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(seq. 31)
Center is come to its appointed place (C) it must there con tinue in the some troff it received when it was first Dropt and thus much for the motion of heavens in general Influence and action on other bodies by light, heat, or other communications in manifest by scripture, reason & experience by scripture: ps: sg. 6. nothing is hid from the heat therof Job 38-31-33 sweet of the influences of the (Pleiades?) the Dominion of Heaven in the earth 2 Sam 23:4 like the tender grafs spring ing out of the Earth, by clear shining after rain. By Reason: every day by motion and inward fermentation se nds forth its steams of volatile parts and that more or less con tinually; sometimes more, when there is more effectual cau se to excite him and more to purpose when their position is such as it therby they may be freer from obstruction in the course or the better (asfited?) or directed therin now sup ms they are most excited in a part which is towards us when the opposition to it (as in full mood) in also the rays of light which are reflected from the moon come more potentially and directly ro us and bring these her cold streams with them so that commonly after full moon are in conjunction (as in new moon) the sun draws these steams from us towards it self hence we commonly have dryer weather soon after the new moon and so it is of the rest in their several aspects (conjunctions, oppostions, trines, Quartiles, Sextiles) to the sme or one another by which positions they mutually either adjust or hinder their severall steams in coming tow ards the Earth now because thses aspects are never in all respects the same (unlessother the Plantonick or 36000 year) hence may very well arise yet great variety in the temperament of the air, maladies of humane bodies He and yet the difference is not so great but Eminent positions (as in the several pe riods that do occur) may cause effects much as they use to do, as we see by experience By experiencem which tells a conjunction of the moon & Venus or Jupiter with fair weather if there be any in the month so cloudy with Saturn; windy and blustering with Mars and of the first stars when the Sun or moon comes; there are observations of certain and usual changers in the air & herby their operations are direct or inderect. Direct on bodies which are altered in the present and mutable tem perament by these steams; as in the air, meteors, and humane bodies, Duseasesm He:
(seq. 32)
Indirect on the minds od men, by so affecting the body & the reby promoting or hindering the operations of if mind. So Burton is his melancholy -- This much I find, therfore it is if we are sometimes quick, active, eager; (mindey) at other times Dull, heavy, melancholly according as the air (that perpetual ambient Ingredient) is affected by the heavenly influences - Holy writ, Reason & Experience prove heaven's Direct, Inderect Influence on this affection (of influence) is grounded Astrology which for want of insufficient observations to make rational Inductions is theredore Imperfect and uncertain in its rules. Dr Beal (it's said) advised the royal Society at old. Almanacs were bett er to be written in new; meaning a register kept of all chan ges of weather, so a probable conjecture may be of what will be by comparing what hath been already; which thing wo uld be of excellent Politicall and Economicall use; you would Astrology gain a well grounded repute whereas new (as it is commonly practised) 'tis by prudent men thought folly, and by most Suspected to be knavery and a cheat. Sold Almanacks would teach Astrology, But new are stuff'd with foolish knavery. for what reaseon is there in their calculating nativities, and the position of planets at the moment of birth should so influence the whole Life the other persons related to the party (as father, Brother, friends &)? the and it forsooth according to the houses (that is certain spaces of celestiall appearing canopy) whe ther above or below the Horizon) as if the air were so very diffe rently affected by an hour or two's Distance of time, as ot Hon our, or Hanging Depends thereon. what is there in your horery Questions at the moment of asking should direct to the answer as if all the stars which inclined the theif to steal inclined the fool just to ask the question (who is the theif?) when they in tend to whisper the Astrologer in the Ear, and tell him theEar: mark which themselves have given him. Mercury indeed is fabled for a wagg; but the rest are more sober and honest and to be concerned in such Intreagues. I verify, think, if any right discoveries have been made in such occasions the Devil hath made a greater Stroak therin this art; therby making way and animating these Curious Impertinents to be: come perfect Wizards, Atheists, Pagans, and to think Slightlt of the providence of god. Like may be said of afsining particular Constellatios, and planets to have Dominion over particulars countries, orders, and possessions of men
(seq. 33)
chap 5th: Naturall Phylosophy 25 just as the Papists have learned from ye Heathen [joolaters?] so to distribute their tutelary saints, as those did their gods. and this may be a key to open ye mystery why some persons were so mycb inclined to apply themselves [gadbury?]-ward. they might as well have made use of Hamans plot, when he was about to destroy ye jews, to know how thier plot sh: :ould succeed. on ye whole matter I judge yt as to weathers and tempe: :ratures of our bodies, with relation to health or sickness by good observations of prudent and phylosophicall minds, a usefull knowledge might be framed; but for all ye rest yt is pretended, ye books written about ym might make a curious bonfire according to ye primitive pattern (acts: 19 19) se Mr [Gottaker?]; and Mr Christopher Heuden of judiciary astrology and thus much of ye heavens in generall.
{nativities, Horary Questions are Evill, {stars, ruling countries are all from ye devill.
Chap: 5: Of Heavens In Speciall.
These Heavenly orbs in speciall were antiently divided into {without stars {first mover. {2 crystallines. {with stars {fixt in ye 8th sphere. {Erratick planets, saturn [he?]:
But not to trouble you with this distribution, it may suffice to take notice of those with stars (for ye rest we have no sufficient reason) i.e: fixt stars, and planets. fixt stars are those of greatest distance from us, wch do not alter their distance from one another, but appear still ye same, and in the same respective place (and perhaps absolute too). yy are distributed into constellations and degress of magnitude: :als whose shapes they are fancied (with dullness enough) to Represent. however custom has so fixed this notion that yy are fastened on our globes. a more convenient way may perhaps be, by referring them to certain Geometricall figur: :es; or by dividing the globe into squares with letters, or with
(seq. 34)
[Upper left hand corner] 26 [Upper right hand corner] chap 5th
Naturall Phylosphy
Numbers, as in some new maps is of late done. 2 into Degrees of magnitude commonly 6; but ye observers by telescopes make many more about 14 (as I remember) of these 1 ye number in ye constellations most visible are reconed 1022 and there are not many visible yt are out of ye constella: :tions. but there are innumerable, which for distance or littlenefs appearinfg small and close set together make but a kind of a white mist or cloud; such is ye milkey way and other such nebulous appearances; from these rather than those yt are visibly seen are ye stars (even to a proverb) 2 ye Light of these is native, wch visibly flames and shin: :es more yn by only reflection of ye sun as ye planets do: (?) therefore they may be accounted as so many suns in their places (fixt stars in constellations have Degrees,) (numbers and native Light as each man sees.) 2 Planets are those yt continually change their Distance both among themselves, and in respect to ye fixt stars; of these may be observed; affections ( commore (peculiar 1 as for affections common, their magnitude, number, motion, (?) Light 1 their magnitude various, estimated by comparing with that of ye Earth, whose circumference is commonly acco: :unted 21,000 miles: of ye Diameter by consequence about 7000 and therefore ye semi-diameter is about 35'00. and this is ye measuring rod, yarn, or pole by repetition or multiplicati: :on, of which ye stars ma :gnitude is computed, as you may see in ye follo: :wing table. 2 their number 7 according to ye antients, whose na: :mes and common marks you have in ye table. N: note, their marks are used and known by all ye Learned of what nation so Ever. these and the common marks of num: :bers, weights, (?) measures Lane occasion, and also
Table stars here: their names|their marks| their periodical motions| Bigger or Lejs yn ye Earth Times Saturn -5--years 30-Bigger 92 Jupiter-4---12--95 Mars -symbol---2--1 1/2 Sun -symbol---1--166 Venus-symbol-Days 348-Lejs 37 Mercury-symbol---339--1952 Moon-symbol---27 1/2--39
(seq. 35)
Chap 5th: Naturall Phylosophy 27 Encouragement to ye attempt to introduce an universall cha: :racter thereby to obviate or remove (if possible) ye Babel cur: :se of ye confusion of tonques. but according to Copernicus ye Earth (under ye name of Ceres or Proserpina) is a plane in ye place formerly assigned to ye sun; and yn ye sun is no planet, but a fixed star in ye center of ye universe. the observers by Telescopes having taken notice of, and found out more planets, as 2 marching about saturn (called his Ears) 4 about Jupiter (called his guard). but of these and ye motions, magnitudes, and distances of planets, ye more full enquiry is proper for Astronomy; here therefore they have but a breif mention, sufficient to Explain ye natu: :re of these bodies.
3 their motion is circular in their proper line from West to East, which circle they accommplish in various periods; (as you may see in ye periodicall motion of ye table) hence they change their places and distances, and hereby get ye names of planets.
4 ye light of ym all (except ye sun) is none of their own, but ye suns beams reflected by ym: and hence ye various faces and changes of ye moon, for so much do we only see bright as reflects ye suns light towards us; as to ye other sm: :all light we have on ye quarters of ye moon. we have an obscure view of ye whole body, 'tis from diverse causes and in diverse parts giving but a secondary reflection. as 1 that in ye middle is ye Earths moon: shine upon it; that is ye Earth reflects ye suns light upon it; and yn it reflects ye same light back to ye Earth, and thereby we see it. 2 that in ye border or edges (or rather round about ye body) which appears a segment of a lesser circle, than that part which shines in ye old or new moon; it is also ye light of ye sun reflected from from ye moons atmosphere answerable to our twilight when ye sun is set; this is not only seen in ye old and new moon, but also in ye Eclipse as a ring round abo: :ut when there's nothing but darkness in ye middle of her body; for yn yn Earth can make no moon shine upon her having its dark side towards her.
By the Telescope venus is seen sometimes horned as well as the moon. ye other planets being farther of ye sun can yeild no such appearances; but must be allways fully illuminated by ye sun in that side of their body which is towards us. Hence also ye dark spots (vulgarly called ye man in ye moon) for they are supposed to be water (the seas of that Globe)