And therefore, he might well, if he were
wise, reckon that he won by the loss, although he lost them but by
some common cause. And much more happy can he then be, since he
loseth them by such a meritorious means. And on the other hand, he
who keepeth them for some good purpose, intending to bestow them
for the pleasure of God, the loss of them in this Turk's
persecution for keeping of the faith can be no manner of grief to
him. For by so parting from them he bestoweth them in such wise
unto God's pleasure that at the time when he loseth them by no way
could he bestow them unto his high pleasure better. For though it
would have been peradventure better to have bestowed them well
before, yet since he kept them for some good purpose he would not
have left them unbestowed if he had foreknown the chance. But being
now prevented so by persecution that he cannot bestow them in that
other good way that he would have, yet since he parteth from them
because he will not part from the faith, though the devil's
escheator violently take them from him, yet willingly giveth he
them to God.
XIV
VINCENT: In good faith, good uncle, I can deny none of this. And
indeed, unto those who were despoiled and robbed by the Turk's
overrunning of the country, and all their substance movable and
unmovable bereft and lost already, their persons only fled and
safe, I think that these considerations--considering also that, as
you lately said, their sorrow could not amend their chance--might
unto them be good occasion of comfort, and cause them, as you said,
to make a virtue of necessity.
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