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1

A TREATISE ON THE ASTROLABE

2
3    Lyte Lowys my sone, I aperceyve wel by certeyne
4evydences thyn abilite to lerne sciences
5touching nombres and proporciouns; and as wel
6considre I thy besy praier in special to lerne the
7tretys of the Astrelabie. Than for as mochel as a
8philosofre saith, "he wrappith him in his frend,
9that condescendith to the rightfulle praiers of his
10frend," therfore have I yeven the a suffisant Astrolabie
11as for oure orizonte, compowned
12after the latitude of Oxenforde; upon
13which, by mediacioun of this litel tretys, I
14purpose to teche the a certein nombre of conclusions
15aperteynyng to the same instrument. I
16seie a certein of conclusions, for thre causes. The
17first cause is this: truste wel that alle the conclusions
18that han be founde, or ellys possibly
19might be founde in so noble an instrument as is
20an Astrelabie ben unknowe parfitly to eny mortal
21man in this regioun, as I suppose. Another
22cause is this, that sothly in any tretis of the
23Astrelabie that I have seyn, there be somme
24conclusions that wol not in alle thinges parformen
25her bihestes; and somme of hem ben to
26harde to thy tendir age of ten yeer to conceyve.
27    This tretis, divided in 5 parties, wol I shewe
28the under full light reules and naked wordes in
29Englissh, for Latyn ne canst thou yit but small,
30my litel sone. But natheles suffise to the these
31trewe conclusions in Englissh as wel as sufficith
32to these noble clerkes Grekes these
33same conclusions in Grek; and to Arabiens
34in Arabik, and to Jewes in Ebrew, and to
35Latyn folk in Latyn; whiche Latyn folk had
36hem first out of othere dyverse langages, and

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37writen hem in her owne tunge, that is to seyn,
38in Latyn. And God woot that in alle these
39langages and in many moo han these conclusions
40ben suffisantly lerned and taught, and yit
41be diverse reules; right as diverse pathes
42leden diverse folk the righte way to Rome.
43Now wol I preie mekely every discret persone
44that redith or herith this litel tretys to have
45my rude endityng for excusid, and my superfluite
46of wordes, for two causes. The first cause
47is for that curious endityng and hard sentence
48is ful hevy at onys for such a child to lerne.
49And the secunde cause is this, that sothly me
50semith better to writen unto a child twyes a
51god sentence, than he forgete it onys.
52    And Lowys, yf so be that I shewe the in
53my lighte Englissh as trewe conclusions
54touching this mater, and not oonly as trewe
55but as many and as subtile conclusiouns, as
56ben shewid in Latyn in eny commune tretys
57of the Astrelabie, konne me the more thank.
58And preie God save the king, that is lord of
59this langage, and alle that him feith berith and
60obeieth, everich in his degre, the more and
61the lasse. But considre wel that I ne usurpe
62not to have founden this werk of my labour
63or of myn engyn. I n'am but a lewd compilator
64of the labour of olde astrologiens, and have it
65translatid in myn Englissh oonly for thy doctrine.
66And with this swerd shal I sleen envie.
67    Prima pars. - The firste partie of this tretys
68shal reherse the figures and the membres of
69thyn Astrelabie by cause that thou shalt have
70the gretter knowing of thyn oune instrument.

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71    Secunda pars. - The secunde partie
72shal techen the worken the verrey practik
73of the forseide conclusiouns, as ferforth and
74as narwe as may be shewed in so small an
75instrument portatif aboute. For wel woot
76every astrologien that smallist fraccions ne
77wol not be shewid in so small an instrument as
78in subtile tables calculed for a cause.
79    Tertia pars. - The thirde partie shal contene
80diverse tables of longitudes and latitudes
81of sterres fixe for the Astrelabie, and tables
82of the declinacions of the sonne, and tables
83of longitudes of citees and townes; and
84tables as well for the governaunce of a clokke, as
85for to fynde the altitude meridian; and many anothir
86notable conclusioun after the kalenders
87of the reverent clerkes, Frere J. Somer and
88Frere N. Lenne.
89    Quarta pars. - The fourthe partie shal ben
90a theorike to declare the moevyng of the celestiall

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91bodies with the causes. The whiche
92fourthe partie in speciall shal shewen a
93table of the verrey moeving of the mone
94from houre to houre every day and in every
95signe after thyn almenak. Upon which table
96there folewith a canoun suffisant to teche as
97wel the manere of the worchynge of the same
98conclusioun as to knowe in oure orizonte with
99which degre of the zodiak that the mone arisith
100in any latitude, and the arisyng of any planete
101after his latitude fro the ecliptik lyne.
102    Quinta pars. - The fifthe partie shal
103be an introductorie, after the statutes of
104oure doctours, in which thou maist lerne a gret
105part of the generall rewles of theorik in astrologie.
106In which fifthe partie shalt thou fynden
107tables of equaciouns of houses after the latitude of
108Oxenforde; and tables of dignitees of planetes,
109and othere notefull thinges, yf God wol vouche
110saaf and his Moder the Maide, moo than I
111behete.
112

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113

PART I

114

HERE BEGYNNETH THE DESCRIPCIOUN OF THIN ASTRALABIE.

115

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116    1. Thyn Astralabie hath a ring to putten on
117the thombe of thi right hond in taking the
118height of thinges. And tak kep, for from henes
119forthward I wol clepen the heighte of any thing
120that is taken by the rewle "the altitude," withoute
121moo wordes.
122    2. This ryng renneth in a maner toret fast
123to the moder of thyn Astrelabie in so rowme a
124space that it distourbith not the instrument to
125hangen after his right centre.
126    3. The moder of thin Astrelabye is thikkest
127plate, perced with a large hool, that resceiveth

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128in hir wombe the thynne plates compowned
129for diverse clymates, and thy reet shapen in
130manere of a nett or of a web of a loppe.
131    4. This moder is dividid on the bakhalf with
132a lyne that cometh descending fro the ring
133doun to the netherist bordure. The whiche
134lyne, fro the forseide ring unto the centre of
135the large hool amidde, is clepid the south lyne,
136or ellis the lyne meridional. And the remenaunt
137of this lyne doun to the bordure is

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138clepid the north lyne, or ellis the lyne of
139midnyght.
140    5. Overthwart this forseide longe lyne ther
141crossith him another lyne of the same lengthe
142from eest to west. Of the whiche lyne, from
143a litel cros FIGURE OMITTED in the bordure unto the centre
144of the large hool, is clepid the est lyne, or
145ellis the lyne orientale. And the remenaunt of
146this lyne, fro the forseide centre unto the bordure,
147is clepid the west lyne, or ellis the lyne
148occidentale. Now hast thou here the foure
149quarters of thin Astrolabie divided after the

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150foure principales plages or quarters of the
151firmament.
152    6. The est syde of thyn Astrolabie is clepid
153the right syde, and the west syde is clepid the
154left syde. Forget not thys, litel Lowys. Put
155the ryng of thyn Astrolabie upon the thombe
156of thi right hond, and than wol his right side
157be toward thi lift side, and his left side wol be
158toward thy right side. Tak this rewle generall,
159as wel on the bak as on the wombe syde. Upon
160the ende of this est lyne, as I first seide, is
161marked a litel cros FIGURE OMITTED , where as evere
162moo generaly is considerid the entring of
163the first degre in which the sonne arisith.
164    7. Fro this litel cros FIGURE OMITTED up to the ende
165of the lyne meridionall, under the ryng, shalt
166thou fynden the bordure divided with 90 degrees;
167and by that same proporcioun is every
168quarter of thin Astrolabie divided. Over the
169whiche degrees ther ben noumbres of augrym
170that dividen thilke same degres fro 5 to 5, as
171shewith by longe strikes bitwene. Of whiche
172longe strikes the space bitwene contenith
173a myle wey, and every degre of the bordure
174conteneth 4 minutes; this is to seien,
175mynutes of an houre.
176    8. Under the compas of thilke degrees ben
177writen the names of the 12 Signes: as
178Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo,
179Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius,
180Piscis. And the nombres of the degrees of
181thoo signes be writen in augrym above, and
182with longe divisiouns fro 5 to 5, dyvidid fro
183the tyme that the signe entrith unto the last
184ende. But understond wel that these degres
185of signes ben everich of hem considred
186of 60 mynutes, and every mynute of
18760 secundes, and so furth into smale fraccions
188infinite, as saith Alkabucius. And therfore
189knowe wel that a degre of the bordure contenith
1904 minutes, and a degre of a signe conteneth
19160 minutes, and have this in mynde.
192    9. Next this folewith the cercle of the daies,
193that ben figured in manere of degres, that contenen
194in nombre 365, dividid also with longe
195strikes fro 5 to 5, and the nombre in augrym
196writen under that cercle.

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197    10. Next the cercle of the daies folewith the
198cercle of the names of the monthes, that is to
199say, Januarius, Februarius, Marcius, Aprilis,
200Maius, Junius, Julius, Augustus, September,
201October, November, December. The names
202of these monthes were clepid somme for
203her propirtees and somme by statutes of
204lordes Arabiens, somme by othre lordes of Rome.
205Eke of these monthes, as liked to Julius
206Cesar and to Cesar Augustus, somme were
207compouned of diverse nombres of daies, as
208Julie and August. Than hath Januarie 31 daies,
209Februarie 28, March 31, Aprill 30, May 31,
210Junius 30, Julius, 31 Augustus 31, Septembre
21130, Octobre 31, Novembre 30, Decembre 31.
212Natheles, all though that Julius Cesar toke 2
213daies out of Feverer and putte hem in his
214month of Juyll, and Augustus Cesar clepid the
215month of August after his name and ordeined
216it of 31 daies, yit truste wel that the
217sonne dwellith therfore nevere the more
218ne lasse in oon signe than in another.
219    11. Than folewen the names of the holy
220daies in the Kalender, and next hem the lettres
221of the A B C on whiche thei fallen.
222    12. Next the forseide cercle of the A B C,
223under the cross lyne, is marked the skale in
224manere of 2 squyres, or ellis in manere of laddres,
225that serveth by his 12 pointes and his
226dyvisiouns of ful many a subtil conclusioun.
227Of this forseide skale fro the cross lyne unto
228the verrey angle is clepid Umbra Versa , and
229the nethir partie is clepid Umbra Recta , or
230ellis Umbra Extensa .
231    13. Than hast thou a brod reule, that hath
232on either ende a square plate perced with certein
233holes, somme more and somme lasse, to
234resceyve the stremes of the sonne by day, and
235eke by mediacioun of thin eye to knowe the
236altitude of sterres by night.
237    14. Than is there a large pyn in manere of
238an extre, that goth thorugh the hole that halt
239the tables of the clymates and the riet in the
240wombe of the moder; thorugh which pyn ther
241goth a litel wegge, which that is clepid the
242hors, that streynith all these parties to-hepe.
243Thys forseide grete pyn in manere of an extre

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244is ymagyned to be the Pool Artik in thyn
245Astralabie.
246    15. The wombe syde of thyn Astrelabie is
247also divided with a longe cros in 4 quarters
248from est to west, fro southe to northe, fro
249right syde to left side, as is the bakside.
250    16. The bordure of which wombe side is
251divided fro the point of the est lyne unto the
252point of the south lyne under the ring, in 90
253degrees; and by that same proporcioun is every
254quarter divided, as is the bakside. That
255amountith 360 degrees. And understond wel
256that degres of this bordure ben aunswering and
257consentrike to the degrees of the equinoxiall,
258that is dividid in the same nombre as every

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259othir cercle is in the highe hevene. This
260same bordure is divided also with 23
261lettres capitals and a small cross FIGURE OMITTED above
262the south lyne, that shewith the 24 houres
263equals of the clokke. And, as I have seid, 5
264of these degres maken a myle wey, and 3 milewei
265maken an houre. And every degre of thys
266bordure contenith 4 minutes, and every minute
26760 secundes. Now have I told the twyes.
268    17. The plate under the riet is discrived
269with 3 cercles, of whiche the leest is
270clepid the cercle of Cancre by cause that the
271heved of Cancre turnith evermo consentrik

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272upon the same cercle. In this heved
273of Cancer is the grettist declinacioun northward
274of the sonne, and therfore is he clepid
275solsticium of somer; which declinacioun, after
276Ptholome, is 23 degrees and 50 minutes as
277wel in Cancer as in Capricorn. This signe
278of Cancer is clepid the tropik of somer, of
279tropos , that is to seien "ageynward." For than
280beginneth the sonne to passen from us-ward.
281    The myddel cercle in wydnesse, of these 3,
282is clepid the cercle equinoxiall, upon which
283turnith evermo the hevedes of Aries and Libra.
284And understond wel that evermo thys cercle
285equinoxiall turnith justly from verrey est to verrey
286west as I have shewed the in the speer
287solide. This same cercle is clepid also
288Equator, that is the weyer of the day; for
289whan the sonne is in the hevedes of Aries and
290Libra, than ben the dayes and the nightes ylike
291of lengthe in all the world. And therfore ben
292these 2 signes called the equinoxiis. And all
293that moeveth withinne the hevedes of these
294Aries and Libra, his moevyng is clepid northward;
295and all that moevith withoute these
296hevedes, his moevyng is clepid southward,
297as fro the equinoxiall. Tak kep of these
298latitudes north and south, and forget it nat.
299By this cercle equinoxiall ben considred the
30024 houres of the clokke; for evermo the arisyng
301of 15 degrees of the equinoxiall makith an
302houre equal of the clokke. This equinoxiall is
303clepid the gurdel of the first moeving, or ellis
304of the first moevable. And note that the firste
305moevyng is clepid moevyng of the firste moevable
306of the 8 speer, which moeving is from
307est to west, and eft ageyn into est. Also
308it is clepid girdel of the firste moeving for it
309departith the firste moevable, that is to seyn
310the spere, in two like partyes evene distantz
311fro the poles of this world.
312    The widest of these 3 principale cercles is
313clepid the cercle of Capricorne, by cause that
314the heved of Capricorne turneth evermo consentrik
315upon the same cercle. In the heved of
316this forseide Capricorne is the grettist declinacioun
317southward of the sonne, and therfore
318it is clepid the solsticium of wynter.
319This signe of Capricorne is also clepid the

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320tropic of wynter, for than begynneth the sonne
321to come ageyn to us-ward.
322    18. Upon this forseide plate ben compassed
323certeyn cercles that highten almycanteras, of
324whiche somme of hem semen parfit cercles and
325somme semen inparfit. The centre that stondith
326amyddes the narwest cercle is clepid the
327cenyth. And the netherist cercle, or the firste
328cercle, is clepid the orizonte, that is to seyn,
329the cercle that divideth the two emysperies,
330that is, the partie of the hevene above the
331erthe and the partie bynethe. These almykanteras
332ben compowned by 2 and 2, all
333be it so that on diverse Astrelabies somme
334almykanteras ben divided by oon, and somme
335by two, and somme by thre, after the quantite
336of the Astrelabie. This forseide cenyth is
337ymagined to ben the verrey point over the
338crowne of thin heved. And also this cenyth
339is the verray pool of the orizonte in every
340regioun.
341    19. From this cenyth, as it semeth, there
342comen a maner croked strikes like to the clawes
343of a loppe, or elles like the werk of a wommans
344calle, in kervyng overthwart the almykanteras.
345And these same strikes or divisiouns
346ben clepid azimutz, and thei dividen the orisounte
347of thin Astrelabie in 24 divisiouns. And
348these azymutz serven to knowe the costes of
349the firmament, and to othre conclusions, as
350for to knowe the cenyth of the sonne and
351of every sterre.
352    20. Next these azymutz, under the cercle
353of Cancer, ben there 12 divisiouns embelif,
354muche like to the shap of the azemutz, that
355shewen the spaces of the houres of planetes.
356    21. The riet of thin Astrelabie with thy zodiak,
357shapen in manere of a net or of a lopweb
358after the olde descripcioun, which thou maist
359turnen up and doun as thiself liketh, contenith
360certein nombre of sterres fixes, with her longitudes
361and latitudes determinat, yf so be that the

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362maker have not errid. The names of the sterres
363ben writen in the margyn of the riet there as thei
364sitte, of whiche sterres the smale point is
365clepid the centre. And understond also that
366alle the sterres sitting within the zodiak of
367thin Astrelabie ben clepid sterres of the north,
368for thei arise by northe the est lyne. And all the
369remenaunt fixed oute of the zodiak ben clepid
370sterres of the south. But I seie not that thei arisen
371alle by southe the est lyne; witnesse on Aldeberan
372and Algomeysa. Generaly understond this

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373rewle, that thilke sterres that ben clepid sterres
374of the north arisen rather than the degre of
375her longitude, and alle the sterres of the
376south arisen after the degre of her longitude -
377this is to seyn, sterres fixed in thyn
378Astrelabie. The mesure of this longitude of
379sterres is taken in the lyne ecliptik of hevene,

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380under which lyne, whan that the sonne and the
381mone be lyne-right, or ellis in the superficie of
382this lyne, than is the eclipse of the sonne or of
383the mone, as I shal declare, and eke the cause
384why. But sothly the ecliptik lyne of thy
385zodiak is the utterist bordure of thy zodiak
386there the degrees be marked.
387    Thy zodiak of thin Astrelabie is shapen as
388a compas which that contenith a large brede
389as after the quantite of thyn Astrelabie, in ensample
390that the zodiak in hevene is ymagyned
391to ben a superfice contenyng a latitude of 12
392degrees, whereas alle the remenaunt of cercles
393in the hevene ben ymagyned verrey lynes withoute
394eny latitude. Amiddes this celestial
395zodiak is ymagined a lyne which that is
396clepid the ecliptik lyne, under which lyne
397is evermo the wey of the sonne. Thus ben
398there 6 degres of the zodiak on that oo syde
399of the lyne and 6 degrees on that othir. This
400zodiak is dividid in 12 principale divisiouns that
401departen the 12 signes, and, for the streitnesse
402of thin Astrolabie, than is every smal divisioun
403in a signe departed by two degrees and two, I
404mene degrees contenyng 60 mynutes. And
405this forseide hevenysshe zodiak is clepid
406the cercle of the signes, or the cercle of the
407bestes, for "zodia" in langage of Grek sowneth
408"bestes" in Latyn tunge. And in the zodiak
409ben the 12 signes that han names of bestes,
410or ellis for whan the sonne entrith into eny
411of tho signes he takith the propirte of suche
412bestes, or ellis for that the sterres that ben
413ther fixed ben disposid in signes of bestes or
414shape like bestes, or elles whan the planetes
415ben under thilke signes thei causen us by
416her influence operaciouns and effectes like
417to the operaciouns of bestes.
418    And understond also that whan an hot planete
419cometh into an hot signe, than encrescith
420his hete; and yf a planete be cold, than amenusith
421his coldnesse by cause of the hoote sygne.
422And by thys conclusioun maist thou take ensample
423in alle the signes, be thei moist or drie,
424or moeble or fixe, reknyng the qualite of the
425planete as I first seide. And everich of
426these 12 signes hath respect to a certeyn

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427parcel of the body of a man, and hath it in
428governaunce; as Aries hath thin heved, and
429Taurus thy nekke and thy throte, Gemini thin
430armholes and thin armes, and so furth, as shall
431be shewid more pleyn in the 5 partie of this
432tretis.
433    This zodiak, which that is part of the 8 speer,
434over-kervith the equinoxial, and he overkervith
435him ageyn in evene parties; and
436that oo half declineth southward; and that
437othir northward, as pleinly declarith the Tretys
438of the Speer.

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439    Than hast thou a label that is shapen like
440a reule, save that it is streit and hath no plates
441on either ende with holes. But with the smale
442point of the forseide label shalt thou calcule
443thin equaciouns in the bordure of thin Astralabie,
444as by thin almury.
445    Thin almury is clepid the denticle of
446Capricorne, or ellis the calculer. This same
447almury sitt fix in the heved of Capricorne, and
448it serveth of many a necessarie conclusioun in
449equacions of thinges as shal be shewid.
450

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451    Here endith the descripcioun of the Astrelabie and here begynne
452the conclusions of the Astrelabie.
453
454

PART II

455

1. TO FYNDE THE DEGRE IN WHICH THE SONNE IS
456DAY BY DAY, AFTER HIS COURS ABOUTE.

457

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458    Rekne and knowe which is the day of thy
459month, and ley thy rewle upon that same day,
460and than wol the verrey poynt of thy rewle
461sitten in the bordure upon the degre of thy
462sonne.
463    Ensample as thus: The yeer of oure Lord
4641391, the 12 day of March at midday, I wolde
465knowe the degre of the sonne. I soughte in
466the bakhalf of myn Astrelabie and fond the
467cercle of the daies, the whiche I knowe by
468the names of the monthes writen under the
469same cercle. Tho leyde I my reule over this
470foreseide day, and fond the point of my reule
471in the bordure upon the firste degre of Aries,
472a litel within the degre. And thus knowe I this
473conclusioun.
474    Anothir day I wolde knowen the degre of
475my sonne, and this was at midday in the 13
476day of Decembre. I fond the day of the
477month in manere as I seide; tho leide I my
478rewle upon this forseide 13 day, and fond
479the point of my rewle in the bordure upon
480the firste degre of Capricorne a lite within the
481degre. And than had I of this conclusion the
482ful experience.
483

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484

2. TO KNOWE THE ALTITUDE OF THE SONNE OR OF
485OTHRE CELESTIAL BODIES.

486
487     Put the ryng of thyn Astrelabie upon thy
488right thombe, and turne thi lift syde ageyn
489the light of the sonne; and remewe thy rewle
490up and doun til that the stremes of the sonne
491shine thorugh bothe holes of thi rewle. Loke
492than how many degrees thy rule is areised fro
493the litel cros upon thin est lyne, and tak there
494the altitude of thi sonne. And in this same
495wise maist thow knowe by night the altitude
496of the mone or of brighte sterres.
497 This chapitre is so generall evere in oon
498that there nedith no more declaracioun; but
499forget it not.
500
501

3. TO KNOWE EVERY TYME OF THE DAY BY LIGHT
502OF THE SONNE; AND EVERY TYME OF THE NYGHT BY
503THE STERRES FIXE; AND EKE TO KNOWE BY NYGHT OR
504BY DAY THE DEGRE OF ENY SIGNE THAT ASCENDITH ON
505THE EST ORISONTE, WHICH THAT IS CLEPID COMOUNLY
506THE ASCENDENT, OR ELLIS HOROSCOPUM.

507
508    Tak the altitude of the sonne whan the list,
509as I have seid, and set the degre of the sonne,
510in caas that it be beforn the myddel of the day,

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511among thyn almykanteras on the est syde of
512thin Astrelabie; and if it be after the myddel
513of the day, set the degre of thy sonne upon the
514west syde. Take this manere of settyng for a
515general rule, ones for evere. And whan thou
516hast set the degre of thy sonne upon as
517many almykanteras of height as was the altitude
518of the sonne taken by thy rule, ley
519over thi label upon the degre of the sonne; and
520than wol the point of thi labell sitte in the
521bordure upon the verrey tyde of the day.
522    Ensample as thus: The yeer of oure lord
5231391, the 12 day of March, I wolde knowe the
524tyde of the day. I tok the altitude of my sonne,
525and fond that it was 25 degrees and 30 minutes
526of height in the bordure on the bak
527side. Tho turned I myn Astrelabye, and by
528cause that it was beforn mydday, I turned
529my riet and sette the degre of the sonne, that
530is to seyn the first degre of Aries, on the right
531side of myn Astrelabye upon 25 degrees and
53230 mynutes of height among myn almykanteras.
533Tho leide I my label upon the degre of my
534sonne, and fond the point of my label in the
535bordure upon a capital lettre that is clepid
536an X. Tho rekned I alle the capitale lettres

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537fro the lyne of mydnight unto this forseide
538lettre X, and fond that it was 9 of the
539clokke of the day. Tho loked I doun upon myn
540est orizonte, and fond there the 20 degre of
541Geminis ascendyng, which that I tok for myn
542ascendent. And in this wise had I the experience
543for evermo in which manere I shulde
544knowe the tyde of the day and eke myn
545ascendent.
546    Tho wolde I wite the same nyght folewyng
547the houre of the nyght, and wroughte
548in this wise: Among an heep of sterres
549fixe it liked me for to take the altitude of the
550faire white sterre that is clepid Alhabor, and
551fond hir sittyng on the west side of the lyne
552of midday, 12 degrees of heighte taken by my
553rewle on the bak side. Tho sette I the centre
554of this Alhabor upon 12 degrees among myn
555almykanteras upon the west side, by cause that
556she was founde on the west side. Tho
557leyde I my label over the degre of the
558sonne, that was discendid under the west
559orisounte, and rekned all the lettres capitals
560fro the lyne of midday unto the point of my
561label in the bordure, and fond that it was
562passed 9 of the clokke the space of 10 degrees.
563Tho lokid I doun upon myn est orisounte, and
564fond there 10 degrees of Scorpius ascendyng,
565whom I tok for myn ascendent. And thus
566lerned I to knowe onys for ever in which
567manere I shuld come to the houre of the
568nyght, and to myn ascendent, as verrely as
569may be taken by so smal an instrument.
570    But natheles this rule in generall wol I warne
571the for evere: Ne make the nevere bold to
572have take a just ascendent by thin Astrelabie,
573or elles to have set justly a clokke, whan eny
574celestial body by which that thou wenyst governe
575thilke thinges be nigh the south lyne.
576For trust wel, whan the sonne is nygh the
577meridional lyne, the degre of the sonne
578renneth so longe consentrik upon the almykanteras
579that sothly thou shalt erre fro the
580just ascendent. The same conclusion sey I by
581the centre of eny sterre fix by nyght. And
582more over, by experience I wot wel that in
583our orisounte, from xi of the clokke unto oon
584of the clokke, in taking of a just ascendent in
585a portatif Astrelabie it is to hard to knowe -
586I mene from xi of the clokke before the
587houre of noon til oon of the clokke next
588folewyng.
589
590

4. A SPECIAL DECLARACIOUN OF THE ASCENDENT.

591
592     The ascendent sothly, as wel in alle nativites
593as in questions and eleccions of tymes, is a
594thing which that these astrologiens gretly observen.
595Wherfore me semeth convenyent, syth
596that I speke of the ascendent, to make of it
597speciall declaracioun.
598    The ascendent sothly, to take it at the largest,
599is thilke degre that ascendith at eny of
600these forseide tymes upon the est orisounte.
601And therfore, yf that eny planete ascende
602at thatt same tyme in thilke forseide degre,
603than hath he no latitude fro the ecliptik lyne,
604but he is than in the degre of the ecliptik
605which that is the degre of his longitude. Men
606sayn that thilke planete is in horoscopo.
607    But sothly the hous of the ascendent, that
608is to seyn, the first hous or the est angle, is a

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609thing more brod and large. For, after the statutes
610of astrologiens, what celestial body
611that is 5 degrees above thilke degre that
612ascendith, or withinne that nombre, that is
613to seyn neer the degree that ascendith, yit
614rekne they thilke planete in the ascendent.
615And what planete that is under thilke degre
616that ascendith the space of 25 degres, yit seyn
617thei that thilke planete is "like to him that is
618the hous of the ascendent." But sothly, if he
619passe the boundes of these forseide spaces,
620above or bynethe, thei seyn that the planete
621is "fallyng fro the ascendent." Yit saien
622these astrologiens that the ascendent and
623eke the lord of the ascendent may be shapen
624for to be fortunat or infortunat, as thus: A
625"fortunat ascendent" clepen they whan that no
626wicked planete, as Saturne or Mars or elles
627the Tayl of the Dragoun, is in the hous of the
628ascendent, ne that no wicked planete have
629noon aspect of enemyte upon the ascendent.
630But thei wol caste that thei have a fortunat
631planete in hir ascendent, and yit in his felicite;
632and than sey thei that it is wel.
633Further over thei seyn that the infortunyng of
634an ascendent is the contrarie of these forseide
635thinges. The lord of the ascendent, sey thei
636that he is fortunat whan he is in god place
637fro the ascendent, as in an angle, or in a succident
638where as he is in hys dignite and comfortid
639with frendly aspectes of planetes and
640wel resceyved; and eke that he may seen
641the ascendent; and that he be not retrograd,
642ne combust, ne joyned with no
643shrewe in the same signe; ne that he be not
644in his discencioun, ne joyned with no planete
645in his descencioun, ne have upon him noon
646aspect infortunat; and than sey thei that he is
647well.
648    Natheles these ben observaunces of judicial
649matere and rytes of payens, in whiche my

column 2

650spirit hath no feith, ne knowing of her
651horoscopum. For they seyn that every
652signe is departid in thre evene parties by
65310 degrees, and thilke porcioun they clepe a
654face. And although that a planete have a latitude
655fro the ecliptik, yit sey somme folk, so
656that the planete arise in that same signe with
657eny degre of the forseide face in which his
658longitude is rekned, that yit is the planete
659in horoscopo, be it in nativyte or in eleccion,
660etc.
661
662

5. TO KNOWE THE VERREY EQUACIOUN OF THE
663DEGRE OF THE SONNE YF SO BE THAT IT FALLE BITWENE
664THYN ALMYKANTERAS.

665
666    For as muche as the almykanteras in thin
667Astrelabie ben compowned by two and two,
668where as somme almykanteras in sondry astrelabies
669labies be compowned by 1 and 1, or elles by 2
670and 2, it is necessarie to thy lernyng to teche
671the first to knowe and worke with thin oune
672instrument. Wherfore whan that the degre of
673thi sonne fallith bytwixe 2 almykanteras, or
674ellis yf thin almykanteras ben graven with
675over-gret a poynt of a compas (for bothe
676these thinges may causen errour as wel in
677knowing of the tide of the day, as of the verrey
678ascendent), thou must worken in this
679wise:
680    Set the degre of thy sonne upon the hyer
681almykanteras of bothe, and wayte wel where
682as thin almury touchith the bordure and set
683there a prikke of ynke. Sett doun agayn the
684degre of the sunne upon the nether almykanteras
685of bothe, and sett there another
686pricke. Remeve than thin almury in
687the bordure evene amiddes bothe prickes, and
688this wol lede justly the degre of thi sonne to
689sitte bitwene bothe almykanteras in his right
690place. Ley than thy label over the degre of
691thi sonne, and fynd in the bordure the verrey
692tyde of the day, or of the night. And as verraily
693shalt thou fynde upon thin est orisonte
694thin ascendent.
695
696

6. TO KNOWE THE SPRYNG OF THE DAWENYNG
697AND THE ENDE OF THE EVENYNG, THE WHICHE BEN
698CALLED THE TWO CREPUSCULES.

699
700    Set the nadir of thy sonne upon 18 degrees
701of height among thyn almynkanteras on the west

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702syde; and ley thy label on the degre of thy
703sonne, and than shal the point of thy label
704shewen the spryng of the day. Also set the
705nader of thy sonne upon 18 degrees of height
706among thin almykanteras on the est side, and
707ley over thy label upon the degre of the sonne,
708and with the point of thy label fynd in the
709bordure the ende of the evenyng, that is
710verrey nyght.
711    The nader of the sonne is thilke degre that
712is opposyt to the degre of the sonne, in the
7137 signe, as thus: every degre of Aries by
714ordir is nadir to every degre of Libra by ordre,
715and Taurus to Scorpioun, Gemini to Sagittarie,
716Cancer to Capricorne, Leo to Aquarie, Virgo
717to Piscis. And if eny degre in thy zodiak be
718derk, his nadir shal declare hym.
719
720

7. TO KNOWE THE ARCH OF THE DAY, THAT SOME
721FOLK CALLEN THE DAY ARTIFICIALL, FRO SONNE ARISYNG
722TYL IT GO TO RESTE.

723
724    Set the degre of thi sonne upon thin est
725orisonte, and ley thy label on the degre of
726the sonne, and at the point of thy label in the
727bordure set a pricke. Turne than thy riet
728aboute tyl the degre of thy sonne sitte upon
729the west orisonte, and ley thy label upon the
730same degre of the sonne, and at the poynt of
731thy label set there another pricke. Rekne than
732the quantite of tyme in the bordure bitwixe
733bothe prickes, and tak there thyn arch of
734the day. The remenaunt of the bordure
735under the orisonte is the arch of the nyght.
736Thus maist thou rekne bothe arches, or every
737porcioun, of whether that the liketh. And by
738this manere of worching maist thou se how
739longe that eny sterre fix dwelleth above the
740erthe, fro tyme that he riseth til he go to reste.
741But the day naturall, that is to seyn 24 hours,
742is the revolucioun of the equinoxial with as
743muche partie of the zodiak as the sonne of
744his propre moeving passith in the mene
745while.
746
747

8. TO TURNE THE HOURES INEQUALES IN HOURES
748EQUALES.

749
750    Know the nombre of the degrees in the
751houres inequales, and depart hem by 15, and
752tak there thin houres equales.
753

column 2

754

9. TO KNOWE THE QUANTITE OF THE DAY VULGAR,
755THAT IS TO SEYN FRO SPRYNG OF THE DAY UNTO
756VERREY NYGHT.

757
758    Know the quantite of thy crepuscles, as I
759have taught in the 3 chapitre bifore, and adde
760hem to the arch of thy day artificial, and tak
761there the space of all the hool day vulgar unto
762verrey night. The same manere maist thou
763worche to knowe the quantite of the vulgar
764nyght.
765
766

10. TO KNOWE THE QUANTITE OF HOURES INEQUALES
767BY DAY.

768
769    Understond wel that these houres inequales
770ben clepid houres of planetes. And understond
771wel that som tyme ben thei lenger by
772day than by night, and som tyme the contrarie.
773But understond wel that evermo generaly
774the houre inequal of the day with the
775houre inequal of the night contenen 30 degrees
776of the bordure, which bordure is evermo answeryng
777to the degrees of the equinoxial.
778Wherfore departe the arch of the day artificial
779in 12, and tak there the quantite of
780the houre inequale by day. And if thou abate
781the quantite of the houre inequale by day out
782of 30, than shal the remenaunt that levith parforme
783the houre inequale by night.
784
785

11. TO KNOWE THE QUANTITE OF HOURES EQUALES.

786
787    The quantite of houres equales, that is to
788seyn the houres of the clokke, ben departid by
78915 degrees alredy in the bordure of thin Astrelaby,
790as wel by night as by day, generaly for
791evere. What nedith more declaracioun?
792    Wherfore whan the list to knowe how many
793houres of the clokke ben passed, or eny part
794of eny of these houres that ben passed, or ellis
795how many houres or parties of houres ben
796to come fro such a tyme to such a tyme by
797day or by night, know the degre of thy
798sonne, and ley thy label on it. Turne thy ryet
799aboute joyntly with thy label, and with the
800poynt of it rekne in the bordure fro the sonne
801arise unto that same place there thou desirist,
802by day as by nyght. This conclusioun wol I declare
803in the last chapitre of the 4 partie of this

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804tretys so openly that ther shal lakke no word
805that nedith to the declaracioun.
806
807

12. SPECIAL DECLARACIOUN OF THE HOURES OF
808PLANETES.

809
810    Understond wel that evermo, fro the arisyng
811of the sonne til it go to reste, the nadir of
812the sonne shal shewe the houre of the planete;
813and fro that tyme forward al the night til the
814sonne arise, than shal the verrey degre of the
815sonne shewe the houre of the planete.
816    Ensample as thus: The xiij day of March
817fyl upon a Saturday, peraventure, and atte risyng
818of the sonne I fond the secunde degre
819of Aries sittyng upon myn est orisonte, all
820be it that it was but litel. Than fond I the
8212 degre of Libra, nadir of my sonne, discending
822on my west orisonte, upon which west orisonte
823every day generaly, atte sonne arist, entrith the
824houre of eny planete, after which planete the
825day berith his name, and endith in the next
826strike of the plate under the forseide west
827orisonte. And evere as the sonne clymbith upper
828and upper, so goth his nadir downer
829and downer, teching by suche strikes the
830houres of planetes by ordir as they sitten
831in the hevene. The firste houre inequal of
832every Saturday is to Saturne, and the seconde
833to Jupiter, the thirde to Mars, the fourthe
834to the sonne, the fifte to Venus, the sixte to
835Mercurius, the seventhe to the mone. And
836then ageyn the 8 is to Saturne, the 9 to
837Jupiter, the 10 to Mars, the 11 to the sonne,
838the 12 to Venus. And now is my sonne gon
839to reste as for that Saturday. Than shewith
840the verrey degre of the sonne the houre
841of Mercurie entring under my west orisonte at
842eve; and next him succedith the mone, and
843so furth by ordir, planete after planete in houre
844after houre, all the nyght longe til the sonne
845arise. Now risith the sonne that Sonday by
846the morwe, and the nadir of the sonne upon
847the west orisonte shewith me the entring of the
848houre of the forseide sonne. And in this
849manere succedith planete under planete fro
850Saturne unto the mone, and fro the mone up
851ageyn to Saturne, houre after houre generaly.
852And thus knowe I this conclusyoun.
853
854

13. TO KNOWE THE ALTITUDE OF THE SONNE IN
855MYDDES OF THE DAY THAT IS CLEPID THE ALTITUDE
856MERIDIAN.

857

column 2

858    Set the degre of the sonne upon the lyne
859meridional, and rekne how many degrees of
860almykanteras ben bitwyxe thin est orisonte and
861the degre of thy sonne; and tak there thin altitude
862meridian, this to seyn, the highest of the
863sonne as for that day. So maist thou knowe in
864the same lyne the heighest cours that eny sterre
865fix clymbeth by night. This is to seyn that whan
866eny sterre fix is passid the lyne meridional,
867than begynneth it to descende; and so doth
868the sonne.
869
870

14. TO KNOWE THE DEGRE OF THE SONNE BY THY
871RYET, FOR A MANER CURIOSITE.

872
873    Sek besily with thy rule the highest of the
874sonne in mydde of the day. Turne than thin
875Astrelabie, and with a pricke of ynke marke
876the nombre of that same altitude in the lyne
877meridional; turne than thy ryet aboute tyl thou
878fynde a degre of thy zodiak according with the
879pricke, this is to seyn, sitting on the pricke.
880And in soth thou shalt finde but 2 degrees in
881all the zodiak of that condicioun; and yit
882thilke 2 degrees ben in diverse signes.
883Than maist thou lightly, by the sesoun of
884the yere, knowe the signe in which that is the
885sonne.
886
887

15. TO KNOWE WHICH DAY IS LIK TO WHICH
888DAY AS OF LENGTHE.

889
890    Loke whiche degrees ben ylike fer fro the
891hevedes of Cancer and Capricorne, and loke
892when the sonne is in eny of thilke degrees;
893than ben the dayes ylike of lengthe. This is
894to seyn that as longe is that day in that month,
895as was such a day in such a month; there varieth
896but litel.