William Lilly's History of His Life and Times, from the Year 1602 to 1681Lilly, William
Religion
William Lilly's History of His Life and Times, from the Year 1602 to 1681
Lilly, William
Astrologers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Astrology; Lilly, William, 1602-1681
his figures I have observed. I very well remember to have read, in one
of his manuscripts, what followeth.
'Being in bed one morning,' (says he) 'I was desirous to know whether I
should ever be a Lord, Earl, or Knight, &c. whereupon I set a figure;
and thereupon my judgment:' by which he concluded, that within two years
time he should be a Lord or great man: 'But,' says he, 'before the two
years were expired, the Doctors put me in Newgate, and nothing came.'
Not long after, he was desirous to know the same things concerning his
honour or greatship. Another figure was set, and that promised him to be
a great Lord within one year. But he sets down, that in that year he had
no preferment at all; only 'I became acquainted with a merchant's wife,
by whom I got well.' There is another figure concerning one Sir ----
Ayre his going into Turkey, whether it would be a good voyage or not:
the Doctor repeats all his astrological reasons and musters them
together, and then gave his judgment it would be a fortunate voyage. But
under this figure he concludes, 'this proved not so, for he was taken
prisoner by pirates ere he arrived in Turkey, and lost all.' He set
several questions to know if he should attain the philosophers' stone,
and the figures, according to his straining, did seem to signify as
much; and then he tuggs upon the aspects and configurations, and elected
a fit time to begin his operation; but, by and by, in conclusion, he
adds, 'so the work went very forward; but upon the [symbol: aspect
"squares"] of [symbol: aspect "conjunctions"] the setting-glass broke,
and I lost all my pains:' he sets down five or six such judgments, but
still complains all came to nothing, upon the malignant aspects of
[symbol: Saturn] and [symbol: Mars]. Although some of his astrological
judgments did fail, more particularly those concerning himself, he being
no way capable of such preferment as he ambitiously desired; yet I shall
repeat some other of his judgments, which did not fail, being performed
by conference with spirits. My mistress went once unto him, to know when
her husband, then in Cumberland, would return, he having promised to be
at home near the time of the question; after some consideration, he told
her to this effect: 'Margery,' for so her name was, 'thy husband will
not be at home these eighteen days; his kindred have vexed him, and he
is come away from them in much anger: he is now in Carlisle, and hath
but three-pence in his purse.' And when he came home he confessed all to
be true, and that upon leaving his kindred he had but three-pence in his
purse. I shall relate one story more, and then his death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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