analogous to the four Elements afterwards we shall mention Dreams of things animal and consequently of the Coelestial Of the FIRE WHen a man Dreams he sees Fire that signifies the issue of his choler and ordinarily they that Dream of Fire are active cholerick and furious A Man that Dreams he is burnt by Fire that prognosticates a violent Fever He that Dreams he sees a moderate Fire in his chimney without smoak or the crackling of sparks it signifies that he which Dream'd is in perfect health and that his inclination swayes him to that which is good and rational sometimes also it signifies riches some are of opinion that it denotes a feast or rejoycing among relations and friends On the contrary when one Dreams that he sees a great sparkling Fire with much smoak that signifies anger debates or some bad news which he that Dreams will soon be sensible of When one Dreams of seeing a Fire extinguished that signifies indigence necessity ill fortune and want of money and if any distemper'd person Dreams that the Fire is put out that praesageth his death When one Dreams that he sees a clear shining lighted candle upon a table or cabinet that is a good signe to the Sick it denotes recovery and health and if he that Dreams be unmarried it signifies that he will speedily marry that he will have success and prosper in his undertakings and that he will gain credit the same interpretation may be made of a Lanthorn or flaming Torch He that Dreams he sees a Candle Lanthorns or Torch extinguished or darkned that signifies unto him sadness sickness and poverty He that Dreams he is in a Ship and sees a clear light afar off shall be assured of a faiâ— wind shall receive no dammage by tempests and shall arrive happily at the Haven When one Dreams in the night that he holds a burning Light or Torch in his hand it is a good signe and chiefly to those that are young for it signifies that they shall enjoy their loves accomplish their designes overcome their Enemies and gain honor and good-will from all persons To Dream you see a burning Light in thâ— hands of another signifies that the mischief donâ—â— will be discovered and the party punished and that there will be no possibility of excusing oâ— concealing it When the light is extinguished it signifies the contrary When one Dreams that he sees one or more houses burning with a clear pure Fire that is not violent nor sparkling and that those houseâ— are neither consum'd nor destroy'd that signifies to the necessitous goods riches and Inheritances to the rich it praesageth honors charges and dignity But if you spie them burning with a smoaky violent or sparkling Fire and that they seem to fall and be consum'd that denotes the contrary viz. adversity trouble Law-suits shame misfortune and death to the Dreamer Queen Hecuba wife to King Priam being with child of her Son Paris Dream'd that shee went with a burning Torch that would consume the City or Troy which was a prognostick of the ruine of her Empire of her own and the death of all her relations When a man Dreams that his bed is on Fire and that he perisheth that signifies dammage sickness or death to his wife and if the wife Dreams it the same may happen to her Husband When one Dreams that he sees Tapestry or other moveables of a Hall burning and that they are comsum'd that prognosticates dammage or death to the Master of the House When one phancies in a Dream that he sees the Cabinet or Cupboard that belongs to the Mistris if the House burning that signifies sickness or death to her If one Dreams that the Kitchen is one Fire that denotes death to the Cook the men or maid-servants or one of them When a man beleeves the shop is on Fire and that it is consum'd by the Fire that signifies loss of Goods and Possessions If one Dreams that he sees the out-windows of the fore-part of the house burning and that they are consum'd that signifies the death of Brethren if they are those of the back-part it is the death of Sisters or of one of them When one Dreams that the Gates burn and are consum'd that signifies death to the Mistris of the House and somtimes to him that Dreams If one beleeves he sees the Bed-posts on Fire without being consum'd that signifies good fortune to the male-Children as Euripides the Philosopher testifies To see the top of the House on Fire and consum'd denotes loss of Goods Law-suits oâ— the Master of the house his Friends If one Dreams that he kindles a Fire and that it burns immediately without trouble or a candle or Torch that signifies that the Children begotten will be fortunate and honor their Mother If a Woman Dreams that shee kindles or lights the Fire it is a signe shee is with child and that shee will be safely deliver'd of a fortunate child whether it be a Boy or a Girl When one Dreams of kindling a Fire with much ado and that it extinguisheth presently it denotes dammage and dishonor to the wife and he that Dreams who often proves the cause of it He that Dreams he sees a Castle quite burn'd down and consum'd it signifies damage sickness or death to the Master thereof and he thaâ— Dreams a City is on Fire and consum'd that denotes famine war or pestilence to the said City He that Dreams he sees a man publickly burn'd it signifies loss in merchandizing oâ— sickness He that Dreams he sees his cloathes burn'd and consum'd it signifies vexation injury reproach overthrowing at Law and loss of friends He that Dreams he sees a stack of corn burn'd and consum'd it signifies famine and mortality but if it consumes not it denotes fertility and great riches to him that Dreams He that Dreams he sees himself burning in the Fire and suffers pain thereby it signifies envy displeasure choler and debates He that Dreams he holds a Torch made of straw and carries it in publick it signifies joy honor and the safe management of Affairs He that Dreams he burns his finger it signifies envy and sin Of the AIR THey that Dream they see the Air clear and serene shall be belov'd and esteem ' by all persons and those that are their enemies and envy them shall be reconcil'd into them According to the observation of Physicians they judge the person to be sanguine and full of blood that is accustom'd to Dream of the Air. Some eniment Authors affirme that to Dream of seeing the Air clear and free from clouds it signifies that the theft or thing lost shall be discovered and that one shall overcome his Enemies that he shall overthrow at Law be respected and esteem'd by all and that he shall make a successful voyage or journy if he be upon any such designe in brief all good things are denoted by a clear and serene Air. But on the contrary if one Dreams that the Airs is cloudy dark
and troubled that signifies sadness sickness melancholy and obstruction of business in short such a Dream signifies the contrary of what is before signified by a pure and clear Air. When one Dreams he is in a calme Air that signifies that his life and manners shall be good peaceable and acceptable to all company and that the businesses and voyages or journies he undertakes shall succeed according to his desire If one Dreams he sees a soft showre without storme tempest or great winds that signifies to Labourers gain and profit and quite contrary to Merchants it denotes obstruction loss and spoile of their Merchandizes and the same to Artisans and Mechanicks Dreams of great and long continuing rain hail tempests and thunder signifie afflictions troubles dangers losses and peril to the poorer sort they signifie repose for during the storme they are shut up and at rest When one Dreames of Ice and Snow in winter that hath no signification for the spirit represents to the memory the cold of the praeceding day but if it be in another season that denotes a good Harvest to Husbandmen and that the earth will abound in all things To Merchants and other men of employment it signifies hindrance in their negotiations and voyages and to soldiers that their designes will be frustrated To Dream of hail signifies sorrow and trouble Yet it signifies also that the most hidden secrets shall be reveal'd and made known To Dream you see a thunderbolt fall near you without a tempest signifies that he that Dreams shall be constrain'd to fly or quit his country and dwell elsewhere and this is understood particularly of Grandees If one Dreams that thunder falls upon his head or on the houses that signifies loss of life and Goods Of the Coelestial Fire TO Dream one sees a moderate pure and shining Fire in the Heavens signifies the menaces of some Prince or great Lord. To Dream one sees a great Fire in the Heavens signifies an assault by Enemies poverty desolation and famine and on what part soever the Fire falls from Heaven that denotes that the evil or Enemies will proceed from thence and if we Dream that the said Fire flies and descends on all parts that is still worse To Dream you see burning Lights or Torches branches and trees on Fire descending from Heaven it signifies Warres Quarrelling Sterility as also danger to him that Dreams that he shall be violently hurt in the head that he shall be beheaded or have his brains beaten out by a fortuitous chance or some strange accident Of the WATER THey that Dream they frequently see others or do often dip themselves in the Water according to the Naturalists are of a phlegmatick constitution and subject to defluxions and catarrhes To dream that you see River-water clear and calme praesageth good to all persons and principally to Travellers Lawyers and Judges To Dream one sees River-water troubled signifies that one shall be threatned by some great Lord or out of his Masters favor and that Lawyers shall be in great trouble and subject to censure To Dream of being in an impetuous River and not to escape signifies danger to the person of him that Dreams sickness caused by defluxions and delatory Law-suits To Dream of swimming in a great River signifies future peril and danger To Dream you see a clear River run by your Chamber praesageth the arrival of some rich and liberal person who will advantage the Dreamers but if the Water be troubled and that it seem'd to spoile the moveables of the Chamber then that signifies to those of the family violence quarrels and disorder occasioned by Enemies A rich man that Dreams he sees a rivulet of clear Water run by his house will be suddenly chosen into some charge or office in which he shall receive honor joy and profit and will prove a refuge and Asylum to the oppressed To Dream you see a rivulet that is troubled signifies loss and dammage by Fire Law-suits and Enemies It is a good signe to dream you see a Pit full of fair Water in a field where there is none at all for he that Dreams will be a thriving man and suddenly married if he be not so already and will have good and obedient Children To Dream you see a Pit whose Water overflowes the banks that praedicts loss of substance the death of Wife and Children and if the Wife have the same Dream that denotes her death or the loss of her substance To Dream that you see a little Pond signifies that you will enjoy the love of a beautiful woman and the same if a woman Dreams it shee shall have her desires accomplished To Dream that you are in Boat upon a River Lake or Pond of clear Water that is very good and signifies joy prosperity and success in affaires If a sick Person Dreams that he sees a River or Fountain of clear running Water that praesageth his recovery but if the water be troubled and muddy it signifies the contrary If a young Man Dreams he draws Water out of a clear Well that signifies he will be speedily married to a fair Mayd that will bring him a portion if the Water be troubled he will be disturb'd by her and suddenly fall sick If he seems to give others clear Well-water to drink by this Mayd's means he will enrich or afflict them if the Water be troubled If any one thinks that his River Pond or Fountain is dried up that signifies poverty or death If any one Dreams that he sees Water flow from a place where there is no possibility it should come that signifies care torment and affliction If he imagine that he hath taken up some of that Water the mischief will be of a longer continuance according to the quantity he hath drawn if it seems to him that it is dried up and gone the misfortune will also be at an end He that Dreams he drinks warm Water is in danger of receiving praejudice by an offended Enemy and the party will be afflicted more or less according to the degree of the heat of the Water for as fresh Water is a good so hot or boyling Water is a bad signe When one Dreams he sees a Bath that signifies affliction or grief If a person Dreams he goes into a Bath and that he finds it too hot he will be troubled and afflicted by those that belong to his family which trouble will be proportionable to the heat of the Water in the Bath whether more or less If it seems to him that he hath only pul'd off hiâ— cloaths without going into the Bath he wilâ— have some disturbance but of no long continuance If one Dreams he goes into an extreme colâ— Bath the same signification is to be given of it as when it is too hot But if it be temperate and as it ought to be it is a good Dream praesaging prosperity pleasure joy and health If one Dreams he hath carried Water in a garment linnen cloth or any
Some Authors affirm that to Dream such a dream signifies that one shall be scoff'd at and despised by all persons by reason of some woman but that however he shall obtain his ends If any one Dreams that he receives a blow with a sword by some of his Acquaintance he will have reason to be pleas'd with him if it be by an unknown person he will make peace with his friends and get advantage thereby If any one Dreams that his wound is heal'd he will boast of his valor and gain honor by it in the opinion of the world If any one Dreams he hath the plague his hidden store he will be discovered and will run the risque of losing it Of Furious and mad Man If any one Dreams he is a Demoniack or otherwise possess'd by some evil spirit he will receive benefits from his Prince and be long liv'd If one Dreams he hath seen the Devil that he was tormented or otherwise that he was much frightned that signifies that the Dreamer is in danger of being checked or punished by his Soverain Prince or some Magistrates And quite contrarily if one Dreams he strikes the Devil or some Persons he beleeves to be posses'd and that he phancies he overcomes them it is a signe that he that dreams thus shall overcome his Enemies and vanquish them with glory and satisfaction If any one Dreams that he is turn'd Ideot and mad and is guilty of publick extravagancies he shall be long-liv'd a favorite to his Prince and gain pleasure and profit by the people If a Woman Dreams shee is become foolish and is publickly guilty of folly and impudence it is a signe shee will have a Boy who in time will grow great if shee be a Maid shee will be speedily married and that to an honest Man Of Drunkards To Dream one is Drunk is increase of Estate and recovery of health but when one dreams that he is drunk without drinking any Wine it is an ill omen and he runs the hazard of being disgrac'd by some bad action and of being punished by Law If a Man Dreams he is drunk with Sack Muscadel or some other sweet and pleasant drink it is a signe he will be belov'd by some great Lords and grow rich thereby If a Man Dreams he is drunk with pure Water he will boast causelesly of his wealth and vaunt of another persons strength If any one Dreams he is drunk and vomits he will run the hazard of losing his Estate by the violence of his Prince who will force him to an accompt of his means ill gotten or if he be a Gamester he will lose all he hath formerly won If any one Dreams that being drunk he is very much pain'd at heart and in his Intrails that is as much as to say that his Domesticks or Servants will rob him of his mony or destroy his fortune without his knowledge If any one Dreams he is grown lean and wasted he will be disturb'd and have suits at Law of some other ill business that will occasion the loss of his Estate or else he is in danger of falling sick nevertheless if a Woman Dreams that her tongue is grown less and learner then ordinary that signifies unto her honor wisdom prudence and discretion by which qualifications shee will be honor'd and esteem'd by all persons We have discours'd before in the 43 page of beheading now we must explain the other sorts of punishment If any one Dreams that by sentence or judgement he was condemn'd to be hang'd and that he imagins it was really executed he will be dignified according to the height of the Gibbet or Tree whereon he was hang'd If the Dreamer be sick or afflicted he will be freed from the disease and in the end have joy and contentment If any one Dreams he condemn'd another to be hang'd that signifies he will be angry with him whom he imagin'd he condemn'd but in a small time after he will place him in honor and dignity which he will abuse According to the Interpretation of the Persians and Egyptians he that Phancies he is hang'd broken on the wheel whip'd or burn'd by sentence of Law he will be rich honor'd and respected for some time but if he imagines that he was hang'd or burn'd by a fire that did quite consume him he will inevitably perish in the end If any one Dreams that being to be hang'd he was deliver'd and came down to the bottom of the Gibbet that person will lose his Estate and dignity If any one Dreams he hath eaten the flesh of a Man hang'd he will be inriched by some persons but it shall be by Foul practise and some secret crime Of Death and the Grave If any one Dreams he is dead he will be subjected to some great Prince will grow rich and long-liv'd though not without much envy If it seems that he is put into a grave and buried that presageth he will die in a mean condition yet some beleeve groundedly upon experience that to dream one is dead and buried he that hath such a dream shall recover an Estate according to the proportion of the quantity of earth that is laid upon him If a person Dreams he sees one that is dead and that he beleeves him to be alive that signifies he is sav'd and that we must do what he faith nay farther it signifies assurance of the dispatch of business and Gods blessing who takes care to send us visions for our good and for the salvation of body and soul Of Games THe Spirit of Man being more inclin'd to things that recreate then the contrary he dreams oftener of Plays and Pastimes then serious actions The Game of Chesse and Tables is the representative of a Field prepar'd for a battle the two Gamesters are the two Generals of the Armies and the Tables and Chess-men are the soldiers that make up the two Armies wherefore if any one dreams that he plays at Chess with an acquaintance it is a signe he will fall out with somebody that he knows and if he imagines in his dreams that he wins he shall be victorious over his Enemies and on the contrary if he dreams he loseth he will be overcome and worsted in the combat If the Dreamer imagines that he hath taken many Men in play that foretels he will take many of his Enemies prisoners If a King or General of an Army dreams he hath lost his Chesse-board or that it is broken or stolen from him he will lose his Army either by the Enemies Assault or else by plague or famine To Dream one plays at Cards or Dice signifies deceit and craft and that he is in danger of losing his Estate by some wicked persons To Dream you play at Tennis signifies travel and pain to gain wealth by contention and injurie To Dream you have won at Dice is a signe that some Inheritance will fall to you by the death of some of your relations for Dice are made of dead
mistrustful which are the effects of that fear that freezeth their heart and of that experience they have of the Infidelity of men are very Avaricious Contentious Incensed at every inconsiderable thing yet weakly are Pensive which I find to proceed from the frost in their blood are fasridious and discontented for Ipsa senectus morbus est Old age it self is a perpetual malady they are obstinate in their opinion and many of them blame young men for their want of experience and practice phancying to themselves that wisdome and understanding is found no where but under a Night-cap hence ariseth that spirit of contempt by which they debase young men and as Travellers for the most part discourse of the prodigies they have heard and seen in forrain parts so old men relate the things they have seen or heard in former times By these two extremes you may easily judge of the temper of those that are arriv'd at their Manhood who are strangers to the Confidence and Presumption in young men and also to the sear and diffidence that is in those that are Aged so they marry honesty and profit together Before I come to the Constitutions of Men it will not be improper to give you a description of the temperature of Women Of the disposition of Women WOmen are naturally more inclinable to mercy and pity then Men by reason of the tenderness of their constitution Besides they excel men in piety and devotion which I presume is occasion'd by that knowledge they have of their inability to undergo labor affliction and bear with injuries offered and this is the reason they have recourse to God by whose goodness they are protected nor are they so violently hurried on to incontinency as men are for want of heat as also for that innate modesty that is in them yet they are extreamly over-rul'd by four passions The reputation of beauty or some sparks of Ingenuity also Envy the Daughter of Pride for they are immoderately disturb'd at the Beauty Goodness or Estate of their Equals whence ariseth another passion which is very unnatural to them and pernicious for Envy is the Whetstone of their Tongues which sharpens their Language to Murder the reputation of their Neighbors The fourth which is most notorious to all persons is their Inconstancy according to that Antient Proverb Quid levius pluma flamen Quid flamine ventus Quid vento Mulier Quid Muliere nihil What 's lighter then a Feather Sound then Sound the wind Then wind a woman nothing then womankind This Inconstancie is a branch of the same root as that in young men which is a defect of prudence and judgement in their Determinations for those that truly deserve the name of wise are not over-hasty in their Resolves but produce them with much considerateness and deliberation which is the reason that they weigh well those Circumstances which may obstruct them in their Affairs But Women and young Men generally are precipitate in their resolutions and seldome accomplish them because they draw conclusions without judgement and meet with some Remora in the Execution which necessarily forceth them to a Retractation This is the source of that perpetual chat that is often among Women for the space of half an Hour would â—ire five men in discourse and make them barren of matter but three Women met together will never cease nor yet want a subject to furnish them with prittle-prattle Of the Humors HAving declar'd in general the Inclination of the Inhabitants of the Septentrional Middle and Meridional Regions as also the passions of every Nation in particular especially those with whom we most converse and likewise what Passions are predominant in old Men young Men and Women it is now time for us to proceed to understand the Constitution of the Melancholique Phlegmatique Cholerique and Sanguine Of the Melancholique Constitution THe Melancholique are for the major part black cold dry rough-skin'd with thin harsh and curled hair meagre in body great eaters have the joynts of their body outwardly visible are slow backward in their resolutions Dreamers Diffident Suspicious Ingenious and generally malitious persons of few words which they put forward with a designe to sound those that approach them They are Close Hypocritical Conceited Enemies to all Drolleriâ— and Privacie Retir'd within themselves and Lovers of Solitude not very accostable or Communicative affect but few persons and those coldly too soon mov'd to anger though upon small grounds and Covetous by reason of that Diffidence which ever accompaines them fearful that their Estate will decay Enemies to those they have offended as well as those they offend Vindicative Irreconciliable or at least you must not too much depend upon their Reconciliation In a word they are extraordinary virtuous or vicious Of the Phlegmatique Constitution THe Phlegmatique are naturally moist white and soft-skin'd their joynts are hid they cannot endure labor are Timorous sleep well and are often provok'd to Leachery their Eyes running are indifferently capacitated for Learning when they abound not with phlegme but otherways they are of a dull capacity their hair and nails grow much their mouths always water if it be white and fluid it is a good signe if viscous they contrary are seldom thirsty drink very rarely unless it be at meales their urine is white their eyes heavy have but little appetite a slow digestive faculty where their complexion is pale without a mixture of red they are laxe in body as for the temper of the mind they have much of the dulness and slowness but neither the spirit nor malice of the Melancholique that coldness that freezeth their heart makes them more distrustful of themselves then others They are fearful of undertaking and losing their designes and it often happens through their ignorance of the means they are irresolute in their Counsels timorous in the Execution of them are not extraordinary inveterate in their hatred nor very fervent in their Love Of the Cholerique Constitution THe Cholerique are lean of a pale yellowish complexion have bitterness in their mouth and roughness in the throat are very thirsty little spittle often troubled with the head-ach vomit green or yellow stuffe that is very bitter their Ordure is hard almost burnt up they sleep little their urine is clear almost of the color of fire As to their minde they are Dexterous in all things Proud Haughty Desirous that all persons should obey their Commands Enemies to the least disobedience Impatient in the Execution of their Enterprises Rash in their Counsels little minding the Advice of others unless it be to find a person that is of their own temper and undertakes the performance of their Wills Injurious not very Offensive but soon pacified unless you seem to bear in your memory the offence they have given otherwise they study revenge and mortally hate those they have offended Of the Sanguine Complexion THose that are Sanguine are generally very strong and courageous and when the blooâ— abounds have