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

¶Of the state of pylgremages cap^o. xiiij

THis present lyf is a right pylgremage. For as the pyl∣gryme gooth alleway without reste in ony place longe wherof is made mencōn. In lyke wyse the lyf of a mā 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not longe in this world / and hath nothyng of assuran̄ce / and this wituesseth to vs thappostle sayeng. that we haue here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cyte permanent ne abydyng / Trouthe it is that they be not pyl¦gryms / that of this world maken theyr paradys / the whiche oughten to consydere. how abraham by the com̄andament of god departed fro his coutrey and wente & duellyd in a straū∣ge contrey. And then̄e god gaf to hym his blessyng / as it ap¦perith in the boke of genesis the xij chapytre. by this example is signefyed to vs how not withstōdyng That we be in this world here bodily / neuertheles in esperyte we ought to god a∣boue by good werkes / and for to mayntene good lyf. And to this pylgremage we be called For lyke as we see that the tree transporteth fro shorte to hye by his growyng. In lyke wyse a man that transporteth his herte fro this world. in to the other groweth more lightly in good lyf & in vertues. And to this purpoos sayde Ihū cryste that noman is accepte for a pro∣phete in his owen contreye. so thēne euery man ought to god in to a stran̄ge contreye. and it is none other thyng to saye but that in this world whiche is onr contrey ben none other but pylgryms {pro}uffytyng fro good to good / & fro vertue to vertue the whiche ought not to cesse to goo ne to {pro}uffyte / tyl that thei be atte terme desyred / that is to wyte in heuene. More ouer we ought to aduyse how the pylgryms acompten & reken euery daye with theyr hoostes. In lyke wyse we ought / euery day to aduyse and take hede how we lyue & paye to god our debtes in knowlechyng our trespaces. As dyde an Aūcyent wyse mā named septimus. of whome recyteth seneke in his in boke

of Ire. how euery day he acounted and toke hede of how moche his lyf was empeyred or amended And also it is good to cō¦sydere / how and how longe the lyf of a persone endureth And how it lasseth and shorteth / be it in slepyug or wakyng alle way our lyf lasseth / And nothyng proffyteth to vs the tyme passed. but in that we haue doon well and goten vertues in the grace of god. Therfore saith maximian. that the tyme dra∣weth after hym alle thynges mortall / And as the heuen tor∣neth / semblably our lyf renneth after it wythoute cessyng and wythout restyng / For suche is the nature of the deth of a crea∣ture. And to this purpos & philosopher named secundus de∣mandeth what it is of a man. And he ansuerth that be is none other thyng but a fantase that sone passeth a way. And he saith afterward that a man is the vessel of deth. a pylgrym without reste. hoost of the erthe / And wormes mete. Thenne ought euery man vpon this sayng aduyse hym / & moche hum¦ble hym self of what estate he be of. For prynces / kynges / pre¦lates. bourgeys. and marchauntes and generally alle people ben of short lyf. & alle of mortal condicōn / And therfore saith plynyus in his vj boke. that not wythstondyng that a man be most parfyght. emong alle mortal creatures. Neuertheles his lyf is most myserable / most daūgerous / and subgette to moste grettest thought / For nature gyneth to bestes hornes to defen∣de them. hyde & heer for theyr vesture / felyng to nourysshe them wynges for the flee. & also of other necessytees for pourneaūce to all beestes. but a mā is born naked without felyng without strengthe. without vesture. without knowleche / And without defence / Our lyf thēne hath right lytyl begyn̄yng. And the con¦tynuānce endureth right greuously. For after the mesure that the knowleche cometh. the thought groweth & encreaceth. And the man wexeth the more melancolyo••. that hath in his con∣dycōn more very and parfyght knowleche. For yf a man ly¦ueth in myserye. thēne he wexeth melancolyo•• by cause of his necessyte. And yf the man be in prosperite. Thenne his Ioye

shal be moche lytyl. yf he consydere / how his fortune shal not endure longe / For as valere saith in his ix boke. Mannes lyf is a course moche lytyl and hard to passe / For in the waye is none other thyng but pouerte and myserye. And yf ther be ony good or well. he is alle way in peryll of fortune aduerse. or of natural deth. & boece in his iij boke of consolacōn. in spekyng to the ryche man sayth thus. thou wylt be preysed and renomed aboue other. but aduyse the in what peryl thou art / For the deth approcheth to the / And in thy fortune is noo surete / And therfore saith maximiā. O lyf humayne that thou art mysera¦ble / For thou art alleway in peryll of deth / thou art without ••urete / thou art nothyng stable. & fynably in spekyng of hym self saith. Alas where ben bycome the goodes of tyme passed / In stede of lawhyuge now I wepe / my Ioye is torned in to heuynesse. Thenne is it f••lye for a man to affye and truste in fortune. ne in the lyf humayne. For naturally alle demānde ••yne. More ouer late vs enquyre and demande where ben they bycomen that haue lyued so playsan̄ly in this worlde. And me semeth that the grete. myddle and lytyll / deth hath put in hys ••••bgectōn. is not Octauian deed / and Cressus whiche were so ryche / Salamō the wyse. Sampson the st••roge. Da¦uid the loyal / Holofernes the grean̄t / and alle other Puissan̄t conquerours. hath not deth desconfyted them / By whiche it apperith that the lyf is vncertayn / short. and myserable / And therfore noman ought in his lyf haue grete faith ne hope. For the deth cometh comynly / whan a mā weneth to regne most hye and longe in his grete puyssan̄ce and strengthe /