¶ Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton whiche booke hath ben translated in to Englysshe by Mayster Benet Burgh late Archedeken of Colchestre and hye chanon of saint stephens at westmestre which ful craftly hath made it in balade ryal for the erudicion of my lord Bousher Sone heyr at that tyme to my lord the erle of Estsex And by cause of late cam to my hand a book of the said Caton in Frensshe whiche reherceth many a fayr lernynge and notable ensamples I haue translated it oute of frensshe in to Englysshe as al along here after shalle appiere whiche I presente vnto the Cyte of london UNto the noble auncyent and renoÌ„med Cyte the Cyte of london in Englond I William Caxton Cytezeyn coniurye of the same of the fraternyte felauship of the mercerye owe of ryght my seruyse good wyll and of very dutie am bounden naturelly to assiste ayde counceille as ferforth as I can to my power as to my moder of whom I haue receyued my noureture lyuynge And shal praye for the good prosperite polecye of the same duryng my lyf For as me semeth it is of grete nede by cause I haue knowen it in my yong age moche more welthy prosperous rycher than it is at this day And the cause is that ther is almost none that entendeth to the comyn we le but only euery man for his singuler prouffyte O whan I remembre the noble Romayns that for the comyn wele of the Cyte of Rome they spente not only theyr moeuable goodes but they put theyr bodyes lyues in Ieopardy to the deth as by many a noble ensample we may see in thactes of Romayns as of the two noble scipions Affrican Asyan Actilius many other And amonge al other the noble Catho auctor and maker of this book whiche he hath lefte for to remayne euer to all the peple for to lerne in hit and to knowe how euery man ought to rewle and gouerne hym in this lyf as wel for the lyf temporall as for the lyf spyrytuel And as in my Iugement it is the beste book for to be taught to yonge children in scole also to peple of euery age it is ful conuenient yf it be wel vnderstanden And by cause I see that the children that ben borne within the sayd cyte encreace and prouffyte not lyke theyr faders and olders but for the moost parte after that they ben comen to theyr parfight yeres of discrecion and rypenes of age how wel that they re faders haue lefte to them grete quantite of goodes yet scarcely amonge ten two thryue I haue sene and 〈◊〉 â—â—other londes in dyuerse cytees that of one name and lygnâ—â—â— successyuely haue endured prosperously many heyres 〈◊〉 v or vj honderd yere and somme a thousand And in this noble cyte of london it can vnnethe contynue vnto the thyrd heyr or scarcely to the second O blessyd lord whanne I remembre this I am al abasshyd I can not Iuge the cause but fayrer ne wyser ne bet bespoken children in they re yongthe ben nowher than ther ben in london but at their ful rypyng ther is no carnel ne good corn founden but chaff for the moost parte I woâ—â—e wel there be many noble and wyse and proue wel ben better and rycher than euer were theyr faders And to th ende that many myght come to honoure and worshyppe I entende to translate this sayd book of cathon in whiche I doubte not and yf they wylle rede it and vnderstande they shal moche the better conne rewle them self ther by For among all other bookes this is a synguler book and may well be callyd the Regyment or gouernaunce of the body and sowle There was a noble clerke named pogius of Florence And was secretary to pope Eugenye also to pope Nycholas whiche had in the cyte of Florence a noble well stuffed lybrarye whiche alle noble straungyers comynge to Florence desyred to see And therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes And whanne they had axyd of hym whiche was the best boke of them alle and that he reputed for best He sayd that he helde Cathon glosed for the best book of his lyberarye Thenne syth that he that was so noble a Clerke helde this book for the best doubtles hit must folowe that this is a noble booke and a vertuous and suche one that a man may eschewe alle vyces and ensiewe vertue Thenne to th ende that this sayd book may prouffyte vnto the herars of it I byseche Almyghty god that I may acheue and accomplysshe it vnto his laude and glorye And to therudicion and lernynge of them that ben ygnorauÌ„t that they maye there by prouffyte and be the better And I requyre and byseche alle suche that fynde faute or errour that of theyr charyte they correcte and amende hit And I shalle hertely praye for them to Almyghty god that he rewarde them â—â—N this smal lytyl booke is conteyned a short and prouffitable doctryne for all maner of peple the whiche is taken composed vpon the said book of Cathon with some addicions auctoritees of holy doctours prophetes And also many Historyes ensamples autentyke of holy faders auncyent Cronycles trewe approuued Item this lytell booke shalle be deuyded in two partyes pryncipal The fyrst partye pryncipal is the proheme whiche begynneth Cumanimaduerterem And endureth vnto Itaque deo supplica The second partye pryncipal is the trayttye and alle the maner of this present book whiche begynneth Itaque deo supplica anendureth vnto the ende of the sayd lytel booke Item this second partye pryncipal is deuyded in two partyes the fyrst is in prose And the second in verse the fyrst partye whiche is in prose begynneth Itaque deo supplica And endureth vnto Si deus est animus the whiche conteyneth lvi commaundements Item the second partye whiche is in verse is subdyuyded in to foure partyes The fyrst begynneth at Si deus est animus endureth vnto Telluris si forte the whiche conteyneth fourty commaundements The second partye begynneth at Telluus si forte endureth vnto Hoc quicunque velis whiche conteyneth xxxv commaundements The third partye begynneth at hoc quicunque endureth to Securam quicunque whiche conteyneth xxvj commaundements the fourthe partye begynneth at Securam and endureth vnto th ende of the book And conteyneth lvj commaundements And soo this present lytel booke conteyneth in somme two honderd xiij commaundments as wel in prose as in verse But to th ende that thystoryes and examples that ben conteyned in this lytel book may be lyghly founden And also for to knowe vpon what commaundementes they ben adiousted and alledged they shalle be sette and entytled by maner of Rubrysshe in the commaundement vpon whiche eche shalle be conteyned and alledged And they shalle be signed as that folowed of the nombre of leues where
wythouten ony vsure For it is ageynst nature to take vsure and wynne wyth the money that he hath lente And ye shal vnderstonde that the vsurers synne more greuouslye thenne ony other synner For alle other synners cessen ofte theyr synnes But the vsurers ne sece neuer of theyr synnes for nyght and day euery houre festes and sondayes they synne and taken theyr vsure contynuelly without secyng Therfore may be said that they synne more greuously thenne ony other synners Item it may be sayd that they be werse thenne Iudas For Iudas solde Ihesu cryste onely but thyse selle the vyrgyn marye and alle the sayntes of heuen and theyr parentes and heyres vnto the tenthe lygnage as it apperyth in an exaumple that here foloweth It is redde in vytis patrum of a good man that requyred of god that he wold shewe hym the paynes of helle To whom our lorde sente an aungel whiche ledde hym in to helle and there he sawe many tormentes that they that ben dampned suffren Amonge alle other peynes he sawe a ladder whyche had ten degrees or stappes and in eche degree was a man hangyng by ordre whom the deuyls bete alle to tare wyth hookes of yron moche terrybly and aboue al the other dampned in helle it semed to thys good man that these ten men suffreden more torment and payne thenne alle the other wherfore he prayed the aungel to telle hym why these x men were so hanged in that ladder and so horrybly tormented and what men they were Thenne answerd the aungel to hym and sayd this olde man that thou seest that is in the hyghest place of the ladder is an vsurer the whiche by vsure hath goten grete rychesses and possessyons and by cause he deyed wythout makyng of restytucion he is hanged in the hyghest place of the ladder and alle his heyres that haue posseded the sayd herirages ben dede wythout makyng restytucion be hanged by ordre on thys ladder vnto the tenth degree one after another lyke as thou seest Cui des videto TThou oughtest to take hede to whom thou gyuest whaÌ„ thou wylt gyue or do ony almesse and this is that ecclesiaste saith in his fourtenth chappytre whiche sayth whan thou shalt gyue or shalt doo ony almesse knowe thou wel beholde to whome thou shalt doo hit Item saynt Iherome saith gyue to the poure peple and not to the ryche and not to the proude Also he that wyl gyue ought to consydre thre thynges Fyrst that it whiche he wyl gyue for almes be truly goten for of euyl goten good no man ought to gyue al messe secondly he ought to holde ordre maner in gyuyng for fyrst he ought to gyue helpe hym self after to his parentis kynne and neyghbours and after to straungers yf he haue wherof Thyrdly he ought to yeue by veray charite and loue without ony vaynglorye Coniugem Ama THou oughtest to loue thy wyf as thy self Neuerthelesse the wyf by ryght lawe deuyne and humayne she ought to be subgette to hyr husbond and to kepe to hym feythe and trouthe and to serue and obeye to hym in al thynges lycite and honeste Also the man ought to entrete his wyf hertely and swetely and to loue hyr by veray loue For as they ben made one flesshe by carnal copulacyon or bodely felawshyp also they ought to be one herte and one thought by veray dyleccion or loue Item the woman oughte to loue hyr husbond and to bere to hym feythe and trouthe reuerence and to obeye hym as longe as he shal lyue Also the man ought to loue his wyf and to kepe to hyr feythe and trouthe and to teche and endoctryne hir all good condicions notwythstondyng that many done the contrarye It is redde in the auncient hystoryes or cronycles of Rome that there was somtyme a woman noble of grete lignage whiche mysrewled hir self was of euyl gouernaunce For the which cause her husboÌ„d made hir to be put shette within a toure and toward hyr wente neuer no body saue onely hyr husbond It happed on a day as she was lokyng out of a wyndowe of the sayd toure whyche was nyghe by the walles of the cyte that she sawe a student or scoler warnyng that waye whiche she knewe before that tyme And as â—â—e scoler perceyued hyr he sayd to hyr helas lady what doo you there so hygh wythin this toure Certeynly sayd she my husbond hath put me here wythin and bereth the keyes of thys toure wyth hym in suche manere that from hens I ne departe neyther by nyght nor by day For at nyght he leyeth the keyes vnder his bolster Ha sayd the clerke yf he wyl beleue me I shal fynde wel the manere how at nyght ye shal scape at your plesure Certeynly sayd she therof I praye you and I promyt you to doo alle that shal plese you Thenne seyd the clerke I shal brynge to you to morowe somme pouder of man deglorye of the whiche ye shal gyue to hym secretely for to drynke at his sowper and for certeyn he shall sone after falle on a slepe in so moche that none shal mowe awake hym Ye shal theÌ„ne take the keyes from vnder his bolster thenne ye shal come to speke wyth me here benethe and to gyder we shal dysporte vs and after ye shal retorne and layeâ—â—he keyes by hym ageyn For knowe ye for certeyn that he shall not awake for no steryng or noyse that ye shal make wherfore doo that to morowe ye haue a smale corde made of the threde that ye spynne and as longe that it may reche vnto the grounde and thenne the lytel sacke ful of the sayd powdre I shal bynde therto And of this couenaunte was the woman contente and in dede the clerke brought on the morne next the sayd powdre and she drewe hit vp vnto hir and toke hyt And so moche she dyd that on that same nyght she gaue to her husbond of the sayd poudre bothe in his mete and in his drynke the whiche sone after he wente to bedde and began Incontynent to falle in a stronge slepe in soo moche that the toure myght haue be beten and smyten doun or he shold haue ben awaked And thenne whan she sawe that he slepte she wente and toke the keyes and opened al the dores and yates of the towre and came doun to the clerke which entred wythin the toure and leyd them bothe vpon a ledde whyche was in a chaumbre benethe and thre houres they leye to gyder takyng theyr plesure And after the wyf retorned and wente vpward and leyed hyr by hyr husbond ageyn whiche was moche subtyl and was alle abasshed that he had slepte lenger than he was accustomed to done Hit happed thenne on an euen whan he had sowped that he wente to bedde and forthwyth made semblaunte to be on slepe and strongely he began to rowte and whan she sawe hym a slepe as she
substaunce and temporelle goodes to th ende that thou dyspende hit not folisshly by euyl syghtes and euyl playes or ellys by lecherye as dyd the sone of perdicion or losse whiche expendyd al his goodes with comyn wymmen dissolute dyshoneste wythouten mesure Diligenciam adhibe tHou oughtest to take dyligence and cure of thy werkes and in al thynges whiche of nede thou must doo as wel in werkes spiritual as corporalle For to be dylygent and wel aduysed of his fayte men eschewe many grete Inconuenyentes and decepcions as wel of the body as of the sowle that is to wete by beleue good counceyl and to kepe hym fro euyl counceyl and fro the awaytes or watchyng of the enemyes bothe spiritual and corporalle Blandus esto tHou oughtest to be courteys and benygne For they whiche been swete and courteys shal not onely haue the goodes of this world but also they shal haue the eternal goodes of god as sayth saynt Austyn Saynt bernard sayth yf the humble haue the heuen and the benygne the erthe what shal god leue for the proude and euyl sothely he ne leueth to them other thynge but the payne of helle and perpetual dampnacion Irasci abs re noli tHou oughtest not to be wrothe of a thynge vncerteyn that is to say that whan thou arte wroth of a thynge vncerteyn and wythout cause lawful thou oughtest not therfore to Iuge none wrongfully in refraynyng thyn yre For the man whiche is ouertaken wyth yre may not see ne knowe neyther trouthe ne reason Iracundiam tempera tHou oughtest to refrayne thyn yre Not onely the yre subdayn and subytte but also men ought to kepe hem self from the yre whiche is without mesure without reason That is to say that men ought not sodeynly and Inmoderately auenge hym self vpon his enemyes to hys appetyte Neminem irriseris tHou oughtest not to mocke ne scorne none other specyally whan thy wyll is to haue companye with hem but thou oughtest to force thy self for to gete his grace wyth alle thy myghte Miserum noli irridere tHou oughtest not to scorne ne mocque the poure vnfortunate to whom fortune is contrarye specyally whan they ben in theyr vnfortune and myserye but thou oughtest to comforte and helpe them after thy power and to gyue to them good hope in god Raro conuiua tHou oughtest selde to make festys ete and drynke in felawshyp that is to say that thou oughtest to goo selde to the festys and etynges of other ne to praye oftymes somme other for to ete and drynke wyth the It is founden in the auncyent historyes that Alexaunder came in to a contre where as the folke were of grete abstynence wherfore they lyued longe To this purpoos recounteth boece de consolacion that at the fyrst eage of the world before the deluge or growyng of waters the folke ete neuer flesshe ne dranke no wyne but ete onely that that the erthe broughte forth by nature wythout ony labour or cultyuyng and fasted vnto the euen wythout takyng ony manere of substaunce after they sowped them wyth a fewe chesteyns and with acornes Therfore sayth boece that they were wel happy bycause that they were more stronger than we been now at thys tyme It is founden that men may haue ten prouffytes by sobyrteâ—â— and abstynence The fyrst is helthe of body and of sowle The second is lengthe of lyf The thyrd is gladnesse of plesure of lyf corporell and spyrytuel The fourth is that men slepe and reste the better The fyfthe is bycause that men haue better appetyte for to ete The vj is bycause that men gete therfore preysyng and grace toward god The seuenth is delyueraunce of dethe The viij is refraynyng of mowthe The ix is puttyng from hym self the wolfe that is to wete the deuyl of helle For thus as hunger chaceth the wolfe out of the wode thus sobrete chaseth the deuyl fro the man Pauca in conuiuio loquere tHou oughtest to speke lytel or fewe whan thou etest or drynkest that is to saye that thou oughtest to speke at thy dyner and sowper by mesure and whan it is nede Seneque sayth I commaunde to the that thou speke late and selde Saynt Ambrose sayth that he whiche can not speke wel ought to kepe his pees Quod satis est dormi tHou oughtest to slepe by mesure whan it is nede and that nature requyreth hit and thy complexyon and nomore that is to saye that thou oughtest to kepe thy self fro ouermoche slepe and fro ouermoche watchyng It is founde in the auncyent hystoryes that macrobyus whan he wold fyghte ageynst the assiriens seyng that he was ouer feble and that the assiriens were stronger than he was He bethought and aduysed hym self to haue somme of mande-glorye powdre whiche causeth and maketh men for to slepe after he made the sayd powdre to be put in to al the pypes ful of wyne whiche were within his tente and thenne after that was done he with al his hoost made semblaunte to flee And theÌ„ne thassiriens came to the sayd siege with al theyr myght for to haue gone after macrobyus but before that they wente after hym they dranke so moche of the wynes of macrobyus wherein he had put the sayd powdre that sone they were forced and nedes they must slepe and slepte in suche wyse that they laye as dede men on the erthe Thenne retorned macrobyus and came and slewe them at his plesure for they had no myghte for to resiste ne to doo ony defence Thus to speke morally the deuyl kylleth and sleeth alle them whiche he fyndeth a slepe in dedely synne bycause they haue no puyssauÌ„ce for to defende them self ne to resiste to the deuyl of helle Meretricem fuge tHou oughtest to flee the comyn folysshe wymmen and the bawdes and theyr decepcions For they ben more subtyl than the deuyl Item thou oughtest to holde the by thy wyf yf thou be maryed Saynt Crisostom sayth that he is a fole whiche leueth his good and trewe wyf and holdeth other comyn wymmen in his felawshyp Peter alphons reherceth in his book that in spayne wythin the cyte of hyspalensy was a moche fayre and a good bourgeys wyf and wel beloued of her husbond It happed that a yonge clerke was enamowred of hyr and many tymes prayed requyred hir of loue but for no thynge she wold neuer consente to hit Thenne whan the clerke sawe that he was refused he entred in to suche a malencolye that better he semed to â—â—e deed thenne on lyue but nyghe his how 's dwellyd a maquerel or bawde whiche had grete acqueyntaunce wyth the sayd bourgeyse And whan the sayd bawde knewe that the sayd clerke was in suche poynte she came for to speke wyth hym and demaunded of hym what he eyled and why he was in so grete malencolye and comforted hym and dyd so moche that she knewe al his fayte And in dede the clerke made bargeyn with the
sayd olde bawde for to fynde the meanes that he myght haue his plesure of the sayd bourgeys wyf and for to fulfylle his wylle and his entencion This olde bawde had a lytel catte whiche she named pasquette the which she kepte wythout ony mete or drynke the space of thre dayes and after she gaue to the catte a lytel flesshe with right stronge mustard and after she wente for to speke wyth the sayd bourgeys wyf and ledde with hir her lytel catte but bycause that she had eten the sayd mustard she dyd none other but wepte euer And thenne the good wyf demaunded of the bawde why her catte wepte and syghed so sore And she syghyng and wepyng answerd Helas my lady my catte whiche ye see and I haue cause ynough for to wepe wherfore sayd the wyf I praye you that ye wyl telle to me the cause Helas sayd the olde bawde my lady I dar not telle hit to you Neuerthelesse the bourgeys wyf prayed hyr so moche that she tolde hit to hir sayeng madame sythe hit pleseth to you I shal telle hit to you this catte whiche ye now see here is myn owne doughter the whiche by the wylle and plesure of god hath ben transfourmed in to a catte bycause that a yonge man loued hir but neuer for no thynge she wold not accorde for to doo his plesure and wylle wherfore the goddes were wroth and torned hir in to a catte as ye may see And therfore she wepeth thus contynuelly whan she wepeth I can not holde me but that I must wepe How sayd the bourgeys wyf ye say wonder is hit trouthe that ye say the whiche sware that hit was veray trouthe Helas sayd the bourgeys wyf whiche beleuyd lightly knowest thou not suche a yonge clerke Yes my lady I knowe hym ful wel Certeynly sayd the bourgeys wyf he hath prayed me of loue and hathe offred to me many grete yeftes but neuer for no thynge I ne wold consente ne graunte hys plesure wherfore as I suppose he is in grete thought and malencolye and therfore yf hit were sothe that thou sayest I shold be torned in to a catte as thy doughter is yf the goddes ben wrothe with me Certeynly said the bawde yf ye holde thus longe the sayd clerke in that payne and langour ye are in grete parelle for to be transformed from your fayre fourme in to the lykenesse and fourme of a catte and ye shal therfore wepe al the tyme of your lyf Wherfore my dere lady I counceyl you or the goddes be wrothe vpon you that ye doo after the wylle of the sayd clerke For yf ye were torned in to a lityl catte ye shold be dyshonoured ye shold be cause of the shame and dyshonoure perpetuell of al your lynage Thus the sayd bourgeys wyf whiche doubted the furour and wrath of the goddes and the shame dyshonour bothe of hir self and of her parentes byleuyng the wordes of the forsayd olde bawde consented wythin her herte to doo the wylle and plesure of the sayd clerke And thenne with grete sygheng and malencolyes for doubte that worâ—â— shold come to hir sayd to the sayd olde woman that she wold goo toward the sayd clerke and that she shold telle to hym that â—â—e wold come for to speke with hir and that of hyr he shold haue his plesure Thenne was the olde bawde ioyeful and gladde and after wente to the sayd clerke said to hym that he shold make good chere and that Incontynente he shold goo toward the bourgeys wyf that of hir he shold haue al that shold please to hym The whiche clerke wente Incontynent thyder and payed the bawde as he had promysed to hyr And thus he had hys wylle of the sayd bourgeys wyf Vino te tempera tHou oughtest to be temperate in drynkyng wyne that is to say that men oughte to drynke as moche as it suffyseth to nature and no more Aristotel sayth in his secretes whiche he sente to alixaunder that many euylles sourden and come by ouermoche drynkyng of wyne The fyrst euyl 〈◊〉 bycause that hit troubleth bothe the wytte the memorye The second is for hit empessheth the wytte of nature The thyrd is bycause that hit troubleth the brayne The fourth is bycause that hit debyliteth and maketh feble the vertues of the man The fyfthe is bycause that hit causeth for to forgete that that men haue for to doo The vj bycause that he causeth euyl appetyte The seuenth bycause that hit maketh the membres to shake The viij bycause that hit chaseth alle the body and engendreth hete in to the lyuere and causeth euyl blood and generally hit maketh feble alle the vertues bothe of the body and of the sowle Men rede of an hermyte whyche oftentymes was tempted for to leue his hermytage and retorne in to the world to whome an aungel of god apperyd and sayd to hym yf he wold retourne in to the world that he myght not scape but that emonge al the other euyl synnes which ben done in the same world there were thre of the whiche he shold doo one that is to wete auaryce lecherye and dronkennesse and that he shold chese whiche of them thre he wold doo Thenne the hermyte answerd and sayd sythe that it is force that I falle in one of thoos thre synnes I chese dronkennesse and not Auaryce bycause that auarice is cause and the roote of alle synnes Ne lecherye bycause that hit destroyeth alle the body of the man And thus the myschaunte retorned in to the world the whiche drunke on a day so moche of wyne that he was dronke forthwyth tempted he was of lecherye the whiche synne he made in dede and after he became auaricious and in dede he sette hym self for to stele and thus he made alle the sayd thre dedely synnes this came of dronkenesse onely Nil arbitrio feceris tHou oughtest not to doo no thynge of thyn owne arbytre that is to wete wythout counceyl of somme more wyse than thy self And thou ne oughtest not to truste thyn owne counceyl ne by strengthe corporell and spyrituel ne also thy wysdom and conuyng but thou oughtest to take and requyre the counceyl of other and of the sages and shewe vnto them the thynge whiche thou purposest for to doo For many to gyder seen more clerely and knowen more thenne doth one allonelye Pacienter parentes vince tHOu oughtest to ouercome and vaynquysshe thy parentes by fayre and swete wordes without makyng force or to be rebelle ageynst hem bycause that hit is oâ—â—e of the pryncypal commaundementes of our lawe that men oughte to obeye his fader and moder Patere legem quam tu ipse feceris tHou oughtest to kepe the lawe whiche thou hast ordeyned and made That is to say that al tho whyche made the lawes that maketh hem day by day ought to kepe them and to commaunde the other for to kepe them Valere recounteth in his syxte book of a man
whiche made an edycte that who someuer were taken in aduoultrye he shold lâ—â—se bothe his eyen It happed that the sone of hym that had made this edicte was taken in to aduoultrye wherfore his fader commaunded that his two eyen shold be taken out of his heed but the bourgeys and the lordes of the cyte prayed for hym thenne that he shold haue grace but his fader for no thynge wold not consente to hit For he wold make equyte and Iustyce kepe the lawe whiche he had ordeyned but for to plese the lordes and al the people he ordeyned that he hym self shold lese one eye and his sone another eye to â—â—hende that his sone shold not lese alle his syghte and also that the lawe shold be kepte and Iustyce obserued Noli concupissere alienum THou oughtest not to be couetyse of somme others goodes For it is ageynst one of the commaundementes of our lawe Tulle sayth that none ought not to deme the rychesses to be hys owne ne for hym self onely But alle waye the rychesses been and ought for to be pryncypally for the comyn wele and prouffyte of euerychone Illud stude agere quod bonum est THou oughtest to studye for to doo that that is good and nedeful vtyle and prouffytable to the body and to the sowle Saynt Ysodore sayth that for to doo an euyl men loseth many goodes For by one synne many Iustyses been subuerted and loste Lykewyse by one euyll been many goodis subuerted and loste Therfore oughtest thou to put payne and dylygence for to doo euer wel We reden of a kyng whiche had thre sones whyche kynge at the ende of his dayes made his testamente in thys manere and fourme that is to wete that the moste sloutheful of hys thre sonnes shold be hys heyre Thenne eche of them to the ende that they myght come to the herytege beforesayd sayd that he was moste slouthful The fyrst sayd 〈◊〉 was so slouthful that yf he were sette soo nyghe to the fyre that his legges shold brenne yet he wold not ryse The second sayd that he was soo slouthful that yf he had the corde aboute hys necke for to be hanged and in hys hande a good knyf wel sharpe he wold not cutte the cord The thyrd sayd that yf he were in a good bedde and that the rayne fyl contynuelly vpon his two eyen he wold not ryse ne meue hym neyther to the lyft ne to the right syde therfore to this last yaue the kyng his heritage Iuged helde hym for the moste slouthful of his thre sones To speke morally who this kyng is It is to vnderstonden the deuyll of helle the whyche is kynge and prynce of alle slouthfull folke By the fyrst sone ben vnderstonden them whyche been in euyll and wycked companye the whyche haue leuer for to be brente of the fyre of synne that they lyen in than for to leue theyr euyl felawshyp By the second are vnderstonden them that been in dedely synne For how be it that they ben bounde by the necke with the strenges or cordes of the deuyl that is to wete with synnes and condempned to dâ—â—th and to be hanged on the galowes of helle Neuerthelesse they ben so slouthful and neglygent that they wyl not cutte the corde with theyr knyf whiche is sharpe ynough that is to wete wyth their tongue by veray and pure confessyon By the thyrd are vnderstonden them whiche dayly here speke of the paynes of helle and of purgatorye and of the ioye of paradyse and of alle vyces and synnes and of confessyon and how men ought to shryuen hem self But alle wayes they been soo wonder negligente that they can not confesse them self ne haue and put them out of synne whiche is at the lyfte syde for to eschewe the paynes of helle Ne for to goo to the ryght syde that is by veray contrycion and repentaunce for to gete the glorye of paradyse Libenter ferto amore THou oughtest to bere and haue loue to euery man That is to say that thou oughtest to gouerne thy self in suche maner with al maner of persones with whom thou conuersest that thou mayste haue theyr grace and loue And also thou must kepe thy self to doo ony thynge contrarye to frendshyp by the whyche thou myghtest lâ—â—se theyr lâ—â—ue be Indaygned of them ¶ Si deus est animus nobis vt carmina dicunt Hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus THe fyrst commaundemente of the fyrst partye metrycall is that thou oughtest to worshyp byleue one onely god in essence the whyche hath myght preemynence vpon alle thynges vysyble and vnuysyble and he is ende and begynnyng of alle thynges As sayeth Salamon He gouerneth alle thynges by weyghte and by â—â—sure and by hys deuyne and excellent grace he is cause that we been fourmed and created to his semblaunce and fygure For yf he were not and yf he gouerned vs not alle nature and kynde shold retourne to nought as of nought hit was made And for to beleue thys reason techeth vs the songes and dytees of the sayntes and of the holy appostles and prophetes As hit appereth clerely in the thre credes the whiche our moder holy chirche syngeth that is to wete in the crede of the appostles and in the crede whiche is songen at the masse and in the crede whyche is conteyned in the psalme of Quicunque vult saluus esse cÌ„ Wherfore now wythout ony more taryeng euery one ought to worshyp and adoure hym in veray and stedfast feyth and beleue wythout ony fyâ—â—cions or corrumpcions by pure deuoute and clene thoughte bycause that he is aboue alle other creatures one onely god eternal ende and begynnyng of alle thynge In that tyme that the wyse Platon lyued reygned a grete pestylence soo horryble that the folke deyed sodaynly Thenne whan Platon sawe that there reygned suche a cruel â—â—estylence he dyd soo moche by hys subtyltee and scyence that he knewe the cause wherof came thys pestylence and mortalytee the whiche dyd doo make a grete glasse and after he made hit to be borne vpon an hygh mountayn and loked wel ofte in to the sayd glasse in suche manere that he knewe and perceyued the cause of the sayd pestylence For he sawe a grete multitude of peple whiche lepte out of the cyte whiche deyed and fyl sodaynly to therthe dede Yet ageyn he loked in to the glasse and sawe in two grete valeyes which were on bothe sydes of the mouÌ„teyn a grete multitude of dragons vpon the roches of the sayd valeyes whyche beholden eche other and whystled and blowed moche wonderly And thus Platon perceyued and knewe clerely that the pestylence came by the whystelyng and soufflement of the sayd dragons whiche corrumped the eyre wherfore the peple â—â—yed sodaynly To the whyche thynge the sayd Platon founde a remedye for he dyd doo make grete fyres in the sayd valeyes in suche manere that
grete tresour salamon sayth that better is to acquyre â—â— good name good grace than golde or syluer Therfore 〈◊〉 tullius that there nys cite ne castel that may long endure with outen frendshyp and concorde God maketh rayne to falle bothe vpon the good folkes and vpon euyl folke wherfore thou oughtest not al onelye to loue the good peple But also somtyme the euyl folkes and to teche and enduce them to doo wel and to gyue and helpe theym at theyr nede myseryes and aduersytees Mitte archana dei celum que inquirere quid fit Cum sis mortalis que sunt mortalia cura THou oughtest not to enquyre ne knowe the secretes of god nor what thynge is the heuen that is for to wete of suche secretes that humayne nature may not attayne knowe ne vnderstonde But thou must byleue stedfastlye wythoute ony doubte that that the chyrche byleuyth and holdeth for trewe And by cause that thou arte mortalle thou oughtest to enquyre of the mortalle or dedelye thynges and not of the deuyne and Inmortal thynges Therfore sayth the appostle that there is none eye that hath seen Ne eere that euer herde ne herte that thoughte nor can thynke the goodes whyche god hath maad redy and ordeyned for them whyche are of good loue and trewe byleue For he whyche eteth ouermoche of hony hyt letteth hym lyke wyse he that ouermoche enquyreth of the secretes of god more thenne nature humayne ne may ne oughte to knowe ne vnderstonde shal be oppressyd before god and pryued fro hys glorye ¶ To thys questyon men may answer by two exaumples Fyrst it is redde of a prophete whiche studyed longe for to knowe the nature and kynde of the bees or hony flees but he coude neuer fynde ne knowe hyt Item Tulles recounteth in his book that he made of the nature and kynde of the goddes that a kynge demaunded of a prohete what thynge was god Thenne the prophete demaunded terme and space for to answer to the sayd questyon And the kynge gafe hym terme of thre dayes Item after that the thre dayes were passed the prophete demaunded yet lenger terme vnto whome the kynge gafe onelye thre dayes Item after the thre dayes he wold haue had yet gretter terme Ha sayd thenne the kyng I see wel that thou mocquest me But the prophete escused hym self gracyously and sayd that he mocqued not but he sayd I consydere and suppose that god is so ouer souerayn and vncomparable and vnlyke For the more I thynke on hym the more I am confused and abasshed and wote not what I shold saye and by no manere I ne may knowe what thynge is god And now answereth the prophete to the questyon pryncypal and sayth that a maker of erthen pottes may make of one erthe a potte to his worshyp and another of lyke erthe to his dysworshyp ¶ Item saynt austyn sayth that god hath made to be borne the euyl and wycked folke for foure reasons The fyrste is that by cause of theym the good folke seme the better as the whyte breed semeth to be better and fayrer by the blacke and broune breed The second is by cause that the Iustyce of god is approued and enhaunced by the euyl folke For he is so ful of myserycorde that al the world shold be saued yf his Iustyce shewed and apperyd not and yf a Iuge shold pardonne and forgyue al he shold not seme to be Iuste and by the contrarye yf he neuer pardonned nor forgafe he shold not seme to be myserycordyous ne mercyful The thyrd is for the euyl and wycked folke the good are worshypped and therfore is to them redy made gretter gwerdon or rewarde Item yf there had be no wycked folke oure Lord had not taken dethe Ne saynt stephen had not be caste wyth stones ne no marter crowned The fourth is by cause that of the euyl and wycked folke haue ben borne and begoten more sayntes thenne of the other For of Esau whiche was ryght wycked and euyl man and of achab was engendred or begoten ezechyas and thus of many other Item oute of the thorne groweth the rose and yf men dyd cutte and destroye al the thorne trees there shold noo roses growe nomore and thus by the thynge beforesayd apperith clerelÌ„y that god hath made the Wycked and euyl folke for to haue and gete vnto hym the good and feythful people and for to shewe his myserycorde and hys Iustyce Now thenne sythen it is so as I haue sayd to the and approuyd that none may knowe the secretes of god How myght men knowe that that he wyl do ne the cause why he dyd alle that he hath doon Notwythstondyng that saynt austyn and many other as I haue sayd haue gyuen and shewen of hit many natural reasons And therfore thou oughtest not to enquyre of the secretes of god no ferther thenne nature humayn may knowe and vnderstonde ¶ The doctours been of oppynyon and sayen that the prescyence of god bereth ne wythholdeth nothynge of nede but that it may befalle otherwyse And thys approueth boece of consolacion by reasons ensaumples Fyrst he sayth that god knoweth somme thynges nedefully naturelly for to come as he knoweth of nede that the sonne ryseth in the mornynge Item he knoweth somme thynges of free and lyberalle arbytre for he knoweth wel whan soÌ„me wyl do somme thynge and that hath hys free wylle and lyberalle arbytre for to doo hit or not Therfore the man doeth naturally that that he doeth For thus hath god Instytued and ordeyned hit Item the sonne ryseth of nede by cause that god ordeyned hit so thus the thynges whyche oughte for to come naturelly been nedeful but they that comen by lyberal arbytre ben free to doo hit or not For thus hath god ordeyned Instytued and forseen Item hit may be proued by ensaumple that the deuyne prescyence of god wytholdeth ne bereth no nede Now suppose we that in somme place is a waye whyche is deuysed in thre wayes thorugh which waye a man must passe Item lete vs suppose that another man is hyghe vpon a montaygne whyche knoweth alle thynges that are to come the whiche cryeth wyth an hyghe voys vnto hym that shold passe by the waye deuysed in thre wayes sayd I deffende the that thou ne passe thorugh the lyft waye but by the ryght waye or at the leste by the myddel waye yf thys man sette ne retche not of his sayeng but goeth thorugh the lyfte waye and falleth in to the handes of his enemyes what may do therto the man whyche was vpon the montaygne whiche knewe wel al thynges that were to come and that forbode and deffended to hym that he shold not passe by the lyfte waye None is thenne cause of hys harme euyl but he allone sythe that he had hys lyberalle arbytre and free wylle for to haue passed by suche a waye as hit pleasyd to hym and also whan hit was forboden and deffended to hym
sholdest be cause of theyr dampnacyon losynge bothe of body and sowle Iudicis auxilium sub iniqua lege rogato Ipse etenim leges cupiunt vt iure regantur THou oughtest to requyre helpe of the Iuge whan the lawe is to sharpe ouer rygorous that is to wete that whan thou arte accused of somme caas partyculer and that the lawe is to rygorous ageynst the or whan men wyl do to the vniustyce thou oughtest to requyre and beseche humbly the helpe of the Iuge ffor the lawys wyl requyren that they be gouerned and Interpretyd euer to the best partye for hym that hath wronge Item also the Iuge may modere of his offyce the lawes whan they ben ouer rygorous for it is better that the Iuge be reproued to be ouermoche myserycordyons or mercyful than to be ouer cruel and rygorous Neuerthelesse the lawes that are approuyd by right canon ben good trewe Notwythstondyng that they semen to be vntrewe to hym whiche is condempned by them Item also euery good Iuge of his offyce may modere them a lytel Quod merito pateris pacienter ferre memento Cumque zeus tibi sis ipsum te iudice dampna THou oughtest to suffre bere pacyentlye the peyne that thou hast deseruyd and to the whyche by good ryght and Iustyce thou arte condempned For sythe that thou knowest thy selfe gylty thou oughtest to be thyn owne Iuge and to condempne thy selfe Boece sayth that the euyl wycked folke ought to goo to presente them before their Iuges of their owne gree and wylle and to requyre humbly punycyon of theyr vyces synnes For hit is better that the malefactour Iuge hym selfe than that another shold Iuge hym and thys is that the appostle sayth Yf we be Iuges of our self we shal not be Iuged of Ihesu cryste as dyd the sones of Israhel which sayd That that we suffren we suffre it Iustlye For we haue synned ageynste our brother Multa legas facito perlectis perlege multa Nam miranda canunt sed non credenda poetae THou oughtest to rede and studye many thynges and wythholde the good and flee the euyl for it is good and prouffytable to knowe bothe good and eâ—â—yl but thou oughtest not to byleue al that thou shalte rede by cause that the poetes and many other sayen and rehercen many fables and thynges meruayllous And for thys cause none ought for to be curyous of the lore and doctryne of these poetes the whyche are ful of fables and lesynges Valere sayth that by especyal the yonge children ought to flee the doctryne of the poetes by cause that they byleue of lyght al that they heren or seen and therfore thou oughtest to studye of al scyences to withholden in thy mynde the good flee the euyl Inter conuiuas fac sis sermone modestus Ne dicare loquax duÌ„ vis vrbanus haberi THou oughtest to be temperate in wordes and to kepe thy self fro ouermoche talkyng at the table emonge them that eten and drynken for thou oughtest to be temperate in speche to the ende that they sayen not that thou arte a lyer a tydynges maker specyally whan thou wylte be holden and reputed for humble curtoys gracious of this thou hast experyence of the labourers rustycal whan they been at a tauenne they make so grete noyse that none may endure by them for to haue soner doon often they speke all togyder in suche manere that they wote not what they sayen ne what the other sayen that are wyth them The wyse man sayth that none ought to stryue ageynst his frende whan he eteth or drynketh ne to blame hym whan he is ioyous and mery Therfore euery man oughte to kepe hym self fro ouermoche talkyng as they eten and drynken For thou oughtest to speke to the poynte whan it is tyme Coniugis irate noli tu verba timere Nam lacrimis struit infidias dum femina plorat THou oughtest not to doubte the wordes of thy wyf whan she is wrothe wyth the for the wymmen been of suche condycion that the more that they shewe them wrothe ful of wepynges and syghynges soo moche more strongly they enforce enuertuen them for to deceyue the and to take the in their grynnes this they doon whan they see that by their wepynges syghynges wordes they maye not ouercome their husbondes The woman ought to be subgettâ—â— to the man therfore thou oughtest not to doubte hir for none thynge that she doeth or sayth Saynt crisostom saith that one may chastyse his wyf in two maners Fyrst in prayeng hyr swetety shewyng to hir hir fawte by swete wordes Secondly whan she wyl not be chastysed ne amende hir self by swete wordes thou oughtest to smyte chastyse hir wyth a good staffe but alwayees thou oughtest to kepe thy self fro the subtiltees decepcions of thy wyf whan she is euyl and a shrewe for the holy scripture saith that there ne is heed so euyl ne so peryllous as the heed of a serpente ne there nys so euyl yre as the yre of a woman for she is right bolde hardy for to do that she thynketh right subtyl for to lette somme whaÌ„ she wyl for whan she is wrothe she dare saye do that that a man durst not doo ne thynke it for it is the moste wonderful meruayllous beest that is lyuyng whan she is wroâ—â—he the moost cruel of other parte she is the moost swete beest that is lyuyng and moost pyteous whan she is good wythouten wrathe we reden that a woman by cause that hyr husbonde betâ—â— hir bethoughte hâ—â— that she shold gyue â—â—o hym a drynke of the whyche he wexyd and became dronke and as oute of hys wytte and as she thoughte and purposed hit she dyd and perfourmed hit Thenne whan she had gyuen to hym this drynke he became a fole in soo moche that he wyst not what he dyd thenne she enbraced hym 〈◊〉 hym vpon his bedde and after she ranne vnto a mynsteâ—â— â—â—hyche was nyghe by and beganne for to calle and crye as she had be al madde sayeng Alas for goddes loue come to socour me and to helpe my poure husbonde whiche deyeth and hath as of now loste his speche alas whan he was in his good helthe he ne demaunded of god other thynge but that he myght become a monke and I of the other parte haue vowed chastyâ—â—e and yet I vowe hit of presente I wyl not lette ne empesâ—â—e his sauemente alas sayd she come ye lyghtlye and put on hym thabbyte of relygyon to th ende that he accomplysshe hys auowe and that he deye relygyous Thenne the monkes came thyder and made hym a grete crowne and after they put on hym thabbyce of relygyon in the beste wyse that they coude For he coude not speke nor knowe no persone lyuyng And thenne whan the morne came that his dronkeshyp fransye was passed he behelde
in the deâ—â—he of them as had thauncyente whyche made sacrefyse to god of dombe beestys For they had in thys alle theyr feythe and byleue Certeynlye it is greter folye for to haue hope of saluacyon for the loue of somme creature than al onelye in the deth of Ihesu cryste thy redemptour For noo synnar oughte not to suppose for to haue pardon nor remyssyon of his synnes by other deth than onely by the dethe and blessyd passyon of Ihesu cryste It is redde in the holy scrypture that the auncyents erryd folysshly hadden a folysshe oppynyon For they slewe dyuers beestys of the whych they made sacrefyse to god and byleuyd that by the dethe of beestys god gafe to them pardon thou oughtest to knowe that suche folysshe cerymonyes that the auncyentes maad been put now doun set at nought by the newe lawe of our redemptour Ihesu cryste and by the dethe and passyon of Ihesu cryste ben putte and broughte to noughte al suche errours by cause that the veray feythe and byleue câ—â—me forthe in the comyng of our Lord Ihesu cryste Vtere quefitis opibus sed fuge nomen auari Quid tibi diuicie prosuÌ„t si pauper habundas tHou oughtest to dyspende thy goodes by suche manere that men sayen not that thou arte a nygarde and auarycyous that is to wete in doyng almesses and wyth them with whome it is expedyente for to dyspende and to gyue What shold auaylle to the a grete tresoure or a garette ful of whete or a celer ful of wyne yf hyt were soo that neyther to thy self nor to none other thou sholdest not take nor gyue somme what therof certeynlye alle thys shold auaylle the noo thynge but shold be lettyng and chargeable bothe to thy sowle and to thy body and sholdest be therof blamed and dyspreysed of the world For euery man shold saye that thou were a nygardâ—â— and that thou sholdest deye pourely besyde or nyghe thy goodes Saynt Iherome sayth cursyd be al tho whyche lyuen onelye to th ende that they may gadre and assemble worldly rychesses whyche are so sone passed and that are so transytorye and of so lytel valewe and by the whiche they lâ—â—se the rychesses yf grete valewe and eternal wythoute ende Si famam seruare cupis dum viuis honestam Hac fugias animo que sunt mala gaudia vite yF thou wylte haue kepe good fame or renomee in this world thou oughtest to flee al vyces synnes for the euyl ioyes worldly plesures been ofte cause and materâ—â— of euyl renomee and in th ende of dampnacyon perpetual The wyse man sayth that the good renomee and good preysyng is better than al the rychesses and tresoures of thys world by cause that the good and famous name endureth lenger than the rychesses Dum sapias animo noli irridere senectam NaÌ„ quocumque sene sensus puerilis in illo est tHou oughtest not to mocque scorne olde age that is to wete the olde auncyent folke though thou be wyse that god hath gyuen to the wytte vnderstondyng for to rewle gouerne the wysely for thou sholdest be therfore blamed of al men that haue wytte vnderstondyng For as Iob sayth sapyence cometh groweth in man wythin shorte tyme but prudence cometh by â—â—nge space of tyme and prolongeth thexperyence of the wyse mâ—â—n In euery olde man is sapyence but by somme accidentes wantynges of nature thauncyent retournen and becomen as chyldren been in theyr yongthe and euery olde man hath comynly the maners and countenaunces of a chylde therfore men ought not to mocque them but oughâ—â—en to suffre pacyently theyr fawtes theyr symplenesse for thou must consydere that without ony fawte thou must come to suche estate or ellys to deye in thyn yonge age Disce aliquid nam cum subito fortuna recedit Ars remanet vitamque hominis non dese rit vnquam tHou oughtest to lerne somme crafte or somme scyence for teschewe fortune whiche sodaynlye departeth and goeth fro the but thy crafte or connyng shal neuer leue the vnto the tyme of deth but yf by fortune thou losest thy worldly goodes by thy crafte or connyng thou myghtest recouer gete hem ageyn but yf thou haddest neyther coÌ„nyng nor crafte at al and fortune were to the contrarye thou sholdest abyde poure mysheaunte and myghtest falle in to many Inconuenyentes and perylles bothe of body and of sowle It is sayd in a comyn prouerbe that crafte is better than the sparhawke Item crafte and scyence eschewen grete Inbygence and taken the man from grete myserye daunger Prospicito cuncta tacitus qd quisque loquatuâ—â— Sermo hominum mores celat et iudicat idem tHou oughtest to holde thy pees â—â—o be moderate to loke herke what euery man shal say and to note sette hit in thyn vnderstondyng for by the wordes of the folke thou shalte mowe vnderstonde knowe their coÌ„nyng prudence their folâ—â—eâ—â—e mauayste â—â—or of haboundaunce of the herte the mowâ—â—e speketh sayth what the herte thynketh Therfore sayth the gospel Ha thou euyl man I Iuge and condempne the by thy mowthe and by thy wordes for comynlye euery persone sayth speketh as he thynketh The good persone sayth neuer but wel the euyl wycked saith euer euyl and therfore by the wordes of the folke men knowen theyr condycyons whether they be good or auyl Excerce studiuÌ„ quaÌ„uis percepeâ—â—is aâ—â—tem Vt cura ingenium fit et manus adiuuat vsum tHou oughtest to excercyce folowe the studye though that thou haue the arte scyence of many thynges for right so as al craftes which is vsed dayly rendreth maketh the hande able redy for to excercyse doo lyghtly the sayd crafte In lyke wyse by ofte studyeng to haunte the studye the clerkys men able them in what someuer scyence that it be they acquyren the vsage of al artes scyences for to vse studye them often For hit is moche better to haue the arte or the experyence of somme scyence or crafte than to haue the scyence withoute experyeence or vse what shold auayle to the thy scyence or thy crafte yf thou canst not vse helpe thy self therwyth and thou oughtest to studye in suche manere so longe that thou mayst gete and acquyre the experyence vse of the connyng or crafte of the whyche thou purposest for to helpe thy self Multum venturi ne cures tempora fati Ne mortem metuit qui scit contempnere vitam tHou oughtest not to haue cure ne retche for â—â—enquyre of thy fortune ne whan thou sholdest haue hit nor of many other thynges of whiche enquyren many symple folke that wyl knowe the secretes of god for none may knowe suche thynges but by deuyne reuelacyon For he that can dyspreyse this lyf mortal and do good werkys and to kepe the commaundementes of god doubteth not the dethe he
Iugement and sentences of Ihesu Cryst ben dyuerses Therfore wel happy are they whiche deyen in the feythe of Ihesu Cryst oure redemptour There ben fyue causes why men oughte to haue dysplaysyre and wo for the dethe of wycked folke The fyrst is by cause that they be perpetuelly dampned yf they deye in synne mortal or dedely The second is for the grete shame that they take of their dethe before alle the world The thyrd cause that they be pryued fro the vysyon of god their creatour The fourthe is the cruel payne and passion that they suffren at theyr dâ—â—th The fyfthe is for the horryble ymage or fygure that they 〈◊〉 after theyr dethe For they be lyke vnto that horryble beesâ—â— of the whiche speketh thapocalips in the fourtenth chapytre For fyue causes pryncipall men oughten to haue ioye of the dethe of the good and Iuste folke the fyrst is by cause that after the deth corporalle they regnen and comen in to the gloriâ—â— of paradys the second is by cause that they haue fayrer howses and gretter place for to dwelle in the thyrd is by cause that they haue better metes for to ete the fourthe is by cause that they haue gâ—â—etter lyght for to see the fyfthe is by cause that they haue more better ayer for to smelle These fyue goodes acqueren the Iuste and good folke after their dethe whanne they be in the glorye of paradys Cum coniunx tibi sit nec res fama laborat Vitandum ducas inimicum nomen amici THou oughtest to flee and eschewe all hate and melancolye of thy wyf that is to saye whanne thou hast a fayre wyf And that thow hast not wel wherwith to susteyne her estate ner wherwith to gouerne her kepe and â—â—ke wel that none deceyue the for ofte many one shall make semblaunt to be thy good frende for loue of thy wyf though that they be thyn enemyes And they shalle fynde the manere for to gyue euylle praysynge to thy wyf and to take her worship fro her therfor thou oughtest for to repute holde suche folk for traytours and not to gyue to them the name to be thy frendes For enymytee and hatâ—â— are contrary to frendship and concorde And yf by aduenture hit happed that men spake euylle by thy wyf and of thy frende and that hit were not so And thou ne supposest ne bileuest in thy conscyence that hit he so though that oueralle be renommee that it is soo thou oughtest for to adde gretter feythe to the trouthe of this that thou knowest than to the renommee that is gyuen to thy wyf or to thy frend For hit happeth oftymes that the folke blamen and speken euylle by somme persones whiche thynge is not trewe and somtyme hit is trouthe And thus bothe the one and the other of the causes afore may befallen and be trewe Cum tibi contingerit studio cognoscere multa Fac discas multa vita nesare doceri â—Hou oughtest not to be proude for thy grete connynge and scyence that is to wete yf hit happed that thou haue lerned by thy dylygence and to haue well studyed many of artes and scyences thou oughtest not for to be the more proude therof Ne yet to cesse of lernynge ne for to haue shame for to be taught and to lerne of hym whiche is lesse than thy self art For thou oughtest to suppose that thou woste lytel to the regard of other For there is none so wyse a man but that he fyndeth yet somme for to lerne Therfor saith the prouerbe that one may not al knowe nor one may not haue all For none is parfyghte in no scyence Miraris verbis nudis me scribere versus Hec breuitas sensus fecit coniungere binos THou oughtest not to be merueylled yf this lytell book conteyneth two sentences in two verses For that haue I do pryncipally for two causes Fyrst for to eschewe prolyxyte and longe wordes For yf I had wryten many verses the sentence had be so grete so derke and obscure that vnneth my wytte had mowe comprehende conceyue ne expowne hit And therfore I haue made this lytel book in double verses the whiche conteynen two shorte and vtyle sentences for the symple folk Also by cause that this day many one ben gladde to see or here shorte wordes or sentences The second cause why I haue done and made this lytel booke in two verses is by cause that the doctryne and gouernement bothe of the body and of the sowle is conteyned in hit For whiche thynge men may intytule this lytell book the myrour of the regyme gouernement of the body and of the sowle ¶ Here fynyssheth this present book whiche is sayd or called Cathon translated oute of Frensshe in to Englysshe by William Caxton in thabbay of Westmynstre the yere of oure lord MCCCClxxxiij And the fyrst yere of the regne of kynge Rychard the thyrd the xxiij day of decembre
they shalle be wreton The causes wherfor ydolatrye was founden folio secundo Of the seuen spyces of ydolatrye folio iij An ensample how vsurers and their heyres ben dampned vnto the tenthe degree folio v An ensample of a cautele that a woman dyd to her husbonde Folio vj An ensample of a child that bete of his faders nose folio vij An ensample of them that haue loued the mayster of the scole folio ix The synnes and Inconuenientes that comen of playeng forboden Fo xj Of xij folyes and abusions conteyned in players fo xij An ensample of a player at dyse that demaunded of saynt Bernard yf he wold playe his hors at dyse ageynst his sowle folio xij The sixe maner of peple to fore whome men ought to be ashamed to doo euylle folio xiij Of abstynence and of them that somtyme ete no flesshe ne dronke wyn fo xiiij The prouffytees that comen of of sobrenes and abstynence folio xiiij An ensample of the pouldre of mondglorye and how hit maketh to slepe Folio xiiij An ensample of a Bawde and of her catte named pasquette Fo xv The harmes that comen of ouermoche drynkynge of wyn fo xvj An ensample of a wyse Senatour whiche ordeyned that who so were take in aduoultry shold lese bothe his eyen folio xvj An ensample of a kynge that ordeygned the slowest of his thre sones shold be his heyre after his dethe Fo xvij Moralyte ageynst heresyes folio xviij An ensample of harme that cometh of ouermoche slepe folio xix An ensample ofan old woman that dyd that whiche the deuyl couthe not doo in xxx yere folio xx Of a quene that had a child by her cook fol xxj Of saynt Moyses that was chosen for to Iuge his broder folio xxj An ensample of an hound that bare a pyece of flesshe in his mouth fo xxij Ensample of two wymmen and two bretheren fo xxiij The xvj signes by whiche is knowen who is loued fo xxiij The foure maners of praysynges and wherfor men oughte not to byleue flaterers folio xxiiij An ensample how the foure elementes menac alle men that thanke not god of the goodes that he hath sent them fo xxiiij Of a prophete that had leuer deye thaÌ„n do ageynst the lawe Folio xxv Of a Iewe that had suspecion of Marye magdalene fo xxv A merueyllous historye of kynge Alysandre fo xxvi Of a poure man and of a ryche man fo xxâ—â— Of the festynge of thre goddesses folio xxâ—â—â— Of an Abbot that contynuelly by thre dayes to fore his 〈◊〉 helde his eyen open folio xxâ—â—â—â— An Hystorye of the Cyte of Rome And how it was in grete pouerte by fortune of warre folio xxviij The euyls that folowe of pouerte and of brekyng of promesse folio xxix Of saynt Ambrose that repreuyd openly themperour of his synne Folio xxx Of Octauian themperour that dyde his children to lerne crafte folio xxx Ensample of Ioseph and of the kynge of Egypte Fo xxx What thynges may be demaunded of god rightwysly folio xxxi Ensample of an auysyon of an holy man of the wawes of the see of the lyon and of the Serpent Folio xxx An ensample of two felawes that put in wrytynge alle that whiche one gaf to that other Folio xxxiij How noyses and stryf shold be eschewed for v causes Folio xxxiij An ensample of two hosyers one poure and that other ryche Folio xxxiiij An ensample of the henne and of a Ryche man Folio xxxiiâ—â— Ageynst them that demaunde why god hath made them And wote wel they shalle be dampned folio xxxvj Ageynst them that saye that hit is of necessite that hit come that whiche god knoweth that hit oughte to come Folio xxxvj Ageynste them that saye that yf a man be borne in a good planete that he shalle be well fortuned folio xxxvij Ageynst them â—â—hat saye that alle thynges that ben and shalle ben ben ordeyned by god and that they maye none other wyse ben ne happen folio xxxvij An ensample of an holy man that requyred oure lord that he wold shewe to hym what thynge was dethe Folio xxxviij How they may be appeased that ben angry folio xxxix An ensample of mostard seed and of a stone named Agathes Folio xl Ensample of a Serpent named Cocadrylle folio xl Ensample of a clerke that sayd yf â—â—e were predestynat to be saued he myght not be dampned And in lyke wyse the contrarye folio xlj Ageynste them that ben sortileges of herbes and of wrytynges for to hele men or horses Folio xlj How they that ben ferme and constaunt in aduersyte gete grete goodes Folio xlij How for 〈◊〉 causes no man ought to preyse hym self ne wylle 〈◊〉 be preysed of other Folio xliij An ensample of paynyms of tyme past that were in Rome Folio xliij History of an holy heremyte and of a childe thaÌ„t dwellyd with hym Folio xliiij Ageynst thynfydeles that saye that eche man may be saued in his faythe and in his lawe as fer as he byleueth that it is good and playsaunt Folio xlv An ensample how saynte Ambrose was lodged with an hoost whiche was alwey fortunate Folio xlvj Of foure euylles that comen of excesse and voluptees Folio xlvij Of iiij maner of dremes Folio xlviij The Inconuenients that come to them that kepe not the commaundementis and of the goodes that come to them that kepe them Folio xlix In how many maners the euylle sleen the good after ryght canon folio xlix An ensample of one that was ydle whiche repreuyd an Abbot by cause he set his monkes to laboure Fo l Ensample of one that was poure that complayned to Socrates of his pouerte Folio lij Foure maner of persons that kepe not trewe loue Fo liij Ensample of a woman that bare her husbond on honde that he was bycomen a Monke Folio lv How the auaricious men doubten the four elementes and eche creature Folio lvij An ensample how the auaricious man ete iiij pyeces of gold And how the fourthe strangled hym lviij Ensample of a ryche man that had leuer lose his one eye than to gyue a Floryn for to hele hym Folio lix Of them to whome may not be rendryd ne yolden good ageyne Folio lix How ther may be founden iiij maners of Frendes fo lxj Of the sacryfyse that thauncyents made to god for to haue remyssion of theyr synnes Folio lxj How an old man shold not be scorned Fo lxij What thynge is dethe naturelle And why hit oughte not to be doubted Folio lxiij Wyne taken by mesure prouffyteth to the persone as it appiereth by many reasons Folio lxiij The thynges most Inconstable in this word ben foure Folio lxiiij Ensample of the goddesse Syrses that sayd that she was doughter of the sonne Fo lxiiij Of the foure sygnes or tokens by whiche is knowen trewe loue Folio lxv By wyn and wymmen comen aÌ„lle the euyls of the world folio lxvi Ensample of hym that had
lost his sone his money folio lxvii How a man ought to suffre foure thynges for his trewe frende folio lxviii How god punyssheth som in this world Folio lxix Of the vysyon and debate ageynste the fere of dethe and surete of the dethe folio lxx Historye of a wyse man that loued thre frendes Fo lxxi Of fyue causes wherfore ought to be had displaysyre of the dethe of euylle peple folio lxxii Of fyue causes wherfore ought to be had Ioye of the dethe of good peple folio lxxii Thus endeth the table and the Rubrishes of this present boke whiche is called caton in Englysshe ryght singuler and prouffytable And ouer and aboue these that be comprysed in this sayd table is many a notable commaundement lernynge and counceylle moche prouffitable whiche is not sette in the sayd regystre or rubrysshe CVm animaduerterem quam plurimos homines errare in via moruÌ„ SuccurrenduÌ„ consulendum opinioni eorum fore existimaui-Maxime vt gloriose viuerent honorem contingerent nuÌ„c te fili carissime docebo quo pacto mores tui animi componas Igitur mea precepta ita legito vt intelligas legere enim et non intelligere negligere est WHan I remembre consydere in my corage that moche peple erre greuously in the waye of maners and of good doctrynes bycause they vse no manere of Iustyce ne of reson by whiche they be the more disordynate obstynate in their Iniquyte euyl for the which cause I haue delybered concluded oftymes how I myght remedye correcte socoure gyue good couÌ„ceyl to their false disordynate opynyon Iniustice bycause that many holde sowe many errours dyuerce coÌ„trarye to good Iustice equyte reason therfore I haue delibered in myn herte to helpe correcte the errours false opynyons for eueriche by right lawe writen ought to correcte his propre errour also therrour of his neyghboure of his cristen broder to th ende that euery man myght lyue gloriously that is to say vertuously that he may to thonour preysyng of god and of the world by cause that they that lyue vertuously vse reson Iustice equyte haue praysyng of god and of alle the world And thys is that the phylopher sayth in the book of the etiques whyche sayth for to come to worshyp and praysyng is none other thyng but to haue wytnesse in hym self of somme good and vertue how be hyt that somme good is spyrituel as vertu or science And temporel as ben rychesses and puyssaunces And therfore my right dere and welbelouyd sone I shal teche shewe to the clerely in the doctrynes commauÌ„dementis that thou shalt here herafter That is to wete the fourme and the manere how thou mayst rule the maners of thy corage That is to knowe how thou mayst rule and gouerne thy body and thy sowle in this world as wel in good werkes spirituel as in good werkys temporel and therfore rede and rede efte ageyn ofte tymes my coÌ„maundementes in suche wise that thou vnderstonde them reteyne them in thy mynde For to rede not vnderstonde is a thynge dyspyteuse and vnproffytable and of no prouffyte in whiche there abydeth no trouthe prouffytable ne no perfeccion of entendement for it is sayd in a comyn prouerbe that he that redeth no thynge vnderstondeth doth as moche as he that hunteth and no thynge taketh And therfore it suffyseth not to rede my commaundementes without they be vnderstonden and to what purpos I haue sayd them For thou oughtest to rede rede them efte ageyn more than an hondred tymes or vnto the tyme that thou vnderstonde them and reteyne them wel and perfytely And thenne thou shalt â—â—conne rule thy body thy sowle in this world therfore may this book wel ought to be entytled the râ—â—ile gouernement of the body and of the sowle Itaque deo supplica THe fyrst commaundement is that thou oughtest to praye and adoure god thy creatour onely and none other For yf so were that honoure and reuerence that is due to god were gyuen to ony other creature than to god that shold be ydolatrye as thou shalt here hereafter And thou oughtest to knowe that there be fyue maners for to bere and doo honoure and reuerence to god hys creatour That is to wete to werke adoure swere sacrefyse preyse by cause that god is the vnyuersel commaundour of alle our production begynnyng and gouernemente Thou oughtest to knowe that Idolatrye is none other thynge but tenbaunce and gyue the reuerence that ought to be gyuen to god to ony other creature Therfore I wyl shewe how ydolatrye was fyrst founde and there ben fyue causes The fyrst was for to eschewe the malencolye of the dethe of somme persones herof recounteth the wyse man of a man that loste his sone whome he loued moche hertelye But for teschewe the malencolye of the dethe of his sone and for to haue perpetuel remembraunce of hym dyd do make an ymage vnto the resemblaunce of the fygure of hys sone the whiche ymage he commaunded to be worshypped by hys subgettes and seruauntes vpon payne of Inobedyence Of this fyrst cause of ydolatrye recounteth saynt Gregore in his xj chappytre of saynt luke How the kynge of nynyue whan he was dede in batayle his sone whiche was kynge after hym dyd do make an ymage to the resemblaunce of hys fader the whiche ymage he adoured deuoutely commaunded expressely to be worshypped and adoured of al the subgettes of hys royame And to th ende that his subgettee shold haue the more gretter deuocion to the sayd ymage he dyd doo make an edycte or a decree that al they that had commysed offence ageynst the ryal mageste that they shold adoure the sayd ymage and al that so dyd shold be pardoned The second cause wherfore ydolatrye was founden was for the grete pryde and surquerdrye of somme prynces whiche somtyme made them to be adoured and worshypped as god As we haue an ensaumple of the kynge Nabugodonosor For to the ende that he shold be adoured as god He commaunded to olofernes whiche was prynce of his londe and of his chyualrye that he shold destroye all the goddes of his royame to th ende that he shold be reputed and honoured as god in al his contre The thyrd cause was fouÌ„den by adulacion or flaterye For to Impetre somme graces ageynst somme lordes as done they that ben poure whyche adoure the ryche prynces grete lordes as they were goddes For to haue theyr grace and benyuolence herof recouÌ„teth saynt austyn in the tenthe boke of the cyte of god that sayth that many thynges ben taken aweye fro thonoure and adouryng deuyne the which ben atrybued gyuen to kynges prynces temporel in geuyng to them gretter honoure reuerence thaÌ„ they do to god this spice of ydolatrye regneth yet at this day with kynges prynces of this
supposed she toke the keyes and wente doun to the clerke as she was accustomed And thenne whan hyr husbond felte that she was gone he rose vp and wente and shette the dore of his chambre and wente ageyn to his bedde For he must nedes slepe thre or foure houres Sone after the woman came vpward ageyn supposed for to haue entred within the chambre as she was acustomed to doo And she was moche abasshed whan she fonde the dore of hyt shette but she knocked at the dore so longe that she dyd awake hir husbond to whome she sayd thus Helas ye haue hasted you moche for to shette the dore after me whan I yssued out for to haue gone to doo my naturelle nede Thenne answerd to hyr her husbond and sayd Dame harlote ye come from your rybauldrye as ye be acustomed none ne may kepe you therfro goo ageyn and retorne thyder from whens ye came for ye shal neuer lye wyth me Thenne was the woman moche abasshed and began to wepe and to excuse hyr self sayeng that hit was not trouthe And thenne yet ageyn she requyred hym moche swetely that he wold opene the dore But for prayer ne requeste that she made to hym he wold not opene hit And whan she sawe that by no wyse he wold not opene the dore she began thus to crye wyth an hygh voys Yf ye opene not the dore I shal caste my self wythin the same pytte whiche is hereby For rather I wyl be drowned thenne for to be dyshonoured and shamed alle the tyme of my lyf I care not therfore sayd hyr husbond I wold that thou were drowned al redy And she thenne toke a grete stone whiche was by the pytte and castyng hit in the pytte She sayd in this manere God be with you my frende I wyl goo drowne my self ye shal neuer see me on lyue And whan the husbond herde the noyse resownyng of the stone within the water He rose vp ful hastely and al naked wente out of his chambre toward the pytte for he supposed that it had be his wyf and fayne wold haue rescued hir but she was not so moche a fole for she was hydde behynde the dore the whiche Incontynent after that hyr husbond was yssued out of the chambre she hastely entred in to his chambre shette her self within and hyr husbond wythout whiche was alle naked and after she opened a wyndowe and began to crye calle hir neyghbours sayeng that her husbond wold kylle hyr And thâ—â—nne there came the neyghbours bothe men and wymmen and also somme of hir parentes and shortely to say after alle allegacions and compleyntes made of bothe partes there was none that myght beleue that hit had be soo as her husbond sayd seyng that he kepte hir of so nyghe of so longe tyme shette and that hym self bare the keyes of the sayd toure Wherfore in dede the husbond was constreyned to aske and requyre pardon and mercy of hys wyf and thus the pees was made By thys ensaumple hyt apperyth clerely that grete trouthe is not founden in somme wymmen Erudi libros THou oughtest to leche to thy chyldren good doctryne and good condycions For the phylosopher sayth in the viij book of ethyques that the fader is cause of al that the chyldren done Wherfore they ought to be â—â—lso cause of theyr condycions of doctryne For herto ben bounden of right not onely the carnal faders but also the spyrituel Boece recounteth in his book of dysciplyne of the scolers of the sone of lucressys whiche had to name Zeno the whyche his fader dyd norysshe in his yongthe wythout doctryne and wythout techyng the whiche Zeno expendyd bothe hys goodes and the goodes of his fader and played hit at the dyse and at tables and after that he became a theef in soo moche that his fader kepte and bought hym ageyn fro the galowes and fro dyshonest dethe At the laste he was taken and his fader had nomore good for to bye hym and haue his lyf ageyne saufe and in dede he was ledde vnto the galowes for to be hanged the whiche Zeno or he was hanged he demaunded of his fader a yefte that is to wete that he wold kysse hym or that he shold receyue dethe Thenne as his fader wold haue kyssed hym he bote his nose of wyth his tethe sayeng in this manere Fader yf ye had wel taughte and enâ—â—â—tryned me in my yongthe in good condycions I shold not haue ben brought hyther for to be hanged and to receyue a shameful dethe And therfore to th ende that ye knowe that ye haue done euyl for to gyue ensaumple to the other I haue byten of your nose Therfore sayth seneque that men must chastyse teche the chyldren in theyr yongthe as thou hast ensaumple of al dombe bestes and of the trees and of herbys the whiche men bowe and plye and vse them in theyr yongthe in suche maner plighte as they wyl haue them whan they be older Familiam cura TThou oughtest to haue the cure and the gouernement of thy famylle or seruauntes For thou arte called fader of thy seruaunte bycause that amonge alle thy seruauntes thou arte lyke a fader and gouernour of thys thou shalt rendre and yelde a counte before god Item thou oughtest to knowe that after right canon the fader of famylle and euery man that hath ony gouernemente or rewle vpon his householde is bounden to hit in thre maners Fyrst he ought to haue and to ordeyne to euerrychone of hys seruauntes that that to hym nedeth Secondly he ought to knowe bothe the vyces and the vertues of eche of his seruauntes the vyces for to chastyse and for to admoneste them for to doo wel and the vertues for to rewarde them of the good whiche they doo and haue done before Thyrdly euery fader of famylle ought to shewe good ensaumple to his seruauntes to th ende that they be not corrumped by euyl ensaumple In Iudicio adesto THou oughtest to be and to appiere in Iugement that is to wete that he whiche is called in to Iugemente ought sone to come and to appyere therto to th ende that he be not holden for a rebelle and Inobedyent and put in to contumacye Be thou sette in Iugement that is to say that thou oughtest to be ferme stedfast in Iugement specially whan thou hast good ryght and good quarelle Foro te para THou oughtest to dyspose to make thy self redy for to answere before thy competent Iuge to obeye hym That is to saye that thou oughtest to obeye the Iuge vnder whome thou arte subgette that is to wete to the Iurisdiccion and Iugemente of thy londe or prouynce For to doo thys right canon admonesteth and Inciteth vs also right lawe deuyne cyuyl and moralle Ad pretorium stato THou oughtest to be in Iugement for to vnderstonde the sentence of thy Iuge competent or ordynarye
thou wylt doo hygh and excellente faytes or dedes looke on the other parte of thy gowne whiche is of cours and foule clothe that is to wete that thou muste consydere and thynke how thou arte right foule by thy faders syde and thus thou shalt kepe thy self fro pryde and thou shalt be euer vnyed wythin thy self Ne thou shalt neuer do no thynge contrarye to thy self Si vitam inspicias hominum si denique mores Cum culpas alios nemo sine crimine viuit THou oughtest not for to Iuge to blame ne to dispreyse other For whan thou blamest and dyspreysest the other thou oughtest to thynke and consydere that none lyueth without blame Wherfore thou must be first with out synne and vertuous than for to wyl make the other to be vertuous and without synnes We reden in vitis patrum that saynt moyses the hermyte was chosen for to Iuge his brother whiche was gylty and in synne the whiche Hermyte toke a sacke ful of grauel or sonde bare hit vpon his backe And whan he was demaunded why he bare the sayd sacke and what was therin he answerd that hit were his synnes the whyche men may not see And yet thys day sayd he I am chosen for to Iuge the synnes of the other Que noscitura tenes quamuis sint cara relinque Vtilitas opibus preponi tempore debent THou oughtest to leue al thynge whiche ben contrarye to the how be it that they ben dere precyous and dylectable For the vtilyte that is to wete worshyp good renommee as wel of the body as of the sowle and lyf spirituel ought for to be preferred byfore alle the rychessys al worldly plesures whiche ben transitorye and sone passed Yf thyn eye sclaunder or shame thy self put hit fro the For better is for to lese one eye than the hole body We see by experyence that whan a dogge bereth a pyece of flessh in his mowthe whan he seeth the shadowe of the flesshe that he bereth and weneth to take the shadowe of the sayd pyece whiche is gretter than the pyece he is begyled for he fyndeth no thynge In lyke wyse many one leue for to serue god for to serue the vanytees and plesures of this World Whiche ben but shadowe to the regarde of the glorye of paradyse therfore we ought to leue them for they are to vs chargeable and greuous how be it that they ben holden dere and moche delectables Constans et leuis vt res expostulat esto Temporibê° mores sapiens sine crimine mutat THou oughtest to be constaunt and stedfast as moche as the thynge requyreth in tyme in place as Well in prosperyte as in aduersite For the sage may and can chaunge hym self wythout ony blame ne synne in tyme and in place For somtyme of nede he must be swete and peasyble and somtyme sharpe and rygorous The constaunt stedfast man geteth moche of tempâ—â—rall goodes and of vertues And by the contrarye the man vnconstaunt dyspendeth moche goodes and falleth in to many vyces and synnes The sage saith that dyuerse condycions been answerynge to many one in dyuerse placys and saith that there is one tyme for to speke and one tyme for to holde his pees tyme to be borne tyme to be nourisshed tyme for to laughe and tyme for to wepe Tyme for to sette trees and herbys and tyme for to sowe heruest Tyme for to spare and tyme for to dyspende Tyme of warre and tyme of pees But in alle tymes thou oughtest to be stedfast and constaunt and not flyttyng Cumque mones aliquem nec se velit ipse moneri Si tibi sit carus noli desistere ceptis THou oughtest to resiste and admoneste thy frende by swete wordes and al other persones and whan they wyl not chastyse them by thy wordes thou oughtest euer to perseuere in gyuyng to them more and more good admonestement wythout sessyng specially whan they be thy dere frendes Contra verbosos noli contendere verbis Sermo datur cunctis animi sapiencia paucis THou oughtest not to stryue ne take noyse wyth them that ben ful of superfluous wordes and Iniurious For the speche is gyuen to euery persone but the scyence and connyng for to refrayne and amodere his corage hys yre is gyuen to fewe folke Fyrst none ought to take stryf with the noble man puyssaunt bycause that somtyme thou myghtest falle in to his daunger Secondly wyth the ryche man bycause that thorugh the meane of his golde syluer he myght fynde the manere for to lette and greue the Thyrdly with hym whiche is ful of superfluous Iniurious wordes bycause that thou mayst haue therof no worshyp alle be hit that thou had good cause and trewe And also ageynst hym whiche gladly taketh stryf and noyse with euery man and without reason for by litel wordes men comen ofte vnto grete wordes of the whicâ—â— sourden ofte grete Inconuenyentes It is redde in vitas Patrum that an holy man named macarye to whome was reueled and tolde by dyuyne wylle that there were within a cytee whiche was nyghe his dwellyng two wymmen and two brethern the whyche had neuer noyse ne neuer stryf to gyder neyther in worde ne in dede nor in thought To the whyche he yede for to see as hit was commauÌ„ded to hym in goddes behalue But as sone as the good wymmen sawe thys holy hermyte they began to crye with an hygh voys sayeng Ha syr wold to god that hit were the plesure of our husbondes that we myght entre in to relygyon For this world is not plesaunt to vs bycause of the noyses and stryues whiche ben made in hit fro day to day Thenne the holy fader comforted them and sayd that they shold perseuere stylle as they were acustomed in good loue and dyleccion 〈◊〉 longe â—â—s hit shold please to god and to theyr husbonde Dilige sic alios vt sis tibi carus amicus Sic bonus esto bonis ne te mala dampna sequantur THou oughtest to loue euery persone and fyrâ—â—â—â—yn owne self For thou oughtest in suche manâ—◠〈◊〉 good toward euery man that none euyl or 〈◊〉 mâ—â—y come therof to the for the charite ought to begynne at thy self Therfore sayth saynt Austyn that men ought to sette and put ordre in charite and in loue Fyrst men ought to loue god for he is lord ouer vs Secondly our sowle and thoughte bycause that they ben emonge vs Thyrdly our neyghbours frendes and the aungels bycause that they been besides vs Also men ought to loue the thynges outward whiche are wythout bycause that they ben by vs of the whyche we lyue corporally The fyrst token is for hym whiche loueth the hereth gâ—â—adly to speke of the The second for he speketh ofte and gladly of the The thyrd for he thynketh oâ—â—tymes on the wythout to be wery of hit The fourthe for he layeth his body and his good in to daunger
and spare somtyme them that thou mayst vynquysshe and ouercome For pacyence is the grettest vertue of alle vertues of good condycyonâ—â— By cause that by the name of pacyence alle the other vertues taken force vygour and attemperaunce Therfore sayth the prouerbe that vertu is wydowe whan she is not aâ—â—urned confermyd and attemperyd wyth pacyence by cause that alle the other vertues rewlen and ordeynen them by pacyence for pacyence vaynquyssheth alle Conserua pocius que sunt iam parta labore Cum labor in dampno est crescit mortalis egestas THou oughtest to kepe and spare that whyche thou hast acquyred and goten wyth grete payne and wyth grete swette of thy body and more moderatelye thou oughtest to dyspende hit than that whyche cometh of auauntage and withouten payne and trauaylle For euery one doubteth the peyne and laboure that men haue for to gete them Item also naturally euery man kepeth and loueth better that whyche he acquyreth wyth payne and grete trauaylle thenne that whyche cometh of auauntage For whan one dyspendeâ—â—h that whyche is goten wyth grete laboure he falleth to grete pouerte and dommage and in to mortal Indygence whyche growen and encreaceth from day to day We reden of two hosemakers of the whyche the one was poure and had so grete famylle or meyne that his crafte myght not gouerne ne susteyne his housholde ne to furnysshe the expences the whyche as a wyse man put hym self to serue god contynuelly herde masse euery day wythoute faylle and thus by the grace of god had euer of worldly goodes ynough for to holde and susteyne hys estate wyth But the other whyche was more ryche than he was wrought bothe on sondayes holydayes the whyche by punycyon of god fyl in to grete Indygence pouerte in dede by grete yre as al wroth said to his neyghbour how farest thou how goeth thy fayte thou werkest not the halfe of the tyme but alwaye thou lyuest farest more largely hast more of worldly goodes thaÌ„ I haue that werke bothe holydayee sondayes contynuelly The whyche answeryd to hym that he had founde a tresoure in the erthe of the whyche he was wexen ryche and that yf he wold doo as he dyd of al that they shold fynde he shold haue his parte whyche accorded therto and wente euery day to the chyrche as dyd hys neyghbour and sone he had of worldly goodes ynough whan he beganne to serue and to loue god Therfore sayth the gospel seche ye fyrst the kyngdom of god and alle thynges shal come to your behoufe 〈◊〉 haboundaunce largelye Dapsilis interdum notis et caris amicis Cum fueris felix semper tibi proximus esto THou oughtest to gyue and to be large somtyme vnto thy dere frendes and to shewe thy self humble and benygne toward them but alwayes thou oughtest fyrst to helpe thy self For as sayth the appostle none oughte to hate hys flesshe ne his persone charyte begynneth at hym self and after to hys parentes and to the other who hath the myght and puyssaunce Men may compare the ryche man to the henne by cause that the henne taketh so grete curyosyte to nowrysshe hyr chyckyns that often she forbereth etyng for theyr sake in so moche that she wexyth alle lene but whan the chyckens are grete they remembren them not of hit for they knowe hyr nomore ne setten noughte by hyr Semblably whan the ryche man hath nowrisshed his chyldren in theyr yongthe wel derely and hath often foboren mete and drynke for to gadre and assemble goodes for theym whan they are grete and oute of the daunger of theyr fader and moder they remembren hit not and setten noughte by them Therfore I counceyl the whan thou arte ryche myghty that thou ne gyue ne distrybue thy goodes to thy chyldren ne to thy parentes frendes without thou haue first purueyed vnto thy selfe That is to saye that thou reteygne and holde so largely of thy goodes that hit may suffyse for to helpe thy body and specyalle thy sowle Incipit liber secundus ¶ Telluris si forte velis cognoscere cultus Virgilium legito quod si mage nosce laboras YF thou wylte knowe the cultyuyng and eeryng of the erthe and how men oughte to laboure and make hit clene and whan men must sowe gadre ageyne thou must rede the poete vyrgylle for in hys book thou shalt fynde the manere for to cultyue and laboure the erthe and by cause that by suche laboure men gete and acquyre many grete rychesses the auÌ„cyentes dyte put theyr cure and studye for to laboure and cultyue the erthe but thys oppynyon is false for the souerayn good of thys Worlde is to serue loue god Herbarum vires macer tibi carmina dicet YF thou wylte knowe the force vertu of herbes thou must rede this poete macer the auncientes said that the souerayn We le of this world was in the helth of the body therfore they put al their witte studye for to knowe the proprete vertu of the herbes by cause that they ben ordeyned for the helthe of the body the which oppynyon is false Si romana cupis et punica noscere bella Lucanum queras qui martis prelia dicet YF thou wylte knowe the bataylles of rome of affrique rede this poete named lucan the auncyentes sayd that the souerayn wele of this world was in getyng of good fame renome of noblesse therfore they dyd put all theyr estudye for to knowe the faytes or dedes of thauncientes And specyally of â—â—heym of Rome and of Auffryque the whyche haue been moche subtylle vpon the fayte and dede of werre Si quid amare libet vel discere amare legendo Nazonem petito Sinautem tibi cura hec est YF thou wylte loue and haue a paramour rede thou the poete named nazo the lechoure thauncyen supposed that the souerayn good of thys world had been in plesures and worldely delectacyons And therforâ—â— â—â—tudyed and lerned thys poete Nazo whyche techeth the 〈◊〉 and manere for to loue paramours Vt sapiens viuas audi que discere possis Per que semotum vicijs deducitur cuum Ergo ades et que sit sapiencia disce legendo YF thou wylte lyue wysely flee the vyces and folowe the vertues the whyche putten al vyces synnes out of the persone Item thou oughtest to rede and studye in suche manere that thou mayst become sage and wyse to acquyre sapyence wysdom to flee the false opynyons errours of thauÌ„cient beforesayd in the iiij precedent commauÌ„dementes Si potes ignotis eciam prodesse memento Vtilius regno est meritis acquirere amicos TThou oughtest to do wel to do prouffyte to the strauÌ„gers not al onely to thy parentes frendes For it is more vtyle prouffitable for to acquyre a frende by thy labour and good dedes than for to acquyre a royame or somme
for yre is none other thynge but a tempestous wynde whyche troubleth and destroyeth ofte the lyf of man in moeuyng warres and descencions and debates wythouten ende by dede and by worde the whyche is cause to waste and destroye townes cytees castellys Ageynste them that are wrothe and angry there been two pryncipal remedyes that is to wete swete wordes swete answer and wythoute answer of noo thynge to the contrarye For lyke as thou seest by experyence that the woode multeplyeth the fyre lyke wyse contrarye answers multeplyen chauffen the man whyche is wrothe and troubled Fac sumptum propere cum res desiderat ipsa DaÌ„duÌ„ etenim est aliquid cuÌ„ teÌ„pus postulat aut res THou oughtest to do wyth good herte hastyly thyn expences that is to wete thy presente or yefte whan the thynge requyreth it consyderyng whan thou oughtest to gyue and to whome thou oughtest to gyue For thou oughtest to gyue in tyme and place as the thynge requyreth For there is tyme for to sowe and tyme for to repe tyme for to lese and tyme for to wynne al thynges haue their tyme The wyse man sayth dyspende largely in tyme and place wythoute makyng of any noyse or stryffe For men saye comynlye that the nygarde expendeth more than the lyberalle Therfore it is necessarye to dyspende ofte and to gyue of his goodes ioyouslÌ„y Quod nimium est fugito puo gaudere memento Tuta magis puppis est que modico flumine fertar TTHou oughtest to be contente of lytel thynge wel goten and to flee al superfluyte For the shyppe saylleth more surelye in a lytel ryuere than in a grete flode as in the see Therfore sayth the wyse man that better is to haue fewe and lytel thynges and goodes wel goten by Iustyce and by mesure thenne to haue many goodes euyll goten by Inyquyte wythoute Iustyce and mesure The prophete sayth that by as moche as the man is more riche and sette in grete dygnyte in to thys world the more poure he is toward the syghte of god The prouerbe sayth that he whiche hath lytel or as nought is ryche And he which is ful and hath plente of rychesse is poure Quod pudeat socios prudens celare memento Ne plures culpent id quod tibi displicet vni THe man that is wyse and sage oughte to hyde 〈◊〉 blame and shame of his felawes to th ende that mâ—â—ny knowe not that thy selfe allone knowest For they shold be of many more blamed and shamed than of the allone but thou oughtest to chastyse them secretelye and not openlye The prouerbe sayth that he is false whiche reherceth and telleth the secrete of hys frende Item alle that thyn eyen seen thou oughtest not to recyte ne telle but thou oughtest to kepe hit secrete Nolo putes prauos homines peccata lucrari Temporibus peccata latent et tempore patent I Wyl not that thou wene ne suppose that the euyl and wycked men synnars faynen theyr synnes wythoute to haue and receyue punycyon and coreccion in thys world or in the other for the synnes ben ofte hydde for a tyme but afterward in certeyne tyme they are knowen and manyfestyd and also punysshed Yf god punysshed not the synnars hyt shold seme that they shold wynne and that they shold goo quyte of theyr synnes and that their fayte shold be the better therfore or ellys that they shold haue somme prouffyte whyche thynge were ageynste right and reason For none euyl shal abyde wythouten punycyon ne no good dedes wythoute remuneracyon there is none so secrete a synne but that at the laste hit shal be manyfestyd and knowen Therfore been ofte dysceyued they that wene to hyde theyr synnes as dauyd dyd of the synne that he had doon and commysed wyth barsabee the whyche synne before al the peple of Israhel was reuelyd and knowen as it is wryton in the second book of kynges Corporis exigui vires contempnere noli Confilio pollet cui vim natura negauit THou oughtest not to dyspreyse the forces 〈◊〉 of them whyche are lytel and feble of body ne of them whyche be poure of worldly goodes for how be hyt that there be many whyche are lytel and feble of body by apparaunce or syghte Neuerthelesse it happeth oftymes that they to whome nature hath denyed and forsaken her forces or strengthes ben better and more vertuous to gyue a good couÌ„ceyl than the other whyche are stronge and myghtyer of body The grayne of mostarde how be it that it is lytel and lothely neuerthelesse he hath moche of forces and of vertues Fyrst be modereth the grete humours whyche are wythin the body Item hit helyth the bytte of a serpente Of colde venym and of the tooth ache Item hit purgeth or maketh clene the brayne and helyth and breketh the stone and causeth good appetyte and also comforteth the stomake and helâ—â—th dropsye who shold wene that so lytel and so foule a grayne had soo grete vertues Item there is founde a precious stone named agathe whyche is blacke of colour Thys stone is of many and wonder meruayllous vertues and propyrtees For whan hit is kyndled hit maketh the serpentes to flee helyth the demonyackes or madde folke For hit is contrarye to the deuylles Item yf a doughter drynke of the water wherin the sayd stone shal haue be weted yf she be a mayde she shal crye whether she wyl or not Item hyt maketh the ladyes floures to come and peaseth the dolour of the bely and also hit helpeth the wymmen to be delyuerd of theyr byrthe Item saynt ysydore sayth that the sayd stone kynled and sette on fyre brennyth wythin the water and who put hit in oyle hyt quencheth whyche thynge semeth to be ageynste nature Quem scieris non esse parem tibi tempore cede Victorem à victo superari sepe videmur THou oughtest to forbere and to fauoure in tyme and place hym whyche thou knowest not matche ne lyke to the of tyme nor of age ne that hath not soo greâ—â— experyence as thou haste for he whyche hath oftymes vaynquysshed and doon many a fayre fayte or dede is somtyme veynquysshed of hym that before was vaynquysshed The cockadrylle is so stronge and so grete a serpente that there is not soo grete a beest ne soo stronge that may doo hym euyl but there is a lytel beest named mycor whyche put hyr self in to the fylthe and thenne the cockadrylle fyndeth hyt deuoureth hyt the whyche as sone as she is wythin the bely of the sayd serpente hit perceth or breketh the bely wherfore the cockadrylle deyeth sodaynlye Aduersus notum noli contendere verbis Lis minimis verbis interdum maxima crescit tHou oughtest not to take debate ne stryffe ageynste thy frendes ne to them whyche thou knowest for ofte by lytel wordes comen and growen grete dyscencions and debates or grete wordes by whyche thou myghtest lese thy frende in a lytel
had wylle for to retourne in to the worlde And therfore I promytte and make o vowe to god that from hens forthe I shal kepe vyrgynyte Thenne he retourned to the forsayd holy fader and recounted vnto hym al that he had seen and herde Thenne was the holy hermyte moche gladde and ioyous and sayd to the yonge man yf thou haddest fasted and accomplysshed the fourty dayes thou sholdest haue wel seen and herde other reuelacyons after that the sayd yonge man dwellyd stylle in the sayd hermytage in hys vyrgynyte Noli tu quedam refferenti credere semper Exigua est tribuenda fides quia multi multa loquÌ„tur â—Hou oughtest not euer to byleue that that men sayen and reporten to the ne to adde feythe to hit as doon many iouglers which tellen tydynges by swete wordes for to deceyue the for many sayen and tellen many thynges whyche are not trewe for hit may not be but that in ouer many wordes ne been somme lesynges Therfore saith Esope that men ought not to byleue alweye al the wordes that men heren saye For he is for a fole reputed and holden that byleueth the wordes of a mycheaunte lyar The encheson and cause that moeuen the Infydeles and paynyms for to saye suche wordes is by cause that there ben fewe of crystens and yet that more is of tho that ben crystene fewe shal be sauyd For they onelye that kepe the commaundementes of god shal be sauyd and that byleuen that holy chyrche byleueth the whyche arguen thus and sayen wherfore shold god haue created so grete a nombre of folke whan he knoweth and knewe wel that they shold be dampned For ther ben twyes as moche more of Infydeles or paynyms than there be of crysten and of the crysten allonely the good shal be saued and sayen that yf so were that they shold be dampned wyth the euyl crysten for one saued there shold be a thousand dampned and moo Item they saye that it is meruaylle how god gyueth and hath gyuen soo moche goodes and rychesses to so grete a multytude of people whan he knoweth knewe wel that they ben and shal be dampned To thys errour men may answer and saye that it is no meruaylle yf many been dampned to the comparyson and regarde of them that are saued for it is no meruaylle yf Iustyce rendreth and gyueth to the synnners that that they haue deserued and of thys none oughte to be meruaylled for thou seest wel that the sonne rendreth and gyueth hys lyghte to alle the world as wel to the euyl as to the good Wherfore none oughte to meruayll hym yf the mysericorde of god gyueth moche of goodes to the good ne yf the Iustyce of god punyssheth tho that are rebelle and euyl ageynste god and for the Informacyon of thys saynt austyn sayth that yf god wolde al the euyl peple shold be good but he loueth better that they be that that they wyl be for yf they be good thys shal not be wythout meryte ne gwerdon lyke wyse yf they be euyl and wycked it shal not be wythoute punycion for none may not excuse hym selfe but that he shal do wel yf he wyl by cause that eueryone hath his free arbytre and lyberalle wylle for to do wel or euyl The holy scrypture sayth that god putteth before the man two glases that is to wete lyf and dethe and whyche of them that he wyl haue he shal haue for yf he doo wel he shal haue lyf pardurable or wythoute ende and yf he do euyl he shall haue eternal deth wherfore it apperyth clerely that we ought not to byleue the argumentes of thynfydeles for they sayen and maken many argumentes they wote not how Quod potu peccas ignoscere tu tibi noli Nam nullum crimen vini est sed culpa bibentis tHou oughtest not to blame none yf thou synnest by ouer moche drynkyng of wyne so that thou becomest therof dronke for it is not the fawte of the wyne but of hym that ouermoche drynketh of hit For the wyne in as moche as it is created of god hit is good by cause that hit doeth moche good who taketh it temperatelye and by mesure Arystotle sayth in his book of secretes that the wyne taken temperatelye rendreth the man ioyous and able in alle thynges that he hath to doo Consilium archanum tacito committe sodali Corporis auxilium medico committe fideli tHou oughtest to counceyl thy self secretelye vnto thy lawful frende and felawe of thyn affayres or dedes and werkys whan thou knowest that he is lawful and secrete and whan thou hast wel approuyd hym Lyke wyse thou oughtest not to do medecyne thy body but of hym whyche is lawful trusty and experte in the arte of medecyne for to medecyne thy body The prophete sayth that men oughte to byleue his auncyent frende and hys secrete counceylle and not the newe the whyche men haue not yet approued A prophete was ones demaunded what thynge he shold doo the nexte morowe whyche answerd yf I shold telle hit to the how sholdest thou kepe hit secrete and not telle hit whan I may not kepe it secrete but that I must telle hit to the Successus dignos noli tu ferre moleste Indulget fortuna malis vt ledere possit tHou oughtest to bere pacyently the fortunes vnworthy and contrarye to the whyche comen not on the by thy synnes and desertes For by as moche as thou seest that somme ben better fortuned than thy self arte of so moche more maketh them fortune to descende falle a lowe shamefully For fortune nys none other thynge but nature wythoute reason For she spareth somtyme the euyl to th ende that she may hurte and deceyue them Therfore the euyl and wycked folke ben often more fortuned of worldly goodes than the good folke The wyse beda sayth that the good oughte not to meruaylle them self for as moche that the euyll been wel fortuned in thys world For it apperteyneth not to the good after the relygyon crysten to be enhaunced in temporall goodes For hit behoueth to them to be poure and holden for fowle in thys worlde For the euyl hath no thynge in heuen ne the good on the erthe Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos Nam leuius ledit quidquid preuidimus ante tHou oughtest often thynke to the fortunes caas that may fallen to the fro day to day to the ende that thou be not ouertaken by vnaduertaunce or vnwyttyngly for al fortunes and aduersytees of whyche thou hast be aduysed hurten ne greuen the not so moche as they whiche comen sodaynlye Seneque sayth that the wyse man oughte to thynke euer in hys courage on the fortunes and aduentures whyche may come vpon hym For the wyse man sayth neuer I supposed that ony suche fortune shold haue comen on me Rebus in aduersis animum submittere noli Spem retinere spes animum non morte relinquet tHou
ben more sages than they that are proude and enhaunced and sette on the hyghe chayer in audyence Rebus et in sensu si non est quod fuit ante Fac viuas contentus eo qd tempora prebent THou oughtest to be contente of that that the tyme gyueth to the how be it that thou haue not so moche of good as thou haddest before Therfore thou must refrayne and leue somme of thyn estate and to make lâ—â—se expences for yf thou wylte holde so grete a state as thou was wonte for to doo thou myghtest not furnysshe it without takyng and steelyng vniustelye the other mennys good and by so thou oughtest to be contente of that that thou hast of presente and for to holde thyn estate after thy rente and reuenue and to rendre graces and thankes to god of alle Notwythstondyng that thou hast not so moche of rentes and of pocessyons as thou was wonte to haue or of marchaundyses yf thou be a marchaunte For the goodes of thys worlde been varyable now one is ryche and now poure Socrates sayth that there was a man that compleyned vnto hym by cause that he was poure whyche demaunded of hym counâ—â—yll what thynge he shold do To whome Socrates answerâ—â—d Yf the goodes that thou hast be not suffysaunte for thyn estate and for thy lyuyng doo and gouerne thy selfe by suche manere that thou be suffysyng to thy goodes and so shalte thou be contente of thyn estate Doo thou as Iob sayd god gafâ—â— hit to me and god hath taken hit fro me god be thanked of al For thus it hath pleased to hym and thus he hath hyt doon Therfore euery one oughte to be contente of that that god gyueth to hym Pxorem fuge ne ducas sub nomine dotis Nec retinere velis si ceperit esse molesta THou oughtest not to take a wyf ne to coueyte hir for hyr dowayr for hir rychesse ne for hir noblesse but thou oughtest to chese and take hyr for hyr vertues good condycyons and for cause of hir good worshypful honeste lygnage or kynrede and specyally whan she hath a good moder For the doughters folowen ofte the condyâ—â—onâ—â— maners of the moders but whan thou arte wedded yf â—â—y aduenture she doeth to the somme moleste or greef that is to say yf she be an harlotte or an aduoultrere thou oughtest to flee fro hyr and to put hir oute fro thy felawshyp knowe thou after ryght canon and cyuyl that thou ne oughtest for to leue and put hir fro the but onelye for aduoultrye For knowe thou that it is the souerayn gyfte of god for to haue a good and lawful wyf Multorum disce exemplo quae facta sequaris Quae fugias vita nobis est aliena magistra THou oughtest to lerne by ensaumple of many wyse men what besynesse thou oughtest to doo First thou oughtest to flee teschewe that that they haue eschewed and fledde for the lyf of the other strauÌ„gers which haue preceded vs must be rewle and maystresse of alle oure dedes and gouernementes that is to say that thou oughtest to consydere how many are come to grete worshyp and perfeccion for to haue rewled and gouernyd them wysely and how many are comen to grete myserye by theyr euyl ledyng and gouernaunce and by cause that the faytes or dedes of this world ben varyable and dyffycyle for to knowe thou oughtest for to thynke and to thynke ageyn many tymes to that that thou wylte doo and how of lyke caas is betaken to the auncyente wyse men and by so thou shalte mowe knowe of lighte that that is prouffytable or chargeable Cum tibi vel socium vel fidum queris amicum Non tibi fortuna hominis sed vita petenda est THou oughtest not to demaunde the fortune of man but his lyf that is to say that whan thou wylte aquyre and haue a good frende and a lawful felawe thou oughtest not to demaunde of hys fortune that is to wete yf he be ryche noble or puyssaunte but oughtest to demaunde yf he be of good lyuyng wyse and prudente for by scyence wysedom men may recyste to the falaces decepcions of fortune by cause that that fortune gyueth to the of longe tyme she taketh hit ageyn fro the wythin a shorte space of tyme but scyence or connyng lasteth and endureth vnto the tyme of dethe for none may take hit from the The phylosophre sayth that there ben foure maners of persones whyche kepe not trewe loue the fyrst is the cruel man and euyl For he ne demaundeth but hate falsehede and stryffe The second iâ—â— the auncyente man by cause that he doubteth leste he shold be deceyued the thyrd is the chylde for for an apple one leseth his loue The fourth is the comyn woman for who that gyueth to hyr moste shal haue hir loue but veray trewe loue endureth euer bothe in aduersite in prosperyte betwyxte two good and lawful frendes Quod potes id tempta operis ne pondere pressuâ—â— SuccuÌ„bat labor et frustra temptata relinquas THou oughtest to preue assaye yf thou arte stronge ynough and vertuous for to accomplysshe and to doo that that thou purposest for to do or that that thou hast begonne for to do and how thou oughtest to lede hyt to good ende to the ende that thy laboure that is to wete â—â—hat whyche thou shalte haue begonne for to doo be not to the ouer greuous and that thou bowe not vnder hyt for thou sholdest leue al that thou haddest begonne wherfore euery man shold mocque the for it is gretter worshyp for to kepe hym selfe fro the begynnyng of the thynges whyche may not be perfourmed ne broughte to an ende than for to begynne them and after to leue them vnparfyte Esope sayth that he that weneth to mowe and knowe more than his faculte and nature requyreth alle his fayte or dede is nought by cause that alle remayneth vnparfyte Quod nosci factum non recte noli silere Ne videare malos imitare velle tacendo THou oughtest not to holde thy pees of that that thou knowest Iniustely doon and wythoute reason for yf thou knowest somme thynge ageynste the lawe or ageynst the comyn we le or ageynste one partyculer men 〈◊〉 ellys ageynst many thou oughtest to recyte and manyfesten hit for yf thou kepe hit secretelye men shold mowe saye that thou were partyner and assentyng to the fayte or dede shold seme that thou sholdest loue more vniustice than Iustyce in as moche that thou sholdest hyde the vyces of theuyl folke shold spare to chastyse them to recyten theyr mysdedes wickednessesses I say not but that thou mayst admoneste them by fayre wordes or thou recyte or telle theyr synnes mysdedes Saynt austyn sayth suppose thou not that hyt be euyl doon to reherce and to Iuge the synnes of other by cause that yf thou sholdest hyde them thou sholdest do wers by the halfe and
hym self and was al abasshed whan he founde hym self in a monkes habyte ne who had put hyt on hym ne made hym soo grete a crowne Thenne hys wyf sayd to hym alas my right dere husbonde wherof 〈◊〉 basshed are you not remembryd how yesternyght ye were made a monke whan ye were in your grete fransye ye knowe wel that it is longe a goo sythe ye made your auowe vnto God to become a monke Therfore I haue sente for the monkes whyche haue ordeyned you vnto a monke and to th ende that I ne lette nor empesshe your vowe your sauemente I haue promysed and vowed to god chastyte in suche manere that I must be al allone poure and as loste in thys worlde Of these wordes was sore abasshed the poure husbonde and sayd to hir that he knewe no thynge of that she sayd ne that he had noo wylle for to be a monke and wolde haue taken aweye thabbyte fro hym alas sayd his wyf how are ye so hardy and so bolde to put your habyte aweye fro you to kreke your vowe ye wyl dampne bothe me and you also For I wyl wel that ye knowe that neuer ye ne shal haue felawshyp wyth me for ye are a veray monke and god forbede that I lye wyth ony monke and also ye knowe wel that yf ye leue your habyte al the world shal mocque and wonder vpon you and euery one shold say that ye were a postate and al the world shold flee and voyde your felawshyp by cause that ye were cursyd So moche and so longe she prechyd hym that by hyr wytte and fayre wordes he entred in to the ordre and relygyon and gafe in hyr alle hys goodes Ptete quesitis opibus sed ne videaris abuti Qui sua consumunt cum deest aliena sequntur THou oughtest to dyspende thy goodes by mesure wyth oute makyng of excesse to th ende that men sayen not that thou abusest them also ouer nygarde thou oughtest not to be But thou oughtest to kepe the myddel waye For thou oughtest not to be neyther ouerlarge ne ouer scarce by cause that whan the goodes fayllen many euyls ofte folowen therof and therfore euery man ought to kepe hym fro consumyng and dyspendyng of his goodes folysshly many euyls may come by pouerte and by dyspendynges of goodes wythoute mesure first the spyrytuel goodes ben therfore dyspreysed and of the sayntes of paradyse they setten not by Secondly they are vergoynous and shameful to demaunde the brede of god that men gyue for his sake Thyrdly by pouerte they done many synnes as is thefte murdre many other Fac tibi proponas mortem non esse timendam Que bona si non est tamen finis illa malorum THou oughtest not to doubte the dethe for the paynes that folowen that is to wete that thou must doo soo 〈…〉 in thys world that thou doubtest not the deth for though she be not good that is to wete that she is not reputed for good Neuerthelesse she is the ende of all euyls myseryes of thys worlde Semblably men may say that the dethe is good as wel for the euyl folke as for the good for by the deth the euyl folke leue theyr contynuance makyng of synnes therfore is deth good to them prouffytable But she is better to the good folke as the psalmyste sayth Whyche sayth that the dethe of sayntes is ryght good and ryght precyous Vxoris linguam si frugi est ferre memento Nam malum est non velle pati ne posse tacere THou oughtest to bere to suffre debonayrlye the wordes of thy wyf whan they are prouffytable for the or for other for it is ageynste ryght and reason to kepe noo pees but alwayes though thy Wyf be accustomed for to lye whan she sayth trewe thou oughtest to escuse hir benygnelye and whan she spekyth euyl thou oughtest to chastyse hyr swetelye and to saye to hyr frendely that she shold kepe hâ—â—r pees The phylosophre sayth that not wythstondyng that the counceyl of wymmen be reputed of no valewe neuerthelesse whan she sayth hir oppynyon and gyueth hyr counceyll forthwyth wythoute to thynke tofore theron that she oughte to say men fynde it often good prouffytable and of grete vtylyte Dilige non egra caros pietate parentes Nec matrem offendas duÌ„ vis bonus esse parenti THou oughtest to loue thy fader thy moder by good trewe loue Withoute ony faynyng for it is grete abusyon to angre his moder whan he wyl be good be byloued of his fader for he that shal do euyl to his fader or to his moder in th ende hit shal myshappe to hym he shal deye poure vnhappy The gospel sayth that yf thou wylte lyuâ—â— longe on erthe thou must honoure and loue bothe thy fader moder or ellys hit may be so exposed Thou oughtest not to angre thy moder that is to wete holy chirche whan thou Wylt be good and be byloued of thy fader that is to wete god thy creatour which is fader of al Item it is one of the pryncypal coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of our lawe that is to wete thou shalte worshyp god thy creatour thy fader thy moder after the first commaundemente that sayth that thou oughtest to byleue loue one onelye god Incipit liber quartus Securam quicunque cupis deducere vitam Nec vicijs haerere animum quae moribus obsunt tHOu oughtest to coueyte desyre oueral to lede good lyf and sure in this world and to kepe thy self fro fallyng in to synne For thou oughtest of alle thy myght to flee al vyces and synnes whyche are contrarye vnto good connycyons and cause of the dampnacyon losyng of bothe body sowle for for no thynge none ought not to leue hym to be surmounted or ouercomen of synnes Haec precepta feresque suÌ„t relegenda memento Inuenies aliquid quod te vitare magistro tHou oughtest to sette to haue in thy mynde the commaundementes beforesayd whyche thou oughtest ofte to rede for yf thou consyderest wel the foresayd commaundementes them that folowen herafter thou shalte fynde in them somme thynges that shal be to the good prouffytable for the gouernaunce as wel of thy soule as of thy body and what thynge thou oughtest to do folowe and whyche thynge thou must flee eschewe for in the place there as vyce synne reygneth hath domynacyon vertu may not abyde in no manere by cause that they be contrarye Despice diuicias si vis animo esse beatus Quas qui suscipiunt mendicant semper auari tHou oughtest to dyspreyse the rychesses of this world yf thou wylte be wel happy lyue surely for to acquyre the glorye of paradyse whyche is eternal For they that haue moost of hit ben euer more poure and more auarycyous than the other Therfore sayth the gospel yf thou wylte be parfyte welhappy in this world goo
gyueth not force nor retcheth not for to knowe his fortune ne whan he shal deye For he setteth alle in god hys creatour whyche knoweth alle thynges The wyse man sayth that the naturalle dethe is none other thynge but the comyng out of a pryson for to come in to the how 's Item the dethe is ende of al exylyng and banysshyng for to come in to fraunchyse and at lyberte Item deth is consumacyon and ende of al payne laboure for to come to reste of lyf Item she is eschewyng of al euyl for to haue al goodes Item dethe is despoylyng alegeaunce of a right grete heuy farâ—â—el that is to wete of our flesshe Item dethe natural is none other thynge but waye and connyng for to goo retourne in to his londe that is to wete in to the glorye of paradyse therfore none oughte to doubte the dethe naturelle whan he is of good lyuyng and that he kepeth the commaundementes of god his creatour and maker but of the deth eternal is alle the contrarye for euery man oughte to doubte hit aboue all thynges Disce sed a doctis indoctos ipse doceto Propagada est etenim rerum doctrina bonarum Hou oughtest to take lerne thy scyence and thy gouernemente of the wyse men after thou oughtest to teche to the ygnorauntes good condycyons and good doctrynes that is to wete how they ought for to rewle and gouerne them and how be it that it is good for to lerne of euery man Neuerthelesse the scyence doctryne of wyse men is more prouffytable better than of other therfore whan thou hast lerned wel and hast had good counceyl of the wyse men after thys thou oughtest for to lerne teche the ygnoraunte he techeth and lerneth hym self whan he techeth endoctryneth the other by cause that noo scyence ne none arte or crafte may not endure longe wythouten vse and excercyce that is to wete wythoute hit be vsed and ocupyed oftymes For vse and practyke maken the scyences and craftes for to growe and endure The phylosophre sayth that there ben two thynges whyche are of noo prouffyte that is to wete the tresour whiche is closed and hydde in therthe and the connyng whiche is enclosed shette within man withoute to be vsed practyked communyked and taughte to the other Hoc bibe qd possis si tu vis viuere sanus Morbi causa mali namque est quecuÌ„que voluptas tHou ouÈtest to drynke the wyne in manere that thou be not hurte therwyth for thou must take of hit but as moche as suffiseth to thy complexion yf thou wylt lyue in helthe bothe of body sowle for dronkshyp and alle superfluyte of wyne ben cause of lecherye of many euyls sekenesses and also of many stryues and dyscencyons He that taketh the wyne by mesure temperately prouffyteth to hym moche to hym doeth moche good Fyrst hit causeth good colour naturelle Item it causeth good dygestyon Item hit kepeth the mete wythin the body fro corupcion Item hit boylleth the mete wythin the stomack purefyeth ledeth hyt by al the membres of the body tyl hit be conuerted tourned in to pure clene and subtyl blood Item hit maketh the herte ioyeful Item hit comforteth openeth the wytte vnderstandyng of the persone Item hit maketh man to speke wel hardely and causeth good appetyte in alle thynges Laudaris quodcunque palam quodcunque probaris Hoc vide ne rurfus leuitatis crimine dampnes tHou oughtest neuer to blame ne dyffame what someuer persone the whyche thou shalte haue preysed and approued openlye to be good iuste Ne also other thynge what someuer hit be For hyt were sygne or token of Inconstaunce yet ageyn thou myghtest be repreuyd of the cryme blame to be to lyghte Inconstaunte euery man sholde say that thou sholdest bowe wyth al wyndes that is to say that in the shold not be stedfastnesse ne no truste and by so thou sholdest be defyled dyspreysed of al persones we reden of foure phylosophres whiche dysputed and argued togyders of thynconstaunce mutabylyte of the thynges The fyrst sayd that the moost Inconstaunte and moost mutable thynge in this world was the woman The second said that it was the wynde The thyrd sayd that it was the lyght the fourth sayd that it was the mannes herte and thys laste oppynyon was approued and founde trewe To this purpoos saith saynt gregorye that there nys thynge soo mutable as is the herte and thought of the man Tranquillis rebus quo sunt aduersa caueto Rebus in aduersis melius sperare memento tHou oughtest to eschewe and flee the contrarye thynges whan thou arte in good prosperyte and in good fortune and to consydere how men haue grete peyne for to gete and acquyre the goodes and grete dysplesure and malencolye to lose them and yet ageyn yf by aduenture thou comest fro prosperyte in to aduersyte thou oughtest for to haue hope that thou shalte haue better in tyme yet to come and more of goodes than euer thou haddest for the goodes and euyls comen sodaynlye The poetes feynen that the goddesse Syrces sayd that she was doughter of the sonne and by hyr they vnderstood the prosperyte of this world and sayen that on a day vlyxes beyng vpon the see sawe the palays fro ferre of the goddesse Syrces but thys goddesse had suche prosperyte and propyrtee that she tourned the folke in to suche fourme as she wold Thenne the sayd vlyxes sente somme of hys felawes in to the sayd paleys of Syrces for to bye mete and suche thynges as they neded but whan the goddesse saw them she made semblaunte to receyue them ioyously to make hem good chere the whiche made sone the tables to be leyed and couerd and gafe to them bothe mete drynke and as sone as they had dronken of the drynke that she gafe vnto them they were tourned in to the fygure of suynes thenne whan vlixes sawe that his felawes came not ageyn he yede forthe vnto the paleys for to speke wyth the goddesse and demaunded of hyr where his felawes were become whiche he had sente vnto hyr for to haue had suche thynges as they neded but wythoute answer the sayd Syrces presented to hym the cuppe for to drynke the whyche drynke vlyxes refused and so he was kepte fro the fygure and fourme of a swyne and dyd soo moche by fayre wordes that the sayd goddesse took hym to hir husbonde And therfore she made his felawes to become men ageyn as they were before and whan the sayd vlixes had dwellyd a yere wyth the sayd goddesse he his felawshyp retourned in to his contreye lefte the goddesse sirces grete with chylde the whyche chylde thas named thelagonus the whiche afterward by ygnoraunce slewe his fader vlyxes To speke morally by thys goddesse thou must vnderstonde the prosperyte of thys world whyche
sayth in his booke that men oughten to doubte more them that speken lytel and symply as maydens and ypocrites than them that speken boldly and soone and that sayen clerely al that they thynke and haue in theyr hertes withoute makynge of ony fyctions ne ypocrysye Cum tibi displiceat rerum fortuna tuarum Alterius specta quo sis discrimine peior THou oughtest not to take to dysplaysyr the losse and fortune of thy goodes and yf by aduenture thou hast displesauÌ„ce of the fortune of thy goodes considere loke wel thou shalt fynde that many one that are better than thy self arte haue nothynge and that demaunden theyr brede for goddes sake Item thow shalt fynde and mayst knowe dayly that many that are Iuste and of good lyf and better than thow arte lese ofte al theyr goodes by fortune and comen vnto grete myserye and pouerte And therfore yf thou considere loke well on alle these thynges thow shalt haue pacyence of the losse and Infortune of thy goodes Therfor sayth Ryght that it is ioye and solas to the poure meschaunts and Infortunat for to haue felauship Quod potes id tempta nam litus carpere remis Tucius est multo quam velum tendere in altum THou oughtest to proune and to assaye thy self for to doo that thou mayst doo and to abyde and lede hit to good ende and perfection For whanne thow heâ—â—ynnest and enterprysest for to doo somme thynge thou oughtest to loke the begynynge the myddel and the ende that is to wete that whanne thou enterprysest for to doo ony thyng hit is more sure for to holde the myddel way and comyn estate after thy myght and puyssaunce than for to enhaunce thy self soo hyhe that thou must descende or falle doune For it is grette honour to be enhaunced vpward but it is grete dyshonoure to descende and to be cast dounward Item thou oughtest not for to begynne a thyng that thow mayst not brynge to an ende For hit is grete vergoyne and shame for to leue a thynge vnparfyghte It is sayd comynly that who ouerladyth hym self shall not bere ferre his fardell Therfore ben they wel happy that goo and holden the myddell weye For who that enhaunceth hym self more than he ought he shalle falle doune from hyher than hâ—â— ne wold And therfor it is more sure for to lede his ship wyth oores vnto the Ryuage than for to haue vp his saylle and goo and lede hit in to the hyhe 〈◊〉 â—â—hat is to saye that it is more sure to lede the myddell statâ—â— than for to rowe in to the hyhe see beynge in parylle to be drowned Contra hominem iustum praue contendere noli Semper etenim deus iniustas vlatur iras THou oughtest not to stryue ne to take debate ageynst the man Iuste and Innocente for oure lord punyssheth euer the yre and wrathes vniuste specially whan they are done vniustely and withoute cause ageynst the Iuste and Innocents And hit is that the holy scrypture sayth Neuertheles whan the Iust and Innocente ben Iniuryed and molested vndewly and withoute cause they ought to haue pacyence and to pardonne and forgyue alle the men that haue done or sayd wronge to them As dyd oure lord whiche forgaf to them that crucyfyed and put hym vnto dethe vniustly and wythoute cause Ereptis opibus noli merere dolendo Sed gaude pocius si te contingat habere THou oughtest not to wepe ne to discomforte the when thow losest the Rychesses and temporalle goodes of this world but thou oughtest to be ioyeful therof hauynge desyre and good wylle for to acquyre and gete other goodes in tyme to come For the rychesses of this world ben not oure own but owen to fortune by cause that they ben out of vs and alle at auenture Seynt Ambrose sayth that we haue no thynge of oure owne but that we bere with vs It is redde of a man whiche was moche discomforted and soroufull by cause that be hadde loste his sone and his syluer the whiche demaunded counceylle of a wyse philosophre for to wete what he shold doo Thenne the philosophre sayd wepe no more of that thou hast lost thy sone but be ioyeful and glad of that oure lord hath gyuen to the a sone that thow haste lost hym Item to this that thou saist that thou hast lost thy syluer of this thou oughtest not to wepe ne to haue malenâ—â—lye For wete thou for trouthe that thy Syluer hath lost many one And by auenture yf thow haddest not lost hit it had lost the therfore care thou not of nothynge alle is subgette to fortune therfor thynke for to wynne and gete now good and to engendre and make now children Est iactuâ—â—a gâ—â—auis que sunt amittere dampnis Sunt quedam que ferre decet pacienter amicum THou oughtest to suffre more for thy Frende than for ony other thyng erthely that is to saye though it is greuous thynge to lese his goodes neuertheles hit is gretter dommage and that men oughten more to doubte of the losse of their lawfulle and trewe frende than for to lose alle the goodes and Rychesses of this world For one maye well recouere the losse of his goodes but he may not recouere the dethe of his good Frende And notwithstandyng that hit greueth one moche for to lese his good whiche he hath acquyred and wonne with grete payne and trauaylle Neuertheles thou oughtest for to bere and suffre more for thy lauful frende than for the rychesses of this world whiche are transytorye and so soone loste Alle wyse men and vertuous owen 〈◊〉 suffre four thynges for her vertuous frendâ—â— Fyrste be oweth to suffre deth and be pryued of lyf corporall Seconâ—â—ly pryuacion of all worldly goodes Thyrdly pryuacion of alle dygnytees and offyces And fourthly pryuacion of vertues Tempora longa tibi noli promittere vite QuocuÌ„que ingrederis sequitur mors corporis vmbraÌ„ THou oughtest not to promytte to thy lyf that thow shalt lyue longe that is to saye that thow shalt not suppose ne promytte to thy lyf that thow shalt lyue longe ne to haue hope of longe lyuynge For thow oughtest to wete that thow haste no morowe And that the dethe is nyghe to the And that none maye nought lengthe his lyf And in what someuer place that thow goost the dethe foloweth the as doth the shadowe of thy body whiche foloweth the where someuer thow goo The dethe and the lyf are as two rennars whiche rennen strongly one ageynste the other the whiche fynden and mete soone bothe togyder For as soone as the man is borne he renneth naturelly and demaundeth the deth For hit is nature by cause that for to deye he is come in to this world Thure deum placa vitulum fiue crescat aratro Ne credas placare deum dum cede leâ—â—atur THou oughtest to pease god with encence and by good werkes and by good oracions and prayers and leue
he oughte not to haue passed thorugh hit but ought to haue passed by the ryght waye or ellis by the myddel waye And thus hit apperith that the deuyne prescyence of god bereth ne wytholdeth none of the thynges that are for to come and of whyche men haue lyberalle and free wylle for to doo theym or not Item there been somme prophetes whiche sayen that the man whyche is borne in a good planette or sygne shal be wel fortuned and yf he be borne in an euyl planette he shal be euyl fortuned Thys errour repreueth saynt gregory in his omâ—â—ye and sayth that many ben borne in thys worlde in one lyke sygne and planette and in one lyke poynte of the whyche somme ben kynges or dukes and the other are puttyers and ryght wycked and euyl To thys answeren the sayd prophetes and sayen that the poynte is passed in a twynklyng of an eye Saynt gregory sayth and answereth that how be it that hit be soo that the poynte is passed in a twynklyng of an eye Neuerthelesse it is vnpossyble to be borne in the same poynte and wythin so shorte a space of tyme For men seen by experyence that whanne a chylde is to be borne many poyntes may passe or he be borne Therfore sayth saynt gregory that thys may not be trewe For yf the constellacyon were nedeful cause to haue weâ—â— or euyl or to be dampned or saued the man myghte escuse hym self of his synne before god sayeng Syr creatour or maker of al thynges ye haue gyuen to the same planette on the whiche I was borne suche a propretee that she hath constreyned me for to do suche a synne to the whiche I may not resyste And as sayth saynt austyn synne is wylleful For that whiche is doon ageynste his wylle and by force is not synne Wherfore me semeth that I oughte for to be escused of the synne whyche I haue doon ageynste myn owne wylle and by the Influence of the sygne and planette on whiche I am borne the whyche constreyneth me for to do alle that I doo Thys oppynyon and errour is the werste of alle the other beforesayd For yf hit were so that al thynges were ordeyned of god that hit myght none otherwyse be hit shold folowe therof many Inconuenyentes Fyrst by cause that synne sholÌ„d not be synne for hys synne by the ordenaunce of god were thenne nedeful and necessarye thynge and thus god shold haue no cause for to punysshe the synnars Item also wele were not wele Item god shold haue no Iustyce for hit shold be quenchyd and sette as nought by cause that there shold be neyther paradyse nor helle Item men shold not retche of no temporalle thynge ne shold haue no nede to laboure and cultyue the erthe Ne for to holde no fayres ne to make ony marchaundyses Ne also shold not nede to take no medecynes sythe that al were ordeyned and predestyned whan men shold deye Thus men myght saye that he whiche shold be dampned be deuyne predestynacyon myght not be saued in doyng after hys lyberalle arbytre and free wylle For alle shold be of nede and necessarye Linque metum leti naÌ„ stultum est tempore in omni Dum mortem metuis amittis gaudia vite THou oughtest to byleue and not to doubte alle onelye the bodely deth by cause that in al tymes is folye to doubte the dethe for whan thou doubtest the deth thou lesest the ioye of thy lyf neuerthelesse thou oughtest to doubte and often to thynke of the spyrytual dethe for foure reasons The fyrst is by cause that he whyche ofte thynketh on hit absteyneth hym of doyng euyl The second is by cause that men ben the more humble of herte The thyrd is to the ende that we thynke for to do wel The fourth is that thou desyrest the lyf mortal for to haue the lyf spyritual whiche is withoute ende An holy man requyred and prayed somtyme to our lord that he wold shewe to hym what thynge the dethe was the whyche herde a voys wythin a wood that was nye to his hermytage whyche voys called hym wherof he was moche abasshed Thenne he yede out of his hermytage and saw a wonder meruayllous beest whyche had the body of an asse legges and thyes of an herte feet of an hors and face of a lyon and had dyuers hornes and teeth of dyuers maners but alwayes it had a voys humayn to speke morally The condycyons beforesayd are the effectes and condycyons of the dethe by the body of the asse is vnderstonden that the dethe bereth al thynges as the asse doeth For she bereth the sowle to god yf she hath doon wel and yf she hath doon euyl she bereth hyr to the deuyl Item she bereth the body for to be eten of wormes and the rychesses vnto the parentes and frendes by the legges thyes of the herte thou oughtest to vnderstonde the lygâ—â—hnesse of the dethe for she lepeth oueralle swyftelye and lyghtlye for now she sleeth a man in bombardye And sone she sleeth another in fraunce for she lepeth and gooth lyghtelye thorugh alle londes and contrees of the world By the hors feet oughte thou to vnderstonde the remorse of conscyence For as the hors is a beest fyghtyng batayllous thus the dethe maketh the sowle to fyghte ageynste god by the remorse of conscyence yeldyng to god reason of alle that she dyd whan she was in hyr body by that she hath an heed of a lyon is to be vnderstonden that she doubteth none for lyke as the lyon doubteth neyther yonge nor olde ne sage noble nor ryche ne stronge nor prelate ne laye man Thus the dethe ne doubteth noo creature lyuyng by the dyuers maners of teeth that she hath thou oughtest to vnderstonde the dyuersyte of deyeng For the dethe sleeth by dyuers maners By the dyuers hornes thou oughtest to vnderstonde that â—â—she hurteth and smyteth alle wythoute sparyng of none as popes cardynalles emperours kynges dukes prynces and erles and generally alle them that ben borne of moder by that that she hath voyce of man thou oughtest to vnderstonde the decepcyon and falshede of the dethe For somtyme she maketh somme to deye in dede and somtyme she fayneth hir self to come and cometh not but sone after she cometh sodaynlye smytyng wherfore eueryone oughte alweyes to lyue wel to the ende that he may deye wel and wythoute doubte and spyrytuelly for men oughte to doubte the lyf spyrytuelle and not the lyf temporelle Iratus de le incetar contendere noli Impedit ira animum ne possis cernere verum THou oughtest not to take debate nor stryffe ageynste ony persone lyuyng of a thynge vncerteyne specially whan thou arte wrothe for yre empessheth the wytte and courage of the man in suche manere that he may ne can not Iuge nor see yf the thynge be trewe or not Therfore men oughte to enfourme fyrst hym self by good and rype delyberacyon or he moeuyth noyse or stryffe
deye I shalle not be the fyrste ne the laste For many one deyde before me And alle tho that shalle come after me shall deye also For this rewle is generalle withoute ony excepcion ¶ Item as soone deyeth yonge as old ¶ Item fere sayth Men sayen euylle of the Surete ansuereth yf I were gylty I shold be ferefulle specially yf hit were sayd in Iugement And that men myght prouue in Iugement that hit were as they sayen of me Cum seruos fueris proprios mercatus in vsus Et famulos dicas homines tamen esse memento THou oughtest to traicte and to hold thyne owne seruauntes swetly the Whiche thow hast chosen for to do for the seruyse For though that they be seruauntes thou oughtest to haue in thy mynde that they ben men as thow arte For thou oughtest to knowe that at the begynnynge of this world nature and fraunchyse were bothe lyke egalle to alle men Therfor sayth Seneque He that is now lord and grete mayster the tyme shalle mowe come by fortune that he shalle become a seruaunt by cause that the honours and fortunes of this world are soone tourned therfore none oughte to haue truste in them ¶ Item Seneque sayth that thow oughtest to lyue with thy seruauntes and to repute and hold them for thy frendes and thy seruauntes For how be hit that they be seruauntes Neuertheles they be men as thow arte ¶ It is sayd comynly that ther is no lytel frende nor none lytelle enemye ¶ It is redde of a man whiche had thre frendes And the fyrste he loued more than he dyd his owne self The second he louyd as moche as he dyde hym self And the thyrdde he louyd lesse than he dyd hym self ¶ It happed that this man hadde grete nede of his frendes and for to haue helpe and socours he yede toward his fyrste Frend whiche he loued more than his owne self to whome he exposed his caas and nede and sayd to hym Ye wote wel that I loue yow more than I do myn owne persone I requyre and praye yow that ye wyl now helpe me at my grete nede The whiche answerd to hym Man I wote not well what thow arte I haue many other frendes which most be festyed of me this day Neuertheles sayd he here ben two shetes for to couere the whiche I gyue to the Thenne the good man as al concluded yede toward the second frend whiche he loued as moche as his owne self to whome he exposed his caas as he dyd to the fyrst frend and demaunâ—â—ed of hym comforte and helpe The whiche answerd to hym in this manere Fayre and swete frende I haue now other thynge for to doo than for to helpe the ne for to counceylle the of thy faytte but neuertheles I shalle hold the companye vnto the yate And after I shal retorne to my how 's for to doo and go aboute my besynesse Thenne the good man wofull and as desperate went toward his thyrdde frende whiche he loued lesse than hym self to whome he exposed and told his nede as he had done to the other two before sayd sayenge Allas I haue no mouthe that oughte to speke to the For I haue not loued the so moche as I shold haue done but neuertheles I requyre and praye the that thou ne wylt faylle me now at my nede For I am relynqued and forsaken of al my frendes sauf of the The whiâ—â—che thyrdde frend answerd to hym ioyously and sayd Certaynly I hold and repute the for my lauful frende For I shalle gladly go with the for to speke with the kynge and shalle praye hym for the and for thy faytte to th ende that he condempne the not and delyuere the in to the handes of thyn enemyes ¶ Moraly to speke By the fyrst frende thou oughtest to vnderstande the rychesses of this world the which men loue more than their owne self but whanne they be cyted before the kynge that is to wete before god of paradys they bere with them of alle theyr rychesses but only two lytel shetes By the second frend thow must vnderstande thy wyf thy Children and thyn other parentes for as soone as they haue accompanyed theyr fader vnto the yate that is to wete vnto his graue and that he is buryed in the erthe soone after they retorne to their howses for to go aboute theyr besynesse and for to departe and dele their faders goodes whiche is deed By the thyrd frend thow oughtest to vndâ—â—rstandâ—â— feythe hope charyte almesses and all good dedes whiche one hath done in his lyf the whiche gone before vs whanne we are cyted before the kynge of paradys for to kepe and deffende vs fro our enemyes that is to wete from the paynes of helle whanne the soule shâ—â—lle departe oute of our bodyes By this Hystorye appyeretâ—â— clereâ—â— that he whiche is trewe frende loueth euer as wel in tyme of aduersytees as of prosperyte And how we bere nothyng oute of this world sauf only 〈…〉 and â—â—uylle deâ—â—s that we dyd duryng oure lyâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—how and loke for to do euer wel and treate thy â—â—â—uauntes lyke as thow woldest be treated of them yf thou were in suche caas as they be For how be it that by cause of fortune somme be seruauntes and in seruytude Neuertheles we are all bretheren in Ihesu Cryste And they be men as thy self arte Quam primum capienda tibi est occasio prima Ne rursus queras que iam neglexeris ante â—â—Hou oughtese to take the fyrst and good auentures that happen and comen to the that is to wete the firste good fortunes that thou knowest to the prouffitable and necessary to th ende that afterward thow ne demaundest nor aske not that whiche thou myghtest haue had withoute ony request nor demaund and withoute daunger therfore sayth the prouerbe that one ought not to sette and putte at his feet that which he holdeth in his handes That is to wete that the thynge whiche thou mayst haue the day whiche is vtyle prouffitable to the thou oughtest not tabyde vnto the next daye for to take hit For by auenture that whiche thow mayste haue to day without daunger yf thow abydest vnto the next day thow shalte not haue hit at thy playsyre and withoute daunger wherfor it ensieweth that none oughte to be slouful and neclygent for to laboure and werke for his body and for his sowle bothe whanne it is tyme For thou muste do as the Ante dothe whiche maketh his purueaunce in the somer for to lyâ—â—e in tyme to â—â—ome in the wynter Morte repentina noli gaudere malorum Felices obeunt quorum sine crimine vita est THou oughtest not to haue ioye of the sodayne dethe of euylle folk that is to weâ—â—e of the poure synners but oughtest to haue therof displaysyr and wo For hit befalleth ofte that as well the good folk as the euylle and wycked folke deyen sodenly For the