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THe hil of the eare finger or rather of Mercury, is betwene the little finger and the table line. It is greatlye materiall whether it be plaine withoute incisions or vaines.
For it being wel colored without wrin∣kles, sheweth a constant mind in a man, in a maide integritie. A slender line ri∣sing at the table to the rote of the hil: be∣tokeneth liberality. Also mani such lines beginning betwene the table line, and the little finger: signifieth so many ma∣riages as there be lines. Notwithstan∣dinge, the lengthe, coloure, and slender∣nes of them must be marked: for the pale lines signify mariages past, the long and wel coloured thē to come. It happeneth often some of them to be grosse and ve∣ry red, wherby thou shalt iudge a lier, a these, and robber, and one defiled with al kinde of mischief. Now if there be a cro∣ked line, as it were a circle goinge from that finger to the middle finger: it decla¦reth an excellente wit and disposicion, in whome there is great hope, that he wil he apt and prompt to al kind of affaires. If there be smal croked lines in the vp∣per part of the litle finger in the hand of a woman: it sheweth a condition propre to al women, which is pride, much talke and babling, with inconstancy. And this
for the most part is the Phisiognomy of al the Mercurians, meane coloured be∣tw••ne blacke and white, hie foreheade, round face, faire eyes like a cat, blacke and thin berd, slender body, comelye sta∣ture, thin lips, sharp nose, shril voice and ready, a quicke motion and stirringe. If thou wilt for know this by the hil: if it be ful of strait lines, he is also of a pregnāt wit, bold, a horemonger, faithful, readye to lie, a louer of his owne sectes, a hater of superstition, not regardinge temples nor oracles, apt to al sciences Mathema∣tical and Geometry. Finallye, a man fit for al assaies, a doctoure, a poete, endued with the knowledge of tonges, a sercher of secretes, a Philosopher, harty, modest, but ful of wordes, hurting no man, de∣liting in the cleanest handye craftes, as in painting and such like. Albeit, he is more vexed with sickenesse and troubled with delusions of spirites, then other men.
There be also certaine tokens, wher∣of the first in the first ioynt doth declare a man to be studious, chiefely of Retho∣rike, arrogant, proude, and of a ripe wit. That in the second ioynt although it vary frō the first, yet hathe it the same effecte, it sheweth an excellente preacher or oratoure, if it stand ouerthwart: he is troubled with sondrye passions, horri∣ble dreames, and euel fātasies. If in the thirde ioynt there be a crosse, it is a sure signe of pouertie and necessity. And this is sufficient of Mercury, although the fi∣gure do not conteine al the signes, yet we haue described the chiefest and prin∣cipal, for who can comprehende so ma∣nye sortes of lines & tokens of so diuerse dispositions in so small a roume. Wee haue lefte nothinge oute in the cannon or rule, which might be to any effecte or purpose.