Here endeth the book named the dictes or sayengis of the philosophhres ...

SEdechias was the first Philosophir by whoom through the wil and pleaser of oure lorde god Sapience was vnderstande and lawes rescey∣ued. whiche Sedechias saide that euery crea∣ture of good beleue ought to haue in hym sixtene vertues ¶The first vertue is to drede and knowe god and his angellys ¶The seconde vertue is to haue discrecion to dis∣crene the goode from the badde and to vse vertu and fle¦vices ¶The thride vertue is to obeye the kynges or princes that god hath ordeygned to reygne vpon hym and that haue lordship and power vpon the people ¶The fourthe. vertue is to worship hys fadre & hys modre ¶The fyfthe vertue is to do Iustely and truely to euery creature aftir his possibilite ¶The sixthe vertue is to distribute his al∣mes to the pouer people· ¶The seuenthe vertue is to kepe and defende straungers and pilgrymes ¶ The eyghte vertue is to bynde and determine him self to serue our lorde god ¶The nynthe vertue is to eschewe fornicacion ¶The tenthe vertue is to haue pacience. ¶The enleuenth vertue is to be stedefast and true ¶The twelfthe vertue is to be peasible and attemperate and shamfast of synne ¶The thertenthe vertue is to loue Iustice ¶The fourtenthe ver∣tue is to be liberal and not couetoux ¶The fyftenthe ver∣tue is to offre sacrifices to our lord god almyghty for the benefices and gracis that he sheweth hym dayly ¶The sixtenthe vertue is to worship god almyghty and to put hym hooly in his protection and defence for resistence of the in fortunitees that dayly falles in thys worlde ¶The saide Sedechias saide that right as it apparteineth to the leptop

to be subgect and obbeissant to the Royal mageste of thair kyng or pyrnce right so it behoueth their king or prynce to entende diligentely to the wele and gouernaunce of hys people / and rather to wil the wele of them than his owne propre lucre. for by similitude ryght so is the kyng or the prince with hys people / as the saule with the body ¶And sayde Sedechias / if a kyng or a prynce enforce hym self to gadre money or tresor by subtyl exortacion or other vnde∣we meanes he ought to knowen he doth amysse / for suche tresor may nat by gadred wythoute the sequele be to hys daunger or depeopulacion of hys Royaume or countrey

¶And said Sedechias / if a kyng or a prynce be ne¦gligent and sloughful and take no hede to serche and enquere the disposicion and workis of hys ennemyes. then tent wyl and dedis of hys subgettys he shal not be long in surete in his royame ¶And said Sedechias the peo¦ple is fortunat and happy that haue a goode and a vertu¦ous kyng or prynce discrete and wyse in sciences. And mykyl ar the people infortunat whan eny of thyes thynges lak in their kyng or prynce· ¶And said Sedechias if a kyng or a prynce for slouthe leue to do eny of the lytil thynges that hym ought / and is ordeygned he shulde execute lightly after he leueth greter vndon and soo conse∣quently he may lese alle / ryght as a litil sekenesse or hurt wythoute it be sone and wele remedied / may cause the dis¦truction of alle the hole body. ¶And sayd Sedechias if a kyng or a prynce byleue the fayre wordes and flate¦ryngis of hys ennemyes hauyng noo respect to theyr wer¦kis it is meruaylle but the sayd kyng or prynce therby

sodeynly take harme ¶And sayd Sedechias. It appar¦teygneth to a kyng or a prynce to enfourme hys sone in vertue and science and howe he shal gouuerne hys lande aftir hym howe he shulde be rightwis to hys people· howe he shoulde loue and haunte hys knyghtes not sufferyng them to vse to mykel huntyngis nor other Idelnesses / but instructe hem to haue goode eloquence and to escheue alle vanitees ¶And sayd Sedechias It apparteygneth to a kyng or to a prynce. if he wol haue eny nygh seruaunt first to knowe hys guydyng and condicions and howe he gouuerneth hym silf in hys house and amongis hys fellawes. and if he vnderstande hym of goode condicion and gounernaunce hauyng pacience in hys aduersite retey¦ne and take hym than hardely. And ellis to beware of hym ¶And sayd Sedechias if thou haue a verry true frende that loueth the wele thou ought to take hym mo¦re in thy loue and fauour. than eny of thy kennesmen de∣siryng thy deth for to haue the successions of thy goodis

¶And sayd Sedechias commonely euery resemblance delyteth other ¶And sayd Sedechias he that wyl not be chastysed by fayre and swete wordes. ought to be correc¦ted by sharp and harde correction ¶And sayd Sedechi∣as the grettest richesse is satisfaciō of the herte ¶And said he is not riche / to whom richesse lasteth not / ne whan they may be lightly taken awaye / But the best richesse is that thing / that dureh perpetuelly ¶And sayd Sedechias the obeissaunce don by loue is more ferme than that / that is doon by myght or drede ¶And sayd that experyence is a goode chastisement ¶And sayd the lokyng vpon the ende of

the worke / yf it be good· yeueth hope to the benynnyng ¶And saide / that goode renōmee and fame is right prof∣fitable in this worlde / the dedes therof auaileth in the other worlde ¶And saide / it is better a man to holde his peas than to speke myche to eny ignorant man̄. and to be a lone than to be acōpayned with euill people ¶And saide whan a kyng or a prince is euill tacched and vicioux / bettir is to thaim that haue noo knowlege of him than to thoos that be grettest maisters in his house ¶And saide / bettir is a∣woman̄ to be bareyn̄ than to bere an euill disposid or a wikked childe ¶And saide / the com̄panie of a poure wiese∣man is bettir than of a riche ignorant that weneth to be wyse by subtilitee ¶And saide / he that offendeth god his creator· by gretter reason he faileth to other ¶And saide bileue not in him that seith he loueth and knoweth trowth and doth the contrary ¶And saide / the ignorante men wol not abstyne them from their sensualitees but loue their lif for thair pleasaunce / what defence so euer be made vnto theym. right as children̄ enforce them self to ete swete thin∣ges. and the rather that they be charged the contrarie· but it is other wiese with wiesemen̄ for they loue their liues but onely to do goode deddis / and to leue Idelnesse & the delecta∣con̄s of this worlde ¶And saide / howe may be cōpared the werkes of theim that entende the {per}fection of the goode thin∣ges perpetuel / to thaim that wol but their delices trāsytory ¶And saide that the wiese men bere their greues & sorowes as they were swete vnto them· knowing their trouble paciētly taken· the ende therof shalbe to their merite ¶And saide that it is {pro}ufitable & goode to do wele to them thet haue deserued it

And that it is euill doon to do wele to thaim that haue nat deserued it / for all is lost that is yeuen vnto them / right as the reyne falleth vpon the ḡuel ¶And said he is happy that vsith his dayes in doyng couenable thinges / and takith in this worlde but that / that is necessarie vnto him and may not forbere / Applying him self to do good dedis & to leue the badde ¶And said aman ought nat to be de¦med by his wordes / but by his workis / for comenly wordes ben vayne / but by the dedes is knowen the harme or the prouf∣fit of euery thing ¶And said whan that almes is distri¦bute to pouer indigēt peple / it proffiteth as a good medicine couenably yeuen to them that be seke / but the almes yeuen to the not indiget is a medicine yeue without cause ¶And sayd / he is happy that withdraweth his ere & his eye from alle vyle thinges ¶And sayd / the most couenable dispen¦ce that eny man may make in hys lyf / is hit that is sette in the seruice of god / & in good workis· And the second is that is spēded in necessarie thīges that may nat be forborne as mete drinke clothing / & for remedies ayenst sikenesse & the worste of all is that is dispended in syn & euil werkis.

HErmes was borne in egypte· and is as mykyl to say ther as mercuri / & in ebreu as Enok / whiche was sone to Iareth the sone of Matusale / the sone of Malaleel / the sone of Caynan / the sone of Enoes sone of Seth sone to Adam / And to fore the grete flode / called Noes flode After that was there another litil flode / whiche drowned / but the contre of Egipte onely afore the whiche the saide Hermes departeth thens. and went through alle landes tyl he was four score yere olde and ·ij· And with

him hadde lxxij. personnes of diuers tonges whiche alweye stered and exhorted the people to obeye our lord. & edified Cviij· townes whiche he fulfilled with sciences· And was the first that fonde the science of scoles / & establisshed to the people of euery clymat lawes couenable and apparteig∣nyng to thair opinions. to the whiche hermes the kyngis in thoo dayes yaf grete audience and obeissaunce in all thair landes and so did theuhitantis of the Isles of the see he constreyned them to kepethe lawe of god in saing trouthe to dispise the worlde to kepe Iustice. to wynne the saluacon̄ in the other worlde. he com̄aunded orisons & praiers to be saide and to faste euery wyke oon̄ day· to destroye the ennemyes of the lawe to yeue almes to the pouer goddis people· that is to say· to the feble and Impotent. he com̄aunded that porke flesshe and camelys sholde be eten̄. and suche semblable me∣tes· and com̄aunded them expressely. that they shulde kepe them fro pariury. he stablisshed many festis at certain sea∣sons. and ordeigned also diuers persones to offre sacrifices at the rising of the sonne· and som other at the first newe moone· and at the coniunction ofthe planettes. & also whan the planetes entre in to their houses. and whan they asc〈…〉〈…〉and whan they discended. The sacrifices were of many•• thinges. that is to say of roses· of flours of greynes of whete. of barley· of frutes. of grapes· of licours· of wynes. And the same hermes saide. that it was noo Recompense sufficient· to thanke god onely for the ḡce he hath sent vs ¶And saide. O thou man yf thou dre / dest god wele. thou shuldest neuer falle in to the patthes that bringeth man to harme ¶And saide. make not

your clamours to god as Ignoraunces ful of corrupt wil¦fulnesse. and be not inobedient vnto oure lorde god. nor trespassours to hys lawe· And wyl noon of you do to your felowe. otherwyse than ye wolde be don to. but be concordaūt and loue to gyders· vse fastyngis and orisons in pure and clene willes. constreyne you to do goode dedes humbly and withoute pryde in suche manere as of your werkes may growe good fruytes· and kepe you oute of the com∣panyes of theues of fornicatours. and of thoos that vse euil werkis ¶And sayd kepe you that ye be not pariu¦red and let trouth be alwey in your mouthe / and swere not but ye and nay. enforce you not to cause them swere that ye knowe wil lye· lest ye be parteners to theyr paruiry. put your trust in god that knoweth alle secretes and he shal Iuge you in equite· at the grete day of Iuge∣ment when he shal yeue remuneracion to the goode for theyr goodnesse and punyssh the euil for theyr wykkydenesse / And sayd· ye be certain that the redemptour our lord. is the gretest sapience. and the gretest dilectacion that one ought to haue. of whom alle goodenesse cometh / & by whom alle the yatis of witte & vnderstādyng ben opened And god that hath loued his seruātis hath yeuen them discreci∣on & hath establisshed prophetes & propheciers. & ministres fulfilled with the holy goost by the whiche he hath many∣festely shewed vnto them the secretis of the lawe & the trouth of the sapience to entente that they shuld escheue al errours & applye them to all good dedis ¶And said vse sapience & folowe the lawes / be merciful / and garnisshe you with goode doctrines think & loke wele vpon your werkis without

hasting you to mykyll & in especial whan ye shal punissh misdoers and yf ye vse eny manere of thinge likly to syn̄e be not shamefaste to withdrawe you therfro / and to take penaunce for the same / for to yeue other exemple. for yf it be not punisshed in this worlde it shalbe at the greete day of Iugement and suche shalbe tourmented with grete peines whitoute ony pyte taken vpon them ¶And saide / correcte you by your self and folowe the wiese men̄ lernyng of hem good vertues / & lette all your desire be / towynne goode renou¦mee and fame. employe not your tyme and your mynde in falshede nor in malice ¶And seide loke ye sette noo bay¦tes to the noysaunce of eny body. nor that ye seke thaire hurtes by cautelles or sotiltees. For suche workes wol not be hidde. but at the last they wol appere ¶And saide constreyne you to amiexe the loue of god and of your feith vnto sapience. and yf ye do so all your lyf. it shalbe to you agrete prouffitable wynnyng· and of that nobel vertue shal come vnto you greter benefices· than yf ye sholde assē∣ble grete golde and siluer or other tresours not durable. for it shalbe to you a grete richesse in the other world that neuer shall haue ende ¶And said. be al one within and with∣oute in that ye shal speke. & beware that your wordes be not contrary to the thoughtis of your hert ¶And saide hūble and obeye your self to your kyng and your princes. and worship the grete ministres vnder them. loue god & trouth & yeue true counsaile to that entent ye may the more hoolly with your good penaūce be in the waye of saluaciō ¶And saide / yelde louīg vnto your lorde aswele in your tribulacion as in {pro}sperite in youre pouerte aswele as in your richesse

¶And saide ye shal bere hens non other thingis but your werkis / and therfore / be ware that ye Iuge not vniustly and desire rather to haue pourete in doing good dedes / than richesse in syn̄ / for richesse may soon be lost / and good dedis shal euer abyde ¶And said beware of to mykyll laughīg and mokkyng eny persone / all be it / ye perceyue in him eny foule or euil tache· yet rebuke them not dishonestly. but thinke that god hath made you all of one matere & imght a made you as euil as he / wherfore ye ought to thanke hys goodenesse / that hath shewed you suche grace / and hath kept you from myschef in the tymes past and present. And pray him of his merci he wol so kepe you forthe ¶And said if it fortune y^t the ēnemies of your feith wil dispute with you. by diuerse & sharp seyngis / answere them in swetenesse & in humylite prayng god to be of your counseile. & that he wil addresse all his creatures to the goode feith for their perpetuel saluacion ¶And said be silent in counseil and be wel ware· what ye speke afor your ēnemies leste ye resem¦ble him that seketh a rod to be betyn with all ¶And saide ye may not be Iuste withoute the drede of our lord god / by whiche ye atteyne helpe of the holy gost that shal open you the gates of paradise / wherin your saules shal entre. with thoos y^t haue deserued euerlastīg lyf ¶And said eschewe the cōpa∣ny of thoos that loueth you not of euil peopel of drūken men & of ignoraūtis And whan ye thīke eny good thought exe∣cute it & ye may incōtinēt leste ye be let or withdrawen ther fro by eny sinistre or euil tēptacion And said haue no enuie though thou se eny prosperite com̄ to an euil man / for his ende shal not be goode ¶And saide. make your children

〈…〉〈…〉 in their youthe or they falle to malice. and so ye shal not synne in them ¶And saide. worship and pray to our lorde with a clene wil & adresse al your desirs to him and he shal helpe & enhance you· what part so euer ye go. & subdewe your ennemyes vnder you ¶And saide. whan ye wil faste / make first clene your saules of al filthe. that your fastīg may com̄ of pure hert without eny euill cogitacions whiche god reputeth vile. and as ye ought to abstene your self from metis. so ought ye to abstene frome synne. for it satisfieth not to spare metes· and do euill dedis ¶And saide / in your yonge age visite our lordis houses and lette al your orisions be in swettenesse & humilite without pom∣pes or pride. And whan ye be mooste mery in your houses with your folkes. haue in remembrance our lordis poure in digent people. and departe vnto them your almes ¶And saide / yeue conforte to prisoners. to them that be in sorowe and trouble. hele the seke. clothe the naked. yeue mete to the hungery. drīke to the thursty. harberowe pilgrimes make satisfacion to your creditours. and paciently suffre the In¦iuries that ben don vnto you ¶And saide / disconfort nat them that ben in affliction but helpe them with swete and pleasaunt wordes And if it be suche as affore haue hurte you benignely for yeue it them. satisfying you with the peyne that they suffre ¶And saide / enforce your self to win∣ne frendis. & than first preue them ar ye put to moch truste in them / lest it be to youre hurt / and that after therof ye re∣pente you ¶And saide / he that god exalted in this worlde ought to take no pride nor vayneglorye in hit / nor repute him self gretter than con̄ of his felawes for god hath made

riche and poure of oon̄ creacon̄ through whiche all be egall ¶And saide / beware that in your Ire or Indignacion ther escape out of your mouth noo foule wordes. for it is dishon¦neste and engendreth hate. it is not conuenyent for hym that wil haue scyence· to seke it by mede or for money· but onely by delectacon̄ and bycause it is more precious than other thinges ¶And saide that kyng is good and no∣ble / that causith in his Royame goode lawes to be kepte & mainteyned· and the badde to be layde downe ¶And said largesse and liberalite is knowen. whan a man is in neces∣site & pourete. & pacience. whan oon hath power to Iuge and be auenged ¶And saide. he that worshiped the wyese men loueth Iustce· and doth goode dedis. and enforceth hym to wynne sciencis and goode condicions and therfore he shal finde that that liketh hym in this worlde or in the other And seith. he is vnhappy bothe here and there that hath witte and wol lerne noo science ne doctrine ¶And saide he that wol not teche that that he vnderstōdeth in science & good condicions. he shalbe partenar to the Ignoraunse of froward folke And he that denyeth to teche science to him that it is couenable vnto / he ought to be depriued of his be∣nefice in this world. but ther is noone that doth so saue Ignoraunt folkis· whiche com̄onely been enuious froward and il willed ¶And saide. liberalite and largesse is bettir in science than in richesse for the renomme of a wyse∣man abideth· and the richesses abideth nat. And a man ought not to offende nor hate him / that hath trespassed vnto hym. but ought to do goode ayenst harme for the wer∣kes of the wiesemen is preued in .iij. thinges that is to

seye to make hys ennemye his frende / And to make the rude connyng / And to reforme the euyl disposed vnto goodenesse ¶And sayd / He may be callyd good whan other fare the bettir for his goodenesse ¶And sayd he that loueth the wele of his neygbour as his owne ¶And say∣de That grete science prouffyteth litil to a couetous man But litil scyence prouffyteth moche to him that withdra∣weth his courage from couetise ¶And sayd / That the lyff may be resembled to the fleyng of an arowe / And the deth is like the lyghting therof ¶And sayde / It ys more merytery and bettir to haue pytie vpon the foole than vpon the worldely wyseman ¶And sayd He that hol∣deth hym not satysfyed with that / that god had sent him Descrueth not to haue more ¶And sayd / A reporter or a contryuer of talys comonely / other he lyeth to him that he telleth them / or he is fals to thoos that he hath seyde it of ¶And sayd derysion and scornyng putteth away and wastith l••ue as the fiere doth the bronde ¶And say¦de The enuyous man is frendely to him that is present / & in his absence is his ennemy / and so sheweth him his fren¦de by worde. and ennemy by dede ¶And said / An enuious man serueth of noght but to disprayse alle otheer ¶And sayde he is right sure that feleth him self withouten gilt / & is in none furete that wol not knowe his owne gilt And sayde. Beware obeye not vnto couetise for whan ye wold it wol not obeye vnto you ¶And sayd / He that yeueth good cōseille to other folkis / begynneth to do prouffyt to him self / & was axed of the said hermes what it was that moost letted & troubleth man / he ansuerd / Ire & enuie / after

they axed hym wherfore / the wiese man stode more atte ya∣tes of the riche man / than the riche man atte yates of the wiese man. And he answered. the wiese man knoweth the prouffit of the riche. & the riche knoweth not the prouffit of the sciencial wiese man ¶And saide / he that hath witte and discrecion and knoweth it not indede resembleth the tree / that bereth noo frute ¶And saide. he is wiese that knoweth Ignoraunce and he that knowith it not is igno¦raunt / and he that knoweth not him self. howe sholde he knowe or deme another ¶And saide ther be .ij. manere of men the oon̄ seketh and can not finde / the other findeth and can not profite ¶And saide / sapience is like athinge fal∣len in awatre. whiche can not be founde. but by them that wol serche and fette it from the bottom ¶And saide with oute chastite / aman can not be verry parfightly wiese / and withoute witte he may not be parfight in science ¶And saide discipline is the ornament of witte. with the whiche euery man ought to enriche himself ¶And saide it is not honeste to chastise aman afore all folkis / rather a part

¶And said whan a man often̄ excuseth himself his knowen gilt. it causith his errour the more to be remēbred ¶And said· the Ignoraunt persone is but litil· al be it he be old· and the wiese is moche· al be it he be yonge ¶And the worlde dispraiseth nowe adays thoos that afor it was wont to worship / and the erthe wasteth and eteth them that afor it was wont to norysshe and fede ¶And saide· the fole is knowen by his wordis· and the wieseman by his werkis ¶And said therbe fewe folkis enuio{us} of a dede man / but therbe many that wol lye vpon them ¶And said

be mery and gladde and It suffyseth to angre the nuyous man / And ther was axed of the sayd hermes / why he ma¦ried him nat / he ansuerd / he that can not swymme in the see alone howe shulde he bere another in his necke swymmīg ¶And sayd kepe the oute of the company of a Iangeler which resembleth to a thyng that semeth good a ferre / and nygh It is right noght ¶And sayd / He that wolle do euyll at thin Instaunce ayenst another / Ryght so wil he at his Instaunce do ayenst the ¶And sayd / He that wil preyse the of vertues that ben not in the / and thou reioyce hit / he may wele allegge the vices that he seth in the / And sayde / Ire troubleth reason / and letteth alle goode werkis and furthereth all euyl ¶And sayd he that laboureth in that / that may not auayle / leseth therfore that / that myght prouffyte ¶And sayd the hurte & the trouble that is don caused by euil peple lettith the desire and wele of th•• goode And sayd whan thy frende erreth or mystaketh him ayenst the. yet as moche as thou may departe not from his amy∣tiee / but assaye the meanes to redresse him ¶And sayd Wyse kynde and true is he / that wil lyghtly foryete the errour of his frende ¶And sayd / It is bettir chastyse thy self than lete other do ¶And sayd / The goodenesse that cometh of an Ignoraunt man / Is like therbys that growe on a dong hill ¶And sayd an euyl felawe is like a tree kyndeled wherof the one branche setteth the other afiere

¶And sayde / The noblest thing that god hath made in this worlde is aman / & the richest thing to him is reason by the whiche he kepeth iustice & escheweth synne And said the fole wol knowe in him self no vile thing & the ignoraūt

weneth lightly a thing be other than it is. and the suspec¦tious. man maketh many doubtes of that that he knoweth ¶And said a Right recom̄endable thing in heuen and in erthe is a true tunge ¶And said. a king or a prince ought nat to yeue lorshippes nor auctorites· but to goode & merci∣able folkes. And therfore they shuld loue them / as the fadre doth his children̄ ¶And saide it sholde suffise aman and ought to holde him self recōpensed whan his aduerse partie required of him pardon And it was axed him what was a liberal thinge. he saide to yeue siluer to vnknowen men for the loue of the knowen men· and to for yeue them that haue noied him / for the loue of them that haue holpin him ¶And saide the lyf in this worlde is so shorte that ther ought none conceyue hate nor wil harme to other ¶And said establisshe & ease thyn Ire. with thy pacience / thin Ig∣norance with thy sapience. thy foryetfulnesse. with thyn remēbraūce ¶And said it is a goode signe / whan a childe is shamefaste / for it sheweth he shulde haue wit ¶And said it is wel don that thou do goode while thou art in prosperite for parauēture in aduersite thy power shal lak ¶And said he puttiz him in danger. that abideth in a prounice / wher ther is no lorde. that woll venge the Iniuries don̄ therto. wher ther is noo Iuste Iuge. where ther is no wyse leche. where there is non habondaunt market. and where there is no ren∣nyng water ¶And said it apparteigneth to euery man with all his power to seke science· and ther with to fortif¦fie hym hauyng a good eye vpon his enemyes· and / beware he be not reysed to highe in pride by lordship or other richesse· his wil his wordes and his dedis alway to be

egall / and so shal god loue him & his succession ¶And sayd ther may none escape to be atte grete day of Iugemēt and his helpe shalbe there by-iij· thinges / Discrecion / chas∣tete / and goode werkes / Alle thinges may be lefte / Saue goode dedis / Alle thinges may be chaunged / Saue nature Alle thynges may be redresshid and reformed / Saue euil dedis. Alle thinges may be escheued / Saue deth / and the sentence of oure lorde ¶And sayd / It is no meruaille though he be goode / that is not couetous. But It weue gre¦te meruaylle / If a couetous man were goode ¶And sayde The errour of a wysemen may be resembled to a Crased shyp / whiche in drownyng her self / Drowneth many other ¶And sayd / truste is in maner of a bondeship / And mystrust is a liberte ¶And the sayde Hermes correctyng kyng hamon yaue him this precepte & charge / loke that first affore all thingis ye loue / drede / and obeye / our lord god And sayde all men that haue dominacion & lordship vpon the peple ought alwaye of necessite / to haue ·iij. thinges in mynde / First to remēbre the peple / that be subgect vnto him Secundely al be it that they be in his seruitude / yet ought he to his power to kepe them in fraunchyse and liberte and nat in thraldom / Thirdely Howe his lordship & power in this worlde may not long endure ¶And sayde / o king ha∣mon it behoueth the to kepe thy saule / Right wysely in wyl and worde / and thou oughtest not to be slowthfull to the distruction of the myscreaūtes / but to constreyne them to obeye our lord god & desire not to haue eny richesse without it be rightfully goten. For thinke verily the people wol al waye obeye to them that do rightfully and wele / & that wol

maynteyne them and there may noo wele be in a Royam̄e withoute it be habūdaunt of people / for the decay of a Royām is fawte of people. And if they with drawe hem / the prince is left lorde alone and therfore remembre wele thy dedis and eftsones thinke on thy saule and put in that garison all that thou shalt haue nede of in the other world And yf it happen that thou must goo in the werre in thyn own̄e persone. beware wele that thin ennemyes supprise the not by slowthfull soiournyng. And when thou goost to bataile loke that first thou solicite and exorte thy people as corageousely as thou can. and loke that alle thyn habil∣mentis of werre be redy. and euery man set in hys warde and appointed howe they shal fight and sette oute

¶And beware wele that thou be not supprised by thin ennemyes· for lakke of wache and good espial· ther¦fore multiplie thy scowte wache and thyn aspies so that thou mayst alwaye knowe the guyding of thyn ennemyes and loke that thou be sure they deceyue the not. And whan thou shalt commaunde thy folkes to do eny thing loke secretely whether they haue obserued it after theyr charge or nat· whiche shall make them drede the more to offende the. ¶And whan thou shalt commaunde eny lettres to thy klerke to be made / signe nor seale them not til thou haue ouerseen thaim· for many haue ben discey∣ued therby. ¶Ware thou be not to familyar with them that thou knowes not. vttre not the secretes of thy hert but to them that thou haste preued. and knowest true vnto the· ¶Gouuerne the so wysely. that thy knygh∣tes. and thy people may haue pleasir of the. and gladde

to be in thy company. And delite them to se the rightfull and of good gouernaunce. Slepe no more than shal suf∣fyse onely for the sustentacion of thy body. and the rest of thy herte. and entremete not nor let thy werkis be· but in rightwysenesse and trouth withoute dissimulacion· and slouthe nor delay not that thou must nedely execute. Sus∣teyne and loue also thoo that be the grete multiplyers / that is to saye· the cōmones that labour the erth / by tylth and sowyng sedes vpon the same. by the whiche the royaumes and the people be susteyned. the knyghtehode multiplied and the houses full of richesse· wherfore suche thinges wol be gretely kept / and cherisshed· And It behoueth openly to worship thoos that be goode. euery man after his discre∣cion condicion and science to that entent. that the people may so knowe them. and be bonteuous to alle thoos that seke sciences. to corage them the more to lerne and entende To studye. so that the royaume or prouynce may be the bet∣ter for thair connynges. Besye thy self to punysshe ma∣lefactours. and thoos that putteth the in daunger or troub∣le within thy royaume or lordship· make stryke of their he¦des publykely that other may take example by them. to a theeffe lete his hande be stryken of To a robber of the hygh¦waye let him be hanged. that the waye may be the surer Bren the Sodomytes and punysshe the men taken in for∣nicacion after their estate. And the women in like wyse Ware the of the wordes of lyers. and suche punysshe. se the prysoners ones in a moneth· And Delyure thoos that ought to be delyuered· and yeue them of thyn almes pu¦nisshe incontinent thoos that haue deserued It· Yet not so

hastyly but that they may haue leysir of repentaunce. and that other let hem be kept til thou knowe the trouth· we∣ther they be gylty or not· Beware also. Vse not thyn ow∣ne counseyle onely· But be auysed by men of Age and discrecion. And suche as been experte in many thynges And whan thou shalt finde ony suche Iust and rightfull be counseyled by hym / And elles reporte the to the moost holsome opynion of all thy counseyllours. and god shal helpe the ¶And sayd. He Is noble that vsith goode∣nesse· And It is a grete goodenesse to vse Instyce and chastyte· and to yeue lyberally or It be axid ¶And sayd· Whan A kyng or a prynce can nor wyll restray∣ne hys euyll vices & couetise. howe shulde he repreue his ser¦uauntes. and whan he can not correcte hys propre seruaun¦tis. howe shulde he correcte and gyde alle hys people· and specially thoos. that ben ferre from hym· Therfore It be∣houeth A kyng or a prynce fyrst to be lorde ouer hym self And aftir vpon other by ordre ¶And sayd A good kyng or a prynce shulde not be to full of Suspecion for It wol make men drawe from hym. And also he ought not to haue eny of that dysposicion in hys house. And in especyall. Bakbyters. Contryuers or Reporters of tales For Whan there Is dyuysion or trouble in A kyngys or in a prynces house· Lyghtly no good Counseyllours or seruauntis wolde abyde there

GAc sayd he that can not refrayne his Ire hath no power ouir his witte And said a wyse king or a

prince ought not to make comparisons nor dispute in dis∣crecon̄ with a greter and myghtier than he is ¶And said whan a kyng or a prince hath conquered and ouer come his ennemyes he ought to maynteyne them in Iustice. in goode custumes and liberalite and pacience. And so may he make of ennemyes his frēdes ¶And said yf a king or a prince assembled an outrageous tresour and dispende it not as it apparteyneth he shal lese both it & his Royaume ¶And saide. the people ar to the kyng as the wynde to a grete fyere. for the more the wynde is. the strenger is the fyere ¶Ang saide a kyng or a prince ought to knowe thoos that wele and truely haue serued him and establis¦she thoos a boute hym self after trouth witte and con̄yng and ought to yeue and be bountewous vnto theym aftir theyr merites. And if he he geue by wil to noughty folkis that haue not deserued it / it puteth a weye the courage of his goode seruauntis· to serue hym wele eny lenger. and so shal he be hastily so full of noughty people that when he wolde he can not be delyuerede of theym ¶And said it is conueinent for a kyng or a prince to lerne and knowe but not all for there is many thinges that a kyng or a prince ought not to knowe nor vnderstande

ZAlquinus sayde· that men receyue grete benefi∣ces dayly of god oure creatour al be it that they be synners Then they be boūde. to thanke hym for hys graces. and to aske hym pardon for thayr trespasses

¶And said many thyngis seme right good· that be full badde. and after gretely blamed. And many thynges be dispraysyd in the begynnyng. that afterward

ben founde goode and desired ¶And sayde Bettir it is to the to haue grete necessyte / than to borowe of him in whom thou hast no truste ¶And sayde If thou laboure to teche a foole / the more shal folye encresse ¶And sayde I merueil of thoos that absteyne them from metis noyng to the body and maketh none abstynence of synne ¶And sayd mul¦teplye silence. for that auoydeth perelles and vse trouth Whiche discipline shal maynteyne the and thy werkis / & he that wole wele kepe the feyth / ought to leue to his frende of his goode / and to be gracious to them that he knoweth good and no denyer of Iustice to his ennemye / and to eschewe alle thingis· that toucheth disworship

OMer was an anucient vercifier in Grece and of the gretest astate there. he was after moyses / v.clv. yere he made many goode thingis· and alle the vercifiers of grece folowed his discipline. The whiche omer by fortune was taken and emprisoned· and put to be solde as a prysonner or a bondeman. And than one axed hym. whens he was· He fayd of his fadre and of his modre. will thou that I shall beye the And he ans∣uerd why axest thou me counseyle what thou wolt do with thy siluer ¶And they axed him· Wherto he was good He sayd. To be deliuered. And so abode long in pryson And at the last they lete him go· He was A man fayre formed. and of large stature. and lyued .Cviij. yere And here after folowe his seyinges. he is discrete that can refrayne his tonge ¶And sayd· he that werkith by {con}seyl yeueth him self rest and labour to other ¶And sayde it is afrendely lyuing to dele withoute fraude & barat ¶And

saide acompanye the with good people. and thou shalt be on of hem. acompany the with badde / & thou shalt be on of thoos ¶And saide he is good and liberal that applieth him to good werkis and clene· and that putteth them in execu∣con̄ or euer ther come eny occasion of empeschement ¶And said the hert shyneth in vertue and is sure whan it is set in sapiēce And fraude & barat is in the fruit of euill though tis ¶And said the mouth sheweth ofte / what the hert thinketh ¶And said the looke sheweth somtyme the dis¦posicion of the hert afore the wordes been spoken ¶And saide it is agrete surete for aman to purueye by tyme in his causis ¶And saide it is merueile of aman / that may be in resemblaunce to god· and enforceth him self to be like to the beestys ¶And said beware thou do ne take no thin•• that thou ferest to be accused of. for if thou do thou shalt be the accuser of thy selfe ¶And saide payne thy self to win∣ne good condicions and vertues· for therby vices & harmes shalbe eschewed ¶And saide ther was somtyme a wise man skaped out of a broken and lost ship in to an Isle of the see· and so beyng ther alone drewe a figure of geome∣trie / vpon the sandis. where with he was fonde by certaine shipmen. that brought hym to the kyng of that grounde tellyng hym that cas and auenture. And therfore the kyng sent through alle hys prouynces. and charged them they shulde enforce them self to lerne and haue suche connyngis as shulde byde with them after theyr ship were lost. that is to sey. science and goode werkys ¶And Aman berith with hym .ij. vesseles the on be fore and the other be hynde· In that byfore be the errours and vices

of other folkis / In that behynde be his owne ••And said to his sone. Beware that thou be not couetous / for if thou be couetous / thou shalt be poure ¶And sayde If thou be pa¦cient thou shalt be preysed / If thou be prowde / thou shalt be blamed ¶And sayde / Aman is better than all other bes∣tes of the erthe ¶And sayde / Sapience is as to werke by science ¶And sayde knowlege is better than ignoraunce ¶And sayde this worlde is an house of marchāndyse som wynne therin by theire goode dedis / and somme liese by thai¦re euyl gōuernaunce ¶And sayde by grete diligence som men atteyne to their purpose ¶And sayde / he that hath grete myght and gouernaunce in this worlde / ought to ha¦ue no grete reioyssyng / and he that hath noon / is dispreised

¶And sayde ther is no wikkedder thing than lyeng / & ther is no goodenesse in alyer

SAlon was of Athenes and made many bookis of predicacions / And establysshed the lawes the¦re Whiche was a Cyte in thoos dayes fulfilled wyth wysemen he hadde many verses techyng folkis to es¦chewe their propre willes ¶And sayde / Whan thou wilt doo ony thing folowe not thyn owne wil but seke counsey¦le and therby shalt thou knowe / the trouth of the werkes

¶It was asked him / What was the mooste difficulte in aman ¶He answerd· To knowe hym self. To ke∣pe hys fraunchyse or liberte. To speke in places where he ought not / To be angry / with that he may not amende & to coueyte that / that he may not haue ¶And said the thin¦gis of this worlde ar establisshed by lawes / & the lawes be

susteyned by .ij. thingis that is to say by swerde and by banere ¶And said to his disciples. ware that ye be no mokers for that engendreth hattered ¶And saide the ver∣tuous laudes of a man be not thoos. that he yeueth him self but thoos that ben yeuen hym for his goode werkes· And it was asked him who was liberall he saide. he that vsith liberalite. not couetyng other mennes goodes ¶And said an euil tonge was sharper than a glayue. A riche man as∣ked him what were his goodis. he answered my tresor is suche that no man may haue yt withoute my wyll and may not be mynisshed for noo thing that I yeue of it but thou maist departe with noon̄ of thyn̄ withoute dymynua¦cion ¶And said if thou wilt. the loue of thy frende shal abyde ferme vnto the. be curteise to him and spare hym in his angre or errour ¶And saide. thou owghtest not to yeue a man greter preisyng in his p̄sence than he is worthy for he knoweth the trouth And was axed him howe aman shold wynne frendes. he answered in worshipping & seyng good of them in their absence ¶And said agoode saule hath ney∣ther to grete Ioye nor to grete sorowe for she reioyseth nat but whan she seeth goode thynges and noon̄ euyll· and hath no sorowe. but when she seeth the euyll thingis and noon̄ goode· And whan̄ she loketh on all the world. she seeth the goode & the euyll so entermedled that she shold not sim∣ply reioysse her self nor trouble her self angrely ¶And saide a kyng that doth right & Iustice shall reigne and gouerne wele his people / & he that doth Iniustice and vio∣lēce seketh another to reigne for him And said it behoueth a knig or a prince / first to ordre & dresse him self & after to

dresse other / or ellis he shulde be like him that wolde dresse his shadowe afor him self / And yt was askid of hym Whan Contrees and townes wer wele gouerned / He ansuerd and sayd whan their princes rule them / after ther lawes

SAbyon was agrete deffendour of his neyghbours & hadde certayn frendes / whiche a king wolde slee And whan the sayde sabyon vnderstode it he wēt with them in resistence of the sayd king whiche king as∣sembled so grete nombre of knyghte•••••• ayenst him / that he was discomfit & taken / and was commānded to be put in engyne and tormēted / withoute he wolde accuse them that wer cōsenting to make werre ayenst the king / whiche Sa∣byon ansuerd that for no payne / he wold not telle that thing / that shulde noye his frendes / And in dede beyng in the engyne cut his tong with his owne teth / to thentent that he myght not accuse his felowes and frendes ¶And the sayd sabyon lyued .xlviij· yere / and her after folowed of his seynges to his disciples ¶And sayd if ye lese eny thing say not ye haue lost it but saye ye haue restored that was not youres ¶And sayde to one of his disciples / mul¦tiplie thy frendes and that shal asswage thy care ¶〈◊〉〈◊〉 sayde a wyseman ought to be ware. howe he weddeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 woman for euery man wil desire to haue her loue / And so they wol seke their pleasirs· to the hurt and displeasir of her housband ¶And sayd. Delectacion in richesse is a dangerous vice / And there cam one of his seruauntis vn¦to him on a tyme and tolde him that his sone was dede· & he āsuerd that he knewe wel y^t he was mortal & not īmortal

and a man ought not to drede the deth of the body. but the deth of the saule· Oon̄ asked why he said soo· considering that he helde thoppynion that a resonnable saule myght not dye. he aunswerd whan a resonable saule is conuerted to the nature of a beste withoute vse of reason al be it that it be sustaunce incorruptible. yet is she reputed for dede / for she leseth the Intellectif lyffe. he founde a yong pouer man sitting vpon the see syde wepyng thaduersitees of this worlde. to whom he saide· dyspaire the not. for if thou were with grete richesse in the myddel of yendre see in grete dan∣ger of thy body· and of thy goodis / thou wolde wisshe right hertily to be here with oonely thy lyue saued· Also. and if thou were prisoner· and the kepers wold selle the. and take from the all that euer thou haddest thou woldest be gladde to haue oonely the deliuraunce of thy body. the yong man aunswerd that he tolde him trouth· wele than saide Sabion̄ vnto hym. nowe thynke than that thou hast ben in all this dangers and hast ascaped them. and art nowe at thy free liberte. therfore holde the content with the state that thou nowe standest in. And so the yong man departed gretely reecomforted.

YPocras was disciple to Esculapius the second whiche descended of blode Royall· And he was the first fynder of the art of phisike. whiche he she¦wed and taught to his children̄ and com̄aunded it shulde not be lerned to eny Straungers but oonely from the fadre to the sone ¶And so the saide sciēce to rest in them And com̄an̄ded that they shulde dwelle in the middel habitacion of grece in .iij· Isles. And ypocras rested in the Isle of Thau

And in the ·ij. other Isles the studye was lost in his dayes The oppinion of the first. Esculapius. was that phisyke shuld be vsed onely by experience for it was neuer founde but onely therby. and so was it vsid .M.CCCC· yer after til that another phisicien came callid Methio{us} whoos opynion was that experience withoute Reason. was adan¦gerous thing And so they vsed these .ij· opynious ·vij-honderd yeer. till another phisicien cam called Bramar∣dos. whiche dispraised thexperience. sayng that to many errours grewe therby and that in occupying phisike aman ought to vse reason onely Not withstanding he hadde ·iij disciples whiche helde after him .iij. diuers opinions The on vsed experience onely. The other reason onely The ·iij subtil craftes and enchantementis. and soo these ·iij· weyes were vsid .vij·C yere till that plato cam / whiche taught diligentely the seyngis of his predecessours in hys science / and shewed that experience onely was dangerous and reason onely cowde not be sufficient & tooke the bookes aswele of subtil crafte / and enchaūtemēt as thoos of onely reason / and brent them all / but thoos that were of reason and experience to gider he reteyned and kept hem and com̄aunded that they shuld be vsed / and after his deth he lefte the crafte to .v· of his disciples The first to ordeigne phisike to the body Tthe .ij· to boxe and to lete blode The iij. to hele woūdes The ·iiij. to hele seke eyen The .v. to knytte and hele broken bones And aftir this came Escu¦lapius the ·ij. whiche taught diligentely the diuerse opiniōs And in especial thoos of plato / whiche he vsed and toke for most true and resonable And he left after hym. thre

disciples that is to sey / Ypocras and .ij· other whiche dyed and so rested that science and crafte onely in him. than rested ypocras alone parfight in vertues in his dayes vsing reason / The whiche ypocras seeyng the crafte of physike in weye of perdicion because alle his felawes were dede. and that he was lest onely in the Isle of thau. Thought that he wold for the moost prouffyt that the craft therof were she∣wed. and taught not onely to his children and kyn∣nesmen. But generally to alle that were apt to lerne it And dampned in that science dyuers thinges and added to certayn compylacions in breue wordes. And commaun¦ded his .ij. sones that were maystres of sciences that they shulde shewe It generally. for he sayd It was more coue¦nable / It shulde be taught to straungers able and apt to the lore / than to his owne kynnesmen not disposed to ler∣ne· And as he ordeigned was don and Is vsid to this daye / and in his lyff he shewed hit to dyuers straungers and made hem expert therin / taking promisse of them to te¦che it further / It happed that a kyng of perse called de¦four sent vnto the kyng of thysle of Thau called pylate prayng him to sende him ypocras / and he wolde yeue him / C¦kyntawes of golde / and than was the lande of grece deuided in many kyngdome / of the whiche somme gaf truage to the kyng of perse / And so dyd that of Thau / The whiche ba¦de ypocras go to the sayd kyng of perse / for to hele certayn pestilences that were than in his Royaume / Seying If he went not / It myght be to grete a danger to the Isle seeing the sayd pylate was not of power to resiste the said king of perse / The whiche ypocras ansuerd that he wolde neuer

goo to hele the ennemyes of grece. Also thenhabitauntis of the townes where he duelled in· said they hadde leuer deye than ypocras shulde departe from them· The said ypocras was .Cxlvj· yere after Nabugodonosor. he made diuers bookis of phisik of the whiche ·xxx. be hadde and of thoos xij. the most be studyed by ordre Other bookis be also hadde of Galyens makyng. The said ypocras was of littel stature grete heded. croke backed. moche studyeng and of littell langage. and moche lokyng down̄ to the erthe / hol∣ding in his honde a flabotomye of munycion for latyng blood or a grene braunche prouffitable to the eyen / he leuyd four score ·vj yeres wherof he employed ·xvij. in studye / and the remenaunt in excercising of his connyngis. And here foloweth dyuerse of his seyngis Pouertie in furete is bet∣ter than richesse in fere ¶And said that the lyf is thought short / the peyne is thought longe / experience har∣de to com̄e bye and Iugement daūgerous ¶And said the helth is not to be slowthfull in goode excercises and nat to fil hys body whiche wynes and metes. ¶And saide it is better to amyunsshe that hurteth than to encres∣se that helpeth ¶And said / the herte is tourmented by .ij. passions / that is to saye with sorowe and thought of sorowe cometh the dremes and the fantasyes / and of thought cometh the wakyngis and vnrestis / and sorowe is a passion of thynges past / and thought is fere of thynges to come ¶And said. that saule is lost / that setteth hys entēt vpon wordely thinges· that is to sey in couetise ¶And said he that wol the lif of his saule lete hym mortifie hit & / yeue it payne in this world ¶And sayd ther

may wele be loue bitwene ·ij· wysemen. but not bitwene .ij. foles. al be it that their foolyes bee equall. for wyt goth by ordre and may concorde in one sentence· but in folye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 noo due ordonnaunce and therfore may they neuer concorde in loue ¶And sayde· Aman ought not to swere. but yt is so / or it is not so ¶And sayde holde you content with that· that ought suffise you· and so ye shal not haue no gruggyng. the lesse grugge ye haue. the more ye fle fro ma¦lice and wikkedenesse withdrawe you also from synne. & seke thende of vertues and goodenesses ¶And said· He that wol be fre let him not coueyte that thinge / that he may not haue / for and he do he is bounde therto· and therfore if thou wilt haue that thou desirest desire that thou mayest ha∣ue. It was asked of him a question of euyl and vile thinges. To the whiche he ansuerd noo thing· They as∣ked him wherfore he spake not. He sayde that silence was the answere of suche questions ¶And sayde. This worl∣de is to noo creature perpetuel· therfore then let noon differ¦re or delay to doo goode thinges as longe as he may. And namely that. that he sholde wynne goode renommee therby

¶And sayde He that knoweth not trouth is rather ly∣ke not to do it / than he that is enfourmed and taught ther¦to ¶And sayde / Science is like a roote of a Tree / and operacion is like the braunches· and science is like a thing engendryng. And operacion is like a thing engendred

¶And sayde. Take a litil of science at ones. so that thou maist kepe it and lerne more· For if thou wylt ••••••∣ke more at ones than thy wytte may suffise thou mayest lightely forgete all

PItagoras saide that it is a Right blessed and a noble thing to serue god. & to sayntifie his sainc∣tes to dispreyse the world· to vse Iustice / and of alle vertues· the moost principal is to absteyne hym from synne. And it is good to vse fastynges & studyes / and to make hym to be biloued· and it is goode to haue sciēce to vnderstande the trouth of thinges. and to lerne it to the men and shewe it to the women he ordeigned also predica∣cions and to polisshe and enourne the speche ¶And said the saule is perpetuel and couenable to receyue merites and peynes / he moderated so his mete and his drinke that he was at noo tyme fatter nor leener than other. he was a sub¦til man and loued aswele to do good to his frendes as to him self. sayng the goodis of frendes ought to be comyn He made .CC· four score volumes of bookes. and was borne in the countre of Samye ¶And said an harme not durable is bettir than a welthe not abiding. And that was wreten both in his seale and in his girdil ¶And said as the begynnyng of our creacion cometh of god. right so is it behoueful. that at our ende our saule retourne to him And saide if thou wilt knowe god enforce not thy self to knowe the wordely people ¶And saide a wysman reputeth not the worship of god in wordes but in dedes ¶And said sapience is to loue god / and he that loueth god doth that god loueth And he that doth the werkis that god loueth is to∣ward god. and he that is toward god. is nygh vnto hym ¶And said god is not worshipped by the sacrifices or by other oblacious don vnto hym. but onely by the wyll and acceptable ententis ¶And sayd he that clatereth moche

it is signe that he hath litil knowlege ¶And sayde at all tymes whatsomeuer thou do / haue in thy remembraunce that god is by the / and knoweth thy thoughtes / and seeth thy dedes· And therfore by reason / thou oughtest to be a∣shamed to do amysse ¶And sayd / God onely knowith the wyseman that dredeth him. and merueylle not though the people knoweth not the ¶And sayde / God hath not in this worlde amore couenable place / than in a clene and a pure saule ¶And sayde / A man ought to speke of ho∣nest and goode thinges / and ellis harkyn to them that wil talke therof ¶And sayde. grugge & eschewe all vyle thinges aswele of the / as of other / but in especiall of thy selfe ¶And sayde / purchasse the goodes of this worlde in rightfull laudable & worshipfull manere & dispende them in like wyse ¶And sayde / kepe thy pacience whan thou herest lesinges / and do thoo dedis that noman may speke harme of / and entende to the suretie of thy body / be attemperate at thy mete in thy drynke / in thy lying with women and in all thyn other labours ¶And sayde / enforce thy selfe to do soo wele that other men haue enuie at the ¶And sayde Dispende not to outrageousely nor be not to scarse / so that thou be not bounde to thy tresore / haue therin attemperaunce and mesure / whiche in all thinges is prouffytable ¶And sayde. Be waking and herbenyng to thy counseyle / for thy nedis / for if thou slougth it / or slepe it / hit myght cau∣se the to be partener of thyn owne deth ¶And sayde me∣dyll the not to do eny thing. that ought not to be doon And said / he that is not content can not atteyne to trouth ¶And saide / he that hath no science / ought to be dispraisid

¶And sayd the Iuge that demeth not Rightfully / deser∣ueth grete blame. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that thy tunge speke no vilanye nor that thou yeue thyn eeres to here it ¶And sayd aman ought not tenforce hym self in this world / to make pour∣chasses nor byldyngis to serue other after his det••. but ought to peyne hym to wynne and to gete suche thyngis as may prouffit him after hys deth ¶And sayd· It is bettir to aman to lye vpon the harde grownde beleuyng fer∣mely in god· than to lye in abedde of gold / puttyn•• doubtes in hym ¶And sayd. let thy marchaundise by spiritu∣ell and not corporell. and thencresse and wynnyng shal be goode. and durable ¶And sayd. he that hath pite vpon hys owne saule fereth our lorde ¶And sayd whan thou wylt sette vpon eny man. thynke thou woldeste deffen∣de the yf thou were set vpon ¶And sayd dispose thy saule to receyue alle goode and couenable thynges ¶And said sette a syde the vanytes of this world. for they lette ••nd empesche thy reason ¶And sayd. thou oughtest not to slepe eny nyght. till thou hast remembred and conside∣red / thy dedes of the day past. And yf thou haue weldoon be gladde & Ioyo{us} therfore· and thanke god therof. And yf thou ••••••st erred and doon a mysse· repente the therof and aske forgeuenesse and pardon of god. and in thy self so doyng· thou mayest opte••••••e vnto hys grace

¶And sayde. whan thou shalt begynne eny werke / pray god of hel•• to bringe yt to a good conclusion ¶And sayde. yf thou haue haunted eny felowe. and thou se hys companye is not couenable vnto the. spare it. and yet dele so that he be not after thin ennemy / & proue euery man by his

dedis / and not by his wordis. for thou shalt fynde many of euyl werkis. and goode wordes ¶And sayde· Aman may nat refrayne him from doyng amysse. but whan he hath trespassed. let him beware to fall eny more in that er∣rour ¶And sayde· wyne is ennemye to the saule in taking of it outrageousely· and is like setting fyre. to fyre. And sayde. aseruaunt ought to be obeyssant vnto his lorde / but not so absolutely that he lese th••rby all his liberte & fraun∣chise ¶And sayde· It is more couenable for aman to suf¦fre deth. than to put his saule in perpetuel der••nes. And sayde. Lette not to doo goode dedis· though they be not plea∣saunt to the worlde ¶And sayde. dele alwaye so to thy power. that thy saule may stande in goode and noble state whatsomeuer falle of thy body ¶And sayde. Aclene and pure saule hath no delyte in wordely thinges ¶And say∣de. go not the pathes that thou maist gete hatered therby

¶And sayde. thou oughtest to wynne frendis / for the maynteynyng of thyn astate. and do not thoo thinges that thou couetest. but that thou oughtest to do. and take h••de whan thou shalt speke· and whan thou shulde holde thy peace ¶And sayde. he refreyneth him from couetise that letteth not to spende his goode for his frendes ¶And sayde· Put all couetise from the· and than shalt thou ap∣perceyue trouth ¶And sayd· He is not verry pacient that sufferyth but as moche as he may. But he is presen¦tely pacient. that suffereth ouer his power ¶And say¦de Pytagoras· Ryght as a leche is not reputed nor taken for goode nor connyng that heleth other· and can not hele him selfe· right so is he no goode gouernour that {con}mandeth

other to eschewe vices· and nether can nor wyl leue them him self ¶And sayde. the worlde varieth nowe wyth the and nowe ayenst the / If it be with the / thinke to do wele / & if it be ayenst the / take it paciently ¶And sayde· many harmes cōme to beestes. by cause thy be domme· and vnto men through their owne speche ¶And sayde. harde it is to greue him that can absteyne him from ·iiij. thingis that is to witte hastynesse / wilfull frowardenesse. pride. and slowthe. for hastynesse caus••th repentaunce. wilfull frowar¦denessedeuesse causeth losses. pryde causeth hattered. and slowth causeth dispreysing· He sawe aman right nobly and richely arrayed / whiche hadde vyle and foule wordes To whom he sayde / Other speke after thyn arraye. or lete thin arraye be aftir thy wordes· The kyng than of Cecil¦le desired him to dwelle with him· To whom he sayd. thy werkes and thy demeanyngis be countrary to thy proffit And thin office is not wele executed· for thou distroyest the fundement of thy feyth. wherfore I wol not dwelle with the / for the physicien. Is not sure· for amongis his pacientis. he may take sekenesse ¶And sayd· If thou wilt that thy childeren or thy seruauntis do no fawtes thou desirest a thing innaturall ¶And sayd. The saule that is in the company of good people is in delectacion & Ioye And when it is amonge euyl. It is in sorowe a & heuinesse

¶And sayde. The wyseman thenketh on the wele of his saule as actentyuely as other attende to the wele of there bodyes ¶And sayde / take frenship of hem that thou seest folowe trouth / & thinke or thou werke And said right as a phisicien can not hele his pacient without he tell him the

trouthe of hys disease. right so may not aman be wele counseylled of hys frende withoute he telle hym the play∣nesse of hys cause ¶And seyd many ennemytees gro∣wen for faulte of tr••st betwix parties / and trust causeth often many harmes ¶And whan pytagoras sat in his cheyre he vsed in shewyng his doctrines to saye. mesure your pathes and go the right weye. & so shal ye go surely Attempre you from couetise / and your goode astate shall dure. vse Iustice / and ye shalbe byloued and dredde· kepe nat your body in grete delectacions / for and ye so do ye shal not con susteyne the aduersites that myght falle vnto you. And he sawe an olde man that was shamefast to lerne. to whom he sayde Science is bettir in age than in yought· ¶And sayd. If thou wylt dispreyse hym. that thou hatest. shewe not that thou art hys ennemye And sayd. a goode kyng or prince ought to thynke di∣ligentely to the state and guydyng of hys lande· and ought to ouersee hyt as often as a goode gardyner doth his garden ¶And sayde hyt behoueth a kyng to yeue exā∣ple him self to kepe hi•• lawes / and se that his next kynnes¦mem and frendes do so after hym and it apparteneth not to a kyng to be prowde nor to do aftir hys owne wil onely nor to ride couertely / nor in no derke nyght but gladdely shewe him self open faced amongis his people / and conueny¦ently be conuersant amongis them without ouermoch•• fa∣mylyarite ¶And whan a ky••g or a prince shal go to his rest. that he se ther be goode wache. and if they faille theryn that he punysshe them wele / and to beware to ete the mete that a Ialous woman yeueth hym or eny other

suspect persone ¶And sayde. the wele disposed man re∣membreth / but his synnes / and the euyl disposed hath mynde / but on his vertues / It fortuned his wyf was deces¦sed in a ferre countre / and som axed him If there were eny difference to dye in their propre lande orellis ferre from thens / He ansuerd / whersomeuer one dye / the weye to the other worlde is all like ¶And sayde to a yong man that wolde not lerne in his youthe / If thou woll not take peyne to lerne thou shalt haue the peyne to be lewde. and vncon¦nyng ¶And sayde god l••ueth thoos that bee disobeissaūt to euyl temptacion ¶And sayde / good praeyer is one of the beste thinges aman may present to god / & if thou axe him eny boon lete thy werkis be agreable vnto him

DYogenes otherwyse called d••gly bycause he hadde som condicions of a dogge / and he was the wysest man that was in his dayes. He dispraised grete¦ly the worlde / and lay in a tonne / Whiche he tourned for his auantage from the sonne / And the wynde / as it plea∣sed hym / and therin he rested whansomeuer the nyght f••l vpon him / He ete whansomeuer he was hungered were it by day or by nyght in the strete or ellis where. wythoute eny shame therof. And was content wyth .ij. gownes of wollen cloth in the yere· And so he leuyd and gonuer∣ned him self til his deth. Somme axed him Why he was called dogly / he sayde be cause I barke vpon the foo∣les and fawne vpon the wysemen. Alexsandre the grete cam vnto him of whom he toke litle regarde. he axed him why he sette so litil by him / seeyng that he was so mighty a king and hadde noo necessite / he ansuerd I haue noght to

do nor sette by him that is bondeman to my thrall. why qd Alexsandre· am I so than / ye said diogenes. for I am lorde and maistre to all couetise· and holde her vnder my fete as my thrall and couetise is thy maistresse / and thou art bounde vnto her. and so art thou bounde to my thrall Than sayd alexandre. yf thou wylt axe me eny thyng of this worlde I wol yeue it the Dyogenes answered· why shulde I axe the eny thing· while I am Richer than thou art. for that littil that I haue contenteth me bettir than all the gre¦te quantite that thou hast satisfieth the· I pray the stande out of my light. and take not from me that. that thou maiest not yeue me. wele qd alexandir. who shal bery the whan thou art ded He answerd. he that wol not suffre the stenche of my careyn aboue the erthe ¶And the said dio∣genes saide he is not parfitely goode. that doth but onely absteyne him from euil dedis. he sawe a Iong man of good and vertuouse disposicion. whiche was euil visaged. to whom he saide / the goodenesse and vertues that be in the yeue beaute in thy face And som axed him whan it was tyme aman to ete He said whan he hadde apetite and mete. and if he hadde noon / whan he myght gete it ¶And said it is goode a man kepe hym from the gyle of hys ennemy. And the enuie of hys frende ¶And said right as aman appe¦reth gretter in a myst than in aclere weder right so appereth more his vice in his Ire than in his pacience ¶And sayd to alexandre thinke not thou art the more worthy for thy beaute. tresour and riche araye / but onely for thy liberalite and goodenesse. ¶And sayd. whan thou dispreysest a vice in another man· loke that thou vse hyt not thy self

And sayde· whan thou seest a dogge leue his maistre / & folo¦we the. Dryue hem a waye. for right so wil he leue the to go to another. He sawe aman that prayed god to yeue hym sapience. To whom he sayde / thy peticion auayleth not / with out first thou payne thy self to lerne it. And sayde· of alle vertues of humanite / the greter quantite therof is the better saue of wordes ¶And said it is not honest to yeue praysing to a man of a thing that he hath not deserued· He sawe a peyntour that was waxe a physicien. to whom he sayde thou knowest that men might se at the eye / the fawtes that thou didest in thy crafte / but nowe they may not be perceyued for they ar hidde vnther the erthe. And he sawe right afaire persone / whiche was a foole. and than he sayde· ther is a fay¦re house. and right an euyl hoste herborowed therin. He sawe also afoole sitte in a wyndowe. And he sayd / Ther sittith Astone vpon a stone / One axed him What was loue· He sayde· It was Asekenesse that grewe of Idel∣nesse and for lakke of vertuouse excercise. One axed him What was richesse / He sayde Absteynyng from coueti∣se ¶The sayde Dyogenes was in Aseason seke. and his frendis cam to vysite him. Seying dowte ye nat. for youre sekenesses come but of goddis wille. He ansuerd Therfore am I the more aferd ¶He sawe an old man that dyed hys heeres To whom he sayd· Thou maist wel hyde thy whyte herres. but nat thyn age ¶And sayd. It is more behoofull. thou goo to the leche· Than the leche to the. And semblably I seye it· of the leche of the saule ¶And sayd· Dyogenes If thou wylt correcte eny man shewe it not by vyolence. But as the

surgyen doth to the seke / that is to saye softely and pacient¦ly but and thou wilt correcte thy self / dispose the as the hurt man. doth to the leche· It was axed hym / howe aman myght kepe hym from ire / he answered / aman ought alle waye to haue in Remēbraunce that he can not at all tymes be serued but somtyme shalbe fey••̄ to do seruice / and also he shal not be alweye obeyde but at sumtyme he must obeye. and he shal not at alle tymes be suffered in hys wyl but at sumtyme he must suffre hauyng thys in hys mynde / it shulde appease hys Iere ¶And thercome agester afore Alexandre sittyng at his dyner / wiche praised hym ou∣trageosely· and dyuerse herkened greetely therto / the said dyogenes began to ete faster than be fore· som axed hym why he herkened not the feyre seyngis of the gester / he an∣swered. I do more prouffitably than to herken lesyngys what is suche praysing worth. whan he is neuer the better therfore ¶And sayd / yf thou talke wyth a straunger speke not to moche / til thou haue first made comparison by¦twene the connyng of his science and thyn / and yf thou fynde thyn better than hys / speke the boldelier and ellis holde thy peace and lerne at hym ¶Dyuers dylicious persones blamed hym of hys manere of leuyng and he sayd / it lieth wele in my power yf my lyst to lyue afrer youre giuse / but it is nat in your power to lyue after my maner ¶And it was tolde hym that certayn persones hadde sayde euyll of hym in hys absence / he answered it shall not hurte me though aman strike at me and touche me not. ¶And sayd. it is achurlissh condicion to answere dishonestely / and a noble condicion to answere

pacyently ¶And sayd / Ther is no greter tresour than Discrecion and wytte / Nor greter pouerte than Igno¦raunce / Nor better frendeship than goode condicions / nor better guyder than Is goode fortune ¶And sayd / Se∣kenesse Is the pryson of the body· And sorowe Is the pry∣son of thy saule· Ther was Aman of grete byrthe that re¦buked hym / To whom he sayd / My blode and lynage is enhaunsed by me / and thyn Is hurt and loued by the

¶The sayd. Dyogenes was of litil speche / And one asked hym Why he spake no more / He ansuerd Ther was grete vertue in Amannys eeres ¶Ther was aman sayd hym grete uylanye to whom he sayd No worde One asked hym Why he ansuered not / He sayd I coude do hym no gretter dysworshyp than he doth hym selfe For he hath contrybued blame vnto hym that hath not deserued it ¶One asked hym / How he shulde trouble hys ennemyes. He ansuered Enforce thy self to be ver∣tuous and good. And If thou wilt. that thy goodenes¦se appere grete vnto straungers / Repute to them thy self litil ¶And sayd. If thou yeue power to thy wyff one¦ly to trede vpon thy fote on the morowe she wold trede v∣pon thy hede ¶And sayd· Company of women Is an harme that can not be escheued ¶And sayd. He that doth good for the goodenosse of hit onely / ought not to drede bifore whom he doth nor for the praising ne blame ther of ¶One asked him whan he shulde knowe his frende / he sayd in necessite for in prospeperite euery man is frendely Ther was another man saide vilanye vnto him wher at he toke non angreIt was asked him why he was so paciēt

he aunswred other hath he saide soth or lied / yf he haue said trouth / I ought not to be angry· and yet lesse if he haue lied. he sawe aman clater so muche that ther cowde no body make hym holde his peas / to whom he saide / frende thou hast ij· eeres and but on tunge / wherfor thou oughtest to herken double asmoche / as thou spekest· he sawe a faire yong man that dede grete diligence to lerne / to whom he saide ye do pas∣sing wele to make your dedis assemble your beawte.

SOcrates in grekes tonge is to say / keper of Ius∣tice he was maried ayenst the custume of that coū∣tre whiche was that good and vertuous people shulde be wedded to gedres / to thentent that theyr lynage myght be the better but he wedded the worst woman that was in all the lande and hadde .iij. children by her / he loued and worshipped sapience somuche / that it was a grete hin∣deraunce to all his successours / for he wold not suffre his science to be written̄ ¶And saide that science was pure and clene / wherfore it was couenable / she shulde be onely sette in mynde and corrage and not in skynnes of dede bestes nor in no suche corrupte thingis / and therfore he made no bookis nor yaue no doctrine to his disciples / but onely by wordes of discipline / and that opinion he helde of Tunio whiche was his maistr for as the saide Socrates beyng of tēdre age axed his maister / whywil ye not suffre me to write the doctrines that ye teche me Tuino aunswered him couetest thou more the wild beestes / skynnes to be worship¦ped with sapience / than thengyne of man I sette the case that on mete the in the wild feld / and axe the conseile vpon a question. were it good that thou shuldest saye / let me go

home and ouer see my bokes first. It were more honest to ha∣ue a recours to thy remembrance and therupon briefly to de∣termyne / It were so certainely sayd Socrates-wel then / reteyne it wel in thy mynde. that thou shalt lerne· And put it not in thy booke in whiche opynyn the said Scrates rested / he defended that no man shuld worship false ydolles but wolde that all honnour and worship shuld be referred to the creatour of all thyngys. and for that opynyon he was condēpned to deth by ·xij· Iuges of Athenes· whiche ordeigned that he shuld drinke certein poysons / wherof the kyng of that countre was sory. but he cowde not reuoke the sentence. he gaf him as long respit of his Iugement as he myght. The said kyng hadde a ship charged with thinges that in certain tymes shuld be offred in the temple to the ydoles. he had a custume that he wolde yeue noo Iugemēt and especially vpon mannes deth. till the said ship were retourned to athenes / whiche was not yet com home And vpoon her com̄yng home one of Socrates felawes called Inclites tolde hym in the prison / that the said ship sholde come to the porte on the morowe or the next day. wherfore he saide. It wer good that we shulde yeue .CCCC. peces of golde to thy kepers· that they wold b••ete the secretely escape and than myghtest thou go to rome and nedest littill to drede them of athenes· he answered. all that I haue is not worth four honderd. pecis of gold. no said Inclites· I and thy frendis haue so muche whiche we woll gladdely yeue thy kepers to saue thy lyf if it please the. to the whiche socrates answered this cyte wherin I must suffre deth. is the naturall place of my birth wherin I must dye without

deseruyng onely by cause that I repreue hem from doyng in iust dedes / and for worshippyng the false and vayne ydolles and that I wold haue them honour the true god. wherfo∣re I saye / If this men of my nacion persecute me for sustey¦nyng & seyng trouth / right so wil strangers do whersomeuer I become / for I wol neuer spare to say trouth nor vse no lesinges / and certaynly thoos wolde haue lesse mercy of me than thoos of this towne / where in I am born / It happe∣ned that the therde daye his disciples cam vnto him & fonde him in pryson / by the comaundement of the / xij / Iuges they axed him many dowtable questions / touchyng the saule / he ansuerd them / as largely and as gladely as euer he dede wher••f they merueylled to vse so grete {con}staunce in aman so nygh his deth / One of his disciples called Deman sai¦de maistre I knowe wele / It is an harde thing to the. for to shewe and teche vs in the caas / that thou nowe standest in & lakking of thy lore is to vs adamegeous thing / for in this worlde hast thou no felawe of good doctryne / So∣crates ansuerd. Spare not to enquere of me what it plea∣seth you for it is to me a grete pleaser / they axed him ques¦tions of the saule / whiche he ansuerd / & after they axed him of the state of the worlde / and composicion of the Elemen∣tis whiche also he ansuerd right perfundely / And he said vnto them I trowe the hour of my deth approcheth nygh I wil bayne me & make me clene in this worlde / & sey myn ori¦sons to thentēt that I shal haue no payne after my deth wher¦fore I pray you spare me for a while / he entred to ahous and baigned him & said his orisōs / & than called his wyf & childe∣ren & gaue them many feir doctrines & badde them payne them

for to do goode adresse their saules to hym that all created and than cam one from the Iuges to hym with poyson to drinke ¶And said O socrates thinke not that I am he that maketh the to dye / for I knowe thou art the best man that euer cam in this lande / but I am sent from the Iuges for to sle the / & here is the cōfection y^t thou must drinke take it paciētly sithen thou maist not scape it / Socrates said I take it with goode hert / & knowe wele thou art not gylty therof / & so drinke it And whan his frēdes sawe that / they made grete weping & lamentacion wherof he blamed them seynig I haue sent a waye the women by cause they shulde not do as ye do / he went alitil from them / & saide O god ha∣ue mercy vpon me / & anone his synewes shranke his fete wexed colde / and than he leide him down / one of his disciples tooke a boddekyn & prikked him in his feete / and axed him If he felt eny thing. And he said naye / than he prikked him in his thyghes / and axed him if he felt it / he sayd naye. Anone the colde strake vp vnto his sydes than socra¦tes saide whan the colde cometh to my hert I must nedis dye Than saide Inclites O dere maistre welle of sapience and of science correct and teche vs yet / whyle thy speche lasteth to whom he saide I can non other wiese shewe you nowe dyyng than I haue doon afore in my lyf The said Inclites saide. syr comaunde me what thyng ye wyll. he answered noo¦thyng. and lift vp his eyen to the skye seyng I present my sowle to the maker of alle the world and so dyed

¶The sayd socrates hadde .xij.M. disciples and dis∣ciples of his disciples. And in hys lyf he deuysed that men shulde be guyded aftre .iij. ordres that is to saie in

Clergie / in knyghthode & in cōmones / and ordeigned the clergie aboue the knyghthode / the knyghthode aboue the peple and that the clergie shulde pray for the knyghthode & the peple the knyghthode sholde defende the clergie & the peple / the people to labour for the clergie and the knighthode ¶The sayde socrates was of rede colour / & of competent stature ho¦re heded / and wele faced / demure of speche / a grete studyer and loker vpon the erthe / and when he spake he wagged his litil fynger / he lyued four score ·ij yeres / & was wrytten in his seale / pacience & good byleue in god maketh aman victorious / And was wrytten in his girdel / hauing respect and consideracion to thende of euery thinge causeth the sal∣uacion of the saule and of the body / he establisshed lawes whiche were sent into the Eest / west / South / & North / & all was gouerned by them ¶And sayd / the first thing that thou shulde fixe thy wil in is to kepe dyuyne Iustice and to applye thy wil to the same / and not to do sacrefi∣ces nor no iniust thinges nor to swere no false othes / And sayd / right as a man is heled of his sekenesse / by vertue of a medycine / right so is an euyl man heled of his malice by vertue of the lawe ¶And saide to his disciples I am a tilman / and vertues ben the sedes / and study is the water that moisteth them / Wherfore if the sedes be not clene· nor the water sufficient. what someuer be sowen profiteth litil

And said / one ought to merueile at hym that forgeteth the perpetuall goodenesse of the other worlde / for the goodes of this worlde that is not durable ¶And sayd· the wele dis¦posed saule loueth to do wele· & the euil disposeth saule loueth to do harme ¶And said the goode saule graffeth goodnesse &

the fruyt therof is saluacion. And the euil disposed / graf¦feth vices / and the fruyt therof is dāpnacion ¶And said the goode sawle is knowen by y^t she receyued gladly trouth and the euill saule by that she receyueth gladly ••esynges

¶And said that when apersonne dowteth in dowtefull thingis and is stedfast in thoos that been open and euidēt to the eye / it is signe that he is of goode vnderstanding And said that the ••aules of them that ben goode / been sorowfull of the werkis of them that been euil ¶And said the man that foloweth couetise leseth him self endelesly / & at the last is all dishonoured And whoo that hates it geteth ynough / & at the ende is right wele worshipped ¶And said that the goode sawle saueth him self. & other ben saued by him ¶And said the sawle knoweth all thinges / & than he that knoweth his sawle / knowyth euery thing. & he that knoweth not his sawle / knoweth nothing ¶And saide he that is keytif to him self / he is more keytif to another & he that is liberall to him self / is co••̄onely liberal to another ¶And saide litil teching suffiseth to the goode sawle / & to the euill soule moche teching may no•• avile ¶And saide that .vj. maner of men be / that neuer be out of angre / that is to witte / the first is he that may not forgete his trouble the .ij an eniuous man that dwelleth with folkis newly en∣richyd. the .iij. he that dwelleth in a place· where another hath thriuen & he can find•• no prouffit there. the ·iiij. a riche man fallen in pouertie. the .v. he that enforceth him self to com to the state that is not bylonging to him to haue And the .vj. he that hath dwellid with a wyeseman / and hath noo thing lerned of him ¶And saide who so payneth him

self to shewe doctryne to aman of euyl courage / resembleth to him / that wol maistrie a strong hors / whiche if he yeue him not a strong bitte with a corbe / he shal nener con gouer¦ne him ¶And sayde to moche haunting felisship engēdreth not grete loue bitwene them / & absteynyng from them ••au∣seth ennemytees / & than it is best to dele therin moderately And saide he that doth good is better than the goode· & he that doth euyl / is wors than the euil ¶And said science is had by diligēce of men / but discrecion cometh of god. And saide wysdom is the leche of the lawe / & moneye is the seke∣nesse. & when the leche may not hele him self / howe shulde he hele another ¶And saide th••u maist not be {per}fectely good if thou hatest thyn ennemy / what shalt thou be than if thou ha¦test thy frēde ¶And saide this worlde may be liken••d to away full of thistlles in a manere hidde / wher aman is prik¦ked / that entreth in it / & if he aspie them he wol beware of it And saide he that loueth the worlde / hath but labour / & he that hateth it / hath rest ¶And saide he is right sīple that is certeyn to departe from this worlde / & besieth him to make in hit his bildīgis ¶And said this worlde is like a light brēning fyre / wherof alitil is good to kyndyll his light to shewe him the wey / & he that taketh to moche therof may ligh¦tely bren him self with al ¶And said he that setteth all his mīde in this worlde / leseth his saule / & he that thenketh on his saule hateth this worlde ¶And saide he that loueth this worlde may not faile to fall in one of these / ij / incōue∣mētis or both / that is to say / other to displease our lord god orellis to be enuied at of mightier men then he is / And saide aman that seketh to haue ennemyes seketh his distruction / &

he that hath many enuyers & ennemyes is in the daūger of euil fortune ¶And saide this worlde is but a passage in to the other worlde / and therfore. he that purueieth him of thingis necessarie / for that passage / is the surer for all {per}ills

¶And saide trouble not thy self gretly / with wordely ac¦quisiciōs / but resemble the birddes of the skye / whiche in the mornyng seke but their refection for that day & semblaby the wilde bestes that com̄e oute of the monteynes forto seke their fode / and at nyght repeire home ayen ¶And sayd the errour is knowen in the ende to be euil / and that that is goode / is the more clerly seen after therby / Plato toke vpon him to go in a voyage and desired to knowe of Socrates howe he shuld gouerne him self therin / and he saide dowte the of thoos / that thou knowest / & beware of thoos that thou knowes not / & go not by nyght / ete noon herbes that thou knowest not / & loke that thou kepe the highweye / though it be the lenger / entēde not to chastise him / that is oute of alle reason / for thou shalt make hym therby thin ēnemy ¶And sayde lye not with a woman withoute necessite constrayne the ¶And sayde two thynges be laudable / that is for to saye / lawe and sapience / lawe kepeth rightwysnesse / and sapience causith good condicions. Socrates acompained hym self with a Riche man. and they mette theues in an hygh waye / the Riche man said It were dan̄gerous to me if they knowe me And socrates said It were the better for me / If y were knowen by them ¶And sayd awyse∣man ought to vse hys dayes in one of these two maneres that is to seye. in that that may cause hym to haue Ioye in thys worlde and in the other. or in that / that

may cause him to haue goode name in this worlde And saide this worlde is delectacion of an houre / & sorowe of ma∣ny daies / & the other worlde is grete reste & long ioye / And said whosomeuer teche the one worde of sapiēce doth the mo∣re goode / than if he gafe the of his golde And said swere not ly our lord / for no manere of lucre al be it thy cause be true / for som wol thinke thou forswerest thy self And sai¦de take hede howe thou yeuest thy yeftes / for som sīple folkes yeue to the vnnedy / and refuse hit to thoos that haue nede And saide If thou wilt wīne afrende / speke good of him for go••de speche engēdreth loue / & euil speche engendreth hate ••••••d ¶And said a king ought to put from him all euyll disposed {per}sones for the harme that they of his companye do is reputed his dede ¶And saide he that erreth & knoweth hit. and after repenteth him therof hath deseruid pardon And saide he that medleth to correct euery man causeth the moost part to hate him ¶And saide to a man that hadde re¦proued his linage / If I be the worse for my linage as thou sayest thy linage is the worse for the ¶And saide he that se¦keth the delices of this worlde is like vnto him that seketh to drink zarab wenyng it were water & rēneth to drink it til he be wery / & whan he cometh to hit. he findeth no thing & than he is more thristy than he was before / for zarab is a myst in a medew / whiche at sōtyme by reflection of the sōne semeth a water & is none in dede ¶And said a man hath neuer {per}fyte reste & Ioye in this world / for he can not al waye {per}seuere in delectacion & possesse his winningis & oft hath trouble & angwysshe / aswele for losse of his frēdis as otherwyse / And said the loue of this world stoppeth mānes

eeres / from hering sapiēce / & blynfildeth the eyen from seyīg trouth. & hit causith also aman to be enuied & kepeth him from doyng goode dedis ¶And said he that loueth & vseth trouth hath moo & greter seruauntis than a king ¶And sayd he is not free that byndeth him to another ¶And say¦de afferme noo thing / til thou knowe the trouth nor do noo¦thing. but it be couenable nor begīne nothing / but if thou se h••we to bringe it to good conclusion / Ther was a riche man said to him / O s••crates why art thou so poure / To whom he ansuerd If thou knewest what is poutee / thou wol¦dest haue more sorowe of thy pouerte than of myn ¶And said It is a grete merueile to se a wyseman angry. And said the deth is a thing that may not be eschewed / & t••••••r ought none to drede hit / but suche as haue cōmitted grete iniqinte & don litil iustice / wh••rfore they shuld drede dāpna¦cion for their demerites after their deth ¶And said good deth is not to be dispised / but to be magnified & preysed for it makith trāsmutacion from the world of vnclēn••s¦se and shame to the world of worship· from the wo••ld not durable to the world perpetuel / from the worlde of fo∣lie and vanites to the world of sapiēce reason and trouth And fro the world of traueile and peyne to the world of consolacion and reste ¶And sayd / It is merueile of him that dowteth to dye / & doth thīges contrary to his sal¦uacion ¶And said deth is lyffe to him that knoweth to haue ioye after it ¶And said he that liueth wele shal die wele / And said better it is worshipfull deth than shamefull life. And said deth is the rest of couetous peple for the lēger they lyue the more multyplie their couetises. & so deth is

more couenable / for them / than lyf / for the deth of euil people is the wele and furete of the good Because they shall do nomore synne nor hurt to the people ¶And sayd the lyf Iugeth inderectely amongis the dede ¶And said. one ought not to wepe for him that is slayne withoute cause. but for him that hath slayne him / for he that sleeth vniuste¦ly / dampneth him self ¶And said he that dredeth eny thing / ought to his power to beware therof Also he that dowteth to haue peines for his sinnes aftir his deth. ought so to dele / that he may escheue that parell ¶And saide whan thou wolt do eny thing loke for what occasion hit is And if thou seest the ende therof goode / haste the conclusion· and ellis resiste thy wil ¶And saide bettir is to aman to liue harde. than to borowe of him that reputeth his litil lones & yeftes to be grete & withoute cause wol thinke aman to be in his danger ¶And saide take in no preisyng the lone or yeft of him that hath disworshipped the for the dishonour & shame therof is more than the wynning He loued alwey to lerne / wherof som rebuked him· to whom he saide / the grettest shame / that can come to an olde man is to be ignorāt / he fonde a yong man that hadde folisshly spent & wasted his substāce and was broght to suche pouerte· that he was feyn to ete olyues / to whom he saide if the olyues hadde be as goode to the at the begynnyng / as they be nowe. thou shuldest haue hadde yet largely of thy goodes ¶And sayde ther is noo difference bitwix agrete teller of tydyngis. and a lyer ¶And saide the noblest thing that children may lerne is science / for therby they eschewe to do euill werkis ¶And saide the gretest wynnyng that aman may haue / is to gete

a true frēde / he herde aman say that one was surer in keping his tunge / than in moche speking / for in moche langage one may lightly erre. To whom he said one ought not to vnder¦stāde that in them that speke wele. And saide the proffit of silēce / is lesse than the prouffit / of speche. & the harme of spe∣che is more / than the harme of silence· And sayd one may knowe a wyseman by harkēyng & holding his tūge. & aman may knowe a fole by his moche claterīg. And said he that wol not holde his peas til he be {con}streyned is not to be blamed & he that wil holde his peas til he be boden speke is to be prey¦sed. And saide It is an ignorāt thing to dispute in thin∣ges y^t may nat be vnderstāde / And saide the meane is best in all thīges. And saide moche rēning maketh moche we¦rinesse. And saide if the witte of a man oumaistrie not his frailte / he shal sone be ouercome & brought to nought ¶And said he is abeest that can not discerne the good from the euil And said he is a good frēde that doth the good / & a myghty frende / that defēdeth the from harme. he wrote vnto a king recōforting him whan his sone was dede in this maner / god made this worlde an hous of delectacion & reward & the trou¦bles in this worlde causen remuneracion in the other / And said no man ought to repute him self wyse / And said this worlde yeueth exemple to thoos that abyde by thaim y^e depart And said the losse of sōme is lernīg to other / And said he that trusteth in this worlde is receiued / & he that is suspecti¦ous is in grete sorowe / One of his disciples gafe him a gif¦te / & he was troubled with al / It was axed him why he re¦ioysed it nat / he said the recepcion of this gifte hath {pro}cured his worship & put me in his dāger / And said be to thy fader

and to thy moder / as thou wilt thy children ben to the And saide be not to angry nor to wrathfull / for that is the werke of a fole ¶And saide one ought to haue shame to spe¦ke that he hath shame to do ¶And saide refrayne the from vices in thy youth & it shalbe the feirest garmēt / that thou maiest were ¶And said gouerne the so to thy power / that noman say harme of the / albe it / it were lesynges / for alle men knowe not the trouth / & yet they haue eeres / plato desi¦red him to answere in .iij· thingis & he wolde be his disciple the first was what maner of men one ought to haue moost pite of / the .ij. wherfore som mennis wirkis preue not / the iij. howe aman shulde do to haue retribucion of our lord The first he answered that aman ought to haue pite in .iij wieses y^t is to seye of agoode man in the handis of ashrewe for he hath there but all sorowe / & of a wieseman in the gou¦naūce of a foole whiche is to him grete heuynesse / & a liberal man in the subiection of a kaytif / for he hath therby grete tri¦blacion The .ij· their werkis preue nat that haue goode cōn¦seile / & werke not ther after / & haue richesse & wil not dispen¦de hit for their nede The ·iij· is the goode retribucion / that one receyueth of our lorde god com̄eth to be entierly obeissant vnto him / & absteine him frō syn̄e· & whan platon was thus answered / be becam his disciple all his lyfAnd the saide so∣crates seide dispreise thy bodeli deth / & it shalbe the lyf of thy saule / folowe Iustice & thou shalt be saued ¶And saide awie¦semā resteth & deliteth him / whan he findeth trouth ¶And saide awiesemā ought to speke with an ignorāt / as the phisi¦cien doth with his paciēt ¶And saide he that taketh his pleasāce inthis worlde must nedis falle in one of these .ij.

causes that is to say other to lakke / that he coueteth or to le¦se that he hath wōne with grete payne ¶And sayd to one of his disciples· suffise the to ete that wil take awaye thy hungere. & drincke that wil stanche thy thurst remēbring wele thy saule. & folowe goode werkis. lerne sapiēce of the moost wysemen that be in thy dayes. escheue the gīnes that women set to take men with al. for they be hīdrers of sapi¦ēce ¶And said he that loueth this worlde is like to him that entreth in to the see for it he escape the parels of the same men wol seye he is fortunate· & if he be perisshed they wol sey he is wilfully disceyued ¶And said man hath power ouer his wordis. til they be spokē· & whan he hath ones vttered th••m he hath noo power ouer h••m And said he that hath no power to refreyne his tōge hath no myght to resiste al his other delectaciōs ¶And said silēce & speche is goode in diuers wy∣ses & places ¶And said if a man be moche herde speke. one may knowe if he be discrete or not & if he hold his peas or speke litil. one wil the rather deme he be wyse ¶And said whan a man speketh he ought to {con}sidere af••re what he wil seie for better it is he {con}sidere. than another shold ¶And said to one of his disciples whan thou wilt speke. speke curtaisely or hold thy peas And said he that holdeth his peas or speketh litil lerneth atte speche of other / & if he speke / other lerne at his wordes / One axed him what was a goode purchasse. he ansuerd that / that groweth in the spēding therof / And saide drōkenship vndoth amā. & said one ought not to axe {con}seile of him that hath his herte al sette to the world for his aduis shalbe but after his pleasāce. & said good {con}seil sheweth often the ende of the werke / ther was awoman that called him old

and said his face was right foule To whom he answered thou art so derke & so troublous a myrour that my beawte can not be perceyued therin ¶And said he is discrete that kepeth wele his secretes / & he is not wyse that discouers them ¶And said aman ought to kepe secrete that he is desired to kepe / & he is more to preise that kepeth that thing secrete whiche he is not desired to kepe ¶And said if thou can not kepe thyn own̄ secretes / moche lesse wall he k••pe hit / to whom thou hast told hit to· one axed him why awiese man wil desire to haue counsaile. he seyde leste his wyl be in eny wyse medled with his witte ¶And said he that is of good condicion is of good and sure lyf / and is beloued of goode people / and he that is of euil condicions is euyn the cōtrary ¶And said to one of his disciples / truste not this worlde. for hit paieth neuer that it promicteth ¶And said acustume you to be content with litil· for ye shal fynde hit for the best. and that shall com vnto you / repute it not for litil / for it may encresse / & multiplie / but seke to wynne frendis in very loue shewyng them noo signe of hate. and one axed him what differēce was betwene trouth and le / singis / he said asmoche as is bitwene the eere and the eye ¶And said he that desireth to haue more than suffisaūce hath that proffiteth him noo thing ¶And said to one of his disciples / trust not in the tyme. for it faileth Incōtinēt to him that trustith ther to ¶And said ware thou be not disceyued by thy beawte. and by thy youth / nor by the helth of thy body for thende of thy helth shalbe sekenesse / and the ende of thy sekenesse shalbe deth / & thou maist not escheue the diseases of this world / ther was neuer ioye withoute sorowe

nor neuer light without derkenesse / nor neuer rest withoute labour / nor assemble withoute departing ¶And sayde. like as the fortune of this worlde. shal make reioysing vpon thin ennemye / right so may it make thyn ennemye haue re∣ioysing of the ¶And sayd he that stabilissheth / and set∣teth him self in couenable place / is the more sure for the pe∣ryls of this worlde ¶And sayd he that is fulfilled with the loue of this worlde disposeth him to .iij. thinges / that is to saye / first to pouertee / for he shal neuer atteyn to the richesse that he desireth / Secundely / to suffre payne / thirdely to besynesse / without expedicion ¶And said / tell neuer thy {con}seyle to him that is angry whan one praieth him to ke¦pe it secrete / One axed him what he had wōne by his science he sayd I am as aman sitting on the see syde & biholding the simple folkes wraped in the wawes of the see ¶And said. grete fredom growith by seruice / for the more one ser¦ueth the more fre he becometh ¶And sayd. he that wil win¦ne frēdes lete him loke first if he can refrayne them from co∣uetise / & if he can / rest than with them & ellis sone to departe And said if thou be not couetous / thou may rest in euery place ¶And the said socrates had many seyinges ayenst women whiche is not trāslated / And it was axed of him to what sciēce it was best to sette his childe toscole / he ansuer¦de / to lerne that / that is bothe proffitable in this worlde & the other / one axed him whan he begāne to be wyse & vertuous / he ansuerd / whan first I refreined my self wil ¶And saide whan aman is so diligēt to lerne / & loueth so wele sciēce that he taketh noon hede of preysing nor dispreisyng for the lore therof / than is he wyse / It was tolde him that ther hadde no

credence be yeuen to alle his wordes / he answered. so that my wordes haue be goode and reasonnable I geue no grete force who hath beleued them or no ¶And said. he is goode in the hyest degre of goodenesse. that enforceth hym to be good him self And he is in the .ij. degre that enforceth him to cause other to be goode / and he that rekketh of none of thiese ij. is to be dispreised ¶And saide to his disciples be not desirous to haue the goode not durabll. but couette to haue that is perpetuelly good ¶And said· be not inquisitif vpon other folkis lest they be inquisitif vpon the ¶And said put wit and discrecion afore the in all thy werkes· and thou shalt be the better granysshed whan thou shalt com to thexecucion of the same ¶And said for bere not to do goode dedis all be it they be vnknowen. There was one dis∣preysed his face. to whom he saide it was not my power to make my face / and therfore I ought not be blamed if it be foule / that that I haue pouer ouer I haue made fair and that that thou haddest power ouer thou hast soyled ¶And said be true vnto hym that companyeth with the / and beereth trouth vnto the. and thou shalt be the more sure to eschewe dan̄giers ¶And said do to other as thou woldest they shuld do to the. And do to noon other but as thou woldest be doon to ¶And said aman ought to be corrected by experience and taught by the mutacion of this worlde ¶And said he is liberall y^t hath greter delectacion to haue goode renoume than money ¶And saide pacience is a strong castell. and hastynesse engendreth repentaunce ¶And said honour is the fruyte of trouth / and for thy trouth thy frendes shall worship the. And thy goodenesse shalbe knowen not sparīg

to do that / that shalbe prouffitable ¶And said / it ought suffise a man to knowe and vnderstande that / that he seeth dayl•• fal in this world for therby he may lerne newe scien¦ces / he ought to be worshipped that willeth wele to euery man / and he that wol other mennes harmes putteth him self in grete perille / but the Iuste man resteth in surete ¶And said he that kepeth him self wele is a grete conquerour / & ••e that settith so litil by him self that he thenketh not on his saule / leseth him silf / he that is pacient doth wele / and shal not repente him / and he that holdeth his peas saueth his daungier ¶And said let thy sedes be goode workes / & thou shalt gadre flours of Ioye and of gladdensse ¶And said / thou shalt haue rest in the companye of a wyse man / & labour in the companye of afoole ¶And said to be satis¦fi••d with littel is worship / and not to be sattisfied with moche is shame ¶And said enquere whan thou hast doon eny deffaulte / and if thou haue erred correct thy self and repent the and aftir that repentaunce ware thou falle no more therto / and loke thou vaunte the not of eny of thy goode dedis ¶And saide he that preiseth him that doth we¦le is partener of his good dedis ¶And said accompany not with him that knoweth not him self ¶And said he is in grete reste y^t refrayneth him fro āgre ¶And said he is wele disposed that can tempre his delyng and his speche ¶And said / take noo shame to here trouth of whom so euere thou herest it / for trouth is so noble that it worship¦peth thoos that pronoūce it ¶And said that thing that kepeth aman from shame is bettir than the richesse purchas¦sed therby ¶And said many men may aperceyue fawtis

in them self· that fynde fawtis in all other ¶And sayd to a man that fled venquisshed from abataille / thou doost euyl to flee fr••m the honourable deth to the shameffull lyff ¶And sayd he that erreth / or he knowe the trouth / ought the sonner to haue forgeuenesse ¶And said moche wyne & sapience may not accorde / for they be in maner {con}trarious And said / suffisaunce is a castell that kepeth wysemen from euyl werkis ¶And said if he can not eschewe ire yet kepe it sekret ¶And said that thing that afoole leseth can neuer be recoued / but a wyseman can lese no thing / There was a foole that blamed him / wh••rfore one of his felawes axed him leue to auēge him / to wh••m he saide / a wyseman ye¦ueth neuer licēce to do amysse ¶And said all thinges be strengthed & susteyned by Iustyce / & all thinges be amu¦nysshed & feblisshed by Iniustice ¶And said all̄ that thou doost may not be kept {con}seile / al be it / it be nat nowe vnder¦standen it shalbe knowen at somtyme ¶And sayd good renomme is bettir than richesse / for richesse wolbe loste and renōme wol laste / Sapience is a richesse that wil neuer faile nor adminysshe ¶And saide ware the of drōkenship for the wit that is oucome with wyne / is like the hors that cas¦teth his maistre ¶And said take hede of the guydyng of him that thou axes {con}seyle of / if he gouerne hym self euyll by liklyhode / right so wyl he guyde the / for by reason he ought to loue him selfe better than the ¶And sayd beware thou breke not the lawes that be for the cōmone prouffyt And saide pouertee is better than euyl goten richesse. And saide amā withoute sciēce is lyke a royaume wihout a kīg / And said aking ought to take none to his seruice but suche as

he hath preued afore good and true ¶And said he that taketh all men in like condicion / may not make hem all his frendes ¶And said / cōmitte all thy causes to god with out eny excepcion ¶And said / repute not thy synnes litil nor magnifye thy good dedis for thou shalt haue nede of them if they were more ¶And said to his disciples / bewa¦re of this worlde & thynke it is a thorny busshe that thou must trede vpon ¶And said like as thoos that be wordely wyse kepe them from angre in the presence of their kyng by as grete reason ought they to be ware / howe they āgre them afore god that is to vnderstanden in euery place for god is ouer all ¶And said he that is long or he be angry / is har¦der to appease / than he that is lightly wroth / right as the gre¦ne wode is hotter than the other whan it is wel kyndeled / Ther were brought afore him certayn people whiche said dy¦uerse Iniures to hym / he answerd / if ye haue eny other ma¦tere to wynne of me then this / do it orellis holde youre pea•• Ther was greter reuerēce made to another man / than to him wherfore oon axede him if he hadde eny enuie therat / he answe¦red if he hadde more sciēce than I / I wolde haue hadde ēuie at him or ellis not ¶And said. sapiēce & goode renōme is not founde but in goode {per}sones wherfore they be better than the gre¦te richesse that is founde in fooles & euil peopel ¶And said thy saule ought to thinke wel / & thy body to helpe therto And said that thou oughtest kepe sekret in thy corrage dis¦couer it not to euery mā ¶And said oon vnto him y^t sawe him in a poure clothing this is not Socrates thus pouerly arcaied that yaue the lawes to y^e peple of athēs / to whom he answered / y^e true law is not made by good arrayemēt but by

vertue reason and scyence ¶And sayde to his disciples Dyspreyse the deth / and semblably drede hit ¶And say¦de a wyseman ought to knowe what is his saule

PLaton is by interpretacion as moche to seye as en¦ded or fulfilled & was of grece / by his faders syde he was of the noble esculapi{us} kīnerede & by his moders syde of the kinered of zalon that ordeigned diuers lawes / as it is abouēsaide / he dwelled with socrates the spa¦ce of / v / yeres. & after the deth of the said socrates he vnder¦stode that in Egipte were certayn of pytagoras disciples to whom he went / & proffyted moche in lerning with them. he retourned then ayen to Athenes / & there he ordeigned .ij. scoles & vsed laudable lyff / in doyng goode werkis helping & nourisshing the nedy peple / And they of Athenes wold haue made him their lorde. he refused hit vtterly for as mo∣che as he knewe them of badde & wikked {con}dycions / & kne∣we wele that he coude not lightly chaūge their dispos••ciōs / & also he wyste wele if he shulde correcte them like as it apper∣teyned they wolde serue him as they did socrates / The say¦de plato lyued ·lxi. yeres a man of good discrecion. dispo¦sicion / & right pacient / & a grete yeuer of his good to pouer men & to strangers / and he had many disciples / amōge the whiche ·ij. of them after his deth. that is to witte / zenocra∣tes & Aristotiles held the scole•• ¶And the sayd Platon dide teche his sapyence by allegorye / to thentent that hyt shuld not be vnderstande but by wytty men· And he ber∣ned hit of Tymeo and of socrates / he made ·vj / bookis / & preched and taught the people that they shulde yeue graces and than••••••es to god for his goodenesses & mercy / & for that

he made them all egall in so moche / that be aman̄ neuer so mighty / his power can no more / than if he were apouer crea¦ture / resiste ayenst deth / semblably he had and thanked god for the witte that he hath yeuen to man ¶And saide yma¦gyne no thing to be in him / but that / that is nedfull goode and couenable ¶And said / be not couetous vpon worde¦ly goodes / for god hath ordeygned that we shulde haue suf¦fisaunce in this worlde· And suche suffisaunce is called Sapience / The whiche ye ought to haue with the drede of god· whiche is the keye of goodenesse. wherby ye may entre and atteyne to the goode and true richesse of this worlde / le¦uyng to do all thing that may cause hattered and euill will / for and ye wist howe summe thinges that ye loue & preyse / ar euil and vyle / ye wolde haue them in more hatered than loue ¶And sayde. directe and amende your self. and after labour to correcte other and if ye do not ye shalbe dāp¦ned. And I telle you. the thing that hath made me moost gladde. Is that I haue not secte by golde ne siluer. for if I hadde gadred grete tresor I shuld haue hade many heuy thoughtes· where I haue nowe Ioye & gladdenesse. whiche en¦cresses daily in me in lernynghe wysdom. And for to lete you wete. that gold and siluer aren not good. to be ouer moche set by· Ther is summe countre that alittill yuory or vnycorne bone. Is bought for a grete somme of gold And in other places. men take glasses bras and other suche thinges. for asmoche gold· And therfore if it were perfytely good of him self. he shulde be egally chosen. and loued ouer alle like as sapience is chosen and loued in euery Cuntre ¶And sayd. Enquere and seke to

haue vertues / & ye shalbe saued praise no foule thingis and blame no thing that is laudable / & trauaile you not for to winne thīges / that shal lightly be lost / folowe after your good predecessours arraye you with iustice and clothe you with chastite / & so ye shalbe happy / & your werkes lauded And said Custome is a grete thinge ¶And said the wik¦ked werkes dampne and distroye the good & the bittrenes¦se of the aloe tre distroyeth the swittenesse of the hony / And said. A wyseman ought not to think on his loss••s / but ought to kepe wele the remanaunt of his good ¶And said he that doth not for his frendis while he may· they wol leue him whan he shal haue moost nede to them ¶And said that sapience is good / for she can not be lost as other catalles and wordely goodes may / And it was axed him wherby awyse man might be knowen / and he ansuerd wh••n he wol not be wroth of the iniures that ben don vnto him and reioyseth him not when men preyse him / And It was axed of hym / howe men might best be venged of their ennemyes / he ansuerd for to be vertuous / and to do good and noble dedes ¶And sayd to his disciples Enfor∣ce you to gete Sciences· by the whiche ye shal dyrecte your saules / And do your part for to kepe the lawe in suche wy¦se. that your maker may be content with you ¶And he sawe a yong man that had solde / the lyuelode that was com to him by succession. And he dyspended it amysse in gre¦te dyuers and other misrewle. To whom he said the erthe eteth other men. but thy self etest the erthe. And it was axed of him. why it is that tresour and Science may not accorde to gider. And he ansuered and sayd

that one thing / ho••l a cōplisshed may not be dyuided And said that he that tru•••••••• in his fortune / And is not som¦what besye and diligent to laboure in goode werkis the goo¦de resorted from hym / as doth the arowe from the stone that it hath light vpon ¶And said he that techeth good to o¦ther / and doth it not him self. Is like to hym that lighteth acandell to another / and goth him self darkeling ¶And saide a king ought not to be gretely praised / that reygneth onely but vpon his subgiectes / but he aught to haue lawde That reigneth and hath lordship vpon his ennemyes ¶And sayd / he that gedreth and assembleth moche siluer ought not to be called riche / but he that dispendeth it wor¦shipfully and laudably. And som asked him howe one might kepe him from nede / and he answered if men be riche let hem lyue temperately / and sobrely. and if they be pouer lete hem laboure diligentely / Than sōme axed him of howe moche goode aman ought to be content / And he answered to haue so moche as he neded nat to flatre nor borowe of o¦ther ¶And sayd to his disciples / whan ye shalbe wery of studyng / sporte you in redyng goode stories ¶And sayd / that the wyseman ought not to coueite the riches¦se of his frende / lest he be hated and dispreyse him ther¦fore ¶And sayde / Alittill goode is a grete thing ••f thou be content ther with ¶And sayd / it is bettir and amore co¦uenable thing to aking / to remembre and se to the goode gouernaunce of his people the space of aday / than for to daunce & sporte hym a hole yere ¶And sayd werkis doon by wysdom causeth knowlege of thingis & them discreteli to dis¦cerne / and werkes doon by ignorāce is an vnknowen thing

til trouth stable & sette them in their right wey / & workis doon by lesingis is for to disordre goode thīges / & put them oute of their propre placis ¶And saide thou shalt neuer be pacient whyll thou art couetous / And it was asked him howe he might haue lerned so moche wysdom / he ansuerd by cause I haue putte more oille in my lampe to studie by than wyn in my cuppe· And it was axed of him what man is moost couenable to gouerne a towne / And he ansuerd he that can wele gouerne him self / And it was also axed of him what man was moost worthy to be called wyse / and he ansuerd he that taketh moost hede to goode conseile and casteth moost dowtes ¶And sayd. that the vessels of golde be proued and knowen by thair sowne / if they be bro¦ken or hoole / soo ar men proued and knowen by their spe∣che if they be wyse or fooles / And It was axed him whi∣che be the moost Ignorant men in their dedis· And he said suche as werke moost after their owne cons••yll / and that obeye to them self· and for deffault of goode aduisement dispose hem hardely to do wykkid dedes. And they asked him who dooth moost wrong to him self. And he said he that meketh him to thoos that he ought not ¶And said the ignorāt peple Iugeth lightly the fairenesse or the filth that they se outwarde. & the wyseman Iugeth by that. that they se of mannes cōdycions ¶And said he findeth sa¦pience that seketh her by the right weye. and many erre by cause they seke her vnduely and blame her without cause And saide he that is ignorant of good sapiēce. knoweth not him self. & he that knoweth not him self is of all ig∣norauntis the moost ignoraunt. And he is wyse that kno∣weth

Ignoraunce. and he that knoweth it not is ignorāt ¶And sayd wrath ledeth shame in a lese ¶And said The king resembleth to a grete Ryuyre growyng of litil and smale rennyng watres and therfore if he be swete the litil shulde be swete. And if he be salt the litil shulde be salt And said be wele ware that in bataille thou truste not all onely in thy strength dispreysing thyn naturall witte causeth victorie withoute might / but v••••••ethe may men haue victorie by strength withoute vse of natural wit And sayd wordes withoute goode effect. is like a grete watre that drowneth the people and doth it self no prouf∣fyt ¶And saide a suspectious man is of euyl condicions and lyueth in sorowe ¶And said be not wylling to vse eny wordely delectaciōs / into the tyme that ye se whether wit¦te and reason graunte therto / And if thiese two accorde thou maiste wele and lightly knowe the fairenesse / and the filth therof. And in what wyse they varie· and what difference is betwene hem ¶And sayd· The Reames aren somtyme lost by neglygence And somtyme for vsing to moche Idelnesse and also by to grete trustyng in f••rtu¦ne· Also whan men entende not to encrese the people to in∣habyte the lande. And also when werre lasteth long ther in ¶And said The ende of Indignacion is to be asha∣med of him self· And It was axed hym howe A wy∣seman coud be troubled. And he ansuerd· Whan he is compelled to tell the trouth of an vnknowen thyng to hym ¶And sayd. Whan thou shalt se Aman of good disposicion. and full of parfectyon· thou ought to do after hym· for couetise is bothe weke and seke in hym

to do after him / for couetise is bothe weke and seke in him

¶And said / dispraise not alitill thing for it may encres¦se ¶And said / blame not nor rebuke aman whan he is wroth. for than thou mayest not directe him ¶And said be not gladde of the euill fortune of another / for thou kno¦west not howe the worlde may tourne ayenst the ¶And sayd stable thy witte bothe at thy right hande and thy left And thou shalt be fre ¶And said / there is thre thinges that doth me harme to se / that is to saye / A riche man fallē in pouertee / a worshipfull man dispraised / and a wyse man mokked / and scorned by ignoraunte people ¶And said / be not in felisship with the wikked men for / noo goo¦de that they ain promise the ¶And said whan a royaume is in prosperite / Couetise is bounde to the king / & whan it is in aduersite / the king is bounde to couetise ¶And said / Co¦uete not that thy thing / ben hastily don / but desire onely that they be welldon ¶And said aman ought to be better contēt & is more bounde to his prince / for con fairre worde of hym than if other hadde geuen him grete giftis ¶And said / the gyftes that be yeuen to the goode people / askith retribucion & the giftes that be yeuen to the noghty people / causeth them but to aske more ¶And said the wikkidenesse foloweth after the wikked men / & dispraiseth all goodenesse / like as theflye that setteth her vpon corrupt thīges / & leueth the swe¦te flowres ¶And said haste thou not to preyse eny thing vn¦to the tyme / that thou knowest if it be worthy / for to be pray¦sed or not ¶And said that a wysemā ought not to exalte him self byfore the vncōning but meke him & thanke god that it hath pleased him to exalte him in ḡee / & put peine to

bringe hym out of his Ignorance in the waye of rightwy¦senesses & cortesie for if he shulde rebuke him shamefully it shuld be cruelte & to īstructe him easely is courteisie / And said that .ij. disputers disputing & arguing. for to haue knowlech of y^e trouth of a thīg / haue no cause to be wroth to gidre for their question falleth to oo cōclusion / but & if the one thinketh f••r to {con}quere the other / they may haue ligh∣tely hatered to gider. for as moche as ich of them wolle brīge his felawe to his owne entente & so to subdue his opy¦nyon ¶And said whan thou wilt borowe or axe eny thing of any man / if it be refused the thou ought to be more asha∣med of thin asking than he of his refus And said he that can not nor wil gouerne him self is not able to gouerne many other ¶And said a wyseman ought to aske curteyse¦ly & mekely / & with fewe wordis like as the leche that dra∣weth more bloode of a man mekely & without noyse than doth the sincerolle that pricketh faster & maketh more noyse And saide aman of feble courage annoyeth him lightly of that he loueth ¶And said enforce thy self to knowe god / & drede him / & peyne the for to knowe thy self & to teche other and rather to do so than to besy the in thin other daily occu¦pacions ¶And said Desire no thing of god / but that is prouffytable but desire of him the good that is durable lo∣ue not simply the goode lyff here / but principally the good ende ¶And said he is vnhappy that {con}tinueth in his mali∣ce & thinketh not on his ende And saide reken not thy getting in thinges that ben from the / ne tary not to do for them that haue doon for the· til they aske the / the recompense

¶And said. He is not verry wyse that gladdeth or

reioysed him in wordely prosperitees / and is troubled in ad¦uersitees ¶And said· the filth of wordely witte is kno¦wen in moche speche ¶And said· first thinke & aftirward speke & than execute / for thinges chaunge lightly ¶And said. angre the not sodeynly / for if thou acustune it· it woll tourne ones to thy harmes ¶And said. If thou be wil¦ling to yeue eny thing to eny nedy body. tary not till to mo¦rouwe. for thou knowest not what may befall to the. And yeue to him that may not labour ne gete his liuing ¶And said be not wyse onely in seyng· but in dedes· for the speche wasteth in the world & the sapience of dedis / is prouffita¦ble in the euer lasting world ¶And said· our lorde accep¦teth him for noble· that doth goode werkis though he be pe¦asible of litle wordes· and reputeth for euill the praieres & sacrifices that ben doon by euill people ¶And said· If thou laboure to doo goode. thou shalt therfore suffre no peyn· for if thou hast dilectacion to do synne. thy dilectacion shall vanishe & be none / and thy synne shall abide euer with the ¶And said haue in mynde the daye that thou shalbe called to thy Iugemēt / & thou shalt here nothing & than thy clatte¦ryng tounge shalbe still· the thought shal faile the / thyn yen shalbe derke / and thyn humanite shalbe cōsumed in to the erthe / and thy wicte so corrupt. that thou shalt haue no po¦wer to fele the stenche of thy body. nor howe the wormes shall fuke thy roten kareyn / Also haue in mynde the place wher thou shalt goo· the lordis and the seruauntis shalbe alle like in the sayd place· and that ther may nother frende ne foo hurt nor helpe the ¶And therfore ler∣ne good sciences and disciplyne· for thou shalt not

knowe whan thy departing out of this worlde shalbe and yet be certayn that amongis all the yeftes of god / sapience is the moost exellent. she yeueth goodenesse to the good peple & pardonneth to the wikked their wikkednesses. thinke & haue in thy mīde {con}tinually that thou haste ado / & trust not in eny thingis of this moeuaeble world. be wele ware that thou do no foule dedis· for no delectacion nor wīningis. & be¦ware that for the variable plaisaūces of this wikked world thou lese not the ioyfull & euerlasting blysse ¶And saide loue sapience vnderstande & herken the wysemen / & be obeys∣sant to thy l••rde werke not but in due tyme· & yet take he∣de howe thou shalt do it / loke that thou say no worde vncon¦uenient / & be not prowde for no richesses· ne despeire the not for non euill fortunes be wele disposed to all peple / & dis∣prayse no man for his mekenesse ¶And said that thou reputest no vice in thy self / blame not another though he doth it. & thou ought not to desire to be preysed of vertues that be not in the / ne do no suche thing that thou woldest bla¦me or dispraise another if he dyd it / Thou must do suche thingis as been good & couenable though they be forboden the And saide A wyseman ought to repute his errour grete & his good dedis litil ¶And said afolye is to cut the vy¦nes / & take awey the euil branches therof & to leue within our self the couetises. & other wikkidnesses And said li∣ke as we kepe our self from the multitude of metes for the helth of our body / we ought by a grete reason to abstein vs from vices / for the sauacion of oure saules And saide he that addeth to his gentilnesse noblesse with good maners and condicions is worthy to be praysed. And he that

taketh and suffiseth him conly / with the gentilnesse that co¦meth to him by hys kynred / withoute purchassing eny other vertues. ought not to be called good / nor to be holde noble ¶And sayd / if thou fele thy self more true to the kyng / than other ben / and that thy wagis ben like to thei¦res or lesse / yet thou ought not to compleyne therof / for thin ar lasting / and so ar not theires ¶And sayd / If eny ha¦ue enuie at the / and by enuie saith euill of the / Sette not therby / and thou shalt haue peas with hym / for he seketh not but for to haue noyse with the ¶And sayd men ought to kepe wele their halidayes / that is to witte principally from euil doying ¶And said / the more that thou art exalted in high astate the more thou ought to be meke and curtei¦se to the people to the ende / that their loue may abyde with the / if eny thing shulde befall the. other wyse than wele ¶And sayd ōnneth may aman kepe the loue of his frē¦des / if he wol correct him rudely of his faultes ¶And said a wyseman ought for to chese goode men to be his ser¦uauntes / like as men chese the goode grounde for to la¦bour hit

ARistotle by interp̄tacion in grekes tōge / is fulfil¦led or complete of goodenesse / And he was sone to Nichomacus / the whiche was right connyng in fisike and a good fisicien / & was boren in the Towne of Stagree / and he was of the kinred both by his fadirs sy¦de / and by his modirs syde of Esculapius of the whiche he¦re byfor hath bemade mencion for he was in his tyme the moost excellent And the best of all the grekes / and whan the sayde aristotle was .viij. yeres of age his fadir putted

him in the cite of Athenes that than was called the Cy∣te of wysdom. and there he lerned Gramare Retorike and other bookes of poetrie. And therin he studyed / the space of .ix. yeres prouffyting gretely therin / And in thoos dayes men sette moche store by the foresayde sciences and was their opynion that itwas the laddre to go vp in∣to alle other sciences / And certayn other wyse men at the same tyme as Pytagoras and pytoras and dyuers other reputed and held the sayd sciences for no sciences & did but moke and scorne theim that lerned them / Saying that suche scyence as Gramare Retorik and poetrye / were not couenable to come to eny wysdom / And that Gramare is not but f••r to teche the childeren / Poetrye but for to tell fables and to make lesynges / Retorike for to speke faire and in termes. And whan Aristotle harde th••s wordes he had grete merueyle therof / and was gretely agreued with suche as helde the same opynyon· And strength him after his power to susteyne alle manere of Gramaryens the poetes and also the Retoriciens And sayd pleinly that Sapience can not excuse her of the sayd Sciences for Reason is an Instrument of wytte. as It appereth open∣ly· that knowyng of eny thyng is to vse of Reason / and this prerogatiue / whyche god had yeuen to men is right noble and whorthy. to thentente that amongis the men he shuld be holden for the moost Noble and most wyse that more vseth of reason. And that better and mo∣re couenably receyueth in hys herte thynges· And telleth hem in place. and tyme couenable. And for as moche as Sapience is moost noble of alle other thinges

she ought to be declared by the best rayson and couenable manere and by the moost pleasamit and short wordes that can be don without errour or letting the sentence for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the reason be spoken inparfeitely the name of wisdom if lost therby / and so is the speker in fawte / And so the herers re¦sten in dowte of the sentence / And aftir that aristoteles cowde the sciences abouen said he lerned of plato in aplace Called Epidenie Ethikes and the .iiij· sciences theolegi¦kes / and at that tyme he was .xvij· yeres of age / and whan plato went the secōd tyme into Cecile / he left Aristotiles in his place in the saide towne of Epidenie / In the whiche he taught the science and lerned it and after the deth of plato the kyng phelipe of macedoyne sent for aristotilles whiche went to him in macedoyne and ther dwelled with him du¦ring his lyff teching contynnally the said science and af¦tir the deth of king phelippe Reigned his sone Alexandre the grete And whan Alexandre departed from macedoy¦ne for to go into the Countre and region of daise thoo re¦tourned Aristotill to athenes and there he dwelled ·x. yeres studying til that he becam asouuerain clerk / & apreest accused him by enuie to the Citezins telling hem that he worshipped not their ydolles like as other people dide at that tyme wherof aristotill was aduertised and hastily departed fro Athenes and went into y^e towne of setagire where he was borne fering that they of Athenes wold ha¦ue don to him as they dide to socrates if he had dwelled lenger with theym And he ordeigned aplace in setagire where he helde and kept the scoles yeuing many good in structions to the people And occupied the tyme in goode

dedes. And yaue grete almesdedis to poure people. and maried many poure children that wer fadir and modir lees and he taught benignely alle tho that wolde studye what astat or nacion that euer they wer of / and ediffied & bilded newe ayen thesaid Cite of stagire and therin ordeigned lawes· and yaue instructions to kingis and princis whi¦che they tooke and kept right reuerentely· and aftir he deyde in the age of ·lxiij· yeris· they of Stagire tooke his bo¦nys and right worshipfully put hem in a shryne wher they held their counscile for his grete witte / and also for the gre¦te and feruent loue that they hadde to him· and as often tymes that they hadde ado eny grete matere for to haue the de¦claracion therof· the men whiche were of counscile wolde go and stande as nigh the saide shreyne wher the bonys were as they cowde for to haue knowlege of y^e trouth of their ma¦tere. and thus they did for to worship him the more. and their opinions and verry trust wer for onely beyng nygh the said shryne their wittes shulde be the bettir and their vnderstandyng more pure and subtill. And the said Aristotill hadde in his tyme many kinges sones that wer his disciples· and he made in his dayes wele an ·C. bookis of the whiche we haue nowe .xxviij. in logike .viij. in natu¦re the book of Ethik the book of politik the booke of Metha¦fisike· that is named theologike and the bookis of the wit¦tes of goemetrie / and platon rebuked him bicause that he wrotte his sciences in bookis / to whom he said in excusing him that it is athing knowen and notified ynowe. that all thoo that loueth science ought to do nothing that shulde cause the losse of her· And therfore It is good to compose

and make bookis by the whiche sciēce shalbe lerned / & whan our memorie shal fayle it shalbe recouered by meane of boo∣kis for he that hateth science shal not proffite in hit though it be so that he se the bookis & biholde hem yet shal he sette not by it / but departe wors & lesse wyse than he was a fore. & I haue made and ordeigned my bookis in suche forme that the wyse men shal lightly & aisely vnderstande hem but the ig∣noraunt men shal haue but litil auayle by hem ¶And the saide Aris••otiles held gladly in his hande an Instrument of the sciēce of the sterres ¶And said to king Alixandre he that hath in this worlde good & laudable name & the ḡce of god ought to aske ne desire non other thing ¶And said thus to him / directe thy self first for if thou be not iuste ho¦we maist thou wele direct thy peole. & if thou be in errour thou canst neuer gouerne hem wele / for a pouer man can not make another riche / he that is disworshipped can not wor¦ship another / he that is right feble may not helpe another / & so may not goodely ne wele eny man directe another. but if he dyrecte him self first. And therf••re if thou wol take of the filthes from other / clense thy self first / or ellis thou shalt be as the leche that is seke & can not hele him self and traue••leth to hele other that haue the same sekenesse ¶And said It is a grete chastisement to the peple to haue a right wys lord. And It is a grete corrupcion vnto theym to haue a corrupt and mysruled kyng ¶And sayd· kepe the fro couetise for thou oughtest to think and remembre wele that It is not laudable thyng to haue rychesses in this world. and shame in the other seying that this world is no more but onely abaytyng place for to go to the

other worlde ¶And said / If thou wol be riche suffise the with suche as thou hast / for he that hath not suffisaunce can neuer be riche what goodes that euer he hath ¶And sayd If it were so that by euill doyng It shulde fortune the to ha∣ue som good / & by wele doyng to haue som harme / yet eschewe the euill orellis thou shalt be deceyued atte last & euir do we∣le & atte last thou shalt be remunered therfore ¶And say∣de / suche thing as thou prayses vpon thyself blame it not vpon another. and do nothing to other / but as thou woldest it wer don to the / refrayn thyn owne wille / & hate not other men / be not enuious / and haue hym not in Indignacion that hath offensed the / for no man can somtyme eschewe er∣rour / be not couetous / for couetise lettith the mānes reason / & taketh aweye the knowlege of trouth / do not vncouenable werkis / take compaynie with wyse men and studie in th••ir bookis / fle l••singes / for the lyers lyeth not but for vnkno∣wing of reason and of her saules / the lest harme that can fall to alyer / is that no man bileueth him of nothing that he saith / neuirthelesse man may bettir be ware of a theffe than of alyer ¶And sayd the hertis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good people accordeth togiders / like as rennīg watre with the watre of the see. & the hertis of euill people can not lightly accorde / all be it that they be togidres / as the vnreasonable bestes that playe & lepe togidre & sodaynly falle to fighting ¶And said / ordeigne that your offices and auctoritees ben yeuen to theym that loueth & foloweth trouth & rightwysnes and cause them to haue rigorous peynes y^t ben harmedoers & loueth falshode & desepcion And said / If ye haue dowte in eny thing counseile you to wysemen & if they dispraise you therof be ye neu wroth

therfore / and if aman hath som vice & beside that hath ma∣ny vertues ye ought not therfore to lete to aske him cōseile ¶And saide many man shal both lette & trouble the that can not helpe the ¶And said Iustice is a mesure the whi¦che god hath ordeigned vpon the erthe by the whiche the fe¦ble is defended from the myghty / and the true from the vntrue ¶And saide the wyseman knoweth what ignorā∣ce is in as moche as somtyme he hath ben ignorant but the ignorant was neuer wyse & therfore he knoweth not what is wysdom ¶And said to Alexādre / ther be many litil be∣sinesses in thy royame & many grete & generall & if thou ye¦ue pouoir to eny {per}sone vpon the grete / & thy self to occupie the litil thou shalt wele witte & {per}ceyue that grete domage shal therby fall to the in tyme comyng / if it falleth not sonner And said liberalite is to yeue to nedi peple or to him y^t hath deserued it / so that the gift be aftir the possibilite of the ye¦uer for he that yeueth ouer reas••n ought to be called waster & not liberal ¶And said sapiēce is the defense of the saule & myrrour of reason wherfore he is right blessed that traueil¦leth to haue her for she is the fōdemēt & y^e roote of all noble dedes & laudable thingis & by her we may wīne the good en¦de and kepe vs from peyne euerlastīg And said O alex¦andre if thou vse thy pouoir and lordship other wyse than thou oughtest to do· thou shalt be enuied / of enuie shal com lesingis / of lesingis shal com Iniustice & ennemytee / of In¦iustice and ennemytee shal com bataile. and by bataylle the lawe shalbe perisshed. the people hurt. and thy possessions lost· But if thou vse· thy lordship as thou oughtest to do· trouth shal encresse in thy Royaume. of trouth

shall come Iustice· of Iustice loue / of loue grete yeftis· & su∣retie by the whiche· the lawe· the people and thy good shal be maynteyned & encrece ¶And said he that maketh his Royaume seruaunt to the lawe shall reigne / & he that taketh & put out the lawe from the royame shall not reigne ¶And said. A king ought to be of goode & strong courage / to re∣mēbre wele the ende of the werkis / & to be courtoys & fre· & to refrayn his wrath wher it apparteigneth and shewe hit where it nedeth / to kepe him from couetise / to be true to go∣uerne him as nygh as he may aftir his goode predecessours to yeue to his men as they haue deserued. to deffende & kepe the lawe & the feith· & euir to do wele aftir his might / & if the strength of his body faile him thenne to kepe the might of his corage / by the whiche he shalbe the more assured in all his nedis ¶And said the king that gouerneth him & his roaume wele by his wysdom Is worthy to be greetly praised & lauded ¶And said to Alexandre / seche to wynne the ri∣chesses that be not trāsitories. the lyf that is not moeuable the kyngdō that can not be taken aweye from the. & the eu••r¦lasting Ioye. & be pitefull but not somoche that thou stāde in daungier therby / do pugnicion & Iustice to thaim that haue de∣serued it without delay trauaille the to fortiffie the lawe for in that is the loue & drede of god. & whan thou shalt be cō∣pelled to take vēgeaunse of thyn ēnemy put it not ouer til another daye for the fortune. & condiciōs of this wrolde mo∣eue & chaunge oft••̄tymes sodaynely ¶And said thou ought not to hate him that saith the sothe nor to chide him that ke∣peth the feithe but he that shal do cōtrarie to the feithe be thou his ennemy with all the power of thy royaume ¶And said

It is bettir that thou correcte thy self and amende the aftir the exemple of thy predecessours / than thy successours shuld amende hem aftir the exemple of the ¶And said worshippe the goode men & therby thou shalt haue the loue of the people and sette not al thy wil in this world in the whiche thou maist not long abyde ¶And saide worshippe sapiēce & for∣tiffie it by good maistris disciples & scolers / worship hem paye for their expencis & kepe hem of thy household / aftir that thou shalt se they shalbe prouffyted & sped in the scien¦ce And thou shalt fynde that grete prouffyt & worship shal com to the therfore ¶And said he is of bygge & strong corage of good discrecion & laudable feith / that bereth paci∣entely all his aduersitees for a man can not be knowen in his prosperyte ¶And said thou ought to thinke that the wekest of all thyn ennemyes is stronger than thy self ¶And sayd thou ought to cherisshe thy knightis & thy yomanry / and to haue hem in as grete loue in tyme of peas as in tyme of werre / for if thou sette litil by them in tyme of peas / they shal forsake the whan thou shalt haue more ne¦de of hem ¶And saide the grettest prouffyt that thou canst do in thy royame is to take aweye the wykkid peple / & to re¦warde the goode ¶And saide a man is of euil {con}dicion that taketh no hede but to the vices & fawtes of other in disprey∣sing of them ¶And said worshipful deth is bettir than sha¦meful liff ¶And said the sapiēce of a man of lowe degre is worship & the f••lie of him that is of high degre is ashame & auarice is the thīg that taketh awey the name of gentil∣nesse And said the good prīce ought to goune the peple as his good p̄decessours haue don & to loue & cherisshe the good

and true peple more than his tresour or other wordely goo∣des / and to delite him in that / that he hath rightwysly / & not wrongfully ¶And said no man ought to be asshamed to do Iustice / for if the king be not iusticial he is not knig but he is violent and rapax ¶And said the wikkid men obeye for drede / and the goode for theire goodenesse ¶And said men ought to do wele to the good peple & to chastise the wikkid by rigour ¶And said wrath ought not to be to sharp ne to swete / and he wrotte an epistoll to Alex¦andre / that the kinges been worshipped for ·iij. thinges that is to witte for instruction of good lawes / for conquestes of landes & regions and for to peoplishe & distroye desertes & wildernessis / and he wrotte also to alixādre that he shulde not be willing to correcte all mēnes fawtes to rigorousely for it lith not entierly in mannes power to kepe him from doying euyl / & therfore it is good sōtyme to foryeue errours & if it be so that of nede pugnicion must be don / men ought to shewe that theydo it by cōpulsion to amēde & pugnisshe the errours & not in manere nor by weye of vēgeaunce / & he sa∣we a man that hadde his hand smytten of for thefte that he had don ¶And he said for asmoche as that man had taken from other suche as was not ther owne men haue taken from him y^t / that was his ¶And said thou maist not so wele cau¦se thy peple to loue the as to cherisshe hem & shewe hem right wysenesse / & if thou doost the contrary though thou hast the lordship of their bodies thou hast not the lordship of their her¦tis ne of their courages / & that shalt thou finde whan thou callest vpon their seruise at thy nede wherfor it is a grete dā¦gier for aking to do iniurie and do make his peple hate him

And said he is right happy y^t can chastyse him self takīg ex¦emple by other / And said fortifie your saules with good de¦des & departe you from couetises which distroyeth the feble co¦rages ¶Ther is nothing that maketh aman l••sse to be sette by / than to preyse & boste him self of his goode dedis And it was axed of him what is the cause that wisemen wol not be wrothe & eny man wol teche hem. And he ans¦u••rd for asmoche as wysemen knowen that sciēce is a right proffitable thīg / And saide he that wol not nor can not do wele atte lest ought to kepe him from euil doyīg / And said to his disciples loke that ye haue / iiij / eeres / ij / for to h••rkēe & lerne sciencis & proffitable thingis / & the other / ij / for your other wordely besinesses ¶The moost {pro}fitable thing to the world is the deth of the euil peple. And said a man may not be so wele knowen / as in grete auctorite / And said in all thīgis the lest quātite is the lighter to bere sauf onely in sciēces / for he that hath moost therof the lighter may bere it / And it was axed of him what was the moost couenable thīg for a discrete man to haue / And he ansuerd that / that shuld abide with him if he wer ascapped out of a drowned ship in the see / And said men ought to loue to lerne the best of the sciēcis as the bees loue the swetest of the floures / & he had a noble & worshipful heritage of the which he lete other ha¦ue the gounāce & wold not go theder him self / And it was axed him the cause / And he ansuerd that. he that oftenest goth to se his heritagis hath more displeasirs / And said the tōge of a foole is the key of his secret / And said to one that was slowthfull and wold not lerne / sithen thou wol not take the peyne for to lerne. thou shalt haue the peyne

to be lewde & vncōnyng. And said kepe the from the feliship of him that knoweth not him self· ¶Tho that ben dayly enclined & vtterly disposed to vices may not encres¦se in good ne proffyte in science. And saide if thou wol ha∣bandone to thy body al his wil thou shalt be the worse both in helth & in all other thinges· & atte last thy saule shalbe dampned therfore ¶He that is entierly enclynd to do fornicacion may not be praysed ne come to good ende / And said a mery man wol not lightly be wroth / ¶A li••beral man may not wele be enuious / ne a couetous man cō¦tent with his richesse. And said the man is preued & try¦ed by his werkis as the gold by the fyer. One of his dis¦ciples made to him an euil raport of one of his felawes. to whom he said I wol not beleue thyn euil wordis ayenst thy felawe nor I wil not beleue his euil wordes ayēst the / And said like as the rayn may not proffite to the corne y^t is sa∣wen vpon the drye stones / nomore can studieng auaile to a foole ¶A mannes tonge sheweth his witte or his folie ¶Experience ought to correcte a man and to helpe him to liue wele / And saide sapiēce maketh richesse to be fayer & hy¦deth poutee / It was axed of him what was fayer speking And he ansuerd to speke litil & laudably & to yeue reasona¦ble answeres· & he wrote thus to alexandre / ye be a noble & mighty king & more mighty than ye were & shal encrece yf ye directe & gouerne wele & iustely your peple / & in so doyng the peple shal obeye you / but if ye be an extorcioner & take al their good from them than ye shalbe lord of the pouer peple and than shal ye be like him that hath leuer goune the doin beestis than the men / ne ther is nothīg so couenable to aking

as to coueyte vnduely the goodes of his peple ¶And say∣de he that hath alitill of trouth desireth to haue more / And saide reason maketh aman to be more souuerain than be••stis & he that hath no reason is but abeeste in many thinges the newest is the best / but loue is contrarye / for the elder it is the more it is worth / & one Abrakyn lord of sciences axed him what thing aman ought to lerne first that seketh sapi¦ence / to whom he answerd the gouernemēt of the saule / In asmoche as she is euerlasting and more noble without eny comparison than eny thing that we haue / Than they axede him howe may the saule acquere sapience / and he answered as a seke man seketh his fisicien and as ablynde man enque∣reth of the colours to theym that se hem / and it was ax••d of him / howe a saule might se her self / and he answered the saule that lakketh sapience can se nothing as the eyen with out light that nether se hem self nor other ¶And said all manere of thinges haue propertes / and the properte of discrecion is to chese wele the good from the euill ¶And said the lordshippes wonne by study dangiers and peynes and so kept / ought wele to contynne and prospere-And thoos y^t be lightly wōne & kept in Ioye and plesaunce / com¦me to alittill prouffyt atte last / & we se cōmonely the townes wherin the inhabitauntes take grete labour be wele mayntey∣ned and encresse with grete richesses / and the townes full of pleasaunce & delices full to ruyne & distruction ¶And sai¦de hastinesse of speche maketh men to erre ¶And said I mer¦ueille howe he y^e men lawde without cause accept it & is ple¦ased with all / & he of whom men say euil without cause is an¦gry with all ¶And said loke that thou be not as the bulter

whiche castith the floure & kepeth the brenne ¶And saide men ought not to take the gouernāce of the peple to a child to him also that can not knowe the nedis of the poure peple to him that is couetous / to him that wil werke withoute deliberacion / ne to him that is vēgeable ¶And said ther is no differēce bitwix a child of age & a child of maneres as of condicion what age that euir he be of for the condiciōs of men aren knowen & shewed by dedis & not by age ¶And saide It is nedeful to aman if he wol be good that he be able of him self to knowe trouth & do it in dede orellis that he ler¦ne hit of other / for he that of him self can not vnderstande hit nor wil lerne hit can not be good ¶And said goode∣nesse is deuided in / iij / maneres / the first is in the body / the second in the saule. and the therde in the operacions wherof the moost noble is the goodenesse of the saule for in vsīg the vertue therof / is fonde and knowen the forme in good dedis And saide aman findeth sapience and good condiciōs in long lernyng of veray sciēce· And said ther be many perso∣nes that knowen the good werkis & doo hem not whiche re¦sēbleth the seke folkis y^e axe help & {con}seill of the leche & do no thīg theraftir / & therfor the bodyes been without helth & the saules without blessidnes· And said one may knowe the in¦ward disposiciōs of aman by his outward operaciōs. And said wele doing is a laudable thīg / neuthelesse it is somwhat harde to do but lightly one may do euil as an archier to faile of the butte is no wōder / but to hytte the prike is agreet mais¦trie· And said in diuers manere we may be euil but we may not be good but in one wey / And said default of witte cau∣seth many harmes & maketh many men to fall by ignorāce

Not knowing what thing to be don or left ¶And said Aged folkis louen togider / and so doo not childeren for olde folkis haue their delectacions like & yong folkis in di∣uers weyes ¶And said agrete acōplissing of mēnes fe∣licite is to be wele frended than aman whitout felisship can not haue hole felicite ¶And said euery man hath nede of frendis / whether he stādeth in goode caas or in badde / if he stā¦deth in euill cōdicion / they for to helpe him / and if he stande in good caas / he to make mery hym and cherysshe them that they may helpe him to resiste incōuenientes that might falle ¶And said noon hath delectacion in iustice / but the iuste man / none hath fauour to sapiēce but the wysemā and noon loueth frendeship but the true frende ¶And said the wikkid men susteyne their perilles by their bodely strength and the good men suffre their perilles pacientily by the ver∣tue of thair saules whiche pacience cometh not by might of arme nor of hand nor nonother mēbre / but onely of grace of the saule / and therby to resiste aeynst couetise and other grieues of this world trusting therfore aftir to come to blisse / & he wrote to king alixādre in this forme / thou ough∣test to obeye wele the cōmandemētes of god / for he hath yeue the thy desires / and all that thou hast axed of him ¶And said sapiēce is lyf & ignorāce is deth and therfor he y^t is sa∣piēt is a lyue / for he vnderstādeth what he doth & he y^t is igno¦orāt is dede for he vnderstādeth not what he doth ¶And sayd the ātiquite of the tyme maketh the werkis olde / & bydeth no thīg but renōme which resteth in the hertis of the successours it is nedeful than to conquere good renommee & therby shal endure noblesse ¶And said lesīg is the sekenesse of the saule

whiche can not be heled but by the meane of reason why∣che lieth neuer ¶And saide Amoche wyseman is he that {pro}nounseth not the thinges into the tyme that he is present that wol vnderstande hem. And the best speker is he that speketh not til he is wele purueyed what he shal saye. & y^e bestwerkeman is he that begīneth not his werke into the tyme that he hath wele disputed & auised it. in his herte Nether is none that ought to haue somoche thought as the wyseman. for it is necessarie to him to be purueyed and certayn of his werkis And saide men are more enclined to couetise than to reason. for couetise hath acompaigned them from their childehode. & reason cometh not to them til that they be of parfyte age ¶And saide. the children hate their maistres whan they teche hem for they knowe not what good may befall them therby· but think onely the labour of the peyne of theire lernyng ¶And the said Aristotel••s callid Alexādre axing him questions vpon the gouernāce of the lordis & of the peple. to whom alexandre yaue good answeres· But neuer the lesse Aristotiles beet him with a Rod. And It was axed of him why he had beet him without cause. And he ansuerd this childe is like & able to be a grete lord & a mighty king. And I haue bete him all onely for to holde him lowly. and in mekenesse for he shalbe to soon prowde ¶And sayd If thou canst direct another. directe him as thy self. And a yong man ax¦ed him why he was so pouer / To whom he ansuerd. My pouerte hath nothing offensed me / ne doth me no harme But thyn hath doon the and shall do harmes ynowhe

¶And sayd· The Royaumes ben maynteyned by

the lawes ordeigned by the king and princes ¶And said the kinges and princes ben susteyned & vphold by knight¦hode / And the knyghtis been maniteyned by moneye / & money cometh of the people / and the people is gouerned by Iustice without whiche no Royaume may prospere

ALexander the grete was sone to phelip king of ma¦cedone / whiche phelip regned .vij· yere / And the said Alexander began to regne in the .xviij. yer of his eage / And he said to his peple in this wyse / Fayr lordes I will in no wyse be contrarye to your wylles ne to your dedes / But I shewe to you that I hate frawdes & mali∣ces / & as I haue louid you duryng my faders lyf / so wil I doo in tyme comyng ¶And I bothe counceylle & pray you that ye drede god obeye him as souerayn of all / And chese him for king / & be most obeyssant to him that shal best pour∣uye for the good astate of his peple / & that shal be most debo∣nayr & mercyful to poure folkes / that beste shal kepe Iusti∣ce / & the right of the feble ayenst the myghty / him also that shal best dispose for the publyke wele / & for no delectacion of worldly pleasāces shal not be slowfull to kepe & defende you and by whom ye shal be d••fended / & all euill & harmes / by the meane of his good dedes shal be destroyed / and him that most hardyly shal put him forth for to destroye your ennemi∣es / For suche ought to be chosen kyng and none other / & whan his people had herd the reasons abouesayd and kno∣wen his grete discrecion wytte and vnderstāding they we¦re gretly ameruaylled and / answered to him thus ¶We haue herde and vnderstand thy grete reasons / And haue resseyned and resseyue thy good counceyll / and therfore we

wole and byseche the that thou Reygne and haue the lord∣ship vpon vs duryng thy lyf / we hope that ther is none that hath so wele deseruid tobe our kyng ¶And thus they chees him to ther king and to their lord and coroned him & yaf him their blessinges / and praid to god that he wold blesse & mayntene him ¶To whom he sayd I haue herde the prayer that ye haue made for me / beseching to god that he wol stedefaste the loue of me in your hertes & corages And that by no maner of the delectacion he suffre me to do thing ayen your proffites ne to my disworship. & sone af∣ter he sente lettres to all the princes and good townes of his Royaume ¶And whan he had sent his lettres One daire king of perce and of mede sente to Alexandre for tri¦bute like as he had of his fader And he sente him word that the henne that leyd that egge is dede ¶And after this Alexander made grete conquestis· and whan he had {con}quered Iude he wente to acontre callid bragman / the why¦che whan they wiste his coming / they sente many wyse men to him / whiche salewed him & saide / sir alexāder thou hast no cause to werre vpon vs / ne to be euil willīg / for we ben both poure & meke / & we haue nothing but only sapiēce / the whi∣che if thou wolt haue / pray to god that he wol yeue her to the for by batayll thou shalt not haue her ¶And whan alexan¦der herd hem saye so / he made al his Ooste to tarye & with fewe of his knyghtes wente within the said contre for ten quere further of the trouthe ¶And whan he entred with in the same ground / he fond many poure folkes women & chylderen al naked gadring herbes in the feldes And he axid of them many questiōs· to whiche they ansuerd right

wysely / and than he bad hem axe of him somme thing that myght doo hem good & to alle their peple / & he wolde yeuen it hem gladdy ¶And thenne they saide / Sir we axe the none other thing but y^e thou wilt gyue vs euerlasting lyf Then¦ne Alexāder ansuerd & said / hou might amā make other mē¦nes liues euerlastīg / whā he maye not lengthe his owen lyf an oure ¶And that ye axe of me is in no mannes power that lyueth ¶Than they said to hym· Syth thou hast goo¦de knowleche therof. wherfore trauayllest thou thy self to des¦troye all the world / and to gadre alle the worldly tresours and wost not whan thou must leue hem ¶Thenne Alexan¦der said to hem. I do not alle these thinges that ye saye of my self· but god hath sente me thurgh alle the worlde for texalte and magnifye hys lawe and to destroye them that bileue not in hym. ¶And somtyme Alexander wente dysguysed visyting his lordes and enqueryng of her dedes ¶And vpon atyme he cam in to a towne of his owne. And sawe two men of the same toune byfore a Iu¦ge pleting. of the whiche one said to the Iuge / Sir Iuge I haue bought an hous of this man / And longe after I haue founde within the same a tresour within therthe / whi¦che is not myn / And I haue offred to diliuere it to hym And he hath refused it / wherfore Sir I biseche the that he be compelled to take it for as moche as he knoweth it is not myne for I haue no right therto ¶Thenne the Iuge comāded his aduerse partie tanfuere to the same· and then¦ne he said / Sir Iuge that same tresour was neuer myn but he hath edyfyed in that place that was byf••re comyn to alle tho that wolde haue edyfyed therin / And therfore I

haue no right to take it / And thenne they bothe required the Iuge that he wolde take it to him self / to whom he answe / red and saide / sithen it is so that ye saye / that ye haue no right to whom the heretage hath longed and yet longeth where the tresour was founde / hou sholde I haue ony right therto that am but a straūger in that caas / and neuer a fore herde speke therof. ye wolde excuse you therof and giue me the charge of the tresour / that is euill doo ¶Thenne he axid of him that had founde the tresour whether he had ony childeren / whiche ansuerd he had a sone / and he axide that other in like wise / & he said he had a doughter / Thenne the Iuge said & Iuged that a mariage sholde be made bitwene them and that they shold haue the tresour by that meane And whan Alexandre herde this Iugement / he had grete meruayll therof / and said thus to the Iuge· I trowe that ther is not in al the world so rightwis ne so trewe a Iuge as thou art / And the Iuge that knewe him not saide and axid of him whether ony Iuge wold haue don other wyse Ye certaynly said Alexander in many londes / Thenne the Iuge hauyng grete meruayll therof axed of him whether it rayned and the sonne dide shyne in tho landes / as though he wold haue sayd that is was meruayll that god shuld sende ony light or rayne or other good thinges to them that doo not ryght & trewe Iustice / And therof Alexander had gretter meruaylle than byfore and said that ther were but fewe suche peple vpon erthe / as they were in that lande And as Alexāder wente out of that lande he passed thurgh a cite / in whiche all the houses of that cyte were of one heigh¦te / & byfore the dore of euery hous was a grete pytte or graue

in whiche cyte ther was no Iuge / wherof he had grete mer∣uaylle· And axed of the inhabytauntis therin wherfore su¦che thingis shold serue· The whiche ansuerd hiin & sayd First for the outrageous height of houses. loue & Iustice can not be longe in a town among the peple· And they say¦de that the pittes or graues were their owne houses to which they shold sone go to & there dwelle vntil the day of Iuge¦m••nt. And as touching that they had no Iuge. they saide that they made good Iustice of them self wherfore they ne∣ded no Iuge. Thenne Alexāder departed from them right wel plesed ¶And afore his deth he wrote a lettre vnto his moder desiring her to make no sorowe for him ¶And sone after Alexādre died & was put in a Coffre of gold and buried in Alisaūdre· & he was born theder with grete reuerēce by kinges princes & other grete lordes / that kept & fulfilled his testamēt as he had ordeigned ¶Thenne stert vp one of the grettest lordes of them that kept him & said thus / They that neuer wepte for other kinges / now ought to wepe for this same ¶And tho y^t neuer had meruaill of adusite / shold now haue meruaill of the deth of this king And he desired the other lordes that they shuld saye sōme good thing for to {con}forte the peple that was gretly dismai¦ed & troubled for the deth of king alexādre / or for the deth of the worthyest king that euer was ¶Thēne one of them saide king alexādre was wōt to kepe gold & seluer / & now gold & seluer kepe him / And he saide it by cause of the chest that his body laye in which was of gold ¶And another said alexā¦der is de{per}ted fro sīnes & filthes & now his saule is with the good saules which ben purified And another said alexāder

was wonte to chastise alle men / and now he is chastysed ¶And another said / the kinges were wonte to drede him and now the pourest man of al the worlde dredeth him not ¶And another said / yesterday al the erthe suffised not to Alexāder / & now the lengthe of his body suffiseth him And anothe r sayd Alexāder might here yesterday & no bo¦dy durst speke aeynst his wille / and now euery man may speke & he heerith not ¶And another said the mere y^t thes¦tate of king Alexāder was grete & more exellent the more is thoccasion of his deth greuous & pytefull ¶And ano∣ther saide thoo that sawe not yesterday Alexander ferede him gretely / and now thoo that see him fereth him not ¶Ano∣ther sayd Alexander was he whos enemyes durst not come nere him / and now his frendes dispreyse and wil not see hym ¶And whan Alexander began to regne he was but .xviij· yeres of age / And he regned ·xvij. yere of the whi¦che he employed .ix. yeres in bataylle and in conqueryng And ·viij. yere he restyd hym visiting the groundes and landes that he had conqueryd ¶And he had victorye vpon .xxiiij. maner of langages / And in two yeres he sought alle thorient and o••cident / And the nombre of his knigh¦tes that were comonly of his retenew & at his wages were CCC.xiij·M. without yomārye & other men necessarie to his warres ¶And he deyde in the eage of .xxxv· yeres· & he was of sangweyn colour / his face ful of pockis / One of his eyen graye and that other black / smale & sharp teth vi¦saged like a lyon. And was of grete strengthe & loued moche warres fro his chyldehode vnto his lyues ende And he comanded that the people shold worship god & kepe hem

from synne ¶And saide the world is not susteyned but comonly by science / And the royames be not directed but by the same / & all thinges ben gouerned by reason ¶And saide s••piēce is messagier of reason ¶And it byfell that Alexander passid thurgh a toun wherin / vij / kinges had regned bifore / And he askid yf ony of their kinrede was alyue / And they of the toun saide ye / a sone of one of the said kinges / And alexāder desired to see him / And the peple said to alexander that he was euer in the chircheyerd And alexander wente to see him. & axid of him wherfore he abood so in the chircheyerd / & why he wold not take vp∣on him suche astate as his fader had & his Auncestris / as other men doo / Seeing that it was the wil of all the p••ple ¶And the yong child ansuerd & saide / O right b••unte¦uous king I haue here a thing to do / the whiche whan I ha¦ue don it / I shal do thy comaundement / To whom thenne a∣lexander axid what thyng it was that he had to do there And he ansuerd I am sechyng the bones of my fader & of myn auncestris kinges for to put hem a part from the other but I finde hem all so semblable that I can not knowe one from the other ¶Thenne alexander saide to him / thou ough∣test tacquere worship in this world / And If thou had∣dest good and strong corage / thou mightest haue all thy faders goodes and of thy predecessours & all ther honours To whome the yong child ansuerd & saide. I haue good her¦te· And alexāder axed him wherin And he saide by cause that I haue foūde lyff without deth / yougthe without eage / ri¦chesse without poute / Ioye without troble / & helthe without sekenes Certaynly said alexāder of all these thīge•• haue I

none / Thenne sayd the childe / yf ye wil haue hem / axe hem of him that hath hem / and he may yeue hem & none other Thenne Alexander said that he had neuer seen man of so grete discrecion ¶Alexander vsed euery day to be in a cer∣tayn place / for to here the conplayntes of euery body / And it was so that vpon a day onely that ther cam none to com∣playne vnto hym / And therfore he wolde not that day shold be put in the nombre of the dayes of his regne And whan he was redy to fyghte with kinge daire / it was told hym that the same daire had with hym more than. occ ·M. good fyghting men· wherto he ansuerd & sayde a good cooke ought neuer to be abasshed to see in his kechyn many sheep among other beestis ¶And the patryarkes & prela∣tes that were for that tyme cam and sayd to hym. God hath yeue to the lordship vpon many royames / regions and contrees to thentente that thou sholdest haue many children begoten of thy body / for to haue the succession of the same after thy deth / and therfore it were good that thou sholdest haue many wyues / To whom he ansuerd. that it shold torne to hym to grete ashame y^t had ouercome alle the migh¦tyest men of the world / for to be dysconfited by women Ther cam to hym a poure man wel and wysely spekyng whiche was pourly arayed / To whom Alexander sayd I haue maruaylle that thy clothyng is not after thy spe∣che / For ther is bytwene them grete difference· Thenne the poure man sayd. O myghty kinge I may of my self lerne to speke & to haue reason with me / & ye maye resonably clo¦the me / thēne Alexāder made him to be clothed with one of his best gownes ¶Also ther passed a theef byfore alexādre

that was goyng to be hanged / whiche saide / O worthy king saue my lyf for I repente me sore of my mysdedes / Thenne Alexander comanded that he sholde be hanged whyle he had goode repentaunce ¶Also vpon a tyme one axid of him x. pieces of golde / To whom Alexander saide / thou art not worthy to haue so moche / And he sayde to him ayen / Syr if I am not worthy to haue so moche yet ar ye able to yeue it me ¶And alexander axid of Aristotle what thing a good & a manly king ought continuelly to doo / And he ansuerd that he ought to thinke euery night to the good go¦uernaūce of his peple / & the day folowing to put it in eff••ct ¶And it was axid of him what thing was moost de∣lectable in conquering of landes and of countrees. And he saide the moost delectacion was to gyue largely and re∣compense them that haue doon goode seruise to him ¶And he axid of Aristotle by what mene he sholde be counceylled And he ansuerd & saide / Ordeine vpon the gouernemēt of thy houshold him that hath many seruaūtes & can wele ru¦le and gouerne them / & make him thy {pro}curour and recey∣uour of thy money that hath grete lyuelode & spendeth dis¦cretely and notably ¶And a Patriarke axid of hym what he wolde do with so many men as he had / And he ansuerd I that am lord of them that ben grete & mighty lordes may wel forbere to be lord of their seruaūtis ¶And ther cam two men bifore him differēt of oppinions / to whom he saide / the sētence that shal plese that one shal displese that other / & therfore cōsente ye to the trouth / & that shal plese you bothe And it was axid of him why he worshippid more his maister than his fader / And he ansuerd for as moche as

I haue of my maister euerlastnig lyf / And I haue of my fader lyf but for a certayn tyme ¶And whan dares dough¦ters were taken it was tolde him that they were right fay∣re. & therfore he wold not see them feeryng to haue don ony dishonest thinges. sayng that grete dishonour were vnto hym that had oucome so many notable & manly men in the bataylles / yf he shold be oucomen by women beyng in his prysons ¶And it bifelle that one made a longe sermon byfore him whiche noyed moche to alexāder wherfore he say∣de the predicacion is not to be lawded that endureth ouer the power of the herbeners. but that is good that endureth after the possibilite of them that hereth it· And it was axid of him how men myght acquyre the loue of other men / & he ans¦uerd in doyng hem good. or els atte leste in doyng hem no∣ne harme ¶And sayd men sōme tyme throue better by their enemyes than by their frendes ¶And it was axid of him how he might be so myghty· consideryng that he was so yong of age. And he said for as moche as I haue trauaylled ••••••cquere frendys / and yeuyn to myn enemyes· and by this maner I haue power vpon hem alle ¶And sayd it is a grete losse to a man to lose his frendis and more than to lese his sone or his tresour ¶And sayd the frendes that be acquerid bygood dedes· ben better than tho that ben acquerid by force ¶And vpon a tyme as alexander wente to spor∣te hym priuely. certayn men beyng at a wyndow keste wa••ter vpon him. wenyng that he had ben one of their felaws & whan they sawe y^t it was alexāder they were gretly aferd / & alexāder badde hem be not aferd sayng y^t they had weted none but him y^t they thought to wete And as aristotle taught

many kynges sones with Alexander / he axed ones of one of hem / what shalt thou gyue me whan thou shalt be a king The whiche saide I shal make the my grete gouernour / & in like wyse he axid of another / whiche saide I shal yeue to the half my royame· And th••nne he axid of alexāder / whiche ansuerd him thus / Maistre enquere of me not this day vp¦on that / that I haue to do to morowe / for whan I shal see that I neuer sawe / I shal thinke that I neuer thoughte / but if I regne as th••u sayst I shal / thēne I shal doo as thou shalt see & thinke to be couenable / And thenne Aristotle saide to him / Certaynly I wote wel that thou shalt be a grete & a mighti king. for thy face & thy nature sheweth it so ¶Alex∣andre sayde to one that long had ben his lieutenaūt & had neuer rebuked him of no vice / I am no thing pleasid with thy seruice / Why sire sayde his lieutenaūt / By cause sayd Alexander that I am a man as another & erre & haue erred many a tyme / sith thou cam in my seruice / and thou sawest neuer no fawte in me / therfore thou art not suche / as I ought to haue to be my lieutenaūt / for thou art not wyse / & if thou hast seen & knowen my fawtes and not corrected me therof Thou art not trewe to me ¶And he said / Reason letteth not to acquere science / but slouth dispraysith it ¶And somme axed of a wyseman called Nychomake / what was the cause that men obeyed so lightly to Alexādre / And he sayd by cause that he was vertuous / that he had wel kept Iustice and he had ben of good cōuersacion and of right excellent gouernement ¶And there were two men whiche axed euery of them to haue to his wyf the doughter of a ri¦che man / of whiche two. one was riche and the other pouere

And the fader yaf the doughter to the poure man / wherfore Alexander axid of him why he did so. And he sayde by cause the riche is ignorant & like to become a poure man. & the poure is wyse & able to become a riche man ¶Alexander axid of a wyse philosophre by what mene the royames we¦re wel directid & holden in goode astate. And he ansuerde by obeyssaūce of the peple & the iustice of the king ¶And as Alexāder foughte ones in bataill many women cam in the same bataill ayenst him / thēne he withdrewe him hastely & sai¦de to his men if he sholde haue victory of this bataill where thise women ben / it were no worship to vs / & if they had the victorie / thēne it were to vs a {per}¦petuel shame / wherfore we shal not fighte ayenst them whyle the womē ben there / And saide it is a perillous thinge a man tabide so long in the see that the storme & tēpest come vpon him / that may well de{per}te during the faire weder / In like wyse it is of them that dwell in princes & kinges houses ¶And saide it is a foule thing to aman to haue grete wordes without effecte. & it is a fay¦re thīg to him that put his werkis bifore his wordes / And saide the grettest & most laudable liberte that is to aman· is to kepe him from couetise ¶And whan his fader cōmaun∣ded him that he shold gladly here the {con}maundemētis of his maistre / he saide / he wold not onely here them / but he wold fulfille them with glad herte to his power ¶And said It is worse amā to haue defaute of discrecion / thēne of richesses

THolome was a right wyseman & wele vnderstāden / & in especial in / iiij / sciēcis that is to witte / Geometrie musike / arismetrik & astrologie / & he made many good bokis among the which one is callid Almageste the which is of

Astrologie / & he was borne in Alexandrie the gretest cite that is in the land of Egipte. & there he made hys considera¦cions in the tyme of kyng Adryan. and made hys dicti∣ons vpon the consideracions at Roodes / he was not kyng all be it that many personnes calleth hym kyng / And he lyued .lxxviij. yeres ¶And / sayd he is wyse that disposith his tonge to speke of god / and he that knoweth him not is the moost foole of all ¶And sayd / he that is enclyned to his wille is nighe to the Ire of god / & the nerer that a man approucheth the deth / the more he ought to laboure and traueyll to dowele ¶And sayd Sapi¦ence abydeth no lenger in the hert of afoole. than afleyng thing that may not tarye in no place ¶And sayd good wytte and good discrecion ben felawes ¶And sayd / A man of good sapience can not dye / ne a man of good vnderstandyng can neuir be pouer ¶And sayde Sapien∣ce is atre that wexeth grene in the hert and fructifieth in the tonge ¶And sayde Beware that thou dispute not with him that hath no knowlege / ne yeue not thy {con}seyl but to him that askith it / ne telle not thy secret but to him that can kepe it ¶And sayd he that wol lyue wele ought not to kepe in his hert all his aduersitee•• ¶And said the mays¦tre of agrete house hath many melācolyes ¶And said spe∣ke wysely aswele for thyself as for all other ¶And said if thou mayst not eschewe sōtyme to be wroth atte lest lette not thy wrath last long ¶And said the hertis of good peple ben the caste••l & forteres••is of secretes ¶And said a mā that is not to be correctid by other mē may surly correcte them of their faultes ¶And said he that askid cōnseil of the wyseman

and doth ther aftir whether it turneth him to good or to euil he ought not to be blamed therof ¶And sayde· It is bettir / a king to directe his peple / than to haue grete ha¦bondaunce of knyghtis ¶And sayde Surete putteth a weye sorowe / and fere empescheth gladnes ¶And sayde The wordis of god auayleth not to them that haue put al their hert to the worlde ¶And sayde It is to grete folie aman to thinke to moche on the thinges that passith his vnderstandyng ¶And sayde men been of ·ij. natures som wolle neuer be content howe be it that they finde ynough / & somother seke and finde nothing ¶And sayde men cause tacquere & gete money. And money is the cause tacque¦re men ¶And sayde· He of the whiche the Science exce∣dith his witte may be likened to a feble shepherd that hath a grete heep of sheep in his keping ¶And saide he that hath put al his entente to his flessly delites / is more bōde than a keytif ¶And saide the hygher that a man is exaltid in his lordship / the more greuous it shalbe to him to fall from the same And saide thought is the key of certaynete ¶And saide the reffuses of a nygard ben bettir than the largesces of a prodygall waster ¶And saide. thou canst do nothing so acceptable to god as to do wele to him that hath offensed ayenst the And saide if thou wol be wyse be not in feliship with foolis. but be euer in feliship with them that ben wyser than thy self And saide the saule can not be deceyued into the tyme that the body taketh his ende And saide. Folye is the grettest ennemy that eny body may haue ¶And sayd. Good will is the fondement of all good werkes / & good werkis is the messagier in the other world

And said he that kepith the good opinion & leueth the euill yeueth grete reste to his herte ¶And sayd Seke∣nesse is the prison of the body and saluacion of the saule

ASsaron sayd that a knig in his kyngdome may be dōmaged and hurte / and specially by fyue thinges / the first is by to grete drienesse as to be iij. yere without Rayn. the second is by expending more than his lyuelode cometh to / the therde is / to vse to moche wō¦men wyn and huntyng / the fourthe is to be of euyll mane¦res & of wicked condicions & also to be to cruel & vengea¦ble / the fyfte is / to haue many ennemyes ¶And sayd the moost notable maneris & conditions & the moost prouffyta¦ble is to be liberal and true of his worde ¶And saide he that is liberal may not lyue amys / the true speker may not be shamed of his speking / the meke & lowly man can not be hated / the sobre man can not be seke / & he that wele & dy∣ligently vnderstondith to his bysenesse may neuer repente th••rof & bringeth him to good {per}fection ¶And said a king or a prince ought not to truste them that disprayse hym in him that is couetous / in him that is com from grete pouer∣tie to grete richesses / in him from the whiche he hath taken the goodes and lordshippes / in him that hath suffred many domages and hurtes for the royall mageste & ordinaunce Ne in him that hath made eny aliaunce or {pro}messe with his ennemyes / & he ought to be wele ware that he yeue no power to noon suche as thoo abouesaide ¶And sayde It is an impossible thing that the man may kepe him from falling in som fawte that is exaltid with a king in grete magnificen¦ce without desserte And said whan a wyse prīce knoweth

that eny of his men had offenseth ayenst him. he ought has¦tely to enquere the trouth of the dede. and the quantite of the trespas. and if it be doon wilfully or by Ignorance / and also If he was wount to do so. and if he be like to falle therin ayen. And vpon euery of the same pointis to Re¦medye hastely ¶And sayd. The kynges seruauntis ought to shewe in s••ruyng hym their good vertues their feith the noblesse of their kynrede. to thentente that the kyng may bettir knowe hem and do to euery of them as he shal haue deserued ¶And sayd / If A kyng loueth and cherissheth the vntrewe and wikkid men as them that ben good and true. he ought not to be called kyng for he is not like to reygne long ¶And sayd. If the kyngis conseyllours his physicien and hys confessour deleth wyth oth••r thinges. than langith to their offices The kyng shal contynuelly be endommaged. seke of bo∣dy· and of the soule / And lyke to come to a foule ende

¶And sayd. He that sayth not trouth to his lec••e And he that counceylleth wyth hys frend And telleth hym not the trouthe of hys counceylle. he dystroyeth hym self ¶And Assaron sayd· A kyng shold not cō∣mytte to another the besynes. that ys necessarye to hym self for to do ¶And Assaron sayd· The most secre¦te counseylle of the kyng Is his conscience and his good dedes is hys best tresour / ¶And of alle men. the tre¦west is the best. And the best Rychesses ben they that be truely and duely goten ¶And he sayth / a kyng shold cōmitte his besynesses to him that he hath proued in fayth / in witte & in good gouernance / & if he may finde no

suche / take hym that hath euer be cōuersant with wyse men

¶And he sayth a wyse kyng ••f good vnderstonding amendeth and auaylleth moche his counseillours ¶And he sayth whan a kyng of good discrecion hath to do two right hasty thinges / he sholde begynne at the noblest ande at the most prouffyttable / And If they ben bothe two of one estate / begīne at that which may best be recouerd in tyme comyng ¶And he sayth yf a kyng be mercyful / his be∣synes shal goo wel. his wysedom shal auayle hym in time comyng / yf he be trewe his people shal reio••se with hym / & yf he be Iuste. his regne shal endure ¶And he sayth kin∣ges sholde gete good renōmee and other mene dignitees by good mesure / for outrageousnes is not enduryng ¶And he sayth yt belongeth to a conquerous kyng to sette and kepe good Iustice in his Royames & other lordshippes go∣ten / And hou be it that it is a greuos thing to conquere them / yet is it a more greuours & more chargea••le thing to kepe them wel ¶And he sayth he that is most complete of wytt / is he that knoweth him self. And that departed him not from thobeyssaunce of god for what maner occasion that cometh to him / & that contynuelly thanketh him for the goodes that he hath sent hym ¶And assaron sayth that an euil lawe and the loue of a shrewe lasteth no lenger than the shadowe of acloud ¶And assaron sayth that a wy∣seman enforceth hym to fle and wythdraweth from harme And the foole doth grete payne to fynde hyt ¶And as∣saron sayth whan a wyseman that is counceylour or offycer to a kynge seeth that the kynge welle doo or saye ony thing domageable and harmefull to him or to his Royaume or to

his peple and subgettis he shold addresse and remembre him of good examples of cronycles and histories of hys noble and wyse predecessour concernyng vnto that purpoos in so moche / that the kyng conceyue and haue knowleche that he sayth it for his wele and worship &c̄

LEgmon was born in Ethyope and lerned his science in the londe of Asteyn in the tyme of king dauyd the prophete / And was bought by a Iewe for an esclaue or bondman for / xxx / marck. And his mais¦tre pleyed gladly atte dise· and ther ran by fore his mais¦tres gate a Ryuer ¶And on a tyme as his maistr & an other man playde atte dyse. they leyde & sette an owche to ple¦ge / that who of th••m lost a game· shold do the will of the winnar· or he shold drynke alle the water that ran and passed afore his yate. So it happend that his maistre lost And that other comaunded him. that he shold doo hoolly his comaundement· And the loser ansuerd that he was redy to be at his Iugement· Thenne he sayd to him. thou shalt gyue me all the good that thou hast of ony valewe. or thou shalt drynke all the watre of this Ryuier / And he that had lost demanded only respyte of one daye for tauise him. & that other graunted it to him / And thus he abode in his hous right pensyf and ful of thoughte how he might escape fro this perille. And as he was in this thought legmon his bondmā and seruau••t cam home & brouht vpon his necke a burthen of wood & salewed his maistre. The whiche gaf him no answer. for the thought he was in· Howe be it he was accustomed for taraysone hym for the

good wordes that he fonde in him. & thenne legmon sayd to hym Maistre who hath angrid or greuid the / And he an¦swerd nothing agayn And legmon said / maistre telle me the cause of this sorow and woo / For I shal lygthly remedye it if I may· and thenne his maistre reherced to hym all the fayte as is afore reh••rced / And thenne legmon said to him that he shold in no wyse abasshe him / For he wold gyue hym good counceyll Thou shalt demande him sayd he· if thou shalt drinke that the riuyer cōteyneth now this present tyme or ellis all that. that shall renne and come continuelly / and I wote wel he shal saye that thou shal drinke all that it conteyneth now / and whan he hath so said th••u shalt saye to him / that he stoppe and make the riuyer to stande without rennyng ony more / and that thou art redy to drinke hit that it holdeth now / and thus thou shalt wynne thy cause ¶Whan the maister herde the counseyll of his bondman he was moche recomf••rted· And in like wy¦se on the morn̄ he said to him that had wonne the owche / & in this wyse he escaped from the paryll / and fro thēne for∣thon he asranchised legmon and made him fre that afore was bonde & thrall / And he dide and gaf him moche good and was reputed for right a wyseman ¶And one of his felaws of tyme past mette him on a tyme / And demanded of him art thou not he that were wont to kepe sheep with me / And he ansuerd yes / how sayd that other who hath sette the in this estate / I shal telle the said legmon sayng of trouthe / to be trewe / and not tentende vpon vnprouffi∣table thinges ¶And it was sayd that a voys apperyd to him / whiche sayd to him / wolt thou be a grete lord vpon

therthe and he ansuerd yf god will / I wil obeye him but yf he wil gyue me the choyse & my playsir / I will peas One asked hym wherfore he wolde not be a kynge / he ans∣uerd / yf I iuge rightfully / I may not escheue the hate of many men / And yf I dissimile / I shal withdrawe me fro the way of paradyse / I had leuer haue in this world suffi∣saunce with pouerte & wynne the blysse of that other world than for to lose to be hyghe reysed in this world ¶And da∣uid was in a place where moche peple spack among whom legmon was stylle / and he demāded him wherfore spekest not thou / as other doo. he ansuerd by cause ther is no word good but of god ner no good silence but to thinke on god ¶And this Iewe that was maystre of legmon gaf hym moche good / the whiche he distributed in almesse / & lente it to poure nedy people withoute vsure / And therfore god multeplied al his goodes gretly ¶And it is sayd he lef¦te alle his richesses and made hym self a recluse in a tēple solitairely vnto his deth / and there prechid many fayre thī¦gis & wysedoms to his sone ¶And sayd / Sone take ab∣stinence & restrayne thy will / For yf thou preyse the worlde and the diuerse aduentures that dayly comen in doyng of∣fensis in thinge deffended of god / thou desirest but deth ther¦fore enforce the teschewe the euyll and to folowe the good / for the good mortifieth and destroyeth the euyll ¶And say∣de sone speke euer of god and god shal euer put good wor¦des in thy month ¶Sone sette alway thyn owen werkys tofore thyn eyen / And other mēnys behynde the a parte Sone whan thou seest ony synnar / repreue hym not of hys fawtes / but thynke on thyn owne whiche of thou shalt ye••••••

acompt ¶Sone employe not thy corage in the loue of this world· whiche is a thing that passeth and deceyueth alle them that affie in hit / And hold the content with litil / & coueyte not the goodes of other ¶Sone sette attemperaūce in thy lyuyng. and be replenisshid with Sapience and conuerse wyth wysemen and so mayst thou gete wysdom

¶Sone be simple. well doying. thinkyng moche· and of fewe wordes. but if they be trewe. and be no grete lawg∣her. And be not dispreyser ne mocquer of other / be stylle and not ful of langage / for I haue ofter repented me of moche speking than of beyng styll ¶Sone Beware that the cock be not erlyer awaked in the morenyng than thou And drede god and kepe the from vayn glorie ¶Sone Beware that thou be defrawded for to byleue. that thou hast in the thing. whiche thou hast not. though that men bere the it on honde by flaterie ¶Sone who loueth god best dredeth him most ¶Sone lerne goodnes & after teche it forth to other. For doctours and techers wyth their techin¦ges ben lykened vnto sprynging welles rennyng· of whi¦che the peple ben continuelly seruid. & yet they abide alway full ¶And knowe thou sone that if a foole speke he shal∣be mo••qued for his vncurtais speche / If he be still & speke not / he shal thīke euil / if he do ony thing / it is euil & loseth his tyme / if he sette him to studye / he shal lese his dispence & shal not prouffyte / if of auēture he be riche he shalbe proude & presumptuous / if he be poure / he shal fall in despayr. If he haue ony good garmente / he wil be proud therof / If he de∣maūde ony thing / he shal aye it vncurtaisly / & if ony man axe of him to borowe / he shal denye it. If he gyue ought

he shal reproche hym. yf a man gyue to hym he shal conne him no thanke. whan he is mery or Ioyous / it is out of me∣sure. And whan he is angry he is in likewyse / yf men telle him ony thing in secrete / he shal discouer it. yf he haue puis∣sance or myght / he shal secretly seche occasion to doo euill & shal trete his subgettis by vyolence. yf men felawshipe with hym. he shal make hym angrye / yf men folowe hym he fleeth the peple / who so wil correcte hym. he wil not doo for him but shal hate his corrector / And his felaws shal ha∣te hym / yf he speke he wil be herd· And yf other men spe∣ke he wil not here them / yf men praye hym to pardone ano∣ther / he shal not do it / he loueth better deceyt than trouthe / a man may not put him from his oppinion / For euer he wil haue his by hym self / & who so doth euyl / he reputeth it for wel don / yf he studye or speke with wyse men / he wil not me¦ke hym self ner take hede to hem / And yf he be with a mo∣re fole that he is hym self / he shal deffame and mocque hym he shal comande them to doo well· And he wil do the werst he can / And he shal comande them to saye trouth•• & he shal lye / his dedes shal be moche discordaunt to his wordes / for yf his tōge saith one· his herte thinketh another yf y^u be riche / he saith thou art an vsurer / yf thou be poure he shal sette noght by the yf thou doo wel / he saith thou dost yt by ypocrisie / yf thou do euil / he wil deffame the / yf thou gyue to him he wil calle the waster. yf thou gyue to him noght he shal holde the for a kai∣tyf & nigard yf thou be debonayr / he shal saye thou art a beste & who so draweth him fro his cōpanye / he saith he doth it for pride But the wyseman is all of other cōtrary {con}dicions for he hath {con}tinēce / iustice besines foryeuenes & mekenes he can

wel speke / and be stylle in place & tyme / he knoweth & doth wel. he hath his seruaūtis in his puyssaūce & power / he is li¦berall to demaūders / he is wyse in spekyng and wel vnder¦stāding the wordes of other / If he lerne he shal meue good questions / If men do him good he shal thanke hem / who telleth him his {con}seyll / he shal kepe it secrete / & he shal truste wel in other / if he yeue / he gyueth gladly withoute reproche he wil do to none other man / but as he wolde be don to / If he be riche he shal not be proud therof / If he be poure or riche he shal not forgete god / he shal alway prouffyte in science. he gyueth credence to him that techeth him / he shal not grut∣che to a gretter than he is / ner dispreyse a lasse / he shal axe no thing but if he haue right therto / he is agreable in his ans∣wers / & saith no thing but if he knowe it wel / he hydeth not his sciēce / the more he accompanyeth the men / the more he lo∣ueth th••m / he cōstreineth his will to trouth / whether it will or not / he correcteth him self geuing example to other / he is lightly torned to do well / if he bere witnes / it shalbe verita¦ble / if he be a Iuge he shal iuge & do all thing truely / if men do hym harme / he shal do good therfore / he coueyteth not the goodes of other men. he reputeth him self as a stranger in this worlde / & thinketh not / but on his departing. he doth well and comandeth other to do the same / he defendeth euil and kepeth him self fro doyng it. And that lyeth in his herte / the tonge pronoūceth· and his dedes ben accordyng to his wordes ¶Sone vnderstande wysdom and excersise the same withoute thīking on other thinges for whan thou hast goten it / thou shalt be euer in Ioye / And knowe that it is not goten but by debonairte· & by good keping of thy tunge

For the tunge is the dore of the almerye of sapience / wher∣in euery man may wel entre / yf it be not shett / And therfo∣re men sholde kepe wel the keye / that is to saye the tunge more besily than his gold or siluer ¶Sone lose not thyn owen thinges / for kepynge of strange thynges / For thy propre thinges ben thy goodes / whyche thy saule shal bere wyth hym / And the richesses that shal abyde after thy deth shal come to other men / Sone honoure wysedom / And denye it not to them that desire it / & shewe it not to hem that despyse it ¶Sone who that hath mercy on other / shal haue mercy on hym self ¶Sone be thou content with that thou hast withoute coueytyng of the goodes of other / or of that whiche thou knowest / thou mayst not haue ¶Sone receyue pacyently the wordes of correction / & of prechyng though they be hard & greuo{us} ¶And said he is right vnhappy that hereth & vnderstōdeth not / & yet he is more vnhappy that he∣reth & vnderstādeth & nothing prouffyteth to him / sone ac∣cōpanye the with them that god loueth ¶Sone yelde than∣kingis to our lord god of the goodes that he hath made the to resseyue in humilite / & departe them to thoos that be nedy Sone yf thou haue don ony good y^t the semeth good / gyue no laude ne preising to thy self therof / for thou wotest not if god be pleasid with al or not / In euery werke is comonly som¦thing euer contrarye / & thaduersarye of the werke is proude thought / sone coueyte not the delites of this worlde but only them y^t may make the nyghe to god / Sone truste thou ve∣ryly in god & loue them y^t obeye him & haue thē in hate y^t diso¦beye him / sone ther is nothīg more acceptable to god thā goo¦de vnderstanding & that is in ten condicions that is to weten

in not preysing him self / in wel doing / in beyng content of thinges necessarie to the lyff / to gyue of his goodes for god¦dis sake / to will worship to him self / to kepe him self from doing shameful thingis in geting science & connyng all the dayes of his lyff / to kepe him self from anger. In giuing his loue to all them that desire it / And to repute him self werst / and the other better. for the men ben of two maners Somme ben good. and som ben badde / Wherfore a man shold humble and meke him to bothe / to the goode in pray∣ing god to make him semblable & like to hem / to the euyll for as moche as it is not knowen. whether his goodnos be within him hyd· And he wil not shewe it by vayn glorie And in doyng t••ise thinges is a man reputed for sage & wyse ¶Sone worshipe god and praye him that he wil ke¦pe th•• from hauing an euyl wyf / and he wil teche & enforme her. for ther is none other remedie ¶Sone shewe to other suche as th••u hast lerned / ne felaushipe the not with shre¦wys. that thou be not one of them. & haue thou none affiaū¦ce in the hous where the peple lyue this day & deye to morowe

¶Sone enhabyte thy self with the wysemen continuel∣ly / for god enlumind their hertes by wordes of sapience in suche wyse as the goodes vnder erthe ben moysted by rayne and with dewes ¶And somme men saye that legmon is buried in a toun called karaualle bitwene the mesquitte & the marche. And ther ben buried .lxx. prophetes that deyde after legmon the whiche the children of ysrael kept so long in hostage that they deyde for hunger ¶And whan Leg∣mon was nygh his deth he wepte sore. & his sone axid him why he wepte for fere of deth or for sorow that he had to leue the

world ¶He ansuerd I wepe for none of tho two thinges but I wepe bicause I haue away for to goo. from whiche I sawe neuer man come agayn / and I bere but litill vytaill with me. & am charged with many grete charges· And I wote neuer whether I shal be aleged & discharged ar no∣ne whan I shal come to thende of my waye ¶And he say¦de to his sone / Sone thou oughtest to drede god / & not onely to be worshippid of men ¶Sone whan thou comest in apla¦ce where shal be spoken of god / abyde there / for if thou be a fool / thou mayst be amēded. & become wyse / yf thou be wyse thou shalt encrece thy wysdom / & yf god sende them ony good thou shalt haue thy parte / but & yf thou haunte places where god is not spoken of / all the cōtrarye shal happen to the / so∣ne be aferd of the vengeance of our lord as moche as thou mayst / & drede him & cōsidre his right grete puissance and might ¶And saide in like wyse as in geuing largely a man maketh of his enemy his frende / right so by pryde a man maketh of his frende his enemy ¶And saide the wor••de shewith the wysedom of the man & therfore ought aman to be wel auised what he saith ¶And said atrewe man resteth in his trouthe / & the reward of a lyar is / that he be not bileuid of that he reherseth ¶And said reherce ne tell nothing to hym that wil not bileue the / ne demaunde not that thing that thou wost wel shal not by graunted to the ne promyse no thing but thou mayst and wilt holde and kepe ¶And saide thou oughtest a boue all thnig fle the companye of a lyar / & if thou maye not eschewe his compa¦nye / atte leste beware that thou bileue nothing that he saith And said sone sette the not in the hiest place for it is better

that thou be taken vp fro the lowest place for to sitte in the hyest / than to be taken from the hyest and be sette al bene∣the ¶And sayd Sone yet ones I comande the that thou drede god aboue alle thinges. for that is thing rightful & prouffytable to the. And doo so that alle thy thoughtes be alway in him and thy wordes semblably· for the spekyng and thinking in god surmoūteth alle other wordes and thoughtes as he him self surmoūteth alle other creatures And therfore men ought tobeye him. notwithstondyng ony other thing that they ben constreyned to ¶Sone ma¦ke thy ••risons & prayers duely to him· for prayer is as a ship that is in the s••e. for if she be good she shalbe sauf and alle that ben therin. And if she be euyll· she shal perisshe & all th••y that be therin ¶And sayd A man may lightly fynde his liuyng and his necessitees in this world / why¦che is of litil during as to vs creatures. but a man sholde pourueye him of thinges necessaries. for to bere with hym whan he shal departe hens ¶And sayd How may a man make another to chaūge his will· that can not refreine his owne will ¶And sayd Good will is one of the goodes wh••rof god is seruid. And gladly to here thinges lowa¦ble. is to him agreable. And a curtoyse ansuer ought mo¦ch•• to be preysed ¶If the behoueth to sende ony message or l••gacion. sende a wyseman· and if thou maist none finde goo thy self ¶And sayd byleue not him that lyeth to the of another man· for he shal lye in like wyse to another man of the ¶And sayd it is more light to chaūge mon∣taignes fro one place to another / than for to make him vn∣derstande that hath none entendement ¶And sayd do not

that of whiche thou sholdest haue shame to see another doo it

¶Two pacientis ben in this worlde / of whiche one is he that seeth & endureth paciently that he hateth· & that other is to refrayne his will ¶Ther ben thre estates of men th••t ben knowen but in thre maners· that is to witte the pacient is not knowen but in his aduersite & in his Ire ¶The va∣lyant man ys not knowen but in warre And the frende is not knowen but in necessite ¶Of alle other maners & condicions the worst is a man to be suspecionous of his frē¦de. and to discouer thinges secrete / to haue truste and af¦fiaūce in euery man· to speke oumoche of thinges vnproffi¦table· & to be in daūger of euyll peple for couetise of goodes tēporell ¶And sayde the thought is the myrrour of the man wherin he may beholde his beaute & his filthe ¶And he sai••e beware & kepe the for to be suspecōus / for suspecion taketh a way the loue fro the peple ¶Witte without doctrine is a tre without fruyte ¶And said for to be ioyous & to salewe eueri man gladli / to be liberal in gyuyng & receyuyng & to forgiue gladly his euil wil maken aman to belouid of eche body

ANese the phylosophre saith. Whan men wexe olde Their vertues ben dyspysed And the riche men ben more ferful than poure men ¶And he sayd the noble deth is better than a vyle domynacion ¶And sai¦de the moste and grettest ewre or happe of aman is to haue a good felawe· nowe thenne accompanye the with good pe¦ple and thou shalt be one of them ¶One of the grettest vy¦lonyes & inyquitees of the world is for to do vilonie vnto an impotent {per}sone ¶And sayd If thou hast don ony trespas or sinne repente the anon without abiding vnto the ••oren

And he said thou oughtest to gyue hym thank / that doth the good of what cōdicion that he be of / so that he do it liberally & in good entente ¶And sayde he may not knowe ne appar∣ceyue many thingis / that can not apperceyue ne knowe hym self / And said yf thou wilt haue enduring loue with ano¦ther put thy self in payne tēforme him in goode maneris and said yf a king be iuste & rightful he shal seygnorye & be lord ou the corages of his peple if he be otherwyse though he be na¦med for king yet wil they haue their corages vnto another

SAcdarge saith that the werkes of this worlde ben ad¦ressed by two thingis one is by science of whiche the sowle is adressyd. & that other is bysenes of whiche the sou∣le & the body ben adressid ¶And said men leue for to do moche harme & euyll whan they doubte & fere our lord / And said noblesse of lignage is moche couenable to receyue scien¦ce ¶Thentencion of the man shold be for to refrayne his co∣rage from fylth & foule thinges / for the good lyf maketh the good renōmee & causeth a good ende / he is right exellent whiche is honourable in all his disportes / & of whom the wytte surmonteth the Ire ¶He saide late it suffise to the to be so wyse / that thou canst doo well & kepe the fro doyng euil

¶Ther is nothing so euyl vnto a man / as to be euil endoc¦trined / and in especyal / whan he is yssued of noble and good lignage ¶And seyd for to conne sciēce / it is a moche honourrable and prouffitable thing / For by hit goodes of this world and of that other ben goten / A wyse man wil nothing haue of his prynce but that whiche he hath goten by sayng trouthe and by his good werkes ¶And sayd he is a good lord that taketh vpon him payne to kep••

his sugettis in suche wyse / as he kepeth his owen body. and that he be not so rigorous and oppressing. that them beho∣ueth to leue his lordship And that also he be not to them so debonayr. that they dispyse his maūdementis ¶And he sayde the most curteys gyuer is he. that gyueth without ax¦ing ¶And sayd In what someuer place thou be with thyn ennemy. be it in disporte or otherwyse. make al way good wacche on thy self though so be thou be strenger than he and mightier yet laboure al way to make peas ¶And sayd in like wyse as it is grete payne to the body of aman to susteyne thing that is inpossible to him· right so is it a greuous thing to a wyseman for to teche a foole ¶And sayde. A suspecious man may neuer haue good lyf ¶And sayd he is right Ignoraūt and vnkynde that can not g••¦ue thankyng for the goodnes that ys don to him. but yet he is more vnkynde that denyeth it to other ¶And say¦de. He that demaūdeth but reason is able to vaynquysshe & ouercome his ennemye

THesille sayde. Thou oughtest to loue bettir the Ru¦de wordes that been prouffytable and true. than the swete wordis thet been of deceyte & flateringe Som men put venym in swete drinkis and the medicines that sonest heleth people· aren bittre / and of euyll sauour

¶And sayde It is a foule thing to be so curious for the feding of the body. that it hurteth both it & the saule· And sayde / as ashipman taketh not the see without he seth that he hath a couenable wynde. no more shuld a man dispose him to eny maner werkis without that it wer {con}ue••••••ble for the saule ¶And said thou oughtest to do that· that is most

proufytable for the body. and rather that / that is moost couenable for thy saule. & not to do the cōtrarye ¶And saide he that can wele conseille other / ought to conseille wele hym self and haue remembraunce to the saluacion of his saule / for it is a grete vice / to aman to worshyp & helpe ano¦ther and disworship and hurt hym self ¶And saide as it bycometh euill aman / that hath afoule & vnclene body to be clothed with cloth of golde or with cloth of sylke. right so it is afoule thing to haue grete beawte of body and of vysage and be full of euyll werkys ¶And said we ought by reason to kepe cleenly our bodyes· we ar mor specyally bounde to kepe honestly and wele that. that yeueth vs know¦lege of our lord god. that is the wysedom of the saule and not to hurte or ouercom it with meetes or drynkes. And it was axid of him howe aman myght kepe him from Ire And he ansuerd / in remembryng that it is inpossible he shulde alweye be obeyed / but that he must somtyme obeye And that he shall not alwaye cōmaunde but he shalbe con¦maunded· And also that god seeth all thing. & if he hath this in consideracion· he shulde not longe be wroth / and he sawe agrete fatte man to whom he sayd thou paynes the sore to breke the wallis of thy pryson ¶And sayd whan thou shalt correcte another shewe hit not· like him that wold venge him of his ennemy but do as the phisician that courtoisely speketh to his pacient· And whan thou shalt correcte thiself shewe the as the hurt man doth to his leche

SAint Gregorie seide Recomaunde to god the be∣gynnyng & the ende of al thy werkis And said stu¦dye / and trauaylle to knowe alle thynges. and

reteyne and holde wyth the thoes that been most proffyta∣ble ¶And sayd. pouerte is euill. but euyll richesse moch worse ¶And sayd. be thou pacient and haue reason in thy wrath. and light thy self wyth Sapience in stede of cādell· and presume not to be better than thou art· but thin¦ke thou art dedely. Repute the for a straunger and thou shalt worshippe the straūgers ¶And sayde whan they ship shalbe laden with grete transquillite than thou oughtest fe / re to be drowned ¶And saide men ought to receyue me∣rily all that god sendeth hem ¶And sayde the hattered of goode men is better than the loue of euyl peple ¶And sayde frequente and haunte the companyes of wysemen and not of the riche ¶And sayde dispraise not a litel of goo••e thinges· for they may greetely encresse and amende ¶And saide Endure paciently without takyng vengeaunce

GAlyen was one of the .viij. leches Ryght excellēt in medycine· whiche were all .viij. superlatyff aboue all other lechis. of the whiche the first was Esculapyus / The seconde Gorius. The therde Myrius / The fourthe Promenides. The .v. platon. The .vj. Esculapius the seconde The .vij. Ypocras The .viij. Galien whiche had none like to him / He was borne after the Incarnacion of oure lord .ij.C. yeres And he composed and made wele a iiij·C· volumes of bookis among whiche the rben ·viij. that ben studyed in suche thinges as men desire to lerne of the art of medicine· his fader was right diligent to put him to the scole & spendid moche good vpon him / & sent him in to the countre of Asie in the cite of Pargame. Athenes Ro¦me & Alexandrie / for to finde the best maistres / And there

he lerned physik g••ometrie / gramayre / and other sciences And he lerned physik of a woman called cleopatre why∣che taught hym many goode herbis / And prouffytable to all manere of sekenesses· And he dwelled long in Egip¦te: for to knowe all thyse herbis / And long after he dey∣ed nygh the Cyte of Escam / fast by the grene see. in the marches of Egypte. And in hys youthe he desired greet∣ly to knowe the science demonstratiue· And he was so en∣clyned to lerne hyt. that whan he departed from the scole wyth other childeren his mynde was euer vpon that· that hys mayster hadde taught hym. wherof his felowes mok∣kyd hym / And axed hym why he wolde not play / and sporte hym with hem. To whom he sayd. I take as grete pleasaunce to recorde my lesson. as ye do in your pleyes. wher¦of hys sayd felawes hadde grete meruaylle ¶And say∣de that hys fader was happy to haue suche a childe. and to put hym to the scole· that so wele loued wysdom / his fader was a grete labourer· his gramit fader was a souerayn maystre carpenter· and hys gramitsirs fader was an har∣per and meter of landes whiche is the science of geometrie Galyen was at Rome in the reigne of king Octauien whiche reygned after Adrien & their he made a booke of a∣nascomie & many other traityes· Som sey that grete part of his bookis were brent & among hem som of aristotilles bookis written with his hand & of danagoras & of Andro¦mache. and a booke that he hadde made of tryacles for ve∣nyms. & taught the kyng of grece to breke the hilles· and felle the vallees and to make pleyne weyes in ther countres and edified Citees & closed hem with bigge wallis. and

also to make ryueres renne through the townes / And in other places. where nede was. And to do alle other thin∣ges. that were to the commone proffyt. And in thoos dayes they hadde more delectacion and plesaūce to the goode rule and gouernaunce of their lordeship than to the ease & pleasaunce of their owne bodyes· And their hertis were moche sette to haue goode vniuersitees and scoles of grete clerkes. And specially in physyke· And also they orde∣igned in euery Cuntre and region certayn folkis to ga∣der herbes and to breng them to the maistres of physyke for to preue them by experience. And the same herbes thus approued were sent to the kīges closid and sealled with their sealles. to thentent that they shulde not be chaunged & than the kynges ordeigned hem for seke folkis ¶And the sayd Galyen sayd wysdom can not proufyt to a foole Ne wytte to hym that vseth it not ¶And sayd He∣uynesse cometh of the thinges passed· and thought of thinges to cōme. And Galyen was foure score yere & vij. whan he sayd that many grete lordes be Ignoraunte Whan they be more enclyned to haue fayre horsses and ri¦che gownes· and other Iewles. than to wynne goode fa∣me by good condicions ¶And saide The phisiciens were wont to haue lordship & to gouerne seke folkis & to cause them to do suche thinges as weer most expediēt & prouffy∣table for their helth. and no seke man durst disobeye his phisicien / but shuld be {con}pelled to obeye him wherfore they were the soner recouered and hole. And nowe the leches been subgettis to the seke folkys. And be compelled to handylle hem easely. and softly· And to yeue hem

swete drinckis thogh it auayleth hem but litill / and ther∣fore is ther the more sekenesses / and lenger vnhelth And sayde / somtyme thoo that were moost sobre in their metis and lest dranke wyne were best byloued and most praysid / and nowe the most glottons / and th••o that ofte∣nest ben dronkon ar the most set by / and the rather sette atte grete lordes bourdes / whiche yeueth euyll exempell to other And sayd thou mayst wele Instructe all men / sauf one∣ly thoos that be withoute shame ¶And sayd / aman that knoweth wele him self / hath power ynowe to correcte him self ¶And sayde Aman may loue him self so moche-that he is deceyued therby for we se many that wene and seme to be goode / and ar contrarye ¶And sayd / he is iuste that may bothe do right or wronge and yet kepe Iustice / And he is wyse and dyscrete that knoweth that / that suffisith to be knowen / and that doth vertuousely to euery creature And sayde like as a seke man desireth / not to departe from his phisicien / till he hath recouerid his helth whiche he cow∣de not do by him self / In like wyse aman ought to desire the companye of a confessour for the helth of his saule / And he sawe aman that was gretly made of and cherisshed with kinges for the strenght of his body of whom he sayde / {per}a••••n∣ture It shall cause him to repente hit at last

IT was asked of one called protege / wherfore it was that one of his neyghbours made dye his he∣re in blak / he ansuerd. by cause noo man shulde as¦ke to lerne sapience of him / and plures sayde / the more goo∣de that a foole hath the more he is ••owle / And it was axid of one aristan / whan it was goode to lye with a woman / he

ansuerd / at altymes whan aman wyll hurt enpayre and feble his body / And it was asked of dymicrates wherby he knewe and perceyued best his witte / He ansuerd In that / that I thinke / I vnderstande and knowe but littyll ¶And saide the wyseman that replieth is bettir than the foole that accordeth to euery porpose / And ther was awyse man called azee / that was a prisonner to whom his mays¦ter ax••d / of what kynr••de he was / He ansuerd enquere not of my lynage / but axe of my prudence and connynge / and was axed of another called Sygonce. also prisonner of one that wolde haue bought him / wherto he was good / And he ansuerd to be deliuered / and another man axid of him If it were goode that he shulde bye hym / To whom he ans∣uerd I am no thing worth but ye or som other bye me / & another sayde he dispraisith him self. that dispraiseth alle other / and yeueth him self lawde / And ther was one that praied god to kepe him from the daunger of his frendis And it was asked him / why he prayed not rather / that god sholde kepe him from his ennemyes than fro hys frēdes And he ansuerd / for asmoche. as I may wele kepe me from myn ennemyes in whom I haue no truste / but I may not kepe me from my frende whom that I truste / It was axed of awyseman whiche be the moost noble worldly thin¦ges / To whom he ansuerd / to loue sapience / and to hate fooly / nat to be aschamed to lerne / And it was axed of Archasam / whiche be the sciences that children shulde lerne He ansuerd thoos that cause them to hate ignorāce in there aage / And it was axed of another· why he wold haue noo siluer / and he ansuerd for asmoche as it cōme to men

by fortune· & is kept by nygardship & couetise & is often so lish••ly spent & to euyl vse ¶And another saide the loue of a foole shalbe more noysant to the than his hatered. And ther was aman that sayd to another. I shal put my peyn and dyligence to distroye the. He ansuerd and sayd I shal enforce me to dystroye thy malyce· and appease thyn Ire ¶And ther cam byfore a kyng .iij. wysemen· The one was a greke· The other a Iewe. And the therde a sara¦syn. of whom the sayd kyng desirid. that ych of them wold vtter som good and notable sentence. Than the Greke sayd I may wele correcte and amende my thoughtis / but not my wordes. Than the Iewe sayd· I haue meruayll of them. that saye thinges preiudicial. where silence were more prouff••table. And the sarasyn sayd· I am mayster ouer my wordes. or it be pronunced / but whan it is spo∣ken I am seruaūt therto. And It was axed one of them Who might be called a kyng / And he ansuerd· He that is not subgett to his owne ••••••ll ¶And Assaron sayd to an euyll payer that desired to borowe money of him. that he wold leue him none. for I knowe wel that he cowde not dis¦please him somoch in refusing the loue. as in axyng him his payement ayen ¶And sayd. The wysemen speke with good deliberacion· & the foooles speke without aduisement And Teofrates saide he is of good cōdicion that reporteth & sayeth good of other folkis / & kepeth secret their defaultes And it was axed of disconie what thingis were most ne∣cessarie for aman to kepe him out of other folkis daunger And he ansuerd If he be riche to lyue moderately. and if he be pouer to laboure dylygentely ¶And Nycomake said

ther is not so goode adoctour / as dis••recion / ne so goode apre¦cher as the tyme / & he that correctith hym by othir is right diligent & wele occupyed / And it is bettir 〈◊〉〈◊〉 take exemple by other than other to take yt by hym ¶And Thyme∣tus sayd / medle nor vndertake not wyth the gouernaunce of a foole. for he can not peyse nor conceyue / what good thou doost to hym / no more than a horse or other beestis ta∣ke hede whedre they charge hym wyth gold or grauell / and yt was axed of Aathelyn / why men ben punisshed for their mysdedes. and not for their thoughtes. He sayd th••ir thoughtes aren reserued onely to god ¶And A∣menyus sayd / ther be .iij. thyngis that a prynce ought to eschewe. The fyrst is to moche drynking. The secon¦de is to moche delectacion in musyk· And the therde do∣tyng of women / for thyse ·iij· thyngis put awey all his other good thoughtes ¶And sayd thought for thingis lost and euyll doon. that can nat be amended foryeting therof is the medycine ¶And sayde trouth is good to be sayde. & specially whan it prouffiteth euery body / And sayde· If thou can not atteyn to the wysedom of auncient men at the lest studye and see ther bookis & somme profyt thou maeyst haue therby ¶And quidarius said I haue mer¦uaile of thoes that blame so moche the foule thingis vpon o∣ther and think hem fayr vpon hem self / Dimycrates saide pacience is a castell imprenable & worship is the fruyte of trouth & repētaunce is the fruyte of haast / And it was ax∣id of dithomages / why the riche men be more prowde than wy¦semen / and h•• said for the wysemen knowen & dreede our lord and vnderstande what offence pride is vnto him. but

the riche man taketh none hede therto· And som axed of him whiche was bettir to haue sapience or richesse· And he sayde. ther is no goode richesse / but it be aswele proffytable in the other world as in this· but sapiēce is goode for either worlde· It was tolde Aristotles that a man had said good of him· And he sayde I shal recompense it / They axed him In what maner. And he sayde I will seie of him in like wyse ¶And C••typhon sayde A mannes witte can not at¦teyne to do thinges aboue his vnderstanding. but vndre he may execute like as ye may put no more wyn in a pype that it cōteyneth but lesse ye may ¶And Oricas sayde aman of goode vnderstanding may wele eschewe grete quātite of the infortunes of this worlde. like as the goode shipman knoweth by experience the weder likly to be in the see ¶Sa¦maron sayde I haue lost all that I had / & therfore I fere no thing ¶And sayde In all thy entreprises / haue more trust in thy science than in thy strength ¶Gregorius saide. The peyntours may wele make pictures semblable to thinges But the propre thing none can make / but onely god & na¦ture ¶And th•• kyng Armesys calling to him his bre∣thren sayde to them / If ye wol repente & take me / but only a•• your broth••r I wil shewe you that I am your king / but & ye take me for your king I shal shewe you / that ye ar my brethren ¶And Tales mylostius saide / I haue grete mer∣uayle of them that for wordely goodes put hem dayly in pe∣ril by londe & by water of deth / aswele by fete of merchādise as other wyse / not knowing who shal succede or depart their good after their deth / & might with lesse daūger & peyne lerne Sapience. by the whiche ther goode name and fame

shulde be more lawded and praysed / as it is sayde in a pro¦uerbe / he is not dede whoos renomme and fame lastith Pyctagoras sayde / Science hath non ennemyes / but ygno∣rant men ¶And saide / clateringe of folies is displeysir to wysemen / Like as the stenche of a kareyn is to them that smell it / for the foole knoweth no more the fawte of his spe¦che than the kareyn doth of his stenche / And it was axed of another howe men might kepe him from moche dryn∣king / And he ansuerd in beholding wele the grete Incon¦uenientis that be fall the dronken men ¶And Eugene saide / Many persones hauyng reason and vnderstandyng axen candell / and light for to ete their mete / but fewe per∣sones ther be that kyndell & sharpe their wittes in geting sciences for the prouffyte of their saules ¶And Esecon sai¦de / deth is displesaunt to all persones sauff to the wysemen for sapience is the thing that moost lettith the fere of deth And adrien saide / If I shulde nat loue sapiēce / but be cau¦se she dispraiseth deth / yet shulde I loue her / And hermes saide / the grete prouffyt that I haue founde in sapience Is that I haue composed and knyt all my thoughtes in one And quiramis said / Aman may not be withoute though¦tes / he ought to remēbre the thinges {per}petuel ¶And sayd som thinke it goode / that euery body were of like condicion but thinketh the contrarye / for then euery man wolde com∣mande and non obeye ¶And demepates saide whan thou co¦mest into a straunge countre / herken diligently. after the langage & reason of thy peple / And If thou fynde thy self as wyse or wyser then they / Endoctryne them / And elly•• peyn thy self to lerne of theyre lore and doctrine rather

than to besy the in other ydell and vayne occupacions ¶A phylosopher whiche was disciple of Pytagoras saide· He ought not to be callid manly that will strike him· that can not deffende him self ¶And Sylde seyde In all thin¦gys the meane is best And to lyue warely is a grette tre¦sure. And to lyue wastfully causith pouerte And yet it is inpossible to please alle men ther with ¶And sayd be not wroth with him that sayth trouth. haue pacience and good shal come to the therfore ¶And saide the wikkid lordis resemble to the dronken men that in their dr••nken ship hate all fayre & goode vertues / and louen alle vic••s & filthis but when his dronkenship is passed he is ashamed of his dedis ¶And saide A kyng of goode witte & discre¦cion ought to be wele content and pleasid / when men of∣fre him their seriuce And ought in his peas and prospe∣rice to worship & cherisshe his knyghtis & men of werre & to paye them wele their wages. all be it he wene to haue none ennemyes· for he can not be sure / howe sone he shal haue nede of his seruauntis ¶And Melious sayd He is not ri∣che. to whom the richesse losten but litil. ne fre whan they may be lightly taken. But the laudable Rychesses ben thoes· that duren perpetuelly ¶And Brakalyke saide The couetous man. hath noo reste. And the nygard may neuer be Ryche ¶And Phelype kyng of Ma∣cedone sayd to thoes that counseylled hym to bren the Cy∣te of Athenes. whan he hadde wonne it. We shuld than seme men dyscounfyt. where we haue ouercomme our ennemyes ¶And Archydes sayd. The tunge may well make lesyngis. withoute thassent of the herte

And therfore it is conuenient that the tonge & the hert to be of one opinion ¶And sayde / Make no desir to god for that / that thou mayest wele haue / whiche is suffisaunce but pray and require him that / that thow hast may suffise the Pitagoras saide / he that beleueth not the resurrection of man is like a dome beeste that fallith for febilnes ¶And saide Aman ought to do his werkis / by deliberacion / & by grete prouisionand not sodaynly ¶And saide if thou wyl ex∣cede thyn ennemy / calle him no foole nor taletellar nor obeye none of his vices / for thy blamyng wer to him a grete laude ¶And saide he that wolde be laudid ef his workis ought to haue a trewe frende to raporte them ¶And saide kepe thy frende aboue all thingis / And thinke what lost thou shalt haue / if thou lake a trewe frende / if thy house fal¦leth down / thou shalt not lese therby / but the departing of the stones & the tymbre / but if thou lese thy frende / thou mayst gete therby many ennemyes ¶And saide whan aman is in grete Ire & wrath / he may be likened to an house taken with fire in whiche / for the quātite of the smoke & of the noyse of the fiere / ther may no man se ne here therin / & may also be likened to a ship in an outrageous tēpest in the see / why∣che wil not be wele condyted nor stered for the feruentnesse of the same tēpest / & so whan a mannes blode & corage is sto¦red with wrathe and Ire / ther may no persuasions nor hol¦som counseil auaile nor stere him to his proufit / and is so cursid that alitil sparke of hit makith lightly a grete fie¦re / yet wrath is many atyme pacefied by silēce / as the fiere quenchith when the brondis be taken awey / Also a droncken man can nat perceyue his dronkenship til he be sobre / & after

whan he seth another droncken / he knoweth therby in what caas he was in / Also the angred man retourneth by his paciēce & seeth another angry / may wele perceyue his owne defawtes ¶And sayde. We se comonly women sonner angry than men / the seke men rather than the hole. the olde man lightlyer than the yonge· wherfore it is to be thought that wrath cometh of feblenesse of courage. And a mais¦tre rebuked his clerck seyng / holde thy peas bondemans sone And he ansuerde. I am not the lesse worth for my kynne But thou art the wors for thy condicions ¶And saide A wyseman ought to saye that / that is cōuenient & somtyme to here that / that is not to be saide ¶And saide ther is no∣thing that greueth somoche thy frēde / as to shewe him that thou hast him suspect ¶And saide Companye & dele so with the peple / that they wische after thy presense. whan thou art absent / & that th••y lament & bewaile thy deth / Aman wepte whan his soone was b••ren / And it was axed of him why he wepte & ought rather to be ioyeful / And he ansuerd I wepe for my sone that goth nowe towarde his deth / And it was axed of him what maner peple be leest behated / And he ansuerd thoo that may nother help nor hurt & that doth nother good nor harme / for the euil peple hate the goode / and the goode hate the euil ¶And saide Custume is harder to bre¦ke than nature ¶And saide ther ben / ij / maner of abstnēce One is with goode wil· & the other by force. whiche is not goode ¶And another saide· speke but prouffitable thinges nor ete no m••re than for thy sustynaūce / & seke to haue no∣thing / but that is possible to be had. ne compleyne the not of thy frēdis. take not vnhope of that· that thou maist not

amende / Aske nothing of the couetous man / teche that thou can. yeue that thou hast· haue pacience in thyn aduersitees Do to be written in thy seale or in thy signet / bothe goode pe¦ple and bad shal ende / & beholde that sentence often. And sayd. Short remembraunce and hastenesse of speche ma∣keth many a tyme man fayle and erre in his Iugement And one Rebuked a wiseman / To the whiche the wyse∣man saide. Thou rebukes me nat of alle my vices. And It was axid of him· why he wolde haue no sone / he ansuerd I had leuer be withoute. for whan I beholde the grette lo∣ue that aman hath to his chylde and the grette peynes and troubles he hath to bryng him vp. and atte last must lese him· that sorowe were more to me / than the Ioye ¶It was aduised one that was goyng in a ferre vyage / that he shuld nat holde his Iurney / lest he dyed the rin· And he ansuerd That deth is all one to me / be it in other Countrees or at home And It was axed of another what thing is not to be don / though it be iuste & trewe. And he ansuerd / aman ought not to prayse him self· of eny of hys goode dedis ¶And saide It is somtyme good to spare the sothe for to yeue hope to his ennemyes / & to saue his frendis from deth for trouth nedeth nat alwayes to be said / And it was ax¦id of him what thing was most delectable / And he ans∣uerd that one is not sure to kepe long in one degre & is most difficile to be foūde And saide Aman that desireth to co¦me to eny grette wele / ought not to leue it though he atteyn not therto at the first. but ought to continue his entrepris for it cometh at oo tyme· that cometh nat at / C / ¶And seid the wyseman is not deceyued by flateringis deceyuable

or swete wordes / like as the snake / whiche is taken & eten by the pecok in beholding the fayr fethres of his taile. And awitty prīce may helpe him in his warres aswele wyth bad people as wyth good in diuers maneres ¶And sai∣de If thou hate aman. thou oughtest not therfore hate alle hys seruauntes ¶And sayde. Though aman haue bought abooke It compelleth hym not to studye and rede therin And sayd. Men ought to serue god in ·x. maneris. that is to wytte. to yelde him graces· for the benefetes that he hath yeue hym· to bere paciently his aduersitees to speke trewly. to paye all that he promitteth / to Iuge right wysely to be temperate. to do goode dedis after his power or he be required· to worschepe hys frendis. to foryeue the fawtes of hys ennemyes. to desire nor do eny thing to eny man but as he wolde be don to. And one was blamed bicause he hadde yeuen hys siluer to an euyll persone. beyng in ne∣cessite ¶And he sayde· I haue not yeuen hym my siluer for his badnes. but by cause he was in necessite And sai¦de excercite of diuers labours is helth and delectacion of the body ¶And was axed him. sithen whan he was waxed wyse. And he ansuerd. sithen the tyme that I began to disprayse and mystryst my self· he herde a man reherse le∣singis and vntrewe wordes. To whom he sayd· If thou hardest another sey. that thou sayest. thou woldest not by∣leue him wherfore thou maeyst wel thinke noman bileueth the ¶And Aristophanus sayd· Victorie of worde is not victorie in dede. but the veray victorie is in the werke· And Anaxagoras sayde A good wyseman fereth not the deth for wysdom gouerneth his witte· and his tōge & his voyce

trouth gydeth his herte and his will / pytie & mercy ben his frendis. seking of wysemen ben his fete / his lordship is Iustyce. his reigne is mesure. his swerde is grace / his wepen is peas / his arowe is saluacion / his knyghthode is the counseylle of wysemen. his ornamentis ben strength. his tresoure is discipline. his loue is the companye of goode pe¦ple / his loue & al his desir is to fle sinne & to serue & loue god ¶And saide A grette tresour ys to haue frendys & is a noble affection / wherfore it is conuenient to cherisshe & kepe hem wele / & to winne one by another as ofte as byrdes dra••wen many into her company And a king axid of a wys••¦man whom he reputed to be a goode Iuge / And he ansuerd He that is not deceyued by flateries / that is not corrupt by yeftes· & is not deceyued for fawte of discrecion ¶And another saide Sclandrers ben wors than theues / for theues stele but the goodes & sclandrers take and dystroye loue And another said worshyp yeuen without cause atte last tourneth to shame ¶And another saide It were better to be in companye & conuersaunt with a serpent. than with an euil woman And saide one ought to doubte the subtill¦tees & craftes of his ennemy if he be wyse / & if he be a fole than drede his folies And another said / the most liberal in this worlde is he that reputed for a grete thing the goode dedis that be don to him / & that he reputed for litil that he hath don to other / & that holdeth him content with that he hath be he pouer or riche / And said the most nigard of al men is he that axid inportunatly after he is ones denied & refused his as∣king / And another said enuie distroieth the world & freteth & wereth it as the filth of a gouge doth the iron / ¶And

another sayde / like as no thing may be writen in a peyre of tables all redy wryten in without the first writing be put out / All in like wyse the vertues & noblesses may not be hadde in no body withouten the vices & wrecchednesses ben firstput awey ¶And another sayde like as aman may not all at ones· by holde with one eye the skye / & with other the erth / In like wyse aman may not arredye & dispose his wytte to vertues / & to vices to gyder ¶And another saide the right stedefaste loue is whan the frendis ben of like con¦dicions / and if they be dyuerse or contrarious vnneth that loue may long endure ¶And saide peple ought to dowte their king & him obeye with fere & in loue· And som axed him whan the witte of man was parfeyte / And he sayd whan that he speketh trouthe ¶And another saide the enui¦ou•• hateth the liberall / & the nygarde is wr••th with that another spendeth / And another said all getting may not be iustified ne helth may not be glotonie / ne frēdeship with decepcion· ne noblesse with badde discipline ne loue with pri¦de ne iustice with necessite ne rest of hert with enuie ne wit¦te & discrecion with vengeaunce nor {pro}ces withoute {con}seil And another said truste not afoole nother for loue ne for neyghbourship for it were as good to haue to thy neyghbour ahouse take with fiere· And another said he is thy grete enne¦my whoos werkis ben harde bittre & noyng to the & his wor∣des swete & curtoys / And another said the wysemen endure here all their lyues lasting / & aft••r their deth their goode wor¦kes shal lasten in mēnes myndes / And another said {con}sidera¦cion of the ende of the workis helpeth moche to the goode {con}clusi¦on / And another said thou ought to loue though thou be not

loued ¶And another sayde afoole w••neth euer that god hath no thing wele don nor employed / but that he hath ye∣uen him & semeth that he cowde haue made & ordeigned this world bettir than god hath don / how be it he can not goune his owne {per}sone onely ¶And another saide be willyng to yeue the nedy peple / & in so doyng thou shalt do seruice & ple¦aser to our lorde god ¶And another saide bettir is aman to holde his peas than to {con}trarye & argue with a foole / & is as goode to haue the ennemyte of bad peple as their frende∣ship / & the harde & the sharp lyf in wele doyng· is bettir than the swettest in doyng euyl dedis / & it is bettir to be withou••e fame than to haue hit bad / & pouerte is bettir than the riches of keyteyues / & the poure man without vices is bettir than the riche man that is worshipped for his sinnes ¶And ano¦ther saide It were bettir not to knowe an iniust king than to be his {con}seyllour. or next in his ḡce ¶And another said If thou yeue for to haue fame onely therby / that is not libe¦ralite for thou dost it but for thyn owne auaile And ano¦ther said He is of no laudable lyf that is not this day as good or bettir / as he was the day passed ¶And another said thou shalt not mowe haue that / that thou desirest withoute that thou bere paciētly the greues that thou woldest not haue And another said a meen shalbe in thy handes as long as he shal truste the / And it was axid of a wyseman / why he desired not to haue a sone / he ansuerde. bicause that I haue had ynough ado for to chastyse my body & to adresse my sau¦le without hauing eny other {per}sone to rule or teche / And it was axid of him / who was that most repenteth hym in this world. And he ansuerd / The wyseman at hys

deth / by cause that he hath not wrought after sapyence and he that hath doon goode to an vnkynde man ¶And it was axed of him / what thing encresed the lawe / He ansuered trouth. And what sustyneth trouth / Reason and wytte and wherby is wytte gouerned / by kepyng of the tong / & how is the tonge kept / with pacience / what causes pacience dred of god. and what causes dred of god -Often to speke & remembre deth / and to considere & knowe his frail¦nes ¶And another said superfluyte maketh the body seke wyn troublith the wytte / wrath is {con}trarye to wysdom / but tēperance conforteth the hert / and put aweye all heuinesse and causith helth ¶And saide howe be it that a wyiseman be of lowe kynred yet is he noble / & though he be astranger he sholde be worshipped / & though he be pouer yet the people haue nede of him ¶And another saide he that endureth / & taketh no payn in his youth restith him not in his aage And another sayde the errour of a foole yeueth litil reste to his thoughtis And another said the tonge of adiscrete man is in his herte & the herte of a foole is in his tōge / And another saide not withstanding thy nature vse enermore goode & laudable {con}dicions / And another said aman ought cōtinuelly to enquere what men say of him & where in they lawde him & wher in they blame him / yf they lawde him he to yeue that cawse continuelly withoute pride therof & yf they blame him / he to beware from fallyng any more to that ca¦as and not to hate hem for thair auertissement ¶And sayde he is wyse that is humble and meke in hys myght & pouoir: And whan he is in grete astate to dysprayse the world / and is attemperate in grete auctorite. And one

desired of a wyseman to telle him the difference bytwyx this world and the other world. And he ansuerd / this world is Adreme· And the other world is a thing awa¦ked ¶And another sayd. Bettir is to speke wele than to kepe silence. and bettir to kepe silence than to speke euil ¶And another saide I haue acompayned me with the ri¦che men & haue seen their riche arraye clohtinge & other thin¦gis better than myn were. where vpon I had suche enuie & melancolye that I might haue no reste in my self / Than I acompayned me with pouer men / like as I was. & than I was satisfyed and in peace ¶And another saide like as a man that is in a derke kaue may not se his pr••pre ••••••¦gure / In like wyse the saule that is not clene nor pure m•••••• not clerely see perceyue ne knowe the trewe & {per}fycte good••∣nesse of almighty god ¶And another saide like as the children whan they be borne in peyne & entred into this world resioysse hem after whan they be grete / & fele the delices and eases therof / In like wyse men be sorowfull whan they shal dye. yet if they haue lyued wele. they go after in to a better world· where they than shal resioysse them perpetually

¶And another sayd. As the goodnesse of wysemen goth euermore in amending / In like wyse goth the malices of the fooles euery day in empayring ¶And another said If thou correct a wyseman. he shal thanke the therfore / & if thou teche a foole / he shal dyspreyse the ¶And sayde He ys thy verray frende. that in thy necessite offerith hym self and alle his goodes vnto the ¶And another saide the gouernour of a wyseman is pacience & the gouernour of a foole is pride Andanother sayd aman that is slowthful

in his werkis is cōmonely enuious of the wele of other men ¶And another sayde It is goode to enquere twies of thin¦ges vnknowen / for the first question is of wille / and the seconde is of discrecion ¶And another saide trouth i•• god∣des messager wherfore she must be worshipped for the loue of her maister ¶And another said / he that multiplieth ••••••s temporall goodes dyminueth his espūalles / And another saide thoos that byleue and drede god stedfastlye haue not delectacion but onely in hym & in his werkis ¶And ano∣ther saide the moost laudable werkis that one may doo is to obeye the maundemētes & pleaser of our lorde god / and the werke of the body Ioigned to the werke of the herte is mo∣re laudable than the werke of the herte onely ¶And ano∣ther saide the euill creatures been wors than serpentes lyons or caraynes / And in like wyse as vpon the erthe / ther is nothing bettir than the goode creatures / Right so ther is no thing wors. than thoos that be wykked ¶And another saide he that taketh vpon him higher astate / than to him bi∣longith / putteth grete peyn to be euyll spoken of ¶And a nother saide he that wyll haue reste in his lyffe / ought to kepe him from ·iiij· occasions / the first is that he ought not to be wroth though som creature lyue / whiche he wolde haue dede / seconde is yf som ••ye whiche he wolde haue alyue / the therde is. if he hath not that / that he desireth. and the four∣the is yf he see that fortune raise and bring vp somother of lower degre than he is ¶And another saide to entermedle and dele litill with wo••••••ely werkis is a thing that may beste kepe aman from alle incōueinentis ¶And another saide the more a wyseman is alone the greter is his Ioye

be it day or nyght And another said the euil disposed king is like a caraygne y^t maketh the erth stenke aboute it / & the goode kyng is like the fayer rēnyng ryuire that is prouffy¦table to the creature ¶And another said The wysemen ar nat content to prouffyte onely them self / but semblably do auātage to other / & the fooles hurte not onely th••m self / but rather take grete labour to hurte and trouble other folkes And another said / afoole for a litil thing exposeth him lightly to fortune ¶And said thou maiest not be so wele arrayed nor be seen / as with trouth ¶And another sayde absteynyng from wrath & couetise is laudable thing aswele in this worlde / as in the other ¶And another saide / he that yeueth {con}scile & praysith it him self wold feyn be callid dis¦cret ¶And another said lete not to do wele though thy good dedis ben not knowen / for wel doyng is so goode of hit self that it shalbe vaillable ynough to the atte last ¶And ano••ther saide / aman of good discrecion / ought not to excercise him in thinges inpossible / ne say thinges not vaillable / ne spende more than his wīnyng is / ne promette more / than he may fullfille And another said / aman may haue but peyne & laboure in this worlde ¶And said he that eteth not shal dye for hungre / & if he eteth more than ynough he shalbe seke wherfore it is a difficile thing to aman to be long in helth And another said trust him not y^e forswerith his feith for worldely thinges ¶And another said Idelnesse engēdreth ig¦norānce / & ignorānce engēdreth errour ¶And another said thou shalt finde eueri where clothing mete / & place for to dwel¦le in if thou be ought / but & that suffiseth the not y^t is to the necessarie / thou shalt be subgect to couetise / & yet thou shalt

and sayenges aforsayd for as moche as they specifye of other maters / And also desired me that don to put the sayd booke in enprinte. And thus obeying hys request and co¦maundement I haue put me in deuoyr to ouersee this hys sayd book and beholden as nyghe as I coude howe It accor¦deth wyth thorigynal beyng in Frensh. And I fynde nothyng dyscordaunt therin. Sauf onely in the dyctes and sayengys of Socrates. Wherin I fynde that my saide lord hath left out certayn and dyuerce conclusions tow∣chyng women. Wherof I meruaylle that my sayd lord hath not wreton them· ne what hath meuyd hym so to do Ne what cause he hadde at that tyme· But I suppose that som fayr lady hath desired hym to leue it out of his booke Or ellys he was amerous on somme noble lady. for whos loue he wold not sette yt in hys book. or ellys for the ve∣ry affeccyon. loue and good wylle that he hath vnto alle ladyes and Gentylwomen. he thought that Socrates spared the sothe. And wrote of women more than trouthe. whyche I can not thinke that so trewe aman & so noble a Phylosophre as Socrates was shold wryte other wyse than trouthe· For If he had made fawte in wryting of women. He ought not ne shold not be beleuyd in hys o∣ther dyctes and sayinges. But I apperceyue that my sayd lord knoweth veryly that suche defautes ben not had ne founden in the women born and dwellyng in the∣se partyes ne Regyons of the world· Socrates was a Greke boren in a ferre Contre from hens. Whyche con∣tre is alle of othre condycions than thys is. And men & women of other nature than they ben here in this contre

For I wote wel. of what someuer condicion women ben in Grece. the women of this contre ben right good / wyse / play¦sant / humble / discrete / sobre / chast / obedient to their husbon∣dis / trewe / secrete / stedfast / euer besy / & neuer ydle / Attempe rat in speking / and vertuous in alle their werkis. or acte leste sholde be soo / For whiche causes so euydent my sayd lord as I suppose thoughte it was not of necessite to sette in his book the saiengis of his Auctor socrates touchyng women But for as moche as I had comādemēt of my sayd lord to correcte and amende where as I sholde fynde fawte / and other fynde I none sauf that he hath left out these dicte•• •• saynges of the women of Grece / Therfore in accomplisshīg his comandement for as moche as I am not in certayn whe¦der it was in my lordis copye or not· or ellis perauentu•••••• that the wynde had blowe ouer the leef / at the tyme of ••••••ās¦lacion of his booke / I purpose to wryte tho same sayng•••••• of that Greke Socrates / whiche wrote of tho women of grece and nothyng of them of this Royame / whom I s••••••¦pose he neuer knewe / For if he had I dar plainly saye that he wold haue reserued them inespeciall in his sayd dictes Alway not presumyng to put & sette them in my sayd lor¦des book / but inthende aparte in the rehersayll of the werkis humbly requiryng al them that shal rede this lytyl reher¦sayll that yf they fynde ony faulte tarette it to Socrates and not to me whiche wryteth as here after foloweth

SOcrates sayde That women ben thapparaylles to cacche men / but they take none but them that wil be poure / or els them that knowe hem not And he sayde that ther is none so grete empeshement vnto aman

as Ignoraunce / and women ¶And he sawe a woman that bare fyre / of whom he saide that the hotter bare the colder ¶And he sawe a woman seke. of whom he sayd that the euyl restyth and dwellyth with the euyll ¶And he sa∣we a woman brought to the Iustyce. and many other wo¦men folowed her weping / of whome he sayd. the euyll ben sory and angry bicause the euyll shal perisshe ¶And he sawe a Iong mayde that lerned to wryte / of whom he say∣de· that me multiplied euyl vpon euyll ¶And he sayd that the Ignoraunce of a man is knowen in thre thinges That is to wete / Whan he hath no thought to vse reason Whan he can not refrayne hys couetises / And whan he is gouerned by the conceyll of women in that he knoweth that they knowe not ¶And he sayd vnto hys dyscyples Wylle ye that I enseygne and teche you / howe ye shal mo we escape from alle euyll / And they ansuerd / ye / And thenne he sayde to them / For what someuer thing that it be. kepe you and be wel waar that ye obeye not to women Who ansuerd to hym agayn. And what sayest thou by our good moders & of our susters / He sayde to hem / Suffi¦se you / with that I haue sayd to you. For alle ben sembla¦ble in malice ¶And he sayde / who someuer wyll acquere and gete scyence / late hym neuer put hym in the gouernaū¦ce of a woman ¶And he sawe a woman that made her fresshe and gaye. to whom he sayd / Thou resemblest the fyre / For the more wode is leyd to the fyre the more wo••e it brenne / And the gretter is the hete ¶And on a tyme one axyd hym / what hym semed of women· He ansuerd That the women resemble vnto a Tre called Edelfla

Whyche ys the fayrest tre to beholde and see that may be But wythin it ys ful of venym ¶And they sayd to hym and demanded wherfore he blamed so women / and that he hym self had not comen into thys world ne none other men also wythoute hem. He ansuerd· The woman ys like vnto a Tre named Chassoygnet. on whyche tre ther ben many thynges sharpe and pryckyng. whiche hur¦te and prycke them that approche vnto hyt. And yet ne¦uerthelesse that same tre bringeth forth good dates and swete· And they demanded hym / why he fled from the women. And he ansuerd. For as moche as I see them flee and eschewe the good· and comenly do euyll And a woman sayde to hym· wylt thou haue ony other woman than me And he ansuerde to her Arte not thou ashamed toffre thy self to hym. that demandeth ner desireth the not

LO these ben the dictes & sayengis of the phylosoph¦re Socrates whiche he wrote in his book / And certaynly he wrote no worse than afore is rehersed And for asmoche as it is acordaūt. that his dyctes and sayengis shold be had as wel as others therfore I haue set¦te it in thende of this booke / And also somme {per}sones per¦auenture that haue red this booke in frensshe wold haue arette a grette defaulte in me that I had not do my deuoir in visiting & ouerseeyng of my lordes book acording to his desir / And somme other also happely might haue supposed that Socrates had wreton moche more ylle of women than here afore is specified / wherfore in satisfyeng of all parties & also for excuse of the saide socrates I haue sette these saide

dyctes & sayengis a parte in thende of this book / to thentēt that yf my sayd lord or ony other persone what someuer he or she be that shal rede or here it / that If they be not wel plesyd wyth all that they wyth a penne race it out or el∣lys rente the leef out of the booke / Humbly requyryng and besechyng my sayd lord to take no displaysir on me so pre¦sumyng but to pardone where as he shal fynde faulte / and that it plese hym to take the labour of thenpryntyng in gre & thanke / whiche gladly haue don my dyligence in thaccom∣plysshyng of his desire and commandement / In why¦che I am bounden so to do for the good reward that I ha∣ue resseyuyd of his sayd lordship / Whom I beseche Al∣myghty god tencrece and to contynue in his vertuous dis¦posicion in this world / And after thys lyf to lyue euer∣lastyngly in heuen Amen

¶Et sic est finis