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VVYNE and youth is a dou∣ble flame of car¦nall desyre.* 1.1
¶That mā sel¦dome falleth in to thynges vn∣lefull,* 1.2 whiche in thynges lefull can sometime refraine.
A man shoulde so knowe the crafte of continence, that ther∣with he mai flee the vices of the body, and saue well his person.
Nature is comēt with a few thynges and littell,* 1.3 whose con∣tentacion,
yf thou dost oppresse with excesse, that whiche thou ••atest, shall be vnto the vnple∣sant or hurtfull.
¶Better is a man pacient thā stronge,* 1.4 and he that maistreth his wyll, sourmounteth a con∣querour.
THe potters vessell is tri∣ed in the furneysse,* 1.5 and good men bee proued in tyme of aduersitee.
¶Hyde thy misfortune,* 1.6 that thyne enemy reioice not.
¶Ther is nothyng so greuous but an vpright mind may fynd therin solace.* 1.7
In all thy troubles remembre this reason, hard thynges man
be mollified, strait thynges may be loused, and heauye thynges shall littell greue theim that can hansomly beare it.
¶Trouble is cause of paciēce,* 1.8 pacience maketh profe, proofe bryngeth in hope, hope is neuer rebuked.
My child neglect not goddis correction, but whan he doothe punyshe the, thynke it not ••edi∣ous, for whom god loueth, him will he chastise.
¶Coles beyng in the forge doe brenne and consume,* 1.9 but the golde is there tryed, the one is t••urned to asshes, whyle the o∣ther is syned. The forge is the worlde, good men are the golde, aduersitee is the fyre, the warke man is god.
¶It per••eigneth to vertue,* 1.10 to suffre aduersitee, it belongeth to wysedome in aduersitee al∣waie to bee merye, plucke vp thy herte, & suffre goddis plea∣sure: for the chiefe parte of ver∣tue is to taste & feele how swete and delectable is the lord of all wisedome.
¶The wyse man in tourmen∣tes is euermore happy.* 1.11 But he that is troubled eyther for faith for iustice, or for god almigh∣tye, that suffera••nce of peyne bryngeth a manne to perfect fe∣licitee.
¶I iudge the to bee miserable,* 1.12 that neuer knewest misery.
What a man maie, or maie not, it is neuer perceiued, vntill he be proued.
VUhere affection ones in the herte of man entreth & floweth into his breast and drowneth his hert,* 1.13 fidelitee vertue, good fame, and hone∣stee hym cleane forsaketh, and he dai••ly in all mischief increa∣seth.
¶Where affectiō aboundeth,* 1.14 there good fame and vertue of∣tentymes perisheth.
THei that be infected with ambicion,* 1.15 & are desirous of honour, woulde be ex∣horted to possede onely suche treasure as is vnso••tted, and cleane from all mischiefe,
whiche maie not of any ennemy be corrupted, nor with rebuke noted, nor with any dishonesty sclaundered.
¶The deuyll dyd fall only be∣cause he rather wold be a lorde than a subiect.* 1.16
¶He that is in auctoritee,* 1.17 let hym consider how he cometh to it, and comyng well to it, howe he ought to lyue well in it, and lyuyng well in it, howe he muste gouerne, and gouernyng wyse∣ly, he muste ofte call to remem∣brance his owne infirmitee.
A vertuouse man shoulde re∣ceyue rule or auctoritee, as if he were thereto compelled: but he that lacketh vertue, though he be compelled, yet lette hym not take it.
¶Ambicion is a subtill mis∣chiefe,* 1.18 a priuie p••yson, a couert p••s••ilence, the forger of d••••eyte, the mother of hypocrysy, the nourice of enuy, the fountaine of vices, the mothe of deuocion, the blynder of hertes, makyng diseases of remedies, and sicke∣nesse of salues.
¶It is harde for him that de∣syreth to bee aboue all men,* 1.19 to kepe alwaie equitee, whiche is the chiefe part of Iustice.
He that is desirous of glory, is soone styrred to doo thynges agaynst equitee.
HIgh authoritee is alway in peryll.* 1.20 For it is harde to hold that, which thou
canste not welde.
They that wold excel all other in a citee or cūtrey,* 1.21 shuld allure their inferiors with indifferen∣cie, gentylnes, and liberalitee: And content great men with di∣ligēce, affabilitee, and sobrenes, and with good reasons reteyne theim in the weale publike, in one consent and agrement.* 1.22
¶Flee that authoritee, wherin springeth continually newe oc∣cupacion and sundry.
I Suppose this to bee the very true lawe of amitee,* 1.23 a man to loue his frende, no lesse nor no more than he loueth him selfe.
¶Amitie either taketh or ma∣maketh
men equall, and wher•• in equalitee is, by pre••minence of the tone, and muche basenes of the other, there is much more flattery than frendship.
In amitee the thing is not so muche to bee sought for, as the will and intēt, the tone betwene men is oftentimes geuen, the to ther, only procedeth of loue, and the same thing to wyll or will not, is canstant amitee.
¶Where the maners 〈◊〉〈◊〉 diuers and studies repugnant,* 1.24 can ne∣uer be frendship.
¶He that is beloued in tyme of prosperitee,* 1.25 it is very doubt∣full, whether the fortune, or els the person be the thyng that is fauoured.
¶A faithfull frende is a sure* 1.26
protection, he that findeth suche one, findeth a treasure.
A freende is not knowen in thynges that bee pleasant.
In thynges displeasant, an enemy is spied.
¶They be neuer faithfull in frendshippe,* 1.27 whom giftes haue gotten, and loue neuer ioigned.
That is trewe frendship, that loketh for nothyng of his frēd, but onely of his fauour, as who saieth, without mede, loueth his louer.
¶We be not borne for our sel∣ues onely,* 1.28 but partly our coun∣trey, partly our frendes clayme an interest in our natiuitee.
¶Lette vs see,* 1.29 that we vse al∣way that liberalitee, wherby we may profite our freendes, and
do no man damage.
¶In thyngs most prosperous the counsaile of frendes is most to be vsed.
¶The strength of a realme do∣eth not consiste in great puis∣saunce or treasure,* 1.30 but in fren∣des, whom thou canste geatte neyther by force, nor prouyde theim with money, but they be prouided with gentilnesse and confidence onely.
pompous apparaile and iewel∣les, but it is their good condi∣cions and maners.
¶Neyther to muche sluttyshe∣nesse, nor ••xquisite nicenesse be∣cometh a christian.* 1.33
¶Thou woman,* 1.34 whan thou paintest thy face with materiall colours, thou puttest out the true picture of god.
¶Foule maners wars than dirt,* 1.35 defileth faire garmentes, faire cōdiciōs do garnishe foule garment is with laudable actis.
¶She is not well apparailed that is not well man••red.
¶He that fayn wold haue bu∣synesse, leat hym gette hym & shippe and a wife. For in noo two thinges is there more busi∣nes: for if thou intendest to ap∣para••le
theim bothe, they twoo will neuer be sufficiently trym∣med.
IF thou hast muche, geue than aboundauntly:* 1.36 If thou haue littell, yet geue somewhat gladly: therby doest thou laie vp a good treasure agayn the tyme of necessitee. For almesse deliuereth the from syn and frō death, ne will suffre thy soule to enter into darknes.
¶Blessed is he that considreth the poore man and nedy,* 1.37 in the troublesome daie the lorde shall deliuer hym.
¶He that stoppeth his eare at the cry of the pore man,* 1.38 he shall ones crye, and God shall not
here him.
¶He that doeth almesse,* 1.39 doeth offer vp sacrifice.
¶If I geue all my goodes to the feedyng of poore men,* 1.40 and haue not charitee, it nothyng shall profite me.
¶Almesse of the hert is muche more than almesse of the bodye.* 1.41 The almesse of charitee with∣out worldely substāce suffiseth, that whiche is corporally geuen without a mercifull hert is not sufficient.
¶Perfytte compassion is to preuent the hungry,* 1.42 er•• the beg∣gar desyre the. Charitee is not perfitte, whan crauynge exhor∣teth it.
IT is better that an yll man be not accused,* 1.43 than to be suf¦fered to go vnpunished.
A Sturdye herte shall su∣steyne dammage,* 1.44 and he that loueth perill, therin shall perishe.
The congregacion of proude men shall neuer prosper••, the synne that in the••m is planted, shall bee digg••d vp, and not bee perceyued.
¶To set lyttell by that,* 1.45 whiche men doe deme of the, is not only the sygne of an arrogant per∣sone ••••ut also of a man foolishe and dissolute.
AGe which is reuerend,* 1.46 is not acounted by length of time, or nōbre of yeres for the wit of man is not the hore heares: but veraie age is the lyfe vncorrupted. Howe semely is it to a whyte heade to haue a good iudgement? and to olde men to vnderstāde coun∣sayle?
¶There is nothyng more re∣prochefull,* 1.47 than an olde man, whiche hath none other argu∣ment to proue that he hath liued longe, but onely his yeres.
¶O with what difficultee shal thei that haue money enter into* 1.48
the kyngdome of heauen? Ueri∣ly I saie vnto you, more lightly maie a camell passe through the eie of a nedell, than a riche man entre into the kingdom of heuē.
¶No doubte but they that bee riche or couete to be riche,* 1.49 dooe fall in temptacion and snare of the dyuell, into sundry vnlefull desyres, and also vnprofitable, which drouneth a man in dam∣nacion and deathe euerlastyng.
¶To a manne couetouse and nyggarde,* 1.50 substaunce is to no purpose, to an enuiouse man what profiteth richesse?
¶From the leaste to the moste all men bee couetouse,* 1.51 from the prophete to the prieste, all dooe dissemble.
¶The chariott of auarice is* 1.52
caried on foure wheles of vices whiche are faynt courage, vn∣gentylnesse, contempt of god, forgetfulnes of dethe. And two horses do drawe it, raueny and nygardship: to theym bothe is but one cartar, desyre to haue, that carter driueth with a whip hauing two cordes, appetite to get, and drede to forlette.
¶He that heapeth vp richesse,* 1.53 and setteth his mynd to gather for other men, hauynge no res∣pecte to iustice, his gooddes shalbe consumed in riot & foly.
¶He that hydeth corne, shal be cursed of the people, & benedic∣cion shall lyght on theim that be sellers.
¶Substaunce soone come by, shall minishe, and that whiche
by tittell and littell with labour is gotten, shal encrease and con∣tynue.
Helle and pardicion be neuer fylled, nor the insaciable eien of a couetous persone.
He that maketh haste to bee tyche, and hath indignacion at other, litell weneth he how sone after, nede wi••l attache hym.
¶Euerlastyng wo be to hym,* 1.54 that couetously dothe gether to maynteyne his house, that his ••est may stande high, & thinketh to escape the great stroke of vē∣geaunce.
¶Pouertee lacketh many thin¦ges,* 1.55 couetise all thynges. The nygard to no man is good, but to him selfe he is worst.
¶Money, if thou canst vse it,
is thy sernaunte and drudge, yf not, she is thy lady & soueraine.
¶To practise in ••h•• publique weale for to gette rychesse,* 1.56 is not onely a shame, but also a thyng to all men most odious.
¶Inordinat desire of riches & rule is the first mattier,* 1.57 wherof springeth all euell, for couetous appetite, subuerteth credēce, ho∣nest••e, and all other vertues.
¶It is harde to contente vs with that,* 1.58 which occasion doth proffer, for the thynge that com∣meth firste, dooeth obhorre vs, whan we hope to haue better.
THat which passeth out of the mouthe cōmeth from the herte,* 1.59 and that is the
thyng that defileth a man.
¶In muche babblyng lacketh no synne,* 1.60 he is wise that can tē∣per his language.
¶A babblyng enemy shall lesse annoy the,* 1.61 than he that speketh nothyng.
¶That whiche is oftentymes spoken,* 1.62 troubleth the herer.
¶Talke so with menne,* 1.63 as if god dyd here the, speake so to god, as if men vnderstode the.
THat Fortitude,* 1.64 whiche preserueth by battaile the cuntrey from infidelles, and at home defendethe feeble men, and true men from theues, agreeth with iustice.
In warres the multitude, nor
the puissance vnlearned, maie so muche auayle towarde victo∣ry, as knowlage and exercise.
¶He that desyreth peace, let him prepare for warres, he that woulde vanquisshe, let him in∣structe well his people: And he that woulde acheue his exploi∣tures, let him fight with crafte, and not with chaunce or ad∣uenture.
¶Warre woulde bee in suche wise taken in hand,* 1.65 as nothyng but peace shoulde seeme to bee sought for.
¶Octauian the emperor was wont to saie,* 1.66 That war shulde not bee styrred without suretie that the gayne shoulde be more than the charges, leste that the victory gotten with muche losse
and small aduantage, maie be lyke to a fish hoke of golde, whi¦che either beyng broken or loste, can not bee paide for with that that it taketh.
¶Uictory resteth not in a great army,* 1.67 but the strengthe of the battaile cometh from heauen.
¶Chabrias a noble man was wont to saie,* 1.68 an hoste of har∣tes that had a Lion to theyr ca∣pitay ••e, was more to be dread, than an hoste of lyons beynge ledde with an harte.* 1.69
¶These foure thynges oughte to be in a great capitayn, know¦lage in armes, valiant courage, authoritee, and fortune.
¶Sobrenesse in a souldiour is no lesse commendable,* 1.70 than strength and hardinesse.
¶Idelnesse is most contrary to souldiours attemptates.
DO thou good to a good man,* 1.71 & thou shalt finde recompence, and yf he can not requite the, yet god sha•• remembre the.
¶If thou practise beneficence on a persone vnworthy,* 1.72 thou geuest occasion to fooles to do leudely.
¶That benefite cometh late,* 1.73 that abydeth a crauing.
¶A shrewde tourne is sooner requit than a good tourne,* 1.74 for thanke is reputed a charge, re∣nengyng for a gayn & aduātage.
¶Those benefites are moste thankeful,* 1.75 which a man findeth
redy, and cometh on quickely, wherin is no tariyng, but only, the shame fastnesse of hym that shall take theym.
A Byshop muste be with∣out faut,* 1.76 as the stuarde of almightye god, not proude, not wrathfull, not drunkely, no fighter, not couetous of dishoneste gayne, but a good householder, boun∣tyful, wise, sobre, iust, holy, and continent, hauyng the true ma∣ner of speche, whiche is accor∣dyng to learnyng, wherewith he maie exhorte by holsome do∣ctrine, & reproue theim, whiche wylle speake to the contrary.
BE thou praised of an no∣thers mouthe,* 1.77 and not of thyne owne Let a straun∣ger commend the, an•• not thyne owne lippes.
¶Nothyng doth more minishe a mans commendacion,* 1.78 than much auauntyng the successe of his actes.
¶It is a foule thyng a man to tell muche of him selfe,* 1.79 specially that whiche is false, and with mockes of theim, whiche dooe here him, to seeme to resemble the bostyng souldiour.
IF thyne eie be simple or cleane,* 1.80 all thy body shall be bright.
¶Chastitee is the beautee of the soule, or of the kingis dough¦ter, whiche is from within.
¶Where necessitee is laid vn∣to chastitee,* 1.81 authoritee is geuen to lecherye: for neyther she is chaste, whiche by feare is com∣pelled, nor she is honest, whiche with mede is obteyned.
¶Chastitee without charite is as a lamp without oyle,* 1.82 take the oyle awaye, the lampe geueth no nyght, take awaie charitee, than pleseth not chastitee.
¶There bee sixe thynges that do preserue chastitee,* 1.83 sobrenesse in diete, occupacion, sharpenes of the inner apparayle, refray∣nynge of the sences, that is to saie, the fiue wittes. Also selde communicacion, and that with
honesty, and eschuyng oportu∣nitee of the persone, the place, and the tyme.
IF I had the spirit of prophe∣cy,* 1.84 & knew all misteries, and all manerr of cū••yng: Also if I had all faith, in so much as I could translate and cary away mountaines, yet were I no∣thynge, if I lacked charitee.
Moreouer, if I dyd distribute all my goodes, in fedyng poore peple, & although I gaue my bo∣dy to be burned, hauyng no cha∣ritee, it nothīg auaileth me. Cha¦ritee is pacient & gētil. Charitee hath enuy at no man, it doth no thyng amisse, it is not puffed vp with pride, it is not ambicious,
she seketh not hir profite, she is not moued, she thynketh none yll, she reioyseth in no mischief, she ioyeth with truthe, all thyng she suffereth, all thyng she bele∣ueth, all thynge she hopeth, all thyng she beareth, Charitee ne∣uer faileth.
AS well to muche reioy∣syng in prosperitee,* 1.85 as to muche sorowe in ad∣uersitee betokeneth lyghtnesse.
¶What so euer is doone by necessitee is shortly dissolued,* 1.86 & that whiche is willyngly recei∣ued of long time, abydeth.
¶He that is constaunt feeieth no trouble,* 1.87 and is without he∣uynesse.
¶Nothyng so well becometh a man,* 1.88 as in euery enterprise and takyng of counsaile, to be sure and constant.
¶What is so great foly, or so vnworthy a wyse mannes con∣stance and grauitee, as is false opinion? or boldly to defende that, whiche he doth not vnder∣stande well and sufficiently?
vanquisshed with carnall affec∣tion.
¶Carnall appetite more often leaueth behynd hir, cause of re∣pentance, than of remēbrance.
¶Carnall appetite ennemie to reason, letteth all counsaile, and dusketh the eyen of the mynde, nor with vertue wyll haue any medlyng.
HE that intendeth to dooe any thyng,* 1.91 leat hym con∣syder, not only how con∣uenient is the thyng that ought to be doen but also what power he hath to bryng it to passe.
¶If we will consider what excellencie and preeminence is in the nature of man, wee shall
well vnderstande, howe horri∣ble a thynge it is to flowe in ex∣cesse, and to be wanton and de∣licate, how ••ayre and honeste it is to lyue warely, continently, sadly, and sobrely.
¶He whome fortune neuer de∣ceiueth,* 1.92 doth not without cause remembre the vncertaintee of sundry ad••entures.
¶If thou consider wel thyngs that bee passed,* 1.93 thou shalte the better geue counsaill in thynges that may happen.
¶Remembrance of actes pas∣sed,* 1.94 sheweth to vs, wherin wee offende, and conferryng it with thynges that be present, we are taughte howe to refourme it.
COnfessiō is the remedi of soules,* 1.95 the cōfounder of vices, the restorcr of ver∣tues, the vanquysher of dyuels, what wyll you more? It stop∣peth helles mouth, and setteth wyde opē the gates of paradise.
¶The vengeance of god ceas∣seth,* 1.96 where mannes confession timely preuenteth.
¶Confession is the lyfe of a synner,* 1.97 the glorie of good men, to offēdours necessary, and yet vnto iust mē not inconuenient.
THe worlde is a sea, and euery mannes couetous desyre, is nought els but
a tempest. Dost thou loue god? than walkest thou on the sea, and the feare of the worlde is vnder thy feete, louest thou the worlde? and he will fwalowe the, for he can tolle his louers vnto hym, but he can not beare theym. Therfore whan thy herte flittereth in couetous appetite, call to thyne ayde Christes di∣uinitee, that thou mayste van∣quyshe thyne inordinate foly.* 1.98
¶The pleasure of this worlde is vanitee, whiche with muche expectacion is looked for, and whan it is come, no man can holde it.
¶Bost not of tomorow,* 1.99 thou wottest not what the daie wyll bryng, whan it cometh.
¶Set littell by rychesse,* 1.100 and
thou shalte bee ryche: set littell by renoume, and thou shalte be famous: Care not for afflicti∣ones, and thou shalte ouercome theim, passe littell on reste and quietnesse, and thou shalte ob∣teine theym.
¶In thynges perteinynge to man,* 1.101 nothyng is so diligentely don, but that as wel by the puis¦saunce of man, it may bee vn∣doen, for the workes of men mortall also be mortall.
¶Nothyng is so happy,* 1.102 that it is without feare. Where ther is suspicion, the lyfe is vnplea∣saunt.
¶He that is dedicate to the ha∣sardes of fortune,* 1.103 he prepareth for hym selfe muche mattire to trouble, whiche wyll not short∣ly
be slacked.
¶There is one way to go sure¦ly,* 1.104 that is, to set littell by thyn∣ges worldely, and a manne to hold hym contented onely with honestee.
IN thynges,* 1.105 wherof ho∣ly scripture hath deter∣mined no certaintie, the vse of goddes people, and sta∣tutes of fathers are to bee hol∣den for lawes, and likewyse as transgressors of goddes lawes are to be punisshed, so contem∣nours of ecclesiasticall custo∣mes ought to be chastised.
¶The wounde often renued,* 1.106 is harde to be healed.
¶Custome teacheth that to bee* 1.107
littell, which semeth to be great.
¶Educacion and discipline formeth good maners, and men sauoreth alway of that thynge, which in youth thei haue lerned
¶In truthe,* 1.108 whiche appeereth openly, custom must geue place to veritee.
that he hate the, correcte a wyse man, and he wyll thanke the.
¶In correction wrathe is spe∣cially to bee prohibited,* 1.111 for he that wyll punisshe, whan he is angry, he shall neuer kepe well the meane, which is betwene to muche and to littell.
¶A gentil horse is ruled with the glymse of a rodde:* 1.112 A dulle royle wyll vneth styre with the thruste of a spurre.
¶It is better to bee of a wyse man corrected,* 1.113 than to be with the flattery of fooles deceiued.
¶The eare,* 1.114 whiche wyll heare his owne lyfe rebuked, shall dwell in the middell of theym that be wyse men.
Be of thyne owne lyuynge a sharpe correctour,* 1.115 and of other
mens a gentill reformer, and let men here the commaunde small thynges and easie, and thai thou thy selfe doest great thin∣ges and peinfull.
¶Correcte thy frende secretly,* 1.116 and praise thy frende openly.
¶It is the parte of a wyse mā, to roote vp ••ices, and not the offenders.
¶A good capitayne ordereth his men better by kepyng theym from yll donynge,* 1.117 than by sor•• chastisyng.
THey that doo all thinges with counsayle,* 1.118 are go∣uerned by wisedome.
¶Cal not them to thy counsel,
which lacke discrecion, for they can loue nothing, but that whi∣che contenteth theyr appetite.
¶To euery man disclose not thy mynde, leste some do dissem∣ble, and after reproche the.
¶Sonne do al things by coū∣sell, and whan thou hast done, thou shalt not repente the.
¶Obserue well the lawe,* 1.119 and folowe good counsell, and thy soule shall haue lyfe, and thou shalte walke trewly, and thy foote shall not trippe.
¶Beleue not euery spirite,* 1.120 but proue well the spirites, if they be good.
¶Armure abrode is of littell effecte, but yf there be counsell at home.
¶Gouernors of the weale* 1.121 pu∣blyke
ought to be lyke to the la∣wes, the whiche not for displea∣sure, but onely for equitee doe punishe offenders.
¶That publyk weal is in bet∣ter state,* 1.122 and in a maner more sure, where the prince is not good, thā where the kynges coū¦sailours & companions be yll.
¶All violente attemtates be∣yng sette forthe without coun∣saile,* 1.123 at the beginnyng are puis∣saunte, but in continuance they ar insufficient.
¶Who will iudge hym to bee necessary in an other mannes cause,* 1.124 which to hym selfe appe∣reth vnprofitable.
¶There been two thynges to counsayle most contrary, Haste and Displeasure.
¶After hasty counsaile, nexte foloweth repentance.
¶Ill counsaile is worst to the gyuer.* 1.125
¶Power without counsayle oftentymes breaketh his necke with his owne bourdeyn.* 1.126
VUhan thou arte amonge fooles,* 1.127 kepe thy wordes in store.
¶Amonge wise men be redy to commune.
¶In the presence of great men presume not to speake, & where as be thyne elders, talke not to muche.
¶Honor and praise bee in the woordes of a wyse man:* 1.128 The tunge of a foole is his propre
subuercion.
¶Dispute not with a persone disdainfull,* 1.129 leaste he syttynge styll, doo lye in awaite for thy wordes.
¶It is a thynge foule and re∣bukefull, in a sadde matter, to brynge in wordes wanton, or mete for a banket.
wyll not be mercifull.
¶The best example,* 1.133 whervnto a prince shoulde conforme hym, is to be suche one to his subiec∣tes, as he wold that god shulde be to hym selfe.
¶It is euen as yll at home as abrode to be muche feared,* 1.134 as ylle to be dradde of thy slaues and drudges, as of thy chyefe seruauntes: no man lacketh po∣wer to dooe harme: Adde also thervnto, that he that is drad, of necessitie feareth. Neuer man mought be terrible, and also in suretie.
SEke not for that, whiche is out of thy reach:* 1.135 Serche not those thyngs, that exce∣deth
thy puissaunce, but thynke on that, which god hath com∣manded the, and in his sundry workes be not to curious.
THey that truste muche to their frendes,* 1.136 knowe not howe shortely teares bee dried vp.
for, is and semeth more ea∣sy, and with lesse peyne suffred.
¶One daie demeth another,* 1.139 but the laste geueth iudgemente of all that is passed.
AS it is impossible,* 1.140 that fyre shuld inflame with∣in water, so it is impos∣sible, that contricion of herte shoulde be great in thinges that be delicate: for they be mere re∣pugnaunt the one to the other, the contricion beyng mother of wepyng, delicatenes of laugh∣yng, she straineth and wringeth the hert, this louseth it and set∣teth it at libertee.
MEn can better suffer to be denied,* 1.141 than to be de∣ceyned.* 1.142
¶Where wronge is cōmitted by two maner of waies, eyther by force, or by fraude, fraude belongeth to a foxe, force to a lyon, both the one and the other is to the nature of man won∣derfull contrary.
¶We oughte to beware more of the enuy of our frendes,* 1.143 thā of the assaultes of our enemies, for these be apparant vnto vs, the other is couered, and the crafte to annoy, whiche is not looked for, is euer moste daun∣gerouse.
¶A false witnesse shall not bee* 1.144
without punishement, ne a for∣get of lyes shall escape from correction.
NEther detractors nor yet extorcioners shal possesse the kyngdom of heauen.* 1.145
¶Neuer detracte or backbyte any man,* 1.146 nor bee seene to gette prayse by rebukynge of other: but learne more to adorne thyne owne lyfe, than to defame o∣thers, remembrynge the scrip∣ture, whiche saith, Loue not to pull awaie a mans praise, least thou be pluckt vp by the rootes
¶To sclander,* 1.147 or to here sclan¦derers, I can not tell of theym two which is most damnable.
¶We oughte to suppose that* 1.148
detractyng or yll reportyng one of an other for a priuate aduā∣tage, is more againste nature, than to suffre any discommodi∣tee, be it exterior or bodily.
A Drunken worke manne shall neuer be riche,* 1.149 and he that setteth noughte by a littell, shall by a littell and a littell, come vnto nothyng.
¶Howe sufficiente vnto a ler∣ned man is a smal quantitee of wyne? for therwith whan thou slepest, thou shalt not bee trou∣bled, nor feele any peyne.
¶Euerlastyng peyne shall bee vnto you,* 1.150 that do rise earely in the morning to drynke excessiue∣ly, and to quafte vntyll nyght,
that ye maie bee with wyne ex∣cessiuely chauffed.
¶Lechery,* 1.151 wyne, and sacietee consumeth all wisedome.
¶The drunken man confoun∣deth nature,* 1.152 loseth bothe grace and honour, and rnneth head∣ling into euerlasting, damnaciō.
¶Wyne inordinately taken,* 1.153 troubleth mans reason, maketh dull vnderstandyng, infeebleth remembrance, sendeth in forget∣fulnes, poureth in errours, and bryngeth foorth sluggyshnesse.
EUery realme diuided with in it selfe shall be made de∣solate and euery citee and house diuided by mutuall con∣tencion,* 1.154 shall not longe stande••
¶In thre thynges my spirit is well pleased,* 1.155 whiche bee also cōmended before god and man, the good concorde of bretherne, the loue of neighbours, also man and wyfe of one consente and agrement.
¶If they,* 1.156 whiche make peace, bee called the children of god, without dout the disturbers of peace be the children of Satan.
¶Thei that sustein one part of the people,* 1.157 & neglecte the other parte, they brynge into the citee a thyng very perillous, that is to saie, sedicion and discorde.
¶With concorde smal thinges growe to be great,* 1.158 with discord the moste greattest thynges b•• brought vnto nothyng.
¶Warre is sone made, but it
is not so shortli discussed, for he is not sure to fynysshe it, that fyrste toke in hande to begin it.
HE is honorable,* 1.159 a greate estate, and a noble man, whiche dysdaynethe to scrue, or be subiect to vices.
¶If thou wilte esteme a man truely,* 1.160 and knowe what he is, beholde hym naked, and lette hym laie asyde possessyons, au∣thoritee, and other fables of Fortune: Fynally, lette hym putte of his boby, and beholde thou in his sowle, what he is of hym selfe, and what he hath of other, which is not his own.
LIke as a mothe in a gar∣ment,* 1.161 and a wourme in a tree, so heuinesse hurtethe the hert of a man.
¶In heuinesse it is to be fore∣seene & prouided,* 1.162 that nothynge be dooen desperately, nothynge fearefully, nothing wretchedly, or any thyng foolyshely.
¶There is no sorow,* 1.163 but that length of tyme shall mynishe it, and make it more easy.
that in good men it is the armour of vertue, to perso∣nes corrupted, a spurre to dooe mischeife.
¶Lyke as wolle taketh some colours with one onely dieping som not without often stepyng and boylyng,* 1.166 so som doctrines ones apprehended be forthwith shewed, some other except they bee depely receyued, and longe tyme, setled, coloureth not the mynde, but onely toucheth it, and that whiche is promysed, it nothyng performeth.
¶Doctrine is an ornament to men being fortunate,* 1.167 to men in∣fortunate a refuge and succour.
¶No man may profite in he a∣ryng so muche,* 1.168 but whiles he li∣ueth he shall haue neede to bee
taught.
¶A corne fyelde or a wytte be∣yng neuer so fertyle,* 1.169 without it bee exercised, maye neuer bee fruitfull.
¶Phylosophye is not a com∣mune warkemanshyp,* 1.170 or made for to bragge with. It is not in wordes but in mattier: ne it is gyuen onely to passe the tyme pleasaunly, but it setteth the mynd in good frame, the lyfe in good order, it tuleth our actes, & sheweth what is to be dooen, and what to bee vndoone, she sytteth at our stern, and among the vncertayne sourgies, she or∣dereth the ryghte course of our passage, withoute hit no man is in suretie.
¶Men beleue better their cien* 1.171
than theyr eares.
¶It is a longe waye to goe by rules and preceptes, the way by exaumple is shorte and commo∣diouse.
¶We teache our children li∣beral sciences, not because those sciences may geue any vertue, but bicause they make the mind apte to receiue it.
IN many meates is occa¦sion of syknes,* 1.174 and gre∣dy fedyng shall approch vnto cholere.
¶To hym whyche is fallen to a distemperance in heate or cold it is expedient to geue thynges of contrary qualitees.* 1.175
¶If thou wylte preserue the temperature, whiche is in thy body, to a••moyste nature, geue thynges moyst, to a dry nature, dry thynges, if thou wilt alter the temperature, geue euer the contrary.
¶Ye maie not only remembre, that contrary thynges be hea∣led by theyr contrary, but also in euery contrary ye muste con∣syder
the quantitee.
¶Whan sickenesse is in his force,* 1.176 than the moste spare diete is to be vsed.
¶The preseruation of heal the begynneth with labour,* 1.177 whiche meate and drynke ouertaketh, than slepe ensueth, th•••• Uenus foloweth, but eche of theym in a measure.
¶Uncleane bodies, and they which of superfluouse humors bee not well pourged, the more ye nourish theym, the more dooe ye hynder theim.
¶Stomackes in wynter and spryng tyme be hotest,* 1.178 and slepe than is longest. Wherefore in those tymes, meate shoulde bee taken in greattest abundaunce.
¶Sodaynely and very muche
to ••••acuate or to fylle, to make hotte or to coole, nor any other¦wyse to remoue the state of the body, is veraie dangerouse, for to muche of anie thyng is enne∣my to nature.
MUuch ease and defaulte of competente labour,* 1.179 maketh heate feble, whi¦che shoulde resolue and make thynne that whyche oughte to be purged.
¶They that liue in muche eas•• do gather cōmonly a f••eumatik or slimy iuyce in theyr bodies.
¶They that do labour muche do gather iuyce cholerike or me∣lancoly, the one in sommer, the other in corne haruest tyme, or
towarde wynter.
SO leat your light shine be∣fore all men,* 1.180 that they maie behold your good warkes, and maie glorifye your father, whiche is in heauen.
¶Who so euer liueth yl in the sight of them,* 1.181 ouer whome he hath rule, as muche as in hym is, he sleeth the beholders.
¶The bysshops conuersacion and householde,* 1.182 is set as it wer maisters of the commune disci∣pline on the toppe of a moun∣tayn. For what soeuer he doth, all other men thynke, they may lefully doo it.
¶deuout conuersacion with∣out cōmunicacion,* 1.183 as muche as
by exaumple it profiteth, by si∣lence it hurteth. For with bar∣kyng of dogges and staues of the shepardes, the rageyng wul∣••es be let of theyr purpose.
¶More auaileth example then wordes.* 1.184 And muche better bee men taught by doing, than they are by speakyng.
¶In the knowlage of things,* 1.185 this is it, whych is chiefly most holsom and profitable, to mark well the lessons of euerye exam∣ple, whiche is put in famouse remembraunce, whereof thou maist take for the and thy coun∣treye, that thou mayste ensue, or that whiche hath an yll be∣gynnynge, or a foule endynge, thou mayste the better eschewe.
ENuy is blynde,* 1.186 and can do nothyng, but disprayse vertue.
¶It is a scabbe of this world to haue enuy at vertue.* 1.187
¶O the miserable condicions of people that are to bee gouer∣ned,* 1.188 among whom diligence is hated, negligence is reproued, where sharpenesse is perillous, liberalitee thankelesse, commu∣nycacion deceytefull, pernicy∣ouse flatterye, euery mannes countenaunce family at, manie mens myndes offended, wayte to hurte priuily, faire woordes openly, whan officers be com∣myng, they tary for them, while they be present, they do awaite
on theim, beeyng out of autho∣ritee, also dooe forsake theim.
ELoquent woordes become not a foole,* 1.189 nor liyng lyp∣pes a man in auctoritee.
BEtter is a good name thā abundance of rychesse,* 1.190 for good estimacion sur∣mounteth all treasure.
¶Those menne saie yll of the,* 1.191 that be yll theym selfe. Reason answereth, I should be sore me∣ued, yf Cato, Lelius the wyse, the other Cato, and the twoo Scipions shoulde so report of me: or if these men shoulde saie this with a rype Iudgemente,
whiche they dooe nowe by ma∣lice corrupted.
¶The actes,* 1.192 and not the ••ame shoulde first be considered.
¶The infamy of man is im∣mortall,* 1.193 for she is aliue whan thou thinkest hir dead.
OUr lorde wyll rewarde euery manne accordyng to his Iustice and fayth.* 1.194
¶We that beleue Christe,* 1.195 let vs folowe Christ is lyuyng.
¶They whyche beleue in god,* 1.196 let theim endeuour theim to ex∣cell in good workes.
¶Lyke as the bodye is deade, wherein is no spirite,* 1.197 soo that faithe is dead, where there lack workes.
¶The faythe of a christain is ioyned with charitee,* 1.198 and with∣out charitee is the faith of the dyuell.
¶Faithe not exercised, soone waxeth sycke, and beyng vnoc∣cupied, it is assaulted with sun∣dry displeasures.
¶Not the herers of the lawe be rightuous in the presence of god,* 1.199 but the doers of the lawe shalbe iustified.
¶Not euery man that saieth to me,* 1.200 Lorde, lorde, shall enter into the kyngedome of heauen, but they whiche doe the will of my father, whiche is in heauen.
THe roote of wysedom is to feare God,* 1.201 and the branche therof, shal long
tyme endure.
¶There is none authoritie of so great a puisance,* 1.202 that oppres¦synge with dreade maie longe endure.
¶Whom men feare, they doe hate,* 1.203 and euery man whome he hateth, he desyreth to peryshe.
¶Drede and terrour bee weke bondes of loue, for if that they breake, and men ceasse to feare, than begyn they to hate.
¶It is more daunger to bee dred than to be despised,* 1.204 for ne∣des must he feare many, whom many feareth.
A Foles way in his owne eie is beste,* 1.205 a wyse man hereth good counsayle.
¶He that aunswereth before that he heareth, proueth hym selfe to bee a foole, and woor∣thy rebuke.
¶A wyse sentence in a fooles mouth shal not be regarded,* 1.206 for he telleth it not in oportunitee.
¶Talke not long with a folt, and with hym that lacketh wyt kepe not muche company.
¶He that setteth much by him self,* 1.207 where in dede he is nought woorthe, he bryngeth hym selfe into folye.
¶It is the propretee of a foole to seke out other mens fautes,* 1.208 and forkette his owne.
MY sonne, if yll men wyll feede the with flatterye,* 1.209 consent not vnto theim,
¶Better ar the strokes of hym that loueth truly, than the fal•• kysses of theym that dooe flat∣ter the.
¶Tale bearers,* 1.210 riotters, glo∣sers, and flatterers, flee farre from theym, as from thy chiefe ennemies.
¶Within thy selfe, behold wel thy selfe, & to know what thou art,* 1.211 geue no credence to other.
¶Whose eares be so slopped from trouthe,* 1.212 that he maie not abide to here troth of his frend, his helthe and prosperitee is to be despayred.
¶Lyke as wormes soonest do brede in softe wood and ientyl,* 1.213 so the moste noble wittes, de∣syrous of prayse, gentyll and honourable, moste maketh of
flatterers, and dooe nourysshe suche persones as bee their di∣stroyers.
¶The familiar compaignion, whiche is alway like pleasant, and gapeth for thankes, and ne¦uer byteth, is of a wyse man to be alwaie suspected.
¶Great mens sonnes lerne nothyng well but to ryde, for in other doctrines their maysters do flatter theym, praysyng all that they speake. At wrastlyng theyr felowes fall down er they be throwē. But the rough hors whan he is rydden, knowynge not whether he that rydeth be a prince or subiecte, a riche man or a poore, casteth hym out of the sadde••••, yf he can not good skyll of rydyng.
FOrtitude and constance is the high way,* 1.214 he that tour∣neth to muche on the ryght hande is foolchardye and fro∣ward, to muche on the left hāde is ferefull and cowarde.
¶Fortitude is an affection of mynde,* 1.215 susteynyng pacientely perill and grefe, and beyng al∣waie free from all drede.
¶Fortitude appereeh not but in the tyme of aduersitee.* 1.216
¶To a wyse man none yl may happen,* 1.217 for he standeth vpright vnder euery burdeyn, nothynge maie appaire hym, nothyng di∣spleasith hym that ought to bee borne, for what so euer mought happen to man, he neuer com∣playneth
that it hath chaunced vnto hym.
¶All thynges ought to be fore thought on, and the mynde for∣tifyed agaynst all that myghte happen•• Banishement, tormen∣tes, sicknesse, bataile, shypwrec∣kes, thynke on theim dayly.
¶To suffre grefe quietly and coldly, it profiteth much to con∣syder, and so to do it is a great honestee.
¶Nedes muste he that is va∣liant, be of a great courage, & al¦so inuincible, he that is inuinci∣ble dispiseth all thinges that be transitory, supposyng thē to be inferior vnto hym. But no man may despise those thinges, wher by he mai be greued, but only h•• that is valyaunt. Wherfore it
hapneth that a vallant persone can neuer be greued, al wise men therfore nedes must be va∣liant
¶It was wont to be a greate praise & a meruailous, to haue pacienely taken al froward ad¦uentures, not to haue ben sub∣dued by fortune, but in all ad∣uersitee, to haue reteyned theyr estimacion and dignitee.
¶The timorous dog barketh more sore than he byteth.* 1.218
¶We see the greatest ryuers fall with least noyse.
men to beholde with sore eye•• the new aduancement of other.
¶Looke howe many wonde∣rers,* 1.221 so many enuyers.
¶As fortune becketh,* 1.222 soo fa∣uoure inclineth.
¶Innumerable be the exaum∣ples of changeable for••tne, for •• here made she euer great ioy, but where sorowe proceded? ••r what sorowe hath she caused, that hath not proceded of ouer∣muche gla••nesse?
¶Felecitee beginneth by the or¦dinance of god, where miseryis estemed by the iugemēt of man.
¶The entirprises bee in oure pu••ssance,* 1.223 but their conclusion•• fortune determineth.
¶To beare rule is chaunce, to gyue rule is puissance.
¶Fortune fauoring variance, dispiseth constance.
¶Whose hope,* 1.224 reason, or ima¦ginacion dependeth on fortune, in hym nothynge maie bee con∣stant or certayne.
¶Fortune is to great men de∣ceytfull, to good men vnstable, all that is high is vnsure.
¶What fortune hygh raiseth, she lifteth vp to let fall.
¶In thynges whiche bee mo∣derate, continuance is constant.
¶Chilo the wyse man beynge demaunded what fortune was,* 1.225 He answered, a leude phisicion•• for she made many folkes blind that trusted muche to her.
¶Oftentimes fortune corrup∣teth nature.* 1.226
THe eyes of god be more bryght than the sonne,* 1.227 be holdynge euery where all the wayes that ••en••e take, the depnesse of that whiche is bot∣tomlesse, seyng mēs thoughtes, where they thynke theym moste secrete.
¶In the herte of man be mani deuises, the wyll of god euer a∣bydeth.
¶No sapience, prudence, nor counsail, may preuayle against god. The horse is prepared to bataile, but yet god geueth al∣waye the victorie.
¶They that feare god,* 1.228 wil be∣leue his worde: & they that loue him, wil kepe his cōmandement
¶Blessed be the name of our lorde,* 1.229 for wysedome, and puis∣sance be of him onli, he altereth times and ages, he also transla¦teth and ordeyneth kingdomes.
VUhere as lackethe a go∣uernour,* 1.230 the people de∣cayeth, where as be ma∣ny counsayls, ther lacketh not suretie.
¶In the multitude of people is the state of a kynge.
¶In the fewnesse of subiectes is the princis dishonour.
¶A prince that gladly herethe leasynges, hath all his offycers peruerse and wicked.
¶Wo is the countrey, where the ruler is wanton, and they
in auctoritee breake theyr faste tymely.
¶Happye is that lande, that hathe theyr kynge noble, and where men in authoritee ••a••e in good season.
¶He that is a gouernour of∣fendeth more greuousely by his example than by his offence.* 1.231
¶Where a gouernoure lac∣keth,* 1.232 the people shall perishe: the sauegarde of them is, where be many counsayles.
¶Rulers haue done thynges with folye,* 1.233 and sought not for our lorde: therfore they vnder∣stande not, and theyr flocke is broken and scattered.
¶Prepare thy selfe,* 1.234 and fur∣nishe so thy condicions and ma¦ners, and set forth the forme of
thy liuyng in suche wyse, as he that in the middel of euery mās syght leadeth his lyfe, and maie be hyd from no man.
¶The commune people are wont to serche and behold curi¦ousely the maners, lyues, and condicions of theym that bee rulers, althoughe they be coue∣red neuer so closely, or hyd and kepte with hanginges and cour¦teynes neuer so priuilie.
good or yll, but a good mynde or an yll, whiche is a louer of honestee, contented onely with vertue, whome no fortune ex∣tolleth or oppresseth, nor kno∣weth any thyng to be better thā that he maie geue to hym selfe, to whome veray pleasure is, to set littell by pleasure.
¶The riche men woll not bee constrayned to eate that which poore men eateth,* 1.239 but let theym kepe the custome of their infir∣mitee, beyng sory that they can not otherwise satisfy their na∣ture. If they chaunge theyr cu∣stome, and therfore be sycke, let them vse their superfluitee, and geue to the pore men that, whi∣che vnto them shall bee conue∣nient and necessary.
¶Unhappy are they,* 1.240 whiche haue theyr appetite more than their stomacke.
¶Glotony is an yll maistresse to serue,* 1.241 she alway•• desireth, and is neuer contented.
¶What is more vnsaciable than is the bealy, that this day she receyueth, to morowe she ex∣pelleth:
whan she is full, she di∣sputeth of continence: whā she hath digested, ••he byddeth ver∣tue farwell.
¶Deuise kyng of Sicile,* 1.242 whā he had eaten pottage, whiche a cooke of Lacedemonia hadde made, he said that the meate did not delite him, the cooke aun∣swered, It was no meruail, for it lacked spices, whan the kyng asked what he lacked, he aun∣swered, Laboure, sweatte, ren∣nyng, hunger, and thyrste, for with suche maner of stuffe, the meate of the Lacedemonians was euer prepared.
¶GLorie is a thynge sub∣stancy all and perfectely expressed,* 1.243 It is the praise
of good mē, cōsenting togither, a vocie incorrupted of thē that iudge well of an excellēt vertue.
¶The chief and perfecte glory standeth in three thynges,* 1.244 If the multitude loue vs: yf they haue good opinion of vs: If (as it were meruailynge at vs) they suppose vs well worthy to be had in muche reuerence.
¶Thus saieth our lorde,* 1.245 Let not the wyse man glorie in his wysedome, nor the stronge man in his strengthe, nor the ryche man in his substaunce, but he that is gloriouse, let this be his glorie, to knowe and vnder∣stande me. For I am the lorde that doe execute mercie, iudge∣ment, and iustice in earth: these thynges dooe please me saieth
our lorde god.
¶Nor that fyre maketh smoke,* 1.246 that quickely is kendeled, nor that glorie causeth enuye, that shortly appereth.
THe grace of God,* 1.247 why it is sent vnto this man, & not vnto that manne, the cause mai be priuy, but without iustice truely it may neuer be.
¶The grace of Christe,* 1.248 with∣oute the whiche neither children nor men may truste to be saued, is not geuen for merites, but is fauourably dysposed without deseruynges, and therfore it is called Gratia, whiche doth si∣gnifie fauour in englyshe.
¶Grace (as I do suppose) con∣sisteth * 1.249
in thre thinges, in abhor∣ryng things which ar passed, in dispisyng thynges present, and in desyrynge thynges, whiche for vs are prepared.
¶Grace is giuē for this cause,* 1.250 that the lawe bee fulfilled, that nature be restored, and that by syn we be not subdued.
NEuer suffer thou pride to rule thy wit or sentence:* 1.251 for in hir all distruction taketh roote and beginnyng.
¶On whome saieth our lorde shal my spirite reste,* 1.252 but on him that is humble and gentyll, and dredeth my wordes?
¶God resisteth proude men, but to them that be hūble,* 1.253 he gi∣ueth
his grace.
¶The more honourable thou arte,* 1.254 the more humble thy selfe vnto all men, and thou shalte fynde fauour bothe of god a••d of man.
¶In thy thought extol not thy selfe lyke a bulle, ne bee thou proude of thyne actes, but in hūblenes kepe euer thy courage
¶The greatter thou arte,* 1.255 the more humble be thou, and in the presence of God, thou shalte fynde grace.
¶Howe great so euer thou be,* 1.256 bee humble in all thynges, and thou shalt find grace before god
¶The Emperoure Octanian was wont to saie,* 1.257 nothyng be∣cam
worse an emperor or kyng than hast and foole hardynesse: for that whiche was well done, was soone doone.
AS vnsitting is honour to fooles,* 1.258 as snowe is in sommer, and hailsto∣nes in haruest.
¶Honour norisheth cunnyng,* 1.259 and with preise mennes wyttes be kyndled to study.
¶Honours ouer great,* 1.260 wher∣in is pride, and to muche state∣lines, like great & corporate bo∣dies, be throwē down sodeinly.
¶Honours substanciall and perfect, and also fauour of thē, whiche haue a good turne in re∣membrance, and be in rendryng
thankes veray diligent, shoulde not be refused.
TAke hede of false prophe∣tes that come to you in the garmentes of sheepe,* 1.261 but within they bee rauernouse wulues, by the fruites of theym shall ye perceiue theym.
¶He that desireth to seeme that he is not,* 1.262 he is an hypocrite, he faineth to be good, yet dothe he not practise it, for in the praise of men he estemeth his profite.
¶Dyssembled equitee is not proprely equitee,* 1.263 but double ini∣quitee, for it is bothe iniquitee, and dissimulacion.
¶Hypocrites ar•• vile in appa∣rel,* 1.264 and praude in their corage,
and whyle they seeme to despise all thynges in this worlde, they seke by meanes to atteyn to all thynges that be of the worlde.
¶The nyghest way to renome is to be suche one in dede,* 1.265 as e∣uery man woulde he reputed.
¶He that faineth hym selfe to bee a freende, and is not, is worse than he that is a forge•• of money.
¶Openly to hate or to loue, more belongeth to a gentil cou∣rage, than to hyde in his coūte∣nance what his herte thynketh.
EUery man that exalteth hym selfe,* 1.266 shall be brought lowe, and he that hūbleth him selfe, shal be aduanced.
¶All men delite to be high,* 1.267 the griece is humilitee, why settest thou thy fote so farre from the? thou wylt fall and not clymbe, begyn at the grice, and thou art forth with at the toppe.
¶He that doeth gather other vertues without humiltee,* 1.268 d••∣eth as he that beareth fine pou∣der into a boystuous wynde.
¶That man is happy,* 1.269 whiche the higher that fortune aduan∣ceth his substance, so muche the lower he auayleth his courage.
where that whiche sometyme were vyces, bee tourned to ma∣ners.
¶That whiche the yll manne moste dredeth,* 1.272 shall come vnto hym, & that whiche he desireth shall b••g yuen vnto good men.
¶The yll manne shall vanishe awaye lyke a storme, the good man shall stande faste, lyke an euerlastyng foundacion.
¶The warke of an yll manne is euer vnstable, he that so weth good warkes, hathe a sure ad∣uauntage.
¶Dooe thou none euill,* 1.273 and none shall come to the, Leaue e∣uyll companie, and euyll wyll forsake the.
¶If a Morian maie thaunge his skinne,* 1.274 or a libard, hir spot∣tes,
ye may also do good, whan ye are brought vp in ill.
¶To hym that doeth ill,* 1.275 there is no greatter penaunce, than that he displeaseth all men, and contenteth not him selfe.
NO man maie be iust,* 1.276 that feareth either deth, peine, exyle, or pouertee, or that preferreth their contraries, be∣fore verie equitee.
¶The foundacion of perpe∣tuall preyse end renowme is iustice: without the whiche no thyng is commendable.
¶Kynge Agesilaus beynge de∣maunded,* 1.277 whiche was the bet∣ter ••ither Iustice or Fortitude, He aunswered, If al men were
iuste, we neded no fortitude.
¶The glory of a good man is to doe iustice.* 1.278
¶Iustice exalteth the people, but synne maketh people wret∣ched and miserable.
¶The emperour Alexander,* 1.279 hearynge that a poore olde wo∣man was ylle intreated with one of his souldiours, he dys∣charged hym, and gaue hym in bondage vnto the woman, to get hir hir liuynge with his crafte, for as muche as he was a carpenter.
¶Aristides,* 1.280 called the righ∣tuouse, beynge demaunded of one, If he were rightuouse of his owne nature, Nature, saide he, hathe muche holpen me there to, but yet by myne industrie, I
haue holpen hir also.
¶In the path of iustice is life,* 1.281 the waie that turneth ther from, leadeth to death.
¶Iustice mounteth the people in honour, sinne maketh people wretched and miserable.
¶Be not ouermuche iust in ex∣tremitee,* 1.282 and fauoure no more than is necessary.
¶My sonne,* 1.283 desirynge wyse∣dome, kepe thou true Iustice, and god almighty wyll geue it vnto the.
¶He is a iuste man that spa∣ceth not hym selfe.* 1.284
ACcordynge to the iudge of the people,* 1.285 so bee his officers.
¶Suche as bee rulers of a ci∣tee, suche be the commons.
¶Presentes and gyftes make ••lynde iudges.* 1.286
¶Couet not to bee a iudge, ex¦cepte thou bee of power able to subdewe iniquitees, leaste per∣chance thou shalt feare the state of a great man, and geue occa∣sion of rebuke in thyne owne hastinesse.
¶Euerlastyng wo shall be to theym,* 1.287 whiche make vnrighte∣wyse lawes, and doe write a∣gaynst iustice, to the intent that they wyll oppresse poore menne in iudgemente, and violentely subuerte the cause of the people.
¶All doe loue presentes, and folowe rewardes, to the father∣lesse chylde they do not minister
Iustice, the poore widows mat¦ter cometh not before them.
¶Here therfore ye kynges,* 1.288 and vnderstande ye. Learne ye iud∣ges of all partes of the worlde. Gyue eares ye that rule ouer multitudes, and delyte youre selfe in the trouble of people, for power is giuen to you frō our lorde, which shall examine your actes, & inserche your though∣tes, for whan ye were ministers of his kyngedome, ye iudged not straitely, ne kept the lawes of true iustice, ne went after his pleasure, horriblye and shortely he wyll appere to you: for most so reste iudgementes shall bee to theym that haue rule ouer o∣ther. To the poore man merci is graunted, but the mighty man
shal suffer mightily tourmētes.
¶Take thou no gyftes,* 1.289 which do make wyse men blynde, and peruerte the woordes of•• theym that be rightuouse.
HE that iustifieth an vn∣gracious person,* 1.290 and he that condemneth a good man, they before god bee bothe abhominable.
¶The kyte in the ayre know∣eth hir tyme,* 1.291 the turtil, the stork, and the swalowe dooe come at theyr seasons, my people know not theyr lordes iudgement.
¶A good man wyll not in his friendes cause,* 1.292 dooe againste a weale publyke, agaynste his ••th, nor agaynst the trust which
is put in him, for he laieth aside the personage of a frende, whā he taketh on hym a iudges office.
¶The emperoure Alexander* 1.293 woulde neuer suffer to be solde the office of a iudge, or greatte authoritee in the execucion of lawes, saiyng, Nedes muste he sell, that doth bye. And I wyll not lettet at there shal be mar∣chauntes of gouernaunce, whi∣che if I dooe suffer, I maye not condemne: for I am ashamed to punish a man that bieth and selleth.
¶Themistocles beyng the chi∣efe iudge in Athenes, when ther came to hym a great musician, whiche desired of hym a thynge somewhat against iustice: The∣mistocles
aunswered, If in sin¦gyng thou doest not regard nū∣bre and tym, thou art not wor∣thy to bee called a good musici∣an: nor I a good iudge, yf I wolde preferre before the lawes the priuate fauoure of any one persone.
IF a blinde man do take vppon him,* 1.294 to leade one that is blynd,* 1.295 they both shall fall in the dyche.
¶Sapience and doctrine of fooles be dispised.* 1.296
HE that dothe render an yuell tourne for a good,* 1.297 yuell shall not departe
from his howse.
¶The hope of a persone vn∣thankfull,* 1.298 shal relent lyke win∣ter yse, and as water superfi••∣ouse shall vanish away.
¶The greatter benefites that men dooe receyue,* 1.299 the more gre∣uouse iudgement shall be gyuen them, yf they do offinde.
¶A good man doth all thynge wel,* 1.300 yf he doe al wel, he can not be vnkynde.
¶He that thyngeth alwaye to craue, forgetteth what he ta∣keth.
¶In couetise nothing is wors than that she is vnkynde.
¶He taketh awaye the mutu∣all course of gyuynge and ta∣kyng good turnes, who so ••u•••• neglecteth to rēder equall thāke
to hym that deserueth it.
¶That is a person dishonest,* 1.301 whiche knoweth howe to take a benefite, and not how to re∣quyte it.
THe good Emperour An∣tonine* 1.302 withdrewe from dyuerse personnes theyr pencions and salaries, percey∣uyng theym ydell, saying, that there was nothynge more re∣prochefull or cruell, than that they shulde gnawe and deuoure the weale publyke, whiche with theyr laboure nothynge increa∣sed it.
¶Idelnesse hath taught muche vnhappynesse.* 1.303
¶He that wil not worke,* 1.304 shall not eate.
¶Some tymes bee take from vs,* 1.305 sometymes dooe escape vs, some flowe awaie not vnwyt∣tynge vnto vs, but the foulest losse of tyme is of that, whyche by our negligence dothe slippe away from vs.
¶Idelnesse weareth strengthe as ruste doth yron, the bronde vnsterred bourneth slowly, and if he bee moued, he causeth the fyre eftsoones to kindle.
¶We are not brought vp so by nature,* 1.306 that we should seme to bee made for game & solace, but rather for grauitee, and for some studies more serious and weightie.
¶Idelnes without lernyng is* 1.307
death and the graue of a quicke manne.
THe roote of all mischiefe is inordinate appetite,* 1.308 whiche some men folo∣wyng, haue erred from faithe, and brought theym selues into many sorowes.
¶Ther are three thynges spe∣cially,* 1.309 whiche men be wonte to desyre inordinatly, rychesse, bo∣dily pleasures, and great aucto∣ritee. Of rychesse dooe proceed∣yll thynges, of pleasure disho∣nest thinges, of auctoritee vaine thynges.
¶Ther is no grefe in lackyng,* 1.310 but where there is inordinate desyre in hauyng.
come, the one without the other littel auaileth: for of cun∣nynge springeth vertue, of ver∣tue perfecte felicitee
¶Counnyng is to know god, and to imbrace vertues, in the one is Sapience, in the other is Iustice.
¶Science is a knowlage con∣uenient,* 1.316 stable, and neuer decli∣nyng from reason.
¶Estee ne thou much cunnyng to bee more worthe than coyne,* 1.317 for this shortely becaieth, coun∣nyng euer continueth.
¶The wyse Solon made a lawe in Athenes,* 1.318 that the childe shoulde not be bounden to suc∣cour his father, of whome he had receiued no maner of do∣ctrine.
HE is in great error,* 1.319 that thynketh a kynge to bee safe in his person, where nothynge may bee safe from the kyng, senssuretee is assured by mutuall suretee.
¶Theopompus kynge of La∣cedemonte,* 1.320 vnto one that de∣maunded of hym, howe a kynge moughte moste surely keepe his realme, and defende it, said, If he geue to his councellours ly∣bertee to speake alwaie truthe, and to his power neglecteth not his subiectes, whan they be op∣pressed.
¶Trouth and compassion ke∣peth a kyng,* 1.321 and his place of a∣state with mercy is stablyshed.
¶Oye kynges,* 1.322 if ye delyte in hyghe places, and sceptoures make muche of sapyence.
¶Moste happye is that pu∣blyke weale,* 1.323 where eyther men studiouse of wysedome dooe reigne, or where the kynge is studiouse of wysedome.
¶To bee in a fury,* 1.324 it may bee called womanly.
¶It neuer besemeth a kyng to be angry.
¶If thou wylte subdewe all thynges vnto the, subdewe thy selfe vnto Reasone. If Rea∣sone rule the, thou shalte rule many.
¶It beseemeth men to feare theyr prince, but muche more to loue hym.
LEnd not to a greatter thā thou art,* 1.325 and if thou hast lende, accomte it for loste.
HE that is robbed and lo∣seth his cote,* 1.326 where he hath no mo, if he had lea∣uer lamente hym selfe, than to loke aboute hym, and prouide howe to escape from colde ta∣kyng, and to fynde some thyng to couer his shulders with, wol∣dest thou not thynke hym to be a naturall foole? Thou haste buried hym, whome thou dyd∣deste loue: Seke now for hym,
whom thou maist loue. It is mu¦che better to prepare eftsones a frende, than to wepe for a frend
BI custome of labour we ••all make the peyne more easy to suffre.* 1.327
¶Cato* 1.328 in an oracion, whiche he made to the men of armes of Numantia, saide, Consider in your myndes my felowes, that whā ye do a thyng wel by labor and trauayle, the labour soone passeth, the thynge well dooen, alwaie remayneth. But if ye do yll by inordinate pleasure, the pleasure soone vanissheth, but the deede that is yll doone, ne∣uer remoueth.
¶It is a token of a feeble* 1.329
and tender courage to flee from thynges laborious and peine∣full, of the forbearyng wherof, slouthe is ingendred, and nyce∣nesse, and their continuall com∣panyon vnthriftinesse.
To labour in vayne,* 1.330 and a man weriyng hym selfe to gette nought but displeasure, is ex∣treme peuishnesse.
obeysance, cōmandyng theym, that if he required them by his letters to doe any thynge that was contrary vnto his lawes, that as to hym that was igno∣raunt they should repugne and deny it.
¶Traiane the emperour most noble and valiant,* 1.334 by no mar∣ciall affayres mought be called from geuyng lawes to his peo∣ple, but that nowe in one place, sometime in an other, he would sit openly and here suites, and also geue iudgementes.
¶The lawe is good, if it be le∣fullly vsed.
¶The people that ar without lawe,* 1.335 and do that whiche in the lawe is conteined, they bee a lawe to theimselues.
¶This is ones certayne,* 1.336 la∣wes were inuented for the pre∣seruacion of people and coun∣treies, and for the quiete and prosperous lyfe and astate of men that lyue vnderneth theym.
¶Lyke as where there bee ma∣ny phisicions and medecynes,* 1.337 there are many diseases, so where as are many lawes, there be many mischieues and great∣test iniuries.
in nature, which comman∣deth that whiche oughte to bee done, & forbiddeth the contrary.
¶Lawes of men maie be like∣ned to copwebbes,* 1.340 whiche dooe tye litteil flies faste, and with great flies ar braste.
LEchery is ennemie to god,* 1.341 and enemie to vertues, it consumeth all substance, and delityng in the appetite pre¦sent, letteth that a man can not thynke on pouertee, whiche is not longe absent.
¶If we will consider the ex∣cellencie of mans nature, and the dignite•• therof, we shall wel perceiue, how foule and dis¦honest thyng it is to be resolued
in lechery, and to ••yue wantōly.
¶Contrary wise howe honest and faire thyng it is to liue tem¦perately, continentely, sadly, and soberly.
¶Youth vntemperate, and ful of ••eche••y, maketh the body to be in age withered and feble.
IN veraie muche libertee it is harde to bee mode∣cate,* 1.342 or to put a bridell to wanton affections.
¶They be out of libertee,* 1.343 that dooe not labour in theyr owne businesse, they slepe at a nother mans wynke, and set their fete where an other man sleppeth.
¶What is elles lybertee, but to iyue as thou wouldest?
¶Truely of ouermuch lycence happeth great pestilence.* 1.344
HE onely is lyberall, the which spendeth after his subslaunce,* 1.345 and as it is nedefull.
¶Liberalitee is not in the mul¦titude or quantitie of that why ••he is geuen,* 1.346 but in the facion of him that geueth, for he dispo¦seth if after his substance.
¶He geueth very late,* 1.347 that ge∣ueth not vntill his frēd craueth.
¶Beware that thy benefyt ex∣cede not thy substaunce, for in suche liberalitee is an appetyte to take vnleafullye, that there lacke nothynge to gyue awaye bount••ous••lye: for where men
geue and be nedy, they bee con∣strayned to plucke eftsones frō other, of whome they purchase more hatrede than fauoure of theym that they geue to.
¶In geuynge, these thynges must be considered, what thing and to whom, howe, where and wherefore thou geuest.
¶Whan thou employest a be∣nefite, chose suche a persone as is plaine and honest, of good re¦membrance, thanckfull, abstey∣ning from the goodes of other, no nygarde of his owne, and specially to all men beneuolent.
¶The greatnesse of the bene∣fite is declared,* 1.348 or by the cōmo∣ditee, or by the honestee, or by the necessitee.
¶There bee two fountaynes,* 1.349
whiche do approue liberalitee, a sure iudgement, and an ho∣nest fauo••r.
O The deepe richesse of the wysedom and knowlage of god,* 1.350 the iudgementes of theim, howe impossible is it to comprehende? howe impossi∣ble is it by seking to find them?* 1.351 Who knoweth the mind of the lorde, or who was his coun∣saylour, or fyrst gaue it to him? and he shall be recompensed.
For of hym, and by hym, and in hym are all thynges: To hym be glorye vnto the worlde of worldes. Amen.
¶That which god hath prepa¦red for them that doe loue hym,* 1.352
faithe dooeth not take it, hope doeth not touche it, charitee do∣eth not apprehende it, it passeth all desyres and wyshes, gotten it may be, estemed it can not be.
¶We may lightlier tell what is not in the lyfe euerlastynge,* 1.353 than what thinges be there.
¶There is no deathe, there is no waylynge, there is no wery∣nesse, there is no sickenes, there is no hunger, no thyrst, no cha••¦fyng, no corrupcion, no necessi∣tee, no heauinesse, no sorowe.
THe liyng lips are to god abhomynable,* 1.354 they that do truely, do please him,
VUho that prouideth for an nothers distruction,* 1.355 lette hym be sure, that a lyke pestilence is prouided for hym, so that of a lyke thynge he shall soone after be partener.
¶By malice a man sleeth his owne soule.* 1.356
¶Malyce drynketh the more parte of his owne venym.* 1.357 Ser∣pentes, the venym whiche they haue for the distruction of men, without theyr owne pe••yll they kepe it, malice hurteth him most which doth reteine is.
¶Like as in chaffe or heares of an haare,* 1.358 fyre is soone kendled and soone put out, excepte some
other thyng be myxte with it so nourysshe and keepe it: so loue sodaynly inflamed in man and wyfe with beautee or person∣nage maye not dure longe, ex∣cept beynge ioyned with good condicions, it bee nouryshed with wisedome, and therby re∣ceyueth a lyuely affection.
¶Women that had leuer rule foolishe husbandes, than obey•• wise men, be like theym, whiche wold rather leade a blind man, than folow hym that hath both sight and good vnderstanding.
¶House and gooddes we re∣ceiue of our freendes,* 1.359 a wyse wyfe is proprely geuen of god.
¶Departe not frō a wife that is sadde and wyse,* 1.360 whiche thou haste taken in the feare of god,
the grace that is in hir honestee surmounteth all richesse.
¶Art thou bo••nden to a wife?* 1.361 seke not to be loused.
¶Art thou louse from a wife? seke not to be mari••d.
¶Mariage in all thynges is honourable, and the bed imma∣culate, for god shall iudge for∣nicatours and also aduoutrers.
¶Themistocles* 1.362 a noble man, hauynge but one doughter, de∣maunded of hir, whether she wold be maried either to a pore man hauyng worshypfull ma∣ners, or to a graete man with leude condicions. She aunswe∣red, Syr, I had leauer haue a man lackyng possessions, then possessions lackyng a man.
¶The vyce of a wyfe is ey∣ther* 1.363
to be taken awaie, or to be suff••ed. He that taketh it away maketh the wyse more commo∣diouse, he that suffereth, ma∣keth hymselfe better, by obtey∣nyng of pacience.
MErcy is a temperaunce of mynde in the power to aduenge.* 1.364
¶Compassion regardeth not the cause, but the astate of the persone. Mercy is ioyned with reason.
¶Nothyng is more cōmenda∣ble,* 1.365 nothyng is more worthy to haue place in a great man, than placabilitee or mercy.
¶Blessed be they that at mercy¦ful,* 1.366 for thei shalbe sure of mercy
¶Among many vertues none is more wōderfull, or more gra∣cious thā mercy, for in nothyng men do more approche toward god, than in gyuyng to menne helthe. Fortune maie dooe no more, nor also nature can will no more, than preserue life.
IN felicitee is imperfec∣tion,* 1.367 where thynges di∣shonest do not onely de∣lite but also content, and there ceasethe hope of all remedye, where that whiche was vice is turned to be maners.
¶Wyttes inforced doe bringe thynges yll to passe.* 1.368 The la∣bour
is in vayne, wherein na∣ture striueth.
¶All nature of beastes, fou∣les, serpentes, and of all other things by mās nature is tamed.
¶That whiche is infixed and ingēdred by nature is not lyght¦ly remoued by crafte.* 1.369
¶Thou dooest naughte thou man moste vnkynde,* 1.370 whyche saiest, that thou haste nothinge of god, but of nature. I telle the, Nature withoute God is nothynge, nor god is withoute nature, but bothe are one, and be not diuers in office.
NEcessitee makethe that quicke,* 1.371 which els would be dul, and oft times dis∣paire
is chiefe cause of hope.
¶Suffer and blame not that whiche thou maiest not escape.* 1.372
¶Thynke howe they that bee gyued,* 1.373 take fyrst greuousely the weight of their yrons, and lette of their going. At the last, whan they leaue to disdain these thin∣ges, and dooe determine to suf∣fre theym, necessytee compel∣leth them to beare it valyantly, and custome to thynke the pein easie.
¶It is Necessitee that in pe∣rill of wrecke dyschargeh the shyppe of his burdeyne. It is Necessitee, that by pluckynge downe houses doo keepe theim from brennyng, Tyme maketh necessitee a lawe.
VUhat nobilitee rythesse or puissaunce mai be sted faste and sure,* 1.374 sens god may make kinges baser ye than those that be lowest?
¶The only lyberty before god is,* 1.375 Not to dooe seruyce to syn.
¶The thiefe nobility before god is, To excell in all vertue.
¶What auaileth noble linage to hym,* 1.376 whiche is with vilaine maners reproched? or what re∣proch is a pore stocke vnto him, whiche is with good maners adourned?
¶He that bosteth alwaie of his auncestours, declareth hym¦selfe to be vnworthy of preyses.
¶The more honourable that* 1.377
the life of the auncestoure is af∣ter estemed, the mo••e reproche∣ful is the vice of the linage that them succedeth.
¶Iphicrates a valiaunte cap∣tain,* 1.378 but the sonne of a shoema∣ker, beyng therwith imbrayded of Hermodius a noble manne borne, aunswered in this wyse: My bloude taketh begynnynge at me, and thy bloudde at the nowe taketh hir farewell.
¶To resist in vayne and with muche trauayle,* 1.379 to get noughte but displeasure, is extreme foly.
VUhat maner of obediēce may be there,* 1.380 where vice is muche made of, and
rulers not regarded, whose con¦tempt is the original fountaine of mischiefe in euery weale pu∣blyke.
¶Ye seruauntes obey ye your soueraignes carnall in all thin∣ges,* 1.381 not seruyng to the eye, as it were to plese men, but in sym∣plicitee of thought, fearyng al∣mightie god.
Better is obediēce thā sacrifice.* 1.382
¶He that resisteth authoritee,* 1.383 resisteth gooddis ordinance.
¶It is a generall cou••naunte made by mankynde,* 1.384 to be obe∣dyent to kynges, howe muche more vnto god, which reigneth ouer all creatures?
¶If thou wilt be wise,* 1.385 be euer obedient, for it is written. De∣syrest thou wisedome, than kepe
the commandementes, and god will geue hir vnto the.
¶Theopompus* 1.386 the kynge of Lacedemonia, to one whyche saied, That the countreie was well kepte, because that kynges there knewe howe to gouerne: he aunswered, No not so, but rather because the people kno∣weth how to obey theim.
¶Some fautes of rulers and officers ought to bee tollerate,* 1.387 for he that goeth aboute to cor∣rect, shal not profit so much, as vse to disobey their superiours shall bryng to men detriment.
THe pacient man wil suf∣fre for a tyme,* 1.388 and after shall comme restytucion
of gladnesse.
¶All that happeneth vnto the, suffre in thy trouble, and haue pacience alwaie in thy pouer∣tee: For golde and syluer are proued with fyre, and men bee acceptable whan they bee in the ouen of worldly aduersitee.
¶Better is he that contemp∣neth wronge,* 1.389 than he that is greued therwith, for he that con¦temneth it, doth despise it, as if he felte it not, but he that is gr••¦ued therwith, is tourmented, as if he felte it.
¶If thou wylte bee noble of courage,* 1.390 suppose that no dis∣pleasure may happen vnto the, but saie this of thine enemy: He wolde haue hurt me, but he hur∣teth me not: and whan thou per∣ceiuest
hym to be in thy danger, thynke that to bee vengeaunce sufficient, that thou moughtest be reuenged.
BLessed bee they that make peace,* 1.391 for they shal be cal∣led the children of god.
¶Euery realm deuided ageinst it selfe,* 1.392 shall be made desolate,* 1.393 & euery city or hous in it selfe de∣uided, shall not stande or abide.
He that hath not peace of the h••rt, the mouth, & the act, ought not to be called a christen man.
¶He that punisheth his body,* 1.394 and keepeth not concorde, he praiseth god on the taber, and not in the quier.
¶He that prouoketh a mā for
to sweare,* 1.395 and knoweth that he shall sweare falsely, he is worse than a murtherer, for a murtherer sleeth the bodie, but he sleeth the soule, ye two sow∣les togyther, his, whome he procured to swear, and also his owne.
¶The punyshement of periu∣ty by goddes lawe is deathe,* 1.396 by mans lawe perpetuall infamie.
¶I saie vnto you,* 1.397 that ye in no wise do sweare, least by, that swearyng ye came to the poynt to sweare lightly, and that by lightnesse ye come vnto custom, and frome custome ye falle into periurie.
¶He that is readie to bee for∣sworn,* 1.398 he semeth to be forsworn before he sweare falsly, for god
iudgeth not onely by dedes, but also by thoughtes, whiche pro∣cede from the herte.
¶No man sweareth often,* 1.399 but he is sometyme forsworne, lyke as he that vseth to speake mu∣che, speaketh somtyme thynges out of reason.
¶He is a double offender,* 1.400 that taketh the name of god in vain, and deceiueth his neighbour.
IT is soone made redye and easy,* 1.403 that nature de syreth, to thynges super¦fluouse, sweate is requyred.
¶The pacience of poore men at the ende shall not perisshe.* 1.404
¶Better is litell in the feare of our lord,* 1.405 than great treasure, whiche will neuer be faciate.
¶They be poore in spirit,* 1.406 whi¦che when they do good, thei giue praises to god, whan they doo yl, they lay faute in them selfes.
¶The lyfe of man is not in a∣boundaunce of rychesse,* 1.407 but in vertue and faithe, this treasure shall make the a ryche man, yf thou be ryche to godwarde.
¶If thou wylte lyue after na∣ture,* 1.408
thou shalt neuer be poore, yf after thyne opinion, thou shalte neuer be ryche.
GOd is farre from theym,* 1.409 whiche doo not honour hym, and gladly he wyll here the praiers of good men.
¶Watche and praie ye,* 1.410 that ye enter not into temptacion.
¶Thy praier is thy speche vn∣to God,* 1.411 whan thou redest, god talketh with the: whan thou praiest, thou talkest with god.
¶The two winges,* 1.412 wherwith a man fleeth vnto god, be these, if thou forgeuest hym, whiche hath offended the, and helpeste hym, who hath nede of the.
¶With fastyng, corporal pas∣sions* 1.413
ar to be cured, with prai∣er the pestilence of mans mynde is to be healed.
¶It is a pestilent puissaunce,* 1.414 to be of power to do harme.
VUhat thyng is more foo∣lyshe,* 1.415 than to indeuoure thy selfe to doo gladly a thyng, that thou maiest dooe it no longer?
¶Excessiue expences of that whiche shoulde mainteine thy household,* 1.416 drinketh vp the foū∣tayn of iust leberalitee.
¶If god suffre yll men to haue muche prosperitee,* 1.417 than his iu∣dignacion
is muche more gre∣••••••••s. If he leaue yll dedes vn∣punished, than is his punisshe∣ment more dredfull & perillous.
¶The world is more daunge∣rous laughyng than lowrynge.* 1.418
¶If thou haddest the wise∣dome* 1.419 of salomon, the beauteee of Absolon, the puissaunce of Samson, the longe lyfe of E∣noch, the richesse of Cresus, the power of Octauian, what can all this auayle the? whan fynally the bodie is gyuen to woormes, the soule vnto diuels to bee with the riche man in peine euerlastyng.
¶In all fortunes aduersitee,* 1.420 the moste vnhappy chaunce is, to haue been ones happy.
* 1.421¶Perfite felicitee is the vse
of vertue.
¶Muche abundaunce maketh corne to lie,* 1.422 bowghes are bro∣ken with theyr owne burdeine, the fruite that cometh often co∣meth seldome to rypenesse.
PLato doeth lyken mannes lyfe vnto a chance of dice,* 1.423 the better it is, the more is it desired of him that casteth it, but what so euer chaunce com∣meth, there is good craft in the vsyng of euery thyng as it hap∣peth, the one is not in vs, that is to saie, what we shal throw: the other is in vs, if we be wise, that is to saie, to take in good worthe the chaunce that dooth fal, and appoint to euery thyng
his place, so that the thyng that well chanceth, may profite vs, and that whiche euyll chanceth may not indamage vs.
THre kind{is} of ••hynges my soule hath muche hated,* 1.424 and I am muche discon∣tent with theyr disposicion.
¶A poore man proude, a great man a lyer, an olde man a foole and lackyng discrecion.
¶God resisteth theym that bee proude,* 1.425 and to theym that bee humble, he geueth his grace.
¶Be not proude in wisedom,* 1.426 in strength, nor in richesse, it is one god that is wise, puissant, and full of felicitee.
¶Prudence consisteth in the knowlage of things good & yll.* 1.427
¶A wyse man doeth all thyng by counsayle,* 1.428 and a foole soone discouereth his foly.
¶More easily maie one resist yll mocions,* 1.429 than rule theym, and more easily refuse them thā moderate theym.
¶To hym whom fortune ne∣uer deceiued,* 1.430 it is no foly to re∣membre the vncertaintee of sun dry aduentures.
¶The helpe of God is not on∣ly gotten with wishes and prai¦ers,* 1.431 but by vigilant study, dily∣gent executyng, and wise coun∣sellyng, al things come to passe.
¶Separate them that do craf∣tily
flatter the,* 1.432 from those that do faithfully loue the, leste yll men haue moste profite by the.
¶Bee sure of freendes,* 1.433 that speake not ay pleasantly.
¶Those which to content the will speake vnthriftily, forbyd theym they house, and put theim out quickely.
THese promises are not to be kepte which a man ma¦keth eyther by feare com∣pelled,* 1.434 or by craft, deceiued.
The noble kyng Agesilaus,* 1.435 to one whiche said to him, ye haue promised: By god saied he, that haue I, if it be right, if not, I than spake, but I promised not
¶The foundacion of Iustice
is credence, that is to saie, con∣stantnesse and trouth in saiyn∣ges and promises.
¶Those promises are not to be kepte,* 1.436 whiche bee harmefull to them, vnto whom thou haste promised, or by the whiche thou shalte receiue more detriment, than they, to whome thou ma∣dest promise, maie thereby take profite.
¶O the shamefull confession of fraude and cōmune mischief of man:* 1.437 more credence is geuen to mens signettes, than to theyr soules.
NAture broughte vs n••t forth,* 1.438 as we shulde seme to bee made for pastyme
and solace, but rather to gra∣nitee and studies of more weigh¦ty importance.
¶Recreacion of wittes ar to be suffred, for whan thei haue a while rested they sprynge vp of tentymes more better & quicker.
TO vse the publyke weale for a particular gaine or aduauntage,* 1.439 is not onely a thyng foule and dishonest, but also mischeuous and very ab∣hominable.
¶To chaunge sodenly the cu∣stomes and disposicion of peo∣ple,* 1.440 and with newe lawes ha∣stily to rule theim, is not one∣ly harde, but also vnsure, as the thyng that requireth much time
with great power & authorite••.
¶Lyke as the hand deuided in fyngers, is therefore neuer the feebler, but to euery purpose is the apter and redier: so he that ioyneth to hym other in the go∣uernance of a weale publyke, ayded with company, shall ac∣complishe the thynge in experi∣ence the more effectually.
¶A prince of a weale publike ought with all studie and dily∣gence to expel & driue out of his countrey ambicion and sump∣tuouse expences, wherewith the minde being nourished and styrred, is made more cruell and fierce, and with a prodigalle wantonnesse appeereth to bee ryottouse: and yf he can not brynge it to passe, at the leaste
let hym abhorre them, and kepe hym selfe from theim, and resist to his power those that desyre it, and with all mischiefe doo assaie to atteine it.
¶Dwelle not (sayed Plato)* 1.441 where superfluous expences do surmounte the reuenewes, nor where yll men be more made of than good men, nor where the rulers, for the more part be liers
ARt thou put from thyne office?* 1.442 thou shalt be the more at home, and the better apply thyn own busines. Thou laboureste to bee nyghe the kynge, but thou arte disap∣poynted, thou shalte lyue more
surely, and in the lasse busines. But thou art tourmoiled with muc••e care and busynesse, ye warme water (as Pyndare sai∣eth) doeth not so swetely ease and comforte the delicate mem∣bres, as honoure ioyned with authoritee maketh labour plea∣sant, and to sweate easily.
¶To hym that wold be quiete and liue in moste suretee,* 1.443 the ryght waie is, to set nought by exterior thynges, and to be on∣ly contented with vertue: for who so euer estemeth any thyng to be aboue vertue, ye or to bee good, but vertue onely: he set∣teth foorth his breaste naked to all thynge that fleeth from the hande of blynde Fortune, and with great study and diligence
abideth hyr shotte.
NOt onely fortune helpeth menne that bee•• valiaunt (as is the olde prouerbe) but reason muche more,* 1.444 whi∣che as it were with preceptes, confirmeth the puissaunce of prowesse.
¶What thyng in man is best? Reason: for by that he goth be∣fore beastes, and foloweth the Goddes. Wherefore a perfecte reason is that good, which pro∣prely belongeth to mā, all other thynges is to hym cōmune with beastes. For if he be stronge, so is the lyon, if he be fayre, so is the pecocke: if he bee swifte, so is the horse, I doo not say, that
in euery of these thynges, the other surmounte hym, for I seeke not that thyng, whiche is moste excellent in hym, but that whiche is his owne, and belon∣geth proprely to hym, for as he hath substāce, so hath the trees: & as he hath voluntari meuing, in lykewyse hath not onely the beastes, but also the wourmes, If he haue a voyce, so hathe dogges, and muche louder, the egles more sharpe and percinge, the bull muche greater, the nigh∣tyngale sweeter. Than what thynge proprely is a mannes owne? surely reason: for that beynge in the ryght course and perfecte, maketh a man full of felicitee.
REligion pure and imma¦culate in the syghte of god,* 1.445 is to succour poore children and widowes in their tribulacion, and to kepe theym selfe vncorrupted in this tem∣porall worlde.
¶He is a stronge theefe,* 1.446 and tourneth goddis house into a theues cabyn, that of religyon seketh promocion.
AMonge thy friendes de∣tracte not the kyng,* 1.447 nor in the mooste secrete place of thy chaumbre, reporte none euylle of a greatte man: for the by••des of heauen wylle
beare about thy voyce, and they that haue fethers, will tel thine opinion.
TO much rychesse maketh place to losse.* 1.448
¶Somme thynges bee more easily gotten than kept.
¶Riches shall nothyng auaile whan god wil take vengeance:* 1.449 good deedes shall delyuer man fro damnacion.
¶Substance sone gotten shall appaire:* 1.450 and that which is ga∣thered by littell and littell, shall increase in thy handes.
¶Richesse becommeth not a ••oole, nor a vile seruāt to haue rule ouer princis.
¶He that gathereth treasure
with a tounge full of lyes, is vaynglorious and folyshe, and at the laste shall fall into the hal¦ters of death.
¶That ryche man is blessed,* 1.451 that is founde without blemish, and that foloweth not rychesse, nor putteth his truste in money and treasure. Let see who is he, and we will commend hym: for in his lyfe he hath dooen won∣ders.
¶They that wolde be riche,* 1.452 do falle into temptacion, and the snare of the dyuell, also into many vnprofitable and harme∣full desyres, whiche drown men in deathe and pardicion.
¶Commaunde thou the ryche men of this worlde,* 1.453 that they presume not to highly, nor trust
to the vncertayntee of theyr ry∣chesse, but to dooe well in god, that lyueth euer, whiche geueth vs abundantly, all thynges to vse at our libertee, and to bee ryche in good workes, and to geue gentilly, to participate with other, and to make with their treasure a good founda∣cion for the time commyng, for atteynyng to the lyfe, whiche is veraie certayne.
bryngethe one to the euer∣lastyng kyngdome.* 1.456
¶O yee rulers of people,* 1.457 see that ye loue wysedome, that ye may haue a perpetual kingdom
¶The roote of wisedome is to feare God,* 1.458 and the braunches therof be of longe lyfe.
¶A wise herte & that hath vn∣derstanding, will absteyne from ill dedes, and in workes of iu∣stice, his purpose shall prosper.
¶The thoughtes of a wise mā at no time, nor for any fear shal be depraued.
¶A temperate and moderate persone needes muste bee con∣staunt,* 1.459 he that is constaunte, is quiet of mynd, he that is quiete hath no vexacion, and conse∣quently no grefe or disease: and
all these thynges dooe perteyne to a wise man. Wherfore it fo∣loweth, no grefe or disease maie be in a wise man.
¶The greattest token and of∣fice of sapience is,* 1.460 that the dee∣des doe agree with the wordes, and that the person be euer one and like to him selfe.
¶Let thy minde and thoughtes hereto extende: onely wishe and busily care, for to bee with thy selfe alwa•• cōtent, and satisfied with the goodes that of the doo procede, all other desires refer∣ryng to god.
¶Wisedom excelleth strength,* 1.461 and the prudent person is to be preferred before him that is pu∣issant.
¶A wyse mans ioye is so sure¦ly
wroughte, that no fortune maie breake it, and is alwaie and in euerye place quiete: It dependeth on none other thyng but it selfe, nor looketh for the fauour of man or of fortune.
AL scripture inspyred of God is profitable to tea¦che or to reproue,* 1.462 to cor∣rect, to instruct in iustice, that the man of god bee perfect, & fur¦nished vnto euery good worke.
¶The scripture and the crea∣ture serue both for this purpose that he maie be sought for and loued,* 1.463 that created the creature, and inspired the scripture.
¶If accordyng to the saiynge of Paule,* 1.464 Christe is the vertue
of God and his wysedome, he that knoweth not scripture, knowethe not the vertue and wisedome of god: for the igno∣rance of scripture is la••ke of knowlage of Christe.
¶Leat vs not thinke that the gospell is in the words of scrip∣ture,* 1.465 but in the vnderstandyng, not in the skin, but in the ma∣rowe, not in the leaues of wor∣des, but in the depe rootes of reason.
THe symplycytee of iuste men shall adresse them to god,* 1.466 And the deceit of ill men shall be their distruction.
¶The iuste man that walketh in his simplicitee, shal leaue his
children after hym happy.
¶Prudence withoute sympli∣citee is malice and crafte,* 1.467 and simplicitee without prudence is maistresse of foly.
SUfferaunce of syckenesse is tollerable,* 1.468 yf thou con∣temne that whiche laste of all she doth menace.
¶In many meates is hyd mu∣che syckenesse.* 1.469
¶Nothynge so muche letteth helthe,* 1.470 as oft chaunge of medi∣cines. The plant neuer proueth, that is oftentymes sette.
¶The fyrste cure of sickenesse,* 1.471 is the preparacion of good aire, whiche conserueth the herte.
The second is moderacion and order of meate and drinke. The thirde is in direction of labour and reste: The fourthe is, for∣bearynge to muche sleepe and watche: The fyft is the discre∣cion in expellynge or stoppynge the humours: The syxte is the temperance of gladnesse, an∣gre, feare, and sorowe. The de∣partyng of these from theyr e∣quall temperaunce is cause of all syckenesse.
supersticion, from true religion: for they which praied all daye, that theyr chylderne moughte ouerlyue theym, were called supersticyouse, whyche name afterwarde was larger extended.
¶He that is inclined to super∣sticion, shall neuer be quiete.
¶Supersticion is a madde er∣rour,* 1.474 for it feareth theym, why∣the ought to be loued, and whō she worshippeth, theym dooeth she violate, what diuersitee is it, whether thou denyest god, or speakest yll of hym?
THat whyche thou arte a shamed to speake,* 1.475 be also ashamed to thynke.
¶Shamfastnesse is to be much made of:* 1.476 for as longe as that a∣bydeth in the mynd, there is yet a place for good hope to rest in.
¶Diogenes beholdyng a yong man blusshe,* 1.477 saied vnto hym: Son, be of good comfort, this is the right colour of vertue.
REceyue not a swalowe into thy house,* 1.478 that is to sal, haue not in thy hous clatterers & mē ful of language.
¶An yll man is sooner van∣quished with silence than with aunsweres:* 1.479 For malice is soo∣ner styred with woordes than refourmed.
¶Lyke as a citee is,* 1.480 which stā¦deth wide open, and is not com¦passed
with walles: so is a man whiche can not kepe silence.
AL the waies of our lorde is mercy and trouthe.* 1.481
¶Leat thy toung be ig∣norant of liyng and swearyng,* 1.482 & loue so well truthe, that what so euer thou speakest, thynke that thou swearest.
•• Trouthe moste commonlye,* 1.483 with many wordes is scatte∣red to nothyng.
TO a wel ordered coūtrey or citee those expenses be thoughte mete and conue¦nient,* 1.484 that be littell & moderate, the end wherof is necessary and
honest, pleasant and thankful: so that it lacke bothe reproche and domage.
¶A temperate and moderate person,* 1.485 not wanton nor affecti∣onate to his owne apetite, maie be to no manne in his countrey charg••ouse, to no man truell or greuous, to no mā dangerous: For he is of Nature familiar and ientill, easy to men that wil¦come & speake with hym, whose house is vnlocked, not shut, but open to all men, where euerye manne, as it were in tempestes and stormes, may repayre for their succours.
¶What doeth that man lacke to lyue in felicitee, whom valy∣ant courage deliuereth from all sorowe and feare, and Tempe∣raunce
calleth from carnall ap∣petite, and letteth hym not ex∣cede in foolishe reioycyng?
TEll no yll tales of God and his saintes,* 1.486 nor re∣porte no yll of the prince of thy countrey.
¶Ill reporters bee to God o∣diouse.* 1.487
¶More offendeth the tale bea∣rer that minisheth the loue in a mans hert from his nigh frende or neyghbour,* 1.488 than he that pul∣leth meate from the mouth of a hungry begger. For lyke as the soule is more precious than the mortal body: so is the foode of the soule of more estimaciō, thā the nourishement of carrayne.
NO man maie be saied to lyue a shorte tyme, that hath attayned of perfecte vertue the perfect rewarde.
¶It beese••meth vertue to bee f••••e from all drede,* 1.489 and out of subiection.
¶Uertu is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one with most depe rootes perfectly set,* 1.490 whi∣che with no maner of violence may be distroyed.
¶It is the vertue of an hono∣rable personage,* 1.491 commendably to rule, and also be ruled.
¶Flee from younge and wan∣ton desyres,* 1.492 and folow Iustice, faithe, charitee, and peace, with theim whiche honour god with a cleane herte.
¶Uertue is to bee honoured,* 1.493 not the image of vertue, nor she is not to be honoured with cen∣syng or prayer, but onely with a good will and purpose.
¶Uertue is to restraine angre,* 1.494 to mitigate desyre, and refraine carnall pleasure.
¶The fruites of the spirite is charitee, ioyfulnesse, peace, pa∣tience, bounteousnesse, good∣nesse, longe sufferance, ientyl∣nesse, saithe, temperance, con∣tinence, and chastitee.
¶As the commyng of one swa¦lowe maketh not spryng tyme,* 1.495 nor one hotte daie or houre ma∣keth not sommer: so one ver∣tue maketh not a ver••uouse persone, or one littell tyme in prosperitee, setteth not a man
in perfect felicitee.
¶Where ryches is honoured,* 1.496 and estimacion rule and autho∣ritee theron attendeth, there ver¦tue waxeth dulle, pouertee is had in reproche, innocencye is reputed for yll will or malyce.
CAto the elder inuehyng•• agaynste the people for their inordinate lyuyng,* 1.497 saied, It is in vayne to talke to a bealy that lacketh eares.
A Foolyshe chylde is the fathers herte sore,* 1.498 and a brawlyng wyfe is a house alwaye droppyng.
¶A wyse woman buyldeth vp
a howse.
¶An vnwyse woman will de∣stroye with hir handes that whiche is builded.
¶That manne is blessed that hath a good wyfe:* 1.499 the yeres of theim therby are doubled.
No hed is more mischeuo{us} thā the hed of an adder,* 1.500 no wrath ex¦cedeth the wrathe of a woman.
¶It is more pleasaunte aby∣dynge with a lyon or dragon, than to dwelle with a vengea∣ble woman.
¶Lyke as the clymmyng on a sandy hyll is to the feete of an olde man, so is a clattering wo¦man to a man that is quiete.
¶A woman yf she haue soue∣rayntee, is to hir husband fro∣warde and contrary.
¶Geue not to the water that serueth thy house neuer so littel 〈◊〉〈◊〉 issue: nor to an yll wyfe ly∣cence to wander.
¶A constaunt wyfe reioyceth her husbande, and in peace shal prolonge the terme of his lyfe.
¶A stedfast woman is a gol∣den pilar set on baces of siluer.
repentance.
¶There is not so muche ioye in highe clymmynge vpwarde,* 1.503 as there is sorowe in fallynge harde downewarde, nor so mu∣the renoume after victorye, as after ruine reproche of foly.
¶What shoulde he that is stronge, auaunt of his strentgh, whom bodyly sycknesse bryn∣geth to feeblenesse?
¶What should the ryche man auaunte of his rychesse, whose hope by a theefe or a tyrante is soone disapoynted?
VIrginitee is syster of an∣gelles,* 1.504 vainquisher of lu¦stes, princesse of vertues,
possessour of good thynges.
¶The woman vnmaried,* 1.505 and the maiden vncorrupted, thinke on thynges that perteyne vnto god, to the intent to be holye in body and soule.
¶What profiteth a hole body with a mynde corrupted?* 1.506 Bet∣ter is an humble matrimonye than a proude virginitee.
¶A maydens speche wolde ••e circumspect,* 1.507 sober, and scelde: not soo excellent in eloquence, as in basshefulnesse. Whanne thou speakest, lette men m••r∣uaylle at thy shamelas••enesse: whan thou speakest not, lette theim wondre at thy wysedome and sobernesse.
A Foole immediately dis∣couereth his angre,* 1.508 he that hydeth his iniurye, is wyse and craftye.
¶An angry person prouoketh contencion, but he that is paci∣ent, appeaseth debate whan i•• is styrred.
¶Be not familiar with a man full of angre, nor kepe not com¦pany with a ••uryous persone, leaste thou lerne his waies, and cause thy soule therby to offēd.
¶Let euery man bee swifte in hearyng,* 1.509 slowe in speche, and slowe in displeasure.
¶By wrath,* 1.510 wisedom is lost, so that it can not appere, what shoulde bee doone, nor howe it
ought to bee doone.
¶The chiefe remedy of angr•• is delaie,* 1.511 that the fury maye a∣bate, and the darkenesse that maketh wytte blynde, maie de∣caie, or at the least waie bee not so grosse.
¶Haste and wrath be the chief ennemies of counsayle.* 1.512
¶Plato beeyng demaunded,* 1.513 wherby a wise man is best kno∣wen, he sayde: A wise manne whan he is rebuked, is there∣with not angry, nor any thyng the prouder, whan he is pray∣sed.
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Tullius.
Hieron.
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