[Sidenote: [ASTRONOMY.]] iv. _Lege planetarum magis inferiora reguntur,_ _Ista set interdum regula fallit opus._ _Vir mediante deo sapiens dominabitur astris,_ _Fata nec immerito quid nouitatis agunt._[989] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 106=] Benethe upon this Erthe hiere Of alle thinges the matiere, [Sidenote: Hic loquitur de Artis Mathematice quarta specie, que Astronomia nuncupata est, cui eciam Astrologia socia connumeratur: set primo de septem planetis, que inter astra potenciores existunt, incipiendo a luna seorsum tractare intendit.] As tellen ous thei that ben lerned, Of thing above it stant governed, That is to sein of the Planetes. The cheles bothe and ek the hetes, The chances of the world also, That we fortune clepen so, 640 Among the mennes nacion Al is thurgh constellacion, Wherof that som man hath the wele, And som man hath deseses fele In love als wel as othre thinges; The stat of realmes and of kinges In time of pes, in time of werre It is conceived of the Sterre: And thus seith the naturien Which is an Astronomien. 650 Bot the divin seith otherwise, That if men weren goode and wise And plesant unto the godhede, Thei scholden noght the sterres drede; For o man, if him wel befalle, Is more worth than ben thei alle Towardes him that weldeth al. Bot yit the lawe original, Which he hath set in the natures, Mot worchen in the creatures, 660 That therof mai be non obstacle, Bot if it stonde upon miracle [Sidenote: =P. iii. 107=] Thurgh preiere of som holy man. And forthi, so as I began To speke upon Astronomie, As it is write in the clergie, To telle hou the planetes fare, Som part I thenke to declare, Mi Sone, unto thin Audience. Astronomie is the science 670 Of wisdom and of hih connynge, Which makth a man have knowlechinge[990] Of Sterres in the firmament, Figure, cercle and moevement Of ech of hem in sondri place, And what betwen hem is of space, Hou so thei moeve or stonde faste, Al this it telleth to the laste. Assembled with Astronomie Is ek that ilke Astrologie, 680 The which in juggementz acompteth Theffect, what every sterre amonteth, And hou thei causen many a wonder To tho climatz that stonde hem under.[991] [Sidenote: [PLANETS AND SIGNS.]] And forto telle it more plein,[992] These olde philosophres sein That Orbis, which I spak of err, Is that which we fro therthe a ferr Beholde, and firmament it calle, In which the sterres stonden alle, 690 Among the whiche in special