The sense is that philosophers have left to us causes of the properties in the nature of things, where of causes is a kind of affixation. The source of the idea may be Boece , I. m. 2. 56-57 Stixe, the foule pytte of helle . 58-59 the pryme causes of sterynge . 62 Gades a myle .
Gades marks the pillars of Hercules, located by medieval geographers at Cadiz.
62-63 he had power . . . It was King Arthur who drew the magic sword out of the stone . . . Cary, The Medieval Alexander . . . What anecdote of Alexander Usk had in mind remains unexplained. 64-66 And that .