Christian Astrology (1647) by William Lilly – Outlined by Rhys Chatham (2024)

_{Click on any of the above qub-headings to be taken directly to it.}

First House Questions:

In Chapter 22, Lilly covers the rules one uses if the astrologer is asked questions like these:

Will I have a long and healthy life?
When am I likely to have a major negative event, illness, or accident?
What city or country am I most likely to thrive in; where will I be the most happy?
To enjoy better health, where should I move?
What part of my life is likely to be the best?

In Chapter 23, Lilly discusses the Part of Fortune and how to calculate it. Lilly tells us that through knowing the strength or weakness of the Part of Fortune (POF, also known as “Lot of Fortune”), we can judge the good or bad fortune of the querent with respect to their life.

In Chapter 24, we move on to a different sort of first house horary question. If we planned to visit someone in another town or city, we could ask a horary to enquire whether the person would be there or not. Today, we would simply pick up our cell phone or write an email to find this out, but back in the Renaissance going to another town was a significant journey, so the question took on importance. However, in modern times there are other contexts where this question might be asked, for example, finding out about a person with whom we have lost contact.

In this chapter, Lilly also writes about a method of establishing the veracity of the horary chart (otherwise known as radicality) by giving the rules for determining what moles or scars or other marks the querent had on their body. If the querent had the marks that were mentioned, then the astrologer could be confident of the predictions made by the horary.

Another question the querent could ask was if an absent person were dead or alive. Then we have rules for ascertaining whether an event one hears of will have positive or negative implications for the querent.

In Chapter 25, a querent wants to know whose house her son is presently in, Lilly gives the rules for determining this. He goes on to give example charts showing whether a person is dead or alive and demonstrating some of the techniques listed in Chapter 24.

Chapter 26 moves to an entirely new subject and gives us rules for determining whether a ship which has set sail is safe or has been destroyed.

While travelling and shipping today is still done by boat, most travel is by air or land. The rules given in this chapter can be applied to any kind of travel. Timing questions of when the boat will land or return are given at the end of the chapter.

Lilly finished the chapters on first house questions by discussing the issue of when a horary chart should be cast, what is the precise moment that is best to do this?

Here is a list of the subheadings in Christian Astrology (hereafter CA) for first house questions. here is a complete list of the subheadings.

Will I have a long and healthy life
Timing of accidents
Where will the querent be most happy?
What Part of his Life is Likely to be Best?
Chapter 23: The Part of Fortune, How to take it, either by day or night.
Chapter 24: If One would Find the Party at Home He would Speak with.
Does the Event signify Good or Evil?
What moles & scars the querent might have.
Is the one absent alive or dead?
Chapter 25 – example worked chart.
Chapter 26 – Will the Ship be Safe or Destroyed?
To know if the ship returns and if so, in what state.
An example of a ship at Sea:
Example of another ship.
Of the time of receiving any horary question.

What follows is an outline of the Lilly’s content, enabling the reader to quickly find what they are looking for and identifying Lilly’s rules for the horary question under consideration.

If you would like to refer to the original version of Christian Astrology, here is a link to a version that was put in modern typeface and annotated by Deborah Houlding:

Click Here for the complete annotated version of Christian Astrology.

Outline of first house questions:

Chapter 22: Questions concerning the first house.

In this chapter Lilly tells us that a first house question can concern the health or long life of the querent. If the querent asks a question along these lines, the rules are to look at the condition of the Ascendant and its Lord or lady and the Moon. If they are in good condition, then the querent will be long-lived and generally have good health.

Specifics are given below: Christian Astrology (CA) – p. 129-130

Signs of a Long and Healthy Life:

The signs of long life include:

Ascendant and its Lord and the Moon free from misfortune, i.e. combustion, square, opposition of the Lord of the 8^th, 6^th 12^th & 4^th houses.
If the Lord of the Ascendant be direct.
L1 is in an Essential Dignity.
Swift in motion.
Angular (best in first house, or else tenth, eleventh or ninth)
In good aspect with Jupiter, Venus or the Sun
Or in the terms of Jupiter and Venus.
Moon fortunate houses and aspects same as above

If Ascendant’s Lord or Ascendant itself is unfortunate, or the Moon in bad houses and afflicted, this argues the contrary.

Timing of Accidents:

The time that any of these Accidents shall happen.

Timing:

First thing to consider:

If Ascendant Lord:

is going into combustion
OR to opposition or conjunct eighth or fourth
Find out how many degrees he is distant from the Sun, or Lord of H8 or H4 (eighth or fourth house).
Look at what sign it is in.
If in a common sign: denotes months
Fixed sign denotes years.
Moveable sign denotes weeks.

Second thing to consider: (CA p. 131)

Consider how many degrees the Moon is from:

Any infortune.
Lords of 6^th or 8^th.

Third consideration:

If Infortune is in the Ascendant, or in the 7^th house opposite the Ascendant, compute how many degrees to perfection of true conjunction to Asc. or opposition for the time of death, sickness, or accident.

Other considerations: CA p. 131 (para 3-5)

If Asc Lord afflicted by Lord of 6^th and it is in the 6^th
Or,
If Ascendant Lord is combust in the sixth,

THEN,

The querent will have many and tedious illnesses.
More certain if Lord of Ascendant, 6^th and 8^th are all placed in the 6^th house.
If the Lord of the Ascendant, the sign Ascending, or Moon is impeded or unfortunate by the 8^th house Lord, or by that planet who afflicted your significators out of the 8^th, then death is threatened.
If Ascendant Lord, Ascendant Sign or Moon is afflicted by Lords of other houses, judge misfortune from the nature of the house and the planet. One would judge a misfortune from this, and not death.
Fixed stars showing the nature of Mars show fevers, murders, quarrels, etc, if they be of the nature of Saturn then poverty, hurst by falls; if the nature of Mercury, consumption, madness, false evidence; if the Moon tumults, commotions, danger by water; if the Sun, envy of magistrates, hurt in the eyes, Jupiter, domineering priests; if Venus, prejudice by some woman.

CA p. 132 para 1:

Do not pronounce death rashly!

Lilly cautions against pronouncing death rashly, needs more than one testimony. Needs at least two of the aforesaid judgements to be able to be sure.

Be careful also about giving precise time of death, better to simply say that the querent will not live a long life and keep it vague.

Where will the querent be most happy?

CA p. 132:

To What Part of Heaven It Be Best the Querent Direct His Affairs, or wherein he Live Most Happily?

Lilly defines the quadrants and their relationship to the compass as follows:

Ascendant is East and H10, H11, H12 are east inclining to the south.
MC Cusp to Descendant H7, H8, H9 is south inclining to west.
Descendant cusp to IC cusp H 4, H5,6 is west inclining towards north.
IC cusp to Asc. H1, H2, H3 is north inclining to the east.
See which quadrants you find Jupiter, Venus, Moon, and the Part of Fortune in and where one finds two or more of them, that is where one should direct one’s energies.

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 62 (used with permission)}

If one has the Part of Fortune and Moon and Ascendant free of combustion and other misfortunes, go that way.
If Jupiter and/or Venus be Lords of H6, H8, H12, they may be infortunes, in which case avoid the quarters they are in. In this case look to Part of Fortune, Moon and Ascendant Lord.
Avoid quarters where the malefics are, unless they are the Ascendant Lord or Lord of 2^nd, 10^th or 11^th houses because in this case they may be friendly if essentially strong.

Also:

If the querent only desires good health, look to what quarter the Ascendant Lord and Moon are in.
If the querent wants to know how to get rich, look what quarter is found the Second House Lord, the Part of Fortune and their depositors.

The above points are then put into list form as follows:

CA p. 133, (para 1) Look at the four quarters, see where you find:

Jupiter, Venus, the Moon or Part of Fortune (POF),
or two more of them,
direct your affairs to that quarter.
If POF and Moon are free of combustion and misfortunes, go that way.
Jupiter and Venus are unfortunate if they are Lords of H6, H8, or 12.
Avoid quarters where infortunes are.
If Mars and Saturn be essentially strong and in H1, H2, H10, or H11, they may prove friendly.

If the querent only wants to live where he may enjoy the most heath:

Look in what quarter the Lord of the Ascendant and the Moon are found,
which of them is essentially stronger,
and which aspects best to the Ascendent.
To that quarter repair for health’s sake.

To know where to direct energies for fame and fortune:

Find out what quarter the Lord of the Second house is placed,
as well as the Part of Fortune (POF) and its Lord/dispositor.

Wherever they are best placed is where the querent may find their best advantage.

CA p. 134:

What Part of His Life is Likely to be Best?

See where the fortunate planets are placed (Jupiter, Venus).
Count from the Twelfth house in a diurnal direction (clockwise, against order of signs).
Give each house five years.
Where you find Jupiter or Venus will show the best years of the life.
If the significators of Life are strong, can give six years per house.

CA p. 134 para. 2:

Then consider the Moon:
Look at separation between Ascendant and the Moon
Look at the aspect.
The separation shows the kind of accidents (i.e. events, good and/or bad) prior to the reading.
Houses indicate the topics, good or bad aspects whether good or ill happened.
The next application shows what kind of future may be expected.
Houses indicate the topics, good or bad aspects whether good or ill will happen.

On CA p. 135 we have an astrological judgement from Lilly that brings the above methodology to life!

Here is the chart that was used:

Lilly took a horary question in six parts!

An Astrological Judgment concerning these demands propounded by the querent:

If he were to live long, yea or not?
To what part of the world he were best direct his course of life?
What part of his life was in probability most fortunate?
He desired I would relate some general Accident that had happened him already. (Note: When Lilly speaks of “accidents”, he means “events”, for the “accidents” could be good ones or bad ones, depending on aspects, dignities, etc.)
What accidents in the future he might expect?
How long the querent would live?

Lilly agreed to answer all this in one go!

CA p. 135 (bottom):

In this paragraph Lilly notes that the fixed star Regulus (called Cor Leonis in the text), is at the Ascendant. He uses this, the first house, and the Lord of the Ascendant to give a physical description of the querent.

p. 136 para. 1:

Lilly goes on to use the sign of the Ascendant and its lord to describe the character of the native, also using the Moon and its aspects to figure into this. That this horary chart described the physical and psychological characteristics of the querent establishes its radicality.

Page 136, If he Live Long, etc.

Lilly uses the condition of the Lord of the Ascendant, the condition of the Moon and the Sun to determine if the querent would live long or not. Being in good essential condition and well aspected meant living for many years.

In What Part of the World Might He Best Live?

p. 137:

In what part of the world, or of this kingdom, he might best apply himself to live in?

Lilly tells us to use the ruler of the Ascendant to determine the answer to this question, and if the chart indicates foreign travel, to use the tables on CA page 95 and onwards to get an idea about that.
If within the country the chart was cast in, on pages 364-365 of CA Lilly gives info on direction by use of houses and signs.
With the Moon applying to a close trine to Jupiter, and since he and Venus were in Taurus and that sign signifies Ireland, Lilly advises the querent to go to Ireland.

What accidents generally happened?

p. 138-139: What accidents had generally happened? .

To find this, Lilly looks at where the Lord of the Ascendant had been already during his passage through Pisces.

Moving backwards through longitudinal position:

Conjunct with Mars
Sextile with Jupiter
Square with Saturn

Lilly delineates the Mars conjunct:

Mars is ruler of the 4^th, thus concerning lands.
Mars is in the 8^th house, which Lilly says represents “the substance of Women”, meaning the spouses resources.
Lilly mentions that the querent was “being molested” or bothered over lands belonging to the wife or woman. This was confirmed by the 2^nd house Moon in applying opposition to Mars, indicated quarrels with his wife over money. All this turned out to be true.

Prior to this, the Sun had been square to Saturn, which signifies the wife (ruler of H7).

Lilly interprets this as:

He and his wife had disputed during this transit.
The dispositor of his Part of Fortune (Aries POF ruled by Pisces Mars, which is ruled by Saturn), she would not let him have her estate,
But keeps it for herself, because her significator Saturn is retrograde, a superior planet, in a fiery sign, the seventh house is fixed, showing a “gallant, spirited woman who will…not submit” This turned out to have happened.

Because of the Jupiter sextile, Lilly interprets:

Some lawyer or courtier (aristocrat) had tried to settle the differences between the querent and his wife, as the Sun and Saturn were applying to a trine aspect.

With Mercury square Saturn:

Perhaps a lawyer interfering with things,
Lilly goes on to list other things it could signify and why.

Observation of Venus in the tenth:

Venus, lady of the tenth disposes of Jupiter (wealth signifier) in the tenth who rules the eighth house of the Wife’s fortune. Lilly interprets this as “she entrusts her fortune to a great nobleman”.

Future Accidents; the Time When.

p. 140:

What accidents in future he might expect; time when.

To do this Lilly looks at the Lord of the Ascendant, in this case the Sun.

Sun has no hard aspects to malefics.
Sun well-fortified in Aries and by house.
No detrimental aspects to other planets.

Lilly interprets this as the querent being able to roam the earth at will and not be tied down and that for many years would live in a prosperous condition and see many countries because:

Aries is in a moveable sign and the Sun is placed on the cusp of the ninth house.

Moon in the second house:

Applies to Jupiter in H9.
Jupiter Lord of H5 (children) and H8 (wife’s money)

Lilly interprets this as approaching someone noble (Jupiter) for the education of his children, to be paid out of his wife’s income (H8):

Moon peregrine in Virgo.
Mercury in H4 in detriment in Pisces, but not peregrine because it is in term“, but afflicted by Mars, who recently separated from opposition to the Moon.

From this Lilly deduced that the native had been in “great want of money a little before the question was asked”

Page 141

Timing of the above:

The distance between the Moon opposing Mercury was 6° 21’, so he had needed money for around six months before the question was asked, which turned out to be true.

Moon applying to trine with Jupiter:

After some years of “good and plenty” (Jupiter trine with Moon), at the opposition of Moon/Mars, querent would be in danger of losing life (H8 Mars) and money/estate (H2 Moon). Loss of lands because Mars is ruler of H4.

Moon perfects to trine with Jupiter in 3°, so Lilly predicts three years of pleasure.

Sun at 4° Aries free of malefic aspects, so Lilly gives 26 months he would be comfortable in his journey (2 years or so).

Moon comes into perfection with opposition in 7° 22’. Significators are common (mutable) signs and not fixed (i.e. years) nor movable (months), so Lilly splits the difference and goes for the average and calls it about three years before the opposition and difficulty hits.

p. 142: Lilly reports that after this period of three years, the querent had a combination of good and bad things happen to him, and that currently (at the time of the writing) he was having hard times.

Luckily, the Sun was strong during the unfortunate period, which accounted for his good fortune and had employment with the crown, but the Mars/Moon opposition symbolized all kinds of problems related to this, ending with general misfortune and his lands being forfeit, as was predicted.

Chapter 23: Of the Part of Fortune.

p. 143: (Lot of Fortune):

The Part of Fortune, and how to take it, either by Day or Night.

Lilly opens by saying that if the Part of Fortune (POF) is well situated, the “fortune or estate” of the querent will be in good shape. The reverse is true if it isn’t.
The POF does not cast aspects, but other planets may cast their aspects on to the POF.
Lilly follows the method of Ptolemy for calculating the Part of Fortune (POF), who used the same formula for both day and night charts.
To calculate the POF in a day chart, measure the longitudinal distance from the Sun to the Moon in zodiacal order. Then project that distance from the Ascendant, also in zodiacal order. Ptolemy only uses the day formula.
To calculate the POF in a night chart (used by most other ancient & classical astrologers), simply reverse the formula: measure the distance between the Moon to the Sun in longitudinal order. Project the result from the Ascendant (in zodiacal order).

Notice that in these calculations, we are going from the sect light to the light contrary to the sect, in both cases (day & night charts). The conceptual idea is going from light to the darkness of the body.

Projecting the distance between the two sect lights of the native from the Ascendant personalizes it for the native by tying it to the most personal points in the chart.

Let’s try the calculation on some charts to see if it works.

p. 143: Lilly’s method of the calculation:

Lilly gives his method of calculation.

Essentially, the idea is to measure the longitudinal distance in degrees, minutes and seconds along the ecliptic from the Moon, going in zodiacal order, to the Sun. One then projects this distance from the ascendant to arrive at the point which is the Part of Fortune.

This is known as the “day formula”, which was used if the Sun was found over the horizon. For night charts, most classical astrologers reversed the day formula, measuring the zodiacal distance between the Sun and Moon, starting with the Sun (rather than the Moon) and measuring the distance in zodiacal order to the Moon, and projecting that distance from the ascendant.

Lilly did not use the night formula because Ptolemy didn’t. Their reasoning being that the Part of Fortune acted as a kind of second ascendant. If the ascendant marked the rise of the Sun over the horizon, the Part of Fortune marked the rise of the Moon over a symbolic horizon, making the use of the night formula for the Moon superfluous. It was for this reason that Lilly and his followers, and of course Ptolemy, used the day formula exclusively in calculating the Part of Fortune.

p. 144:

Lilly points out a series of useful shortcuts for determining the Part of Fortune, e.g. if the native was born on a new Moon, then the POF will be at the Ascendant.
If the Moon is in the first quarter, then the POF will be in the fourth house,
If on the full Moon, then the POF is in the seventh house,
If in the last quarter, then in the tenth house.

p. 145, A table is given of fortitudes and debilities of the POF:

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 69 (used with permission)}

p. 146: The preceding figure, judges by a “more short” method.

Working with the preceding chart from pg. 135:

Lilly delineates the horary chart using the concise method:

Lord of Ascendant is exalted, Moon trines benefics = signs of long life.
Uses chart from CA p. 135 to define what direction would be best for querent to move.
Benefics are near MC, and north node and Sun are in the ninth house, from p. 134 we give each house from H12 5-7 years, so Lilly judges the querent’s early years will be pleasant.
The recent Sun/Mars conjunction and Mercury opposition show a difficult time in the recent past, but the trine to Venus shows some good, so a mixture of good and bad. But more bad than good.
Moon going into trine with Jupiter promises “preferment” (advancing to a high position or office). But Moon is in fall in Virgo and after the Jupiter trine goes into opposition to Mars, so a bit of joyous times followed by danger.
The small number of degrees to the Jupiter trine, with Jupiter being on an angle, show present happiness or happiness soon to come. The Mars opposition comes later, and since Mars is in a succedent house, the danger will come some years after the preferment.

Here are the directions he is using:

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 62 (used with permission)}

Lilly then advises beginning students of astrology to write detailed judgements so that they engrave the rules in their memories. He goes on to advise his students not to use technical astrological jargon with their clients unless they are sure the client understands the art of astrology.

Chapter 24: If One Would Find the Party at Home or Not.

p. 147: Chapter 24 – If one shall find the party at home he would speak withall.

Lilly moves on to other first house questions in Chapter 24. He gives the rules to use if we want to know if a person we plan to visit will be home or not.

The Ascendant and its Lord are the querent. Lord for the person the querent wants to speak to is the seventh. If it is the father, then the fourth house, the mother the tenth, a child the fifth, etc.
Assuming the seventh house, if the Lord of the seventh is in a angular house, one can assume the party is at home.
If in a succedent house, then not at home, but not far away.
If in a cadent house, then the party is far from home.
If Ascendant Lord is applying to Lord 7, then the querent will meet the party on the way to their house, or hear about where the party is.
If the Moon or any other planet transfers light from Lord 7 to Lord 1, then the querent will know where the party is by means of whomever is signified by the planet who transfers their light.
One can tell by the various testimonies if the person be a man or a woman.

Here are the rules Lilly gives for ascertaining whether an event that we hear of will have positive or negative implications for the querent:

Does the Event signify Good or Evil?

p. 148 – Of a thing actually happening, whether it signifieth Good or Evil.

Cast the chart for when the event happened, or when the astrologer first hears of it.
Consider the Lord of the sign the Sun is in.
And the Lord of the sign that the Moon is in;
And for the Lord of the Ascendant (Lord of Life).
See which is the strongest in the Ascendant.
If the strongest Lord is sextile, trine with Sun, Jupiter or Venus, no evil will come from the event.
But if the planet is weak in the scheme, or combust or in square, opposition or conjunct with Mars/Saturn/Mercury, evil of some kind will come from the event.
If one considers the planet’s position and nature affecting the querent’s significator, one can discover the nature of the evil (from the third: a neighbor, the second: money problems, etc.)

Lilly next gives us the rules for using the horary chart to determine where to find marks on the querents body. If the marks are present, this is a strong sign of the radicality of the chart and gives us faith in its predictions.

What Moles & Scars the Querent Might Have?

p. 148-149 What Mark, Mole or Scar the Querent hath in any Member of his Body.

Look at the Ascendant sign and the chart on p. 580 of CA (Book 3 on nativities) and tell the querent they have a mark on the part of the body represented by that sign.

Then look at the sign on the sixth house cusp, you’ll find another mark on the part of the body signified by that sign.
Finally, look at the sign where the Moon is; there will be a mark on that part of the body also.
If Saturn signifies the mark, then it is dark or black.
If Mars, then the mark is usually a scar or cut. If in a fiery sign, then perhaps a red mole.
The more afflicted the sign or planet signifying the mark, the bigger it is.
If the sign or planet is masculine, then it is on the right side of the body. The contrary if feminine.
If the significator of the mark is above the earth (i.e., H7-12) it is visible to the eye in the fore part of the body: i.e. it is visible, outside the member.
If it is under the earth (Houses 1-6) it is not visible to the eye or it is within the member. Or on (or in) the back part of the body.
If the cusp of the sign or Lord of the sign is in a few degrees, then the mark is on the upper part of the member. If the middle of the sign, then the middle of the member. Or if the Moon, the sign, or the Lord the sign be in the last degrees, then the lower part of the member.

Here is page 245 of CA listing the body parts signified by the various houses:

p. 150 – Lilly assures us that if the chart is radical, then these rules will work. He warns us to be careful in November and December in London, where one often doesn’t see the Sun and it is hard to get an accurate time for casting a chart!

Lilly says that we can also use these rules for the quesited (i.e. the person being asked about by the querent). If asking about the querent’s wife, then just turn the rules for the first house to the seventh. The radical 12^th house becomes the sixth from the seventh.
An infortune in the first blemishes the face, for the first house signifies the face, the second the neck (c.f. chart above on CA p. 245)
Many times, if the Moon is in opposition or conjunct to the Sun, the querent has a blemish near the eyes especially if they are near the angles and either of them have any ill aspects to Mars.

Is the One Absent Dead or Alive?

p. 151: Whether one absent be dead or alive.

If the querent has no relation to the party and is asking in “a general way”, then first house (H1) and its Lord and the Moon signifies the absent party. Lord 8 or a planet in the eighth house (or within 5°) shows their death or its quality.

First see if Lord 1, the Moon, and Lord 8 are joined together bodily or in opposition either in the eighth, twelfth, second or sixth houses; these argue that the party is either dead, very sick or near death.
Look to see if there is translation of light from Lord 1 to Lord 8, especially in degrees “deep, lame, or deficient” (c.f. CA pg. 116),
Or translation from Lord 8 to Lord 1,
Or if Lord 8 is emplaced in the first house,
Or if Lord 1 and the Moon be placed in the fourth house.

These are testimonies to the absent party being dead.

If Lord 6 is separated from a bad aspect to Lord 1, the absent one has been lately sick.
If Lord 8 is separated from a bad aspect to Lord 1, they have been in danger of death but are not dead.
If from Lord 12, they have been in fear of imprisonment and arrests.
If from Lord 2, hard times with money or in distress from want.
If from Lord 7, a quarrel of some kind.
If from Lord 9 or Lord 3, crossed during their journey (thieves, pirates).

p. 152 – If Lord 1 is in the ninth, tenth or eleventh house, this is a testimony to the absent one being alive.

Timing:

And if the astrologer gets news that the absent one is alive, then look to see when Lord 1 and Lord 11 perfects to a trine or sextile aspect, count the degrees, and give days for movable signs, common signs get weeks, and fixed signs give months.

Chapter 25 – example worked chart.

p. 153 – A further explanation of the preceding Judgments by the Figure Succeeding:

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 74 (used with permission)}

Lilly uses the above chart to ask the following questions:

If the party inquired of be at home?
A thing suddenly happening, is good or bad intended?
What moles or marks the querent hath?
If one absent be dead or alive?

A woman wants to know if her son is at her house, or the house of his Master?

Venus represents the querent.
The fifth house (H5) represents her son, so the son’s significator is Jupiter.
Jupiter is emplaced in H1 conjunct the Ascendant, this shows that the son is at his Mother’s at the time of the question.
Also, Moon is applying to a sextile to H4, home of Mother.
If we had found Jupiter in H10, that would mean Son was with the Master,
Or if the Moon had been separating from Jupiter and applying to the Sun.

Timing:

Lilly notes that on 25 July, Jupiter and Venus would perfect to a trine, so Lilly predicted that Mother would see the Son on or around that day.
She went home on that day and found her son there.

If enquiring about a neighbor brother or sister, the significator would also have been Jupiter since the third house has Sagittarius at the cusp.

If it was a person with whom she had no relations, then the seventh house would be used, in this case Mars since Aries is at the cusp.

p. 154: then Lilly hypothesizes that since Mars is in the second house in Sagittarius, he shows us how we would locate the person:

Mars is in the second house signifying the northern quarter.
Sagittarius is an easterly sign.
Mars is not on an angle, so he is not home but in a succedent house, so not far from home.
Sagittarius signifies hills, fields or ground (c.f. CA pg. 98)
But if he is in a town, then look for Mars significators, like butchers or smiths (CA pg. 68), but to the northeast of his house.

p. 155: Of a Things suddenly happening, whether good or ill, Resolution thereof by the last Figure.

Lilly gave us the rules for this on pg. 148:

Of a thing actually happening, whether it signifieth Good or Evil.

Cast the chart for when the event happened, or when the astrologer first hears of it.
Consider the Lord of the sign the Sun is in,
And the Lord of the sign that the Moon is in,
And the Lord of the Ascendant (Lord of Life),
See which is the strongest in the Ascendant.
If the strongest Lord is sextile, trine with Sun, Jupiter or Venus, no evil will come from the event.
But if the planet is weak in the scheme , or combust or in square, opposition or conjunct with Mars/Saturn/Mercury, evil of some kind will come from the event.
If one considers the planet’s position and nature affecting the querent’s significator, one can discover the nature of the evil (from the third: a neighbor, the second: money problems, etc.)

Using the chart from p. 152 we find:

The Sun is in domicile in Leo three degrees from the MC in H10.
The Moon is in Pisces hence its lord is Jupiter in Libra, peregrine but at the angle of the Ascendant.
The Ascendant Lord is Venus in Gemini in H9, which is in the term of Venus.
Venus is the most powerful in the Ascendant, it being her house and she is dignified in term, casting a sinister trine to the Ascendant and also with Jupiter.
If an accident/event had happened at the time the chart was cast, Lilly would have judged that no ill would come from it, but rather good.
If Venus had been closer to opposition to Mars, Lilly would have judged some difficulty or loss with finances, Mars being in the second house.

p. 155 – What marks the Querent had:

Rules for finding marks (from p. 148):

Look at the Ascendant sign and the chart on p. 580 of CA and tell the querent they have a mark on the part of the body represented by that sign.
Then look at the sign on the sixth house cusp, you’ll find another mark on the part of the body signified by that sign.
Finally, look at the sign where the Moon is; there will be a mark on that part of the body also.
If Saturn signifies the mark, then it is dark or black.
If Mars, then the mark is usually a scar or cut. If in a fiery sign, then perhaps a red mole.
The more afflicted the sign or planet signifying the mark, the bigger it is.
If the sign or planet is masculine, then it is on the right side of the body. The contrary if feminine.
If the significator of the mark is above the earth (i.e. H7-H12) it is visible to the eye in the fore part of the body: outside the member.
If it is under the earth (H1-H6) it is not visible to the eye or “within” the member. Or in the back part of the body.
If the cusp of the sign or Lord of the sign is in a few degrees, then the mark is on the upper part of the member. If the middle of the sign, then the middle of the member. Or if the Moon, the sign, or the Lord the sign be in the last degrees, then the lower part of the member.

Considering the chart on p. 155:

25° Libra Ascendant
Jupiter in Libra is Lord of Pisces

Lilly tells us this represents the Face, meaning that the Ascendant represents the Face (pg. 245).

Querent has a mole on the right side of her face because Jupiter & Libra are masculine. (c.f. table p. 119)
Near her mouth because Jupiter is masculine.
Querent confessed to a mole near her kidneys (reins) towards her haunches because Asc. Libra is in the later degrees (c.f. CA p. 119).
Aries is at the cusp of the sixth house, and only at 4°, so Aries = head (pg. 580), and Lilly says it is on the forehead near the hairline because H6 is only at 4°, and its Lord Mars is in Sagittarius in the lower hemisphere (under the earth, so she had a mole on her right thigh (p. 580) on the right because Sagittarius is a masculine sign (CA p. 119) toward the middle of it, on the back.
Moon in Pisces in a late degree in a feminine sign, Lilly told the querent she had a mole on the extremity of her left foot.

p. 156: Lilly goes on to talk about the marks on the querent’s son’s body:

Lilly turns the chart to the fifth house, making it the first house of the son.

9° Pisces = mole on left side of cheek. It is the first house, so this is on the head or face somewhere.
It is in Pisces, which signifies the foot, so the mole is on the left foot (feminine sign). A little below the ankle “for you see few degrees ascend”.
Leo is at 4° on cusp of radical H10, turned sixth. So, on his right side near the breast (CA pg. 580) he had a scar, mark, or mole.

p. 156 – Whether one absent be Dead or Alive, by the preceding Scheme of Heaven.

Here are the rules again from pg. 151 for being dead or alive:

First see if Lord 1, the Moon and Lord 8 are joined together bodily or in opposition either in the eighth, twelfth, second or sixth; these argue that the party is either dead, very sick or near death.
Look to see if there is translation of light from Lord 1 to Lord 8, especially in degrees “deep, lame, or deficient” (CA p. 116),
Or translation from Lord 8 to Lord 1,
Or if Lord 8 is emplaced in the first house.
L8 emplaced in the first house.
Or if Lord 1 and the Moon be placed in the fourth house.

These are testimonies to the absent party being dead.

If Lord 6 is separated from a bad aspect to Lord 1, the absent one has been lately sick.
If Lord 8 is separated from a bad aspect to Lord 1, they have been in danger of death but are not dead,
If from Lord 12, they have been in fear of imprisonment and arrests,
If from Lord 2 hard times with money or in distress from want,
If from Lord 7, a quarrel of some kind,
If from Lord 9 or 3, crossed during his journey (thieves, pirates).

From p. 152 – If Lord 1 is in the ninth, tenth or eleventh house, this is a testimony to the absent one being alive.

If the quesited is alive, to find out when news will come of the person, look to see when Lord 1 and Lord 11 trines or sextiles, count the degrees, and give days for movable signs, common signs get weeks, and fixed signs months.

Back to considering the figure from page 156:

Ascendant is Libra which has Jupiter on the cusp, with Venus and the Moon as the significators, and Venus is ruling H8 and H1.
Lilly says that neither the Moon nor L1 Venus joined to any planet in H8 and neither are they afflicted by malefics, and the H1 Lord and Moon are not in opposition to L8.
However, on pg. 152 he tells us that when L1 and L8 are joined together (or in opposition) in H2, H6, H8, or H12, this indicates death. Venus rules both H1 and H8, but is in H9, so it ruling both H1 & H8 does not indicate death.
There is no translation of light from L8 to L1,
L8 is not emplaced in L1, but we do find the benevolent planet Jupiter in L1, a good indication.
The Moon and L1 is not in H4.

Conclusion: The absent one is in good health, but…

Recently Venus had been in opposition to Mars, who is in H2 and rules H6, so money problems and possibility of having had a fever.
But having Jupiter at the Ascendant trine Venus, “such a one as Jupiter” cured him.

Timing: p. 156-157

Signs of long ascension are Cancer through Sagittarius, with the longest being Cancer and Libra.
Capricorn through Leo are the signs of short ascension with the shortest being Pisces and Aries.
Lilly says Mercury the Lord of the eleventh house is in an applying square to Jupiter by 10°.
Both of the are in signs of long ascension (Cancer & Libra), which makes them act like a trine.
Lilly estimates that news will be had of the absent one in ten weeks if he is far away.
If he is near, then only ten days as the signs are movable.

Note: “Moveable, fixed and common signs” = cardinal, fixed and mutable signs respectively.

Chapter 26 – Will the Ship Be Safe or Destroyed?

Chapter 26 moves to an entirely new subject and gives us rules for determining whether a ship which has set sail is safe or has been destroyed.

While travelling and shipping today is still done by boat, most travel is by air or land. The rules given in this chapter can be applied to any kind of travel. Timing question of when the boat will land or return are given at the end.

p. 157:

Chapter 26: Of a Ship, and whatever are in her, her Safety or Destruction.

Lilly says the Ancients put this question to the ninth house.
However, if the question is about the ship’s safety or ruin, he puts it in the first house, since this is derived from the Lord of H1 and the Moon.
Ascendant and Moon are significators of the ship and its goods.

Generally, the Significators are:

Sign Ascending and Moon signify the ship itself and its goods.
Lord of Ascendant those that sail within her.

The ship is lost and everybody drowned if:

A malefic is in the first house (H1).
Lord 1 (L1) is in H6, H4, H12, or H8.
L1 in bad aspect to Lord of H8, H12, H4, or H6
If the Moon is combust.
If the Moon is “under the earth” (i.e. below the horizon in the chart).

Unless reception is found, in which case:
The ship was shipwrecked and some of the people escaped.

The ship is safe if:

If all the preceding significators are free from misfortune, then the ship, the people aboard it and the goods are safe.
And it is even better if there is reception.

If the Ascendant and Moon are afflicted but the L1 is fortunate, then:

The ship has probably sunk;
But the people will be saved!

p. 157-158: Lilly goes on to say that some astrologers, for more precision to know what part of the ship will be saved, have assigned the twelve signs to the various parts of the ship.

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 75 (used with permission)}

This list can be found on page 158 of Christian Astrology.

The technique is to see how many of those signs are fortunate. The ones that aren’t show which part of the ship will need repair.
If the Moon or her lord is unfortunate, then see what sign it and its lord are in and warn that this place should be given attention due to it being weakened.

Will the Ship Return, and in what State?

If the question is to know whether or not a ship setting forth will return and if so and in what state, Lilly says to look for the following:

First, look at the angles.
See if there are fortunate planets there.
If the infortunes are remote from the angles or if they are cadent, combust or under the beams, then the ship will be safe and all its goods.

However… (CA p. 158, final paragraph).

If infortunes are in the angles or succeeding houses, there will be a chance of a problem, which will be signified by the sign where the unfortunate planet is.
If the planet is Saturn, then the ship will be split or be hurt in some way and the men drowned.

p. 159:

If the planet is Mars and he is in any of his essential dignities, or beholds a place where he has dignity or if he is in an earth sign, he signifies the same as Saturn (split ship) or very great damage or danger to the ship.
If the fortunes aspect the bad planets and the fortunes are at one of the four angles of the chart, especially the ascendant, and the Moon is free of affliction, then the ship will suffer much damage, yet most of its men and contents will survive.
If Mars afflicts the angles and the dispositor of the Moon, it means the ship will have pirates, and if there are other afflictions present it will signify bloodshed, thieving, stealing the goods of the ship.
This judgement will be certain if the signs fall in the upper part of the ship.
If it is Saturn rather than Mars, as cited above, then there will be no bloodshed, but the goods will disappear (theft).
If the unfortunate signs (those afflicted by Mars, Saturn, or the south node) are in the bottom parts of the ship or a part of the ship which is under water, it is an argument of drowning, breaking up of the ship or a dangerous leak.
If the signs near the MC are unfortunate with Mars involved, it signifies fire or lightning, or perhaps matter falling out of the air, if the signs are fiery and are near violent fixed stars.
If Mars or another unfortunate planet be in the sign of the fourth house, this denotes fire at the bottom of the ship. If it is in one of the human signs of Libra, Aquarius or Gemini, they will tear the ship by grappling in whatever part of the ship is denoted by the sign.

pg. 160:

If it is Saturn instead of Mars, and is in the MC, damage by contrary winds, leaks or using bad sails, if in the seventh house, the latter part of the ship will be in danger, and the stern broken.
Any infortune in the Ascendant indicates a loss in the front of the ship according to the quality of strength of the significator.
If the Ascendant Lord is retrograde, the ship will return or put into some harbor only a little time after departure; if in a movable sign and Rx, and also Lord of 4^th, then the ship will be crossed by winds when returning; if no impediment other than retrograde, then no loss, if other misfortunes, then loss of some kind.
If L8 afflicts L1, esp. if L1 is in H8, a hurt will come to the ship according to the nature of the planet. For it to represent death the planet in H8 must the Moon Lord, the H1 lord and the Moon itself.

Pg. 161

IF POF and the second house lord is afflicted, loss in sale of goods of the ship, or a bad market.
If north node, Jupiter, or Venus are in the second house, or its Lord, or dispositors of the POF, there will be a good profit from the ship.
If L1 and Lord of the house of the Moon are slow, then the voyage will be slow, if they are quick then it will be quick.
If there is an opposition or square between L1 and the Lord of the sign that deposits the Moon, then there will be discord among the sailors and disputes between the merchant and them. Whoever is essentially stronger is the winner.
If the L2 lord is “removed from his second”, i.e. the L2 lord is removed from the second house by more than two signs, OR if the Moon is further removed from the second house than two signs, there will be scarcity of water or food for the seamen.

An example of a Ship at Sea.

Lilly gives an example of a question about a querent’s ship, was it sunk or living?

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 78 (used with permission)}

Lilly gives an example of a question about a querent’s ship, was it sunk or living?

Asc at 11° Cancer shows the body of the ship.
The fixed stars of the nature of Saturn on Ascendant.
Saturn casts a sinister square (going in zodiacal order) from H11 to the Ascendant.
Moon is exalted casting a sinister sextile to Ascendant.
Mercury and Sun in opposition to the Ascendant

Judgement: (p. 163)

Due to Saturn sq Ascendant, fixed stars conjunct Asc., Lilly judged the ship to be of the nature of Saturn: heavy and slow; boat not very sound.
South node in H9, ship in some kind of distress during its journey.
Looks to south node ruler Saturn, which is in Aries. Judged a leak or damage near the ship’s breast, since Saturn is in Aries, which signified this;
Moon is in great shape in H11 and exalted, no “infortunes” in the angles, applying to trine with Mercury and mutually applying to conjunct with Jupiter;
All significators above the earth.
No infortunes in the angles.

Lily judges the ship was not “cast away”, but living, and the sailors and officers were in good condition (significator of them being the Moon, Ascendant Lady).

The next question was: Where is the ship? Upon what coast? And would any news come from her?

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 62 (used with permission)}

Moon is fixed and in H11.
Taurus is a southern sign, but in the east quarter verging towards the South.
Application to trine of Mercury in Capricorn, a southern sign and western angle.
Judged the ship was south-west from London, on the coast, or between Ireland and Wales.
Because Moon applies to trine with Mercury and Sun and they are on an angle, swift in motion, and only a few minutes from perfection, Lilly judges that there would be news of the ship in a very short time.
Moon applying to a trine of the Sun, who is the Lord of H2, argues for increase in stock, that the merchant would not lose from the voyage.
Talks about the antiscion of Jupiter falling in 9° of Leo, which is close to the second house cusp, and that the antiscion of Mars falls on the Ascendant degree: that these are both indications of safety for the ship, Mars being the L11 lord and the dispositor of the POF.
Lilly says that when the Moon applies with a good aspect to a retrograde planet, it brings a speedy end to the matter.
Lilly sums up what is good in this chart: L1 Lord above the earth – good; Moon and their dispositors are in good signs. L1 Lord in a good house;
Other good signs to look for include the Ascendant free from infortunes, L1 lord above the earth, Moon and its dispositors is a good sign, L1 in H10, L1 lord in sextile and trine with Jupiter or H11 lord.

Example of another Ship.

_{Image from Christian Astrology, annotated by Deborah Houlding, pg 79 (used with permission)}

Ascendant and Moon are significators of ship and those that sail within her.
Moon’s last aspect a square with Saturn, Lord of H8 & H9.
Next applies to trine with Saturn, then opposition to Mercury which rules H12 & H4.
Dispositor of the Moon (Mercury) in his detriment and applying to combustion.
Dispositor of Mercury (Jupiter) under the earth and conjunct with an infortune (Mars) in fall.
Lilly’s judgement was great loss to the merchant due to Mars in fall and Jupiter under the earth in the second house as well as having Jupiter retrograde and the POF in 6^th house, with Jupiter not beholding the POF.
Moon casts sinister square to POF.
Mercury is in a dexter square to POF.
Moon in H4 – sure sign of a sunken ship.

Of the time of receiving any QUESTION.

p. 166 – Of the time of receiving a horary question.

Lilly says that the time to cast a horary chart is when the astrologer has understood the question.
Bonatti says an astrologer should not judge his own question: Lilly feels Bonatti said this because the astrologer can’t be objective about his own question.
Lilly has not found this to be true but encourages people to do their best to be objective.

This page was last edited on 04 March 2024.