The foreste or Collection of histories no lesse profitable, then pleasant and necessarie, dooen out of Frenche into Englishe, by Thomas Fortescue.

¶ Of certaine yeeres in mans life, whiche the Learned in times paste iudged aboue the others to be marueilous daungerous, as also for what cause they esteemed it to be so. Chap. 18.

THe auncient Philosophers and Astrologians, by diligent obseruation, haue curiously noted certaine yéeres in mans life to be assuredly perilous, which in Latine they call Annos clymactericos, alludinge vnto the Gréeke woorde Clima, signifiynge as somme will, the staffe of a Ladder, or a degrée in any thinge. Whence they note that these yéeres are in sutche sorte, and man∣ner limited, as are steares or steppes, that aunsweare by iuste proportion in any thinge, very daungerous in the whole course and tracte of mans life. For as they main∣tained for an approued veritie, the seuenth, the nienth, and the fouretienth daie in all kinde of sicknesse, and in∣firmities, to be then the reste continually more daunge∣rous: in case semblable also easily perceiued they, that this accompte also by force of the numbers, had in like sorte place in these odde yéeres, throughout the whole course also and time of our life. Pythagoras, Themistius, Boecius, and Auerrois, with others many, learne vs, that the influences of naughtie Planetes, as if I woulde saie of Saturne, whiche at seuerall times ruleth, and in seue∣rall Ages, causinge greate chaunges and alterations e∣uery seuenth yéere, in sutche sorte, that themselues felte the force thereof: as well remember Marsilius Ficinus, Censorinus, and A Gellius, supposinge it to be a thinge assuredly vnpossible, to passe those yéeres without greate

hazarde or alteration of our life, estate, healthe, or com∣plexion. So that by this occasion, the seuenth yéere, the fourtiene, the one and twentie, the eight and twentie, the fiue and thirty, the twoo and fortie, the niene and fortie, and so foorth by order euery seuenth yéere was a∣boue the others mutche to be feared. And farther for that they helde the number of thrée to be of greate im∣portance or efficacie, they sayde that thrée times seuen, whiche mounte to twentie one, was a number aboue all the reste marueilously to be suspected. As mutche againe is saide of the niene and fortie yéere, for that the number riseth of seuen times seuen: But the moste daungerous yéere of all others, is the thrée and sixtie: for as twenty one riseth of thrée times seuen, so sixtie thrée mounte a∣gaine of twentie one thrée times, or of niene times se∣uen, or seuen times niene: whiche numbers be famous, and as well knowen, so feared of the wise and learned. So that when they firste entred the firste daie of the saide yéere, they became (beyonde the woonted manner) very diligent, circumspect and curious, to preserue their healthe and life, by all practised polices taught vs, either by experience, nature, or Phisicke, attendinge from daie to daie some daungerous mutation, or sudden chaunge of state, whiche in déede oftentimes hapneth, as well re∣membereth Iulius Firmicus in his bookes of Astrologie. To this pourpose A. Gellius maketh mention of a cer∣taine letter, sente by the Emperoure Octauian, vnto his Nephew Cassius, letting him to wete, what ioye he then liued in, for that he had escaped the thrée and sixtie yéere, and now was entered into the sixtie foure. In sutch sorte that he then intended to celebrate his second Natiuitie. For these causes thenour Learned Predecessours mar∣ueilously feared this aboue rehearsed yéere, consideringe that it was the fatall terme assigned by nature vnto ma∣ny: duringe whiche time, Aristotle with others renow∣med, and famous personages, died. And as I also aboue * 1.1

remembered the number of niene to be perilous, so saide they, that who so paste the sixtie and thirde yéere, should not at all escape the eightie and one yéere, for that, that yéere riseth of nine times niene. At this Age died the di∣uine Plato, the greate and Lcarned Geographer Erasto∣thenes, * 1.2 Zenocrates, a Platoniste, and Prince of the aunci∣ent Schooles, Diogenes Cinicus, with others many, the onely honour and bewtie of their time. But these things more for experience sake, and for that it séemeth vnto many a noueltie, haue I writen, then that any man should hereon dwell so mutche, that he shoulde thinke it of necessitie, and a thinge ineuitable, although it other∣wise be not a matter impertinent, ne yet exiled from the lore of reason. For as wée sée that diseases, & complexiōs, leaue, and ende at times in men: and as in most kinde of Creatures téeth growe, chaunge & fall, the voice altereth into a sounde more base or shrill, the grasse also or Corne springeth at their tearmes appointed, besides infinite o∣ther assured effectes & operatiōs of nature, which obserue their course & times without alteration or chaunge: so why shoulde wée not in manner semblable beleue, that these abouesayde termes of time, & clymactericall yéeres should haue their proper force in y^e alteratiō of mans for∣tune or state of his bodie. Why also thinke wée not, that mans body is ordered as well by celestiall influence, as by any predominant qualitie or humour, & that by some secrete and hidden operation, though man be yet subiecte to the pleasure and will of God: who as he hath framed all thinges supernaturally and miraculously, yet will he notwithstandinge that his woorkes be naturall, these onely excepted, whiche by him were wrought contrary to the lawes of Nature by secrete meane, inscrutable procéedinges and iudgement.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aristotle.
• * 1.2

  Plato. Erastothenes. Zenocrates. Diogenes.