Skyscript Astrology Forum

Graham, part of your translated text reads "we enquire if he himself had recognised it, if he had read something of it in these celestial characters; and I have already taken an affirmative position on this, and I will not unsay myself here".
So it sounds like something had previously been mentioned in the Vie de ... text about this. Could I ask you to look at the text around page 111, to see if there is anything relevant there? (Or a little further back, on p.108, where chiromancy is discussed?)

Ch VIII

As to physiognomy and cheiromancy, although he held astrology in great esteem, he had no difficulty in stating that he placed less trust in its judgments than in those of these other sciences, if given by capable persons. I often heard him report that he had been told most particular things from an inspection of his face and his hands; the most marvellous thing I witnessed in this respect was the extraordinarily precise prediction of his death.

Death predicted from his hand
Having heard one of his friends speak of a certain woman, asserting that the things she had said about the lines of the hand had brought her fame throughout Paris, he was curious to meet her and to speak with her about a science to which he had previously been greatly drawn. He harboured this desire for ten months, and you may surmise from this that the desire was not excessive. However, having one day met the said friend at a dinner, on the 22nd of October of the year 1656, hosted by a person of high standing known both for his merit and capabilities and for his important responsibilities, the affair was raised again, and arrangements made for that evening after dinner. A fourth person present joined the party, and they all climbed into a carriage and went off to see the woman, more out of curiosity to learn more about this science than to find out what would happen to them. Monsieur Morin, whom the others presented as a President of the elected representatives who had been dismissed and wished to know if he would soon be reinstated, showed her his hand. After examining the lines, she told him that the life line was cut, and that he should hasten to deal with his business, and that she saw nothing else in the future except that time was pressing. Monsieur Morin, who was not of a nature to be surprised by her predictions, turned and spoke thus to his friend: "You well know what I told you a long time ago, this year is a very bad one for me, and I am so terribly threatened at the end of this month that I doubt greatly that I can be saved." The cheiromancer nevertheless talked to him about things that had already happened to him; she was pressed to say more about the future but replied that she had nothing more to say. And so they all withdrew, reflecting that it required no great science to tell an old man that he would not live for long. But they were greatly surprised when nine days later they learned that a fever had forced him to take to his bed, and that the doctors thought the worst of his illness, which in six days' time took him to his tomb.

He had himself foreseen his death, for which he was prepared
As he felt himself weakening, and saw that the medicine he was given was making no difference, he deemed that he was approaching the end that the stars had shown so clearly, and of which he had informed several of his friends, in particular Monsieur des Noyers, Secretary of Legal Orders to the Queen of Poland, one of his dearest and closest confidents. His first thought, without having to be reminded, was for the great account he would have to make for his acts, and in order to apply his mind fully to this, he began by dealing with all the superfluity of his worldly affairs, and as riches are the heaviest and most troublesome impediments to a soul which seeks to raise itself up, he first disposed of the goods he had acquired through his work. He set aside a considerable sum for prayers, distributed a portion to his servants and to the poor, and bequeathed the greater part to his niece. He did not forget the two other nieces for whom he had used his savings to enable them to become nuns, but dealt strictly with the son of one of his brothers, leaving him only one hundred ecus, which was not so much a reflection of the legitimate resentment he may have felt in respect of this young man for his bad behaviour, as a means by which he sought to correct him, and also because he doubted for his life, and thought that the inclination against which the law had not seen fit to pronounce absolutely might carry him over to the other side.
Once he had made these resolutions, in which he made no mention of his writings or of his principal books, for he had had these delivered to Monsieur Tronsson, Secretary of the Cabinet of his Majesty, whom he had chosen among his friends to be the executor of his wishes after his death, as he had been privy to his most secret thoughts during his life, he devoted all his remaining moments to the providence of God, conferring often with his ordinary superior confessor of Christian doctrine, a most pious man. After having always by his side his friend Monsieur de Lauberie, a man of the Church of great merit, he turned finally to the Vicar of his parish, who heard his general confession and administered the last two Rites, after which he gave up the ghost at about two o'clock in the morning on Monday the sixth of November of the same year 1656. This happened very peacefully and with sentiments of great piety, which seemed all the more extraordinary to those who had only known him superficially during his life, for they could not believe that a doctor and an astrologer of such reputation could be such a good Christian.
[?]
The executor of his testament followed his instructions punctiliously, as can be seen above his sepulchre in the Church of Saint Etienne du Mont, his parish, near the door of the sacristy [St Stephen on the Mount, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, near the Pantheon].

1) The SR ASC is conjunct (within 2 degrees) of the natal 8th house cusp.
2) SR Jupiter, natal Lord 8 ), is a little more than half a degree from being exactly conjunct the natal ASC. Jupiter rules the SR 4th house of endings.
3) SR Moon, ruler of the SR 8th is almost exactly square the natal POF (Not sure he would have cited this as an indicator of death).
4) The SR ASC is conjunct the violent fixed star Antares. He indicated in Book 23 that this star was associated not only with violence, but something unfavorable.
5) SR Mars is conjunct the fixed star Hamal that Robson notes was named "The Death Wound." Ptolemy said it was of the nature of Mars and Saturn. I don't know what, if anything, Morin thought about it.

[Using Cardan's method as programmed by Kolev for directing the SR] I note that Jupiter, the ruler of the SR ASC (relocated for Paris) is directed to the conjunction of the IC on November 4, 1656, and SR Mars, his natal ruler of the ASC is also directed to the IC on November 9.