Here begynneth the compost of Ptholomeus, prynce of astronomye: translated oute of Frenche in to Englysshe, for them that wolde haue knowlege of the compost.

¶ The regymēt for wynter tyme / is Decem¦bre / Ianuary / and February. Cap̄ .xii.

MOreouer as Ptholomeus dyd the Astronomyers nowe doth in wynter clothe them in thye¦ke go wnes of roughe clothe / hye shorne well furred with foxe furre. For it is the warmest furre that is and cattes / lambes / and dyuers other thycke furres that ben good & holsome. In the tyme of wynter Astronomyers do ete befe / porke / and brawne / hartes / hyndes / and all maner of venyson / partryches / fesauntes / and fow¦les of the ryuer / and other metes that they lo∣ue beste. For that is the season of the yere that nature suffreth moste great plente of vytay∣le / for the naturall hete that is drawen with∣in the body. In this tyme also they drynke of∣ten strōge wynes after theyr complection / as

bastarde wyne / or osey. Two or thre tymes in the weke they vse good spyces in theyr me∣tes. For this is the moste holsome tyme of all the yere / in the whiche cometh no syckenesse / but by great excesses & outrages done to na∣ture / or by cuyll gouernynge. Astronomyers say also that Prymetyme is hote and moyste of the nature of the ayre / complection of the Sanguyne / and that in the same tyme natu∣re reioyseth / and the poores openeth / and the blode spredeth through the vaynes more than in any other tyme. Somer is hote and drye of the nature of the fyre / and of complection coloryke. In the whiche tyme one ought to ke¦pe hym from all thynges that moueth to hete¦all excesse and hote metes. Haruest is colde & drye of nature of erthe / & complection of melā¦coly / In the whiche tyme one oughte to kepe hym from doynge excesse / more than in other tyme for daunger of syckenes / to the whiche that tyme is disposed. But wynter is colde & moyste of the nature of water / and of comple¦ction flumatyke / than a man oughte for to kepe hym metely warme / and meanely for to lyue in helthe of body.