Three prose versions of the Secreta Secretorum / edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Steele and a glossary by T. Henderson

Of ffysnomye of folke. Capitulum 62m.

amonge alle othir thingis caste the to knowe the mervelous science of ffysnomye, for therbi thou shalt knowe the natures and the condiciones of alle folke. And this science fonde a gret clerke that hight, ffysnomyas, the which serchid the qualitees and the natures of alle folke. In the tyme of this ffysnomyas reynyd the nobille and excellent doctoure ypocras. And for this ffisonomyas bare such a name of wisdome the disciplis of ypocras portreweden the liknes of her maystir, and bare it vnto fisnomyas, and bade him "Iuge the nature of him that that figure was lijk to"; and than he seide, "that man that is lijk to this figure, or þat þis figure [folio 25b] is lijk to, is lecherous, and baratous, and boystous"; than they that had brought this figure to him, they seidene, "O fole, this is the figure of wijs ypocras, the best man and the wisist that lyvith." Than seide phisnomyas, "I knowe welle this is the figure of wijs ypocras, and y haue seid and Iugid the sothe theron, but of his wijsdome and resoun he refreyneth him silff from these vicis that nature shewith in him." These disciples come home to her maystir, and tolde him of her doyng; than seide ypocras, "y haue herde tolde moche of the wijsdome of phisnomyas, but it is previd in doyng now, so that y shalle holde him euir a passyng wijs man; for trewly he hath iugid þe trouthe." Therfore y haue writen to thee, dere sone, the rewlys abreggid of this science of ffisnomye, in whiche þou shalt fynde greet loore. And thou se a man that is of febille coloure, fle his companye, for he is lecherous, and enclyned to many yvelis. And thou se a man that is glad laughyng, and whan he lokith on the is dredy and ashamyd, and his visage wexith reed and sigheth, and the teeres fallen in his eyene whan thou blamyst him, wite welle that he doutith and lovith moche thi persone. And kepe the welle from him þat hath not alle his [membirs] fulfilled of byrthe, or is markid in the visage, and from alle tho that are of yville forme and

shappe. The beste forme is in mene men that haue the eyen and the heere blak, the visage rounde, coloure whijt, reed, and browne medlid togidere, these haue hool hert and trewe, they that haue the hed meene, not to litille ne to moche, and speken litille but if it be nede, and the voyce swete, suche complexioun is good, and suche men take nere the. And the heer be fulle and softe, that man is deboner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [One leaf had gone from here before the MS. was bound.] [folio 26a] coloure, bitwix whijt and reed, with soft heere and playne, and eyen menely grete and rounde, þe heed wel made of good mesure, good nekke and sufficient longe, and hath not the leggis ne the knees ouyr flesshy, þe shuldris a litille goyng downeward, the palmes, þe fyngris sufficient longe and nought ouyr grete, and laugheth litille, and skorneth no man, and hath laughyng visage and glad, this man is good in alle nature. Dere sone, it is not lefulle to Iuge of oon signe in a man. But thou muste considir alle þe signes in him, and than take hede on the signes that most habounde in man, and deme þe beste most naturalle party.