Three prose versions of the Secreta Secretorum / edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Steele and a glossary by T. Henderson

That Astronomy is necessari to the keping of mannys body. Capitulum tricessimum Nonum.

aS galian the full wies leche Saith, and Isoder the gode clerk, hit witnessith that a man may not perfitely can the sciens and crafte of medessin but yef he be an astronomoure. And therfor thou shalt nothing don, and namly of that which

appertenyth to the kepping of thy body without consaill of astronomoure. Beleue not folis that sain that no man may cum to the Sciens of steris and planetis, ffor thay ben so fer fro vs, the which by ofte beholding, gret waking, and studi, the old philosofors [folio 55] [Rawlinson MS. begins again.] that crafte Haue contreuet and Sertayn̄ Rulys makyd of the mevynges of the Sterres. Morouer hit is not to beleue to folys that Sayn̄e that god hath prouydet and ordeynet al that is to-comynge, And therfore hit nys non̄ profyte to can aforhand that Is to cvm, and by this reyson, hit is noȝt wourth the Science and Iugementes of the Sterrys. But I the Say, alexandyr, that the gloryous god hath so y-stabelid, that the elementes bene gouernyt by the S[t]erris and by the Planetes that We opynly Sene. The See mevyth and hym wyth-drawyth aftyr the mewynge and growynge and drecresynge of the mone, that hath maystri and lordshupe vpon the watyr and vpon al thynge that hath kynde of watyr. And therfor oystres and crabbes, the brayne and marrowe of al bestis wixen and decrescen aftyr the mone. And neuer the latyr hit is good to witte aforhande thynge that is to cvm by kynde of Sterres, for a man may the bettyr Purvey hym agaynes that is to cvm, yf he hit knowe afore, and be not Sodaynly ouertaken, as yf a man wyste that a ful colde wynde and wyntere were to cvme, yf he were wyse he wolde Purvey hym̄ of hote clothis, wodde, and colle, and of [folio 50bL] othyr thynges necessari, by the wych he myght escape wythout empeyrement the grevaunce of the wyntyr. In Somer a man Purveyeth hym̄ of colde mettys, and drynkes attemperid, and of colde houses. And yf a man wyste derthe to cvm and grete hungyr, the bettyr he wolde Purvey hym of corne and othyr vitaille. And therfor hit Semyth well that tho men bene grete folis that Sayne that the Science and Iugementes of Serris is not profitable to can̄e, Sethen that therby a man may dyuers aduenturis the bettyr to vndyrstond aforhand, and enchu harmys by witte and Purveyaunce. But for-als-moche that the witte of a man ne Suffysyth without the helpe of god, the Sufferayne remedy agaynes al harmes Hit is, to Pray god almyghty that he for his grete mercy wolde turne harme Into good, for his Powere ys not makyd lasse, defuylet, ne destourbet, by the vertues of the Sterres. Therfor his mercy is to Pray by deuocion, orison, fastynge, Sacryfice, and by almes-dedys, that he haue mercy of oure Synnes. And yf we So done, we may

haue hoppe that of the harmes that we haue deserwid well, he will vs delyuere.