THE ancients have delivered unto us, that there are four ways or means which discover whether a person's question demanded shall be accomplished, yea or nay.
Conjunction.--First, by conjunction: when therefore you find the lord of the ascendant, and the lord of that house which signifies the thing demanded, hastening to a ☌, and in the first house, or in any angle, and the significators meet with no prohibition or refranation, before they come to perfect ☌, you may then judge that the thing sought after shall be brought to pass without any manner of let or impediment; the sooner, if the significators be swift in motion, and essentially or accidentally strong; but if this ☌ of the significators be in a succeedent house, it will be perfected, but not so soon; if in cadent houses, with infinite loss of time, some difficulty, and much struggling.
Aspects of ✶ or △.--Things are also effected, when the principal signifiers apply by ✶ or △ aspect out of good houses and places where they are essentially well dignified, and meet with no malevolent aspect to intervene ere they come to be in perfect ✶ or △.
Consider what house the planet interposing or translating
The proper time is that when you feel most anxious about any matter, and first form the resolution to erect a figure on the subject: if you find the figure radical, and lay aside all self-love and prejudice, you may safely judge a figure erected for that instant of time.
If a person apply to an astrologer, the figure must be taken for the exact time he first speaks on the subject; or, if it be by letter, when it is first read and understood by the artist. If it be not a question, but an event suddenly happening, then the moment of its commencement will shew, by a figure, its result &c.; as the first setting off on a journey, beginning
In all questions consider carefully what planet it is which obstructs or hinders the perfection of the thing desired. We receive judgment herein from that planet with whom the lord of the ascendant be joined, (whether by bodily ☌ or by aspect), or the significator of the thing inquired after, whether it be the ☽ herself, or that she be partaker with the lord of the ascendant or not, or signify the thing demanded.
Carefully observe the planet to which the querent's significator is joined, or the ☽; and observe how that planet is disposed, and unto whom he is joined; for if the lord of the ascendant, ☽, or significator of the thing propounded, be joined to an evil planet, evilly disposed, without reception, or if he be not evilly disposed, but be joined to an infortune, and that infortune receive him not, it denotes the destruction of the thing demanded.
A planet is ill-disposed when he is peregrine, retrograde, combust; also if cadent and behold not the lord of the house or the cusp of the house of the thing demanded. The aspect to the cusp is better than to the lord of the house.
If the significator, as above, be joined to an unfortunate planet, viz. one retrograde, combust, or cadent; then observe whether mutual reception intervene; which shews the perfection of the matter, though with much labour and solicitation. If there be no reception, the affair will come to nothing though there may have been much probability of its performance.
78:1 This means being in these dignities of that significator.
