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 Humylytye, And in howe manye maners it is deuided. And of those thynges whiche dys∣cend of it. ¶The .liiii. Chapter. (Book 54)

HVmylytye,* 1.1 as Orygin saithe is to refrayne the intente of y^e wyl of the courage, ther is

dyuers maners of Humylytie. The fyrste is to shewe hym selfe, not so good and worthye as other. The seconde, is to be of humble conuer¦sacyon, and famylyarytye wyth e∣uerye man. The thyrde is to repute himself vnworthy to be in the com∣panye of greate men. The fourthe is to beleue to haue suffycyent and vnable in all thynges. The fyfte is to feare those thynges whyche ou∣ghte to be feared. Of Humylytye descende and come foure thynges. The fyrst is honour, that is to say, to gyue honour to another manne. The seconde is to gyue honoure to a better then hym selfe. The thirde is to obeye them that haue aucto∣rytye to commaunde hym. The .iiii. is to knowledge the benyfyte that a man hath receyued. Of Humyly∣tye do dyscende these vertues meke¦nes, pytye, deuocyon, franchysse

or lybertye, contemplacyon, feare of god, simplenes, and equytie.

¶Salomon saythe, if a greate or noble man do the honoure,* 1.2 doe not exalte thee therfore.

¶God saythe,* 1.3 he that doth humy∣late hym selfe, shalbe exalted. And he that doth exalte him self, he shal be made meke.

¶Saynte Gregorye saythe,* 1.4 that the man shal haue no maner of ver¦tue excepte he haue fyrste Humyly∣tye.

¶Aristotile saith,* 1.5 that the euil mā waxeth proude, when a man doth giue him. And the wise man dothe humylate hym selfe.

¶Longin saithe,* 1.6 that as the Byr∣des do streyne theyr winges, when they flye agaynste the hyll. So a man muste constraine hym selfe by humylytie, if he will mount and as∣cende into heauen.

¶Salomon saithe,* 1.7 doe all thinges by humylytye, and thou shall be lo∣ued of euery man. And saythe that the woman in humblinge her selfe, dothe ouercome and rule her hus∣bande.

¶Cato saith,* 1.8 gyue place to a better man then thy self. And dispraise no man for any maner of thinge, or if the man be poore, yet his vertues may be great, humylitie is a greate vertue, and verye conuenyente and necessarye, as well to lytle as to greate.

¶Salomon speakyng of the same saythe.* 1.9

¶Quanto maior es humtlia et ipsum in omnibus et coram ce in uenies gra∣ciaw,

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ory∣gyn.
• * 1.2

  Salo¦mon,
• * 1.3

  God,
• * 1.4

  S, gre∣gorye,
• * 1.5

  Aristo∣tile,
• * 1.6

  Lon∣gyn,
• * 1.7

  Salo∣mon,
• * 1.8

  Cato,
• * 1.9

  Salo¦mon,