HIs divine Majestie out of the inevacuable source of his vncreated wisedome, by his infinite providence, in the Creation of this great vni­verse, did establish all the creatures for his glory, and the benefit of men. In so much that the earth, his foo stoole, embellished with so many beautifull creatures, doth abound in plants, hearbs, trees, seedes, barkes, woods, gummes, iuices, mettalls, mineralls, and demy-mineralls, All, as Moyses saith in the first of his Genesis, Vt ijs subinde ad propulsandos morbos vtere­tur ab Adam propagata soboles, That Adams proge­nie might vse them to preserue health: And the living creatures in so many severall kindes have peopled the Sea, filled the ayre, and inhabited the earth vnder the government of men, to whom, [Page 2] as to their Soveraignes, they ought to be as sub­jected: and the heavens, replenished with a thou­sand glittering lights, the cover of this lower world, by their motions and light, being gover­ned by the commandement of the supreame mo­ver, send downe their powers on men, by in­telligences moving; the opinions of sacred Theo­logians, as Richardus in his second booke, Art. 3. quest. 3. and also Saint Bonaventure, and Saint Tho­mas, who will, that the highest or Empyreall hea­ven, doth infuse some effects into our lower earth. It is most certaine that the supreame Crea­tor hath ordained the heavens, as all the other creatures, not onely for mens present benefit, but for that to come; that if the heavens did not in­fuse on vs, it were enough to destroy that most great principle of our Religion. And Damas. in his 3. booke, Chap. 22. saith in this behalfe, Im­possibile est aliquam substantiam expertem esse naturali operatione, vsui hominum conference, ergo &c. It is impossible, that any substance can bee voyde of some naturall operation, conducing to the profit of men, therefore &c.

The Theologians gather from the heavens three sorts of influences appropriated to the three faculties of our immortall soule: The starrie hea­ven, with all the first and wandring starres, powre their influences into the Vegetative; the Em­pyreall into the Reasonable; and the Christaline, or first mover, infuse into the Sensitive; never­thelesse, none of these influences can force our li­berty, [Page 3] although the heavens send them the one by their motions, the others by their light, and the others by their vertue: So the Empyreall heaven, without moving its selfe, sendeth downe its vertue here belowe, notwithstanding that it be distant from vs so farre, that, according to Be­da in his booke, De imagine mundi, from the earth to the firmament, there are three hundreth thou­sand, one hundreth and twenty five leagues. And from that, to the Empyreall heaven, are, ten hun­dreth millions of leagues: But to say truth (if it be not by revelation from God) no certaine mea­sure can be determined. I conclude, A majore ad minus, from the greater to the lesser, that, since the influences doe descend from such a height, by a more strong reason may they come from the heavens, that are neere vs; all which influences are not in the heavens by their nature, but by their effects, as the Astrologians say: If Saturne be colde, the cause proceedeth from his motion, which is slowe, and lingring, and for that he is so farre distant from vs, and doth not end his course but in thirty yeares, according to the same Beda: Now, the other planets, that are of more speedy motion, and doe (as it were) with a swift, and ra­pid course, and in little time, make their Revolu­tion, are hot, and dry; as Sol, and Mars: But what availeth it vs to bring so farre fetcht rea­sons? Since that, so neere vs, these effects are de­clared vnto vs so evidently, in the foure ele­ments, in the living creatures, in the plants, in [Page 4] the sea, in the ayre, in cutting, sawing, gathering, grafting, and over all the creatures: So that if man know not the reason of these things, hee ought to seeke it in the myracles of nature. To the end then, that every one may the better know, how to make vse of these operations, even in matter of Physick, they must chuse the dayes, the houres, the plants, vnder such favourable aspects, and agreeable influences of the Starres, as can, by their agreeable vertue, give health vn­to the sicke; for the Planets and fixed Starres, doe cause all infirmities: wherefore they must chuse the Planet, that is enemie to that Planet that brought forth that evill; and so, by the contrary effect, put it away and dissolue it. Wherefore Arnauld of Villeneufe, in his booke, De simplicibus Medicina, saith these words, Ad hoc vt ipsae herbae, flores, radices, & semina, habeant singularem virtu­tem, & proprietatem ad morbos tollendos, sunt Colli­genda secundum diversa signa Zodiaci, quia citius & foelicius operantur in morbis. Moreover, that the very hearbs, flowers, rootes, and seeds, may have a singular vertue, and quality to remove diseases, they are to be gathered according to the severall signes of the Zodiack, because so they doe more speedily and succesfully worke on diseases.

For which cause, first, I have thought good to set downe the Planets in order, and the infirmi­ties that are caused by them.

Secondly, the certaine houre of the Sunnes rising every day in the yeare, to the end that you [Page 5] may easily finde out the houre wherein you are to gather or take the plants, stones, or animals, to cure your infirmities.

Thirdly, I haue set downe too, the vnequall Planetary houre, as well of the day as of the night, whereby you may know certainly what Planet shall governe.

Fourthly, you have in like order, the friend­ship, and enmity of the Planets; which are ene­mies amongst them; that you may the more ea­sily finde the Planet, enemie to it that shall cause the disease, and in the same houre that is gover­ned by it, the infirmity may be cured.

Lastly, the cures of all vsuall diseases are set downe.