The practical part of chiromancy is that which gathers probable predictions from lines, the places of the planets in the hand, and from the notes and characters everywhere posted and marked out in the hands and fingers. These lines and their planetary relevancy are thus defined:
| 1. | Cardiaca, or the line of life. |
| 2. | Hepatica, or the love’s line; also called the natural mean. |
| 3. | Cephalica, or the line of the head and brain. |
| 4. | Thoralis, or the table line. |
| 5. | Restricta, or the dragon’s tail. |
| 6. | Via Solis, or the sun’s way. |
| 7. | Via Lactea, or the milky way. |
| 8. | Via Saturnia, or Saturn’s way. |
| 9. | Cingulum Veneris, or the girdle of Venus. |
| 10. | Via Martis, or the way of Mars. |
| 11. | Mons Veneris, or the mound of Venus. |
| 12. | Cavea Martis, or the cave of Mars. |
| 13. | Mons Jovis, or Jupiter’s mount. |
| 14. | Mons Saturn, or Saturn’s mount. |
| 15. | Mons Solis, or the sun’s mount. |
| 16. | Locus Luna, or the moon’s place. |
| 17. | Mons Mercurii, or the mount of Mercury. |
| 18. | Mensa, or the table containing the part of fortune. |
| 19. | Pollex, or the thumb. |
| 20. | Index, or the forefinger. |
| 21. | Medius, or the middle finger. |
| 22. | Annularis, or the ring finger. |
| 23. | Auricularis, or the little finger. |
The question often arises as to whether judgment should be given by the right hand or the left. It is certain that in one hand the lines and other signatures are very often more manifest, and are thus more plain to be seen than the other, as well in the hands of gentlemen as ladies. That hand is the proper one (in both sexes) which shows and exhibits the lines thereof most clearly, and abounds with a series of characters and signs, yet so as that the other, whose lines are more obscure, may pay its contribution. If in both hands they consent, and appear to be fair and comely, they declare a constancy of fortune and health. The cause of diversity is that he who is born in the daytime, and has a masculine planet (the Sun, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars) lord of his geniture, bears the more remarkable signs in his right hand, especially when the sign ascending is also masculine. The contrary happens to those born at night, as often as a feminine planet predominates. If both hands agree, it must be that in a diurnal nativity the feminine planets rule, or that there falls out a mixture of masculine and feminine; so in the nights by the contrary reason.
I.—OF THE LINE OF LIFE. THIS IS CALLED CARDIACA, OR THE HEART LINE.
This being broad, of a lively color, and decently drawn in its bounds, without intersections and points, shows the party long lived and subject to few diseases.
If slender, short and dissected with obverse little lines, and deformed either by a pale or black color, it presages weakness of the body, sickness and a short life.
If orderly joined to the natural mean, and beautified in the angle with parallels, or a little across, it argues good wit, or an evenness of nature.
If the same have branches in the upper parts thereof, extending themselves towards the natural mean, it signifies riches and honor.