Diues [et] pauper

Caplm .xlviij.

DIues. It is a comon opyny¦on amonge the gentyles and other also / that all the yere foloweth the dysposycyon of the .xij. dayes in Crystmasse. So that the fyr¦ste moneth shall be suche in wedryn∣ge as the fyrste daye of the .xij. dayes is / the seconde moneth as the seconde daye is / and so forth all folowynge. ¶Pauper. That opynyon is false & open folye. For it is a full kyndely thynge to haue froste and snowe all the .xij. dayes. But it were aye••ste kynde to haue froste & snowe all the yere folowynge. And somtyme it fal∣leth

that it is ful raynye weder al the xij. dayes / but it foloweth not therof that it sholde rayne and be wete we∣der all the yere after. It is a ful kyn¦dely thynge that the sonne shewe hȳ not thre dayes or four togydre in cryst¦masse / but it were moche ayenst kyn∣de yf the sonne shewed hym not thre monethes or four togydre namely in the somer tyme. And often it falleth that in all the .xij. dayes it rayneth no rayne / but euery daye sonne shyne & ful fayre weder / but it foloweth not therof that it sholde be sonne shyne without rayne all the yere after / for than beest and man sholde be in grete peryll. At the begynnynge of the worl¦de the fende behyght Adam and Eue that they sholde be as god knowyng good and euyll that was to come / yf they wolde ete of the tree ayenst god∣des cōmaundement / & so he brought them in to care & sorowe & in to her folye. And in the same maner these dayes he behoteth men to be as god / knowynge well and wo that is to co∣me / by suche nyce fantasyes that he techeth them tylle that he bryngeth them in wo / & namely Englysshe na¦cyon that moost taketh hede to his lo¦re / & moost taketh hede to wytchecraf¦te & to them that make them prophe¦tes and make them wyse in suche fo∣lyes ayenst the lawe of god.