The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

Of the principal Cercles.

THe plate vnder the reete, is discriued with three Cercles, of which, the least is cleaped the Cercle of Cancer, because that the head of Cancer tourneth euermore con∣centrike vpon the same Cercle. In this half of Cancer is the greatest declination North∣ward of the Sunne, and therefore is he ycle∣ped Solsticium of Summer, which declinati∣on, after the Ptholome, is 23 degrees, and 50 minutes, as well in Cancer, as in Capri∣corne. This signe of Cancer is cleped the Tropick of Summer, of Tropos, that is to saine, ayenward. The middle cercle in wide∣nesse of this three, is cleaped the cercle Equi∣noctiall, vpon which tourneth euermore the heads of Aries and Libra. And vnder∣stande well, that euermore this cercle Equinoctiall tourneth justly fro very East to very West, as I haue shewed in the sphere solid. This same cercle is cleaped also the wayer of the day: For when the Sunne is in the head of Aries and Libra, then been days and nights like of length in all the world, and therefore been these two signes called Equinoctis. And all that mooueth within these heads of Aries and Libra, is ycalled Northward: and all that mooueth without these heads, his meuing is cleped South∣ward: as for the Equinoctiall, take kepe of the latitudes, North and South, and forget it not: by this cercle Equinoctiall, been con∣sidered the 24 hours of the clock. For euer∣more, the arising of 15 degrees of the Equi∣noctiall, maketh an hour equall of the clock. This Equinoctiall is cleped the mid way of the first meuing, or els of the Sunne. And note, that the first meuing is cleped meuing of the first mouable of the eighth Sphere, which meuing is fro East to West, and a∣gain into East. Also it is cleped girdle of the first meuing; For it departeth the first meuable, that is to sain, the sphere in two like parties, euen distant fro the Poles of this world. The widest of these three cercles principall, is cleped the cercle of Capricorn, and tourneth euermore concentrike vpon the same cercle. In the head of this foresaid Capricorn is the greatest declination South∣ward of the Sun: and therefore it is cleped Solsticium of Winter. This signe of Capri∣corn is also cleped the Tropick of Winter. For then beginneth the Sun to come again to vs ward.