The Monstrous signs of Men

Diverse Monstrous signs or Marks

Many men are brought forth deformed with monstrous marks, or signs. Some have an extra finger or Toe, some lack one.

The fingers of some grow all together in the mothers womb.

Another has a wry foot, arm, or neck, &c. and brings it with him out of the womb.

Another has a bunch in his back: so also, are Hermaphrodites born, i.e. they which are both Male, and Female, and have the members both of Man, and Woman, or else want both.

These monstrous signs in both males and females are to bee accounted for monstrous signs of secret evil ascendents.

These signs prove the proverb:

“The more crooked, the more wicked”

“Lame members, lame deeds.”

For they are signs of vices, seldome signifying any good.*

The Executioner marks his sons with infamous markes.

Likewise, the evil Ascendents impresse upon their yong, supernatural mischievous marks, that they may bee the better taken he d of, which shew some marks in their forehead, cheeks, ears, fingers, hands, eyes, tongues, &c. being short, or cutted.

Every one of these infamous signs denotes a peculiar vice.

So a mark burnt on the face of a Woman, or the cutting off her ears, for the most part signifies theft: the cutting off the fingers, cheating Dicers: the cutting off the[Pg 105] hand, breakers of the peace: the cutting off two of the fingers perjured: the pulling out of the eye, cunning, and subtile villains: the cutting out of the tongue, blasphemers, slanderers, &c.

But that passing by these we may proceed to the monstrous signs of Malignants ascending, you must know, that all monstrous signs do not arise from an Ascendent only, but oftentimes also from the stars of Mens minds, which continually and every moment ascend, and descend with the fancy, estimation, or imagination, no otherwise then in the superiour firmament.

Hence either from fear, or terrour of breeding; Women, many monsters, or children marked with monstrous signs in the womb, are borne.

The primary cause of these is fear, terror, appetite from which is raised the imagination. If a woman with child begin to imagine, then her heaven by its motion is carryed round, no otherwise then the superiour firmament every moment, with Ascendents, or risings, or Settings.

For according to the example of the greater firmament, the stars of the Microcosme also are moved by Imagination, untill there be an assault, whereby the stars of the Imagination convey an influence, and impression upon the Woman that is breeding, just as if anyone should impresse a seale, or stamp money.

Whence these signs, and geniall marks are called Impressions of inferiour stars, of which many Philosophers have wrote many things, and men have endeavoured much to give a full, and rationall account of, which could never yet be done.

Yet they doe adhere, and are impressed on the infants, as the stars of the Mother, whether frequent or violent, doe rest upon the Infants, or the Mothers longing is not satisfied: For if the Mother long for this, or that meat, and cannot have it, the starres are suffocated as it were in themselves, and dye: And that longing doth follow the infant all its life time, that it can never bee well satisfied. The like reason is there of other things, of which we shall not hear Discourse any further.