the queen's father, had procured two prognostica for the year 1588, the one by Tobias Möller, the other by Andreas Rosa; and as they were so far from agreeing, that one let the year be governed by the two beneficent planets, while the other put it under the dominion of the two malevolent ones, the Duke requested Below to inquire from his kinsman Brahe which of them was correct. In his answer Tycho remarked that he did not care to mix in astrological matters, but for some years had endeavoured "to put astronomy into proper order," because only in this way, by reliable instruments and mathematical methods and certainty, could the truth be arrived at. He shows that the two prognostics differ so much because one is built on the Prutenic, the other on the Alphonsine tables, which differ nineteen hours as to the time of the vernal equinox. It is therefore not surprising that the two astrologers find different rulers for the year, as these are found from the figura cœli for the time of vernal equinox. These astrological predictions are like a cothurnus, which may be put on any foot, large or small; and when he every year sends his Majesty a prognosticon, he only does it by the king's express command, although he does not like to have anything to do with such doubtful predictions, in which one cannot come to the truth, as in geometry and arithmetic, on which astronomy is founded, by means of diligent observations. As to the two prognostications about which the Duke inquires, neither the Prutenic nor the Alphonsine tables are correct, as he had found by his own observations, and he had as usual sent the king a prognostic for the coming year, but had not kept a copy of it, and if the Duke wanted to see it, he might apply to the king about it.
This letter shows with all desirable distinctness what Tycho thought of judicial astrology, with which philosophical speculations on the unity of the kosmos and the analogy
