Of the sixte seuenth and eyght braun∣ches of prudence. Cap. xxv.

ADouble in daunsynge is compacte of the nombre of thre, wherby maye be noted these thre branches of pru¦dence, election, experience, and modestie: by theym the sayde vertue of prudence is made complete, and is in her perfection. Election is of an excellente power and au∣toritie, and hath suche a maiestie, that she wyll not be approched vnto of euery man. For some there be, to whom she denyeth her presence, as chyldren, naturall fooles, men beinge frantike, or subdued with affe∣ctes, also they that be subiectes to flaterers and proude men. In these persones reason lacketh libertie, which shuld prepare their entrie vnto election. This Election, whi∣che * is a parte, and as it were a membre of prudence, is beste described by Oportuni∣tie, * whiche is the principall parte of coun∣saylle, and is compacte of these thynges folowynge.

¶ The importaunce of the thynge consul∣ted, The facultie and power of him that cō¦sulteth, The time whan, The fourme how, The substance wherwith to do it, The dis∣position and vsages of the countreys, For whom and agayne whom it oughte to be Page  [unnumbered] done. Al these thynges prepensed and ga∣thered together seriousely, and after a due examination, euery of them iustly pondred in the balance of reason. Immediately co∣meth the auctoritie of election, who taketh on her to appoynt, what is to be effectually folowed or pursued, reiectinge the refidue. And than ought experience to be at hande, to whom is commytted the actual executi∣on. * For without her, Election is frustrate, and all inuention of manne is but a fantasye. And therfore who aduisedlye beholdethe the astate of mans lyfe, shall well perceiue, that al that euer was spoken or writen, was to be executed, and to that intēt was speche specially gyuen to man, wherin he is moste dyscrepante, from brute beastes, in decla∣ringe by them what is good, what vicious, what is profitable, what improfitable, whi∣che by clerenesse of wytte do excel in know¦lege, to these that be of a more inferior ca∣pacitie. And what vtilitie shulde be acquy∣red by suche declaration, if it shulde not be experienced with diligence?

¶ The philosopher Socrates had not ben * named of Appollo the wisest man of al Gre¦cia, if he had not dayly practysed the ver∣tues, whiche he in his lessons commended.

¶ Iulius Cacsar, the fyrste emperour, al * thoughe, there were in hym moche hydde Page  87 lernyng, in so moche as he fyrst founde the order of our kalandre, with the Cikle and bysexte, called the leape yere: Yet is he not so moche honoured for his lernynge, as he is for his diligence, wherwith he exploited or brought to conclusion those counsayles, whiche as wel by his excellent lerning and wisedome, as by the aduise of other expert counsaylours were before trayted, and (as I mought say) ventilate.

¶ Who wyl not repute it a thing vayne and scornefulle, and more lyke to a maye game, than a mater seriouse or commendable, to beholde a personage, whiche in speche or writynge expresseth nothyng but vertuous maners, sage and dyscrete counsayles and holy aduertisementes: to be resolued in to all vices, folowynge in his actis no thynge that he hym selfe in his wordes approueth and teacheth to other?

¶ Who shal any thynge esteme theyr wyse∣dome, which with great studies fynde out remedies and prouisiōs necessary for thin∣gss dysordred or abused, and where they them selfes may execute it, they leaue it vn∣touched, wherby theyr deuyses, with the soune that pronounced them, be vanysshed and come to nothynge?

¶ Semblably it is to be thoughte in all o∣ther doctrine. Wherfore as it semed, it was Page  [unnumbered] not without consideratiō affirmed by Tul∣li, that the knowlege and contemplation of Natures operatyons, were lame and in a maner imperfcte, if there folowed none a∣ctuall experience. Of this shalbe more spo∣ken in the later ende of this warke.

¶ Herwith wolde be conioyned or rather * myxte with it, the vertue called Modestie: whiche by Tulli is defined to be the know * lege of oportunitie of thynges to be doone or spoken, in apoyntinge and settinge them in tyme or place to them conuenient & pro∣pre. Wherfore it semeth, to be moche lyke to that, whiche men cōmunely call Dyscre∣tion. * Al be it discretio in latin signifieth Se∣peration: wherin it is more lyke to Electi∣on. But as it is communely vsed, it is not onely lyke to Modestie, but it is the selfe Modestie. For he that forbereth to speke, all thoughe he can doo it bothe wysely and eloquentely, bycause neyther in the tyme nor in the herers, he findeth oportunitie, so that no fruite maye succede of his speche, he therfore is vulgarely called a dyscrete personne.

¶ Semblably they name him discrete, that * punisheth an offendour lesse than his meri∣tes doo requyre, hauynge regarde to the weakenes of his persone, or to the aptenes of his amendement.

Page  88 ¶ So do they in the vertue called Libera∣litie, * where in gyuynge, is had consydera∣tion, as well of the condition, and necessy∣te of the persone that receyueth, as of the benefite that cometh of the gifte receyued. In euery of these thynges and theyr sem∣blable, is Modestie: which worde not be∣inge knowen in the englyshe tongue, ne of all them whiche vnderstode latine, excepte they had red good auctours, they impro∣prely named this vertue dyscrecion. And nowe some men do as moch abuse the word * modestie, as the other dyd dyscretion. For if a man haue a sad countenaunce at all ty∣mes, and yet not being meued with wrath, but pacient, and of moste gentyllnesse, they whiche wolde be sene to be lerned, wyl say that the man is of a great modestie. Where they shulde rather saye, that he were of a great Mansuetude: whiche terme beynge * semblably before this tyme vnknowen in our tongue, maye be by the sufferaunce of wise men, now receiued by custome, wher∣by the terme shall be made famyliare. That like as the Romaynes translated the wise∣dome of Grecia into theyr citie, we maye, if we lyste, bringe the lernynges and wyse∣domes of theym bothe into this realme of Englande, by the translation of theyr war∣kes, sens lyke enterprise hath ben taken by Page  [unnumbered] frenche men, Italyons, and Germaynes, to our no lyttel reproche for our negligēce and slouth.

¶ And thus I conclude the laste parte of daunsynge, whiche dilygentely beholden, shall appere to be as well a necessary study, as a noble and vertuouse pastime, vsed and contynued in suche fourme as I hytherto haue declared.