done by the consent of the parties: Necessaria, when it is done by one that hath a competent authority to sequester.

Sylva cædua, which being cut may grow again.

T.

Tugurium, quasi tegurium, it is taken of some for every country house, but not rightly, for the house which doth consist of walls and tiles, or brick, is no cottage; but a cottage is that which doth principally consist of reeds, or thatch, or sods, earth and twigs laid together, and compacted by clay or slime, or which hath in it a very small deal of timber.

Tumultus, is taken for every perilous commotion, if it be publicly and hastily done.

Turba, a multitude, consisting at the least of the number of ten.

V.

Vacillans testis, which doth give an inconstant and divers testimony.

Vagabundus, which hath neither certain house, nor stedfast habitation; a man, as one termeth him, sine re, sine spe, sine fide, sine sede.

Vel, a particle, it doth not always define, but sometimes explain.

Vis, force or violence: it is of divers sorts, vis detractiva, when a man taketh

thing from one against his will: Vis compulsiva, when I compel a man to assent to a certain act: Vis divina, commonly called vis major, whereof there is no resistance: Vis expulsiva, which is done with weapon, and it is called of some vis armata, vis inquietativa, when I am disseised by force: Vis imminens, the striking or assault of a man. Vis is not verbis, but facto, for he is not said vim pati, which is only touched by words.

Universale quod ad universos pertinet.

CHAP. IX.

WHAT METHOD IS TO BE USED IN HAND

LING AND DISPOSING MATTERS OF LAW.

OF method it were better to write nothing than little, for so many divers methods are proposed by many divers authors, that plenty breedeth scarcity, and a man can hardly tell which to choose. Curiosity, as in all other things it is vain, so in method it is necessary. For to proceed without equality of tenor is negligence, and to observe method unartificially is ignorance. They that give a reason of the beginning, continuance, and ending of their tractats and discourses, are without doubt the most judicial and most plausible methodists: or they which so temper and

moderate the course of matters, that though they render not a precise reason of their doings: yet it is apparent to the reason and understanding of others. A twofold method is very much talked of, and that is by proceeding either a singularibus ad universalia, or ab universalibus ad singularia, the one of these I account no method at all, howsoever it hath usurped the name, being but a natural discerning of things done in facto, by the ordinary direction of the senses, and making thereof a general conclusion, which is easy and familiar to every man's capacity, so that the praise of the action is diligence and not art, for is it any difficult thing to reason and conclude, wood is heavy, stone is heavy, iron is heavy, et sic in cæteris: therefore all things made of earth are heavy how prone and ready is the perceiving of these particulars to every man's sense: and how easily may the conclusion be framed by his understanding? but in deed the discoursing from universals to particulars is more hard, more artificial, more compendious, for it is done in less compass

and fewer words, which is a great argument of good method, and therefore I do not agree to Aristotle, the Athenian doctor, when he saith, Ars tum existit, cum ex multis experientia notionibus una quæ ad universum genus accommodetur nascitur præceptio. *Unless he mean it of vulgar and mechanical trades and occupations, whereof only I admit it to be true, but I rather approve that which he saith, and doth likewise: progrediendum ab universalibus ad singularia †. But there be some which will not allow any discourse but that which is furnished with mathematical and demonstrative reasons. Some would have every thing handled by examples, as Ramus a man happier in writing, than in reproving one that writ better than he who in handling logical places doth illustrate them with many examples, but with never a rule. What manner of teaching is this, to shew unto thee that others did this: but not to shew why they did so: which default is for want

Metaphys. 1. c. 1.

Physicor. 1. c.1.