Francis Barrett: Of the 28 Mansions of the Moon and their Virtues

The following is a transcript of an extract from Francis Barrett’s The Magus Or Celestial Intelligencer, London 1801, Bk II, Ch 33:

Of the Twenty Eight
Mansions of the Moon, and their Virtues.

The Mansions in the
First Quarter of Heaven

The first is called Alnath; that is
the horns of Aries: his beginning is from the head of Aries of the eighth
sphere; it causes discords, and journies;

The second is called Allothaim or
Albochan, that is the belly of Aries, and his beginning is from the twelfth
degree of the same sign, fifty one minutes, twenty two seconds complete; it
conduces to the finding of treasures, and to the retaining of captives;

The third is called Achaomazon or
Athoray, that is, showering or Pleiades; his beginning is from the twenty five
degrees of Aries complete forty two minutes, and fifty one seconds; it is
profitable to sailors, huntsmen, and alchymists;

The fourth Mansion is called
Aldebaram or Aldelamen that is the eye or head of Taurus; his beginning is from
the eight degree of Taurus, thirty four minutes, and seventeen seconds of the
same Taurus being excluded; it causes the destruction and hindrances of
buildings, fountains, wells, gold mines, the flight of creeping things, and
begets discord.

The fifth is called Alchatay or
Albachay; the beginning of it is after the twenty one degree of Taurus, twenty
five minutes, forty seconds; it helps to the return from a journey, the
instruction of scholars, it confirms edifices, it gives health and good-will,

The sixth is called Alhanna or
Alchaya; that is the little star of great light; his beginning is after the
fourth degree of Gemini, seventeen minutes, and nine seconds; it conduces to
hunting, and besieging of towns, and revenge of princes, it destroys harvests
and fruits and hinders the operation of the physician.

The seventh is called Aldimiach or
Alarzach; that is the Arm of Gemini and begins from the seventeenth degree of
Gemini, eight minutes and thirty four seconds, and lasts even to the end of the
sign; it confers gain and friendship, its profitable to lovers, it scares
flies, destroys magistracies. And so is one quarter of the heaven completed in
these seven mansions; and in the like order and number of degrees, minutes and
seconds, the remaining mansions in every quarter have their several beginnings;
namely so, that in the first sign of this quarter three mansions take their
beginnings, in the other two signs two Mansions in each.

The Mansions in the
Second Quarter of Heaven

Therefore the seven following
mansions begin from Cancer, whose names are Alnaza or Anatrachya that is misty
or cloudy, viz. the eighth mansion; it causes love, friendship, and society of
fellow travellers, it drives away mice ands afflicts captives, confirming their
imprisonment.

After this is the ninth called
Archaam or Arcaph, that is the eye of the Lion; it hinders harvests and
travelers, and puts discord between men.

The tenth is called Algelioche or
Albgebh; that is the neck or forehead of Leo; it strengthens buildings, yields
love, benevolence and help against enemies;

The eleventh is called Azobra or
Ardaf; that is, the hair of the lion’s head; it is good for voyages, and gain
by merchandise, and for redemption of captives;

The twelfth is called Alzarpha or
Azarpha; that is the tail of Leo; it gives prosperity to harvests, and
plantations, but hinders seamen, and is good for the bettering of servants,
captives and companions.

The thirteenth is named Alhaire;
that is Dogstars, or the wings of Virgo; it is prevalent for benevolence, gain,
voyages, harvests, and freedom of captives;

The fourteenth is called Achureth or
Arimet, by others Azimeth or Alhumech or Alcheymech, that is the spike of
Virgo, or flying spike; it causes the love of married folks, it cures the sick,
is profitable to sailors, but hinders journies by land; and in these the second
quarter of Heaven is completed.

The Mansions in the
Third Quarter of Heaven

The other seven follow: the first of
which begins in the head of Libra, viz. the fifteenth Mansion, and his name is
Agrapha or Algarpha, that is, covered, or covered flying: its profitable for
the extracting of treasures, for digging of pits, it assists divorce, discord,
and the destruction of houses and enemies, and hinders travelers.

The sixteenth is called Azubene or
Ahubene, that is, the horns of Scorpio, it hinders journies and wedlock,
harvests and merchandise, it prevails for redemption of captives.

The seventeenth is called Alchil;
that is the Crown of Scorpio, it betters a bad fortune, makes love durable,
strengthens buildings, and helps seamen;

The eighteenth is called Alchas or
Altob; that is the Heart of Scorpio; it causes discord, sedition, conspiracy
against princes and mighty ones, and revenge from enemies, but it frees
captives and helps edifices.

The ninteenth is called Allatha or
Achala, by others Hycula or Axala, that is the tail of Scorpio; it helps in the
besieging of cities and taking of towns, and in the driving of men from their
places, and for the destruction of seamen, and perdition of captives.

The twentieth is called Abnahaya;
that is a beam; it helps for the taming of wild beasts, for the strengthening
of prisons, it destroys the wealth of societies, it compels a man to come to a
certain place.

The twenty first is called Abeda or
Albeldach which is a desert; it is good for harvests, gain, buildings and
travellers, and causes divorce; and in this is the third quarter of Heaven is
completed.

The Mansions in the
Fourth Quarter of Heaven

There remains the seven last Mansions
completing the last quarter of heaven; the first of which being in order to the
twenty-second, begins from the head of Capricorn, called Sadahacha or
Zodeboluch, or Zandeldena, that is a pastor; it promotes the flight of servants
and captives, that they may escape, and helps the curing of diseases;

The three and twentieth is called
Zabadola or Zobrach; that is swallowing; it is for divorce, liberty of captives
and the health of the sick;

The twenty fourth is called Sadabath
or Chadezoad; that is the star of fortune; it is prevalent for the benevolence
of married people, for the victory of soldiers, it hurts the execution of
government, and prevents it being exercised;

The twenty fifth is called Sadalabra
or Sadalachia, that is a butterfly or a spreading forth; it favors besieging
and revenge, it destroys enemies, causes divorce, confirms prisons and
buildings, hastens messengers, it conduces to spells against copulation, and so
binds every member of man, that it cannot perform its duty;

The twenty sixth is called Alpharg
or Phragal Mocaden; that is the first drawing; it causes union, health of
captives, destroys buildings and prisons.

The twenty seventh is called
Alcharya or Alhalgalmoad; that is the second drawing; it increases harvests,
revenues, gain, and heals infirmities, but hinders buildings, prolongs prisons,
causes danger to seamen, and helps to infer mischiefs on whom you shall please;

The twenty-eighth and last is called
Albotham or Alchalcy, that is Pisces: it increases harvests and merchandise, it
secures travellers through dangerous places; it makes for the joy of married
couples, but it strengths prisons, and causes loss of treasures;

And in these
twenty eight Mansions do lie hid many secrets of the wisdom of the antients, by
which they wrought wonders on all things which are under the circle of the
Moon; and they attributed to every Mansion his resemblances, images, and seals,
and his president intelligences, and worked by the virtue of them after
different manners.

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