First Houseor house of "Life", the point of the Eastern angle and horizon, the celestial sign, ascending on which point, at the instant of birth, and the stars or planets located therein, bears the most powerful influence upon the life and destiny of the native (or person whose horoscope it is). Saturn or Mars in this house never fail to give accidents and illness, when directed to the cusp of the ascendant, as also to be a perpetual trouble throughout life; while Jupiter or Venus therein, free from affliction, are perpetual tokens of good fortune, eminent success, and lasting credit. The sign ascending will also peculiarly mark the bodily form and mental intellect. In horary questions, this house relates to all questions of life, health, and appearance; as stature, colour, shape, sickness, and accidents; it also shows the events of journeys, voyages, etc, with respect to the life and health of the querent engaged in them: it is invariably the chief significator when life and health are concerned. In State questions, comets, eclipses, etc , as also at the annual ingress of the Sun into Aries; the first house signifies the people at large, or the health and well being of the kingdom where it is erected, and wherein the general mass of inhabitants are concerned.

By being considered as the symbolical ascendant of any other person, either related or not related, near or absent, it will shew the same to them, as if the figure had been erected at their own request. According to a very, old manuscript of the twelfth century, it signifies " the money of private enemies, as being the second house in order from the twelfth; the brethren of friends, as being the third from the eleventh house; it signifies the fathers of kings, as being the fourth from the tenth house; also children of religious folks, for it is the fifth from the ninth house; also the sickness of his open (or public) enemies, as being the sixth house from the seventh in order; and upon the wife of his open enemy, or of fellows, (or partners) for it is opposed to the seventh house : it also signifies upon death of servants, as it is the eighth, reckoning from the sixth house; it is the significator of religion and long journeys to the askers children, being the ninth house from the fifth, and upon magis-tery and dignity of his father, being the tenth to the fourth house; also friends to the askers brethren, being the eleventh house from the third, and to the askers self it personates the beginning and fate of every hazardous enterprise".

It is a masculine house, and rules the head and face the same as the sign