decorative illustrated border enclosing title page A prognostication practised by master Mathias Brothyel of Ravensburgh. Anno. 1545. ¶ EXCUDEBAT LONDINI Richardus Graftonus clarissimi Principis Edouardi tipographus. The prologue. ¶ The practise of master Mathias brotheyl of Ravensburgh, upon the year of the incarnation of our Lord jesus Chryst. M. CCCCC. xlv. written for the pleasure of the most noble prince and lord, lord frederic county Palatine upon Rhine, duke in Bavary. etc. I Doubt not most noble and benign lord, but that your highness knoweth the text of Moses in his first book entitled Genesis, wherein he showeth and declareth that God almighty created all things of nought, & of none other thing but only by his divine word & breath of his mouth, made all this whole unspeakable work of heaven, earth, the sea and all that in them is contained, aswell visible as invisible: & that he doth yet still with out ceasing or intermission work what soever is done among all his creatures by the same his divine power. For in such wise hath god (as ye would say) inwardly powered himself into all his creatures that all men (unless they be clean destitute of sight, or void of all reason) may see that God is continually with us, and that he governeth and sustaineth all his creatures by certain means, and showeth his divine goodness among all his creatures by the heavenly influences. And this point also the most witty and learned men, I mean natural Philosophers, have after a sort well perceived, and through their own reason and clear wit have so far attained, that they have agreed in this, that there is one only God, & that all creatures are by one certain excellent divine sapience ruled, upholden and sustained. And these Philosophers also have come so nigh to the verity, & to the knowledge of God in their high contemplations, that they have determined and avouched all this whole, wonderful, fair and ineffable workmanship of God, as namely the heavens, the son, the moon with all other stars and creatures, to have been created and made by the highest artificer & chief former of all things. which God most entirely loveth mankind & favoureth the same, because he hath engraved & enplanted in the hearts of men his divine will & pleasure by the light of nature & the inducing of the law of nature, & hath made mankind an image like unto himself, & his spirit immortal incomprehensible, & quick or swift of knowledge, much apt to contemplation, & evermore having mind to his oryginal that is to God and to things ghostly, prone, diligent, fain, & much desirous. ¶ He hath furthermoe so sensibly & visibly clothed & covered the soul, with flesh, blood & other material substance taken of the earth, and made it sēs●●le & perceivable to the sense of touching, that it loveth earthly, transitory, temporal or mundane things. Plato avoucheth man to be the soul only, which soul hath the body but as a certain tabernacle and instrument. And when it is infused into the body, it is as ye would say obscured or darkened & (as it were) enbraked or imprisoned in a dark dungeon, so that it forgetteth all heavenly things, & maketh search to inquire of things unnecessary, as what God doth in heaven, & what things men do among themselves: & not what things God worketh among us in the world by his creatures, as namely of the sky, the sun, the moon, & the other planets and of the whole firmament, where the heavens selves nevertheless show fourth his righteousness, as witnesseth the Psalmest, in such wise that all things cha●ces to come among us in earth, do follow & ensue by the course & influence of the sky, & by the revolution of planets & of the stars fixed. All which things although they be unto your excellency manifest & by your own experience sufficiently known, yet ye may somewhat more clearly understand & perceive as well by this pronostication of mine, as also by the practices of other men that have written in this kind: that the Eclipses of the two great lights, & of the other signs in heaven, without doubt do induce & signify great perils, of the world, & dissensyons among those persons that have the power of the world, & be rulers & governors in the same: which thing is of me in the chapters here ensuing in this little work of my practise in many places showed & declared. ¶ And forasmuch also as I know most noble prince your highness by reason of your noble virtues meet to be in a prince: & furthermore by reason of a singular prudence given to you of God, that ye have a special inclination, & a singular affection towards experience, and towards all arts. I have thought it best in presenting mine obeisance & service, to dedicate this my prognostication unto your highness, humbly beseeching that the same will accept and take in good part this my little labour. If at any time I can do pleasure unto your highness in greater things, I acknowledge my whole study, diligence and travail bound thereunto, yea and promise myself also to be both prompt & ready from time to time. In the mean while, beseeching that God almighty will long, keep and govern your highness prosperously in rest and peace, and lucky state of all things. ¶ Given at Monace in the year. M. CCCCC. xliiiii. on the day of the nativity of saint john baptist. A prognostication. ¶ The first chapter showeth of the influence and efficacy of those planets which shall chiefly bear rule this year. IT can not be denied but that the word of God and the work created by his divine word (that is to say, heaven, earth and all that is contained in them) are so annexed & united together, that it is impossible to know the operation of the one without the other. For wilt thou know the power and strength of the word of God, then must thou search in his works▪ by the which we naturally understand what God worketh with his creatures▪ and what he will work hereafter. For here in earth n●xt god almighty (as Ptholom●● in the first quadripartite teacheth) all ●a●ses as well of things to come as of things that doth chance unto us, cometh through the heavenly, course & influence of the planets predominating or bearing chief rule, who of all the most expert authors in this art of Astrology, is best allowed and followed. Therefore when I saw wrothful and contentious Mars in the figure of the revolution newly entered into the house where Venus was, I may not give the power of the higher rule to the womannyshe or feminine planet Venus, but she agreeth with the angry Mars to be an aydour unto her▪ whereby Venus may govern this year after her will and disposition. wherefore every wise man will consider the nature and property of these two planets, & so look unto their matters (through the divine help) that they fall not into the ungodly inclinations of them. For it is written, Vir sapiens dominatur Astris, (that is) the wise man shall bear rule with the stars. ¶ The second Chapter is of the Eclipses of the Sun, and what time of the year it shall appear, and of his operation i● general. literal depiction of the Gemini twins (Castor and Pollux) astride the dragon's tail (the descending node of the moon's orbit with the ecliptic) encompassed by the hollow circle of a moon THe sixth day of july, the moon shall take away from us the light of the sun in three points xliiii ininutes in the xxvii degree of the sign Gemini, in Cauda draconis, or dragon's tail, and will make a shadow unto us, it shall begin at viii of the clock and one minute afore noon, the midst shallbe xlix minutes after viii and it shall end xxxix minutes after ix of the clock, and so it shall endure from the beginning to the end one hour xxxvii minutes before noon And the operation of it shall extend and teach one year xxxi weeks and three days. Also in the year passed, on the xxiii day of january in the sign Aquarius fell the eclipse of the sun, whose operation lasteth two years xxxvi weeks. And they that dwell in the East and towards the South for the most part shall feel the terrible operation of this eclipse. And the operation of it shallbe such that scarcely I dare be so bold to exprese the terrible signification of it with words. For of truth most mighty prince, even those unto whom power to govern and rule pertaineth, are not free from the peril & operation of this Eclipse. For before that the terrible influence of the eclipse passed, & the eclipse that shallbe in this year shall leave their operations. Mars shall move war, and blow his horn, chiefly unto the destruction and death of those carnal or fleshly persons that are filled with vice and uncleanness. ¶ The third chapter treateth of discords seditions and wars of this year. ALbehazen Haly the son of Abenragel writeth in the eight part of the four chapter, saying many perils shall chance unto the warriors, that shallbe compelled to war in the south: namely, when the revolution of the year shall happen or fall in the day, and Mars being retro grave, or going backward in an earth sign. which thing also Albumasar in the viii difference of the ii tracts of the revolution of years, testifieth: that when Mars shall occupy the ii house before the Sun in the sign Taurus, it signifieth much slaughter & unjust shed ding of blood. Oh how greedy, how desirous, and thrusting for blood that Mars is, which will spare no labour nor pain to bring his unnatural desire to effect. Oh how loving a master shall he be to discord and enui, yea and above measure busy and diligent to seek occasions of strife & discord. He shall stir up the courages or minds of great men & princes to war & battle. For by the operation of these ii Eclipses of the sun and through these evil and most unfortunate aspects of Mars and Saturn they shallbe wholly bend & set upon most fyrse and cruel battle and war. And as Ludovicus writeth in the second conclusion of his book of Aphorisms or proverbs of astrology: when Mars being in the sign Cancer is burned with the heat of the sun, then shall his cruelty, woodenness, and fersenes be shewede more horrible in stirring up of sedytion through all the whole world, & to sow discord. And as then, when he shallbe in the east, there shallbe diverse tumults & battles. All people shallbe at variance & war at once together, which things almost shallbe like unto these that are spoken by Astrage king of the Medes, that by the treason wrought by his niece or cousin named Cyro, he had the victory of Harpurge. wherefore without ceasing, earnestly and busily let us offer sacrifice unto the heavenly father, by jesus Chryst our Lord, that he may wit save to have compassion on us, & to grant his holy ghost unto our magistrates, by whom all the dissensions; debates, discords & strifes that now are sprung up among us, may beforgotten. And so together with God our father without end we may both reign and live. Amen. ¶ The fourth chapter treateth of the fruits of this year, and of the price of those things that belong unto the use of man. IN discribing, or setting forth this Chapter, we must use a more exact diligence & a more precise judgement, that we give none occasion to these engrossers to exercise & occupy their engrossing, which do scrape up and gather together out of all places & coasts both wheat and other kinds of grain, not only for their use & profit, but also that they may there by get great gains & advantage. Furthermore Albuma. writeth in the book entitled Florun, de minus felici proventu fructuum (that is) of the unkindly yield of fruits: and sayeth that when Venus is letted in the beginning of the year, and Mars is found in the revolution in Taurus, & jupiter in Caprycorne, that then there shallbe a great waist of corn fields, and a great dearth and scarcity of all manner grain and fruit, aswell of that which groweth on trees, as of wheat & barley. And Ptholome also doth witness the same in his book entitled Centiloquium, in the. lxxxxvii. conclusion where he saith when the fourth part of the year, & the lords of the corners of the prevention shallbe weak & feeble, that then all thing that do appertain to the use & profit of men, to be both costly & dear. But Haly Abenragel in the xxxi cha. of the fruitful & unfruitful years showeth. when the lord doth stand fortunately in the prevencional figure, & doth turn himself with a cheerful countenance to jupiter, than the nature & influence of the planets are to give unto us a very fruitful & plen tyful year▪ & a good & prosperous yield of all things, so that I dare boldly affirm and truly say that the ground this year shall yield sufficiently all manner of fruits & grain to the use & profit of men. Furthermore, we read in many places of scripture, as in the xxi of Genesis. Also in the ii book of Samuel the ii Cham Amos in the viii cha. That there hath been oft times a great & long penury of all things and intolerable famine and dearth, namely we know this thing to have chanced for the sinful living of the people. So likewise, even now at this season, except we amend & correct our life, great and horrible plagues shall ensue thereof. For God is greatly offended with our sins. ¶ The .v. chapter is of the infirmities, diseases & plagues, aswell of men, as of beasts that shall reign this year. WHen in the science of Astronomy I do consider & ponder the causes of diseases & infyrmites' which chance yearly. I find that this year ensuing shallbe pestilence and corrupt airs, and there shall reign a certain general pain in men's heads of the which many shall die, & many by the reason of a whurling & gydynes in the head, & of to much melancholy shallbe deprived of their wit & reason, & fall mad, & some other shall have the falling evil, & many men shall die suddenly, and the pestilence shall reign in some places. ¶ Furthermore Mars & Saturn do threaten very hot & burning diseasses: as fevers or agues, many aches in the head, neck, and in the eyes, and also impostumes, pluryses or stitches, & other sundry kinds of diseases, with which God shall punish the stiffnecked or inobedient persons, for God doth always punish the stubborn & unruly people, as we read in holy scripture. As in Numeri xvi Deuteronomi xi Psal. C. v. That the earth opened her mouth and did swallow Dathan, & overwhelmed the company of Abyrom, & the flame of fire burned many. Also there is a notable example written in the Acts of the Apostles the .v. chap. of Ananyas & his wife which for dying & dissembling with the holy ghost, fell down suddenly. whereof the Psalmody speaketh. They suddenly went from God and perished for their sins. ¶ The vi Chapter expresseth, in what days the new moons, the quarters, and fulmoones shall appear under the firmament, with the change of the wether for three days before, or after, either of them. january. THe last quarter the vi day at seven. of the clock afore noon, cold & dry with snow, & like wether shallbe on the ix day. The new moon the xii day at xii of the cloak xxi mi. at midnight following, snow, & after with cold winds and tempest, mixed with snow: The first quart the ix day at ten of the clock aforenoon▪ cold & dry with change of wether. The full moon the xxviii day at one of the clock xxxv. mi. before noon cold. February THe last quarter the four day at eight of the clock after none, snow. The new moon the xi day at x. of the clock xxxv. mi. before noon, dark, cloudy and cold. The first quarter the xviii day at three of the clock after noon, cold mixed with snow. The fulmoone the xxvi day at vii of the clock after noon, temperate March. THe last quarter the vi day at v of the clock before noon, inconstant, and after fair. The new moon, the xii day at ix of the clock ten mi. after noon, yet repair not your gardens, because then should all the herbs perish with snow. The first quarter the twenty day, at x of the clock before noon. It may be fair until the twenty day. But March and Apryl will show themselves angry and peradventure they may let that. The fulmoone, the xxviii day at ix of the clock xxxviii. mi. after noon, Mars & Venus will water the earth & the fields, them let the husbandmen provide to have good seed of oats & barley. Apryl. THe last quarter, the four day at xi of the clock afore noon, good & temperate. The new moon, the xi day at viii of the clock xxviii. minu. before noon, moist, and after meetly fair. The first quarter, the xix day at four of the clock in the morning, inconstant, The full moon, the xxvi. day at ix of the clock xix mi. before noon, moist, & variable. May. THe last quarter, the iii day at four of the clock after noon, rain. The new moon, the ten day at viii of the clock xxiii. mi. after noon, moist & cold, therefore be not to busy to water the herbs. The first quarter, the xviii day at x. of the clock after noon, rain & windy, with thunder & lightning. The full moon, the xxvi day at seven. of the clock xxviii. mi. aforenoon, fair, but the xxviii & xxix day variable with rain▪ june. THe last quarter, the first day at ix of the clock after noon, good wether to carry in hay, & for reapers, but about thee, v, day it changeth. The new moon Eclypsal, the ix day at ix of the clock xlii mi. aforenoone, rain, thunder, & lightening. The first quarter, the xvi day at noon, at which time I counsel all husband men to mow their meadows of hay, & to carry in a pace, if they will not be let with rain. The fulmoone, the xxiiii day at two. of the clock, & one mi. after noon with rain about the xxvi day. july. THe last quarter, the first day at, iiii. of the clock before noon, fair. The new moon, the ix day at xi of the clock lu mi. afore noon, rain, thunder, and lightening. The first quarter, the xvii. day at none, temperate. The fulmone the xxiii, day at viii. of the clock lix mi. after noon, rain and thunder. The last quarter, the xxx day at ii of the clock after noon, fair till the iii day of August, than rain. August. THe new moon, the vii day at iii of the clock twenty mi. after noon, temperate and mixed with rain. The first quart, the xu day at ii of the clock after noon variable▪ The full moon, the xxii day at iiii. of the clock xxxi mi. after noon, moist not good to bathe, nor to let blood. The last quart, the xxix day at ix of the clock afore noon, as afore. September. THe new moon, the vi day at vii of the clock xxvii mi. before noon, in some places much rain. The first quarter, the xii. day at xi of the clock after noon, fair & convenient to gather grapes. The fulmoone, the twenty day at i of the clock xxxi mi. after noon, a good harvest season & a convenient time to sow wheat & Rye The last quart, the xxvii day at ten of the clock after noon, windy, & rain Octobre. THe new moon, the .v. day at xi of the clock xxxi mi. after noon, windy, yet fair, about the ten day cold, & in hilly places snow. The first quarter, the xiii day at vi of the clock afore noon, snow The full moon, the xix day at midnight aft xlvi. mi. fair with drought. The last quarter, the xxvii day at five of the clock after noon, variable. Novembre. THe newmoone, the four day at ii of the clock xliiii mi. after noon, cold and dry, & a little after, wind & rain. The i quarter, the xi day at one of the clock after noon, temperate. The full moon, the viii. day at ii of the clock xxxvii mi. after noon, moist. The last quarter, the xxvi day at ii of the clock after noon, cold & moist, and in hilly places snow. Decembre THe new moon, the four day at four of the clock xxvi. mi. after noon, with cold & varyablenes The first quarter, the ten day at ix of the clock after noon, temperate, but about the xiiii day moist with snow. The fulmoone, the xviii day at vii of the clock two. mi. afore noon, snow. The last quarter, the xxvi day at ten of the clock afore noon, fair, but about the xxviii day snow. FINIS. ¶ Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.