A brief and most pleasau[n]t epitomye of the whole art of phisiognomie, gathered out of Aristotle, Rasis, Formica, Loxius, Phylemo[n], Palemo[n], Consiliator, Morbeth the Cardinal and others many moe, by that learned chyrurgian Cocles: and englished by Thomas Hyll Londoner

Of the Phisiognomye of the armes. The. xxxii. Chapter. (Book 32)

OF the armes nedeth not much to speake seyng there is none so slendre wytted (as I Judge) but that can readily saye, and Judge those men to be mighty and strong, which haue wel brawned armes, or great sinewes and manye: whyche make a body strong. Contrary, the skynne fleshie, and the senowes not so diuerse land many to be sene, de∣clare such to be Phlegmatike, and sanguyne, & proue to cowardnes. The armes monstruous long, declare holdnes, fortitude, & ignobilitie, and wyth thys short lyfe. The armes croked, in respecte of the stature, or greate boned, declare those persons to be vnthanke∣ful, shameles, couetouse, ill reporters or backebiters, enuiouse, haute or proude, and not muche differyng fro thē, which haue heary armes, which also be proud or reprocheful, veneriouse, wielie, craftie, vnstable, and talketyue or ful of wordes. When the armes shalbe so long, that they reche to the knees, argueth subtylnesse, arrogancie, and couetousnes to reygne or gouerne. A∣ristotle

also sayeth, that these signes declare boldnes▪ goodnes, with largenes in expēsis, & such kyng Alex∣ander was thought to haue. The armes so mōstruous long, that they reache to the thighes, declare that those persons bee vngracyous, Joying in other mennes harmes, and enuyouse: and many authors saye that thys signe declareth fearfulnes, ignoraunce, and a lo∣uer of discorde. He whiche feadeth so gredely, that he bryngeth the mouth to the meate, & not wyth the hande decently, for the euill fashioning therof, and for the shortnes, and crokednes of the armes, declare those persons to be malicious, and enuyouse. The cubites of the armes slendre and leane, if they shalbe weake, de¦clare hym to be rude, & vnapt to be taught. The armes greate in the bones, sinewes, & fleashe, declare a strōg and mightie nature. And if the vaynes appeare, de∣clare a hote complexcyon, when the armes be great, by softe fleashe, declare a feminine nature.

The Phisiognomiers saye, that the armes very hea¦rye, declare that person to be luxuryouse, Aristotle sayeth, that he whiche when he talketh moueth the arme muche, by the mouyng of the hande: declareth that person to be enuiouse▪ eloquente of speache, and a deceauer. And he that refrayneth to moue the hande the lyke, is of a perfit vnderstanding, wel disposed and wittye of councell, or a wytty counsaylet.