Supplico. Gestus. I.

THE STRETCHING OUT OF THE HANDS is a na­turall expression of gesture, wherein wee are significantly importunate, intreat, request, sue, solicite, beseech, and ask mercy and grace at the Hands of others. History, the grave Mistris of the Rolls of Action and ma­nuall expressions, from whose Hand we receive the placard of Time, subscribed by the reverend Hand of Antiquity, and made letters Patents un­der the Broad-seale of Truth: as she is the most faithfull guide to the exemplary knowledge of any matter of Fact passed: so she presents a lively image of the Hands present estate, and by reflection of her light, affords subsidiarie presi­dents and patternes of significant actions to come. For, this Schoole-mistris of our discoursing [Page 12] gestures, contending with a high Hand, that no Chiramnestia or act of oblivion should passe a­gainst Nature, by transcripts out of her owne Chiridiographicall observations, hath sufficiently testified the naturall signification of this Chiri­diome, or proper form of speech in the beseeching Hand.

An example of this naturall gesture and ex­pression, we finde to have appeared in the Hand of Julius, who endeavouring to satisfie the de­sires of Constantius, but the souldiers forcing him to accept of the stile of Augustus, with a resolute and well grounded minde withstood them all Ammian. Marcellin. lib. 20. and some, one time shewing himself to be wroth and highly displeased, other whiles STRETCH­ING FORTH HIS HANDS, requesting and be­seeching them to forbeare their unseasonable of­fer. When Annibal after the battaile of Cannae had granted the Romanes the favour and liber­ty to redeeme their prisoners, and M. Junius had ended his Oration in the Senate, immediate­ly Livie lib. 22. the multitude that were gathered together in the common place, set up a lamentable and pi­teous cry, and HELD OUT THEIR HANDS to the Councell-house, beseeching the Lords of the Senate that they might have and injoy their children, their brethren, and kinsfolkes againe. The Noblemen in the behalfe of Coriolanus used Plutarch in the life of Corio­lanus. this gesture of the Hand when Sicinius the Tri­bune had pronounced sentence of death upon him, for, some of them HOLDING FORTH THEIR HANDS to the people, besought them not to handle them so cruelly. Thus Manlius and Ful­vius comming unto Tiberius with teares in their eyes, and HOLDING UP THEIR HANDS, be­sought [Page 13] him to let the Law Agraria alone, which Plut. in the life of Tiberius and Caius he would then have passed. And Plutarch in that notable description of Aemilius triumph relates, how King Perseus children were led prisoners with the traine of their Schoolmasters and other Officers and their servants, weeping and lamen­ting, HOLDING OUT THEIR HANDS unto Ib. in the life of Paulus Aemylius. the people that looked upon them, and taught the Kings young children to doe the like, to aske mercy and grace at the peoples Hands. The force of this expression hath sometimes remained in the Arme when the Hand hath beene lost. For Amynias the brother of Aeschylus the Tragedi­an, when the people of Athens would have sto­ned his brother for some impiety brought on the Aelian. var. Hist. lib. 5. cap. 19. Stage, he held up his Elbow and Arme without a Hand, lost at the fight at Salamis: by which spe­ctacle the Judges calling to minde the merits of Amynias, dismissed the Poet.

Scripture, the most sacred Spring of pregnant Metaphors, and lending gestures, among other of these kind of speaking apparitions, or divine ele­gancies, which are able to inrich a sanctified un­derstanding, the Hebraismes and mysterious no­tions resulting from the properties of the Hand, doe everywhere obtaine, by divine permission, an ineffable latitude of significations: whose vul­garismes varied through such multiplicity of sen­ses, are of that note and consequence, that they much conduce to the advancement of the digni­ty and reputation of the Hand. Among other remarkable expressions borrowed from the Hand, wherein God is pleased to condiscend to the capacity of man, and to cloath His expressi­ons in the naturall language of our Hand. That of [Page 14] the Prophesie of the Prophet Isaiah hath refe­rence to this requesting gesture, where the Lord Isai. 65. 2. complaining after the manner of men, saith, he had STRETCHED OUT HIS HANDS all day to a rebellious people.

Oro. Gestus II.

TO RAISE THE HAND CONIOYNED OR SPREAD OUT TOWARDS HEAVEN is the habit of Devotion, and a naturall and universall forme of Prayer, practised by those who are in adversity, and in bitter anguish of Minde; and by those who give publique thankes and praise to the most High. Thus we acknowledge our offen­ces, aske mercy, beg reliefe, pay our vowes, im­precate, complaine, submit, invoke, and are sup­pliant. Hence 'tis the Scriptures doe most em­phatically 1 Tim. 2. 8 define prayer by this outward signe, not that this speaking habit of the Hand is all or the most principall part of devotion, for, Hyppo­crites, as if fired with zeale, EXTEND THEIR ARMES AND HANDS, who yet but mock God by seeming to draw nigh unto Him, when their Hearts belie their Hands. But, this gesture is an outward helpe unto devotion, appointed by the ordinance of Nature to expresse the holy fervour of our affections. For since it is impossible by rea­son of our great infirmitie, we should with our soaring thoughts move beyond the centre of our bodies; we stand in need of some outward help to declare the ascension of our inward zeale, which we reveale by the EXTENSION OF OUR HANDS, which supplying the place of wings, helpe our hearts in their flight upward. For unlesse our hearts are polluted with the leaven of hypocrisie, they raise the heart to the [Page 15] throne of grace, before which we present our supplications. But the Soul being invisible, unles she shew her selfe by demonstration of gesture, the Hand was instituted Surrogate, and Vicar of of the Heart, to testifie by outward gesture, the offering and lifting up of the Heart, and that our prayers are seriously poured out from the bottome of our Breast. Hence in those sacred Monuments that keepe alive the memories of the Dead, whe­ther their effigies be exhibited in brasse or marble their monumentall Statues are commonly hew'd into this forme of prayer. From the practice and naturall propensity of the Hands to prayer, as from the premisses, Athanasius (as it is likely) drew this conclusion: That therefore man had Hands given him, that they might serve to neces­sary uses, and to be SPREAD FORTH AND LIF­TED UP in offering prayer to Him who made them. It being on all hands confest, that this ge­sture is an originall rite, and a piece of the disci­pline of Nature, polished also by the rule of rea­son, and solemniz'd by the examples and exhor­tations of wise men. For there was no Nation instructed in any kinde of piety, who did not know before hand by a tacite acknowledgement of a God, that the Hands in prayer were to bee LIFTED UP. Omnes homines Arist. lib. de Mund. tendimus manus ad Coelum cum [praeces fundimus,] sayes that Prince of Peripatetiques. And Gobrias in Xenophon seems to confirme the same.Xenoph. Cyr. Apuleius elegantly and roundly to this purpose. Habitus orantium hic est, ut Apuleius tit. de mundo.manibus extensis in coelum [praecemur.] To this purpose Horace.

And Lucretius of the same gesture,

And Pedo Albin. joyning in the harmony of all the Heathen Prophets.

Hence Jarbas in Virgil is said

Thus Anchises in the same Poet,

So Cleanthus,

Thus Cressa in Ovid,

So Scipio in Sil. Italicus,

Their manner was to turne themselves to the East, with an erected countenance, HANDS O­PEN SPREAD, LIFTED UP, AND STRETCH­ED OUT TOWARDS HEAVEN. Whence Valerius Flaccus,

In this posture we finde Antonius Plutarch in the life of Anto­nius. LIFTING UP HIS HANDS TO HEAVEN, making a cha­ritable prayer to the gods for his army when he was to encounter the Parthians. And M. Fu­rius Idem in the life of Camillus. Camillus used the same gesture of his Hands in his prayer at the taking of the Citie Veies.

Thus Alexander in his third battaile with Da­rius, Idem in the life of Alex. the great. before he gave charge upon the enemies, he tooke his Lance in his left hand, and HOLD­ING [Page 17] HIS RIGHT HAND UNTO HEAVEN, be­sought Idem in the life of Alex. the Great. the gods (as Calisthenes writeth) that if it were true he was begotten of Jupiter, that it would please them that day to helpe him, and to encourage the Grecians. And the Heathens when they came forth in the morning to plough, they laid one Hand upon the stilt of the plough, and LIFTED THE OTHER UP to Ceres the god­desse of Corne: beginning both their actions of warre and peace with this gesture. So remark­able was the mixt and double office wherein Nature hath interessed the Hand. For as we raise these to Heaven, so with them we worke; and the Hand thrives but ill that workes, unlesse it prayes: which these Heathens by the instinct of Nature were wrought to acknowledge. And the most desperate Atheists and Hypocrites, in some extremities and damages, doe LIFT UP THEIR IOYNED HANDS TO HEAVEN, as a signe and token of some devotion, though they have no faith nor beliefe. ¶ Thus also they gave thanks. It is reported that when Archidamas had overcome the Arcadians, and returned home Plutarch in the life of Agesi­laus. victorious to Sparta, from that tearlesse battaile; neither man nor woman would keepe the City, but came flocking down to the River side, HOL­DING UP THEIR HANDS TO HEAVEN, and thanked the gods, as if their City had redeemed and recovered her shame and lost honour, and began to rise againe as before it did. And to the signification of this gesture that of Virgil may be referred.

The LIFTING UP THE HANDS in prayer, as it is a naturall expression, so it seems necessary, for, [Page 18] God requireth the whole man; there being a woe pronounced to fainting Hands, that is, which faint in prayer. When Moses HELD UP HIS HANDS, Israel prevailed: but when Moses LET Ex. 17. 11. HIS HANDS DOWN, Amalech prevailed. And when Moses Hands were heavie, they tooke a stone and put it under him, and he sate upon it: and Aaron and Hur stayd up his Hands the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; so his Hands were steady untill the going downe of the Sunne: and Josuah discomfited Amalech. Upon which Philo allegorizing, shewes that vi­ctorious Philo Ju­daeus in Exod. gesture of Moses Hands doth signifie that by the vertue and intention of prayer all things are overcome: or it implyes the elevation of the intellect to sublime contemplations, and then Amalech, that is, the affections are over­come.

Origen descanting upon the posture of Moses Origen Hom. 11. in Exod. Hands, observes that hee did elevate, not extend his Hands, that is his workes and actions to God, and had not his HANDS DEIECTED. He LIFTS UP HIS HANDS, that layes up trea­sure in heaven. For where we love, thither re­sorts the eye and the Hand. He that keepes the Law, orecomes; he that doth not, lets Amalech prevaile.

Elias Cretensis thus: This gesture of Moses Elias Cre­tens. com­ment. in opera Greg. Naz. Hands, if you looke to that which falls under the aspect of the eye signifies prayer. Hence in an old Scheme of Clodovaeus there are two armes e­rected to Heaven, supported by two others, with this Motto, TUTISSIMUS, with reference to the conquering Hands of Moses. To teach Com­manders, Sil. Petra Sanct. that piety strikes the greatest stroke in [Page 19] all battailes. G [...]ropius who with an over strai­ned Gorop. in Hierogl. lib. 9. phancie following his owne conceit, makes use of the naturall expressions of the Hand, for the exalting the Cimbrian or old Teutonique tongue into the preheminencies of the originall language, presen [...]s his superstitious observations thus: To joyne the hands in prayer, and so to applie their upper parts to the mouth, doth sig­nifie that men in prayer should seeke to be con­joyn'd to one that is most High: and because prayer proceeds from the mouth, and the Hands upright with the mouth transverse, seeme to deli­neate a Roman T, he hath another inference from that similitude.

The STRETCHING OUT THE HANDS TO GOD is sometimes taken in Scripture for the acknowledgement of an offence, as in the prayer 1 King. 8. 38. of Solomon at the consecration of the Temple: and Solomon praying, STRETCHED FORTH 1 King. 8. 22. HIS HANDS TO HEAVEN after this manner, And thus Moses praying STRSETCHED OUT Exod. 9. 29. & 33. HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. Thus Judas Macchabeus encountring the army of Nicanor, 2 Macch. 15. 21. STRETCHED OUT HIS HANDS TOWARDS HEAVEN, and called upon the Lord that wor­keth wonders. ¶ To the signification of anguish and affliction belongs that of the Prophet Jere­miah, Zion SPREADETH FORTH HER HANDS, Lament. 1. 17. and there is none to comfort her. For they who pray sometimes STRETCH OUT THEIR HANDS & somtimes LIFT THEM UP. Hence Lauretus, to SPREAD OUT, or EXTEND THE HAND, is to o­pen, dilate, and unfold that which was straitned Lauret. in Sylv. Al­leg. and folded in. To SPREAD OUT THE HAND is also to lift it up: but to EXTEND, is to erect and [Page 20] raise them up. So he expoundin [...] the sacred sense of these speaking gestures of prayer. S. Hillarie S. Hillar. in Psalm. very elegantly distinguisheth betweene the EX­PANSION and ELEVATION of the Hands, which in this matter of prayer are promiscuously used in Scripture. So upon that of the Psalmist, I will Psal. 63. 4. LIFT UP MY HANDS in thy Name, hee doth not take it for the habit of praying, but for a declara­tion of a worke of a high elevation. So likewise upon such a passage of another Psalme: Let my Psa. 140. 2. prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS as the evening Sacrifice. He shewes that the Apostle where he S. Paul to Timoth. exhorts them to LIFT UP pure Hands, hee does not appoint a habit of praying, but addes a rule of divine operation. So the noble Prophet, Isaiah. when you SPREAD FORTH YOUR HANDS, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers I will not heare: if you EX­TEND YOUR HANDS, not if you LIFT THEM UP; but if you EXTEND YOUR HANDS: because the habit of praier is in the SPREAD OUT HANDS; but the power of a perfect worke is in the ELE­VATION. Therefore the LIFTING UP THE HANDS is an Evening Sacrifice. But this, for all I can finde, is but the peculiar fancie of this Father. For surely the ELEVATION as well as the EXPANSION or STRETCHING OUT OF THE HANDS, are both significantly naturall in this sense. Indeed S^t. Hierome drawes these two S. Hier [...]m. in Exod. 9 and Job 11. gestures of prayer into Allegories, not much un­like, thus: TO SEND FORTH THE HAND to God, as it were to seeke out for reliefe, is to direct our actions to him, and not to worke for vain glory. He also SPREADS FORTH HIS HANDS to God, [Page 21] who dilates in the evaporation of a vain mouth: and who against the grace of the Giver, is proud of the virtue of his workes.

Calvin in his Comment upon Timothy, (upon Calvin. comment. in 1 Tim. 2. which place Cornelius à Lapide hath also noted many things,) observing that the Apostle hath put the signe of prayer for the thing signified, sayes that this expression of gesture is very a­greeable to true piety; so the verity that is figu­red thereby doe answer the signification; to wit, that being by nature admonished that God is to be sought for in heaven, that first wee should put off all terrene and carnall imaginations of Him, that nothing may hinder us in the raising of our selves above the world. Idolaters and Hy­pocrites, in LIFTING UP THEIR HANDS in prayer, are but Apes, who while they by the outward Symbol professe to have their mindes erected upwards, the first of them sticke in the wood and stone, as if God were inclosed there: the second sort intangled in vaine cares, or wic­ked cogitations, lye groveling on the earth, and by a contradiction of gesture, beare witnesse a­gainst themselves.

The Ancients are very copious in expressing these outward formes of devotion in the Hands, for they say, the HANDS STRETCHED OUT, PUT FORTH, HOLDEN ABROAD, EXPANSED and ERECTED, and all to imply the naturall piety of the Hand in this expression. With Tertullian the Hands thus affected are EX [...]ANS'D: with Virgil, HOLDEN ABROAD: as Nonnius interpreteth the action, they are the OPEN AND EXTENDED HANDS. And in this gesture many things are contained.

[Page 22] Maldonat conceives the meaning of this na­turall ELEVATION OF THE HANDS is to teach us that Heaven is the throne, and as it were the Cathedrall Temple of God. Pintus thinkes this gesture shewes that God is on high, and that all things are to be hoped for at His Hands.

Cresollius sayes, that this deportment of our Hands declares that we affectionately fly unto the protection of God our heavenly Father. Even as little children disabled by some fright with stretcht out Hands run into the lap of their pa­rents: or as men in the midst of shipwracke stretch out their Hands to some friendly Saviour. For, since the force of this Organum organorum, the Hand, the most excellent instrument of com­mon life doth chiefly consist in three things, in Giving, Doing, and Repelling, who LIFTS UP HIS HANDS seems wholy to deliver and commit him­self and all that he is into the sacred power of the Godhead, as if with David he had his soule in his Hand: from the Right-hand of Charity, and the Psal. 119. 109. [...] Sam. 19. 5. Judg. 9. 17 Job 13. 14. Left-hand of Zeale, both joyn'd together to make their intentions more acceptable, as from the living censer or incense-pan of prayer, there ascends, in a sweet kind of articulated silence, the speaking savour of these significations.

O Parent of the World! God, the maker of all things! this soule, all that I am, a thou­sand times due to thy majesty and gracious Goodnesse, I render and refer to its Fountaine and Originall. What e're my Hands can doe, or my tacite understanding and industry endeavour, let it be Thine! Thee (seduced by ill counsell) I have withstood, and like a wretch rejected thy [Page 23] Gifts, and by wicked machinations repelled and throwne them from mee. Behold my Hands! which it thou please command to be bound, and mee, an unworthy Traytor, (who have sinn'd with a high hand) to be drawne to punishment; who had not liv'd, unlesse Thou hadst lent mee life; which I have abus'd, and rebelliously stret­ched out my Hand against Thee, to my owne de­struction, and the reproach and dishonour of Thy Name. All these significant expressions (as Cresoll. in Mystag. lib. 3. Cresollius hath happily observ'd) are contain'd in this Gesture.

S. Augustine very elegantly and sweetly gives us the retionality and religious conveniency of this manuall expression. When men in prayer S. Aug. de cura pro mort. lib. 5. STRETCHT OUT THEIR HANDS, or use any visible expressions, they doe that which is agree­able to the case of a suppliant, although their in­visible will & intention of their heart be known to God; neither doth hee stand in need of such declarations that the minde of man should bee laid open before him: but by this gesture man doth more rouze up himselfe to pray and groane more humbly and fervently: And I know not how, whereas these motions of the body cannot be done, unlesse the inward motions of the mind precede, the same thing againe being made ex­ternally visible, that interiour invisible which caused them is increased, and by this the affection of the heart, which preceded as the cause before the effect, for so much as they are done, doth en­crease. And indeed this outward addition or ad­junct of Piety, the OPENING and LIFTING UP OF THE HANDS is a naturall manifestation of the uprightnesse and integrity of the heart, and [Page 24] of the sincerity of the affections. For deceit na­turally hath no wil, though hypocrisie sometimes may affect to dilate and extend the Hand. And the sympathy is so strong betweene the Heart and the Hand, that a holy thought can no sooner inlarge the erected Heart, but it workes upon the Hands which are RAISED to this expression, and EXTENDED OUT TO THE UTTERMOST OF THEIR CAPACITIES. Upon this naturall mo­tion or exposition of the minde, Saint Chryso­stome sets a morall glosse. This LIFTING UP OF OUR HANDS should put us in mind to take heed S. Chrys. Moral. of sin, lest we defile our Hands therewith. Since it is very absurd, that those who are to bee the Trouchmen and Interpretours of prayer and di­vine administrations, should also be the instru­ments of wickednesse: for if we say it is not ho­nest for a man to pray with dirty and unwashen Hands; how much more naughtinesse will that expression be tainted with, to LIFT UP HANDS not dirty, but defiled with the pollutions of sin. And in this sense washing of Hands was used by most Nations before prayer. This Manuall of Prayer as a helpe at Hand, the Christians in all ages have diversly used for the furthering their devotion, as may be collected out of the Eccle­siasticall records of Time. Tertullian renders a Tertul. de [...]rat. reason thereof thus: Christians pray with SPREAD OUT HANDS, because our Hands are harmlesse; bare-headed, because we are not a­shamed; and without a monitor, because we pray from the breast. For the most part they LIFTED TH [...]M UP. Which Tertullian would have mo­destly done, not as mad-men who pray Hand o­ver Head. For this grave Father reporting and [Page 25] praising the modesty and humility of the Primi­tive Christians, hath left this caution for a rule in prayer: Adoring with modestie and humilitie, we doe more commend our prayers to God, not so much as our Hands more loftily held up, but temperately and honestly erected. Sometimes Christians did not indeed lift up their Hands on high, but did EXTEND THEM OUT HERE AND THERE into the figure of Christs suffering. Hence in a Medall of Gordian the godly, there is Pierius in Hieroglyp. an Image LIFTING UP THE SPREAD OUT HANDS TO HEAVEN, with this inscription fitted to the device, Piet as Augusta. And Euse­bius Euseb. de vit. Const. lib. 4 c. 15. hath left a memoriall, that Constantine was wont to be figur'd in Coines and painted Tables with his HANDS HOLDEN ABROAD, and his eyes lift up to Heaven, which he calls The habit and composition of Prayer. Doctor Donne in re­ference to the Symbolicall signification of the Gesture calls it Constantines Catechisticall Coyne.

The same Author in a Sermon upon Iob 16. 17 Dr. Donn [...] Serm. 13. &c. upon these words, Not for any injustice in my Hands: also my Prayer is pure; accor­ding to his elegant way of descanting upon the emphaticall expressions of holy Writ, hath many notions about nocturnall and diur­nall cleannesse and foulnesse of Hands; and ob­serving that the holy Ghost hath so marshalled and disposed the qualifications of prayer in that place, as that there is no pure prayer without cleane Hands, which denote righteousnesse to­wards man; comming to speake of the ge­sture, and observing that Moses prayer had no effect longer then his HANDS WERE LIFTED [Page 26] u [...]: All this (saith he) perchance therefore espe­cially, that this LIFTING UP OF THE HANDS brings them into our sight, then we can see them, and see whether they be cleane, or no; and con­sider, that if we see impurity in our Hands, God sees impurity in our prayer. Can we thinke to re­ceive ease from God with that Hand that oppres­ses another? mercy from God with that Hand that exercises cruelty upon another? or bounty from God with that Hand that with-holds right from another? And to adde by a little enlarging his owne words in another place. How can we expect God should open with his Hands of bene­diction, who shut up our Hands, and that which is due to another, in them? How much more then, if we strike with those Hands by oppressi­on, or (as Esaiah) we lift up the bloudy Hands of cruelty.

At this day the common habit of praying in the Church, is, as pertaining to the Hands, TO IOYN THE HANDS, MODERATELY LIFT THEM up, or religiously cut them by ten parts into the forme of the letter X, holding them in that man­ner before the breast: which manner of prayer Cresollius calls Manus decussatas. In the Romish Church which doth superabound in the externall adjuncts of Devotion, and where the Rubriques direct to varying formes of manuall expressions at the word Oremus, there is alwayes annexed some emphaticall behaviour of the Hand. Hence in the Masse when the Priest saith Oremus, hee EXTENDETH, and then IOYNS HIS HANDS. By the extension of his Hands he gathereth as it were the hearts of the people: by the joyning of his Hands together, he doth amasse them into [Page 27] one; which is the glosse of Huelamus upon this Huelamus de cerem. Missae. Romish rite. The many gesticulations of the Hands and Fingers so ceremoniously troublesome in the Masse, whose mysterious senses Bellarmine, Durandus in ritibus Ecclesiae, and Gavantus in his large Comment upon their Rubriques, hath so copiously explained, was one thing that made the Masse so uneasie to bee said of old by the Hands of every Sir Iohn, as requiring one very well trained up in their Schoole of divine com­plements.

This is the Manuall of Prayer, and Practice of Picty, commended by Nature unto us, as a faith­full assistant to our private devotions; which ex­pressed in one of the most significant Dialects of the generall language of the Body, is more vo­call and effectuall, then the explications of the Tongue; and more religiously true to the soule in case of extremity, which is manifest by their use in [...]his Christian exercise, when the voice cannot expresse or performe her office: for, the Hand inabled by Nature to supply the defect of a vocall Interpretour, hath continued the act of prayer, and presented many visible petitions to the eye of Compassion, which understands the groaning Gestures and dumb ejaculations of the Hand. And this is often observed in religious men, in extremity of sicknesse, whose Hands in the time of health having beene used to accom­pany and exhibit their requests to heaven, as the last service they can doe the soule and body, of­fer themselves in this Evening Sacrifice of life. To passe by common instances, it is reported of that learned and reverend Doctor of our Church, that B. An­drewes. he was totus in his sacrifi [...]is, alwayes imploy'd in [Page 28] this reasonable service God requires at our Hands; and toward the time of his dissolution, his Hands were never empty of prayer; and when he could pray no longer voce, with his voice, yet manibus & oculis, by LIFTING UP THE HANDS and eyes, hee prayed still: and when weaknesse and necessity of Nature had excluded these ex­ternall accidents of devotion, the Hands and voyce failing in their function, with his heart he prayed still, as was perceived in him by some outward tokens.

Ploro. Gest. III.

TO WRING THE HANDS is a naturall ex­pression of excessive griefe, used by those who condole, bewaile, and lament. Of which Gesture that elegant Expositour of Nature hath Franc. L. Verulam Nat. Hist. assign'd this reason. Sorrow which diminisheth the body it affects, provokes by wringing of the minde, teares, the sad expressions of the eyes; which are produced and caused by the contra­ction of the spirits of the Braine, which contra­ction doth straine together the moisture of the Braine, constraining thereby teares into the eyes; from which compression of the Braine proceeds the HARD WRINGING OF THE HANDS, which is a Gesture of expression of moysture. This COMPECTINATION or WEE­PING CROSSE of the Hand, is elegantly descri­bed by Apulcius, in these words, Palmulis inter alternas digitorum vicissitudines super genua con­nexis, Apulcius lib. 3. Miles. sic grabatum cessim insidens ubertim flebam. Where, as Cresollins observes, hee hath rightly conjoyned this Gesture of the Hands with weep­ing and teares. For 'tis the declaration of a mind languishing for grief, and almost spent, and wea­ried [Page 29] with some vehement affliction. Which the brother of Basil the Great, elegantly setting out to our eyes, saith, Complodis manus, Gregor. Nyssen orat. 7. de beatitud. digitos com­plicas, atque tuis cogitationibus [angeris.] So also Dio Chrysostomus among the arguments and signes of mourning and lamentation, puts down Dio Pru­saeus orat. 16.manum complicationes, humilem (que) sessionem. Indeed the FOLDING and WRINGING OF THE HANDS in the naturall equipage of sorrow, hath ever passed for a note of lamentation. History, the mistris of life, and right Hand of experience, which is the mother of Prudence; holding up the Mirrour to Nature, wherein she may see her own actions represented in their true and lively co­lours, affords some confirming reflection of this Gesture. Wee reade that when Heliodorus that Ammian. Marcellin. lib. 20. hated favourite of the Emperour Valens was dead and his corps carried forth to bee buried by the Beir-bearers, Valens commanded that many should attend on foot bare-headed, yea, and some also with HAND IN HAND, and FINGERS CLUTCHED ONE WITHIN ANOTHER, to go before the cursed coarse of that bloudy villaine. Who (had not the Emperours command extor­ted this formality of sorrow from their Hands) had missed of so solemne exequies and interment.

Admiror. Gest. IV.

TO THROWUP THE HANDS TO HEAVEN is an expression of admiration, amazement, and astonishment, used also by those who flatter and wonderfully praise; and have others in high regard, or extoll anothers speech or action. The first time that this expression appeared in the Hand of Man, was certainly upon occasion of some new unexpected accident, for which they [Page 30] gave thankes to God, who had so apparently manifested the act of his beneficence. And as it is a signe of amazement. 'tis an appeale unto the Franc. Verul. nat. Hist. Deity from whose secret operation all those wonders proceed which so transcend our reason, which while wee cannot comprehend, wee RAISE OUR HANDS TO HEAVEN, thereby ac­knowledging the Hand and Finger of God. And that this is a naturall, and so by consequence an universall expression of the Hand, appeares by the generall use of this Gesture with all Nations. That passage of Catullus is well known. [Admi­rans] ait hac manus (que) tollens Dii boni! &c. To which intention of gesture Horace alludes,

To this appertaines that of Cicero. Hortensius au­tē vehementer [admirans] quod quidem per petuo Lu­cullo loquente fecerat, ut etiamCicero in Academ.manus saepe tolleret! And that of his in another place. Idem lib. 7. epist. ad Caesarem. Sustulimus ma­nus ego ut Balbus! ut illud nescio quid, non fortuitum sed divinum videretur. And to this is referred that of Livie. Ad quam vocem cum clamor ingenti ala­critate sublatus esset ac nunc complexi inter se gra­tulentesque nuncLiv. lib. 24manus ad coelum tollentes! &c.

Applaudo Gest. V.

TO CLAP THE RAISED HANDS ONE A­GAINST ANOTHER, is an expression pro­per to them who applaud, congratulate, rejoice, assent, approve, and are well pleased, used by all Nations. For, applause as it is a vulgar note of encouragement, a signe of rejoycing, and a to­ken and signe of giving praise, and allowance, doth wholly consist in the Hands. Whence Ci­cero. Cicero ad A [...]ic. Populus Romanus manus suas non in defenden­da [Page 31] libertate, sed in plaudendo consumit. Which hee spake of theatricall applause exhibited by the Hand of old. Xenophon expresseth this affection Xenoph. Cyropaed. lib. 2. of the minde in a very cleare and eloquent kinde of speech, in these words: Primipulus qui nos proxime discumbebat, rem intuitus, manus invicem complosit, ridensque laetabatur. And Histaspas in the Idem Cyr. lib. 8. same Author speakes unto Cyrus in these words: Unum solum ignoro, quinam modo ostensurus sim me gaudere bonis tuis: utrum manuum concussione uten­dum est, an ridendum, an aliuà faciendum? This pub­lique token hath beene of old, and is so usuall in the assembly of a multitude, when they cannot contain their joy in silence, that there is nothing more common with them then by CLAPPING THEIR HANDS, to signifie their exceeding joy and gladnesse of heart, in so much as all Histories both prophane and sacred, abound with exam­ples of this expression: out of which infinite store I shall produce but one or two for confir­mation of this point. When Iehoiadah the Priest 2 Kings 11. 12. caused Ioash the sonne of Ahazia to be crowned King, and had brought him out, and given him the testimony, they made him King, and anoin­ted him, and they CLAPPED THEIR HANDS, and said, God save the King. Which gesture re­taines the same signification in divers other pla­ces So Nah. ult. of Scripture. When Caius Valerius entred the City of Rome ovant the affectionate favour of Psal. 47. 1. 98. 8. Isa. 55. 12. Liv. lib. 4. the people that stood in the streets appeared by CLAPPING OF HANDS, and great applause, striving a vie to exceed the songues chaunted by the Souldiers. When the Senate had granted the Plutarch in the life of Ca­millus. peoples desire that a Commoner should be cho­sen Consull with a Nobleman, and the Dicta­tor [Page 32] had published the Decree of the Senate, con­firming their desire; the common people were Plutarch in the life of Camil. so joyfull, that they brought Camillus home to his house with great shouts of joy, and CLAP­PING OF HANDS. When Alcibiades had one Idem in the life of Alcibiad. day in the market place given a largesse to the people out of his owne purse, the people were so glad at it, that they fell to shouting and CLAP­PING OF THEIR HANDS for thankfulnesse. The fourth day after the battaile fought by Per­seus King of Macedon, even as the Playes and Games were exhibited in the shew-place, there Liv. lib. 45 was heard suddenly at first a confused humming noise, which spread all over the companies of the spectators, that a field was fought in Mace­donie, and Perseus vanquished: afterwards a­rose a more cleare and evident voice, which grew at length to an open shout and CLAPPING HANDS, as if certaine newes had been brought of the same victory. The Magistrates wondred thereat, and made search after the author of so sudden a gladnesse, but none would be found: and then verily it passed away as the momentany joy of some vaine and uncertaine occurrence, howbeit a joyfull presage of some good luck set­led in mens hearts, and remained behinde, which was after confirmed by the true report of Fabius Lentulus and Metellus sent from the Consull.

Indignor. Gest. VI.

TO SMITE SUDDENLY ON THE LEFT HAND WITH THE RIGHT, is a declara­tion of some mistake, dolour, anger, or indigna­tion: for so our learned Humanicians understand this Gesture, usurping it often in this sense. Sene­ca attributes this passion of the Hand to anger: for [Page 33] in his description of an angry man he hath, Pa­rum explanatis vocibus, sermo praeruptus &Seneca de ira, lib. 1. cap. 1. com­pl [...]sae saepius manus. And in another place sha­dowing out anger in her proper colours, he sets her out thus: Dentes comprimuntur, horrent ac surriguntur capilli, spiritus coa [...]tus ac stridens,Idem li. 3.ar­ticulorum ipsos torquentium sonns. And in another place. Adjice articulorum crepitum cum seipsae manus frangunt.Idem cap. 4. de Ira.Petronius that great Doctor of iniquity and pleasure, conspiring in the like sense of the same expression, presents us with this ge­sture thus habited. Petron. Satyr. Manibus inter se usque ad ar­ticulorum strepitum contritis. And in another place he thus gives us the garb of anger and griefe, Petron. Satyr. In­fra [...]t is manibus ingemnit. Neither are examples wanting in Histories to confirme the senses of this naturall expression. Philo Judaeus of Caius the Emperour boiling with anger, and grievously fretting with indignation, [Excandescebat] legens, multam praese ferens [iracundiam] ubi vero desiit, Philo Ju­daeus de lege ad Caium.complosis manibus Euge! Petroni, inquit, non di­dicisti audire Imperatorem? To confirme the natu­rall practice here of by divine Authority and pre­sidents taken out of the most Sacred History. Thus Balack in token of anger smote his Hands Num. 24. 10. together when he was wroth with Balam that he would not curse the Israelites as hee desired. To which answers that of the Prophet Ezekiel. Thou Ezek. 21. 14. therefore Sonne of Man prophesie and SMITE HAND TO HAND, &c. that is, strike thy Hand as men in griefe and anguish are wont to doe. The same signification of gesture hath that of the Idem cap. 22. ver. 13. same Prophet. Behold therefore saith the Lord, I have smitten mine. Hands upon thy covetous­nesse that thou hast used, and upon the bloud that [Page 34] hath beene in the midst of thee: that is, in token of my wrath and vengeance.

Explodo. Gest. VII.

TO CLAP THE RIGHT FIST OFTEN ON THE LEFT PALME, is a naturall expres­sion used by those who mocke, chide, brawle, and insult, reproach, rebuke, and explode, or drive out with noise, commonly us'd by the vulgar in their bickerings, as being the Scolds saunting dialect, and the loud naturall Rhetorique of those who declame at Billingsgate. Hence Ovid not un­skilfull Ovid met. lib. 5. in this brawling property of the Haud; ve­ry ingeniously seignes the Plerides as they were about to scould, and to CLAP THEIR HANDS with a disgracefull noise, to have beene turned into Pies, and made Sylvan Scoulds. This (which is but the repetition of that stroake used in anger and indignation) is used in this sense by the mir­rour of patience, Every man shall CLAP THEIR HAND'S at him, and hisse at him out of their Job 27. 23 place. And the good man when his patience was tryed beyond sufferance, fell into this habit of contention with his miserable comforters, as appeares by the accusation of Elihu. He addeth rebellion unto his sinne, hee CLAPPETH HIS HANDS amongst us, and multiplieth his words a­gainst Job 34. 37 God: That is, as the glosse on our Bibles hath it, he standeth stubbornly in maintenance of his cause. To this may bee referred that of the Prophet Ieremiah; All that passe by CLAP THEIR HANDS: they hisse and wag the head at the Lam. 2. 15 daughter of Jerusalem. The same signification hath that of the Prophet Ezekiel, Because thou hast CLAPPED THINE HAND, and stamped Ezek. 25. 6 with the feet, and rejoyced in heart with all thy [Page 35] despite against the land of Israel; Behold▪ there­fore I will stretch out mine Hand upon thee.

Despero. Gestus VIII.

TO appeare with FAINTING AND DEIE­CTED HANDS, is a posture of feare, abase­ment of minde, an abject and vanquished courage, and of utter despaire. The Prophet Isaiah calls Esa. 13. 7. 35. 3. this habit of de [...]ection or consternation, the faint Hand, or the HAND FALLEN DOWNE. The Pro­phet Ezekiel and I [...]remiah call this apparition of Ezek. 7. 17 Jer. 6. 24. Heb. 12 12 feare the feeble Hand. And the Authour to the Hebrewes most appositely, THE HANDS THAT HANG DOWN. The old Annals of Time, and the Journalls and Diaries of common life, which containe a narration and exposition of things done, give the best patternes of the Hands ex­pressions, as being the most naturall Registers thereof; in so much as there are no interpretours so proper or able to informe us of the validity and use of this languishing carriage and behavi­our of the Hand. An expression by gesture wee finde to have appeared in the Hands of Prusias King of Bithynia, a man of a most faint heart and abject spirit, who when he came to Italy to see the mansion place of the Empire of the world, when he entred into the Senate, standing at the gate of the Court right over against the Fathers, DemissisPolybius.manibus limen salutavit: which are the words of Polybius rehearsing a thing un­worthy of Royall Majesty.

Otio in­dulgeo. Gest. IX.

TO FOLD THE HANDS, is a gesture of idle­nesse, an expression often seene in the Hands of lazy▪ Lubbers amus'd with [...]loath, who keepe their dull Hands so knit together, to maintain a [Page 36] drowsie league with sleepe: for being loath to forgoe the pleasure of ease, they by this gesture doe as it were allure and play the bawds to in­dulge and procure their lusts delight more sweet­ly to cease upon their lyther bodies. Hence the Aegyptian Priests when they would exhibit an Pier. Hie­roglyph. expresse character of lazinesse, or of a sluggish fellow good for nothing, one who would scarce entertaine a busie thought, lest it should worke some disturbance in his breast, or rowze his Hands from the complacency of their embosom'd rest; they use to decipher a dull Sloe-worme of this lowzy Tribe, with his Hands thus enterlac'd as parallels in his bosome, as if they had there ta­ken up their habitation, or did lye skulking to a­void worke, which is a Lion in their way. This gesture of the Hands as it is the sluggards com­mon guise, who demands a little more FOLDING OF THE HANDS, and out of love to ease often neglects what his mouth requires at his Hands, (contented so he have from Hand to mouth, as if hee hated the more provident extension of a thought) is significantly brought in Sacred Writ, by a metaphor to upbraid and note out the de­spicable state of fooles and sluggards, time-spen­ding loyterers of no esteeme, since the wisdome of man doth much consist in his Hands. Salomon unfolding the nature of a sloathfull person who Pro. 19. 24 FOLDETH UP HIS HANDS, (each Hand hold­ing as it were the other from worke) and hideth his Hand in his bosome, in this last posture, he ex­cellently sets out the nature, wickednesse, and Dr. Jerm. paraph, med. upon the place. punishment of floath. The nature of it, in noting the sweetnesse of it to a sluggard; in that his Hand is in his bosome, hugging as it were his [Page 37] owne lazinesse. The wickednesse of it, in that his Hand is hidden: sloathfulnesse being so shame­full a thing, that it needeth to be concealed. The punishment of it, in that the sloathfull man star­veth himselfe. And in another place he is said to Pro. 26. 15, 19. 24. hide his Hand in his bosome, that none might finde it, lest by taking him thereby, hee might raise him up: or else as if he feared some Cat [...] Censorius, who calling to see the Hands of men, refused those that had soft Hands, as unworthy to be Citizens of Rome. Emphatically in one place of the Proverbs of Salomon, the slacke Hand Pro. 10. 4. by Beda. of the sluggard is most directly translated, the Hand of deceit. Rightly doth the Originall call it a Hand of deceit, because, for the most part, the lazy Hand, being not able to sustaine it selfe, be­takes it selfe to cousenage and deceit. The ori­ginall word in the fore part of the verse, proper­ly signifies the bowing of the Hand: because deceit is hollow, and 'tis with the hollow of the Hand that the sleights of deceit are practised. In the latter part of the verse the word signifies the whole hand, the strength of the Hand, for that it is which dili­gence useth, and by that it maketh rich.

The garb of such men who sit crowching in the world with their arms a-crosse, their mouths gaping, and their feet in one shooe; leading ra­ther a bestiall then a humane life, a famous Law­yer doth graphically describe out of Eccles. thus:

To this personall character Westmerus and other [Page 38] Commentators referre that Anthropopeia of the Royall Prophet, Draw thy right Hand Westmer. in Psal. 74. 11. out of thy bosome.

Tristem animi re­cessum in­dico. Gest. X.

TO HOLD THE FINGERS INSERTED BETWEEN EACH OTHER A-CROSSE, is their sluggish expression who are fallen into a melancholy muse. To the signification of this Gesture accords the Oration of Sextus Tullius unto Sulpitius Dictator: You our Generall deem Liv. lib. 7. us your Army to be Handlesse, heartlesse, and ar­mourlesse, &c. for what else may we thinke of it, that you an old experienced Captaine, a most valiant Warriour, should sit as they say with one Hand in another, doing nothing. HenceEras. Adag manibus compressis sedere, in the Adage, is all one with [Nihil facere, otio indulgere, aliis obesse.] For, this gesture is thought to have a tacite force to damp the lively spirit of mirth and friendly communi­cation. Hence 'tis in vulgar practice to accuse such men whose Hands in company fall into this posture, as Remora's unto the happy birth and wish'd-for progresse of conceit; and for dull Schismatiques that deny themselves to those with whom they converse: for, such whose thoughts stray out of season, minding not what others doe or say, by a mentall sequestration withdraw their soules as 'twere from their bo­dies, and while they over-prise their private thoughts, (exprest oftentimes by this disrespect of the Hand,) they seeme no other then to make a Soloecisme in society. Hence this gesture by the superstitious Ancients was held a note of im­pediment, and hath passed time out of minde for a kinde of secret sorcery. Whereupon the Ro­mane [Page 39] Senate gave out a solemne prohibition, that in all consultations held by any Prince or Plin. nat. h [...]st. lib. 28. cap. 6. Pot [...]ntate, or any Generall of an Army, or any person that was present at any mysticall solem­nity, none should presume to fit or stand crosse­legged, or in the foresaid manner HAND IN HAND. Supposing this gesture did hinder the progresse and event of any act in Hand: or any consult which by advice was to bee ripened for an expedition. They thought it also witchcraft but to sit by one that had a practicall designe up­on health by the receit of any medicine, either inwardly or outwardly appli'd. Nay, they thought this posture was of force (alone) to hinder such who were in labour, and did then need Lucina's Hand, and that such could not bee delivered as long as any one present held the Hands thus mu­tually inwrapped: which piece of forcery was the worser, in case the party did hold them about one or both his knees. This was well seene by the Lady Alcmena, when jealous Juno set one Ovid Mer. lib. 8. CROSSE-HANDED and crosse-legged to hinder her delivery, as the story goes. But the contrary gesture implyed quicke labour, or the felicity of being delivered. Thus in a Medall of Julia the Pier Hie­roglyph. Godly, the happy fruitfulnesse of childbirth is implyed, wherein Venus holdeth a Javelin in her left hand, shewing her right Hand stretched out and spread, with this inscription, Venus genetrix. But this placing one Hand upon another was e­ver held unluckie. Whence Hippocrates derides certain superstitious and knavish Emperickes for quack-salving Cheats, who bid men against the Epilepsie, Nec p [...]dem p [...]diH [...]ppo [...]. de morbo sac [...]o.n [...] manum manui super­ponere.

Innocen­tiam o­stendo. Gest. XI.

TO IMITATE THE POSTURE OF WASHING THE HANDS BY RUBBING THE BACK OF ONE IN THE HOLLOW OF THE OTHER WITH A KIND OF DETERSIVE MOTION, is a ge­sture sometimes used by those who would pro­fesse their innocency, and declare they have no Hand in that foule businesse, not so much as by their manuall assent; as it were assuring by that gesture, that they will keepe their Hands unde­filed, and would wash their Hands of it: nor have any thing to doe therein. A gesture very significant, for the Hands naturally imply, as it were in Hieroglyphique, mens acts and opera­tions; and that cleansing motion denotes the cleannesse of their actions. As this expression is heightned by the addition of water, 'tis made by the Aegyptians the Hieroglyphique of innocen­cy. Pier. Hie­roglyph. In token (also) of innocency this gesture was commanded the Elders of the neighbour Deut. 21. 6 Cities in case of murther. And it was practised by Pilate when he would have transferred from himselfe unto the Jewes the guilt of our Saviours blood; who when he saw he could not prevaile with the multitude for the delivery of Christ, he called for water and washed his Hands, I am in­nocent, Mat. 27. 24. saith hee, of the bloud of this just man, looke you to it. To this gesture that of the Psal­mist referres, I will wash my Hands in innocen­cy. Psal. 26. 6. Eras. Adag And from this gesture came the Adage con­cerning mutuall good offices, Manus manum, di­giti interim digitos lavant.

Lucri ap­prehensio­nem plau­do. Gest. XII.

TO RUB THE PALMES OF THE HANDS TOGETHER, WITH A KIND OF APPLAUSE, MUCH AFTER THE MANNER AS SOME ARE [Page 41] WONT TO DO WHO TAKE PAINES TO HEAT THEIR HANDS, is an itching note of greedy haste, many times used by such who applaud some pleasing thought of deceit, that they have in their heads. This (I confesse) is somewhat a subtile no­tion: yet noted in some men by Phisiognomers, Hill Phi­siog. and to be found by an observation and marking of nature, for every minute thing if wee waite and watch the time of relation, will appeare an expression, from whose remonstrance wee may take arguments, for they issue out into notes, and breaking the barre of silence, by token speake and informe the eye.

Liberta­tē resigno. Gestus XIII.

TO HOLD FORTH THE HANDS TOGETHER, is their naturall expression who yeeld, sub­mit, and resigne up themselves with supplicati­on into the power of another. This with the Ancients was* manum dare. Hence Ovid,

Omnia te [metuent] ad teOvid. l. 1. eleg. 2.sua brachia tendent. To illustrate this by examples taken out of the ancient Registers of time. Thus Vercingetorix Dion. lib. 40. falling on his knees before Caesar, and HOLD­ING FORTH HIS HANDS, exhibited the ge­sture of a suppliant. And thus Diridates King of Idem lib. 36. Nero. Armenia exhibited the same obedience of gesture and submission to Nero. Thus the Legates of Decebalus with IOYNED HANDS after the man­ner Idem Tra­jano. of captives presented themselves unto the Senate; upon which, peace concluded, Trajan triumphed over the Dacians, and was sirnamed Dacieus. The Romanes that were in the Galley that were carrying the cup of gold to Delphos Plutarch in the life of Camil. made of the jewels of the Roman Ladies, when hard by the Island of Aeolus they were set upon [Page 42] by the Gallies of the Lipparians, they used this expression, for they HELD UP THEIR HANDS and intreated, making no resistance. But for the signification of this gesture in submission, Plu­tarch is very emphaticall, who declaring the pride and power of Tigranes King of Armenia, sayes that hee had ever many Kings in his Court Plu [...]. in the life of Lucullus. that waited on him: but amongst others he had foure Kings that waited continually on his per­son as footmen: for when he rode abroad any whither, they ran by his stirrop in their shirts. And when he was set in his Chaire of State o give audience, they stood on their feet about his chair HOLDING THEIR HANDS TOGETHER, which countenance shewed the most manifest consession and token of bondage that they could doe unto him. As if they had shewed thereby that they resigned all their liberty, and offered their bodies unto their Lord and Master, more ready to suffer, then any thing to doe.

Protego. Gest. XIV

TO EXTEND OUT THE RIGHT HAND BY THE ARME FORERIGHT, is the naturall habit wherein we sometimes allure, invite, speak to, cry after, call, or warne to come, bring into, exhort, give warning, admonish, protect, pacifie, rebuke, command, justifie, abow, enquire, direct, instruct, order, shew a generous confidence, har­dinesse, and authority; give free liberty of speech, manifest a readinesse to answer, and make an apalogy for our selves, and appeare to undertake a businesse. All which acceptions of this gesture, though they more easily fall in the compasse of observation then they can be exemplified by au­thenticall authority: yet Histories have taken [Page 43] notice of most of the expressions of this gesture of the Hand. That it is significant in the six first senses, may bee collected out of many ancient Writers. Thus Memnius Regulus the Consull, in the Senate and presence of the Senatours, called Sejanus unto him. For thus Dion sets it downe. [Inclamans] Dion Cass▪ in Tiberio.manu portenta, Sejane [ades hue.] And Cyrus when any of his friends were seene crowding towards him, as Xenophon hath recorded it, Xenoph: de Inst. Cyr. lib. 7. Esth. 5. 2. protensa manu [eos accersebat.] The same gesture of invitation Ahasuerus used to Esther, when he signified her comming was according to his will. Wisedome also cloathes Prov. 1. 24 her words in the language of this gesture. Be­cause I have called, & ye refused, I have STRET­CHED OUT MY HAND, and none would regard. The Psalmist acknowledges himselfe to have used this gesture. I have called upon Thee. I have Psal. 88. 9. STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS UNTO THEE. ¶ This indicative gesture of the Hand our Savior used to direct and instruct the Jewes who were Mat. 12. 49. his brethren, when STRETCHING OUT HIS HAND to his Disciples, he said, Behold my mo­ther, and my brethren. ¶ Flavius Flaccus made Plutarch in the life of Tibe­rius and Caius. use of this warning gesture of the Hand instead of speech; for when Mutius began to call the Tribes of the people to give their voices for the establishing of some new lawes, propounded by Tiberius Gracchus, in favour of the people, and he could not proceed according to accustomed order in the like case, for the great noise the hin­dermost made, thrusting forward, and being dri­ven backe, and one mingling with the other; in the meane time Flavius Flaccus one of the Sena­tours, got up into a place where all the people [Page 44] might see him, and when he saw his voice could not be heard of Tiberius, hee made a signe with his Hand that hee had some matter of great im­portance to tell him. Tiberius [who soone un­derstood this gesture of his Hand,] bade them make a lane through the preasse. So with much adoe Flavius came at length unto him, and be­wray'd a conspiracy against him. ¶ Valentinian Ammian. Marcellin lib. 20. with good successe used this gesture of pacifica­tion and rebuke, when hee was pronounced be­fore the whole Army Soveraigne Ruler of the Empire. For when hee addressed himselfe to make a premeditated speech, as he PUT FORTH HIS ARME that he might speake more readily, there arose a great mumbling that out of Hand there might a second Emperor be declared w^th him: Va­lentinian fearing to what the Souldiers confident boldnes might prove, HOLDING UP HAPPILY HIS RIGHT HAND, as a most hardy and redoub­ted Prince, daring to rebuke some of them as se­ditious and stubborne, delivered his minde with­out interruption of any. The Emperour having ended his speech, which an unexpected autho­rity had made more confident, appeared them, and won them all to his minde; which was to choose his companion: who took afterwards un­to him to be Colleague in the Empire, his brother Valens. ¶ That this gesture is significant to protect appeares by most passages of holy Writ, intima­ting the powerfull and gracious protection of God. Where the expressions by an Anthropo­peia are taken from this gesture. Thus God having put Moses in the cleft of the rocke, covered him with his Hand while he passed by. And 'tis No­verinus Exod. 33. 23. [Page 45] his observation, that with the Hebrewes Noverin. in Elect. Sacr. Pagnin. in Lexico. Caph signifies both the Hand, or the hollownesse of the Hand, and a cloud. Hence Pagninus turns protegam te manu mea, into operiam te nube mea: a good coherens, saith he, manus & nubis nexus. In this sense that of the Prophet Isaiah is to bee Isa. 49. 2. taken, Under the shadow of his Hand hath he hid me. That is, he hath taken me into his protection and defence. And the Metaphors of an OUT­STRETCHED ARME and HIGH HAND are ve­ry frequent in Scripture to shadow out the po­werfull protection of God in the two degrees of it, the ordinary and extraordinary. For in this re­presentation of power, there is the Hand, and the Arme, the mighty Hand, and out STRETCHED ARME; two degrees of power, both great, but one greater: that of the Hand is great, but ordi­nary; that of the Arme is greater, and commeth forth but upon extraordinary occasions, every thing we put not to the Armes end. And their Hands are properly said to be shortned, that have lost the power to save and protect; a phrase much used in holy Writ by the Prophets speaking in His Name who made the Hand, the naturall Hie­roglyphique Isa. 50. 2. 59. 1. Num. 11. 23. of power. ¶ This gesture doth na­turally import command. Hence Kings are said to have LONG HANDS, as the Romane Poet,

The Hand found under the Table as Vespasian was Sueton. Vespas. at dinner, signified, as the Southsayers did then interpret, that command should one day come to his Hand; and this was before he was Emperor. And Crinagora [...] a Greeke Poet very learnedly praising Caesar, sayes, his Right Hand was mighty to command, which by its majestique power and autho­rity, [Page 46] did quell the fiercenesse and presumptu­ous audacity of barbarous men. The second 1 Sam. 2. 22. fall of Dagon the Idoll before the Arke of God, by a flat acknowledgement confirmes this naturall signification in the Hand. For his head falling off from his body, and the Hands from the armes, shewed that it had not power nor understanding in the presence of God; since the head fell off, which is the seat of Reason and knowledge, and the Hands (by which wee ex­ [...] strength) were sundred from the armes. ¶ In the sense of direction Jeroboam STRET­CHED 1 King. 13 OUT HIS HAND from the Altar, saying, Lay hold on him; but his Hand hee put forth a­gainst the Prophet, dried up, and hee could not pull it in againe unto him. ¶ Foelix the Gover­nour Act. 24. 10 made this signe unto Paul, to give him leave to speake. ¶ And thus when Agrippa said unto Act. 16. 1. Paul, Thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe: Paid STRETCHED OUT THE HAND and an­ [...]wered for himselfe.

Triumpho Gest. XV.

TO PUT OUT THE RAISED HAND, AND TO SHAKE IT AS IT WERE INTO A SHOUT, is their naturall expression who exalt, brag, boast, triumph, and by exultant gesture expresse the rap [...]ures of their joy; they also who would de­clare their high applause, or would congratulate; and they who have drunke, doe commonly use the same gesture. In congratulatory exclamations either in the behalfe of our selves or others wel­fare, it is usuall and naturall. Examples whereof are yet fresh in the life of Memory. For we read that when the Antiochians understood that Ti­ [...]ns was comming to their City, they could not [Page 47] containe themselves within their walls for [...]y, Joseph. of the wars of the Jewes, l. 7. but all went out to meet him, and not only men, but women and children, expecting his comming 30. stounds off; and when he approached neer [...] unto them, they HOLDING UP THEIR HAND [...] unto him [...]ai [...]ted him with great joy and acclama­tions. Hence Israel is said to have gone out of E [...]o. 14. 6. Aegypt with a HIGH HAND: that is, with great joy and boldnesse. And this [...]ROTENSION AND EXALATION OF THE HAND in signification of mirth, jollity, pleasure, and delight, is so groun­ded in Nature, that it is the common custome of all Nations, when they are tickled with joy, that cannot be contained from breaking out into ge­sture, OUT GOES THE HAND! So the Prince and Father of Poets,

For, the Hand anointed as it were with the same oyle of gladnesse where with the heart is reple­nished, signifies its sensibility of the enlargement of the heart, by this amplification of gesture, and naturall periphra [...]s of joy.

Silentium postulo. Gest. XVI

THE BECKING WITH THE RAISED HAND hath beene ever with all Nations accounted a signe of tra [...]ing and [...], and intreating a fa­vourable silence. And how considerable an ex­pression this gesture of the Hand was ever ac­counted in this businesse, may be collected out of the office of the common Cryer, whom wee Xiphil▪ in Hadrian. finde in the monuments of the Ancients com­manding silence by the Hand alone, without the voice. Whence that of Dion may receive illu­stration. Prae [...]o cumDion Cas. in Hadr. lib. 69.manum porre [...]sset, esset que ob eam causam [silentium] consequutum, ut est consuetu­do, [Page 48] &c. Which gesture if it were used by the Cry­ers of Courts of Justice, would be more proper and significant to procure silence, then by making more noise, to engender peace, and their loud way of reclaiming one auricular disturbance with another. The learned inventions of the Ancients do ordinarily allude to this expression. Seneca that witty contriver of that abusive Play L. An [...] ­us Sen. de mor. Clan. C [...]s. of the death of Claudius Caesar, which he called Apocolocynthosis, or Immortality gotten by Mushromes, very elegantly brings in Claudian the Emperour commanding silence with this [...]CKING OF THE HAND. Heliodorus in his Heliod. Aethiop. Mist. li. 10. History which hee preferred before his Bishop­ricke, in that passage where the people (affected with joy and pittie at the strange hap that Cari­clia was knowne to be Hydaspes daughter) would not heare the Cryer that commanded silence, makes Hydaspes himselfe to STRETCH OUT HIS HAND to appeare them, and did them be still. And Barclay brings in Euphormio when there Barclay in his Eu­phormio. was a noise that he could not bee heard, with THIS GESTICULATION OF HIS HAND, sig­nifying that he had somewhat to say unto them. Prophane Histories that containe a relation of things really done, are not barren in this expres­sion of the Hand. For when Titus was returned to Rome, after the destruction of Jerusalem, and his Father Vespasian and hee triumphed in com­mon; Joseph. in the wars of the Jews, l. 7. as soone as they were set in their ivory Tri­bunals, the Souldiers with loud voice declared their valour and fortitude: Vespasian having re­ceived their prayses, they offering still to speake on in his commendations, he BECKNED WITH HIS HAND, and made a signe unto them to bee [Page 49] silent. When Commodus the Emperour was set in his throne to behold those famous Actors which were to celebrate a sacred Agon or Pageant in Herodian lib. 1. honour of Jupiter Capitolinus, and the Theater full of spectatours; before any thing was said or acted on the Stage, suddenly there starts out one in a Philosophers habit, with a staffe in his Hand, and a scrip on his shoulder (halfe naked) who running to the midst of the Stage, stood still, and B [...]CKONING WITH HIS HAND for silence, discovered the treason of Perennius to Commodus. Thus Drusus being sent to appease the rebellion Tacit Annal. l. [...] in Pannonia, standing up upon the Tribunall, BECKONED WITH HIS HAND for silence to be made. And after Constantine the Emperor was bap­tized, having caused a Throne to bee erected in the Palace of Trajan: he declared with the elo­quence of a Monarch the reason which had mo­ved him to alteration of Religion. His Oration being heard of all the world with great applause, Caus [...] Holy Court. in such sort that for the space of two houres the cryes of a great many were heard which made acclamations: at length the Emperour rose up, and MAKING A SIGNE WITH HIS HAND, re­quired silence, which instantly made all that great multitude hold their peace. The most sa­cred History is not without examples of holy men who have significantly made use of this ex­pression of the Hand. For wee reade that Peter Act. 12. 17. BECKOND with his Hand unto them that were gathered together in Maries house to hold their peace. Thus Paul stood up and BECKOND with Act. 13. 16. his Hand, and said, Men of Israel and ye that fear God, hearken, &c. And when Claudius Lysi [...] the chiefe Captaine had given Paul licence to [Page 50] speake unto the people, Paul stood upon the grei­ces of the Castle into which they were leading Act. 21. 40 him, and BECKOND unto the people, and when there was made a great silence, he began his Apo­logy in the Hebrew tongue. Alexander likewise Act. 19. 33 used this BECKING with the Hand, when hee would have excused the matter unto the people. In the Originall Peter is said [...] Manu silentio postulato, as one Translation: an­xuere manu ut tacerent, as Beza: in the others the word [...] is left out: for, the BECKING MO­TION OF THE HAND upon such occasions can­not well be understood otherwise then for a signe of reaving audience.

Juro. Gestus XVII.

TO LIFT UP THE RIGHT HAND TO HEA­VEN, is the naturall forme and ceremony of an oath, used by those who call God to witnesse, and would adjure, confirme, or assure by the ob­ligation of an oath. An expression first used by the Hands of the ancient Patriarchs, and is thought to have flowed from God himselfe, who in many places of holy Writ is brought in spea­king of himselfe, to have used this gesture for Thus Ex. 6. 8. Num. 14. 30. Deut. 32. 40. confirmation of his gracious promises by the out­ward solemnity of an oath. Hence it was that Abraham said unto the King of Sodome, I have LIFTED UP MY HAND UNTO THE LORD, that is, I have sworne, that I will not take from a Gen. 14. 22. thread, even to a shooe latchet, &c. Unto this naturall expression the Psalmist alludes, HE LIF­TED UP HIS HAND, that is, he swore. And to the signification of this gesture of the Hand, some Psal. 106. 26. referre that passage of the Psalmist: Whose Right Hand is a Right Hand of falshood: that is, they Psal. 144. 8. [Page 51] have forsworne and broke their vow. Hence by a forme of speech taken from this expression, TO LIFT UP THE HAND, in the Scripture phrase, is Ezek. 15. 23. 20. 5. 36. 7. 44. 12. 47. 14. Zach. 2. 9. Isai. 3. 7. the same as to sweare and take a solemne oath. With reference to the manifest attestation and significant & obligatory force of the Hand in this businesse, the late nationall Covenant was ex­presly ordered to be tooke with the Right Hand held up on high. The Angels also when they sweare doe it not without this manuall asseve­ration: for the Angell in the Apocalyps that Apoc. 10. 5. Iohn saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth, when he sware that there should be time no longer, lifted up his Hand to Heaven. ¶ This vowing expression of the Hand, Marius used in Plutarch. in the life of Marius. the battaile of the Cymbres, when he promised and vowed a Hecatomb or solemne sacrifice of an hundred Oxen. Thus also Catulus vowed to build a Temple to Fortune for that day.

Assevera­tione Deo attestor. Gestus XVIII.

TO EXTEND AND RAISE UP BOTH THE HANDS TO HEAVEN, is an expression of establishment, and a most strong kinde of asseve­ration, implying as it were a double [...]ath. There is a passage in the prophesie of the Prophet Da­niel Dan. 12 2. which doth confirme and illustrate this ex­pression. And I heard the man cloathed in lin­nen which was upon the waters of the rivers, when he HELD UP HIS RIGHT HAND AND HIS LEFT UNTO HEAVEN: which was a double oath, as our Glosse hath it. Lauretus upon this Lauretus i [...] verbo Altitudo. place saith, that the lifting up of the right and the left Hand, signifies an oath with a commination and a promise. Ovid well knowing this double forme of an oath, describing Philomela frighted [Page 52] at the comming of her sister Progne, as she strove Ovid Me­tamorph. lib. 6. to sweare and call the gods to witnesse to the pu­rity of her thoughts, and that she was compelled to that dishonourable fact, very elegantly makes her HOLD UP HER HANDS for spéech. Such an asseveration of gesture I lately observed in some at the publique taking of the last Nationall Covenant, who as I conceived rather out of a zealous earnestnesse to ingage themselves in the Cause, then out of any affectation or privity to this double formality of a Vow, tooke the Co­venant with BOTH THEIR HANDS HELD UP. In the same posture of expression we finde Gada­tas Xenop. de instit. Cyr lib. 5. the Eunuch in Xenophon LIFTING UP HIS HANDS TO HEAVEN, taking an oath.

Suffragor Gest. XIX

TO HOLD UP THE HAND is a naturall to­ken of approbation, consent, election, and of giving suffrage. An expression of the Hand so common, that Chirotonia which properly is this gesture of the Hand, is usurped per metalepsin con­nexi pro suffragio. To this declaration of the Hand that elegant metaphor of the Prophet Zephanie is referred: The deepes made a noise, and LIFT UP THEIR HANDS ON HIGH, that is, shewed Zephan. 3. 10. signes of their obedience and voluntary inclinati­on, as by LIFTING UP THEIR HANDS. And when Esàras blessed God, the people LIFTING UP THEIR HANDS, to their audible, added a Esdras. 1. cap 9. 47. kinde of visible Amen, signed by this gesture of assent, which is as much in the language of the Hand as So be it. Tully makes mention of this expression: If those Decrees that are received Cicero pro Flacco be rightly expressed, and singular excellent; not declared so by judgements nor authorities, nor [Page 53] bound by an oath, but by HOLDING UP THE HAND, and with great acclamation of the af­fected multitude. Hence both the phrase and practice of this gesture of approbation so fre­quently occurres in Xenophons Orations, who ha­ving made a proposition to the people, To whom Xenoph. de Cyr. minor. ex­ped. l. 3. & 4. this seemes good (saith he) let him HOLD UP HIS HAND, and all of them HELD UP THEIR HANDS. At the end of which Oration Chiriso­phus approving what Xenophon had said, requires the same expression at the peoples Hands in the same phrase, saying, He who approves of these things, let him signifie his assent by HOLDING UP HIS HAND. Then all of them HELD UP THEIR HANDS. And Xenophon arising againe to speake, concludes thus: Who assents to these things, let him HOLD UP HIS HAND, which they did accordingly. And so in many other places of his Oration. The signification of suf­frage in this gesture may be further illustrated by the practice of the Athenians in that passage of Thucidi­des lib. 3. Thucidides, where when Cleon and Diotatus had both delivered their opinions, the one most op­posite unto the other, about the alteration of the cruell Decree of the Athenians against the My­teleans, the Athenians were at contention which they should decree; and at the holding up of hands they were both sides almost equall. And one sort of the Athenian Magistrates were [...], Magistrates chosen by this gesture. Aes [...]hin. contr. Ctesiph. Which indeed, is a most significant expression of the Hand; so naturally doth the Hand imply the will and consent thereof; for, what wee put our Hand unto we are infallibly understood to will and intend, and with counsell and advice to [Page 54] undertake, and promise our concurrence.

Respuo. Gestus XX.

THE FLIRTING OUT OF THE BACK PART OF THE HAND, OR PUT-BY OF THE TUR­NING PALME, is their naturall expression who would refuse, deny, prohibit, repudiate, impute, or to lay to ones charge, reject or pretend to lay for an excuse, or would [...]wit and hit one in the teeth with a thing, and signifie disdaine. The minde of man being moved by distaste, in some significant gesture to utter and disclose her hatred and detestation: when she is displeased with any, she usually gives intelligence of her dislike in a discharge implyed by the significant dismission of the Hand, and such like signes, representing by gesture a willingnesse to rid her Hands of them. And this expression doth arise from the same cause that trembling and horrour do; name­ly My Lord Bacons Nat. hist. Cent. 8. from the retiring of the spirits, but in a lesse degree. For, the SHAKING OF THE HAND, is but a slow and definite trembling. And is a ge­sture of slight refusall and dislike, being used often by those who refuse a thing, or warne it away. This was the entertainment Antipater found at the Hands of his Father. For when he Joseph of the warres of the Jewes. boldly came neare as though he would have salu­ted him, Herod STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND, and shaking his head, gave him the repulse, tax­ing his presumption, for daring to offer to em­brace him, when he was guilty of so many trea­cheries against him. ¶ As it is a gesture that naturally without speech forbids, it was used by Augustus, when with his countenance and Hand he repressed those unseemly flatteries which Suet. Aug. cap. 53. were offered unto him. ¶ Caecina in his dreame [Page 55] used the like expression to the ghost of Quincti­lius Tacit. An­nal. lib. 2. Varus stretching out his inviting Hands to­wards him, which he THRUST BACKE, refu­sing to follow. ¶ And to this gesture, as I con­ceive, may that passage of the Prophet Zephanie Zeph. 2. [...]5 concerning the destruction of Nineveh bee re­ferred, Every one that passeth by her shall hisse and WAG HIS HAND; that is, shall expresse his detestation. Although Ribera and others give it Ribera in Isaiah. the sense of astonishment and insultation.

Invito. Gestus XXI.

TO SHEW FORTH THE HAND, AND SO FORTHWITH TO CALL BACKE AS IT WERE AND BRING IT AGAINE UNTO US WITH A WAVING MOTION, is a naturall Ge­sture, and a vulgar compellation, which we sig­nificantly use in calling for men whom we bid to come neare and approch unto us, which allu­ring habit in this matter is very naturall, ready, and commodious to explaine our minde and will, wherein there is a certain kind of forme or sem­blance of the thing signified. For wee seeme by this gesture to draw them to us. To the signifi­cation of this gesture appertaines that of the Prophet Isaiah: SHAKE THE HAND, that they Isai. 13. 2. may goe into the gates of the Nobles. That is, make a signe unto them to come by this inviting motion of the Hand. To this vocatiue, alluring and inticing compellation of the Hand, Proper­tius seemes to allude:

Iovianus Pontanus brings in Mercurie and Peri­chalcas inflicting punishments upon certaine U­surers and prophane Churchmen, where Mercu­rie [Page 56] is inforced to leave the execution of some of their punishments to Pyrichalcas, for Char [...]n as he Jovian. Pontan. Charon. perceived stayed for him in the Port, and had a long time beckoned to him with his Hand, and he went to him to know wherefore hee called. Caecina the Generall in his expedition against the Germanes, stirred up by Arminius, had one night a heavie dreame, which drove him into a feare. For he thought he had seene Quinctilius Varus Tacitus Annal. l. 2. rising out of the bogs, embrued all in bloud, calling him by name, and STRETCHING OUT HIS HAND TOWARDS HIM, which he thrust backe, refu­sing to follow.

Dimitto. Gestus XXII.

TO WAG AND WAVE THE HAND FROM US, is an expression by gesture significant to prohibit, bid one be gone, keepe off, forbid, dis­misse, and bid farewell and adieu: in which there is a certaine forme of the thing signified; for we seeme by this gesture to put from us. Nothing more ordinary in the occurrences of common life then this gesture, practised in these senses, a common custome to bid one keepe on his way, and proceed who is returning to us; to SHAKE OUR HAND as farre as ever we can see, to bid our friends farewell and adieu. Ovid according the ingenious way of invention in Poets, to heighten their fictions, and to set an artificiall glosse of truth upon them, that they may seeme more probable, upon every occasion brings in the personages of his story using these naturall expressions of the Hand. Thus he brings in June Ovid Me­tamorph. lib. 11. bidding Iris hasten on a message on which shee was sending her, doing it by SHAKING HER HAND into this naturall expression. And bringing [Page 57] in Ceyx going to sea, and taking leave of his wife Alcynoe, when he was gone aboard and lanched Idem lib. eodem. out, she raising up her humid eyes, espyeth him in the poope of the ship, SHAKING HIS HAND, bidding her thereby adieu, which she answered by the same motion, and loving pursuit of Ge­sture the usuall consequence of expression with those who have formerly shewed themselves Ioath to depart. And bringing the ghost of Idem lib. codem. Ceyx appearing to his wife Alcynoe in a dream to be drowned, at the end of his imagi­nary speech, he seems to adde tears, and this departing gesture of his Hand, bidding her for ever farewell. Burton in his symptomes of Burt. Me­lanchol. par. 3. sect. 2. Love Melancholy, makes this [longum vale] of the Hand, a peculiar property of lovers. A lover loath to depart will take his leave againe and a­gaine, and then come backe againe, looke after, SHAKE HIS HAND, and wave his hat a far off.

Minor. Gestus XXIII.

TO SHEW AND SHAKE THE BENDED FIST AT ONE, is their habit who are angry, threaten, would strike terrour, menace, revenge, shew enmity, despite, contemn, humble, chalenge, defie, expresse hate, and offer injury, tell one what he must looke for at their Hands. When anger a fit of the invading appetite, hath tooke hold of our spirits, and that we are incensed by Franc. L. Ver. Nat. Hist. some affront we cannot brooke, we use to threa­ten, to call the trespasser to account by this ge­sture of the Hand, occasioned by the violent pro­pensity of the minde, and strong imagination of the act of revenge. ☜Hence Phisiognomists in re­ference ad morem apparentem, or according to their rule of apparence, observing the fashion of men [Page 58] in this effect of passion in the Hand, conclude such persons to be hasty, cholericke, revengefull, and apt to take or give offence, who customarily use to hold their Hand in this posture. If we should goe over the Chronicles of all ages, and trace this naturall gesture of the Hand through those records which beare witnesse of times and the manners of men; we should meet with many examples of this angry expression of the Hand. Some few copies of this originall affection will serve to confirme and illustrare the acception of this gesture, in this sense, and signification. Thus Leo Armenus Emperour entring into the prison Zonaras. by night, and seeing Michael Balbus, and the Warden of the prison with him, and almost a­sleep, declared his anger by the AGITATION OF HIS HAND. Papias the Warden fearing the anger of the Emperour, in conclusion conspired with the same Michael, and on the very night of the nativity of our Saviour slew the Emperour. Thus the Souldiers of Vitellius Army BENT Tacit. hist. lib. 1. THEIR FISTS against the Ambassadours of the Helvetians, who came to treat that their City might not be razed, which the Souldiers (gréedy of revenge) had importunately called for to be razed, and Vitellius for his part spared no threats. Thus the Senate BENT THEIR FISTS against Sarielenus Vocula, and ceased not to offer violence untill he had departed the house. Thus also A­grippina Idem. Hist lib. 4. mad and wilfull after her favourite Pal­las was displaced from the charge that Claudius had given him, gave out threatning and thunde­ring Idem An­nal. lib. 18 speeches, yea not forbearing the Princes eares, and after her bitter threats, BENT HER FIST toward Nero. Thus the Souldiers in Pan­nonia [Page 59] threatned with the FISTS those they met Annal. lib. 1. of the guard, or Caesars friends and familiars, as desirous to picke quarrells and raise sedition. Free-men, bond-slaves, also were feared, threat­ning Idem An­nal. 3. with words and FISTS, their Patrons and Masters. The Italian vulgar doe most resent the indignity of this minatory AGITATION OF THE HAND exhibited against them.

Mendico. Gestus XXIV.

TO HOLD OUT THE HAND HOLLOW IN MANNER OF A DISH, is their habit who crave, beg, covet, and shew a gréedy readinesse to receive; and there is a certaine forme or sem­blance of the thing implied, in this unusuall ca­pacity of the Hand. From the naturall significa­tion of this posture, that biting adage had its ori­ginall which taxeth the lucrativs gréedinesse, of the Athenians; Atheniensis, vel moriens, Eras. Adag.cavat manum. This gesture of receit to an ingenious and honest man hath been accounted a kinde of reproach, as appeares by the witty saying of Ju­lian the Emperour. For when by a certaine so­lemn order or custome, there were certaine Mes­sengers or Pursivants brought into the consisto­ry, Ammian. Martel. lib. 16. to receive gold; among others, one of the company tooke it, not as the manner is, in the lappet of his mantle spread abroad, but with the hollow ball of both Hands; and with that these Pursivants or Intelligencers (quoth the Empe­rour) can skill to catch, and not to latch money. Hence it was that the Hand of Ruffinus gover­nour of the East under Honorius the Emperour, Hieron. Zosimus. was carried about through new Rome, after his death, in mockery, fashioned after this manner, which Claudian hath elegantly expressed in his death:

Corippus very ingeniously shadows out the ra­pacity of a company of Plebeians inferred from this Gesture of the Hands:

And a little before he said,

This entertainment Marcus Antoninus, the Im­periall Philosopher, received at the Hands of the Dion lib. 71. in vit. Anton. Phil. gréedy multitude when he came to Rome. For when in an oration, he made to the people, a­mong other things, he had said, that he had been absent in his travells many years; the mul­titude cried out, eight; and with STRETCHED OUT HANDS, signified how they craved that they might receive so many Aurei, for a congi­ary: at which the Emperour smiled, and said al­so, eight; and afterwards gave them eight Au­rei a piece; so great a summe, as they never re­ceived That is, 200. drachmes, as Dion. P [...]erius in Hieroglyp lib. 35. at any Emperours Hands before. Pierius saith he had seen the signe of Philemon in Rome, holding a booke shut, and tyed very streight in his left Hand, and his right Hand dish'd in this manner: so that he seem'd to demand the price, which unlesse they paid him downe in his Hand, they should not have his booke; for they report him to have beene a writer of Comedies, who was wont to sell his labours at a very deare rate. And Aristophanes hath a jest in one of his Co­medies, where Phidolus brings in the gods for Aristoph. in concio­natricibus. an example: To whom when we tender sup­plication [Page 61] for some good, they stand HOLDING THEIR HAND UPWARDS; not as they would give, but as they would receive somewhat. Bar­clay Barclay. Satyr. who is every where very elegant in his al­lusions to naturall gestures, reflecting upon the similitudes between this gesture, and the posture of the Hand in giving, brings in Euphormio des­cribing the statue of a goddesse, that held her left Hand very open, but stretched out her right Hand with such a womanish feigning and colourable pretence, that you could not tell whether she had rather give or take. This is the beggars cra­ving posture. Yet covetousnesse hath bowed the Hands even of Emperours to the significant pra­ctice thereof. For Suetonius reports that Octa­vius Sueton in the life of Octa. Aug. Caes. Augustus Caesar, by occasion of a vision by night, begged yearly upon a certaine day money of the people, and HELD OUT HIS HAND HOL­LOW to those who brought him brazen dodkins, or mites, called Asses. And the same Author hath observed as much in Vespasian, who was so Idem Ves­pasiano. famous for raising profit out of his Subjects urine and his dulcis odor lucri ex re qualibet. For when certaine Ambassadours brought him word that there was decreed for him at the common char­ges of thè state a Giant-like image that hee would cost no meane summe of money, he com­manded to raise the same immediately, SHEW­ING therewith HIS HAND HOLLOW. Here is the basis, quoth he, and pedestall for it ready.

Munero. Gestus XXV.

TO PUT FORTH THE RIGHT HAND SPREAD, is the habit of bunty, liberality, and a frée heart; thus we reward and friendly bestow our guists. Hence TO OPEN THE HAND [Page 62] in the Hebrew phrase implyes to be frée-hearted, munif [...]cent, and liberall. For, the Hebrewes when they would expresse a profuse munificence, they say Jadpethucha, that is, Manum apertàm: Leuncla­vius Hist. Mussel. lib. 4. Ecclesiast. 40. 14. from whence perchance the Turkes borrowing the conceit, are wont to set forth Liberality by an OPEN HAND. The sonne of Sirach knowing that the exercise of Bounty and Prodigality re­quires in a manner the like gesture and expression of the Hand; speaking of the unjust spend-thrift wasting of his goods, saith, That while he OPE­NETH HIS HAND he shall rejoyce. And the Greekes in old time (saith Pliny) called the span, or space of the Hand from the thumb to the little fin­gers Plin. Nat. Hist. end, Doron, which is the reason that gifts be in their language called Dora, because they bee presented with the Hand. Hence Phisiogno­mists say such who customarily use to hold the ☞ Hand extended out are of a liberall complexion of minde; arguing from this liberall property of the Hand. And there is a tradition our Mid­wives have concerning children borne OPEN HANDED, that such will prove of a bountifull disposition, and franke-handed. Infants indeed for the most part come into the world with their Hands clos'd; thereby notifying, as a Rabbi ob­serves, Buxtorph. that God hath given them the riches of this world, and as it were shut them up in their Hands: whereas on the contrary, dying men are wont to EXTEND AND STRETCH OUT THEIR HANDS AND FINGERS, thereby willing to sig­nifie that they relinquish the world, and have no longer to doe with the things thereof. Which is the only good action the close-handed Miser doth, who when death opens and unlockes his Hand, [Page 63] doth by this necessary posture of bounty, give a­way and bequeath, and as it were manumit what he could no longer with-hold from the next pos­sessor. Bellarmine relates a story of Stephen King Bellarm. in vit. S. Stophani. of Hungary, whose Hand was found whole and uncorrupt after his death. And casting in his minde what might be the reason why God was pleased miraculously to preserve his Right Hand onely, with the skinne, bones, and nerves, when the other members were resolved into their first elements, delivers his opinion, thus: Truly I thinke that in this miracle God was willing to shew the depth of his divine councell, that cha­rity excells all other vertues. Deservedly there­fore did the Right Hand of this holy King remain uncorrupt, which was alwayes flourishing with the blossomes of mercy, and which in relieving and distributing gifts to the poore, was never empty or indisposed. God (indeed) who OPENS' WITH HIS HAND, and filleth every living thing with his blessings, out of his infinite boun­ty deales out liberally his divine Almes to his creatures with both his Hands. Whence Divines distinguish the gifts of God into those of his Right Hand, and those of his Left, to wit, into spi­rituall and temporall. Dextra Dei est unde grata proveniunt. Hence the Aramites by a Right Hand understand the effuse [...]enignity of God. Maldo­nat Maldonat. Comment in Mat. 6. commenting upon the words of our Saviour, Let not thy left Hand know what thy right Hand doth, gives a reason why in this place, contrary to the enstome of Scripture, the Left Hand is na­med before the Right, and action attributed to the Right Hand, and knowledge to the Left. For it is therefore done (saith hee) because wee are [Page 64] wont to reach out our almes (which our Saviour there speakes of) with our Right Hand, hence called Manus eleemosinaria, and not with our left, and al other works that are done with the Hand, the Right Hand does them the Left as a helper doth assist; so that if it had eyes it could not bee ignorant what the Right Hand did: wherefore Christ would have us so to exercise this Hand with workes of charity, that our Left Hand (which is wont to be not onely conscious, but accessory to all the actions of the Right Hand,) should not so much as know or take notice there­of. Cresollius judiciously scanning these words of our Saviour, Let not thy left Hand know what thy Cresol. Anthol. Sacr. right Hand doth, tells us that it is a symbolicall expression very like to the Hieroglyphiques of the Aegyptians, and therefore the force and sense of this admonition, is to be sought out of the na­ture and usuall signification of both the Hands. As for the Right Hand, it is altogether OPEN, free, and manifestly put in action. Wherefore for its part it denotes an ingenuous candor and virtue, whose glory is most perspicuously set out by a­ction; but more especially the Right Hand signi­fieth liberality, and for that cause chosen to bee the hieroglyphique of a most beneficent and plen­tifull largesse: whereas the Left Hand hath a contrary Genius, and is observed to be of a close and retired nature: this Niggard out of a skulking disposition affecting secresie, and the subtile lei­sure of a thrifty vacation. So that this Symboll of our Saviour insinuates thus much: If thou art disposed to communicate thy goods to relieve the wants of thy brother, and to shew forth the liberality of thy minde, take not counsell of thy [Page 65] Left Hand: minde not what the covetous desire of goods, and the thirst of having, require at thy griping Hand; let the Right Hand prevaile with thee, the index of beneficence, and pledge of com­miseration, the accuser of covetousnesse. Let that muck-worme the Left Hand earth it selfe in ava­rice, and keepe silence by an uncharitable reten­tion, which doth not love to scatter, but to snatch away; not to bestow, but a long time to retaine. How many Scaevola's or Left-handed Donatists in matter of bounty doe our times afford, within the frozen hold of whose sparing Hand Charity is quite starv'd with cold? And how many who fearing the Moralists Bis dat qui cito dat, with the old Courtiers glosse, that the sooner suiters are dispatched, the sooner they will returne againe: by sinister delay hold them in suspence, while their courtesies hang to their fingers ends like Bird-lime, and will not come away? These the Heathen man would call viseata beneficia, we left-handed Senec [...]. favours. These men, as if they were re­strained by some sumptuary Law, made against the naturall munificence of the Right Hand, refer all matters of beneficence to the penurious dis­cretion of the Left Hand. Nay, are there not some, who as if they held ignorance to bee the mother of thrift, to elude this nesciat of the Gos­pel, have made their Hands strike a league toge­ther, and agree never to know any such thing one by the other?

Auxilium fero. Gestus XXVI.

TO EXTEND AND OFFER OUT THE RIGHT HAND UNTO ANY, is an expression of pity, and of an intention to afford comfort and reliefe: used also as a token of assurance, peace, security [Page 66] and promised safety, and salvation. An expression much desired by those who are in distresse, and are not able to shift for themselves, who use to call for the guift or auxiliary loan of this Hand; for thus Palinurus calls to Aeneas,

Hence Eras. Ada. Dare manum alicui vel Eras. Ada.manum admovere sign. [opem & auxilium ferre.] Symmachus calls this [adjutricem] manum the helping Hand.Sym. l. 3. Epist. 67.Cas­siodorusCas. l. 4.Dextram [salutarem] the comfortable Hand; and with Isidor, it is the witnesse of sal­vation.Epist 26.Pierius makes this gesture the hierogly­phicke of fortitude and aid, in which sense it is Pier. Hier. lib. 35. very frequently used by the learned Romans. The same manner of expression hath prevailed also with the Greeks, and with the Hebrews like­wise; Proverb. 11. 21. for so saith the Scripture, The wicked lend one another the Hand, but in vaine; for though HAND IOYNE IN HAND, the wicked shall not scape unpunished. The like expression of gesture is frequent in sacred Writ. The Pro­phet Psal. 38. 7. 20. 6. 44. 3 139. 10. Isa. 16. 7. Isaiah in reference to the signification of comfort, saith, they shall not STRETCH OUT THE HANDS for them in the morning to comfort them for the dead: And Salomon speaking of the Proverb. 31. 20. vertuous woman, saith, She spreadeth out her Hands to the poore, and putteth forth her Hand to the needy. To this intent, Jesus immediately STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND, and caught Matt. 14. 31. up sinking Peter crying out unto him to save him. And so significant and demonstrative to succour and support is this gesture, that Uzza for putting forth his Hand to stay the Arke of God, was smitten with death for that speaking errour 2 Sam. 6. 6 of his Hand. This gesture of succour and reliefe, [Page 67] hath been observed in ancient coines, stamped Pierius Hierogly. lib. 35. with the image of the goddesse Ops, by that po­sture, promising a willingnes to helpe all that in­voke her name. ¶ This gesture is (also) a na­turall token of assurance and promised safety. Pleth. Ge­nist rerum Graec. l. 2. Thus the King of Persia saved Mentors life by REACHING HIM HIS RIGHT HAND. Ammianus Marcellinus saith the same of one Nebridius, who was the only man that refused to conspire with others against Constantins, and Ammian. Marcellin. Hist. l. 21. cap. 4. therefore to save himselfe from the fury of the Souldiers who had drawne their swords upon him, flying with all speed he could make to Ju­lian, besought him, that for assurance he would vouchsafe to GIVE HIM HIS RIGHT HAND; whereunto Julian made answer, what shall I keep especially for my friends, in case thou touch my Hand? but goe thy wayes from hence whither thou wilt, in safety and security.

Commi­sereor. Gestus XXVII.

TO LET DOWN THE HAND with intent to reare some languishing creature from off the ground, is a greater expression of pity and com­miseration, then to afford a STRETCHED OUT HAND to one who riseth of his owne accord; for between these expressions the Learned have made a distinction: To this expression I finde that of the Psalmist referred, Send downe thy Psal. 144. 7. Hand from above.

Irascor. Gestus XXVIII.

TO STRIKE A TABLE OR SOME SUCH LIKE THING WITH THE HAND, is the gesture of one angry or grieved in minde, and very impati­ent. To which gesture that of the Prophet Eze­kiel Ezek. 6. 11 is referred, Thus saith the Lord God, SMITE [Page 68] WITH THINE HAND, &c. By this signe inci­ting the Prophet to signifie the great wrath and destruction to come. The natural reason of which gesture is, the minde fretted that it cannot meet with a revenge, doth out of Hand endeavour to My Lord Bacons Nat. Hist. quench her fervent heat some other way, to wit, by STROKES or noise, or some other remedy, which somewhat ease the minde. To descend downe into our owne Historie for an example of this patheticall motion of the Hand, a Royall Copie whereof we have in a Prince, whose pas­sions were, as himselfe, great, to wit, Henry the Godwyns Annals of Hen. 8. eight, who demanding of one of his Physicians whose patient Cardinall Woolsey was, what di­stemper Woolsey had, who then was sicke, the Doctor replyed, what disease soever he hath, hee will not live to the end of three dayes more. The King STRIKING THE TABLE WITH HIS HAND, cryed out, I had rather lose two thou­sand pounds then hee should dye, make haste therefore you and as many Physicians as are a­bout the Court, and by all meanes endeavour his recovery. Another example of this expression I finde in our Chronicles, before the times of this Sir Rich. Baker Chron. of the K. of England. Prince, and that is in the Duke of Gloster, Pro­tectour to young King Edward the fifth. For a­mong other passionate gestures which accom­panied his changed countenance, when he accu­sed the Queene Mother and her complices of plotting his death, and my Lord Hastings had ad­ventur'd to returne some answer to his fierce in­terrogatory, submissively saying, If the Queene have conspired,—The word was no sooner out of the Lord Hastings mouth, when the Pro­tectour CLAPPING HIS HAND UPON THE [Page 69] BOARD, and frowningly looking upon him, said, Tellest thou me of If and And, I tell thee, they, and none but they have done it, and thou thy self art partaker of the villany, &c.

Cohorto. Gestus XXIX.

TO HOLD UP THE HAND HOLLOW ABOVE THE SHOULDER POINTS, AND TO SHAKE IT IN ORBE BY THE TURNE AND RETURNE OF THE WREST, is their naturall expression who encourage, embolden, and exhort one to be of good chéere. Antonius in stead of speech signi­ficantly Plutarch in the life of Anto­nius. used this gesture. For it is written of him, that while he was setting his men in order of battaile at Actium, being resolved for a navall fight, to end the controversie betweene Octavius Caesar and him for the Monarchie of the world; there was a Captaine and a valiant man that had served Antonius in many battailes and conflicts, and had all his body hacked and cut: who as Antonius passed by him, cryed out unto him, and said: O noble Emperour, how commeth it to passe that you trust in these vile brittle ships? what, doe you mistrust these wounds of mine, and this sword? Let the Aegyptians and the Phoenicians fight by Sea, and set us on the main land, where we use to conquer, and to bee slaine on our feet. Antonius passed by him and said never a word, but only BECKOND TO HIM WITH HIS HAND and Head, as though he wil­led him to be of good courage, although indeed he had no great courage himselfe.

Praeclara aggedior. Gestus XXX.

TO EXALT OR LIFT UP THE STRETCH'D OUT HAND, is the habit of one attempting to doe and take some famous exploit in Hand: [Page 70] and is a naturall posture of an exalted and victo­rious power. Hence he is said to have his RIGHT HAND EXALTED who is made powerfull and glorious. Hence the Prophet Micha: Thy Mich. 5. 9. HAND SHALL BE LIFT UP upon thine adversa­ries: that is, Thou shalt overcome and be victo­rious. And to this gesture the Psalmist alludes, Thou hast SET UP THE RIGHT HAND of his ad­versaries. Psa. 89. 41 Deut. 32. 27. Wee reade in Deuteronomy, that the Lord would have scattered his people, but hee feared their enemies should wax proud, and say our HIGH HAND and not the Lord hath done all this. And that mirrour of patience: The HIGH ARME of the wicked shall be broken. The Psal­mist [...]ob 38. 15 Psa. 10. 12 Psa. 89. 13 using the expression and signification of this gesture in great attempts: Arise O Lord, LIFT UP THINE HAND. And againe, Thou hast a mighty Arme, strong is thy Hand, and HIGH IS THY RIGHT HAND. And the Scriptures ge­nerally under the metaphor of this gesture sha­dow Exod. 6. 6. Deut. 4. 34 7. 19. 9. 29 Jer. 32. 21. 1 King. 8. 42. out the power of God manifested in the de­livery of the children of Israel out of Aegypt, who under this phrase is significantly said to have brought them out from thence openly, and by maine force. ¶ That it is significant in their Hands who goe about to set in Hand a businesse; to omit other confirmation, appeares in Pharaohs speech to Joseph, were he said unto him, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man LIFT UP HIS Gen. 41 44. HAND in Aegypt. Examples of this attempting gesture are not wanting in prophane Histories. For the day on which the battaile of Pharsalia was strucken, Caesar seeing Crastinus in the mor­ning as he came out of his Tent, asked him what Plutar. in the life of Caesar. he thought of the successe of the battaile? Cra­stinus [Page 71] STRETCHING OUT HIS RIGHT HAND unto him [which was a mute omen hee should have the Better Hand of his enemies that day] cryed out aloud, O Caesar, thine is the victorie; and this day shalt thou commend mee alive or dead: and accordingly brake afterwards out of the rankes, and running amongst the midst of his enemies, with many that followed him, made a great slaughter: at last one ran him into the mouth, that the swords point came out at his neck, and so slew him.

Profero. Gestus XXXI.

TO PRESENT THE HAND, is their expressi­on who profer or deliver a thing as their act and déed. And the Verbe profero which hath the signification to profer and present a thing, seemes to imply the very gesture. This was the first ex­pression that ere appeared in the Hand, and was used by Eve in the fatall profer of the forbidden fruit unto the first man. And it was required in Gen. 3. 6. Mal. 2. 13. the old Law at the Hand of the offerer, who was to present his offering with his owne Hand: for in religious duties there was never a proxie al­lowed, ¶ As it is significant in delivery of wri­tings as our act and deed, it is most apparantly seene in its signification at the delivery of Deeds (so called from this gesture for this is that which gives force to all legall conveyances, and with­out this expression Liverie and Seisin is of none effect. ¶ A semblance of the same gesture wee use when wee would take or accept what is pro­fered and delivered into our Hands. And that si­militude of posture seemes to imply a correspon­dency and a favourable inclination to entertaine their offer, as if they there withall profered thanks [Page 72] for the same. To the naturall purpose and mean­ing Ecclus. 15. 16. of this gesture, the Sonne of Sirach: He hath set fire & water before thee, STRETCH FORTH THY HAND unto whether thou wilt: that is, take or accept of which thou wilt: for by a me­tonymy of the adjunct the signe is put for the thing signified. This was the second gesture of Gen. 3. 6. any signification that is recorded to have appea­red in the Hand, and the first that shewed it selfe in the Hand of the first man Adam, when hee ac­cepted of that forbidden fruit, with which hee tooke a curse that filled his Hand with labour, and forced it often to advance to wipe his swea­ting browes. From this unhappy gesture the Hand may be well called Manus à manando, be­cause all evill proceeded from this action. Two uses the Hand was chiefly ordained for, to take, and doe, as Galen well observes: but Man took Galen de usu part. lib. 2. so ill with it at first, that he undid himselfe. The misguided Hand would be reaching at the Tree of knowledge, but prohibited by an expresse ca­veat, was prevented from putting forth it selfe Gen. 3. 22. to the tree of life.

Effoemina­te festino. Gestus XXXII.

TO WAG THE HAND IN A SWINGING GE­STURE, is their naturall expression who would endea [...]our to hasten and assist themselves in pro­gressive motion, and withall denotes a kinde of wantonnesse and effeminacy. Aristotle sayes, that Arist. de g [...]ess. ani­ [...]. man could not walke unlesse he were assisted by the motion of his shoulders, and that the SWIN­GING OF HIS ARMES doth much help the bo­dies transportation in leaping: which men by instinct knowing, doe many times fall into this gesture upon such occasion. Hence Phisiogno­micall [Page 73] Philosephers who know that every man hath his peculiar genius, causing that native dif­ference of habilities in men; observing the ope­ration of these spirits as they are matched and conjoyned to outward gestures, which by a kind of tacit character give out the manner of their complexion; doe easily discerne the differences of spirits by arguing syllogistically from the na­turall habit to the genuine or contracted, which custome makes more personall; for as mens present passions and inclinations are brought by nature into act; so men following the vogue of nature, are wrought to a reiteration of that acti­on, untill the Hand hath contracted a habit. ☜The result of these Phisiognomers falls thus into a grand axiome of their art, that whosoever is (as by a personall propriety and actuall condition) customarily seen to use the gesture of any natu­rall affection; he is by habituall complexion ve­ry incident to that affection, exhibited by that gesture. Hence Seneca, not unskilfull in this art of Chiromanticall Phisiognomie, makes the CU­STOMARY WAGGING OF THE HAND TO AND FRO, a personall character of effeminacie and impudence. Impudicum & incessus [...]stendit, &Sen. epist. Moral. l. 8.manus mot [...], & relatus ad caput digitus, & flexus oculorum: The gate, the turning of the eye, the finger on the head, and the WAG­GING OF THE HAND, shew a shamelesse wanton. And Marcus Cato was wont to say, Plut. in the life of Cato Ma­jor. he would not have him for a souldier, that WAGD HIS HAND AS HE GOETH, removes his feet as he fighteth, and routeth and snorteth louder in his sleep, then when he crieth out to charge upon his enemy.

Demōstro non habe­re. Gestus XXXIII.

TO SHAKE OUT THE HAND, is their naturall expression who would shew that they have not, nor desire to have a thing. This the Latines call* manus excutere. The Prophet Isaiah in re­ference to the signification of this gesture, saith, The righteous SHAKETH HIS HANDS from holding of bribes.Isaiah 33. 15. And the sonne of Sirach al­ludes to the signification of this gesture, where he saith, The slothfull man is compared to the filth of a dunghill: every man that takes it up, will Ecclesast. 22. 2. SHAKE HIS HAND.

Castigo. Gestus XXXIV.

TO SHAKE OR HOLD THE STRETCHED AND RAISED HAND OVER ANY, is their expression who offer to chastise and thew a wil­lingnes to strike or take revenge. Hence the pro­hibition of the Angel to Abraham about to sacri­fice his son, after he had STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND, to that intent, lay not thine Hand upon the childe. The Prophet Isaiah respective to this signification of gesture, saith, That the King of Isa. 10. 32. Assyria should SHAKE HIS HAND against the mount of the daughter of Sion. And because men are wont to use this expression by gesture to those they hold worthy of rebuke and punish­ment, that being terrified thereby they might re­claim them from vice. Hence by an Anthropo­peia in many places of Scripture this gesture im­plies the chastizing Hand of God. To this signi­fication belongs that of the Prophet Isaiah, In Isa. 19. 16. that day shall Aegypt be like unto women; and it shall be afraid and feare, because of the SHA­KING OF THE HAND of the Lord of Hosts, which he shaketh over it. To this also belongs [Page 75] that of the same Prophet, With his mighty wind Idem cap 11. ver. 15. shall he SHAKE HIS HAND over the river. And the Prophet Zechariah to the same signification, Behold, I will SHAKE MINE HAND upon Zach. 2. 9. them.

Pugno. Gestus XXXV.

TO STRIKE ONE WITH THE FIST, is their Gesture who would be avenged of those that have offended them, and would right them­selves by this wilde vindictive justice of their Hands. The Hand thus closely shut and the fin­gers all turned in, is called in Latine, Pugnus, quo­niam manus quae ante erat passa & mane (unde ma­nus) contracta clausis digitis, effecta est [...] id est Scaliger de Subtil. densae. The nether part of this Hand in this po­sture Chiromancers call the pomell or percussion of the Hand, the Greeks Hypothen [...]r seu ferieus manus, and [...], percutere. Gale [...] Goraeus. observes that the outside of the Hand was depri­ved Galen de us. part. of flesh, that the FIST might be more con­firmed to supply the place of a weapon. And in­deed they naturally and easily finde this thicke weapon who would BUFFET or fight at fisti­cusses with others. This was the gesture of the Hand that first begun the fray or skirmish in the world, before time had brought in the use of o­ther weapons. Hence the Latines say, Pugnam Erasin. Adag. in manu esse, and pugna hath its denomination from this posture of the Hand. Lucretius alludes to this primitive expression of anger,

And when we see men together by the ears, we know what they intend thereby. The Prophet Isaiah condemning the injurious use of this smi­ting Isa. 58. 4. expression of the Hand in [...] and debate, [Page 76] calls it the Fist of wickednesse.

Reprchen­do. Gestus XXXVI.

TO BOX OR SMITE ONE WITH THE PALM OF THE HAND, is their expression who would rebuke or correct another for some saucie speech or action. Hence the Hand with the fin­gers stretched out, which Isidor calls the palme, hath its name in Hippocrates from a word that signifieth to strike. Agellius useth the word de­palmare for this smiting expression of the palme: The Greeks to the same signification of gesture use the word [...]. This contemptuous expression of anger the officer of the high Priest Joh. 18. 22 Mark 14. 65. Mat. 26. 67 used to our blessed Saviour; for the Text saies, He strooke him with the palme of his Hand, taking upon him to rebuke Christ for answering the high Priest irreverently as he cursedly supposed. To the naturall signification of this offensive ge­sture, may that of the Prophet Isaiah be referred, Isa. 5. [...]5. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled a­gainst his people, and He hath STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND against them, and hath smitten them, &c. for all this, his anger is not turned away, but his HAND IS STRETCHED OUT still.

Appre­hendo. Gestus XXXVII

TO LAY HAND UPON ONE is their expressi­on who with authority apprehend and lay hold of one as a delinquent to secure their per­son. This is one of the properest expressions of the Hand; apprehension being the proper action of the Hand, for Hand and Hold are conjugates, as they terme them in the Schooles; from which gesture the Hand is called Organon antilepticon, Dr. Crook in his Mi­crocosm. for it is the first use of the Hand to TAKE HOLD. [Page 77] With the Ancients this gesture is manucaptio and manus injicere. This is a dangerous Habeas Cor­pus Eras. Ada [...] in officers who are the Hands of the Law, & without words obtains the force of an arrest, and hath a spice of their authority more strong then their emblematicall Mace. These actions Mark 14. 46. are frequently entered in the Counter of Time. Thus the officers of the high Priest LAID HANDS on Christ, and tooke him.

Manumit­to. Gestus XXXUIII

TO LET GO ONES HOLD AND TAKE OFF THE HAND FROM ANY ONE, is their ge­sture who would signifie a willingnesse to re­lease one that was before in their possession and power, as having some reason to grant them their liberty. This with the Ancients is manu­mittere, and from the signification of this naturall gesture, the Ancients tooke their formes of ma­numission, used when they did enfranchise their bond-men: of which the Civill Law takes much See Justin. Institut. notice, and the observation of Critiques are very large in that matter. There is in this naturall ex­pression of the Hand a certaine forme of the thing signified. Hence the Aegyptian Priests who alwayes had their eyes fixt upon the Hand of nature, in their Hieroglyphique expressed li­berty Pier. hie­roglyph. lib. 35. by a HAND EXTENDED OUT AT LARGE, in which lively symbole of gesture, the fingers seem to be made frée of the Hand. The medall of Tiberius Claudius Caesar, in which a little gra­ven Idem ibid. image hath the LEFT HAND OPENED TO ITS UTTERMOST EXTENT, with this inscrip­tion, Libertas Augusta, implies as much, since the left Hand the most retentive appears fréely to manumit; for as the Hand in this posture implies [Page 78] the naturall liberty of its owne proper and indi­viduall body: so it most properly expresses the gift of the same priviledge to others by the same freedome of gesture.

Incito. Gestus XXXIX.

TO CLAP ONE ON THE BACK OR SHOUL­DER WITH THE HAND, is their expression who would hearten and encourage others; a ge­sture obvious in the Hand that takes part with those that are in fight, and desires to set men or beasts together by the ears. Significantly respe­ctive unto this, is that gesture among others, used Sandys Travells. lib. 4. in installing the Knights of St. John of Jerusa­lem, whereby he that gives him Knight-hood, LAYING HIS HAND ON HIS SHOULDER doth exhort him to be vigilant in the Faith, and to aspire unto true honour by couragious and laudable actions.

Foveo. Gest. XL.

VVE USE TO STROKE THEM GENTLY WITH OUR HAND whom we make much of, cherish, humour, or affectionately love, an expression very obvious among the a­ctions of common life, being a kinde of indul­gent declaration of the minde, used to pacifie and please others, performed by drawing our Hand with a sweetning motion over the head or face of the party to whom we intend this insi­nuation. This the Ancients call mulcere caput alterius; a gesture often used by men in signe of favour and encouragement to ingenious and to­wardly youths.

Admoneo Gest. XLI

TO TAKE HOLD GENTLY Of ANOTHERS HAND, is a gesture used by those who admo­nish [Page 79] and perswade, which hee that shall set him­selfe to observe the actions of men, may upon such occasions finde used to the same intents and purposes. Mithropaustes used this gesture in ad­monishing Demaratus the Lacedemonian: who Plutarch in the life of Themi­stocles. being in the Court of Persia, the King willing him to aske what gift he would. Hee besought the King to grant him this favour, to licence him to goe up and downe the City of Sardis with his royall Hat on his head, as the Kings of Persia do. For, Mithropaustes the Kings cozen TAKING HIM BY THE HAND, said unto him, Demaratus, the Kings Hat thou demandest, and if it were on thy head, it would cover but little wit. Nay though Jupiter should give thee his Lightning in thy Hand, yet that would not make thee Jupiter. And we finde Timon, surnamed Misanthropos (as Idem in the life of Alcibiades who would say Loup-garou, or the man-hater) using this expression: who meeting Alcibiades with a great traine as he came one day from the Councell and Assembly of the City, not passing by him, nor giving him way (as hee did to all o­ther men) but went straight to him, and TOOKE HIM BY THE HAND, and said, O, thou doest well my sonne, I con thee thanke, that thou go­est on and climbest up still: for if ever thou be in authority, woe be unto those that follow thee, for they are utterly undone. Such an intention of gesture, but with more vehemency of expression the Angels used to Lot, while he lingred in So­dome, Gen. 19. 16. LAYING HOLD UPON HIS HAND, and UPON THE HAND of his wife, and UPON THE HAND of his two daughters, to admonish and perswade them to a sudden departure from that accursed City.

Confido. Gestus XLII.

TO LEAN UPON ANOTHERS HAND, is their gesture who make a confiding use of the staffe of their age or affection, an expression im­porting that they much rely upon their faith and friendship: and often seene in the Hand of great Princes, when for greater state and ease they goe supported in this wise. The signification of which countenance of Majesty doth in effect shew that the Nobleman on whose Hand the King leaned, was next and subordinate in authority to himself, and that the waight of all the principall affaires of State did lye on his Hands. Thus in the Booke of the Kings of Judah we reade of a Prince (the 2 Kin. 7. 3. same that mockt at the words of Elisha when he foretold of the releefe of Samaria) on whose Hand Iohoram King of Israel lean'd: that is, as the Glosse upon our Bibles hath it, a Prince to whom the King gave the charge & oversight of things, as doth more plainly appeare by the 27. verse of the same Chapter. And the speech of Naaman to Elisha after hee had cured him of his Leprosie, 2 King. 5. makes it more apparant: Onely herein let the Lord be mercifull to thy servant, that when my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to wor­ship, and leane upon my Hand, &c. Where Naa­man craveth to bee pardoned of zeale without knowledge, as M. Junius saith, it being no such Wilsons Christ. Dict. thing as should trouble his conscience to bow himselfe in an officious sort and civill duty to bend his body that his Lord might leane upon his Hand when he went into the Temple of the Idol Rimmon to adore. Thus Libo Drusus sustained by the Hand of his brother, entred into the Se­nate house to answer to that enormity hee was Tacitus. [Page 81] accused of: who when hee saw Tiberius a great way off, he held up his Hands, imploring mercy with great humility. Which statelinesse of ge­sture was much used in Asia by great persons, and is at this day by your Italian Ladies.

Impedio. Gestus XLIII.

TO HOLD FAST ANOTHERS HAND in the signification of hindrance and restraint, is a gesture so obvious in the cholericke perturbati­ons of humane life, that it needs no illustration by example, since we may every day meet with satisfaction in the publique streets: for in quar­rells where there is any moderation or over ma­stering power on one side, this restraint of the Hand is used both with signification and advan­tage. To this gesture may be referred that of the Prophet Zechariah, A great tumult from the Lord Zach. 14. 13. 14. shall be among them, and they shall lay hold eve­ry one on the Hand of his neighbour, and his Hand shall rise up against the Hand of his neigh­bour, and Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem, &c.

Recordo. Gestus XLIV.

TO IOG ONE ON THE ELBOW, is the usuall intimation of those who put others in minde, and take upon them the part of a Remembran­cer: a gesture very frequent in the common pas­sage of humane affaires: much practised by the Hands of the ancient Romane Nomenclators, as appeares by the testimony of Horace:

Recom­mendo. Gestus. XLV

TO TAKE ONE BY THE HAND in courtesie, to recommend them unto another by way of presentation, is an usuall expression in the Hands of men, a gesture significant and remark­able, [Page 82] having beene tooke notice of by ancient Chronologers: for, the Hand according to the primitive intention of Nature, having by a ne­cessary consent of Nations beene ever chosen Chronologer of al remarkable actions, hath con­sequently proved its own Biographer. If there­fore we but cast an intuitive eye upon those me­morials the Right Hand of Time hath left fairly noted in the Left Palme of Antiquity, even by the old autography of the Hand, wee may spell out the sense of this naturall expression. For when Valentinian had a full purpose to adorne his sonne Gratian, a pretty young stripling, and Ammian. Marcellin. lib. 7. well growne, with the Imperiall Ensignes, when he had wrought the Souldiers to accept thereof, hee ascended up the Tribunall, and taking the youth by the Right Hand, hee brought him up before them, and in a publique Oration recom­mended him (as ordained Emperour) to the Ar­mie. Another Copie of this naturall gesture we finde in the Hand of Pertinax, refusing in modesty the Empire; pretending his age and meane de­scent: Herodian. lib. 2. who taking Glabrio by the Hand, and pul­ling him forth, placed him in the Imperiall Throne, recommending him as more fit for the Empire. And Commodus in a speech he made un­to the Souldiers of his Army, puts them in minde Idem l. 1. how his father Marcus when hee was an infant, carried him in his armes, and delivered him into their Hands, recommending him (as it were) to their tutelage and fidelity. Thus also Tiberius (though with dissimulation) tooke Nero and Drusus, Germanicus children, by the Hands, and re­commended Tacitus Annal. l. 3. them to the care of the Senate in a dissembling Oration he made. Thus Cyrus taking [Page 83] Hystaspas by the Right Hand, gave her unto his Xenoph. de Cyr. inst. lib. 8. friend Gobrias, who having stretched out his Hand before, received her at his Hands. And this expression Raguel used when he gave his daugh­ter Sarah to wife to young Tobias, an expression Tob. 7. 13 which delivered from Hand to Hand is one of the solemne rites of Matrimony to be used by the fa­ther of the Bride.

Officiose duco. Gestus XLVI.

TO LEAD ONE BY THE HAND, is their ex­pression who take care of the weaknesse and inability of others in matters of progressive mo­tion, used most commonly to young children whom wee would teach and assist to goe with more ease and safety: of which manuduction Holy Writ affords many examples. Thus Agar Gen. 21. 18. by commandement of the Angel held her childe by the Hand, which allegorically signifies the workes of the Law, that is, the Law comman­deth workes. Thus the Tribune tooke the Ne­phew of Saint Paul by the Hand. And to this Act. 23. 19 Ezek. 45. 1 may be referred that of the Prophet Ezekiel, Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus, whose Right Hand I have holden. And to the signification of this ge­sture appertains that of the Prophet Isaiah, con­cerning Isa. 51. 18 the misery of Jerusalem, There is none to guide her among all the sonnes whom she hath brought forth: neither is there any that TAKETH HER BY THE HAND, of all the sonnes that shee hath brought up. This sense of gesture hath that also of the Author to the Hebrewes: In the Heb. 8. 9. day when I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND, to lead them out of the land of Aegypt. The like Isa 41. 13 42. 6. Psal. 89. [...]1 phrase of gesture occurres in divers other places of Scripture. But when this expression is used to [Page 84] a female, and one of riper yeares, 'tis significant to present an officious and tender respect or ser­viceable affection. The aspiring affectation of women raised by Choppines to an artificiall ele­vation of stature, hath made this courtly garb of gesture more necessary and commodious to great Ladies, and hath preferr'd it to bee one of the eight parts of speech of a Gentleman-ushers Ac­cidence. Hence Ovid, a man well versed in such Ovid. met. lib. 2. obsequious expressions, makes Jupiter at his arri­vall into Crete, LEAD EUROPA BY THE HAND into the Cave of Dicte. This expression is some­times used to the blinde; for the Hand as it speaks by signes unto the dumb, so in a more necessary garbe of speech it officiates the place of an eye, and speaking in the conducting dialect of a friendly assistance, supplyes the defect of an ocu­lar direction. Samson when the Philistines had Judg. 16. 26. boared out his eyes, was beholden to the Lad that HELD HIM BY THE HAND, for the last at­chievement of his fatall strength. And in this sense the blind man and his leader are a kind of relatives.

Impatien­tiā prodo. Gestus XLVII.

TO APPLY THE HAND PASSIONATELY UNTO THE HEAD, is a signe of anguish, sor­row, griefe, impatiencie, and lamentation, used also by those who accuse or justifie themselves. The recourse and offer of nature in this relieving expression of the Hand, makes good the Adage, Ubi dolor, ibi digitus. The Prophet Jeremiah pro­phesying Eras. Adag Jer. 2. 37. against Judah, foretels that she should be brought to use this note or signe of lamenta­tion. ¶ And Tamar defloured by her brother 2 Sam. 13. 19. Ammon, LAID HER HAND UPON HER HEAD, [Page 85] as it were accusing or justifying her selfe, as Lo­rinus. Lorinus in his coment. upon Numbers. Plutarch in the life of Solon. And 'tis probable that the Shunamites childe when he cryed, My head, my head, made use of this dolorous expression of the Hand. Thales by a pretty Pageant put Solon into such a passion by making him beleeve his sonne was dead at Athens, that like a mad man he straight beganne to beat his head, like one impatient in affliction, and overcome with sorrow. The Head is the na­turall hieroglyphique of health, and the Hand of reliefe and protection, as being the Champion of the Head. Hence in the straits of imminent perils, or dolorous calamity, they usually meet in a Committee of safety. Hence Tiberius Grac­chus engaged in extreame danger, as it were ju­stifying himselfe, and recommending his life and safety, which depended on his Head, to the peo­ple Florus. of Rome, LAYING HIS HAND UPON HIS HEAD, went forward to the Capitoll: which by the sinister interpretation of his enemies turned to his prejudice, they inferring that by this signe he craved the Diadem. Some such passage you shall finde in Aristophanes, where Dicaepolis to this effect: Et si non vera profatus fuero Aristoph. Acharnan.manu supra caput imposita, quae (que) universus approbet po­pulus.

Sollicite cogito. Gestus XLVIII.

TORUE OR SCRATCH THE HEAD WITH THE HAND, is their naturall gesture who are in anguish or trouble of minde: for common­ly when we are in doubt, and uncertaine what to doe, we musing SCRATCH OUR HEAD. Hence by a proverbiall translation from this gesture, Ca­put fricare, seu digito scalpere, is used pro cogitare. Eras. Adag But why we should in earnest meditation so na­turally [Page 86] expresse our endeavour by this recourse of the Hand to the head, to scratch where it doth not itch; is, may be, to rowze up our distracted intellect; or else the Hand, which is the Engi­neere of invention, and wits true Palladium, ha­ving a naturall procacity to bee acquainted with their phansie, officiously offers it selfe to facili­tate the dispatch of any affaires that perplex a faculty so neer ally'd unto it, the Hand in the col­laterall line of Nature, being couzen germane to the Fancie.

Pudeo. Gestus XLIX.

THE RECOURSE OF THE HAND TO THE FACE in shame, is a naturall expression, as Alexander Aphrodisaeus proves.Alex. Aphr. l. 1. Probl. 15. For, shame being a passion that is loath to see or be seene, the bloud is sent up from the breast by nature, as a mask or veile to hide the labouring face, and the apply­ing of the Hands upon the face is done in imita­tion of the modest act of Nature. Hence Licen­tius a Noble young man writing to Austin a lear­ned and sweet Poem, very cunningly alludes to this naturall expression.

This declaration of shame by the Hand, we finde Marke Antony to have used after the battaile of Actium fought betweene him and Octavius Cae­sar. Plutarch. in the life of Anton. For he flying with a doting speed after Cleo­patra, who was fled before, having overtaken her, and being pluckt up into her Gally: at his first comming saw her not, but being ashamed and cast downe with his adverse fortune, went and sate downe alone in the prowe of the Ship, and said never a word, CLAPPING HIS HEAD [Page 87] BETWEEN BOTH HIS HANDS. ¶ And this expression is not onely used in respect of our selves, but of others also, as daily experience and the actions of men doe declare. For when there were divers Oratours of Greece very fluent and elegant speakers, sent Ambassadours unto Philip, and Demosthenes had not spoken sufficiently for the honour of the Commonwealth, If there bee any credit to bee given to Aeschines his enemy, putting it downe in one of his Orations: Adje­cit ille etiam maxime ridenda, quarum collegas ita [pudebat] utAeschines pro Ti­ma [...]ch.faciem obtegerent. The same Ae­schines in another Oration, where he describes the impudent audacity of a most notorious wic­ked man, who would speake openly in a pub­lique assembly of the Citizens naked; Such, saith hee, was the beastlinesse of that petulant and drunken man, that wise men put their Hands be­fore their eyes, blushing in the behalfe of the Commonwealth which used such Counsellours.

Adoro. Gest. L.

TO KISSE THE HAND, is their obsequious expression who would adore & give respect by the courtly solemnity of a salutation or vale­diction. The gracefull carriage of the Hand in this officious obedience to the will, while it moves to the chiefest orifice of the minde. Ter­tullian and others have acknowledged to have the handsome sense of a civill complement. To whom Lucian consents. Qui adorant (saith S^t. Hierom) solent manum Lucian. in Demo [...]h. Ene. Hierom. ad Russ.deosculari. And in the phrase of Plautus this is Adorare suaviter. There is no expression of the Hand more frequent in the formalities of civill conversation, and he is a novice in the Court of Nature, who doth not [Page 88] understand a basiér de la main: and he a clown in Humanity, who doth not speake to his betters in this respectfull language of the Hand.

Distantē amicum revereor. Gest. LI.

TO BRING THE HAND TO OUR MOUTH, AND HAVING KISSED IT, TO THROW IT FROM US, is their expression who would present their service, love, and respect to any that are distant from them. A gesture I have often observed to have beene used by many at publique shewes, to their friends, when their standings have beene remote from them. Tacitus calls this Tacit. hist. lib. 1. Jacere os­cula. DionDion. Othon.Oscula per digitos mittere. Otho who omitted no servile crowching for an Empire, after this manner threw his kisses abroad; and herein shew'd himselfe his crafts master, for hee had not often cast out this bait of courtesie, but the people bit at it, and swallowed this popular libation of the Hand. And when the Tide was once turn'd, the Senators contending and shoul­dering who should get first, defaced Galbas I­mage, extolled the Souldiers judgement, kissing Otho's Hand, and the lesse they meant it in heart, doing so much the more in outward appearance.

Conscien­ter affir­mo. Gest. LII.

TO LAY THE HAND OPEN TO OUR HEART, using a kinde of bowing gesture, is a garb wherein we affirm a thing, swear or call God to witnesse a truth, and so we seem as if we would openly exhibit unto sense, the testimony of our conscience, or take a tacite oath, putting in se­curity, that no mentall reservation doth basely divorce our words and meaning, but that all is truth that we now protest unto. This expressi­on hath been most observed in the ancient Gre­cians, [Page 89] as Chrysippus saith, who from this naturall expression of the Hand, concludes the lodging of the soule to be about the heart. The Turkes at this day are observed most frequently to use this naturall forme of protesting, with whom the Hand spread upon the breast, is accounted equi­valent to the most solemne oath, insomuch as whatsoever they speake or promise using this gesture, may be beleeved as ingeniously spoken, and the accomplishment of that promise to be presumed of. If we would see this forme of sin­cere asseve [...]ation in practise, our owne Histories afford us many examples. For the forme that hath been and is used at this day in judiciary tri­alls & arraignments of Noble men who are tri­ed by their Peers, is, that when the Lord Steward or Clarke of the Crowne, asketh the Peers whe­ther the Noble man there arraigned be guilty or not, every one of them ceremoniously by his Hand to his breast, affirms upon his honor and consci­ence he is, or is not guilty, according as they find him. The particularizing of the examples I pur­posely omit, as unwilling to offend any Noble Personages who love not to heare of the tainted bloud of their Ancestours.

Poeniten­tiā osten­do. Gest. LIII

TO BEAT AND KNOCK THE HAND UP­ON THE BREAST, is a naturall expression of the Hand, used in sorrow, contrition, repentance, shame, and in reprehending our selves, or when any thing is irksome unto us, because the breast is the cabin of the heart; and this naturall proca­city of the Hand to this gesture, doth manifest the heart to be the seat of affections. This natu­rall ceremony is exemplified in sacred Writ; for [Page 90] this was the penitentiall expression that the Publican used who went up to the Temple to Luke 18. 13. pray. Thus also the people who were witnesses of our Saviours sufferings, and the wonders that followed thereupon, beholding the things that were done, SMOTE THEIR BREASTS and re­turned. This habit of the Hand is much practi­sed Luke 23. 48. by the zelots in the Roman superstition, as a penitentiary expression most patheticall, who are wont also mysteriously to mince this natu­rall expression, and ceremoniously sometimes with two or three fingers only, lightly to strike upon their breast and mouth, a thing usuall with the ancient Ethniques of old. And in ancient times in testifying griefe & mourning, and at fu­neralls, as a solemne kinde of behaviour, they used Plutar. ad Apol. this expression whom Plutarch calls [...]. So in Cornelius Tacitus, Incendebat haec fletum, Tacit. Hist.pectus at (que) os manibus verberans. And the acute Epigrammatist describing the corpo­rall adjuncts of sorrow and mourning:

Gregory Nyssen when he would paint out as it were in apt colours of expression an unusuall griefe of mind, and as it were a certaine heat of anger, he useth the phrase of this habit, Nyssen in funere pulcheriae. pe­ctus manibus verberare. Touching the naturall intentions of the fist in this expression so custo­mary and significant in sorrow and repentance, the Fathers very elegantly and declaratively [Page 91] deliver their opinions thus: We strike our breast with the Hand, as it were protesting against the Cyp. de orat. Dom Hier. in vit. Hillar. sins included in that mansion, as Cyprian: Or as if we would drive those evill cogitations from our heart, as Hierome: Or to rouse up our heart. as Theophylact: Or to appease the judge we take revenge upon our selves, as Chrysostome: Or to Chrysost. Hom. 41. Aug. in Psal. 146. chastise our flesh wherewith we have offended God, as Austin.

Dolorem noto. Gest. LIV

TO HOLD THE HANDS UPON THE LOINS, SIDES OR HIP, is their expression who féel some paine in those regions of the body, of­ten seen in those which feel the pains of travell, and in those who are troubled with Hipocon­driacall melancholy, and the Sciatica, or Hip­gout. This demeanour of the Hand is very de­clarative in the first sense, as appeares in the Pro­phesie of the Prophet Jeremiah, Demand, now Jer. 30. 6. and behold, if man travell with childe; where­fore doe I behold every man with HIS HANDS UPON HIS LOINES, as a woman with travell, and all faces turned into palenesse: upon which place, they who are curious may consult with Ghislerius.

Indigna­tione ti­meo. Gest. LV.

THE SMITING OF THE HAND UPON THE THIGH, in the practise and conversation of common life, was ever frequent, and is so deeply imprinted in the maners of men, that you shall in vaine perswade a man angry and inraged with griefe, to contain his Hand from this passion. Se­neca the Philosopher attributes this expression of Sen. l. 1. de Ira cap. ul. the Hand to anger, where he saith, Quid opus fe­mur ferire? In griefe it is also significant, as they [Page 92] who are versed in Homer doe well know when they meet with those places wherein he de­scribes his Heroes provoked to anger and dolour, whom he calls [...]. In the sacred oracles of the Prophets we have this expression noted & described; for that holy Prophet speaking of Ephraim lamenting, Surely after I was con­verted, I repented, and after that I was instructed, Jer. 31. 19. I SMOTE UPON MY THIGH, &c. which ge­sture in that Prophet hath the signification of re­pentance, with others of anger, dolour, and in­dignation. In the same sense it appeares in the Prophesie of the Prophet Ezechiel, Cry and howle, son of man; terrours by reason of the Ezek. 21. [...]2. sword shall be upon my people; SMITE THERE­FORE UPON THY THIGH. Tully indeed as­cribes Cicer. Tusc. 3. it to mourning; Feminum & capitis per­cussiones. The registers of common life, Histories, are full of examples of this habit of the Hand, bearing the character of this sense. Thus Cy­rus Xenoph. l. 7. de inst. Cyr. in Xenophon hearing of the death of Abrada­tas, SMOTE HIS HAND UPON HIS THIGH. And Flaccus President of Aegypt and Syria, ban­nished by Caius the Emperour, when he arrived Philo. Jud in Flac. at the Island Andros most miserably howling in his calamity, SMOTE HIS HANDS AND THIGHES. Fabius Dictator, when his Generall of the Cavaliere Minutius had almost cast away himselfe and his Army, at the sight thereof is Plutarch in the life of Fabius. said to have uttered his anger and dolour this way. And when Pompey had received let­ters from Rome advertising him what great mat­ters the people had passed in his behalfe, some say that at the receit of them (in the presence Idem in the life of Pompey. of his familiar freinds and they that were about [Page 93] him & rejoyced with him for congratulation) he knit his brows, and CLAPPED ON HIS THIGH, as though it grieved him to have such great offi­ces and charge laid upon him, one in the neck of another; by this dissimulation cloaking his ambi­tion. ¶ This gesture of the Hand is significant also in fear, admiration and amazement. Hence Plutarch relating the injuries that the Pirates Plutarch in the life of Pom­pey. whom Pompey vanquished did the Romans, saies, the greatest spite and mockery they used to the Romans was this; That when they had taken any of them, and that he cried he was a Citi­zen of Rome, and named his name, then they made as though they had been amazed and afraid of that they had done; for they CLAPPED THEIR HANDS ON THEIR THIGHS, and fell downe on their knees before them, praying him to forgive them.

Data fide promitto. Gest. LVI

TO STRIKE ANOTHERS PALM, is the habit and expression of those who plight their troth, give a pledge of faith and fidelity, promise, offer truce, confirme a league, buy, sell, grant, covenant, bargaine, give or take handsell, en­gage themselves in suretiship, refer their con­troversies to an arbiter, put to comprimise or chuse an umpier, engage themselves to be true and trusty, warrant and assure. That this gesture hath the sense and signification of faith and a so­lemne promise, is apparent by the frequent inti­mations of the Roman Poets, who by this ge­sture doe often imply faith. Thus the Prince of Virgil Aeneid. Latine Poesie in this of Dido,

And in that of Anchises, Idem.

[Page 94] Dat dextram, at (que) animū presonti pignore firmat. Ovid no way ignorant of any matter of manuall expression, brings in Pandion taking his leave of Tereus, and his daughter Philomol demanding this pledge and pawn of faith.

And that lofty Tragedian brings in Licus suing for marriage with Megara, saying,

Martial according to the acute way of Epi­gramatists, Martial Epigr. taking a hint from the peculiar pro­perty of the right Hand in making promise, brings in Caesar in the whiske of one of his Epi­grams, answering two petitioners at once, by promising with both his Hands:

Isidor saith, this gesture is the witnesse of faith and trust. In faith, saith Pliny, we put forth our Pliny Nat. Hist. Right Hand, or when we make a faithfull pro­mise. The Cynique in his symbole advising men Diogenes. to adde benignity to their courtship, covertly alludes to the propriety of this free expression,

And the symbole of Pythagor as,

wills us not promiscuously to prostitute this friendly token of expression. To which that of Lypsius may be referred, Vis dextram [fidei] mei [testem?] habes hic impressum, etsi coram Lyps. Epi. Matth. O vand.ipsam dare & jungere mihispes est cum aulam vestram videbo. When the Hyrcanians of Cyrus Army expostulated with him in regard he seemed to [Page 95] distrust them. Cyrus in Xenophon is said to have Xenoph. Cyr lib. 4. answered him thus, Cogito nobis omnibus [fidem] esse in anim is nostris, at (que) in [nostris manibus.] This expression of the Hand the Greeks very elegant­ly note in the word [...]. The Stoicks say faith is derived of the word facere to doe, be­cause all things that are faithfully promised, ought to be performed; most aptly therefore im­plied by the Hand the symbole of action. And faith is strengthned by this expression of REA­CHING OUT THE RIGHT HAND. How did Cicero condole the violation of promise made by Tul. in Ant. Phi­lip. 11. this speaking paction of the Hand? Dextrae, qua [fidei testes] esse solebant, perfidiae sunt & scelere violatae. Virgil for an expression of breach of promise symbolically useth the prevarication of this gesture,—Fallere dextram. And in this sense some take that of the Prophet Isaiaeh, Is there not a lie in my right Hand? And to this, that of the Isa. 44. 20. Psalmist may be referred, whose Right Hand is a Right Hand of falshood, that is, as the glosse on Psal. 144. 11. our Bibles hath it, Though they STRIKE HANDS yet they keep not promise. Caius Ligarius used this expression of promising his aid, assi­stance and concurence in any secret confederacy Plutar. in the life of Brutus. with Brutus, who when Brutus came to see him being sicke in his bed, and said unto him, O Li­garius in what a time art thou sicke? Ligarius rising up in his bed, and taking him by the Right Hand, said unto him, Brutus, if thou hast any great enterprise in Hand, worthy of thy self, I am whole. Gobrias in Xenophon praiseth the Right Xenoph. Cyr. Hand of Cyrus for what it promised it performed. And the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegeans in whom the honest impressions of nature flow [Page 96] from their Hands pure and unmixt without any fucus of dissimulation or affectation of art, doe most faithfully retaine the naturall sincerity of this expression of faith, for of those Northerne Nations our learned Barclay gives this commen­dation. Barelay Icon. ani­morum. cap. 8. They breake no promises when their HANDS ARE GIVEN. Such Religious obser­vers of their manuall faith were the ancient Medes and Persians. Hence Plethon Genistus Plethon Genist. manus porrectio maxima inter Persas censetur fi­des. Wherefore Cyrus in Xenophon in an Orati­on he made unto the Medes, saith, Hyrcanis qui­bus & [jusjurandum] &Rerum Graec. l. 2.dextras dedi [fidem] ser­vabo, & nunquam hoc deprechendar prodidisse. And Xenophon relating an agreement between the Persian and the Grecian Armies for a peaceable departure and safe conduct, having recited the Articles, saith, Haec utrin (que) [jurejurando] sancita sunt,Rerum Graec. l. 2.dextra datae vicissim. A royall example of this declaration of the Hand we have in Da­rius, who after he was wounded by Bessus and the other conspirators, to the souldier of Alex­ander who found him sore wounded in his litter, but as yet alive, recommending in a speech he made of his master, touching his love and ac­knowledgement Justin. lib. 11. and Quintus Curt. of courtesie, and that he dyed his debter; in token whereof as a Kingly pledge of his faith, he gave the souldier HIS RIGHT HAND to carry unto Alexander, and these words being uttered, having STRETCRED OUT HIS HAND, hee gave up the ghost. Florus Josephus Florus Joseph. l. 18. c. 12. proves this expression of the Hand to have been in very great force and virtue among the Anci­ents. Artabanus (saith he) King of the Parthians, STRETCHING OUT HIS RIGHT HAND swore [Page 97] to Anilaeus the Jew, that his brother Asinaeus might have safe accesse unto him, which with the Barbarians about to assemble, is a most cer­taine argument of trust. For after the RIGHT HAND GIVEN, with them it is neither lawfull to deceive or difficult, all suspitions and diffidence ceasing. Wherefore when he was moved by the master of his Horse that he might kill Asinaeus, he denyed to permit that against a man who had committed himselfe to his Faith con [...]nied BY GIVING THE RIGHT HAND, with an oath. To this expression that passage also of the Romane History may be referred, where Flavius cometh Livie l. [...] to the Romane Generall Gracchus, enforming him that hee had begunne an enterprise of great consequence, for the accomplishing and full perfecting whereof hee needed the helping Hand of Gracchus himselfe: namely, that he had perswaded all the Fretors and Governours, who in that universall trouble of Italy had revolted to Annibal, to returne into the league and friend­ship of the Romanes; by many arguments I have used to them. Thus and thus were my words un­to them: and indeed but my words: Mary they had liever heare Gracchus himselfe speake, and heare the same from his owne mouth: they would more gladly talke with him in person, and TAKE HOLDOF HIS RIGHT HAND, which as the assured pawne of his faithfull promise he carryeth alwayes with him wheresoever he goeth, and they desire no more. This may bee further illu­strated by another passage of Livic, where Sy­phax Livic l. 29 King of Numidia having contracted a new alliance with the Africans, by marrying Sophoni­sva the daughter of Asdrubal, allured by the faire [Page 98] words of his new Spouse, sent into Sicily to Sci­pio to advise him not to passe over into Africke, nor rely upon any confidence of him, or build up­on his former promises. Scipio in his Letters which he dispatched by the same Ambassadours, requested him earnestly to be advised, and bethink himselfe that he breake not the rights either of friendship or hospitable league with him: or the league and society entred with the people of Rome: nor violate Justice and faithfull promise made BY GIVING RIGHT HANDS: nor yet beguile and abuse the gods, the Witnesses and Judges of all covenants and agreements made. ¶ Isidore saith, the surety of Peace is given with the Hand. And indeed all leagues, truces, and compacts are confirmed by this gesture of the Hand. Thus the league Trium-virat betweene Antonius Lepidus and Caesar was established at Confluents, betweene Perusia and Bononia, they IOYNE HANDS, and their armies embrace. Dorlear [...] upon Ta­cit. Which league they symbolically, expressed by three Right Hands embracing each other, with this Motto, Salus generis humani: a strange Im­presse to gull the world with and to cloake their ambitious confederacy. The King of Persia com­manded Camer. hist. med. his Ambassadours to make this expres­sion in his name. And in the same manner the ancient Emperours and Kings of Germany were wont to send their great men to conclude a peace, and determine affaires, when they could not goe themselves. Apollophanes Cyzicenus, who had in former times beene bound to Pharnabazus by the lawes of Hospitality, and was a guest at that Xenoph. Per. Graec. lib. 4. time with Agesilaus, promised him to bring Pharnabazus to a parly for confirmation of a [Page 99] Peace, which Agesilaus hearing of, consented; so he having received, faithfull promise of safe conduct, and THE RIGHT HAND BEING GI­VEN, brought Pharnabazus into the appointed place, where having saluted one another, Phar­nubazus first of all PUT FORTH HIS RIGHT HAND, to which Agesilaus also IOYN'D HIS. Of this language of assurance expressed by the GI­VEN HAND, there called Dextra securitatis. The Bookes of the Macchabees are very pregnant. Thus when the 3. thousand Souldiers that Jona­than had sent to Demetrius to Antiochia at his 1 Macch. request, (when the Citizens saw that the Jewes had gotten the upper Hand, and they were disap­pointed of their purpose of staying their King) made their supplication unto the King, say­ing, GIVE US THE RIGHT HAND [or grant us peace.] Thus they of Gaza made supplication unto Ionathan, and he GAVE THEM THE RIGHT 1 Macch. 11. 62. 1 Macch. 13. 45. HAND [or made peace with them] When Si­mon had besieged Beth-sura, and fought against it a long season, and shut it up; at last they de­sired RIGHT HANDS TO BE GIVEN THEM, to whom GIVING THE RIGHT HAND, &c. [that is, they desired peace, which he granted.] For so the Glosse of our Bibles expound these pla­ces. 1 Macch. 13. 50. When Simon had besieged Gaza, the people of that City cried with a loud voice, beseeching Si­mon TO GIVE THEM RIGHT HANDS, [that is, to grant them peace.] So they in the Castle at Jerusalem besought Simon that he would IOYNE RIGHT HANDS, which he gave them [or make peace with them, which he did.] Thus Andro­nicus 2 Macch. 4. 34. comming to Onias who had fled to the San­ctuary at Daphne, hard by Antiochia, counselled him craftily, GIVING HIM HIS RIGHT HAND [Page 100] with an oath, by that faire show of peace per­swaded him to come out: whom incontinently without any regard of righteousnesse, he slew ac­cording to Meuelaus instigation. So the No­mades 2 Maccab. 12. 11. of Arabia being overcome, besought Ju­das A RIGHT HAND TO BE GIVEN THEM: which Iudas giving them, thereupon they SHOO [...] HANDS, and so departed to their Tents. And thus Antiochus Eupater communed with the men in 2 Maccab. 13. 22. Beth-sura, and GAVE AND TOOKE THE RIGHT HAND, [or tooke truce with them.] ¶ The speech of Reuben to his father Jacob about Benja­mins delivering into his Hands, hath reference to Gen. 42. 37. this signification of trust. And that speech of Ju­dah unto his Father about the same busines, I will be surety for him; of my Hand shalt thou require Gen. 43. 9 him. ¶ In the sense of fidelity all the Princes & men of power, and all the sons of David GAVE THE HAND unto King Salomon. And the Pro­phet 1 Chron. 29. 24 Ezekiel emphatically declaring the perjury and infidelity of the King of Jerusalem, who had Ezek. 17. 18. broken the oath made with the King of Babel, which he had confirmed BY GIVING HIS HAND, denounceth these punishments: That he should dye in the midst of Babel, in the place of the King that had made him King, whose oath hee had despised, and whose covenant made with him he brake: Neither should Pharaoh King of Aegypt in whom he trusted deliver him. For hee hath despised the Oath, and broken the Covenant, YET LOE, HE HAD GIVEN HIS HAND! And verily all Nations have ever had a natu­rall respect unto the mystery of Faith, which hath her firme existence in the Hand, and have so esteemed the Right Hand, they thought the [Page 101] touch thereof to be the most lively, significant and expresse pawne or pledge of faithfulnesse: whence all compacts, leagues, Grants, combina­tions, truces, proviso's, bargaines, covenants, and entercourses whatsoever, are held to be in­violably ratified, and to stand in full power, force, and virtue by the TOUCH of the insuring Hand. For when we GIVE OUR HAND, we doe seal [...] as it were an obligation or reall contract, by which presents we deeply ingage our selves to a punctuall accomplishment of that which our Hand had protested to; the Hand being bound as a surety that our deeds shall bee forth-comming, and be found answerable to our words: for who­soever forfeits the Recognizance of his Hand, he breaks the most sacred and strongest band of of Truth; and by falsifying his manuall faith proves a kinde of Renegado to himselfe. Caelius Rhodiginus thinkes there is some Pythagoricall Cael. Rho. var. lect. mystery in this authenticke guise of the Hand in warrantizing faithfull dealings, and that the ge­sture flowes from a secret and religious reve­rence to that comprehensive number Ten, for while each Hand doth extend five fingers which move to the comprehension of each other, they premit a resemblance of the Decades mystery, since meeting in their formall close they seem to greet one another in that number. Callymachus and Varro endeavour to render another reason, Callymac. & Varro. drawne from the naturall authority and com­mand that consists in the virtue of the Right Hand. And verily Faith consists wholly in the Right Hand, and the left hath no obligatory force or virtue in it. For to give the left hand, or to take anothers given Right Hand with the [Page 102] left, is not binding in point of naturall Faith. And therefore when Josippus Gorio the Jew, de­sired a Roman Souldier to give him his Right Dorleans upon Ta­citus. Hand in signe of Faith, he gave him his left, and drawing his sword with his Right Hand, slew him; and yet he cannot properly be said to have falsified his promise, since he gave him but his left hand, whose touch hath no assurance, but was ever held deceitfull and ominous. Therefore the oath of Faith in all adjurations was taken and required by the Right Hand. Hence Plautus, Haec per dextram tuam, dextrate retinente manu, Plautus captiv. obsecro, infidelior mihi ne sis quam ego sum tibi. To which may be referred that adjuration of Cicero, per dextram ipsam quam hospes hospiti por­rexisti. Cicero pro Deje­taro Gal. Reg. For, the Ancients were wont by this gesture of faith, to put their last will and com­mandement into the obliged Hand of their heirs, or executors. To which intent Masinissa sent to Manilius Proconsull of Africa, requesting him to send unto him, then at the point of death, Scipio Valer. Max. l. 5. Aemilianus who then served under his command as a Souldier, supposing his death to prove more happy, if he dyed embracing his Right Hand, and adjured him thereby, to performe his last wil and testament. Tarquinius Priscus sent for Servius to this purpose. Thus the friends of Germanicus Liv. De cad. 1. touching his Right Hand swore to revenge his death. And Micipsa King of Numidia after he Tacit. Ar. pal. 2. had adopted Jugurth, upon his death-bed used these words unto him, I adjure thee by this Right Hand [which he held] and by the allegi­giance thou owest to thy Country, that thou e­strange Salust. de bello Ju­gurth. not thy love and service from these thy kinsmen whom by favour and adoption I have [Page 103] created thy brethren. To this, Virgil alluding to Virg. Ae­neid. 7. the generall custome:

Tibullus alludes to this gesture,

The wilde Irish doe ordinarily use to sweare by this seat of faith and minister of virtue, the Right Hand, who at every third word are wont to lash out an oath, and among the rest, these, By my Cambden in Britan. God fathers Hand, by my gossips Hand, or by thy Hand, and for the performance of promise, and that a man may beleeve them, these are of grea­test weight to binde them: If one sweare by the Hand of an Earle, or of his owne Lord, or some mighty person, for if he be forsworne and con­vict of perjury, the said mighty man will wring from him perforce a great summe of money, and a number of cowes, as if by that perjury the greatest abuse and injury that might be, were of­fered to his name. And the Hebridian Scots Hect. Boet lib. 2 ex quo Zin­guer. The­at. hum. vit. and Mountainiers in their contracts sweare by the Hand of their Captaine, an ordinance obser­ved among them ever since Evenus the first King that exacted the oath of Faith at their Hands. ¶ But the indissoluble soder and inviolable bond of society, which old sincerity instructed by reason in the tacit force thereof thought the great oath and the strongest hold the Re-publick hath to keep the honour of her estate is Faith, then which there was never any thing held to be of greater credit or antiquity. Hence Xeno­phon hath [...], id est, publicam fidem. And Numa by his dedication of the Hand to Faith, and commanding the Flamins to exe­cute Liv. lib. 1. [...] Plut. their functions with their Hands covered, [Page 104] and wrapped close to their fingers ends, gave a notable testimony that he held Faith for holy and sacred after touching of the Right Hand, that it ought be kept and preserved, and that her seate was sacred and consecrated even upon the Right Hands, and therefore that it ought by no meanes to be violated: wherefore in particu­lar contracts among the Romans there was not any oath more religious and holy then the oath of Faith, a point of naturall doctrine that Numa did but enforce with his rituall additions. But the authority, reputation, consequence and dig­nity of the Publicke Faith was had in such sin­gular estimation, that men held their money no Camer. Hist. med where so safe as in the Hands of the Publicke State. Hence it is that we may see many ancient coines with two Hands joyned together, with this inscription of Faith kept; Fides Romanorum, Pier. hier. lib. 35. sometimes Fides legionum. And hence also it was that the Romans were wont to contrive the statues of those Princes that had deserved well of the Common-wealth, that by a Right Hand extended out they signified their Faith unto the same. Tully had reference to this State­oath, when he said, I gave Publicke Faith upon the promise of the Senators, that is to say, he of­fered forth his Right Hand, as a pledge thereof: and it is fit this naturall ceremony of an oath should be reverenced in the Hand, the chiefest seat of Fidelity, since it is the honest foundation of all right and equity. ¶ Nothing so ordinary in the common affaires of life as STRIKING HANDS, whether it be for confirmation of our bargaines, grants or covenants in the behalfe of our selves, or in undertaking by way of promise [Page 105] and suretiship for others wherein the Hand as a surety is still engaged. And indeed the whole trade of the universe is driven by this driving stroke of the Hand: he that shall (as I have some­times done) walke upon the Royall Exchange among Merchants, meerly to observe their [...]i [...] ­ter courses of buying and selling, shall soone be saisfied in the naturall force of this expression. But he that would see the vigour of this gesture in pur is naturalibus, must repaire to the Hors [...] Cirque, or Sheep Pe [...]s in Smith-field, where those crafty Olympique Merchants who [...]ed the Hand of no Broker to speed the course of their affaires, will take you for no chapman, un [...] lesse you strike them good lucke, and smite them earnest in the palme. And I have sometimes in consort with my friend had good sport to set him to observe the pure and naturall efforts of these men in the heat of their dealings, and have suffered my selfe to bee a little smitten with the Hand of deceit, to gaine the curiosity of an ex­periment, a kinde of solace, pleasing to Philoso­phicall complexions, and such who hunt after the subtleties of Nature: wherein though I can­not brag of my bargain, yet I can afford my Rea­der a good penniworth. Their cunning manna­ging of the Hand in time and tone, I have some­times call'd the Horse-Rhetorique of Smithfield, which by calculation I have found to differ from the Fish Dialect of Billingsgate, in the mono­chord of motion, and peaceablenesse of accent. And he that shall undertake to out-write Mark­ham, and like Hocus Pacus to discover the subtle­ties of his own profession, wil not set forth the art of Hors-coursing well, if he omit the rule of buy­ing [Page 106] and selling by this insurance and policy of the Hand.

¶ But as concerning that perillous striking of the Hand for others, Salomon who was well ver­sed in the subtle notions of manuall utterance, acknowledging the signification thereof in sure­tiship, discommends the inconvenient and obli­gatory force of this expression: My sonne, if thou Prov. 6. 1. be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy Hand with a stranger, thou art snared, &c. And in another place: Be not thou of those that strike Prov. 22. 6 Hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. And the Wiseman striking again with the same Hand of reprehension: A man void of understanding striketh Hands and becommeth surety in the pre­sence of his friend. Wherein he checkes the in­discreet forwardnesse of some men in these kinde of undertakings, who offer themselves before the favour is required at their Hands, and at the very sight of and presence of his friend, without con­sideration Dr. Jerm. mins pa­raphr. ob­servat. on the Prov. or looking into the businesse, thrusts his Hands into the bond of suretiship. And such a man is here describ'd to bee a man wanting a heart, and surely it were well if such a one were without a Hand also: for since hee hath not un­derstanding in his heart to keep him from hurt, it were good he had no power in his Hand to doe himselfe hurt: especially if he be such a foole, as having strucken anothers Hand, and made him­selfe a surety, he striketh his owne Hands as ap­plauding himselfe for it, which may be the sense of this place. Surely such a foole may quickly wring his Hands together in sorrow, who before did clap his Hands in joy, and may strike him­selfe in anger with the same Hand wherewith in [Page 107] the foolish kindnesse of suretiship he strucke the Hand of another. For he that hath strucken his Hand to be surety for his friend, had beene better that his friend had strucke him with a harder blow, when by striking his Hand he hath brought him, under the Hand of another, and behinde hand in the world. Salazar commenting upon these places of the Proverbs, renders this expression of Salaz. comment. in Prov. Sal. the Hand, according to Expositors. Variously, sometimes 'tis Manum desigere, volam percutere, in fidei jubentibus pro debitis manum pepigere, in fidei jussionibus stipulata manu side jubere. And he calls it sometimes Sonum securitatis vel assecurationis, scil. eum sonum quem in stipulationis, & fideijussio­nis, seu assecurationis pacto manus manui conserta, & illisa edore solet. Job also, eloquent in affliction, Job 17. 3. in his appeale from men to God, acknowledgeth the obligatory sense of this expression of the Hand, Lay downe now, put me in a surety with thee; who is hee that will STRIKE HANDS with me? By Tully this solemne bond or obli­gation of the Hand is called Nexus: Attici, te Tul. ad Atticum lib. 7. Idem in paradox. esse scribis mancipio, & nexu: meum autem usu & fructu. And in another place: Non enim ita di­cunt eos esse servos, ut sunt mancipia, quae sunt Do­minorum facta nexu aut aliquo jure civili. Hence in the Lawes of the twelve Tables we finde these words, Ut quae res mancipii essent, qui eas venderet, nexum faceret. To which may bee annexed that which Valerius Maximus reports of Titus Vetu­rius, Valer. Max l 6. who as his words are, Propter domesticam ruinam & grave as alienum C. Plotio Nexum se dare admodum adolescentulus coactus esset. This ex­pression by gesture, by reason of the significati­on it hath in Nature, was not onely used in Te­staments, [Page 108] in which the Heyre was taken by the Hand that hee might passe into the family of the Testator, and in the buying of servants, but also in all obligatory bargaines and pledges, as Hot­toman informes us: and indeed in buying and selling this Nexus was commonly used; a [...] when Mottom. in leg. 12. Tab. he that sold a commodity did undertake for the thing sold, and did oblige himselfe to make goo [...] whatsoever there lacked of the weight or ta [...] of the commodity bought, as the same Hottoman affirmes, which is as much as to undertake to be s [...]e [...]y for the thing it self; for suretiship is a spe­cies of bargaining. And according to Varro a free man when he had enthralled himselfe to servitude for money borrowed, untill hee had paid it hee was called Nexus, à nector, vel nexum quasi neo Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 5. s [...]m. Clemens Alexandrinus calls this Law-ex­pression Carpismum, because that he who did ob­lige himselfe unto another, or offered his faith, gave his wrest, to wit, the joynt whereby the Hand is joyned to the wrest, to be apprehended and wrung, to signifie that he was held oblig'd; custome having a little chang'd the most naturall forme, without impeachment of signification.

¶ That this gesture is significant to licence, war­rant, and assure, is not difficult to prove. For thus Artaxerxes King of Persia by giving his Right Hand to Mithridates the brother of Ariobarzane [...], Probus in Datam. promising to kill Datamen, gave him licence, and an open warrant, with pardon of punishment to doe what he would in that businesse. And Saint Paul when he would warrant and assure the Ga­latians, Corinthians, Colossians, and Thessal oni­ans, to whom he writ, that those Epistles were his, his salutations in the close intimate that they Sclater on the Gal. [Page 109] were witten with his owne Hand. ¶ This ge­sture is also significantly used when we chuse an Umpire put to arbitration and comprimise. To which that of Job may be referred. Neither i [...] Job 9. 33. there any dayes-man betwixt us that might lay his Hand upon us both. To which expression of gesture, that also of the Apostle Saint Paul seems Galath. 3. 19. to appertaine. The Law was given by Angels in [...] Hand of a Mediator, as if that Law of the Old Testament, about keeping whereof the people of Israel had covenanted with God, had (as by Pintus de Chr. cru [...] giving the Hand) come to that people by media­tion of Moses, and did prefigure what was to be done by the Angel of the Testament or Media­tor of a better Testament; to wit, that a better Heb. 8. 6. Law established between God and Man, the Mediator of the new Covenant mediating be­tween both the parties, and stretching out his armes in his suffering, had LAID HIS HANDS UPON THEM TO CONFIRME a more holy league and covenant.

Reconci­lio. Gestus LVII.

TO SHAKE THE GIVEN HAND is an expres­sion usuall in friendship, peacefull love, be­nevolence, salutation, entertainment, and bidding welcome; reconciliation, congratulation, giving thanks, vnlediction, and wel-wishing. This loving declaration of the Hand, the Greeke expresse in the word [...]. An expression u­suall between those who desire to incorporate, com [...]i [...] or grow into one, and make a perfect joynt. The most happy point of amity, a naturall forme very rich in signification, since they who thus professe communion of good [...] while they wil­lingly EMBRACE EACH OTHERS HAND signi­fie [Page 110] that they are both content that their works shall be common; by this gesture speaking plain­ly, as if they in effect should say, What damage happens unto thée, I shall esteeme as my owne losse; and thy emolument and profit I shall en­tertaine as mine owne, and thou shalt finde me ready prest with a consonant and willing minde, both to yéeld to thée a share of my welfare, and re­ciprocally to beare a part of thy calamity. For, all this is the more significantly implied by this gesture, in regard, that works are the words of love; and the Hand is the Tongue of hearty good­will. The minde of man naturally desirous by some symbole or sententious gesture to utter and disclose herselfe in the affections of love, doth manifestly set forth her disposition by this courtly declaration of the Hand, a naturall complement where with she commonly sweetens her affecti­onate respects to others. And this naturall ex­pression seems to result from the sympathy be­tween the will and the Hand: for, the will affe­ctionately inclined and moved to stretch forth her selfe, the Hand, that is moved by the same spirit, willing to goe out and set a glosse upon the inward motion, casts it selfe into a forme ex­tending to a semblance of the inward appetite; neither is the Hand at any time found too short for such an expression if the will be disposed to cooperate with it. For, nature who hath inge­niously thought on many conveniences of ex­pression for the use and benefit of common life, among others, seems to have ordained the Hand to be the generall instrument of the minde, and endued it with a courteous appetite of closing with anothers. Therefore when the minde [Page 111] would disclose the virtue, strength, and forcible operation of her favour and good-will, out of the abundance of her love she puts forth the Hand, and in that as it were the heart it self, with affecti­onate love; and receives them againe by a natu­rall bill of exchange in the Hand of another, which verily is a signe of mutuall agréement, and of a perfect conjunction; for which cause Pinda­rus a Poet of an aspiring wit, placed the heart Pindarus and Hand as relatives under one and the same parallel. To the naturall sense of this gesture appertains divers passages of Tacitus: The Lin­gones Tacit. hist. lib. 1. (saith he) according to their accustomed manner had sent gifts to the Legions right Hands in token of mutuall love and hospitality. The Centurion Sisenna carried in the name of the Sy­rian Army to the Souldiers of the guard right Hands in token of concord. And Ambassadours came from Artabanus King of the Parthians, cal­ling to minde their friendship and allyance with the Romans, and desiring to reni [...]e Right Hands. To bring this important gesture of the Hand in friendship a little nearer to the authenticke light of sacred History. So John to Jona [...] 2 Kings 10. 15. Gal. 29. when he asked him whether his heart were right, give me thine Hand. So James and Cephas and John gave to Barnabas the Right Hand of fellowship, that is, they gave him their Hands in token of agreement in matters of doctrine.

¶ That this gesture is significant in salutation, bidding welcome and entertainment, is apparent by many testimonies of the Ancients. Virgil in the first place witnesseth the same, complaining Virg. Ae­neld. 8. to his mother, thus,

And in another place [...] speaking to Idem. [...] concerning his affection to Anchises,

Horac [...] also concerning himselfe, Horac. l. 1. Satyr. 9.

To this signe of salutation and entertainment appertaines that medall, whose inscription is, Tra [...]us Adrianus, wherein you may see the Pier. Hie­roglyph. lib. 35. Emperour himselfe joyning his Right Hand with the Hand of I [...]pi [...]er sitting, with this inscription placed under the base, ADVENTUS AUG. We read of Richa [...]d the second to have used this Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. in the life of Rich. 2. expression of welcome to his Nobles when they appeared at Westminster. M [...]ichans delivered this gesture as a certaine secret to his disciples, that when they met one another, they should salute by joyning Hands, by which signe they declared that they were delivered out of dark­nesse, as Epiph [...]i [...]s reporteth. And there is no Epiphan. l. 3. Tom. 2. Con. haer. Xenop. Cyr. l. 6. expression of love more frequent in the enter­courses of common life then this. Thus Abra­d [...]u [...] in Xenophon comes to Cyrus, and taking him by the Right Hand, makes use of this grate­full expression: and both Xenophon, and all other Authors are full of such loving occurrences of the Hand, and mutuall declarations of hospitable love. Thus Pallas in Virgil entertaining Aeneas, and bidding [...]im welcome:

Thus Tiridates King of Armenia comming to Corbulo, lighted first from his horse, and Corbulo [Page 113] did the like immediately, and both of them on foot joyned Right Hands. And when Cicero had fled out of Rome for feare of Antonius, who af­ter Plutarch in the life of Cicero. the death of Julius Caesar began to looke a­loft, and became fearfull to all men, as though he meant to make himselfe King: But afterwards condemning his dastardly feare, returned to Rome, there came such a number of people out to meet him, that he could doe nothing but take them by the Hands and embrace them: who to honour him came to meet him at the gate of the City, as also by the way to bring him to his house. This symbolicall expression of the Hand had a practicall signification among the Anci­ents, when the Hand given did assure the invio­lable observation of all the lawes of hospitality, which may receive some illustration from the noble practice of Pacuvius Calavius, who when Liv. l. 23. he had invited Annibal to supper, and Perolla his onely sonne after supper had told his father that he had now an opportunity to reconcile himselfe unto the Romanes, to let him seale it with the blood of Annibal; His father dehorting and con­juring him from the violation of the lawes of hospitality & breach of covenant: There are not many houres past since that we sware by all the gods and holy hollowes in heaven, and by IOY­NING HAND IN HAND made faithfull promise and obliged our selves to communicate together with him, & so to eat at the holy Table of sacred Viands, &c. And when King Syphax was brought into the Praetorium or Generals pavilion, and Liv. l. 3 [...]. there presented unto Scipio, Scipio was much mo­ved in minde to consider the state and fortune of the man, compared now to his present con­dition [Page 114] [which more wrought upon him] when he remembred withall and called to minde, the hospitable entertainment, the GIVING INTER­CHANGEABLY OF THE RIGHT HAND, and the covenant betweene them, made both in pub­lique and private. Our Ancestors also had this expression of Hospitable love in a reall respect, when they knew no greater terme of reproach, then to call a man unhospitable. This expression of the Hand continues in force and estimation, and beares such sway among all Nations (espe­cially those that are Northward) that he seemes to be disarmed of all humanity, and to want the affability of expression, who doth (when there is occasion for it) omit this benevolent insinua­tion of the Hand. But concerning this familiar and naturall intimation of the Hand in point of salutation, the ancient Sages and men of sound­est judgement, have made a quaere whether the familiar contact bee so comely and laudable in the Hand of a prudent and religious man. A­mong the wise Masters, those who were given to pleasure, as Socrates, Plato, and others, wil­lingly Cresollius Mystag. vol. 1. admit of this embracing of the Hand, as an allurement to uncleane desire. But those that affected gravity, disallowed the promiscuous use thereof. Verily the Pythagoreans did give the Right Hand to none but men of their owne Sect, no not so much as to any of the same family, un­lesse to their Parents, as Iamblicus notes. And it Iamblicus appears by the most ancient observations of elder times, that holy men for the most part used in their salutations only to put forth the Hand; since so, the singular benevolence of a friendly minde may be expressed without any impeachment to [Page 115] their virtue and gravity. Meletius of Antioch, a man endued with an incredible easinesse and swéetnesse of manners, and most deare to all good men, is said only to have put forth his af­fable and gracious Right Hand in salutations, to shew the force of his love and affection towards others, wherein he observed the lawes of com­mon humanity, and a courteous disposition, with­out any detriment to religious modesty. And at this day religious men in forreigne parts most commonly abstaine from embracing the Hands of others, without incurring the censure of incivility, and want of grace in behaviour, as taking the shaking of Hands in this sense, to be too blunt an expression for a Hand accustomed to matters of decorum, and the sacred tokens of divine reverence. ¶ In signe of congratulati­on the Huntsmen at the fall of the Boore slaine by Meleager with cheerfull shouts unfolding their joyes shake his victorious Hands, as Ovid elegantly feignes according to the naturall pro­perty of the Hand on such occasions. ¶ Nothing more ordinary then shaking of Hands in valedi­ction and taking leave of our friends, and bidding them farewell, of which Poets and Historians are not silent. Ovid brings in Cadmus at his transformation, speaking to his wife Hermione to Ovid Metam. 4. use this loving gesture of valediction, and to shake Hands with him while he yet had a Hand to shake. Thus Calanus the Indian Philosopher Plutarch in the life of Alex. the Gre [...]. about to sacrifice himselfe alive at the tombe of Cyrus, before he went up upon the funerall pile, he bad all the Macedonians that were there fare­well, and SHOOKE THEM BY THE HANDS. And Telutias when Hierax Admirall of the La­cedemonians [Page 116] came in the interim that he was rescuing the Aeginetes besieged by the Atheni­ans, and tooke his ships from him; yet he went home very happy, for when about to depart he Xenop. rerum Graec. l. 5. tooke ship, there was not a souldier but SHOOK HIM BY THE HAND, and with other kinde ex­pressions wishing all happinesse unto him. ¶ That this gesture is significant in reconciliation is most manifest by our common practise and use thereof in the sense of that intention. Thus Mi­nutius and Fabius Maximus Dictator gave their Liv. 22. Hands one to another at the time of their recon­ciliation. And when Onatius Aurelius, a Knight of Rome had told the people what a vision he had seen in his dream, that Jupiter had appea­red to him that night, and willed him to tell them openly, that they should not put Pompey and Crassus out of their office, before they were re­conciled together; he had no sooner spoken the words, but the people commanded them to bee friends. Pompey sat still, and said never a word unto it. But Crassus rose, and TOOK POMPEY Plutarch in the life of Crassus BY THE HAND, and turning him to the people, told them aloud, My Lords of Rome, I doe no­thing unworthy of my selfe to séek Pompeyes friendship and favour first, since you your selves have called him the Great before he had any haire upon his face, and that you gave him the honour of triumph, before he was a Senator.

Injurias remitto. Gestus LVIII.

TO PRESSE HARD AND WRING ANO­THERS HAND, is a naturall insinuation of love, duty, reverence, supplication, peace, and of forgivenesse of all injuries. Hence Physitians the subtile and diligent observers of nature, [Page 117] thinke that there is in the Hand a certaine secret and hidden vertue, and a convenient force or philtre to procure affection. Wherefore Themi­stius, he who coupled eloquence with the gra­vity of Philosophy, where he disputes of reconci­liation Themist. Orat. 3. and kniting together of hearts in the common bond of friendship, he would have the Hands of others to be laid hold on, and wrung with the fingers; for that, saith he, the Hands put forth a sting or goad, and are many times a con­venient spur to future amity. Hereupon beau­ties pale vassalls led by the forcible instinct of their passion, in preferring their amorous insi­nuations, doe much use this speaking touch of the Hand, a piece of covert courtship whereby they seem to strive to imprint upon their mi­strisses Hand a tacit hint of their affection, sugge­sted in this pressing flattery of the Hand; for lo­vers, I know not by what amorous instinct, next to the face, direct their passionate respects to the Hand of those they love; to this part they most usually accommodate their significant expressi­ons; this they devoutly wring and embrace, and by the discoursing compressions thereof, in­timate and suggest the eagernesse of desire, and their inexplicable apprehensions of joy & griefe. Hence the great Master in the Art of love, un­derstanding the naturall force of this tacit confe­rence Ovid. Me­tamor. l. 7. and humble supplication, brings in Jason exhibiting his request to Medaea softly wringing her fair Hand:

But this Chirothripsia, or griping anothers Hand, was never held a safe or warrantable ex­pression [Page 118] in the Hand of any man, taken for the most part for a wanton essay or sly proofe of a tractable disposition, and a lascivious prologue and insinuation of lust. I willingly heare (saith Cresollius) Gregory Nyssen, whose voyce and ad­monitions Cresol. in mystag. Greg. Nys. ora [...] [...]. d [...] resurrect. I prefer before all the learned School­men in the world. Solent manus ipso contactu va­lidae animae robur effoeminare, a proofe and experi­ment of whose observation may be understood out of a certaine short narration of Philostratus. There were in the stately Seraglio of the King Philostra­tus in vita Apollonii. of Persia many of the Kings concubines of ex­cellent beauty, who for their rare perfection of parts, and outward endowments of nature might well have stood in competition for the golden ball of Paris, upon one of which when a certain Eunuch had more curiously cast his eyes, he be­gan to be tickled with desire, and so netled with the itch of concupiscence, that he placed all his felicity in enjoying of her; wherefore he made frequent visits, carried himselfe very obsequious­ly unto her, sprinkled his discourse with amorous and allu [...]ing words (and which he thought would most of all availe to set forward his de­signe, and to stir up and quicken the flame of af­fection) he WRUNG HER HAND, which when the over-seer of the Eunuchs perceived, he com­manded him, especially, in no wise to touch the neck or Hand of the woman: good counsell; which when he refused to follow, he fell into that foule action, which proved fatall unto him. ¶ This gesture as it is a token of duty and reve­rentiall love, Coriolanus used towards his mother Plutarch in the life of Corio­lanus. Volumnia, when overcome by her earnest per­swasions to withdraw his Army from Rome, he [Page 119] cried out, Oh mother! what have you done to me? for HOLDING HER HARD BY THE RIGHT HAND, Oh mother! said he, you have wonne a happy victory for your Countrey, but mortall and unhappy for your sonne; for I see my selfe vanquished by you alone. ¶ This WRINGING OF ANOTHERS HAND, doth sometimes naturally imply peace, and a loving forgivenesse of all injuries. And how faithfull an interpretor of the minde the Hand hath con­tinued, even when the tongue hath failed, and men have been deprived of all wayes of delive­ring their mindes but by signes and tokens; and how intelligible this expression by gesture which we have now in Hand, hath been appre­hended to be in the extremity of silence, may sufficiently appeare by preferring the examples of two great Princes lying both speechlesse on James Meyer lib 16. of the Annales of France. their death-beds. The first example shall be in Philip Duke of Burgundy, the father of Charles slaine at the battell of Nancie; Charles having absented himselfe from his father for some faults, and his father falling very sicke in the City of Bruges, so that his speech failed him; Charles hearing of it came from Gant in post to Bruges, and falling on his knees before his father, did with warme teares beg humble pardon for all the griefes he had put him to, and besought him with lowly reverence, that he would vouchsafe him his fatherly blessing; his Confessour having told him in his ear, that if he could not speak he should at least-wise give his sonne some token and testi­mony of his good will towards him: The good Prince opened his eyes, and TAKING HIS SON BY THE RIGHT HAND, clasped it within his [Page 120] owne so hard as he could, a signe of love and for­givenes. To match this with another of our own History, to wit, of Henry the eight, who falling sick, commanded the Archbishop (then at Croy­den) Godwin in his An. Hen. 8. should be sent for in all haste, who using all possible speed came not untill the King was speechlesse: as soone as he came, the King TOOKE HI [...] BY THE HAND, the Archbishop exhorting him to place all his hopes in Gods mercies through Christ, & beseeching him that if he could not in words, he would by some signe or other testifie this his hope, who then WRIN­GED THE ARCHBISHOPS HAND AS HARD AS HE COULD, a signe of faith, and hope of mercy and forgivenesse, and shortly after de­parted.

Suspicio­nem & o­dium noto Gest. LIX

TO DRAW BACKE THE UNWILLING HAND INSTEAD OF REACHING IT OUT TO IMBRACE THE HAND OF ANOTHER, is a sign of enmity likely to prove inveterate, used by those who flatly refuse to agrée, & reject that proffered amity which they have in suspition. The example of Caius Popilius may seem very Liv. l. 45. V [...]er. [...]x. l. 6. cap. 4. aptly to belong unto this gesture, who when he had met Antiochus foure miles distant from Alex­andria, after greeting and salutation, at the first comming, Antiochus PUT FORTH HIS RIGHT HAND to Popilius; but he delivered unto him a scrole written, and wished him before he did a­ny thing to read that script; after he had read the writing through, he answered he would devise with his friends, and consider what was best to be done. But Popilius according to his ordina­ry blunt manner of speech which he had by na­ture, [Page 121] made a circle about the King with the rod he had in his Hand, and withall, make me an an­swer (quoth he) I advise you, such as I may re­port to the Senate, before you passe the com­passe of this circle. The King astonied at this so rude and violent a commandement, after he had stayed and paused a while; I will be content (quoth he) to doe whatsoever the Senate shall ordaine; then and not before, Popilius GAVE THE KING HIS HAND as a friend and ally. The stoutnesse of Sylla, and his resolution to be reconciled upon no other tearmes then his own, Plutarch in the life of Sylla. discovered it selfe by the same neglectfull carri­age of his Hand towards Mithridates, who when he came to him, and OFFERED TO TAKE HIM BY THE HAND; Sylla asked him first if he did accept of the peace, with the con­ditions Archelaus had agreed unto; nor untill Mithridates had made him answer that he did, would he accept of his proffered and suspected amity; for then, and not before, he resaluted, embraced and kissed him. Thus Fredericke part­ner and consort in the Kingdome with Uladisla [...] the second King of Bohemia, REFUSED TO GIVE HIS RIGHT HAND to Sobieslaus whom his father received into favour after he had at­tempted to raise garboyles in Moravia, preten­ding he had the gout in his Hand. And so that lofty and stately Prelate Dunstan REFUSED TO Vincentius l. 24. c. 87. GIVE KING EDGAR HIS RIGHT HAND, be­fore he was excommunicated, because he had defloured a Virgin, but rating him, Darest thou touch my Right Hand that hast ravished one de­voted to God, I will not be a friend to him that is an enemy to God, & injoyned him seven years [Page 122] penance, after which he was absolved, and the childe christned.

Chare di­ligo. Gest. LX.

VVE PUT FORTH BOTH OUR HANDS TO EMBRACE those we love, as if we would bring them home into our heart and bo­some, as some dear and pretious thing, as Aristotle gives the reason of the gesture. To which expres­sion Arist. in Probl. Psal. 119. 48. I find that of the Psalmist referred, My Hands will I lift up unto thy commandements which I have loved: A proverbiall speech taken from this intention of the Hand, as Simon de Muis ob­serves. Cornelius a Lapide notes the naturall Simon de Muis comment. in omnes Psal. Cornel. a Lapid. in Cant. 2. 6. disposition of the Hands in embracing, who com­menting upon the second of Canticles 6. His left Hand is under my head, and his Right Hand doth embrace me; for lovers and parents use to put their left hand under those they tenderly af­fect, and then with their Right Hand to EM­BRACE the whole body, and so bring them to their bosome, comprehending them in the com­passe of their armes, as in the most naturall circle of affection.

Honoro. Gest. LXI

TO APPREHEND AND KISSE THE BACKE OF ANOTHERS HAND, is their naturall expression who would give a token of their ser­viceable love, faith, loyalty, honourable respect, thankfull humility, reverence, supplication, and subjection. From this naturall gesture the Spa­niards tooke their usuall formes of salutation and valediction, whose complement usually is Baso les vostres mans, I kisse your Hand. The sonne of Sirac acknowledgeth the signification of this Ecclesiast. 29. 5. submissive gesture in that saying, Till he hath [Page 123] received, he will kisse a mans Hand. If we should looke backe up on the actions of affectio­nate lovers, whose inflamed hearts have moved them to sacrifice kisses on this low altar of friend­ship, and to offer their service; by this modest in­sinuation of gesture, we might finde many pas­sages of historicall antiquity to confirme and il­lustrate the sense of this expression. How pas­sionate was Cyrus when he came to the place where his friend. Abradatas lay slaine, seeing his Xenoph. de instit. Cyr. lib. 7. wife sitting upon the ground by the dead body of her Lord? for bursting forth into this patheti­call ejaculation, O thou good and faithfull soule, art thou gone and left us, and there withall TOOKE HIM BY THE RIGHT HAND, and the Hand of his dead friend followed (for it was cut off with the cymeter of an Aegyptian) which Cyrus beholding it, much aggravated his sorrow. But Abradatas wife Panthea shriked out, and ta­king the Hand from Cyrus, KISSED IT, and fitted it againe to its place as well as she could. To match this president with another most illu­strious postscript of surviving affection, that bright mirrour of masculine constancie. T. Volumnius when he had long wept over the bo­dy of his friend M. Lucullus, whom Marke An­thony had put to death, because he tooke part with Brutus and Cassius, desired Anthony he Valer. Max. l. 4. might be dispatched upon the body of his friend, whose losse he ought not to survive; and having obtained his desire, being brought where he would be, having GREEDILY KISSED THE RIGHT HAND of Lucullus, he tooke up his head that lay there cut off, and applied it to his breast, and afterward submitted his neck to the [Page 124] sword of the Conquerour. Valerius Maximus in the relation of this Story runs high in setting Plutarch in the life of Cato-Utican. out this hyperbole of friendship, and unmatchable paterne of Roman fidelity. ¶ Allusius the Cel­ [...]iberian used this expression of thankfull humi­lity to Scipio when he had received that unex­pected favour at his Hand to have his captive be­trothed wife preserved by him, and freely deli­vered unto him; seeing it could not be compre­hended nor equalled by any recompence or Lewis de Mayern Turquet, Gen. Hist. Spain. thanks, he was held seised with joy and shame, and taking Scipio by the Right Hand, prayed all the gods to requite the great favour he had done him, seeing he found himselfe insufficient to make any satisfaction as he desired. ¶ As this gesture is a signe of honour and obsequious reve­rence. Cato Utican had his HAND KIST by his Army in especiall honour of him at his depar­ture, Scipio the conquerour of Africa received the like respect and reverence from certaine Pi­rates, who when they had intreated him they Tit. Livi. us l. 37. might presume to approach into his presence, and to have a view of his person, he let them in, and immediately they went, and worshipped the posts and pillars of his gates, as if his house had been the harbour of some sacred deitie, and ha­ving laid their gifts and presents at his threshold, ran hastily to his HANDS AND KISSED THEM; which done, overjoyed as it were with so great a hapinesse, they returned home. Delapsa Coelo sidera hominibus si sese offerent [venerationis] ampli­us non recipient, saith Valerius. This token of love Valer. Max. l. 2. and honor may be further amplified out of Livie. For when T. Quintius had vanquished King T. Livius lib. 33. Philip, and proclaimed liberty by the Beadle to [Page 125] many of the parts of Griece, as the Corinthians, Phocensions and others, there was such joy as men were not able to comprehend, at last when their joy was once confirmed by making the Beadle to cry it once againe, they set up such a shout, and followed it so with clapping of Hands, redoubling the same so often, as evidently it ap­peared, how there is no earthly good in the world more pleasing to a multitude then liberty is; and afterwards running apace unto the Ro­man Generall in such sort, that his person was in some danger of the multitude crouding so hard upon him alone to TOUCH HIS RIGHT HAND. Thus Charicles a Physitian departing from Tibe­rius Tacit. Annal. l. 6 as it had been about some businesse of his owne, under colour of duty, TAKING HIM BY THE HAND, felt the pulse of his veines. Thus also we finde Gadatas and Gobrias in Xenophon Xenoph. de inst. Cyr. l. 7. worshipping the Right Hand of Cyrus. But the most unseasonable and servile use of this expres­sion the Senatours made towards Nero; when even in the height of their griefe, the City filled Tacit. Annal. l. 15. with funeralls, the Capitoll with sacrifices, one having his brother, another his sonne put to death, or friend, or neare kindred, gave thanks to the gods, deckt their house with bayes, fell downe at the Emperours knees, and WEARIED HIS RIGHT HAND WITH KISSES. It was a strange mischance that happened to the learned Oporin [...]s of the University of Basil, going about Causia of Passion. to use this courtly expression, to whom it being given in charge to receive the famous Erasmus by offering him presents of wine in the name of the City; he was prepared for it with a brave and a long Oration, but being trained up to the [Page 126] Schooles (which hath little curiosity and quaint­nesse in complements) going about to kisse E­rasmus his Hand, full of the gout, he did it so roughly that he hurt him, and made him to cry out with paine he had put him to by his kisse, which made the good Professour lose himselfe, nor could he ever hit upon the beginning of his discourse, untill they plentifully had powred out some of the presented wine for him to drink, so to awaken his memory. ¶ In supplication this ge­sture is also significant; for it hath beene a cu­stome with all Nations in supplication to ap­peale unto the Hand of those from whom they expected aid, pressing upon it as that part whose touch was an omen of successe, tendering their requests thereto, because the power of doing doth most manifestly rest therein: whereas to touch the left hand was ever accounted an ill presaging osse. To this appertaines that of A­puleus, Juvenem quempiam &c. in medium producit, cujus diuApul. l. 2. Asini au­rei.manus deosculatus &c. miserere, ait sa­cerdos. And the same Author in another booke presents us with this examplar confirmation, Pontianus ad pedes nostros advolutus, [veniam & oblivionem praeteritorum omnium postulat] flens, & Idem in Apologia.manus nostras osculabundus. Of which kinde of supplication exhibited with reverence and outward worship, declaring the inward affection, the Roman Annales are full of examples. Thus Sophonisba the wife of Syphax taken prisoner by Masanissa, desiring that it might be lawfull for her to open her mouth, and make an humble T. Livius l. 30. speech unto him her Lord, in whose only Hands lyeth her life and death; If I may be so bold (saith she) as to touch your knees, and that vi­ctorious [Page 127] Right Hand of yours, &c. to whom when as now she HELD HIM FAST BY THE HAND, and requested his protection, he GAVE HIS RIGHT HAND for assurance to performe her request. And when Mithridates cast him­selfe at the knees of Eunones; Eunones moved Tacit. l. 12 with the nobility of the man, and the change of his fortunes, at his prayer which argued no base minde, lifted up the suppliant, and commended him that he had chosen the Adorsian nation, and his RIGHT HAND for obtaining pardon. Arche­laus Plutarch [...] in the life of Sylla. when he besought Sylla with teares in his eyes, to be contented with what the Ambassa­dours of Mithridates his master had excepted a­gainst his demands, TAKING HIM BY THE HAND, by intreaty at the end obtained of Sylla to send him unto Mithridates, promising that he would either bring him to agree to all the ar­ticles and conditions of peace that he demanded, or if he could not he would kill himselfe with his owne Hands. Thus also Nicias comming to Plutarch in the life of Marcel. Marcellus with tears in his eyes, and embracing his knees, and KISSING HIS HANDS, besought him to take pity of his poore Citizens. The Tacit. Annal. l. 1 Souldiers of Germanicus, who upon pretence of this expression in their complaints, lamentations and supplications unto him, tooke him by the Hand as it were to kisse it, thrust his fingers into their mouths, that he might feele they were toothlesse. Hecuba comming as a suppliant to Euripides Ulisses to intreat for Iphigenia, as she addrest herselfe to TOUCH HIS RIGHT HAND he HID IT, thereby cutting off all hope of pardon. To Plutarch in the life of Cato Utican. this appertaines the speech of Lucius Caesar the kinsman of Julius Caesar the Conqueror, where [Page 128] he praieth Cato to helpe him to make his oration which he should say unto Caesar in behalfe of the three hundred Merchants in Utica. And as for thee (Cato) saith he, I will KISSE HIS HANDS, and fall downe on my knees before him to in­treat him for thee. ¶ For the exemplifying this expression in the sense of faith, loyalty and sub­jection. Martin Flumee affords us an Historicall Martin Flumee in his Hun­garian Hi­story. and pregnant proofe in King John of Hungarie when with a great company of the Hungarian Nobility which he brought with him, he came to KISSE SOLYMANS HAND, and to acknow­ledge himselfe to him as his subject, and tributa­rie; who found him sitting under a canopie where he made no great countenance to move himselfe at the reverences he made, but shewing a great majesty, he GAVE HIM HIS RIGHT HAND in signe of amity which he KISSED. There is a pleasant Story agreeable to this pur­pose of Amalasuinta Queen of the Longobards, how when she after the death of the King her Luitpran. husband, being childlesse, had with great pru­dence and gravity governed the Kingdome, and was much magnified of her subjects, at the last her Nobles offered her a free power of chusing them a King out of the Nobility, whom she might make her husband, who having sent for one of her Nobles whom she preferred in her choice to the rest, and he supposing he had been sent for about som affaires of State, as soon as he saw the Queen, who was come out to meet him, he leapt from his horse and bowed himselfe to KISSE HER HAND; to whom she smiling, not my Hand, but my face, meaning that he was now no longer to be a subject, but her husband and [Page 129] King. Aurelianus sent by Clodovaeus to Clotilda, of whose vertue he was enamoured, to finde means of accesse unto her, resolved to beg almes of her, for which cause he stood at the gate of a Church among a great rable of beggars expecting the Causin Lady. Princesse to come forth; she failed not to per­forme acts of charity to all the poore according to her custome, and perceiving this man who seemed of a generous aspect in these miserable rags, felt her heart seised with extraordinary pi­ty, beholding one of so good carriage reduced to such misery, and without any further enquiry, she gave him a piece of gold. Aurelianus see­ing this Royall Hand to charitably stretched out to succour a counterfeited want, whether he were transported with joy, or whether he was desirous to make himselfe observed by some act, he lifted up the sleeve of the Princesse, which according to the fashion of Robes then worne, covered all even unto her Hands, and having bared her Right Hand KISSED it with much re­verence; She blushing, yet passing on and shew­ing no resentment, afterwards sending for him, which was the scope of his desire, who comming to the place assigned him, Clotilda beholding him, soundly chid him for his boldnesse, in lifting up the sleeve of her garment, and KISSING HER HAND: He who was a most quaint courtier found out this evasion, and said, The custome of his Countrey permitted to kisse the lips of Ladyes at salutation; but the unhappinesse of his condition abased him so low hee could not aspire to the face; behold the cause why hee contented himselfe with the Hand, it be­ing a thing very reasonable to kisse a Hand, [Page 130] which is the sourse of so many charities.

Reservati­one saluto Gestus LXII.

TO OFFER THE BACKE OF THE RIGHT HAND TO BE KISSED by others, which Plinie calls a religious ceremony used by all Na­tions,Plinie Nat Hist. lib. 11. is an expression of state used by proud and scornfull persons, who affect the garbe of great ones, and are willing to afford a sleight respect to one they thinke unworthy of a higher touch. Martiall very acutely jeers at the con­dition of such over-weening magnifico's; Martial lib. 2. Ep. 22.

Many such apes of sovereignty our times afford who arrogate to themselves more honour then either their birth or fortunes can chalenge, such may see a copy of their improper expression in Marcellinus who describing the corrupt state of Ammian. Marcel. l. 8 Rome in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens, shews how the Nobility some of them, when they began to be saluted, or greeted breast to breast, turned their heads awry when they should have been kissed, and bridling it like unto curst and fierce bulls, offered unto their flattering fa­vourites their knees or Hands to kisse, supposing that favour sufficient for them to live happily, and be made for ever. Indeed the favourites of fortune, and great Commanders of the world, with a little more reason have thought them much to wrong their majesty who in kissing presumed above their Hands. Examples of which imperious expression we have in Caligu­la, who as Dion reporteth of him was very spa­ring Dion Cass. l. 59. Caligula. of his Hand, except it were to Senatours, and to whom he offered this favour, they gave [Page 131] him publicke thanks in the Senate for it, where­as all men saw him daily allowing this favour to dancers and tumblers. And Domitian to Caenis Sueton Domit. cap. 12. his fathers concubine newly returned out of Istria, and offering to kisse his lippes, hee PUT FORTH HIS HAND. And the younger Maxi­min is noted to have used the said stately expres­sion Seldens Titles of Honours. in his demeanour towards them that came to salute him, and not to have admitted any a­bove his Hand. A piece of state that hath been as improperly usurped by the proud Prelates of the Church, who have expected the same symbol of subjection from the humble mouths of their adorers. A reserved carriage which begat envy in the people to the greatest Emperours. Where­fore Plinius in Panaegyr. ad Traja­num. Pliny comending Trajan the Emperor in for­bearing this expression of state, & condemning it in those that used it, saith, I am quo assensu senatus quo gaudio exceptus es, cum canditatis ut quem (que) no­mina veras? osculo occurres? devexus in planum, & quasi unus ex gratulantibus, te miror magis, an improbem illos, qui efficerunt ut illud magnum vide­retur, cum velut affixi curulibus suis manum tan­tum, & hanc cunctanter & pigrè, & [imputanti­bus] similes promerent? Yet in Princes whose tempers did enrich them with their peoples love, this demonstration of the Hand was held to be a note of Royall plausibility. Of this kinde of be­nigne and courteous Princes was Marcus Au­relius, as Herodian noteth, who was of so sweet a temper, and debonaire behaviour towards all men, that he would GIVE HIS HAND [ [...]] Herodian Imper. Hist. lib. 1. to every man that came to him, comman­ding his guard to keepe backe none that came unto him. The same Author speaking of the Idem l. 3. [Page 132] Emperour Severus his entrance into Rome with his Army, and noting his plausibility the next day when he came to the Senate, where he made a smooth and plausible speech, and then (saith he) he GAVE HIS HAND to all the company, where he useth the same Greeke word as before. Absolon used this popular action of his Hand, as 2 Sam. 15. 5. a bait to entice and steale away the hearts of the people from his father David: for, the text saies it was so, that when any man came nigh him to doe him obeysance, he put forth his Hand, and tooke him, and kissed him. Otho was of the same courtly complexion, and (as Tacitus Cornel. T [...]ci [...]us Hist. lib. 1. observeth) was well skilled in the facit force of this popular insinuation, very ready to STRETCH FORTH HIS HAND, and to bow himselfe to every meane person, neither did he reject any, though comming single. The huma­nity of Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, a Prince of an invincible spirit, and noble temper, Quintus Curtius lib. 10. is most renowned in Histories; who although he was weakned with the violence of a disease (a thing most incredible to be spoken or heard) raising himselfe upon his couch, PUT FORTH HIS DYING HAND to all his souldiers that would, to touch it, and holding it in that posture untill all his Army had kissed, not untill then ta­king in his wearied arme: Upon which unimi­table act of Alexander, Valerius Maximus breaks forth into a most patheticall interrogatory, Quis V [...]ler. M [...]x. lib. 5. autem manum osculari non curreret, quae jam fato oppressa maximi exercitus complexui, [humanitate] quam spiritu vividiore suffecit? Nor was the affa­bility of Cyrus King of Persia much lesse remark­able, Xenoph. [...]. Cyr. l [...]b. 8. who declaring upon his death-bed, how [Page 133] they should dispose of his body after his a, to wit, to bury it presently in the earth, and not to inclose it in any gold or silver urne; where­fore (saith he) if there be any of you, that would either touch my Right Hand, or behold my eye while I am yet alive, let them come neare; but when mine eyes are once closed, I crave of you my sonnes, that my body may be seene of no man, nor of you your selves; and having spoken these and other things, when he had given them all his Hand, he closed his eyes, and so dyed. Great Princes at this day expose not their Right Hand to be kissed, but to such whom they would welcome with some especiall grace. For when great Potentates intend to admit a friend into protection, or in their Royall goodnesse are plea­sed to re-admit some exile from their love, and would dispense with greater majesty a pardon royall for some passed offence, they use openly to offer and PRESENT THE BACKE OF THEIR RIGHT HAND, permitting them by that favour to reverence their power and high command; or the signification of that touch and honourable favour is as much as a firme signe of reconciliation and a gracious league obtained at their Hand.

Furacita­tem noto. Gestus. LXIII.

TO PUT FORTH THE LEFT HAND AS IT WERE BY STEALTH, is their significant endeavour who have an intent unséene to pur­loine and convey away something. From which fellonious action the Adage is derived, Utitur Erasm. Adag. manu sinistra, which translated, in the proverbiall sense is tooke up against cheates, and pilfering fellowes, who by a théevish sleight of Hand, [Page 134] and slie way of robbery, can bereave one of a thing unperceived; for such Mercurialists who addresse themselves to filch, and lurching closely assay under-Hand to steale a thing Hand-smooth away, doe in the cursed Handicraft of theft, out of a kinde of cunning choice imploy the left hand, which is the hand that lyes more out of sight, and is farre lesse observed then the Right Hand is. A Hand which if it once grow dexte­rious by habituall theeving, will not be left; for if it once affect to keep it selfe in ure, it turnes to an incurable felon. And it may be worth our inquiry why the Law doth so expressely order theft to be punished in this Hand, for that the See the Statut. brawn of the left thumbe is branded in malefa­ctors, a kinde of penall pardon for the first trans­gression. And if it may be lawful to divine of the legality of this law-checke, I should thinke that there lyes some concealed symboll in the device, and that the estates assembled had regard to the fellonious procacity and craft of this guilefull Hand, which is prone by a slie insinuation with more subtile secrecie to present it selfe to any si­nister intention, & doth no sooner move to such actions, but every finger proves a limetwig; which the ancient Aegyptians implied in their way of Hieroglyphique when they figured fura­city Pier. in Hierogl. lib. 35. or theft by a light fingured left hand put forth as it were by stealth. To open and unfold the subtile and occult conceptions of antiquity about the nature and disposition of the left hand, and to collect what hath been noted touching the sinister inclinations of this hand, whereby its naturall properties have propagated them­selves, and by action insensibly spread into the [Page 135] manners and customes of men. First, it is the noted property of the left hand to be coverd, and to keep as it were a recluse in the bosome, or to be carried wrapped up in a cloake, lurking close­ly and lying as it were in ambuscado to entrap, and by a crafty fetch imperceptibely to make a prize of all that comes to Hand. Whence the Greeks from whom the facetiousnesse of man­ners and elegancie of learning (as some thinke) were first derived, signifie as much, who will therefore have the left hand named [...] Hesychius lavam manum, because for the most part [...], tegi & occultari soleat, whereup­on this hand being more idle, for idlenesse is a maine cause of theft, it is consequently more prone to this manuall transgression. This light­fingered hand being called by Isidor, Laeva quod Isidor. aptior sit ad levandum, to wit, to beguile, elude, lessen and diminish anothers goods. And Theo­critus Theocri­tus in cha­ritibus. following herein the opinion of antiquity, having noted the particular quality and behavi­our of this hand, and the private vice to which it is propense, concludes from the pitchy temper thereof, that the left hand signifies the captivity of unlawfull desire and rapacity; so that it hath for this cause been consecrated to Laverna the goddesse of theeves, as being by reason of its wily genius more fit and convenient for cousen­age and clandestine theevery; for being com­monly hid and involved in the bosome of a gown or cloake and waiting in obscurity, it comes to passe for the most part (men suspecting no such thing) that doing nothing and devoted to rest, yet being at liberty and ready to handle, it will be doing, and somewhat of other mens suffers [Page 136] for it, while this purloining hand thinkes it selfe the proprietary of anothers goods. Hence that elegant recorder of the ancient fictions, with a Poeticall touch of his pen, sets a glosse upon this businesse thus,

And that quaint Comoedian long before him Ovid. l. 13 Metamor. Plautus. pointing out as it were with his finger the ge­nuine deceitfulnesse of this hand, called it, Fur­tificam laevam, the close and cunning pilferer: And Euphormio alluding to the same properties of this hand, saith, Turgentes occulos furtiva ma­nu Euphor. Satyr. 1. exfrico. And (indeed) laeva or sinistra ac­cording to the ancient manner of speaking used with the Ancients, notes one to be a thiefe. Hadrian Card. de Serm. La­tino. That subtill knave Asinius who was experienced in the crafty handling of things, and drawing them to his owne private advantage, used this hand as least suspected, when he had watched an opportunity at a feast to steale away some of the linnen; against whom Catullus in his stinging Catullus Epigr. 12. stile slings these words out of his crisped pen:

Hence also when Sophiclodisca the baud in Plau­tus, Plautus Persa Act. 2. Sc. 2. upon suspition of felony demanded to see the Hand of Paeginum, and the lad like a crafty wag had put forth his Right Hand; she replied to him, ubi illa altera furtisica laeva, where is that other close and cunning pilferer the left hand. Auto­licus was expert in the slie feats of this hand, of whom Martial, Martial Epigr.

And we read in Catullus of Porcius and Socratio, Catullus. [Page 137] duae sinistrae Pisonis the two left hands of Piso, that is instruments of his by whose private convey­ance he received bribes; for although in regard, of their imployments under him, they might be said to be his Right Hands, yet in this sense of bri­bery, and close conveyance they were properly called his left hands. The Aegyptians in Hiero­glyphique Pier. Hie­roglyph. lib. 35. painted justice by an open left hand, as the colder, weaker and slower hand, and therefore lesse prone or able to apply it selfe to offer or doe any injury. But it is better for the Common-wealth that Judges should be without Hands, as the Theban Statues of Judges were, Idem. then in this sense to have a left hand.

Benedico. Gestua LXIV.

THE IMPOSITION OF THE HAND, is a na­turall gesture significantly used in condem­nation, absolution, pardon and forgivenesse, be­nediction, adoption, initiation, confirmation, con­secration, ordination, sanation, and in gracing our meales. That this gesture is of importance in condemnation is apparent by the commands of the old Law in case of temptation to Ethnicisme Deut. 13. 9. 17. 7. and practicall Idolatry. So when the sonne of Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan which she had by an Aegyptian) had blasphemed, the Lord by the hand of Moses Levit. 24. 14. commanded him to be brought forth without the campe, and all that heard him were to LAY HIS HAND ON HIS HEAD. And the laying of the Hand on the sacrifices head that was condem­ned Levit. 1. 4. 8. 22. 2 Chron. 29. 23. in the offerers stead, so often commanded in the Leviticall Law, points to the signification of this gesture. ¶ In absolution, pardon and for­givenesse, notwithstanding the identity of ge­sture, [Page 138] there is a proper contrariety of expression, and this seems to be a naturall and paraphrasti­call gesture, very sutable to that petition in the Lords prayer, Forgive us our trespasses, AS we forgive them their trespasses against us. For, AS Nature teacheth us to raise our Hands to beg par­don and forgivenesse at the Hand of God; so she likewise moves us to the same expression of ge­sture, as most proper and significant to seale our pardons to others; implying, that who forgives shall be forgiven; and neither Nature nor Grace doth move us to aske pardon on any other terms. The phrase of this gesture is significantly tooke into the formes of the Civill Law; and hath been practised in Ecclesiasticall absolution. Parisiensis for this reason would have it a sacrament, because Ulpian Pand. l. 42 [...]it. de re judic. Guliel. Paris de Sac. Po [...]n. it hath a sacring and sanctifying signe, to wit, a sign having a naturall resemblance with inward sanctification it self, which is the Hand. To this gesture as it is cunningly made an Appenage to the Papall policie of auricular confession, I have nothing to say, only I finde that the ancient form of absolution was to hold both the Hands con­joyned Francis-Coriol. de Sacr. poen. over the parties head which was to be absolved; which may be also exhibited by one Hand laid in sequence of the other; or both con­joyned and held above the head, so appearing in the aire without any residence at all upon the head. The manner of performance at this day (it seems) is, to lay on both the extended Hands upon the head, so that they touch the crowne, and rest and settle downe thereon. ¶ As this gesture is significant in benediction, it was used by Isaac upon his death-bed when he blessed his sonne Jacob who supplanted Esau of his blessing Gen. 27. 4 [Page 139] by counterfeiting the rough Hands of his elder brother: And thus Jacob about to dye blessed his twelve sonnes, every one of them with a seve­rall Gen. 40. 28. blessing. Our Blessed Saviour who with the sacred gestures of his Hand, hath sanctified the expressions of ours, and made them a holy lan­guage, was often seen to use this expression of the Hand: whence the Church commenting up­on his action, saith, He by his outward gesture Matth. 10. 13. and deed declared his good will to little chil­dren, in that He embraced them in His Armes. LAID HIS HANDS UPON THEM and blessed them. And the very last expression that flowed from His sacred Hand was blessing: for at the time of His ascention He LIFTED UP HIS HANDS and blessed His Apostles, and while Luke 24. [...]0. they beheld Him in this posture blessing them, He departed bodily from them ascending up in­to Heaven. Hence in all tacit posies of His as­cention, this figure of the sacred property of His Hand is most emphatically significant. ¶ That in conferring the blessings of primogeniture and adoption, this gesture of the Right Hand is more peculiarly significant, is excellently illustrated by the adoption of Ephraim unto the birthright of Manasseth by Jacob when he blessed Joseph sons: Gen. 48. 8. For, Joseph bringing his sonnes to be blessed of his father, tooke Ephraim in his Right Hand to­wards Israels left hand; and Manasses in his left hand, towards Israels Right Hand, so he brought them unto him: But Israel STRETCHED OUT HIS RIGHT HAND, and laid it on Ephraims head which was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasses head (directing his Hands on purpose) for Manasses was the elder. But when Joseph saw [Page 140] that his father laid his Right Hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he staid his fa­thers Hand to remove it from Ephraims head to Manasses head. And Joseph said unto his fa­ther, not so my father, for this is the eldest, put thy Right Hand upon his head: But his father re­fused and said, I know well my sonne, I know well; he shall be also a people, and shall be great likewise: But his younger brother shall be greater then he, and his seed shall be full of Nations: So he blessed them that day, and said, In thee Israel shall blesse and say, God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseth: And he set E­phraim before Manasseth. For the Historicall Tiraquel. de jure primog. Dr. F. of the Ch. l. 5. cap. 2. Pererius in Gen. sense of this expression, see Tiraquel and Dr. Field. Pererius, Rupertus, and Isidorus affirme, that in a mysticall sense this cancelling or crossing of the Patriarchs Hands in exhibiting his blessing and transferring the right of primogeniture to the younger, was representatively done to prefigure a mystery of the calling of the Gentiles, and the preferring of them before the Jewes: and that this was the first type or prefiguration of the manner of the promised Messiahs passion in the decreed way of redemption. ¶ The same ge­sture we use in gracing our meals, an expression very proper and significant: For, the Hands re­verently erected, without any other forme of speech annexed, seem naturally to pronounce this Grace.

And it is a brand of prophane unmannerlines in the rough Hand of Esau that he was readier to strike Hand with a chapman to sell Gods bles­sing for his meat, then with his Hand to invite it to his meate. Whereas our Blessed Saviour thought blessing (bid by this reverend invitation of the Hand) a considerable guest at a feast, who to shew that man liveth not by bread only, upon all such occasions used the signification of this gesture. Thus He blessed the five loaves and Mark. 6. 41. two fishes wherewith he wrought his feeding miracle. And from this Chireulogia or act of blessing and giving thanks the Sacrament used at His last supper, is called the Eucharist. And in the tearmes and stile of School-men or natu­rall Divines to speake to the fundamentall point of this gesture now in Hand. The Hands and Blessing seem to be conjugates in the Schoole both of Nature and Grace. Benediction being a naturall rite neare allied unto the Hand, and of spirituall affinity with prayer. For, Religion and Grace disa [...] not the powers of naturall expressions, but advance them to a full and pu­rer perfection, improving the corporeall sense of those manifestations to a more spirituall and san­ctified signification. That inexhaustible foun­taine (therefore) of Blessing, our Blessed Savi­our having ordained himselfe a Hand, and ha­ving taken upon Him the corporeall nature of man was constantly pleased to honour the nature He had so taken, and to enforce by the precept and authority of His owne example, the signifi­cant [Page 142] convenience, religious use and decent im­portance of this property of blessing annexed to the Hand. ¶ In consecration this gesture hath the like congruity of signification; for there was never any thing by the expresse command of any legislator to be hallowed by a dedication, but the Hand was called to, and injoyned to at­tend as a proper addition to confirm and sanctifie all other rites; not that there is any inherent holi­nesse in the Hand, or solemne forme of expressi­on, but an adherent only. The very heathens have acknowledged a significant vertue in this expres­sion of the Hand; for we read that Numa was Plutarch in the life of Numa. consecrated upon mount Tarpeian by the chiefe of the southsayers, called Augures, laying his Right Hand upon his head; a piece of superstiti­ous apishnesse they learned from the grand spiri­tuall Impostor. Moses a man skilfull in all the lear­ning of the Aegyptians, among which some se­crets of our Chirosophie were judiciously vey­led; by inspiration commanded the Right Hand of the high Priest, to wit, the thumbe thereof, or vice-hand to be hallowed with the oyle in his left palme, from thence called the Holy Finger, Godwyn Jewish Antiq. (a forme also observed in the Inauguration of Kings.) And the finger was used in all dippings and sprinklings of the Leviticall Law. The ground and foundation of this typicall expressi­on Levit. 4. 6. 17. 25. 30. 34. 16. 14. 9. 9. seems to be laid in nature; for, the Hand is conceived to be as it were a shadow or image of the Trinity; for the arme that proceeds from the body, doth represent the second Person who proceeds from the Eternall Father, who is as it were the body and spring of the Trinity, and the fingers which flow both from the body and [Page 143] the arme, doe represent the Holy Ghost, who proceeds both from the Father and the Sonne. Hence Hierom upon the passage of Isaiah, To whom is the Arme of the Lord revealed, saies that the Arme of the Lord is mystically the Son Hier. in Isaiah. 53. 1. proceeding from the Father: To which some refer that of the Psalmist, He made strong his Arme. And the arme shadowes out the second Person in the Trinity in these respects; in coes­sentiality Stump. Alleg. post part. vernal. with the body coevallity, Ability, Utility, Agility and Flexibility. The fingers give an umbrage of the Holy Spirit in regard of their procession proceeding from the Arm and Hand, operation, the body working by the Hand and fingers, conjunction, taction, ostention, asper­tion, Idem part Citata distinction of joynts, equall numeration, &c. Hence the Finger of God in Scripture signifies the Holy Spirit, If in the Finger of God I cast out divells; but then the word Finger must be Gouschel. lib. 3. eloc. sacr. Scrip. in the singular number, for in the plurall it hath other senses. ¶ It is also their gesture who would solemnly confer some spirituall or tempo­rall honour upon some person. This in the sacred language of Scripture is Chirothesia, and is a ma­triculating gesture, and the formall preposition proper to those who are to be openly installed or inaugurate in some new place of duty or of command; all creations relying on the honora­rie touch of the giving Hand, as the enduing en­signe that by evidence ensures the priviledges of investiture. And this manuall expression is so naturally important, that it proves in honorarie initiations, a fitter vestment to cloath the intenti­on in, then the airy texture of words; for it hath ever had a sacred efficacy to move the under­standing [Page 144] by the sense, and to facilitate the over­ture of sacred affaires, as being of good note and consequence conducing and inviting to the knowledge of things abstruce, there being no other part of man that can so lively and empha­tically present by gesture the solemne images of [...]is intention, since by the motion of the Hand there is wrought in the minde of the beholder something that is, ex congru [...], significant unto a thought, as that which suggests more unto the minde, then what is expressed unto the outer sense; for it hath more sollidity and weight then appeares in the bare [...] relation: And all gestures of the Hand being known to be of their very nature signs of imitation; the mystique pro­perty & close intention of this gesture is not alone to represent it self, but to conduct and insinuate something else into the thought, which being (as it must ever be) an intelligible notion, as it is a signe or token it falls short and abates of the perfection of the thing that is implied by its out­ward signification: wherefore a Hand is but im­properly said to be the shadow of its counterfeit, which is wrought by a pencill in imitation of the life, although upon sight thereof we know and conclude it to have the semblance of a Hand, & to be a draught or copy of the originall: so this gesture is but a manuall vision of the mind most conformable to expresse divine notions, which else would lose much of their lustre, and remaine invisible to the conceit of man. This forme of expression in ordination as it is agree­able to the canon of Nature, so it hath received confirmation by the Hand of God since it first appeared in the Hand of the Patriarchs, the first [Page 145] dispensers of personall benediction, who used it to betoken the restrained intention of their votes unto them on whom they conferred their blessings: For we finde Moses by command Numb. 27. 18. PUTTING HIS HAND UPON Joshua the sonne of Nun to appoint him governour, who is said to be full of the Spirit, for Moses had LAID Deut. 34. 9 HIS HANDS UPON him. And when Moses and Joshua had prayed, and LAID THEIR HANDS ON the seventy Elders, the Holy Spirit came up­on them. In choosing of Deacons this gesture Acts 6. 6. was used by the Apostles. And in the separati­on of Barnabas and Saul to be the Apostles of the Gentiles, this gesture is againe used. And Timothy is put in minde by St. Paul of the gift Act. 13. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 6 1 Tim. 4. 14. he received by this IMPOSITION OF HANDS: for not only the office but the ability were to­gether conferred upon many by this gesture, of which acquist we must not conceive the solemne gesture to be a naturall, but a morall cause, as be­ing the true manner & form of impetration, God assenting, and by successe crowning the prayers of religious Hands; and shewed that what they did was by prayer and blessing in his name, they being, indeed, Gods Hands by which he rea­cheth Counsell and Religion, which as through their Hands are conveyed unto men, Christ ha­ving promised to open and shut them, to stretch them out and draw them in, as the Hand of man is guided by the spirit that is in man. This Chi­rothesia vel Chirotonia (for both occur in the new Testament) is used as an Ecclesiasticall gesture at this day in token of elevation or ordination, ele­ction, and separation. And [...] est quasi [...], id est Bellarm. de contr. l. Tom. 2.manus tendo seu attollo in signum [Page 146] [suffragii.] To which appertains that cautionary symboll of St. Paul, Lay the Hand suddenly on no man; which Interpreters expound of the care that is to be used that none should be admitted into roomes of divine calling, but such who are called and are fit, Tam doctrina quam moribus: For no man can lay the Hand upon himselfe and be as Basil tearmes it, [...], his own or­deiner; for that is parallel unto the crime of Jeroboam who filled his owne Hand; that is, 1 King. 13 ordained himselfe. ¶ To the signification and externall effects of IMPOSITION OF HANDS in confirmation, Tertullian elegantly, Caro * manus impositione adumbratur, ut & anima spiritu illumi­netur. ¶ In sanation or conferring a corporall be­nefit on any, IMPOSITION OF HANDS is ve­ry naturall, significant and agreeable to the my­sterious intention; for, the Hand is the generall salve that is applied, and applies all remedies; for naturally ubi dolor, ibi digitus, and necessarily in point of topicall application, whose very ap­proach doth most sensibly import reliefe and ease. Our Blessed Saviour the great Physitian of soule and body, who did most of his miracles for restauration of bodily health, though he were the truth and substance, who gave an end to all legall shadowes, yet he most commonly used the shadow of this naturall gesture to the more visible and significant application of his miraculous cures. He gave sight to the blinde, yet not without touching the eye: Hearing to the deafe, not without thrusting his Finger into the eare; and speech to the dumbe, yet not with­out wetting the tongue, most with this gesture of IMPOSITION. Thus by TOUCHING Simons Ma. 8. 15 [Page 147] wifes mothers Hand He cured her of her feaver. Thus by PUTTING FORTH HIS HAND, AND TOUCHING the leper, He healed him of his leprosie. Thus by LAYING HANDS on the wo­man Mark 1. 4 [...]. that was troubled with a spirit of infirmity, he loosed her from her dise [...]se, and made streight Luke 131 13. her bowed body. And it is said of Him that he could doe no great workes in his owne Coun­trey by reason of their unbeleefe, save that HE LAID HIS HANDS UPON a few sicke folkes, and healed them. And (indeed) their sutes that Mark 6. 5 [...] came unto him for helpe, were commonly ten­dered and expressed in such formes of speech as shewed that he much used this significant ex­pression of gesture. For, although as Fonseca truly Fonseca. observes, the flesh of our Saviour, for that it was the flesh of God, gave life and health to all that touched it, for a certain vertue went out from all parts of Him, and cured all men, (as the woman that had the issue of bloud experimentally found) yet He was pleased (so to honor the Hand) to use his Hand in the conveyance and application of that curative vertue, as that which in nature is the most important & significant member of the body: he could have said the word only and it had been done, but he would speak reliefe with his Hand. Thus Jairus besought him to come and LAY Luke 8. 41 THE HANDS UPON his sicke daughter that she might be healed and live: And they who brought the deafe and stammering man unto Him, be­sought Marke 7. 30. ver. 33 Luke 8. 54. See Hook, in Eccles. polit. Him to PUT HIS HAND UPON him, whose requests were graciously answered in this desired and his accustomed formeof ex­pression with his healing Hand. And Exposi­tors agree that they required no expression of [Page 148] pity from our Saviours Hands then what they had observed him to use, thereby attributing un­to him the honour and right of the chiefe Pro­phet: For it was an expression used by the anci­ent Prophets as a holy charme against bodily in­firmities: And of the practice of this gesture at­tended with a visible successe, the Heathens were not ignorant, apparent by the speech of Naaman who was halfe wroth with Elisha for 1 Kings 5. 21. omitting this expression or pledge of health, for the thought with himselfe that the Prophet would have come out and stood, and called upon the name of the Lord his God, and PUT HIS HAND UPON the place and heale the lepro­sie. After the ascention of our Saviour, his pro­mise Mark 16. 17. was fulfilled, that they should LAY THEIR HANDS ON the sicke, and they should be cured. Thus Paul received his sight by the LAYING Act. 9. 17. ON OF Ananias Hands. And thus Paul healed the father of Publius Governour of the Islle of Acts 28. Melita, now Malta. Thus Peter TAKING the Cripple that sat at the gate of the Temple called Beautifull BY THE RIGHT HAND, recovered Act. 3. 7. him of his lamenesse. But of all the curetorie mi­racles wrought by the vertue of this expression of the Apostles, the casting out of Divells, and freeing the possessed, most astonished the people, especially after those sons of one Sceva (a Jewish exorcist) had took in Hand to counterfeit that Acts 19. 13. powerfull gift by an unwarrantable imitation, and were soundly beaten for their apish and vain attempt: After the Apostles times, the exorcists (an order in the Primitive Church) used this cura­torie Dr. Field of the Church l. 5. adjunct in commending those to God who were disquieted with Divells. ¶ The curative [Page 149] adjunct with a tangit te Rex sana te Deus is used in the conveyance of that Charisme or miraculous See Dr. Tookers Charisma, seu Donū sanationis gift of healing, which derived from the infancie of the Church the inaugured Monarchs of this Land so happily enjoy: In which expression of their sanative vertue they not only surpasse the fabulous cures of Pyrrhus or Vespasian, of which Plinie and others make mention, but the pre­tended Plinie Nat. Hist. vertues of other Christian Monarchs. And indeed it is a maxime Ecclesiasticke, that no miracle is wrought out of the Church. And this miraculous imposition of the Hand in curing the disease called the Struma, which from the constant effect of that Sovereigne Salve, is cal­led the Kings Evill. His sacred Majesty that now is hath practised with as good successe as any of His Royall Progenitours.