The works of that late most excellent philosopher and astronomer, Sir George Wharton, bar. collected into one volume / by John Gadbvry ...

Example III. The same Day and Year (abating but 12 hours and 30 min.) A Female was Born in Tu∣ringia, where the Pole is Elevated 51 Deg. 30 Min.

IT will merit the Pains, if (in some sort) we com∣pare the Discourse of the former Hand, with this that follows.

[illustration]

1. The Principal Lines, [viz. the Vital, Epatica, ••nd Thoral,] do almost agree in their Scite and Con∣••irmity: In the Less Principal you see a Difference.

2. The Vital is thrice Cut. First, near the Re∣tricta, which shews a Disease about the 7th. Year of ••er Age: And although in Directions there appear no∣••hing suspitious about that time; yet, in regard there ••re for the most part some Dangers of Sickness, or Cra∣••tiness in all Clymacterical Years, even when there ••appens no unlucky Progression of the Aphetical pla∣••es: You may conjecture a small Fever, some short and slender Distemperatures, the Small Pox, or the like.

Another Section (conspicuous in the middle of the same Line) agrees with the Direction of the Horoscope, to the Opposition of Saturn, which falls out about the 32 Year of her Age; and bring•• with it a Dis••ase very Dangerous.

The third Section must be referred to the 52. or 54. Year of her Age, the Horoscope then coming to the Quartile of M••rs: And this premonstrates Wounds, or a Burning Disease in the Lower Parts of her Belly; because it interrupteth other Lines, through the Cavea of Mars. But dye she does not of this Disease, in re∣gard Venus Assists in the Geniture.

3. The Sister of Mars is wanting: But the Vene∣real Furrows are sufficiently Eminent. Wherefore they portend Lasciviou••ness. The same is signified by the Conjunction of Mars and Venus in Pisces, Mars being Lord of the Horoscope.

4. The Cephalica, here, excells; and therefore en∣dues her with the more Ingenuity. In the Geniture you see Mercury in the Third House (a Competent place) in Reception and Aspect of S••turn himself: Notwithstanding the Tub••rculum of M••rcury scarce shews so much as one Incisure.

5. A Cross in the Moons Place, fore-tells of Fer∣tility and Happiness in Bearing of Children. And to this, Venus is fitted in the Geniture, notwithstanding she hath Mars in Conjunction with her. Yet, seeing he disposeth of the 6th. House, it is to be feared, lest at some time he occasion Danger in the Birth of a Boy.

6. The Place of Jupiter is also otherwise under∣stood, than in the preceding Example. The Region of the Sun likewise favoureth in some measure. An Honourable Life is seldom obtained by the more Gene∣rous sort of Women, unless by Marriage.

7. The Line arising in the very Middle of the Hand, and thence Ascending to the Root of the Tho∣ral beneath the Region of Mercury, by Dissecting the Epatica, points out an Unfaithful Friend, which (in her Declining Age) should occasion Loss and Detri∣ment in her House-hold Goods, and Things.

8. The Epatica (Cut in the End thereof) bodes a deficiency of Wit in her Old Age: The Cross there, is the Fore runner of some Good: The Reception of Mercury and Saturn from Houses, in the Geniture, and they Disposi••ions of the 3, 4, and 8. Houses, a sign of Inheritanc••.

9. The breadth of the Mensa is very Feat, and the Site of the Thoral comely and decent, which argue her Goodness of Nature, Readiness of Wit.

10. The Line of Saturn running in an Oblique Tract from the Restricta, to the Tuberculum of Saturn, doth usually mark out such as be Laborious, some∣thing Covetous and Hard.

But that the Lines of the Hands are not compleatly perfect at the Hour of the Nativity, this Exam•••••• abundantly manifests. Moreover, seeing by this, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is certain, That the Positure of the Planets in the

Figure are of great Authority: It necessarily follows, that the Lines, especially the Less Principal, do truly receive their clearer Conformity from the first Moment of the Birth, in which the Infant begins to move its hands, and make, as it were, to lay hold of, or catch at things.

As touching the Principal Lines, there is no doubt but that they are clearly enough Engraven at the ve∣ry Instant of the Nativity: But that (in process of time) there is an Access of some Incisures and Cha∣racters, Reason it self will teach him that shall make more diligent Inspection into the Hands of little In∣fants. For, at first we find an obscure and subtile Draught of the Lines: Afterwards, (the thin and tender skin being worn away, by the continual Mo∣tion and Bathing thereof) all the Lines grow fairer and brighter every day more than other: For then the Vertue of the Stars, and the Sydereal Spirit, (where∣with every one is Inspired) begin to perfect the Lines more compleatly (the Element of Water intervening.) Whatsoever is Generated in this World, is Generated of Water, and the Spirit. And whosoever is not Rege∣nerate of the Water and Spirit, shall not enter into the Kingdom of GOD, (as our Saviour speaks:) Water hath a respect unto the Heart of Man, but the Spirit hath regard of the Divine Efficacy. M••reover, the Stars do first of all convey their Influence through the Air, which is nearest the Nature of Fire, like as is the Nature of the Stars themselves; whereby the Wa∣ter it self, (that is next to the Air in Situation) re∣ceives the Coelestial Vertue, and Communicates it to the Earth, from which Communication the Fecundity there∣of proceedeth.

And this is evident in the Spring-time, whilst things are Sprouting from the Bosom of the Earth: For, if

showers be then wanting, they grow but slowly: And the Increment they have is either by the Vaporous Cold of Night, (the Image of Humidity) or else the Nightly Dew, or both together, (the heat of the Sun assisting in the day-time:) Which being continued for some days, afterwards (when a shower comes) you shall quickly perceive them increased in a Moment: Because that now the Sydereal Spirit enlivening them, renders it self more Excellent than they, by its plentiful be∣sprinkling of Moisture. The like is to be understood o•• ••he slender Skin upon the Hands.

You see also in the Plants themselves, how Rude their Leaves be, when first they peep out of the Earth, in respect of the Lineaments and Pictures of their Branches, (they are otherwise called Signatures:) which by little and little shew themselves more plain and openly to our view. The like we must judge of the Lines, or Incisures of the Hands, which hold the like Analogy and Proportion in the Manifestation of their Signatures. Whereby it appears, How Great the Works of GOD are: He hath put these Signs in the H••nd of all Men, that every one also might hereby acknowledge his Works past finding out, as Job saith, Chap. 37. v. 7.

N••vertheless, there are some, (both Divines and Philosophers) who account it a Hainous thing of us, that we wr••st this saying of Job's to Chiromancy: But that we may bri••fly sati••fie such, we will examine the meaning thereof more fully.

The T••xt there, runs thus:

V. 5. God will Thunder Marvellously with his Voyce, who doth Great and Inscrutable things.

V. 6. Who commandet•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••now to fall upon the Earth, so likewise the Win••••r s••owers, and the Rain of his Str••••gth.

V. 7. Who hath placed Signs in the Hand of every Man, that all Men may know his Work.

V. 8. The Beast entereth into his Covert, and re∣maineth in his Den.

IN the beginning of the Chapter, you have, as it were, certain Praeludiums to a following Proposi∣tion, laid down in the 5th. Verse: For thus he saith, Jehovah Thundreth, or speaketh loud in his Works, That they may be Great and Inscrutable. The Exam∣ples of the Proposition follow in the 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, &c.

He maketh (saith he) the Snow to descend like Wool, as the ••salmist addeth. The Reasons of the Genera∣tion of Snow, are indeed speciously delivered amongst the Peripateticks; yet if you reduce them to a Level, they will by no means stand, but terminate in Do∣tage.

Another Example of the Proposition, you have in the 7th. Verse, GOD Signeth all Men in their hands, That every one might know his Work: That is, Those Lines were not made there by Chance.

The Hebrew V••••sion v••rbatim:

He shall Sign all Men in the H••nd, that every man may know his Work.

The 70 Interpr••ters.

He marketh all m••n in the Hand, that ••very Man may know his Infirmity.

St. Hierom••.

He hath placed Signs in the Hand of all Men, that every one may know his Works.

The Chaldee Translation.

He maketh Signs in the Hand of all the Sons of M••n, that all the Sons of Men might know t••eir Work.

These we wholly apply to the Lines of the Hands, because that every Man beholds them daily, but sel∣dome knows what they signifie unto him. You have in each an Universal Particle, and therefore no Man is Excluded: Which very thing Refutes the Transla∣tion of some, who Read [That every one might know his Work-men:] But there are many Thousands of Men Living, that have no Work-men at all, who earn their Bread with the Labours of their own Hands.

Besides, To know their Work-men, is not a Great and Inscrutable Work, but altogether such a one, as every common Rustick daily is capable of.

And therefore that version wholly dissents from the Proposition.

Object. But now ye may Object, That if the Dis∣position and Draught of the Lines of the Hands be an Inscrutable Work, then nothing of Certainty can be pronounc'd as touching their Decrees and Significations: And therefore the Science of Chiromancy will be Im∣perfect and Lame, or (if you please,) no Science.

Solu. I Answer: All Sciences in this Life are Imper∣fect and Lame, if ye look upon the Force of Humane Wit; as the Apostle himself Testifies. And surely they were so made, lest we should wax Proud, and Boast of our Wit, and of those Sciences, but rather seek for the Absolute Perfection of all things in GOD, who hath reserved that Perfection for the World to come: Yet therefore are not those Sciences to be De∣spised, and utterly Rejected: But that the Mind of an Ingenious Man might delight it self in them, because Sciences are the only Food of the Mind.

We maintain also, that Chiromancy containeth things that be Inscrutable, by a Three-fold Reason.

1. Because that in this Science, we cannot attain the Knowledge of all the Particular and scrupulous

Lineaments, so, as that we can explicate the Decrees of every Incisure. And although many Particulars may be pronounced, yet are they such Particulars as may not recede from the Number of Universals: Yet when ye can or would pick out the Decrees of all the most scrupulous Incisures, there may be oft-times above an hundred Portents to be considered, which is Impos∣sible to be done. Therefore our knowledge hardly reaches to the one half of this Science: In which re∣spect the Significations of all Particular Signs, are not Injuriously deemed Inscrutable.

2. Another Reason, is, for that the Position of these Lines very much differs in all Mens H••nds: For, al∣though you should observe a thousand, yet could you not find any Two exactly agree in every Particular Positure of their Lines. And this Div••rsity proceeds from no other thing, than The Soul of the World: She it is that by her Spirit, from hour to hour, va∣riously Disposeth, Moveth, Animateth, Produc••th, Sign••th, Sustaineth all things of this Inferiour World: This is it that Communica••es to every Man a certain Syd••real Spirit from the seven Plan••ts, and Twelve Signs, by whose Rule and Instinct every thing (that is it self,) exceedingly Profits; the Liberty of Will remaining. The Ancient Philosophers called it, The Good Spirit, or Proper Genius of every one: Where∣fore, if the finding out of these Signatures were not to all Men almost Inscrutable, every one might easily find and know his own Genius, and what were need∣ful for him to do. But tou••hing the Soul of the World, and the Spirit thereof, I shall annex some things at the end of this Work.

3. Lastly, the Structure of the Hand it self, is ad∣mirable, in r••gard of the Proportion it beareth to the Face, and ce••tain Parts thereof:

Which is this:

1. The whole Hand is of Equal length with the Face.

2. The Greater Joynt of the Fore-finger (which adjoyns upon the Tuberculum of Jupiter,) Equals the Height of the Fore-head.

3. The other Two (to the Extremity of the Nail) are the just Length of the Nose: [viz. from the In∣tercilia, or place betwixt the Eye-brows, to the Tip of the Nostrils.]

4. The First and Greater Joynt of the Middle-finger is so long as it is betwixt the bottom of the Chin and the top of the Under Lip.

5. But the Third Joynt of the same Finger, is of equal length with the distance that is betwixt the Mouth and the lower parts of the Nostrils.

6. The Greater Joynt of the Thumb, gives the Wideness of the Mouth.

7. The Distance betwixt the bottom of the Chin, and the top of the Lower-lip, the same.

8. The Lesser Joynt of the Thumb is equal to the Distance betwixt the top of the under-lip, and the lower part of the Nostrils. The Nails obtain the just half of their respective uppermost Joynts, which they call Onychios.

Now I suppose it well enough understood, what consideration is requisite to the knowledge of the Hand, the Parts and Signatures thereof, which yet is suppo∣sed but a small Particle of the Humane Body: But the cause of the afore-said Proportion, who can tell? Verily therefore, Man is the work of GOD, as t••e Hebrew Translation hath it, (Ad verbum,) in the afore-said Place of Job.

The third Example, proposed by Job, is, concern∣ing Beasts that seek their D••ns, and leave them at

their pleasure, not otherwise, than as if some-body had taught them it. Whence it is manifest, Beast•• do live indeed by sense, yet not wholly destitute 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some Reason: Which very thing is proved also by other Documents. But we may more Rightly attribute unto them, an Image or Proportion of Humane Reason. Now the rest, I leave. Nor yet have I here said thus much, as if without it this our Chiromancy could not stand. Let those to whom it is acceptable, approve thereof; otherwise, let him it pleases not, abound in his own sense.