HOUSES OF THE PLANETS
Those stars which are denominated planetary orbs have particular
familiarity with certain places in the zodiac, by means of parts
designated as their houses, and also by their triplicities,
exaltations, terms, and so forth.
The nature of their familiarity by houses is as follows:
Cancer and Leo are the most northerly of all the twelve signs; they
approach nearer than the other signs to the zenith of this part of
the earth, and thereby cause warmth and heat: they are consequently
appropriated as houses for the two principal and greater luminaries;
Leo for the Sun, as being masculine; and Cancer for the Moon, as being
feminine. It has hence resulted, that the semicircle from Leo to
Capricorn has been ordained solar, and the semicircle from Aquarius
to Cancer, lunar; in order that each planet might occupy one sign in
each semicircle, and thus have one of its houses configurated with the
Sun and the other with the Moon, conformably to the motions of its own
sphere, and the peculiar properties of its nature.
Saturn, therefore, since he is cold and inimical to heat, moving also
in a superior orbit most remote from the luminaries, occupies the signs
opposite to Cancer and Leo: these are Aquarius and Capricorn; and they
are assigned to him in consideration of their cold and wintry nature;
and because the configuration by opposition does not co-operate towards
the production of good.[48]
[48] Saturn being also malefic in his nature.
Jupiter has a favourable temperament, and is situated beneath
the sphere of Saturn; he therefore occupies the next two signs,
Sagittarius and Pisces. These signs are airy and fruitful, in
consequence of their trinal distance from the houses of the luminaries,
which distance harmonises with the operation of good.
Mars is dry in nature, and beneath the sphere of Jupiter: he takes
the next two signs, of a nature similar to his own, viz. Aries and
Scorpio, whose relative distances from the houses of the luminaries are
injurious and discordant.
Venus, possessing a favourable temperament, and placed beneath the
sphere of Mars, takes the next two signs, Taurus and Libra. These are
of a fruitful nature, and preserve harmony by the sextile distance; and
this planet is never more than two signs distant from the Sun.
Mercury never has greater distance from the Sun than the space of one
sign, and is beneath all the other planets: hence he is placed nearest
to both luminaries, and the remaining two signs, Gemini and Virgo, are
allotted to him.[49]
[49] The planets, having two houses, are said to be more powerful in
one by day and in the other by night: thus,
Saturn’s day house is Aquarius, his night house Capricorn
Jupiter’s Sagittarius Pisces
Mars’s Aries Scorpio
Venus’s Taurus Libra
Mercury’s Gemini Virgo
The above is from Whalley; but the same disposition is to be found in
all modern astrological writers.