29th August 1646, 4:05pm (Julian Calendar)
Here is a simple but effective example of a Horary cast for the whereabouts of a missing dog in London, judged by the famed 17th century English astrologer, William Lilly and printed in his book, Christian Astrology.
The dog had escaped from his London home and was missing. The owner of the dog, asked the astrologer “What part of the city they should search, next if he should ever recover him.”
The querent (the person asking) is ruled by the 1st house, in this case Capricorn, which is ruled by Saturn. “Indeed in his person he was Saturnine” says Lilly, meaning that some of the dramatised characteristics of Saturn accurately described this man, as he was “a little deformed in body and extreme covetous in disposition”. Emphasised by the South Node in the 1st house.
The dog is signified by the 6th house, which in this chart is Gemini and its ruler Mercury. The Moon also signifies anything lost.
The points of the compass correspond with the signs and angles in the zodiac, which can be used to determine the direction of anything missing. Mercury and Moon (signifying the dog) are placed in the Western angle of the chart. Mercury is in Libra which rules West, the Moon is in Virgo which rules South by West and Gemini rules West by South. So Lilly judged the dog to be West of the owner’s home, around Long Acre or Drury Lane. The house placement of the Moon and Mercury also testify that the dog is in the hands of another person: the Moon is placed in the 7th house (the house which signifies open enemies), and Mercury is in the 8th house, which as the 2nd house from the 7th signifies the moveable assets of the other person.
To judge if something will be found, we need to see a connection in the chart between the thing lost, and the person seeking.
Lilly judged that the dog would be returned, or at least the owner would hear some news, two days later on Monday, which proved true. Two applying planetary aspects that would happen this day indicated that the dog and owner would be reunited: the Sun (bringing light to the matter) trine Saturn (the owner), and the Moon (representing the missing dog) sextile Mars (the owner). Mars represents the owner as well as Saturn because Mars rules Capricorn by exaltation. The aspect between Moon and Mars also have an extra signification, because the Moon shines light on the matter and can represent the situation as a whole, and Mars acts as a connection because it is placed in the 6th house. Mars also naturally rules dogs!
The story ends with an acquaintance of the owner finding the dog chained up under a table at a friend’s house in Long Acre. Recognising the dog immediately, he was returned to his owner, that very Monday, exactly as Lilly had judged!