Cancer is indifferent for bledynge ¶ Cancer is colde and moyste / nature of water / and gouerneth the brest / the stomake / â—â—e mylte / and is indifferent nouther to good nor to badde for lettynge of blode ¶ Leo is euyll for bledynge ¶ Leo is hote and drye / nature of fyre and gouerneth the backe and the sydes / and euyll for blode lettynge ¶ Virgo is indifferent for bledynge ¶ Virgo is colde and drye / and nature of the erthe / and gouerneth the wombe / and the inwarde partyes / is nouther good nor euyll for bledynge / but betwyxte bothe ¶ Libra is right good for bledynge ¶ Libra is hote and moyst / nature of the ayre and gouerneth the nauyll / the reynes / and the lowe partyes of the wombe / is very good for bledynge ¶ Scorpio is indifferent for bledynge ¶ Scorpius is colde moyste / nature of the water / and gouerneth the membres of man / and is nouther good nor badde for bledynge / but indifferent betwene bothe ¶ Sagittarius is good for bledynge ¶ Sagittarius is hote and drye / nature of fyte / and gouerneth the thyghes and is good for blode settynge ¶ Capricornus is euyll for bledynge ¶ Capricornus is colde and drye / nature of erthe / and gouerneth the knees / and is euyll for bledynge ¶ Aquarius is indifferent for bledyng ¶ Aquarius is hote moyste / nature of ayre and gouerneth the legges / is nouther good nor euyll for bledynge ¶ Pisces is indifferent for bledynge ¶ Pisces is colde and moyste / nature of water / and gouerneth the fete / is nouther good nor euyll for bledynge / but indifferent ¶ Here foloweth the Nothomye of the bones in mannes body / and the nombre of them whiche is in all .ii. C. and xl.viii Capitulo .iii. IN the toppe of the hede is a bone that couereth the brayne / the whiche Ptholomeus calleth the capytall bone In the skull ben two bones / which ben called Parietales that holdeth the brayne close stedfaste And more lower in the brayne is a bone called the crowne of the hede / and on the one syde / on the other ben two holes / within the which is the palys or rofe bone In the partye behynde the hede ben .iiii. lyke bones / to the whiche the chayne of the necke holdeth In the nose ben it bones The bones of the chaftê aboue ben .xi. And of the nether iawe ben .ii. Aboue the apposyte of the brayne / there is one behynde named collaterall The bones of the tethe ben .xxx. eyghte before .iiii. aboue / and .iiii. vnderneth sharpe edgyd for to cutte the morselles / there is .iiii. sharpe .ii. aboue / and .ii. vnderneth and ben called conynes / for they ben lyke conyes tethe After that ben .xvi. that be as they were hamers or gryndyng tethe / for they chawe and grynde the mete the whiche is eten / there is .iiii. aboue on euery syde / and .iiii. vnderneth And than the .iiii. teth of sapyence on euery syde of the chaftes one aboue / one vnderneth In the chynne from the hede downewarde ben .xxx. bones called knottes or ioyntes In the brest before ben .vii. bones / and on euery syde .xii. rybbes By the necke bytwene the hede and the sholdres ben .ii. bones named the sheres / and ben the two sholdre blades From the sholdre to the elbowe in eche arme is a bone called the adiutor From the elbowe to the hande on euery arme / ben .ii. bones that ben called cannes In eche hande ben .viii. bones / aboue the palme ben .iiii. bones / whiche ben called the combe of the hande The bones in the fyngers in eche hande ben .xv. in euery fynger thre At the ende of the rydge ben the hoele bones / wherto ben fastened the two bones of the thyghes In eche kne is a bone called the kne plate From the kne to the fote in eche legge ben .ii. bones / called cannes or mary bones In eche fote is a bone called the ancle or pyn of the fote / behynde the ancle is the hele bone in eche fote / the which is the lowest parte of a man And aboue eche fote is a bone called the holowe bone In the plante of eche fote ben .iiii. bones Than ben the combes of the fete in eche of the whiche ben .v. bones The bones in the toes iÌ„ eche fote ben the nombre of .xiiii. Two bones ben before the bely for to holde it stedfast with the two brauÌ„ches Two bones ben in the hede behynde the ere 's called oculares We teken nat the teÌ„der bones of the ende of the sholdres / nor of the sydes / nor dyuers lytell grystels and speldres of bones / for they ben comprehended in the nombre beforesayde ¶ Here foloweth the Flubothomye with the names of the vaynes / where they reste / and howe they ought to be letten blode Capitulo .iiii. HEre I do you to wyt that the vayne in the myddes of the forehede wold be let ten blode / for the ache and payne of the hede / and for feuers Lytargye / and for the megryme in the hede ¶ Aboute the two ere 's behynde is two vaynes / the whiche ben letten blode / for to gyue clere vnderstandynge / and vertue of lyght herynge / and for thycke brethe and for doubte of meselry or lepry ¶ In the temple ben two vaynes called the Artyers for that they bete / whiche ben letten blode for to demynysshe and take awaye the great repleccion abundaunce of blode that is in the brayne / that myghte noye the hede the iyen and it is good agaynst the gowte the megryme / and dyuers other accydentes that maye come to the hede ¶ Vnder the tongue ben two vaynes / that ben letten blode for a syckenes called the Sequamy / and agaynst the swellynge / and appostomes of the throte / and agaynst the equynancy / by the whiche a man myght dye sodaynly / for defaute of suche bledynge ¶ In the necke ben two vaynes called origynalles / for that they haue the course and abuÌ„daunce of all the blode that gouerneth the body of man / and pryncipally the hed / but they ought nat to be letten blode without the couÌ„ceyle of the Surgyon / this bledynge auayleth moche to the syckenes of Lepry / whan it cometh pryncipally of the blode ¶ The vayne of the herte taken in the arme / profyteth to take away humours or euyll blode / that myght hurte the chambre of the herte or the apperteynaunce / and is good for them that spytteth blode / and that ben shorte wynded / by the whiche a man may dye sodaynly / for defaute of suche bledynge ¶ The vayne of the lyuer taken in the arme aswaygeth the great hete of the body of man and holdeth the body in helthe / and this bledynge is profytable also agaynst the yelowe axes / and
appostome of the lyuer / agaynst the palsy wherof a man may dye / for defaute of suche bledynge ¶ Bytwene the maister fynger and the leche fynger to lette blode helpeth the dolours that cometh in the stomake and sydes / as botches / and appostomes / and dyuers other accydentê that may come to those places by great abundaunce of blode and humours ¶ In the sydes bytwene the wombe and the brauÌ„che ben two vaynes / of the whiche that of the right syde is letten blode for the dropsy that of the lefte syde for euery syckenes that cometh aboute the mylte / and they shuld blede after the persons be fatte or lene / take good hede at foure fyngers nyghe the incysion and they ought nat to make suche bledynge without the counsayle of the Surgyon ¶ In euery fote ben thre vaynes / of the whiche thre / one is vnder the ancle of the fote named sophane / the whiche is letten blode for to swage and put out dyuers humours / as botches and appostomes that cometh aboute the graynes / and it profyteth moche to women for to cause theyr menstruosyte to discende / delay the emoroydes that cometh in the secrete places / and other lyke ¶ Bytwene the wrestes of the fote / and the great too is a vayne / the whiche is letten blode for dyuers syckenes and inconuenyencê as the pestylence that taketh a persone sodeynly by the great superabundaunce of humours / this bledynge muste be made within a naturall day / that is to saye within .xxiiii. houres after that the syckenesse is taken of the pacyent / and before that the feuer come on hym / this bledynge ought to be done after that corpolence of the pacyent ¶ In the angels of the iyen ben two vaynes the whiche ben letten blode / for the rednes of the iyen / or watry / or that renneth contynually / for dyuers other syckenes that may happen / and come by ouer great abundance of humours and blode ¶ In the vayne of the ende of the nose is made a bledynge / the whiche is good for a redde pympled face / as ben red droppes / pustulus / small skabbes / other infections of the herte that maye come therin by to great repleccion / and abundaunce of blode and humours / and it auayleth moche agaynst popeled noses / other lyke syckenesses ¶ In the mouth in the guÌ„mes ben foure vaynes / that is to saye two aboue / two byneth the whiche ben letten blode for chausynge canker in the mouthe / and for toth ache ¶ Bytwene the lyppe the chynne is a vayne / that is letten blode to gyue amendement to them that haue an euyll brethe ¶ In eche arme ben foure vayne / of the whiche the vayne of the hed is the hyghest / the seconde nexte is from the herte / the thirde is of the lyuer / the fourth is from the mylte otherwyse called the lowe lyuer vayne ¶ The vayne of the hed taken in the arme / ought to blede / for to take away the great repleccion and abundaunce of blode that maye anoye the hed / the iyen / the brayne / auayleth greatly for chaungeable hetes / and swel lynge of the throte / for them that haue swollen faces and red / and for dyuers other syckenesses that may fall and come by great abundaunce of blode ¶ The vayne of the mylte otherwyse called the lowe vayn shuld blede agaynst feuer tercyens and quartaynes / and in it ought to be made a wyde and a lesse depe wounde than in any other vayne / for fere of wynde that it maye gather / and for a more incoÌ„uenyence for fere of a senowe that is vnder it / that is called the lezarde ¶ In eche hande ben thre vaynes / wherof that aboue the thombe ought to blede / to take awaye the great hete of the vysage / for moche thycke blode and humours that ben in the hed / and this vayne delayeth more than that of the arme ¶ Bytwene the lytell fynger and the leche fynger is lettynge of blode that greatly auayleth agaynst all feuer tercyens / quartaynes and agaynst flumes and dyuers other lettynges that cometh to the pappes / the mylte ¶ In eche thyghe is a vayne / of the whiche bledyng auayleth agaynst doloures of the genytoures / and for to put out of mannes body humours that ben in the graynes ¶ The vayne that is vnder the ancle of the fote without is named sciat / of the which ble dynge is moche worthe agaynst the paynes of the flankes / and for to make auoyde and yssue dyuers humours / whiche wolde gadre in the sayde place / and it auayleth greatly to women / for to restrayne theyr menstruosyte / whan they haue to great abundaunce ¶ Thus endeth the fleubothomye / And here foloweth to knowe whan a man is hole / or disposed to syckenes Capitulo .iiii. NOwe to gyue you knowlege whan that any man is hole or sycke / or disposed in any wyse to syckenes wherfore thre thyngê there ben by the which Ptholomeus put knowlege whan a man is hole or sycke / or disposed to syckenes If he be hole / to maynteyne kepe hym If he be sycke to seke remedye to hele hym If he be disposed to syckenes / to kepe hym that he falle nat ther in And for eche of the thre sayde thynges / the sayd Ptholomeus put dyuers sygnes Helthe properly attemperaunce / accorde / and equalyte of the .iiii. qualytes of man / which ben hote colde / drye / moyste The whiche whan they ben well tempred and egall that the one surmount nat the other / than the body of man is hole But whan they ben vnegal and mysse tempred / and the one hath power one ouer an other / than a man is sycke or disposed to syckenes / and they ben the qualytes that the body holdeth of the clementes that they ben made composed of / that is to saye of the fyre hete / of the water colde / of the ayre moyste / and of the erthe drye The whiche qualytes / whan one is disordred from the other / than the body is sycke And if that one distroye all the other / than the body dyeth / and the soule departeth ¶ The sygne to knowe a man hole / and well disposed in his body CapÌ„ .v. THe firste sygne wherby Ptholomeus knewe a man to be hole / well disposed in his body / was whan he eteth and drynketh wel after the conuenaunce of the hunger thyrste that he hath without makynge excesse And also whan he dygesteth lyghtly / and whan that he hathe eten or drynken it troubleth and greuyth nat his stomacke Also whan he feleth good sauoure / good appetyte in that he eteth and drynketh Also whan he is hungry and thyrsty at the houres that he ought to ete and drinke And also whan he reioyseth hym
spared no thynge / he abydeth poore and naked / as the erthe and trees / and dureth vnto lxxii yere or more ¶ Prymetyme is hote and moyst / nature of ayre / and complection of the sanguyne ¶ Somer is hote and drye / nature of fyre / complection of the coloryke ¶ Haruest is colde and drye / nature of erthe / complection of melancoly ¶ wynter is cold and moyste / nature of water / complection of the flumatyke whan complection is wel proporcyoned / it feleth it selfe better disposed in the tyme semblable to it / than it doth in other tymes But for that euery man is nat wel complectioned / they ought to do as Ptholomeus dyde / that is to take Regyment to kept them selfe after the seasons / and gouerne them by his rules and techynges / the whiche he vsed in euery quarter of the yere for to lyue the longer / wysely / and meryly ¶ The RegymeÌ„t for Prymetyme / that is for to say Marche / Apryll / May. CapÌ„ .ix. IN prymetyme Ptholomeus kepte hym selfe metely wel clothed / nat ouer colde / nor to hote / as with thyn vestures / dowbletê of sylke / and gownes metely lyght furred with lambe most coÌ„menly In this tyme is very good lettynge of blode to auoyde the cuyll humours that were gatheryd in the body the wynter tyme. If syckenes happen in Prymetyme it is nat of his nature / but procedeth of the humours gatheryd in the wyntes passed Prymetyme is a temperat tyme to take medycynes for them that ben corporat and full of thycke humours / to purge them Also in this tyme men oughte to ete lyght meetes / that refressheth as chekyns / kyddes with vergyous / borage / betes / yolkes of egges in moone shyne poched / roches / perches / pykerelles / all scaled fysshe Also to drynke temperate wyne / bere / or ale / so that they be nat to stronge nor ouer swete / for in this tyme all swete thynges ought nat to be vsed a man ought nat to slepe longe in the mornynge / and nat on the daye The Astronomyers haue a generall rule / or custome for al seasons / that auayleth moche agaynst all infyrmytes and syckenesses that is nat to lose his appetyte for etynge / and neuer for to ete without hunger Also they saye that all maner flesshe and fysshe is better rosted than soden / and if they be soden to broyle on a grydeyron / or on the coles / and they ben the more holsomer ¶ The regymeÌ„t for the tyme of Somer / that is Iune / Iuly / and August Ca .x. THe Astronomyers in Somer ben clothed with lyght go wnes and syngle theyr shyrtes shetes / that they lye in ben lynnen / for of all the clothes it is the coldest / they haue dowblettes of sylke / or of canuas / and they ete lyght metes / as chekyns with vergyous / yonge rabetes / lectuse / purslayne / meloÌ„s coucombres / peres / pluÌ„mes / and such fysshes as are before named And also they ete of metes that refressheth / also they ete lytell and often / they breke theyr faste or dyne in the morenynge / or euer the SonÌ„e aryse / and go to souper or it discende / they ete of the abouesayd metes / soure sauce to gyue them an appetyte They ete but lytell salte metes / and refayne them from scratchynge / they drynke many tymes fresshe water soden with sugercandy and also with other refressynge waters / and they do it alway whan that they ben greatly thrysty / safe onely at dyner and at souper tyme / for than they drynke feble grene wyne / or small ale / or syngle bere And also they kepe them from ouer great trauayle / or ouer for synge of them self / for in this tyme is no thyn ge more greuous / nor contageous than chaffynge In this tyme season they do eschewe the company of women / and they bath them ofte iÌ„ colde water to aswage the hete of theyr bodyes enforced by laboures Alwaye they haue with them sugre candy / or other sugre dradges / wherof they take lytell often / and euery daye in the morenynge / they force them by cowhynge and spyttynge to voyde fleumes and voyde them aboue byneth the best that they maye / wasshe theyr handes with fresshe water / theyr vysage mouthe ¶ The regyment for Haruest / is Septembre Octobre / and Nouembre CapÌ„ .xi. BE it to vnderstande in Haruest Astronomyers be clothed after the maner of prymetyme / but theyr clothes ben a lytell warmer And in this tyme they do their dylygence to purge and clense them / and lettynge them blode to tempre the humours of theyr bodyes For it is the moste contagyous tyme of the yere / in the whiche peryllous infyrmytes happeneth and cometh / and therfore they ete good holsome metes / as capons / hennes / yonge pegyons that begyn to flye / and drynke good wynes and other good and holsome drynkes / without takynge excesse In this tyme they kepe them from etynge of fruytê / for it is a daungerous season for the axes / they say that he had neuer axes that neuer ete fruyte In this tyme they drynke no water / they put no parte of them in colde water / but their handes theyr faces They kepe theyr heedes from colde in the nyght and morenynge / and slepe nat in the noone tyme kepe them from ouer great trauayle and endure nat to moche hunger nor thyrste / but ete whan it is tyme / nat whan theyr mawes be full ¶ The regymeÌ„t for wynter tyme / is Decembre / Ianuary / and February CapÌ„ .xii. MOreouer as Ptholomeus dyd the Astronomyers nowe doth in wynter clothe them in thyeke go wnes of roughe clothe / hye shorne well furred with foxe furre For it is the warmest furre that is and cattes / lambes / and dyuers other thycke furres that ben good holsome In the tyme of wynter Astronomyers do ete befe / porke / and brawne / hartes / hyndes / and all maner of venyson / partryches / fesauntes / and fowles of the ryuer / and other metes that they loue beste For that is the season of the yere that nature suffreth moste great plente of vytayle / for the naturall hete that is drawen within the body In this tyme also they drynke often stroÌ„ge wynes after theyr complection / as bastarde wyne / or osey Two or thre tymes in the weke they vse good spyces in theyr metes For this is the moste holsome tyme of all the yere / in the whiche cometh no syckenesse / but by great excesses outrages done to nature / or by cuyll gouernynge Astronomyers say also that Prymetyme is hote and moyste of the nature of the ayre / complection of the Sanguyne / and that in the same tyme nature reioyseth / and the poores openeth / and the blode spredeth
through the vaynes more than in any other tyme. Somer is hote and drye of the nature of the fyre / and of complection coloryke In the whiche tyme one ought to kepe hym from all thynges that moueth to heteall excesse and hote metes Haruest is colde drye of nature of erthe / complection of melaÌ„coly / In the whiche tyme one oughte to kepe hym from doynge excesse / more than in other tyme for daunger of syckenes / to the whiche that tyme is disposed But wynter is colde moyste of the nature of water / and of complection flumatyke / than a man oughte for to kepe hym metely warme / and meanely for to lyue in helthe of body ¶ Here after foloweth the .iiii. elementê / and the .iiii. complectione of man CapÌ„ .xiii. THese they ben Ayre / Fyre / Erthe / and water The .xxiiii. houres of the daye the nyght ruleth Sanguyne / Coloryke / Melancoly / Flumatyke Sixe houres after mydnyght blode hath the maystry / and in the vi houres before noone Coloure reygneth / and .vi. houres after noone reygneth Melancoly / and the .vi. houres before mydnyght reygneth the Flumatyke ¶ Here foloweth the Astrology of Ptholomeus Capitulo .xiii. SO as Ptholomeus also dyuers other Astronomyers gyueth vs knowlege of the mouynges and propryetes of the Heuens and dyuers other thynges contayned in this present CoÌ„post / the whiche is so that eche other may compryse and knowe as they do First one ought to knowe what the Fygure is / the disposycion of the worlde / the nombre and ordre of the Elementes / and the mouynges of the skyes / appertayneth to be knowen of euery man of good and noble wytte For it is a fayre thynge / delectable / profytable / honest / and therwith it is necessarye for to haue dyuers other knowleges / and specially the Astrology of Ptholomeus whiche sheweth how the worlde is rounde as a balle And after wyse men saye that there is no thynge so rounde as it is For it is rounder than any thyng artyfyciall Yet moreouer in this worlde we se no thynge nor neuer shall / that is so tuste egally rounde as it selfe is / and is composed of the heuen and the .iiii. Elementes in .v. pryncypall partyes After that a man ought to knowe that the erthe is in the myddes of the worlde / for it is the heuyest element And vpon the erthe is the water or the see / but it coueryth nat all the erth / to th ende that men bestê may lyue therin / and the partye that is vncoueryd is called the face of the erthe / for it is as the face of man alwayes vncoueryd / and the partye that is coueryd with water is the body of man that is clothed hydde On the water is the ayre that encloseth the erthe and the water / and is deuyded in thre Regyons / one is lowe whereas enhabyteth beestes and byrdes / another is meane where as ben the cloudes / the whiche make the Impressions as lyghtnynges / thondres / and other / and is alwaye colde / and the thyrde is the hyest / where as is neyther wynde nor rayne / nor tempest / nor other impression / and there ben some mountaynes that attayneth vnto it as is Olympus that rechyth the hyest Regyon of the ayre / and the element of fyre mounteth vnto the skye / and the elementes sustayneth the skyes / as the pyllers or postes sustayneth a house Of suche mouÌ„taynes is one in Affryke named Athlas After that is the elemeÌ„t of fyre / that is neyther flambe nor coles / but is pure and inuysyble for the great bryghtnes / for of so moche as the water is more clere and lyght than the erthe / and the ayre more clere and lyght than the water / of so moche the fyre is more clere / lyght / fayrer than the ayre and the skyes in equipolent ben more clerer / lyghter / and fayrer than the fyre / the whiche tourneth with the mouynges of the heuens / and the next Regyon of the ayre also in the whiche is engendred comytes that ben called sterres / for that they ben shynynge and moueth as the sterres After the sayinge of Ptholomeus and other Astrologyens the fyre is inuysible for his subtylyte and nat for his clerenes / for of as moche as a thyng is more clere / of so moche it is more visyble / for we se the skyes wel / but nat the fyre for it is ouermoche more subtyle than the ayre that is inuysyble for the same cause / the erthe and the water ben thycke / and therfore they ben vysyble ¶ The skyes ben neyther properly heuye nor lyght / harde nor softe / clere nor derke / hote nor colde / swete nor soure / coloure nor sonne / nor suche other qualytes / saufe that they ben hote in vertue for they may cause hete here byneth by theyr lyghtnes / mouyngê / and influences and ben improperly harde / for they maye nat be deuyded nor broken And also they ben improperly coloures of lyght in some partyes / ben thycke / as ben the partyes of the sterres In the whiche there maye no sterre / nor other partye be adiusted and put to / nor none maye be demynysshed nor taken awaye / and they maye neyther encrease nor waxe lesse / nor be of other fygure than rouÌ„de / nor they may nat chaunge / enpayre / nor waxe olde / nor be corrumped nor altered / but in lyght onely / as in tyme of the eclyps of the Sonne and Moone nor they maye nat reste and stande styll / nor tourne onely otherwyse / later nor soner / in partye nor in all / nor behaue them otherwyse than after theyr comyn course but by myracle deuyne and therfore the sterres and skyes ben of another nature / than the elementes and the thyngê in them coÌ„posed / the whiche ben transmutable and corruptyble The elementê and all thynges of them composed / ben enclosed with the firste skye / as the yelke of an egge is enclosed within the whyte / and the first skye is enclosed of the seconde / and the seconde in the thyrde / and the thyrde in the fourth / and so of other The firste skye next the elementes is the skye of the Moone And next it is the skye of Mercury And next it the skye of Venus Than is the skye of the Sonne And nexte that the skye of Mars Than is next the skye of Iupiter And than nexte after that is the skye of Saturne And thus ben the skyes of the planettê after theyr ordre The eyght skye is of sterres fyxed / and they ben called so / for that they moue more regulerly and after one guyse than the planettes do And than aboue that is the first mobyle / in the whiche no thynge apperyth that Astrologyens may se There ben some Astrologyens say that aboue these .ix. skyes is one immobyle
sayd before that is to wyt Pryme tyme / Some / Heruest / wynter / that ben compared to the .iiii. Elementes Pryme tyme to the ayre Somer to the fyre Heruest to the erthe And wynter to the water Of the whiche .iiii. Elementes euery man and woman is formed and made / and without the whiche none may lyue The fyre is hote and drye The ayre is hote and moyst The water is moyste and colde The erthe is colde and drye Also they saye that the persone on whom the fyre reygneth is Coleryke of compleccion that is to saye hote and drye He on whom the ayre reygneth is Sanguyne of cōpleccyon that is to saye hote and moyste He on whom the water domyneth is Flumatyke of compleccyon that is to say moyste and colde He on whom the erthe domyneth is Melancolyke of compleccion that is to say colde drye The whiche compleccions they knowlege and deserue the one from the other AS the Coleryke hath nature of fyre hote and drye / natually is lene and sklender / couetous / yrefull / hasty / braynles / folysshe / malycyous / deceytfull / and subtyll / where he bestoweth his wyt He hath wyne of the Lyon that is to saye whan he is dronken he chydeth / fyghteth / and comonly he loueth to be clad in blacke / as russet / graye ¶ The Sanguyne hath nature of Ayre hote and moyste / and is large / plentuous / attempred / amyable / abundaunte in nature / mery / syngynge laughynge / lykynge / ruddy gracyous He hath his wyne of the Ape / the more he drynketh the meryer he is draweth to women / naturally loueth hye coloured cloth ¶ The Flumatyke hath nature of water / colde and moyste / he is heuy / slowe / slepy / ingenyous / comonly he spytteth whan he is moued hath his wyne of the Shepe / for whan he is dronken he accompteth hym selfe wysest and be loueth moste and aboue all coloures / the coloure of grene clothe ¶ The Melancolyke hathe nature of Erthe / colde and drye / he is heuy / couetous / bacbyter malycyous / and slowe His wyne is of the hogge / for whan he is dronken he desyreth slepe / and to lye downe and haue his reste / and he loueth the coloure of blacke beste ¶ Here foloweth the Iugementes of mānes body Capitulo .xliiii. FOr to come to our purpose of spekynge of vysyble sygnes / we wyll begyn to speke of the sygnes of the hed Fyrste we warne you that you ought to beware of all persones that haue defaute of membres naturally / as of fote hande iye / or other membre / thoughe that he be but a creple / and specyally of a man that hath no berde / for suche ben inclyned to dyuers vyces and euylles / and one oughte to eschewe his company / as his mortall enemy Also Ptholomeus sayth that moche and playne heer sygnyfyeth a persone pyteous debonayre They that haue reed heer / ben comonly yrefull and lacke wytte / ben of lytell trouthe Bblacke heer / good vysage / and good coloure / sygnyfyeth very loue of Iustyce Harde heer sygnyfyeth that the persone loueth peas and concorde and is of good and subtyll wytte A man that hathe blacke heer and red berde / sygnyfyeth to be lecherous vniust / and a vaunter and one ought nat to truste in hym The yelowe heer and cryspe sygnyfyeth man laughynge / mery / lecherous / deceytefull Blacke heer cryspe sygnyfyeth melancolyke / sechery / euyll thought / and very lyberall Hangynge heer sygnyfyeth wyt / with malyce Great plente of heer in a woman sygnyfyeth boystousnes and couetyse A persone with great iyes is slouthfull / vnshamefast / inobedyent / weneth to knowe moche more than he dothe / but whan the iyen ben full meane nat to bygge nor to smal / and that they be nat to blacke nor to grene / suche a man is of great vnderstandynge / curteyse / faythfull and trusty A persone that is blere iyed / gogle iyed / and squynt iyed sygnyfyeth malyce / vengeaunce / cautele / and treason They that haue great wyde iyen haue longe heer on theyr browes and iye lyddes sygnyfyeth folysshenes / harde of vnderstandynge and ben euyll by nature The persones whiche haue theyr iyen mouynge faste from one syde to another / and haue theyr syghte sharpe and quycke sygnyfyeth fraude / thefte / and is of lytell truste The iyen that ben blacke / clere / shynynge ben the beste / the moste certayne and they sygnyfye wyt and discrecion / and suche a persone is worthy to be loued for he is full of truthe / and of good condycions The iyen that ben ardaunt and sperkelynge sygnyfye stronge herte / force / and puysaunce The iyen that ben whytysshe and flesshely / sygnyfye a persone enclyned to vyce / lechery and full of fraude Astronomyers saye that whan a persone beholdeth often as abasshed shamefaste / ferefull / and that in beholdyng it semeth that he syngeth / and he hathe small droppes apperyng in his iyen than it is for certayne that suche persones loue and desyre the welth of them that they beholde But whan any loketh in castynge his iyen asyde / as by wantonnesse / suche persones ben deceytfull / and purchase to greue hym / suche persones wyll dishonoure women / and they ought to be taken hede of / for suche lokes ben false / lecherous / deceyuable They that haue small garysshe iyen and sharpe sygnyfye a persone melancolyous / hardy / an euyl sayer / cruell And if a lytel vayne appere bytwene the iye and the nose of a wenche / they say that it sygnyfyeth virgynyte / and in a man subtylyte of vnderstandynge / and if it appere great blacke / it sygnyfyeth corrupcion / hete / and melancoly in a woman / and in a man rudenes defaute of wytte / but that vayne apperyth nat alwayes But the iyen that ben yelowe and haue no heere 's on the browee sygnyfieth meselry and euyll disposicion of body Great heere 's and longe signyfyeth rudenesse / harde wytte / and lechery The beteled browes sygnyfyeth malyce / cruelte / lecherye / and enuye And whan the browes ben thynne / it sygnyfyeth subtyll engyne / wyt / and faythfulnes Holowe iyen and hangynge browes sygnyfyeth a persone full of euyll sayinge / of euyll thought / a great drynker and comonly setteth his mynde to malyce A lytell shorte vysage and a small necke / and a lytell sklender nose sygnyfyeth a persone of great herte / hastye yrefull A longe nose and hye by nature sygnyfyeth prowes and hardynes A shorte reysed nose sygnyfyeth hastynes / lechery / hardynes / and an vndertaker A hauked nose that boweth to the vpper lyppe sygnyfyeth malyce / deceyte vntruth and lechery A great nose hye in the myddes sygnyfyeth a wyse man and well spoken A great nose with wyde nose thrylles
acquaynt hym with sadnes for than he is come to .xlii. yere ¶ After that than cometh August / than we gather in our corne / and also the fruytê of the erthe And than man dothe his dylygence to gather for to fynde hym self to maynteyn his wyfe / children / and his housholde whan age cometh on hym And than after that .vi. yere / he is .xlviii. yere of aege ¶ Than cometh Septembre / that wynes be made / and the fruytê of the trees be gatheryd And than there withall he dothe fresshely begyn to garnysshe his house / and make prouysion of nedefull thynges / for to lyue with in wynter / whiche draweth very nere / than man is in his moste stedfast couetous estate prosperous in wysedome / purposynge to gather and kepe / asmoche as shuld be sufficyent for hym in his aege / whan he may gather no more And than is he .liiii. yere of aege ¶ And than cometh Octobre that all is in to the forsayd house gaderyd / bothe corne also other maner of fruytes And also the labourers plowe and sowe newe sedes on the erth for the yere to come And than he that nought soweth nought gatheryth And than in these vi yere a man shall take hym selfe vnto god for to do penaunce and good werkes / than the benefytes the yere after his dethe / he maye gather / and haue spirituall profyte / and than man is fully the terme of .lx. yeres ¶ Than cometh nouembre / that the dayes be very shorte / and the Sonne in maner gyueth but lytel hete / and the trees losen theyr leuys The feldes that were grene loketh hoore and graye / Than all maner of herbes ben hydde in the grouÌ„de / and than apperyth no floures And than wynter is come / that the man hath vnderstandynge of aege / and hathe loste his kyndely hete and strength His teth begyn to rot / and to fayle hym And than hath he lytel hope of longe lyfe / but defyreth to come to the lyfe euerlastynge And these .vi. yeres make hym .lxvi. of aege ¶ Than last cometh Decembre / full of colde with froste and snowe / with great wyndes and stormy wethers / that a man may nat labour nor nought do The sonne is than at the lowest that it maye discende That the trees the erthe be hydde in snowe / than it is good to holde them nygh the fyre / and to spende the goodes that they gat in somer For than man begynneth to waxe croked feble / couchyng and spyttynge / and loothsom / and than he loseth his parfyte vnderstandyng / and his heyres desyre his deth And these .vi. yere maketh hym full .lxxii. yeres And if he lyue any longer / it is by his good guydynge / and dyetyng in his youth Howe be it / it is possyble that a man may lyue tyll he be a C. yere of aege but there be but fewe that lyueth so loÌ„ge tyll they come to a C. yere of aege ¶ wherfore Ptholomeus saythe moreouer / that of lyuynge or dyeng / the heuenly bodyes may stere a man both to good euyll / without doubte it is so But yet maye man withstande it by his owne fre wyl / to do what he wyll hym self / good or badde euermore And aboue the whiche inclynacion is the myght wyll of god / that longeth the lyfe of man by his goodnes / or to make it short by iustyce ¶ wherfore I wyl shewe you of the bodyes Celestyall / and of theyr nature and mouynges / And this present Boke hath to name the Compoft of Ptholomeus / for it comprehendeth fully all the compoft / as dayes / houres / and of the sonne moone / of the Sygnes that the moone is in eueryday And this boke was made for them that be lytell or no clerkes / to brynge them to more vnderstandyng and lerenynge of many dyuerse thynges that were necessary for them to haue knowleg of and to vere it in theyr mynde ¶ Here foloweth to knowe the .xii. sygnes in theyr course reygnynge and rulynge vpon the .xii. parties of maÌ„nes body and whiche ben good for lettynge of blode / indifferent / or euyll Captiulo Primo SO it is that I do you knowlege that I say that a man is a lytel world by hym selfe for the lykenesse and symylytudes / that he hath of the great worlde / whiche is the aggregacion of the .ix. skyes .iiii. elementê / and all thynges in them conteyned Firste a man hath suche a lykenes in the firste mobyle / that is the soueraygne skye / and pryncipall parte of all the worlde / for lyke as in this firste mobyle the zodyake is deuyded in .xii. partyes / that ben the .xii. Sygnes So man is deuyded in .xii. partyes / and holdeth of the sygnes euery parte of his sygne The sygnes ben these / Aries / Taurus / Gemini / Cancer / Leo / Virgo / Libra / Scorpio / Sagittartus / Capricornus / Pisces Of the whiche / thre ben of the nature of fyre / that is Aries / Leo / and Sagittarius And thre of nature of the ayre / Gemini / Libra / and Aquarius And thre of the nature of water / Cancer / Scorpio / and Pisces And thre of the nature of the erth / Taurus / Virgo and Caprtcornus The first is Aries that gouerneth the hede / the face of man Taurus the necke and the throte bole Gemini the sholdres / the armes / and the handes Cancer the breste / sydes / mylte / and lyghtes Leo the stomake / the herte / and the backe Virgo the bely and the entrayles Libra the nauyll / the graynes / the partyes vnder the brauÌ„ches Scorpio the pryue partyes / the genytores / the bladder and the fouÌ„dyment Sagittarius the thyghes onely Capricornus also the knees onely Aquarius the legges from the knees to the he les ankles And Pisces hath the fete in his domynyon ¶ A man ought nat to make incysyon nor touche with yron / the membre gouerned of any sygne / the daye that the moone is in it / for fere of to great effusyon of blode that myght happen / Nor in lykewyse whan the Sonne is in it / for the great daunger and peryll that myght folowe therof ¶ Hereafter foloweth the Nature of the .xii. sygnes Captulo .ii. ARies is hote and drye / nature of the fyre / and gouerneth the hed face of man and is good for bledynge / whan the moone is in it / saue in the partie that it gouerneth and ruleth ¶ Taurus is euyll for bledynge ¶ Taurus is drye and colde / nature of erthe / and gouerneth the necke / and the knot vnder the throte / and is euyll for bledynge ¶ Gemini is euyll for bledynge ¶ Gemini is hote and moyste / nature of the ayre / and gouerneth the sholdres / the armes the handes / and is euyll for bledynge ¶
with folke Also whan they playe gladly in the feldes and gardens to take the swete ayre and sporte in the medowes by water sydes Also whan he eteth gladly with good appetyte of butter / chese / flawnes without leuynge any thynge in his dysshe to sende to the almesse house Also whan he slepeth well suerly without rauynge or dremynge of his besynes Also whan he feleth hym lyght and that he walketh wel And whan he sweteth soone / and that he nyseth lytell or nothynge Also whan he is nouther to fatte nor to lene Also whan he hath good coloure in his face / and that his wyttes ben all wel disposed for to do theyr operacion / as his iyen for to se / his ere 's to here / his nose to smell c. ¶ And I leue of the conuenaunce of aege / the disposicion of the body / also of tyme. Of other sygnes I say no thynge but these most suffyse for the pore lay people / to know the sygnes of helth ¶ These sygnes ben contrarye to them aforesayd / by the whiche Ptholomeus knewe whan he or other were sycke CapÌ„ .vi. FIrste whanne he may nat well ete nor drynke / or that he haue none appetyte to ete at dyner souper / or whan he fyndeth noo sauoure in that he eteth or drynketh / or that he is hungry and may nat ete / whan his dygestyon is nat good / or that it be to longe Also whan he goth to chambre moderatly as he ought to do Also whan he is pensyue / sad sory / or heuy in right ioyous or cherefull companyes than syckenes constrayneth a man to be thoughtfull Semblably whan he maye nat slepe nor take his reste a ryght and at due houre with quyetnes / as is requysyte for all helthfull persons to haue And also whan his membres ben heuy / as his hed / his legges / and armes / with other membres And also whan he may nat walke easely and lyghtly and that he spueth ofte / his colour is pale or yelowe or whan his wyttes / as his / iyen his ere 's / and other do nat kyndely theyr operacyons In lykewyse whan he may nat labour and trauayle Also whan he forgetteth lyght ly that which of necessyte ought to be kept in memory / whan he spytteth often / or whan his nose thrylles abouÌ„deth in superfluous humours And whan he is neclygeÌ„t in his workes and whan his flesshe is blowen or swollen in the vysage / in his legges / or his fete / or whan his iyen ben holowe in his hed These ben the sygnes that sygnyfyeth a man beyng in syckenes / who that hath moste of the foresayd sygnes / moste is infecte with syckenes ¶ Other sygnes almoste semblable to them aforesayd / and sheweth the replection of cuyll humours / and for to be purged of them Capitulo .vii. REplection is a fulnes of euyll humours / and disposycion of syckenes after the opynyon of Ptholomeus / of the whiche replection is to knowe howe to purge the sayd humours / that they engendre no syckenes / and ben knowen by the sygnes that foloweth ¶ Firste whan a man hathe ouer great rednes in his face / in his handes or in his nayles / hauynge also his vaynes full of blode / or bledeth to moche at the nose / or to often / or hath payne in the forehed Also whaÌ„ his ere 's soundeth / and whan his iyen watereth / or be full of guÌ„me / and hath his vnderstandynge troubled / and whan the poulx beteth to faste / whan the bely is longe resolute laxe / whan he hath the syght troubled / and etynge also without appetyte And by all these other sygnes beforesayd one maye knowe the body euyll disposed / full of corrupte humours superfluous and euyll ¶ A dyuysyon regyment of tyme / the whiche Ptholomeus vsed / after that the season and tyme requyred Capitulo .viii. AS for to remedy the syckenesses / infyrmytes that a man hathe / and to kepe hym from them that ben doubted to come / Ptholomeus sayth that the tyme / naturally chaungeth foure tymes in the yere and so they deuyde the yere in foure quarters that is Vere / Somer / Haruest / and wynter And in eche of these quarters he dyd gouerne hym as the seasons requyred to his mynde / the better it was for hym And as the season chaungeth / so chauÌ„ged he his maner of lyuynge and doynge / and sayth that chaungynge of tyme without takynge good hede often engendreth infyrmytes / for that one tyme behoueth nat / to vse some metes that ben good in another tyme / as that vsed in wynter is nat all good in Somer / so of the other seasons ¶ And for to knowe the chauÌ„gynge of tyme after these sayd quarters or seasons / they consyder the course of the Sonne by the .xii. Sygnes / say that euery of the sayd foure quarters and seasons dureth foure Monthes / and that the Sonne passeth by thre sygnes that is to wete in Pryme tyme by Pisces / Aries / Taurus / and these ben the monthes / February / Marche / and Apryll / that the erthe trees reioyseth and chargeth with grene leues and flourê / that is a pleasur to beholde In somer by Gemini / Cancer / and Leo and the monethes ben Maye Iune / and Iuly / that the fruytes of the erthe groweth and rypeth In haruest by Virgo / Libra / and Scorpio and the monethes ben August / Septembre / Octobre / that the erth trees dischargeth the fruytê and leues / and that tyme euery body felleth gaderyth the fruytes In wynter by Sagittarius / Capricornus / and Aquarius and the monethes ben Nouembre / Decembre / Ianuary / that the erthe and trees ben as deed vnclothed of leues / fruytes / of all grenesse After the whiche .iiii. seasons / Ptholomeus deuysen the tyme that man maye lyue in .iiii. aeges / as youth / strength / and decrepyte / and lykened to the foure seasons of the yere That is to wete / youth to Pryme tyme that is hote and moyste and as the herbes and trees of the erthe groweth / so dothe man in youthe vnto .xxv. yere growe of body / in streÌ„gth beaute vygoure Strength is lykened vnto Somer hote and drye / and the body of man is in force and vygoure / and enrypeth vnto .xlv. yere Aege is compared vnto the tyme of Haruest colde and drye that man leueth of growynge and febleth / and thynketh howe to gather spare for fere of defaute nede that he cometh to stoupynge aege / and dureth to .lvi. yeres Decrepyte is lykened to the season of wynter colde and moyste by abundaunce of colde humours defaute of naturall hete / in the whiche tyme man spendeth that which he had gatheryd and kepte in tyme passed / and if he haue