he folowed He ware a double cloke and made him a bagge wherin he wrapped hym whan he slept and put therin hys meat and vsed one place for all purposes bothe to eat to slepe and to talke in Whan he was diseased he wente with a staffe whiche afterward he caryed with him alwayes not onely in the citie but also in all other places He wrote to one to make hym a cell whiche because he taried longe for he toke a barrell or a tunne and made that his house Whan he had any graue matter he wolde call the people to heare him whiche whan they regarded not he wolde sing pleasantly to which whan many resorted he wolde say to heare folyshnes ye runne a pace but to heare any wayghty matter ye scarce put forth your fote He wōdered at Grāmarians whiche could shewe of other folkes lewdnes and neclected theyr owne He reproued Musitians because they toke great care that theyr instrumentes shulde agre theyr owne maners agreed not He rebuked the Mathematikes whiche behelde the sonne y e moone and the starres and neclected the busines that laye before theyr fete He taunted the orators because they studyed to speake that was iust folowed not the same in theyr lyuyng He dispraysed the people whiche whyle they sacrificed and gaue thankes for theyr healthe wolde make great bankets which was agaynst theyr health he wondred that seruauntes coulde stand and se men eat and snatched not awaye theyr meate Beyng mocked because he annoynted his fete with odours and not his head he sayde the sauour goth from the head vp into the ayer but from the fete vp to the nose Being asked what tyme a man shulde dyne he sayde a riche man whan he wyll and a pore man whan he maye when one had geuen him a blowe vpon y e eare he sayde I wyst well I had left somwhat vncouered To yonge laddes y t stode about hym saying we wyll beware folish question he gaue none answer beyng asked why he helde hys peace he sayde Silence is the answer of folish questions Innumerable suche pretie answers taūtes he vsed which who so listeth to here shall fynde in the Apothegmes of Erasmus whiche is no lesse fynely handled in the English than in the latine beside y t it is also more plaine parfect This Diogenes liued 90. yeres died beyng byt of a dogge some wryte other saye that he styfled hym selfe with long holding of his breathe After whose death there was great stryfe amonge his scholers who shulde haue his body to bury neuertheles the stryfe was appeased by the elders and they buryed hym by the gate that leadeth to Isthmus and made hym a fayre tumbe and set a piller with a dogge therupon and set thereto a goodly Epitaphie His good preceptes and prouerbes shall followe in they re places ¶ Of Antisthenes Cap. xxvi ANtisthenes the sonne of Antisthenes was borne at Athens And was disciple to Gorgias the oratour of whome he learned to pleade and from hym he went to Socrates of whome he learned wysdome and morall Philosophie To a yong man that wolde be hys scholer which asked what he neded to hys learnyng he answered a newe boke and a newe wyt Whan it was tolde hym that Plato spake euyll of hym he sayde It is kyngly to be euell spoken of whan a man doth well He wolde say that it were better for a man in hys necessitie to fall amonge rauens than amonge flattereres for rauens wyll eat none but dead folke but flatterers wyll eat men being aliue He wolde saye y t Cities must nedes decaye where good mē were not knowen from the bad Beyng praysed of euell men he sayde I feare me that I haue done some euell He wold saye that it was a great ouersight sithens they purged theyr wheate from darnell and theyr warres of cowardly soldiers that they purged not theyr common weale from enuyous people Beyng asked of a man what was best to learne he sayde to vnlearne the euell that thou hast learned He alwayes toke Plato for proude disdaynous and hygh mynded in somuche that whan he met hym at a tryumphe wheras there were many goodly and coragious neyghyng horses he sayde o Plato thou woldest haue made a goodly horse He wrote many goodly bokes spake many proper and piththy sentences whiche shal be spoken of hereafter He died of a disease whā he was very olde If is sayde that whan he was sicke Diogenes came to visit hym hauyng a blade by his syde whan he sayde who shall rid me frō my disease Diogenes shewing him his sweard sayde this same shal to whiche Antisthenes sayde I spake of my grefe not of my lyfe There were mo of this name but he lyeth buryed at Athens ¶ Of Isocrates Cap. xxvii ISocrates was a Grecian borne cam of a good kinred was in his youth wel brought vp in all kindes of good maners and whan he came to age discretiō he was an hearer of Gorgias the oratour whose disciple he continued vntyll suche time as he was well learned bothe in naturall also in morall Philosophy As some saye he was in y e time of Ahasuerus y e kyng and was of suche fame for his learning namely for morall Philosophy that he semed to many rather a god than a man He liued vertuouslye wyth suche faythfulnes in frendship and continence of his bodye and with suche piththines in his coūsayle as verye fewe hath ben like him since He wrot many goodly bokes in his youthe whiche he folowed in hys age of whiche his good coūsayles to Demonicū testyfye his wit his learning in morall Philosophy besyde other which he wrote of naturall Philosophy He liued long time for as Ualerius Maximus saieth whā he was .xciiii. yeres olde he set forth ā excellent boke ful of y e spirit In all his workes he praysed vertue as hed foūtaine of all maner riches exhorted al mē thervnto To one that axed him yf he wolde be a king he answered that he woulde not And beyng asked wherfore he sayde If I iudge rightfully I can not eschue y e hatred of many mē agayne yf I iudge wrongfully I cā not eschue y e payne of eternall dānaciō wherfore I had rather liue porely assured of y e blisse of heauen thā in doubt therof possessing all worldly riches Being asked how a man might kept him selfe from anger he answered In remembring y t god loketh alwayes vpon him In hys tyme men delyted muche in blacke heare wherfore one of hys neyghbours died his head blacke whan one asked him why his neybour did so he featly tauntyng his neyghbours folyshnes answered because no man shulde axe counsayle nor learne any wysedome of hym What woulde he say nowe trowe we yf he sawe these wyues y t not onely coloure their heare but also paynt theyr faces He vsed oftentymes ī his prayers to desyre god to kepe saue him from the
daunger of his frendes rather than froÌ„ his enemies and beyng demaunded of one that hearde him why he prayed so he sayde as for myne enemy I can beware of for why I trust him not so can I not of my frende because I trust him Beyng asked what a maÌ„ ought not to do although it were iust and true he answered to prayse hym selfe He liued .cii. yeares and dyed for very age was buryed honorablye The rest of his sayinges shal be spoken of hereafter ¶ Of Plutarche Cap. xxviii PLutarche y e Philosopher was a man of a wondrefull wyt well brought vp in hys youthe well instructed in maners well furnyshed in al kyndes of learnyng which growing vp as wel iÌ„ vertue learniÌ„g as in body yeares was chosen that worthely to be the instructer of y e Emperour Traiane whome he so well instructed that his glorye therby was greatly augmented as it is sayde in Policrato the fifth boke He was faythfull in his sayinges and eloquent in hys wordes and very diligent ware in his maners of a chaste lyfe and good conuersation He gaue hys mynde muche to instruct teache other and wrote manye bokes of whiche one intytled the education of youthe whyche we haue in the English tonge drawne therinto by the excellent famous knyght Sir Thomas Eliote whose good zeale loue bothe to further good learning to profyt his countrey appeareth as well therby as by other many workes which he hath payned him selfe to bryng iÌ„to our laÌ„guage sheweth wel his good affectioÌ„ y t he had to y e coÌ„moÌ„ weale He wrote an other boke called y e institution of Traiane In whiche he setteth out the office of a Prince what he ought to be so excellently as no maÌ„ can ameÌ„de it He wrote al so an other boke entitled Archigrammatum wherin he teacheth rulers officers howe to gouerne them selues w t diuers other thinges among whiche the letter that he wrote to Traiane what tyme he was created Emperour is worthye to be remembred in the ende wherof he sayth thus Thou shalte rule al thinges euen as thou woldest yf thou go not from thy selfe and yf thou dispose all thy workes to vertue all thinges shal prosper w t the And as touching y e gouernauÌ„ce of thy coÌ„mon weale I haue taught the therin already whiche yf y u shalte folowe me thy master Plutarche as an example of good lyuyng but yf y u do otherwyse thaÌ„ shal this my lettre be my wytnes y t I gaue the neyther couÌ„cel neyther any example thervnto WhaÌ„ he was aged he dyed was buried honorably his goodly prouerbes adages parables semblables shal folowe iÌ„ theyr places ¶ Of Seneca Cap. xxix SEneca the Philosopher an excellent well learned maÌ„ was borne in Corduba and therof called Cordubences He was disciple to Stratus the stoycke and was Lucane the Poetes countreyman He floryshed at Rome in the tyme of the Emperour Tyrant Nero whom he taught in his youth iÌ„ learnyng and maners whiche afterwardes was cause of hys deathe In the tyme of this Seneca Peter and Paule came to Rome and preched there And whan many of Nero y e Emperours house gathered togyther to heare Paule Seneca amonge the test was so familier w t him delighted so muche to heare the diuine science and wysdome whiche he sawe in him y t it greued him to be seperate at any tyme froÌ„ his coÌ„munication insomuche than whan he might not talke with him mouth to mouth he vsed communicatioÌ„ by letters oft sent betwene them He read also the wrytynges and doctrines of Paule before the Emperour Nero and got him the loue and fauour of euery bodye Insomuch that y e Senate wondered muche at Paule This Seneca was a man of a verye chaste lyfe so good that sainct Iherom numbreth hym in hys bederowe of Sayntes prouoked therto by his Epistles whiche are entytled Seneca to Paule Paule to Seneca After he lyued in to a meane age he was slayne of Nero the tyraunt two yeares before Peter Paule suffered theyr gloryoê° martyrdome For Nero on a daye beholdyng hym callyng to mynde howe he whan he was his master dyd beat him he conceyued hatred agaynst hym and beyng desyroê° to reuenge hym selfe and to put hym to deathe gaue hym lycence to chose what kynde of deathe he woulde wherfore Seneca seynge that his tyranny coulde not be appeysed and supposyng that to dye in a bayne was y e easyest kynde of deathe desyred to be let bloode in the vaynes of his armes and so dyed which death as some thynke was forshewed in his name Seneca that is to saye se necans whiche signifyeth in Englishe a kyller of him selfe He wrote in his lyfe time many goodly bokes out of whiche shal be pyked some of y e most piththy sentences bothe of preceptes and counsayles and also of Prouerbes Adages Parables and Semblables whyche in theyr places hereafter shall folowe And because the lyues of these before written are sufficient for our pourpose and because we be desyrous to be as shorte as we myght be here wyll we finish the firste boke desyrynge all men that the same shall rede to folowe the good vertues that therin are contayned The ende of the first Boke In this first boke of Phylosophers lyues Wherin theyr answers are partly contayned A man may learne as chauÌ„ce therto him dryues To shape an answer Or yf he be constrayned To wrath or anger or other passions lyke Here shal he see howe lyke lustes wer refrayned Of Hethen men who thought it shame to strike WheÌ„ good occasioÌ„ oftymes theÌ„ therto payned ¶ The seconde boke intytled of preceptes and counsayles ¶ Of the profite of morall Philosophy Cap. i. IT is not vnknowen to any which haue any knowlege at al how profitable necessary nedefull it is for meÌ„ to haue y e knowlege of morall Philosophy In whiche whoso is ignorant is worse than a brute beast and therfore it mought here haue wel ben omytted Yet neuerthelesse to satisfye y t desires of some and to stop the mouthes of other some whiche peraduenture wolde be glad accordyng to the prouerbe to seke a knot in a rishe and agayne to helpe and encourage other whom eyther ignoraunce or neglygence holdeth backe it semeth necessary though not all yet at y e least to shewe some of y e innumerable commodities that there vnto be ioyned Wherin omittyng the discommodities whiche for lacke therof daylye augment growe as malice hatred enuy pryde lacke of loue deceytes robberies theftes murthers bluddy battayles seditions decaye of cities decaye of common weales spoyling of realines and vtter desolation of people and kyngdomes what can be a greater commoditie than for euery man peaceably to possesse his owne whiche peaceable agrement sith it can none other wayes be got nor when it is got be preserued but by loue whych only springeth of agremente in maners and morall vertues what
whyche Plato woulde not saying I wyll not put on a womans garmeÌ„t but Aristippus dyd and whan he beganne to dauÌ„ce he sayde in dronken feastes the sober offende not It chaunced that he sewed to Dyonisius for a frende of his and beyng denyed fell downe before his fete whaÌ„ he was reproued therfore he sayd I am not in y e faulte but Dionisius whiche hath eares in his fete This many lyke answers he gaue whiche who so listeth to rede maye loke in y e Apothegmes of Erasmus where he shall fynde ynough whiche because it appertayneth not greatly to oure pourpose we wyll omyt entrete of his good preceptes prouerbes in the places thereto appoynted ¶ Of Plato Cap. xxi PLato the sonne of AristoÌ„ Periander of SoloÌ„s kinred was borne at Athens in the yere daye that Apollo was borne as witnesseth Appollodorus Whiche was in the .lxxxviii. Olimpiade dyed being .lxxx. and .4 yeres olde It is sayde that whaÌ„ he was borne there came a swarme of bees hyued in his mouthe which Socrates sayd to be a signe of his great eloqueÌ„ce He was a goodly maÌ„ of person as sayeth Alexander and was therfore called Plato which some saye was for hys eloquence and some for hys greate forhead He excercysed him selfe iÌ„ his youth in wrastliÌ„g suche lyke feates gaue his minde also to payntiÌ„g to wryte Poesies meters and tragedyes He had a small voyce and an eloquent tonge Socrates dremed y t a swanne let fall an egge whyche hatched in his lappe and whan it was fethered it flue vp on hygh song exceadyng swete songes and the next daye whaÌ„ Platoes father brought hym to schole to Socrates O ê™ he this is the swan that I dreamed of and whan he had learned muche shulde come before Dynonyse to a schole game wherein learned men shulde showe theyr goodly meaters pyththy wrytynges wherin who that excelled had a great rewarde when he had hearde Socrates declare his Plato flong his owne into y e fyer sayinge O fyer Plato hath nede of thy helpe And whan Socrates was dead he went into Italye to Phylolaum which was of Pythagoras secte From thence he went into Egypt to heare the preestes the Prophetes where beynge sore sicke he was healed by one of the preestes with sea water by reason wherof he sayde The sea ebbeth floweth all maner diseases He sayde moreouer that all the Egyptians were Phisitians He determined also to go to y e Magicians but by meanes of the warres that were in Asia he chauÌ„ged his purpose returned to Athens where he abode and wrote many goodly workes and drewe togyther Heraclitê° Pithagoras and Socrates reasons And in sensible thinges he preferred Heraclitê° and in thinges that pertayned to intelligence he toke Pythagoras parte and in ciuill matters and morall Phylosophy he estemed most his master Socrates And drue these thre partes of Phylosophy iÌ„ to one bodye Satyrus sayeth y t he gaue an hundred pounde to PhylolauÌ„ for .iii. of Pythagoras bokes He sayled thryse into Sicil to se the countrye whereas Dionisius the tyrant Hermocrates sonne coÌ„pelled hym to talke wyth hym when Plato in his coÌ„munication sayde that a tyrant ought not to do that whiche was for his owne profit except he excelled in vertue the Tyraunt beynge angry therwythall sayde Thy wordes sauour of olde ydle dottrels tales And thyne also ê™ Plato of a yong tyrant For whyche this tyrant woulde haue slayne hym but was entreated otherwyse and commaunded hym to be solde And by chaunce there was one Annicer a Cyreniake whyche gaue thyrtye pounde for hym sent hym to Athens amongest hys frendes whiche incontinent sent hym his moneye agayne which he in no wise wolde receyue allegyng that other men were as worthy to care for Plato as they And when the tyraunt hearde how Plato had sped was in his couÌ„trye agayne he wrote vnto hym prayiÌ„g him not to speake or wryte euell of hym to whyche request Plato wrote agayne that he had not so muche ydle tymes as to remembre hym Some saye y t whan the captayne Cabria whyche was gyltye of deathe fled that he wheÌ„ none els of y e citie durst weÌ„t wyth hym And whaÌ„ Crobylus a scoffer sawe hym enter into the castell w t him he rayled on him saying thou goest to healpe another as though thou knewest not that we all redye owe the Socrates poyson To whome Plato sayde whan I warred for my country he suffered peryll w t me wherfore now for frend shyps sake I wil do as muche for hym To one whome he reproued for playing at dyse whiche sayde thou chydest for a small matter in dede ê™ he the thinge is small but the customable vse therof is no small thing To one of hys boyes which had displeased him he sayd yf I were not angrye I wolde trymme the. To one of his seruauÌ„tes which had done amisse and excused him saying it was my desteny I could do none otherwyse he sayde excuse thy selfe no more thaÌ„ for it is thy destinie also to be punyshed He dyed in the scholes as some saye beynge broken in the myddes was buryed in Athens His notable senteÌ„ces shal be added in theyr places ¶ Of Xenocrates Cap. xxii XEnocrates the sonne of Agathenor beyng borne in Calcedonie was Platos scholer eueÌ„ from his youthe He was blunt wytted and slowe insomuche that Plato speakynge of hym and Arisstotle woulde say that the one had nede of y e spurre the other of the brydle He was graue and earnest and drye in his communication He was muche in the scholes and yf at any tyme he went in to the towne boyes tolyshe people wolde crye after hym for the nones to anger hym He was so chaste that whan men for the nones had hyred an harlot to meddle with him which lying with him many nyghtes coulde not obtayne her pourpose she sayde he was an ymage and no man WheÌ„ hys fellowes woulde cast into hys bed Layis which at y t time was the fayrest strumpet in Athens when she wolde entyse hym wyth her moste whoryshe conditions he wolde cut hys owne members because she shulde not ouercome him Beyng sent w t other Embassadours to Philip whan all the other take rewardes and banqueted with hym he wolde not In so muche that whan Philip many tymes wolde talke with him he refused For whiche cause Philip admytted hym not for an Embassadour And when he wyth the rest of his felowes was returned to Athens they sayde that he went w t them in vayne And when accordyng to the lawes he shulde therfore paye a forfayt he counsayled y e rulers to take good hede to y e coÌ„mon weale sayinge y t Philip with gyftes had corrupted all the other Embassadours but coulde not make hym graunt by any maner meanes which they hearing estemed him more thou euer they dyd before Beyng sent an other tyme to Antipater to redeme the prisoners whiche
than rychesse with feare Socra The profyte of sylence is lesse than the profyte of speche and the harme of speche is more than the harme of silence â—â—hago A foole is knowen by his speche and a wise man by silence â—iogen There is great vertue in a mans eares He that blabbeth muche declareth hym selfe to haue small knowledge He that wyll not kepe silence is to be blamed and he that speaketh not tyl he be hydden is to be praysed It is better to heare than to speake Eyther talke of vertue thy selfe or geue eare to them that wyll talke therof Hermes Multiply silence so shalt thou auoyde many peryls Silence is the answere of folyshe questions Of al good thinges the greatest quantitie is the best saue of wordes Thalee We ought to beare double as much as we speake and therefore hath Nature geuen vs two eares and but one tongue Socrat. A man hath power ouer his wordes til they be spoken but after they be vttered they haue power ouer hym A man ought to consyder before what he wyll speake and to vtter nothyng that maye repent hym afterwardes Pythag. He that speaketh lytle harkeneth and learneth at the speche of other but whan he speaketh other learne of hym Plato Wordes wythout good effecte is lyke a great water that droundeth the people doeth it selfe no profyt The fylthe of worldelye wysedome is knowen by muche speache Seneca He knoweth not howe to speake that knoweth not howe to holde his peace It is better to speake wel than to kepe silence and it is better to kepe silence thaÌ„ to speake euyll Socrat. To talke of God is the best communication and to thynke vpon hym is the best silence ¶ The summe of all Bothe speache silence are excelent vertues Used in tyme and place conuenient Of whyche the best and easyest to abuse Is speche for whiche men often tymes repent So do they not because they be sylent Yet be not dumme nor geue thy long the lease But speake thou wel or hear holde thy peace ¶ Of Kynges rulers and gouernours howe they shoulde rule theyr subiectes Cap. x. Aristotle KInges rulers gouernoures shuld first rule them selues than theyr subiectes Plato He is vnmete to rule other y t can not rule his selfe None ought to rule excepte he fyrst haue learned to obeye Dronkenens hauynes and couetise are to be abhorred of all men but specially of prynce and rulers Hermes If a kyng be negligent in serchyng the workes of hys enemyes and the heartes and wylles of his subiectes he shall not long be in suretye in hys realme The strengthe of a kyng is the frendshyp and loue of his people â—ithago The subiectes are to theyr kyng as the wynde is to a fyer for the stronger that y e wynde is the greater is the fyer The kyng that foloweth truthe and ruleth accordyng to iustyce shal raygne quietlye but he that doeth the contrarye seketh an other to raygne for hym Plato When couetyse is bounde to the kyng the realme is in prosperitie but when the kyng is bounde to couetyse the realme is in an euyl takyng Aristo A kynges good worde is better than a great gyft of an other man Hermes The most secret counsayle of a kyng is his conscience and hys vertuous deades are his chefest treasures Aristotle â–ª It is not so great an honour for a king to conquere as for to gouerne them well whome he hath conquered If a kyng be mercyfull his estate shall prosper and his wysedome shal helpe him in his nede yf he be iust his subiectes shal reioyce in hym and his reygne shall prosper and his estate continue Socrat. A kyng ought not to trust hym greatly that is couetous which setteth hys mynde wholly to get great rychesse nor hym that is a flatterer nor any to whome he hath done wronge nor in hym that is at truce wyth hys enemyes Plutare â–ª A kyng ought to refrayne the company of vicious persons for the euyll whyche they do in his companye is reputed his If becoÌ„meth a kyng to take good hede to his counsaylours who folow his iustes and whiche entende the common weale y t he maye knowe whome for to trust Solon It appertayneth to princes to see that theyr chyldren be wel broughte vp infourmed in wysedome and instruct in maners that they maye be able after them to rule and gouerne theyr kyngdomes Hermes Ye kynges remembre fyrst youre kyng the gouernour of al and as ye woulde be honored of your subiectes so honor ye him Use no familiaritie with anye vicyous person Trust none with your secretes before ye haue proued them Sleepe no more than shall suffyse the sustentation of your bodyes Loue ryghteousnes and truthe Embrace wysedome Feede measurablye Reward your trusty frendes Fauor your communaltie consideryng that by it your realmes are mayntayned Loue learned meÌ„ that the ignoraunt maye thereby be encoraged to learnyng Defend the true iust and punysh the euyl doers that other monyshed therby maye flyethe lyke vices Cut of the stealers handes Hang vp theues and robbers that the hygh wayes may be the surer Burne the Sodomytes Stone the aduouterers Beware of lyers and flatterers and punysh them Suffre not the swearers to escape vnponyshed Uisit your prysoners and delyuer the vngyltye Punyshe immediatly suche as haue deserued it Followe not your owne wylles but be ruled by counsayle so shall you geue your selues rest and labour vnto other Be not to suspicious for that shal both disquyet youre selues and also cause men to drawe from you Aristo It is a great chastysement to the people to haue a ryghteous prince and it is a great corruption vnto them to haue a corrupte and vicyous ruler Plutare â–ª A kyng ought to be of a good courage to be curteous fre lyberall to refrayne his wrathe where he oughte and shewe it where it nedeth to keepe hym from couetise to execute true iustice and to followe the vertuous examples to his good predicessours and yf it chaunce that y e strength of his bodye fayle yet oughte he to keepe the strength of hys courage ¶ The summe of all A kyng which in yearth is euen the same That god is in heauen of kynges king eterne Shulde fyrst feare god and busily hym frame Hym selfe to rule and than his realme gouerne By lawe by loue by iustice and by ryght Cherishyng the good punishyng the stubberne The lengthenyng of his raygne and doublyng of hys myght ¶ The preceptes of the wyse Cap. xi Solon WOrshyp God Reuerence thy father and mother Helpe thy frendes Hate no man Mayntayne truthe Sweate not Obey the lawes Thinke that whiche is iust Moderate thyne anger Prayse vertue Persecute the euyll with extreme hatred Thales Honor thy kyng Trye thy frendes Be the selfe same that thou pretendest Abstayne from vice Loue peace Desyre honor and glory for vertue Take hede to thy life and be circumspect Deserue prayse of euery bodye Cast
whysperers and tale bearers oute of thy companye Take in good worthe what so euer chaunceth â—â—obuâ— Be not hygh mynded Iudge iustlye Be careful for thy householde Reade ouer good bokes Do good to good people Refrayne from foule language Bryng vp in learnyng thy chyldren that thou louest best Be not suspicious nor gelouse Uanquish thy parentes with sufferaunce Remembre them whiche haue done the good forget not theyr benefittes Despyse nor thyne vnderlynges Desyre not other mennes gooddes Run not headlyng in to doubtful matters Kepe thy frendes gooddes as safe as thou wouldest thyne owne Do not that to an other whiche thou thy selfe hatest Thretten no bodye for it is womanlyke Be redyer to goe to thy frende in tyme of his miserie than in his prosperitie Chilon Knowe thy selfe Beare no man malice Use temperaunce Flye fylthy thinges Get thy goodes iustly Lose no tyme. Use wysedome Please the most Be well manered Suspecte nothyng Hate sclaunder Be not importunate Let not thy tongue runne before thy wyt â–ª Proue not that whiche thou mayest not atchyue Loue as yf thou wouldest hate and hate as yf thou wouldest loue shortly after Perâ—aÌ„dâ— â–ª Please euery bodye Hate vyolence Be alwayes one to thy frende as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Perfourme whatsoeuer thou promisest Kepe close thy misfortune least thyne enemye reioyce at it Stycke to the truthe Abstayne from vice Do that whiche is ryghtfull and iust Geue place to thy betters and to thyne elders Abstayne from swearyng Folowe vertue Moderate thy lustes and affections Prayse honest thynges Hate debate Be mercyfull to the penitent Instructe thy chyldren Requyte benefits Enhaunt wysemens company Esteme greatly good men Flye rebuke Heare that whiche to the belongeth Be enuyous to no man Answere aptlye Do nothyng that maye repent the. Honor them that haue deserued honor Be fayre speched Feare the officers Mayntayne concorde Flatter not When thou doest amysse take better counsayle Trust not to the tyme. Hope well Be seruisable to euery bodye Take good hede to thy selfe Reuerence thyne elders with obedience Fyght and dye for thy countreye Mourne not for euery thyng for that wyl shorten thy lyfe Gette a wytty woman to thy wyfe and she shall bryng the forth wyse chyldren Lyue and hope as yf thou shouldest dye immediatlye Spare as though thou wer immortal Hate pryde and vayne glorye Smell not in welthe Seale vp secretes Tarye alwayes for a conuentent tym Geue liberally for thy profyt Do no man wrong Auoyde gryefe Mocke not the dead Use thy frendes Geue blameles counsayle comforte thy frendes Byas Beholde thy selfe often in a lokyng glasse and yf thou appeare bewtyfull do suche thynges as become thy bewetye but yf thou seme fowle than perfourme w t good maners the bewtye that thy face lacketh Talke none euyll of God but searche diligently to knowe what he is Heare muche but speake lytle Fyrste vnderstande and than speake Prayse not the vnworthye because of his rychesse Get vp perswasion and not by vyolence Get the sobrenes in thy youth and wisdome in thyne age Pittach â–ª Tell not abrode what thou entendest to doe for yf thou spede not thou shalte be mocked Paye thy dettes Reuyle not thy frende Rule thy wyfe Be not slowthefull Yf thy felowes hurte them small thinges suffre it and be as bolde with them Take not thyne enemy for thy frende nor thy frend for thyne enemye Be not iudge betwene thy frendes Stryue not with thy father and mother although thou saye the truthe Reioyce not at any mannes misfortune Let thy mynde rule thy tongue Be obedient to the lawe Heare gladlye Attempt nothyng aboue thy strengthe Be not hasty to speake nor slow to heare Wyshe not the thyng whiche thou mayest not obtayne Aboue and before all thynges worshyppe God Reuerence thyne elders Refrayne thy lust Breake vp hatred â—ermes Be obedient vnto thy kynge and worshyp those that be in auctoritie vnder him Loue God and truthe so shalt thou saue thy soule Enuye not thoughe an euyll man prosper for surely his ende shal not be good Be satisfyed with lytle for it wyll encrease and multiplye Truste not to the tyme for it deceyueth sodaynlye them that trust therto Upbrayde no man wyth his miserie Mary thy matche Take good aduysement ere thou begyn ought but whan thou hast begon dispatch it quyckely â—ythag Before thou go from home deuyse with thy selfe what thou wylt doe abrode and whan thou arte come home agayne remeÌ„bre what thou hast done abroade Socraâ— â–ª Neyther flatter nor chyde thy wyfe before straungers Be not proude in prosperitie neyther dispayre in aduersitie In prosperitie be ware and in aduersitie hope for better fortune Learne by other mens vices howe fylthy thyne owne are Moderate thy lustes thy tongue and thy belly Do not that thy selfe whyche thou dispraysest in an other Couet not to ware ryche through deceyte Aristip â–ª Loke what thanke thou rendrest to thy parentes and loke for the lyke agayne of thy chyldren Rule not excepte thou haue fyrst learned to obeye Yealde vnto reason Flye euyll company Sclaunder not them that he dead Prepare the suche rychesse as whan the shyppe is broken maye swymme skape wyth theyr mayster Plato â–ª Learne suche thynges whyle thou arte a chylde as maye profytte the whan thou arte a man Endeuour thy selfe to do so well that other maye enuye the therfore Spende not to outragyouslye nor be to â—ygardysh so shalte thou neyther be nedy nor in bondage to thy ryches 〈◊〉 Be pacient in tribulation and geue no man cause to speake euyll of the. Looke well to the saulfegarde of thyne owne bodye Socra Knowe thy selfe so shall no flatterer begylde the. Be vertuous and lyberall so shalt thou eyther stop the sclaunderers mouthe orels the eares of them that shal heare hym â—â—oph Meddle not with that with whyche thou hast nought to do Neyther suffre thy handes to worke nor thy tongue to speake nor thyne eares to heare that whiche is euyll â—â—hago Slepe not before thou haue consydered howe thou hast bestowed the daye past Yf thou haue wel done thanke god yf otherwyse repent and aske hym forgeuenes Desyre God at the begynnyng of thy workes that thou mayest by hys helpe bryng them to a good conclusion â—ristot Walke not in the waye of hatred Do not what thou wouldest but what thou shouldest Prayse not a man excepte he be prayse worthye Yf thou wylt correct any man do it rather with gentlenes then with violent extremitie Use measure in all thynges Socraâ—â— Whan thou talkest wyth a straunger be not to full of communication tyll thou knowe whether he be better learned than thou and yf thou be better speake than the boldlyer els be quyet learne of hym Geue thy wyfe no power ouer the for yf thou suffer her to daye to treade vpon thy fote she wyll to morowe treade vpon thy head Fyxe thy wyl to do iustice and sweare not Arâ—stipâ— Haunt not to muche thy frendes