Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶Of the number of waights and measures, and first of equall paise and sound. cap. 116.

TO the foresaid propertyes of things, it séemeth mée good at last to set somwhat few & light, of the proper∣ties & diuersities of num∣bers, of measures, of weights, & of sound. For as Isi. saith, li. 3. The re••on of nūbers is not worthy to be despised, for in many places of holy writ it shineth how much mastry and secresie

•••• in reason of numbers, for it is not ••••de in idlenesse, thou hast made all in number, weight, & measure Sap. 11. For the n••yn••er of fire that is perfect, and made of his owne partes, betokeneth the perfectnesse of the world. And so it is to vnderstand of other numbers. And no∣thing we may know and learne without perseueraunce or skill of numbers, for thereby we knowe houres and times, when we dispute of the course of mo∣neths. While we knowe the space of yeares that commeth about by number, be taught that we be not harmed in ac∣counts. Take away (as he sayth) num∣ber and tale, and all things be lost. Doe away compot and accountes, and all is suil of lewdnesse and vnrunning. And no diuersitie is betweene other beastes and men, that knoweth not the reason of cal∣culing and of accounts, as Isidore sayth there. Also in the beginning of Arethure∣tike it is said, that it is neuer knowen, what is a Triangle, without the num∣ber of thrée, nor a Quadrangle, without y^e number of foure: And so it is knowen that nothing is knowen by the Science Mathematica, without number, as hee sayth there. Also (as be sayeth there) a number is a multitude gathered by oft taking of one, for one in the roote and mother of numbers, and 〈…〉〈…〉 is not ma∣nye, one commeth not of another num∣ber, but one is the beginning and well of all members, and thereof all numbers come and spring. For one is the roote of multitude, and of multiplication, and is most simple and worthy, and most vec∣tuous of all, which bee conteined there∣vnder, as Aristotle sayth, and Auicen li. 1. cap. 2. For one is more and root and well of multitude. One conteineth all vnder it selfe, and al things be therin, as in the taker, as he sayth Cap. 34. For the property of one is to take multitude and to giue thereto hauing, and to bee in all partes thereof, and conteineth Sim∣plicities, as it is said, libro. 4. cap. ••. And for asmuch as one is, y^t well of al things, the more a thing maketh to one and v∣nitie, the more it nigheth to veri••••e and truth, as he be sayth cap. 2. For our 〈…〉〈…〉 as it were the fo••••e, and two the mat∣ter. And therefore the neerer the one to to the other, the more be passeth from doublenesse, and migheth to simplenesse. And the more be nigheth one, the sooner doth multiply the number, For beeing is not before one, as it is said, li. 2 cap. 9. And one is not diuers but by the mat∣ter, for be susteineth and withholdeth al things, as it is sayd li. 5. cap. 31. One and vnitie is so praised among wise men, y^t many meane, that one and vnitie is the soule in number, that commeth of one & of vnitie, and meane, that one is the be∣ginning of all things, that is continuall and discreet, as Auicen sayth, lib. 3. ca. 1 Also one is praised, for bee commeth of none other, and all other numbers come thereof, & be brought thereto, as to their proper head and well of them, as hee sayth. Also for simplenesse one is not di∣uided nor departed, as he saith. capit. 3. Most truelye one is that that is not de∣parted in deede nor in vnderstanding, & such one is beginning and well of num∣ber, as he sayth. Also be sayth there, that in one is no multitude, and that is to vnderstande, of the first vnite and sam∣ple, to the which all things be reduct, bee they neuer so diuerse, for one is saide in manye manner of wise, as it shall bee knowen heereafter. Also for perfectnesse, for al particular things, which is perfect each in himselfe, be perfect, when they be reduct into one. For all wholenesse and perfectnesse belongeth to one vnity, as it is sayd 1. de Coelo & Mundo. cap. ••. Also for singular dignitie, for one by it selfe hath a singular being, as it to sayd in libro Methe. cap. 5. And therfore Alg. foorth super. 3. Meth. cap. 15. That the cause of one and of vnitie to one es∣sentially and first noble & passing wor∣••••••. One or 〈…〉〈…〉 is taken is manye b••se, as Alg. sayth. Some one is sim∣ple, and some one is by some what that belongeth thereto. One 〈…〉〈…〉 is one, that may not be departed in deede, though he may be departed at waine, as a tree and a member, in the which the parts be last togethers, and bee not de∣parted at waine. One by somewhat that belongeth thereto is sayd in many man∣ner wise, as in one gender, as man, and

Oxe, and Horse. One in speciall kinde, as Sortes and Plato: One in accident and qualitie, as Snowe and Cerusa, and other white things. One in likenesse of doing, as the Carter and the ship men: One is subiect as sw••••te and where bee in one substance and body In principio Phi. cap. 5. Aristotle sayeth, that some∣one is one in accident or subiect, as when two accidents be in one substaunce and subiect, as coulour and sauour. And one by it selfe is sayd in many wise, as one in continuance, that ioyneth togethers, and endeth of the middle. And one in speciall kinde and shape, as Suites and Plato. In mankinde one in generall kinde, as man. And Ore in general kind of beasts, and one is difinition. And one that may not be departed, as a pointe: and one in number, as singular, and one in simplicitie, as being, & one in al whol∣nesse and perfection, as is a circle. And one in matter, as all bodyly things. Bar∣nard distinguisheth nine manner wise of one and of vnitie ad Eugen. For vni∣tie is naturall and gratious, & is consti∣tuted vppon eyther. Unitie naturall dif∣fereth foure maner wise One is a vnity by assembling of diuers & distinct things, as many stones maketh one heape. And some vnitye is bnyting and coupling of diuers parts, of the which is one made, as members be in one bodye. Some bee ioyned of male and female in gendering of children, and so wife and husband bee one, when man and woman bee twaine in one flesh. And some by ioyning of di∣uerse kindes in one person of gendering & birth, and in this vnitie the body and soule be one man: So the gratious vnity hath foure diuersities. The first is migh∣tie, by the which vertue man is stable in himselfe: and not departed in his owne soule. The second is assenting, when by charity many haue one soule & one bodie in our Lord The third is liking, when y^e soule is all according to God almigh∣tie, and forsaketh not God, but pleaseth him with all his might and power, & is one spirite with him. The 4. doth make vs ••igne & worthy, for thereby Gods son ••a••eth our earthly kinde, to the vnity of the second person in trinitie, by that vni∣tie God and man is one: The vnity that passeth other vnities, as the vnity of the trim••••s in three persons and one God, & this vnitie most be sole & singular with out pere, so that therin may be stinting, state, quiet, and rest of all vnities. Heere∣by it is knowen, that holynesse & perfec∣tion belongeth to one & to vnitie, as Ar. sayth. 5. Phi. And what is not whole & perfect, is not vniuersally called one, as be saith. Those that haue one matter, be one in number: and those that bee one in matter, be one in number. And those that be in one forme in generall kinde, hath one generall name in kinde, as a man is Animall, an horse is Animall, and of other beasts. But one and vnitie that is the well of numbers, is not one in matter but in number, as Aristotle sayeth. and is most simple, and hath the first doing, and all other thereby. In all kinds one is head & wel, that is per∣ticular therein, as white in colours, and in Neumatibus soundes, as it is saide, Meth. 10. cap. 3. And therefore the one v∣nitie of number, of the which commeth, and to the which are resolued all num∣bers, is the figure and likenesse of y^e vni∣tie of our Lord God. For as it is said. 4. Meth. ca. 3. the first in generall kinde of substance & vndiuisible is the first ma∣ner euerlasting, that is God, cleane of all matter, which is not onely the first be∣ginning as M••tor, but as the forme and end, and last act, and in him is no might medled that may be chaunged. And so of him y^t is one God in substance com∣meth all creatures effectually, as by en∣sample, as all numbers commeth of one vnity, as of y^e head & well, & to him all be referred, as to the chiefe ende, as all numbers be dealed by y^e first vnity, y^e be∣ginning and end of all things maye be one, that is God, that is blessed for euer∣more.

Amen.