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Title:  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.
Author: Bartholomaeus, Anglicus, 13th cent.
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And so the matter is more great & boy∣stous in earth, than in other Elements, for therein be more parts of matter ga∣thered, as Aristotle saith. Therefore (hée saith) that of an handful of earth is made ten of water.Multipli∣cation. Also the matter of one E∣lement is more cleane and pure in one part, than in another, as it is said in pri. Mecho. For the ouer parts of fire, bée more noble and simple than the nether: and the middle partes of the earth bee more great and sad, and lesse cleane and pure. And for that the meddled bodyes be made of the Elements, all the partes of the Elements be more pure and noble: the medled bodies be more simple pure and noble: and as it is againwarde in Elements, so it is againward in medled bodies. Also more noble matter of the world, néedeth more noble forme & shape, and therefore the matter is disposed, as the forme and shape as keth. For if fire shall be made of earth, it néedeth that the greatnesse of matter of earth bée made subtill and pure, and more spiritu∣all and simple: that it may be clothed in a more simple forme, that is forme and shape of fire: and shortlye to speake, it néedeth that the matter be arayed & dis∣posed, after the propertie of forme and shape. Also men take héede of the nobi∣litie of the world, by the more noble and worthy partes thereof: and also by the more noble workings and doings. And therefore the ouer part of the worlde, is counted more noble and worthy. For the matter ther is more cléere and pure, and the shape is fairer, & the vertue is more in the ouer parts than in the nether. For the world at all is the more faire & séem∣ly, by as much as the nether foule part of the worlde, is arayed with the more fairnesse and blisse of the ouer parte, as Austen saith. Some perfection of ver∣tue and of charitie, that passeth in the o∣uer parts sheddeth it selfe continually to∣ward the fairnesse and perfection of the nether parts. Also things that séeme and shew, that the nether part of the world, hath lost in fairnesse & in light, that that part recouereth in grace & vertue of plen∣teousnes. For no lesse wonder is of ver∣tuous plenteousnesse of the earth, in be∣ring and bringing forth of hearbs, trées, and of fruite, and in diuers gendring of beasts, and of créeping wormes, in di∣uers bréeding and gendring of mettall, & of pearles and of stones: then it is to wondring of the cléernes of heauen with diuersitie of circles, and roundnesse and starres thereof. And though the worlde be arayed with so many noble and wor∣thy differences of things by might of the vertue of God: yet touching the nether part thereof it is subiect all about to ma∣ny defaultes and wretched conditions. For though the world séeme father and forth bringer and feeder of bodies, yet it is prison of spirites, and most cruell cri∣ling of soules, and is place and stende of full many wretchednesse and paines: for the world is place of trespasse & of guilt, the habitation of pilgrimage, & of woe, of wéeping and of teares, of trauell and of faintnes, of fearfulnesse and of shame, of mouing and of chaunging, of flowing and of ouerturning, of passing and of cor∣ruption, of insolence and perturbation, of violence and oppression, of deceipt and of guyle. In the worlde is nought els found but vanitie, wickednesse, couetous∣nesse, anguish, soyling & age. The world draweth to him, and loueth those that be knoweth: and putteth away and be∣spiseth them that he knoweth not. The world is noyfull to many men, and pro∣fitable to sewe at the last. The louers thereof the worlde deceiueth and beguy∣leth: For the world promiseth manye things, but at the last it payeth few or none, and reseth not to sewe and to take them that dispise it, and that in the ma∣ner of a shadowe: and is brifie and in∣tendeth to dye his sutours that followe him. And therefore oste times those that it most beareth vp with riches and wor∣ship, it maketh most poore, and brareth them downe at the last. And to vse Gre∣gories worde, We shall flye the world, though it please vs with wealth: for he that knocketh with so much woe & sor∣rowe, what els cryeth he, but that hée should be forsaken? And this of the properties of the world in generall, shal suffice at this time.0