body of monotheros For they ben lyke corsayge And thus their bestes resemble vnto oures whiche ben dyuerse of hedes of bodyes and of membres as oures ben contrarye to theires ¶ Of dyuersitees that ben in europe in affryke ca. xiiij WE haue in thise partyes many thynges that they of Asye of affryke haue none Ther is toward Irlonde on the one syde a maner of byrdes that flee they groweÌ„ on trees on olde shippe sides by the bylles whan they be nygh rype they that falle in the water lyue the other not they ben callyd bernacles IrlaÌ„d is a grete Ilonde in which is no serpent ne venymous beeste who that bereth with hym the erthe of this yle in to another contre leyeth it where as venymous vermyne is there anon it deyeth another ylonde is in Irlonde whiche stondeth ferre in the see where no wymmen may dwelle also the byrdes that ben femalles may not abyde there Ther is another yle wherin nomaÌ„ may dye in no tyme of the world but whan they ben so olde feble that their membres faylle ake lyue wyth payne that they may not helpe ne susteyne them self and that they had leuer dye than lyue they doo them to be born in to another yle ouer the water for to dye the trees that ben in this yle kepe their leues greue in verdure alle tymes wynter somer In another yle in Islonde the nyght endureth vj monethes thenne cometh the daye that dureth other vj monethes shynyng fair clere Another place is in the same ylonde whiche brenneth nyght day Ther is also in Irlonde a place called seynt Patryks purgatorye whiche place is perillous yf ony men goon therin be not confessed and repentauÌ„t of their synnes They be anon rauysshid and loste in suche wyse that noman can telle where they be come And yf they be confessyd and repentauÌ„t that they haue doon satisfaction and penaunce for their synnes wythout that all be clensed and ful satisfyed therafter shal they suffre payne and greef the tormentis in passyng this crymynel passage And whan he is retorned agayn fro this purgatorye Neuer shal no thyng in this world plese hym that he shal see ner he shal neuer be Ioyous ne glad ne shal not be seen lawhe but shal be contynuelly in wayllynges wepynges for the synnes that he hath commysed hit may wel be that of auncyent tyme it hath ben thus as afore is wreton as the storye of Tundale other witnesse but I haue spokeÌ„ with dyuerse men that haue ben therin And that one of them was an hye chanon of waterford whiche told me that he had ben therin v. or vj times he sawe ne suffred no suche thynges he sayth that wyth processyon the relygyous men that ben there brynge hym in to the hool and shette the dore after hym than he walketh groping in to it where as he said ben places maner of cowches to reste on And there he was all the nyght in coÌ„templacion prayer and also slepte there on the morn he cam out agayn other while in their slepe soÌ„me men haue meruayllous dremes other thynge sawe he not And in lyke wyse tolde to me a worshipful knyght of brudgis named sir Iohn de banste that he had ben therin in lyke wyse see none other thyng but as afore is sayd In brytaygne that now is called Englond as is sayd is a fontaygne a pyller or a perron therby And whan men take water of this welle caste it vpon the perron anon it begynneth to rayne blowe thondre lyghtne meruayllously Also in frauÌ„ce hath ben seen somtyme a maner of peple that haue be horned toward the mouÌ„tes of mouÌ„t Ius ye shal fynde plente of wymmen that haue botches vnder the chynÌ„ whiche haÌ„ge doun of some doun to the pappes they that haue grettest ben holden for fairest Other folke ther ben that haue botches on their backes ben croked as crochettes they that see all thise thynges ofte meruaylle but lytyl also it is ofte seen that in this contre ben born children deef dombe also of them that haue bothe nature of man woman yet ben ther ofte seen soÌ„me children comen in to this world somme wythout handes and somme wythout armes ¶ Of the maner condycion of beestes of thyse contrees Capitulo xvo. THe fox is of suche a condicion that whan he departeth fro the woode and gooth in to the feldes there he lyeth doun and stratcheth hym on the grounde as he were deed for to take byrdes Whan the herte wylle renue his age he eteth of som venymous beeste Yf the tode Crapault or spynâ—â—â— byte a man or woman they be in daunger for to dye It hath be ofte seen The spyttle of a man fastynge sleeth comynly the spyncoppe and the tode yf it touche them yf a wulf and a man see that one that other fro ferre He that is first seen becometh anon a ferd the wulf bereth the sheep wythout hurtynge or greuyng of hym doubtyng that he wold crye and that he shold not be folowed And after deuoureth hym whan he hath brought hym to the wode and yf he be constrayned to leue hym in his berynge He destrayneth hym wyth all his myght at his departyng The spyther or spyncop of his propre nature spynneth weueth of his entraylles the threde of whiche he maketh his nettes for to take flyes whiche he eteth whan the she ape hath two whelpes or fawnes she loueth that one moche better than that other She beryth hym that she loueth best in her armes and that other she leteth goo whiche whaÌ„ she is hunted lepeth on the moders backe and holdeth her faste And that other that she bereth in her armes she leteth falle and is ofte constrayned to saue her self Also it is so that the hounde kepeth the goodes of his lorde and maystre And ben by hym warantes ayenst men and bestes And aboue alle other he knoweth his lord maystre by his smellyng loueth hym of so right good loue that ofte it happeth be it ryght or wronge he wyl not forsake his maystre vnto the deth And also he is so sorowful for the deth of his maystre that other whyle he loseth his lyff In englond in som place is ther a maner of houndes that go on and seche out the theuys and bryngeÌ„ them fro thens where they fonde them The muskele is a right lytyl beeste and sleeth the basylycock and in longe fyghtyng byteth hym out of mesure She of her nature remeueth so ofte her fawnes fro one place to another that wyth grete payne they may vnnethe be founden The hyrchon whan he fyndeth apples beten or blowen doun of a tree he waloweth on them tyl he be chargyd and laden wyth the fruyt styckyng on his pryckes And whan he feleth hym self laden as moche as he may
right nature that in all the somers and all the wynters that euer haue ben and shal be shold not come no dyuersytees And all the tymes shold be lyke as they that by the. sonne shold be alway demened eschauffed and contynuelly gouerned For he goth egally alway and endeth his cours euery yere and holdeth his right way in one estate as he that goth not out of his waye Thus is he the right veyle and patrone of all the other sterres For it is the most fyn of all the other by the grete clerenesse that is in hym and in all thynges by hym and he hath on therthe more power on thynges of whiche may be enquyred of nature reson and right than all the other sterres yet somtyme they restrayne his heetes and after they enlarge theÌ„m after that they be fer or nygh as he otherwhyle hath nede lyke vnto a kynge whiche is the gretter lorde and the more myghty in hym self for his hyghnesse than ony other of the people Neuertheles he hath somtyme nede of them for to be holpen and serued of them For how moche the nerer he is to his people so moche more is he stronge and puissaunt And the ferther he wythdraweth fro his folke so moche the lasse he exployteth of his werke ¶ In lyke wyse I saye to yow of the sonne whiche is as ye may vnderstoÌ„de the grettest the most myghty And the most vertuous of whiche he hath gretter power in erthe than ony other sterre may haue but the other haue their power euerich in his degre But syth we haue recounted to yow the shortest wyse we may of the vertue of the firmament we shal declare to you herafter in short how the world was mesured as well in heyght as in depnesse And on alle sydes of lengthe and brede by them that kâ—ewe the resons of the seuen sciences Of whiche geometrie is one by whiche the sonne the mone therthe and the firmament ben mesured as well wythin as wythoute how moche it is of gretenes And how moche it is fro therthe to the firmament and alle the gretenes of the sterres For this is preuyd by ryght byholdyng And they that founde this science perceyuyd that it myght not be knowen truly by astronomye ne the nature of the sterres wythout knowyng of their mesures Therfore wolde they mesure them and preue all their gretenesse ¶ Wherfore and how they mesured the world Caplo. ix FYrst of alle the auncient philosophers wolde mesure the gretnes of the world all round aboue therthe tofore ony other werke by whiche they preuyd the heyght of the sterres and the gretnes of the firmament all aboute And they coude not fynde more gretter mesure to be mesured and whan they had mesured therthe how moche it had of largenes all aboute and how moche it had of thycknes thourgh they enquyred after of the mone by cause it was leste hye fro therthe most nyhest therto And after they enquyred of the sonne how ferre it was fro therthe And how moche the body therof had of gretnes And they fonde it more thaÌ„ all therthe was â–ª And whan they had mesured thyse thre thynges the Sonne the Mone and therthe They myght lyghtly after enquyre of the other sterres how moche eueriche is nygh or ferre And the gretenes of euerich Of whiche they fonde none but his body were of more gretenes than alle therthe is excepte only thre of the planetes wythout more whiche ben Venus Mercurye and the Mone whiche is the thirde and euery man may enquyre this yf he knowe the science of geometrye the science of astronomye wyth all For that muste he knowe first to fore he may fynde and knowe the trouthe But for as moche as alle be not good clerkis ne maystres of Astronomye that may proue this we wyll recounte here after how moche the erthe is longe And how thycke it is thurgh And also how moche the mone is aboue therthe And the sonne also whiche is aboue the mone And how moche eche of them hath of gretenes lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hath prened And also we shal speke after that of the sterres and of the firmament Of alle this we shal saye to you but first tofore all I shal recounte to yow of the faytes and dedes of the kynge Tholomeus whiche knewe so many demonstraunces of apparicions and so moche loued Astronomye that he wold serche alle these thynges And we shal saye to you of somme thynges whiche ben not contrarye to yow yf ye wyll well vnderstande and reteyne them by whiche ye may lerne som good And thenne after we shal mesure to yow the world the best wyse we may Now entende ye of the kynge tholomeus and of the werkes of somme other philophers for youre owne prouffyt ¶ Of the kynge Tholomeus and of somme other philosophers Capitulo xo. THolomeus was a kynge moche subtyl in Astronomye This tholomeus was kynge of egipte whiche helde the contree longe tyme Ther were somtyme many kynges that were named Tholomeus But emonge the other this was he that knewe most of Astronomye and that most enserched of the sterres and more vnderstode of them than the other of whiche he composed and made plente of right fayr volumes and bookes And many dyuerse instrumentes by whiche was fouÌ„de appertly alle the gretenes of therthe And the heyght of the firmament And how the sterres make their cours bothe by nyght and by daye By hym were founden first the oryloges of the chirches whiche begynne the houres of the dayes and of the nyghtes The dayes passe fast on wherfor the chirches haue grete nede to haue good orloges for to doo therby alway the seruyse of our lord at hour competent and due as well by day as by nyght For god loueth moche for to be adoured and seruyd entyerly and ordynatly euery day For the Orysons that ben sayd and receyted euery day in the chirches playse more to our lord than do they that ben sayde in many other places And therfor the oryloges ben necessarye in euery chirche And men serue god the better in due tyme and fare the better and lyue the lenger For yf they ruled soo them self to praye at a certayn hour And at an other hour in lyke wyse to ete other thinges in his right hour it shold be a lyght thynge to doo plese god Yf men wold applye them as wel to suche thynges as they do to do that whiche confouÌ„deth and sleeth them that is to wete that they be al enclyned to conquere the richesses of whiche they cesse not nyght ne daye And wenen to prolonge their lyf therby But they amasse and gete grete tresours and pourchasse their deth For by the grete goodes that they assemble on alle sydes they put them in suche thought and payne that they lese ofte their wytte vnderstandyng and also their mynde so that they may not enclyne and thinke on thoo werkes that towche
and vertue than is the topace he reioyceth the sight and conforteth it moche and specyally to them that bere it yet ben ther also in Inde plente of other maner stones whiche haue in them moche fair vertues and bountes And who that wyl more knowe of their vertues bountes maye rede in the book called lapydare in whiche he shal knowe the names vertues For now at this tyme we shal make an ende of this mater for to recouÌ„te yow the contrees royoames of Inde ¶ Here foloweth of the contrees and Royames of Inde Capitulo viijo. IN Inde is plente of grete contres merueyllously whiche ben peopled wyth dyuerse maners of people and of grete plente of bestes of many dyuerse facions and condicions Emonge all other ther is a contree named Perse and conteyneth xxxiij regyons of whiche the first is the royame of Perse. where as a science called Nygromancye was first founden whiche science constrayneth the enemye the fende to be taken and holde prisoner In this contree groweth a pese whiche is so hoot it skaldeth the handes of them that holde it and it growyth wyth encresyng of the mone and wyth wanyng is descreceth at eche tyme of his â—ours It helpeth wel to them that ben nygromancyers After this royame is another whiche is called Mesopotamye wherin Nynyue a cyte of grete seynourye and myghty is sette and establysshid whiche is iij dayes Iourneyes of lengthe and is moche large brood In babylone is a tour that somtyme was made by grete pryde of whiche the wallys ben meruayllously grete stronge and hye and is called the tour of babell It is of heyght round aboute .iiij. M. paas vnto the hyest In the regyon of Caldee was first founden Astronomye In this regyon is the lande of Saba and therby is the regyon of tharse And after is that of Arabie of thyse iij Regyons were lordes and prynces the thre kynges that offryd to our lord sauyour Ihesu Cryste gold encence and Myrre That tyme whan he laye in the Crybbe after his blessyd Natyuyte as he that was the sone of god And this knewe they by their grete wytte and vnderstandyng of Astronomye in whiche they were endowed and founded ¶ In this regyon of Arabe groweth thencence and the myrre And ther ben therin many peoles and dyuerse folke Ther is also in Egypte a Regyon whiche is called assyrye And the regyon of fenyce is there whiche taketh his name of a byrde callyd fenyx of whiche in alle the world is on this day but only one a lyue whan he deyeth anone groweth another of hym self He is grete and moche fair of Corsage and hath a creste on his heed lyke as the pecok hath The breste and the gorge of hym shyneth and draweth toward the propre colour of fyn golde And he is alonge the back also reed as a rose And toward the tayll he is of the colour of asure lyke vnto the heuen whan it is pure and clere and whan he is olde eaged he wythdraweth hym vnto an hye merueyllous fair place or montaygne where as sourdeth a fontayne ryght grete and large and the water fair and clere and ouer the welle groweth a fair tree and grete whiche may be seen fro ferce he maketh vpon this tree his neste and his sepulture right in the myddle of the tree But he maketh it of spices of so right grete odour that ther may be fouÌ„den no better And after he adressyth hym in his neste whan he hath all perfourmed it he thenne begynneth to meue and to bete his wynges ayenst the sonne so faste so longe that a grete hete cometh in his fethers in suche wyse that it quykeneth of fire and brenneth al rounde aboute his body that he is on a clere fyre And thus the fyre brenneth and consumeth hym alle in to asshes and out of theyse asshes and poulder groweth agayn another byrde all lyuyng semblable to him ¶ After this regyon of fenyce is the royame of Damas where as goode truytes growe And after Damas is founden the regyon of Anthyoche where as be founden grete plente of Camels ¶ After cometh the contree of Palatyne after that Samarye thenne sebaste thenne Pentapolye where somtyme were founded two myghty cytees that one callyd Sodome and that other Gomor the whiche god wold they shold perysshe for the grete and enorme synnes that they commysed on this parteis the dede see in whiche is nothyng that bereth lyf there is a contree that men calle Ismaelyte whiche is enhabyted by xij maner of people after this thenne is Egypte the grete where it neuer reyneth conteyneth xxiiij peoples another regyon ther is that whiche cometh toward the north in whiche ther dwelleth noman but wymmen whiche ben as fyers as lyons And whan nede is they fyghte frely ayenst the men They go armed as knyghtes in bataylle brynge doun their enemyes wythout sparynge they haue fair tresses of their heer whiche hange doun byhynde them And they be garnysshed wyth grete prouesses in all their werkes affayres And ben called Amazones But they haue men nyghe to their contre dwellyng Whom they euery yere fetche for to be in their companye viij or xv dayes longe and suffre them to knowe them carnelly so longe that they suppose that they haue conceyuyd and thenne departe the men fro that contre And goon agayn thedyr that they come fro and whan thyse wymmen haue childed yf it be a doughter they reteyne her wyth them And yf it be a sone they nourysshe it fyue or syxe yere and after sende it out of the contree yet in other places ben many fayr ladyes whiche in bataylles in estowes vse alle their Armes of syluer for lacke of yron and of steell of whiche they haue not In the woodes of Inde ben other wymmen the whiche haue their berdes so longe that they come doun to their pappes They lyue by wylde beestys and clothe them wyth the skynnes of the wyld beestis clothe them wyth the skynnes of the same beestis And ther ben men and wymmen alle naked and also rowhe as beeres ben dwellyng in caues in the erthe And whan they see other men they hyde them in the caues so that they appere not oute Other people ther ben that ben also rowhe as swyne and whynyng And ther ben other wymmen rowh also lyke vnto the men but they ben moche bestyall whyte as snowe their teeth ben more lyke vnto houndes than to other dwelle abyde wel in the water Another grete regyon ther is in whiche dwelle xliij peoples ther ben the byrdes whiche ben ful of deduyte of whom the pennes shyne by nyght like vnto fyre There ben popen gayes which ben grene shynyng lyke pecoks whiche ben but lytyl more than a Iaye of whom as men saye they that haue on eche foot fyue clawes ben gentyl the vylayns
vapour and it mounteth vnto the myddle of thayer there is assembled and cometh to gydre and abydeth there And lytyl lytyl it encreceth that it cometh thycke derke in suche wyse that it taketh fro vs the syght of the sonne And this thynge is the clowde But it hath not so moche obscurete that it taketh fro vs the clerenes of the day And whan it groweth ouer thycke it becometh water whiche falleth on the erthe and the clowde abydeth whyte thenne shyneth the sonne whiche is on hye thurgh the clowde Yf it be not ouer black lyke as thurgh aglasse Also lyke a candel wythin a lanterne whiche gyueth vs lyght wythout forth and yet we see not the candel Thus shyneth the sonne thurgh the clowde whiche is vnder hym and rendreth to vs the clerenesse of the day as longe as he maketh his tourne aboue therthe And the clowde that alwaye so longe abydeth and taketh more moysture so longe after that it becometh black and moyste Thenne yssueth out the water whiche cometh to therthe and thus groweth the rayne And whan it is alle fallen to therthe and the grete moysture is staunched the clowde hath lost his broun colour that he byfore helde and the derkenesse of whiche she empesshid the day Thenne aperith the clowde clere and whyte whiche thenne is lyght and mounteth on hye somoche that in th ende she falleth and is deffeted by the hete of the sonne on hye whiche al dreyeth vp Thenne thayer wexeth agayn pure and clere and the heuen as blew as azure Of therthe groweth the rayn and the clowdes also as of cloth that is weet and shold be dreyed by the fyre theÌ„ne yssueth therof a moysture lyke a smoke or fumee and gooth vpward who thenne helde his hande ouer the fumee he shold fele a vapour whiche shold make his hande moyst and weet Yf it dured longe he shold appertly knowe that his hande were alle weet and that water shold droppe and falle therof And thus I saye to yow that in this maner growe ofte the clowdes and raynes and our lord god multyplyeth wel them whan it pleseth hym for to make the seedes and fruytes growe that ben on therthe ¶ Of frostes and snowes Capitulo xxvj THe grete snowes and the grete frostes comen by the grete coldes of thayer whiche is colde in the myddle more than it is on ony other parte lyke as ye may see of the montaynes whiche ben in hye place lyke as the montaynes of sauoye of pyemont or in wales in thise other montaynes where ther is of custome more snowe than is in places that ben in playn grouÌ„de Alle this cometh of the coldnes of thayer whiche hath lasse hete aboue than benethe by cause it is more subtyl than that whiche is bynethe and whan the more subtyl is on hye so moche reteyneth he lasse of hete But the more that thayer is thycke somoche more it chauffeth and the sonner where the sonne may come ¶ Of whiche cometh that yron and steel wexe more hoot by the sonne than dooth the stone For of so moche as the thynge is more hard and of more thyck mater so moche taketh it the fyre more asprely sonner than they that ben of lasse force Thus saye I to yow of thayer that is aboue on hye whiche is more câ—lde than this is bynethe For as moche as it is not so thycke as that is whiche is nyghe therthe And for the wynde that ofte groweth Whiche maketh it ofte to be in meuyng For the water that renneth faste eschausfeth lasse than that doth that holdeth hym stylle So doth thayer whiche is an hye And therby groweth the colde that freseth this moysture anon as it is goon vp on hye And falleth doun agayn y frorn ¶ Of haylle and of tempestes Capitulo xxvij BY this manere comen in the somer the grete haylleso. and the grete tempestes For in thayer they growe wherof oftyme cometh grete colde so that the moysture that is in thayer brought vp is drawen to be frorn And it is in thayer assembled and amassed For the hete that chaceth after it And the sonne causeth it to lose and to falle on therthe But it falleth not so grete to the grounde as it is frorn aboue an hye For it cometh doun brekyng and amenuysyng in the fallyng And this is the tempest whiche falleth ofte in the somer the whiche is greuous and ennoyous to many thynges ¶ Of lyghtnynges and of thondres Capitulo xxviijo. IN thayer happen many thinges of whiche the people speke not gladly For they retche not moche of suche thynges of whiche they can not wel come to the knowleche This that maketh therthe to quaue And this that maketh the clowdes to thondre that whiche maketh the erthe to opene And this that maketh the clowdes to sparkle and lyghtne whan the thondre is herde For thondres and lyghtnynges ben deboutemens and brekyng out of wyndes that mete aboue the clowdes so asprely and shdrply that in theyr comyng groweth ofte a grete fyre in thayer And this thondre that falleth in many places whiche the wyndes constrayne so terrybly that the clowdes cleue and breke and maketh to thondre and lyghtne falleth doun in so grete rage by the wynde that destrayneth it so asprely that it confoundeth alle that it atteyneth in suche wyse that nothyng endureth ayenst it And it is of so heuy nature that somtyme it perseth therthe vnto the myddle And somtyme it quencheth er it cometh to the grounde after that it is of poyse and that is not of ouer stronge nature For whan the clowde is moche derke and thycke and that ther is grete plente of water the fyre passeth not so soone but it is quenchid in the clowde by the grete quaÌ„tyte of the water that is therin byfore it may perse thurgh so that it may not approche therthe but in the straynyng brekyng that hit maketh thenne in the clowde groweth a sowne so grete and stronge that it is meruayllous to here I declare to you for certayn that this is the thondre whiche is moche to be doubted drad In lyke wyse as of an hoot brennyng yron that is put in a tubbe of water therof groweth a noyse a grete sowne also whan cooles ben quenchid But the lyghtnyng of the thondre appereth and is seen er ye here the voys or sowne for as moche as the sight of a man is more subtyl than the heeryng lyke as men see fro ferre ouer a water betyng of clothes or smytyng of marteaulx or hamers the strokes ben seen of them that smyte or the soun be herde of the stroke Alle in lyke wyse may I saye to yow of the thondre the whiche men see to fore and er they here it and so moche the ferther it is aboue vs. so moche the ferther is the soun of the lyghtnyng after it is seen er the soun be herd the sonner after the
lyghtnyng is seen the yon 's herd somoche is the thondre more nygh vnto vs ¶ For to knowe how the wyndes growe come ca. xxix o OF the wyndes may men enquire reson of them that vse the sees And the wyndes renne round aboue therthe oftymes and entrecounte and mete in som place so asprely that they ryse vpon heyght in suche wyse that they lyft vp thayer on hye And thayer that is so lyft and taken fro his place remeueth other ayer in suche facion that it retorneth as it were afterward and gooth cryeng and brayeng as water rennyng For wynde is none other thyng but ayer that is meuyd so longe tyl his force be beten doun wyth the stroke Thus come ofte clowdes rayâ—es thondres and lyghtnynges and the thynges tofoâ—â— sayd Ther ben yet other resons how these werkes comen But thyse that beste serue to knowelege and lyghtly to be vnderstonde we haue drawen out shortly and now we shal cesse of this mater for to speke of the fyre whiche is aboue the ayer on hye ¶ Of the fyre and of the sterres that seme to falle Capitulo xxxo. YE ought to knowe that aboue thayer is the fyre this is an ayer whiche is of moche grete resplendour and shynyng and of moche grete noblesse by his right grete subtylte he hath no moysture in hym And is moche more clere than the fyre that we vse and of more subtyl nature than thayer is ayenst the water or also the water ayenst the erthe This ayer in whiche is no maner moysture It stratcheth vnto the mone And ther is seen ofte vnder this ayer somme sparkles of fyre and seme that they were sterres of whiche men saye they be sterres whiche goon rennyng and that they remeue fro their places But they be none but it is a maner of fyre that groweth in thayer of somme drye vapour whiche â–ª hath no moysture wythin it whiche is of therthe and therof groweth by the sonne whiche draweth it vpon hye whan it is ouer hye it falleth is sette a fyre lyke as a candel brennyng as vs semeth after falleth in thayer moyste and ther is quenchid by the moystnes of thayer And whan it is grete the ayer drye it cometh al brennyng vnto therthe wherof it happeth ofte that they that saylle by the see or they that goon by londe haue many tymes founden and seen them al shynyng brennyng falle vnto therthe whan they come where it is fallen they fynde none other thyng but a lytyl assâ—es or like thing or lyke som leef of a tree roten that were weet Thenne apperceyue they well and byleue that it is no sterre For the sterres may not falle but they muste alle in their cercle meue ordynatly and contynuelly nyght day egally ¶ Of the pure Ayer and how the seuen planetes ben sette Capitulo xxxjo. THe pure ayer is aboue the fire whiche purpryseth taketh his place vnto the heuen In this ayer is no obscurte ne derknes For it was made of clere purete it resplendissheth shyneth so clerly that it may to nothyng be compared in this ayer ben vij sterres whiche make their cours al aboute therthe The whiche be muche clene clere be named the vij planetes of whome that one is sette aboue that other in suche wyse ordeyned that ther is more space fro that one to the other Than ther is froÌ„ the erthe to the mone whiche is ferther fyften tymes than all the erthe is grete and euerich renneth by myracle on the firmament maketh his cercle that one grete that other lytyl after that it is sitteth more lowe For af somoche that it maketh his cours more nyghe therthe so moche is it more short sonner hath perfourmed his cours than that whiche is ferthest that is to saye that who that made a poynt in a walle and wyth a compaas made dyuerse cercles aboute alway that one more large than another That whiche shold be next the poynt shold be lest of the other lasse shold be his cours for he shold sonner haue don his cours than the grettest so that they wente both egally as ye may see by this fygure to fore THus we may vnderstande of the vij planetes of whiche I haue spoken that that one is vnder that other in suche wyse that she that is lowest of alle the other is leest of all and that is the mone but by cause that it is next to therthe it semeth grettest and most apparaunt of alle the other and for thapprochement of therthe and bycause it goth so nygh it hath not pure clerenes that cometh of hym self proprely by cause therthe is so obscure but the clernes lyght that it rendreth to vs she taketh alway of the sonne lyke as shold a myrrour whan the rayes of the sonne smyteth therin and of the reflexyon the myrrour smyteth on the walle and shyneth theron as longe as the rayes of the sonne endure in the glasse In lyke maner sheweth lyghteth to vs the lyght of the mone in the mone is a body polysshyd fayr lyke a pommell right wel burnysshed Whiche reflaumbeth and rendryth lyght and clerenes whaÌ„ the rayes of the sonne smyteth therin The lytyl clowdes or derkenes that is seen therin somme saye that it is therthe that appereth wythin And that whiche is water appereth whyte lyke as ayenst a myrrour whiche receyueth dyuerse colours whan she is torned therto other thynke other wyse saye that it happed byfelle whaÌ„ adam was deceyued by thapple that he ete whiche greued alle humanye lygnage And that thenne the mone was empesshed and his clerenesse lassed and mynuysshed Of thyse vij sterres or planetes that ben there and make their cours on the firmament of whom we haue here to fore spoken First were no moo knowen but the tweyne that is to wete the sonne the mone thr other were not knowen but by Astronomye Neuertheles yet shal I name them for as we haue spoken of them to yow of thyse ther ben tweyne aboue the mone byneth the sonne and that one aboue that other of whom eche hath on therthe propre vertues And they named mercurye venus Thenne aboue the mone and thyse tweyne is the sonne whiche is so clere fayr pure that it rendreth lyght clerenesse vnto alle the world and the sonne is sette so hye aboue that his cercle is gretter more spacyouse thaÌ„ the cercle of the mone whiche maketh his cours in xxx dayes xij sithes so moche For the sonne whiche gooth more ferther fro the erthe than the mone maketh his cours hath CCClxv dayes this is xij tyme somoche more ouer as the calender enseigneth yet more the fourth part of a day that be vj houres but for this that the yere hath dyuersly his begynnyng that one begynneth on the daye and another on the nyght whiche is grete ennoye to moche people
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
knowe the trouthe of alle suche thynge that is bynethe here on therthe by reson of nature whether the thynge were obscure and derke or not ¶ Of the vertu of heuen and of the sterres Caplo. viijo. NOw wylle ye here of the science by the whiche men gete sapience for to knowe and enquyre the thinges that may happen in therthe by the werker of right nature whiche is fygured by the world The heuenes and the sterres ben the very instrumēts of nature to the world by whiche she werketh alle as god wylle as wel nygh as ferre and who that coude knowe her myght he had knowlege of alle thyng that sayd is as wel of the sterres that ben on heuen whiche haue vertueson therthe whiche god hath gyuen and graunted to euerich specyally to the sonne to the mone whiche gyue lyght vnto the world wythout whom nothyng lyuyng may be For by them growe alle thynges that be in this world and whiche haue ende and begynnyng this consenteth and permyseth he that is almyghty Alle dyuersitees that be in persones and whiche haue dyuersitees of makyng and of corsage and alle that happeth by nature be it in herbes in plantes or in beestes this happeth by the vertue celestyal whiche god gaf to the sterres Whan he first created the world And that he sette them endowed them wyth suche nature that he ordeyned them to goo roūd aboute the world ayenst the tornyng of the firmament And by their tornyng and by their vertu whiche lyeth in heuen lyue alle thynges that ben vnder it And yf it pleasyd our lord that he wold holde the heuen all stylle in suche wyse that it torned not aboute ther is nothing in alle the world that myght meue him In hym shold be no vnderstondyng nomore than in a dede body whiche feleth nothyng ne therin is no wytte ne vnderstandyng ne moeuyng as he that hath no lyf in suche poynt shal euery thynge be whan the heuen shal leue his moeuyng Alle thus shold they be and neuer moeue tyl that the heuen had agayn his moeuyng And thenne shold they be otherwyse but who that thenne myght vse his wytte se what he shal be moche myght he see of semblaūces of dyuerse contenaūces in other men that myght not remeue them For yf ther were no meuyng on the heuen ther is nothyng that myght lyue on erthe Also god wyl that it so be that all thyng hath establysshid by right Thus was the wylle of god in whom alle vertues habounde for to fourme the world For he made ne created neuer thynge but that he gaf to it suche vertue as it ought to haue ellis he had made somthyng for nought without reson but he dyde not so for he neuer faylled in no thynge he made and created alle the sterres gaf to euerich his vertue who that wyll not byleue thus In him is nether memoyre ne reson For we see openly that the mone taketh lyght whan we see her all full for the man hath thenne neyther membre ne vayne but that it is full whan it is in the cours of humours and suche thynges in lyke wyse it happeth on alle bestes For they haue thenne their hedes and other membres more garnysshid of margh of humeurs And the see also floweth ebbeth in his cours euery moneth wherof it happeth that they that ben nygh the see whan they knowe that the mone is ful they wythdrawe them fro the see on hye And saue them they re meynage and in this poynt they wythdrawe them and holde them in hye places vnto the tyme that the see wythdraweth and lasseth agayn And thus do they euery moneth But alle this happeth by the mone whiche is one of the seuen planetes In lyke wyse is it seen of the sonne that after the wynter whan he begynneth to mounte he causeth the fruyt to be brought forth of therthe and appparylleth the trees wyth leues and alle verdure to come agayn And the byrdes begynne agayn their songe for the swetenes of the new tyme And whan he rebasshith and declyneth he maketh the wynter to begynne and causeth flowres and leuis to falle and falle so longe tyl he begynne to mounte agayn as to fore is sayd Syth that thyse two sterres haue suche vertues and cause suche thynges to be don The other whiche ben pourtrayed on the heuen were not made to serue of nought But to eueriche is ordeyned his vertue and his right after his nature Wherfore they make dyuersitees in thynges that ben on therthe And the moeuynges of tyme of whiche that one cometh soone and that other late And the fruytes that come on therthe Somme come sone and erly and the other late and ben otherwhyle sooner rype in one yere that in an other And more assured of tempestes other greuaunces And thus chaunge in sondry maners For one somer is softe and moyste And another is drye and wyndy Of the wynter it happeth oftymes that they chaūge so that one is colde rayny and more desplaysaunt than the other And another shal be more Ioyous lasse damageable Thus is seen that the one is dere of somme vytaylle or other thynges And that other shal be plentyuous And also it is ofte that ther is plente and good chepe in one yere In another yere it is had in grete chierte and is of grete scarset◠this fallyth somtyme and ofte Alle thyse dyuersytees cause the sterres whiche ben on the heuen But alle this is by the wylle of our lord that hath sette eeueriche in his propre place where he maketh naturelly his cours and euerich dyuersly For yf none other thynge had his vse in tymes sauf the sonne only wythout moo as he that goth swyftly by the firmament euery yere And mounteth as moche and as hye in one somer as in another And as moche descendeth in one wynter as in another euery day egally tyl that he come in to his right poynt And Ioyneth that other after hym where he was to fore this knowe well Astronomyers that he gooth euery yere aboute the heuen one torne And where he is this day in the same place he shal be this day a yere Ther by is it knowen that if none other hath no power thēne shold euery yere be lyke other euery yere alway shold be lyke as the yere to fore was and euery moneth shold be lyke the same as eueriche shold come that is to wyte one Ianyuer lyke another Ianyuer and feuerer lyke another feuerer and in lyke wyse alle the other x. moneths For the sonne gooth alle lyke in one moneth As he shal the next yere in the same moneth And this day sholde reassemble and be lyke vnto this day a yere in alle maner thynge that is to wete of hete of colde of fair wether of rayne and of other thinges euerich after their comyng all the yere duryng Thēne sholde it falle by