Maitland Club > Works of Sir Thomas Urquhart

LOGOPANDECTEISION. 325
3. For albeit it might be thought unreasonable, that I should be denuded of those Avari ani-
possessions my ancestors have enjoyed these one and twenty hundred years and up- "damr" in-
wards, and that by them to whom I was never beholding insomuch as a pennie, nor "»•
any of my predecessors, save my father alone, whose facility in making of unprofitable
bargains they abused for inriching of themselves, and at whose hands they have gained
so much, although they never get a penny from mee, they can be no losers.
4. Yet as if I were their debtor, of which title the civilest nations in the world will Suos hospi-
acquit me, I demand of the state, and authority established, this favour amongst ^ ™* t ""
others, that they would allow me the benefit of the six and thirtieth statute of the fifth varus ; ser.
Parliament of King James the Third, which never yet was repealed, in so far as it l?™ e j_ n ; s
provideth, that the debtor's moveable goods be first valued and discussed, before his '" gremio,
lands be apprised, much less possessed.
5. And if, conform to the aforesaid act, this be granted, I doe promise shortly to
display before the world, ware of greater value then ever from the East Indias was
brought in ships to Europe.
6. And though there be many, even of my father's creditors, that will postpose it Qui studei
to a little money, yet are not diamonds and gold of the less wortb, because the Ameri- ""JJ™,'^','^
cans make more account of iron and beads. masummis:
7. I have seen of those that choosed sugar before ambergrece, because they deemed tori pMEp0 ]
it sweeter to the fast ; and preferred black Tours velvet to pure Segovia scarlet, for nit > et e J us
that it seemed softer to the touch ; yet is not such a simple and unskilful misprising of
things to passe for a rule amongst the better sort, for inhansing or imparing of their
prices.
8. For truth being in indivisibili, as is the essence of what ever is, who is most
versed in the nature and properties of a thing is alwayes best able to dignosce of its
value.
9. A shooe-maker cannot judge so uprightly of an elabourate picture, as a cunning
artist in the trade of painting ; nor an illiterate soldier pry so profoundly in a meta-
physical argument, as a learned philosopher brought up with quiddities.
10. A ploughman is better acquainted with tilling then bills of exchange; and a
merchant banker with the rate of what in the hundred is to be taken from Amsterdam
to Venice, then what fair he should go to for buying of the cheapest and best cattel.
1 1 . Seamen will prove as ridiculous in making on foot their approaches to a fort, as
land warriors in the conding of a ship ; and it will become a clown as ill to comple-
ment with a lady, as a courtier to carry burthens ; each trade or vocation having its
own genius, and no man being skill'd in all alike.
12. I have heard an Italian of good report say, That, with the money got from a
lapidarie for a box of precious stones, he bought a signiorie of land, which the owner,
ignorant in such, would not have disponed for a hundred times as many jewels.
13. And have likewise known a citizen in Paris that would not have let out one