Here now you must know the Sun and Moon have no terms;
A Term is a certain number of degrees, which in each sign (whether it be exaltation
or house) every of these five Planets, viz. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury,
have a priority; which by long study and experience was at the last (by Gods assistance)
found out by the Antients.
They are called Terms, Ends or Bounds,
for that the Planets have their proportion so
allotted them, that at the end of so many degrees, begin the bounds, terms or ends of
another Planet: As for example, from the first degree of Aries to the fixt is the term,
end, or bounds of Jupiter; from the 6. to the 14. is the term of Venus, &c...
But the reason why the Planets are
after this manner divided into terms, is briefly this.
The Sages and Philosophers in former Ages followed this rule; first, to observe what
Planet had most dignities in a sign; whether by Exaltation and House, Triplicity and
House; or House, Exaltation or Triplicity only;
And to that Planet that had two or
more Dignities, they assigned the first term, whether he were a Fortune or Infortune;
and if an Infortune have not two dignities in a sign, they placed them last, and gave
them the last term of the sign, and the first term to the Lord of the Exaltation,
to the Lord of the Triplicity, or the Lord of the House; ever preferring him who
hath two dignities before those or him that had but one, except only in Cancer
and Leo; for because Cancer is the opposite sign to the exaltation of Mars, viz.
Capricorn; therefore is the first term of Cancer assigned to Mars; and because
Leo is the opposite sign to the house and joy of Saturn, is the first term of Leo given
to him; to the Infortunes are given still the last of all the signs, except of
Leo; the last term is given to Jupiter; the quantity of the terms are thus divided;
when Jupiter and Venus have not two of the aforesaid dignities in the same sign,
nor in the second, third, nor fourth, they have seven degrees alotted them for
their term: Saturn and Mars, because they are infortunes (except in their own houses)
but five; sometimes four, three, and two; Mercury, for that he is of a mixt nature,
and naturally neither good nor bad, hath six degrees alotted him.
In like manner,
when a Planet hath the aforesaid dignities, he hath assigned him one more, as Venus
in the first term of Taurus hath assigned her eight degrees; and Saturn in the first
term of Aquaries hath six degrees alotted him; and where Venus hath eight, you see
Saturn hath but two in Taurus, being so much diminished, he being very weak in
Taurus:
So also in Sagittary, you see Jupiter is
increased one, being he is there
strong; and Mercury being weak, is diminished one; Jupiter hath eight, Mercury but
five; but why they are so divided throughout the signs,
I finde no Author give sufficient reasons;
I mean for this Table,
according to Ptolomie, which, he saith, he found in an old rotten worm-eaten book,
which was half consumed with worms and age, in which, he saith, there was a
long story of the utility and reasons of the terms: but by reason of the so
much decay of the Book it could not be legible, so that he could not transcribe
it; and so leaveth the Reader still in doubt concerning this point,
the clearing whereof requireth much time and study, which shall not be
wanting hereafter in me to bestow (God granting me life and health) for
the benefit both of the Art and Students therein. In the interim be content
with what I have now delivered.