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
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
good was created heuen maad on the contrarye wyse for the euyl was helle maad establysshyd whiche is horryble stynkyng redoubtable ¶ Hier speketh of Rethoryque Capitulo ixo. THe therde of the vij sciēces is callid rethoryque whiche cōteineth in substance rightwysnes rayson and ordynaūce of wordes ought not to be holden for folye For the droytes and lawes by whiche the Iugemēts be made and that by rayson and after right ben kept and mayntened in the court of kynges of prynces of barons come and procede of rethoryque Of this science were extrayt and drawen the lawes and decrees whiche by nede serue in alle causes and in all rightes and droytes Who well knewe the science of rethoryque he shold knowe the right and the wronge For to doo wronge to another who so doth it is loste and dampned and for to doo right reson to euery man he is saued and geteth the loue of god his creatour ¶ Here foloweth arsmetryque wherof it procedeth ca xo. THe fourth sciēce is called arsmetrique this sciēce cometh after rethoryque is sette in the myddle of the vij sciences And wythout her may none of the vij sciences parfyghtly ne wee l and entierly be knowē wherfore it is expedyent that it be wel knowen conned For all the sciences take of it their substaūce in suche wyse that wythout her they may not be And for this reson was she sette in the myddle of the vij sciences there holdeth her nombre For fro her procede al maners of nombres And in alle thynges renne comme goo And no thyng is wythout nombre But fewe perceyue how this may be but yf he haue be maystre of the vij Artes so longe that he can truly saye the trouthe But we may not now recompte ne declare alle the causes wherfore For who that wolde dispute vpon suche werkes him behoued despute and knowe many thynges and moche of the glose who that knewe well the science of arsmetryque he myght see thordynaunce of alle thynesby ordynaunceg was the world made and created And by ordynaunce of the souerayn it shal be deffeted ¶ Next foloweth the science of Geometrye Capitulo xjo. THe fifthe is called geometrie the whiche more auaileth to astronomye than ony of the vij other For by her is compassed mesured Astronomye Thus is by geometrye mesured all thyngis where ther is mesure by geometrye may be knowen the cours of the sterres whiche alleway go meue And the gretenes of the firmament of the sonne of the mone of the erthe By geometrye may be knowen all thinges also the quantyte they may not be so ferre yf they may be sen or espyed wyth eye but it may be knowen who wel vnderstode geometrye he myght mesure in all maystryes for by mesure was the world made and alle thynges hye ▪ lowe and deep ¶ here folowed of musyque Capitulo xijo. THe syxthe of the vij sciences is called musyque the whiche fourmeth hym of arsmetryque Of this sciēce of musyque cometh alle attemperaunce And of this arte procedeth somme phsisyque For lyke as musique accordeth all thynges that dycorde in them remayne them to cōcordaūce right so in like wyse trauaylleth phisyque to brynge nature to poynt that disnatureth in mannes body whan ony maladye or sekenes encombreth hit But phisique is not of the nombre of the vij sciēces of philosophie But it is a maestier or a craft that entēdeth to the helthe of mānes body for to preserue it fro alle maladyes sekenesse as longe as the lyf is in the body and therfore it is not liberal For it serueth to hele mānes body whiche ellys oftentymes myght lyghtly perysshe ther is nothyng liberal ne free that groweth of therthe for as moche as science that serueth to mānes body leseth his franchise but science that serueth to the soule deserueth in the world to haue name liberal for the soule ought to be liberal as thing that is of noble beyng as she that cometh of god to god wylle ought retorne therfor ben the vij sciēces liberall for they make the soule al free on that other part they teche enseygne al that in euery thyng ought proprely to be don this is the very reson why thyse artes all vij ben called vij sciēces liberall For they make the soule liberall delyuer it fro all euyll Of this arte is musyque thus comune that she accordeth her to euerich so well that by her the vij sciēces were sette in concorde that they yet endure by this sciēce of musyque ben extrayt drawen all the songes that ben songen in holy chirche all the accordaūces of all the instruments that haue diuerse accordes dyuse sownes where ther is reson entendement of somme thynges Certes who can wel the science of musyque he knoweth the accordaunce of alle thynges And alle the creatures that payne them to doo well remayne them to concordaunce ¶ Here speketh of Astronomye Capitulo xiijo. The vij the laste of the vij sciēces lyberall is astronomie Whiche is of alle clergie the ende by this science may ought to be enquyred of thynges of heuen of therthe in especyall of them that ben made by nature how ferre that they be And who knoweth wel vnderstandeth astronomye he can sette reson in alle thynges For our creatour made alle thynges by reson gaf his name to euery thyng By this arte science were first emprysed goten alle other sciences of decrees of dyuinyte by which all crystiante is cōuted to the right fayth of our lord god to loue hym to serue the kynge almyghty fro whom all goodes come and to whom they retorne whiche made all astronomye heuen erthe the sonne the mone the sterres as he that is the very rewler gouernour of all the world he that is the very reffuge of all creatures For wythout his playsir nothynge may endure Certes he is the very Astronomyer For he knoweth all the good the badde as he hym self that composed astronomye that somtime was so strongly frequēted was holden for a right hye werke for it is a science of so noble being that who the myght haue the parfayt sciēce therof he myght wel knowe how the world was cōpassed plente of their parcyal sciēces for it is the sciēce aboue all other by whiche all maner of thinges ben knowen the better by the sciēce of astronomye only were foūden alle the other .vj. to fore named wythout them maye none knowe a right astronomye be he neu so sage ne myghty In lyke wyse as an hamer or an other tool of a mason ben the instruments by whiche he formeth his werke by whiche he doth his crafte In like wyse by right maistrye ben the other the instruments fondements of astronomye the auncient wysemen as
terrestre and of the foure grete flodes that departe fro thens ¶ Capitulo iijo. THe fyrst regyon of Asia the grete is paradys terrestre This is a place whiche is full of solace of playsances and of delyces so that none that is therin may be greuyd ne haue none euyll in no maner of the worlde In this paradys is the tree of lyf and who that had eten of the fruyt he shold not deye as longe as the world endureth But noman lyuyng may come theder but yf our lord god or his angele conduyted and brought hym theder For alle round aboute it is enclosed wyw fyre brennyng the whiche goth flammyng vnto the clowdes Ther wythinne sourdeth and spryngeth a fontayne or welle whiche is deuyded in to four flodes Of whom that one is called vngages that renneth a longe thurgh the royame of Inde And departeth in to many armes or braces It sourdeth of the mount that is called Ortobares the whiche is toward thorient and falleth in to the see Occyan The seconde of the four flodes is named gyon or nylus Whiche entreth in to therthe by an hool and renneth vnder the erthe so ferre that it resourdeth in to the longe see whiche enuyronneth alle Ethiope so that it departeth in to vij partyes and goth rennyng by egypte so longe that it cometh and falleth in to the grete see The other two flodes of whiche that one is callid Tygris and that other eufrates sourden in hermenye nygh vnto amoche grete montayne whiche is named partheacus And thyse two flodes trauerse many grete contrees so lon tyl they mete in the see moyen where bothe two falle inne lyke as their nature requyreth On this side paradys terrestre alle aboute ben â—â—ny dyuerse places wythout ony resorte For none may dwelle there ne fynde place to lyue in But there be plente of euyll beestis whiche ben fiers and crymynel and of many guyses ther ben Ther ben geauÌ„tes rowh and heery whiche deuoure and ete alle thyng as wulues don And many other wylde beestes ¶ Here speketh of ynde of thynges that be found therin Capitulo iiijo. AFter comen the contrees of Inde whiche take their name of a water that is called Inde whiche sourdeth in the north The Indes ben closed wyth the grete see that enuyronneth them round aboute In Inde is an yle named Probane wherin ben founded ten cytees and plente of other townes where as euery yere ben two somers two wynters And ben so attemprid that there is alway verdure vpon the trees ben contynuelly flowres lâ—euis and fruyt And it is moche plentuous of gold and syluer and moche fertyle of other thynges There be the grete montaynes of gold and of precyous stones and other richesses plente but noman dar approche it for the dragons and for the gryffons wylde whiche haue bodyes of lyons fleyng whiche easily bere a man away armed and syttyng vpon his hors Whan he may sease him wyth his clawes and vngles ther ben yet plente of other places so delectable so swete and so spirituel that yf a man were ther in he shold saye that it were a very paradys ¶ Here foloweth the dyuersitees beyng in the lande of Inde Capitulo vo. THere is in the lande of Inde a right grete montayne that men calle mount capyen and it is a moche grette regyon Ther ben a maner of people wythout wytte and wythout discrescyon Whiche the kynge Alysander enclosed therin And ben named goths and magoths or gog or magog they ete flessh all rawe be it men or wymyn or beestes as men wood mad or demonyacks This Inde of whiche I yow reheree conteyneth xiiij regyons and in euerich of thise regyons ben moche people And also ther is therin grete trees and so hye that they towche the cloudes And there dwelleth people that ben horned and ar but two cubites hye And they goon to gydre in grete companyes For ofte they fighte ayenst the cranes whiche them assaylle But wyth in vij yere they become aged olde that they deye for age This people is callyd pygmans and ben as lytyl as dwarfes right nygh vnto this contree groweth pepre alle whytte But the vermyne is there so grete that whan thyy wold gadre take it they muste sette fyre therin for to dryue away the vermyne And whan it is so brent the pepre is founden al blacke soorchid and crispe ye ben there other people whiche ben callyd groyne and bragman whiche ben fayrer than they to fore named that for to saue anothers lyf wyll put them in to a brennyng fyre There is yet another maner of peple the whiche whan their faders and moders or their other frendes ben passyng olde eaged they slee them sacryfye them be it wrong or right and eten their flesshe and holde them for meschauÌ„t and nygardis that so doo not to their frendes For they holde this maner emong them for grete wele grete worship and for grete largesse And therfore eche of them vse it Toward yeâ—est is another maner of people that worshippe the sonne only and taketh it for their god for the grete goodes that come ther by And by cause that in alle the world they see none so fayre a thyng to their semyng they byleue in it as their god Yet ben ther other people that ben all rough whiche eten fysshe all rawe and drynke water of the salt see Toward this same contre is a maner of people that ben half beestes and half men yet ben ther in that partye other people whiche haue on one foot viij toes In thyse contrees is grete nombre of beestes right dredfull and terryble whiche haue bodyes of men and heedes of dogges And haue so grete vngles or clawes that areste alle that they can holde and clothe them wyth the hydes and skynnes of bestes And haue suche maner of voys as barkyng of dogges Yet ben ther other callyd Cyclopyens whiche passe by rennyng the wynde haue only but one fote of whiche the plaÌ„te is so right longe and so brode that they couere them ther wyth fro the shadowe whan the hete cometh ouer sharp on them Another maner people ther is whiche haue only but one eye that standeth right in the myddys of the fronte or forhede whiche is so reed and so clere that it semeth properly fyre brennyng And there also ben founde another maner of pâ—ople that haue the vysage the mouth in the myddle of their breste and haue one eye in euery sholdre and their nose hangeth doun to their mouth And haue brestles aboute their mosell lyke swyne yet ben ther founden toward the ryuer of ganges a maner of strange people and curtoys whiche haue the right fygure of a man whiche lyue only by the odour and smellyng of an apple only And yf they goo ferre in to ony place they haue nede to haue the apple wyth them For yf they fele ony stenche euyll
the wondreful dyuision therof in whiche booke a man resonable may see and vnderstande more clerer by the vysytyng and sayeng of it And the fygures therin the sytuacion moeuyng of the firmament how the vnyuersal erthe hangeth in the myddle of the same As the chapitres here folowyng shal more clerly shewe declare to you whiche said book was translated out of latyn in to frensshe by the ordynauÌ„ce of the noble duk Iohan of Berry Auuergne the yere of our lord MCC.xlv And now at this tyme rudely translated out of frensshe in to Englissh by me symple persone Wyllm Caxton at the request desire coste dispense of the honourable and worshipful man Hugh Bryce alderman and Cytezen of londen entendyng to present the same vnto the vertuous noble puyssauÌ„t Lord wyllm lord hastynges lord Chamberlayn vnto the most Crysten kynge kynge Edward the fourthe kynge of England of Fraunce c. and lieutenauÌ„t for the same of the toun of Caleys marches there whom he humbly besecheth to resseyue in gree thaÌ„ke whiche book conteyneth in alle .xxvij. chapitres .xxvij. fygures wythout whiche it may not lyghtly be vnderstande for to declare more openly it is ordeyned in thre partyes Of whiche the first conteyneth xx chapitres viij fygures Te seconde partie xxxiij chapitres ix fygures And the therde conteyneth xxiiij chapitres and x fygures whiche was engrossed in all poyntes ordeyned by chapitres and fygures in frenshe in the toun of Bruggis the yere of thyncarnacion of our lord M. CCCC.lxiiij in the moneth of Iuyn And emprysed by me right vnable of lytil connyng to translate brynge it in our maternal toâ—ge the second day of the moneth of Ianyuer the yere of our sayde lord M. cccc.lxxx in thabbay of westmestre by londen humbly requyryng all them that shal fynde faulte to correcte amende where as they shal ony fynde And of suche so fouÌ„den that they repute not the blame on me but on my copie whiche I am charged to folowe as nyghe as god wyl gyue me grace whom I most humbly beseche to gyue me scieÌ„ce coÌ„nyng lyf taccomplysshe wel to fynysshe it c. THenne who so wylle comprise vnderstande the substauÌ„ce of this present volume for to lerne knowe specially the creacion of this world the gretenes of the firmament and lytylnes of therthe in regard of heuen how the vij sciences were founden and what they bee by whiche he may the better auaylle in knowleche all the dayes of his lif TheÌ„ne late hym rede this sayd volume treatably auisedly and ordynatly that in suche thing as he shal rede he suffre nothyng to passe but that he vnderstonde it right wel And so may he knowe and vnderstonde verytably the declaracion of this sayd volume And he thenne that so wylle obeye this coÌ„maundement May by the contente of the same lerne grete partye of the fourme condycioÌ„ of this world ¶ And how by the wyl of our lord it was by him created made complysshed And the cause wherfore it was establysshid wherof the debonayr lord hath don to vs so grete grace that we euer ben bounden to gyue hym lawde worship or ellys we had not ben of ony valew ne worth ony thyng nomore than vnersonable beestis Thenne late vs praye the maker creatour of al creatures god almyhty that at the begynnyng of this book it liste him of his most bouâ—teuous grace to departe wyth vs of the same that we may lerne And that lerned to reteyne and that reteyned so teche that we may haue so parfyght science and knowleche of god that we may gete therby the helthe of our sowles and to be partyners of his glorye permanent wythout ende in heuen Amen ¶ Hier begynneth the booke callyd the Myrrour of the worlde And treateth first of the power and puyssaunce of god Capitulo primo WE ought to knowe that whan our lorde god made the worlde And that he had made alle thynges of nought he had no nede of it For as moche had he byfore as he had afterward certainly god was to fore And shal be incessantly after wythout ende and wythout begynnyng ¶ Thenne he shal nothyng amende ne be better For hym faylled neuer ony thynge he seeth all hereth all knoweth alle And holdeth alle thynge in his honde He had neuer hunger ne thurste ne tyme ne daye ne hour but abydeth contynuelly in alle goode For to hym ne aperteyneth soone ne late And of alle them that euer were that ben and shal be haue alway ben and shal be to fore his eyen as well the ferre as the nyghe And the euyll as the goode he sawe as wel the world er it was made and fourmed as he doth now at this daye ¶ And yf he had neuer made the worlde as moche had he ben thenne worth and of as grete valewe as he euer myght haue be ¶ For other wyse he myght not be god Yf he knewe not sawe and herde alle that myght be And yf he were not soo he sholde be lackyng and not myghty of euery thynge ¶ And of so moche he was and shold be a mortal man but his nature was not suche For he is god entierly and hooll wythout begynnyng and wythout ende Nothyng is to hym newe ne olde Alle wee l and goode thyngis ben his by right And by nature goon and retourne ageyn to hym For fro hym alle thynges procede and meue And retornyng to hym in holdyng the right waye He retcheth neuer of ony harme For his bounte is alle pure clene hool and clere wythout ony espece of euyll Certes alle euyll is ben to hym contraryes And therfor it is pure necessite that they wythdrawe them vnder hym fro all his goodnes for it is nothyng but donge and ordure whiche must nedes dâ—scende in to the deppest And the good thyngis must nedes goo vpward to fore the souerayn creatour whiche is clere net and pure And the synnes whiche ben obscure horryble and derke aboue alle other thyng seuen the goode whiche is aboute god and auale and goo doun For so behoueth it to be by rayson and nature Alle in lyke wyse as we see the ordure of the wyn that is put in the vessell and the â—oule departeth fro the clere In suche wyse as the good and clere abydeth aboue ¶ And the lye whiche is thordure abydeth byneth in the bottom as infecte and not goode And the good wyn that is aboue abydeth alwaye clere and fyn ¶ And that whiche is not good that is benethe in the bottom abydeth alway obscure fowle and black And so moche the more as the wyn is good and more clere so moche more reteyneth the lye more of fylthe and obscure thus is it of the good and euyll For the euyll muste descende in to places derke and horryble and full of all sorow and bitternesse ¶ And so moche more
as the good shyneth to fore god and the more it Ioyeth so moche the more sorowe and derkenesse is in helle where it is contynuell and shal be as longe as god shal be in heuen Where as god hath alle goodnesse to fore hym and alleway shal haue wythout payne wythout trauayll and wythout grief or Ennoye he hath alle and alle he enlumyneth wythout ony defaulte and wythout ony terme God may make alle thyng and alle deffete or vnmake wythout changyng hym self in ony thyng that may be For he may alle and conceyueth alle ¶ Ther is nothyng that may hurte hym he is establed wythout ony meuyng And alle meuynges mâ—ue of hym An hondred thousand yere mounte not to hym so moche as the thousand parte of one onely houre of thys world ne to alle them that be in heuen of whiche the leste that abydeth there hath more Ioye in an hour only and of deduyte soulace gladnes and of honour of whiche he shal neuer be wery ne full than ony man may thynke ne knowe ne esteme in this world in an hondred thousand yere yf he myght so longe lyue and endure thaugh he were the most subtyll of alle the men that euer were born or euer shal be though he thought the beste he myghte ¶ Of this so grete and Inestymable glorye is god the veray and souerayn lord wythout ony other as god that alle knoweth and alle seeth alle that euer that hath ben alle that is and alle that euer shal be alle that belongeth to hym Hym faylled neuer ony thynge that is good he hath hem allewâ—y to fore hym Ner ther was neuer ony goode thynge ne neuer shal be But that it was pourtrayed to fore hym byfore the creacion of the world Now ye shal here why and wherfore god created and made the world ¶ Wherfor god made and created the world Capitulo ij GOd made and created al the world of his onli wille by cause that he myght haue some thynge that myght be suche as myght deserue of his wele and goodnes yf it were not in his defaulte And therfore he establysshid this world Nothynge for that he shold be the better ne that he had ony nede But he dyde it for charyte by his grete debonayrte For as right charytable he wolde that other shold parte wyth hym of his wele and goodnes And that alle other creatures euerich after his nature shold fele of his puyssauÌ„ce after that it myght apperteyne to hym Thus wold god establissh this world that suche thyngs shold Issue that might vnderstande knowe the noblesse of his power of his sapyence also of the good that he made for the man erthely that he myght serue hym in suche maner that by hym he myght deserue the grete wele good that he had made for hym then ne ought we aboue alle other thynge to loue hym thanke hym that made and fourmed vs Whan we haue suche power and suche auctoryte by hym That yf we wyll loue him we shal be lordes of all goodes Now loue we him theÌ„ne wyth all our myght thenne shal we doo as wyse men ¶ And yf we doo not we shal haue grete harme and daÌ„mage For yf we by our cause lose suche goodes as our lord hath made for vs Yet for alle that god shal lese nothyng Certaynly he made them to th ende that we shold haue them syth that by our good dedes we myght conne deserue them and that he of his grace hath gyuen to vs the wytte thentendement and the power ¶ Wherfore god fourmed man lyke vnto his ymage and to his semblaunce Caplo. iij. Whan god fourmâ—ed maÌ„ he wolde make and create hym like vnto his ymage and semblamce to th ende that he shold haue remembranuce of the goodes that he had lente hym ¶ And that he myght deserue them alle by ryght and rayson For he shewde to hym so grete loue that aboue alle other treasures he fourmed hym to his fygure and semblaunce And gaf to hym naturelly right parfyght vnderstondyng for to loue and knowe hym more than ony other thynge to th ende that he myght parte more largely of his goodes than ony other creature Ne god dyde neneâ— ne made for other creature so many goode thynges as he hath made for man But who is he that wyll deserue them And yf he doo not it is reason that he sorowe For he doth to god no bounte that doth well for to haue his grace and his loue For he doth it more for his owen prouffyt than he doth it for other And ther for he doth well that loueth and seruyth hym For moche may he calle hym self caytyff and meschaunt that by his folye leseth so hye so noble and so excellente glorye For his synne that prouffyteth hym nought And hath not in th ende but shame and blame And draweth hym in to suche a place where is no thynge but payne yâ—e sorowe and heuynesse of whiche he shal neuer see hym delyuerd as longe as helyueth Thus hath heloste the grete Ioye that was gyuen to hym whiche is taken awaye by his synne And myght haue ben a lord yf he had wolde Yf he had mayntened hym self in doyng alway goode werkes and wold haue absteyned and kepte hym fro doyng euyll For who that doth wel in this worlde he hath so moche good and honour that thangels of heuen make hym theyr lord and maystre by fore god kynge of alle kynges ¶ Thenne he may well holde hym for ewrous and happy that doth so moche goode in erthe duryng his lyff that may conquere and haue this honour And that may euery persone do all for hym self yf it pleseth hym ¶ Now late euerych doo as hym goode shal seme and take whiche that he wylle For he may wynne by doyng well and also lese by doyng euyll ¶ Wherfor god made not the man suche as he myght not synne Capitulo iiij WHan our lord god created the man he gaf to hym power to doo his fre wylle That is to wete to doo good or euyll whiche he wolde For yf god had made the man suche as he myght not haue synned ne to haue doon nothyng but well he shold haue take from hym somwhat of his power For he myght not thenne haue doon euyll whan it had plesyd hym And thenne it shold haue folowed that wold he or not he shold alwaye haue doon well wythoute reson ¶ And thus he shold not haue ben cause of the goode that he sholde haue doon but it sholde haue proceded of another whiche by force sholde haue caused hym and haue gyuen hym the wylle ¶ And he by the moyen of that he so sholde doo sholde deserue the gwerdon and not onely he For lytyl deserueth he that by force of other doth seruyse who that to morow shold put me in a stronge pryson ayenst my wylle for to doo goode I sholde not holde hym for
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
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
melodyous that it is meruaylle to here they be called seraynes or mermaydens Of whom somme saye that they be fisshes other saye that they be fowles whiche flee by the see But take it a worth For at this tyme I shal deporte to speke more of this mater For to telle recouÌ„te to yow of the meruayllous trees that growe in Inde of whiche ben many dyuerse and bere sondrely fruyt as here after al a longe shall be declared to yow ¶ Here foloweth of the trees that ben in Inde of their fruytes Capitulo xo. IN Inde groweth a tree moche grete right fayr and is moche swete smellyng is called palmyer and bereth dates This fruyt is good and holsom Ther ben also appletâ—â—es the whiche ben full of longe apples whiche ben of merueyllous good sauour ¶ And they entretiene cleue to gydre wel an hondred in a clustre the leues that growe on this apple trees ben wel two fote longe a foot brode Other apples ther growe moche grete wherin appiereth the bytte of a man wyth his teeth And ben called thapples of Adam by cause of the bytte that apiereth in them ther ben other trees whiche bere apples that ben right fair wythout forth And wythin it is as it were asshes The vygnes bere there grapes of whiche wynÌ„ is maade they ben so habondaunt of fruyt And the clustres of grapes ben so grete so ful of muste that two men ben gretly charged to bere one of them only vpon acolestaf Also ther growe lytyl smale trees that be remeuyd euery yere the whiche bere cotoun also ther growe in many places canes grete and longe whiche ben wythin forth ful of sugre so moche and especiall that ther growe none lyke in alle the worlde At one of the heedes of the Royame of babylone groweth the bame whiche is moche dere and cristen men that ben prysonners there delue and laboure the erthe And sarasyns saye that they hane ofte preuyd it that whan they doo delue and laboure that erthe wyth people of other nacions than crysten men that it bereth no fruyt ne bame that yere And vpon the felde where the bame groweth some saye that there spryngeth a fontayne where the blessyd vyrgyne Marie bayned her sone Ihesus And with the watre of this fontayne is the bame watred and of this water may not be employed ne born in to other place For in substaunce it doth nomore than other water In this contre ben other trees the whiche in stede of leues bere wulle of whiche is made cloth right fayr and subtyll of whiche thynhabytauns of the contree make them robes mantellis for their weryng Yet ben ther other trees that bere a fruyt right swete smellyng But this tree taketh his fruyt by nyght in hym and in the mornyng it cometh out agayn when the sonne is rysen Ther growe there plente of other trees Of whom the cooles whan they ben a fyre duryn in their asshes an hool yere wythout goyng out or quenchyng or mynnyssyng Also ther growe plente of Cedres and of lybans the whiche as men saye may not rote other trees there growe moche gloryous right good whiche bere clowes And other that bere notemygges And of the rynde and scorce is the canell or synamon And also ther groweth gynger In this partye growe the gâ—ode espyces of all maner haboundantly Also there growe notes grete plente whiche ben also grete as grete apples And other that ben as grete as the hede of a man To the regard of the trees that ben in paradys terrestre we knowe not what fruyt they brynge forth But it is wel knowen of the tree that Eue had so grete desyre to ete aboue the commandement of our lord god of whiche she deceyued Adam our first fader and in lyke wyse is there the tree of lyf of whiche we haue spoken to fore more largely Ther ben in this noble paradis so many other tres bering fruit so good and so delicyous that it semeth that the glorye of our lord be therin ouerall But ther is a meruayllous watche and kepar ¶ For the Angele of god is kepar of thentre wyth a nakyd swerde in his honde contynuelly brennyng to th ende that nomen ne bestes ne euyll spirytes approche ne AuauÌ„ce them for to take in ony wyse there their delytes and playsaunces and taccomplissh them ther within And here wyth we make an ende of this prupoos for to speke of the contrees of europe and of the condicions Now foloweth of Europe and of his contrees Ca. xjo. SYth we haue deuysed to you of Asye and of his contrees and regyons I shal saye to yow of Europe and his condicions shortly For as moche as we may ofte here speke therof The first partye of Europe is romanye and a parte of Constantynoble Trapesonde macedone Thesalye Boheme Saxonye Pyrre and a moche holsom contre named Archade In this contre sourdeth springeth a fontayne in whiche men may not quenche breÌ„nyng brondes ne cooles on fire and brennyng In archade is a stone which in no wyse may be quenchyd after it is sette a fyre tyl it be all brent in to asshes After archade is the Royame of denmarke and thenne Hongrye and sythe hosterich And thenne foloweth germanye whiche we calle Almayne whiche conteyneth a grete pourprys toward thocciden In whiche pourprys ben many grete and puyssaunt Royames In Allemayne sourdeth a grete flood and ryuere named dunoe the whiche stratcheth vnto in Constantynople and there entreth in to the see But erst it trauerseth vij grete floodes by his radour and rennyng And as I haue herd saye the hede of this dunoe begynneth on one syde of a montayne and that other side of the same montayne sourdeth another gtete ryuer Whiche is named the Ryn and renneth thurgh almayne by Basyle strasburgh Magounce Couelence Coleyn and nemyng where fast by it departeth in to iiij ryuers and renneth thurgh the londes of Cleue ghelres and holande and so in to the see And yet er this ryuer entre in to to see he entreth in to another ryuer named the Mase and than loseth he his name and is called the mase and xl myle longe in the see In europe is also swauen basse Almayn Fraunce Englonde scotland and Irlonde And aboue thise many other contrees whiche endure vnto the mount Ius and thus moche space holdeth the partye of Europe Now shal we deuyse to yow how moche Affryke conteyneth ¶ Here foloweth of affryke and of his regyons and contrees Capitulo xijo. AFter europe is Affryke of which the regyon of lybe is the firste This is a londe moche riche wel pepled strongly garnysshid After cometh the royamme of Surrye Iherusalem and the contrey aboute This is the holy londe where our lord Ihu Cryst receyuyd our humanyte passyon where he roos fro deth to lyf after thoppynyon of somme is that this holy londe longeth to asye After
bere he gooth his way wyth them syngyng and make his deduyt And yf he mete ony beeste that wold doo hym harme he reduyseth hym self as rounde as a bowle and hydeth his groyne and his feet armeth hym wyth his pryckes aboute his skynne in suche wyse that no beeste dar approche hym doubtyng his pryckes The lambe whiche neuer sawe wulf of his propre nature doubteth and fleeth hym But he doubteth nothyng other bestes but gooth hardyly emonge them ¶ Of the maner of byrdes of thyse forsayd contrees Capitulo xvjo. THe Egle of his nature taketh his byrdes by the vngles or clawes wyth his bylle And hym that holdeth fastest he loueth beste and kepeth them next by him And them that holden but febly he leteth hem goo and taketh none hede of them whan the Egle is moche aged he fleeth so hye that he passeth the clowdes And holdeth there his syght so longe ayenst the sonne that he hath all loste it and brente alle his fethers Thenne he falleth doun on a montayn in the water that he hath to fore chosen and in this manere he reneweth his byl And whaÌ„ his bylle is ouer longe he breketh and bruseth it ayenst an hard stone and sharpeth it whan the Turtle hath loste her make whom she hath first knowen Neuer after wyl she haue make ne sytte vpon grene tree But fleeth emonge the trees contynuelly bewayllyng her loue The hostryche by his nature eteth well yron and greueth hym not whan the heyron seeth the tempest come he fleeth vp so hye tyl he be aboue the clowdes for teschewe the rayn and tempeste The Chowe whan she fyndeth gold or syluer of her nature she hydeth and bereth it away ¶ And who somtyme heereth her voys It semeth proprely that she speketh The crowe weneth that he is the fayrest byrde of alle other and the beste syngyng Yf her byrdes be whyte in ony parte she wyll neuer doo them good tyl they be all black The pecok whan he byholdeth his fethers he setteth vp his tayll as Rounde as a wheell all aboute hym by cause his beaulte sholde be alowed and preysed and is moche prowde of his fayr fethrrs and plumage But whan he beholdeth toward his feet whiche ben fowl to loke on thenne he leteth his tayll falle wenyng to couer his feet The goshawke and sperhawk taken their prayes by the ryuers But they that ben tame and reclaymed brynge that they take to theyr lord whiche hath so taught them The culuuer or the downe is a symple byrde and of her nature nourysshith well the pigeons of another douue And apperceyuyth well in the water by the shadowe and seeth therin whan the hawke wold take her The huppe or lapwynche is a byrde crested whiche is moche in mareys and fylthes and abydeth leuer therin than out therof who someuer ennoynteth hym self wyth the blode of the huppe and happe that after leyde hym doun to slepe hym shold seme anon in his slepe dreming that alle the deuyllys of helle shold come to hym and wold straÌ„gle hym The nyghtyngal of her propre nature syngyth wel and louge and otherwhyle so longe that she deyeth syngyng And the larke lyke wyse deyeth ofte syngeng The swanne syngeth ofte to fore her deth In lyke wyse doo ofto many men Of thyse thynges and of many other Moche people meruaylle that neuer herde of suche thynges to fore ne knowe not therof as we doo here that dayly fynde it For in this booke we fynde many thynges and resons wherof men meruaylle strongly that neuer haue seen lerned ne herd of them ¶ Of dyuersytes of somme comyne thynges Caplo. xvij PLente and many thynges ther ben at eye of whiche the resons ben conuert and hyd fro vs of whiche the people meruaylle but lytil by cause they see it so ofte The quick syluer is of suche nature manere that it susteyneth a stone vpon it where as water oyle may not for the stone in them goth to the bottom the lyme or brent chalâ—e in colde water anon it chauffeth is hoot that nomaÌ„ may suffre his hand on it The rayes of the sonne make the heer of a man abourne or blouÌ„de and it maketh the flessh of a man broun or black And it whyteth the lynnen cloth And the erthe that is moyst and softe maketh drye and hard and waxe that is drye jt relenteth and maketh softe Also it maketh cold water in a vessel warme Also oute of a glaâ— ayenst the sonne men make fyre and out of Crystal in lyke wyse also wyth smytyng of a stone ayenst yron cometh fyre and flammeth The breeth of a man whiche is hoot coleth hoot thing And it chauffeth colde and ayer by meâ—yng The erthe whiche is peysant and right heuy by nature holdeth hit in the myddle of thayer wythout pyler and foundement only but by nature And therfore he is a fooll that merueylleth of thynges that god maketh For no creature hath the power to shewe reson whefore they ben or not For ther is nothyng how lytyl it be that the glose may be knowen vnto the trouthe sauf only that whiche pleseth to our lord god For to be wel founded in clergye may men knowe and vnderstande the reson of somme thinges and also by nature suche thynge as by reson can not be comprehended Thawh a man enquyre neuer so longe of that is wrought in therthe by nature he shal not mowe come to the knowelege wherfore ne how they be made This may noman certaynly knowe sauf god only whiche knoweth the reson and vnderstandeth it ¶ For to knowe where helle stondeth and what thyng it is Capitulo xviijo. WE haue declared to yow and deuysed the erthe wythout forth the best wyse that we can But now it is expedyent after that this that is sayd to knowe and enquyre what places and what mansyons ther may be wythin therthe and whether it be paradys helle purgatorye lymbo or other thynge And whiche of them is best and whiche of them alle is worste As to the regard of me and as me semeth that that whiche is enformed and closed in the erthe is helle I saye this for as moche as helle may in no wyse be in thayer whiche is one so noble a place Also I may frely mayntene that it is not in heuen For that place is so right excellent pure and net that helle may not endure there For as moche as helle is so horryble stynkyng fowl and obscure Also it is more poysaunt heuy than ony thing may be wherfor it may be clerly vnderstanden that helle is beyng in the most lowest place most derke and most vyle of the erthe And as I haue here sayd to yow the causes why In trouthe it may not be in thayer and yet lasse in heuen for it is in alle poyntes contrarye to heuen aboue for as moche as these two ben contrarye one to another of whiche places in that one is founden but
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
compared to his beaulte salamon vnto his wytte wysedom And sampson the forte vnto his strengthe Thus were thyse thre vertues in adam so parfyghtly that noman syth myght compare wyth hym Ne the two sones of dauid ne sampson ne none other For as it is sayd tofore he knewe the vij sciences liberall better than alle the men that ben descended of hym as he to whom his god maker had taught them to hym and erseygned after that they were sought by many a man whiche rendred grete payne for to fynde them and to saue them for cause of the flood knowyng that it shold come to the world by fyre or by water ¶ How the scryptures sciences were saued ayenft the flood Capitulo xjo. SYth Adam was deed ther were many men whiche lerned the sciences of the vij artes lyberall whiche god had sente to them in therthe Of whome somme ther were that wold enquyre what shold bycome of the world or euer it shold haue an ende And they fonde veryly that it shold be destroyed and take ende twyes At the first tyme by the flood of water But our lord wold not they shold knowe whether it shold be first destroied by water or by fyre Thenne had they grete pyte for theyr sciences that they had goten whiche they knewe so shold perisshe But if it were kept and ordeyned fore by their wysedoms Thenne they aduysed them of a grete wytte and bounte as they that wel wise that after the first destruxcion of the world ther shold be other people wherfor they dyde do make grete pylers of stone in suche wyse that they myght pourtraye graue in euery stone atte leste one of the vij sciences entierly in suche wyse that they myght be knowen to other Of whiche somme saye that one of thise pylers was of a stone as hard as marble and of suche nature that water myght not empayre it ne defface ne mynysshe it And they made other in a stronge maner of tyles all hole wyth out ony Ioyntures that fyre myght not hurte it in no wyse In thyse grete colompnes or pylers as sayd is were entaylled and grauen the vij sciences in suche wyse that they that shold come after them shold fynde and lerne them ¶ Of them that fonde the science the clergye after the flood Capitulo xijo. AS ye may vnrerstonde the seuen scyences lyberall were fouuden by auncyent wyse men out of whiche alle other sciences procede Thyse were they to whom our lord hath gyuen them and enseygned doubtyng the deluuye that god sente in to therthe the whiche drowned alle creatures reseruyd Noe and them that he toke in to the arke with hym And after this the world was repeoplyd and made agayn by them that descended of them For after the tyme of noe the people began to make agayn howses mansions to make redy other werkis but this was moche rudely as they that coude but right lytyl vnto the tyme that thyse sciences were founden agayn and thenne coude they better make doo that was nedeful and propyce to them And fynde remedye for their euellys the first that applyed hym and entermeted for to enquyre and serche these sciences after the flood was Sem one of the sones of Noe whiche had gyuen his corage-therto in suche wyse he dyde therin suche dylygence so ê¯tynued that by his wytte he fonde apartye of astronomye after hym was abraham whiche also fonde a grete partie after hym were other that vsed their lyff the best wyse they myght so moche that they had the pryncyples and resons of the seuen scyences And after cam Plato the sage and right souerayn in philosophye and his clerke named Aristotle the wyse clercke This plato was the man aboue all them of the world in clergye the most experte of them that were to fore or after hym he preuyd first that ther was but one that was only souerayn whiche all made and of whom alle good thynge cometh yet his lokes approue hyely that ther ne is but one souerayn whiche alle made And of whom all good thynge cometh yet his bookes approue hyely that ther ne is but one souerayn good that is our lord god whiche made all thynges in this only veryte he preuyd the right trouthâ— For he preued his power his wysedom and his goodnes Theyse thee bouuÌ„tees reclayme alle crysten men that is the fader the sone the holy goste Of the fader he sayde the power and puyssaunce Of the sone sapyence and of the holy gost the benyuolence And arystotle whiche cam after hym holdeth plente of thynges nyghe to hym and knewe the thynges that he had sayd And ordeyned right wel the scyence of logyke For he knewe more therof than of other sciences Thyse ij notable clerkes fonde by their wysedom connyng thre persones in one essence preuyd it but they put it not in latyn For bothe two were paynems as they that were more thaÌ„ thre hondred yere to fore the comynge of oue lord Ihu crist And alle the bookes there in grekyssh lettres After cam boece whiche was a grete philosophre right wyse clerk the whiche coude byhelpe hym wyth dyuerse langages and louyd moche rigtwysnes This boece translated of their bookes the most partye and sette them in latyn But he deyde er he had alle translated them wherof was grete dommage for vs alle Syth haue other clerkes translated but this boece translated more than ony other The whiche we haue yet in vsage And compiled in his lyff plente of fair volumes aourned of hye and noble philosophye of whiche we haue yet grete nede for tadresse vs toward our lord god And many other good clerkes haue ben in this world of greete auctoryte whiche haue lerned and studyed alle their tyme vpon the sciences of the seuen artes Of whiche heue ben somme that in their tyme haue do meruaylles by Astronomye But aboue alle them that most entremeted traueylled vpon the science of astronomye was virgile whiche compyled many merueyllous werkes therfor we shal recounte a lytyl here folowyng of the meruaylles he dyde ¶ Here folowe in substaunce of the meruaylles that virgyle wrought by Astronomye in his tyme by his wytte Capitulo xiijo. UIrgyle the wyse philosophre born in Italie was to fore the commyng of our lord Ihesu Cryste he sette not lytyl by the vij sciences For he trauaylled and studyed in them the most part of his tyme somoche that by a astronomye he made many grete meruaylles For he made in Naples a flye of copper Whiche whan he had sette it vp in a place That flye enchaced and hunted away alle other flyes so that abyde none in ony place ne durste not approche nyghe to that flye by the space of two bowe shote rounde a bowte And yf ony flye passed the bounde that Vyrgyle had compassed Incontynent he shold deye and myght no
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
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
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
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