The Signature of All Things — trans. John Ellistone (1651)
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The translator’s English as printed (John Ellistone). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
49. But if Mercury be next Saturn in the Property, and next him the Moon, and Venus and Jupiter beneath, and also weak, then let Mars stand where he will, yet all is earthly; for Mercury is held in the austere Impression in the cold Property, viz. in Death's Form, and his Sulphur is earthly, if Mars comes near to it, then it is poisonful also, but if Venus makes an Opposition therein, then the Poison is refilled, yet it is but earthly; it gives a greenish Colour from the Power of Venus.
50. But if Venus be next Saturn in the Property, and the Moon not opposed by Mars, and Jupiter likewise goes in his own Power, then all is pleasant [and Lovely under that Property or Constellation;] the Herbs are slender, single, and soft in Touch, of white Blossoms, unless Mercury brings in a mixt Colour from the Power of the Sun, viz. from Mars half red, and from Jupiter bluish, and it is weak in the Property, and of little Use in Physic, yet not hurtful: In the Creature it gives a pleasant, courteous, humble Life, with no deep Reason, [Reach, or Capacity] but if Mars comes thereunto, the Creature is small, or thin, of a white, weak, and effeminate Nature.
51. There are three, special Salts which may be used to Cure, which belong to the vegetable Life, viz. Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury; these are the Working Life, in which Working, the Sun is the right Spirit, which makes these Salts operative.
52. The Salt or Flower of Jupiter is of a pleasant good Smell and Taste from the inward Original [of the Property] of the Liberty of the divine Essence, and from the external [Principle or Original] of the Property; of the, Sun, and Venus, but yet it is not alone of itself sufficient Power in Nature, for, the outward Nature consists in Fire and Anguish, viz. in Poison, and Jupiter's Power is opposed to the fiery Poison Life, which makes a Temperature in the poisonful Nature, viz. a Desire of Meekness out of the Enmity.
53. The Salt of Mars is fiery, bitter, and austere, and the Mercurial Salt is anxious and raging, like a Poison, inclined both to Heat and Cold, for it is the Life in Sulphur, and unites (or assimilates] itself, according to each Thing's Property; for if it comes into Jupiter’s Salt, it causes Joy and great Power; but if it comes, into Mars's Salt, it makes bitter Pangs, Stitches, Akings, and Woe; but if it comes into Saturn's earthly Salt, it makes Swellings, Anguish, and Death, if it be not hindered by Jupiter and Venus: Venus and Jupiter are opposite to Mars and Mercury, that so they Might temper them both, and without the Power of Mars and Mercury there would be no Life in Jupiter, Venus, and Sol, but only a Stillness; therefore the worst is as profitable as the best, and the one is the Cause of the other.
54. But the Physician is to heed and Mind what he takes in Hand, lest he inflame the Mercurial Poison more and more in his Patient, or introduce it into another adverse Source: He ought indeed to use the Martial and Mercurial Salt for his Cure, but he must first reconcile Mars and Mercury with Venus and Jupiter, that so both these angry Adversaries may resign their Will into Jupiter's Will, so that Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury, may all three obtain one Will in the Power, and then the Cure is right, and the Sun of Life will again enkindle itself in this Union and Agreement, and also temper the Nauseate of the Disease in the Contrariety in the Salt of the Disease, and turn Mercury's Poison, and the bitter Fire of Mars into a pleasant Jupiter.
55. This is now to be understood only concerning the vegetable Soul, viz. concern-ing the outward Man, which lives in the four Elements, and concerning the sensible and feeling Property.
56. Reason likewise is to be cured with its Likeness; for as Reason may be brought by Words into a sensible Sickness and Disease, so that Reason may vex, fret, and torment itself, and at last fall into an heavy sad Sickness and Death; so also it may be cured with the Application of the same Thing, [with its own Assimilate.]
57. As for Example: An honest Man falls into great Debts, Care, Trouble and Distress, which does even afflict him nigh to Death, but if a good Friend comes and pays his Debt for him, then is the Cure soon effected with its Likeness: Even thus it is in all Things; from whence the Disease is risen, even such a like Cure is requisite for the restoring its Health, and thus it is likewise in the mental Soul.