The knowledge of things vnkowne. Apperteyning to astronomy, wyth necessary rules, and certayne speares contayned in the same. Compyled by Godfridus super palladium de agricultura Anglicatum.

BE it to vnderstande, that there be in the yeare fower Quarters, the which be named thus, Vere, Hyems, Estas, and Autumnus. These ben the fower seasons in the yeare, as Pryme tyme is the spring of the yeare, as Februarye, March, and Aprill. In

these three months euery greene thing growing, begynneth to budde and floorishe.

Then commeth sommer, as Maye, Iune, and Iuly, and these three mo∣nethes euery herbe, grayne, and tree, is in his kinde, & in hys most strength, and beauty, and then the sunne is at the highest.

Then commeth Autumne, as Au∣gust, September and Detober, that al these fruites waxen rype, and bene ga∣thered and housed.

Then commeth nouember, Decem∣ber and Ianuarie, and these three mo∣nethes be in the winter, that time the sunne is at the lowest, and is at the tyme of little profite, as we Astrono∣mers saye, that the age of man is lxxii. yere, and that we lyken but one whole yere, for euermore we take syxe yeare for euery moneth, as Ianuary, or Fe∣bruarye, and so forth. For as the yeare

chaungeth by the xii. monthes into xii. diuers manners.

So doeth man chaunge hymselfe xii. tymes in his lyfe by xii. ages, and euery vi. times vi. maketh xxxvi. And than man is at the best, and also at the high∣est, and xii. times vi. maketh lxxii. and that is the age of man.

Thus must you counte and recken for euery month vi. yeare, or else it may be vnderstand by the foure quarters, and seasons of the yeare, so man is deuided into foure parts, as to youth, strength, wysedome, and age. He so to bee xviii. yeare yong, xviii. yeare strong, xviii. yeare in wisedome, and the fourth xviii. yere to goe to the ful age of lxxii.