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.

¶Of Suertye, and howe manye ma∣ners there is therof. And howe Feare and Suertie do striue togyther by dyuers Languages. ¶The .xxix. Chapter. (Book 29)

SVertye is not to doubte the doma∣ges & hurtes, that maye come in the ende of thinges be∣gon. And there is two maner of Suerties. The one is of Folye, as he whyche goeth to fyghte agaynste hys Enemyes na∣ked wythout harnesse, or he which feareth not to sleepe by venymous beastes, the other is of wyt and of vertues. The offyce of Suertie is to giue comforte, and resyste euyll fortunes, which come vnto the mā, for a man ought to trust, that good¦nes and prosperitie shal come after the aduersyties.

¶Orace saith,* 1.1 that he which doth fyxe hys hearte in goodnesse in his

prosperytyes, shalbe sure in his ad∣uersytyes. Againste thys Vertue of Suertye, dothe stryue oft tymes, Feare in thys maner. Feare saythe to the man: thou shalte dye. Suer∣tye aunswerethe, it is a naturall thynge and no payne, I dyd come into thys worlde vndre suche coue∣naunt, that I should go out of it a∣gain, the lyfe of the man is but a pil¦grimage, when he hath gone farre inoughe, he muste retourne, it is a greate Folie and madnesse to feare that thynge, whyche can not be es∣chewed.

¶Lucan saithe,* 1.2 that Death is the laste payne, & therfore a man ought not to feare it, and saith that death is the last terme and ende of al thin¦ges.

¶Senec sayth,* 1.3 that he which pro∣longeth his lyfe, yet for all that he can not escape from deathe. Feare

sayth thou shal die. Suertie auns∣wereth, I am not the fyrste nor the laste. For there be manye gone a∣fore me. And all the other shal fo∣lowe me, it is the ende of mankind. There is nothynge that greueth, which cōmeth but once, for deathe is common and egall to all. Feare saythe, thou shall haue in thy lyfe muche payne, sorowe and trybula∣cyon. Suertye aunswereth, to de∣lyuer me from all these euylles, I muste dye. Feare saythe, thou shall dye in a straunge Countrey, Suer∣tye saythe, Death is not more gre∣uous without the house then with in. Feare saythe, thou shall dye in thy yonge age. Suertye aunswe∣reth. Deathe is common as well to the yong, as to the olde, and ma¦keth there no maner of dyfference. But I wyll that thou knowe, that it is the beste dyenge, when a man

hathe the greatest pleasure to lyue, it is a verye good thyng to dye, a∣fore that a man desyre deathe. If deathe take me when I am yonge, it shall not take me in olde age.

¶Iuuenall saythe,* 1.4 that deathe oughte to be so muche doubted, as oughte to be olde age. Feare sayth thou shalt not be buryed. Suertye aunswereth, I doe not care, for it shalbe very small domage vnto me, when the person is dead, he careth not what becommeth of the body, whether it be brente or eaten with wylde Beastes. I wyll that thou knowe that the Sepulture or Bu∣ryeng, was not founde to the vsage ond profyte of the deade bodyes, but to the intente that the Caryon of the deade bodyes shoulde be ta∣ken oute of the syghte of the liuing persons. Feare saythe, thou shall be Poore. Seurtye aunswereth

there is no man poore, but such as thynketh that he is poore. Feare saythe. Alas what shall I doe, I haue loste my fryendes, my wyfe, my chyldren, and all be deade. Su∣erty aunswereth, he is a Foole that wepeth, or maketh any sorowe and lamētacyon for those y^t be dead, se∣inge that all muste dye, the wyse man oughte neuer to take dyscom∣forte for the death of anye person, nor of hys chyldren, but he oughte to suffre it as pacyently as he doth loke for hys owne deathe, and to take comforte in hym selfe. And more to doubt and feare that whi¦che fortune ought to send hym.

¶Lucan sayth,* 1.5 that feare of euyll chaunce, or fortune, dothe put the person in many great perylles. But he is verye stronge that can suffre fearefull and doubtfull things. For the man is knowen in his aduer∣syties.

¶Senec saythe,* 1.6 that there be mo¦thynges whyche doe feare vs, then that do hurte vs. And we haue oft tymes more feare in the minde and thought of the courage, then of the worke or dede. And therfore a man of good courage ought not to haue feare afore the tyme, for peraduen¦ture that whereof he hathe feare shall neuer come.

Feare saythe, thou shalbe exyled & caste oute of thy countrey. Suertye aunswereth, the countrey is not for bydde me, but the place, for all that which is vndre heauen, is my coun¦trey, as soone shal I find and haue my necessities in other countreies as in myne owne, euery land is the countrey of a good man: as the sea is the coūtrey of al fysshes. In this maner feare dothe alwaies striue with Suertie, & neuer giueth good counsayle.

¶But Orace saythe,* 1.7 the man that hath a free and good courage doth not doubte Feare, for as it is afore sayd, feare cōmeth of a feble heart. And yet manye wyse men saye that there be manye thynges whyche a man oughte to Feare and doubte, as is conteyned in the Chapter fo¦lowynge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Orace
• * 1.2

  Lucan
• * 1.3

  Senec,
• * 1.4

  Iuue∣nall,
• * 1.5

  Lucan
• * 1.6

  Senec
• * 1.7

  Orace