there be one or mâ—ny haires growing on it it is then an argument of honor and riches as Ptolomy writeth Of the shoulders The shoulders fashioned big to be strong the shoulders euill fashioned to be weake well compounded to be liberall weake compounded and bearing vp thin to be a niggard The shoulders sharpe to be deceitfull the shoulders broad to be strong and of good capacity but narrow to bée a dullard Of the stomacke Such fat about the stomacke to be strong otherwise weake The belly bearing out bigge a great féeder the belly small to be of good capacity Such hairy from the nauill downward to be full of words applied to Birds Of the Backe The backe narrow to be weake the backe big to be strong the backe large to be strong and high minded the backe crooked to be a niggard and il conditioned And equally formed to bee of a good nature Of the armes The armes very long to be strong bold honest and gentle the arms short to be a procurer of discord and leacherous The armes hairy to bée vnconstant and leacherous applied to Birds Of the hands The hands short and very bigge to bee rude a dullard The hands fat with the fingers like to be a théefe the hands small to be vnconstant and witty the Palmes of the hands vnto the wristes broad and narrow vpward to bee a riâ—tter in his first age Of the nailes of the fingers The nailes large smooth thin white reddish and cloare withall to be witty and of a good Capacity the nailes narrow and long to bee cruell and fierce the nailes rough and round prone to the veneriall aâ—â— applied to the property the nails very short to bee wicked applied to the propertie the nailes small and crooked to be a gréedy catcher aplied to the Hauke the nailes very little to be a crafty beguiler the white prickes of the nailes to be wealthy and to haue many friends the blacke prickes in the nailes to be hated aplied to the naturall cause Of the nailes of the Toes The toes and nailes crooked to be vnshamfast aplied to the Birds The nailes thin and well coloured to be honest conditioned and wittie the â—oes ioyning close togither to be fearfull applyed to the Quaile Of the Nauill The space large stem the bottome of the breast to the nauill to be dul of capacity and a great féeder applied to the naturall cause The space equall to bee witty and honest conditioned applied to the naturall cause the stomacke from the Nauill to the breast fleshy to bee wicked after Polemone The fame space soft and wel compact to be stout and high-minded Of the Ribbes The person well ribbed to be strong aplied to the male kind the ribs narrow and weake compounded to be weake aplied to the female kinde the ribs filled about as they were blown vp to be full of words and foolish aplied to the Oxe frog Of the loynes and Hipocondria The person well loined to be a louer of the hunting of wild beasts applied to the Lion and Dog The Hypocondria thin and flat to be fearfull applied to the Frog the Hypocondria fleshy vnapt to be taught Of the haunches and hips The bones of the haunches bearing outward to be strâ—ng aplied to the male kind The bones of the hanches slender to be fearful and weak aplied to the woman the hips well sinewd to be strong aplied to the male kind the hips fleshy to be weak aplied to the woman Of the Pecten The Pecten very hairy to be libidinous yet prosperous applied to the naturall cause The Pecten very thin of haire to be chast aplied to the naturall cause Of the Buttockes The Buttocks sharpe and bony to bee strong applied to the male kind the buttocks fat and fleshy to be weake applied to the woman the Buttockes dried in flesh to be euill conditioned aplied to the Ape Of the Legges The legs big sinnewed and brawned to be strong applied to the male kind Small sinnewed libidinous applied to Birds The legs big and il fashioned to be vnshamefast The calfes of the legs big to be an ill mannered person the calfes soft to bée effeminate the legs slender to be dull of capacity yet this faileth often in the learned Students the calues very big bearing out to bee sluggish rude mannered The calues meanly big formed to bee witty and honest conditioned Of the Knees The knées big to be an effeminate person applied to the excessiue appearance of them The knées slender to be fearful applied to the excessiue appearance of them The knées bending forward to be effeminate applied to the woman The knées â—at to be fearefull yet liberall the knées leane to be strong and hardy Of the Anckles The ankles strong sinewed and brawned to be strong applied to the male kind the ankles much fleshy to be weake applied to the woman the ankles broad to bee strong applied to the Naturall cause the parts about the ankles ouer fleshy to be foolish applied to the property the héeles slender or thin to be fearfull applied to the property and condition of them Of the Feete The féet strong sinnewed brawned to be strong applied to the male kind the féet weake sinnewed and small to be effeminate applied to the woman The inner parts of the soales of the feet not hollow but so filled with flesh that they make no hollownesse at all in the step on the ground is noted to be crafty applied to the naturall cause the feete bigge and fleshy to be foolish of the naturall cause The féet thicke and short to bee weake of the naturall cause the féete slender and short to bee wicked of the natural cause the féet ouer long to be wily of the naturall cause the féet fleshy and hard to be a dullard the féete small and faire formed to bee a fornicator applied to the property of thâ— note the féet much hairy to be leacherous and bold applied to the natural cause the féet naked of haire to be wâ—â—ke of strength and courage of the Naturall cause Of the hayrinesse of the parts The legs hairy to bee venerous applied to the Goat the breast and belly very hairy to be vnconstant aplied to Birdes the shoulders hairy to bee the like vnconstant the backe very hairy to bee ceuci aplied to the beasts the neck behind hairy to be liberall and stout applied to the Lyon the haire of the eye-browes ioyned together to bee a sad person applied to the Passion the hairs of the eiebrowes growing downward toward the nose and spreading vpward vnto the temples to be foolish applied to the Sow The haire of the head standing straight vp to be fearfull applied to the Passion the haire of the head very crisped aplied to the Moores the hayres crisped at the ends to be strong and bolde applyed to the Lyon the haires turning vp in the vpper part of the forehead to be liberal and stout aplyed to the Lyon the haires of the
and mouing forward of the spirites If this shaking or quiuering of the hands shall be very strong the same is a note of a corrupt quality and such a person is lightly angry Melancholicke desirous of many and diuers things and malicious The hands hollow in the Paulmes with a goodnesse and eminency of the Montes and proportion of the lines is an assured note of long liâ—e But if contrary to this you finde the hande then iudge the contrary The Fingers of what forme so euer they bee with the ioynts grosse or bigge doe indicate miserie and misfortune as the Physiognomer hath many times noted Héere conceiue that by the forme of the Fingers a man may lâ—ke distinguish three Ages in euery creature as the Physiognomer taughâ— vs before in thâ— Physiognomy of the lines séene in the forhead In holding the handes vpright and close together against the light marke where anie open place appeareth and at that age the misfortune of the creature shal happen This maner of accounting must begin from the first ioynt of the fore middle finger in proceeding like vnto the ends of the fingers and on such wise consider along from Finger to Finger where any open place is for at that age where the space signifyeth shall the misfortune come and on such wise may the fortune misâ—ortune of the thrée ages be known and found If the closing or shutting together of the Fingers be whole with a most comely forme of the ioynts doâ—h denote a singuler fortune to that person especially if the annexed do answere the like The learned Albertus and Conciliatore write that when the Fingers be so full and rounde that lifted vppe before the eye a man cannot see betweene them doe indicate a couetous person and malicious If the Fingers stretched out these bende toward the backe of the hand do argue such a person to bee vniust subtill and witty especially if the Fingers be slender If any whiles he walketh dooth of a custome shut the thumbe within the fingers is noted to be a couetous person as the like the Physiognomer obserued in a certaine Lumbard The Fingers long do like argue the length of the eares of the Liuer and the bignesse of the Fingers do like denote the largenesse of the eares of the liuer But the smalnesse of them as Albeâ—tus reporteth doth like signify the eares of the Liuer to be little the selfsame vttereth Auicen and Galen in libâ—o regâ—â— If any shall haue red hands whither the same be man or woman is of nature noted Sanguine and Luxurious as writeth the learned Formica and the same a truth knowne Ptholomie the Phylosopher vttereth that the creature which hath the vpper ioynts of the Fingers grosse or bigge and turning backewarde doth denote that if he shall then be rich within a period and a certaine time after to become poore or else by some misfortune shall be short liued The hands crooked in the length is a note as some Authors write of sodain death and this in sundry hath bin noted Forasmuch as some are found to haue six fingers on one hand as the two last toward the eare Finger in like maner lined yet in the greatnes diuers the ioynts and Nayles séemely formed and proportioned through the goodnesse of the matter And the first person which I saw and considered before the presence of M. Iulius Vitalis was a Jew named Helias After him many others whose names for breuitie the Physiognomer omitteth and this person hee beheld in the City of Bononie Thus briefely the Physiognomer Cocles endeth this Chapter of the hande and Fingers crauing pardon of the Reader if the same be vnperfectly or superfluously handled The forme and iudgement of the nailes of the Fingers The xxxix Chapter THe Prince of the laters Writers both of Phisiognomy and Paulmestry affirmeth that the Nayles and the same a trueth are produced or do proceed of the superfluities of the heart in that the heart is found the nobler member of action so that by them is somewhat to be vttered Hee also reporteth in differentia 54. that the naile is a body extensed thinne produced and caused of the superfluities and hardned on the fingers ends for a speciall helpe to them being there scituated and groweth on the Fingers ends Toes â— as the heares vttermost of the skin do occupy on the body Also Auicen vttereth that the nayles both on the Fingers and toes were ordained in the endes of theâ—e members the better to strengthen for to take and holde thinges firmely and to couer the flesh at the ends which ioyntly being well matched giue a more strength This well appeareth in thâ—t if any of the small bones be lacking at the ends of any of the toes or fingers then like doe the nailes lacke at the endes of those members as the same may euidently appeare in any large scarre in the flesh where after groweth no haires to be seene The manner also of the Originall and cause of those nailes is proportionall to the production of the haires through the grosser superfluities not so much adust The nailes plaine white soft and thin reddish and sufficient cleare do indicate a singular wit in that person and this is one of the Notes which very seldome faileth forasmuch as such nailes do procéed of the best quality as Albertus reporteth so that the spirites which produce the Nailes declared from the heart are cleare and thinne thorough whose superfluity are the Nails engendred The nailes rough and hard doe denote such a person to be prone to the veneriall act as the learned Morbeth reporteth The nailes ouer short do argue wickednesse in that creature And the blacke small and bending nailes do argue impudency compared to the greedy catching fowles These also after the minde of the Physitians with a leannesse of the Fingers do witnesse a consumption of the body When the nailes fall off without cause doe threaten the Leapry to come or neere at hand as the learned Conciliatore vttereth The Childe borne without Nayles or hauing them but weak doth witnesse the mother to haue vsed the ouermuch eating of Salt as witnesseth the Philosopher Aristotle in septimo de natuta animalium cap. 4. The nailes in the middle déep grosse or big and thicke do denote a rude person and knowing little especially if the flesh about the Fingers endeâ— be high and grosse Ptholomy the Phylosopher reporteth that thâ— Nayles long do signifye pouertie to that Person and to liue in bare estate or Beggeâ—ie all his lifâ— time The same is confirmed of Pontius Gallicus Certaine Authors affirme that whose nayle of the fingers of the left hand grow faster then thâ— right witnesseth pouerty the like if the nailes 〈◊〉 without colour I much maruell sayth the Physiognomeâ— that all the legitimate authours doe affirme thâ—â— the white prickes in the Nailes to signify happâ—â—nesse and friends which as it should séeme hatâ— many times bin obserued and noted and iudgâ— of the Physiognomer
by the order of the Fingeâ— as thus the white prickes seene in the Sunnâ— Finger do signify â—he encrease of honor worshâ—â— offices and friendship with Noble persons c. 〈◊〉 reason of this is forasmuch as these denote a 〈◊〉 humour and benigne presupposing there a 〈◊〉 quality and vnderstanding of which a good â—â—â—cretion and courtesie ensueth so that such persoâ— through the same doe attaine friends and coâ—â—mended of many The like prickes found in 〈◊〉 little finger do denote friendship with the Mercurians and that Mercurie to be well proportioned and verie strong in that place about similia But the blacke prickes séene in the nailes and chiefely in the middle Finger do argue harmes persecutions imprisonment and all kinds of detriments that may happen vnto any as the same the Phisiognomer vnderstood of a certaine friend which noted the like in many persons And these he reported to like succeede according to the diuersity of the Fingers forasmuch as the misfortune and losse of riches happened after the positure of them on the Fingers But some Authours report that these doe indicate hatred The reason of this is thorough the excesse of the dry Melancholy which then aboundeth and lacke of the Naturall heate which fayleth So that the blacke prickes of the nailes doo alway demonstrate that the colde Melancholye and an earthly drinesse to ensue Yet it séemeth to me saith the Physiognomer that experience may contradict the same séeing I haue alwayes séene saith he that the blacke and white pricks on the Nayles doe come and goe away within a fewe dayes and that these to be caused of determinate effectes which otherwise cannot proceede or bee caused but through the Periode and course of the Planets in certaine yeares and months as shall appeare in many places of the Phisiognomy of the Planets to come forth The signâ—fication and iudgement of feeling after Physiognomie The xl Chapter THe Philosopher in libro de regimine principum reporteth that the sence which consisteth in the hand is the tactiue or palpatiue vertue and the course of them resteth in the heate colde rough and soft moisture drith And it is a Uertue contained betweene â—wo skinnes of which the one is in the vpper â—ace of the body and the other in the same which belongeth cleaueth vnto the flesh so that when eache of these sences is attained which God by hâ—s mighty Uertue hath Ministred to this kinde Thinne Skinnes so light as the Spiders Web arise and come from the roote of the Braine and are a fine scarffe aâ—d thin Curtaine to this kind insomuch that when the same is presented which each sense hath and the same commeth vnto those skins whâ—ch are in that substance of the braine the passages then of al the sences are gathered with the immaginatiue Uertue which representeth these to the cogitatiue Uertue which consisteth in the middle of the braine thaâ— it may beholde these and both gather and studie in the figures and examples of them that it mayâ— know in them the nociue and innaâ—ue and that the same may ve wronght according to measure which procéedeth or commeth to it of them And as Auerro is in de sensu senâ—ato vttereth that the féeling is flesh and is proper to al instruments of the senses this considered that these nothing possesse of all the senses in the acte of them which they properly comprehend but the instrument of feeling which is compowned of the qualities which it comprehendeth and for that cauâ—e doth this not comprehend but the intensed matters through his temperament and for the same reason how much he temperater the flesh shall bée founde so much the more doth it comprehende the simple qualities as heate colde dryth and moysture For these doth man enioy farre aboue other liuing creatures and is of féeling better and sensibler which especially is decerned by the hande as the flesh of the paulme and the flesh especially of the fore finger But the tongue at the end of it hath not taste in the act and for that cause when the same is imbybed and filled of certaine humors the taste then is corrupted and like is to be conceiued of the instruments of the other senses The selfe same vttereth Albertus in libro de anima where he willeth to conceiue that the skinne is wouen with sinewes very small and with heary veynes contained within the same wouen with which the Lyuer and bowels are wrapped that these may defend them from outward harmes and for this the skinne in beastes is very thick and hearie For that the same hath not any protection or outwarde defence but the skinne in men is thinne For which cause it is protected and succoured by garments from winde colde and raine Séeing the skinne compowned of the sinewes is naturally white for that cause is the propertie of the sinewes procured that the same retcheth out and draweth in and is white in colour but the rednesse of bloud passing by them appeareth to the eye So that whose colour of the hande or face is white or redde as Phylemon vttereth and of a good féeling doe denote the faithfulnesse of mind constancy and truth and this confirmed if a commensuration or comelinesse of forme consist in the other members These hitherto vttered of féeling shall héere suffice The condition and iudgement of the backe bone The xli chapter THe backe bone great that is in the length and bredth doth argue strength of the creature and the royall members to be strong and naturall heate mighty as afore vttered especially when the ridge or backe bone is musculous and without a softnesse of flesh decerned is for the same applyed vnto the Masculinity But if the back bone be found narrow and compassed with soft fleshe that person is iudged of a feminine action forasmuch as the rest is narrow the royall members féeble in heate and their actions are knowne weake and féeble in conditions yea these haue a dead minde or faint courage applyed vnto the feminine kinde Of which Rasis reporteth that the largenesse of the back bone doth argue such a persoÌ„ to be strong arrogant and furious in yre The backe bone narrow and couered with soft flesh doth denote such a person to be effeminate The crookednesse of the backe doth intimate the wickednesse of conditions but an equallity of the backe is then a good note These hitherto Rasis The learned Conciliatore vttereth that the back bone large and well brawned and strong of bones is applyed to the man kinde and in the contrary manner to the woman kinde The back bone crooked if the same be couered with soft flesh and slender in the gyrting place doth denote such a person to excell in naturall guiftes and to haue very great pleasure in hunting Yet some affirme that the crookednesse of the backe to declare the wickednesse of conditions The thinnesse of the backe doth denote that person to be of a contentious nature and spitefull