Histories of Visions Apparitions Prophecies Spirits Divinations, Part 2 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. From the folly of Interrogations, and Elections.
WHether, beſides the ſuperſtition, and vain curioſity; it be not extreme folly, and madneſſe; to make obſervation, inquiſition. election of dayes and hours (from a mans geniture, and the diſpoſition of the ſtars) wherein to auſpicate a buſineſſe; be it greater, or leſſe? Eſpecially ſeeing the directing Art it ſelf is not onelyonly depraved commentitiouſly (as themſelves confeſſe) by the arrogance, ambition, vainglory, covetouſneſſe, and deceitfulneſſe of the Artiſts: but how are they able to vindicate it from a more commentitious invention, and idle ſpeculation, or inſpection (according to ſuch numbers, additions, ſubſtractions, ſuch days, hours, minutes, ſcruples, &c.) of ſuch a ſtar, or planet, in ſuch a poſiture, or aſpect; ſuch a conjunction, conſtellation, configuration; ſuch a houſe, ſuch a Lord of the Aſcendant, ſuch a Lord of the Horoſcope; ſuch a ſignificator, ſuch a Promiſſor, ſuch a Peregrinator, ſuch an ambulator, ſuch a prerogator, ſuch a diſpoſitor, ſuch an Emiſſary, &c. with ſuch motions, congreſſions, profections, fortifications, oppoſitions, corrections, rectifications, directions, elections, &c. And how do they prove that ſuch fictions (not onelyonly of things, but of names) at leaſt ſuch diſorderly confuſions of both, ſhould not onelyonly be the Rulers ordaining, and ordering; but the rules of foreknowing and foretelling mens fates and fortunes, manners, actions, buſineſſes, ſucceſſes; fortunate or unfortunate, &c.? Is it not great imprudence then, for any to be here onquiring? And as great impudence for them to undertake to be here reſolving?
1. As concerning Fortune in general; If you would know whether your fortunateneſſe or infortunity, proſperity or adverſity ſhall be more, or leſſe; in the beginning, middle, or end of your life; in body, minde, name, goods, relations, &c.
2. As concerning Religion; If you would know, whether you ſhall be of any Religion, or none; whether of a true, or of a falſe Religion; whether heretical, ſchiſmatical, hypocritical; whether conſtant, or wavering in Religion, &c.
3. As concerning marriage; If you would know whether you ſhall ever marry, or not; when, or about what age you ſhal marry; how many wives, or husbands, you ſhall have; whether you ſhall get a wiſe eaſily, or after long and hard ſuit; which ſhall love firſt, or moſt, ſc. the husband the wife; or the wife the husband; whether you two ſhall live long together; and love mutually, equally, and conſtantly; whether your wife ſhall be a virgin, a widdow, or an harlot; be noble, or baſe; beautiful, or deformed; rich, or poor; faithful, or diſloyal; vertuous, or vitious; wiſe, or fooliſh; ſullen, or cheerful; frugal, or laviſh; ſubject or imperious; modeſt and ſilent, or light and loquacious; which of you twain ſhall die firſt, or the one bury the other, &c.
4. As concerning children; If you would know, whether your wife ſhall be fruitful, or barren; whether ſhe ſhall bring forth twins, or monſters; whether boys, or girls; when and under what conſtellations to lie with your wife; for the begetting of children male, or female; tall, or low of ſtature; fair, or deformed; healthful, or ſickly; dull, or witty; wiſe, or fooliſh; rude, or mannerly; long lived, or ſhort lived; whether your children ſhall be many, or few; dutiful, or ungracious; thriving, or prodigal, &c.
5. As concerning friendſhip; If you would know, whether your friend ſhall be true, faithful, uſeful, conſtant; or on the contrary; whether your enemies ſhall be potent, or impotent; noble, or baſe; ſecret, or open; reconcileable, or implacable; whether you ſhall have more enemies then friends; and your enemies more ready, and able to hurt; then your friends to help; whether your greateſt friends or enemies ſhall be aliens, or allies, &c.
6 As concerning honours; If you would know, whether you ſhall be honourable or deſpiſed; preferred or diſgraced; abroad, or at home; whether you ſhall attain to honour, and preferment by the Princes favour, by wealth, by the mediation of friends, or by your own deſerts; whether your honours ſhall laſt, and how long, &c.
7. As concerning Magiſtery and Magiſtracy; If you would know what courſe of life you ſhall lead; publick, or private; military, or civil; liberal, or mechanick; when, under what conſtellation, and with what election to auſpicate, or enter upon your Science, Art, Trade, Occupation, Profeſſion, Office, Place, Calling; what ſhall be your advantage, or prejudice hereby, &c.
8. As concerning ſervants; Whether you ſhall live, or die a ſervant; whether you ſhall ſerve a good, or a bad maſter; when and under what planetary elections to go to ſervice, that ſo it may be both more eaſie, and beneficial, &c.
9. As concerning building; when, or according to what electional houſes of the heavens, to build your houſe on earth: ſo as it may ſtand firm againſt wind, and rain, eſcape fire, and be freed from rats, mice, &c.
10. As concerning husbandry; If you would know according to what ſydereal elections, to hire, let, plant, improve, plow, ſow, reap, &c.
11. As concerning commerce; If you would know when and under what fortunate poſition of the ſtarres; to buy and ſell, and gain by the bargain; what commodities will be cheap, or dear, and when; &c.
12. As concerning Riches; If you would know whether you ſhall waxe rich by inheritance, acquiſition, dead mens goods, merchandizing, other mens mony, by mines, woods, cattle, husbandry, finding of hidden treaſures, by offices, places, executorſhip, feoffeſhip, &c. Whether you ſhall get goods lawfully, or unlawfully; with eaſe, or induſtry; when your wealth will grow upon you, to what meaſure or value they wil amount, and how long they ſhall laſt: And whether you ſhall become poor by ſuertiſhip, compartnerſhip, contention, idleneſſe, luxuriouſneſſe, unprudence, fire, water, winds, rots, murrains, thieves, robbers, plunderings, and whether your riches, or poverty ſhall be firſt, or laſt.
13. As concerning Laws, and Lawings; If you would know on what lucky day, or electional hour, to enter your ſuit: whether your advocate will be faithful and diligent in pleading your cauſe; and the Judge juſt; and whether win the day, or get the better of your adverſary, &c.
14. As concerning travelling; If you would know under what aſpects to begin your jurney proſperouſly; whether it is ſafeſt to go by ſea, or by land; by night, or by day; with company, or without; on horſeback, or on foot; whether your journey ſhall be long or ſhort, your travel pleaſant, or tedious; your return ſafe and advantagious, &c.
15. As concerning wars; If you would know under what happy conjunction to raiſe your men, whether they ſhall be truſty and couragious; what weapons to make choice of; what fortunate day to appoint for the battle; where to take your ground; when to give the onſet; when to retreat; how to get the victory, &c.
17. As concerning things loſt or ſtoln; If you would know where they are, who is the thief, whether you ſhall recover your goods; and how improved, or impaired, &c.
18. As concerning ſports, and recreations; If you would know whether it is beſt to take your pleaſure within doors, or without; when to goe on hunting with ſport, and ſucceſſe; whether you ſhall win, or loſe, in playing at cards, dice, &c.
19. As concerning the minuteſt matters; If you would know with what auſpication, and election, to waſh your hands; kemb your head; cut your hair; pair your nails; put on new cloaths, greet a man, or meet a beaſt that is coming towards you, &c.
20. As concerning health, or ſickneſſe; If you would know which of theſe ſhall be firſt, or laſt; whether natural, or accidental; what degree of malignity is to be gathered from the hour of decumbency; whether the ſickneſſe, or diſeaſe be curable, and recoverable yea, or no; &c.
21. As concerning death; If you would know, whether it ſhall be natural, or violent; honourable, or ſhameful; abroad, or at home; ſuddain, or after long languiſhing; ſooner, or later: whether you ſhall die by juſtice, cruelty, treachery, and caſualty; by poyſon, peſtilence, ſword, famine, thunder, ſhipwrack, fire, water, beaſts, thieves, robbers, ſervants, children, neighbours, ſtrangers; by open or ſecret enemies, &c.
Beſides all theſe (and infinite ſuch like) ſpeculative interrogations, as touching auſpicating elections (common both to preſcribers and conſulters) there are, together with theſe conſtellations, certain practical configurations: as the fabrications of Images, ſtatues, pictures, Taliſmanus, idols (painted, molten, graven) under certain ſydereal conjunctions; for the repelling of things hurtful from you; and procuring of things helpful to you, viz. If you would drive away any venemous ſerpent, or noyſom beaſt; make the figure thereof in ſome certain matter, under ſome convenient conſtellation, and inſcribe thereupon the name of the ſigne aſcending, and the name of the thing you would expell, &c. And for the contrary effect, do it after a contrary conſtellation, &c. And obſerve the like, in alluring to love; or in provoking to hatred; in curing of diſeaſes, and procuring of health, &c. But by no means (ſo conſcientious, or cautious they are) aſcribe the effect to the Image; for that's (ſay they) idolatry, ſuperſtition, witchcraft: but to the conſtellation: and I pray, what's that? But I am weary with reckoning up (in part) things of ſo great folly; and of greater impiety. OnelyOnly I ask (not them, but the ſound, and ſober) if indeed they be not ſo? I mean, if the buſineſſe, and folly of the world (brought and ſought to be directed by the buſineſſe, and folly of an Art) be not very much repugnant to humane prudence; and to divine providence much more?