[NOTE: These sample chapters are currently just plain text from the work in question. They do not include the formatting, footnotes, or illustrations (where appropriate) of the actual, published books. I hope to get more representative samples up here eventually, but these will have to do for now.]
A short discourse of the nature and qualities of the seuen Planets, and first of Saturnus.
Saturnus
Saturnus is the highest Planet, whose nature is cold & dry, whose complextion melancholy, an enemy to mankind, masculine, and of the day euill disposed, and counted the greater misfortune. He is of slow motion, for he performeth his course but in 30.yeres. He gouerneth in a mans body, the right eare, the milt, the bladder. He hath dominion ouer the Ptificke, Cathar, palsie, dropsie, Quartan ague, Consumption, Gout, Leprosie, morphew, canker fluxe, and griefs of the spleen. He is a friend to the relentiue faculty, and hee hath two houses as Capricornus and Aquarius. If he be Lord of natiuity, he maketh the children of proud heart, lofty in honours, sad, keeping anger, vpright in counsel, disagreeing with their wiues, malicious. Of stature leane, pale, slender, and hard fauored, thicke lips, wide nostrils, and cold of nature. This Planet giueth denomination to Saterday, because he ruleth the first houre of the day.
Iupiter.
Iupiter is next beneath Saturnus, whose nature is warme and moist whose complexiun sanguine, a friend to nature and to mankind, masculine of the day, and called the greater fortune, he is meetly slow of motion, performing his circuit, but in xii.yeeres. He gouerneth in a mans body, the Liuer, the Longs, the Ribbes, Midriffe, Gristle. Blood and seed. He hath dominion ouer the Kings euill, plurisie, infection of the Longs, Apoplexy proceeding of blood, Crampe, great head-ache, heart-burning, and other diseases rising of blood. He helpeth the digestiue and nutritiue faculties, and he hath likewise two houses Sagitarius and Pisces. If he be Lord of the natiuitie, he maketh the children borne, to bee of noble courage, trusty, atchiuing great exploits, merry, glorious, honest, of stature faire and louely coloured, gentle eyes, thick hair, stately in going, very louing both of wife and children. He giueth name to Thursday, because hee ruleth the first houre of that day.
Mars.
Mars followeth Iupiter whose nature is immoderate hote and dry, whose complexion cholericke, masculine of the night, euil disposed, and termed the lesser misfortune. He is different quicke of motion, performing his course in two yeeres. He gouerneth in a mans body, the left eare, the gall, the reines, and Cods. He hath influence in the Tertian feuer, Pestilence, and continuall ague: Ringworme: megrim, rottennesse, vntimely deliuerance, breaking of veines, and all diseases caused by choller, and hath two mansions, Aries and Scorpius. If he be Lord of the Natiuity, he maketh the children borne rough, wilde, fierce, inuinsible bolde contentious, obscure, easie to be deceiued. Of stature indifferent, leane hard fauoured, red headed, small eyed, delighting to burne and destroy, subiect to breaking their lims, and violent death, or else to fall downe from an high place. This Planet giueth denomination to Tuseday, because he ruleth the first houre of that day.
Sol.
Sol, or the Sunne ensueth next Mars whose nature is hot and dry moderately, the life and light of all the other Planets masculine, of the day good fortune by aspect, but euill fortune by corporall coniunction. He is quicke of motion, finishing his course in three hundred fortie fiue dayes, and almost sixe houres. He gouerneth in mans body, the braine, marrow, sinews, the right eye of a man and the left eye of a woman. He hath rule of all hurts in the mouth, in distillations to the eyes, and in all hot and dry diseases which proceed not of choller, and hath but onely one mansion: to wit, Leo. If he be Lord of the natiuity he maketh the children borne trustie, lofty, wise, iust, curteous, religious, and obedient to their parents. Of person copulent, their haire enclined to yellow, tall, large limmed, doing all things with a grace: and if this Planet bee well placed, hee causeth long life. This Planet giueth denomination to Sunday because hee ruleth the first houre of the day.
Venus.
Venus runneth after Sol, whose nature is cold and moist temperately: whose complexion flegmaticke, feminine of the night, and is cleaped the lesser fortune: but of inclination well disposed to mankind. Shee is of a swift progression absoluing her reuolution in one.yeere. She gouerneth in mans body: the loines, kidneis, buttockes, belly, flanke, and matrice. She beareth rule ouer all cold maladies, and moist in the liuer, heart, and stomacke, and specially women about their priuities: and she hath two mansions or houses, Taurus and Libra. If she be Lady of the natiuitie, shee maketh the children pleasant, merry, giuen to pleasures, louely, lecherous, iust, inuiolable keepers of faith and friendlinesse. Of stature, tall, comely, white and faire, hauing wanton and amiable eyes: gentle lookes, thicke soft haire, sometime curled, dancers and delighted in musicke. This gentle Planet giueth denomination to Friday, because she ruleth the first houre in that day.
Mercurius.
Mercurius immediately followeth Venus, whose naturs in al respects is common and conuertible, masculine with masculine, feminine with feminine, hot with hot, cold moist with moist, drie with dry, good fortune with good fortune, be with a good aspect or coniunction. Hee gouerneth in mans body the tongue, memory, cogitation, hands and thighes. He hath dominion ouer the phrensie, madnes, melancholly, falling sicknesse, cough, Rheume and the abundance of distilling spittle. and generally all things are subiect vnto him: and he hath two mansions Gemini and Virgo. If he be Lord of the natiuitie, he maketh the children stout, wise and apt to learne: modest, secret, and eloquent. Of person small, leane, pale of visage, smooth haired, faire eyed, hard and bony handed. This Planet giueth name to Wednesday, because he ruleth the first houre of that day.
Luna.
Luna, or the Moone commeth last, and lowest of all the planets, whose nature is cold and moist, feminine and of the night couueyer of the vertue of all other Planets comming next from her to vs. She is of a very passing swift motion, finishing her course in xxvii.dayes. seuen houres, and xliiii.minutes. She gouerneth in a mans body, the braine, the left eye of a man, and the right eye of a woman, the priuie parts of a woman, the stomacke both in man and woman, the belly, and generally all the left parts of the body. She ruleth the palsie and writhing of the body, displaying of members, obstruction of sinewes, with infirmities proceeding of cold moisture, and she hath but one house only, to wit Cancer. If she be the soueraigne of the natiuity, she maketh the children borne, honest, honourable, inconstant, louing wet and moist places, and giuen to see strange countries. Of stature tall, white and effeminate. She giueth name to monday, because she ruleth the first houre in that day.