OF THE TWELVE HOUSES, THEIR NATURE AND SIGNIFICATION.
As before we have said there are twelve signs, and also twelve houses of heaven; so now we are come to relate the nature of these twelve houses, the exact knowledge of which is so requisite, that he who learns the nature of the planets and signs without exact judgment of the houses, is like an improvident man, that furnishes himself with a variety of household stuff, having no place wherein to bestow them. There is nothing appertaining to the life of man in this world which, in one way or other, hath no relation to one of the twelve houses of heaven; and as the twelve signs are appropriate to the particular members of man’s body, so also do the twelve houses represent, not only the several parts of man, but his actions, quality of life, and living. And the curiosity and judgment of our forefathers in astrology was such, that they have allotted to every house a particular signification; and so distinguished human accidents throughout the whole twelve houses. He that understands the questions appertaining to each of them, shall not want sufficient grounds whereon to judge or give a rational answer upon any contingent accident, and success thereof.
Of the FIRST House, and its Signification. 2
The first house contains all that part of heaven from the line where the figure 1 stands unto the figure 2, where the second house begins: it is one-third of the distance between the horizon and meridian below the earth. It has signification
of the life of man, of the stature, colour, complexion, form, and shape of him that propounds the question, or is born; in eclipses and great conjunctions, and upon the Sun his annual ingress into ♈; it signifies the common people, or general state of that kingdom where the figure is erected. And as it is the first house, it represents the head and face of man; so that if either ♄ or ♂ be in this house, either at the time of a question or at the time of birth, you may observe some blemish in the face, 1 or in that member appropriated to the sign that is then upon the cusp of the house; as, if ♈ be in the ascendant, the mark, mole, or scar is, without fail, in the head or face; and if few degrees of the sign ascend, the mark is in the upper part of the head; if the middle of the sign be on the cusp, the mole, mark, or scar is in the middle of the face, or near it; if the latter degrees ascend, the face is blemished near the chin, towards the neck; this I have found true in hundreds of examples. Of colours, it hath the white; that is, if a planet be in this house that has signification of white, the complexion of the party is more pale or wan; or, if you inquire after the colour of the clothes of any man, if his significator be in the first house, and in a sign corresponding, the party’s apparel is white or grey, or somewhat near that colour: so also if the question be regarding cattle, when their significators are found in this house, it denotes them to be of that colour, or near it: the house is masculine. The consignificators of this house are ♈ and ♄: for as this house is the first house, so is ♈ the first sign, and ♄ the first of the planets; and therefore, when ♄ is but moderately well fortified in this house, and in any benevolent aspect of ♃, ♀, ☉, or ☽, it promises a good sober constitution of body, and usually long life; ☿ doth also joy in this
house, because it represents the head, and he the tongue, fancy, and memory; when he is well dignified and posited in this house, he produces good orators; it is called the Ascendant, because when the ☉ and planets come to the cusp of this house, they ascend, or then arise, and are visible in our horizon.
Questions concerning the SECOND House.
From this house is required judgment concerning the estate or fortune of him that asks the question, of his wealth of property, of all moveable goods, money lent, of profit or gain, loss or damage; in suits of law, it signifies a man’s friends or assistants; in private duels, the querent’s second; in an eclipse or great conjunction, the poverty or wealth of the people: in the Sun his entrance into ♈, it represents the ammunition, allies, and support the commonwealth shall have; it imports their magazines. It represents, in man, the neck and hinder part of it towards the shoulders; of colours, the green. It is a feminine house, and succeedent.
It has consignificators, ♃ and ♉; for if ♃ be placed in this house, or be lord hereof, it is an argument of an estate or fortune; ☉ and ♂ are never well placed in this house: either of them shew dispersion of substance, according to the capacity and quality of him that is either born or asks the question 2.
The THIRD House
Has signification of brethren, sisters, cousins, or kindred, neighbours, small journeys, or inland journeys, often removing from one place to another; epistles, letters, rumours, messengers: it rules the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers.
Of colours, it governs the red and yellow, or sorrel colour; it has consignificators, ♊ and ♂, which is one reason why ♂ in this house, unless joined with ♄, is not very unfortunate it is a cadent house, and is the joy of the ☽; for if she be posited therein, especially in a moveable sign, it is an argument of much travel, trotting, and trudging, or of being seldom quiet: the house is masculine.
The FOURTH House
Gives judgment of fathers in general, or ever of his father that inquires, or that is born; of lands, houses, tenements, inheritance, tillage of the earth, treasures hidden; the determination or end of any thing; towns, cities, or castles besieged or not besieged; all ancient dwellings, gardens, fields, pastures, orchards the quality and nature of the grounds one purchases, whether vineyards, cornfields, &c., and shews whether the ground be woody, stony, or barren.
The sign of the fourth denotes the town, the lord thereof, the governor; it rules the breast and lungs; and of colours, the red: its consignificators are ♋, and the ☉: we call it the angle of the Earth, or Imum Cœli: it is feminine, and the north angle. In nativities or questions this fourth house represents fathers; so does the ☉ by day, and ♄ by night; yet if the ☉ be here placed, he is not ill, but rather shows the father to be of a noble disposition, &c.
The FIFTH House.
By this house we judge of children, of ambassadors, of the state of a woman with child, of banquets, of ale-houses, taverns, plays, messengers or agents for republics, of the wealth of the father, the ammunition of a town besieged; if
the woman with child shall bring forth male or female; of the health or sickness of his son or daughter that asks the question. It rules the stomach, liver, heart, sides, and back, and is masculine. Of colours, black and white, or honey colour; and is a succeedent house; its consignificators are ♌ and ♀, who does joy in this house, in regard it is the house of pleasure, delight and merriment; it is wholly unfortunate by ♂ or ♄, and they therein shew disobedient children, and untoward.
The SIXTH House.
It concerns men and maid servants, galley slaves, hogs, sheep, goats, hares, conies, all manner of lesser cattle, and profit or loss got thereby; sickness, its quality and cause; the principal humour offending, curable or not curable; whether the disease be short or long; day-labourers, tenants, farmers. shepherds, hogherds, neatherds, warreners, and it signifies uncles, or the father’s brothers and sisters. It rules the inferior part of the belly and intestines, even to the rectum. The house is a feminine and cadent house, unfortunate as having no aspect to the ascendant. Of colours, black; ♂ rejoices in this house, but its consignificators are the sign ♍ and planet ♀: we usually find that ♂ and ♀ in conjunction in this house are arguments of a good physician.
The SEVENTH House.
It gives judgment of marriage; and describes the person inquired after, whether it be a man or woman; all manner of love questions; or public enemies, the defendant in a lawsuit, in war, the opposing party; all quarrels, duels, lawsuits; it astrology, the artist himself; in physic, the physician; thieves and thefts, the person stealing, whether man or woman; wives,
sweethearts, their shape, description, condition, nobly or ignobly born; in an annual ingress, whether war or peace may be expected; of victory, who overcomes and who is worsted fugitives or runaways, banished or outlawed men. It has consignificators ♎ and ☽; ♄ or ♂ unfortunate herein, shew ill in marriage. 1 Of colour, a dark black. It rules the haunches, and the navel, to the buttocks, is called the angle of the west, and is masculine.
The EIGHTH House.
The estate of men deceased; death, its quality and nature; the wills, legacies, and testaments of men deceased; dowry of the wife, portion of the maid, whether much or little, easy to be obtained or with difficulty. In duels, it represents the adversary’s second; in lawsuits, the defendant’s friends; what kind of death a man shall die; it signifies fear and anguish of mind; 2 also who shall be heir to the deceased. It rules the privy parts. Of colours, the green and black. Of signs, it has ♏ for consignificator and ♄ . The hemorrhoids, the stone, stranguary, and bladder, are ruled by this house, also poisons; it is a succeedent house, and feminine.
The NINTH House.
By this house we give judgment of voyages or long journies beyond seas, of religious men, or clergy of any kind, whether bishops or inferior ministers; dreams, visions, foreign countries, books, learning, church livings or benefices, and of the kindred of one’s wife or husband. Of colours, it has the
green and white; of man’s body, it rules the fundament, the hips, and thighs; ♃ and ♂ are consignificators of this house; for if ♃ be herein placed, it naturally signifies a devout man in his religion, or one modestly given. I have often observed when the Dragon’s tail, ♄, or ♂ have been unfortunately placed in this house, the querent has either been little better than an atheist or a desperate sectarian. 1 ☉ rejoices to be in this house, which is masculine and cadent.
The TENTH House.
Commonly it personates kings, princes, dukes, earls, judges, prime officers, commanders-in-chief, whether in armies or towns; all sorts of magistracy and officers in authority, also mothers; honour, preferment, dignity, office, lawyers, professions or trade; it also signifies kingdoms, empires, dukedoms, counties; it has of colours red or white, and rules the knees and thighs. It is called the medium cœli, or midheaven, and is feminine. Its consignificators are ♑ and ♂. Either ♃ or the ☉ are very fortunate in this house, especially when they are placed together; ♄ or ☋ usually deny honour as to persons of quality, and to the vulgar little prosperity in profession or trade.
The ELEVENTH House.
It does naturally represent friends and friendship, hope, trust, confidence, the praise or dispraise of any one; the fidelity or falseness of friends. As to kings, it personates their favourites, counsellors, servants, their associates or allies; their money, exchequer or treasure; in war, ammunition and soldiery, it represents courtiers, &c. In a commonwealth, governed by a few of the nobles and commons, it personates their assistance in council; as, in London, the tenth house represents the lord mayor; the eleventh, the common council, the ascendant the generality of the commoners of the said city. Of members, it rules the legs to the ancles; of colours, saffron or yellow. It has ☉ and ♒ for consignificators: ♃ especially rejoices in this house. It is a succeedent house, and masculine, and in virtue is nearly equivalent either to the seventh or fourth house.
The TWELFTH House.
It has signification of private enemies, great cattle, or horses, oxen, elephants, &c.; sorrow, tribulation, imprisonment, all manner of affliction, self-undoing, &c.; and of such men as maliciously undermine their neighbours, or inform secretly against them. It has consignificators ♓ and ♀. Saturn does much delight in that house, for he is naturally the author of mischief. It rules, in man’s body, the feet. In colour it represents the green. It is a cadent house, and feminine.
This is the true character of the several houses, according to the Ptolomeian doctrine, and the experience I have had myself for many years. I must confess the Arabians have made several other divisions of the houses; but I could never, in my practice, find any verity in them; therefore I will say nothing of them.
