day thou liv'st account thou gain that captive are to care 34. Sometimes when thou may'st Victor be Give place as vanquished By yeilding up in Courtesy Kind Freinds are conquered 35. Great things requiring grudge thou not Small Charges to bestow For by this means 'twixt Friend and Friend Doth favour greatly grow 36. With whom thou art in League of Love To quarrel think prophane Brauls hatred breeds and friendship breaks But Peace doth Love maintain 37. When careless Servants move thy mind To Wrath and ireful Rage Do nought in choler till the time Thy Fury shall asswage 38. Whom thou by force may'st conquer seek By suff'rance to convince Of moral Virtues wise Men hold Sweet Patience Soveraign Prince 39. Keep rather Goods by labour got Than spend till things be scant In loss to work and toill afresh Is still to live in want 40. If wealth abound be liberal Each Friendship to reward Yet so as always of thy self Thou have a due regard Dionysius Cato His MORAL PRECEPTS BOOK II. The PREFACE OF Tillage if perhaps thou would The Skill exactly know Read Learned Virgil whose Discourse Each thing at large doth show But if of Herbs and Plants the Force Thou rather wish to find Lo Macer writtes a Book in Verse To satisfy thy Mind â—f Roman Warrs and bloody Broils Of Carthage please thee more Search Lucan who of Mars his Stirres And Stratagems hath store Or if by reading thou desire The Laws of Love to Learn In Nasoes wanton Legend lo This Art thou may'st discern But if thy chiefest Care intend A wise Mans state to see Then listen thou to lead a Life From filthy Vices free Approach I say and to my Lore Attend while I relate What Wisdom is and how by her Thou may'st be fortunate 1 EVEN unto strangers if thou may'st Do good in time of need For friends by love and bounty won A kingdomes worth exceed 2. What heaven and Gods high secrets are VVaste not thy wits to learn Since thou art mortal mind the things VVhich mortal men concern 3. Fond fear of Death abandon quite As follies foul effect Which who so dreads all joy of life Doth utterly reject 4. In disputation suffer not Incensed wrath to rise Which wit and judgement so beguiles That truth obscured lies 5. Spare for no cost when time shall serve And cause require the same A penny better spent then spar'd Addes to an honest name 6. Abandon Superfluities VVith litle rest content Safe is the bark on calmer streames To wished Haven bent 7. Remember well as wisdom would To hide thy proper shame Lest what thy private self-mislikes Incurre more publick blame 8. Think not that men offending oft Can closely so conceal Their faults but that one time shall sure Their secret Sins reveal 9. A man of limbs and stature small Disdain not in thy pride For Natur 's want by wisdomes wealth Is commonly Supply'd 10. Contending with superior powers Take heed in time to yeeld For oft the partie Vanquished Hath after won the field 11. Against thy freind by force of words Strive not in any wayes Sometimes of words which are but wind Great controversies rise 12. What God intends endeavour not By lot to know or shun What he determines touching thee VVithout thee shall be done 13. Eschew by over nice attires Foul Envyes hateful sting Which though it hurt not to endure Is yet an irksome thing 14. By wrongful Judgement overthrown Thy self discourage not By doome unjust who overcomes Not long enjoyes his lot 15. Once reconciled rip not up The wrongs of former dayes Old Sores to rub and wrath revive A wicked mind bewrayes 16. To praise or discommend thy self Are things alike unfit For so do fools whom glory vain Bereaves of common wit 17. In midst of plenty keep a mean Spend not thy self too fast Goods long in gathering oft are seen In little time to waste 18. To play the fool in time and place Occasion serving fit Amongst the wisest is esteem'd The primest point of Wit 19. Flee wanton Riot and withal Eschew the common Fame Of Avarice Both which Extreams Impair a Mans good Name 20. Believe not lightly every Tale Each Babler shall relate Small Credit crave his idle Words That useth much to prate 21. The Sin of Surfet pardon not Do Pennance for the same Not Wine but Drinkers foul Abuse That doth deserveth Blame 22. Thy Secrets to a secret Friend Commit if thou be wise Thy crazed Body to his Trust That Health by Art supplies 23. Ungodly Persons thriving fast Let not thy Mind affright For Fortune favours wicked Men. To Work them farder Spight 24 Provide for After-Claps in time And arme thy self to bear So shall thou in expected Broiles Prevent both Harm and Fear 25. In time of trouble be not like A wounded Man half slain But hope the best For Hope alone Revives the Dead again 26. Neglect not fit Occasion for Thy proper Good assign'd Old Father Time hath hairy Locks Before but not behind 27. Look back what follows and withal Forseee what stands in place This Wisdom may that Embleme teach Of Janus double Face 28. Sometimes for Health spare dyet use For though of Dainties store Dame Pleasure crave Yet to thy Health Thou art addebted more 29. The Judgment of the Multitude Despise not thou alone Lest while thou many Men contemn'st Thy self be lik'd of none 30. Of wished Health have chiefest Care Preferr thy Health to all If evil Dyet make thee sick Blame not the Spring nor Fall 31. Regard not Dreams For what Mens Thoughs Broad waking entertain And wish or hope then muse upon In Sleep appears again Dionysius Cato His MORAL PRECEPTS BOOK III. The PREFACE GOOD Reader whosoe're thou art That takes this Book in Hand These brief Directions good for Life Give heed to understand With honest Precepts store thy Mind Learn well their wise Contents For Life of civil Learning void Death's Image represents Great Profite may'st thou reap thereby Which if thou not respect Not me the Writer but thy self Thou chiefly shalt neglect 1 WHereas thou lead'st an upright life Regard not causeless wrongs By base detractors offered for Thou canst not rule Mens tongues ◠〈◊〉 â—â—ll'd by law against thy Friend 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ess crimes forepast 〈◊〉 honest reputation sav'd â—â—â—ceale them what thou may'st 3. Of fawning words and flatt'ring speech beware in any wayes For simple truth unmasked walks But fraud fair words disguise 4. Flee beastly sloth the bane of life Some honest business do An idle mind decayes it self And wastes the body too 5. To make both mind and body strong No labour then refuse But in thy many careful toils Some recreation use 6. To carp at others words let not Thy wit be ill apply'd Least by thine own example taught Another the deride â— What by deceased Friends bequeath'd Is hapned to thy Lot Keep and encrease that common Fame A Spend-Thrift call thee not â— Of Riches if thy latter age A
DIONYSIUS CATO His Four BOOKS OF Moral Precepts Translated out of Latine Hexameter into English Meeter By J. M. EDINBVRGH Printed in the Year 1700. DIONYSIUS CATO HIS Moral Precepts THE PREFACE WHEN I observ'd how many Men In manners went awry And grosly erred in their course From Paths of Piety I thought my counsel to amend If happily I might Was not amiss And teach Men how To live in happy plight Now therefore my beloved Son I will inform thy mind To walk a course whereby thou may'st Both praise and profite find So then my precepts read as that They may be understood For why to read and not regard Is to neglect thy Good THE INTRODUCTION PRay to thy God with rev'rent fear And allways love thy Parents dear Respect thy kindred with good will Fear to offend your Teachers still Keep what is given to thee in Trust And to the Court prepare thou must With upright men walk where thou wald To council come thou not uncall'd Be neat and cleanly as thou can And bid Good Day to ev'ry Man To all Superiours give due place Slight no Inferiours with Disgrace Keep your Estate with serious care Be bashful ay where you repair Ply well your care in every thing Read Books for Learning's cherishing And what ye read strive to retain Your Family seek to maintain Be fair spoken at all essays And let not anger blind your eyes Mock none least you be mock'd again The poorest Wretch do not disdain Spare not to lend but look to whom And to the Judgment you must come Feast rarely And sleep in due time To break your Oath abhorre the crime By too much wine wrong not your health Fight for your Countries Common wealth Trust nothing rashly I advise you Flee from all Whores least they abuse you Ply Learning for your future bless Let good Men feel your Bounteousness Avoid ill speaking Do not raill An honest Name 's of great avail Judge righteous Judgment By deserts And patience win your Parents hearts Mind well a Benefite receiv'd Keep watch and waird when thou art crav'd Give your advice when it is sought Make use of Valour not for nought Asswage your anger and subdue it Let Tops be us'd and Dice eschew'd Though thou be strong no violence do And no Inferiour overthrow Covet not what 's none of thine Love thy Spouse and ' gainst foes combine Train up your Children vertuously Thine own Law thou must underly Speak spareingly at Banquet-Table Press what is just when thou art able And willingly endure Loves pain To love and to be lov'd again DIONYSIUS CATO HIS MORAL PRECEPTS Translated out of Latine Hexameter into English Meeter By J. M. BOOK I. 1 IF GOD Almighty be a Sp'rit As Writings testifie He must be worshiped aright In Sp'rit and Veritie 2. Be watchfull always And to sleep Let not thy Mind be bent For Ease continual unto Vice Affordeth nourishment 3. Of moral Virtues hold it chief Th' unbridled Tongue to tame Next unto GOD is He that can With reason rule the same 4. Repugnant to thy self in ought By varying scorn to be For he that from himself dissents With no Man will agree 5. If thou survey the Lives of Men And manners of the time While each reproves anothers faults What Man is free from Crime 6. Abandon things that hurtful are Though dear to thee they seem In time thy private profite more Than Wealth thou must esteem 7. Be constant and if cause require Unstable seem to be Wise Men their Manners sometimes change And yet from fault are free 8. Believe not rashly what thy wife Of Servants shall relate For oftimes whom the Husband loves The Wife is found to hate 9. If thou in kindness warne a man Self-will'd and loath to hear Yet leave not off thy course begun If he to thee be dear 10. With jangling fellows full of words Contend thou not in vain For speech is common unto all But Wisdom few attain 11. So love thy Friends as to thy self A loving Friend thou be So bound thy Bounty to the best As harm pursue not thee 12. Flee Tales and Rumors Least of News A Coiner thou be thought For silence seldom hurts a Man But speech much care hath wrought 13. On trust to others words make thou No promise least thou break For Faith and Truth is rare Because Most mean not as they speak 14. When other Men commend thee most Judge of thy merite so As thou believe not more their Words Then what thy self does know 15. Each pleasure done thee by a friend To many make thou known But what to others thou hast done Keep to thy self alone 16. When thou art old and shalt report The Acts of diverse Men Remember well thy youthful times And what thy self did then 17. Take no regard what Standers by In private whisp'ring chat A guilty Conscience still mistrusts Her self is aimed at 18. In time of wealth remember woe Mutations are not strange All humane things are ordered so To have their Interchange 19. Since frail and doubtful is our life Unknown our dying day To live in hope of others Death Great folly doth bewray 20. If from thy poor well-wishing Friend Some slender Gift be sent In thankful ways accept his love And praise his good intent 21. Since naked from the womb thou cam'st As Nature form'd thee there The burden of external wants With patience see thou bear 22. Dread not thy death in time to come Nor fear the fatal Knife Who dreads his end therein exiles The comforts of his Life 23. If Friends to whom thou hast been kind Thy kindness naught regard Accuse not Fate But blame thy self Be wiser afterward 24. The better to supply thy want Spare what thy hand hath got And that thou may'st thy penny save Suppose thou had'st it not 25. What in thy power rests to perform Twice promise not for shame Least while thou would be civil thought Thy lightness all Men blame 26. Who speaks right fair and loves thee not Like measure let him find So Art by Art is met withall And falshood in her kind 27 Approve not fawning Flatterers Whose words are full of Wiles Most sweetly sounds the Fowlers call Whiles he the Bird beguiles 28. If wedded thou have Children store And little wealth to give Then train them up in honest Arts That each may learn to live 29. Things that be cheap imagine dear Things dear as cheap esteem So neither niggard to thy self Nor greedy shalt thou seem 30. What fault thou finds with other Men Let not be found in thee Foul shame in him that vice reproves Himself not to be free 31. What is thy due thou may'st require Or what seems honest crave But folly were it to desire A thing thou should not have 32. Things known before things never try'd Prefere if thou be wise Sith those by Judgment are discern'd But these by meer surmise 33. Since Life in daily danger lyes and issues doubtful are Each
greater portion find Abound in Bounty and abhorre A wretched Miser's Mind â— Sage counsel from thy Servants mouth Disdain not to respect â—or any Mens advice that may Thy proper good effect â— If wonted wealth and substance fail Yet banish Care and Greif â—nd live content with what the times Shall yeild for thy Relief 11. Beware thou marry not a Wife For Wealth and Wordly store And if she falsity her Faith Admit her Love no more 12. By many Mens example learn What to embrace or flee An others Life in this behalf May thine instructer be 13. Attempt not matters past thy strength Left over-prest with pain Thy Labour fail and so thy work And Enterprise prove vain 14. What ill thou know'st of others wrought Spare not in time to tell Lest by thy silence thou subscribe and seem to like it well 15. By Law unjust condemned seek The Judges help to have For Lawes themselves by Equity To be reformed crave 16. What penalty deserv'd inflicts To bear thou must not grudge For guilty to thy self in ought Thy self thou ought to judge 17. Improve thy self by Reading much And mending things amiss For Poets many marvels write Whose Credit doubtful is 18. At Feasts and Banquets busie not Thy Tongue with too much chat Lest while thou would be pleasant thought Thy Talk be laughed at 19. The Speeches of thy angry Wife Let not thy Courage daunt For Women with their wylie Tears Their Husbands oft enchant 20. Use that thou hast to do thee good But see thou make no waste Who vainly spend their own and want Seek other Mens at last 21. Resolve fond fear of future Death To banish from the still Which though it be not good it self Yet makes an end of ill 22. With inward and Religious love Thy Parents both embrace And to offend thy Mother dear forbear in any case Dionysius Cato His MORAL PRECEPTS BOOK IV. The PREFACE WHOSO thou art that do'st desire To lead a quiet Life And touching Manners to eschew Corruptions that are rise This little Volume oft revolve Wherein thy self shalt find Such Precepts grave as Tutor-like May teach and rule thy Mind 1. ONE special Note of Blessedness Is Riches to deny Which whoso covets to engross Lives always beggarly 2. Dame Natures Wealth he cannot want VVho curbs his vain desires And measures his Expence with what Necessity requires 3 Through want of care if thine Affairs Succeed not to thy mind Accuse not fained Fortune nor Reproach her to be blind 4. Love Money well but to the stamp Put not thy mind in thrall Which honest and Religious Men Do not respect at all 5. If thou be rich bestow the more On Physick for thine Health A rich Man sick hath store of Coin But wants his chiefest wealth 6. If of thy Master thou receive Correction more severe Thine angry Fathers sharp Reproof With Patience see thou bear 7. In things that profite may procure Thy labours exercise But never undertake Affairs Where Doubt or Errour lies 8. What thou may'st give from him that craves Desire not to detain For why to benefite the best Is held the greatest Gain 9 Suspecting ought to find it out With speed have due regard For things at first neglected prove Mischievous afterward 10. To Venus damned pleasures prone If thou thy self distrust Forbear to feed on costly Meats As Motives unto Lust 11. Whereas thou shunest savage Beasts Whose Forces fearful are I only wish thee to avoid Lewd Men more cruel far 12. Not strength of able Limbs alone That others most surmount But wisdom manageing the Might True Valour Men Account 13. Seek Comfort of thy constant Friend Afflicted if thou be For no Physician in his Cure May more prevail then he 14. For thine Offence why should thy Beast In Sacrifice be slain To hope for Health by others Death Fond Folly doth maintain 15. A good Companion or a Friend In seeking to select Regard not what his Fortunes are His honest Name respect 16. Make use of Wealth and scorn the Name Of Niggard evermore What good do Riches to tho Man That starves in midst of store 17. If thou desire in Life and Death A good report to find All Earthly pleasures vain and vile Abandon from thy mind 18. Deride not Ages dull conceit In things to thee more plain For whoso lives till he be Old Shall waxe a Child again 19. Learn something and if Suddenly Thy Substance should decay Thy Skill remaining may relieve Thy Wants another way 20. Observe with Silence whereunto Each ones Discourse doth tend For Speech Mens Manners doth cnoceal And utters in the end 21. Though learned yet thy Studies grave By no means intermit As labour keeps the hand in use So practice helps the wit 22. Regard not how the Fates conspire In time to work thee Spight He dreads not Death in doubtful Life That learns not to delight 23. Learn But of such as learned are Thy self instruct the rest For knowledge where it may do good Ought not to be supprest 24 Drink what thou canst For forced Draughts Mens Health doth much impair Such beastly Pleasures oftentimes Procures the Bodies Care 25 What ever thing thou shalt approve Or Praise in publick place Condemn not lightly afterward Lest thou sustain Disgrace 26 In time of calme and quiet rest Remember stormes aloft Again in trouble hope the best Sith Fortune alters oft 27. To learning still thy mind apply By study wisdom growes And prudence rare to industry In time her Treasure shows 28 Commend thy Friend more sparingly And rest content with this That time at length shall manifest His Merit what it is 29 Blush not of Ignorance to shew Thy willingness to learn As wit 's a glory so scandalous for those VVho nothing will discern 30 In Wine and Women wise men say Both good and evil rest What therefore is in either bad Refuse and take the best 31 Of sad and sullen countenanc'd And silent Men beware For when the stream is calmest there The waters deepest are 32 If discontented with thy state Thou weigh the sad Decline Of other men superiors late Thou need to repine 33 Attempt according to thy strength Close by the shoar to keep Is safer then to hoise up Sails And launch into the deep 34 Against a just and upright man Contend not wickedly For God in justice doth revenge All wrong and injury 35 Bereft of Riches sorrow not Nor vex thy self in vain Be rather merry if thou may'st Recover them again 36 To suffer loss of all a wrack Intolerable were Yet things there are which patiently Behoves a freind to bear 37. In no wayes promise to thy self Long Life and many Years For like a shadow at the back Death every where appears 38 With incense make the Altar smoak Spare Oxen to the Plow Burnt Sacrifice with Blood embru'd The LORD doth not allow 39. Give Fortune place and bear thy self To mighty Men submiss For he that knows to yeeld in time May profite him and his 40 In oft offending never free Thy fault from punishment In cureing wounds one smart we see Another doth prevent 41 Thy ancient friend dishonour not Though he unconstant prove And change his manners yet respect The bonds of former love 42 To gain the greater Love of all In thankfullness abound Lest thou incurr the Name of one In whom deserts are drown'd 43 Flee vain Suspicions lest thou lead Thy Life in Misery For fearful and surmising Folks Are aptest still to die 44. VVhen for thy proper use thou buyer bond-Servants now and then And call'st them Slaves Remember yet That they are also Men. 45. Occasion fit to apprehend VVith speed have due respect Lest afterwards thou seek in vain VVhat late thou did'st neglect 46 Rejoice not in the sudden Death Of Sinners caught away For Saints whose Lives unspotted are Must Death's Arrest obey 47. If thou be poor and hast withall A VVife of ill report Barre such as by the Name of Friends VVould to thy House resort 48. Although by Studies thou be brought Deep matters to discern Yet shew thy self in things unknown Desireous still to learn 49. And wonder not that plainest words My Poems entertain Sith brevity my Muse affects To help the shallow Brain FINIS