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. [Sidenote: 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 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. [Illustration: *decorative divider*] _Of Minerall Signes._ [Sidenote: 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.