VMs: Celestial Influences

["GC" <glenclaston@xxxxxxxxx>]

We moderns tend to focus on great celestial events as markers of
time, but we forget that many of these 'rare' events were
considered cataclysmic by prediction, and a doomsayer has few
followers.  More attention was expended on seemingly 'routine'
events that held out hope for the daily suffering, something that
nowadays escapes our notice.  Here is an almanac entry that makes
much, not of the lunar eclipse itself, but of its position with
the heavens as a backdrop:


"THE eclypse of the Mone shalbe the .22. daye of Apryll at .10. of
the clocke and .xvi. minutes at after noone, whose begynnynge
shalbe ende after i. of the clocke or nere mydnyght, and so shall
contynewe nereby .4. houres in darcknesse, and is almost of .18.
poyntes, and shalbe all whole darckened and a maruelous syghte to
beholde, for the darckened Moone is in the Dragons heade, and
shall aryse with .8. starres fashoned rounde lyke a crowne, of
whome the principall is called Alpheta.

Also the influence of this Eclypse is muche lyke to the influence
of the fyrste Eclypse of the Moone the .iiii. daye of Maye the
laste yeare .1547."


Lunar and solar eclipses had the potential to be the most
momentous of annual celestial events, and much was obviously made
of them.  This event might have evoked a drawing of a moon or
planet with an 8 point crown over its head.  Other events might
have a three point crown or 'cap' as its depiction.  A brief
lesson on 15th century astrology is in order here, if we are to
understand this passage in its fullness.

In short, the sun is the only light.  The planets and stars ALL
reflect the light of the sun.  Stars do not have light of their
own.  Therefore, the planets also are stars, just stars in lower
spheres.  The sun is the ONLY light in the universe, and as such
distributes light, but does not reflect light.  The moon is the
'second light', which reflects the light of the sun.  Since it is
the primary reflector, it also reflects and directs the light and
influences of the stars.  The sun is the generator of light and
warmth, while the moon is the reflector and imparter of the lesser
influences of the sun and the stars.  The moon is central, the
moon is key.

When it comes to plants, the sun provides the warmth the plant
needs to grow.  It is the moon that imparts the influences and
properties of the planets and stars to the plant.  The moon is
central in imparting all vertue to any plant or herb.

I'm not making this up, it was actually considered fact to the VMS
author.

GC

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