Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	know_v	see_v	4,988	5	3.1452	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16439	The boke of wisdome otherwise called the flower of vertue. Folowing the auctorities of auncient doctours [and] philosophers, deuiding and speaking of vices [and] vertues, wyth many goodly examples wherby a man may be praysed or dyspraysed, wyth the maner to speake well and wyselie to al folkes, of what estate so euer they bee. Translated first out of Italion into French, [and] out of french into English, by Iohn Larke. 1565.; Fiore di virtù. English.	Larke, John.; Gozzadini, Tommaso, attributed name.; Leoni, Tommaso, attributed name.	1565 (1565)	STC 3358; ESTC S116186	56,010	218

saygenes and wysdome dothe reioyce it ¶ Senec dothe saye if I had one foote in my graue yet wolde I be glad to learne Wysdome ¶ Tulle saythe that he whiche is wyse can neuer lacke nor haue greate nede nor shall not suffre in any maner And saithe moreouer that he is wyse that knoweth him selfe ¶ Aristotyle saythe that the wyse man goeth alwayes armed in hys thought remēbraunce againste euery man And saith also y t he is a fole that thinketh that fortune and chaūce doth giue ether good or euil but that wysdome giue it ¶ Bracco saythe that the key of Seuerytie is the thoughte And therfore the olde mynde and thoughte causeth oft tymes to erre ¶ Alexandre sayth a y t man ought to haue in his minde and remembraunce in the nyghte that thinge that he muste do in the daye ¶ Salamon sayth do all thinges by counsaile and thou shalt not repente thee therof ¶ Pythagoras sayth that there is no counsayle so good and faithfull as is the counsaile whych is giuen in the Sea whyles a manne is in daunger and perylll ¶ Socrates sayth that a man gouerned by the counsayle of yonge folkes hath for the moste part euil chaunce and fortune And saith also that there be iii. thinges contrary to good counsayle thai is to say hastines Ire and couetousnes ¶ Iuuenall saith do not shewe thy mind and wil but to him of whom thou wilte aske counsayle for generallye euery man doth counsayle y t thing which he seith doth please ¶ Senec saythe when thou wylte go to demaunde counsayle of anye man see fyrste howe he dothe gouerne hym selfe ¶ Plato saithe that scyence without regard and solycytude of experyence is lytie worthe of whom it was demaunded howe and wherby a wyse man myght be knowen And he aunswered that the wit of man sheweth it whē he hath great dyuers trybulacyons and dothe ouerpasse them mekely and in good pacience The good Maryner knoweth hym selfe in fortūes for euery Maryner in a meeke and peasable tyme can saile gouerne the shyp ¶ Also Plato saythe that the wyse man doth know hym selfe when he is not angry nor moued for no maner of iniuryes done vnto hym nor when he dothe not gloryfye hym selfe to here and vnderstande hym lauded and praysed moreouer he saythe that there be three thynges that maketh a man to bewise ¶ The Fyrste is to reade manye good Bookes The Second to go into diuers Countreys to heare muche of the dedes of other men ¶ Iuuenall saythe thou haste gotten great dygnytie if Prudence be in thee for he is verye happie that can know the ende of causes ¶ Boecius sayth that it is not suffyciente to knowe the thynges as a man dothe see them before hym but Prudence is that whych doth measure the ende of all thynges it was demaunded of a wyse man howe a man shoulde behaue hym selfe and what he should doe that he shoulde not haue neede of anye man And he aunswered that if a man be ryche let hym lyue measurablye and temperatelye And if he be pore let him labour diligentlye And so he shall lyue withoute daunger for dyligence is the mother of Rychesse And saythe that he oughte not to be called Ryche whych gathereth muche Rychesse and gooddes togither but he whiche doth spende them with reason And saythe also that there is no greatter Treasoure in the worlde then wyt and discrecyon ¶ Socrates saythe that Scyence is gotten by dilygence of man but Prudence and Wysdome is the gyfte of God and amongest all other gyftes the moste excellente ¶ Hermes saithe also that there is no greater treasure in this world then wyt and discrecyon nor greater pouertye then ignoraunce nor better friendes then to haue good custome and maners And saythe also that when a man is olde euerye manne can dysprayse hys Vertues and note and marke hys Vyces And saythe moreouer that he that wyll flye dyshonour shame let hym flye and anoyde the occasyons Also he sayth that the wyse man oughte not to remembre that thing that he hath lost but ought to thynke and remembre howe too keepe surelye that thynge that he hathe There camme once a wyse man a kynsman of hys and prayed hym that it woulde please hym to lende hym a certayne summe of money the which wyse man aunswered truelye my friende I shall not be so euyll contente wyth thee if I doe not lende thee as I shall be if I lende thee for afterward I woulde recouer it of thee and paraduenter I can not ¶ Plato sayth that Prudence and wysdome dothe decorate and adorne the rychesse of man And saith also that the Prudente and Wyse man dothe not feare deathe for Prudence gouerneth hys vnderstandynge hys tonge is the voyce of trueth hys hearte is good wyll pytie and mercye be hys armures And also to seeke the wyse men is Wysdome and Prudence his power and auctoryte is Iustyce hys reygne is measure hys laude and prayse is peace hys workes be saluacyon hys chyualrye or Knyghtehead is the counsayle of wyse men hys apparell is pacyence hys treasoure is dyscyplyne or doctrine the cōpany of good persons is his loue And al his desire is to flie from sin and to serue God and to haue hys Faythe and truste in him for withoute that no man can please God As saythe Saynte Paule Sine fine impossile est placere Deo ¶ Exsample of the Vertue of Prudence ¶ The thyrde Chapter OF the Vertue of Prudence it is redde in the Hystories of Rome that on acertaine daye the Emperoure of Rome dyd ryde by a woode And there dyd fynde a Phylosopher the whyche Phylosopher the Emperoure caused to be called but no maner of aunswere he wold make Then the Emperoure him selfe did call him and yet for all that nothynge wold he aunswere And themperoure seinge that the wolde gyue no maner of aunswere came to hym and asked hym what he did And the philosopher aunswered I learne wysdome I praye thee sayde themperoure that thou wylte teache mee some thynge therof And then the Phylosopher did take pen ink and paper and wrote a litle Rolle conteyning this sentence When thou shalt enterprise to do any thinge consyder and thynk in thy mind the ende that maye come of it The Emperoure tooke thys wrytynge and retourned againe to hys palayse at Rome And caused the sayde wrytyng to be set vppon the doore of hys preuye chambre So it chaūced afterward that on a daye certayne of the Barons and Knyghtes of his Courte tooke theyr counsayle togyther amongest them that they wolde kyll the said Emperoure for a certaine occasyon the whyche shoulde be to longe to rehearse And they were at a 〈◊〉 wyth the Barber of the said Emperoure and promysed hym a certaine sūme of money that when he shoulde shaue the sayde Emperour that

thou doe not moue thy wyfe so that thou shall cause her to come to more Ire and wrathe ¶ Salamon saythe that there is no heade in the worlde so full of venyme as the heade of a Serpent nor no Ire so greate as the Ire of a Womon ¶ Tulle saythe that that person whyche is a shamed of the companye of hys Father and hys Mother is not worthy to be amongest the Cytezens ¶ Sidrac saith that he was borne in an vnhappy howre whych doth forsake his Father and he is cursed of God whych is stoburne vnto his Mother ¶ Saynte Austyne saythe that a man ought to honoure his Father and Mother in two maners that is to saye to beare them reuerence And to mynister that thynge vnto them wherof they haue nede ¶ For Salamon saithe Honora patrem tuū gemitus matris rue non obliuiscaris And sayth if y ● haue sonnes chastise them and they shal be comfort vnto thy soule if y ● haue doughters teche them to kepe their bodies And giue them not tafaire countenaunce mary thy doughter for thou doest a good dede it thou marye her to a wyse man ¶ Senec saythe chastyse thy children and cause them to feare and drede god for it is better for a man to see hys chyldren dye then to see them lvue euyll and to be ingrate ¶ Sainte Bernarde saythe in his cantikes that ingratitude is enemye of the soule and dyminysheth the vertues and is perdycyon of merytes and benefytes The sinne of Ingratitude is lyke the wynde whyche dryeth vp the water of the Fountaines of pytie the dewe and water of grace and goodnesse of mercye as the wyse manne saythe Ingrati enim spes tanquem hibernalis glacies tabescet dispariet tamqui aqua super flua ¶ Of the Loue of Compaginons and Fryendes and how to entertaine it ¶ The .xi. Chapter THe Thyrd Loue whiche is called amytie of Compaignons it is to wyll one thynge togyther laufullye and honestlye And thys loue dyscendeth by three occasyons whych moueth the persone to the same The fyrste is for some goodnesse that the person hath or trusteth to haue of him that he loueth The Second is for the good wyll and mynde that the person hath vnto hys fryend in desyryng wysshyng him good The Thyrde is that he woulde be allwayes as one wyth hys fryende partaker wyth hym in al thynges for loue that he oweth vnto him And these three maners of loue be verye good and vertuous ¶ Saynte Thomas saythe that thou maye keepe thy fryende three maner of waye The fyrst is to loue hym wyth all thy hearte and that he may knowe it The second is to do all thynge to thy power whych thou knowest doth please him And the thyrde is to beware that thou do no thynge that shall displease hym And saythe also that by other three meanes thou maye kepe him thy friende that is to saye to laude and prayse hym in his absence and to helpe him at hys nede ¶ Salamon saythe that there is nothyng to be compared to a faith full friende ¶ Ouid saythe that when thou shalbe in prosperyty thou shal find and haue many fryendes And in thine aduersytie thou shalt be lefte all alone without anye fryendes ¶ Arystotyle saythe that the more dygnytie and honoure or rychesse that a man hath the more nede he hathe of fryendes for one good thynge can not be alone and with out another ¶ And Salomon saythe there be three thynges that be verye pleasant acceptable bothe to god and man that is to say concorde amitie of bretherē loue of neighbours and the loue of the man and his wyfe when they loue the on the other saith that it is a soueraigne goodnesse gyfte of God to haue a good wife he that chaūseth to find a good wife he findeth great good welth And he that forsaketh and chaseth from hym a good wyfe he chaseth from him his welth profyte And saith also y t a good wyfe doth honoure the howse riches an euil wife is distruction of al together the dishonour of her husbād ¶ Salamon wyllyng to blame the women saythe manye thynges of them of the whych at this time I will not speake for there is manye good reasons wherfore a man ought to honoure the women and accordynge to hys sayenge a man shall not fynde one good woman amongest a Thousande But I beleue that he speaketh thys as a man angrye and moued for one woman whyche dyd deceyue hym For it is redde in the olde Testamente that the same Woman dyd so muche to Salamon that for the great loue that he had vnto her she caused hym to forsake God and to worshyppe Idolles And she dyd leade hym so muche after her wyll that she caused hym to be clothed and to weare Womans apparell she caused hym to spynne and dyd ordre and leade hym after her owne wyl as if he had ben a chyld And these thynges whyth the woman dyd vnto hym he speaketh euyl of al other sayenge y t amongest a thousande women a man shall not fynde one good And that the iniquitie of the man is better then the goodnes of the woman but as I haue sayd afore he speaketh ther of as it dothe please hym for it we wyll consydre and beholde the euil dedes of the men we shall fynde them muche greater then those of Women ¶ Howe the Loue of Concupyscece commeth to Men and Women And of the daunger that doe chaunce and come of the same ¶ The .xii. Chapter OF the Fourthe Loue whiche is commonlye called to be enamoured is the loue of Concupisence whyche is when the man loueth the woman for the pleasure that he trusteth to haue of her As those do cōmenly which say I am enamored of such a woman The delectacion of this loue is all in the corporall and bodelye delectacyon ¶ Saynte Thomas the Apostle sayth that a man wold neuer loue anye thynge if he had not truste to haue some pleasure and goodnesse of the same How be it a man some tymes supposeth that thynge to be full of great goodnes of the which commeth euyl Yet it semeth to him that loueth such a thing that ther can none euyll come therof And as it is so that euery loue commeth by some delectacion corporall or intellectuall The loue corporall cōmeth descendeth by the tyue corporall senses or wyttes as is aforesayde The intellectuall loue cōmeth by y e imaginacion of the vnderstanding And the delecracion intelectuall is much greater then the corporall so that all the delyte of the loue of Concupisence is in delectacion intellectuall And therfore the loue of Concupisence may not nor oughte not to be called loue ¶ Plato maketh mencyon therof sayeng loue of Concupisence is not vertue of loue but rather vyce of lechery when the man leueth

euerlastynge and perpetuall world Also of the worlde of Folye and vanytye to the world of Wisdome Truethe and of Reason of the world of payne and loboure to the world of consolacyon and of felycytie And saythe that it is greate meruayle of those whych feare and doubte death And do alwaies contrarye to theyr saluacyon And saith that he whych lyueth well and vertuouslye in thys worlde ought to truste to make his ende well And saithe also that death is good bothe to good and euyll men To the good men to the intente that they maye haue the rewarde of theyr goodnesse And to the euyll that they maye commytte no more synne nor doe no more euxll to the people And saythe that it is better dye then lyue wyth shame And therfore he sayd vnto a man which dyd flye from the Battayle Thou doest euyll to flye from honorable deathe for to liue wyth rebuke and shame ¶ Socrates sayth that he dyd see hys wyfe weepe when he was taken oute of Pryson to be led to his death And he sayd vnto her wher fore doeste thou weepe myne owne wyfe And she aunswered haue not I a good cause to weepe when I see you ledde to deathe with great wronge and wythoute cause And then he aunswered that the man ought not to feare deathe for there is no maner of payne or bitternesse in it but the feare that a man hath therof A wyse man beinge sycke in his bedde caused hys Sonne to come afore hym that hee myghte talke wyth hym of Deathe And sayde vnto hym my Sonne haue abstynence wyth thee and refraine thy wyll for if thou dysprayse the worlde and the dyuers chaunces therof that euery day doth ronne happen in abstraynge from those thynges which God hath prohibited thou shalte desyre none other thynge but death Sone speke allwayes of God and he shall put in thy mouth good wordes Sonne doe not put thy loue in thys world for it is transytorye and deceyueth all those whyche do put theyr trust in it Sonne suffise thy selfe and be content with that thyng that god hath geuen thee And do not coueit the goodes of other men Sonne vse temperaūce in thy lyuyng And be conuersaunte with wyse folkes And so thou shalte gette wysdome be meke humble and be no mocker dispraise no man and do not speake to much for I haue repent me more for my large and to much speaking then I haue for holdyng my peace or for lytle speaking Sonne I pray the beware the cock do not wake erlier in y e morning then thou doubt feare god beware of vainglory if thou haue any science do not bestowe it in good vses it shall do the more domage hurte then profyte Beware that thou speake no vaine and vnprofytable wordes be not prowde for anye maner of Ryches And doe not dyspayre for any maner of aduersities that may chaūce vnto thee ¶ Socrates saythe that deathe flyeth alwayes from hym whyche doe not feare it And is alwayes nere to hym whyche dothe feare and doubte it And saythe in another place that thyng whych thou can not eschew sustaine and suffre it Pacyentlye ¶ Saynte Austyne saythe that there is nothyng so sure as death for Deathe hathe no mercye of the Poore nor beareth no honoure to the Ryche And so spareth no maner of folkes ¶ Hermes sayth that deathe is as the stroake of an Arrowe And the lyfe of a man is in lyke case as the stroke whych tarieth a good space or it come Against the feare to die syxe thynges doe assure vs. The fyrste is the death of the bodye by the whyche euerye man is ryghte sure to passe The seconde is that deathe maketh ende in all thinges of thys worlde The Thyrde is the necessytye to dye The fourthe is that we see other dye afore vs. The fyfthe is that God hym selfe dyd dye The syxte is euerlastinge lyfe that commeth after thys ¶ Salomon maketh mencion ther of sayenge ¶ Memor esto quoniam non tardabit mors ¶ Of Suertye and howe manye maners there is therof And howe Feare and Suertie do striue togyther by dyuers Languages ¶ The .xxix. Chapter SVertye is not to doubte the domages hurtes that maye come in the ende of thinges begon And there is two maner of Suerties The one is of Folye as he whyche goeth to fyghte agaynste hys Enemyes naked wythout harnesse or he which feareth not to sleepe by venymous beastes the other is of wyt and of vertues The offyce of Suertie is to giue comforte and resyste euyll fortunes which come vnto the mā for a man ought to trust that goodnes and prosperitie shal come after the aduersyties ¶ Orace saith that he which doth fyxe hys hearte in goodnesse in his prosperytyes shalbe sure in his aduersytyes Againste thys Vertue of Suertye dothe stryue oft tymes Feare in thys maner Feare saythe to the man thou shalte dye Suertye aunswerethe it is a naturall thynge and no payne I dyd come into thys worlde vndre suche couenaunt that I should go out of it again the lyfe of the man is but a pilgrimage when he hath gone farre inoughe he muste retourne it is a greate Folie and madnesse to feare that thynge whyche can not be eschewed ¶ Lucan saithe that Death is the laste payne therfore a man ought not to feare it and saith that death is the last terme and ende of al thinges ¶ Senec sayth that he which prolongeth his lyfe yet for all that he can not escape from deathe Feare sayth thou shal die Suertie aunswereth I am not the fyrste nor the laste For there be manye gone afore me And all the other shal folowe me it is the ende of mankind There is nothynge that greueth which cōmeth but once for deathe is common and egall to all Feare saythe thou shall haue in thy lyfe muche payne sorowe and trybulacyon Suertye aunswereth to delyuer me from all these euylles I muste dye Feare saythe thou shall dye in a straunge Countrey Suertye saythe Death is not more greuous without the house then with in Feare saythe thou shall dye in thy yonge age Suertye aunswereth Deathe is common as well to the yong as to the olde and maketh there no maner of dyfference But I wyll that thou knowe that it is the beste dyenge when a man hathe the greatest pleasure to lyue it is a verye good thyng to dye afore that a man desyre deathe If deathe take me when I am yonge it shall not take me in olde age ¶ Iuuenall saythe that deathe oughte to be so muche doubted as oughte to be olde age Feare sayth thou shalt not be buryed Suertye aunswereth I doe not care for it shalbe very small domage vnto me when the person is dead he careth not what becommeth of the body whether it be brente or eaten with wylde Beastes I wyll that thou knowe that the Sepulture or Buryeng was not founde

to doe euyll There is dyfference betwene Suspectyon Ielousye For Suspectyon is to beleue euyll of another man as it is aforesayde Ialousye is to haue feare of that thynge the whyche a man loueth doe no otherwyse then it ought to doe Ielousie dyscendeth of the vertue of Loue. For no person can bee Ielous but for two reasons The one is for the feare that a mā hath that the thing which a man loueth do not otherwyse then ought to be done And the other is that it be not the dyshonoure of the person which a man loueth ¶ Iuuenall saythe that the Ialou sye of a woman is verye greate for she can not loue the person whyche she knoweth doth loue her husbād ¶ Plato sayth that perfyte loue is in three thynges that is to saye to loue to feare and to honoure ¶ Socrates saith that person that loueth feareth But al those which doe feare doe not loue And saithe that the person which loueth hath alwayes feare of that thynge whyche he loueth There is dyfference betweene Treason and Malyce Treason is properlie to betraye by malyce the person which doth put his trust in thee Malice is to Imagyne some thyng for to deceiue and ther man ¶ Longin saith that in a Traiter the loue is vice ¶ Saynte Austyne saithe that the Trayter doth neuer swage nor my tygate hym selfe for famylyarytye nor for pouertie nor for eatyng and drinkinge nor for seruyce nor for giftes ¶ Sainte Paule maketh mencyon therof sayenge ¶ Erunt hamines cupidi elati supervi proditores proterui tumidi ¶ Example of Falsehed ¶ The .xlv. Chapter OF Falsehed it is redde in the olde Testament that by the wyll of God there was two Aungelles sente into the Cyfye of Sodome for the abhomynable syn there vsed they lodged in the house of a good man the seruante of God called Loth. And they badde hym that he shoulde go forth of the towne for they wolde brene it and all the inhabytantes therof And as thys sayde Loth was vpon a mountayne hys two Doughters dyd imagyne by falsehed to deceiue hym to the intente that he should meddle Flesshlye wyth them They caused hym to drinke so much that he was bronken And then the elder of his sayd two doughters dyd ley her selfe by hym And so moued and steared hym with touchynges and other tokens that be medled flesshlye with her And so dyd the yonger in so much that he did get them both with chylde ¶ Howe Trueth is to be compared by Reason to the Perdryche And how Trueth is that thynge which iusty fyeth the man afore all persons ¶ The .xlvi. Chapter TRuethe as Saynte Austyne saythe is to vse Verytye or Trueth wythoute anye shadowe or coloure of Lyenge The Vertue of Truethe maye be compared to lytle yong Perdryches for the Perdryche is of suche nature The one wyll robbe the egges of the other And sitte vpon them as they were her owne egges but as sone as the lyfle Perdryches be brought forth And that they here theyr owne propre mother crye and sing they leue and forsake the olde Perdrych whiche broughte them forthe of egges and go to their owne very mother And so it is of the vertue of trueth for the man dothe couer it so longe as the contrari is not knowen and perceyued but at the ende truethe doth alwayes abyde and contynue in hys place ¶ Aristotile saith trueth doth help him at the ende of all hys workes and dedes which doth loue it ¶ Senec saythe that the person oughte alwayes to inforce and constrayne hym selfe to be Verytable or True for it is the moste worthy and honorable thynge to a wyse man that his dedes maye veryfye hys sayenges And he oughte to be ware that he doe not lease the being veritable for if ones he do lease truethe shalbe no more beleued by hym There was a manne that demaunded of a Phylosopher howe he mighte be fayre spoken And he saide saye nothinge but that thou knowest wel without addyng ther to any lye ¶ Salomon saythe makynge hys praier to almighty god good lorde I praye thee that all vanytyes and lyes may absent them and be farre from me ¶ Saynte Paule saythe God will dystroye the tongue that dothe lye And saythe that wordes spoken iently and peasably be sweter then honye ¶ Example of the Vertue of Verytye ¶ The .xlvii. Chapter OF the vertue of Verytye or Truethe it is redde in the lyfe of Holye Fathers that there was a Ryche Kynghte whythe dyd forsake hys Rychesse for to serue God And wente into an Abbey where he made hym selfe a relygyous man And dyd renounce the worlde altogyther It chaunced on a daye that the Abbot for nede of money purposed to sell two olde Asses that had ben long time in the Abbey He bethoughte hym that he wold send them to be solde by the sayd new religyous man for he thoughte that he had the practyse therof And that afterward he wolde die other that shulde be yonger this knight did take the charg of them albeit parthe against hys will And did not deny it by reason of obedience he beinge in the market wyth one of the lay brethren of the sayd Abbey whych led the said Asses when it was demaunded of hym if the Asses were good he aunswered think you that if they were good that our father Abbot wold sell them The other demaunded of hym wherfore theyr tayles were so pylled he aunswered they be very olde and doe fall many tymes in the myre And when a man wyl lift them vp he muste take them by the tayles and that is the cause that they haue theyre tayles soo pylled wherfore they coulde not sell theyr Asses but broughte them home agayne The Abbot dyd demaunde of the laye brother howe it chaunced that they had not sold theyr Asses And he showed hym the cause Then the Abbot caused thys relygyous man to come afore and dyd rebuke hym he aunsweryd the Abbot and sayde that he was not become a relygyous man to thintent to deceyue anye person nor to Lye but that he had forsaken all hys richesse to serue hym whyche was full of all trueth wyth the whyche aunswere the Abbot was very wel content ¶ Howe Lyenge is an euell vyce the maners to eschew it And in what sort and which is euyl Lyenge ¶ The .xlviii. Chapter LYenge is a Vyce contrarye to Trueth And it is to hyde and couer the Trueth with colour of words to deceyue another man There be diuers maners of Lieng that is to saye Lyenge whyche is tolde in maner of newes there is Lyenge whyche is tolde for to eschewe to speake euyl wythout preiudice of any person And these two be not prohybed in the Scrypture But there is lyenge with falsehed whyche is tolde to the domage of another there is Lyenge as not to holde and keepe promyse there is Lyenge

place sayth speake lytle for in much speakynge there is ofte times muche folye And saithe that the fole semeth to bee a wyse man when he dothe holde his peace It was demaunded of a Pliylosepher wherfore he did speake so lytle and whether he did it by reason of wyt or solye and he aunswered that the fole could not hold his peace ¶ Cato saithe that the cheefe vertue is to refrayne the tongue ¶ The Maister of sentences saith that so long as thou doest kepe the from shewyng thy secrete it is thy subiecte but when thou hast discouert and shewed it thou arte then in pryson and subiecte vnto it It is better and more sure for the to hold thy peace then to crye to another that he holde his peace ¶ Senec saith that if thou can not refrayne thy selfe from speakynge how will thou commaund another to holde hys peace thou oughte to consydre if he be thy fryende or enemie to whom thou doest speake for there is not a swter thynge in the world then a good friēde to whom thou mayste tell and shewe thy secrete as to thy selfe ¶ Tullie sayth that although that thy words be not fayre eloquent Neuertheles if thou do pronounce themiently and voith faire maner they shalbe praysed and if the wordes be neuer so good and fayre and thou do not shewe them iētlie they shalbe blamed ¶ Sidrac saythe that when thou wyll purpose any thyng beware aboue al thynges to speake to much for to much speakynge and a longe tale dyspleasethe and greueth the hearers ¶ Saint Austine saith that a man ought to beware to iudg ani thing against another for a man can not tell if he whych doth the thing do it for good intent or euyll ¶ Our Lorde saithe in the Gospell Iudge no man and thou shall not be Iudged ¶ Saynt Iohn Crisostome speaking against thē which do iudge other folkes and saithe howe doest se so many litle faultes in the dedes of another man And dothe let pas so many great faults in thine owne dedes thou ought to be dyligent to consydre thyne owne dedes more then the dedes of other men ¶ For our Lorde saithe in the gospell ¶ Qui autem vides festucam in oculo fratris tui trabem autem in oculo tuo non vides A Philosopher said vnto a friend of his be euermore glad wilinger to heare and harkē then to speake vse thynes eares more then thy tongue speake nothinge but good and leaue the euyll for to speake good of another man it is the beginnynge of loue and frendship and to speake euyll is cause of great hatred And a certayne Philosopher saithe that good and ientle wordes do amend the dedes And saithe also that a good and ientle aunswere breketh the Ire wrathe of man And another saithe be well ware that thou doe not speake verye ofte if thou be not a good and a faire speaker And saythe that the fole can not but defame hym selfe in speakynge for he can not stop nor make an end of his wordes and speaking ¶ Tulle saith amongest al myschiefes and daungers that be in frendshyp flāterynge is the greatest ¶ Salomon saith that the person full of flaterynge is a snare to take the Innocēt persons And saith beware in any case that thou do not incline thy selfe to flatering words for they be snares to take thee ¶ Saynt Gregorye saith that we ought to haue those in greate reuerence whiche do preache the holye serypture for they be cursers that go before our lorde our lord doth folowe them The holy preachinge commeth before and our lord commeth after in the vision of our heartes and courages the words make the curse before and trueth is spred abroade in our vnderstandynge to this purpose God saithe to his Apostles ¶ Qui vos audit me audit et qui vos spernit me spernit ¶ And Socrates saith the tongue of the fole is the key of hys secrete And sayth that the tōgue of a man sheweth and declareth his wit and Wysdome or his folye ¶ Barbalicus saith a man of good disereciō ought not to exercise him in thinges vnuailable nor to spend more then his winning is ¶ Argelicus saithe a mā may haue but paine laboure in this world ¶ Orusiane saithe he that cateth not shall die for hungre if he eate more then in ough he shalbe sycke therfore it is a defycile thinge to a man to be long in health ¶ Bernicus saithe truste hym not that forsweareth his saith for worldely thynges And he saythe Idlenes engendreth Ignoraunce Igneraunce engendreth erroure ¶ Sedechias saith in long steping is not profite but harmer o vse it and saith beware that thou dispēd not half thy time in Idlenes ¶ Ciuyl saith the good soule wold haue no rest in this world than he that wil haue a good soule oughte to beware of reste ¶ Galyen saith gouerne the so wel that thou kepe the from euill doēg suffyse thee wyth the good dedes that thou shal do beside for christes sake ¶ And Gregorie sayth he that wil wit whether hys soule be noble cleane or foule and corrupte he ought to consydre in hys delectacyon and hys conscyence and if he delyghte hym in doeng good and vertuous workes with faithe hope charytye than hys Soule is clene and noble And if he delyghtethe hym in doenge foule and transytorious thinges and of no value thā hys soule is foule for euery thinge reioyseth him with hys semblable the good with the good and the euyll wyth the euyll ¶ Socrates saith let not to do wel though thy good dedes be not knowen for wel doenge is so good of it selfe that it shalbe vailable inough to the at last And saith when thou wyll chastise or correct any many for hys vice thou ought to monish and exhort him by good and ientle wordes And saith that the man slaudering with wordes is worse then a theefe And saith that he is good and wise whiche can reherse the good deedes of the wyse men and couer theyr malyce And it was demaunded of hym when the wyt of a man is perfite and he aūswered that when he doth not speake but wel and discretely as he ought to do And saith that it is better for a man to speake wel then to hold his peace and to say nothing he sayth refraine thy tongue and thy euyll wil and it shalbe the fayrest robe garmente that thou canest weare ¶ And therfore the prophet Dauid praied our lord that he wolde take hede of his mouth be keper therof and to set a dore or a gate at his lippes to kepe thē close to thintent that he shulde not say not speake any maner of thynge that shuld displease God to whom we shall praie that al thinges which be aforesaid may be