Chapter 28

Of Venus, yit of that Calistre20And Aristotle whylom writeTo Alisandre, thou schalt wite.Bot for the lores ben diverse,[Three Parts of Philosophy.]I thenke ferst to the reherceThe nature of Philosophie;929Which Aristotle of his clergie,Wys and expert in the sciences,Declareth thilke intelligences,930As of thre pointz in principal.931Wherof the ferste in special30Is Theorique, which is groundedOn him which al the world hath founded,Which comprehendeth al the lore.And forto loken overmore,Next of sciences the secondeIs Rethorique, whos facondeAbove alle othre is eloquent:To telle a tale in juggementSo wel can noman speke as he.The laste science of the thre40It is Practique, whos officeThe vertu tryeth fro the vice,And techeth upon goode thewesTo fle the compaignie of schrewes,P. iii. 86Which stant in disposicionOf mannes free eleccion.Practique enformeth ek the reule,Hou that a worthi king schal reuleHis Realme bothe in werre and pes.Lo, thus danz Aristotiles50These thre sciences hath dividedAnd the nature also decided,Wherof that ech of hem schal serve.The ferste, which is the conserveAnd kepere of the remnant,As that which is most sufficant932And chief of the Philosophie,If I therof schal specefieSo as the Philosophre tolde,Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde.60[i.Theoric.]ii.Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summum:Qui caput agnoscit, sufficit illud ei.933Plura viros quandoque iuuat nescire, set illudQuod videt expediens, sobrius ille sapit.Of Theorique principalThe Philosophre in specialThe propretees hath determined,Hic tractat de prima parte Philosophie, que Theorica dicitur, cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia, scilicet Theologia, Phisica et Mathematica: set primo illam partem Theologie declarabit.As thilke which is enluminedOf wisdom and of hih prudenceAbove alle othre in his science:And stant departed upon thre,The ferste of which in his degreIs cleped in PhilosophieThe science of Theologie,70P. iii. 87That other named is Phisique,The thridde is seid Mathematique.[Theology.]Theologie is that scienceWhich unto man yifth evidenceOf thing which is noght bodely,Wherof men knowe redelyThe hihe almyhti Trinite,Which is o god in uniteWithouten ende and beginnyngeAnd creatour of alle thinge,80Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle.Wherof, as olde bokes telle,The Philosophre in his resounWrot upon this conclusioun,And of his wrytinge in a clauseHe clepeth god the ferste cause,Which of himself is thilke good,934Withoute whom nothing is good,Of which that every creature935Hath his beinge and his nature.90Nota quod triplex dicitur essencia: Prima temporanea, que incipit et desinit, Secunda perpetua, que incipit et non desinit, Tercia sempiterna, que nec incipit nec desinit.After the beinge of the thingesTher ben thre formes of beinges:936Thing which began and ende schal,That thing is cleped temporal;Ther is also be other weieThing which began and schal noght deie,As Soules, that ben spiritiel,Here beinge is perpetuel:Bot ther is on above the Sonne,Whos time nevere was begonne,100P. iii. 88And endeles schal evere be;That is the god, whos magesteAlle othre thinges schal governe,And his beinge is sempiterne.The god, to whom that al honourBelongeth, he is creatour,And othre ben hise creatures:The god commandeth the natures937That thei to him obeien alle;938Withouten him, what so befalle,110Her myht is non, and he mai al:The god was evere and evere schal,And thei begonne of his assent;The times alle be presentTo god, to hem and alle unknowe,Bot what him liketh that thei knowe:Thus bothe an angel and a man,The whiche of al that god beganBe chief, obeien goddes myht,939And he stant endeles upriht.120To this science ben priveThe clerkes of divinite,The whiche unto the poeple prechenThe feith of holi cherche and techen,Which in som cas upon believeStant more than thei conne prieveBe weie of Argument sensible:Bot natheles it is credible,And doth a man gret meede have,To him that thenkth himself to save.130P. iii. 89Theologie in such a wiseOf hih science and hih apriseAbove alle othre stant unlike,And is the ferste of Theorique.[Physics.]Phisique is after the secounde,Nota de secunda parte Theorice, que Phisica dicitur.Thurgh which the Philosophre hath foundeTo techen sondri knowlechingesUpon the bodiliche thinges.Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston,Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon140That ben of bodely substance,The nature and the circumstanceThurgh this science it is ful soght,Which vaileth and which vaileth noght.[Mathematics.]The thridde point of Theorique,Nota de tercia parte Theorice, que Mathematica dicitur, cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencias, scilicet Arsmeticam, Musicam, Geometriam et Astronomiam: set primo de Artismetice natura dicere intendit.Which cleped is Mathematique,Devided is in sondri wiseAnd stant upon diverse aprise.The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique,And the secounde is seid Musique,150The thridde is ek Geometrie,Also the ferthe Astronomie.Of Arsmetique the matiereIs that of which a man mai liereWhat Algorisme in nombre amonteth,Whan that the wise man acomptethAfter the formel propreteOf Algorismes Abece:Be which multiplicaciounIs mad and diminucioun160P. iii. 90Of sommes be thexperienceOf this Art and of this science.Nota de Musica, que secunda pars Artis Mathematice dicitur.The seconde of Mathematique,940Which is the science of Musique,That techeth upon ArmonieA man to make melodieBe vois and soun of instrumentThurgh notes of acordement,The whiche men pronounce alofte,Nou scharpe notes and nou softe,170Nou hihe notes and nou lowe,As be the gamme a man mai knowe,Which techeth the prolacionOf note and the condicion.Nota de tercia specie Artis Mathematice, quam Geometriam vocant.941Mathematique of his scienceHath yit the thridde intelligenceFull of wisdom and of clergieAnd cleped is Geometrie,Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhteOf lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte180To knowe the proporcionBe verrai calculacionOf this science: and in this wiseThese olde Philosophres wise,Of al this worldes erthe round,Hou large, hou thikke was the ground,Controeveden thexperience;The cercle and the circumferenceOf every thing unto the heveneThei setten point and mesure evene.942190P. iii. 91Mathematique above thertheOf hyh science hath yit the ferthe,Which spekth upon AstronomieAnd techeth of the sterres hihe,Beginnynge upward fro the mone.Bot ferst, as it was forto done,This Aristotle in other thingUnto this worthi yonge kingThe kinde of every elementWhich stant under the firmament,200Hou it is mad and in what wise,Fro point to point he gan devise.[Creation of the Four Elements.]iii.Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo,Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat.Nostraque quadruplici complexio sorte creatur,Corpore sicque suo stat variatus homo.Tofore the creacionOf eny worldes stacion,Hic interim943tractat de creacione quatuor Elementorum, scilicet terre, aque, aeris et ignis, necnon et de eorum naturis, nam et singulis proprietates singule attribuuntur.Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle,So as these olde bokes telle,As soun tofore the song is setAnd yit thei ben togedre knet,Riht so the hihe pourveanceTho hadde under his ordinance210A gret substance, a gret matiere,Of which he wolde in his manereThese othre thinges make and forme.For yit withouten eny formeWas that matiere universal,Which hihte Ylem in special.P. iii. 92Of Ylem, as I am enformed,These elementz ben mad and formed,Of Ylem elementz they hoteAfter the Scole of Aristote,220Of whiche if more I schal reherce,Foure elementz ther ben diverse.The ferste of hem men erthe calle,Nota de Terra, quod est primum elementum.Which is the lowest of hem alle,And in his forme is schape round,Substancial, strong, sadd and sound,As that which mad is sufficantTo bere up al the remenant.For as the point in a compasStant evene amiddes, riht so was230This erthe set and schal abyde,Philosophus. Vnumquodque naturaliter appetit suum centrum.That it may swerve to no side,And hath his centre after the laweOf kinde, and to that centre draweDesireth every worldes thing,If ther ne were no lettyng.944Nota de Aqua, quod est secundum elementum.Above therthe kepth his boundeThe water, which is the secoundeOf elementz, and al withouteIt environeth therthe aboute.240Bot as it scheweth, noght forthiThis soubtil water myhtely,Thogh it be of himselve softe,The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte;For riht as veines ben of blodIn man, riht so the water flodP. iii. 93Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines,Als wel the helles as the pleines.And that a man may sen at ÿe,For wher the hulles ben most hyhe,250Ther mai men welle stremes finde:So proveth it be weie of kindeThe water heyher than the lond.Nota de Aere, quod est tercium elementum.And over this nou understond,Air is the thridde of elementz,Of whos kinde his aspirementzTakth every lifissh creature,945The which schal upon erthe endure:For as the fissh, if it be dreie,Mot in defaute of water deie,260Riht so withouten Air on lyveNo man ne beste myhte thryve,946The which is mad of fleissh and bon;There is outake of alle non.Nota qualiter Aer in tribus Periferiis diuiditur.This Air in Periferies threDivided is of such degre,Benethe is on and on amidde,To whiche above is set the thridde:And upon the divisions947There ben diverse impressions270Of moist and ek of drye also,Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuoBen drawe and haled upon hy,And maken cloudes in the Sky,As schewed is at mannes sihte;948Wherof be day and ek be nyhteP. iii. 94After the times of the yerAmong ous upon Erthe herIn sondri wise thinges falle.De prima Aeris Periferia.The ferste Periferie of alle280Engendreth Myst and overmoreThe dewes and the Frostes hore,After thilke intersticionIn which thei take impression,De secunda Aeris Periferia.Fro the seconde, as bokes sein,The moiste dropes of the reynDescenden into Middilerthe,And tempreth it to sed and Erthe,And doth to springe grass and flour.And ofte also the grete schour290Out of such place it mai be take,That it the forme schal forsakeOf reyn, and into snow be torned;And ek it mai be so sojornedIn sondri places up alofte,That into hail it torneth ofte.De tercia Aeris Periferia.The thridde of thair after the laweThurgh such matiere as up is drawe949Of dreie thing, as it is ofte,Among the cloudes upon lofte,950300And is so clos, it may noght oute,—Thanne is it chased sore aboute,Til it to fyr and leyt be falle,951And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle,The whiche of so gret noyse craken,That thei the feerful thonder maken.P. iii. 95The thonderstrok smit er it leyte,And yit men sen the fyr and leyte,The thonderstrok er that men hiere:So mai it wel be proeved hiere310In thing which schewed is fro feer,A mannes yhe is there nerrThanne is the soun to mannes Ere.And natheles it is gret feereBothe of the strok and of the fyr,Of which is no recoverirIn place wher that thei descende,Bot if god wolde his grace sende.Nota hic952qualiter Ignes, quos noctanter in Aere discurrere videmus, secundum varias apparencie formas varia gestant nomina: quorum primus Assub, secundus Capra saliens, tercius Eges et quartus Daali in libris Philosophorum nuncupatus est.And forto speken over this,In this partie of thair it is320That men fulofte sen be nyhteThe fyr in sondri forme alyhte.Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth,953And so the lewed poeple it demeth;Somtime it semeth as it wereA Sterre, which that glydeth there:Bot it is nouther of the tuo,The Philosophre telleth so,And seith that of impressionsThurgh diverse exalacions954330Upon the cause and the matiereMen sen diverse forme appiereOf fyr, the which hath sondri name.Assub, he seith, is thilke same,The which in sondry place is founde,Whanne it is falle doun to grounde,955P. iii. 96So as the fyr it hath aneled,Lich unto slym which is congeled.Of exalacion I finde956Fyr kinled of the fame kinde,340Bot it is of an other forme;Wherof, if that I schal conformeThe figure unto that it is,These olde clerkes tellen this,That it is lik a Got skippende,And for that it is such semende,It hatte Capra saliens.And ek these AstronomiensAn other fyr also, be nyhteWhich scheweth him to mannes syhte,350Thei clepen Eges, the which brennethLik to the corrant fyr that rennethUpon a corde, as thou hast sein,Whan it with poudre is so beseinOf Sulphre and othre thinges mo.Ther is an other fyr also,Which semeth to a mannes yheBe nyhtes time as thogh ther flyheA dragon brennende in the Sky,And that is cleped proprely360Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte,957‘Lo, wher the fyri drake alofteFleth up in thair!’ and so thei demen.Bot why the fyres suche semenOf sondri formes to beholde,958The wise Philosophre tolde,P. iii. 97So as tofore it hath ben herd.Confessor.Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd:959Of Air the due propreteIn sondri wise thou myht se,370And hou under the firmamentIt is ek the thridde element,Which environeth bothe tuo,The water and the lond also.960Nota de Igne, quod est quartum elementum.And forto tellen overthisOf elementz which the ferthe is,That is the fyr in his degre,Which environeth thother threAnd is withoute moist al drye.Bot lest nou what seith the clergie;380For upon hem that I have seidThe creatour hath set and leidThe kinde and the complexionOf alle mennes nacion.Foure elementz sondri ther be,Lich unto whiche of that degreAmong the men ther ben alsoComplexions foure and nomo,Wherof the Philosophre treteth,That he nothing behinde leteth,390And seith hou that thei ben diverse,So as I schal to thee reherse.[The Four Complexions of Man.]He which natureth every kinde,961The myhti god, so as I finde,Of man, which is his creature,Nota hic qualiter secundum naturam quatuor elementorum quatuor in humano corpore complexiones, scilicet Malencolia, Fleuma, Sanguis et Colera, naturaliter constituuntur: vnde primo de Malencolia dicendum est.Hath so devided the nature,P. iii. 98That non til other wel acordeth:And be the cause it so discordeth,The lif which fieleth the seknesseMai stonde upon no sekernesse.400Of therthe, which is cold and drye,The kinde of man MalencolieIs cleped, and that is the ferste,The most ungoodlich and the werste;For unto loves werk on nyhtHim lacketh bothe will and myht:No wonder is, in lusty placeOf love though he lese grace.What man hath that complexion,Full of ymaginacion410Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes,He fret himselven al to noghtes.De complexione Fleumatis.The water, which is moyste and cold,Makth fleume, which is manyfoldForyetel, slou and wery soneOf every thing which is to done:He is of kinde sufficantTo holde love his covenant,Bot that him lacketh appetit,Which longeth unto such delit.420De complexione Sanguinis.What man that takth his kinde of thair,He schal be lyht, he schal be fair,For his complexion is blood.Of alle ther is non so good,For he hath bothe will and myhtTo plese and paie love his riht:P. iii. 99Wher as he hath love undertake,Wrong is if that he be forsake.De complexione Colere.The fyr of his condicion962Appropreth the complexion430Which in a man is Colre hote,Whos propretes ben dreie and hote:It makth a man ben enginousAnd swift of fote and ek irous;Of contek and folhastifnesseHe hath a riht gret besinesse,To thenke of love and litel may:Though he behote wel a day,963On nyht whan that he wole assaie,He may ful evele his dette paie.440Nota qualiter quatuor complexiones quatuor in homine habitaciones diuisim possident.After the kinde of thelement,Thus stant a mannes kinde went,As touchende his complexion,Upon sondri divisionOf dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete,964And ech of hem his oghne seteAppropred hath withinne a man.And ferst to telle as I began,Splen domus est965Malencolie.The Splen is to MalencolieAssigned for herbergerie:450Pulmo domus966mFleumatis.The moiste fleume with his cold966Hath in the lunges for his holdOrdeined him a propre stede,To duelle ther as he is bede:Epar domus Sanguinis.To the Sanguin complexionNature of hire inspeccion967P. iii. 100A propre hous hath in the livereFor his duellinge mad delivere:Fel domus Colere.The dreie Colre with his heteBe weie of kinde his propre sete460Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth,So as the Philosophre telleth.Nota de Stomacho, qui vna cum aliis cordi968specialius deseruit.Nou over this is forto wite,As it is in Phisique writeOf livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen,Thei alle unto the herte benServantz, and ech in his officeEntendeth to don him service,As he which is chief lord above.969The livere makth him forto love,470The lunge yifth him weie of speche,The galle serveth to do wreche,The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie,Whan al unclennesse is aweie:Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede.And to sustienen hem and fedeIn time of recreacion,Nature hath in creacion970The Stomach for a comun CocOrdeined, so as seith the boc.971480The Stomach coc is for the halle,And builleth mete for hem alle,To make hem myghty forto serve972The herte, that he schal noght sterve:For as a king in his EmpireAbove alle othre is lord and Sire,P. iii. 101So is the herte principal,To whom reson in specialIs yove as for the governance.[The Soul of Man.]And thus nature his pourveance490Hath mad for man to liven hiere;Bot god, which hath the Soule diere,973Hath formed it in other wise.That can noman pleinli devise;Bot as the clerkes ous enforme,That lich to god it hath a forme,Thurgh which figure and which liknesseThe Soule hath many an hyh noblesseAppropred to his oghne kinde.Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde500Al onliche of this ilke point,That hir abydinge is conjointForth with the bodi forto duelle:That on desireth toward helle,That other upward to the hevene;So schul thei nevere stonde in evene,Bot if the fleissh be overcomeAnd that the Soule have holi nome974The governance, and that is selde,Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde.975510Al erthli thing which god beganWas only mad to serve man;Bot he the Soule al only madeHimselven forto serve and glade.Alle othre bestes that men findeThei serve unto here oghne kinde,P. iii. 102Bot to reson the Soule serveth;Wherof the man his thonk deservethAnd get him with hise werkes goodeThe perdurable lyves foode.520[The Division of the Earth.]Of what matiere it schal be told,976A tale lyketh manyfoldHic loquitur vlterius de diuisione Terre que post diluuium tribus filiis Noe in tres partes, scilicet Asiam, Affricam et Europam diuidebatur.The betre, if it be spoke plein:Thus thinke I forto torne ayeinAnd telle plenerly therfore977Of therthe, wherof nou toforeI spak, and of the water eke,So as these olde clerkes spieke,978And sette proprely the boundeAfter the forme of Mappemounde,530Thurgh which the ground be pourpartiesDeparted is in thre parties,That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe,The whiche under the hevene cope,Als ferr as streccheth eny ground,Begripeth al this Erthe round.Bot after that the hihe wriecheThe water weies let out secheAnd overgo the helles hye,Which every kinde made dye540That upon Middelerthe stod,979Outake Noë and his blod,His Sones and his doughtres thre,Thei were sauf and so was he;—Here names who that rede rihte,Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;—980P. iii. 103And whanne thilke almyhty hondWithdrouh the water fro the lond,And al the rage was aweie,And Erthe was the mannes weie,550The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde,Riht after that hemselve wolde,981This world departe thei begonne.De Asia.Asie, which lay to the SonneUpon the Marche of orient,Was graunted be comun assentTo Sem, which was the Sone eldeste;For that partie was the besteAnd double as moche as othre tuo.And was that time bounded so;560Wher as the flod which men Nil callethDeparteth fro his cours and fallethInto the See Alexandrine,Ther takth Asie ferst seisineToward the West, and over thisOf Canahim wher the flod isInto the grete See rennende,Fro that into the worldes endeEstward, Asie it is algates,Til that men come unto the gates570Of Paradis, and there ho.And schortly for to speke it so,Of Orient in generalWithinne his bounde Asie hath al.De Aufrica982et Europa.And thanne upon that other sydeWestward, as it fell thilke tyde,P. iii. 104The brother which was hote ChamUpon his part Aufrique nam.983Japhet Europe tho tok he,Thus parten thei the world on thre.580Bot yit ther ben of londes feleIn occident as for the chele,In orient as for the hete,Which of the poeple be forlete984As lond desert that is unable,For it mai noght ben habitable.Nota de mari quod magnum Occeanum dicitur.The water eke hath sondri bounde,After the lond wher it is founde,And takth his name of thilke londesWher that it renneth on the strondes:590Bot thilke See which hath no waneIs cleped the gret Occeane,Out of the which arise and comeThe hyhe flodes alle and some;Is non so litel welle spring,Which ther ne takth his beginnyng,And lich a man that haleth breth985Be weie of kinde, so it gethOut of the See and in ayein,The water, as the bokes sein.600Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto Elemento, quod omnia sub celo creata infra suum ambitum continet, cui nomen Orbis specialiter appropriatum est.Of Elementz the propretesHou that they stonden be degres,As I have told, nou myht thou hiere,Mi goode Sone, al the matiereOf Erthe, of water, Air and fyr.And for thou saist that thi desirP. iii. 105Is forto witen overmoreThe forme of Aristotles lore,He seith in his entendement,That yit ther is an Element610Above the foure, and is the fifte,Set of the hihe goddes yifte,The which that Orbis cleped is.And therupon he telleth this,That as the schelle hol and soundEncloseth al aboute roundWhat thing withinne an Ey belongeth,Riht so this Orbis underfongethThese elementz alle everychon,Which I have spoke of on and on.986620Bot overthis nou tak good hiede,987Mi Sone, for I wol procedeTo speke upon Mathematique,Which grounded is on Theorique.The science of AstronomieI thinke forto specefie,Withoute which, to telle plein,Alle othre science is in vein988Toward the scole of erthli thinges:For as an Egle with his winges630Fleth above alle that men finde,So doth this science in his kinde.

Of Venus, yit of that Calistre20

And Aristotle whylom write

To Alisandre, thou schalt wite.

Bot for the lores ben diverse,

[Three Parts of Philosophy.]

I thenke ferst to the reherce

The nature of Philosophie;929

Which Aristotle of his clergie,

Wys and expert in the sciences,

Declareth thilke intelligences,930

As of thre pointz in principal.931

Wherof the ferste in special30

Is Theorique, which is grounded

On him which al the world hath founded,

Which comprehendeth al the lore.

And forto loken overmore,

Next of sciences the seconde

Is Rethorique, whos faconde

Above alle othre is eloquent:

To telle a tale in juggement

So wel can noman speke as he.

The laste science of the thre40

It is Practique, whos office

The vertu tryeth fro the vice,

And techeth upon goode thewes

To fle the compaignie of schrewes,

P. iii. 86

Which stant in disposicion

Of mannes free eleccion.

Practique enformeth ek the reule,

Hou that a worthi king schal reule

His Realme bothe in werre and pes.

Lo, thus danz Aristotiles50

These thre sciences hath divided

And the nature also decided,

Wherof that ech of hem schal serve.

The ferste, which is the conserve

And kepere of the remnant,

As that which is most sufficant932

And chief of the Philosophie,

If I therof schal specefie

So as the Philosophre tolde,

Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde.60

[i.Theoric.]

ii.Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summum:Qui caput agnoscit, sufficit illud ei.933Plura viros quandoque iuuat nescire, set illudQuod videt expediens, sobrius ille sapit.

ii.Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summum:

Qui caput agnoscit, sufficit illud ei.933

Plura viros quandoque iuuat nescire, set illud

Quod videt expediens, sobrius ille sapit.

Of Theorique principalThe Philosophre in specialThe propretees hath determined,Hic tractat de prima parte Philosophie, que Theorica dicitur, cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia, scilicet Theologia, Phisica et Mathematica: set primo illam partem Theologie declarabit.As thilke which is enluminedOf wisdom and of hih prudenceAbove alle othre in his science:And stant departed upon thre,The ferste of which in his degreIs cleped in PhilosophieThe science of Theologie,70P. iii. 87That other named is Phisique,The thridde is seid Mathematique.[Theology.]Theologie is that scienceWhich unto man yifth evidenceOf thing which is noght bodely,Wherof men knowe redelyThe hihe almyhti Trinite,Which is o god in uniteWithouten ende and beginnyngeAnd creatour of alle thinge,80Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle.Wherof, as olde bokes telle,The Philosophre in his resounWrot upon this conclusioun,And of his wrytinge in a clauseHe clepeth god the ferste cause,Which of himself is thilke good,934Withoute whom nothing is good,Of which that every creature935Hath his beinge and his nature.90Nota quod triplex dicitur essencia: Prima temporanea, que incipit et desinit, Secunda perpetua, que incipit et non desinit, Tercia sempiterna, que nec incipit nec desinit.After the beinge of the thingesTher ben thre formes of beinges:936Thing which began and ende schal,That thing is cleped temporal;Ther is also be other weieThing which began and schal noght deie,As Soules, that ben spiritiel,Here beinge is perpetuel:Bot ther is on above the Sonne,Whos time nevere was begonne,100P. iii. 88And endeles schal evere be;That is the god, whos magesteAlle othre thinges schal governe,And his beinge is sempiterne.The god, to whom that al honourBelongeth, he is creatour,And othre ben hise creatures:The god commandeth the natures937That thei to him obeien alle;938Withouten him, what so befalle,110Her myht is non, and he mai al:The god was evere and evere schal,And thei begonne of his assent;The times alle be presentTo god, to hem and alle unknowe,Bot what him liketh that thei knowe:Thus bothe an angel and a man,The whiche of al that god beganBe chief, obeien goddes myht,939And he stant endeles upriht.120To this science ben priveThe clerkes of divinite,The whiche unto the poeple prechenThe feith of holi cherche and techen,Which in som cas upon believeStant more than thei conne prieveBe weie of Argument sensible:Bot natheles it is credible,And doth a man gret meede have,To him that thenkth himself to save.130P. iii. 89Theologie in such a wiseOf hih science and hih apriseAbove alle othre stant unlike,And is the ferste of Theorique.[Physics.]Phisique is after the secounde,Nota de secunda parte Theorice, que Phisica dicitur.Thurgh which the Philosophre hath foundeTo techen sondri knowlechingesUpon the bodiliche thinges.Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston,Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon140That ben of bodely substance,The nature and the circumstanceThurgh this science it is ful soght,Which vaileth and which vaileth noght.[Mathematics.]The thridde point of Theorique,Nota de tercia parte Theorice, que Mathematica dicitur, cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencias, scilicet Arsmeticam, Musicam, Geometriam et Astronomiam: set primo de Artismetice natura dicere intendit.Which cleped is Mathematique,Devided is in sondri wiseAnd stant upon diverse aprise.The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique,And the secounde is seid Musique,150The thridde is ek Geometrie,Also the ferthe Astronomie.Of Arsmetique the matiereIs that of which a man mai liereWhat Algorisme in nombre amonteth,Whan that the wise man acomptethAfter the formel propreteOf Algorismes Abece:Be which multiplicaciounIs mad and diminucioun160P. iii. 90Of sommes be thexperienceOf this Art and of this science.Nota de Musica, que secunda pars Artis Mathematice dicitur.The seconde of Mathematique,940Which is the science of Musique,That techeth upon ArmonieA man to make melodieBe vois and soun of instrumentThurgh notes of acordement,The whiche men pronounce alofte,Nou scharpe notes and nou softe,170Nou hihe notes and nou lowe,As be the gamme a man mai knowe,Which techeth the prolacionOf note and the condicion.Nota de tercia specie Artis Mathematice, quam Geometriam vocant.941Mathematique of his scienceHath yit the thridde intelligenceFull of wisdom and of clergieAnd cleped is Geometrie,Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhteOf lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte180To knowe the proporcionBe verrai calculacionOf this science: and in this wiseThese olde Philosophres wise,Of al this worldes erthe round,Hou large, hou thikke was the ground,Controeveden thexperience;The cercle and the circumferenceOf every thing unto the heveneThei setten point and mesure evene.942190P. iii. 91Mathematique above thertheOf hyh science hath yit the ferthe,Which spekth upon AstronomieAnd techeth of the sterres hihe,Beginnynge upward fro the mone.Bot ferst, as it was forto done,This Aristotle in other thingUnto this worthi yonge kingThe kinde of every elementWhich stant under the firmament,200Hou it is mad and in what wise,Fro point to point he gan devise.

Of Theorique principal

The Philosophre in special

The propretees hath determined,

Hic tractat de prima parte Philosophie, que Theorica dicitur, cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia, scilicet Theologia, Phisica et Mathematica: set primo illam partem Theologie declarabit.

As thilke which is enlumined

Of wisdom and of hih prudence

Above alle othre in his science:

And stant departed upon thre,

The ferste of which in his degre

Is cleped in Philosophie

The science of Theologie,70

P. iii. 87

That other named is Phisique,

The thridde is seid Mathematique.

[Theology.]

Theologie is that science

Which unto man yifth evidence

Of thing which is noght bodely,

Wherof men knowe redely

The hihe almyhti Trinite,

Which is o god in unite

Withouten ende and beginnynge

And creatour of alle thinge,80

Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle.

Wherof, as olde bokes telle,

The Philosophre in his resoun

Wrot upon this conclusioun,

And of his wrytinge in a clause

He clepeth god the ferste cause,

Which of himself is thilke good,934

Withoute whom nothing is good,

Of which that every creature935

Hath his beinge and his nature.90

Nota quod triplex dicitur essencia: Prima temporanea, que incipit et desinit, Secunda perpetua, que incipit et non desinit, Tercia sempiterna, que nec incipit nec desinit.

After the beinge of the thinges

Ther ben thre formes of beinges:936

Thing which began and ende schal,

That thing is cleped temporal;

Ther is also be other weie

Thing which began and schal noght deie,

As Soules, that ben spiritiel,

Here beinge is perpetuel:

Bot ther is on above the Sonne,

Whos time nevere was begonne,100

P. iii. 88

And endeles schal evere be;

That is the god, whos mageste

Alle othre thinges schal governe,

And his beinge is sempiterne.

The god, to whom that al honour

Belongeth, he is creatour,

And othre ben hise creatures:

The god commandeth the natures937

That thei to him obeien alle;938

Withouten him, what so befalle,110

Her myht is non, and he mai al:

The god was evere and evere schal,

And thei begonne of his assent;

The times alle be present

To god, to hem and alle unknowe,

Bot what him liketh that thei knowe:

Thus bothe an angel and a man,

The whiche of al that god began

Be chief, obeien goddes myht,939

And he stant endeles upriht.120

To this science ben prive

The clerkes of divinite,

The whiche unto the poeple prechen

The feith of holi cherche and techen,

Which in som cas upon believe

Stant more than thei conne prieve

Be weie of Argument sensible:

Bot natheles it is credible,

And doth a man gret meede have,

To him that thenkth himself to save.130

P. iii. 89

Theologie in such a wise

Of hih science and hih aprise

Above alle othre stant unlike,

And is the ferste of Theorique.

[Physics.]

Phisique is after the secounde,

Nota de secunda parte Theorice, que Phisica dicitur.

Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde

To techen sondri knowlechinges

Upon the bodiliche thinges.

Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston,

Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon140

That ben of bodely substance,

The nature and the circumstance

Thurgh this science it is ful soght,

Which vaileth and which vaileth noght.

[Mathematics.]

The thridde point of Theorique,

Nota de tercia parte Theorice, que Mathematica dicitur, cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencias, scilicet Arsmeticam, Musicam, Geometriam et Astronomiam: set primo de Artismetice natura dicere intendit.

Which cleped is Mathematique,

Devided is in sondri wise

And stant upon diverse aprise.

The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique,

And the secounde is seid Musique,150

The thridde is ek Geometrie,

Also the ferthe Astronomie.

Of Arsmetique the matiere

Is that of which a man mai liere

What Algorisme in nombre amonteth,

Whan that the wise man acompteth

After the formel proprete

Of Algorismes Abece:

Be which multiplicacioun

Is mad and diminucioun160

P. iii. 90

Of sommes be thexperience

Of this Art and of this science.

Nota de Musica, que secunda pars Artis Mathematice dicitur.

The seconde of Mathematique,940

Which is the science of Musique,

That techeth upon Armonie

A man to make melodie

Be vois and soun of instrument

Thurgh notes of acordement,

The whiche men pronounce alofte,

Nou scharpe notes and nou softe,170

Nou hihe notes and nou lowe,

As be the gamme a man mai knowe,

Which techeth the prolacion

Of note and the condicion.

Nota de tercia specie Artis Mathematice, quam Geometriam vocant.941

Mathematique of his science

Hath yit the thridde intelligence

Full of wisdom and of clergie

And cleped is Geometrie,

Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte

Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte180

To knowe the proporcion

Be verrai calculacion

Of this science: and in this wise

These olde Philosophres wise,

Of al this worldes erthe round,

Hou large, hou thikke was the ground,

Controeveden thexperience;

The cercle and the circumference

Of every thing unto the hevene

Thei setten point and mesure evene.942190

P. iii. 91

Mathematique above therthe

Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe,

Which spekth upon Astronomie

And techeth of the sterres hihe,

Beginnynge upward fro the mone.

Bot ferst, as it was forto done,

This Aristotle in other thing

Unto this worthi yonge king

The kinde of every element

Which stant under the firmament,200

Hou it is mad and in what wise,

Fro point to point he gan devise.

[Creation of the Four Elements.]iii.Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo,Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat.Nostraque quadruplici complexio sorte creatur,Corpore sicque suo stat variatus homo.

[Creation of the Four Elements.]

iii.Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo,

Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat.

Nostraque quadruplici complexio sorte creatur,

Corpore sicque suo stat variatus homo.

Tofore the creacionOf eny worldes stacion,Hic interim943tractat de creacione quatuor Elementorum, scilicet terre, aque, aeris et ignis, necnon et de eorum naturis, nam et singulis proprietates singule attribuuntur.Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle,So as these olde bokes telle,As soun tofore the song is setAnd yit thei ben togedre knet,Riht so the hihe pourveanceTho hadde under his ordinance210A gret substance, a gret matiere,Of which he wolde in his manereThese othre thinges make and forme.For yit withouten eny formeWas that matiere universal,Which hihte Ylem in special.P. iii. 92Of Ylem, as I am enformed,These elementz ben mad and formed,Of Ylem elementz they hoteAfter the Scole of Aristote,220Of whiche if more I schal reherce,Foure elementz ther ben diverse.The ferste of hem men erthe calle,Nota de Terra, quod est primum elementum.Which is the lowest of hem alle,And in his forme is schape round,Substancial, strong, sadd and sound,As that which mad is sufficantTo bere up al the remenant.For as the point in a compasStant evene amiddes, riht so was230This erthe set and schal abyde,Philosophus. Vnumquodque naturaliter appetit suum centrum.That it may swerve to no side,And hath his centre after the laweOf kinde, and to that centre draweDesireth every worldes thing,If ther ne were no lettyng.944Nota de Aqua, quod est secundum elementum.Above therthe kepth his boundeThe water, which is the secoundeOf elementz, and al withouteIt environeth therthe aboute.240Bot as it scheweth, noght forthiThis soubtil water myhtely,Thogh it be of himselve softe,The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte;For riht as veines ben of blodIn man, riht so the water flodP. iii. 93Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines,Als wel the helles as the pleines.And that a man may sen at ÿe,For wher the hulles ben most hyhe,250Ther mai men welle stremes finde:So proveth it be weie of kindeThe water heyher than the lond.Nota de Aere, quod est tercium elementum.And over this nou understond,Air is the thridde of elementz,Of whos kinde his aspirementzTakth every lifissh creature,945The which schal upon erthe endure:For as the fissh, if it be dreie,Mot in defaute of water deie,260Riht so withouten Air on lyveNo man ne beste myhte thryve,946The which is mad of fleissh and bon;There is outake of alle non.Nota qualiter Aer in tribus Periferiis diuiditur.This Air in Periferies threDivided is of such degre,Benethe is on and on amidde,To whiche above is set the thridde:And upon the divisions947There ben diverse impressions270Of moist and ek of drye also,Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuoBen drawe and haled upon hy,And maken cloudes in the Sky,As schewed is at mannes sihte;948Wherof be day and ek be nyhteP. iii. 94After the times of the yerAmong ous upon Erthe herIn sondri wise thinges falle.De prima Aeris Periferia.The ferste Periferie of alle280Engendreth Myst and overmoreThe dewes and the Frostes hore,After thilke intersticionIn which thei take impression,De secunda Aeris Periferia.Fro the seconde, as bokes sein,The moiste dropes of the reynDescenden into Middilerthe,And tempreth it to sed and Erthe,And doth to springe grass and flour.And ofte also the grete schour290Out of such place it mai be take,That it the forme schal forsakeOf reyn, and into snow be torned;And ek it mai be so sojornedIn sondri places up alofte,That into hail it torneth ofte.De tercia Aeris Periferia.The thridde of thair after the laweThurgh such matiere as up is drawe949Of dreie thing, as it is ofte,Among the cloudes upon lofte,950300And is so clos, it may noght oute,—Thanne is it chased sore aboute,Til it to fyr and leyt be falle,951And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle,The whiche of so gret noyse craken,That thei the feerful thonder maken.P. iii. 95The thonderstrok smit er it leyte,And yit men sen the fyr and leyte,The thonderstrok er that men hiere:So mai it wel be proeved hiere310In thing which schewed is fro feer,A mannes yhe is there nerrThanne is the soun to mannes Ere.And natheles it is gret feereBothe of the strok and of the fyr,Of which is no recoverirIn place wher that thei descende,Bot if god wolde his grace sende.Nota hic952qualiter Ignes, quos noctanter in Aere discurrere videmus, secundum varias apparencie formas varia gestant nomina: quorum primus Assub, secundus Capra saliens, tercius Eges et quartus Daali in libris Philosophorum nuncupatus est.And forto speken over this,In this partie of thair it is320That men fulofte sen be nyhteThe fyr in sondri forme alyhte.Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth,953And so the lewed poeple it demeth;Somtime it semeth as it wereA Sterre, which that glydeth there:Bot it is nouther of the tuo,The Philosophre telleth so,And seith that of impressionsThurgh diverse exalacions954330Upon the cause and the matiereMen sen diverse forme appiereOf fyr, the which hath sondri name.Assub, he seith, is thilke same,The which in sondry place is founde,Whanne it is falle doun to grounde,955P. iii. 96So as the fyr it hath aneled,Lich unto slym which is congeled.Of exalacion I finde956Fyr kinled of the fame kinde,340Bot it is of an other forme;Wherof, if that I schal conformeThe figure unto that it is,These olde clerkes tellen this,That it is lik a Got skippende,And for that it is such semende,It hatte Capra saliens.And ek these AstronomiensAn other fyr also, be nyhteWhich scheweth him to mannes syhte,350Thei clepen Eges, the which brennethLik to the corrant fyr that rennethUpon a corde, as thou hast sein,Whan it with poudre is so beseinOf Sulphre and othre thinges mo.Ther is an other fyr also,Which semeth to a mannes yheBe nyhtes time as thogh ther flyheA dragon brennende in the Sky,And that is cleped proprely360Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte,957‘Lo, wher the fyri drake alofteFleth up in thair!’ and so thei demen.Bot why the fyres suche semenOf sondri formes to beholde,958The wise Philosophre tolde,P. iii. 97So as tofore it hath ben herd.Confessor.Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd:959Of Air the due propreteIn sondri wise thou myht se,370And hou under the firmamentIt is ek the thridde element,Which environeth bothe tuo,The water and the lond also.960Nota de Igne, quod est quartum elementum.And forto tellen overthisOf elementz which the ferthe is,That is the fyr in his degre,Which environeth thother threAnd is withoute moist al drye.Bot lest nou what seith the clergie;380For upon hem that I have seidThe creatour hath set and leidThe kinde and the complexionOf alle mennes nacion.Foure elementz sondri ther be,Lich unto whiche of that degreAmong the men ther ben alsoComplexions foure and nomo,Wherof the Philosophre treteth,That he nothing behinde leteth,390And seith hou that thei ben diverse,So as I schal to thee reherse.

Tofore the creacion

Of eny worldes stacion,

Hic interim943tractat de creacione quatuor Elementorum, scilicet terre, aque, aeris et ignis, necnon et de eorum naturis, nam et singulis proprietates singule attribuuntur.

Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle,

So as these olde bokes telle,

As soun tofore the song is set

And yit thei ben togedre knet,

Riht so the hihe pourveance

Tho hadde under his ordinance210

A gret substance, a gret matiere,

Of which he wolde in his manere

These othre thinges make and forme.

For yit withouten eny forme

Was that matiere universal,

Which hihte Ylem in special.

P. iii. 92

Of Ylem, as I am enformed,

These elementz ben mad and formed,

Of Ylem elementz they hote

After the Scole of Aristote,220

Of whiche if more I schal reherce,

Foure elementz ther ben diverse.

The ferste of hem men erthe calle,

Nota de Terra, quod est primum elementum.

Which is the lowest of hem alle,

And in his forme is schape round,

Substancial, strong, sadd and sound,

As that which mad is sufficant

To bere up al the remenant.

For as the point in a compas

Stant evene amiddes, riht so was230

This erthe set and schal abyde,

Philosophus. Vnumquodque naturaliter appetit suum centrum.

That it may swerve to no side,

And hath his centre after the lawe

Of kinde, and to that centre drawe

Desireth every worldes thing,

If ther ne were no lettyng.944

Nota de Aqua, quod est secundum elementum.

Above therthe kepth his bounde

The water, which is the secounde

Of elementz, and al withoute

It environeth therthe aboute.240

Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi

This soubtil water myhtely,

Thogh it be of himselve softe,

The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte;

For riht as veines ben of blod

In man, riht so the water flod

P. iii. 93

Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines,

Als wel the helles as the pleines.

And that a man may sen at ÿe,

For wher the hulles ben most hyhe,250

Ther mai men welle stremes finde:

So proveth it be weie of kinde

The water heyher than the lond.

Nota de Aere, quod est tercium elementum.

And over this nou understond,

Air is the thridde of elementz,

Of whos kinde his aspirementz

Takth every lifissh creature,945

The which schal upon erthe endure:

For as the fissh, if it be dreie,

Mot in defaute of water deie,260

Riht so withouten Air on lyve

No man ne beste myhte thryve,946

The which is mad of fleissh and bon;

There is outake of alle non.

Nota qualiter Aer in tribus Periferiis diuiditur.

This Air in Periferies thre

Divided is of such degre,

Benethe is on and on amidde,

To whiche above is set the thridde:

And upon the divisions947

There ben diverse impressions270

Of moist and ek of drye also,

Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuo

Ben drawe and haled upon hy,

And maken cloudes in the Sky,

As schewed is at mannes sihte;948

Wherof be day and ek be nyhte

P. iii. 94

After the times of the yer

Among ous upon Erthe her

In sondri wise thinges falle.

De prima Aeris Periferia.

The ferste Periferie of alle280

Engendreth Myst and overmore

The dewes and the Frostes hore,

After thilke intersticion

In which thei take impression,

De secunda Aeris Periferia.

Fro the seconde, as bokes sein,

The moiste dropes of the reyn

Descenden into Middilerthe,

And tempreth it to sed and Erthe,

And doth to springe grass and flour.

And ofte also the grete schour290

Out of such place it mai be take,

That it the forme schal forsake

Of reyn, and into snow be torned;

And ek it mai be so sojorned

In sondri places up alofte,

That into hail it torneth ofte.

De tercia Aeris Periferia.

The thridde of thair after the lawe

Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe949

Of dreie thing, as it is ofte,

Among the cloudes upon lofte,950300

And is so clos, it may noght oute,—

Thanne is it chased sore aboute,

Til it to fyr and leyt be falle,951

And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle,

The whiche of so gret noyse craken,

That thei the feerful thonder maken.

P. iii. 95

The thonderstrok smit er it leyte,

And yit men sen the fyr and leyte,

The thonderstrok er that men hiere:

So mai it wel be proeved hiere310

In thing which schewed is fro feer,

A mannes yhe is there nerr

Thanne is the soun to mannes Ere.

And natheles it is gret feere

Bothe of the strok and of the fyr,

Of which is no recoverir

In place wher that thei descende,

Bot if god wolde his grace sende.

Nota hic952qualiter Ignes, quos noctanter in Aere discurrere videmus, secundum varias apparencie formas varia gestant nomina: quorum primus Assub, secundus Capra saliens, tercius Eges et quartus Daali in libris Philosophorum nuncupatus est.

And forto speken over this,

In this partie of thair it is320

That men fulofte sen be nyhte

The fyr in sondri forme alyhte.

Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth,953

And so the lewed poeple it demeth;

Somtime it semeth as it were

A Sterre, which that glydeth there:

Bot it is nouther of the tuo,

The Philosophre telleth so,

And seith that of impressions

Thurgh diverse exalacions954330

Upon the cause and the matiere

Men sen diverse forme appiere

Of fyr, the which hath sondri name.

Assub, he seith, is thilke same,

The which in sondry place is founde,

Whanne it is falle doun to grounde,955

P. iii. 96

So as the fyr it hath aneled,

Lich unto slym which is congeled.

Of exalacion I finde956

Fyr kinled of the fame kinde,340

Bot it is of an other forme;

Wherof, if that I schal conforme

The figure unto that it is,

These olde clerkes tellen this,

That it is lik a Got skippende,

And for that it is such semende,

It hatte Capra saliens.

And ek these Astronomiens

An other fyr also, be nyhte

Which scheweth him to mannes syhte,350

Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth

Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth

Upon a corde, as thou hast sein,

Whan it with poudre is so besein

Of Sulphre and othre thinges mo.

Ther is an other fyr also,

Which semeth to a mannes yhe

Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe

A dragon brennende in the Sky,

And that is cleped proprely360

Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte,957

‘Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte

Fleth up in thair!’ and so thei demen.

Bot why the fyres suche semen

Of sondri formes to beholde,958

The wise Philosophre tolde,

P. iii. 97

So as tofore it hath ben herd.

Confessor.

Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd:959

Of Air the due proprete

In sondri wise thou myht se,370

And hou under the firmament

It is ek the thridde element,

Which environeth bothe tuo,

The water and the lond also.960

Nota de Igne, quod est quartum elementum.

And forto tellen overthis

Of elementz which the ferthe is,

That is the fyr in his degre,

Which environeth thother thre

And is withoute moist al drye.

Bot lest nou what seith the clergie;380

For upon hem that I have seid

The creatour hath set and leid

The kinde and the complexion

Of alle mennes nacion.

Foure elementz sondri ther be,

Lich unto whiche of that degre

Among the men ther ben also

Complexions foure and nomo,

Wherof the Philosophre treteth,

That he nothing behinde leteth,390

And seith hou that thei ben diverse,

So as I schal to thee reherse.

[The Four Complexions of Man.]He which natureth every kinde,961The myhti god, so as I finde,Of man, which is his creature,Nota hic qualiter secundum naturam quatuor elementorum quatuor in humano corpore complexiones, scilicet Malencolia, Fleuma, Sanguis et Colera, naturaliter constituuntur: vnde primo de Malencolia dicendum est.Hath so devided the nature,P. iii. 98That non til other wel acordeth:And be the cause it so discordeth,The lif which fieleth the seknesseMai stonde upon no sekernesse.400Of therthe, which is cold and drye,The kinde of man MalencolieIs cleped, and that is the ferste,The most ungoodlich and the werste;For unto loves werk on nyhtHim lacketh bothe will and myht:No wonder is, in lusty placeOf love though he lese grace.What man hath that complexion,Full of ymaginacion410Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes,He fret himselven al to noghtes.De complexione Fleumatis.The water, which is moyste and cold,Makth fleume, which is manyfoldForyetel, slou and wery soneOf every thing which is to done:He is of kinde sufficantTo holde love his covenant,Bot that him lacketh appetit,Which longeth unto such delit.420De complexione Sanguinis.What man that takth his kinde of thair,He schal be lyht, he schal be fair,For his complexion is blood.Of alle ther is non so good,For he hath bothe will and myhtTo plese and paie love his riht:P. iii. 99Wher as he hath love undertake,Wrong is if that he be forsake.De complexione Colere.The fyr of his condicion962Appropreth the complexion430Which in a man is Colre hote,Whos propretes ben dreie and hote:It makth a man ben enginousAnd swift of fote and ek irous;Of contek and folhastifnesseHe hath a riht gret besinesse,To thenke of love and litel may:Though he behote wel a day,963On nyht whan that he wole assaie,He may ful evele his dette paie.440Nota qualiter quatuor complexiones quatuor in homine habitaciones diuisim possident.After the kinde of thelement,Thus stant a mannes kinde went,As touchende his complexion,Upon sondri divisionOf dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete,964And ech of hem his oghne seteAppropred hath withinne a man.And ferst to telle as I began,Splen domus est965Malencolie.The Splen is to MalencolieAssigned for herbergerie:450Pulmo domus966mFleumatis.The moiste fleume with his cold966Hath in the lunges for his holdOrdeined him a propre stede,To duelle ther as he is bede:Epar domus Sanguinis.To the Sanguin complexionNature of hire inspeccion967P. iii. 100A propre hous hath in the livereFor his duellinge mad delivere:Fel domus Colere.The dreie Colre with his heteBe weie of kinde his propre sete460Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth,So as the Philosophre telleth.Nota de Stomacho, qui vna cum aliis cordi968specialius deseruit.Nou over this is forto wite,As it is in Phisique writeOf livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen,Thei alle unto the herte benServantz, and ech in his officeEntendeth to don him service,As he which is chief lord above.969The livere makth him forto love,470The lunge yifth him weie of speche,The galle serveth to do wreche,The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie,Whan al unclennesse is aweie:Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede.And to sustienen hem and fedeIn time of recreacion,Nature hath in creacion970The Stomach for a comun CocOrdeined, so as seith the boc.971480The Stomach coc is for the halle,And builleth mete for hem alle,To make hem myghty forto serve972The herte, that he schal noght sterve:For as a king in his EmpireAbove alle othre is lord and Sire,P. iii. 101So is the herte principal,To whom reson in specialIs yove as for the governance.[The Soul of Man.]And thus nature his pourveance490Hath mad for man to liven hiere;Bot god, which hath the Soule diere,973Hath formed it in other wise.That can noman pleinli devise;Bot as the clerkes ous enforme,That lich to god it hath a forme,Thurgh which figure and which liknesseThe Soule hath many an hyh noblesseAppropred to his oghne kinde.Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde500Al onliche of this ilke point,That hir abydinge is conjointForth with the bodi forto duelle:That on desireth toward helle,That other upward to the hevene;So schul thei nevere stonde in evene,Bot if the fleissh be overcomeAnd that the Soule have holi nome974The governance, and that is selde,Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde.975510Al erthli thing which god beganWas only mad to serve man;Bot he the Soule al only madeHimselven forto serve and glade.Alle othre bestes that men findeThei serve unto here oghne kinde,P. iii. 102Bot to reson the Soule serveth;Wherof the man his thonk deservethAnd get him with hise werkes goodeThe perdurable lyves foode.520

[The Four Complexions of Man.]

He which natureth every kinde,961

The myhti god, so as I finde,

Of man, which is his creature,

Nota hic qualiter secundum naturam quatuor elementorum quatuor in humano corpore complexiones, scilicet Malencolia, Fleuma, Sanguis et Colera, naturaliter constituuntur: vnde primo de Malencolia dicendum est.

Hath so devided the nature,

P. iii. 98

That non til other wel acordeth:

And be the cause it so discordeth,

The lif which fieleth the seknesse

Mai stonde upon no sekernesse.400

Of therthe, which is cold and drye,

The kinde of man Malencolie

Is cleped, and that is the ferste,

The most ungoodlich and the werste;

For unto loves werk on nyht

Him lacketh bothe will and myht:

No wonder is, in lusty place

Of love though he lese grace.

What man hath that complexion,

Full of ymaginacion410

Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes,

He fret himselven al to noghtes.

De complexione Fleumatis.

The water, which is moyste and cold,

Makth fleume, which is manyfold

Foryetel, slou and wery sone

Of every thing which is to done:

He is of kinde sufficant

To holde love his covenant,

Bot that him lacketh appetit,

Which longeth unto such delit.420

De complexione Sanguinis.

What man that takth his kinde of thair,

He schal be lyht, he schal be fair,

For his complexion is blood.

Of alle ther is non so good,

For he hath bothe will and myht

To plese and paie love his riht:

P. iii. 99

Wher as he hath love undertake,

Wrong is if that he be forsake.

De complexione Colere.

The fyr of his condicion962

Appropreth the complexion430

Which in a man is Colre hote,

Whos propretes ben dreie and hote:

It makth a man ben enginous

And swift of fote and ek irous;

Of contek and folhastifnesse

He hath a riht gret besinesse,

To thenke of love and litel may:

Though he behote wel a day,963

On nyht whan that he wole assaie,

He may ful evele his dette paie.440

Nota qualiter quatuor complexiones quatuor in homine habitaciones diuisim possident.

After the kinde of thelement,

Thus stant a mannes kinde went,

As touchende his complexion,

Upon sondri division

Of dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete,964

And ech of hem his oghne sete

Appropred hath withinne a man.

And ferst to telle as I began,

Splen domus est965Malencolie.

The Splen is to Malencolie

Assigned for herbergerie:450

Pulmo domus966mFleumatis.

The moiste fleume with his cold966

Hath in the lunges for his hold

Ordeined him a propre stede,

To duelle ther as he is bede:

Epar domus Sanguinis.

To the Sanguin complexion

Nature of hire inspeccion967

P. iii. 100

A propre hous hath in the livere

For his duellinge mad delivere:

Fel domus Colere.

The dreie Colre with his hete

Be weie of kinde his propre sete460

Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth,

So as the Philosophre telleth.

Nota de Stomacho, qui vna cum aliis cordi968specialius deseruit.

Nou over this is forto wite,

As it is in Phisique write

Of livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen,

Thei alle unto the herte ben

Servantz, and ech in his office

Entendeth to don him service,

As he which is chief lord above.969

The livere makth him forto love,470

The lunge yifth him weie of speche,

The galle serveth to do wreche,

The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie,

Whan al unclennesse is aweie:

Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede.

And to sustienen hem and fede

In time of recreacion,

Nature hath in creacion970

The Stomach for a comun Coc

Ordeined, so as seith the boc.971480

The Stomach coc is for the halle,

And builleth mete for hem alle,

To make hem myghty forto serve972

The herte, that he schal noght sterve:

For as a king in his Empire

Above alle othre is lord and Sire,

P. iii. 101

So is the herte principal,

To whom reson in special

Is yove as for the governance.

[The Soul of Man.]

And thus nature his pourveance490

Hath mad for man to liven hiere;

Bot god, which hath the Soule diere,973

Hath formed it in other wise.

That can noman pleinli devise;

Bot as the clerkes ous enforme,

That lich to god it hath a forme,

Thurgh which figure and which liknesse

The Soule hath many an hyh noblesse

Appropred to his oghne kinde.

Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde500

Al onliche of this ilke point,

That hir abydinge is conjoint

Forth with the bodi forto duelle:

That on desireth toward helle,

That other upward to the hevene;

So schul thei nevere stonde in evene,

Bot if the fleissh be overcome

And that the Soule have holi nome974

The governance, and that is selde,

Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde.975510

Al erthli thing which god began

Was only mad to serve man;

Bot he the Soule al only made

Himselven forto serve and glade.

Alle othre bestes that men finde

Thei serve unto here oghne kinde,

P. iii. 102

Bot to reson the Soule serveth;

Wherof the man his thonk deserveth

And get him with hise werkes goode

The perdurable lyves foode.520

[The Division of the Earth.]Of what matiere it schal be told,976A tale lyketh manyfoldHic loquitur vlterius de diuisione Terre que post diluuium tribus filiis Noe in tres partes, scilicet Asiam, Affricam et Europam diuidebatur.The betre, if it be spoke plein:Thus thinke I forto torne ayeinAnd telle plenerly therfore977Of therthe, wherof nou toforeI spak, and of the water eke,So as these olde clerkes spieke,978And sette proprely the boundeAfter the forme of Mappemounde,530Thurgh which the ground be pourpartiesDeparted is in thre parties,That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe,The whiche under the hevene cope,Als ferr as streccheth eny ground,Begripeth al this Erthe round.Bot after that the hihe wriecheThe water weies let out secheAnd overgo the helles hye,Which every kinde made dye540That upon Middelerthe stod,979Outake Noë and his blod,His Sones and his doughtres thre,Thei were sauf and so was he;—Here names who that rede rihte,Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;—980P. iii. 103And whanne thilke almyhty hondWithdrouh the water fro the lond,And al the rage was aweie,And Erthe was the mannes weie,550The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde,Riht after that hemselve wolde,981This world departe thei begonne.De Asia.Asie, which lay to the SonneUpon the Marche of orient,Was graunted be comun assentTo Sem, which was the Sone eldeste;For that partie was the besteAnd double as moche as othre tuo.And was that time bounded so;560Wher as the flod which men Nil callethDeparteth fro his cours and fallethInto the See Alexandrine,Ther takth Asie ferst seisineToward the West, and over thisOf Canahim wher the flod isInto the grete See rennende,Fro that into the worldes endeEstward, Asie it is algates,Til that men come unto the gates570Of Paradis, and there ho.And schortly for to speke it so,Of Orient in generalWithinne his bounde Asie hath al.De Aufrica982et Europa.And thanne upon that other sydeWestward, as it fell thilke tyde,P. iii. 104The brother which was hote ChamUpon his part Aufrique nam.983Japhet Europe tho tok he,Thus parten thei the world on thre.580Bot yit ther ben of londes feleIn occident as for the chele,In orient as for the hete,Which of the poeple be forlete984As lond desert that is unable,For it mai noght ben habitable.Nota de mari quod magnum Occeanum dicitur.The water eke hath sondri bounde,After the lond wher it is founde,And takth his name of thilke londesWher that it renneth on the strondes:590Bot thilke See which hath no waneIs cleped the gret Occeane,Out of the which arise and comeThe hyhe flodes alle and some;Is non so litel welle spring,Which ther ne takth his beginnyng,And lich a man that haleth breth985Be weie of kinde, so it gethOut of the See and in ayein,The water, as the bokes sein.600Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto Elemento, quod omnia sub celo creata infra suum ambitum continet, cui nomen Orbis specialiter appropriatum est.Of Elementz the propretesHou that they stonden be degres,As I have told, nou myht thou hiere,Mi goode Sone, al the matiereOf Erthe, of water, Air and fyr.And for thou saist that thi desirP. iii. 105Is forto witen overmoreThe forme of Aristotles lore,He seith in his entendement,That yit ther is an Element610Above the foure, and is the fifte,Set of the hihe goddes yifte,The which that Orbis cleped is.And therupon he telleth this,That as the schelle hol and soundEncloseth al aboute roundWhat thing withinne an Ey belongeth,Riht so this Orbis underfongethThese elementz alle everychon,Which I have spoke of on and on.986620Bot overthis nou tak good hiede,987Mi Sone, for I wol procedeTo speke upon Mathematique,Which grounded is on Theorique.The science of AstronomieI thinke forto specefie,Withoute which, to telle plein,Alle othre science is in vein988Toward the scole of erthli thinges:For as an Egle with his winges630Fleth above alle that men finde,So doth this science in his kinde.

[The Division of the Earth.]

Of what matiere it schal be told,976

A tale lyketh manyfold

Hic loquitur vlterius de diuisione Terre que post diluuium tribus filiis Noe in tres partes, scilicet Asiam, Affricam et Europam diuidebatur.

The betre, if it be spoke plein:

Thus thinke I forto torne ayein

And telle plenerly therfore977

Of therthe, wherof nou tofore

I spak, and of the water eke,

So as these olde clerkes spieke,978

And sette proprely the bounde

After the forme of Mappemounde,530

Thurgh which the ground be pourparties

Departed is in thre parties,

That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe,

The whiche under the hevene cope,

Als ferr as streccheth eny ground,

Begripeth al this Erthe round.

Bot after that the hihe wrieche

The water weies let out seche

And overgo the helles hye,

Which every kinde made dye540

That upon Middelerthe stod,979

Outake Noë and his blod,

His Sones and his doughtres thre,

Thei were sauf and so was he;—

Here names who that rede rihte,

Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;—980

P. iii. 103

And whanne thilke almyhty hond

Withdrouh the water fro the lond,

And al the rage was aweie,

And Erthe was the mannes weie,550

The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde,

Riht after that hemselve wolde,981

This world departe thei begonne.

De Asia.

Asie, which lay to the Sonne

Upon the Marche of orient,

Was graunted be comun assent

To Sem, which was the Sone eldeste;

For that partie was the beste

And double as moche as othre tuo.

And was that time bounded so;560

Wher as the flod which men Nil calleth

Departeth fro his cours and falleth

Into the See Alexandrine,

Ther takth Asie ferst seisine

Toward the West, and over this

Of Canahim wher the flod is

Into the grete See rennende,

Fro that into the worldes ende

Estward, Asie it is algates,

Til that men come unto the gates570

Of Paradis, and there ho.

And schortly for to speke it so,

Of Orient in general

Withinne his bounde Asie hath al.

De Aufrica982et Europa.

And thanne upon that other syde

Westward, as it fell thilke tyde,

P. iii. 104

The brother which was hote Cham

Upon his part Aufrique nam.983

Japhet Europe tho tok he,

Thus parten thei the world on thre.580

Bot yit ther ben of londes fele

In occident as for the chele,

In orient as for the hete,

Which of the poeple be forlete984

As lond desert that is unable,

For it mai noght ben habitable.

Nota de mari quod magnum Occeanum dicitur.

The water eke hath sondri bounde,

After the lond wher it is founde,

And takth his name of thilke londes

Wher that it renneth on the strondes:590

Bot thilke See which hath no wane

Is cleped the gret Occeane,

Out of the which arise and come

The hyhe flodes alle and some;

Is non so litel welle spring,

Which ther ne takth his beginnyng,

And lich a man that haleth breth985

Be weie of kinde, so it geth

Out of the See and in ayein,

The water, as the bokes sein.600

Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto Elemento, quod omnia sub celo creata infra suum ambitum continet, cui nomen Orbis specialiter appropriatum est.

Of Elementz the propretes

Hou that they stonden be degres,

As I have told, nou myht thou hiere,

Mi goode Sone, al the matiere

Of Erthe, of water, Air and fyr.

And for thou saist that thi desir

P. iii. 105

Is forto witen overmore

The forme of Aristotles lore,

He seith in his entendement,

That yit ther is an Element610

Above the foure, and is the fifte,

Set of the hihe goddes yifte,

The which that Orbis cleped is.

And therupon he telleth this,

That as the schelle hol and sound

Encloseth al aboute round

What thing withinne an Ey belongeth,

Riht so this Orbis underfongeth

These elementz alle everychon,

Which I have spoke of on and on.986620

Bot overthis nou tak good hiede,987

Mi Sone, for I wol procede

To speke upon Mathematique,

Which grounded is on Theorique.

The science of Astronomie

I thinke forto specefie,

Withoute which, to telle plein,

Alle othre science is in vein988

Toward the scole of erthli thinges:

For as an Egle with his winges630

Fleth above alle that men finde,

So doth this science in his kinde.

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