&
ably to their diftancc from.the,ffieming place of the Q-
Seff, io.
Secondly, The place of the •in the ZoJiaqutyi'Aike-
found in the point oppofiterothr place of the®
now Ephtmeridet.
Scft, n.
Thirdly, the 3 onely (feeing the Earth is the Center of
her Orb, and to it therefore her motion and pfeccniuft
bc refetrcd) muft kecp her old place inthe1 ac-
cording to our Epijtmendts^ without any alteration at.
all. And yet this fomething improperly too, feeing the
Zodiaque and her Orb have not a common center; for
the ©is the center, of the one, andthc^of the other.
" Tourthly, i(n^ iR^r^ts, t^eir Cper^irjaf
do in the middlcbftheir diteftion willbe found to be
aceal(P#'andtheir c/o in the middle of their Rietro-
gradation a real cf#. yet without any difference in the
time.
Se£t. 13,
More then ttus, they will be found to have a ^ □ and
^ to the Earth, even as the three Superiors have,*be-
fides a □ ^ and ^ each to other, all which Afpeds our
Efhemriies would make them incapairlc of. Many.
other particular deduftions and differences I might
name) which becaufethefe will light you to the corner
whererthey arc, and I have circumfcribed my fclf into
a narrow room, I iliall omit. So that hence it will
plainly appear in all reafon, That
Stft. 14.
This which we here propound to be calculated and
collcSed, although hitnerto it hath not (1 may fay
through negligence^ been put in practice, istheonely
true doftrineof Afpefts, and theonely found founda-
tion of Jftrology.
Se£i. 15.
I am the more indined to believe this, that fomuch
reafon doth already dilate and confirm, when I confi-
Jer the. weaknefs and (liiftsof the old Aftrology.
Self. 16.
Weakne(s,.in that all the Predictions (oratlcaflppin
a hundred) of the oldAftrology, which notwithftand-
ing
 9
jng is Co crycd up iji this Age, d«diKcd from the UtU-
mick Afpcfts, are fo confciDufly.dQubrful, fe obfcure-
ly delivered, and many of them fo fallible, that it hath
notorioufly proved the fcandal of Aftrplogy, andpof-
feft the grave and foberbreafts of the world with a con-
ceit, That Aftrplpgyisbuta higher degree of Lieger
tiemhy gnd Aftrdlpgcrs but liberal Jugieis. Nayfp
pwr-blindeit is (I me-in the old Aftroldgy) that in the
very matter of theweatherit felf. it is fain to confefs it
felt unable to do any more then give a probable conje-
dhtreof it; and not without good caulc, fince it is of-
tentimes* far enoughfrptn doing that too,
Self. 17.
Shifts *, in that, when it hath found the weather fall
Put different or contrary to the ptomifes or threats of
their Afpcdls ("which is no wonder, for many times
there is above a Moneths difference between the appa-
rent and true Afpefts; as for example, the d T? 2. which
our Almanacks this year all fay happens about the lat-
ter end of May} really falls about the Tenth day of
jtfril, and was no doubt thecaufeof that cold, rainy
weather that then happened; to fay nothing of the
that happened two or three days before, as they
fhali findc who will take the pains to calculate this caficr
way) and not onely the weather, but other accidents
too -, it hath been forced to introduce a number of
whimScal Afpefts {isSemifextiles, Tredeciles, Quin-
tiles, Biq.-.'imiles, olfiles Vigi,.tiles, fiidncunces, Vtiin-
dreiles. Deciles, Semiqtmslrates, Sejqiiiqniidrttes, and
the like) not fo much to keep the other fiveoldones
company, ds to fumiih \\ re,ady with a good and had
 JO
Afpcft, thatfo it may make either (as occafion ferves)
the Father of fair or foul weather..
St ft. 18.
To the foregoing reafons we fliall adde another, al-
though but a weaker, That the truth of this doflrine of
Afpedsis wonderfully confirmed by obfervation,which
Ihould have been more particular and exad, had not
my profeflion fo ft ridly engaged engaged me to a daily
and confcientious attention upon it: For, having calcu-
lated the places of the Planets ( Minerva aliqnmo craf-
fiere, I confefs for want of time to altar my Tables) in
relation to the © as Center forfome Moneths pad ■ I
found the events all the way very audibly to anfwermy
expedations, even at fuch time when they were dumb,
orgainfayedthe Afpedsin the Almanacks. Let him
that lids, make tryal to fatisfie his minde by his own
obfeivation •, and he will (I dare confidently warrant '
him) finde that this is truth which I tell him, befides an
additional recompenfe for his pains.
Self. \g.
If any one ask how it (liould come to pafs that Haly,
GuiJo, and many Aftrologers both before and fince,
never lighted on this way. His anfwer muftbe, That
they all received and were finccrely perfwaded of the
old Syfiem, and upon this perfwafion fate down and
fought no further; whereas this is a Confedary of the
new. And
Seft. 20.
If he ask again how the Ancients thus erring both in
thekinde'and time of the true Afpeds, could come to
know
 II
knowfo well, notondy the nature of thePlancts,that
fome are benevolent, as V-and 2-, fome malevolent, as
■fiandi?; and fome of a middle nature, as the other
three, butalfo of the Afpeds, that fome are frowns, as
a and i? 5 fome (miles, as * and A} His anfwer is
ready for him, That it is mod: probable they came to
this knowledge by thofe Afpedls which they had each
to other, when tncy were at or near rf or <f of the o, as
alfo by their cT or<?to the© himfclf; which Afpedls (as
I told you) differ, fome very little, and fome nothing at
all in time from the true Afpeifis. As for example, it
might fo fortune that band? might be in cT, near about
the time (that is, within a day or two) of ^ his conjun-
dion with the o, and at that conjundion they might
obfervccold,mifling, rainy weather to happen. Hence
they gathered, that rfT?? {confidemtis confidtmndis)
was the caufe of a cold milling rain. Andfoin others,
not that I think this uncertain guide (blinde on one eye,
and pur-blinde on the other) could lead them into a per-
fed and infallible knowledge of their influence •, tor I
am perfwaded, that in fome matters they will be found
very wide: And whatthofe matters arc, this that I here
propofe is the moft likely way to difcover.
Seci, 21.
This that I fpeak touching the places and Afpeds of
the Planets to be altered, I would have to be under-
ftood not onely to be altered in Almanacks for the wea-
thers fake, butlikewife in all .figures, whether Horary,
^evolutional, or Genethliaque, and all other Judge-
ments whatfoever depending upon Afpeft or Diredlion.
For it is not to be doubted, but that it will at length ap-
 It
pear, TBattfcc grcaccftpartof that bitch of dlcntial
and accidental Dtgiticies and Debiltcies, as Hoofe, Ex-
altation, TripHcity, Term, Faccj Detriment, Fall, Pc-
regrinity, Reception,Conformity Of Hain and Quarter,
combuftion,in.centro o,and the like; together with part
of Fortune, life and ^eath, and thcdivifionsfcrcrally
of the Houfcs and Signs, dciervc no other place btR to
be ranked among thofc Shifts which iTpakc of before,
being invented for the fame end, as is probable enough.
Seff, 22.
And fincc I have been hitherto fo to bold to corrcft
that Aftrology which hath been received by all Mathe-
maticians till now: I fhall venture a little further in the
profccution of it, feeing there arc other things fit to be
confidered in Aftrology which are not, becaufe men
generally hold Authority to be rcafon.
Seff. 23.
Firft then let the Afpedls of thofc Planets whofc Orbs
arc immediately contignate, be ranked in a degree of
more powerful, bccaufe f/s witier fortius agit: fuch'
arc the Afpefls of fi and ¥ and S, <? and •> S and
B, when {he is oppolttc to the o,# and 2, 2 and the B,
when flie is about the change and 2 and 2, And as the
Orbs ofthe configurated Planets are farther aftinder or
nearer together, fo let their Afpcfts be accounted lefs or
more forcible.
Serf, 24.
Secondly, Let the Afpefts of the b with the other
Planets be little reckoned upon {unlefs in the cafes a-
bovenamed)fince they move about divers centers, and
their
 13
their Afpefts therefore are properly hot Afpedts, but
farming fo: The mod confiderable thing in the motion
of the® 1$ her age, or relation to the®.
Sftt, jj.
Thirdly, Let no Aftrologer henceforward difparagc
the fortune of his Native, becaufe his Almuten is fta-
tionary or retrograde, nor flatter it any thing the more
becaulc he is diredl; feeing thefe paifions are not real,
but {as they are fitly called) Ph/wmtM : But let him
rather judge by the Planets Apogtofts, Ferig&ofis, Hy-
pergaofis, and Hyptgttfis his culmination, his riling and
letting, his Northern or Southern Declination and La-
titude,things not hitherto much regarded.
Seff. 16,
Touithly, (but herein I give but my judgement)where-
as our now-Aftrology begins the year at the ©his en-
trance into'v on this fide of the Eqiutor, and erefh its
figure of Revolution for that time 5 it fcems more con-
gruous to begin it in December, when the ©enters ^5
and for this reafon, becaufe at that point of time the
©hathjuft finlibed hisfurtheft Southern progtefs, and
begins to come towards us again, from that time (to
ufe the common Argument)inftilling life by degrees in-
to the Plants of the Earth by his approach ; which,
though it be moft palpable in Marchy when he enters T
yet hath it a being and meafure while he is in1^, and
though v be the birth of vegetables, yet istheir con-
ception.
Seff. 27.
Fifthly, for the very fame reafon whereas Aftrolo-
gers accommodate always their Scheme to the time of
exclufion.
 14
exclufion, and by that judge of the future lot of the
Native •, it would better agree with reafon (me thinks)
to apply it to the time of the conception (if it may be
known) bccaufe that is moft properly the firft inftantof
being: for fuch is in many things our ftupidity, that we
think a thing is nor> becaufe we cannot (ee it be. And
Setf. 28.
Laftly, for the more full alfurance and attaining to
perfeftion in Judgement of the weather, I could wifli
thata courfe might be contrived (if it were poflible) for
obferving the weather in fome place under or near the
Equator, and in the fame Longitude with London, where
there are the fame noons, nights, mornings and even-
ings (fuch as are Axumy Mina or Biamba in Guinea, in
5 or 5 degrees of North Latitude) and that for half a
year or more(placesnear the Equator I chufe,becaufe ob
frofinquitatem a fir orum vim citius puritts & evident ins
fentiunt) while the like obfervations are made at Lon-
don at the fame time and for by the fame fpice •, that by
the collation of thefe Obfervations (together with the
Principles here delivered) that dark Riddle of Nature
may be folved. And
Sect. 2p.
Here,by being fo near,l fhall take occalion to prefume
little farther, and tell fome Aftrologers who account it
thcirglorytohave theirhearers tremble at their Ora-
cles, that they betray both their own credit, and (as
inthemliesjthetruthof Gods Word, by telling the
world thatthis Edipfe part in March, and thatotherto
coineini554. are certain Signs of the day of Judge-
ment; For (though it be true that Edipfesof theQ
(as
 Iniiigt jlroltgica. jj
. (as we call them) are more dreadful and effcftual to us,
then thofe of the J) •, for this reafon, becaufe the one
fort arc a privation of original Light,theof other a deri-
vative onely, yet) feeing that every year there happen
fometimes two, fometimes three, fomctimcs more, but
never fewer Edipfes, vilible in one Horizon or other,
though our own be no witnefs of them; the World by
theirLogick would have been by this time diffolveda
, hundred times over and over. And by this means too
wecanexpedlnolefs, then that credulous and cavilling
heads, when they flrall have furvived that other Ecliple
as well as this, and Iball fee the Univerfe /»jlatu qilo^
notwithftandingthefe outragious fantalies had turned
all into allies, will be apt enough to think, That [acred
Prophecies are tu empty Tenors, as thofe bold Sooth-
fayings; and, That dooms day is but a dream. A help
which in thefe days we need lead, fince too many al-
ready haveleap'd into Hell without this ftaff. Thatthc
end (hall be, isan Article of the CatholiqueFaithjbut
when it (hall be (fince the Ephcmerides of Heaven fpeaks
nothing of it 5 and not onely the Stars of the Calum
know nothing of it, but the Son of Righte-
oufnefshimfelf confefles as much for them and himfelf
too) is more then curioiity to ask, more then madnefs
to determine, and more then folly to believe.
Sett, 30.
Aflrologers in general take it upon trud from the An-
cients, thatEclipfesopcratenot prefently, but after a
time, and content themfelves with their Authority:
But the thing is fo adverfc to reafon, that it might juftly
befufpeded to have been brought into Adrology upon
the lame fcore, and for the fame reafon that thofe other
conceits
 ?n5
, ccits wtrementioDcd before in the ryandii Se&ions.
Indeed Clct mc hpt wrong any matij fomc of the Science
arc doubtful, that this Maxim is not fo found as ancient.

Many particular things I have omitted, which might

; hawe pertinently been fummoned in, but difmifled they
are, becaufe foeing confequents of that which hath
been generally laid down) they are hard at hand, and
' will quickly hear whenfoever difcourfc fliall call to them
toanfwer: And prolixity is vain, butthenmoftof all,
when it is not certain that the thing it felffimply is ac-
cepted.

F 1 3^1 S.