THE NATIVITY OF Mr. Will. Lily  
Astrologically performed; Showing how he hath lived, and what Death he may probably die.  
For the Satisfaction of Astrologers and others.  
Published to the world by James Blackwel, Student in Astrology and Physic.  Qui artemi aliquam destruit, long deterior est imperito, nec vacat mens illim malitia, desidia, & ignorantia, Cardan. Seg. 3. Aphor. 146. He that destroys any Art, is far worse than he that is unskilful; for his mind is empty neither of malice, deceit, or ignorance. 
LONDON: Printed by Tho. Johnson, at the White Cock in Rood-lane. 1660.   

To the Honest Reader.  
Courteous Reader,  
I Here present unto thy view, and friendly acceptance, the Nativity of Mr. William Lily, he might I confess, have saved me the pains, (and for the honour of Astrology) published it himself. The Learned Cardan thought it not unbecoming an Artist to publish his own Nativity; but Mr. Lily I perceive had much rather Phillipize than Cardonize, (i.e.) flatter, and play fast and lose with others, than deal plainly with himself. And I finding him so negligent and tardy in this, wherein he might have redeemed Astrologies honour, as much, as in clawing Dick Cromwell, and the Swedish King, he forfeited it; have for satisfaction of the world, and promotion of Art, adventured upon this somewhat troublesome Task, That for one man's scandalous dealing with, and notoriously abusing of an honoured Science, the Art itself might not fall to the ground. Nay, I here aver, the Syderal Science cannot receive greater dignity and renown by any thing, than by the publication of this Nativity of lily's, who hath pretended himself, though falsely, the Stars chiefest Ambassador. Had not Lily set Astrology upon the Tenters, and wracked and tortured it so cruelly as he hath done, to the obscuring the Credit of the Stars, and those that study them also, I should not have been so positive with him, as in some things here published, I am; but if Mr. Lilly can so far forget his gratitude to them that have eminently honoured him, I can forget my pity, and shall not esteem it so much as a venial Transgression, to retort his Ingratitude upon him, and publish what the Stars portend to him, although his grey hairs and great spirit may scorn a conjunction with the splendid Truth thereof.  
J. B. From my Study White-chappel in Bell-yard, near the Church.   

The NATIVITY of William Lilly Artificially handled.  
WILLIAM LILLY was born in Leicester-shire, at a place called Diseworth, in the Year of our Lord 1602. April 30. 14 h. 8 m. P. M. or more vulgarly at 8 m. past 2 a clock on May-day in the morning. The Elevation of the Pole-Artick above the Horizon being there 25° 38′. Under which Elevation to the time given and corrected, I set the Figure of heaven by the operations following.  
The Planets places from the Rudolphine Tables, are thus:  

Long Planets.  ♄ 18 28 R. ♏ ♃ 13 05  ♎ ♂ 6 32  ♍ ☉ 20 05  ♉ ♀ 19 16  ♉ ☿ 05 05  ♉ ☽ 13 47  ♑ Ω 14 53  ♐ 
Latitude Planets.  ♄ 2 44 North. ♃ 1 56 ♂ 1 27 ♀ 0 40 Sout ♀ ● 47 ☽ 2 33 North.  
The Right Asc. ☉ 47 37 R. A. Time 212 00 R. A. Med. Coel. 259 37 Add the quadrant 90 00 Obl. A. Horiscope 349 37  
The figure itself follows.  
William Lily, born 1602. April 30. 14 h. 8 m. P. M. Sub Eleavatione Poli, 52. 38. ☽ in □ ♃ ad ⚹ ♄.   diagram 
HOw this Nativity was corrected and proved to be the true Geniture of William Lilly, by these several Accidents following:  
1. He being aged 16 and 17 years, he lived poorly and in great want, his father so far decayed his estate, that he could not (by his own confession) send him to Cambridge, he laboured then under the Ascendant to the opposition of ♃ with, and without latitude, and to the □ or ☽, and the terms of ♂: ☽ then directed to the terms of ♄, and the part of Fortune to the ☌ of ♄ with latitude, and to the terms of ♄ also.  
2. Aged 18 years he came to London, and was put an Apprentice to Pawlin a Taylor, and the Sun was then directed to the △ of ♃, and the Medium Coeli to the △ of ♂: and Pars fortuna to the terms of ♃. And now William Lily began to live indifferently well.  
3. Aged 25. he married with his Mistress, the Mid-heaven was then directed to the ☌ of ☽ with and without latitude, and the Ascendant was then directed to the ☌ of ☿, who was Lord of the seventh in his Radix, and Pars fortuna to the terms of ♀.  
4. Being aged 30 years, he began to study Astrology, the Ascendant was then directed to the ☌ of ☿ with latitude, and to the △ of ☽, and the M. C. to the ⚹ of ♄: and Pars-fortuna was then directed to the ⚹ of ♃, the grand reason perhaps of its proving so gainful to him.  
5. Aged 31 years, his old wife died, and he got a 1000 l. thereby. Th● ☽ was than directed to the □ of ♄ and □ of ♀: and pars-fortuna was under the ⚹ of ♃, and directed to Ω, a certain note of wealth, and increase of fortune.  
6. Being aged 32 he married again, the Mid-heaven was then directed to the △ of ♀, and to the △ of ☉ also; and ☽ was then directed to the terms of ♃, and pars fortuna to the Antistion of ☽. He was then and the next year also sick of a hypocondriac Melancholy, the Ascendant was then directed to the ☍ of ♄, and to a star of the nature of ♂: The ☽ was than directed to a □ of the ☉, and the Ascendant to the ☌ of ☉, which aptly signified the same.  
7. Aged 34. he removed (at the pleasure of his wife) into Surrey to live, the Ascendant was then directed to the ☌ of ♀ with latitude.  
8. He being aged 38, a violent Fever, the Ascendant was then directed to the ☍ of ♄ with latitude, ♄ all that year in his Ascendant, and ♂ at the Revolution in that year his grand Afflicter.  
9 Aged 48 years, he had many contentions with his wife, and lost 200 l. per annum by Mr. Frost's mean, upon a quarrel had between him and Frost; the Medium Coeli was then directed to the □ of ☿ Lord of the seventh in the Radix, and a most unfortunate revolution that year.  
10. Being aged 50 years, he disgraced himself about the Solar Eclipse in 1652. the Ascendant was then directed to ☋, and ☉ to the □ of ♃, which aptly portended the same.  
11. He being aged 56 and 57, he basely befooled himself and Astroloy, by flattering Oliver and Richard Cromwell, and the King of Sweden, yet he got a Gold Chain; the Ascendant to the terms of ♄ and fourth house, and ☉ was then directed to the ☍ of ☽ with latitude; but then to give him the Gold Chain he had the Mid-heaven to the △ of ♃  
12. Aged 52. he was indicted at Sessions by Emme Spencer for a Cheat: ☉ was than directed to the ☍ of ☽ without latitude, and still under the □ of ♃, and the Ascendant was then directed to the Contrantistion of ☽.  
13. He being aged 58 years, was imprisoned for pretending to know who cut the King's head off, but being befriended, he quickly got off again: ♂ in □ to the Ascendant of the Revolution, and his part of fortune there; but he being under ☉ to the ⚹ of ♀, he got his liberty in a fortnight's time. Fortune seldom favours honest men at so easy and friendly a rate. Thus was this Nativity corrected.  

A general Judgement of this Nativity.  
I Shall not be very tedious in the general Judgement of this Nativity, because it would be very painful, and unprofitable; and Lily himself would never do any thing without a reward. However, for Astrologers honour I shall remark the most eminent and considerable things therein, and that in the form following.  
Here we find ♓ ascending, which Lily himself p. 99 of his Introduction, terms, A Sign double bodied, idle, effeminate, and sickly, representing a party of no action. Perhaps a main reason of his juggling, and his playing fast and lose with all he hath dealt with, and of being so lazy and ignorant in the Art be pretends to, that he seldom did any thing true therein, unless he had the assistance of other men, better acquainted with the Art than himself. But to show that William Lily was never like to make a good Artist, or be of any admirable conception, we find that he hath Mercury in Taurus, a dull, heavy, earthly sign, and ☽ diminishing in light in another earthly sign. In his Introduction p. 584. he says, Luna diminished in light, Mercury in Taurus, signifies the Native will prove a very Ass or Widgeon. And I remember it is nearly from the same reasons, that in his Epistle to his Almanac 1645. he confesseth his conceptions dull, and his speech and discourse, (and he might have said writings also) defective. But I cannot devise what Configuration should make Mr. Lilly drop this truth! The Moon to the quartile of Mercury cannot I am confident, though Mercury be Lord of the ninth. It is very probable, that ☿ in △ to ♂ might do it; for that sometimes makes the veriest Idiot ingenious. If yet a little further we inquire into this Natives manners, adhering still to his own Book, (because he shall have the less occasion to be offended) we find in p. 538. That when the significator of Manners is in ♎, as ♃ is in this Nativity, it denotes one inconstant, crafty, a contemner of all Arts, yet conceited of his own parts. But that I remember to have read this Aphorism in several other Authors, I should have believed that Lily had made it from the experience he had of his own inclination and temperature; For how exactly this hits him in every part, I leave all those to judge that know him, by either his writings or actions. In p. 536. Lily adviseth us to judge of the Natives manners more particularly thus, If there be no Planet in the Ascendant or joined to the ☽ or ☿, or that the Lord of the Ascendant be not aspected of his Depositer, then have recourse to that Planet that forcibly aspects the ☽ and ☿ with a partil aspect; which in this Nativity is ♂, and he ill dignified. And therefore by lily's own rule, in p. 450. signifies a person cruel, quarrelsome, and tyrannical, rash and headstrong, bloody-minded, unshamefaced, sumptuous; a bragger, impious, a shedder of blood, impudent in provoking, but timorous when it comes to action, a thief, author of dissensions, tumults, sedition. And thus much of the man, and his manners and inclination.  
2. Of his Riches: Venus is Lady of the second, and in page 543. he says, That she signifies Riches by friends and women's gifts. And that way indeed hath Lily been somewhat enriched. And in p. 561. When a benevolent Planet is significator of Riches, and combust, the Native thrives by indirect and unlawful means. And Venus Lady of the second, being in exact opposition of ♄, the means should be the more indirect. All men (almost) know how Lily hath got his estate; some by wives, but most by somewhat else, but what I will not say, let those that have a desire to know, ask the Swedes, and the Members of the Long-Parliament, Oliver Cromwell, and Richard's friends, and they perhaps can inform them. If we inquire whether the estate shall continue, Lily tells us in page 563. the Sun in the second is ill, and it is very bad when ●he Lord of the second is combust, and the pars fortuna infortunate, it usually portends confiscation of estate, banishment, etc. And he saith page 564. Caput Medusae, with pars fortuna, or joined to his Lord, expresses loss of Riches, and threatens poverty; which positions exactly happen in this Nativity, and something else to aggravate them, viz. Saturn being in exact opposition to Sol and Venus; but I hear Lilly hath made over his estate already, in hopes to prevent these evils that his Nativity unhappily threatens.  
3. He saith page 567. the ☋ in the third, portends little agreement between the Native and his brethren, or kindred; And this is true enough in his Nativity, for although he hath a poor Brother in the Country, and a poor Sister a Washer-woman, in Milford-lane, he seldom gives them a penny; and besides hath passed away his estate to strangers.  
4. If we inquire whether this honour shall continue, himself saith, page 623. the Hyadeses, Hercules cor, Scorpio, Lanx Australis, in Angles, in □ or ☍ of the infortunes; whom they raise from the dunghill they at last cast down with a vengeance. In this Nativity, although these Stars are not in Angles, yet Mars casts a quartile to two of the eminentest of them, from an Angle; which is every whit as forcible, as if they had been in Angles. If two and four make six, than four and two makes the same number. Thus you see the demonstration is familiar and easy.  
5. If we make enquiry after the Natives imprisonment or restraint, it is apparent he must suffer by such means: For in page 642. he saith, If ♄ afflict ☉ or ☽ with partil or platick Aspect, it denotes imprisonment to the Native. Here you see Sol is most exactly opposed by Saturn, and he Lord of the twelfth, and Retrograde in the eighth house. I hope better for him, than that he die in a prison: but that I have made a promise to quote no Authority herein, but Lillyes own, I could produce divers that relate such a position to be most cruel and ominous.  
6. Having treated of the most material passages of Life, we come now to treat of Death; And shall question first, whether it may be natural, or violent? In page 644. Lily saith, If either the Sun or Moon be in violent signs, and the other Light with a violent fixed star, it denotes a violent Death, chief if any of the infortunes invest either Sun or Moon, or Lord of the eighth. This Aphorism takes full place in this Nativity, for the Moon is in Capricorn, and the Sun with Oculus Taurus, in opposition of Saturn; Ergo, it stands the Native upon, to beware of a violent end. In page 645. he saith, A malevolent in the eighth, and either of the Lights afflicted, or in a violent sign, portends violent death. He saith also, The Lord of the first in a violent sign, and the depositer of the Light of the time in a violent sign, or afflicted, intends violent death. ♃ Lord of the first, is in ♎, a sign violent, and ♄ disposer of the ☽ is in ♏, a sign violent; Ergo, the dint of the Aphorism is to be feared. The kind or quality of death is known from Saturn, because he is in the eighth, thence afflicting the Sun, the Fountain of Life. And the kind of death that Saturn in this case signifies, Mr. Lily saith, page 646. is by drowning, shipwreck, ruin of old buildings, poison. And Saturn being in Scorpio a poisonous sign, 'tis the more likely to be by poison. In pag. 647. he saith, Saturn in opposition of the Sun from fixed signs, many times denotes stoning to death, or suffocation by fire, or water, sometimes beheading, (that is if the person be honourable) death by a Gun, or great instrument, or hanging, or strangling, etc. But of all, I suppose the former, viz. poison, because it is so natural to Saturn, and to the sign he is in. And perhaps it may so fall out, that the native coming into danger to prevent a public shame, may turn his own Executioner, and poison himself, But in this matter I leave Mr. Lily to do what he will, I will promise him beforehand it shall never trouble me. And this shall serve for a general Judgement upon the Scheme of his Nativity.  
I shall set the Figure of his next years Revolution, it being most probable to prove a prodigious year unto him, and the most remarkable that ever he had, yea far more notable than that in which he received a gold Chain from the King of Sweden And I shall give a particular Judgement upon the same, with considering the directions and other things that con-comitate it, and so end my intended Task, and leave Mr. Lily to shift for himself, and baffle if he can, his bad fate, as he hath done all he ever had to deal with.   

Of his Revolution for the Year 1661. being the 59th year of his Age.  
To find the true Revolutional Figure, I equate for the Sun's true place, thus:  
April 29 the Sun is 19 d. 14 m. 41 s Taurus 30 20 12 24   Difference 00 57 43   
The Sun's place is 20 05 00 Taurus. Next greater is 20 12 24 Taurus. Difference 00 07 24  
Then I work b● the Rule of proportion, and say, if 57′ 53″ give 24 h. what shall 7′ 24′ give? Answer 3 h. 4 m. which substracted from Noon the 30 of April, leaves the true time of the Revolution sought, April the 29 da●, at 20 h. 50 m P. M. Astronomically, or more vulgarly, April the 30 at 56 minute's past eight a Clock in the morning; for then the Sun comes to his Radical place, viz 20°. 5′ in Taurus.  
The Figure of Heaven, is as followeth.  
The Planets places are as followeth.  
Long Planets. ♄ 20 43 R. ♏ ♃ 4 31 R. ♎ ♂ 6 13  ♈ ☉ 20 05  ♉ ♀ 05 03  ♉ ☿ 09 46 R. ♉ ☽ 04 47  ♎ Ω 14 40 R. ♎  
The right Asc. ☉ 47 37 Right A. Time 313 30 Added, makes 361 07 The Circle sub. 360 00 Right Asc. M. C. 001 07 Add the quadrant 090 00 Ob. A. Horoscope 91 07  
The Figure itself follows.  
April 30. 1661. 20 h. 56 m. P. M. Revolution for the 59th year current. ☽ ad ☍ ♂.   diagram  

A general Judgement of this Revolution.  
IN this Revolution the sign of the sixth house of the Radix ascends, and the Moon Lady thereof, is in exact opposition of ♂ Lord of the eighth in the Radix. To the first, Mr Lilly saith, page 727. If the sign of the sixth ascends, in that year the Native may fear sicknesses, imbecility of body, or other very many casualties etc. but to the latter he says nothing. Howbeit, other Authors say, it is many times fatal to Life, and truly it is the more to be feared, because opposition happens from Angles, and Saturn in the return so near the opposition of the Sun, (who is Lux temporis) and exactly returned to his Radical place, and the Lord of the eighth wholly, in the Revolution. If Saturn be naturally an enemy to Life, and accidentally Anareta or Lord of Death, then must his influence be the more malignant and cruel. Sed verum prius, Ergo, etc. the 59th year of his age, (a year more dangerous by reason of Satur's double return, than either 42. or 63.) we may upon better grounds than himself predicted Prince Robert's death, pronounce this year most fatal to him; And seriously Lily ought to thank me for my plain dealing with him, if he shall but consider what a muster of cruel and ominous Directions are coming towards him; for they are such as his own Book (whom all along you may see I have made his Judge, and fairer play he cannot desire to have of any man) terms fatal, as you shall largely hear from thence—  
1. He hath the Sun to the sixth house, whose Ark of direction is 59°. 18. which direction he saith, page 668. signifies to the Native himself sickness, etc.  
2. He hath the Ascendant to the terms of Mars, whose Ark of direction is 60° 23′. And in page 660. he saith, It inclines the temperature of the Native to choler, and incites him to rash actions, and to have a hand in many idle and wicked matters, all tending to a general distemper of the body, subject to scandal, and not undeservedly.  
3. He hath the Medium Coeli directed to the quartile of Saturn, whose Ark of direction is 61° 14′. And Lily saith p. 669. This direction discovers many laborious, difficult and unfortunate mischances unto the Native, deprives him of his Honour, Office, Magistracy, Employment, or Reputation, by means of Saturnine and vulgar persons, or of sly dissembling Courtiers, Countrey-clowns, Husbandmen, Colliers, Day laborers, who seem all to conspire and agree herein against him. And as this portends to vulgar persons, beggary, poverty, disgrace; so unto people, discredit, (surely he esteems vulgar persons not worth the terming people) accusations, and treacherous informations, damage by thefts. These are Mr. Lilies own words.  
4. He hath the Medium Coeli to the quartile of Venus by direction, which Ark of direction is 62°. 6′. And he saith, page 673. This direction is ever full of scandal and ignominy, and detracts from the Natives fame and honour, by means of women, and stirs up strife, hatred, and contentions against him; the Native subject to be deluded by women, to woo many, and to be rejected by most, or all women, they putting tricks upon the Native, scorning and deriding him, who will be jealous of his Mistress upon every sleight occasion: It shows death many times to the mother or wife, and an unquiet and uncheerful life— with his wife, many times divorce, jealousies, and great discontents, sale, or loss of much estate, or many costly Jewels. Now beware the Gold Chain!  
5. He hath Pars fortuna directed to the quartile of Jupiter, whose Ark of direction is 61°. 42. He saith, page 704. Such a direction signifies— Loss of wealth by means of Gentlemen, or Lawsuits, and vexations by such, and against such, much labour and difficulty to procure the preservation of his estate, loss of Office, or less increase thereby than formerly.  
6. He hath the Medium Coeli also directed to the quartile of Sol, whose Ark of direction is 62°. 54′. And he saith, page6 672. That it renders the Native obvious to many discommodities, makes him odious to great men, to lose his offices, honour, or preferments upon a sudden, and changes and perverts all his former good fortunes, a Trade's man cracks his credit, or turns Bankrupt, etc. For now he is in danger of being imprisoned, banished, and many times (if the Nativity threaten, a here it doth) he is sentenced to death by the judgement of his Prince, or some of his Officers.  
These are the dire directions that are coming toward Mr. Lilly apace; some of which have partly seized on him already; and let Mr. Lilly tell me whether I have not dealt like a faithful friend by him, and as truly as Damboyse, and the King's Brother did by each other in the Tragedy Here are no Sycophantique towering strains, nor have we flattered Lily in hopes of reward, as he hath done many to their ruin; Nor have we used any stick Heraldy, no clawing Epithets, nor charms to cheat his understanding; we have not consulted Mother Shipton, the Sibyls, or that crackbraind fellow Merlin, etc. nor Dic mie, nor any such like cheats and knaveries; we have kept close to Astrology, and because we would not be adjudged partial, in that, to Lilies own book; a civility, that young Merlin never merited from any Artist in the world.  
But perhaps Lily will say, when he sees this, that some of these directions come not yet a while, according to the measure of time allowed in a direction, I shall easily concede thereunto they do not; two of them especially. But nevertheless if Lily remembers what Sir Christopher Heydon says, Fol. 412. That events proper to men, may be both anticipated and continued before or beyond a direction, as other things shall occur; the objection is clearly invalidated, and Lilies dancing days nearer unto an end, than he is ware of.  
Let Lilly or the best ginger of his acquaintance, tell me what they think of July 1661. when ♄ is stationary upon the opposite place of the ☉, and suddenly after meeting with the ☉ by a quartile? And of ♂ his being stationary to Retrogradation upon the degree Ascending in the Revolution, in November following, a place that Mars so mischeivously hate; And presently meeting an opposition of Venus, (Lilies best friend) and this in ♑ near the twelfth House of the Radix? Nor will the four Eclipses in that year, in the Angles of his Revolution speak better things unto him, that in September of the ☉ especially; it happening so directly upon the place of the ☽ in the Revolution—  
If Mr Lily be unsatisfied in any thing herein written, let him publish his doubts, and I hereby promise him In verba Astrologi, in the word of an Artist, to dilucidate any thing to him that is therein contained. Or if he shall he captious or quarrelsome (which is somewhat probable he may) at me, for my serious pains in his Nativity taken, I shall then call back my civil offer, and will undertake to justify what is here performed, either by dispute, or which way that he shall think proper for to engage, provided it may be for the honour of Astrology, unto which end alone I have published his Geniture.   
FINIS.