Autour

For truely men be to theym ſelues the autours of ſyn and damnation. God is neyther autour of ſynne, nor the cauſe of damnation.

Fyrſt therfore to ſpeake of Spayne, ⁊ by the teſtimonie of oulde autours to declare the commodities therof: Plinie a graue ⁊ faythful autour, in the laſt boke ⁊ laſt chapiture of his natural hiſtory greatly commendynge Italy aboue al other contreys, giueth the ſecond prayſe vnto Spaine, aſwel for al ſuch thynges as in maner the heuen can geue ⁊ the earth brynge furth for the commoditie of this lyfe as alſo for the excellente wittes of men ⁊ Ciuile gouernaunce.

For the ſtyle is wont to be a certaine taken of the right autour (chiefly in ſome mens writings,) whereby we vſe often to try and diſcerne a true booke from a forged: as learned men haue done in Auſtin, Ierom, Ambroſe, Cyprian, Tertullian, and others. But herein the triall is the vnlikeneſſe of the ſtyle, betweene an autours owne worke and a baſtard fathered on him.