Malignants ascending, you must know, that all monstrous signes do not
arise from an Ascendent only, but oftentimes also from the stars of
Mens minds, which continually and every moment ascend, and descend
with the fancy, estimation, or imagination, no otherwise then in the
superiour firmament. Hence either from fear, or terrour of breeding;
Women, many monsters, or children marked with monstrous signes in the
womb, are borne. The primary cause of these is fear, terror, appetite
from which is raised the imagination. If a woman with child begin to
imagine, then her heaven by its motion is carryed round, no otherwise
then the superiour firmament every moment, with Ascendents, or risings,
or Settings. For according to the example of the greater firmament, the
stars of the Microcosme also are moved by Imagination, untill there be
an assault, whereby the stars of the Imagination convey an influence,
and impression upon the Woman that is breeding, just as if anyone
should impresse a seale, or stamp money. Whence these signes, and
geniall marks are called Impressions of inferiour stars, of which many
Philosophers have wrote many things, and men have endeavoured much to
give a full, and rationall account of, which could never yet bee done.
Yet they doe adhere, and are impressed on the infants, as the stars of
the Mother, whether frequent or violent, doe rest upon the Infants, or
the Mothers longing is not satisfied: For if the Mother long for this,
or that meat, and cannot have it, the starres are suffocated as it were
in themselves, and dye: And that longing doth follow the infant all its
life time, that it can never bee well satisfied. The like reason is
there of other things, of which we shall not hear Discourse any further.
[Illustration: *decorative divider*]
_Of the Astrall Signes of Physiognomy in Man._
[Sidenote: The Originall of Physiognomie.]
The signes of Physiognomy receive their original from the superior
stars; this art of Physiognomy was greatly esteemed of by our
Ancestors, and especially by Heathens, Tartars, and Turks, &c. and
other people, amongst whom it was the custome to sel men for slaves,
and it is not yet altogether laid aside amongst Christians. Yet
together with it many errors crept in, not yet taken notice of by any,
whilest every blockish ignorant fellow would take upon him without
any manner of judgement to judge of any one. Where it is worthy of
admiration that those erours should never bee taken notice of from the
workes, deeds, and abilities of the men.
Now if any one shall in this place argue against us, saying, that the
signes of Physiognomy are from the stars, and that the stars have no
power to compell any one or stir him up; he indeed doth not speak
amisse: but yet there is some difference in it which must be taken
notice of, because the stars compell some, and others they doe not
compell.
[Sidenote: Man is the Lord of all other Creatures.]
[Sidenote: How a man may withdrawe him selfe from one star, and bring
him selfe under another.]
For here we must know, who can rule or constrain the stars, and who can
be governed by them. Therefore for this you must note, that a wise man
can rule the stars, and not be subject to them. The stars are subject
to a wise man, and are forced to obey him, and not he the stars. But
the stars compell an Animall man, that whither they lead him hee must
follow, just as a thief doth the gallows, and a high-way robber the
wheel, the fisher the fishes, the fowler the birds, the hunter the wild
beasts. And what here is the cause of this, but that such a kind of
man doth neither know himself, nor his own strength, never considers,
or thinks that he is the lesser world, and that he hath the universall
Firmament with the powers thereof hid in him? Wherefore he is called
an Animall, an ignorant man, and a slave to any base service, and all
earthly matters; yet whereas he received that priviledge from God in
Paradise, that hee should rule, and reign over all other creatures
of the Universe, and should not bee obedient to them; therefore God
created him last of all, all the rest being made before him. This
priviledg man afterwards lost by his fall: but yet the wisdome of man
was not made servile, nor did hee let that liberty goe out of his
hands. Whence it is requisite that the starres should follow him, and
obey him, and not he the stars. And although hee indeed be the son of
Saturne, and Saturn his Ascendent; yet hee can remove himselfe from
him, and so overcome him, that he can be the off-spring of the Sun;
and bring himselfe under any other planet, and make himselfe its Son.
And it is the same case here as with a Digger, who for a time hath
spent his pains with the Master of the Mines, and with the hazard of
his life hath performed his service faithfully, at length reasons, and
discourseth with himselfe thus.
What will become of thee at last, if thou spendest all thy life under
the earth, and by thy continuall labours dost also bring thy body, and
life into danger? I will get a release from my Master, and I will serve
another Master, where my life may be made sweeter, where I may have
plenty of meat, and drink, where I may wear better clothes, have little
work and much wages, where there shall bee no danger of the mountain
hanging over mee, and ready to fall upon me, &c. After this manner hee
would bee at liberty, when as otherwise hee must remaine a Mercenary
servant, and slave, pining away with much labour, and low feeding, &c.
Now you see how a wise man commands the stars, and can remove himselfe
from any malignant planet, and bring himselfe under another better,
how he can bring himselfe out of slavery into liberty, and can free
himselfe out of the prison of an ill planet.
So also an Animall man, who is the son of the Sun, of _Iupiter_,
_Venus_, and _Mercury_, may remove himself from a benigne planet, and
subject himself to _Saturne_, or _Mars_: such a man is like to a man,
who runs from a religious Colledge, and being impatient of an easy life
becomes a Souldier, or else a man of no repute, who afterwards spends
all his life in sorrow, and misery.
Such an one also is a rich man, who being given to levity, spends,
and wasts all his goods, in Dicing, Feasting, Whoring, &c. which hee
gives himselfe to so long untill all bee spent, then hee comes to want,
and being miserably afflicted with infamous want, becomes deservedly
a laughter and scorn to all men, yea even to the very boyes in the
streets, whom you may hear saying: Behold a beggerly man worth nothing,
who when hee was a Master disdained his Mastership, and had rather be a
slave, a begger, a slave to servants; seeing he can never come to his
priviledg again.
And hither doth a Malignant star, or Ascendent drive him. Unlesse he
had been a foole, and dishonest, he had not left so certain a Dominion,
which hee had over the stars, but had strove against it: And although
of himselfe hee knew not how to resist the stars; yet hee might have
bent his mind to the examples of others; thinking thus with himselfe:
See how rich that man was, but foolishly, and shamefully hath brought
himself to poverty. Also he lived gallantly, without much labour, had
so much meat, such wages, that he could not live better. Now he lives
sparingly, and sordidly, and in stead of Wine hee must drinke Water,
his labours daily increase, his wages decrease.
Now how often doth such a kind of Man talke after this manner with
himselfe. What have I done? Whither am I running headlong, so basely
spending my goods that I got, who will repaire my estate? If ever I
shall receive what hath been thus spent, I will take a far other course
of life, and will by my harms learne to bee wise, and will make amends
for my evill deeds.
[Sidenote: No man is wise by his own harmes, but by anothers.]
But it is convenient to know, that no man can bee wise by his owne
harme. For it is a foolish, and senselesse thing to bee wise by ones
owne harme. Let him that will be wise, be wise by another mans example,
not by his owne. For hee that hath once spent his estate, would spend
it againe if hee should have it, and he that once perisheth, perisheth
for ever. Hee which once hath cast a Dice, casts it again. Hee which
once stole, and escaped the gallowes, will endeavour to steal the
second time also. For hee thinkes thus with himselfe. My enterprizes
have succeeded once, and again, and why not the third, or fourth time?
If God should once restore what I have lost, hee would restore it the
second, and third time, &c. If hee did not forsake mee in my first
misery, hee will not in the second, or third, &c.
All these doth an Animall man doe, the servant, and slave of the stars,
who is turned every where, and moved by the stars, as a Reed in water.
And this is the reason why his life is spent in misery, and he dies in
infamy.
Who therefore will sustain such servitude, and not deliver himselfe
from such a nasty prison? For any one may by his owne wisdome, together
with the help of his star, deliver, and free himselfe from thence.
Consider the matter thus:
A Fowler by his prudence, and help of his star, overcoming another
starre, needs not goe after birds, for they will come after him flying
to unusuall places, contrary to their nature.
So a Fisherman can by making use of the wisdome which God hath given
him make fishes swim to him of their own accord, so that he may take
them up with his hands.
A Hunter improving his wisdome, doth by his star so compell the wild
beasts, that hee need not follow them, but they will follow him without
any impulse of nature. So also of the rest of living creatures.
[Sidenote: Stars are twofold.]
Now for the better understanding of these things, you must know, that
Stars are twofold; terrestriall, and celestiall, these of wisdome, the
other of folly.
And as there are two worlds, the greater, and the lesser, and the
greater governs the lesser: so also the starres of the Microcosme doe
rule, and overcome the celestiall.
[Sidenote: The end of the Starrs is to serve, not command man.]
Neither did God create the planets, and other stars of the heaven,
that they should rule over man, but that they, as all other creatures,
should obey, and serve him. And although the superiour stars doe
incline men, and signe them as also all other terrestiall bodies, with
naturall signes, according to the manner of their generation; yet that
is no power, or soveraignty, but only a predestinated command, and
office, whereby nothing may remaine hid, or concealed, but the inward
force, and power may bee brought forth by exteriour signes.
[Sidenote: Signes are twofold.]
But to return to our purpose of the Physiognomicall signes of Men, you
must know, that they are twofold, in externall shape indeed alike, but
in power, and effect unlike.
Some are from supernaturall stars of the heaven, the other, from the
inferiour starres, _viz._ of the Microcosme.
[Sidenote: What are Physiognomicall signes.]
Whatsoever the superiour star signes according to generation, even to
the midle age, that thing signed is predestinated, not wanting peculiar
powers. For it doth testifie of the nature, and condition of Man.
Whatsoever therefore the inferiour star of the Microcosme doth sign in
generation, hath its originall from the Father, and Mother, _viz._ as
oft as the Mother by her imagination, or appetite, feare, or terror
hath by contact affected her infant in her womb with supernaturall
signes, which are called the Mothers marks, or the Womb marks, of
which since wee have spoke already, wee shall now save the labour of
iteration; seeing our purpose is only to treat of Physiognomicall
signes, where wee shall speak only of the predestinated signes of the
stars, under which wee understand those signes of Men, which neither
their Father, or Mother had any likenesse of in their body.
Of this sort are black, gray, little, or great eyes, long, crooked,
sharp, nose, pits in their cheeks, the cheek-bone being raised up, a
flat, or broad nose, small, or great ears, long neck, long face, wide,
or little mouth, thick or small, many or few, black, yellow, and red
haires, &c.
If one, or more of these signes appear in Man, you must know, that they
doe not want their signification.
But it is necessary that you consider them according to the
Physiognomicall art, and that you have certain knowledge of the Art
of Signatures, whereby you may know through the externall signes the
internall man.
[Sidenote: What Black Eyes signifie.]
But to proceed to the practise of what we intended, and to reckon up
some of the signes of Men, and their signification in part.
You must know, that black eyes besides a healthful constitution, also
many times signifie a constant mind, not wavering, or fearfull, but
lusty, hearty, true and loving vertue.
[Sidenote: What Gray.]
Gray eyes are a signe of a deceitfull, and changeable man.
[Sidenote: Weake Eyes.]
Weak eyes signifie good judgement, witty, and profound deliberation.
[Sidenote: Purblind.]
Purblind eyes, and such as turne upward, and downward, and to both
sides, signifie a false man, and crafty, that cannot easily be
deceived, treacherous, hating labour, slothfull, getting his living
slothfully, by Dice, Usury, Whoring, Robbery, &c.
[Sidenote: Small and deep.]
Small and deep eyes doe for the most part signifie weak, and feeble
eyes, and blindnesse ensuing in old age, as also strong men, warlike,
bold, deceitfull, nimble, factious, patiently undergoing their
condition, yet the end of whose life is for the most part tragicall, &c.
[Sidenote: Great.]
Great eyes, a covetous, ravenous man, especially if they hang out of
the head.
[Sidenote: Alwayes Winking.]
Eyes that are alwaies winking, declare a weak sight, and a man to be
fearefull, and solicitous.
[Sidenote: Rolling.]
Rolling Eyes shew an amorous affection, and a prudent man, and a man of
quicke intention.
[Sidenote: Continually dejected.]
Eyes continually dejected shew a bashfull, modest man, &c.
[Sidenote: Red.]
Eyes that are red, signifie a bold, and strong man, &c.
[Sidenote: Cleare.]
Clear eyes, and not easily moveable, shew an heroick, magnanimous,
strong, chearfull, and a man formidable to his enemies, &c.
[Sidenote: Eares great.]
Great eares shew a good hearing, a good memory, attention, diligence, a
sound brain, and head, &c.
Low eares are an ill omen. For, for the most part they signifie a man
to be malitious, fraudulent, unjust, and a bad hearing, a bad memory, a
bold man, and easily exposing himselfe to dangers.
[Sidenote: A long Nose.]
A long nose, and crooked downwards is a good sign, it signifies a man
to bee valiant, prudent, close, rigorous, and yet just, &c.
[Sidenote: A flat Nose.]
A flat nose signifies a man to be malicious, lustfull, given to lying,
inconstant, &c.
[Sidenote: Sharp.]
A sharp nose, a man to bee a turne-coate, a mocker, &c.
[Sidenote: Long.]
A long nose, a man to be slow in all his actions, and to be of a very
quick smell.
[Sidenote: Hollow cheeks.]
The cheekes with pits in them signifie a man to bee talkative, a
Scorner, contentious, &c.
[Sidenote: A long Chin.]
A long chin, with a long face, signifie a man to be given to anger, and
slow to labour, &c.
[Sidenote: A divided Chin.]
A divided chin signifies a man to bee faithfull, officious, subtile,
and various in his words, speaking one thing, and meaning another,
angry, yet sorry for his anger, ingenious, and given to inventions.
[Sidenote: A great Mouth.]
A great and large mouth signifies a man to bee a great devourer, silly,
foolish, imprudent, dareing, &c. A little mouth signifies the contrary.
[Sidenote: Lips drawn to.]
Lips drawne to, where the upper is greater then the lower, signifie a
man to bee angry, warlike, couragious, yet for the most part of rude,
and uncivil behaviour, and manners like to a swine.
[Sidenote: Lips great beneath.]
Lips great beneath, signifie a man to be dull, foolish, and blockish,
&c.
[Sidenote: Haire signifies nothing by Art.]
Judgement by the haires either of the head, or beard, is not very
certain, because use teacheth that they can be divers wayes varyed, as
to bee made black, or yellow, or red, or white, and hoary, or curled,
soft, or hard, as any one desires to have them.
Hence it will come to passe, that many who are otherwise skilfull
enough in the Art of Physiognomy would be most shamefully deceived,
whilst they should rashly judge by the hairs, imputing that to the
stars, which should rather be ascribed to men themselves.
Yet it cannot bee denyed, but that haires firmly fastened on the head,
doe signifie a good health of the head, as also of the whole body.
And this is the reason, why they that buy Horses pull their tails,
that by this means they may judge of their soundnesse.
So Hogges are tryed by their bristles, Fish by their shells, and
scales, a Bird by his feathers, &c.
[Sidenote: Long Necks.]
The necke, if it be too long, signifies a man to bee sollicitous,
prudent, and attent, &c.
[Sidenote: Broad Shoulders and backs.]
Broad shoulders, and backe, signifie a man to bee strong, and able for
carrying or removing, &c.
[Sidenote: Musculous Armes.]
Armes that are musculous, signifie a man to be strong and able for any
exercise, as beating, pounding, shooting, &c.
[Sidenote: Hard hands.]
Hands that bee hard signifie a man to bee laborious, and a hireling,
&c. Soft hands, the contrary.
[Sidenote: A short Body.]
A short body, and long legs signifie a man to be a good runner, to bee
easily satisfied with meat, and drinke, and for the most part to bee of
a short life.
Great and clear veines under the middle age of man signifie a man to be
full of bloud and juice, but above the midle of his age to be commonly
sick, yet long lived.
[Sidenote: Nothing can be judged by the manners, and behaviour of Men.]
As much as concerns the manners, gestures of men, nothing can be so
easily known, and judged by them.
For experience teacheth that these can every moment bee changed, as
to deceive the Signator, and make him erroneous in his judgement:
And because it hath not been observed hitherto so accurately by all
Astronomers; It is therefore the Signators part not alwayes to look to
the manners and actions of men, but rather to other signs of the body,
which are fixed, and can by no Art be counterfeited or changed.
For if red hairs, moving the forehead, and eyelids, a cheerfull,
raised, and unmoveable countenance, a frequent agitation of the mouth,
a stout mused walking, and a light mind, should necessarily declare a
man to be a gallant souldier and stout, every one could by his industry
and art make himselfe seem to be such an one; that hee might by his
lookes bee the better approved of, and obtaine greater pay.
The like also may be judged of other kinds of behaviour, which pretend
to wisdom, folly, truth, lying, fortune, victory, &c.
[Illustration: *decorative divider*]
_Of the Astrall Signes of Chiromancy._
Concerning the Signes of Chiromancy, we must hold that they doe arise
from the superiour stars of the seven planets; and that wee must know
and judge of them by the seven planets.
[Sidenote: What Chiromancy is.]
Now Chiromancy is an Art, which doth not only look into the hands of
men, and make judgement by their lines and wrinkles, but also considers
all hearbs, woods, hard stones, earthes, and rivers, and whatsoever
hath lines, veins, or wrinkles.
Neither doth this Art want its errours, which those Astronomers were
guilty of.
For they assigned the fingers of both hands to the planets, and
chiefest stars, whereas there are but five fingers in one hand, and in
both ten, yet the planets are reckoned but seven.
How then can these things agree amongst themselves?
Now if there were seven fingers on each hand, it then might bee
granted, that every finger might bee ascribed to severall planets.
[Sidenote: Whether the fingers be assigned to the Planets.]
But yet it falls out many times, that some men may have but seven
fingers on both hands, the rest being casually cut off: but seing that
they were cut off, and just seven were not at their birth, this matter
cannot be related hither.
And if it should be so, that a man should bee borne with seven fingers,
whether on one hand, or on both: yet that were monstrous, and beside
the usuall order of Nature, and not subject to the stars. Therefore
this also cannot belong to this place.
But if there must be but five fingers on each hand, and seven planets,
and these mutually bee compared amongst themselves, it would then be
convenient that the lots of the planets should be put into a box, to
know which two planets must give place, and bee left out.
Yet because this cannot bee, and the planets have neither dice, nor
lots in the Firmament; It would be worth wondering at, if any one
should usurp this power to himself, as to allot by the name of the
planet, and signe, the thumb to _Venus_, the fore-finger to _Iupiter_,
the midle-finger to _Saturne_, the ring-finger to the _Sun_, and the
little-finger to _Mercury_, in the meane time casting out _Mars_, and
the _Moon_, as it were out of their tribe and liberty.
Which things being so; who can wonder that _Mars_ doth stir up his
sons with just indignation to kill that caster of lots, or to beare
a perpetuall hatred against him? Who can wonder why the Moon should
enfeeble the brain of that player, or take away his reason?
And this is their first errour, which, as wee have said, they have
committed in Chiromancy.
The second errour in it is this:
It oftentimes happens that the originall, and naturall lines of the
hands are changed by hurts, and casualties, or are made greater, or
lesser, or doe appear in other places.
For as if there be a high-way obstructed by any thing or be stopt up
by the fall of a mountain, or be spoiled by the overflowing of waters,
men go about in another way neer to it: so it happens in the old lines
of the hands, that sometimes after the curing of wounds, or ulcers,
together with new flesh, also new lines doe grow out, and the old are
quite abolished.
In the same manner also by reason of hard labours the lines are
defaced, or they which were originall grow great; as it is in trees:
For if a young tree send forth many branches on all sides, these being
cut off, the tree it selfe becomes bigger.
But that wee may at length proceed to the practise of the Art of
Chiromancy, and briefly declare our opinion; I would have you know,
that I will indeed change nothing of what concerns the hands, but
acquiesce, and be satisfied with the observations, and descriptions of
the Ancients. Yet I purpose in this practise of Chiromancy to write of
those things, of which the Ancients have made no mention of, as of the
Chiromancy of Hearbs, Woods, Stones, and the like.
[Sidenote: The Chiromancy of Hearbs and Woods.]
And it must first be noted, that all Hearbs, which are of one kind must
be of one, and the same Chiromancy.
[Sidenote: What use is of them.]
But if their lines bee unlike, and appeare greater, or lesser in some
of them: that is, by reason of their age. Wee doe therefore clearly
professe, that the Chiromancy of Hearbs, conduceth to nothing else but
to know, and understand the age of any Hearb, or Root.
But by way of arguing any may here object, that there is no hearb as
long as it growes is older then another, four or five monthes at the
most, if the supputation begins from May till Autumne, at which time
hearbs die, and fall from their root.
[Sidenote: The condition of the spirit of the Hearb.]
To this I answer, that from God there is but one vertue in a root,
which is the first being and spirit of the hearb, by reason of which
the hearb grows, and is supported untill the predestinated time, and
untill it bee exalted to the production of seed. And this is a sign,
and a mark, that the vertue returns back to the root, and so the hearb
is dryed. As long as that spirit which is the chiefest vertue of the
hearb remaines in the root, the hearb every yeer is renewed: unlesse it
be, that that spirit together with the hearb be taken way, and decayes.
Then the hearb is not renewed. For the root is dead, and hath no more
life remaining in it.
But after what manner that spirit together with the hearb is taken from
the root, or with the root from the earth, that the vertue thereof
cannot goe backe into the root, or from the root into the earth, is
not to be considered in this place. For that is a sublime mystery
of Nature, and not to be openly discovered by reason of ignorant
Physitians, who doe not only scoffe at but contemne such secrets.
Therefore what here wee have omitted, wee shall set downe in our
Herball.
Moreover, by how much the younger hearbs are, so much the more doe they
excell in power and vertue.
As by age a man is weakned, and fails in strength, so also doe hearbs.