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

John Metham's Prose Works

TREATISES ON PALMISTRY AND PHYSIOGNOMY, PROGNOSTICATIONS BASED ON THE DAY OF THE WEEK ON WHICH CHRISTMAS FALLS, AND THE DAYS OF THE MOON

PALMISTRY

PALMISTRY. GARRETT MS.

[leaf 1 a.]

Thales Mylesyes, ["Thales Mylesyes": probably Thales of Miletus, to whom many and various works were attributed in the Middle Ages. Among the wide variety of authorities for Palmistry whom I have seen referred to, he does not elsewhere appear; see Introduction. ] the qwyche was the fyrst phylysophyre in the cyte of Atene, be the ansqwere off god Appollo, fyrst dyd wryte the syens off cyromancy in the langage of Parce, and mastyr Arystotyl tranlatyd yt owte of Parce into Grwe; and owte of Grw, doctor Aurelyan, the qwyche was born in Itayle, tranlatyd this syens in-to Latyne; and owte of Latyne, Jon Metham, sympyl scoler of philosophye, tranlatyd yt in-to Englysch, the xxvti wyntyr off hys age, prayng alle the rederrys of pacyens for the rwde endytyng: for as myne autore pleynly endytyth in Latyne, so ys my purpose pleynly to endyte in Englysch. And in hys begynnyngmyne autoure makyth this dystyncion, seyng on this wyse:

Ther be, in creaturys handys, lynys and tokynnys of the qwyche sum be accydental and sum be natural. Accydental lynys be thei the qwyche be causyd off hete, or of cold, or of laboure; of the qwyche yt charge noght, for thei sygnyfye noght as in werkyng off nature. Natural lynys be thei the qwyche comyn of dysposycion off nature, off the qwyche myne autoure trethyth in this boke here folowyng.

And for a ground, ye schal conceyue that ther be in yche hand wele dysposyd foure lynys pryncypal.

The fyrste lyne ys the fyrst parte off the tryangyl, and yt gothe aboute the hylle of the thombe.

The secunde lyne ys the mydlyne that pasyth thorw the [leaf 1 b.] myddys off the hand.

The thyrde lyne ys the fote off the tryangyl, and the space, the qwyche ys in the tryangyl, ys namyd the holle of the hand.

The fourthe lyne ys the tabyl lyne, for that parte off the hand ys clepyd the tabyl the qwyche ys be-twene the myd lyne and the tabyl lyne. And be this fourth lyne, the dysposycion off the hert ys knowyn, bothe off man and woman; and this fourthe lyne begynnyth be-twene the schewyng fyngyre and the longe fyngyr, and procedyth owte of the hand forby the lytyl fyngyr, and this lyne longyth to the pryuyte of man and woman: and tho partys of the hande the qwyche ben be-twene the tabyl lyne and the fyngyrrys be clepyd the hyll off the fyngyrrys; and that parte the qwyche ys be-twene the tryangyl and the schewyng fyngyre ys clepyd the hylle off the schewyng fyngyr. And to yche off this fyngyrrys ther ys a planete longyng: Saturne longyth to lengest fynger with hys hyl; Mercury, to the leche fyngyr with hys hylle; Venus, to the thombe with hys hylle; Jubyter, to the schewyng fyngyr with hys hylle; Mars, the lytyl fyngyr with hys hylle, and the tabyl lyne.

Atryangyl that ys off one length, evyn on alle partys wele colouryd, and yff yt be with-inne fulle off lynys, the qwyche lynys be wele colouryd, yt betokynnyth bodyly strengh and bold off herte.

And yff the lynys off the triangyl be schort and the tryangyl narwgh, yff the persone be yonge that hath this tokyn, with gode gouernauns, he schuld lyve longe, and that persone schuld be a trwe frend and off gret fame.

[leaf 2 a.]

And yff the space with-in the tryangyl be brod and pleyn with-owte strekys and wele colouryd, yt sygnyfyith largenes and hardynes. And yff thise tokyns be noght foundyn lyke as thei be here specyfyid, thei betokyn the contrary; as thus: yff the lynys off the tryangyl be longe and yvyl colouryd with a gret dystauns, yt sygnyfyith schort lyfe and febylnes off

complexcion; and thus off alle odyr syngnys qwere that this terme ys wrytyn the contrarei, ye schal applye yt afftyr the reson goyng be-fore. And yff the ryght parte off the tryangyl, that ys to sey the ryght lyne, be lenger than the lefte ys, yt sygnyfyith that thei the qwyche haue that tokyn schuld dye a fayre deth and gret prosperyte tyl ther lyffys endyng.

And yff yt be soo that the lefte be lenger than the ryght, yt sygnyffyith a dysworchypful ende and a wrechyd lyfe before a bodyis deth.

And yff this ryght lyne be so longe that yt pase the braune or the hyl off the thombe, yff yt continue and be noght lettyd with none odyr strekys, and yff yt be a-lyke brode and wele colouryd, yt sygnyfyith gode dysposycion off the hert, and off spyrytwall membrys in a man; but the persone that hath this tokyn seldum or neuer brynge ony werke to the ende. And yff this lyne be smalle, yt sygnyfyith wysdam and a gode wytt, and yff yt be brode and euyl colouryd, yt sygnyfyith the contrary.

And yf the ryght parte of the tryangyl be depe and gret and off an erthely coloure, yt sygnyfyith rudenes and boystusnes, and that a body lyuyth lyke a best.

And yff the ryte lyne off the tryangyl ende or poynte [leaf 2 b.] inordynatly, be gret and rede, yt sygnyfyith gret dysposycion to lecchery. And yff ther be foundyn in the same lyne this tokyn, O,—that man or woman schuld lese ther one eye; and iff tweyne swyche appere, that persone schuld lese bothe ther eyn.

And yff the same ryght lyne be fulle of smale lynys strekyn thru with hem, and noght cause the lyne to dyscontynw; yff thei go ryght up to the hylle off the thombe and noght dyuyde this forsayd lyne,—yt betokynnyith ryches and wurchyp.

And yff in the same lyne sqwyche strekys decende and in the myddys be kyt or dyuydyd with odyr lynys or strekys, thise lynys sygnyfye gret vexacion, troubyl and angyrrys. And this owyth to be notyd that off euery lyne be-syde the

foure princypalle lynys: Yff the colour be red, the sygnyfycacion ys for to come; and yff yt be pale and lytyl may be seyn, or elles strekyn thorwgh with on lyne or with many lynys, owdyr the sygnyfycacion ys pasyd, or yt stondyth to none effecte.

And yf sqwyche lynys pase up owte off the same streke to the myd lyne and pase thorw the tryangyl or by the tryangyl, yt sygnyfyith a trosty persone and a louyng; but that persone yn the fyrst age schuld haue gret vexsacion and troubyl.

And yff ther be smale lynys kyttyng thise forsayd lyne asundyr, passyng up to the hylle off the thombe, thei sygnyfye many sorowys; but that persone schuld wele ouyrcome hem at the last with laboure.

[leaf 3 a.]

The myd lyne yff yt be ryght and depe and wel colouryd, yt sygnyfyith helth and godnes off complexcion and an excellent wytt.

And yff this lyne be semely longe and pase noght the hylle off the schewyng ffynger, yt sygnyfyith hardynes and lenght off lyfe.

And yff the fforseyd lyne be schort and pase noght the holle off the hand, yt sygnyfyith lytyl resun and fferfulness.

And thei that haue this tokyn thei be so enuyus that yff thei do a body ony gode, owdyr in worde or dede, sore thei repent hem afftyrwarde.

And yff this myd lyne be so longe that yt come be-fore the lytyl fynger and ther ende, yt sygnyfyith schortenes off lyfe and that a body schuld be pore be-fore hys ende.

And yf this same lyne turne vpwarde to the fyngyrrys, yt sygnyfyith a myche fole.

And yff this myd lyne be crokyd and noght ryght, yt sygnyfyith that the persone that hath this tokyn ys fulle off malyce, and that thei vttyr here malyce and euyl wylle in the absens off tho personys that thei hate, and be-fore hem speke feyre to hem and flatyr hem; and myne autour repreuyth this maner dysposycion gretly, seyng more-ouer that this tokyn ys trwe in alle foure complexcionis.

And yff this forsayd lyne be brod and depe, yt sygnyfyth a rwde wytt and lytyl wysdam.

And yff at the begynnyng off the myd lyne ther be a streke wele colouryd procedyng ffro thens to the hyl of the schewyng ffynger yt sygnyfyith ryches in the fyrste age; [leaf 3 b.] and yff yt procede from thens to the myd fynger, yt sygnyfyith ryches in the mydyl age; and yf yt procede to the lest fyngyr, yt betokynnyth ryches in the laste age.

And qwan the myd lyne ys ryght and longe, suffycyently depe alleso and euyn and wele colouryd, yt sygnyfyth a mygthi stomake, myrth and hardynes. And yff this tokyn be noght as yt ys here specyfyid, yt sygnyfyith the contrary,—that ys to sey, a febyl stomake, heuynes and ferfulle.

And this ys a general rwle, that yff a lyne be ryght depe and wele colouryd, yt sygnyfyith gode dysposycion off that membyr to the qwyche yt ys corespondent; by opyn exsampyl as thus: The lyne the qwyche gothe about the thombe longyth to the hert; than yff this lyne be wele colouryd, ryght and deppe, yt sygnyffyith goode dysposycion off the hert. And yff yt be the contrary, yt sygnyfyith euyl dysposycion off the hert. Thus off alle odyr.

The myd lyne longyth to the brayne.

The tabyl lyne longyth to the pryuyte of man and woman in generally.

The fote off the tryangyl longyth to the lyuer, and the same rwle ys of thiis as off the fyrste lyne rehersyd here before.

Thys ye muste consydyr, that a tryangyl ys made off thre lynys and no moo, and yt hath thre cornerys as ye may see in this ffygure the schap off a tryangyl.

The fyrste cornere off the tryangyl in euery hand ys causyd off the myd lyne; for the lyne the qwyche goth aboute the braune off the thombe and the myd lyne [leaf 4 a.] make tweyne partys off the tryangyl and makyn also the fyrste cornere.

Iff the fyrste cornere off the tryangyl pase noght the space the qwyche ys betwene the shewyng fyngyr and the longe

fyngyr, yt sygnyfyith euyl dysposycion off a mannys consyens, gretly dysposyd to extorcionnys and vycys.

And yff this cornere be iuste off bothe lynys metyng to-gydyr scharp, as yt apperyth here in this ffygure <, yt sygnyfyith couetyse and streytnes in kepyng off money.

And yff the lynys off the tryangyl mete to-gyddyre agens the myddys off the schewyng fyngyr, yt sygnyffyith a sotel wytt. But sumtyme yt happyth that thise lynys mete noght to-gyddyr in the ouer parte off the tryangyl, and than yt sygnyfyith that a body schuld be vycyus and crwel. And yff he that hath that tokyn be bond, he schuld neuer be free; and thowe he be a lord that hath this tokyn, he schuld dye myschewsly.

And sumtyme yt happyth that thise to .ii. lynys be but lytyl asundyr; and than thei sygnyffye that a man schuld dye in bateyl; and yff yt be a woman, off tribulacion and sekenes sche schuld dey.

And yff the ryght parte off the tryangyl be wele colouryd, yt sygnyfyith a gode stomak.

And yff this cornere be rounde, it be-tokynnyth gret rwdenes off wytt.

And yff the lynys off the triangyl appere noght veryly, yt sygnyfyith onstabylnes and ontrwth and theuyschnes.

And yff the left cornere off the triangyl be round, yt sygnyffyith [leaf 4 b.] a gret wytt and lenght off lyffe.

And yff this tokyn appere in ony parte off the triangyl

[figure]

, yt sygnyfyith that a man schuld be hange be the nek; and yff a woman hath this tokyn sche schuld die myscheuusly in fyre or watyr.

The fourthe lyne ys the tabyl lyne;—yff this lyne contynw and be depe and brod, yt sygnyffyith gode dyposycion off tho partys the qwyche longe to the begetyng off chyldyr. And also yt sygnyfyith ryteffulnes and enduryng in gode werkes and pesybylnes and vertu.

And yff this tabyl lyne pase the myddys off the schewyng ffyngyr.—yff yt be rede, yt sygnyffyith crwelnes off

herte; and yff yt be pale, yt betokynnyth envyusnes and detraccion.

And yff this lyne turne vpryght be-twene the schewyng fyngyr and the longe fyngyr, yt betokynnyth that a man schuld dye off a wounde, or ellys off the flyx. And yff a woman haue this tokyn, yt sygnyfyith that sche schuld dye off longe contynwauns …Erasure of 2 words in the MS., the first of which is "of."; and the phylosophyrseyth that yt ys necessary that women schuld haue this sekenes, off corupt blode and odyr matere to avoyde hem, the qwyche, yff thei abydyn, schuld cause gret sekenes in hem.

But here I leve myne autour as in this matere; ffor here he tretyth myche off perell off this sekenes the qwyche afftyr my conseyte ys more conuenyent to [leaf 5 a.] be set in physyk than here. More-ouer myne autour seyth that yff a woman that hath this forsayd tokyn dey noght off superfluyte off the sekenes, sche schuld dey of the retencion, or ellys off chyldberth.

And yff this forsayd lyne turne vp agens the lenger fynger and pase no ferther, yt sygnyfyith that fortune schuld help hym that hathe this tokyn; and eke that persone schuld haue a frend vpon home he schuld trost, the qwyche schuld dysseyve hym qwan he hath most nede.

And yff the hed off this lyne ende withinne the lengest fyngyr, yt sygnyffyith that the persone that hath this tokyn schuld neuer be withowte trybulacion and laboure.

And yff the hed off this lyne, that ys to sey the ouyr-parte, by dyuydyd with a cros of smale lynys or with lynys that crosse nout rytely, yff this cros or this lynys gone vp be-twene the schewyng fyngyr and the longe fyngyr, yt sygnyfyith that a man schuld alwey be sure off hys lyuyng, that eke women schuld loue hym myche, and odyr men schuld euer laboure for hym to magnyffye hym and to make hym ryche.

And yff so be that the tabyl lyne hath many ryght strekys, yt ys a tokyn off wurchyp and hye degre in tyme comyng.

And yff so be that this same be bare withowte strekys, yt

sygnyfyith that he or sche that haue this tokyn be infortunat to wurchypps.

And qwan this lyne goth to the hyl off the schewyng fynger [leaf 5 b.] and endyth ther, and at the ende ther be many lynys turnyng douneward to the thombe, yt sygnyfyith, yff yt be man or woman, that thei loue gretly the lustys off the flesch.

And yff that parte the qwyche ys clepyd the busche off the hand—many men haue this tokyn and many noght; and thei acordene noght in this tokyn that be autourys off this syens qwere this busche schuld be; for summe say yt schuld be in the hylle off the hand and summe sey yt schuld be in the tryangyl: but this I say, that the hed off the tabyl lyne may conuenyently be clepyd the busch, as be the tokynnys that folwe; therffore thus,—yff ther dyssende lynys fro the tabyl lyne to the myd lyne, thei sygnyfye couetyse, flatyrry, and dysseyuabylnes; and that he that hath this spekyth fayre before folke, and behynde hem he or sche detractyth hem.

And yff one .i. or too .ii. or many descendyng ffro the tabyl lyne and entyr in-to the space that ys withine the triangyl, off qwat degre sumeuer that persone be, yt sygnyffyith that he schuld be in sqwyche case that, for the wrecchydnes and trybulacion he schuld be yn, he schuld dysyre offtyn hys owne detht to be delyuerryd.

And yff a lyne decende fro the tabyl lyne and pase then the myd lyne and the ryght parte off the triangyl, yt sygnyffyith that a body schuld dey sodenly or be hedyd or slayn with mannys hand.

And this foresayd lyne entyr in-to the myd lyne and pase no fferthere, that persone schuld be in perel off deth and in gret fere; but he schuld be holpyn be a woman.

And yff this lyne be ffule off strekys lyke to a [leaf 6 a.] sterre *, yt betokynnyth gret lustynes and delytys off the flesch; and eke yt sygnyfyith that thei the qwyche haue this tokyn loue to be magnyffyid and praysyd and to be worchyppyd and to be made myche off.

Afftyr I haue determynyd off foure lynys the qwyche moste generally be founde in men and womenys handys, I afftyr myn autore wryte off odyr foure .iiij. the qwyche be clepyd systyrrys, the qwyche be lynys longyng to the fyrste .iiij. lynys.

The fyrste ys clepyd the systyr off the triangyl, and yt hath ther the begynnyng in the lower parte and ascendyth vp to the fyngyr off Saturne; and this lyne ys namyd the saturnyne.

But ye schal conceyue that dyuerse personys haue noght thise lynys, nowdyr many odyr that I speke off here; therfore thei that haue noght thise lynys be nowdyr dysposyd to haue gret wurchyp, noudyr to haue myche aduersyte.

But this ye schal conceyue also, that thow a man be the tokynnys in hys hand be dysposyd to haue wurchyp, hys condycionnys may be sqwych and hys gouernauns that grace schal fayle hym; therfore yff a body be dysposyd be the to-kynnys off hys hand and haue hem neuer as to wurchyppys, yt ys inspocyal hys oune deffaute; oudyr that God ys dysplesyd with hym, or that he stondyth noght in the fauyr off the world for hys mysgouernauns: for sum man ys dysposyd to vycys, as to theff, glotenye, or lecchery, or to odyr vycys; [leaf 6 b.] and yyt with laboure and vertuus ocupacion, he withstondyth hem; therefore noght only be dysposicion off nature, but also be grace.

And off thise systyrrys this ys the sygnyfycacion: yff the lynys the qwyche be clepyd systyrrys be ryght, depe, and euyn, and wele colouryd, the betokyn dowbyl godenes off alle the gode tokynnys in a mannys hand. And yff thei be dyscontynuyng, thei sygnyffye euyn the contrary; and most in specyal yff thei be evyl colouryd.

And yff the qwadrangyl be wele colouryd and large, yt betokynnyth largenes and hardynes. And yff yt be streyt, yt sygnyfyith the contrary.

And yff ther be founde a cros in the qwadrangyl [MS. sign for ra, here and below.] off strekys alyke longe, it sygnyfyith helth off body. And yff one off the strekys be lenger than anodyr, yt sygnyfyith the contrary.

And yff in the qwadrangyl be ffoundyn a fygure lyke to this

[figure]

, yt sygnyfyith trwthe and schamfastnes. And that the persone the qwyche hath this tokyn ys ryteful and wele lyuyng afftyr here powere. And yff the persone the qwyche hath this tokyn fylle in-to pouerte, he schuld recouer and come to prosperyte.

And yff in the qwadrangyl ther be founde a cerkyl, yt sygnyffyith stedfastnes in purpose and in dedys.

And yff ther be in the qwadrangyl the fygure off one triangyl alone, yt betokynnyth aduersyte.

And yff ther be founde .ii. tryangyllys, thei betokyn the [leaf 7 a.] contrary, that ys to say prosperyte.

Here determynyth mayster Aurelyan off the tokynnys with the sygnyfycacionnys the qwyche be founde in the ryght parte off the triangyl, seyng vndyr this forme:

The hyl off the thombe, yff yt be rounde and large, yt sygnyffyith godenes off complexcion and dysposycion to lecchery.

And yff ther be a lyne as longe as the ryght parte off the triangyl, the qwyche ascendyth iuste vp be this forsayd lyne,—yff yt be rede, yt sygnyfyith a gret leccherus persone.

And myne autoure seyth that yff yt be wele colouryd, yt sygynyfyith ryches.

And yff thise lyne noght in the fyrste parte appere, yt sygnyfyith faylyng off ryches in the fyrste age; yff this lyne fayle in the myddys, in the mydyl age; and yff in the last parte yt noght dothe appere; yt sygnyffyith pouerte in the last age.

And for a conclusyon, in qwat [MS. sign for ra.] parte thise lyne apperyth, in the fyrste, mydyl, or laste, in the lyke agys, yt sygnyffyith ryches.

And yff ther be foure lynys vpon the wryste, yff ony off tho foure pase iuste vp be the thombe, yt sygnyfyith wurchyppys in the fyrste age. And the ferther that ony off thise lynys be departyd in dystauns fro the thombe, the lenger tyme [leaf 7 b.] yt schuld be or a man schuld come to wurchyp.

And the more depe that ony lyne be, the gretter ys the sygnyfycacion, qwedyr yt be in gode or euyl.

And this ys a general rule: that yff ony lyne the qwyche longyth to wurchyp be kytt or dyuydyd with smale lynys, yt ys a gret tokyn off many lettyngys, or a man may come to wurchyp.

And yff thise lynys may noght esyly be seyne, yt sygnyffyith that the worchyppys be paste.

And yff at the rote off the thombe ther ryse a lyne and procedyth to the triangyl, yt betokynnyth that a man dysyryth to see many cuntreyis and to knowe many dyuerse condycionnys and craftys.

And yff ony lyne procede fro the rote off the thombe to the hyest parte off the triangyl, yt sygnyffyith veyne glory and dysyre off gode.

And iff the …Erasure in MS. be fulle of lynys, yt sygnyffyith …Erasure in MS. [The Garrett MS. here and at p. 106, l. 34, has been erased. ]

And yff many lynys be foundyn vpon the thombe, comyng fro the bak off the hand,—yff thei be depe, thei sygnyfye gret frenchyp with straunge folke.

And yff in the hylle off the thombe ther ys [MS. ys with er written above, so that the y of ys serves for the thorn of ther.] ffounde a tokyn lyke a sterre, yt sygnyfyith lecchery bothe in man and woman.

And yff in the same hylle sqwyche a fygure be ffounde

[figure]

, it sygnyffyith ryches and wurchyp after a mannys degre be or a womannys.

And yff within the triangyl, or ny the tryangyl, ther be [leaf 8 a.] founde a fygure lyke to this

[figure]

[The figure in MS. is like y, or thorn.] , yt sygnyfyith sekenes to

come within schort tyme and wurchyp; and princypally yff this tokyn be rede.

The hyl off the schewyng fynger, yff yt be pleyn and wele colouryd, yt sygnyfyith clennes in lyuyng.

And yff ony lyne wele colouryd pase fro the tabyl lyne and ascende vp to the hylle off this foresayd fynger, yt sygnyfyith boldnes off hert, and a man schuld with gode gouernauns come to wurchyp.

And yff that lyne be kytt at the ouyr-parte a-sunder with on .j. lyne or with many lynys, thei sygnyfyei a wounde vp-on a mannys or a womannys hede; yff thei be rede, that the wounde ys to come; and yff thei be pale, that the hurt ys paste.

And yff smale lynys pase fro the rote off the foresayd fyngyr downe-ward, yt sygnyfyith that a body schuld lyue withowte laboure; and yff thise lynys be iuste be the fynger, thei sygnyffye wurchyppys.

And as many sqwyche lynys as appere in a clerkys hand, so many benefysys, or prebendys, or odyr wurchyppys he schuld haue.

And yff yt be a man off relygyon, he schuld be a byschop, an abbott, or a priore, or a-nodyr wurthy ofycere.

And yff yt be a man off the world, he schuld haue wurchyp as hys degre askyth.

And yff thise strekys be kytt or wanyschyd awey [leaf 8 b.] that thei may noght esyly be seyn, yt ys an evydente tokyn that the worchyppys be past, or ellys off lettyng.

And yff lynys pase fro the myd lyne vp to the hylle off the schewyng fynger, thei sygnyfye schamfastnes and trwthe.

And yff one .j. off tho lynys pase fro the tabyl lyne and go be-twene the schewyng fynger and the longe fynger, yt sygnyfyith that a man schuld dey off a wounde; and yff yt be a woman, sche schuld dey off chyld-byrth, or ellys off rysyng off the modyr …Erasure in MS. of almost a line [The Garrett MS. here and at p. 104, ll. 22, 23, has been erased. ]

And the same yt betokynnyth, yff the same lyne pase to the hylle off the mydyl fynger.

And yff ony lyne pase ffro the hed off the tabyl lyne and assende ryght vp to the rote off the schewyng fynger, yt sygnyfyith soden deth.

And yff an euyn cros be ffounde in the hylle off the schewyng ffynger, yt sygnyfyith soden chongys to wurchyppys and dygnyteys.

And yff sqwyche a tokyn be founde ther

[figure]

, yt sygnyfyith trybulacion and a febyl brayn.

The hyl off the mydyl fynger, yff yt be withoute lynys and wele colouryd, it betokynnyth sympylnes and godenes off wytt.

And yff ther come a lyne fro the tabyl lyne and pase to the rote off the mydyl fynger, yt ys a tokyn off laboure and traueel and seld reste.

And yff the rote off this fynger be fulle off strekys, [leaf 9 a.] thei sygnyfye [MS. bottom f. 8 b thei sygnyfye.] gret laboure.

And yff thise lynys turne douneward to the holle off the hand, thei sygnyfye that a man schuld dye in prison,—qwat state sum-euer that he be.

And yff in the same hylle ther be but fewe strekys and grete, thei sygnyfye rest and ese.

And yff lynys smale kyt a-sundyr thise foresayd gret lynys, thei be-tokyn gret laboure or a man may come to reste.

And yff tweyn .ij. lynys be ioynyd to-gedyre thus in the hylle off the mydyl fynger, or ellys in the hylle off the schewyng fynger, thei sygnyfye wurchyp in tyme comyng.

The hylle off the leche fyngyre, yff yt be rounde and rede, yt sygnyfyith that a body ys dysposyd to the dropesy and to be vycyus.

And yff tweyn .ij. lynys procede fro the tabyl lyne to the hyll off this fynger, yt sygnyfyith sotelte off wytt, and that a body ys dysposyd to kunne many syens. And thise lynys betokyn also wurchyppys and dygnyteys. And yff thise

lynys be kytt, they sygnyfye lettyng and hyndrauns or a body come to wurchyppys or dygnyteys. And yff thise lynys ascende noght ryght vp, thei sygnyfye promocion in ocupacion.

And yff a lyne appere be-twene the lytyl fynger and the leche fynger, yt sygnyfyith prosperyte in a woman.

And yf a lyne procede fro the tabyl lyne a-lone to [leaf 9 b.] this foresayd fynger and yt be ryght and wele colouryd and withowte kyttyng off odyr lynys, yff yt be longe that yt pase the ioynt, yt sygnyfyith prosperyte.

And yff ther be founde a cros be-twene the leche fynger and the lytyl fyngyre, yt sygnyfyith gret laboure.

The hyll off the lytyl fynger, yff yt be rounde and gret, yt sygnyfyith helth off body and godenes off complexcion.

And yff a lyne procede fro the tabyl lyne to the hylle off this fynger, beyng wele colouryd, in a man, yt ys a tokyn off chastyte and off gret sparyng; in a woman, yt sygnyfyith the contrary.

And yff ther be founde in this hyl lynys off the qwyche sum be gret and sum smale, qwat wey sum-euer that they turne, thei sygnyfye lecchery bothe in man and woman.

And yff thise lynys be ryght, thei sygnyfye that a man laboureyth to gete hym frenchyp and loue off wurthy women. And yff thei be rounde, thei sygnyfye the contrary, or ellys crokyd.

And yff thise lynys be kytt with odyr lynys, the sygnyfycacion ys destroyd.Pur bon courexpand_less

And yff ther be lynys descendyng in-to the hand vpon the egge off the hand betwene the tabyl lyne and the lytyl fynger, as many lynys as be ther, .i. except, so many wyuys a man off the world schuld haue. And yff yt be a prest, so many dygnyteys or benefysys he schuld haue. And yff [leaf 10 a.] thise lynys be kytt with odyr lynys, the sygnyfycacion ys paste.

And as many ryght lynys as ther be founde off thise for-and

so many maydynnys a man schuld haue to wyfys; and yff thei be crokyd, so many wydowys.

And yff ther be a lyne in the hylle off the lytyl ffyngyr, as halff a cros or halff a cerkyl, yff yt declyne to the leche fynger, yt betokynnyth that a man schuld be in gret trowbyl and aftyr come to prosperyte. And yff this halff cerkyl turne toward the lytyl ffyngyr to the egge off the hand, yt sygnyfyiththe contrary.

In this capytyl determynyth myn autour off proporcionyngoff fyngyrrys, seyng on this wyse:

Fyngerys proporcionde aftyr the stature off the persone, thei sygnyffye goode dysposycion natural, excepte the excepcionnys folowyng.

Most conuenyent ys to a sclendyr man to haue sclendyr fyngerys, and to a man myche off stature to haue myche fyngerys; but thise be sygnyfycacionnys off alle maner off fyngyrrys:

That persone the qwyche hath smale fyngerys and ffleschy and rounde ys dysposyd to be enuyus, and also dysposyd to pride and to be hardy and bold.

And afftyr the phylysophyr, smale fyngerys, longe and lene, thei sygnyfye gentylness off condycionnys, kendenes off hert, and abylte to alle syens.

Smale fyngerys, schort and lene and wronge, thei [leaf 10 b.] sygnyffye malyce, dyscordauns, frowardnes, and enuyusnes loyal et grace deneur d (with curl)expand_less.

Smale naylys, longe and rede, betokyn godenes off wytt and sotelnes de bon socialte.expand_less.

Schort naylys, narwgh and smale, betokyn vycyusnes, euyl tecchyd, foltyschenes, and a nygard.

Moreouer, ye schal conceyue that the lynys off euery ioynt be clepyd lynys artunel tant au ƚi.expand_less.5

There-fore yff the lyne artunele the qwyche ys with-in the ioynte off the thombe mete or ioyne with the lyne artunele the

ys with-owte the thombe, yt sygnyffyith that a man schuld be hange be the nek. damesel bon et bele.expand_less

And yff ony lyne artunele cerkyl the thombe a-boute, yt betokynnyth that a body schuld be drounyd.

And yff ther be sqwyche lynys and mete noght to-gedyr, thei sygnyfye that a body hath ben in parel off watyr.

And yff ther be a lyne in the rote off the schewyng fyngyr, yff yt pass vp to the fynger iustely, yt sygnyfyith wurchypp.

And yff sqwyche a tokyn appere vp-on the bak off this fyngyre, yt

[figure]

sygnyfyith vse off lecchery.

And yff the hylle off the medyl fynger be fulle off smale lynys, thei sygnyfye woundys vp-on a bodyis hede, or on the wombe, or the brest, [leaf 11 a.] or owdyr sekenes in alle thiys.

And yff the lynys be rede, the hurtys or sekenessys be for to come; and thei be pale, thei be past.

And yff ther be founde tweyne sqwyche ryght lynys | |, they sygnyffye strengh and manhed.

And yff ther be founde sqwyche a tokyn in this foresayd hylle, yt betokynnyth euyl tecchys.

And yff a lytyl cros be founde in the hylle off the lytyl fynger, yt sygnyfyith foltyschenes.

And yff a gret lyne pase fro the hyl off the lytyl fynger vp on to the same fynger, yt sygnyfyith dysposycion to lecchery.

Also a woman hauyng manyer sygnys, that ys to sey lynys or strekys, be-twene removethe schewyng fynger and the mydyl fynger and the leche fyngyr, than be-twene the leche fyngyr and the lytyl fyngyr, ys more dysposyd to conceyue sonys than dowtyrrys; and eke the transuerse be-tokynnyth the contrary.

Myn autoure put here gret conclusyonnys and resunnys conffermyng hys boke, to veryffye hys wrytyngys, the qwyche I pase, for yt ys scole matyr set vndyr the forme off arguyng, leggyng to forteffye hys materrys thise philysophyrys: Talitem, Platonem, ["Platonem, Arystotelem, and Albertum." The quotation of these three names in the Accusative Case by Metham, perhaps without his recognizing them, seems to indicate that he is actually following a Latin MS. He betrays a degree of weakness with regard to his sources in his omission of 'scole matyr', l. 31, also observable in the treatise on Physiognomy. See following note. On the subject of the authorities for Palmistry, see Introduction. ] Arystotilem, and Albertum; and more-ouer, he schewyth be werkyng off nature alle hys conclusyonnys and sundry tokynnys the qwyche make no remembrauns

off: As to schewe be tokynnys qwydyr a womman that hath none husbonde be a mayde or [leaf 11 b.] noght; and eke yff a woman hath conceyuyd a man chyld or a may chylde and off dyuerse odyr thingys, the qwyche I omytt. ["the qwyche I omyt." Metham here indicates extensive omissions, and it is clear, from an examination of the current Latin treatises of his time and a comparison of them with Metham's work, that he has in general omitted the more difficult and complicated parts of his original; see Introduction.] But ye schal conceyue that ther be in dyuerse creaturys handys lynys and tokynnys off the qwyche myne autour spekyth noght off; but be thise pryncypal lynys the qwyche be wrytyn in this tretyse, ye may geue a ryght dome off the dysposycion off man and woman, qwereto thei be dysposyd owdyr to haue prosperyte or aduersyte, to be ryche or pore, to be chaste or to be leccherus, as the dysposycion off the worlde askyth,—off alle thus and many odyre this boke makyth mencion.

And ye muste consydyr that this syens requiryth that ye muste beholde bothe the rygth hand and the leffte bothe off man and woman, noght-withstondyng that the pryncypaltokynnys off a man be in hys ryght hand, and off a woman in her lefte hand.

And ye may noght deme off one .j. line alone but off many acordyng. And he that hath manyere sygnys off prosperyte than off aduersyte, ye schal deme hys wurchyppys. And he that hath mo sygnys off aduersyte than prosperyte, ye schal deme hys infortune. Ye must consydyr also that quat hand that ye schal deme, yt must be wasche with hote watyr that ye may see euery lyne. And ye may geve no dome but off a persone that pasyth twelue yere off age. Thus endyth myne autoure doctor Aurelyan in Latyne. And thus I ende in Englysch vndyr the supportacion off my masterys in this syens;—be the skoler Jon Metham.1

Here endyth the syens off cyromancy. Quod Jon Metham ... Metham.

[(Here follow on the two sides of folio 12 two drawings in red ink of hands, then four blank leaves in MS.) ]

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..

PHYSIOGNOMY

[leaf 57 a.]

Irede in the boke the qwyche ys clepyd the Pryuyte off Phylosophyrys, ["Pryuyte of Phylysophyrys": Secreta Secretorum. In the Alexander romance, Aristotle returns home from Middle India, where Alexander was engaged in his conquests, but composes, for the guidance of his pupil, the Book for the Governance of Princes; see Budge, Life and Exploits of Alexander the Great, ii. 382. This appears also in the Buik of Alexander the Conquerour (see A. Herrmann, The Taymouth MS. of Sir Gilbert Hay's Buik of King Alexander the Conquerour, loc. cit.), and is a story of frequent occurrence; see R. Steele, Lydgate and Burgh's Secrees of Olde Philisoffres, passim. ] the qwyche was made be the excellent philysophyr Arystotyl; the qwyche endytyd this boke be meruulus kunnyng off very knowlech off the dysposycion off nature in werkyng; and most in specyal, in a mannys face; the qwyche he compylyd to the infformacion off kyng Alysaundyr, conqwerour, the qwyche syens ys clepyd physnomy. And off thise syens many doctourrys make mencion, the qwyche appreue this as for the most trwe demyng off the dysposycion off man, as be the werkyng off nature; for as alle the wrytyng off elde doctourys off phylosophye wryte that the most trwe werkyng off nature ys in a mannys face.

And in the begynnyng off this boke, myn autoure Arystotyl the lesse, the qwyche was the kyngys sone off Cryse, ["Arystotyl the lesse ... kyngys sone off Cryse." I have two suggestions to offer with regard to Metham's introduction of two Aristotles: first, that he is himself confused by the occurrence of an Aristotle in the Alexander romance, whom he thinks distinct from Aristotle the philosopher; and secondly, that he is following some author, probably the unknown Aurelian, who is guilty of the mistake in question. The nearest approach to such a glorification of the real Aristotle to this representation of him as a king's son is in those Alexander romances in which Aristotle is regarded as a companion in arms to Alexander. See W. Hertz, Aristoteles in den Alexanderdichtungen des Mittelalters, König.Akad. d. Wissenschaften, Munich, xix. 26 ff., 103 et passim; also Le Lai d'Aristote, by Henri d'Andeli, ed. A. Heron, Paris, 1881. "Cryse" is possibly Χρυσῆ Νῆσοζ of Alexandrian tradition, perhaps the same as the Isle, or region, of Bramand in Kyng Alisaunder, ed. Weber, 5916 ff. See various articles, sub. "Chryse," in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopädie, particularly under Χρυσῆ Νῆσοζ.] tellyth a proces off an euydent thyng, the qwyche was done hys days to preue this syens, qwedyr yt were trwe or noght:

He tellyth that in the cyte off Arge ther dwellyd a gret phylysophyr, the qwyche had gret insyte in physnomye and palmestrye, hos name was clepyd Phylemon, [ Phylemon: a form of the name Polemon; see Introduction. In addition to the references there given, see J. G. Wenrich, De Auctor. Graecorum, Version. Arab., etc., Lips., 1842, p. 296, and V. Rose, Anecdota Graeca, i. 76. ] callyd thorw alle Affryk a wyse sothe-seyr, and this Phylemon was in the days of mastyr Ypocras [Ypocras: Hippocrates. See R. Förster, Script. Phys., i. viii ff.; the story occurs in Bar Hebraeus (Gregor-Abulpharagdus), Historia Compend. Dynast. vi. 56, 86 (Oxon., 1663); see Steele, loc. cit., p. viii ff. It is also in Pseudo-Plutarch, Περὶ 'Ασχήσωζ (Mus. Rhen., xxvii. 527). Cicero (Tusc. Disp., iv. 37; De Fato, v. 10) tells the story as happening to Socrates in connexion with a certain physiognomist, Zopyrus.] , the qwyche Ypocras was namyd the grettest physycion lyuyng in tho [leaf 57 b.] days; the qwyche Ypocras dwellyd in Rome.

So yt be-ffelle vp-onne a tyme, that tweyn scolerrys off maystyr Ypocras, the qwyche were gret wyttyd men, fylle in felyschyp off straungerrys, the qwyche kam fro the cyte ther Phylemon the sotheseyer dwellyd; and in ther comunicacion the straungerres spokyn myche off hys cunnyng, preysyng hym gretly. Thise skolerrys meruelyd that yt schuld be so; but for the tyme thei seyd noght, but toke her leue and departyd. And

as thei yede home, thei kyst fully to asay yff yt were off hym as men sayd. And be bothe her counseyllys, thei gotyn a portraer the qwyche depeyntyd Ypocras in a velum skyn, in alle poyntys bothe in coloure and schap; and pryuyly yede to Phylymon, and schewyd hym the ymage off Ypocras, prayng to telle hem howe he was dysposyd that the fygure was made lyke to. And stedffastely he beheld yt, and yaff hem this ansqwere: 'Ho-ssum-euer yt be that owyth this fygure, he be hys dysposycion ys a leccherus man and a dysseyuabyl, in on and alle youyn to lustys off the flesch, and ontrwe.'

And with this worde the dyscypyllys off Ypocras were gretly meuyd, and wold a slayn hym. And thei sayd to hym vndyr this forme: 'Thow elde wrecche, thow arte on-trwe, and yt ys pyte that thow lyuyst thus to dysceyue the pepyl with thi fals feynyd craft. For he that this fygure ys depeyntyd afftyr ys one off the most vertuus men lyuyng, as alle Rome wulle [leaf 58 a.] recorde with hym, a chaste man that for clennes off lyuyng weddyd neuer no wyffe, and a trwe man, bothe in word and werk.'

And than this doctor Phylemon yaff hem this ansqwere: 'Ye axyd me howe he was dysposyd be my craft, and aftyr my craft I yaf yow a trwe ansqwere; and that dar I deme vp-on hym-self.'

And quan thei harde this ansqwere, thei sayd no more, but toke here leue, and yede home to her master Ypocras, and teld hym how thei had done, and off the ansqwere off doctor Phylemon. And Ypocras yaue hem this ansqwere: 'That Phylemon, qwat-sum-euer that he be, I knowe be hys ansqwere that he ys ryght a wyse man; and an experte man in that cunnyng; and be-leve yt veryly, he sayd noght on .j. word a-mys off my natural dysposycion: for I am so dysposyd to lecchery, and to be onstabyl, and ontrw; but qwan I come to age off dyscrecion, and perseyuyd my dysposycion, and knw that yt was vycyus, I labouryd to gete kunyng, bothe day and nyght. And vertuus ocupacion hath brout me to that

dysposycion the qwyche I am in; for be gret laboure I haue ouercomyn the vycys to the qwyche I am dysposyd. Thys ys an euydent tokyn that this craft ys trwe.'—Thus myne autor begynnyth hys boke. And I Jon Metham, skoler, thus rudely I begynn in Englysch vndyr the supportacion off my masterys in this syens, and eke off the lysterys, at the reqwest off a ryght notabyl knyght, Syre Mylys Stapyltun.

[leaf 58 b.]

As myn autoure dothe begyn, ryght so schuld Y; but yt ys noght, as me semyth, expedyent here, for dysputyng to grounde this boke nedeth noght: syn thise autourrys confferme this, that ys to sey, the grete clerke Arystotyl, and Bysa, ["Bysa": not found. ] and Treuere, ["Trenere." Not found; the word is written "trenere" or "treuere," it is impossible to tell which. ] and many odyr.

But thus afftyr hys conclusyonnys, myne autoure dothe begynne, seyng, on this maner:

Iff ther come a persone to yow, be yt man, be yt woman, to speke with yow for ony cause, thus schal ye knowe qwydyr thei loue off hert and drede yow, or yff thei hate owgth yow and dyspyse yow in her conseyt.

Iff ther come a persone to yow, the qwyche ys a straunger, in ony matere, thus haue a consyderacion to hys chere, that he perseyue yow noght. Yff swyche a persone be-hold yowre fase stedfastly, and ye in yowre talkyng loke vp-on hym, yff that persone be a-schamyd off yowre loke, and cast doune hys eyn to the ground, and syghe causeles; yff also ther appere watyr in hys eyn, as thow he wold wepe, that persone, qwat-sum-euer he be, he louyth yow, feryth yow, and dred yow, and louyth yowre prosperite and welfare.

And yff yt be so that he behold yow boldely, and loke sternly in yowre face, and spekyth boystusly, and lokyth fast aboute, and lokyth vp-on yowre arayment with louryng chere, —that persone hatyth yow, and hath enuye at yowre welfare, and hath [leaf 59 a.] in maner scorn off yow. This ys the fyrste euydent tokyn as owteward. Now I pase the causys of natural werkyng, qwy the dysposycion of man schuld be knowyn as

be thise tokynnys owteward; for the proces ys to longe. But thei that lyst to se the causys, thei may fynde hem in the tretyse off doctor Carnus, the qwyche compylyth to-gydyr the physnomye off Arystotyl the phylysophyr, off Loxy ["Loxy": Loxus, a physician of the third century B.C.; see Introduction. Note that Metham writes the genitival form of the word, as if he did not know the nominative. ] the physyon, and off Palemon ["Palemon": Polemon, writer of the second century A.D.; see Introduction and R. Förster, loc. cit., i. lxxi sq.; see also Jöcher, Gelehrten-Lexikon; J. G. A. Franz, Script. Physiognomoniae Vet., Altenburg, 1780. Polemo is mentioned by Origen, Contra Cels., i. 33, 35, ed. Benedict.] the delamatur. But afftyr the secunde Arystotyl I procede, noght to the causys, but to the tokynnys; and fyrst off herys off the hed with the sygnyficacion:

Styff herys and blak off coloure, or ellys dunne, theisygnyffye sturdynes off hert and self-wyllydnes.

Herys that be sofft and thinne in growyng, rede of coloure; thei sygnyffye femenyne dysposycion, skarsnes off blod, and dysseyuabylnes.

Crysp heres, the qwyche be namyd yelw, betokyn hastynes, couetyse, scarpnes, fereffulnes [ MS. ferefful with scribal sign for ? ur.] , and dysceyuabylnes. [MS. dysceyuabyl with scribal sign for ? ur.]

Herys growyng thyk vp-on the forehed betokyn gret hastynes.

Herys that cromyn vpward, and growyn thynne, thei betokyn ferfulnes and coldenes off complexcion.

Herys that be a born turnyng myche to yelw, thei betokyn hard wyttys and wyldenes off brayn.

Herys that growe thyk a-boute the templys and erys betokyn a sotel wyttyd man, and leccherus.

Herys growyng thynne vp-on the temp [leaf 59 b.] lys betokyn coldenes and faylyng off strenght.

Herys the qwyche be off auburne coloure declynyng to blacnes, sofft and smale, betokyn godenes off condycionnys; and in alle colourys sotelnes off here ys comendabyl.

Herrys herys, and yelw and softer, declynyng more to qwytenes than redenes, betokyn ferffulhed and pryde, and sofftnes off complexcion, and solennes and crwelnes.

The skyn off the hed, yff yt be ful off shrynkys, or ellys

lose that yt meve with a mannys speche, or with frounyng, yt betokynnyth femenyne dysposycion. And yff the skyn be hard and streyght, yt sygnyfyith dysyre off preysyng off hemselff, and foltyschnes.

The most comendabyl aftyr myne autoure ys a mene be-twene thise tweyn.

The hed that ys gret, as in qwantyte pasyng the commun syse, yt ekyth gretly to the wyttys, and be-tokynnyth vertu and magnyfycens.

A scort scapyn hed ys with-owte wytt and wysdam be sygnyfycacion.

A long schape hed sygnyfyith impudens on schamfastnes.

A flat hed betokynnyth indysposycion to vertu, and insolent.

A schort hed, nygh rownd, betokynnyth drunkelnes, i-vynyd with tokynnys acordyn.

A mene off alle thise betokynnyth wysdam [leaf 60 a.] and gret wytt.

A longe hed betokynnyth onwysdam and onclennes in lyuyng.

An hed that ys flat on the forme parte sygnyfyith dysposycion to wrath and to dysseyt.

A gret hed, with a gret forhed and a gret face, betokynnyth slowthe, mekenes, and hard to be taught.

An hed schape lyke an hamur or a betyl betokynnyth a redy wyttyd man, and a cyrcumspecte.

A ryght hed that ys pleyn in the croune, off a mene gretenes, betokynnyth wysdam, and manhed, and stronghartydnes.

Aforehed that ys narwgh be-fore betokynnyth bestyalte and ontaughtnes, for hardenes off wytt and onclennes in lyuyng.

A brod forehed, the qwyche ys rounde and fayre and smothe, betokynnyth plente off wytt.

A forhed that ys noght euyn, the qwyche ys clepyd in this syens a crokyd or a wrong, the qwyche ys greter a-bouyn than than beneathexpand_less be the eyn, ful off lesys lyche platyd cloth, sygnyfyith onwysdam and foltyschnes.

Thei that haue holle forehedys declynyng to pleynes be gret dysyrerys off wurchyp.

Thei that haue forehedys with-owte ony gret apperyng in maner, as yt were drouyn in-to the hed, be foryetfful and noght dysposyd to ony vertu.

Thei that contynnwally her forhedys bere bent with [leaf 60 b.] ryght schrynkys in the ouyr-parte off the forehed, or betwene the browys, thei be dysposyd to be fulle off thowgthys.

Thei that haue forheddys with hyllys and walys be dysposyd to be dysceyuabyl and hasty.quo ad quodexpand_less

Thei that haue thynne forehed with-owte many depe lynys or schrynkys be dysposyd to be trosty.

Browys, qwan thei be ryght and longe, thei be-tokyn an euyl-wyllyd man and a noturenyghty, ["noturenyghty." I find this word inexplicable; the MS. gives noturnyghty, n's and u's not distinguishable. ] acordyng to femenye nature.

Browys, qwan thei grouuyn vpward and the chere off the persone ys wepyng, thei sygnyfye onwysdam.

Browys, qwan thei growe douneward to the eyn, thei betokyn an enuyus persone, and a froward.

Browys that returne in growyng to the skyn betokyn lytyl remembrauns and lytyl wysdam.

Browys the qwyche at the on ende growe vpward and at the odyr parte dounward, thei sygnyfye angrynes, gredynes, and foltyschnes.

Qwyte browys, namyd crysp, longe off growyng herys, thei betokyn flatyrry, dysseyvabylnes, largenes, and indyscretenes off conscyens; ferffulnes pasyngly reygnyth in

tho personys, longe bererrys off malyce, ontrw, onstedffast, ful off lesyngys, impacyent, and fals ymagynatourys and to that syngulere tokyn acorde alle doctourys off this syens, bothe elde and nwe, adyoynyng solennes.

[leaf 61 a.]

Blake browys, thei sygnyfye gret dysposycion to lecchery; thei betokyn gret wyttys, hardenes allso off hert, and hardynes.

The eye lyddys sumtyme be fulle and in maner bolnyd off kend, and sumtyme thei be thynne; qwereffore this ys the sentens off myne autoure,—the ouerlyd off the eye, yff yt be bolnyd, yt sygnyfyyth a gret sleper; and yff yt be thynne, yt sygnyffyith the contrary.

The nedyr-lyd, yff yt be thyk and ful, yt sygnyfyith hastynes and sotelnes; yff yt be thinne, yt synyffyith the contrary.

[MS. Initial letter ornamented with ugly human face beside which is written: I am ffroward, loke on the leff.] Here determynyth myne autoure of tokynnys off the eyn most in specyal; for that thei be most euydent schewerrys off man and womannys dysposycion in generally.

In the begynnyng, ye schal conceyue that in euery hole eye be thre partys: that ys, the qwyte or the balle off the eye; the cerkyl or the roundel off the eye, the qwyche ys sum-tyme graye lyke the ey off a catte, sumtyme lyke the coloure off the fyrmament qwan the aer ys clere, sumtyme blak grey lyke the eyn off doggys, sumtyme odyr colourrys, as this chapetyr schal make mencion; the thyrd parte off the ey ys the syte, the qwyche ys yn the myddys, off one coloure alwey, the qwyche coloure ys blak;—and this ys the fyrst sentens of myne autour:

[leaf 61 b.] [MS. top of leaf, in late hand, "Fortune."]

Eyn the qwyche be clene, as the drop off water schynyng, thei sygnyfye lyberalte and kendnes off hert, yff so be that odyr sygnys in the face acorde in godenes.

Qwan the ballys off the eyn be smale, thei sygnyffye dysceyuabylnes and sotelte off wytt, the qwyche be lykynnyd to appys and foxys.

Qwan the one balle of a man or womannys eye be gretter than the odyr, yt betokynnyth malyce and wykkydnes.

Qwan the ballys off the eyn turne rownde in the hed as a qwele, yt muste be lokyd qwydyr thei meue bothe one wey, or ellys one one wey and a-nodyr a-nodyr wey; yff thei meue bothe one wey, thei sygnyfye a passyng vycyus persone, and fulle off crwell and euyl ymagynacionnys, and full off vengauns, doyng manslaught: and yff sqwyche maner eyn meue noght contynwally; but sumtyme thei meve inward, and sumtyme aboute, and sumtyme stonde stylle, yt sygnyfyith that her malycyus entent ys noght fulffyllyd; but that thei reuolue yt in her mend; that ys to sey, her malyce ys noght performyd in dede.

Eyn the qwyche be fast meuyng, yff the lyddys meue noght but qwan and qwan, thei betokyn sturdynes and boldnes off spyryte.

Qwan the ye lyddys meue faste in a manys or a womennys talkyng, and the eyi selff meue noght, yt sygnyffyith ferffulnes and faylyng off wyttys.

[leaf 62 a.]

Thei that kepe her eyn stabyl, yff the coloure be pale off the eyn and slepi or dedly, yff that persone meue hys brouys in hys lokyng with a scharpe spyryte, yt sygnyfyith frowardnes, onwysdam, and gret passyonnys off wrath.

Thei that haue rede eyn, noght offtyn meuyng but stondyng stedfastely, thei sygnyfye dysposycion to lecchery and ontrwth and dysceyuabylnes.

Eyn stondyng alluey with moystur, smale in qwantyte, with a pleyn forhed, with meuyng eyelyddys, thei sygnyffye a gode wyt and a retentyff, and wele dysposyd to lernyng.

Eyn that meue faste and sodenly betokyn trobyl in that persone that hath hem, and that he ys syspicyus, and in tho thyngys the qwyche he purposyth to doo, longe or late to perform hem; and yff that parsonys eye-lyddys meue as faste as the ballys, yt sygnyffyith ferffulnes; and yff yt be

so that the eyn meue faster than the eye-lyddys, yt betokynnyth that in a nede that persone ys hardy and trwe.

Thei that haue slowe meuyng eyn in maner slepy, tho personys be off harde wyttys, slow in the begynnyng, and in the laste endyng hard.

Qwer-ffore myne autoure enclyneth rather to fayre bryghteyn, meuyng fast than meuyng slowly, as to the sygnyffying off wytty dysposycion.

Eyn the qwyche meue be no certeyn cours, but [leaf 62 b.] meue dyfferently, sum roundely, sumtyme endelyngys, yff the eyn be grete and dymme, thei sygnyffyie ontemperatnes off lecchery.

And this ys a generall reule, that euery eyi that ys continually moyste ys more commendabyl and more in vertuus sygnyffycacion, than that eye that apperyth drye.

Spottys lyke perlys in the balle off the eye, that ys to sey in the qwte off the eye, the qwych perlys or spottys be in the circuyte, rede, sangwyne, or yelw, or qwyte, thei sygnyffye enuyusnes, flatery, ontrwth, and dysceyuabylnes, and dysposycion to alle euyl, off alle vycys; fore off alle repreuabyl sygnys thise spottys, lyke to bleynnys, be the werst, qwat coloure sum-euer that thei be.

Now myne autour spekyth off the cerkyl the qwyche dyuydyth the qwyte off the eye in the be-holdyng fro the syte;—the syte, as I seyd in the begynnyng, ys the rounde blak spot in the myddys off yche seeyng eye.

Thys cerkyl off sundry colourys in ych eye dothe appere; as blake, gray, and blw, lyke medely, the qwyche cerkyllys in sum thyngys varyi in euery creature in sum tokynne: qwer-ffore this tokyn muste nedys be wysely consedyrryd; for-as-myche as yt ys specyal in this syens.

Fyrst this ys the sygnyffycacion off browne cerkyllys, the qwyche be clepyd blake eyn in comm [leaf 63 a.] un langage; but in this chapetur to swe myn autour, yt were noght proffytabyl

to the rederrys, noudyr to the hererrys. Qwerfore for a ground I begynne thus:

In euery man and womannys ey nest the qwyte, ther ys a cerkyl off sundry colourys, yff ye beholde yt wysely, the qwyche cerkyl hath a streys brede nere in sum eye, but yt ys chongabyl and varying in euery eye. And in this cerkyl, yff yt be wysely beholde, yt stondyth ful off spottys, alle maner off colourys representyng; but in specyal a fatyd blw, and a fatyd blak, that in specyal this cerkyl stondyth by; and be-syde thise ther be in that cerkyl pale spottys, or yewlu, or very red, or lyke to a rede that ys fatyd, or sangwyne, or dunne, or blwe; the qwyche colourys haue dyuerse sygnyffycacionnys, as I schal expres in this chapetur.

And ye schal conseyue that this hope in sundry eyn ys colouryd lyke the reynbow, noght with spottys, but one cerkyl with-in a-nodyr off sundry colourys. Moreouer, in euery eye wele dysposyd ther be tweyn lynys departyng this hope fro odyr partys off the eye; that ys to sey, fro the qwyte and fro the bal, the qwyche ys clepyd acyes; that ys to say, the scharp or the syte. This reule muste be vndyrstode, that ye may the more clerely vndyrstond odyr folwyng.

[leaf 63 b.]

And alwey consyder this, that the most effecte, qwedyr yt be in gode or euyl, ys yff thise forseyd colourys be in her owne kend; that ys to sey, a rede, the qwyche ys namyd rede in this syens, to be very rede in hys kend, and so off alle colourys; for yff yt be so that myne autoure rehers, that he the qwyche hath rede lynys in the qwyte off hys eye, yff that rede be in hys kende, the betokynnyng ys the more effectual in euyl. Now affter myn autoure thus he be-gynnyth:

Blake eyn, the qwyche be in her kend, betokyn onmyghtynesoff vertuus strengh, and euyl wyldnes, and dysposyd to gret getyng, and euer ther-vpon gredy, the

qwyche be namyd in Grwe thopotyoy. Be-syd thise blake eyn ther be odyr namyd blake yin, the qwyche qwan thei be sodenly beholdyn thei seme blake; for be that coloure thei stond most: but in thise yin ther be rede spottys, noght verry red in hys kend; but as a fatyd coloure. Thise betokyn a keend and a gentyl hert, dysposyd to honeste, and to rygtfulnes, and to haue a gret wytte, and to be hardy. And in sqwyche blake eyn, yff ther be spottys very reede and noght rounde, in maner rede as fyre, and with-in tho spottys ther be odyr off pale coloure, and odyr cerkyllys off yelw coloure with-in aboute the syte off the ye, qwydyr the balle off the ye be off blody coloure, or pale or with pyrlys; yff also sqwyche maner off yin meue fast, with-owte [leaf 64 a.] meuyng of the eye-lyddys, kepyng hem alwey opyn,—in that persone regnyth alle euyl dysposycion off hastynes, and malyce, and crwelnes. And doctour Palemon, be exsampyl, concludyth vpon this tokyn in hys tragedy, the thyrd metyr, vp-on Herculys, [ Herculys. I am unable to find any such reference in any other treatise on Physiognomy, or to offer an explanation of this. The mention of the third meter may indicate the use of some work in verse or in verse and prose like Boethius. Tragedy would mean merely a sad story. The phrase in aladis oculis, if possible of explanation, may be in atratis oculis. ] qwere he begynnyth in aladis oculis. Cerkyllys blake in the qwyche ther appere sangwyne dropys or pale, conioynyd or medyld, euyl dysposycion and leccherusnes, thei betokyn; and the more pale that thei be, the more hardynes thei sygnyffye off sleyng off men, and vse off lecchery. But this ys the certytude off thise tokynnys: That the more apperyng and the bryter off colourrys that thise dropys be, the gretter euyl off crwelnes and malice and vycyus lyuyng thei betokyn in euery complexion.

Alytyl cerkyl off rede in a moyste eye with-owte scharpnes off coloure, yff no schappe off scharpenes appere ouer that cerkyl, yt sygnyffyith wysdam and ryghtffulnes and a gret wytt. And yff afftyr this blak cerkyl a pale cerkyl folw, yt sygnyffyith dysceyuabylnes and theuyschnes, nygardchyp, and leccherushed. And offtyn yt happyith that ther be as many colourrys in the cerkyl as apperrys in the reynbow; qwerffore yff sqwyche colourys

appere in the eye, the qwyche in the beholdyng ys drye thei sygnyffye madnes. And yff yt be so that this tokyn appere in a moyst eye, yt sygnyfyith gret hastynes, wysdam, and redynes [leaf 64 b.] [ MS. "Phisonomy," top late hand, so 65, 66 b, 67 b-70, 71; other pages to end except 75 b have running head in scribe's hand in red.] to lecchery.

Qwan yt ys so that the eye in qwantyte be noght smalle, that ys to sey in opynnyng, in the grettnes off the balle, ner off the cerkyl, ner off the syght, yff the eye be noght fyx in consydyrracion, yt betokynnyth stabylnes off purpose. Eyn the qwyche meuyn vppward, as thow thei schuld beholde the fyrmament, thei sygnyfye maddenes and dysyrys off the flesch. And yff sqwyche maner eyn be offtyn twynkylyng, thei sygnyfye the more malice. Also sqwyche maner off eyn, yff thei be off pale coloure, thei sygnyffye so hasty dysposycion, that ther folowyth manslaught. And yff sqwyche maner off eyn be-ffore rehersyd be gret in qwantyte and red off coloure, thei sygnyffye gret bosturrys and gret dysposycion to lecchery and temperatnes off speche and grettenes of voyse; and the most dysposycion to alle vycys regnyth in tho personys the qwyche haue sqwyche maner off eyn. Eyn turnyng bakward in here meuyng, as folk do qwanne thei begynne to slepe, thei sygnyfye onmekenes, and that yt ys grete dyffyculte to plese sqwyche personys, thei be so froward. Eyn the qwyche ben clepyd gogyl-eyn, yff her meuyng be owteward to the ryght syde, and the stondyng off the syte be the same wey, thei sygnyffye foltyschnes; and yff thei meue to the lyffte syde, thei sygnyffye gret dysposycion to lecchery.

And yff sqwyche maner off eyn, that ys to sey gogyl-eyn, [leaf 65 a.] haue her meuyng to the nose-ward, yff thei be moyste and yff the browys mete nyghe to-gydyr, thei sygnyfyelecchery and lyberalnes and kendnes. And yff they be drye and myche staryng, thei sygnyffye onclennes and wykkydnes. And yff sqwyche maner off eyn be alwey twynkelyng, thei sygnyffye that he dar noght thynke no

wykkydnes ner frowardnes. Euery holle eye, be sympyl sygnyfycacion, betokynyth euyl; and qwan thei be grete and moyste, that tokyn reuokyth the vyce off the betokynnyng. Smale eyn, qwan thei be holle, thei sygnyffye enuyusnes. Eyn meuyng nere gret in qwantyte with rede lynys in the qwyght, thei sygnyffye ferffulnes and flatery.

Schynyng eyn and in maner styrtyng aboute, yff thei be pasyng grete, thei acord to the dysposycion off ryghtffulnes and wodenes. But qwan thei be of amenabyl gretnes, moyste and schynyng, thei sygnyffye gret nobylnes and gret ymagynacionnys off wysdam, dysposycion also to wrathe and to drynkyng off wyne, gret dysyre off wurchyp; also thei sygnyfye manffulnes and hardynes;—and sqwyche maner off eyn, myne mayster Offaryas [ Offaryas: not found. The attribution of shining, starting eyes to Alexander is found in the anonymous work on Physiognomy of three authors described in the Introduction; see R. Förster, loc. cit., ii. 50, 13, Anonymi de Physiognomonia Liber: Scias quia his oculis aestimatur etiam Alexander Magnus fuisse; see also Adamantii Physiognomonica, ibid., i. 328. ] seyth, Alysaundyr the conqweroure had. Eyn the qwyche be dymme, in maner to folkys beholdyng semyblynd, thei sygnyffye ontrwth; qwerfore in this syens euery bryght eye ys preysyd. Eyn the qwyche be scharp of loke, qwan thei be moyste, thei [leaf 65 b.] sygnyfye dysposycion to werre and to stryfe and off boldenes off hert; and sqwyche personys schuld be delyuyr in alle here werkys and wele auysyd, but yit thei schuld be schrewysch. And thei that loke scharply with smale eyn, holle and drye, thei be enuyus with-owte dyscrecion, qwan thei be meuyd, sotelwyttyd. This tokyn is more in the effecte qwan the forehed hangyth ferre ouer the eyn and the browys, gret bothe in qwantyte off flesch, and off herys gret multytude. Eyn the qwyche twynkyl and in maner lawgh with the chere, yff the eye off the self be drye, thei sygnyffye gret malyce. But this myne autour gretly doth note, that qwan the eyn smyle with the chere, yff the chekys, the browys, and the forhed meue and chonge in-to gladnes, this maner off laughyng ys repreuabyl; for sqwyche personys thei mene euyl and be ful off dysseyt;—extorcionerys, forsqwerrerys, and wayterrys to deprehend men off here speche, removeand in her talkyng to reporte euyl iff owte thei can gete

to iangyl off hem be-hynd hem to hyndyr hem; for the malyce off hem ys so grete, that yff thei myght slee a man with a word thei wold do yt. Myne autour seyth that in hys dayis he knwe many sqwyche personys that had this maner off laughyng, the qwyche personys yaue hem-selff for malyce to be vengyd, thral and bond, to the kynge off Egyppte, fro ther owne kyng; and he dampnyth this tokyn off alle tokynnys, seyng that thiis tokynis be trwe with-owte more addycacionnys. [leaf 66 a.] And I that translatethis boke adde this off uery knowyng off personys lyuyng in my days: Among alle Englysch men I fynd many Northffolk men the qwyche haue this maner off laughyng; that I know be dysseyuabyl and fals off here behestys, passyng enuyus and fulle off malyce and euer onstedffaste, ontrw, and ful off lesyngys. Qwereffore as myne autourrys,—Arystotyl the gret phylysophyr, and Arystotyl the secunde, kyngys sone off Cryse, and Loxy, Phylemon, and Palemon dampne this tokyn, ryght so I dampne yt, counselyng them that schal rede this boke off alle sqwyche, [MS. margin with connecting sign to "be ware."] for thei be noght to trost vpon, to be-ware. [MS. end of paragraph "quod" in margin.]

More-ouer, thei that in maner loke mornyngly contynnually, and make a solen chere off dysposycion natural, and noght off pride, yff sqwyche a personys eyn be moyste, yt ys a tokyn off gret stody and gret laboure in many syens; and this tokyn ys moste trwe qwan the browys be pleyn, with a pleyn forhed. And yff yt be so that sqwyche a sad chere hath drye eyn, with a frounyng forhed, and a scharp loke, yt ys a tokyn off hastynes and off gret hardynes. Eyn the qwyche be contynually halff closyd and offtynsperyd with knyttyng off browys, thei sygnyffye euyl condycionnys off tecchys, theuysch. Eyn the qwyche be myche styrtyng a-boute, thei sygnyfye thoutys off inwarde troubyl or off vanyte; but the [leaf 66 b.] maner off thowghtys,

qwedyr thei be off gode or off euyl, be thise tokynnys ye schal knowe: for yff thei be moyst and schynyng, yff thei be gret in qwantyte, yff thei stond fere inward, yff thei be meke in the beholdyng, and soffte, thise tokynnys be off gode thowghtys; and yff thei be drye and dymme, smale, holle, harde, thei sygnyffye euyl thowghtys and ymagynacionnys.

Eyn the qwyche stare alwey, gret off qwantyte, thei betokyn vanyte and dulnes off wytt and frowardnes and leccherushed. Eyn the qwyche meue stylly, and offte stonde stylle demurely and louely, sumqwat moyst in the beholdyn, tho personys be meke, stodyerrys in vertuusnes and louyng; and sqwyche maner off eyn be pale or rede, with drynes, theisygnyffy gret hastynes and dysposycion to wodenes. Eyn the qwyche be purblynde naturally betokyn gredynes, intemperatnes, onwysdam and dysposycion to thefft. They that haue browys hangyn ouer the eyn, and in her speche meue bothe the eye-lyddys with the ballys, tho personys be ferfful. They that meue and lyfft vp the browys and the lyddys and sone letyth them falle, thei be dysyrerys off beute and fayrenes.

Sumtyme yt happyth that the ouyr eye-lyd ys rysyng in the myddys in the maner off a tryangyl, thus

[figure]

; yt sygnyffyith men-sleerrys and ontrwe keperys off wedlok. The herys off the eye-lyddys, qwan thei be styff and blak, in an euyl-dysposyd face be physnomy, thei make bettyr the tokynnys, and [leaf 67 a.] thei adde to the sygnyfycacionys off prosperyte, sygnyfying strengh off hert and god dysposycion off the spyrytuwal membrys. Thus I leue off the tokynnys off the eyn, thow yt be so that here I determyne nowght fully; but be thise tokynnys yche wyse vndyrstonder off this boke schal perceyue myche more.

Afftyr the determynacion off the eyn, myn autour wrytyth off the erys, seying vndyr this forme: Gret erys, thei sygnyfye foltyschnes and onclennes off lyuyng. Smale erys, thei sygnyffye schrewdnes and frowardnes. Schort erys, in

maner as thei were kytt or paryd, abouyn beyng flat, thei sygnyfye onwysdam, rudenes, and sturdynes. Erys the qwych be round off schap, thei sygnyfye onabylte off lernyng. Erys the qwyche be sklender and longe in qwantyte, thei sygnyffye enuye. Erys the qwyche be noudyr to smale ner to grete, drawyng to the schap off fouresqwarydnes, be most preysyd in this syens, the qwyche holdyth a mene.

Thynne lyppys with a gret mowght, yff yt be so that the ouyr lyppe be in maner as a gouernur to the nedyr, extendyng ouer the neder, yt sygnyfyith strenght, manhed, boldenes, and hardynes. A mowght the qwyche ys smal off qwantyte with thynne lyppys sygnyffyith onmyghtynes, ferffulnes, and wylynes. Qwan the lyppys hange doune, as thow a man had no strenght to gouerne hem, thei sygnyfye deth neghyng nere; exsampyl take [leaf 67 b.] off agyd men that come to .iiij. skore. Iff the nedyr lyppe stond owte be-ffore the ouyr, yt sygnyfyith onclennes off lyuyng and dysyre off preysyng and wurchyp. A mowght the qwyche ys smal signyfyith ambicion and leccherushed. Qwan yt ys so that the mowght ys bowyng inward that the chekys in maner make the consyderacion off the mowght holle, the qwyche ys clepyd an holle mowght, yt sygnyffyith leccherusnes and enuyusnes and intemperauns. A mowght with thyk lyppys, rounde, stondyn owte, the qwyche men clepe a tutte-mought, qwan the nedyr ys so gret that yt bowyth downe-ward, yt sygnyffyith a gret devourere off mete and a gret drynker and myche noying, froward and schrewysch, and with-owte dyscrecion and foltysch. Qwan yt ys so that the mowght ys smalle and the lyppys be pasyng thynne, thei sygnyffye frowardnes, hastynes, and leccherushed. But off alle mowthys, that ys most commendabyl the qwyche stondeth noght to myche owte, ner ys to streyt and stondyth to myche inward, with lyppys off a mene thyknes, nowdyr to thyk, nowdyr to thyn; fore as I seyd be-fforen, a mene ys best.

Chekys the qwyche be fulle off flesch, replet with fatnes, be-tokyn onbownteusnes and frowardnes and dobylnes and hastynes. And qwan the chekys be very thyn, thei sygnyfye malicyusnes. Qwan the appyllys off the chekys, or the ballys, be flat, as thei were kytt awey, yff the flesch the [MS. margin opposite last line. "prima die."] qwych [leaf 68 a.] growyth ther-vpon be hangyng doune, yt sygnyfyith enuye; and yff the ballys be longe off growyng in qwantyte, stondyng nere the eye, thei sygnyffe a boystus speker and inportunes. But for a reule this ys general,—that yche fulle face and fat face betokynnyth ferfullnes, voluptuusnes, ignobylnes, and ymagynacionnys off dysseytys.

The nose-thyrlys, qwan yt ys so that thei be scharp befforen, thei sygnyffye gret dysposycion to wrath and hastynes. Qwan yt ys so that the nose-thyrlys be pasyng thyk, thei betokyn onclennes off complexcion. Qwan yt ys so that the nosethyrlys be syder than the grystyl, thyk and ner to-gydyr, and so streyt that thei seme speryd, yff the schap owte-ward be rounde off thise nose-thyrlys, a myghty complexcion and manfulnes off hert. Qwan yt ys so that the nose comyth ryght doune fro the forhed, yt sygnyfyitha gode and gret dysposycion to alle kunnyng and craftys; and yt sygnyfyith wysdam. And this ys a rewle,—that alle nose-thyrlys that be wyde and gret be more commendabyl, than streyt nose-thyrlys and smale; and for this resun, the sygnyfycacionnys off bothe dyuerse, for alle wyde nose-thyrlys and alle grete, thei sygnyffye trwth and manfulnes off hert; streyt nose-thyrlys, thei sygnyfye dysseyuabylnes, gret dysposycion to thefft, and ferffulnes off hert, and cowardyse; to the qwyche tokyn, Arystotyl acordyth, and Palemon and Loxi and Phylemon,—the qwyche were doctourys off thise syens, acord to this [leaf 68 b.] tokyn syngelerly, yche in specyal determynyng; and I the translater, as knowyng this tokyn in sundry lyuyng creaturys, wryte this tokyn for trwtht. Qwan yt ys so that the nosethyrlys be bowyng downeward, thei sygnyffye boldnes off hert. And qwan thei turne vpward,

that ys a cambyd nose, yt sygnyffyith lecchery. Nosethyrlys the qwyche be wyde, thei sygnyfye strenght and myrth off hert. Sstreyt nosethyrlys and round and very smale, thei sygnyffye foltyschnes. Qwan the nose bowyth asyde at the ende, yt sygnyfyith a froward hert and ontrwtht.

The chyn qwan yt ys sclendyr and longe, yt sygnyfyith wrath and inward trowbyl. Thei that haue passyng smale chynnys, thei be enuyus and euer froward; he that hath a chyn the qwych ys very rownd betokynnyth a feynt hert and femynyne dysposycion. A chyn the qwyche ys foure-sqware, that ys named a clouyn chyn, betokynnyth manfulnes off hert; yff the chyn be large and longe yt sygnyffyith ymagynacionnys off dysseyt. That chyn ys most commendabyl, the qwyche ys clouyn in the myddys, the qwych bowyth noght to myche vpward nowdyr ys to longe.

A longe nek and a slender sygnyfyith that a body ocupiith hys mend abowght euyl imagynacionnys. A nek the qwyche ys made strongely, the qwyche is round, nowdyr to schort, nowdyr [leaf 69 a.] to longe, sygnyfyith myghtynes off body. A nek the qwyche ys flat behynd sygnyfyith enuyusnes. A nek the qwyche ys ful off veynys, gretly apperyng, yt sygnyffyith a hard wytt. They the qwyche haue passyng fulle nekkys, grete and fatte and schort, thei be hasty and hard to be taught. Qwan yt ys so that be-twene the schuldyrrys, at the poynt off the nek, nest the body, ther ryse a lytyl round boune alone, yt sygnyfyith pride. A nek the qwyche ys rowgh off schap sygnyfyith an ontawghtparsone, and a wyllde, chargyng off ryght nowght. A nek the qwyche ys smal nyghe the hed and gret be the body, that qwyche seldum meuyth nowdyr in speche ner in labour, yt sygnyfyith wysdam and strenght of body. Sum-tyme yt happyth that scolerys the qwyche stody in vnyuersyteys [Scolerys the qwyche stody in unyuersyteys. Metham has given this a personal significance. It is stated quite generally in the anonymous De Physiognomonia Liber, loc. cit., ii. 75, 7 sq.] at her frendys fyndyng, qwan thei perseyue that of ese her nekkys be pleyn and ful off qwyete and off rest, and that this tokyn ys opyn and vycyus, be craft thei make her

nekkys stabyl and rugh, that ys to sey, ful off schrynkys; but her craft holdyth noght, for-as-myche as thei hyde in that parte, the werkyng of nature schewyth on odyr partys. Qwan the nek hangyth downeward, as yt were brokyn, that that persone beryth doune hys hed and yt shakyth as he goth, yt ys an opyn tokyn off an onwyse body and an hasty. Qwan the nek bowyth gretly bakward, yt sygnyfyith gret hastynes, wyldenes off brayn, and a gret wastur off alle thyngys. [leaf 69 b.] Qwan yt ys so that the nek bowyth on the left syde, causeles saue only off natural dysposycion, yt sygnyffyith that the persone ys ferful and foltysch, the qwyche hath this tokyn. A nek the qwyche ys gret and fulle off flesch, the qwyche bowyth noght, but with trauel, yt sygnyfyith gredynes off mete and drynk, and hastynes.

The throte, qwan yt ys lene and stondyth myche owte, that ys to sey, gretly apperyth, yt sygnyfyth dysposycion to be a gret spekere and fulle of wordys; yff yt be so that the throte be pleyn, that ys to sey, that no bone be apperyng but lytyl, yt sygnyffyith dysposycion to myrth and to gret sparyng;—but sqwyche a persone ys noght dysposyd to be hardy. Qwan yt ys so that the throte joynyth to the schuldyrrys on bothe sydys, that yt ys so fulle of flesch that the brest and the nek be both one, yt sygnyfyith foltyschnes, and that a man ys dysposyd to no kunnyng. And qwan yt ys so that the throte in maner ys dyuydyd fro the schuldyrrys, so that the ouer bone off the brest appere, yt sygnyfyith wysdam, clennes off complexcion and boldenes off hert.

The schuldrys, qwan thei be replet, ful of flesch, thei betokyn strengh of body and vertu; and qwan thei be sclender and pleyn with the bak, thei sygnyfye ferfulnes and febylnes off complexcion. Qwan thei be rounde and makyn a dale, as thei were brestys of women, in the myddys off the bakke, thei sygnyfye dysposycion to leccherry [leaf 70 a.] and abylte to lernyng. Qwan yt ys so that the schulderrys

be off a mene gretenes, replet with flesch, thei be most commendabyl.

Handys the qwyche be passyng soft sygnyfye that a body hath an abyl wytt to lerne, and thei sygnyffye leccherusnes. Handys the qwyche be schort of schap and made strongely, thei sygnyfye wysdam and strengh. Handys the qwyche be fatt, and hath schort fyngyrrys, thei sygnyfye ferffulnes and cowardyse. Handys the qwyche be thynne betokynnyth eloqwens and hastynes in etyng. Qwan yt ys so that the armys and the handys be so longe, that qwan a body stondyth vpryght the fyngyrys endys may nere towche the kneys, yt sygnyfyith gode dysposycion and gentylnes and gode condycionnys; qwan skantely thei may towche the myd thygth, yt sygnyfyith a froward persone and an euylwyllyd. They the qwyche bowe doune ther hed to ther mete qwan thei ete, for the most communne, thei haue smale handys and thei be pasyng euyl-dysposyd, malicyus, froward, and gretly reioysyng odyr folkys harmys;—the falsnes off hem dysseyuyth myche folkys.

Fingyrrys qwan thei be ful off flesch and joyne so nyghe to-gydyr, that the lyght may noght enter, yt sygnyffyith onclennes off complexcion; fyngyrrys the qwyche be knottyd and be in maner schouyd on an hep, thei sygnyfye enuyusnes, nygardschyp, and frowardnes; smale fyngyrrys and fat sygnyfye fersnes, [leaf 70 b.] enuyusnes, and hardynes. They that haue fyngyrrys passyng longe that be feyre to the beheldyng, thei sygnyfye gode condicionnys.

Naylys the qwyche schyne, schewyng lyke a fatyd rede, thei sygnyfye a gode wytt and gentyl condycionnyd. Naylys the qwyche be narw and longe, thei sygnyfye foltyschnes and hastynes. Naylys the qwyche be flat and lytyl, thei sygnyfye enuyusnes and dysposycion to thefft and to nygardschyp. Rownde naylys, thei sygnyfye dysposycion to lecchery. Naylys the qwyche be smale and flat, that

growe to no purpose, ner hath no wurtewalys, but growe as thei were hurt, thise naylys be most repreuabyl; for theisygnyfye dysposycion to alle vycys. Tho naylys be most commendabyl the qwyche be large and longe.

Abrest the qwyche ys large on euery syde and round, yff yt be large benethe be the stomak, yt sygnyfyith goode dysposycion. A brest the qwyche ys thynne, yt sygnyfyith febylnes off complexcion. A brest the qwyche ys myche fulffyllyd with flesch, yt sygnyfyith a dulle wyt, and herd to lern. A brest, thow yt be lytyl, yff yt be round, yt sygnyfyith a gode wytte. Qwan yt ys so that the part off the brest nest the nek ys gretter than the nedyr, yt sygnyfyith wysdam; and yf that parte be ful, replet with flesch, yt sygnyfyith a malycyus persone and a gret deuourere of mete and drynk. Menne the qwyche haue gret pappys and fulle off flesch, thei be leccherus and hasty, etc. [leaf 71 a.] The soffter that the bely, or the wombe, be and the les schewyng owteward, the bettyr dysposycion yt betokynnyth.

The sydys, qwan thei be sclender and pleyn, thei sygnyfye ferffulnes; and thei that be fyllyd with flesch thei sygnyfye foltyschnes and hard wyttys. That part off the bak the qwyche ys fully ayens the brest, yff yt be streyght and narw, yt sygnyfyth febylnes and onmyghtynes. And yff that parte be fulle off flesch, the qwyche ys ayens the brest2, that ys to sey, the bak, yt sygnyfyith foltyschnes.

A bak the qwyche ys slendyr and be the wast fulle off flesch, yt sygnyfyith sekenes and foltyschnes. A bak the qwyche bowyth round, that yt bowyth in the schuldyrrys to the brest, yt sygnyfyith enuyusnes and malyce; and this tokyn ys most trwe, qwan a man goth myche stoupyng. A bak the qwyche ys myghtyly made, large in waxyng, yt sygnyfyith manlynes and strenght; but many sqwyche men, thei haue feynt hertys. Off home the bakkys be proporciond after the body, the qwyche ys noudyr to round, nowdyr to

flat, the qwyche hath a gret seme in the myddys, that ys to sey, a uale or a dyuysyon be-thwene bothe sydys, thise folk be gret stodyerrys, ryght louyng, and bold off hert.

The chyne off the bak, qwan yt ys flat benethe and fulle off sofft flesch, yt sygnyffyith femenyne dysposycion; the nedyr part of the chyne bothe [leaf 71 b.] off man and woman endyth the brede off to ij fyngerys fro the wast; and yff yt ende flat with-owte flesche, yt sygnyfyith foltyschnes; and yff ytbe round, yt sygnyfyith euyl dysposycion.

The thyis qwan thei be gret braunnyd and gret bonyd, thei sygnyfye gret strenght and boldenes. Qwan thei be fulfyllyd with soft flesch, thei sygnyfye an femenyne wyt. Thei that haue smale thyis with a soft skyn, thei be leccherus.

The kneyis, qwan thei bowe inward and mete to-gydyr qwan a body stondyth or goth, thei sygnyfye febylnes of complexcion. Qwan yt ys so that that part the qwyche ys nedyrrest off the thye, the qwyche ys be the hamme, be replet with flesch, yt sygnyfyith onwysdam and frowardnes. Qwan the kneys be fulle off flesch, thei sygnyfye a natural fole.

The calff off the leggys, qwan thei be smal, thei sygnyfye outragyusnes and passyng hastynes. Qwan the calff off the legge ys gret and full, thei sygnyffye strenght off body and lustynes off complexcion; and this tokyn ys most trwe qwan the calff and the legge be fulle off blwe veynys, grettely apperyng. Qwan the smale off the legge ys fulle off flesch, yt sygnyfyith onclennes off complexcion.

Feette, qwan thei be flat with a lowe instep and fulle off flesch, thei sygnyfye a foltysch persone; and yff the plante be ful off flesch, with this [leaf 72 a.] forseyd tokyn yt sygnyfyith dysposycion to wodenes. Feet the qwyche be fulle off neruys and veynys, thei sygnyfye dyscrecion and gentylnes; princypally qwan the fote ys longe and in parte lene, that the veynys be grete and myche apperyng. Feet

the qwyche be schort off schap, fulle off flesch, thei sygnyfye dysseyt and malyce and enuyusnes. Feet the qwyche be pasyng thynne, thei sygnyfye frowardnes. Feet the qwyche be in maner crokyd off natural growyng, betokyn frowardnes off dysposycion. They the qwyche haue leggys as gret beneth as at the calf and slyte, or were ther schone myche owteward and vndyr the harte off the fote, be a gret voyde space, thei sygnyffye leccherusnes, onclennes off complexcion, and dysseuyabylnes. Arystotyl [Arystotyl. Aristotle is here quoted as to hairs on the thighs, &c.; The anonymous author above referred to also quotes Aristotle, but not immediately to that end; he comes to it after a passage treating of the colours of hair. The effect of Metham's version is to attribute a general part specifically to Aristotle; see R. Förster, loc. cit., ii. 92, 1 sq. ] aftyr the sygnyfycacionnysaddyth this tokyn off the thyis: Thyis the qwyche be fulle off longe herrys growyng thyk, yt sygnyfyith a ryght hasty man and a hard-wyttyd. The wombe and the breste, qwan thei grow fulle off herre, thei sygnyfye lyghtnes and strenght off complexcion; but thei be onstabyl and ryght hasty and selfwyllyd and with-owght compassyon. Qwan the nek ys fulle off herre yt sygnyffyith strenght and manfulnes.

Myne autourrys determyneth yn this capytyl how men may knowe the dysposycion off yche reasonabyl creature, that hath parfyte age, be ther gate and meuyng, seyng on this wyse: Ther be tweyn meuyngys the qwych be in vse, bothe amonge [leaf 72 b.] men and women; .j. one ys natural and a-nodyr comyth off fyndyng off mennys wytt. And off this the qwyche ys founde be mennys wytt ther be thre spysys: The fyrste spyce ys qwan a man or a woman, be-cause off hye degre, to appere wyse and sadde, thei chonge ther natural pase: Also thei that dysyre to prouoke men to there feyrnes, fore to be holdyn beuteus and lusty, thei chonge ther pase, as be ther ymagynacion schuld be most acceptabyl in mennys eye-syte; this ys the secunde spyce; and off this secunde thei also that be her dysyrys haue as gret affecion in men as thei haue in women, and vse fayre personys off men in the sted off ther wyuys, as the emporur of Rome Nero dyd. Tho personys dyspose ther gate as thei seme most schuld plese beuteus yonge men. The .iij.

spyce ys off hem, the qwyche be sluggy and onclene off complexcion, the qwyche be with-owgte strenght; for because that sqwyche personys perseyue her dysposycion ys repreuabyl, thei chonge bothe here voys and her gate. But this maner of folk be sone dyscuryd be the werkyng off nature; for qwan that thei be myry in ther laughyn, her made voyse chongyth in-to the owne kend. Thise iij be spycys innatural as of the gate and the meuyng off sundry personys.

The iiij meuyng ys natural, off the qwyche this capytyl determynyth. Thei the qwyche kepe longe pasys and make gret steppys, thei [leaf 73 a.] be wele wyllyd and bold and manfful and fortunat. Thei that make smale steppys, thei be streyt keperys off money, dysseuabyl, and inffortunat, and dulle off wytt. They that goo a gret pase and meue faste with alle ther body, thei be sotel and hasty. They that, qwan thei haue a thyng to doo, kepe a gret pase and stoupe in ther gate and throw doune ther eyn to the erthe with a sobyr chere, as thow a man stodyid afftyr wytt, yt sygnyffyith a dysseyuabyl persone and a streyt keper off money. Qwan yt ys so that a man hath in vse contynwally to goo, as he had a gret matere to doo, qwan the eyn renne fast in the hed, and the hed meue, and the breth comyth owt off hys mowth with gret vyolens, that the vyolens off the spyryte may be herd afferre, yt sygnyffyith a passyng bold man and an enuyus and a man dysposyd to manslaut, and a froward man, ioying off odyr mennys tribulacion. They that go schort as thei were schakyllyd, hastyly, thei be selfwyllyd and froward and febyl and tendyr off complexcion. A slow gate, yff yt be natural, yt sygnyffyith dulnes as slowth. And yf that slow pase be drawen alonge, that a man in hys gate stond and talke and loke abowt and lyfft vp hys hed, yt sygnyffyith pride and solennes. He that goth veryly vpryte be natural dysposycion, alle phylysophyrys off this syens deme hym for a man-slere [leaf 73 b.] and auouterere; but most in specyal, qwan the handdys meue contynwally in ther gate.

He that goth demurely, and sumqwat bowyth the hed and the nek in hys gate, yt sygnyffyith manffulnes and hardynes and gentyl dysposycion. Thow yt be so that idiottys, the qwyche knowe noght the werkyng off nature, repreue this tokyn, I knowe wele that thei that goo myche stoupyng, that her stoupyng ys gretly perseyuyd; this sygnyffycacion ys noght off hem but the contrary;—but perseiue the terme as yt ys wrytyn ther, as I wryte this word sumqwat: He that meuyth in gate hys schulderrys and holdyth vpryght hys nek, he ys dysposyd to be proude and a wastur. They that hange her armys doune and alle ther body bowyth on to ryght syde, thei be onwyse. Thei that hang ther hed on the lefft syde, thei be scharp and bold off spyryte, but stylle in owteward apperying.

The spyryte off lyfe, qwan yt ys qwiete and stylle, yt sygnyffyith in-ward thowghtys. Qwan the spyryte restyth longe with-in and gotht owte scharply and entryth scharpely, yt sygnyfyith inward sorw; qwan the spyryte ys greuusly soundyth, yt sygnyffyith hastynes and vyolens. The breth qwan yt ys thyk, yt sygnyffyith hardynes. They that with labour drawe her breth and yt abydyth schort qwyle with-inne, thei be off febyl complexcion.Most good and most excelent good lord Herlle of Southampton.expand_less

[leaf 74 a.]

The voys, qwan yt ys contynwally brokyn, as the sounde off a broken panne, the qwyche ys noght hole nowdyr in gretnes, nowdyr in smallenes, yt sygnyffyith foltyschnes and a deuourer off mete and drynk. Thei that begynne in ther speeche with a loude voyse and ende dryly ther speche, thei be dysseyuabyl and chongabyl. They that begynne ther speche with a sad voyse and ende a-loft with a scharp voyse, thei be fulle off wantoune dysyre, and fulle off nwe affeccionnys. They that haue holle voysys and speke lowe and fulle, with-owte brekyng or qwauerryng, yt sygnyffyith a manfful hert and wele norturyd and gret wytt; and yff yt bray or be brokyn, yt sygnyffye the contrary.

Thei that haue smale voysys and vttyr ther speche sqwetely in maner, as a byrd schuld syng, tho personys be leccherus; a sklender uoys that ys brokyn and qwauerryng betokynnyth suspycyusnes. They that speke in ther nosys, and ther voyse ys brokyn or smal, tho personys be enuyus, lesyngmongerys, froward, euylwyllyd, and joyng off odyr folkys harmys. A voys the qwyche ys medyllyd, as yt were, gret and smal to-gydyr, yt sygnyfyith ontrwth and a longe berere off malyce. A voyse the qwyche ys late off speche betokynnyth frowardnes. But a mene voyse ys most commendabyl.

The colourys off men and women, most in general, be afftyr the regyonnys in the qwyche thei be browte forth, as wele as affter ther complexcionnys: [leaf 74 b.] For in Inde the fasys and bodyis be blwe; in Calde and Ethyope, alle blak,—the qwyche ys causyd off gret hete off the sonne for the nerenes; in Armeny and Grese, alle yelwysch,—for the soden hete and soden cold; in Portelonde, Grene-londe, and Morelonde, [Portelonde, Morelonde. Metham may have had Portugal and Mauretania in mind. Such an erroneous selection would not probably have been beyond his misinformation. ] grenysch and salw,—for the contynwal cold; in Germany and toward the downe-ffalle off the sunne, the qwych ys clepyd the west parte off the world,—for be-cause yt ys ther temperat nowdyr to hot, nowdyr to colde,—the complexcionnys bothe may myche more be perseyuyd, than in odyr cuntreys. Qwerffore myn autour seyth vndyr this forme: Blak coloure, the qwyche comyth off complexcion, sygnyffyith onmyghtynes, frowardnes, and doubylnes. Coloure the qwyche ys passyng qwyte, with qwyte herre, sygnyffyith febylnes off complexcion. Coloure the qwyche ys gretly red sygnyffyith dysseyuabylnes. A coloure the qwych ys nowdyr pale, ner qwyte, ner very red, but conffuse, yt sygnyffyith a gret spekere and a passyng angry persone. They that be passyng red off coloure, qwan thei be angry, thei be halff wode. They that haue pale facys, thei be feynt-hertyd, ferfful, and onmyghty, yff so be that sekenes or stody cause yt;

for a man that stodyith or ys seke, off qwat complexcion sumeuer that he be, yt wul chonge hys coloure. And sumtyme yt happyth that thise pale and qwyght men that be so colouryd off stody, yf thei falle in talkyng or ellys see sqwyche a persone [leaf 75 a.] as thei loue off hert, here coloure chongyth as pale as a qwyght walle; sundry folke the qwyche be noght wyse, nowdyr experte in the verkyng off nature, thei sey the contrary to the phylysophyrys, wrytyng; and sey that sqwych men be parlyus men. Myne autour granteth therto that, yff the palenes come off complexcion; but ther-ffore he seyth that yt ys seld sene a pale man, to be lene off fase, for ther ys a grete dyfferens be-twene pale colour and qwyght colour. And vndyr this forme he tellyth the cause, qwy thei that be lene off stody schuld chonge ther chere, qwan thei see them that thei loue, and that ther fase lokyth pale as a walle that ys nwe qwytyd. He seyth that a persone that schuld chonge hys chere for very loue schuld haue thise tokynnys; he seyth the fase schuld be skender off schap, drawyng to lengh, with blak herre and blake browys and blake-eyd, with a nose streyt comyng downe fro the hed, with wyde nosethyrlys and thynne and the gyrstyl off the nose-thyrlys comyn doune syder than the nose-thyrlys, with thinne lyppys, the nedyr smaller than the ouyr, with a smal chyn the qwyche ys clouyn, and with a sad voyse, with longe armys, longe handys, and longe fyngerrys, and large naylys, with a sobyr gate, and most in specyal, qwan the forhed ys large, hy, and rounde, with tempyllys fulle off ueynys,—yff a persone the qwyche hath thiis tokynnys be pale off stody or off sekenes, and chongyth hys colour, as I wryte a-fforn, this ys the cause and eke hys dysposycion. [leaf 75 b.] Thyse personys be pasyng louyng be-ffor alle odyr; and the hert off hem ys so sore affectyd, to them, that thei loue qwedyr yt be men or women, that euer thei thynke vp-on hem. And qwan yt ys so that thei se with ther bodyly eye that the hert hath stodyid on be-ffore, for soden joy and

gladnes, the blode owte off the face and alle odyr partys rennyth to the hert, for very joy, that in maner thei be in a sqownyng, for soden gladnes; and than thei loke pale, as they do that chonge her coloure for malyce, qwat complexcion sum-euer thei be. But be thyse tokynnys off the face, the qwyche I wryte affore, ye may knowe the trwth; but alwey ye owe to haue this consyderacion,—that ye may yeue no ryght dome off one .j. tokyn, but off many, acordyng qwedyr thei be in goode or ellys euyl; for yff a persone haue more gode tokynnys than bad, ye schal deme hys godenes; and yff yt be so that he haue manyere euyl sygnys than gode, ye schal deme afftyr hys euyl tokynnys.—Thus ende my autourys ther bokys off this syens; that be thise: Gret Arystotyl, Loxy the physycion, and Palemon, and Aurelius, and Arystotyl the kyngys sone off Cryse. And I, the endygter in Englysch, haue folowyd the sentens off ther wordys, vndyr the supportacionys off my masterys in this syens.—Quod Jon Metham, scolere off Cambryg am̄.

[Here follow two blank leaves in the MS.]

CHRISTMAS DAY

[leaf 78 a.]

Howe the yere schuld preue, afſtyr that Crystmes day fallyth vpon ony day off the weke.

I rede in olde storiys this matere folwyng, the qwyche was kepte off, as a kalendere, off experte men, off the dysposycion off the yere folwyng afftyr Crystemes day, qwydyr yt schuld preue fayr or foule: yeue ye that schal rede this credens, as ye fynde, and so appreue yt:—

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Sunday, the yere folwyng schuld preue vndyr this forme: the wyntyr folwyng schuld be fulle of wyndys; the somyr schuld be fayre and drye; that yere schuld be a kend wedyrryng for schepe, and also for ben; gret pes schuld be that yere in euery londe; that yere schuld be gret derth off vytaylys: he that ys born that day schuld be fortunat to the world, and lyue longe in prosperyte.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Moneday, the wyntyr ſoluyng schuld be fulle off wyndys, and the somyr fulle off tempestys; that yere schuld be gret plente off vytaylys, gret multitude off ben schuld dey: he that ys born that dayschuld be stronge and myghty; myche sekenes schuld regne that yere in ſolkys eyn.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Tusday, many women schuld dey; that yere the wyntyr schuld be meruulus ful off soden tempestys, the qwyche schuld cause gret peryschyng off men and schyppys; the somyr schuld be pesybyl and drye: he that ys born that day schuld be enuyus, a louer off dyssencion and debate.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Wedynnysday, the wyntyr ſoluyng schuld be harde and fulle of wyndys; the somer schuld be fayre and myry; that yere schuld be gret plente

off qwete, and myche yonge folke schuld dey that yere; gret los off schyppys schuld be that yere: he that ys born that day schuld be myghty [leaf 78 b.] and stronge, but he schuld deye myscheuusly.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Thursday, the wyntyr schuld be meruulus ful off wyndys, grete flodys, and gret tempestys; the somyr schuld be gode and drye, greynys and bestys schuld that yere multiplye; kyngys and lordys that yere schulde dey: he that ys born that day schuld be trwe and wele-wyttyd.

Iff Crystemes day falle on the Fryday, the begynnyng off the wyntyr schuld be herde, as for frost and snowe, and gret watyrrys, and the latter ende schulde be fayre; the somyr schuld be drye; that yere myche folke schuld endure gret peyne in her eyn; tho women the qwyche off longe were baren, that yere thei schuld be dysposyd to chyldbyrth; that yere bestys and frwtys off the erthe schuld multiply: he that ys born that day schuld be in gret labour and ouercome yt, and aftyr lyue in ese.

Iff Crystemes day falle on the Satyrday, the wyntyr folwyng schuld be fulle off tempestys, the bestys schuld dey for colde; that yere elde folke schuld ſaste dey; the somyr schuld be wete: he that ys born that day schuld neuer lyue tyl he were half elde; he that sekenyth that day schuld sone dey.

And thow yt be so that thei falle noght in thus Ynglond, as yt wryte here-be-ffore, yt may be trw in odyr cuntreys; ſor Ynglond ys but a smal yle off the world, in the loweste parte off the west, [Yngland ys but a smal yle of the world, in the loweste part of the west. 'Yle' probably means 'region'. As to the westerly position of the moon, see Secrets of Albertus Magnus, pr. W. Jaggard, London, 1617, containing a 'Short Discourse of the Nature and Quality of the Seven Planets', a widely-circulated piece of astrological literature: 'Luna or the Moone commeth last and to the west of all the planets.' ] vndyr the regyon off the mone: for thei be conclusyonnys labouryd and drawyn be calculacion. Quod Jon Metham. [ Quod. This word is always written 'Qd', and there is no means of determining its proper transliteration. It is printed "quoth" in the text.]

DAYS OF THE MOON

[leaf 79 a.]

As Haly [Haly. In De Judiciis Astrorum there is no list of prognostications on such simple lines as these 'lunations'. The whole book deals with astrological forecasts, and the same general questions are determined; on the origin of the lunar prognostics, see Introduction. ] wyttnessyth, the gret astrolegere, off days namyd cretyk, [cretyk. The list here given is not, strictly speaking, a list of critic or decretory days. Those terms were applied particularly to the astrological determination of the results of an illness incurred, a general division of astrological medicine; see, for example, Galen, De Diebus decretoriis, Lugduni, 1553; Avicenna, Quartus Liber Canonis, De Aegritudinibus, De Diebus Criticis; Lucas Gauricus, Super Diebus decretoriis, 1546, which, however, includes sickness lunations; T. Boderius, De Ratione et Usu Dierum Criticorum, Paris, 1555. ] the qwyche he calkyllyd, and drof owte be gret conclusyonnys off astronomye, qwyche schuld be moste fortunate to the vse off man, as the days off yche mone; for he concludyth be sundry resunnys, that the mone schuld, for her propynqwyte, sundry in-dysposycion off nature werkyngys, cause; schuld also in ther regyon haue more strengh, qwere sche hath domyny, than in an odyr, off werkyng. And this tretys ys compylyd to yeff knowlech to the lysterys, qwyche days be moste expedyent to begynne ony werk vp-on, to take vyage ouer the see, to blede for ony sekenes, to knowe qwat schuld be-falle off hym that sekenyth in ony day off the mone, and off odyr thingys yt tretyth, as the rederrys schal fynde:—fyrste asay this tretys and so appreue yt, quod Jon Metham.

Diuersis de causis phi determinauere prima dies cretica etc.

The fyrste day off the mone ys fortunat to begynne euery god werk vpon; in qwyche wordys ye schal conseyue alle worldely occupacionnys excepte the excepcionys here foluyng, the qwyche ben expressyd in the chapetrys here foluyng:

That persone that ys born the fyrste day off the mone schuld be dysposyd to be wyse and dyscrete and longe lyffyd, dysposyd to haue gret vexacion and gret labour; but he schuld be gret labour owercome yt at the laste; that persone the qwyche takyth ony actual sekenes that day schuld long be vexyd ther-with, but at the laste he schuld with gret hardedes skape yt; qwat that a man dreme that nyght, but

yff yt were off dede bodyis or off cartys, yt schuld turne to gode; but this day, for no nede, a man schuld1 blede; but yff so [leaf 79 b.] a body were take with a pestylens agwe, a body schuld notexpand_less noght blede for none odyr infyrmyte.

The secunde day off the mone ys prosperus to begynne alle werkys vpon; he that weddyth a wyfe that day schuld lyffe longe with hys wyffe in prosperyte for the moste parte; this day ys apte to calkulerys, yff so be that the sunne be in the hows off Saturne; he that ys born that day schulde come to wurchyp and be dysposyd to vertu; yff a man or a woman take sekenes that day, they schuld sone recouer; qwat that a man dreme schuld be but vanyte; vp-on that day ys good bledyngys.

The thyrd day of the mone ys noght fortunat to begynne ony werke vp-on, for oudyr the werke schuld myscheue, or be ongratyus, or ellys yt schuld come to a froward ende; a man schuld no iurney take vp-on this day; yff a man take sekenes that day, late or neuer he schuld recouer; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to thefft and couetyse, and dey myscheuusly; yt ys parel to blede vp-on that day.

The fourthe day ys gode to begynne euery worldly ocupacion, and pryncipally to seke spryngys for wellys off water, to seke also veynys off metel, and mynys off sonde, grauel, and cley; he that ys born that day schuld gretly be dysposyd to lecchery, and he schuld haue gret vexsacion, but he schuld wele ouercome yt; yt ys gode that day to take vyage ouer the see, yff the wynde wul serue; he that fallyth seke vp-on this day schuld sone dey; for nede a man myght blede vp-on this day, betwene .ij. at afternone and .iij.

The fyfte day ys noght spedeful to begynne ony werk vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld be lunatyk or ellys [leaf 80 a.] foltysch; he that falyth seke that day but yff he amend within xxiiijti hourys, he schuld sone dey; yt ys perlyus to pase the see that day; qwat that a man dreme that nyght afftyr mydnyght schuld falle the neste day be sum symylytude;

but myne autore forbedyth a man to telle hys dreme tyl the effecte falle; that day ys gode bledyng afftyr vnderne.

The .vj. day off the mone ys lukky for hem that wul go an-huntyng and haukyng, yff the wedyr be temperat; he that ys born that day schuld be happy, to, goode, bolde, hardy, and wyse; yff a woman were born that day, sche schuld be fortunat to haue goode husbondys; yff a man falle in-to sekenes that day, yt schuld contynw longe tyme, but at the laste, in a coniuncion off the sunne and the mone, he schuld skape yt; and qwat that a man or a woman dreme, yt schuld be-falle with-in that yere; that day ys gode to begynne edyfying of placys, and to begynne alle odyr werkys, and eke to blede.

The .vij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on; that persone that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be sotel off wytt and dyuerse off condycionnys and chongabyl, and dysposyd to lyfe longe; and yff a body falle in-to sekenes that day, he schuld sone recouer; and qwat thata man dremyth schuld turne to trwthe with-in half a yere; yt ys spedeful that day to go a wowyng, and specyally yff the planete off Venus be in the .x. yere off her cours regnyng.

The viij ys fortunat to alle verkys; he that ys born that day schuld gretly be dysposyd to lecchery and to getyng off gode for a tyme, and afftyr that persone schuld haue gret travel and be schamyd, or he deyd; yff a man falle in sekenes that day, he schuld with-in foure days recouer and hele, [leaf 80 b.] or ellys dey; that day ys fortunat to pase the see with marchaundyse, yff the wynde serue; and qwat that a man dremyth that nyght schuld turne to trwth, be sum symylytade; that day ys gode bledyng, aboute .iij. aftyr-none.

The .ix. day of the mone ys happy to begynne alle werkys vp-on; he that ys born that day schulde be gracyus and come to worchyp, and be dysposyd to haue gret wytt; qwat that a man dremyth that day, the symylytude schuld be-tyde with-in .xij. days foluyng; thei that falle in-to sekenes that

day communly recure; that day, for no nede, no man schuld blede, but for pestylens.

The .x. day ys gode to begynne alle werkys, to make cunnauntys, to pase with marchaundyse the see, and to wedde a wyffe; he that ys born that day schuld neuer be stedfast, but alwey wandryng fro one cuntre to a-nodyr, neuer that persone schuld haue prosperyte; he that takyth sekenes vp-on that day, with-in .viij. dayis schuld recure or ellys dey; yt ys gode bledyng vp-on that dey; qwat that a man dremyth that nyght schuld turne to vanyte.

The .xj. day ys gode to begynne alle werkys; he that ys borne that day schuld be fortunat to gode and a gret purchasour, kend off hert, sad and stabyl; he that fallyth seke vp-on that day schuld sone recouyr; this day ys happy to by and to selle vp-on, and yt ys fortunat to sett chyldyr to skole, and to wedde a wyfe; qwat that nyght a man dremyth schuld turne to trwth with-in foure days, be summe symylytude; yt ys gode bledyng vp-on this day.

The .xij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on, [leaf 81 a.] but moste in specyall for them that wul calkyl and coniure and take syngulere bateyle vp-on, to take vyage ouer the see, to bye and to selle; he that fallyth seke that day schuld, late or neuyr, recouer; qwat that a man dremyth that day or nyght, yt schuld turne to trwth; yt ys gode bledyng that day, at .iiij. afftyr-none.

The .xiij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys, jn specyal for astronomerys to calcule; a man-chyld that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be evyl tecchyd and to be angry and vycyus, but he schuld lyue but schort tyme; a woman that ys born that day schuld gretly be dysposyd to lecchery, or ellys sche schuld dey sone aftyr her byrth; qwat that a man dremyth schuld turne to trwth with-in .viij. wekys; yt ys gode bledyng vp-on that day.

The .xiiij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be wyse and ryche and stronge and schort off lyfe; yff a man falle in-to

sekenes that day, he schuld neuer recouer; a man may for nede blede for alle sekenes vp-on this day.

The .xv. day ys noght spedeful to be-gynne ony werke vp-on, for yt ys ongracyus; and myne autour seyth that a man schuld send hys seruaunt on no massage to spede wele vp-on this day; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be stronge, manly, and hardy; and owdyr he schuld be slayne or drounyd; and yff a man falle yn-to sekenes, yt schuld continue longe; qwat that a man dremyth schuld turne but to fantasye; that day ys gode bledynng, be-fore none.

[leaf 81 b.]

The .xvj. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on to bye, and to selle, and to wedde a wyfe; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be gracyus and trwe, and of longe lyfe, but he schuld noght be ryche; he that fallyth to sekenes that day schuld be longe seke, but at the laste he schuld recure; qwat that a man dremyth that nyght, the symylytude schuld falle with-in .iij. yere; yt ys gode bledyng that day.

The .xvij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld be off gode condycionnys and meke and neuer but lytyl in trowbyl, but alwey lyfe in prosperyte, longe tyme; this day ys profytabyl to bye and to selle vp-on, to pase the see with marchaundyse, and to wedde a wyfe; he that fallyth seke that day schuld longe contynwe in hys sekenes, but at the laste with gode gouernauns he schuld skape yt; qwat that a man dremyth that nyght schuld turne to trwthe; a man that day schuld noght blede but fore pestylens.

The .xviij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld be malycyus, dysposyd to malyce, and froward off condycionys, and dysposyd to pride, but he schuld lyue but schort tyme; he that fallyth seke that day schuld be longe seke and off hard recouer; qwat

that a man that nyght dremyth schuld turne to trwth be sum symylytude; yt ys no bledyng that day.

The .xix. day ys gode and happy to begynne alle werkys vp-on, in specyal to bye and to selle, and to pase the see; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be wyse and trwe and euer to lyve in prosperyte; thow a man falle in-to sekenes that [leaf 82 a.] day, he schuld sone recouer; yt ys perlyus to blede that day.

The .xx. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld gretly encrece in worldely goodys, and be dysposyd to be sotel off wytt and fortunat; also he that fallyth seke that day schuld dye with-in .viij. owrys, yff he were born that day, or ellys with-in a monthe.

The .xxj. day ys fortunat; he that ys born that day schuld be myghty off complexcion, and off gret wytt, dysposyd to lecchery and to many odyr vycys; he that fallyth seke that day schuld dey off that sekenes; and qwat that a man dremyth that nyght schuld turne to trwth be sum symylytude; yt ys gode to blede that day.

The .xxij. day ys on-gracyus to begynne ony werke vp-on, saue only to bye and to selle; yt ys parel to pase the see on that day; he that ys born that day schuld gretly be dysposyd to lecchery, dysposyd eke to haue gret troubyl; yff a man take sekenes that day, he schuld dye ther-off; and qwat that nyght a man dremyth schuld turne to trwth be sum symylytude; yt ys proffytabyl to blede that day.

The .xxiij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld gretly be dysposyd to vyeys, and moste in specyalle to lecchery, and he schuld dye myscheuusly; yt ys prosperus that day to pase the see with marchaundyse, and to wedde a wyfe; he that fallyth seke that day schuld sone dey, or with-in .xxiiij. hourys recouer; qwat that a man dremyth schuld turne to trwth be sum symylytude; for no nede a man schuld blede.

[leaf 82 b.]

The xxiiijti day ys gode to begynne euery werke vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld be wyse and come to wurchyp

and be dysposyd to be a man of werre; and yff yt be a woman that be born on that day, sche schuld haue sundry husbondys and be ryche and come to gret wurchyp; this day ys profytabyl to bye and to selle vp-on, to pase the see with marchaundyse, and to go on pylgrimage; he that takyth sekenes that day schuld sone recouer; and qwat froward dreme a body haue, yt schuld turne to no trwth; yt ys gode bledyng this day.

The .xxv. day ys fortunat to go on huntyng, to bye and to selle; he that ys born that day schuld be couetus and meruulus off condycionnys, and alwey be in nede and pouerte, and neuer stedffast, but alwey wandryng fro one cuntre to a-nodyr; yt ys parel to pase the see this day; this day ys eke in-ffortunat to begynne ony thing vp-on, excepte this thingys expressyd be-ffore; yff man or woman falle seke vp-on this day, they schuld neuer be clene ther-off; qwat that a man dremyth schuld turne to truth with-inne foure dayis; yt ys gode to blede that day.

The .xxvj. day ys for to hunte vp-on for dere in forestys, but yt ys noght fortunat to wedde a wyfe, noudyr to pase the see, ner fortunat to begynne ony werke vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld fynde grace in womennys eysyte; he schuld be dysposyd to be hardy and wyse; yff a man take sekenes that day, he schuld noght scape yt; yt ys parel to blede that day.

The .xxvij. day ys fortunat to begynn alle werkys [leaf 83 a.] vp-on; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be wyse and trwe, and he schuld haue many frendys, and be gracyus and god off gouernauns; he that fallyth in-to sekenes that day schuld longe be seke, but at the laste recouer; and qwat that a man dremyth schuld turne to trwthe be sum symylytude; yt ys noght proffytabyl to blede that day.

The .xxviij. day ys fortunat to begynne alle werkys vp-on; qwat chyld that be born that day schuld lyue with gret trauel, euer bysy and euer in trybulacion, but he schuld be

ryght trwe off condycionnys; he that fallyth in-to sekenes schuld longe be vexyid ther-with, but at the laste he schuld skape yt; yt ys no gode bledyng that day.

The .xxix. day ys nowder gode ner fortunat to begynne ony werke vp-on; a manchyld that ys born that day schuld be fortunat to gret wurchyp, but he schuld be dysposyd to lecchery, and he schuld be made thru maryage; yff a woman be born that day, sche schuld be demure and beuteus and schamfast, and sche schuld come to gret wurchyp yn maryage; yff a man falle in-to sekenes that day, he schuld sone recure; and qwat that a man dremyth schuld turne to gode; a man may blede that day.

The .xxx. day ys fortunat to set chyldyr to scole, to bye and to selle, to fabryffye howsys, and to begyn alle worldly ocupacionnys; and to pase the see with marchaundyse; he that ys born that day schuld be dysposyd to be wyse, and gretly to be louyd off women for semlynes off persone and beute off face; and yff yt [leaf 83 b.] be a mayde that be born that day, sche schuld be amyabyl and semly and come to gret wurchyp; yff man or woman take sekenes that day, thei schuld sone recouer; and off qwat that nyght a body dremyth yt schuld turne to trwthe; yt ys gode bledynng that day.

But off this boke off destenyis ye schal conceyue, noght-with-stondyngys, that here ys wrytyn how a man or woman schuld be dysposyd that be born sundry days off the mone, qwydyr to wurchyp or infortune; ye schal noght syngulerely for trwth take yt that yt schuld be so; for euyl rwele may cause that a man schal neuer come to wurchyp, thow he be born to come to wurchyp; and off inffortune vndyr the lyke forme.

But this ye may yeue for trwthe, as for a ryght dome, that yff a man or a woman be born on sqwyche a day off the mone, ye schal conceyue that he ys, or sche ys, dysposyd so as to haue wurchyp, or ellys troubyl. And off odyr thingys, ye must loke that the tyme be resonabyl; for men vse noght

begynne ner to do ony worldly ocupacionys on holy days, ner men be noght myche vsyd to blede in wynter, noudyr to pase the see in tempestys; qwereffore a consyderacion in alle thingys muste be had, be dyscrecion and resun. quod Jon Metham.

[There follow in the MS. three blank leaves. 84 b, 85 a, and 86 b have been used for scribbling nonsense and practice words and letters by various people at various times. Four or five different hands none of them contemporary with the MS. appear.]

CHRISTMAS DAY

[leaf 87 a.]

I rede in elde volummys this matere subsequent, the qwyche was kepte as a kalendere off helde men in elde tyme; but ye the qwyche schal rede, preue yt and so yeffe credens, the qwyche off longe experiens for trwthe ys wrytyn:

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Sunday, the wyntyr folwyng schulde be wyndy; the somer fayr and drye, and a kend wederryng schep, and alleso for beys; gret pes schuld be that yere in euery londe; but that yere ther schulde be grete derth off vytaylys: and he that ys born that day schulde be fortunat to the worlde.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on Moneday, yt schuld be a gret wyntyr, and fulle off wyindys; and the somyr ful of tempestys; that yere schulde be gret plente off vytaylys, gret multitude off men schulde dey: he that ys born that day schuld be stronge and myghty; myche sekenes schulde regne that yere in folkys eyn.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Tysday, many women schuld dey; that yere the wyntyr schulde be meruulus ful off soden tempestys, the qwyche schulde cause gret peryschyng off men and schyppys; the somyr schuld be pesybyl and drye: he that ys born that day schuld be enuyus, a louer off dyssencion and debate.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Wedynnys-day, the wyntyr foluyng schuld be hard and fulle off wyndys: the somyr schuld be fayre and myry and gret plenty off qwete; that yere schuld be y— and myche yonge folke schulde dey that yere faste, and gret los off schyppys that yere schulde be: he that ys born that day schuld be myghty and stronge, but he schulde dey myscheuusly.

Iff Crystemes day falle vp-on the Thursday, the wyntyr schulde be meruulus fulle off wyndys and grete flodys, gret tempestys and soden; the somyr schuld be gode and drygh; greynys and bestys [leaf 87 b.] that yere schulde multiplye: that yere schulde kyngys and lordys dey; he that ys born that day schuld be trwgh and wele-wyttyd.

Iff Crystemes day falle on the Fryday … [This fragment of the Christmas day is a spoiled sheet used as fly-leaf. The text breaks off in the third line of the second page. Beneath that are names and scribblings in later hands, and at the bottom in the scribe's hand:

But qwan he sey this plesur of the pepyl thus folowgh he thus ganAnd yff ther be founde in myd in les parte and now to procedeAlas myne oune knyte Alas qwy dye thus schamffully.

]