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William Lilly

Nativity of an English Merchant (section concerning wealth)
Paraphrased by Deborah Houlding

From Christian Astrology, p. 749-50


The following extract, paraphrased from Lilly's Nativity of an English Merchant (C.A., p.749) demonstrates the aphorisms for wealth in practice.


Modern reproduction

See original chart below


[For those new to traditional astrology, the links in the text lead to a definition of some of the terms used, which includes an explanation of their application]


Significators of substance:

  • 2nd cusp: 23°30 Aquarius; ruler: Saturn in Taurus

  • North Node in the 2nd

  • Pisces intercepted in the 2nd: ruler: Jupiter in the 12th, strong in essential dignity

  • Part of Fortune in Virgo conjunct the South Node

  • Mercury in Libra combust


The sign of the 2nd house is fixed and aspected from the sinister sextile of Jupiter. Saturn, Lord of the 1st and 2nd, is in the sign of the 4th house, and also fixed. Jupiter, a general significator of substance, has rulership of Pisces which is intercepted in the 2nd, and the North Node which is placed there.

The Part of Fortune is in Virgo, disposed by Mercury which is combust. However, the Part of Fortune is aspected by a sinister trine from Saturn, ruler of the 2nd, which is good.

The native shall enjoy a sufficient fortune and lasting wealth, acquired mostly by his own labour because Saturn is Lord of the 1st and 2nd house. The position of Jupiter in an oriental quarter; and also the position of Venus which is the Almuten, the Part of Fortune and Mercury in an occidental quarter, and not far from the Midheaven, suggest that he will attain a good fortune before he has reached middle age; this is in regard to the quality of his birth and manner of his life. After that age, in the absence of good directions, he will experience a settled period for some years. After this, the position of Saturn and the North Node in the Quarter of Heaven which represents old age promises a more ample fortune, both in goods and land - because Saturn naturally signifies land, property, rentals, etc., and being in earthy Taurus will lead the native to accumulate wealth by farming, minerals, sea deposits, or the mining of materials from the depths of the earth.

Jupiter suggests that he can increase his fortune by dealing with jovial men - that is, men who are of a good corporature, with a long countenance and a ruddy but pleasant complexion, humane and amiable in conversation, etc,.

The North Node being partly of the nature of Jupiter and Venus[1] confirms the above. Also, with Venus being Lady of the 4th and 9th and essentially the strongest planet in the chart, the native will benefit from women and wives, etc., or from long journeys if he deals with such things as Venus signifies, or with men of her description, or with things that are signified by her - jewels, linen, all delightful things, etc. And since Saturn and Venus are in reception [2] , and Venus has sole rulership over the 4th house, it shows that the native's estate will be somewhat increased by his father; for the Part of Fortune is disposed by Mercury, Lord of the father's substance, that is, the 5th house.[3] Because of the proximity of the South Node to the Part of Fortune, and the square of the Moon to the Part of Fortune however, and because Mercury is combust, it seems that whatever the father would leave to the native will be hard gotten and scarce attained; diminished by a sister, because the Moon has some dominion in the 3rd,[4] and by some kinsman or brother because Mars is Lord of the 3rd and is in a platick square to Saturn from fixed signs.

All things considered, anything left to the native by his parents or family will be lessened by his kindred, or by some forged writing, disputed will or evidence which will obstruct the native or require a lawsuit, since the Moon is Lady of the 7th house, and is square the Part of Fortune.[5]

It would not be good for the native to depend upon an inheritance, because Vega [6] in the Ascendant, Saturn trine the ascendant, Lucida Lancis [7] culminating, Venus and Jupiter both essentially fortified, and the North Node in the 2nd, unanimously promise a very great fortune to be acquired by the native's own efforts; although he will do better procuring it than keeping it, as the retrogradation of Saturn and cadency of Jupiter demonstrate. Nor is that the least misfortune of the native. His Part of Fortune is with the South Node, a sure sign of wasting part of his patrimony in lawsuits concerning legacies, or the Testaments of the deceased, and of his being abused and defrauded out of what might be bequeathed to him by dying people.
Christian Astrology
1647
Traditional Reproduction


- End -

Notes:
1] On p.83 of C.A. Lilly says of the North Node, (which is also known as the Head of the Dragon):

"The Head of the Dragon is masculine, of the nature of Jupiter and Venus, and of himself a fortune; yet the ancients do say that being in conjunction with the good he is good, and in conjunction with the evil planets they account him evil."
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2] Saturn in the sign and triplicity of Venus, she in his exaltation and triplicity.
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3] Which is the house of the father's substance because it is the 2nd house (of substance) from the 4th house (of the father).
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4] By exaltation
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5] The 7th house represents enemies and those who oppose our interests. Retrograde Saturn in the 3rd house also warns of damage from forged writings or legal documents as well as an uneasy relationship with siblings.
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6] Referred to by Lilly as Lucida Lyrae. It is presently located at 15° Capricorn, but it was then at 10° Capricorn. This is the alpha star of Lyra the Harp, which Lilly refers to elsewhere by another common title: the Cadent [fallen] Vulture. It is of the nature of Venus-Mercury and when favourably placed upon the angles denotes wealth and success. But it is also associated with debauchery and wasted energies when afflicted; and it carries the symbolism of thievery and lasciviousness in its association with vultures. Lilly warns (p.537) that although it may incline to sobriety "yet but with outward appearances, for usually the person is lascive". Even so, he is using it here to demonstrate that the merchant has the potential to aquire a very great fortune, but he may have to deal with the problems of others who, vulture-like, seek to take the fortune from him. Since inheritences have already been shown to be problematical, the merchant would be best to concentrate upon building up his own, independent fortune.
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7] Zuben Elgenubi, the South Scale. (Lancis means cup). Presently located at 15° Scorpio, but then at 10° Scorpio.
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© Deborah Houlding 1993. Revised 2004. Original chart reproduction by David Plant


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