Transmutation of the person

Of the transmutation of the person. · Book 1, encoded section 39 · Text transcription

Original source (English)

To be changed from little to great, and from great again to bigger, so that you excéed not reason is good, for it is increase of businesse and goods: but to be greater then common vse, is death. Also it is ill for an old man to be changed into a yong man, or a yong man into a childe, for they shall change to a worse estate: but the contrary is good, for they shall come to a better estate. To dream to be a woman, is good for a poore man, and a servant: for the first shall finde those which will cherish him as a woman, and the second shall have lesse paine: but to a rich man, it is ill; especially, if he have government of any publike thing, it takes away his office and authority, because women must kéepe the house. To such as exercise bodily labour, it is sicknesse: for women are commonly weaker then men. If a woman dream that she is a man, and she be not married, she shall have a husband, or if she have no children, she shall have a sonne, or shall be some way changed into the nature of a man: but if she be both married, and have a sonne, she shall be a Widdow. To a Maid servant it signifies she shall have great servitude, and undergo pain as a man. It is good for a harlot, for she shall leave her wicked courses. Again, if a poor man or woman dreame that they are made all of gold, they shall be rich: but if they be rich, they shall be circumvented. For gold and silver have us Spies: to a sick person it is death. To be of brasse is good for a Warriour and a servant: for the one shall have Victory and a Statue erected, and the other shall have liberty. To dreame that you are of Iron, foretelleth infinite miseries. To be all of Earth betokeneth death, except such as live by earth; as Potters. To be of Stone, is to receive blows and wounds: if one dream he is changed into the shape of a Beast, he must judge according to the beasts nature, and of that I will intreat in the Second Books, in my discourse of the Chase. I have observed, that it is good for all to dream they are fair, and of good grace, and strong, and yet without excéeding common custome: for to be too faire, too brave, and too strong, is as much as to be ill favoured, faint hearted, and weak, which things signifie death to the Sick, and to Lovers ill successe, and attachment for treason.