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
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
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
suche companye that ben ydle ygnoraunt therfore a man ought to lerne soÌ„me thynge syngulerly in his yongthe for the rodde boweth whyle it is grene And certeyn a man hath gladly playsyr in suche thynges as he hath ben accustomed in his yongthe Trouthe it is that thou oughtest pryncypally and fyrst estudye in holy scrypture in that whyche is necessarye to thy saluacyon For as sayth Saynt Austyn in the second book de doctrina xpÌ„iana Alle the good wee l that is in other sciences shal one fynde fyrst princypally in diuiny be or theologye whyche is the moder of alle wytte and of alle knowleche And therfore thou oughtest to despyse all scyences whyche ben contrarye to holy scrypture For as auerrois saith vpon the thyrd book of methaphisyque They that ben accustomed to here to lerne fables ben moche enclyned to lerne fal senes for trouthe they wene that there is nothynge but that in whyche they be nourysshed Aud I am moche abasshed of many folke of the chyrche the whyche ben ydle and lerue noothynge For whyche cause they be founden in many Inconnenyences For a man naturally wold be occupyed whan he knoweth not what to do by cause of ygnorauÌ„ce theÌ„ne he employeth hym in playes dysordynat in many synnes alle this cometh oftymes by cause of ygnorauÌ„ce More ouer a maÌ„ ought to be wel aduysed that the vnderstoÌ„dyng whych is gyuen to hym to employe it wel by whyche he knoweth the dyfference bytwene hym beeflys be not euyll bestowed re-employed TheÌ„ne it is a grete shame whaÌ„ a man that may amende hym nourissheth hym in ignorauÌ„ce and maynteneth hym as a brute beest Thou mayst say to me that all may not 〈◊〉 derkes And to that I ausuere the. that they whiche eusieâ—â— the lyf Actyf maye by that manere escuse them But as to men of the chyrhe me semeth that they may not well excuse them For they haue tyme and season ynough for to estudye and to gete connyng and scyence And yf they employed the tyme for to studye the whiche they employe in vanytres they shold be clerkes And shold haue more Ioye and playfir in theyr estudye than they haue in vanytees the whyche they mayntene And of this mater thou mayst see the fyrst boke m whiche thou shalt fynde many thynges whiche ben to this same purpoos ¶ Hrâ—e foloweth the iij boke the whyche speketh of the statâ— of lordes temporell and of alle chyualrye ¶ The fyrst chapytre treateth how prynces oughten to be pyetous and mercyfull capo. â—mo APrynce wythont pyte putteth his seygnorye in peryll And doth not as a naturel lord but as a cruel tyrannt And he ought to remembre the condiâ—â—nn of thauncyent prynces For we rede how pyte maâ—â—th kynges and prynces to lyue in surete And to this purpos reciteth valere in his fyfthe boke how Marcelliâ—us toke the cyte of Syracuse But whan he sawe how the prysoners wepte he began to wepe Semblably we rede in the same boke how Cezar seeyng the hede of his enemye mortal Pompeus he was moche sory And had grete pyte we rede also how Cezar seeyng that Cathon his aduersarye had slayn hym self he was therfore mothe troubled And in dede he gaf to his thyldernalle the goodis of theyr fader Cathon and loued them And defended them right diligeutly More our valere recounteth in the â—â—ke aforsaid the v chapytre how pompens dyde to the kyng of Armenye the whiche was his enemye and desmyssed of his estate But whaÌ„ he sawe that the said kyng was moche sorouful theÌ„ne he had grete pyte of hym in so moche that he remysed hym in to his fyrst estate And crowned hym in restoring to hym all his Royame by the whiche historyes hit apperith how the prynces oughten to be pietous For as ysydore sayth in his iij boke de summo bono The Iuge that is vengeable is not wortly to Iuge ne to haue seygnorie And to this purpoos recounteth seneke in his fyrst toke of yre how somtyme a Iuge by his cruelte caused three knyghtes to deye whiche were Innocentes And thistorye saith how to one of these thre knyghtes he sayde thou shalt deye by cause thou hast not brought thy felawe wyth the. For I doubte that thou haste slayn hym Thenne he commanded to one of his knyghtes that he sholde wrthout taryeng put that knyght to deth but anon after cam the felaw of the same knyght that was dampned And thenne retorned the knyght whiche was commanÌ„ded tosle the sayd knyght and sayd to the prynce that he shold reuoke his sentence who as a tyranÌ„t ansuerde that alle 〈◊〉 shold be deed For he sayde that the fyrst shold deye by cause 〈◊〉 was daÌ„pned ones to the deth that he ought not to chaunge his sentence And to the second knyght he sayde that he shold also deye by cause he was cause of the dampnacoÌ„n of his felawe Aud to the thyrde he sayd that he shold deye by cause he had not prestly put the fyrst knyght to deth lyke as he had comanded And me semeth by thys historye it appereth that cruelte is to a prynce gretely peryllous And therfore saâ—â—h Seneque that it is grete force And noble chyualrye to conâ—ne foryene therfore ther is nothyng more necessarye thaÌ„ to be pyetous and endyned to mercy And to thys purpoos in his boke of clemence the fyfte chapytre he recyteth of a vengeable man The whyche all hys lyf had taken vengeance of alle his enemyes But on a tyme it happed that he myght not adueÌ„ge hym of his enemy For he was moche myghty thenne he demaÌ„nded of his wyf how he myght adueÌ„ge hym The whiche ansuerd sayeng Fayr frende ye haue euer vnto now alle way taken vengeance of alle men now ye see that ye muste chaÌ„nge your manere TheÌ„ne I counseylle you that ye essaye yf pyte and mercy shal doo you as moche good as vengeance hath doon For me semeth that ye may not adueuge you on euery maÌ„ But ye maye well doo to eâ—y man pardoÌ„ And pyte so I counseylle you take the waye of pyte to leue vengeance By whyche counseyll this man becam pyetous and apperceyued clerly that it avaylleâ—h nothiÌ„g to a man that wyll aduenge hym on all thyng And therfor saith Seneque in the boke aforsaid the x chapytre that the kynges and the prynces oweÌ„ to be pietons For the kynge of the â—ees that make hony haue no pricke of their nature in signefyaÌ„nce that suche shold be their kynges And in the iiij chapytre he saith that the prynce that wyll ensiewe god ought to be moche pietous to th ende that god be to hym mercyful Moreouer Solinus rehereeth how Cezar conquerde moo contrees by pyte than by strengthe force And valere in the boke aforsayd saith that Alexander seeyng one of his knyghtes to haue colde descended fro his siege and sette hym therin And of Tytus we
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
example of our fyrst parents Adam and Eue the whiche as longe as they were in paradys they kepte vyrgynyte ¶ Howwydo whede ought to be kepte holyly capo. viij WEdowhede is thestate the whiche suceedeth to maryage and ought to be mayntened in grete humylyte in grete deuocoÌ„n in symple habyte in pylgremages and other good â—â—edes For in wedowhede ought the vanytres of the world to be renouÌ„ced Aâ—d for her partye praye to th ende that the loue that hath ben in mariage be remembred and recorded in wedowhede For it is a signe of lytyl loue and of lytyl tronthe 〈◊〉 mariage whan after that the ij partyes haue longe lyued to gydre after the deth of one of the partyes that other succedeth And abandonneth her to the world in vanytees and in deduytes And how be it that wydowes marye not them self I wyll not counseylle them the contrary and singulerly whan he partyes haue duellyd to gydre longe or the moste parte of heyr lyf And trouthe it is that seynt Ierome approueth not he second esponsaylles but yf â—â—er haue be right good cause in heyr yougth Alleway he concludeth that it is better tesche we ynne by mariage than to synne in wydowhed ¶ How seruaÌ„utes ought to mayntene them in theyr seruyse capo. ix â— SEruaÌ„ntes in their seruyses oughteÌ„ to haue dyâ—Ì„se condicoÌ„ns in especyal they oughte to hane vj condicoÌ„ns Fyrst they owe to honoure theyr maistre secoÌ„dly they owe to 〈◊〉 faythfulnes Thirdly trouthe fourtly obeyssanÌ„ce Fyftâ—ly â—ugence fynably they ought to haue pacieÌ„ce in werkes 〈◊〉 touchyng the fyrst condycoÌ„n we rede in the second boke of â—â—ges how Ioab not withstoÌ„dyng that he had victorye of the enemyes of his maystre neuertheles he wold that his maystre had thonour wold not take the cyte vntyl his maystre was come as to the second coÌ„dicoÌ„n that is to wete of faythfulnes of seruaÌ„ntes valere reâ—yteth in his iij boke the vij chapitre how Anthonye toke one of the seruaÌ„tes of cezar his enemye to who 〈◊〉 he sayde that he muste leue cezar for euermore or ellis deye And somtyme by menaces somtyme by promesses he payned hym that he shold saye that he wold forsake and renonâ—â— his maystre And neuertheles the seruaÌ„nt sayde alleway That neyther for good ne for euyl that he coude doo to hym he shold neuer forsake ne loue cezar In lyke wyse he recyâ—â—th of one of the seruantes of Cezar the whiche pompeus myght neuer induce hym to his seruyce As touchyng to trouthe it is certayn that a seruanÌ„t beyng a lyar deceyueth his mayster And may be cause of many harmes by false reportes For a lyeng tongue lyke venym empoysonneth the how 's and alle the duellars therin More ouer the seruantes owen obeyssance lyke as sayth thappostle in his epystle to the ephesiens the vj chapytre in sayeng ye seruanÌ„tes obeye you to your maistres in fere and drede and in symplesse of herte And it is not sufycient only to obeye but more ouer it is necessarye that the serruannt be dyligent And to this purpoos sayth seneque in his iij boke of benefyces the xiiij chapytre that dilygence is moche syttyng in seruanntes And in dede he recomendeth the dyligence of that seruannt that seruyd his maystre in pryson the whiche as dyscomforted demanded to drynke poyson To whom the seruannt desyryng to obeye not for ony euyl that he wold to hym but by ardannt desyre that he had to doo that dyligently whiche his mayster commanded hym it happed that by hastynes to obeye hym wenyng to haue gyuen to hym the potte of poyson he gaaf to hym the potte of medecyne â— by cause of this hasty dyligence his mayster was saued yet also the seruantes oughten in theyr affayres and werkes to haue pacyence And for theyr maysters to endure payne And to this purpoos valere recyteth in his vj boke the viij chasee andpitre of the seruanÌ„t of papinion how he herde saye that somÌ„e were deputed to slee theyr maistre And he prayd his maystre that he wold chanÌ„ge wyth hym his gown and hode to theÌ„ de that he wold be slayn rather than his mayster yf the caas so requyred in dede he wold deye for his mayster he recyteth also of the seruante of Aucyus how for his maystre he eudnred Innumerable paynes It apperith thenne how seruantes oughten to haue the sixe condycoÌ„ns aforsayd ¶ How they that leden euyl lyf owen to deye euyll capo. x â— GOd is a trewe Iuge And Iugeth euery man Iustely whefor it foloweth that he that ledyth an euyl lyf muste deye an euyl deth And herof we haue many examples in thys present tyme. For the lytyl tyme that I haue lyued I haue none remembrance that an euyl man hath deyed a good deth Trouthe it is that by an enyl man I mene not euery man that is a synner but I vnderstonde hym to be an euyl man that lyueth contynuelly in synne And in doyng werse and werse withont repentanuce and without wyll to amende hym More ouer yf we rede thystoryes of tyme passed we shal fyude clerely how they that haue lyued euyl ben also horrybly deed how was caym deed whiche slewe his brother was he not slayn of lameth whiche was blynde and sawe nothyng And neuertheles he slewe hym in huntyng as it apperith in the boke of genesis More ouer pharao the kynge of Egypte whiche caused to doowne the yong chyldren of the Iewes how deyde he Certaynly he was drowned in the rede see and alle his peple as is apperith the xxiiij chapytre of Exode we rede also how zebee and Salmana slewen the brethern of Gedeon but after Gedeon slewe them as it apperith the viij chapytre of the boke of Iuges Semblably Abymelech that slew lxx brethern vpon one stone was after slayn of a woman as it apprith the ix chapytre of the boke aforsayd And generelly a man that sleeth a man ought to dye an euyl deth Rede we not how the yong man that sayde he had slayn Saul was afterward slayn by the comÌ„andament of dauid as it apperith the secoÌ„d boke of kynges the fyrst chapytre Semblably we rede that the theues that slewen ysâ—seth camen to dauid for to make to hym feste but dauid condempned them to deth Therfore ought they to be wel aduysed that doo wronge to other and make them to deye wythoute cause For by thexamples aforsayd it apperith clerely how homycides owen to dye an euyl deth Semblably they that ben tyrannts that greuen the people And the poure Innocentes oughten right well to be aduysed For it is reason that they deye an euyl deth And to this purpoos we rede how sysara whiche was a right cruel tyrannt was fynably slayn of a woman as it apperith the iiij chapitre of the boke of Iudges Saul whiche was a right grete tyrannt and persecutour of dauid after he slewe hym self with his propre knyf as it apperith the first boke
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
The fyrst chapitre how the chyrche ought to be honoured and loued capitulo primo How prelates people ought to lyue chastly capo. ij How they ought to teche and gouerne theyr subgettis and to gyue almesses capitulo iij How men of the chyrche ouÈt to preche say trouthe cao. iiij How they ought testudye to lerne the holy scrypture v ¶ The thyrd book speketh of the lordes temporell Whyche ought to be pyetous and mercyful capitulo pumo How they ought to be of good lyf of good maners cao. ij How they ought not to be couetous ne auarcyous capo. iij How the prynces ought to kepe Iustyce mayntene it iiij How prynces ought to be debonayr and humble capo. v How they ought to be sobre and chaste capitulo vj wherin the prynces ought temploye them capo. vij How prynces ought to gouerne them capitulo viij ¶ The fourth book speketh Of the state of the comynalte of the people capitulo primo Of the state of pouerte whyche ought to be agreable capo. ij Of the state of olde age wherin a maÌ„ ouÈt to be vertuous iij Of the state of yonge peple how they shold gouerne them iiij Of the state of maryane how it ouÈt to be mayntened v How wymmen ought to be gouerned capitulo vi How virginite maydenhede ouÈt to be mayntened cao. vii Of the state of wymmen wydowes capitulo viij How seruauÌ„tes ouÈt to be mayntened in theyr seruyce ix How they that ben of euyl lyf dyen ylle capitulo x How fader moder ought to teche theyr chyldren capo. xj How chyldren owen obeyssauÌ„ce honour to their parents xij Of the state of marchaunts capitulo xiij Of the state of pylgryms capitulo xiiij How dedely synnes desyren deth capitulo xv ¶ The fyfthe book speketh wherfor no man ought to gloryfye hym self Fyrst how the lyf is short and lastyth but a whyle capo. j How this present lyf ought lytel to be praysed capo. ij How no man ought to doubte ne fere deth capo. iij Of ensamples by whyche it ought not to be doubted capo. iiij How to thynke on deth is a thyng moche prouffytable cao. v How none ought to be curyous of hys sepulture capo. vj The last chappytre speketh how a man ought to thynke on the last Iugement and day of dome capitulo vij ¶ Explicit tabula ¶ The fyrst partye of thys book wherof the fyrst chapytre speketh of Pryde Capitulo primo Every proud persone wold compare hym self to god in so moche as they gloryfye them self in the goodes that they haue Of whyche thynges the glorye is due pryncypally to god ¶ And it is a grete abusion whan the creature taketh pride in hym self for the goodes that god hath sent hym for whyche goodes he ought to be the more humble toward god and the better to knowe and to serue hym deuoutly Therfor sayth the prophete that god resysteth ayeÌ„st the proude folke whyche ben fallen vylaynsly Emonge whome the fyrst was lucyfer whiche for his pryde fyl fro heuen to helle alle they that consented to his synne Semblably our fyrst fader Adam for the mesprysion of disobeyssauÌ„ce to god and obeyed to the serpent sayeng that he shold be as god ete of the fruyte whyche was to hym foâ—boden therfore he was put oute of paradys as it apperyth in the book of genesis Furthermore Agar the chamberyer of sara was ryght proud ayenst hyr maystresse by cause of a chylde that she had by Abraham But fynably she was put oute for hyr pryde and hyr chylde also and nothyng was gyuen to hyr at departyng but a lytel brede water as it apperyth in the xvj chapytre of genesis ¶ Also we rede how the pryde of nembroth and of many other was a grete parte cause of many euyllis and of the deuysyon of the world as it apperyth in the book aforsayd For after Noes flood were the geants whyche by theyr pryde entreprysed the assault ayenst heuen edyffyed the toure of babylon And therfore they were deuyded in to many laÌ„gages in suche wyse that none vnderstode other as it apperith in the xi chapytre of genesis And as me semeth pryde sourdeth but onely of folye For who so wel knoweth hym self yf he be euyl he hath cause of grete humylyte For alle synne is shame and seruytude And yf he be good he hath cause also of grete humylite for the grace that god hath doon to hym in so moche that he is good agreable to god to haue humylite admonesteth vs the pnnycion that we rede of them that were proude for we rede how pharao was soo proude that he sayd he wyst not who was god of Israel that he sette nouÈt ne helde not of hym as it appereth in the v chapytre of exode but fynably he was punysshed drowned in the reed see all his Furthermore we rede how Amon for his pryde wold be honoured of alle men And was moche angry ayeÌ„st Mardocheê° a man so named by cause that he wold not worshyp hym But fynably the said amon was honged on a galowes whyche he had ordeyned made redy for to haue hanged oâ— the sayd mardocheê° the chyldren of Israel as it appereth in the thyrd chapytre of hester Further more abymelech for his pride dyd to slee hym self for by cause that a woman had smyten hym he callyd one his squyer bad hym to slee hym to th ende that it be not sayd that a woman hath slayn hym as it apperyth in the ix chapytre of Iudyth Rede we not also how Balthasar was slayne for hys pryde â–ª And Nabugodonosor was cast doun fro his syege and torned in to a dombe beest as it apperith in the v chapytre of danyel Anthiochus also for his pryde was gretely punysshed of god smyton with a dysease of whiche he myght neuer be heled as it apperith in the second book of Machabees And generally al proude men atte last haue be ouerthrowen Rede we not how the pryde of Nychanor was descomfyt and brought to nought as it apperyth in the fyrst book of Machabees the viij chapytre ¶ And Absalon whyche wold haue taken the Royame fro his fader was he not vysaynously slayne as it apperith in the second book of kynges the xv chapytre who made Pheton to falle but hys pryde For he wold gouerne the carte ayenst the counceyl of hys fader Phebus And therfore he fylle dyshonourably as Ouyde recounteth in hys fyrst book of Methamorphaseos wherfore was the sone of Dedalus drowned but by cause he wold flee ouer hyghe ageynst the techyng of his fader as ouyde recouÌ„trth dauid was gretely punysshed by cause that he nombred the peple which were subgette to hym as it apperith in the ij book of kynges in the xxiij chapytre Hewde also which was ryÈt proud was smyton of thangel as it appereth in the book of thactes of the appostles And
therfor our lord Ihesu cryst wold shewe to his discyples that pryde dysplaysed hym he repreued them by cause they glorifyed them in sayeng to Ihesu cryst Syr in thy name soÌ„me ben to vs subgettes theÌ„ne Ihu cryst for to withdrawe them fro theyr pryde he aledged to them thystorye aforsayd of the angel lucycer whiche fyl fro heueÌ„ to th ende that they shold take therby example as it appyereth in the x chapytre of saynt Luc And me semeth that for to flee fro pryde we haue suffysaunt ensamples in that whiche is tofore sayd But yet aboue this it is good to be consydered how pryde is not al onely noyeng to the creature but also his opposyte that is to wete humylite is â—ght playsauÌ„t agreable to god to the world lyke as pryde ouerthroweth the creature right so humylite enhauÌ„ceth lyfte hym vp toward god Therfor sayth the prophete that the virgyne Marie plesed god by cause of her humylite dauid whiche was leest emonge hys brethern was enhaunsed aboue them alle as it apperith in the fyrst book of kynges the xvj chapytre Furthermore Salamon had the royame afâ—r his fader neuertheles he was lasse more yonge than hys broder Adonias as it appereth the iij book of kynges the xxiij chapytre Manasses also whiche was lasse yonger than effraym his brother had the benyson tofore hym as it appieryth the xxxviij chapytre of genesis generally humylite mekenes of hert maketh the creature to come to honour And pryde by rayson ouerthroweth hym in th ende is to god emonge al other synnes moost dysplaysauÌ„t is punysshed moost How pryde blyndeth the vnderstoÌ„dyng of the creature capo. ij MAn for pryde knoweth no thynge of his myserye ne hâ—s fraylnesse weneth to be more parfyght than he is And this witnesseth the prophete sayeng that whan a man is in pryde he leseth his vnderstondyng knowleche And is lyke a beest whiche hath none vnderstondyng by whyche it appereth that a man whiche wyl bycome wyse ought to be humble and to knowe hym self wythout wenyng that he be that whyche he is not And to thys purpoos recounteth saynt gregory in his dyalogue the fyrst book the xv chapitre How Constancius was so humble that he loued more them that despysed hym than them that honoured hym And ther came a man that desyred moche for to see hym for the grete renoÌ„mee of hym and also for the good that was spoken of hym And fynably whaÌ„ lx sawe hym he began to saye by maner of wondryng ¶ O Constanciê° I had supposed that thou haddest ben a grete man stronge parfyght of synguler facoÌ„n but now I see clerely that is nothyng soo of the. Thenne Constanciê° began to gyue laueâ— vnto god In sayeng I prayse god and thanke hym of that whyche he hath gyuen to the so good syght aud so clere knowleche of me For reryly thou art onely he that hath wel byholden me and Iuged clerely al the trouthe of me therfor sayth Saynt Austyn in hys fyrst omclye vpon the gospel of saynt Iohan. veray humylyte or mekenes is no thynge to gâ—â—â—che ne murmure ne to despyse ony other but to yelde thankynges to god of all that he sendeth And the same he recounteth that ther was somtyme of a rethorycien demanded which was the princypal comandement in rethoryque whiche ansuerd that it was wel for to pronounce And yf he had ben so demanded an hondred tymes he wold as ofte so haue ansuerd Semblably sayth saynt Austyn yf thou demanndest of me whyche is the pryncypal coÌ„mandemeÌ„t in al the lawe of mankynde ¶ I ansner to the that it is to obserue mekenes and humylyte And as ofte as thou shalt so demande of me So ofte shal I so ansuer the For humilite suffreth no poynte of errour ne thentendement therof but engendreth science and knowlege of trouthe And to this purpoos sayth Ancelme in the xxviij chapytre of his symylitudes that humylyte hath vij degrees The fyrst is to knowe wel hym self The second is sorow for his synne The thyrd is to confesse hys synne The fourth is to knowleche that he is a synner and enclyned to doo euyl The fyfthe is for to despyse all hym self The sixthe is gladly for tendure vylanye The seueÌ„th is to reioyce of his humylite And thus it appereth that humylyte engeÌ„dreth very knowlege And therfor saynt Bernard in his book of the degrees of humylyte sayth that humylite is none other thyng but a vertue whyche maketh a man veryly to knowe hym self and to despyse hym And for to haue the same admonesteth vs saynt austyn in the xv omelye vpon the gospel of saynt Iohan. we haue sayth he an ensaumple of grete humylite in our sauyour Ihesu Cryst the whyche for to saue and he le vs wold desceÌ„de fro heueÌ„ becomeÌ„ lytyl And therfor yf thou wyl not ensue folowe thy humble seruauÌ„t atte leste thou oughtest to folowe thyn humble maister and lord Ihesu Cryste the whiche sayth thus to vs. lerne ye of me my chyldren for to become meke debonayr For suche one am I humble and meke of hert whyche is wrycon in the xj chapytre of Saynt mathewe This lesson that god hath shewed to vs is the rem playre that we ought to take in hym in hys dedes as sayth saynt Ierome in his epistle lxxxvij More ouer we rede in scripture how ambicoÌ„n wylle to domyne hath be somtyme cause of many euylles hath doon so moche that many haue gretely erred fallen greuously in ryght enyl synne Ne rede we not how Athalie for the grete desyre for to maystrye and regne dyd do slee alle the seed of kynges as it appereth in the fyrst book of Machabees the xv chaptre Roboas also for couetyse to regne dyd many euylles and regned right euyl as it appereth in the thyrd book of kynges the xiij chapytre Semblably Abymalech regned ryght malicyously and procured so moche by hys freÌ„des that he was chosen kyng but fynably he slewe his owne brethern as it appereth the xix chapytre of IudicuÌ„ Rede we not also how Alquius for the desyre that he had to be grete preest of the lawe murmured ayenst hym that was as it appereth in the fyrst book of machabees the vij chapytre Also it appereth how ambicoÌ„n hath caused many euyls And in dede we rede how Iason for to be grete preest of the lawe promysed to the kyng Anthiocus CCC.lxix marc of syluer And sente menelaus vnto hym for to be hys moyen doo his message Neuertheles menelaus dyd so that he gate thoffyce for hym self as it appereth in the second book of kynges the fourth chapytre wherfore it appereth how Ambicion engendreth symonye After we rede in the thyrd book of kynges the xviij chapytre how Iabin slewe his lord for to regne after hym but he regued not but onely vij dayes Tholomeê° also by his ambicoÌ„n falsely ocupyed the
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
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
the chyldren of Israel were dyscomfyte by the phylistees in so moche that they bare a waye the arke of god but after the chyldren of Israel began to wepe faste therfor god gaf to them vyctorye as it apperith the first book of kynges the iiij vij chapitre therfor saith thobye that prayer is good whan it is accompanyed with fastyng we rede that esdras preched penaunce to the peple that wold demaunde pardon of god as it apperyth in the fourth chapitre of Esdâ—as we rede also how achab gate grace of god for to faste as it apperyth iu the second book of kynges the fyrst chapytre semblably we rede of the cyte of Nynyue the ij chapytre of Ionas By the whyche thynges it apperyth how we ought to lyue sobrely for to gete grace vertues for as Arystotle sayth in his xiij book of bestes It is not prouffytable thynge for one to fatte hym self For ouermoche fatte nes maketh a man sodeynly to deye as wytnesseth Constantyn whyche thynge is veray true not onely to the body but also the soule For glotonye fatteth a man and maketh hym to synne and fynably to deye euylly wherby it appereth how abstynence is canse of moche good ¶ Here foloweth the iiij vertu whiche is chastyte And fyrst how we ought to lyue chastly capitulo â—j â—En ought to lyue chastly For chastyte maketh a man to lyue lyke augellys and causeth theyr lyf honeste and therfor Dydymus sayd to Alexander that the peple of his contre lyueden chastly and not ouely by vertues but also by honneste But it is pyte of lecherye whyche is on thys day so comune and causeth peple to goo oute of the waye and to languysshe in synne and in dyssolute lyf Alas they ought to take hede to thauÌ„cyent peple And to this purpoos recouÌ„teth saynt Ierome in his book ayenst Ionynyen how Plato chaas for to dwelle in a vylage in the feldes named Achadenne whych was ferre fro Athenes and fro alle other cytees to thys ende that he myght esche we lecherye and lyue chastly And Terculyen recyteth how democryte pulled oute the eyen of his heed to th ende that he shold see noo wymmen the whyche he myght not byholde wythout synne wherby it apperyth that chasâ—yte ought to be had And also men ought tesche we wantown regardes and beholdynges therfor the pycâ—oryens of olde tyme chaas the desertes places solytarye for teschewe lecherye to th eÌ„de they shold not see the vanytees of the world And therfor sayth the gospel yf thyn eye is euyl or causeth the to do euyll thou oughtest to take hym out caste it a waye fro the. Alas worldly flesshly byholdynges regardes haue made of olde tyme many folkes to ouerthrowe Rede we not how the men in byholdyng the wymmen were moeued to lecherye therfor god punysshed them by Noes flode as it apperith the vi chapytre of genesis And the maistresse of Ioseph in beholdyng hym was moeued to synne SeÌ„blably dauyd in byholdyng a woman whiche wesshed hir self was moeued to lecherye for taccomplisshe his synne he slewe hyr husbond as it apperith in the ij book of kynges who deceyued holofernes but the beaulte of Iudyth as it apperith the xiij chapytre of Iudyth who deceyued the ij olde Iuges which desyred to haue susanne but their fals byholdynges as it apperith the iij chapytre of danyel wherfor it apperith that who that wyl lyue chastly he ought to torne his syght regarde fro wymmen whiche myÈt enclyne his wylle to synne therfor sayth quyâ—â—telyeÌ„ in his fyrst cause that al our lecherye is cause of our folyssh beholdyng regarde seneque in his book of remedyes saith that the eyen ben messagers of al vyces to this purpoos recouÌ„teth valere in hys fourth book how somtyme in rome was a ryght fayr yonge man named spurcyn the which for his beaulte the wymmen desyreden hym to synne but whan he apperceyued the cause he cutte made his vysage al foul lothely sayeng that he had leuer to be foul than by his beaulte he shold cause other to synne by this ensauÌ„ple ouÈt they to take hede that ben fayr semely More ouer the chastyte of the auÌ„cient peple is good to recouÌ„te to this purpoos saynt Austyn in his fyrst book of the cyte of god recyteth how marke surnamed marcelle was ryÈt chaste in dede whan he toke the cyte of Syracuse he fonde there many fayr wymmen wel arayed but he coÌ„manded to alle hys peple that none shold be so hardy to touche them For so to do it shold be ayenst thestate of good chyualrye ¶ And Valere in hys fourth book recounteth how Scypyon in the age of xxiiij yere toke the cyte of cartage And there was a ryÈt fayr mayde whyche was presented to hym to do wyth hys playsyr but he wold not For in so doyng it shold be shame to true chyualrye And therfore he made hyr to be delyuerd to hym that shold be hyr husbond whyche was prysonner and that neuer had touched hyr and by cause of the same fayr mayde he forgaf hym his raunson made hym free for certayn as me semeth thys was a feat of a noble knyght And for this cause fro thenne forthon he had alwaye the grace of the world of al knyghtes but thus do not now the nobles of this preseÌ„t tyme. the which wene they haue doon a fayr a grete feat whan they haue rauysshed defouled a fayr mayden but in my Iugement it is a vyle foul feat of a knyght They ought to remembre of Incresse the myrrour of al chastyte of whom recounteth Valere in his vj book How tarquyn the sone of Tarquyn the proude toke by force the sayd lucresse accomplisshed his foul wylle the whiche lucresse on the morn called to hyr alle hir frendes recounted to them the vylanye that was doon to hyr tofore them she slewe hyr self by cause therof Tarquyn loste hys seignorye theÌ„ne cessed theÌ„perours at rome for the romayns sayden that they had noo nede of a lord that made suche oult rages wel it is trouth that of this synne been cause bawdes bothe men wymmen the whyche estudye bothe nyght day how they may make treate to cause other to do as they doo or haue doon in tyme passed the whyche resemble to wymmen of duche londe of whome Valere recounteth in the book afore sayd how they prayeden Marius that he wold gyue to them leue for to goo speke to the maydens that serueden the goddesse vesta they made them stronge to make them enclyne consente to the synne of lecherye but by cause that they faylled of theyr entente as despayred they henge al them self And in trouthe that is the salayre that bylongeth to suche people How lecherye causeth many euylles to happene capo. xij â—Echerye is enemye to
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
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
tranquyllyte somtyme the philosophers toke disportes as it apperith of Socrates and of Chaton For as the corde whiche is allewaye 〈◊〉 or stratched somtyme breketh Right so a man wytâ—â—â— reste may not longe perseuere And herof we haue experyenâ—â— of the londes and feldes that men lete reste for to bere fruâ— the better And a man speketh For to wake the better aftâ—â— slight so ne more ne lasse a man may honestly disporte for tâ—â— better to entende to that he ought to doo And herof we haâ—â—an example of Seynt IohnÌ„ Euâ—gelyst of whom Cassyâ— recounteth in his vij boke of collacoÌ„ns how he on a tyme disported with a partrych And that seeyng a yong man goâ—yâ—â— by the way beryng a bowe in his honde sayde that he meruâ—â— led that he playd so lyke a man of the world and was of â—â—â—oly lyf Thenne saynt IohnÌ„ ansuerde in demanndyng of hyâ— wheâ—fore his bowe was not alway bended To whome heâ—â—snerde that yf his bowe were alway bente that it shold not â—o strong for to caste forth the Arowe Semblably sayd seâ—â— IohnÌ„ is it of the body of a man whiche may not alleway 〈◊〉 â—ore And therfore he ought to haue somme Alegement 〈◊〉 whiche it apperith how honeste playes ought no man to 〈◊〉 so they be taken in tyme and in place and after the condiciâ—â— of the persone But playes dyssolute oughten to be reprenâ—â— and euyl playes the whyche ofte ben of couetyse suspecionâ—â— and of many euyl vsages â–ª and moch ydle angages ¶ How kynghtes ought to gouerne them self capo. viij I Knyght ought to be a maÌ„ emonge a thousand good honourable corageoâ— of herte trewe in his dedes myghty â—yse hardy prduent redy to dyffende the right of his conâ—ey and of them to whom he is bounde to serue also of them whom he hath the gouernaÌ„nce And as Geffrey sayth in his etrye vsage maketh a maistre the excersite maketh a maÌ„dy and habyle in his feates aud dedes as the grekes sayen theyr prouerbes as Tullius recyteth in his questionÌ„s tusilanes in his first boke And therfore the knyghtes oughten 〈◊〉 excersyse accustome them in feates of Armes and oughâ— not to be ydle in sechyng and folowyng theyr playsir ease â— suche wyse that they essaye not almost at no tyme to here the â—ates ne payne of chyualrye I suppose yf a serche shold be maâ— bow many knyghtes knowe theyr horses wel and theyr drses them and haue theyr harnoys abyllemeuts of warre edy I toowe ther shold not many be founden wythout lacke of â—iche as they ought to haue More ouer the knyghtes ought 〈◊〉 be trewe holde that they promyse And to this purpoos reâ—ounteth valere in his v boke how a knyght of Rome named â—â—ius promysed to hanybal certayn money for the Raunson â—f certayn prysonners romayns that he helde soo that he wold â—syuer them theÌ„ne hanybal geaÌ„ted to hym his demaÌ„nde rabiâ— cam to Rome recounted to the Romayns his ê“messe 〈◊〉 the Romayns woldenot paye that whiche he had ê“mysed â—nd that seeyng Fabyus he solde his herytage and helde his â—â—omyse to hanybal And therfore polycratus in his vj boke â—â—e fyfte chapyter sayth that a knyght to fore alle thynges is â—â—unde to kepe his oth that whiche he ê“mytteth and therfore â—prynces maken the knyghtes to swere by theyr oth that â—y shold holde and mayntene loyalte and trouthe in signefy â—ee That it ought to be a grete furete of the oth of knyght to kepe and mayntene the chyrche And soo to doo of olde tyâ—â— they promysed presented to the temple theyr swerdes inâ—nefyance that they promysed loyaulte Fyrst to god the â—che is prynce of alle chyualrye After a knyght ought notâ—ly truste in his strengthe bnt ought to be wyse and subtylâ— byleue good counseyl For vlixes surmounted the strong â—cules by his wytte and not by his strengthe And the 〈◊〉 mayns couquerden the world more by theyr wysedom 〈◊〉 by ony other thyng as polycrate saith the vij Chapytre of â— vj boke And Pompeius in his xj boke recyteth of Alexaâ—â—der how his fader lefte to hym lytyl Chyualrye but he wâ—wyse and wel lerned And thefor he conquerd alle the woâ—â— by wytte of Chyualrye And to thys purpos Egesippus his v boke alledgeth Tytus whiche saith that in Chyualâ—â—wytte good aduyse were more necessarye than strengthe body More ouer a knyght in his feates of armes ought â— to be pÌ„sumptuê° ne despyse ou moche his adâ—sarye for as caâ—â— saith it happeth ofte that the feble descoÌ„fyteth the stroÌ„ge theâ—â— tyl the grete as dauid surmouÌ„ted golye and thou oughtest knowe that the victorie cometh not of the maÌ„ but priÌ„cypaly god as it apperith in the fyrst boke of machabees the iij chaptre therfore a knyght ought not to gloryfie hym self to thâ— purpoos we rede how moyses gate victorys not by streÌ„gthe bâ— in prayng god in lyftyng his handes to heueÌ„ as is wretâ—â— the boke of exode the xvij chapiter of theodose in thistoryesthe Romayns we rede how he seeyng that his enemyes we more stronge thaÌ„ he was he prayde to god in takyng the 〈◊〉 of the crosse by whiche he gate victorye and therfore anncyer whaÌ„ they made bataylle the preest of the lawe weÌ„te to fore â—â— chyualrye in prayeÌ„g god as it apperith in the boke of deutroâ—â— my the xx chapitre therfore saith the ê“phete that a maÌ„ ouâ— not to truste princypaly in the vygour of his legges ne in â— strengthe of his hors but in the grace of god More ouerâ— knyght ought not entrepryse bataylle but yf it be by good 〈◊〉 dâ—â—ght good cause And to this purpoos saith swetonius his second boke that Augustus cezar entreprysed noo baâ—le but yf it were for teschew right grete domÌ„age and therâ—â—â— saith seynt Austyn in his fyfthe boke of the cyte of god the â—ij chapytre that a bataylle ought not to be made but for â—â—t grete necessyte And therfore auncyently the people requyâ—â— god that he wold shewe vnto them yf they had right or â—â—â—or ellis yf they had doon ony thyng ayenst hym wherfore y ought to haue bataylle For theyr sayde it is trouthe that â—â—y that loue god haue good cause fynably they shal haue crorye of theyr enemyes as it apperith in the boke of leuytes â—xxvj chapytre But it is grete IncoÌ„uenyence whan the baâ—â—slles ben made by tyrannye by cause of couetyse For the myn prouerbe sayth synne noyeth therfor me semeth that sonably many knyghtes haue moche suffred For many tyâ—es they haue made enterpryses not with good cause and â—â—ght but by pryde and by cause of theyr couoytyse And it is â—rde that they shold happen wel-seen that they goo to bataylle ot wyth theyr propre good but wyth goodes euyl goten â—nd in goyng they robbe the poure people and them in theyr â—ven contreye And they that soo doo
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
the heuen torneth semblably our lyf renneth after it wythoute cessyng and wythout restyng For suche is the nature of the deth of a creature And to this purpos philosopher named secundus demandeth what it is of a man And he ansuerth that be is none other thyng but a fantase that sone passeth a way And he saith afterward that a man is the vessel of deth a pylgrym without reste hoost of the erthe And wormes mete Thenne ought euery man vpon this sayng aduyse hym moche humble hym self of what estate he be of For prynces kynges prelates bourgeys and marchauntes and generally alle people ben of short lyf alle of mortal condicoÌ„n And therfore saith plynyus in his vj boke that not wythstondyng that a man be most parfyght emong alle mortal creatures Neuertheles his lyf is most myserable most dauÌ„gerous and subgette to moste grettest thought For nature gyneth to bestes hornes to defende them hyde heer for theyr vesture felyng to nourysshe them wynges for the flee also of other necessytees for pourneauÌ„ce to all beestes but a maÌ„ is born naked without felyng without strengthe without vesture without knowleche And without defence Our lyf theÌ„ne hath right lytyl begynÌ„yng And the contynuaÌ„nce endureth right greuously For after the mesure that the knowleche cometh the thought groweth encreaceth And the man wexeth the more melancolyoâ— that hath in his condycoÌ„n more very and parfyght knowleche For yf a man lyueth in myserye theÌ„ne he wexeth melancolyoâ— by cause of his necessyte And yf the man be in prosperite Thenne his Ioye shal be moche lytyl yf he consydere how his fortune shal not endure longe For as valere saith in his ix boke Mannes lyf is a course moche lytyl and hard to passe For in the waye is none other thyng but pouerte and myserye And yf ther be ony good or well he is alle way in peryll of fortune aduerse or of natural deth boece in his iij boke of consolacoÌ„n in spekyng to the ryche man sayth thus thou wylt be preysed and renomed aboue other but aduyse the in what peryl thou art For the deth approcheth to the And in thy fortune is noo surete And therfore saith maximiaÌ„ O lyf humayne that thou art myserable For thou art alleway in peryll of deth thou art without â—urete thou art nothyng stable fynably in spekyng of hym self saith Alas where ben bycome the goodes of tyme passed In stede of lawhyuge now I wepe my Ioye is torned in to heuynesse Thenne is it fâ—lye for a man to affye and truste in fortune ne in the lyf humayne For naturally alle demaÌ„nde â—yne More ouer late vs enquyre and demande where ben they bycomen that haue lyued so playsanÌ„ly in this worlde And me semeth that the grete myddle and lytyll deth hath put in hys â—â—bgectoÌ„n is not Octauian deed and Cressus whiche were so ryche SalamoÌ„ the wyse Sampson the stâ—roge Dauid the loyal Holofernes the greanÌ„t and alle other PuissanÌ„t conquerours hath not deth desconfyted them By whiche it apperith that the lyf is vncertayn short and myserable And therfore noman ought in his lyf haue grete faith ne hope For the deth cometh comynly whan a maÌ„ weneth to regne most hye and longe in his grete puyssanÌ„ce and strengthe ¶ How alle dedely synnes desyren the deth capo. xv DEdely synue maketh a man to deye seen that the auncyents were pylgryms to this purpoos we rede how plato wente on pylgrymage in to egypte for to lerne the scyâ—uce of Astrologye as Policrate saith in his in boke And pictogoras for to lerne trouthe wente in to ynde after was in egypte and in babylonÌ„e as recyteth Polycrate in his iij boke The chyldren also of abraham were iiij Cpilgryms And after was gyuen to them the londe of ê“myssyon By the whiche thynges that we ought to lyue as pylgryms yf we wyl come vnto perfection Trouthe it is that he is not a pylgrym that alle way hath his herte on the contre that he cometh tw And to this purpos we rede how a man somtyme demaÌ„anded of socrates why his pylgremages prouffyted no thyng to hym the whiche ansuerde to hym that the cause was for as moche as not wythstondyng that his body wente neuertheles his herte remeuyd not wherby it apperith that the pylgremages ought not to be doon onely with the body but with the lxrte and with good wyll And as touchyng to the pylgremage of the soule it is inpossible to doo it wel but yf the herte be dispoylled of worldly affections For the synnes letten the pilgrym to doo well For as we see that grete burthens grete heuynes of body grete fattens grete age and grete sekenesse let ten the pylgrym to doo his pylgremage In lyke wyse the burthen of Couetyse the heuynes of our slouthe the fatuesse of our delytes the old age of our synnes letten our pylgremage and our saluacoÌ„n also For alle these thynges letten vs to goo and accomplysshe our pylgremage ¶ Here foloweth the v boke the whiche treateth of deth and how noman ought to gloryfye hym of his estate ¶ First it speketh how the lyf is shorte and ot lityl enduryng capo. primo IOb sayth that a man is of short lyf the whiche is ful of myserye and pouerte For lyke as the floâ—r vanyssheth away and as the shadowe fleeth fro place to place Right so the lyf of a man passeth shortly and right lyghtly By whiche it appereth that noman oughte to gloryfye hym self of his trâ—yteth eusebtâ— in his cronycles how many haue slayn them self for cause of the anoyanÌ„ce of this pÌ„sent lyf as he that sle we hym for payne that he had of the feâ—â—â—rtayne luâ—sse also bycause she reputed her self dishoâ—oured trouthe is it that no â—so ne ought to slee hym self as saith saynt Austyn in his boke of the cyte of god repÌ„ueth them that haue slain them self as they that beÌ„ aforsayd named neâ—theles by the said hystories it aâ—â—erâ—th how this preseÌ„t lyf is moche ennoyoâ— not only to them that be in adâ—site but also to euery good creature whiche desyreth parfyghtly heuene is this lyf noyoâ— seeÌ„ that this corporall lyf is but greuoâ— to them that desire eâ—lastyng lyf by â—sequâ—Ì„t 〈◊〉 deserueth deth bodyly that synÌ„eth mortally but many ther beÌ„ that sette no thyng of many spâ—â—es not withstondyng they be greuoâ— weyghty yet they ought to be aduysed coÌ„â—yâ—â—â— how somtyme many haue be slayn deed by cause of syâ—e thâ—t they dayly comÌ„yse also right comynly sâ—ede we not that bycause of lecherye that god made alle the world to dye by the flood Exepte noe his wyf his chyldren as it is wreâ—on to the boke of genesis the vij chapitre wherfore were srayn 〈◊〉 people of the trybe of bemamyn but for the lecheâ—e whiche was comÌ„ysed in the wyf of the leuyte as it appeâ—th in the ij chapitre of IudicuÌ„