Of the Signature of Naturall things.
I
n this Booke it is convenient for us speaking of the Signature of things in the first place, to declare by whom things are signed, and who the Signator is, and how many things there be that are signed. You must therefore know, that things that are signed are of 3 sorts. The first sort of them Man signs: the second, the Archeius:[Pg 101] the third, the stars of supernaturall things. Therefore upon this account there are three Signators: Man, the Archeius, and Stars.
Moreover, you must note, that impressions signed by men do bring with them a perfect knowledge, and judgement of hid things, and impart the knowledg of their hid vertues, and faculties.
The markes of the Stars cause Prophecies, and Presages, and declare the supernaturall vertues of things, and take out the true judgements, and signes, in Geomancy, Chiromancy, Physiognomy, Hydromancy, Pyromancy, Necromancy, Astronomy, the Berillisticall art, and other Astrall sciences.
But that wee may explain briefly, and truly all the signes, or markes, it wil be necessary in the first place, that wee speak of those signes of which Man is the Signer. Those being understood; you may the more rightly understand the rest, whether naturall, or supernaturall. It is therefore known, that the Iews carry about them, upon their cloak, or coat a yellow sign. And this is nothing else but that mark, by which they would have you, when you meet them, to know that they are Iews. So a Serjeant is known by his divers coloured coat, or sleeve. So every Magistrate apparells his servants with his own colours, and liveries.
Every Mechanick marks his work with a certaine signe, that every one may know whose work it is.
For which end Carriers wear the liverie of their master, or city, that it may be known whom they serve and from whence they travell, that thereby they may goe the safer.
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So every Souldier wears a marke, or badge, as colours, black, white, yellow, green, blew, or red, &c. that he may be distinguished from the enemie. Hence it may bee known that this is Cesars souldier, that the Kings, this an Italian, this a French souldier, &c.
These are signes which belong to order, or office, of which many more may bee reckoned up. But yet because wee have intended to describe the signes of naturall, and supernaturall things, wee shal not fill up this booke with other signes.
As concerning those signes, which Man makes, which doe not only respect order, office, or name, but conduce to the knowing of his knowledge, age, dignity, degree, &c. You must know concerning Money, that every kind thereof hath its peculiar triall, and marke, by which it is known, how much it is valued at, who is the Master of it, and in what place it is usually currant. Hence is that German Proverb, Money is no where more in request then where it was coined.
The same also is to bee understood of things that are looked upon and examined by men sworn and appointed for that purpose, before they bee signed: as Cloth which is marked with peculiar marks, by which it may be known, that in examining they were found good, and proved. Why is a seal put upon Letters, but that there is a certain bond, which it is lawfull for no man to violate? For a seal is a confirmation of Letters, whence they are of all men accounted ratified. Without a seale an Acquitance is void, and of no force.
After the same manner many things are marked with few letters, names, or words, as books, which[Pg 103] being writ upon the outside but with one word, doe presently shew what is contained within.
The same rule also there is for glasses and boxes in Apothecaries shops, all which are discerned by peculiar names, or papers put upon them. Unlesse that were done, who could discern so many Waters, Liquors, Syrups, Oyles, Powders, Seeds, Unguents, &c. and all simples? After the same manner doth the Alchymist in his Elabatorie mark with names, and papers all Waters, Liquors, Spirits, Oyles, Flegms, Crocus, Alcali, and all species, that thereby hee may when there is occasion make use of any of them, and know them: without the help of which his memory could never bear them.
So also may all houses and buildings bee marked with numbers or figures, that the age of every one of them by the first sight of the number may presently be known.
These and other things that are marked I was willing to shew to you, that these being comprehended, I might bee the better understood by you in the rest, and so the signification of every thing might bee the more plain, and clear.
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Of the Monstrous Signes of Men.
Divers monstrous signes or Markes.
Many men are brought forth deformed with monstrous marks, or signes: so one abounds with one finger, or Toe, another wants one. The fingers of some grow all together in the mothers womb. Another hath a wry foot, arm, or neck, &c. and brings it with him out of the womb. Another hath a bunch in his back: so also, are Hermaphrodites born, i.e. they which are both Male, and Female, and have the members both of Man, and Woman, or else want both. I have observed many of these monstrous signs, as well in Males, as in Females, all which are to bee accounted for monstrous signes of secret evil ascendents. What monstrous signes shew.Whence that proverb is made good; The more crooked, the more wicked: Lame members, lame deeds. For they are signes of vices, seldome signifying any good.
As the Executioner marks his sons with infamous markes: so the evil Ascendents impresse upon their yong, supernatural mischievous marks, that they may bee the better taken heed of, which shew some marks in their forehead, cheeks, ears, fingers, hands, eyes, tongues, &c. being short, or cutted. Every one of these infamous signes denotes a peculiar vice. So a mark burnt upon the face of a Woman, or the cutting off her ears, for the most part signifies theft: the cutting off the fingers, cheating Dicers: the cutting off the[Pg 105] hand, breakers of the peace: the cutting off two of the fingers perjured: the pulling out of the eye, cunning, and subtile villains: the cutting out of the tongue, blasphemers, slanderers, &c. So also you may know them that deny the Christian Religion by a crosse burnt in the soles of their feet, because viz. they have denyed their Redeemer.
But that passing by these we may proceed to the monstrous signs of Malignants ascending, you must know, that all monstrous signes do not arise from an Ascendent only, but oftentimes also from the stars of Mens minds, which continually and every moment ascend, and descend with the fancy, estimation, or imagination, no otherwise then in the superiour firmament. Hence either from fear, or terrour of breeding; Women, many monsters, or children marked with monstrous signes in the womb, are borne. The primary cause of these is fear, terror, appetite from which is raised the imagination. If a woman with child begin to imagine, then her heaven by its motion is carryed round, no otherwise then the superiour firmament every moment, with Ascendents, or risings, or Settings. For according to the example of the greater firmament, the stars of the Microcosme also are moved by Imagination, untill there be an assault, whereby the stars of the Imagination convey an influence, and impression upon the Woman that is breeding, just as if anyone should impresse a seale, or stamp money. Whence these signes, and geniall marks are called Impressions of inferiour stars, of which many Philosophers have wrote many things, and men have endeavoured much to give a full, and rationall account of, which could never yet bee[Pg 106] done. Yet they doe adhere, and are impressed on the infants, as the stars of the Mother, whether frequent or violent, doe rest upon the Infants, or the Mothers longing is not satisfied: For if the Mother long for this, or that meat, and cannot have it, the starres are suffocated as it were in themselves, and dye: And that longing doth follow the infant all its life time, that it can never bee well satisfied. The like reason is there of other things, of which we shall not hear Discourse any further.
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Of the Astrall Signes of Physiognomy in Man.
The Originall of Physiognomie.
The signes of Physiognomy receive their original from the superior stars; this art of Physiognomy was greatly esteemed of by our Ancestors, and especially by Heathens, Tartars, and Turks, &c. and other people, amongst whom it was the custome to sel men for slaves, and it is not yet altogether laid aside amongst Christians. Yet together with it many errors crept in, not yet taken notice of by any, whilest every blockish ignorant fellow would take upon him without any manner of judgement to judge of any one. Where it is worthy of admiration that those erours should never bee taken notice of from the workes, deeds, and abilities of the men.
Now if any one shall in this place argue against us, saying, that the signes of Physiognomy are from the stars, and that the stars have no power to compell any[Pg 107] one or stir him up; he indeed doth not speak amisse: but yet there is some difference in it which must be taken notice of, because the stars compell some, and others they doe not compell.
Man is the Lord of all other Creatures.
For here we must know, who can rule or constrain the stars, and who can be governed by them. Therefore for this you must note, that a wise man can rule the stars, and not be subject to them. The stars are subject to a wise man, and are forced to obey him, and not he the stars. But the stars compell an Animall man, that whither they lead him hee must follow, just as a thief doth the gallows, and a high-way robber the wheel, the fisher the fishes, the fowler the birds, the hunter the wild beasts. And what here is the cause of this, but that such a kind of man doth neither know himself, nor his own strength, never considers, or thinks that he is the lesser world, and that he hath the universall Firmament with the powers thereof hid in him? Wherefore he is called an Animall, an ignorant man, and a slave to any base service, and all earthly matters; yet whereas he received that priviledge from God in Paradise, that hee should rule, and reign over all other creatures of the Universe, and should not bee obedient to them; therefore God created him last of all, all the rest being made before him. This priviledg man afterwards lost by his fall: but yet the wisdome of man was not made servile, nor did hee let that liberty goe out of his hands. Whence it is requisite that the starres should follow him, and obey him, and not he the stars. And although hee indeed be the son of Saturne, and Saturn his Ascendent; yet hee can remove himselfe from him, and so overcome him, that he can be the[Pg 108] off-spring of the Sun;How a man may withdrawe him selfe from one star, and bring him selfe under another.and bring himselfe under any other planet, and make himselfe its Son. And it is the same case here as with a Digger, who for a time hath spent his pains with the Master of the Mines, and with the hazard of his life hath performed his service faithfully, at length reasons, and discourseth with himselfe thus.
What will become of thee at last, if thou spendest all thy life under the earth, and by thy continuall labours dost also bring thy body, and life into danger? I will get a release from my Master, and I will serve another Master, where my life may be made sweeter, where I may have plenty of meat, and drink, where I may wear better clothes, have little work and much wages, where there shall bee no danger of the mountain hanging over mee, and ready to fall upon me, &c. After this manner hee would bee at liberty, when as otherwise hee must remaine a Mercenary servant, and slave, pining away with much labour, and low feeding, &c.
Now you see how a wise man commands the stars, and can remove himselfe from any malignant planet, and bring himselfe under another better, how he can bring himselfe out of slavery into liberty, and can free himselfe out of the prison of an ill planet.
So also an Animall man, who is the son of the Sun, of Iupiter, Venus, and Mercury, may remove himself from a benigne planet, and subject himself to Saturne, or Mars: such a man is like to a man, who runs from a religious Colledge, and being impatient of an easy life becomes a Souldier, or else a man of no repute, who afterwards spends all his life in sorrow, and misery.
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Such an one also is a rich man, who being given to levity, spends, and wasts all his goods, in Dicing, Feasting, Whoring, &c. which hee gives himselfe to so long untill all bee spent, then hee comes to want, and being miserably afflicted with infamous want, becomes deservedly a laughter and scorn to all men, yea even to the very boyes in the streets, whom you may hear saying: Behold a beggerly man worth nothing, who when hee was a Master disdained his Mastership, and had rather be a slave, a begger, a slave to servants; seeing he can never come to his priviledg again.
And hither doth a Malignant star, or Ascendent drive him. Unlesse he had been a foole, and dishonest, he had not left so certain a Dominion, which hee had over the stars, but had strove against it: And although of himselfe hee knew not how to resist the stars; yet hee might have bent his mind to the examples of others; thinking thus with himselfe: See how rich that man was, but foolishly, and shamefully hath brought himself to poverty. Also he lived gallantly, without much labour, had so much meat, such wages, that he could not live better. Now he lives sparingly, and sordidly, and in stead of Wine hee must drinke Water, his labours daily increase, his wages decrease.
Now how often doth such a kind of Man talke after this manner with himselfe. What have I done? Whither am I running headlong, so basely spending my goods that I got, who will repaire my estate? If ever I shall receive what hath been thus spent, I will take a far other course of life, and will by my harms learne to bee wise, and[Pg 110] will make amends for my evill deeds.
No man is wise by his own harmes, but by anothers.
But it is convenient to know, that no man can bee wise by his owne harme. For it is a foolish, and senselesse thing to bee wise by ones owne harme. Let him that will be wise, be wise by another mans example, not by his owne. For hee that hath once spent his estate, would spend it againe if hee should have it, and he that once perisheth, perisheth for ever. Hee which once hath cast a Dice, casts it again. Hee which once stole, and escaped the gallowes, will endeavour to steal the second time also. For hee thinkes thus with himselfe. My enterprizes have succeeded once, and again, and why not the third, or fourth time? If God should once restore what I have lost, hee would restore it the second, and third time, &c. If hee did not forsake mee in my first misery, hee will not in the second, or third, &c.
All these doth an Animall man doe, the servant, and slave of the stars, who is turned every where, and moved by the stars, as a Reed in water.
And this is the reason why his life is spent in misery, and he dies in infamy.
Who therefore will sustain such servitude, and not deliver himselfe from such a nasty prison? For any one may by his owne wisdome, together with the help of his star, deliver, and free himselfe from thence. Consider the matter thus:
A Fowler by his prudence, and help of his star, overcoming another starre, needs not goe after birds, for they will come after him fly[Pg 111]ing to unusuall places, contrary to their nature.
So a Fisherman can by making use of the wisdome which God hath given him make fishes swim to him of their own accord, so that he may take them up with his hands.
A Hunter improving his wisdome, doth by his star so compell the wild beasts, that hee need not follow them, but they will follow him without any impulse of nature. So also of the rest of living creatures.
Stars are twofold.
Now for the better understanding of these things, you must know, that Stars are twofold; terrestriall, and celestiall, these of wisdome, the other of folly.
And as there are two worlds, the greater, and the lesser, and the greater governs the lesser: so also the starres of the Microcosme doe rule, and overcome the celestiall.
The end of the Starrs is to serve, not command man.
Neither did God create the planets, and other stars of the heaven, that they should rule over man, but that they, as all other creatures, should obey, and serve him. And although the superiour stars doe incline men, and signe them as also all other terrestiall bodies, with naturall signes, according to the manner of their generation; yet that is no power, or soveraignty, but only a predestinated command, and office, whereby nothing may remaine hid, or concealed, but the inward force, and power may bee brought forth by exteriour signes.
Signes are twofold.
But to return to our purpose of the Physiognomicall signes of Men, you must know, that they are two[Pg 112]fold, in externall shape indeed alike, but in power, and effect unlike.
Some are from supernaturall stars of the heaven, the other, from the inferiour starres, viz. of the Microcosme.
What are Physiognomicall signes.
Whatsoever the superiour star signes according to generation, even to the midle age, that thing signed is predestinated, not wanting peculiar powers. For it doth testifie of the nature, and condition of Man. Whatsoever therefore the inferiour star of the Microcosme doth sign in generation, hath its originall from the Father, and Mother, viz. as oft as the Mother by her imagination, or appetite, feare, or terror hath by contact affected her infant in her womb with supernaturall signes, which are called the Mothers marks, or the Womb marks, of which since wee have spoke already, wee shall now save the labour of iteration; seeing our purpose is only to treat of Physiognomicall signes, where wee shall speak only of the predestinated signes of the stars, under which wee understand those signes of Men, which neither their Father, or Mother had any likenesse of in their body.
Of this sort are black, gray, little, or great eyes, long, crooked, sharp, nose, pits in their cheeks, the cheek-bone being raised up, a flat, or broad nose, small, or great ears, long neck, long face, wide, or little mouth, thick or small, many or few, black, yellow, and red haires, &c.
If one, or more of these signes appear in Man, you must know, that they doe not want their signification.
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But it is necessary that you consider them according to the Physiognomicall art, and that you have certain knowledge of the Art of Signatures, whereby you may know through the externall signes the internall man.
What Black Eyes signifie.
But to proceed to the practise of what we intended, and to reckon up some of the signes of Men, and their signification in part.
You must know, that black eyes besides a healthful constitution, also many times signifie a constant mind, not wavering, or fearfull, but lusty, hearty, true and loving vertue.
What Gray.
Gray eyes are a signe of a deceitfull, and changeable man.
Weake Eyes.
Weak eyes signifie good judgement, witty, and profound deliberation.
Purblind.
Purblind eyes, and such as turne upward, and downward, and to both sides, signifie a false man, and crafty, that cannot easily be deceived, treacherous, hating labour, slothfull, getting his living slothfully, by Dice, Usury, Whoring, Robbery, &c.
Small and deep.
Small and deep eyes doe for the most part signifie weak, and feeble eyes, and blindnesse ensuing in old age, as also strong men, warlike, bold, deceitfull, nimble, factious, patiently undergoing their condition, yet the end of whose life is for the most part tragicall, &c.
Great.
Great eyes, a covetous, ravenous man, especially if they hang out of the head.
Alwayes Winking.
Eyes that are alwaies winking, declare a weak sight, and a man to be fearefull, and solicitous.
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Rolling.
Rolling Eyes shew an amorous affection, and a prudent man, and a man of quicke intention.
Continually dejected.
Eyes continually dejected shew a bashfull, modest man, &c.
Red.
Eyes that are red, signifie a bold, and strong man, &c.
Cleare.
Clear eyes, and not easily moveable, shew an heroick, magnanimous, strong, chearfull, and a man formidable to his enemies, &c.
Eares great.
Great eares shew a good hearing, a good memory, attention, diligence, a sound brain, and head, &c.
Low eares are an ill omen. For, for the most part they signifie a man to be malitious, fraudulent, unjust, and a bad hearing, a bad memory, a bold man, and easily exposing himselfe to dangers.
A long Nose.
A long nose, and crooked downwards is a good sign, it signifies a man to bee valiant, prudent, close, rigorous, and yet just, &c.
A flat Nose.
A flat nose signifies a man to be malicious, lustfull, given to lying, inconstant, &c.
Sharp.
A sharp nose, a man to bee a turne-coate, a mocker, &c.
Long.
A long nose, a man to be slow in all his actions, and to be of a very quick smell.
Hollow cheeks.
The cheekes with pits in them signifie a man to bee talkative, a Scorner, contentious, &c.
A long Chin.
A long chin, with a long face, signifie a man to be given to anger, and slow to labour, &c.
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A divided Chin.
A divided chin signifies a man to bee faithfull, officious, subtile, and various in his words, speaking one thing, and meaning another, angry, yet sorry for his anger, ingenious, and given to inventions.
A great Mouth.
A great and large mouth signifies a man to bee a great devourer, silly, foolish, imprudent, dareing, &c. A little mouth signifies the contrary.
Lips drawn to.
Lips drawne to, where the upper is greater then the lower, signifie a man to bee angry, warlike, couragious, yet for the most part of rude, and uncivil behaviour, and manners like to a swine.
Lips great beneath.
Lips great beneath, signifie a man to be dull, foolish, and blockish, &c.
Haire signifies nothing by Art.
Judgement by the haires either of the head, or beard, is not very certain, because use teacheth that they can be divers wayes varyed, as to bee made black, or yellow, or red, or white, and hoary, or curled, soft, or hard, as any one desires to have them.
Hence it will come to passe, that many who are otherwise skilfull enough in the Art of Physiognomy would be most shamefully deceived, whilst they should rashly judge by the hairs, imputing that to the stars, which should rather be ascribed to men themselves.
Yet it cannot bee denyed, but that haires firmly fastened on the head, doe signifie a good health of the head, as also of the whole body.
And this is the reason, why they that buy Horses[Pg 116] pull their tails, that by this means they may judge of their soundnesse.
So Hogges are tryed by their bristles, Fish by their shells, and scales, a Bird by his feathers, &c.
Long Necks.
The necke, if it be too long, signifies a man to bee sollicitous, prudent, and attent, &c.
Broad Shoulders and backs.
Broad shoulders, and backe, signifie a man to bee strong, and able for carrying or removing, &c.
Musculous Armes.
Armes that are musculous, signifie a man to be strong and able for any exercise, as beating, pounding, shooting, &c.
Hard hands.
Hands that bee hard signifie a man to bee laborious, and a hireling, &c. Soft hands, the contrary.
A short Body.
A short body, and long legs signifie a man to be a good runner, to bee easily satisfied with meat, and drinke, and for the most part to bee of a short life.
Great and clear veines under the middle age of man signifie a man to be full of bloud and juice, but above the midle of his age to be commonly sick, yet long lived.
Nothing can be judged by the manners, and behaviour of Men.
As much as concerns the manners, gestures of men, nothing can be so easily known, and judged by them.
For experience teacheth that these can every moment bee changed, as to deceive the Signator, and make him erroneous in his judgement: And because it hath not been observed hitherto so accurately by all Astronomers; It is therefore the Signators part not alwayes to look to the manners and actions of[Pg 117] men, but rather to other signs of the body, which are fixed, and can by no Art be counterfeited or changed.
For if red hairs, moving the forehead, and eyelids, a cheerfull, raised, and unmoveable countenance, a frequent agitation of the mouth, a stout mused walking, and a light mind, should necessarily declare a man to be a gallant souldier and stout, every one could by his industry and art make himselfe seem to be such an one; that hee might by his lookes bee the better approved of, and obtaine greater pay.
The like also may be judged of other kinds of behaviour, which pretend to wisdom, folly, truth, lying, fortune, victory, &c.
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Of the Astrall Signes of Chiromancy.
Concerning the Signes of Chiromancy, we must hold that they doe arise from the superiour stars of the seven planets; and that wee must know and judge of them by the seven planets.
What Chiromancy is.
Now Chiromancy is an Art, which doth not only look into the hands of men, and make judgement by their lines and wrinkles, but also considers all hearbs, woods, hard stones, earthes, and rivers, and whatsoever hath lines, veins, or wrinkles.
Neither doth this Art want its errours, which those Astronomers were guilty of.
For they assigned the fingers of both hands to the planets, and chiefest stars, whereas there are but five fingers in one hand, and in both ten, yet the planets are reckoned but seven.
How then can these things agree amongst themselves?
Now if there were seven fingers on each hand, it then might bee granted, that every finger might bee ascribed to severall planets.
Whether the fingers be assigned to the Planets.
But yet it falls out many times, that some men may have but seven fingers on both hands, the rest being casually cut off: but seing that they were cut off, and[Pg 119] just seven were not at their birth, this matter cannot be related hither.
And if it should be so, that a man should bee borne with seven fingers, whether on one hand, or on both: yet that were monstrous, and beside the usuall order of Nature, and not subject to the stars. Therefore this also cannot belong to this place.
But if there must be but five fingers on each hand, and seven planets, and these mutually bee compared amongst themselves, it would then be convenient that the lots of the planets should be put into a box, to know which two planets must give place, and bee left out.
Yet because this cannot bee, and the planets have neither dice, nor lots in the Firmament; It would be worth wondering at, if any one should usurp this power to himself, as to allot by the name of the planet, and signe, the thumb to Venus, the fore-finger to Iupiter, the midle-finger to Saturne, the ring-finger to the Sun, and the little-finger to Mercury, in the meane time casting out Mars, and the Moon, as it were out of their tribe and liberty.
Which things being so; who can wonder that Mars doth stir up his sons with just indignation to kill that caster of lots, or to beare a perpetuall hatred against him? Who can wonder why the Moon should enfeeble the brain of that player, or take away his reason?
And this is their first errour, which, as wee have said, they have committed in Chiromancy.
The second errour in it is this:
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It oftentimes happens that the originall, and naturall lines of the hands are changed by hurts, and casualties, or are made greater, or lesser, or doe appear in other places.
For as if there be a high-way obstructed by any thing or be stopt up by the fall of a mountain, or be spoiled by the overflowing of waters, men go about in another way neer to it: so it happens in the old lines of the hands, that sometimes after the curing of wounds, or ulcers, together with new flesh, also new lines doe grow out, and the old are quite abolished.
In the same manner also by reason of hard labours the lines are defaced, or they which were originall grow great; as it is in trees: For if a young tree send forth many branches on all sides, these being cut off, the tree it selfe becomes bigger.
But that wee may at length proceed to the practise of the Art of Chiromancy, and briefly declare our opinion; I would have you know, that I will indeed change nothing of what concerns the hands, but acquiesce, and be satisfied with the observations, and descriptions of the Ancients. Yet I purpose in this practise of Chiromancy to write of those things, of which the Ancients have made no mention of, as of the Chiromancy of Hearbs, Woods, Stones, and the like.
The Chiromancy of Hearbs and Woods.
And it must first be noted, that all Hearbs, which are of one kind must be of one, and the same Chiromancy.
But if their lines bee unlike, and appeare greater, or lesser in some of them: that is, by reason of[Pg 121] their age. What use is of them.Wee doe therefore clearly professe, that the Chiromancy of Hearbs, conduceth to nothing else but to know, and understand the age of any Hearb, or Root.
But by way of arguing any may here object, that there is no hearb as long as it growes is older then another, four or five monthes at the most, if the supputation begins from May till Autumne, at which time hearbs die, and fall from their root.
The condition of the spirit of the Hearb.
To this I answer, that from God there is but one vertue in a root, which is the first being and spirit of the hearb, by reason of which the hearb grows, and is supported untill the predestinated time, and untill it bee exalted to the production of seed. And this is a sign, and a mark, that the vertue returns back to the root, and so the hearb is dryed. As long as that spirit which is the chiefest vertue of the hearb remaines in the root, the hearb every yeer is renewed: unlesse it be, that that spirit together with the hearb be taken way, and decayes. Then the hearb is not renewed. For the root is dead, and hath no more life remaining in it.
But after what manner that spirit together with the hearb is taken from the root, or with the root from the earth, that the vertue thereof cannot goe backe into the root, or from the root into the earth, is not to be considered in this place. For that is a sublime mystery of Nature, and not to be openly discovered by reason of ignorant Physitians, who doe not only scoffe at but contemne such secrets. Therefore what here wee have omitted, wee shall set downe in our Herball.
Moreover, by how much the younger hearbs are, so much the more doe they excell in power and vertue.
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As by age a man is weakned, and fails in strength, so also doe hearbs.
But to know what the Chiromancy, and age of hearbs, and such like things, is, daily experience is required, seeing the number of their years is not written upon them, but it must be divined, as I have said, by Chiromancy only.
Now Chiromancy doth not consider numbers, letters, or characters, but lines, veins, and wrinkles only, &c. according to the age of any thing. For by how much the older a thing is, so much the greater, and easier to be seen are the lines, and the vertue, and operation of the thing so much the duller.
Young hearbs must be applyed to old diseases, and so on the contrary.
For as a disease of one moneth or yeare, is more easily cured then that which is of two, three, four, or five moneths, and years: So an hearb doth sooner cure a disease of one moneth, or year, then that which is of two, three, or four moneths, or years. And for this cause young hearbs must bee applyed to old griefs; and old hearbs or medicines to young or new diseases. For if an old hearb should be applyed to an old disease, the blind would lead the blind, and both would fall into the ditch.
This is the reason why many medicines doe not work, but are taken into the body, and possesse the members, as dirt sticks to the shooes, whence diseases are afterward doubled, &c.
Now ignorant Physitians never considered this, but by their ignorance have destroyed more then ever they cured.
In the first place therefore, you that are Physitians must know, that the medicine must be younger then the disease, that it may bee stronger to expelle it. For[Pg 123] if the medicine be more powerfull then the disease, the disea............