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IN this thirde and last partye of this present booke we shal fynysshe it wyth spekynge of the faites of astronomye / And I wyl declare to you first / thw the daye cometh and the nyght and for to make you vnderstande
of the Eclipses / And also for to vnderstande other thin∣ges / the whiche may moche prouffyte to them that wylle doo payne to knowe them / ffor to gouerne them the better after the disposicion of the tyme /
TRouthe it is that the Sonne maketh h̄is torne & cours aboute therthe in the daye and nyght and gooth egally euery houre / And also longe as he abydeth aboue therthe / so longe haue we the deduyt of the day / & whan he is vnder therthe / thenne haue we the nyght / lyke as ye went tornyng abrennyng candell aboute your heed or as ye shold bere it a lytil ferther of / Round aboute an apple / And that the candel were alway brennyng / thenne the partye that were alway ayenst the candel shold alle∣way be l••ght / And that other partye that is ferthest fro it shold be obscure and derke / Thus in lyke wise doth the sonne by his propre nature for to be / day and nyght aboute therthe / he maketh the day to growe byfore hym / And on that other parte the erthe is vmbreuse & derke by hynde hym and where as he may not shyne / And this is the shadowe of the nyght whiche the deduyt of the day taketh away from vs / but for as moche as the sonne is moche gretter that therthe / the shadowe goth lytil and lytil 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 haue none ende / but shold be all egal without declynyng / And yf
therthe we∣re
that thing that ye wold see is it the heuen or erthe or ony other thynge / yf that thyng that ye holde is more bredder and larger than your two eyen be a sondre / it shal take away the syght ayenst that whiche is no bredder / And yf the thynge be alle egale in lengthe as moche as ye may stratche your two eyen / as moche shal it be taken fro you as the thinge shal haue of gretnes / as ye may see by this figure bynethe an that other syde / And yf the thinge haue lasse of gretnes than the lengthe is bytwene your bothe eyen / it shal take fro you lasse for to see / as wel ny∣ghe as ferre / that it is of largenes of that whiche ye wold see / And whan ye put the thynge ferther fro your eyen / so moche the more may ye see of that other part ouer and aboue you / so that ye may se all / In lyke wyse is it of the sonne withoute ony doubtaunce or variacion / ffor it passeth therthe in gretnesse so that it seeth the heuen al aboute the sterres and all that is on the firmament.
THe sterres of the firmament on whiche the sonne rendreth clernes make contynuelly nyght and day their tornyng & cours wyth̄ the firmament round aboute aboue as bynethe / But them that ben ouer vs we may not see by daye / ffor the sonne. by hys grete clernes and lyght taketh from vs the sight of them / In lyke wyse as ye shold do of candellis that were ferre brennyng from yow / And yf ther were a grete fyre brennyng
bytwene you and the candellis / and had grete flawme & lyght / it shold take away fro you your sight that ye shold not see the candellis / And yf the fyre were take away & put byhynde yow / ye shold incontynent see the candellis to fore you brennyng / Thus in lyke wyse I saye yow of the 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 somer on the day tyme / in wynter they be ouer vs in ye nyght / & they that be vnder vs in the wynter be ouer vs in ye somer / ffor tho sterres that we see in the somer by nyght we may not see them on the day / ffor the sonne that goth round aboute vs taketh fro tho sterres their clernes that ben on ye day tyme where the sonne is vnto the tyme that he draweth hym vnder / but alle they be lyght what someuer part they torne as wel by day as by nyght / as longe as the sonne goth aboute hye and lowe shynyng sauf the whiche ben hyd by therthe fro vs / ffor as longe at the shadowe may comprise it / the sonn•• may gyue them no lyght / that ye may vnderstande by the figure / thus the shadowe discrea∣ceth by the sonne whiche is moche gretter than therthe / and fynysheth in lassyng / And it endureth ferther fro therthe / than the mone is hye / but it faylleth aboue the mone /
THe erthe is suche / that she deffendeth the day whiche the sonne gyueth vs / yf therthe were so clere that
men myght see thurgh̄ / thenne myght the sonne be seen contynuelly as wel vnder therthe as aboue / But it is so obscure and derke / that it taketh away the sight fro vs And it maketh the shadowe to goo alle alway tornyng after the sōne
sonne is vnder / we haue thenne the shadowe ouer vs / whiche goth drawyng to the west / so longe til the sonne ariseth and shyneth & rendrith to vs the day / And this may ye see by thise two figures to fore an that other syde /
SYth that ye haue vnderstond what it is of the daye and of the nyght / wille ye thenne after see the fait of the mone / And how she receyuyth lyght of the sonne / She receyueth lyght in suche maner that she is contynu∣elly half full in what someuer place she be / And whan we see her round / thenne we calle her full / But how moche the ferther she is fro the sonne so moche the more we see of her apparayl / and whan she is right vnder the sonne / Thenne she apperithe not to vs / ffor thenne she is bytwene ther / the and the sonne & thenne she shyneth toward the sonne and toward vs she is alle derke / And therfore we see her not / But whan she is passed the poynt and is remeuid fro the sonne / thenne begynneth her cl••renesse to appere to vs as she were horned / and so moche as she withdraweth her fro the sonne somoche more apperith she shynyng / and thenne whan she apperith to be half ful of lyght / thenne hath she gon a quarter of her cercle / whiche is the fourthe parte of her torne and cours that she goeth euery moneth and thus alleway her clernesse encreacyng and growyng she goth til she be alle rounde fayre and clere in semblaū∣ce of a rolle / and that we calle the ful mone / Thenne is
she right vnder the sonne as she may be right ayenst the sight in suche wyse that alle her lyght is torned toward vs / Thenne is therthe bytwene the sonne & the mone / so that we may not see them bothe vpon therthe / but right li∣til / but one of them may be seen / ffor whan that one goth doun in the west / that other ariseth in the eest / & soo at euen or morn may bothe be seen but not longe / ffor that one goth vnder therthe & that other cometh aboue / Thenne the mone whiche hath ben opposite of the sonne & hath goon half her cours thēne she goth on that other side approchyng the sonne / & begynneth to lasse her light & mynusshe it til it be but half agayn / & thenne hath she gon thre quarters of her cercle / & is thenne as nygh̄ the sonne on that syde / as she was at the first quarter on that other syde / & so ap∣procheth ner & ner til she appere horned as to fore / & thus
IT happeth ofte tymes that the mone muste nedes lose her lyght / And that happeth whan she apperith most full / And she becometh as vanysshed away / and der∣keth lytil and lytil / til she be all faylled / ye haue herd here to fore how the mone taketh lyght of the sonne / that al∣leway she hath half her lyght hole / But whan it is so that she is in eclipse / thenne hath she no lyght in noo parte / And this happeth neuer but whan she is torned right so that the sonne gyueth her ful lyght / ffor the mone goth not alway so right at doth the Sonne / ffor somtyme she passeth in her cours by suche away that therthe shadoweth her all / ffor therthe is gretter than the mone is / & therfore whan therthe is iuste bytwene the sonne and the mone / thenne she thus shadoweth her / ffor bytwene the sonne and the mone is a lygne whiche declyneth somoche to the mone by whiche the sonne smyteth his Rayes in her as longe as ther is no lettyng by therthe / ffor the more that therthe is bytwene them the more is the mone shadowed / And the lasse that it is bytwene somoche lasse is the sha∣dowe / And the mone leseth the lasse of her lyght that she receyueth of the sonne / whan she is so shadowed / thus ye may vnderstonde / yf a lygne passed thurgh therthe by the poynt of the myddle of it / & stratched that one ende 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 so euen ayenst the sonne / thenne shold she falle euery
moneth in that shadowe whiche on alle partes shold em∣pesshe her lyght / whiche thenne myght not come to her for therthe in no wise / ffor the ferther she is fro the right lyg∣ne / so moche hath & receyueth she the more of lyght / And whan she is so that therthe is {quod} opposito bytwene them than loseth the mone her lyght / Thus is seen somtyme the mone in the myddle of his moneth lose his lyght & derk / whan she is most ful / And her lyght torned vnto
IT happeth somtyme that the sonne leseth his clere∣nes & the lyght in the playn daye / ffor it goth as to declyne / & is called in latyn eclipse / This eclipse procedeth bicause of defaulte of light / and it happeth in this manere
that whan the mone whiche is vnder the sonne cometh right bytwene vs and the sonne / thenne in the right lygne it behoueth that toward vs the mone taketh and reteygneth the lyght of the sonne on hye / so that it semeth to vs that is defaylled / ffor the mone is not so pure that the sonne may shyne ouer her / and thurgh her as thurgh an other sterre / Alle lyke as of a candell / whiche is sette ferre fro your sight / and after ye helde your honde right to fore the candell / thenne ye shold not see nothyng therof / And the more right ye holde your hand bytwene / the more lasse shold ye see this candele / And somoche ye may sette your hand right to fore your ••yen and 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 goth an other waye whiche destourneth her a lytil from the Sonne / wherfore vs byhoueth to vnderstande that the mone goth oftymes whan she is bytwene vs and the Sonne som∣tyme aboue and otherwhyle bynethe / here and there as she riseth and declyneth / But whan she passyth in the right lygne euen bytwene vs & the sonne / thenne taketh the mone fro vs the lyght & clernes of the sonne / in suche wyse as we may not clerly see her in that paas / ffor thenne shadoweth she therthe / and kepeth the rayes of the sonne that they may not shyne on therthe / & they that ben in this parte / haue in their sight ye shadowe behynde them But it apperith not comunely to alle men thurgh al the world / ffor the mone is not so grete nowher nygh̄ 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 philosophres were wont to goo / where as they kn••we it / ffor by their wyt & studye they had lerned for to approue the daye and tyme whan suche thynges shold happe / by whiche they preuyd plente of thynges / wherfore they preysed moche our lord / Thus see we here byneth the eclipse of the sonne aboue vs / whan the mone is right vnder the sonne for as moche as she is bynethe the sonne and aboue vs / And thenne the sonne passeth the right lygne and goth departyng and wythdrawyng so moche that
THus as the mone taketh away fro vs the light 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 wise but whan she apperith most full / ne theclypse of the sonne may not be but whan the mone is all waned and faylled and that we calle the coniuncion / but yf god whiche may all thin∣ge chaunge and deffete at is playsir make it to come or happene otherwise / lyke as it happed at suche tyme as our sauyour Ihesu cryste was on the crosse / at whiche tyme the lyght & bryghtnesse of the day faylled fro mydday vnto ye ix hour of the day / & thēne 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 and obscure as it had ben propre nyght / whiche by nature at that tyme shold haue be bryght & pure / ffor whiche cause seynt dionyse whiche at this tyme is shryned in fraūce / & thēne beyng an estudyaūt in grece a paynem like a grete clerke as he was / ffor he knewe mo∣che of astronomye / whan he apperceyued this grete obscur∣te & derknes / he had right grete meruaylle / & fonde by astro∣nomye that this myght not be by nature ne by reson / that the eclipse of the sonne shold happe & falle in suche season / thēne saide he a derke worde in this maner / or the god of na∣ture suffreth grete tormēt by wronge / or all ye world discor∣deth & shal desolue & faylle / as it that muste take an ende / & thought in hym self that he was a grete god that so suffred & that he had power & myght aboue all other goddes / as he that byleuid on many goddes after his lawe / thenne this
holy dionyse made an aulter in his oratorye alle aboue the other aulters & also a parte where as no persone repayred but he hym self only / by cause he wold not be reputed in mysbyleue / & whan it was made & he had seen it / he called it the aulter of the god vnknowen & worshipped & adoured hym / and helde hym for a right dere and grete god / It was not longe after this / that the holy doctour Seynt poul cam to this place where seynt dionys was / as he that knewe hym for a right grete clerke / And by commynyca∣cion and prechyng 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 passion / ffor they were both̄e good clerkes as is more playnly conteyned in their legendes / And thus was the noble clerke saynt dionys bycomen a good and very crys∣ten man whiche all his lyf to fore had be a paynem / and he so employed his science & his tyme / fro that day forthon that it auaylled hym gretly to the helthe of his sowle / This eclipse deceyuid hym not ne this that he knewe as∣tronomye / but he bycam after a man of so good and holy lyf / that he gate for his reward the blysse of heuen / ye haue herd the fayt of eclipses yf ye wyl vnderstande them well / And ye shal not fare the werse ne the lasse auaylle you / ffor to knowe it may moche prouffyte to euery persone / ffor suche demonstraūces ben signefycacōns of grete werkes & thynges that ofte after happen & falle / This fynde wel astronomyers by Astronomye / as som∣tym scarcete and deffaulte of goodes / or of a grete derthe or warre / or deth of kynges or prynces / that falleth in the
world / as they may enquyre and serche by their science & 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 / ffor he was and is by right lord and kynge of alle the world / and may deffete and desolue it / and ordeyne at his good playsyr / the other eclipses co∣men by nature whiche reteyne on therthe their vertues of thinges that ben to come / ffor it byhoueth alle to fynysshe and come to nought / alle that is on therthe & that shortly God made not the firmament ne the sterres for nought / whiche as sayd is goth tornyng ouer & aboue vs / And gyueth to the sterres names and vertues in heuen and in erthe / eche after his myght on alle thynges that hath growyng / ffor ther is nothyng but it hath somme power for as moche as it hath growyng / suche as it ought to haue by nature and by reson / we shal now for this present leue for to speke ony more of the eclipses / And shal re∣compte and declare of the vertue of the firmament and of the sterres / ffor who so wel knewe the vertue of them / he shold knowe the trouthe of alle suche thynge that is bynethe here on therthe by reson of nature / whether the thynge were obscure and derke or not /
NOw wylle ye here of the science by the whiche men gete sapience for to knowe and enquyre the thin∣ges that may happen in therthe by the werke of right na∣ture whiche is figured by the world / The heuenes and the
sterres ben the very instruments of nature to the world by whiche she werketh alle as god wille as wel nygh̄ as ferre / & who that coude knowe her myght / he had knowlege of alle thyng that sayd is / as wel of the sterres that ben on heuen whiche haue vertues on therthe / whiche god hath gyuen and graunted to euerich and specyally to the sonne and to the mone whiche gyue lyght vnto the world / & wythout whom nothyng lyuyng may be / ffor by them growe alle thynges that be in this world / and whiche haue ende and begynnyng / this consenteth and permyseth he that is almyghty / 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 and endowed them wyth suche na∣ture that he ordeyned them to goo round aboute the world ayenst the tornyng of the firmament / And by theyr tor∣nyng and by their vertue whiche lieth in heuen / lyue alle thynges that ben vnder it / And yf it pleasyd our lord that he wold holde the heuen al stylle in suche wyse that it torned not aboute / ther is nothyng in alle the worlde / that myght meue hym / In hym shold be no vnderstondyng nomore than in a dede body / whiche feleth 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 & neuer moeue / tyl that the heuen had agayn his moeuyng And thenne shold they be otherwyse / but who that thēne
myght vse his wytte & see what he shal be / moche myght he see of semblaunces and of dyuerse contenaunc••s in other men that myght not remeue them / ffor yf ther were no moeuyng on the heuen / ther is nothyng that myght lyue on erthe / Also god wyll that it so be / that all thyng hath establisshid by right / Thus was the wylle of god in whom all•• vertues habounde for to fourme the worlde / ffor he made ne created neuer thynge / but that he gaf to it suche vertue as it ought to haue / Ellis he had made som∣thyng for nought and without reson / but he dyde not so / ffor he neuer failled in no thinge / he made and created all the sterres and gaf to euerich his vertue / And who that wille not thus byleue / In hym is neyther memoire ne reson / ffor we see openly that the mone taketh lyght / whan we see her all full / ffor the man hath thēne neyther mem∣bre ne vayne / but that it is ful / whan it is in the cours of humours and suche thinges / And in lyke wise it happeth on alle bestes / ffor they haue thenne their heedes and other membres more garnysshid of margh̄ and of humeurs / And the see also floweth and ebbeth in his cours euery moneth / wherof it happeth that they that ben nygh̄ the see / whan they knowe that the mone is ful / they wythdrawe 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 wythdra∣weth and lasseth agayn / And thus do they euery moneth But alle this happeth by the mone whiche is one of the seuen planetes / In lyke wyse is it seen of the sonne / that after the wynter whan he begynneth to mounte / he causeth
the fruyt to be brought forth of therthe / and apparailleth the trees wyth leues / and alle verdure to come agayn / And the byrdes begynne agayn their songe for the swe∣tenes of the new tyme / And whan he rebasshith and decly∣neth / he maketh the wynter to bygynne & causeth flowres and leuys to faylle and falle so longe tyl he begynne to mounte agayn as to fore is said / Syth that thise two sterres haue suche vertues / 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 dyuersytees 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 otherwhile sonner rype in one yere than in an other / and more assured of tempestes and other greuaunces / And thus chaunge in sondry maners / ffor one somer is softe and moyste / And another is drye and wyndy / Of the wynter it happeth oftymes that they chaunge / so that one is colde / rayny / and more desplaysaunt that thother / And another shal be more Ioyous & lasse damageable / Thus is seen that the one is dere of somme vitaylle 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 an other yere it is had in grete chierte / & is of grete scarsete / this fallyth somtyme and ofte / Alle thise dyuer∣sytes cause the sterres whiche ben on the heuen / But alle this is by the wylle of our lord / that hath sette euerich in
his propre place / where he maketh naturelly his cours / and euerich dyuersly / ffor 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 an another / and as moche descendeth in one wynter as in another euery day egally til that he come in to his right poynt / and Ioyneth that other after hym where he was to fore / this knowe wel Astronomyers that he gooth euery yere aboute the heuen one torne / And where he is this day / in the same place he shal be this day a yere Ther by is it knowen that yf none other had no power / thenne shold euery yere be lyk 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 Ianyuer / and ffeuerer lyke another feuerer / and in lyke wyse alle the other x moneths / ffor the sonne goth alle lyke in one moneth / as he shal the next yere in the same moneth / And this day shold 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 thyn∣ges euerich after their comyng all the yere duryng / Thenne sholde it falle by right nature that in all the so∣mers and all the wynters that euer 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 deme∣ned / eschauffed and contynuelly gouerned / ffor he goth egally alway / and endeth his cours euery yere / and hol∣deth his right way in one estate / as he that goth not out
of his waye / Thus is he the right veyle and patrone of all the other sterres / ffor it is the most fyn of all the other by the grete clerenesse that is in hym / and in all thynges by hym / and he hath on therthe more power on thynges of whiche may be enquyred of nature reson and right than all the other sterres / yet somtyme they restrayne his hee∣tes / and after they enlarge them after that they be fer or nygh̄ / as he otherwhile hath nede / lyke vnto a kynge whiche is the gretter lorde and the more myghty in hym self for his hyghnesse than ony other of his peple / neuer∣theles he hath somtyme nede of them for to be holpen and seruyd of them / ffor how moche the nerrer he is to his pe∣ple / so moche 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 vnderstonde / the grettest / the most myghty / and the most vertuous / of whiche he hath gretter power in erthe / than ony other sterre may ha∣ue / But the other haue their power euerich in his degree / 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 wel in heyght as in depnesse / and on alle sides of lengthe and brede by them that knewe the resons of the vij scyences / Of whiche Geometrye is one / by whiche the sonne / the mone / therthe / and the firmament ben mesured as wel wythin as wythoute / how moche it is of gretenes / and how moche it is fro therthe to the firmament / and alle the gretenes of the sterres / ffor this is preuyd by right
byholdyng / And they that fonde this scyence perceyuid that it myght not be knowen truly by astronomye ne the nature of the sterres withoute knowyng of their mesu∣res / Therfore wolde they mesure them and preue al their gretenesse /
FYrst of alle / th̄e auncyent philosophres wolde me∣sure the gretnes of the world all round aboute ther∣the tofore 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 greter mesure to be mesured / And whan they had mesured therthe how moche it ha•• of largenes all aboute / And how moche it had of thycknes thorugh / 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 moche more than all ther∣the was / And whan they had mesured thise thre thynges the Sonne / the Mone / and therthe / They myght lightly after enquyre of the other sterres / how moche euerich is nygh̄ 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 without more / whiche ben Venus. Mercurye. & the Mone / whiche is the thirde / and euery man may enquyre this / yf he kno∣we the scyence of geometrye & the scyence of Astronomye
with all / ffor 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 maistres of astronomye that may proue this / we wil recounte here after how moche the erthe is longe / And how thycke it is thurgh̄ / 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∣ued / and also we shal speke after that of the sterres and of the firmament / Of alle this we shal saye to you / but first to fore all I shal recounte to yow of the faytes and dedes of the kynge tholomeus / whiche knewe so many demonstraunces of apparicions / and somoche loued astro∣nomye that he wolde serche alle thyse thynges / And we shal saye to you of somme thynges / whiche ben not con∣trarye to yow / yf ye wyl wel vnderstande & reteyne them by whiche ye may lerne som good / And thenne after we shal mesure to you the world the best wyse we may / Now entende ye of the kynge tholomeus / and of the werkes of somme other philosophres for youre owne prouffyt /
THolomeus was a kynge moche subtil in Astrono∣mye / This tholomeus was kynge of egipte whiche 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 fair volumes and bookes / And many dy∣uerse instrumentes by whiche was founde appertly all the gretenes of therthe / and the heyght of the firmament / And how the sterres make their cours bothe by nyght & by daye / By hym were founden first the oryloges of the chirches whiche begynne the houres of the dayes & of the nyghtes / The dayes passe fast on wherfor the chirches ha∣ue grete nede to haue good oryloges / ffor to doo therby al∣way the seruyse of our lord at hour competent and due as wel by day as by nyght / ffor god loueth moche for to be adoured and seruyd entierly and ordynatly euery day / ffor the Orysons that ben sayd and recyted euery day in the chirches playse more to our lord / than do they that ben said 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 / ffor yf they ruled soo them self to praye at a certayn hour / And at an other hour in lyke wise to ete / and other thin∣ges in his right hour / it shold be a lyght thynge to doo and plese god / yf men wold applye them as wel to suche thynges / as they doo to doo that whiche confoundeth and sleeth them / that is to wete that they be all enclyned to conquere the richesses / of whiche they cesse not nyght ne daye / And wenen to prolonge their lyf therby / But they amasse and gete grete tresours / and pourchasse their deth / ffor by the grete goodes that they assemble on alle sides / 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 thynke on thoo werkes that towche their saluacion as they ought to doo / and by suche werkes shold they be in more ease and lyue lenger / and plese better our lord / And shold also haue more hel∣the 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 ne∣uer wherfore they gete this hauoir and good / ffor they lo∣se therby the ease of the worlde / by cause whan they wene to sette them in ease and to be in pees / thenne cometh deth and maketh them to dye with right grete sorowe / ffor the grete couetyse of the good and the payne that they haue made alleway to gete it without 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 affaires and besynesse as they ought to do at euery hour competently and by ordre / whiche yet had ben a lyue and in good helthe / And lo thus ye may see how they abregge their dayes and auaunce their deth / ffor atte lon∣ge / Nature may not suffre dyuse mayntenes vnresonable ne the sodeyn agrauacions ne griefs / of whiche by theyr folyes they trauaylle nature / and it displesyth moche vnto god / And also no good may come therof / But gladlyer and wyth better wylle they traueylle and more dyligently for to wynne and gete the worldly goodes / than the loue of god / And neuer 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 shall
not hurte them to auaunce their gayne and wynnyng / Thus go they neuer to chirche for to pray vnto god vnto the tyme that they wene that they shal wynne nomore worldly goodes / But they wynne the lasse / ffor 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 / ffor he may rendre to them more meryte in one day / than they may gete in a thousand yere / Suche peple ben foles & euyl aduysed / whan of nought they wene to serue hym that alle knoweth and alle seeth / ye the lest thought that they thynke / yet ben ther somme / whan they goo to chirche 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 multeplye them / than they do for the saluacion of their sowles / whiche ben in grete paryll to be perisshed / And it is a grete mer∣uaylle of suche maner of peple / 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 ••o feble a thyng fro whom alle euyllis sourden / Truly the deuyl is ful of inyquyte / and withoute power and strengthe ouer ony per∣sone / of hym self / ffor he may not vaynquysshe ne ouerco∣me / but hym that consenteth to his wyll / for who that wil conduyte and rule hym self well / The inyquytees of hym may not noye ne greue / ne in no thynge traueylle hym / of whiche he hath cause to sorowe fore / as longe as he will dispose hym to doo well / Thenne may wel be sayd. fy. / ffor they ben more than faylled whan he ouercometh them
so febly and taketh them in their euyll dedes and synnes and ledeth them to perdicōn / where neuer they shal be with∣out payne / ne neuer shal haue Ioye / ne in nowise haue hope of mercy / Of this purpos we shal saye nomore now / but recounte of kynge Tholomeus / the whiche employed his tyme / in the werkes of our lord god / Out of his bookes were drawen the nombres of whiche the yeres ben ordey∣ned / And of the same is founde the cours of the mone / by whiche is seen whan she is newe / Of whiche Iulius Cezar whiche of Rome was Emperour made a booke called the sommes / the whiche is ful necessarye in holy chirche / and it declareth the golden nombre of the ka∣lender / ffor by the kalender is knowen the cours of the mone / and of alle the yere / by whiche is also knowen how we ought to lyue after reson euery daye / That is to wete in ••tyng and drynkyng / and in worshipyng 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 / ad∣uente / and the hye dayes and festes that we ben most ••ounden to serue god / ffor to gete his inestymable 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 kalender / the whiche was drawen out of Astronomye / whiche the good kynge Tho∣lomeus louyd so moche / and he knewe more than ony other man sauf Adam whyche was the fyrst man / ffor Adam knewe alle the seuen scyences lyberall entyerly
without fayllyng of a worde / As he that the creatour ma∣•••• and fourmed with his propre handes / And so wolde our lord haue hym souerayn in beaute / in witte & in streng∣the / ouer al them that shold be born after hym vnto the comyng of Ihesu Cryste sone of god / the whiche had gy∣uen to hym suche vertues / Ne neuer after Adam gaf he so moche to one man / ne neuer shall / But anon as he had consented & commysed the synne deffended / he lost somoche of his wytte and power / that anon he becam a man mor∣tal / And he was suche to fore er he had synned / that he shold neuer haue felte deth / Ne alle we descended of hym shold not haue had lasse meryte than he. in Ioye. in solaas •• and in deduyt of paradys terrestre alle to gydre and born and nourysshed 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 nothing vnder the fyrmament / but it is werse sythen than to syore and of lasse valewe / ye the sterres gyue lasse lyght / than they dyde to fore / Thus alle thynges empayred of their goodnes & vertues by the synne of adam / which god had made for man / as he that wolde make hym maistre of all the goodes that he had made / But anon as he had cō∣mysed the synne / he felte hym so bare of his witte & enten∣dement strengthe & of his beaute / that hym semed he was al naked / and that he had loste all goodes as a man put in exyle / But notwythstondyng this / yet abode wyth hym more witte. strengthe and beaute / than euer ony man had
sythen / and to the regard of thise thre vertues that adam had / the kynge dauid that was so vertuous and wyse had ij sones whiche myght be compared that one to the beaulte of Adam / and that other to his wysedom / absolon myght be compared to his beaulte / and Salomon vnto his wit∣te and wysedom / And Sampson the forte· vnto his strengthe / Thus were thise thre vertues in Adam so par∣fyghtly that noman syth myght compare wyth hym / ne the ij sones of dauid ne sampson / ne none other / ffor as it is said tofore he knewe the vij sciences liberall better than alle the men that ben descended of hym / as he to whom his god and maker had taught them to hym and enseygned / And 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 sholde come to the world by fyre or by water /
SYth Adam was deed ther were many men whiche lerned the scyences of the vij artes liberall / whiche god had sente to them in therthe / Of whome somme ther were that wolde enquyre what shold bycome of the world or euer it shold haue an ende / And they founde verily / 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 destroyed by water or by fyre / Thenne had they grete pyte for the scyences
that they had goten whiche they knewe / and so shold pe∣risshe / but yf it were kept and ordeyned fore by their wyse∣doms / Thenne they aduysed them of a grete wytte and bounte / as they that wel wiste / that after the first des∣truxion of the world / ther shold be other peple / wherfor they dyde do make grete pylers of stone / in suche wyse that they myght pourtraye / and graue in euery stone atte leste one of the vij sciences entierly / in suche wise that they myght be knowen to other / Of whiche somme saye that one of thise pylers was of a stone as hard as marble / & of suche natur•• that water myght not empayre it ne defface ne mynuysshe it / And they made other in a stronge maner of tyles all hole wythoute ony Ioyntures that fyre myght not hurte it in no wyse / In thyse grete colompnes or py∣lers as sayd is were entaylled & grauen the vij scyences in suche wyse / that they that shold come after them / shold fynde and lerne them /
AS ye may vnderstonde the seuen scyences lyberall were founden by auncyent wyse men / out of whiche alle other sciences procede / Thyse were they to whom our lorde hath gyuen them and enseygned doubtyng the de∣luuye that god sente in to therthe / the whiche drowned alle creatures reseruyd Noe and them that he toke in to the Arke wyth hym / And after this the world was repeoplyd and made agayn by them that descended of them
ffor after the tyme of noe / the peple began to make agayn howses and mansions / and to make redy other werkis / But this was moche rudely as they that coude but right lytil vnto the tyme that thise sciences were foūden agayn & thenne coude they better make & doo that was nedeful & propice to them / & fynde remedye for their euyllis / the first that applyed hym / and entermeted for to enquyre and serche these sciences after the flood was Sem one of the sones of Noe / whiche had gyuen his corage therto / And in suche wyse he dyde therin suche dyligence and so conty∣nued / that by his wytte he fonde a parte of Astronomye / After hym was Abraham whiche also founde a grete partye / And after hym were other that vsed theyr lyf the best wise 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 clerke / This plato was the man aboue al them of the world in clergye the most experte of them that were to fore or after hym / he pre∣uyd first that ther was but one that was only souerayn / whiche all made / & of whom alle good thinge cometh / yet his bookes approue hyely that ther ne is but one souerayn good / that is our lord god whiche made alle thynges / And in this only veryte / he preuyd the right trouthe / ffor he preued his power / his wisedom / and his goodnes / Thise thre bountees reclayme alle crysten men / that is the fader / the sone / and the holy goste / Of the fader / he sayde the power and puissaunce / Of the sone / the Sapyence / and of the holy gost the bienueullaūce / and Aristotle whiche
cam after hym holdeth plente of thynges nyghe to hym / & knewe the thynges that he had sayd / And ordeyned right wel the science of logyke / ffor he knewe more therof than of other sciences / Thise two notable clerkes fonde by their wysedom and connyng / thre persones in one essence / and preuyd it / but they put it not in latyn / ffor bothe two were paynems / as they that were more than thre hondred yere to fore the comynge of our lord Ihesu Cryste / And alle their bookes were in grekyssh lettres / After cam Boece whiche was a grete philosophre and right wise clerke / the whiche coude byhelpe hym with dyuerses langages / And louid moche rightwisnes / This boece translated of their bookes the most partye / and sette them in latyn / But he deyde or he had alle translated them / wherof was grete dommage for vs alle / Syth haue other clerkes transla∣ted / But this boece translated more than ony other / the whiche we haue yet in vsage / And compiled in his lyf / plente of fair volumes aourned of hye and noble philoso∣phye / of whiche we haue yet grete nede for tadresse vs to∣ward our lord god / And many other good clerkes haue ben in this world of grete auctoryte whiche haue lerned and studyed alle their tyme vpon the sciences of the vij Artes / Of whiche haue ben somme / that in their tyme ha∣ue do meruaylles by Astronomye / But aboue alle them that most entremeted and traueylled vpon the science of Astronomye / was Virgyle whiche compyled many mer∣ueyllous werkes / And therfore we shal recounte a lytil here folowyng of the meruaylles he dyde /
VIrgyle the wyse philosophre born in Itaile was to fore the comyng of our lord Ihesu Cryst / he sette not lytil by the vij sciences / ffor he trauaylled and stu∣dyed in them the most part of his tyme somoche that by astronomye he made many grete meruaylles / ffor he made in N••ples 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 ther myght abyde none in ony place ne durste none approche nyghe to that flye by the space of two bowe shote round aboute / And yf ony flye passed the bounde that virgyle had compassed / incontynent it shold deye / and myght no lenger lyue / He made also an hors of brasse / the whiche guarisshed and heled alle horses of all their maladyes and seknesses of whiche they were en∣techid / also sone as the seke hors loked on the hors of brasse / Also he founded a meruayllous cyte vpon an egge by suche force and power / that whan the egge was meuyd all the cyte quaued and shoke / And the more the egge was meuyd the more the cyte quaued and trembled / The cyte in hye and lowe and in playn / The flye of copper / and hors of brasse that virgyle thus made ben in naples And the cage where the egge is in / alle ben there seen / this hath be sayd to vs of them / that be comen fro thens and that many tymes haue seen them / Also he made that in one day alle the fyre thurgh̄ out Rome faylled and was
quenchid / In suche wise that no persone myght haue no∣ne / but yf he wente and fette it at the nature of a woman with a Candel or otherwyse / And she was doughter of themperour and a grete lady whiche to fore had don to hym a grete sklaundre and dysplaysir / and all they that had fette fyre at her / myght not adresse it to other / but euerych that wolde haue fyre muste nedes go fetche it there as the other had fette it / And thus auenged he hym on her / for the displaysir that she had don to hym / And he made a brygge vpon a water the grettest that euer was made in the worlde / and is not knowen of what mater it is made whether it be of stone or of wode / But ther was neuer werkman so subtyl ne carpenter ne mason / ne other that coude somoche knowe ne enserche wythin therthe ne wythin the water / that they myght knowe and fynde / how that brygge was there sette / ne how it was susteyned in no maner / ne atte endes ne in the myddys / and men pas∣sed ouer frely / and all wythout lettyng / He made also a gardyn all aboute round closyd wyth thayer / wythout ony other closure whiche was as thycke as a clowde / and this gardyn was right hye fro therthe / he made also two tapres and a lampe a lyght and brennyng / in suche wise that it contynuelly brennyd wythout quenchyng / and mynusshed ne lassed no thyng / Thise thre thinges he en∣closed within therthe in suche wyse that noman can fyn∣de it / ffor all the craft they can doo / Yet made he an heed to speke / which answerd of alle that / whiche he was de∣manded of / and of that whiche shold happen and come in therthe / so on a day he demanded of the heed how he shold
doo in a certayn werke / where as he shold goo vnto / But the heed answerd to hym in suche wyse that he vnderstode it not wel / ffor hit sayde that yf he kept wel the heed / he shold come agayn all hole / and with this answere he wen∣te his way wel assured / But the Sonne whiche that day gaf grete hete smote hym on the hede and chauffed his brayn / of whiche he toke none hede / that he gate therby a sekenes and maladye wherof he deyde / ffor whan he had the answere of the heed / he vnderstode not that he spack of his heed / but vnderstode of the heed that spack to hym / but it had be better that he had kept wel his owne heed / And whan he felte hym self agreuyd wyth sekenesse / he made hym to be born out of Rome / ffor to be beryed in a castel beyng toward Sezyle / and a myle nyghe to the See / yet ben there his bones whiche ben better kept than others ben / And whan the bones of hym ben remeuyd / the See begynneth to encreace and swelle so gretly that it cometh to the castel / And the hyer they be 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 thēne 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 vertues of hym as they saye that haue ben there / vir∣gyle was a moche sage and subtyl clerke and ful of grete engyne / ffor vnto his power he wold preue all the vsages of clerkes / as moche as was possible for hym to knowe / he was a man of lytil stature / alytil courbed was he on the back by right nature / and wente his heede hangyng
doun and beholdyng the ground / Virgyle dyde and made many grete meruaylles / whiche the herers shold holde for lesynges yf they herde them recounted / ffor they wolde not byleue that another coude doo suche thynge / as they coude not medle wyth̄ / And whan they here speke of suche ma∣ters or of other that they see at their eyen / and that they can not vnderstonde ne knowe not therof / anon they saye that it is by thelpe of the fende that werketh in suche ma∣ner / as they that gladly myssaye of peple of recommenda∣cion / And also saye it is good not to conne suche thyn∣ges / but yf they knewe the science and manere / they wold holde it for a moche noble and right werke of nature / and without ony other espece of euyll / And whan they knowe not ne vnderstonde the thinge / they saye moche more euyl than well / Certaynly who that knewe well Astronomye ther is nothyng in the world / of whiche he coude enquyre by reson / but he shold haue knowleche therof / And many thynges shold he doo / that sholde seme myracles to the pe∣ple whiche that knewe nothynge of the science / I saye not but ther myght be wel don euyll by hym that coude it ffor ther is none so good science / but that myght be en∣tended therin somme malyce / and that he myght vse it in euyll that wolde so applye hym therto / God made neuer so good a gospel / but somme myghte torne it contrarye to trouthe / & ther is no thynge so true / but somme myght so glose that it shold be to his dampnacion / who that wolde payne hym to do euyll / how wel it is no maystrye to do yll Euery man hath the power to drawe hym self to do well / or to doo euyll / whiche that he wylle / as he that hath fre
liberte of that one and of that other / yf he gyue hym self to vertues / this goodnes cometh to hym fro our lord / and yf he be inclyned to doo euyll / that bryngeth hym at thende to sorow and to payne perpetuell / Neuer shal the euyl dis∣posed man saye well / of that he can not wel vnderstonde & knowe / Ther is no craft. arte. ne scyence / but it is good to be knowen whan a man wyll gyue and applye hym self therto / But late hym doo nothyng ayenst god by whiche he lese his grace / Alle thynge is knowen by As∣tronomye sauf suche thynge as god wylle that it be not knowen / And so it is better to lerne that / than to lerne to amasse and gadre to gydre grete tresours / ffor who that coude Astronomye proprely / he shold haue all that he wold haue on erthe / ffor hym shold faylle nothyng what som∣euer he wold / and yet more / But they had leuer haue the monoye / And they knowe not that it is of Astronomye ne wherfore monoye was founden / how wel that they ap∣plye all their entendement for to haue it / But they retche not for to lerne / sauf that whiche they knowe shal redoūde to their singuler prouffyt / And yet for alle that we shal not leue / but that we shal recyte somme caas for them that haue talente for to lerne / And late hym herkne and take hede that wyll vnderstonde it /
THe monoyes were establisshed first / for as moche as they had not of alle thinges necessarye to gydre
That one had whete / another had wyn / and another cloth or other wares / he that had whete / had not wyn withoute he chaūged one for another / and so muste they dayly chaūge one for another / ffor to haue that they had not / as they that knewe none other mene / whan the philosophres sawe this / they dyde so moche that they establisshed wyth the lordes somtyme regnyng / a lytil lyght thynge whiche euery man myght bere with hym to bye that was nedeful to hym / and behoefful for his lyf / And so ordeyned by aduyse to gydre a thynge whiche was not ouer dere / ne holden for ouer vyle / and that it were of somme valure for to bye and vse wyth all true marchandyse one wyth another / by vertue of suche enseygne / And that it were comune ouerall and in all maner / And establed thenne a lytil moneye / whiche shold goo and haue cours thurgh the world / And by cause it lad men by the waye and my∣nystred to them that was necessarye / it was called mo∣noye / That is as moche to saye / as to gyue to a man al that hym behoueth for his lyuyng / Monos in grekyssh langage is as moche te saye / as one thyng only / ffor thenne was but one maner of monoye in all the world / But now euery man maketh monoye at his playsir by which they desuoy and goo out of the waye more / than yf ther were but one coyne only / ffor by this cause is seen ofte plente of dyuerse monoyes / Thus establisshed not the philosophres / ffor they establisshed for to saue the state of the world / And I saye it for as moche yf the monoye were out of grotes and pens of siluer so thenne it shold be of lasse weyght and lasse of valewe / and that shold
be better for to bere by the way 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 / ffor the monoyes be not preysed but for the gold and syluer that is therin / And they that establisshed it first / made it right lytil and lyght / ffor the more ease to be born al aboute / where men wold goo / ffor now in late dayes as in the be∣gynnyng of the Regne of kynge Edward and long•• after was no monoye curraunt in englond but pens and halfpens and ferthynges / And he ordeyned first the grote and half grete of syluer / And noble / half noble and fer∣thyng in golde /
THus the philosophres by the moyen of their monoye wente where they wolde thurgh the world / And the marchantes / in their marchandyses / or in pylgremages / or in pourchacyng and enquyryng somme places that they wolde knowe of whom ther were many whiche were phi∣losophres / and that wolde haue experience of alle thinges and they wente by see and by londe for tens••rche the very trouthe of the secrete thinges of heuen and of erthe / They rested them not by the grete fyres ne brassed not as som doo now in thyse dayes in the worlde / the whyche 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 parties
for to knowe the better the good and the yuell / and for to conne discerne that one fro that other / by whiche they en∣dured many grete trauaylles for to gete the sauyng of their sowles / And at this day alle men seche to gete Ri∣chesses and tresour / and the name to be callyd maistre for to gete louyng and honour of the world / whiche so hastely faylleth / Certaynly an euyl man may not thinke on hye thynges / ffor who that is of erthe / to therthe entendeth / And who pretendeth to god / God attendeth to hym / ffor god hym self saith / who that is of therthe / speketh of therthe / And who that cometh fro heuen / vnto heuen per / tended / he wythout other is lord and sire of and aboue other / The philosophres that wel coude vnderstonde this worde / had moche leuer to suffre trauaylles and mesayses for to lerne / than tendende to worldly honours / ffor they helde for more dere and worthy the sciences and the cler∣gyes / than alle the seygnouryes of the world / Plato whiche was a puissaunt and a recommended maistre of Athenes lefte his noble estate and his place / by cause he wolde of suche renommee lyue / that he serched many lon∣des and contrees / And had leuer haue payne. mesayse and trauayll for tenserche trouthe / and for to lerne science / than for to haue seygnourie and domynacōn in the world ne renommee for to be maister / ffor he wold saye nothyng but yf he were certayn therof / ffor ony vayne glorye of the world / Apolynes whiche was so grete a prynce lefte his empire / and his Royamme / And departed al poure and naked for to lerne the scyences / And he was taken and solde oftymes to straunge men / Ne neuer was ther
none of them so valyant of alle them that bought and solde / that he sette ought therby / so that he myght alleway lerne / And more trauaylled on alle partyes for to lerne and knowe god and the world / whiche he loued better than ony other worldly thyng / and he wente so ferre / that he fonde syttyng in a Trone of golde an hye philosophre and of grete renōmee / the whiche ••nseygned and taught his discyples wythin his trone where he satte / and lerned them of the faytes of nature / of good maners / the cours of the dayes and of the sterres / and the resonne and sig∣nefiaunce of thynges touchyng sapyence and wysedom / This philosophre was named hyarchas / After Appoly∣n••s serched by many contrees so ferre that he fonde the ta∣ble of fyn golde / whiche was of so 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 meruaylles / whiche he louyd more than ony Royamme / he erred so ferre by strange londes that he passed the flood of Ganges and alle ynde / and in thende so ferre / that he myght fynde nomore waye / And 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 Alysaundre also suf∣fred trauaylles without nombre for to lerne / But he wente fro place to place in estate ryall / And with puis∣saunce of peple / wherfor he myght not so wel lerne ne en∣quyre 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 kynge
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 Bran∣don neuer lefte for to laboure by see and by lande / ffor only to see and lerne / And he sawe plente of grete meruaylles ffor he cam in to an yle of the see / where he sawe certayn byrdes whiche spack as spyrites / whiche sayde to hym som thyng whiche he demanded of them the vnderstondyng / And so ferre he erred that he fonde one so perylous a place and so ful of spyrites in so terryble tormentis / that they coude not be nombred ne estemed / Emonge whom he sawe one that answerd to hym and sayde that he was Iudas that betrayed Ihesu Cryst / whiche euery day was tormen∣ted an hondred tymes / and deye 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 philoso∣phres that serched the world as moche as was possible for them to doo for to knowe the better the good and the euyll and spared for nothyng / ffor they beleuyd not lyghtly a thinge tyl they knewe it wel by experyence / Ne alle that they fonde in their bookes / to fore they had preuid it for to knowe god the better and to loue hym / But they serched by see and by lande / tyl they had enserched all / and thēne after retorned agayn to their studyes alleway for to ler∣ne the vertues & good maners / And thus loued somoche philosophye / ffor to knowe them self the better in good and iust lyf / but by cause that many tymes we haue spo∣ken of philosophye / and that somoche good cometh therof that a man may haue therby vnderstondyng to knowe
and loue god / therfore we shal telle to yow what it sig∣nefyeth /
VEray Philosophye is to haue knowleche of god / and fyn loue of sapyence / and to knowe the secre∣tes and ordinaunces of dyuyne thynges / and of humay∣ne / ffor 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 agr••able / who that wel knewe god and his mysteryes / he shold wel conne entierly philosophye / Alle they ben good philosophres that of them self haue kno∣wleche / Of whom Plato answerd to somme that deman∣ded hym in commun / and sayd to hym that he had ler∣ned ynowh and neded nomore / ffor 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 worde pro∣cedyng of hye entendement / as ye haue don other tymes / Thenne plato how wel that he was the most experymēted of all other answerd sayeng as in his herte troubled / that he had nomore 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 and nomore / how wel he was at that tyme the most grete clerke that was knowen in alle the world / and of moche perfounde science They that on thise dayes wil medle / take non hede to an∣swere thus / but make semblaūt to be meche grete clerkis &
experte / for to gete the loos and preysyng of the world / whiche ledeth them to dampnacion / and bryngeth theyr folye in to their hedes so that they entende nomore to ver∣tues than doo beestis / ffor they be not alle clerkes that haue short typettis / ffor ther be many that haue the Aray of a clerke / that can not wel vnderstande / that he redeth / ne yet somme that be prestis can not wel and truly rede neyther / And whan suche knowe ony thynge / that them seme be of valewr / Thenne wene they to knowe all / But moche remayneth of their folyssh consayte / They ••e of the nature of proud foles that ben surquydrous / that seche nothyng but loos and preysyng of the peple / and traueylle 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 trou∣the and right / lyke as thyse auncyent wyse men dyde / the whiche so lytil preysed the world / that alle their tyme they ocupyed in lernyng of phylosophye / Thus estu∣dyed auncyently the phylosophres to fore their deth for tadresse them and other to their maker and creatour / And in dede traueyllyd moche for tadresse alle peple to vertue / They ordeyned the monoyes that they bare for to haue their lyuelode in byeng and payeng / ffor men gyue not allewaye / And for couetyse of the peple that haue fere of their despences / it corumpeth right and natu∣re / ffor by reson and right euerych ought to take his ly∣uyng / And therfore was monoye establysshid f••r to sus∣teyne to euerich his lyuyng whan they wente by the waye But they loue their kar••ynes and bodyes moche more
than nede is / And reteyne and kepe more goodes and richesses that they nede for their ordynarye / whyche they lete rote and faylle by them / and see that many poure per∣sones haue grete nede therof / The monoyes were not foūde for this cause / but for to haue their liuyng / vnto the tym•• that deth cometh and taketh alle that he ought to take at the playsyr of god / And thus shold they be more ••asyd / than they now be and euerych shold haue that hym lacked and they shold leue to doo so many synnes / But they be not so wyse / as were they / that by their witte fonde agayn Astronomye / of whom Tholomeus was one / And tra∣uaylled so moche that he knewe and proued the cours of the sterres that ben on the heuen / and mesured them all on hye / wherof we haue spoken here to fore / And now we shal recounte from hensforth the gretenes of therthe and of heuene / of the Mone / of the Sonne / of the Sterres / and of the planetes / whiche thynges be not comune vn∣to alle men / lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hym self me∣sured them vnto the abysme / And preuyd by reson in a book that he compyled named Almageste / whiche is as moche to saye as an hye werke / Thenne wyl ye here what he saith herto / whiche many another hath also proued after hym by his booke / In whyche he gaf the crafte & scyence to proue and see it by reson /
THe Auncyent philosophres mesured the world on alle parties / by their science. Arte. and wytte vnto the sterres all on hye / of whiche they wolde knowe the me∣sure / ffor to knowe the better their nature / But first they wolde mesure therthe and preue his gretenes / And thēne whan they had mesured therthe al a boute by a crafte that they knewe and proued by right reson / they mesured it rounde a¦boute lyke as they sholde haue compassed it al a∣boute wyth a gyrdle / And thenne they stratched out the gyrdle al alonge / And thenne that whiche wente out of lengthe of the gyrdle / they fonde it in lengthe .xx.M.cccc. and .xxvij. myles / Of whyche euery myle conteyneth a thousand paas / and euery paas fyue foot / and euery fote xiiij ynches / Somoche hath the erthe in lengthe round a boute / by this fonde they after how thycke therthe is in the myddle / And they fonde the thycknes therof lyke as it shold ben c••efte in the myddle fro the hyest to the lowest / or fro that one syde to that other .vj.M. and .v.C. myles By this laste mesure / whyche is after nature right / they mesured iustely the heyght of the firmament / ffor they coude nowher fynde a gretter mesure / ffor textende the gre∣tenesse of alle thynges whiche ben enclosed wythin the heuene /
THerthe as the aūcyent philosophres saye / after they had mesured it / they mesured ye sterres / the planetes
and the firmament / And first they mesured the mone / & preuyd his gretnesse / And they fonde the body of therthe without and withinne / that after their comune mesure it was more grete / than the body of the mone was / by xxix tymes and a lytil more / And they fonde that it was in heyght aboue the erthe xxiijj tymes and an half as moche as therthe hath of thycknes / Also in lyke wyse pr••uyd they touchyng the sonne by very demonstraunce and by reson / that the Sonne is gretter than alle therthe is / by an hondred syxty and sixe sythes / But they that knowe nothynge herof / vnnethe and wyth grete payne wyl by∣leue it / And yet it is suffysauntly preuyd / as wel by maystryse of scyence / as by verray connyng of Geome∣trye / Of whyche haue ben many syth the phylosophres that fonde this first / that haue studyed and trauaylled for to knowe the trouthe / yf it were soo as is sayd / or not / somoche that by quyck reson they haue preuyd that thauncyent phylosophres had sayd trouthe as wel of the quantyte of the Sonne as of the heyght / And as to the regard of hym that compyled this werke / he sette all his entente & tyme / by cause he hadde so grete meruaylle therof / tyl he had perceyuyd playnly that / of whiche he was in doubte / ffor he sawe appertly that the Sonne was gretter than al therthe wythout ony defaulte by an .C.lxvj. tymes / and thre partyes of the xx parte of therthe / with al this that thauncyent philosophres sayde / And thēne byleuid he that / whiche was gyue hym to vnderstōde And he had neuer put this in wrytyng / yf he had not cer∣taynly knowen the trouthe / & that he playnly had proued
it / And it may wel be knowen that it is of grete quan∣tyte / whan it is so moche ferre fro vs / & semeth to vs so lytil / Ne he shall neuer be so ferre aboue vs / but in lyke wyse he shal be as ferre whan he is vnder or on that other side of vs / And for trouthe it is fro therthe vnto the Sonne / lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hath prouyd it / ffyue hondred lxxx and v tymes as moche as therthe may haue of gretenes and thyckens thurgh̄ /
NOw wyll I recounte to you briefly / of the sterres of the firmament / Of whiche ther is a right grete nombre / and they ben alle of one lyke heyghte / But they ben not all of one gretenes / And it behoueth ouer longe narracion that of alle them wolde deseryue the gretenes / And therfore we passe lyghtly ouer and shortly / how wel I aduertyse you and certefye / that ther is none so lytil 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 / ffor he enlumy∣neth alle the other by his beaulte / whiche is so moche no∣ble / ffro therthe vnto the heuen wherin the sterres ben sette is a moche grete espace / ffor it is ten thousand and lv̄ sythes as moche and more as is alle therthe of thycknes And who that coude acompte after the nombre and four∣me / he myght knowe how many ynches it is of the honde of a man / and how many fe••t / how many myles / and how
many Iourneyes / it is from hens to the firmament or heuen / ffor it is as moche way vnto the heuen / as yf a may myght goo the right way without lettyng / and that he myght goo euery day xxv myles / of fraūce / whiche is .l. englissh myle / And that he taried not on the waye / yet shold he goo the tyme of seuen .M.j.C. and .lvij. yere and an half / er he had goon somoche waye as fro hens vnto the heuen where the sterres be inne / yf the firste man that god fourmed euer / whiche was Adam / had goon fro the first day that he was made and created xxv myles euery day / yet shold he not haue comen theder / but shold haue yet the space of .vij.C.xiij. yere to goo / at the tyme whan this volume was perfourmed by the very auctour / And this was atte Epyphanye in the yere of grace .j.M.ij.C and .xlvj. That tyme shold he haue had so moche to goo / er he shold comen 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 descende in euery hour of whiche ther be xxiiij in a day complete / xliij myle and an half / yet shold it be so lon∣ge er it cam to therthe / This thing 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 hors may goo / whiche alleway shold goo / without restynge /
TO the regard of the Sterres we shal saye to yow the nombre lyke as the noble kynge Tholomeu••
nombred them in his Almageste / to whome he gaf the propre names / And sayd that ther were a thousand and xxij all clere / and that myght be all seen / without the vij planetes / and may be wel acompted without ony paryll / In alle ther be .j.M. and .xxix. whiche may wel be seen withoute many other / whiche may not wel be seen ne es∣pyed / Ther may not wel moo be espyed but so many as sayd is / ne appertly be knowen / Now late hym beholde that wil see it / ffor noman / trauaylle he neuer somoche ne stu∣dye / maye fynde nomore / Neuertheles ther is no man ly∣uyng that may or can compte so moche / or can so hye moūte in ony place / though he be garnysshid of a moche gentil instrument / & right subtyl that shold fynde moo / than the kynge tholomeus fonde by whiche he knewe & myght nō∣bre them / and where eueryche sitteth / & how ferre it is from one to an other / be it of one or other or nygh̄ or ferre / and the knowlege of the ymages of them / the whiche by their semblaunce fourmed them / ffor the sterres whyche be na∣med / ben all fygures on the heuene and compassed by ymages / and that all haue dyuerse beynges / And euerych hath his fourme and his name / Of whiche ben knowen pryncypally xlvij within the firmament / And of them ben taken xij of the most worthy whiche ben called the xij Sygnes / And they make a cercle rounde aboute the vij planettes / where as they make their torne / we ben moche ferre from heuen merueyllously / and late euery man kno∣we that he that deyeth in dedly synne / shal neuer come the∣der / And the blessyd sowle whyche is departed fro the body in good estate / not withstondyng the longe way is sone
come thether / ye truly in lasse than half an hour / & vnto the most hye place to fore the souerayn iuge / which sitteth on the right syde of god the fader / in his blessyd heuen / the whiche is so ful of delytes of alle glorye and of all con∣solacion / that ther is noman in this world lyuyng / that may ne can esteme ••e thinke the Ioye & the glorye where this blessyd sowle entreth / And ther is no man that can esteme ne thinke the capacite & gretnes of heuene / ne may compare it ne valewe it / to the capacyte and gretnes of all therthe / or so moche as may compryse fro therthe to the firmamēt / As to the regard of the inestymable gretenes aboue the firmament / ffor that gretenesse is inestymable without ende and without mesure / Certes the firmamēte on hye is so spacyous so noble and so large / that of alle his wytte may not a man vnnethe thinke or esteme / the nombre of lyke masses as all therthe is / that shold fylle it / yf they were alle in one masse / who is he that coude or myght cōprehende or compryse the gretenes of them / whan they alle be assembled / And euerich as grete as all ther∣the / Neuertheles we shal saye to you therof / as moche as we may wel ymagyne /
YF the erthe were so grete and so spacyouse / and so moche more for to resseyue an hondred thousand ty∣mes as moche peple as euer were in this world / & euery man of them were so myghty for to engend••e another
man euery day duryng an hondred thousand yere / and that euery man were as grete as a Geaunt / and euery man had his hows as grete / as euer had ony kynge / & woodes / Ryuers / champaynes gardyns medows pastures and vy∣neyerdes euerych aboute his castell or place for to lyue wyth / And that eche had so grete foyson / that eueriche myght holde an hondred maynyes for to serue hym and euerich of this maynee helde xx other / and had therto grete romme and pourpris in their manoyr / Alle thyse myght moche plentyuously be reseyuyd within the firmament / and yet sholde ther be moche place voyde more than all they myght pourprise and take for to playe and dysporte them therin yf they wolde / Thenne ought we wel to knowe / that our lord god is moche myghty. & of a right hye affayre / whan he can make of nought so noble a thynge / as the heuene / and the Sonne / and all the other thynges that ben on the heuene / in thayer / on the erthe and in the See Suche a lord and suche a maistre ought wel to be god that can make so noble thynges / of whiche we haue very knowleche / And we ought parfyghtly to loue hym / And well may euery man thinke / that the thinge that is aboue is moche gentyl and moche noble / whan it that is vnder is so subtyl / ffor that whiche is aboue is more grete an hondred thousand tymes than it whiche is bynethe / And ouer moche more than can be knowen or may be compted by ony nombre / or may be thought / ffor this is a thynge that in no manere shal haue ende ne terme / Therfore I may wel vnderstonde / that ther is nothing that may pour∣prise ne esteme in gretenes ne otherwyse this / whiche is
aboue the firmament / where the heuene taketh his place / ne may be replenesshid ne fylled with nothing that may be / but yf it be wyth the goodes of our lord god fyllyd / but the right debonayre lorde is so moche full of all goodes that be fylleth alle 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 goodes what someuer it be / and that it shal be / lyke as it were nought / wherof is redde herof / that synne is nought / ffor as moche as it is voyde and disgarnysshed of all goodnes / And rendred the body and sowle so moche febled and disgarnysshid of alle goodes / of alle vertues / and of alle graces / that that one is totally destroyed and perisshed wyth that other / ffor alleway the euyll cometh to nought / And contrarye the good goth alway growyng and in amendyng / And therfore ther is none euyl but synne / whiche is nought / ffor ye may vnderstande that it cometh to nought as donge / Ther is nothing / that ought to be made right / but only this that ought to be perma∣nent / And therfor it is good a man to holde hym nyghe the good / ffor the good amendeth allwayes / And who that customly doth gladly the good werkes / they ben the cause to lede hym to heuene / as he that hath none other wyth∣draughte ne other dwellyng place / And therfor he muste enhabite 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 propice af∣ter his merytes / ffor as moche as this so moche noble a
place is withoute ende and without terme / in suche wyse / that no goodes what someuer they be shal neu haue terme ne ende / ne neuer shal haue defaulte / but it is contynuelly ful of alle consolacion / of alle delyces / of alle goodes / of alle 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 inestymable goodes / Of helle I may frely saye to you / that ther is nothyng sauf sorowe and martirdom / truly the most anguysshous the most horryble / and somoche sorowful / that ther is no lyke / 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 / And they that be therin perisshed / shal be dampned and perpetuelly tormēted / ffor after that they be dampned / they shal abyde euer as longe as god shal be / whiche is wythout begyn∣nyng and wythout endyng / And there they shal brenne in fyre eternel withoute hope of alegeaūce / of ony mercy of ony hope to haue ony better / but alleway werse fro tyme to tyme / As it is so that the saued sowles desire the day of dome and of iugement for to be gloryfyed in body and sowle / The dampned sowles redoubte & drede it thynkynge that after that day they shal be perpetuelly tormented in body and in sowle / And to that dredeful day they be not tormented in the body / but in the sowle / And I haue recyted this thynge shortly to this ende that it may be knowen certaynly that ther is no good deede but it shal be rewarded / ne none euyl dede but that it shal be punysshed / This is the wille of the creatour & maker of all thinges
wythoute whom ther is none that in ony maner hath ony power / and he is somoche a debonayer lorde ful of souerayn puissaunce and of grete and of infynyt goodes / that ther is no comparison to hym / As he that all thynge created. made. and establisshid of nought at his playsir and will But syth we haue spoken to yow of the inestymable gre∣tenesse of the firmamēt wherin the sterres be sette whiche alleway is in moeuyng / So shal ye vnderstonde that ther is an heuen aboue / where they that ben there moeue no∣thyng / but ben contynuelly in one estate / lyke as somme man remeuyd hym from som place to another / the fyrst place meuyd hym not / But he that shold goo so al aboute lyke round aboute a cercle / shold ofte go 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 hym alleway in one poynt / Now wylle ye thus vnderstonde of this he∣uen / that ther is no maner place that is remeuyd fro the sterres ne fro the firmament / but they holde them also fermly all / as they most maye / This heuen muste be vn∣derstonde by them whiche ben Astronomyers / This is that gyu••th to vs his colour blew / the whiche estendeth a∣boue thayer / the whiche we see whan thayer is pure and clere alle aboute / And it is of so grete attemperaūce / that it may haue no violence / This is the heuen that encloseth the firmament / 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 eyen / ffor the wytte of a man hath not the power / But neuertheles we shal saye to you this / that we truly may fynde by wrytyng in certayn places / lyke as somme Auncyent philosophres haue ymagyned and thought / of whiche they fonde certayn resons /
ABoue this heuen that we may see blew as sayd is / after that thauncyent clerkes saye / ther is another heuene alle rounde aboute that aboue and bynethe / lyke as it were of the colour of whyte crystall. clere. pure. and moche noble / And is called the heuen crystalyn / And aboue this heuen crystalyn / alle rounde aboute that / is an other heuen of the colour of purple / lyke as the deuynes saye / And that is called the heuen Imperyal / This he∣uene is garnysshid and ful of alle beaultees / more than ony of the other that we haue named / and there is thayer seuen tymes more fayr and more clere than is the sonne / ffro this heuen Imperyal fylle the euyl angeles by their pryde / the whiche were disgarnysshid of alle glorye and of alle goodes / And ther ben the blessyd Angeles of our lord /
Yff ye wil vnderstande for to knowe of this heuene Celestyall / whyche is aboue alle the other / ye shal
〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnderstonde that this place is right worthy and blessyd in alle thynges / wherfor ther may nothyng growe / but all goodnesses / and swetnesse by reson and right / This is the propre place of the holy trynyte / where as god the fader sytteth in his right worthy mageste / But in that place faylleth thentendemēt of ony erthely man / ffor ther is nowher so good a clerke that may thynke the tenth parte of the glorye that is there / And yf our lord pour∣pryseth ony place / hym behoueth to haue that by right / but he is so comune ouerall / that he seeth euery man / that hath deseruyd it ayenst hym / and seeth all thynges here and there / He seeth all aboute as he that hath all thynges in his kepyng / Of whiche ye may take ensample / by s••mme whan ye here them speke / that alle they of whom they here the tale / they here his worde / Many men vnderstonde al at∣tones / and in one tyme heere / Euery man hereth al the worde / In lyke wyse may ye vnderstande that god is ouerall and regnyng ouerall in euery place / and is in alle places anon & attones / And the lyght and clerenes that groweth of hym enlumyneth alle thynges bothe here and there / and also soone that one as that other / Exam∣ple / yf ye sette aboute many thynges a lyght / also soone shal the resplendour goo 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 haue / that all thynge made and created / And that alle goodes hath wythin hym / his heuen stratched oueral / as he whiche of all is lord and maistre / In heuen ben alle thangeles / alle tharchangeles and alle the sayntes whiche synge all to gydre tofor god
glorye and lawde wyth right grete Ioye and consolacion Ther is none that may compryse / ne herte of man mortal may vnderstande what thynge is heuene / And how moche grete Ioye they haue / to whom he hath gyuen and graūted it / The beste clerk of the world / the most subtyl / and the best spekyng wyth all / that euer was lyuynge in erthe / or euer shal be in ony tyme of the world / and thaugh he had a thousand tongues spekynge / And euerych of the ton∣gues spack by hym self / and also had a thousand hertes within his body the most subtyle and the most memoratyf that myght be taken and founden in alle the world and best chosen to vnderstande & to experymente / and yf this myght be and happe that alle this myght be to gydre in the body of a man / And after myght thynke alway / the best wyse that they coude deseryue & deuyse thestate of he∣uen / And that euery tongue myght saye and declare the intencion of euery herte / yet myght they neuer in no ma∣ner of the world saye ne recounte the thousand parte of the grete Ioye / that the pour••st and leest of them that shal be there shal haue / And foul be he / that shal not be there / ffor they that shal be in heuene wold not be alle the dayes of world / lordes and kynges of alle the Monar∣chye of the worlde erthly thaugh all their commandemēts myght be obserued and don / not for to ben one only hour out of heuen / ffor there is the lyf perdurable / and there is the parfyght and inestymable Ioye that euer was and euer shal be / There is euery thynge establisshed and cer∣tayn for euer more without ende and without begynnyng ne neuer shal faylle / ne there shal neuer be ony doubtaūce
of deth ne of maladye / of sorow / of anguyssh̄. ne of deede / of angre of trauayll of payne ne of pouerte / of caytyfnes ne of ony trybulacion / that euer may happe in ony manere of the world to hym that shal haue his mansyon in heue∣ne / But he shal be contynuelly in Ioye / in solace / in alle delices / and in alle goodes perdurable and wythout ende / And he shal haue more consolacion than ony man can thynke ne esteme / thaugh he employe alle his engien for to vnderstonde it / Now for to knowe what it is of heuene and of helle after our declaracion to fore sayd / and wyth this the firmamente / the sterres and the seuen planetes / I presente them to you here on that other syde of this leef by a fygure / by whyche ye may moche prouffyte / yf ye wille wel applye and employe therto your entendemente /
WYth this we shal make an ende of our book / The whiche at his begynnynge speketh of our lord god wherfore he fourmed the world / And why he loued man so wel that he fourmed hym to his semblaunce / and gaf hym power to doo wel and euyl / After why he made hym not suche / that he myght not synne dedely / And how first were founden the vij sciences and the artes / Sith it spe∣keth of thre maner of peple that thauncyent philosophres put in the world / how nature werketh / and what she is / & how she dyuersefyeth in euerych of her werkes / Also ye ha∣ue herde of the facion of the world and of the dyuysion of the four elementes / whiche ben round aboute / and holde them on the firmament / And how the erthe holdeth hym within the firmament / Also ye haue herde of the lytilnes of therthe vnto the regard of heuen / And also how the sonne maketh his ••ours al aboute therthe / and the other planettes in lyke wyse / alle this haue ye herd in the first partye / In the seconde partye is declared to yow / whiche parte of therthe is inhabyted / & of the dyuysion of mappa mundi / And first it speketh of paradys terrestre / and of the contrees & regyons of ynde / & of the dyuersytees that ben ther of men / of bestes / of trees / of stones / of byrdes / & of somme fysshes that ben there / And where helle the do∣lourous place is & stondeth / and of the grete paynes that they endure that ben dampned & ben there / After ye haue herd of the second element / that is of the water / of the
flodes & of the fontaynes hoot and colde / holsom & euyll whiche ben in dyuerse contrees / & how the see bicom••th salt how the erthe quaueth & synketh / And after of the Ayer how hit bloweth & rayneth / of tempestes & of thondres / of ffyre of layte / & of the sterres whiche seme as they fylle / Of pure ayer & of the vij planettes / how the bysexte co∣meth / of the firmamēt & of his tornyng / and of the ster∣res that ben round aboute therin / In the thirde partye ye haue herde how the day & nyght come / And of the mone & of the sonne how they rendre their lyght / and how eche of them leseth their clerenes by nyght & by day somtyme / & of the Eclipses that thenne happe / wherby the day bycometh derke / And of the grete eclypse that fylle atte the deth of our lord Ihesu cryste / by whiche saynt dionys was after ward conuerted / & of the vertue of the firmament & of the sterres / & how the world was mesured / & the heuen & therthe Of the kynge Tholomeus & of his prudence / of Adam & of somme other / And how clergye & the vij sciences were kepte ayenst the flood / & how all this was foūden agayn after the flood / and of the merueylles that virgyle made by his wytte & clergye / and for what cause moneye was so named & establisshed / and of the philosophres that wente thurgh the world for to lerne / what thinge is philosophye & what plato answerde therto / how moche y• erthe / the mone & the sonne haue of gretenes euerych of hym self / & thesta∣ges of the sterres / of their nombre / & of their ymages / the heyght & gretenes of the firmament / & of the blew heuen whiche is aboue that / & of the heuene crystalyn / & of the heuen Imperial / And as ye haue herde in thende of the
heuene celestyal / & of his estate / and of god whiche maye be oueral by his glorye & his bonute / of all thise thinges ye haue herde vs recounte & telle / & rendrid to you many fayr resons briefly / ffor the prynces & other peple ben no∣thyng curyous to here longe gloses without grete enten∣demēt / but loue better shorte thinges / as they that ben not of longe tyme / but passe briefly / ffor in a shorte tyme they be fynysshed / & ende / And alle we shal come more shortly than we wolde to nought / ffor this world passeth fro tyme to tyme lyke as the wynde / & faylleth fro day to day / & ma∣kith to euerych a lytil seiournyng / ffor it is so ful of va∣nyte / that ther nys but lytil trouthe therin / and it happeth oftymes that he that weneth lengest to seiourne here / is he that leest while abydeth & that sonnest taketh his ende / and therfor I counseylle euery man / that eche payne & tra∣uaylle hym self to lyue wel & truly for the litil tyme that he hath for to abyde in this world full of tribulacions & myseryes / ffor ther is none that knoweth what hour or tyme ye deth shal come renne on hym / & it ofte happeth that he or she that weneth yet to lyue & playe in this world / vj or viij or x yere / that he deyeth in lasse than fyue dayes / & fyndeth hym self dampned & cast doun in to the brennyng fornays of helle / & 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 & dampna∣ble / & that his maker hath lente to hym to vnderstōde hym & that he haue tyme & space / ffor god shal rendre to hym so riche a yefte & so fayr / that he shal haue all goodes at his abandon wyth the Ioye perdurable of heuene / The whiche
to vs be graūted by the creatour & redēptour of the worlde in whom alle pyte & mercye haboundeth / & in whom be alle goodes & vertues what someuer haue ben. ben· and shal ben perdurably wythout ende /
Thus fynysshith the boke called thymage or myrrour of the world / the whiche in spekynge of god & of his werkes inestymable hath bygonne to entre in mater spekynge of hym & of his hye puissances & domynacions / and taketh here an ende / ffor in alle begynnynges & in all operacions the name of god ought to be called / As on hym / without whom alle thinges ben nought / Thenne he so ottroye and graunte to vs so to bygynne / perseuere / and fynysshe tha•• we may be brought & receyuyd in to his blessyd glorye in heuene vnto the blessyd Trynyte. ffader. Sone. and holy gost / whiche lyueth and regneth without ende in secula seculorum / Amen /
ANd where it is so / that I haue presumed and empri∣sed this forsayd translacion in to our englissh̄ and maternal tongue / In whiche I am not wel parfyght / And yet lasse in frensshe / yet I haue endeuourd me therin / atte request and desyre. coste and dispence of the honou∣rable and worshipful man. Hughe Bryce Cytezeyn and Alderman of london / whiche hath sayd to me that he en∣tendeth to presente it / vnto the puissaunt noble and ver∣tuous lorde / My lorde hastynges. Chamberlayn vnto our souerayn lord the kynge / And his lieutenaunt of the toun of Calays & Marches there / In whiche translacion
I knowleche my self symple. rude. and ygnoraūt / wherfor I humbly byseche my sayd lord Chamberlayn to perdenne me of this rude and symple translacion / how be it / I leye for myn excuse / that I haue to my power folowed my copye And as nygh̄ 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 / Sonne / Mone / or of therthe / or in ony other meruaylles herin conteyned / I beseche you not tarette the defaulte in me / but in hym that made my copye / whiche book I began first to trāslate the second day of Ianyuer the yere of our lord .M.CCCC. .lxxx. And fynysshyd the viij day of Marche the same yere / And the xxj yere of the Regne of the most Crysten kynge / kynge Edward the fourthe / vnder the Shadowe of whos noble proteccion I haue emprysed & fynysshed this sayd lytil werke and boke / Besechynge Almyghty god to be his protectour and defendour agayn alle his Ene∣myes / and gyue hym grace to subdue them / and inespeci∣all them that haue late enterprysed agayn right and re∣son to make warre wythin his Royamme / And also to preserue and mayntene hym in longe lyf and prosperous helthe / And after this short & transitorye lyf he brynge hym and vs in to his celestyal blysse in heuene Amen /