The 9th Consideration is to take notice of the several ways, as well secret as manifest, good and evil, whereby things are helped or hindered to be done or not done, and of these there are one and twenty in number. 1st a most strong secret helper. 2nd A very strong secret Helper. 3rd A strong secret helper. 4th A weak secret Helper. 5th A weak secret Helper. 6th A most weak secret Helper. 7th A most strong manifest Helper. 8th A very strong manifest helper. ^9th A strong manifest Helper.10th A weak manifest Helper. A weaker manifest Helper. 12th A most weak manifest Helper. 13th A most strong secret Hinderer.

14th A very strong secret Hinderer. 1 5th A strong secret Hinderer. 16th A weak secret Hinderer. 17th A weaker secret Hinderer. 18th A most weak secret Hinderer. 19th A most strong manifest Hinderer. 20th A very strong manifest Hinderer; and 21st A strong manifest Hinderer. All which we shall treat particularly, the same being a secret of secrets. In the judicial part of Astrology which the ancients did not regard, nor have said anything plainly of it that I find, save only that ‘Haly’ seems to have touched a little upon it in his Exposition of the 23rd of Ptolemy’s Centiloquium; nor do I believe they omitted those things out of ignorance, but rather through disuse or fear of being too tedious, or burdening the minds of their Readers or Auditors; For they were wont to judge, according as they found the Planets disposed in Houses and Signs, their Fortitudes and Debilities, together with the Part of Fortune, and some few other things. But thou oughtest to consider in thy judgments, not only what they did, but also all other circumstances that thou canst; for when thou dost erect a figure, thou should’st first fine the Significator of the thing enquired after, or to be undertaken, and see if any of the fixed stars of his own Nature being either of his Houses, or in his Exaltation, or in conjunction with him to a minute; for then such star shall so far help the significator, that the thing shall be accomplished and effected, even beyond the Querent’s hopes, and this is a most strong secret Helper: For the Querent may well wonder how it comes to pass. Now, if the same star should be in the same degree with the Significator from one minute to 15’ before him or 5’ behind him, it will still help him, but not so much: and this we call a very strong secret Helper; but if it be with him in the same degree, but above 16 minutes distance and within 50’, it will somewhat help, yet this less; and this we call in the Positive degree only a strong secret Helper. If it be in the same degree with the Significator, in a place where he has two of his smaller Dignities, in the very same minute, or within 16 minutes, it will help him yet less, and then ‘tis a weak secret Helper; from 16’ to 50’ still less, and then ‘tis a weaker secret Helper; but if it be with the Significator in a place where he has no dignities at all it will still help, but as it were insensibly; and this we call a most weak secret helper. The like we may say on the contrary of those things that prejudice, frustrate, and hinder business: For if a Planet which is Significator of anything, being in a place where he has not any Dignities, shall be joined with one of the Fixed Stars of a contrary nature, it will weaken him and not suffer the thing to come to pass; although otherwise by the Figure it seemed never so probable; so that, for want of heeding this, the Artist often gets discredit, and raises a scandal on the Art itself amongst the ignorant: and this is a most strong secret Hinderer; whereas if the same Star be remote above 16 minutes from the Significator, it will weaken him, but not altogether so much; whence it may be called only a very strong secret Hinderer. And so downwards through all degrees in the same manner as we said of the Helpers or Assistant causes respectively.

Of the several twenty-one Modes aforesaid, which are most strong Helpers, &c. and which strongest obstructs.

 

The several Modes before mentioned are thus to be known and distinguished: A most strong manifest Helper or Adjuvant cause, is when the Planet which is Significator of a thing, is in his own House; in an Angle on the very minute of the cusp, direct, swift of course, in reception, and free from all affliction and impediment; which most seldom happens. A very strong manifest Helper, is when the Significator is in his House or Exaltation in an Angle within a degree or two of the Cusp, free from impediment, and in Reception, which very seldom happens.

 

A strong manifest Helper, is when the Significator is in an Angle in his House or Exaltation, within 3 degrees before the Cusp, or 5 degrees after it.

 

A weak manifest Helper, is where a Planet is in two of his lesser Dignities in an Angle within 5 degrees before or 15 degrees after it; or is in his House, or Exaltation, in a succedent House free from affliction.

 

A weaker open Helper, is when the Significator is in his own House or Exaltation, or two of his lesser Dignities, but in a cadent House of the Figure, yet beholding the Ascendant. A most weak open Helper is when the Significator is in some of his greater Dignities, or two of his lesser, not beholding the Ascendant; or in one of his lesser Dignities; only beholding the same, or joined to a Planet that beholds the same, and has some Dignities therein. A most strong open Hinderer is when the Significator is in a place where he hath no Dignity, no delight, is not received; besieged by the Two Infortunes, Cadent from an Angle, and from the Ascendant: and so much the worse if joined with any of the Fixed Stars, of a mischievous nature, &c.

 

There may be other both adjuvant and obstructing causes, besides what we have mentioned, both open and secret: proceeding from the conjunctions of Planets and their Aspects, too tedious here to discourse of. Nor shall I here enlarge on all those before mentioned, but most assure thee that this ninth consideration, carefully observed, will be of great use in raising a true and wary judgment; especially if thou hast always a diligent eye to the Moon; for she of all the Planets has the greatest similitude and correspondence with inferior things, both in general and particular: as well the species of the kinds as the individuals of the species; with winds; to pass by her daily effects which she causes in all things here, and frequent revolutions about the Elements and Elementary Bodies by reason of the nearness of her Orb to the Earth, and smaller circle than any other Planet; so that she seems a Mediatrix between Superiour and Inferious Bodies.

 

And as we see that in the New Moon she appears small and thin, and little, but afterwards her light gradually increases, till all that part of her body towards us becomes replenished with lustre: and then again it decays by insensible degrees till she totally disappears: just so do all bodies both of things Rational, Irrational, and Vegetative: as men grow until they are completed to their determinate stature, and then droop and decline continually till their life is ended; and so of all other things.