Chap. xx. What numbers are attributed to letters; and of divining by the same. The Pythagorians say (Aristotle, and Ptolemy are of the same opinion) that the very Elements of letters have some certain divine numbers, by which collected from proper names of things, we may draw conjectures concerning occult things to come. Whence they call this kind of divination Arithmancy, because, viz. it is done by numbers, as Terentianus hath made mention of it in these verses.
Names are, they say, made of but letters few
Unfortunate, of many, do foreshew
Success; so Hector did Patroclus slay,
So Hector to Achilles was a prey.
Also Pliny saith, That there was added to what Pythagoras invented, an uneven number of vowels of imposed names, which did betoken lameness, or want of eyes, and such like misfortunes, if they be assigned to the right side parts; but an even number to them of the left. And Alexandrinus the Philosopher taught, How that by the number of letters we may find out the ruling Stars of any one that is born, and whether the husband or wife shall dye first, and know the prosperous, or unhappy events of the rest of our works. His traditions which were not disallowed by Ptolemy the Astrologer we shall here add, and put under. But those numbers, which are deputed to each letter, we have above shewed in the Greek, and Hebrew letters, the Alphabet being divided into three Classes, whereof the first is of unites, the second of tens, the third of hundreds. And seeing in the Roman Alphabet there are wanting four to make up the number of twenty seven Characters, their places are supplyed with I, and V sinple consonants, as in the names of John, and Valentine, and hi, and hu aspirate consonants as in Hierom, and Huilhelme, although the
