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What benefit man hath by reason of his native nakednesse and ignorance.
BVt as Mans body is by nature naked and unarmed, so is his minde like a smoth * 1.1 table in which nothing is painted, nothing graven; but for helpe of his nakednesse he hath hands, and for supply of his ignorance, reason and speech. And by these three being as it were the ministers of infinite varietie of things, he clothes and defends his body with all things needful: & inriches his minde with the knowledge of Arts & scien∣ces. Now if he had certaine weapons borne with him, he should use them only; if he should be borne skilfull in any Arte, he would meddle with none else. Therefore be∣cause it was more expedient to use all sorts of weapons with the hand, and be skilfull in all Arts; therefore he must be borne wanting and ignorant of all. Aristotle very wit∣tily * 1.2 called the hand the instrument of instruments: in imitation of which speech, one may rightly affirme, That Reason is the Arte of Arts: for as the hand in worth exceeds the other instruments, because it can make, handle and fit them for use; so reason and speech, though names of no Arte, yet comprehend and encrease all Arts. Therefore man seeing he hath his minde instructed by Arte, that is, by reason; it is fit he should have his body defended with a weapon, or instrument, that is, the hand, which in agil∣lity and excellency should excell all other instruments. For so Man hath his hands in stead of all weapons, which he may use in warre and peace as the instruments of all Arts; he wants not the Bulls hornes, the Boares tuskes, the horses hoves, nor to con∣clude, any armes of any other beast. For by the benefit of his hands he can handle other armes farre more profitable and safe, as a Lance, Sword, Speare, halberd; but man also can use at some distance the bow, sling and handgun, when the horne and the hoose cannot be used but neer at hand. But some may say; A Lion exceeds a man in swiftnes of foot; what then? is man therefore inferiour to him? no for by the meanes of his hands and the guidance of his reason he bridling and riding upon a horse, out runs the Lyon, and being victor followes him to and againe as he himselfe pleases, or vanqui∣shed flyes away, and from the horses backe as from a tower wounds the Lyon with what weapons he pleases. To conclude, man is aboundantly provided with meanes, to defend himselfe from the violence of all other beasts. For this purpose he doth not onely harnesse himselfe as with brasen walles, but also makes ditches and Bulwarkes; he makes by the ministery of his hands all kind of weapons, weaves himself graments, casts into the water and drawes forth nets to catch fish; and to conclude, he performes all things to his owne contentment, and having that priuiledge granted him by God, * 1.3 he rules over all the earth; all things which lye hid in the bowells of the earth, which goe, or creepe upon the earth, which swim in the sea, and fly through the aire, or are any where shut up in the compasse of the skie, are in mans dominion.