alle glorye and consolacion that is heuen In that other is nothing but of all trybulacyon that is helle And therfore it is wythdrawen alle vnder fro that other as ferre as it may and that is in the myddle of therthe I saye not that helle is not in none other place where it be For after the deth he hath payne sorowe that hath deserued it And whan suche one shal haue his payne aboue so moche hath he the worse Alle thus as it shold be of somme man that had a grete maladye so moche that he shold deye And that he were brought in to a fayr place and plesaunt for to haue Ioye and solace of so moche shold he be more heuy and sorowful whan he sawe that he coude ne myght helpe hym self ne take therby noo spoort ne releef In lyke wyse shal it be of thyse vnhappy caytifs that ben by their demerytes dampned in helle wherof we shal now herafter to yow more ample and largely declare for to fynysshe the bettre our booke Now yf ye wille take hede and vnderstonde we shal deuyse how helle is in the myddle of therthe and of what nature it is of And of the inestymable tormentis whiche they haue that ben therin put and condempned ye haue wel vndestanden how by nature the iiij elementes holde them that one wythin that other so that therthe is in the myddle and holdeth hym in the myddle of the firmameÌ„t all in lyke wyse is ther in the myddle of therthe a place whiche is called Abisme or swolowe erthe of perdycion Thus moche saye I to yow of this place that it is ful of fyre and of brennyng sulfre And it is ouer hydows stynkyng ful of ordure and of alle euyll aduenture hit is moche large wythin bynethe it is strayt Alle that falleth therin anon the sulphâ—e contynuelly breÌ„neth destroyeth and consumeth And that thyng that cometh therin shal neuer fynysshe ne haue ende but alleway shal brenne wythout ende Alleway it brennth and alleway reneweth And alle that come therin may neuer deye For this place is of suche nature that the more it brenneth the lenger it endureth This place of helle hath wythin hym alle the euylles of his partye There deth holdeth his standard whiche sendeth out thurgh all the world for to fetche them that ben his Who that hath Ioye of heuynesse Thyder come all euylles and all the euyll aportes this place is called the erthe of deth For the sowles that ben brought thyder they abyde and dwelle there wythout ende Certaynly they deye lyuyng And alleway lyue deyeng The deth is there their lyf and their vyande and mete The deth holdeth them there at his commandement This is the right pytte of fyre that brennyth And all in lyke wyse as the stone is drewned in the see whan it is throwen and sonken and neuer shal be after seen right so ben the sowles sonken in to the bottom whiche contynuelly brenne and be drowned ther but for al that they dymynysshe not ne haue ende But in suche myserye abye their folyes nyght and day and so shal endure perpetuelly and wythout ende For what someuer thyng that is spyrituel may neuer dye in suche wyse that it be alle deed but the deth wold they haue and weesshe after it incessauntly the sowle may neuer deye after that it is out of the body But whan it is there It shal alleway languysshe And euer after that it is in helle it shal haue nothyng but euyl this is the contre the londe of oblyuyon and forgetyng For alle they that ben there shal be forgoten Lyke as they forgate in this world their maker whiche is ful of pyte and of mysericorde ¶ And therfore he hath leyd them there in forgetyng where they shal neuer haue mercy ne pardon in this londe so tenebrouse hydouse and full of all stenche and of sorowes anguysshes heuynes hungre and thyrste shal neuer creature haue gladnesse ne Ioye thise ben the terryble gehynes stynknyge And there is fyre so ouer moche ardaunt hote and anguysshous that our fyre and the hete is nomore vnto the regard of that fyre of helle than a fyre paynted on a walle is in conparyson and to the regard of our fyre There ben the flodes peryllaâ—us whiche ben of fyre and of yee so hydows horryble ful of venyme and of fowle beestes that make so grete noyse and so grete grief payne ennoye vnto the dolorouse soules that ben in the sayd abysme that nys creature that can or may recounte or telle the hondred parte In this contre ther is plente of other places whiche ben peryllous and horryble And of them ben somme in the see as wel as wythin therthe In many yles that ben by the see is terryble stenche of sulphre ardauÌ„t in grete fyre whiche is moche paynfull Ther ben many grete montaynes of sulphre that brenne nyght and daye where as many sowles ben encombred brenne contynuelly for to purge their synnes and inyquitees This may thenne well suffyse as touchynge to speke ony more of this matere For ther is no creature that can telle the grete tormeÌ„tes and inestymable paynes that a man of euyll lyf receyueth for his demeryte whan he is departed fro this world For he gooth euyl to werse here we shal cesse for this present tyme and now saye no more herof And seen that we haue spoken wel a longe of one of the foure Elementis whiche is therthe we shal now speke of the seconde and that is of the water that alway renneth And after we shal speke of thayer and after of the fyre euerych in his right ordre ¶ How the watre renneth by thurghe therthe Ca xixo. THe water that is the depe see the whiche enuyronneth and goth round aboute the world and of this see meuen alle the flodes and ryuers that renne thurgh the erthe And renne so ferre their cours and that they retorne and come agayn thedyr from whens they departed and that is the see And thus goth the see contynuelly tornyng and makyng his cours that for so moche as the water is more lyght than the erthe so moche is it aboue and is most next to therthe She departeth and deuydeth the contrees and she spredeth her thurgh out alle therthe she falleth agayn in to the see And spredeth agayn by the flodes and ryuers and goth sourdyng and spryngyng in the erthe from one place to another by vaynes alle in lyke wyse as the blood of a man goth and rennth by the vaynes of the body and goth out and yssueth in somme place alle in lyke wyse renneth the water by the vaynes of therthe and sourdeth and springeth out by the fontaynes and welles fro whiche it gooth al aboute that whan one delueth in therthe depe in medowe or in montaygne or in valeye men fynde water salte or swete or of somme other maner ¶ How the water swete or salte hoot
right nature that in all the somers and all the wynters that euer haue ben and shal be shold not come no dyuersytees And all the tymes shold be lyke as they that by the. sonne shold be alway demened eschauffed and contynuelly gouerned For he goth egally alway and endeth his cours euery yere and holdeth his right way in one estate as he that goth not out of his waye Thus is he the right veyle and patrone of all the other sterres For it is the most fyn of all the other by the grete clerenesse that is in hym and in all thynges by hym and he hath on therthe more power on thynges of whiche may be enquyred of nature reson and right than all the other sterres yet somtyme they restrayne his heetes and after they enlarge theÌ„m after that they be fer or nygh as he otherwhyle hath nede lyke vnto a kynge whiche is the gretter lorde and the more myghty in hym self for his hyghnesse than ony other of the people Neuertheles he hath somtyme nede of them for to be holpen and serued of them For how moche the nerer he is to his people so moche more is he stronge and puissaunt And the ferther he wythdraweth fro his folke so moche the lasse he exployteth of his werke ¶ In lyke wyse I saye to yow of the sonne whiche is as ye may vnderstoÌ„de the grettest the most myghty And the most vertuous of whiche he hath gretter power in erthe than ony other sterre may haue but the other haue their power euerich in his degre But syth we haue recounted to yow the shortest wyse we may of the vertue of the firmament we shal declare to you herafter in short how the world was mesured as well in heyght as in depnesse And on alle sydes of lengthe and brede by them that kâ—ewe the resons of the seuen sciences Of whiche geometrie is one by whiche the sonne the mone therthe and the firmament ben mesured as well wythin as wythoute how moche it is of gretenes And how moche it is fro therthe to the firmament and alle the gretenes of the sterres For this is preuyd by ryght byholdyng And they that founde this science perceyuyd that it myght not be knowen truly by astronomye ne the nature of the sterres wythout knowyng of their mesures Therfore wolde they mesure them and preue all their gretenesse ¶ Wherfore and how they mesured the world Caplo. ix FYrst of alle the auncient philosophers wolde mesure the gretnes of the world all round aboue therthe tofore ony other werke by whiche they preuyd the heyght of the sterres and the gretnes of the firmament all aboute And they coude not fynde more gretter mesure to be mesured and whan they had mesured therthe how moche it had of largenes all aboute and how moche it had of thycknes thourgh they enquyred after of the mone by cause it was leste hye fro therthe most nyhest therto And after they enquyred of the sonne how ferre it was fro therthe And how moche the body therof had of gretnes And they fonde it more thaÌ„ all therthe was â–ª And whan they had mesured thyse thre thynges the Sonne the Mone and therthe They myght lyghtly after enquyre of the other sterres how moche eueriche is nygh or ferre And the gretenes of euerich Of whiche they fonde none but his body were of more gretenes than alle therthe is excepte only thre of the planetes wythout more whiche ben Venus Mercurye and the Mone whiche is the thirde and euery man may enquyre this yf he knowe the science of geometrye the science of astronomye wyth all For that muste he knowe first to fore he may fynde and knowe the trouthe But for as moche as alle be not good clerkis ne maystres of Astronomye that may proue this we wyll recounte here after how moche the erthe is longe And how thycke it is thurgh And also how moche the mone is aboue therthe And the sonne also whiche is aboue the mone And how moche eche of them hath of gretenes lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hath prened And also we shal speke after that of the sterres and of the firmament Of alle this we shal saye to you but first tofore all I shal recounte to yow of the faytes and dedes of the kynge Tholomeus whiche knewe so many demonstraunces of apparicions and so moche loued Astronomye that he wold serche alle these thynges And we shal saye to you of somme thynges whiche ben not contrarye to yow yf ye wyll well vnderstande and reteyne them by whiche ye may lerne som good And thenne after we shal mesure to yow the world the best wyse we may Now entende ye of the kynge tholomeus and of the werkes of somme other philophers for youre owne prouffyt ¶ Of the kynge Tholomeus and of somme other philosophers Capitulo xo. THolomeus was a kynge moche subtyl in Astronomye This tholomeus was kynge of egipte whiche helde the contree longe tyme Ther were somtyme many kynges that were named Tholomeus But emonge the other this was he that knewe most of Astronomye and that most enserched of the sterres and more vnderstode of them than the other of whiche he composed and made plente of right fayr volumes and bookes And many dyuerse instrumentes by whiche was fouÌ„de appertly alle the gretenes of therthe And the heyght of the firmament And how the sterres make their cours bothe by nyght and by daye By hym were founden first the oryloges of the chirches whiche begynne the houres of the dayes and of the nyghtes The dayes passe fast on wherfor the chirches haue grete nede to haue good orloges for to doo therby alway the seruyse of our lord at hour competent and due as well by day as by nyght For god loueth moche for to be adoured and seruyd entyerly and ordynatly euery day For the Orysons that ben sayd and receyted euery day in the chirches playse more to our lord than do they that ben sayde in many other places And therfor the oryloges ben necessarye in euery chirche And men serue god the better in due tyme and fare the better and lyue the lenger For yf they ruled soo them self to praye at a certayn hour And at an other hour in lyke wyse to ete other thinges in his right hour it shold be a lyght thynge to doo plese god Yf men wold applye them as wel to suche thynges as they do to do that whiche confouÌ„deth and sleeth them that is to wete that they be al enclyned to conquere the richesses of whiche they cesse not nyght ne daye And wenen to prolonge their lyf therby But they amasse and gete grete tresours and pourchasse their deth For by the grete goodes that they assemble on alle sydes they put them in suche thought and payne that they lese ofte their wytte vnderstandyng and also their mynde so that they may not enclyne and thinke on thoo werkes that towche
their saluacioÌ„ as they ought to doo by suche werkes shold they be in more ease lyue lenger and plese better our lord And shold also haue more helthe of body and of sowle but they loue somoche the wynnyng of the goodes of the world that they leue that whiche shold more auayle and prouffyte them ¶ I wote neuer wherfore they gete this hauoir and good For they lose therby the ease of the worlde bycause whan they wene to sette them in ease and to be in pees Thenne cometh deth and maketh them to deye wyth ryght grete sorowe For the grete couetyse of the good and the payne that they haue made alle way to gete it wythout ordynaunce and mesure hath moche the more hastelyer brought them to their deth And so ben many men deed that yf they had ordeyned their affayres and besynesse as they ought to doo at euery hour competently and by ordre whiche yet had ben a lyue in good helthe And lo thus ye may see how they abredge their dayes and auaunce their deth For at longe nature may not suffre dyuerse mayntenes vnresonable ne the sodeyn agrauacions ne griefs of whiche by their folyes they trauaylle nature and it displesyth moche vnto god And also no good may come therof But gladlyer and wyth better wyll they traueylle and more dylygently for to wynne and gete the worldly goodes than the loue of god And neuer do they thynge by ordre One day goon they erly to the chirche and another day late or at suche an hour as they wene that it shal not hurte them to auaunce their gayne wynnyng Thus go they neuer to chirche for to praye vnto god vnto the tyme that they wene that they shal wynne nomore worldly goodes But they wynne the lasse For they serue god in vayn And god shal rendre to them their reward and they shal bye right dere that they leue to serue hym For he may rendre to them more meryte in one day than they may gete in a thousand yere Suche people ben foles and euyl aduysed whan of nought they wene to serue hym that alle knoweth and all seeth ye the lest thought that they thynke yet ben ther somme whan they go to chirche they goo not in entencion to praye god but only for to gete the loos and goodes of the world And praye more for their richesses that god sholde kepe and multyplye them than they do for the saluacion of their sowles whiche ben in grete parylle to be perysshed And it is a grete meruaylle of suche maner of people that thynke wel in their hertes and knowe wel that it is euyl that they do yet for al that they amende them not â–ª of whiche it is grete pyte whan they so folowe the deuyll whiche is so feble a thyng fro whom alle euyllis sourden Truly the deuyl is ful of inyquyte and wythout power and strengthe ouer ony persone of hym self For he may not vainquysshe ne ouercome but hym that consenteth to his wyll For who that wyll conduyte and rule hym self well The inyquytees of hym may not noye ne greue ne in nothynge trauaylle hym of whiche he hath cause to sorowe fore as longe as he wyll dispose hym to doo well Thenne may wel be sayd fy ¶ For they ben more than faylled whan he ouercometh them so febly and taketh them in their euill dedes and synnes and ledeth them to perdycion where they neuer shal be wythout payne ne neuer shal haue Ioye ne in no wyse haue hope of mercy of this purpos we shal saye nomore now but recouÌ„te of kynge tholomeê° The whiche employed his tyme in the werkes of our lord god out of his bookes were drawen the nombres of whiche the yeres ben ordeyned And of the same is fouÌ„de the cours of the mone By whiche is seen whan she is newe of suche Iuliê° Cezar whiche of rome was emperour made a booke called the somes the soÌ„mes the whiche is ful necessarye in holy chirche and it declareth the golden nombre of the kalender For by the kalender is knowen the cours of the mone and of alle the yere by whiche is also knowen how we ought to lyue after reson euery daye That is to wete in etyng and drynkyng and in worshipyng our lord on hye dayes and symple and for to solempnyse suche dayes as holy chyrche hath ordeyned and by blessyd sayntes establysshed ¶ By the kalender we knowe the holy tymes as the ymbre dayes The lente aduente And the hye dayes and festes thet we ben most bounde to serue god For to gete his Inestimable Ioye and glorye Whiche our lord hath promysed vnto his good and trewe frendes whiche wyth good herte serue hym Alle this lerneth vs the calender the whiche was draweÌ„ out of Astronomye whiche the good kynge Tholomeus louyd so moche and he knewe more than ony other man sauf adam whiche was the first man For adam knewe alle the seuen sciences lyberall entyerly wythout fayllyng of a worde as he that the creatour made and fourmed wyth his propre haÌ„des And so wold our lord haue hym souerayn in beaute in wytte and strengthe ouer all themÌ„ that shold be born after hym vnto the comyng of Ihesu Cryste sone of god The whiche had gyuen to hym suche vertues Ne neuer after Adam gaf he so moche to one man ne neuer shal But anon as he had consented and commysed the synne deffended he lost so moche of his wytte and power that anon he becam a man mortall And he was suche to fore er he had synned that he shold neuer haue felte deth Ne alle we descended of hym shold not haue lasse meryte than he In Ioye in solaas and in deduyt of paradys terrestre alle to gydre born and nouryshed wythout synnes And after in heuen gloryfyed But syth they tasted of the fruyt â–ª whiche god deffended them his wytte and his entendement were so destroyed and corumped by his synne that alle we abyde entetched and foylled ther by Ne ther is nothyng vnder the firmament but it is werse sythen than to fore and of lasse valew Ye the sterres gyue lasse lyght than they dyde to fore ¶ Thus alle thynges empayred of their goodnes and vertues by the synne of Adam whiche god had made for man as he that wold make hym maystre of all the goodes that he had made ¶ But anon as he had commysed the synne he felte hym so bare of his wytte and entendement strengthe of his beaute that hym semed he was al naked that he had loste all goodes as a man put in exyle But notwythstondyng this yet abode wyth hym more wytte streÌ„gthe beaute than euer ony man had sitheÌ„ And to the regard of thyse thre vertues that adam had The kynge dauyd that was so vertuous wyse had two sones whiche myght be compared the one to the beaulte of adam that other to his wysedom absolon myght be
stynekyng haue not thapple they deye incontynent ¶ Of the serpentes of the beestes of Inde Ca. vjo. IN Inde ben plente of serpentes whiche ben of suche force and myght that they deuoure take by strengthe the hertes and buckes Yet ther is another maner beeste whiche is callyd Centyoore whiche hath the horne of an herte in the myddle of his face And hath the breste and thyes lyke a lyon and hath grete â—eris feet lyke an hors And hath a round mouth his mosel is lyke the heed of a Bere And his eyen ben nyghe that one that other and his voys is moche lyke the voys of a man Another beeste men fynde there moche fyers whiche hath the body of an hors the heed of a wylde boor and the tayll of an Olyphaunt And he hath two hornes whiche eueriche is as loÌ„ge as a cubyte Of whiche he sette that one vpon his back whyles he fighteth wyth that other he is black and a moche terryble beeste and meruyellous delyuere And is both in watre on the londe There ben also seen bollys whiche ben al whyte They haue grete hedes their throte is as wyde brode that it endureth from that one eere to that other haue hornes that remeue aboute hym so that nomaÌ„ may tame ne dauÌ„te them Another maner of beestes ther is in Inde that ben callyd mantycora and hath visage of a man thre huge grete teeth in his throte he hath eyen lyke a goot body of a lyon tayll of a Scorpyon and voys of a serpente in suche wyse that by his swete songe he draweth to hym the people and deuoureth them And is more delyuerer to goo than is a fowle to flee Ther is also a maner of Oxen or buefs that haue their feet all round and haue in the myddle of their fronte iij hornes Yet is ther auother beeste of moche fayr corsage or shappe of body whiche is called monotheres whiche hath the body of an hors and feet of an Olyfant heed of an herte and voys clere and hye and a grete tayle And hath but one horne whiche is in the myddle of his forhede whiche is four foot longe right and sharpe lyke a swâ—rd and cuttyng lyke a rasour And alle that he atteyneth to fore hym and towcheth is broken cutte for trouthe this beeste is of suche condicion that by what someuer engyne he is taken of grete desdayn he suffreth to be slayn and deyd But he may not be taken but by a pure vyrgyne whiche is sette to fore hym where as he shal passe the whiche muste be well and gentely arayed Thenne cometh the beest vnto the mayde moche symply and slepeth in her lappe and so he is taken slepyng In Inde ben ther other beestes grete and fyers whiche ben of blew colowr haue clere spottes on the body and ben so right stronge and crymynel that no men dar approche them and ben named tygris they renne so swyftly and by so grete myght that the hunters may not escape fro them in no wyse but yf they take myrrours of glasse and caste them in the waye where they shal renne For the tygris ben of suche nature that whaÌ„ they see their semblaunce they wene that it be their fawnes theÌ„ne goon they aboute the myrrours so longe tyl they breke the glasse and see nomore in whiche whyle the hunters escape fro them that ben there And somtyme it happeth so of thyse tygres that they thynke so longe and beholde their fygures that otherwhile they ben taken so lokyng all quick and lyuyng Yet ben ther other beestes whiche ben called castours which haue this nature in them that whaÌ„ they ben honted for to be taken they byte wyth their teeth their owne genytours or ballocks and lete them falle and thus they ghelde them self For they wel knowe that for none other thinge they be hunted Also theâ— groweth another beest lyke a Mous and hath a lytyl mouthe and is named muske or muskaliet In this contree ben the drye trees that spake to Alysa undre the puyssaunt kynge Another beeste ther is that men calle Salemandre whiche is fedde nourysshed in the fyre This Salemandre bereth wulle of whiche is made cloth and gyrdles that may not brenne in the fyre Ther ben yet myes the whiche ben as grete as cattes and also swyft in rennyng Toward thoryent ben the lyons whiche haue more strength and myght in their brestes to fore and in all their membres than ony other beeste haue And they come to fede their fawnes the iij day after they haue fawned as they that were deed and ben as reysed again from deth whan they slepe they holde their eyen open whan the hunters hunte them they couer the traas of their feet wyth their taylle They shal neuer do harme ne grief to man but yf they ben angred And whan they be assaylled they deffende them And whan he that kepeth them bete and chastyseth a lytyl dogge to fore them they fere and doubte hym lyke as they knewe hym well and the lyonesse hath the first yere fyue fawnes and euery yere after folowyng one lasse vnto her ende so declynyng Ther is another beeste whiche is lytyl and is so terryble and redoubted that no beste dar approche it and by nature the Lyon doubteth and fleeth from it For of it sleeth the lyon ¶ In this partye conuerseth and repayreth another beste whiche is of dyuerse colours by spottes whytte black grene blewe and Ielow lyke as it were paynted and is moche propre and is called Panthere and ther cometh out of his mouth so swete a sauour and breeth that the beestes goo folowyng after it for the swetenes of his body sauf the serpent to whom the swete smelle greueth in suche wyse that ofte the serpent deyeth and whan this beeste is otherwhyle so fylled and full of venyson that he hath taken and eten He slepeth iij dayes hool wythout a wakyng And whan he awaketh he gyueth out of his mouth so swete a sauour and smelle that anon the bestes that fele it seche hym This beest hath but ones yong fawnes And whan she shal fawne she hath suche destresse and anguyssh that she breketh wyth her nayles and renteth her matryce in suche wyse that her fawnes come out And neuer after whan the matryce is rente and broken they engendre ne brenge forth fawnes Ther is a maner of mares that conceyue of the wynde and ben in a contre that is named Capydoce but they endure not but iij yere In this contre ben the Olyphaunts whiche is a beest grete stronge and fyghtyng And whan the see their blodshedde to fore them they be most corageous most stronge and fyght in alle places and alle bataylles vpon this olyphaunts were wonte to fyghte the people of Inde and of perse For an olyphaunt berett wel a tour of woode vpoÌ„ his back fulle of men of armes whan it
thurgh an other sterre alle like as a cādel whiche is sette ferre fro your sight after ye helde your honde right to fore the candel thēne ye shold not see nothyng therof the more right ye hold your hand bytwene the more lasse shold ye see this candel so moche ye may sette your hand ryght to fore your eyen so ferre that ye shold see nothyng therof In this maner I telle yow of the Eclypse that bytwene the Sonne and the Mone is not one waye comune But the mone gooth an other waye whiche destourneth her a lytyl from the Sonne Wherfore vs behoueth to vnderstande that the mone gooth oftymes whan she is bytwene vs and the sonne somtyme aboue and otherwhile bynethe here and there as she ryseth and declyneth But whan she passyth in the right lygne euen bytwene vs and the sonne thenne taketh the mone fro vs the lyght and clernes of the sonne in suche wyse as we may not clerly see her in that paas For thenne shadoweth she therthe And kepeth the raynes of the sonne that they may not shyne on therthe And they that ben in this parte haue in their syght the shadowe behynde them But it apperyth not comunely to alle men thurgh al the world For the mone is not so grete nowher nygh as all therthe therfor she shadoweth not all but only where she is in the right lygne bytwene therthe and the sonne And thyder the philosophers were wont to goo where as they knewe it For by their wyt and studye they had lerned for to approue the daye and tyme whan suche thynges sholde happe By whiche they preuyd plente of thynges wherfore they preysed moche our lord Thu◠see we here byneth the eclypse of the sonne aboue vs whan the mone is right vnder the sonne for as moche as she is bynethe sonne and aboue vs. And thenne the sonne passeth the ryght lygne and gooth departyng and wythdrawyng so moche that she apperyth as she dyde afore And thenne the mone departed is horned thre dayes after this Eclypse And by this fygure ye may vnderstonde playnly this that ye haue herd here tofore ¶ Of the Eclypse that happed atte deth of our lord god Capitulo vijo. THus as the mone taketh away fro vs the lyght of the sonne So it happeth oftyme that therthe taketh away the lyght of the mone as to fore is declared But the Eclipse of the mone may not be in no wyse but whan she apperith most full ne theclipse of the sonne may not be but whan the mone is all waned and faylled and that we calle the coniunciō but yf god whiche made all thinge chaunge and deffete at his plaisir make it to come or happene otherwyse like as it happed at suche tyme as our sauiour Ihesu Cryste was on the crosse at whiche tyme the lyght and bryghtnesse of the day faylled fro mydday vnto the ix hour of the day and thenne was the mone vnder therthe at the fulle as moche as she myght be whiche thenne in no wyse myght empesshe the lyght of the sonne the day at that tyme was as derke obscure as it had ben propre nyght whiche by nature at that tyme shold haue be bryght pure For whiche cause seynt Dyonyse whiche at this tyme is schryned in Fraūce thenne beyng an estudyaūt in grece a paynem lyke a grete clercke as he was For he knewe moche of astronomye whan he apperceyued this grete obscurte and derknes he had right grete meruaylle and fonde by astroonmye that this myght not be by nature ne by reson that the eclipse of the sonne shold happe falle in suche season thenne sayd he a derke worde in this maner or the god of nature suffreth grete torment by wrōge or all the world discordeth shal desolue faylle as it that muste take an ende though in hym self that he was a grete god that so susfred And that he had power and myght aboue alle other goddes as he that byleuyd on many goddes after his lawe Thenne this holy dyonyse made an aulter in his oratorye alle aboue the other aulters also a parte where as no persone repayred but he hym self only by cause he wold not be reputed in mysbyleue and whan it was made he had sene it he called it the aulter of the god vnknowen worshipped adoured hym helde hym for a right dere grete god It was not longe after this that the holy doctour Seynt poul cam to this place where seynt dionyse was as he that knewe hym for a right grete clerck And by commynycacion preching of seynt Poul he was sone conuerted by the helpe of our lord whiche wrought so therin that thenne he had very knowleche how our lord had suffred his passiō For they were bothe good clerkes as is more playnly conteyned in their legendes And thus was the noble clerk saynt dyonyse bycomen a good and very crysten man whiche all his lyf to fore had be a paynem and he so employed his science and his tyme fro that day forthon that it auaylled hym gretly to the helthe of his sowle this eclipse deceyuid hym not ne this that he knewe astronomye but he bycam after a mā of so good holy lyf that he gate for his reward the blysse of heuen ye haue herd the fayt of Eclypses yf ye wyl vnderstande them wel And ye shal not fare the werse ne the lasse auaylle you For to knowe it may moche prouffyte to euery persone for suche demonstraūces ben signefycacions of grete werkes thynges that ofte after happen falle This fynde wel astronomyers by Astronomye as somtym scarcete and defaulte of goodes of a grete derthe of warre or deth of kynges or prynces that falleth in the world as they may enquyre and serche by theyr science and reson This eclipse that was so grete signefyed the deth of Ihesu Cryst And it ought wel to come otherwyse for hym than for another For he was and is by right lord kinge of alle the world And may deffete desolue it and ordeyne at his good playsyr the other eclypses comen by nature whiche reteyne on therthe their vertues of thinges that ben come for it byhoueth all to fynysshe come to nought to all that is on therthe that shortly god made not the firmamēt ne the sterres for noght whiche as sayd is goth tornyng ouer aboue vs and gyueth to the sterres names vertues in heuen and in erthe eche after his myght on all thinges that hath growyng For ther is nothyng but it hath somme power for as moche as it hath growyng suche as it ought to haue by nature and by resen we shal now for this present leue for to speke ony more of the eclipses and shal recompte and declare of the vertue of the firmament and of the sterres For who so wel knewe the vertue of them he shold