ryall And wyth puyssance of people wherefor he myght not so well lerne ne enquyre 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 contrees and Royammes for to lerne experymente and see all the good clerkes that he myght fynde Saynt Brandon neuer lefte for to laboure by see and by lande For only to see and lerne And he sawe plente of grete meruaylles For he cam in to an yle of the see Where he sawe certayn byrdes whiche spake as spyrites whiche sayde to hym somtchyng whiche he demauÌ„ded of them the vnderstondyng And so ferre he erred that he fonde one so perylous a place and so full of spirites in so terryble tormentys that they coude not be nombred ne estemed emonge whom he sawe one that asnwerd to hym and sayde that he was Iudas that betrayed Ihu cryst whiche euery day was tormented an hondred tymes and dye he myght not and plente of other grete meruaylles he sawe as alonge is recouÌ„ted in the legende of his lyf Ther were many other philosophers that serched the world as was possyble for them to do for to knowe the better the good the euyl spared for nothing For they byleued not lyghtly a thynge tyl they knewe it wel by experieÌ„ce Ne al that they fonde in their bookes to fore they had preuid it for to knowe god the better to loue hym But they serched by see by lande tyl they had enserched all thenne after retorned agayn to their studyes alleway for to lerne the vertues good maners And thus loued so moche philosophye For to knowe them self the better in good iust lyf But by cause that many tymes we haue spoken of philosophye that somoche good cometh therof that a man haue therby vnderstondyng to knowe loue god therfor we shal telle to yow what it signefyeth ¶ What thyng is philosophye and of thanswer that plato made therof Capitulo xvjo. UEray Phylosophye is to haue knowleche of god and fyn loue of sapience And to knowe the secretes and ordynaunces of dyuyne thynges and of humayne For 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 agreable Who that well knewe god and his mysteryes he shold well conne entyerly philosophye Alle they ben good philosophers that of them self haue knowleche ¶ Of whom plato answerd to somme that demanded hym in comune and sayd to hym that he had lerned ynowh and nedeth nomore For 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 word proceding of hye entendement as ye haue don other tymes Thenne plato how wel that he was the most experymented of 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 nomore how wel he was at that tyme the most grete clerke that was knoweÌ„ in al the world and of moche perfouÌ„de science they that on thyse dayes wyl medle take non hede to answere thus but make semblaunt to be moche grete clerkis and experte for to gete the loos preysyng of the world whiche leâ—eth them to dampnacyon And bryngeth their folye in to their hedes so that they entende nomore to vertues than doo bestis For they be not all clerkes that haue short typettis For ther be many that haue the Araye of a clerke that can not wel vnderstande that he redeth ne yet somme that be prestis can notwele truly rede neyther And whan suche knowe ony thynge that them seme be of valew Thenne wene they to knowe alle But moche remayneth of their folyshe consayte They be of the nature of proude foolis that ben surquydrous that seche nothynge but loos and preysyng of the people 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 trouthe and right Lyke as thyse Auncyent wyse men dyde the whiche so lytyll preysed the worlde that alle theyr tyme they ocupyed in lernyng of philosophye ¶ Thus estudyed auncyently the philosophers to fore their deth for tadresse theim and other to theyr maker and creatour And in dede traueylled moche for to adresse all peple to wertue They ordeyned the monyes that they bare for to haue theyr lyuelode in byenge and payeng For men gyue not alwaye And for couetyse of the peple that haue fere of their dyspentes it corumpeth right and nature For by reason and ryght eueryche ought to take his lyuyng And therfore was money establisshed for to susteyn to eueryche his lyuyng whan they wente by the waye But they loue their caraynes and bodyes moche more than nede is And reteyne and kepe more goodes and richesse than they shall nede for their ordynary whiche thei lete rote and fayle by theim And see that many poure persones haue grete nede therof The monyes were not fouÌ„de for this cause but for to haue their lyuynge vnto the tyme that deth cometh taketh all that he oughte to take at the playsur of god And thus they sholâ—e be more eased than they now be and eueryche sholde haue that hym lacked and they shold leue to do so many synnes But they ben not soo wyse as were they that by theyr wytte founde agayn Astronomye of whom Tholomeus was onâ— And traueylled soo moche that he knewe and proued the course of the sterres that ben on the heuen and mesured theim all on hie wherof we haue spoken here to fore And now we shall recounte from hens forthe the gretnes of the erth and of heuen of the Mone of the Sonne of the Sterres and of the planetes Whiche thynges ben not comune to euery man Lyke as the kynge Tholomeus hym selfe mesured theym vnto the Abysme And preued by reason in a boke that he compyled named Almageste whiche ye as moche to saye as an hye werke Thenne wylle ye here what he sayth herto Whiche many a nother hathe also proued after hym by his boke In whichehe gaaf the crafte and scyence to proue and see it by reyson ¶ How moche the erthe is of heyght rounde aboute and of thickenes by the myddle Capitulo xvij THe anncyent philosophers mesured the world on all partyes by their scyence arte and wytte vnto the steâ—res all on hie of whiche they wolde knowe the mesure For to knowe the better their nature but first they wolde mesure the erthe and preue his gretnes And thenne whan they had mesured there all a bout by a crafte that they knewe and proued by ryght reyson they mesured it rounde aboute
For men shal neuer wel knowe the maystre but yf byfore meÌ„ knowe parâ—yghtly his estate and what his werkes ben For by the werkys is the werkeman knowen and how he may be suche one And therfor the auncyent faders wold employe them assaye the werkys of our lorde And first for to haue knowleche of his power and his vertue Consideryng that they myght not ocupye them self in a more digne ne worthy scyence ne more diffycyle And whan the more that they knewe of his werkys of his wysedom somoche more had they the better wylle to loue her creatour and maker to honoure hym consyderyng that he had made so noble a thynge and so worthy as is the heuen in whiche ben the sterres that shyne bright therin and his other meruayllous vertues whiche they preysed moche For how moche more they presed hym somoche wyth good wylle they seruyd hym For it was all their affeccion Intencion and reson to knowe god for as moche as they knewe certainli that god had gyueÌ„ to them wyth nature wytte and rayson for to serche and compryse of thynges of therthe and of them of heuen as moche as they might knowe For otherwyse they myght neuer haue thought it Thus a man be he neuer so wyse ne discrete may neuer come for to vnderstande the hye secretes of god ne of his myracles but by hym for by right he knoweth al But of them that by nature be made and ordeyned in heuen and in erthe man may wel enquere somme resons yf it be gyuen him that he be garnisshed of good quyk witte And that be haue sette employed his tyme to studye to lerne And sith they had goten vnderstandyng rayson by their grete estudye labour and trauayll somoche that they myght compryse wherfore how alle the world was made compassed as ye haue herd here to fore So thought they thenne that they myght wel knowe and haue reson of somme thynges sith they had the vnderstandyng of hym that is almyghty to knowe in partye or atte leste of suche as they myght se wyth their eyen how well that they were ferre Thus wold they knowe the reson of that that they sawe so meue the sterres of the firmament of them that shone so clere Certaynly this was the princyial cause whi first they put them to studye for tenquere the science that they knewe not And knewe wel that they shold enquere sonner of thynges that they sawe than of them that they sawe not And therfore were they meuyd for to knowe tenquere the scieÌ„ce whiche they knewe not of that they had ofte seen the firmament to meue wold knowe the trouth And sayde it was right good to knowe it Yf it pleasyd god to knowe of his naturel werkes for the more parfightly to byleue knowe how he was god all myghty for men coude not knowe ne fynde no resons of god but only by his werkis The good auncient wyse men whiche dylygenly wold vnderstonde this mater had no cure for to amasse none other goodes but only to lerne the pure scieÌ„ce they were not couetous ne sette not to gadre tresours ther were plente of them that apperceyued as wyse men that it was a grete charge to them oftymes as wel to kepe it as to spende it by mesure as in other wayes to gete it and brynge it to gydre And that alle this was a lettyng to them for to lerne And they delyberyd emonge them and concluded that somme caste and threwe their tresour in to the see The other gaf it away and abandonned to them that wold take it wente as heremytes And the other departed it to poure people And other ther were that lefte their good in suche wyse as them semed that they shold hauelasse cause to thynke theron reteyned nothing but onli for their vse And helde wyth hem certayn folke to serue them to th ende only that they shold entende to nothyng but to studye and to lerne They dyde do edefye their houses fro the people lyke as relygeous people and sette them in suche places that thries or foure tymes the weke they myght assemble come to gydre for to solace them sporte and there eche rendred his reson of that he had founde and lerned And so longe dyde they thus tyl they had experymented whiche was trewe and who knewe moste that they had fouÌ„de who had moste grettest entendement And hym they chose by consent of them alle for maystre And he recorded their resons heryng all the felawys reherced to them alle to gydre that euery man had sayd In this manere were the clergyes first fouÌ„den contryued auauÌ„ced and so moche trauaylled studyed that they knew by the helpe of our lorde of whom all science groweth haboundeth grete partye of that it is But this was not in lytyl tyme. For they were longe in studie and vnderstode moche And they that were first alle that they vnderstode knewe they put it in wrytyng the best wyse they coude to th ende that they that sholde come after them wold entremete in conning myght haue their wrytynges trauaylle allway in the science as they had don byfore Alle that they fouÌ„de and sawe they sette in compylacyons And dyde so moche eche in his tyme that they were more than .ij. M. CCCC yere er they by their labours contynuel studyes had goten the vij artes or sciences liberal put to gydre but they helde their labour well employed the payne that they put therto For they knewe by their wytte and by their clergye alle that was come on erthe by nature whan they wold sette ther cure theron And also were not abasshed whan a merueyllous caas happed on heuen or on erthe for they coude wel enquere the reson wherfore it was sith that it happed by nature And so loued god moche the more whan they sawe suche meruayllous werkis And watched many nyghtes wyth right grete Ioye grete studye of this that they sawe fonde so hye werkes by whiche they amended them self ayenst our lord that they knewe trouth lefte the vanyte of this world that so lytyl is worth for to come to the Ioye that neuer shal faylle Of whom plente of wyse philosophers that were in the world deyde wrongfully wythout reson by cause they shewde rightfully to the grete lordes gaf them fayr examples in repreuyng myspreysyng their euyl tyrannyes thextorsions that they dyde to moche people And preched to them ryght trouth thoo that wold not byleue them had shame of that they were of them blamed they made them to be put in their prysons where they made them to deye by greuous tourmentes by cause they shewd to them the trouth wherof they were certayn lyke as was don to holy sayntes that suffred deth passyon for the loue of Ihu crist whom
yet ther is another thinge whiche ought not to be forgoten For that one shal be born black or broun that other whyte one grete and another lytyll that one shal happen to be wyse and dyscrete that other folissh or shrewyssh soÌ„me be wise sadde in their yongthe in their age ben ofte folissh soÌ„me be soles yong olde And other ben wyse alle their lyff yong olde somme be fatte soÌ„me be lene somme ben seâ—k soÌ„me ben hoole some be sklendre soÌ„me be thyk soÌ„me be harde rude and soÌ„me be softe tendre soÌ„me be slowe soÌ„me be hasty soÌ„me be hardy soÌ„me be cowardys soÌ„me be lame haltyng croked soÌ„me ben wel fourmed in all rightis poyntes A grete man is ofte euyll made and a lytyl man is ofte wel made auenauÌ„t for ther is no membre but it be wel made aperteynyng to his body A fair childe oftymes in his growyng becometh fowl SoÌ„me wyl haue their wylles other desyre it but lytyl euerich hath his talente his apetyte a lytyl man engeÌ„dreth ofte a grete maÌ„ a grete maÌ„ ofte getyth a lityl one â–ª a lytyl man otherwhile empriseth to do a grete thing that right a grete maÌ„ wyl not emprise SoÌ„me deye lightly other lyue longe soÌ„me lyue aslonge tyl age make them to gyue ouer the world after that that nature endureth to them by the wylle of god also it is seen ofte emoÌ„gemen that soÌ„me entende to clergye other gyue them to other style of scieÌ„ce crafte as of carpenter mason smyth or ony other crafte in whiche he employed his tyme. For euy man gyueth hym self gladly to that whiche his enteÌ„demeÌ„t is enclyned to to other crafte or scieÌ„ce than nature vnderstondyng gyueth hym to he shal neuer perfyghtly vnderstonde ne so wel meddle wyth all as he shold to that whiche his propre nature gyueth hym to ther ben yet other maner of people that sette and gyue them self to do many thynges that other may not ne can not do for asmoche as their nature hath not gyueÌ„ it to them for soÌ„me preteÌ„de to hye estates grete richesses other ben coÌ„tent wyth lityl estate it happeth ofte that a man cometh to that where he preteÌ„deth other can not come therto but torneth coÌ„trarye to them to their dommage ofte wyth grete payne may they come to their aboue of the thing that they wold accoÌ„plysshe other doo make plente of thynges that soÌ„me can not ne may not doo ne make For in the persones ben so many dyuersetees and facions not lyke and of wylles that men shal not finde in ony contree of the world two men that parfyghtly be lyke who ferre they can seche but that they be dyuerse in soÌ„me cas or of body or of membres or of entendement or of the vysage or of their sayngis or of their faytes or dedes For the puyssauÌ„ce of nature is so diuerse that ther is nothyng that hath growyng but that she hath vpon it myght in suche wyse that she gyueth to one somme thyng that another hath not in hym how be it that noman can perceyue ony dystauÌ„ce Suche is the vertu of nature where plente of clerkes haue somtyme sette their entendement cure and haue strongely laboured to th ende that they myght better declare the fayte puissance of nature And first of all saith Plato whiche was a man of grete renomme that nature is an ouer puyssauÌ„ce or myght in thynges that she maketh to growe lyke by lyke after that that euerych may bee and this may be vnderstande by one man that engendreth another and by beestes by plantes by sedes the whiche after their semblaunces growe aftyr their facion And lo this is that that the wyse platon saith whiche was a grete clerke After hym sayth aristole that this was a yefte comen fro the hye prynce Whan he gaf vertu to the firmament to the sterres for to meue to be And that wythout god suche power ne myght not be gyuen as the thynges that haue power to remeue to bee to meue Aristotle that sayth this studied in many a booke treatyng of nature Many other philosophers ther were that sayd that nature proceded of vertues of hete whiche causeth all thynges to growe nourisshe But for this present tyme I passe ouer for to speke of other matere Tho philosophers ensiewen better plato than Arystotle Thus sayd they that them semeth they spack so hye lyke as afore is said that fewe clerkes myght atteyne to come therto and for to abredge it he is not that myght parfyghtly knowe what it is sauf god that al knoweth that all seeth And that first wold establysshe for taccomplyssh all thynges herby may well be knowen that god is of moche grete puyssauÌ„ce And it is of hym a right grete thynge whan he of nought wythout trauayll created and fourmed so excellent a thinge so hye noble awerke And therfore wold he hym self create make man to the ende that he myght be so myghty haue suche wytte vnderstandyng in hym self that he knewe by nature that whiche myght greue hym in his sowle lyue vnto our lord for yf he wylle Iustely rightfully conduyte hym self he may well brynge his herte to that that nature shal not mowe greue hym in no manere And therfore were fouÌ„den the vij sciences or artes For to take away the euyll thoughtes that myght brynge a man to the deth whiche they may destroye by the sciences And thus may one chauÌ„ge his euyl estate by the techynges of a good maystre and therfore it is good for to haunte emonge the vertuous men For ther men may lerne prouffyte in dyuerse maners Thus thenne is he wyse that is prudent in suche manere that after his deth he hath the better and that god receyueth hym in gree Thus than he shal haue doon more for his owen prouffyt than for an other This knewe alle men certaynly For he shall resseyue alle the wee l And moche is he a fooll that somoche louyâ— his body that he forgeteth to saue his sowle Whiche god hath lente to hym pure and clene to th ende that he shold rendre it suche agayn at his deth And that he gouerne hym not in suche wyse that by hys culpe and defawte defowle hym in synnes he that so conduyteth hym self doth in lyke wyse as the euyll seruaunt dyde to whom the maystre delyuerd his besauÌ„tes for to multyplye in good But he dyde not iustly as he that was of euyll fayth wherfore the maystre seeyng the vntrouth of hym chaced hym away fro hym And euer after he had shame reproche lyke as the gospel wytnesseth to vs wherceth Alle in lykewyse shal it be of them that leue the good grayn for the chaff these ben they that suffre their soules to
noman rendre the reson but that we ought to vnderstonde that alle this procedeth by myracle Yet ben ther other fontaynes whiche ben styll and clere Whiche that whan men pleye ouer them wyth harpe or other instrumentis that resowne in maner of consolacion by their sowne The water of those wellys sprynge vp wyth grete bobles and sprynge ouer in the waye Other fontaynes ben in other places whiche ben right peryllous But for this present we shal reste her wyth all For to telle of this that cometh by the waters whiche holde their cours wythin therthe and also aboue of whiche it happeth other while so grete a quauyng that the erthe meueth so strongly that it behoueth to falle alle that whiche is theron thaugh it were a massyue tour ¶ Wherfor and how the erthe quaueth and trembleth Capitulo xxijo. NOw vnderstande ye thenne what it is of the meuyng of the erthe And how the erthe quaueth and shaketh that somme people calle an erthe quaue by cause they fele therthe meue and quaue vnder theyr feet And oftymes it quaueth so terrybly and meueth that somtyme Cytees ben sonken in to therthe that neuer after be seen And this cometh of the grete waters that come wythin therthe so that by the puttyng out of the grete flodes and waters growe somme tyme cauernes vnder therthe And the ayer that is shette fast wythin the whiche is enclosed in grete distresse Yf therthe be there feble so that it may not reteyne it all wythin thenne is it constrayned to opene cleue For ayer enforceth to yssue out wherof it happeth ofte that townes cytees and castellys ben sonken doun into the abysme And yf therthe be of suche force and strengthe that it openeth not ne cleueth by the shouynge or heuynge of the wyndes that ben wythin Thenne therthe meueth quaueth so meruayllously that the grete walles and hye towres that ben theron falle doun so sodenly in therthe that it destroyeth and sleeth the people that ben therin whiche ben not aduysed ne pourueyed of suche daungers Whiche is a grete sorowe for the pour peple that dwelle where suche meschief happeth whan they be not aduertysed at what tyme suche tempeste shal come for teschewe it But wyse men that doubte for to deye arme them and make them redy ayenst the deth And gyue alle dylygence for to seche to haue accordaunce vnto the souerayn Iudge of their synnes and defaultes after their lawe and byleue that they haue as they that haue none houre ne space to lyue where as they ben hool and wel at ease Thus the water and the wynde maken the right meuyng and quauyng by whiche the erthe cleueth and quaueth ¶ How the water of the see becometh salt Capitulo xxiij NOw I wyl recounte and telle to yow how the water of the see becometh salt whiche is so bittre that no persone may drynke ne the bestys in lyke wyse hit cometh by the sonne on hye For it maketh so grete hete in somme place that the see is chauffed so strongly that therthe whiche is vnder draweth to hym a moysture byttre which taketh away alle sauour For in the see ben right grete and hye montaynes and depe valeyes whiche ben ful of bitternesses greuous and infected And the erthe whiche is in the bottom of thyse valeyes scumeth for the heete of the sonne vpward Whiche medleth wyth the water in the depe in suche wyse that it draweth the saltnes vp by the hete of the sonne so longe tyl it be medlyd wyth that other And thus is the water of the see salt wyth that other Thenne we shall here fynysshe to speke ony more of the watres fressh or salt And shal recounte to yow of the Ayer whiche is one of the iiij Elementis and of his propretees ¶ Here foloweth of Ayer and of his nature Ca xxiiij THe Ayer is sette aboue the water is moche more subtyl than the water or the erthe and enuyronneth therthe on alle partyes and domyneth also hye as the clowdes moūte This ayer which enuyronneth vs on all sydes is moche thycke But we lyue therby in lyke wyse as the fysshe lyueth by the water whiche he draweth in and after casteth it out agayn In suche maner the ayer prouffyteth to vs For we drawe it in and after we put it out agayn And thus it holdeth the lyf wythin the body For a man shold sonner deye wythout ayer than a fysshe shold doo wyth out water to whom the lyf is sone fynysshid whan it is out of the water Thayer maynteneth in vs the lyf by the moysture that is in hym And by the thycknes that is in hym he susteyneth the byrdes fleeyng that so playe wyth their wynges and meue them so moche al aboute therin that they disporte them ledyng their Ioye therin and their deduyt ▪ Thus goon the byrdes by thayer fleyng syngyng and preysyng their maker and creatour lyke as the fysshes that goon swymmyng in the water And ye may apperceyue in this maner take a rodde and meue it in thayer and yf ye meue it fast and roydly it shal bowe anon And yf it fonde not thayer thycke it shold not bowe ne ploye but shold holde him strayght and right how faste someuer ye meued it of this Ayer the euyl esperytes take their habyte and their bodyes whiche in somtyme put them in the semblaunce of somme thynges as whan they may appere in som place for to deceyue som persone man or woman or for to make them to yssue out of their mynde wherof they haue sōtyme thou might Or whan by the arte of nygromancye he putteth hym in somme semblaunce or in suche a fygure as he wylle But this is a science that who that gyueth hym therto to doo euyl hit gyueth hym the deth For yf he taketh not hede therof he shal be dampned body and sowle But we shal enquyre here after what cometh fro thayer in to therthe ¶ How the clowdes rayn come comynly Ca. xxv NOw we shal speke of the clowdes for to knowe what it is and of the rayne also The sonne is the foundement of alle hete and of alle tyme. all in suche wyse as the herte of a man is the foūdement by his valour that is in hym of all natural hete For by hym he hath lyf all lyueth by hym that groweth on therthe as it pleseth to our lord as here after shal be declared yf ye wyl here and well reteyne the mater and substaunce of this present beoke for the sonne maketh the clowdes to mounte on hye and after it maketh the rayne and to auale doun And I shal shewe to yow how it is doon shortly by his force and vnderstande ye in what manere whan the sonne spredeth his rayes vpon therthe vpon the mareys he dreyeth them strongely And draweth vp the moysture whiche he enhaunseth on hye But this is a moysture subtyl whiche appereth but lytyl and is named
their saluacioÌ„ as they ought to doo by suche werkes shold they be in more ease lyue lenger and plese better our lord And shold also haue more helthe of body and of sowle but they loue somoche the wynnyng of the goodes of the world that they leue that whiche shold more auayle and prouffyte them ¶ I wote neuer wherfore they gete this hauoir and good For they lose therby the ease of the worlde bycause whan they wene to sette them in ease and to be in pees Thenne cometh deth and maketh them to deye wyth ryght grete sorowe For the grete couetyse of the good and the payne that they haue made alle way to gete it wythout 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 affayres and besynesse as they ought to doo at euery hour competently and by ordre whiche yet had ben a lyue in good helthe And lo thus ye may see how they abredge their dayes and auaunce their deth For at longe nature may not suffre dyuerse mayntenes vnresonable ne the sodeyn agrauacions ne griefs of whiche by their folyes they trauaylle nature and it displesyth moche vnto god And also no good may come therof But gladlyer and wyth better wyll they traueylle and more dylygently 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 shal not hurte them to auaunce their gayne wynnyng Thus go they neuer to chirche for to praye vnto god vnto the tyme that they wene that they shal wynne nomore worldly goodes But they wynne the lasse For 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 For he may rendre to them more meryte in one day than they may gete in a thousand yere Suche people ben foles and euyl aduysed whan of nought they wene to serue hym that alle knoweth and all seeth ye the lest thought that they thynke yet ben ther somme whan they go 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 multyplye them than they do for the saluacion of their sowles whiche ben in grete parylle to be perysshed And it is a grete meruaylle of suche maner of people that thynke wel in their hertes and knowe wel that it is euyl that they do yet for al that they amende them not â–ª of whiche it is grete pyte whan they so folowe the deuyll whiche is so feble a thyng fro whom alle euyllis sourden Truly the deuyl is ful of inyquyte and wythout power and strengthe ouer ony persone of hym self For he may not vainquysshe ne ouercome but hym that consenteth to his wyll For who that wyll conduyte and rule hym self well The inyquytees of hym may not noye ne greue ne in nothynge trauaylle hym of whiche he hath cause to sorowe fore as longe as he wyll dispose hym to doo well Thenne may wel be sayd fy ¶ For they ben more than faylled whan he ouercometh them so febly and taketh them in their euill dedes and synnes and ledeth them to perdycion where they neuer shal be wythout payne ne neuer shal haue Ioye ne in no wyse haue hope of mercy of this purpos we shal saye nomore now but recouÌ„te of kynge tholomeê° 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 ordeyned And of the same is fouÌ„de the cours of the mone By whiche is seen whan she is newe of suche Iuliê° Cezar whiche of rome was emperour made a booke called the somes the soÌ„mes the whiche is ful necessarye in holy chirche and it declareth the golden nombre of the kalender For 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 etyng and drynkyng and in worshipyng our lord on hye dayes and symple and for to solempnyse 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 aduente And the hye dayes and festes thet we ben most bounde to serue god For to gete his Inestimable 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 calender the whiche was draweÌ„ out of Astronomye whiche the good kynge Tholomeus louyd so moche and he knewe more than ony other man sauf adam whiche was the first man For adam knewe alle the seuen sciences lyberall entyerly wythout fayllyng of a worde as he that the creatour made and fourmed wyth his propre haÌ„des And so wold our lord haue hym souerayn in beaute in wytte and strengthe ouer all themÌ„ that shold be born after hym vnto the comyng of Ihesu Cryste sone of god The whiche had gyuen to hym suche vertues Ne neuer after Adam gaf he so moche to one man ne neuer shal But anon as he had consented and commysed the synne deffended he lost so moche of his wytte and power that anon he becam a man mortall 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 lasse meryte than he In Ioye in solaas and in deduyt of paradys terrestre alle to gydre born and nouryshed wythout synnes And after in heuen gloryfyed But syth they tasted of the fruyt â–ª 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 nothyng vnder the firmament but it is werse sythen than to fore and of lasse valew Ye the sterres gyue lasse lyght than they dyde to fore ¶ Thus alle thynges empayred of their goodnes and vertues by the synne of Adam whiche god had made for man as he that wold make hym maystre of all the goodes that he had made ¶ But anon as he had commysed the synne he felte hym so bare of his wytte and entendement strengthe of his beaute that hym semed he was al naked that he had loste all goodes as a man put in exyle But notwythstondyng this yet abode wyth hym more wytte streÌ„gthe beaute than euer ony man had sitheÌ„ And to the regard of thyse thre vertues that adam had The kynge dauyd that was so vertuous wyse had two sones whiche myght be compared the one to the beaulte of adam that other to his wysedom absolon myght be