The boke of wisdome otherwise called the flower of vertue. Folowing the auctorities of auncient doctours [and] philosophers, deuiding and speaking of vices [and] vertues, wyth many goodly examples wherby a man may be praysed or dyspraysed, wyth the maner to speake well and wyselie to al folkes, of what estate so euer they bee. Translated first out of Italion into French, [and] out of french into English, by Iohn Larke. 1565.

¶Howe that Feare and Dread, be con¦trary to Strengthe and Vally∣antnesse, And what Feare is and who those be that be Fearefull. And for what cause. ¶The .xxviii. Chapter. (Book 28)

FEare and Dread be Vyces, contrarye to Strength and Val¦liauntnes. And they be three maners, af∣ter the sayeng of Ptholome.* 1.1 The Fyrste is to be fearful in hys corage wythoute anye occasyon, but onely by Imagynacion. And thys is pro¦perlye called Feare. The Seconde is to Feare and Dreade a thynge more then nede is. And that is a greate vilenes and shame. And the Thyrde is, not to be able by Rea∣son of Feblenesse of Corage, to suf∣fre aduersytyes. And thys is called Feblenesse, whan the manne is vile of hearte, which is to great a vyce. Thys manne whyche is so vyle of hearte, and so Fearefull, maye be

compared to the Hare, whyche is the moste Fearefull Beaste of all o∣ther, for the Hare hath the condicy¦on, that when she is layde in the wode at her ease, if she do but heare the leaues of the trees shake, she dothe ronne awaye for Feare, ma∣nye ther be that doe resemble the Hare in this maner, which hath so vile and feble hearte, that for a ly∣tle or nothynge they be abasshed & afrayde.

¶Salomon saythe that the one of the causes whych causeth the man to be feareful,* 1.2 is the knowledg that he hathe to be reproued of his euyll workes.

¶Tulle saithe,* 1.3 wilt thou be wyth∣out feare, do wel, and speake but ly∣tle. And saithe that it is a more cru¦el thing to feare death, then to die. And that the remedy of a feble and vyle hearte, is not to feare Death.

¶Cato saythe,* 1.4 doe not feare the laste ende of the Lyfe, for he that dothe not regarde, but dyspraiseth the ende of the lyfe, he feareth not deathe.

¶Pythagoras saythe that deathe can not be boughte,* 1.5 nor no manne oughte to feare it, but such as haue done muche iniquytye, and feareth to be dampned for theyr Vyces af∣ter theyr deathe. And saythe that the doubte and feare of deathe, is verye well manyfeste, for by it is made transmutacyon of the tran∣sytorye and fynall worlde, to the e∣uerlastynge and perpetuall world. Also of the worlde of Folye and va¦nytye, to the world of Wisdome Truethe, and of Reason, of the world of payne and loboure, to the world of consolacyon and of felycy∣tie. And saythe, that it is greate meruayle of those whych feare and

doubte death. And do alwaies con¦trarye to theyr saluacyon. And sai∣th, that he whych lyueth well and vertuouslye in thys worlde, ought to truste to make his ende well.

And saithe also that death is good bothe to good and euyll men. To the good men, to the intente that they maye haue the rewarde of theyr goodnesse. And to the euyll, that they maye commytte no more synne, nor doe no more euxll to the people, And saythe that it is better dye, then lyue wyth shame. And therfore he sayd vnto a man which dyd flye from the Battayle. Thou doest euyll to flye from honorable deathe, for to liue wyth rebuke and shame.

¶Socrates sayth,* 1.6 that he dyd see hys wyfe weepe, when he was ta∣ken oute of Pryson to be led to his death. And he sayd vnto her, wher

fore doeste thou weepe myne owne wyfe. And she aunswered, haue not I a good cause to weepe, when I see you ledde to deathe with great wronge, and wythoute cause. And then he aunswered that the man ought not to feare deathe, for there is no maner of payne or bitternesse in it, but the feare that a man hath therof. A wyse man beinge sycke in his bedde, caused hys Sonne to come afore hym, that hee myghte talke wyth hym of Deathe. And sayde vnto hym, my Sonne haue abstynence wyth thee, and refraine thy wyll, for if thou dysprayse the worlde, and the dyuers chaunces therof that euery day doth ronne & happen in abstraynge from those thynges which God hath prohibi∣ted, thou shalte desyre none other thynge but death, Sone speke all∣wayes of God, and he shall put in

thy mouth good wordes. Sonne doe not put thy loue in thys world, for it is transytorye, and deceyueth all those whyche do put theyr trust in it. Sonne suffise thy selfe, and be content with that thyng that god hath geuen thee, And do not coueit the goodes of other men. Sonne vse temperaūce in thy lyuyng. And be conuersaunte with wyse folkes, And so thou shalte gette wysdome, be meke humble, and be no mocker, dispraise no man, and do not speake to much, for I haue repent me more for my large and to much speaking, then I haue for holdyng my peace, or for lytle speaking. Sonne I pray the beware the cock do not wake er¦lier in y^e morning then thou, doubt & feare god, & beware of vainglory, if thou haue any science, & do not be¦stowe it in good vses, it shall do the more domage & hurte then profyte.

Beware that thou speake no vaine and vnprofytable wordes, be not prowde for anye maner of Ryches, And doe not dyspayre for any ma∣ner of aduersities that may chaūce vnto thee.

¶Socrates saythe that deathe flyeth alwayes from hym,* 1.7 whyche doe not feare it. And is alwayes nere to hym, whyche dothe feare and doubte it. And saythe in ano∣ther place, that thyng whych thou can not eschew, sustaine and suffre it Pacyentlye.

¶Saynte Austyne saythe,* 1.8 that there is nothyng so sure as death, for Deathe hathe no mercye of the Poore, nor beareth no honoure to the Ryche, And so spareth no ma∣ner of folkes.

¶Hermes sayth,* 1.9 that deathe is as the stroake of an Arrowe, And the lyfe of a man is in lyke case as the

stroke, whych tarieth a good space or it come. Against the feare to die, syxe thynges doe assure vs. The fyrste is the death of the bodye, by the whyche euerye man is ryghte sure to passe. The seconde is that deathe maketh ende in all thinges of thys worlde. The Thyrde is, the necessytye to dye. The fourthe is, that we see other dye afore vs. The fyfthe is, that God hym selfe dyd dye. The syxte is, euerlastinge lyfe that commeth after thys.

¶Salomon maketh mencion ther of sayenge.* 1.10

¶Memor esto quoniam non tardabit mors.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ptho∣lome,
• * 1.2

  Salo¦mon,
• * 1.3

  Tulle,
• * 1.4

  Cato,
• * 1.5

  Pitha∣goras,
• * 1.6

  Socra¦tes,
• * 1.7

  Socra∣tes,
• * 1.8

  Saynt A〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.9

  Her∣mes,
• * 1.10

  Salo¦mon,