seruyce shal demauÌ„de Iustyce of the The erthe shal saye I haue born the I haue nourysshyd the. The water shal saye I haue refresshed the and haue conforted the. and in lyke wyse alle creatures shal reproche the of theyr benefaytes in sayeng that they neuer serued the but to th ende that thon shâ—lcest serue god whom thou hast not serued And therfore we demannde reason of the. as of hym that hath euyl knowen the goodes that god hath doon for hym But thou mayst saye that the day of Iugement shal not come yet in a grete tyme. And ther to I ansuere the and saye that the tokenes and signes of the day of dome ben almost accomplysshyd ne see we not how lecherye regneth the whiche somtyme was cause of noes flood of the perdycoÌ„n of the world me semeth that lecherye semblably may gyue to vs cause to doubte that the day of dome be nyghe For in mariage is lytyl loyalte or trouthe In peple of the chyrche lytyl chastyte of whom speketh thappostle in his epystle to the ephesiens sayeng that lecherous peple shal haue no parte in the Royame of heuene More I ansuere to the and saye that many other signes ben accomplysshyd For the sonne and the Mone haue lost theyr clerenes And the sternes ben fallen fro heuen And ther is none other thyng to speke of but it is come For the chyrche whyche ought to lyâ—hte alle the world lyke as the sonne is now in these dayes derked in many maners entatched with vyces And the mone that is to wete the seygnorye temporell is now in this tyme eclypsed and ful of pryde and of tyrannye And the sterres that â—s to saye the clerkes the prechours the counceyllours ben fallen from heuene For they haue lefte to saye trouthe for tensye we and folowe flaterye By whyche it apperith that the signes tokenes of the day of dome and last Iugement ben ynowh accomplysshyd And yf thou demaÌ„nde me yf Antecryst be come I ansuere to the that whether he be come or not come Neuertheles many be lyuyng that doo the werkes of Antecryst and that may wel be called his disciples For they ben false dissymplers euyl procrytes and of suche men antecryst shal be trouthe it is that somÌ„e may saye that the day of dome may be knowen naturelly to whome I ansuere that it is nothyng so For god hath not shewed it to man ne to anÌ„gel as it apperith in the boke of thactes of thappostles and the same Witnesseth seynt Austyn in the fyrst verse of the vij psalmes but not withstondyng that in folowyng somÌ„e auctorytres reasons may in this mater somÌ„e thyng be sayd wythout to determyne ony thyng For god is he onely that may determyne the day and hour of the Iugement as it playseth hym TheÌ„ne it shold seme fro the begynnyng that the world shelde fynysshein th ende of somÌ„e thousandes of yeres And for as moche as it is vj M vj Cxxxv yere syth the world was begonne therfore ther lacketh yet iij Exl yere or theraboute vnto the day of dome And that it be soo I afferme not ne saye but somÌ„e auctorytres speken of thoâ—sandes of yeres in spekyng of the day of Iugement And certaynly the prophete dauid saith that a thousand yere ben to fore thyn eyen as the last daye lyke as he wold saye that the world shal fynyssshe vpon the ende of somÌ„e thousand of yeres More ouer seynt IohnÌ„ in his apocalyps the xx chapytre saith that sathanas shal be bonde a Myere vnto th ende of the world the prophete helye sath that the world shal dure vj Myere in acountyng fro the tyme that he lyued placo thimeon saith that the world shal be renewed wythin xx Myere By whiche thynges it apperith as if semed at the begynnyng that the world ought to fynysshe wythin th ende of somÌ„e thousandes of yeres More ouer lauteutique saith in his vij boke the xxxj chapytre that the world shall endure vj Myere And Albimazar in his second boke of coniunctions in the viij defference saith that the tokenes of the world chauÌ„gen after the mutacoÌ„n of Saturne And singulerly whan he hath made ten reuolucoÌ„ns the whiche amounte to iij C yere or theraboute wherof we haue somÌ„e experyence For after x. reuolucoÌ„ns of saturne cam Alexander and the RoyamÌ„e of perse was cestroyed And x. reuolucoÌ„ns after cam IhuÌ„ cryste whiche toke our humanyte brought the newe lawe to the world And x reuolucoÌ„ns after cam Meny whiche contryued ayenst tix paynems a newe lawe And. x. reuolucoÌ„ns after cam mahomet the contryner of a false lawe And x. reuolucoÌ„ns after cam Charlemayne whiche conquerd th empyre And x. reuolusoÌ„ns after cam godefroy of boylone whiche conquerd the holy and And thus somme may saye that by suche mutacoÌ„n as land is That they maye knowe by astrologye the deffynâ—â—â—â—ment of the world But I am not of that oppynyon for god knoweth it onely And in this matere ought nothyng to be affermed lyke as seynt Austyn saith in his second boke of the cyte of god the second chapytre After me semeth that how be it that thou knowe the day of Iugement and suppose that it shal not be in longe tyme Therfore as it not but that thou oughtest to drede it as moche as it shold be right shortly For the day of thy deth the whiche shal be right short shal be the day of thy Iugement seen that in the same hour shall all be doon with the And neuer shal the sentence be chauÌ„ged And it is no doubte that yf thou deye in euyl estate in that houre
the doughters of Moab as it apperyth the xxv chapytre of the book of nombres by whyche thynges it apperyth how god is angry somtyme ayenst the 〈◊〉 But that is not Ire named ne Impacience whyche troubleth the speâ—ite the entendement whiche empecheth and 〈◊〉 many good thynges and maketh a man to come to many Inconuenyenâ—â—s Ne recounteth not Valere in hys ix boke of the cruelte of a Iuge whyche made a bulle of brasse had ordeyned that the euyldoers shold be closed therin there shold deye by famyne the whyche thynge seyng Hanybal he condempned the same Iuge to deye the same deth to the which he had condempned other And neuertheles hanybal was also right cruel in so moche that he made a brydge of the bodyes of the romayns whyche he had slayn vpon which he his peple passed ouer the ryuer of golle but at the last the sayd hanybal was ouerthrowen of his aduersaryes For cruelte by reson must be cruelly serued And therfore no man ought to be cruel ne to be Ireful ne bere wrath in hys hert For the Ire tormenteth the Irous and bryngeth hym to suche a poynt that he can not ne may not consente to reason Alas what auaylleth me yf I hate my neyghbour seen that in suche estate I may not playse god syth I loue not hym whom I ought to lone and also I may haue noo pardon ne foryeuenes yf I forgyue not other Rede we not how Iepte made pees with the galadyâ—â—s in so moche that he faught for them Not wythstondyng that they had doon to hym many euylles moche harme as it appereth the vj chapytre of Iudicum ¶ Dauid in lyke wyse wold not slee yâ—obeth his enemy And in dede he dyd do slee the ij theuye that presented to hym the hede of his enemy as it apperith the ij book of kynges the iiij chapytre wherfore it apperith that no man ouÈt to hane Ire in his hert ne bere wrath But the deuyl whyche is prynce of alle deuysion by dyuers maners engendreth the stryues noyses For soÌ„me hate alle theyr neyghbours and somme hate by enuye other ¶ Suche was the hate of the brethern of Ioseph whome they sold as it is wrytâ—n in the xxix chapytre of genesis wherfore hated the egipciens the chyldren of Israel but by cause they becam grete and multeplyed as it is wryton the thyrd chapytre of Exode And Saul wherfore hated he dauyd but for as moche that he sawe that he was wyse and moche loued of the people as it apperyth the fyrst book of kynges the xvj chapytre And the fende by dyuerce maners soweth dyscorde Ire but be that is wyse ought to bere no wrath but desyre wee l and good to euery man ¶ How no man ouÈt to stryue ne engendre noyses cap viij By stryf may come noo good but it engendreth noyses whiche oftymes may not wel be appeased And therfor Chaton sayth â—to his sone my sone thou oughtest to flee noyses stryues For moche people haue had harme by spekyng but by beyng styl not to speke fewe or none haue had ony harme And to this purpoos sayth Iuuenal in his iiij book that stryuyng langage beryth venym in hym self corrupteth good maners empessheth letteth frendshyp And me semeth that who that may haue pees by hys lytel spekyng or beyng stylle hath not gretely cause to speke For for to speke wel is a grete maystrye but for to be stylle and say lytel is no grete payne and oftymes scileuce causeth to haue pees And this wytnesseth Ouyde in his boke of the arte of loue More ouer by reson it wel appereth that contencion ne stryf is noothyng worth For yf thou stryue for to susteyne trouth and bounte it is no grete wysedom For trouth bounte susteyne them self And therfor it suffyseth to vnderstonde without ony thynge to stryue For who that vnderstoÌ„deth trouthe and wyl not consence therto by his stryf he shal not chaunge hys purpoos And yf thou stryne for falsehed and for euyl the synne is moche grete so lesest thou thy payne for of so moche as thou the more stryuest of so moche thy falsehede more clerely sheweth And this wytnesseth a phylosophre named exenophon And Seneke in his fyrst epystle to lucylle sayth that a man shold not stryue ayenst a fool And to a wyse maÌ„ for to stryue it is a folye For the wyse man hateth noyse and stryf and empessheth the pees of hertes and consciences Therfore sayth the wyse man that fayr and swete spekyng maketh a man to haue pâ—es frendes Thenne is good to enquyre fro whens comen the noyses and stryues and me semeth that they be ofte engendred of pryde For we rede how Amalech made warre ayenst the chyldren of Israel for fere that he had to lose hys seygnourye as it apperyth in the xvij chapytre of Exode somâ—yme the noyses comen by Impacience by fyers wordes as it is aboue sayd by whyche it apperyth that no thynge or lytel to speke is souerayn moyen for to haue pees flee noyses Also we rede how Saul dyssymyled of them that myssayed or spaken euyl of hym as it apperyth the fyrst book of kynges the x chapytre And Thobie sayd not a word to hys wyf whan she sayd many iniuryes to hym as it apperith the second the iij chapytre of thobie In lyke wyse ouÈt the wyse man to doo in heryng wythoute ony stryuyng ¶ Here foloweth the thyrd vertu whyche is abstynence how one ought to lyue sobrely capitulo ix GLotonnye is cause of many euylles synnes and engendreth many maladyes bodyly ghoostly And therfore sayth tullius in his fyrst rethorique that attemperauÌ„ce is none other thyng but by rayson to maystrye the flessh and alle corrupt desyre And saynt Ambrose sayth that attemperaunce is a vertue whyche ruleth a man in that whyche he ought to to And therfore the auncient men lyued right sobrely And to this purpoos recounteth Egelle in his fyrst book how Socraâ—â—s was ryght sobre al his lyf the whyche socrates sayd that the people ought not lyue for to ete but to ete for to lyue and lactence in his book of very odoracion sayth that the poetes calleden glotonnye bestyalite For a man beyng a gloton lyueth wythout reason wythout rule And therfore seneque in hys book of iiij vertues sayth that men shold ete without replection and drynke wythout dronkenesse For glotonnye maketh a man lyghtly to falle in to lecherye and to this purpoos recounteth saynt Ierome ayenst Ionynyan how galyen sayd that a man may not surely lyue but yf he lyue sobrely the whyche thynge is veray truthe not onely to the body but also to the sowle And therfor socrates ete not but one tyme of the day whan the sonne wente doun as recounteth agelle in the book aforsayd And Bocee in the second book of consolacyon sayth that nature is contente
Moyses kepte the sheep of a man named Iethro as it apperyth the thyrd chapytre of exode neuertheles was after ordeyned to be gouernour of the peple we rede also how saul was contente to haue one seruaunt and sought the asses of his fader not the horses for to ryde on And neuertheles he was ordeyned kyng as it apperith the first book of kynges the xxiiij chapitre of Dauyd semblably we rede how he kept the pastures whan he was called for to be kyng as it is redde the fyrst book of kynges the xvj chapytre by whiche hystoryes it appereth clerely how thestate of pouerte is to god agreable and in dede Ihesu cryst hath gyuen to vs of pouerte example For he was born of a poure moder and nourysshed of a poure man that is to wete of Ioseph leyde in a poure bedde wrapped with poure cloutes and clothes of poure parents offred in to the temple naked crucyfyed and by straungers buryed and lâ—yd in the sepulcre by the whiche thynges Ihesu cryst sheweth to vs. that no man ouÈt despyse pouerte for Ihesu Cryst sayth in the gospel that who that wyl be parfyght he ought to renounce al worldly goodes and gyue them to the poure peple and folowe me as recyteth Saynt Mathew in his xvij chapytre and to thys purpoos we reâ—e how thauncyent phylosophres sayden that more ryche is the poure man yf he haue suffysaunce than ne is he that is coueytous though he haue grete habondaÌ„ce of goodes And the same wytnesseth seneque in sayeng that dyogenes was more ryche whiche had no worldly goodes than Alysaunder whyche was lord of all the world for alysauÌ„der had not so moche good that he myght gyue As dyogenes myÈt and wold reffuse Of whyche Dyogenes Ualerius recyteth in hys fourth book how he refused the yeftes whyche Dyonyse the Tyraunt sente hym And it happed that Dyogenes on a tyme wesshed hys herbys that he shold put in hys potte and ete And that seeyng Aristipus whyche tofore had been hys felowe and sayd vnto hym in thys manere ¶ O Dyogenes yf thou woldest flatre Denys thou sholdest not be in thys pouerte And thenne Dyogenes ansnerd to hym yf thou woldest endure the pouerte that I endure and ete pyke thy wortes as I doo thou sholdest not be a flaterer as thou art Of the same diogenes recouÌ„teth saynt Ierome in his book ayenst Ionynyen how for al robes he had but a litel mantel lyned for tesche we colde And in stede of a celyer he had but a lytel sachet And in stede of an hors he had a staf or a bourdon And was lodged in a tonne at the yate of the Cyte the whyche tonne after the wynde it torned for to esche we colde And on a tyme he seyng a chylde that dranke water in his honde and he threwe a waye a lytel cuppe that he had in sayeng that hym ouÈt to suffyse for to drynke out of the vessel that nature had gyuen to hym that is to wete his honde By whyche it apperyth that spyrituel pouerte and very suffysaunce were somtyme in the wyse men as was dyogenes and many other And to this purpoos we rede how Epicurius the phylosophre sayd that there is no thynge so moche worth as Ioyouse pouerte And Orace in his epystles sayth In pouerte ouÈt not to be dysplaysaunce syth a man haue suffysaunce for his lyf For none other thynge may al the goodes of the world gyue to a man And therfore sayth Cathon to hys sone seen that nature hath made the naked thou oughtest gladly and with a good wylle endure pouerte flee oultrage For nature shall not faylle the in thy necessyte And thou shalt be ryche yf thou hast suffysaunce as wytnesseth geffrey in his poetrye many other More ouer the wyse man ought to consydere and aduyse that no thyng is worth to a man oultrage ne ouermoche habundaunce Is not Anthiochus deed and comen to nouÈt of whome recouteth valerye in his ix book how wel he bryng kyng of Surrye he made his horses to be arayed and adoubed with gold And them to be shoed wyth naylles of gold And in his kechyne alle the vessellis were of gold and syluer but alle he loste soro wfully For he desyred to take awaye fro his people more than to doo Iustyce ¶ what is become of the poâ—npe of the wyf of Neron whyche made hyr horses semblably to be shoed wyth gold made chariottes to be ledde tofore hyt ful of gold syluer Certeynly al is comen to nought the ryche men so moche more myserably ben comen to their deth as they loued more curyously theyr rychesses therfor recouÌ„tith dydymê° how the people of hys contre lyued pourely and wythoute curyosite for vanyte maketh men to perysshe to forgete god whyche is cause of alle goodes lyke as the Oâ—â— faunt is deceyued whan he trusteth to the tree to whiche he leneth Ryght so the ryche peple be deceyued whan they truste â— theyr rychesses for whan the day cometh of theyr moost gretâ— necessyte Nothyng auaylle them theyr rychesses for to haue â—â— uen and to that auaylleth pouerte suffysauÌ„ce Alas it were good to consydere how fortune hath noo certayn abydyng for as sayth Iulius celsus in his iiij book Fortune hath enhaâ—â—ed many men to rychesses for to ouerthrowe them vylaynously And to this purpoos hildebert in spekyng of his banysshement sayd I was that other day ryche and blessyd of frendes but fortune whiche had gyuen al to me hath taken al frâ— me she that la whed on me now constrayneth me to wepe and Ouyde in his book de tristibê° sayth I was a lytel whytryche honoured and now I am without cause baÌ„nysshed bâ— dishonour Thus I see that fortune hath noo sure Amytye n frendshyp therfor sayth boece in his second boke of consolaon that more auaylleth fortune aduerse whiche chastyseth man than doth worldly fortune the whiche blyndeth a man mayntâ—neth hym in his synne for who that is poure he ma not falle but the ryche man is in peryll for to falle in to greâ— sro w. yf thou wylt wyte what is she boece sayth that â— grettest malâ—rete that is is after grete happynes to falle in myserye and wretchydnes as dyd alâ—biades the which wfyrst right ryche after right vnhappy as valere sayth in â— vj boke Semblably he recouÌ„teth how denys Siracusan 〈◊〉 right ryche a right grete lord but fynably he became so poâ— that for to gete his lyuyng he taught the lesson and helde so 〈◊〉 chyldren of Corinthâ—e Thus theÌ„ne he is right eâ— aduysed that in fortune trusteth But a man ought to affye hym self in wel doyng For that is the rychesse that helpeth a man in his necessyte But presently mankynde is so blynded that he retcheth of noo thyng but of worldly goodes the which â—â—ght to take example of the auncyent wyse men of whome we rede that
to the world as tofore is sayd How the creature ought humbly to obeye to god capitulo v THe scrypture sayth that obeyssannce pleseth more vnto god than doth sacrefyse And herof we haue example of our fyrst fader Adam whych vsed hys owen propre wylle and lefte the commaundement of our lord Ihesu cryst which god had gyuen hym And therfore he fyl in to grete pouerte and in to many myseryes as wytnesseth Saynt Augustyn in hys xv omelye vpon the gospel of Saynt Iohn It is also wel reason that the seruaunte obeye to hys mayster And consequently the creature to god And to this purpoos recounteth valerye in his second book how of oldâ— tyme the knyghtes obeyed to the prynces vpon payne of deth By moche more stronge reason we ought to obeye to god wyth al our myght For as sayth the scripture we ought more to obeye to god than to men And yf we obeye vs to men that ought to be for the loue of god Thus counceylleth vs thappostle And certeynly moche good is fallen to them that haue humbly obeyed god And to this purpoos recounteth Saynt gregory in his dyalogue the fyrst book the seuenth chapytre how saynt benet had a dysciple whom he coÌ„manded that he shold reÌ„ne vpon the water whome he obeyed was saued fro peryll Thenne saynt â—enet demauÌ„ded hym yf he had ony fere of the watrr And he ansuerd hym that he had apperceyued noo water And thenne saynt Benet thanked god for as moche as he had seen thus myracle for the obedyence of his discyple Saynt gregory also reherseth of a religyous man whiche at coÌ„mandement of hys abbotte euery day by iij yere watred a piece of wode al dreye whyche was sette in the erthe And yet he must fetche the water a myle fâ—rre And by cause of the meryte of his obeyssance the thyrd yere the sayd tâ—â—e flourysshed and this hystorye reherceth Cassiam the fyrst look of his collacoÌ„ns in whiche he recounteth also how the dysciple of a ryght olde man at his coÌ„mandement wold remeue a ryght grete toche and aduysed hym not yf he myÈt doo it or not For it suffysed hym to obeye his mayster after his power By the whyche thynges it appereth how obedyeÌ„ce is agreable to god for the whyche to haue we haue example in nature as sayen the naturyeÌ„s The bestes obeyen to the lyon as to theyr kynge And dar not passe the cercle that the lyon maketh with his taylle SeÌ„blably the bees that maken hony obeye to theyr kynge and the Cranes also And in nature we see many thynges semblable More ouer in holy scripture we haue to this purpoos many examples And veryly we rede how Noe obeyed ryght expresly to god as it apperith in the vij chapytre of genesis And therfor he was saued fro the flood ¶ Semblably the chyldren of Israel for theyr obedyence were kepte of god as it apperyth in the ix chapytre of the boke of nombres Thappostles also lyghtly obeyeden to god in so moche that they folowed hym atte fyrst callyng as recyteth saynt Mathew in his iiij chapytre And therfor aboue al peple ben they enhaunced in the chyrche and also in heuen Semblably Abraham obeyed to god in so moche that he wold haue sacrefyed his owen sone and smyten of his heed atte coÌ„mandement of god as it apperyth in the xxij chapytre of genesis And therfore god promysed to abraham that of his seed shold be born the sauyour of the world Therfore we ought more to obeye to god than to man as it is tofore sayd And accordyng to this we haue ensaumple of Mathathias whyche ansuerd to the messager of the kyng Anthiocus sayeng that yf alle obeyed to the kyng Anthiocus yet he wold not obeye to hym but to god as it is wryton in the book of machabees the secoÌ„d chapytre ¶ we rede also of the seuen brethern that had leuer to deye than to ete flesshe forboden ayenst the coÌ„mandement of god not wythstoÌ„dyng the kyng coÌ„manded it to them wherby it apperith that they ought to be repreued that excuse them of the euyl that they doo for theyr maistres that so commaunde them For suche is of noo value by cause they ought fyrst obeye the coÌ„maundement of god as sayth Saynt Petre in the v chapytre of thaetes of thappostles More ouer for to obeye ought to enclyne vs the example of the virgyne Marie the whyche obeyed to the wordes of the aungel in sayeng Loo the handmayde of god late it come to me as it shal plese hym after thy word we rede also how dauid not wythstondyng that he was kynge obeyed to hys fader as it apperyth the fyrst book of kynges the vij chapytre And yonge Thobie sayd to his fader that he was redy to obeye to hym And cornchê° centurio was redy tobeye to hym whom god had ordeyued to be prelate and maystre as it apperyth the tenth chapytre of thactes of thappostles ¶ Also we rede how the regabytes dranke no wyn ne had no howses for to obeye to theyr fader As Ieremye reciteth in his thyrd chapytre By whyche thynges it apperith how obedyence was obserued of the Auucient people that they that dysobeyed were pugnysshed of god as it apperyth of the chyldren of Israel the which were ouerthrowen â—n bataylle for so moche as they dyd ayenst the wylle of god entred not in to the lond of ê“myssion which they desyred as it apperith the xxiiij chapitre of the boke of nombres Ionas also was throwen in the see by cause he dysobeyed to do that god had coÌ„manded hym as it she weth in the thyrd chapytre of Ionas therfore we ought to obeye to god fyrs after to other creatures yf we wyl esche we peryl playse Ihesu Cryst as sayth saynt bernard vpon cantycles The man is not worthy to haue ony good yf he knowe not ne obeye god saynt gregory in his omely sayth that he ouÈt to be moost humble toward god and moost enclyned to serue hym that hath receyued moost goodes of hym yf he do otherwyse the goodes that he hath receyued shal be encreasyug of his payne at the day of IugemeÌ„t This wytnesseth hughe the viij chapytre of the boke of the Arke of Noe. And for to haue cause to remeÌ„bre the god that god hath doon to vs we haue many examples in holy scrypture Rede we not how Iacob after that god had sente to hym many goodes he sayd Syr I thanke the for the good that thou hast doon to me Of whyche I moche remembre as it is shewed in the xxij chapytre of genesis ¶ Semblably dyd Dauid as it apperith in the second book of kynges the vij chapytre And Danyel sayd lord thy name be preysed and blessyd for the good that thou hast doon to me as it apperyth in the second chaptyre of danyel ¶ Semblably the appostle Saynt Poul in hys epystles ryght ofte and contynuelly preyseth and thanketh
god as it is shewed in the fyrst chapytre of hys epystle to the romayns Rede we not also how the chyldren of Israel songen in loouyng and praysyng god by cause he had delyuerd them fro seruytude and that they had passed wythout peryl the reed see as it apperyth in the xv chapytre of Exode Semblably the thre chyldren that god delyuerd fro the fournays blessyd god ryght swetely and deuoutely as it is wryton the thyrd chapytre of danyel by the whiche thynges it apperyth how euery man ought to humble hym self toward god and to yelde to hym thankynges of the goodes that he hath receyued ¶ And to thys purpoos Seneke in his four score and one epystle to Lucylle sayth to a man vnkynde no man ought to say no thyng Thenne we ought to take ensaumple of the chyldren of Israel the whyche after theyr vyctorye of Syraza offreden vnto god many yeftes in theyr sacryfyse as it apperyth the one and twenty chapytre of the book of nombres And after that they had had the vyctorye of Syrasa and Delbore they began to synge in preysyng as it apperyth in the fourth chapytre of Iudyth Semblably whan they had had vyctorye by Iudas the Machabee ayenst Thimothean they began to synge and prayse god as it apperyth in the second book of Machabees the tenth chapytre Methynketh that they be ryght moche to be repreuyd that remembre not the goodes that god hath doon for them that wers is after the mesure that god gyueth to them moost good they become moost haultayn and the more prowd they dygne not to take ensample at the good creatures the whyche som tyme loued god the more by cause of the goodes that he gat to them ¶ Also we rede how Anne loued god and thanked god of the grace that she had to haue a chylde as it apperyth in the fyrst book of kynges the second chapytre And whan the vyrgyue marye had conceyued our lord Ihesu cryst she began for to magnefye god in sayeng Magnificat anima meadominum That is to say my fowle magnefyeth god as reherceth to vs Saynt Luc in hys fyrst chapytre And zacharias whan hys sone was born that is to were Saynt Iohan baptyste thenne be began to say Blessyd be the lord god of Israel whyche hath vysited and hath redemyd hys peple ¶ Neuertheles somme ther be that take hede to none other thynge but to haue good wythout takyng hede fro whens â—ixy â—ome And therfore fynably theyr goodes perysshe and come to an euyl porte and yet not in theyr tyme. Neuertheles fynably theyr heyres been pryued fro them for thyngratytude and not remembryng fro whens they camTherfore ought euery man to byholde and take hede of that whiche he hath receyued fo god and so moche the more serue hym deuoutly and loue hym and not only to god but also vnto hys neyghbour hym ought emembre the benefayttes and goodes that he hath had of hym ¶ And herof we hane ensaumple of thobye whyche offryd ryght many grete yeftes to the Aungel that had heled hys fader and had delyuerd hym foo the deuyl and kepte hym foo the fysshe that wold haue deuoured hym ¶ He supposed that the Aungel had ben a man and therfor he offryd to hym parte of hys goodes as it apperyth the xiij chapytre of Thobie ¶ And also Dauyd semblably humbly thanked them that had seruyd hym as it apperyth in the ij book of kynges 〈◊〉 chapytre Helyas reysed the sone of the wydowe which had doon moche good to hym as it apperith in the thyrd book of kynges the xvij chapytre And generally al men of renom mee and of good lyf haue remembred the goodes that they haue receyued And they that doo otherwyse be approued as people vnworthy to haue good the whych may be compared to the boutelyer seruaunte of Phaxaâ—â— the whyche anone had forgoten the good that Ioseph had doon to hym in pryson as it apperyth in the fourty chapytre of genesis ¶ And to them whome Dauyd had doon moche good whyche put them in payne for to delyuer hym in to the hand of Saul hys mortal enemye ¶ Saul also had receyued many good thynges of Dauyd and neuertheles he wold haue slayne hym as it is wryton in the fyrst book of kynges the xvij chapytre And Absalon poursewed hys fader Dauyd whyche had doon to hym moche good For he had pardonned hym of the deth of hys brother and had kepte hym fro banysshement O what ingratytude and what trayson of the sone to the fader whyche is shewed in the second book of kynges the xv chapytre ¶ Of thys Ingratitude or vnkyndenes ben many entatched in doyng euyl to them that haue doon to them good or to theyr successours Thus dyd the kyng Ioab the whyche forgate thamy tye of Ioga the preest of the lawe For he slewe zacharye his sone as it is wryton in the book of Paralipomenon the xxiiij chapytre ¶ And Amon the proude procured the deth of the chyldren of Israel whyche hadden doon to hym moche good and seruyees as it apperyth in the second book of kynges the tenth chapytre ¶ O Ingratytude thou forgetest benefayttes and makest a man vnworthy to haue good And therfore of vnkynde people god complayneth hym in the fyrst chapytre of ysaye the prophete in sayeng I haue nourysshed chyldren and enhaunced them and they haue despysed me And heâ—â—of haue we many hystoryes of them that haue despysed god after that they receyued good of hym ¶ Rede we not also how our lord Ihesu Cryst delyuerd som tyme the chyldren of Israel from the handes and seruytude of pharao and after they forsoke god and worshypped calues of golde as it apperyth the vj chapytre of the book of nombres ¶ To whyche chyldren of Israel god of heuen sente Manna in deserte And yet neuertheles they murmured as it apperyth in the book aforesayd the xv chapytre we rede also how god enhaunsed somtyme Iheroboam and made hym lord of x trybus And neuertheles thys was he that wythdrewe the people fro the seruyce of god For it is so wryton in the thyrd book of kynges the xij chapytre Ananias also by the helps of god surmounted hys enemyes Neuertheles after he forsoke god and worshypped thydolles as it is wryton in the second boke of paralypomenon the xxv chapytre and therfor the wyse man ought to aduyse hym wel of the goodes that he hath receyued and ought swetely to remembre them as it is tofore wryton ¶ How pacyence is the second vertue and it ought for to be had capitulo vâ— THe souerayn moyen for to surmounte his enemye is to haue pacieuce And therfore sayth plato that the rote of alle phylosophye and of alle sapyence is pacyence And to thys purpos Seneke in his vj epystle to Lncylle sayth we ought sayth he gladly to endure aduersytees For by Impacyence we doo none other thynge but to weye our euyll and make it gretter And in
dede the wyse men were right pacient As Syllen the whiche fonde fyrst the lawes and was moche wyse and ryght pacient as recouÌ„teth valerius in hys vij boke and episenre sette nothyng by ony sorow that myght happe to hym as reherceth terquilian in his apologetique quyntilian in hys x cause sayth that payne is noo thynge but yf it be to hym that endureth it ageynst hys wylle And yf a man endureth it gladly thenne he maystryeth fortune as sayth prudence in hys book of the subgection of synnes ¶ And Lucan in his thyrd boke sayth that pacience enioyeth in aduersyte and maketh a man to come to grete good in so moche that no man may greue ne noye hym In lyke wyse sayth macrobe in the book of saturnelles in whyche he recounteth how Augustê° the Emperour was ryght pacient not witstaÌ„dyng that there was sayd to hym many vylonyes And valere in hys fourth book recyteth how Siracusan was right pacient whan denys the tyrant put hym out of hys contree And it happed for to haue recomforte he went to the how 's of Theodore and abode ryght longe at the yate The which thynge seyng Siracusan he sayd to his felowe Alas I ought to haue good pacyence For I haue made in tyme passed many other to abyde at my gate Semblably euery man ought to thynke whan ther cometh to hym ony aduersyte that it is by cause of his synne For by cause of our synnes we ought gladly to endure and haue pacience And in dede pacience awaketh a man and maketh hym ofte to gete wrtues and to bycome good As wyt nesseth valere in his thyrd book of Alexandeidos Alas we see how many for to recouure helthe endure many paynes receyue ofte bytter medecynes Thenne by more strenger trason we ought to endure aduersytees for to gete vertues for to hele the sowle and therfor sayth Cathon that he may not by his puyssauÌ„ce surmouÌ„te aduersyte but he helpe hym wyth pacyence and to this purpoos we haue example of socratrs the whyche somtyme was ryght pacyent in suche wyse that none myght angre hym as cassian sayth in his book of collacions saynt Iherome in his fyrst book ayenst Ionynyan recouÌ„teth how Socrates had ij wyues the which were to hym ful greuous ful angry dyde hym moche harme but alle way he had pacience toke it al in gree sayd that pacyence made no force of tormentyng ne to suffre harme semblably we haue many examples of many persones the whiche were ryght pacient Rede we not how Isaac was ryght pacyent whan his fader wold haue smyton of hys heed for to haue sacrefyed hym as it is redde in the xxij chapytre of genesis And Ioseph was right pacient in the persecucion of his brethern whan they solde hym as it apperith the xxxvij capytre of genesis and dauid was moche pacient whan hys sone absalon pursiewed hym as it is wryton in the ij book of kynges the xvj chapytre and thobye endured moche paciently the Iniuryes that his wyf dyd to hym his frendes as it is writon the second chapytre of thobye veryly pacience is the veray maistresse of al aduersyte is the vertue by which a maÌ„ may furmounte fortune And more ouer we rede that by pacyence many haue goten moche good and by it haue eschewed many euylles Ne rede we not how gedeon by his pacyence and his humble spekyng repeasyd the chyldren of Effraym as it apperith in the book of Iuggis the viij chapytre Semblably the fayr swete spekyng of Abygayl repeased dauyd whan he was angry ayenst Nabal hyr husbond as it apperith in the fyrst book of kynges the xvj chapytre But Roboas by his Impacience rude spekyng loste his dygnyte hys seygnontye as it appereth in the iij book of kynges the xij chapytre Alas what auaylleth Impacience but yf it be for to encreace wordes but by pacience we may gete vyctorye of our enemyes ¶ How Ire and hate noye and greue the creature capo. vij AS Seneque sayth Ire troubleth the vnderstondyng of the creatures And therfore it shold be theyr prouffyt for to byholde take hede of them self For as Seneque sayth yf an yrous man byhelde hym self he shold haue pyte of hym self as who sayth that Ire or wrath gyueth afflyctioÌ„ to hym that is angry and to this purpoos tullius in the processe that he made for martell sayth that ire is auncyent in counceyl And epycure sayth that Ire acustomed maketh a man to come out of his wytte And burdius sayth that Ire doth more harme to hym that is aÌ„gry than to another TheÌ„ne ouÈt euery man â—eschewe yre For as sayth cathon Ire engendreth dyscorde alle enemytye causeth reson to perysshe in the second boke of eneydos Therfore sayth thibulle that they were moche horryble that first fonde warres many ben dede euylly and Ire hath so moche doon that many in despayr haue slayne them self Recounteth not valere in his ix book how othus whiche after was named darius was right cruel and moche Irous in so moche that he dyd doo slee many good men contryued many engynes terryble for to make men to dye but fynably the cruelte cam vpon hym self For reason wold that he that is cruel shold by cruelte be cast out and pugnysshed therfore it is good to consydere what harme cometh of yre and as me semeth it is none other thyng but a spyce of rage thus sayth seneque in his fyrst book of clemence Neuertheles I wyl not repreue the yre of good men the whiche ben wrooth whaÌ„ they seen harme doon For the prophete sayth a man may be wroth for harme yll that he seeth doon wythout synne And certayn we rede how Moyses was angry ayenst the people by causethey kepte the manna ayenst the coÌ„maundement of god as it apperyth the xvij chapytre of Exode And also he was angry whan he sawe the people worshyppe the calf in so moche that he brake the cables of the coÌ„mandementes in castyng them doun as it is wryton the xxij chapytre of Exode And Neemias was angry ayenst them that dyde vsure as it appereth the xv chapitre of neemye by whyche it apperith that it is no faulte ne synne to be angry for doyng of enyl And in dede Saynt Augustyn sayth that god is angry ayenst the synnars in punysshyng them And to thys purpoos we rede how god was angry ayenst Salamon by cause of his ydolatrye as it apperyth in the fourth book of kynges the x chapytre for semblable reason he was angry ayenst the chyldren of Israel put them in the hand of Azael theyr enemy as it apperyth the iiij boke of kynges the x chapytre Semblably for ydolatrye god was angry ayenst Ioab ayenst his capytayn as it is wryton the second book of paralopomenon the xxiiij chapytre we rede also how god was angry ayenst the chyldren of Israel bycause they dyd fornycacion wyth
al vertues to al good therfor sayth boece in his book of consolacion that he is happy that lyueth without lecherye for lecherye is a swete maladye bryngeth a man to deth wythoute apperceyuyng as wytnesseth valere in his iiij book whiche recyteth how Sophonydes in his olde age sayd to one whiche demauÌ„ded hym yf he were ony thyng lecherous he ansuerd I praye the speke to me of other thynges for me semeth that I haue had grete vyctorye whan I may eschewe lecherye by olde age for by lecherye alle euilles comen to a creature al good thynges ben therby forgoten Alas what was cause of the destruction of the peple of sychem was it not the deuiolacion of dyna doughter of Iacob the whiche wold goo see the daunces she was rauysshed as it apperith in the book of genesis the xxiiij chapytre we rede also how lx M. were slayn by cause of the lechery coÌ„mysed in the wyf of the leuyte as it is wryton the xx chapytre of IudicuÌ„ Amon was slayn of absalon his brother by cause he had defoylled thamar his suster as it apperiâ—h the ij book of kynges the xj chapytre Abuer for his lecherye knewe the concubines of his fader ysboseth but sone after they were bothe slayn as it is wryton the ij book of kynges the iij and iiij chapytre what was cause of Noes flode but lecherye what was cause of the destruction of sodome gomorre but vnnatural lecherye as it is wryton in the book of genesis who caused Ioseph to be enprisoned but the lecherye of his maistresse therfor he is wyse that escheweth this synne For who that wyl lyue chastly he ought tesche we the companye of wymmen consydere that by wymmeÌ„ were deceyued the wyse salamon the strong saÌ„pson the grete holofernes the prophete dauid the phylosophre arystotle the poete virgyle many other wyse men therfor I wyl no more blame the wymmen than the men but for thys I wyl say who wyl be chaste ouÈt teschewe the companye of wymmen For for to synne nature is sone enclyned lyÈtly accorded for teschewe fulgence enseigneth techeth vs in the ij book of his micrologies in sayeng that lecherye is moche foul aboue other dyshoneste is not aduenauÌ„t to a creature that wyl haue honour worshyp And certaynly Scipion the noble knyght hated so moche this synne that he deffended in hâ—â— contre bordellis al dyshonest places But it is grete pyte that now al the world is ful of places of suche vsages and yonge and olde peple the moâ—t parte gyue them comunely to lecherye but they ought to consydere this whiche Ouyde sayth in hys vij book of methamorphoseos whiche sayth that lecherye maketh a man to brenne in hym self the versyfyour saith that the loue of a woman affeblyssheth the body mynyssheth the rychesses maketh a fayr man to become foule atte last bryngeth a man to nought And saynt Iherome in his boke ayenst Ionynyan sayth the loue of a woman maketh a man to forgete reason to become a fole it letteth and hurteth good couÌ„ceyl wyl not suffre a man to studye maketh hym to thynke al folye by suche loue a man troubleth hym self atte last hateth hys body his lyf and seneke in his declaraâ—ons in his first book sayth that it is an hard deth that lecherye procureth for lecherye maketh to lese tyme-honour al goodes therfor in his xxiiij epystle to lucylle sayth kepe the wel that lecherye be not in the for a lecherous man is as a thyng al loste certaynly in olde tyme the lecherous peple were gretely pugnyssâ—xd For as recyteth valere in his vj book a man that of olde tyme mysdyde in his manage ought to lose his eyen aftâ—r the olde lawe a woman shold be stoned to deth wherfore it apperith that this synne was ryght dysplaysaunt vnto them of auncient tyme for of it cometh many euylles and harmes as it is tofore sayd ¶ Here foloweth the v vertue that is to wete benyuolence and is ayenst the synne of enuye capitulo xiij EMonge al other synnes the leste excusable is the synne of enuye by cause she hath noo cause of her malyce in so moche the body and of the soule and the man is not worthy to lyue the whyche by necligence slepeth in his synne dyeth in pouerte for not wythstondyng that pouerte is good whan it is 〈◊〉 luntarye Neuertheles he is moche to be repreued the whyche by his slouthe neclygence is poure and myserable by whyche it apperyth that dyligence is moche to be preysed that remembreth bothe the body and the soule and therfore sayth the prophete I haue slepte after I am awaked by whyche he gyueth vs to vnderstonde how we ouÈt to be dyligent awake our self for to prouffyte in wele And therfore the appostle in wrytyng to Thimothee sayth Awake thy sâ—lf that slepest god shal enlnmyne the wyth his grace For for the slepars them that ben necligent is not heuene oâ—deyned but for them that ben dyligent for to doo wel as longe as they lyue in thys present world And to this dyligence ought moche 〈◊〉 vs many auncyent hystoryes by the whyche it appereth how neclygence hath be cause of many euylles Inconuements Rede we not how dauid was in his how 's ydle and thenne he was tempted of the synne of lecherye in so moche that he accomplysshed a ryght gâ—te dyshonour as it apperyth the ij book of kynges the v chapyâ—re and therfor sayth Ouyde in his first book of remedye that ydlenes neclygence ben the nouâ—ces of the synne of lecherye And quyntylien sayth that synne naturelly coÌ„mauÌ„deth a man to be ydle And therfor Chaton sayd resonably to hys sone kepe the wel that thou be not necligent ne slepye For longe reste nouryssheth synne vyces And to thys purpoos we haue many â—ystoryes how in slepyng many euylles ben happed Rede we not how Thobie in slepyng waâ— blynde loste his syght as it apperith the second chapitre of Thobye ysboseth lost his â—â—yame in slepyng as it apperyth the ij book of kynges the iiij chapytre Sampson in slepyng in the lawe of his wyf lost his heere 's taken enchayned and fynably loste his lyf as it appereth the xvj chapytre of IudicuÌ„ ¶ And therfore sayth the wyse man iu his vj chapytre Thou Neclygent awake the. for thou mayst not longe slepe as who sayd the lyf is shorte And therfore we rede how Iacob repreued his chyldren of neclygence as it apperyth the xxiiij chapitre of genesis And our sauyour Ihesu cryst repreuyd hys dyscyples of necligence in sayeng ye haue not mowe wake an hour with me as sayth saynt Mathew in his xxviij chapytre by whiche it appereth how necligence is moche to be repreuyd To this purpoos we rede how they that sewe the good seed by gonnen to slepe And thenne
came the enemye that sewe the euyl seed that is to say the cockyl as sayth Saynt Mathew in his xiij chapytre by whiche is gyuen to vs for to vnderstonde that we ouÈt to wake yf we wyl prouffyte in our good werkes the whyche ben vnderstonden by the good seed For as the gospel of saynt Mathew sayth in his xv chapytre the v maydens that slepte were not receyued in to heuen But the fyue that waked were receyued in by whiche it apperyth that we ought to wake that is to wete to entende to good werkes to do wel for veryly they slepe the whiche wythout repentauÌ„ce abyde stylle in theyr synne Ne rede we not how the Natuâ—eÌ„s saye that the venyme of a serpent named Aspyde is of suche condycion that he maketh the man that drynketh it to slepe and in slepyng to deye Of suche condycion is the synne of neclygence for it maketh a man to slepe by neclygence and in slepyng is man oft dampned For by deffaulte of a man wel to aduyse hym self oftymes he deyeth ryght euylly To thys purpoos sayth Ouyde in his fyrst book of Methamorphoseos how Argus had an C. eyen And neuertheles mercurye by the sowne of his floyte brought hym a slepe thenne in slepyng made a cowe to be taken fro hym named yo the whyche Iubyter had delyuerd to hym in kepyng and by cause of his neclygence Argus tofore sayd was slayne loste Semblably there be many that haue an hondred eyen for they see ryÈt clere haue good wytte and vnderstoÌ„dyng And neuertheles mercurye that is to say the world oft bryngeth them a slepe And thenue theyr cowe that is to say theyr flesshe is loste by whyche fynably man is ryght oft dampned dyeth myserably but soÌ„me may say that they shold be dyligent yf they were waked solicyted for to do wel To thys purpoos I ansuer that there is noo synnar soo grete but yf he be al obstynat but that he hath somtyme remorse of conscieÌ„ce that waketh hym and admonesteth for to ryse fro synne And to this thou hast experience somtyme in thy self whan reason causeth the somtyme to syghe and to haue dysplaysyr of thyn euyl lyf TheÌ„ne thy conscience Iuggeth the dampneth the. whan thou sayest alas I haue doon commysed suche euyl and suche synne it despleaseth me thus me semeth that this conscience that thus awaketh vs may be lykened to the mustelle of whâ—m recouÌ„teth the naturyens that yf a man slepe iu a shadowe place in whyche there be a serpente thenne the mustelle awaketh the man to the ende that the serpent hurte hym not ne greue hym Thus doeth reason and conscience whyche ofte awaketh vs. But many there be the whyche abyde not in a good purpoos or in a good thought whaÌ„ theyr conscience hath awaked them the whyche doon as dyd Vyrgyle the whiche slewe the Flye that prycked hym in his forhede and a woke hym by his prye kyng And neuertheles vyrgyle had be slayne of the serpente whyche was by hym yf he had not beu waked And theÌ„ne it dysplaysed hym of that whych he had slayn the flye that had doon to hym so moche good By whiche it appereth that the good thouÈtes whyche a wake styrre vs to do wel we ouÈt not to slee ne forgete them but we ouÈt dyligently to awake to do wel for teschewe the peryll of the serpent that is to were of the fende our enemye whyche alway purchaceth our deth Here foloweth the vij vertue the whyche is lyberalyte that is ayenst the synne of auaryce capitulo xv Lyberalyte is the moyen for to gete frendes for to lyue in good suffysaunce For the lyght lasseth not by cause it lyghteth ouer al the hous ¶ In lyke wyse the goodes of a lyberall man lassen not by that whiche many haue parte therof And thys wytnesseth dydymus in wrytyng to Alysaundre the whyche Alysaunder gate many royames more by lyberalyte than by strengthe And to this purpoos sayth boece in his jj book of consolacion that the goodes ben happy the which doon good to moche peple And cassyodore in his xiiij epystle sayth that a man ought gladly to gyue For lyberalyte causeth not the good to be lasse For not wythstondyng that a man haue the lasse for the tyme or whyle Neuertheles that lasse suffyseth hym as wel as the more or ellys he were not lyberal and syth that a man hath suffysaunce after the yefte as afore it foloweth that he is as ryche as afore wel is trouthe that many say that they be lyberal the whiche ben not for suppose that they gyue Neuertheles it is somtyme folyly and oultragyously and oultrage ought not to be approuued TheÌ„ne lyberal suffyseth not onely to yeue but hym byhoueth by reason wysely to dystribute his goodes And this wytnesseth chaton sayeng to his sone take hede see to whome thou gyuest not onely to whome but also thou oughtest to byholde how moche whaÌ„ and how And to this purpoos speketh tulle in hys fyrst boke of offyces in sayeng that a man ought to gyue to hym that hath nede without hope of vaynglorye or hauyng ony other benefayt And the yeuar ought to take hede yf he be worthy to whome he gyueth as enseyneth macrobe in his book of satur â—elles but comunely men gyue to them that be not worthy to them that haue noo nede As wytnesseth TereÌ„ce marcyal but they that so doon in so doyng haue noo merytr â—e grace toward god Soo euery man ought to be aduysed that wyl veryly be large lyberal byholde the maner of gyuyng and the circumstaunces And syngulerly yf his yefte ought to be agreable to god hym byhoueth that hys largesse come of a parfyght hert For as varoo sayth iu hys sentences the yefte is more agreable after thaffeccyon of the yeuar than after the gretenes of the yefte And herof we haue an example in the gospel of saynt Luc. And also Saynt Iherome reciteth in the prologue of the byble sayeng that more was acceptable toward god thoffrynge of the poure wydowe whyche offryd but a ferthyng than was the yefte of the ryche kyng cresus whyche was ryght ryche and kynge of Lyde the whyche offryd grete yeftes and many markes of gold and sylner the reason was thys for the poure woman presented hiryefte by more grete deuocyon than dyd the sayd kynge Seen that she gaf al that she had but the kynge aforesayd after his yefte abode ryche and myghty By whyche it apperyth that more doeth good affection than doeth the gretenes of the oblacyon More ouer we rede how many by lybecalyte haue goâ—â—u grete renoÌ„me and grete seygnourye And to thys purpoos sayth the hystorye of Alexander that Alexander conquerd many wyames more by his franchyse and lyberalyte than he dyd by his strengthe And was so moche lyberal that the seruauntes of his enemyes came for to dwelle wyth hym and lefte theyr lordes theyr
they sette nothyng of worldly goodes or lytel this purpoos recouÌ„teth valerye in his viij book how anaxâ—goras lefte his possessyons for to goo estudye in strauÌ„ge conâ—â—es whan he retorned he sawe that his possessyons were eserted theÌ„ne he sayd I myght not haue ben saued yf my posessions had not perisshed as who wold say that richesses ben â—yenst saluacion Semblably he recouÌ„teth of a phylosopher naâ—ed socrates the whiche threwe al his richesses in the see in â—yeng that he had lieuer that his richesses were loste than he â—hold lose hym self SeÌ„blably he recouÌ„teth of a wyse man naâ—ed styllon the which lost al his goodes by fyre theÌ„ne one â—mauÌ„ded hym yf he were not angry wroth for the losse of â—is goodes the which ansuerd that he had nothyng lost that â—â— had vpon hym al his goodes that is to weâ—e scyence verâ—es as yf he sayd that the goodes of fortune were not hys â—y whyche it apperith that he is wyse that despyseth the gooâ—s of fortune as wytnesseth Epedocles And prosper in hys â—ok named Epigramaton sayth that the courage of a coueâ—â—us man shal neuer haue reste for the worldly goodes may â—â—t satysfye theyr hert but engendreth and maketh more the â—â—uetyse and the desyre of the creature to this purpoos recouÌ„â—â—h Ouyde how polydorus by his couetyse slewe the sone of â—amê° for to haue the rychesses that were delyuerd hym for â—â—ouerne therwith the chylde aforsayd but hecuba moder of 〈◊〉 â—ayd sone wyth hyr complyces apperceyued the sayd traysoÌ„ 〈◊〉 came to polidorus in faynyng that they wold gyue hym 〈◊〉 but hecuba hyr felowes slewe hym strangled hym 〈◊〉 was reason that couetyse that had made hym to slee 〈◊〉 shold be cause moyen of his deth wherby it 〈◊〉 how pouerte is good and couetyse euyl and holdeth a man in thought and in peryll of hert and of conscyence ¶ Thus endeth the fyrst book ¶ Here foloweth the second book the whiche speketh of thestate of the people of the chyrche and of the clerkes ¶ Fyrst how the chyrche ought to be honoured and loued had in worshyp and in reuerence capitulo primo THe chyrche is as the moder of al crysten people in the same is gyuen fraunchyse and lyberte by cause it shold be the more in reuerence For hyr spouse and hede is ihesu crist sauyour of all the world to this purpoos we rede in the first book of thystorye tripartyte how Costantyn whan he was made crysten loued so moche god the chyrche that he dyd do â—ere in alle the places where he went a tabernacle made in the â—ourme of a chyrche and had wyth hym preestes and clerkes whyche serued god ryght deuoutly he bare also on his ryght syde the sygne of the crosse for that was the baner by the whiche god sente hym vyctorye in dede he shold haue a bataylle in his slepe the aungel shewed to hym how he shold haue vyctorye by the sygne of the crosse Semblably we rede in the book aforesayd how themperour theodosiâ— was fynably obeyssant to the chyrche Not withstondyng he had be tofore moche rygorous to the chyrche thystorye sayth how the sayd theodosius dyd do slee vij M. men in the cyte of thessalonue by causâ— they had stoned to deth his offyâ—ers After which feat the said theodosius retorned to melane wenyâ—g to haue entred as 〈◊〉 ben accnstomed in to the chyrche ¶ TheÌ„ne saynt Ambrose came ayenst hym whych was Archebysshop of the sanâ— place and sayd to hym O Emperour goo thy waye Foâ— in to thys chyrche thou shalt not entre seen that thou arte 〈◊〉 of blood and arte not worthy for to beholde god ne see hym ¶ Thenne Theodosius obeyed hym and wepyng departed but by cause the â—este of Crystemas approuched he sente one of hys seruauntes named Ruffyn to saynt Ambrose for to gete grace But nothyng auaylled his requeste And thys seeyng Theodosius cam in his propre persone to sayâ—t Ambrose wepyng requyryng pardon on his knees thenne saynt Ambrose toke hym to grace after he dyd moche good and had many vyctoryes by whyche it apperith how the chirche ought to be honoured And to this purpoos recounteth valere in his iij book the xj chapytre How Iulius Cezar defended to his people that none shold be so hardy to do ony euyl or harme to the temples And for thys cause he was so vyctoryous by ij yere that neuer man had vyctorye ayenst hym But after he was many tymes dyscomfyt after he had defoilled the temple named delphyque As recounteth Policrate in hys vj book the vij chapytre And he sayth more ouer that chyualrye ouÈt to kepe the chyrche to Inpugne the heretykes to honoure the preestes to deffende the poure and tappease stryf and debates Semblably Egesippus recounteth how pompeus dyd neuer harme to temples ne to chyrches and therfor alexander was to hym moche gracyous pardoÌ„ned to hym his mesprisyon by whyche it is euydently shewed to vs how the chyrche ouÈt to be kept and hononred And to this purpoos sayth vegece in his iiij book of chyualrye the iiij chapytre how the knyghtes ought to swere loyalte Fyrst to god secondly to theyr prynce More ouer thou oughtest to knowe that the chyrche ought to 〈◊〉 frauÌ„chysed For it is sygured by the arke of noe in whiche â—ere saued al they that were therin as it apperyth the seuenth â—hapytre of genesis Semblably alle ought to be free in the â—hyrche And in dede we rede in the hystoryes of the romayns â—at one named macelizet deyed a foul deth by cause he had deâ—â—yled the chyrche we rede also of one named Equyla how he â—stroyed alle ytalye â–ª And theÌ„ne the pope named Leon sayd â—hym that he shold leue his cruelte The which ansuerd that â—ym semed that he sawe a fayr olde man whych helde in hys honde a knyf wherof he was sore aferde durst not dysobeâ— And this sygnefyeth to vs. how euery creature ouÈt to dreâ— the chyrche and to obeye it in al ryght and reason ¶ How the people of the chyrche and syngulerly the prelateâ— ought to lyue chastly and vertuously capitulo â— SAynt Ierome in one of his epystles sayth that the prelate ought to haue no concubyne For hys espouse is the chyrche And therfore in the lawe of Canon it is deffended that prelates shold holde no wymmen in theyr howses but yf they be vnder age out of al suspecyon And to thys purpoos we rede of saynt austyn how he wold not dwelle wyth hys owen syster for tesche we suspecoÌ„n of euyl spekyng More ourâ— saynt Gregory in his dyalogue the vij chapytre recyteth 〈◊〉 a prelate named Audrien was moche tempted with a woman of religyon by cause she dwellyd wyth hym By which it apperyth that men of the chyrche ought to flee the conuersâ—â— on of wymmen not onely for tesche we the synne but
necessyte and yf they doo otherwyse they do sacrylege that is to say they be theues of the goodes of the chyrche And that more is he sayth that he that hath of hys patrymonye ynowh for to lyue wyth â–ª he ouÈt to take nothyng of the goodes of the chyrche and yf he take otherwyse it is sacrylege And for so moche saynt austyn in one of his sermoÌ„s in the hermytes in spekyng of hym self sayth â–ª I that am bysshop ought wel to take hede that the goodes of the chyrche 〈◊〉 not gyuen to them that been ryche For it is the patrymonye of the poure people And I thanke god of that he hath gyuen me grace tyl now not to gyue ony thynge to the ryche but onely to the poure And in dede I haue parents and kynnesmen whyche ofte demaunde of me the soÌ„me by flaterye the other by menaces the goodes of my chyrche but I shal haue conseyence in gyuyng to them syth they haue wherof to lyue By whych it appereth that the prelates ought to gyue to the poure herof we haue example of Heliseus the prophete the whiche dyd do dystrybute the loues of breed to the chyldren of the prophetes as it is writon in the fourth book of kynges the fourth chapytre And of Saynt Austyn hym self we rede how at his deth he made noo testament by cause by hys lyf he had gyuen alle to the poure people How the people of the chyrche oughten to preche and to say the trouthe of the fayth capitulo iiij By predycacion the chyrche is susteyned and the fayth enhaunced and the people conuerted And herof we haue many examples how of Aawn the whiche prechyd somtyme to the people the word of god And therfore the peple byleued in god and put them to serue god as it is wryton in Exode the iiij chapytre Semblably we rede in the book of the actes of thappostles the fourth chapytre how the chyrche was multeplyed made grete by the predycacion of thappostles in dede Saynt Poul saynt bernabe by theyr predycacyon conuerted many as it apperyth in the sayd book the xiij chapytre And therfore the peple of the chyrche and syngulerly the relygyous ought to preche the trouthe And to this purpoos we rede in the second book of thystorye tripartyte the viij chapytre how a good man by his predycacyon conuerted many mescreaunts to whome he sayd â–ª my frendes be ye not curyous of worldly soâ—nâ—es and humayne the whyche conteyne but fallaces and â—auytees but haue ye hert to the fayth and to the holy gospell the whyche conteyneth nothynge but trouthe But thou shalt say that thou art noo clerke for to preche â–ª To that I ansuer to the say that yf thou art good in thyn affection the holy ghoost shal admynystre to the good wordes prouffytable And to this purpoos we rede in the book aforesayd how somtyme a ryght grete phylosopher whyche was a mescreant dysputed ayenst our fayth And that seyng an olde good man whyche knewe no â—ettre cam to hym for to conuerte hym And the holy ghoost admynystred to hym suche wordes that he conuerted to the fayth the sayd phylosopher And therfore sayth the scrypture that the word of the prechour of veryte trouthe is the word of the holy ghoost Trouthe it is that the predycacion is moche prouffytable whan the prechour is of good lyf as saith saynt Gregory in his morallis in the xxx book And yf the pâ—â—dycaciou prouffyteth nothyng it is for the deffaulte of the prechour whyche is of euyl lyf â–ª or of the herar whyche hath none affection Neuertheles as sayth Ihesu Cryst in the gospel the word of god ought to be prechyd For it may not be al loste lyke as the seed whyche is throwen in the waye the whyche yf it brynge forth noo fruyt atte leste the byrdes of heuen eâ—â— it who caused the cyte of Nynyue to be conuerted but the predycacyon of Ionas the prophete as it apperyth in the thyrd chapytre of Ionas who conuerted ynde but the predicacion of saynt Thomas who conuerted Samarye but the predycacyon of Saynt Phylippe But somme there be lyke vnto the Iewes whyche stopped their â—rys whan saynt Stephen prechyd and other mocked Saynt Poul whan he preched as it apperith in the book of the actes of thappostles They be of the condycyon of the serpent the whyche is named aspis the whiche stoppeth his eerys to th ende that he may here nothyng And who that drynketh of his venym he slepeth and so slepyng dyeth Many in lyke wyse whych wyl not here trouthe deye in their syâ—â—e wythout hauyng â—uy repentaunce More ouer me semeth that many ben angry whan in prechyng their synnes ben repreuyd And thenne they wene that men speke of them syngulerly the whyche otherwhyle ben deceyued For the holy ghoost admynystreth ofte to the prechours many thynges which they haue not thought tofore And to this purpoos recyteth saynt Austyn in his vj book of confessyons how on a tyme he preched And to his sermon came by aduenture one named Alippius the whiche was a player of dyse and moche enclyned to vayn occupacions Thenne Saynt Austyn began to preche ayenst suche vanytres that seyng Alippius he supposed that Saynt Austyn had spoken of hym onely And after the sermon he demaunded of saynt Austyn wherfore he had soo spoken ayenst hym the whyche ansuerd that the holy ghoost had doon it for he knewe not ne wyst not that he was suche one And theâ—ne the sayd Alippius repented hym and lefte alle vanytres ¶ Semblably also saynt austyn by suche a maner conuerted a manichean by the wordes that he sayd at the table by whych it appereth how it is moche prouffytable to here the trouthe and prechyng of the word of god ¶ How men of the chyrche ought to estudye and to lerne singulerly the holy scrypture capitulo v FOr to estudye is a thynge moche prouffytable and couenable to men of the chyrche And Aristipus ansuerd to one whyche demaunded what it auaylled to studye That a man by his estudye lyued the more surely and coude the better eschewe many Inconuenyencis And therfore Boece in hys book of the dysciplyne of soolers sayth that noo man may become a mayster but yf he haue science vertues for that cause the auncient men alleway studyed as recouÌ„teth valere in his viij book the vij chapytre in dede thou mayst see how a man beyng clerke is moche eased in estudyeng beyng allone For he wote wel wherin he may occupye hym self But the ygnoraunt that can not vnderstonde what he redeth wote not what to doo but yf he be in companye to here vanytâ—es and lewde langages as men ygnoraunt the whyche repute them self half lost yf they fynde not suche as they may speke to and holde them felâ— wshyp at all tymes But a clerke that can she dye is ryght Ioyous at his ease whan he is solytarye and out of
â—th that on a tyme he sawe a poure man passyng by in his â—â—uerte moche Ioyously wherof he moche merueylled And â—nne he sayd to his felaws Alas my frendes we laboure in â—yn and in getyng richesses for to lyue surely and Ioyously or ye see this poureman whyche moche passeth vs. and is men longe sith to that we demande aud seche And this hiâ—rye was to fore the conuersion of seynt Austyn Moreouer the holy scrypture thou shaÌ„lt fynde how Moyses kept sheep â— it apperith the iij boke of Exode the prophete helye was so â—ure that he demaÌ„nded a lytil brede and water of a wydowe â— it apperith in the thirde boke of kynghes And thappostles â—nounced all And in dede seynt peter sayd of hym self that â—had neyther gold ne seluer And we rede of Saul that he â—â—epte the asses of his fader And dauid was a sheepherde and euertheles after they were kynges Thenne me semeth that â—ponerte euery man ought to haue good pacyenee and he is â—oche ryche that lyueth in suffysauÌ„ce that is to wete conteÌ„t â—â—â—h that he hath ¶ Of the state of old age and how men ought to be good retuoê° capitulo iij â— AFter the age of a man he ought to be the more rype aduysed by thexperyences that he hath seen he ought to the more wyse of maners And therfore seneke in his ix â—stle thankyd preysed his olde age by cause that therby he 〈◊〉 many euyllis synnes And saynt Ambrose in his fyrst 〈…〉 for tensie we the same in the processe of theyr lyf For Senekâ—â— saith in his boke of maners euery persone dooth that gladly that whiche he hath lerned to doo in his youtghe Aristotle 〈◊〉 his boke of Ethiques saith that it is a thynge naturel to take playfance delectacoÌ„n in that thynge the whiche he hath beaccustomed to doo in his chyldhode youghte therfore the wâ—â—se man ni the xj capytre of ecclesiastes speketh to a yong manâ— saith thus youge man aduyse the to dyspose thy herbe in gooâ— werkes For lyke as he ought no thyng to repe that hath no thyng soweÌ„ right so iÌ„ old age he shal fynde nothyng good bâ— that he hath accustomed to doo in his yougthe And therfor ought the yonge people to kepe theÌ„ wel fro euyl companye to whiche is ofte cause of the destruction perdicoÌ„n of yonge folâ—ke it is hard for a yong man to be good whaÌ„ he conuersed with people of enyl lyf And to this purpoos saith tulle in hiâ— second boke of offyces that Chyldren ought to be nouryssheâ— wyth good folke honeste And ought to duelle with them contynuelly And theÌ„ne by cause of the good people he shal â— ashamed for to doo euyll For they shal be a ferde for to be repreuyd consequently they shal be a shamed to be reprehended They also that haue the gouernaÌ„nce of the yong people oughâ— not to cesse to reperue and chastyse them And theÌ„ne is a maâ— wel dysposed to receyue chastysement whan he is yong And not harded ne made tude to doo harme And therfore saynt Aâ—â—lme in his boke of symylitudes compareth Infancye or chyldehode to waxe whiche is softe is dysposed to receyue such prynte as men wyll The chylde also resembleth to the rode whan it boweth lyghtly it is wounden as men wylle TheÌ„ne oweÌ„ the fader Moder to haue right grete aduys vpon the â—â—nernaÌ„ce of theyr chyldren as it shal be said here after The châ—â—dren also owen to theyr parentes to theyr maistres to obeyâ— in folowyug â—saac the whyche obeyed in suche wyse to his fader that he was all redy to receyue the deth at his comandemÌ„ as it apperith the xxij chapytre of genesis yet he was at thâ— tyme of the age of xxxij yere And of dauid we rede how he was obeyssant to his fader as it apperith the fyrst boke of kynges And IhuÌ„ Cryste hym self in his yougth was obeyssaÌ„nt 〈◊〉 his parentes as saith seynt luc in his secund chapytre wel â—s trouthe that many by cause of theyr yougthe wene to be excuâ—ed of alle theyr euyllis that they doo the whyche ben moche deâ—eyued For syth they haue wytte and vnderstondyng they ben 〈◊〉 be repreuyd they shal be pugnysshid of god yf they doo duyâ— uyll And herof we haue example of the sones of hely the â—hiche were right greuously pugnysshyd by cause they lyueâ—en after theyr wylle in delyces as it apperith the first boke of â—ynges we rede also of the ij chyldren whiche god made to be â—euoured by the wulues by cause they soorned and mocqued 〈◊〉 prophete helyzee as it apperith the iiij boke of kynges Moreâ—uer the yonge people gloryfye them self in theyr beaulte why 〈◊〉 be moche deceyued For as Aristotle sayth yf a man had 〈◊〉 eyeu of a lyâ—x that he myght see thurgh his body he shold 〈◊〉 in hym self and in euery creature moche fylthe and ordnre And suche ther be that wene that they be right fayr And yf â—â—xy sawe them self they shold well knowe that they be right â—ull For they haue nothyng fayr sauf the skyn withoutforth â—ore ouer they gloryfye in theyr age haue hope for to lyue â—onge and they consydere not that assone deyeth the yong man â—s dooth the olde And that more is we see that the yong men eyen most comynly For they be more ful of oultrages sonâ—er falle in to the sekenesses of hasty deth And thus nature â—ath no certayn terme of lyuyng Therfore no yong man ne â—oman ought not for hope of longe lyf to take ony hardyâ—es for to doo euyl For for to lyue or not to lyue the synne â—â— uyl shal be pugnysshed And hope is cause ofte to lyue euyl in 〈◊〉 tyme of olde age â—Of thestate of mariage how it ought to be goâ—Ì„ned capo. v MAriage is ordeyned for to haue lygnage and for to loue eche other And therfor thappostle seynt poul in his fyâ—the chapitre admonesteth the wedded men sayeng ye men loâ—â— your wyues as IhuÌ„s Cryste loueth his chyrche And to this purpoos valere in his iiij boke the v chapytre recyteth how 〈◊〉 man named graceus lonyd his wyf named Corneylle 〈◊〉 moche that he wold deye for to gete the helthe of his wyf he 〈◊〉 counteth also how Cuplacius herd saye that his wyf waâ—dâ—ed· And theÌ„ne he smote hym self in the breste with a knyâ— and requyred to be with her drowned or brente as at 〈◊〉 tyme was the custoÌ„me to doo whan the peple were deed Anâ— how be it that noman ought so to doo Neuertheles by 〈◊〉 said hystoryes it appereth how men ought to loue theyr wyues· Semblably also the wymmen owen to loue theyr husâ—bondes And herof we haue example as valere recounteth 〈◊〉 his boke aforfaid how Iulia the doughter of Cezar seeyng 〈…〉 of hir husbond spotted wyth blood was soo troubled that for sorowe and henynes her chyld that she
had withinÌ„ her bely was destroyed· For she had supposed that her husbond had ben deed or that he had receyued soÌ„me vylonnye whos name was Pompee the graÌ„ut After he recyteth of the doughter of Cathon named Porcia seeyng her husbond brutns to bâ— slayn she demaunded a knyf to slee her self also And by cause that none wold delyue to her no knyf she toke brennyng cooles and put them in her monthe ete them donÌ„ in suche wyse that she deyde by a right merueylloâ— manere Semblably be recounteth of the wyf of kynge metridatus whyche folowed hym in alle places where he wente were it in bataylles or els where And certaynly she kytte of her heeris and arayed her lyke a man for to haue the better oportunyte for to folowe hym in alle places And how be it for to doo in lyke wyse it is noâ— of congruyte ne of necessite yet by the said hystoryes it apperâ—â—â— how mariage ought to be had in grete loue And to the samâ— purpoos recyteth valerius in his vj boke the vij chapitre 〈◊〉 â—ulpiâ—a a kepte her husbond in a lytyl place right secretely Not withstondyng she wyfâ— wel that she shold be deed yf her husboÌ„d were founde with her whom they songht to put to deth And â—t is good to knowe how in mariage after the doctours thâ—e â—hynges ought to be that is to wete fayth loyalte lygnage â—acrament By fayth and loyalte is gyuen to vnderstoÌ„de that neyther of the parties maryed ought not to trespace with his â—â—dy but to kepe it to his partye For as thapostle faith in 〈◊〉 fyrst epystle to the Corynthyeus the body of the man is by â—ngyng to the wyf And the body of the wyf to the man that â—s to vnderstonde in mariage And as seynt Ambrose saith in â—is exameron god made eue of the syde of Adam in signefyâ—â—ce that in mariage a man and woman ought to be all one â—ody one self thyng And me semeth that the partye that forâ—ayteth his maryage dooth a yenst the lawe of nature For â—he storke hath suche forfayture in abhomynacoÌ„n of storkes to â—â—ee hym or her that so forfayteth lyke as Alexander recouÌ„teth in his boke of nature of byrdes And me semeth it is a grete abhomynacion to see in many maryages so lytyl fayth and loyalte as now is But I byleue that one of the causes emonge the other is that the maryage be not duely maad but for money or other euyl cause TheÌ„ne it is noo merueylle that the maryage contynue not well syth the begynuyng therfor the kynge lygurgis wolde and ordeyued in his RoyaÌ„me that the virgynes and maydens shold be wedded without to haue gold or syluer to th ende that the maryage shold not be made by couetyse lyke as pompeus recyteth in his iij boke And valere in his vij boke the first chapytre recyteth how one demaÌ„nded som â—ym of a phylosopher named themystodes how and to whome 〈◊〉 shold marye his doughter that is to wete to a poure man 〈◊〉 to a ryche The whiche ansuerde that he ought not to demaÌ„nâ—e pouerte ne richesse but the bounte and the vertues of the mâ—Ì„â—ore ouer in maryage ther lyeth right grete aduys and not â—â—ly for parentage but also for to Mayntene it And to this purpoos speketh Theofraste dystyple of Arystole in his boke that he made of maryage in whiche he saith that a maÌ„ ought more to beholde the bounte of the woman than the beaulte and yf thou demaÌ„nde whiche is better to take a fayr woman or a foule he ausuerde that it is an hard thyng to kepe a fayr woman the whiche many men desyre And it is a grete payne â—â— loue the foule one whiche many despyse alleway yf she be good the goodnesse shal kepe her beaulte And yf she be not fayr 〈◊〉 is none hard thyng to loue her that is of right good wyll for naturally resonably more ought the bounte to be praysed thaâ— the beaulte More ouer in maryage is moche to be suffred sinâ—gulerly yf bothe parties be not wyse For men ben ofte suspecyonnoâ— of theyr wyues Therfore ought a woman to be syâ—ple and good not onely of her body but also of her mayntâ—â— and maners For in spekyng in beholdyng ne in conuersaâ—â— she ought not doo ony thyng by whiche ony other myght thynke or Iuge in her ony euyll And it happeth ofte that by they folyssh mayntene and maners the wymÌ„en make theyr husâ—boudes to mysdeme and euyl of byleue Many also seeyng they manere folyssh suspcoÌ„nnoâ— payne them self to deceyue thâ—â— wenyng that they be of euyl disposicoÌ„n by cause of theyr wanâ—â— and folysshe maner And oftyme it happeth that suche one â— taken with her nette the whiche she neuer thought it shold haâ—â— pen And alle this euyl cometh by the false semblaÌ„ntes Anâ— countenances that many wymÌ„en maken The men also tha purpose to marye oughten to aduyse and beholde the condycoâ— of her that they desyre to haue to wyf But many ben deceyueâ— by cause they take them in the age of xij yere or ther aboute anâ— theÌ„ne what they be noman may wete ne knowe For as 〈◊〉 prouerbe saith how seeth a chylde seeth no thyng Al 's in maryeng hym self one ought to here many speke For louâ— and carnal affeceyon blyndeth the vnderstondyng and makeâ—â— a man fauourable to Iuge whan he is surprysed of suche 〈◊〉 therfore a maÌ„ ought to byleue more another than hym so ¶ How the wymÌ„en ought to gouerne them self capo. vj A woman ought to haue resonably two condicoÌ„ns that is to wyte shame of repreef and drede of disobeyeng of her partye For thenne a woman is loste dissolute whan she hath in her neyther drede ne shame And it is a thyng moche to be repreued to see wymÌ„en hardy dissolute and redy to doo many euyllis Snche ben they the whyche by theyr maners foule and dissolute and by theyr lecheroâ— beholdynges drawe men to doo euyll of whome speketh seynt Ierome in his epystle Cviij And sayth that many wymÌ„en ben lyke to thydolles the whiche drawen the people of the world to the fende Semâ—lably ben they that poppe them self make them to seme fayr for to brynge other to synne And it is grete merueylle how they presume to deffeate and altere that whiche god hath made moche lewde is the woman the whiche weneth to make â—er more fair than god hath made her And it is a grete presumpcoÌ„n to defface the paynture of god for to make the paynture as saith seynt Ambrose in his exameron to this purpoos Guyllem in the boke of his boke of the vnyuersal world recyteth how two wymÌ„en somtyme were riyht câ—ryou se for to make them soo fayr and to kembe them soo it happed that the one deyde the whyche after apperyd to her felaw whaÌ„ she arayed and kembed her self and sayd to her my frende aduyse the For I am dampned for my curiosytees the
whyche I used and mayntened whan I was with the. And me semeth that suche curiosytees ben by cause of lecherye of dissolucoÌ„â—â—arnall Thenne onght alle wymÌ„en take example of the good â—lde and auÌ„cyent wymÌ„en of whome recoÌ„unteth valere in his â—ij boke the vj chapytre how many wymÌ„en had leuer to haue â—yed than to be deffouled and he reherceth how the maroÌ„ners â—ke a woman a greke by cause to synne wyth her And 〈◊〉 â—eyng that sprange in to the see drowned her self And therâ—â—r she was moche preysed of the grekes reputed for a saynâ—â— More ouer he recyteth of a woman that slewe her doughter bycause that Apyâ— wold haue deffouled her and sayd that she had leuer haue her doughter slayn than she shold lyue be dissolute Semblably seynt Ambrose in his boke of vyrgynyte the in chapytre recyteth how a mayde called Pelage in thaage of xv yere was â—auysshed in the contre of Anthyoche the whiche seeyng she myght not escape sprange in to a Ryuer For she had leuer deye a vyrgyne than to lyne corrupt By the whiche hystoryes it apperith that thauncyent wymmen were moche chaste and contynente Trouthe it is that they ought not to slee ne to drowne thhem self bnt yf it were by the commandement and Inspiracion of god lyke as seynt Austyn sayth in his fyrst boke of the cyte of god the xxv chapytre For she synne lyeth not in the body but in the wyll And how be it that they myght not kepe the body agaynst them Neuertheles they had power not to consente And kepe theyr wyl fâ—o corrupcyâ—n lyke as he witnessith in the boke aforsayd the xvj chapytre Aâ—d not withstondyng all these theynges aforsayd â—â— is it trouthe that they deserued honour And grete preysyng â—â— so moche that they loued contynence and chastyte And â— this purpoos feynt Ierome in his boke ayenst Ionynyaâ— recyteth how the wyf of Actilius was so chaste that neâ—man touched her sauf her husbond onely And on a tyme â— happed that a man sayd to hyr husbonde that his mouth staâ—â—e And whan he cam home he blamed his wyf by cause she had not warned hym therof for to haue founde remedye therfore The whiche ansuerde that she had supposed That euery man had be of that condycion By whiche it apperid that she neuer had kyssed ony other man But for to come to haue chastyte it suffyseth not to â—â—â—hewe the touchynges But also sobrenesse is gretely requred in wymmen ¶ How virgynyte ought to be mayntened capo. Vyrgynyte is in hym self right honorable maketh men wymÌ„en to resemble be lyke vnto Aungellis and they that beÌ„ in suche estate ought to mayntene it right dilygently For it is moche harde to kepe coÌ„sideryd humayne fraylnes the whiche is alle way enclyned vnto synÌ„e but yf it be kepte chastysed by reason it is good to coÌ„sydere how thauncyent olde peple loued â—gynyte maydeÌ„hed loÌ„ge to fore the crysten fayth as it apperith by that we rede in a lytyll boke intytuled of â—gynyte in whiche we rede that many wymÌ„en of rome had leuer deye than lese theyr maydeÌ„hed and specyally of the two dâ—ughters of sedaza That is to wete of a good womaÌ„ so named whiche were deffouled enforced by ij youge meÌ„ the whiche were lodged in theyr hous vnder the tytle of ghestes or pylgryms thys seeyng the ij doughters for desplaysyr hurte and â—yffygured them self wyth theyr owen knyues semblably for yke caas we rede how the mayde called thebana for desplaysyr â—hat she had by cause she was deffouled enforced fynably she â—ut to deth hym that defoylled her her self also And how be it â—hat suche occysious be not approuued neâ—theles by the sayd historyes it apperith how thauÌ„cyeÌ„ts desiredeÌ„ preysedeÌ„â—gynyte For who wyll well coÌ„sidere to lyue after the flessh is a thynge â—bhomynable to god dysplaysanÌ„t as thappostle faith in his pystle to the Romayns the viij chapitre sayeng that they whiâ—e lyue after the flesshe may not well playse god Trouthe it is â—â—at virgynte onely suffyseth not For a boue that them byâ—â—â—th to entende to good werkes and to this purpoos speketh â—ynt Ambrose to demetrye in his epystle lxxxvij sayeng â—at a virgyne and a mayde ought to be stylle and symple and â—lowe hoÌ„neste companye And ought not to be vacaboÌ„nd â—â—â—myng aboute but the most parte of tyme ought to kepe her home in folowyng the blessyd virgyne Marie· whiche was â—one in her hous whan thangele salewed her More ouer the â—age of a mayde ought to be prudeÌ„t attempred right short â—ithout habundauÌ„ce of wordes In hyr maner mayntâ—â—â— she ought to be shamefast and in all her dedes and fraâ—es meke and humble For by humylyte the blessyd virgyne was most pryncypally agreable to god As wytnesseth the holy scrypture More oner seynt Ierome in his epystle lxxxix in spekyng to a good moâ— for her doughter· sayde that she ought so doo that her doughter shold be alleway dylygent and besy for to werke For in ydlenes comynly virgyuyte maydenhed is loste and vanysshyth And the maydens ought to consydere how virgynyte is suche a tresonr that yf it be loste it is irrecuperable And therfore they ought dylygently kepe it To this purpoos saynt Ambrose in his second boke of virgynyte recyteth how in Anthyoche was a mayde right fayr moche desyred And fynably by force was brought to the bordel· And whan she sawe her there she began to wepe and to praye god sayeng O good lord whiche of old tyme gauest to virgynes puyssance strength to surmouÌ„te ouercome the wyll of mâ—â—â—uche sauf to kepe defende me After this prayer cam to her a knyght the whiche gaf to her his gowne to th ende that 〈◊〉 myght escape in thabyte of a maÌ„ in dede she soo escaped â—â— knyght in stede of her abode there in her habyte theÌ„ne cam anâ— ther knght entred in to the same place for to coÌ„myse his â—ouluâ—â—e wenyng to haue fouÌ„deÌ„ the sayde mayde he seeyng tha he was a maÌ„ in habyte of a womaÌ„ made hym to be coÌ„deÌ„pneâ— to the deth pnttyng on hym the synÌ„e whiche is not to be sayd fynably was condempned to the deth this seyng the sayâ— mayde preseÌ„ted her self to deye for hym in sayeng that for sauyng of her â—gynyte he ought not to deye but the knyght â—ade that he had leuer deye thaÌ„ to see one so good a mayde putâ— deth And fynably bothe tweyne were delyâ—d to the dethâ—◠〈◊〉 well doyng were martred By these examples many otâ— it apperith how auÌ„cyently â—gynyte was moche preysed 〈◊〉 in so moche that the maydeÌ„s that coÌ„sentedeÌ„ to theyr deâ—elyng were stoned to deth as it apperith in deutronomye the â— chapytre By whiche thynges it apperith how maydenhede of hym self agreable not onely to the world but also to god pryncypally And as touchyng thys we haue
many other also were euylly put to deth as I haue rehereed in the second boke in the chapitre of luxurie More ou we rede in holy scrypture how many somtyme were slayn deed by cause of dyâ—ce synÌ„es the whiche beÌ„ on this day smale and light reputed Ne rede we not how somtyme who someuer blesphemed god he was stoned to dâ—th of the people as it apperith the xxiij chapytre of the boke of leuyticum Alas on this day the name of god is blasphemed without drede or fere of his punycoÌ„n as saynt Austyn saith many beÌ„ hardy to trespace by cause that god delayeth theyr punyâ—oÌ„n But the tyme shal come that the payne shal be somoche more grenoâ— As the delaye shal be more longe we rede also that Golyas blasfemed the name of god But dauid whiche was thenne a chylde slewe hym with his owne swerd as it apperith thee first boke of kynges the xvij chapitre More ouer we rede how many were somtyme ded by cause of inobedyence other by cause of murmure many other by cause of Rauyne or of ne chygence neuertheles the tyme is now in whiche the creatures humayne sette but lytyll for to obeye god Murmure detraction regneth in these dayes in the world to alle maner synnes the people ben alle enclyned TheÌ„ne we ought to be aduysed how somtyme many deyed and were slayn for cause of suche synnes as we dayly doo vse And to this purpoos we rede how the chyldren of Aaron were brent denoured of the fyre by cause they offred of the fyre in the temple ayenst the will of god as it apperith the chapitre of leuyticuÌ„ wherfor swolowed the erthe chore dathan abyron but for as moche as they murmured ayenst moyses as it appeâ—â—th the xvj chapitre of the boke of nombres wherfor was herode smetoÌ„ slayn of his enemyes but for he wold apê“pre to hym self the louynges of god as it apperith the xij chapitre of the actes of thappostles wherfore was anamas saphire stoned to deth but for as moche as they fraudeleÌ„tly toke away the goodes whiche were ordeyned to the seruyce of god as it apperith in the same boke the 〈◊〉 chapitre Olord god yf thou now punysshest semblably them that trespace I byleue that ther shold be moche fewe synÌ„ers that many shold moche drede god whiche now dayly doo euyll But as the scripture saith god suffreth synÌ„ers to lyue to th eÌ„de that they conâ—te them fro theyr synÌ„es whan they lyue longe wythoute conuertyng them self so moche more ben they heuy of theyr neclygence so moche gretely shal they be pugnysshyd Trouthe it is that somÌ„e folyssh people saye oftymes that they lyue loÌ„ge by cause they be shre wysshe euyl also they haue an hope to lengthe theyr lyf by cause they be euyll shrewes by euyl dooyug But that is a folysshe hope For they ought to consyâ—â—re and byholde the folyssh thoughtes And that for suche hope they deserue the deth ben Indigue And vn worthy to haue the tyme in whiche they may ameÌ„de them they ought also to right well aduyse them how the same god that pugnysshyd the AnnÌ„cyent peple whiche were in the olde tyme. the same self god without ony helpe may at all tymes pugnysshe them yf it please hym And whan he forbereth of his grace it is for to aduyse vs the better It is a grete vnkyndenes for to doo the werse for to wene to lyue the more lengerâ— and therby to lengthe his lyf O ingratitude or vukyndâ—nesse thou art cause that many lese theyr graces whiche god grannteth to them that wold amende them Therfore ought euery man knowe and remembre the grace that god hath doon to them whan he hath suffred them longe to lyue For after the mesure the lyf is more longe the synnes ben the more grete whan a maÌ„ lyueth wythout correctyoÌ„ wythout ameÌ„demeÌ„t Alas we ought to cousydere how for euery synne we deseruedeth as it is to fore sayd wherfore deyde heâ—p but by cause â—e was neclygeÌ„t for to chastyse his chyldreÌ„ as it apperith the fyrst boke of kynges the x chapytre wherfore was absaloÌ„ slayn but for his pryde whaÌ„ he wold haue ocupied the â—eyame of his fad as it apperith the ij boke of kynges the xviij chapytre we rede also how balthazar was right euill therfore he deyed an euyl deth as danyel recyteth in his vj chapytre wherfor dyde archicofel haÌ„ge hym self but by cause that he was in despayr by cause of the fals conÌ„seyl that he dyde ayenst dauid as it is wretoÌ„ the ij boke of kynges the xvij chapitre also they that falsely witnessed ayenst danyel were not they deuoured of the lyons wherfore were they horrybly slayn that wytnessed falsly ayenst susanÌ„e but by cause they falsely accused her Therfor they that vnresonably synÌ„e they deserue deth as it is aforsayd ¶ How no man ought to doubte ne fere the deth capo. iijo. GOd sane them that loue hym serue hym For in the gospel he promyseth that they shal neuer perysshe To this purpoos fayth the proohete Iuste trewe meÌ„ shal lyue perdurably and shal florysshe as a palme By reason also they that goo the right way shullen arryue at a good porte They theÌ„ne that lyuen Iustly shall deye of a good deth Trouthe it is that we rede somÌ„e historyes apocryfats and not approued the whiche sayen that somtyme many good heremytes lyueden alle theyr lyues holyly And neuertheles in th ende by vayn glorye or for other synne they deyde not well But sauyng the reuerence of them that haue wreton suche historyes as me semeth they be not tre we but contryued For it may not be that god sufâ—reth not a man to mespryse ne to synne at the poynt of deth whiche alle his lyf hath lyued and seruyd hym deuoutly But it myght so be that many haue shewed alle theyr lyues to be good and deuoute whiche were nothyng soo the whiche deyde euyl noo good deth that is no merueylle For ypocry sye is a synne that well deserueth to deye an euyl deth But of them that be good wythoute fayntyse I may not byleue suche historyes For the good lyf deserueth a good deth to this purpos we haue many examples autentikes and approued by the whyche it apperith how the good people deyde well and holyly Rede we not how moyses singuler serunÌ„t of our lord right worthyly and by the comÌ„andement of god And the scripture saith that god buryed hym as it apperith in the boke of deutronomye Semblably we rede how helye the ê“phete was right gloryously lyfte vp in to paradys for he beyng nygh his dâ—th ther appiered a carte and horse clere as fyre deâ—oendyng fro heuen whyche toke hym and transported hym in to paradys terrestre As it apperith the iiij boke of kynges how deyde also Iob the good and pacyent