A prognostication for euer, made by Erra Pater, a Iew, borne in Iury, Doctor in Astronomie and Phisicke very profitable for to keepe the body in health: and also Ptholomeus saith the same.

ERRA PATER.

The Prognostication for euer, of Erra Pater.

AS I finde in the Science of Astronomie, there bée foure manner of Cholers in mans body, of the foure complections.

The first is bloud, the second blacke Choler, the third Flumes, & the fourth yelow choler, and if one of the foure lack, all the bodie wil be foorthwith dead. Forasmuch sustaineth one of them the body as the other.

And euery each of them ought to bée at a certaine, for if one of them surmount the other, all the body shall haue dom∣mage thereby, and all foure bée perillous, for if the bloud surmount the other, hée will the sooner destroy and ouercome the bodie, and make him to dye, for hée gathe∣reth and likewise congealeth euen right on the heart and the breath, and in that manner, (lessening) by little and little, is ouercome and dead, but all that tyme when the great course taketh him, he may

soone bée asswaged to lesse him a little, so take away a little bloud from him, and then all will asswage of this perill. Also the blacke coler is right perslous, and they surmount all the other, they make great domage to the body by many and diuers meanes, for they may cause and make the body to fall as the euill sicknesse, and lose his wit and knowledge, and béecome a foole, and cause all the body to be full of euill scabbes, and oft times to bée mesill, and maketh a man to bée fearefull and a coward, and of many euill manners.

And when they surmount the other, they bée right gréeuous and damagious. And by hearbes, flowers, fasting, abstinence, drinkes and medicines, they may bée as∣swaged.

The flumes that bée white bée peril∣lous, when they surmount the other cho∣lers of the body, they doe great domage and hurt, for they engender goutes, and many other euill sicknesses that bée cold, and they hurt also the féete, the hands, the raines, the knées, the legs, and the téeth, and make the mouth and the breath stinking, and the nose and the cares, and

causeth many other diseases and sicknes∣ses, and they may be asswaged by hearbs, flowres, rootes, drinckes, medicines, and also by vomiting.

Also the yealow cholers bée perillous, for when they surmount the other cho∣lers in a mans body, they assorbent the heart, and trauaile the braine, and ma∣keth all the members féeble and soft, and taketh away the will and appetite from the body, that hée may neither eate nor drinck, and also they chaunge a mannes Cholers and maketh him to lose his sight and become blinde: and they may bée as∣swaged, as by hearbs, flowres, rootes, and by vomiting.

The foure humours be of foure com∣plections, and they haue the domination of the body foure times in a yéere.

And each of them a quarter of a yéere. &c.

It is to bée vnderstoode, that in the yéere is twelue monethes, and in the twelue moneths is fiftie and two wéekes, and in the fiftie and two wéekes is thrée hundreth thréescore and fiue daies, and

in the thrée hundreth and lxv daies, doth containe eight thousand, seauen hundreth and lx. houres.

• A farthing a day is i. d. ob. q. the wéeke.
• The month vij. pence.
• The yéexe vij. s. viij. d. q.
• A halfe penny a day is iij. d. ob. the wéeke.
• The month eightéene pence.
• The yéere fiftéene s. ij. d. ob.

The disposition of the first season of the yeere, Capricornus, Aqua∣rius, and Pisces.

The first season of the yéere that hath domination of the body of man, is thrée moonethes, and they be named these thrée signes, Capricorne, Aquarie, and Pisces.

And these thrée signes haue power of fleumes of the body of man & woman, and they hée cold and moist, & they béegin to reigne the xxiiij. day of December, and dureth to the foure and twentie day of March.

The disposition of the second part of the yeere, Aries, Taurus and Gemini.

¶ The second part of the yéere is other thrée moneths, and these are their signes, Aries, Taurus & Gemini. And they haue power in the body of man, of the breast, and they bée hot and moist. And they bée∣gin to raigne the foure and twentie day of March, & dureth vnto the foure & twentie day of Iune.

The disposition of the three seasons of the yeere, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo.

¶ The thrée seasons of the yéere, are other thrée monethes, and these bée their signes, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. And they haue power in the body of man, of the yelow collers, and they bée hot and drie, and they béegin to raigne on the foure and twentie day of Iune, and dureth vnto the xxiiij. of September.

¶ The discription of the fourth part of the yeere, Libra, Scorpio, and Sa∣gittarius.

THE fourth part of the péere bée other thrée moneths, and these bée their signes, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. And they bée cold and drie, and they bée∣gin to raigne the xxiiii. day of Septem∣ber, and dureth vnto the xxiiii. day of De∣cember.

And by the manner of these foure sea∣sons, euery man may kéepe him from all the contraries of meats, drincks, and clothing, and from all other contraries. And if a man will keepe him after the manner which is rehearsed in this booke, hée shall neuer haue infirmities of the bo∣dy by the grace of God.

Take Peliter of Spaine and chaw it in thy mouth, for it is good to spurge the head and the body. And eate Fenell séede and Comin séede, for each of these séedes destroy the flumes, that all those euils in any mans body come off.

East.

Ignus inuentus & Aestas.

The water red and thinne, the grose male red and hard, the spittle thicke and clammie. The signes, Aries, Leo, and Sa∣gittarius, is ingendred of cholerick, hot, and dry, and orientall, & the sicknesse be taken in these signes, it is great perill, vnlesse he haue his medicine cold and moist, and his dyet of the same complection. Then bée may bée healed by the grace of God.

West.

Are adolescentia ver.

The water red and thick, the grose male red and thin, the spittle thin and sweete, the extremitiues out of course. The signes Gemini, Libra, and Aquaria, is ingendred of sanguin hot and moyst and Occidentall, the cure is cold and dry, with the dyet of the same complection.

Cassia fistula in Aqua vite.

North.

Terra Senectus Autumnus.

The water white and thin, the gros•• male black and thick, the spittle thick and sower, the extrematiues vnneth seld.

The signes Taurus, Virgo, & Capricorne, he is ingendred of Malancholy cold and dry Septentrionall, the cure hot & moist, with the diet of the same complection.

South.

Aqua senium & Hiems.

The water white and thick, she grose matter white and thick. The spittle thin and swéet. The extrematiues féeble, the signes, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, hée is engendred of Flumes, colde and moyst, Meridionall, the cure hot, dry, and of the same complection, Trauit Aqua vitae, or in Potage.

Heere hee sheweth of all the dismall or perillous dayes that commeth in the yeere.

Maisters of Astronomie and Phisicke, that this craft first found, telleth the most perillons and the most dangerous daies in the yéere. In which if any man or wo∣man bée let blood of wound or veine, they shall die within xxi. daies following. Or who so falleth in sicknesse in any of these daies, they shall neuer escape it till they be dead. And who so taketh any great iour∣ny in any of these daies, to goe from home hée shall be in daunger to die or hée come home againe. And who so weddeth a wife in any of these dayes, hastely they shall bée departed, or else they shall liue toge∣ther with much sorrow.

And who so beginneth in any of these dayes any great worke, it shall neuer come to good end, and these are the dayes following.

That is to say.

¶ In Ianuarie are eight daies, that is to say, the first, the second, the fourth, the fift, the tenth, the fiftéenth, the seauen∣téenth, and the ninetéenth.

In Februarie are thrée daies: the viii the x. and the xvii.	ii
In March are thrée daies, the xv. the xvi and the xix.	iii
In Aprill are two daies, the xv and the xxi.	iii
In May are thrée daies, the vii. xv. and the xx.	v
In Iune are two daies, the iiii. and the vii.	vi
In Iuly are two daies, the xv and the twentith.	vii
In August are two daies, the xix and the xx.	viii
In September are two daies, the sixt and the seauenth.	ix
In October is one, the sixt day.	x
In Nouember are two daies, the sixt and the nintéenth.	xi
In December are thrée daies, the sixt the vii and the xi. Et alii dicunt, the xv and the xvi.	xii

And who so will learne the Cani∣cular daies, which are daies of great daunger and perill, as Clarkes say, and they begin the xv. Kalend of August, and

dureth to the fourth Nonas of Septem∣ber, which season is very perillous to take sickenesse, and it is also perillous to take drinckes or medicines, or to let bloud, but if it bée great néede, and that it must bée after the middest of the day.

Heere beginneth the distance betweene the signes.

It is to bée vnderstood that there is a circle in the Firmament that is called Zodiacke, & is deuided into twelue euen parts, and of those parts bée called the xii. Signes in the Latine, and these be their names.

Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capri∣cornia, Aquarius, and Pisces.

These twelue Signes are in complec∣tion like vnto the foure Elements, that is to say, the Fire, the Aire, the Water and the Earth: the Fire, is hotte and dry, his Element is likened vnto the Ram, the Lion, and the Shooter, for these bée hot & dry, also the Ayre is hot & moist, his Element is likened to the Children,

the Ballance and the water bearer, for they be hot and moyst. The water is moyst and cold, for to the water is likened the Crab, the Scorpion, and the Fish. The earth is dry and cold, to the Earth is li∣kened the Bull, the Maid, and the Goate, for they be drie and cold.

And euery one of the signes is deui∣ded into thirtie euen parts, & these parts are called degrees, and euery degree is de∣uided into thrée score euen parts, & these parts are called Minutes, and euery mi∣nute is deuided into thrée score euen parts, and these parts bée called seconds, and so foorth to the thirds and fourthes.

It is to bée vnderstood, that there is seuen Planets, as Saturnus, Iupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercurius, and Luna. These bee the seauen moueable Starres.

The aforesayde twelue Signes taketh great power & might of the seauen Pla∣nets, & the seauen Planets taketh great power of the twelue signes, for the Pla∣nets be to the Signes as the soule to the body, & the signes to the Planets as the body to the soule. For like as the body

may doe nought without the Soule, no more may the Soule without the body, no more may a signe without the seauen Planets.

Saturnus is the highest, and next bée∣neath Saturnus is Iupiter, beneath Iupiter Mars, beneath Mars, Sol, beneath Sol, Ve∣nus, beneath Venus, Mercurius, béeneath Mercurius, Luna.

The wise Philosophers say, it is from the Earth to Luna, xv. M. vii. C. l. miles. From Luna to Mercurius, is xii. M. viii. C. xii. miles and a halfe.

From Mercurius to Venus as many.

From Venus to Sol is xxiii. M. iiii. C. and xxxviii. miles.

From Sol to Mars is xv. M. vii. C. and fiue and twentie miles.

From Mars to Iupiter is thrée score and eight thousand seauen hundred and xxi. miles.

From Iupiter to Saturnus as many.

From Saturnus to the Firmament, is vi score M. iii. C. lxxxv. miles.

The summe of all these miles is seauen score and xviii. M. foure C. lxiii. miles.

Heereafter followeth a coniunction of the change of the Moone.

Héere is a rule of the chaunge of the Moone, when the Prime is on this letter A. the third daye béefore the Prime, the xix. houre shall be y^e change of the Moone.

And yée shall begin to tell your houres at midnight, for a daye naturall is from midnight to midnight. When the Prime is on this letter B. iii. daye, then it shall change the iiii. houre, that is to say, after midnight. When it changeth on this let∣ter C. iiii day, then the viii houre.

When it is on this letter D. iiii day, then the xx. houre. When it is on this letter E. iiii day, then the xviii houre. When it is on this letter F. iii. day, then the xvi houre. When it is on this letter G. iii. day, then the xvi. houre.

The disposition of the xij. Moneths vpon bloud letting.

Ianuarie.

IN the month of Ianuary, let thée not blood in the first day, for it is perillous, nor the second day, nor the fifth day, nor the x. day, nor the xv. day, nor the xix. day, nor the xx. day, nor the xxv. day, but as of∣ten as thou wilt drinck good white wine fasting, and also take good héede of the dayes that be aboue written for they be perillous for to bléede on except the signe be right good for blood letting.

February.

In the month of February, eate no po∣tage made of hocks or mallowes, for that is venim. And if thou haue néede to bléed on thy wrest, or thy thomb, bléed not on the fourth day, nor on the vi. day, nor on the viii. day, but on y^e xiii day, nor on the xvi. day, nor on y^e xxviii day, but that the signe be very good, and thou maist choose.

March.

In the 〈…〉〈…〉 eate Figges, Reisons, and 〈…〉〈…〉 and drinckes, and hot meates ••••d let thée blood on the right arme on the fifth day, or on the vii. daye, or on the xvii. day, for that is good

against all manner of Feuers, but be∣ware bléede not the first day, nor the xv. day, nor the xvi. day, nor the xix. daye, nor the xxviij. day, & thou maist choose, & if thou doe, looke the signe be very good.

Aprill.

In the moneth of Aprill bléede on the left arme on the third daye, or on the xi. day, or on the xv. day, and thou shalt haue no great head ache, nor léese thy sight of all that yéere, & vse fresh and hot meates, but bléed not the vij day, nor the vitj. day, nor the x. day, nor the xx. day, for these dayes be not good for bléeding.

May.

In the moneth of May, rise earely, and eate and drincke betime, vse good meates and drincks, but eate neither of head nor foote while that last, and let thée blood on the first day, or on the eightéenth day, on which arme thou wilt, or an y^e xxvij. day, or on the xxvitj. day, and it shall much help thée against all manner of euill, but beware that thou bléed not the third day, nor the sixt day, nor the xxv. day.

Iune.

In the moneth of Iune some Phisitions say, that it is good euery day to drinck a quantitie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cold water fasting, and rule thée of thy meate and drink, and if thou haue néede bléed on the xxvitj day, for that is good, but beware that thou bléede not on the vij day, nor on the x day, nor on the xv. day, nor the xvi. day, nor the xx. day.

Iuly.

In the moneth of Iuly, kéepe thée from Lecherie, for then the braine and the hu∣mours are alwayes open, and bléede not in this mooneth, but if thou haue great néede, and then beware alway that thou bléed not on the xitj. day, nor on the xv. day, nor on the xix. day, nor on the xx. day, for it is dangerous.

August.

In the month of August eate no man∣ner of woorts, nor any manner of hotte meates and drincks of Spicerie, nor bléed not the first day, nor the xx. day, nor the xxix. day, nor the xxx. daye. The other

daies thou maist bléed for great néede, if the signe be good for blood letting, but not else, and if thou loue to kéepe thy body in good health.

September.

In the month of September, all maner of fruit that is ripe and not infected is good for to eate, & bléed not the xvii. day nor on y^e xviii. day, of the dropsie, phrensie, palsie, nor of the falling euill, dread thée not of all that yéere, & if thou haue néede to bléed more, beware that thou bléed not the third day, nor the iiii day, nor the xvi day, nor the xxi. day, nor the xxii. day.

October.

In the month of October, drinck good and wholesome wine, & bléed not but if great néede make thée, and looke that the signe be verie good, but yet beware that thou bléede not on the third day, nor the sixt day, nor the xxiiii. day, and thou wilt doe well.

Nouember.

In the month of Nouember bléed not but for néede, for all the blood is gathered that time vpon the head veine, bath not but vent thée a little of grasing, for then all the humours be ouerquick to bléede, and if case be that thou haue great néede for to bléed, beware of the fift day, the vi. day, the xv, and the xix, day, the xxviii. day and the xxix.

December.

In the month of December bléed not but if thou haue great néede for the case, and bléede on the xxvi, day, for it is right good. And in case thou haue more néed to bléed, beware of the vii. day, the xv. days, the xvi. day, the xvii. day, and the xxii. day. and in this month come not nye the fire with thy shanks.

For to vnderstand & know the yeere that shall be plentious, & in great aboundance of goods.

In die Dominica. That is Sunday.

In the yéere that Ianuarie shall enter on the Sunday, that winter shall be cold

and moist, the Summer shall hée hot, and the time of Haruest shall bée windie, and rainy, with great aboundance of corne, of wines and other graines, & of all garden fruits & hearbs, there shall bee little Oyle, abundance shalbée of all manner of flesh, some great newes shall men heare spoken of Kings and Prelats of the Church, and also of great Princes, great warres and robberies shall bee made, and many yong people shall dye.

In die Luna. That is Munday.

In the yéere that Ianuarie shall enter on the Munday, the Winter shall bée peace∣able enough, and the Summer shall bée very temperate. Then shall bée great flouds of water that shall breake out of their limits and bonds, and many ships vpon the Sea shall perish, and in that yéere shall raigne diuers sicknesses, and changes of great Lords shall bée made, many women shall perish in trauayling with Childe, many great Lords shall die. That yéere shall bée little grasse and Mustard séede, but there shall be plentie of

Corne and Wines and good cheap flesh, but little Oyle.

In die Martis. That is Tuesday.

IN the yéere that Ianuarie shall en∣ter on the Tuesday, the winter shall be changeable and not stedfast, for in the Prime, of truth it shall fréese, and that shall hurt sore the Rye, the Vines, and the flowers, that Summer shall be drye, hot, & burning, insomuch that the hearbs of the Gardens shall haue no power to come out of the ground.

All thinges shall be déere saue onely Corne, many men shall dye of the bloody flix, there shall be no tidings of Thun∣der, lightning, and tempest, but all flesh shall be déere, many wines shall turne.

In die Mercurij. That is Wednesday.

In the yéere that Ianuary shall enter on the Wednesday, the Winter shall be

temperate, but in the ende there shall bée Snowes & Frosts, the prime time shall be rainie, great aboundance of all Corne, of Wine, of Fruits, of Hay 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Grasse, and generally of all good things. The Sum∣mer shall bée little cloudie, by the which thereof shall come great sicknesse. Poore labourers, as handy crafts and artificers shall gaine méetly well that yéere, many théeues there shalbe, by whom the mean•• people shall be sore pilled and discomfited, great warre, battaile and slaughter shall bée towards the middest of the yéere, by the which shall come great good to some men. In the end of the yéere shall bée di∣uers pestilences, botches, and falling euils, especially next the Sea.

In die Iouis. That is Thursday.

In the yéere that Ianuarie shall enter on the Thursday, the winter shall be long and most part drye, and the yéere shall bée very wholesome. The Prime time shalbe very wholesome, the Prime time shall bée very windie, the Summer shall be tempe∣rate

and haruest shall be most part raine∣nie, so that the waters shall sore breake out of their bounds, the Wheate and Wines shall bée good cheape, there shall be of Oates, Hay, Grasse, and of fruites competently enough. Great warre and diuision shall bée béetwéene the Church and the Kings and Princes, and in the ende, the Princes shall haue victorie of their enterprises.

Women shall set themselues much to le∣cherie, people shall bée well cased of tax∣es and tallages.

In die Ʋeneris. That is Friday.

In the yéere that Ianuarie shall enter on the Friday, the winter shall bée long & dry, and the summer vnwholesome, har∣uest shall be dry, all corne shall bée déere, the vintage shall be good enough, & aboun∣daunce of Oyle, of fruit, of hey, of grasse, and of Garden hearbes, the world shall bée sore persecuted with diuers sicknesses as sore eies and of all Etiks, many yong children shall dye, great Thunder, Ligh∣tening and tempests shall bée, that shall

grieue sore all the ground, there shall be Earthquakes, and good cheap cloth, poore people shall gaine little or nothing, many beasts shall die for hunger, for the diuersi∣tie and maladie of the time.

In die Sabbati. That is Saterday.

In the yéere that Ianuary shall enter on the Saterday, the winter shall be tem∣perate sufficiently, and in the Prime time shall be Frostes, the which shall destroy the Trées, the Vines, the Oyles, and the fruits, the Summer shall be méetely tem∣perate, the haruest time shall be drye, the Dates & other Corne shall be good cheap, all garden hearbs shall be cheap enough, and flesh shall be good cheap, many olde people shall dye. Feuer tertians shall grieue sore the world, and shall be sicke through euill heate: and many murmu∣rations, warres and murthers shall be done by one against the other, and neigh∣bours against neighbours, and many o∣ther causes shall be oftentimes commit∣ted and done.

Of the signification of Thunder on euery day in the weeke.

If it Thunder on the Sunday, there will be a great death of Clarks & Iudges and also peruerse people by signification.

If on the Munday it chance to Thun∣der, many women shall dye then, and the corne will suffer Eclipse, by signification.

If it Thunder on the Tuesday, it bée∣tokeneth great plentie of corne.

If on the Wednesday it chance to thun∣der, it betokeneth that yéere common wo∣men and light wenches, & foolish women shal die, & then shalbe great bloudsheding.

It it Thunder on the Thursday, then shall be great cheape and much plentie of Corne.

If on the Friday it chance to thunder it béetokeneth that a great man shall bée slaine, and diuers other murthers, and other perils.

If on Saterday it chance to thunder, it betokeneth that then shall bée a great generall pestilence, plague, whereof many shall dye.

¶ The saying of Erra Pater to the Husbandman.

IF the day of Saint Paule be cleere, Then shall betide an happie yeere: If it doe chaunce to snow or raine, Then shall bee deare all kinde of graine. But if the winde then bee a loft, Warres shall vex this realme full oft: And if the cloudes make dark the Skie, Both Neate and Fowle this yeere shall dye.

FINIS.