Confessio Amantis
or
Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins
Incipit Liber Septimus: Part 1
Online Medieval and Classical Library Release
#4
Omnibus in causis sapiens doctrina salutem
Consequitur, nec habet quis nisi doctus opem.
Naturam superat doctrina, viro quod et ortus
Ingenii docilis non dedit, ipsa dabit.
Non ita discretus hominum per climata regnat,
Quin magis ut sapiat, indiget ipse schole.
1 I Genius the prest of love,
2 Mi Sone, as thou hast preid above
3 That I the Scole schal declare
4 Of Aristotle and ek the fare
5 Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht,
6 I am somdel therof destrauht;
7 For it is noght to the matiere
8 Of love, why we sitten hiere
9 To schryve, so as Venus bad.
10 Bot natheles, for it is glad,
11 So as thou seist, for thin aprise
12 To hiere of suche thinges wise,
13 Wherof thou myht the time lisse,
14 So as I can, I schal the wisse:
15 For wisdom is at every throwe
16 Above alle other thing to knowe
17 In loves cause and elleswhere.
18 Forthi, my Sone, unto thin Ere,
19 Though it be noght in the registre
20 Of Venus, yit of that Calistre
21 And Aristotle whylom write
22 To Alisandre, thou schalt wite.
23 Bot for the lores ben diverse,
24 I thenke ferst to the reherce
25 The nature of Philosophie,
26 Which Aristotle of his clergie,
27 Wys and expert in the sciences,
28 Declareth thilke intelligences,
29 As of thre pointz in principal.
30 Wherof the ferste in special
31 Is Theorique, which is grounded
32 On him which al the world hath founded,
33 Which comprehendeth al the lore.
34 And forto loken overmore,
35 Next of sciences the seconde
36 Is Rethorique, whos faconde
37 Above alle othre is eloquent:
38 To telle a tale in juggement
39 So wel can noman speke as he.
40 The laste science of the thre
41 It is Practique, whos office
42 The vertu tryeth fro the vice,
43 And techeth upon goode thewes
44 To fle the compaignie of schrewes,
45 Which stant in disposicion
46 Of mannes free eleccion.
47 Practique enformeth ek the reule,
48 Hou that a worthi king schal reule
49 His Realme bothe in werre and pes.
50 Lo, thus danz Aristotiles
51 These thre sciences hath divided
52 And the nature also decided,
53 Wherof that ech of hem schal serve.
54 The ferste, which is the conserve
55 And kepere of the remnant,
56 As that which is most sufficant
57 And chief of the Philosophie,
58 If I therof schal specefie
59 So as the Philosophre tolde,
60 Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde.
61 Of Theorique principal
62 The Philosophre in special
63 The propretees hath determined,
64 As thilke which is enlumined
65 Of wisdom and of hih prudence
66 Above alle othre in his science:
67 And stant departed upon thre,
68 The ferste of which in his degre
69 Is cleped in Philosophie
70 The science of Theologie,
71 That other named is Phisique,
72 The thridde is seid Mathematique.
73 Theologie is that science
74 Which unto man yifth evidence
75 Of thing which is noght bodely,
76 Wherof men knowe redely
77 The hihe almyhti Trinite,
78 Which is o god in unite
79 Withouten ende and beginnynge
80 And creatour of alle thinge,
81 Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle.
82 Wherof, as olde bokes telle,
83 The Philosophre in his resoun
84 Wrot upon this conclusioun,
85 And of his wrytinge in a clause
86 He clepeth god the ferste cause,
87 Which of himself is thilke good,
88 Withoute whom nothing is good,
89 Of which that every creature
90 Hath his beinge and his nature.
91 After the beinge of the thinges
92 Ther ben thre formes of beinges:
93 Thing which began and ende schal,
94 That thing is cleped temporal;
95 Ther is also be other weie
96 Thing which began and schal noght deie.
97 As Soules, that ben spiritiel,
98 Here beinge is perpetuel:
99 Bot ther is on above the Sonne,
100 Whos time nevere was begonne,
101 And endeles schal evere be;
102 That is the god, whos mageste
103 Alle othre thinges schal governe,
104 And his beinge is sempiterne.
105 The god, to whom that al honour
106 Belongeth, he is creatour,
107 And othre ben hise creatures:
108 The god commandeth the natures
109 That thei to him obeien alle;
110 Withouten him, what so befalle,
111 Her myht is non, and he mai al:
112 The god was evere and evere schal,
113 And thei begonne of his assent;
114 The times alle be present
115 To god, to hem and alle unknowe,
116 Bot what him liketh that thei knowe:
117 Thus bothe an angel and a man,
118 The whiche of al that god began
119 Be chief, obeien goddes myht,
120 And he stant endeles upriht.
121 To this science ben prive
122 The clerkes of divinite,
123 The whiche unto the poeple prechen
124 The feith of holi cherche and techen,
125 Which in som cas upon believe
126 Stant more than thei conne prieve
127 Be weie of Argument sensible:
128 Bot natheles it is credible,
129 And doth a man gret meede have,
130 To him that thenkth himself to save.
131 Theologie in such a wise
132 Of hih science and hih aprise
133 Above alle othre stant unlike,
134 And is the ferste of Theorique.
135 Phisique is after the secounde,
136 Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde
137 To techen sondri knowlechinges
138 Upon the bodiliche thinges.
139 Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston,
140 Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon
141 That ben of bodely substance,
142 The nature and the circumstance
143 Thurgh this science it is ful soght,
144 Which vaileth and which vaileth noght.
145 The thridde point of Theorique,
146 Which cleped is Mathematique,
147 Devided is in sondri wise
148 And stant upon diverse aprise.
149 The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique,
150 And the secounde is seid Musique,
151 The thridde is ek Geometrie,
152 Also the ferthe Astronomie.
153 Of Arsmetique the matiere
154 Is that of which a man mai liere
155 What Algorisme in nombre amonteth,
156 Whan that the wise man acompteth
157 After the formel proprete
158 Of Algorismes Abece:
159 Be which multiplicacioun
160 Is mad and diminucioun
161 Of sommes be thexperience
162 Of this Art and of this science.
163 The seconde of Mathematique,
164 Which is the science of Musique,
165 That techeth upon Armonie
166 A man to make melodie
167 Be vois and soun of instrument
168 Thurgh notes of acordement,
169 The whiche men pronounce alofte,
170 Nou scharpe notes and nou softe,
171 Nou hihe notes and nou lowe,
172 As be the gamme a man mai knowe,
173 Which techeth the prolacion
174 Of note and the condicion.
175 Mathematique of his science
176 Hath yit the thridde intelligence
177 Full of wisdom and of clergie
178 And cleped is Geometrie,
179 Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte,
180 Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte
181 To knowe the proporcion
182 Be verrai calculacion
183 Of this science: and in this wise
184 These olde Philosophres wise,
185 Of al this worldes erthe round,
186 Hou large, hou thikke was the ground,
187 Controeveden thexperience;
188 The cercle and the circumference
189 Of every thing unto the hevene
190 Thei setten point and mesure evene.
191 Mathematique above therthe
192 Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe,
193 Which spekth upon Astronomie
194 And techeth of the sterres hihe,
195 Beginnynge upward fro the mone.
196 Bot ferst, as it was forto done,
197 This Aristotle in other thing
198 Unto this worthi yonge king
199 The kinde of every element
200 Which stant under the firmament,
201 Hou it is mad and in what wise,
202 Fro point to point he gan devise.
203 Tofore the creacion
204 Of eny worldes stacion,
205 Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle,
206 So as these olde bokes telle,
207 As soun tofore the song is set
208 And yit thei ben togedre knet,
209 Riht so the hihe pourveance
210 Tho hadde under his ordinance
211 A gret substance, a gret matiere,
212 Of which he wolde in his manere
213 These othre thinges make and forme.
214 For yit withouten eny forme
215 Was that matiere universal,
216 Which hihte Ylem in special.
217 Of Ylem, as I am enformed,
218 These elementz ben mad and formed,
219 Of Ylem elementz they hote
220 After the Scole of Aristote,
221 Of whiche if more I schal reherce,
222 Foure elementz ther ben diverse.
223 The ferste of hem men erthe calle,
224 Which is the lowest of hem alle,
225 And in his forme is schape round,
226 Substancial, strong, sadd and sound,
227 As that which mad is sufficant
228 To bere up al the remenant.
229 For as the point in a compas
230 Stant evene amiddes, riht so was
231 This erthe set and schal abyde,
232 That it may swerve to no side,
233 And hath his centre after the lawe
234 Of kinde, and to that centre drawe
235 Desireth every worldes thing,
236 If ther ne were no lettyng.
237 Above therthe kepth his bounde
238 The water, which is the secounde
239 Of elementz, and al withoute
240 It environeth therthe aboute.
241 Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi
242 This soubtil water myhtely,
243 Thogh it be of himselve softe,
244 The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte;
245 For riht as veines ben of blod
246 In man, riht so the water flod
247 Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines,
248 Als wel the helles as the pleines.
249 And that a man may sen at ije,
250 For wher the hulles ben most hyhe,
251 Ther mai men welle stremes finde:
252 So proveth it be weie of kinde
253 The water heyher than the lond.
254 And over this nou understond,
255 Air is the thridde of elementz,
256 Of whos kinde his aspirementz
257 Takth every lifissh creature,
258 The which schal upon erthe endure:
259 For as the fissh, if it be dreie,
260 Mot in defaute of water deie,
261 Riht so withouten Air on lyve
262 No man ne beste myhte thryve,
263 The which is mad of fleissh and bon;
264 There is outake of alle non.
265 This Air in Periferies thre
266 Divided is of such degre,
267 Benethe is on and on amidde,
268 To whiche above is set the thridde:
269 And upon the divisions
270 There ben diverse impressions
271 Of moist and ek of drye also,
272 Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuo
273 Ben drawe and haled upon hy,
274 And maken cloudes in the Sky,
275 As schewed is at mannes sihte;
276 Wherof be day and ek be nyhte
277 After the times of the yer
278 Among ous upon Erthe her
279 In sondri wise thinges falle.
280 The ferste Periferie of alle
281 Engendreth Myst and overmore
282 The dewes and the Frostes hore,
283 After thilke intersticion
284 In which thei take impression.
285 Fro the seconde, as bokes sein,
286 The moiste dropes of the reyn
287 Descenden into Middilerthe,
288 And tempreth it to sed and Erthe,
289 And doth to springe grass and flour.
290 And ofte also the grete schour
291 Out of such place it mai be take,
292 That it the forme schal forsake
293 Of reyn, and into snow be torned;
294 And ek it mai be so sojorned
295 In sondri places up alofte,
296 That into hail it torneth ofte.
297 The thridde of thair after the lawe
298 Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe
299 Of dreie thing, as it is ofte,
300 Among the cloudes upon lofte,
301 And is so clos, it may noght oute,-
302 Thanne is it chased sore aboute,
303 Til it to fyr and leyt be falle,
304 And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle,
305 The whiche of so gret noyse craken,
306 That thei the feerful thonder maken.
307 The thonderstrok smit er it leyte,
308 And yit men sen the fyr and leyte,
309 The thonderstrok er that men hiere:
310 So mai it wel be proeved hiere
311 In thing which schewed is fro feer,
312 A mannes yhe is there nerr
313 Thanne is the soun to mannes Ere.
314 And natheles it is gret feere
315 Bothe of the strok and of the fyr,
316 Of which is no recoverir
317 In place wher that thei descende,
318 Bot if god wolde his grace sende.
319 And forto speken over this,
320 In this partie of thair it is
321 That men fulofte sen be nyhte
322 The fyr in sondri forme alyhte.
323 Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth,
324 And so the lewed poeple it demeth;
325 Somtime it semeth as it were
326 A Sterre, which that glydeth there:
327 Bot it is nouther of the tuo,
328 The Philosophre telleth so,
329 And seith that of impressions
330 Thurgh diverse exalacions
331 Upon the cause and the matiere
332 Men sen diverse forme appiere
333 Of fyr, the which hath sondri name.
334 Assub, he seith, is thilke same,
335 The which in sondry place is founde,
336 Whanne it is falle doun to grounde,
337 So as the fyr it hath aneled,
338 Lich unto slym which is congeled.
339 Of exalacion I finde
340 Fyr kinled of the fame kinde,
341 Bot it is of an other forme;
342 Wherof, if that I schal conforme
343 The figure unto that it is,
344 These olde clerkes tellen this,
345 That it is lik a Got skippende,
346 And for that it is such semende,
347 It hatte Capra saliens.
348 And ek these Astronomiens
349 An other fyr also, be nyhte
350 Which scheweth him to mannes syhte,
351 Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth
352 Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth
353 Upon a corde, as thou hast sein,
354 Whan it with poudre is so besein
355 Of Sulphre and othre thinges mo.
356 Ther is an other fyr also,
357 Which semeth to a mannes yhe
358 Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe
359 A dragon brennende in the Sky,
360 And that is cleped proprely
361 Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte,
362 "Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte
363 Fleth up in thair!" and so thei demen.
364 Bot why the fyres suche semen
365 Of sondri formes to beholde,
366 The wise Philosophre tolde,
367 So as tofore it hath ben herd.
368 Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd:
369 Of Air the due proprete
370 In sondri wise thou myht se,
371 And hou under the firmament
372 It is ek the thridde element,
373 Which environeth bothe tuo,
374 The water and the lond also.
375 And forto tellen overthis
376 Of elementz which the ferthe is,
377 That is the fyr in his degre,
378 Which environeth thother thre
379 And is withoute moist al drye.
380 Bot lest nou what seith the clergie;
381 For upon hem that I have seid
382 The creatour hath set and leid
383 The kinde and the complexion
384 Of alle mennes nacion.
385 Foure elementz sondri ther be,
386 Lich unto whiche of that degre
387 Among the men ther ben also
388 Complexions foure and nomo,
389 Wherof the Philosophre treteth,
390 That he nothing behinde leteth,
391 And seith hou that thei ben diverse,
392 So as I schal to thee reherse.
393 He which natureth every kinde,
394 The myhti god, so as I finde,
395 Of man, which is his creature,
396 Hath so devided the nature,
397 That non til other wel acordeth:
398 And be the cause it so discordeth,
399 The lif which fieleth the seknesse
400 Mai stonde upon no sekernesse.
401 Of therthe, which is cold and drye,
402 The kinde of man Malencolie
403 Is cleped, and that is the ferste,
404 The most ungoodlich and the werste;
405 For unto loves werk on nyht
406 Him lacketh bothe will and myht:
407 No wonder is, in lusty place
408 Of love though he lese grace.
409 What man hath that complexion,
410 Full of ymaginacion
411 Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes,
412 He fret himselven al to noghtes.
413 The water, which is moyste and cold,
414 Makth fleume, which is manyfold
415 Foryetel, slou and wery sone
416 Of every thing which is to done:
417 He is of kinde sufficant
418 To holde love his covenant,
419 Bot that him lacketh appetit,
420 Which longeth unto such delit.
421 What man that takth his kinde of thair,
422 He schal be lyht, he schal be fair,
423 For his complexion is blood.
424 Of alle ther is non so good,
425 For he hath bothe will and myht
426 To plese and paie love his riht:
427 Wher as he hath love undertake,
428 Wrong is if that he be forsake.
429 The fyr of his condicion
430 Appropreth the complexion
431 Which in a man is Colre hote,
432 Whos propretes ben dreie and hote:
433 It makth a man ben enginous
434 And swift of fote and ek irous;
435 Of contek and folhastifnesse
436 He hath a riht gret besinesse,
437 To thenke of love and litel may:
438 Though he behote wel a day,
439 On nyht whan that he wole assaie,
440 He may ful evele his dette paie.
441 After the kinde of thelement,
442 Thus stant a mannes kinde went,
443 As touchende his complexion,
444 Upon sondri division
445 Of dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete,
446 And ech of hem his oghne sete
447 Appropred hath withinne a man.
448 And ferst to telle as I began,
449 The Splen is to Malencolie
450 Assigned for herbergerie:
451 The moiste fleume with his cold
452 Hath in the lunges for his hold
453 Ordeined him a propre stede,
454 To duelle ther as he is bede:
455 To the Sanguin complexion
456 Nature of hire inspeccion
457 A propre hous hath in the livere
458 For his duellinge mad delivere:
459 The dreie Colre with his hete
460 Be weie of kinde his propre sete
461 Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth,
462 So as the Philosophre telleth.
463 Nou over this is forto wite,
464 As it is in Phisique write
465 Of livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen,
466 Thei alle unto the herte ben
467 Servantz, and ech in his office
468 Entendeth to don him service,
469 As he which is chief lord above.
470 The livere makth him forto love,
471 The lunge yifth him weie of speche,
472 The galle serveth to do wreche,
473 The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie,
474 Whan al unclennesse is aweie:
475 Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede.
476 And to sustienen hem and fede
477 In time of recreacion,
478 Nature hath in creacion
479 The Stomach for a comun Coc
480 Ordeined, so as seith the boc.
481 The Stomach coc is for the halle,
482 And builleth mete for hem alle,
483 To make hem myghty forto serve
484 The herte, that he schal noght sterve:
485 For as a king in his Empire
486 Above alle othre is lord and Sire,
487 So is the herte principal,
488 To whom reson in special
489 Is yove as for the governance.
490 And thus nature his pourveance
491 Hath mad for man to liven hiere;
492 Bot god, which hath the Soule diere,
493 Hath formed it in other wise.
494 That can noman pleinli devise;
495 Bot as the clerkes ous enforme,
496 That lich to god it hath a forme,
497 Thurgh which figure and which liknesse
498 The Soule hath many an hyh noblesse
499 Appropred to his oghne kinde.
500 Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde
501 Al onliche of this ilke point,
502 That hir abydinge is conjoint
503 Forth with the bodi forto duelle:
504 That on desireth toward helle,
505 That other upward to the hevene;
506 So schul thei nevere stonde in evene,
507 Bot if the fleissh be overcome
508 And that the Soule have holi nome
509 The governance, and that is selde,
510 Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde.
511 Al erthli thing which god began
512 Was only mad to serve man;
513 Bot he the Soule al only made
514 Himselven forto serve and glade.
515 Alle othre bestes that men finde
516 Thei serve unto here oghne kinde,
517 Bot to reson the Soule serveth;
518 Wherof the man his thonk deserveth
519 And get him with hise werkes goode
520 The perdurable lyves foode.
521 Of what matiere it schal be told,
522 A tale lyketh manyfold
523 The betre, if it be spoke plein:
524 Thus thinke I forto torne ayein
525 And telle plenerly therfore
526 Of therthe, wherof nou tofore
527 I spak, and of the water eke,
528 So as these olde clerkes spieke,
529 And sette proprely the bounde
530 After the forme of Mappemounde,
531 Thurgh which the ground be pourparties
532 Departed is in thre parties,
533 That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe,
534 The whiche under the hevene cope,
535 Als ferr as streccheth eny ground,
536 Begripeth al this Erthe round.
537 Bot after that the hihe wrieche
538 The water weies let out seche
539 And overgo the helles hye,
540 Which every kinde made dye
541 That upon Middelerthe stod,
542 Outake Noe5 and his blod,
543 His Sones and his doughtres thre,
544 Thei were sauf and so was he;-
545 Here names who that rede rihte,
546 Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;-
547 And whanne thilke almyhty hond
548 Withdrouh the water fro the lond,
549 And al the rage was aweie,
550 And Erthe was the mannes weie,
551 The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde,
552 Riht after that hemselve wolde,
553 This world departe thei begonne.
554 Asie, which lay to the Sonne
555 Upon the Marche of orient,
556 Was graunted be comun assent
557 To Sem, which was the Sone eldeste;
558 For that partie was the beste
559 And double as moche as othre tuo.
560 And was that time bounded so;
561 Wher as the flod which men Nil calleth
562 Departeth fro his cours and falleth
563 Into the See Alexandrine,
564 Ther takth Asie ferst seisine
565 Toward the West, and over this
566 Of Canahim wher the flod is
567 Into the grete See rennende,
568 Fro that into the worldes ende
569 Estward, Asie it is algates,
570 Til that men come unto the gates
571 Of Paradis, and there ho.
572 And schortly for to speke it so,
573 Of Orient in general
574 Withinne his bounde Asie hath al.
575 And thanne upon that other syde
576 Westward, as it fell thilke tyde,
577 The brother which was hote Cham
578 Upon his part Aufrique nam.
579 Japhet Europe tho tok he,
580 Thus parten thei the world on thre.
581 Bot yit ther ben of londes fele
582 In occident as for the chele,
583 In orient as for the hete,
584 Which of the poeple be forlete
585 As lond desert that is unable,
586 For it mai noght ben habitable.
587 The water eke hath sondri bounde,
588 After the lond wher it is founde,
589 And takth his name of thilke londes
590 Wher that it renneth on the strondes:
591 Bot thilke See which hath no wane
592 Is cleped the gret Occeane,
593 Out of the which arise and come
594 The hyhe flodes alle and some;
595 Is non so litel welle spring,
596 Which ther ne takth his beginnyng,
597 And lich a man that haleth breth
598 Be weie of kinde, so it geth
599 Out of the See and in ayein,
600 The water, as the bokes sein.
601 Of Elementz the propretes
602 Hou that they stonden be degres,
603 As I have told, nou myht thou hiere,
604 Mi goode Sone, al the matiere
605 Of Erthe, of water, Air and fyr.
606 And for thou saist that thi desir
607 Is forto witen overmore
608 The forme of Aristotles lore,
609 He seith in his entendement,
610 That yit ther is an Element
611 Above the foure, and is the fifte,
612 Set of the hihe goddes yifte,
613 The which that Orbis cleped is.
614 And therupon he telleth this,
615 That as the schelle hol and sound
616 Encloseth al aboute round
617 What thing withinne an Ey belongeth,
618 Riht so this Orbis underfongeth
619 These elementz alle everychon,
620 Which I have spoke of on and on.
621 Bot overthis nou tak good hiede,
622 Mi Sone, for I wol procede
623 To speke upon Mathematique,
624 Which grounded is on Theorique.
625 The science of Astronomie
626 I thinke forto specefie,
627 Withoute which, to telle plein,
628 Alle othre science is in vein
629 Toward the scole of erthli thinges:
630 For as an Egle with his winges
631 Fleth above alle that men finde,
632 So doth this science in his kinde.
633 Benethe upon this Erthe hiere
634 Of alle thinges the matiere,
635 As tellen ous thei that ben lerned,
636 Of thing above it stant governed,
637 That is to sein of the Planetes.
638 The cheles bothe and ek the hetes,
639 The chances of the world also,
640 That we fortune clepen so,
641 Among the mennes nacion
642 Al is thurgh constellacion,
643 Wherof that som man hath the wele,
644 And som man hath deseses fele
645 In love als wel as othre thinges;
646 The stat of realmes and of kinges
647 In time of pes, in time of werre
648 It is conceived of the Sterre:
649 And thus seith the naturien
650 Which is an Astronomien.
651 Bot the divin seith otherwise,
652 That if men weren goode and wise
653 And plesant unto the godhede,
654 Thei scholden noght the sterres drede;
655 For o man, if him wel befalle,
656 Is more worth than ben thei alle
657 Towardes him that weldeth al.
658 Bot yit the lawe original,
659 Which he hath set in the natures,
660 Mot worchen in the creatures,
661 That therof mai be non obstacle,
662 Bot if it stonde upon miracle
663 Thurgh preiere of som holy man.
664 And forthi, so as I began
665 To speke upon Astronomie,
666 As it is write in the clergie,
667 To telle hou the planetes fare,
668 Som part I thenke to declare,
669 Mi Sone, unto thin Audience.
670 Astronomie is the science
671 Of wisdom and of hih connynge,
672 Which makth a man have knowlechinge
673 Of Sterres in the firmament,
674 Figure, cercle and moevement
675 Of ech of hem in sondri place,
676 And what betwen hem is of space,
677 Hou so thei moeve or stonde faste,
678 Al this it telleth to the laste.
679 Assembled with Astronomie
680 Is ek that ilke Astrologie
681 The which in juggementz acompteth
682 Theffect, what every sterre amonteth,
683 And hou thei causen many a wonder
684 To tho climatz that stonde hem under.
685 And forto telle it more plein,
686 These olde philosphres sein
687 That Orbis, which I spak of err,
688 Is that which we fro therthe a ferr
689 Beholde, and firmament it calle,
690 In which the sterres stonden alle,
691 Among the whiche in special
692 Planetes sefne principal
693 Ther ben, that mannes sihte demeth,
694 Bot thorizonte, as to ous semeth.
695 And also ther ben signes tuelve,
696 Whiche have her cercles be hemselve
697 Compassed in the zodiaque,
698 In which thei have here places take.
699 And as thei stonden in degre,
700 Here cercles more or lasse be,
701 Mad after the proporcion
702 Of therthe, whos condicion
703 Is set to be the foundement
704 To sustiene up the firmament.
705 And be this skile a man mai knowe,
706 The more that thei stonden lowe,
707 The more ben the cercles lasse;
708 That causeth why that some passe
709 Here due cours tofore an other.
710 Bot nou, mi lieve dere brother,
711 As thou desirest forto wite
712 What I finde in the bokes write,
713 To telle of the planetes sevene,
714 Hou that thei stonde upon the hevene
715 And in what point that thei ben inne,
716 Tak hiede, for I wol beginne,
717 So as the Philosophre tauhte
718 To Alisandre and it betauhte,
719 Wherof that he was fulli tawht
720 Of wisdom, which was him betawht.
721 Benethe alle othre stant the Mone,
722 The which hath with the See to done:
723 Of flodes hihe and ebbes lowe
724 Upon his change it schal be knowe;
725 And every fissh which hath a schelle
726 Mot in his governance duelle,
727 To wexe and wane in his degre,
728 As be the Mone a man mai se;
729 And al that stant upon the grounde
730 Of his moisture it mot be founde.
731 Alle othre sterres, as men finde,
732 Be schynende of here oghne kinde
733 Outake only the monelyht,
734 Which is noght of himselve bright,
735 Bot as he takth it of the Sonne.
736 And yit he hath noght al fulwonne
737 His lyht, that he nys somdiel derk;
738 Bot what the lette is of that werk
739 In Almageste it telleth this:
740 The Mones cercle so lowe is,
741 Wherof the Sonne out of his stage
742 Ne seth him noght with full visage,
743 For he is with the ground beschaded,
744 So that the Mone is somdiel faded
745 And may noght fully schyne cler.
746 Bot what man under his pouer
747 Is bore, he schal his places change
748 And seche manye londes strange:
749 And as of this condicion
750 The Mones disposicion
751 Upon the lond of Alemaigne
752 Is set, and ek upon Bretaigne,
753 Which nou is cleped Engelond;
754 For thei travaile in every lond.
755 Of the Planetes the secounde
756 Above the Mone hath take his bounde,
757 Mercurie, and his nature is this,
758 That under him who that bore is,
759 In boke he schal be studious
760 And in wrytinge curious,
761 And slouh and lustles to travaile
762 In thing which elles myhte availe:
763 He loveth ese, he loveth reste,
764 So is he noght the worthieste;
765 Bot yit with somdiel besinesse
766 His herte is set upon richesse.
767 And as in this condicion,
768 Theffect and disposicion
769 Of this Planete and of his chance
770 Is most in Burgoigne and in France.
771 Next to Mercurie, as wol befalle,
772 Stant that Planete which men calle
773 Venus, whos constellacion
774 Governeth al the nacion
775 Of lovers, wher thei spiede or non,
776 Of whiche I trowe thou be on:
777 Bot whiderward thin happes wende,
778 Schal this planete schewe at ende,
779 As it hath do to many mo,
780 To some wel, to some wo.
781 And natheles of this Planete
782 The moste part is softe and swete;
783 For who that therof takth his berthe,
784 He schal desire joie and merthe,
785 Gentil, courteis and debonaire,
786 To speke his wordes softe and faire,
787 Such schal he be be weie of kinde,
788 And overal wher he may finde
789 Plesance of love, his herte boweth
790 With al his myht and there he woweth.
791 He is so ferforth Amourous,
792 He not what thing is vicious
793 Touchende love, for that lawe
794 Ther mai no maner man withdrawe,
795 The which venerien is bore
796 Be weie of kinde, and therefore
797 Venus of love the goddesse
798 Is cleped: bot of wantounesse
799 The climat of hir lecherie
800 Is most commun in Lombardie.
801 Next unto this Planete of love
802 The brighte Sonne stant above,
803 Which is the hindrere of the nyht
804 And forthrere of the daies lyht,
805 As he which is the worldes ije,
806 Thurgh whom the lusti compaignie
807 Of foules be the morwe singe,
808 The freisshe floures sprede and springe,
809 The hihe tre the ground beschadeth,
810 And every mannes herte gladeth.
811 And for it is the hed Planete,
812 Hou that he sitteth in his sete,
813 Of what richesse, of what nobleie,
814 These bokes telle, and thus thei seie.
815 Of gold glistrende Spoke and whiel
816 The Sonne his carte hath faire and wiel,
817 In which he sitt, and is coroned
818 With brighte stones environed;
819 Of whiche if that I speke schal,
820 Ther be tofore in special
821 Set in the front of his corone
822 Thre Stones, whiche no persone
823 Hath upon Erthe, and the ferste is
824 Be name cleped Licuchis;
825 That othre tuo be cleped thus,
826 Astrices and Ceramius.
827 In his corone also behinde,
828 Be olde bokes as I finde,
829 Ther ben of worthi Stones thre
830 Set ech of hem in his degre:
831 Wherof a Cristall is that on,
832 Which that corone is set upon;
833 The seconde is an Adamant;
834 The thridde is noble and avenant,
835 Which cleped is Ydriades.
836 And over this yit natheles
837 Upon the sydes of the werk,
838 After the wrytinge of the clerk,
839 Ther sitten fyve Stones mo:
840 The smaragdine is on of tho,
841 Jaspis and Elitropius
842 And Dendides and Jacinctus.
843 Lo, thus the corone is beset,
844 Wherof it schyneth wel the bet;
845 And in such wise his liht to sprede
846 Sit with his Diademe on hede
847 The Sonne schynende in his carte.
848 And forto lede him swithe and smarte
849 After the bryhte daies lawe,
850 Ther ben ordeined forto drawe
851 Foure hors his Char and him withal,
852 Wherof the names telle I schal:
853 Erithes the ferste is hote,
854 The which is red and schyneth hote,
855 The seconde Acteos the bryhte,
856 Lampes the thridde coursier hihte,
857 And Philoges is the ferthe,
858 That bringen lyht unto this erthe,
859 And gon so swift upon the hevene,
860 In foure and twenty houres evene
861 The carte with the bryhte Sonne
862 Thei drawe, so that overronne
863 Thei have under the cercles hihe
864 Al Middelerthe in such an hye.
865 And thus the Sonne is overal
866 The chief Planete imperial,
867 Above him and benethe him thre:
868 And thus betwen hem regneth he,
869 As he that hath the middel place
870 Among the Sevene, and of his face
871 Be glade alle erthly creatures,
872 And taken after the natures
873 Here ese and recreacion.
874 And in his constellacion
875 Who that is bore in special,
876 Of good will and of liberal
877 He schal be founde in alle place,
878 And also stonde in mochel grace
879 Toward the lordes forto serve
880 And gret profit and thonk deserve.
881 And over that it causeth yit
882 A man to be soubtil of wit
883 To worche in gold, and to be wys
884 In every thing which is of pris.
885 Bot forto speken in what cost
886 Of al this erthe he regneth most
887 As for wisdom, it is in Grece,
888 Wher is apropred thilke spiece.
889 Mars the Planete bataillous
890 Next to the Sonne glorious
891 Above stant, and doth mervailes
892 Upon the fortune of batailes.
893 The conquerours be daies olde
894 Were unto this planete holde:
895 Bot who that his nativite
896 Hath take upon the proprete
897 Of Martes disposicioun
898 Be weie of constellacioun,
899 He schal be fiers and folhastif
900 And desirous of werre and strif.
901 Bot forto telle redely
902 In what climat most comunly
903 That this planete hath his effect,
904 Seid is that he hath his aspect
905 Upon the holi lond so cast,
906 That there is no pes stedefast.
907 Above Mars upon the hevene,
908 The sexte Planete of the sevene,
909 Stant Jupiter the delicat,
910 Which causeth pes and no debat.
911 For he is cleped that Planete
912 Which of his kinde softe and swete
913 Attempreth al that to him longeth;
914 And whom this planete underfongeth
915 To stonde upon his regiment,
916 He schal be meke and pacient
917 And fortunat to Marchandie
918 And lusti to delicacie
919 In every thing which he schal do.
920 This Jupiter is cause also
921 Of the science of lyhte werkes,
922 And in this wise tellen clerkes
923 He is the Planete of delices.
924 Bot in Egipte of his offices
925 He regneth most in special:
926 For ther be lustes overal
927 Of al that to this lif befalleth;
928 For ther no stormy weder falleth,
929 Which myhte grieve man or beste,
930 And ek the lond is so honeste
931 That it is plentevous and plein,
932 Ther is non ydel ground in vein;
933 And upon such felicite
934 Stant Jupiter in his degre.
935 The heyeste and aboven alle
936 Stant that planete which men calle
937 Saturnus, whos complexion
938 Is cold, and his condicion
939 Causeth malice and crualte
940 To him the whos nativite
941 Is set under his governance.
942 For alle hise werkes ben grevance
943 And enemy to mannes hele,
944 In what degre that he schal dele.
945 His climat is in Orient,
946 Wher that he is most violent.
947 Of the Planetes by and by,
948 Hou that thei stonde upon the Sky,
949 Fro point to point as thou myht hiere,
950 Was Alisandre mad to liere.
951 Bot overthis touchende his lore,
952 Of thing that thei him tawhte more
953 Upon the scoles of clergie
954 Now herkne the Philosophie.
955 He which departeth dai fro nyht,
956 That on derk and that other lyht,
957 Of sevene daies made a weke,
958 A Monthe of foure wekes eke
959 He hath ordeigned in his lawe,
960 Of Monthes tuelve and ek forthdrawe
961 He hath also the longe yeer.
962 And as he sette of his pouer
963 Acordant to the daies sevene
964 Planetes Sevene upon the hevene,
965 As thou tofore hast herd devise,
966 To speke riht in such a wise,
967 To every Monthe be himselve
968 Upon the hevene of Signes tuelve
969 He hath after his Ordinal
970 Assigned on in special,
971 Wherof, so as I schal rehersen,
972 The tydes of the yer diversen.
973 Bot pleinly forto make it knowe
974 Hou that the Signes sitte arowe,
975 Ech after other be degre
976 In substance and in proprete
977 The zodiaque comprehendeth
978 Withinne his cercle, as it appendeth.
979 The ferste of whiche natheles
980 Be name is cleped Aries,
981 Which lich a wether of stature
982 Resembled is in his figure.
983 And as it seith in Almageste,
984 Of Sterres tuelve upon this beste
985 Ben set, wherof in his degre
986 The wombe hath tuo, the heved hath thre,
987 The Tail hath sevene, and in this wise,
988 As thou myht hiere me divise,
989 Stant Aries, which hot and drye
990 Is of himself, and in partie
991 He is the receipte and the hous
992 Of myhty Mars the bataillous.
993 And overmore ek, as I finde,
994 The creatour of alle kinde
995 Upon this Signe ferst began
996 The world, whan that he made man.
997 And of this constellacioun
998 The verray operacioun
999 Availeth, if a man therinne
1000 The pourpos of his werk beginne;
1001 For thanne he hath of proprete
1002 Good sped and gret felicite.
1003 The tuelve Monthes of the yeer
1004 Attitled under the pouer
1005 Of these tuelve Signes stonde;
1006 Wherof that thou schalt understonde
1007 This Aries on of the tuelve
1008 Hath March attitled for himselve,
1009 Whan every bridd schal chese his make,
1010 And every neddre and every Snake
1011 And every Reptil which mai moeve,
1012 His myht assaieth forto proeve,
1013 To crepen out ayein the Sonne,
1014 Whan Ver his Seson hath begonne.
1015 Taurus the seconde after this
1016 Of Signes, which figured is
1017 Unto a Bole, is dreie and cold;
1018 And as it is in bokes told,
1019 He is the hous appourtienant
1020 To Venus, somdiel descordant.
1021 This Bole is ek with sterres set,
1022 Thurgh whiche he hath hise hornes knet
1023 Unto the tail of Aries,
1024 So is he noght ther sterreles.
1025 Upon his brest ek eyhtetiene
1026 He hath, and ek, as it is sene,
1027 Upon his tail stonde othre tuo.
1028 His Monthe assigned ek also
1029 Is Averil, which of his schoures
1030 Ministreth weie unto the floures.
1031 The thridde signe is Gemini,
1032 Which is figured redely
1033 Lich to tuo twinnes of mankinde,
1034 That naked stonde; and as I finde,
1035 Thei be with Sterres wel bego:
1036 The heved hath part of thilke tuo
1037 That schyne upon the boles tail,
1038 So be thei bothe of o parail;
1039 But on the wombe of Gemini
1040 Ben fyve sterres noght forthi,
1041 And ek upon the feet be tweie,
1042 So as these olde bokes seie,
1043 That wise Tholomes wrot.
1044 His propre Monthe wel I wot
1045 Assigned is the lusti Maii,
1046 Whanne every brid upon his lay
1047 Among the griene leves singeth,
1048 And love of his pointure stingeth
1049 After the lawes of nature
1050 The youthe of every creature.
1051 Cancer after the reule and space
1052 Of Signes halt the ferthe place.
1053 Like to the crabbe he hath semblance,
1054 And hath unto his retienance
1055 Sextiene sterres, wherof ten,
1056 So as these olde wise men
1057 Descrive, he berth on him tofore,
1058 And in the middel tuo be bore,
1059 And foure he hath upon his ende.
1060 Thus goth he sterred in his kende,
1061 And of himself is moiste and cold,
1062 And is the propre hous and hold
1063 Which appartieneth to the Mone,
1064 And doth what longeth him to done.
1065 The Monthe of Juin unto this Signe
1066 Thou schalt after the reule assigne.
1067 The fifte Signe is Leo hote,
1068 Whos kinde is schape dreie and hote,
1069 In whom the Sonne hath herbergage.
1070 And the semblance of his ymage
1071 Is a leoun, which in baillie
1072 Of sterres hath his pourpartie:
1073 The foure, which as Cancer hath
1074 Upon his ende, Leo tath
1075 Upon his heved, and thanne nest
1076 He hath ek foure upon his brest,
1077 And on upon his tail behinde,
1078 In olde bokes as we finde.
1079 His propre Monthe is Juyl be name,
1080 In which men pleien many a game.
1081 After Leo Virgo the nexte
1082 Of Signes cleped is the sexte,
1083 Wherof the figure is a Maide;
1084 And as the Philosophre saide,
1085 Sche is the welthe and the risinge,
1086 The lust, the joie and the likinge
1087 Unto Mercurie: and soth to seie
1088 Sche is with sterres wel beseie,
1089 Wherof Leo hath lent hire on,
1090 Which sit on hih hir heved upon,
1091 Hire wombe hath fyve, hir feet also
1092 Have other fyve: and overmo
1093 Touchende as of complexion,
1094 Be kindly disposicion
1095 Of dreie and cold this Maiden is.
1096 And forto tellen over this
1097 Hir Monthe, thou schalt understonde,
1098 Whan every feld hath corn in honde
1099 And many a man his bak hath plied,
1100 Unto this Signe is Augst applied.
1101 After Virgo to reknen evene
1102 Libra sit in the nombre of sevene,
1103 Which hath figure and resemblance
1104 Unto a man which a balance
1105 Berth in his hond as forto weie:
1106 In boke and as it mai be seie,
1107 Diverse sterres to him longeth,
1108 Wherof on hevede he underfongeth
1109 Ferst thre, and ek his wombe hath tuo,
1110 And doun benethe eighte othre mo.
1111 This Signe is hot and moiste bothe,
1112 The whiche thinges be noght lothe
1113 Unto Venus, so that alofte
1114 Sche resteth in his hous fulofte,
1115 And ek Saturnus often hyed
1116 Is in this Signe and magnefied.
1117 His propre Monthe is seid Septembre,
1118 Which yifth men cause to remembre,
1119 If eny Sor be left behinde
1120 Of thing which grieve mai to kinde.
1121 Among the Signes upon heighte
1122 The Signe which is nombred eighte
1123 Is Scorpio, which as feloun
1124 Figured is a Scorpioun.
1125 Bot for al that yit natheles
1126 Is Scorpio noght sterreles;
1127 For Libra granteth him his ende
1128 Of eighte sterres, wher he wende,
1129 The whiche upon his heved assised
1130 He berth, and ek ther ben divised
1131 Upon his wombe sterres thre,
1132 And eighte upon his tail hath he.
1133 Which of his kinde is moiste and cold
1134 And unbehovely manyfold;
1135 He harmeth Venus and empeireth,
1136 Bot Mars unto his hous repeireth,
1137 Bot war whan thei togedre duellen.
1138 His propre Monthe is, as men tellen,
1139 Octobre, which bringth the kalende
1140 Of wynter, that comth next suiende.
1141 The nynthe Signe in nombre also,
1142 Which folweth after Scorpio,
1143 Is cleped Sagittarius,
1144 The whos figure is marked thus,
1145 A Monstre with a bowe on honde:
1146 On whom that sondri sterres stonde,
1147 Thilke eighte of whiche I spak tofore,
1148 The whiche upon the tail ben bore
1149 Of Scorpio, the heved al faire
1150 Bespreden of the Sagittaire;
1151 And eighte of othre stonden evene
1152 Upon his wombe, and othre sevene
1153 Ther stonde upon his tail behinde.
1154 And he is hot and dreie of kinde:
1155 To Jupiter his hous is fre,
1156 Bot to Mercurie in his degre,
1157 For thei ben noght of on assent,
1158 He worcheth gret empeirement.
1159 This Signe hath of his proprete
1160 A Monthe, which of duete
1161 After the sesoun that befalleth
1162 The Plowed Oxe in wynter stalleth;
1163 And fyr into the halle he bringeth,
1164 And thilke drinke of which men singeth,
1165 He torneth must into the wyn;
1166 Thanne is the larder of the swyn;
1167 That is Novembre which I meene,
1168 Whan that the lef hath lost his greene.
1169 The tenthe Signe dreie and cold,
1170 The which is Capricornus told,
1171 Unto a Got hath resemblance:
1172 For whos love and whos aqueintance
1173 Withinne hise houses to sojorne
1174 It liketh wel unto Satorne,
1175 Bot to the Mone it liketh noght,
1176 For no profit is there wroght.
1177 This Signe as of his proprete
1178 Upon his heved hath sterres thre,
1179 And ek upon his wombe tuo,
1180 And tweie upon his tail also.
1181 Decembre after the yeeres forme,
1182 So as the bokes ous enforme,
1183 With daies schorte and nyhtes longe
1184 This ilke Signe hath underfonge.
1185 Of tho that sitte upon the hevene
1186 Of Signes in the nombre ellevene
1187 Aquarius hath take his place,
1188 And stant wel in Satornes grace,
1189 Which duelleth in his herbergage,
1190 Bot to the Sonne he doth oultrage.
1191 This Signe is verraily resembled
1192 Lich to a man which halt assembled
1193 In eyther hand a water spoute,
1194 Wherof the stremes rennen oute.
1195 He is of kinde moiste and hot,
1196 And he that of the sterres wot
1197 Seith that he hath of sterres tuo
1198 Upon his heved, and ben of tho
1199 That Capricorn hath on his ende;
1200 And as the bokes maken mende,
1201 That Tholomes made himselve,
1202 He hath ek on his wombe tuelve,
1203 And tweie upon his ende stonde.
1204 Thou schalt also this understonde,
1205 The frosti colde Janever,
1206 Whan comen is the newe yeer,
1207 That Janus with his double face
1208 In his chaiere hath take his place
1209 And loketh upon bothe sides,
1210 Somdiel toward the wynter tydes,
1211 Somdiel toward the yeer suiende,
1212 That is the Monthe belongende
1213 Unto this Signe, and of his dole
1214 He yifth the ferste Primerole.
1215 The tuelfthe, which is last of alle
1216 Of Signes, Piscis men it calle,
1217 The which, as telleth the scripture,
1218 Berth of tuo fisshes the figure.
1219 So is he cold and moiste of kinde,
1220 And ek with sterres, as I finde,
1221 Beset in sondri wise, as thus:
1222 Tuo of his ende Aquarius
1223 Hath lent unto his heved, and tuo
1224 This Signe hath of his oghne also
1225 Upon his wombe, and over this
1226 Upon his ende also ther is
1227 A nombre of twenty sterres bryghte,
1228 Which is to sen a wonder sighte.
1229 Toward this Signe into his hous
1230 Comth Jupiter the glorious,
1231 And Venus ek with him acordeth
1232 To duellen, as the bok recordeth.
1233 The Monthe unto this Signe ordeined
1234 Is Februer, which is bereined,
1235 And with londflodes in his rage
1236 At Fordes letteth the passage.
1237 Nou hast thou herd the proprete
1238 Of Signes, bot in his degre
1239 Albumazar yit over this
1240 Seith, so as therthe parted is
1241 In foure, riht so ben divised
1242 The Signes tuelve and stonde assised,
1243 That ech of hem for his partie
1244 Hath his climat to justefie.
1245 Wherof the ferste regiment
1246 Toward the part of Orient
1247 From Antioche and that contre
1248 Governed is of Signes thre,
1249 That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo:
1250 And toward Occident also
1251 From Armenie, as I am lerned,
1252 Of Capricorn it stant governed,
1253 Of Pisces and Aquarius:
1254 And after hem I finde thus,
1255 Southward from Alisandre forth
1256 Tho Signes whiche most ben worth
1257 In governance of that doaire,
1258 Libra thei ben and Sagittaire
1259 With Scorpio, which is conjoint
1260 With hem to stonde upon that point:
1261 Constantinople the Cite,
1262 So as the bokes tellen me,
1263 The laste of this division
1264 Stant untoward Septemtrion,
1265 Wher as be weie of pourveance
1266 Hath Aries the governance
1267 Forth with Taurus and Gemini.
1268 Thus ben the Signes propreli
1269 Divided, as it is reherced,
1270 Wherof the londes ben diversed.
1271 Lo thus, mi Sone, as thou myht hiere,
1272 Was Alisandre mad to liere
1273 Of hem that weren for his lore.
1274 But nou to loken overmore,
1275 Of othre sterres hou thei fare
1276 I thenke hierafter to declare,
1277 So as king Alisandre in youthe
1278 Of him that suche thinges couthe
1279 Enformed was tofore his yhe
1280 Be nyhte upon the sterres hihe.
1281 Upon sondri creacion
1282 Stant sondri operacion,
1283 Som worcheth this, som worcheth that;
1284 The fyr is hot in his astat
1285 And brenneth what he mai atteigne,
1286 The water mai the fyr restreigne,
1287 The which is cold and moist also.
1288 Of other thing it farth riht so
1289 Upon this erthe among ous here;
1290 And forto speke in this manere,
1291 Upon the hevene, as men mai finde,
1292 The sterres ben of sondri kinde
1293 And worchen manye sondri thinges
1294 To ous, that ben here underlinges.
1295 Among the whiche forth withal
1296 Nectanabus in special,
1297 Which was an Astronomien
1298 And ek a gret Magicien,
1299 And undertake hath thilke emprise
1300 To Alisandre in his aprise
1301 As of Magique naturel
1302 To knowe, enformeth him somdel
1303 Of certein sterres what thei mene;
1304 Of whiche, he seith, ther ben fiftene,
1305 And sondrily to everich on
1306 A gras belongeth and a Ston,
1307 Wherof men worchen many a wonder
1308 To sette thing bothe up and under.
1309 To telle riht as he began,
1310 The ferste sterre Aldeboran,
1311 The cliereste and the moste of alle,
1312 Be rihte name men it calle;
1313 Which lich is of condicion
1314 To Mars, and of complexion
1315 To Venus, and hath therupon
1316 Carbunculum his propre Ston:
1317 His herbe is Anabulla named,
1318 Which is of gret vertu proclamed.
1319 The seconde is noght vertules;
1320 Clota or elles Pliades
1321 It hatte, and of the mones kinde
1322 He is, and also this I finde,
1323 He takth of Mars complexion:
1324 And lich to such condicion
1325 His Ston appropred is Cristall,
1326 And ek his herbe in special
1327 The vertuous Fenele it is.
1328 The thridde, which comth after this,
1329 Is hote Algol the clere rede,
1330 Which of Satorne, as I may rede,
1331 His kinde takth, and ek of Jove
1332 Complexion to his behove.
1333 His propre Ston is Dyamant,
1334 Which is to him most acordant;
1335 His herbe, which is him betake,
1336 Is hote Eleborum the blake.
1337 So as it falleth upon lot,
1338 The ferthe sterre is Alhaiot,
1339 Which in the wise as I seide er
1340 Of Satorne and of Jupiter
1341 Hath take his kinde; and therupon
1342 The Saphir is his propre Ston,
1343 Marrubium his herbe also,
1344 The whiche acorden bothe tuo.
1345 And Canis maior in his like
1346 The fifte sterre is of Magique,
1347 The whos kinde is venerien,
1348 As seith this Astronomien.
1349 His propre Ston is seid Berille,
1350 Bot forto worche and to fulfille
1351 Thing which to this science falleth,
1352 Ther is an herbe which men calleth
1353 Saveine, and that behoveth nede
1354 To him that wole his pourpos spede.
1355 The sexte suiende after this
1356 Be name Canis minor is;
1357 The which sterre is Mercurial
1358 Be weie of kinde, and forth withal,
1359 As it is writen in the carte,
1360 Complexion he takth of Marte.
1361 His Ston and herbe, as seith the Scole,
1362 Ben Achates and Primerole.
1363 The sefnthe sterre in special
1364 Of this science is Arial,
1365 Which sondri nature underfongeth.
1366 The Ston which propre unto him longeth,
1367 Gorgonza proprely it hihte:
1368 His herbe also, which he schal rihte
1369 Upon the worchinge as I mene,
1370 Is Celidoine freissh and grene.
1371 Sterre Ala Corvi upon heihte
1372 Hath take his place in nombre of eighte,
1373 Which of his kinde mot parforne
1374 The will of Marte and of Satorne:
1375 To whom Lapacia the grete
1376 Is herbe, bot of no beyete;
1377 His Ston is Honochinus hote,
1378 Thurgh which men worchen gret riote.
1379 The nynthe sterre faire and wel
1380 Be name is hote Alaezel,
1381 Which takth his propre kinde thus
1382 Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus.
1383 His Ston is the grene Amyraude,
1384 To whom is yoven many a laude:
1385 Salge is his herbe appourtenant
1386 Aboven al the rememant.
1387 The tenthe sterre is Almareth,
1388 Which upon lif and upon deth
1389 Thurgh kinde of Jupiter and Mart
1390 He doth what longeth to his part.
1391 His Ston is Jaspe, and of Planteine
1392 He hath his herbe sovereine.
1393 The sterre ellefthe is Venenas,
1394 The whos nature is as it was
1395 Take of Venus and of the Mone,
1396 In thing which he hath forto done.
1397 Of Adamant is that perrie
1398 In which he worcheth his maistrie;
1399 Thilke herbe also which him befalleth,
1400 Cicorea the bok it calleth.
1401 Alpheta in the nombre sit,
1402 And is the twelfthe sterre yit;
1403 Of Scorpio which is governed,
1404 And takth his kinde, as I am lerned;
1405 And hath his vertu in the Ston
1406 Which cleped is Topazion:
1407 His herbe propre is Rosmarine,
1408 Which schapen is for his covine.
1409 Of these sterres, whiche I mene,
1410 Cor Scorpionis is thritiene;
1411 The whos nature Mart and Jove
1412 Have yoven unto his behove.
1413 His herbe is Aristologie,
1414 Which folweth his Astronomie:
1415 The Ston which that this sterre alloweth,
1416 Is Sardis, which unto him boweth.
1417 The sterre which stant next the laste,
1418 Nature on him this name caste
1419 And clepeth him Botercadent;
1420 Which of his kinde obedient
1421 Is to Mercurie and to Venus.
1422 His Ston is seid Crisolitus,
1423 His herbe is cleped Satureie,
1424 So as these olde bokes seie.
1425 Bot nou the laste sterre of alle
1426 The tail of Scorpio men calle,
1427 Which to Mercurie and to Satorne
1428 Be weie of kinde mot retorne
1429 After the preparacion
1430 Of due constellacion.
1431 The Calcedoine unto him longeth,
1432 Which for his Ston he underfongeth;
1433 Of Majorane his herbe is grounded.
1434 Thus have I seid hou thei be founded,
1435 Of every sterre in special,
1436 Which hath his herbe and Ston withal,
1437 As Hermes in his bokes olde
1438 Witnesse berth of that I tolde.
1439 The science of Astronomie,
1440 Which principal is of clergie
1441 To dieme betwen wo and wel
1442 In thinges that be naturel,
1443 Thei hadde a gret travail on honde
1444 That made it ferst ben understonde;
1445 And thei also which overmore
1446 Here studie sette upon this lore,
1447 Thei weren gracious and wys
1448 And worthi forto bere a pris.
1449 And whom it liketh forto wite
1450 Of hem that this science write,
1451 On of the ferste which it wrot
1452 After Noe5, it was Nembrot,
1453 To his disciple Ychonithon
1454 And made a bok forth therupon
1455 The which Megaster cleped was.
1456 An other Auctor in this cas
1457 Is Arachel, the which men note;
1458 His bok is Abbategnyh hote.
1459 Danz Tholome is noght the leste,
1460 Which makth the bok of Almageste;
1461 And Alfraganus doth the same,
1462 Whos bok is Chatemuz be name.
1463 Gebuz and Alpetragus eke
1464 Of Planisperie, which men seke,
1465 The bokes made: and over this
1466 Ful many a worthi clerc ther is,
1467 That writen upon this clergie
1468 The bokes of Altemetrie,
1469 Planemetrie and ek also,
1470 Whiche as belongen bothe tuo,
1471 So as thei ben naturiens,
1472 Unto these Astronomiens.
1473 Men sein that Habraham was on;
1474 Bot whether that he wrot or non,
1475 That finde I noght; and Moi5ses
1476 Ek was an other: bot Hermes
1477 Above alle othre in this science
1478 He hadde a gret experience;
1479 Thurgh him was many a sterre assised,
1480 Whos bokes yit ben auctorized.
1481 I mai noght knowen alle tho
1482 That writen in the time tho
1483 Of this science; bot I finde,
1484 Of jugement be weie of kinde
1485 That in o point thei alle acorden:
1486 Of sterres whiche thei recorden
1487 That men mai sen upon the hevene,
1488 Ther ben a thousend sterres evene
1489 And tuo and twenty, to the syhte
1490 Whiche aren of hemself so bryhte,
1491 That men mai dieme what thei be,
1492 The nature and the proprete.
1493 Nou hast thou herd, in which a wise
1494 These noble Philosophres wise
1495 Enformeden this yonge king,
1496 And made him have a knowleching
1497 Of thing which ferst to the partie
1498 Belongeth of Philosophie,
1499 Which Theorique cleped is,
1500 As thou tofore hast herd er this.
1501 Bot nou to speke of the secounde,
1502 Which Aristotle hath also founde,
1503 And techeth hou to speke faire,
1504 Which is a thing full necessaire
1505 To contrepeise the balance,
1506 Wher lacketh other sufficance.
1507 Above alle erthli creatures
1508 The hihe makere of natures
1509 The word to man hath yove alone,
1510 So that the speche of his persone,
1511 Or forto lese or forto winne,
1512 The hertes thoght which is withinne
1513 Mai schewe, what it wolde mene;
1514 And that is noghwhere elles sene
1515 Of kinde with non other beste.
1516 So scholde he be the more honeste,
1517 To whom god yaf so gret a yifte,
1518 And loke wel that he ne schifte
1519 Hise wordes to no wicked us;
1520 For word the techer of vertus
1521 Is cleped in Philosophie.
1522 Wherof touchende this partie,
1523 Is Rethorique the science
1524 Appropred to the reverence
1525 Of wordes that ben resonable:
1526 And for this art schal be vailable
1527 With goodli wordes forto like,
1528 It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiqe,
1529 That serven bothe unto the speche.
1530 Gramaire ferste hath forto teche
1531 To speke upon congruite:
1532 Logique hath eke in his degre
1533 Betwen the trouthe and the falshode
1534 The pleine wordes forto schode,
1535 So that nothing schal go beside,
1536 That he the riht ne schal decide.
1537 Wherof full many a gret debat
1538 Reformed is to good astat,
1539 And pes sustiened up alofte
1540 With esy wordes and with softe,
1541 Wher strengthe scholde lete it falle.
1542 The Philosophre amonges alle
1543 Forthi commendeth this science,
1544 Which hath the reule of eloquence.
1545 In Ston and gras vertu ther is,
1546 Bot yit the bokes tellen this,
1547 That word above alle erthli thinges
1548 Is vertuous in his doinges,
1549 Wher so it be to evele or goode.
1550 For if the wordes semen goode
1551 And ben wel spoke at mannes Ere,
1552 Whan that ther is no trouthe there,
1553 Thei don fulofte gret deceipte;
1554 For whan the word to the conceipte
1555 Descordeth in so double a wise,
1556 Such Rethorique is to despise
1557 In every place, and forto drede.
1558 For of Uluxes thus I rede,
1559 As in the bok of Troie is founde,
1560 His eloquence and his facounde
1561 Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde,
1562 Hath mad that Anthenor him solde
1563 The toun, which he with tresoun wan.
1564 Word hath beguiled many a man;
1565 With word the wilde beste is daunted,
1566 With word the Serpent is enchaunted,
1567 Of word among the men of Armes
1568 Ben woundes heeled with the charmes,
1569 Wher lacketh other medicine;
1570 Word hath under his discipline
1571 Of Sorcerie the karectes.
1572 The wordes ben of sondri sectes,
1573 Of evele and eke of goode also;
1574 The wordes maken frend of fo,
1575 And fo of frend, and pes of werre,
1576 And werre of pes, and out of herre
1577 The word this worldes cause entriketh,
1578 And reconsileth whan him liketh.
1579 The word under the coupe of hevene
1580 Set every thing or odde or evene;
1581 With word the hihe god is plesed,
1582 With word the wordes ben appesed,
1583 The softe word the loude stilleth;
1584 Wher lacketh good, the word fulfilleth,
1585 To make amendes for the wrong;
1586 Whan wordes medlen with the song,
1587 It doth plesance wel the more.
1588 Bot forto loke upon the lore
1589 Hou Tullius his Rethorique
1590 Componeth, ther a man mai pike
1591 Hou that he schal hise wordes sette,
1592 Hou he schal lose, hou he schal knette,
1593 And in what wise he schal pronounce
1594 His tale plein withoute frounce.
1595 Wherof ensample if thou wolt seche,
1596 Tak hiede and red whilom the speche
1597 Of Julius and Cithero,
1598 Which consul was of Rome tho,
1599 Of Catoun eke and of Cillene,
1600 Behold the wordes hem betwene,
1601 Whan the tresoun of Cateline
1602 Descoevered was, and the covine
1603 Of hem that were of his assent
1604 Was knowe and spoke in parlement,
1605 And axed hou and in what wise
1606 Men scholde don hem to juise.
1607 Cillenus ferst his tale tolde,
1608 To trouthe and as he was beholde,
1609 The comun profit forto save,
1610 He seide hou tresoun scholde have
1611 A cruel deth; and thus thei spieke,
1612 The Consul bothe and Catoun eke,
1613 And seiden that for such a wrong
1614 Ther mai no peine be to strong.
1615 Bot Julius with wordes wise
1616 His tale tolde al otherwise,
1617 As he which wolde her deth respite,
1618 And fondeth hou he mihte excite
1619 The jugges thurgh his eloquence
1620 Fro deth to torne the sentence
1621 And sette here hertes to pite.
1622 Nou tolden thei, nou tolde he;
1623 Thei spieken plein after the lawe,
1624 Bot he the wordes of his sawe
1625 Coloureth in an other weie
1626 Spekende, and thus betwen the tweie,
1627 To trete upon this juggement,
1628 Made ech of hem his Argument.
1629 Wherof the tales forto hiere,
1630 Ther mai a man the Scole liere
1631 Of Rethoriqes eloquences,
1632 Which is the secounde of sciences
1633 Touchende to Philosophie;
1634 Wherof a man schal justifie
1635 Hise wordes in disputeisoun,
1636 And knette upon conclusioun
1637 His Argument in such a forme,
1638 Which mai the pleine trouthe enforme
1639 And the soubtil cautele abate,
1640 Which every trewman schal debate.
1641 The ferste, which is Theorique,
1642 And the secounde Rethorique,
1643 Sciences of Philosophie,
1644 I have hem told as in partie,
1645 So as the Philosophre it tolde
1646 To Alisandre: and nou I wolde
1647 Telle of the thridde what it is,
1648 The which Practique cleped is.
1649 Practique stant upon thre thinges
1650 Toward the governance of kinges;
1651 Wherof the ferst Etique is named,
1652 The whos science stant proclamed
1653 To teche of vertu thilke reule,
1654 Hou that a king himself schal reule
1655 Of his moral condicion
1656 With worthi disposicion
1657 Of good livinge in his persone,
1658 Which is the chief of his corone.
1659 It makth a king also to lerne
1660 Hou he his bodi schal governe,
1661 Hou he schal wake, hou he schal slepe,
1662 Hou that he schal his hele kepe
1663 In mete, in drinke, in clothinge eke:
1664 Ther is no wisdom forto seke
1665 As for the reule of his persone,
1666 The which that this science al one
1667 Ne techeth as be weie of kinde,
1668 That ther is nothing left behinde.
1669 That other point which to Practique
1670 Belongeth is Iconomique,
1671 Which techeth thilke honestete
1672 Thurgh which a king in his degre
1673 His wif and child schal reule and guie,
1674 So forth with al the companie
1675 Which in his houshold schal abyde,
1676 And his astat on every syde
1677 In such manere forto lede,
1678 That he his houshold ne mislede.
1679 Practique hath yit the thridde aprise,
1680 Which techeth hou and in what wise
1681 Thurgh hih pourveied ordinance
1682 A king schal sette in governance
1683 His Realme, and that is Policie,
1684 Which longeth unto Regalie
1685 In time of werre, in time of pes,
1686 To worschipe and to good encress
1687 Of clerk, of kniht and of Marchant,
1688 And so forth of the remenant
1689 Of al the comun poeple aboute,
1690 Withinne Burgh and ek withoute,
1691 Of hem that ben Artificiers,
1692 Whiche usen craftes and mestiers,
1693 Whos Art is cleped Mechanique.
1694 And though thei ben noght alle like,
1695 Yit natheles, hou so it falle,
1696 O lawe mot governe hem alle,
1697 Or that thei lese or that thei winne,
1698 After thastat that thei ben inne.
1699 Lo, thus this worthi yonge king
1700 Was fulli tauht of every thing,
1701 Which mihte yive entendement
1702 Of good reule and good regiment
1703 To such a worthi Prince as he.
1704 Bot of verray necessite
1705 The Philosophre him hath betake
1706 Fyf pointz, whiche he hath undertake
1707 To kepe and holde in observance,
1708 As for the worthi governance
1709 Which longeth to his Regalie,
1710 After the reule of Policie.
1711 To every man behoveth lore,
1712 Bot to noman belongeth more
1713 Than to a king, which hath to lede
1714 The poeple; for of his kinghede
1715 He mai hem bothe save and spille.
1716 And for it stant upon his wille,
1717 It sit him wel to ben avised,
1718 And the vertus whiche are assissed
1719 Unto a kinges Regiment,
1720 To take in his entendement:
1721 Wherof to tellen, as thei stonde,
1722 Hierafterward nou woll I fonde.
1723 Among the vertus on is chief,
1724 And that is trouthe, which is lief
1725 To god and ek to man also.
1726 And for it hath ben evere so,
1727 Tawhte Aristotle, as he wel couthe,
1728 To Alisandre, hou in his youthe
1729 He scholde of trouthe thilke grace
1730 With al his hole herte embrace,
1731 So that his word be trewe and plein,
1732 Toward the world and so certein
1733 That in him be no double speche:
1734 For if men scholde trouthe seche
1735 And founde it noght withinne a king,
1736 It were an unsittende thing.
1737 The word is tokne of that withinne,
1738 Ther schal a worthi king beginne
1739 To kepe his tunge and to be trewe,
1740 So schal his pris ben evere newe.
1741 Avise him every man tofore,
1742 And be wel war, er he be swore,
1743 For afterward it is to late,
1744 If that he wole his word debate.
1745 For as a king in special
1746 Above alle othre is principal
1747 Of his pouer, so scholde he be
1748 Most vertuous in his degre;
1749 And that mai wel be signefied
1750 Be his corone and specified.
1751 The gold betokneth excellence,
1752 That men schull don him reverence
1753 As to here liege soverein.
1754 The Stones, as the bokes sein,
1755 Commended ben in treble wise:
1756 Ferst thei ben harde, and thilke assisse
1757 Betokneth in a king Constance,
1758 So that ther schal no variance
1759 Be founde in his condicion;
1760 And also be descripcion
1761 The vertu which is in the stones
1762 A verrai Signe is for the nones
1763 Of that a king schal ben honeste
1764 And holde trewly his beheste
1765 Of thing which longeth to kinghede:
1766 The bryhte colour, as I rede,
1767 Which in the stones is schynende,
1768 Is in figure betoknende
1769 The Cronique of this worldes fame,
1770 Which stant upon his goode name.
1771 The cercle which is round aboute
1772 Is tokne of al the lond withoute,
1773 Which stant under his Gerarchie,
1774 That he it schal wel kepe and guye.
1775 And for that trouthe, hou so it falle,
1776 Is the vertu soverein of alle,
1777 That longeth unto regiment,
1778 A tale, which is evident
1779 Of trouthe in comendacioun,
1780 Toward thin enformacion,
1781 Mi Sone, hierafter thou schalt hiere
1782 Of a Cronique in this matiere.
1783 As the Cronique it doth reherce,
1784 A Soldan whilom was of Perce,
1785 Which Daires hihte, and Ytaspis
1786 His fader was; and soth it is
1787 That thurgh wisdom and hih prudence
1788 Mor than for eny reverence
1789 Of his lignage as be descente
1790 The regne of thilke empire he hente:
1791 And as he was himselve wys,
1792 The wisemen he hield in pris
1793 And soghte hem oute on every side,
1794 That toward him thei scholde abide.
1795 Among the whiche thre ther were
1796 That most service unto him bere,
1797 As thei which in his chambre lyhen
1798 And al his conseil herde and syhen.
1799 Here names ben of strange note,
1800 Arpaghes was the ferste hote,
1801 And Manachaz was the secounde,
1802 Zorobabel, as it is founde
1803 In the Cronique, was the thridde.
1804 This Soldan, what so him betidde,
1805 To hem he triste most of alle,
1806 Wherof the cas is so befalle:
1807 This lord, which hath conceiptes depe,
1808 Upon a nyht whan he hath slepe,
1809 As he which hath his wit desposed,
1810 Touchende a point hem hath opposed.
1811 The kinges question was this;
1812 Of thinges thre which strengest is,
1813 The wyn, the womman or the king:
1814 And that thei scholde upon this thing
1815 Of here ansuere avised be,
1816 He yaf hem fulli daies thre,
1817 And hath behote hem be his feith
1818 That who the beste reson seith,
1819 He schal receive a worthi mede.
1820 Upon this thing thei token hiede
1821 And stoden in desputeison,
1822 That be diverse opinion
1823 Of Argumentz that thei have holde
1824 Arpaghes ferst his tale tolde,
1825 And seide hou that the strengthe of kinges
1826 Is myhtiest of alle thinges.
