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IT will merit the Paines, if (in some sort) wee compare the Discourse of the former Hand, with this that followes.
1. The Principall Lines, [viz. the Vitall, Epati∣tica, and Thorall,] doe almost agree in their Scite and Conformity: In the Lesse Principall you see a Difference.
2. The Vitall is thrice Cut. First, neere the Restricta, which showes a Disease about the 7th yeare of her Age: And although in Di∣rections there appeare nothing suspitious, a∣bout that time: yet, in regard there are for the most part some Dangers of Sicknesse, or
Crazinesse in all Clymactericall yeares, even when there happens no unlucky Progression of the Apheticall places: you may conjecture a small Feaver, some short and slender distem∣peratures, the small Pox, or the like.
Another Section (conspicuous in the Midle of the same Line) Agrees with the Direction of the Horoscope, to the Opposition of Saturne, which falls out about the 32. Yeare of her Age; and brings with it a Disease very Dan∣gerous.
The third Section must be referred to the 52. or 54 Yeare of her Age, the Horoscope then comming to the Quartile of Mars: And this premonstrates Wounds, or a Bur∣ning Disease in the Lower Parts of her Belly; Because it interrupteth other Lines, through the Cavea of Mars. But dye shee does not of this Disease, in regard Venus Assists in the Geniture.
3. The Sister of Mars is wanting: But the Venereall Furrowes are sufficiently Eminent. Wherefore they portend Lasciviousnesse. The same is signifyed by the Conjunction of Mars and Venus in Pisces, Mars being Lord of the Horoscope.
4. The Cephalica, here, excells; and there∣fore indues her with the more Ingenuity. In the Geniture you see Mercury in the Third House (a Competent place) in Reception and
Aspect of Saturne himselfe: notwithstanding the Tuberculum of Mercury scarce showes so much as one Incisure.
5. A Crosse in the Moons Place, foretells of Fertility and Happinesse in Bearing of Children. And to this, Venus is fitted in the Geniture, notwithstanding she hath Mars in Conjuncti∣on with Her. Yet, seeing hee disposeth of the 6th. House, it is to be feared, lest at some time hee occasion Danger in the Birth of a Boy.
6. The Place of Iupiter is also other∣wise understood, then in the Preceding Example. The Region of the Sun likewise fa∣voureth in some measure. An Honorable Life is seldome obtained by the more Generous sort of Women, unlesse by Marriage.
7. The Line Arising in the very Midle of the Hand, and thence Ascending to the Root of the Thorall beneath the Region of Mercury, by Discecting the Epatica; points out an un∣faithfull Friend, which (in her Declining Age) should occasion Losse, and Detriment, in her House-hould Goods, and Things.
8. The Epatica (Cut in the End thereof) bodes a deficiency of Wit in her Old Age: The Crosse there, is the Fore-runner of some Good: The Reception of Mercury and Saturne from Houses, in the Geniture, and they Dispositors of the 3, 4, and 8. Houses, a signe of Inheritance.
9. The Bredth of the Mensa is very Feate, and the Site of the Thorall comely, and decent, which argue her Goodnesse of Nature, Readi∣nesse of Wit.
10. The Line of Saturne running in an Ob∣lique Tract, from the Restricta, to the Tuber∣culum of Saturne, doth usually marke out such as be Laborious, something Covetous and Hard.
But that the Lines of the Hands are not compleatly perfect, at the Houre of the Na∣tivity, this Example abundantly manifests. Moreover, seeing by this, it is certaine, That the Positure of the Planets in the Figure are of great Authority; It necessarily followes, that the Lines especially the Lesse Principall, doe 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 Principall Lines, there is no doubt but that they are Clearly enough Engraven, at the very Instant of the Nativity: But that (in processe of time) there is an Accesse of some Incisures and Characters, Reason it self will teache him, that shall make more Diligent Inspection into the hands of little Infants. For, at first wee finde an ob∣scure and subtile Draught of the Lines: After∣wards, (the thinne, and tender skin being
worne away, by the continuall Motion, and Bathing thereof) all the Lines grow Fairer and Brighter, every day more then other: For then the vertue of the Starres, and the Syde∣reall Spirit, (wherewith every one is Inspired) begin to perfect the Lines more Compleatly (the Element of Water intervening.) What∣soever is Generated in this World, is Generated of Water, and the Spirit. And whosoever is not Regenerate of the Water and Spirit, shall not enter into the Kingdome of GOD, (as our Saviour speakes:) Water hath a respect unto the Heart of Man, But the Spirit hath regard of the Divine Efficacy. Moreover, the Starres doe first of all convey their Influence through the Aire, which is neerest the Nature of Fire, like as is the Nature of the Starres themselves: whereby the Water it selfe, (that is next to the Aire in Situation) receives the Caelestiall ver∣tue, and Communicates it to the Earth, from which Communication, the Fecundity thereof proceedeth.
And this is evident in the Spring-time, whilst things are Sprouting from the Bosome of the Earth: For, if Showers be then wanting, they grow but slowly: and the Increment they have is either by the vaprous Cold of Night, (the Image of Humidity) or else the Nightly Dew, or both together, (the Heate of the Sun assisting in the day time:) which being con∣tinued
for some dayes, afterwards (when a Shower comes) you shall quickly perceive ••hem Encreased in a Moment: because that now the Sydereall spirit enlivening them, ren∣ders it selfe more Excellent then they, by its plentifull besprinkling of Moisture. The like is to be understood of the Slender Skin upon the Hands.
You see also in the Plants themselves, how Rude their Leaves be, when First they peepe out of the Earth, in respect of the Linea∣ments, and Pictures of their Branches, (they are otherwise called Signatures:) which by little and little show themselves more plaine and openly to our view. The like wee must judge of the Lines, or Incisures of the Hands, which hold the like Analogy and Proportion in the Manifestation of their Signatures. Where∣by it appeares, How Great the Workes of GOD are: He hath put these signes in the Hand of all Men, that every one also might hereby acknowledge his Workes past finding out, as Iob saith, Chap. 37. v. 7.
Neverthelesse, there are some, (both Di∣vines and Philosophers) who account it a Haynous thing of us, that wee wrest this say∣ing of Jobs to Chiromancy: But that wee may Briefly satisfy such, we will examine the mea∣ning thereof more fully.
IN the Beginning of the Chapter, you have, as it were, certaine Praeludiums to a following Proposition, layd downe in the 5. Verse: For thus he saith, Iehovah Thundreth, or speaketh Lowd in his Workes, That they may be Great and Inscrutable. The Examples of the Proposition follow in the 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, &c.
He maketh (saith Hee) the Snow to Descend like Wooll, as the Psalmist addeth. The Rea∣sons of the Generation of Snow, are indeed speciously delivered amongst the Peripate∣tiques: yet if you Reduce them to a Levell, they will by no meanes stand, but terminate in Dotage.
Another Example of the Proposition, you have in the 7th Verse, GOD Signeth all men ••n their hands, That every one might know his
worke, that is, Those Lines were not made there by Chance.
The Hebrew Version verbatim: He shall Signe all Men in the Hand, that every man may know his Worke.
The 70. Interpreters. He marketh all men in the Hand, that every Man may know his Infirmity.
S. Hierome. He hath placed Signes in the Hand of all Men, that every one may know his workes.
The Chaldee Translation. Hee maketh Signes in the Hand of all the Sonnes of Men, that all the Sonnes of Men might know their Worke.
These wee wholy apply to the Lines of the Hands, because that every Man beholds them dayly, but seldome knows what they signify unto him. You have in each an Universall Particle, and therefore no Man is Excluded: which very thing Refutes the Translation of some, who Read [That every one might know his Worke-men:] But there are many Thou∣sands of Men Living, that have no Work-men, at all, who Earne their Bread with the Labours of their own Hands.
Besides, To know their Worke-men, is, not a Great and Inscrutable Worke, but altogether such a One, as every common Rustique day∣ly is capable of.
And therefore that version wholy dissents from the Proposition.
Object. But now yee may Object, That if the Disposition, and Draught of the Lines of the Hands be an Inscrutable Worke, then no∣thing of Certainty can be pronounc'd as touch∣ing their Decrees and Significations: and there∣fore the Science of Chiromancy will be Imper∣fect and Lame, or (if you please,) no Science.
Solu. I Answer: All Sciences in this Life are Imperfect, and Lame, if yee looke upon the Force of Humane Wit: as the Apostle him∣selfe testifies. And surely they were so made lest we should wax Proud, and Boast of our Wit, and of those Sciences, but rather seeke 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 Despised, and utterly Re∣jected: But that the Mind of an Ingenious Man might delight it selfe in them, because Sciences are the only Food of the Mind.
Wee maintaine also, that Chiromancy con∣taineth things that be Inscrutable, by a Three∣fold Reason.
1. Because that in this Science, wee cannot attaine the Knowledge of all the Particular and scrupulous Lineaments, so, as that we can expli∣cate the Decrees of every Incisure. And al∣though many Particulars may be pronoun∣ced,
yet are they such Particulars as may not re∣cede from the Number of Universalls: yet when yee 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 Impossible to be done. Therefore our knowledge hardly reaches to the one halfe of this Science: In which respect the Sgnifications of all Particular signes, are not Injuriously deemed Inscrutable.
2. Another Reason, is, for that the Positi∣on of these Lines, very much differs in all Mens Hands: For, although you should observe A thousand, yet could you not finde any Two exactly agree in every Particular positure of their Lines. And this Diversity proceeds from no other thing, Then The Soule of the World: She it is that by her Spirit, frō houre to houre, variously Disposeth, Moveth, Animateth, Pro∣duceth, Signeth, Sustaineth all things of this Inferior World: This is it that Communicates to every Man, a certaine Sydereall Spirit from the seven Planets, and Twelve signes, by whose Rule and Instinct every thing (that is it selfe,) exceedingly Profits; the Liberty of Will remai∣ning. The Ancient Philosophers called it, The Good Spirit, or Proper Genius of every one: wherefore, if the finding out of these Signa∣tures were not to all Men almost Inscrutable, every one might easily find and know his own
Genius, and what were needfull for him to doe. But touching the Soule of the World, and the Spirit thereof, I shall annex some things at the end of this Worke.
3. Lastly, the Structure of the Hand it self, is admirable, in regard of the Proportion it beareth to the Face, and certaine Parts thereof:
Which is this:
1. The whole Hand, is of Equall length with the Face.
2. The Greater Ioynt of the Fore-finger (which adjoynes upon the Tuberculum of Iu∣piter,) Equalls the Height of the Fore-head.
3. The other Two (to the Extremity of the Nayle) are the just Length of the Nose: [viz. from the Intercilia, or place betwixt the Eye∣browes, to the Tip of the Nostrills.]
4. The First and Greater Ioynt of the Midle-Finger is so long as it is betwixt the bot∣tome of the Chin and the Top of the Under Lip.
5. But the Third Ioynt of the same Finger, is of equall length with the distance that is betwixt the Mouth and the lower parts of the Nostrills.
6. The Greater Ioynt of the Thumbe, gives the Widenesse of the Mouth.
7. The Distance betwixt the Bottome of the Chin, and the Top of the Lower-lip, the same.
8. The Lesser Ioynt of the Thumbe, is equall to the Distance betwixt the Top of the under-Lip, and the Lower part of the Nostrills. The Nayles obtaine the just halfe of their respective uppermost Ioynts, 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 supposed but a small Particle of the Humane Body: But the cause of the afore∣said Proportion, who can tell? verily there∣fore, Man is the worke of GOD, as the Hebrew translation hath it, (Ad verbum,) in the afore∣said Place of Job.
The third Example, proposed by Job, is, concerning Beasts that seeke their Denns, and leave them at their pleasure, not otherwise, then as if some-body had taught them it. Whence it is manifest, Beasts doe live indeed by sense, yet not wholy destitute of 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 there∣of; otherwise, let him it pleases not abound in his own sense.