John Partridge (1679): The Qualities of the Planets

18 September 2015 by Lee

This material is excerpted from pages 10-18 of Partridge’s work:

Partridge, John. 1679. Mikropanastron, or an Astrological Vade Mecum, briefly Teaching the whole Art of Astrology – viz., Questions, Nativities, with all its parts, and the whole Doctrine of Elections never so comprised nor compiled before, &c. William Bromwich: London.

Chap. III

Of the Names, Natures, Characters, and Significations of the Seven Planets, and Dragons Head and Tail.

Under the Ecliptick and Zodiack before-mentioned, do the Planets perform, and finish their Revolutions in their respective Orbs; of which you may read more in Astronomical Authors, which is not my business at present to discourse.-

Saturn Poetically Phaenon, is cold and dry, and appears to us of a Leaden pale colour: He is slow of Motion, near Thirty years in finishing his Revolution; he is melancholy, Masculine, Diurnal, the Author of Solitariness, and the greater Infortune.

Saturn generally signifies one of a middle stature, a Swarthy pale muddy Complexion, his Eyes little, downward and unpleasant look, broad Forehead, harsh dark or black Hair, great Ears, lowring Eye-brows, flat Nose, thick Lips, splay-footed, and in brief, he or she is a very unpleasant and uncomely Creature.-

Note, That the Orientality, Occidentality, Latitude, Stations, &c. of the Planets, do
somewhat alter their Descriptions, and this is worthy of observing as well in Questions as Nativities, that when Saturn is Occidental, he gives a shorter stature, and a little more fleshy; but when Oriental, more black and lean with less Hair, and that more curling.

If he hath South Latitude, he makes the Native more fat and fleshy; but if North inclining to leanness, and less active.

Quality of Men, he signifies all old and aged Men of all kinds of Professions- also, Fathers, Grandfathers, Day-Labourers, Clowns, Husbandmen, Beggars; and I had almost forgot, Monks and Jesuits too.

Places he delights in, are all Departs, Woods, Caves, Sepulchres, Church-yards, Ruinous Buildings, Coal Pits, Sinks, and all stinking places.

Parts of the Body he governs are, the Spleen, his great Residence, the right Ear, the Bones, the Teeth, the retentive Faculty through the whole Body.

Diseases of Saturn are, Dropsies, Consumptions, Deafness, Leprosie, Stone, Scurvey, Canker, Quartan Agues, weakness in Generation, Tooth-ach; and all Melancholy Distempers.-

The Effects and Properties of Jupiter followeth.

Jupiter, Poetically Phaeton, is of a cleer bright Azure Colour, finishing his Revolution in the space of Twelve years, or thereabouts: he is hot and moist, Masculine, Diurnal, Temperate, the greater Fortune, and gives an upright tall stature, ruddy Complexion, oval Visage, the Forehead high and large, a large grey Eye, brown hair, of a Chestnut-colour, the Body every way well compos’d, and the Person, whether Man or Woman, is sober, grave, discreet, and of a noble disposition. Quality of Men when well dignified, are Judges, Lawyers, Councellors, Civilians, Senators, Clergy-men, Scholars, Students in general – But if ill dignified, Mountebanks, Hypocrites, Cheats, Atheists, and broken Persons.-

Places he delights in are, Courts of Justice, Churches, Garden, Palaces and places of Oratory.

Parts of the Body he governs are, the Liver, Lungs, Ribs, Sides, Veins, Blood, the Digestive Faculty.

Diseases,- Cough, Asthma, Inflammation of the Liver, Plurisies, Diseases of the Lung, Apoplexy, &c.

The Properties and Effects of Mars.

Mars Poetically Mavors, is hot and dry, passing through the Zodiack in almost two years; he is Masculine, Nocturnal, Cholerick, and the lesser Infortune – Representing a person of a strong able Body, big Boned, but a middle stature, round Visage, brown Complexion, Hair Red or Sandy, and much curling, a sharp Eye, a bold Countenance, undaunted, fearing nothing; and when Mars is well dignified, the Native is Prudent, a great Warrior, of good Behavior, and Victorious in all his attempts; but if ill dignified, a Pratler, having neither Modesty nor Honesty, a Quareller, a Thief, Perjur’d Treacherous, an Incendiary, who will neither fear God, nor reverence Man.

Quality of Men,- well dignified, he signifies Conquerors, Generals of Armies, and other Officers; Physicians, Chymists, Gunners, Barbers, Smiths, Curriers, Tanners, Dyers, Taylors, Carpenters, Cooks, Bakers, Butchers – ill dignified, Hangmen, Bailiffs, Thieves, Serjeants, Murtherers, Jaylors, and all Cut-throat persons.

Places,- Smiths-Shops, Labratories, Furnaces, Slaughter-houses, where Bricks and Charcoal are burned, and Chimneys.

Parts of the Body, the Gall, the left Ear, the Meseraicks, the Smell, the Apprehension, and the Chollerick Passion in Man, the Attractive faculty.

Diseases,- Plague, Impostume, Yellow-Jaundice, Small Pox, and a great sharer in the great Pox too, Madness, Fistula’s, Wounds, and Scars, all kinds of sharp Fevers, all Distempers of the Gall, Calenture, St. Anthonies Fire, &c.

Nature and Quality of the Sun.

The Sun, Poetically Titan, he is insensu naturali, oculies & Lux mundi, & Rex Planetarum; and the Hebrews from their Zeal and high opinion of this Creature calls it … Shameth, ministravita, because it did dispense its Rays equally to the whole World; and sometimes they called it … the Day Star, and the Greeks call it Helios, signifying his Power and Regency, as having none to controul him; and like a just Magistrate he keeps his Royal path, i.e. the Ecliptick, and doth never deviate as the other Stars do.

He is Masculine, Diurnal, Cholerick, hot and dry, and yet he is more temperate than Mars, and is twelve months in finishing his Course through the twelve Signs; and signifies one of a large full fleshy Body, a large Face, and broad Forehead, his Hair flaxen and curling, sometimes black, his Complexion tawny, a full Eye and a sharp sight, a very honest courteous well-meaning Soul, yet something lofty, and aiming at high things.

Sun well dignified,- signifies Emperors, Kings, Princes and all Gentlemen of Quality in general, down to the inferior honest Courtier, Goldsmiths, Minters of Money, Pewterers; but ill dignified, he shews Tyrants, Usurpers, troublesom Constables, and all such troublesom petty Images of Authority.

Places,- Palaces, Courts of Princes, Theaters, all Stately Buildings for Ornament, and Honour.

Parts of the Body he sways, are – The vital Spirits in general; the Heart and Arteries, the right Eye in Men, the left in Women.

Diseases,- all sudden Swoonings, Palpitations of the Heart, all Inflammations in the Eyes, Gripings at the Stomach, and other peracute Diseases.

The Nature and Quality of Venus

Venus Poetically Phosphorus, Hesperus the Evening Star, Lucifer the Morning Star, she finisheth her Course through the Twelve Signs in the space of about twelve Months; she is Nocturnal, Feminine, Flegmatick, the lesser Fortune, and the Author of Mirth and Jollity,- she represents one of a fair Complexion, something black, black Eyes, a round Face, a dimple in the Chin, a cherry Lip, a very well-shap’d Body, of a middle stature, of an excellent shape, and proportion, and very inticing in all their Actions, Gestures, Speeches; and indeed a very comely Creature.

Qualities of Men, when well placed, she signifies Musicians, Embroyderers, Jewellers, Linnen-Drapers, Perfumers, Picture-Drawers, Silkmen, and all other imployments which serve to the setting forth Women, &c. Women, Widows, Wives, Virgins,- but ill-placed, she personates Fidlers, Pipers, Painters, Woman-Taylors, and all the Inferior sort of those before-mentioned.

Places,- fine Gardens, Bed and Bride-Chambers, fair Lodgings, Beds, Hangings, Dancing-Schools, &c.

Parts of the Body,– the Womb, the Seed both in Man and Woman, the Reins [small of the back], Loins, Neck and Throat.

Diseases, the Strangury, French Pox, Gonorrhea, defect and Diseases of the Sperm, all diseases of the Womb, of the Neck, Throat and Loins.

The Nature and Quality of Mercury

Mercury, Poetically Stilbon, by his swift Motion is a Messenger among the Stars, and partakes something of their Nature, with whom he is joyned, he is of a dark Silver-colour, and finisheth his Course through the Twelve Sings, in less than Twelve Months, he is naturally cold and dry, and the author of Thefts, Perjuries, and subtil navish Tricks- Mercury denotes one of a higher stature, strait Body, Visage long, Forehead high, long Nose, fair Eyes, thin Lips, sad brown Hair, long Arms, the Complexion dark, or of an Olive Chesnut colour; and if he be with Saturn he is heavy, with Jupiter temperate, with Mars rash, with Sun Courteous, with Venus Jesting, with the Moon a shifter and a meer shirk, chiefly when he is peregrine; but if he be well placed with a Fortune, he gives a penetrating Brain, a Man sharp and witty, learning any thing without a Teacher,— but when ill placed, a troublesome Wit, a Lyar, Boaster, Busy-body, and a spoiler of Ink and Paper, and this is chiefly when he is in Sagittary or Pisces in square or opposition to Mars and Moon.

Qualities of Men he governs, are – if well dignified, Astrologers, Philosophers, Mathematicians, Secretaries, Sculptors, Poets, all kind of witty Advocates, Lawyers, School-Masters, Ambassadors, Attorneys, Orators, and all ingenious Artificers,- but if ill placed, troublesome Clerks, Thieves, Carriers, Messengers, Footmen, and petty-fogging Lawyers.

Places he governs are – Schools, Halls, Tennis-Courts, Markets – in a Tradesman’s House his Shop, in a Gentleman’s House his Hall, Study, Library, &c.-

Parts of the Body – the Memory, Imagination, the rational part in Man, the Tongue, Hands and Feet, and indeed all the Intellectual parts.

Diseases,- all Diseases of the Brain, as Vertigoes, Madness, &c. Diseases of the Lungs, as Asthma’s, Phthisicks, and all stammering, Hoarseness, Lisping, Coughs, and all defects of the Intellectual faculty.

Nature and Quality of the Moon

Luna the Moon, Poetically Cynthia, is Flegmatick, Feminine, Nocturnal, and finisheth her Revolutional Period in about twenty eight days.— She gives a stature somewhat above the middle size, a round Face but pale, grey Eyes, much Hair, and of a bright colour, the Body plump, the Hands short and fleshy, the colour of the Hair doth vary according to the Sign where she is; if she is strong and well placed, – she signifies a delighter in Study, a lover of Novelties, yet something unconstant and wavering; and if she is in Pisces, in good Aspect to the Fortunes, she makes a Man a good Husband; but yet a notable good Fellow – if she be ill dignified, she denotes an idle careless Sot, a Drunkard, a Begger, a fickle, mutable unconstant person, content in no condition.

Quality of Men – She signifies the common People in general.

Places she delights in are – Fountains, Fields, Pools, High-ways, Rivers, Desarts, Fish-Ponds, Common-shores and Wharfs.-

Parts of the Body she governs are – the Brain, Bowels, Guts, Bladder, Stomach, the right Eye of a Woman, and the left of a Man.

Diseases,- Green-sickness, all Obstructions and the Menstrua in Women, Epilepsie, Diseases of the Eyes.
The Dragons-head and Tail are no Stars, but Nodes, or imaginary points in the Heavens, and is no more but the Intersection of the Ecliptick and Orbite of the Moon, to which points when she comes, she changes the denomination of her Latitudes; and the use of them in Astrology is this,

the Dragons-head is accounted a Fortune, and doth increase the good of the fortunate Stars, and abateth the force of evil ones.

the Dragons-tail is esteemed an Infortune, and doth increase the Evil of the Infortunes, and abateth the good of the fortunate Stars.