Planetes sefne principal [Sidenote: =P. iii. 108=] Ther ben, that mannes sihte demeth, Bot thorizonte, as to ous semeth.[993] And also ther ben signes tuelve, Whiche have her cercles be hemselve Compassed in the zodiaque, In which thei have here places take. And as thei stonden in degre, Here cercles more or lasse be, 700 Mad after the proporcion Of therthe, whos condicion Is set to be the foundement To sustiene up the firmament. And be this skile a man mai knowe, The more that thei stonden lowe, The more ben the cercles lasse; That causeth why that some passe Here due cours tofore an other. Bot nou, mi lieve dere brother, 710 As thou desirest forto wite What I finde in the bokes write, To telle of the planetes sevene, Hou that thei stonde upon the hevene And in what point that thei ben inne, Tak hiede, for I wol beginne, So as the Philosophre tauhte[994] To Alisandre and it betauhte, Wherof that he was fulli tawht Of wisdom, which was him betawht. 720 Benethe alle othre stant the Mone, [Sidenote: [THE PLANETS.]] The which hath with the See to done: [Sidenote: Nota hic de prima planeta, que aliis inferior Luna dicitur.] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 109=] Of flodes hihe and ebbes lowe Upon his change it schal be knowe;[995] And every fissh which hath a schelle Mot in his governance duelle, To wexe and wane in his degre, As be the Mone a man mai se; And al that stant upon the grounde Of his moisture it mot be founde. 730 Alle othre sterres, as men finde, Be schynende of here oghne kinde Outake only the monelyht, Which is noght of himselve bright, Bot as he takth it of the Sonne. And yit he hath noght al fulwonne[996] His lyht, that he nys somdiel derk; Bot what the lette is of that werk In Almageste it telleth this: The Mones cercle so lowe is, 740 Wherof the Sonne out of his stage Ne seth him noght with full visage, For he is with the ground beschaded, So that the Mone is somdiel faded And may noght fully schyne cler. Bot what man under his pouer Is bore, he schal his places change And seche manye londes strange: And as of this condicion The Mones disposicion 750 Upon the lond of Alemaigne Is set, and ek upon Bretaigne, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 110=] Which nou is cleped Engelond; For thei travaile in every lond. [Sidenote: De secunda planeta, que Mercurius dicitur.] Of the Planetes the secounde Above the Mone hath take his bounde, Mercurie, and his nature is this, That under him who that bore is,