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. [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: What use is of them.] But if their lines bee unlike, and appeare greater, or lesser in some of them: that is, by reason of their age. 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. [Sidenote: 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. 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.