the cause is they say for the sonne among other planets is most worthy wherefore it taketh the worthyesâ— day that is sonday luna domineth the first houre of monday mars the first houre of twesday mercurius of wednesday iupiter for thursdayâ— uenus for fryday and saturnus for saterday the day natural hath xxiiiâ— houres and euery houre reigneth a planet ¶ it is to be noted that when a man will begin to reken at sonday he musâ— reken thus sol uenus mercurius luna saturnus iupiter mars ¶ and when the nombre is fayled he must beginne at the houre that he wolâ— know what planet raigneth the monday he ought to beginne at luna thâ— tewesday at mars the wednesday at mercurie the thursday at iupiter the fryday at uenus the saterday at saturnus and euer when the nomâ—bres of the planets is fayled he must begin by order as it is aforesayd ¶ also it is to be noted that the grekes beginneth theyr daye in the morningâ— the iewes at nonne and the christen men at midnight and ther we oughâ— to beginne to reken for at one of the clocke one sonday in the morning reigâ—neth sol at two reigneth uenus at three reygneth mercurius at foure reiâ—â—neth luna at fiue saturnus at sixe iupiter at seuen mars and at eight bâ—â—gyn againe at sol at nynthe uenus at ten mercurie and consequently of thâ— other by order in order in euery houre ¶ when a chylde is borne it is to be knowne at what houre and if it be in thâ— beginning of the houre in the middes at the ende if it be in the beginninâ— he shall holde of the same planet and of the other afore if it be in the myddes it shall holde of that onely if it be borne in the ende it shall holde of the samâ— of that that commeth next after but neuerthelesse the planet that it is borâ— vnder ne shall not dominieth other that of the day shal be aboue it which iâ— the cause that a childe holdeth of diuers planets and hath diuers conditionâ—◠¶ he that is borne vnder sol shal be prudent and wyse a great speaker thaâ— which he prayseth he holdeth vertuous in him selfe who that is borne 〈◊〉 uenus is loued of euery man good to godwarde and reguler who that 〈◊〉 borne vnder mercurie is well bearded subtyll mylde veritable is not most prudent who that is borne vnder luna hath an hye forehead ruddy merâ— vysage shamefaste and religious who that is borne vnder saturne is haâ—â—dy curteyse of lyuing and is not auaricious who that is borne vnder iuâ—piter is hardy fayre vysage and ruddy chast and vagabonde ¶ who that is borne vnder mars is a great speaker a lyer a thefe a deceyuer bygge and of red colour ¶ they that wyll know of this more euidently let them tourne to the properâ—ties of the seuen planets afore rehersed ¶ a prologue of the authour vpon the twelue signes cap. liii i consyderyng the course of the celestiall bodies the puissaunce of the hya god omnipotente the which hathe made the sonne to shyne vpon the good and euyll that governeth all thinges conteyneth in the firmament on the earthe haue taken on me for to endite this litle treatise for to instruct endoctrine the people not lettred first to know god theyr maker secondly to gouerne theyr bodies and eschue infirmities and thirdly to knowe the course of the firmamente and of the celestiall bodyes conteyned in it with the dysposycyon of the vii planetets but who that wil know his properties ought first to know the monthe that he was borne in the signe that the sonne was in the same day i will not say that such thinges shal be but that the signes haue such properties and is the wyll of god after poetes astronomers aries is the firste signe that sheweth the fortunes of men and women as sayâ—h ptholomeus ¶ the fyrst signe of aries ¶ i fynde that he whiche is borne in the sygne of aries fro mydde marche to mydde apryll shal be of good wytte and shall neyther be riche ne pooreâ— he shall haue domage by his neyghboures he shall haue power ouer deade folkes goodes he shall be sone angry and sone appeased he shall haue dyuers fortunes and discordes he wyll desyre doctrine and haunt eloquent people and shal be experte in many degrees he shal be a lyer and vnstedfast of courage and will take the vengeaunce on his enemyes and he shal be better disposed in youth in all thinges theÌ„ in age vnto .xxxiii. yere he shal be a fornicatour and shal be wedded at xxv yeare yf he be not he shall not be chaste he shal be a mediatour for some of his frendes and will gladly be busy in the nedes of other he shal be awayted too be domaged he shall haue a signe in the shulder in his heade and in his body yet he shal be ryche by the deathe of other his firste sonne shall not lyue long he shal be in daunger of foure footed beastes he shall haue great syckenesse at xxiii yere and of the escape he shall lyue lxxxv yere after nature ¶ the womaÌ„ that is borne in this tyme shal be prefull suffre great wroÌ„ges from day to day she wil gladly make leasinges and shall lese her husbande recouer a better she shal be sicke at .v. yeare of age and at xxv she shal be in great daunger of death and yf she escape she shal be in doubt tyll .xliii. yeare shal suffer great peyne of the heade the dayes of sol and of mars to them shal be right good and the dayes of iupiter shal be contrary to them and as wel the man as the women shal be semblable to the shepe that euery yere leseth his fleshe of woll and within short space recouereth it ageyne ¶ of the signe of taurus he that is borne in the sygne of taurus fro mydde apryll to mydde may shal be stronge hardye and full of stryfe delycyous and shall possesse goodes gyuen to hym by other menne that he wold haue done shal be incontinent and wyll enforce to himselfe to fynyshe it in his youth be wyll dyspyse euerye person and shal be yrefull he shall go pylgrymages and wyll leaue his frendes and lyue amonge straungers he shall be put in officies and shall exercyse them well and shal be ryche by women he shall be thankelesse and come to good estate he will take vengeaunce on his enemyes he shal be bytten of a dogge and shall experiment many paynes by women and shall be in peryll at xxxiii yeare he shal be in perill of water and shal be greued by syckenesse and venym at xxiii yere and at xxx yere he shal be habundaunt in rychesse and shall ryse to great dignitie and shal lyue .lxxxv. yeare and three monthes after nature and shall se his fortune sorowefull ¶ the women that is borne in thys tyme shal be effectuall labouringe and a great lyer and shall
lxx yeare after nature she shall bringe for the vertuous fruite euery thinge shall fauour her she shall reioyce in dyuers fortunes the dayes of merâ—ury and of soll shal be right good for them and the dayes of mars shal be câ—ntrary and as well the man as the woman shal suffre many temptations so that with great peyne they may resist them they shal delyte to lyue in chastitis but they shal suffre much where so euer it be ¶ of the signe of lybra amonge planettes lybra ought to be remembred for he that is borne from myd september to mydde october shal be ryght mightly praysed and honoured in the seruyce of capytaynes he shall go in vnknowen places and shall get in straunge landes he shal kepe well his owne if he make not releuacion by drinke he will not kepe his promesse he shall be enuyed by syluer and other goodes he shal be maryed and go from hys wyfe he shall speake quyckelye and shall haue no domage amonge his neighbours he shall haue vnder his myghte the goodes of deade folke and shall haue som signe in his membres oxen horse and other beastes shal be gyuen to hym he shall haue domage and iniurye he shall be enryched by woman and experyment euyll fortunes many shal aske counsayle of him he shall lyue .lxx. yere after nature ¶ the woman that is borne in thys tyme shal be amyable and of greate courage she will announce the death of her â—demyes and shall go in places vnknowen she shall be debonayre and mercy reioyce by her husbande if she be not wedded at xiii yere she shall not be chaste shall haue no sonnes by her first husbande she shal go many pylgrimages after xxx yeare she shall prosper better and haue great honoure and prayse then after she shall be greuoussy sycke and shal be brent in the feete aboute .xii. yeare of age and shal lyue .lx. yere after nature the dayes of uenus and of luna for them bin right good and the dayes of mercury contrary and aswell the man as the woman shall be in doubte vnto the death and there is doute in the ende ¶ of the signe of scorpio we rede that he whiche is borne in the sygne of scorpius fro mydde october to mydde nouember shall haue good fortune he shall be a great fornycatour the firste wyfe that he shall haue in mariage shall become to relygyous he will serue gladly to images he shall suffre peyne in hys pryuye membres at the age of xv yeare he shall be hardy as a lyon and amyable of fourme manye faculties shall be gyuen to hym he shall be a great goer in vysytynge diuer countreys for to knowe the customes and statutes of many cytyes and shall haue vyctorye ouer all hys enemyes they maye not hyndre him in no maner wyse he shall haue moneye by hys wyfe and shall suffre dyuers doloures of the stomake he shal be mery and loue the company of mery solke in his right shulder shal be a signe by swete wordes and adulations he shall be deceaued he will often saye one do another he shall haue a wounde with yron he shall be bytten of a dogge or of some other beast he shal be in doute haue dyuers enemies at the age of xxxiii yeare and yf he escape he shall lyue lxxxiiii yeare after nature ¶ the woman that shal be borne in this tyme shal be amyable and fayre and shall not be long with her first husbande and after she shall enioy with another by her good and true seruyce she shall haue honoure victory of her enemies she shal suffre peyne in the stumake she shal be wyse haue woundes in her shulders she ought to feare her later dayes whiche shal be doubtfull by venym and she shall lyue lxx yere after nature the dayes of mars and of saturne to them bin righte agreable and the dayes of iupiter to them byn contrary they shal be swete of worde and prickinge with theyr tayle and wil murmure detractinge other and say otherwyse then they wolde be sayde by ¶ of the signe of sagittarius ye ought to knowe that he which is borne vnder sagittarius fro myd nouember to myd decembre shall haue good effecte and shall haue mercy of euery man the which he seeth he shal obteyne haue bi releuacion he shal go ferre to desert places vnknowen and daungerous shall returne with greate geynes he shall se his fortune encrease from daye to daye he will not hyde that that he hathe he shall haue some signes in his handes or feete he shal be fearefull at xxii yere he shall haue some peryll he shall passe the sea to his lucre shall lyue lxxvii yere viii monthes after nature ¶ the woman that is borne in this tyme shall loue to laboure she shall haue diuers thoughtes for straunge stryfes and may not se one wepe she shal haue victory ouer her enemies she shal spende muche syluer by euyll company she shal be called mother of sonnes and shall suffre many euyls she shall take great peyne to the ende that she maye haue the goodes of her kinsmen she ought to be â—â—ryed at xiii yere and she shall haue peyne in her eyen at xiiiiâ— yere and shal haue by enuye at xviii yere ioye she shall suffre doloure by enuy shal be seperate from ioye and shall lyue lxxii yere after nature the dayes of uenus and luna bin right good the dayes of mars and saturne byn euyl aswel the man and the woman shal be inconstant and vnstable in deedes they shal be of good conscyence and mercyfull better to straungers then to them selfe and they will loue god. ¶ of the signe of capricornus he the whiche is borne vnder capricornus from mydde december to mydde ianuarye shall be yracundious a fornicatoure a lyer and shal be alwayes labouringe shal be nourished with strange thynges he shall haue many crymes and noyses he shal be a gouernour of beastes with four fete he shall not be longe with his wyfe he shall suffre muche sorowe and heuynesse in his youth he shall leaue many goodes and rychesses he shall haue a greate peryll at xvi yeare he shal be of a greate courage he shall haunte honest people shall be ryche by women and shal be conductoure of maydens his brethren wyll make dyuers espyenges vppon him and he shal lyue lxx yere and foure monethes after nature ¶ the woman that is borne in this tyme shal be honest and fearefull she shall surmount her enemies and haue children of three men she will do many pilgrymages in her youth after haue great wyt she shall haue great goodes she shall haue peyne in her eyen and shal be in her beste estate at xxx yeare and shall lyue lxx yeare and foure monthes after nature the dayes of saturne and of mars to them bin good the dayes of soll bin contrary and both maÌ„ and woman shal be reasonable and
and strength so muche tyme hath he to waxe olde and feble to his ende but the terme to growe in beaute heyght and strength is xxxvi yeare and the terme to waxe olde feble and weke and turne to the erthward whiche is in all to gether lxxii yere that he oughte to lyue by course of nature and they that dye before this tyme often it is by vyolence and outrage done to theyr complection nature but they that lyue aboue this terme is by good regyment ensygnements after the which a man hath gouerned him selfe to his purpose of lyuing and dyeng the sayd shepard sayth that the thinge that we desyre moste in this worlde is to lyue longe and the thinge that we most feare is to dye soone thus he trauayled his vnderstandinge and made great diligeÌ„ce to knowe and to do thynges possyble and requisyce for to lyue longe hole and ioyously which this present composte kalender of shepardes shewynge and techynge ¶ wherfore we wyll shewe you of the bodyes celestial and of theyr nature and mouynges and this present boke is named the compost for it comprehendeth sully all the compost more for the dayes houres and momentes and the newe moones and the eclyps of the sonne the moone and the sygnes that the moone is in euery day and this boke was made for them that be no clerkes to bringe them to great vnderstandinge he sayde also that the desyre to lyue longe was in his soule the which alway lasteth wherfore he wolde that his desyre wer accomplyshed after his death as a fore he sayde syth the soule dyeth not in her is the desyre to lyue long it shulde be an infallible peine not to lyue after death as afore for he that lyueth not after his corporall death shal not haue that that he hath desyred that is to wytte to lyue longe and shulde abyde in eternal peine yf his desyre were not accomplyshed so concluded the sayde sheparde necessarye thynges for hym and other to know and do that whiche apperteyned to lyue after death as afore and truth it is that he the whych lyueth but the lyfe of this worlde onely though he lyued an hundred yeare he lyued not properly longe but he â—huld lyue longe that the ende of this present lyfe shulde beginne the lyfe eternal that is to saye the lyfe euerlastinge in heauen so a man ought te perâ—ourme his lyfe in this worlde corporally that they may lyue spiritually with out ende for as he sayde one shall lyue euerlastinge without dyenge and when he hath the perdurable lyfe and shal be perfyte ¶ and also by this pointe and none otherwyse shal be accomplished the desyre of longe lyuynge â—n this worlde the forsayde sheparde also knowledged that the lyfe of â—his worlde was sone past and gone wherfore this sheparde thought that xxii yeares here in this vale of wretched mysery is but a lytle a smal terme 〈◊〉 lyfe to the euerlastinge the whiche neuer shal haue endynge and thereâ—ore he sayth he that offreth him self here to lyue vertuously in this worlde after this lyfe he shall receaue the swete lyfe that is sure lasteth euer without ende for though a man lyned here a c. yeares and more it is but a lyttle terme to the lyfe to come therfore sayth this sheparde i wyl lyue soberly with these small temporall goodes that iesu hath lent me euer to exyle the desyre of worledly ryches and worldley worshyppe for they that laboureth for it and haue loue to theyr goodes vayne worshyppes oft it departeth maÌ„ fro the heauenly treasure it shâ—tteth mans hart that god may not entre and byldeth man a place of no reste in the lowe lande of darkenesse ¶ here after foloweth an other prologue of the maister shepharde that sheweth proueth the auctours prologue true that is before rehearsed so the shepardes dispute one with another but this that foloweth the master sheparde sayth to the other of the deuysion of this kalender capitulo ii ¶ here begynneth the master sheparde it is to be vnderstande that there be in the yere four quarters that is called uere hyems estas and autumnus thefe be the iiii seasons in the yere as prymetyme is the springe of the yeare as feuâ—ryere marche and april these thre monethes ¶ then commeth sommer as may iune and iuly and those thre monethes euery herbe grayne and tree is in his kinde and in his most strength fayrnesse euen at the hyghest ¶ theu commeth automne as august septembre and october that all these fruytes waxeth rype and be gathered and howsed ¶ then commeth nouembre december and ianyuere and these thre monethes be in this wynter the tyme of lytle profyte we shephardes saye that the age of a man is .lxxii. yereâ— and that we lyken but to one hole yere for euer more we take vi yeare for euery moneth as ianyuere or feuerycre and so forth for as the yere chauÌ„geth by the xii monethes into xii sundry maners so doth a man channge hym selfe twelue tymes in hys lyfe by twelue ages euery age lasteth vi yeare yf so be that he lyue to lxxii for three tymes syxe maketh eightene and syxe tymes syxe maketh xxxvi and then is man at the best and also at the hyghest and twelue tymes syxe maketh .lxxii. and that is the age of a man. ¶ thus must ye reken for euery monethe syxe yeare or els it maye be vnderstande by the foure quarters and seasons of the yere so is deuyded man in to foure parties as to youth strength wysedome and age he to be xviii yere yonge xviii yeare stronge xviii yeare in wysedome and the fourth xviii yeare to go to the full of the age of lxxii ¶ and nowe to shewe howe man chaungeth .xii. tymes euen as the xii monethes do take the fyrst vi yere for ianyuere the whiche is of no vertue nor strength in that sâ—ason nothinge on the earth groweth so man after he is borne tyl he be syxe yere of age is without witte strength or cunnyng may do nothyng that profyteth ¶ then commeth feueryere then the dayes begenneth to waxe in length and the sonne more hotter then the fyeldes beginneth to waxe greene so the other syxe yeres tyl he come to twelue the childe beginneth to growe bigger and serue and lerne such as is taught him ¶ then coÌ„meth marche in the which the labourer soweth the earth planteth trees edifyeth houses the child in these vi yeres waxeth bigge to lern doctriue and scyence to be fayre and honest for then he is .xviii. yeres of age ¶ after that commeth april that the earth and the threes is couered in grene and flowers and in euery partye goodes encreaseth habundauntly then commeth the chylde to gather the swete flowers of hardynes but then beware that the colde wyndes and stormes of vyces beate not downe the flowers of good maners that he should bringe man to honour for then
he is xxiiii yeres olde ¶ then commeth maye that is bothe fayre and pleasaunte for then byrdes syngeth in woodes end forestes nyghte and daye the sonne shyneth hotte and as then is man moste ioyfull and pleasant and of delyuer strengthe and seketh playes sportes and lusty pastyme for then is he full xxx yere ¶ then commeth iune and then is the sonne hyest in his meridiornall he may ascende no hyer in his stacion his glemeringe golden beames ripeth the corne and when man is xxxvi yere he may ascend no more for then hath nature gyuen hym beauty and strengthe at the full and rypeth the sedes of parfyte vnderstandynge ¶ then commeth iuly that our fruytes byn set a sonninge and our corne a hardenynge but then the sonne begynnethe a lyttle for to dyscende downewardeâ— so man then goth fro youth towarde age beginneth for to aquaynt him with sadnes for then he is xlii yere ¶ after that then commeth august then we gather in our corne and also the fruytes of the earth and then doth man his diligence to gather for to fynde hym selfe withall in the tyme that he may nother gette nor wyn and theÌ„ after that vi yeares is he .xlviii. yere olde ¶ then commeth septembre that wynes be made and the fruites of trees be gathered and then therewithall he doth freshly begynne to garnyshe his house and make prouysion of nedefull thinges for to lyue in wynter whiche draweth very nere and then is man in his most ioyfull and couragious estate prosperous in wysedome purposynge to gather and kepe as muche as shulde be sufficient for him in his olde age when he maye gather no more and these vi yeares maketh him liiii yeares ¶ and then commeth octobre that all is into the forsayde house gathered but corne and also other maner fruytes and also the labourers soweth newe sedes in the earth for the yere to come and then he that soweth nought shal nought gather and then in there other vi yeres a man shal take him selfe vnto god for to do penaunce and good workes and then the benefytes the yere after his death he may gather and haue spiritual profyte and then is man ful in the terme of lx yeres ¶ then commeth nouembre that the dayes be very shorte and the sonne in maner geueth lyttle heate and the trees leseth theyr leues the fieldes that were grene loke hore and gray then al maner of herbes be hid in the ground and then appereth no floures and then winter is come that the man hath vnâ—derstandinge of age and hath lost his kyndely heate and strength his teeche begynne to rotte and also to chattre and then hath ho no more hope of longe lyfe but desyreth to come to the lyfe euerlasting and these .vi. for this mouth maketh him .lxvi. yeres ¶ then commeth decembre ful of colde with frost and snowe with greate wyndes and stormy wethere that a man may not laboure nor nought do the sonne is theÌ„ at the lowest that it may desceÌ„de theÌ„ the trees the earth is hiâ— in snowe theÌ„ it is good to holde them ny the fyreâ— to spende the goodes that they gathered in sommer for then beginneth maÌ„s heare to waxe whyte and gray and his body croked feble then he leseth his perfyte vnderstanding and that vi yeares maketh hym full lxxii yeres and if he lyue any more it is by his good gydynge and dyetynge in his youth howe be if it is possyble that a man may lyue tyl he be an hundred yere of age but there is but fewe that commeth thereto ¶ wherfore i sheparde sayde moreouer that of lyuynge or dyinge the heauenly bodyes may sâ—ere a man bothe to good and euyll without doute of assuceâ—ie but yet may man withstande it by his one freewyll to do what he will him selfe good or bad euermore aboue the which inclinacyon is the myghte and wyll of god that longeth the lyfe of man by his goodnesse or to take it shorte by his iustice ¶ wherfore we wyll shewe you of the bodyes celestyall and of theyr nature and mouynges and this present booke is named the composte for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the dayes houres and momentes and the newe moones and the clippes of the sunne and the moone and of the sygnes that the moone is in euery day and this booke was made for them that be no clerkes to bring them to great vnderstandinge ¶ and this kaleâ—der is deuyded in v. partes ¶ the fyrst of our sygnes of the compost and the kalender ¶ the seconde is the tree of vyces with the peynes of hell ¶ the thyrde is the waye of health of man the tree of vertues ¶ the fourth is physycke and gouernaunce of health ¶ the fyfte is astrologye and physnomy for to vnderstande many disceauynges and which they be by lykelyhod the whyche by nature are inclyned and can do them as ye shall rede or ye come to the ende ¶ for to haue the shepardes vnderstandinge of theyr kalender ye shoulde vnderstande that the yere is the measure of the time that the sonne passeth the xii sygnes retournynge to hys fyrste poynte and is deuyded in the xii monethes ¶ as ianyuere feueryere marche and so forth to december ¶ so the sonne in these xii monethes passeth by xii sygnes one tyme. ¶ the dayes of hys entrynge into the sygnes in the kalender and the dayes also when he parteth the yere as the xii monethes into lii wekes ccc.lxv dayes and when by sext is it is three score and vi one day and xxiiii houres euery houre lx mynnets after these deuysyons ye muste vnderstand for euery yere thre thinges ¶ the fyrst speaketh of golden nombre ¶ the seconde of the letter domynicall and the chyrde is the letter tabuler in the whiche lyeth all the chiefe knoweledge of this kalender for the which letter and nomber to vnderstand al that they wolde whether it be past or to come ye shall put three fygures after the kalender of the whiche the fyrste shall shewe the valure and declaracyon of the two other and it is to be vnderstand that in foure yeares there is one by â—exte the whych hath one daye more then other and also hathe two letters dominicals sygned in one of the forsayde fygures and chaungeth the late day of saynt mathewe the which is vygyl and is put with the day vpoÌ„ on letter by hym selfe ¶ also the letters feryals of thys kalender is to be vnderstande as they 〈◊〉 the other kalenders before the which are the nombres and the other three oâ—â—ter the letters ferials fyrst for bycause the letters dyscendeth lowe is thâ— golden nombre aboue the daye of the newe moone and the which to be thâ— houre momentes of the sayde moneth whiche when they are in seruice bâ—â—fore noone of the day aboue there and when they are blacke seruyce for afteâ—â—noone of the same daye in the places of the nombre betokenethe that nombâ—â—