Briefe introductions, both naturall, pleasaunte, and also delectable vnto the art of chiromancy, or manuel diuination, and physiognomy with circumstances vpon the faces of the signes. Also certain canons or rules vpon diseases and sickenesse. Whereunto is also annexed aswel the artificiall, as naturall astrologye, with the nature of the planets. Written in the Latin tonge, by Ihon Indagine prieste. And now latelye translated into Englishe, by Fabian Withers.

The .x. Chapiter of the hill of the middle finger, appropriate to Saturnus of the finger it selfe with the nature of the Saturnines.

THe middle finger of the hande as is aforesaid in this science, is attribute vnto Saturne, and called by his name, & therfore the risynge vnderneth it, is also called the hill of Saturne. The which hil if it be plaine and smoth without wrin∣kles or incisiōs: it declareth a simple mā, paineful, and without disceit. If that a riule cōmyng from the table line do cut the hyll of Saturne: it signifieth a care∣ful man, disquieted and vexed with day∣ly troubles and cares, alwayes studiyng and musyng on somthing, notwithstan∣dyng seldome riche. Also many incisions in the same place, do declare an heauy & pensiful life, full of penurie & necessitie, prisonment, and tormentes. Likewise, a line bowyng from the rote of the rynge finger to the hyll of Saturne, sheweth a flouthful and sluggish man, folishe, and

rashe, neuer doyng any thing wittely, albeit sometime folishe, bolde, of a folysh and rude minde and vnderstandynge. They saye also, that woman which hath more lines betwene the fingers of the Sunne and Saturne, then betwene the Sunne and Mercurye, there beinge some lines also: to be apt to generatiō, and spe∣cially of men childrē. This also I know certaine, that if any smal lines go from the principal lines of the hande to the hil of Saturne: thei declare an euil dispo∣sition, and not a verye honest life. It is also iudged a token of sterilitie and bar∣rennes in a woman, to haue a crosse or a starre in the first ioint of y^e finger. And those whiche haue y^e hil diuersly deuided with riules, thother hil beinge smothe and plain, are to be iudged Saturnins, whose nature for the most parte is to be pale coloured, vncomelye vysaged, their eyes fixed downeward to the grounde, in goynge slowe, leane, and oftentimes croked backed, and for the most part euil manered. For Saturn maketh them ma∣licious, disceitful, and craftye, delitinge

[illustration] chiromantic diagram

to be alone, regardyng no man, without al frendshippe. Not very curious aboute their meates, great drinkers, and often times great eaters, continually disquie∣ted with cares and miseries, neuer free frō them, ful of heauy and fearful thou∣ghtes and imaginations, louyng fennes

and standyng waters, liuynge filthelye, slow and rare of speach, colde of nature, weake bodied, and sickly, of a low voice, hoorse, and sluttyng, lightly enuiyng o∣ther, and whom thei hate, thei persecute continully without remission. Their de∣lite is to buylde, to plante, plowe, and al thinge that will continue, hauyng no great pleasure in women, and therfore seldome hauynge children, but diynge without issue. Wonderful defēders and kepers of their libertie, iudgynge it ex∣treme miserie and euil to serue and be in bōdage, deliting in blacke, & therfore clo∣thing them selues therwith, ful of suspi∣cion and feare, geuing great regard vn∣to dreames: and thus far of Saturnins. That womanne that hathe fiue or syxe lines in the firste ioint of the middle fin∣ger runnynge downewarde, shal beare a sonne which shal be a priest. Also that manne which hath a starre in the same iointe, shal either kil or be killed.