A14350:589
The Common Places
The common places of the most famous and renowned divine Doctor Peter Martyr divided into four principal parts: with a large addition of many theological and necessary discourses, some never extant before. Translated and partly gathered by Anthony Marten, one of the sewers of her Majesties most honourable chamber.The common places of the most famous and renowmed diuine Doctor Peter Martyr diuided into foure principall parts: with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses, some neuer extant before. Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten, one of the sewers of hir Maiesties most honourable chamber.
Imprinted at London : In Pater noster Rowe, by Henry Denham and Henry Middleton at the costs and charges of Henry Denham, Thomas Chard, William Broome, and Andrew Maunsell, 1583Imprinted at London : In Pater noster Rovve, by Henry Denham and Henry Middleton at the costs and charges of Henrie Denham, Thomas Chard, VVilliam Broome, and Andrew Maunsell, 1583
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Which thing he declared out of the sixth Iliad of Homer. Also Virgil in the first book of Georgics saith, that men would wonder in time to come, when they should happen to till up the fields of Aematia, to see the greatness of bones which should be digged out of the graves. Further, he allegeth Pliny the second, 1who in the seventh book affirmeth, that nature, the further forward that it goeth, the lesser bodies it daily bringeth forth. He calleth to mind, that Homer once in his verses bewailed the self-same thing, whereunto I might add the testimony of Cyprian against Demetrianus. 2But if I should be demanded, whether I think that mens bodies, which came after the flood, 3were less than those which were brought forth before the flood perhaps I would grant they were: but that they have continually decreased, even from the flood to this day, that I would not easily grant; especially considering the words which Aulus Gellius wrote in his third book, where he ⟨p. 131⟩saith; that The stature whereunto mans body groweth, is of seven foot, which seemeth also at this day to be the measure of the taller statures. But yet we read in the Apocryphus of Esdras in the fourth book, 4at the end of the fifth chapter, that now also our bodies are less, and daily shall be lessened; because nature always becometh more barren. The self-same thing also (as I said a little before) Cyprian seemeth to affirm. But I alleged the cause why I cannot easily grant thereunto; namely, for that I see little diminished at this day of the measure which Aulus Gellius described.
Which thing he declared out of the sixt Iliad of Homer. Also Virgil in the first booke of Georgicks saith, that men would woonder in time to come, when they should happen to till vp the féelds of Aematia, to sée the greatnes of bones which should be digged out of the graues. Further, he alledgeth Plinie the second, 1who in the seauenth booke affirmeth, that nature, the further forward that it goeth, the lesser bodies it dailie bringeth foorth. He calleth to mind, that Homer once in his verses bewailed the selfe-same thing, wherevnto I might adde the testimonie of Cyprian against Demetrianus.