Wellcome Collection: The Regiment of Healthe (MS674)

{20 }a moyst complexion. Wherfore to observe a meane and a moderation in these thinges that a man shall eate or drinke is the best rule that can be giuen in naturall phisique for a man to keepe his bodie in good healthe and temper.

Now as Almightie God hath given vnto man the knowledge of the motion of the superior and celestiall bodyes as of the vii plannetes and the xii signes of the Zodiack &c. Soe it is especyallie requisite and expedient for all practitioners in physique and chyrurgerie in their administration of physque and application of medycynes, in giveinge of purgations and in phlebotomie and lettinge of blood &tc. to have the perfect knowledge of the true aspectes of the sonne & Moone. the conuictions, oppositions, Motions, revolutions, periodes, Quartils, stations retrogradation, risinge & setting of the plannettes, and to know the operations, nature and qualitie of the xii constellations of starrs or signes in the Zodiack. to vnderstand in what signe, in what degree of the signe the sonne or moone settethe everye daye in any of the xii signes. and comparinge Cosmus the greate world with Microcosmus the little world man, to obserue and consider the twelue parts of mans bodye (a thinge soe observed and affirmed by learned and wise men) which are ruled and gouerned by the said xii signes. as it vsually appeares in the Anatomie of mans bodies in the begining of euerie Almanake: For sure ther is nothinge more profitable, nothing more sure & certayne to guide and dircct them in their practise, then the true and perfect vnderstandinge of these thinges (yf soe be the witt of man can attayne to the perfect knowledge of them) for is most certayne and apparant, that the sonne, Moone and starrs and Godes instruments bzy secondarye [caustes] by which he workethe according as best seemethe to his divine wisdome and power. /

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Now as the sonne passethe thoroughe all the xij signes in the space of a yeare, abyding in a signe thirtie dayes, soe dothe the moone passe thoroughe all the xij signes in xxx^tie dayes, abyding in a signe [...] howres. And as the moone amongst all the plannetes is nearest vnto the Earthe soe she hathe greatest affect in working in Earthlie thinges after the disposition and nature of the signes that she hath hir course in. And therfore it is requisite and necessarie to know trulie the state nature and course of the moone for therby a man may know when it is good to begin thinges & when to ende. And alsoe what weather is lieke to fall after the nature of the signe whether it be drye or moyst, hott or cold, It fullowethe accordinge to the nature of the signe that she is in, In diverse coniutions of plannetes that she is ioyned with and therfore in order naturallie I purpose I purpose to declare the nature and the state of everie signe.

In Gold Smith In Gold Smith Gold Smith

Of the twelue Signes of the Zodiaque.

Aries is the signe which governeth in the head of man and woman, therfore if the moone be in Aries beware of cuttinge in the head face or any veyne belonging vnto them. Also it is dangerous in the the begining of Aries to take any head ache, or hurt in the head for it is a token of longe contynu ance of the same or of deathe. It is not soe dangerous in the ende as in the begininge, for in the ende of Aries a man may soone recover and be made hole yf he be of good goverment. This signe is Orientall, hott & drye, colerique and of masculyne kynd, and is attractive and raigneth from the middest of Marche, to the midest of Aprill, Hes that is borne in this signe shalle of good witt and shall not be to riche nor to poore. and he shall have damage by his neyghbours. And he shall have power of dead mens goodes. He shall be soone angrie and soone pleased he shall have diverse ffortunes and discordes. He shall have eloquent people, and shall be excellent in many degrees.

{He}

22

He shalbe vnstedfast of his tong and Carriage and will take vengeance on his enemyes, And shalbe better disposed in all thinges in his youthe then in his age, He shalbe wedded at xxv^tie years of age, if he be not he shalbe a fornicator, He shalbe a mediator for soome of his freindes He, shall have damage, a signe in his head in his shoulder & in his bodie, and shalbe inriched by dead mens goodes His first soone shall not live longe. He shalbe in danger of ffowre footed beastes. He shall have great sicknes at xxiij^tie years of age. And yf he fortune then to escape he is lickelie then I live Lxxxv yeares after the course of nature, yf he governe well him self.

The woman that is borne in Aries shalbe yrefull and suffer greate wrong from daye to daye, she wilbe verye prone to lyeinge She shall loose hir first husband, and shortlie after marrye a better She shalbe in dread of deathe at xxv^tie yeares of age & at xliij yeares and shall have greate payne in hir head. The dayes of Sol and of Mars shall be good for them but the dayes of Iupiter shalbe evell dayes for them as well for the man as for the woman. And they may be liekned to the sheepe that everie yeare loosethe his fleese of wooll and in short space recoverethe agayne. The 15, 16,19 dayes of marche be dayes of perill to take sicknes or to surfett in.

Taurus is the signe that raigneth in the neck and throate. It is dangerous to be ventosed or cutt in that place whiles the signe is in Taurus or to take any disease in the throate, and it is more {meridionall} perilous in the ende then in the begininge. This signe is meridionall that is of the southe parte which is cold and drye malencholie of the complexion of the earthe retentive and of the ffeminine kynd. {note} In his signe it is good to begin to builde.

The man that is borne in the signe of Taurus from the mydest of Aprill tilll the mydest of May shalbe stronge hardie and full ofs treghthe delicious and shall have goodes given him by other men. What he would have done shall have a speedie dispatetche in that which he will enforce himself to finishe , in his youthe he will despice everie man. He shall be irefull,

{and}

23 and goe on pilgrymage. and shall leave his friendes and live amongst strangers He shalbe put in offcis and epecute them well He shalbe rich by weomen. He shalbe in gratefull, He shall come to good estate. He wilbe revenged on his enemyes, He shalbe bytten of a dogge He shall have indgment of disterneing he diseases and sicknesses of weomwn. He shalbe mache greeved with sicknes and with veinm. at xxii^tie yeares of age. At xxx^tie yeares of age he shalle abandant on riches and shall ryse to greate dignitie, At xxx^tie yeares of his age he shalbe in perill of water. He shall live lxxxv yeares and three monethes after the course of nature, and shall soe his ffortune sorrowefull.

The woman that is borne vnder the signe of Taurus shalbe offectaally laboringe she shalbe a greate lyer and shall suffer greate shame, she shall wiye and rewiyce at the prosperitie and good of hir friende she shall have many husbandes and many children, she shalbe in hir best state att xvi yeares of age she shall have a signe in the midest of hir bodye. she shalbe verie sicklie, and if he doe escape the shall knoe by the course of nature lxxvi yeares she ought to beare rynge and pretious stones about hir. The dayes of Jupiter and Luna and good bothe for the man and woman, and the dayes of Mars and contrarie. They maybe liekened vnto the Bull that laborethe the lame and holpethe to sowe his seede and when the corne comethe into the barne, the hath nothinge but the straw only for his part and he carne cleerelie taken from him. soe shall they that and borne vnder this signe keepe well their owne and it shall not profitt them nor any other, and they shalbe reputed vnkind The 10. & 11. of Aprill are contagious and cangerous dayes for them to take any sicknes.

Gemein raignethe in the hande of a man and is dubble bodyed Occident all that is of the west perfe of sanguine complexion that is hott and moyst of the disposition of the Ayre, Digestuie when the moone is in geinin beware of cuttinge in the shoulders, drnes or handes, for whasoever takethe sicknes or hurt att that tyme it is greate [movayle] if he escape, and much more perill in the ende then in the begininge for then it is a verie greate token of deathe It is not good then to shave yoe heard or panne your[ mayles].

{The man.}

{24}

The man that borne vnder Gemini from mydd May to the midest of June shall have many woundes He shalbe gentle and merryfull, He shall leade an open free and reasonable lyfe,He shall receyve much money, He shall goe in knowne places and goe many Pillgramages. He shall love to prayse him self, he will not abyde wher he was borne, He shalbe wise but negligent in his workes. He shall come to riches as xxvi^tie, yeares of his age, his first wyfe shall not live long with him, and he shall marrye a contentious woman, he shalbe in yeares before he marrye, he shalbe butten with a dogg and shall have a marke of yron or of fyer, he shalbe troubled in Pater, and shall passe the sea and shall live a hundred yeares and Ten Monethes after the course of Nature.

The woman that is borne vnder Gemini shall labor verye hard & pay in fullie and shall come to greate honor, and be advanced by other mens goode and be accased of a false cryme. She shalbe marryed at xmi yeares of age and then the shalbe hast @ [of hue] all pilles. And by the course of nature she shall live lxx yeares and love and honor God. The dayes of soles. Mercurie be to them verie good and the dayes of Luna & venus arer to them contrarious, And as well the man as the woman shall heape vpp and gather to gyther greate store of good and riches for their successors but will skantlye have the vse or benifitt of them their owne selves they shalbe soe covefouslye mynded. The 7.15. &20. dayes of May be dayes to take sicknesse or harme in.

Cancer is the signe which raigneth in the brest the sties and the stomouke, the mylt, the hart, the liver & the gall yf any man fall sicke when the signe is in Cancer it is mervayle yf the eye not for it is perilous bothe in the begining & in the ende. The signe is of the worthe [parte] septentry all cold and moyste of the nature of water fflegmatique of complexion the howse of the moone, Expussative when this signe rulethe it is good to take a iourney toward the Worthe [partes] when his signe governethe it is good alsoe to take laxatives & receyve potions, and in different for bleedinge wher in those places wher the signe [go..ercethe]:

{The man.}