have in like wise two summers and two winters and four shadowes in a yeer and they have no difference of the first save that they have longer dayes in summer and shorter in winter for as the Equinoctiall lengtheneth so likewise doth the dayes in summer and in that part of the earth is the first climate and almost half of the second is named Araby wherein is Ethiopia Thirdly they that inhabit under the Tropike of summer have the Sun over their heads and at the day of the solstice of Summer at noon they have their shadowes smaller then we have and there is a part of Ethiopia Fourthly they that be between the tropike of summer and the circle Artike have longer daies in summer then the above said in as much as they be further from the Equinoctiall and shorter in winter and they have the sun over their heads ne toward septentrion and that part of the earth we inhabit Fiftly they that inhabit under the circle Artike have the eclyptike of the Zodiake to their orison and when the sun is in the solstice of summer it resconceth not and thus they have no night but naturall dayes of 24. hours Semblably when the Sun is in the solstice of winter it is natural day when they have continuall night and that the Sun riseth not to them Sixtly they that be between the Circle artike and the pole artike have in summer divers natural dayes that be to them one day artificial without any night And in winter be many naturall daies which are to them alwayes night the more that it approcheth the pole the more is the artificial day all summer long and dureth in some place a week in other a month in other two in other three in other more proportionally the night is greater for some of the signes be ever on their orison and some alwayes under and as long as the Sun is in the signes above it is day and while it is in the signs underneath it is night Seventhly they that inhabit right under the Pole have the Sun half of the year on their horison and have continuall day and the other half of the year continuall night and the equinoctiall is in their orison that divideth the signes six above six beneath wherefore when the sun is in the signes that be high and toward them they have continual day and when it is in the signes toward midday they have continual night and thus in a year they have but one day and one night And as it is said of that part of the earth toward the pole Artick a man may understand of the other half and of the habitations toward the pole Antartick The division of the earth and of the parts inhabited SHepheards and other as they divide the earth inhabitable in 7. parts that they call climates The first Diamerous The second Climate Diaciens The third Dalixandry The fourth Diathodes The fift climate Diaromes The sixt Daboristines The seventh Diaripheos Of the which each hath his longitude determined and the latitude also and the nearer they be to the Equinoctiall the longer they be and larger and proceed in longitude from orient to occident and in latitude from midday to Septentrion The first climate after some shepheards containeth in length half the circuit of the earth that is two hundred thousand 4 hundred mile it hath a hundred thousand two hundred mile of length The second and so of the other for the lessening of the earth comming toward Septentrion To understand what a climate is after the saying of the shepheards A climate is a space of earth equally large whereof the length is from orient to occident and the breadth is comming from midday and from the earth inhabitable toward the Equinoctiall drawing to septentrion as much as an horologe or clock changeth not For in earth habitable the clocks change vii times in the breath of the climates It is of necessity to say that they be seaven and where the variation of horologes is there is the diversity of climates howbeit that such variation properly ought to be taken in the midst of the climates and not in the beginning or end for the proximity and covenance the one of the other Also one climate hath always a day artificial of summer shorter or longer then another climate this day sheweth the difference in the midst of every climate better than the beginning or end the which thing wee may sensibly know at eye and thereby iudge the difference of the climates And it is to be noted that under the Equinoctiall the dayes and the nights in all times are equal each of twelve houres but comming toward septentrion the dayes of summer longeth and the winter dayes shorteth and the more that one approcheth septentrion the more waxeth the dayes in such wise that at the five of the last climate the dayes in summer be longer by three houres and an half than they be at the begining of the first and the pole is more raised by 38. degrees At the beginning of the first climate the longest day of summer hath 12. houers and xlv minutes and in the pole is raised on the orison 12. degrees and xlv minutes and the midst of the climate the longest day hath 13. hours and the pole raised xvi degrees and the latitude dures unto the longest day of summer that is 13. houres and xv minutes and the pole raised 20. degrees and an half which largenesse is ccccxl mile of earth The second climate beginneth at the end of the first and the midst is there as the day hath 12. houres and an half and the pole is raised over the oryson 24. degrees and 15. minutes And the latitude dureth unto three as the longest day hath 13. houres and xlv minutes and the pole is raised xxxii degrees and an half and this largenesse containeth of earth CCCC miles iust The third climate beginneth at the end of the second and the midst is there as the day hath 13. houres and the pole is raised 30. degrees and xlv minutes and the latitude extendeth unto there as the longest day hath 14. houres and xv minutes and the pole is raised 23. degrees and xi minutes The fourth climate at the end of the third and the midst is there as the longest day hath 24. houres and an half and the pole is raised 26. degrees and 20. minutes the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath 13. houres and xlv minutes and the pole is raised 30. degrees and the laregnesse containeth of earth ccc mile The fift climate at the end of the fourth and the midst is there as the longest day hath 15. houres and the pole is raised 4â— degrees and 20. minutes and the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath 15. houres and 15. minutes and the pole is raised 44. degrees and an half and the largenesse containeth of earth CClii. mile The sixt climate at the end of the fift and the midst is there as the longest day hath
15. houres and an half and the pole is raised over the orizon xlv degrees and 23. minutes of which the largenesse dureth unto there as the longest day hath 15. houres and xlv minutes which largenesse containeth of earth CCxii mile The seventh climate at the end of the sixt and the midst is there as the longest day hath xvi houres and the pole is raised 48. degrees and xl minutes the latitude extendeth unto there as the longest day hath 16. hours and 15. minutes and the pole is raised fifty degrees and an half and the largenesse of the earth containeth 186. mile A marvellous consideration of the great understanding of shepheards IF case were after the length of the climates one might goe about the earth from Orient to Occident to his first place some shepheards say that this compasse may almost bee made Saying that if a man went this compasse in 12. naturall dayes going regularly toward Occident and began now at midday he should passe every day naturall the twelfth part of the circuit of the earth and be 20. degrees whereof it behoveth that the Sun make a course about the earth and 30. degrees further or he be returned on the morrow at the meridian of the said man and so the said man should have his day and night of 26. houres and should bee further by the twelfth part of a naturall day than if he rested him wherefore it followeth of necessity that in twelve naturall days the sayd man should only have but 11. dayes and 11. nights and somewhat lesse and that the Sun should light him but eleven times resconce eleven times for eleven dayes and eleven nights every day night of 26. hours make 12. naturall dayes each day of 24. houres In like manner it behoveth that another man should make this course going toward Orient have his day and night shorter than a naturall day by 2. houres then his day and night should bee but of 22. hours then if he made this course in like space to wit in twelve days and somewhat more Thus if John made the course toward occident and Peter toward orient and that Robert abode them at the place whence they departed the one as soon as the other and they meet at Robert both together Peter would say he had 2 dayes and 2. nights more than John and Robert who had rested a day lesse than Peter and a day more than John howbeit they have made this course in 12. naturall dayes or an hundred or in 10. yeers all is one This is a pleasant consideration among shepheards how John and Peter arive one self day put case it were on sunday John would say it is Saturday Peter would say munday and Robert would say Sunday CHAP. XXXVIII Of the Pomell of the skies a star named the star of the North neare the pole Artike called Septentrionall AFter the abovesaid things here will we speak of some stars in particular And first of them that shepheards call the pomell of the skies or star of the North wherefore we ought to know that we see sensibly the sky turne from Orient to Occident by the diurnall moving that is of the first mobile which is made on two points opposites which be the poles of the sky of the which one we see and it is the pole Artike and the other wee see not which is the pole Antartike or of midday which is alway hid under the earth By the pole Artike which is the star most approched which shepheards call the pomell of the sky the which they say is the highest and most stedfast from us by the which they have the knowledge they have of other stars and parts of the sky The stars which be by the said pomell goe never under the earth of the which be the stars which make the Chariot and divers other but they who be far from it goe sometime under earth as the Sun the Moon and other planets Vnder this pomell directly is the angle of the earth in the place where-against the sun is at the houre of midnight Of Andromeda a star fixed Aries is a signe hot and dry that governeth the head of man the face and the regions Babylon Percy and Araby And signifieth small trees and under him at the 16. degree riseth a star fixed named Andromeda that shepheards figureth a maid in her hair upon the brink of the sea set to be devoured of the monster of the sea but Perseus son of Jupiter fought with his sword against the said monster and slew it and so the said Andromeda was delivered They that be born under her constellation be in danger of prison or to die in prison but if a good planet take regard they scape both death and prison Aries is the exaltation of the Sun at the 20. degree and Aries is the house of Mars with Scorpio where he is most Of Perseus a star fixeâ— Lord of the sphere Taurus hath the trees plants and impes and governeth of man the neck and the throat bol the regions Ethiopy Egypt and the country about and under the 22. degree riseth a star fixed of the first magnitude that shepheards call Perseus son of Jupiter that smot off the head of Meduse who made al them to die that beheld her and by no manner they might eschue it Shepheards say that when Mars is conioyned with this star they that be born under the constellation shall have their heads smitten off if God shape not remedy and sometime they call this star Lord of the sword and figure him a man naked with a sword in one hand and in the other the head of Meduse and looketh on it And Taurus is the exaltation of the moon in the third degree Of Orison a star fixed and his fellows Gemini signifieth large good courage wit beauty clergy and governeth of man the shoulders armes and hands and the regions Iugen Armony Carthage and hath the small trees and under the 18. degree riseth a star fixed named Orison and with it 36. other stars and is figured a man armed in maile and a sword girt about him and signifieth great Captains They that be born under the constellation be in danger to be slain by treason if good fortune be not with them Gemini and Virgo be the houses of Mercury but Virgo is it in which he ioyeth most and Gemini in the third degree is the exaltation of the Dragons head Of Alhabor a star fixed Cancer domineth the long and equall Trees and of the body of man the brain the heart the stomack the side the lights and the lungs The Regions Armony the little and the Region of Orient And there riseth under it in the eight degree a star fixed which Shepheards call Alhabor that is to say the great dog and they say they that be born under the constellation and that be in the ascending or the middest of the sky it
narrow and small except the Zodiack which is large and containeth in length three hundred and threescore degrees of largeness twelve the which largenesse is divided by the middle six Degrees one the on sign and six on the other and this division is made by a line named Eclâ—ptick and is the way of the Sun for the Sun never departeth under that line thus it is alway in the midle of the Zodiack but the other planets been alwayes on the one side or of the other of the said line save when they been in the head or in the tail of the Dragon as the Moon that passeth twice in a month and it happen when it reneweth it is Eclipse of the Sun and if it happen the full Moon and that it be right under the nadyr of the Sun it is generall Eclips and if it be but a part it is not seen when it is eclips of the Sun it is not generall through all the climates but onely in some but when it is eclipse of the Moon it is generall over all Of two great circles that is to say one Meridian and the other Orison that intersequeth the one the other and crosseth directly Meridian is a great circle imagined on the sky which passeth by the poles of the world and by the point of the sky right over our heads the which is called Zenith and when the Sun is come over from Orient unto that circle it is midday and therefore it is called Meridian and the half of that circle is over the earth and the other under it that passeth by the point of midnight directly opposite to Zenith and when the Sun toucheth the part of the circle it is midnight and if a man goe toward orient or occident he hath new meridian and therefore it is sooner midday to them that bee toward Orient then to other if a man stand still his Meridian is one stil or if he goe toward mid-day or septentrion but if he stirre he hath other Zenith and these two circles crosseth directly Orison is a great circle that divideth the part of the sky that we see from that we see not And shepheards say that if a man were in a plaine Country he should see iustly half of the sky which they call their emisphery that is to say half spheare orison is ioyning nigh to the earth of the which orison the entry is the middle and is the place in the which we have been thus each is always in the midst of his orison and Zenith is the pole and as a man transporteth him from one place to another he is in the other places against the sky hath other Zenith other Orison all Orison is right or oblik They have right Orison that abideth under the Equinoctiall and have their Zenith in the Equinoctial for their Orison intersequeth and divideth the Equinoctiall even by these two poles of the world in such wise that none of the poles of the world is raised above their Orison ne deprived under it but they that habit other where than under the equinoctiall have their Orison oblike for their Orison followeth and divideth the Equinoctiall side way and not right and there appeareth unto them of all times one of the poles of the world raised above their Orison and the other be ever hid so that they see them not more or lesse after divers habitations and after that they be of farnesse from the Equinoctiall and the more that the one pole is raised the more the orison oblike and the other pole deprived is to wit that there is as much distance from the Orison to the pole as from the Zenith to the Equinoctiall and that Zenith is the fourth part of Meridian or the middest of the bow diurnall of the which the two ends be on the Orison And also that of the Pole unto the Equinoctiall is the fourth part of all the roundnesse of the skies and also of the Meridian circle sith it passeth by the poles and crosseth the Equinoctiall directly Example of the Orison of Paris after the opinion of shepheards over the which Orison they say that the pole is raised 49. degrees wherefore they say also that from the Zenith of Paris unto the equinoctiall bee 49. degrees and that from the orison unto the Zenith is the fourth part of the Meridian circle bee xc degrees and from the pole to the Zenith be xâ—i degrees and from the pole unto the solstice of summer be lxii degrees and from the solstice unto the equinoctiall be 32. degrees there be from the pole unto the equinoctiall 50. degrees and is the fourth part of the roundnesse of the sky from the equinoctiall unto the solstice of winter be 33. degrees and from the solstice unto the orison â—8 Thus shall the equinoctiall be raised over the orison 12. degrees and the solstice of summer 63 degrees in the which solstice is the Sun at the hour of noon the longest day of summer and then it entreth into Cancer and is most neerest to our habitable parts that may be And when the Sun is in the solstice of winter the shortest day of the yeer at the hour of noon it entereth into Capricornus and the said solstice is not raised over the orison of Paris but 8. degrees The which elevations and risings a man may find plainly so that he know one only and in every region in like wise after the situation Of the two other great circles of the sky and four small TWo great circles be on the sky named colures divideth the skies in four equall parts and crosseth their self directly the one passeth by the poles of the world and by the two solstices and the other by the poles also and by the two equinoctials The first small Circle is called the Circle Artik because of the pole Zodiak about the pole Artik and his like is to his opposite named the Circle Antartik The other two be named Tropikes the one of Summer and the other of Winter The Tropik of summer is cause of the solstice of summer beginning of Cancer and the Tropik of winter of the solstice of winter beginning of Capricorn and be equally distant one Circle from the other Here ought to be noted that the distances of the pole artik to the Circle artik and the distance of the Tropik of summer to the equinoctiall and that of equinoctiall to the Tropik of winter and from the Circle antartik to the pole antartik are iust equall each of 24. degrees a half or there about then the distance from the equinoctiall to the tropik of summer and from the Circle artik to the pole make together 47. degrees The which take away of the quarter between the pole and the equinoctiall whereas be xc degrees save that there abideth 44. that be the distance between the tropik of Winter and the Circle antartik and these Circles be said little for they be not so great as the other neverthelesse
they be divided each by CCClx. degrees as the greatest CHAP. XXXV Of the rising and resconsing of the signs in 〈…〉 ORison and hemisphery differed for orison is the circle that divideth the part of the sky which we see from that under the earth we see not Also orison is a circle that moveth not but as we move from one pâ—ace to another but hemisphery turns continually for one part riseth mounteth over orison and the other part resconseth and entereth under it thus orison riseth ne resconceth Meridian also riseth not ne resconceth Equinoctiall is the diurnall circle that riseth and resconceth regularly as much in one hour as in another and all in 23. hours Zodiake the large circle and oblike whereon the signs be riseth and resconceth all on a day naturall but not regularly for it riseth more in one hour than in another for that is ever over our orison is oblike and divideth the zodiake in two parts whereof one is over our orison and the other underneath Thus half of the signes riseth over our orison every day artificially be it short or long and the other half by night wherefore it behoveth that in daies which be shorter then the nights the signes riseth sooner and in long dayes more at leasure and thus the zodiake riseth not regularly in these parts as the equinoctiall but there is double variation for half of the zodiacke that is from the beginning of Aries unto the end of Virgo altogether taketh as much time in rising as half the equinoctiall that is by it and they begin to rise in a moment and end in a moment also But this half of the zodiake riseth sooner in the begining and this half of the equinoctiall more at leasure and this is called their obliquement Also the other half of the zodiake that is from the beginning of Libra unto the end of Pisces and half of the equinoctiall that is by it beginneth and loveth to rise together but the equinoctiall in that part in the beginning riseth sooner and the zodiake more at leasure and this is called rising directly And whether that riseth sooner the equinoctiall or the zodiake yet allwayes they end together Example of the two movings afore said as if two men went from London to Windsore and departed both together and that at the beginning the one goe fast and the other softly he that goeth fast should be sooner in the midway then the other but if he that went fast to the midway go softly and the other fast they shall be both at once in Windsore Also the half of the zodiake from the beginning of Cancer unto the end of Sagittary in rising beares more than half of the Equinoctiall so that this half riseth all right and the other half of the zodiake riseth oblikely CHAP. XXXVI Of the divisions of the earth and of the Regions FIrst ere we speak of the stars and knowledge that shepheards have we will say of the division of the earth and of the parts after their opinion Wherefore it is to be noted that the earth is round and therefore as a man goes from one country to another he hath other orison then he had and there appeareth other part of the sky and if a man went from septentrion strait toward midday the pole artike to him shall be lesse raised that is to say more nigh approching to the earth and if he went contrarywise it should be more raised that is to say appearing higher and therefore if he went toward midday under a meridian wheel that the pole artike were lesse raised over his orison by the 30. part of one of the vi parts of the Arke Meredian he should passe the 30. part of the 6. parts of half the circuit on the earth and to him the pole should be lesse raised by one degree or to the contrary till it were more raised of one degree then he should passe one degree of the circuit of the earth of the which all the degrees together be ccc.lx. And one degree of the earth containeth 12. leagues and an half or there about and every league is 2. mile And as the speare of the sky is divided by the four lesse circles five partes called Zones so the earth is divided into five regions whereof the first is between the pole artike and the circle artike The second is between the circle artike and the tropike of summer The third is between the tropike of summer the tropike of winter The fourth is between the tropike of winter and the circle Antartike The fift between the circle antartike and the pole antartike Of which parts of the earth some shepheards say that the first and the fift be inhabitable for their over great coldnesse for they be too far from the Sun The third is in the middle is too near under the way of the Sun and is inhabitable for the great heat The other two parts the second and the fourth be neither too near ne too far from the Sun but be moderate in heate and cold and therefore they be inhabitable if there be no other letting and suppose it be true yet it is not impossible to passe overthwart the region under the way of the Sun called Zone turned to go from the second to the fourth For some shepheards would have passed which would have shewed it wherefore they say that there is no region habited but the second wherein we and all other be CHAP. XXXVII Of the variation that is for divers habitations and Regions of the earth SHepheards say that if it were possible that the earth were inhabited all about and pose the case that it were so first they that inhabit under the Equinoctiall have alwayes the dayes and the nights equall and have the two poles of the world at the 2. corners of the orison and may see all the stars when they see the two poles and the sun passeth twice a year over them that is when it passeth by the equinoctials Thus the sun is to them the one half of the yeer toward the pole artick and the other half toward the other pole and therefore they have two winters in a yeer without great cold one is when we have winter and the other when we have summer Semblably they have two Summers one in March when we have prime time and the other in September when we have harvest and by this they have four solstices two high when the sun passeth by their zenich and two low when it declineth one way or other and thus they have four umbres or shadowes in a yeer for when the sun is in the equinocts twice in the yeer in the morning their shadowes be in the occident and at night in the orient and then at noon they have no shadowes but when the Sun is in the signes septentrionals their shadowes be toward the parts of the signes meridionaâ—s and so againward Secondly they that inhabit between the equinoctiall and the Tropike oâ— summer
counsell A man with a round visage running eyes and yellow teeth is of little truth a traitor and hath a stinking breath A person with a long slender neck is cruell without pity hasty and brainlesse A person with a short neck is full of fraude barate of deception of malice and none ought to trust in him A person that hath a long thick neck signifyeth gluttony force and great letchery A manly woman that is great truely membred is by nature melancholyous valiant and letcherous One that hath a great long belly signifieth small wit pride and letchery A little bellie and large feet signifieth good understanding good counsell and true A person having large feet high and curbed shoulders signifieth prowesse hardinesse hastinesse truth and wit Shoulders sharp and long betokeneth letchery untruth barate and unnaturall When the armes been so long that they may stretch to the ioynt of the knee it is a token of prowes largesse truth honor good wit and understanding when the armes be short it is a sign of ignorance of evill nature and a person that loveth debate Long hands and slender fingers signifieth subtilty and a person that hath desire to know many things Small hands and short thicke fingers betokeneth folly and lightnesse of courage Thick and large hands and big signifieth force hastinesse hardinesse and wit Clear and shining nailes of good colour signifieth wit and increase of honor Nayles full of white spots and riveled signifieth a person avaricious letcherous proud and of great heart full of wit and malice The foot thick and full of flesh signifieth a person outragious vigorous and of little wit Small feet and light signifieth hardnesse of understanding and little truth Feet flat and short signifieth an anguishous person of small wisedom and uncurtesie A person that goeth a great pace is great of heart and despitefull A person that maketh small steppes and thick is suspicious full of envy and evill will A person that hath a small flat foot and casteth as a child signifieth hardinesse and wit but the said person hath divers thoughts A person that hath soft flesh too cold ne too hot signifieth a well disposed person of good understanding and subtile wit full of truth and increasing of honor A person that laugheth gladly and hath green eyes is debonair of good wit true wise and letcherous The person that laugheth faintly is slothfull mellancholious suspicious malicious and subtile Shepheards say for that there are divers signes in a man and woman and that they be sometime contrary one to the other one ought to iudge for the most part after the signes in the visage First of the eyes for they be truest they say also God formed no creature to inhabit the world wiser then man for there is no condition in a beast but is comprehended in man Naturally a man is hardy as the Lyon true and worthy as the Ox large and liberall as the Cock avaricious as the Dog and aspre as the Hart debonair and true as the Turtle malicious as the Leopard prevy and tame as the Dove dolorous guilefull as the Fox simple and debonaire as the Lambe shrewd as the Ape light as the Horse soft and pitifull as the Bear dear and precious as the Eliphant good and wholsome as the Vnicorn vile slothfull as the Asse fair and proud as the Peacock gluttenous as the Wolf envious as the Bitch inobedient as the Nightingale humble as the Pigeon fel foolish as the Ostrich profitable as the Pismire dissolute and vagabond as the Goat spitefull as the Fesant soft and meek as the Chicken moveable and varying as the Fish letcherous as the Bore strong and puissant as the Camell traitor as the Mule advised as the Mouse reasonable as an Angel therfore he is called the little world for he participateth of all or he is called all creatures for as it is said he participateth and hath condition of all creatures CHAP. XLIII Shepheards practise that quadrant of the night as yee may see by this figure BY this figure one may know the hours by night as followeth let the Star be known we call the pomel of the sky right under is the summer at the hour of mid-night the place on the earth against the star that we call the Angel of the earth When we wil see it at eie we behold our Pomel and I behold under this cord and the nether end of my cord is the angle of the earth and the Sun is right under it The long line that traverseth the star of the figure that is the pomel of the skies serveth for two hours and the small lines for one hour But yet serve lines as the changing of the star that signifieth mid-night consequently the other hours for the long hours serve to a month and the small to fifteen days Let the cord be stretched that it be seen over the pomel note some star under the cord that may be alway known and that shall be it that alway shall shew us the hours of the night After imagine a circle about the pomel and distance of the star marked in which circle be imagined the lines or semblable distances as in the figure As many distances as the marked star shall be before the cord so many hours shall there be before midnight and as many as shal be behind the cord so many hours be after midnight It must be known that the star marked changed the place in xv days by the distinction of an hour in a month of two Wherfore it behoveth to take midnight in xv days further by the distance of an hour and in a month of two and in two months of four and in three months of six so as in six months the star marked that was right under the pomell shall be right over and in other six months it will come to the point where as it was first marked and this said marked star one ought not to change but ought to choose it among many for the most knowledgable and for the most to be found among other By this present figure shepheards know by night in the fields all seasons what time and hour it is be it before midnight or after The xxiv letters without the figure be for the xxiv hours of a naturall day and the xii within been for the xii months The star in the middest is the pomel of the skies with the which it behoveth to know one that is next it which shall be a marked star and it by the which one may know the hour in the manner as afore is said in taking mid-night in fifteen days further more by the distance of an hour FOr to know by night the place against mid-day as of midnight the high Orient and the high Occident the low Orient the low Occident and the place in the sky over against which every signe riseth Shepheards useth this practice They hang a cord that is made stedfast above and
THE Shepheards Kalender Newly Augmented and Corrected LONDON Printed by Robert Ibbitson And are to bee sold by Francis Grove neer the Sarazens-head on Snow-Hill without Newgate MDCLVI Here beginneth the Prologue THis Book gentle Reader was first corruptly printed in France and after that at the cost and charges of Richard Pinson newly translated and reprinted although not so faithfully as the Original Copy required Therefore it is once again over-seen and perused that the same may be at length correspondent to the Authors minde and very profitable for the Reader because this Book doth teach many things that we be bound to learn and know on pain of everlasting death as the Laws of God sheweth us how we may know to keep his Commandements and to know the remedies to with-stand deadly sin there be many men and women think themselves wise and know and learn many things but that they bee bound to learn and know that they know not As first the Ten Commandements of God and the Five Commandements of the Church That every Creature that purposes to be saved should learn and know and have them as perfect as their Pater-noster You people how will you confess you and if you break any of the Ten Commandements and you know not them Truly there is but a few that know them therefore yee that do not know them do your diligence to learn them for yee be bound to learn them as well as to learn your Pater-noster For how can you keep our Lords Commandements and yee know them not And yee be bound to break not one of them on pain of Damnation for and if thou breakest one thou breakest all Offend the Law in one point and offend it in all for if thou break one thou dost not Gods bidding for he biddeth thee break none And all that yee do in this World here if it be not of God or in God or for God all is in vain you should not occupy your self in vain matters but in reading of good Books for vanity engendereth vain thoughts and destroyeth devotion in man What need have we to study on a thing that is naught study on your Sin and what Grace by God in you is wrought Also in this Book is many more matters look in the Table following The Table of the Kalender of Shepheards This is the Table of this present Book of the Shepheards Kalender drawn out of French into English with many more godly editions than be Chaptered newly put thereto FIrst the Prologue of the Author that saith that every man may live lxxiv. years at the least and they that die before that term it is by evill government and by violence or outrage of themselves in their youth Cap. primo The second Prologue of the great Master Shepheard that proveth true by good argument all that the first Shepheard saith cap. 2. Also a Kalender with the figures of every Saint that is hallowed in the year in the which is the figures the hours and the moments and the new Moones cap. 3. The Table of the moveable feasts with the compound manuall cap. 4. The Table to know and understand every day what sign the Moon is in cap. 5. Also in the figure of the eclipse of the Sun and the Moon the days hours and moments cap. 6. The Trees and branches of vertues and vices cap. 7. The pains of hell and how they be ordained for every deadly sin which is shewed by figures cap. 8. The garden and field of all vertues sheweâ—h a man how he should know whether he be in the state of the grace of God or not cap. 9. A noble declaration of the seven principall petitions of the Pater noster and also the Ave Maria of the three salutations of which the Angell Gabriell made the first the second was made by Saint Elizabeth and the third maketh our Mother holy Church cap. 10. Also the Credo in English of the 12. articles of our faith cap. 11. Also the ten Commandements in English and the five commandements of the Church Catholike cap. 12. Also a figure of a man in a shippe that sheweth the unstablenesse of this transitory world cap. 13. Also to teach a man to know the field of vertues cap. 14. Also a shepheards ballad that sheweth his frailty cap. 15. Also a ballad of a woman shepheard that profiteth greatly cap. 16. Also a ballad of death that biddeth a man beware in time cap. 17. Also the ten commandements of the devill and the reward that they shall have that keep them cap. 18. Another ballad that Saint John sheweth in the apocalypse of the black Horse that death rideth upon cap. 19. A Ballad how Princes and States should govern them Chapter 20. The trees and branches of vertues and vices with the seven vertues against the seven deadly sins c. 21. Also a figure that sheweth how the twelve signes reign in mans body and which be good and which be bad c. 22. A picture of the phisnomy of mans body and sheweth in what parts the seven Planets hath domination in man c. 23. And after the number of the Bones in Mans body followeth a Picture that sheweth of all the Veins in the body and how to be let blood in them c. 24. To know whether a man be like to be sick or no and to heal them that be sick c. 25 And also here sheweth of the replexion of evil humors and also for to cleanse them c. 26 Also how men should govern them in the four quarters of the year c. 27 Also how men should do when Physick doth fail them for health of body and soul made in a Ballad Royal. c. 28 Also to shew men what is good for the brain the eyes the throat the breast the heart and stomack properly declared c. 29 Also the contrary to shew what is evil for the brain the eyes the throat the breast the heart and stomack following by and by And a good drink for the pestilence c. 30 Also of the four Elements and the similitude of the Earth and how every Planet is one above another and which be masculine and feminine c. 31 A crafty figure of the world with the twelve signs going about an also of the movings of the Heavens with the Planets .32 Also of the equinoctial and the Zodiack which is in their heaven which containeth the firmament and all under it with a picture of a Spire c. 33 Of Solstitium of Summer Solstitium of Winter with a figure of the Zodiack c. 34 Of the rising and descending of the signs in the Horizon c. 35 And also of the division of the earth and the regions with a picture of the mobile c. 36 Of the variation that is in many habitations and regions of the earth c. 37 Also of the twelve stars fixed that sheweth what shall happen unto them that are born under them c. 38 Also a figure of the twelve hours asmuch in earth as in heaven c. 39 Also pictures
of the seven Planets to know in what hour they do reign the day and night and telleth which be bad and which be good and sheweth how the children shall be disposed that shall be born under them c. 40 Also pictures of the four complexions to shew and know the condition of each complexion and to know by a mans colour what he is of any of all four and how he is disposed of nature c. 41 Also here followeth the judgement of the mans face and body as Aristotle wrote to King Alexander the condition of man and the properties in the visages of man but by the grace of God good conditions grace praiers fastings and blessings these five withstand unkindly condition c. 42 Also a picture of the Pomyaw that sheweth a man to know every hour of the night what is a Clock before midnight and after c. 43 Also then follow pictures of the impressions of the air of the flying dragon and the leaping kiddes the way to S. James and the seven starres of the burning Pillar and of the fiery Spear and of the flaming bushes or trees that other while faileth and the flying starre and the blazing starrs and of five-tailed stars and of the bearded starre with the Epitaph of a Thunderbolt c. 44 Also how the Moon changeth twelve times in the year so likewise mans conditions change twelve times in the year c. 45 Of the commodities of the twelve months in the year with the twelve ages of man c. 46 Of an assault against a Snail c. 47 Also followeth the meditation of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ that Shepheards and simple people ought to have in hearing of their divine service c. 48 The saying of the dead man c. 49 How every man and woman ought to cease of their sins at the sounding of a dreadful horn c. 50 To know the fortunes and destinies of a man born under the twelve signs after Ptolomeus Prince of Astronomy c. 51 Also followeth the twelve months with the pictures of the twelve signs that sheweth the fortunes of men and women that are born under them so that they know in what month and day they were born c. 52 Also here telleth of the ten Christian Nations that is to say to shew the certain points that much Heathen people do beleeve of their faith but not in all and therefore we begin first with our faith c. 53 Also followeth a few Proverbs c. 54 The Authors Ballad c. 55 Also good drink for the Pestilence which is not chaptered Thus endeth the Table of the present Book The Shepheards Kalender The art science and practice of the great Kalender of Shepheards by example right fertile and profitable unto all manner of people and easie to be understood by mans wit with divers additions newly adioyned thereto as hereafter followeth CHAP. I. A great question asked between the Shepheards touching the stars and an answer made to the same question THe Shepheards in a morning before the day being in the fields beheld the firmament that was fixed full of stars one amongst the other said to his fellow I demand of thee how many stars be on the twelve parts of the Zodiack that is under one sign only The other shepheard answered and said let be found a peece of land in a plain Country as upon the plain of Salisbury and that the said peece of land be xl miles long and xxiiii miles broad After that take great long nailes with great broad heads as the nailes be that are made for cart-wheeles as many as shall suffice for the said peece of land and let the said nailes be stricken unto the heads in the said peece of land four fingers distant one from another till that the peece of land be covered over from one side to the other I say that there be as many stars contained under one signe only as there should be nailes struck in the foresaid peece of land and there is as many under each of the other and to the equipollent by the other places of the firmament The first Shepheard demanded how wilt thou prove it the second answered and said that no man is bound nor tied to prove things unpossible and that it ought to suffice for shepheards touching this matter to beleeve simply without overmuch enquirie of that their predecessors shepheards have said before Husbondrye Thus endeth the Astrology of shepheards with the knowledge that they have of the stars planets and movings of the skies Hereafter followeth the saying of the shepheard to the Plowman How Plow men should doe PIers goe thou to plow and take with thee thy wife Delve and draw sow barly wheat and rie Of one make ten this is perfect life As saith Aristotle in his Philosophy Thou need not study to know Astrologie For if the weather be not to thy pleasance Thank ever God of his divine ordinance Thus endeth the Plowman The Author IN the end of this book Who so list for to look Therein he shall see A ballad that saith this He that many bookes reads Cunning shall he be Wisdome is soon caught In many leaves it is sought And some doth it find But sloth that no book bought For reason takes no thought His thrift comes behind And many one doth say That Clarks ne tell may What shall befall They that this doe report Be of the peevish sort That little good can at all They know that drink doth slake the thirst And when their eies is full of dust Yet may they sit and shale peason For and Clerkes shew them books of cunning They bid them lay them up a sunneing Vnto another season And if we speak of Astronomie They will say it is a great lye For they ken no other reason But all that knoweth good and better As gentlemen that loveth sweet and sweeter Wisdom with them is not geason The Prologue of the Author that put this Book in writing AS here before time there was a Shepheard keeping Sheep in the Fields which was no Clerk nor had no understanding of the literal sence nor of no manner of Scripture nor Writing but of his Natural wit and understanding said Howbeit though living and dying be all at the pleasure of Almighty GOD yet man may live by the course of Nature lxxii years or more This was his reason And he saith as much time as a man hath to grow in beauty length breadth and strength so much time hath he to wax old and feeble to his end But the term to grow in beauty height and strength is xxxvi yeer and the term to wax old feeble and weak and turn to the earth ward which is in all together lxxii year that he ought to live by course of nature And they that dye before this time often it is by violence and outrage done to their complexion and nature But they that live above this term is by good regiment and ensignments after the which a man hath governned himself To this
purpose of living and dying the said shepheard saith the thing that we desire most in this world is to live long and the thing that wee most fear is to dye soon thus he travailed his understanding and made great diligence to know and to do things possible and requisite for to live long whole and ioyfully which this present compost and Kalender of Shepheards sheweth and teacheth Wherefore we will shew you of the bodies celestiall and of their nature and movings and this present book is named the compost for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the daies hours and moments and the new Moons and the Eclipse of the Sunne and the Moon and the signs that the Moon is in every day and this book was made for them that be no Clarks to bring them to great understanding He said also that the desire to live long was in his soul the which alway lasteth wherefore hee would that his desire was accomplished after death as afore He said sith the soul dieth not and in her is the desire to live long it should be an infallible pain not to live after death as afore for he that liveth not after his corporal death shall not have that that he hath desired that is to wit to live long should abide in eternal pain if his desire were not accomplished So concluded the said Shepheard necessary things for him and other to know and do that which appertaineth to live after death as afore And truth it is that he which liveth but the life of this world only though hee lived an hundred year he lived not properly long but he should live long that at the end of this present life should begin the life eternall that is to say the life everlasting in heaven So a man ought to perform his life in this world corporally that he may live spiritually without end For as hee said one shall live everlasting without dying and when he hath the perdurable life hee shall bee perfect And also by this point and none otherwise shall be accomplished the desire of long living in this world The foresaid Shepheard also knowledged that the life of this world was soon past and gone wherefore this Shepheard thought that lxxii years in this vale of wretched misery is but a little and a small term of life to the everlasting the which never shall have ending And therefore he saith he that offereth himself here to live vertuously in this world after this life he shall receive the sweet life that is sure and lasteth ever without end For though a man lived here an C. yeer and more it is but a little term to the life to come Therefore saith this shepheard I will live soberly with these small temporal goods that Iesus hath lent me and ever to exile the desire of worldly riches and worldly worship For they that labour for it and have love to their goods and vain worships oft it parteth man from the heavenly treasure It shutteth mans heart that God may not enter and buildeth man a place of no rest in the low land of darknesse CHAP. II. Hereafter followeth another Prologue of the Master Shepheard that sheweth and proveth the Authors Prologue true that is before rehearsed and so the shepheards dispute one with another but this that followeth the Master shepheard saith to the other of the division of this Kalender Here beginneth the Master Shepheard IT is to be understood that there be in the year four quarters that are called Ver Aestas Autumnus and Hyems These de the four seasons of the year as Prime-time is the spring of the year as February March and April these three months Then commeth Summer as May Iune and Iuly and these three months every hearb grain and tree is in his kind in his most strength and fairnesse even at the highest Then commeth Autumne as August September and October then all these fruits waxe ripe and be gathered and housed Then commeth November December and Ianuary and these three months be the Winter the time of little profit We Shepheards say that the age of man is lxxii years and that we liken but to one whole year for evermore we take six years to every month as Ianuary or February so forth for as the year changeth by the twelve months into twelve sundry manners so doth a man change himself twelve times in his life by twelve ages and every age lasteth six year if so be that he live to lxxii for three times six maketh eighteen and six times six maketh xxxvi And then is man at the best and also at the highest and twelve times six maketh lxxii and that is the age of a man Thus must ye reckon for every month six year or else it may be understood by the four quarters and seasons of the year So man is divided into four parts as to youth strength wisedome and age He to be xviii yeer yong xviii yeer strong xviii yeer in wisdome and the fourth xviii yeer to go to the full age of lxxii And now to shew you how man changeth xii times as the xii months do TAke the first six yeer of Ianuary the which is for no vertue nor strength in that season nothing on the earth groweth So man after he is born till he be six year of age is without wit strength or cunning and may do nothing that profiteth Then commeth February and then the days begin to wax in length and the Sunne more hotter then the fields begin to waxe green So the other six yeers till he come to twelve the child beginneth to grow bigger serve and learn such as is taught him Then commeth March in the which the laborer soweth the earth planteth trees edifieth houses the child in these six yeers waxeth big to learn doctrin science and to be fair honest for then he is xviii years of age Then commeth Aprill that the earth and the trees are covered in green and flowers and in every part goods increase abundantly then commeth the child to gather the sweet flowers of hardinesse but then beware that the cold winds stormes of vices beat not down the flowers of good manners that he should bring man to honor for then he is xxiiii yeer old Then commeth May that is both fair and pleasant for then birds sing in woods and Forrests night and day the Sunne shineth hot and as then is man most ioyfull and pleasant and of livelier strength and seeketh plaies sports and lusty pastime for then he is full xxx years Then cometh Iune and then is the sunne highest in his meridional he may ascend no higher in his station his glimering golden beams ripēs the corn and when a man is xxxvi year he may ascend no more for then hath nature given him beauty and strength at the full and ripeneth the seeds of perfect understanding Then commeth Iuly that our fruits been set a sunning and our corn a
hardning but then the Sun beginneth a little for to descend downward so man then goeth from youth toward age and beginneth to acquaint him with sadnesse for then he is xlii year After that then commeth August then we gather in our corn and also the fruits of the earth and then doth man his diligence to gather for to find himself withall in the time that he may neither get nor win and then after that vi yeers is he xlviii year old Then commeth September that wines be made and the fruits of trees be gathered And then therewithall he doth freshly beginne to garnish his house and make provision of needfull things for to live in winter which draweth very neer and then is man in his most ioyful couragious estate prosperous in wisdome purposing to gather and keep as much as should be sufficient for him in his old age when he may gather no more and these six years maketh him liv years And then commeth October that all is into the foresaid house gathered but corn and also other maner fruits And also the labourer soweth new seeds in the earth for the yeer to come And then he that soweth nought shall nought gather And then in these other six years a man shall take himself unto God for to do penance good works and then the benefits the yeer after his death he may gather and have spiritual profit and then is man full in the term lx year Then commeth November that the days are very short and the sun in manner giveth little heat the trees lose their leaves The fields that were green look hory and gray When all manner of herbs be hidde in the ground and then appeareth no flowers And then winter is come that a man hath understanding of age and hath lost his kindly heat strength His teeth begin to rot and also to chatter and then hath he no more hope of long life but desireth to come to the life everlasting and these six for this month maketh him lx and six years Then commeth December full of cold with frost and snow with great winds and stormy weather that a man may not labour nor nought do the sun is then at the lowest that it may desceÌ„d then the trees the earth is hid in snow then is it good to hold them nigh the fire to spend the goods that they gathered in summer For then beginneth mans hair to wax white gray his body crooked feeble then he loseth the perfect understaÌ„ding and that six years maketh him full lxxii year and if he live any more it is by his good guiding and dieting in his youth Howbeit it is possible that a man may live till he be an hundred yeers of age but there are but few that come thereto Wherefore I Shepheard said moreover that of living or dying the heavenly bodies may stirre a man both to good and evill without doubt of a surety but yet may a man withstand it by his own free will to do what he will himself good or bad evermore Above the which inclination is the might and will of God that longeth the life of man by his goodnesse or to take it short by his iustice Wherefore we will shew you of the bodies celestiall and of the nature and movings and this present book is named the Compost for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the days hours moments and the new Moons and the eclipse of the Sun and Moon and of the sign that the Moon is in every day and this book was made for them that are no Clerks to bring them to great understanding And this Calender is divided into five parts The first of our signs of the compost and the Kalender The second is the tree of vices with the paines of hell The third is the way of health of man the tree of vertues The fourth is physick and governance of health The fift is Astrology and physnomy for to understand many deceivings and which they be by likelihood the which by nature are inclined and can do them as you shall read ere you come to the end For to have the Shepheards understanding of their Kalender ye should understand that the year is the measure of the time that the sunne passeth the twelve signs returning to his first point is divided into the twelve months As Ianuary February March and so forth to December So the sunne in these twelve months passeth by twelve signs one time The days of his entring into the signs in the Kalender and the days also when he parteth the yeer as the xii months into lii weeks three hundred sixty and five days and when bysext is it is threescore and vi one day is xxiv hours every hour lx minutes After these divisions yee must understand for every year three things The first speaketh of the Golden number The second of the letter dominicall And the third is the letter tabular in the which lyeth all the chief knowledge of this Kalender for the which letter and number to understand all that they would whether it be past or to come ye shall put three figures after the Kalender of the which the first shall shew the value and declaration of the two other and it is to be understâ—â—d that in four years there is one Bysâ—xt the which hath one day more than the other and also hath two letters dominicals signed in one of the foresaid figures and changeth the latter day of S. Matthew the which is vigill and is put with the day upon one letter by himself Also the letters Ferials of this Kalender be to be understood as they of the other kalenders before the which are the numbers and the other three after the letters ferials First for because the letters descendeth low is the golden number above the day of the new Moon And the which to be the hour and moments of the said month which when they are in service before noon of the day above there And when they are black service for afternoon of the same day in the places of the number betokeneth that number where it is The naturall day is to be understood from midnight to midnight xxiv houres and shall serve the said numbers for the letters Ferials xix yeer complete from the year that this Kalender was made one thousand four hundred fourescore and seventeen unto the yeer one thousand five hundred and sixteen In the which yeer shall begin all to serve this golden number and the other numbers after the letters ferials all in the manner as they be before for the other xix yeers And all the remnant of the compost and of the kalender is perpetual for the golden number so shall they be xxxviii yeers of the which yeers one thousand four hundred fourscore seventeen is the first The feasts of the kalender are in their daies of the which the solennall are in red storied in the unity
Naturam Cancri pectoris aula gerit At Leo vult stomachum renes sibi vendicat idem Sed intestinis Virgo praeesse petit Ambas Libra nates ambas sibi vendicat hancas Scorpio vult anum vultque pudenda sibi Inde Sagittarius is coxis vult dominari Amborum genuum vim Capricornus habet Regnat in Aquario cruri um vis apta decenter Piscibus demum congrua planta pedum Saturnus niger Iupiter viridis Mars rubeus est Sol croceus Venus albus Mercurius Luna varii sunt dum quisquis regnat nascitur puer sic coloratus The declaration of the Latine here above THat is to say that the twelve signs have dominion over the body of man divided by the parts as the signs divide the firmament and every sign beholdeth and governeth the parts of the body so as it is said above and afterward shall be shewed by figures and is declared more plainly and faithfully Such like of Planets is said of their colours but of their natures and propâ—â—ties of the parts of the bodys the which governeth and beholdeth more at full shall you hear at length Also of the twelve months natures March April and May are very hot and moist that signifieth blood and ayre Iune Iuly and August is Summer and signifieth hot and dry choler manhood fear September October and November is harvest and betokeneth cold and dry and age melancholy and earth December Ianuary and February is winter and betokeneth cold and moist childhood flegm and water CAlled I am January the cold In Christmas season good fire I love Yong Iesus that sometime Judas sold In me was circumcised for mans behoove Three Kings sought the son of God above They kneeled down and did him homage with love To God their Lord that is mans own brother CHAP. III. Hereafter followeth a Kalender with the figures of every Saint that is hallowed in the yeer in the which is the figures the hours the months and the new Moons Ianuary hath 31 days the Moon 30 In Iâ—no claris calidisque cibis potiaris Atque decens potus post sercula sit tibi notus Laedit enim medo tunc potatus ut bene credo Balnea tutius intres venam scindere â—ures viii iv ix A viii iii â—vli Circumcisio Domini xvi v vii b    Octa. S. Stephen    c xvi iv  Octa S. Iohannis v o ii d v vii lv Octava sanctorum Inno.    e    Octa sa Thome martyr xi iv xii f xiii vi  Epiphania Domini    g iii ix xlv Felicis and Ianua o i xxxvii A    sa Luciani x ix iv b x viii xli sa Iudi. xviii vi xiii c xviii iv xvi Pauli prim heâ—emite    d    Lini Bishop Sol in Aqua vii viii vi e vii o xxxv Archadii martyr    f  February sa Hillary xv v xxxlv g xâ— i viii Felici presbyter    A iii viii ii S. Maur. abbot iv x xxxi b    sa Marcelli Bishop xii x xli c xii o xvi Sulp Bishop x xi lii d    sa Pisce virgin ix v xi e  x xvii Wolstan Bishop    f ix v li Fabian and Sebastian xvii o xxxiii g xvii ii xlvii sa Agnetis    A  iv xii Vincent martyr vi vi xxxv b  iv xii sa Emerancian    c    sa Timothy â—iv ii xvii d    Conversion of Paul    e xiv i xxxix Policarp Bishop iii ii xxi f iii vi xlv Iulian Bishop xi xi xx g    Agneus secundo xix vi xxxv A xi vii xxxvi Valeri bishop and mart    b xix vi xxvii Batild virg    c    Saturnini Victoris February hath 28. days the Moon 27. Nascitur occulta febris Februario multa Potibus escis si caute vivere velis Tunc cave frigorem de pollice funde cruorem Fuge mellis favum pectoris qui morbos curabit viii v xii d â—iii i xvi Bridgi Ignasii xvi o vi e xvi viii xxxi Purification of Mary    f    S. Blasi Bishop   xxxvii g v ii xxv S. Gilbert Bishop    A xiii x xxii S. Agathe virg xiii iii lviii b    Vedasti Amandi xi o iv c ii x lv sa Anguli virg x vi lix d x vii xliv Paul Bishop    e    sa Apollony virg xviii ix ii f xvi iii iii Sol in Pâ—ces    g vii i liv Eufrasie virg vi i xvi A    sa Eulaly    b v vii xxxv sa Wolfrani xv xi xv c    sa Valentine Bishop iv xiii lv d iv ii xxvi Faustin Ioniti xii o xxxiii e    Iulian virg i vii xli f xli o xxiii Policron bishop martyr    g i viii xxix Simon bishop martyr ix iv xvi A ix xv xxx Sabin and Iulian mar    b xvii iv lix Mildred virg xvii vi xvi c    Sanctorum lxix    d vi viii lviii Cathedra sancti Petri. vi i x e    Policarp Locus biferti    f xiv vi i Mathew Apostle xiv iv xii g    Invention of S. Paul iii i xiii A iii ix xlviii S Nestor mart  o xi b xi viii liii S Augustin    c    Oswald bishop and con It is to be noted that the golden numbers shew the days hours and minutes of the new Moons the red numbers for the forenoon and the black numbers for the afternoon on the same day that the numbers demonstrateth March hath 31. days the Moon 30. Martius humores gignit variosque dolores Sume cibum pure cocturas si placet ure Balnea sunt sana sed quae superflua vana Vena nec addenda nec potio sit tribuenda vii viii xxxvi d xix iii iiii sa David bishop    e viii o l sa Cedde bishop    f xv i xlvi Martini et Asteri xvi vi x g    sa Adrian Mart. v x xlviii A v vii xxxix Foce Eusebii Perpetue    b    Victoris et Victorini xiii  xx c xiii o xii Perpetue et Felic ii ix xix d ii ix xlvi Depositio sancti Felicis    e    Quadraginta mart x iiii xlviii f x v xx sa Agapite virg xviii o xli g xviii ii xlvi Sol in Aries Equinoct    A    S. George bishop vii vi xlv b viii v i
f m xxxi f a xxiv f a vij f m xxiv g a vii g m i g â xxv g a viij g m xxv  vi  vij  viij  ix  x A a xvi A a ij A a xxiv A a ix A a ij b a xvii b a iij b a xxiv b a x b a iij c a xviii c a iv c a xxv c a xi c m xxviii d a vii d a v d a xix d a xii d m xxix e a xiii e a vi e a xx e a xiij e m xxx f a xiiii f m xxxi f a x x f xiv f m xxxi g a xv g a i g a xxij g a viii g ai  xi  xij  xiij  xiv  x v A a xvi A a ix A a xxvi A a xvi A a ij b a xvii b a x b m 27 b a xvii b a iij c a xviii c a xi c m 28 c a xviii c a iv d a xix d a v d m 29 d a xix d a v e a xx e a vi e m 30 e a xiij e a vi f a xxi f a vij f m xxi f a xiv f a vij g a xxii g a viij g m xxv g a xv g a viij  xvi  xvij  xviiii  xix   A m xxv A a xvi A a ij A a xiij   b m xxviii b a x b a iij b a xiv   c m xxviii c a xi c a vi c a xviij   d m xxii d a xii d a v d a xix   e m xxiii e a xiij e m 30 e a xx   f m xxiv f a xiv f m 31 f a xxi   g â— xxâ—v g a xv g a i g a xxij   Vpon the letter Dominicall next under the golden number that runneth is Easter day for the year of the golden number a signifieth April insignifieth March and the number of the said Letters is the number of the days of the month that Easter shall fall upon CHAP. VI. The figure of the Eclipse of the Sunne and the Moon the days hours and moments M.d.lxxii the Eclipse of the moon the 17. day of october xiii hours lxii minutes M.d.lxix the Eclipse of the Moon the second day of March xx hours 4. min. M.d.lxx. the Eclipse of the moon the 20. day of february v. hours 39. minutes M.d.lxx. the Eclipse of the moon the xv day of August ix hours xvii minutes M.d.lxxii the Eclipse of the moon the xv day of Iune ix hours lxii minutes M.d.lxxiii the Eclipse of the moon the viii day of Decem. 7. hours 38. minutes M d.lxxiiii the Eclipse of the sunne the xiii day of november iii. hours 52. minutes M.d.lxxvi the Eclipse of the sun the 7. day of October x. hours lii minutes M.d.lxxvii the Eclipse of the moon the 2. day of Aprill 8. hours xviii minutes M.d. 78. the Eclipse of the moon the 26. day of september xii hours 36 minutes M.d.lxxviii the Eclipse of the moon the 15. day of septemb 13 hours viii minutes M.d.lxxx the Eclipse of the moon the 31. day of Ianuary x. hours vi minutes M.d.lxxxi the Eclipse of the moon the 19. day of Ianuary 11. hours 6. minutes M.d.lxxxii the Eclipse of the Moon the 15. day of Iuly xvi hours 48 minutes M.d.lxxxiii the Eclipse of the sunne the 19. day of Iune 16. hours 53. minutes M.d.lxxxiiii the Eclipse of the sun the xix day of Aprill xvii hours xxvii minutes M.d.lxxxv the Eclipse of the moon the viii day of November xiii hours xii min. M.d.lxxxvi the Eclipse of the moon the xvi day of september 8. hours lviii minutes M d.lxxxvii the Eclipse of the moon the second day of March 15. hours xiv mi. M.d.lxxxviii the Eclipse of the moon the 25. day of August xvii hours xxiii minutes M.d.lxxxix the Eclipse of the moon the 15. day of August 7. hours 53. minutes M.d.xc. the Eclipse of the Sunne the 20. day of Iuly 19 hours 38. minutes M.d.xc. the Eclipse of the moon the xxx day of decemb 8. hours i. minute M.d.xci the Eclipse of the Sun the 10. day of Iuly 36. hours 36 minutes M v c.xc the Eclipse of the moon the xix day of december xvii hours xxiv minutes M v c.xci. the Eclipse of the moon the xiii day of Iune x hours xxiiii minutes M.v c.xcii the Eclipse of the moon the 8. day of december viii hours xxiii minutes M v. c.xciii the Eclipse of the sun the .xx. day of May two hours xxxvi m. M. v.cxciiii the Eclipse of the moon the viii day of octob xix hours 28. minutes M v c xcv the Eclipse of the moon the xiii day of Aprill xvi hours liii minutes M v c.xcv the Eclispe of the Sun the xxiii of September the i hour xiii minutes M v. c.xcvi the Eclipse of the moon the ii day of April ix hours xlix minutes M. v.c.xcvii the Eclipse of the moon the x. day of february 18. hours 57. min. M. v.c.xcviii the Eclipse of the sun the 24 day of February 12. hours 11. minutes M. v.c.xcviii the Eclipse of the moon the vi of August vii hours lviii minutes M. v.c.cxix the Eclipse of the moon the 30. day of Ianuary 19. hours 6 minutes M vi c the Eclipse of the sun the 30. day of Iune one hour xxxiii minutes M. vi.c.i the Eclipse of the moon the 29. day of novem vii hours 38. minutes M.vi c.i. the Eclipse of the Sunne the 14. day of Decem. ii hours liiii minutes M.vi c.ii. the Eclipse of the moon the xxv of May vii hours xxxvi minutes M vi c.iii the Eclipse of the moon the xiiii day of May xii hours l. minutes M vi c. iii. the Eclipse of the moon the viii day of november vii hours 37. minutes M.vi c.iv. the Eclipse of the moon the 24. day of March the ix hours 42. minutes M.vi c.v. the Eclipse of the moon the 24. day of March at viii a clock at night M. vi.c.v the Eclipse of the moon the 17. day of septem a quarter past 4. in the morn M. vi.c.v the Eclipse of the sun the 2. day of Octob. half an hour past one a clock M. vi.c.vi ther is no Eclipse to be seen M. vi.c.vii the Eclipse of the moon the 27. day of August half an hour past 2 in them M. vi.c viii the Eclipse of the sun the 3â— day of Iuly a quarter past 3. a clock M. vi.c.xi the Eclipse of the Moon the 10. day of Ianuary a quar fore 2 in the morn M. vi.c.ix the Eclipse of the moon the 6. day of Iuly a quarter past xi at night M. vi.c.x the Eclipse of the moon the xxvi of Iuly at 4. a clock in the morning M. vi.c 10. the Eclipse of the moon the 20. day of Decem. at 3. a clock in the morn M vi c 11. the Eclipse of the moon the 3. of May at
the more their delights Or to have more possessions than other Sorrowing 〈◊〉 they can not get For envy of them that be â—icher than he By delighting him in riches For fear to have scarcity of good The xii branch of Covetise Spending abundantly Things iustly gotten Giving uniustly not caring to whom Leesing disordinately the goods they have Abusing and foolish using they know well Things uniustly gotten In retaining them against conscience Doing alms with rapine and usury Spending them in carnalities Things not being his In approprying them to his singular usage Or approprying them to the usage of other Spending them superfluously on other persons The xiii branch of Covetise Fraud In forecastings By promises that they may receive By threatnings in like wise Or by sweet words Being double Shewing fair semblance for the good of other Or by such semblant diffame other Or by fair semblant to hurt other Procuring evil To him that weeneth thou art his friend To him thou knowest to be thine enemy Or indifferently to his friend or enemy The xiv branch of Covetise False compunction Evil reckoning Of that they owe to other iustly Of that which is ought by any ways Or that which is ought to other than him When they do know it yeild it not For dread to yeeld it or to be noted For shame they have to do it For avarice and love of retaining Consenting to evill and do it not Holding his peace of that he knoweth Doing help to him that misreckoneth Willing to hinder him that is misreckoned The xv branch of Covetise Leasing For merriness For covetise to please For pleasance that they have of leasing Lightly to swear for they know not To make other to win Hiding that hurteth none ne helpeth other Sometime that it befor temporall goods Sometime to prove any person Fraudulently That profiteth sometime and sometime noyeth That profiteth to none and noyeth to some In the doctrin and promise of religion The xvi branch of Covetise Swearing The members of God In contemning God and his Saints For to shew that he is fierce Or that they take pleasure to do iniury to God Oftentimes By evill custome to swear often For pleasure that they have to swear For contemptment of him they swear Incautely Not taking heed what they swear Doing ill to verify that they swear for Not considering that oathes should be kept The xvii branch of Covetise Forswearing By words Dolorously to deceive and beguile Vnwisely of that they know not Willingly of what they know not By faith interposed In receiving any of the sacraments of the Church In the false things that be lawfull Or in things that be not lawfull by touching of things made Swearing untruly in will to deceive other Or swearing truth weening to swear false Or that sweareth false weening it to be true The xviii branch of Covetise False witnesse That thing which they know not Bearing witnes of the thing they know not Witnessing the thing wherein they be ignorant Dissembling to be ignorant of they know not The thing that they do know For praise they have or ought to have For love of him for whom they be witnesse For malice that they will not say the truth The thing that they ween to know For false opinion they have of the thing Say the thing is true and know it not Not inquiring for the truth and may well The xix branch of Covetise Plays Which be defended As plays made by enchantment Dishonesties in provoking to dishonesty Or the which may greatly noy That be perillous For pleasance of himself to please other By accustomance to make such plays Or in hope to have winning to do such plays With persons not appertaining A lay man to play with a religious Or a lay man with a Priest or Clerk Or with any man of penance The xx branch of Covetise Being vagabond For to seek ways for to be idle Feigning themselves and be not Doing such fantasie without necessity Or in so doing for to deceive other To be idle Among such as travell and labour Or among them feigning to be sick and are whole Or shewing themselves more sick than they be To obtemper their will In sustaining things sharp to sustain Deceiving by feigned words or by envy Weening to live without any thing that is needfull Here endeth the branches and small spraies of the sinne of Covetise and here followeth the five branches of Gluttony each of them to follow other in order as to seek delicate meats greedinesse delicious dressing eating without hour to make excesse Out of the which five branches springeth and groweth small spraies to the number of xlv the which bringeth every man and woman that planteth them in the arbor of their bodies unto delectation unto the kitchen of infernall gulf there to be fed and made satiate with the Devill the chief cook of the kitchen of hell The first branch of Gluttony seeking delicate meats For the good savour Against the profit of the soul. Against the health of the body Against the health of both together For the great novelty For novelty that it is delicious Eating fruits because they were good and ripe By compositions of the conditions required In divers apparelling By customance so well to dresse it By lightnesse to be over-abundant without need By affection and pleasure that they take The ii branch of Gluttony Greedinesse In appetiting Meats more precious than longeth for them Mean meats and be not content with them Lesse meats than the state where they be requâ—red Too much delighting In being curious to fill his belly Not serving God for filling of his wombe Eating too often without keeping any hour To much filling them As much as they may devour meats When he may fill him and not being content Not parting to the poor such meat as they have The iii. branch of Gluttony Delicious dressing· By divers maÌ„ners For to satisfy all his desires Not refusing to his belly any thing it desireth Not refusing any evill appetite Or exquisitely By art otherwise than other maketh By study how well that be difficil to do By labour and pain that they take to dresse them Condignly Needfull by divers manners of matters Delicious for the sweet and fragrant savors Sumptuous not caring for any cost The iiii branch of Gluttony Eating without hour Out of time Before a lawfull hour and without necessity Or after when the lawfull hour is past Or what hour it be against commandement Many times What thing thou appetitest to eat Manifestly that other may know it Or secretly when thou onely wi lt Vnlawfully As on fasting days to eat flesh In place as eating in the Church As meat as eating forbidden things The v. branch of Gluttony To make excesse In quantity of meats Eating more than is needfull Eating so much that it grieveth to soul and body Doing domage under colour of sicknesse In over deer meats Not caring what they cost if they be delectable Over delicious
each hath his as afore is said also to know the transgressions of all these aforesaid things how many times in each we have transgressed for many times we have offended God and who that taketh heed shall find omissions and offences without number the which known we ought to doubt and eschue and do penance And thus it is as I know man is christian and shepheard CHAP. XVI The ballad of a wise man I Know that God hath turned me And made me to his owne likenesse I know that he hath given to me truly Soul and body wit and knowledge ywis I know that by right wise true ballance After my deeds iudged shall I be I know much but I wot not the variance To understand whereof commeth my folly I know full well that I shall die And yet my life amend not I. I know in what poverty Borne a child this earth above I know that God hath lent to me Abundance of goods to my behove I know that riches can me not save And with me I shall beare none away I know the more good I have The lother I shal be to die I know all this faithfully And yet my life amend not I. I know that I have passed Great part of my days with ioy and pleasance I know that I have gathered Sinnes and also doe little penance I know that by ignorance To excuse me there is no art I know that once shal be When my soule shall depart That I shall wish that I had mended me I know there is no remedy And therefore my life amend will I. CHAP. XVI Here followeth the ballad of the woman Shepheard the which Ballad is very necessary and profitable to look upon IN considering my poor humanity Above the earth born with great weeping I consider my fragility My heart is overprest with sinning I consider death will come verily To take my life but the hour wot not I. I consider the devill doth watch me The world and the flesh on me warreth straitly I consider that mine enemies they be three That would deliver me from death to death I consider the many tribulations Of this world whereof the life is not clean I consider an hundered thousand passions That we poor creatures daily fall in I consider the longer I live the worse I am Wherefore my conscience cryeth out on me I consider for sin some be damned as the book saith Which shall ever be delivered from death to death I consider that worms shall eat My sorrowfull bodie this is credible I consider that sinners shall be At the iudgment of God most dreadable O Iesus Christ above all things delectable Have mercy on me at the dreadfull day That shall be so marvellous and doutable Which my poor soul greatly doth fraie In you that I put my trust and faith To save me that I go not from death CHAP. XVII The song of death to all Christian people Though my picture be not to your pleasance And if ye think that it be dreadable Take in worth for surely in substance The sight of it may to you be profitable There is no way also more doubtable Therefore learn know your self and see Look how I am and thus shall you be And take heed of thy self in adventure read I For Adams apple we must all die Alas worldly people behold my manner Sometime I lived with beauteous visage Mine eine be gone I have two holes here I am meat for wormes in this passage Take heed of wealth while ye have the usage For as I am thou shalt come to dust Holed as a thimble what shall thee advance Nought but good deeds thou maist me trust All with my likenesse ye must dance The time that I was in this world living I was honored of low and hie But I kept not my conscience clean from sinning Therefore now I doe it dear abye Lo what availeth covetise pride and envy They be the brands that doe bren in hell Trust not to your friends when ye be dead read I Nor your executors for few doe well But doe for thy self ere ever thou die And remember while thou art living That God blessed all things without nay Except sin as accordeth writing The devill cannot claim thee but by sin I say Amend therefore betime and go the right way I would that I might have but an houre or two To doe penance in or halfe a day But while I lived I did none doe But now my debts I doe truely pay Thou man I doe give better counsell to thee If that thou wilt doe after it Then ever any was shewed to me Thou art half warned thinke on thy pit And choose of two wayes which thou wilt flie To ioy or pain one of the two In weal or woe for ever to sit Now at thine owne choice thou maist go For God hath given thee free will Now choose thee whether thou wilt do good or ill CHAP. XVIII Hereafter followeth the ten Commandements of the devill WHo so will doe my commandements And keep them well and sure Shall have in hell great torments That evermore shall endure Thou shalt not feare God nor think of his goodnes To damne thy soule blaspheme God and his saints Evermore thine owne will be fast doing Deceive men and women and ever be swearing Be drunken hardly upon the holy day And cause other to sin if thou may Father nor mother look thou love nor dread Nor helpe them never though they have need Hate thy neighbour and hurt him by envie Murder and shed mans bloud hardly Forgive no man but be all vengeable Be lecherous indeed and in touching delectable Breake thy wedlocke and spare not And to deceive other by falshood care not The goods of other thou shalt hold falsly And yeeld it no more though they speak curteously Company often with women and tempt them to sin Desire thy neighbors wife and his goods to be thine Do thus hardly and care not therefore And thou shalt dwell with me in hell evermore Thou shalt ly in frost and fire with sicknes hunger And in a thousand peeces thou shalt be torne asunder Yet shalt thou die ever and never be dead Thy meat shaâ—be toads and thy drink boyling lead Take no thought for the bloud that God for thee shed And to my kingdome thou shalt be straight led Here followeth the reward of them that keep these commandements aforesaid IN hell is great mourning Great trouble of crying Or thunder and noyse roaring With great plenty of wild fire Beating with great stroakes like guns With great frost and water runing And after that a bitter wind comes Which goeth through the soules with ire There is both thirst and hunger Fiends with hookes pulleth their flesh They fight and curse and each other redeem With the sight of the devils dreadable There is shame and confusion Rumor of conscience for evill living They curse themselves with great crying In stinke and smoake evermore lying With other
great paines innumerable Man look that thou beware I will smite all at unaware CHAP. XIX It is written in the Apocalyps that Saint John saw an horse of a pale colour on the which horse sate death and hell following the horse The horse signifieth the sinner that hath a pale colour for the infirmity of sin and beareth death for sin is death to the soul and hell followeth for to englut and swallow him if he die impenitent ABove this horse blacke and hideous Death I am that fiercely doe sit There is no fairnesse but sight tedious All gay colours I doe hit My horse runneth by dales and hilles And many he smiteth dead and killes In my trap I take some by every way By townes and castles I take my rent I will not respite one an houre of a day Before me they must needs be present· I slay all with my mortall knife And of duty I take the life Hell knoweth well my killing I sleep never but wake and warke It followeth me ever runing With my dart I slay weake and starke A great number it hath of me Paradise hath not the fourth part Scant the tenth part wrong hath he I cause many to sight at the heart Beware for I give no warning Come at once when I do knocke or call For if thy book be not sure of reckoning Thou shalt to hell body soul and all CHAP. XX. Hereafter followeth how every estate should order them in their degree Of a King THe imperiall might of a Kings maiesty On four pillars grounded is governance First do right Iustice and equitie To poore and rich both in a ballance Then his regall might shall further and advance He to be liberall with force and humanity And after victory have mercy and pitty Of a Bishop O ye half Gods flourishing in prudence Ye Bishops with your devout pastorality Teach the people with delicate eloquence Annoint your flock with Christs divinity Feed the poor people with hospitality Be meek and chast in this millitant Church Do first your self well example of your urch Of Knights O ye Knights refulgent in fortitude With labour and travail to get love nobly Fight for the poor commons that be poor and rude And if need be for the Church thou die Love truth hate wrong and villany Appease the people by thy magnificence And unto whom be a shield of defence Of Iudges O ye Iudges governing the Law Let not your hands be anointed with meed Save all true men rebels hang and draw To avoid favour let righteousnesse proceed For a good name is better than riches indeed Some say that Lawes truth is laid down And therefore love and charity is out of town Of Marchants O ye marchants that never say ho Of lucrous winning you have great pleasure Let conscience guide you where ever ye goe Vnto all men give you weight and measure Deceive no man of falshood take no cure Swear none oathes people to beguile All sleight and usurie from you excile Of Masters O ye masters and housholders all That have servants under your cure Put them to labour whatsoever befall And let the yong folke of awe be in ure After their age intreat each creature Servants wages pay ye well and even If ye do not it crieth vengeance to heaven Of all women O ye women of each manner degree To your husbands be never disobedient Desire not above them the soveraigntie For then ye do as Lucifer did incontinent That would be above the high God omnipotent Shamfastnesse dread cleannesse and chastity Of verie right all these in womanhead should be The generality Goe home ye persons and couch not in Court To teach Christ servants and keep the owne labour Thou niggard sow out thy hoord In houshold and be none extortioner Monk pray preach Frier Marchant go near and fear Dread God keep his law and honour your King And your reward shall you have at your ending Thus endeth the estate and order of every degree CHAP. XXI Of the tree of Vices and after followeth the tree of meeknesse mother and root of all vertues HEreafter followeth the tree of vices and then after that is the tree of vertue set that after every sin beholding they may look on it as a mirror and take of the fruit of spirituall refection and flie the dead tree of vices For after the tree of vices followeth the signification of every nature named in the said tree of vertues and first is humanity or meeknesse mother of all vertues and root of the tree the which wheÌ„ it is stedfast the tree standeth upright and if it fail the tree falleth with all his branches Humility is a voluntarie inclination of the thought and courage comming of the knowledge of God and it hath seven principal branches that constituteth the tree of vertues and they be these Charitty Faith Hope Prudence Attemperance Iustice and Force and out of every of them commeth divers other vertues as the tree sheweth and is declared afterward compendiously The tree of vices Pride root of all sinns Envy Detraction Ioy of adversity Sorrow of prosperity Homicide Wickednesse Susurration Ill machination Covetise Theft Deceiving Forswearing Vsury Rapine Treason Simony The large way Ire Woodnesse Indignation Clamour Blaspheming Great courage Noyse Hate Vaine glory Singularitie Discord Inobedience Presumption Boasting Obstination Hypocrisie The fruit of the flesh Glutony Foolish reioycing Immundicity Too much speaking Eating by leasure Obtuse wit Lickernesse Drunkennesse Sloth Idlenesse Erre in the faith Tristesse Omission Despair Lechery Vnstablenesse Love the world Blind thought Love of himself Precination Hatred of God Vnconsideration Wantonnesse Incontinence The tree of vertues Meeknes root of all vertues Force Felicity Confidence Tolerance Rest. Stablenesse Perseverance Magnificence Iustice. Law Straightnesse Equity Correction Observance Iudgment Veritie The narrow way TeÌ„perance Discretion Moderality Taciturnity Fasting Sobernesse Affliction Dispraising PrudeÌ„ce Dread of God Counsell Memory Intelligence Providence Deliberation Reason The fruit of the soul. Hope Contemplation Ioy. Honesty Confession Patience Compunction Longanimitie Faith Religion Cleannesse Obedience Chastity Continence Affection Virginity Charity Grace Pittie Peace Sweetnes Mercy Forgivenes Compassion Benignitie Concord Of Charitie CHarity is a right high vertue above all other and is an ardent desire well ordained to love God his neighbor and these be the branches grace peace pity sweetnes mercy indulgence compassâ—on benignity and concord Grace is by the which is shewed an effectual service of benevolence amongst friends from one friend to another Peace is tranquillity and rest wel ordained of the courages of them that be concording unto God Pittie is affection and desire to succour and help each one commeth of sweetnes grace of benign thought and courage that one hath Sweetnesse is by the which tranquillity and rest of courage of him that is sweet and honest by none improbity ne by any point of dishonesty Mercie is a pitifull vertue and equall dignation to all with inclination of
too much bathing after meat and too much casting eat when thou art over hot either of fever or travell all milk of beasts is evill save of Goats For ache of the womb Take tansie rew and sothernwood and eat it with salt fasting when thou art a fret and it will do it away For to restore the liver Take a quantity of wild tansie and stampe it and drink it with wine or ale nine dayes or more and he shall amend For fatnesse about a mans heart Take the iuyce of fenell and hony and seeth them both together till that it be hard and eat it at even and morn and it shall avoid soon For hardnesse of the womb Take two spoonfull of the iuyce of Ivy leaves and drink thereof three times in the day and thou shalt be whole For the wind in the stomack Take cumin and beat it to powder and mingle it with redde wine and drink it last at night three dayes and he shall be whole For the dropsie Take chickweed clythers ale and oat-meal and make pottage therewith and use it nine dayes and everyday fresh and he shall be whole A good drink for the pestilence For the pestilence take and wash elran a Lilly root and boyl it in white wine til the one half be wasted and then give it the sick to drink and he shall break out full of bladders as he were burnt or scalded with hot water and they will dry and the person wax then whole CHAP. XXIX Hereafter followeth the four elements and the four complexions of man and how and in what time they reign in man AIre Fire Earth and Water The twenty four houres of the day and the night ruleth sanguin cholerick melancholick and flegmatick Six houres after midnight bloud hath the mastery and in the sixe houres afore noon choler reigneth and six houres after noon raigneth melancholy and six hours afore midnight reigneth the flegmatick Thus endeth the four elements and the four complexions CHAP. XXX Here followeth the governance of health WHo will be whole and keep himself from sicknesse And resist the stroke of pestilence Let him be glad and void all heavinesse Flee wicked ayres eschue the presence Of infect places causing the violence Drinking good wines of wholsome meats take Smell sweet things and for thy defence Walk in clean ayr and eschue the mists black With void stomack outward thee not dresse Rising up early with fire have sustain Delight in gardens for the great sweetnesse To be well clad doe thy diligence Keep well thy self from inconvenience In stewes ne bathes no soiorne thou make Opening of the pores this doth great offence Walk in clean ayr and eschue the mists black Eat no raw flesh for no greedinesse And from fruit keep thine abstinence Pullets and Chickens for their tendernesse Eat thou with sauce spare for no expence Veriuice vineger and the influence Of wholsome spices I dare undertake The morrow sleep called golden in sentence Great helpeth against the mists so black For health of body cover from cold thy head Eat no raw meats take good heed hereto Drink wholesome wine feed thee on light bread With an appetite rise from thy meat also With women aged fleshly have not to doe Vpon thy sleep drink not off the cup Glad toward bed at morrow both too And use never late for to suppe And if it so be that leaches to thee fail Then take good heed to use things three Temperate diet temperate travaile Not malicious for none adversity Meek in trouble gald in poverty Rich with little content with suffisance Never grudging merry like thy degree If physick lack make this thy governance To every tale shew thou no credence Be not too hasty ne suddainly vengeable To poor folke do thou no violence Curtesie of language of feeding measurable On sundry meat not greedy at the table In feeding gentle prudence in daliance Close of tongue of word not deceiveable To say the best set alway thy pleasance Have in hate mouthes that be double Suffer at thy table no detraction Have despight of folk that make trouble Of false ravenours and adulation Within thy place suffer no division With thy houshold it shall cause increase Of all welfare prosperity and foyson With thy neighbors live in rest and peace Be cleanly clad after thy estate Passe not thy bonds keep thy promise blive With three folk be not at debate First with thy better beware for to strive Against thy fellow no quarrell to contrive With thy subiect to strive it were shame Wherefore I counsell persue all thy life To live in peace and get thee a good name Fire at morrow and toward bed at Eve Against mists black and ayr of pestilence Betimes at service thou shalt the better chieve First at thy rising to God doe reverence Visit the poor with entire diligence On all needy have compassion And God shall send grace and influence Thee to increase and thy possession Suffer no surfets in thy house at night Ware of suppers and great excesse Of nodding heads and candle light Of sloth at morrow and slumbring idlenesse Which of all vices is chief protectresse Void all drunkennesse lyars and letcherous Of all unthrifty exile the Mistresse That is to say dice playes and hazardous After meat beware make not too long sleep Head foot and stomack preserve aye from cold Be not too pensive of thought take no keep After thy rent govern thy houshold Suffer in time in thy right hand behold Swear none other man to beguile In youth be lusty and sad when thou art old No worldly ioy lasteth but a while Dine not at morrow before thine appetite Clear ayr and walking maketh good digestion Between meals drink not for no forward delight But thirst or travell give thee occasion Over-salt meat doth great oppression To feeble stomackes when they cannot refrain From thing contrary to their complexion Of greedy hands the stomack hath great pain Thus in two things standeth all thy wealth Of soul and body who list them sue Moderat food giveth to man his health And all surfets then he doth eschue And charity to soul is due This receipt bought is of no pothecary Of master Anthony nor of master Hue. To all indifferent riches diâ—tary Nescio quo certo lenta papavere dormit Mensque creatorem nescit iniqua suum En iterum toto lingua crucifigitur orbe En iterum patitur dira flagella deus Factorem factura suum stimulante tyranno Dilectis factis deserit orba suis Inde fames venit inde discordia regum Inde cananeis praedatibusque sumus Inde premit gladius carnalis spiritualem Et vice conversa spiritualis eum Hinc subitos Atropos praedatrix occupat artus Nec sinit ut doleat paenitet atque miser Iure vides igitur quam tecta ligamina nectit Immundus mundus haec duo verba simul Thus endeth the Physick and regiment of health of shepheards Coelum caeli Domini terram
that exceed the understanding of shepheards as the moving of the firmament in the which been the stars against the first mobile in an hundred yeer one degree and the moving of the planets in their eclipses of the which how well the shepheards be not ignorant of all yet they make no meÌ„tion here for it sufficeth them only of two wherof the one is from orient into occident above the earth from occident to the orient under it that is called the diurnall moving that is to say that it maketh from day to day xxiiii howres by the which moving the ninth Sky that is the first mobile draweth after and maketh the other Skies to turn that be under it The other moving is of the seven planets and is from occident to orient above the earth and from orient into the occident under it and is contrary to the first and bee the two movings that shepheards knowledgeth and how wel they been opposites yet they move continually and be passible as is shewed by example If a ship on the sea came from orient into occident and that he of his own moving went in the ship softly toward orient this man should move a double moving whereof one should be of the ship and of himself together and the other should be of his own moving that he maketh softly toward orient Semblably the planets be transported with their sky from orient to occident by the diurnall moving of the first mobile but later and otherwise than the fixed stars by which each planet hath his proper moving contrary to the moving of the stars for the Moon maketh a course lesse in a month about the earth than a star fixed and the sun a course lesse in a yeer and the other planets in a certain time each after the quantity of his movings Thus it appeareth that the planets move two movings Some shepheards suppose by imagination that all the skies ceased to move by the dayly moving the Moon would make a course in going from the occident into the orient in as much time as lasteth now xxvii dayes and eight houres and Mercury Venus and Sol would make in manner course in the space of a yeer and Mars in two yeer or there about and Saturn in thirty yeer or there about For now they make their course or revolutions and accomplish their proper movings in the time here named The proper movings of Planets is not straight from occident to orient but it is as sideway and shepheards see them sensibly for when they see the moon before a star one night the second or third night it is behind not straight toward orient but shall be drawed one time toward Septentrion and another time toward midday and this is because of the latitude of the zodiake in the which be the xii signes under whom the Planet reigneth CHAP. XXXIII Of the Equinoctiall and Zodiake that be in the twelve skies that containeth the firmament under it IN the concave of the first mobile shepheards imagin to be the two circles and they been there royally the one is as small as a threed and it is called Equinoctiall and the other is large in manner of a girdle or as a garland of flowers which they call the Zodiake and these two circles divide the one and the other equally but not straight For the Zodiak crosseth crookedly and the places where it crosseth been said Equinoctials For to understand the Equinoctial we see sensibly all the sky turn from orient into occident and it is called the dayly moving or diurnall then ought one to imagine a straight line that passeth through the middle of the earth comming from the one end of the sky to the other about the which line is made this moving and the two ends be two points in the sky that move not and be called the poles of the world of the which one is over us by the Star of the North that alwayes appeareth unto us and is the Pole artick or Septentrionall and the other is under the earth alwayes hid called the pole Antartick or pole Australl in the middest of the which pole in the first mobile is the circle equinoctiall equally before in the part as in the other of the said poles and after this circle is made and measured the daily moving of xxiiii houres that is a naturall day and it is called equinoctiall for that when the Sun is in it the day and the night been equall through all the world The large Zodiake as is said is in the first mobile also it is as a girdle mannerly figured set with Images of signes intrailed subtilly and well composed and set with fixed stars as shining Carbuncle or precious gems full of great vertue set by the mistris right nobly adorned in the which Zodiacke be iiii principal points that divide them equally in 4. parts One is high called the solstice of summer which when the Sun is entered in Cancer it is the longest day of summer another is low called the solstice of winter which is when the sun is entred in Capricorne then it is the shortest day of winter and men call it equinoctiall of harvest that the Sun entreth in Libra in the month of September And the other is called equinoctiall of prime time that the Sun entereth in Aries in the month of March The which four parts divided each in 3 equall parts maketh twelve parts that be called signes named Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius and Pisces Aries beginneth in the Equinoctiall and crosseth the Zodiacke and when the sun is there it beginneth to decline that is to say approching Septentrion and toward us it extendeth to the orient Then is Taurus second Gemini the third and so of other as the figure hereafter sheweth Also every signe is divided in xxx degrees and be in the Zodiacke ccc â—â— degrees and every degree divided by 60. minutes every minute in 60. seconds every second into 60. thirds and this division sufficeth for shepheards CHAP. XXXIV Here followeth the story of the twelve Signes Equinoctium autumni These lines by the which the sun defendeth of solsticiuÌ„ of summer in the solst of winter Equinoctium primi teÌ„poris Their six lines by the which the sun mounteth of solsticium in winter into the solsticium of summer SHepheards knowledgeth a subtile variation in the skies and is for three stars fixed bee not under the same degrees of the zodiack that they were created because of the moving of the firmament the which bee against the first mobile in an hundred yeer of one degree for the which mutation the sun may have other regard to a star and other signification than it had in the time passed and also when the books were made for that the star hath hanged his degree or sign under which it was And this oftentimes causeth them that make prognostications and iudgments comming to fail All the circles of the sky been
life The second house of substance and riches The third that finisheth at mid-night is the house of fraternity The fourth that beginneth at mid-night comming in Occident is named the house of patrimony The fift following is the house of sons The sixt finisheth in Occident under the earth is the house of sicknesse The seventh beginneth in Occident on the earth and stretcheth towards mid-day and is the house of marriage The eight is the house of death The ix finishing at mid-day is called the house of faith of religion and pilgrimage The tenth beginning at mid-day comming towards Orient is the house of honor and regality The eleventh after that is the house of true friends And the twelfth that finisheth in orient on the earth is named the house of charity but this matter is difficile for shepheards knowledging the nature and property of every of the said twelve houses and departeth them lightly and sufficeth of that is said with the figure present Qualiter puer crescit in ventre matris suae Primo mense crescit cerebrum Secundo crescunt venae Tertio quarto habebit omnia membra sua sed erit sine anima Quinto incipit venire multum gravabit matrem suam Sexto circundabitur pelle ossa crescent Septimo ungues crescent Octavo crescit cor omnia viscera praeter jecur Nono sciet mater si puer poterit bene nasci an non Decimo crescit jecur in puero de tunc bene comparebit mulieri si bene eveniet puero an non quae in jecore crescat quod quam cito habuit jecur tam cito nascetur vel morietur In quibus partibus corporis hominis sunt spiritus intellectus Intellectus dicitur essein fronte Memoria in cerebro Ira in felle Avaricia in jecore Timor in corde halitus in pulmone cogitatio in venis quia splene ridemus felle irascimur corde sapimus jecore amamus quibus quatuor elementis constantibus integrum est animal Of the twelve signes which be good or bad to take journeys by land or water ARies is good Taurus is not so Gemini and Cancer will make thee glad But beware hardly of Leo and Virgo Libra for friendship full hard is Scorpio Sagittary good Capricorn perillous Aquary by water good Clarks proveth so For best is Pisces and most plenteous CHAP. XL. How the Planets reign in every hour HE that will weet how shepheards know which planet reigneth every hour of the day and night which planet is good which is bad ought to know the planet of the day and seek therefore The first temporall hour of the Sun rising that day is for the said planet The second hour is for the planet ensuing the third for the other as they are here figured by order and it behoveth to go from Sol to Venus Mercury Luna them come again to Saturn unto 12. that is the hour before the Sunnes going down and incontinent after the Sun is down beginneth the first hour of the night that is for the xiii planet and the 2. hour of the night for the 14. and so unto 12. hours for the night that is the nexte hour before the Sun rising and come directly falling upon the 24. planet that is next before that of the day following And thus the day hath 12. hours and the night 12. also the which be temporall hours different to the hours of the clocks the which be artificials Shepheards say that Saturn and Mars be evill planets Iupiter and Venus good Sol and Luna half good and half evill The party toward a good planet is good and the party toward the evill planet is naught Mercury conioyned with a good planet is good and with an evill planet he is naught and they understand this as to the influences good or evill that been of the said planets there following The houres of the planets been different to them of clocks for the hours of clocks been equall at all times each of lx minutes but they of the planets when the dayes and the nights be equall that the Sun is in one of the Equinocts they be equall but as soon as the dayes lengthen or shorten so do the naturall houres By this it is convenient alway for the day to have 12. temporall houres and the night also and when the days be long and the houres long and when the dayes be short and the houres short in like manner is the night and neverthelesse an hour of the day and an hour of the night together have six score minutes as many as two hours for artificials that the one leaveth the other taketh And take we our planets from the Sun rising not before unto the Sun going down and all the remnant is night Example of that which is above In December the days have but vii hours artificials of clocks xii temporals let the viii hours artificials be divided in 12. equall parts and it shal be 12. times xl minutes and every part shal be a temporall hour that shal be of xl minutes and no mo Thus in December the temporal hours of the day have but xl minutes but the hours of the night have fourscore for in that time the nights have xvi hours artificials which divided in 12. parts bin fourscore minutes for every tēporall hour Thus the hour of the nights in Decemb. have 80. minuts and xl for an hour of the day there been six sore minutes in two temporall hours as many in two hours artificialls that be each of xl minutes In Iune is the contrary in March and in September all hours been equall as the dayes been in other months by equall portion With every planet here afore figured been the signs which be the houses of the said planets as it is aforesaid Capricornus and Aquarius been the houses of Saturn Sagittarius and Pisces of Iupiter Scorpio and Aries of Mars Leo of Sol Taurus and Libra of Venus Gemini of Mercury Cancer of Luna with other significations that would be long to recount Hereafter followeth the nature of the seven planets with the dispositions of the said Planets after the sayings of expert shepheards My son thou shalt understand That to avoid all idlenesse This matter oft thou take in hand To read of shepheards businesse And specially of the Planets seven Of Mars and Saturn that is full high Also of Sol the middle heaven And under him Venus Luna and Mercury For to know their natures all In sooth it is a great cunning And shew what may befall When every planet is reigning By their working oft we been moved To love lust and playes of iollity And by some of them as Clarkes have proved They stir us to theft murther and utily Some be not good some be bad veryly Some be not comfortable to man ne beast Some hot some cold some moist some dry If three be good four be worse at least Saturn is highest and coldest being full bad
he suffered when it was let fall into the morteis And think also of the dolours of his sorrowfull mother At high noon it behoveth to think what dolour he was in when he said my God my God wherefore hast thou left me And when he said I thirst they gave him vineger and gall mingled and how he abode the death after sighes made he gave up the ghost to God his father And how his mother had great sorrow also At Evensong it behoveth to think how Iesus had his side opened with a speare and how he hung dead on the Crosse full of wounds from the top of his head to the soles of his feet and he taken down and how his mother layed him on her lappe weeping At Complyne think how Iesus was wounded and layed in sepulture and kept of the Iewes to the end that he should not rise Clarkes and lay people ought to think on these or they go to Matins CHAP. XLIX The saying of a dead man Man look and see Take heed of me How thou shalt be When thou art dead Dry as a tree Worms shall eat thee Thy great beautie Shal be like lead The time hath been In my youth green That I was clean Of body as ye are But for mine eyne Now two holes been Of me is seen But bones all bare Now intend For to amend O Mortall creatures sayling in the waves of mysery Avail the sail of your conscience unpure Flee from the perills of this unstedfast wherry Drive to the haven of charity most sure And cast the anker of true confession Fastened with the great cable of contrition clean Wind up the marchandise of whole satisfaction Which of true customers shal be over seen And brought to the warehouse of perfection As perfect marchants of God by election CHAP. L. How every man and woman ought to cease of their sins at the sounding of a dreadfull horn HO ho you blind folk darkned in the cloud Of ignorant fumes thick and mystical Take heed of my horn toting all aloud With boystrous sounds and blastes Boreal Giving you warning of the iudgment finall The which dayly is ready to give sentence On perverse people replete with negligence Ho ho betime or that it be too late Cease while ye have space and portunate Leave your follies or death make you chekmate Cease your ignorant incredulitie Clense your thoughts of immundicity Cease of your pecuniall pensement The which defieth your entendement Ho ho people infect with negligence Cease your sins that manyfold cruelties Dread God your maker and rightwise sentence Cease your blindnesse of worldly vanities Lest he you smite with endlesse infirmities Cease your covetise gluttony and pride And cease your superfluous garments wide Cease of your oathes cease of your great swearing Cease of your pomp cease of your vain glory Cease of your hate cease of your blaspheming Cease of your malice cease of envy Cease of your wrath cease of your letchery Cease of your fraud cease of your deception Cease of your tongues making detraction Flee faint falshood fickle fuol and fell Flee fatall flatterers full of fairnesse Flee fair feigning fables of favell Flee folkes fellowship frequenting falsenesse Flee frantick facers fulfilled of frowardnesse Flee fooles fallacies flee fond fantasies Flee from fresh fables feigning flatteries Thus endeth the horner CHAP. LI. To know the fortunes and destinies of man born under the xii signes after Ptolomeus prince of Astronomy Prince of Astronomy Ptolomeus TO know under what planet a man or a woman is born it is needfull to wit that there is seven planets on the sky that is to say Sol Venus Mars Mercurius Iupiter Luna and Saturnus Of the seven planets is named the seven days of the week for every day hath his name of the planet reigning in the beginning of it The ancient Philosophers saith that Sol domineth the Sunday the cause is they say for the Sun among other planets is most worthy wherefore it taketh the worthyest day that is Sunday Luna domineth the first hour of Munday Mars the first hour of Tuesday Mercurius of Wensday Iupiter for Thursday Venus for Friday and Saturnus for Saturday The day naturall hath xxiv hours and every hour reigneth a planet It is to be noted that when a man will begin to reckon at Sunday he must reckon thus Sol Venus Mercurius Luna Saturnus Iupiter Mars And when the number is failed he must begin at the hour that he would know what planet reigneth The Munday he ought to begin at Luna the Tuesday at Mars the Wensday at Mercury the Thursday at Iupiter the Fryday at Venus the Saturday at Saturnus And ever when the numbers of the planets is failed he must begin by order as it is afore-said Also it is to be noted that the Greeks beginneth their day in the morning The Iewes at noon And the Christian-men at mid-night and there we ought to begin to reckon For at one of the clock on Sunday in the morning reigneth Sol at two reigneth Venus at three reigneth Mercurius at four reigneth Luna at five Saturnus at six Iupiter at seven Mars at eight begin againe at Sol at nine at Venus at ten Mercury and consequently of the other by order in order in every hour When a child is born it is to be known at what hour and if it be in the begining of the hour in the middest at the end If it be in the begining he shall hold of the same planet and of the other before If it be in the middest it shall hold of that only If it be born in the end it shall hold of the same and of that that commeth next after but neverthelesse the planet that it is born under ne shall not domineth other and that of the day shal be above it which is the cause that a child holdeth of divers planets and hath divers conditions He that is born under Sol shal be prudent and wise a great speaker and that which he praiseth hee holdeth vertuous in himself Who that is born under Venus is loved of every man good to God-ward and regular Who that is born under Mercurie is well bearded subtile milde veritable and is not most prudent Who that is born under Luna hath an high forehead ruddy merry visage shamefast and religious Who that is born under Saturn is hardy curteous of living is not avaricious Who that is born under Iupiter is hardy fair visage and ruddy chast and vagabond Who that is born under Mars is a great speaker a lyer a theef a deceiver big and ofred colour They that will know of this more evidently let them turn to the properties of the seven Planets afore rehearsed CHAP. LII A prologue of the Author upon the twelve signes I Considering the course of the Celestiall bodies and the puissance of the high God Omnipotent the which hath made the Sun to shine upon the good and evill that governeth all things contained in the firmament and on
other Lordshipps that been under the obedience of the Catholike Church The second nation is of Greeks HOrace complaineth speaking of this nation of Greece for the vexation that it hath had in times past The Greeks have the Patriark of Constantinople Arch-bishops and Abbots to the spiritualty and to the temporalty Emperours Dukes and Earles They be now but of smal number for Agariens and Turks have taken the greatest part of Greece the which part obeyeth not the catholike Church for their errour They been condemned by the Church for that they say Spiritus Sanctus non procedit a filio The third Nation is of Armenians WE read that the Nation of Armenians is nigh Antioch they use all one language in the divine service and in holy scripture as who should sing English in the Church and both the men and women understand all They have their Primate which they call Catholike to whom they obey as to the king in great devotion and reverence They fast the Lent and eate no fish and they drink no wine and eat flesh on the Saturday The fourth Nation is of Georgians THis Nation is called Georgians of St. George of whom they bear the Image in battaile and he is their Patron They been in the parts Oriential and been strong and delicious half Persians and half Assyrians and they speak foul and foolish language and make their sacraments as the Greeks The preists have their crownes round raised on their heads and the clarkes have them square When they goe to the holy Sepulcher they pay no tribute to the Sarazins they enter into Ierusalem their standards displaid for the Sarazins feareth them the women use armors as the men When they write to the Soldan incontinent that which they demand is granted them The fift Nation is of Assuriens I Find also by writing that the Nation of Suriens hath taken the name of a citie named Sur the which is the most eminent and most upholden among all other cities and townes of the countrey of Surrey These people for their vulgar and common speech speaketh the language Sarazionis their holy scriptures divinities and offices of the service in the Greek They have the Bishops keep constitutions of the Greeks and obey them in all things They sacrifice with raised bread and have opinions of the Greekes as the Latines There be some Christian men in the holy land that ensueth them and been called Samaritans which were converted in the time of the Apostles but they be not perfect Christian men The sixt Nation is of Mororabins SOmetime were wont to bee a Nation of people in the country of Affrick and Spain called Mororabiens but now they been but few They bee called Mororabiens for that in many things they held the use in Christian men being in Araby they use the language of Latin in the divine offices sacred things and obey to the Church and to the Prelates of the Latines They confesse them in the language Azymonien or in Latin They bin different to the Latines for that in their divine offices they have the hours to long And for the day is divided in xxiv hours of night and day so many offices hours Psalmes and all other Orizons have they along the which they say not after the custome of the Latines for that that the Latins say in the begining they say in the end or in the middst Some divideth the holy sacraments in vii parts and other in x. This is a right devout nation they conioyn no persons by mariage but if they be born in their own countrey and land the strangers be not received in mariage And when a man leeseth his wife by death he will never be wedded againe but live in chastity The cause of so great diversity among Christian men was for that in time past the Christians were let and not constrained to celebrate councell general For this cause there arose divers heretikes in many parts For there was none that might remedy it The seventh Nation is of Prester Johns land in Indie THen is the land of Indie whereof Prester Iohn is For his might is so great that it exceedeth all christendom This Prester Iohn hath under him lxx kings the which do to him obeisance and homage and when hee rideth about his country hee maketh to be borne afore him a Crosse of wood And when he will go to battaile he maketh two to be borne before him one of gold and the other of precious stones and in that land is the body of St. Thomas the Apostle buryed in a Tombe of stone and one of his hands is out of the Tombe and that hand every body may see that goeth thether The eight Nation is of Jacobites FOllowing after the Nation of Iacobits the which been named St. Iames the disciple of Alexander the Patriarck These Iacobites have taken and occupied a great part of Asia in the parts Occidentall and the land of Mambre that is in Egypt and the Land of Ethiopians unto Indie with more then xx Realms The children of that Country bee circumcised and baptised with an hot yron for they have printed the Character of the Crosse on their foreheads and on other parts of the body as on the armes and the brest they shrive them onely to God and not to the preists In this Province the Indians and Agarenoriens say that Iesus Christ hath only but the nature divine Some among them speaketh the language of Calde and Araby and divers other that speaketh other languages after the diversities of nations They were condemned at the councell of Calcedony The ninth Nation is of Nescoriens OF Nescorianus that was of Constantinople hath bin made this name Nescoriens These Nescorians putteth in Iesus Christ two persons one divine and another humain and they deny our Lady to be the mother of God but they say well Iesus to be man they speak the language of Caldee and sacrifice the body of Iesus Christ with raised bread They inhabit in Tartary and in great Inde they be in great number their countrey containeth almost as much as Almaigne and Italy The tenth Nation of Moroniens RObust is the Nation of Moronyens called of an heretick of Morone They put in Iesus Christ one understanding and one will they inhabit in Libia in the province of Venice and be a great number they use specially bows and arrowes and they have bells Their Bishopes have rings Miters and Crosses as the Lattines they use the letter of Caldee in their divine scriptures and in their vulgar speech they use the letter of Araby They have been under the obedience and lordship of the most holy and sacred Church Romain their Patriark was at the general councell of saint Iohn de Latran celebrate at Rome under Pope Innocent the third but since then they be returned They were first condemned at the councel of Constantinople and since been returned to the obedience of the Romain Church and yet returned againe to their false and evill opinions wherein they persevere CHAP. LV. Here beginneth a few proverbs THese proverbs be good to mark The which followeth in this book Be thou never so great a clark Disdaine not on them to look The first is man be content As God hath set thee in degree Each man may not have land and rent It were not convenient so to bee If thou have not worldly goods at will Therefore care nothing by the rede of me Do well and Gods commandement fulfill For every man may not a goldsmith be He that hath a penny in his purse If he the right way of Gods law hold He shall come to heaven as soon I wusse As a King that weareth on a crown of gold Also there is of men full many a score And each of then doth keep well his wife Which never had a noble in store And yet they live a full merry life And also another forget it nat Keep your own home as doth a mouse For I tell you the devil is a wily cat He will spye you in another mans house And in especiall God to please Desire thou never none other mans thing Remember that many fingers is wel at ease That never ware on no gay gold ring And this I tell you for good and all Remember it you that be wise That man or woman hath a great fall The which slide down and do never rise And one also forget not behind That man or woman is likely good to be That banisheth malice out of their mind And sleepeth every night in charity I read you work by good counsell For that man is worthy to have care That hath twise faln into a well And yet the third time cannot beware Say that a fryer told you this He is wise that doth forsake sin Then may we come to heavens blisse God give us grace that place to winne O Ye Clerkes famous and eloquent Cunning is caught by reading and exercise Of noble matters full excâ—llent And remembreth what Salomon saith the wise That praiseth businesse and idlenesse doth dispise And saith he that many books doth read and see It is full likely wisdome have shall hee Remember Clearks dayly doth their diligence Into our corrupt speech matters to translate Yet between French and English is great difference Their langing in reading is douse and delicate In their mother tongue they be so fortunate They have the Bible and the Apocalipse of divinitie With other noble books that now in English be And remember readers where ever ye go That Honey is sweet but cunning is sweeter Caton the great Cleark sometimes said so How gold is good and learning much better Yet many full good be that never knew letter And yet vertuous none can be of living But first of Preists and Clerks they must have learning Wherefore with patience I you all desire Beware of the rising of false heresie Let every perfect faith set your hearts afire And the chaffe from the corn cleane out to try They that beleeveth amisse be worthy to die And he is the greatest fool in this world iwis That thinketh no mans wit so good as his Thus endeth the Shepheards Kalender Drawn into English to Gods reverence And for profit and pleasure shall Clerks to cheer Plainly shewed to their intelligence Ours is done now readers do your diligence And remember that the Printer saith to you this He that liveth well may not die amiss FINIS