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 if the medicine be more powerfull then the disease, the disease will be overcome as fire is quenched with water. But if the disease bee stronger then the medicine, it turnes the medicine into poison, whence diseases are afterward doubled, and increased.
So if a disease bee like Iron, it must be cured with a Chalybeat medicine. For Steel cannot be overcome by Iron. The more powerful doth alwaies overcome, and the weaker is overcome.
Although therefore it was not our purpose in the beginning to write in this place of Physick, yet for the sake of true, and genuine Physitians, I could not pass over these things in silence.
Of Minerall Signes.
How Mineralls differ.
Mineralls also, and Metalls before they come to the fire have their true signes, and significations, which they have received from the Archeius, and the superiour stars, every one of them resembling some kind of them by distinct colours, and differences of the earth. For the Minerall of Gold, is distinct from the Minerall of Silver: so also is the Minerall of Silver from that of Copper: and the Minerall of Copper from that of Iron: so the Minerall of Iron from that of Tinne, and Lead, and so of the rest.
No man can deny, but that the Minerall, and all Metallick bodies of Mines, which lie hid in the earth, may be known by art of Chiromancy by their exteriour signes. That is, the Chiromancy of Mines, Veines, and Conduits, &c. by which not only those things, which being hid within them, are brought forth, but also a certaine depth, and richnesse of the Mine, and plenty of Metall is manifested. And in this Chiromancy three things are necessary to be known, viz. the age, depth, and breadth of the veins, as hath been said a little before of hearbs. For by how much the older the veins are, by so much the richer, and more augmented are the Mines.