Perhaps the last great astrologer, William Lilly (1602-1681) rose from modest countryside beginnings to the center of the London political scene during the height of the English Civil War. His astrological predictions were distributed in annual almanacs on the streets of London, and he earned the reputation of England’s cherished astrologer. His crowning achievement, Christian Astrology, still serves as the standard textbook of traditional horary and natal astrology.

In his later years, Lilly wrote his autobiography and passed it on to his dear friend and confidant, Elias Ashmole. The autobiography was published posthumously as the contents could be damaging to Lilly’s reputation given the volatility of mid-seventeeth century England’s political landscape. The volume is colored with peripheral stories of crystal-gazing, dowsing with Mosaical rods and the summoning of spirits and fairy queens. Today’s students will find the read most illuminating, uncovering with exquisite detail the nature of the astrological scene in Lilly’s day, how Lilly came to be acquainted with those in political power, and the sly humor with which he recounts the various highlights of his active London life.

This 300 year anniversary edition of Lilly’s History of His Life and Times has been introduced and annotated by Wade Caves to facilitate easy understanding, and is of interest to both historians and astrologers alike, and is sure to be a steady guide for those embarking on a study of the life of England’s greatest astrologer.