Uhere it is so that euery humayn Creature by the suffranÌ„ce of our lord god is bornÌ„ ordeigned to be subgette and thral vnto the stormes of fortune And so in diuerse many sondry wyses man is perplexid with worldly aduersitees Of the whiche I. Antoine wydeuille Erle Ryuyeres lord Scales cÌ„ haue largeli and in many diffirent maners had my parte And of hem releued by thynfynyte grace goodnes of our said lord thurgh the meane of the Mediatrice of Mercy whiche grace euidently to me knowen and vnderstonde compelled me to sette a parte alle ingratitude And droof me by reson conscience as fer as my wrecchednes wold suffyse to gyue therfore synguler louynges thankes to god And exorted me to dispose my recouerd lyf to his seruyce in folowiÌ„g his lawes comÌ„andemeÌ„ts And in satisfaccoÌ„n recoÌ„rence of mynÌ„ Inyquytees fawtes before donÌ„ to seke excecute the werkes that myght be most acceptable to hym And as fer as my fraylnes wold suffre me I rested in þ t wyll purpose Duryng that season I vnderstode the Iubylee pardonn to be at the holy Appostle Seynt Iames in Spayne whiche was the yere of grace a thousand CCCC lxxij I determynyng me to take that voyage shipped at southampton in the moneth of Iuyll the said yere And so sayled from thens til I come in to the. Spaynyssh see there lackyng syght of alle londes the wynde beyng good and the weder fayr Thenne for a recreacionÌ„ a passyng of tyme I had delyte axed to rede somÌ„e good historye And amoÌ„g other ther was that season in my coÌ„panye a worshipful gentylmanÌ„ callid lowys de Bretaylles whiche gretly delited hym in alle vertuouse and honest thinges that sayd to me he hadde there a booke that he trusted I shuld lyke right wele and brought it to me whiche book I had neuer seen before and is called the saynges or dictis of the Philosophers ¶ And as I vnderstande it was translated oute of latyn in to frenshe by a worshipful man callid messire Iehan de Teonuille somtyme prouost of parys Whan I had heeded and well loked vpon it as I had tyme and space I gaaf therto a veray affection ¶ And inespeciall by cause of the holsome and swete saynges of the paynems whiche is a glorious fayr myrrour to alle good crysten people to beholde vnderstonde Ouer that a grete comforte to euery wâ—…l dysposed soule It speketh also vniuersally to thexample weell and doctryne of alle kynges prynces and to people of euery estate It lawdes vertu and science It blames vices and ygnoraunce ¶ And all be it I coude not at that season ner in alle that pylgremage tyme haue leyzer to ouersee it wele at my pleasure what for the disposicions that belongeth to a taker of a Iubylee and pardon ¶ And also for the grete acqueyntaunce that I fonde there of worshipful folkes with whom it was sittyng I sholde kepe good and honest companye yet neuertheles it rested stylle in the dâ—…syrous fauour of my mynde entendyng vtterly to take therwyth greter acqueyntaunce at som other conuenyent tyme. ¶ And so remaynyng in that oppynyon after suche season as yt lysted the kynges grace comaunde me to gyue myn attendauÌ„ce vpon my lord the Prince and that I was in his seruyse whan I â—…dde leyser I loked vpon the sayd booke ¶ And at the last concluded in my self to traÌ„slate it in to thenglyssh tonge wiche in my Iugement was not bâ—…fore Thynkyng also ful necessary to my said lord the vnderstaÌ„dyng therof And leest I coude not at al tymes be so wele ocupied or sholde falle in ydlenes whan I myght now and thenne I felle in hande with all And drewe bothe the senteÌ„ce and the wordes as nygh as I coude Neuertheles I haue â—…hen seyn herde of other of the same bookes which differeÌ„ce be of other inportaunce â–ª And therfore I drede that suche as shold liste to rede the translaconÌ„ haue veray intelligence of ony of thoos bookes eyther in latyne or in frenshe sholde fynde errours in my werke whiche I wold not afferme cause of the contrary But allegge the deffaulte to myne vnconnyng with the dyuersytees of the bookes humbly desyrynÌ„ g the reformaconÌ„ therof with myn excuse and the rather syn after my rudenes not expert I in my maner folowed my copye and the ground I had to speke vpon as here after ensiewis SEdechias was the first Philosophir by whoom thorugh the wil and pleaser of oure lorde god Sapience was vnderstande and lawes resceyued whiche Sedechias saide that euery creature of good beleue ought to haue in hym sixtene vertues ¶ The first vertue is to drede and knowe god and his angellys ¶ The seconde vertue is to haue discrecion to dis cerne the good from the badde and to vse vertu and fle â—…ices ¶ The thirde vertue is to obeye the kynges or princes that god hath ordeyned to reygne vpon hym and that haue lordship and power vpon the people ¶ The fourthe vertue is to worship hys fadre hys modre ¶ The fyfthe vertue is to do Iustely and truely to euery creature aftir his possibilite ¶ The sixte vertue is to distribute his almes to the poer people ¶ The seuenthe vertue is to â—…epe and defende straungers and pilgrymes ¶ The eyght ver tue is to bynde and determine him self to serue onr lorde god ¶ The nynthe vertue is to eschewe fornicacion ¶ The tenthe vertue is to haue pacience ¶ The enleuenth vertue is to be stedefast and true ¶ The twelfthe vertue is to be peasible and attemperate and shamfast of synne ¶ The thertenthe vertue is to loue Iustice ¶ The fourtenthe vertue is to be liberal and not couetouy ¶ The fyftenthe vertue is to offre sacrifices to our lord god almyghty for the benefices and gracis that he sheweth hym dayly ¶ The sixtenthe vertue is to worship god almyghty and to put hym hooly in his protection and defence for resistence of the in fortunitees that dayly falles in thys worlde ¶ The saide Sedechias saide that right as it apparteineth to the people to be subgect and obbeissant to the Royal mageste of thayr kyng or prynce right so it behoueth their kyng or prince to entende dyligentely to the we le and gouernaunce of hys people and rather to wil the we le of them than hys owne propre lucre for by similitude ryght so is the kyng or the prince with hys people as the soule with the body And sayd Sedechias yf a kyng or a prince enforce hym self to gadre money or tresor by subtyl exortacions or other vn dewe meanes he ought to knowen he doth amysse for suche tresor may not by gadred wythoute the sequele be to hys daunger or depeopulacion of hys Royaume or countrey ¶ And said Sedechias yf a kyng or a prynce be negli gent and sloughtfull aud take no hede to serche and enquere the disposicion
man said It were danÌ„gerous to me if they knowe me ¶ And socrates said It were the better for me If y were knowen by them ¶ And said a wyseman ought to vse hys dayes in one of these two maneres that is â–ª to seye in that that may cause hym to haue â–ª Ioye in thys world and in the other or in that that may cause him to haue goode name in this worlde And sai de this worlde is delectacion of an houre sorowe of many daies the other worlde is grete reste long ioye And said whosomeuer teche the one worde of sapience doth the more goode than if he gafe the of his golde And saide swere not by our lorde for no maner of lucre al be it thy cause be true for som wol thinke thou forswerest thy self And said take hede howe thou yeuest thy yeftes for som siÌ„ple folkes yeue to the vnnedy refuse hit to thoos that haue nede And said If thou wilt wynne a frende speke good of him for goode 〈◊〉 engendreth loue euill speche engendreth hatered And said a kyng ought to put from him al euil disposed â—…sones for the harme that they of his coÌ„panye do is reputed his dede And said he that erreth knoweth hit after 〈◊〉 him therof hath deseruid pardon And said he that â—…dleth to correct euery man causeth the moost part to hate him And said to a man that hadde reproued his linage If I be the worse for my linage as thou sayest thy linage is the worse for the ¶ And said he that seketh the delices of this worlde is like vnto him that seketh to drink zarab we nyng it were water renneth to drinke it till he be wery whan he cometh to hit he findeth no thing than he is more thristy than he was before for zarab is a myst in a medew whiche at somtime by reflection of the soÌ„ne semeth a water is none in dede And said a man hath neuer perfyte reste ioye in thys world â–ª for he can not al waye perseuere in delectacion possesse his winning oft hath trouble angwysshe aswele forlosse of his frendis as otherwyse And said the loue of thys world stoppeth mannes erres from hering sapience blynfildeth the eyen from seing trouth hit causeth also a man to be enuied kepeth him from doyng goode dedis And saide he that loueth vseth trouth hath moo greter seruauntis than a kyng And saide he is not free that byndeth him to another â–ª And said afferme no thing til thou knowe the trouth nor do no thyng â–ª but it be couenable nor begiÌ„ne no thing but yf thou se howe to bringe it to goode conclusion Ther was a riche man saide to him O socrates why art thou so poure To whom he ansuerd If thou knowest what is pouerte thou woltdeste haue more sorwe of thy pouerte than of myn ¶ And sayd It is a grete merueile to se a wyseman angry And sayd the deth is a thing that may not be es chewed ther ought none to drede hit but suche as haue comitted grete imquite and don litil iustice wherfore they shulde drede dampnacion for their demerites after their deth ¶ And said good deth is not to be dispised but to be magnified preysed for it makith traÌ„smutacion from the worlde of vnclennesse and shame to the world of worship from the world not durable to the worlde perpetuel â–ª from the world of folie and vaâ—…rites to the world of sapience reason and trouth ¶ And fro the worlde of traueile and peyne to the worlde of consolacion and reste ¶ And said It is merueile of him that dowteth to dye and doth thinges contrari to his saluacion And said deth is lyffe to him that knoweth to haue ioye after it ¶ And said he that liueth wele shal dye wose And said better it is worshipfull deth than shamefull lyfe And said deth is the rest of couetous people for the lenger they lyue the more multiplie their couetises so deth is they more coueÌ„ able for them than lyf for the deth of euil people is the we le and surete of the good Because they shall do nomore synne nor hurt to the people ¶ And said the lyf Iugeth inderectely amongis the dede ¶ And said one ought not to wepe for him that is slayne with out cause but for him that hath slayne him for he that sleeth vniuste ly dampneth him self ¶ And said he that dredeth eny thing ought to his power to be ware therof Also he that dowteth to haue peines for his synnes after his deth ought so to dele that he may escheue that parell ¶ And said whan thou wolt do eny thing loke for what occasion hit is And if thou seest the ende therof goode haste the conclusion and ellis resiste thy wil ¶ And saide bettir is to a man to liue harde than to borowe of him that reputeth his litil lones yeftes to be grete withoute cause wol think a man to be in his danger ¶ And saide take in no preisyng the lone or yeft of him that hath disworshipped the for the dishonour shame therof is more than the wynning He loued alwey to lerne wherof som rebuked him to whom he said the grettest shame that can come to an olde man is to be ignoraÌ„t he foÌ„ de a yong man that hadde folisshly spent wasted his substaÌ„ce was broght to suche pouerte that he was feyn to ete olyues to whom he saide if the olyues hadde be as goode to the at the begynnyng as they be nowe thou shuldest haue hadde yet largely of thy goodes ¶ And saide ther is noo difference bitwix agrete teller of tydyngis and a lyer ¶ And said the noblest thing that children may lerne is science for therby they eschewe to do euill werkis ¶ And said the gretest wynnyng that a man may haue is to gete a true freÌ„de he herde a man say that one was surer in keping his tunge than in moche speking â–ª for in moche laÌ„gage one may lightli erre To whom he said one ought not to vnder stande that in them that speke wele And said the proffit of silence is lesse than the prouffit of speche the harme of spe che is more than the harme of silence And saide one may knowe a wyseman by harkeÌ„yng holding his tuÌ„ge a maÌ„ may knowe a fole by his moche clateriÌ„ g And said he that wol not holde his peas til he be coÌ„streyned is to blame he that wil holde his peas til he be boden speke is to be preysed And said It is an ignorant thing to dispute in thingez that may not be vnderstande saide the meane is best in all thinges And said moche reÌ„nyng maketh moche werinesse saide if the witte of a man ouer maistrie not his frailte he shal sone be ouercome brought to nought And said he is abeest that
is better than euyl goten richesse â–ª And saide a maÌ„ without scieÌ„ce is like a royame without a kyng And saide a kyng ought to take none to his seruice but suche as he hath preued afore good and true ¶ And said he that taketh al men in like condicion may not make hem al his frendes ¶ And saide committe all thy causes to god with out eny excepcion â–ª And said repute not thy synnes litil nor magnifye thy good dedis for thou shalt haue nede of them yf they were more ¶ And said to his disciples beware of thys worlde thinke it is a thorny busshe that thou must trede vpon ¶ And said like as thoos that be wordely wyse kepe them from angre in the presence of their kyng by as grete reason ought they to be ware howe they aÌ„gre them afore god that is to vnderstanden in euery place for god is ouer all ¶ And said he that is long or he be angry is har der to appease than he that is lightly wroth right as the gre ne wode is hotter than the other whan it is wel kyndelyd Ther were brought afore him certayn people whiche said dy uers Iniures to him he answered if ye haue â—…ny other ma tere to wynne of me then thys do it or ellis holde youâ—… pras Ther was greter reuereÌ„ce made to another man than to him wherfore oon axed him if he had eny enuie therat le answe red if he had more scieÌ„ce than I I wolde haue hadde eÌ„uie at him or ellis not And said sapieÌ„ce goode renoÌ„me is not founde but in goode ê‘sones wherfore they be better than the grete richesse that is founde in fooles euil people said thy saule ought to thinke wel thy body to helpe therto And said that thou oughtest kepe secret in thy corrage dis couer it not to euery man And said oon vnto him þ t sawe him in a pouer clothing thys is not Socrates thus pouerly arraied that yaue the lawes to þ e people of atheÌ„s to whom he answerd þ e true lawis not mad by good arrayemeÌ„t but by vertue reason and science ¶ And said to his disciples Dyspreyse the deth and semblably drede hit ¶ And sayd a wyseman ought to knowe what is his soule PLaton is by interpretacion as moche to seye as ended or fulfilled was of grece by his faders syde he was of the noble esculapius kynnerede by his moders syde of the kiÌ„nered of zalon that ordeigned diuers lawes as it is aboueÌ„ saide he dwelled with socrates the spa ce of v yeres after the deth of the sayd socrates he vnderstode that in Egipte were certayn of pytagoras disciples to whom he went proffyted moche in lernyng with them he retourned then ayen to Athenes there he ordeigned .ij. scoles vsed laudable lyff in doyng goode werkis helping nourisshing the nedy peple And they of Athenes wold haue made him their lorde he refused hit vtterly for as mo che as he knewe them of badde wikked coÌ„dicions knewe wele that he coude not lightly chauÌ„ge their disposicioÌ„s al so he wyste wele if he shuld correcte them like as it appertey ned they wolde serue him as they did socrates The sayde plato lyued lxi yeres a man of good discrecion disposicion right pacient a grete yeuer of his good to pouer men to strangers he had many disciples amoÌ„ge the whi che .ij. of them after his deth that is to witte zenocrates Aristotiles helde the scoles And the said Platon dide teche his sapience by allegorye to th entent that hit shulde not be vnderstande but by wytty men ¶ And he lerned hit of Tymed and of socrates he made .vj. bookis and preched and taught the people that they shulde yeue graces and thankes to god for his goodenesse and mercy and for that he made them all egall in so moche that be a man neuer so mighty his power can no more than yf he were a poure crea ture resiste ayenst deth semblably he hadde thanke god for the witte that he hath yeuen to man ¶ And said ymagyne no thing to be in him but that that is nedfull good and couenable And said be not couetons vpon word ly goodes for god hath ordeygned that we shulde haue suffisaunce in thys worlde And suche suffisaunce is called Sapience The whiche ye ought to haue with the drede of god whiche is the keye of goodenesse wherby ye may entre and atteyne to the goode and true richesse of this world le uyng to do all thing that may cause hattered and euill will for and ye wist howe summe thinges that ye loue preyse ar euill and vyle ye wolde haue them in more hatered than loue And saide directe and amende your self and after labour to correcte other and if ye do not ye shal be daÌ„p ned And I telle you the thing that hath made me moost gladde Is that I haue not sette by golde ne siluer for if I hadde gadred grete tresor I shulde haue hade many heuy thoughtes where I haue nowe Ioye gladdenesse whiche encresse daily in me in lernyng wysdom And for to sete you wete that gold and siluer aren not good to be ouer moche set by ¶ Ther is summe countre that a littill yuory or vnycorne bone Is bought for a grete somme of gold And in other places men take glasses bras and other suche thinges for as moche gold And therfore if it were perfytely good of hit self hit shulde be egally chosen and loued ouer alle like as sapience ys chosen and loued in euery Cuntre ¶ And said Enquere and seke to haue vertues ye shal be saued praise no foule thingis and blame no thing that is laudable trauaile you not for to wynne thinges that shal lightly be lost folowe after your good predecessours arraye you with iustice and clothe you with chastite and so ye shal be happy your werkes lauded And sayde Custoume is a grete thing And said the wikked werkes dampne and distroye the good as the bitrenesse of the aloe tre distroyeth the swettenesse of the hony And said A wyseman ought not to think on his lossis but ought to kepe wele the remenaunt of his good ¶ And said he that doth not for his frendis while he may they wol leue him whan he shal haue moost nede to them ¶ And said that sapience is good for she can not be lost as other catalles and wordely goodes maye And it was axed him wher by awyse man myght be knowen he ansuerd whan he woll not be wroth of the iniures that ben don vnto him reioyseth him not when men preyse hym ¶ And It was axed of him howe men might beste be venged of their ennemyes he ansuerd for to be vertuous and to do good and noble dedes ¶ And said to his disciples Enforce you to gete Sciences by the whiche ye shal
labour of the peyne of their lerning And the said Aristoteles callid AlexaÌ„dre axing him questions vpon the gouernaÌ„ce of the lordis of the peple to whom alexandre yaue good ansueres But neuer the lesse Aristotiles beet him with a Rod. And it was axed of him why he had beet him with oute cause And he ansuerd this childe is like able to be a grete lord a myghty kyng And I haue bete him all onely for to holde him lowly and in mekenesse foâ—… he shal be to soon prowde ¶ And saide If thou canst directe another directe him as thy self And a yong man axed him why he was so pouer To whom he answered My pouerte hath no thyng offensed me ne doth me no harme But thyn hath doon the and shalle do harmes ynowhe ¶ And sayd The Royaumes by maynteyned by the lawes ordeigned by the kyng and princes ¶ And said the kynges and princes ben susteyned vphold by knight hode ¶ And the knyghtis ben maniteyned by moneye money cometh of the people and the people is gouerned by Iustice without whiche no Royaume may prospere ALexander the grete was sone to phelip king of macedone whiche phelip regned vij yere And the said Alexander began to regne in the. x viij yer of his age And he said to his people in thys wyse Fayr lordes I will in no wyse be contrarye to your wylles ne to your dedes But I shewe to you that I hate frawdes malices as I haue louid you duryng my faders lyf so wil I doo in tyme comyng And I bothe counceylle pray you that ye drede god obeye him as souerayn of all And chese him for kyng be most obeyssant to him that shal best pour ueie for the good astate of his peple that shal be most debo nayr mercyful to poure folkes that beste shal kepe Iusti ce the right of the feble ayenst the myghty him also that shal best dispose for the publyke wele for no delectacion of worldly pleasaÌ„ces shal not be slowful to kepe defeÌ„de you and by whom ye shal be defended all euill harmes by the meane of his good dedes shal be destroyed and him that most hardyli shal put him forth for to destroye your eÌ„nemi es For suche ought to be chosen kyng and none other whan his people had herd the reasons abouesayd and kno wen his grete discrecion wytte and vnderstaÌ„ding they were gretly ameruaylled and answered to him thus ¶ We haue herde and vnderstand thy grete reasons And haue resseyued and resseyue thy good counceyll and therfore we wole and byseche the that thou Reygne and haue the lordship vpon vs duryng thy lyf we hope that ther is none that hath so wele deseruid to be our kyng ¶ And thus they chees him to ther kyng and to their lord and coroned him yaf him their blessinges and praid to god that he wold blesse mayntene him ¶ To whom he said I haue herde the prayer that ye haue made for me beseching to god that he wol stedefaste the loue of me in your hertes corages And that by no maner of the delectacioÌ„ he suffre me to do thing ayen your proffites ne to my disworship sone af ter he sent lettres to alle the prynces and goode townes of his Royaume ¶ And whan he had sent his lettres One daire kyng of perce of mede sent to Alexandre for tribu te like as he had of his fader And he sent him word that the henne that leyd that egge was dede ¶ And after this Alexander made grete conquestis and whan he had coâ—…iquered Inde he went to â—…contre cassid bragman the whiche whan they wiste his comyng they sente many wyse men to him whiche salewd him saide sir Alexauder thon hast no cause to werre vpon vs ne to be â—…il willig for we ben both poure meke we haue no thing but only sapieÌ„ce the whiche if thou wolt haue pray god that he wol yeue her the. for by batayll thou shalt neuer haue her Ande whan alerander herd hem saye so he made al his Ooste to tarye with fewe of his knyghtes wente within the said contre for tenquere further of the trouth ¶ And whan he entred wyth in the same ground he fond many pouer foolkes women childeren al naked gadering herbes in the feldes And he axid of them many questions to whiche they answered right wysely and than he bad hem axe of hym somme thing that myght doo hem good to all their people he wolde yeue it hem gladdy ¶ And thenne they said Sir we axe the none other thing but þ t thou wilt gyne us euer lasting lyf TheÌ„ ne AlexaÌ„der ansuerd said how might a man make other meÌ„nes liues euerlastiÌ„g whaÌ„ he may not lengthe his owen lyf an our And that ye axe of me is in no mannes power that lyueth Than they said to him Syth thou hast goode â—…nowleche therof wherfore trauayllest thou thy self to destâ—…oye all the world and to gadre all the worldly tresours and wost not whan thou must leue hem Thenne ¶ Alexan der said to him I do not alle these thinges that ye say of my self but god hath sent me thurgh allâ—… the worlde for teâ—…alte and magnifye hys lawe and to destroye them that 〈◊〉 not in him ¶ And somtyme Alexander wente 〈◊〉 visyting his lordes and enqueryng of her 〈◊〉 And vpon atyme he cam in to a towne of his owne ¶ And sawe two men of the same towne bysore a Iuge pletyng of the whiche one said to the Iuge Sir I haue bought an hous of thys man And longe after I hâ—… ue founde with in the same a tresour vnder therthâ—… whiche is not myn ¶ And I haue offred to diliuere it to hym ¶ And he hath refused it wherfore Sir I biseche the that he be compelled to take it for as moche as he knoweth it is not myne for I haue no right therto ¶ Thenne the Iuge comaÌ„ded his aduerse partie â—…ansuere to the same and thenne he said Sir Iuge that same tresour was neuer myne but he hath edyfyed in that place that was byfore comyn to alle tho that wolde haue edyfyed ther in ¶ And therfore I haue no right to take it And thenne they bothe required the Iuge that he wolde take it to him self to whom he answe red and said sithen it is so that ye saye that is ye haue no right to whom the heretage hath longed and yet longeth where the tresour was founde hou sholde I haue eny right therto that am but a stranÌ„ger in that caas and neuer a fore herde speke therof ye wolde excuse you therof and giue me the charge of the tresour that is euill doo ¶ Thenne 〈◊〉 axid of him that had founde the tresour whether he had oâ—… childeren whiche answerd he had a sone and he axed thâ—… other in like wise
thou spekest he sawe a faire yong man that dede grete diligence to lerne to whom he saide ye do pas singly wele to make your dedis assemble your beawte SOcrates in grekes tonge is to say keper of Iustice he was maried ayenst the custume of that couÌ„tre whiche was that good and vertuous people shulde be wedded to gedres to th entent that theyr lynage myght be the better but he wedded the worst woman that was in all the lande ande hadde iij. children by her he loued and worshipped sapience somuch that it was a grete hynderaunce to all his successours for he wolde not suffre hys science to be writtenÌ„ And saide that science was pure and clene wherfore it was couenable she shulde be onely sette in mynde and corrage and not in skynnes of dede bestes nor in no suche corrupte thingis and therfore he made noo bookis nor yaue no doctrine to his disciples but onely by wordes of discipline and that opinion he helde of Tumo whiche was his maister for as the saide Socrates bryng of teÌ„dre age axed his maister why wil ye not suffre me to write the doctrines that ye teche me Tumo aunswered hym couetest thou more the wild brestes skynnes to be worship ped with sapience than thengyne of man I sette the case that one mete the in the wilde feld and axe the coÌ„seile vpon a question were it good that thou shuldest saye let me go home ouer see my bookes first It were more honest to ha ue a recours to thy remembraÌ„ce and therupon briefly to de termyne It were so certainely sayd Socrates wel then reteyne it wel in thy mynde that thou shalt lerne And put it not in thy booke in which opinion the said Socrates rested he defended that no man shulde worship false ydolles but wolde that all honnour and worship shulde be referred to the creatour of alle thyngys and for that opynyon he was condeÌ„pned to deth by xij Iuges of Athenes whiche ordeigned that he shulde drinke certeyn poysons wherof the kyng of that countre was sory but he co wd not reuoke the sentence he gaf him as long respit of his IugemeÌ„t as he myght The said kyng hadde a ship charged with thynges that in certayn tymes shuld be offred in the temple to the ydoles he hadde a custume that he wolde yeue no Iugement and especyally vpon mannes deth â–ª till the sayde ship were retourned to athenes whiche was not yet com home And vpon her comÌ„yng home one of Socrates felawes called Inclites tolde hym in the prison that the saide ship sholde come to the porte on the morowe or the next day wher fore he saide It wer good that we shulde yeue CCCC peces of golde to thy kepers that they wold leete the secretely escape and than myghtest thou go to rome and nedest littill to drede them of athenes he answered all that I haue is not worth four honderd pecis of gold no said Inclites I and thy frendes haue so moche whiche we woll gladdely yeue thy kepers to saue thy lyf if it please the. to the which socrates answered this cyte wherin I must suffre deth is the naturall place of my birth wherin I must dye without deseruyng onely by cause that I repreue hem for doyng in iust dedes and for worshippyng the false and vayne ydolles and that I wolde haue them honour the true god wherfore I saye If thyse men of my nacion persecute me for sustey nyng seynge trouth right so wil strangers do whersoin euer I become for I wol neuer spare to say trouth nor vse lesinges and certaynly thoos wolde haue lesse mercy of me than thoos of thys towne were in I am born It happened that he therde daye his disciples cam vnto him fonde hym in pryson by the comaundement of the xij â–ª Iuges they axed hym many dowtable questions touchyng the soule he ansuerd them as largely and as gladely as euer he dede wher of they merueylled to see so grete constaunce in a man so nygh his deth One of his disciples called Deman said maistre I knowe wele â–ª It is an harde thing to the. for to shewe and teche vs in the caas that thou nowe standest in lâ—…kkyng of thy lore is to us a damegeous thing for in this worlde hast thou no felowe of good doctryne Socrates ans uerd Spare not to enquere of me what it pleaseth you for it is to me a grete pleaser they axed him questyons of the soule whiche he ansuerd after they axed him of the state of the worlde and composicion of the Elementis whiche al so he ansuerd right xerfundely And he saide vnto them I trowe the hour of my deth approcheth nygh I wil bayne me make me clene in thys world sey myn orisons to th entent that I shall haue no payne after my deth wherfore I pray you spare me for a while he entred a hous and bayg ned hym said his orisons than called his wyf childe ren gaue them many feir doctrines bad them payne them for to do goode adresse their saules to him that alle created and than cam one from the Iuges to hym with poyson to drinke ¶ And said O socrates thinke not that I am he that maketh the to dye for I knowe thou art the best man that euer cam in thys lande but I am sent from the Iuges for to sle the here is the coÌ„fection that thou must drinke ta ke it pacieÌ„tly sithen thou maist not scape it Socrates said I take it with goode hert knowe wele thou art not gylty therof so drinke it And whan his frendes sawe that they made grete weping lamentacion wherof he blamed them seying I haue sent a waye the women by cause they shuld not do as ye do he went alitil from them saide O god haue mercy vpon me anone his sinewes shranke his feâ—…e wexed colde than he leide him doun one of his disaples tooke a bodekyn prikked him in his feete and axed hym If he felt eny thmg And he saide naye than he prikked him in his thyghes and axed him if he felt it he sayd naye Anone the colde strake vp vnto his sydes than socrâ—… tes saide whan the cold cometh to my hert I must nedis dye Than saide Inclites O dere maistre welle of sapience and of science correct and teche vs yet while thy speche lasteth to whom he said I can non other wiese shewe you nowe dye ng than I haue doon afore in my lyf the said Inclites sai de syr comaunde me what thyng ye wil. he answered noo thyng aud lift vp his eyen to the skye seyng I present my sowle to the maker of alle the worlde and so dyed ¶ The sayd socrates hadde xij M. disciples and disciples of his disciples ¶ And in hys lyf he deuysed that men shulde be guyded after thre ordres that is to saye in Clergie in knyghthode
and workis of hys ennemyes thenâ—…ent wyll and dedis of his subgettys he shal not be long in surete in hys Royame ¶ And said Sedechias the people is fortunat and happy that haue a goode and a vertuous kyng or prince discrete ande wyse in scyences ¶ And mykyl ar the peple infortunat whan eny of thyes thynges lak in their kyng or prynce ¶ And saide Sedechias yf a kyng or a prynce for slouthe or leue to do eny of the litil thynges that hym ought and is ordeygned he shulde execute lightly after he leueth greter vndon and soo consequently he may lese alle ryght as a litill sekenesse or hurt withoute it be sone and wele remedied may cause the dystruction of allâ—… the hole body ¶ And saide Sedechias yf a kyng or a prynce byleue the fayre wordes ande flate â—…yngis of hys ennemyes hauyng no Respect to their wer â—…ys it is meruaylle but the sayd kyng or prynce therby sodaynly take harme ¶ And said Sedechias It apparteygneth to a kyng or a prynce to enfourme hys sone in vertue and science and howe he shall gouuerne hys lande aftir him howe he shulde be rightwys to his people howe he sholde loue and haunte hys knyghtes not sufferyng them to vse to mykel hunting is nor other Idelnesses but instructe hem to haue goode eloquence and to eschewe alle vanitees ¶ And sayd Sedechias It apparteyneth to a kyng or a prince yf he wol haue eny nygh seruaunt first to knowe hys guydyng and condicions and howe he gouuerneth hym silf in hys house and amongis hys fellawes and yf he vnderstande hym of goode condicion and gouuernaunce hauyng pacience in his aduersite reteyne and take hym than hardely ¶ And ellis to beware of hym ¶ And sayd Sedechias yf thou haue a verry true frende that loueth the wele thou ought to take hym more in thy loue and fauour than eny of thy kennesmen desiryng thy deth for to haue the succession of thy goodys ¶ And sayd Sedechias commonely euery resemblance delyteth other ¶ And said Sedechias he that will not be chastysed by fayre and swete wordes ought to be cor rected by sharp and harde corrections And sayd Sedechi as the grettest richesse is satisfaccion of the herte And said he is not riche to whom richesse lasteth not ne whan they may be lightly taken awaye But the best richesse is that thing that dureh perpetuelly ¶ And said Sedechias the obeissaunce don by loue is more ferme than that that is don by myght or drede ¶ And said that experyence is a goode chastisement ¶ And sayd the lokyng vpon the ende of the worke yf it be good yeueth hope to the begynnyng ¶ And saide that goode renoÌ„mee and fame is right prof fitable in this worlde the dedes therof auaileth in the other worlde ¶ And saide it is better a man to holde his peas than to speke myâ—…he to eny ignorant manÌ„ and to be a lone than to be a coÌ„payned with euill people ¶ And saide whan a kyng or a prince is euill tacched and vicioux better is to thaim that hath noo knowlege of hym than to thoos that be grettest maisters in his house ¶ And saide better is a womanÌ„ to be bareynÌ„ than to bere an euill disposid or a wikked childe ¶ And saide the comÌ„panie of a pour wiese man is bettir than of a riche ignorant that weneth to br wyse by subtilitee ¶ And saide he that offendeth god his creator by gretter reason he faileth to other ¶ And saide bileue not in hym that seith he loueth and knoweth trowth and doth the contrarye ¶ And saide the ignorante men wol not abstynÌ„ them from their sensualitees but loue their lâ—…f for thair pleasaunces what defence so euer be made vnto tâ—…m right as childrenÌ„ enforce them self to ete swete thin ges and the rather that they be charged the contrarie but it is other wiese with wiesemenÌ„ fâ—…r they loue their liues but onely to do goode dedis and to leue Idelnesse the delecta conÌ„s of this worlde ¶ And saide howe may be coÌ„pared the werkes of theim that entende the ê‘fection of the goode thinges perpetuel to thaim that wol but their delites traÌ„sytory ¶ And saide that the wiese men bere their greues sorowes as they were swete vnto them knowing their trouble pacieÌ„t ly taken the ende therof shal be to their merite ¶ And saide þ t it is ê“ufitable good to do wele to them that haue deserued it And that it is euille doon to doo wele to thaym that haue nat deserued it for al is lost that is yeue vnto them right as the reyne that falleth vpon the grauel ¶ And said he is happy that vsith his dayes in doyng couenable thinges and takith in this worlde but that that is necessarie vnto hym and may not forbere Applying him self to do good dedis to leue the badde ¶ And sayd a man ought nat to be demed by his wordes but by his workis for comenly wordes ben vayne but by the dedes is knowen the harme or the prouf fit of euery thing ¶ And said whan that almes is distribute to pouer indigent peple it proffiteth as a good medicine couenably yeuen to them that be seke but the almes yeueÌ„ to the not indigeÌ„t is a medicine yeueÌ„ without cause And said he is happy that withdraweth his ere his eye from alle vyle thinges ¶ And said the moost couenable dispen ce that eny man may make in his lyf is hit that is sette in the seruice of god in good workis And the second is that is speÌ„ded in necessarie thiÌ„ges that may not be forborne as mete drinke clothing for remedies ayenst sikenesse the worste of all is that is dispended in syn euil werkis HErmes was borne in egypte and is as mykyl to say ther as mercuri in ebreu as Enok which was sone to Iareth the sone of Matusale the sone of Malaleel the sone of Caynan the sone of Enoes sone of Seth sone to Adam And to fore the grete flode called Noes flode After that was ther another litil flode whiche drowned but the contre of Egypte onely afore the whiche the said Hermes departed thens and went through alle landes tyl he was four soore yere olde and. ij And wyth him hadde lxxij personnes of diuers tonges whiche alweye stered and exhorted the people to obeye our lord edified Cvm. to wues whiche he fulfilled with sciences And was the first that fonde the science of scoles establisshed to the people of euery clymat lawes couenable and apparteignyng to thair opinions to the whiche hermes the kyngis in thoo dayes yaf grete audience and obeissaunce in all thair landes so did ab thenhahitantis of the. Isles of the see he constreyned them to kepe the lawe of god in saing trouthe to dispise the worlde to kepe Iustice to wynne the saluaconÌ„ in the other worlde he comÌ„aunded orisons praiers to be saide and to faste euery
hert without eny euill cogitacions whiche god reputeth vile and as ye ought to abstene your self from metis so ought ye to abstene from synne for it satisfieth not to spare metes and do euill dedis ¶ And saide in your yonge age visite our lordis houses and lette al your orisons be in swettenesse humilite without pompes or pride And whan ye be mooste mery in your houses with your folkes haue in remembrance our lordis poure in digent people and departe vnto them your almes ¶ And saide yeue conforte to prisoners to them that be in sorowe and trouble he le the seke clothe the naked yeue mete to the hungery driÌ„ke to the thursâ—…y harberowe pilgrimes make satisfacion to your creditours and paciently suffre the Iniuries that ben don vnto you ¶ And saide disconfort nat them that ben in affliction but helpe them with swete and pleasaunt wordes ¶ And if it be suche as afore haue hurte you benignely for yeue it them satisfying you with the peyne that they suffre ¶ And saide enforce your self to win ne frendis than first preue them ar ye put to moch truste in them â–ª lest it be to youre hurt and that after therof ye repente you ¶ And saide he that god exalted in this worlde ought to take no pride nor vayneglorye in hit nor repute him self gretter than oonÌ„ of his felawes for god hath made riche and poure of oonÌ„ creaconÌ„ through whiche all be egall ¶ And saide beware that in your Ire or Indignacion ther escape out of your month noo foule wordes for it is dishon neste and engendreth hate it is not conuenyent for him that wil haue scyence to seke it by mede or for money but onely by delectaconÌ„ and by cause it is more precious than other thinges ¶ And saide that kyng is good and noble that causith in his Royame goode lawes to be kepte mainteyned and the badde to be layde downe ¶ And saide largesse and liberalite is knowen whan a man is in neces site pourete pacience whan oon hath pouwer to Iuge be auenged ¶ And saide he that worshiped the wyese men loneth Iustce and doth goode dedis and enforceth hym to wynne sciencis and good condicions and therfore he shal finde that that liketh hym in this worlde or in the other ¶ And seith he is vnhappy bothe here and there that hath witte and wol lerne noo science ne doctrine ¶ And saide he that wol not teche that that he vnderstondeth in science good condicions he shal be partenar to the Ignoraunse of frouward folke And he that denyeth to teche science to him that it is couenable vnto he ought to be depriued of his benefice in this world but ther is noone that doth so saue Ignoraunt folkis whiche comonely been enuious froward and il willed ¶ And saide liberalite and largesse is bettir in science than in richesse for the renomme of a wyseman abideth and the richesses abideth not And a man ought not to offende nor hate him that hath trespassed vnto hym but ought to do goode ayenst harme for the wer kes of the wiesemen is preued in iij. thinges that is to seye to make hys ennemye hys frende ¶ And to make the iude connyng And to reforme the euyl disposed vnto goodenesse ¶ And sayd He may be callyd good whan other fare the bettir for hys goodenesse ¶ And said he that loueth the we le of hys neygbour as hys owne ¶ And saide That grete science prouffyteth litill to a couetous man But lutil scyence prouffyteth moche to him that withdraweth his courage from couetise ¶ And said That the lyff may be resembled to the fleyng of an arowe And the deth is like the lyghting therof ¶ And said It is more merytory and bettir to haue pytie vpon the foole than vpon the worldely wyseman ¶ And said He that holdeth hym not satysfied with that that god had sent hym Deserueth not to haue more ¶ And sayde A reporter or a contryuer of talys comonely other he lyeth to hym that he telleth them or he is fals to thoos that he hath seyde yt of ¶ And said derysion and scornyng putteth a way and wastith loue as the fiere doth the bronde ¶ And sayde The enuyous man is frendely to hym that is present in his absence is his ennemye and so sheweth him his freÌ„de by worde and ennemye by dede ¶ And said An enuious man serueth of noght but to dysprayse alle other ¶ And sayde he is right sure that feleth him self withouten gilt is in none surete that wol not knowe his owne gilt And sayde Beware obeye not vnto couetise for whan ye wold it wol not obeye vnto you ¶ And saide He that yeueth good conseille to other folkis begynneth to do prouffit to hym self was axed of the said hermes what it was that moost letted troubleth man he ansuerd Ire enuie after they axed hym wherfore the wiese man stode more atte yates of the riche man than the riche man atte yates of the wiese man And he answered the wiese man knoweth the prouffit of the riche the riche knoweth not the prouffit of the sciencial wiese man ¶ And saide he that hath witte and discrecion and knoweth it not indede resembleth the â—…ree that bereth noo frute ¶ And saide he is wiese that knoweth Ignoraunce and he that knowith it not is igno raunt and he that knoweth not him self howe sholde he knowe or deme another ¶ And saide ther be ij manere of men the don seketh and can not finde the other findeth and can not profite ¶ And saide sapience is like athinge fallen in a watre whiche can not be founde but by them that wol serche and fette it from the bottom ¶ And saide with oute chastite a man can not be very parfightly wiese and withoute witte he may not be parfight in science ¶ And saide discipline is the ornament of witte with the whiche euery man ought to enriche him self ¶ And saide it is not honest to chastise a man afore all folkis rather a part ¶ And said whan a man oftenÌ„ excuseth him self of his knowen gilt it causith his errour the more to be remeÌ„bred ¶ And said the ignoraunt persone is but litil al be it he be old and the wiese is moche al be it he be yong ¶ And the worlde dispraiseth nowe adays thoos that a for it was wont to worship and the erthe wasteth and eteth them that afor it was wont to norysshe and fede ¶ And saide the fole is knowen by his wordis and the wieseman by his werkis And sayd ther be fewe folkis enuioê° of a dede man but ther be many that wol lye vpon them ¶ And said be mery and gladde and It suffyseth to angre thenuyous man And ther was axed of the sayd hermes why he ma ried him not he ansuerd he that can not swymme in the see alone howe shulde he bere
liberte fraun chise ¶ And saide It is more couenable for a man to suf frâ—… dâ—…th than to put his soule in perpetuel derknes And soyde Lette not to doo goode dedis though they be not plea saunt to the worlde ¶ And saide dele alwaye so to thy power that thy soule may stande in goode and noble state whatsomeuer falle of thy body ¶ And sayde Aclene and pure soule hath no delyte in wordely thynges ¶ And sayde go not the pathes that thou maist gete hatered by Ande sayde thou oughtest to wynne frendis for the maynteynyng of thyn astate and do not thoo thynges that thou couetest but that thou oughtest to do and take hede whan thou shalt speke and whan thou shuld holde thy peace ¶ And sayde he refreyneth him from couetise that letteth not to spende hys goode for his frendes ¶ And sayde put alle couetise from the. and than shalt thou apper ceyuâ—… trouth ¶ And said He is not verry pacient that sufferyth but as moche as he may But he is presentely pacient that suffereth ouer his power ¶ And sayde Pytagoras Ryght as a leche ys not reputed nor taken for goode nor connyng that heleth other and can not hele him selfe right so ys he noo goode gouernour that commandeth other to eschewe vices and nether can nor wyll leue them hym selfe And sayd the worlde varieth nowe with the and nowe ayenst the If it be vith the thynke to do wele yf it be ayenst the take it paciently ¶ And saide many harmes coÌ„me to beestes by cause thy be domme and vnto men through their owne speche ¶ And saide harde it is to greue him that can absteyne him from iiij thingis that is to witte hastynesse wilfulle frowardenesse pride and slowthe for hastynesse causith repentaunce wilfulle frowardenesse causeth losses pryde causeth hattered and slowth causeth dispreysing He sawe a man right noblâ—… and richely arrayed whiche hadde vyle and foule wordes To whom he sayde Other speke after thyn arraye or lete thyn arraye be aftir thy wordes The kyng than of Ceallâ—… desired hym to dwelle with hym To whom he saide thâ—… wâ—… kes and thy demeanyngis be contrarye to thy prouffyt And thyn office is not wele executed for thou distroyest the fundement of thy feyth wherfore I wol not dwelle with the for the physicien Is not sure for amongis hys pacientis he may take sekenesse ¶ And sayde If thou wâ—… that thy childeren or thy seruantis do no fawtes thou 〈◊〉 reste a thyng innaturall ¶ And sayde The soule that is in the company of goode peple is in delectacion and Ioye And when it is amonge euyl It is in sorowe and lâ—…uines se. ¶ And sayd The wyseman thenketh on the we le of his soule as attentyuely as other atteÌ„de to the we le of theyr bodyes ¶ And saide take frenship of hem that thou seest folowe trouth thinke or thou werke And saide right as a physicien can not hele hys pacient wythoute he telle hym the trouth of hys disease right so may not a man be wele counseylled of hys frende withoute he telle hym the playnesse of hys cause ¶ And saide many ennemytees gro wen for faulte of trust betwix parties and trust causeth often many harmes ¶ And whan pytagoras sat in hys cheyre he vsed in shewyng his doctrines to saye mesure your pathes and go the right weye so shal ye go surely Attempre you from couetise and your goode astate shall dure vse Iustice and ye shal be byloued and dredde kepe nat your body in grete delectacions for and ye so do ye shal not con fusteyne the aduersites that myght falle vnto you ¶ And he sawe an olde man that was shamefast to 〈◊〉 to whom he sayde ¶ Science is bettir in age than in â—…gth ¶ And sayde ¶ If thou wylt dispreyse hym â—…at thou hatest shewe not that thou art hys ennemye And saide a goode kyng or a prince ought to thinke diligenteli to the state and guydyng of hys lande and ought to ouersee hyt as often as a goode gardyner doth his garden ¶ And saide hyt behoueth a kyng to yeue exâ—…ple him self to kepe his lawes and se that his next kynnesmen and frendes do so after him and it apparteneth not to a kyng to be prowde nor to do after hys owne wil only nor to ride couertely nor in noo derâ—…re nyght but gladdely shewe him self open faced a mongis his people and coÌ„ueny ently be conuersant amongis them without ouer moche famylyarite ¶ And whan a kyng or a prince shal go to his rest that he se ther be goode wache and yf thy faylle theryn that he punysshe them we le and to beware to ete the mete that a Ialous woman yeueth hym or eny other suspect persone ¶ And sayde the we le disposed man remembreth but hys synnes and the euyll disposed hath mynde but on hys vertues It fortuned his wyff was deces sed in aferre countre and som axed hym If there were eny dyfference to dye in their propre lande or ellis ferre froÌ„ thens He ansuerd whersomeuer one dye the weye to the other world is alle like ¶ And sayd to a yong man that wolde not lerne in his youthe If thou wolle not take peyne to lerne thou shalt haue the peyne to be lewde and vnconnyng And saide god loueth thoos that bee disobeissant to euyll temptacions ¶ And saide good praeyer is one of the beste thinges a man may present to god yf thou axe him eny boon lete thy werkys be agreable vnto hym DYogenes otherwyse called dogly by cause he hadde som condicions of a dogge and he was the wysest man that was in hys dayes He dispraysed gretely the worlde and lay in a tonne Whiche he tourned for his auantage from the sonne And the wynde as it pleased hym and therin he rested whansomeuer the nyght fill vpon him He ete whansomeuer he was hungered were it by day or by nyght in the strete or ellis where wythoute eny shame therof ¶ And was content wyth .ij. gownes of wollen cloth in the yere ¶ Ande so he leuyd and gonuerned him self till his deth ¶ Somme axed him Why he was called dogly he sayde be cause I barke vpon the fooles and fawne vpon the wysemen ¶ Alexsandre the grete cam vnto hym of whom he toke litle regarde be axed hym why he sette so litil by hym seyng that he was so myghty a hyng and hadde noo necessite he ansuerd I haue noght to â—…o nor sette by him that is bondeman to my thrall why qd Alexsandre am I so than ye said diogenes for I am lord and maistre to al couetise and holde her vnder my fete as my thrall and couetise is thy maistresse and thou art bounde vnto her and so art thou bounde to my thrall Than sayd alexsandre yf thou wylt axe me eny thying of thys worlde I wol yeue it the Dyogenes answered why shulde I axe the eny thing while I am
dyrecte your soules And do your part for to kepe the lawe in suche wyse that your maker may be content wyth you ¶ And he sawe a yong man that had solde the lyuelode that was com to him by succession ¶ And he dispended it amysse in grete dyners and other mysrewle To whom he said the erthe eteth other men but thy self eteste the erthe And it was axed of him why it is That tresour and science may not accorde to gyder And he answered and sayd that one thing hool a coÌ„plisshed may not be dâ—…uided And said that he that trustes in his fortune And is not som what besye and diligent to laboure in goode werkis the goo de resorted from him as doth the arowe from the stone that it hath light vpon And said he that techeth goode to other and doth it not him self Is like to hym that lighteth a candell to another and goth him self darkeling And saide a kyng ought not to be gretely praysed that reygneth onely but vpon his subiectes but he ought to haue lawde that reigneth and hath lordship wpon hys ennemyes And said he that gadereth and assembleth moche siluer ought not to be called riche but he that dispendeth it worshipfully and laudably And som asked him howe one might kepe hin from nede and he answered if men be riche let hem lyue temperately and sobrely and if they by pouer lete hem laboure diligentely Than som axed him of howe moche goode a man ought to be content And he answered to haue so moche as he neded nat to flatre nor borouwe of other ¶ And said to his disciples whan ye shal be weâ—…y of studyeng sporte you in redyng goode stories ¶ And sayd that the wyseman ought not to coueite the richesse of hys frendes lest he be hated and dyspreysed therfore ¶ And said Alitill good is a grete thing yf thou be content ther with ¶ And said â–ª it is bettir and a more couenable thing to akyng to remembre and se to the goode gouernaunce of his people the space of aday than for to daunce sporte him a hole yere And sayd werkis doon by wysdom causeth knowlege of thingis them discreteli to dis cerne werkes doon by ignoraÌ„ce is an vnknowen thing tille trouth stable sette them in their right wey workis doon by lesingis is for to disordre goode thiÌ„ges put them 〈◊〉 of their propre placis ¶ And saide thou shalt neuer be pacient whyle thou art couetous And it was asked him howe he myght haue lerned so moche wysdom he ansuerd by cause I haue putte more oylle in my lampe to studie by than wyn in my cuppe And it was axed of him what man is moost couenable to gonerne a towne And he ansuerd he that â—…n we le gouerne him self And it was also axed of him what man was moost worthy to be called wyse and he ansnerd he that taketh moost hede to goode conseile and casteth moost dowtes ¶ And said that the vessels of golde be proued and knowen by thair sowne if they be broken or hoole soo ar men proued and knowen by their speche if they be wyse or fooles ¶ And it was axed him whiche be the moost Ignorant men in their dedis And he saide suche as werke moost after their owne conseyll and that obeye to them self and for deffault of goode aduisement dispose hem hardely to do wykkid dedes And they asked him who dooth moost wrong to him self And he said he that meketh him to thoos that he ought not â–ª ¶ And saide the ignorant people Iugeth lightly the fairenesse or the filth that they se outwarde the wyseman Iugeth by that that they se of mannes condicions ¶ And said he findeth sapience that seketh her by the right weye and many erre by cause they seke her vnduely and blame her without cause And said he that is ignorant of good sapience knoweth not him self he that knoweth not him self is of al igno â—…untis the moost ignorauÌ„t And he is wyse that knoweth Ignoraunce and he that knoweth it not is ignoraunt ¶ And saide wrath ledeth shame in a lece And said The king resembleth to a grete Ryuere growyng of litil aâ—… d smale rennyng watres and therfore if he be swete the litill shulde be swete â–ª ¶ And if he be salt the litill shulde be salt ¶ And said be wele ware that in bataille thou truste not al onely in thy strength dispreysing thin naturall witte for often engin causeth victorie without might but vnuethe may men haue victorie by strength withoute vse oâ—… naturall polycie And saide wordes without goode effecâ—… is like a grete watre that drowneth the peple doth it self no prouf fyt ¶ And saide a suspection man is of euill condicions and lyueth in sorowe ¶ And saide be not wyllyng to vse eny wordely delectacions in to the tyme that ye se whether witte and reason graunte ther to And if thiese two accorde thou maiste we le and lightly knowe the fairenesse and the filth therof And in what wyse they wrie and what difference is betwene hem ¶ And sayd The Reames aren somtyme lost by neglygence And somtyme for vsing to moche Idelnesse also by to grete trustyng in fortune Also whan men entende not to encrese the peple to inhabyâ—… the lande And Also when werre lasteth long ther in And sayd The ende of Indygnacion is to be ashamed of him self ¶ And It was axed hym howe A wyseman coude be troubled ¶ And he answered Whan he is com pelled to telle the trouth of an vnknowen thyng to him ¶ And sayd Whan thou shalt se A man of good disposicion and fulle of perfectyon thou ought to do after hym fore couetise is bothe weke and seke in hym And said dispraise not alitill goode thing for it may encresse And said blame not nor rebuke a man whan he is wroth for than thou mayest not directe him ¶ And said be not gladde of the euill fortune of another for thou kno west not howe the worlde may tourne ayenst the. ¶ And sayd stable thy witte bothe at thy right hand and thy left And thou shalt be fre ¶ And saide ther be thre thinges that doth me harme to se that is to saye A riche man fallen in pouerte a worshipfull man dispraised and a wyseman in okked and soorned by ignoraunte people ¶ And said be not in felisship with the wikked men for noo goo de that they can promise the. ¶ And said whan a wyaume is in prosperite Couetise is bounde to the king whan it is in aduersite the kyng is bounde to couetise ¶ And said Co uete not that thy thing ben hastely don but desire only that they be well don And said a man ought to be better conteÌ„t is more bounde to his prince for oon fairre worde of hym than yf other hadde geuen him grete giftis ¶ And said the gyftes that be yeuen to the goode people asken
whiche thou maist not long abyde And saide worshippe sapience for tiffie it by good maistris disciples scolers worship hem paye for their expencis kepe hem of thy household aftir that thou shalt se they shal be prouffited sped in the scien ce And thou shalt fynde that grete prouffit worship shal come to the therfore ¶ And saide he is of bygge strong corage of good discrecion laudable feith that bereth pacientely all his aduersitees for a man can not be knowen in his prosperite ¶ And saide thou ought to thinke that the wekest of alle thyn ennemyes is stronger than thy selfe ¶ And said thou ought to cherisshe thy knyghtis thy yomanry to haue hem in as grete loue in tyme of peas as in tyme of werre for if thou sette litill by them in tyme of peas they shal forsake the whan thou shalt haue more ne de of hem And said the grettest prouffit that thou canst do in thy royame is to take aweye the wikkid peple to rewar de the goode And saide a man is of euyl coÌ„diciou that taketh no hede but to the vices fawtes of other in dispreysing of them ¶ And said worshipful deth is bettir than sha meful lyf And said the sapience of a man of lowe degre is worship the folie of him þ t is of high degre is a shame auarice is the thiÌ„g that taketh awey the name of gentilnesse And said the good priÌ„ce ought to goune the peple as his good predecessours haue don to loue cherisshe the good and true peple more than his tresour or other wordely goo des and to delite him in that that he hath rightwysly and not wrougfully ¶ And said no man ought to be ashamed to do Iustice for if the kyng be not iusticial he is not knig but he is violent and rapax ¶ And said the wikkid men obeye for drede and the goode for theire goodenesse ¶ And said men ought to do wele to the good people to chastise the wikkid by rigour ¶ And said wrath ought not to be to sharp ne to swete and he wrotte an epistyll to AlexaÌ„dre that the kynges been worshipped for iij. thinges that is to witte for instruction of good lawes for conquestes of lan des regions and for to peoplishe distroye desertes 〈◊〉 dernessis and he wrotte also to alexandre that he shulde not be willing to correcte all meÌ„nes fawâ—… to 〈◊〉 for it lieth not entierly in mannes pouer to kepâ—… him from doing euil therfore it is good somtyme to foryâ—…ue 〈◊〉 if it be so that of nede pugnicion must be don men ought to shewe that thei do it by coÌ„pulsion to amende pugâ—… the errours not in manere noâ—… by weye of 〈◊〉 he sawe a man that hadde his hand smytten of foâ—… thefâ—…e that he had don And he said for asmoche as that man had taken from other suche as was not his owne men haue taken froÌ„ him that that was his said thou maist not so we le cause thy peple to loue the as to cherisshe hem shewe hem right wysenesse if thou doost the contrary though thou hast the lordship of their bodies thou hast not the lordship of their her t is ne of their courages that shalt thou finde whan thou callest vpon their seruise at thy nede wherfore it is a grete daÌ„gier for aâ—…ing to do iniurie do make his peple hade him And said he is right happy that can chastise him self takiÌ„g exemple by other And said fortifie your soules with goode dedes departe you from couetises which distroyeth the feble corages ¶ Ther is nothyng that maketh a man lesse to be sette by than to preyse and boste him self of his good dedis And it was axed of him what is the cause that wysemen wol not be wrothe eny man wol teche hem And he ansuerd for asmoche as wysemeÌ„ knowen that scieÌ„ce is a right prouffitable thiÌ„g And said he that wol not nor can not do wele atte lest ought to kepe him from euil doing And said to his disciples loke that ye haue iiij eeres ij for to herkeÌ„e lerne sciencis proffitable thingis the other ij for your other wordely besinesses The moost profitable thing to the world is the deth of the euil peple And saide a man may not be so wele knowen as in grete auctorite And said in al thingis the lest quaÌ„tite is the lighter to bere sauf only in scieÌ„ces for he þ t hath moost therof the lightelyer may he bere it And it was axed of him what was the moost couenable thiÌ„g for a discrete man to haue And he ansuerd that that shulde abide with him if he wer ascapede out of a drowned ship in the see And said men ought to loue to lerne the best of the scieÌ„ces as the bees loue the swetest of the floures he had a noble worshipfull heritage of the which he lete otâ—…r haue the gouernance wold not go theder him self And it was axed him the cause And he ansuerd that he that oftenest goth to se his heritagis hath the mo displeasirs And said the tonge of a foole is the key of his secret And said to one that was slowthful wold not lerne sithen thou wol not take the peyne for to lerne thou shalt haue the peyne to be lewde vnconnyng And said kepe the from the feliship of him that knoweth not him self ¶ Tho that been dayly enclined vtterly disposed to vices may not encresse in good ne proffyte in science And saide if thou woll haban done to thy body alle his wil thou shalt be the worse both in helth in alle other thinges and atte last thy soule shal be dampned therfore He that is entierly enclined to do fornicacion may not be praysed ne come to good ende ¶ And said a mery man wol not lightly be wroth A liberal man may not wele be enuious ne a couetous man content with his richesse And said the man is preued tryed by his werkis as the gold by the fyer One of his disciples made to him an euill raport of one of his felawes to whom â—…e said I wol not beleue thyn euill wordis ayenst thy felawe nor I wol not beleue his euil wordes ayenst the And said like as the rayn may not proffite to the corne that is sawâ—… vpon the drye stones nomore can studieng auaile to afoole A mannes tonge sheweth his witte or his folie ¶ Experience ought to correcte a man and to helpe hym to liue wele And saide sapience maketh richesse to be faier hydeth po uerte It was axed of him what was fayer speking And he ansuerd to speke litille laudably to yeue reasonable answeres he wrote thus to aleraÌ„dre ye be a noble migh ty kyng more mighty than ye were shal encrece yf ye di
he said he had a doughter Thenne tâ—… Iuge said Iuged that amariage sholde be made bitwen them and that they sholde haue the tresour by that meane And whan Alexander herde this Iugement he had grete meruayll therof and said thus to the Iuge I trowe that ther is not in al the world so rightwis ne so trewe a Iuge as thou art And the Iuge that knewe him not saide and axed of him whether ony Iuge wold haue don other wyse Ye certaynly said Alexander in many landes Thenne the Iuge hauyng grete meruayll ther of axed of him whether it rayned and the sonne dide shyne in tho landes as though he wold haue sayd that hit was meruayll that god shuld sende ony light or rayne or other good thinges to them that doo not ryght trewe Iustice And therof Alexander had gretter meruaylle than byfore and said that ther were but fewe suche people vpon erthe as they were in that sanâ—…e And as AlexaÌ„der wente out of that lande he passed thâ—…rgh a cite in whiche al the houses of that cyte were of one â—…igh 〈◊〉 byfore the dore of euery hous was a grete pytte or graue in whiche cyte ther was no Iuge wherof he had grete meruaylle And axed of the inhabitantis therin wherfore suche thingis sholde serue The whiche ansuerd him said First for the outrageous height of houses loue Iustice can not be longe in a town a mong the peple And they sai de that the pittes or graues were their owne houses to which they sholde sone go to there dwelle vntil the day of Iugement And as touching that they had no Iuge they said that they made good Iustice of them self wherfore they ne ded no Iuge Thenne Alexander departed from them right wel plesed And a fore his deth he wrote a lettre vnto his moder desiring her to make no sorowe for him ¶ And sone after Alexandre died was put in a Coffre of gold buried in Alexsandre he was born theder with grete reuerence by kynges princes other grete lordes that kept fulfilled his testameÌ„t as he had ordeigned Thenne stert vp one of the grettest lordes of them that kept hym said thus They that neuer wepte for other kynges now ought to wepe for this same And tho that neuer had meruaill of aduersite shold now haue meruail of the deth of this king And he desired the other lordes that they shuld saye somme good thing for to coÌ„forte the peple that was gretli dismaied troubled for the deth of kyng alexandre or for the deth of the worthyest kyng that euer was TheÌ„ne one of them said king alexaÌ„dre was woÌ„t to kepe gold seluer now gold seluer kepe him And he said it by cause of the chest that his body laye in which was of gold And another said alexaÌ„der is depted fro sinnes filthes now his soule is with the good soules which ben purified And another said alexaÌ„der was wonte to chastise alle men and now he is chastysed ¶ And another said the kynges were wonte to drâ—…de him and now the pourest man of all the world dredeth him not ¶ And another said yester day all the erthe suffiseth not to AlexaÌ„der now the lengthe of his body suffiseth him And another sayd AlexaÌ„der might here yesterday no bo dy durst speke ayenst his wille and now euery man may speke he heerith not ¶ And another said the morâ—… that thastate of kyng AlexaÌ„der was grete and more exelleÌ„t the more is thoccasion of his deth greuous pytefull ¶ And a nother said thoo that sawe not yesterday ¶ AlexaÌ„der feâ—…ede him gretely now thoo that see him fereth him not ¶ And ther said AlexaÌ„der was he whoo 's enemyes durst not comâ—… nere him and now his frendes dispreyse and wil not see hym ¶ And whan Alexander began to regne he waâ—… buâ—… xviij yeres of age And he regned xvij yere of the whi che euiployed ix yeres in bataylle and in conquerâ—…ng And. viij yere he restyd hym visiting the groundes and landes that he had conqueryd ¶ And he had victorye vpon xxiiij maner of langages ¶ And in two yeres he sought all thorient and occident And the nombre of his knightes that were comonly of his retenew and at his wages were CCC xiij M. without yomaÌ„rye other men necessarie to his werres ¶ And he deyde in the eage of xxxv yeres and he was of sangweyn colour his face ful of pocâ—…is One of his eyen graye and that other black smale sharp 〈◊〉 vi saged like a ly on ¶ And was of grete strengthe loued moche warres fro his chyldehode vnto his lyues ende And he comanded that the people shold worship god â—…epe hem from synne ¶ And saide the world is not susteyned but comonly by science â–ª And the royames be not directed but by the same alle thinges ben gouerned by reason And saide sapieÌ„ce is messagier of reason ¶ And it byfelle that Alexander passid thurgh a toun wherin vij kynges had regned byfore And he askid yf ony of their kinâ—…ede was alyue And they of the toun said ye a sone of one of the said kinges And alexaÌ„der desired to see him ¶ And the pâ—…ple saide to alexander that he was euer in the chirchyerd And alexander wente to see him axid of him wherfore he a bood so in the chircheyerd why he wold not take vpon him suche astate as his fader had his Auncestris as other men doo Seyng that it was the will of all the peple ¶ And the yong child ansuerd saide O right bounte uous kyng I haue here a thing to do the whiche whan I ha ue don it I shal do thy comandemeut To whom thenne alexander axed what thing it was that he had to do there And he ansuerd I am sechyng the bones of my fader of myn auncestris kynges for to put hem a part froÌ„ the other but I finde hem also semblable that I can not knowe one from the other ¶ Thenne alexander saide to him thou ough test tacquere worship in this world ¶ And If thou haddest good and strong corage thou mightest haue all thy faders goodes and of thy prâ—…decessours alle ther honours To whome the yong child ansuerd saide I haue good her te And alexaÌ„der axed him wherin And he saide by cause that I haue fouÌ„de lyf without deth â—…ougthe without eage xi chesse without poute Ioye without troble helthe without sekenes Certaynly said alexaÌ„der of all these thiÌ„ges haue I none Thenne sayd the childe yf ye wil haue hem axe hem of him that hath hem and he may yeue hem and none other Thenne Alexander said that he had neuer seen man of so grete discrecion ¶ Alexander vsed euery day to be in a cer tayn place for to here the complayntes of euery body And it was so that vpon a day onely
suffred many domages and hurtes for the wyall mageste ordinaunce Ne in him that hath made eny aliaunce or promesse with his ennemyes he ought to be wele ware that he yeue no po wer to non suche as thoo abouesaide And sayd It is an impossible thing a man to kepe him from falling in som fawte that is exaltid with a kyng in grete magnificence without desserte And said whan a wyse prince knoweth that eny of his men had offenseth ayenst him he ought has tely to enquere the trouth of the dede and the quantite of the trespas and yf it be don wylfully or by ignorance and also If he was wont to do so and yf he be like to falle therin ayen And vpon euery of the same pointis to Remedye hastely ¶ And said The kynges seruauntis ought to shewe in seruyng hym their good vertues their feith the noblesse of their kynrede to thenteute that the kyng may bettir knowe hem and do to euery of them as he shal haue deserued ¶ And saide If a kyng loueth and cherissheth the vntrewe and wikkid men as them that been good and true he ought not to be called kyng for he is not like to reygne long ¶ And said If the kyngis conseyllours his physicien and hys confessour deleth wyth other thynges than langith to their offices ¶ The kyng shall contynuelly be endommaged seke of body and of the soule ¶ And like to come to a foule ende ¶ And saide He that sayth not trouth to hys leche And he that counceylleth wyth his frendâ—… ¶ And â—…elleth him not the trouth of his counceylle he distroyeth him self ¶ And Assaron sayde A kyng sholde not commytte to another the besynes that ys necessarye to hym self for to do ¶ And Assaron sayde The moost secrete counseylle of the kyng Is his conscience and his good dedes is hys best tresour ¶ And of alle men the trewesâ—… is the best ¶ And the best Rychesses ben they that be truely and duely goten ¶ And he sayth a kyng sholde committe his besynesses to him that he hath proued in fayth in witte and in good gouernaunce and if he may finde no suche â–ª take him that hath euer be conuersant with wyse men ¶ And he said a wyse kyng of good vnderstonding amendeth and auaylleth moche his counseillonrs ¶ And he sayth whan a kyng of good discrecion hath to do two right hasty thinges he sholde begynne at the noblest and at the most pronffittable And yf they ben bothe two of one estate begiÌ„ne at that whiche may best be recouerd in tyme comyng ¶ And he sayth yf a kyng be mercyfull his besynes shal goo wel his wysedom shal auayle him in tyme comyng yf he be trewe his people shal reioyse with him yf he be Iuste his regne shal endure ¶ And he sayth kyn ges sholde gete good renoÌ„me and other mene dignitees by good mesure for ontrageousnes is not enduryng ¶ And he sayth yt belongeth to a conquerours kyng to sette and kepe good Iustice in his Reames and other lordshippes go ten ¶ And hou be it that it is a greuous thing to conquere them yet is it a more greuous more chargeable thing to kepe them wel ¶ And he sayth he that is most complete of witt is he that knoweth him self And that departed him not from thobeyssauÌ„ce of god for what maner occasion that cometh to him that contynuelly thanketh him for the goodes that he hath sent him ¶ And assaron sayth that an euill lawe the loue of a shrewe lastth no lenger than the shadowe of acloude ¶ And assaron sayth that a wyseman enforceth him to fle and wythdraweth from harme And the foole doth grete payne to fynde hit And assaron sayth whan a wyseman that is counceylour or offycer to a kyng seeth that the kynge wille doo or saye ony thing domageable and harmefull to hym or to hys Royaume or to his people and subgettis he shold addresse and remembre him of good examples of cronyckes and histories of his noble and wyse predecessour concernyng vnto that purpos in so moche that the kyng conceyue and haue knowleche that he sayth it for his wele and worship ¶ LEgmon was born in Ethyope and lerned his science in the londe of Asteyn in the tyme of king dauid the prophete And was bought by a Iewe for an esclaue or bondman for xxx marck And his maistre pleyed gladly atte dise and ther ran by fore his maistres gate a Ryuer And on a tyme as his maister an other man playde atte dyse they leyd sette an owche to plege that who of them lost a game shold do the wille of the winnar or he shold drynke alle the water that ran passed afore his yate So it happend that his maistre lost And that other comaunded him that he sholde do hoolly his comaÌ„dement And the loser ansuerd that he was redy to be at his Iugement Thenne he said to him thou shalt gyue me alle the good that thou hast of ony valewe or thou shalt drynke all the watre of this Ryuer And he that had lost demanded only respyte of one daye for tauise him that other graunted it to him And thus he abode in his hous right pensyf and ful of thoughte how he might escape fro this perille And as he was in this thought legmon his bondman and seruauÌ„t cam home brouht vpon his necke a burthen of wood and salewed his maistre ¶ The whiche gaf him no answere for the thought that he was in Howe be it he was accustomed for taraysone hym for the good wordes that he fonde in him thenne legmon said to hym Maistre who hath angred or greuid the And he answerd nothing agayn And legmon said maistre telle me the cause of thy sorow and woo For I shal lyghtly remedye it if I may and thenne his maistre reherced to hym all the fayte as is afore reherced And thenne legmon said to him that he sholde in no wyse abasshe him ¶ For he wold gyue him good counceyll Thou shalt demande him sayd he if thou shalt drinke that the ruyer coÌ„teyneth now thys present tyme â–ª or ellis all that that shal renne and come continuelly and I wote wel he shal saye that thou shal drinke al that it conteyneth now and whan he hath so said thou shalt saye to him that he stoppe and make the riuyer to staÌ„de without rennyng ony more that thou art redy to drinke hit that it holdeth now and thus thou shalt wynne thy cause ¶ Whan the maister herde the counseyll of his bondman he was moche recomforted And in like wyse on the mornÌ„ he said to him that had wonne the owche in thys wyse he escaped from the paryll and fro theÌ„ne forthon he afranchised legmon ande made him fre that a fore was bonde and thrall And he dyde and gaf him moche good and was reputed for right â–ª a wyseman ¶ And one of his
thing the goode dedis that be don to him that he reputeth for litil that he hath don to other that holdeth him content with that he hath be he pouer or riche said the moost nigard of al men is he that axid inportunatly after he is ones denied refused his asking and another said enuie distroieth the world freteth wereth it as the filth of a gonge doth euery swetnesse another said like as no thing may be writen in a peyre of tables all redy wryten in with out the first writyng be put out All in like wyse the vertues and noblesses may not be hadde in no body withouten the vices wrecchednesses been first put awey And another saide like as a man may not all at ones by holde with one eye the skye with the other the erth In like wyse a man may not arredye dispose his wytte to vertues to vyces to gyder ¶ And another saide the right stedefaste loue is whan the frendis ben of like con dicions and yf they be dyuerse or contrarious vnneth that loue many long endure ¶ And saide peple ought to dowte their kyng him obeye with fere in loue And som axed him whan the witte of man was parfeyte ¶ And he sayd whan that he speketh trouth ¶ And another saide the enui ous hateth the liberall and the nygarde is wroth with that another speÌ„deth â–ª And another said al getting may not be iustified ne helth may not be by glotonie nâ—… freÌ„deship with decepcion ne noblesse with badde discipline ne loue with pri de ne iustice with necessite ne rest of hert with enuie ne wit te discrecion with vengeaunce nor ê“ces without conseill And another said truste not a foole nother for loue ne for neyghbourship for it were as good to haue to thy neyghbour ahouse take with fiere another said he is thy grete eÌ„nemy whoo 's werkis ben harde bittre noyeng to the his wordes swete curtoys another said the wysemen endure here al their lyues lasting after their deth their goode wor kes shal lasteÌ„ in meÌ„nes myndes another said coÌ„sideracioÌ„ of the ende of the workis helpeth moche to the goode coÌ„clusioÌ„ And another said thou ought to loue though thou be not loued ¶ And another sayde afoole weneth ener that god hath no thing we le don nor employed but that he hath ye uen him semeth that he coude haue made ordeigned this world bettir than god hath don how be it he can not goune his owne persone onely And another saide be willyng to yeue the nedy peple in so doyng thou shalt do seruice ple aser to our lord god And another said bettir is a man to holde his peas than to contrarye argue with a foole is as good to haue the ennemyte of bad peple as their frende ship the harde the sharp lyf in wele doyng is bettir than the swettest in doyng euil dedis it is bettir to be without fame than to haue hit bad pouerte is bettir than the riches of keytyues the poure man without vices is bettir than the riche man that is worshipped for his synnes And ano ther saide It were bettir not to knowe an inuiste kyng than to be his coÌ„seyllour or next in his grace And another said If thou yeue for to haue fame only therby that is not life ralite for thou dost it but forthyn owne auayse ¶ And ano ther said He ys of no laudable lyf that is not this day as good or bettir â–ª as he was the day passed And another said thou shalt not mowe haue that that thou desirest withoute that thou bere pacieÌ„tly the greues that thou woldest not haue And another said a man shal be in thy handes as long as he shal truste the And it was axid of a wysemaÌ„ why he desired not to haue a sone he ansuerd by cause that I haue had ynough a do for to chastise my body and to adresse my soule without hauing eny other ê‘sone to rule or teche ¶ And it was axid of him who was he that most repenteth him in thys world ¶ And he answered The wyseman at hys deth by cause that he hath not wrought allwayes after sapi ence he that hath don goode to an vnkinde man And it was axed of him what thing eÌ„cresed the lawe He ansuerd trouth And what sustyneth trouth Reason and wytte wherby is wytte gouerned by kepyng of the tong howe is the tonge kept with pacience what causeth pacience deed of god and what causeth dred of god Often to speke remembre deth and to considere and knowe his fraylnes ¶ And other said superfluyte maketh the body seke wyn troublith the wytte wrath is contrarye to wysedom but tem perance conforteth the hert and put aweye al heuinesse and causith helth ¶ And saide howe be it that a wyse man be of lowe kynred yet is he noble and though he be astranger he shold be worshipped though he be pouer yet the peple haue nede of him ¶ And auother saide he that endureth taketh no payn in his youth restith him not in his age And ano ther sayde the errour of a foole yeueth litille veste to hys thoughtis And another saide the tonge of adiscrete man is in his herte the herte of a foole is in his tonge And a nother saide not withstanding thy nature vse euer more goode laudable coÌ„dicions And another said a maÌ„ ought coÌ„tinuelly to enquere what men say of him where in they lawde him wher in thei blame him if they lawde him he to yeue that cause continuelly withoute pride therof yf they blame him he to beware from fallyng any more in to that caas and not to hate hem for thair auertissement ¶ And saide he is wyse that is humble and meke in his myght pouoir ¶ And whan he is in grete astate to dysprayse the world and is attemperate in grete auctorite And one desired of a wyseman to telle him the difference bytwyx this world and the other world And he ansuerd this world is Adreme And the other world is a thyng a wa ked ¶ And another saide Bettir is to speke wele than to kepe scilence and bettir to kepe silence than to speke euil And another saide I haue acompayned me with the riche men haue seen their riche arraye clothing other thingis better than myn were wherof I had suche enuie mesanâ—…o lye that I myght haue no reste in my self Than I acompayned me with pouer men like as I was than I was satisfyed in peace And another saide like as a man that is in a derke kaue may not se his propre figure In like wyse the soule that is not clene nor pure may not clerely se perceyue ne knowe the trewe and perfytte goodenesse of almyghty god ¶ And another saide like
recte gouerne wele iustely your peple and in so doing the people shal obeye you but if ye be an extorcioner take all their good from them than ye shal be lord of the pouer peple than shall ye be like him that hath leuer gouerne the dom beestis than the meÌ„ ne ther is nothiÌ„g so couenable to aking as to coueyte vnduely the goodes of his peple ¶ And said he that hath a litil of trouth desireth to haue more And said reason maketh a man to be more souuerain than beestis he that hath no reason is but a beeste in many thinges the newest is the best but loue is contrarye for the elder it is the more it is worth one Abrakyn lord of sciences axed him what thing a man ought to lerne first that seketh sapience to whom he answerd the gouernement of the saule In as moche as she is euerlasting more noble without eny comparison than eny thing that we haue ¶ Than they axed him howe may the saule acquere sapieÌ„ce and he answered as a seke man seketh his fisicien and as a blynde man enquereth of the colours to theym that se hem and it was axed of him howe a saule might se her self and he answered the saule that lakketh sapieÌ„ce can se nothing as the eyen with out light that nether se hem self nor other ¶ And said all manere of thinges haue propertes and the properte of discrecion is to chese wele the good from the euill ¶ And said the lordshippes wonne by study dangiers and peynes and so kept ought wele to contynue prospere And thoos that be lightly wonne kept in Ioye and plesaence comme to a litil prouffit atte last we se coÌ„moneli the townes wherin the inhabitauntes take grete labour be wele maynteyned and encresse with grete richesses and the townes full of pleasaunce delices fal to ruyne distruction ¶ And said hastinesse of speche maketh men to erre And said I merueille howe he þ t men lawde without cause accept it is pleased with all he of whom men say euill without cause is angry with al And said loke that thou be not as the bulter whiche castith the floure kepeth the brenne ¶ And saide men ought not to take the gouernaÌ„ce of the peple to a child to him also that can not knowe the nedis of the poure peple to him that is couetous to him that wil werke withoute de liberacion ne to him that is veÌ„geable And saide ther is no difference bitwix a childe of age a child of maneres as of condicion what age that euer he be of for tbe condicioÌ„s of men aren knowen shewed by dedis not by age ¶ And saide It is nedeful to a man if he wol be good that he be able of him self to knowe trouth do it in dede or ellis that he lerne hit of other for he that of him self can not vnderstande hit nor wil lerne hit can not be good And saide goodenesse is diuided in iij. maneres the first is in the soule the second in the body and the therde in the operacions wherof the moost noble is the goodenesse of the soule for in vsing the vertue therof is fonde knowen the forme in good dedis And said a man findeth sapience and good condicions in long lernyng of veray scieÌ„ce And said ther be many persones that knowen the good werkis do hem not whiche resâ—… blen the seke folkis þ t axe helpe coÌ„seil of the leche do no thiÌ„g ther aftir therfor the bodyes ben without helth the soules without blessidnes And said one may knowe the in ward disposicioÌ„s of a maÌ„ bâ—… his outward operacions And said wele doing is a laudable thiÌ„g neuthelesse it is somwhat harde to do but lightly one may do euil as an aâ—…chier to fai le of the butte is no woÌ„der but to hitte the prike is a greet maistrie said in diuers manere we may be euill but we may not be good but in one wey said default of witte cau seth many harmes maketh many men to fal by ignoraÌ„ce Not knowing what thing to be don or left ¶ And said Aged folkis louen togider and so doo not childeren for olde folkis haue their delectacions like yong folkis in diuers weyes ¶ And said agrete acoÌ„plissing of meÌ„nes feli cite is to be wele frended than a man without felisship can not haue hole felicite ¶ And said euery man hath nede of freÌ„dis whether he staÌ„deth in goode caas or in badde if he staÌ„ deth in euill coÌ„dicion they for to helpe him and yf he staÌ„de in good caas he to make mery and cherysshe them that they may helpe him to resiste inconuenientes that might falle ¶ And said noon hath delectacion in iustice but the iuste man none hath fauour to sapieÌ„ce but the wysemaÌ„ and noon loueth frendeship but the true frende ¶ And said the wikkid men susteyne their perilles by their bodely strength and the good men suffre their parilles paciently by the ver tue of thair saules which pacience cometh not by might of arme nor of hande nor non other meÌ„bre but onely of grace of the saule and therby to resiste ayenst couetise and other grieues of thys world trusting therfore aftir to come to blisse he wrote to kyng alexaÌ„dre in this forme thou ough test to obeye wele the coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes of god for he hath yeue the thy desires and all that thou hast axed of him ¶ And said sapieÌ„ce is lyf ignoraÌ„ce is deth and ther fore he that is sapieÌ„t is a lyue for he vnderstaÌ„deth what he doth he that is ignoraÌ„t is deed for he vnderstaÌ„deth not his doyng And said the aÌ„tiquite of the tyme maketh the werkis olde â–ª bydeth no thiÌ„g but renoÌ„me which resteth in the hertis of þ e successours it is nedeful than to coÌ„qÌ„re good renoÌ„mee therby shal eÌ„dure noblesse said lesing is the sekenesse of the saule whiche can not be heled but by the meane of reason whiche lieth neuer ¶ And saide A moche wyseman is he that pro nounseth not the thinges into the tyme that he is present that wol vnderstande hem ¶ And the best speker is he that speketh not til he is wele purueyed what he shal saye the best werkeman is he that beginneth not his werke into the tyme that he hath wele disputed and auised it in his herte Nether is none that ought to haue so moche thought as the wyseman for it is necessarie to him to be purueyed and certayn of his werkis ¶ And said men are more enclined to couetise than to reason for couetise hath acompaigned them from their childehode reason cometh not to them till that they be of parfyte age ¶ And saide the children hate their maistres whan they teche hem for they knowe not what good may befall them therby but think only the