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LIFE AT HVEEN.
145

than one eye was directed when hopes and wishes were uttered for the future of the little prince. In those days, when most people of note had their nativities worked out for them, it must have been a comfort to the king that he could get this done for the infant by so great an authority as his renowned star-gazer was already considered. Tycho Brahe was accordingly directed to prepare the horoscope of the prince, and on the 1st July following he handed in a detailed report of his investigations. The original document does not appear to have been preserved, but there are two copies (apparently of a somewhat later date) in the Royal Library at Copenhagen.[1] The report contains, first, a dedication to the young prince, after which follow the calculation of the requisite astronomical data and the discussion of the astrological signification of these, all written in Latin, but followed at the end by a German translation of the astrological predictions, probably prepared for the convenience of the queen. The dedication alludes shortly to the origin and importance of astrology, and uses the same arguments as we have met with in Tycho's oration on this subject. The positions of the planets are next calculated for the date of the prince's birth by the Prutenic tables (the successive steps being given for each planet), while those resulting from the Alphonsine tables are also given, but merely for the sake of comparison. Being a practical astronomer, the writer was not content with this, but corrected by means of his own observations the tabular places of Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and the sun, adopting the positions of the other planets as given in the Prutenic tables because he had no

  1. "Horoscopus Sr. Regis Christiani IVti., ad Mandatum Sr. Regis Friderici IIdi., a Tychone Brahe Ottonide conscript. in Insula Hvena Cal. Julij Ao. 1577." The two copies must be of slightly later date, as the prince did not become king till 1588. The dedication is to "Inclyto et Illustri Infanti Christiano, Opt. et Potentiss. Principis Friderici IIdi. Daniæ et Norvegiæ Regis, Domini Clementissimi Filio primogenito."