The signes of Physiognomy receive their original from the superior stars; this art of Physiognomy was greatly esteemed of by our Ancestors, and especially by Heathens, Tartars, and Turks, &c. and other people, amongst whom it was the custome to sel men for slaves, and it is not yet altogether laid aside amongst Christians. Yet together with it many errors crept in, not yet taken notice of by any, whilest every blockish ignorant fellow would take upon him without any manner of judgement to judge of any one. Where it is worthy of admiration that those erours should never bee taken notice of from the workes, deeds, and abilities of the men.
Now if any one shall in this place argue against us, saying, that the signes of Physiognomy are from the stars, and that the stars have no power to compell any one or stir him up; he indeed doth not speak amisse: 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.
Man is the Lord of all other Creatures.
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 compell an Animall man, that whither they lead him hee must follow, just as a thief doth the gallows, and a high-way robber the wheel, 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 hee 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 hee 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 hee indeed be the son of Saturne, and Saturn his Ascendent; yet hee can remove himselfe from him, and so overcome him, that he can be the off-spring of the Sun;How a man may withdrawe him selfe from one star, and bring him selfe under another.and bring himselfe under any other planet, and make himselfe 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 himselfe thus.
What will become of thee at last, if thou 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 hee would bee at liberty, when as otherwise hee 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 himselfe from any malignant planet, and bring himselfe under another better, how he can bring himselfe out of slavery into liberty, and can free himselfe 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 Saturne, 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 hee gives himselfe to so long untill all bee spent, then hee 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 hee 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 hee had over the stars, but had strove against it: And although of himselfe hee knew not how to resist the stars; yet hee might have bent his mind to the examples of others; thinking thus with himselfe: 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 hee must drinke Water, his labours daily increase, his wages decrease.