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 prologue of Ptholomeus vpon the .xii. sygnes. Capitulo .xlii.

I Consyderynge the course of the celestiall bodyes: and the power of the hye god omny¦potent / the whiche hath ma∣de the sonne to shyne vpon the good and euyll / that go∣uerneth all thynges conteyned in the Fyrma¦ment / and on the erthe haue taken vpon me for to endyte this lytell treatyse / for to instru∣ete & endoctryne the people nat lettred. Firste to knowe god theyr maker. Secondely to go∣uerne theyr bodyes / and eschewe infyrmytes. And thyrdely to knowe the course of the fyr∣mament / and of the celestyall bodyes contey∣ned

in it / with the disposicions of the .vii. pla¦nettes. But who that wyll knowe his pro∣prytes ought firste to knowe the Moneth that he was borne in: and the sygne that the sonne was in the same daye. I wyll nat saye that suche thynges shall be / but that the sygnes ha¦ue suche proprytes / as it is the wyll of god. After Poetes and Astronomyers / Aries is the firste sygne that sheweth the Fortunes of men and women / as sayth Ptholomeus.

¶ The firste sygne is Aries. Good to let blode.

HEre is to be knowen that he which is borne in the sy¦gne of Aries: from mydde Marche to mydde Apryll shall be of good wytte / & shall nouther be ryche nor poore: he shall haue doma∣ge by his neyghboures / he shall haue power ouer deed folkes goodes / he shall be soone an∣gry / and soone appesed / he shall haue dyuers fortunes and discordes / he wyll desyre doctry¦ne / and haunte eloquent people / and shall be experte in many degrees / he shall be a lyer & vnstedfaste of courage / and wyll take ven∣geaunce

on his enemyes / and he shal be better dysposed in youthe in all thyng{is} than in age / vnto .xxxiii. he shall be a forny catour / & shal be wedded at .xxv. yere & if he be nat / he shal nat be chaste / he shal be a medyatour for some of his frendes / and wyl gladly be besy in the nedes of other / he shall be wayted to be doma¦ged / he shal haue a sygne in the sholder / in his hed / & in his body / yet he shall be ryche by the dethe of other / his firste sone shal nat lyue lon¦ge / he shall be in daūger of .iiii. foted bestes / he shall haue great syckenes at .xxiii. yere: & if he escape he shal lyue .lxxxv. yere after nature.

¶ The woman.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme shal be yrefull and suffre great wron¦ges from daye to day / she wyll gladly make lesynges / and shall lose her husbande & recouer a better / she shall be sycke at .v. yere of age / and at .xxv. she shall be in great daūger of deth / And if she escape she shal be in doubte¦tyll .xliii. yere: and shall suffre great payne in the hed. The dayes of Sol & of Mars to them shall be ryght good / and the dayes of Iupiter shal be cōtrary to them. And as well the man as the woman may be semblable to the shepe that euery yere loseth his flese / & within shor∣te space getteth it agayne.

¶ Of the sygne of Taurus. Euyll to let blode.

THe man that is born in the sygne of Taurus / from myd Apryll to myd Maye / shall be stronge / har∣dy / and full of stryfe / delycyous / and shall possede goodes gyuen to hym by other men / that he wold haue done shall be done incontynent / and wyll enforce hym selfe to fynysshe it. In his youth he wyl dyspyse euery persone / and shal be yrefull / he shall go pylgrymages and wyll leue his fren¦des & lyue amonge straungers he shal be put in offyces / and shall excercyse them well / & shal be ryche by women / he shal be thankeles and come to good estate / he wyll take venge¦aunce on his enemyes / he shall be bytten of a dogge / and shall experymēt many paynes by women / and shal be in peryll at .xxxiii. yere / he shal be in peryll of water / and shal be gre∣ued with syckenes and venym at .xxiii. yere: and at .xxx. yere he shal be habundaunt in ry¦chesse / and shall ryse to great dygnyte / & shall lyue .lxxxv. yere and .iii. monthes after natu¦re: and shall se his fortune sorowfull.

WE se the woman that is borne in this tyme shal be effectuall / labrourynge / and a great lyer / and shall suffre moche sha∣me

/ she shall reioyce the goodes of her frendes the whiche she conceyueth in her mynde shall come to effecte / and shal haue the beste partye she shall haue many husbandes / & many chil∣dren / she shal be in her beste estate at .xvi. yere and she shall haue a sygne in the myddes of her body / she shal be syckely / and if she escape she shall lyue .lxxvi. yere after nature. She ought to bere rynges & precyous stones about her. The dayes of Iupiter and Luna be right good for them / & the dayes of Mars be contra¦ry / as well the man as the woman maye be lykened to the Gull that laboureth the lande and whan the sede is sowen he hathe but the strawe for his parte / they shal kepe wel theyr owne / and it shall nat profyte to them nor to other / and shal be reputed vnkynde.

¶ Of the sygne of Gemini. Euyll to let blode.

HE that is borne in the sygne of Gemini / from myd Maye to myd Iune / shall haue many woundes / & he shall be fayne and mercyfull / he shal lede an open & a resonable lyfe / he shal receyue moche money / he wyll go in vnknowen places / &

do many pylgrymages / he wyll prayse hym self & wyll nat abyde in the place of his naty¦uyte / he shal be wyse & neclygent in his wor∣kes / he shall come to ryches at .xxvi. yere / his firste wyfe shall nat lyue longe / but he shall mary straūge women / he shal be late maryed he shal be bytten of a dogge / and shall haue a marke of yron or of fyre / he shal be tourmēted in water / & shall passe the see / and shall lyue an .C. yere / and .x. monthes after nature.

THe woman than borne / shall come to honoure / and be set forward with the goodes of other / and she shal be a gre∣ued of a false cryme / she ought to be wedded at .xiiii. yere / if she shal be chaste and eschewe all peryll / and shall lyue .lxx. yere after natu¦re / and shall honoure god. The dayes of Mer¦cury & Sol to them be right good: the dayes of Luna and Venus ben to them contrary / and as well the man as the woman shall auge∣ment and assemble the goodes of theyr succes¦soures / but scantly shall they vse theyr owne goodes / they shal be so auarycyous.

¶ Of the sygne of Cancer. Indifferent to let blode.

HE that is borne vnder the Sygne of Cancer / from myd Iune to myd Iu∣ly

/ shal be very auarycyous and of egall sta∣ture / he wyll loue women / he shall be mery / humble / good / and well renowmed / he shall haue domage by enuye / he shall haue money of other in his guyde / he shal be a conductour of other folkes thyng{is} / he shall haue stryfe & discorde amonge his neyghboures / and wyll auenge hym on his enemye by his statelynes many shall mocke hym / he shall haue often great fere on the water / he wyll kepe his cou¦rage secretely in hym selfe / and shal suffre do∣loure of the wombe / he shal fynde hydden mo¦ney / and laboure sore for his wyfe / he shall se his peryll in a certayne yere / the whiche shall be knowen of god / his goodes shall decrease at .xxxiii. yere / he shall passe the see / and shal lyue .lxx. yere after nature / and forture shall be agreable to hym.

THe woman that shall be borne in this tyme shal be furyous / incontynent an¦gry and soone appesed / she is nymble / seruyable / wyse / mery: & she shall suffre right many perylles / if any persone do her any ser∣uyse she wyll recompence them well: she shal be labouryng & take great payne vnto .xxx. yere / and than shall haue reste / she shall haue many sones / she muste be wedded at .xiiii. ye∣re honoures and gyftes shall folowe her / she

shall haue woundes and be hole therof / & she shal be in peryll of waters: & she shal be hurte in a secrete place / she shal be bytten of a dogge and she shall lyue .lxx. yere after nature. The dayes of Iupiter / Venus / and Luna: to them ben right good / and the dayes of Mars ryght euyll / & as well the man as the woman shal haue good fortune / and shall haue victorye ouer theyr enemyes.

¶ Of the sygne of Leo. Euyll to let blode.

CErtayne he that is borne vn¦der the Sygne of Leo / from myd Iuly to myd August / shall be fayne and hardy / he shall speke openly / & shal be mercyfull / and he shal wepe with the wepers / and shal be stately in wor∣des / he shall haue a peryll in certayne tyme / & at .xxx. yere he shall be awayted to be doma∣ged / but he shall eschewe that peryll / his bene¦fyces shal be vnkynde: he shal be honoured of good folke / & obtayne his enterpryse / he shall haue goodes by temporall seruyces / he shal be vnkynde to theues / & shal be great & puysaūt he shall haue charge of the comonte / & as mo∣che

as loseth he shall wynne / he shall come to dygnyte & shal be amyable / he shall take the fortune of thre wyues / he wyll go often on pylgrymages / and suffre payne of the syght / he shal fall from hye and be ferefull of water he shall fynde hyd money at .viii. yere of age / he shal be sycke / he shal be in peryl and doubte of some great Lorde / & at .xxxvi. yere he shal be bytten of a dogge / and be hole with great payne / & shall lyue .lxxxiiii. yere aft̄ nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme shal be a great lyer / fayre / wel spoken mercyfull / pleasaūt / & may nat suffre norse men wepe / she shall be meke / her firste husbande shall nat lyue longe / she shall haue payne in her stomacke: she shal be awayted of her neyghboures at .xvii. yere / & lyue to great rychesse / she shall haue chyldren of thre men / she shal be amyable and haue the blody flyxe and shal be bytten of a dogge / she shall falle from hye / and lyue .lxxvii. yere after nature. The dayes of Mercury / Sol / & Mars to them be ryght good / the dayes of Saturne ben con¦trary / & as well the man as the woman shal be hardy & great quaryllers & mercyfull.

¶ Of the sygne of Virgo. Indifferent to let beode.

OF the sygne of Virgo / I fyn∣de that he whiche is borne fro myd August to myd Septem¦bre shall gladly cōmende his wyfe / he shal be a great house holder engenyous / he shal be solycitous to his worke / he shal be shamefast and of great cou¦rage / and all that he seth he shall coueyt in his vnderstandynge / he wyll be soone angry / & surmount his enemyes. Scarsly shall he be a whyle with his firste wyse / he shal be fortu∣nate at .xxxi. yere / he wyll nat hyde that he hath / & shal be in peryll of water / he shall ha∣ue a wounde with yron / and shall lyue .lxx. yere after nature.

SHe that than is borne shall be shame∣faste / engenyous / & wyll take payne and she ought to be wedded at .xii. ye¦re / she shall nat be longe with her first husbā∣de. Her seconde husbande shal be of longe ly∣fe: and shall haue moche good by another wo¦man / she shal fall from hye / her lyfe shal be in peryll and shall dye shortely / she shall suffer doloure at .x. yere / if she escape that doloures / she shall lyue .lxx. yere after nature / she shall brynge forthe vertuous fruyte / & euery thyn∣ge shall fauoure her: she shal reioyce in dyuers fortunes. The dayes of Mercury and of Sol

shal be ryght good for them / and the dayes of Mars shal be contrary. And as wel the man as the woman shall suffer many temptacy∣ons / so that with great payne they may resy∣ste them / they shall delyte to lyue chaste / but they shall suffer moche where that it be.

¶ Of the sygne of Libra. Good to let blode.

YEt amonge the Planettes Li∣bra ought to be remembred / for he that is borne from myd Sep¦tembre to myd Octobre he shal be right myghtely praysed and honoured in the seruyce of cap∣taynes / he shal go in vnknowen places / and shall gette in straunge landes / he shall kepe well his owne / if he make nat reuolucion by drynke he wyll nat kepe his promesse: he shal be enuyed by syluer & other goodes / he shal be maryed and go from his wyfe / he shall speke quyckely and haue noo domage amonge his neyghboures / he shall haue vnder his myght the goodes of deed folke / and shall haue some sygne in his membres. Oxen / horse / and other bestes shal be gyuen to hym / he shall haue do∣mage and imury / he shal be enryched by wo∣men

/ and experyment euyll fortunes / many shall aske counceyle of hym. And he shall ly∣ue .lxx. yere after nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme shal be amyable and of great courage she wyll announce the deth of her ene∣myes: and shall go in places vnknowen / she shal be debonayre & mery / and reioyce by her husbande / if she be nat wedded at .xiii. yere she shall nat be chaste / and shal haue no sones by her firste husbande / she shall go many pyl¦grymages / after .xxx. yere she shall prospere in better / and haue great honoure and prayse: than after she shal be greuously sycke / & shall be brent in the fete aboue .xii. yere of age / and shall lyue .lx. yere after nature. The dayes of Venue and of Luna for them ben right good and the dayes of Mercucy contrary. And as well the man as the woman shall be in dou∣bte vnto theyr dethe.

¶ Of the sygne of Scorpio. Good to let blode.

HE whiche is borne ī the sygne of Scor¦pius / from myd Octobre to myd No∣uembre shal haue good fortune: he shal be a great fornycatour. The firste wyfe that

he shall haue in maryage shall become relygy¦ous / he wyll serue gladly to ymages / he shall suffer payne in his pryue membres at the age of .xv. yere / he shall be hardy as a Lyon / and amyable of forme many facultes shal be gy∣uen hym / he shal be a great goer in vysitynge dyuers countres for to knowe the customes & statutes of Cyties / & shall haue victory ouer all his enemyes / they may nat hynder hym in no maner wyse / he shall haue money by his wyfe / and shall suffer dyuers doloures of the stomacke: he shal be mery & loue the company of mery folke. In his ryght sholder shall be a sygne / by swete wordes & adulacions he shal be deceyued / he wyll often saye one & do ano∣ther / he shall haue a wounde with yron / he shal be bytten of a dog or of some other beest / he shal be in doubte and haue dyuers enemyes at the age of .xxxiii. yere / and if he escape / he shall lyue .lxxxiiii. yere after nature.

THe woman that shall be borne in this tyme shal be amyable and fayre / and shall nat be longe with her firste hus∣bande: and after she shal enioye with another by her good and true seruyce / she shal haue ho¦noure and victorye of her enemyes / she shall suffer payne in the stomacke / she shal be wy∣se & haue woundes in her sholdres / she ought

to fere her latter dayes / whiche shal be doubte full by venym / and she shal lyue .lxx. yere af¦ter nature. The dayes of Mars and Saturne to them ben ryght agreable / and the dayes of Iupiter to them ben cōtrary: they shal be swe¦te of wordes & pryckynge with theyr tayles / & they wyll murmure detractynge other: and say otherwyse than they wolde be sayd by.

¶ Of the sygne of Sagittarius. Good to let blode.

BE it knowen that he which is born vnder Sagittarius from mydde Nouembre / to mydde Decembre shal haue mercy of euery man / that whiche he seeth he shall ob∣tayne & haue by reuelacyon / he shall go ferre to deserte places vnknowen & daungerous / & shall retourne with great gaynes: he shal se his fortune encrease from day to day / he wyll nat hyde that he hath / he shall haue some syg∣nes in his handes or fete / he shall be ferefull / and at .xxii. yere of his age he shall haue some great peryll / he shall passe the see to his lucre / and he shall lyue .lxx vii. yere / and .viii. mo∣nethes after nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme shall loue to laboure: she shall haue dy¦uers thought{is} for straūge stryues / and may nat se one wepe / she shall haue victory ouer her enemyes / she shall spende moche syl∣uer by euyll company / she shall suffer many euylles / she shall take great payne to the ende that she maye haue the goodes of her kynnes∣men. She ought to be maryed at .xiii. yere / & she shall haue payne in her iyen at .xiiii. yere / & shal haue by enuye at .xviii. yere ioye / she shal suffer dolour by enuye: & shal be separat from ioye / and shall lyue .lxxii. yere after nature. The dayes of Venus & Luna ben right good & the dayes of Mars and Saturne ben euyll: And as well the man as the woman shal be inconstaunt & vnstable in dedes / they shal be of good cōscyence & mercyfull / better to straū¦gers than to them selfe / & they wyll loue god.

¶ Of the sygne of Capricornus. Euyll to let blode.

HE the whiche is borne vn∣der Capricornus from myd Decembre to myd Ianyue∣re shal be yracundyus / a for nycatour / a lyer: & shal be alwayes labouryn¦ge

/ and shal be norysshed with straūge thyn∣ges / he shall haue many crymes & noyses / he shal be a gouernoure of beestes with .iiii. fete / he shall nat be longe with his wyfe / he shall suffre moche sorowe & heuynes in his youth / he shall leue many goodes and rychesses / he shall haue great peryll at .xvi. yere / he shal be of great courage / he shall haunte honest peo∣ple / and shal be ryche by women / and shal be a conductoure of maydens / his dredren wyll make dyuers espyenges vpon hym / & he shal lyue .lxx. yere / & .iiii. monethes after nature.

AS for the woman that is borne in this tyme shal be honest & ferefull / she shall surmounte her enemyes / and haue chil∣dren of .iii. men: she wyll go many pylgryma¦ges in her youth / and after haue great wytte: she shall haue great goodes / and she shal haue great payne in her iyen / and she shal be in her beste estate at .xxx. yere / and shall lyue .lxx. yere and .iiii. monethes after nature. The day¦es of Saturne and of Mars to them be good & the dayes of Sol ben contrary. And bothe the man and the woman shall be resonable / and yet shal be enuyous.

¶ Of the sygne of Aquarius. Indifferent to let blode.

HE that is borne vnder the sy∣gne of Aquarius from myd Ianuary vnto myd Februa¦ry shal be louely and yrefull: he wyll nat byleue in vayne thynges / he shall haue syluer at .xxiiii. yere he shal be in estate / he shal wyn where he gothe / or he shal be sore sycke / & shal be hurte with yron / & he shall haue fere on the water / and afterwarde shall haue good for∣tune / & shall go in to dyuers countrees.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme shal be delycious: & haue noyses for her children / she shall be in great peryll / at the age of .xxiiii. yere she shal be in felycite: she shall haue domage by beestes with .iiii. fete / she shall lyue .lxxvii. yere after nature. The dayes of Venus & of Luna ben right good for them / the dayes of Mars & Saturne ben con∣trary / & bothe the man & the woman shal be reasonable / & they shal nat be ouer ryche.

¶ Of the sygne of Pisces. Indifferent to let blode.

THe man that is borne vnder the sygne of Pisces / from mydde Fe¦bruary to mydde Marche shal be a great goet / a fornycatoure / a mocker / & shal

be couetous / he wyll say one and do another: he shall fynde money / he wyll truste in his sa¦pyence and shal haue good fortune / he shal be a defender of Orphelyns and wydowes / he shal be ferefull on the water / & he shall soone passe all his aduersytes / & shall lyue .lxxiii. yere / and .v. monethes after nature.

THe woman that is borne in this tyme shal be delycyous / famylyer in gestes / pleasaunt of courage / feruent / & shall haue syckenes in her iyen / and shal be sorow∣full by shame. Her husbande wyll leue her / & she shall haue moche payne with straungers: she shall nat haue her owne / & she shall haue payne in her stomacke / she shall lyue .lxxvii. after nature. The dayes of Mercury / Iupiter and Venus ben right good for them / and the dayes of Mars and Saturne to them ben con¦trary / and bothe the man & the woman shall lyue faythfully.