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.

¶ Thus endeth the .xii. Sygnes of deste∣nyes of man and woman born vnder them. And here after foloweth the Scyence of Phyzonomye / for to knowe the naturall inclyna∣cyon of man and woman.

SO as Pholomeus saythe Phyzonomye of the whi∣che hath ben spoken of be∣fore: is a science that Astro¦nomyers haue for to kno∣we the naturall inclyna∣cyon of man and woman good or euyll: by dyuers sygnes on them in be holdynge them oonly. The whiche inclyna∣cyon / we ought to folowe if it be good. But if it be euyl by vertue and strength of vnder¦standynge / we ought to eschewe and euyte it as to the effecte / & to withstāde the sayd euyll inclynacyons. Astronomyers vse this scyen∣ce none other wyse. The prudent / vertuous & wyse men may be as touchyng theyr maners All other than theyr sygnes demonstreth and sheweth in their reygne. For these tokens that do sygnyfye vyce is nat seen in a wyse man thoughe the sygne be so / as an ale stake / or a sygne hanged before an house / in the whiche often tymes is noo drynke. ¶ For howe be it that a man by his wysdom and vnderstan∣dynge folowe nat the euyll influences of the celestyall bodyes that ben vpon hym / and yet corrupteth nat the sygnes and demonstra∣cions of the sayd influences / but those sygnes naturally haue sygnory and domynacion on

them / in the whiche they be for to haue natu∣rally that whiche they sygnyfy / thoughe that a man folowe them / or folowe them nat.

¶ wherfore Astronomyers say that the most parte of men and women folowe theyr natu¦rall inclynacions to vyce or vertue / for that the most parte of them be nat wyse & prudent as they oughte to be / and they vse no vertue of theyr owne myndes / but ensueth theyr sen∣sualyte. And by these celestyall influences of the whiche is shewed by sygnes outwarde of suche sygnes is the sayd scyence of Phyzono∣mye knowen. For the whiche it behoueth fir∣ste to knowe that the yere is deuyded in .iiii. partyes (as it hathe ben sayd before) that is to wyt Pryme tyme / Some / Heruest / & wyn∣ter / that ben compared to the .iiii. Elementes. Pryme tyme to the ayre. Somer to the fyre. Heruest to the erthe. And wynter to the wa∣ter. Of the whiche .iiii. Elementes euery man and woman is formed and made / and with∣out the whiche none may lyue. The fyre is ho¦te and drye. The ayre is hote and moyst. The water is moyste and colde. The erthe is colde and drye. Also they saye that the persone on whom the fyre reygneth is Coleryke of com∣pleccion (that is to saye) hote and drye. He on whom the ayre reygneth is Sanguyne of cō¦pleccyon

(that is to saye) hote and moyste. He on whom the water domyneth is Flumaty∣ke of compleccyon (that is to say) moyste and colde. He on whom the erthe domyneth is Me¦lancolyke of compleccion (that is to say) colde & drye. The whiche compleccions they know¦lege and deserue the one from the other.

AS the Coleryke hath nature of fyre ho¦te and drye / natually is lene and sklen¦der / couetous / yrefull / hasty / braynles / folysshe / malycyous / deceytfull / and subtyll / where he bestoweth his wyt. He hath wyne of the Lyon (that is to saye) whan he is dron∣ken he chydeth / fyghteth / and comonly he lo∣ueth to be clad in blacke / as russet / & graye.

¶ The Sanguyne hath nature of Ayre hote and moyste / and is large / plentuous / attem∣pred / amyable / abundaunte in nature / mery / syngynge laughynge / lykynge / ruddy & gra¦cyous. He hath his wyne of the Ape / the more he drynketh the meryer he is: & draweth to wo¦men / & naturally loueth hye coloured cloth.

¶ The Flumatyke hath nature of water / col¦de and moyste / he is heuy / slowe / slepy / inge∣nyous / comonly he spytteth whan he is mo∣ued & hath his wyne of the Shepe / for whan he is dronken he accompteth hym selfe wysest and be loueth moste and aboue all coloures /

the coloure of grene clothe.

¶ The Melancolyke hathe nature of Erthe / colde and drye / he is heuy / couetous / bacbyter malycyous / and slowe. His wyne is of the hogge / for whan he is dronken he desyreth sle∣pe / and to lye downe and haue his reste / and he loueth the coloure of blacke beste.