The basic astrological assumptions are not hard to grasp. For if astronomy is the study of the movements of the heavenly bodies, then astrology is the study of the effects of those movements. The astronomers of the ancient world assumed a division of the universe whereby the superior, immutable bodies of the celestial worlds ruled over the terrestrial or sublunary sphere, where all was mortality and change. It was assumed that the stars had special …showed first 75 words of 3490 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3490 total…came before the quarter sessions in 1656. A Lacock weaver, Wllllam Bond was charged with atheism and blasphemy, and in particular with publicly affirming that 'there was no God or power ruling above the planets, no Christ but the sun that shines upon us'; and 'that the twelve patriarchs were the twelve houses'. "This was astrology run wild; and it is tantalizing not to know how many of William Bond's contemporaries may have held similar views.