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 Abstynence is that wher∣of Glotonye is consumed. And by the goodnesse that is therin, And that maye come therof, ¶The, xxxiii. Chapter. (Book 33)

ABstynence is a Vertue, by the whyche the de∣syre of Glotonye is refrayned & quenshed.

Salomon saith that he whych lyueth by Abstynence,* 1.1 dothe aleng∣then hys lyfe.

¶Saint Austyn saith,* 1.2 that in like case as a man doth straine the rain of the brydle to stop the horse. So ought a man to constraine and re∣fraine him selfe from the sinne of

Glotonye, by the Vertue of Absty∣nence, a man doth get & purchase in this worlde the treasoure, whi∣che is aboue all other treasours, that is to saye helth of bodye.

¶Sidrac sayth,* 1.3 that ther is no ryches in this worde to be compa∣red to the helth of the bodye. And by abstinence a man doth purchase helth, and increasynge of his lyfe, and doeth eschewe glotonye, that is to say to abstayne from excessyue eatynge and drynkynge, for to fyll him selfe full of meates, the sto∣macke is greued therwyth. And it doth nouryshe (as is aforesaid) manye greuous dyseases, and in es∣pecyall the gowte. And doth cause the breathe of the person to stynke. And many other euylles come ther of to the person, of the whyche ofte tyme foloweth sodaine deathe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Salo¦mon,
• * 1.2

  S, Au¦styn,
• * 1.3

  Sidrac