they wold enhaunse so were ther suche philosophers that by their wytte vnderstandyng prophecyed the holy tyme of the comyng of Ihu crist lyke as virgyle said whiche was in the tyme of Cezar at rome by whiche plente of people haue ben better syth than they were byfore For he sayde that a newe lygnage was enioyed fro heuen on hygh that shold doo vertues in erthe by whom the deuyll shold be ouercomen Vpon whiche saynt poul that sawe this scrypture whiche he moche preysed sayde wyth a sorowful herte for so moche as he had not ben crysten Ha that I shold haue ren dred yelden that to god yf thou haddest lyued that I had come to the. Other philosophers ther were of whome euerich sayde goode wordes and meruayllous But we may not now reherce alle the goode thynges that they sayde For they were prudent alle and valyant seen that they set to fore alle other thinges clergye For yf it were not by clergye men shold not knowe that god were And yf they had not ben so prudent men as they were ther had neuer be so grete clergye as is now And yf ther were now suche as they were thenne that founde first clergye It sholde be other wyse than it now is But clergye goth now all to noght that almost it is perysshid For in thise dayes the people seeth not by cause that they that ought vnderstande vertues to teche other enseyne gyue example to doo well they ben they that recule wythdrawe fro it And all this procedeth by their folye For noman holdeth clergye for vertue ne he loueth it not ne applyeth it in all poyntes But many ther ben that sechen the lyes drestys leue the clere wyn For noman lerneth ne secheth now but for to conne so moche that he myght conquere gete the moneye And whan they haue goten largely assemblyd therof thenne ben they werse than they were a fore For the money hath so surprysed them that they may entende to none other thynge Ther ben plente of poure clerkes that gladly wold lerne yf they had the power But they may not entende therto by cause they haue not wherof for to furnysshe them of their necessytees as wel for to haue bookes as mete drinke clothes But ben cōstrayned for to gete their liuyng other wyse for the riche haue now in thise dayes seased somoche that the poure abyde naked must suffre yet ben ther plente of riche clerkis that haue bookes wythout nombre of one other richely adoubed and couerd to th ende that they ben holden for wyse and goode clerkes For they seche to haue nomore but only the loos and preysing of the people And dooo in lyke wyse as the Cock that shrapeth in the duste for to fynde pasture he shrapeth so longe in the duste and mulle tyl he fynde a gemme riche and precyous whiche shineth clere thenne he be gynneth to loke theron and beholdeth it and doth no more but late it lye For he demandeth not after the ouche or gemme but had leueyr haue somme corn to ete In lyke wyse is it of many of thyse not wyse clerkys couetous that haue the precyous bookes richely lymned storyed wel adoubed that do nothynge but loke beholde them wythout forth while they be newe by cause them seme that they ben fair so they beholde them gladly passe therwyth after they torne on that other syde thynke for to fylle their belyes to come to their folyssh desyres and they myght lerne ynoughe yf they wold entende it For they haue wel the power myght do as the wise men dyde herto fore the whiche by their trauayl studye dylygēce fonde first the clergyes but they haue their entendemēt folyssh out of the way And therfore the sciences artes perysshe in suche wyse that vnneth and wyth grete payne knowe they their partes of reson whiche is the first booke of gramayre the whiche is the fyrst of the seuen sciences But put their artes in their males and goo lerne anon the lawes or decretals and become aduocates and iuristes for to amasse and gadre alway money wherin the deuyll conforteth hem and yet doo they not somoche for to lerne as they doo for to fylle their purses In Parys Oxenford and Cambrydge is there suche maner of clerkes that ben acustomed to wylle haue the renomme and fame to be called maystres for to be the more preysed and honoured ¶ And haue leuer to conne lytyll and to haue the name of maystre than they shold be good clerkes wythout hauyng the degree and name of maystre But they be called maystres wrongfully For vanyte maystryeth them in suche wyse that they can but lytyl trouthe bycause that they haue so sone the name of maystre they leue the clergye ¶ And take them to the wynnyng lyke as marchants doo and brokers And in this wyse ben many in the world that haue the name of maystre that knowe right lytyl of good and reson For they that now desyre this ben not maystres after right for they ordeyne them otherwyse to the sciences than they dyde that fonde them first They entred first in to gramayre for to drawe reson in their ordynaūce after logique for to preue shewe the trouth fro the false After they fonde rethorique for to speke fayr in iugement right whiche they moche loued after arsmetrique for to be expert in all thinges After they foūde geometrye for to mesure cōpasse all maistrye after the foūde they sciēce of musyque for to sette al thinges in cōcordaūce after they had the vnderstandyng of astronomye for therby were they meuyd to haue science vertue In this manere ye may vnderstāde how they the first foūde science ordeyned the vij artes or vij sciēces they ben in suche wyse entrelaced that they may not be auctorised that one wythout that other ne entierly preysed And also the first may not be perfyghtly cōned wythout the laste ne the laste wythout the first he that wyl lerne one a right and vnderstonde it hym behoueth to lerne all the other ffor other wyse may not be knowen apertly the certayn ne the incertayn For that one is so comune to that other that it behoueth to knowe of alle but now men seche to lerne nomore but the arte for to gete the moneye ben to blame of that the other were preysed that first so trauaylled of whiche it is to vs so grete nede For lytyl shold we haue knowen yf we had not seen it by writyng For as it is to fore sayd yf clergye had be lost we had knowen nothyng ne who had be god ne men shold neuer haue knowen what thyng had ben best to do so shold all the world haue ben dampned thēne had we ben born in an euyl houre For the men had knowen nomore than dombe beestis all the
thurgh an other sterre alle like as a cādel whiche is sette ferre fro your sight after ye helde your honde right to fore the candel thēne ye shold not see nothyng therof the more right ye hold your hand bytwene the more lasse shold ye see this candel so moche ye may sette your hand ryght to fore your eyen so ferre that ye shold see nothyng therof In this maner I telle yow of the Eclypse that bytwene the Sonne and the Mone is not one waye comune But the mone gooth an other waye whiche destourneth her a lytyl from the Sonne Wherfore vs behoueth to vnderstande that the mone gooth oftymes whan she is bytwene vs and the sonne somtyme aboue and otherwhile bynethe here and there as she ryseth and declyneth But whan she passyth in the right lygne euen bytwene vs and the sonne thenne taketh the mone fro vs the lyght and clernes of the sonne in suche wyse as we may not clerly see her in that paas For thenne shadoweth she therthe And kepeth the raynes of the sonne that they may not shyne on therthe And they that ben in this parte haue in their syght the shadowe behynde them But it apperyth not comunely to alle men thurgh al the world For the mone is not so grete nowher nygh as all therthe therfor she shadoweth not all but only where she is in the right lygne bytwene therthe and the sonne And thyder the philosophers were wont to goo where as they knewe it For by their wyt and studye they had lerned for to approue the daye and tyme whan suche thynges sholde happe By whiche they preuyd plente of thynges wherfore they preysed moche our lord Thu◠see we here byneth the eclypse of the sonne aboue vs whan the mone is right vnder the sonne for as moche as she is bynethe sonne and aboue vs. And thenne the sonne passeth the ryght lygne and gooth departyng and wythdrawyng so moche that she apperyth as she dyde afore And thenne the mone departed is horned thre dayes after this Eclypse And by this fygure ye may vnderstonde playnly this that ye haue herd here tofore ¶ Of the Eclypse that happed atte deth of our lord god Capitulo vijo. THus as the mone taketh away fro vs the lyght of the sonne So it happeth oftyme that therthe taketh away the lyght of the mone as to fore is declared But the Eclipse of the mone may not be in no wyse but whan she apperith most full ne theclipse of the sonne may not be but whan the mone is all waned and faylled and that we calle the coniunciō but yf god whiche made all thinge chaunge and deffete at his plaisir make it to come or happene otherwyse like as it happed at suche tyme as our sauiour Ihesu Cryste was on the crosse at whiche tyme the lyght and bryghtnesse of the day faylled fro mydday vnto the ix hour of the day and thenne was the mone vnder therthe at the fulle as moche as she myght be whiche thenne in no wyse myght empesshe the lyght of the sonne the day at that tyme was as derke obscure as it had ben propre nyght whiche by nature at that tyme shold haue be bryght pure For whiche cause seynt Dyonyse whiche at this tyme is schryned in Fraūce thenne beyng an estudyaūt in grece a paynem lyke a grete clercke as he was For he knewe moche of astronomye whan he apperceyued this grete obscurte and derknes he had right grete meruaylle and fonde by astroonmye that this myght not be by nature ne by reson that the eclipse of the sonne shold happe falle in suche season thenne sayd he a derke worde in this maner or the god of nature suffreth grete torment by wrōge or all the world discordeth shal desolue faylle as it that muste take an ende though in hym self that he was a grete god that so susfred And that he had power and myght aboue alle other goddes as he that byleuyd on many goddes after his lawe Thenne this holy dyonyse made an aulter in his oratorye alle aboue the other aulters also a parte where as no persone repayred but he hym self only by cause he wold not be reputed in mysbyleue and whan it was made he had sene it he called it the aulter of the god vnknowen worshipped adoured hym helde hym for a right dere grete god It was not longe after this that the holy doctour Seynt poul cam to this place where seynt dionyse was as he that knewe hym for a right grete clerck And by commynycacion preching of seynt Poul he was sone conuerted by the helpe of our lord whiche wrought so therin that thenne he had very knowleche how our lord had suffred his passiō For they were bothe good clerkes as is more playnly conteyned in their legendes And thus was the noble clerk saynt dyonyse bycomen a good and very crysten man whiche all his lyf to fore had be a paynem and he so employed his science and his tyme fro that day forthon that it auaylled hym gretly to the helthe of his sowle this eclipse deceyuid hym not ne this that he knewe astronomye but he bycam after a mā of so good holy lyf that he gate for his reward the blysse of heuen ye haue herd the fayt of Eclypses yf ye wyl vnderstande them wel And ye shal not fare the werse ne the lasse auaylle you For to knowe it may moche prouffyte to euery persone for suche demonstraūces ben signefycacions of grete werkes thynges that ofte after happen falle This fynde wel astronomyers by Astronomye as somtym scarcete and defaulte of goodes of a grete derthe of warre or deth of kynges or prynces that falleth in the world as they may enquyre and serche by theyr science and reson This eclipse that was so grete signefyed the deth of Ihesu Cryst And it ought wel to come otherwyse for hym than for another For he was and is by right lord kinge of alle the world And may deffete desolue it and ordeyne at his good playsyr the other eclypses comen by nature whiche reteyne on therthe their vertues of thinges that ben come for it byhoueth all to fynysshe come to nought to all that is on therthe that shortly god made not the firmamēt ne the sterres for noght whiche as sayd is goth tornyng ouer aboue vs and gyueth to the sterres names vertues in heuen and in erthe eche after his myght on all thinges that hath growyng For ther is nothyng but it hath somme power for as moche as it hath growyng suche as it ought to haue by nature and by resen we shal now for this present leue for to speke ony more of the eclipses and shal recompte and declare of the vertue of the firmament and of the sterres For who so wel knewe the vertue of them he shold
ryght sorouful guerdon And ther is nowher so valyaunt a kynge ne so puyssaūte prince duk erle knyght or noble man to whom the deuyll hath regard but that he do to hym as moche gryef to his power as to the most vyle and most poure that cometh into helle whan he hath so vsed his dayes and lyf that he is fallen in his handes For alle they that ben dampned for to goo theder of what estat that they be ben called rybauldis For he myght haue conquerd in heuen more noble and more worthy Royamme than is in this world For who that in thys world serueth our lord vnto the deth he is more honoured in heuē than alle the kynges that euer were in this world that so lityl endureth wyth vs Now serue we him thēne leue we the euyl the glorye the vanyte of this world Syth thenne that hereto fore we haue deuysed how wherfore god hath created the world wherfor he made mā we shal deuyse to yow herafter the fourme of the world and the facyon after that it conteyneth compryseth and how it is made and composed rounde aboute But it is expedyent that to fore this we speke of the vij Artes lyberal and of their resons And how they were founden by them that apperceyued the sciences and vertues For by the vij Artes ben knowen the faytes of the world And how it is sette And therfore we owe now to speke therof for to vnderstonde the better that we shal saye here after ¶ Wherfor and how the seuen Artes liberall were foūden and of their ordre Capitulo vo. NOw declared this booke whiche is drawen out of Astronomye how somtyme the notable wyse philosophers wold enquere of the maner of the world how hit had ben created and made of god wherof moche people meruaylled And thenne whan the world was made and compassed ther was people ynowhe of whiche many behelde the firmamēt that torned round aboute the world meuyd they had grete meruaylle how it myght be made And they waked studyed many nyghtes many dayes Thenne began they to beholde the sterres that roos in the eest meuyd aboute ouer their hedes Certaynly thyse philosophers apetyted not these grete mangeryes ne delycyous wynes ne for to fylle their belyes as don beestis that seche nothynge but their pasture lyke as this day do they that retche of nothynge but to fylle their paūche wyth good wynes good vitaylles after to haue a fair bedde whyte shetes softe And there to slepe as the swyne but those were wakyng studienge many nyghtes it greued them not but they were embelysshid moche of that they sawe the fyrmament thus tourne so nobly to holde his cours termes Thus sawe they the sterres meue tyl they went doun in the weste somme on that one syde somme on that other syde And somme sonner than the other Thus behelde the prudent mē philosophers other aboute the firmament tyl it was day that they sawe the sonne shewe reyse in the mornyng rede and clere whiche ascended mounted half the day And that other half descended so longe tyl he went vnder whiche made the nyght tapproche thenne cam agayn the sterres in the nyght in their cours tyl the sonne cam agayn enlumyned the day helde his way and cours tyl that he repayred on the morne in to his pryncypal place After they behelde the mone whiche was a comune thynge apered to the world dyuersely One tyme she mas rounde another tyme half and after horned so wente becam suche as noman myght see her And after she appered horned syth half as she had ben to fore also round ful Thenne knewe they wel by their entendement that she approched the sonne tyl she was euen ayenst hym and after departed And after she wythdrewe her more and more tyl that she was vnder the sonne as she had ben to fore And thenne she went cam agayn euery nyght tornyng and makyng her cours aboute the firmament right as she now doth with out ony thing changyng the contrarye But now as said is the people that ben now thynke more And ben moche more curyous of their grete and fatte paunches for to fylle and to make them fatte by whiche they come the sonner to their ende and to carayn̄ by their ouer moche norysshyng and vylaynous whiche delyuereth them first to trauaylle after to shame dampnacyon The auncient faders gouerned them not in this wyse For they setted not by mete drynke but for to taledge their hungre and thurste for to susteyne theyr bodyes tobolee hem in helthe in suche wyse as they might helpe them self by their wyttes as they ought to doo for to come to the glorye of our lord And that tyme they lyued xx or xxx yere lenger than they do now of an honderd one And that procedeth of their folissh outrageous gouernaunce Certaynly suche people vnderstande not wel the worde of our lord whan he sayd to the deuyll whā he cam to tempte him and sayde that he shold make of the stones brede and that he shold ete Thenne Ihesu Cryst answerd that man lyued not onely by brede but by the worde that procedeth fro the mouth of god yf the men in thyse dayes vnderstode well this worde they wolde reteyne more gladly the doctrynes that procede and come fro the mouth of our creatour and maker But the grete rentes that they haue and the grete tresours of their coffres ben cause of shortyng abredgyng of their dayes by their disordynat mangeries that ouermoche noye and greue them so that nature may not well bere ne susteyne wherof the muste nedes the sonner rendre their soule and deye Thus their rentes their tresours or other thynge wherin they delyte them take away thier lyf their herte their wytte alle attones In suche wyse that whan deth cometh muste nedes dye they haue lost wytte vnderstondyng of whom many ben deed dampned whiche at their nede may not be coūseylled ne can not helpe them self whā they haue most nede they lyue not lyke them that for to kepe them fro perilles studyed in sciences vsed their lyf in suche manere that they wold but susteyne theyr body onely as longe as they shold be in this world as they that well knewe that this lyf shold not to them longe endure And had enuye at none other thynge but onely for to lerne suche science by whiche they myght knowe the souerayn kynge allmyghty that alle hath created of nought made it wyth his hand Thenne they thought in their entendement as people that was of noble and vertuous entenciō that they shold neuer haue knowleche of our lord god ne of so hye myght but yf they entended serched in his werkes whiche they fonde so excellente And as grete as they myght enquere knowe
this part of a day is sette by cause alleway in iiij yere is a daye coÌ„sumed whiche is aboue in that space the whiche yere is named bysexte or lepe yere whiche in iiij yere falleth ones so is sette fro foure yere to foure yere alway more a daye theÌ„ne is the sonne comen agayn in his first poynt And that is in the myd marche whan the newe tyme recomenceth that all thynges drawe to loue by the vertu of the retorne of the sonne for in this season had the world first his begynnyng therfore thenne alle thyng reneweth and cometh in verdure by right nature of the tyme and none otherwyse Aboue the sonne ther be thre sterres clere and shynyng and one aboue another That is to wete mars iupiter saturnus Saturne is hyest of the seuen whiche hath in his cours xxx yere er he hath all goon his cercle thyse iij sterres reteyne their vertues in thynges here bynethe ye may see yf ye beholde this figure how they be in ordre eche aboue other whiche fygure sheweth it well ¶ How the vij planetes gyue the names to the vij dayes Capitulo xxxijo. Thise vij planetes ben suche that they haue power on thinges that growe on therthe habouÌ„de their vertues more than all the other that ben on the firmameÌ„t more appertli werke lyke as thauÌ„cieÌ„t sage philosophers haue enserched by their wyttes of thyse vij planetes taken the dayes of the weke their names as ye shal here The mone hath the monday mars the tewsday mercurye the wednesday Iupiter the thursday venus the fryday saturnus the saterday the holy sonday hath his name of the sonne whiche is the most fayr therfor the sonday is better than ony of the other dayes of the weke For this day is sette reseruyd from alle payne labour And on this day shold men doo thyngis that shold playse our lord but syth in this chapytre we haue touched of the firmament we shal speke after of somme caas that come on the heuen and therthe The sonday is as moche to saye as the daye of pees and of praysinge For the creatour of alle thynges cessed this day the whiche made and created all ¶ Of the meuyng and goyng aboute of the firmament of the sterres that ben therin Capitulo xxxiiâ—o. ABoue saturne whiche is the last planete and hyest from vs of alle the vij planetes is the heuen that men see so full of sterres as it were sowen whan it is clere tyme and weder This heuen that is so sterryd is the firmament whiche meueth and goth round of whiche meuyng is so grete Ioye so grete melodye and so swete that ther is nomaÌ„ that yf he myght here it that neuer after shold haue talente ne wylle to do thynge that were contrarye vnto our lord in ony thinge that myght be so moche shold he desire to come theder where he myght alleway here so swete melodyes and be alway wyth them wherrof somme were somtyme that saide that lytyl yonge children herde this melodye whan they lawghed in their slepe For it is said that thenne they here the angels of our lord in heuen synge wherof they haue suche Ioye in their slepe But herof knoweth noman the trouthe sauf god that knoweth all Whiche setted the sterres on the heuen and made them to haue suche power For ther is nothinge wythin the erthe ne wythin the see how dyuerse it be but it is on the heuen fygured and compassed by the sterres of whiche none knoweth the nombre sauf god only whiche at his playsir nombreth them knoweth the name of eueriche of them as he that alle knoweth and alle created by good reason at the regard of the sterres that may be seen they may be wel nombred and enquyred by Astronomye but it is a moche maystryse For ther ne is sterre so lytyl But that it hath in hym hole his vertue In herbe in flour or in fruyt be it in facion in colour or otherwyse Ther is nothing in erth that ought to be ne therin hath growyng but somme sterre hath strengthe and puyssaunce by nature is it good or otherwyse suche as god hath gyuen to it And for the firmament and for the planetes take this fygure to fore on that other syde and ye shal see therin the sytuacyon of them BVt syth we haue descriued and spoken of the firmament in this second partye of this volume we shal speke of somme caases that come and happen on hye and also lowe And shal speke of the mesure of the firmament For to vnder stande the better the facion and how it is made and proporcioned and of that whiche is aboue And also we shal speke of heuen ¶ Thus fynyssheth the seconde partie of this present volume ¶ Here beginneth the thirde parte of this present volume declareth first how the day the nyght come Ca. primo IN this thirde and last partye of this present booke we shal fynysshe it wyth spekynge of the faytes of Astronomye And I wyl declare to you first how the daye cometh and the nyght and for to make you vnderstande of the Ecplises And also for to vnderstande other thynges the whiche may moche prouffyte to them that wylle do payne to knowe them For to gouerne them the better after the disposicyon of the tyme ¶ Here declareth how the daye and nyght comen ¶ Why the sterres ben not seen by-day as wel as ay nyght ¶ Capitulo. ijo. THe sterres of the firmameÌ„t on whiche the sonne rendreth clernes make contynuelly nyght day their tornyng cours wyth n firmameÌ„t aboute rouÌ„d aboue as byneth But them that ben ouer vs we may not see by daye For the sonne by his grete clernes and lyght taketh from vs the sight of them In lyke wyse as ye shold do of candelis that were ferre brennyng from yow And yf ther were a grete fyre brennyng bytwene yow the caÌ„dellis had grete flawme lyght It shold take away fro yow your syght that ye shold not see the candellis yf the fyre were take away put byhynde yow ye shold incontynent see the candellis to fore you brennyng Thus in lyke wyse I saye yow of the sterres that may not be seen by daye as longe as the sonne maketh his torne and cours aboue therthe And whan the sonne is vnder therthe the sterres ben seen by vs But tho sterres that ben ouer vs in the somer on the day tyme in wynter they be ouer vs in the nyght for tho sterres that we see in the somer by nyght we may not see them on the day for the sonne that goth rouÌ„d aboute vs taketh fro tho sterres their clernes that ben on the day tyme where the sonne is vnto the tyme that he draweth hym vnder but all they be lyght what someuer part they torne as well by day as by nyght as longe as the sonne goth aboute hye
like as they sholde haue compassed it all about wyth a gyrdle And thenÌ„e they stratched out the gyrdle all a long And thenne that whiche wente oute of lengthe of the gyrdle they fonde it in lengthe xx M. CCCC and xx vij myles Of whiche euery myle conteyneth a thousande paas eueri paas v. fote and eueri fote xiiij ynches Soo moche hath the erthe in lengthe rounde a boute by this fonde they after how thycke therthe is in the myddle And they fonde the thycknes therof like as it sholde be clefte in the myddes from the hieste to the loweste Or from that one side to that other vj. M. and v. C myles By this last mesure whiche is after nature right they mesured iustly the heyghte of the firmament For they coude nowhere fynde a gretter mesure for to extende the gretnesse of all thynges whiche ben enclosed wythin the heuen ¶ How the mone and the sonne haue eche of theym theyr propre heyghte Capitulo xviij THerthe as the auncyent philosophers saye after they had mesured it ther mesured the sterres the planetes the firmamente And first they mesured the mone and preuyd his gretnesse And they fonde the body of therthe wythout wythinne that after their comune mesure it was more grete than the body of the mone was by xxix tymes a lityl more And they fonde that it was in heyght aboue the erthe xxiiij tymes an half as moche as therthe hath of thycknes Also in lyke wyse preuyd they touchyng the sonne by very demonstraunce and by reson that the sonne is gretter than alle therthe is by an hondred syxty sixe sythes But they that knowe nothynge herof vnnethe and wyth grete payne wyl byleue it And yet it is suffysantly preuyd as wel by maystryse of science as by verray connyng of geometrye Of whiche haue ben many syth the philosophers that fonde this first that haue studyed traualled for to knowe the trouthe Yf it were so as is sayde or not Somoche that by quyck reson they haue preuyd that thauncyent Philosophers had sayd trouthe as well of the quantyte of the Sonne as of the heyght ¶ And as to the regard of hym that compyled this werke he sette alle his entent and tyme. By cause he hadde so grete meruaylle therof Tyl he had perceyuyd playnly that of whiche he was in doubte For he sawe appertly that the Sonne was gretter than all therthe wythout ony defaulte by an C.lxvj. tymes And thre partyes of the xx parte of therthe wyth all this that thauncyent philosophers sayde And thenne byleuyd he that whiche was gyue hym to vnderstoÌ„de And he had neuer put this in wrytyng yf he had not certaynly knowen the trouthe and that he playnly had proued it And it may wel be knowen that it is of grete quantyte ¶ Whan it is so moche ferre fro vs and semeth to vs so lytyl Ne he shal neuer be so ferre aloue vs. But in lyke wyse he shal be as ferre whan he is vnder or on that other sayde of vs And for trouthe it is fro therthe vnto the sonne lyfe as the kynge Tholomeus hath prouyd it fyue hondred lxxx and v tymes as moche as therthe may haue of gretenes and thycknes thurgh ¶ Here foloweth of the heyght of the sterres and of their gretenesse Capitulo xixo. NOw wyll I recounte to you briefly of the sterres of the firmament of whiche ther is a right grete nombre And they ben alle of one heyghte but they ben not alle of one gretenes And it behoueth ouer longe narracioÌ„ that of alle them wold descryue the gretenes And therfore we passe lyghtly ouer and shortly how well I aduertyse you certefye that ther is none so lytyl of them that ye may see on the firmament but that it is gretter than all therthe is But ther is none of them so grete ne so shynyng as is the sonne For he enlumyneth all the other by his beaulte whiche is so moche noble Fro therthe vnto the heuen wherin the sterres ben sette in a moche grete espace for it is tenthousand lv sythes as moche more as is alle therthe of thycknes And who that coude â—ccouÌ„te after the nombre and fourme he myght knowe how many ynches it is of the honde of a man And how many feet how many myles and how many Iourneyes It is from hens to the firmament or heuen For it is as moche way vnto the heuen As yf a man myght goo the right way wythout lettyng and that he myght goo euery day xxv myle of fraunce whiche is I. englisshe myle and that he taryed not on the waye Yet shold he goo the tyme of seuen M.j. C. lvij yere and an half er he had goon somoche waye as fro hens vnto the heuen where the sterres be in Yf the firste man that god fourmed uer whiche was Adam had goon fro the first day that he was made created xxv myles euery day yet shold he not haue comen thyder But shold haue yet the space of vij C.xiij yere to goo at the tyme whan this volume was perfourmed by the very auctour And this was atte Epyphanye in the yere of grace .i M.ij â–ª C. and xlvj that tyme shold he haue had so moche to goo Er he shold come theder Or yf ther were there a grete stone whiche shold falle fro thens vnto therthe it shold be an hondred yere er it cam to the grounde And in the fallyng it shold defcende in euery hour of whiche theâ— be xxiiij in a day complete .xliij myle an half Yet shold it be so longe er it cam to therthe This thynge hath be proued by hym that compiled this present volume er he cam thus ferre in this werke this is wel xl tymes more than an hâ—rs may goo whiche alleway shold goo wyth outrestynge ¶ Here foloweth of the nombre of sterres Capitulo xxo. TO the regard of the sterres we shal saye to yow the nombre lyke as the noble kynge Tholomeus nombred them in his Almageste to whom he gaf the propre names And sayd that ther were a thousand and xxij clere and that myght be all seen wythout the vij planetes may be wel acounted wythout ony paryll In alle ther be j M. and xxix whiche may wel be seen wythout many other whiche may not wel be seen ne espyed Ther may not well moo be espyed but so many as sayd is ne appertly be knowen Now late hym beholde that wyl see it For noman trauaylle he neuer so moche ne studye maye fynde nomore Neuertheles ther is no man lyuyng that may or can compte so moche or can so hye mouÌ„te in ony place though hebe garnysshid of a moche gentyl instrument and right subtyl that shold fynde moo than the kynge tholomeus fonde by whiche he knewe myght nombre them and where eueryche sitteth and how ferre it is from one to an other be it
therthe tyl th ende of an hondred yere so moche and ferre is the heueÌ„ fro vs. The whiche is so grete that alle the erthe rounde aboute hath nothyng of gretenes ayest the heueÌ„ nomore than hath the poynt or pricke in the myddle of the most grete coÌ„paas that may be ne to the grettest cercle that may be made on therthe And yf a man were aboue in heuen and behelde and loked here doun in the erthe And that alle the erthe were brennynge all in cooles flammyng lyghted it shold seme to hym more lytyll than the lest sterre that is aboue semeth to vs here in therthe thawh we were on a montayne or in a valeye and therfore it may well be knowen that the heuen muste lyghtly meue whan it maketh his torne goth round aboute therthe in a day a nyght lyke as we may apperceyue by the sonne that men see in the mornyng arise in thoryent or in the eest goth doun in the west on the morn erly we see hym come agayn in the eest For theÌ„ne he hath perfourmed his cours rouÌ„d aboute therth whiche we calle a day naturel the whiche conteyneth in hym day nyght Thus goth and cometh the sonne the whiche neuer shal haue reste ne neuer shal fynysshe to goo wyth the heuen lyke as the nayle that is fyxed in the whele the whiche torneth whan she torneth But by cause that it hath meuyng ayenst the cours or tornynge of the fyrmament ¶ We shal saye to yow another reson yf a flye wente rounde aboute a whele that went rounde itself And that the flye wente ayenst it The whele shold brynge the flye wyth her And so shold it falle that the whele shold haue made many tornes whylis that the flye shold make one torne and er she had gon rounde aboute the whele vnto the first poynt So ye muste vnderstonde that in suche manere gon the mone the sonne by away that is comune to the vij planetes that ben on the heuen whiche alle goo by the same way alleway toward the eest and the heuen torneth toward the weste lyke as nature ledeth hym Thus herwyth the first partie taketh his ende of this present booke And shal folowe for to deuyse of the seconde partye of therthe of the fourme of the firmament ¶ Thus endeth the first partye of this present booke ¶ Here after bygynneth the seconde partye of this present book and declareth how therthe is deuyded and what partie she is enhabyted Capitulo primo SYth that the erthe is so lytyl as ye haue herd here to fore deuysed lytyl maye we preyse the goodes therof vnto the regard of heuen lasse than men do donge ayenst fin gold or ayenst precyous stones how wel that in th ende that one and that other shal be of no walewe but for somoche as we beyng in this world vs semeth that the erthe is moche grete we haue declared to you as wel the rouÌ„denesse as the gretenes to our power that shortly syth we haue vnderstande how the erthe is rounde on alle partes as an apple Neuertheles it is not enhabyted in all parties whiche is well knowen of no people of the world And it is not enhabyted but in one quarter only lyke as the philosophers haue enserched whiche put for to knowe it grete trauayll estudye and therfore we shal deuyse it al aboute in foure parties of whiche ye may take ensample by an apple whiche shal be parted by the myddle in foure parties right of lengthe of brede by the core and pare a quarter stratche the parell for to se vnderstoÌ„de the facion in playn erthe or in your hande ANd in the ende of this lyne Lyke as she gooth right by lyne We may see a cyte whiche is callyd Aron it is sette in the myddle of the world and was made all rouÌ„de ther was fouÌ„deÌ„ first astronomye by grete studye by grete maistrye by grete dylygeÌ„ce This place Aaron is named the right mydday as she that is sette in the myddle of the world that other heed of this lyne whiche gooth right toward the lyfte syde is callyd septentrion that is to saye north and taketh his name of the vij sterres and torneth toward another sterre that ledeth the maronners by the see In that other lyne that is the myddle whiche the south cutteth in the ende toward the eest as the auctours saye is paradis terrestre where adam was in somtyme This place is callyd oryent that is to saye eest For fro thens cometh the sonne whiche maketh the day aboute the world And that other heed is callyd occydent that is to saye weste For there the day faylleth and wexith derke whan the sonne goth doun there thus and by this reson be namâ—d the foure parties of the world of whiche the first coÌ„teineth the eest The seconde the west The therde the south And the fourthe the north this that we ensâ—ygne you ye may see by this figure to fore on that other syde THyse foure partyes that I haue declared to yow whiche ben sette in a quarter of alle the erthe of the world ought to haue a rounde fourme For rayson and nature gyue that alle the worlde be rounde ¶ And therfore vnderstande ye of this quarter as it were alle rounde ¶ Now make we thenne of this quarter a cercle that is al round al hâ—ol late vs sette in the middle of this lyne that sheweth the eest the west for to sette the parties in her right as this preseÌ„te figure that here is represeÌ„teth sheweth to you plainli AFter late eche partye be torned toward his name in therthe of whiche eche shal be the fourth parte this present fygure is enseygnement and demonstrauÌ„ce certayne and trewe wythout ony varyacyon ne doubtaunce ¶ What parte of therthe is in hahyted Caplo. ijo. That other part is called europe taketh his name of akynge callyd europes the whiche was lord of this contre therfor it was so callyd And it endureth fro the weste vnto the north marcheth vnto Asie the grete that other parte is affryque whiche stratcheth fro the south vnto the west affryque hath his name of helbe is as moche to saye as born away lyke as this figure deuyseth in iij. partyes of whiche figure this is the demonstrance OF these thre partyes of the world here tofore named holden euerych many regyons many coutreees of whiche or at the leste of the most noble partie we shal declare the names how the bestes that ben there ben most comynly called Thus we shal saye to you the condycions fourmes of somme in especial of them that ben most seen by men And first we shal speke of the people of the contrees And after of the bestes and fisshes lyke as the book dyuyseth to vs out of whiche is drawen this Mappe mundi ¶ First of paradis
theÌ„ne cometh grece cypres cecyle toscane naples lombardye gascoyen spayne cateloyne galyce nauarre portyngal aragoÌ„ And how be it that the auctour of this book saye that thise contrees ben in Affryke yet as I vnderstonde all thise ben wythin the lymytes bouÌ„des of europe Also ther ben somme of thyse regyons contrees that take their name of somme beestes that dwelle in the same londes the cytees haue taken the fourmes as rome hath the fourme of a lyon And troye the grete of an hors c. All barbarye is in affryke alysandre ethiope stratcheth vnto th ende of affryke In this contre of ethyope the people ben black for hete of the sonne For it is so hoot in this contre that it semeth that the erthe shold brenne beyonde ethyope is no londe but deserte and londe wythout bryngyng forth of ony fruyt but it is ful of serpentes of vermyne and of wylde beestis whiche londe endeth at the grete see ¶ Here shal we speke of dyuerse Iles of the see Ca xiij SYth we haue descryuid and uydesed the londe It is reson that we enqure of the Iles of the see And in especial of them that we knowe the names of whiche ther ben plente in the see Ther is a moche grete yle called andos whiche is toward europe syth is the yle of colchos where the flyes of gold was fouÌ„d lyke as to vs reherseth thystorye of Iason Ther is another yle called Maron In this yle was born the holy man seynt denys whiche receyuid martirdom in frauÌ„ce Toward asye the grete ben the nombre of xliiij There is one yle named delos this I le appiered first after noes flood Ther is another whiche is called meloth it is so called for the right grete melodye that is herd therin of swete songe of byrdes that ben in this yle contynuelly in this I le groweth plente of whyte marble Ther is another yle in this contre that is called psalmos in whiche the quene sebylle was born the whiche prophecyed of many thinges of our lord Ihu cryst longe tyme byfore he was born of the virgyne Marie and she prophecyed thise thynges at rome where she was sent fore In this yle was first fouÌ„den the maner to make pottes of erthe whiche ben yet vsed in many contrees In this yle was born a grete phylosophre a good clercke named pictogoras the whiche by his grete entendement fonde the poyntes and the difference or musyque In affryke is also an yle in the see whiche is callyd sardayne where an herbe groweth whiche is of suche vertue that yf one ete of it he deyeth anon forth wyth all lawhing Another yle ther is named bosut wherin is no serpent ne vermyne And ther is another whiche is called colombyne where as is grete plente foyson of vermyne meruayllous serpentes Yet ther is another yle that is moche longe right brode that is called alleares In this yle was first founden the maner of meltyng of metals Also ther is the yle of Meroes the whiche at the myddle of the day hath no shadowe yet ther is a pytte in this yle that by right nombre and mesure is vij foot brode and an hondred foot depe And the sonne shineth in to the bottom Also ther is another yle whiche is called Cylla where the Cyclopyens were somtyme Another yle is in this contree so grete as the wyse plato wytnesseth the whiche in his tyme was a clercke of right grete renomme whiche hath more of purpris and space than all europe affryke conteynen But sith the tyme of plato it was in suche wyse destroyed and broken lyke as it plesâ—d our lord that it sanke doun in to Abisme for the grete synnes that they commysed that were dwellers habytauÌ„ts therin is now the see right that is called bethee Another yle is there the whiche may not be seen whan men wold goo therto but some goo theder as men saye it is called the yle loste This I le fonde seynt Brandon the whiche beyng therin on ferme londe sawe fonde many meruaylles lyke as his legende conteyneth and who that wyl knowe it maye vysite his legende rede it In the marches hetherward ben fouÌ„de many goode yles The I le of Cypre of secyle ther ben and other plente that be founden in the see of whiche I now speke not And be not admeruaylled of suche thynges as ye haue founden wâ—eton in this boocke the whiche may seme to yow moche strange dyuerse and moche dyffycyle to byleue for our lord god whiche is almyghty maker and creatour of all thynges And in whom alle goodes and vertues ben hath made by his only wylle and playsir in the erthe many meruaylles and many werkes to be meruaylled on by cause that noman knoweth by no waye the resons wherfore therfor we ought not to mysbyleue in no wyse that we here redde ne tolde of the meruaylles of the world vnto the tyme we knowe it be so or no. For the werkes of our lord ben so hye and to the men so diffycile hard that euery man may reporte hym to that that it is how wel that a man doth not moche amys somtime to gyue no byleue to somme thinges whaÌ„ he knoweth not the trouthe so that it be not in erryng ayenst the fayth For it is a good and proffytable thyng to euery man to vnderstande and reteyne to th ende that he may lerne of whiche he be not abasshed whan he hereth speke of suche thynges and can answere to the trouthe For in lyke wyse as to vs seme grete meruaylle of thynges that I here reherce In lyke wyse semeth it to them that ben fer fro vs. that those thynges of thyse contrees ben moche dyuerse strange meruaylle gretly by cause they haue lytyl seen of it And therfore a man ought not to meruaylle yf he bere somtyme ony thyng though he can not vnderstonde the reason for alleway a man ought to lerne ¶ And ther is noman that knoweth all sanf onli god whiche all seeth and alle knoweth The geaunts that ben in som place haue right grete meruaylle of this that we be so lytyl ayenst them Lyke as we meruaylle of them that ben half lasse than we be As it is tofore sayd they ben the Pygmans whiche ben but iij foot longe And in lyke wyse meruaylle they of vs â–ª of that we ben so grete and repute vs also for geaunts They that haue but one eye and one foot haue grete meruaylle that we haue tweyue lyke as we doo of them that haue but one And also as we deuyse their bestis name them by their names in lyke wyse deuyse they oures by theires bothe of body of membres Yf the centyoore haue an foot of an hors In lyke wyse hath the hors the foot of a centyoore Also we may wel saye that the hors hath the
lyghtnyng is seen the yon 's herd somoche is the thondre more nygh vnto vs ¶ For to knowe how the wyndes growe come ca. xxix o OF the wyndes may men enquire reson of them that vse the sees And the wyndes renne round aboue therthe oftymes and entrecounte and mete in som place so asprely that they ryse vpon heyght in suche wyse that they lyft vp thayer on hye And thayer that is so lyft and taken fro his place remeueth other ayer in suche facion that it retorneth as it were afterward and gooth cryeng and brayeng as water rennyng For wynde is none other thyng but ayer that is meuyd so longe tyl his force be beten doun wyth the stroke Thus come ofte clowdes rayâ—es thondres and lyghtnynges and the thynges tofoâ—â— sayd Ther ben yet other resons how these werkes comen But thyse that beste serue to knowelege and lyghtly to be vnderstonde we haue drawen out shortly and now we shal cesse of this mater for to speke of the fyre whiche is aboue the ayer on hye ¶ Of the fyre and of the sterres that seme to falle Capitulo xxxo. YE ought to knowe that aboue thayer is the fyre this is an ayer whiche is of moche grete resplendour and shynyng and of moche grete noblesse by his right grete subtylte he hath no moysture in hym And is moche more clere than the fyre that we vse and of more subtyl nature than thayer is ayenst the water or also the water ayenst the erthe This ayer in whiche is no maner moysture It stratcheth vnto the mone And ther is seen ofte vnder this ayer somme sparkles of fyre and seme that they were sterres of whiche men saye they be sterres whiche goon rennyng and that they remeue fro their places But they be none but it is a maner of fyre that groweth in thayer of somme drye vapour whiche â–ª hath no moysture wythin it whiche is of therthe and therof groweth by the sonne whiche draweth it vpon hye whan it is ouer hye it falleth is sette a fyre lyke as a candel brennyng as vs semeth after falleth in thayer moyste and ther is quenchid by the moystnes of thayer And whan it is grete the ayer drye it cometh al brennyng vnto therthe wherof it happeth ofte that they that saylle by the see or they that goon by londe haue many tymes founden and seen them al shynyng brennyng falle vnto therthe whan they come where it is fallen they fynde none other thyng but a lytyl assâ—es or like thing or lyke som leef of a tree roten that were weet Thenne apperceyue they well and byleue that it is no sterre For the sterres may not falle but they muste alle in their cercle meue ordynatly and contynuelly nyght day egally ¶ Of the pure Ayer and how the seuen planetes ben sette Capitulo xxxjo. THe pure ayer is aboue the fire whiche purpryseth taketh his place vnto the heuen In this ayer is no obscurte ne derknes For it was made of clere purete it resplendissheth shyneth so clerly that it may to nothyng be compared in this ayer ben vij sterres whiche make their cours al aboute therthe The whiche be muche clene clere be named the vij planetes of whome that one is sette aboue that other in suche wyse ordeyned that ther is more space fro that one to the other Than ther is froÌ„ the erthe to the mone whiche is ferther fyften tymes than all the erthe is grete and euerich renneth by myracle on the firmament maketh his cercle that one grete that other lytyl after that it is sitteth more lowe For af somoche that it maketh his cours more nyghe therthe so moche is it more short sonner hath perfourmed his cours than that whiche is ferthest that is to saye that who that made a poynt in a walle and wyth a compaas made dyuerse cercles aboute alway that one more large than another That whiche shold be next the poynt shold be lest of the other lasse shold be his cours for he shold sonner haue don his cours than the grettest so that they wente both egally as ye may see by this fygure to fore THus we may vnderstande of the vij planetes of whiche I haue spoken that that one is vnder that other in suche wyse that she that is lowest of alle the other is leest of all and that is the mone but by cause that it is next to therthe it semeth grettest and most apparaunt of alle the other and for thapprochement of therthe and bycause it goth so nygh it hath not pure clerenes that cometh of hym self proprely by cause therthe is so obscure but the clernes lyght that it rendreth to vs she taketh alway of the sonne lyke as shold a myrrour whan the rayes of the sonne smyteth therin and of the reflexyon the myrrour smyteth on the walle and shyneth theron as longe as the rayes of the sonne endure in the glasse In lyke maner sheweth lyghteth to vs the lyght of the mone in the mone is a body polysshyd fayr lyke a pommell right wel burnysshed Whiche reflaumbeth and rendryth lyght and clerenes whaÌ„ the rayes of the sonne smyteth therin The lytyl clowdes or derkenes that is seen therin somme saye that it is therthe that appereth wythin And that whiche is water appereth whyte lyke as ayenst a myrrour whiche receyueth dyuerse colours whan she is torned therto other thynke other wyse saye that it happed byfelle whaÌ„ adam was deceyued by thapple that he ete whiche greued alle humanye lygnage And that thenne the mone was empesshed and his clerenesse lassed and mynuysshed Of thyse vij sterres or planetes that ben there and make their cours on the firmament of whom we haue here to fore spoken First were no moo knowen but the tweyne that is to wete the sonne the mone thr other were not knowen but by Astronomye Neuertheles yet shal I name them for as we haue spoken of them to yow of thyse ther ben tweyne aboue the mone byneth the sonne and that one aboue that other of whom eche hath on therthe propre vertues And they named mercurye venus Thenne aboue the mone and thyse tweyne is the sonne whiche is so clere fayr pure that it rendreth lyght clerenesse vnto alle the world and the sonne is sette so hye aboue that his cercle is gretter more spacyouse thaÌ„ the cercle of the mone whiche maketh his cours in xxx dayes xij sithes so moche For the sonne whiche gooth more ferther fro the erthe than the mone maketh his cours hath CCClxv dayes this is xij tyme somoche more ouer as the calender enseigneth yet more the fourth part of a day that be vj houres but for this that the yere hath dyuersly his begynnyng that one begynneth on the daye and another on the nyght whiche is grete ennoye to moche people
lowe shynyng sauf the whiche ben hyd by therthe fro vs For as longe at the shadowe may comprise it the sonne may gyue them no lyght that ye may vnderstande by the fygure thus the shadowe discreaceth by the sonne whiche is moche gretter than therthe and fynysheth in lassyng And it endureth ferther fro therthe than the mone is hye but it faylleth aboueu the mone ¶ Wherfor the sonne is not seen by nyght as it is by day Capitulo iijo. THe erthe is suche that she deffendeth the day whiche the sonne gyueth vs Yf therthe were so clere that men myght see thurgh theÌ„ne myght the sone be seen coÌ„tynuelly as wel vnder therthe as aboue But it is so obscure derke that it taketh away the sight fro vs. it maketh the shadowe to go alway torning after the soÌ„ne whih maketh as many tornynges aboute therthe as the sonne doth whiche alleway is ayenst it for whaÌ„ the sonne ariseth in the mornyng in theest the shadowe is in the west and whan it is right ouer aâ—â—ue vs aâ— mydday thenne is therthe shadowed vnder her And whan the soÌ„ne goth doun in the west the shadowe of it is in the eest thenne whan the sonne is vnder we haue theÌ„ne the shadowe ouer vs whiche goth drawyng to the west longe tyl the sonne ariseth and shyneth and rendrith to vs the day And this may ye see by thyse two fygures to fore on that other syde ¶ How the mone receyueth dyuersly her lyght clerenesse Capitulo iiijo. SYth that ye haue vnderstonde what it is of the daye of the nyght wylle ye thenne after see the fayt of the mone how she receyueth lyght of the sonne She receyueth lyght in suche maner that she is contynuelly half ful in what someuer place she be whan we see her round theÌ„ne we calle her ful but how moche the ferther she is fro the sone so moche the more we see of her apparayl whaÌ„ she is right vnder the soÌ„ne thenne she apperithe not to vs. For theÌ„ne she is bytwene therthe the soÌ„ne thenne she shyneth toward the sonne toward vs she is all derke and therfore we see her not But whan she is passed the poynt is remeuyd fro the sone Thenne begynneth her clerenesse to appere to vs as she were horned so moche as she wythdraweth her fro the sonne somoche more apperith she shynyng And thenne whan she apperith to be half ful of lyght thenne hath she gon a quarter of her cercle whiche is the fourthe parte of her torne cours that she goeth euery moneth and thus alleway her clernesse encreacyng and growyng she goth tyl she be alle rounde fayre and clere in semblaunce of a rolle And that we calle the full mone Thenne is she right vnder the sonne as she may be right ayenst the sight in suche wyse that all her lyght is torned toward vs TheÌ„ne is therthe bytwene the sonne the mone so that we may not se them bothe vpon therthe but right lityl but one of them may be seen For whan that one goth doun in the west that other ariseth in the eest so at euen or morn may bothe be seen but not longe For that one goth vnder therthe that other cometh aboue Thenne the mone whiche hath ben opposite of the sonne hath gon half her cours thenne she goth on that other side approching the sonne begynneth to lasse her lyght mynusshe it tyl it be but half agayn theÌ„ne hath she gon thre quarters of her cercle is thenne as nygh the sonne on that side as she was at the first quarter on that other side so approcheth ner ner tyl she appere horned as to fore and thus she goth tyl she be al fayleth that we may se nomore theÌ„ne of her For thenne is she vnder the soÌ„ne as ye may see by this present fygure I saye nomore herof but that she is theÌ„ne bitwene the sonne therthe ¶ How the eclipses of the mone happen Capitulo vo. IT happeth ofte tymes that the mone muste nedes lose her lyght And that happeth whan she apperith most full And she becometh as vanysshed away and derketh lytyl and lytyl Tyl she be all faylled ye haue herd here to fore how the mone taketh light of the sonne that alway she hath half her lyght hole But whan it is so that she is in eclipse theÌ„ne hath she no light in no parte this happeth neuer but whan she is torned right so that the sonne gyueth her ful lyght For the mone goth not alway so right as doth the sonne For somtyme she passeth in her cours by suche away that therthe shadoweth her alle For therthe is gretter than the mone is therfore whan therthe is iuste bytwene the soÌ„ne and the mone theÌ„ne she thus shadoweth her For bytwene the sonne the mone is a lygne whiche declyneth so moche to the mone by whiche the sonne smyteth his rayes in her as longe as ther is no letting by therthe For the more that ther is bytwene them the more is the mone shadowed And the lasse that it is bytwene somoche lasse is the shadowe the mone leseth the lasse of her light that she receyueth of the sonne whan she is so shadowed Thus ye may vnderstonde yf a lygne passed thurgh therthe by the poynt of the myddle of it stratched that one ende vnto the body of the sonne in suche wyse by right sight that it endured on that other ende vnto the mone whiche euery moneth goth here and there hyer and lower yf she were se euen ayenst the sonne thenne shold â—he falle euery moneth in that shadowe whiâ—he on alle partes shold empesshe her lyght whiche thenne myght not come to her for therthe in no wyse For the ferther she is fro the right lygne so moche hath and receyueth she the more of lyght And whan she is so that therthe is ex opposito bytwene them than loseth the mone her lyght Thus is seen somtyme the mone in the myddle of his moneth lose his lyght and derk whan she is most ful And her lyght torned vnto derkenesse whiche we calle eclypse of the mone as ye may wel see vnderstonde by this fygure yf ye beholde it well ¶ How the Eclypse of the Sonne cometh Ca. vio. Yt happeth somtyme that the sonne leseth his clerenes the lyght in the plain daye For it gooth as to decline and is called in latin eclipsis This eclipse procedeth by cause of defaulte of lyght and it happeth in this manere that whan the mone whiche is vnder the sonne cometh right bytwene vs and the sonne thenne in the right lygne it behoueth the toward vs the mone taketh reteyneth the lyght of the sonne on hye so that it semeth to vs that is defaylled for the mone is not so pure that the sonne may shyne ouer her thurgh her as
ryall And wyth puyssance of people wherefor he myght not so well lerne ne enquyre the trouthe of thynges ¶ Virgyle also wente thurgh many contrees for to enquyre and serche the trouthe of alle thynges Tholomeus whiche of Egypte was kynge was not all quyte of his parte but wente by many contrees and Royammes for to lerne experymente and see all the good clerkes that he myght fynde Saynt Brandon neuer lefte for to laboure by see and by lande For only to see and lerne And he sawe plente of grete meruaylles For he cam in to an yle of the see Where he sawe certayn byrdes whiche spake as spyrites whiche sayde to hym somtchyng whiche he demauÌ„ded of them the vnderstondyng And so ferre he erred that he fonde one so perylous a place and so full of spirites in so terryble tormentys that they coude not be nombred ne estemed emonge whom he sawe one that asnwerd to hym and sayde that he was Iudas that betrayed Ihu cryst whiche euery day was tormented an hondred tymes and dye he myght not and plente of other grete meruaylles he sawe as alonge is recouÌ„ted in the legende of his lyf Ther were many other philosophers that serched the world as was possyble for them to do for to knowe the better the good the euyl spared for nothing For they byleued not lyghtly a thynge tyl they knewe it wel by experieÌ„ce Ne al that they fonde in their bookes to fore they had preuid it for to knowe god the better to loue hym But they serched by see by lande tyl they had enserched all thenne after retorned agayn to their studyes alleway for to lerne the vertues good maners And thus loued so moche philosophye For to knowe them self the better in good iust lyf But by cause that many tymes we haue spoken of philosophye that somoche good cometh therof that a man haue therby vnderstondyng to knowe loue god therfor we shal telle to yow what it signefyeth ¶ What thyng is philosophye and of thanswer that plato made therof Capitulo xvjo. UEray Phylosophye is to haue knowleche of god and fyn loue of sapience And to knowe the secretes and ordynaunces of dyuyne thynges and of humayne For to knowe god and his power and what a man ought to be So that he myght conduyte hym that it myght be to god agreable Who that well knewe god and his mysteryes he shold well conne entyerly philosophye Alle they ben good philosophers that of them self haue knowleche ¶ Of whom plato answerd to somme that demanded hym in comune and sayd to hym that he had lerned ynowh and nedeth nomore For he had estudyed alle his tyme for to lerne And it was sayd to hym Maystre it is wel in yow for to saye to vs. somme good word proceding of hye entendement as ye haue don other tymes Thenne plato how wel that he was the most experymented of other answerd sayeng as in his herte troubled that he had nomore lerned sauf as moche as he that felte hym self lyke vnto a vessel that day and nyght is all voyde empty Thus moche answerd Plato nomore how wel he was at that tyme the most grete clerke that was knoweÌ„ in al the world and of moche perfouÌ„de science they that on thyse dayes wyl medle take non hede to answere thus but make semblaunt to be moche grete clerkis and experte for to gete the loos preysyng of the world whiche leâ—eth them to dampnacyon And bryngeth their folye in to their hedes so that they entende nomore to vertues than doo bestis For they be not all clerkes that haue short typettis For ther be many that haue the Araye of a clerke that can not wel vnderstande that he redeth ne yet somme that be prestis can notwele truly rede neyther And whan suche knowe ony thynge that them seme be of valew Thenne wene they to knowe alle But moche remayneth of their folyshe consayte They be of the nature of proude foolis that ben surquydrous that seche nothynge but loos and preysyng of the people And traueylle them self for to deceyue the world This shal they abye dere ones It were better for them to lerne suche scyence that shold make them to vnderstande trouthe and right Lyke as thyse Auncyent wyse men dyde the whiche so lytyll preysed the worlde that alle theyr tyme they ocupyed in lernyng of philosophye ¶ Thus estudyed auncyently the philosophers to fore their deth for tadresse theim and other to theyr maker and creatour And in dede traueylled moche for to adresse all peple to wertue They ordeyned the monyes that they bare for to haue theyr lyuelode in byenge and payeng For men gyue not alwaye And for couetyse of the peple that haue fere of their dyspentes it corumpeth right and nature For by reason and ryght eueryche ought to take his lyuyng And therfore was money establisshed for to susteyn to eueryche his lyuyng whan they wente by the waye But they loue their caraynes and bodyes moche more than nede is And reteyne and kepe more goodes and richesse than they shall nede for their ordynary whiche thei lete rote and fayle by theim And see that many poure persones haue grete nede therof The monyes were not fouÌ„de for this cause but for to haue their lyuynge vnto the tyme that deth cometh taketh all that he oughte to take at the playsur of god And thus they sholâ—e be more eased than they now be and eueryche sholde haue that hym lacked and they shold leue to do so many synnes But they ben not soo wyse as were they that by theyr wytte founde agayn Astronomye of whom Tholomeus was onâ— And traueylled soo moche that he knewe and proued the course of the sterres that ben on the heuen and mesured theim all on hie wherof we haue spoken here to fore And now we shall recounte from hens forthe the gretnes of the erth and of heuen of the Mone of the Sonne of the Sterres and of the planetes Whiche thynges ben not comune to euery man Lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hym selfe mesured theym vnto the Abysme And preued by reason in a boke that he compyled named Almageste whiche ye as moche to saye as an hye werke Thenne wylle ye here what he sayth herto Whiche many a nother hathe also proued after hym by his boke In whichehe gaaf the crafte and scyence to proue and see it by reyson ¶ How moche the erthe is of heyght rounde aboute and of thickenes by the myddle Capitulo xvij THe anncyent philosophers mesured the world on all partyes by their scyence arte and wytte vnto the steâ—res all on hie of whiche they wolde knowe the mesure For to knowe the better their nature but first they wolde mesure the erthe and preue his gretnes And thenne whan they had mesured there all a bout by a crafte that they knewe and proued by ryght reyson they mesured it rounde aboute
For men shal neuer wel knowe the maystre but yf byfore meÌ„ knowe parâ—yghtly his estate and what his werkes ben For by the werkys is the werkeman knowen and how he may be suche one And therfor the auncyent faders wold employe them assaye the werkys of our lorde And first for to haue knowleche of his power and his vertue Consideryng that they myght not ocupye them self in a more digne ne worthy scyence ne more diffycyle And whan the more that they knewe of his werkys of his wysedom somoche more had they the better wylle to loue her creatour and maker to honoure hym consyderyng that he had made so noble a thynge and so worthy as is the heuen in whiche ben the sterres that shyne bright therin and his other meruayllous vertues whiche they preysed moche For how moche more they presed hym somoche wyth good wylle they seruyd hym For it was all their affeccion Intencion and reson to knowe god for as moche as they knewe certainli that god had gyueÌ„ to them wyth nature wytte and rayson for to serche and compryse of thynges of therthe and of them of heuen as moche as they might knowe For otherwyse they myght neuer haue thought it Thus a man be he neuer so wyse ne discrete may neuer come for to vnderstande the hye secretes of god ne of his myracles but by hym for by right he knoweth al But of them that by nature be made and ordeyned in heuen and in erthe man may wel enquere somme resons yf it be gyuen him that he be garnisshed of good quyk witte And that be haue sette employed his tyme to studye to lerne And sith they had goten vnderstandyng rayson by their grete estudye labour and trauayll somoche that they myght compryse wherfore how alle the world was made compassed as ye haue herd here to fore So thought they thenne that they myght wel knowe and haue reson of somme thynges sith they had the vnderstandyng of hym that is almyghty to knowe in partye or atte leste of suche as they myght se wyth their eyen how well that they were ferre Thus wold they knowe the reson of that that they sawe so meue the sterres of the firmament of them that shone so clere Certaynly this was the princyial cause whi first they put them to studye for tenquere the science that they knewe not And knewe wel that they shold enquere sonner of thynges that they sawe than of them that they sawe not And therfore were they meuyd for to knowe tenquere the scieÌ„ce whiche they knewe not of that they had ofte seen the firmament to meue wold knowe the trouth And sayde it was right good to knowe it Yf it pleasyd god to knowe of his naturel werkes for the more parfightly to byleue knowe how he was god all myghty for men coude not knowe ne fynde no resons of god but only by his werkis The good auncient wyse men whiche dylygenly wold vnderstonde this mater had no cure for to amasse none other goodes but only to lerne the pure scieÌ„ce they were not couetous ne sette not to gadre tresours ther were plente of them that apperceyued as wyse men that it was a grete charge to them oftymes as wel to kepe it as to spende it by mesure as in other wayes to gete it and brynge it to gydre And that alle this was a lettyng to them for to lerne And they delyberyd emonge them and concluded that somme caste and threwe their tresour in to the see The other gaf it away and abandonned to them that wold take it wente as heremytes And the other departed it to poure people And other ther were that lefte their good in suche wyse as them semed that they shold hauelasse cause to thynke theron reteyned nothing but onli for their vse And helde wyth hem certayn folke to serue them to th ende only that they shold entende to nothyng but to studye and to lerne They dyde do edefye their houses fro the people lyke as relygeous people and sette them in suche places that thries or foure tymes the weke they myght assemble come to gydre for to solace them sporte and there eche rendred his reson of that he had founde and lerned And so longe dyde they thus tyl they had experymented whiche was trewe and who knewe moste that they had fouÌ„de who had moste grettest entendement And hym they chose by consent of them alle for maystre And he recorded their resons heryng all the felawys reherced to them alle to gydre that euery man had sayd In this manere were the clergyes first fouÌ„den contryued auauÌ„ced and so moche trauaylled studyed that they knew by the helpe of our lorde of whom all science groweth haboundeth grete partye of that it is But this was not in lytyl tyme. For they were longe in studie and vnderstode moche And they that were first alle that they vnderstode knewe they put it in wrytyng the best wyse they coude to th ende that they that sholde come after them wold entremete in conning myght haue their wrytynges trauaylle allway in the science as they had don byfore Alle that they fouÌ„de and sawe they sette in compylacyons And dyde so moche eche in his tyme that they were more than .ij. M. CCCC yere er they by their labours contynuel studyes had goten the vij artes or sciences liberal put to gydre but they helde their labour well employed the payne that they put therto For they knewe by their wytte and by their clergye alle that was come on erthe by nature whan they wold sette ther cure theron And also were not abasshed whan a merueyllous caas happed on heuen or on erthe for they coude wel enquere the reson wherfore it was sith that it happed by nature And so loued god moche the more whan they sawe suche meruayllous werkis And watched many nyghtes wyth right grete Ioye grete studye of this that they sawe fonde so hye werkes by whiche they amended them self ayenst our lord that they knewe trouth lefte the vanyte of this world that so lytyl is worth for to come to the Ioye that neuer shal faylle Of whom plente of wyse philosophers that were in the world deyde wrongfully wythout reson by cause they shewde rightfully to the grete lordes gaf them fayr examples in repreuyng myspreysyng their euyl tyrannyes thextorsions that they dyde to moche people And preched to them ryght trouth thoo that wold not byleue them had shame of that they were of them blamed they made them to be put in their prysons where they made them to deye by greuous tourmentes by cause they shewd to them the trouth wherof they were certayn lyke as was don to holy sayntes that suffred deth passyon for the loue of Ihu crist whom