wythouten ony vsure For it is ageynst nature to take vsure and wynne wyth the money that he hath lente And ye shal vnderstonde that the vsurers synne more greuouslye thenne ony other synner For alle other synners cessen ofte theyr synnes But the vsurers ne sece neuer of theyr synnes for nyght and day euery houre festes and sondayes they synne and taken theyr vsure contynuelly without secyng Therfore may be said that they synne more greuously thenne ony other synners Item it may be sayd that they be werse thenne Iudas For Iudas solde Ihesu cryste onely but thyse selle the vyrgyn marye and alle the sayntes of heuen and theyr parentes and heyres vnto the tenthe lygnage as it apperyth in an exaumple that here foloweth It is redde in vytis patrum of a good man that requyred of god that he wold shewe hym the paynes of helle To whom our lorde sente an aungel whiche ledde hym in to helle and there he sawe many tormentes that they that ben dampned suffren Amonge alle other peynes he sawe a ladder whyche had ten degrees or stappes and in eche degree was a man hangyng by ordre whom the deuyls bete alle to tare wyth hookes of yron moche terrybly and aboue al the other dampned in helle it semed to thys good man that these ten men suffreden more torment and payne thenne alle the other wherfore he prayed the aungel to telle hym why these x men were so hanged in that ladder and so horrybly tormented and what men they were Thenne answerd the aungel to hym and sayd this olde man that thou seest that is in the hyghest place of the ladder is an vsurer the whiche by vsure hath goten grete rychesses and possessyons and by cause he deyed wythout makyng of restytucion he is hanged in the hyghest place of the ladder and alle his heyres that haue posseded the sayd herirages ben dede wythout makyng restytucion be hanged by ordre on thys ladder vnto the tenth degree one after another lyke as thou seest Cui des videto TThou oughtest to take hede to whom thou gyuest whaÌ„ thou wylt gyue or do ony almesse and this is that ecclesiaste saith in his fourtenth chappytre whiche sayth whan thou shalt gyue or shalt doo ony almesse knowe thou wel beholde to whome thou shalt doo hit Item saynt Iherome saith gyue to the poure peple and not to the ryche and not to the proude Also he that wyl gyue ought to consydre thre thynges Fyrst that it whiche he wyl gyue for almes be truly goten for of euyl goten good no man ought to gyue al messe secondly he ought to holde ordre maner in gyuyng for fyrst he ought to gyue helpe hym self after to his parentis kynne and neyghbours and after to straungers yf he haue wherof Thyrdly he ought to yeue by veray charite and loue without ony vaynglorye Coniugem Ama THou oughtest to loue thy wyf as thy self Neuerthelesse the wyf by ryght lawe deuyne and humayne she ought to be subgette to hyr husbond and to kepe to hym feythe and trouthe and to serue and obeye to hym in al thynges lycite and honeste Also the man ought to entrete his wyf hertely and swetely and to loue hyr by veray loue For as they ben made one flesshe by carnal copulacyon or bodely felawshyp also they ought to be one herte and one thought by veray dyleccion or loue Item the woman oughte to loue hyr husbond and to bere to hym feythe and trouthe reuerence and to obeye hym as longe as he shal lyue Also the man ought to loue his wyf and to kepe to hyr feythe and trouthe and to teche and endoctryne hir all good condicions notwythstondyng that many done the contrarye It is redde in the auncient hystoryes or cronycles of Rome that there was somtyme a woman noble of grete lignage whiche mysrewled hir self was of euyl gouernaunce For the which cause her husboÌ„d made hir to be put shette within a toure and toward hyr wente neuer no body saue onely hyr husbond It happed on a day as she was lokyng out of a wyndowe of the sayd toure whyche was nyghe by the walles of the cyte that she sawe a student or scoler warnyng that waye whiche she knewe before that tyme And as â—â—e scoler perceyued hyr he sayd to hyr helas lady what doo you there so hygh wythin this toure Certeynly sayd she my husbond hath put me here wythin and bereth the keyes of thys toure wyth hym in suche manere that from hens I ne departe neyther by nyght nor by day For at nyght he leyeth the keyes vnder his bolster Ha sayd the clerke yf he wyl beleue me I shal fynde wel the manere how at nyght ye shal scape at your plesure Certeynly sayd she therof I praye you and I promyt you to doo alle that shal plese you Thenne seyd the clerke I shal brynge to you to morowe somme pouder of man deglorye of the whiche ye shal gyue to hym secretely for to drynke at his sowper and for certeyn he shall sone after falle on a slepe in so moche that none shal mowe awake hym Ye shal theÌ„ne take the keyes from vnder his bolster thenne ye shal come to speke wyth me here benethe and to gyder we shal dysporte vs and after ye shal retorne and layeâ—â—he keyes by hym ageyn For knowe ye for certeyn that he shall not awake for no steryng or noyse that ye shal make wherfore doo that to morowe ye haue a smale corde made of the threde that ye spynne and as longe that it may reche vnto the grounde and thenne the lytel sacke ful of the sayd powdre I shal bynde therto And of this couenaunte was the woman contente and in dede the clerke brought on the morne next the sayd powdre and she drewe hit vp vnto hir and toke hyt And so moche she dyd that on that same nyght she gaue to her husbond of the sayd poudre bothe in his mete and in his drynke the whiche sone after he wente to bedde and began Incontynent to falle in a stronge slepe in soo moche that the toure myght haue be beten and smyten doun or he shold haue ben awaked And thenne whan she sawe that he slepte she wente and toke the keyes and opened al the dores and yates of the towre and came doun to the clerke which entred wythin the toure and leyd them bothe vpon a ledde whyche was in a chaumbre benethe and thre houres they leye to gyder takyng theyr plesure And after the wyf retorned and wente vpward and leyed hyr by hyr husbond ageyn whiche was moche subtyl and was alle abasshed that he had slepte lenger than he was accustomed to done Hit happed thenne on an euen whan he had sowped that he wente to bedde and forthwyth made semblaunte to be on slepe and strongely he began to rowte and whan she sawe hym a slepe as she
grete tresour salamon sayth that better is to acquyre â—â— good name good grace than golde or syluer Therfore 〈◊〉 tullius that there nys cite ne castel that may long endure with outen frendshyp and concorde God maketh rayne to falle bothe vpon the good folkes and vpon euyl folke wherfore thou oughtest not al onelye to loue the good peple But also somtyme the euyl folkes and to teche and enduce them to doo wel and to gyue and helpe theym at theyr nede myseryes and aduersytees Mitte archana dei celum que inquirere quid fit Cum sis mortalis que sunt mortalia cura THou oughtest not to enquyre ne knowe the secretes of god nor what thynge is the heuen that is for to wete of suche secretes that humayne nature may not attayne knowe ne vnderstonde But thou must byleue stedfastlye wythoute ony doubte that that the chyrche byleuyth and holdeth for trewe And by cause that thou arte mortalle thou oughtest to enquyre of the mortalle or dedelye thynges and not of the deuyne and Inmortal thynges Therfore sayth the appostle that there is none eye that hath seen Ne eere that euer herde ne herte that thoughte nor can thynke the goodes whyche god hath maad redy and ordeyned for them whyche are of good loue and trewe byleue For he whyche eteth ouermoche of hony hyt letteth hym lyke wyse he that ouermoche enquyreth of the secretes of god more thenne nature humayne ne may ne oughte to knowe ne vnderstonde shal be oppressyd before god and pryued fro hys glorye ¶ To thys questyon men may answer by two exaumples Fyrst it is redde of a prophete whiche studyed longe for to knowe the nature and kynde of the bees or hony flees but he coude neuer fynde ne knowe hyt Item Tulles recounteth in his book that he made of the nature and kynde of the goddes that a kynge demaunded of a prohete what thynge was god Thenne the prophete demaunded terme and space for to answer to the sayd questyon And the kynge gafe hym terme of thre dayes Item after that the thre dayes were passed the prophete demaunded yet lenger terme vnto whome the kynge gafe onelye thre dayes Item after the thre dayes he wold haue had yet gretter terme Ha sayd thenne the kyng I see wel that thou mocquest me But the prophete escused hym self gracyously and sayd that he mocqued not but he sayd I consydere and suppose that god is so ouer souerayn and vncomparable and vnlyke For the more I thynke on hym the more I am confused and abasshed and wote not what I shold saye and by no manere I ne may knowe what thynge is god And now answereth the prophete to the questyon pryncypal and sayth that a maker of erthen pottes may make of one erthe a potte to his worshyp and another of lyke erthe to his dysworshyp ¶ Item saynt austyn sayth that god hath made to be borne the euyl and wycked folke for foure reasons The fyrste is that by cause of theym the good folke seme the better as the whyte breed semeth to be better and fayrer by the blacke and broune breed The second is by cause that the Iustyce of god is approued and enhaunced by the euyl folke For he is so ful of myserycorde that al the world shold be saued yf his Iustyce shewed and apperyd not and yf a Iuge shold pardonne and forgyue al he shold not seme to be Iuste and by the contrarye yf he neuer pardonned nor forgafe he shold not seme to be myserycordyous ne mercyful The thyrd is for the euyl and wycked folke the good are worshypped and therfore is to them redy made gretter gwerdon or rewarde Item yf there had be no wycked folke oure Lord had not taken dethe Ne saynt stephen had not be caste wyth stones ne no marter crowned The fourth is by cause that of the euyl and wycked folke haue ben borne and begoten more sayntes thenne of the other For of Esau whiche was ryght wycked and euyl man and of achab was engendred or begoten ezechyas and thus of many other Item oute of the thorne groweth the rose and yf men dyd cutte and destroye al the thorne trees there shold noo roses growe nomore and thus by the thynge beforesayd apperith clerelÌ„y that god hath made the Wycked and euyl folke for to haue and gete vnto hym the good and feythful people and for to shewe his myserycorde and hys Iustyce Now thenne sythen it is so as I haue sayd to the and approuyd that none may knowe the secretes of god How myght men knowe that that he wyl do ne the cause why he dyd alle that he hath doon Notwythstondyng that saynt austyn and many other as I haue sayd haue gyuen and shewen of hit many natural reasons And therfore thou oughtest not to enquyre of the secretes of god no ferther thenne nature humayn may knowe and vnderstonde ¶ The doctours been of oppynyon and sayen that the prescyence of god bereth ne wythholdeth nothynge of nede but that it may befalle otherwyse And thys approueth boece of consolacion by reasons ensaumples Fyrst he sayth that god knoweth somme thynges nedefully naturelly for to come as he knoweth of nede that the sonne ryseth in the mornynge Item he knoweth somme thynges of free and lyberalle arbytre for he knoweth wel whan soÌ„me wyl do somme thynge and that hath hys free wylle and lyberalle arbytre for to doo hit or not Therfore the man doeth naturally that that he doeth For thus hath god Instytued and ordeyned hit Item the sonne ryseth of nede by cause that god ordeyned hit so thus the thynges whyche oughte for to come naturelly been nedeful but they that comen by lyberal arbytre ben free to doo hit or not For thus hath god ordeyned Instytued and forseen Item hit may be proued by ensaumple that the deuyne prescyence of god wytholdeth ne bereth no nede Now suppose we that in somme place is a waye whyche is deuysed in thre wayes thorugh which waye a man must passe Item lete vs suppose that another man is hyghe vpon a montaygne whyche knoweth alle thynges that are to come the whiche cryeth wyth an hyghe voys vnto hym that shold passe by the waye deuysed in thre wayes sayd I deffende the that thou ne passe thorugh the lyft waye but by the ryght waye or at the leste by the myddel waye yf thys man sette ne retche not of his sayeng but goeth thorugh the lyfte waye and falleth in to the handes of his enemyes what may do therto the man whyche was vpon the montaygne whiche knewe wel al thynges that were to come and that forbode and deffended to hym that he shold not passe by the lyfte waye None is thenne cause of hys harme euyl but he allone sythe that he had hys lyberalle arbytre and free wylle for to haue passed by suche a waye as hit pleasyd to hym and also whan hit was forboden and deffended to hym
substaunce and temporelle goodes to th ende that thou dyspende hit not folisshly by euyl syghtes and euyl playes or ellys by lecherye as dyd the sone of perdicion or losse whiche expendyd al his goodes with comyn wymmen dissolute dyshoneste wythouten mesure Diligenciam adhibe tHou oughtest to take dyligence and cure of thy werkes and in al thynges whiche of nede thou must doo as wel in werkes spiritual as corporalle For to be dylygent and wel aduysed of his fayte men eschewe many grete Inconuenyentes and decepcions as wel of the body as of the sowle that is to wete by beleue good counceyl and to kepe hym fro euyl counceyl and fro the awaytes or watchyng of the enemyes bothe spiritual and corporalle Blandus esto tHou oughtest to be courteys and benygne For they whiche been swete and courteys shal not onely haue the goodes of this world but also they shal haue the eternal goodes of god as sayth saynt Austyn Saynt bernard sayth yf the humble haue the heuen and the benygne the erthe what shal god leue for the proude and euyl sothely he ne leueth to them other thynge but the payne of helle and perpetual dampnacion Irasci abs re noli tHou oughtest not to be wrothe of a thynge vncerteyn that is to say that whan thou arte wroth of a thynge vncerteyn and wythout cause lawful thou oughtest not therfore to Iuge none wrongfully in refraynyng thyn yre For the man whiche is ouertaken wyth yre may not see ne knowe neyther trouthe ne reason Iracundiam tempera tHou oughtest to refrayne thyn yre Not onely the yre subdayn and subytte but also men ought to kepe hem self from the yre whiche is without mesure without reason That is to say that men ought not sodeynly and Inmoderately auenge hym self vpon his enemyes to hys appetyte Neminem irriseris tHou oughtest not to mocke ne scorne none other specyally whan thy wyll is to haue companye with hem but thou oughtest to force thy self for to gete his grace wyth alle thy myghte Miserum noli irridere tHou oughtest not to scorne ne mocque the poure vnfortunate to whom fortune is contrarye specyally whan they ben in theyr vnfortune and myserye but thou oughtest to comforte and helpe them after thy power and to gyue to them good hope in god Raro conuiua tHou oughtest selde to make festys ete and drynke in felawshyp that is to say that thou oughtest to goo selde to the festys and etynges of other ne to praye oftymes somme other for to ete and drynke wyth the It is founden in the auncyent historyes that Alexaunder came in to a contre where as the folke were of grete abstynence wherfore they lyued longe To this purpoos recounteth boece de consolacion that at the fyrst eage of the world before the deluge or growyng of waters the folke ete neuer flesshe ne dranke no wyne but ete onely that that the erthe broughte forth by nature wythout ony labour or cultyuyng and fasted vnto the euen wythout takyng ony manere of substaunce after they sowped them wyth a fewe chesteyns and with acornes Therfore sayth boece that they were wel happy bycause that they were more stronger than we been now at thys tyme It is founden that men may haue ten prouffytes by sobyrteâ—â— and abstynence The fyrst is helthe of body and of sowle The second is lengthe of lyf The thyrd is gladnesse of plesure of lyf corporell and spyrytuel The fourth is that men slepe and reste the better The fyfthe is bycause that men haue better appetyte for to ete The vj is bycause that men gete therfore preysyng and grace toward god The seuenth is delyueraunce of dethe The viij is refraynyng of mowthe The ix is puttyng from hym self the wolfe that is to wete the deuyl of helle For thus as hunger chaceth the wolfe out of the wode thus sobrete chaseth the deuyl fro the man Pauca in conuiuio loquere tHou oughtest to speke lytel or fewe whan thou etest or drynkest that is to saye that thou oughtest to speke at thy dyner and sowper by mesure and whan it is nede Seneque sayth I commaunde to the that thou speke late and selde Saynt Ambrose sayth that he whiche can not speke wel ought to kepe his pees Quod satis est dormi tHou oughtest to slepe by mesure whan it is nede and that nature requyreth hit and thy complexyon and nomore that is to saye that thou oughtest to kepe thy self fro ouermoche slepe and fro ouermoche watchyng It is founde in the auncyent hystoryes that macrobyus whan he wold fyghte ageynst the assiriens seyng that he was ouer feble and that the assiriens were stronger than he was He bethought and aduysed hym self to haue somme of mande-glorye powdre whiche causeth and maketh men for to slepe after he made the sayd powdre to be put in to al the pypes ful of wyne whiche were within his tente and thenne after that was done he with al his hoost made semblaunte to flee And theÌ„ne thassiriens came to the sayd siege with al theyr myght for to haue gone after macrobyus but before that they wente after hym they dranke so moche of the wynes of macrobyus wherein he had put the sayd powdre that sone they were forced and nedes they must slepe and slepte in suche wyse that they laye as dede men on the erthe Thenne retorned macrobyus and came and slewe them at his plesure for they had no myghte for to resiste ne to doo ony defence Thus to speke morally the deuyl kylleth and sleeth alle them whiche he fyndeth a slepe in dedely synne bycause they haue no puyssauÌ„ce for to defende them self ne to resiste to the deuyl of helle Meretricem fuge tHou oughtest to flee the comyn folysshe wymmen and the bawdes and theyr decepcions For they ben more subtyl than the deuyl Item thou oughtest to holde the by thy wyf yf thou be maryed Saynt Crisostom sayth that he is a fole whiche leueth his good and trewe wyf and holdeth other comyn wymmen in his felawshyp Peter alphons reherceth in his book that in spayne wythin the cyte of hyspalensy was a moche fayre and a good bourgeys wyf and wel beloued of her husbond It happed that a yonge clerke was enamowred of hyr and many tymes prayed requyred hir of loue but for no thynge she wold neuer consente to hit Thenne whan the clerke sawe that he was refused he entred in to suche a malencolye that better he semed to â—â—e deed thenne on lyue but nyghe his how 's dwellyd a maquerel or bawde whiche had grete acqueyntaunce wyth the sayd bourgeyse And whan the sayd bawde knewe that the sayd clerke was in suche poynte she came for to speke wyth hym and demaunded of hym what he eyled and why he was in so grete malencolye and comforted hym and dyd so moche that she knewe al his fayte And in dede the clerke made bargeyn with the
had wylle for to retourne in to the worlde And therfore I promytte and make o vowe to god that from hens forthe I shal kepe vyrgynyte Thenne he retourned to the forsayd holy fader and recounted vnto hym al that he had seen and herde Thenne was the holy hermyte moche gladde and ioyous and sayd to the yonge man yf thou haddest fasted and accomplysshed the fourty dayes thou sholdest haue wel seen and herde other reuelacyons after that the sayd yonge man dwellyd stylle in the sayd hermytage in hys vyrgynyte Noli tu quedam refferenti credere semper Exigua est tribuenda fides quia multi multa loquÌ„tur â—Hou oughtest not euer to byleue that that men sayen and reporten to the ne to adde feythe to hit as doon many iouglers which tellen tydynges by swete wordes for to deceyue the for many sayen and tellen many thynges whyche are not trewe for hit may not be but that in ouer many wordes ne been somme lesynges Therfore saith Esope that men ought not to byleue alweye al the wordes that men heren saye For he is for a fole reputed and holden that byleueth the wordes of a mycheaunte lyar The encheson and cause that moeuen the Infydeles and paynyms for to saye suche wordes is by cause that there ben fewe of crystens and yet that more is of tho that ben crystene fewe shal be sauyd For they onelye that kepe the commaundementes of god shal be sauyd and that byleuen that holy chyrche byleueth the whyche arguen thus and sayen wherfore shold god haue created so grete a nombre of folke whan he knoweth and knewe wel that they shold be dampned For ther ben twyes as moche more of Infydeles or paynyms than there be of crysten and of the crysten allonely the good shal be saued and sayen that yf so were that they shold be dampned wyth the euyl crysten for one saued there shold be a thousand dampned and moo Item they saye that it is meruaylle how god gyueth and hath gyuen soo moche goodes and rychesses to so grete a multytude of people whan he knoweth knewe wel that they ben and shal be dampned To thys errour men may answer and saye that it is no meruaylle yf many been dampned to the comparyson and regarde of them that are saued for it is no meruaylle yf Iustyce rendreth and gyueth to the synnners that that they haue deserued and of thys none oughte to be meruaylled for thou seest wel that the sonne rendreth and gyueth hys lyghte to alle the world as wel to the euyl as to the good Wherfore none oughte to meruayll hym yf the mysericorde of god gyueth moche of goodes to the good ne yf the Iustyce of god punyssheth tho that are rebelle and euyl ageynste god and for the Informacyon of thys saynt austyn sayth that yf god wolde al the euyl peple shold be good but he loueth better that they be that that they wyl be for yf they be good thys shal not be wythout meryte ne gwerdon lyke wyse yf they be euyl and wycked it shal not be wythoute punycion for none may not excuse hym selfe but that he shal do wel yf he wyl by cause that eueryone hath his free arbytre and lyberalle wylle for to do wel or euyl The holy scrypture sayth that god putteth before the man two glases that is to wete lyf and dethe and whyche of them that he wyl haue he shal haue for yf he doo wel he shal haue lyf pardurable or wythoute ende and yf he do euyl he shall haue eternal deth wherfore it apperyth clerely that we ought not to byleue the argumentes of thynfydeles for they sayen and maken many argumentes they wote not how Quod potu peccas ignoscere tu tibi noli Nam nullum crimen vini est sed culpa bibentis tHou oughtest not to blame none yf thou synnest by ouer moche drynkyng of wyne so that thou becomest therof dronke for it is not the fawte of the wyne but of hym that ouermoche drynketh of hit For the wyne in as moche as it is created of god hit is good by cause that hit doeth moche good who taketh it temperatelye and by mesure Arystotle sayth in his book of secretes that the wyne taken temperatelye rendreth the man ioyous and able in alle thynges that he hath to doo Consilium archanum tacito committe sodali Corporis auxilium medico committe fideli tHou oughtest to counceyl thy self secretelye vnto thy lawful frende and felawe of thyn affayres or dedes and werkys whan thou knowest that he is lawful and secrete and whan thou hast wel approuyd hym Lyke wyse thou oughtest not to do medecyne thy body but of hym whyche is lawful trusty and experte in the arte of medecyne for to medecyne thy body The prophete sayth that men oughte to byleue his auncyent frende and hys secrete counceylle and not the newe the whyche men haue not yet approued A prophete was ones demaunded what thynge he shold doo the nexte morowe whyche answerd yf I shold telle hit to the how sholdest thou kepe hit secrete and not telle hit whan I may not kepe it secrete but that I must telle hit to the Successus dignos noli tu ferre moleste Indulget fortuna malis vt ledere possit tHou oughtest to bere pacyently the fortunes vnworthy and contrarye to the whyche comen not on the by thy synnes and desertes For by as moche as thou seest that somme ben better fortuned than thy self arte of so moche more maketh them fortune to descende falle a lowe shamefully For fortune nys none other thynge but nature wythoute reason For she spareth somtyme the euyl to th ende that she may hurte and deceyue them Therfore the euyl and wycked folke ben often more fortuned of worldly goodes than the good folke The wyse beda sayth that the good oughte not to meruaylle them self for as moche that the euyll been wel fortuned in thys world For it apperteyneth not to the good after the relygyon crysten to be enhaunced in temporall goodes For hit behoueth to them to be poure and holden for fowle in thys worlde For the euyl hath no thynge in heuen ne the good on the erthe Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos Nam leuius ledit quidquid preuidimus ante tHou oughtest often thynke to the fortunes caas that may fallen to the fro day to day to the ende that thou be not ouertaken by vnaduertaunce or vnwyttyngly for al fortunes and aduersytees of whyche thou hast be aduysed hurten ne greuen the not so moche as they whiche comen sodaynlye Seneque sayth that the wyse man oughte to thynke euer in hys courage on the fortunes and aduentures whyche may come vpon hym For the wyse man sayth neuer I supposed that ony suche fortune shold haue comen on me Rebus in aduersis animum submittere noli Spem retinere spes animum non morte relinquet tHou
ben more sages than they that are proude and enhaunced and sette on the hyghe chayer in audyence Rebus et in sensu si non est quod fuit ante Fac viuas contentus eo qd tempora prebent THou oughtest to be contente of that that the tyme gyueth to the how be it that thou haue not so moche of good as thou haddest before Therfore thou must refrayne and leue somme of thyn estate and to make lâ—â—se expences for yf thou wylte holde so grete a state as thou was wonte for to doo thou myghtest not furnysshe it without takyng and steelyng vniustelye the other mennys good and by so thou oughtest to be contente of that that thou hast of presente and for to holde thyn estate after thy rente and reuenue and to rendre graces and thankes to god of alle Notwythstondyng that thou hast not so moche of rentes and of pocessyons as thou was wonte to haue or of marchaundyses yf thou be a marchaunte For the goodes of thys worlde been varyable now one is ryche and now poure Socrates sayth that there was a man that compleyned vnto hym by cause that he was poure whyche demaunded of hym counâ—â—yll what thynge he shold do To whome Socrates answerâ—â—d Yf the goodes that thou hast be not suffysaunte for thyn estate and for thy lyuyng doo and gouerne thy selfe by suche manere that thou be suffysyng to thy goodes and so shalte thou be contente of thyn estate Doo thou as Iob sayd god gafâ—â— hit to me and god hath taken hit fro me god be thanked of al For thus it hath pleased to hym and thus he hath hyt doon Therfore euery one oughte to be contente of that that god gyueth to hym Pxorem fuge ne ducas sub nomine dotis Nec retinere velis si ceperit esse molesta THou oughtest not to take a wyf ne to coueyte hir for hyr dowayr for hir rychesse ne for hir noblesse but thou oughtest to chese and take hyr for hyr vertues good condycyons and for cause of hir good worshypful honeste lygnage or kynrede and specyally whan she hath a good moder For the doughters folowen ofte the condyâ—â—onâ—â— maners of the moders but whan thou arte wedded yf â—â—y aduenture she doeth to the somme moleste or greef that is to say yf she be an harlotte or an aduoultrere thou oughtest to flee fro hyr and to put hir oute fro thy felawshyp knowe thou after ryght canon and cyuyl that thou ne oughtest for to leue and put hir fro the but onelye for aduoultrye For knowe thou that it is the souerayn gyfte of god for to haue a good and lawful wyf Multorum disce exemplo quae facta sequaris Quae fugias vita nobis est aliena magistra THou oughtest to lerne by ensaumple of many wyse men what besynesse thou oughtest to doo First thou oughtest to flee teschewe that that they haue eschewed and fledde for the lyf of the other strauÌ„gers which haue preceded vs must be rewle and maystresse of alle oure dedes and gouernementes that is to say that thou oughtest to consydere how many are come to grete worshyp and perfeccion for to haue rewled and gouernyd them wysely and how many are comen to grete myserye by theyr euyl ledyng and gouernaunce and by cause that the faytes or dedes of this world ben varyable and dyffycyle for to knowe thou oughtest for to thynke and to thynke ageyn many tymes to that that thou wylte doo and how of lyke caas is betaken to the auncyente wyse men and by so thou shalte mowe knowe of lighte that that is prouffytable or chargeable Cum tibi vel socium vel fidum queris amicum Non tibi fortuna hominis sed vita petenda est THou oughtest not to demaunde the fortune of man but his lyf that is to say that whan thou wylte aquyre and haue a good frende and a lawful felawe thou oughtest not to demaunde of hys fortune that is to wete yf he be ryche noble or puyssaunte but oughtest to demaunde yf he be of good lyuyng wyse and prudente for by scyence wysedom men may recyste to the falaces decepcions of fortune by cause that that fortune gyueth to the of longe tyme she taketh hit ageyn fro the wythin a shorte space of tyme but scyence or connyng lasteth and endureth vnto the tyme of dethe for none may take hit from the The phylosophre sayth that there ben foure maners of persones whyche kepe not trewe loue the fyrst is the cruel man and euyl For he ne demaundeth but hate falsehede and stryffe The second iâ—â— the auncyente man by cause that he doubteth leste he shold be deceyued the thyrd is the chylde for for an apple one leseth his loue The fourth is the comyn woman for who that gyueth to hyr moste shal haue hir loue but veray trewe loue endureth euer bothe in aduersite in prosperyte betwyxte two good and lawful frendes Quod potes id tempta operis ne pondere pressuâ—â— SuccuÌ„bat labor et frustra temptata relinquas THou oughtest to preue assaye yf thou arte stronge ynough and vertuous for to accomplysshe and to doo that that thou purposest for to do or that that thou hast begonne for to do and how thou oughtest to lede hyt to good ende to the ende that thy laboure that is to wete â—â—hat whyche thou shalte haue begonne for to doo be not to the ouer greuous and that thou bowe not vnder hyt for thou sholdest leue al that thou haddest begonne wherfore euery man shold mocque the for it is gretter worshyp for to kepe hym selfe fro the begynnyng of the thynges whyche may not be perfourmed ne broughte to an ende than for to begynne them and after to leue them vnparfyte Esope sayth that he that weneth to mowe and knowe more than his faculte and nature requyreth alle his fayte or dede is nought by cause that alle remayneth vnparfyte Quod nosci factum non recte noli silere Ne videare malos imitare velle tacendo THou oughtest not to holde thy pees of that that thou knowest Iniustely doon and wythoute reason for yf thou knowest somme thynge ageynste the lawe or ageynst the comyn we le or ageynste one partyculer men 〈◊〉 ellys ageynst many thou oughtest to recyte and manyfesten hit for yf thou kepe hit secretelye men shold mowe saye that thou were partyner and assentyng to the fayte or dede shold seme that thou sholdest loue more vniustice than Iustyce in as moche that thou sholdest hyde the vyces of theuyl folke shold spare to chastyse them to recyten theyr mysdedes wickednessesses I say not but that thou mayst admoneste them by fayre wordes or thou recyte or telle theyr synnes mysdedes Saynt austyn sayth suppose thou not that hyt be euyl doon to reherce and to Iuge the synnes of other by cause that yf thou sholdest hyde them thou sholdest do wers by the halfe and
in the deâ—â—he of them as had thauncyente whyche made sacrefyse to god of dombe beestys For they had in thys alle theyr feythe and byleue Certeynlye it is greter folye for to haue hope of saluacyon for the loue of somme creature than al onelye in the deth of Ihesu cryste thy redemptour For noo synnar oughte not to suppose for to haue pardon nor remyssyon of his synnes by other deth than onely by the dethe and blessyd passyon of Ihesu cryste It is redde in the holy scrypture that the auncyents erryd folysshly hadden a folysshe oppynyon For they slewe dyuers beestys of the whych they made sacrefyse to god and byleuyd that by the dethe of beestys god gafe to them pardon thou oughtest to knowe that suche folysshe cerymonyes that the auncyentes maad been put now doun set at nought by the newe lawe of our redemptour Ihesu cryste and by the dethe and passyon of Ihesu cryste ben putte and broughte to noughte al suche errours by cause that the veray feythe and byleue câ—â—me forthe in the comyng of our Lord Ihesu cryste Vtere quefitis opibus sed fuge nomen auari Quid tibi diuicie prosuÌ„t si pauper habundas tHou oughtest to dyspende thy goodes by suche manere that men sayen not that thou arte a nygarde and auarycyous that is to wete in doyng almesses and wyth them with whome it is expedyente for to dyspende and to gyue What shold auaylle to the a grete tresoure or a garette ful of whete or a celer ful of wyne yf hyt were soo that neyther to thy self nor to none other thou sholdest not take nor gyue somme what therof certeynlye alle thys shold auaylle the noo thynge but shold be lettyng and chargeable bothe to thy sowle and to thy body and sholdest be therof blamed and dyspreysed of the world For euery man shold saye that thou were a nygardâ—â— and that thou sholdest deye pourely besyde or nyghe thy goodes Saynt Iherome sayth cursyd be al tho whyche lyuen onelye to th ende that they may gadre and assemble worldly rychesses whyche are so sone passed and that are so transytorye and of so lytel valewe and by the whiche they lâ—â—se the rychesses yf grete valewe and eternal wythoute ende Si famam seruare cupis dum viuis honestam Hac fugias animo que sunt mala gaudia vite yF thou wylte haue kepe good fame or renomee in this world thou oughtest to flee al vyces synnes for the euyl ioyes worldly plesures been ofte cause and materâ—â— of euyl renomee and in th ende of dampnacyon perpetual The wyse man sayth that the good renomee and good preysyng is better than al the rychesses and tresoures of thys world by cause that the good and famous name endureth lenger than the rychesses Dum sapias animo noli irridere senectam NaÌ„ quocumque sene sensus puerilis in illo est tHou oughtest not to mocque scorne olde age that is to wete the olde auncyent folke though thou be wyse that god hath gyuen to the wytte vnderstondyng for to rewle gouerne the wysely for thou sholdest be therfore blamed of al men that haue wytte vnderstondyng For as Iob sayth sapyence cometh groweth in man wythin shorte tyme but prudence cometh by â—â—nge space of tyme and prolongeth thexperyence of the wyse mâ—â—n In euery olde man is sapyence but by somme accidentes wantynges of nature thauncyent retournen and becomen as chyldren been in theyr yongthe and euery olde man hath comynly the maners and countenaunces of a chylde therfore men ought not to mocque them but oughâ—â—en to suffre pacyently theyr fawtes theyr symplenesse for thou must consydere that without ony fawte thou must come to suche estate or ellys to deye in thyn yonge age Disce aliquid nam cum subito fortuna recedit Ars remanet vitamque hominis non dese rit vnquam tHou oughtest to lerne somme crafte or somme scyence for teschewe fortune whiche sodaynlye departeth and goeth fro the but thy crafte or connyng shal neuer leue the vnto the tyme of deth but yf by fortune thou losest thy worldly goodes by thy crafte or connyng thou myghtest recouer gete hem ageyn but yf thou haddest neyther coÌ„nyng nor crafte at al and fortune were to the contrarye thou sholdest abyde poure mysheaunte and myghtest falle in to many Inconuenyentes and perylles bothe of body and of sowle It is sayd in a comyn prouerbe that crafte is better than the sparhawke Item crafte and scyence eschewen grete Inbygence and taken the man from grete myserye daunger Prospicito cuncta tacitus qd quisque loquatuâ—â— Sermo hominum mores celat et iudicat idem tHou oughtest to holde thy pees â—â—o be moderate to loke herke what euery man shal say and to note sette hit in thyn vnderstondyng for by the wordes of the folke thou shalte mowe vnderstonde knowe their coÌ„nyng prudence their folâ—â—eâ—â—e mauayste â—â—or of haboundaunce of the herte the mowâ—â—e speketh sayth what the herte thynketh Therfore sayth the gospel Ha thou euyl man I Iuge and condempne the by thy mowthe and by thy wordes for comynlye euery persone sayth speketh as he thynketh The good persone sayth neuer but wel the euyl wycked saith euer euyl and therfore by the wordes of the folke men knowen theyr condycyons whether they be good or auyl Excerce studiuÌ„ quaÌ„uis percepeâ—â—is aâ—â—tem Vt cura ingenium fit et manus adiuuat vsum tHou oughtest to excercyce folowe the studye though that thou haue the arte scyence of many thynges for right so as al craftes which is vsed dayly rendreth maketh the hande able redy for to excercyse doo lyghtly the sayd crafte In lyke wyse by ofte studyeng to haunte the studye the clerkys men able them in what someuer scyence that it be they acquyren the vsage of al artes scyences for to vse studye them often For hit is moche better to haue the arte or the experyence of somme scyence or crafte than to haue the scyence withoute experyeence or vse what shold auayle to the thy scyence or thy crafte yf thou canst not vse helpe thy self therwyth and thou oughtest to studye in suche manere so longe that thou mayst gete and acquyre the experyence vse of the connyng or crafte of the whyche thou purposest for to helpe thy self Multum venturi ne cures tempora fati Ne mortem metuit qui scit contempnere vitam tHou oughtest not to haue cure ne retche for â—â—enquyre of thy fortune ne whan thou sholdest haue hit nor of many other thynges of whiche enquyren many symple folke that wyl knowe the secretes of god for none may knowe suche thynges but by deuyne reuelacyon For he that can dyspreyse this lyf mortal and do good werkys and to kepe the commaundementes of god doubteth not the dethe he
¶ Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton whiche booke hath ben translated in to Englysshe by Mayster Benet Burgh late Archedeken of Colchestre and hye chanon of saint stephens at westmestre which ful craftly hath made it in balade ryal for the erudicion of my lord Bousher Sone heyr at that tyme to my lord the erle of Estsex And by cause of late cam to my hand a book of the said Caton in Frensshe whiche reherceth many a fayr lernynge and notable ensamples I haue translated it oute of frensshe in to Englysshe as al along here after shalle appiere whiche I presente vnto the Cyte of london UNto the noble auncyent and renoÌ„med Cyte the Cyte of london in Englond I William Caxton Cytezeyn coniurye of the same of the fraternyte felauship of the mercerye owe of ryght my seruyse good wyll and of very dutie am bounden naturelly to assiste ayde counceille as ferforth as I can to my power as to my moder of whom I haue receyued my noureture lyuynge And shal praye for the good prosperite polecye of the same duryng my lyf For as me semeth it is of grete nede by cause I haue knowen it in my yong age moche more welthy prosperous rycher than it is at this day And the cause is that ther is almost none that entendeth to the comyn we le but only euery man for his singuler prouffyte O whan I remembre the noble Romayns that for the comyn wele of the Cyte of Rome they spente not only theyr moeuable goodes but they put theyr bodyes lyues in Ieopardy to the deth as by many a noble ensample we may see in thactes of Romayns as of the two noble scipions Affrican Asyan Actilius many other And amonge al other the noble Catho auctor and maker of this book whiche he hath lefte for to remayne euer to all the peple for to lerne in hit and to knowe how euery man ought to rewle and gouerne hym in this lyf as wel for the lyf temporall as for the lyf spyrytuel And as in my Iugement it is the beste book for to be taught to yonge children in scole also to peple of euery age it is ful conuenient yf it be wel vnderstanden And by cause I see that the children that ben borne within the sayd cyte encreace and prouffyte not lyke theyr faders and olders but for the moost parte after that they ben comen to theyr parfight yeres of discrecion and rypenes of age how wel that they re faders haue lefte to them grete quantite of goodes yet scarcely amonge ten two thryue I haue sene and 〈◊〉 â—â—other londes in dyuerse cytees that of one name and lygnâ—â—â— successyuely haue endured prosperously many heyres 〈◊〉 v or vj honderd yere and somme a thousand And in this noble cyte of london it can vnnethe contynue vnto the thyrd heyr or scarcely to the second O blessyd lord whanne I remembre this I am al abasshyd I can not Iuge the cause but fayrer ne wyser ne bet bespoken children in they re yongthe ben nowher than ther ben in london but at their ful rypyng ther is no carnel ne good corn founden but chaff for the moost parte I woâ—â—e wel there be many noble and wyse and proue wel ben better and rycher than euer were theyr faders And to th ende that many myght come to honoure and worshyppe I entende to translate this sayd book of cathon in whiche I doubte not and yf they wylle rede it and vnderstande they shal moche the better conne rewle them self ther by For among all other bookes this is a synguler book and may well be callyd the Regyment or gouernaunce of the body and sowle There was a noble clerke named pogius of Florence And was secretary to pope Eugenye also to pope Nycholas whiche had in the cyte of Florence a noble well stuffed lybrarye whiche alle noble straungyers comynge to Florence desyred to see And therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes And whanne they had axyd of hym whiche was the best boke of them alle and that he reputed for best He sayd that he helde Cathon glosed for the best book of his lyberarye Thenne syth that he that was so noble a Clerke helde this book for the best doubtles hit must folowe that this is a noble booke and a vertuous and suche one that a man may eschewe alle vyces and ensiewe vertue Thenne to th ende that this sayd book may prouffyte vnto the herars of it I byseche Almyghty god that I may acheue and accomplysshe it vnto his laude and glorye And to therudicion and lernynge of them that ben ygnorauÌ„t that they maye there by prouffyte and be the better And I requyre and byseche alle suche that fynde faute or errour that of theyr charyte they correcte and amende hit And I shalle hertely praye for them to Almyghty god that he rewarde them â—â—N this smal lytyl booke is conteyned a short and prouffitable doctryne for all maner of peple the whiche is taken composed vpon the said book of Cathon with some addicions auctoritees of holy doctours prophetes And also many Historyes ensamples autentyke of holy faders auncyent Cronycles trewe approuued Item this lytell booke shalle be deuyded in two partyes pryncipal The fyrst partye pryncipal is the proheme whiche begynneth Cumanimaduerterem And endureth vnto Itaque deo supplica The second partye pryncipal is the trayttye and alle the maner of this present book whiche begynneth Itaque deo supplica anendureth vnto the ende of the sayd lytel booke Item this second partye pryncipal is deuyded in two partyes the fyrst is in prose And the second in verse the fyrst partye whiche is in prose begynneth Itaque deo supplica And endureth vnto Si deus est animus the whiche conteyneth lvi commaundements Item the second partye whiche is in verse is subdyuyded in to foure partyes The fyrst begynneth at Si deus est animus endureth vnto Telluris si forte the whiche conteyneth fourty commaundements The second partye begynneth at Telluus si forte endureth vnto Hoc quicunque velis whiche conteyneth xxxv commaundements The third partye begynneth at hoc quicunque endureth to Securam quicunque whiche conteyneth xxvj commaundements the fourthe partye begynneth at Securam and endureth vnto th ende of the book And conteyneth lvj commaundements And soo this present lytel booke conteyneth in somme two honderd xiij commaundments as wel in prose as in verse But to th ende that thystoryes and examples that ben conteyned in this lytel book may be lyghly founden And also for to knowe vpon what commaundementes they ben adiousted and alledged they shalle be sette and entytled by maner of Rubrysshe in the commaundement vpon whiche eche shalle be conteyned and alledged And they shalle be signed as that folowed of the nombre of leues where
lost his sone his money folio lxvii How a man ought to suffre foure thynges for his trewe frende folio lxviii How god punyssheth som in this world Folio lxix Of the vysyon and debate ageynste the fere of dethe and surete of the dethe folio lxx Historye of a wyse man that loued thre frendes Fo lxxi Of fyue causes wherfore ought to be had displaysyre of the dethe of euylle peple folio lxxii Of fyue causes wherfore ought to be had Ioye of the dethe of good peple folio lxxii Thus endeth the table and the Rubrishes of this present boke whiche is called caton in Englysshe ryght singuler and prouffytable And ouer and aboue these that be comprysed in this sayd table is many a notable commaundement lernynge and counceylle moche prouffitable whiche is not sette in the sayd regystre or rubrysshe CVm animaduerterem quam plurimos homines errare in via moruÌ„ SuccurrenduÌ„ consulendum opinioni eorum fore existimaui-Maxime vt gloriose viuerent honorem contingerent nuÌ„c te fili carissime docebo quo pacto mores tui animi componas Igitur mea precepta ita legito vt intelligas legere enim et non intelligere negligere est WHan I remembre consydere in my corage that moche peple erre greuously in the waye of maners and of good doctrynes bycause they vse no manere of Iustyce ne of reson by whiche they be the more disordynate obstynate in their Iniquyte euyl for the which cause I haue delybered concluded oftymes how I myght remedye correcte socoure gyue good couÌ„ceyl to their false disordynate opynyon Iniustice bycause that many holde sowe many errours dyuerce coÌ„trarye to good Iustice equyte reason therfore I haue delibered in myn herte to helpe correcte the errours false opynyons for eueriche by right lawe writen ought to correcte his propre errour also therrour of his neyghboure of his cristen broder to th ende that euery man myght lyue gloriously that is to say vertuously that he may to thonour preysyng of god and of the world by cause that they that lyue vertuously vse reson Iustice equyte haue praysyng of god and of alle the world And thys is that the phylopher sayth in the book of the etiques whyche sayth for to come to worshyp and praysyng is none other thyng but to haue wytnesse in hym self of somme good and vertue how be hyt that somme good is spyrituel as vertu or science And temporel as ben rychesses and puyssaunces And therfore my right dere and welbelouyd sone I shal teche shewe to the clerely in the doctrynes commauÌ„dementis that thou shalt here herafter That is to wete the fourme and the manere how thou mayst rule the maners of thy corage That is to knowe how thou mayst rule and gouerne thy body and thy sowle in this world as wel in good werkes spirituel as in good werkys temporel and therfore rede and rede efte ageyn ofte tymes my coÌ„maundementes in suche wise that thou vnderstonde them reteyne them in thy mynde For to rede not vnderstonde is a thynge dyspyteuse and vnproffytable and of no prouffyte in whiche there abydeth no trouthe prouffytable ne no perfeccion of entendement for it is sayd in a comyn prouerbe that he that redeth no thynge vnderstondeth doth as moche as he that hunteth and no thynge taketh And therfore it suffyseth not to rede my commaundementes without they be vnderstonden and to what purpos I haue sayd them For thou oughtest to rede rede them efte ageyn more than an hondred tymes or vnto the tyme that thou vnderstonde them and reteyne them wel and perfytely And thenne thou shalt â—â—conne rule thy body thy sowle in this world therfore may this book wel ought to be entytled the râ—â—ile gouernement of the body and of the sowle Itaque deo supplica THe fyrst commaundement is that thou oughtest to praye and adoure god thy creatour onely and none other For yf so were that honoure and reuerence that is due to god were gyuen to ony other creature than to god that shold be ydolatrye as thou shalt here hereafter And thou oughtest to knowe that there be fyue maners for to bere and doo honoure and reuerence to god hys creatour That is to wete to werke adoure swere sacrefyse preyse by cause that god is the vnyuersel commaundour of alle our production begynnyng and gouernemente Thou oughtest to knowe that Idolatrye is none other thynge but tenbaunce and gyue the reuerence that ought to be gyuen to god to ony other creature Therfore I wyl shewe how ydolatrye was fyrst founde and there ben fyue causes The fyrst was for to eschewe the malencolye of the dethe of somme persones herof recounteth the wyse man of a man that loste his sone whome he loued moche hertelye But for teschewe the malencolye of the dethe of his sone and for to haue perpetuel remembraunce of hym dyd do make an ymage vnto the resemblaunce of the fygure of hys sone the whiche ymage he commaunded to be worshypped by hys subgettes and seruauntes vpon payne of Inobedyence Of this fyrst cause of ydolatrye recounteth saynt Gregore in his xj chappytre of saynt luke How the kynge of nynyue whan he was dede in batayle his sone whiche was kynge after hym dyd do make an ymage to the resemblaunce of hys fader the whiche ymage he adoured deuoutely commaunded expressely to be worshypped and adoured of al the subgettes of hys royame And to th ende that his subgettee shold haue the more gretter deuocion to the sayd ymage he dyd doo make an edycte or a decree that al they that had commysed offence ageynst the ryal mageste that they shold adoure the sayd ymage and al that so dyd shold be pardoned The second cause wherfore ydolatrye was founden was for the grete pryde and surquerdrye of somme prynces whiche somtyme made them to be adoured and worshypped as god As we haue an ensaumple of the kynge Nabugodonosor For to the ende that he shold be adoured as god He commaunded to olofernes whiche was prynce of his londe and of his chyualrye that he shold destroye all the goddes of his royame to th ende that he shold be reputed and honoured as god in al his contre The thyrd cause was fouÌ„den by adulacion or flaterye For to Impetre somme graces ageynst somme lordes as done they that ben poure whyche adoure the ryche prynces grete lordes as they were goddes For to haue theyr grace and benyuolence herof recouÌ„teth saynt austyn in the tenthe boke of the cyte of god that sayth that many thynges ben taken aweye fro thonoure and adouryng deuyne the which ben atrybued gyuen to kynges prynces temporel in geuyng to them gretter honoure reuerence thaÌ„ they do to god this spice of ydolatrye regneth yet at this day with kynges prynces of this
world which make them self to be adoured more thaÌ„ god The iiij cause of ydolatrye was by cause that they adoured the ydolles whaÌ„ they were requyred of ony thynge and that they gate or had as they demauÌ„ded they supposed that the deuyls that were within the ymages had myght power vpon them vpon the Elementes as for to do sece al tempestes al maladyes aduersitees that myght happen to them whiche thynge was suffred to come to them by deuyne suffraunce as it shal be declared herafter The v cause of ydolatrye was for his euyl couetyse and that was for to gete the goodes honoures of this world as done they â—â—hat selle them gyue them to the deuyls to the ende thaâ—â— theâ—â—â—â—ay accomplisshe theyr euyl wylles worldly desyres THere be founde seuen spyces of ydolatrye the fyrst is for to adoure the deuyls The second to adoure the lyght as the sonne the mone the sterres the thyrd is for to worshyp elementes as the fyre the erth the water the eyer The fourth is to adoure men and the creatures resonable The fyfthe is to adoure the bestes brute and vnresonable The syxte is to adoure the ymages and other fygures humayn I say not that men ought not to worshyp thymages of sayntes of heuen and of the vyrgyn marye for so moche as they gyue vs memorye make representacion of 〈◊〉 saâ—â—tes that ben in heuen and none otherwyse For hit shold 〈◊〉 be ydolatrye the vij is to adoure the tyme knowe ye that for to adoure al thyse thynges aforesayd as god is heresye Parentes ama THou oughtest to loue thy fader and moder nexte after god and to ayde helpe susteyne them in theyr necessytâ—â—es Therfore saith the phylosophre 〈…〉 is as moche to say as a name of loue for the sone oughte to fayle his fader for no thynge but ought to loue hym wyth veray loue dilection without ony fayntyse to helpe susteyne hym after his puyssaunce and faculte as we rede of a doughter that somtyme nourisshed her fader with her propre mylke which was in prison for which cause her fader was delyuerd out and rendrid quyt in remembrauÌ„ce perpetuel of the grete loue that the sad doughter had to her fader Cognatos â—â—ole THou oughtest to honoure and vysite ofte thy cosyns and to haue and holde theym in grete reuerence But thou oughtest to knowe that there be thre manere of cosyns The fyrst is spirituel as ben godfaders and godmoders The second is legale the whiche cause is by adopcyon The thyrd is carnal the whiche cometh by consanguynyte and by lygnage naturelle Datum serua TThou oughtest to kepe the thynge that is gyuen vnto the and to haue it in mynde in tyme comyng to the ende that thou mayst rendre and yelde somwhat therfore For thou arte bounden by ryght so to doo soo kepe wel the thynge that is gyuen to the That is to vnderstonâ—â—â—â—hat thou kepe wel the yefte of a good man that is gyuen to the Lyke as a precyous Iewel for the honour and reuerence of hym And thus thou shalt be moeuyd after to gyue hym ageyn but consydere and thynke dylygently before or thou gyue to whome thou oughtest to gyue Beneficij accepti Memor esto THou oughtest to remembre of the benefaytes of the receyued And fyrst thou oughtest to gyue than kynges therof to god thy creatour Secondly to them that haue gyuen hit to the to th ende that in tyme and place thou mayst guerdon them that haue so wel done to the yf they haue nede and necessyte Maiori cede locum THou oughtest to gyue place to hym that is gretter more of valewe than thou arte that is to say whan thou seest one more auncient more honourable than thou art in ony scyence dignyte or offyce thou oughtest to bere to hym honoure and reuerence in suche manere as whan thou arte sette thou oughtest to aryse whan thou seest hym come And yf he passe tofore the thou oughtest to enclyne and bowe thy kne And yf he goo by the ware thou oughtest to accompanye hym Herof we haue ensaumple in the gospel that sayth that whan thou shalt be boden to ony weddyng or feste sytte thou in the lowest place to the ende that whan he cometh that hath boden the saye to the frende aryse and sytte vpper And thus shalt thou be honoured of thassistentis in thy companye For yf thou sattest aboue in the hyest place and he that bad the sayd ffrende descende and sitte benethe that shold be to the shame and dyshonoure and to them of thy companye And therfore sayth saynt ancelme that the yonge peple ought to be subgette vnto the auncyent and obeye them And saynt Austyn sayth that by ryght reson and Iustyce the lasse owen to obeye to the gretter And the yonger ought to aryse ageynst the elder and more auncyent and to gyue to hym the chyef place whan they wyl sitte Saluta Libenter THow sholdest salewe grete the peple gladly that is to wete affectuously and wyth god herte wythout ony faynyng Not for to be salewed ageyn or by flaterye or by adulacyon but thou oughtest to salewe by humylite and hole wylle For salewyng is no thynge ellys but to shewe good desyre good wylle and affeccion to hym that is salewed to the ende that he may drawe and enclyne hym to loue and affabylite That is to wete ageynst them that at thys day salewe theyr neyghbours in suche manere that suche as they say with theyr mowthe is al contrarye to that whiche the herte thynketh Suche people maken of theyr tunges swerdes and synne greuously and also it apperyth that for to shewe sygne of loue vnder the shadowe of decepcion and it is a right grete synne and grete trayson and also ageynste the ryght cours of nature For naturelly euery man oughte to be loued of al other men For it is sayd comunely that there is none soo euyl an enemye as he that sheweth hym a frende by fyction faynyng for to dysceyue hym to whome he sheweth sygne of loue On that other parte there is none so grete hate as is loue faynte and palled vnder shadowe of decepcion Mutuum da THou oughtest to lene and thou oughtest to kepe the thynge that is gyuen to the to kepe to the ende that thou mayst gyue a counte whan thou shalt be requyred And also thou shalt lene that is to wete to the suffratouse and nedy whan they haue necessyte for good and veray loue and charite wythout ony vsure For thou oughtest to lene without ony hope of ony gayn as saythe Saynt luke lene wythout hope to haue ony gayne For to doo soo warneth vs holy scripture ryght canon and nature For no man ought to lene hys neyghbour for vsure ne gyue out his syluer to vsure For nature and good equyte wylle that a man shold helpe and lene his neyghbour whan he is in necessite
whiche made an edycte that who someuer were taken in aduoultrye he shold lâ—â—se bothe his eyen It happed that the sone of hym that had made this edicte was taken in to aduoultrye wherfore his fader commaunded that his two eyen shold be taken out of his heed but the bourgeys and the lordes of the cyte prayed for hym thenne that he shold haue grace but his fader for no thynge wold not consente to hit For he wold make equyte and Iustyce kepe the lawe whiche he had ordeyned but for to plese the lordes and al the people he ordeyned that he hym self shold lese one eye and his sone another eye to â—â—hende that his sone shold not lese alle his syghte and also that the lawe shold be kepte and Iustyce obserued Noli concupissere alienum THou oughtest not to be couetyse of somme others goodes For it is ageynst one of the commaundementes of our lawe Tulle sayth that none ought not to deme the rychesses to be hys owne ne for hym self onely But alle waye the rychesses been and ought for to be pryncypally for the comyn wele and prouffyte of euerychone Illud stude agere quod bonum est THou oughtest to studye for to doo that that is good and nedeful vtyle and prouffytable to the body and to the sowle Saynt Ysodore sayth that for to doo an euyl men loseth many goodes For by one synne many Iustyses been subuerted and loste Lykewyse by one euyll been many goodis subuerted and loste Therfore oughtest thou to put payne and dylygence for to doo euer wel We reden of a kyng whiche had thre sones whyche kynge at the ende of his dayes made his testamente in thys manere and fourme that is to wete that the moste sloutheful of hys thre sonnes shold be hys heyre Thenne eche of them to the ende that they myght come to the herytege beforesayd sayd that he was moste slouthful The fyrst sayd 〈◊〉 was so slouthful that yf he were sette soo nyghe to the fyre that his legges shold brenne yet he wold not ryse The second sayd that he was soo slouthful that yf he had the corde aboute hys necke for to be hanged and in hys hande a good knyf wel sharpe he wold not cutte the cord The thyrd sayd that yf he were in a good bedde and that the rayne fyl contynuelly vpon his two eyen he wold not ryse ne meue hym neyther to the lyft ne to the right syde therfore to this last yaue the kyng his heritage Iuged helde hym for the moste slouthful of his thre sones To speke morally who this kyng is It is to vnderstonden the deuyll of helle the whyche is kynge and prynce of alle slouthfull folke By the fyrst sone ben vnderstonden them whyche been in euyll and wycked companye the whyche haue leuer for to be brente of the fyre of synne that they lyen in than for to leue theyr euyl felawshyp By the second are vnderstonden them that been in dedely synne For how be it that they ben bounde by the necke with the strenges or cordes of the deuyl that is to wete with synnes and condempned to dâ—â—th and to be hanged on the galowes of helle Neuerthelesse they ben so slouthful and neglygent that they wyl not cutte the corde with theyr knyf whiche is sharpe ynough that is to wete wyth their tongue by veray and pure confessyon By the thyrd are vnderstonden them whiche dayly here speke of the paynes of helle and of purgatorye and of the ioye of paradyse and of alle vyces and synnes and of confessyon and how men ought to shryuen hem self But alle wayes they been soo wonder negligente that they can not confesse them self ne haue and put them out of synne whiche is at the lyfte syde for to eschewe the paynes of helle Ne for to goo to the ryght syde that is by veray contrycion and repentaunce for to gete the glorye of paradyse Libenter ferto amore THou oughtest to bere and haue loue to euery man That is to say that thou oughtest to gouerne thy self in suche maner with al maner of persones with whom thou conuersest that thou mayste haue theyr grace and loue And also thou must kepe thy self to doo ony thynge contrarye to frendshyp by the whyche thou myghtest lâ—â—se theyr lâ—â—ue be Indaygned of them ¶ Si deus est animus nobis vt carmina dicunt Hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus THe fyrst commaundemente of the fyrst partye metrycall is that thou oughtest to worshyp byleue one onely god in essence the whyche hath myght preemynence vpon alle thynges vysyble and vnuysyble and he is ende and begynnyng of alle thynges As sayeth Salamon He gouerneth alle thynges by weyghte and by â—â—sure and by hys deuyne and excellent grace he is cause that we been fourmed and created to his semblaunce and fygure For yf he were not and yf he gouerned vs not alle nature and kynde shold retourne to nought as of nought hit was made And for to beleue thys reason techeth vs the songes and dytees of the sayntes and of the holy appostles and prophetes As hit appereth clerely in the thre credes the whiche our moder holy chirche syngeth that is to wete in the crede of the appostles and in the crede whiche is songen at the masse and in the crede whyche is conteyned in the psalme of Quicunque vult saluus esse cÌ„ Wherfore now wythout ony more taryeng euery one ought to worshyp and adoure hym in veray and stedfast feyth and beleue wythout ony fyâ—â—cions or corrumpcions by pure deuoute and clene thoughte bycause that he is aboue alle other creatures one onely god eternal ende and begynnyng of alle thynge In that tyme that the wyse Platon lyued reygned a grete pestylence soo horryble that the folke deyed sodaynly Thenne whan Platon sawe that there reygned suche a cruel â—â—estylence he dyd soo moche by hys subtyltee and scyence that he knewe the cause wherof came thys pestylence and mortalytee the whiche dyd doo make a grete glasse and after he made hit to be borne vpon an hygh mountayn and loked wel ofte in to the sayd glasse in suche manere that he knewe and perceyued the cause of the sayd pestylence For he sawe a grete multitude of peple whiche lepte out of the cyte whiche deyed and fyl sodaynly to therthe dede Yet ageyn he loked in to the glasse and sawe in two grete valeyes which were on bothe sydes of the mouÌ„teyn a grete multitude of dragons vpon the roches of the sayd valeyes whyche beholden eche other and whystled and blowed moche wonderly And thus Platon perceyued and knewe clerely that the pestylence came by the whystelyng and soufflement of the sayd dragons whiche corrumped the eyre wherfore the peple â—â—yed sodaynly To the whyche thynge the sayd Platon founde a remedye for he dyd doo make grete fyres in the sayd valeyes in suche manere that
none ought to glorefye hym self of oldenesse of age wythout that he haue oldenesse of sapyence and of vertue Ne cures si quis tacito sermone loquatur Concius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici tHou oughtest not to caâ—â—e yf thou see somme folke spekyng secretly to gyder that is to wete whan â—â—hou arte pure clene without vyce without blame bycause that he whiche is gylty ful of vyces of synnes wenyth that al that men say in secrete is of his fayte or dede bycause that he is euer in doubte in remoxs of conscience Saynt Luc recounteth in his viij chappytre of a Iewe whiche sayd supposed in hym self whan marye magdalene wesshed the feet of crist with hir teris wyped them with hyr heerys and thought yf suche a man had ben an holy prophete and an holy man he had not suffred that a synner had touched hym wherfore he had suspecion in hys herte that Ihesu Cryste was a false prophete and an vntrewe And for this cause we ought not to haue suspecyon vpon other for so moche that they speke secretely to gyder or do soÌ„me other thynge secrete whan we knowe nor vnderstonde not the cause why for rather we ought to thynke suppose wel than euyl for the doubtous thynge ought to be interpreted to the better partye suppose rather soner wel than euyl Cum fueris felix que sunt aduersa caueto Non eodem cursu respondet vltima primis tHou oughtest to doubte flee fortune how be it that thou be ryche myghty of goodes bothe temporal spiritual for in tyme of habundaunce men haue memorye mynde of pouerte but alwayes thou must kepe thy self for to gete ne withholde vniustly the richesses euyl goten For moche ofte the laste thynges been not lyke to the fyrst The whele of fortune waxeth waneth as dothe the mone For neuer hit holdeth not in one poynte for Incontynent hyt chaungeth fro prosperite in to aduersite Therfore it is said that the last thynge resembleth not by one lyke cours to the first thynges For fortune holdeth hyr neuer in one poynte Therfore sayth Boece of consolacion that he whiche falleth is not stedfast that is to say that he whiche cometh fro prosperite in to aduersyte is not wel happy Cum dubia fragilis sit nobis vita tributa In mortem alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli tHou oughtest not to haue hope in the deth of other for to haue his good after hys dethe bycause that our lyf is freall doubtous and ryght vncerteyn For assone deyeth yonge as olde For men fynde at the markette how 's moo skynnes of calues than of kyen Whan the kyng alisaunder had wonne the batayle ageynst the kyng of Perse he retourned to his palays ryal in babylonye as sone as he was set atte table a wylde byrde entred within the halle which flewe many tymes about the halle after sette rested hym on the table before the Emperour and there the byrde leyed an egge and after hit flewe out of the halle in to the feldes Of the whiche egge yssued Incontynent a lytel worme whiche went rounde about the egge for to haue entred ageyn in to hit but he coude neuer fynde the hole where thorugh hit was yssued wherfore he deyed whan the kyng alyxaunder sawe thys he was moche abasshed as dremyng thought al the nyght on hit supposed that it had ben somme token of treson And yet on that same nyght a woman of the cyte was delyuerd of a chylde halfe man and halfe beest the which halfe humayn was dede and the other halfe beest was on lyue the whyche chylde was broughte vnto Alyxaunder for to see Wherof he was more abasshed than he had ben before of the byrde theÌ„ne he made al his astrologiens to be gadred assembled to gyder for to knowe Iuge what the sayd thynge betokened The whiche were al of one opynyon that these wonders meruayles betoken his deth Thenne one of them spake for al before Alyxaunder and sayd that the egge whiche is rounde betokened the world and that the lytel worme betokenyd Alexaunder For as the litel worme myght not retourne to the hâ—â—le of the egge where thorugh he came out of Right so alixaunder whiche had wonne subdued al the world alle aboute shold neuer retourne in to Grece out of whiche londe he was yssued and tolde and concluded before hym that the goddes had ordeyned that he shold deye And the forsaid astrologyen said the childe whiche is halfe deed halfe on lyue halfe man halfe beest betokeneth that now thou arte but halfe man for thou arte nygh to thy dethe And thy successours shal be lyke to lyuyng beestes to the regarde of the and of thy prouesses whiche thou hast doon Thenne whan alyxaunder herde these tydynges he lyfte vp his eyen toward heuen and began to crye wyth an hygh voys O my grete and souerayn god Iupyter I see now wel that this world gyueth lytel gwerdon rewarde helas I wende to haue lyued so longe in this world thai I myght haue accomplisshed al my wylle now I must deye I knowe clerely that none oughte not to truste to longe lyf in this world as I haue done nor hauyng hope on the dethe of other as I haue had hytherto Exiguum munus cum det tibi pauper amicus Accipito placide plene et laudare memento tHou oughtest to take with thanke the lytel yefte of thy frende For how be hit that it is lytel thou must take hit gladly and hit ought to be to the more agreable more plesaunt than yf a ryche man had gyuen it to the Therfore whan men gyuen to the thou oughtest not to haue regarde vnto the yefte yf hit be lytel or grete but thou oughtest to haue rewarde to the wylle affeccyon of hym that gyueth hit to the ought to take hit with good herte to remercye thanke playnly for al be hit neuer so lytel yf thou sholdest refuse hit thou sholdest do to hym that gyueth hit shame vergoyne Q uintilianus reherceth of a poure man and of a ryche man that hadden two gardyns whyche gardyns were ioynyng to gyder The poure man had in hys gardyn many hony flees or bees and the ryche had in his gardyn many fayre floures the whiche ryche man made to telle to the poure man that he was euyl apayed of his bees whiche came in to his gardyn to take the hony vpon his floures and the poure man made therof no grete care but lette his flees goo as they were acustomed Thenne whan the ryche man sawe that he cared not he wente and caste venym vpon his floures in suche manere that whan the bees sette them vpon the sayd floures they were alle poysâ—â—ned and in parelle of dethe But the poure man whyche was a good medecyne put soÌ„me remedye to
and spare somtyme them that thou mayst vynquysshe and ouercome For pacyence is the grettest vertue of alle vertues of good condycyonâ—â— By cause that by the name of pacyence alle the other vertues taken force vygour and attemperaunce Therfore sayth the prouerbe that vertu is wydowe whan she is not aâ—â—urned confermyd and attemperyd wyth pacyence by cause that alle the other vertues rewlen and ordeynen them by pacyence for pacyence vaynquyssheth alle Conserua pocius que sunt iam parta labore Cum labor in dampno est crescit mortalis egestas THou oughtest to kepe and spare that whyche thou hast acquyred and goten wyth grete payne and wyth grete swette of thy body and more moderatelye thou oughtest to dyspende hit than that whyche cometh of auauntage and withouten payne and trauaylle For euery one doubteth the peyne and laboure that men haue for to gete them Item also naturally euery man kepeth and loueth better that whyche he acquyreth wyth payne and grete trauaylle thenne that whyche cometh of auauntage For whan one dyspendeâ—â—h that whyche is goten wyth grete laboure he falleth to grete pouerte and dommage and in to mortal Indygence whyche growen and encreaceth from day to day We reden of two hosemakers of the whyche the one was poure and had so grete famylle or meyne that his crafte myght not gouerne ne susteyne his housholde ne to furnysshe the expences the whyche as a wyse man put hym self to serue god contynuelly herde masse euery day wythoute faylle and thus by the grace of god had euer of worldly goodes ynough for to holde and susteyne hys estate wyth But the other whyche was more ryche than he was wrought bothe on sondayes holydayes the whyche by punycyon of god fyl in to grete Indygence pouerte in dede by grete yre as al wroth said to his neyghbour how farest thou how goeth thy fayte thou werkest not the halfe of the tyme but alwaye thou lyuest farest more largely hast more of worldly goodes thaÌ„ I haue that werke bothe holydayee sondayes contynuelly The whyche answeryd to hym that he had founde a tresoure in the erthe of the whyche he was wexen ryche and that yf he wold doo as he dyd of al that they shold fynde he shold haue his parte whyche accorded therto and wente euery day to the chyrche as dyd hys neyghbour and sone he had of worldly goodes ynough whan he beganne to serue and to loue god Therfore sayth the gospel seche ye fyrst the kyngdom of god and alle thynges shal come to your behoufe 〈◊〉 haboundaunce largelye Dapsilis interdum notis et caris amicis Cum fueris felix semper tibi proximus esto THou oughtest to gyue and to be large somtyme vnto thy dere frendes and to shewe thy self humble and benygne toward them but alwayes thou oughtest fyrst to helpe thy self For as sayth the appostle none oughte to hate hys flesshe ne his persone charyte begynneth at hym self and after to hys parentes and to the other who hath the myght and puyssaunce Men may compare the ryche man to the henne by cause that the henne taketh so grete curyosyte to nowrysshe hyr chyckyns that often she forbereth etyng for theyr sake in so moche that she wexyth alle lene but whan the chyckens are grete they remembren them not of hit for they knowe hyr nomore ne setten noughte by hyr Semblably whan the ryche man hath nowrisshed his chyldren in theyr yongthe wel derely and hath often foboren mete and drynke for to gadre and assemble goodes for theym whan they are grete and oute of the daunger of theyr fader and moder they remembren hit not and setten noughte by them Therfore I counceyl the whan thou arte ryche myghty that thou ne gyue ne distrybue thy goodes to thy chyldren ne to thy parentes frendes without thou haue first purueyed vnto thy selfe That is to saye that thou reteygne and holde so largely of thy goodes that hit may suffyse for to helpe thy body and specyalle thy sowle Incipit liber secundus ¶ Telluris si forte velis cognoscere cultus Virgilium legito quod si mage nosce laboras YF thou wylte knowe the cultyuyng and eeryng of the erthe and how men oughte to laboure and make hit clene and whan men must sowe gadre ageyne thou must rede the poete vyrgylle for in hys book thou shalt fynde the manere for to cultyue and laboure the erthe and by cause that by suche laboure men gete and acquyre many grete rychesses the auÌ„cyentes dyte put theyr cure and studye for to laboure and cultyue the erthe but thys oppynyon is false for the souerayn good of thys Worlde is to serue loue god Herbarum vires macer tibi carmina dicet YF thou wylte knowe the force vertu of herbes thou must rede this poete macer the auncientes said that the souerayn We le of this world was in the helth of the body therfore they put al their witte studye for to knowe the proprete vertu of the herbes by cause that they ben ordeyned for the helthe of the body the which oppynyon is false Si romana cupis et punica noscere bella Lucanum queras qui martis prelia dicet YF thou wylte knowe the bataylles of rome of affrique rede this poete named lucan the auncyentes sayd that the souerayn wele of this world was in getyng of good fame renome of noblesse therfore they dyd put all theyr estudye for to knowe the faytes or dedes of thauncientes And specyally of â—â—heym of Rome and of Auffryque the whyche haue been moche subtylle vpon the fayte and dede of werre Si quid amare libet vel discere amare legendo Nazonem petito Sinautem tibi cura hec est YF thou wylte loue and haue a paramour rede thou the poete named nazo the lechoure thauncyen supposed that the souerayn good of thys world had been in plesures and worldely delectacyons And therforâ—â— â—â—tudyed and lerned thys poete Nazo whyche techeth the 〈◊〉 and manere for to loue paramours Vt sapiens viuas audi que discere possis Per que semotum vicijs deducitur cuum Ergo ades et que sit sapiencia disce legendo YF thou wylte lyue wysely flee the vyces and folowe the vertues the whyche putten al vyces synnes out of the persone Item thou oughtest to rede and studye in suche manere that thou mayst become sage and wyse to acquyre sapyence wysdom to flee the false opynyons errours of thauÌ„cient beforesayd in the iiij precedent commauÌ„dementes Si potes ignotis eciam prodesse memento Vtilius regno est meritis acquirere amicos TThou oughtest to do wel to do prouffyte to the strauÌ„gers not al onely to thy parentes frendes For it is more vtyle prouffitable for to acquyre a frende by thy labour and good dedes than for to acquyre a royame or somme
oughtest not to dyspeyre the for the thynges contrarye and aduerse that comen and may come to the for thou oughtest for to haue and to reteyne in thy selfe good and stedfast hope vnto the tyme of thy deth For euery man ought to haue good hope whan he is in the article of deth for to lyue eternally in the glorye of paradyse dyspeyre or wanhope is propyce and good to the enemye of helle and contrarye to al reason for the man that deyeth in dyspeyre shal neuer haue pardon nor remyssyon of hys synnes And thus though that thy werkys or dedes goo not after thy wylle and that fortune be contrarye to the thou oughtest not therfore to dyspeyre the but to haue good hope that god shal gyue to the ynough of goodes in tyme to come for tho that haue no fortune nor none aduersytees in thys worlde ben not belouyd of god Saynt ambrose on a tyme as he wente toward Rome he lodged hym wyth an hoost whyche was moche ryche to whome he demaunded of hys estate Whiche answerd that he was moche ryche and wel fortuned and that neuer he had had nonevnfortune nor dysplesure in thys world but euer had be in good prosperyte of body and of goodes and that he had lyued Worshypfully and that his goodes dyd encrece and multeplye dayly thynges come to hym at hys plesure and thenne whan saynt ambrose vnderstood thys he was moche abasshed and in grete doubte wherfore he anone sayd to hys seruauntes lete vs lyghtelye departe fro hens for god is not here and by aduenture ye myght be taken wyth hym in hys rychessys and synnes Thenne as they wente and were not yet ferre from the how 's of the sayd man the erthe claue in two and swalowed in the sayd ryche man his goodes his wyf and al hys meyne Thenne saynt ambrose torned hym and sayd loke my brethern how god pardonneth medefully to them to whom he sendeth and gyueth aduersite in thys world how he punyssheth cruelly them to whome he gyueth none aduersyte but al prosperyte and it is sayd that there is as yet in the same place a pytte in mynde and remembraunce of the sayd myracle and ensaumple Rem tibi quam noscis aptam dimittere noli Fronte capillata post hec occasio calua est tHou oughtest not to leue the thynge whyche thou knowest of presente and for tyme to come prouffytable and necessarye specyally whan fortune is vnto the fauourable and good and whan thou arte in good prosperyte for after thys good fortune whyche thou sholdest leue and forsake myghte come vnto the another euyl fortune aduerse contrarye to the by thencheson of whyche thou myght be despoyled of al thy goodes wherfore thou sholdest neuer recouer that that thou leftest and forsook For the comyn prouerbe sayth that men oughte neuer to put at theyr feet that whyche they holde wyth theyr handes Lucan sayth that alle delayeng and neclygence oughte to be sette a parte For neglygence letteth euer al thynges whyche one may haue forthwyth yf he leue hem not by neglygence and sayth yet that al that thou mayst do this day thou oughtest not to abyde vnto the nexte morne for to do hit for whan the man is in his good fortune and prosperyte he acquyreth many frendes Therfore sayth the wyse man whan thou shalte be ryche and wel fortuned thou shalte haue many frendes but whan fortune shal be contrarye to the thou shalt be lefte allone Quod sequitur specta quod que innuet ante videto Illum imitare deum qui ê‘tem spectat vtramque tHou oughtest to thynke and to take hede to the thynges presente passed and to come for thou oughtest for to folowe hym that beholdeth bothe one other partye that is to wete the thynges presente passed and yet to come Saynt austyn sayth as in the persone of god o thou man yf thou dysplesest knowest thy self thou sholdest plese me but by cause that now thou wylte not loke ne knowe thy self thou pleasest the dyspleasest me for the tyme shall come in whyche thou shalte dysplease thy self and me also that is to wete whan thou shalte be Iuged of me of thy self also for thy synnes whan thou shalte brenne in the fyre of helle Seneques sayth that the wyse man and prudente ought to dyspose and to ordeyne of thre tymes for he oughte to ordeyne of the tyme presente and to take hede on the tyme whyche is to come to haue in his mynde the tyme passed for ellys he shold not goo wel Forcius vt valeas interdum parcior esto Pauca voluptati debentur plura saluti tHou oughtest to be temperate and mesured in alle thynges to the ende that thou be more stronge bothe of body of sowle for to resiste the vyces synnes for a lytel thynge thou oughtest to do for thy delyte and plesure that is to wete lytel drynke and lytel mete and to be selde lecherous and auaricious by cause that alle excesse ben contrarye to the saluacion of thy sowle but thou oughtest to do many thynges for thou oughtest to be ware and to tempere thy self of ouermoche mete drynke and to flee al worldly desyres and to do al thynges agreable and plesaunte to god Seneque sayth that by voluptees and excesse comyn foure euylles Fyrst by cause that excessys ben cause of many sekenessys bothe of body and of sowle and at the ende foloweth dethe The second is by cause that they lette and empesshen the man for to do his saluacyon The thyrd is by cause that by excesse men forgeten alle benefaytes or good dedes The iiij is for they leden the man in to the pytte of helle and to peyne eternal or wythoute ende Iudicium populi nuÌ„quaÌ„ contempseris vnus Nam nulli placeas duÌ„ vis contempnere multos tHou oughtest not to dyspreyse the Iugemente and sentence of many other whan they ben wyse prudente for thou mayst not ne oughtest not to plese to somme yf thou wylte dyspreyse gaynsaye and dysplease many other for yf thou gaynsayest dispreysest euery body thou sholdest be holden for a fole for he is wel presumtuous and cursyd of alle the world and reputed the moost fole of alle fooles that dyspreyseth alle men and that wyl not haue frendeshyp nor please no body but he hym self allone wyl by hys ouerwenyng retourne and dyspreyse the sentence of many wyse and prudente men Sic tibi precipue qd primum est cura salutis Tempora ne culpes cum sint tibi causa dolor tHou oughtest fyrst and pryncypally to thynke vpon the cure of the saluacion of bothe thy sowle and body for thou arte cause of thy sekenesse and not the tyme Therfore tho ben fooles that blamen and reprouen the tyme sayeng that the tyme is cause of theyr sekenesse of their fortune of theyr synne Item somme sayen the tyme is now euyl and peryllous certeynly they wote
that he hath made created vs whan we were not Item he hath boughte vs ageyn whan we were loste And hath gyuen to vs wytte and vnderstondyng for to dyscerne the good from the euyl Secondly to the mayster that lernyd and taughte the scyence and doctryne For for alle the tresour in the world meâ—â— shold not mowe bye neyther wysdom ne scyence Thyrdly to thy fader to thy moder whiche haue gyuen vnto the thy beyng al thyn hole membris natural who were he that shold mowe bye one eye or one hande who shold be he that shold mowe bye scyence ne who shold be he that shold mow saue that but onely god thy creatour al the tresour of the world shold not do it therfore none shold not mowe rendre or yelde the wele that these thre persones beforesayd haue doon vnto vs Res age que profunt rursus vitare memento Inquibus error inest nec spes est certa laboris tHou oughtest to doo thynges prouffytable and vtyle and to flee them that are vnutyle contrarye wyth oute prouffyte For it is folye for to doo thynge that prouffyteth nought to the ne to other ne of whiche men haue no hope of somme prouffyte in tyme presente ne for to come Item hit ne suffiseth not for to do al onelye the thynges which ben to the prouffytable but also to the other Quod donare potes gratis concede roganti Nam recte fecisse bonis in parte lucrosum est tHou oughtest sone to gyue to hym that demaundeth requyreth of the yf thou hast wherof mayst do hit after thy faculte myght and oughtest for to gyue thynges wel acquyred and goten of thyn owne For of noo thynges euyl goten none may not lycytly gyue our to doo ony almesse yf thou gyuest Iustly of thy goodes thou shalt be partyner to the wynnyng prouffyte shal be rewarded of hit before god thy creatour in the other world also perauenture in this world There ben somme symple folke that wenen that hit is wel doon for to robbe a ryche vsurer for to gyue to the poure peple Certeynlye suche thoughte is wycked and deuylly and they doo not Wel therof For though they gyuen alle that they robben of the ryche yet doon they more synnes than almesse as wytnesseth ryght canon and the holy scrypture Therfore euery man ought for to gyue of his owne and propre good Iustlye and lawfully goten Quod tibi suspectuÌ„ confestim discute quid sid Namque solent primo que sunt neglecta nocere tHou oughtest sone to dyscute enquyre the trouthe of the thynges doubtous suspecious in al the werkes dedes whyche thou wylte doo and begynne for thou oughtest for to knowe of hit the certeynte or thou procedest ony ferther and oughtest for to see loke what therof may folowe For often the thynges of whyche men doubten not of and of whyche they haue no charge ne retchen not for to knowe the trouthe nor to what ende it may come ben somtyme ryght greuable dommages and comen therof many Inconuenyentes to the whiche yf men had purueyed in tyme had not mow growen ne borne no dommage Therfore saith the comyn prouerbe that euyl aduysed hath ofte payne CuÌ„ te detineat veneris dampnosa voluptas Indulgere gule noli que ventris amica est tHou oughtest to be sobre of mete and drynke yf thou wylte flee the synne ot lecherye specyally whan thou arte enclyned and abandonned vnto the sayd synne for the mowthe is byloued of the bely wherfore thou oughtest for to kepe thy mowthe from ouermoche wynes meetes so that hit be not cause of thy synne For whan thou arte enclyned to the said synne thou oughtest to faste to ymagen al the wayes maners wherby thou shalt best mowe chastyse thy flesshe fro euyl desyres lecherous wherof comen many euylles Cum tibi preponas animalia cancta timere Vnum precipne hominem plus esse timendum tHou oughtest to drede the man more than ony other beest lyuyng though thou hast purposed in thy witte for to doubte al the other beestys to th ende that they do not to the no harme yet alwayes thou oughtest to doubte more the man than ony other beest by cause that the man is made and formed to the ymage and semblaunce of god and also by cause that in to the seruyce of man been made created al beestys Item by cause that the man hath wythin hym self more of scyence subtyltee and cautele than ony other beest Saynt austyn sayth that god created fyrst the man racyonel to th ende that he shold vnderstond the souerayn wele that god his creatour had doon to hym and gyuen also that he shold serue and loue hym Wyth al hys herte and thoughte so that he myght come to the pardurable glorye of paradyse Cum tibi preualide fuerint in corpore vires Fac sapias animo si tu poteris vir fortis habÌ„eri tHou oughtest to lerne and acquyre scyence syth god hath gyuen to the wytte and vnderstondyng to doo hit For yf thou hast wysdom and sapyence wythin the thou shalte be reputed and holden for stronge and for worthy and valyaunte Therfore sayth salamon that wysdom and sapyence been more worthe and more prouffytable than the force and valyaunce corporell For the man prudente and wyse is better worthe than the man stronge anth valyaunte of his membres and therfore thou oughtest for to lerne scyence for to tempere and to modere the myght corporalle Auxilium a notis petito si forte laboras Nec quisquam melior medicus quaÌ„ fidus amicus tHou oughtest to demaunde counceyl and helpe of thy frendes whan thou arte falle in to somme fortune or nede to the ende that they comforte and counceyl the in thy myserye fortune for there nys noo better a medecyne than the good feythful frende for as the medecyne is vtyle and prouffytable for to he le al sekenesses thus a good frende is good and vtyle for to helpe and comforte hys frende in his fortune and trybulacyon and there nys no thynge that men oughten to hate soo moche ne to haue in angre and yre than hym that is enemye whan he feyneth and sheweth sygne and token to be frende For they oughten better to loue a veray frende than golde or syluer or other worldly goodes It is founde in the scryptures thre maners of dyuers frendes Fyrst somme ben the worldly frendes by cause that they loue the vanytees and Inyquytees of thys world The second ben the frendes of the deuyl for suche frendes louen but for to do euyl The thyrd ben the frendes of god by cause that they loue god and obseruen kepe his commaundementes Cum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te Stulticia est in morte alterius sperare salutem tHou oughtest not to make sarefice vnto god of dombe beestys ne to haue hope