A14350:91
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.
15 Also humane things have not only a prescribed end, as we have taught, but that end is manifold, and in that diversity of ends some be more excellent than others, for so much as this manifoldness is of those kind of things which have an order in themselves. And Aristotle speaketh of them for no other cause, but that he would of many ends choose the most excellent, which he showeth to be mans felicity. Wherefore to this effect doth Aristotle reason: Humane ends are many, and one is to be preferred above an other. A proof of the former part is: Because of ends, some be actions, and others beside actions, are works; and of sundry arts and doctrines there is not one end: so is the multitude of ends showed, partly by their sundry natures, and partly by the diversity of their beginnings, according as they are desired by other arts and sciences. The other part of the proposition was, that one end is better than another: which is proved, in that the ends of the principal arts & sciences, which Aristotle calleth [Greek or Hebrew], be much more noble than the ends of other faculties which be ordained unto them. 2Whereupon may be made two syllogisms: The first; Whatsoever things have a sundry nature, and belong to divers faculties, be not one and the self same things; Humane things have a sundry nature, for some of them are actions, and some works, and do belong unto divers faculties (for arts, actions, and sciences are divers.) Therefore the end is not one. The other syllogism is conditional: If faculties have an order among themselves, that one is better than another, the ends also of them must be so ordered, as one is better than another: But faculties are so in themselves, as one is preferred above an other; Therefore ends shall have the same order. Aristotle showeth that this faculty hath action for her end, & that an excellent action; and therefore (as Eustrathius saith) would have it to be understood, that those be not the perfecter sort of actions, which have a work remaining when they be ceased, but that very often-times the contrary doth rather happen. And truly if a man shall rather think that the faculties are better which leave some work after the actions, than those which are spent only in the action; such a one would think that the felicity of man is more unperfect than his works, seeing it standeth only in action.