Astrology: Difference between revisions

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As it is writen in the clergie,
As it is writen in the clergie,

to tell how the planets fare
to tell how the planets fare

Some part I think to declare.
Some part I think to declare.

My Son, unto thine audience,
My Son, unto thine audience,

Astronomy is the science
Astronomy is the science

of wisdom and of this cunning
of wisdom and of this cunning

which makes a man have knowing
which makes a man have knowing

of stars in the firmament,
of stars in the firmament,
⚫
figures circles and movement.

⚫
figure circle and movement.




Beneath all others stands the Moon,
Beneath all others stands the Moon,

the which has with the Sea to done,
the which has with the Sea to done,

of floods high and ebbes lowe,
of floods high and ebbes lowe,

upon his change it shall be know
upon his change it shall be know

And every fish that has a shell,
And every fish that has a shell,

must in his governance dwell
must in his governance dwell

In Almagest it telleth this
In Almagest it telleth this

The Moons circle so low is
The Moons circle so low is

whereof the Sun out of his stage
whereof the Sun out of his stage

Nay sees him nought with full visage
Nay sees him nought with full visage

For he is with the ground be shaded,
For he is with the ground be shaded,

So that the Moon is somtimes faded.
So that the Moon is somtimes faded.

And be not fully shine clear.
And be not fully shine clear.

But what man under his power
But what man under his power

is boren, he shall his places change
is boren, he shall his places change

and seek many landes strange
and seek many landes strange

And as of this condiction
And as of this condiction

The Moon's disposition
The Moon's disposition

Upon the land of Allemagne
Upon the land of Allemagne

is set and upon Britain,
is set and upon Britain,

which now is called England,
which now is called England,

For they travel in every land.
For they travel in every land.



Of the planets the second,
Of the planets the second,

above the Moon does take his bounde
above the Moon does take his bounde

Mercury, and his nature is this,
Mercury, and his nature is this,

that under him who that born is,
that under him who that born is,

in book he shall be studious
in book he shall be studious

And in writing curious,
And in writing curious,

And sloth and lusts to travel
And sloth and lusts to travel

in thing which alls might avail.
in thing which alls might avail.

He loveth ease, he loveth rest,
He loveth ease, he loveth rest,

so he is not the worthieste, ;
so he is not the worthieste, ;

But yet with somediel business
But yet with somediel business

his hearth is set upon richness.
his hearth is set upon richness.

And as this condition,
And as this condition,

The effect and disposition,
The effect and disposition,

of this Planety and of his chance
of this Planety and of his chance

Is most in Burgundy and France.
Is most in Burgundy and France.

Revision as of 23:25, 28 October 2003

The following is is a fragment of John Gower's mid 14th C work dealing with astrology, the Liber Septimyus of the Confessio Amatis. I like it because it's at about the level that most educated people would understand the important science of Astronomy.

The source is p250-273 of Macaulay's "Collected Works of John Gower" (OUP Clarendon, 1901) ; John Gower lived between about 1328 and 1403.

I've shortened it and modernised the spelling a bit, but I am happy to provide a copy to anyone that wants one. Note that Macaulay is a 19th C guy, so I'm not going to die in a ditch that he got the transcription all right - but it does read right.

Note that - like a lot of 14th/15th C stuff - it's written in rhyme. We've done some vowel shifting in the last 600 years, so some of the rhymes no longer work ...

To speak upon Astronomy,

As it is writen in the clergie, to tell how the planets fare Some part I think to declare. My Son, unto thine audience, Astronomy is the science of wisdom and of this cunning which makes a man have knowing of stars in the firmament, figures circles and movement.


Beneath all others stands the Moon, the which has with the Sea to done, of floods high and ebbes lowe, upon his change it shall be know And every fish that has a shell, must in his governance dwell In Almagest it telleth this The Moons circle so low is whereof the Sun out of his stage Nay sees him nought with full visage For he is with the ground be shaded, So that the Moon is somtimes faded. And be not fully shine clear. But what man under his power is boren, he shall his places change and seek many landes strange And as of this condiction The Moon's disposition Upon the land of Allemagne is set and upon Britain, which now is called England, For they travel in every land.

Of the planets the second, above the Moon does take his bounde Mercury, and his nature is this, that under him who that born is, in book he shall be studious And in writing curious, And sloth and lusts to travel in thing which alls might avail. He loveth ease, he loveth rest, so he is not the worthieste, ; But yet with somediel business his hearth is set upon richness. And as this condition, The effect and disposition, of this Planety and of his chance Is most in Burgundy and France.

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