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WE maye here somwhat Judge of mans stature. And first for an example we read in the historyes of one Maximinus Em∣peroure, whiche was a man of a huge par∣sonage, and stature, and yet named or rea•• ned
for a sole. Of whom arose thys prouerbe. (Cli∣macis egiptia, et Caliga Maximini) whiche prouerbe brieflye to saye, is applyed to suche as be of huge stature & parsonage, hauyng eun condicions or properties, & that for their maners, had in contempt of al men. But what nedeth to recite thys, seeing we see euery where (sayth Indagines) that suche whiche be of so huge & straunge stature, be not of the wisest, or very nidiottes, & this most especial, if they be leane long bodyed, and crane neaked, or neaked lōg lyke the crane. Of whych sort, Indagines noted in the court of Fredericke the third, and Charles, Emperours, maruelouse leane, and tall, very frowarde, and stark folyshe: nor they muche differ not fro these, whiche goe much stoupyng or crokedly, wherof the olde prouerbe (If I maye so saye) mighte here bee renewed, which is, I haue seldom seen a long or tal man, wittye, or a litle man, meeke and pacyent. But to be brief, that man whiche is of a meane stature, and comly or reaso∣nable fat of body, and in qualities honestly nurtered, declareth to be ingeniouse, circumspect, and wyth ex∣pedicion doeth hys businesses. Further, the stature long and sufficient strayte and more leane then fatte, declareth that man to be bolde, cruell, proude, clamo∣rous, vayne gloryouse, long angry, or furiouse in an∣ger, to muche constant or hard to be moued, presump∣tuouse, not sone credityng thynges heard, an often lyar & in many thynges maliciouse The stature long and sufficietly fatte, declareth that man to be strong, lightly vnfaythfull, false, of a grosse wytte, a niggarde warye, vnfaythfull, and a surmiser. The stature long leane and thynne, declareth that man to be sapyente, vayne, a lyar, of a grosse feadyng or feader, importu∣nate, to wished thynges sone credityng, weake, slowe in
doing thynges, and very self willed. The stature short and grosse: declareth that man to be vayne, fearefull, suspicious, more folysh then wittye, of a grosse wytte, and congruently saruisable to one, sone crediting, and long continewing angrye.
The stature shorte and leane, and sufficiently strayte vp, declareth that man to be naturally wary, ingeni∣ouse, a sparer, proude, bolde, secrete, fatigable or a much prouoker, vayne gloryouse, congruently sap•• ente, of a good vnderstandyng, and very often surmy∣sing, The stature declyning or fallyng forward (not caused thorow age) but by nature: declareth that man to bee wary, secrete, dull, of a grosse fea∣dyng, sharpe or cruel, a niggarde, laboriouse, long bearyng angre in mynde, and not lightly credityng. The stature ben∣dyng bakwarde, declareth that man to be a fole, of smal vn∣derstādyng, a grosse fea der, vayn, of an euil memory, and lightly cō∣uertibleto good or euil.