OF FORTUNE 101 



been noted, that those who ascribe openly too much to 

 their own wisdom and policy, end infortunate. It is 

 written that Timotheus the Athenian, after he had, in the 

 account he gave to the state of his government, often 

 interlaced this speech, and in this Fortune had no part, 

 never prospered in any thing he undertook afterwards. 

 Certainly there be, whose fortunes are like Homer's 

 verses, that have a slide and easiness more than the 

 verses of other poets ; as Plutarch saith of Timoleon's 

 fortune, in respect of that of Agesilaus or Epaminondas. 

 And that this should be, no doubt it is much in a 

 man's self. 



XLI 

 OF USURY 



MANY have made witty invectives against Usury. They 

 say that it is a pity the devil should have God's part, 

 which is the tithe. That the usurer is the greatest sabbath- 

 breaker, because his plough goeth every Sunday. That 

 the usurer is the drone that Virgil speaketh of; 



Ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent. 



That the usurer breaketh the first law that was made for 

 mankind after the fall, which was, in sudore vultus tui comedes 

 panem tuum ; and in sudore vultus alieni. That usurers 

 should have orange-tawny bonnets, because they do judaize. 

 That it is against nature for money to beget money ; and 

 the like. I say this only, that usury is a concessum propter 

 duritiem cordis: for since there must be borrowing and 

 lending, and men are so hard of heart as they will not lend 

 freely, usury must be permitted. Some others have made 

 suspicious and cunning propositions of banks, discovery of 

 men's estates, and other inventions. But few have spoken 

 of usury usefully. It is good to set before us the incom- 

 modities and commodities of usury, that the good may be 

 either weighed out or culled out ; and warily to provide, 



