Hier begynneth the booke callyd the Myrrour of the worlde ...

¶Here beginneth the thirde parte of this present volume & declareth first how the day & the nyght come / Ca. primo

IN this thirde and last partye of this present booke we shal fynysshe it wyth spekynge of the faytes of Astronomye. And I wyl declare to you first how the daye cometh and the nyght and for to make you vnderstande of the Ecplises / And also for to vnderstande other thynges / the whiche may moche prouffyte to them that wylle do pay¦ne to knowe them / For to gouerne them the better after the disposicyon of the tyme /

¶Here declareth how the daye and nyght comen.

TRouthe it is that the sonne maketh his torne and cours aboute therthe in the daye and nyght & gooth egally euery houre. And also longe as he abydeth aboue therthe so longe haue we the deduyt of the day / and whan he is vnder therthe thenne haue we the nyght / lyke as ye went tornyng abrennyng candel aboute your heed or as ye

shold here it a lytyl ferther of / Round aboute an apple / And that the candel were alway brēnyng / thēne the partye that were alway ayenst the candel shold alleway be lyght And that other partye that is ferthest fro it shold be obscure and derke / Thus in lyke wyse doth the sonne by his propre na∣ture for to be day & nyght aboute therthe. he maketh the day to growe byfore hym / And on that other parte the erthe is vmbreuse & derke by hynde hym & where as he may not shy∣ne. And this is the shadowe of the nyght whiche y^e deduyt of the day taketh away from vs / But for as moche as the sonne is moche gretter that therthe. the shadowe goth lytyll and lytyl tyl at thende it cometh to nought / lyke the sown of a clocke endureth after the stroke / But yf the sonne and therthe were of one lyke gretenesse. this shadowe shold ha∣ue none ende / but shold be all egal wythout declynyng. and yf therthe were gretter than the sonne thenne the shadowe oe the sonne shold goo enlargyng & be more as ye may see the fourme by thyse thre fygures folowyng. & also ye may preue it otherwyse wythout fygures / Take somme derke thynge that may reteyne lyght wythin it as of tree or of stone or other thynge what it be that may be sen thurgh thē¦ne sette that to fore your eyen / ayenst that thyng that ye wold see is it the heuen or erthe or ony other thynge / yf that thyng that ye holde is more bredder & larger that your two eyen be a sondre / it shal take away y^e syght ayenst that whi¦che is no brodder / And yf the thyng be alle egale in lengthe as moche as ye may stratche your two eyen▪ as moche shal it be taken fro you as y^e thynge shal haue of gretnes / as ye may see by this fygure byneth an that other side / And yf y^e thynge haue lasse of gretnes than the lengthe is bytwene your bothe eyen. it shal take fro you lasse for to see / as well nyghe as ferre that it is of largenes of that which ye wold

see / And whan ye put the thynge ferther fro your eyen. so∣moche

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moche the more mai ye see of that o∣ther part o∣uer and abo¦ue you. so that ye may see all. In ly∣ke wyse is it of the son¦ne wythout ony doubtaū¦ce or varya∣cion. For it passeth ther∣the in gretnes¦se so that it seeth the heuē al aboute the sterres and alle that is on the firma¦ment /

¶Why the sterres ben not seen by-day as wel as ay nyght ¶ Capitul^o. ij^o.

THe sterres of the firmamēt on whiche the sonne ren¦dreth clernes make contynuelly nyght & day their tornyng & cours wyth n firmamēt aboute roūd abo¦ue as byneth But them that ben ouer vs we may not see by daye / For the sonne by his grete clernes and lyght taketh from vs the sight of them / In lyke wyse as ye shold do of candelis that were ferre brennyng from yow / And yf ther were a grete fyre brennyng bytwene yow & the cā∣dellis. & had grete flawme & lyght / It shold take away fro yow your syght that ye shold not see the candellis / & yf the fyre were take away & put byhynde yow / ye shold inconty∣nent see the / candellis to fore you brennyng / Thus in lyke wyse I saye yow of y^e sterres that may not be seen by daye as longe as the sonne maketh his torne and cours aboue therthe / And whan the sonne is vnder therthe the sterres ben seen by vs / But tho sterres that ben ouer vs in the so∣mer on the day tyme / in wynter they be ouer vs in the nyght. for tho sterres that we see in y^e somer by nyght we may not see them on the day / for the sonne that goth roūd aboute vs taketh fro tho sterres their clernes that ben on the day tyme where the sonne is vnto the tyme that he dra∣weth hym vnder / but all they be lyght what someuer part they torne as well by day as by nyght. as longe as y^e son¦ne goth aboute hye & lowe shynyng sauf y^e whiche ben hyd by therthe fro vs / For as longe at the shadowe may com∣prise it. the sonne may gyue them no lyght that ye may vnderstande by the fygure thus the shadowe discreaceth by the sonne whiche is moche gretter than therthe / and fyny∣sheth in lassyng And it endureth ferther fro therthe. than the mone is hye. but it faylleth aboueu the mone /

¶Wherfor the sonne is not seen by nyght as it is by day Capitulo iij^o.

THe erthe is suche that she deffendeth the day whiche the sonne

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gyueth vs Yf therthe we∣re so clere that men myght see thurgh thēne my∣ght y^e sone be seen cōtynuelly as wel vnder therthe as aboue. But it is so obscure & derke that it taketh a∣way the sight fro vs. & it maketh y^e shadowe to go alway torning af¦ter the sōne whih maketh as many tornynges aboute therthe as the son¦ne doth whiche al∣leway is ayenst it for whā the sonne ariseth in the mor¦nyng in theest / the shadowe is in the west and whan it is right ouer &

a••••ue vs a•• mydday. thenne is therthe shadowed vnder her And whan the sōne goth doun in the west the shadowe of it is in the eest & thenne whan the sonne is vnder we haue thē¦ne the shadowe ouer vs whiche goth drawyng to the west / longe tyl the sonne ariseth and shyneth and rendrith to vs the day / And this may ye see by thyse two fygures to fore on that other syde.

¶How the mone receyueth dyuersly her lyght & clerenesse Capitulo. iiij^o.

SYth that ye haue vnderstonde what it is of the da∣ye & of the nyght / wylle ye thenne after see the fayt of the mone / & how she receyueth lyght of the sonne / She receyueth lyght in suche maner that she is contynuelly half ful in what someuer place she be / & whan we see her round / thēne we calle her ful / but how moche the ferther she is fro the sone so moche the more we see of her apparayl. & whā she is right vnder the sōne / thenne she apperithe not to vs. For thēne she is bytwene therthe & the sōne & thenne she shyneth toward the sonne & toward vs she is all derke / and therfore we see her not / But whan she is passed the poynt & is re∣meuyd fro the sone / Thenne begynneth her clerenesse to ap∣pere to vs as she were horned / & so moche as she wythdra∣weth her fro the sonne somoche more apperith she shynyng And thenne whan she apperith to be half ful of lyght then¦ne hath she gon a quarter of her cercle. whiche is the four∣the parte of her torne & cours that she goeth euery moneth and thus alleway her clernesse encreacyng and growyng she goth tyl she be alle rounde fayre and clere in semblaunce of a rolle. And that we calle the full mone / Thenne is she right vnder the sonne as she may be right ayenst the sight in suche wyse that all her lyght is torned toward vs / Thēne is therthe bytwene y^e sonne & the mone so that we

may not se them bothe vpon therthe. but right lityl / but one of them may be seen. For whan that one goth doun in the west that other ariseth in the eest / & so at euen or morn may bothe be seen but not longe / For that one goth vnder ther∣the & that other cometh aboue Thenne y^e mone whiche hath ben opposite of the sonne & hath gon half her cours thenne she goth on that other side approching the sonne. & begyn∣neth to lasse her lyght & mynusshe it tyl it be but half agayn & thēne hath she gon thre quarters of her cercle & is thenne as nygh the sonne on that side. as she was at the first quar¦ter on that other side / & so approcheth ner & ner tyl she appere horned as to fore / and thus she goth tyl she be al fayleth that

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we may se no∣more thēne of her / For thenne is she vnder the sōne as ye may see by this pre∣sent fygure & I saye nomore he¦rof. but that she is thēne bitwe¦ne the sonne & therthe /

¶How the e∣clipses of the mone happen / Capitulo. v^o.

IT happeth ofte tymes that the mone muste nedes lo¦se her lyght / And that happeth whan she apperith most full / And she becometh as vanysshed away / and der∣keth lytyl and lytyl / Tyl she be all faylled ye haue herd here to fore how the mone taketh light of the sonne / that alway

she hath half her lyght hole / But whan it is so that she is in eclipse. thēne hath she no light in no parte / & this hap∣peth neuer but whan she is torned right so that y^e sonne gy¦ueth her ful lyght. For the mone goth not alway so right as doth the sonne. For somtyme she passeth in her cours by suche away that therthe shadoweth her alle / For therthe is gretter than the mone is / & therfore whan therthe is iuste bytwene the sōne and the mone thēne she thus shadoweth her / For bytwene the sonne & the mone is a lygne whiche declyneth so moche to the mone by whiche the sonne smy∣teth his rayes in her as longe as ther is no letting by ther¦the / For the more that ther is bytwene them the more is y^e mone shadowed / And the lasse that it is bytwene somoche lasse is the shadowe / & the mone leseth the lasse of her light that she receyueth of the sonne / whan she is so shadowed / Thus ye may vnderstonde / yf a lygne passed thurgh ther∣the by the poynt of the myddle of it / & stratched that one en∣de vnto the body of the sonne in suche wyse by right sight that it endured on that other ende vnto the mone / whiche euery moneth goth here and there. hyer and lower / yf she were se euen ayenst the sonne / thenne shold ••he falle euery moneth in that shadowe whi••he on alle partes shold em∣pesshe her lyght / whiche thenne myght not come to her for therthe in no wyse / For the ferther she is fro the right lyg∣ne. so moche hath and receyueth she the more of lyght / And whan she is so that therthe is ex opposito bytwene them than loseth the mone her lyght / Thus is seen somtyme the mone in the myddle of his moneth lose his lyght and derk / whan she is most ful / And her lyght torned vnto derkenesse whiche we calle eclypse of the mone. as ye may wel see & vnderstonde by this fygure yf ye beholde it well /

¶How the Eclypse of the Sonne cometh / Ca. vi^o.

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Yt hap¦peth som∣tyme that the sonne leseth his clerenes & the lyght in y^e plain daye. For it gooth as to decli¦ne. and is called in latin eclip¦sis / This eclipse pro¦cedeth by cause of defaulte of lyght / and it happeth in this manere that whan the mone whiche is vnder the sonne co∣meth right bytwene vs and the sonne / thenne in the right lygne it behoueth y^e toward vs y^e mone taketh & reteyneth the lyght of y^e sonne on hye / so that it semeth to vs that is defaylled / for the mone is not so pure that the sonne may shyne ouer her / & thurgh her as thurgh an other sterre / alle like as a cādel / whiche is sette ferre fro your sight / & after ye helde your honde right to fore the candel. thēne ye shold not see nothyng therof / & the more right ye hold your hand by∣twene / the more lasse shold ye see this candel / & so moche ye may sette your hand ryght to fore your eyen & so ferre that ye shold see nothyng therof. In this maner I telle yow of the Eclypse that bytwene the Sonne and the Mone is not one waye comune / But the mone gooth an other

waye whiche destourneth her a lytyl from the Sonne. Wherfore vs behoueth to vnderstande that the mone gooth oftymes whan she is bytwene vs and the sonne somtyme aboue and otherwhile bynethe / here and there as she ryseth and declyneth / But whan she passyth in the right lygne euen bytwene vs and the sonne thenne taketh the mone fro vs the lyght and clernes of the sonne in suche wyse as we may not clerly see her in that paas / For thenne shado∣weth she therthe / And kepeth the raynes of the sonne that they may not shyne on therthe / And they that ben in this parte / haue in their syght the shadowe behynde them / But it apperyth not comunely to alle men thurgh al the world For the mone is not so grete nowher nygh as all therthe therfor she shadoweth not all but only where she is in the right lygne bytwene therthe and the sonne / And thyder the philosophers were wont to goo where as they knewe it / For by their wyt and studye they had lerned for to ap∣proue the daye and tyme whan suche thynges sholde happe By whiche they preuyd plente of thynges wherfore they preysed moche our lord / Thu•• see we here byneth the eclyp∣se of the sonne aboue vs whan the mone is right vnder the sonne for as moche as she is bynethe sonne and aboue vs. And thenne the sonne passeth the ryght lygne and gooth departyng and wythdrawyng so moche / that she apperyth as she dyde afore / And thenne the mone departed is horned thre dayes after this Eclypse / And by this fygure ye may vnderstonde playnly this that ye haue herd here tofore /

¶Of the Eclypse that happed atte deth of our lord god Capitulo / vij^o.

THus as the mone taketh away fro vs the lyght of the sonne / So it happeth oftyme that therthe taketh away the lyght of the mone as to fore is declared / But the Eclipse of the mone may not be in no wyse but whan she apperith most full ne theclipse of the sonne may not be but whan the mone is all waned and faylled and

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that we calle the coniunciō but yf god whiche ma¦de all thin¦ge chaun∣ge and def¦fete at his plaisir ma¦ke it to co∣me or hap¦pene other¦wyse / like as it hap∣ped at su∣che tyme as our sauiour Ihesu Cryste was on the crosse / at whiche tyme the lyght and bryghtnesse of the day faylled fro myd∣day vnto the ix hour of the day and thenne was the mone vnder therthe at the fulle as moche as she myght be / whiche thenne in no wyse myght empesshe the lyght of the sonne / & the day at that tyme was as derke & obscure as it had ben propre nyght / whiche by nature at that tyme shold haue be bryght & pure / For whiche cause seynt Dyonyse whiche at

this tyme is schryned in Fraūce & thenne beyng an estu∣dyaūt in grece a paynem lyke a grete clercke as he was. For he knewe moche of astronomye. whan he apperceyued this grete obscurte and derknes / he had right grete meruayl¦le / and fonde by astroonmye that this myght not be by na∣ture ne by reson. that the eclipse of the sonne shold happe & falle in suche season / thenne sayd he a derke worde in this maner or the god of nature suffreth grete torment by wrō¦ge / or all the world discordeth & shal desolue & faylle / as it that muste take an ende / & though in hym self that he was a grete god that so susfred /

And that he had power and myght aboue alle other god∣des / as he that byleuyd on many goddes. after his lawe. Thenne this holy dyonyse made an aulter in his oratorye alle aboue the other aulters & also a parte where as no per∣sone repayred but he hym self only / by cause he wold not be reputed in mysbyleue. and whan it was made & he had sene it. he called it the aulter of the god vnknowen & worship∣ped & adoured hym. & helde hym for a right dere & grete god / It was not longe after this / that the holy doctour Seynt poul cam to this place where seynt dionyse was / as he that knewe hym for a right grete clerck / And by commynyca∣cion & preching of seynt Poul. he was sone conuerted by the helpe of our lord whiche wrought so therin / that thenne he had very knowleche how our lord had suffred his passiō For they were bothe good clerkes as is more playnly con¦teyned in their legendes. And thus was the noble clerk saynt dyonyse bycomen a good and very crysten man whi∣che all his lyf to fore had be a paynem and he so employed his science and his tyme / fro that day forthon that it auayl¦led hym gretly to y^e helthe of his sowle / this eclipse deceyuid

hym not ne this that he knewe astronomye. but he bycam after a mā of so good & holy lyf. that he gate for his reward the blysse of heuen. ye haue herd the fayt of Eclypses yf ye wyl vnderstande them wel. And ye shal not fare the werse ne y^e lasse auaylle you / For to knowe it may moche prouf¦fyte to euery persone. for suche demonstraūces ben signefyca∣cions of grete werkes & thynges that ofte after happen & falle / This fynde wel astronomyers by Astronomye as somtym scarcete and defaulte of goodes / of a grete derthe of warre / or deth of kynges or prynces that falleth in the world / as they may enquyre and serche by theyr science and reson / This eclipse that was so grete signefyed the deth of Ihesu Cryst / And it ought wel to come otherwyse for hym than for another / For he was and is by right lord & kinge of alle the world. And may deffete & desolue it / and ordeyne at his good playsyr the other eclypses comen by nature whiche reteyne on therthe their vertues of thinges that ben come / for it byhoueth all to fynysshe & come to nought to all y^t is on therthe / & that shortly / god made not y^e firmamēt ne the sterres for noght whiche as sayd is goth tornyng ouer & aboue vs / and gyueth to the sterres names & vertues in heuen and in erthe / eche after his myght on all thinges that hath growyng. For ther is nothyng but it hath somme po¦wer for as moche as it hath growyng / suche as it ought to haue by nature and by resen we shal now for this present leue for to speke ony more of the eclipses / and shal recomp∣te and declare of the vertue of the firmament and of the sterres / For who so wel knewe the vertue of them / he shold knowe the trouthe of alle suche thynge that is bynethe he∣re on therthe by reson of nature / whether the thynge were obscure and derke or not /

¶ Of the vertu of heuen and of the sterres / Capl^o. viij^o.

NOw wylle ye here of the science by the whiche men gete sapience for to knowe and enquyre the thinges that may happen in therthe by the werker of right nature whiche is fygured by the world / The heuenes and the sterres ben the very instrumēts of nature to the world by whiche she werketh alle as god wylle as wel nygh as ferre. and who that coude knowe her myght / he had knowle¦ge of alle thyng that sayd is / as wel of the sterres that ben on heuen whiche haue vertueson therthe whiche god hath gyuen and graunted to euerich & specyally to the sonne & to the mone whiche gyue lyght vnto the world & wythout whom nothyng lyuyng may be / For by them growe alle thynges that be in this world and whiche haue ende and begynnyng / this consenteth and permyseth he that is al∣myghty. Alle dyuersitees that be in persones and whiche haue dyuersitees of makyng and of corsage and alle that happeth by nature / be it in herbes / in plantes or in beestes. this happeth by the vertue celestyal whiche god gaf to the sterres. Whan he first created the world / And that he sette them & endowed them wyth suche nature that he ordeyned them to goo roūd aboute the world ayenst the tornyng of the firmament / And by their tornyng and by their vertu whiche lyeth in heuen. lyue alle thynges that ben vnder it / And yf it pleasyd our lord that he wold holde the heuen all stylle in suche wyse that it torned not aboute. ther is no∣thing in alle the world / that myght meue him. In hym shold be no vnderstondyng nomore than in a dede body. whiche fe∣leth nothyng ne therin is no wytte ne vnderstandyng ne moeuyng as he that hath no lyf / in suche poynt / shal euery thynge be whan the heuen shal leue his moeuyng. Alle

thus shold they be and neuer moeue / tyl that the heuen had agayn his moeuyng / And thenne shold they be otherwyse but who that thenne myght vse his wytte & se what he shal be. moche myght he see of semblaūces & of dyuerse contenaū¦ces in other men that myght not remeue them / For yf ther were no meuyng on the heuen / ther is nothyng that myght lyue on erthe. Also god wyl that it so be that all thyng hath establysshid by right / Thus was the wylle of god in whom alle vertues habounde for to fourme the world / For he made ne created neuer thynge but that he gaf to it suche vertue as it ought to haue / ellis he had made somthyng for nought & without reson / but he dyde not so for he neuer fayl¦led in no thynge / he made and created alle the sterres & gaf to euerich his vertue & who y^t wyll not byleue. thus In him is nether memoyre ne reson / For we see openly that the mo¦ne taketh lyght whan we see her all full. for the man hath thenne neyther membre ne vayne / but that it is full whan it is in the cours of humours and suche thynges & in lyke wyse it happeth on alle bestes. For they haue thenne their hedes and other membres more garnysshid of margh & of humeurs / And the see also floweth & ebbeth in his cours euery moneth wherof it happeth that they that ben nygh y^e see whan they knowe that the mone is ful they wythdra∣we them fro the see on hye. And saue them & theyre meyna¦ge. and in this poynt they wythdrawe them and holde them in hye places vnto the tyme that the see wythdraweth and lasseth agayn. And thus do they euery moneth. But alle this happeth by the mone whiche is one of the seuen plane∣tes / In lyke wyse is it seen of the sonne. that after the wyn∣ter whan he begynneth to mounte / he causeth the fruyt to be brought forth of therthe / and appparylleth the trees wyth

leues. and alle verdure to come agayn. And the byrdes begynne agayn their songe for the swetenes of the new ty∣me. And whan he rebasshith and declyneth / he maketh the wynter to begynne and causeth flowres and leuis to falle and falle so longe tyl he begynne to mounte agayn as to fore is sayd. Syth that thyse two sterres haue suche ver∣tues / and cause suche thynges to be don / The other whiche ben pourtrayed on the heuen / were not made to serue of nought / But to eueriche is ordeyned his vertue and his right after his nature. Wherfore they make dyuersitees in thynges that ben on therthe / And the moeuynges of tyme / of whiche that one cometh soone and that other late / And the fruytes that come on therthe. Somme come sone and erly and the other late and ben otherwhyle sooner rype in o∣ne yere that in an other. And more assured of tempestes & other greuaunces / And thus chaunge in sondry maners. For one somer is softe and moyste / And another is drye and wyndy / Of the wynter it happeth oftymes that they chaūge / so that one is colde / rayny and more desplaysaunt than y^e other / And another shal be more Ioyous & lasse da¦mageable / Thus is seen that the one is dere of somme vy∣taylle or other thynges And that other shal be plentyuous And also it is ofte that ther is plente and good chepe in one yere / In another yere it is had in grete chierte / and is of grete scarset•• this fallyth somtyme and ofte. Alle thy∣se dyuersytees cause the sterres whiche ben on the heuen / But alle this is by the wylle of our lord that hath sette e∣eueriche in his propre place / where he maketh naturelly his cours / and euerich dyuersly / For yf none other thynge had his vse in tymes sauf the sonne only wythout moo / as he that goth swyftly by the firmament euery yere / And

mounteth as moche and as hye in one somer as in another And as moche descendeth in one wynter as in another eue¦ry day egally tyl that he come in to / his right poynt / And Ioyneth that other after hym where he was to fore / this knowe well Astronomyers that he gooth euery yere abou∣te the heuen one torne. And where he is this day in the sa∣me place he shal be this day a yere. Ther by is it knowen that if none other hath no power thēne shold euery yere be ly¦ke other. & euery yere alway shold be lyke as the yere to fore was / and euery moneth shold be lyke the same as eueriche shold come / that is to wyte / one Ianyuer lyke another Iany¦uer / and feuerer lyke another feuerer / and in lyke wyse alle the other x. moneths / For the sonne gooth alle lyke in one moneth / As he shal the next yere in the same moneth. And this day sholde reassemble and be lyke vnto this day a yere in alle maner thynge that is to wete of hete / of colde of fair wether. of rayne and of other thinges euerich after their comyng all the yere duryng. Thēne sholde it falle by right nature that in all the somers and all the wynters that e∣uer haue ben and shal be shold not come no dyuersytees. And all the tymes shold be lyke as they that by the. sonne shold be alway demened / eschauffed and contynuelly gouer¦ned. For he goth egally alway and endeth his cours euery yere and holdeth his right way in one estate as he that goth not out of his waye. Thus is he the right veyle and patro∣ne of all the other sterres. For it is the most fyn of all the other by the grete clerenesse that is in hym / and in all thyn∣ges by hym / and he hath on therthe more power on thyn∣ges of whiche may be enquyred of nature reson and right than all the other sterres / yet somtyme they restrayne his heetes and after they enlarge thēm after that they be fer or

nygh / as he otherwhyle hath nede / lyke vnto a kynge whi∣che is the gretter lorde and the more myghty in hym self for his hyghnesse than ony other of the people / Neuertheles he hath somtyme nede of them for to be holpen and serued of them / For how moche the nerer he is to his people / so mo∣che more is he stronge and puissaunt / And the ferther he wythdraweth fro his folke / so moche the lasse he exployteth of his werke / ¶In lyke wyse I saye to yow of the sonne whiche is as ye may vnderstōde. the grettest. the most mygh¦ty / And the most vertuous / of whiche he hath gretter po∣wer in erthe / than ony other sterre may haue. but the other haue their power euerich in his degre. But syth we haue recounted to yow the shortest wyse we may of the vertue of the firmament. we shal declare to you herafter in short how the world was mesured as well in heyght as in depnesse. And on alle sydes of lengthe and brede by them that k••e∣we the resons of the seuen sciences / Of whiche geometrie is one. by whiche the sonne / the mone. therthe / and the firma¦ment ben mesured as well wythin as wythoute / how mo∣che it is of gretenes / And how moche it is fro therthe to the firmament / and alle the gretenes of the sterres / For this is preuyd by ryght byholdyng. And they that founde this science perceyuyd that it myght not be knowen truly by astronomye ne the nature of the sterres wythout kno∣wyng of their mesures / Therfore wolde they mesure them and preue all their gretenesse /

¶Wherfore and how they mesured the world / Capl^o. ix

FYrst of alle the auncient philosophers wolde mesure the gretnes of the world all round aboue therthe tofo¦re ony other werke. by whiche they preuyd the heyght of the sterres. and the gretnes of the firmament all aboute / And they coude not fynde more gretter mesure to be mesured / and whan they had mesured therthe how moche it had of large∣nes all aboute / and how moche it had of thycknes thourgh they enquyred after of the mone by cause it was leste hye fro therthe. & most nyhest therto. And after they enquyred of the sonne. how ferre it was fro therthe / And how moche the body therof had of gretnes / And they fonde it more thā all therthe was▪ And whan they had mesured thyse thre thynges the Sonne / the Mone and therthe. They myght lyghtly after enquyre of the other sterres / how moche eue∣riche is nygh or ferre. And the gretenes of euerich / Of whiche they fonde none. but his body were of more gretenes than alle therthe is excepte only thre of the planetes wyth∣out more whiche ben Venus. Mercurye. and the Mone / whiche is the thirde / and euery man may enquyre this. yf he knowe the science of geometrye & the science of astronomye wyth all / For that muste he knowe first to fore he may fynde and knowe the trouthe. But for as moche as alle be not good clerkis ne maystres of Astronomye that may proue this. we wyll recounte here after how moche the erthe is longe. And how thycke it is thurgh. And also how moche the mone is aboue therthe. And the sonne also whiche is aboue the mone / And how moche eche of them hath of gretenes lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hath pre∣ned / And also we shal speke after that of the sterres and of the firmament / Of alle this we shal saye to you / but

first tofore all I shal recounte to yow of the faytes and dedes of the kynge Tholomeus. whiche knewe so many de∣monstraunces of apparicions. and so moche loued Astro∣nomye that he wold serche alle these thynges / And we shal saye to you of somme thynges. whiche ben not contra∣rye to yow / yf ye wyll well vnderstande and reteyne them by whiche ye may lerne som good. And thenne after we shal mesure to yow the world the best wyse we may / Now entende ye of the kynge tholomeus and of the werkes of somme other philophers for youre owne prouffyt.

¶Of the kynge Tholomeus and of somme other philo∣sophers / Capitulo x^o.

THolomeus was a kynge moche subtyl in Astrono∣mye. This tholomeus was kynge of egipte whi∣che helde the contree longe tyme / Ther were somtyme many kynges that were named Tholomeus / But emonge the other this was he that knewe most of Astronomye and that most enserched of the sterres / and more vnderstode of them than the other / of whiche he composed and made plente of right fayr volumes and bookes / And many dy∣uerse instrumentes by whiche was foūde appertly alle the gretenes of therthe / And the heyght of the firmament / And how the sterres make their cours bothe by nyght and by daye / By hym were founden first the oryloges of the chirches whiche begynne the houres of the dayes and of the nyghtes / The dayes passe fast on wherfor the chirches haue grete nede to haue good orloges. for to doo therby al∣way the seruyse of our lord at hour competent and due as well by day as by nyght. For god loueth moche for to be adoured and seruyd entyerly and ordynatly euery day /

For the Orysons that ben sayd and receyted euery day in the chirches playse more to our lord than do they that ben sayde in many other places / And therfor the oryloges ben necessarye in euery chirche. And men serue god the better in due tyme and fare the better / and lyue the lenger. For yf they ruled soo them self to praye at a certayn hour / And at an other hour in lyke wyse to ete. & other thinges in his right hour / it shold be a lyght thynge to doo & plese god Yf men wold applye them as wel to suche thynges. as they do to do that whiche confoūdeth and sleeth them that is to we¦te that they be al enclyned to conquere the richesses / of whi∣che they cesse not nyght ne daye. And wenen to prolonge their lyf therby / But they amasse and gete grete tresours / and pourchasse their deth / For by y^e grete goodes that they assemble on alle sydes / they put them in suche thought and payne that they lese ofte their wytte & vnderstandyng. and also their mynde so that they may not enclyne and thinke on thoo werkes that towche their saluaciō as they ought to doo / & by suche werkes shold they be in more ease & lyue lenger and plese better our lord. And shold also haue more helthe of body and of sowle / but they loue somoche the wyn∣nyng of the goodes of the world / that they leue that whiche shold more auayle and prouffyte them. ¶I wote neuer wherfore they gete this hauoir and good. For they lose therby the ease of the worlde / bycause whan they wene to sette them in ease and to be in pees / Thenne cometh deth and maketh them to deye wyth ryght grete sorowe. For the grete couetyse of the good and the payne that they haue made alle way to gete it wythout ordynaunce and mesure hath moche the more hastelyer brought them to their deth And so ben many men deed / that yf they had ordeyned

their affayres and besynesse as they ought to doo at euery hour competently and by ordre / whiche yet had ben a lyue & in good helthe / And lo thus ye may see how they abredge their dayes and auaunce their deth / For at longe nature may not suffre dyuerse mayntenes vnresonable ne the so∣deyn agrauacions ne griefs / of whiche by their folyes they trauaylle nature. and it displesyth moche vnto god. And also no good may come therof / But gladlyer and wyth bet¦ter wyll they traueylle and more dylygently for to wynne and gete the worldly goodes. than the loue of god / And ne¦uer do they thynge by ordre. One day goon they erly to the chirche. and another day late or at suche an hour / as they wene that it shal not hurte them to auaunce their gayne & wynnyng / Thus go they neuer to chirche for to praye vn∣to god vnto the tyme that they wene that they shal wynne nomore worldly goodes. But they wynne the lasse / For they serue god in vayn / And god shal rendre to them their reward. and they shal bye right dere that they leue to serue hym / For he may rendre to them more meryte in one day. than they may gete in a thousand yere. Suche people ben foles and euyl aduysed. whan of nought they wene to ser∣ue hym that alle knoweth and all seeth. ye the lest thought that they thynke yet ben ther somme / whan they go to chir∣che they goo not in entencion to praye god but only for to gete the loos and goodes of the world. And praye more for their richesses. that god sholde kepe and multyplye them than they do for the saluacion of their sowles whiche ben in grete parylle to be perysshed. And it is a grete mer∣uaylle of suche maner of people / that thynke wel in their hertes and knowe wel that it is euyl that they do / yet for al that they amende them not▪ of whiche it is grete pyte

whan they so folowe the deuyll whiche is so feble a thyng fro whom alle euyllis sourden Truly y^e deuyl is ful of iny∣quyte and wythout power and strengthe ouer ony persone of hym self / For he may not vainquysshe ne ouercome / but hym that consenteth to his wyll / For who that wyll con∣duyte and rule hym self well The inyquytees of hym may not noye ne greue / ne in nothynge trauaylle hym / of whi∣che he hath cause to sorowe fore / as longe as he wyll dispo∣se hym to doo well / Thenne may wel be sayd / fy. ¶For they ben more than faylled whan he ouercometh them so fe¦bly and taketh them in their euill dedes and synnes and le∣deth them to perdycion / where they neuer shal be wythout payne / ne neuer shal haue Ioye ne in no wyse haue hope of mercy of this purpos we shal saye nomore now / but re∣coūte of kynge tholome{us} / The whiche employed his tyme / in the werkes of our lord god / out of his bookes were dra∣wen the nombres of whiche the yeres ben ordeyned / And of the same is foūde the cours of the mone / By whiche is seen whan she is newe / of suche Iuli{us} Cezar whiche of ro∣me was emperour made a booke called the somes / the sōmes / the whi∣che is ful necessarye in holy chirche / and it declareth the gol∣den nombre of the kalender / For by the kalender is knowen the cours of the mone / and of alle the yere / by whiche is al∣so knowen how we ought to lyue after reson euery daye / That is to wete in etyng and drynkyng / and in worshi∣pyng our lord on hye dayes and symple / and for to solemp∣nyse suche dayes as holy chyrche hath ordeyned and by blessyd sayntes establysshed / ¶By the kalender we knowe the holy tymes as the ymbre dayes / The lente / aduente / And the hye dayes and festes thet we ben most bounde to serue god / For to gete his Inestimable Ioye

and glorye / Whiche our lord hath promysed vnto his good and trewe frendes whiche wyth good herte serue hym / Alle this lerneth vs the calender / the whiche was drawē out of Astronomye whiche the good kynge Tholomeus louyd so moche and he knewe more than ony other man sauf adam whiche was the first man / For adam knewe alle the seuen sciences lyberall entyerly wythout fayllyng of a worde / as he that the creatour made and fourmed wyth his propre hā¦des / And so wold our lord haue hym souerayn in beaute. in wytte and strengthe. ouer all them̄ that shold be born after hym vnto the comyng of Ihesu Cryste sone of god / The whiche had gyuen to hym suche vertues. Ne neuer after Adam gaf he so moche to one man. ne neuer shal. But anon as he had consented and commysed the synne deffen∣ded. he lost so moche of his wytte and power. that anon he becam a man mortall / And he was suche to fore er he had synned. that he shold neuer haue felte deth / Ne alle we des∣cended of hym shold not haue lasse meryte than he / In Ioye in solaas and in deduyt of paradys terrestre alle to gydre & born and nouryshed wythout synnes / And after in heuen gloryfyed. But syth they tasted of the fruyt▪ whiche god deffended them his wytte and his entendement were so destroyed and corumped by his synne. that alle we abyde entetched and foylled ther by / Ne ther is nothyng vnder the firmament. but it is werse sythen than to fore and of lasse valew. Ye the sterres gyue lasse lyght / than they dyde to fore / ¶Thus alle thynges empayred of their goodnes and vertues by the synne of Adam / whiche god had made for man / as he that wold make hym maystre of all the goodes that he had made / ¶But anon as he had commysed the synne / he felte hym so bare of his wytte and

entendement strengthe & of his beaute / that hym semed he was al naked. & that he had loste all goodes as a man put in exyle / But notwythstondyng this yet abode wyth hym more wytte strēgthe & beaute / than euer ony man had sithē And to the regard of thyse thre vertues that adam had / The kynge dauyd that was so vertuous & wyse had two sones whiche myght be compared y^e one to the beaulte of a∣dam. & that other to his wysedom / absolon myght be compa∣red to his beaulte & salamon vnto his wytte & wysedom / And sampson the forte vnto his strengthe / Thus were thyse thre vertues in adam so parfyghtly that noman syth myght compare wyth hym. Ne the two sones of dauid ne sampson / ne none other. For as it is sayd tofore he knewe the vij sciences liberall better than alle the men that ben des¦cended of hym / as he to whom his god & maker had taught them to hym and erseygned. & after that they were sought by many a man whiche rendred grete payne / for to fynde them. and to saue them for cause of the flood / knowyng that it shold come to the world by fyre or by water.

¶How the scryptures & sciences were saued ayenft the flood / Capitulo / xj^o.

SYth Adam was deed ther were many men whiche lerned the sciences of the vij artes lyberall / whiche god had sente to them in therthe / Of whome somme ther were that wold enquyre what shold bycome of y^e world or euer it shold haue an ende / And they fonde veryly / that it shold be destroyed and take ende twyes. At the first tyme by the flood of water / But our lord wold not they shold knowe whether it shold be first destroied by water or by fyre. Thenne had they grete pyte for theyr sciences

that they had goten whiche they knewe / & so shold perisshe But if it were kept and ordeyned fore by their wysedoms / Thenne they aduysed them of a grete wytte and bounte / as they that wel wise / that after the first destruxcion of the world ther shold be other people / wherfor they dyde do make grete pylers of stone in suche wyse that they myght pour∣traye / & graue in euery stone atte leste one of the vij scien∣ces entierly in suche wyse that they myght be knowen to other Of whiche somme saye that one of thise pylers was of a stone as hard as. marble / and of suche nature that wa¦ter myght not empayre it ne defface ne mynysshe it / And they made other in a stronge maner of tyles all hole wyth out ony Ioyntures that fyre myght not hurte it in no wy∣se. In thyse grete colompnes or pylers as sayd is were en∣taylled and grauen the vij sciences in suche wyse / that they that shold come after them / shold fynde and lerne them /

¶ Of them that fonde the science & the clergye after the flood / Capitulo xij^o.

AS ye may vnrerstonde the seuen scyences lyberall were fouuden by auncyent wyse men out of whiche alle other sciences procede. Thyse were they to whom our lord hath gyuen them and enseygned doubtyng the deluuye that god sente in to therthe / the whiche drowned alle creatu¦res reseruyd Noe and them that he toke in to the arke with hym. And after this the world was repeoplyd and made agayn by them that descended of them For after the tyme of noe y^e people began to make agayn howses & mansions. & to make redy other werkis. but this was moche rudely as they that coude but right lytyl vnto the tyme that thyse sciences

were founden agayn and thenne coude they better make & doo that was nedeful and propyce to them / And fynde re∣medye for their euellys. the first that applyed hym and en∣termeted for to enquyre and serche these sciences after the flood was Sem one of the sones of Noe / whiche had gy∣uen his corage-therto. & in suche wyse he dyde therin suche dylygence & so {con}tynued. that by his wytte he fonde apartye of astronomye. after hym was abraham whiche also fonde a grete partie & after hym were other that vsed their lyff the best wyse they myght so moche that they had the pryn∣cyples and resons of the seuen scyences. And after cam Plato the sage and right souerayn in philosophye / and his clerke named / Aristotle the wyse clercke / This plato was the man aboue all them of the world in clergye the most ex¦perte of them that were to fore or after hym. he preuyd first that ther was but one that was only souerayn / whiche all made and of whom alle good thynge cometh / yet his lokes approue hyely that ther ne is but one souerayn whiche alle made. And of whom all good thynge cometh / yet his boo∣kes approue hyely that ther ne is but one souerayn good. that is our lord god whiche made all thynges. & in this only veryte. he preuyd the right trouth•• / For he preued his power. his wysedom. and his goodnes Theyse thee bouū∣tees reclayme alle crysten men. that is the fader. the sone / & the holy goste. Of the fader he sayde the power and puyssaun¦ce / Of the sone sapyence / and of the holy gost the benyuo∣lence / And arystotle whiche cam after hym holdeth plente of thynges nyghe to hym / and knewe the thynges that he had sayd / And ordeyned right wel the scyence of logyke. For he knewe more therof than of other sciences / Thyse ij. notable clerkes fonde by their wysedom & connyng / thre per¦sones in one essence / & preuyd it. but they put it not in latyn

For bothe two were paynems. as they that were more thā thre hondred yere to fore the comynge of oue lord Ihu crist And alle the bookes there in grekyssh lettres / After cam boece whiche was a grete philosophre & right wyse clerk / the whiche coude byhelpe hym wyth dyuerse langages / and louyd moche rigtwysnes / This boece translated of their bookes the most partye. and sette them in latyn / But he deyde er he had alle translated them / wherof was grete dom∣mage for vs alle / Syth haue other clerkes translated. but this boece translated more than ony other / The whiche we haue yet in vsage / And compiled in his lyff plente of fair volumes aourned of hye and noble philosophye / of whiche we haue yet grete nede for tadresse vs toward our lord god And many other good clerkes haue ben in this world of greete auctoryte whiche haue lerned and studyed alle their tyme vpon the sciences of the seuen artes / Of whiche heue ben somme that in their tyme haue do meruaylles by Astro¦nomye. But aboue alle them that most entremeted & tra∣ueylled vpon the science of astronomye. was virgile whi∣che compyled many merueyllous werkes. & therfor we shal recounte a lytyl here folowyng of the meruaylles he dyde /

¶Here folowe in substaunce of the meruaylles that vir∣gyle wrought by Astronomye in his tyme by his wytte Capitulo. xiij^o.

UIrgyle the wyse philosophre born in Italie was to fo¦re the commyng of our lord Ihesu Cryste he sette not lytyl by the vij sciences / For he trauaylled and studyed in them y^e most part of his tyme somoche that by a astronomye he made many grete meruaylles / For he made in Naples a flye of copper / Whiche whan he had sette it vp in a place / That flye enchaced and hunted away alle other flyes. so

that abyde none in ony place ne durste not approche nyghe to that flye by the space of two bowe shote rounde a bowte / And yf ony flye passed the bounde that Vyrgyle had com∣passed. Incontynent he shold deye / and myght no lenger lyue He had also an horse of bras / the whiche guarysshed and he∣led all horses of all their maladyes and sekenesses of whi∣che they were entetched. also soone as the seke horse loked on the horse of brasse / Also he founded a merueyllouse cyte vpon an egge by suche force and power / that whan the egge was moued. all the cyte quaued and shoke. And the more the egge was moued / the more the cyte quaued and trem∣bred / The cyte in hie and lowe and playne / The flye of cop∣per. and horse of brasse that Vyrgyīe thus made ben in Ra∣ples. And the cage where the egge is in. all ben there seen. This hath be sayd to vs of them / that be comen fro thens▪ that many tymes hath seen theim. Also he made that in one daye all the fyre thrughe out Rome failled. and was quen∣ched / in suche wyse that no persone myghte haue none. But yf he wente and fette it at the nature of a woman wyth a candell or otherwyse. And she was doughter of themperour and a grete lady / whiche to fore had doon to hym a gre••e sclaundre and dysplaysure. and all they that had fette fyre at her / myght not adresse it to other. but eueryche that wolde haue fire muste nedes goo fette it there as the other had fet¦te it. And thus auenged he hym on her. for the dysplaysure that she had doon to hym / And he made a brydge vpō a wa∣ter. the greteste that euer was made in the worlde / And is not knowen of what mater it is made / whether it is of sto∣ne or of wode. But ther was neuer w••rkman so subtyll ne carpenter ne mason / ne other that cowde somoche knowe ne enserche wythin the erthe / ne wythin the water. that they

myghte knowe and fynde howe that brydge was there sette ne how it was sustyned in no manere / ne atte endes. ne in the myddes. and men passed ouer frely / And all wythoute lettynge / He made also a garden all a boute rounde closed wyth thayer. wythoute ony other closure / whiche was as thycke as a clowde. And this gardyne was right hye fro therthe / He made also two tapres and a laūpe light & bren∣nynge in suche wyse that it contynuelly brenned wythoute quenchyng. and mynushed ne lessed noo thynge / Thise thre thynges he enclosed wythin the erthe in suche wyse that noo man can fynde it / For all the crafte they can doo / Yet made he an hede to speke / Whiche answered of all that whiche he was demaunded of. And of that whiche shold happen & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the erthe / Soo on a daye he demaūded of the hede how he sholde doo vnto in a certeyne werke where as he sh••lde goo vnto. But the hede answered to hym in suche wyse that he vnderstode it not well. For it sayd that yf he keped well the hede / he sholde come agayne all hole / and wyth this answere he wente his waye well assured / But the sonne whiche that daye gaaf grete hete smote hym on the hede and chauffed his brayne / of whiche he toke no hede / that he gate therby a sekenes and malady / wherof he deyed. For whan he had the answere of the hede that he vnderstode not that he spake of his hede / but he vnderstode of the hede that spak to hym / but it had be better that he had kept well his owne hede And whan he felte hym selfe agreued wyth sekenesse. he ma¦de hym to be borne oute of rome. For to be buried in a cas∣tell. beynge toward Sezyle / and a myle nyghe the see / Yet ben there his bones / whiche ben better kepte than others ben And whan the bones of hym ben remeued / The see begyn∣neth to encreace and swell soo gretly that it cometh to the castell. And the hyer they ben reysed vp. The hyer groweth

the see in suche wyse that the castel shold be drowned yf they were not anon remysed and sette in their place but thenne whan they be sette agayn in their place anon the see aualeth. and gooth away there as it was to fore / And this hath be oftymes proued / and yet endure the ver¦tues of him as they saye that haue ben there / Virgyle was a moche sage and subtyl clerke and full of grete engyne / For vnto his power he wold preue alle the vsages of cler∣kes / as moche as was possyble for hym to knowe / He was a man of lytyl stature / alytyl courbed was he on the back by right nature. And wente his heed hangyng doun and beholydyng the ground / Virgyle dyde and made many grete meruaylles / whiche the herers shold holde for lesynges yf they herde them recounted / For they wolde not byleue that a nother coude doo suche thynge / as they coude not med¦le wyth. And whan they here speke of suche maters or of other that they see at their eyen. And that they / can not vn∣derstonde ne knowe not therof / Anon they saye that it is by thelpe of the fende that werketh in suche maner. as they that gladly myssaye of people of recommendacion. And al¦so saye it is good not to conne suche thynges. but yf they knewe the scyence and maner. they wold holde it for a mo∣che noble and right werke of nature. & wythout ony other espece of euyll / And whan they knowe not ne vnderstonde the thynge / they saye moche more euyll than wel. Certayn∣ly who that knewe well Astronomye ther is nothyng in the world. of whiche he coude enquyre by reson / but he shold haue knowlege therof. And many thynges shold he doo. that shold seme myracles to the people whiche that knewe nothynge of the science / I saye not but ther myght be well don euyll by hym that coude it. For ther is none so good

science. but that myght be entended therin somme malyce. & that he myght vse it in euil thar wolde so applie hym therto God made neuerso good a gospel. but somme myghte tonr∣ne it contrarye to trouthe / & ther is no thyng so true / but somme myght so glose that it myghte be to hys dampnac̄on who that wolde payne hym to do euyl / how wel it is no ma¦ystrye to do yll. Eueri man hath the power to drawe hym sylf to do well. or to do euyl / whiche that he wylle / as he that hath fre liberte of that one & of that other / yf he gyue hym sylfe to vertues. thys goodnes cometh to hym fro our lord and yf he be enclyned to do euyl. that bryngeth hym at thende to sorow and to payne p••erpetuell / Neuer shal the euyl dis¦posed man saye well / of that he can not wele vnderstonde & knowe / Ther is no crafte. ar••e ne science / but it is goode to be knowen whan a / man wol gyue and applye / hym self therto / But late hym do no thynge ayenst god by whiche he leseth his grace Alle thynge is knowen by As∣tronomye sauf suche thynge as god wylle that it he not knowen. And so it is better to lerne that than to lerne to amasse and gader to gyder grete tresours / For who that coude / Astronomye properly. he sholde haue alle that he wold haue on erth / For hym shold faill no thynge what som∣euer he wold. and yet more / But they had leuer haue the moneye / And they knowe not that it is of Astronomye ne wherfore money was founden. how wele that they applye all their entendement for to haue it▪ But they retche not for to lerne. sauf that whiche they knowe shall redoūde to theyr singuler prouffyt / And yet for all that we shal not leue / but that we shal recyte somme caas for them that haue talente for to lerne / And late hym herkyn and take hede that wyll vnderstande it /

¶Here declareth for what cause monoye was first esta∣blisshid. Capitulo. xiiij^o.

THe monoyes were establysshed / first for as moche as they had not of alle thynges necessarye to gydre That one had whete / another had wyn / and another cloth or other wares / he that had whete / had not wyn wyth¦out he chaunged one for another. and so muste they dayly chaūge one for another. For to haue that they had not. as they that knewe none other mene. Whan the philosophers sawe this / they dyde so moche that they establisshed wyth the lordes somtyme regnyng / a lytyl lyght thynge whiche eueri man myght bere wyth hym to bye that was nedeful to hym and behoefful for his lyf. and so ordeyned by aduyse to gy∣dre a thyng whiche was not ouer dere ne holden for ouer vy¦le. And that it were of somme valure for to bye & vse with all true marchandyse one wyth another. by vertue of suche enseygne / And that it were comune ouerall and in all ma∣ner / And establed thenne a lytyl moneye whiche shold go•• and haue cours thurgh the world / And by cause it lad mē by the waye and mynystred to them that was necessarye it was called monoye. That is as moche to saye. as to gyue to aman all that hym be houeth for his lyuyng. Monos in grekyssh langage is as moche to saye. as one thyng only / For thenne was but one maner of monoye in all y^e world But now euery man maketh monoye at his playsir by whiche they desuoye and goo out of the waye more than yf ther were but one coyne only / For by this cause is seen ofte plente of dyuerse monoyes. Thus establysshed not the phi∣losophers / For they establysshed for to saue the state of the world. And I saye it for as moche yf the monoye were out of grotes & pens of siluer so thenne it shold be of lasse

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weyght and lasse of valewe / and that shold be better for to bere by the waye for poure folke / and better shold be easid for the helpe of their nedes to their lyuyng / And for none other cause it was ordeyned first. For the monoyes be not prey∣sed but for the gold and siluer that is therin / And they that establisshed it first / made it right lytyl and lyght / For the more ease to be born al aboute. where men wold goo. for now In late dayes as in the begynnyng of the regne of kyn¦ge Edward & longe after was no monoye curraunt in Englond but pens and half pens and ferthynges. And be ordeyned first the grote and half grote of siluer / And noble half noble and ferthyng in gold /

¶Here foloweth of phylosophers that wente thurgh the world Capitulo / xv^o.

THus the philosophers by the moyen of their monoye wente where they wolde thurgh the world. And the marchantes / in their marchandyses. or in pylgrema¦ges / o•• in pourchacyng & enquyryng somme places that they wold knowe of▪ whom ther were many whiche were philosophers / & that wold haue experyence of alle thynges & they wente by see & by londe for tenserche the very trouthe of the secrete thynges of heuen & of erthe / They rested them not by the grete fyres ne brassed not as som doo now in thyse dayes in the worlde the whiche gyue them to doo no good ne applye to no vertues / but yf it be to haue the loos and preysyng of the world. But they wente serchyng by the see and the londe on alle partyes for to knowe the better the good and the euyll. and for to conne discerue that one fro that other / by whiche they endured many grete trauayl∣les

for to gete the sauyng of theyr sowles. and at this day alle men seche to gete rychesses and tresour. and the name to be callyd maystre for to gete louyng and honour of the world / whiche so hastely faylleth / Certaynly an euyll man may not thynke on hye thynges. For who that is of erthe to therthe entendeth. And who pretendeth to god. God at∣tendeth to hym / for god hym self sayth who that is of ther∣the speketh of therthe / And who that cometh fro heuen vnto heuen pretendeth he wythout other. The philosophers that wel coude vnderstōde this worde. had moche leuer to suffre trauaylles and mesayses for to lerne / thā tendende to worl∣dly honours / For they helde for more dere and worthy the sciences & the clergyes. than all the seygnoryes of the world Plato whiche was a puissaunt and a recōmended maystre of Athenes lefte his noble estate and his place by cause he wold of suche renommee lyue / that he serched many londes & contrees / And had leuer haue payne. mesayse & trauayll for tenserche trouthe / and for to lerne science than for to ha∣ue seynourye and domynacyon in the world ne renommee for to be mayster. For he wold saye nothyng but yf he were certayn therof / For ony veyne glorye of the world Apoly∣nes whiche was so grete a prynce lefte his empire and his royamme. and departed al poure and naked for to lerne the sciences. And he was taken and solde oftymes to straun∣ge men / Ne neuer was ther none of them so valyant of all them that bought & solde. that he sette ought therby so that he myght alle way lerne And more trauaylled on alle par∣tyes for to lerne and knowe god. & the world / Whiche he lo¦ued better than ony other worldly thyng & he wente so ferre that he fonde syttyng in a Trone of golde an hye philoso¦phre & of grete renommee / the whiche enseygned & taught

his disciples wythin his trone where he satte / & lerned them of the faytes of nature of good mauers / the cours of the dayes and of the sterres ¶And the reson and sygnefiaun∣ce of thynges touchyng of sapience and wysedom. This philosophre was named hyarchas. Affter appolynes ser∣ched by many contrees so ferre that he fonde the table of fyn golde whiche was of grete renommee / that it was named the table of the sonne. wherin alle the world was pourtrayed Therin saw he and lerned many faytes and many meruayl¦les. Whiche he loued more than ony Royamme / he erred so ferre by strange londes that he passed the flood of Ganges and alle Inde / & in thende so ferre. that he myght fynde no mo¦re way. & where someuer he cam he fonde & lerned alleway. suche as myght auaylle and prouffyte to hym self and other for tauaūce hym tofore god / Thus the kynge alysaunder also suffred trauaylles wythout nombre for to lerne / But he wente fro place to place in estate ryall / And wyth puys∣sance of people / wherefor he myght not so well lerne ne enquyre the trouthe of thynges / ¶Virgyle also wente thurgh many contrees for to enquyre and serche the trouthe of alle thynges / Tholomeus whiche of Egypte was kyn∣ge was not all quyte of his parte. but wente by many con¦trees and Royammes for to lerne. experymente and see all the good clerkes that he myght fynde. Saynt Brandon neuer lefte for to laboure by see and by lande / For only to see and lerne / And he sawe plente of grete meruaylles. For he cam in to an yle of the see / Where he sawe certayn byrdes whiche spake as spyrites. whiche sayde to hym som¦tchyng whiche he demaūded of them the vnderstondyng / And so ferre he erred that he fonde one so perylous a place and so full of spirites in so terryble tormentys / that they

coude not be nombred ne estemed. emonge whom he sawe one that asnwerd to hym and sayde that he was Iudas that be¦trayed Ihu cryst whiche euery day was tormented an hon∣dred tymes and dye he myght not and plente of other grete meruaylles he sawe. as alonge is recoūted in the legende of his lyf / Ther were many other philosophers that serched y^e world as was possyble for them to do for to knowe the bet¦ter the good & the euyl & spared for nothing / For they byle∣ued not lyghtly a thynge tyl they knewe it wel by experiēce Ne al that they fonde in their bookes. to fore they had pre∣uid it for to knowe god the better & to loue hym But they serched by see & by lande / tyl they had enserched all / & thenne after retorned agayn to their studyes alleway for to lerne the vertues & good maners / And thus loued so moche phi∣losophye / For to knowe them self the better in good & iust lyf. But by cause that many tymes we haue spoken of phi∣losophye & that somoche good cometh therof that a man ha¦ue therby vnderstondyng to knowe & loue god / therfor we shal telle to yow what it signefyeth /

¶What thyng is philosophye / and of thanswer that pla∣to made therof. Capitulo. xvj^o.

UEray Phylosophye is to haue knowleche of god and fyn loue of sapience. And to knowe the secre∣tes and ordynaunces of dyuyne thynges. and of humay∣ne / For to knowe god and his power. and what a man ought to be. So that he myght conduyte hym that it myght be to god agreable. Who that well knewe god and his mysteryes / he shold well conne entyerly philosophye / Alle they ben good philosophers that of them self haue knowle∣che. ¶Of whom plato answerd to somme that deman∣ded hym in comune / and sayd to hym that he had lerned

ynowh and nedeth nomore. For he had estudyed alle his tyme for to lerne. And it was sayd to hym. Maystre it is wel in yow for to saye to vs. somme good word proceding of hye entendement. as ye haue don other tymes / Thenne plato how wel that he was the most experymented of other answerd sayeng as in his herte troubled. that he had nomo¦re lerned sauf as moche as he that felte hym self lyke vnto a vessel that day and nyght is all voyde & empty / Thus moche answerd Plato & nomore. how wel he was at that tyme the most grete clerke that was knowē in al y^e world and of moche perfoūde science. they that on thyse dayes wyl medle. take non hede to answere thus. but make semblaunt to be moche grete clerkis and experte / for to gete the loos & preysyng of the world whiche le••eth them to dampnacyon And bryngeth their folye in to their hedes so that they en∣tende nomore to vertues than doo bestis. For they be not all clerkes that haue short typettis. For ther be many that haue the Araye of a clerke. that can not wel vnderstande that he redeth. ne yet somme that be prestis can notwele & tr∣uly rede neyther. And whan suche knowe ony thynge that them seme be of valew. Thenne wene they to knowe alle But moche remayneth of their folyshe consayte / They be of the nature of proude foolis that ben surquydrous. that seche nothynge but loos and preysyng of the people / And tra∣ueylle them self for to deceyue the world. This shal they abye dere ones. It were better for them to lerne suche scyence / that shold make them to vnderstande trouthe and right / Lyke as thyse Auncyent wyse men dyde / the whi∣che so lytyll preysed the worlde / that alle theyr tyme they ocupyed in lernyng of philosophye. ¶Thus estu∣dyed auncyently the philosophers to fore their deth for

tadresse theim and other to theyr maker and creatour / And in dede traueylled moche for to adresse all peple to wertue / They ordeyned the monyes that they bare for to haue theyr lyuelode in byenge and payeng / For men gyue not alwaye And for couetyse of the peple that / haue fere of their dyspen¦tes. it corumpeth right and nature / For by reason and ryght eueryche ought to take his lyuyng / And therfore was mo¦ney establisshed for to susteyn to eueryche his lyuyng whan they wente by the waye. But they loue their caraynes and bodyes moche more than nede is / And reteyne and kepe mo¦re goodes and richesse than they shall nede for their ordyna¦ry / whiche thei lete rote and fayle by theim / And see that ma¦ny poure persones haue grete nede therof / The monyes were not foūde for this cause. but for to haue their lyuynge vnto the tyme that deth cometh & taketh all that he oughte to take at the playsur of god / And thus they shol••e be more eased. than they now be and eueryche sholde haue that hym lacked / and they shold leue to do so many synnes. But they ben not soo wyse as were they / that by theyr wytte founde agayn Astronomye / of whom Tholomeus was on••. And traueylled soo moche / that he knewe and proued the course of the sterres that ben on the heuen. and mesured theim all on hie / wherof we haue spoken here to fore / And now we shall recounte from hens forthe the gretnes of the erth. and of heuen. of the Mone / of the Sonne. of the Sterres and of the planetes. Whiche thynges ben not comune to euery man: Lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hym selfe mesured theym vnto the Abysme. And preued by reason in a bo∣ke that he compyled named Almageste. whiche ye as mo∣che to saye as an hye werke / Thenne wylle ye here what he sayth herto. Whiche many a nother hathe also proued after

hym by his boke / In whichehe gaaf the crafte and scyence to proue and see it by reyson.

¶How moche the erthe is of heyght rounde aboute and of thickenes by the myddle / Capitulo xvij

THe anncyent philosophers mesured the world on all partyes / by their scyence / arte and wytte vnto the ste••res all on hie / of whiche they wolde knowe the mesure. For to knowe the better their nature / but first they wolde mesure the erthe and preue his gretnes / And thenne whan they had mesured there all a bout by a crafte that they knewe. and proued by ryght reyson / they mesured it rounde aboute. like as they sholde haue compassed it all about wyth a gyrdle. And then̄e they stratched out the gyrdle all a long And thenne that whiche wente oute of lengthe of the gyr∣dle. they fonde it in lengthe xx M.CCCC. and xx vij. my∣les / Of whiche euery myle conteyneth a thousande paas & eueri paas v. fote / and eueri fote xiiij ynches / Soo moche hath the erthe in lengthe rounde a boute / by this fonde they after how thycke therthe is in the myddle. And they fonde the thycknes therof like as it sholde be clefte in the myddes from the hieste to the loweste / Or from that one side to that other vj.M. and v.C myles / By this last mesure / whiche is after nature right they mesured iustly the heyghte of the firmament / For they coude nowhere fynde a gretter mesure for to extende the gretnesse of all thynges whiche ben enclo¦sed wythin the heuen /

¶How the mone and the sonne haue eche of theym theyr propre heyghte. Capitulo xviij

THerthe as the auncyent philosophers saye / after they had mesured it / ther mesured the sterres / the planetes & the firmamente / And first they mesured the mone

and preuyd his gretnesse / And they fonde the body of ther∣the wythout & wythinne / that after their comune mesure it was more grete / than the body of the mone was / by xxix tymes & a lityl more / And they fonde that it was in heyght aboue the erthe xxiiij tymes & an half as moche as therthe hath of thycknes. Also in lyke wyse preuyd they touchyng the sonne by very demonstraunce and by reson / that the son∣ne is gretter than alle therthe is. by an hondred syxty & sixe sythes. But they that knowe nothynge herof / vnnethe and wyth grete payne wyl byleue it / And yet it is suffysantly preuyd / as wel by maystryse of science / as by verray con∣nyng of geometrye Of whiche haue ben many syth the phi¦losophers that fonde this first / that haue studyed & traual∣led for to knowe the trouthe / Yf it were so as is sayde / or not / Somoche that by quyck reson they haue preuyd that thauncyent Philosophers had sayd trouthe as well of the quantyte of the Sonne as of the heyght / ¶And as to the regard of hym that compyled this werke / he sette alle his entent and tyme. By cause he hadde so grete meruaylle therof. Tyl he had perceyuyd playnly that of whiche he was in doubte / For he sawe appertly that the Sonne was gretter than all therthe wythout ony defaulte by an .C.lxvj. tymes. And thre partyes of the xx. parte of therthe / wyth all this that thauncyent philosophers sayde And thenne byleuyd he that / whiche was gyue hym to vnderstō∣de / And he had neuer put this in wrytyng. yf he had not cer¦taynly knowen the trouthe / and that he playnly had proued it And it may wel be knowen that it is of grete quantyte ¶Whan it is so moche ferre fro vs / and semeth to vs so lytyl / Ne he shal neuer be so ferre aloue vs. But in lyke wyse he shal be as ferre whan he is vnder or on that other

sayde of vs And for trouthe it is fro therthe vnto the sonne lyfe as the kynge Tholomeus hath prouyd it / fyue hondred lxxx. and v tymes as moche as therthe may haue of grete∣nes and thycknes thurgh /

¶Here foloweth of the heyght of the sterres and of their gretenesse / Capitulo. xix^o.

NOw wyll I recounte to you briefly / of the sterres of the firmament of whiche ther is a right grete nom∣bre / And they ben alle of one heyghte / but they ben not alle of one gretenes. And it behoueth ouer longe narraciō that of alle them wold descryue the gretenes / And therfore we passe lyghtly ouer and shortly / how well I aduertyse you & certefye. that ther is none so lytyl of them that ye may see on the firmament / but that it is gretter than all therthe is / But ther is none of them so grete ne so shynyng as is the sonne. For he enlumyneth all the other by his beaulte / whiche is so moche noble / Fro therthe vnto the heuen wherin the sterres ben sette in a moche grete espace / for it is tenthou¦sand & lv. sythes as moche & more as is alle therthe of thyc¦knes / And who that coude ••ccoūte after the nombre and fourme / he myght knowe how many ynches it is of the hon¦de of a man. And how many feet / how many myles. and how many Iourneyes. It is from hens to the firmament or heuen. For it is as moche way vnto the heuen / As yf a man myght goo the right way wythout lettyng. and that he myght goo euery day xxv myle of fraunce. whiche is .I. englisshe myle. and that he taryed not on the waye / Yet shold he goo the tyme of seuen M.j.C. & lvij yere and an half. er he had goon somoche waye as fro hens vnto the heuen whe∣re the sterres be in. Yf the firste man that god fourmed uer. whiche was Adam. had goon fro the first day that he was made & created xxv myles euery day / yet shold he not

haue comen thyder / But shold haue yet the space of vij.C.xiij yere to goo at the tyme whan this volume was per∣fourmed by the very auctour. And this was atte Epypha¦nye in the yere of grace .i M.ij▪C. and xlvj. that tyme shold he haue had so moche to goo / Er he shold come theder / Or yf ther were there a grete stone whiche shold falle fro thens vnto therthe / it shold be an hondred yere er it cam to the grounde / And in the fallyng it shold defcende in euery hour of whiche the•• be xxiiij in a day complete .xliij myle & an half Yet shold it be so longe er it cam to therthe. This thynge hath be proued by hym that compiled this present volume er he cam thus ferre in this werke / this is wel xl. tymes more than an h••rs may goo. whiche alleway shold goo. wyth outrestynge /

¶Here foloweth of the nombre of sterres. Capitulo. xx^o.

TO the regard of the sterres we shal saye to yow the nombre lyke as the noble kynge Tholomeus nom∣bred them in his. Almageste / to whom he gaf the propre names. And sayd that ther were a thousand and xxij. cle∣re. and that myght be all seen. wythout the vij planetes. & may be wel acounted wythout ony paryll. In alle ther be j M. and xxix / whiche may wel be seen wythout many other whiche may not wel be seen ne espyed / Ther may not well moo be espyed but so many as sayd is ne appertly be kno∣wen / Now late hym beholde that wyl see it / For noman trauaylle he neuer so moche ne studye / maye fynde nomore. Neuertheles ther is no man lyuyng that may or can comp¦te. so moche. or can so hye moūte in ony place / though hebe garnysshid of a moche gentyl instrument / and right subtyl that shold fynde moo / than the kynge tholomeus fonde by whiche he knewe & myght nombre them. and where eueryche

sitteth / and how ferre it is from one to an other / be it of one or other or nygh or ferre. And the knowlege of the yma∣ges of them. the whiche by their semblaunce fourmed them For the sterres whiche be named. ben of figures on the heuo¦ne and compassed by ymages. and that all haue dyuerse be∣ynges. And eueriche hath his fourme and his name / Of whiche ben knowen pryncypally xlvij wythin the firma∣ment. And of them ben taken xij of the most worthy whi∣che ben called the xij. Sygnes. And they make a cercle roū¦de aboute the vij planetes where as they make their torne / we ben moche ferre from heuen merueyllously. And late euery man knowe that he that deyeth in dedly synne. shal neuer come theder. And the blyssyd sowle whiche is depar∣ted fro the body in good estate. not wythstondyng the lon∣ge way is sone come thether / ye truly in lasse than half an hour / and vnto the most hye place to fore the souerayn iuge whiche sitteth on the ryght side of god the fader in his bless¦yd heuen / the whiche is so full of delites of all glorye and of all consolacyon. that ther is no man in thys world lyuyng that may ne can esteme or thynke the Ioye & the glorie wher thys blessyd soules entreth / And ther ys no man that can esteme ne thynke the capacyte & gretnes of heuen / ne may compare it ne valewe it to the capacyte and gretnes of all therthe / or so moche as maye comprise fro therth to the firmament. As to the regarde of the estymabyl gretnes a¦boue the firmament. ffor the gretnes is inestymable with oute ende & with oute mesure. Certes the firmamēte on hye is so so spacyus so nobyl and so large. that of alle his wytte may not a man vnneth thynke or esteme. the nomber of li∣ke masses as all therthe is / that shold fylle yt. yf they were all in one masse / Who is he that coude or myght cōprehende

or compryse the grenes of them. Whan they all be assembled And euerich as grete as all therth. Neuertheles we shall saye to you therof. as moche as we may wele ymagyne.

Of the gretenes of the firmament. and of the heuene whi∣che is a boue yt. Capitulo. xxj^o.

YF the erthe were so grete & so spacyous. and so mo∣che more for to reseyue an hondred thousand tymes as mo∣che pepyl as euer were in thys world / and euery man of them were so myghty for to engender a nother man euery day durynge / an hondreth thousand yere / & that euery man were as grete as a Geaunt / & euery man had his hows as grete as euer had eny kynge. & woodes ryuers chāpanyes gardyns medowe & pastures & vyneyerdes. eueych a boute his castell or place for to lyue wyth / & that ech had so grete foyson / that euerych myghte holde / an hondreth seruaūtes for to serue hym. and euerych of this seruaūte helde xx other. & had therto grete roume and pourpris in their maner / Alle thyse myght moche plenty••usly be reseruyd in the firmamēt & yet sholde ther be moche place voyde▪ more thā all they my¦ght purprise and take for to playe and disporte them therin yf they wold / Thenne ought we wel to knowe / that our lord god is moche myghty. and of ryghte hye affayre / wh∣an he canne make of noughte so noble a thynge / as the heuen / and the sonne / and all other thynges that ben on the heuen in thayer. on therth & in the See / Suche a lord and suche a maister oughte wele to be good that can make so no¦ble thynges / of whiche we haue very knowleche. & we oughte parfytli to loue hym / And wele we may euery man thynke that the thynge that is a boue is moche gentyl and moche nobyl / whan it that is vnder is so subtyl / ffor that

whiche is aboue is mor•• grete an hondred thousand tymes than it whiche is benethe / & ouer moche more than can be knowen or may be compted by ony nombre / or may be thought / For this is a thinge that in no manere shal ha∣ue ende ne terme / ¶Therfore I may wel vnderstonde / that theris nothyng that may pourpryse / ne esteme in gretenes ne other wyse this whiche is aboue the firmament / where the heuene taketh his place ne may be re∣plenysshid ne fylled wyth nothyng that may be / but yf it be wyth the goodes of our lord god fyllyd / but the right debo∣nayre lorde is so moche full of all goodes that be fylleth al∣le other thynges / whiche ought to haue parte and meryte in goodes / And the euyll departeth fro the good in suche wyse that it is voyde and disgarnysshed from all goo∣des what someuer it be / & that it shal be lyke as it were nou∣ght wherof it is redde herof. that synne is nought / for as mo¦che as it is voyde & disgarnysshid of all goodes & rendrid y^e body & the soule somoche feble & disgarnysed of all goodes of all vertues / & of all graces that / that one is totally dystroyed and perysshed wyth that other / ffor alle way the euyll com∣eth to nought / And contrarye the good goth alway gro∣wyng and in amendyng / And therfore ther is none euyl but synne whiche is nought / For ye may vnderstande that it cometh to nought as donge / The is nothyng that ought to be made right / But be only this that ought to be permanent / ¶And therfor it is good aman to holde hym nyghe the good. For the good amendeth al wa¦yes / And who that customly doth gladly the good wer∣kes / they ben the cause to lede hym to heuene / as he that hath none other wythdraughte ne other dwellyng place / And therfor he muste enhabyte there / hym behoueth to come in to heuene for to reteyne there his place / and also for to fylle it

Ther is noman in the worlde that can doo so moche good but that he shal alway fynde his place / and his repayre pro¦pyce after his merites. ffor as moche as this so moche no∣ble a place is withoute ende and wythout terme in suche wi∣se that no goodes what someuer they be shal neuer haue ter¦me ne ende. ne neuer shal haue defaulte. but it is contynuel∣ly ful of alle consolacion / of alle delices of alle goodes of al¦le Ioye and of alle gladnesse / wythout hauyng ony thynge voyde. Of whiche they that deserue it of our lord shal haue ful possession of alle the inestimable goodes. ¶Of helle I may frely saye to you. that ther is nothyng sauf sorowe & martyrdom / truly the most anguysshous the most horrible & so moche sorowful that ther is no like And yf so were that the chyldren that haue ben syth. Adam were all dampned yet it myght not be fylled by them / though they were twyes so many more / & they that be theryn perisshed▪ shal be damp∣ned and perpetuelly tormented. ffor after that they be damp¦ned they shal abyde euer as longe as god shal be whiche is wythout begynnyng and wythout endyng And there they shal brenne in fyre eternel withoute hope of alegeaunce of ony mercy of ony hope to haue ony better but alleway wer∣se fro tyme. to tyme / as it is so that the saued sowles desire y^e day of dome and of iugemēt for to be gloryfied in body and sowle / The dampned sowles redoubte and drede it thynkyn¦ge that after that day they shal be perpetuelly tormented in body and in sowle. And to that dredeful day they be not tor∣mented in the body / but in the sowle / ¶And I haue recyted this thinge shortly to this ende that it may be knowen cer∣taynly that ther is no good deede but it shal be rewarded ne none euyl dede but that it shal be punysshed This is the wil∣le of the creatour And maker of all thynges wythoute whom ther is none that in ony maner hath ony power /

& heis so moche a debonayer lorde ful of souerayn puissaūce and of grete and of infynyt goodes that ther is no compa∣ryson to hym. And he that all thynge created / made & esta∣blisshid of nought at his playsyr and wyll / But syth we haue spoken to yow of the inestimable gretenesse of the firmament wherin the sterres be sette whiche alleway is in moeuyig / so shal ye vnderstonde that ther is an heuen aboue Where they that ben there moeue nothyng. but ben contynu∣elly in one estate. lyke as sōme man remeuyth hym from som place to another. the first place meuyd hym not / But he that shold goo so al aboute lyke rounde aboute a circle. shold ofte goo fro place to place er he come to his place. and so longe he myght goo that he shold come right to the place fro whens he departed first / But that place shold not meue / but holde him alway in a poynt. now will ye thus vnderstō¦de of this heuen / that ther is no maner place that is reme∣uyd fro the sterres ne fro the firmament. but they holde them. also fermly all. as they most maye. this heuē muste be vnder¦stonde by them whiche ben Astronomyers. This is that gyueth to vs his colour blew. the whiche estendeth aboue thayer. the whiche we see whan thayer is pure and clere all aboute / And it is of so grete attemperaunce / that it may ha¦ue no violence. this is the heuen that encloseth the firma∣ment / Now I shal saye yow all appertly▪ that this that ye may vnderstonde here tofore. by heeryng. may not be taken ne knowen / ne be proued yf it be trouthe or non. ne may not be by ony arte of demonstraunce. lyke as may be seen by e∣yen. For the wytte of a man hath not the power. But ne∣uertheles we shal saye to you this that we truly may fynde by wrytyng in certayn places lyke as sōme Auncient phi¦losophers haue ymagyned and thought / of whiche they fon¦de certayn resons /

¶Here after foloweth of the heuen crystalyn and of the heuene imperyall / Capitulo. xxij

ABoue this heuen that we may see blew as sayd is / after that thaūcient clerkes saye / ther is another heue¦ne all roūde aboute that aboue & bynethe / lyke as it were of the colour of whyte cristall. clere. pure. & moche noble. & is called the heuen crystalyn. & aboue this heuen cristalyn. alle roūde aboute that / is an other heuen of the colour of purple. lyke as the deuynes saye & that is called the heuen imperyal / This heuene is garnysshid & ful of alle beaultees / more than ony of y^e other that we haue named / & there is thayer seuen tymes more fayr & more clere than is the sonne. Fro this heuen Imperyall fylle the euyl angeles by their pryde y^t whiche were disgarnysshid of all glorye & of all goodes / And ther ben the blessyd Angeles of our lord /

¶Here foloweth of the Celestyall heuene. Capitulo xxiij

YF ye wyl vnderstande for to knowe of this heuene ce¦lestyall / whiche is aboue all the other / ye shal vnder∣stonde that this place is right worthy & blyssyd in all thin∣ges / wherfor ther may nothyng growe / but all goodenesse & swetnesse by reson & right / This is the propre place of the holy trynyte where as god the fader sytteth in his right wor¦thy mageste. but in that place faylleth thentendemēt of ony erthely man / for ther is nowher so good a clercke that may thinke the x. parte of the glorye that is there / & yf our lord pourpryseth ony place / hym behoueth to haue that by right / but he is so comune oueral / that he seeth euery mā that hath deseruyd it ayenst hym & seeth all thynges here & there / He seeth all aboute as he that hath all thinges in his kepyng / of whiche ye may take ensample / by sōme whā ye here them speke / that all they of whom they here the tale they here his worde. many men vnderstōde al attones / & in one tyme heere euery man hereth al y^e worde / In lyke wyse may ye vnderstā¦de that god is oueral & regnyng oueral in euery place / & is in all places anon & attones / And the light & clerenes that

groweth of him enlumyneth all thinges bothe here & there & also soone that one as y^e other example yf ye sette aboue many thynges a lyght. also soone shal y^e resplendour go on the syde by yonde it. as on the syde on this syde it. whan suche thinges haue lyke vertue. ouer moche more ought he to ha¦ue / that al thynge made and created. & that all goodes hath wythin hym his heuen stratched oueral as he▪ whiche of all is lord & maistre In heuen ben all thangeles all tharchāge∣les and all the sayntes whiche synge all to gydre to for god glorye & lawde wyth ryght grete Ioye & cōsolacion. Ther is none that may compryse. ne herte of man mortal may vn∣derstande what thynge is heuene. & how moche grete Ioye they haue to whom he hath gyuen & graūted it the beste clerk of the world the most subtyl. & the best spekyng wyth all y^t euer was lyuynge in erthe or euer shal be in ony tyme of y^e world & thaugh he had a thousand tongues spekynge. and euerich of the tongues spack by hym self. & also had a thou¦sand hertes within his body the most subtyle & the most me¦moratyf that myght be taken & foūden in all the world and best chosen to vnderstāde & to exprimēte & yf this myght be & happe that all this myght be to gydre in the body of a man & after myght thynke alway the best wyse that they coude descryue & deuyse thestate of heuen. And that euery tongue myght saye & declare the intencion of euery herte. yet myght they neuer in no maner of the world saye ne recounte the thousand parte of the grete Ioye that the pourest & leest of them that shal be there shal haue. & foul be he that shal not be there. ffor they that shal be in heuene wold not be all the da¦yes of y^e world lordes & kynges of all y^e Monarchye of the worlde erthly thaugh all their commādements myght be ob¦serued & don not for to ben one only hour out of heuen. ffor there is the lyf perdurable / & there is the parfyght / & inesti∣mable Ioye that euer was and euer shal be / There in euery

thynge is establysshed & ••tayn for euermore without ende & wythout begynnyng ne neuer shal faille. ne there shal ne∣uer be ony doubtannce of deth ne of maladye of sorow of anguysshe ne of drede of angre of trauayll of payne ne of poute of caytifnes ne of ony tribulaciō that euer may hap∣pe in ony manere of the world to him that shal haue his mā¦syon in heuene. But he shal be continuelly in Ioye in solace. in all delices & in all goodes perdurable & without ende. and he shal haue more consolacion than ony man can thynke ne esteme thaugh he employe all his engyen for to vnderston∣de it. Now for to knowe what it is of heuene. & of helle af∣ter our declaracion to fore sayd / & wyth this the firmamēte the sterres & the seuen planetes I presente them to you here on that other syte. of this leef by a fygure / by whiche ye may moche prouffyte. yf ye will wel applye & employe therto yo∣ur entendemente.

Her foloweth the recapitulaciō of the thynges tofore sayd Capitulo. xxiiij.

WYth this we shal make an ende of our book. the whi¦che at his begynnynge speketh of our lord god wher¦fore he fourmed the world. and why he loued man so wel that he fourmed hym to his semblaūce / & gaf hym power to doo wel & euyl / After why he made hym not suche. that he myght not synne dedely. & how first were founden the vij. sci¦ences & the artes / Syth it speketh of thre maner of peple y^e thaūcyent philosophres put in the world / how nature wer∣keth & what she is and how she diuersefyeth in euerich of her werkes / also ye haue herde of the facion of the world & of y^e diuision of the four elemētes. whiche ben round aboute. and holde them on the firmament / ¶And how the erthe heldeth hym withyn the firmament. ¶Also ye haue herde of the lytylues of therthe vnto the regard of heuen. And also how

sonne maketh his cours all aboute therthe / And the other planetes in lyke wyse / alle thys haue ye herd in the first partye: In the seconde partye is declared to yow / whiche parte of therthe is Inhabyted and of the dyuysion of map¦pa Mundi / And first it speketh of paradys terrestre / and of the contrees and regyons of Inde. & of the dyuersytees that ben ther of men. of beestes. of trees / of stones / of byr∣des / & of somme fysshes that ben there. And who so helle the

[illustration]

dolourous place is & stondeth and of the grete paynes that they endure that ben dampned & ben there. after ye haue herd of the second elemēt. that is of the water of y^e flodes & of the fontaynes hoot & colde. holsom & euyl whiche ben in dyuse cō∣trees / & how y^e see bycometh salt how the erthe quaueth and synketh. & after of y^e ayer how it bloweth & rayneth. of tem∣pestes & of thondres. of fyre of layte / & of the sterres whi∣che seme as they fylle. of pure ayer & of y^e vij planetes. how the bysexte cometh. of y^e firmamēt & of his tornyng. & of the sterres that ben roūd aboute therin / In the thirde partie ye haue herde how the day & nyght come / & of the mone & of the sōne how they rendre their light / & how eche of them leseth their clerenes by nyght & by day somtyme & of the eclipse y^t thēne happe wherby the day bycometh derke. and of y^e grete eclipse that fylle atte deth of our lord Ihu cryste. by whiche saynt dionis was afterward con••ted. & of the vertue of y^e firmamēt & of the sterres. & how y^e world was mesured and the heuē & therthe Of the kynge tholomeus & of his prudē∣ce of Adam & of some other & how clergye & the vn sciēces were kepte ayenst the flood & how all this was founden a¦gayn after the flood / & of the meruaylles that virgyle made by his wytte & clergye. & for what cause monoye was so na¦med & establysshed & of the philosophers that wente thurgh the world for to lerne what thynge is philosophye & what plato answerde therto / how moche y^e erthe. y^e mone & the sō¦ne haue of gretenes euerich of him self & thestages of the sterres of their nombre & of ther ymages y^t heyght & grete¦nes of the firmamēt & of y^e blew heuē whiche is aboue that & of the heuene crystalyn & of the heuen imperial & as ye ha¦ue herde in thende of the heuene celestyal & of his estate & of god whiche maye be ouer all by his glorye & his boū••e of all thise thynges ye haue herde vs recounte & telle & rendrid to you many fair resons bryefly / For the prynces & other peo∣ple ben nothing curyous to here lō•••• gloses wythout grete

entendemēt but loue better shorte thinges. as they y^t ben not of longe tyme. but passe bryefly / ffor in a shorte tyme they be fynisshed & ende. And alle we shal come more shortly than we wolde to nought / ffor this world passeth fro tyme to ty∣me lyke as the wynde and faylleth fro day to day and ma∣kyth to euerych a lityl seiournyng. ffor it is so ful of vany¦te / that ther nys but lityl trouthe theryn / and it happeth ofty∣mes that he that weneth lengest to soiourne here is he that leest while abydeth & that sonnest taketh his e••de and ther∣for for I counseille euery man that eche payne & trauaylle hym self to lyue wel & truly for the lityl tyme that he hath for to abyde in this world full of tribulaciōs & miseries. ffor ther is none that knoweth what hour or tyme the deth shal co∣me renne on hym and it ofte happeth that he or she that we∣neth yet to lyue & playe in this world .vj / or .viij. or .x / yere / that he deyeth in lasse than fyue dayes and fyndeth hym self dampned & cast doun in to the brennyng fornays of helle. and thenne is he in a good hour born & wel aduysed whan at his ende he is taken in the seruyse of our lord. & nothyng in the worldly voluptuositees and dampnable. and that his maker hath lent•• to hym to vnderstonde hym and that he ha••e time and space / ffor god shal rendre to hym so riche a yefte and so fayr that he shal haue all goodes at his aban∣don wyth the Ioye perdurable of heuene The whiche to vs be graunted by the creatour and redemptour of the worlde in whom alle pyte and mercye haboundeth. & in whom be alle goodes and vertues what someuer haue ben. ben. and shal ben perdurably without ende.

Thus fynysshith the book called thymage or myrrour of the world the whiche in spekynge of god & of his werkes in estimable hath bygonne to entre in mater spekynge of hym and of his hye puyssances and dominacions / and taketh he¦re an ende: ffor in alle begynnynges and in all•• operacions

the name of god ought to be called. As on hym wythout whom alle thynges ben nought / Thenne he so ottroye and graunte to vs so to begynne / perseuere. and fynysshe that we may be brought and receyuyd in to his blessyd glorye in heuene vnto the blessed Trynyte / Fader / Sone / and holy gost / Whiche lyueth and regneth wythout ende in secula seculorum Amen /

ANd where it is so. that I haue presumed and empry∣sed this forsayd translacyon in to our englisshe and maternall tongue / In whiche I am not well parfyght / And yet lasse in frensshe / Yet I haue endeuourd me therin / atte request and desyre coste and dispence of the honourable and worshipful man / Hughe Bryce Cytezeyn and Alder∣man of london / Whiche hath sayd to me that he entendeth to presente it / vnto the puissaunt noble and vertuous lorde My lorde hastynges. Chamberlayn vnto our souerayn lord the Kynge / And his lyeutenaunt of the toun of Calays and marches there / In whiche translacion I kno∣wleche my self symple / rude & ygnoraunt / Wherfore I hum¦bly byseche my sayd lord Chamberlayn to pardonne me of this rude & symple translacion. how be it / I l••••e for myn excuse / that I haue to my power folowed my copye / And as nygh as to me is possible. I haue made it so playn that euery man resonable may vnderstonde it / Yf he aduysedly and ententyfly rede or here it / ¶And yf ther be faulte in mesuryng of the firmament / Sōne / Mone / or of ther∣the. or in ony other meruaylles herin conteyned I beseche you not tarette the faulte in me but in hym that made my copye. whiche bock I began first to translate the second day of Ianyuer the yere of our lord / M.CCCC.••xxx.

And fynysshyd the viij day of Marche the same yere / And the xxj yere of the Regne of the most Crysten kynge. Kyn¦ge Edward the fourthe. Vnder the shadowe of whos noble proteccion I haue emprysed and fynysshed this sayd lytyl werke and boke. Besechynge Almyghty god to be his pro¦tectour and defendour agayn alle his Enemyes and gyue hym grace to sudue them / And inespeciall them that haue late enterprysed agayn ryght & reson to make warre wyth∣in his Royamme. And also to preserue and mayntene him in longe lyf and prosperous helthe. And after this short and transytorye lyf he brynge hym and vs in to his celesty∣all blysse in heuene AMEN /

¶Caxton me fieri fecit.