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. ...

To the Studious Reader.

READER,

IN this following Discourse is presented unto thee the chiefest knowledge of the whole World, and the Mysteries of Na∣ture; so I call them, because they seem no other then Myste∣ries, and strange unto us whilst we are Ignorant in the causes thereof; In this peice thou mayest read the time past, present and future, the whole Government of the World from its Cre∣ation to its Subversion in a Natural way, by the Revolutions of the Years of the World, Eclipses, Comets, and great Conjunctions of the Cele∣stial Planets, and all accidents that shall happen in any Year, whether good or evil, whether Wars or Peace, and who shall overcome, whe∣ther Sickness or Health, Plenty or Scarcity, what shall be the condition of Kings or Grandees, and those that are placed in Authority in any Re∣gion or Kingdom, as also of the Beggar, and such as are of low and poor degree, the state of the Commons in any place, the wealth and prosperity or want of any City, Town or Village, and of all things be∣longing to Man, also of Rain, Hail, Snow, Frost, Dew, fair Weather, Tempests, Storms, Thunder, Lightnings, Earthquakes, Apparitions in the Ayr, and alterations therein, and the causes of all these; and to be short, thou hast here Jasons Golden Fleece, and the greatest riches of Divine Knowledge and Learning that any Man [that is Philosophically given] can wish or desire; hereby thou shalt not only with SOLOMON know all things under the Sun, but be able to Govern the World with Solomons wise man, and not with Phaeton. Wherefore lest it should be attempted by any such giddy rash Yongsters, I prefixed these preceding Books; that so this may be made the more plain, and thy destruction thereby avoided, I mean the gross absurdities thou wilt be ready to run into, as also that thou mightest not be lulled asleep with self-conceited ignorance; read it therefore warily, and with attention, but first be throughly informed of the Nature and Quality of every Sign, Planet and Configurations thereof, which thou hast delivered thee in the second and third Books, and then there is no question but thou wilt soon attain to this most heavenly and delectable Science; the which that thou mayst be the better enabled, let me advise thee to seek first the true Knowledge of thy Creator, and then afterwards study to see him in his Nature and his Works; for perhaps

otherwise thou wilt be apt to attribute all to His great Hand-maid NA∣TƲRE, and so rob him of the glory most due unto him: Yet upon bet∣ter consideration, I cannot see but even the most rural in Divine mat∣ters must needs acknowledge (if they throughly understand the My∣steries of this Science) some Superiour and Divine Power, although they cannot be led to the perfect knowledge of him; and this we have found in most Philosophers in former ages, especially in Plato, who for his rare knowledge in Divine matters which he attained to by his study in Philo∣sophy, was termed DIVINE PLATO, the which Title he very well deserved, as will appear to any that shall peruse his labours: And this may serve very well to reprehend such Carpers at Humane Sciences, and the Students thereof that think it is impossible for them to be seen in such matters without being Heathens; for if I may deliver my judge∣ment, I think it will be a means rather to induce them to acknowledge a Divinity, and to draw them neerer to the knowledge of the Creator, the which I can experimentally aver to be true, if they be any thing first grounded in Christianity: Reader, I shall here say no more, but wish thou mayst make no worse a use of these my labours then I intended in my publishing thereof, and remain

Thy Loving Friend, William Ramesey.