Here beginneth The Compost of Ptholomeus/ Prince of astronomy: Translated out of French in to english/ for them that would have knowledge 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 royal English blazon or coat of arms DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE ¶ Here beginneth the Table of this present book. first the prologue of Ptholomeus. ¶ Another prologue of ii other astronomers/ that showeth & proveth the auctors Prologue true that is before. ¶ Here followeth to show how man changeth xii times/ as the xii months doth. ¶ Here followeth to know the xii signs in their course reigning/ and ruling upon the xii parties of man's body/ and which been good for letting of blood/ & indifferent/ or evil. Capitulo. Primo. ¶ Hereafter followeth the Nature of the xii signs. Capitulo. secundo. ¶ The Nothomye of the bones in man's body/ and the number of them/ which is in all. CC. and xl viii. Capitulo iii ¶ The Flubothomye/ with the names of the veins/ and where they rest/ and how they ought to be let blood. Capitulo four ¶ To know when a man is hole/ or disposed to sickness. Capitulo four ¶ The sign to know a man hole/ & well disposed in his body. Capitulo .v. ¶ Of signs contrary to them aforesaid/ by the which Ptholomeus knew when he or other were sick. Capitulo vi ¶ Other signs almost semblable to them aforesaid/ and showeth the replection of evil humours/ & for to be purged of them. Ca seven. ¶ A division & regiment of time/ the which Ptholomeus used/ after that the season and time required. Capitulo viii ¶ The regiment for primetimes/ that is for to say March/ Apryll/ & May. Cap ix ¶ The regiment for the time of Summer/ that is june/ july/ and August. Cap ten ¶ The regiment for Harvest/ is Septembre Octobre/ and Novembre. Cap xi ¶ The regiment for winter time/ is December/ january/ and February. Cap xii ¶ Here after followeth the four Elementis: and the four Complexions of man. Cap xiii ¶ And also after followeth the astrology of Ptholomeus. Capitulo xiiii ¶ How Ptholomeus showeth more plainly of the four Clementes/ and of the similitude of the earth/ and how that every Planet is one above another/ and showeth which of them been masculine/ as these .v. Saturn/ jupiter/ Mars/ Sol/ and Mercury. And of ii femenyne/ as Venus'/ and Luna/ and which of them is northly/ & southly/ and which been oriental/ or occydentall. Cap xu ¶ Of the equinoctial & zodyacke/ that been in the ix skies/ that containeth the Firmament under it. Capitulo xvi ¶ Hereafter followeth a very subtle variation in the sky. Capitulo xvii ¶ Of ii great Circles/ that is to say one merydien/ and the other ozyron that intersequeth one the other/ & crosseth directly. Ca xviii. ¶ Also hereafter do follow two other great Circles of the sky/ & four small. Ca nineteen. ¶ Of the rising and resconsing of the signs in the ozyron. Capitulo twenty ¶ Of the divisions of the earth/ and of the regions. Capitulo xxi ¶ Of the variation that is for divers habitations & regions of the earth. Cap xxii ¶ Of the division of the earth/ and only of the part inhabited. Capitulo xxiii ¶ The great and marvelous considerations and great understanding of the astronomers & Astrologyens. Cap xxiiii ¶ Of the pommel of the skies a star called the star of the north/ near the which is the pole arctic called septentrional. Ca xxv. ¶ Of Andromeda a star fixed. Ca xxvi. ¶ Of Perseus a star fixed/ Lord of the spear. Capitulo xxvii ¶ Of Ozyron a star fixed/ and the fellows. Capitulo xxviii ¶ Of Alhabor a star fixed. Cap xxix ¶ Of the lions heart/ a star fixed. Capitulo xxx ¶ Of the star fixed called Nebuluse/ & of another called the golden Cup. Ca thirty. ¶ Of the Pork espyke/ a star fixed. Capitulo xxxii ¶ Of the Crown septentrional/ a star fixed. Capitulo xxxiii ¶ And of the Scorpions heart: a star fixed. Capitulo xxxiiii ¶ Of the flying Eagle/ a star fixed. Capitulo xxxv ¶ And of the fish merydyonall/ a star fixed. Capitulo xxxvi ¶ Of Pegasus that signifieth the Horse of honour a star fixed. Cap xxxvii ¶ Of the division of the twelve houses/ as well in the earth/ as in the heavens/ as it doth appear. Capitlo xxxviii ¶ How the planets reign in every hour of the day and the night. Cap xxxix ¶ Also of the Natures of the vii planets: with their dispositions/ after the saying of Ptholomeus/ prince of astronomy. Ca xl. ¶ And followeth/ to know the Fortunes & destinies of man and woman borne under the xii Signs (after the saying of Ptholomeus) prince of astronomy. Cap xli ¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus upon the xii signs. Capitulo xlii ¶ And after followeth the science of Phyzonomye/ for to know the natural inclination of man and woman. Capitulo xliii ¶ And of the judgements of man's body. Capitulo xliiii ¶ Finis. ¶ Thus endeth the Table of the Compost of Ptholomeus. RW Ptholomeus. two illustrations of Ptholomeus (or Claudius Ptolemy) with an astrolabe ¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus. SO as we understand Ptholomeus saith/ that living and dying is all at the pleasure of almighty god. Yet he saith that a man may live by the course of nature lxxii year or more. And he saith also as much time/ as a man hath to grow in beauty/ length/ breadth/ and strength. So moche time hath he to wax old and feeble to his end. But the term to grow in beauty/ hight/ and strength/ is xxxvi year. And the term to wax old/ feeble/ and weak/ to turn to the erthwarde/ which is in all together lxxii year/ that he ought to live after the course of nature. And they that die before this time/ often it is by the violence and out rage's done to their Complexion and nature. But they that live above this term/ it is by good regiment & ensygnementꝭ/ after which a man hath governed himself. To this purpose of living and dying: Ptholomeus saith/ that the thing that we desire most in this world is to live long: And the thing that we most fere is to die soon. ¶ Thus he travailed his understanding/ & made great diligence to know and to do things possible & requisite for to live long/ hole/ & joyfully/ which this present Compost showeth & teacheth. wherefore we will show you of the bodies celestial/ & of their nature & movings: & this present book is named the Compost of Ptholomeus/ for it comprechendeth fully all the Compost. And this present book is made for them that be of small learning/ to bring them to great understanding. Thus Ptholomeus said also that the desire to live long was in his soul/ the which alway lasteth/ wherefore he would that his desire were accomplished after his death/ as before. He said sith the foul dieth not/ and in it is the desire to live long/ it should be an infallible pain (not to live after death: as before) for he that liveth not after his corporal death/ shall not have that/ that he hath desired (that is to weet) to live long/ & should abide in eternal pain/ if his desire were not accomplished. So concluded the said Ptholomeus necessary things for him and other/ to know and to do that which appertained/ to live after death as before. And truth it is that he that liveth/ but the life of this world only/ and though he lived an. C. year/ yet he lived not properly long. But he should live long that at the end of this present life/ should begin the life eternal (that is to say) the life everlasting in heaven. So a man ought to perform his life in this world corporally/ that they may live spiritually without end. For as he said/ one shall live everlastingly with out dying/ and when he hath the perdurable life he shall be perfit. And also by this point and none otherwise shallbe accomplished the desire of long living in this world. The foresaid Ptholomeus also knowledged/ that the life of this world was soon passed and gone. wherefore this Ptholomeus thought that lxxii years/ here in this vale of wretched misery/ is but a little and a small term of life/ to the life everlasting: the which never shall have ending. And therefore he saith/ he that offeryth himself here to live virtuously in this world/ after this life he shall receive the sweet live/ that is sure and lasteth ever without end. For though a man lived here a. C. year and more: it is but a little term to the life to come. Therefore saith this Ptholomeus/ I will live soberly with these small temporal goods that Ihesu hath lend me: and ever to exile the desire of worldly riches and worldly worship. For they that labour for it: & have love to their goods & vain worships/ oft it departeth marry from heavenly treasure. It shutteth man's heart that god may not enter. And buildeth man a place of no rest in the low land of darkness ¶ Here after followeth another Prologue of two other astronomers/ that showeth & proveth the auctors Prologue true that is before rehearsed. BE it to understand/ that there be in the year four quarters/ the which be named thus. Vere/ Hiems/ Estas/ and Autumnus. These be the four seasons in the year/ as Prime time is the spring of the year/ as Feveryere/ March/ and april. In these iii months every green thing growing/ beginneth to bud and flourish. ¶ Than cometh summer as May/ june/ and july/ and these iii months/ every herb/ grain/ & tree/ is in his kind and in his most strength and beauty/ & than the Son is at the highest. ¶ Than cometh Autumn: as August/ Septembre/ and Octobre/ that all these fruits waxed type/ and been gathered and howsed. ¶ Than cometh Novembre/ Decembre/ and january/ & these iii months be in the winter/ that time the Sonne is at the lowest/ and is the time of little profit. As we astronomers say/ that the age of man is lxxii year/ & that we liken but to one hole year/ for evermore we take vi year for every mont/ as january/ or Feveryere/ and so forth/ for as the year changeth by the xii months: In to xii divers manners/ so doth a man change himself xii times in his life/ by xii aeges/ and every age lasteth vi year/ if so be that he live to lxxii for iii times vi maketh xviii and vi times vi maketh xxxvi And than man is at the best/ and also at the highest/ & xii times vi maketh lxxii And that is the age of man. ¶ Thus must you count and reckon for every month vi year/ or else it may be understand by the four quarters and seasons of the year. So man is divided in to four parties: as to youth/ strength/ wisdom/ and age. He so to be xviii year young xviii year strong xviii. year in wisdom/ & the fourth xviii year to go to the full of the age of lxxii ¶ Here followeth to show how man changeth xii times/ even as the xii months doth. WE must take the first vi year for janyvere/ the which is of no virtue nor strength/ in that season no thing on the earth groweth. So man after that he is borne/ tylhe be vi year of age is with little or no wit/ strength/ or cunning/ and may do little or no thing that cometh to profit. ¶ Than cometh February: and than the days longeth/ & the Son is more hotter/ than the fields begin to wax green. So the other vi year till he come to xii the child beginneth to grow bigger/ and is apt to learn such things as is taught him. ¶ Than cometh the month of March/ In which the labourer soweth the earth/ & planteth trees/ and edyfyeth houses/ the child in these vi years waxeth big to learn doctrine and scycnce/ and to be fair and pleasant & loving/ for than he is xviii year of age. ¶ Than cometh Apryll/ that the earth & the trees is covered with green flouts. And in every party goods increaseth abundantly. Than cometh the young man to gather the sweet flowers of hardiness/ but than beware that the cold winds and storms of vices beat not down the flowers of good manners/ that should bring man to honour/ for than is he xxiiii year of age. ¶ Than cometh May/ that is both fair & pleasant/ for than birds sing in woods and forests night and day/ the Son shineth hot/ as than man is most lusty/ mighty/ and of deliver strength/ & seeketh plays/ sports/ and manly pastimes/ for than is he full xxx year of age. ¶ Than cometh june: and than is the son at the highest in his merydyonall/ he may ascend no higher in his station. His glemering golden beams typeth the corn/ and than man is xxxvi year/ he may ascend no more For than nature hath given him courage & strength at the full/ and typeth the sedes of perfit understanding. ¶ Than cometh july: that our fruits be set on sonning/ & our corn a hardening/ but than the Son beginneth a little for to descend do wnewarde. So than man goth fro youth to ward age/ and beginneth for to acquaint him with sadness: for than he is come to xlii year. ¶ After that than cometh August/ than we gather in our corn/ and also the fruits of the earth. And than man doth his diligence to gather for to find himself to maintain his wife/ children/ and his household when age cometh on him. And than after that vi year/ he is xlviii year of age. ¶ Than cometh Septembre/ that wines be made/ and the fruits of the trees be gathered. And than there withal he doth freshly begin to garnish his house/ and make provision of needful things/ for to live with in winter/ which draweth very near/ & than man is in his most steadfast & covetous estate prosperous in wisdom/ purposing to gather and keep/ asmuch as should be sufficient for him in his age/ when he may gather no more. And than is he liiii year of age. ¶ And than cometh Octobre: that all is in to the foresaid house gathered/ both corn & also other manner of fruits. And also the labourer's plough and sow new sedes on the earth: for the year to come. And than he that nought soweth nought gathereth. And than in these vi. year a man shall take himself unto god for to do penance and good works/ & than the benefits the year after his death/ he may gather/ and have spiritual profit/ and than man is fully the term of lx years. ¶ Than cometh november/ that the days be very short/ and the Son in manner giveth but little heat/ and the trees losen their levys. The fields that were green looketh hoar and grey/ Than all manner of herbs been hid in the ground/ and than appeareth no flowers. And than winter is come/ that the man hath understanding of age/ and hath lost his kindly heat and strength. His teeth begin to rot/ and to fail him. And than hath he little hope of long life/ but defyreth to come to the life everlasting. And these vi years make him lxvi of age. ¶ Than last cometh Decembre/ full of cold with frost and snow/ with great winds and stormy wether's/ that a man may not labour nor nought do. The son is than at the lowest that it may descend. That the trees & the earth be hid in snow/ than it is good to hold them nigh the fire/ and to spend the goods that they got in summer. For than man beginneth to wax crooked & feeble/ couching and spitting/ and loothsom/ and than he loseth his perfit understanding/ and his heirs desire his death. And these vi year maketh him full lxxii years. And if he live any longer/ it is by his good guiding/ and dieting in his youth. How be it/ it is possible that a man may live till he be a. C. year of age: but there be but few that liveth so long till they come to a. C. year of age. ¶ wherefore Ptholomeus saith moreover/ that of living or dying/ the heavenly bodies may steer a man both to good & evil/ without doubt it is so. But yet may man withstand it by his own fire will/ to do what he will himself/ good or bad evermore. And above the which inclination is the might & will of god/ that longeth the life of man by his goodness/ or to make it short by justice. ¶ wherefore I will show you of the bodies celestial/ and of their nature and movings/ And this present Book hath to name the Compoft of Ptholomeus/ for it comprehendeth fully all the compoft/ as days/ hours/ and of the son & moon/ & of the Signs that the moon is in everyday. And this book was made for them that be little or no clerks/ to bring them to more understanding and lerening of many diverse things that were necessary for them to have knowledge of and to veer it in their mind. ¶ Here followeth to know the xii signs in their course reigning and ruling upon the xii parties of man's body: and which been good for letting of blood/ & indifferent/ or evil. Captiulo. Primo. SO it is that I do you knowledge that I say that a man is a little world by himself: for the likeness and similitudes/ that he hath of the great world/ which is the aggregation of the ix skies four elementis/ and all things in them contained. first a man hath such a likeness in the first mobyle/ that is the sovereign sky/ and principal part of all the world/ for like as in this first mobile the zodiac is divided in xii parties/ that been the xii Signs. So man is divided in xii parties/ and holdeth of the signs every part of his sign. The signs been these/ Aries/ Taurus/ Gemini/ Cancer/ Leo/ Virgo/ Libra/ Scorpio/ Sagittartus/ Capricornus/ & Pisces. Of the which/ three been of the nature of fire/ that is Aries/ Leo/ and Sagittarius. And three of nature of the air/ Gemini/ Libra/ and Aquarius. And three of the nature of water/ Cancer/ Scorpio/ and Pisces. And three of the nature of the earth/ Taurus'/ Virgo and Caprtcornus. The first is Aries that governeth the heed/ & the face of man. Taurus the neck and the throat bull. Gemini the shoulders/ the arms/ and the hands. Cancer the breast/ sides/ milt/ and lights. Leo the stomach/ the heart/ and the back. Virgo the belly and the entrails. Libra the navel/ the grains/ & the parties under the branches. Scorpio the prive parties/ the genytores/ the bladder: and the foundyment. Sagittarius the thighs only. Capricornus also the knees only Aquarius the legs from the knees to the he les & ankles. And Pisces hath the feet in his dominion. ¶ A man ought not to make incision nor touch with iron/ the member governed of any sign/ the day that the moon is in it/ for fere of to great effusion of blood that might happen/ Nor in likewise when the Son is in it/ for the great danger and peril that might follow thereof. ¶ Hereafter followeth the Nature of the xii signs. Captulo ii ARies is hot and dry/ nature of the fire/ and governeth the head & face of man: and is good for bleeding/ when the moon is in it/ save in the party that it governeth and ruleth. ¶ Taurus is evil for bleeding. ¶ Taurus is dry and cold/ nature of earth/ and governeth the neck/ and the knot under the throat/ and is evil for bleeding. ¶ Gemini is evil for bleeding. ¶ Gemini is hot and moist/ nature of the air/ and governeth the shoulders/ the arms & the hands/ and is evil for bleeding. ¶ Cancer is indifferent for bleeding. ¶ Cancer is cold and moist/ nature of water/ and governeth the breast/ the stomach/ & ●●e milt/ and is indifferent neither to good nor to bad for letting of blood. ¶ Leo is evil for bleeding. ¶ Leo is hot and dry/ nature of fire: and governeth the back and the sides/ and evil for blood letting. ¶ Virgo is indifferent for bleeding. ¶ Virgo is cold and dry/ and nature of the earth/ and governeth the womb/ and the inward parties/ & is nouther good nor evil for bleeding/ but betwixt both. ¶ Libra is right good for bleeding. ¶ Libra is hot and moist/ nature of the air and governeth the navel/ the reins/ and the low parties of the womb/ & is very good for bleeding. ¶ Scorpio is indifferent for bleeding. ¶ Scorpius is cold & moist/ nature of the water/ and governeth the membres of man/ and is nouther good nor bad for bleeding/ but indifferent between both. ¶ Sagittarius is good for bleeding. ¶ Sagittarius is hot and dry/ nature of fyte/ and governeth the thighs and is good for blood setting. ¶ Capricornus is evil for bleeding. ¶ Capricornus is cold and dry/ nature of earth/ and governeth the knees/ and is evil for bleeding. ¶ Aquarius is indifferent for bleeding. ¶ Aquarius is hot & moist/ nature of air: and governeth the legs/ & is nouther good nor evil for bleeding. ¶ Pisces is indifferent for bleeding. ¶ Pisces is cold and moist/ nature of water/ and governeth the feet/ & is nouther good nor evil for bleeding/ but indifferent. ¶ Here followeth the Nothomye of the bones in man's body/ and the number of them: which is in all ii C. and. xl.viii. Capitulo iii IN the top of the heed is a bone that covereth the brain/ the which Ptholomeus calleth the capital bone. In the skull been two bones/ which been called Parietales that holdeth the brain close & steadfast. And more lower in the brain is a bone called the crown of the heed/ and on the one side/ & on the other been two holes/ within the which is the palaces or roof bone. In the party behind the heed been four like bones/ to the which the chain of the neck holdeth. In the nose been. it bones. The bones of the chaftꝭ above been xi And of the neither jaw been ii Above the apposyte of the brain/ there is one behind named collateral. The bones of the teeth been xxx eight before four above/ and four underneath sharp edged for to cut the morsels/ & there is four sharp ii above/ and ii underneath and been called conynes/ for they been like conies teeth. After that been xvi that be as they were hamers or grinding teeth/ for they chaw and grind the meet the which is eaten/ & there is four above on every side/ and four underneath: And than the four teeth of sapience on every side of the chaftes one above/ & one underneath. In the chin from the heed downward been xxx bones called knots or joints. In the breast before been vii bones/ and on every side xii rib. By the neck between the heed and the shoulders been ii bones named the shears/ and been the two sholdre blades. From the shoulder to the elbow in each arm is a bone called the adiutor. From the elbow to the hand on every arm/ been ii bones that been called cans. In each hand been viii bones/ above the palm been four bones/ which been called the comb of the hand. The bones in the fingers in each hand been xu in every finger three. At the end of the ridge been the hoele bones/ whereto been fastened the two bones of the thighs. In each knee is a bone called the knee plate. From the knee to the foot in each leg been ii bones/ called cans or marry bones. In each foot is a bone called the ankle or pin of the foot/ behind the ankle is the heel bone in each foot/ the which is the lowest part of a man And above each foot is a bone called the hollow bone. In the plant of each foot been four bones. Than been the combs of the feet in each of the which been .v. bones. The bones in the toes in each foot been the number of xiiii Two bones been before the belly for to hold it steadfast with the two branches Two bones been in the heed behind the ears called oculares. We taken not the tender bones of the end of the shoulders/ nor of the sides/ nor divers little grystels and speldres of bones/ for they been comprehended in the number beforesaid. ¶ Here followeth the Flubothomye with the names of the veins/ & where they rest/ and how they ought to be let blood. Capitulo four HEre I do you to wit: that the vain in the mids of the forehead would be let ten blood/ for the ache and pain of the heed/ and for fevers Lytargye/ and for the megryme in the heed. ¶ About the two ears behind is two veins/ the which been let blood/ for to give clear understanding/ and virtue of light hearing/ and for thick breath: and for doubt of meselry or lepry. ¶ In the temple been two veins called the Artyers for that they beat/ which been let blood for to demynysshe and take away the great replection & abundance of blood that is in the brain/ that might noye the heed & the iyens and it is good against the gout the megryme/ and divers other accidents that may come to the heed. ¶ Under the tongue been two veins/ that been let blood for a sickness called the Sequamy/ and against the swelling/ and appostomes of the throat/ and against the equynancy/ by the which a man might die suddenly/ for default of such bleeding. ¶ In the neck been two veins called origynalles/ for that they have the course and abundance of all the blood that governeth the body of man/ and principally the head/ but they ought not to be let blood without the council of the surgeon/ & this bleeding availeth moche to the sickness of Lepry/ when it cometh principally of the blood. ¶ The vain of the heart taken in the arm/ profiteth to take away humours or evil blood/ that might hurt the chamber of the heart or the apperteynaunce/ and is good for them that spitteth blood/ and that been short winded/ by the which a man may die suddenly/ for default of such bleeding. ¶ The vain of the liver taken in the arm aswaygeth the great heat of the body of man and holdeth the body in health/ and this bleeding is profitable also against the yellow axes/ and appostome of the liver/ & against the palsy whereof a man may die/ for default of such bleeding. ¶ between the master finger and the leech finger to let blood helpeth the dolours that cometh in the stomach and sides/ as botches/ and appostomes/ and divers other accydentꝭ that may come to those places by great abundance of blood and humours. ¶ In the sides between the womb and the branch been two veins/ of the which that of the right side is let blood for the dropsy: & that of the left side for every sickness that cometh about the milt/ and they should bleed after the persons be fat or lean/ take good heed at four fingers nigh the incysion: and they ought not to make such bleeding without the counsel of the surgeon. ¶ In every foot been three veins/ of the which three/ one is under the ankle of the foot named sophane/ the which is let blood for to suage and put out divers humours/ as botches and appostomes that cometh about the grains/ and it profiteth moche to women for to cause their menstruosity to descend/ & delay the hemorrhoids: that cometh in the secret places/ and other like. ¶ between the wrists of the foot/ and the great too is a vain/ the which is let blood for divers sickness and inconuenyencꝭ: as the pestilence that taketh a person suddenly by the great superabundaunce of humours/ & this bleeding must be made within a natural day/ that is to say within xxiiii hours after that the sickness is taken of the patient/ and before that the fever come on him/ & this bleeding aught to be done after that corpolence of the patient. ¶ In the angels of the eyen been two veins the which been let blood/ for the redness of the eyen/ or watery/ or that runneth continually/ & for divers other sickness that may happen/ and come by over great abundance of humours and blood. ¶ In the vain of the end of the nose is made a bleeding/ the which is good for a red pympled face/ as been red drops/ pustulus/ small scabs/ & other infections of the heart that may come therein by to great replection/ and abundance of blood and humours/ and it availeth moche against popeled noses/ & other like sicknesses. ¶ In the mouth in the gums been four veins/ that is to say two above/ & two beneath the which been let blood for chausing & canker in the mouth/ and for tooth ache. ¶ between the lip & the chin is a vain/ that is let blood to give amendment to them that have an evil breathe. ¶ In each arm been four vain/ of the which the vain of the head is the highest/ the second next is from the heart/ the third is of the liver/ & the fourth is from the milt otherwise called the low liver vain. ¶ The vain of the head taken in the arm/ aught to bleed/ for to take away the great replection and abundance of blood that may annoy the head/ the iyen/ & the brain/ & availeth greatly for changeable hetes/ and swellynge of the throat/ & for them that have swollen faces and red/ and for divers other sicknesses that may fall and come by great abundance of blood. ¶ The vain of the milt otherwise called the low vain should bleed against fever tercyens and quartaynes/ and in it ought to be made a wide and a less deep wound: than in any other vain/ for fere of wind that it may gather/ and for a more inconvenience for fere of a senowe that is under it/ that is called the lezarde. ¶ In each hand been three veins/ whereof that above the thumb ought to bleed/ to take away the great heat of the visage/ & for much thick blood and humours that been in the head/ and this vain delayeth more than that of the arm. ¶ between the little finger and the leech finger is letting of blood: that greatly availeth against all fever tercyens/ & quartaynes and against flumes: and divers other lettings that cometh to the paps/ & the milt. ¶ In each thigh is a vain/ of the which bleeding availeth against dolors of the genytoures/ and for to put out of man's body humours that been in the grains. ¶ The vain that is under the ankle of the foot without is named sciat/ of the which bledynge is much worth against the pains of the flanks/ and for to make avoid and issue divers humours/ which would gather in the said place/ and it availeth greatly to women/ for to restrain their menstruosity/ when they have to great abundance. ¶ Thus endeth the fleubothomye/ And here followeth to know when a man is hole/ or disposed to sickness. Capitulo four Now to give you knowledge when that any man is hole or sick/ or disposed in any wise to sickness? wherefore three things there been: by the which Ptholomeus put knowledge when a man is hole or sick/ or disposed to sickness. If he be hole/ to maintain & keep him. If he be sick to seek remedy to hele him. If he be disposed to sickness/ to keep him that he fall not there in. And for each of the three said things/ the said Ptholomeus put divers signs. health properly attemperance/ accord/ and equality of the four qualities of man/ which been hot cold/ dry/ & moist. The which when they been well tempered and equal that the one surmount not the other/ than the body of man is hole. But when they been unegal and miss tempered/ and the one hath power one over an other/ than a man is sick or disposed to sickness/ and they been the qualities that the body holdeth of the clementes that they been made & composed of/ that is to say of the fire heat/ of the water cold/ of the air moist/ and of the earth dry. The which qualities/ when one is disordered from the other/ than the body is sick. And if that one destroy all the other/ than the body dieth/ and the soul departeth. ¶ The sign to know a man hole/ and well disposed in his body. Cap .v. THe first sign whereby Ptholomeus knew a man to be hole/ & well disposed in his body/ was when he eateth and drinketh well after the convenance of the hunger & thirst that he hath without making excess. And also when he digesteth lightly/ and when that he hath eaten or drinken it troubleth and grieveth not his stomach. Also when he feeleth good savour/ & good appetite in that he eateth and drinketh. Also when he is hungry and thirsty at the hours that he ought to eat and drink. And also when he rejoiceth him with folk. Also when they play gladly in the fields and gardens to take the sweet air and sport in the meadows by water sides. Also when he eateth gladly & with good appetite of butter/ cheese/ & flawnes without leaving any thing in his dish to send to the alms house. Also when he sleepeth well & surely without raving or dreaming of his business. Also when he feeleth him light: and that he walketh well. And when he sweteth soon/ and that he nyseth little or nothing. Also when he is nouther to fat nor to lean. Also when he hath good colour in his face/ and that his wits been all well disposed for to do their operation/ as his iyens for to see/ his ears to hear/ his nose to smell. etc. ¶ And I leave of the convenance of age/ the disposition of the body/ & also of tyme. Of other signs I say no thing: but these most suffice for the poor lay people/ to know the signs of health. ¶ These signs been contrary to them aforesaid/ by the which Ptholomeus knew when he or other were sick. Cap vi first when he may not well eat nor drink/ or that he have none appetite to eat at dinner & supper/ or when he findeth no savour in that he eateth or drinketh/ or that he is hungry and may not eat/ when his digestion is not good/ or that it be to long. Also when he goth to chamber moderately as he ought to do. Also when he is pensive/ sad sorry/ or heavy in right joyous or cheerful companies: than sickness constraineth a man to be thoughtful. Semblably when he may not sleep nor take his rest a right and at due hour with quietness/ as is requisite for all healthful persons to have. And also when his membres been heavy/ as his head/ his legs/ and arms/ with other membres. And also when he may not walk easily and lightly and that he spueth oft/ & his colour is pale or yellow: or when his wits/ as his/ iyen his ears/ and other do not kindly their operations. In likewise when he may not labour and travail. Also when he forgetteth light lie that which of necessity ought to be kept in memory/ & when he spitteth often/ or when his nose thrills aboundeth in superfluous humours. And when he is negligent in his works: and when his flesh is blown or swollen in the visage/ in his legs/ or his feet/ or when his eyen been hollow in his head. These been the signs that signifieth a man being in sickness/ & who that hath most of the foresaid signs/ most is infect with sickness. ¶ Other signs almost semblable to them aforesaid/ and showeth the replection of cuyll humours/ and for to be purged of them. Capitulo vii REplection is a fullness of evil humours/ and disposition of sickness after the opinion of Ptholomeus/ of the which replection is to know how to purge the said humours/ that they engender no sickness/ and been known by the signs that followeth. ¶ first when a man hath over great redness in his face/ in his hands: or in his nails/ having also his veins full of blood/ or bleedeth to much at the nose/ or to often/ or hath pain in the forehead. Also when his ears soundeth/ and when his eyen watereth/ or be full of gum/ and hath his understanding troubled/ and when the poulx beateth to fast/ & when the belly is long resolute & lax/ & when he hath the sight troubled/ and eating also without appetite. And by all these & other signs beforesaid one may know the body evil disposed/ & full of corrupt humours superfluous and evil. ¶ A division & regiment of time/ the which Ptholomeus used/ after that the season and time required. Capitulo viii AS for to remedy the sicknesses/ & infirmities that a man hath/ and to keep him from them that been doubted to come/ Ptholomeus saith that the time/ naturally changeth four times in the year: and so they divide the year in four quarters: that is Vere/ Somer/ Harvest/ and winter. And in each of these quarters he did govern him as the seasons required to his mind/ & the better it was for him. And as the season changeth/ so changed he his manner of living and doing/ and saith that changing of time without taking good heed often engendereth infirmities/ for that one time behoveth not/ to use some meats that been good in another time/ as that used in winter is not all good in Summer/ & so of the other seasons. ¶ And for to know the changing of time after these said quarters or seasons/ they consider the course of the Son by the xii Signs/ & say that every of the said four quarters and seasons dureth four Months/ and that the Son passeth by three signs: that is to weet in Prime time by Pisces/ Aries/ & Taurus'/ and these been the months/ February/ March/ and april/ that the earth & trees rejoiceth and chargeth with green leaves and flourꝭ/ that is a pleasure to behold. In summer by Gemini/ Cancer/ and Leo: and the months been May june/ and july/ that the fruits of the earth groweth and ripeth. In harvest by Virgo/ Libra/ and Scorpio: and the months been August/ Septembre/ & Octobre/ that the earth & trees dischargeth the fruits and leaves/ and that time every body felleth & gaderyth the fruits. In winter by Sagittarius/ Capricornus/ and Aquarius: and the months been november/ Decembre/ & january/ that the earth and trees been as deed & unclothed of leaves/ fruits/ & of all greenness. After the which four seasons/ Ptholomeus devysen the time that man may live in four aeges/ as youth/ strength/ and decrepyte/ and likened to the four seasons of the year. That is to weet/ youth to Prime time that is hot and moist: and as the herbs and trees of the earth groweth/ so doth man in youth unto xxv year grow of body/ in strength beauty & vigour. Strength is likened unto Summer hot and dry/ and the body of man is in force and vygoure/ and enrypeth unto xlv year. Aege is compared unto the time of Harvest cold and dry that man leaveth of growing and feebleth/ and thinketh how to gather & spare for fere of default & need that he cometh to stooping age/ and dureth to lvi years. Decrepyte is likened to the season of winter cold and moist by abundance of cold humours & default of natural heat/ in the which time man spendeth that which he had gathered and kept in time passed/ and if he have spared no thing/ he abideth poor and naked/ as the earth and trees/ and dureth unto lxxii. year or more ¶ primetimes is hot and moist/ nature of air/ and complexion of the sanguine. ¶ Summer is hot and dry/ nature of fire/ & complexion of the coloryke. ¶ Harvest is cold and dry/ nature of earth/ & complexion of melancholy. ¶ winter is cold and moist/ nature of water/ complexion of the phlegmatic. when complexion is well proporcyoned/ it feeleth itself better disposed in the time semblable to it/ than it doth in other times. But for that every man is not well complexioned/ they aught to do as Ptholomeus died/ that is to take regiment to kept themself after the seasons/ and govern them by his rules and teachings/ the which he used in every quarter of the year for to live the longer/ wisely/ and merrily. ¶ The regiment for primetimes/ that is for to say March/ Apryll/ & May. Cap ix IN primetimes Ptholomeus kept himself meetly well clothed/ not over cold/ nor to hot/ as with thine vestures/ dowbletꝭ of silk/ and gowns meetly light furred with lamb most commonly. In this time is very good letting of blood to avoid the cuyll humours that were gathered in the body the winter tyme. If sickness happen in primetimes it is not of his nature/ but proceedeth of the humours gathered in the wyntes passed. primetimes is a temperate time to take medicines for them that been corporat and full of thick humours/ to purge them. Also in this time men ought to eat light meets/ that refresheth as chekyns/ kids with vergyous/ borage/ betes/ yolks of eggs in moon shine poached/ roches/ perches/ pykerelles/ & all scaled fish. Also to drink temperate wine/ bear/ or ale/ so that they be not to strong nor over sweet/ for in this time all sweet things ought not to be used: & a man ought not to sleep long in the morning/ and not on the day. The astronomers have a general rule/ or custom for all seasons/ that availeth moche against all infirmities and sicknesses: that is not to lose his appetite for eating/ and never for to eat without hunger. Also they say that all manner flesh and fish is better roasted than sudden/ and if they be sudden to broil on a grydeyron/ or on the coals/ and they been the more wholesomer. ¶ The regiment for the time of Summer/ that is june/ july/ and August. Ca. ten THe astronomers in Summer been clothed with light go wnes and single their shirts & sheets/ that they lie in been linen / for of all the clothes it is the coldest/ they have dowblettes of silk/ or of canvas/ and they eat light meats/ as chekyns with vergyous/ young rabetes/ lectuse/ purslayne/ melons coucombres/ peers/ plums/ and such fishes as are before named. And also they eat of meats that refresheth/ also they eat little and often/ they break their fast or dine in the morning/ or ever the Sonne arise/ and go to supper or it descend/ & they eat of the abovesaid meats/ & sour sauce to give them an appetite. They eat but little salt meats/ and refrain them from scratching/ they drink many times fresh water sudden with sugercandy: and also with other refressing waters/ and they do it always when that they been greatly thrysty/ safe only at dinner and at supper time/ for than they drink feeble green wine/ or small ale/ or single bear. And also they keep them from over great travail/ or over for sing of themself/ for in this time is no thing more grievous/ nor contageous than chaffing. In this time & season they do eschew the company of women/ and they bathe them oft in cold water to assuage the heat of their bodies enforced by labours. Alway they have with them sugar candy/ or other sugar & dradges/ whereof they take little & often/ and every day in the morning/ they force them by cowhing and spitting to void phlegms: and void them above & beneath the best that they may/ & wash their hands with fresh water/ their visage & mouth. ¶ The regiment for Harvest/ is Septembre Octobre/ and Novembre. Cap xi BE it to understand in Harvest astronomers be clothed after the manner of primetimes/ but their clothes been a little warmer. And in this time they do their diligence to purge and cleanse them/ and letting them blood to temper the humours of their bodies. For it is the most courageous time of the year/ in the which perilous infirmities happeneth and cometh/ and therefore they eat good wholesome meats/ as capon's/ hens/ young pegyons that begin to fly/ and drink good wines and other good and wholesome drinks/ without taking excess. In this time they keep them from eating of fruits/ for it is a dangerous season for the axes/ & they say that he had never axes that never eat fruit. In this time they drink no water/ & they put no part of them in cold water/ but their hands & their faces. They keep their heeds from cold in the night and morning/ and sleep not in the noon time: & keep them from over great travail: and endure not to much hunger nor thirst/ but eat when it is time/ & not when their maws be full. ¶ The regiment for winter time/ is Decembre/ january/ and February. Cap xii Moreover as Ptholomeus did the astronomers now doth in winter cloth them in thyeke go wnes of rough cloth/ high shorn well furred with fox fur. For it is the warmest fur that is and cats/ lambs/ and divers other thick furs that been good & wholesome. In the time of winter astronomers do eat beef/ pork/ and brawn/ hearts/ hinds/ and all manner of venison/ partridges/ fesauntes'/ and fowls of the river/ and other meats that they love best. For that is the season of the year that nature suffereth most great plenty of victual/ for the natural heat that is drawn within the body. In this time also they drink often strong wines after their complexion/ as bastard wine/ or osey. Two or three times in the week they use good spices in their meats. For this is the most wholesome time of all the year/ in the which cometh no sickness/ but by great excesses & outrages done to nature/ or by cuyll governing. astronomers say also that primetimes is hot and moist of the nature of the air/ complexion of the sanguine/ and that in the same time nature rejoiceth/ and the poors openeth/ and the blood spreadeth through the veins more than in any other tyme. Summer is hot and dry of the nature of the fire/ and of complexion choleric. In the which time one ought to keep him from all things that moveth to heteall excess and hot meats. Harvest is cold & dry of nature of earth/ & complexion of melancholy/ In the which time one ought to keep him from doing excess/ more than in other time for danger of sickness/ to the which that time is disposed. But winter is cold & moist of the nature of water/ and of complexion phlegmatic/ than a man ought for to keep him meetly warm/ and meanly for to live in health of body. ¶ Here after followeth the four elementis/ and the four complectione of man. Cap xiii THese they been Air/ Fire/ Earth/ and water. The xxiiii hours of the day & the night ruleth sanguine/ choleric/ melancholy/ & Flumatyke. Six hours after midnight blood hath the mastery/ and in the vi. hours before noon Colour reigneth/ and vi hours after noon reigneth Melancholy/ and the vi hours before midnight reigneth the phlegmatic. ¶ Here followeth the Astrology of Ptholomeus. Capitulo xiii SO as Ptholomeus & also divers other astronomers giveth us knowledge of the movings and propryetes of the Heavens: and divers other things contained in this present Compost/ the which is so that each other may comprise and know as they do. First one ought to know what the figure is/ the disposition of the world/ the number and order of the Elements/ and the movings of the skies/ appertaineth to be known of every man of good and noble wit. For it is a fair thing / delectable/ profitable/ & honest/ and therewith it is necessary for to have divers other knowledges/ and specially the Astrology of Ptholomeus: which showeth how the world is round as a ball. And after wise men say that there is no thing so round as it is. For it is rounder than any thing artyfyciall. Yet moreover in this world we see no thing nor never shall/ that is so tuste & equally round as itself is/ and is composed of the heaven and the four Elements in .v. principal parties. After that a man ought to know that the earth is in the mids of the world/ for it is the heaviest element. And upon the earth is the water or the see/ but it covereth not all the earth/ to th'end that men & bestis may live therein/ and the party that is uncovered is called the face of the earth/ for it is as the face of man always uncovered/ and the party that is covered with water is the body of man that is clothed & hid. On the water is the air that encloseth the earth and the water/ and is divided in three regions/ one is low whereas enhabyteth beasts and birds/ another is mean where as been the clouds/ the which make the Impressions as lightnings/ thunders/ and other/ and is alway cold/ and the third is the highest/ where as is neither wind nor rain/ nor tempest/ nor other impression/ and there been some mountains that attaineth unto it: as is Olympus that rechyth the highest region of the air/ and the element of fire mounteth unto the sky/ and the elements sustaineth the skies/ as the pillars or posts sustaineth a house. Of such mountains is one in africa named Athlas. After that is the element of fire/ that is neither flame nor coals/ but is pure and invisible: for the great brightness/ for of so much as the water is more clear and light than the earth/ and the air more clear and light than the water/ of so much the fire is more clear/ light/ & fairer than the air: and the skies in equipolent been more clearer/ lighter/ and fairer than the fire/ the which turneth with the movings of the heavens/ and the next region of the air also: in the which is engendered comytes that been called stars/ for that they been shining and moveth as the stars. After the saying of Ptholomeus and other Astrologyens the fire is invisible for his subtlety and not for his clearness/ for of as much as a thing is more clear/ of so much it is more visible/ for we see the skies well/ but not the fire for it is overmuch more subtile than the air that is invisible for the same cause/ the earth and the water been thick/ and therefore they been visible. ¶ The skies been neither properly heavy nor light/ hard nor soft/ clear nor dark/ hot nor cold/ sweet nor sour/ colour nor son/ nor such other qualities/ safe that they been hot in virtue: for they may cause heat here beneath by their lightness/ movings/ and influences and been improperly hard/ for they may not be divided nor broken. And also they been improperly colours of light in some parties/ & been thick/ as been the parties of the stars. In the which there may no star/ nor other party be adiusted and put to/ nor none may be demynysshed nor taken away/ and they may neither increase nor wax less/ nor be of other figure than round/ nor they may not change/ enpayre/ nor wax old/ nor be corrumped nor altered/ but in light only/ as in time of the eclipse of the Son and Moon: nor they may not rest and stand still/ nor turn only otherwise/ later nor sooner/ in party nor in all/ nor behave them otherwise than after their common course: but by miracle divine: and therefore the stars and skies been of another nature/ than the elements and the things in them composed/ the which been transmutable and corruptible. The elementis and all things of them composed/ been enclosed with the first sky/ as the yelke of an egg is enclosed within the white/ and the first sky is enclosed of the second/ and the second in the third/ and the third in the fourth/ and so of other. The first sky next the elements is the sky of the Moon. And next it is the sky of Mercury. And next it the sky of Venus. Than is the sky of the Son. And next that the sky of Mars. Than is next the sky of jupiter. And than next after that is the sky of Saturn. And thus been the skies of the planettꝭ after their order. The eight sky is of stars fixed/ and they been called so/ for that they move more regularly and after one guise than the planets do. And than above that is the first mobile/ in the which no thing appeareth that Astrologyens may see. There been some Astrologyens say that above these ix skies is one immobyle/ for it turneth not/ and above that is one of Crystal/ over the which is the sky Imperial/ in the which is the throne of god/ of the which sky the Astronymyers ought not to speak/ but only of the first mobyle/ and that it containeth altogether called the world. ¶ Of one thing they marvel much/ that is how god hath distributed the stars/ that he hath put none in the ninth sky/ and hath put so many in the eight sky: that they may not be numbered/ and in each of the other vii but one only/ as aforesaid of the son/ moon/ and stars: as evidently appeareth hereafter. ¶ Here Ptholomeus showeth more plainly of the four Clementes/ and of the similitude of the earth/ and how that every Planet is one above another/ & showeth which of them been masculine/ as these five Saturn/ jupiter/ Mars/ Sol/ & Mercury. And of ii feminine: as Venus/ & Luna/ and which of them is northly/ & southly/ and which been oriental/ or occydentall. Capitulo xu SOme movings been of the skies and planets/ that exceedeth the understanding of the Astrologyens as the moving of the firmament: in the which been the stars against the first mobile in an hundred year one degree/ and the moving of the planets in their episcycles/ of the which how well that astronomers be not ignorant of all/ yet they make nomencyon here/ for it sufficeth them only of two/ whereof the one is from orient in to the occident above the earth/ and from occident in to the orient under it/ that is called the diurnal moving/ that is to say that it maketh from day to day xxiiii hours/ by the which moving the ix sky/ that is the first mobile draweth after/ & maketh the other skies to turn that been under it. The other moment is of the vii planets/ and is from occident to orient above the earth: and from orient in to the occident under it/ and is contrary to the first/ & been the two movings that Astrologyens knowledgeth/ and how well that they been opposytees/ yet move they continually/ and been possible/ as it is showed by ensample. If a ship on the see came from orient in to occident/ & that he of his own moving went in the ship softly toward orient/ this man should move a double moving whereof one should be of the ship and of himself together: & the other should be of his own moving that he maketh softly to ward orynet. Semblably the planets been transported with their sky from orient in to occident by the diurnal moving of the first mobile But later and other wise than the fixed stars/ by that that every planet hath his proper moving contrary to the moving of stars: For the moon maketh a course less in a month about the earth than a star fixed/ & the son a course less in a year: and the other planets in certain time each after the quantity of his moving. Thus it appeareth that the planets move two movings. Ptholomeus saith/ pose by imagination that all the skies seized to move of the daily moving/ the moon would make a course in going from the occident in to the orient in as much time as lasteth now xxvii days/ and viii hours/ and Mercury/ Venus/ and Sol would make in like manner course in the space of a year/ and Mars in two year/ and Saturn in xxx year or thereabout. For now they make their course or revolutions: & accompsysshe their proper movings in the time here named. The proper moving of planettꝭ is not straight from occident to orient/ but it is a side way/ and Astrologyens see them sensible/ For when they see the moon before a star one night/ the second/ or the third night/ it is behind not straight toward orient/ but shall be drawn one time toward Septemtryon/ and another time toward midday/ & this is because of the latitude or largeness of the zodiac/ in the which been the xii signs/ under whom the planttes reigneth. ¶ Of the equynocciall and zodyake: that been in the ix skies that containeth the firmament under it. Capitulo xvi AS in the concave of the first mobile Ptholomeus & other Astrologyens imagineth to be the ii circles/ and they been there royal/ the one is as small as a little thread/ & it is called equynocciall/ and the other is large in manner of a girdle or as a garland of flowers/ which they do call the zodiac/ and these two circles divideth the one & the other equally but not straight/ for the zodiac crosseth crookedly/ & the places where it croketh/ been said equynoccialles. For to understand the equynocciall/ we sesensybly all the sky turn from orient in occident/ and it is called the daily moving/ or diurnal moving/ than ought one to imagine a straight line that passeth thorough the middle of the earth coming from the one end of the sky to the other about the which line is made this moving/ & the two ends been the two points in the sky that moveth not/ and been called the poles of the world/ of the which poles/ one is over us by the star of the north/ that always demonstreth himself & aperith to us/ & is the pose arctic or septentrional/ and the other is under the earth always hid called the pole antarctic/ or pole austral/ in the mids of the which poles/ in the first mobyle/ is the circle equynocciall equally before in the party/ as in the other of the said poles/ and after this circle is made and measured the daily moving of xxiiii hours that is a natural day/ & it is called equinoctial For that when the son is in it/ that day & the night been equal thorough the world. The large zodiac as said is in the first mobile/ and also it is a girdle mannerly figured and set with images of signs entrayled subtilely and well composed/ and set with fixed stars/ as shining Carbuncles or p●ecyous Bemmes full of great virtue/ set by maystryse right nobly adorned: in the which zodyake been four principal points/ that divideth them equally in four parties. One is high called the solstice of Summer/ which when the son is entered in Cancer/ it is the longest day of Summer. Another is low called the solstice of winter: which is when the son is entered in Caprycorne/ than it is the shortest day of winter/ and mean called equinoctial of Harvest/ that the son entereth in Libra in the month of Septembre. And the other is called the equinoctial of primetimes/ that the son entereth in Aries in the month of March. The which four parties divideth each in three equal parties/ & maketh xii parties/ that been called signs/ as Aries/ Taurus/ Gemini/ Cancer/ Leo/ Virgo/ Libra/ Scorpio/ Sagittarius/ Capricornus/ Aquarius/ & Pisces. Aquarius beginneth in the equinoctial & crosseth the zodiac/ and when the son is there it beginneth to decline (that is to say) approaching Septemtryon/ and to ward us it extendeth to the orient. Than is Taurus second/ Gemini the third/ and so of all the other. ¶ Also every sign is divided in xxx degrees: and be in the zodiac. CCC lx degrees/ and every degree divided by lx mynutes/ every minute in lx. secondes/ every second in lx threes/ and this partition & division sufficeth to be understand of astronomers. ¶ Here after followeth a very subtle variation in the sky. Capitulo xvii THe astronomers do knowledge a very subtle variation in the sky/ and is for the stars fixed be not under the same degrees of the zodiac that were created because of the moving of the firmament/ the which been against the first mobile in a. C. year of one degree/ for the which mutation the son may have other regard to a star/ and other signification than it had in the time passed/ and also when that books were made/ for that the star hath changed his degree or sign under which it was. And this often times causeth them that make Pronostycations and jugementꝭ coming to fail. ¶ All the circles of the sky been narrow and small/ except the zodiac/ which is large/ & containeth in length. CCC lx degrees/ and of largeness xii the which largeness is divided by the mids vi degrees on that one sign/ and vi on the other: and this division is made by a line named ecliptic/ is the way of the son/ for the son never departeth under that line/ and thus it is always in the middle of the zodiac/ but the other planets been always on the one side/ or on the other of the said line/ safe when they been in the heed or in the tail of the Dragon/ as the moon passeth twice in a month/ and if it happen when that it reneweth it is Eclipse of the son/ & if it happen in the full moon & that it be right under the nadyr of the son it is general eclipse/ and if it be but a party it is not seen. when it is eclipse of the son/ it is not general thorough all the clymatꝭ but only in some/ but when it is eclipse of the moon/ it is general over all. ¶ Of ii great circles/ that is to say one merydyens/ & the other ozyron that intersequeth one the other/ and crosseth directly. Capitulo xviii MEridyen is a great circle imagined on the sky/ which passeth by the poles of the world: and by the point of the sky right over our heeds/ which is called zenych/ and when the son is comen over from the orient unto that circle it is midday/ and therefore it is called merydyen/ & the half of the circle is over the earth/ & the other under it that passeth by the point of midnight directly opposite to zenych/ and when the son toucheth that part of the circle it is mydnygth/ and if a man go to ward orient or occident he hath new merydyen/ and therefore it is sooner midday to them that be to ward orient than to other/ if a man stand still/ his merydyen is one still: or if he go to ward midday or Septemtryon/ but if he stir he hath other zenych/ and these two circles crosseth directly. Ozyron is a great circle that divideth the party of the sky that we see from that we see not: and Ptholomeus saith if that a man were in a plain country he should see justly half of the sky/ the which is called the Emyspery (that is to say) half espere and ozyron is joining nigh to the earth/ of the which ozyron the entry is the middle/ and is the place in which we been/ thus each is always in the mids of his ozyron/ and zenyche is the pole/ and as a man transporteth him from one place to another/ he is in the other places against the sky/ and hath other zenyche and other ozyron/ all ozyron is right or oblyke. They have right ozyron that habyteth under the equinoctial/ and have their zenyche in the equinoctial/ for their ozyron intersequeth and divideth the equinoctial even by the two poles of the world/ that in such wise that none of the poles of the world is raised above their ozyron/ nor deprived under it/ but they that habyteth other where than under the equynoccyall have their ozyron oblyke/ for their ozyron followeth and divideth the equinoctial sydewaye/ and not right/ and there appeareth to them of all times one of the poles of the world raised above their ozyron/ and the other been over hid/ so that they see them not/ more or less after divers habitations/ and after that they been of fernes from the equinoctial/ and the more that the one pole is raised the more is the ozyron oblyke/ and the other pole deprived/ and it is to weet that there is as much distance from the ozyron to the pole: as it is from the zenyche to the equinoctial/ and that zenych is the fourth party of merydyens or the mids of the bow diurnal/ of the which the two ends been on the ozyron. And also that of the pole unto the equynoccyall is the fourth party of all the roundness of the skies/ and also of the merydyen circle sith that it passeth by the poles & crosseth the equinoctial directly. ¶ Example of the ozyron of Paris after the opinion of Ptholomeus & other astronomers/ over the which ozyron they say that the pole is raised xlix degrees: wherefore they say also that from the zenych of Paris unto the equinoctial been xlix degrees/ & that from the ozyron unto the zenych/ which is the four party of the merydyen cycle been. lxxxx. degrees/ and from the pole unto the solstice of Summer been lvii degrees/ & from the solstice unto the equinoctial been xxxiii degrees/ there been from the pole unto the equynoccial lxxxx. degrees/ & is the fourth party of the roundness of the sky/ from the equinoctial unto the solstice of winter been xxxiii degrees/ and from the solstice unto the ozyron xviii Thus shall the equinoctial been raised over the ozyron xli degrees/ and the solstice of summer lxiiii degrees: in the which solstice is the son at the hour of noon the longest day of summer: And than it entereth in to the sign of Cancer/ and is most nearer our habitable parties that may be. And when the son is in the solstice of winter the shortest day of the year at the hour of noon it entereth in to the sign of Capricorn. And the said solstice is not raised over the ozyron of Paris but viii degrees. The which clevacyons & rysynges a man may find plainly/ so that he knew one only/ and in every region in like wise after the situation. ¶ Also hereafter do follow two other great circles of the sky/ & four small. Ca. xix ON the sky been two great circles named colours/ that divideth the skies in four equal parties/ & crosseth theirself directly/ and the one passeth by the poles of the world/ and by the two solstyces/ and the other by the poles also/ & by the two equynoccyalles. The first small circle is called the circle arctic because of the pole zodyake about the pole arctic/ and his likeness is to his opposite/ named the circle antarctic. The other two been named tropykes/ the one of summer/ and the other of winter. The tropic of summer is cause of the solstice of summer beginning of the sign of Cancer: and the tropic of the solstice of winter beginning of the sign of Caprycorne/ and been equally distance one circle from the other. ¶ Here ought to be noted that the dystaunces of the pole arctic to the circle arctic/ and the distance of the tropic of summer to the equinoctial/ & that of the equinoctial to the tropic of winter: and from the circle antarctic to the pole antarctic been just equal each of xxiii degrees & a half or there about/ than the distance from the equinoctial to the tropic of summer/ and from the circle arctic to the pole make together xlvii degrees. The which take away of the quarter between the pole and the equinoctial/ where as been. lxxxx. degrees/ save that there abideth xliii That been the distance between the tropic of winter and the circle antarctic/ and these circles been said little for they been not so great as the other been/ Nevertheless they been divided each by. CCC. & lx degrees/ as the greatest. ¶ Of the rising and resconsing of the signs in the ozyron. Capitulo twenty OZyron an emyspery differed: for ozyron is the circle that divideth the party of the sky/ that we see/ from the under the earth that we see not. Also ozyron is the circle that moveth not/ but as we move from one place to another: but emyspery turneth continually/ for one party riseth and mounteth over ozyron/ and the other part resconseth & entereth under it/ thus ozyron riseth nor resconseth: but that that cometh above riseth and that which goth under resconseth/ merydyen also riseth not nor resconseth. equinoctial is the diurnal circle that riseth and resconseth regular: as much in one hour as in another/ and all in xxiiii: hours: zodyake the large circle and oblyke/ whereon the signs been raiseth and resconseth all on a day natural/ but not regular: for it riseth more in one hour than in another/ for that our ozyron is oblyke and divideth the zodiac in two parties: whereof one is ever over our ozyron/ and the other underneath. Thus half of the signs riseth over our ozyron every day artyfyciall/ be it short or long/ and the other half by night/ wherefore it behoveth that in the days that been shorter than the night the signs riseth sooner/ and in long days more at leisure/ and thus the zodiac riseth not regularly in these parties as the equynocciall/ But there is double variation for half of the zodiac that is from the first beginning of Aries unto the last end of Virgo/ all together taketh equally as much time in rising/ as half of the equynocciall the which remaineth by it/ and they do begin to rise in a moment: and also they fynysshe & make their end in a moment. But this half of the zodiac riseth sooner in the beginning/ and this half of the equinoctial more at leisure/ and this is called their oblyquement. ¶ Also the other half of the zodiac/ that is from the beginning of Libra unto the end of Pisces/ and half of the equynocciall that by it beginneth/ and also it leaveth to rise equally together/ but the equynocciall in that party in the beginning riseth sooner/ & the zodyake more at leisure/ and this is called rising directly. And which that riseth sooner the equinoctial or the zodiac/ yet always they end together. Example of the two movings aforesaid/ as if two men went from London to wyndsore and departed both together/ & that at the beginning the one go fast/ & the other softly/ he that goeth fast should be sooner in the midway than the other/ but if he that went fast to the midway go softly/ and the other fast/ they shall be both at ones in wyndsore. Also the half of the zodiac: from the beginning of Cancer/ unto the end of Sagittary in rising beareth more than half the equinoctial/ so that this half riseth all right/ & the other half of the zodiac riseth contrariwise/ or crooked. ¶ Of the divisions of the earth/ and of the regions. Capitulo xxi BEfore or we spear of the stars & knowledge that Ptholomeus and other astronomers have/ we will speak of the division of the earth/ & of his parties after their opinion. wherefore it is to be noted that the earth is round/ and therefore as a man go the from one country to another/ he hath other ozyron than he had/ and there appeareth another party of the sky/ & if a man went from septemtryon that is the North parties straight toward midday/ the South parties the pole arctic to him shall be less raised/ that is to say more nigh approaching to the earth: and if he went contrary wise it should be more raised/ that is to say appearing higher/ and therefore if he went toward midday under merydyens while that the pole arctic were less raised over his ozyon by the xxx part of one of the vi part of the ark merydyen: he should pass the xxx parts of half of the circuit of the earth/ and to him the pole should be less raised by one degree/ or to the contrary till it were more raised of one degree/ than he should pass one degree of the circuit of the earth/ of the which all the degrees together been. CCC lx And one degree of the earth containeth xliii leges & a half or there about/ and every legeiss ii mile. And as the spear of the sky is divided by the four less circles in the .v. parts called zones/ so the earth is divided in to .v. regions. ¶ The first is between the pole arctic and the circle arctic. The ii is between the circle arctic and the tropic of summer. The iii is between the tropic of summer/ and the tropic of winter. The four is between the tropic of winter/ and the circle antarctic. The .v. between the circle antarctic and the pole antarctic. Of the which parties of the earth/ some Astronymyers say that the first & the .v. been inhabitable/ for their over great coldness/ for they been to far from the son. The third that is in the middle is to near under the way of the son/ and is not inhabitable for the great heat. The other ii parties/ the second and the fourth be not to near nor to far from the son/ but been moderate in heat and cold/ and therefore they been habitable if there be none other letting/ and suppose that it be true/ yet it is not possible to pass overthwart the region under the way of the son called zone/ turned, to go from the second to the fourth/ for some astronomers would have passed/ that would have showed of it/ wherefore they say that there is no region habyted/ but the second wherein we and all the other been also. ¶ Of the variation that is for divers habitations & regions of the earth. Cap xxii PTholomeus and other astronomers say/ that if it were possible that the earth were inhabited all about and pose the case that it were so/ first they that inhabit under the equinoctial/ have always the days and the nights equal/ & have the two poles of the world at the two corners of their ozyron/ and may see all the stars when they see the two poles/ and the son passeth twice in a year over them/ that is when it passeth by the equynoccyalles. Thus the son is to them the one half of the year toward the pole arctic/ & the other half toward the other pole/ and therefore they have two winters in a year without great cold/ one is when we have winter/ & the other when we have summer. Semblably they have two summer's/ one is in March when we have primetimes/ & the other in Septembre when we have Harvest/ and by this they have four Solstyces/ two high when the son passeth by their zenyche/ and two low when it declineth one way or other/ and thus they have four shadows in a year/ for when the son is in the equynocces twice in one year in the morning their shadows been in the occident: and at night in the orient/ and than at noon they have no shadows/ but when the son is in the signs Septemtryonalles/ & so againward. secondly they that inhabit between the equynoccial and the tropic of summer / have in likewise two summer's and two winters/ and four shadows in a year/ and they have no difference of the first/ save that they have longer days in summer/ and shorter in winter/ for as the equynoccyall lengeth/ in likewise doth the days of summer/ and in the party of the earth is the first climate and almost half the second/ & is called Araby wherein is ethiop. thirdly they that inhabit under the tropic of summer have the son over their heads/ & the day of solstice of summer at noon/ they have their shadows smaller than we have/ and there is a party of ethiop. Fourthly they that been between the tropic of summer & the circle arctic/ have longer days in summer than the aforesaid/ in as much as they been ferther from the equinoctial/ & shorter in winter/ and they never have the son over their heads/ nor toward septemtryon/ and that party of the earth we inhabit. fifthly they that inhabit under the circle arctic have the ecliptic of the zodiac to their ozyron/ and when the son is in the solstice of summer it resconseth not: & thus they have no night/ but natural days of xxiiii hours. Semblably when the son is in the solstice of winter it is natural day when they have continual night/ and that the son riseth not to them. sixthly they that been between the circle arctic and the pole arctic have in summer divers natural days that been to them one day artyfyciall without night. And also in winter been many natural days: the which natural days been to them always night/ & the more that it approacheth or draweth near the pole/ the more is the artyfyciall day of summer long/ & dureth in some place a week: in some a month/ in some two in some three/ & in some more/ & proporcyonally the night is greater/ for some of the signs been ever on their ozyron/ and some always under/ & as long as the son is in the signs about it is day/ and while it is underneath it is night. Seventhly they that inhabit under the pole have the son half of the year on their ozyron/ and have continual day/ and the other half of the year continual night/ and the equynoccyall is their ozyron that divideth the signs vi above/ and vi beneath wherefore when the son is in the signs that been high/ and toward them they have continual day. And when it is in the signs toward midday they have continual night: and thus in a year they have but one day and one night. And as it is said of the party of the earth toward the pole arctic a man may understand of the other half and of the habytactons toward the pole antarctic. ¶ Of the division of the earth/ and only of the part inhabited. Capitulo xxiii SO as Ptholomeus & divers other devyden the earth habitable in vii parties/ that they call Climates & the dyamerous. The ii climate dyatyens. The iii dalyxandrye. The four dyarhodes. The .v. dyaromes. The vi daboristines. And the vii dyaripheos/ of the which each hath his longytude determined/ and the latitude also/ and nearer they been to the equynocciall the longer they been/ and larger/ and proceed in longytude from orient to occident and in latitude from midday to septemtryon. The first climate after some astronomers containeth in length half of the circuit of the earth/ that is two hundreth thousand/ and four hundreth mile/ and it hath an hundreth thousand/ and two hundreth miles of length. The. second/ and so of the other/ for the lessing of the earth coming toward septemtryon. To understand what a climate is after the saying of astronomers. A climate is a space of the earth equally large/ where of the length is from orient to occident/ and the breadth is coming from midday & from the earth enhabytable toward the equinoctial drawing to septemtryon/ as moche as an horologe or clock changeth not. For in earth habitable the clocks changeth vii times in the breadth of the climates/ it is of necessity to say that they been vii and where the variation of horologes is/ there is the diversity of climates/ how be it that such variation properly ought to be taken in the mids of the clymatꝭ/ and not at the beginning nor in the end/ for the nearness & convenance the one of the other. Also one climate hath always a day artyfycyall of summer/ shorter or longer than another climate/ and this day showeth the difference in the mids of every climate/ better than in the mids & at the end/ the which thing we may sensibly know at eye: and thereby judge the difference of the clymatꝭ. ¶ And it is to be noted that under the equinoctial the days & the nights in all times are equal each of xii hours/ but coming toward septemtrion the days of summer longeth/ and the winter days shorteth/ and the more that one approacheth septemtryon / the more waxeth the days in such wise that at the end of the last climate the days in summer been longer by three hours and an half/ than they been at the beginning of the first: and the pole is more raised by xxxviii degrees. At the beginning of the first climate the longest day of summer hath xii hours and xlv mynutes/ and the pole is raised on the ozyron xii degrees and xlv mynutes/ & in the mids of the climate the longest day hath xiii hours/ and the pole raised xvi degrees/ and the latitude dureth unto the longest day of summer/ that is xiii hours & xu mynutes: and the pole raised twenty degrees and an half/ the which largeness is. CCCC. xl. mile of earth. The second climate beginneth at the end of the first/ and the mids is there as the day hath xiii hours & an half/ and the pole is raised over the ozyron xxiiii degrees/ & xu mynutes. And the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath xiii hours/ and xlv mynutes/ and the pole is raised xxvii. degrees/ & an half/ and this largeness containeth of earth. CCCC. miles just. The iii climate beginneth at the end of the second & the mids is there as the day hath xiii. hours/ & the pole is raised xxx degrees/ & xlv mynutes/ and the latitude extendeth unto there as the longest day hath xiiii hours/ & xu mynutes/ & the pole is raised xxiii degrees/ and xl mynutis. The four climate beginning at the end of the third/ and the mids is there as the longest day hath xiiii hours and an half/ and the pole is raised xxvi degrees/ and twenty mynutes/ the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath xiii hours/ and xlv mynutes/ and the pole is raised xxx degrees/ and the largeness containeth of earth. CCC. mile. The .v. climate beginneth at the end of the fourth: and the mids is there as the longest day hath xu hours/ & the pole is raised xli degrees/ & twenty mynutes/ and the latitude dureth unto there as the longest day hath xu hours/ and xu mynutes/ and the pole is raised xliii degrees and an half/ and the largeness containeth of earth. Cc.lii miles. The vi climate beginneth at the end of the fifth/ and the mids is there as the longest day hath xu hours & an half/ and the pole is raised over the ozyron xlv. degrees/ & xxiii mynutes/ of the which the largeness dureth unto there as the longest day hath xu hours/ and xlv mynutes: the which largeness containeth of earth. Cc.xii miles. The vii climate beginneth at the end of the sixth/ and the mids is there as the longest day hath xvi hours: and the pole is raised xlviii degrees and xl mynutes/ the latitude extendeth unto/ there as the longest day hath xvi. hours/ and xu mynutꝭ/ and the pole is raised l degrees and an half/ and the largeness of the earth containeth. C.lxxx. and vi miles. ¶ The great and marvelous considerations & great understanding of the astronomers/ & Astrologyens. Cap xxiiii AFter the length of the climates/ so if case were one might go about the earth from orient to occident to his first place: some astronomers say that this compass may almost be made. saying that if a man went this compass in xii natural days going regularly to ward occident/ & began now at midday/ he should pass everydaye natural the xii part of the circuit of the earth/ and been xxx degrees/ whereof behoveth that the son make a course about the earth & xxx degrees ferther/ or he be returned on the morrow at the merydyen of the said man/ and so the said man should have his day and night of xxvi hours/ and should be ferther by the xii part of a natural day than if he rested him/ wherefore it followeth of necessity that in xii natural days/ the said man should only have but a xi days/ and a xi nights/ and somewhat less/ and that the son should light him but a xi times: and resconse a xi times/ for a xi days/ and a xi nights every day & night of xxvi hours maketh xii natural days/ every day of xxiiii hours. By semblable consideration behoveth that another man that should make this course going toward orient have his day & night shorter than a natural day by two hours/ than his day and night should be but of xii hours. Than if he made this course in like space/ that is to say in xii days & somewhat more. Thus if johan made course toward occident/ and Peter toward orient/ & that Robert abode them in the place from whence they departed the one as soon as the other/ & that they met at Robert both together. Peter would say that he had ii days/ and ii nights more than johan/ and Robert that hath rested a day less than Peter/ and a day more than johan/ how well that they have made this course in xii natural days or an. C. or in ten year/ all is one. This is a pleasant consideration among astronomers how johan & Peter cometh in one self day/ put case it were on a sunday. johan would say it is saturday. Peter would say it is monday/ and Robert would say it is sunday. ¶ Of the pommel of the skies a star called the star of the north/ near the which is the pole arctic called septentrional. Capitulo xxv HEre will we speak after the abovesaid things/ of some stars in particular. And first of them that Ptholomeus & other astronomers nameth the pommel of the skies/ or star of the north/ wherefore we ought to know that we see by reason the sky turn from orient to occident/ by the diurnal or the daily moving/ that is of the first mobile/ the which is made on two poyntis opposytꝭ that been the poles of the sky/ of the which two points/ we do see one visibly/ and it is the poleartyke/ and the other we see not/ that is the pole antarctic or in midday/ which is always hid under the earth. By the pole arctic that we see is the star most approached that astronomers call the pommel of the sky/ the which they say is the highest & most far from us/ and by the which they have the knowledge that they have of the other stars & parties of the sky. The stars that been by the said pommel go never under the earth/ of the which been the stars that maketh the chariot/ & divers other/ but they that been far from it/ goeth sometime under the earth as the son/ the moon and other planets. Under this pommel directly is the angle of the earth/ in the place where against the son is at the hour of mid night. ¶ Of Andromeda a star fixed. Capitulo xxvi Aries is a sign hot and dry/ that governeth the heed and the face of man/ & the regions/ Babylone/ Percy/ & Araby. And signifieth small trees/ and under him at the xvi degree/ riseth a star fixed called Andromeda: that astronomers figureth a maiden in her here upon the brink of the see/ set to be devoured of the monsters of the see/ but Perseus son of jupiter fought with his sword against the said monster & flew it/ & than the said Andromeda was delivered. They that been borne under her constellation been in danger of prison/ or to die in prison/ but if a good Planet take regard they scape not death and prison. Aries is the exaltation of the son at the xix degree: and Aries is the house of Mars with Scorpio/ wherein he is most. ¶ Of Perseus a star fixed/ lord of the spear. Cap xxvii Taurus' hath the trees/ plantꝭ/ & imps and gonerneth the neck and the throat bowl of man/ the regions Ethyopy/ Egypte/ and the country about/ and under the xxii degree riseth a star fixed of the first magnitude that astronomers call Perseus son of jupiter that smote of the heed of Meduse that made all them to die that beheld her/ and by no manner they might eschew it. Ptholomeus and other astronomers say that when Mars is conjoined with this star. They that been borne under the constellation shall have their heeds smitten of/ if god shape not remedy: and sometime they call this star lord of the sword/ and figure him a man naked with a sword in one hand/ and in the other the heed of Meduse & looketh not on it. And this sign Taurus is the exaltation of the moon in the third degree. ¶ Of Ozyron a star fixed/ and the fellows. Capitulo xxviii GEmini signifieth large/ good courage/ wit/ beauty/ clergy/ & governeth of man the shoulders/ arms/ and hands/ and the regions Ynde/ Armony/ Cartage/ and hath the small trees. And under the xviii degree riseth a star fixed called Ozyron/ and with it xxxvi other stars/ and is figured a man armed in mail/ and a sword gird about him/ and signifieth great captains. They that been borne under the constellation been in danger to be slain by treason/ if good fortune be not with them. Gemini and Virgo be the houses of Mercury/ but Virgo is it/ in the which he joyeth most/ and Gemini in the iii degree is the exaltation of the dragon's heed. ¶ Of Alhabor a star fixed. Capitulo xxix CAncer governeth the long & the equal trees/ and of the body of man the breast the heart/ the stomach/ the side/ the lights/ and the lungs/ the regions harmony the little/ and the region of orient. And there riseth under it in the viii degree a star fixed that astronomers call Alhabor (that is to say) of the great dog/ and they say that they which been born under the constellation: and that been in the ascending or the mids of the sky it signifieth good fortune/ & if the moon be with it/ and the party of fortune/ he that in it shall be borne/ shall not be very rich/ and Cancer the sign so called/ is the house of the moon/ and is the exaltation of jupiter in the xu degree. ¶ Of the lions heart a star fixed. Capitulo xxx Lo hath the great trees (that is to say) he is lord over them and signifieth an hasty man full of anger & of angusshe/ and of the body of man/ it behoveth properly the heart/ the back and the sides. And of regions Tartary/ unto the end of the earth habitable/ and under the xxxiii degtee riseth a star fixed called the lions heart/ and they that been borne under that constellation/ as astronomers say/ shall be mounted in high sygnouryes/ or in great offices/ & afterward shall be deprived or put down/ and be in danger of their lives/ but if some good planet behold the said star they may not be saved. Leo is the house of the son/ and Aries is the exaltation of the son/ as it is said of Ptholomeus and of other. ¶ Of the star fixed called Nebuluse/ & of another called the golden Cup. VIrgo governeth all that is sown on earth/ and signifieth a man of good courage/ Phylosophre plenteous/ & of all manner of sciences/ and keepeth of man the belly & the entrails/ And the region Algeramyta/ Assen/ that is a region by Iherusalem/ Eufrates/ and the isle of Spain. Under the longytude or xu degree riseth a star fixed named Nebuluse or tail of the Lion/ and in septentrional latitude of the said sign of virgo. Under the which sign riseth another fixed star/ which astronomers call the golden cup/ and is in the xiii degree of the said sign toward the party merydyonall. The which star is of the nature of Venus and of Mercury: and signifieth that they/ which been borne under the said constellation to know of things worthy/ good/ and holy. ¶ Of the Pork espyke a star fixed. Capitulo xxxii LIbra that under this sign domyneth the great trees/ and signifieth justice and of man it governeth the reins/ & the neither part of the belly/ And regions the country of Romany and of Grece. Under the xviii. degree riseth a star fixed that astronomers call Pork espyke. They that been borne under the constellation been well shapen/ and been honest/ and do things that folk marvel on/ and rejoiceth/ and signifieth riches by honest and precious merchandise and been commonly loved of lords and ladies and Libra is one of the houses of Venus/ and Taurus is the other/ in the which she rejoiceth most. And is the exaltation of Saturn For the wether beginneth to wax cold in this month of Septembre/ and Saturn is the planet and the lord of cold that exalteth in great height/ when that he entereth in to the sign of Libra. ¶ Of the Crown septentrional a star fixed. Capitulo xxxiii SCorpio that domyneth the trees that been of longytude and largeness/ and signifieth falseness/ and of the body of man governeth the privy places/ and the regions of Heberget: and the field of Araby in the ii degree riseth a star/ that astronomers call the Crown septemtryonal/ the which when it is in the ascending in the mids of the sky giveth honour and exaltation to them that been borne under the constellation/ & specially when it is well beholden of Sol/ the Scorpion is one of the houses of Mars/ in the which he rejoiceth most/ and Aries is the other/ and is the Sign wherein Mars beginneth to descend or fall from his exaltation. ¶ Of the Scorpions heart a star fixed. Capitulo xxxiiii SAgittary signifieth the man ingenious & wise/ and governeth the thighs of man/ And regions ethiop Maharobem/ and Aenyche. Under his first degree riseth a star fxyed of the first magnitude/ the which astronomers call the Scorpions heart/ which when it is well beholden of jupiter or Venus/ it raiseth them that been borne under his constellation to great honour and richesse/ but when it is evil beholden of Saturn or of Mars/ it putteth them that been borne under it to poverty/ the Scorpyon is the house of jupiter/ in the which he rejoiceth most/ and Pisces is the other house: and so is he said Sagittary/ the exaltation of the dragon's tayse. ¶ Of the flying Eagle a star fixed. Capitulo xxxv CApricornus signifieth a man of good and perfit life/ wise/ ireful/ and of great thought: and governeth the knees of man/ and the regions Ethyopye/ Araby/ Behamen/ and to the two sees/ and under his xxviii degree riseth a star/ that astronomers call the flying Egle/ that signifieth the sovereign or mighty Emperors/ or kings. They that been borne under his constellation/ when they been well begolden of the son of jupiter mounteth in great sygnouryes/ and been loved of kings and princes/ Capricornus and Aquarius been the houses of Saturn/ but he rejoiceth in Aquary moste: and the sign of the said Capricornus is the exaltation of Mars. ¶ Of the fish merydyonall a star fixed. Capitulo xxxvi AQuarius that keepeth the shanks unto the ankles of the feet of man/ and the regions/ Hazenoth/ Asempha/ & party of the land of Alphege/ & part of Egypte/ the xxi degree riseth a star/ that astronomers call the fish merydyonall. They that been borne under this constellation been happy in fishing in the south see/ and under the ix degree of the said sign riseth the dolphin that signifieth lordship on the see on ponds/ & rivers/ and as it is said/ Aquarius is the house of Saturn/ in the which he rejoiceth him. ¶ Of Pegasus that signifieth the Horse of honour a star fixed. Cap xxxvii PIsces governeth of man the feet/ and signifieth a man subtle/ wise/ and of divers colours/ and hath regions Trapesen/ jurgen/ and all the habitable party/ that is septemtryon/ and part of Romany/ & under the xu degree of the said sign riseth a star that astronomers call Pegasus/ that is the Horse of honour/ & the figure in form of a fair horse. They that been borne under this constellation shallbe honoured among great captains and lords/ when Venus is with it/ they be loved of great Ladies if the said star be in the mids of the sky in the descending/ and Pisces is one of the houses of jupiter/ and Sagittarius the other/ in the which he rejoiceth most/ & the said Pisces in the xxvii degree is the exaltation of Venus. ¶ Of the division of the twelve houses/ as well in the earth as in the heavens/ as hereafter do follow. Cap xxxviii IT is to understand that the Heavens & the earth is divided in four parties by ii circles: which crossets, directly over the two poles/ and crosseth four times the equynoccial line. Each of the four parties divided in iii equally/ is in all twelve equal parts/ as well in the sky as in the earth/ which Ptholomeus and other call houses/ and been xii Of which vi been always above the earth And vi under it: and these houses move not but been always each in his place/ and the signs and planets pass by them always once in xxiiii hours. Three of these houses been from orient to midnight going under the earth/ The first/ the second/ and the third/ whereof the first under the earth beginneth in orient/ named the house of life. The second house is named of substance and riches. The third that finyssheth at midnight is the house of fraternity. The fourth that beginneth at midnight coming in occident/ is named the house of patrimony. The fift is the house of sons. The sixth finisheth in occident/ under the earth is the house of sickness. The seventh beginneth in occident on the earth/ and stretcheth toward midday/ is the house of marriage. The eight is the house of death. The ninth finishing at midday is named the house of faith/ of religion/ and pylgrymag●. The tenth beginneth at midday coming toward orient/ is the house of honour and of regalyte. The eleventh is the very house of true friends. And the twelthe that finisheth in orient on the earth/ is called the house of charity/ but this matter is difficile/ for astronomers knowledging the nature and propryte of every of the said xii houses/ and departeth them lightly. ¶ How the planets reign in every hour of the day and the night. Cap xxxix HE that will weet how astronomers knoweth which Planet reigneth every hour of the day and the night/ and which planet is good/ and which is bad/ he ought first to know the planet of the day: and for to search therefore. The first temporal hour of the son rising/ that day is for the said planet. The second hour is for the planet ensuing And the third for the other/ & so following by order/ and it behoveth to go from Sol to Venus/ Mercury & Luna/ than come again to Saturn unto xii that is the hour before the son going down/ and in continent after the son is down/ beginneth the first hour of the night: that is for the viii planet: and the second hour of the night for the xiiii and so unto xii hours for the night/ that is the next hour before the son rising/ and come directly falling upon the xxiiii planet/ that is next before that the day following. And thus the day hath xii hours/ and the night xii also/ the which been temporal hours/ different to the hours of the clocks/ the which been artyfycyalles. Ptholomeus and other Astronomers say that Saturn & Mars been evil planets/ jupiter & Venus good/ Sol and Luna half good/ and half evil. The party to ward the good planet is good and the party to ward the evil planet is nought. Mercury conjoined with a good planet is good/ and with an evil planet he is nought/ and they understand this as the influencꝭ good or evil/ that been of the said planets here following. ¶ The hours of the planets been different to them of clocks: for the hours of clocks been equal at all times/ each of lx mynutes/ but they of the planets when the days & the nights been equal that the son is in one of the equynocces they been equal/ But as soon as the days longeth or shorteth/ so doth the natural hours/ by this it is convenient alway for the day to have xii temporal hours/ and the night xii also: and when the days been long/ & the hours long: and when the days been short and the hours short/ in likewise is the night/ and nevertheless an hour of the day/ and an hour of the night together have vi score mynutes/ as many as two hours artyfycyalles/ for that the one leaveth/ the other taketh. And take we our planets/ from the son rising unto the son going down: & not before and all the remnant is night. ¶ An example of this aforesaid. IN december the days have but viii. hours artyfycialles of clocks/ and they have xii temporals/ let the viii hours artyfycialles been divided in xii equal parties/ and it shallbe xii times xl mynutes/ and every party shallbe a temporal hour/ that shallbe of xl mynutes & no more. Thus in Decembre the temporal hours of the day have but xl mynutes/ but the hours of the night have lxxx For in that time the nyghtꝭ have xvi hours artyfycyalles/ the which divided in xii parties/ been lxxx mynutes for every temporal hour. Thus the hour of the nights in Decembre have lxxx mynutes & xl For an hour of the day is vi score mynutes in two temporal hours/ as many as in two hours artyfycyalles/ that been each of xl mynutes in june is the contrary: in March and in september all hours been equal/ as the days been in other months by equal portion. ¶ with every planet here before named been the signs/ which been the houses of the said planets/ as it is beforesaid. Capricornus & Aquarius been the houses of Saturn. Sagit tarius and Pisces/ of jupiter. Scorpius and Aries of Mars. Leo of Sol. Taurus and Libra of Venus. Gemini of Mercury. And Cancer of Luna/ with other significations that would be long to recount. ¶ Also hereafter followeth the Natures of the vii planets/ with their dispositions/ after the saying of Ptholomeus/ prince of Astronomy. Cap xl ¶ The first planet is Saturn. SAturne is the highest Planet of all the vii he is mighty of himself: he giveth all the great colds & waters/ yet he is dry & cold of nature/ and he cometh in to Cancer: and his chief signs been Aquarius and Capricornus: and he compasseth all the other planets. For Saturn is next under the first mobile that is under the crystal sky/ the which mobile moveth marvelously/ for some astronomers say/ that he causeth by his moving all other planets to move/ and moveth the mobile above. Saturn is so high that astronomers can not well measure it. For so high reason hath power and no ferther/ and therefore it is more than xxx year or he may run his course. when he doth reign/ there is moche theft used/ and little charity/ moche lying/ and moche lawing one against another/ & and great prysoning/ and moche debate/ & great swearing. And much plenty of corn/ and also much plenty of hogs/ and great travail on the earth/ and old folk shall be very sickly: and many diseases shall reign among the people/ and specially in the chief hours of Saturn/ And therefore this planet is likened unto age/ as hard/ hungry/ suspicious/ and covetous/ that selden is content with any thing/ for Saturn is enemy to all things/ that grow & bear life of natuer/ for the cold & stormy bitterness of his tyme. ¶ The properties of Saturn. THe man that is borne under Saturn shall be false/ envious/ and full of debate/ and full of law/ and he shall be cunning in coryenge of leather/ & a great eter of breed and flesh/ and he shall have a stinking breath: and he shall be heavy/ thoughtful and malicious/ a robber/ a fyghter/ and full of covetous/ and yet he shall keep well council/ and be wise in counceyling/ & he shall love to sin wilfully/ he shall be a great speaker of tales/ justes/ & chronicles/ and shall have little eyen/ black here/ great lips/ broad shoulders/ and shall look downward. He shall not love Sermons/ nor go to the church/ and beware of his hands: & he beholdeth the milt/ & above his neres the planet doth reign. And the children of the said Saturn shall be great jangelers and chyders/ black and lean in the face/ thine berd/ evil languaged/ & shall be full of law and vengeance And they will never forgive till they be revenged of their quarrel/ and like as the planet Saturn is cold/ and causer of great frosts and snows/ semblably he that is borne under him shall be cold in charity/ and not mysericordyous and merciful/ but vengeable/ & will never be entreated. And also they shall be great cursers/ and bear malice long in their minds and not forgive it/ and they look to be obeyed and to have great reverence: and commonly will praise themself and talk to themself/ & laugh at their own conceit / and all evil shall grow in them/ and above all colours he shall love black colour best. The planet of Saturn governeth of man the milt/ and above the neres as is beforesaid/ & this planet is cause of hasty death/ for because that he is dry and cold of nature/ And therefore he is likened to melancholy. And the said Saturn reigneth in Aquary/ Caprycorne/ and Cancer/ but specially in Aquary and Caprycorne. ¶ secondly of the noble Planet jupiter. IVpiter the noble Planet is very pure & clear of nature/ and not very hot/ but he is all virtuous. And there is fixed in jupiter two noble Signs of love/ the one is Pisces/ and the other is Sagittary: signs of none evil/ nor of none unhapynes/ this planet may not do none evil/ he is best of all the other/ he keepeth the liver of man: & maintaineth it joyously/ and evermore this planet doth always good & none evil/ and with in xii year or there about/ he passeth all the xii signs. And he is next after Saturn. ¶ The properties of jupiter HE that is borne under him shall love cleanliness of body/ and will not use to speak of ribaldry/ and harlottry/ he shall ever love religion/ and virtuous living/ he shall be personable of body/ he shall be perfit in all manner of measures both large and long/ he shall be white in the visage/ meddled with a little redness/ large brows/ he shall be a fair speaker/ and say well behind a person/ he shall love green colour & grey/ he shall be happy in merchandise/ & have plenty of gold & silver/ & he shall love to sing and to be honestly merry. And of the man he governeth the stomach & the arms. ¶ Thirdly of Mars. MArs is called the god of battle and of war/ and he is the third planet/ for he reigneth next under the gentle planet of jupiter. This planet Mars is the worst of all other/ for he is hot & dry/ and stirreth a man to be very wilful & stasty lightly/ and to unhappiness/ one of his signs is Aries/ and the other Scorpio/ & most he is in those two signs. He causeth all warts and battles/ this planet stirreth men to bear weapons/ as murderer's/ daggers/ swords/ bills/ or bows/ or some other weapon of death/ and would ever here of fighting. Therefore let every man be ware of the days of Mars/ and in his chief hours that no man fight/ for without doubt if god help him not/ he shall be maimed or slain. Also in the hours of Mars is perilous meeting with thieves/ for dread of slaying of true men. And Saturn mounteth in to the Crab/ & goeth about the xii signs in two year/ and thus he runneth his course. ¶ The properties of Mars. HE that is borne under this Planet of Mars/ in all unhappiness is expert/ he shall be a nourisher of great beestis he is full of malice/ and ever doing wrong. Under Mars is borne thieves and robbers that keep high ways/ & do hurt to true men/ and night walkers/ quarrel pykers/ boasters/ mockers/ & scoffers/ and these men of Mars causeth war and murder/ & battle/ they will be gladly smiths or workers on iron light fyngred/ and liars & great swearers of oaths in vengeable wise: & a great surmyler & crafty/ he is red and angry with black here/ and little eyen/ he shall be a great walker/ & a maker of sword and knives/ and a sheder of man's blood/ a fornicator/ and a speaker of ribaldry/ red berd/ round visage: and good to be a barboure and a blood letter/ and to draw teeth/ & is perilous of his hands/ and he will be rich with other men's goods. And of the body of man Mars keepeth the gall and the reins. ¶ Fourthly of the noble planet Sol. AS for Sol is a Planet of great renown/ and king of all the planets/ for the Son nourisheth every age/ and yet is he hot and dry of nature/ and the planet of Saturn is to him full contrary: for he is ever cold/ & the noble planet of the Son is hot/ and giveth all light. For when it is above the earth it is day/ and when the earth doth shadow the Son/ it is night moche be we both man and woman bound to laud god for this noble planet: for he comforteth both man and be'st/ fysses/ and all fowls that flyen in the air/ all things been glad of the Son/ after that the son goeth in to the west/ the fair flowers close themself. ¶ The properties of the noble planet Sol: King of all the planets is Sol/ All men and women that been borne under this planet of Sol shall be very fair/ amiable of face/ and their skin shall be right white and tender/ and well coloured in the visage with a little redness/ and they shall have a pleasure in their own beauty/ and they shall show their lives as they were good and holy/ but they shall be secret hypocrites if they give them to religion/ they shall be fortunate to great promotions/ they shall be clean and good of faith/ and shall be governor of other people/ and if they be never so poor/ yet shall they love hawking and hunting/ with hounds and hawks/ and rejoice to see it/ The children that be borne under the Son shall desire honour and science/ and shall sing very pleasantly/ and they shall be full of courage good and diligent/ & shall desire lordship above other people/ they shall give wise jugementꝭ/ and their words shall sound all sweetly/ & if he bear any office he shall be liberal/ and he shall be subtle in deeds of war/ and many shall seek to him for council/ he shall have profit by women/ and he shall be in service with lords/ & by them shall have advantage for his wisdom: his sign shall be in the face/ he shall be small of stature/ with scrype here and bald on the heed/ he will be seldom angry/ and of all the membres in man's body the Son keepeth the heart/ as most mightiest planet about all the other planets. ¶ fifthly of the gentle Planet Venus. Venus' the gentle planet reigneth next after the son/ and is a planet feminine/ and is a lady over all lovers/ this planet is moist and cold of nature/ and her two signs been Taurus and Libra and in them she hath all her joy and pleasance/ she causeth joy/ & specially among young folk/ for greatly she reigneth on them and on all men that been jealous/ and women also/ for jalousy is but a love inordynat/ as when a man or a woman loveth more fervently than they should: for such would never be from the sight of their lovers: for if they be anon they suspect them and dread for fere to be beguiled. For there is no man that loveth a woman by carnal affection/ but it is by the influence of Venus/ and but few men can escape out of her danger. This planet Venus reigneth in xii months over the xii signs. ¶ The properties of Venus. ALl these men & women/ that been borne under Venus'/ they shall be very gay lovers/ pleasant and delicious/ and most commonly they shall have black iyens/ & little brows/ red lips and cheeks/ with a smiling cheer/ they shall love the noise of trumpets/ claryons/ and of other mynstralsy/ and they shall be pleasant syngers with sweet voices/ & full of wanton toys/ plays/ and skoffynge/ and shall greatly delight in dancing/ & in casting of gamboudes/ with leaping and springing/ & will use playing at the chess/ cards/ & table's/ & desire oft to comen of lust & love/ & covet often sweet meats & drinks/ as wine/ & be often drunken/ & desire lechery/ and the beholding of fair women/ and the women of men in like wise. And use the deed of fleshly lust often times: they will desire fair clothes of gay colour and fine/ with rings of vanity/ & all vain pleasure of the world/ with pearls & precious stones/ they shall love flowers with sweet smells/ yet shall they be of good faith: and they shall love other as well as themself/ & they shall be liberal to their friends/ they shall have few enemies/ if they be brown/ they shall be well proportioned of body/ and if they swear it is true/ ye may believe them/ and Venus governeth the kidneys of man. ¶ Syxtely of the fair planet Mercury. MEercury the fair planet/ is next under Venus'/ & is masculine next above the Moon/ This Mercury is very full & dry of nature: & his two principal signs been these/ Gemini is the first that reigneth in the arms/ and in the hands of man or woman/ & the other sign is Virgo that governeth the navel and the stomach of man/ this planet is Lord of speech in likewise as the Son is lord of light. This planet Mercury passeth & circuit the xii signs/ in. CCC. & thirty viii. days. ¶ The properties of Mercury. WHo so is borne under Mercury shallbe very subtle of wit/ and shall be a devout person to god/ and have good conscience/ and shall be very crafty in many sciences/ he with his wisdom and labour shall get him many friends and lovers. He shall ever follow & resort to them that be of good manners/ & shall be fortunate on the see to use the course of merchandise/ he shall be very gracious/ he shall have harm by women/ & when he is married men shall not set so moche by him as they did before/ he will have great love to ladies and gentle women/ but yet they shall not be masters over him/ he will be a very good man of the church/ or a religious man/ and he shall not love to go a war far/ he will hate thieves & swearers/ & he shall gather great goods by his wisdom. If he be a man of the world he shall be perfit in some hand craft/ he shall love well to preach: and to speak fair rhetoric language/ and to talk of Philosophy & geometry/ he shall love well writing & to read ever in strange books/ & to cast accounts of great numbers/ and shall be a great maker of ballads/ songs/ metres/ and rhymes/ he shall be perfit in the art of music and love it/ he shall love mesuring & meeting/ and shall be some great cloth maker/ he shall be servant to some great lord/ or else a receiver of his money/ he shall have a high forehead/ a long visage/ black iyen/ & a thine beard/ he shall be a great pleader in the law/ and he will meddle with other men's deeds/ and they do not well & say against it/ and Mercury governeth the thighs/ the belly/ and the flanks. ¶ Seventhly of the Moon. AS it is known and to be understand/ that the lowest planet of the vii is named Luna/ the which we call the moan/ the which planet is called feminine or female/ and is called among astronomers the Lady of the night/ for the chief light and clearness that is by night/ is by the presence of the moan/ for the moan is much more nearer approached unto us than any fterre is/ & therefore she giveth us much more light than the stars doth/ and also the moan is lady of moisture: and ruleth the see by ebb and store the moan doth take her light of the son xxii times in the year. And also the moan is cold and moist of nature/ and her colour is much fairer than silver/ and her chief house is Cancer/ and there is none of the other planets that be so low/ and goth so little circuit as doth the Moon/ and descendeth in to Scorpio/ And she goeth about the xii signs in xxvi days/ and than changeth and recalled new. And this is the course of the Moon: after the saying of Ptholomeus. ¶ The properties of Luna. such men and women as been borne under the Moon shall be lowly and serviable/ and very gentle. And if it be a maiden child/ she shall be very shame fast and womanly/ and they shall be well favoured both man and woman/ their faces shall be full & round/ they shall be very patient folks: and will suffer moche wrong or they be revenged/ and will be soft of speech and very courtesy/ and shall live honstly with such as god shall send them/ and will haunt virtuous company/ they shall be well formed of body: and have merry looks & love honestly to be glad/ & will live very chastely/ & love greatly the virtue of cleanness/ both in word & deed/ they hate lecherous talkers/ of rybawdry/ their colour shall be mixed but with little redness/ they shall right gladly go arrayed in many coloured clothes/ & they shall soon sweet in the forehead. Also they will have great desire to be masters & mistresses over great streams/ rivers/ and floods/ and shall devise many proper engines for to take fish & to deceive them/ look what they say and it shall be true & steadfast/ and they shall be very honest & good goers on foot: and will comfort sick persons/ he shall love well to talk sometime of marvels/ he shall not keep hatred long in his mind/ and he shall appease the people under colour with communications: as well as other should do with silver. Honest women he shall love/ & he will hate harlots & brothels/ and shall nourish children up in virtue and good manners. And the lights and the brains of man is under the governance of Luna that is the moon. ¶ Thus endeth the vii planets with their properties. And here followeth/ to know the Fortunes and destinies of man and woman borne under the xii Signs (after the saying of Ptholomeus) prince of astronomy. Capitulo xli SO to know under what planet a man or woman is borne/ It is needful to weet that there is vii planets on the sky/ that is to say/ Sol/ Venus/ Mars Mercurius/ jupiter/ Luna/ and Saturnus. Of the vii planets is named the vii days of the week/ for every day hath his name of the Planet reigning in the beginning of it. The ancient Philosophers say that Sol domyneth the Sunday (the cause is they say) for the Son among other planets is most worthy: wherefore it taketh the worthiest day/ that is the sunday. Luna domyneth the first hour of monday. Mars the first hour of Tuesday. Mercurius for wednesday. jupiter for thursday. Venus for friday/ And Saturnus for saturday. The day natural hath xxiiii hours/ & every hour reigneth a planet. ¶ It is for to be noted that when a man will begin to reckon at sunday/ he must reckon thus/ Sol/ Venus/ Mercurius/ Luna/ Saturnus/ jupiter/ Mars. And when the number is failed/ he must begin at the hour that he would know what planet reigneth. The monday he ought to begin at Luna. The Tuesday at Mars. The wednesday at Mercury. The thursday at jupiter. The friday at Venus. The saturday at Saturnus. And ever when the numbers of the planets is failed/ he must begin by order as is aforesaid. ¶ Also it is to be noted that the Greeks do begin their day in the morning. The jews at noon. And the christian men at midnight: & there we ought lo begin to reckon. For at one of the clock on Sunday in the morning reigneth Sol/ at ii reigneth Venus/ at iii reigneth Mercury/ at four reigneth Luna/ at .v. Saturn/ at vi jupiter/ at vii Mars/ and at viii begin again at Sol/ at iu Venus'/ at .v. Mercury/ at vi Luna/ at vii Saturn: and so by order in every hour. ¶ when a child is borne/ it is to be known at what hour/ and if it be in the beginning of the hour/ in the mids/ or at the end. If it be in the beginning/ he shall hold of the same planet/ and of the other before. If it be in the mids/ it shall hold of that only. If it be borne in the end/ it shall hold of the same/ & of that that cometh next after: Nevertheless the planet that it is borne under shall not rule other/ & that of the day shall be above it/ which is the cause that a child holdeth of divers planets/ and hath divers conditions. ¶ He that is borne under Sol shall be prudent and wise & a great speaker/ & that which he praiseth he holdeth virtuous in himself. ¶ who that is born under Venus is loved of every man/ good to godward and regular. ¶ who that is borne under Mercury is well berded/ subtle/ mild/ veritable/ and is not most prudent. ¶ who that is born under Luna hath an high forehead ruddy/ merry visage/ shamefast/ & religious, ¶ who that is borne under Saturn is hardy/ courtesy of living/ & is not avaricious. ¶ who that is borne under jupiter is hardy fair visage & ruddy/ chaste & vagabond. ¶ who that is borne under Mars/ is a great speaker/ a liar/ a thief/ a deceiver/ big & of reed colour. ¶ They that will know of this more evidently/ let them turn to the properties of the vii planets before rehearsed. ¶ The prologue of Ptholomeus upon the xii signs. Capitulo xlii I considering the course of the celestial bodies: and the power of the high god omnipotent/ the which hath made the son to shine upon the good and evil/ that governeth all things contained in the Firmament/ and on the earth have taken upon me for to indite this little treatise/ for to instruete & endoctrine the people not lettered. first to know god their maker. secondly to govern their bodies/ and eschew infirmities. And thirdly to know the course of the firmament/ and of the celestial bodies contained in it/ with the dispositions of the vii planets. But who that will know his properties ought first to know the month that he was borne in: and the sign that the son was in the same day. I will not say that such things shall be/ but that the signs have such properties/ as it is the will of god. After poets and astronomers/ Aries is the first sign that showeth the Fortunes of men and women/ as saith Ptholomeus. ¶ The first sign is Aries. Good to let blood. HEre is to be known that he which is borne in the sign of Aries: from mid March to mid Apryll shall be of good wit/ & shall nouther be rich nor poor: he shall have damage by his neighbours/ he shall have power over deed folks goods/ he shall be soon angry/ and soon appesed/ he shall have divers fortunes and discords/ he will desire doctrine/ and haunt eloquent people/ and shall be expert in many degrees/ he shall be a liar & unsteadfast of courage/ and will take vengeance on his enemies/ and he shall be better disposed in youth in all things than in age/ unto xxxiii he shall be a forny catour/ & shall be wedded at xxv year & if he be not/ he shall not be chaste/ he shall be a mediator for some of his friends/ and will gladly be busy in the needs of other/ he shall be waited to be damaged/ he shall have a sign in the shoulder/ in his head/ & in his body/ yet he shall be rich by the death of other/ his first son shall not live long/ he shall be in danger of four footed beasts/ he shall have great sickness at xxiii year: & if he escape he shall live lxxxv. year after nature. ¶ The woman. THe woman that is borne in this time shall be ireful and suffer great wrongs from day to day/ she will gladly make losings/ and shall lose her husband & recover a better/ she shall be sick at .v. year of age/ and at xxv she shall be in great danger of death/ And if she escape she shall be in doubtetyll xliii year: and shall suffer great pain in the head. The days of Sol & of Mars to them shall be right good/ and the days of jupiter shall be contrary to them. And as well the man as the woman may be semblable to the sheep that every year loseth his flese/ & within short space getteth it again. ¶ Of the sign of Taurus. Evil to let blood. THe man that is born in the sign of Taurus/ from mid Apryll to mid May/ shall be strong/ hardy/ and full of strife/ delicious/ and shall possede goods given to him by other men/ that he would have done shall be done incontinent/ and will enforce himself to finish it. In his youth he will despise every person/ and shall be ireful/ he shall go pilgrimages and will leave his friends & live among strangers he shall be put in offices/ and shall exercise them well/ & shall be rich by women/ he shall be thankeles and come to good estate/ he will take vengeance on his enemies/ he shall be bitten of a dog/ and shall experyment many pains by women/ and shall be in peril at xxxiii year/ he shall be in peril of water/ and shall be grieved with sickness and venom at xxiii year: and at xxx year he shall be abundant in richesse/ and shall rise to great dignity/ & shall live lxxxv. year and iii months after nature: and shall see his fortune sorrowful. WE see the woman that is borne in this time shall be effectual/ labrouring/ and a great liar/ and shall suffer moche shame / she shall rejoice the goods of her friends the which she conceiveth in her mind shall come to effect/ and shall have the best party she shall have many husbands/ & many children/ she shall be in her best estate at xvi year and she shall have a sign in the mids of her body/ she shall be sickly/ and if she escape she shall live lxxvi year after nature. She ought to bear rings & precious stones about her. The days of jupiter and Luna be right good for them/ & the days of Mars be contrary/ as well the man as the woman may be likened to the Gull that laboureth the land and when the seed is sown he hath but the straw for his part/ they shall keep well their own/ and it shall not profit to them nor to other/ and shall be reputed unkind. ¶ Of the sign of Gemini. Evil to let blood. HE that is borne in the sign of Gemini/ from mid may to mid june/ shall have many wounds/ & he shall be fain and merciful/ he shall lead an open & a reasonable life/ he shall receive moche money/ he will go in unknown places/ & do many pilgrimages/ he will praise himself & will not abide in the place of his nativity/ he shall be wise & negligent in his works/ he shall come to riches at xxvi year/ his first wife shall not live long/ but he shall marry strange women/ he shall be late married he shall be bitten of a dog/ and shall have a mark of iron or of fire/ he shall be tormented in water/ & shall pass the see/ and shall live an. C. year/ and ten months after nature. THe woman than borne/ shall come to honour/ and be set forward with the goods of other/ and she shall be a grieved of a false crime/ she aught to be wedded at xiiii year/ if she shall be chaste and eschew all peril/ and shall live lxx year after nature/ and shall honour god. The days of Mercury & Sol to them be right good: the days of Luna and Venus been to them contrary/ and as well the man as the woman shall augment and assemble the goods of their successors/ but scantly shall they use their own goods/ they shall be so avaricious. ¶ Of the sign of Cancer. Indifferent to let blood. HE that is borne under the Sign of Cancer/ from mid june to mid july / shall be very avaricious and of equal stature/ he will love women/ he shall be merry/ humble/ good/ and well renowned/ he shall have damage by envy/ he shall have money of other in his guide/ he shall be a conductor of other folks things/ he shall have strife & discord among his neighbours/ and will avenge him on his enemy by his statelynes many shall mock him/ he shall have often great fere on the water/ he will keep his courage secretly in himself/ and shall suffer dolour of the womb/ he shall find hidden money/ and labour sore for his wife/ he shall see his peril in a certain year/ the which shall be known of god/ his goods shall decrease at xxxiii year/ he shall pass the see/ and shall live lxx year after nature/ and forture shall be agreeable to him. THe woman that shall be borne in this time shall be furious/ incontinent angry and soon appesed/ she is nimble/ serviable/ wise/ merry: & she shall suffer right many perils/ if any person do her any service she will recompense them well: she shall be labouring & take great pain unto xxx year/ and than shall have rest/ she shall have many sons/ she must be wedded at xiiii year honours and gifts shall follow her/ she shall have wounds and be hole thereof/ & she shall be in peril of waters: & she shall be hurt in a secret place/ she shall be bitten of a dog and she shall live lxx year after nature. The days of jupiter/ Venus/ and Luna: to them been right good/ and the days of Mars right evil/ & as well the man as the woman shall have good fortune/ and shall have victory over their enemies. ¶ Of the sign of Leo. Evil to let blood. Certain he that is borne under the Sign of Leo/ from mid july to mid August/ shall be fain and hardy/ he shall speak openly/ & shall be merciful/ and he shall weep with the weepers/ and shall be stately in words/ he shall have a peril in certain time/ & at xxx year he shall be awaited to be damaged/ but he shall eschew that peril/ his benefices shall be unkind: he shall be honoured of good folk/ & obtain his enterprise/ he shall have goods by temporal services/ he shall be unkind to thieves/ & shall be great & puysaunt he shall have charge of the comonte/ & as much as loseth he shall win/ he shall come to dignity & shall be amiable/ he shall take the fortune of three wives/ he will go often on pilgrimages/ and suffer pain of the sight/ he shall fall from high and be fearful of water he shall find hid money at viii year of age/ he shall be sick/ he shall be in peril and doubt of some great Lord/ & at xxxvi year he shall be bitten of a dog/ and be hole with great pain/ & shall live lxxxiiii year after nature. THe woman that is borne in this time shall be a great liar/ fair/ well spoken merciful/ pleasant/ & may not suffer norse men weep/ she shall be meek/ her first husband shall not live long/ she shall have pain in her stomach: she shall be awaited of her neighbours at xvii year/ & live to great richesse/ she shall have children of three men/ she shall be amiable and have the bloody flix and shall be bitten of a dog/ she shall fall from high/ and live lxxvii year after nature. The days of Mercury/ Sol/ & Mars to them be right good/ the days of Saturn been contrary/ & as well the man as the woman shall be hardy & great quaryllers & merciful. ¶ Of the sign of Virgo. Indifferent to let beode. OF the sign of Virgo/ I find that he which is borne fro mid August to mid Septembre shall gladly commend his wife/ he shall be a great house holder engenyous/ he shall be solycitous to his work/ he shall be shamefast and of great courage/ and all that he saith he shall covet in his understanding/ he will be soon angry/ & surmount his enemies. Scarcely shall he be a while with his first wise/ he shall be fortunate at xxxi year/ he will not hide that he hath/ & shall be in peril of water/ he shall have a wound with iron/ and shall live lxx year after nature. SHe that than is borne shall be shamefast/ engenyous/ & will take pain and she ought to be wedded at xii year/ she shall not be long with her first husband. Her second husband shall be of long life: and shall have much good by another woman/ she shall fall from high/ her life shall be in peril and shall die shortly/ she shall suffer dolour at ten year/ if she escape that dolors/ she shall live lxx year after nature/ she shall bring forth virtuous fruit/ & every thing shall favour her: she shall rejoice in divers fortunes. The days of Mercury and of Sol shall be right good for them/ and the days of Mars shall be contrary. And as well the man as the woman shall suffer many temptations/ so that with great pain they may resist them/ they shall delight to live chaste/ but they shall suffer moche where that it be. ¶ Of the sign of Libra. Good to let blood. YEt among the planets Libra ought to be remembered/ for he that is borne from mid Septembre to mid Octobre he shall be right mightily praised and honoured in the service of captains/ he shall go in unknown places/ and shall get in strange lands/ he shall keep well his own/ if he make not revolution by drink he will not keep his promise: he shall be envy by silver & other goods/ he shall be married and go from his wife/ he shall speak quickly and have no damage among his neighbours/ he shall have under his might the goods of deed folk/ and shall have some sign in his membres. Oxen/ horse/ and other beasts shall be given to him/ he shall have damage and imury/ he shall be enriched by women / and experiment evil fortunes/ many shall ask council of him. And he shall live lxx year after nature. THe woman that is borne in this time shall be amiable and of great courage she will announce the death of her enemies: and shall go in places unknown/ she shall be debonair & merry/ and rejoice by her husband/ if she be not wedded at xiii year she shall not be chaste/ and shall have no sons by her first husband/ she shall go many pilgrimages/ after xxx year she shall prosper in better/ and have great honour and praise: than after she shall be grievously sick/ & shall be brent in the feet above xii year of age/ and shall live lx year after nature. The days of Venue and of Luna for them been right good and the days of Mercucy contrary. And as well the man as the woman shall be in doubt unto their death. ¶ Of the sign of Scorpio. Good to let blood. HE which is borne in the sign of Scorpius/ from mid Octobre to mid Novembre shall have good fortune: he shall be a great fornicator. The first wife that he shall have in marriage shall become religious/ he will serve gladly to images/ he shall suffer pain in his prive membres at the age of xu year/ he shall be hardy as a Lion/ and amiable of form many facultes shall be given him/ he shall be a great goer in vysiting divers countries for to know the customs & statutes of Cities/ & shall have victory over all his enemies/ they may not hinder him in no manner wise/ he shall have money by his wife/ and shall suffer divers dolors of the stomach: he shall be merry & love the company of merry folk. In his right shoulder shall be a sign/ by sweet words & adulations he shall be deceived/ he will often say one & do another/ he shall have a wound with iron/ he shall be bitten of a dog or of some other be'st/ he shall be in doubt and have divers enemies at the age of xxxiii year/ and if he escape/ he shall live lxxxiiii year after nature. THe woman that shall be borne in this time shall be amiable and fair/ and shall not be long with her first husband: and after she shall enjoy with another by her good and true service/ she shall have honour and victory of her enemies/ she shall suffer pain in the stomach/ she shall be wise & have wounds in her shoulders/ she aught to fere her latter days/ which shall be doubt full by venom/ and she shall live lxx year after nature. The days of Mars and Saturn to them been right agreeable/ and the days of jupiter to them been contrary: they shall be sweet of words & pricking with their tails/ & they will murmur detracting other: and say otherwise than they would be said by. ¶ Of the sign of Sagittarius. Good to let blood. BE it known that he which is born under Sagittarius from mid Novembre/ to mid Decembre shall have mercy of every man/ that which he seeth he shall obtain & have by revelation/ he shall go far to desert places unknown & dangerous/ & shall return with great gains: he shall see his fortune increase from day to day/ he will not hide that he hath/ he shall have some signs in his hands or feet/ he shall be fearful/ and at xxii year of his age he shall have some great peril/ he shall pass the see to his lucre/ and he shall live lxx seven. year/ and viii months after nature. THe woman that is borne in this time shall love to labour: she shall have divers thought for strange strives/ and may not see one weep/ she shall have victory over her enemies/ she shall spend moche silver by evil company/ she shall suffer many evils/ she shall take great pain to the end that she may have the goods of her kinsmen. She ought to be married at xiii year/ & she shall have pain in her iyens at xiiii year/ & shall have by envy at xviii year joy/ she shall suffer dolour by envy: & shall be separate from joy/ and shall live lxxii year after nature. The days of Venus & Luna been right good & the days of Mars and Saturn been evil: And as well the man as the woman shall be inconstant & unstable in deeds/ they shall be of good conscience & merciful/ better to strangers than to themself/ & they will love god. ¶ Of the sign of Capricornus. Evil to let blood. HE the which is borne under Capricornus from mid Decembre to mid january shall be yracundyus/ a for nycatour/ a liar: & shall be always labouring / and shall be nourished with strange things/ he shall have many crimes & noises/ he shall be a governor of beasts with four feet/ he shall not be long with his wife/ he shall suffer moche sorrow & heaviness in his youth/ he shall leave many goods and richesses/ he shall have great peril at xvi year/ he shall be of great courage/ he shall haunt honest people/ and shall be rich by women/ and shall be a conductoure of maidens/ his dredrens will make divers espyenges upon him/ & he shall live lxx year/ & four months after nature. AS for the woman that is borne in this time shall be honest & fearful/ she shall surmount her enemies/ and have children of iii men: she will go many pilgrimages in her youth/ and after have great wit: she shall have great goods/ and she shall have great pain in her eyen/ and she shall be in her best estate at xxx year/ and shall live lxx year and four months after nature. The days of Saturn and of Mars to them be good & the days of Sol been contrary. And both the man and the woman shall be reasonable/ and yet shall be envious. ¶ Of the sign of Aquarius. Indifferent to let blood. HE that is borne under the sign of Aquarius from mid january unto mid February shall be lovely and ireful: he will not believe in vain things/ he shall have silver at xxiiii year he shall be in estate/ he shall win where he goeth/ or he shall be sore sick/ & shall be hurt with iron/ & he shall have fere on the water/ and afterward shall have good fortune/ & shall go in to divers countries. THe woman that is borne in this time shall be delicious: & have noises for her children/ she shall be in great peril/ at the age of xxiiii year she shall be in felicity: she shall have damage by beasts with four feet/ she shall live lxxvii year after nature. The days of Venus & of Luna been right good for them/ the days of Mars & Saturn been contrary/ & both the man & the woman shall be reasonable/ & they shall not be over rich. ¶ Of the sign of Pisces. Indifferent to let blood. THe man that is borne under the sign of Pisces/ from mid February to mid March shall be a great goet/ a fornycatoure/ a mocker/ & shall be covetous/ he will say one and do another: he shall find money/ he will trust in his sapience and shall have good fortune/ he shall be a defender of Orphelyns and widows/ he shall be fearful on the water/ & he shall soon pass all his adversities/ & shall live lxxiii year/ and .v. months after nature. THe woman that is borne in this time shall be delicious/ familiar in gests/ pleasant of courage/ fervent/ & shall have sickness in her eyen/ and shall be sorrowful by shame. Her husband will leave her/ & she shall have moche pain with strangers: she shall not have her own/ & she shall have pain in her stomach/ she shall live lxxvii after nature. The days of Mercury/ jupiter and Venus been right good for them/ and the days of Mars and Saturn to them been contrary/ and both the man & the woman shall live faithfully. ¶ Thus endeth the xii Signs of destinies of man and woman born under them. And here after followeth the science of Phyzonomye/ for to know the natural inclination of man and woman. SO as Pholomeus saith Phyzonomye of the which hath been spoken of before: is a science that astronomers have for to know the natural inclination of man and woman good or evil: by divers signs on them in be holding them only. The which inclination/ we aught to follow if it be good. But if it be evil by virtue and strength of understanding/ we aught to eschew and evyte it as to the effect/ & to withstand the said evil inclinations. astronomers use this science none other wise. The prudent/ virtuous & wise men may be as touching their manners All other than their signs demonstreth and showeth in their reign. For these tokens that do signify vice is not seen in a wise man though the sign be so/ as an ale stake/ or a sign hanged before an house/ in the which often times is no drink. ¶ For how be it that a man by his wisdom and understanding follow not the evil influences of the celestial bodies that been upon him/ and yet corrupteth not the signs and demonstrations of the said influences/ but those signs naturally have signory and domination on them/ in the which they be for to have naturally that which they signify/ though that a man follow them/ or follow them nat. ¶ wherefore astronomers say that the most part of men and women follow their natural inclinations to vice or virtue/ for that the most part of them be not wise & prudent as they ought to be/ and they use no virtue of their own minds/ but ensueth their sensuality. And by these celestial influences of the which is showed by signs outward of such signs is the said science of Phyzonomye known. For the which it behoveth first to know that the year is divided in four parties (as it hath been said before) that is to wit Prime time/ Some/ harvest/ & winter/ that been compared to the four Elements. Prime time to the air. Summer to the fire. harvest to the earth. And winter to the water. Of the which four Elements every man and woman is form and made/ and without the which none may live. The fire is hot and dry. The air is hot and moist. The water is moist and cold. The earth is cold and dry. Also they say that the person on whom the fire reigneth is choleric of complexion (that is to say) hot and dry. He on whom the air reigneth is sanguine of complexion (that is to say) hot and moist. He on whom the water domyneth is phlegmatic of complexion (that is to say) moist and cold. He on whom the earth domyneth is melancolic of complexion (that is to say) cold & dry. The which complexions they knowledge and deserve the one from the other. AS the choleric hath nature of fire hot and dry/ natually is lean and slender/ covetous/ ireful/ hasty/ brainless/ foolish/ malicious/ deceitful/ and subtle/ where he bestoweth his wit. He hath wine of the Lion (that is to say) when he is drunken he chideth/ fighteth/ and commonly he loveth to be clad in black/ as russet/ & grey. ¶ The sanguine hath nature of Air hot and moist/ and is large/ plenteous/ attempered/ amiable/ abundaunte in nature/ merry/ singing laughing/ liking/ ruddy & gracious. He hath his wine of the Ape/ the more he drinketh the merrier he is: & draweth to women/ & naturally loveth high coloured cloth. ¶ The Flumatyke hath nature of water/ cold and moist/ he is heavy/ slow/ sleepy/ ingenious/ commonly he spitteth when he is moved & hath his wine of the Sheep/ for when he is drunken he accounteth himself wisest and be loveth moste and above all colours/ the colour of green cloth. ¶ The Melancolyke hath nature of Earth/ cold and dry/ he is heavy/ covetous/ backbiter malicious/ and slow. His wine is of the hog/ for when he is drunken he desireth sleep/ and to lie down and have his rest/ and he loveth the colour of black best. ¶ Here followeth the judgements of man's body. Capitulo xliiii FOr to come to our purpose of speaking of visible signs/ we will begin to speak of the signs of the head. first we warn you that you ought to beware of all persons that have default of membres naturally/ as of foot hand eye/ or other member/ & though that he be but a cripple/ and specially of a man that hath no beard/ for such been inclined to divers vices and evils/ and one ought to eschew his company/ as his mortal enemy. Also Ptholomeus saith that moche and plain here signifieth a person piteous & debonair. They that have reed here/ been commonly ireful and lack wit/ & been of little truth. Bblacke here/ good visage/ and good colour/ signifieth very love of justice. Hard here signifieth that the person loveth peace and concord: and is of good and subtle wit. A man that hath black here and red beard/ signifieth to be lecherous unjust/ and a vaunter: and one ought not to trust in him. The yellow here and crisp signifieth man laughing/ merry/ lecherous/ & deceitful. Black here & crisp signifieth melancholic/ sechery/ evil thought/ and very liberal. Hanging here signifieth wit/ with malice. Great plenty of here in a woman signifieth boystousnes and covetise. A person with great eyes is slothful/ unshamefast/ inobedient/ & weeneth to know moche more than he doth/ but when the eyen been full mean not to big nor to small/ and that they be not to black nor to green/ such a man is of great understanding/ courtesy/ faithful and trusty. A person that is blere iyed/ goggle iyed/ and squynt iyed signifieth malice/ vengeance/ cautel/ and treason. They that have great wide iyen & have long here on their brows and eye lids signifieth foolishness/ hard of understanding: and been evil by nature. The persons which have their iyens moving fast from one side to another/ and have their sight sharp and quick signifieth fraud/ & theft/ and is of little trust. The iyens that been black/ clear/ & shining been the best/ & the most certain and they signify wit and discretion/ and such a person is worthy to be loved: for he is full of truth/ and of good conditions. The iyens that been ardent and sperkeling: signify strong heart/ force/ and puissance. The iyens that been whytysshe and fleshly/ signify a person inclined to vice/ lechery and full of fraud. astronomers say that when a person beholdeth often as abashed shamefast/ & fearful/ and that in beholding it seemeth that he singeth/ and he hath small drops appearing in his iyens: than it is for certain that such persons love and desire the wealth of them that they behold. But when any looketh in casting his iyens aside/ as by wantonness/ such persons been deceitful/ and purchase to grieve him/ & such persons will dishonour women/ and they ought to be taken heed of/ for such looks been false/ lecherous/ & deceivable. They that have small garysshe iyen and sharp signify a person melancholious/ hardy/ a evil sayer/ & cruel. And if a little vain appear between the eye and the nose of a wench/ they say that it signifieth virginity/ and in a man subtlety of understanding/ and if it appear great & black/ it signifieth corruption/ heat/ and melancholy in a woman/ and in a man rudeness & default of wit/ but that vain appeareth not always. But the iyen that been yellow and have no hairs on the browee signifieth meselry and evil disposition of body. Great hairs and long signifieth rudeness/ hard wit/ and lechery. The beteled brows signifieth malice/ cruelty/ lechery/ and envy. And when the brows been thin/ it signifieth subtle engine/ wit/ and faithfulness. hollow iyens and hanging brows signifieth a person full of evil saying/ of evil thought/ a great drinker: and commonly setteth his mind to malice. A little short visage and a small neck/ and a little slender nose signifieth a person of great heart/ hasty & ireful. A long nose and high by nature signifieth prows and hardiness. A short raised nose signifieth hastiness/ lechery/ hardiness/ and an undertaker. A hauked nose that boweth to the upper lip signifieth malice/ deceit untruth and lechery. A great nose & high in the mids signifieth a wise man and well spoken. A great nose with wide nose thrills signifieth gluttony & ire. A red face & short signifieth a person full of riot debate/ & unfaithful. A visage neither to short nor to long/ and that is not over fat with good colour betokeneth a man veritable/ amiable/ wise/ witty/ serviable/ debonair/ & well ordered in all his works. A fat visage & full of rude flesh signifieth gluttony/ negligence/ rudeness of wit and understanding. A slender face & somewhat long signifieth a person well advised in all his works by good measure. A little sho●te visage of yellow colour signifieth a person deceiving/ untrue/ malicious/ and full of harm. A visage long and fair signifieth a man hot/ unjust/ spiteful/ and full of ire & cruelty. They that have their mouths great and wide signifieth ire & hardiness. A little mouth signifieth melancholy/ heaviness/ hard wit/ & evil thought. He that hath great lips hath a token of rudeness/ and default of wit. Thynne lips signifieth lyckerousnes & losings. teeth even set & thine/ betoketh a true lover/ lecherous/ and of good complexion. Long teeth & great signifieth hastiness and ire. Long eeres signifieth folly/ but it is a sign of good memory. little eeres signifieth lechery and theft. A person that hath a good voice well swooning/ is hardy/ wise/ & well spoken. A mean voice that is not to small nor to great/ signifieth wit purveyance/ truth & rightwiseness. A man that speaketh hastily to be set by. A great voice in a woman is an evil sign. A soft voice signifieth a person full of envy/ of suspection & losings. And over small voice signifieth great heart & folly. Great voice sygnyfeth hastiness & ire. A man that stirreth always when he speaketh & changeth voice is envious/ nice/ drunken/ and evil conditioned. A person that speaketh attemporatly without moving is of perfit understanding/ of good condition/ & of good council. A man with a brown visage/ reving ieyn: & yellow teeth is of little truth a traitor/ & hath stinking breath. A person with a long skender neck is cruel/ without pity/ hasty/ and brainless. A person with a short neck is full of fraud/ strife/ deception and malice. A person that hath a very long thick neck signifieth gluttony/ force & great lechery. A manly woman that is great and rudely membered is by nature melancholious/ varyaunte/ & lecherous. A person that hath a great long belly signifieth small wit pride/ and lechery. A little belly & large feet/ signifieth good understanding/ good council and true. A person having large feet/ high & bowing shoulders signifieth prows hardiness/ hastiness/ truth and wit. shoulders sharp & long betokeneth treachery/ untruth/ striving/ and unnatural. when the arms been so long that they may stretch to the joint of the knee/ it is a token of prows/ liberality/ truth/ honour/ good wit/ and understanding. when the arms been short it is a sign of ignorance/ of evil nature/ and a person that loveth debate. Long hands and slender fingers signifieth subtlety/ and a person that hath desire to know divers things. Small hands & short thick fingers betokeneth folly/ and lightness of courage. Thick large and big hands signifieth force/ hastiness/ hardiness/ and wit. Clere and shining nails of good colour signifieth wit and increase of honour. Nails full of white spots and revealed signifieth a person avaricious/ lecherous/ proud/ of heart/ full of wit and malice. The foot thick & full of flesh signifieth a person outrageous/ vygoryous/ and of little wit. Small feet and light signifieth hardiness of understanding/ & little truth Feet flat and short signifieth an anguishous person/ of small wisdom and uncurteyse. A person that goeth a great pace is great of heart and dispyteful/ and signifieth well to prosper in all things. A person that maketh small steps and thick is suspicious/ full of envy/ and evil will. A person that hath a small flat foot and casteth as a child signifieth hardiness & wit/ but the said person hath divers thought. A person that hath soft flesh not to cold nor to hot signifieth a well disposed person/ of good understanding & subtle wit/ full of truth and increasing of honour. A person that laugheth gladly and hath green iyen is debonair of good wit/ true/ wise & lecherous. A person that laugheth faintly is slothful melancholious/ suspicious/ malicious/ & subtle. ¶ astronomers say for that there been divers signs in a man and woman/ & that they been sometime contrary one to the other/ one ought to judge most commonly after the signs in the visage. And first to the iyens for they been most true & provable. And they say also that god formed no creature for to inhabit the world wiser than man/ for there is no condition nor manner in a be'st: but that it is found comprehended in man. Naturally a man is hardy/ as the Lyon. Prue and worthy/ as the Ox. Large and liberal/ as the Cock. Auarycyous/ as the Dog. Hard & swift/ as the Heart. debonair and true: as the turtle dove. malicious/ as the leopard. prive & tame/ as the dove. Dolorous & guileful/ as the Fox. simple and mild/ as the Lame. Shrewd/ as the Ape. Light/ as the Horse. Soft and pyteable/ as the beer. Dear & precious/ as the Olyphaunte. Good and wholesome/ as the Vnycorne. Vile & sloth full/ as the Ass. Fair & proud/ as the Peacock. gluttonous/ as the wolf. Envious/ as the Bitch. Rebel and inobedient/ as the nightinggale. Humble/ as the Pegyon. Fell and foolish/ as the Oustryche. Profitable/ as the Pysmyre. dissolute & vagabounde/ as the Goat. spiteful/ as the Fesaunt. Soft and meek/ as the Checkyn. Movable & varyinge/ as the fish. Lecherous/ as the Boar Strong & puissant/ as the Camel. traitor/ as the Mule. advised/ as the Mouse. Reasonable/ as an Angel. And therefore he is called the little world: or else he is called all creatures/ for he taketh part of all. ¶ Finis. ¶ Thus endeth the Compost of Ptholomeus Prince of astronomy. ¶ Imprinted by me Robert wire/ Dwelling at the sign of saint Iohn evangelist/ in saint martyn's Parysshe in the Field/ in the bishop of Nor witch rents/ beside Charing cross. ROBERT: WYRE· printer's device of Robert Wyer (or Wyre)