9. Quod opera et virtute noftra partum eft maius bonum; quod ab alieno beneficio, vel ab indulgentia fortuna delatum eft minus bonum.

He reafons are firft the future hope, because in the fauours of others or the good windes of fortune we haue no ftate or certainty, in our endeuours or abilities we haue. So as when they haue purchased vs one good fortune, we haue them as ready and better edged and inured to procure another.

The formes be, you haue wonne this by play, you haue not onely the water, but you haue the receit, you can make it againe if it be loft etc.

Next because these properties which we inioy by the benefite of others carry with them an obligation, which feemeth a kinde of burthen, whereas the other which deriue from our felues, are like the freest patents abfque aliquo inde reddendo, and if they proceede from fortune or prouidence, yet they seeme to touch vs fecreatly with the reuerence of the diuine powers whose fauours we tast, and therfore worke a kind of religious feare and restraint, whereas in the other kind, that come to paffe which the Prophet fpeaketh, Lætantur et exultant, immolant plagis fuis, et facrificant reti fuo.

Thirdely because that which commeth vnto vs without our owne virtue, yeeldeth not that commendation and reputation, for actions of great felicitie may drawe wonder, but prayfeleffe, as Cicero faid to Cefar: Que miremur habemus, quæ laudemus expectamus.

Fourthly because the purchases of our own industrie are ioyned commonly with labour and strife which giues an edge and appetite, and makes the fruition of our defire more pleasant, Suauis cibus a venatu.

On the other fide there bee fowre counter colours to this colour rather then reprehensions, because they be as large as the colour it felfe, first because felicitie feemeth to bee a character of the fauour and loue of the diuine powers, and accordingly worketh both con

fidence in our felues and refpecle and authoritie from others. And this felicitie extendeth to many casuall thinges, whereunto the care or virtue of man cannot extend, and therefore seemeth to be a larger good, as when Cæfar fayd to the fayler, Cæfarem portas et fortunam eius, if he had saide, et virtutem eius, it had beene small comfort against a tempest otherwise then if it might feeme vpon merite to induce fortune.

Next, whatfoeuer is done by vertue and industrie, feemes to be done by a kinde of habite and arte, and therefore [thereupon] open to be imitated and followed, whereas felicitie is imitable: fo wee generally fee, that things of nature feeme more excellent then things of arte, because they be imitable, for quod imitabile eft potentia quodam vulgatum eft.

Thirdly, felicitie commendeth those things which commeth without our owne labor, for they seeme gifts, and the other feemes penyworths: whereupon Plutarch fayth elegantly of the actes of Timoleon, who was fo fortunate, compared with the actes of Agefilaus and Epaminondas, That they were like Homers verfes they ranne fo easily and fo well, and therefore it is the word we giue vnto poefie, terming it a happie vaine, because facilitie feemeth euer to come from happines.

Fourthly, this fame præter fpem, vel præter expectatum, doth increase the price and pleasure of many things, and this cannot be incident to those things that proceede from our owne care, and compasse.

10 Gradus priuationis maior videtur quàm gradus diminutionis; et rurfus gradus inceptionis maior videtur quàm gradus incrementi.

Tis a pofition in the Mathematiques that there is no proportion betweene somewhat and nothing, therefore the degree of nullitie and quidditie or act, feemeth larger then the degrees of increase and decrease, as to a monoculos it is more to loofe one eye, then to a man that hath two eyes. So if one haue loft diuers

children, it is more griefe to him to loose the last then all the reft, because he is fpes gregis. And therefore Sybilla when he brought her three books, and had burned two, did double the whole price of both the other, because the burning of that had bin gradus priuationis, and not diminutionis. This couler is reprehended first in those things, the vfe and feruice whereof refteth in fufficiencie, competencie, or determinate quantitie, as if a man be to pay one hundreth pounds vpon a penaltie, it is more for him to want xii pence, then after that xii pence supposed to be wanting, to want ten fhillings more: So the decay of a mans estate seemes to be most touched in the degree when he first growes behinde, more then afterwards when he proues nothing worth. And hereof the common fourmes are, Sera in fundo parfimonia, and as good neuer awhit, as neuer the better, etc. It is reprehended also in respect of that notion, Corruptio vnius, generatio vlterius, so that gradus priuationis, is many times leffe matter, because it giues the cause, and motiue to fome new course, As when Demofthenes reprehended the people for harkning to the conditions offered by King Phillip, being not honorable nor equall, he faith they were but elements of their floth and weakenes, which if they were taken away. necefsitie woulde teach them ftronger refolutions. So Doctor Hector was wont to Dames of London, when they complayned they could not tell how, but yet they could not endure to take any medicine, he would tell them, Their way was onely to be ficke, for then they would be glad to take any medicine.

Thirdly, this couler may be reprehended, in respect that the degree of decrease is more fenfitiue, then the degree of priuation; for in the minde of man, gradus diminutionis may worke a wauering betweene hope and feare, and so keepe the minde in fufpence from fetling and accomodating in patience, and refolution; hereof the common fourmes are, Better eye out, then alwayes ake, make or marre, etc.

For the second braunch of this couler, it depends the common vpon the fame generall reason: hence grew

place of extolling the beginning of euery thing, Dimidium qui bene cæpit habet. This made the Astrologers fo idle as to iudge of a mans nature and destiny by the constellation of the moment of his natiuitie, or conception. This couler is reprehended, because many inceptions are but as Epicurus termeth them, tentamenta, that is, imperfect offers, and effayes, which vanish and come to no substance without an iteration, fo as in fuch cases the second degree feemes the worthyeft, as the body-horse in the Cart, that draweth more then the forehorsfe, hereof the common fourmes are, The fecond blow makes the fray, The fecond word makes the bargaine, Alter principium dedit, alter abftulit, etc. Another reprehenfion of this couler is in respect of defatigation, which makes perfeuerance of greater dignitie then inception, [for chaunce or instinct of nature may cause inception,] but fetled affection or iudgement maketh the continuance.

Thirdly, this couler is reprehended in fuch things which haue a naturall course, and inclination contrary to an inception. So that the inception is continually euacuated and gets no start, but there behoueth perpetua inceptio, as in the common fourme. Non progredi, eft regredi, Qui non proficit, deficit: Running against the hill Rowing against the streame, etc. For if it be with the streame or with the hill, then the degree of inception is more then al the rest.

Fourthly, this couler is to be vnderstoode of gradus inceptionis à potentia, ad actum comparatus; cum gradu ab actu ad incrementum: For other, maior videtur gradus ab

impotentia ad potentiam,

quàm a potentia
ad actum.

FINIS.

Printed at London by John Windet

for Humfrey Hooper.

1597.