In Christian Astrology, page 159, Lilly says: …some bruise, or running aground: but if it be Mars, and he in any of his essential dignities, or behold a place where he hath any dignity… Does beholding a place of dignity mean to aspect a planet in his sign?
No, it means to aspect a degree where it has dignity, although I would be more inclined to take that by sign or exaltation. This is again a classical attitude where the relationships of the signs were held in high regard and called platick aspects. If the aspect was from degree to degree it was called partile. For example, Mars in Sagittarius is trine Aries, its sign of rulership; Mars in Taurus is opposite its sign of rulership.
