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...provided that in a natural manner and in the mixing of these things, he has grasped the method of significance through sound estimation. For what could prevent him from always recognizing future changes in the air original: "aeris"; refers here to the "weather" or the "atmosphere" as a medium of celestial influence so that he might predict it to be now warmer, now more humid? ¶ He will likewise be able, through the qualities of the air, to grasp the qualities of the natures of all men, so that he may discern the qualities of the body and the soul as happening in such and such a way, and grasp those future things that are to happen at certain hours. He who also observes how the surrounding air and the nature of bodies are disposed, will prognosticate what is suitable for the health and improvement of bodies. And when it is the contrary, he will judge it to be contrary. Therefore, from the aforesaid things and those similar to them, it is manifest that we are able to arrive at this work. ¶ However, those who say this science is to be blamed and set aside have had some frivolous reasons for doing so. The first of these is the great deception of those who do not attend to this science with authority, since to inspect it requires great industry in many ways. And therefore many have thought that things happen by chance when this science has been empty; but this occasion of theirs is unsuitable, because this deception happens not by the weakness of this art, but by the temerity of those inspecting it. The second occasion is this: there are very many who, in order to make much profit, having the prognostications of another teaching, ascribed it to this science; by whom many were deceived and driven to this opinion, so that they predicted many things in this science in such a way that in their opining they exceeded the limit of its nature. Thus, they disparaged not only what cannot be known from it, but even what is knowable. This occasion, like the first, is unsuitable. For philosophy is not to be disparaged because of the ignorance of fools. It is also clear that even good and accurate searchers of the sciences are sometimes deceived, not because of the aforementioned reasons, but because of the nature of the thing itself and their own weakness, since they cannot reach the matter due to this

science. ¶ It also happens generally that we reach no true knowledge of the quality of this matter, but only a probable one. This is especially true for that which is gathered from many and dissimilar things. It also happens that the configurations of the wandering stars original: "erraticarū ſtellarū"; the planets were formed in ancient times, through which we consider the configurations of our own times that are similar to them and their effects. We judge that which men of ancient authority, inspectors of things, grasped for the configurations of their own times; for perhaps they are only slightly or greatly similar to our configurations because of their long circuits. But that these configurations should be exactly similar to them, so that those things which are in the heavens A notable argument. and those which are on earth should return to that which they then were, is by no means possible; nor can it be said by anyone, except by one who foolishly and derisively confesses that he knows that which could never be perfectly known by anyone, or who says he has reached that for which the life of no mortal sufficed. Also, by these occasions, we are deceived by certain doubtful things in the prognostication of judgments, because the examples through which we learn are not similar to those by which we judge. For when we search into the accidents of the air within the air, they are found difficult by us for this reason: because the discovery of the causes which are in the air is difficult; and if we have grasped any causes through celestial things. And when we speak concerning the nativities of men original: "hoīuz natiuitatibꝫ"; birth charts or horoscopes, we perceive in this many collections of powers that are not frivolous, which also compel things to vary for themselves. For the differences of seeds original: "Seminū nāqꝫ differētię"; refers to the biological or hereditary "seed" which interacts with planetary influence greatly assist the qualities of changes. For since any region and the air of that same region is of one and the same kind, it possesses the powers to form an image suitable to its species according to the differences of the seeds, such as the seed of man, of the horse, and of other beasts. Likewise, the places of birth change things by a great mutation. Even when the differences of the seeds are of one species, such as the seed of men, and the qualities of the airs are likewise the same, they produce many and great [differences] in the body...