The Aphorisms of William Lilly , provided by Clive Kavan
1) He who is naturally well affected unto Astrology shall verily pronounce more certain Judgments.
2) Divers Effects of the Stars are drawn forth from the stars, according to the various dispositions of the matter; whereof the Astrologer ought very well to examine the several natures and qualities of the subjects receiving.
3) Sol and Mars are fiery; the heat of Mars is destructive, that of the Sun answers the vivifying heavenly fire.
4) The Superior Planets are most efficacious; the inferiour are weak, and easily do suffer by the Superiours, and receive good or ill from them.
5) Superiour Planets because they most resist, they do not easily receive a detriment or assistance from the Inferiour Planets.
6) The misfortunes proceeding from Saturn or Mars are mitigated, if their places are protected by Jupiter, being well disposed and in good aspect.
7) When a Planet who is a Fortune is in Conjunction with an Infortune, he allays his malice, so that the Infortune shall do no hurt.
8) The Fixed Stars are the most efficacious of all in their operations, for what actions they manifest or occasion are very great.
9) The Fixed Stars do imitate the nature and action of the Erraticals or Planets, whereof they transfer their actions unto them.
10) The Moon hath a certain natural mutability, therefore she easily communicates to us the Influence of the other Stars.
11) The Moon doth then most especially transfer actions unto the inferiour world, and the influence of other Stars, from whom she is separated when she is swift in motion.
12) Three manner of wayes the Planets are varied or changed, by reason of their first qualities, of their Houses, and significations.
13) Saturn governs Contemplation and Memory, Mars boldness and fortitude, if they want not strength, or are ill disposed.
14) Retrograde Planets degenerate from their proper nature, by that means Fortunes are made Infortunes, and the evil Planets far worse.
15) Planets do manifest greater and worser evils when they are stationary, than when they are retrograde.
16) The reception of Planets when they behold one another, if it be strong, doth diminish the malice of an evil aspect, and increase the goodness of a good aspect.
17) A Planet in an Angle doth more effectually produce his effects, but remiss in Cadent Houses.
18) Be not too confident either of a Sextile or Trine Aspect in violent Signs, nor out of those Signs in which the Planets behold one another, yet essentially suffer.
19) Consider what things the Planets perform not by their Aspects, and observe if they do them not by their Antisions, for the Antisions have power, and are not to be enumerated amongst Aspects.
20) It’s rare if any Planet prove a fortune in the eigth or twelth, by reason of the malignancy of those Houses.
21) The qualities of Saturn and Mars are not made better by their Conjunction; being mixed so together, they are confounded, and hurt very much.
22) Planets are notably made unfortunate by these accidents, viz. Combustion, Retrogradation, Peregrination, Detriment and Fall.
23) The swift and various motions of the Planets are to be considered, as also their slowness, because when they vary, the accidents of the Aspects do alter.
24) Saturn seldom applies to any Planet, by reason whereof he signifies great Princes and Monarchs.
25) A Partile Aspect comes to pass within the difference of three degrees; a Platick Aspect happens by a semidiameter of the Orbes of the Planets.
26) The vertue of a Planet is in that House, whose beginning or cusp a Planet precedes by no greater space than five degrees.
27) Understand the simple qualities of the Planets, for from thence thou shalt know all their mixt significations.
28) Those houses which behold not the Ascendant signifie occult or obscure places, and these houses are the 12th. 8th. and 6th.
29) The Application of Planets shews what is to come, the Separation what is past.
The preceding were taken from Merlini Anglici Ephemeris, 1677.
Do not determine or elect any thing, the sign Scorpio being in the ascendant, or when the angles of the figure are oblique, or Mars in any of them, there will happen a false event or success of thy judgment, and especially because Scorpio is a sign of falsity. (Hermes Aph 9)
News or rumours related or reported, the Moon being in the first face of Scorpio, are lies, and purposely framed. (Hermes Aph 11)
The preceding were taken from Merlini Anglici Ephemeris, 1675.
Choice Astrological Aphorisms not hitherto published by any person, wherin is briefly comprehended the whole Mystery of Annual Judgments of Mundane Affairs, now freely communicated to all grateful and industrious Sons of Art, by the Author William Lilly
1) He that would judiciously consider the annual and monthly contingencies or great concernments of the world, it is necessary in the first place, that he understands the natural and accidental signification of every planet both in the Macrocosm and Microcosm.
2) He must also have a certain Epoch or Radix from whence to derive, first his greater judgment, secondly his lesser judgment, when he intends a serious discourse.
3) The Artist must know how to vary the planets significations according to the year wherein he writes, having still a regard to the grand Epoch of superior Conjunctions or Comets preceding.
4) He should (if possible) attain the true time or positive Ascendant of the King or Prince, in whose dominions he shall write, and the Ascendant of that Kingdom or Principality, as also the Ascendants (if they may be so obtained) of most of the great Cities or Towns Corporate therein, and the Nativities of those Officers who are in most Authority, or regulate the present Affairs under their Prince, as also the Nativities of most Christian Kings, or of all Europe, with the Directions each King hath operating every year, etc.
5) Of Epoche’s or Radices the Astrologer ought seriously to consider the first great Conjunction of the superior Planets, Saturn and Jupiter, when they leave one Trigon, and enter another, and curiously observe the main design of that conjunction, and how it agreeth with that present time, or what material change is in any Nation, or what new Dominion, etc.
6) Every succeeding Conjunction, from the first to the last, or unto that time the Astrologer writes, and more especially that Conjunction which last preceded the time of his writing, ought to be warily considered, and also how it differs essentially from the first Conjunction either in unity or discordancy.
7) The several Conjunctions of Saturn and Mars, and Jupiter and Mars succeeding the last Conjunction of the Superiors, and either lately preceding, or presently succeeding the time of the Artists writing, must be carefully observed in judgements; for the great Conjunctions may aptly be compared to a tree, and the lesser Conjunctions to the Branches.
8) The true place, viz. sign and degree in the Zodiack of any New Star, Comet, Stella Crinita, or Miraculous Apparition, ought to be had (if possibly it may be obtained.) If the degree cannot be procured, yet the sign wherein any such Phaenomena appears, must assuredly be known, and as near the degree thereof as may be. For though Philosophy and Philosophers teach us, that Comets have a matter or Ethereal substance, of which they are created, yet those Learned men wanting Angelical conversation are deceived. For how should it come to pass, that a rude Matter from which they say Comets are derived or created, should put the Comet into such and such a form, and cause it to be either Direct or Retrograde, or the Tail thereof to be of one colour in some Comets, and different in others, of such a magnitude, form, or length, and to vary in motion to the several quarters of the heavens, where the effects do ever most certainly succeed either for good or for ill? Therefore the secret Learning of which few of the Ancients had any knowledge is most to be adhered unto, but rarely to be communicated to Mankind; but this is obiter.
9) The Ancients do enjoyn us seriously to consider of present Solar and Lunar Eclipses, and there is something therein to be considered; but in reality I declare, that nothing of that powerful efficacy ever appeared unto me as they have delivered and given caution of, I mean Eclipses operate not with that violence, or so terribly as the Ancients have recorded and left in their writings to posterity, however they are with moderation to be handled; and the truth is, they do rather work generally than particularly.
10) Consideration ought to be had, (in judging of general Accidents of the World) what fixed Stars of the first or second Magnitude are near the place of any greater or lesser Conjunction or Comet, Stella Crinita, or unusual Apparition, and whether their Destination or Latitude be North or South, as also the colour is to be observed, and what little fixed Stars are near them, with the Constellation, or Constellations these Apparitions possess: In these things great circumspection and care ought to be taken.
11) Nor are the Secundian Intelligences, viz. what Angel then governs, to be omitted in consideration, for the judging of future events, as to search when he began his Dominion, and how many years since his Government; for there is very great Mystery in this; Tritemius his mensuration of time in those matters, doth excel all that I have seen, and it doth concur with the Opinion of the most Learned Rabbins; but they were too much superstitious in their application. His Measure or Limitation of time was deduced from certain or assured Revelations, other mens conceits are only conjectural, and have no true affinity with verity or experience. Herein the true understanding of the Assignation of the Planets and Signs to particular Kingdoms and Countries, or Communities of Mankind, will much avail in giving judgment.
12) Now in order it follows, that the Astrologians do also consider the Essential Fortitudes of the Planets, the Superiors aspecially; for all those Planets that are below the Sun, viz. Venus, Mercury, and the Moon, do not occasion any great Mutation of the World, they do sometimes for a while put great Actions forward, and at other times retard them, but always without violence.
13) In consideration of Essential Fortitudes in some matters, the House of a Planet ought to be preferred before the Exaltation. For this is certain, that Matters, Things, Governments erected when the principle Significator is in his House or Mansion, do endure longer, and more firmly, than when the Significator at the time shall be posited in his Exaltation; for then those matters, viz. new erecting a Government, City, Family, etc. do continue but for a short time with much pride and conceited astimation and Fame etc. rather than sober reality.
14) As in taking the Fortitudes of the Planets, great care ought to be had, so their Debilities must be observed with no less care and prudence; wherein I advise you to beware of the Effects or Influence of a Planet when he is in his Detriment, rather than when he is in his Fall. For a Planet in his Detriment is like a person cast out of all his Estate without hopes of Recovery, whereas the Fall shews but a present subjection unto a misfortune with hopes of Recovery; but these things are only introductory.
15) Above all things, let the Artist rather judge by the strength of his reason, guided by Art, upon the Configurations of the Planets, than by ill digested Aphorisms laid down by some Authors, which if not judiciously applied in Judgments, rarely hit the white, or speak truth; and therefore ’twas judiciously written by Ptolomy, A te & Scientia.
16) Be conversant in precedent Histories, and therein observe either the great happinesses or calamities that have befallen any Kingdom, Country, or People, and in what year they manifested themselves; then also observe what Planet in those times was most potent or essentially dignified, or the contrary, what Comet or Blazing-star preceded, and the Sign it appeared in, what greater or minor Conjunction was then in force, also what Eclipses etc. and accordingly frame a judgment, etc.
17) It is observable, that Calamity or Misery never afflicts any people, but Saturn hath a strong hand in it; peace and plenty proceed in a natural way from the influence of Jupiter, Commotions from Saturn, the Moon, and Mars, Wars from Mars and the Sun.
18) The Lunations preceding the Change and Full Moon concurring with the Figure of the Change and Full Moon near the time of any great and notable Transit, or eminent Conjunction or Opposition of the superior Planets, put Designs then on foot into present Action, and with much secrecy, if it have any signification in the Change; but publickly and openly, if those Configurations happen at or near the Full Moon, and the figure thereof correspond as afordsaid.
19) The Signs of the Zodiack are seriously to be observed; for Aries is violent, Libra moderate, Cancer is sudden, Capricorn is slow, Taurus is heavy, Gemini is nimble, Leo is valient, Virgo is barbarous, Scorpio is false, Sagitary manly, Aquarius sober, Pisces cowardly. Of all the Signs in the Zodiack, Cancer is the most impetuous as to Commotions and shedding of Blood without mercy, for in that Sign Hercules and the two Dog-stars are located.
20) Great Actions are usually presignified by the superior Planets Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and the Sun, and petty matters by the three Inferiors Venus, Mercury, and the Moon. Saturn in Aries denotes high matters transacted with fear and care; in Taurus with great labour to no effect; in Gemini with much speech to little purpose, etc. an ingenious Artist will find out the rest.
21) There is in the Art of Astrology (which some ignorant persons are pleased to vilifie) Arcanum quoddam equivalent to Prophesy; but so distributed to man by the Almighty, that he cannot easily communicate his knowledge or conceptions therein to another, and yet it is attainable by prayer and the assistance of the Divine Genius.
22) When and at what time the Divine Genius invites or secretly prompts the Understanding to curious Notions, observe that time (viz. the Ascendant of the Figure of Heaven for that moment) and how the Moon applies; for whatever concerns those Notions must be farther agitated, written, or studied when the Moon is in a Sextile, or rather a Trine Aspect to that sign she was in at that time, and if possible, with that Planet who was then Patron or proper Significator of those conceptions, and this is something near attaining Prophesy, if rightly understood. Above all things serve God: Astrology is attainable by prayer and industry, especially by such a person that hath a natural propensity to the study thereof. These Notions were write without any assistance or inspection of a Book, and will bear or require a Commentary thereupon.