ASTRONOMY IN SHAKESPEARE'S TIME— ABBOT 121 



From Troilus and Cresida, Act 1, Scene 3 : 



The heavens themselves, the planets, and this centre, 



Observe degree, priority, and place, 



Insisture, course proportion, season, form, 



Office, and custom, in all line of order ; 



And therefore is the glorious planet Sol 



In noble eminence enthron'd and spher'd 



Amidst the other ; whose mediciuable eye 



Corrects the ill aspects of planets evil. 



And posts, like the commandment of a king. 



Sans check to good and bad. But when the planets 



In evil mixture to disorder wander. 



What plagues and what portents ! what mutiny ! 



What raging of the sea ! shaking of earth ! 



Commotion in the winds ! Frights, changes, horrors. 



Divert and crack, rend and deracinate 



The unity and married calm of states 



Quite from their fixture! 



From Henry VI, First Part, Act. 1, Scene 1 : 



Comets, importing change of time and states, 

 Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky, 

 And with them scourge the bad revolting stars 

 That have consented unto Henry's death. 



From Henry VI, Second Part, Act 4, Scene 4 : 



Hath this lovely face 

 Rul'd, like a wandering planet, over me, 

 And could it not enforce them to relent, 

 That were unworthy to behold the same? 



From Henry VI, Third Part, Act 2, Scene 1 : 



See how the morning opes her golden gates 

 And takes her farewell of the glorious sun ! 

 How well resembles it the prime of youth 

 Ti'imm'd like a youuker prancing to his love ! 



From Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 3, Scene 1 : 



The moon methinks looks with a watery eye, 

 And when she weeps, weeps every little flower. 



From Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2 : 



Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, 

 Having some business, do entreat her eyes 

 To twinkle in their spheres till they return. 

 What if her eyes were there, they in her head? 

 The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, 

 As daylight doth a lamp ; her eyes in heaven 

 Would through the airy region stream so bright 

 That birds would sing and think it were not night. 



