have in like wise two summers and two winters and four shadowes in a yeer and they have no difference of the first save that they have longer dayes in summer and shorter in winter for as the Equinoctiall lengtheneth so likewise doth the dayes in summer and in that part of the earth is the first climate and almost half of the second is named Araby wherein is Ethiopia Thirdly they that inhabit under the Tropike of summer have the Sun over their heads and at the day of the solstice of Summer at noon they have their shadowes smaller then we have and there is a part of Ethiopia Fourthly they that be between the tropike of summer and the circle Artike have longer daies in summer then the above said in as much as they be further from the Equinoctiall and shorter in winter and they have the sun over their heads ne toward septentrion and that part of the earth we inhabit Fiftly they that inhabit under the circle Artike have the eclyptike of the Zodiake to their orison and when the sun is in the solstice of summer it resconceth not and thus they have no night but naturall dayes of 24. hours Semblably when the Sun is in the solstice of winter it is natural day when they have continuall night and that the Sun riseth not to them Sixtly they that be between the Circle artike and the pole artike have in summer divers natural dayes that be to them one day artificial without any night And in winter be many naturall daies which are to them alwayes night the more that it approcheth the pole the more is the artificial day all summer long and dureth in some place a week in other a month in other two in other three in other more proportionally the night is greater for some of the signes be ever on their orison and some alwayes under and as long as the Sun is in the signes above it is day and while it is in the signs underneath it is night Seventhly they that inhabit right under the Pole have the Sun half of the year on their horison and have continuall day and the other half of the year continuall night and the equinoctiall is in their orison that divideth the signes six above six beneath wherefore when the sun is in the signes that be high and toward them they have continual day and when it is in the signes toward midday they have continual night and thus in a year they have but one day and one night And as it is said of that part of the earth toward the pole Artick a man may understand of the other half and of the habitations toward the pole Antartick The division of the earth and of the parts inhabited SHepheards and other as they divide the earth inhabitable in 7. parts that they call climates The first Diamerous The second Climate Diaciens The third Dalixandry The fourth Diathodes The fift climate Diaromes The sixt Daboristines The seventh Diaripheos Of the which each hath his longitude determined and the latitude also and the nearer they be to the Equinoctiall the longer they be and larger and proceed in longitude from orient to occident and in latitude from midday to Septentrion The first climate after some shepheards containeth in length half the circuit of the earth that is two hundred thousand 4 hundred mile it hath a hundred thousand two hundred mile of length The second and so of the other for the lessening of the earth comming toward Septentrion To understand what a climate is after the saying of the shepheards A climate is a space of earth equally large whereof the length is from orient to occident and the breadth is comming from midday and from the earth inhabitable toward the Equinoctiall drawing to septentrion as much as an horologe or clock changeth not For in earth habitable the clocks change vii times in the breath of the climates It is of necessity to say that they be seaven and where the variation of horologes is there is the diversity of climates howbeit that such variation properly ought to be taken in the midst of the climates and not in the beginning or end for the proximity and covenance the one of the other Also one climate hath always a day artificial of summer shorter or longer then another climate this day sheweth the difference in the midst of every climate better than the beginning or end the which thing wee may sensibly know at eye and thereby iudge the difference of the climates And it is to be noted that under the Equinoctiall the dayes and the nights in all times are equal each of twelve houres but comming toward septentrion the dayes of summer longeth and the winter dayes shorteth and the more that one approcheth septentrion the more waxeth the dayes in such wise that at the five of the last climate the dayes in summer be longer by three houres and an half than they be at the begining of the first and the pole is more raised by 38. degrees At the beginning of the first climate the longest day of summer hath 12. houers and xlv minutes and in the pole is raised on the orison 12. degrees and xlv minutes and the midst of the climate the longest day hath 13. hours and the pole raised xvi degrees and the latitude dures unto the longest day of summer that is 13. houres and xv minutes and the pole raised 20. degrees and an half which largenesse is ccccxl mile of earth The second climate beginneth at the end of the first and the midst is there as the day hath 12. houres and an half and the pole is raised over the oryson 24. degrees and 15. minutes And the latitude dureth unto three as the longest day hath 13. houres and xlv minutes and the pole is raised xxxii degrees and an half and this largenesse containeth of earth CCCC miles iust The third climate beginneth at the end of the second and the midst is there as the day hath 13. houres and the pole is raised 30. degrees and xlv minutes and the latitude extendeth unto there as the longest day hath 14. houres and xv minutes and the pole is raised 23. degrees and xi minutes The fourth climate at the end of the third and the midst is there as the longest day hath 24. houres and an half and the pole is raised 26. degrees and 20. minutes the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath 13. houres and xlv minutes and the pole is raised 30. degrees and the laregnesse containeth of earth ccc mile The fift climate at the end of the fourth and the midst is there as the longest day hath 15. houres and the pole is raised 4â— degrees and 20. minutes and the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath 15. houres and 15. minutes and the pole is raised 44. degrees and an half and the largenesse containeth of earth CClii. mile The sixt climate at the end of
the fift and the midst is there as the longest day hath 15. houres and an half and the pole is raised over the orizon xlv degrees and 23. minutes of which the largenesse dureth unto there as the longest day hath 15. houres and xlv minutes which largenesse containeth of earth CCxii mile The seventh climate at the end of the sixt and the midst is there as the longest day hath xvi houres and the pole is raised 48. degrees and xl minutes the latitude extendeth unto there as the longest day hath 16. hours and 15. minutes and the pole is raised fifty degrees and an half and the largenesse of the earth containeth 186. mile A marvellous consideration of the great understanding of shepheards IF case were after the length of the climates one might goe about the earth from Orient to Occident to his first place some shepheards say that this compasse may almost bee made Saying that if a man went this compasse in 12. naturall dayes going regularly toward Occident and began now at midday he should passe every day naturall the twelfth part of the circuit of the earth and be 20. degrees whereof it behoveth that the Sun make a course about the earth and 30. degrees further or he be returned on the morrow at the meridian of the said man and so the said man should have his day and night of 26. houres and should bee further by the twelfth part of a naturall day than if he rested him wherefore it followeth of necessity that in twelve naturall days the sayd man should only have but 11. dayes and 11. nights and somewhat lesse and that the Sun should light him but eleven times resconce eleven times for eleven dayes and eleven nights every day night of 26. hours make 12. naturall dayes each day of 24. houres In like manner it behoveth that another man should make this course going toward Orient have his day and night shorter than a naturall day by 2. houres then his day and night should bee but of 22. hours then if he made this course in like space to wit in twelve days and somewhat more Thus if John made the course toward occident and Peter toward orient and that Robert abode them at the place whence they departed the one as soon as the other and they meet at Robert both together Peter would say he had 2 dayes and 2. nights more than John and Robert who had rested a day lesse than Peter and a day more than John howbeit they have made this course in 12. naturall dayes or an hundred or in 10. yeers all is one This is a pleasant consideration among shepheards how John and Peter arive one self day put case it were on sunday John would say it is Saturday Peter would say munday and Robert would say Sunday CHAP. XXXVIII Of the Pomell of the skies a star named the star of the North neare the pole Artike called Septentrionall AFter the abovesaid things here will we speak of some stars in particular And first of them that shepheards call the pomell of the skies or star of the North wherefore we ought to know that we see sensibly the sky turne from Orient to Occident by the diurnall moving that is of the first mobile which is made on two points opposites which be the poles of the sky of the which one we see and it is the pole Artike and the other wee see not which is the pole Antartike or of midday which is alway hid under the earth By the pole Artike which is the star most approched which shepheards call the pomell of the sky the which they say is the highest and most stedfast from us by the which they have the knowledge they have of other stars and parts of the sky The stars which be by the said pomell goe never under the earth of the which be the stars which make the Chariot and divers other but they who be far from it goe sometime under earth as the Sun the Moon and other planets Vnder this pomell directly is the angle of the earth in the place where-against the sun is at the houre of midnight Of Andromeda a star fixed Aries is a signe hot and dry that governeth the head of man the face and the regions Babylon Percy and Araby And signifieth small trees and under him at the 16. degree riseth a star fixed named Andromeda that shepheards figureth a maid in her hair upon the brink of the sea set to be devoured of the monster of the sea but Perseus son of Jupiter fought with his sword against the said monster and slew it and so the said Andromeda was delivered They that be born under her constellation be in danger of prison or to die in prison but if a good planet take regard they scape both death and prison Aries is the exaltation of the Sun at the 20. degree and Aries is the house of Mars with Scorpio where he is most Of Perseus a star fixeâ— Lord of the sphere Taurus hath the trees plants and impes and governeth of man the neck and the throat bol the regions Ethiopy Egypt and the country about and under the 22. degree riseth a star fixed of the first magnitude that shepheards call Perseus son of Jupiter that smot off the head of Meduse who made al them to die that beheld her and by no manner they might eschue it Shepheards say that when Mars is conioyned with this star they that be born under the constellation shall have their heads smitten off if God shape not remedy and sometime they call this star Lord of the sword and figure him a man naked with a sword in one hand and in the other the head of Meduse and looketh on it And Taurus is the exaltation of the moon in the third degree Of Orison a star fixed and his fellows Gemini signifieth large good courage wit beauty clergy and governeth of man the shoulders armes and hands and the regions Iugen Armony Carthage and hath the small trees and under the 18. degree riseth a star fixed named Orison and with it 36. other stars and is figured a man armed in maile and a sword girt about him and signifieth great Captains They that be born under the constellation be in danger to be slain by treason if good fortune be not with them Gemini and Virgo be the houses of Mercury but Virgo is it in which he ioyeth most and Gemini in the third degree is the exaltation of the Dragons head Of Alhabor a star fixed Cancer domineth the long and equall Trees and of the body of man the brain the heart the stomack the side the lights and the lungs The Regions Armony the little and the Region of Orient And there riseth under it in the eight degree a star fixed which Shepheards call Alhabor that is to say the great dog and they say they that be born under the constellation and that be in the ascending or the middest of the sky it
other Lordshipps that been under the obedience of the Catholike Church The second nation is of Greeks HOrace complaineth speaking of this nation of Greece for the vexation that it hath had in times past The Greeks have the Patriark of Constantinople Arch-bishops and Abbots to the spiritualty and to the temporalty Emperours Dukes and Earles They be now but of smal number for Agariens and Turks have taken the greatest part of Greece the which part obeyeth not the catholike Church for their errour They been condemned by the Church for that they say Spiritus Sanctus non procedit a filio The third Nation is of Armenians WE read that the Nation of Armenians is nigh Antioch they use all one language in the divine service and in holy scripture as who should sing English in the Church and both the men and women understand all They have their Primate which they call Catholike to whom they obey as to the king in great devotion and reverence They fast the Lent and eate no fish and they drink no wine and eat flesh on the Saturday The fourth Nation is of Georgians THis Nation is called Georgians of St. George of whom they bear the Image in battaile and he is their Patron They been in the parts Oriential and been strong and delicious half Persians and half Assyrians and they speak foul and foolish language and make their sacraments as the Greeks The preists have their crownes round raised on their heads and the clarkes have them square When they goe to the holy Sepulcher they pay no tribute to the Sarazins they enter into Ierusalem their standards displaid for the Sarazins feareth them the women use armors as the men When they write to the Soldan incontinent that which they demand is granted them The fift Nation is of Assuriens I Find also by writing that the Nation of Suriens hath taken the name of a citie named Sur the which is the most eminent and most upholden among all other cities and townes of the countrey of Surrey These people for their vulgar and common speech speaketh the language Sarazionis their holy scriptures divinities and offices of the service in the Greek They have the Bishops keep constitutions of the Greeks and obey them in all things They sacrifice with raised bread and have opinions of the Greekes as the Latines There be some Christian men in the holy land that ensueth them and been called Samaritans which were converted in the time of the Apostles but they be not perfect Christian men The sixt Nation is of Mororabins SOmetime were wont to bee a Nation of people in the country of Affrick and Spain called Mororabiens but now they been but few They bee called Mororabiens for that in many things they held the use in Christian men being in Araby they use the language of Latin in the divine offices sacred things and obey to the Church and to the Prelates of the Latines They confesse them in the language Azymonien or in Latin They bin different to the Latines for that in their divine offices they have the hours to long And for the day is divided in xxiv hours of night and day so many offices hours Psalmes and all other Orizons have they along the which they say not after the custome of the Latines for that that the Latins say in the begining they say in the end or in the middst Some divideth the holy sacraments in vii parts and other in x. This is a right devout nation they conioyn no persons by mariage but if they be born in their own countrey and land the strangers be not received in mariage And when a man leeseth his wife by death he will never be wedded againe but live in chastity The cause of so great diversity among Christian men was for that in time past the Christians were let and not constrained to celebrate councell general For this cause there arose divers heretikes in many parts For there was none that might remedy it The seventh Nation is of Prester Johns land in Indie THen is the land of Indie whereof Prester Iohn is For his might is so great that it exceedeth all christendom This Prester Iohn hath under him lxx kings the which do to him obeisance and homage and when hee rideth about his country hee maketh to be borne afore him a Crosse of wood And when he will go to battaile he maketh two to be borne before him one of gold and the other of precious stones and in that land is the body of St. Thomas the Apostle buryed in a Tombe of stone and one of his hands is out of the Tombe and that hand every body may see that goeth thether The eight Nation is of Jacobites FOllowing after the Nation of Iacobits the which been named St. Iames the disciple of Alexander the Patriarck These Iacobites have taken and occupied a great part of Asia in the parts Occidentall and the land of Mambre that is in Egypt and the Land of Ethiopians unto Indie with more then xx Realms The children of that Country bee circumcised and baptised with an hot yron for they have printed the Character of the Crosse on their foreheads and on other parts of the body as on the armes and the brest they shrive them onely to God and not to the preists In this Province the Indians and Agarenoriens say that Iesus Christ hath only but the nature divine Some among them speaketh the language of Calde and Araby and divers other that speaketh other languages after the diversities of nations They were condemned at the councell of Calcedony The ninth Nation is of Nescoriens OF Nescorianus that was of Constantinople hath bin made this name Nescoriens These Nescorians putteth in Iesus Christ two persons one divine and another humain and they deny our Lady to be the mother of God but they say well Iesus to be man they speak the language of Caldee and sacrifice the body of Iesus Christ with raised bread They inhabit in Tartary and in great Inde they be in great number their countrey containeth almost as much as Almaigne and Italy The tenth Nation of Moroniens RObust is the Nation of Moronyens called of an heretick of Morone They put in Iesus Christ one understanding and one will they inhabit in Libia in the province of Venice and be a great number they use specially bows and arrowes and they have bells Their Bishopes have rings Miters and Crosses as the Lattines they use the letter of Caldee in their divine scriptures and in their vulgar speech they use the letter of Araby They have been under the obedience and lordship of the most holy and sacred Church Romain their Patriark was at the general councell of saint Iohn de Latran celebrate at Rome under Pope Innocent the third but since then they be returned They were first condemned at the councel of Constantinople and since been returned to the obedience of the Romain Church and yet returned againe to their false and evill opinions wherein they persevere CHAP. LV. Here beginneth a few proverbs THese proverbs be good to mark The which followeth in this book Be thou never so great a clark Disdaine not on them to look The first is man be content As God hath set thee in degree Each man may not have land and rent It were not convenient so to bee If thou have not worldly goods at will Therefore care nothing by the rede of me Do well and Gods commandement fulfill For every man may not a goldsmith be He that hath a penny in his purse If he the right way of Gods law hold He shall come to heaven as soon I wusse As a King that weareth on a crown of gold Also there is of men full many a score And each of then doth keep well his wife Which never had a noble in store And yet they live a full merry life And also another forget it nat Keep your own home as doth a mouse For I tell you the devil is a wily cat He will spye you in another mans house And in especiall God to please Desire thou never none other mans thing Remember that many fingers is wel at ease That never ware on no gay gold ring And this I tell you for good and all Remember it you that be wise That man or woman hath a great fall The which slide down and do never rise And one also forget not behind That man or woman is likely good to be That banisheth malice out of their mind And sleepeth every night in charity I read you work by good counsell For that man is worthy to have care That hath twise faln into a well And yet the third time cannot beware Say that a fryer told you this He is wise that doth forsake sin Then may we come to heavens blisse God give us grace that place to winne O Ye Clerkes famous and eloquent Cunning is caught by reading and exercise Of noble matters full excâ—llent And remembreth what Salomon saith the wise That praiseth businesse and idlenesse doth dispise And saith he that many books doth read and see It is full likely wisdome have shall hee Remember Clearks dayly doth their diligence Into our corrupt speech matters to translate Yet between French and English is great difference Their langing in reading is douse and delicate In their mother tongue they be so fortunate They have the Bible and the Apocalipse of divinitie With other noble books that now in English be And remember readers where ever ye go That Honey is sweet but cunning is sweeter Caton the great Cleark sometimes said so How gold is good and learning much better Yet many full good be that never knew letter And yet vertuous none can be of living But first of Preists and Clerks they must have learning Wherefore with patience I you all desire Beware of the rising of false heresie Let every perfect faith set your hearts afire And the chaffe from the corn cleane out to try They that beleeveth amisse be worthy to die And he is the greatest fool in this world iwis That thinketh no mans wit so good as his Thus endeth the Shepheards Kalender Drawn into English to Gods reverence And for profit and pleasure shall Clerks to cheer Plainly shewed to their intelligence Ours is done now readers do your diligence And remember that the Printer saith to you this He that liveth well may not die amiss FINIS
is all thing Fields and Meads spred most beautiously And birds sing with right sweet harmony Reioycing lovers with hot love all indued With fragrant flowers all about renued June Who of my season taketh right good heed Ought not at all my name to adâ—ul For in my time for all the commons weed From sheep is shorn all the flesh and wool And had in merchandise by great ships full Over the sea wherefore we ought to pray Vnto our Lord and thank him night and day July If that my time were praised all aright Among all months I am one of the chief For I enripe through my great force and might Fruits of the earth to man and beasts relief Feeding horses kine muttons and strong beef With other properties that I could tell But I must passe I may no longer dwell August I am named the hot month of August For redolent heat of Phoebus brightnesse In my time each man ought for to have lust To labour in harvest with great businesse To reap and sheef eschuing idlenesse And rise early with great diligence Thanking our Lord of his great providence September Who can my name perfectly remember With the commodities of my season Ought of right to call me September Plenteous of goods by all manner of reason As wheat rie oats beans fitches and peason Of which fruit every man ought to have in store To live directly and thank the Lord therefore October Among the other October I hight Friend unto Vintners naturally And in my time Bacchus is ready dight All manner of wine to presse and clarify Of which is sacred as we see daily The blessed body of Christ in sign of flesh blood Which is our hope refection and food November I November will not abide behind To shew my kindly worthinesse and ure For in my time the blastes of the wind Abateth leaves and sheddeth their verdure Wherefore every prudent creature Ought for to live right as they should dy For all things in me taketh end naturally December December every man doth me call In whose time the mother inviolate Delivered was in an old Oxe stall Of Iesu Christ Gods own Son incarnate Wherefore I think me the most fortunate Of all the other to whom pray we then That we may come unto his blisse Amen The beginnings and ends of the four seasons of the year THe first Prime time that thus doth begin From mid February unto mid May And from mid May Summer is entred in To mid August and then is Harvest day And from that time Winter entreth alway On Saint Clements day who so taketh heed And mid February it faileth indeed Thus endeth the praise of the xii months with the beginnings and endings of the four quarters And after followeth the figure for to know in what sign the Moon is every day This figure is for to know in what signe the moon is every day and the declaration is of the letters of the sign of the Kalender hereafter following  i ii iii iv v vi vii viii ix x xi xii xiii xiv xv xvi xvii xviii xix Aries y n c v l ê° s h z p e u m a s i q f Aries z o d u m a s i q f x n b t k ê° r g Aries p e x â— b t k ê° r g y o c v l a s h Taurus ê° q f y o c v l a s h z p d u m b s i Taurus a r g z p d u m b s i q e x n c t k Gemini b s h q e x n c t k ê° r f y o d v l Gemini c s i ê° r f y o d v l a s g z p e u m Cancer d t k a s g z p e u m b s h q f x n Cancer e v l b s h q f x n c t i ê° r g y o Leo f u m c t i ê° r g y o d v k a s h z p Leo g x n d v k a s h z p e u l b s i q Leo h y o e u l b s i q f x m c t k ê° r Virgo i z p f x m c t k ê° r g y n d v l a s Virgo k q g y n d v l a s h z o e u m b s Libra l ê° r h z o e u m b s i p f x n c t Libra m a s i p f x n c t k ê° q g y o d v Scorpio n b s k ê° q g y â— d v l â— r h z p e u Scorpio o c â— l a r h z p â— u m â— s i q f x Sagittarius p d â— m b f i q f x n c s k ê° r g y Sagittarius q â— u n â— â— k ê° â— g y â— d t l a s h z Sagittarius r f x o d t l a s h z p c v m b s i Capricornus s g y p e v m b s i q f u n c t k ê° Capricornus s h z q f u n c t k ê° r g x o d v l a Aquarius t i r g x o d v l a s h y p e u m b Aquarius v k ê° s h y p e u m b s i z q f x n c Pisces u l a s i z q f x n c t k r g y o d Pisces x m b t k r g y o d v l ê° s h z p e Pisces y n c v l ê° s h z p e u m a s i q f By this figure here above a man may know in what sign the moon is every day and the declaration is of the A.b.c. letters that are in the kalender at the ends of the lines and be named the letters of the signs wherefore mark well first the letter of the Kalender on the day that yee would have then look out the said Letter in the figure here above in the line descending under the Golden number that runneth Then look at the head of the lines whereas as is written the names of the signs and it that beholdeth directly overthwart the figure to the said letters is it that the Moon is in that day And like as one golden number for a year so the said line under the golden number serveth alone for the same yeer as in the year of his Kalender we have xvi for the golden number the line under xvi serveth all the said year and when we have xvii the line under xvii shall serve to the yeer that xvii is for the golden number and so forth of the other VT coelum signis praesurgens est duodenis Sic hominis corpus assimulatur eis Nam caput facies Aries sibi gaudet habere Gutturis colli jus tibi Taure detur Brachia cum manibus Geminis sunt apta decenter
service and use the office the benefit and the dignity in the which I am for sir I bear your similitude and image which is reputed right worthie noble whereof humbly I yeeld thee graces and thanks Fiftly Lord thou hast given me the skie and his fair ornaments the Sun the Moon and the Starres that the day and night serveth me giving brightnes and light without to be recompenced by me whereof I yeeld to thee graces and thanks Sixtly Lord I knowledge thou hast made Paradise readie for to give me where I shal live with thee in ioyes without end if I do thy wil and keep thy commandements also I knowledge thy other infinit goodnes each day done to me by thy bounty the which ensigneth me to know my God my Saviour and Redeemer wherefore I humbly give thanks to thee By these considerations Shepheards and simple people contempleth the bounty of God and the benefits that they receive of him And know we him and be we not in great knowledge of his benefits in yeelding thanks and praisings to him and recompence of your goods in giving to poor folkes for his sake for ingratitude is a villain sinne that much displeaseth God The seventh and the last thing that each man ought to know is to know himself for it is the best meanes for to come unto the knowledge of God and for to make his salvation so to know himself first Divers folk know many things that know not themselves to whom should profit more to know thēselves than all things in the world They that know the things of the world love them seek them and keep them know not ne love ne praise not ne keep not God in like wise for they know him not What profiteth man to win all the world lose himself for to be damned Better it were for him to leese all the world if it were his if he knew himselfe to be saved Shepheards say the needfull beginning of his salvation is to know himself and contrariwise ignorance of himself is the beginning of damnation anv of all evill that may befall unto him A question of a Master Shepheard to a simple shepheard to weet how he knew himself and he said Shepheard tell me how thou knowest thy self what art thou answer to me And hee said I know my self for I am a Christian man a Shepheard What is it to be a Shepheard And he answered unto that thou askest what man is I say that man is a substance composed of body soul the body is mortall and made of earth as beasts be but the soul is made of spirituall matter as Angells be immortall My body is come of abominable sin and as a sack full of durt and filth and meat for wormes my beginning was vile my life is pain labour feare and in subiection to death and my end shall be wofull but my soul is created of GOD noblie and worthilie to his own image and semblance after the Angels the most fairest and perfect of all creatures by baptism and by faith is made his daughter his spouse his heir of his realm that is Paradise and for her noblenesse and dignitie ought to be a Lady and my body as servant ought to obey her for reason hath ordained and will that it be so and who that doth otherwise and preferreth his body before his soul leeseth the usage of reason and maketh himself semblable unto beasts descending from noble dignity into miserable servitude of sensuality by the which it is grounded so that I know my self man As to the second he demandeth what thing it is to be a Christian man I answer in my understanding to be a Christian man is to be baptized or christned and follow Iesus Christ of whom we be said Christians for to be baptized and not to follow him or to follow him and not to be baptized saveth not man and therefore when we receive baptism we renounce the devill and all his pomps and we make promise for to follow Iesus Christ when we say we will be baptized and who that keepeth this promise hath the very name of a Christian man And who that keepeth it not is a sinner and a lyer to God and servant to the devil and is no more christian than a dead man or a painting on a wall we say that is a man Here demandeth the master Shepheard in how manie things the Christian man ought to follow Iesus Christ for to accomplish the promise of baptism The simple shepheard answereth I say in six things the first in cleannesse of conscience for there is nothing more pleasant to God than a clean conscience and it will be made clean in two manners one is by baptism when we receive it and the other by patience that is contrition of heart confession of mouth satisfaction of work and then when we be clean we be pleasant to Iesus Christ which with the water of his mercie cleanseth the sinners that do penance and maketh them fair The second thing in which we ought to follow Iesus Christ is humility at the example of him Lord of all the world which humbled him to take our humanity and became mortall that was immortall to live in poverty with us bare oppropried pain and finally suffer to be crucified Thus the christian man ensuing him ought to meek himself The third thing is to hold and love truth and specially three truths the first truth is to know our selves for we be mortall and sinfull and who that dyeth in sin shall be damned and this truth withholdeth sin and exhorteth the sinner to doe penance and amend The second truth is of temporall goods for they be transitory and must be left and this truth dispraiseth them to desire the heavenly goods that be eternall The third truth is of God which is the ioy that all Christian men ought to desire and this truth draweth the Christian mā to love and induceth him to good works for to merit the ioyes of Paradise The fourth thing wherein every man ought to follow Iesus Christ is patience in adversity and in the spirit of life by pennace confirming of our selves in the estate of Iesus Christ of whom the life was all in pain and poverty which he endured for us The fift is in compassion of the poor to the example of Iesus Christ that by his mercie healed the poor of all corporall infirmities and the sinner of all ghostly sicknesse and wee by compassion ought to give of our goods to poor folke and comfort them bodily ghostly The sixt thing wherein the christian man ought to follow Iesus Christ is dolour devotion charity in contemplation of the mysteries of his nativity of his death and passion of his resurrection of his ascension and of his advancing to the iudgement that oftentimes ought to be at our heart by holy meditations And as to the last what thing a shepheard is I say it is the knowledge of my vocation as
they be divided each by CCClx. degrees as the greatest CHAP. XXXV Of the rising and resconsing of the signs in 〈…〉 ORison and hemisphery differed for orison is the circle that divideth the part of the sky which we see from that under the earth we see not Also orison is a circle that moveth not but as we move from one pâ—ace to another but hemisphery turns continually for one part riseth mounteth over orison and the other part resconseth and entereth under it thus orison riseth ne resconceth Meridian also riseth not ne resconceth Equinoctiall is the diurnall circle that riseth and resconceth regularly as much in one hour as in another and all in 23. hours Zodiake the large circle and oblike whereon the signs be riseth and resconceth all on a day naturall but not regularly for it riseth more in one hour than in another for that is ever over our orison is oblike and divideth the zodiake in two parts whereof one is over our orison and the other underneath Thus half of the signes riseth over our orison every day artificially be it short or long and the other half by night wherefore it behoveth that in daies which be shorter then the nights the signes riseth sooner and in long dayes more at leasure and thus the zodiake riseth not regularly in these parts as the equinoctiall but there is double variation for half of the zodiacke that is from the beginning of Aries unto the end of Virgo altogether taketh as much time in rising as half the equinoctiall that is by it and they begin to rise in a moment and end in a moment also But this half of the zodiake riseth sooner in the begining and this half of the equinoctiall more at leasure and this is called their obliquement Also the other half of the zodiake that is from the beginning of Libra unto the end of Pisces and half of the equinoctiall that is by it beginneth and loveth to rise together but the equinoctiall in that part in the beginning riseth sooner and the zodiake more at leasure and this is called rising directly And whether that riseth sooner the equinoctiall or the zodiake yet allwayes they end together Example of the two movings afore said as if two men went from London to Windsore and departed both together and that at the beginning the one goe fast and the other softly he that goeth fast should be sooner in the midway then the other but if he that went fast to the midway go softly and the other fast they shall be both at once in Windsore Also the half of the zodiake from the beginning of Cancer unto the end of Sagittary in rising beares more than half of the Equinoctiall so that this half riseth all right and the other half of the zodiake riseth oblikely CHAP. XXXVI Of the divisions of the earth and of the Regions FIrst ere we speak of the stars and knowledge that shepheards have we will say of the division of the earth and of the parts after their opinion Wherefore it is to be noted that the earth is round and therefore as a man goes from one country to another he hath other orison then he had and there appeareth other part of the sky and if a man went from septentrion strait toward midday the pole artike to him shall be lesse raised that is to say more nigh approching to the earth and if he went contrarywise it should be more raised that is to say appearing higher and therefore if he went toward midday under a meridian wheel that the pole artike were lesse raised over his orison by the 30. part of one of the vi parts of the Arke Meredian he should passe the 30. part of the 6. parts of half the circuit on the earth and to him the pole should be lesse raised by one degree or to the contrary till it were more raised of one degree then he should passe one degree of the circuit of the earth of the which all the degrees together be ccc.lx. And one degree of the earth containeth 12. leagues and an half or there about and every league is 2. mile And as the speare of the sky is divided by the four lesse circles five partes called Zones so the earth is divided into five regions whereof the first is between the pole artike and the circle artike The second is between the circle artike and the tropike of summer The third is between the tropike of summer the tropike of winter The fourth is between the tropike of winter and the circle Antartike The fift between the circle antartike and the pole antartike Of which parts of the earth some shepheards say that the first and the fift be inhabitable for their over great coldnesse for they be too far from the Sun The third is in the middle is too near under the way of the Sun and is inhabitable for the great heat The other two parts the second and the fourth be neither too near ne too far from the Sun but be moderate in heate and cold and therefore they be inhabitable if there be no other letting and suppose it be true yet it is not impossible to passe overthwart the region under the way of the Sun called Zone turned to go from the second to the fourth For some shepheards would have passed which would have shewed it wherefore they say that there is no region habited but the second wherein we and all other be CHAP. XXXVII Of the variation that is for divers habitations and Regions of the earth SHepheards say that if it were possible that the earth were inhabited all about and pose the case that it were so first they that inhabit under the Equinoctiall have alwayes the dayes and the nights equall and have the two poles of the world at the 2. corners of the orison and may see all the stars when they see the two poles and the sun passeth twice a year over them that is when it passeth by the equinoctials Thus the sun is to them the one half of the yeer toward the pole artick and the other half toward the other pole and therefore they have two winters in a yeer without great cold one is when we have winter and the other when we have summer Semblably they have two Summers one in March when we have prime time and the other in September when we have harvest and by this they have four solstices two high when the sun passeth by their zenich and two low when it declineth one way or other and thus they have four umbres or shadowes in a yeer for when the sun is in the equinocts twice in the yeer in the morning their shadowes be in the occident and at night in the orient and then at noon they have no shadowes but when the Sun is in the signes septentrionals their shadowes be toward the parts of the signes meridionaâ—s and so againward Secondly they that inhabit between the equinoctiall and the Tropike oâ— summer
this time shal be furious incontinent angry and soon appeased she is nimble serviceable wise ioyous and shall suffer many perilles if any person do her any service she will recompence them wel she shall be labouring and take great pain unto xxx year and then she shall have rest she shall have many sons she must be wedded at xiv year honours and gifts shall follow her she shal have wounds and be whole thereof and shal have perill of waters and shal be hurt in a secret place she shall be bitten of a dog and shal live lxx year after nature The days of Jupiter Venus and Luna to them been right good and the days of Mars right evill and aswell the man as the woman shal have good fortunes and victory over their enemies Of the sign of Leo. AS wee read he that is born under the sign of Leo from mid Iuly to mid August shal be fain and hardy he shall speak openly and shall be mercifull he shall weep with the weepers and shal be arrogant in words he shall have a perill in certain time and at xxx year he shal be awaited to be damaged but he shall eschue that perril his benefites shall be in great he shall be honoured of good folk and obtain his enterprise he shall have goods by temporal services he shall be ingrate to theeves and shal be great and puissant he shall have charge of the commonalty and as much as he leeseth he shall win hee shall come to dignity and shall â—e amiable he shall take fortune of three wives hee will goe often on pilgrimages and suffer pain oâ— the sight hee shall fall from high and be fearful of water he shall find hid money at viii year of age he shall be sick also he shal be in perill and doubt of some great Lord and at xxxvi year he shal be bitten of a dog and be whole with great pain and shall live lxxxiv year after nature The woman that shal be born in this time shall be a great lyer fair well spoken mercifull pleasant and may not suffer ne see men weep she shall be meek her first husband shall not live long she shall have pain in her stomake she shal be awaited of her neighbours at xvii year and live to great riches she shall have children of three men she shall be amiable and have the blouddy flixe and shall be bitten of a dogge she shall fall from high and live lxxvii year after nature The days of Mercury Sol and Mars to them be right good the daies of Saturn been contrary and as wel the man as the woman shal be hardy great quarrellers and mercifull Of the sign of Virgo OF the sign of Virgo I find that hee which is born from mid August to mid September shall gladly commend his wife he shal be a great house-houlder ingenious he shal be solycitous to his work he shall be shamefaced of great courage and all that he seeth he shall covet in his understanding he will be soon angry and surmount his enemies Scarcely shall he be a while with his first wife he shal be fortunate at xxxi year he will not hide that that he hath and shal be in perill of water he shal have a wound with iron and shall live lxx year after nature The woman then born shall be shamefaced ingenious will take pain and ought to be wed at xxii year she shall not be long with her first husband Her second husband shall be of long life and shall have much good by another woman she shall fall from high her life shall be in perill and shal die shortly she shall suffer dolour at x. year if she escape those dolours she shall live lxx year after nature she shall bring forth vertuous fruit and every thing shall favour her she shall reioyce in divers fortunes The daies of Mercury and of Sol shal be right good for them and the daies of Mars shall be contrary And as well the man as woman shall suffer many temptations so that with great pain they many resist them they shall delight to live in chastitie but they shall suffer much wheresoever it be Of the sign of Libra AMong planets Libra ought to be remembred for he that is born from mid September to mid October shal be right mightily praised and honored in the service of Captains he shall gâ—e in unknown places and shall get in strange lands he shall keep well his own if he make not relevation by drink he will not keep his promise he shall be envied by silver and other goods he shal be married and goe from his wife he shall speak quickly and shall have no domage among his neighbours he shall have under his might the goods of dead folk and shall have some sign in his members Oxen horse and other beasts shal be given to him he shall have domage and iniury he shall be enriched by women and experyment evill fortunes many shall aske counsaile of him He shall live lxx year after nature The woman that is born in this time shall be amyable and of great courage she will anounce the death of her enemyes and shall go in places unknown she shall be debonair and merry reioyce by her husband if she be not wedded at xiii years he shall not be chast and shall have no sons by her first husband she shall goe many pilgrimages after xxx year she shall prosper better and have great honour and praise then after she shall be greevously sick and shall be brent in the feet about xii year of age and shall live lx year after nature The days of Venus of Luna for them been right good and the days of Mercury contrary And aswel the man as the woman shall be in doubt unto the death and there is doubt in the end Of the sign of Scorpio WEe read that he which is born in the sign of Scorpius from mid October to mid November shall have good fortune he shall be a great fornicatour the first wife that hee shall have in marriage shall become too religious he will serve gladly to Images he shall suffer pain in his privy members at the age of xv year he shall be hardy as a Lyon and amiable of forme many faculties shall be given to him hee shall be a great goer in visiting divers countries for to know the customes and statutes of many Cities and shall have victory over all his enemys they may not hinder him in no manner of wise hee shall have money by his wife and shall suffer divers dolours of the stomake he shall be merry and love the company of merry folk In his right shoulder shal be a sign by sweet words adulations he shall be deceived he will often say one thing and doe another he shall have a wound with iron he shall be bitten of a dog or of some other beast he shall be in doubt and have divers enemies at the age of
hardning but then the Sun beginneth a little for to descend downward so man then goeth from youth toward age and beginneth to acquaint him with sadnesse for then he is xlii year After that then commeth August then we gather in our corn and also the fruits of the earth and then doth man his diligence to gather for to find himself withall in the time that he may neither get nor win and then after that vi yeers is he xlviii year old Then commeth September that wines be made and the fruits of trees be gathered And then therewithall he doth freshly beginne to garnish his house and make provision of needfull things for to live in winter which draweth very neer and then is man in his most ioyful couragious estate prosperous in wisdome purposing to gather and keep as much as should be sufficient for him in his old age when he may gather no more and these six years maketh him liv years And then commeth October that all is into the foresaid house gathered but corn and also other maner fruits And also the labourer soweth new seeds in the earth for the yeer to come And then he that soweth nought shall nought gather And then in these other six years a man shall take himself unto God for to do penance good works and then the benefits the yeer after his death he may gather and have spiritual profit and then is man full in the term lx year Then commeth November that the days are very short and the sun in manner giveth little heat the trees lose their leaves The fields that were green look hory and gray When all manner of herbs be hidde in the ground and then appeareth no flowers And then winter is come that a man hath understanding of age and hath lost his kindly heat strength His teeth begin to rot and also to chatter and then hath he no more hope of long life but desireth to come to the life everlasting and these six for this month maketh him lx and six years Then commeth December full of cold with frost and snow with great winds and stormy weather that a man may not labour nor nought do the sun is then at the lowest that it may desceÌ„d then the trees the earth is hid in snow then is it good to hold them nigh the fire to spend the goods that they gathered in summer For then beginneth mans hair to wax white gray his body crooked feeble then he loseth the perfect understaÌ„ding and that six years maketh him full lxxii year and if he live any more it is by his good guiding and dieting in his youth Howbeit it is possible that a man may live till he be an hundred yeers of age but there are but few that come thereto Wherefore I Shepheard said moreover that of living or dying the heavenly bodies may stirre a man both to good and evill without doubt of a surety but yet may a man withstand it by his own free will to do what he will himself good or bad evermore Above the which inclination is the might and will of God that longeth the life of man by his goodnesse or to take it short by his iustice Wherefore we will shew you of the bodies celestiall and of the nature and movings and this present book is named the Compost for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the days hours moments and the new Moons and the eclipse of the Sun and Moon and of the sign that the Moon is in every day and this book was made for them that are no Clerks to bring them to great understanding And this Calender is divided into five parts The first of our signs of the compost and the Kalender The second is the tree of vices with the paines of hell The third is the way of health of man the tree of vertues The fourth is physick and governance of health The fift is Astrology and physnomy for to understand many deceivings and which they be by likelihood the which by nature are inclined and can do them as you shall read ere you come to the end For to have the Shepheards understanding of their Kalender ye should understand that the year is the measure of the time that the sunne passeth the twelve signs returning to his first point is divided into the twelve months As Ianuary February March and so forth to December So the sunne in these twelve months passeth by twelve signs one time The days of his entring into the signs in the Kalender and the days also when he parteth the yeer as the xii months into lii weeks three hundred sixty and five days and when bysext is it is threescore and vi one day is xxiv hours every hour lx minutes After these divisions yee must understand for every year three things The first speaketh of the Golden number The second of the letter dominicall And the third is the letter tabular in the which lyeth all the chief knowledge of this Kalender for the which letter and number to understand all that they would whether it be past or to come ye shall put three figures after the Kalender of the which the first shall shew the value and declaration of the two other and it is to be understâ—â—d that in four years there is one Bysâ—xt the which hath one day more than the other and also hath two letters dominicals signed in one of the foresaid figures and changeth the latter day of S. Matthew the which is vigill and is put with the day upon one letter by himself Also the letters Ferials of this Kalender be to be understood as they of the other kalenders before the which are the numbers and the other three after the letters ferials First for because the letters descendeth low is the golden number above the day of the new Moon And the which to be the hour and moments of the said month which when they are in service before noon of the day above there And when they are black service for afternoon of the same day in the places of the number betokeneth that number where it is The naturall day is to be understood from midnight to midnight xxiv houres and shall serve the said numbers for the letters Ferials xix yeer complete from the year that this Kalender was made one thousand four hundred fourescore and seventeen unto the yeer one thousand five hundred and sixteen In the which yeer shall begin all to serve this golden number and the other numbers after the letters ferials all in the manner as they be before for the other xix yeers And all the remnant of the compost and of the kalender is perpetual for the golden number so shall they be xxxviii yeers of the which yeers one thousand four hundred fourscore seventeen is the first The feasts of the kalender are in their daies of the which the solennall are in red storied in the unity
nigh the which unity in the end of the bodies above every day is one letter of the A. b. c. for to understand in what signs the Moon is in that day And yet the said letters and the rubrish for the which shall be one figure before the Kalender which shall shew how they should understand it This yeer of this present Kalender which began to have course the first day of Ianuary M. CCCC.xcvii In the which raigneth for the golden number sixteen The letter dominical A. The letter tabular f. and b. In the first lines and their figures neerest the golden number xvi the yeer of this Kalender To know the letter Dominical by the verse underneath Filius esto dei coelum bonus accipe gratis Or by these other verses here following Fructus alit Canos el gelica bellica danos El genitir bona dat Finis amara cadat Dat floris anni caler ejus gaudia busti Cambit edens griffo boabel dicens fiat agur For to set the month A dam de ge bat er go ci phos a dri phos For the golden number and the new Moon Ter nus un din nod octo sex quinque tred ambo ve cem duc Septem quin quar tus doc io ta no vem vi quar An ingenious practice or Compost of Shepheards Newly and subtilly shepheards have found a short practice for to know the golden number the letter dominicall the tabular letters as ensueth the which for subtilty is difficil to be understood if first it be not shewed by such as understand it well but as to this it behoveth not to tarry travel for cause of the figures that ensigneth and sheweth how to find and know the said practice Finis canos agur ejus bona fructus Dicens anni bellica griffo dant amara El cambet gaudit dat alit fiet color Genitrix danos boabel flores cadat gelica Edens busti Four secrets of the Compost of Shepheards Mobilis alta dies C currens aureus octo Sexdeno cum D non erit inferior B Veneris sancta sed quinque tred ambo Maria Nec erit in toto dicens similis simul octo The manner to know the festival daies on the hand and on what days they bee WHo so will know on his hand when the holy days falleth take heed of the same letters A. b c. d e. f. g. The days of the week bee vii one for Sunday and for the other days vi Put them in the ioynts of the left hand on iiii fingers and with the right hand they ought to be marked for the more certainty A b c. on the back of the hand and g. above d e f. within the hād Then ye ought to know in what place every month should be A little after dam of g. b E. g. c. bee on the month of the little finger F. a. on the leach finger February and March on the learh finger together April on g. May on b. Iune on the middle finger above ◠Iuly upon g. and August upon c. September upon f. October on a. of the fourth finger Then November above d. and December above f. of the little finger And thus the twelve months be set on the fingers After bran pen cru lucy the Embre dayes be set truly In each of these two lines here under be as many sillables as there be festivall days in the yeer and every day ought to be set on the joynts of the left hand as is shewed here in this present book January Cir o ia nus e pi lu fe la nus et keu fe man mar an Pis ca fab ag vin cen ti pau lum iul ag que ba tilde February Bre pur blas et a ue fe bru o sco la sli ca va lent Iul con um ge tur cum pe tro math so ci e tur March Mo sed mar ci us bal to duth kes con gre go ri um bo Pat ed ward cuth be ne ca pe ma ri am ge ni tri cem Aprill Gil gip ric et am bro si i dat a pril le on eu fe ti bur ci Post al phe fe sta ge or mar ci que vi ta lis May. Phi li cruc may i un la tin nic gor de ne re i que Post e a don se qui tur post fal phe sest ta ger ad en pe que June Nic mar in bo ni fa med co lum bar ba ci ba vi ti Bo mar marg ed ward si mil la ba el io le on pe pau July Ser ui iul mar ti ni tho mo que fra be dic ti suth un ken Ar nulf marg prax mag ap cris ia an dor sam sun ob gre August Pe steph aug gust trans do ci ro lau ti bur ri ip on Sump ta sit a mag ni bar tho lo ruff ag io oon fel on cut September E gis sep cup bert ha bet nat gort gon pro thi que curt Lam ber ti quo math ma mar te cle fer cip da con mich ier October Rem le o fran ci fi mar tunc dig er a ni a ed. Post lu cas iu in de ro ma cris pi ni si no nis quin. November Om nis tunc sanc ti le o mar ti bri ci a ni a ed. Pre te cle gri ka li ni a que sat an December E le gi bar ba ni co con cep et lu ce i al ma. O sa pi en que tho mas pro pe nat steph io tho me sil How every month praiseth it self of some good property January I Make me to be called Janivere In my time is great storms of coldness For unto me no month of the year May compare if I advance me doubtlesse For in my time was as clarks do expresse Circumcised the Lord omnipotent And adored by Kings of the Orient February I am February the most hardy In my season the pure mother Virginal Offered her sonne in the Temple truly Making to God a present speciall Of Iesus Christ the King of kings all Between the arms of the Bishop Simeon To whom pray we to have his remission March March am I called in noblenesse flourishing Which among months am of great Nobless For in my time all the fruits do bud and spring To the service of man in great largess And Lent is in me the time of holiness That every man ought to have repentance Of his sins done by long continuance April Among all months I am iustly April Fresh and wholesome unto each creature And in my time the dulcet drops distill Called Christall as Poets put in Scripture Causing all stones the longer to endure In my time was the resurrection Of God and man by divine election May. Of all the months in the year I am King Fourishing in beauty excellently For in my time in vertue