The Astral Signs of Physiognomy in Man

The Origin of Physiognomie

The signs of Physiognomy originate from the superior stars.

This art of Physiognomy was greatly esteemed of by our Ancestors, especially by Heathens, Tartars, and Turks, &c.

Such races practiced slavery

Yet many errors have crept in, unnoticed by anyone.

If any one shall in this place argue against us, saying, that the signs of Physiognomy are from the stars, and that the stars have no power to compell any[Pg 107] one or stir him up;

He is not wrong. But yet, there is some difference in it which must be taken notice of, because the stars compell some, and others they doe not compell.

For here we must know, who can rule or constrain the stars, and who can be governed by them. Therefore for this you must note, that a wise man can rule the stars, and not be subject to them. The stars are subject to a wise man, and are forced to obey him, and not he the stars.

But the stars compel an Animal man, that whither they lead him he must follow, just as a thief doth the gallows, and a high-way robber the whel, the fisher the fishes, the fowler the birds, the hunter the wild beasts. And what here is the cause of this, but that such a kind of man doth neither know himself, nor his own strength, never considers, or thinks that he is the lesser world, and that he hath the universall Firmament with the powers thereof hid in him? Wherefore he is called an Animall, an ignorant man, and a slave to any base service, and all earthly matters; yet whereas he received that priviledge from God in Paradise, that he should rule, and reign over all other creatures of the Universe, and should not bee obedient to them;

Therefore God created him last of all, all the rest being made before him. This priviledg man afterwards lost by his fall: but yet the wisdome of man was not made servile, nor did he let that liberty goe out of his hands. Whence it is requisite that the starres should follow him, and obey him, and not he the stars. And although he indeed be the son of Saturn, and Saturn his Ascendent; yet he can remove himself from him, and so overcome him, that he can be the[Pg 108] off-spring of the Sun;How a man may withdrawe him self from one star, and bring him self under another.and bring himself under any other planet, and make himself its Son.

And it is the same case here as with a Digger, who for a time hath spent his pains with the Master of the Mines, and with the hazard of his life hath performed his service faithfully, at length reasons, and discourseth with himself thus.

What will become of the at last, if you spendest all thy life under the earth, and by thy continuall labours dost also bring thy body, and life into danger? I will get a release from my Master, and I will serve another Master, where my life may be made sweeter, where I may have plenty of meat, and drink, where I may wear better clothes, have little work and much wages, where there shall bee no danger of the mountain hanging over mee, and ready to fall upon me, &c. After this manner he would bee at liberty, when as otherwise he must remaine a Mercenary servant, and slave, pining away with much labour, and low feeding, &c.

Now you see how a wise man commands the stars, and can remove himself from any malignant planet, and bring himself under another better, how he can bring himself out of slavery into liberty, and can free himself out of the prison of an ill planet.

So also an Animall man, who is the son of the Sun, of Iupiter, Venus, and Mercury, may remove himself from a benigne planet, and subject himself to Saturn, or Mars: such a man is like to a man, who runs from a religious Colledge, and being impatient of an easy life becomes a Souldier, or else a man of no repute, who afterwards spends all his life in sorrow, and misery.

Such an one also is a rich man, who being given to levity, spends, and wasts all his goods, in Dicing, Feasting, Whoring, &c. which he gives himself to so long untill all bee spent, then he comes to want, and being miserably afflicted with infamous want, becomes deservedly a laughter and scorn to all men, yea even to the very boyes in the streets, whom you may hear saying: Behold a beggerly man worth nothing, who when he was a Master disdained his Mastership, and had rather be a slave, a begger, a slave to servants; seeing he can never come to his priviledg again.

And hither doth a Malignant star, or Ascendent drive him. Unlesse he had been a foole, and dishonest, he had not left so certain a Dominion, which he had over the stars, but had strove against it: And although of himself he knew not how to resist the stars; yet he might have bent his mind to the examples of others; thinking thus with himself: See how rich that man was, but foolishly, and shamefully hath brought himself to poverty. Also he lived gallantly, without much labour, had so much meat, such wages, that he could not live better. Now he lives sparingly, and sordidly, and in stead of Wine he must drinke Water, his labours daily increase, his wages decrease.

Now how often doth such a kind of Man talke after this manner with himself. What have I done? Whither am I running headlong, so basely spending my goods that I got, who will repaire my estate? If ever I shall receive what hath been thus spent, I will take a far other course of life, and will by my harms learne to bee wise, and[Pg 110] will make amends for my evill deeds.

No man is wise by his own harmes, but by anothers.

But it is convenient to know, that no man can bee wise by his owne harme. For it is a foolish, and senselesse thing to bee wise by ones owne harme. Let him that will be wise, be wise by another mans example, not by his owne. For he that hath once spent his estate, would spend it againe if he should have it, and he that once perisheth, perisheth for ever. he which once hath cast a Dice, casts it again. he which once stole, and escaped the gallowes, will endeavour to steal the second time also.

For he thinkes thus with himself. My enterprizes have succeeded once, and again, and why not the third, or fourth time? If God should once restore what I have lost, he would restore it the second, and third time, &c. If he did not forsake mee in my first misery, he will not in the second, or third, &c.

All these doth an Animall man doe, the servant, and slave of the stars, who is turned every where, and moved by the stars, as a Reed in water.

And this is the reason why his life is spent in misery, and he dies in infamy.

Who therefore will sustain such servitude, and not deliver himself from such a nasty prison? For any one may by his owne wisdome, together with the help of his star, deliver, and free himself from thence. Consider the matter thus:

A Fowler by his prudence, and help of his star, overcoming another starre, needs not goe after birds, for they will come after him fly[Pg 111]ing to unusuall places, contrary to their nature.

So a Fisherman can by making use of the wisdome which God hath given him make fishes swim to him of their own accord, so that he may take them up with his hands.

A Hunter improving his wisdome, doth by his star so compell the wild beasts, that he need not follow them, but they will follow him without any impulse of nature. So also of the rest of living creatures.

Stars are twofold

The Stars have 2 versions:

1. Terrestrial

This is of wisdom

2. Celestial

This is of folly.

There are 2 worlds:

1. The greater

2. The lesser

The greater governs the lesser. Likewise, stars of the Microcosm rules and overcomes the celestial.

The Goal of the Stars is to serve, not command man.

Neither did God create the planets, and other stars of the heaven, that they should rule over man, but that they, as all other creatures, should obey, and serve him.

The superior stars incline men and sign them like all other terrestial bodies with natural signs, according to the manner of their generation.

Yet it is not a sovereign power. It is but only a predestinated command and office, whereby nothing may remains hidden except the inward force. Power may be brought forth by exterior signs.

The Physiognomical signs of Men are alike in external shape. But they are different in power. These signs are either from:

1. Supernatural stars of the heaven
2. The inferior stars, viz. of the Microcosm

Whatsoever the superiour star signs according to generation, even to the midle age, that thing signed is predestinated, not wanting peculiar powers.

For it doth testifie of the nature, and condition of Man.

Whatsoever therefore the inferiour star of the Microcosme doth sign in generation, hath its originall from the Father, and Mother, viz. as oft as the Mother by her imagination, or appetite, feare, or terror hath by contact affected her infant in her womb with supernaturall signs, which are called the Mothers marks, or the Womb marks, of which since wee have spoke already, wee shall now save the labour of iteration;

We shall speak only of the predestinated signs of the stars, under which we understand those signs of Men, which neither their Father, or Mother had any likenesse of in their body.

Of this sort are black, gray, little, or great eyes, long, crooked, sharp, nose, pits in their cheks, the chek-bone being raised up, a flat, or broad nose, small, or great ears, long neck, long face, wide, or little mouth, thick or small, many or few, black, yellow, and red haires, &c.

If one, or more of these signs appear in Man, you must know, that they doe not want their signification.

But it is necessary that you consider them according to the Physiognomical art, and that you have certain knowledge of the Art of Signatures, whereby you may know through the externall signs the internall man.

What Eye Colors Signify

Eye Quality	Meaning
Black eyes	These show healthy constitution and a constant mind, not wavering, or fearfull, but lusty, hearty, true and loving virtue.
Gray eyes	These show a deceitful, and changeable man.
Weak eyes	These show good judgement, witty, and profound deliberation.
Purblind eyes, and such as turne upward, and downward, and to both sides	These signify a false man, and crafty, that cannot easily be deceived, treacherous, hating labour, slothfull, getting his living slothfully, by Dice, Usury, Whoring, Robbery, &c.
Small and deep eyes	These signify weak, and feeble eyes, and blindnesse ensuing in old age, as also strong men, warlike, bold, deceitfull, nimble, factious, patiently undergoing their condition, yet the end of whose life is for the most part tragicall, &c.

Great eyes, a covetous, ravenous man, especially if they hang out of the head.

Alwayes Winking. Eyes that are always winking, declare a weak sight, and a man to be fearefull, and solicitous.

Rolling. Rolling Eyes shew an amorous affection, and a prudent man, and a man of quicke intention.

Continually dejected. Eyes continually dejected shew a bashfull, modest man, &c.

Red. Eyes that are red, signifie a bold, and strong man, &c.

Cleare. Clear eyes, and not easily moveable, shew an heroick, magnanimous, strong, chearfull, and a man formidable to his enemies, &c.

Eares great. Great eares shew a good hearing, a good memory, attention, diligence, a sound brain, and head, &c.

Low eares are an ill omen. For, for the most part they signifie a man to be malitious, fraudulent, unjust, and a bad hearing, a bad memory, a bold man, and easily exposing himself to dangers.

A long Nose. A long nose, and crooked downwards is a good sign, it signifies a man to bee valiant, prudent, close, rigorous, and yet just, &c.

A flat Nose. A flat nose signifies a man to be malicious, lustfull, given to lying, inconstant, &c.

Sharp. A sharp nose, a man to bee a turne-coate, a mocker, &c.

Long. A long nose, a man to be slow in all his actions, and to be of a very quick smell.

Hollow cheks. The chekes with pits in them signifie a man to bee talkative, a Scorner, contentious, &c.

A long Chin. A long chin, with a long face, signifie a man to be given to anger, and slow to labour, &c.

A divided Chin. A divided chin signifies a man to bee faithfull, officious, subtile, and various in his words, speaking one thing, and meaning another, angry, yet sorry for his anger, ingenious, and given to inventions.

A great Mouth. A great and large mouth signifies a man to bee a great devourer, silly, foolish, imprudent, dareing, &c. A little mouth signifies the contrary.

Lips drawn to. Lips drawne to, where the upper is greater then the lower, signifie a man to bee angry, warlike, couragious, yet for the most part of rude, and uncivil behaviour, and manners like to a swine.

Lips great beneath. Lips great beneath, signifie a man to be dull, foolish, and blockish, &c.

Haire signifies nothing by Art. Judgement by the haires either of the head, or beard, is not very certain, because use teacheth that they can be divers wayes varyed, as to bee made black, or yellow, or red, or white, and hoary, or curled, soft, or hard, as any one desires to have them.

Hence it will come to passe, that many who are otherwise skilfull enough in the Art of Physiognomy would be most shamefully deceived, whilst they should rashly judge by the hairs, imputing that to the stars, which should rather be ascribed to men themselves.

Yet it cannot bee denyed, but that haires firmly fastened on the head, doe signifie a good health of the head, as also of the whole body.

And this is the reason, why they that buy Horses[Pg 116] pull their tails, that by this means they may judge of their soundnesse.

So Hogges are tryed by their bristles, Fish by their shells, and scales, a Bird by his feathers, &c.

Long Necks. The necke, if it be too long, signifies a man to bee sollicitous, prudent, and attent, &c.

Broad Shoulders and backs. Broad shoulders, and backe, signifie a man to bee strong, and able for carrying or removing, &c.

Musculous Armes. Armes that are musculous, signifie a man to be strong and able for any exercise, as beating, pounding, shooting, &c.

Hard hands. Hands that bee hard signifie a man to bee laborious, and a hireling, &c. Soft hands, the contrary.

A short Body. A short body, and long legs signifie a man to be a good runner, to bee easily satisfied with meat, and drinke, and for the most part to bee of a short life.

Great and clear veines under the middle age of man signifie a man to be full of bloud and juice, but above the midle of his age to be commonly sick, yet long lived.

Nothing can be judged by the manners, and behaviour of Men. As much as concerns the manners, gestures of men, nothing can be so easily known, and judged by them.

For experience teacheth that these can every moment bee changed, as to deceive the Signator, and make him erroneous in his judgement: And because it hath not been observed hitherto so accurately by all Astronomers; It is therefore the Signators part not alwayes to look to the manners and actions of[Pg 117] men, but rather to other signs of the body, which are fixed, and can by no Art be counterfeited or changed.

For if red hairs, moving the forehead, and eyelids, a cherfull, raised, and unmoveable countenance, a frequent agitation of the mouth, a stout mused walking, and a light mind, should necessarily declare a man to be a gallant souldier and stout, every one could by his industry and art make himself seem to be such an one; that he might by his lookes bee the better approved of, and obtaine greater pay.

The like also may be judged of other kinds of behaviour, which pretend to wisdom, folly, truth, lying, fortune, victory, &c.