29. _Amiddes_, &c. Observe that the Ecliptic line _in the midst_ of the _celestial_ zodiac, a belt 12° broad, is on the _outer edge_ of the zodiac as shewn in the astrolabe, which is only 6° broad and shews only the northern half of that belt. The 'way of the sun' is elsewhere used of the sun's apparent _diurnal_ path (see Part ii. sect. 30); but it here refers, as is more usual, to the _annual_ path. 34. _streitnes_, narrowness, closeness, smallness of size. In Fig. 2, I have marked every degree in the southern half of the zodiac, but only every _fifth_ degree in the northern, in order to avoid an appearance of crowding in so small a figure. In Chaucer's own Astrolabe, every _other_ degree was marked all round. 40. Here Chaucer gives at least three reasons for the name of 'zodiac.' The true one is the second, 'for that the sterres that ben there fixed ben disposed in signes of bestes, or shape like bestes.' But these imaginary shapes are very absurd and arbitrary. 50. Not only the influences here assigned to the signs, but others due to planets, may be found in 'Porphyrii Philosophi introductio in Claudii Ptolomæi opus de affectibus astrorum,' fol. Basileæ, n.d. p. 198. I here add a few extracts from the MS. in Trinity College, Cambridge (marked R. 15. 18), to shew the nature of the old astrology. I choose them with especial reference to Aries. The other signs are spoken of in a similar manner. 'It is principally to be considered that the signes of hevyn haue their_e_ strenght and propre significaciou_n_ vpon the membris of eny man; as, Aries hath respect to the hed, taurus to the neck, ge_min_is (_sic_) the Armys, Cancer the brest, leo the hert, virgo the bowels, &c.; as it shall shew in the Chapiters folowyng. Secundarily it is to be noted that plotholomee (_sic_) saith, that to touche with instrument of yrou_n_ while the mone is in the signe of the same membre, is for to be dred; let the surgen beware, and the letter of blode, let hym be aferd to touche that membre w_i_t_h_ yren_e_, in the which the mone shal be.'--MS. G; Trad C. p. 12.