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.

¶What Mercy is, and of the ope∣racyon of the same. And howe Mercye is that wherby a man obteyneth the Loue of God. ¶The .xlix. Chapter. (Book 49)

MErcye,* 1.1 (as S. Austyne saithe) is to haue com∣passyon of hys owne soule, and of the myserye and wretched∣nes of another.

¶Saynte Thomas saythe,* 1.2 that the operacyon of Mercie, is to par∣don the offences done vnto thee.

And to chastyce and correcte hym, whyche hath nede therof, to coun∣saile him which standeth in doubt, to comforte them, whych be in dys∣comforte. And to praye to god for another.

¶Plato sayth,* 1.3 that the person can not haue a more profytable thyng, then the Vertue of Mercie, that is to saye, to vysyte the sycke, to feede them that be hungry, to gyue them drynke, that be thrystye, vysyte the prysoners, clothe the naked, lodge them that doe lacke lodgynge. And to burye the deade persons.

¶Alexandre saythe,* 1.4 that the pow∣er, and the myghte of the man, en∣creaseth in two maners, that is to say, to get fryendes by mercye.

¶Longyn saythe,* 1.5 that he whyche shal haue mercy of another, he shal ynde mercie for him selfe.

¶Oure Lorde Ihesue saythe,* 1.6 par∣don

other gladlye, if thou will haue pardon. One of the thynges y^t the moste pleaseth almyghtye God is, that yf a man haue offended thee, And that thou canst take venge∣aunce of him for it, that thou do for gyue hym.

¶Salomon sayth,* 1.7 that he which gladlye dothe gyue to the poore, shall neuer be in miserie and pouer, tie. And sayth that he which doth stoppe his eares at the voyce of the poore, shall crye and not be harde, of the mercy of god.

¶Saynte Gregorye saythe,* 1.8 that he whyche gladlye fulfyllethe the workes of mercie, shall not dye of euyll deathe. And that hys praier shalbe herde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S, Au∣styne,
• * 1.2

  S, tho¦mas.
• * 1.3

  Plato,
• * 1.4

  Alex∣andre,
• * 1.5

  Lon∣gyn,
• * 1.6

  Ihesu chryst,
• * 1.7

  Salo∣mon,
• * 1.8

  S, gre∣gorye,