[Here begynneth the table of a book entytled the book of good maners.]

¶The fyrst partye of thys book wherof the fyrst chapytre speketh of Pryde Capitulo primo

Every proud persone wold compare hym self to god in so moche as they gloryfye them self in the goodes that they haue. Of whyche thynges the glorye is due pryn∣cypally to god. ¶And it is a grete abusion whan the crea∣ture taketh pride in hym self for the goodes that god hath sent hym / for whyche goodes he ought to be the more humble to∣ward god / and the better to knowe and to serue hym deuoutly Therfor sayth the prophete that god resysteth ayēst the proude folke whyche ben fallen vylaynsly. Emonge whome the fyrst was lucyfer / whiche for his pryde fyl fro heuen to helle & alle they that consented to his synne. Semblably our fyrst fader Adam for the mesprysion of disobeyssaūce to god / and obeyed to the serpent sayeng. that he shold be as god. & ete of the fruyte whyche was to hym fo••boden / therfore he was put oute of pa¦radys / as it apperyth in the book of genesis. Furthermore A∣gar the chamberyer of sara was ryght proud ayenst hyr mays¦tresse by cause of a chylde that she had by Abraham. But fy∣nably she was put oute for hyr pryde and hyr chylde also / and nothyng was gyuen to hyr at departyng but a lytel brede & water. as it apperyth in the xvj chapytre of genesis. ¶Also we rede how the pryde of nembroth and of many other was a grete parte cause of many euyllis and of the deuysyon of the world as it apperyth in the book aforsayd / For after Noes flood were the geants whyche by theyr pryde entreprysed the assault ayenst heuen. & edyffyed the toure of babylon. And ther¦fore they were deuyded in to many lāgages in suche wyse that none vnderstode other as it apperith in the xi chapytre of gene∣sis. And as me semeth pryde sourdeth but onely of folye / For who so wel knoweth hym self. yf he be euyl. he hath cause of grete humylyte / For alle synne is shame and seruytude / And yf he be good. he hath cause also of grete humylite for the

grace that god hath doon to hym. in so moche that he is good & agreable to god. & to haue humylite admonesteth vs the pn¦nycion that we rede of them that were proude / for we rede how pharao was soo proude that he sayd. he wyst not who was god of Israel. & that he sette nouʒt ne helde not of hym. as it ap¦pereth in the v chapytre of exode but fynably he was punys∣shed & drowned in the reed see & all his. Furthermore we rede how Amon for his pryde wold be honoured of alle men. And was moche angry ayēst Mardoche{us} a man so named by cause that he wold not worshyp hym. But fynably the said amon was honged on a galowes whyche he had ordeyned & made redy for to haue hanged o•• the sayd mardoche{us} & the chyldren of Israel as it appereth in the thyrd chapytre of hester. Further more abymelech for his pride dyd to slee hym self. for by cause that a woman had smyten hym. he callyd one his squyer. & bad hym to slee hym to thende that it be not sayd. that a wo∣man hath slayn hym. as it apperyth in the ix chapytre of Iu∣dyth. Rede we not also how Balthasar was slayne for hys pryde▪ And Nabugodonosor was cast doun fro his syege. and torned in to a dombe beest as it apperith in the v chapytre of da¦nyel. Anthiochus also for his pryde was gretely punysshed of god. & smyton with a dysease of whiche he myght neuer be heled. as it apperith in the second book of Machabees. And ge¦nerally al proude men atte last haue be ouerthrowen. Rede we not how the pryde of Nychanor was descomfyt and brought to nought as it apperyth in the fyrst book of Machabees the viij chapytre / ¶And Absalon whyche wold haue taken the Royame fro his fader / was he not vysaynously slayne as it apperith in the second book of kynges the xv chapytre. who made Pheton to falle but hys pryde. For he wold gouerne the carte ayenst the counceyl of hys fader Phebus. And therfore he fylle dyshonourably as Ouyde recounteth in hys fyrst book of Methamorphaseos / wherfore was the sone of Dedalus drowned. but by cause he wold flee ouer hyghe ageynst the

techyng of his fader as ouyde recoūtrth / & dauid was gretely punysshed by cause that he nombred the peple which were sub¦gette to hym / as it apperith in the ij book of kynges in the xxiij chapytre. Hewde also which was ryʒt proud was smyton of thangel as it appereth in the book of thactes of the appostles. And therfor our lord Ihesu cryst wold shewe to his discyples that pryde dysplaysed hym. he repreued them by cause they glo¦rifyed them / in sayeng to Ihesu cryst. Syr in thy name sōme ben to vs subgettes. & thēne Ihu cryst for to withdrawe them fro theyr pryde. he aledged to them thystorye aforsayd of the angel lucycer whiche fyl fro heuē. to thende that they shold take therby example as it appyereth in the x chapytre of saynt Luc And me semeth that for to flee fro pryde we haue suffysaunt ensamples in that whiche is tofore sayd / But yet aboue this it is good to be consydered how pryde is not al onely noyeng to the creature. but also his opposyte / that is to wete humylite is ••ght playsaūt & agreable to god & to the world. & lyke as pryde ouerthroweth the creature. right so humylite enhaūceth & lyfte hym vp toward god. Therfor sayth the prophete that the virgyne Marie plesed god by cause of her humylite. & da∣uid whiche was leest emonge hys brethern. was enhaunsed aboue them alle as it apperith in the fyrst book of kynges. the xvj chapytre. Furthermore Salamon had the royame af••r his fader / & neuertheles he was lasse & more yonge than hys broder Adonias as it appereth the iij book of kynges the xxiij chapytre. Manasses also whiche was lasse & yonger than ef∣fraym his brother had the benyson tofore hym as it appieryth the xxxviij chapytre of genesis & generally humylite & meke∣nes of hert maketh the creature to come to honour. And pryde by rayson ouerthroweth hym in thende / & is to god emonge al other synnes moost dysplaysaūt / & is punysshed moost /