The method of chemical philosophie and physick. Being a brief introduction to the one, and a true discovery of the other. namely, of diseases, their qualities, causes, symptoms, and certain cures. The like never before extant in English.

CHAP. VI. Of the differences of Stars, namely, of the Benign, the Mean, and the Extreme hurtful.

IF the inferiour bodies be as the superiour, which is confirmed by the Testimony of the Holy Ghost and of Hermes, then all the stars in the Firmament do con∣tain in them the anatomy of Diseases and Death; but many are found forth whose resolutions are wholsome; for in the inferiour Globe Nature hath set before our eyes Gold, Silver, Gemms, Balmmint, Roses, Violets, Betony, Wheat, Barley, Wine, Milk, withall which Nature refreshes the vital spirits continually as with food and aliment. Again, we see the herbs and medi∣camental simple bodies, Lettice, Cassia, Rheubarb, Poly∣pody or Oakfern, Vinegar, Agarick, the herb Trinity, Arsemart, Cuckowpitle, and others of that kind. Last∣ly, some do shew poison manifestly, as Arsenick, Wolf∣bane, Poppy, Hemlock, Antimony, Vittiol, Mercury, Scammony, Devils Milk, Colocynth, all which resist mans Nature, and intend present death.

As the inferiour Globle yields unto us three Orders of all fruits of the Earth and Water common to things and kinds, namely, that some are wholsome unto men and necessary for life, as is said of Wheat and Wine; Some are indifferent and mean, as is said of Cassia, of Lettice, Polypody, and Rheubarb; Some are altogether contrary to mans Nature, as Arsenick, Hemlock, Woolf∣bane: Even so we distinguish all the stars in the visible Heaven into three Orders. First, some stars have the anatomy of Soundness, whose resolutions are necessary for the health of Animals, and they have also the sin∣cere conditions of Nutriment; neither is there any poi∣sonful property found in them by sense or effect. These

stars answer in the inferiour Globe to Gold, Silver, Gemms, Balmmint, Rose, Wheat, Wine, Milk. Se∣condly, some stars have tinctures and medicamental properties, but yet lighter admixt in their exaltations and their resolutions which rise at the several times of the year, and are frequent. These stars in the inferiour Globe agree with Lettice, Cassia, Cuckowpintle, Arse∣mart, Agarick, and others of this kind. Thirdly, some stars in the resolutions of the seeds shew the poisonful properties of Arsenick, Auripigmentum, Sulphur, Woolf∣bane, Libberdsbane, by manifest testimonies of the ef∣fects. These stars in the inferiour sphere have these nigh and of affinity with them; namely, Mercury, An∣timony, Arsenick, Sulphur, Woolfbane, Scammony, Ellebor, the herb Devils Milk, Colocynth, &c.

From these it is manifest that natural things and fruits of the Elements, as well of the superiour as of the infe∣riour sphere, are divided into three Orders. Into those which are benign and friendly unto mans Nature, and into those which are indifferent and mean, and lastly, into those which are extreme hurtful and bring present death and destruction, as all fruits of aliments and reso∣lutions of seeds whether they be alimentary, or medica∣mentary, or extreme hurtful.