OF the heads of Signes, although there are many, * 1.1 yet they seem to be reduced to theee; the first are taken from the nature and essence its selfe of the thing, or as Galen speaks from things essentially enhering in the substance; whether it be a disease, or a cause of a disease, or a Symptome; namely, when a thing in its own nature is so manifest to the sen∣ses that there needs no other signes.
Secondly, signs are sought from diseases, that is, [unspec 2] * 1.2 from all things which follow health; a disease and the causes of diseases, accidents and Symptomes, whether they be actions, or excrements, and reten∣tions, or qualities of the body.
Thirdly, from causes whether they be external, [unspec 3] * 1.3 or internal, by themselves, or by accident, or what other soever.
Whereunto belongs ability and disposition of bo∣dy, and from hence tis easie, or difficult to fall into this, or that disease, for this shewes alike temper, that a contrary, such as helpe also, and such as hinder; as those which encrease a disease are an argument that the disease hath an agree∣ment with the thing, which increases it, but that which delights, and profits is a token that there is in nature something contrary to the dis∣ease.
To these heads of signes some adde such as are alike and disalike, understanding by those things, * 1.4 either a body which is compared to another body, or a part, which is compared with another part, or with it selfe, yet others think that similitude and dissimilitude is not a peculiar head of signes, but rather a reason of fitly c••mparing other signes a∣mong themselves, but the comparison may be right