¶ Here foloweth to knowe the .xii. sygnes in theyr course reygnynge and rulynge vpon the .xii. parties of mānes body: and whiche ben good for lettynge of blode / & indifferent / or euyll. Captiulo. Primo.

[Page] SO it is that I do you knowlege that I say that a man is a lytel world by hym selfe: for the lykenesse and symylytudes / that he hath of the great worlde / whiche is the aggregacion of the .ix. skyes .iiii. elementꝭ / and all thynges in them conteyned. Firste a man hath suche a lykenes in the firste mobyle / that is the soue­raygne skye / and pryncipall parte of all the worlde / for lyke as in this firste mobyle the zodyake is deuyded in .xii. partyes / that ben the .xii. Sygnes. So man is deuyded in .xii. partyes / and holdeth of the sygnes euery par­te of his sygne. The sygnes ben these / Aries / Taurus / Gemini / Cancer / Leo / Virgo / Li­bra / Scorpio / Sagittartus / Capricornus / & Pisces. Of the whiche / thre ben of the nature of fyre / that is Aries / Leo / and Sagittarius. And thre of nature of the ayre / Gemini / Li­bra / and Aquarius. And thre of the nature of water / Cancer / Scorpio / and Pisces. And thre of the nature of the erth / Taurus / Virgo and Caprtcornus. The first is Aries that gouerneth the hede / & the face of man. Taurus the necke and the throte bole. Gemini the sholdres / the armes / and the handes. Cancer the [Page] breste / sydes / mylte / and lyghtes. Leo the sto­make / the herte / and the backe. Virgo the bely and the entrayles. Libra the nauyll / the gray­nes / & the partyes vnder the braūches. Scor­pio the pryue partyes / the genytores / the blad­der: and the foūdyment. Sagittarius the thy­ghes onely. Capricornus also the knees onely Aquarius the legges from the knees to the he les & ankles. And Pisces hath the fete in his domynyon. ¶ A man ought nat to make in­cysyon nor touche with yron / the membre go­uerned of any sygne / the daye that the moone is in it / for fere of to great effusyon of blode that myght happen / Nor in lykewyse whan the Sonne is in it / for the great daunger and peryll that myght folowe therof.

¶ Hereafter foloweth the Nature of the .xii. sygnes. Captulo .ii.

ARies is hote and drye / na­ture of the fyre / and gouerneth the hed & face of man: and is good for bledynge / whan the moone is in it / saue in the partie that it gouerneth and ruleth.

¶ Here foloweth the Nothomye of the bo­nes in mannes body / and the nombre of them: whiche is in all .ii.C. and .xl.viii. Capitulo .iii.

IN the toppe of the hede is a bone that couereth the brayne / the whiche Ptholomeus calleth the capytall bone. In the skull [Page] ben two bones / which ben called Parietales that holdeth the brayne close & stedfaste. And more lower in the brayne is a bone called the crowne of the hede / and on the one syde / & on the other ben two holes / within the which is the palys or rofe bone. In the partye behynde the hede ben .iiii .lyke bones / to the whiche the chayne of the necke holdeth. In the nose ben .it bones. The bones of the chaftꝭ aboue ben .xi. And of the nether iawe ben .ii. Aboue the ap­posyte of the brayne / there is one behynde na­med collaterall. The bones of the tethe ben .xxx. eyghte before .iiii. aboue / and .iiii .vnder­neth sharpe edgyd for to cutte the morselles / & there is .iiii. sharpe .ii. aboue / and .ii .vnderneth and ben called conynes / for they ben lyke co­nyes tethe. After that ben .xvi. that be as they were hamers or gryndyng tethe / for they cha­we and grynde the mete the whiche is eten / & there is .iiii. aboue on euery syde / and .iiii .vn­derneth: And than the .iiii. teth of sapyence on euery syde of the chaftes one aboue / & one vnderneth. In the chynne from the hede downe­warde ben .xxx. bones called knottes or ioyntes. In the brest before ben .vii. bones / and on euery syde .xii. rybbes. By the necke bytwene the hede and the sholdres ben .ii. bones named the sheres / and ben the two sholdre blades. [Page] From the sholdre to the elbowe in eche arme is a bone called the adiutor. From the elbowe to the hande on euery arme / ben .ii. bones that ben called cannes. In eche hande ben .viii. bones / aboue the palme ben .iiii. bones / whiche ben called the combe of the hande. The bones in the fyngers in eche hande ben .xv .in euery fynger thre. At the ende of the rydge ben the hoele bones / wherto ben fastened the two bones of the thyghes. In eche kne is a bone cal­led the kne plate. From the kne to the fote in eche legge ben .ii. bones / called cannes or ma­ry bones. In eche fote is a bone called the an­cle or pyn of the fote / behynde the ancle is the hele bone in eche fote / the which is the lowest parte of a man And aboue eche fote is a bone called the holowe bone. In the plante of eche fote ben .iiii. bones. Than ben the combes of the fete in eche of the whiche ben .v. bones. The bones in the toes ī eche fote ben the nombre of .xiiii. Two bones ben before the bely for to holde it stedfast with the two braūches Two bones ben in the hede behynde the eres called oculares. We teken nat the tēder bones of the ende of the sholdres / nor of the sydes / nor dyuers lytell grystels and speldres of bo­nes / for they ben comprehended in the nombre beforesayde.

¶ Here foloweth the Flubothomye with the names of the vaynes / & where they reste / and howe they ought to be letten blode. Capitulo .iiii.

HEre I do you to wyt: that the vayne in the myddes of the forehede wold be let ten blode / for the ache and payne of the hede / and for feuers Lytargye / and for the megryme in the hede.

¶ Aboute the two eres behynde is two vay­nes / the whiche ben letten blode / for to gyue clere vnderstandynge / and vertue of lyght herynge / and for thycke brethe: and for doubte of meselry or lepry.

¶ In the temple ben two vaynes called the Artyers for that they bete / whiche ben letten blode for to demynysshe and take awaye the great repleccion & abundaunce of blode that is in the brayne / that myghte noye the hede & the iyen and it is good agaynst the gowte the megryme / and dyuers other accydentes that maye come to the hede.

¶ Vnder the tongue ben two vaynes / that ben letten blode for a syckenes called the Se­quamy / and agaynst the swellynge / and ap­postomes [Page] of the throte / and agaynst the equy­nancy / by the whiche a man myght dye so­daynly / for defaute of suche bledynge.

¶ In the necke ben two vaynes called origynalles / for that they haue the course and abū ­daunce of all the blode that gouerneth the bo­dy of man / and pryncipally the hed / but they ought nat to be letten blode without the coū ­ceyle of the Surgyon / & this bledynge auay­leth moche to the syckenes of Lepry / whan it cometh pryncipally of the blode.

¶ The vayne of the herte taken in the arme / profyteth to take away humours or euyll blode / that myght hurte the chambre of the herte or the apperteynaunce / and is good for them that spytteth blode / and that ben shorte wyn­ded / by the whiche a man may dye sodaynly / for defaute of suche bledynge.

¶ The vayne of the lyuer taken in the arme aswaygeth the great hete of the body of man and holdeth the body in helthe / and this ble­dynge is profytable also agaynst the yelowe axes / and appostome of the lyuer / & agaynst the palsy wherof a man may dye / for defaute of suche bledynge.

¶ Bytwene the maister fynger and the leche fynger to lette blode helpeth the dolours that cometh in the stomake and sydes / as botches / [Page] and appostomes / and dyuers other accydentꝭ that may come to those places by great abundaunce of blode and humours.

¶ In the sydes bytwene the wombe and the braūche ben two vaynes / of the whiche that of the right syde is letten blode for the dropsy: & that of the lefte syde for euery syckenes that cometh aboute the mylte / and they shuld ble­de after the persons be fatte or lene / take good hede at foure fyngers nyghe the incysion: and they ought nat to make suche bledynge without the counsayle of the Surgyon.

¶ In euery fote ben thre vaynes / of the whi­che thre / one is vnder the ancle of the fote na­med sophane / the whiche is letten blode for to swage and put out dyuers humours / as bot­ches and appostomes that cometh aboute the graynes / and it profyteth moche to women for to cause theyr menstruosyte to discende / & delay the emoroydes: that cometh in the secrete places / and other lyke.

¶ Bytwene the wrestes of the fote / and the great too is a vayne / the whiche is letten blode for dyuers syckenes and inconuenyencꝭ: as the pestylence that taketh a persone sodeynly by the great superabundaunce of humours / & this bledynge muste be made within a natu­rall day / that is to saye within .xxiiii. houres [Page] after that the syckenesse is taken of the pacy­ent / and before that the feuer come on hym / & this bledynge ought to be done after that cor­polence of the pacyent.

¶ In the angels of the iyen ben two vaynes the whiche ben letten blode / for the rednes of the iyen / or watry / or that renneth contynually / & for dyuers other syckenes that may hap­pen / and come by ouer great abundance of humours and blode.

¶ In the vayne of the ende of the nose is made a bledynge / the whiche is good for a redde pympled face / as ben red droppes / pustulus / small skabbes / & other infections of the herte that maye come therin by to great repleccion / and abundaunce of blode and humours / and it auayleth moche agaynst popeled noses / & other lyke syckenesses.

¶ In the mouth in the gūmes ben foure vaynes / that is to saye two aboue / & two byneth the whiche ben letten blode for chausynge & canker in the mouthe / and for toth ache.

¶ Bytwene the lyppe & the chynne is a vayne / that is letten blode to gyue amendement to them that haue an euyll brethe.

¶ In eche arme ben foure vayne / of the whiche the vayne of the hed is the hyghest / the se­conde nexte is from the herte / the thirde is of [Page] the lyuer / & the fourth is from the mylte otherwyse called the lowe lyuer vayne.

¶ The vayne of the hed taken in the arme / ought to blede / for to take away the great re­pleccion and abundaunce of blode that maye anoye the hed / the iyen / & the brayne / & auay­leth greatly for chaungeable hetes / and swel lynge of the throte / & for them that haue swollen faces and red / and for dyuers other sycke­nesses that may fall and come by great abundaunce of blode.

¶ The vayne of the mylte otherwyse called the lowe vayn shuld blede agaynst feuer tercyens and quartaynes / and in it ought to be made a wyde and a lesse depe wounde: than in any other vayne / for fere of wynde that it maye gather / and for a more incōuenyence for fere of a senowe that is vnder it / that is called the lezarde.

¶ In eche hande ben thre vaynes / wherof that aboue the thombe ought to blede / to take awaye the great hete of the vysage / & for moche thycke blode and humours that ben in the hed / and this vayne delayeth more than that of the arme.

¶ Bytwene the lytell fynger and the leche fynger is lettynge of blode: that greatly auayleth agaynst all feuer tercyens / & quartaynes [Page] and agaynst flumes: and dyuers other lettynges that cometh to the pappes / & the mylte.

¶ In eche thyghe is a vayne / of the whiche bledyng auayleth agaynst doloures of the genytoures / and for to put out of mannes body humours that ben in the graynes.

¶ The vayne that is vnder the ancle of the fote without is named sciat / of the which ble dynge is moche worthe agaynst the paynes of the flankes / and for to make auoyde and yssue dyuers humours / whiche wolde gadre in the sayde place / and it auayleth greatly to women / for to restrayne theyr menstruosyte / whan they haue to great abundaunce.

¶ Thus endeth the fleubothomye / And here foloweth to knowe whan a man is hole / or disposed to syckenes. Capitulo .iiii.

NOwe to gyue you knowlege whan that any man is hole or sycke / or disposed in any wy­se to syckenes? wherfore thre thyngꝭ there ben: by the which Ptholomeus put knowlege whan a man is hole or sycke / or disposed to syckenes. If he be hole / to maynteyne & kepe hym. If he be sycke to seke remedye to hele hym. If he be disposed [Page] to syckenes / to kepe hym that he falle nat ther in. And for eche of the thre sayde thynges / the sayd Ptholomeus put dyuers sygnes. Helthe properly attemperaunce / accorde / and equalyte of the .iiii. qualytes of man / which ben hote colde / drye / & moyste. The whiche whan they ben well tempred and egall that the one sur­mount nat the other / than the body of man is hole. But whan they ben vnegal and mysse tempred / and the one hath power one ouer an other / than a man is sycke or disposed to syckenes / and they ben the qualytes that the body holdeth of the clementes that they ben made & composed of / that is to saye of the fyre hete / of the water colde / of the ayre moyste / and of the erthe drye. The whiche qualytes / whan one is disordred from the other / than the body is sycke. And if that one distroye all the other / than the body dyeth / and the soule departeth.

¶ The sygne to knowe a man hole / and well disposed in his body. Cap̄ .v.

THe firste sygne wherby Ptholo­meus knewe a man to be hole / & well disposed in his body / was whan he eteth and drynketh wel after the conuenaunce of the hunger & thyrste [Page] that he hath without makynge excesse. And also whan he dygesteth lyghtly / and whan that he hathe eten or drynken it troubleth and greuyth nat his stomacke. Also whan he fe­leth good sauoure / & good appetyte in that he eteth and drynketh. Also whan he is hungry and thyrsty at the houres that he ought to ete and drinke. And also whan he reioyseth hym with folke. Also whan they playe gladly in the feldes and gardens to take the swete ayre and sporte in the medowes by water sydes. Also whan he eteth gladly & with good ap­petyte of butter / chese / & flawnes without leuynge any thynge in his dysshe to sende to the almesse house. Also whan he slepeth well & suerly without rauynge or dremynge of his besynes. Also whan he feleth hym lyght: and that he walketh wel. And whan he sweteth soone / and that he nyseth lytell or nothynge. Also whan he is nouther to fatte nor to lene. Also whan he hath good coloure in his face / and that his wyttes ben all wel disposed for to do theyr operacion / as his iyen for to se / his eres to here / his nose to smell. &c. ¶ And I le­ue of the conuenaunce of aege / the disposicion of the body / & also of tyme. Of other sygnes I say no thynge: but these most suffyse for the pore lay people / to know the sygnes of helth.

¶ These sygnes ben contrarye to them afore­sayd / by the whiche Ptholomeus knewe whan he or other were sycke. Cap̄ .vi.

FIrste whanne he may nat well ete nor drynke / or that he haue none appetyte to ete at dyner & souper / or whan he fyndeth noo sauoure in that he eteth or drynketh / or that he is hungry and may nat ete / whan his dygestyon is nat good / or that it be to longe. Also whan he goth to chambre moderatly as he ought to do. Also whan he is pensyue / sad sory / or heuy in right ioyous or cherefull com­panyes: than syckenes constrayneth a man to be thoughtfull. Semblably whan he maye nat slepe nor take his reste a ryght and at due houre with quyetnes / as is requysyte for all helthfull persons to haue. And also whan his membres ben heuy / as his hed / his legges / and armes / with other membres. And also whan he may nat walke easely and lyghtly and that he spueth ofte / & his colour is pale or yelowe: or whan his wyttes / as his / iyen his eres / and other do nat kyndely theyr operacy­ons. In lykewyse whan he may nat labour and trauayle. Also whan he forgetteth lyght [Page] ly that which of necessyte ought to be kept in memory / & whan he spytteth often / or whan his nose thrylles aboūdeth in superfluous humours. And whan he is neclygēt in his workes: and whan his flesshe is blowen or swollen in the vysage / in his legges / or his fete / or whan his iyen ben holowe in his hed. These ben the sygnes that sygnyfyeth a man beyng in syckenes / & who that hath moste of the foresayd sygnes / moste is infecte with syckenes.

¶ Other sygnes almoste semblable to them aforesayd / and sheweth the replection of cuyll humours / and for to be purged of them. Capitulo .vii.

REplection is a fulnes of euyll humours / and disposycion of syckenes after the opynyon of Ptholomeus / of the whiche replection is to knowe howe to purge the sayd humours / that they engendre no syckenes / and ben knowen by the sygnes that foloweth. ¶ Firste whan a man hathe ouer great rednes in his face / in his handes: or in his nayles / hauynge also his vaynes full of blode / or bledeth to moche at the nose / or to often / or hath payne in the forehed. Also whā [Page] his eres soundeth / and whan his iyen wate­reth / or be full of gūme / and hath his vnder­standynge troubled / and whan the poulx beteth to faste / & whan the bely is longe resolu­te & laxe / & whan he hath the syght troubled / and etynge also without appetyte. And by all these & other sygnes beforesayd one maye knowe the body euyll disposed / & full of cor­rupte humours superfluous and euyll.

¶ A dyuysyon & regyment of tyme / the whi­che Ptholomeus vsed / after that the season and tyme requyred. Capitulo .viii.

AS for to remedy the syckenesses / & infyrmytes that a man hathe / and to kepe hym from them that ben doubted to come / Ptholo­meus sayth that the tyme / naturally chaungeth foure tymes in the yere: and so they deuyde the yere in foure quarters: that is Vere / Somer / Haruest / and wynter. And in eche of these quarters he dyd gouerne hym as the seasons requyred to his mynde / & the better it was for hym. And as the season chaungeth / so chaūged he his maner of lyuynge and doynge / and sayth that chaungynge [Page] of tyme without takynge good hede often engendreth infyrmytes / for that one tyme beho­ueth nat / to vse some metes that ben good in another tyme / as that vsed in wynter is nat all good in Somer / & so of the other seasons. ¶ And for to knowe the chaūgynge of tyme after these sayd quarters or seasons / they con­syder the course of the Sonne by the .xii. Sy­gnes / & say that euery of the sayd foure quar­ters and seasons dureth foure Monthes / and that the Sonne passeth by thre sygnes: that is to wete in Pryme tyme by Pisces / Aries / & Taurus / and these ben the monthes / February / Marche / and Apryll / that the erthe & trees reioyseth and chargeth with grene leues and flourꝭ / that is a pleasur to beholde. In somer by Gemini / Cancer / and Leo: and the mone­thes ben Maye Iune / and Iuly / that the fruytes of the erthe groweth and rypeth. In har­uest by Virgo / Libra / and Scorpio: and the monethes ben August / Septembre / & Octo­bre / that the erth & trees dischargeth the fruytꝭ and leues / and that tyme euery body felleth & gaderyth the fruytes. In wynter by Sagit­tarius / Capricornus / and Aquarius: and the monethes ben Nouembre / Decembre / & Ia­nuary / that the erthe and trees ben as deed & vnclothed of leues / fruytes / & of all grenesse. [Page] After the whiche .iiii. seasons / Ptholomeus deuysen the tyme that man maye lyue in .iiii. aeges / as youth / strength / and decrepyte / and lykened to the foure seasons of the yere. That is to wete / youth to Pryme tyme that is hote and moyste: and as the herbes and trees of the erthe groweth / so dothe man in youthe vnto .xxv. yere growe of body / in strēgth beaute & vygoure. Strength is lykened vnto Somer hote and drye / and the body of man is in force and vygoure / and enrypeth vnto .xlv. yere. Aege is compared vnto the tyme of Haruest colde and drye that man leueth of growynge and febleth / and thynketh howe to gather & spare for fere of defaute & nede that he cometh to stoupynge aege / and dureth to .lvi. yeres. Decrepyte is lykened to the season of wynter colde and moyste by abundaunce of colde hu­mours & defaute of naturall hete / in the whi­che tyme man spendeth that which he had gatheryd and kepte in tyme passed / and if he ha­ue spared no thynge / he abydeth poore and na­ked / as the erthe and trees / and dureth vnto lxxii. yere or more ¶ Prymetyme is hote and moyst / nature of ayre / and complection of the sanguyne. ¶ Somer is hote and drye / nature of fyre / & complection of the coloryke. ¶ Har­uest is colde and drye / nature of erthe / & com­plection [Page] of melancoly. ¶ wynter is cold and moyste / nature of water / complection of the flumatyke. whan complection is wel proporcyoned / it feleth it selfe better disposed in the tyme semblable to it / than it doth in other ty­mes. But for that euery man is nat wel complectioned / they ought to do as Ptholomeus dyde / that is to take Regyment to kept them selfe after the seasons / and gouerne them by his rules and techynges / the whiche he vsed in euery quarter of the yere for to lyue the longer / wysely / and meryly.

¶ The Regymēt for Prymetyme / that is for to say Marche / Apryll / & May. Cap̄ .ix.

IN prymetyme Ptholomeus kepte hym selfe metely wel clothed / nat ouer colde / nor to hote / as with thyn vestures / dowbletꝭ of sylke / and gownes metely lyght fur­red with lambe most cōmenly. In this tyme is very good lettynge of blode to auoyde the cuyll humours that were gatheryd in the bo­dy the wynter tyme. If syckenes happen in Prymetyme it is nat of his nature / but procedeth of the humours gatheryd in the wyntes [Page] passed. Prymetyme is a temperat tyme to ta­ke medycynes for them that ben corporat and full of thycke humours / to purge them. Also in this tyme men oughte to ete lyght meetes / that refressheth as chekyns / kyddes with vergyous / borage / betes / yolkes of egges in moone shyne poched / roches / perches / pykerelles / & all scaled fysshe. Also to drynke temperate wyne / bere / or ale / so that they be nat to stronge nor ouer swete / for in this tyme all swete thynges ought nat to be vsed: & a man ought nat to slepe longe in the mornynge / and nat on the daye. The Astronomyers haue a generall rule / or custome for al seasons / that auayleth moche agaynst all infyrmytes and syckenesses: that is nat to lose his appetyte for etynge / and neuer for to ete without hunger. Also they saye that all maner flesshe and fysshe is better rosted than soden / and if they be soden to broyle on a grydeyron / or on the coles / and they ben the more holsomer.

¶ The regymēt for the tyme of Somer / that is Iune / Iuly / and August. Ca .x.

THe Astronomyers in Somer ben clothed with lyght go wnes and syngle theyr shyrtes & shetes / that they lye in ben lyn­nen [Page] / for of all the clothes it is the coldest / they haue dowblettes of sylke / or of canuas / and they ete lyght metes / as chekyns with vergyous / yonge rabetes / lectuse / purslayne / melōs coucombres / peres / plūmes / and such fysshes as are before named. And also they ete of me­tes that refressheth / also they ete lytell and often / they breke theyr faste or dyne in the more­nynge / or euer the Son̄e aryse / and go to souper or it discende / & they ete of the abouesayd metes / & soure sauce to gyue them an appety­te. They ete but lytell salte metes / and refay­ne them from scratchynge / they drynke many tymes fresshe water soden with sugercandy: and also with other refressynge waters / and they do it alway whan that they ben greatly thrysty / safe onely at dyner and at souper ty­me / for than they drynke feble grene wyne / or small ale / or syngle bere. And also they ke­pe them from ouer great trauayle / or ouer for synge of them self / for in this tyme is no thyn ge more greuous / nor contageous than chaf­fynge. In this tyme & season they do eschewe the company of women / and they bath them ofte ī colde water to aswage the hete of theyr bodyes enforced by laboures. Alwaye they haue with them sugre candy / or other sugre & dradges / wherof they take lytell & often / and [Page] euery daye in the morenynge / they force them by cowhynge and spyttynge to voyde fleu­mes: and voyde them aboue & byneth the best that they maye / & wasshe theyr handes with fresshe water / theyr vysage & mouthe.

¶ The regyment for Haruest / is Septembre Octobre / and Nouembre. Cap̄ .xi.

BE it to vnderstande in Haruest Astronomyers be clo­thed after the maner of pry­metyme / but theyr clothes ben a lytell warmer. And in this tyme they do their dylygence to purge and clense them / and lettyn­ge them blode to tempre the humours of theyr bodyes. For it is the moste contagyous tyme of the yere / in the whiche peryllous infyrmy­tes happeneth and cometh / and therfore they ete good holsome metes / as capons / hennes / yonge pegyons that begyn to flye / and dryn­ke good wynes and other good and holsome drynkes / without takynge excesse. In this tyme they kepe them from etynge of fruytꝭ / for it is a daungerous season for the axes / & they say that he had neuer axes that neuer ete fruyte. In this tyme they drynke no water / & they [Page] put no parte of them in colde water / but their handes & theyr faces. They kepe theyr heedes from colde in the nyght and morenynge / and slepe nat in the noone tyme: & kepe them from ouer great trauayle: and endure nat to moche hunger nor thyrste / but ete whan it is tyme / & nat whan theyr mawes be full.

¶ The regymēt for wynter tyme / is Decembre / Ianuary / and February. Cap̄ .xii.

MOreouer as Ptholomeus dyd the Astronomyers nowe doth in wynter clothe them in thyeke go wnes of roughe clothe / hye shorne well furred with foxe furre. For it is the warmest furre that is and cattes / lambes / and dyuers other thycke furres that ben good & holsome. In the tyme of wynter Astronomyers do ete befe / porke / and brawne / hartes / hyndes / and all maner of venyson / partryches / fesauntes / and fowles of the ryuer / and other metes that they lo­ue beste. For that is the season of the yere that nature suffreth moste great plente of vytay­le / for the naturall hete that is drawen with­in the body. In this tyme also they drynke of­ten strōge wynes after theyr complection / as [Page] bastarde wyne / or osey. Two or thre tymes in the weke they vse good spyces in theyr me­tes. For this is the moste holsome tyme of all the yere / in the whiche cometh no syckenesse / but by great excesses & outrages done to na­ture / or by cuyll gouernynge. Astronomyers say also that Prymetyme is hote and moyste of the nature of the ayre / complection of the Sanguyne / and that in the same tyme natu­re reioyseth / and the poores openeth / and the blode spredeth through the vaynes more than in any other tyme. Somer is hote and drye of the nature of the fyre / and of complection coloryke. In the whiche tyme one ought to kepe hym from all thynges that moueth to heteall excesse and hote metes. Haruest is colde & drye of nature of erthe / & complection of melā coly / In the whiche tyme one oughte to kepe hym from doynge excesse / more than in other tyme for daunger of syckenes / to the whiche that tyme is disposed. But wynter is colde & moyste of the nature of water / and of complection flumatyke / than a man oughte for to kepe hym metely warme / and meanely for to lyue in helthe of body.

¶ Here after foloweth the .iiii. elementꝭ / and the .iiii. complectione of man. Cap̄ .xiii.

[Page] THese they ben Ayre / Fyre / Erthe / and water. The .xxiiii. houres of the daye & the nyght ruleth San­guyne / Coloryke / Melancoly / & Flumatyke. Sixe houres after mydnyght blode hath the maystry / and in the vi. houres before noone Coloure reygneth / and .vi. houres after noone reygneth Melan­coly / and the .vi. houres before mydnyght rey­gneth the Flumatyke.

¶ Here foloweth the Astrology of Ptholo­meus. Capitulo .xiii.

SO as Ptholomeus & also dyuers other Astronomy­ers gyueth vs knowlege of the mouynges and pro­pryetes of the Heuens: and dyuers other thynges con­tayned in this present Cō ­post / the whiche is so that eche other may compryse and knowe as they do. First one ought to knowe what the Fygure is / the disposyci­on of the worlde / the nombre and ordre of the Elementes / and the mouynges of the skyes / appertayneth to be knowen of euery man of good and noble wytte. For it is a fayre thyn­ge [Page] / delectable / profytable / & honest / and ther­with it is necessarye for to haue dyuers other knowleges / and specially the Astrology of Ptholomeus: whiche sheweth how the worlde is rounde as a balle. And after wyse men saye that there is no thynge so rounde as it is. For it is rounder than any thyng artyfyciall. Yet moreouer in this worlde we se no thynge nor neuer shall / that is so tuste & egally roun­de as it selfe is / and is composed of the heuen and the .iiii. Elementes in .v. pryncypall par­tyes. After that a man ought to knowe that the erthe is in the myddes of the worlde / for it is the heuyest element. And vpon the erthe is the water or the see / but it coueryth nat all the erth / to thende that men & bestꝭ may lyue therin / and the partye that is vncoueryd is called the face of the erthe / for it is as the face of man alwayes vncoueryd / and the partye that is coueryd with water is the body of man that is clothed & hydde. On the water is the ayre that encloseth the erthe and the water / and is deuyded in thre Regyons / one is lowe whereas enhabyteth beestes and byrdes / another is meane where as ben the cloudes / the whiche make the Impressions as lyghtnynges / thondres / and other / and is alwaye colde / and the thyrde is the hyest / where as is neyther wyn­de [Page] nor rayne / nor tempest / nor other impressi­on / and there ben some mountaynes that at­tayneth vnto it: as is Olympus that rechyth the hyest Regyon of the ayre / and the element of fyre mounteth vnto the skye / and the ele­mentes sustayneth the skyes / as the pyllers or postes sustayneth a house. Of suche moūtay­nes is one in Affryke named Athlas. After that is the elemēt of fyre / that is neyther flambe nor coles / but is pure and inuysyble: for the great bryghtnes / for of so moche as the water is more clere and lyght than the erthe / and the ayre more clere and lyght than the water / of so moche the fyre is more clere / lyght / & fayrer than the ayre: and the skyes in equipolent ben more clerer / lyghter / and fayrer than the fyre / the whiche tourneth with the mouynges of the heuens / and the next Regyon of the ayre also: in the whiche is engendred comytes that ben called sterres / for that they ben shynynge and moueth as the sterres. After the sayinge of Ptholomeus and other Astrologyens the fyre is inuysible for his subtylyte and nat for his clerenes / for of as moche as a thyng is more clere / of so moche it is more visyble / for we se the skyes wel / but nat the fyre for it is ouermoche more subtyle than the ayre that is inuysyble for the same cause / the erthe and the water [Page] ben thycke / and therfore they ben vysyble.

¶ The skyes ben neyther properly heuye nor lyght / harde nor softe / clere nor derke / hote nor colde / swete nor soure / coloure nor sonne / nor suche other qualytes / saufe that they ben hote in vertue: for they may cause hete here byneth by theyr lyghtnes / mouyngꝭ / and influences and ben improperly harde / for they maye nat be deuyded nor broken. And also they ben improperly coloures of lyght in some partyes / & ben thycke / as ben the partyes of the sterres. In the whiche there maye no sterre / nor other partye be adiusted and put to / nor none maye be demynysshed nor taken awaye / and they maye neyther encrease nor waxe lesse / nor be of other fygure than roūde / nor they may nat chaunge / enpayre / nor waxe olde / nor be cor­rumped nor altered / but in lyght onely / as in tyme of the eclyps of the Sonne and Moone: nor they maye nat reste and stande styll / nor tourne onely otherwyse / later nor soner / in partye nor in all / nor behaue them otherwyse than after theyr comyn course: but by myracle deuyne: and therfore the sterres and skyes ben of another nature / than the elementes and the thyngꝭ in them cōposed / the whiche ben trans­mutable and corruptyble. The elementꝭ and all thynges of them composed / ben enclosed [Page] with the firste skye / as the yelke of an egge is enclosed within the whyte / and the first skye is enclosed of the seconde / and the seconde in the thyrde / and the thyrde in the fourth / and so of other. The firste skye next the elementes is the skye of the Moone. And next it is the skye of Mercury. And next it the skye of Venus. Than is the skye of the Sonne. And nexte that the skye of Mars. Than is next the skye of Iupiter. And than nexte after that is the skye of Saturne. And thus ben the skyes of the planettꝭ after theyr ordre. The eyght skye is of sterres fyxed / and they ben called so / for that they moue more regulerly and after one guyse than the planettes do. And than aboue that is the first mobyle / in the whiche no thynge apperyth that Astrologyens may se. The­re ben some Astrologyens say that aboue the­se .ix. skyes is one immobyle / for it tourneth nat / and aboue that is one of Crystall / ouer the whiche is the skye Imperyall / in the whiche is the throne of god / of the whiche skye the Astronymyers ought nat to speke / but onely of the firste mobyle / and that it contayneth altogyther called the worlde. ¶ Of one thynge they meruayle moche / that is howe god hath distrybuted the sterres / that he hathe put none in the nynthe skye / and hathe put so many in [Page] the eyght skye: that they may not be nombred / and in eche of the other .vii. but one onely / as aforesayd of the sonne / moone / and sterres: as euydently apperyth hereafter.

¶ Here Ptholomeus sheweth more playnly of the foure Clementes / and of the symyly­tude of the erthe / and howe that euery Planet is one aboue another / & sheweth whi­che of them ben masculyne / as these fyue Saturne / Iupiter / Mars / Sol / & Mer­cury. And of .ii. femynyne: as Venus / & Luna / and whiche of them is northly / & southly / and whiche ben oryentall / or occydentall. Capitulo .xv.

SOme mouyngꝭ ben of the skyes and planettes / that excedeth the vnderstādynge of the Astrologyens as the mouynge of the fyrmament: in the which ben the sterres agaynste the firste mobyle in an hondred yere one degre / and the mouynge of the planettes in theyr episcycles / of the whiche howe well that Astronomy­ers be nat ygnoraunt of all / yet they make nomencyon here / for it suffyseth them onely of [Page] two / wherof the one is from oryent in to the occydent aboue the erth / and from occydent in to the oryent vnder it / that is called the dyur­nall mouynge / that is to saye that it maketh from daye to daye .xxiiii. houres / by the whi­che mouynge the .ix. skye / that is the firste mobyle draweth after / & maketh the other skyes to tourne that ben vnder it. The other mo­ment is of the .vii. Planettes / and is from occydent to oryent aboue the erthe: and from oryent in to the occydent vnder it / and is contra­ry to the firste / & ben the two mouynges that Astrologyens knowlegeth / and howe well that they ben opposytees / yet moue they contynually / and ben possyble / as it is shewed by ensample. If a shyp on the see came from oryent in to occydent / & that he of his owne mo­uynge went in the shyp softely towarde ory­ent / this man shuld moue a double mouynge wherof one shulde be of the shyp and of hym selfe togyder: & the other shuld be of his owne mouynge that he maketh softly to warde orynet. Semblably the planettes ben transpor­ted with theyr skye from oryent in to occident by the dyurnall mouynge of the firste mobyle But later and other wyse than the fyxed sterres / by that that euery planet hath his propre mouynge contrary to the mouynge of sterres: [Page] For the moone maketh a course lesse in a mo­neth aboute the erth than a sterre fyxed / & the sonne a course lesse in a yere: and the other planettes in certayne tyme eche after the quātyte of his mouynge. Thus it apperyth that the planettes moue two mouynges. Ptholome­us saythe / pose by ymagynacion that all the skyes seased to moue of the dayly mouynge / the moone wolde make a course in goynge from the occydent in to the oryent in as moche tyme as lasteth now .xxvii. dayes / and .viii. houres / and Mercury / Venus / and Sol wolde make in lyke maner course in the space of a yere / and Mars in two yere / and Saturne in .xxx. yere or theraboute. For now they make theyr course or reuolucions: & accompsysshe theyr propre mouynges in the tyme here na­med. The propre mouynge of planettꝭ is nat streyghte from occydent to oryent / but it is a syde waye / and Astrologyens se them sensy­ble / For whan they se the moone before a sterre one nyght / the seconde / or the thirde nyght / it is behynde nat streyghte towarde oryent / but shall be drawen one tyme towarde Septemtryon / and another tyme towarde myd­day / & this is bycause of the latytude or large­nes of the zodyake / in the whiche ben the .xii. sygnes / vnder whom the planttes reygneth.

¶ Of the equynocciall and zodyake: that ben in the .ix. skyes that contayneth the fyrma­ment vnder it. Capitulo .xvi.

AS in the concaue of the firste mobyle Ptholomeus & other Astrologyens yma­gyneth to be the .ii. cyrcles / and they ben there royall / the one is as small as a lytell threde / & it is called equynocciall / and the other is large in maner of a gyrdle or as a garlande of floures / whiche they do call the zo­dyake / and these two cyrcles deuydeth the one & the other equally but nat streyght / for the zodyake crosseth crokedly / & the places where it croketh / ben sayd equynoccialles. For to vn­derstande the equynocciall / we sesensybly al the skye tourne from oryent in occydent / and it is called the dayly mouynge / or dyurnall mouynge / than ought one to ymagyn a streyghte lyne that passeth thorughe the mydle of the erth cōmyng from the one ende of the skye to the other about the which lyne is made this mouynge / & the two endes ben the two poyntes in the skye that moueth nat / and ben cal­led the poles of the worlde / of the whiche po­les / one is ouer vs by the sterre of the northe / [Page] that alwayes demonstreth hym self & aperith to vs / & is the pose artyke or septemtryonall / and the other is vnder the erthe alwayes hyd called the pole antertyke / or pole australl / in the myddes of the whiche poles / in the firste mobyle / is the cyrcle equynocciall equally be­fore in the partye / as in the other of the sayde poles / and after this cyrcle is made and mesured the dayly mouynge of .xxiiii. houres that is a naturall daye / & it is called equynoccyall For that whan the sonne is in it / that daye & the nyghte ben equall thorughe the worlde. The large zodyake as sayd is in the first mo­byle / and also it is a gyrdle manerly fygured and sette with ymages of sygnes entrayled subtylly and well composed / and sette with fyxed sterres / as shynyng Carbuncles or p [...]ecyous Bēmes full of great vertue / sette by maystryse right nobly aourned: in the whiche zodyake ben .iiii. pryncypall poyntes / that de­uydeth them equally in .iiii. partyes. One is hye called the Solstyce of Somer / whiche whan the sonne is entred in Cancer / it is the longest day of Somer. Another is lowe cal­led the Solstyce of wynter: whiche is whan the sonne is entred in Caprycorne / than it is the shortest day of wynter / and meane called equynoccyall of Haruest / that the sonne en­treth [Page] in Libra in the moneth of Septembre. And the other is called the equynoccyall of Prymetyme / that the sonne entreth in Aries in the moneth of Marche. The which .iiii. partyes deuydeth eche in thre egall partyes / & maketh .xii. partyes / that ben called sygnes / as Aries / Taurus / Gemini / Cancer / Leo / Virgo / Libra / Scorpio / Sagittarius / Capricor­nus / Aquarius / & Pisces. Aquarius begyn­neth in the equynoccyall & crosseth the zodya­ke / and whan the sonne is there it begynneth to declyne (that is to saye) approchynge Sep­temtryon / and to ward vs it extendeth to the oryent. Than is Taurus seconde / Gemini the thirde / and so of all the other. ¶ Also eue­ry sygne is deuyded in .xxx. degrees: and be in the zodyake .CCC .lx. degrees / and euery de­gre deuyded by .lx. mynutes / euery mynute in lx. secondes / euery seconde in .lx. thyrdes / and this partycion & deuysyon suffyseth to be vnderstande of Astronomyers.

¶ Here after foloweth a very subtyll varyacion in the skye. Capitulo .xvii.

THe Astronomyers do knowlege a very subtyll varyacyon in the skye / and is for the sterres fyxed be nat vnder the same [Page] degrees of the zodyake that were created bycause of the mouynge of the fyrmament / the whiche ben agaynst the firste mobyle in a .C. yere of one degree / for the whiche mutacyon the sonne maye haue other regarde to a sterre / and other sygnyficacion than it had in the ty­me passed / and also whan that bokes were made / for that the sterre hath chaunged his degree or sygne vnder which it was. And this often tymes causeth them that make Prono­stycacions and Iugemētꝭ comynge to fayle. ¶ All the cyrcles of the skye ben narowe and small / except the zodyake / whiche is large / & contayneth in length .CCC .lx. degrees / and of largenesse .xii. the whiche largenesse is de­uyded by the myddes .vi. degrees on that one sygne / and .vi. on the other: and this dyuysion is made by a lyne named Eclyptyke / is the waye of the sonne / for the sonne neuer depar­teth vnder that lyne / and thus it is alway in the mydle of the zodyake / but the other planettes ben alwayes on the one syde / or on the o­ther of the sayd lyne / saufe whan they ben in the heed or in the tayle of the Dragon / as the moone passeth twyse in a moneth / and if it happen whan that it reneweth it is Eclypse of the sonne / & if it happen in the full moone & that it be ryght vnder the nadyr of the son̄e [Page] it is generall eclypse / and if it be but a partye it is nat seen. whan it is eclypse of the sonne / it is nat generall thorugh all the clymatꝭ but onely in some / but whan it is eclypse of the moone / it is generall ouer all.

¶ Of .ii. great cyrcles / that is to say one merydyen / & the other ozyron that intersequeth one the other / and crosseth dyrectly. Capitulo .xviii.

MEridyen is a great cyrcle ymagyned on the skye / whiche passeth by the poles of the world: and by the poynte of the skye right ouer our heedes / whiche is called zenych / and whan the son̄e is comen ouer from the oryēt vnto that cyrcle it is mydday / and therfore it is called merydyen / & the halfe of the cyrcle is ouer the erthe / & the other vnder it that passeth by the poynte of mydnyght dyrectly opposite to zenych / and whan the sonne toucheth that parte of the cyrcle it is mydnygth / and if a man go to warde oryent or occydent he hath newe merydyen / and therfore it is soner mydday to them that be to warde oryent than to other / if a man stande styll / his merydyen is one styll: or if he go to warde [Page] mydday or Septemtryon / but if he styre he hath other zenych / and these two cyrcles cros­seth directly. Ozyron is a great cyrcle that de­uydeth the partye of the skye that we se from that we se nat: and Ptholomeus sayth if that a man were in a playne countre he shulde se Iustly halfe of the skye / the whiche is called the Emyspery (that is to say) halfe espere and ozyron is ioynynge nyghe to the erthe / of the whiche ozyron the entre is the mydle / and is the place in whiche we ben / thus eche is al­wayes in the myddes of his ozyron / and ze­nyche is the pole / and as a man transporteth hym from one place to another / he is in the o­ther places agaynst the skye / and hathe other zenyche and other ozyron / all ozyron is ryght or oblyke. They haue right ozyron that haby­teth vnder the equynoccyall / and haue theyr zenyche in the equynoccyall / for theyr ozyron intersequeth and deuydeth the equynoccyall euen by the two poles of the worlde / that in suche wyse that none of the poles of the worlde is reysed aboue theyr ozyron / nor depryued vnder it / but they that habyteth other where than vnder the equynoccyall haue theyr ozy­ron oblyke / for theyr ozyron foloweth and deuydeth the equynoccyall sydewaye / and nat right / and there apperyth to them of al tymes [Page] one of the poles of the worlde reysed aboue theyr ozyron / and the other ben ouer hydde / so that they se them nat / more or lesse after dy­uers habytacions / and after that they ben of fernes from the equynoccyall / and the more that the one pole is reysed the more is the ozy­ron oblyke / and the other pole depryued / and it is to wete that there is as moche dystaunce from the ozyron to the pole: as it is from the zenyche to the equynoccyall / and that zenych is the fourth partye of merydyen or the myddes of the bowe dyurnall / of the whiche the two endes ben on the ozyron. And also that of the pole vnto the equynoccyall is the fourth par­tye of all the roundnes of the skyes / and also of the merydyen cyrcle sythe that it passeth by the poles & crosseth the equynoccyall dyrectly. ¶ Example of the ozyron of Parys after the opynyon of Ptholomeus & other Astronomyers / ouer the whiche ozyron they saye that the pole is reysed .xlix. degrees: wherfore they say also that from the zenych of Parys vnto the equynoccyall ben .xlix. degrees / & that from the ozyron vnto the zenych / whiche is the .iiii. partye of the merydyen cycle ben .lxxxx. de­grees / and from the pole vnto the solstyce of Somer ben .lvii. degrees / & from the solstyce vnto the equynoccyall ben .xxxiii. degrees / [Page] there ben from the pole vnto the equynoccyal lxxxx. degrees / & is the fourthe partye of the roundenes of the skye / from the equynoccyall vnto the solstyce of wynter ben .xxxiii. de­grees / and from the solstyce vnto the ozyron .xviii. Thus shall the equynoccyall ben rey­sed ouer the ozyron .xli. degrees / and the solstyce of somer .lxiiii. degrees: in the whiche solstyce is the sonne at the houre of noone the lōgest daye of somer: And than it entreth in to the sygne of Cancer / and is moste nerer our haby­table ꝑtyes that may be. And whan the sōne is in the solstyce of wynter the shortest day of the yere at the houre of noon it entreth ī to the sygne of Capricorne. And the sayd solstyce is nat reysed ouer the ozyron of Parys but .viii. degrees. The whiche cleuacyons & rysynges a man may fynde playnly / so that he knewe one onely / and in euery regyon in lyke wyse after the sytuacion.

¶ Also hereafter do folowe two other great cyrcles of the skye / & foure small. Ca .xix.

ON the skye ben two great cyrcles na­med coloures / that deuydeth the skyes in foure egall partyes / & crosseth theyr selfe dyrectly / and the one passeth by the po­les [Page] of the worlde / and by the two solstyces / and the other by the poles also / & by the two equynoccyalles. The firste small cyrcle is called the cyrcle artyke bycause of the pole zodyake aboute the pole artyke / and his lykenes is to his opposyte / named the cyrcle antertyke. The other two ben named tropykes / the one of somer / and the other of wynter. The tropyke of somer is cause of the solstyce of somer begynnynge of the sygne of Cancer: and the tropyke of the solstyce of wynter begynnyng of the sygne of Caprycorne / and ben egally dy­staūce one cyrcle from the other. ¶ Here ought to be noted that the dystaūces of the pole artyke to the cyrcle artyke / and the dystaūce of the tropyke of somer to the equynoccyall / & that of the equynoccyall to the tropyke of wynter: and from the cyrcle antertyke to the pole an­tertyke ben iuste egall eche of .xxiii. degrees & a halfe or there about / than the dystaūce from the equynoccyall to the tropyke of somer / and from the cyrcle artyke to the pole make togy­ther .xlvii. degrees. The whiche take awaye of the quarter bytwene the pole and the equynoccyall / where as ben .lxxxx. degrees / saue that there abydeth .xliii. That ben the dystaū ce bytwene the tropyke of wynter and the cyrcle antertyke / and these cyrcles ben sayd lytell [Page] for they ben nat so great as the other ben / Ne­uerthelesse they ben deuyded eche by .CCC. & .lx. degrees / as the greatest.

¶ Of the rysynge and resconsynge of the sygnes in the ozyron. Capitulo .xx.

OZyron an emyspery dyfferred: for ozyron is the cyrcle that deuydeth the partye of the skye / that we se / from the vnder the erthe that we se nat. Also ozyron is the cyrcle that moueth nat / but as we moue from one place to another: but emy­spery tourneth contynually / for one partye ryseth and mounteth ouer ozyron / and the other parte resconseth & entreth vnder it / thus ozy­ron ryseth nor resconseth: but that that cometh aboue ryseth and that whiche goth vnder resconseth / merydyen also ryseth nat nor rescon­seth. Equynoccyall is the dyurnall cyrcle that ryseth and resconseth reguler: as moche in one houre as in another / and all in .xxiiii: houres: zodyake the large cyrcle and oblyke / wheron the sygnes ben reyseth and resconseth all on a day naturall / but nat reguler: for it ryseth more in one houre than in another / for that oure ozyron is oblyke and deuydeth the zodyake in [Page] two partyes: wherof one is euer ouer our ozyron / and the other vnderneth. Thus halfe of the sygnes ryseth ouer our ozyron euery daye artyfyciall / be it shorte or longe / and the other halfe by nyghte / wherfore it behoueth that in the dayes that ben shorter than the nyghte the sygnes ryseth soner / and in longe dayes more at leyser / and thus the zodyake ryseth nat re­gulerly in these partyes as the equynocciall / But there is dowble varyacion for halfe of the zodyake that is from the firste begyn̄ynge of Aries vnto the laste ende of Virgo / all togyther taketh equally as moche tyme in risynge / as halfe of the equynocciall the whiche re­mayneth by it / and they do begyn to ryse in a moment: and also they fynysshe & make theyr ende in a moment. But this halfe of the zodyake ryseth soner in the begynnynge / and this halfe of the equynoccyall more at leyser / and this is called theyr oblyquement. ¶ Also the other halfe of the zodyake / that is from the begynnynge of Libra vnto the ende of Pisces / and halfe of the equynocciall that by it begynneth / and also it leueth to ryse equally togy­ther / but the equynocciall in that partye in the begynnynge ryseth soner / & the zodyake more at leyser / and this is called rysynge dyrectly. And whiche that ryseth soner the equynoccy­all [Page] or the zodyake / yet alwayes they ende to gyther. Example of the two mouyngꝭ afore­sayd / as if two men wente from London to wyndsore and departed both togyther / & that at the begynnynge the one go fast / & the other softely / he that gothe fast shuld be soner in the mydwaye than the other / but if he that went fast to the mydway go softely / and the other faste / they shall be both at ones in wyndsore. Also the halfe of the zodyake: from the begynnynge of Cancer / vnto the ende of Sagitta­ry in rysynge beryth more than halfe the equynoccyall / so that this halfe ryseth all ryght / & the other halfe of the zodyake ryseth contrarywyse / or croked.

¶ Of the deuysyons of the erthe / and of the regyons. Capitulo .xxi.

BEfore or we spere of the sterres & knowlege that Ptho­lomeus and other Astrono­myers haue / we wyll speke of the deuysyon of the erthe / & of his partyes after theyr opynyon. wherfore it is to be noted that the erthe is rounde / and therfore as a man go the from one countre to another / he hath other ozyron [Page] than he had / and there apperyth another partye of the skye / & if a man went from sep­temtryon that is the North partyes streyghte towarde mydday / the South partyes the po­le artyke to hym shal be lesse reysed / that is to say more nyghe approchynge to the erthe: and if he went contrary wyse it shuld be more reysed / that is to say apperynge hygher / and therfore if he went towarde mydday vnder me­rydyen whyle that the pole artyke were lesse reysed ouer his ozyon by the .xxx. parte of one of the .vi. parte of the arke merydyen: he shuld passe the .xxx. partes of halfe of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / and to hym the pole shuld be lesse reysed by one degree / or to the contrary tyll it were more reysed of one degree / than he shuld passe one degree of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / of the which al the degrees togyther ben .CCC .lx. And one degree of the erth cōtayneth .xliii .leges & a halfe or there aboute / and euery legeis .ii. myle. And as the spere of the skye is deuyded by the .iiii .lesse cyrcles in the .v. partes called zones / so the erthe is deuyded in to .v. regyons. ¶ The firste is bytwene the pole artyke and the cyrcle artyke. The .ii .is bytwene the cyrcle artyke and the tropyke of somer. The .iii .is bytwene the tropyke of somer / and the tropyke of wynter. The .iiii .is bytwene the [Page] tropyke of wynter / and the cyrcle antertyke. The .v. bytwene the cyrcle antertyke and the pole antertyke. Of the whiche partyes of the erthe / some Astronymyers saye that the firste & the .v. ben inhabytable / for theyr ouer great coldenes / for they ben to ferre from the sonne. The thirde that is in the mydle is to nere vnder the way of the sonne / and is nat inhaby­table for the great hete. The other .ii. partyes / the seconde and the fourthe be nat to nere nor to ferre from the sonne / but ben moderate in hete and colde / and therfore they ben habyta­ble if there be none other lettynge / and suppose that it be true / yet it is nat possyble to passe ouerth warte the Regyon vnder the waye of the sonne called zone / tourned, to go from the seconde to the fourth / for some Astronomyers wolde haue passed / that wolde haue shewed of it / wherfore they say that there is no Regyon habyted / but the seconde wherin we and all the other ben also.

¶ Of the varyacion that is for dyuers haby­tacions & regyons of the erth. Cap̄ .xxii.

PTholomeus and other Astronomyers saye / that if it were possyble that the erthe were enhabyted all aboute and pose the [Page] case that it were so / firste they that enhabyte vnder the equynoccyall / haue alwayes the dayes and the nyghtes egall / & haue the two poles of the world at the two corners of their ozyron / and may se all the sterres whan they se the two poles / and the son̄e passeth twyse in a yere ouer them / that is whan it passeth by the equynoccyalles. Thus the sonne is to them the one halfe of the yere towarde the pole artyke / & the other halfe towarde the other pole / and therfore they haue two wynters in a yere without great colde / one is whan we haue wynter / & the other whan we haue so­mer. Semblably they haue two somers / one is in Marche whan we haue prymetyme / & the other in Septembre whan we haue Har­uest / and by this they haue foure Solstyces / two hye whan the sonne passeth by theyr ze­nyche / and two lowe whan it declyneth one waye or other / and thus they haue foure sha­dowes in a yere / for whan the sonne is in the equynocces twyse in one yere in the mornyn­ge theyr shadowes ben in the occydent: and at nyghte in the oryent / and than at noone they haue no shadowes / but whan the son̄e is in the sygnes Septemtryonalles / & so agayne­warde. Secondely they that enhabyte by­twene the equynoccyal and the tropyke of so [Page] mer / haue in lykewyse two somers and two wynters / and foure shadowes in a yere / and they haue no dyfference of the firste / saue that they haue longer dayes in somer / and shorter in wynter / for as the equynoccyall lengeth / in lykewyse doth the dayes of somer / and in the partye of the erth is the firste clymate and almoste halfe the seconde / & is called Araby wherin is Ethyope. Thirdely they that enhabyte vnder the tropyke of somer haue the sonne ouer theyr hedes / & the daye of Solstyce of somer at noone / they haue theyr shadowes smaller than we haue / and there is a partye of Ethyope. Fourthly they that ben bytwene the tropyke of somer & the cyrcle artyke / haue longer dayes in somer than the aforesayd / in as moch as they ben ferther from the equynoccyall / & shorter in wynter / and they neuer ha­ue the sonne ouer theyr hedes / nor toward septemtryon / and that partye of the erth we en­habyte. Fyfthly they that enhabyte vnder the cyrcle artyke haue the eclyptyke of the zodya­ke to theyr ozyron / and whan the sonne is in the Solstyce of somer it resconseth nat: & thus they haue no nyghte / but naturall dayes of .xxiiii. houres. Semblably whan the son̄e is in the Solstyce of wynter it is naturall daye whan they haue contynuall nyght / and that [Page] the son̄e ryseth nat to them. Syxtly they that ben bytwene the cyrcle artyke and the pole artyke haue in somer dyuers natural dayes that ben to them one daye artyfyciall without ny­ghte. And also in wynter ben many natural dayes: the whiche naturall dayes ben to them alwayes nyght / & the more that it approcheth or draweth nere the pole / the more is the arty­fyciall daye of somer longe / & dureth in some place a weke: in some a moneth / in some two in some thre / & in some more / & proporcyonal­ly the nyght is greater / for some of the sygnes ben euer on theyr ozyron / and some alwayes vnder / & as longe as the son̄e is in the sygnes aboute it is daye / and whyle it is vnderneth it is nyght. Seuenthly they that enhabyte vnder the pole haue the son̄e halfe of the yere on theyr ozyron / and haue contynuall daye / and the other halfe of the yere contynuall nyght / and the equynoccyall is theyr ozyron that de­uydeth the sygnes .vi. aboue / and .vi. byneth wherfore whan the son̄e is in the sygnes that ben hye / and towarde them they haue conty­nuall daye. And whan it is in the sygnes to­warde mydday they haue contynuall nyght: and thus in a yere they haue but one day and one nyghte. And as it is sayd of the partye of the erthe towarde the pole artyke a man may [Page] vnderstande of the other halfe and of the ha­bytactons towarde the pole antertyke.

¶ Of the deuysyon of the erthe / and onely of the parte enhabyted. Capitulo .xxiii.

SO as Ptholomeus & dy­uers other deuyden the erth habytable in .vii. partyes / that they call Clymates & the dyamerous. The .ii. clymate dyatyens. The .iii. dalyxandrye. The .iiii. dyar­hodes. The .v. dyaromes. The .vi. daboristi­nes. And the .vii. dyaripheos / of the whiche eche hathe his longytude determyned / and the latytude also / and nerer they ben to the equy­nocciall the longer they ben / and larger / and procede in longytude from oryent to occydent and in latytude from mydday to septemtry­on. The first clymate after some Astronomyers conteyneth in length halfe of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / that is two hondreth thousande / and foure hondreth myle / and it hath an hon­dreth thousande / and two hondreth myles of length. The. seconde / and so of the other / for the lessynge of the erth comynge towarde septemtryon. To vnderstande what a clymate [Page] is after the sayinge of Astronomyers. A cly­mate is a space of the erth egally large / wher of the length is from oryent to occydent / and the bredthe is comynge from mydday & from the erthe enhabytable towarde the equynoccyall drawynge to septemtryon / as moche as an horologe or clocke chaungeth nat. For in erthe habytable the clockes chaungeth .vii. tymes in the bredthe of the clymates / it is of ne­cessyte to say that they ben .vii. and where the varyacion of horologes is / there is the dyuer­syte of clymates / howe be it that suche varyacyon properly oughte to be taken in the myd­des of the clymatꝭ / and nat at the begynnyng nor in the ende / for the nerenesse & cōuenaunce the one of the other. Also one clymate hath alwayes a day artyfycyall of somer / shorter or longer than another clymate / and this daye sheweth the dyfference in the myddes of eue­ry clymate / better than in the myddes & at the ende / the whiche thynge we maye sensybly knowe at iye: and therby Iudge the dyfference of the clymatꝭ. ¶ And it is to be noted that vnder the equynoccyall the dayes & the nyghtes in all tymes are egall eche of .xii. houres / but comynge towarde septemtrion the dayes of somer longeth / and the wynter dayes shorteth / and the more that one approcheth septemtryon [Page] / the more waxeth the dayes in such wyse that at the ende of the laste clymate the dayes in somer ben longer by thre houres and an halfe / than they ben at the begynnynge of the firste: and the pole is more reysed by .xxxviii. degrees. At the begynnynge of the firste cly­mate the lōgest daye of somer hath .xii. houres and .xlv. mynutes / and the pole is reysed on the ozyron .xii. degrees and .xlv. mynutes / & in the myddes of the clymate the longest daye hath .xiii. houres / and the pole reysed .xvi. de­grees / and the latytude dureth vnto the lon­gest daye of somer / that is .xiii. houres & .xv. mynutes: and the pole reysed .xx. degrees and an halfe / the whiche largenes is .CCCC.xl. myle of erth. The seconde clymate begynneth at the ende of the firste / and the myddes is there as the daye hath .xiii. houres & an halfe / and the pole is reysed ouer the ozyron .xxiiii. degrees / & .xv. mynutes. And the latytude dureth vnto there as the longest daye hath .xiii. hou­res / and .xlv. mynutes / and the pole is reysed xxvii. degrees / & an halfe / and this largenes conteyneth of erthe .CCCC. myles Iuste. The .iii. clymate begynneth at the ende of the seconde & the myddes is there as the daye hath xiii. houres / & the pole is reysed .xxx. degrees / & .xlv. mynutes / and the latytude extendeth [Page] vnto there as the longest daye hath .xiiii. hou­res / & .xv. mynutes / & the pole is reysed .xxiii. degrees / and .xl. mynutis. The .iiii. clymate begynnynge at the ende of the thirde / and the myddes is there as the longest day hath .xiiii. houres and an halfe / and the pole is reysed .xxvi. degrees / and .xx. mynutes / the latytu­de dureth vnto there as the longest day hath .xiii. houres / and .xlv. mynutes / and the pole is reysed .xxx. degrees / and the largenes con­teyneth of erthe .CCC. myle. The .v. clyma­te begynneth at the ende of the fourth: and the myddes is there as the longest daye hath .xv. houres / & the pole is reysed .xli. degrees / & .xx. mynutes / and the latytude dureth vnto there as the longest day hath .xv. houres / and .xv. mynutes / and the pole is reysed .xliii. degrees and an halfe / and the largenes conteyneth of erthe .CC.lii. myles. The .vi. clymate begyn­neth at the ende of the fyfthe / and the myddes is there as the longest daye hath .xv. houres & an half / and the pole is reysed ouer the ozyron xlv. degrees / & .xxiii. mynutes / of the whiche the largenes dureth vnto there as the longest daye hath .xv. houres / and .xlv. mynutes: the whiche largenes conteyneth of erthe .CC.xii. myles. The .vii. clymate begyn̄eth at the en­de of the syxte / and the myddes is there as the [Page] longest daye hath .xvi. houres: and the pole is reysed .xlviii. degrees and .xl. mynutes / the latytude extendeth vnto / there as the longest daye hath xvi. houres / and .xv. mynutꝭ / and the pole is reysed .l. degrees and an halfe / and the largenes of the erthe conteyneth .C.lxxx. and .vi. myles.

¶ The great and meruaylous consyderacy­ons & great vnderstandynge of the Astro­nomyers / & Astrologyens. Cap̄ .xxiiii.

AFter the lengthe of the cly­mates / so if case were one myghte go aboute the erth from oryent to occydent to his firste place: some Astronomyers say that this compasse may almoste be made. Sayinge that if a man wente this compasse in .xii. naturall dayes goynge regulerly to warde occydent / & began nowe at mydday / he shuld passe euerydaye naturall the .xii. parte of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / and ben .xxx. degrees / wherof behoueth that the sonne make a course aboute the erth & .xxx. degrees ferther / or he be retourned on the morowe at the merydyen of the sayde man / and so the sayd man shuld haue his day [Page] and nyght of .xxvi. houres / and shuld be fer­ther by the .xii. parte of a naturall day than if he rested hym / wherfore it foloweth of neces­syte that in .xii. naturall dayes / the sayd man shuld onely haue but a .xi. dayes / and a .xi. nyghtes / and somwhat lesse / and that the son̄e shuld lyght hym but a .xi. tymes: and resconse a .xi. tymes / for a .xi. dayes / and a .xi. nyghtes euery daye & nyghte of .xxvi. houres maketh .xii. naturall dayes / euery daye of .xxiiii. hou­res. By semblable cōsideracion behoueth that another man that shuld make this course go­ynge towarde oryent haue his daye & nyghte shorter than a naturall daye by two houres / than his daye and nyght shulde be but of .xii. houres. Than if he made this course in lyke space / that is to saye in .xii. dayes & somwhat more. Thus if Iohan made course towarde occydent / and Peter towarde oryent / & that Robert abode them in the place from whense they departed the one as soone as the other / & that they mette at Robert bothe togyther. Pe­ter wolde saye that he hadde .ii. dayes / and .ii. nyghtes more than Iohan / and Robert that hath rested a daye lesse than Peter / and a day more than Iohan / howe well that they haue made this course in .xii. naturall dayes or an .C. or in .x. yere / all is one. This is a pleasaūt [Page] consyderacion amonge Astronomyers howe Iohan & Peter cometh in one selfe daye / put case it were on a sondaye. Iohan wolde say it is saterday. Peter wolde say it is monday / and Robert wolde say it is sonday.

¶ Of the Pomell of the skyes a sterre called the sterre of the northe / nere the whiche is the pole artyke called septemtryonall. Capitulo .xxv.

HEre wyll we speke after the abouesayd thynges / of some sterres in pertyculer. And firste of them that Ptholomeꝰ & other Astronomyers nameth the Po­mell of the skyes / or sterre of the northe / wherfore we ought to knowe that we se by reason the skye tourne from oryent to occydent / by the dyurnall or the dayly mouynge / that is of the first mobyle / the whiche is made on two poyntꝭ opposytꝭ that ben the poles of the skye / of the whiche two poyntes / we do se one vysybly / and it is the poleartyke / and the other we se nat / that is the pole antertyke or in mydday / whiche is alway hydde vnder the erth. By the pole artyke that we se is the sterre moste approched that Astronomyers [Page] call the pomell of the skye / the whi­che they saye is the hyghest & moste ferre from vs / and by the whiche they haue the know­lege that they haue of the other sterres & partyes of the skye. The sterres that ben by the sayde pomell go neuer vnder the erth / of the whiche ben the sterres that maketh the charyot / & dyuers other / but they that ben ferre from it / gothe somtyme vnder the erthe as the sonne / the moone and other planettes. Vnder this pomell dyrectly is the angle of the erthe / in the place where agaynst the sonne is at the houre of mydde nyghte.

¶ Of Andromeda a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxvi.

Aries is a sygne hote and drye / that go­uerneth the hede and the face of man / & the regyons / Babylone / Percy / & Araby. And sygnyfyeth small trees / and vnder hym at the .xvi. degree / ryseth a sterre fyxed called Andromeda: that Astronomyers fygureth a mayden in her heer vpon the brynke of the see / sette to be deuoured of the monstres of the see / but Perseus sone of Iupiter foughte with his swerde agaynst the sayd monstre & flewe it / & than the sayde Andromeda was delyueryd. They that ben borne vnder her cō stellacion ben in daunger of pryson / or to dye [Page] in pryson / but if a good Planet take regarde they scape nat dethe and pryson. Aries is the exaltacion of the sonne at the .xix. degree: and Aries is the howse of Mars with Scorpio / wherin he is moste.

¶ Of Perseus a sterre fyxed / lorde of the spere. Cap̄ .xxvii.

TAurus hath the trees / plantꝭ / & ympes and gonerneth the necke and the throte bolle of man / the regyons Ethyopy / Egypte / and the countre aboute / and vnder the .xxii. degree ryseth a sterre fyxed of the fir­ste magnytude that Astronomyers call Per­seus sone of Iupiter that smote of the heed of Meduse that made all them to dye that behel­de her / and by no maner they myght eschewe it. Ptholomeus and other Astronomyers say that whan Mars is conioyned with this sterre. They that ben borne vnder the constella­cyon shall haue theyr heedes smyten of / if god shape nat remedy: and somtyme they call this sterre lorde of the swerde / and fygure hym a man naked with a swerde in one hande / and in the other the heed of Meduse & loketh nat on it. And this sygne Taurus is the exaltacion of the moone in the thyrde degree.

¶ Of Ozyron a sterre fyxed / and the felawes. Capitulo .xxviii.

[Page] GEmini sygnyfyeth large / good coura­ge / wytte / beaute / clergy / & gouerneth of man the sholdres / armes / and han­des / and the regyons Ynde / Armony / Carta­ge / and hath the small trees. And vnder the .xviii. degree ryseth a sterre fyxed called Ozyron / and with it .xxxvi. other sterres / and is fygured a man armed in mayle / and a swer­de gyrde aboute hym / and sygnyfyeth great captaynes. They that ben borne vnder the cō stellacion ben in daunger to be slayne by treason / if good fortune be nat with them. Gemini and Virgo ben the houses of Mercury / but Virgo is it / in the whiche he ioyeth most / and Gemini in the .iii. degree is the exaltacyon of the dragons hede.

¶ Of Alhabor a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxix.

CAncer gouerneth the longe & the egall trees / and of the body of man the breste the herte / the stomacke / the syde / the ly­ghtes / and the lunges / the regyons Armonye the lytell / and the regyon of oryent. And there ryseth vnder it in the .viii. degree a sterre fyxed that Astronomyers calle Alhabor (that is to saye) of the great dogge / and they saye that they whiche ben borne vnder the constellacy­on: and that ben in the ascendynge or the myddes [Page] of the skye it sygnyfyeth good fortune / & if the moone be with it / and the partye of for­tune / he that in it shall be borne / shall nat be very ryche / and Cancer the sygne so called / is the house of the moone / and is the exaltacyon of Iupiter in the .xv. degree.

¶ Of the Lyons herte a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxx.

LEo hath the great trees (that is to saye) he is lorde ouer them and sygnyfieth an hasty man full of angre & of angusshe / and of the body of man / it behoueth properly the herte / the backe and the sydes. And of regyons Tartary / vnto the ende of the erthe habytable / and vnder the .xxxiii. degtee ryseth a sterre fyxed called the Lyons herte / and they that ben borne vnder that constellacyon / as Astronomyers saye / shall be mounted in hye sygnouryes / or in great offyces / & afterwar­de shall be depryued or put downe / and be in daunger of theyr lyues / but if some good pla­net beholde the sayd sterre they may nat be saued. Leo is the house of the sonne / and Aries is the exaltacyon of the sonne / as it is sayd of Ptholomeus and of other.

¶ Of the sterre fyxed called Nebuluse / & of another called the golden Cuppe.

[Page] VIrgo gouerneth all that is sowen on erthe / and sygnyfyeth a man of good courage / Phylosophre plentuous / & of all maner of scyences / and kepeth of man the bely & the entrayles / And the regyon Al­geramyta / Assen / that is a regyon by Ihe­rusalem / Eufrates / and the yle of Spayne. Vnder the longytude or .xv. degree ryseth a sterre fyxed named Nebuluse or tayle of the Lyon / and in Septemtryonall latytude of the sayd sygne of virgo. Vnder the whiche sygne ryseth another fyxed sterre / which Astronomyers calle the golden cuppe / and is in the .xiii. degree of the sayd sygne towarde the partye merydyonall. The whiche sterre is of the nature of Venus and of Mercury: and sygnyfyeth that they / whiche ben borne vnder the sayd constellacion to knowe of thyngꝭ wor­thy / good / and holy.

¶ Of the Porke espyke a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxii.

LIbra that vnder this sygne domyneth the great trees / and sygnyfyeth Iustyce and of man it gouerneth the reynes / & the nether parte of the bely / And regyons the countre of Romany and of Grece. Vnder the xviii. degree ryseth a sterre fyxed that Astro­nomyers calle Porke espyke. They that ben [Page] borne vnder the constellacyon ben well sha­pen / and ben honest / and do thyngꝭ that folke meruayle on / and reioyseth / and sygnyfyeth ryches by honest and precyous marchaundyse and ben comonly loued of lordes and ladyes and Libra is one of the houses of Venus / and Taurus is the other / in the whiche she reioy­seth most. And is the exaltacion of Saturne For the wether begynneth to waxe colde in this monthe of Septembre / and Saturne is the planet and the lorde of colde that exalteth in great heyghte / whan that he entreth in to the sygne of Libra.

¶ Of the Crowne septemtryonall a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxiii.

SCorpio that domyneth the trees that ben of longytude and largenes / and sygnyfyeth falsenes / and of the body of man gouerneth the preuy places / and the regyons of Heberget: and the felde of Araby in the .ii. degree ryseth a sterre / that Astronomy­ers call the Crowne septemtryonal / the whiche whan it is in the ascendynge in the myd­des of the skye gyueth honoure and exaltacy­on to them that ben borne vnder the constellacyon / & specyally whan it is well beholden of Sol / the Scorpion is one of the houses of Mars / in the whiche he reioyseth moste / and [Page] Aries is the other / and is the Sygne wherin Mars begynneth to descende or fall from his exaltacyon.

¶ Of the Scorpyons herte a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxiiii.

SAgittary sygnyfieth the man ingenyous & wyse / and gouerneth the thy­ghes of man / And regyons Ethyope Maharobem / and Aenyche. Vnder his firste degree ryseth a sterre fxyed of the first magnytude / the which Astronomyers call the Scorpyons herte / whiche whan it is well behol­den of Iupiter or Venus / it reyseth them that ben borne vnder his constellacion to great honoure and rychesse / but whan it is euyl beholden of Saturne or of Mars / it putteth them that ben borne vnder it to pouerte / the Scor­pyon is the house of Iupiter / in the whiche he reioyseth moste / and Pisces is the other house: and so is he sayde Sagittary / the exaltacion of the dragons tayse.

¶ Of the flyinge Egle a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxv.

CApricornus sygnyfieth a man of good and perfyte lyfe / wyse / yrefull / and of great thought: and gouerneth the knees of man / and the regyons Ethyopye / Araby / Behamen / and to the two sees / and vnder [Page] his .xxviii. degree ryseth a sterre / that Astro­nomyers call the flyinge Egle / that sygnyfyeth the souerayne or myghty Emperoures / or kynges. They that ben borne vnder his con­stellacion / whan they ben well begolden of the sonne of Iupiter mounteth in great syg­nouryes / and ben loued of kynges and pryn­ces / Capricornus and Aquarius ben the hou­ses of Saturne / but he reioyseth in Aquary moste: and the sygne of the sayd Capricornus is the exaltacion of Mars.

¶ Of the Fysshe merydyonall a sterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxvi.

AQuarius that kepeth the shankes vn­to the ancles of the fete of man / and the regyons / Hazenoth / Asempha / & par­tye of the lande of Alphege / & parte of Egy­pte / the .xxi. degree ryseth a sterre / that Astro­nomyers call the Fysshe merydyonall. They that ben borne vnder this constellacyon ben happy in fysshynge in the southe see / and vn­der the .ix. degree of the sayde sygne ryseth the Dolphyn that sygnyfieth lordshyp on the see on pondes / & ryuers / and as it is sayd / Aquarius is the house of Saturne / in the whiche he reioyseth hym.

¶ Of Pegasus that sygnyfyeth the Horse of honour a sterre fyxed. Cap̄ .xxxvii.

[Page] PIsces gouerneth of man the fete / and sygnyfyeth a man subtyll / wyse / and of dyuers coloures / and hath regyons Trapesen / Iurgen / and al the habytable partye / that is septemtryon / and parte of Roma­ny / & vnder the .xv. degree of the sayde sygne ryseth a sterre that Astronomyers call Pega­sus / that is the Horse of honoure / & the fygure in forme of a fayre horse. They that ben bor­ne vnder this constellacyon shalbe honoured amonge great captaynes and lordes / whan Venus is with it / they be loued of great La­dyes if the sayde sterre be in the myddes of the skye in the descendynge / and Pisces is one of the houses of Iupiter / and Sagittarius the other / in the whiche he reioyseth moste / & the sayd Pisces in the .xxvii. degree is the exal­tacyon of Venus.

¶ Of the deuysyon of the twelue houses / as well in the erthe as in the heuens / as hereafter do folowe. Cap̄ .xxxviii.

IT is to vnderstande that the Heuens & the erthe is deuyded in .iiii. partyes by .ii. cyrcles: whiche crossets, dyrectly ouer the two poles / and crosseth .iiii. tymes the equy­noccyal lyne. Eche of the .iiii. partyes deuyded [Page] in .iii. egally / is in all twelue egall partes / as well in the skye as in the erthe / whiche Ptholomeus and other calle howses / and ben .xii. Of whiche .vi. ben alwayes aboue the erthe And .vi .vnder it: and these houses moue nat but ben alwayes eche in his place / and the sy­gnes and Planettes passe by them alwayes ones in .xxiiii. houres. Thre of these howses ben from oryent to mydnyght goynge vnder the erthe / The firste / the seconde / and the thyr­de / wherof the firste vnder the erthe begyn­neth in oryent / named the house of lyfe. The seconde house is named of substaunce and ry­ches. The thirde that finyssheth at mydnyght is the house of fraternyte. The fourth that be­gynneth at mydnyght comynge in occydent / is named the house of patrymony. The fyfte is the house of sonnes. The syxte fynyssheth in occydent / vnder the erthe is the house of syckenes. The seuenth begynneth in occydent on the erthe / and stretcheth towarde mydday / is the house of maryage. The eyght is the house of dethe. The nynthe fynysshyng at mydday is named the house of feyth / of relygyon / and pylgrymag [...]. The tenthe begynneth at mydday comynge towarde oryent / is the house of honour and of regalyte. The enleuenth is the very house of true frendes. And the twelthe [Page] that fynyssheth in oryent on the erthe / is cal­led the house of charyte / but this mater is dyf­fycyle / for Astronomyers knowlegynge the nature and propryte of euery of the sayde .xii. houses / and departeth them lyghtly.

¶ Howe the Planettes reygne in eury houre of the day and the nyght. Cap̄ .xxxix.

HE that wyll wete howe Astronomyers knoweth whiche Planet reygneth euery hour of the day and the nyght / and which planet is good / and which is badde / he oughte firste to knowe the planet of the day: and for to serche therfore. The first temporall houre of the sonne rysynge / that daye is for the sayde planet. The seconde houre is for the planet ensuyng And the thirde for the other / & so folowynge by ordre / and it behoueth to goo from Sol to Venus / Mercury & Luna / than come agayne to Saturne vnto .xii. that is the houre before the sonne goynge downe / and in contynent after the sonne is downe / begynneth the firste houre of the nyght: that is for the .viii. planet: and the secōde houre of the nyght for the .xiiii. [Page] and so vnto .xii. houres for the nyght / that is the nexte houre before the sonne rysynge / and come dyrectly fallynge vpon the .xxiiii. pla­net / that is next before that the day folowynge. And thus the day hath .xii. houres / and the nyght .xii. also / the whiche ben temporall houres / dyfferent to the houres of the clockes / the whiche ben artyfycyalles. Ptholomeus and other Astronomers say that Saturne & Mars ben euyll planettes / Iupiter & Venus good / Sol and Luna halfe good / and halfe euyll. The partie to warde the good planet is good and the partye to warde the euyll planette is nought. Mercury conioyned with a good planet is good / and with an euyll planette he is nought / and they vnderstande this as the in­fluencꝭ good or euyll / that ben of the sayd planettes here folowynge. ¶ The houres of the planettes ben dyfferent to them of clockes: for the houres of clockes ben egall at all tymes / eche of .lx. mynutes / but they of the planettes whan the dayes & the nyghtes ben egall that the sonne is in one of the equynocces they ben egall / But as soone as the dayes longeth or shorteth / so dothe the naturall houres / by this it is conuenyent alwaye for the daye to haue .xii. temporall houres / and the nyght .xii. also: and whan the dayes ben longe / & the houres [Page] longe: and whan the dayes ben shorte and the houres shorte / in lykewyse is the nyght / and neuerthelesse an houre of the day / and an houre of the nyght togyther haue .vi. score mynu­tes / as many as two houres artyfycyalles / for that the one leueth / the other taketh. And take we our planettes / from the sonne rysynge vnto the son̄e goynge downe: & nat before and all the remenaunt is nyght.

¶ Also hereafter foloweth the Natures of the .vii. Planettes / with theyr dysposy­cyons / after the sayinge of Ptholome­us / prynce of Astronomy. Cap̄ .xl.

¶ Thus endeth the .vii. Planettes with theyr proprytes. And here foloweth / to knowe the Fortunes and destenyes of man and woman borne vnder the .xii. Sygnes (after the sayinge of Ptholomeus) prynce of Astro­nomye. Capitulo .xli.

SO to know vnder what planet a man or woman is borne / It is nedefull to wete that there is .vii. planettes on the skye / that is to say / Sol / Venꝰ / Mars Mercurius / Iupiter / Lu­na / and Saturnus. Of the .vii. Planettes is [Page] named the .vii. dayes of the weke / for euery daye hath his name of the Planet reygnynge in the begynnynge of it. The auncyent Phy­losophers saye that Sol domyneth the Son­day (the cause is they say) for the Sonne amō ge other planettes is moste worthy: wherfore it taketh the worthyest daye / that is the son­day. Luna domyneth the firste houre of mon­day. Mars the firste houre of tewysday. Mer­curius for wednysday. Iupiter for thursday. Venus for fryday / And Saturnus for saterday. The day naturall hathe .xxiiii. houres / & euery houre reygneth a planet. ¶ It is for to be noted that whan a man wyll begyn to reken at sonday / he muste reken thus / Sol / Venus / Mercurius / Luna / Saturnus / Iupiter / Mars. And whan the nombre is fayled / he must begyn at the houre that he wold know what planet reygneth. The mōday he ought to begyn at Luna. The tewysday at Mars. The wednysday at Mercury. The thursday at Iupiter. The fryday at Venus. The saterday at Saturnus. And euer whan the nom­bres of the planettes is fayled / he must begyn by ordre as is aforesayd. ¶ Also it is to be no­ted that the Grekes do begyn theyr day in the mornynge. The Iewes at noone. And the Crysten men at mydnyght: & there we ought [Page] lo begyn to reken. For at one of the clocke on Sonday in the mornynge reygneth Sol / at .ii. reygneth Venus / at .iii. reygneth Mercury / at .iiii. reygneth Luna / at .v. Saturne / at .vi. Iupiter / at .vii. Mars / and at .viii. begynne agayne at Sol / at .iv. Venus / at .v. Mercury / at .vi. Luna / at .vii. Saturne: and so by ordre in euery houre. ¶ whan a childe is borne / it is to be knowen at what houre / and if it be in the begynnynge of the houre / in the myddes / or at the ende. If it be in the begynnynge / he shal holde of the same planet / and of the other before. If it be in the myddes / it shall holde of that onely. If it be borne in the ende / it shall holde of the same / & of that that cōmeth nexte after: Neuerthelesse the planet that it is borne vnder shall nat rule other / & that of the daye shall be aboue it / whiche is the cause that a childe holdeth of dyuers planettes / and hathe dyuers condycions. ¶ He that is borne vnder Sol shall be prudent and wyse & a great speker / & that whiche he prayseth he holdeth vertuous in hym self. ¶ who that is born vnder Venus is loued of euery man / good to god­warde and reguler. ¶ who that is borne vnder Mercury is well berded / subtyll / mylde / verytable / and is nat moste prudent. ¶ who that is born vnder Luna hath an hye forehed [Page] ruddy / mery vysage / shamefast / & relygious, ¶ who that is borne vnder Saturne is har­dy / curteyse of lyuynge / & is nat auarycyous. ¶ who that is borne vnder Iupiter is hardy fayre vysage & ruddy / chaste & vagabounde. ¶ who that is borne vnder Mars / is a great speker / a lyer / a thefe / a deceyuer / bygge & of reed colour. ¶ They that wyl knowe of this more euydently / let them tourne to the proprytes of the .vii. planettes before rehersed.

¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus vpon the .xii. sygnes. Capitulo .xlii.

I Consyderynge the course of the celestiall bodyes: and the power of the hye god omnypotent / the whiche hath ma­de the sonne to shyne vpon the good and euyll / that go­uerneth all thynges conteyned in the Fyrmament / and on the erthe haue taken vpon me for to endyte this lytell treatyse / for to instru­ete & endoctryne the people nat lettred. Firste to knowe god theyr maker. Secondely to go­uerne theyr bodyes / and eschewe infyrmytes. And thyrdely to knowe the course of the fyr­mament / and of the celestyall bodyes contey­ned [Page] in it / with the disposicions of the .vii. planettes. But who that wyll knowe his pro­prytes ought firste to knowe the Moneth that he was borne in: and the sygne that the sonne was in the same daye. I wyll nat saye that suche thynges shall be / but that the sygnes haue suche proprytes / as it is the wyll of god. After Poetes and Astronomyers / Aries is the firste sygne that sheweth the Fortunes of men and women / as sayth Ptholomeus.

¶ Thus endeth the .xii. Sygnes of deste­nyes of man and woman born vnder them. And here after foloweth the Scyence of Phyzonomye / for to knowe the naturall inclyna­cyon of man and woman.

[Page] SO as Pholomeus saythe Phyzonomye of the whi­che hath ben spoken of be­fore: is a science that Astronomyers haue for to kno­we the naturall inclyna­cyon of man and woman good or euyll: by dyuers sygnes on them in be holdynge them oonly. The whiche inclyna­cyon / we ought to folowe if it be good. But if it be euyl by vertue and strength of vnderstandynge / we ought to eschewe and euyte it as to the effecte / & to withstāde the sayd euyll inclynacyons. Astronomyers vse this scyen­ce none other wyse. The prudent / vertuous & wyse men may be as touchyng theyr maners All other than theyr sygnes demonstreth and sheweth in their reygne. For these tokens that do sygnyfye vyce is nat seen in a wyse man thoughe the sygne be so / as an ale stake / or a sygne hanged before an house / in the whiche often tymes is noo drynke. ¶ For howe be it that a man by his wysdom and vnderstan­dynge folowe nat the euyll influences of the celestyall bodyes that ben vpon hym / and yet corrupteth nat the sygnes and demonstra­cions of the sayd influences / but those sygnes naturally haue sygnory and domynacion on [Page] them / in the whiche they be for to haue natu­rally that whiche they sygnyfy / thoughe that a man folowe them / or folowe them nat.

¶ wherfore Astronomyers say that the most parte of men and women folowe theyr naturall inclynacions to vyce or vertue / for that the most parte of them be nat wyse & prudent as they oughte to be / and they vse no vertue of theyr owne myndes / but ensueth theyr sen­sualyte. And by these celestyall influences of the whiche is shewed by sygnes outwarde of suche sygnes is the sayd scyence of Phyzono­mye knowen. For the whiche it behoueth fir­ste to knowe that the yere is deuyded in .iiii. partyes (as it hathe ben sayd before) that is to wyt Pryme tyme / Some / Heruest / & wyn­ter / that ben compared to the .iiii. Elementes. Pryme tyme to the ayre. Somer to the fyre. Heruest to the erthe. And wynter to the wa­ter. Of the whiche .iiii. Elementes euery man and woman is formed and made / and with­out the whiche none may lyue. The fyre is hote and drye. The ayre is hote and moyst. The water is moyste and colde. The erthe is colde and drye. Also they saye that the persone on whom the fyre reygneth is Coleryke of com­pleccion (that is to saye) hote and drye. He on whom the ayre reygneth is Sanguyne of cō pleccyon [Page] (that is to saye) hote and moyste. He on whom the water domyneth is Flumaty­ke of compleccyon (that is to say) moyste and colde. He on whom the erthe domyneth is Melancolyke of compleccion (that is to say) colde & drye. The whiche compleccions they knowlege and deserue the one from the other.

AS the Coleryke hath nature of fyre hote and drye / natually is lene and sklender / couetous / yrefull / hasty / braynles / folysshe / malycyous / deceytfull / and subtyll / where he bestoweth his wyt. He hath wyne of the Lyon (that is to saye) whan he is dron­ken he chydeth / fyghteth / and comonly he lo­ueth to be clad in blacke / as russet / & graye.

¶ The Sanguyne hath nature of Ayre hote and moyste / and is large / plentuous / attem­pred / amyable / abundaunte in nature / mery / syngynge laughynge / lykynge / ruddy & gracyous. He hath his wyne of the Ape / the more he drynketh the meryer he is: & draweth to women / & naturally loueth hye coloured cloth.

¶ The Flumatyke hath nature of water / colde and moyste / he is heuy / slowe / slepy / inge­nyous / comonly he spytteth whan he is mo­ued & hath his wyne of the Shepe / for whan he is dronken he accompteth hym selfe wysest and be loueth moste and aboue all coloures / [Page] the coloure of grene clothe.

¶ The Melancolyke hathe nature of Erthe / colde and drye / he is heuy / couetous / bacbyter malycyous / and slowe. His wyne is of the hogge / for whan he is dronken he desyreth sle­pe / and to lye downe and haue his reste / and he loueth the coloure of blacke beste.

¶ Here foloweth the Iugementes of mānes body. Capitulo .xliiii.

FOr to come to our purpose of spekynge of vysyble sygnes / we wyll begyn to speke of the sygnes of the hed. Fyrste we warne you that you ought to beware of all persones that haue defaute of membres natu­rally / as of fote hande iye / or other membre / & thoughe that he be but a creple / and specyally of a man that hath no berde / for suche ben in­clyned to dyuers vyces and euylles / and one oughte to eschewe his company / as his mor­tall enemy. Also Ptholomeus sayth that moche and playne heer sygnyfyeth a persone py­teous & debonayre. They that haue reed heer / ben comonly yrefull and lacke wytte / & ben of lytell trouthe. Bblacke heer / good vysage / [Page] and good coloure / sygnyfyeth very loue of Iustyce. Harde heer sygnyfyeth that the per­sone loueth peas and concorde: and is of good and subtyll wytte. A man that hathe blacke heer and red berde / sygnyfyeth to be lecherous vniust / and a vaunter: and one ought nat to truste in hym. The yelowe heer and cryspe sygnyfyeth man laughynge / mery / lecherous / & deceytefull. Blacke heer & cryspe sygnyfyeth melancolyke / sechery / euyll thought / and ve­ry lyberall. Hangynge heer sygnyfyeth wyt / with malyce. Great plente of heer in a wo­man sygnyfyeth boystousnes and couetyse. A persone with great iyes is slouthfull / vn­shamefast / inobedyent / & weneth to knowe moche more than he dothe / but whan the iyen ben full meane nat to bygge nor to smal / and that they be nat to blacke nor to grene / suche a man is of great vnderstandynge / curteyse / faythfull and trusty. A persone that is blere iyed / gogle iyed / and squynt iyed sygnyfyeth malyce / vengeaunce / cautele / and treason.

They that haue great wyde iyen & haue lon­ge heer on theyr browes and iye lyddes sygnyfyeth folysshenes / harde of vnderstandynge: and ben euyll by nature. The persones whi­che haue theyr iyen mouynge faste from one syde to another / and haue theyr syghte sharpe [Page] and quycke sygnyfyeth fraude / & thefte / and is of lytell truste. The iyen that ben blacke / clere / & shynynge ben the beste / & the moste certayne and they sygnyfye wyt and discrecion / and suche a persone is worthy to be loued: for he is full of truthe / and of good condycions. The iyen that ben ardaunt and sperkelynge: sygnyfye stronge herte / force / and puysaunce. The iyen that ben whytysshe and flesshely / sygnyfye a persone enclyned to vyce / lechery and full of fraude. Astronomyers saye that whan a persone beholdeth often as abasshed shamefaste / & ferefull / and that in beholdyng it semeth that he syngeth / and he hathe small droppes apperyng in his iyen: than it is for certayne that suche persones loue and desyre the welth of them that they beholde. But whan any loketh in castynge his iyen asyde / as by wantonnesse / suche persones ben deceytfull / and purchase to greue hym / & suche persones wyll dishonoure women / and they ought to be taken hede of / for suche lokes ben false / le­cherous / & deceyuable. They that haue small garysshe iyen and sharpe sygnyfye a persone melancolyous / hardy / an euyl sayer / & cruell. And if a lytel vayne appere bytwene the iye and the nose of a wenche / they say that it sygnyfyeth virgynyte / and in a man subtylyte [Page] of vnderstandynge / and if it appere great & blacke / it sygnyfyeth corrupcion / hete / and melancoly in a woman / and in a man rudenes & defaute of wytte / but that vayne apperyth nat alwayes. But the iyen that ben yelowe and haue no heeres on the browee sygnyfieth meselry and euyll disposicion of body. Great heeres and longe signyfyeth rudenesse / harde wytte / and lechery. The beteled browes syg­nyfyeth malyce / cruelte / lecherye / and enuye. And whan the browes ben thynne / it sygnyfyeth subtyll engyne / wyt / and faythfulnes. Holowe iyen and hangynge browes sygny­fyeth a persone full of euyll sayinge / of euyll thought / a great drynker: and comonly setteth his mynde to malyce. A lytell shorte vysage and a small necke / and a lytell sklender nose sygnyfyeth a persone of great herte / hastye & yrefull. A longe nose and hye by nature syg­nyfyeth prowes and hardynes. A shorte rey­sed nose sygnyfyeth hastynes / lechery / hardy­nes / and an vndertaker. A hauked nose that boweth to the vpper lyppe sygnyfyeth malyce / deceyte vntruth and lechery. A great nose & hye in the myddes sygnyfyeth a wyse man and well spoken. A great nose with wyde nose thrylles sygnyfyeth glotony & yre. A red face & shorte sygnyfyeth a persone full of ryot [Page] debate / & vnfaythfull. A vysage nouther to shorte nor to longe / and that is nat ouer fatte with good coloure betokeneth a man verytable / amyable / wyse / wytty / seruyable / debo­nayre / & well o [...]dred in all his workes. A fat vysage & full of rude flesshe sygnyfyeth glotony / neclygence / rudenes of wyt and vnderstandyng. A sklender face & somwhat longe sygnyfyeth a persone well aduysed in all his workes by good measure. A lytell sho [...]te vy­sage of yelowe coloure sygnyfyeth a persone deceyuynge / vntrue / malycyous / and full of harme. A vysage longe and fayre sygnyfieth a man hote / vniust / spytefull / and full of yre & cruelte. They that haue their mouthes great and wyde sygnyfieth yre & hardynes. A lytel mouthe sygnyfyeth melancoly / heuynes / har­de wytte / & euyll thought. He that hath great lyppes hath a token of rudenes / and defaute of wytte. Thynne lyppes sygnyfyeth lycke­rousnes & lesynges. Tethe euen sette & thyn / betoketh a true louer / lecherous / and of good compleccion. Longe tethe & great sygnyfyeth hastynes and yre. Longe eeres sygnyfyeth fo­lye / but it is a sygne of good memory. Lytell eeres sygnyfyeth lechery and thefte. A person that hathe a good voyce well sownynge / is hardy / wyse / & well spoken. A meane voyce [Page] that is nat to small nor to great / sygnyfyeth wytte purueyaunce / truthe & ryghtwysenes. A man that speketh hastely to be sette by. A great voyce in a woman is an euyll sygne. A softe voyce sygnyfyeth a person full of enuye / of suspeccion & lesynges. And ouer smal voyce sygnyfyeth great herte & folye. Great voyce sygnyfeth hastynes & yre. A man that styreth alway whan he speketh & chaungeth voyce is enuyous / nyce / dronken / and euyll condycyoned. A persone that speketh attem­poratly without mouynge is of perfyte vn­derstandynge / of good condycyon / & of good counceyle. A man with a browne vysage / reuynge ieyn: & yelowe tethe is of lytell truth a traytour / & hath stynkynge brethe. A person with a longe skender necke is cruel / without pyte / hasty / and brayneles. A persone with a shorte necke is full of fraude / stryfe / decepcion and malyce. A persone that hath a very lon­ge thycke necke sygnyfyeth glotonye / force & great lechery. A manly woman that is great and rudely membred is by nature melancolyous / varyaunte / & lecherous. A persone that hath a great lōge bely sygnyfyeth small wyt pryde / and lechery. A lytell bely & large fete / sygnyfyeth good vnderstandynge / good coū ceyle and true. A persone hauynge large fete / [Page] hye & bowynge sholdres sygnyfyeth prowes hardynes / hastynes / truthe and wytte. Shol­dres sharpe & longe betokeneth trechery / vn­truthe / stryuyng / and vnnaturall. whan the armes ben so longe that they maye stretche to the ioynte of the kne / it is a token of prowes / lyberalyte / truthe / honoure / good wytte / and vnderstandynge. whan the armes ben shorte it is a sygne of ygnoraunce / of euyll nature / and a persone that loueth debate. Longe han­des and sklender fyngers sygnyfyeth subtyl­te / and a persone that hathe desyre to knowe dyuers thyngꝭ. Small handes & shorte thycke fyngers betokeneth foly / and lyghtnes of courage. Thycke large and bygge handes sygnyfyeth force / hastynes / hardynes / and wytte. Clere and shynynge nayles of good coloure sygnyfyeth wytte and encrease of honoure. Nayles full of whyte spottes and reueled sy­gnyfyeth a persone auarycyous / lecherous / proude / of herte / full of wytte and malyce. The fote thycke & full of flesshe sygnyfyeth a persone outragyous / vygoryous / and of lytell wytte. Small fete and lyght sygnyfyeth hardynes of vnderstandynge / & lytell truthe Fete flatte and shorte sygnyfyeth an anguys­shous persone / of small wysdom and vncurteyse. A ꝑsone that gothe a great pase is great [Page] of herte and dispyteful / and sygnyfyeth well to prospere in all thyngꝭ. A persone that ma­keth small steppes and thycke is suspecyous / full of enuye / and euyll wyll. A persone that hath a smal flatte fote and casteth as a childe sygnyfyeth hardynes & wytte / but the sayde persone hath dyuers thoughtꝭ. A persone that hathe softe flesshe nat to colde nor to hote syg­nyfyeth a well disposed persone / of good vnderstandynge & subtyll wytte / full of truthe and encreasynge of honoure. A persone that laugheth gladly and hath grene iyen is debo­nayre of good wytte / true / wyse & lecherous. A persone that laugheth fayntly is slouthful melancolyous / suspecious / malycyous / & subtyll. ¶ Astronomyers saye for that there ben dyuers sygnes in a man and woman / & that they ben somtyme contrary one to the other / one oughte to Iuge moste comonly after the sygnes in the vysage. And firste to the iyen for they ben moste true & prouable. And they say also that god formed no creature for to en habyte the worlde wyser than man / for there is no condycion nor maner in a beest: but that it is foūde comprehended in man. Naturally a man is hardy / as the Lyon. Prue and wor­thy / as the Oxe. Large and lyberall / as the Cocke. Auarycyous / as the Dogge. Harde & [Page] swyfte / as the Harte. Debonayre and true: as the turtle Douue. Malycyous / as the Leoparde. Pryue & tame / as the Douue. Dolorous & gylefull / as the Foxe. Symple and mylde / as the Lame. Shrewde / as the Ape. Lyghte / as the Horse. Softe and pyteable / as the beer. Dere & precyous / as the Olyphaunte. Good and holsome / as the Vnycorne. Vyle & slouth full / as the Asse. Fayre & proude / as the Pe­cocke. Glotonous / as the wolfe. Enuyous / as the Bytche. Rebell and inobedyent / as the Nyghtyngale. Humble / as the Pegyon. Fell and folysshe / as the Oustryche. Profytable / as the Pysmyre. Dyssolute & vagabounde / as the Gote. Spytefull / as the Fesaūt. Sof­te and meke / as the Checkyn. Mouable & va­ryinge / as the Fysshe. Lecherous / as the Bore Stronge & puyssaunt / as the Camell. Traytoure / as the Mule. Aduysed / as the Mouse. Resonable / as an Aungell. And therfore he is called the lytell worlde: or ellys he is called all creatures / for he taketh parte of all.