Here begynneth the compost of Ptholomeus, prynce of astronomye: translated oute of Frenche in to Englysshe, for them that wolde haue knowlege of the compost. [[London], Imprynted by me Robert Wyer, dwellynge at the sygne of seynt Iohn Euangelyste, in seynt Martyns Parysshe in the Felde, in the bysshop of Norwytche rentes, besyde Charyng crosse, 1530.

Here begynneth The Compoſt of Ptholomeus / Prynce of Aſtronomye: Tranſlated oute of Frenche in to Englyſſhe / for them that wolde haue knowlege of the Compoſt.

Ptholomeus.

Ptholomeus (or Claudius Ptolemy), in king's clothes, and a lady look on astrological instruments: a globe and an astrolabe quadrant [Image not included in the transcription.]

royal English blazon or coat of arms DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE [Image not included in the transcription.]

¶ Here begynneth the Table of this preſent boke.

FIrſte the prologue of Ptholomeus.
¶ Another prologue of .ii. other Aſtronomyers / that ſheweth & proueth the Auctours Prologue true that is before.
¶ Here foloweth to ſhewe howe man chaungeth .xii. tymes / as the .xii. monthes dothe.
¶ Here foloweth to knowe the .xii. ſygnes in theyr courſe reygnynge / and rulynge vpon the .xii. partyes of mannes body / and whiche ben good for lettynge of blode / & indifferent / or euyll. Capitulo .Primo.
¶ Hereafter foloweth the Nature of the .xii. ſygnes. Capitulo .ſecundo.
¶ The Nothomye of the bones in mānes body / and the nombre of them / whiche is in all .CC. and .xl viii. Capitulo .iii.
¶ The Flubothomye / with the names of the vaynes / and where they reſte / and how they ought to be letten blode. Capitulo .iiii.
¶ To knowe whan a man is hole / or diſpoſed to ſyckenes. Capitulo .iiii.
¶ The ſygne to knowe a man hole / & well diſpoſed in his body. Capitulo .v.
¶ Of ſygnes contrary to them aforeſayd / by the whiche Ptholomeus knewe whan he or other were ſycke. Capitulo .vi.
¶ Other ſygnes almoſte ſemblable to them aforeſayd / and ſheweth the replection of euyl humours / & for to be purged of them. Ca. vii.
¶ A deuyſyon & regyment of tyme / the whiche Ptholomeus vſed / after that the ſeaſon and tyme requyred. Capitulo .viii.
¶ The regyment for Prymetyme / that is for to ſaye Marche / Apryll / & May. Cap̄ .ix.
¶ The regymēt for the tyme of Somer / that is Iune / Iuly / and Auguſt. Cap̄ .x.
¶ The regyment for Harueſt / is Septembre Octobre / and Nouembre. Cap̄ .xi.
¶ The regymēt for wynter tyme / is December / Ianuary / and February. Cap̄ .xii.
¶ Here after foloweth the .iiii. Elementꝭ: and the .iiii. Complections of man. Cap̄ .xiii.
¶ And alſo after foloweth the Aſtrologye of Ptholomeus. Capitulo .xiiii.
¶ Howe Ptholomeus ſheweth more playnly of the foure Clementes / and of the ſymylytude of the erth / and howe that euery Planet is one aboue another / and ſheweth whiche of them ben maſculyne / as theſe .v. Saturne / Iupiter / Mars / Sol / and Mercury. And of .ii. femenyne / as Venus / and Luna / and whiche of them is northly / & ſouthly / and whiche ben oryentall / or occydentall. Cap̄ .xv.
¶ Of the equynoccyall & zodyacke / that ben in the .ix. ſkyes / that contayneth the Fyrmament vnder it. Capitulo .xvi.
¶ Hereafter foloweth a very ſubtyll varyacyon in the ſkye. Capitulo .xvii.
¶ Of .ii. great Cyrcles / that is to ſay one merydien / and the other ozyron that interſequeth one the other / & croſſeth dyrectly. Ca. xviii.
¶ Alſo hereafter do folowe two other great Cyrcles of the ſkye / & foure ſmall. Ca. xix.
¶ Of the ryſynge and reſconſynge of the ſygnes in the ozyron. Capitulo .xx.
¶ Of the deuyſyons of the erthe / and of the regyons. Capitulo .xxi.
¶ Of the varyacyon that is for dyuers habytacions & regyons of the erth. Cap̄ .xxii.
¶ Of the deuyſyon of the erthe / and onely of the parte enhabyted. Capitulo .xxiii.
¶ The great and meruaylous conſyderacyons and great vnderſtandynge of the Aſtronomyers & Aſtrologyens. Cap̄ .xxiiii.
¶ Of the Pomell of the ſkyes a ſterre called the ſterre of the Northe / nere the whiche is the pole artyke called ſeptemtryonall. Ca. xxv.
¶ Of Andromeda a ſterre fyxed. Ca. xxvi.
¶ Of Perſeus a ſterre fyxed / Lorde of the ſpere. Capitulo .xxvii.
¶ Of Ozyron a ſterre fyxed / and the felawes. Capitulo .xxviii.
¶ Of Alhabor a ſterre fyxed. Cap̄ .xxix.
¶ Of the Lyons herte / a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxx.
¶ Of the ſterre fyxed called Nebuluſe / & of another called the golden Cuppe. Ca. xxx.
¶ Of the Porke eſpyke / a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxii.
¶ Of the Crowne ſeptemtryonall / a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxiii.
¶ And of the Scorpions herte: a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxiiii.
¶ Of the flyinge Egle / a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxv.
¶ And of the Fyſſhe merydyonall / a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxvi.
¶ Of Pegaſus that ſygnyfieth the Horſe of honoure a ſterre fyxed. Cap̄ .xxxvii.
¶ Of the deuyſyon of the twelue houſes / as well in the erthe / as in the heuens / as it dothe appere. Capitlo .xxxviii.
¶ How the Planettes reygne in euery houre of the daye and the nyght. Cap̄ .xxxix.
¶ Alſo of the Natures of the .vii. Planettes: with theyr dyſpoſycions / after the ſayinge of Ptholomeus / prynce of Aſtronomye. Ca. xl.
¶ And foloweth / to knowe the Fortunes & deſtenyes of man and woman borne vnder the .xii. Sygnes (after the ſayinge of Ptholomeus) prynce of Aſtronomye. Cap̄ .xli.
¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus vpon the .xii. ſygnes. Capitulo .xlii.
¶ And after foloweth the Scyence of Phyzonomye / for to knowe the naturall inclynacyon of man and woman. Capitulo .xliii.
¶ And of the Iugementes of mannes body. Capitulo .xliiii.

¶ Finis.

¶ Thus endeth the Table of the Compoſt of Ptholomeus.

R W

Ptholomeus.

two illustrations of Ptholomeus (or Claudius Ptolemy) with an astrolabe [Image not included in the transcription.]

¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus.

SO as we vnderſtāde Ptholomeus ſaythe / that lyuynge and dyeng is all at the pleaſure of almyghty god. Yet he ſayth that a man may lyue by the courſe of nature .lxxii. yere or more. And he ſayth alſo as moche tyme / as a man hath to growe in beaute / length / bredthe / and ſtrengthe. So moche tyme hathe he to waxe olde and feble to his ende. But the terme to growe in beaute / hyghte / and ſtrength / is .xxxvi. yere. And the terme to waxe olde / feble / and weyke / to tourne to the erthwarde / whiche is in all togyther .lxxii. yere / that he ought to lyue after the courſe of nature. And they that dye before this tyme / often it is by the vyolence and out rage done to theyr Complexion and nature. But they that lyue aboue this terme / it is by good regyment & enſygnementꝭ / after whiche a man hathe gouerned hymſelfe. To this purpoſe of lyuynge and dyeng: Ptholomeus ſayth / that the thynge that we deſyre moſte in this worlde is to lyue longe: And the thynge that we moſte fere is to dye ſoon. ¶ Thus he trauayled his vnderſtandyng / & made great dylygence to knowe and to do thyngꝭ poſſyble & requyſyte for to lyue longe / hole / & ioyfully / whiche this preſent Compoſt ſheweth & techeth. wherefore we wyll ſhewe you of the bodyes Celeſtyall / & of theyr nature & mouynges: & this p̄ſent boke is named the Compoſt of Ptholomeus / for it cōprechendeth fully all the Compoſt. And this preſent boke is made for them that be of ſmall lernynge / to brynge them to great vnderſtandyng. Thus Ptholomeus ſayd alſo that the deſyre to lyue longe was in his ſoule / the whiche alwaye laſteth / wherfore he wold that his deſyre were accomplyſſhed after his deth / as before. He ſayde ſyth the foule dyeth nat / and in it is the deſyre to lyue longe / it ſhuld be an infallable payne (nat to lyue after deth: as before) for he that lyueth nat after his corporall deth / ſhall nat haue that / that he hathe deſyred (that is to wete) to lyue longe / & ſhuld abyde in eternal payne / if his deſyre were nat accomplyſſhed. So concluded the ſayd Ptholomeus neceſſary thynges for hym and other / to knowe and to do that whiche appertayned / to lyue after deth as before. And truthe it is that he that lyueth / but the lyfe of this worlde onely / and thoughe he lyued an .C. yere / yet he lyued nat properly longe. But he ſhuld lyue longe that at the ende of this preſent lyfe / ſhulde begyn the lyfe eternall (that is to ſaye) the lyfe euerlaſtynge in heuen. So a man oughte to parforme his lyfe in this worlde corporally / that they may lyue ſpiritually without ende. For as he ſayd / one ſhal lyue euerlaſtyngly with out dyenge / and whan he hathe the pardurable lyfe he ſhall be parfyte. And alſo by this poynt and none otherwyſe ſhalbe accomplyſſhed the deſyre of longe lyuynge in this worlde. The foreſayd Ptholomeus alſo knowleged / that the lyfe of this worlde was ſoone paſte and gone. wherfore this Ptholomeus thought that .lxxii. yeres / here in this vale of wretched myſery / is but a lytell and a ſmall terme of lyfe / to the lyfe euerlaſtyng: the whiche neuer ſhal haue endynge. And therfore he ſaythe / he that offeryth hym ſelfe here to lyue vertuouſly in this worlde / after this lyfe he ſhall receyue the ſwete lyue / that is ſure and laſteth euer without ende. For though a man lyued here a .C. yere and more: it is but a lytell terme to the lyfe to come. Therfore ſayth this Ptholomeus / I wyl lyue ſoberly with theſe ſmall temporal goodes that Iheſu hath lende me: and euer to exyle the deſyre of worldly ryches and worldly worſhyp. For they that labour for it: & haue loue to theyr goodꝭ & vayne worſhyppes / ofte it departeth mary from heuenly treaſoure. It ſhytteth mānes herte that god may nat entre. And buyldeth man a place of no reſt in the lowe lande of derkeneſſe

¶ Here after foloweth another Prologue of two other Aſtronomyers / that ſheweth & proueth the auctours Prologue true that is before reherſed.

BE it to vnderſtande / that there be in the yere .iiii. quarters / the whiche be named thus. Vere / Hyems / Eſtas / and Autumnus. Theſe be the .iiii. ſeaſons in the yere / as Pryme tyme is the ſprynge of the yere / as Feueryere / Marche / and Apryll. In theſe .iii. monthes euery grene thynge growynge / begynneth to budde and flouryſſhe. ¶ Than cometh ſomer as Maye / Iune / and Iuly / and theſe .iii. monthes / euery herbe / grayne / & tree / is in his kynde and in his moſte ſtrength and beautye / & than the Sonne is at the hygheſt. ¶ Than cometh Autumne: as Auguſt / Septembre / and Octobre / that all theſe fruytes waxen type / and ben gatheryd and howſed. ¶ Than cometh Nouembre / Decembre / and Ianyuere / & theſe .iii. monthes be in the wynter / that tyme the Son̄e is at the loweſt / and is the tyme of lytel profyte. As we Aſtronomyers ſay / that the age of man is .lxxii. yere / & that we lyken but to one hole yere / for euermore we take .vi. yere for euery Monthe / as Ianyuere / or Feueryere / and ſo forthe / for as the yere chaungeth by the .xii. monthes: In to .xii. dyuers maners / ſo dothe a man chaunge hym ſelfe .xii. tymes in his lyfe / by .xii. aeges / and euery aege laſteth .vi. yere / if ſo be that he lyue to .lxxii. for .iii. tymes .vi. maketh .xviii. and .vi. tymes .vi. maketh .xxxvi. And than man is at the beſt / and alſo at the hygheſt / & .xii. tymes .vi. maketh .lxxii. And that is the aege of man.

¶ Thus muſte you counte and reken for euery monthe .vi. yere / or ellys it may be vnderſtande by the .iiii. quarters and ſeaſons of the yere. So man is deuyded in to .iiii. partyes: as to youthe / ſtrengthe / wyſdome / and aege. He ſo to be .xviii. yere yonge .xviii. yere ſtronge xviii. yere in wyſedome / & the fourthe .xviii. yere to go to the full of the aege of .lxxii.

¶ Here foloweth to ſhewe howe man chaungeth .xii. tymes / euen as the .xii. monthes dothe.

WE muſte take the firſte .vi. yere for Ianyuere / the whiche is of no vertue nor ſtrength / in that ſeaſon noo thynge on the erthe groweth. So man after that he is borne / tylhe be .vi. yere of aege is with lytell or no wytte / ſtrengthe / or cunnynge / and maye do lytell or no thynge that cometh to profyte.

¶ Than cometh Feueryere: and than the dayes longeth / & the Sonne is more hotter / than the feldes begyn to wax grene. So the other .vi. yere tyll he come to .xii. the childe begyn̄eth to growe bygger / and is apte to lerne ſuche thynges as is taughte hym.

¶ Than cometh the monthe of Marche / In whiche the labourer ſoweth the erth / & planteth trees / and edyfyeth houſes / the childe in theſe .vi. yeres waxeth bygge to lerne doctryne and ſcycnce / and to be fayre and pleſaunt & louynge / for than he is .xviii. yere of aege.

¶ Than cometh Apryll / that the erthe & the trees is coueryd with grene floutes. And in euery partye goodes encreaſeth habundauntly. Than cometh the yonge man to gather the ſwete floures of hardynes / but than beware that the colde wyndes and ſtormes of vyces bete nat downe the floures of good maners / that ſhulde brynge man to honoure / for than is he .xxiiii. yere of aege.

¶ Than cometh Maye / that is bothe fayre & pleſaunte / for than byrdes ſynge in woddes and foreſtes nyght and daye / the Sonne ſhyneth hote / as than man is moſte luſty / myghty / and of delyuer ſtrengthe / & ſeketh playes / ſportes / and manly paſtymes / for than is he full .xxx. yere of aege.

¶ Than cometh Iune: and than is the ſonne at the hygheſt in his merydyonall / he may aſcende no hygher in his ſtacion. His glemerynge golden beames typeth the corne / and than man is .xxxvi. yere / he may aſcende no more For than nature hathe gyuen hym courage & ſtrengthe at the full / and typeth the ſedes of parfyte vnderſtandynge.

¶ Than cometh Iuly: that our fruytes be ſet on ſonnynge / & our corne a hardenynge / but than the Sonne begynneth a lytell for to deſcende do wnewarde. So than man goth fro youthe to warde aege / and begynneth for to 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 fruytꝭ 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 fruytꝭ 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 groūde / 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 lōge 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 mānes 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. elementꝭ / 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 braūches. Scorpio the pryue partyes / the genytores / the bladder: and the foūdyment. 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.

¶ Cancer is indifferent for bledynge.

¶ Cancer is colde and moyſte / nature of water / and gouerneth the breſt / the ſtomake / & [••]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 chaftꝭ 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 ī eche fote ben the nombre of .xiiii. Two bones ben before the bely for to holde it ſtedfaſt with the two braūches Two bones ben in the hede behynde the eres called oculares. We teken nat the tēder 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 eres 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 abūdaunce of all the blode that gouerneth the body of man / and pryncipally the hed / but they ought nat to be letten blode without the coūceyle 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 accydentꝭ that may come to thoſe places by great abundaunce of blode and humours.

¶ In the ſydes bytwene the wombe and the braūche 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 inconuenyencꝭ: 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 gūmes 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 incōuenyence 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 thyngꝭ 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. Cap̄ .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 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 eres 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. Cap̄ .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 eres / 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 aboūdeth in ſuperfluous humours. And whan he is neclygēt 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 whā his eres ſoundeth / and whan his iyen watereth / or be full of gūme / 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 chaūged 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 chaūgynge 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 flourꝭ / 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 fruytꝭ 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 ſtrēgth 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 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 Regymēt for Prymetyme / that is for to ſay Marche / Apryll / & May. Cap̄ .ix.

IN prymetyme Ptholomeus kepte hym ſelfe metely wel clothed / nat ouer colde / nor to hote / as with thyn veſtures / dowbletꝭ of ſylke / and gownes metely lyght furred with lambe moſt cōmenly. 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 regymēt 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 / melōs coucombres / peres / plūmes / 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 Son̄e 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 ī 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. Cap̄ .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 fruytꝭ / 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 regymēt for wynter tyme / is Decembre / Ianuary / and February. Cap̄ .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 ſtrōge 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 melācoly / 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. elementꝭ / and the .iiii. complectione of man. Cap̄ .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 Cōpoſt / 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 thende that men & beſtꝭ 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 moūtaynes is one in Affryke named Athlas. After that is the elemēt 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 / mouyngꝭ / 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 roūde / 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 thyngꝭ in them cōpoſed / the whiche ben tranſmutable and corruptyble. The elementꝭ 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 planettꝭ 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 / for it tourneth nat / and aboue that is one of Cryſtall / ouer the whiche is the ſkye Imperyall / in the whiche is the throne of god / of the whiche ſkye the Aſtronymyers ought nat to ſpeke / but onely of the firſte mobyle / and that it contayneth altogyther called the worlde. ¶ Of one thynge they meruayle moche / that is howe god hath diſtrybuted the ſterres / that he hathe put none in the nynthe ſkye / and hathe put ſo many in the eyght ſkye: that they may not be nombred / and in eche of the other .vii. but one onely / as aforeſayd of the ſonne / moone / and ſterres: as euydently apperyth hereafter.

¶ Here Ptholomeus ſheweth more playnly of the foure Clementes / and of the ſymylytude of the erthe / and howe that euery Planet is one aboue another / & ſheweth whiche of them ben maſculyne / as theſe fyue Saturne / Iupiter / Mars / Sol / & Mercury. And of .ii. femynyne: as Venus / & Luna / and whiche of them is northly / & ſouthly / and whiche ben oryentall / or occydentall. Capitulo .xv.

SOme mouyngꝭ ben of the ſkyes and planettes / that excedeth the vnderſtādynge of the Aſtrologyens as the mouynge of the fyrmament: in the which ben the ſterres agaynſte the firſte mobyle in an hondred yere one degre / and the mouynge of the planettes in theyr epiſcycles / of the whiche howe well that Aſtronomyers be nat ygnoraunt of all / yet they make nomencyon here / for it ſuffyſeth them onely of two / wherof the one is from oryent in to the occydent aboue the erth / and from occydent in to the oryent vnder it / that is called the dyurnall mouynge / that is to ſaye that it maketh from daye to daye .xxiiii. houres / by the whiche mouynge the .ix. ſkye / that is the firſte mobyle draweth after / & maketh the other ſkyes to tourne that ben vnder it. The other moment is of the .vii. Planettes / and is from occydent to oryent aboue the erthe: and from oryent in to the occydent vnder it / and is contrary to the firſte / & ben the two mouynges that Aſtrologyens knowlegeth / and howe well that they ben oppoſytees / yet moue they contynually / and ben poſſyble / as it is ſhewed by enſample. If a ſhyp on the ſee came from oryent in to occydent / & that he of his owne mouynge went in the ſhyp ſoftely towarde oryent / this man ſhuld moue a double mouynge wherof one ſhulde be of the ſhyp and of hym ſelfe togyder: & the other ſhuld be of his owne mouynge that he maketh ſoftly to warde orynet. Semblably the planettes ben tranſported with theyr ſkye from oryent in to occident by the dyurnall mouynge of the firſte mobyle But later and other wyſe than the fyxed ſterres / by that that euery planet hath his propre mouynge contrary to the mouynge of ſterres: For the moone maketh a courſe leſſe in a moneth aboute the erth than a ſterre fyxed / & the ſonne a courſe leſſe in a yere: and the other planettes in certayne tyme eche after the quātyte of his mouynge. Thus it apperyth that the planettes moue two mouynges. Ptholomeus ſaythe / poſe by ymagynacion that all the ſkyes ſeaſed to moue of the dayly mouynge / the moone wolde make a courſe in goynge from the occydent in to the oryent in as moche tyme as laſteth now .xxvii. dayes / and .viii. houres / and Mercury / Venus / and Sol wolde make in lyke maner courſe in the ſpace of a yere / and Mars in two yere / and Saturne in .xxx. yere or theraboute. For now they make theyr courſe or reuolucions: & accompſyſſhe theyr propre mouynges in the tyme here named. The propre mouynge of planettꝭ is nat ſtreyghte from occydent to oryent / but it is a ſyde waye / and Aſtrologyens ſe them ſenſyble / For whan they ſe the moone before a ſterre one nyght / the ſeconde / or the thirde nyght / it is behynde nat ſtreyghte towarde oryent / but ſhall be drawen one tyme towarde Septemtryon / and another tyme towarde mydday / & this is bycauſe of the latytude or largenes of the zodyake / in the whiche ben the .xii. ſygnes / vnder whom the planttes reygneth.

¶ Of the equynocciall and zodyake: that ben in the .ix. ſkyes that contayneth the fyrmament vnder it. Capitulo .xvi.

AS in the concaue of the firſte mobyle Ptholomeus & other Aſtrologyens ymagyneth to be the .ii. cyrcles / and they ben there royall / the one is as ſmall as a lytell threde / & it is called equynocciall / and the other is large in maner of a gyrdle or as a garlande of floures / whiche they do call the zodyake / and theſe two cyrcles deuydeth the one & the other equally but nat ſtreyght / for the zodyake croſſeth crokedly / & the places where it croketh / ben ſayd equynoccialles. For to vnderſtande the equynocciall / we ſeſenſybly al the ſkye tourne from oryent in occydent / and it is called the dayly mouynge / or dyurnall mouynge / than ought one to ymagyn a ſtreyghte lyne that paſſeth thorughe the mydle of the erth cōmyng from the one ende of the ſkye to the other about the which lyne is made this mouynge / & the two endes ben the two poyntes in the ſkye that moueth nat / and ben called the poles of the worlde / of the whiche poles / one is ouer vs by the ſterre of the northe / that alwayes demonſtreth hym ſelf & aperith to vs / & is the poſe artyke or ſeptemtryonall / and the other is vnder the erthe alwayes hyd called the pole antertyke / or pole auſtrall / in the myddes of the whiche poles / in the firſte mobyle / is the cyrcle equynocciall equally before in the partye / as in the other of the ſayde poles / and after this cyrcle is made and meſured the dayly mouynge of .xxiiii. houres that is a naturall daye / & it is called equynoccyall For that whan the ſonne is in it / that daye & the nyghte ben equall thorughe the worlde. The large zodyake as ſayd is in the firſt mobyle / and alſo it is a gyrdle manerly fygured and ſette with ymages of ſygnes entrayled ſubtylly and well compoſed / and ſette with fyxed ſterres / as ſhynyng Carbuncles or p[•]ecyous Bēmes full of great vertue / ſette by mayſtryſe right nobly aourned: in the whiche zodyake ben .iiii. pryncypall poyntes / that deuydeth them equally in .iiii. partyes. One is hye called the Solſtyce of Somer / whiche whan the ſonne is entred in Cancer / it is the longeſt day of Somer. Another is lowe called the Solſtyce of wynter: whiche is whan the ſonne is entred in Caprycorne / than it is the ſhorteſt day of wynter / and meane called equynoccyall of Harueſt / that the ſonne entreth in Libra in the moneth of Septembre. And the other is called the equynoccyall of Prymetyme / that the ſonne entreth in Aries in the moneth of Marche. The which .iiii. partyes deuydeth eche in thre egall partyes / & maketh .xii. partyes / that ben called ſygnes / as Aries / Taurus / Gemini / Cancer / Leo / Virgo / Libra / Scorpio / Sagittarius / Capricornus / Aquarius / & Piſces. Aquarius begynneth in the equynoccyall & croſſeth the zodyake / and whan the ſonne is there it begynneth to declyne (that is to ſaye) approchynge Septemtryon / and to ward vs it extendeth to the oryent. Than is Taurus ſeconde / Gemini the thirde / and ſo of all the other. ¶ Alſo euery ſygne is deuyded in .xxx. degrees: and be in the zodyake .CCC .lx. degrees / and euery degre deuyded by .lx. mynutes / euery mynute in lx. ſecondes / euery ſeconde in .lx. thyrdes / and this partycion & deuyſyon ſuffyſeth to be vnderſtande of Aſtronomyers.

¶ Here after foloweth a very ſubtyll varyacion in the ſkye. Capitulo .xvii.

THe Aſtronomyers do knowlege a very ſubtyll varyacyon in the ſkye / and is for the ſterres fyxed be nat vnder the ſame degrees of the zodyake that were created bycauſe of the mouynge of the fyrmament / the whiche ben agaynſt the firſte mobyle in a .C. yere of one degree / for the whiche mutacyon the ſonne maye haue other regarde to a ſterre / and other ſygnyficacion than it had in the tyme paſſed / and alſo whan that bokes were made / for that the ſterre hath chaunged his degree or ſygne vnder which it was. And this often tymes cauſeth them that make Pronoſtycacions and Iugemētꝭ comynge to fayle. ¶ All the cyrcles of the ſkye ben narowe and ſmall / except the zodyake / whiche is large / & contayneth in length .CCC .lx. degrees / and of largeneſſe .xii. the whiche largeneſſe is deuyded by the myddes .vi. degrees on that one ſygne / and .vi. on the other: and this dyuyſion is made by a lyne named Eclyptyke / is the waye of the ſonne / for the ſonne neuer departeth vnder that lyne / and thus it is alway in the mydle of the zodyake / but the other planettes ben alwayes on the one ſyde / or on the other of the ſayd lyne / ſaufe whan they ben in the heed or in the tayle of the Dragon / as the moone paſſeth twyſe in a moneth / and if it happen whan that it reneweth it is Eclypſe of the ſonne / & if it happen in the full moone & that it be ryght vnder the nadyr of the ſon̄e it is generall eclypſe / and if it be but a partye it is nat ſeen. whan it is eclypſe of the ſonne / it is nat generall thorugh all the clymatꝭ but onely in ſome / but whan it is eclypſe of the moone / it is generall ouer all.

¶ Of .ii. great cyrcles / that is to ſay one merydyen / & the other ozyron that interſequeth one the other / and croſſeth dyrectly. Capitulo .xviii.

MEridyen is a great cyrcle ymagyned on the ſkye / whiche paſſeth by the poles of the world: and by the poynte of the ſkye right ouer our heedes / whiche is called zenych / and whan the ſon̄e is comen ouer from the oryēt vnto that cyrcle it is mydday / and therfore it is called merydyen / & the halfe of the cyrcle is ouer the erthe / & the other vnder it that paſſeth by the poynte of mydnyght dyrectly oppoſite to zenych / and whan the ſonne toucheth that parte of the cyrcle it is mydnygth / and if a man go to warde oryent or occydent he hath newe merydyen / and therfore it is ſoner mydday to them that be to warde oryent than to other / if a man ſtande ſtyll / his merydyen is one ſtyll: or if he go to warde mydday or Septemtryon / but if he ſtyre he hath other zenych / and theſe two cyrcles croſſeth directly. Ozyron is a great cyrcle that deuydeth the partye of the ſkye that we ſe from that we ſe nat: and Ptholomeus ſayth if that a man were in a playne countre he ſhulde ſe Iuſtly halfe of the ſkye / the whiche is called the Emyſpery (that is to ſay) halfe eſpere and ozyron is ioynynge nyghe to the erthe / of the whiche ozyron the entre is the mydle / and is the place in whiche we ben / thus eche is alwayes in the myddes of his ozyron / and zenyche is the pole / and as a man tranſporteth hym from one place to another / he is in the other places agaynſt the ſkye / and hathe other zenyche and other ozyron / all ozyron is ryght or oblyke. They haue right ozyron that habyteth vnder the equynoccyall / and haue theyr zenyche in the equynoccyall / for theyr ozyron interſequeth and deuydeth the equynoccyall euen by the two poles of the worlde / that in ſuche wyſe that none of the poles of the worlde is reyſed aboue theyr ozyron / nor depryued vnder it / but they that habyteth other where than vnder the equynoccyall haue theyr ozyron oblyke / for theyr ozyron foloweth and deuydeth the equynoccyall ſydewaye / and nat right / and there apperyth to them of al tymes one of the poles of the worlde reyſed aboue theyr ozyron / and the other ben ouer hydde / ſo that they ſe them nat / more or leſſe after dyuers habytacions / and after that they ben of fernes from the equynoccyall / and the more that the one pole is reyſed the more is the ozyron oblyke / and the other pole depryued / and it is to wete that there is as moche dyſtaunce from the ozyron to the pole: as it is from the zenyche to the equynoccyall / and that zenych is the fourth partye of merydyen or the myddes of the bowe dyurnall / of the whiche the two endes ben on the ozyron. And alſo that of the pole vnto the equynoccyall is the fourth partye of all the roundnes of the ſkyes / and alſo of the merydyen cyrcle ſythe that it paſſeth by the poles & croſſeth the equynoccyall dyrectly. ¶ Example of the ozyron of Parys after the opynyon of Ptholomeus & other Aſtronomyers / ouer the whiche ozyron they ſaye that the pole is reyſed .xlix. degrees: wherfore they ſay alſo that from the zenych of Parys vnto the equynoccyall ben .xlix. degrees / & that from the ozyron vnto the zenych / whiche is the .iiii. partye of the merydyen cycle ben .lxxxx. degrees / and from the pole vnto the ſolſtyce of Somer ben .lvii. degrees / & from the ſolſtyce vnto the equynoccyall ben .xxxiii. degrees / there ben from the pole vnto the equynoccyal lxxxx. degrees / & is the fourthe partye of the roundenes of the ſkye / from the equynoccyall vnto the ſolſtyce of wynter ben .xxxiii. degrees / and from the ſolſtyce vnto the ozyron .xviii. Thus ſhall the equynoccyall ben reyſed ouer the ozyron .xli. degrees / and the ſolſtyce of ſomer .lxiiii. degrees: in the whiche ſolſtyce is the ſonne at the houre of noone the lōgeſt daye of ſomer: And than it entreth in to the ſygne of Cancer / and is moſte nerer our habytable ꝑtyes that may be. And whan the ſōne is in the ſolſtyce of wynter the ſhorteſt day of the yere at the houre of noon it entreth ī to the ſygne of Capricorne. And the ſayd ſolſtyce is nat reyſed ouer the ozyron of Parys but .viii. degrees. The whiche cleuacyons & ryſynges a man may fynde playnly / ſo that he knewe one onely / and in euery regyon in lyke wyſe after the ſytuacion.

¶ Alſo hereafter do folowe two other great cyrcles of the ſkye / & foure ſmall. Ca .xix.

ON the ſkye ben two great cyrcles named coloures / that deuydeth the ſkyes in foure egall partyes / & croſſeth theyr ſelfe dyrectly / and the one paſſeth by the poles of the worlde / and by the two ſolſtyces / and the other by the poles alſo / & by the two equynoccyalles. The firſte ſmall cyrcle is called the cyrcle artyke bycauſe of the pole zodyake aboute the pole artyke / and his lykenes is to his oppoſyte / named the cyrcle antertyke. The other two ben named tropykes / the one of ſomer / and the other of wynter. The tropyke of ſomer is cauſe of the ſolſtyce of ſomer begynnynge of the ſygne of Cancer: and the tropyke of the ſolſtyce of wynter begynnyng of the ſygne of Caprycorne / and ben egally dyſtaūce one cyrcle from the other. ¶ Here ought to be noted that the dyſtaūces of the pole artyke to the cyrcle artyke / and the dyſtaūce of the tropyke of ſomer to the equynoccyall / & that of the equynoccyall to the tropyke of wynter: and from the cyrcle antertyke to the pole antertyke ben iuſte egall eche of .xxiii. degrees & a halfe or there about / than the dyſtaūce from the equynoccyall to the tropyke of ſomer / and from the cyrcle artyke to the pole make togyther .xlvii. degrees. The whiche take awaye of the quarter bytwene the pole and the equynoccyall / where as ben .lxxxx. degrees / ſaue that there abydeth .xliii. That ben the dyſtaūce bytwene the tropyke of wynter and the cyrcle antertyke / and theſe cyrcles ben ſayd lytell for they ben nat ſo great as the other ben / Neuertheleſſe they ben deuyded eche by .CCC. & .lx. degrees / as the greateſt.

¶ Of the ryſynge and reſconſynge of the ſygnes in the ozyron. Capitulo .xx.

OZyron an emyſpery dyfferred: for ozyron is the cyrcle that deuydeth the partye of the ſkye / that we ſe / from the vnder the erthe that we ſe nat. Alſo ozyron is the cyrcle that moueth nat / but as we moue from one place to another: but emyſpery tourneth contynually / for one partye ryſeth and mounteth ouer ozyron / and the other parte reſconſeth & entreth vnder it / thus ozyron ryſeth nor reſconſeth: but that that cometh aboue ryſeth and that whiche goth vnder reſconſeth / merydyen alſo ryſeth nat nor reſconſeth. Equynoccyall is the dyurnall cyrcle that ryſeth and reſconſeth reguler: as moche in one houre as in another / and all in .xxiiii: houres: zodyake the large cyrcle and oblyke / wheron the ſygnes ben reyſeth and reſconſeth all on a day naturall / but nat reguler: for it ryſeth more in one houre than in another / for that oure ozyron is oblyke and deuydeth the zodyake in two partyes: wherof one is euer ouer our ozyron / and the other vnderneth. Thus halfe of the ſygnes ryſeth ouer our ozyron euery daye artyfyciall / be it ſhorte or longe / and the other halfe by nyghte / wherfore it behoueth that in the dayes that ben ſhorter than the nyghte the ſygnes ryſeth ſoner / and in longe dayes more at leyſer / and thus the zodyake ryſeth nat regulerly in theſe partyes as the equynocciall / But there is dowble varyacion for halfe of the zodyake that is from the firſte begyn̄ynge of Aries vnto the laſte ende of Virgo / all togyther taketh equally as moche tyme in riſynge / as halfe of the equynocciall the whiche remayneth by it / and they do begyn to ryſe in a moment: and alſo they fynyſſhe & make theyr ende in a moment. But this halfe of the zodyake ryſeth ſoner in the begynnynge / and this halfe of the equynoccyall more at leyſer / and this is called theyr oblyquement. ¶ Alſo the other halfe of the zodyake / that is from the begynnynge of Libra vnto the ende of Piſces / and halfe of the equynocciall that by it begynneth / and alſo it leueth to ryſe equally togyther / but the equynocciall in that partye in the begynnynge ryſeth ſoner / & the zodyake more at leyſer / and this is called ryſynge dyrectly. And whiche that ryſeth ſoner the equynoccyall or the zodyake / yet alwayes they ende to gyther. Example of the two mouyngꝭ aforeſayd / as if two men wente from London to wyndſore and departed both togyther / & that at the begynnynge the one go faſt / & the other ſoftely / he that gothe faſt ſhuld be ſoner in the mydwaye than the other / but if he that went faſt to the mydway go ſoftely / and the other faſte / they ſhall be both at ones in wyndſore. Alſo the halfe of the zodyake: from the begynnynge of Cancer / vnto the ende of Sagittary in ryſynge beryth more than halfe the equynoccyall / ſo that this halfe ryſeth all ryght / & the other halfe of the zodyake ryſeth contrarywyſe / or croked.

¶ Of the deuyſyons of the erthe / and of the regyons. Capitulo .xxi.

BEfore or we ſpere of the ſterres & knowlege that Ptholomeus and other Aſtronomyers haue / we wyll ſpeke of the deuyſyon of the erthe / & of his partyes after theyr opynyon. wherfore it is to be noted that the erthe is rounde / and therfore as a man go the from one countre to another / he hath other ozyron than he had / and there apperyth another partye of the ſkye / & if a man went from ſeptemtryon that is the North partyes ſtreyghte towarde mydday / the South partyes the pole artyke to hym ſhal be leſſe reyſed / that is to ſay more nyghe approchynge to the erthe: and if he went contrary wyſe it ſhuld be more reyſed / that is to ſay apperynge hygher / and therfore if he went towarde mydday vnder merydyen whyle that the pole artyke were leſſe reyſed ouer his ozyon by the .xxx. parte of one of the .vi. parte of the arke merydyen: he ſhuld paſſe the .xxx. partes of halfe of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / and to hym the pole ſhuld be leſſe reyſed by one degree / or to the contrary tyll it were more reyſed of one degree / than he ſhuld paſſe one degree of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / of the which al the degrees togyther ben .CCC .lx. And one degree of the erth cōtayneth .xliii .leges & a halfe or there aboute / and euery legeis .ii. myle. And as the ſpere of the ſkye is deuyded by the .iiii .leſſe cyrcles in the .v. partes called zones / ſo the erthe is deuyded in to .v. regyons. ¶ The firſte is bytwene the pole artyke and the cyrcle artyke. The .ii .is bytwene the cyrcle artyke and the tropyke of ſomer. The .iii .is bytwene the tropyke of ſomer / and the tropyke of wynter. The .iiii .is bytwene the tropyke of wynter / and the cyrcle antertyke. The .v. bytwene the cyrcle antertyke and the pole antertyke. Of the whiche partyes of the erthe / ſome Aſtronymyers ſaye that the firſte & the .v. ben inhabytable / for theyr ouer great coldenes / for they ben to ferre from the ſonne. The thirde that is in the mydle is to nere vnder the way of the ſonne / and is nat inhabytable for the great hete. The other .ii. partyes / the ſeconde and the fourthe be nat to nere nor to ferre from the ſonne / but ben moderate in hete and colde / and therfore they ben habytable if there be none other lettynge / and ſuppoſe that it be true / yet it is nat poſſyble to paſſe ouerth warte the Regyon vnder the waye of the ſonne called zone / tourned, to go from the ſeconde to the fourth / for ſome Aſtronomyers wolde haue paſſed / that wolde haue ſhewed of it / wherfore they ſay that there is no Regyon habyted / but the ſeconde wherin we and all the other ben alſo.

¶ Of the varyacion that is for dyuers habytacions & regyons of the erth. Cap̄ .xxii.

PTholomeus and other Aſtronomyers ſaye / that if it were poſſyble that the erthe were enhabyted all aboute and poſe the caſe that it were ſo / firſte they that enhabyte vnder the equynoccyall / haue alwayes the dayes and the nyghtes egall / & haue the two poles of the world at the two corners of their ozyron / and may ſe all the ſterres whan they ſe the two poles / and the ſon̄e paſſeth twyſe in a yere ouer them / that is whan it paſſeth by the equynoccyalles. Thus the ſonne is to them the one halfe of the yere towarde the pole artyke / & the other halfe towarde the other pole / and therfore they haue two wynters in a yere without great colde / one is whan we haue wynter / & the other whan we haue ſomer. Semblably they haue two ſomers / one is in Marche whan we haue prymetyme / & the other in Septembre whan we haue Harueſt / and by this they haue foure Solſtyces / two hye whan the ſonne paſſeth by theyr zenyche / and two lowe whan it declyneth one waye or other / and thus they haue foure ſhadowes in a yere / for whan the ſonne is in the equynocces twyſe in one yere in the mornynge theyr ſhadowes ben in the occydent: and at nyghte in the oryent / and than at noone they haue no ſhadowes / but whan the ſon̄e is in the ſygnes Septemtryonalles / & ſo agaynewarde. Secondely they that enhabyte bytwene the equynoccyal and the tropyke of ſo mer / haue in lykewyſe two ſomers and two wynters / and foure ſhadowes in a yere / and they haue no dyfference of the firſte / ſaue that they haue longer dayes in ſomer / and ſhorter in wynter / for as the equynoccyall lengeth / in lykewyſe doth the dayes of ſomer / and in the partye of the erth is the firſte clymate and almoſte halfe the ſeconde / & is called Araby wherin is Ethyope. Thirdely they that enhabyte vnder the tropyke of ſomer haue the ſonne ouer theyr hedes / & the daye of Solſtyce of ſomer at noone / they haue theyr ſhadowes ſmaller than we haue / and there is a partye of Ethyope. Fourthly they that ben bytwene the tropyke of ſomer & the cyrcle artyke / haue longer dayes in ſomer than the aforeſayd / in as moch as they ben ferther from the equynoccyall / & ſhorter in wynter / and they neuer haue the ſonne ouer theyr hedes / nor toward ſeptemtryon / and that partye of the erth we enhabyte. Fyfthly they that enhabyte vnder the cyrcle artyke haue the eclyptyke of the zodyake to theyr ozyron / and whan the ſonne is in the Solſtyce of ſomer it reſconſeth nat: & thus they haue no nyghte / but naturall dayes of .xxiiii. houres. Semblably whan the ſon̄e is in the Solſtyce of wynter it is naturall daye whan they haue contynuall nyght / and that the ſon̄e ryſeth nat to them. Syxtly they that ben bytwene the cyrcle artyke and the pole artyke haue in ſomer dyuers natural dayes that ben to them one daye artyfyciall without nyghte. And alſo in wynter ben many natural dayes: the whiche naturall dayes ben to them alwayes nyght / & the more that it approcheth or draweth nere the pole / the more is the artyfyciall daye of ſomer longe / & dureth in ſome place a weke: in ſome a moneth / in ſome two in ſome thre / & in ſome more / & proporcyonally the nyght is greater / for ſome of the ſygnes ben euer on theyr ozyron / and ſome alwayes vnder / & as longe as the ſon̄e is in the ſygnes aboute it is daye / and whyle it is vnderneth it is nyght. Seuenthly they that enhabyte vnder the pole haue the ſon̄e halfe of the yere on theyr ozyron / and haue contynuall daye / and the other halfe of the yere contynuall nyght / and the equynoccyall is theyr ozyron that deuydeth the ſygnes .vi. aboue / and .vi. byneth wherfore whan the ſon̄e is in the ſygnes that ben hye / and towarde them they haue contynuall daye. And whan it is in the ſygnes towarde mydday they haue contynuall nyght: and thus in a yere they haue but one day and one nyghte. And as it is ſayd of the partye of the erthe towarde the pole artyke a man may vnderſtande of the other halfe and of the habytactons towarde the pole antertyke.

¶ Of the deuyſyon of the erthe / and onely of the parte enhabyted. Capitulo .xxiii.

SO as Ptholomeus & dyuers other deuyden the erth habytable in .vii. partyes / that they call Clymates & the dyamerous. The .ii. clymate dyatyens. The .iii. dalyxandrye. The .iiii. dyarhodes. The .v. dyaromes. The .vi. daboriſtines. And the .vii. dyaripheos / of the whiche eche hathe his longytude determyned / and the latytude alſo / and nerer they ben to the equynocciall the longer they ben / and larger / and procede in longytude from oryent to occydent and in latytude from mydday to ſeptemtryon. The firſt clymate after ſome Aſtronomyers conteyneth in length halfe of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / that is two hondreth thouſande / and foure hondreth myle / and it hath an hondreth thouſande / and two hondreth myles of length. The. ſeconde / and ſo of the other / for the leſſynge of the erth comynge towarde ſeptemtryon. To vnderſtande what a clymate is after the ſayinge of Aſtronomyers. A clymate is a ſpace of the erth egally large / wher of the length is from oryent to occydent / and the bredthe is comynge from mydday & from the erthe enhabytable towarde the equynoccyall drawynge to ſeptemtryon / as moche as an horologe or clocke chaungeth nat. For in erthe habytable the clockes chaungeth .vii. tymes in the bredthe of the clymates / it is of neceſſyte to ſay that they ben .vii. and where the varyacion of horologes is / there is the dyuerſyte of clymates / howe be it that ſuche varyacyon properly oughte to be taken in the myddes of the clymatꝭ / and nat at the begynnyng nor in the ende / for the nereneſſe & cōuenaunce the one of the other. Alſo one clymate hath alwayes a day artyfycyall of ſomer / ſhorter or longer than another clymate / and this daye ſheweth the dyfference in the myddes of euery clymate / better than in the myddes & at the ende / the whiche thynge we maye ſenſybly knowe at iye: and therby Iudge the dyfference of the clymatꝭ. ¶ And it is to be noted that vnder the equynoccyall the dayes & the nyghtes in all tymes are egall eche of .xii. houres / but comynge towarde ſeptemtrion the dayes of ſomer longeth / and the wynter dayes ſhorteth / and the more that one approcheth ſeptemtryon / the more waxeth the dayes in ſuch wyſe that at the ende of the laſte clymate the dayes in ſomer ben longer by thre houres and an halfe / than they ben at the begynnynge of the firſte: and the pole is more reyſed by .xxxviii. degrees. At the begynnynge of the firſte clymate the lōgeſt daye of ſomer hath .xii. houres and .xlv. mynutes / and the pole is reyſed on the ozyron .xii. degrees and .xlv. mynutes / & in the myddes of the clymate the longeſt daye hath .xiii. houres / and the pole reyſed .xvi. degrees / and the latytude dureth vnto the longeſt daye of ſomer / that is .xiii. houres & .xv. mynutes: and the pole reyſed .xx. degrees and an halfe / the whiche largenes is .CCCC.xl. myle of erth. The ſeconde clymate begynneth at the ende of the firſte / and the myddes is there as the daye hath .xiii. houres & an halfe / and the pole is reyſed ouer the ozyron .xxiiii. degrees / & .xv. mynutes. And the latytude dureth vnto there as the longeſt daye hath .xiii. houres / and .xlv. mynutes / and the pole is reyſed xxvii. degrees / & an halfe / and this largenes conteyneth of erthe .CCCC. myles Iuſte. The .iii. clymate begynneth at the ende of the ſeconde & the myddes is there as the daye hath xiii. houres / & the pole is reyſed .xxx. degrees / & .xlv. mynutes / and the latytude extendeth vnto there as the longeſt daye hath .xiiii. houres / & .xv. mynutes / & the pole is reyſed .xxiii. degrees / and .xl. mynutis. The .iiii. clymate begynnynge at the ende of the thirde / and the myddes is there as the longeſt day hath .xiiii. houres and an halfe / and the pole is reyſed .xxvi. degrees / and .xx. mynutes / the latytude dureth vnto there as the longeſt day hath .xiii. houres / and .xlv. mynutes / and the pole is reyſed .xxx. degrees / and the largenes conteyneth of erthe .CCC. myle. The .v. clymate begynneth at the ende of the fourth: and the myddes is there as the longeſt daye hath .xv. houres / & the pole is reyſed .xli. degrees / & .xx. mynutes / and the latytude dureth vnto there as the longeſt day hath .xv. houres / and .xv. mynutes / and the pole is reyſed .xliii. degrees and an halfe / and the largenes conteyneth of erthe .CC.lii. myles. The .vi. clymate begynneth at the ende of the fyfthe / and the myddes is there as the longeſt daye hath .xv. houres & an half / and the pole is reyſed ouer the ozyron xlv. degrees / & .xxiii. mynutes / of the whiche the largenes dureth vnto there as the longeſt daye hath .xv. houres / and .xlv. mynutes: the whiche largenes conteyneth of erthe .CC.xii. myles. The .vii. clymate begyn̄eth at the ende of the ſyxte / and the myddes is there as the longeſt daye hath .xvi. houres: and the pole is reyſed .xlviii. degrees and .xl. mynutes / the latytude extendeth vnto / there as the longeſt daye hath xvi. houres / and .xv. mynutꝭ / and the pole is reyſed .l. degrees and an halfe / and the largenes of the erthe conteyneth .C.lxxx. and .vi. myles.

¶ The great and meruaylous conſyderacyons & great vnderſtandynge of the Aſtronomyers / & Aſtrologyens. Cap̄ .xxiiii.

AFter the lengthe of the clymates / ſo if caſe were one myghte go aboute the erth from oryent to occydent to his firſte place: ſome Aſtronomyers ſay that this compaſſe may almoſte be made. Sayinge that if a man wente this compaſſe in .xii. naturall dayes goynge regulerly to warde occydent / & began nowe at mydday / he ſhuld paſſe euerydaye naturall the .xii. parte of the cyrcuyte of the erthe / and ben .xxx. degrees / wherof behoueth that the ſonne make a courſe aboute the erth & .xxx. degrees ferther / or he be retourned on the morowe at the merydyen of the ſayde man / and ſo the ſayd man ſhuld haue his day and nyght of .xxvi. houres / and ſhuld be ferther by the .xii. parte of a naturall day than if he reſted hym / wherfore it foloweth of neceſſyte that in .xii. naturall dayes / the ſayd man ſhuld onely haue but a .xi. dayes / and a .xi. nyghtes / and ſomwhat leſſe / and that the ſon̄e ſhuld lyght hym but a .xi. tymes: and reſconſe a .xi. tymes / for a .xi. dayes / and a .xi. nyghtes euery daye & nyghte of .xxvi. houres maketh .xii. naturall dayes / euery daye of .xxiiii. houres. By ſemblable cōſideracion behoueth that another man that ſhuld make this courſe goynge towarde oryent haue his daye & nyghte ſhorter than a naturall daye by two houres / than his daye and nyght ſhulde be but of .xii. houres. Than if he made this courſe in lyke ſpace / that is to ſaye in .xii. dayes & ſomwhat more. Thus if Iohan made courſe towarde occydent / and Peter towarde oryent / & that Robert abode them in the place from whenſe they departed the one as ſoone as the other / & that they mette at Robert bothe togyther. Peter wolde ſaye that he hadde .ii. dayes / and .ii. nyghtes more than Iohan / and Robert that hath reſted a daye leſſe than Peter / and a day more than Iohan / howe well that they haue made this courſe in .xii. naturall dayes or an .C. or in .x. yere / all is one. This is a pleaſaūt conſyderacion amonge Aſtronomyers howe Iohan & Peter cometh in one ſelfe daye / put caſe it were on a ſondaye. Iohan wolde ſay it is ſaterday. Peter wolde ſay it is monday / and Robert wolde ſay it is ſonday.

¶ Of the Pomell of the ſkyes a ſterre called the ſterre of the northe / nere the whiche is the pole artyke called ſeptemtryonall. Capitulo .xxv.

HEre wyll we ſpeke after the aboueſayd thynges / of ſome ſterres in pertyculer. And firſte of them that Ptholomeꝰ & other Aſtronomyers nameth the Pomell of the ſkyes / or ſterre of the northe / wherfore we ought to knowe that we ſe by reaſon the ſkye tourne from oryent to occydent / by the dyurnall or the dayly mouynge / that is of the firſt mobyle / the whiche is made on two poyntꝭ oppoſytꝭ that ben the poles of the ſkye / of the whiche two poyntes / we do ſe one vyſybly / and it is the poleartyke / and the other we ſe nat / that is the pole antertyke or in mydday / whiche is alway hydde vnder the erth. By the pole artyke that we ſe is the ſterre moſte approched that Aſtronomyers call the pomell of the ſkye / the whiche they ſaye is the hygheſt & moſte ferre from vs / and by the whiche they haue the knowlege that they haue of the other ſterres & partyes of the ſkye. The ſterres that ben by the ſayde pomell go neuer vnder the erth / of the whiche ben the ſterres that maketh the charyot / & dyuers other / but they that ben ferre from it / gothe ſomtyme vnder the erthe as the ſonne / the moone and other planettes. Vnder this pomell dyrectly is the angle of the erthe / in the place where agaynſt the ſonne is at the houre of mydde nyghte.

¶ Of Andromeda a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxvi.

Aries is a ſygne hote and drye / that gouerneth the hede and the face of man / & the regyons / Babylone / Percy / & Araby. And ſygnyfyeth ſmall trees / and vnder hym at the .xvi. degree / ryſeth a ſterre fyxed called Andromeda: that Aſtronomyers fygureth a mayden in her heer vpon the brynke of the ſee / ſette to be deuoured of the monſtres of the ſee / but Perſeus ſone of Iupiter foughte with his ſwerde agaynſt the ſayd monſtre & flewe it / & than the ſayde Andromeda was delyueryd. They that ben borne vnder her cōſtellacion ben in daunger of pryſon / or to dye in pryſon / but if a good Planet take regarde they ſcape nat dethe and pryſon. Aries is the exaltacion of the ſonne at the .xix. degree: and Aries is the howſe of Mars with Scorpio / wherin he is moſte.

¶ Of Perſeus a ſterre fyxed / lorde of the ſpere. Cap̄ .xxvii.

TAurus hath the trees / plantꝭ / & ympes and gonerneth the necke and the throte bolle of man / the regyons Ethyopy / Egypte / and the countre aboute / and vnder the .xxii. degree ryſeth a ſterre fyxed of the firſte magnytude that Aſtronomyers call Perſeus ſone of Iupiter that ſmote of the heed of Meduſe that made all them to dye that behelde her / and by no maner they myght eſchewe it. Ptholomeus and other Aſtronomyers ſay that whan Mars is conioyned with this ſterre. They that ben borne vnder the conſtellacyon ſhall haue theyr heedes ſmyten of / if god ſhape nat remedy: and ſomtyme they call this ſterre lorde of the ſwerde / and fygure hym a man naked with a ſwerde in one hande / and in the other the heed of Meduſe & loketh nat on it. And this ſygne Taurus is the exaltacion of the moone in the thyrde degree.

¶ Of Ozyron a ſterre fyxed / and the felawes. Capitulo .xxviii.

GEmini ſygnyfyeth large / good courage / wytte / beaute / clergy / & gouerneth of man the ſholdres / armes / and handes / and the regyons Ynde / Armony / Cartage / and hath the ſmall trees. And vnder the .xviii. degree ryſeth a ſterre fyxed called Ozyron / and with it .xxxvi. other ſterres / and is fygured a man armed in mayle / and a ſwerde gyrde aboute hym / and ſygnyfyeth great captaynes. They that ben borne vnder the cōſtellacion ben in daunger to be ſlayne by treaſon / if good fortune be nat with them. Gemini and Virgo ben the houſes of Mercury / but Virgo is it / in the whiche he ioyeth moſt / and Gemini in the .iii. degree is the exaltacyon of the dragons hede.

¶ Of Alhabor a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxix.

CAncer gouerneth the longe & the egall trees / and of the body of man the breſte the herte / the ſtomacke / the ſyde / the lyghtes / and the lunges / the regyons Armonye the lytell / and the regyon of oryent. And there ryſeth vnder it in the .viii. degree a ſterre fyxed that Aſtronomyers calle Alhabor (that is to ſaye) of the great dogge / and they ſaye that they whiche ben borne vnder the conſtellacyon: and that ben in the aſcendynge or the myddes of the ſkye it ſygnyfyeth good fortune / & if the moone be with it / and the partye of fortune / he that in it ſhall be borne / ſhall nat be very ryche / and Cancer the ſygne ſo called / is the houſe of the moone / and is the exaltacyon of Iupiter in the .xv. degree.

¶ Of the Lyons herte a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxx.

LEo hath the great trees (that is to ſaye) he is lorde ouer them and ſygnyfieth an haſty man full of angre & of anguſſhe / and of the body of man / it behoueth properly the herte / the backe and the ſydes. And of regyons Tartary / vnto the ende of the erthe habytable / and vnder the .xxxiii. degtee ryſeth a ſterre fyxed called the Lyons herte / and they that ben borne vnder that conſtellacyon / as Aſtronomyers ſaye / ſhall be mounted in hye ſygnouryes / or in great offyces / & afterwarde ſhall be depryued or put downe / and be in daunger of theyr lyues / but if ſome good planet beholde the ſayd ſterre they may nat be ſaued. Leo is the houſe of the ſonne / and Aries is the exaltacyon of the ſonne / as it is ſayd of Ptholomeus and of other.

¶ Of the ſterre fyxed called Nebuluſe / & of another called the golden Cuppe.

VIrgo gouerneth all that is ſowen on erthe / and ſygnyfyeth a man of good courage / Phyloſophre plentuous / & of all maner of ſcyences / and kepeth of man the bely & the entrayles / And the regyon Algeramyta / Aſſen / that is a regyon by Iheruſalem / Eufrates / and the yle of Spayne. Vnder the longytude or .xv. degree ryſeth a ſterre fyxed named Nebuluſe or tayle of the Lyon / and in Septemtryonall latytude of the ſayd ſygne of virgo. Vnder the whiche ſygne ryſeth another fyxed ſterre / which Aſtronomyers calle the golden cuppe / and is in the .xiii. degree of the ſayd ſygne towarde the partye merydyonall. The whiche ſterre is of the nature of Venus and of Mercury: and ſygnyfyeth that they / whiche ben borne vnder the ſayd conſtellacion to knowe of thyngꝭ worthy / good / and holy.

¶ Of the Porke eſpyke a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxii.

LIbra that vnder this ſygne domyneth the great trees / and ſygnyfyeth Iuſtyce and of man it gouerneth the reynes / & the nether parte of the bely / And regyons the countre of Romany and of Grece. Vnder the xviii. degree ryſeth a ſterre fyxed that Aſtronomyers calle Porke eſpyke. They that ben borne vnder the conſtellacyon ben well ſhapen / and ben honeſt / and do thyngꝭ that folke meruayle on / and reioyſeth / and ſygnyfyeth ryches by honeſt and precyous marchaundyſe and ben comonly loued of lordes and ladyes and Libra is one of the houſes of Venus / and Taurus is the other / in the whiche ſhe reioyſeth moſt. And is the exaltacion of Saturne For the wether begynneth to waxe colde in this monthe of Septembre / and Saturne is the planet and the lorde of colde that exalteth in great heyghte / whan that he entreth in to the ſygne of Libra.

¶ Of the Crowne ſeptemtryonall a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxiii.

SCorpio that domyneth the trees that ben of longytude and largenes / and ſygnyfyeth falſenes / and of the body of man gouerneth the preuy places / and the regyons of Heberget: and the felde of Araby in the .ii. degree ryſeth a ſterre / that Aſtronomyers call the Crowne ſeptemtryonal / the whiche whan it is in the aſcendynge in the myddes of the ſkye gyueth honoure and exaltacyon to them that ben borne vnder the conſtellacyon / & ſpecyally whan it is well beholden of Sol / the Scorpion is one of the houſes of Mars / in the whiche he reioyſeth moſte / and Aries is the other / and is the Sygne wherin Mars begynneth to deſcende or fall from his exaltacyon.

¶ Of the Scorpyons herte a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxiiii.

SAgittary ſygnyfieth the man ingenyous & wyſe / and gouerneth the thyghes of man / And regyons Ethyope Maharobem / and Aenyche. Vnder his firſte degree ryſeth a ſterre fxyed of the firſt magnytude / the which Aſtronomyers call the Scorpyons herte / whiche whan it is well beholden of Iupiter or Venus / it reyſeth them that ben borne vnder his conſtellacion to great honoure and rycheſſe / but whan it is euyl beholden of Saturne or of Mars / it putteth them that ben borne vnder it to pouerte / the Scorpyon is the houſe of Iupiter / in the whiche he reioyſeth moſte / and Piſces is the other houſe: and ſo is he ſayde Sagittary / the exaltacion of the dragons tayſe.

¶ Of the flyinge Egle a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxv.

CApricornus ſygnyfieth a man of good and perfyte lyfe / wyſe / yrefull / and of great thought: and gouerneth the knees of man / and the regyons Ethyopye / Araby / Behamen / and to the two ſees / and vnder his .xxviii. degree ryſeth a ſterre / that Aſtronomyers call the flyinge Egle / that ſygnyfyeth the ſouerayne or myghty Emperoures / or kynges. They that ben borne vnder his conſtellacion / whan they ben well begolden of the ſonne of Iupiter mounteth in great ſygnouryes / and ben loued of kynges and prynces / Capricornus and Aquarius ben the houſes of Saturne / but he reioyſeth in Aquary moſte: and the ſygne of the ſayd Capricornus is the exaltacion of Mars.

¶ Of the Fyſſhe merydyonall a ſterre fyxed. Capitulo .xxxvi.

AQuarius that kepeth the ſhankes vnto the ancles of the fete of man / and the regyons / Hazenoth / Aſempha / & partye of the lande of Alphege / & parte of Egypte / the .xxi. degree ryſeth a ſterre / that Aſtronomyers call the Fyſſhe merydyonall. They that ben borne vnder this conſtellacyon ben happy in fyſſhynge in the ſouthe ſee / and vnder the .ix. degree of the ſayde ſygne ryſeth the Dolphyn that ſygnyfieth lordſhyp on the ſee on pondes / & ryuers / and as it is ſayd / Aquarius is the houſe of Saturne / in the whiche he reioyſeth hym.

¶ Of Pegaſus that ſygnyfyeth the Horſe of honour a ſterre fyxed. Cap̄ .xxxvii.

PIſces gouerneth of man the fete / and ſygnyfyeth a man ſubtyll / wyſe / and of dyuers coloures / and hath regyons Trapeſen / Iurgen / and al the habytable partye / that is ſeptemtryon / and parte of Romany / & vnder the .xv. degree of the ſayde ſygne ryſeth a ſterre that Aſtronomyers call Pegaſus / that is the Horſe of honoure / & the fygure in forme of a fayre horſe. They that ben borne vnder this conſtellacyon ſhalbe honoured amonge great captaynes and lordes / whan Venus is with it / they be loued of great Ladyes if the ſayde ſterre be in the myddes of the ſkye in the deſcendynge / and Piſces is one of the houſes of Iupiter / and Sagittarius the other / in the whiche he reioyſeth moſte / & the ſayd Piſces in the .xxvii. degree is the exaltacyon of Venus.

¶ Of the deuyſyon of the twelue houſes / as well in the erthe as in the heuens / as hereafter do folowe. Cap̄ .xxxviii.

IT is to vnderſtande that the Heuens & the erthe is deuyded in .iiii. partyes by .ii. cyrcles: whiche croſſetſ, dyrectly ouer the two poles / and croſſeth .iiii. tymes the equynoccyal lyne. Eche of the .iiii. partyes deuyded in .iii. egally / is in all twelue egall partes / as well in the ſkye as in the erthe / whiche Ptholomeus and other calle howſes / and ben .xii. Of whiche .vi. ben alwayes aboue the erthe And .vi .vnder it: and theſe houſes moue nat but ben alwayes eche in his place / and the ſygnes and Planettes paſſe by them alwayes ones in .xxiiii. houres. Thre of theſe howſes ben from oryent to mydnyght goynge vnder the erthe / The firſte / the ſeconde / and the thyrde / wherof the firſte vnder the erthe begynneth in oryent / named the houſe of lyfe. The ſeconde houſe is named of ſubſtaunce and ryches. The thirde that finyſſheth at mydnyght is the houſe of fraternyte. The fourth that begynneth at mydnyght comynge in occydent / is named the houſe of patrymony. The fyfte is the houſe of ſonnes. The ſyxte fynyſſheth in occydent / vnder the erthe is the houſe of ſyckenes. The ſeuenth begynneth in occydent on the erthe / and ſtretcheth towarde mydday / is the houſe of maryage. The eyght is the houſe of dethe. The nynthe fynyſſhyng at mydday is named the houſe of feyth / of relygyon / and pylgrymag[•]. The tenthe begynneth at mydday comynge towarde oryent / is the houſe of honour and of regalyte. The enleuenth is the very houſe of true frendes. And the twelthe that fynyſſheth in oryent on the erthe / is called the houſe of charyte / but this mater is dyffycyle / for Aſtronomyers knowlegynge the nature and propryte of euery of the ſayde .xii. houſes / and departeth them lyghtly.

¶ Howe the Planettes reygne in eury houre of the day and the nyght. Cap̄ .xxxix.

HE that wyll wete howe Aſtronomyers knoweth whiche Planet reygneth euery hour of the day and the nyght / and which planet is good / and which is badde / he oughte firſte to knowe the planet of the day: and for to ſerche therfore. The firſt temporall houre of the ſonne ryſynge / that daye is for the ſayde planet. The ſeconde houre is for the planet enſuyng And the thirde for the other / & ſo folowynge by ordre / and it behoueth to goo from Sol to Venus / Mercury & Luna / than come agayne to Saturne vnto .xii. that is the houre before the ſonne goynge downe / and in contynent after the ſonne is downe / begynneth the firſte houre of the nyght: that is for the .viii. planet: and the ſecōde houre of the nyght for the .xiiii. and ſo vnto .xii. houres for the nyght / that is the nexte houre before the ſonne ryſynge / and come dyrectly fallynge vpon the .xxiiii. planet / that is next before that the day folowynge. And thus the day hath .xii. houres / and the nyght .xii. alſo / the whiche ben temporall houres / dyfferent to the houres of the clockes / the whiche ben artyfycyalles. Ptholomeus and other Aſtronomers ſay that Saturne & Mars ben euyll planettes / Iupiter & Venus good / Sol and Luna halfe good / and halfe euyll. The partie to warde the good planet is good and the partye to warde the euyll planette is nought. Mercury conioyned with a good planet is good / and with an euyll planette he is nought / and they vnderſtande this as the influencꝭ good or euyll / that ben of the ſayd planettes here folowynge. ¶ The houres of the planettes ben dyfferent to them of clockes: for the houres of clockes ben egall at all tymes / eche of .lx. mynutes / but they of the planettes whan the dayes & the nyghtes ben egall that the ſonne is in one of the equynocces they ben egall / But as ſoone as the dayes longeth or ſhorteth / ſo dothe the naturall houres / by this it is conuenyent alwaye for the daye to haue .xii. temporall houres / and the nyght .xii. alſo: and whan the dayes ben longe / & the houres longe: and whan the dayes ben ſhorte and the houres ſhorte / in lykewyſe is the nyght / and neuertheleſſe an houre of the day / and an houre of the nyght togyther haue .vi. ſcore mynutes / as many as two houres artyfycyalles / for that the one leueth / the other taketh. And take we our planettes / from the ſonne ryſynge vnto the ſon̄e goynge downe: & nat before and all the remenaunt is nyght.

¶ An example of this aforeſayd.

IN decembre the dayes haue but viii. houres artyfycialles of clockes / and they haue .xii. temporalles / lette the .viii. houres artyfycialles ben deuyded in .xii. egall partyes / and it ſhalbe .xii. tymes .xl. mynutes / and euery partye ſhalbe a temporall houre / that ſhalbe of .xl. mynutes & no mo. Thus in Decembre the temporall houres of the daye haue but .xl. mynutes / but the houres of the nyghte haue .lxxx. For in that tyme the nyghtꝭ haue .xvi. houres artyfycyalles / the whiche deuyded in .xii. partyes / ben .lxxx. mynutes for euery temporall houre. Thus the houre of the nyghtes in Decembre haue .lxxx. mynutes & .xl. For an houre of the daye is .vi. ſcore mynutes in two temporal houres / as many as in two houres artyfycyalles / that ben eche of .xl. mynutes in Iune is the contrary: in Marche and in Septembre al houres ben egall / as the dayes ben in other monethes by egall porcyon.

¶ with euery planette here before named ben the ſygnes / whiche ben the houſes of the ſayd planettes / as it is beforeſayd. Capricornus & Aquarius ben the houſes of Saturne. Sagit tarius and Piſces / of Iupiter. Scorpius and Aries of Mars. Leo of Sol. Taurus and Libra of Venꝰ. Gemini of Mercury. And Cancer of Luna / with other ſygnyfycacions that wolde be longe to recounte.

¶ Alſo hereafter foloweth the Natures of the .vii. Planettes / with theyr dyſpoſycyons / after the ſayinge of Ptholomeus / prynce of Aſtronomy. Cap̄ .xl.

¶ The firſte planet is Saturne.

SAturne is the hyeſt Planet of all the .vii. he is myghty of hym ſelf: he gyueth all the great coldes & waters / yet he is drye & colde of nature / and he cometh in to Cancer: and his chefe ſygnes ben Aquarius and Capricornus: and he compaſſeth al the other planettes. For Saturne is nexte vnder the firſte mobyle that is vnder the cryſtall ſkye / the whiche mobyle moueth meruaylouſly / for ſome Aſtronomyers ſaye / that he cauſeth by his mouynge all other planettes to moue / and moueth the mobyle aboue. Saturne is ſo hye that Aſtronomyers can nat well meſure it. For ſo hye reaſon hathe power and no ferther / and therfore it is more than .xxx. yere or he may ronne his courſe. whan he dothe reygne / there is moche thefte vſed / and lytell charyte / moche lyinge / and moche lawynge one agaynſt another / & and great pryſonynge / and moche debate / & great ſwerynge. And moche plente of corne / and alſo moche plente of hogges / and great trauayle on the erthe / and olde folke ſhall be very ſyckely: and many dyſeaſes ſhal reygne amonge the people / and ſpecyally in the chefe houres of Saturne / And therfore this planet is lykened vnto age / as harde / hungry / ſuſpecyous / and couetous / that ſelden is content with any thynge / for Saturne is ennemy to all thyngꝭ / that growe & bere lyfe of natuer / for the colde & ſtormy bytternes of his tyme.

¶ The proprytes of Saturne.

THe man that is borne vnder Saturne ſhall be falſe / enuyous / and full of debate / and full of lawe / and he ſhal be cunnynge in coryenge of lether / & a great eter of brede and fleſſhe / and he ſhall haue a ſtynkynge breth: and he ſhall be heuy / thoughtfull and malycyous / a robber / a fyghter / and full of couetous / and yet he ſhall kepe well counceyle / and be wyſe in counceylynge / & he ſhal loue to ſynne wylfully / he ſhal be a great ſpeker of tales / Iuſtes / & Cronycles / and ſhall haue lytel iyen / blacke heer / great lyppes / brode ſholdres / and ſhall loke downewarde. He ſhall nat loue Sermons / nor go to the churche / and beware of his handes: & he beholdeth the mylte / & aboue his neres the planet dothe reygne. And the children of the ſayd Saturne ſhall be great Iangelers and chyders / blacke and lene in the face / thyn berded / euyl languaged / & ſhall be full of lawe and vengeaunce And they wyll neuer forgyue tyll they be reuenged of theyr quarell / and lyke as the planet Saturne is colde / and cauſer of great froſtes and ſnowes / ſemblably he that is borne vnder hym ſhall be colde in charyte / and nat myſericordyous and mercyfull / but vengeable / & wyll neuer be entreated. And alſo they ſhall be great curſers / and bere malyce longe in theyr myndes and nat forgyue it / and they loke to be obeyed and to haue great reuerence: and comonly wyll prayſe them ſelfe and talke to them ſelfe / & laughe at theyr owne conceyte / and all euyll ſhall growe in them / and aboue all coloures he ſhal loue blacke coloure beſte. The planet of Saturne gouerneth of man the mylte / and aboue the neres as is beforeſayd / & this planet is cauſe of haſty dethe / for bycauſe that he is drye and colde of nature / And therfore he is lykened to melancoly. And the ſayd Saturne reygneth in Aquary / Caprycorne / and Cancer / but ſpecyally in Aquary and Caprycorne.

¶ Secondely of the noble Planet Iupiter.

IVpiter the noble Planet is very pure & clere of nature / and nat very hote / but he is all vertuous. And there is fyxed in Iupiter two noble Sygnes of loue / the one is Piſces / and the other is Sagittary: ſygnes of none euyll / nor of none vnhapynes / this planet maye nat do none euyll / he is beſte of all the other / he kepeth the lyuer of man: & mayntayneth it ioyouſly / and euermore this planet dothe alwayes good & none euyll / and with in .xii. yere or there aboute / he paſſeth all the .xii. ſygnes. And he is next after Saturne.

¶ The proprytes of Iupiter

HE that is borne vnder hym ſhall loue clenlynes of body / and wyll nat vſe to ſpeke of rybaudry / and harlottry / he ſhall euer loue relygyon / and vertuous lyuynge / he ſhall be perſonable of body / he ſhal be perfyte in all maner of meaſures bothe large and longe / he ſhall be whyte in the vyſage / medled with a lytell rednes / large browes / he ſhall be a fayre ſpeker / and ſay well behynde a perſone / he ſhall loue grene coloure & graye / he ſhall be happy in marchaundyſe / & haue plente of golde & ſyluer / & he ſhall loue to ſynge and to be honeſtly mery. And of the man he gouerneth the ſtomacke & the armes.

¶ Thyrdly of Mars.

MArs is called the god of batayle and of warre / and he is the thyrde planet / for he reygneth next vnder the gentyll planet of Iupiter. This planet Mars is the worſte of all other / for he is hote & drye / and ſtyreth a man to be very wylful & ſtaſty lyghtly / and to vnhappynes / one of his ſygnes is Aries / and the other Scorpio / & moſte he is in thoſe two ſygnes. He cauſeth all wartes and bataylles / this planet ſtyreth men to bere wepons / as murderers / daggers / ſwerdes / bylles / or bowes / or ſome other wepon of dethe / and wolde euer here of fyghtynge. Therfore let euery man be ware of the dayes of Mars / and in his chefe houres that no man fyghte / for without doubte if god helpe hym nat / he ſhal be maymed or ſlayne. Alſo in the houres of Mars is peryllous metynge with theues / for drede of ſleynge of true men. And Saturne mounteth in to the Crabbe / & gothe aboute the .xii. ſygnes in two yere / and thus he ronneth his courſe.

¶ The proprytes of Mars.

HE that is borne vnder this Planet of Mars / in all vnhappynes is experte / he ſhall be a nouryſſher of great beeſtꝭ he is full of malyce / and euer doynge wronge. Vnder Mars is borne theues and robbers that kepe hye wayes / & do hurte to true men / and nyght walkers / quarell pykers / boſters / mockers / & ſkoffers / and theſe men of Mars cauſeth warre and murther / & batayle / they wyll be gladly ſmythes or workers on yron lyght fyngred / and lyers & great ſwerers of othes in vēgeable wyſe: & a great ſurmyler & crafty / he is red and angry with blacke heer / and lytell iyen / he ſhall be a great walker / & a maker of ſwordes and knyues / and a ſheder of mānes blode / a fornycatour / and a ſpeker of rybawdry / red berded / rounde vyſage: and good to be a barboure and a blode letter / and to drawe tethe / & is peryllous of his handes / and he wyll be ryche with other mennes gooddes. And of the body of man Mars kepeth the galle and the reynes.

¶ Fourthly of the noble planet Sol.

AS for Sol is a Planet of great renowne / and kyng of all the planettes / for the Sonne nouryſſheth euery age / and yet is he hote and drye of nature / and the planet of Saturne is to hym full contrary: for he is euer colde / & the noble planet of the Sonne is hote / and gyueth all lyght. For whan it is aboue the erthe it is day / and whan the erthe dothe ſhadowe the Sonne / it is nyght moche be we both man and woman bounde to laude god for this noble planet: for he comforteth bothe man and beeſt / fyſſes / and all fowles that flyen in the ayre / all thynges ben gladde of the Sonne / after that the ſonne gothe in to the weſt / the fayre floures cloſe them ſelfe.

¶ The proprytes of the noble planet Sol:

KYnge of all the planettes is Sol / All men and women that ben borne vnder this planette of Sol ſhall be very fayre / amyable of face / and theyr ſkynne ſhal be right whyte and tender / and wel coloured in the vyſage with a lytell rednes / and they ſhall haue a pleaſure in theyr owne beaute / and they ſhal ſhewe theyr lyues as they were good and holy / but they ſhal be ſecrete ypocrytes if they gyue them to relygyon / they ſhal be fortunate to great promocyons / they ſhall be clene and good of fayth / and ſhall be gouernoure of other people / and if they be neuer ſo poore / yet ſhall they loue hawkynge and huntynge / with houndes and hawkes / and reioyce to ſe it / The children that be borne vnder the Sonne ſhall deſyre honoure and ſcyence / and ſhall ſynge very pleaſauntly / and they ſhall be full of courage good and dylygent / & ſhall deſyre lordſhyp aboue other people / they ſhall gyue wyſe Iugementꝭ / and theyr wordes ſhall ſounde all ſwetely / & if he bere any offyce he ſhall be lyberall / and he ſhall be ſubtyll in dedes of warre / and many ſhal ſeke to hym for coūceyle / he ſhall haue profyte by women / and he ſhall be in ſeruyce with lordes / & by them ſhal haue auaūtage for his wyſdom: his ſygne ſhall be in the face / he ſhall be ſmall of ſtature / with ſcrype heer and balde on the heed / he wyll be ſeldon angry / and of all the membres in mannes body the Sonne kepeth the herte / as moſte myghtyeſt planet about all the other planettes.

¶ Fyfthly of the gentyll Planet Venus.

VEnus the gentyll planet reygneth next after the ſon̄e / and is a planet femynyne / and is a lady ouer all louers / this planet is moyſte and colde of nature / and her two ſygnes ben Taurus and Libra and in them ſhe hathe all her Ioye and pleaſaunce / ſhe cauſeth Ioye / & ſpecyally amōge yonge folke / for greatly ſhe reygneth on them and on all men that ben Ialous / and womē alſo / for Ialouſy is but a loue inordynat / as whan a man or a woman loueth more feruently than they ſhuld: for ſuche wolde neuer be from the ſyght of theyr louers: for if they be anone they ſuſpecte them and drede for fere to be begyled. For there is no man that loueth a woman by carnall affeccion / but it is by the influence of Venus / and but fewe men can eſcape out of her daūger. This planet Venus reygneth in .xii. monthes ouer the .xii. ſygnes.

¶ The proprytes of Venus.

ALl theſe men & women / that ben borne vnder Venus / they ſhall be very gaye louers / pleaſaunt and delycyous / and moſte comonly they ſhall haue blacke iyen / & lytell browes / red lyppes and chekes / with a ſmylynge chere / they ſhall loue the noyſe of trumpettes / claryons / and of other mynſtralſy / and they ſhall be pleaſaunt ſyngers with ſwete voyces / & full of wanton toyes / playes / and ſkoffynges / and ſhall greatly delyte in daunſynge / & in caſtynge of gamboudes / with lepynge and ſpryngynge / & wyll vſe playinge at the cheſſe / cardes / & tables / & deſyre oft to comen of luſte & loue / & coueyte often ſwete metes & drynkes / as wyne / & be often dronken / & deſyre lechery / and the beholdynge of fayre women / and the women of men in lyke wyſe. And vſe the dede of fleſſhely luſte often tymes: they wyll deſyre fayre clothes of gay coloure and fyne / with rynges of vanyte / & all vayne pleaſure of the worlde / with perles & precyous ſtones / they ſhall loue floures with ſwete ſmelles / yet ſhall they be of good fayth: and they ſhall loue other as well as them ſelfe / & they ſhall be lyberall to theyr frendes / they ſhal haue fewe enemyes / if they be browne / they ſhall be well proporcyoned of body / and if they ſwere it is true / ye maye byleue them / and Venus gouerneth the kydneys of man.

¶ Syxtely of the fayre planet Mercury.

MEercury the fayre planette / is next vnder Venus / & is maſculyne next aboue the Mone / This Mercury is very full & drye of nature: & his two pryncypall ſygnes ben theſe / Gemini is the firſte that reygneth in the armes / and in the handes of man or woman / & the other ſygne is Virgo that gouerneth the nauyll and the ſtomacke of man / this planet is Lorde of ſpeche in lykewyſe as the Sonne is lorde of lyghte. This planet Mercury paſſeth & cyrcuyte the .xii. ſygnes / in .CCC. & xxx viii. dayes.

¶ The proprytes of Mercury.

WHo ſo is borne vnder Mercury ſhalbe very ſubtyll of wyt / and ſhal be a deuoute perſone to god / and haue good conſcyence / and ſhall be very crafty in many ſcyences / he with his wyſdom and laboure ſhall gette hym many frendes and louers. He ſhall euer folowe & reſorte to them that be of good maners / & ſhall be fortunate on the ſee to vſe the courſe of marchaundyſe / he ſhall be very gracyous / he ſhall haue harme by women / & whan he is maryed men ſhall nat ſette ſo moche by hym as they dyd before / he wyll haue great loue to ladyes and gentyl women / but yet they ſhall nat be mayſters ouer hym / he wyll be a very good man of the churche / or a relygyous man / and he ſhall nat loue to go a warre fare / he wyll hate theues & ſwerers / & he ſhall gather great goodes by his wyſdom. If he be a man of the worlde he ſhall be perfyte in ſome hande crafte / he ſhall loue well to preche: and to ſpeke fayre rethoryke language / and to talke of Phyloſophy & geometry / he ſhall loue well wrytynge & to rede euer in ſtraunge bokes / & to caſte accomptes of great nombres / and ſhall be a great maker of balades / ſonges / metres / and rymes / he ſhal be perfyte in the arte of muſyke and loue it / he ſhall loue meſurynge & metynge / and ſhal be ſome great clothe maker / he ſhal be ſeruaūt to ſome great lorde / or ellys a receyuer of his money / he ſhall haue a hye foreheed / a longe vyſage / black iyen / & a thyn berde / he ſhall be a great pleder in the lawe / and he wyll medle with other mennes dedes / and they do nat well & ſaye agaynſt it / and Mercury gouerneth the thyghes / the bely / and the flankes.

¶ Seuenthly of the Mone.

AS it is knowen and to be vnderſtāde / that the loweſt planet of the .vii .is named Luna / the which we call the mone / the whiche planet is called feminyne or female / and is called amonge Aſtronomyers the Lady of the nyght / for the chefe lyghte and clerenes that is by nyght / is by the preſence of the mone / for the mone is moche more nerer approched vnto vs than any fterre is / & therfore ſhe gyueth vs moch more lyght than the ſterres dothe / and alſo the mone is lady of moyſture: and ruleth the ſee by ebbe and ſtore the mone doth take her lyght of the ſon̄e .xxii. tymes in the yere. And alſo the mone is colde and moyſte of nature / and her coloure is moche fayrer than ſyluer / and her chefe howſe is Cancer / and there is none of the other planettes that be ſo lowe / and goth ſo lytel cyrcuyte as doth the Mone / and deſcendeth in to Scorpio / And ſhe gothe aboute the .xii. ſygnes in .xxvi. dayes / and than chaungeth and recalled newe. And this is the courſe of the Mone: after the ſayinge of Ptholomeus.

¶ The propretes of Luna.

SVche men and women as ben borne vnder the Mone ſhall be lowly and ſeruyable / and very gentyll. And if it be a mayden childe / ſhe ſhal be very ſhame faſte and womanly / and they ſhall be well fauoured both man and woman / theyr faces ſhall be full & rounde / they ſhall be very pacyent folkes: and wyll ſuffre moche wronge or they be reuenged / and wyll be ſofte of ſpeche and very curteyſe / and ſhall lyue honſtly with ſuche as god ſhal ſende them / and wyl haunte vertuous company / they ſhal be wel fourmed of body: and haue mery lokes & loue honeſtly to be glad / & wyll lyue very chaſtely / & loue greatly the vertue of clennes / bothe in worde & dede / they hate lecherous talkers / of rybawdry / theyr colour ſhal be myxed but with lytell rednes / they ſhal ryght gladly go arayed in many coloured clothes / & they ſhall ſoone ſwete in the forhed. Alſo they wyll haue great deſyre to be mayſters & mayſtreſſes ouer great ſtremes / ryuers / and floodes / and ſhall deuyſe many propre engynes for to take fyſſhe & to deceyue them / loke what they ſaye and it ſhall be true & ſtedfaſte / and they ſhall be very honeſt & good goers on fote: and wyl comforte ſycke perſons / he ſhall loue wel to talke ſomtyme of meruayles / he ſhall nat kepe hatred longe in his mynde / and he ſhall appeſe the people vnder colour with cōmunycacyons: as well as other ſhuld do with ſyluer. Honeſt women he ſhall loue / & he wyll hate harlottes & brothelles / and ſhall noryſſhe children vp in vertu and good maners. And the lyghtes and the braynes of man is vnder the gouernaunce of Luna that is the moone.

¶ Thus endeth the .vii. Planettes with theyr proprytes. And here foloweth / to knowe the Fortunes and deſtenyes of man and woman borne vnder the .xii. Sygnes (after the ſayinge of Ptholomeus) prynce of Aſtronomye. Capitulo .xli.

SO to know vnder what planet a man or woman is borne / It is nedefull to wete that there is .vii. planettes on the ſkye / that is to ſay / Sol / Venꝰ / Mars Mercurius / Iupiter / Luna / and Saturnus. Of the .vii. Planettes is named the .vii. dayes of the weke / for euery daye hath his name of the Planet reygnynge in the begynnynge of it. The auncyent Phyloſophers ſaye that Sol domyneth the Sonday (the cauſe is they ſay) for the Sonne amōge other planettes is moſte worthy: wherfore it taketh the worthyeſt daye / that is the ſonday. Luna domyneth the firſte houre of monday. Mars the firſte houre of tewyſday. Mercurius for wednyſday. Iupiter for thurſday. Venus for fryday / And Saturnus for ſaterday. The day naturall hathe .xxiiii. houres / & euery houre reygneth a planet. ¶ It is for to be noted that whan a man wyll begyn to reken at ſonday / he muſte reken thus / Sol / Venus / Mercurius / Luna / Saturnus / Iupiter / Mars. And whan the nombre is fayled / he muſt begyn at the houre that he wold know what planet reygneth. The mōday he ought to begyn at Luna. The tewyſday at Mars. The wednyſday at Mercury. The thurſday at Iupiter. The fryday at Venus. The ſaterday at Saturnus. And euer whan the nombres of the planettes is fayled / he muſt begyn by ordre as is aforeſayd. ¶ Alſo it is to be noted that the Grekes do begyn theyr day in the mornynge. The Iewes at noone. And the Cryſten men at mydnyght: & there we ought lo begyn to reken. For at one of the clocke on Sonday in the mornynge reygneth Sol / at .ii. reygneth Venus / at .iii. reygneth Mercury / at .iiii. reygneth Luna / at .v. Saturne / at .vi. Iupiter / at .vii. Mars / and at .viii. begynne agayne at Sol / at .iv. Venus / at .v. Mercury / at .vi. Luna / at .vii. Saturne: and ſo by ordre in euery houre. ¶ whan a childe is borne / it is to be knowen at what houre / and if it be in the begynnynge of the houre / in the myddes / or at the ende. If it be in the begynnynge / he ſhal holde of the ſame planet / and of the other before. If it be in the myddes / it ſhall holde of that onely. If it be borne in the ende / it ſhall holde of the ſame / & of that that cōmeth nexte after: Neuertheleſſe the planet that it is borne vnder ſhall nat rule other / & that of the daye ſhall be aboue it / whiche is the cauſe that a childe holdeth of dyuers planettes / and hathe dyuers condycions. ¶ He that is borne vnder Sol ſhall be prudent and wyſe & a great ſpeker / & that whiche he prayſeth he holdeth vertuous in hym ſelf. ¶ who that is born vnder Venus is loued of euery man / good to godwarde and reguler. ¶ who that is borne vnder Mercury is well berded / ſubtyll / mylde / verytable / and is nat moſte prudent. ¶ who that is born vnder Luna hath an hye forehed ruddy / mery vyſage / ſhamefaſt / & relygious, ¶ who that is borne vnder Saturne is hardy / curteyſe of lyuynge / & is nat auarycyous. ¶ who that is borne vnder Iupiter is hardy fayre vyſage & ruddy / chaſte & vagabounde. ¶ who that is borne vnder Mars / is a great ſpeker / a lyer / a thefe / a deceyuer / bygge & of reed colour. ¶ They that wyl knowe of this more euydently / let them tourne to the proprytes of the .vii. planettes before reherſed.

¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus vpon the .xii. ſygnes. Capitulo .xlii.

I Conſyderynge the courſe of the celeſtiall bodyes: and the power of the hye god omnypotent / the whiche hath made the ſonne to ſhyne vpon the good and euyll / that gouerneth all thynges conteyned in the Fyrmament / and on the erthe haue taken vpon me for to endyte this lytell treatyſe / for to inſtruete & endoctryne the people nat lettred. Firſte to knowe god theyr maker. Secondely to gouerne theyr bodyes / and eſchewe infyrmytes. And thyrdely to knowe the courſe of the fyrmament / and of the celeſtyall bodyes conteyned in it / with the diſpoſicions of the .vii. planettes. But who that wyll knowe his proprytes ought firſte to knowe the Moneth that he was borne in: and the ſygne that the ſonne was in the ſame daye. I wyll nat ſaye that ſuche thynges ſhall be / but that the ſygnes haue ſuche proprytes / as it is the wyll of god. After Poetes and Aſtronomyers / Aries is the firſte ſygne that ſheweth the Fortunes of men and women / as ſayth Ptholomeus.

¶ The firſte ſygne is Aries. Good to let blode.

HEre is to be knowen that he which is borne in the ſygne of Aries: from mydde Marche to mydde Apryll ſhall be of good wytte / & ſhall nouther be ryche nor poore: he ſhall haue domage by his neyghboures / he ſhall haue power ouer deed folkes goodes / he ſhall be ſoone angry / and ſoone appeſed / he ſhall haue dyuers fortunes and diſcordes / he wyll deſyre doctryne / and haunte eloquent people / and ſhall be experte in many degrees / he ſhall be a lyer & vnſtedfaſte of courage / and wyll take vengeaunce on his enemyes / and he ſhal be better dyſpoſed in youthe in all thyngꝭ than in age / vnto .xxxiii. he ſhall be a forny catour / & ſhal be wedded at .xxv. yere & if he be nat / he ſhal nat be chaſte / he ſhal be a medyatour for ſome of his frendes / and wyl gladly be beſy in the nedes of other / he ſhall be wayted to be domaged / he ſhal haue a ſygne in the ſholder / in his hed / & in his body / yet he ſhall be ryche by the dethe of other / his firſte ſone ſhal nat lyue longe / he ſhall be in daūger of .iiii. foted beſtes / he ſhall haue great ſyckenes at .xxiii. yere: & if he eſcape he ſhal lyue .lxxxv. yere after nature.

¶ The woman.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be yrefull and ſuffre great wronges from daye to day / ſhe wyll gladly make leſynges / and ſhall loſe her huſbande & recouer a better / ſhe ſhall be ſycke at .v. yere of age / and at .xxv. ſhe ſhall be in great daūger of deth / And if ſhe eſcape ſhe ſhal be in doubtetyll .xliii. yere: and ſhall ſuffre great payne in the hed. The dayes of Sol & of Mars to them ſhall be ryght good / and the dayes of Iupiter ſhal be cōtrary to them. And as well the man as the woman may be ſemblable to the ſhepe that euery yere loſeth his fleſe / & within ſhorte ſpace getteth it agayne.

¶ Of the ſygne of Taurus. Euyll to let blode.

THe man that is born in the ſygne of Taurus / from myd Apryll to myd Maye / ſhall be ſtronge / hardy / and full of ſtryfe / delycyous / and ſhall poſſede goodes gyuen to hym by other men / that he wold haue done ſhall be done incontynent / and wyll enforce hym ſelfe to fynyſſhe it. In his youth he wyl dyſpyſe euery perſone / and ſhal be yrefull / he ſhall go pylgrymages and wyll leue his frendes & lyue amonge ſtraungers he ſhal be put in offyces / and ſhall excercyſe them well / & ſhal be ryche by women / he ſhal be thankeles and come to good eſtate / he wyll take vengeaunce on his enemyes / he ſhall be bytten of a dogge / and ſhall experymēt many paynes by women / and ſhal be in peryll at .xxxiii. yere / he ſhal be in peryll of water / and ſhal be greued with ſyckenes and venym at .xxiii. yere: and at .xxx. yere he ſhal be habundaunt in rycheſſe / and ſhall ryſe to great dygnyte / & ſhall lyue .lxxxv. yere and .iii. monthes after nature: and ſhall ſe his fortune ſorowfull.

WE ſe the woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be effectuall / labrourynge / and a great lyer / and ſhall ſuffre moche ſhame / ſhe ſhall reioyce the goodes of her frendes the whiche ſhe conceyueth in her mynde ſhall come to effecte / and ſhal haue the beſte partye ſhe ſhall haue many huſbandes / & many children / ſhe ſhal be in her beſte eſtate at .xvi. yere and ſhe ſhall haue a ſygne in the myddes of her body / ſhe ſhal be ſyckely / and if ſhe eſcape ſhe ſhall lyue .lxxvi. yere after nature. She ought to bere rynges & precyous ſtones about her. The dayes of Iupiter and Luna be right good for them / & the dayes of Mars be contrary / as well the man as the woman maye be lykened to the Gull that laboureth the lande and whan the ſede is ſowen he hathe but the ſtrawe for his parte / they ſhal kepe wel theyr owne / and it ſhall nat profyte to them nor to other / and ſhal be reputed vnkynde.

¶ Of the ſygne of Gemini. Euyll to let blode.

HE that is borne in the ſygne of Gemini / from myd Maye to myd Iune / ſhall haue many woundes / & he ſhall be fayne and mercyfull / he ſhal lede an open & a reſonable lyfe / he ſhal receyue moche money / he wyll go in vnknowen places / & do many pylgrymages / he wyll prayſe hym ſelf & wyll nat abyde in the place of his natyuyte / he ſhal be wyſe & neclygent in his workes / he ſhall come to ryches at .xxvi. yere / his firſte wyfe ſhall nat lyue longe / but he ſhall mary ſtraūge women / he ſhal be late maryed he ſhal be bytten of a dogge / and ſhall haue a marke of yron or of fyre / he ſhal be tourmēted in water / & ſhall paſſe the ſee / and ſhall lyue an .C. yere / and .x. monthes after nature.

THe woman than borne / ſhall come to honoure / and be ſet forward with the goodes of other / and ſhe ſhal be a greued of a falſe cryme / ſhe ought to be wedded at .xiiii. yere / if ſhe ſhal be chaſte and eſchewe all peryll / and ſhall lyue .lxx. yere after nature / and ſhall honoure god. The dayes of Mercury & Sol to them be right good: the dayes of Luna and Venus ben to them contrary / and as well the man as the woman ſhall augement and aſſemble the goodes of theyr ſucceſſoures / but ſcantly ſhall they vſe theyr owne goodes / they ſhal be ſo auarycyous.

¶ Of the ſygne of Cancer. Indifferent to let blode.

HE that is borne vnder the Sygne of Cancer / from myd Iune to myd Iuly / ſhal be very auarycyous and of egall ſtature / he wyll loue women / he ſhall be mery / humble / good / and well renowmed / he ſhall haue domage by enuye / he ſhall haue money of other in his guyde / he ſhal be a conductour of other folkes thyngꝭ / he ſhall haue ſtryfe & diſcorde amonge his neyghboures / and wyll auenge hym on his enemye by his ſtatelynes many ſhall mocke hym / he ſhall haue often great fere on the water / he wyll kepe his courage ſecretely in hym ſelfe / and ſhal ſuffre doloure of the wombe / he ſhal fynde hydden money / and laboure ſore for his wyfe / he ſhall ſe his peryll in a certayne yere / the whiche ſhall be knowen of god / his goodes ſhall decreaſe at .xxxiii. yere / he ſhall paſſe the ſee / and ſhal lyue .lxx. yere after nature / and forture ſhall be agreable to hym.

THe woman that ſhall be borne in this tyme ſhal be furyous / incontynent angry and ſoone appeſed / ſhe is nymble / ſeruyable / wyſe / mery: & ſhe ſhall ſuffre right many perylles / if any perſone do her any ſeruyſe ſhe wyll recompence them well: ſhe ſhal be labouryng & take great payne vnto .xxx. yere / and than ſhall haue reſte / ſhe ſhall haue many ſones / ſhe muſte be wedded at .xiiii. yere honoures and gyftes ſhall folowe her / ſhe ſhall haue woundes and be hole therof / & ſhe ſhal be in peryll of waters: & ſhe ſhal be hurte in a ſecrete place / ſhe ſhal be bytten of a dogge and ſhe ſhall lyue .lxx. yere after nature. The dayes of Iupiter / Venus / and Luna: to them ben right good / and the dayes of Mars ryght euyll / & as well the man as the woman ſhal haue good fortune / and ſhall haue victorye ouer theyr enemyes.

¶ Of the ſygne of Leo. Euyll to let blode.

CErtayne he that is borne vnder the Sygne of Leo / from myd Iuly to myd Auguſt / ſhall be fayne and hardy / he ſhall ſpeke openly / & ſhal be mercyfull / and he ſhal wepe with the wepers / and ſhal be ſtately in wordes / he ſhall haue a peryll in certayne tyme / & at .xxx. yere he ſhall be awayted to be domaged / but he ſhall eſchewe that peryll / his benefyces ſhal be vnkynde: he ſhal be honoured of good folke / & obtayne his enterpryſe / he ſhall haue goodes by temporall ſeruyces / he ſhal be vnkynde to theues / & ſhal be great & puyſaūt he ſhall haue charge of the comonte / & as moche as loſeth he ſhall wynne / he ſhall come to dygnyte & ſhal be amyable / he ſhall take the fortune of thre wyues / he wyll go often on pylgrymages / and ſuffre payne of the ſyght / he ſhal fall from hye and be ferefull of water he ſhall fynde hyd money at .viii. yere of age / he ſhal be ſycke / he ſhal be in peryl and doubte of ſome great Lorde / & at .xxxvi. yere he ſhal be bytten of a dogge / and be hole with great payne / & ſhall lyue .lxxxiiii. yere aft̄ nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be a great lyer / fayre / wel ſpoken mercyfull / pleaſaūt / & may nat ſuffre norſe men wepe / ſhe ſhall be meke / her firſte huſbande ſhall nat lyue longe / ſhe ſhall haue payne in her ſtomacke: ſhe ſhal be awayted of her neyghboures at .xvii. yere / & lyue to great rycheſſe / ſhe ſhall haue chyldren of thre men / ſhe ſhal be amyable and haue the blody flyxe and ſhal be bytten of a dogge / ſhe ſhall falle from hye / and lyue .lxxvii. yere after nature. The dayes of Mercury / Sol / & Mars to them be ryght good / the dayes of Saturne ben contrary / & as well the man as the woman ſhal be hardy & great quaryllers & mercyfull.

¶ Of the ſygne of Virgo. Indifferent to let beode.

OF the ſygne of Virgo / I fynde that he whiche is borne fro myd Auguſt to myd Septembre ſhall gladly cōmende his wyfe / he ſhal be a great houſe holder engenyous / he ſhal be ſolycitous to his worke / he ſhal be ſhamefaſt and of great courage / and all that he ſeth he ſhall coueyt in his vnderſtandynge / he wyll be ſoone angry / & ſurmount his enemyes. Scarſly ſhall he be a whyle with his firſte wyſe / he ſhal be fortunate at .xxxi. yere / he wyll nat hyde that he hath / & ſhal be in peryll of water / he ſhall haue a wounde with yron / and ſhall lyue .lxx. yere after nature.

SHe that than is borne ſhall be ſhamefaſte / engenyous / & wyll take payne and ſhe ought to be wedded at .xii. yere / ſhe ſhall nat be longe with her firſt huſbāde. Her ſeconde huſbande ſhal be of longe lyfe: and ſhall haue moche good by another woman / ſhe ſhal fall from hye / her lyfe ſhal be in peryll and ſhall dye ſhortely / ſhe ſhall ſuffer doloure at .x. yere / if ſhe eſcape that doloures / ſhe ſhall lyue .lxx. yere after nature / ſhe ſhall brynge forthe vertuous fruyte / & euery thynge ſhall fauoure her: ſhe ſhal reioyce in dyuers fortunes. The dayes of Mercury and of Sol ſhal be ryght good for them / and the dayes of Mars ſhal be contrary. And as wel the man as the woman ſhall ſuffer many temptacyons / ſo that with great payne they may reſyſte them / they ſhall delyte to lyue chaſte / but they ſhall ſuffer moche where that it be.

¶ Of the ſygne of Libra. Good to let blode.

YEt amonge the Planettes Libra ought to be remembred / for he that is borne from myd Septembre to myd Octobre he ſhal be right myghtely prayſed and honoured in the ſeruyce of captaynes / he ſhal go in vnknowen places / and ſhall gette in ſtraunge landes / he ſhall kepe well his owne / if he make nat reuolucion by drynke he wyll nat kepe his promeſſe: he ſhal be enuyed by ſyluer & other goodes / he ſhal be maryed and go from his wyfe / he ſhall ſpeke quyckely and haue noo domage amonge his neyghboures / he ſhall haue vnder his myght the goodes of deed folke / and ſhall haue ſome ſygne in his membres. Oxen / horſe / and other beſtes ſhal be gyuen to hym / he ſhall haue domage and imury / he ſhal be enryched by women / and experyment euyll fortunes / many ſhall aſke counceyle of hym. And he ſhall lyue .lxx. yere after nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be amyable and of great courage ſhe wyll announce the deth of her enemyes: and ſhall go in places vnknowen / ſhe ſhal be debonayre & mery / and reioyce by her huſbande / if ſhe be nat wedded at .xiii. yere ſhe ſhall nat be chaſte / and ſhal haue no ſones by her firſte huſbande / ſhe ſhall go many pylgrymages / after .xxx. yere ſhe ſhall proſpere in better / and haue great honoure and prayſe: than after ſhe ſhal be greuouſly ſycke / & ſhall be brent in the fete aboue .xii. yere of age / and ſhall lyue .lx. yere after nature. The dayes of Venue and of Luna for them ben right good and the dayes of Mercucy contrary. And as well the man as the woman ſhall be in doubte vnto theyr dethe.

¶ Of the ſygne of Scorpio. Good to let blode.

HE whiche is borne ī the ſygne of Scorpius / from myd Octobre to myd Nouembre ſhal haue good fortune: he ſhal be a great fornycatour. The firſte wyfe that he ſhall haue in maryage ſhall become relygyous / he wyll ſerue gladly to ymages / he ſhall ſuffer payne in his pryue membres at the age of .xv. yere / he ſhall be hardy as a Lyon / and amyable of forme many facultes ſhal be gyuen hym / he ſhal be a great goer in vyſitynge dyuers countres for to knowe the cuſtomes & ſtatutes of Cyties / & ſhall haue victory ouer all his enemyes / they may nat hynder hym in no maner wyſe / he ſhall haue money by his wyfe / and ſhall ſuffer dyuers doloures of the ſtomacke: he ſhal be mery & loue the company of mery folke. In his ryght ſholder ſhall be a ſygne / by ſwete wordes & adulacions he ſhal be deceyued / he wyll often ſaye one & do another / he ſhall haue a wounde with yron / he ſhal be bytten of a dog or of ſome other beeſt / he ſhal be in doubte and haue dyuers enemyes at the age of .xxxiii. yere / and if he eſcape / he ſhall lyue .lxxxiiii. yere after nature.

THe woman that ſhall be borne in this tyme ſhal be amyable and fayre / and ſhall nat be longe with her firſte huſbande: and after ſhe ſhal enioye with another by her good and true ſeruyce / ſhe ſhal haue honoure and victorye of her enemyes / ſhe ſhall ſuffer payne in the ſtomacke / ſhe ſhal be wyſe & haue woundes in her ſholdres / ſhe ought to fere her latter dayes / whiche ſhal be doubte full by venym / and ſhe ſhal lyue .lxx. yere after nature. The dayes of Mars and Saturne to them ben ryght agreable / and the dayes of Iupiter to them ben cōtrary: they ſhal be ſwete of wordes & pryckynge with theyr tayles / & they wyll murmure detractynge other: and ſay otherwyſe than they wolde be ſayd by.

¶ Of the ſygne of Sagittarius. Good to let blode.

BE it knowen that he which is born vnder Sagittarius from mydde Nouembre / to mydde Decembre ſhal haue mercy of euery man / that whiche he ſeeth he ſhall obtayne & haue by reuelacyon / he ſhall go ferre to deſerte places vnknowen & daungerous / & ſhall retourne with great gaynes: he ſhal ſe his fortune encreaſe from day to day / he wyll nat hyde that he hath / he ſhall haue ſome ſygnes in his handes or fete / he ſhall be ferefull / and at .xxii. yere of his age he ſhall haue ſome great peryll / he ſhall paſſe the ſee to his lucre / and he ſhall lyue .lxx vii. yere / and .viii. monethes after nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme ſhall loue to laboure: ſhe ſhall haue dyuers thoughtꝭ for ſtraūge ſtryues / and may nat ſe one wepe / ſhe ſhall haue victory ouer her enemyes / ſhe ſhall ſpende moche ſyluer by euyll company / ſhe ſhall ſuffer many euylles / ſhe ſhall take great payne to the ende that ſhe maye haue the goodes of her kynneſmen. She ought to be maryed at .xiii. yere / & ſhe ſhall haue payne in her iyen at .xiiii. yere / & ſhal haue by enuye at .xviii. yere ioye / ſhe ſhal ſuffer dolour by enuye: & ſhal be ſeparat from ioye / and ſhall lyue .lxxii. yere after nature. The dayes of Venus & Luna ben right good & the dayes of Mars and Saturne ben euyll: And as well the man as the woman ſhal be inconſtaunt & vnſtable in dedes / they ſhal be of good cōſcyence & mercyfull / better to ſtraūgers than to them ſelfe / & they wyll loue god.

¶ Of the ſygne of Capricornus. Euyll to let blode.

HE the whiche is borne vnder Capricornus from myd Decembre to myd Ianyuere ſhal be yracundyus / a for nycatour / a lyer: & ſhal be alwayes labourynge / and ſhal be noryſſhed with ſtraūge thynges / he ſhall haue many crymes & noyſes / he ſhal be a gouernoure of beeſtes with .iiii. fete / he ſhall nat be longe with his wyfe / he ſhall ſuffre moche ſorowe & heuynes in his youth / he ſhall leue many goodes and rycheſſes / he ſhall haue great peryll at .xvi. yere / he ſhal be of great courage / he ſhall haunte honeſt people / and ſhal be ryche by women / and ſhal be a conductoure of maydens / his dredren wyll make dyuers eſpyenges vpon hym / & he ſhal lyue .lxx. yere / & .iiii. monethes after nature.

AS for the woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be honeſt & ferefull / ſhe ſhall ſurmounte her enemyes / and haue children of .iii. men: ſhe wyll go many pylgrymages in her youth / and after haue great wytte: ſhe ſhall haue great goodes / and ſhe ſhal haue great payne in her iyen / and ſhe ſhal be in her beſte eſtate at .xxx. yere / and ſhall lyue .lxx. yere and .iiii. monethes after nature. The dayes of Saturne and of Mars to them be good & the dayes of Sol ben contrary. And bothe the man and the woman ſhall be reſonable / and yet ſhal be enuyous.

¶ Of the ſygne of Aquarius. Indifferent to let blode.

HE that is borne vnder the ſygne of Aquarius from myd Ianuary vnto myd February ſhal be louely and yrefull: he wyll nat byleue in vayne thynges / he ſhall haue ſyluer at .xxiiii. yere he ſhal be in eſtate / he ſhal wyn where he gothe / or he ſhal be ſore ſycke / & ſhal be hurte with yron / & he ſhall haue fere on the water / and afterwarde ſhall haue good fortune / & ſhall go in to dyuers countrees.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be delycious: & haue noyſes for her children / ſhe ſhall be in great peryll / at the age of .xxiiii. yere ſhe ſhal be in felycite: ſhe ſhall haue domage by beeſtes with .iiii. fete / ſhe ſhall lyue .lxxvii. yere after nature. The dayes of Venus & of Luna ben right good for them / the dayes of Mars & Saturne ben contrary / & bothe the man & the woman ſhal be reaſonable / & they ſhal nat be ouer ryche.

¶ Of the ſygne of Piſces. Indifferent to let blode.

THe man that is borne vnder the ſygne of Piſces / from mydde February to mydde Marche ſhal be a great goet / a fornycatoure / a mocker / & ſhal be couetous / he wyll ſay one and do another: he ſhall fynde money / he wyll truſte in his ſapyence and ſhal haue good fortune / he ſhal be a defender of Orphelyns and wydowes / he ſhal be ferefull on the water / & he ſhall ſoone paſſe all his aduerſytes / & ſhall lyue .lxxiii. yere / and .v. monethes after nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme ſhal be delycyous / famylyer in geſtes / pleaſaunt of courage / feruent / & ſhall haue ſyckenes in her iyen / and ſhal be ſorowfull by ſhame. Her huſbande wyll leue her / & ſhe ſhall haue moche payne with ſtraungers: ſhe ſhall nat haue her owne / & ſhe ſhall haue payne in her ſtomacke / ſhe ſhall lyue .lxxvii. after nature. The dayes of Mercury / Iupiter and Venus ben right good for them / and the dayes of Mars and Saturne to them ben contrary / and bothe the man & the woman ſhall lyue faythfully.

¶ Thus endeth the .xii. Sygnes of deſtenyes of man and woman born vnder them. And here after foloweth the Scyence of Phyzonomye / for to knowe the naturall inclynacyon of man and woman.

SO as Pholomeus ſaythe Phyzonomye of the whiche hath ben ſpoken of before: is a ſcience that Aſtronomyers haue for to knowe the naturall inclynacyon of man and woman good or euyll: by dyuers ſygnes on them in be holdynge them oonly. The whiche inclynacyon / we ought to folowe if it be good. But if it be euyl by vertue and ſtrength of vnderſtandynge / we ought to eſchewe and euyte it as to the effecte / & to withſtāde the ſayd euyll inclynacyons. Aſtronomyers vſe this ſcyence none other wyſe. The prudent / vertuous & wyſe men may be as touchyng theyr maners All other than theyr ſygnes demonſtreth and ſheweth in their reygne. For theſe tokens that do ſygnyfye vyce is nat ſeen in a wyſe man thoughe the ſygne be ſo / as an ale ſtake / or a ſygne hanged before an houſe / in the whiche often tymes is noo drynke. ¶ For howe be it that a man by his wyſdom and vnderſtandynge folowe nat the euyll influences of the celeſtyall bodyes that ben vpon hym / and yet corrupteth nat the ſygnes and demonſtracions of the ſayd influences / but thoſe ſygnes naturally haue ſygnory and domynacion on them / in the whiche they be for to haue naturally that whiche they ſygnyfy / thoughe that a man folowe them / or folowe them nat.

¶ wherfore Aſtronomyers ſay that the moſt parte of men and women folowe theyr naturall inclynacions to vyce or vertue / for that the moſt parte of them be nat wyſe & prudent as they oughte to be / and they vſe no vertue of theyr owne myndes / but enſueth theyr ſenſualyte. And by theſe celeſtyall influences of the whiche is ſhewed by ſygnes outwarde of ſuche ſygnes is the ſayd ſcyence of Phyzonomye knowen. For the whiche it behoueth firſte to knowe that the yere is deuyded in .iiii. partyes (as it hathe ben 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 heeres on the browee ſygnyfieth meſelry and euyll diſpoſicion of body. Great heeres 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 ſygnyfyeth glotony & yre. A red face & ſhorte ſygnyfyeth a perſone full of ryot debate / & vnfaythfull. A vyſage nouther to ſhorte nor to longe / and that is nat ouer fatte with good coloure betokeneth a man verytable / amyable / wyſe / wytty / ſeruyable / debonayre / & well o[•]dred in all his workes. A fat vyſage & full of rude fleſſhe ſygnyfyeth glotony / neclygence / rudenes of wyt and vnderſtandyng. A ſklender face & ſomwhat longe ſygnyfyeth a perſone well aduyſed in all his workes by good meaſure. A lytell ſho[•]te vyſage of yelowe coloure ſygnyfyeth a perſone deceyuynge / vntrue / malycyous / and full of harme. A vyſage longe and fayre ſygnyfieth a man hote / vniuſt / ſpytefull / and full of yre & cruelte. They that haue their mouthes great and wyde ſygnyfieth yre & hardynes. A lytel mouthe ſygnyfyeth melancoly / heuynes / harde wytte / & euyll thought. He that hath great lyppes hath a token of rudenes / and defaute of wytte. Thynne lyppes ſygnyfyeth lyckerouſnes & leſynges. Tethe euen ſette & thyn / betoketh a true louer / lecherous / and of good compleccion. Longe tethe & great ſygnyfyeth haſtynes and yre. Longe eeres ſygnyfyeth folye / but it is a ſygne of good memory. Lytell eeres ſygnyfyeth lechery and thefte. A perſon that hathe a good voyce well ſownynge / is hardy / wyſe / & well ſpoken. A meane voyce that is nat to ſmall nor to great / ſygnyfyeth wytte purueyaunce / truthe & ryghtwyſenes. A man that ſpeketh haſtely to be ſette by. A great voyce in a woman is an euyll ſygne. A ſofte voyce ſygnyfyeth a perſon full of enuye / of ſuſpeccion & leſynges. And ouer ſmal voyce ſygnyfyeth great herte & folye. Great voyce ſygnyfeth haſtynes & yre. A man that ſtyreth alway whan he ſpeketh & chaungeth voyce is enuyous / nyce / dronken / and euyll condycyoned. A perſone that ſpeketh attemporatly without mouynge is of perfyte vnderſtandynge / of good condycyon / & of good counceyle. A man with a browne vyſage / reuynge ieyn: & yelowe tethe is of lytell truth a traytour / & hath ſtynkynge brethe. A perſon with a longe ſkender necke is cruel / without pyte / haſty / and brayneles. A perſone with a ſhorte necke is full of fraude / ſtryfe / decepcion and malyce. A perſone that hath a very longe thycke necke ſygnyfyeth glotonye / force & great lechery. A manly woman that is great and rudely membred is by nature melancolyous / varyaunte / & lecherous. A perſone that hath a great lōge bely ſygnyfyeth ſmall wyt pryde / and lechery. A lytell bely & large fete / ſygnyfyeth good vnderſtandynge / good coūceyle and true. A perſone hauynge large fete / hye & bowynge ſholdres ſygnyfyeth prowes hardynes / haſtynes / truthe and wytte. Sholdres ſharpe & longe betokeneth trechery / vntruthe / ſtryuyng / and vnnaturall. whan the armes ben ſo longe that they maye ſtretche to the ioynte of the kne / it is a token of prowes / lyberalyte / truthe / honoure / good wytte / and vnderſtandynge. whan the armes ben ſhorte it is a ſygne of ygnoraunce / of euyll nature / and a perſone that loueth debate. Longe handes and ſklender fyngers ſygnyfyeth ſubtylte / and a perſone that hathe deſyre to knowe dyuers thyngꝭ. Small handes & ſhorte thycke fyngers betokeneth foly / and lyghtnes of courage. Thycke large and bygge handes ſygnyfyeth force / haſtynes / hardynes / and wytte. Clere and ſhynynge nayles of good coloure ſygnyfyeth wytte and encreaſe of honoure. Nayles full of whyte ſpottes and reueled ſygnyfyeth a perſone auarycyous / lecherous / proude / of herte / full of wytte and malyce. The fote thycke & full of fleſſhe ſygnyfyeth a perſone outragyous / vygoryous / and of lytell wytte. Small fete and lyght ſygnyfyeth hardynes of vnderſtandynge / & lytell truthe Fete flatte and ſhorte ſygnyfyeth an anguyſſhous perſone / of ſmall wyſdom and vncurteyſe. A ꝑſone that gothe a great paſe is great of herte and diſpyteful / and ſygnyfyeth well to proſpere in all thyngꝭ. A perſone that maketh ſmall ſteppes and thycke is ſuſpecyous / full of enuye / and euyll wyll. A perſone that hath a ſmal flatte fote and caſteth as a childe ſygnyfyeth hardynes & wytte / but the ſayde perſone hath dyuers thoughtꝭ. A perſone that hathe ſofte fleſſhe nat to colde nor to hote ſygnyfyeth a well diſpoſed perſone / of good vnderſtandynge & ſubtyll wytte / full of truthe and encreaſynge of honoure. A perſone that laugheth gladly and hath grene iyen is debonayre of good wytte / true / wyſe & lecherous. A perſone that laugheth fayntly is ſlouthful melancolyous / ſuſpecious / malycyous / & ſubtyll. ¶ Aſtronomyers ſaye for that there ben dyuers ſygnes in a man and woman / & that they ben ſomtyme contrary one to the other / one oughte to Iuge moſte comonly after the ſygnes in the vyſage. And firſte to the iyen for they ben moſte true & prouable. And they ſay alſo that god formed no creature for to en habyte the worlde wyſer than man / for there is no condycion nor maner in a beeſt: but that it is foūde comprehended in man. Naturally a man is hardy / as the Lyon. Prue and worthy / as the Oxe. Large and lyberall / as the Cocke. Auarycyous / as the Dogge. Harde & ſwyfte / as the Harte. Debonayre and true: as the turtle Douue. Malycyous / as the Leoparde. Pryue & tame / as the Douue. Dolorous & gylefull / as the Foxe. Symple and mylde / as the Lame. Shrewde / as the Ape. Lyghte / as the Horſe. Softe and pyteable / as the beer. Dere & precyous / as the Olyphaunte. Good and holſome / as the Vnycorne. Vyle & ſlouth full / as the Aſſe. Fayre & proude / as the Pecocke. Glotonous / as the wolfe. Enuyous / as the Bytche. Rebell and inobedyent / as the Nyghtyngale. Humble / as the Pegyon. Fell and folyſſhe / as the Ouſtryche. Profytable / as the Pyſmyre. Dyſſolute & vagabounde / as the Gote. Spytefull / as the Feſaūt. Softe and meke / as the Checkyn. Mouable & varyinge / as the Fyſſhe. Lecherous / as the Bore Stronge & puyſſaunt / as the Camell. Traytoure / as the Mule. Aduyſed / as the Mouſe. Reſonable / as an Aungell. And therfore he is called the lytell worlde: or ellys he is called all creatures / for he taketh parte of all.

¶ Finis.

¶ Thus endeth the Compoſt of Ptholomeus Prynce of Aſtronomye.

¶ Imprynted by me Robert wyer / Dwellynge at the ſygne of ſeynt Iohn̄ Euangelyſte / in ſeynt Martyns Paryſſhe in the Felde / in the byſſhop of Nor wytche rentes / beſyde Charyng croſſe.

ROBERT: WYRE·

printer's device of Robert Wyer (or Wyre) [Image not included in the transcription.]

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The Compost of Ptolomeus, Prince of Astronomy. [[London], 1530. Hermetic Cloud, https://hermeticcloud.com/library/compost-of-ptholomeus/. Public-domain edition reproduced from the TCP transcription; its gaps and missing figures are marked.

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Text Creation Partnership, TCP A10201, released under CC0 1.0. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Unreadable characters, unavailable passages and figures absent from the transcription remain marked.