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.

¶Exsample of the Vertue of Prudence. ¶The thyrde Chapter. (Book 3)

OF the Vertue of Prudence,* 1.1 it is redde in the Hystories of Rome, that on acertaine daye the Emperoure of Rome dyd ryde by a woode.* 1.2 And there dyd fynde a Phylosopher: the whyche Phylosopher the Emperoure cau∣sed to be called, but no maner of aunswere he wold make. Then the Emperoure him selfe did call him, and yet for all that, nothynge wold he aunswere.* 1.3 And themperoure se∣inge that the wolde gyue no maner of aunswere, came to hym, and as∣ked hym what he did. And the phi¦losopher aunswered, I learne wys∣dome, I praye thee (sayde thempe∣roure, that thou wylte teache mee some thynge therof. And then the Phylosopher did take pen, ink, and paper, and wrote a litle Rolle con∣teyning this sentence.* 1.4 When thou shalt enterprise to do any thinge: con∣syder

and thynk in thy mind the ende, that maye come of it.

The Emperoure tooke thys wry∣tynge and retourned againe to hys palayse at Rome. And cau∣sed the sayde wrytyng to be set vp∣pon the doore of hys preuye cham∣bre. So it chaūced afterward that on a daye: certayne of the Barons and Knyghtes of his Courte tooke theyr counsayle togyther amongest them,* 1.5 that they wolde kyll the said Emperoure, (for a certaine occasy∣on, the whyche shoulde be to longe to rehearse.) And they were at a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wyth the Barber of the said Emperoure, and promysed hym a certaine sūme of money, that when he shoulde shaue the sayde Empe∣rour, that he sholde cut his throte. And the saide Barons and Knigh∣tes, promysed also to conueye the sayde Emperour out of the Palice,. And within short space after that

the sayd Barber came to shaue the Emperoure, and to doe that thing that he had promysed, (that is to saye, to kyll hym. And dyd beholde the wrytyng,* 1.6 which was set aboue the doore of the Preuye Chambre, in the whyche was conteyned.

When thou shalt enterpryse to doe a∣ny thynge:* 1.7 consyore well in thy mynd the ende that maye come of it.

Whearewyth he me ruaylouslye a∣stoyned, and began to waxe pale in the vysage.* 1.8 And dyd tremble for feare: the Emperoure seinge thys meruayled greatlye what: shoulde be the cause therof. And commaun∣ded his sayd Barber to shewe him the cause of hys feare. The saide Barber was so troubled and abas∣shed in hys mynde, that he coulde geue no maner of aunswere. Then the Emperoure consyderyng that he cold not haue such a great feare

without some maner of cause, dyd examyne hym. And promysed hym that if he wolde tell the trueth, he shulde haue no harme, but shulde haue pardon, what cause soeuer if were. And then the sayde Barber discouered all the matter, and de∣clared the maner of the sayde trea∣son. And howe that he had promy∣sed to cutte the throte of the sayde Emperoure in shauinge hys berde. Then the Emperour incontinente dyd sende for the said Barons and Knyghtes. And dyd cause them in lyke case to be examyned, and foūd the trueth therof, and fynally cau∣sed them to suffre cruellye Iustyce,* 1.9 accordynge to theyr deseruynges. Then he sent for the Phylosopher, whyche had geuen hym the wry∣tynge. And after that tyme wolde neuer suffre hym to departe from hym.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exam¦ple.
• * 1.2

  Philo∣sopher
• * 1.3

  Exam¦ple.
• * 1.4

  Sentē¦ce.
• * 1.5

  Exam¦ple.
• * 1.6

  Exam¦ple.
• * 1.7

  Sentē¦ce.
• * 1.8

  Exam¦ple.
• * 1.9

  Exam¦ple.