Scholarly Editing

Gloss

heven | heuen, nounDefinition: (MED) (a) The upper part of the sky; the region in which the sun, moon, stars, and planets appear; hevenes eie, the sun; hevenes whel, the firmament; fig. Christ; (b) astrol. the heavenly bodies as affecting or revealing events or personal destiny; the position of the planets, etc., at a particular time.

is a grete

Gloss

cercle, sercle, nounDefinition: (MED) The apparent circular path, orbit, or course of a heavenly body or constellation; the ecliptic of the sun, the circle deferent or epicycle of a planet, the path of stars about a celestial pole, etc.

seide in þe eighte or in
þe ninthe

spere

Gloss

spere | spere, nounDefinition: A sphere. (MED) the cosmic spheres beyond the earth extending from the planetary spheres on to the heavenly spheres; often, the seven planetary spheres, the sphere of the fixed stars, and the primum mobile.

of þe

firma-
ment

Gloss

firmament | firmament, nounDefinition: (OED) In old Astronomy: The sphere containing the fixed stars; the eighth heaven of the Ptolemaic system.

vnder þe whiche ȝe

View pages f122v-f123r
Full size in new window[page id: f122v] Vnder þe whicħ zodiake ałł
þe seuen planetis after her propir

Gloss

course | course, cours, nounDefinition: (MED) Astron. The movement of a heavenly body or sphere; the orbit (of a heavenly body), path (of a star), revolution (of a sphere); fulfillen, passen, rennen ~, maken even ~, to complete a circuit or revolution.

meuen and ben determi-
ned after þe

cours

Gloss

of tymes
in þis wise . þat is to sey .as
firste to speke of þe hiest
planete in þe

Gloss

þat
is callid saturne / he goitħ
his

Gloss

in þe space of
thriti ȝere .Iubiter in twelue
ȝere ·Mars in two ȝere /
The sonne in oon ȝere .Venus
in thre hundred fourti eighte dayes .Mercu-
ry in thre hundred thriti eighte dayes
And þe mone ؛ in twenti seuen
daies and eighte houres et cetera
[page id: f123r] And þus goitħ and meuetħ
euery planete of þe seuen pla-
netis afore seide by his na-
turel and propir

Gloss

in þe

sercle

Gloss

of þe zodiake /This
grete

sercle

Gloss

of þe zodia-
ke is departid in twelue euen

equacions

Gloss

equacioun | equacionsDefinition: (MED) Astrol. Equal partition of the sphere into `houses' for astrological purposes.

þat ben callid
þe twelue signes and ben cal-
lid with þe names of certe-
yn bestes and fishes for þe
conueniens and likenes in
certeyn propirtees ·These
ben þe names of þe signes
aries · taurus · gemini · cancer ·leo ·
virgo ·libra ·scorpio · sagittarius ·capri-

View pages f123v-f124r
Full size in new window[page id: f123v]cornus aquarius pisces Notise

wel

Gloss

Definition: The translator translates Latin nota bene as "noteth well" or "notice well".

þat þe computacions of
þe meuynge of þe seuen pla-
netis begynneþ with þe signe
Aries þat is callid þe mo-
oste noble signe of þe
twelue signes of þe twelue signes .
The seuen planetis ben þe chief
meistres of al science ·þe
whicħ seuen planetis god set-
te in þe sterry

Alex-[page id: f124v]andre

Gloss

so þat þey
sholde meuen aȝenst þe
firmament ·to restreyne and
withstonde þe swifte me-
uynge and þe feersnes of
þe firmament ·so þat in no wise
[page id: f124r] þey passe not þe

latitude

Gloss

latitude | latitude, nounDefinition: (OED) Astron. The angular distance of a heavenly body from the ecliptic: called spec. celestial latitude. (See also ascending n., geocentric adj. 1, heliocentric adj. 1, and heliographic adj. 1)

of þe space of þe twelue sig-
nes Thes twelue signes ben
deuided so ·þat ecħ of hem haþ
his propir party and his

clymate

Gloss

climat | clymatesDefinition: (MED) (a) The region of earth dominated by a particular planet (i.e., by the moon, Mercury, Venus, sun, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn); (b) one of the regions dominated by certain zodiacal sign

in euery londe as þer to regne
to gouerne and wirche after pro-
pirte and nature . ffirst þe
eest party as

Antiocħ

Gloss

AntiochDefinition: The ancient city of Antioch; one of the Crusader states founded by European Christians after the First Crusade (1069-1099).

and al
þeraboute is gouernyd by þes
thre sygnes ·cancer ·leo ·virgo ·
The weste party þe whicħ
is callid

Armeny

Gloss

Armenie | armenyDefinition: Armenia

is gouer-
nyd by þes thre signes · capri-
cornus · aquarius · pisces /The sou-
the party whiche callid

Gloss

Alexandria | alexandreDefinition: The city of Alexandria; may also refer to land of Alexandria, Egypt (MED)

View pages f124v-f125rFull size in new window and þeraboute is gouer-
ned by þes thre sygnes ·libra ·
sagittarius ·scorpio The nor-
the party as

Constantinople

Gloss

ConstantinopleDefinition: The city of Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium.

and þeraboute is gouerned by
þes thre sygnes ·aries ·tau-
rus ·gemini ·and þus þe signes
be deuydid in foure

clyma-
tes

Gloss

of þe worlde by þe in-
fluence of whom eche reu-
me haþ diuerse propirtees and
commoditees and condicioun with-
yn him silfe /

SAturne is þe hiest pla-
nete and is colde and drie
as þe erþe is ·and it is yuel
and maliciouse of him silfe .
[page id: f125r] it is nocturnal and ponderouse
and it is moost ferre from þe er-
the ·and ȝitte it is moste gre-
uouse to þe erþe ·His course
durytħ thriti ȝere ·It is mo-
che pale in coloure . and drinesse
and coldenesse ben callid two
dedly qualites þat longeþ to
him . And þerfore seiþ þe phi-
losophers þat if a childe be
borne oþer ełł conceycued vn-
der his dominacioun it shal so-
ne dyȝe · oþer ełł he shal be
of yuel condicioun This pla-
nete by his nature makiþ a

View pages f125v-f126r
Full size in new window[page id: f125v] man blacke foule slowe so-
ry silde to laughe ·or to be
mery .and noþinge hatinge
ne eschewinge foule þinges
ne stynkynge þinges .and þe con-
dicioun of suche folke is
callid

malencoly

Gloss

malencolyDefinition: (OED) a. Black bile, one of the four chief fluids or cardinal humours recognized by ancient and medieval physiologists. b. Med. Originally: a pathological condition thought to result from an excess of black bile in the body, characterized in early references by sullenness, ill temper, brooding, causeless anger, and unsociability, and later by despondency and sadness. Later: severe depression, melancholia. Now arch. and hist.

But
noteþ

wel

Gloss

Definition: The translator translates Latin nota bene as "noteth well" or "notice well".

þat when þis pla-
nete entriþ þe

Gloss

of
Iubiter .þen is þe malice
of him lessed ·And notiþ

wel

Gloss

Definition: The translator translates Latin nota bene as "noteth well" or "notice well".

þat saturne dwellid in euery sig-
ne thriti monethis ·and when
he regnyþ in his propir

hous

Gloss

house | hous, house, nounDefinition: (OED) Astrol. Each of twelve parts of the ecliptic or the zodiac having some particular significance in human affairs, typically formed by great circles through diametrically opposed points and numbered eastwards from the ascendant (ascendant n. 1). Also: a sign of the zodiac considered as a seat of greater influence of a particular planet; a ruler (ruler n.1 2b). Cf. mansion n. 4.

þat is to sey in aquario and ca-
pricorno ؛þen begynne grete
[page id: f126r] harmes and myscheues withyn
þe

clymates

Gloss

of þe erþe and
þat moste when he is in aquary .
for þen shal be grete tem-
pestes and grete flowdes .and also
grete hate and

enuyte

Gloss

enuyte or enmyteDefinition: Possibly a mispelling of "enmite" (MED)(1) Of personal agents: (a) a hostile feeling or attitude, rivalry, malice; also, a hostile act; (b) the action of an enemy, an attack; (c) an enemy;--also coll., hostile people, enemies. (2) Of non-personal agents: (a) hostility, threat, or danger (to man's spirit from the forces of evil); (b) an internal conflict, a rivalry (between spiritual forces); (c) adverse influence (of a deity); (d) astrol. unfavorable or baleful influence (of a planet). Another possibility is that it comes from the verb ”anoien” (MED) anoien (v.) Also annoien, enoien; anuien, en-; an en, enn-, in-; an(n) en, enn-; esnuien. To disturb, annoy, offend; displease, irritate, provoke.

and dis-
corde and grete batail and war
amonge þe pepil /The
children of saturne where þei
gone þey caste hir yen
vnto þe erþe ·þey ben le-
ne of body and of face ha-
uynge litil yen and litil he-
re vpon hir berdys ·þey ben
riȝt wraþful and ful vene-

View pages f126v-f127r
Full size in new window[page id: f126v]mous in hir dedes ·seynge oon
with mouþe and þenke contrary in
herte /

IVbiter is þe nex-
te planete after saturne ·his

Gloss

is twelue ȝere ·he is
good and welwillid /it is ho-
te and moyste as is þe ae-
yr duly masculine and in
colour argenteyne þat is whi-
te |.He with his grete good-
nesse and beneuolence restreyneþ re-
pressitħ þe grete malice
of saturne ·It causiþ grete
fayrnesse feyr yen feire
here and

sanguyn

Gloss

sanguynDefinition: One of the four temperaments. (MED) (c) one of the four humors, blood; also, the complexion, or temperament, dominated by blood; also person.; (e) a person dominated by a sanguine complexion.

complexion

Gloss

complexion, complexiounDefinition: (OED) In the physiology and natural philosophy of the Middle Ages: The combination of supposed qualities (cold or hot, and moist or dry) in a certain proportion, determining the nature of a body, plant, etc.; the combination of the four ‘humours’ of the body in a certain proportion, or the bodily habit attributed to such combination; ‘temperament’.

þis planete dwelliþ in
euery signe oon ȝere and so his
[page id: f127r]

Gloss

is twelue ȝere .When Iu-
biter is bytwyxen saturne and
mars þe which ben callid
þe yuel planetis .it is þen

mene

Gloss

mean | mene, adj.Definition: (MED) In a middle state between two extremes; Astron. ~ argument, the angle at the center of a planet's epicycle between the mean position of the planet on its epicycle and a line running through the center from the equant; ~ aux, of a planet: a line running from the equant through the center of the epicycle; ~ motus (mote), the uniformly varying angle at the earth, measured from the first point in Aries, giving the mean position of the sun or a planet in the ecliptic; also, the moving point projected by the sun or planet, as seen from earth, on the zodiac.

with þe lower and wiþ
þe heyer axe of þe

Gloss

·
and þen is þe malice of hem
lesse and þe goodnes of Iu-
biter also lessid And When
Iubiter is in his propir

house

Gloss

þat
is in pisces and sagittarius þen
he is in his ful goodnes and
þen he ȝeueþ to his children
good and feyr craftes .to be
wise and curiouse and in wri-
tynge and redynge and so in oþere

View pages f127v-f128r
Full size in new window[page id: f127v] diuerse facultes .he makiþ
faire statures and to be of go-
de maners and of grete tro-
uþe and suche shal haue two
fore teeþ grete and large |and
he euer shal loue good and ha-
te yuel /

Mars

Iste

Gloss

Definition: This planet of Mars entered Aries its house on the first day of September in the year of our Lord 1459 and moon on the sixteenth. This is first existing in number, evidently sixteen.

plane-
ta martis
intrauit in
ariete do-
mo de sua
kalendis
septembris
anno domini mille-
simo quadringentesimo
quinquagesimo nonus . et
luna sedecimo
hoc est prima ex-
istente in nu-
mero videlicet sedecim . is þe thridde
planete ·it and it is hote
and drye as is fyre mascu-
line nocturnal and causyth

colerike

Gloss

choleric | colerike, adj.Definition: (OED) a. Of persons: Having choler n. and adj. as the predominant humour; of bilious ‘complexion’, or temperament; bilious.

complexioun

Gloss

and bol-
de and hardynes and immedi-
ate it folwiþ Iubiter and pre-
cediþ venus and þerfore of þe
mediacy and neighnes of
þe two good planetis ؛þe
[page id: f128r] ferse malice of mars is
lessid /Mars þe planete ؛
disposiþ grete lengþe and
smalnes in ȝonge age by
cause of þe grete hete ·but
in age it disposiþ to greet
stoupinge doune by cause
of his grete drynesse ·
and when he is in his

house

Gloss

þat
is aries and scorpio ؛ þen
schal be stryues and discordes
batails and war .but
þe

aspecte

Gloss

aspect | aspecteDefinition: (MED) Astrol. The relative position, described in angular distance, of one planet or sign to another at a certain time; such a position, or a series of such positions, held to be good or evil in influencing the affairs of man; (good or evil) influence; sextile, quartile, trine ~, the angular distances of 60, 90, and 120 degrees, resp.

of sum good pla-
nete may abate sum of
his malice ·and he dwelliþ
in euery signe fourti eighte daies

View pages f128v-f129r
Full size in new window[page id: f128v] and eleuen houres . and his

Gloss

is two
.ȝere /. The children of mars
be of broune colour and þey ben
grete debatours and contagious
peple /

The Sonne is þe
fourþe planete ·it is cal-
lid þe welle of lyȝte ·it is
hote and drye masculine dai-
ly and haþ his h sete in mydd-
des of þe sterry

Gloss

as em-
perour souereigne of þe seuen pla-
netis .he castiþ oute of him
silf twelue shynynge bemes and
alwey is meued vnder þe
zodiake in directe meuyng
and holdynge his course
[page id: f129r] in myd wey of þe zodiake .
for þe

Gloss

of þe sonne
ouer passyþ by riȝt lymt
þe myddes of þe zodiake þe
whiche is deuidid in twelue e-
uen spaces as it is reher-
sid afore And when þe sonne
passiþ from þe firste poynt
of his

Gloss

and is retornyd
vnto þe same poynt þer
as he beganne ؛þis passage
is callid þe yer of þe son-
ne It disposiþ a creature
to be corsy fayre facid and in
colour white and rede large
yen and wel disposid to ałł

View pages f129v-f130r
Full size in new window[page id: f129v] science and craftes This pla-
nete goiþ his

Gloss

in þe he-
uen in ∴Thre hundred sixti fyue daies and six houres oon ȝere and he dwelliþ
in euery sygne thriti daies ten
horis and thriti mynutes . And a-
monge ałł þe planetis ·þe
sonne disposiþ al maner bestes
to hardynes and to lyfe This
planete is larger þen is eighte
tymes al þe erþe and it me-
uytħ contynuelly more swifte
þen an arwe of a bowe ·and
it is moste nyghe to vs at
þe poynt of mydday and fer-
þest at þe rysynge and setting
as to speke of þe day · And
þe children of þis planete
[page id: f130r] ben gretly disposid to diui-
ne seruice and han when hir a by-
dynge with astates and of propir-
te þey sholde ben riȝt meke
and homely /

VEnus is þe
fyfte planete ·he is hote
and moyste and is good and wel-
wellid feminyn nocturnal .and
is seide þe sterre of loue and
is of white and shynynge co-
loure · This planete euer
foloweþ þe sonne ·and sumtyme
afore goyþ þe sonne ·and þen
is callid

lucifer

Gloss

lucifer, nounDefinition: (OED) The morning star; the planet Venus when she appears in the sky before sunrise. Now only poet.

·and sumty-
me foloweþ þe sonne and þen
is callid

vesperus

Gloss

vesperus, nounDefinition: Hesperus, Greek Hesperos, also called Vesper, Latin: Lucifer, the bringer of light. Hesperus is the evening star in Greco-Roman mythology. He was initially considered to be the son of Eos, the Dawn, and the Titan Astraeus, but was he later said to be the son or brother of Atlas. He was later identified with the morning star, Phosphorus, or Eosphorus and later discovered by astronomers to be the planet Venus.

.and amonge

View pages f130v-f131r
Full size in new window[page id: f130v] al sterris þis planete shy-
neþ moste briȝt and glori-
ouse and it disposiþ a creatu-
re to grete beaute and to ly-
kynge and luste of þe fleiscħ .
He regneþ in pisces and in
virgyn and dwelliþ in euery sig-
ne twenti daies .and he goyþ
his

Gloss

in Thre hundred fourti eighte day-
es ·and when he is in his

house

Gloss

þat is in libra and tauro it swa-
gyþ enuy and confermyþ a-
mours loues .and oppressiþ þe mali-
ce of oþer planetis .In þe fyf-
the moneþe of concepcioun of
a childe it disposiþ þe erys
[page id: f131r] þe nose þe nose thriłł þe y-
en and þe browes ·

MErcury
is þe sixte planete ·is hote
and moyste nocturnal and sumty-
me masculine and sumtyme
feminyn ·He is good with good
and yuel for he bowiþ him silf
vnto þe nature of him to whom
he is ioyned The firste

hous

Gloss

of him is virgo ·þe secun-
de is gemini ·Oþerwhile he shy-
neþ afore þe sonne risynge
and oþerwhile after þe sonne go-
ynge doune .Also he is good
of eloquence and of wisdam
and to be curious in science and
in

calculynge

Gloss

calculen | calculynge, verbDefinition: (MED) astrol. to cast horoscopes, etc.; solve (a problem) by calculation, find (an answer, a solution), learn (sth.) by calculating; prob. also used of geomancy and other kinds of divination.

and þerfore it is

View pages f131v-f132r
Full size in new window[page id: f131v] callid þe

hous

Gloss

of marchuntes
and also it| is seied þe god of
þe

palestre

Gloss

palestre | palestre, nounDefinition: (MED) An arena for martial games, tourneying field; a battlefield; fig. a place for intellectual combat.

for it fyȝghtiþ
euermore with þe sonne ·for it
is neuermore distaunt from
þe sonne but thriti

grees

Gloss

gre | greesDefinition: (MED) astron. a degree of arc, 1/360 of a circle; (c) a division on a sundial; (d) a measure of length, ?a yard.

.
and it abideþ in euery signe
twenti eighte daies and six houris .
and it endeþ his ful

Gloss

Gloss

in Thre hundred twenti eighte dayes
and disposeþ a creature to ha-
ue an hye forehed and longe
nose feyr face and longe
and subtile lippes /

The mo-
ne is þe seuenthe planete ·and it
is like þe body of þe sonne
[page id: f132r] in gretnesse and feirnesse
vnto our siȝte · And he wan-
teþ propir lyȝte of him silf .
but he resceyueþ his liȝt
of þe sonne ·and þe more nyg-
he þat it goyþ vnto þe son-
ne þe more it lesyþ of
his lyȝt as toward þe er-
þe and þe more it haþ his
liȝte vpwarde ·ffor when
þe mone is ioyned with
þe sonne at þe coniunccioun
þe mone ȝeueþ no liȝte
vnto þe erthe ·but þen al
vpwarde to

Gloss

·it shy-

View pages f132v-f133r
Full size in new window[page id: f132v]neth ful liȝte | but when
þe mone is in þe oppisici-
oun with þe sonne þen it ȝeuyþ
ful liȝt vnto þe erþe and
no þinge towarde

Gloss

.
The mone ȝeuyþ aug-
mentacioun in ałł

humours

Gloss

humour | humoursDefinition: (MED) Anat. (a) One of four fluids (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy) which form and nourish the body; ?also, a part or an organ composed of humor(s; kindeli ~, natural ~, ~ natural, one of the four normal humors; god ~, a healthy or beneficial humor; (b) one of four harmful fluids formed in the body; innatural ~, unkinde ~, unnatural ~, an unnatural or harmful humor; (c) a fluid or humor which produces ulcers, disease, etc.; also fig.; ille (ivel, qued, wikked) ~; gleimi (viscous) ~, a sticky humor; roten ~, a decaying or corrupt humor; etc. [It is seldom possible to be certain whether the disease-producing humor is an unnatural humor or a corrupted form of one of the natural humors.]; (d) any pathological fluid of the body; matter, pus, a secretion, liquid resulting from decay, etc.

wherefore in his decresynge
þe marowe in bones þe
brayn in hedes and al oþer hu-
mours in þe body doon decre-
se ·and when þe mone encre-
syþ þen þe seide

humours

Gloss

multiplien .Also þe mone
is of þe see and waters at-[page id: f133r]tractyue and lorde of hem Also
noteþ þat þe mone and þe pla-
nete mercury be more lesse
þen þe erþe ·and al oþer plane-
tis and also sterrys as it is sei-
de ؛ben more þen þe erþe ·
The sonne is eighte tymes
more þen al erþe ·and þe mo-
ne is six tymes lesse þen
þe erþe ·The mone dwel-
lyþ in euery sygne two ·daies
and six houris and an half .and in
þe space of twenti seuen dayes
and eighte houris it ouer passeþ
al þe twelue signes .And it is
colde and moyste feminyn and noctur-

View pages f133v-f134r
Full size in new window[page id: f133v]nal . Also when þe mone
is in þe riȝt dyameter sette
bytwixte vs and þe sonne
þen it shal be þe eclipse
of þe sonne ·and þis may not
be but in þe coniunccioun of
þe sonne and of þe mone .and
also whan þe sonne is in
þe lyne eclyptike ·and þat
is when þe sonne is in þe
hede of þe dragoun and
þe mone in þe tayle :~
or ellis þe contrary .If þe
mone at þe begynnynge
of þe newe mone shene
rede it sygnifieþ þen
[page id: f134r] to be wyndy ·/If it shene
derkely in þe vpper corner ؛
it signifieþ reyny ·If it
shene sharply it signifi-
eþ grete tempeste in shorte
tyme commynge /¶ The go-
de planetis ben callid Iubi-
ter and venus · The yuel pla-
netis ben callid saturnus and mars .
The

mene

Gloss

planetis ben
sol and luna and mercurius Al-
so noteþ þat whan eny of þe
planetis entryþ eny

Gloss

of oþer it takeþ þen of þe qua-
lite and vertu of þat oþer and so þe

View pages f134v-f135r
Full size in new window[page id: f134v] þe goodnesse of a good pla-
nete is lessid by þe presen-
ce of an yuel planete and
so þe contrary /

Also no-
tetħ þe seynge of

moyses

Gloss

Maimonides, Rabbi Mosheh Ben Maimon (1135-1204) | moyses

sidrack

Gloss

Sidrac or Sidrak | sidrack, sidracke, noun, proper nameDefinition: A Christian wiseman in a popular medieval book of knowledge, which was translated from French to English (ed. Burton 1998). Although the character is fictional, Sidrak enjoyed considerable reputation as an astrologer and is referred to in serious scientific treatises.

raby

Gloss

rabyDefinition: Possibly Aaron ben Gershon Abu Al-Rabi (fl. 1400-1450) or Muhiyuddin Muhammad ibn Arabi (1165-1240).

and oþer . þat þe
space from þe erþe to þe

Gloss

of þe mone is as
moche as a man in ple-
yn wey myȝt gone in
Fiue hundred . ȝere . to gone eche day
fourti myle ·and eche myle
conteynynge a thousand

pase

Gloss

pace | pase, nounDefinition: (OED) The distance covered in a step (or sometimes two), used either as a definite unit of measurement or more vaguely to indicate approximate distance.

·and euery pase Fiue ·fete
And euery

Gloss

of eche
[page id: f135r] planete conteyneþ in him
silf þe space of Fiue hundred ȝere
and in þyckenes and in brede ·
And from þe space of
þe erthe vnto saturne
is þe space of Seuen thousand ȝe-
re and thre .Also vppon þe
hiest party of sterry he-
uen aboue þe seuen plane-
tis ben many smale ster-
rys stondinge fyxe whom
no man kan noumbre
They ben fyxe but ȝit-
te þey ben ledde aboute

View pages f135v-f136r
Full size in new window[page id: f135v] wyþ þe

Gloss

þat meuyþ
as nayles ben in a carte
while ·and þey seme sma-
le to oure siȝte but ne-
uer þe lees þe leste of hem
saue þe mone and mer-
cury ؛is more þen al er-
the .And also þe

heue-
nys

Gloss

saue þe hiest þat is
celum

empireum

Gloss

coelum empireum | celum empireumDefinition: (OED) The highest heaven. In ancient cosmology the sphere of the pure element of fire: in Christian use, the abode of God and the angels.

here may
be seen .This hiest he-
uen as

sidracke

Gloss

and oþere
meny seyen ؛ it is so hy-
ȝe þat if a stone of an
[page id: f136r] hundred men is lyfte
were there and letten
falle doune ؛ it sholde
be in fallynge a thousand ȝere
or it come to þe erþe
after