the most generous melancholy, as that of Augustus,
comes from the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in
Libra: the bad, as that of Catiline’s, from
the meeting of Saturn and the moon in Scorpio.
Jovianus Pontanus, in his tenth book, and thirteenth
chapter de rebus coelestibus, discourseth to
this purpose at large, Ex atra bile varii generantur
morbi, &c., [1285]"many diseases proceed from
black choler, as it shall be hot or cold; and though
it be cold in its own nature, yet it is apt to be
heated, as water may be made to boil, and burn as
bad as fire; or made cold as ice: and thence proceed
such variety of symptoms, some mad, some solitary,
some laugh, some rage,” &c. The cause of
all which intemperance he will have chiefly and primarily
proceed from the heavens, [1286]"from the position
of Mars, Saturn, and Mercury.” His aphorisms
be these, [1287]"Mercury in any geniture, if he shall
be found in Virgo, or Pisces his opposite sign, and
that in the horoscope, irradiated by those quartile
aspects of Saturn or Mars, the child shall be mad
or melancholy.” Again, [1288]"He that shall
have Saturn and Mars, the one culminating, the other
in the fourth house, when he shall be born, shall
be melancholy, of which he shall be cured in time,
if Mercury behold them. [1289]If the moon be in conjunction
or opposition at the birth time with the sun, Saturn
or Mars, or in a quartile aspect with them,”
(e malo coeli loco, Leovitius adds,) “many
diseases are signified, especially the head and brain
is like to be misaffected with pernicious humours,
to be melancholy, lunatic, or mad,” Cardan adds,
quarta luna natos, eclipses, earthquakes.
Garcaeus and Leovitius will have the chief judgment
to be taken from the lord of the geniture, or where
there is an aspect between the moon and Mercury, and
neither behold the horoscope, or Saturn and Mars shall
be lord of the present conjunction or opposition in
Sagittarius or Pisces, of the sun or moon, such persons
are commonly epileptic, dote, demoniacal, melancholy:
but see more of these aphorisms in the above-named
Pontanus. Garcaeus, cap. 23. de Jud. genitur.
Schoner. lib. 1. cap. 8, which he hath gathered
out of [1290]Ptolemy, Albubater, and some other Arabians,
Junctine, Ranzovius, Lindhout, Origen, &c. But
these men you will reject peradventure, as astrologers,
and therefore partial judges; then hear the testimony
of physicians, Galenists themselves. [1291]Carto confesseth
the influence of stars to have a great hand to this
peculiar disease, so doth Jason Pratensis, Lonicerius
praefat. de Apoplexia, Ficinus, Fernelius, &c.
[1292]P. Cnemander acknowledgeth the stars an
universal cause, the particular from parents, and
the use of the six non-natural things. Baptista
Port. mag. l. 1. c. 10, 12, 15, will have them
causes to every particular individium.
Instances and examples, to evince the truth of those
aphorisms, are common amongst those astrologian treatises.