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
â—th that on a tyme he sawe a poure man passyng by in his â—â—uerte moche Ioyously wherof he moche merueylled And â—nne he sayd to his felaws Alas my frendes we laboure in â—yn and in getyng richesses for to lyue surely and Ioyously or ye see this poureman whyche moche passeth vs. and is men longe sith to that we demande aud seche And this hiâ—rye was to fore the conuersion of seynt Austyn Moreouer the holy scrypture thou shaÌ„lt fynde how Moyses kept sheep â— it apperith the iij boke of Exode the prophete helye was so â—ure that he demaÌ„nded a lytil brede and water of a wydowe â— it apperith in the thirde boke of kynghes And thappostles â—nounced all And in dede seynt peter sayd of hym self that â—had neyther gold ne seluer And we rede of Saul that he â—â—epte the asses of his fader And dauid was a sheepherde and euertheles after they were kynges Thenne me semeth that â—ponerte euery man ought to haue good pacyenee and he is â—oche ryche that lyueth in suffysauÌ„ce that is to wete conteÌ„t â—â—â—h that he hath ¶ Of the state of old age and how men ought to be good retuoê° capitulo iij â— AFter the age of a man he ought to be the more rype aduysed by thexperyences that he hath seen he ought to the more wyse of maners And therfore seneke in his ix â—stle thankyd preysed his olde age by cause that therby he 〈◊〉 many euyllis synnes And saynt Ambrose in his fyrst 〈…〉 for tensie we the same in the processe of theyr lyf For Senekâ—â— saith in his boke of maners euery persone dooth that gladly that whiche he hath lerned to doo in his youtghe Aristotle 〈◊〉 his boke of Ethiques saith that it is a thynge naturel to take playfance delectacoÌ„n in that thynge the whiche he hath beaccustomed to doo in his chyldhode youghte therfore the wâ—â—se man ni the xj capytre of ecclesiastes speketh to a yong manâ— saith thus youge man aduyse the to dyspose thy herbe in gooâ— werkes For lyke as he ought no thyng to repe that hath no thyng soweÌ„ right so iÌ„ old age he shal fynde nothyng good bâ— that he hath accustomed to doo in his yougthe And therfor ought the yonge people to kepe theÌ„ wel fro euyl companye to whiche is ofte cause of the destruction perdicoÌ„n of yonge folâ—ke it is hard for a yong man to be good whaÌ„ he conuersed with people of enyl lyf And to this purpoos saith tulle in hiâ— second boke of offyces that Chyldren ought to be nouryssheâ— wyth good folke honeste And ought to duelle with them contynuelly And theÌ„ne by cause of the good people he shal â— ashamed for to doo euyll For they shal be a ferde for to be repreuyd consequently they shal be a shamed to be reprehended They also that haue the gouernaÌ„nce of the yong people oughâ— not to cesse to reperue and chastyse them And theÌ„ne is a maâ— wel dysposed to receyue chastysement whan he is yong And not harded ne made tude to doo harme And therfore saynt Aâ—â—lme in his boke of symylitudes compareth Infancye or chyldehode to waxe whiche is softe is dysposed to receyue such prynte as men wyll The chylde also resembleth to the rode whan it boweth lyghtly it is wounden as men wylle TheÌ„ne oweÌ„ the fader Moder to haue right grete aduys vpon the â—â—nernaÌ„ce of theyr chyldren as it shal be said here after The châ—â—dren also owen to theyr parentes to theyr maistres to obeyâ— in folowyug â—saac the whyche obeyed in suche wyse to his fader that he was all redy to receyue the deth at his comandemÌ„ as it apperith the xxij chapytre of genesis yet he was at thâ— tyme of the age of xxxij yere And of dauid we rede how he was obeyssant to his fader as it apperith the fyrst boke of kynges And IhuÌ„ Cryste hym self in his yougth was obeyssaÌ„nt 〈◊〉 his parentes as saith seynt luc in his secund chapytre wel â—s trouthe that many by cause of theyr yougthe wene to be excuâ—ed of alle theyr euyllis that they doo the whyche ben moche deâ—eyued For syth they haue wytte and vnderstondyng they ben 〈◊〉 be repreuyd they shal be pugnysshid of god yf they doo duyâ— uyll And herof we haue example of the sones of hely the â—hiche were right greuously pugnysshyd by cause they lyueâ—en after theyr wylle in delyces as it apperith the first boke of â—ynges we rede also of the ij chyldren whiche god made to be â—euoured by the wulues by cause they soorned and mocqued 〈◊〉 prophete helyzee as it apperith the iiij boke of kynges Moreâ—uer the yonge people gloryfye them self in theyr beaulte why 〈◊〉 be moche deceyued For as Aristotle sayth yf a man had 〈◊〉 eyeu of a lyâ—x that he myght see thurgh his body he shold 〈◊〉 in hym self and in euery creature moche fylthe and ordnre And suche ther be that wene that they be right fayr And yf â—â—xy sawe them self they shold well knowe that they be right â—ull For they haue nothyng fayr sauf the skyn withoutforth â—ore ouer they gloryfye in theyr age haue hope for to lyue â—onge and they consydere not that assone deyeth the yong man â—s dooth the olde And that more is we see that the yong men eyen most comynly For they be more ful of oultrages sonâ—er falle in to the sekenesses of hasty deth And thus nature â—ath no certayn terme of lyuyng Therfore no yong man ne â—oman ought not for hope of longe lyf to take ony hardyâ—es for to doo euyl For for to lyue or not to lyue the synne â—â— uyl shal be pugnysshed And hope is cause ofte to lyue euyl in 〈◊〉 tyme of olde age â—Of thestate of mariage how it ought to be goâ—Ì„ned capo. v MAriage is ordeyned for to haue lygnage and for to loue eche other And therfor thappostle seynt poul in his fyâ—the chapitre admonesteth the wedded men sayeng ye men loâ—â— your wyues as IhuÌ„s Cryste loueth his chyrche And to this purpoos valere in his iiij boke the v chapytre recyteth how 〈◊〉 man named graceus lonyd his wyf named Corneylle 〈◊〉 moche that he wold deye for to gete the helthe of his wyf he 〈◊〉 counteth also how Cuplacius herd saye that his wyf waâ—dâ—ed· And theÌ„ne he smote hym self in the breste with a knyâ— and requyred to be with her drowned or brente as at 〈◊〉 tyme was the custoÌ„me to doo whan the peple were deed Anâ— how be it that noman ought so to doo Neuertheles by 〈◊〉 said hystoryes it appereth how men ought to loue theyr wyues· Semblably also the wymmen owen to loue theyr husâ—bondes And herof we haue example as valere recounteth 〈◊〉 his boke aforfaid how Iulia the doughter of Cezar seeyng 〈…〉 of hir husbond spotted wyth blood was soo troubled that for sorowe and henynes her chyld that she
had withinÌ„ her bely was destroyed· For she had supposed that her husbond had ben deed or that he had receyued soÌ„me vylonnye whos name was Pompee the graÌ„ut After he recyteth of the doughter of Cathon named Porcia seeyng her husbond brutns to bâ— slayn she demaunded a knyf to slee her self also And by cause that none wold delyue to her no knyf she toke brennyng cooles and put them in her monthe ete them donÌ„ in suche wyse that she deyde by a right merueylloâ— manere Semblably be recounteth of the wyf of kynge metridatus whyche folowed hym in alle places where he wente were it in bataylles or els where And certaynly she kytte of her heeris and arayed her lyke a man for to haue the better oportunyte for to folowe hym in alle places And how be it for to doo in lyke wyse it is noâ— of congruyte ne of necessite yet by the said hystoryes it apperâ—â—â— how mariage ought to be had in grete loue And to the samâ— purpoos recyteth valerius in his vj boke the vij chapitre 〈◊〉 â—ulpiâ—a a kepte her husbond in a lytyl place right secretely Not withstondyng she wyfâ— wel that she shold be deed yf her husboÌ„d were founde with her whom they songht to put to deth And â—t is good to knowe how in mariage after the doctours thâ—e â—hynges ought to be that is to wete fayth loyalte lygnage â—acrament By fayth and loyalte is gyuen to vnderstoÌ„de that neyther of the parties maryed ought not to trespace with his â—â—dy but to kepe it to his partye For as thapostle faith in 〈◊〉 fyrst epystle to the Corynthyeus the body of the man is by â—ngyng to the wyf And the body of the wyf to the man that â—s to vnderstonde in mariage And as seynt Ambrose saith in â—is exameron god made eue of the syde of Adam in signefyâ—â—ce that in mariage a man and woman ought to be all one â—ody one self thyng And me semeth that the partye that forâ—ayteth his maryage dooth a yenst the lawe of nature For â—he storke hath suche forfayture in abhomynacoÌ„n of storkes to â—â—ee hym or her that so forfayteth lyke as Alexander recouÌ„teth in his boke of nature of byrdes And me semeth it is a grete abhomynacion to see in many maryages so lytyl fayth and loyalte as now is But I byleue that one of the causes emonge the other is that the maryage be not duely maad but for money or other euyl cause TheÌ„ne it is noo merueylle that the maryage contynue not well syth the begynuyng therfor the kynge lygurgis wolde and ordeyued in his RoyaÌ„me that the virgynes and maydens shold be wedded without to haue gold or syluer to th ende that the maryage shold not be made by couetyse lyke as pompeus recyteth in his iij boke And valere in his vij boke the first chapytre recyteth how one demaÌ„nded som â—ym of a phylosopher named themystodes how and to whome 〈◊〉 shold marye his doughter that is to wete to a poure man 〈◊〉 to a ryche The whiche ansuerde that he ought not to demaÌ„nâ—e pouerte ne richesse but the bounte and the vertues of the mâ—Ì„â—ore ouer in maryage ther lyeth right grete aduys and not â—â—ly for parentage but also for to Mayntene it And to this purpoos speketh Theofraste dystyple of Arystole in his boke that he made of maryage in whiche he saith that a maÌ„ ought more to beholde the bounte of the woman than the beaulte and yf thou demaÌ„nde whiche is better to take a fayr woman or a foule he ausuerde that it is an hard thyng to kepe a fayr woman the whiche many men desyre And it is a grete payne â—â— loue the foule one whiche many despyse alleway yf she be good the goodnesse shal kepe her beaulte And yf she be not fayr 〈◊〉 is none hard thyng to loue her that is of right good wyll for naturally resonably more ought the bounte to be praysed thaâ— the beaulte More ouer in maryage is moche to be suffred sinâ—gulerly yf bothe parties be not wyse For men ben ofte suspecyonnoâ— of theyr wyues Therfore ought a woman to be syâ—ple and good not onely of her body but also of her mayntâ—â— and maners For in spekyng in beholdyng ne in conuersaâ—â— she ought not doo ony thyng by whiche ony other myght thynke or Iuge in her ony euyll And it happeth ofte that by they folyssh mayntene and maners the wymÌ„en make theyr husâ—boudes to mysdeme and euyl of byleue Many also seeyng they manere folyssh suspcoÌ„nnoâ— payne them self to deceyue thâ—â— wenyng that they be of euyl disposicoÌ„n by cause of theyr wanâ—â— and folysshe maner And oftyme it happeth that suche one â— taken with her nette the whiche she neuer thought it shold haâ—â— pen And alle this euyl cometh by the false semblaÌ„ntes Anâ— countenances that many wymÌ„en maken The men also tha purpose to marye oughten to aduyse and beholde the condycoâ— of her that they desyre to haue to wyf But many ben deceyueâ— by cause they take them in the age of xij yere or ther aboute anâ— theÌ„ne what they be noman may wete ne knowe For as 〈◊〉 prouerbe saith how seeth a chylde seeth no thyng Al 's in maryeng hym self one ought to here many speke For louâ— and carnal affeceyon blyndeth the vnderstondyng and makeâ—â— a man fauourable to Iuge whan he is surprysed of suche 〈◊〉 therfore a maÌ„ ought to byleue more another than hym so ¶ How the wymÌ„en ought to gouerne them self capo. vj A woman ought to haue resonably two condicoÌ„ns that is to wyte shame of repreef and drede of disobeyeng of her partye For thenne a woman is loste dissolute whan she hath in her neyther drede ne shame And it is a thyng moche to be repreued to see wymÌ„en hardy dissolute and redy to doo many euyllis Snche ben they the whyche by theyr maners foule and dissolute and by theyr lecheroâ— beholdynges drawe men to doo euyll of whome speketh seynt Ierome in his epystle Cviij And sayth that many wymÌ„en ben lyke to thydolles the whiche drawen the people of the world to the fende Semâ—lably ben they that poppe them self make them to seme fayr for to brynge other to synne And it is grete merueylle how they presume to deffeate and altere that whiche god hath made moche lewde is the woman the whiche weneth to make â—er more fair than god hath made her And it is a grete presumpcoÌ„n to defface the paynture of god for to make the paynture as saith seynt Ambrose in his exameron to this purpoos Guyllem in the boke of his boke of the vnyuersal world recyteth how two wymÌ„en somtyme were riyht câ—ryou se for to make them soo fayr and to kembe them soo it happed that the one deyde the whyche after apperyd to her felaw whaÌ„ she arayed and kembed her self and sayd to her my frende aduyse the For I am dampned for my curiosytees the
deuyll can not obeye ne haue loue ne charyte but the chyldreÌ„ of god ben of contrary condicoÌ„n And herof we haue an example of IhuÌ„ cryste of whome is wreton in the gospell of seynâ— luc the second chapyter ¶ Erat autem subditâ— illis That is to saye that IhuÌ„ cryst was subget to his parents ¶ Of thestate of Marchanntes capo. xiij â— MArchaÌ„ndyse ought faythfully to be gouerned mayntened withoute fraude withoute vsure For other wyse it is not marchandyse but it is deceyte· falshede euyll And therfore it is wreton in exode the xij chapytre ¶ Nec vsura opprimes proximuÌ„ tuuÌ„ that is to saye that noman ought to oppresse his neyghbour by vsure lyke sentence is wreton in leuiticuÌ„ the xxvj chapytre the ê“phete sayth that they shal be with hym that lene not theyr money to vsure and that loue trouthe that myssaye not of other that lyue withoute doyng euyl to other To this purpoos speketh seynt Ambrose in his in boke of offyces adressyth his wordes to marchanÌ„ts sayeng wherfore conuertest thou thyn engyne to fraude wherfore desyrest thou hurâ—e to thyn neyhbours wherfore desyrest thou famyue or wherfore desyrest thou skarcete or wherfore espiest thou the tyme of derthe or scelerite certes thou sayst thou art subtyl thy self but this to doo or to desire is no subtyltâ—â— but shrewdenes euyll And that whyche thou callest pourâ—eanÌ„ce is fraude couetyse vsure More ouer seynt IohnÌ„ Grysostome vpon the gospel of seynt mathew in his vomelye saith that ther is no thyng more foul ne more cruel that is the vsurer the whiche secheth alleway hys owne prosperyte In thaduersyte of other And tullius in his first boke of questions tustulanes compareth the vsurer to the homycyde For lyke thomycyde taketh away the lyf So dooÌ„ the vsurers taken a way the substanÌ„ce fro the poure people TheÌ„ne ought the marchaÌ„ntes to take more hede to faythfulnes trouthe than to habundaÌ„nce For the goodes euyl goten ben wytnesse of the perdycoÌ„n of the soule of hym that hath euyl goten them and it suffyseth not in marchandyse teschewe vsure but more ouer to mayntene trouthe in weyght in mesure and in alle other thynges that apperteynen to marchandyse For as the wyse man saith in his prouerbes the xx chapitre god hath in abhomynacyon euyl weyght balauÌ„ces fraudously vsed Aud seynt Mathew in his gospel the vj chapytre sayth that god shall Iustefye the balauÌ„ce the weyght deceyuable and them that ben ryche by theyr synnes lesynges And shal yeld therof reason AnÌ„d ther for it was comÌ„anded in the olde lawe as it is wreton in leuiticnÌ„ the xix chapitre that all marchandyse shold be made truly in weyght and in mesure busshels and quarters aud in alle other thinges semblably And euery marchant ought to knowe that by the moyen of fraude they may not were riche seen that theyr conquest by suche moyen is not ouly to them self but it is the charge of the soule as sayd is And the euyl marchantes ben semblable to fenyx the whiche assembleth alle his buchettis stycâ—is in the hye montayne and fynably the fyre enflamÌ„eth them and the fenix is brente in the myddis of them In lyke wyse the vntrewe marchantes assembleÌ„ the rychesses euyl goten in the montayne of theyr pryde And fynably brenne by couetyse in myddle of theyr goodes Also by cause that it is said that in marchandyse ought loyaulte and trouthe to be mayntened but somÌ„e maye demande yf it be of necessyte that the marchannt sellar saye to the byer alle the defaultes that he knoweth in that thyng whyche he wyl selle Thys question was made anncyently bytwene dyogenes and Antipater his discyple Aud by mauer of dysputacoÌ„n sayd dyogenes that hym semed it shold be folye in the marchant to blame hys marchandyse And antipater sayde it is noo folye but it was faith fulues and loyaulte For otherwyse he shold deceyue hys neyhbour And shortly this dysputacon recyteth tullius in his in boke of offyces the xij chapytre in ansueryng to this questyoÌ„ lx sayth that diogenes defendeth vtylite And Antypater maynteneth honeste by cause that honÌ„este is more worth than prouffyt or vtylite consequently it foloweth that the marchaÌ„t ought not to hyde ne couere the deffaulte of his marchandyse For as the wyse man sayth in ecclesiastyke the xxxj chapitâ—â— the marchanÌ„tes oughten to treate theyr marchaÌ„dyse in adressyng eche other in trouthe and in faythfulnes ¶ Of the state of pylgremages capo. xiiij THis present lyf is a right pylgremage For as the pylgryme gooth alleway without reste in ony place longe wherof is made mencoÌ„n In lyke wyse the lyf of a maÌ„ 〈◊〉 not longe in this world and hath nothyng of assuranÌ„ce and this wituesseth to vs thappostle sayeng that we haue here 〈◊〉 cyte permanent ne abydyng Trouthe it is that they be not pylgryms that of this world maken theyr paradys the whiche oughten to consydere how abraham by the comÌ„andament of god departed fro his coutrey and wente duellyd in a strauÌ„ge contrey And thenÌ„e god gaf to hym his blessyng as it apperith in the boke of genesis the xij chapytre by this example is signefyed to vs how not withstoÌ„dyng That we be in this world here bodily neuertheles in esperyte we ought to god aboue by good werkes and for to mayntene good lyf And to this pylgremage we be called For lyke as we see that the tree transporteth fro shorte to hye by his growyng In lyke wyse a man that transporteth his herte fro this world in to the other groweth more lightly in good lyf in vertues And to this purpoos sayde IhuÌ„ cryste that noman is accepte for a prophete in his owen contreye so theÌ„ne euery man ought to god in to a stranÌ„ge contreye and it is none other thyng to saye but that in this world whiche is onr contrey ben none other but pylgryms ê“uffytyng fro good to good fro vertue to vertue the whiche ought not to cesse to goo ne to ê“uffyte tyl that thei be atte terme desyred that is to wyte in heuene More ouer we ought to aduyse how the pylgryms acompten reken euery daye with theyr hoostes In lyke wyse we ought euery day to aduyse and take hede how we lyue paye to god our debtes in knowlechyng our trespaces As dyde an AuÌ„cyent wyse maÌ„ named septimus of whome recyteth seneke in his in boke of Ire how euery day he acounted and toke hede of how moche his lyf was empeyred or amended And also it is good to coÌ„sydere how and how longe the lyf of a persone endureth And how it lasseth and shorteth be it in slepyug or wakyng alle way our lyf lasseth And nothyng proffyteth to vs the tyme passed but in that we haue doon well and goten vertues in the grace of god Therfore saith maximian that the tyme draweth after hym alle thynges mortall And as
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
to the world as tofore is sayd How the creature ought humbly to obeye to god capitulo v THe scrypture sayth that obeyssannce pleseth more vnto god than doth sacrefyse And herof we haue example of our fyrst fader Adam whych vsed hys owen propre wylle and lefte the commaundement of our lord Ihesu cryst which god had gyuen hym And therfore he fyl in to grete pouerte and in to many myseryes as wytnesseth Saynt Augustyn in hys xv omelye vpon the gospel of Saynt Iohn It is also wel reason that the seruaunte obeye to hys mayster And consequently the creature to god And to this purpoos recounteth valerye in his second book how of oldâ— tyme the knyghtes obeyed to the prynces vpon payne of deth By moche more stronge reason we ought to obeye to god wyth al our myght For as sayth the scripture we ought more to obeye to god than to men And yf we obeye vs to men that ought to be for the loue of god Thus counceylleth vs thappostle And certeynly moche good is fallen to them that haue humbly obeyed god And to this purpoos recounteth Saynt gregory in his dyalogue the fyrst book the seuenth chapytre how saynt benet had a dysciple whom he coÌ„manded that he shold reÌ„ne vpon the water whome he obeyed was saued fro peryll Thenne saynt â—enet demauÌ„ded hym yf he had ony fere of the watrr And he ansuerd hym that he had apperceyued noo water And thenne saynt Benet thanked god for as moche as he had seen thus myracle for the obedyence of his discyple Saynt gregory also reherseth of a religyous man whiche at coÌ„mandement of hys abbotte euery day by iij yere watred a piece of wode al dreye whyche was sette in the erthe And yet he must fetche the water a myle fâ—rre And by cause of the meryte of his obeyssance the thyrd yere the sayd tâ—â—e flourysshed and this hystorye reherceth Cassiam the fyrst look of his collacoÌ„ns in whiche he recounteth also how the dysciple of a ryght olde man at his coÌ„mandement wold remeue a ryght grete toche and aduysed hym not yf he myÈt doo it or not For it suffysed hym to obeye his mayster after his power By the whyche thynges it appereth how obedyeÌ„ce is agreable to god for the whyche to haue we haue example in nature as sayen the naturyeÌ„s The bestes obeyen to the lyon as to theyr kynge And dar not passe the cercle that the lyon maketh with his taylle SeÌ„blably the bees that maken hony obeye to theyr kynge and the Cranes also And in nature we see many thynges semblable More ouer in holy scripture we haue to this purpoos many examples And veryly we rede how Noe obeyed ryght expresly to god as it apperith in the vij chapytre of genesis And therfor he was saued fro the flood ¶ Semblably the chyldren of Israel for theyr obedyence were kepte of god as it apperyth in the ix chapytre of the boke of nombres Thappostles also lyghtly obeyeden to god in so moche that they folowed hym atte fyrst callyng as recyteth saynt Mathew in his iiij chapytre And therfor aboue al peple ben they enhaunced in the chyrche and also in heuen Semblably Abraham obeyed to god in so moche that he wold haue sacrefyed his owen sone and smyten of his heed atte coÌ„mandement of god as it apperyth in the xxij chapytre of genesis And therfore god promysed to abraham that of his seed shold be born the sauyour of the world Therfore we ought more to obeye to god than to man as it is tofore sayd And accordyng to this we haue ensaumple of Mathathias whyche ansuerd to the messager of the kyng Anthiocus sayeng that yf alle obeyed to the kyng Anthiocus yet he wold not obeye to hym but to god as it is wryton in the book of machabees the secoÌ„d chapytre ¶ we rede also of the seuen brethern that had leuer to deye than to ete flesshe forboden ayenst the coÌ„mandement of god not wythstoÌ„dyng the kyng coÌ„manded it to them wherby it apperith that they ought to be repreued that excuse them of the euyl that they doo for theyr maistres that so commaunde them For suche is of noo value by cause they ought fyrst obeye the coÌ„maundement of god as sayth Saynt Petre in the v chapytre of thaetes of thappostles More ouer for to obeye ought to enclyne vs the example of the virgyne Marie the whyche obeyed to the wordes of the aungel in sayeng Loo the handmayde of god late it come to me as it shal plese hym after thy word we rede also how dauid not wythstondyng that he was kynge obeyed to hys fader as it apperyth the fyrst book of kynges the vij chapytre And yonge Thobie sayd to his fader that he was redy to obeye to hym And cornchê° centurio was redy tobeye to hym whom god had ordeyued to be prelate and maystre as it apperyth the tenth chapytre of thactes of thappostles ¶ Also we rede how the regabytes dranke no wyn ne had no howses for to obeye to theyr fader As Ieremye reciteth in his thyrd chapytre By whyche thynges it apperith how obedyence was obserued of the Auucient people that they that dysobeyed were pugnysshed of god as it apperyth of the chyldren of Israel the which were ouerthrowen â—n bataylle for so moche as they dyd ayenst the wylle of god entred not in to the lond of ê“myssion which they desyred as it apperith the xxiiij chapitre of the boke of nombres Ionas also was throwen in the see by cause he dysobeyed to do that god had coÌ„manded hym as it she weth in the thyrd chapytre of Ionas therfore we ought to obeye to god fyrs after to other creatures yf we wyl esche we peryl playse Ihesu Cryst as sayth saynt bernard vpon cantycles The man is not worthy to haue ony good yf he knowe not ne obeye god saynt gregory in his omely sayth that he ouÈt to be moost humble toward god and moost enclyned to serue hym that hath receyued moost goodes of hym yf he do otherwyse the goodes that he hath receyued shal be encreasyug of his payne at the day of IugemeÌ„t This wytnesseth hughe the viij chapytre of the boke of the Arke of Noe. And for to haue cause to remeÌ„bre the god that god hath doon to vs we haue many examples in holy scrypture Rede we not how Iacob after that god had sente to hym many goodes he sayd Syr I thanke the for the good that thou hast doon to me Of whyche I moche remembre as it is shewed in the xxij chapytre of genesis ¶ Semblably dyd Dauid as it apperith in the second book of kynges the vij chapytre And Danyel sayd lord thy name be preysed and blessyd for the good that thou hast doon to me as it apperyth in the second chaptyre of danyel ¶ Semblably the appostle Saynt Poul in hys epystles ryght ofte and contynuelly preyseth and thanketh
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
kynges for to serue hym Semblably we reâ—e of Salamon how he was ryght lyberal as it apperyth the iij book of kynges the second chapytre SeÌ„blably the kyng Cyros was moche lyberal For he sente agayn in to Iherusalem she vessels of gold the whyche his fader Nabugodonor had taken a waye as recyteth Esdras in his fyrst book ¶ we rede also how Thobye offred moche largely to thangel Raphael of his good whome he had supposed to haue been a man as it apperyth the xij chapytre of Thobye ¶ Also we rede how the kynge Assuere was ryght lyberall whan he gaf half his wyame to hester as it apperyth the fyfthe chapytre of the book of hester By the whyche hystoryes it appereth how many somtyme were ryght renomed for their lyberalyte But Auaryce hath made many men to be dyffamed falle in to many Inâ—â—uenyeÌ„ts as shal be shewed in the chapytre that foloweth ¶ How Auaryce bryngeth a man to an euyl hauen causeth hym to lyue in myserye capitulo xvj BY Auaryce a man coueyteth the goodes of another And oftymes appropreth them to hym self rudely and he hym self of suche goodes as he hath dar not helpe hym self for alle waye he is aferde that his good shal faylle hym And thus thauaricyous man lyueth al way in myserye for suppose that he hath moche good neuertheles he is right poure syth by his couetyse he wyl not ther wyth helpe hym self ¶ Thus thenne ought the wyse man esche we couetyse Caym offred to god the werst fruytes of therthe therfore his oblacyon was not agreeable to god And thenne seyng Chaym that thoblacyon of Abel his brother was agreable to god by cause wherof he was moeued wyth wrath enuye slewe his brother afore sayd as it apperyth in the book of genesis by auaryce Iudas betrayed his lord and our sauyour Ihesu cryste and fynably despayred henge hym self More ouer dalida by cause of couetyse for money that was gyuen to hyr bytrayed hyr poopâ—e husoond Sampson And neuertheles she shewed tofore to sampson signes of ryÈt grete loue as it apperyth the xviij chapytre of JudicuÌ„ By the whych hystoryes it appereth how Auaryce bryngeth a man ofte to perdycion O Couetyse thou madest stryf bytwene Abraham Loth as recouÌ„teth the book of genesis for by cause of theyr richesses they myÈt not dwelle to gyder By auaryce the chyldren of Samuel maden many euyl Iugementes as it apperâ—th the fyrst book of kynges who causeth falsely to wytnesse ayenst Naboth but couetyse as it apperith the thyrd book of kynges who was cause of the fals wytnesse of the knyghtes that kepte the sepulcre but couetyse For by cause of certayn money that they had they wytnessyd falsely sayeng that the dysciples of Ihesu Cryste had stolen awaye the body of Ihesu cryste As wytnesseth saynt Mathew in his xxviij chapytre who caused Achor to deye but courtyse as it apperith the vij chapytre of Iosue wherfor wold dauid haue slayn nabal but by cause that Nabal was ouer auarycious as it apperyth in the fyrst book of kynges the v chapytre wherfor was Semey condeÌ„pned to deth but for his couetyse that he dyd departe fro Iherusalem ayenst the coÌ„mandement of his fader as it is wryton in the iij book of kynges the ij chapytre the euyl ryche man wherfor was he dampned but for his auaryce for he refused to poure Lazare the croÌ„mes of hys brede as receyteth saynt luc in his xvj chapytre Certaynly auaryce hath caused many men to perysshe consente to many synnes Inconuenyents for menelaus vnworthy was by money pourueyed to be preest of the lawe as it apperith in the ij loke of machabees the v chapytre the prestes of the lawe somtyme for their couetyse suffreden endureden to selle oxen sheep in the temple other marchauÌ„dyses as recyteth saynt Mathew in his xiij chapytre we rede also how Ananye saphâ—re fyl in to many Inconuenyentes by cause of theyr couetyse as it apperyth the v chapytre of thactes of the appostles Thenne me semeth that euery man that wyl lyue holyly ouÈt to haue suffysaunce of the goodes that god hath sente to hym wythout to sette hys hert on worldly goodes For as saluste sayth in his Catylynarye Auaryce empessheth trouthe wysdom and engendreth pryde and cruelte Auaryce empessâ—eth good studye and bryngeth a man in to vanytres and goodes whyche be not establysshed And to thys purpoos sayth Seneque in hys epystylle to Lucylle lxxiij Auaryce maketh a man a fool For a man coueytous alway desyreth that whiche be hath not and that whyche he hath he woteth not yf it be hys For he is alway aferde to lose it and that good shal faylle hym And therfore valere in hys 〈◊〉 book sayth that Auaryce is as a swolo we that may not be fylled and maketh many men to deye tuyl And in dede he recounteth how there was a man named septiminus seeyng that he was in paryll if the see but yf he threwe ouer borde parte of hys rychesse in to the see neuertheles he had leuer deye wyth his rychessys than caste a parte a way and lyue reteyne the remenaunte By whiche it sheweth that couetyse maketh a man ryght folysshe not vnderstondyng wysedom for a couetous man ofte tymes taketh oppynyon that he had leuer deye than lose hys good And to this purpoos recounteth Helmande how somtyme Hanybal assyeged a castel in whiche were thre hondred men closed whiche had nothyng to ete but rattes myes and it happed that one emonge them beyng moche auaricious took a mows and not withstondyng that he was nyâ—e dede for hungre he sold to another the mows for CC. pens by whiche it happed that the sayd auarycyous man deyed with al his money and that other lyued was delyuerd fro deth TheÌ„ne ought a man to aduyse and consydere that the goodes be not made ne ordeyned but for to serue man And therfor he ought not to loue but for so moche as he hath uecessyte or nede and thenne he ought to vse them sobrely in thankyng god whiche is of al goodes the welle and fontayne How thestate of pouerte is moche agreable to god cap â— xvij POuerte is none other thynge but veray suffysauÌ„ce with out to desyre ony other thyng than that whiche god sendeth to a creature And this pouerte is called pouerte of spyryte the whyche god approueth in the gospel sayeng that blessyd be they that be poure of spyryte that is to wete to wylle And me semeth after the scryptures the auncyent faders had pouerte And syngulerly they that were loued of god and called to good and worshyp ¶ Rede we not how Iacob was a pastour or a shepeherd and kepte the sheep goyng aboute the contreye and slepte in the feldes and leyde a stone vnder his hede lyke a pelowe as it appereth the xxxviij chapytre of genesis ¶ Semblably 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
also for tesche we alle euyl suspecion â–ª and therfore sayth saynt Iherome in his xliij epystle that thestate of prelacion is moche worthy And for so moche a prelate ought more to kepe hym that hâ— doo no thynge by whiche his estate be sclaundred the prelat is not ordeyned for to haue delyces but also for tenseyne and gouerne the peple and the hyer that he is enhaunced the moâ— humble he ought to be For as saynt Austyn sayth in hys 〈◊〉 book of the cyte of god the xix chapytre he is not very prelaâ— that secheth not but his prouffyt and nothynge for his subâ—gettis Semblably sayth saynt Gregory in his xxj book 〈◊〉 hyâ— moralles that the prelates been ordeyned not onely for 〈◊〉 receyue but prycipally for to serue god and for to enclyne thâ— sub gettes semblably to do therfore sayth hughe that nonâ— ought be ordeyned a prelate but yf he be of good lyf honnest conuersacion and to this purpoos sayth the scripture in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxviij chapytre that the prelates ought to be made of peoâ—le shewyng example of good lyf For the sheep ought not to â—e put to the kepyng of wulues That is to were to them that â—â—maunde not but the prouffyt of the prelacion and not the laâ—our thaâ— apperteyneth therto but the tyme is comen the which â—saye prophecied in his thyrd chapytre sayeng that the prynce and the prynces and the prelates ben of the condycion of chyldren the whyche wyl lyuen wythout thought And zacharye in his xj chapytre sayth that the prelate that thynketh not of the gouernaunce of the peple is ryght as an ydolle whiche serueth of nothyng And it is a grete abusyon whan the prelate is not dylygent to adresse and teche the people as it apperyth â—n the book of xij abusious and hughe sayth in his book of sacramentis that the prelates beren the cooche in signefyaunce of an herdman or pastour And the rynge that he hath on hys honde sygnefyeth that the chyrche is their espouse the tunyque sygnefyeth clennesse the gyrdle chastyte the stole pacience and the chesuble charite and therfor the prelates oughten to be good wyse vertuous that is necessarye for their estate as sayth saynt gregory in his pastoral the fyrst book the fyrst chapytre But saynt bernard in spekyng of prelates in hys fourth book to Eugene the pope sayth I meruaylle me and am abasshed for what cause many bysshops and prelates coÌ„mytte the goâ—ernemeÌ„t of theyr people to suffragans and to other but the â—ychesses receytes they coÌ„mytte not to other so that they knoâ—e not thacompt therof And neuertheles they be more ordeyâ—ed for the spirituel gouernaunce than they be for the temporel â—oodes â–ª as hughe sayth in the second book of the sacramentis For the crowne that men of the chyrche bere sygnefyeth that xy ought to haue the hert affection to the spiritualte not 〈◊〉 the temporalte And therfore of olde tyme the vertuous men â—ffuseden the bysshopryches by cause they knewe wel that it 〈◊〉 grete labour to a prelate for to doo his deuoyr duete And 〈◊〉 this purpoos we rede of saynt Ambrose how he reffused the archebysshopryche of Melan Not withstondyng he was eleâ— by comune assent and to th ende that he shold not be constrayned to receyue the sayd benefyce he dyd doo come in to hys hous wymmen dyssolute wenyng by that moyen he to be put froâ— the sayd prelacion Neuertheles the trouthe was knowen and he must nedes obeye of saynt gregoire we rede also â–ª that whaÌ„ he was chosen to be pope he fledde but by the moyen of the holy ghoost he was fouÌ„den and receyued to be pope â–ª Semblably we rede in a book named paradys how a noble man named marsius cutte of his fyste to the ende that he wold not be prelate to whyche he was chosen we rede also of an holy man named Annonius how he was chosen bysshop and therfore he cutte of his ryght ere secretely and thenne he sayd to them that had chosen hym ye see wel that I may not be bysshop For I am not able the whyche ansuerd that he suffysed to them and they had leuer to haue a good man than a fayr man More ouer in thystorye trypertyte the iij book we rede of a religyous monke whiche was chosen called for to be bysshop the which demauÌ„ded delaye tyme for taduyse hym and prayed to god requyred hym that he wold aledge delyuer hym fro thys charge And thystorye sayth that in prayeng he deyed rendred to god his spyrite By the whyche hystoryes it appereth how prelacyon is moche payneful to them that wyl doo theyr 〈◊〉 And therfore noo man ought to be a prelate but yf he be wyse vertuous and of right good maners and lyf ¶ How the prelates ought tenseyne gouerne theyr subgettis and to gyue almesses to the poure capitulo iij THe prelate is as the hede whiche ought to adresse the other membres And to thys purpoos we rede of moyses â—â—w he loued ryght derely his people and dyd grete payne to chastyse rule them And how be it that god promysed to hym that he shold gyue to hym more gretter people to gouerne Neuertheles he sayd that it suffysed hym that whiche he had And more wold he not as it apperith the xxxiij chapytre of Exode we rede also that for the loue that he had to his people he desyred that euery man shold be holy and a prophete as it apperyth the xj chapytre of the book of Numeri we rede also how he recomforted the people whan he was dyscouraged in sayeng Abasshe ne fere you not for god shal defende you as it is writon in exode the xiiij chapitre Semblably helyachym â—omtyme preest of the lawe recomforted the people ayenst holofernes as it is wryton in Iudyth the iiij chapytre ¶ Saynt poul also in his epystle to thephesiens the vj chapitre saith my frendes reconforte you in god and in his puyssauuce By the whiche thynges it appereth how the prelates ought tenseyne reconforte the people To this purpoos sayth saynt austyn in his iâ— book of the cyte of god that the prelate ought to remembre alleway his peple at his hert For his offyce is for to enduce hem to do wel And saynt Ambrose sayth in hys pastoralles that the prelate ought tesche we al heresye and alle euyll doctryne For the pryncipal of theyr vocacyon is for to defende the fayth in the whyche al the chyrche is fouâ—ded More ouer the prelate ought to socoure the poure after his puyssaunce for the goodes of the chyrche be the goodes of the poure peple And to this purpoos Saynt gregory wrytyng to Nepocian sayth that the people of the chyrche ought not to take of theyr benefyces nomore but to lyue onely honestly wythout pompe ne curyosytres And the surplus they ought to dystrybute there where as they see is nede and
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
to his sone The whyche ansuerd that it ought ynough to suffyse to hym to haue regned in his tyme that he wold not that hys sonâ— shold haue it to his prouffyt but a man that wold do Iustyce And therfore he sayd I praye you that ye seke a wyse man that shal mowe and conne gouerne you and take no regarde to me ne to my sone â–ª ¶ How the prynces ought to be softe humble capâ— v THe prynce is as the heed the whyche is sette moost hyâ—e by nature And yet alleway it is the parte of the body in whiche appereth moost his humylite For we see that in humblyng mekyng hym self a man dyscouerth and enclyneth his hede This theÌ„ne it is a signe that the prynce which is named the hede ought to haue in hym self humylite And the prynces ought to consydere how al theyr predecessours ben deed comen to nought and to this purpoos we rede how a phylosophre named Golonus in spekyng to Alexander sayd O Alexander al the world suffysed not to the whan thou lyuedest and now vj fret of erthe suffyse for to burye the. More ouer quyntynus recyteth how a ryght olde man ballyd said to Alexander See wel to what thou doost For me semeth that thou wylt mounte ouer hye but take good hede whan thou shalt be so mounted that thon suffre not thy self to falâ—e ouer foull The whyche Alexander coude not so wysely take hede to hym self but that he was enpoysoÌ„ned in hys yongâ—â—e and the floure of alle hys dayes And therfore sayth the wyse man in his v chapytre what auayllen the pompes the rychesses of the world seen that they passe and vanysshe awaye as dooth the shadowe Thenne a moche fool is the prynce the whyche in his puyssaunce transytorye glorifyeth hym self yt they consydered wel theyr estate they shal fynde that theyr seignoryes conteynen more trouble and thought than playsaunce or deduyt And to this purpoos recounteth Valere in his vij book how somtyme they wold haue crowned a kynge but he made grete delaye tofore or he wold receyue the crowne gaf his rayson in sayeng that a newe royame bereth wyth hym newe thought By whyche it apperith how the prynces haue noo cause to glorefye them self of theyr lordshyppes and they ought to take example in Iulyus Cezar of whome we rede in the book of fyctions phylosophyke how he was moche humble in spekyng to his knyghtes and seruauÌ„tes was as redy to serue them as he was to receyue theyr seruyce trouthe it is that one of his knyghtes right auncyent on a tyme emonge the other was condempned by the counceyl of Rome to ryght grete payne domages And thenne he came to cezar for to requyre ayde the whyche atte fyrst sayd that he shold assigne to hym a right good aduocate for to plete hys cause To whome the knyght sayd O Cezar thou knowest wel that in the bataylle of Ayse I had none aduocate for to helpe the. but I went my self in propre persone as it appereth by my wouÌ„des the whyche ben yet apparaunt by cause of the same TheÌ„ne Iulius descended from his syege in sayeng that the prynâ—e is also wel ordeyned to socoure his knyghtes as the knyghtes ben to soconre the prynce TheÌ„ne ys the prynce moche to be reprehended whan he settyth by nothyng but by â—ym self And whaÌ„ hym semeth that alle the world ought to serue hiÌ„ suche pryde maketh a prynce lyke a brest to forgete hys condycoÌ„ â—ys birthe how be it that men ought alleway obeye princes neuertheles thei onght not therfore be prowde of their seignourye For they alle theyr chyualrye wythin a litil whyle shal be deed torued yu to Asshes dust a cordyng herto reherceth seynt Ierome in hys epistle Cxix And valere also the same in hys last boke how the kynge of perses was in a montayue behelde hys noble pnissanÌ„t chyualrye wepte sayeng Alas wythin an C yere alle thys chyualrye schal be but a lytyll asshes duste as me semeth fewe prynâ—es consydere theyr deth But almoost ther ys none but he thiÌ„keth how he may bycome more myghty and more grete And all thys dooth causeth theyr pryde theyr false couetyse Thâ—y ought to take example of Ihesu cryst the whyche fledde in the montayne whan he sawe that the peple cam to hym for to make hym kynge as sayth saynt IohnÌ„ in hys vj chapytre And vpon the same saynt IohnÌ„ grysostome in hys vj omelie sayth that IhuÌ„ cryste scheweth to vs by that he fledde how we ought to flee mondanytâ—e and alle vayne glorye And to this purpoos we rede how vaspasyaÌ„ wolde not receyue th empyre And sayde he was Indygne and not worthy not wythstoÌ„diÌ„g that hys knyghtes wolde that he sholde be Emperour in ony wyse But now in thys present tyme we see all thopposyte contrarye ffor the prnyces entende wyth theyr power to conquere newe seygnouryes and lordshyppys And yt ys a manere of tyraÌ„nie the whyche maketh naturelly hys mayster doubtous ferdfull For the tyrannt hath alle waye fere and drede to lese that whyche he hath euyll goten The tyranntes lâ—n also comuÌ„li lytyl byloued of theyr subgettys and therfore they lyue iÌ„ grete doubte To thys purpoos we rede how denis 〈◊〉 tyrant durst not do shaue hys â—erde for fere that he had of sleeyng And in dede he brente the heere 's of hys berde as Tullius rehereeth iu hys vij boke of offyces the vij chapytre SeÌ„blably he recyteth how a tyranÌ„t named Sergius for semblable cause doubted that hys wyf sholde slee hym by nyght And in dede he dyde doo espye yf she hadde ony knyf or other thyng to doo it And neuertheles in th ende he was slayn by her More ouer valere recounteth how the kynge Masinissa by cause of his tyrannye trusted not to his people And therfore he made his body to be kept bi dogges by the whyche hystoryes it appâ—rith how tyrannye maketh the prynces fâ—rdful doubtous the whyche tyrannye cometh of pryde That is to wete whaÌ„ the prynce is not content And hath not suffysauÌ„ce in his estate And whan he wolde alleway mouute more hye ¶ How the prynce ought alleway to be sobre chaast capâ— vj GLoutonnye And lecherye affeblysshen the body and takeÌ„ fro a man alle the wylle to doo wel And in dede then shal see how the gloton by his dronknes speketh folysshly And sheweth his secrete ofte TheÌ„ne ought the prynces to be ashamed the whiche demannde no thyng but wyn and mete and holden longe dyners and yet more longe soupers For of tymes in beuerages And dyssolucoÌ„ns they mayntene them self alle the nyght or the grettest part therof And who that these dayes wyl fynde glotonnye he may wel goo to the court of dâ—â—erse prynces And there thou shalt fynde that alle for the moste parte they doo none other
thyng but drynke and the sauf a lytyl whyle they be in ydlenes and in playes dyssolute and therfore Socrates the philosophre despysed the lyf of the peple of the courte and of alle them that folowe the halles And grete dyners To whome speketh Seneke in one his epystle O ye myserable people that doo noâ—e other thyng but drynke and et â–ª hit is domage that ye haue soule and vnderstondyng syth that ye onely thynke on your body And for somoche vyrgyle in his fyrst boke of Enâ—ydos repreueth dydo by cause she held her longe atte dyner what shal we saye of them â—heneÌ„ of whome ysaye saith in his vij chapyter The whyche haue not leyzer to slepe by cause they wold ryse erly in the morn for to make them self dronke They be lyke to them of whome seneke speketh in his lxxxxvij epystle the whyche â—aâ— nyght drynke alleway and ete sauf a lytyl whyle that they slepe And it is good to wete that theÌ„ne they dreme that they drynke aud ete For gladly men dreme of that whyche they doo by daye Thenne ought the prynces to flee and eschewe glotonnye and ought to haue in theyr court mesure ordynannce and alle honneste But thou shalt fynde there now none ordre but fylthe and foule table clothes And meÌ„ whiche saye them self to be honeste but they renne to the table shouyng And puttyng away eche other And they resemble not men but hogges and swyne goyng to theyr trough in foule etyng there shal thou here noo word spoken of god ne saye noo graces ne benedicte â–ª but dyssolute wordes othes sweryng all dyshoneste shal thou there see regnyng â–ª yf thys were in warre it shold not be ouer grete meruaylle Bu in tyme of peas to mayntene suche a lyf it is not a lyf but it is deth and right glotonnye the whiche engendreth lecherye lyke as sayth valere And also experyence sheweth the same the whyche ys ryght eâ—yl syttyng in prynces geuerally in alle chynalrye And as to me Irepute Impossyble that a man lecherous ameroâ— folyssly of wymmen may be wyse aud kuyghtly â—ecounteth not vegece in his iij boke of Chyualrye how the noble knyght scipion thaffrycanut wolde neuer abuse hym self with wymmen how fayr so euer they were as it apperith of the fayr mayde whiche he refused and restored her to her hustoÌ„ de we rede also how Octauiau seeyng Cleopater a right fayr â—irgyne how be it that he was somwhat enclyned to her loue â—euertheles he wold in no wise abuse her lykeas policrate saâ—th in his iij boke the vij chapytre Semblably we rede how hanybal Gayus Iulius Cezar and Cathon lyuedeu right sobrely and chastly as it apperyth in the v boke of policrate the vj chapytre â–ª Thus thenne ought the prynces to consydere ho w that folyssh loue of wymmen destroyed the strengthe of Sampson The wytte of Salamon the bounte of Dauid â–ª And therfore may neuer prynce longe endure that setteth alle his entencoÌ„n to lecherye lyke as saith seynt Ierome in his xxxiiij epistle And to thys purpos Egesippâ— in his fyrst boke in spekyng of one named Antonye sayd to themperonr knowe thou that Antonye is vaynquysshid â–ª but that is not by the. but this hath doon Cleopatre whome he hath so folysshly loued For he had leuer be vaynqnysshid with her than to vaynquysshâ— without her Thenne ought eâ—y Chyualroâ— man to take hede and see wel to that he be not lost by lecherye Trouth it is that be nameth hym self Amorous But whan I adnyse me wel he may be named maleuroâ— that is vnhappy For it is grete myserye for to haue thought to mayntene a woman For theÌ„ne his hody he destroyeth his strengthe perysshith his syght wasteth hâ—s wytte mynyssheth his lyf shorteth his helthe enpeyreth And his courage for to doo well gooth away aud his good fame renomee And whan he weneth to be happy by cause he hath founde a fayr woman than he hath loâ— hym self by cause of his inordynat loue whiche is that he loueth the woman more than hym self And so it happeth ofte that he is moche deceyued whan he weneth to be byloued singulerly that is to wete be that maynteneth dyuerse and many wymmen For he ought to knowe that neuer woman loued snche a man longe how wel that she sheweth semblaÌ„nt for to loue hym but her hope is for to haue his gold and his syluer I put caas that it were otherwyse And that ther were loue bytwene bothe partyes yet may none otherwyse be 〈…〉 right vnhappy the whiche for loue of the 〈…〉 leueth thestaâ—e 〈…〉 by what moyâ—n his auncetres haâ—e conquerd theyr goodes â—ud honours ¶ How the prynces ought to employe and dispose 〈◊〉 â—elf capâ— viâ— THe Prynces ought to be example of honour And of good lyf to employe dispose them self in good werâ—es and feates for to be cause that theyr snbgettis doo semblably And it is a grete shame yf a prynce that shold be a capytayne of knyghtes be callyd a player of dyse euery knyght ought to knowe that by playeng of dyse or other games semblable may nothyng be goten ryghtfuly ne Iustely but all that is goten by that moyeÌ„ is to the dampnacoÌ„n of his soule hurtyng of his couscyence By suche games the name of god is sworn and forsworn despysed A man loseth his tyme and his reste ofte And whan he shold thynke how he shold gouuerne his people than he studyeth to begyle his felawe and wynne his money And to this purpoos we rede in polycrate how a knyght named Clysson Arryued in the contrey of Corynthe for to treate allyaÌ„nce with the lordes of the contrey the whyche he fonde playeng atte dyse he thys seeyng departed sayde he wold haue none allyaÌ„uce with players of dyse For players of dyse beÌ„ coÌ„ynly light iÌ„ courageÌ„ chaÌ„nge ofte theyr purpoos as dooth the fortuÌ„e of dyse â–ª ben redy for 〈◊〉 promyse to swere also beÌ„ ful of couetyse and by consequent ben enclyned to rapyne and thefte And therfore saith seueâ—â— in his prouerbes that he that knoweth moste of suche playes knoweth most of euyll As who shold saye that in suche games is no thyng but euyll And synne TheÌ„ne is it a grete â—ame tath chyualrye be euployed in suche games For such â—â—ayes make a man to lese his 〈…〉 and cousentyng For I put â—aas that whiche they haue beâ—n â—â—â—fte Neuertheles alle they that playe for auarice and couâ—â— se ben in theyr herte Rauynous And therfore seynt Ausâ—â— sayth in his iiij boke of the cyte of god the xvj chapitre how wyse womaÌ„ dremed that it shold be good to forbede and deâ—â— de alle the games and playes that ben in prâ—uidyce of the â—â—myn wele But I wyl not saye but that the prynces and 〈◊〉 knyghtes may playe And dysporte them with somme hoâ— playe For as seneque saith in his boke of
ben not worthy to noble ne callyd knyghtes but they be of the condicion of tyâ—ntes of whome polycrate speketh in his iiij boke that to 〈◊〉 a tyraÌ„nt shold be a Iuste thyng And Tullyus in his boke offyces the vij chapytre sayth that for to slee a tyraÌ„t is a â—â—nge honeste For we see that a man cutteth a way the meÌ„â—e that is cause of the dystructioÌ„ of the other But thon mayst mauÌ„de how the tyraÌ„nt may be knowen To this ausuereth crystotle in his viij boke of ethyques sayeng thatbyt wene kynge a tyraÌ„nt is a grete difference For the kyng secheth â—sireth the comyn wee l the tyrant seketh his owen proutâ—â— the suppressyon of the people therfore tyrannye is seygâ—â—ye vyolent oultrageous and therfore it may not longe â—â—dure And thus sayth â—ot in his xv chapytre And be 〈◊〉 we haue seen many examples of soÌ„me tyrantes whiche he lost theyr seygnorye all or a grete parte ¶ Here foloweth the fourth boke the whiche speketh ofâ— state of the comynalte and of the people ¶ Fyrst it trateth of Ryche men and how they ought to glorysye in theyr rychesses capytulo pru THe men comen of god and not of the creature A therfor the loouyng and preysyng ought to be gyn fyrst and pryncypaly to god And the ryche man ought to â—â—sydere That whyche the wyse man sayth in his xv boke pronerbes whiche saith that he that foloweth auarice hâ— noo pees of conscence And in his xxviij chapytre he sâ—â— that he that hateth auarice enlongeth his dayes and his to And therfore to haue rychesses it not alle way moste proufâ—â—table For Rychesses ofte empessix and letoen the getyn of vertues and therfore the Anncyent men dâ—sireden moâ—â—vertues And good renommee than they dyde rychsses or beâ—â—uoyr As it apperith by scypyon the whiche brought mâ— the subgection of the Rommayns alle auffryque of whyche Romayns he demanded For his salayre nomore 〈◊〉 be named in his surname Auffrycan in memorye of clâ—â—sayd vyctorye as valere recyteth in his iij boke And of â—â—â—counceyllours of Rome we rede that they were so poure the it byhoued the senate to nourysshe theyr chyldren THe recoerâ—deth also of thiberyon how he sayde That better is worth â— tursour of suffysannce Than of chyuance and richeses An in dede many tymes he reffused grete tresours that were â— hym presented More ouer in his fourth boke he recounteâ— of marcus tullius how he was an exemplayre of right goe lyf and myght haue had mo rychesses but he wold not Aâ— he dutillyd in a lytyl how 's And helde a lytyl estate And as soo that many essayeden for to see yf they myght chaÌ„nge â— wylle And to hym presenteden grete fynannces To who â—he sayde goo ye your way wyth alle your rychesses For â—y ben your charge and your perdicoÌ„n we rede also in the â—â—nd boke of fyctions phylosophyke how the kynge of Ceâ—e named Artagougles vsed not in his estate but vayssell erthe For his fader had ben a potter And therfore he sayde â—â—at for ony fortune noman ought to forgete his genyture â—nd better it is and more worth to encreace in good maners â—â—an in grete estate By whiche historyes it apperith how the â—â—che men ought not to gloryfye them self in theyr rychesses â—nd to this purpoos sayth thappostle in his epystle to Tymoâ—â—e that he that loueth rychesses atte laste he shal not doo his â—â—ffyt And the riche man ought to considere how he is morâ—â—l For fynably hym behoueth to leue all So thenne he 〈◊〉 not wyse that setteth his herte and his truste in temporell â—â—d transytorye chyuannce and goodes as saith seynt Greâ—ory in his xviij boke of morallis And to the same purpos â—â—ynt Austyn in a sermon of the wordes of god sayth that â—â—thyng is worth to the thaugh thy cofre be full of richesse 〈◊〉 thou haue no thyng of good in thy conscience what auayâ—â—th to haue richesses yf thou haue no goodnesse in thy self â—hat auaylleth to a man that hath the vse of moche good â—nd he hym self is subgette by synne to the fende Therfor â—yde a wyse phylosophre named Salon that no riche man 〈◊〉 happy that is to wete whan he is auaricyus And this counteth valere in his vij boke the second chapytre More â—â—er the riche man ought to considere That many ben becomen â—â—ure as Cassus whyche was right riche But after he was â—roure that alle men scorned hym And had hym in derysiâ—â—â— And one named Cassus was so grete at Rome that he â—â—as callyd the Patron Senate but fynably he was deed by â—â—styce condempned shamefully therfore saith Seneque in â—â— boke of purueaÌ„nce that 〈…〉 For the man is in grete peryl that no thyng knoweth ne it endure And of suche condicoÌ„n ben ofte the riche men the wâ—che wyll haue in all caas theyr playsyr ¶ Here foloweth thestate of pouerte how he ought to content capitulo ij SAynt Iames saith in his first chapytre God in â—â—â— world here hath chose the poure folke whom also â— enhaÌ„nceth ofte coÌ„mynly as saith the ê“phete dauid ouâ—â—uyour saith that blessid beÌ„ the poure of spiryte That is to â—â—te theÌ„ that ben not in theyr hertes coueytoê° For lytyl is ponte worth wythout forth yf the herte hue not suflysanÌ„ce Aâ— to this purpoos we haue also dyuerse examples as of dye â—â—genes the wyse phylosophre the whiche setted nothyng â— worldly godes Seneke this boke of purucaÌ„nce saith thâ— demetriê° threwe alle his rychesses iÌ„ to the see sayeng that â—â— were noyoê° greuoê° in his boke of traÌ„quyllice he recouÌ„nâ— of a phylosopher the whyche by fortune loste all the goode that he had and he seeiÌ„g this he thankyd Ioyously fortune â—â—yeng that he was aledged easyd of grete payne more reâ—bect dysposed to doo well More oner seynt Ierome iÌ„ his xxx epystle reherceth how crates whiche was of the cyte of 〈◊〉 was soÌ„tyme moche ryche But he renouÌ„ced all iÌ„ sayeng theâ— it was moche harde to gete rychesses that it is bett to leâ— she rychesses than by rychesses to be loste ther fore saide Faâ—bricius that he wao ryche not by grete richesse but by verâ—suffysauÌ„ce lyke as valere sayth in his iiij boke the iij chapyâ—â—tre And in semblable oppynyon was zeuon the phylosoph lyke as agelyus recounteth And therfore Thobye saidâ—â— his sone My sone we Irde a poure lyf But and we drâ—â—de god we shal haue good ynowh this is wrecon in â— iiii capytre And therfore saith Seneke in his seconde episâ— â—at is whan a man is content wyth his suffysauÌ„ce the whi suffysauÌ„ce maketh a man more ryche than dooth grete chy nce and good For as saith seynt Austyn ther is noo thyng it maketh a man so Ioyouse as dooth suffysauÌ„ce in pouerte â—â—d to this accordeth an hystorye of seynt Austyn whiche heâ—â—erceth in his boke of confessions iÌ„ spekyng of hym self and
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