They saie also, that he which hath _Mars_ happilie placed in the ninth house of the heavens, shall have power to drive awaie divels with his onelie presence from them that be possessed. And he that shall praie to God, when he findeth the Moone and _Jupiter_ joined with the dragons head in the middest of the heavens, shall obteine whatsoever he asketh: and that _Jupiter_ and _Saturne_ doo give blessednes of the life to come. But if anie in his nativitie shall have _Saturne_ happilie placed in _Leone_, his soule shall have everlasting life. And hereunto subscribe _Peter de Appona_, _Roger Bacon_, _Guido Bonatus_, _Arnold de villa nova_, and the Cardinall of _Alia_. Furthermore, the providence of God is denied, and the miracles of Christ are diminished, when these powers of the heavens and their influencies are in such sort advanced. _Moses_, _Esaie_, _Job_ and _Jeremie_, seeme to dislike and reject it: and at _Rome_ in times past it was banished, and by _Justinian_ condemmed under paine of death. Finallie, _Seneca_ derideth these soothsaieng witches in this sort; Amongst the _Cleones_ (saith he) there was a custome, that the χαλαζοφύλακες (which were gazers in the aier, watching when a storme of haile should fall) when they sawe by anie cloud that the shower was imminent and at hand; the use was (I saie) bicause of the hurt which it might doo to their vines, &c: diligentlie to warne the people thereof; who used not to provide clokes or anie such defense against it, but provided sacrifices; the rich, cockes and white lambes; the poore would spoile themselves by cutting their thombes; as though (saith he) that little bloud could ascend up to the cloudes, and doo anie good there for their releefe in this matter. ♦The follie of our genethliaks, or nativiti-casters.♦ ♦_Senec. lib. de quæst. natural. 4._♦ And here by the waie, I will impart unto you a _Venetian_ superstition, of great antiquitie, and at this daie (for ought I can read to the contrarie) in use. It is written, that everie yeere ordinarilie upon ascension daie, the Duke of _Venice_, accompanied with the States, goeth with great solemnitie unto the sea, and after certeine ceremonies ended, casteth thereinto a gold ring of great value and estimation for a pacificatorie oblation: wherewithall their predecessors supposed that the wrath of the sea was asswaged. By this action, as a late writer saith, they doo _Desponsare sibi mare_, that is, espouse the sea unto themselves, &c. ♦_Hilarius Pirkmair in arte apodemica._♦ ♦_Joannes Garropius in Venet. & Hyperb._♦