A pronostycacyon practysed by master Mathias Brothyel of Rauensburgh. Anno. 1545

A Pronosticacion.

¶ The fyrst chapiter sheweth of the in¦fluence and effycacy of those planettes which shal chefely beare rule this yeare.

IT can not be denied but that the worde of God and the work created by his deuyne worde (that is to say, heauen, earth and al that is conteined in thē) are so annexed & vnited together, that it is impossyble to knowe the operacion of the one without the oth••r. For wylt thou knowe the po∣wer and strengthe of the worde of God, then must thou searche in his workes▪ by the which we naturally vnderstād what God worketh with hys creatures▪ and what he wil worke herafter. For here in earth n••xt god almighty (as Ptholom•••• in the fyrst quadripartite techeth) al ••a••∣ses as wel of thinges to come as of thyn∣ges that doth chaunce vnto vs, cōmeth through the heauenly, course & influence

of the planettes predominatinge or bea∣rynge chefe rule, who of al the moost ex∣pert auctors in this arte of Astrology, is best alowed and folowed. Therfore whē I sawe wrothful and cōtencious Mars in the fygure of the reuolucion newly en¦tred into the house where Venus was, I may not geue the power of the hygher rule to the womannyshe or femynyne planette Ven{us}, but she agreeth with the angry Mars to be an aydour vnto her▪ wherby Venus may gouerne this yeare after her wyl and dysposycion. wherfore euery wyse man wyll cōsyder the nature and propertye of these two planettes, & so loke vnto theyr matters (through the deuyne helpe) that they fall not into the vngodly inclynacions of them. For it is wrytten, Vir sapiens dominatur Astris, (that is) the wyse man shall beare rule with the star∣res.

¶ The seconde Chapiter is of the Eclypses of the Sunne, and what tyme of the yeare it shal appeare, and of his operation i•• general.

[illustration] literal depiction of the Gemini twins (Castor and Pollux) astride the dragon's tail (the descending node of the moon's orbit with the ecliptic) encompassed by the hollow circle of a moon

THe syxt day of Iuly, the moone shall take awaye from vs the light of the sunne in thre poyntes .xliiii. ininutes in the .xxvii. degree of the sygne Gemini, in Cauda draconis, or dragones tayle, and wyll make a shadow vnto vs, it shal begynne at .viii. of the clocke and one mynute a∣fore noone, the mydest shalbe .xlix. minu¦tes after .viii. and it shal ende .xxxix. mi∣nutes after .ix. of the clocke, and so it shal endure from the beginnynge to the ende one houre .xxxvii. minutes before noone And the operacion of it shal extende and teache one yeare .xxxi. weekes and thre dayes. Also in the yeare passed, on the .xxiii. day of Ianuary in the sygne Aqua¦rius fel the Eclyps of the Sūne, whose operacion lasteth two yeares .xxxvi. we∣kes. And they that dwel in the East and

towardes the South for the moost part shall feele the terrible operacion of thys Eclyps. And the operacion of it shalbe suche that scarsly I dare be so bolde to ex¦prese the terrible significacion of it with wordes. For of truth mooste myghtye prynce, euen those vnto whom power to gouerne and rule perteyneth, are not fre frō the peryl & operacion of this Eclips. For before that the terryble influence of the Eclyps passed, & the Eclyps that shalbe in this yeare shal leaue their ope∣racyons. Mars shall moue warre, and blowe his horne, chefely vnto the dystru¦ction and death of those carnal or fleshe∣ly persons that are fylled with vice and vncleanes.

¶ The thyrde chapiter treateth of discordes sedicions and warres of this yeare.

ALbehazen Haly the sonne of A¦benragel wryteth in the eyght part of the .iiii. chapter, saiynge many perels shall chaūce vnto

the warryers, that shalbe compelled to warre in the Southe: namely, when the reuolucyon of the yeare shal happen or fal in the day, and Mars beynge retro grade, or goinge backward in an earth sygne. whiche thynge also Albumasar in the .viii. difference of the .ii. tractes of the reuolucion of yeares, testifyeth: that when Mars shal occupy the .ii. house be∣fore the Sunne in the sygne Taurus, it sygnifyeth much slaughter & vniust shed dynge of bloude. Oh howe gredy, howe desyrous, and thrustynge for bloud that Mars is, whiche wyll spare no laboure nor payne to brynge hys vnnaturall de∣syre to effect. Oh howe louinge a master shal he be to discorde and enui, yea and a¦boue measure busy and dylygent to seke occasiōs of stryfe & discorde. He shal styre vp the courages or mindes of great mē & prynces to war & battayle. For by the o∣peracion of these .ii. Eclypses of the sūne and through these euyl and most vnfor∣tunate

aspectes of Mars and Saturne they shalbe wholy bent & set vpon moost fyrse and cruel battayle and warre. And as Ludouicus wryteth in the second cō∣clusyō of his boke of Aphorismes or pro¦uerbes of Astrologye: when Mars be∣inge in the sygne Cancer is burned with the heate of the sunne, then shal his cru∣elty, woodenes, and fersenes be shewede more horryble in styrynge vp of sedyciō through al the whole worlde, & to sowe dyscorde. And as then, whē he shalbe in the east, there shalbe dyuerse tumultes & battels. All people shalbe at varyance & warre at once together, which thynges almoost shalbe lyke vnto these that are spoken by Astrage kyng of the Medes, that by the treason wrought by his nece or cosyn named Cyro, he had the victory of Harpurge. wherfore without ceas∣synge, earnestly and busylye let vs offer sacryfyce vnto the heauenly father, by Iesus Chryst oure Lorde, that he may

wytte saue to haue compassyon on vs, & to graunt hys holy ghost vnto our ma∣gestrates, by whō al the dyssēcyons; de∣bates, dyscordes & stryfes that nowe are spronge vp amonge vs, may beforgottē. And so together with God oure father without ende we may both reygne and lyue. Amen.

¶ The fourth chapiter treateth of the frutes of this yere, and of the pryce of those thynges that belonge vnto the vse of man.

IN discribyng, or setting foorth thys Chapiter, we muste vse a more exacte dilygence & a more precise iudgemēt, that we geue none occasiō to these engrossers to exer∣cyse & occupy their engrossynge, whyche do scrape vp and gather together out of all places & coastes both wheate and o∣ther kyndes of graine, not only for their vse & profite, but also that thei may ther by get great gaynes & aduaūtage. Fur∣thermore Albuma. wryteth in the boke entytled Florū, de minus felici prouentu fructuum (that

is) of the vnkyndly yelde of fruites: and sayeth that when Venus is letted in the begynnynge of the yeare, and Mars is founde in the reuolucyon in Taurus, & Iupiter in Caprycorne, that then there shalbe a great wast of corne feldes, and a great dearth and scarcyte of all maner grayne and fruyte, aswel of that which groweth on trees, as of wheat & barly. And Ptholome also dothe wytnesse the same in his boke entytled Centiloquium, in the .lxxxxvii. cōclucion where he sayth when the fourth part of the yeare, & the lordes of the corners of the preuencyon shalbe weake & feable, that then al thing that do appertaine to the vse & profyte of men, to be both costly & deare. But Haly Abēragel in the .xxxi. cha. of the fruteful & vnfruitfull yeares sheweth. when the lorde doth stāde fortunatly in the preuē∣cional figure, & doth turne him self with a chereful coūtenaunce to Iupiter, then

the nature & influēce of the planettes are to geue vnto vs a very fruyteful & plē ty∣ful yeare▪ & a good & prosperous yelde of al thinges, so that I dare boldly affyrme and truely say that the groūde this yere shal yelde suffycyently al maner of fruy∣tes & grayne to the vse & profyte of men. Furthermore, we reade in many places of scripture, as in the .xxi. of Genesis. Al∣so in the .ii. boke of Samuel the .ii. Cha. Amos in the .viii. cha. That there hath bene ofte tymes a great & long penury of all thynges and intollerable famyn and dearth, namely we knowe this thyng to haue chaunced for the synful lyuynge of the people. So lykewyse, euen nowe at this season, except we amende & correcte our lyfe, great and horryble plages shall ensue therof. For God is gretly offended with oure synnes.

¶ The .v. chapiter is of the infyrmyties, diseases & plages, aswel of men, as of beastes that shal reygne this yere.

WHen in the science of Astrono∣my I do consyder & ponder the causes of dyseases & infyrmites which chaunce yearely. I fynde that this yeare ensuinge shalbe pestylēce and corrupt ayres, and there shal reygne a certayn general payne in mens heades of the whiche many shal dye, & many by the reason of a whurlyng & gydynes in the heade, & of to muche melancoly shal∣be depryued of their wytte & reason, & fal mad, & some other shal haue the fallyng euyl, & many men shal dye sodenly, and the pestylēce shal reygne in some places. ¶ Furthermore Mars & Saturne do threaten verye whote & burnynge diseas¦ses: as feuers or agues, many aches in the head, necke, and in the eyes, and also impostu mes, pluryses or stytches, & o∣ther sondrye kyndes of dyseases, with which God shal punyshe the styfnecked or inobedient persons, for God doth al∣wayes punyshe the stubburne & vnrulye people, as we rede in holy scrypture. As

in Numeri .xvi. Deuteronomi .xi. Psal. C. v. That the earth opened her mouth and dyd swalowe Dathan, & ouerwhel∣med the cōpany of Abyrom, & the flame of fyre burned many. Also ther is a nota¦ble example wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles the .v. chap. of Ananyas & his wyfe whych for lyenge & dyssemblynge with the holy ghost, fel downe sodeinly. wherof the Psalmody speaketh. They sodaynely went from God and peryshed for theyr synnes.

¶ The .vi. Chapiter expresseth, in what dayes the newe moones, the quarters, and fulmoones shal appere vnder the fyrmament, with the chaunge of the wether for thre dayes before, or after, eyther of them.

THe last quarter the .vi. daye at vij. of the clocke afore noone, colde & drye with snowe, & lyke wether shalbe on the .ix. day. The newe moone the .xii. daye at .xii. of the cloke .xxi. mi. at midnight folowyng, snowe, & after with colde wyndes and tempest, myxed with snowe: The fyrst

quart the .ix. day at .x. of the clocke afore¦noon▪ cold & dry with chaūge of wether. The ful moone the .xxviii. day at one of the clocke xxxv. mi. before noone colde.

THe last quarter the .iiii. daye at eyght of the clocke after none, snowe. The newe moone the .xi. day at x. of the clock xxxv. mi. before noone, darke, cloudy and colde. The fyrst quarter the .xviii. day at iii. of the clocke after noone, colde myxed with snow. The fulmoone the .xxvi. day at .vii. of the clocke after noone, tēperate

THe last quarter the .vi. day at .v of the clocke before noone, inconstant, and after fayre. The newe moone, the .xii. day at .ix. of the clocke .x. mi. after noone, yet repayre not youre gardens, because then shulde all the herbes peryshe with snowe. The fyrst quarter the .xx. day, at x of the clocke before noone. It maye be fayre vntyl the .xx. day. But March and Apryl wil shewe them selues angry and peraduēture they may let that. The ful∣moone, the .xxviii. day at .ix. of the clocke

xxxviii. mi. after noone, Mars & Venus wyll water the earth & the feldes, thē let the husbandemen prouyde to haue good seede of otes & barly.

THe last quarter, the .iiii. daye at .xi. of the clocke afore noone, good & tempe¦rate. The new moone, the .xi. day at .viii of the clocke xxviii. minu. before noone, moyst, and after metely fayre. The fyrst quarter, the .xix. day at .iiii. of the clocke in the mornynge, inconstant, The ful moone, the xxvi. day at .ix. of the clocke .xix. mi. before noone, moyst, & varyable.

THe last quarter, the .iii day at .iiii. of the clocke after noone, rayne. The newe moone, the .x. daye at .viii. of the clock xxiii. mi. after noone, moyst & cold, therfore be not to busy to water the her∣bes. The fyrst quarter, the .xviii. day at x. of the clocke after noone, rayne & wyn¦dy, with thūder & lyghtnynge. The ful moone, the .xxvi. day at vii. of the clocke xxviii. mi. aforenoon, fayre, but the .xxviii & .xxix. day varyable with rayne▪

THe last quarter, the fyrst day at .ix. of the clocke after noone, good wether to cary in hay, & for reapers, but aboute the, v, day it chaūgeth. The newe moone Eclypsal, the .ix. day at .ix. of the clock .xlii mi. aforenoone, rayne, thunder, & lyght∣nynge. The fyrst quarter, the .xvi. day at noone, at which time I coūsel al husbād men to mowe their medowes of haye, & to cary in a pace, yf they wyll not be let with raine. The fulmoone, the .xxiiii. day at ii. of the clocke, & one mi. after noone with rayne aboute the .xxvi. day.

THe last quarter, the fyrst daye at, iiii. of the clocke before noone, fayre.

The newe moone, the .ix. day at .xi. of the clocke .lv. mi. afore noone, rayne, thūder, and lyghtnynge. The fyrst quarter, the xvii. day at none, tēperate. The fulmone the .xxiii, day at viii. of the clocke .lix. mi. after noone, rayne and thūder. The last quarter, the .xxx. day at .ii. of the clocke af¦ter noone, fayre til the .iii. day of August, then rayne.

THe new moone, the .vii. daye at .iii. of the clock .xx. mi. after noone, tēperat and myxed with rayne. The fyrst quart, the .xv. day at .ii. of the clocke after noone variable▪ The ful moone, the .xxii. day at iiii. of the clock .xxxi. mi. after noon, moist not good to bathe, nor to let bloud. The last quart, the .xxix day at .ix. of the clocke afore noone, as afore.

THe newe moone, the .vi. day at .vii. of the clocke .xxvii. mi. before noone, in some places much rayne. The fyrst quar¦ter, the xii. daye at .xi. of the clocke after noone, fayre & conuenient to gather gra∣pes. The fulmoone, the .xx. day at .i. of the clock .xxxi. mi. after noone, a good haruest seasō & a cōuenient time to sowe wheate & Rye The last quart, the .xxvii. day at .x. of the clocke after noone, wyndy, & rayne

THe new moone, the .v. day at .xi. of the clocke .xxxi. mi. after noone, wyndye, yet fayre, about the .x. day colde, & in hylly places snowe. The fyrst quarter, the .xiii. day at .vi. of the clocke afore noone, snow

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The ful moone, the .xix. day at mydnight aft. xlvi. mi. fayre with drought. The last quarter, the .xxvii. day at fiue of the clock after noone, varyable.

THe newmoone, the .iiii. day at .ii. of the clocke .xliiii. mi. after noone, cold and dry, & a lytle after, wynde & rayne. The .i. quarter, the .xi. day at one of the clocke af¦ter noone, tēperate. The ful moone, the viii. day at .ii. of the clock .xxxvii. mi. after noone, moyst. The last quarter, the .xxvi. day at .ii. of the clocke after noone, cold & moyst, and in hylly places snowe.

THe newe moone, the .iiii. day at .iiii. of the clocke xxvi. mi. after noone, with colde & varyablenes The fyrst quarter, the .x. day at .ix. of the clocke after noone, tēperate, but about the .xiiii. daye moyst with snow. The fulmoone, the .xviii. day at .vii. of y^e clock ii. mi. afore noone, snowe. The last quarter, the .xxvi. day at .x. of the clocke afore noone, fayre, but aboute the .xxviii. day snowe.

Notes

• Ianuary.
• February
• Marche.
• Apryl.
• May.
• Iune.
• Iuly.
• August.
• Septēbre.
• Octobre.
• Nouēbre.
• Decembre