¶ The kynge asked what betokeneth it of a man that is whyte skynned and frekened . Sydrac . Answered . ☞ ☜

¶ He that is whyte skynned and the most parte frekened and gray iyen , it betokeneth a man to be shamefast and of good fayth . And euery man ought to kepe hym fro the syght of hym that is all frekenes . And yf he haue a large forehed , and a lytell chyn and great iowes , and the body all frekened , and moche and thycke heer on his heed , haunc not to moche his companye , nor medle but lytell with hym , for and thou do he wyll greue the. ☞

¶ The Kynge asked what token is it when a man hath the heer of his heed softe . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ A man that hathe softe heer on his heed , it betokeneth , that his brayne is colde , & by reason they ought to be curtoyes and of lytell vnderstandynge .

¶ The Kynge asked what betokeneth it of a man that hath moch heer on his brest and on his bely . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ They that haue moche heer on theyr brest , and on they bellyes , it betokeneth that they that is so / shulde be of dyuers and wylde maners , & of lytell vnderstandyng , & shulde loue wel to do men wronge .

¶ The Kynge asked what betokeneth whan a man hath moche heer on his browes . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath moch heer on his browes , by reason shulde be boystous in his dedes and langage , & he that hath them small and longe to the temples shulde be dysdaygnous , & he that hath them smal egal blacke , & longe , he shulde be wroth full , and of great vnderstandyng . And he that hath but lytell heer on his browes by reason shulde be lyght and pesyble .

¶ The Kynge ashed what tokens is there or mens iyen . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ The iyen of Men hath tokens that lye not , by a mans iyen a man may se the pleasour and the good wyll or the euyll wyll that a man oweth another , he that hath the iyen great & graye withoute any spottes by reason shuld be slowthfull , anuyous and dysdeynous . And he that hath his iyen mediat neyther to great nor to smale and not is graye but betwene both , he is aperte and dylygent & of good vnderstandynge and loueth trouth . And he that hath the iyen redein his lokynge , By reason he shulde be bolde and a great medler , and yf he haue about the appull of the iyen yelow spottes , it is the worst token that may be of all the tokens of the iyen . And when ye se a man that beholdeth and loketh often on you , boldelye loke on hym also agayne . And yf ne be shamefaste and blenche his syght from you , and he appereth as a man that laugheth , & not by his good wyll , and his iyen waxeth full of water that ye maye se the teares of his iyen , that man loueth and doughteth you . And yf any man loke on you and you on hym and he loke stedfastly and boldly on you & blencheth not , nor is not a drede nor a shamed to loke on you , that man hathe enuye at you , and neyther doughteth nor loueth you . And be well ware and truste hym not , and kepe you well from all euyll auentured creatures , as yf ye wolde kepe you from youre deedlye Ennemyes .

¶ The Kynge asked howe shulde a man knowe , another by the tokens of his nose Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath the nose lytel and small he loueth stryfe and debates and he that hath the nose longe tyll the mouth he by reason shulde be manlye . And he that hath his nose snatted and great / he shulde be coueitous . And he that hath large noosethrylles shulde be wrath full & full of yre . And he that hath the nose great , and most greatest in the myddes , by reason shulde be a great lyer And he that hath the no emedyat , neyther to great nor to small , nor to longe nor to shorte , and his nosethrylles not large , he by reason shulde be wyse and of good vnderstandynge .

¶ The Kynge asked what tokens shulde a man haue by another mannes forheed . Sydrat . Answereth .

¶ He that hath the forheed large and not fulle of ryuell nor longe rayes , he is dysceyuable and loueth guyles and barrattes , and also he is enuyous . And he that hath the forheed not to large but medyatly betwene two , by reason shulde be trew , louynge , wyse , and well doctryned .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there of a mannes lyppes . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hathe great lyppes is is rude , and shulde be of harde vnderstandynge , and he that hathe them mediat neyther to great nor to smalle , he shulde by reason be ryghte temperate in his wyttes and dedes .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there of a mannes mouth . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath the mouth reasoble large , by reason shuld be man lye . And he that hath a lytell streyght mouthe by reason shuld haue but lytell fayth , and as lytell wyt .

¶ The Kynge asked , what token is there to know a man by his teth . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath the teth wellioyned and thicke set togyther by reason he shoulde be mouable in his courage , and no man may be sure of hym .

¶ The Kynge asked by what token shall a man knowe another by his vysage . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ When a mans vysage is great and full , by reason he shulde be of rude nature , and he that hath the vysage scryte and lene and yelowe browne , by reason he shulde be slye and cunnynge of all thynges that he medleth withall .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there to knowe a man by his eares . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ When a man hath great eares it betokeneth rudenesse and boystuousnes . And he that the eares passynge lytell shulde by reason be a fole and wrathfull .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there to knowe a man by his voyce and speche . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath the voyce and speche great and Rounde he shuld be manly . And who so euer hath the voyce temperat / neyther to great nor to small he shulde be of great knowledge and trew . And he that hath the voyce passynge small , he shulde be hastye and a lyer . And he that hath the voyce passyng great he shulde be of euyll manners and of condycions slyght . And he that hath the voyce fayre and clere , he is of great vnderstandynge and of great courage .

¶ The Kynge asked what betokens it when a man hath a longe necke . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath the necke longe & small , by reson he shulde be full of foly , noyse and cowardyse . And he that hath a lytell heed shulde be a foole . And he that hath a great heed shulde be rude and a great eater .

¶ The Kynge asked what tokeken is there of a mannes Belye . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath a great Belye out of me sure , he shulde be rude , and by reason a cowarde and not wyse . And he that hath a small belye and well brested , he shulde be well wytted and of trewe counsayle .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there of a mannes Chynne and of his shulders . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath the chynnelarge , and his shulders large he shulde be manly , myghty and not of great wyt . And he that hath the chyn and the backe well furnysshed , he shulde be fyers and wrathfull . ☞ And he that hathe the Chynne streyghte and egall , it is a shewynge of goodnes . And he that hath hye shulders is of euyll wyll and dysdaygnous .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there to knowe a man by his armes . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath longe armes that come to his knees , by reson he shulde haue a free herte and a noble . And he that hath his armes passynge shorte , by reason shulde be a cowarde and lone noyse and debates . ☞

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there to knowe a man by his handes . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath longe handes and fyngers , by reason shulde do well all craftes and betrewe . And he that hath the palme of his hande softe shulde be wyse and of good vnderstandyng . And he that hath the handes passynges shorte and the fyngers shorte , he shulde not be very wyse .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there to knowe a man by his feet . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath his feet short and greate , shulde haue lytell vnderstandynge and not wyse . And he that hath his feet smalle aboute the ancle , he shulde be a cowarde . And he that hathe great feet and his legges great in the myddes / he shulde be bygge of bodye / but he shulde be rude and boystous .

¶ The Kynke asked , what tokens haue ye of them that be gelded . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that is Gelded by mannes hande , he shulde be very wrothfull and false . And he that hath neyther stones nor berde , he is an euyl sayer and a lyer . And yf he be frekened also , he is enuyous and of euyll wyll , and loueth both to say euyll and do euyll .

¶ The Kynge asked what token is there of the pases and g●ynge of a man . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath large pases and slowe he is auenturous in al thynges , and yet he oughte to thynke on that , that is to come , and puruey to kepe hym selfe . And he that hath his pase hasty and thycke he is wrathfull and of euyll wyll .

¶ The Kynge asked whiche be the beste tokens to knowe a man by in all thynges . Sydrac . Answered .

¶ He that hath his skynne whytete and softe , and that he be not to hye nor to low , nor to great nor to smal , and wel melled with whyte and red , and his iyen betwene blacke and gray , and that his heed be not to great nor to smalle , the necke fayre and streyght and not to longe , and that he haue not to moche flesshe on his chynne , nor on his thyes without forth , & that his voyce and speche be clere , and the shulders fayre streyght & large , and the paumes of his handes softe , the fyngers longe & smalle and that he be of fewe wordes , and that he laught not to moche nor to often , and that he haue a gladsome lokynge / and lyght cheryd , and that he be not to Coueytouse of other mens goodes , and not to askynge nor to wernynge . And this is the best fygure of man that euer God made . And suche mannered & fygured men oughte Kynges and Lordes to haue with them in theyr company , for Lordes hath more nede of men , then men haue of Lordes , for Lordes may not be without men , and men may be without Lordes . And therfore a Kynge oughte to trauayl● aboute the Lande to drawe suche men aboute hym . But he oughte not to be to greatly meued in Iudgement to iudge any man for any token or sygne that he hathe on hym , but he ought to assemble one and other , and deuyde the one from the other , and take the best and leue those that be not vertuous nor of good condicions as ferforth as it may be knowen , for of this shall come great profyte & great goodnes , and good auenture .

¶ Finis .

A Good Horse shuld haue .xv. propertyes & condicions . That is to wete , thre of a Man , thre of a Woman , thre of a Foxe , thre of an Hare , & thre of an Asse . ¶ Of a man bolde proude and hardye . ¶ Of a woman fayre brested ▪ fayre of heer , and easy to lepe vpon .

¶ Of a Foxe , a fayre tayle shorte eres , with a good trotte . ¶ Of an hare a great eye , a dry heed , & well rennynge . ¶ Of an Asse a bygge chyn , a flat legge , & a good houe . ¶ Wel trauayled wemen nor wel trauailed horse , were neuer good . ¶ Aryse erly . Serue God deuoutlye . And the worlde besely . Do thy worke wysely . Gyue thyne almesse secretly . Go by thy way sadly . Answere the people demurely . Go to thy meate appetytely . Syt therat dyscretly . Of thy tonge be not to lyberally . Aryse therfro temperatlye . Go to thy supper soberly . And to thy bed merily . Be in thine Inne Iocundly . Please thy loue duely . And slepe surely .

¶ Marke well these foure thynges .

¶ There ben foure thynges pryncypallye to be drad of euery wyse man . The 〈…〉 … urse of our holy father the ●●pe . ¶ The seconde is the Indygnacion of a prince . ( Quia indignatio regis vel principie more est . ) ¶ The thyrde is the fauour or the wil of a Iudge . ¶ The fourth is slaunder and the mutacion of a comynaltie .

¶ who that maketh in Chrystmas a dogge to his larder . And in marche a sow to his gardiner . And in May a foole of a wyse mans counseyle . He shall neuer haue good larder , fayre gardyne , nor yet well kept counsayle .

¶ Farre from thy kinsmen cast th● , wrath not thy neyghboures next the , In a good corne countre threst the. And syt downe Robyn and rest the.

¶ There be foure thynges full harde for to knowe whiche way that they wyl drawe . The fyrste is the wayes of a y●●●●●an . ¶ The seconde is the course of a vessell in the see . ¶ The thyrde of an adder or of a serpent sprent . ¶ The fourth of a fowle syttynge on any thyng . ¶ Two wyues in one house , Two cattes and one mouse Two dogges and one bone , Shall neuer accorde in one . ¶ Who that manneth with his kyn And closeth his croft with cheritres Shall haue many hegges brokyn And also full lytell good seruyes .