Astrologia restaurata, or, Astrologie restored being an introduction to the general and chief part of the language of the stars : in four books ... / by VVilliam Ramesey, Gent. ...

CHAP. II. Of building of Ships and Gallies, and of lanching them, and of voyaging by Sea.

THE first thing we are to provide for any voyage at Sea is a Bark, Gallie, Ship or such like Vessel; wherefore it seemeth requisite unto me I here shew a fit time for making of such Commodities, and then we shall come to the time of Voyaging. Some of the Ancients have placed this Election in the fourth House; but because Voyages are under the signification of the ninth House, and they cannot be accomplished without Ships, I thought it more convenient to place it in this House.

In the composition or building of Ships there are three sorts considerable; the first are such as serve for War, the second for Traffique or Merchandise, the third we term Gallies and ordinary Vessels.

* 1.1Wherefore in building of Ships for War or swift sailing, fortifie the Ascendent and its Lord, the Moon also and its dispositor, and place them in the Ascendent, tenth or eleventh, and let the sign ascending be fixed; fortifie also the fourth House and its Lord, which hath signification of Ships naturally, and if possible let all the angles be fixed, but be sure you make the Moon and the rest of your significators swift in motion.

Let also the Planet from whom the Moon last separated be strong and well disposed, also swift in motion, or place her dispositor in a watry sign free from all impediment and affliction; and if you cannot place the Moon nor the Lord of the Ascendent in the Ascendent, tenth or eleventh, place one of the Fortunes there, and let him be free from the malevolent aspects of the Infortunes; and let him be if possible oriental, and make the Lord of the seventh weak and slow in motion.

* 1.2In building of Ships for Traffique observe all that you have already heard in the other, onely adde this thereunto, that Mercury must chiefly be fortified and as∣sisted of the Fortunes, and placed if possible in the tenth, eleventh or Ascendent; fortifie also the Lord of the second, and Part of Fortune and its dispositor, and let not the Moon be slow in motion, yet it mattereth not much whether she be very swift, as in the former.

* 1.3In building of Gallies and other Ships you need not stand so much on the swiftness of the Moon and your other significators, onely let her not be very slow; yet if thou canst conveniently make her and all the other swift it will be the better; in other things observe what hath been said already.

* 1.4In buying or making of Ships you may also observe these rules; begin your work when Jupiter or Venus are located in the fourth House in a watry sign, strong and free from all manner of impediment, or in a sign of their nature, and let the Moon be in Taurus, Gemini or the beginning of Cancer. or Virgo or Sagittary, or the last degrees of Capricorn; for the latter degrees of Capricorn are reputed watry, and the first degrees earthy; but it is best to place the Moon or the Ascendent in Pisces.

Let the Sun also be in Trine of the Fortunes, and the Moon increasing in light and motion, as also in latitude, and beheld also of the Fortunes; but let not Mars be in any aspect of the Ascendent, nor of the Moon, for it denotes casualties there∣unto by fire, and that the Ship shall at the last be burnt; also if the Moon be in Aqua∣ries, and the Sun and Mars in aspect to her, viz. by Square or Opposition, or else bodily joyned thereunto, it signifieth the Ship shall endure many storms and much damage and fear of shipwrack: Also if the ☽ be not in ♒, but in a watry sign in either ☌, •• or ☍ of the ☉ and ♂, it denotes the Ship shall be drowned and suffer shipwrack, and shall be sunk with all that is in her to the bottom of the

sea: Moreover, if the ☽ be in any such configuration of them, and be in a fiery sign, the Ship shall be split upon a rock, and shall lose most of her Goods, or stick upon the Sands, and so perish. Lastly, if the Moon be in humane signs, and af∣flicted by the Sun and Mars, as you have heard, it shall met with Pirates and Cut∣ters at Sea, which shall slay all that are in her, ransack her, and last of all sink her.

* 1.5Now as touching lanching of Ships, and setting forth to Sea, to avoyd the tedious reiterations and tautologies of the Ancients, you need do no more then this: See that the Moon be strong essentially and accidentally, well placed in the Heavens, and in good aspect of the Fortunes, viz. Jupiter or Venus, and free from the malevo∣lent aspects of the Infortunes, as also the Ascendent, and its Lord, and Part of Fortune, and its dispositor at either of the times; for look by how much your significator is impedited by the Malevolent, and by so much shall the Ship or the persons therein be damnified; according to the signification of the significator, and the Planet af∣flicting.

* 1.6In Navigating and Voyaging by Sea you are to follow the same rules as hath been delivered unto you for travelling by Land; onely you are to elect watry signs in this, as in the other earthy: but as touching the main end of your Voyage, whe∣ther it be for gain or any other thing, you are to order your significators accordingly; but be sure you ever remember to observe these five times to fortifie them to your best advantage.

The first is the time wherein the Ship is first begun; the second is the time wherein it is bought or purchased; the third when it is lanched; the fourth is the time of the entring thereinto; and the fifth and last is the time wherein it sets out to Sea: The which you having observed, and according to art ordered, especially your entring thereinto, and setting forward (if you cannot obtain the other times) is sufficient to be said hereon, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of building of Fleet-ships, or Men of War.
• * 1.2

  Of building of Merchants Ships.
• * 1.3

  Of building of ordinary Ships and Gallies.
• * 1.4

  Other rules in buying or making of Ships.
• * 1.5

  Of lanching of Ships, and setting out to Sea.
• * 1.6

  Of Naviga∣ting or Voy∣aging by Sea.