Shewing the Reasons why the signs are reckoned from Aries,
and not from any other sign; as also why they are not placed as according
to the order of the four Elements.
from William Ramesey's Astrologia Restaurata (London, 1653).
And thus much concerning the Reasons
of the names of the twelve Celestial signs;
we come now to shew the Reasons why they are reckoned from Aries, and so in order
to Pisces, and not from Taurus or any other sign; as also the Reasons why they
are not placed according to the he order of the four Elements, viz. Fire, Ayr,
Water and Earth, but first a fiery sign, next an earthy one, then an aery, and
lastly a watry, &c.
I have said before, my intention in all these my
Writings, is not to treat of any thing that hath been already delivered to the
Students of this noble Art by the wel-willers thereof, in a plain manner, and
our vulgar tongue, farther then to give me occasion for what is my drift, viz.
to render to my loving Countrey-men and wel-willers of this Science, the reasons
and grounds of the Art, according to the most rational of the Antients, that
they may be both confirmed in their way, as also the better able to answer
the weak Arguments, or rather cavils of their puny Antagonists, I mean
the vain-glorious he ignorant praters and scriblers against this Heavenly
Science.
I come therefore now, God enabling me,
to shew you the Reasons of
the Ancients why the signs are still reckoned from Aries, and so forward,
since the Zodiack as well as the Heavens is round; and what he is round
hath no beginning, and what hath no beginning must needs have no ending;
and what wanteth beginning and ending, must needs have no middle: yet the
twelve Coelestial signs are said to begin at Aries, which is called the
first, and so forward to Taurus, which is the second, to Pisces which
is the twelfth and last, for these reasons.
First, because the Equator cutteth and divideth
the Circle of the Zodiack
in the beginning of Aries, and also the opposite sign Libra; so that six
signs are Northern,
and six Southern; but the reason why the beginning is from Aries, and not
from Libra, is for that that part which is Northern is stronger and of more
force, efficacy and power, and is more noble then that which is Southern:
and Aries is the first Northern sign, and so are all to the latter end of
Virgo; the rest are Southern, or declining Southward; wherefore since by
all in general, the Northern signs are accounted stronger, and more noble
then the Southern, did the Ancients pre appoint Aries the first of the
signs, it being the first of them.
Secondly, the Ancients began to number
the signs from Aries, for that when
the Sun enters into Aries, all things increase and multiply;
the days increase
in length, the Trees flourish, the earth brings forth fruit, and all things are
as it were revived or raised from death, being to outward appearance (as it were)
by the preceding Winter barren and dead; also then Sol enters Aries, it is the
beginning or chief principium of the seasons, causing everything to receive
vigour and strength, resembling youth, which is the prime and most pleasant
time, and beginning of life, &c. which are the reasons why the Ancients
have named Aries the first of the signs.
Aries a fiery sign, and next
unto him they have placed Taurus which is an earthy sign; after him Gemini
which is aery, and then Cancer which is a watry sign,; and then again
beginning with a fiery sign, then an earthy one, after an aery, and lastly
a watry , and so following the same order throughout the twelve signs, and
not according to the order of the four elements viz. Fire, Ayr, Water and
Earth; but the reasons hereof are briefly thus; for we will hasten to conclude
this our first Treatise, being meerly an Introductory Discourse before we come
to peruse the following Tracts.
Yet if you finde any benefit hereby,
I shall be very glad, and esteem my pains well
bestowed; for my desire is to benefit young Students, that they may give reasons
and grounds for their Art, as I said before; I write not to the learned, but to
such as these, for whom I took these pains, knowing they may happily (by some
ignorant Antagonist and enemy to the Art) be questioned wherefore such and
such things are held by them, &c.
But let us proceed; the Ancients then (as abovesaid)
have placed first a fiery
sign, then an earthy sign, after an aery, and lastly a watry sign for divers
good Reasons; first then, for that the four Elements receive an alteration
and corruption one with the other by the incessant motion of the Crelestial
signs, of which corruption and alteration there are generated four special
qualities incident to elementary bodies, viz. Generation, Conservation,
Corruption and Destruction.
Now for that Generation is the chief and more noble
quality, they began with that sign which is the author of Generation; viz. a fiery;
Next unto which quality is conservation, fixation, durability or continuance,
which is caused by those signs by which nature is moved to constancy or duration,
as corruptible things receive permanency and fixation, and they are earthy;
After which is corruption the more inferiour quality;
wherefore they placed
in the third place that sign
which is author thereof (according to that of Aristotle, Aer vita est vivorum,
destructio mortuorum: Ayr is the life of every living thing, but
the death or corruption of every dead thing) has viz. an Aery sign. Lastly,
the most ignoble and rejected is destruction, which is caused by the and
watry signs, wherefore they placed in the fourth place a watry sign.
Secondly, they have placed the signs in this manner,
for that heat and
cold are active: the Drought and moisture passive; and heat being strong
and more noble then cold, signifying or causing generation, as most
deserving, is placed first, viz. a fiery sign; so likewise for that
dryness is the stronger of the Patients, it is put first of them,
and next after heat, being an earthy sign, cause of durability, and
therefore placed next to generation; and because corruption goeth
before, destruction is an aery sign placed before the watry; and
because generation is the first beginning of any living thing, and
therefore first placed, so is destruction being the last, placed
last; continuation and corruption in the middle, &c.
They have also thus appointed the
order of the signs, and placed
a fiery sign first, for that heat ruleth in fire, by which all
things are quickned and vivifyed, and therefore being the more
noble of quality (as abovesaid) they place it first; and next
unto it an earthy sign, by reason of the nearness of its
quality with heat, it being a dry substance: after it they place
an aery sign, and preceding the watry , as participating with the humidity
thereof; and lastly, is the watry sign
placed last, as the fiery is first, being contrary thereunto in nature and
quality; the passives being placed in the middle between the actives, which
are placed in the extreams.
There are several other reasons may be produced
for this order of the signs, but one to two may suffice to put to silence
any caviller against this most noble Art: let us therefore now look into
the natures and significations of the signs.