Works of John Metham : (Amoryus and Cleopes, &c.) / edited by Hardin Craig

PALMISTRY. ALL SOULS MS.

[leaf 202.]

[There are no large capitals in the MS. Space is left blank, and for the first few main headings a small letter is written at the left.] Tales Milesias, the wyche was the fyrst phylosophyre in the citee of Atene2, by the answere of god Appollo, fyrst dede wryte the syence of cyromancye in the longgage of Parce3; and mayster Arystotyll translatyd it owt of Parce into Grue. And owt of Grue doctor Aurelyan, the wyche was born in Italy4, translatyd this scyence into Latin; and owt of Latyn, John Metham, scymple scoler in phylosophy, translatyd it in-to Englyssh5, the xxv wynter of hys age, prayyng all the reders of pacyence for the rude endytyng; for as myn auctor endytyth playnly in Latyn, so is my purpose pleynly to endyte in Englysshe. And in his begynnyng myn auctor makyth hys dystynccion, seyyng on this wyse:

Ther be in creatures handes lynes and tokenes of wyche sum be accidentall1 and som be naturall.2 Accidentall lynes be they that are causyd of hete or cold or labour; of wyche it chargyth noȝth, for they signyfye noght, as in wurkyng of nature. Naturell lynes ben they that comyn of dysposicion of nature, of wyche myn auctor tretyth in thys boke here folowyng.

[leaf 202 b.]

And for a grownd ye shall conceyue that ther be in iche hande well dysposyd 4 lynes princypall.

The fyrst lyne is the fyrst parte of the triangle and hyt gooyth abowte the hylle of the thombe. [2 of Atene in right-hand margin.] [3 of Parce in right-hand margin.] [4 of Italy in right-hand margin.] [5 of England in right-hand margin.] [6 Repeated on right-hand margin.] [7 Repeated on right-hand margin.]

The 2 lyne is the midle lyne that passyth thurgh the myddes of the hande.

The 3 lyne is the fote of the triangle and the space wyche is the triangle is name the hole of the hande.

The 4 lyne is the table-lyne, for that parte of the hand is clepyd the table the wyche is betwene the mid-lyne and the table-lyne. And by this 4the lyne the dysposicion of the hert is knowyn both of man and woman. And this 4 lyne begynnyth betwene the shewyng fyngger and the longe fyngger, and procedyth owte of the honde forby the lytyll fyngger. And this lyne longeth to the priuyte of man and woman. And the partyes of the honde that ben betwene the table-lyne and the fynggers be clepyd the hyll of the fynggers; and that parte that is betwene the triangle and the shewyng fyngger is clepyd the hylle of the shewyng [leaf 203.] fyngger. And to iche of thyse fyngres ther is a planete longgyn. Saturne longyth to the lengest fynger with hys hyll; Marcurie, to the leche fynger with hys hyll; Venus, to the thombe with hys hyll; Jubiter, to the shewyng fyngger wyth hys hyll; Mars, to the lytyll fynger with hys hyll and the table-lyne.

A triangle that is of oon length, euen on all partys, welle-colouryd, and yef hit be within full of lynes, wel-coloured, it betokeneth bodyly strength and boold of hert.

And yef the lynes of the triangle be short and the triangle narow, yef the persone be yonge that hath this tokyn, with good gouernance he schuld leue longe and be a trew frynd, and of gode fame and greet.

And yef the space within the triangle be brode and playne, with-owtyn strykys, wel-colouryd, it signifyeth largenes and hardynes.

And yef these tokenes be not founden lyke as they be here specifyed, they betoken the contrarye. As thus: yef the lynes of the triangle be longe and evyl colored, with a grete distaunce, it signifieth short lyfe and feblenesse of compleccion.

And thus of all other signes where that this terme is wrytyn the contrarye, ye shall applye it after the reson goyngbeforn.

And yef the ryȝth parte of the triangle, that is to sey, the ryȝth lyne be lenger than the lyft is, it signifieth that they that haue that token shuld dey a fere deth and grete prosperyte til there lyves ende.

And yef it be so that the lyft be lenger then the ryȝth, it signifieth a diswurchypfull ende and a wreched lyfe before a bodyes deth.

And yef this ryȝth lyne be so long that hit passe the brawne, or the hyll of the thombe, yef it contynue and be not lettyd with noon other strikes, and yef it be leke brode and well-colored, it signifieth good dysposicion of the hert and of the spirituall membris in a man.

But the persone that hath this token sheldun or neuer shall bryng eny worke to the ende.

And yef this lyne be small, it signifieth wysedom and a good wytte. And yf hit be brode and evell colored, it signifieth the contrarye.

And yef the ryȝth parte of the triangle be depe and grete and of an yerthly colour, it signifieth rudenes and bustewysnes and that the body leueth leke a best.

[Observe the omission at this point of two short paragraphs from the All Souls MS.] And yef in the same lyne be suche strykys descende and in the myddys be cutte or deuyded with other lynes [leaf 204.] or strekes, these lynes signifyeth grete vexacion, trobles and angres.

And thus oȝth to be noted, that of euery lyne beside the

4 princypall lynes, yef the colour be rede the significacion is to come and yef it be pale and lytel may be seen, or als strekyn thourth with oon lyne or with many lynes, other the significacion is past, or it stondyth to noon effecte.

And yef suche lynes passe vp owte of the same stryke to the myd-lyne, and passe thourth the triangle, or by the triangle, it signifieth a trusty persone and a louyng; but that person in hys fyrst age schuld haue vexacion and troble.

And yef ther be smale lynes cuttyng this forsayd lyne a-sunder, passyng vp to the hyll of the thombe they signifye many sorows; but that person shall well overcome them at the last with labour.

The midlyne, yef it be ryȝth and depe and wel colored, it signifieth hele and goodnes of complexcion and an excellent wytte.

And yef this lyne be semely long and pass not the hylle of the shewyng fynger, it signifieth hardynes and length of live.

And yef the forseyd lyne be short and passe not the hole of the honde, it signifieth lityll reason and ferfulnes, and they that haue this token they be so enuyouse that yef they do [leaf 204 b.] a body any good other in wurd or dede, sore they repent them after-wardes.

And yef this mydlyne be so long that it come before the lytyll fynger and there ende, it signifieth shortnes of lyfe and that a body shuld be pore before hys ende.

And yef the same lyne turne vpward to the fyngres, it signifieth a moche foole.

And yef this mydlyne be croked and not ryȝth, it signifieth that the person that hath this tokyn is ful of malyce and that they vtter there malyce and evell wylle in the absence of the persones they hate, and before them speke feyre to them and flatere them; and myn auctor repreveth this maner disposicion gretely, seyng moreover that this tokyn is true in all 4 compleccions.

And yef this forseyd lyne be brode and depe, it signifieth a rude wytte and lytell wysedome.

And yef at the begynnyng of the midlyne ther be a streke, well colored, procedyng fro thens to the hyll of the shewyng fynger, it signifieth reches in the fyrst age; and yf hit procede thens to the medde fynger, it signifieth ryches in the meddell age; and yef hit procede to the lest fynger, it signifieth reches in the last age.

And whan the medde-lyne is ryȝth and long, sufficiently depe all-so, and even and well colored, it signifieth [leaf 205.] a myȝthty stomake, myrthe and hardenesse.

And yef this token be not as it is here specified, it signifieth the contrarye, that is to say, a feble stomake, heuynes and ferefull.

And this is a generall rule, that yef a lyne be ryȝth, depe and well colored, it signifieth gode dysposicion of that membre to the wych it is corespondent; by open ensample as thus: The lyne that goth abowte the thombe belongeth to the hert; then yef thus lyne be ryȝth, depe and wel colored, it signifieth good disposicion of hert.

And yef it be the contrarie, it signifieth evell dysposicion of hert; thus of all other.

The mydlyne longeth to the brayne.

The table lyne longeth to the priuyte of man and womanne generally.

The fote of the triangle longeth to the lyuer; and the same rule is of thus as of the fyrst lyne, rehersed here before.

Thus ye must consydre, that a triangle is made of 3 lynes and no more; yet it hath 3 corners, as ye may se in this thus fygure the shape of a triangle.

The fyrst corner of the triangle in euery honde is caused of the medlyne; for the lyne that goth abowte the brawnne of the thombe and the mydde-lyne make 2 partes of the [leaf 205 b.] triangle and maken all-so the fyrst corner.

Yef the fyrst corner of the triangle in euery honde passe nott the space that is betwene the shewyng fingger and

the long fynger, it signifieth evell dysposicion of mannes conscyence, gretely dysposed to extorcion and vyces.

And yef this corner be juste of both lynes metyng to-gedre sharpe, as it appereth here in this fygure <, it signifieth couetyse and stretenes in kepyng of moneye.

And yef the lynes of the triangle mete to-gedre ayens the myddes of the shewyng fynger, it signifieth a sotell wytte. But som tyme it happeth that thyse lynes mete noȝth togedre in the on parte of the triangle; it signifieth that a body shuld be vycyoux and cruell. And yef he that hath that token be bond, he shuld never be free; and yef he be a lord that hath this token, he shuld dey myschevously.

And som tyme it happeth that thyse 2 lynes be but lytell a-sondre, and then they signifye that a man shuld dey in batayll; and yef it be a woman, of tribulacion and sekenes she shuld dey.

And yef the ryȝth parte of the triangle be well colored, it signifieth a gode stomake.

And yef this corner be rounde, it betokeneth grete rudenes of wytte.

And yef the lynes of the triangle appere noȝth verely, it signifieth vnstabelenes and vntrouth and thevysshnes.

[leaf 206.]

And yef the lyft corner of the triangle be rownde, it signifieth a grete wytte and lenght of lyue.

And yef this token appere in any parte of the triangle

[figure]

, it signifieth that a man shuld be hanged by the nekke; and yef a woman have this token, she shuld dey myschevously in fyre or watere.

The 4 lyne is the table-lyne; yef this lyne contynue and be depe and brode, it signifieth good dysposicion of tho partes that longe to the begetyng of chylder.

All-so hit signifieth ryghtwesnes and enduryng in good werkes and pesiblenes and vertu.

And yef this table lyne passe the myddes of the shewyng fynggre,—yf it be rede, it signifieth cruelnes

of hert; and yef it be pale, it betokeneth enuyousenesand detraccion.

And yef this lyne turne vpryȝth betwene the shewyng fynger and the long fynger, it betokeneth that a man shuld dey of a wounde or of the flix. And yef a woman have this token, it signifieth that she shuld dey of long continuans of flowris.

And the phyliȝophre seyth it is necessarie that women shuld have this sekenes of corrupt blode and other matyer to a-voyde them, the wyche yef they shuld abyde in them shuld cavse gret sekenes in hem.

But here I leve myn auctor as in this matyer, for here he tretyth moche of perells of this sekenes, the wyche after my conceyte is more conueniente to be sette in phesyk than here.

[leaf 206 b.]

Moreover myn auctor seyth that yef a woman that hath this forseyd tokyn dey not of superfluyte of that sekenes, sheshuld dey of retencion or chyld-byrthe.

And yef this forseyd lyne turne vp ayenst the long fynger and passe no further, it signifieth that fortune shuld help hym that hath this tokyn and eke that person shuld haue a frend vppon whom he shuld tryst, the wyche shuld dysseyue hym whan he hath most nede.

And yef the hed of this lyne ende with-in the lengest finger, it signifieth that the persone that hath this token shuld never be with-owte tribulacion and labour.

And yef the hed of this lyne, that is to say the over-parte, be devyded with a crosse of small lynes, or with lynes that crosse not ryȝthly, yef this crosse or this lynes goon vp betwene the shewyng fynger and the long fynger, it signifieth that a man shuld be sure alwey of hys levyng, and eke woman shuld loue hym moche, and other men should euer labour for him to magnifye hym and to make hym riche.

And yef so be that the table-lyne hath many ryȝth strykys, it is a token of wurchype and hie degre in tyme comyng.

And yef so be that the same be bare with-owt strekes, it

signifieth that he or she that hath this token be infortunat to wurchype.

And when this lyne goyth to the hylle of the shewyng fynger and endyth there and at ende ther be many lynes turnyng downward to the thombe, it signifieth yef it be man or woman, that they loue gretely the lustes of the flessh.

And yef that parte the wych is cleped the bussh of the hond [leaf 207.] —many men have this token and many noȝth.

And they acorde not in this tokyn that be auctours of this science where this bussh shuld be.

For some sey it shuld be in the hyll of the honde and some sey it shuld be in the triangle.

But this I sey that the hed of the table-lyne may conueniently be cleped the bussh, as by the tokenes that folowe:

Therefore thus,—yef ther descende lynes fro the table-lyne to the mydlyne they signifie couetyse, flateri, dysseivablenes, and he that hath this spekyth feyre a-fore folkes and behynde them, he detracteth theym.

And yef 1 lyne or 2 or many descendyng fro the tablelyne and entre in-to the space that is with-in the triangle, of what degre euer that person be, it signifieth that he shuld be in suche case that, for the wrechednes and tribulacion that he shuld be in, he shuld desyre often hys own deth to be delyuered.

And yef a lyne descende fro the table-lyne and passe thourth the midlyne and the ryȝth parte of the triangle, it signifieth that a body shuld dey sodenly, or be heddyd, or slayn by mannes hand.

And this fore-seyd lyne entre in-to the midlyne and passe no further, that person shuld be in perell of deth and in grete fere, but he shuld be holpen by a woman and a woman by a man.

And yef this lyne be full of strikes like on-to a sterre *, hit be-tokeneth grete lustynes and delytes of the flessh. All-so tho that haue that token loue to be magnified, presed, worshypped and made moche of.

[leaf 207 b.]

After I haue determined of 4 lynes the wyche most generally be fownde in men and womens hondes, I after myn auctor wryte of other 4 lynes the wyche be cleped susters wych be lynes longyng to the fyrst 4 lynes.

The fyrst is cleped the suster of the triangle and hath there the begynnyng in the lower parte and ascendyth vp to the fynger of Saturne and this lyne is named the saturnyne.

But ye shell conceyue that dyuers persons haue not these lynes nor many other that I speke of here; therfore they that haue not thyse lynes be nother dysposed to haue grete wurchype nor to haue moche aduersyte.

But this ye shell conceyue also, that though a man by the tokenes of hys honde be desposyd to haue wurchype, hys condycions may be suche and hys gouernance that grace shall fayle hym; therfore yef a body be desposed by the tokenes of hys honde and haue hem neuer as to wurchype, yet in aspeciall for hys owne defawte; oudre that god is displesed with hym, or that he stondyth not in the favour of the world for hys misgouernance.

For som man is desposed to vyces, as to theft, glotony, lechery, or to other vyces, and yet with labour and vertuose occupacion he withstondyth hem; therfore not oonly by desposicion of nature, but allso by grace.

And of thyse susters thus is the significacion: yef the lynes weche be cleped the susters be ryȝth, depe, even, well-coloured, they be-token doble godnes of all the goode tokenes in a mannes honde.

[leaf 208.]

And yef they be discontynuyng, they sygnifye even the contrarye; and most in speciall yef they be evell-colored.

And yef the quadrangle be well-colored and large, it be-tokeneth largenes and hardenes and yef hit be streite, it signifieth the contrarie.

And yef ther be fownde a crosse in the quadrangle of strikes ylyke long, it signifieth helth of body.

And yef oon of the strekes be lenger then a-nother, it signifieth the contrarie.

And yef in the quadrangle be fownd a fygure lyke to this

[figure]

, it signifieth trouth and shamfastnes. And that the person that hath this token is ryȝthfull and after hys power well louyng; and yf the person hauyng this token fylle in poverte, he shuld recouere and come to prosperite.

And yef in the quadrangle ther be fownde a cercle, it signifieth stedfastnes in purpose and in dedis.

And yef ther be in the quadrangle the figure of a triangle alone, it be-tokeneth aduersite.

And yef ther be fownd 2 triangles, they betoken the contrarie, that is to say prosperite.

Here determyneth mayster Aurelian of the tokens with the significacions that ben fownd in the ryȝth parte of the triangle seyng vndre this fourme:

The hille of the thombe, yef it be rownd and large, it signifieth goodnes of complexcion and disposicion to lechery.

And yef ther be a lyne as longe as the ryȝth parte of the triangle the wyche ascendyth juste vp by this forseyd lyne,—yef it be red, it signifieth a grete lecherows person.

[leaf 208 b.]

And myn auctor seyth yef hit be well-colored, it signifieth reches.

And yef this lyne noȝth in the fyrst parte apere, it signifieth faylyng of ryches in the fyrst age; yef this lyne fayle in the myddes, in the myddle age; and yef in the laste parte it not apere, it signifieth poverte in the last age.

And for a conclusion, what parte this lyne appereth in, the fyrst, myddell or last, in the lyke age it signifieth ryches.

And yef ther be 4 lynes vppon the wrist, yef any of tho 4 passe juste vp by the thombe it signifieth wurcheps in the fyrst age. And the further any of these lynes be departed in distance fro the thombe the lenger tyme it shuld be or a man shuld come to wurshyppe.

And the more deper that any lyne be, the gretter is the significacion whether it be in goode or evell.

And this is a generall rule that yef any lyne be-longgyng to worshyppe be cutte or devyded with smale lynes, it is a grete token of many lettyngs, or a man may cum to worshype.

And yef thyse lynes may not easyly be seen, it signifieth that the worshypes be past.

And yef at the rote of the thombe ther ryse a lyne and procedeth to the triangle, it be-tokeneth that a man desyreth to see many contreys and to know many dyuers condicions and craftes.

And yef any lyne procede fro the rote of the thombe to the heyst parte of the triangle, it signifieth veyneglorie and desyre of good.

And yef the thombes hylle be full of lynes, it signifieth gret dysposicion of lechery.

And yef many lynes be fownden vppon the thombe comyng fro the bak of the honde,—yef they be depe, they signifye grete [leaf 209.] frenshype with stronge folk.

And yef in the hylle of the thombe ther be fownd a token lyke a sterre, it signifieth lechery both in man and woman.

And yef in the same hylle suche a fygure be fownden

[figure]

, it signifieth riches and wurchype after a mans degre be or a womans.

And yef with-in the triangle or nyȝth the triangle ther be fownd a figure lyke to this

[figure]

, it signifieth sekenes to come

with-in short tyme and worshype; and princypally yef this token be redde.

The hyll of the shewyng fynger, yef it be playne and well-colored, it signifieth clennes in leuyng.

And yef any lyne wel-colored passe from the table-lyne and ascende vp to the hyll of this forseyd fynger, it signifieth boldnes of hert and that a man by good gouernans shuld come to worshype.

And yef that lyne be cutte at the over-parte a-sonder with oon lyne or many, they signifie a wunde vppon a man or womans hedd; yef they be red, that wounde is to come, and yef they be pale, that the hurt is past.

And yef smale lynes passe from the rote of the sayd fynger downward, it signifieth that a body shuld lyue with-owte labour, and yef these lynes be juste by the fynger they signifie worshypes.

And as many such lynes as apere in a clerkes honde, so many benefices, prebendes, or other worshypps he shuld haue.

And yef he be a man of relygyon, he shuld be a bysshop, an abbot, or a prior, or a-nother worthy officer.

And yef he be a man of the world, he shuld haue worshyppe [leaf 209 b.] shyppe as hys degre axeth.

And yef this strike be cutte or vanisshed awey, that they may not easili be seyn, it is an euydent token that the worshypps be past, or ells other lettyng.

And yef lynes passe fro the middel lyne vp to the hyl of the shewyng fynger, they signifie shamfastnes and trowth.

And yef on of tho lynes passe fro the table-lyne and go betwene the shewyn fynger, it signifieth that a man shuld dey of a wonde.

And yef it be a woman, she shuld dey on child-byrthe, or of the rysyng of the moder, or els of long continuance of flowris;

and the same it be-tokeneth, yef the same lyne passe to the hyll of the middell fynger.

And yef any lyne passe fro the hedd of the table-lyne and ascendeth ryȝth vp to the rote of the shewyng fynger, it be-tokeneth soden deth.

And yef an evyn crosse be fownd in the hylle of the shewyng fynger, it signifieth soden chauncis to worchips or dignitees.

And yef such a token be fownde

[figure]

, it signifieth tribulacion and a febyll brayne.

The hylle of the myddel fynger, yef it be with-owt lynes and well-colored, it be-tokeneth semplenes and godnes of wytte.

And yef ther come a lyne fro the table-lyne and passe to the rote of the meddel fynger, it is a token of labour and travell and selden rest.

And yef the rote of this fynger be full of strekes, it signifieth [leaf 210] grete labour.

And yef thyse lynes turne downward to the hole of the honde, they signifie that man shuld dey in prison what state so ever he be.

And yef in the same hyll ther be but few strekes and grete, they signifie rest and ease.

And yef smale lynes cutte a-sonder the sayd grete lynes, they be-token grete labour or a man may cum to reste.

And yef 2 lynes be joyned to-geders thus in the hyll of the myddell fynger, or elles in the hyll of the shewyng fynger, they signifie worshype in tyme comyng.

The hylle of the leche fynger, yef hit be rownd and rede, it signifieth that man is disposed to the dropse and to be vyciowse.

And yef 2 lynes procede fro the table to the hyll of this fynger, it signifieth sotelte of wytte and that a body is dysposed to cone many scyences.

And these lynes be-token all-so wurchips and dygnytees,

yefe these lynes be cutte, they signifie letteng and hyndrance or a body come to worshypes or dygnitees; and yef thyse lynes ascende not ryȝth vp, they signifie promocion in ocupacion.

And yef a lyne a-pere be-twene the lytell fynger and leche fynger, it signifieth prosperite in a woman.

And yef a lyne procede fro the table-lyne a-lone to this forsayd fynger, yef it be ryȝth and well-colored and withowt cuttyg of other lynes, yef hit be longe that it passe the [leaf 210 b.] ioynt, it signifieth prosperite.

And ther be fownde a crosse be-twene the leche fynger and the lytell fynger, it signifieth grete labour.

The hill of the lytell fynger, yef it be rownd and grete, it signifieth helth of body and goodnes of complexcion.

And yef a lyne procede fro the table-lyne to the hyll of this fynger, beyng well-colored, in a man it is a gret token of chastyte and of grete sparyng; in a woman it signifieth the contrarie.

And yef ther be fownde in this hylle lynes of wyche sum be gret and som smale, what wey so ever they turne, they signifie lechery both in man and woman.

And yef thyse lynes be ryȝth, they signifie that a man laboreth to gete hym frenship and love of wurthy women.

And yef they be rownde, they signifie the contrarie, or els croked.

And yef thyse lynes be cutte with other lynes the significacion is distrowyd.

And yef ther be lynes descendyng in-to the honde vppon the egge of the honde be-twene the table-lyne and the lytell fynger, as many lynes as be there, oon except, so many wyues a man of the world shuld haue; and yef he be a prest, so many dygnitees or benefyces he shuld haue.

And yef thyse lynes be cutte with other lynes, the significacyon is past.

And as many ryght lynes as ther be fownde of thyse forsayd,

seyd, so many maydens a man shuld haue to wyues; and yef they be croked, so many wedows.

[leaf 211.]

And yef ther be a lyne in the hylle of the lytell fynger, as halfe a crosse or halfe a cerkyll, yef it decline to the leche fynger, it betokeneth that a man shuld be in grete troble and after come to prosperite; and yef this halfe cerkyll turne toward the lytell fynger to the egge of the honde, it signifieth the contrarie.

In this chapitle myn auctor determyneth of proporcion of fyngers, seyng on this wyse:

Fingers proporcioned after the stature of the persone, they signifie good disposicion naturell, except the excepcions folowyng.

Most convenient is to a slender man to haue slender fyngers, and to a man of moche stature to have moche fyngers; but thyse be the significacions of all maner of fyngers:

That person that hath smale fyngers, flessly and rownde, is dysposed to be enuyoux, to pride, to be hardy and bold.

And after the phylisophre smale fyngers, longe and lene, they signifie gentylnes of condycion, kyndnes of hert, and habilite to all sciences.

Smale fyngers, short and lene and wronge, they signifie malice, discordans, frowardnes and enuyousnes.

Smale nayles, longe and rede, be-token goodnes of wytte and sotylnes. Short nayles, naroȝth and smale, be-token vyciousnes, euell teached, foltishnes, and a nygart.

Moreover, ye shall conceyue that the lynes of euery joynt be cleped lynes artunell.

Therefore yef the lyne artunell that is with-in the joynt [leaf 211 b.] of the thombe mete or joyne with the lyne artunell that is with-qwyche

owte the thombe, it signifieth that man shuld be honged by the nekke.

And yef any lyne artunell cerkyll the thombe a-bowte, it be-tokeneth that a body shuld be drownnyd.

And yef ther be suche lynes and mete noȝth to-gedres, it signifieth that body hath be in pereell of water.

And yef ther be a lyne in the rote of the shewyng fynger, yef it passe vp to the fynger justely, it signifieth wurshype. And yef suche a token apere upon the bakke of this fynger

[figure]

, it signifieth vse of lechery.

And yef the hylle of the myddell fynger be ful of smale lynes, they signifie wondes vppon the hedde, or oon the wombe, or the breste, or other sekenes in al thyse.

And yef the lynes be rede, the hurtes or sekenes be for to come; yef they be pale, they be past.

And ther be fownde 2 such lynes ryȝth | |, they signifie strenght and manhode.

And ther be fownde suche a token in this seyd hyll, it betokeneth euell taches.

And yef a lytell crosse be fownde in the hyll of the lytell fynger, it signifieth folysshnes.

And yef a grete lyne passe fro the hyll of the lytell fynger vppon the same fynger, it signifieth dysposicion of lechery.

All-so a woman hauyng mo sygnes, that is to say, lynes or strekes, be-twene the myddell fynger, and the leche [leaf 212] fynger, then betwene the leche fynger and the lytell fynger, is more dysposed to conceyue sonnes then doȝthters; and eke the transuerse be-tokeneth the contrarie.

Myn auctor putteth here grete conclusions and reasons confyrmyng hys boke, to verefye hys wretyng, wych I passe, for hit is scole mater sette vndre the fourme of arguyng, alleggyng to fortyfye hys matiers, thyse phylisophers: Taletcm, Platonem, Aristotilem, and Albertum,—and more-over, shewyth be werkyng of nature all hys conclusions and sondri tokens the wyche I make no remembrance of.

As to shew by tokens wether a woman that hath non husband be a mayde or noo; and eke yef a woman haue conceyued a man chyld or a may chyld and dyuers other thyngges, the wyche I omitte.

But ye shell conceyue that ther be in dyuers creatures handes lynes and tokyns of wych myn auctor spekyth not of; but by theyse principall lynes, the wyche be wreten in this tretes, ye may geue a ryȝth dome of the disposicion of man and woman, where-to they be other to haue prosperite or aduersite, to be riche or pore, to be chaste or lecheroux, as the disposicion of the world axeth,—of all thise and many other this boke maketh mencion.

And ye must considre that this science requireth that ye must behold both the right honde and the [leaf 212 b.] lyft, both of man and woman, not-with-stondyng that the principall tokens of a man be in hys ryȝth honde and of a woman in here lyft honde.

And ye may not deme of oon lyne a-lone but of many accordyng.

And he that hath manyer signes of prosperite then aduersite, ye shall deme his worships.

And he that hath mo signes of aduersite then prosperite, ye shall deme hys infortune.

Ye must considre also that what honde that ye shall deme, it must be wysshe with hote water that ye may se euery lyne.

And ye may geue no dome but of a person that passeth 12 yere of age.

Thus endyth myn auctor, doctor Aurelian, in Laten; and thus I ende in Englysh vndre the supportacion of my mastres in this science. Quod Jon Meteham.

Explicit ciromancia phisnomia.

Iste liber constat Thomas Moyll filio Johanni Moyll armigero"Iste liber constat Thomae Moyll, filio Johanni Moyll armigero." This appears in a much later hand, sixteenth to seventeenth century. The reference may be to Sir Thomas Moyle of Gray's Inn, whose father was John Moyle. (See D.N.B.) Sir Thomas Moyle was formerly the owner of British Mus. MS. Harl. 3644..