'To be spoken with every day in the Week except Saturday at the Golden Ball (being the Third House on the Left Hand) in Gulstone Square, next Turning beyond Whitechappel Bars: And for the convenience of those who live in Westminster, Southwark, &c., He is to be spoken with every Saturday at the Golden Ball and 2 Green Posts, (There being a Hatch with Iron spikes at the door) near the Watch House in Lambeth Marsh.
'A Person who by his Travels in many Remote parts of the World, has obtained the Art of Presaging or Foretelling all Remarkable Things, that ever shall happen to Men or Women in the whole course of their Lives, to the great Admiration of all that ever came to him; and this he does by a Method never yet practised in England: He might give Multitudes of Examples, but will give but one of a Sort.
'A Young Woman, who had a Person pretended Love to her for many Years; I told her, she would find him False and Deceitful to her, and that he never design'd to Marry her, which was a great Trouble to her to hear, by reason she had plac'd her Affection on him, but she found it True, for shortly after he Marryed another: Soon after she had several Sweethearts at a Time, and came to me again for Advice; I told her, there was but one of those she could be happy with, and describ'd him to her; she took my Advice and Marryed him, and they prove a very Happy Couple.
'I have prevented the Ruin of Hundreds of Young Men and Women, by advising them to whom to dispose of themselves in Marriage.
'Another who had been many Years Plagued with a Bad Husband, I told her very few Months she'd Bury him and Marry again very happily, which she found True,' &c., &c.[154]
The next is much shorter: 'Noble, or Ignoble, you may be foretold anything that may happen to your Elementary Life: as at what time you may expect prosperity: or, if in Adversity, the end thereof: Or when you may be so happy as to enjoy the Thing desired. Also young Men may foresee their fortunes, as in a Glass, and pretty Maids their Husbands, in this Noble, yea, Heavenly Art of ASTROLOGIE. At the Sign of the Parrot opposite to Ludgate Church within Black Fryars Gateway.'[155]
Ward,[156] with his keen observation, naturally attacked these gentry, lashed them unmercifully, and at great length. A short extract must suffice for our purpose, and will sufficiently show the estimation in which these astrologers were held by persons of common sense.
'No common Errours, Frauds, or Fallacies, in the World, have so far subdued the Weaker, and Consequently the Greater part of Mankind, as the Juggles and Deceits practicable in a parcel of pretending Astrologers; who undertake to resolve all manner of Lawful Questions, by Jumbling together those distant Bodies, in whose Nature or Influence they have just as much Knowledge, as a Country Ale Woman has of Witchcraft, or a German Juggler of Necromancy. In the first place, I have had an opportunity of examining several Nativities Calculated by those who have had the Reputation of being the best Artists of this Age; wherein I have observ'd Sickness, Length of Days, and all other Fortunate and Unfortunate Contingencies assign'd the Natives, have been as directly opposite to what has happen'd thro' the whole Course of their Lives, as if the Fumbling Star Groper had rather, thro' an Aversion to Truth, study'd the Rule of Contraries, that he might always be found in the Wrong on't.
AN ASTROLOGER.