at suche tyme as he had accomplysshid this sayd werke it liked him to sende it to me in certayn quayers to ouer see whiche forthwith I sawe fonde therin many grete notable wyse sayengis of the philosophres Acordyng vnto the bookes made in freÌ„she whiche I had ofte afore redd But certaynly I had seen none in englissh til that tyme ¶ And so afterward I cam vnto my sayde lord tolde him how I had red seen his book And that he had don a meritory dede in the labour of the translacion therof in to our englissh tunge wherin he had deseruid a singuler lawde thank ¶ Thenne my said lord desired me to ouersee it and where as I shold fynd faute to correcte it wherein I answerd vnto his lordship that I coude not amende it But yf I sholde so presume I myght apaire it For it was right wel connygly made and translated into right good and fayr englissh Not withstondyng he willed me to ouersee it shewid me dyuerce thinges whiche as him semed myght be left out as diuerce lettres missiues sent from Alisander to darius aristotle and eche to other which lettres were lityll appertinent vnto the dyctes and sayenges aforsayd for as moche as they specifye of other maters And also desired me that don to put the said booke in enprinte And thus obeyng hys request and comaundement I haue put me in deuoyr to ouersee this his sayd book and beholden as nygh as I coude howe It accordeth wyth thorigynal beyng in frensh ¶ And I finde nothyng discordaunt therin Sauf onely in the dyctes and sayengys of Socrates Wherin I fynde that my saide lord hath left out certayn and dyuerce conclusions towchyng wymen Wherof I meruaille that my sayd lord hath not wreton them ne what hath meuyd him so to do Ne what cause he hadde at that tyme. But I suppose that som fayre lady hath desired him to leue it out of his booke â–ª Or ellyes he was amerous on somme noble lady for whoo 's loue he wold not sette it in his book or ellis for the very affeccion loue and good wylle that he hath vnto alle ladyes and Gentylwomen he thought that Socrates spared the sothe ¶ And wrote of wymen more than trouthe whiche I can not thinke that so trewe a man so noble a Phylosophre as Socrates was sholde write other wyse than trouth For If he had made fawte in wryting of wymen He ought not ne sholde not be beleuyd in his other dictes and sayinges But I apperceyue that my sayd lord knoweth veryly that suche defautes ben not had ne founden in the wymen born and dwellyng in these partyes ne Regyons of the world Socrates was a Greke boren in a ferre Contre from hens Whyche contre ys alle of othere condycions than thys is ¶ And men and wymen of other nature than they ben heere in thys contre For I wote wel of what someuer condicion women ben in Grece the women of this contre ben right good wyse playsant humble discrete sobre chast obedyent to their husbon dis trewe secrete stedfast euer besy neuer ydle Attemperat in speking and vertuous in alle their werkis or atte leste sholde be so For which causes so euydent my sayd lord as I suppose thoughte it was not of necessite to sette in his book the saiengis of his Auctor socrates touchyng women But for as moche as I had comaÌ„dement of my said lord to correcte and amende where as I sholde fynde fawte and other fynde I none sauf that he hath lefte out these dictes saynges of the women of Grece Therfore in accomplishing his comaÌ„dement for as moche as I am not in certayn wheder it was in my lordis copye or not or ellis perauenture that the wynde had blowe ouer the leef at the tyme of trans lacion of his booke I purpose to wryte tho same saynges of that Greke Socrates whiche wrote of tho women of grece and nothyng of them of thys Royame whom I suppose he neuer knewe For yf he had I dar plainly saye that he wolde haue reserued them inespeciall in his sayd dictes Alway not presumyng to put sette them in my sayd lordes book but inthende aparte in the rehersayll of the werkis humbly requiryng all them that shall rede this lytyll rehersayll that yf they fynde ony faulte tarette it to Socrates and not to me whiche wryteth as here after foloweth SOcrates sayde That women ben thapparaylles to cacche men but they take none but them that wil be pouer or ellis them that knowe hem not And he sayd that ther is none so grete empeshement vnto a man as ignoraunce and women ¶ And he sawe a woman that bare fyre of whom he saide that the hotter bare the colder ¶ And he sawe a woman seke of whom he saide that the euyll restyth and dwellyth with the euill ¶ And he sawe a woman brought to the Iustyce and many other wymen folowed her wepyng of whom he sayde the euyll ben sory angry by cause the euyll shal perisshe And he sawe a Iong mayde that lerned to write of whom he saide that meÌ„ multiplied euyll vpon euyll ¶ And sayd that the Ignoraunce of a man is knowen in thre thynges That is to wete Whan he hath no thought to vse reason Whan he can not refrayne his couetises ¶ And whan he is gouerned by the conceill of wymen in that he knoweth that they knowe not ¶ And he saide vnto his discyples Wylle ye that I enseygne and teche you howe ye shal mowe escape from alle euille ¶ And they ansuerd ye And thenne he saide to them ¶ For what someuer thyng that it be kepe you and be wele ware that ye obeye not to wymen Who ansuerd to him agayn ¶ And what sayist thou by our good moders and of our susters He saide to hem Suffise you with that I haue sayde to you For alle ben semblable in malyce ¶ And he saide who someuer wyll acquere and gete science late him neuer put him in the gouernaunce of a woman And he sawe a woman that made her fresshe and gaye to whom he sayde Thou resemblest the fyre For the more wode is leyde to the fyre the more wole it brenne ¶ And the gretter is the hete ¶ And on a tyme one axid him what him semed of wymen ¶ He ansuerd That the wymen resemble vnto a Tre called Edelfla Whiche ys the fayrest tre to be holde and see that may be â–ª But within it is ful of venym And they saide to him and demanded wherfore he blamed so wymen and that he him self had not comen into this worlde ne none other men also with oute hem He ansuerd The woman is like vnto a Tre named Chassoygnet on whiche tre ther ben many thinges sharpe and pryckyng whiche hurte and pryek them that approche vnto hyt ¶ And yet neuerthelesse that same tre bringeth forth goode dates and swete And they demanded hym why he fled from the wymen ¶ And he ansuerde For as moche as I see them flee and eschewe the goode and comonly do euill ¶ And a woman sayde to him wylt thou haue ony other woman than me ¶ And he ansuerd to her â–ª Arte not thou ashamed toffre thy self to him that demandeth nor desireth the not LO these ben the dictes sayengis of the philosophre Socrates whiche he wrote in his book ¶ And certaynly he wrote no worse than a fore is rehersed And for asmoche as it is acordauÌ„t that his dyctes and sayengis shold be had as wel as others therfore I haue set te it in th ende of this booke â–ª And also somme ê‘sones perauenture that haue red thys booke in frensshe wold haue arette a grette defaulte in me that I had not do my deuoir in visiting ouerseyng of my lordes book acording to his desire And somme other also happely myght haue supposed that Socrates had wreton moche more ylle of women than here a fore is specified wherfore in satisfieng of all parties also for excuse of the saide socrates I haue sette these sayde dyctes sayengis a parte in th ende of this book to th entent that yf my sayd lord or ony other persone what someuer he or she be that shal rede or here it that If they be not well plesyd with alle that they wyth a penne race it out or ellys rente the leef oute of the booke Humbly requyryng and besechyng my sayd lord to take no displaysir on me so pre sumyng but to perdone where as he shal fynde faulte and that it plese hym to take the labour of thenpryntyng in gre thanke whiche gladly haue don my dyligence in thaccomplisshyng of his desire and comandement In whiche I am bounden so to do for the good reward that I haue resseyuyd of hys sayd lordship Whom I beseche Almyghty god tencrece and to contynue in his vertuous disposicion in thys world And after thys lyf to lyue euerlastyngly in heuen Amen Et sic est finis Thus endeth thys book of the dictes and notable wyse sayenges of the phylosophers late translated and drawen out of frenshe into our englisshe tonge by my forseide lord Th erle of Ryuers and lord Skales and by hys comandement sette in forme and emprynted in thys manere as ye maye here in thys booke see Whiche was fynisshed the xviij day of the moneth of Nouembre and the seuenteth yere of the regne of kyng Edward the. fourth
thou spekest he sawe a faire yong man that dede grete diligence to lerne to whom he saide ye do pas singly wele to make your dedis assemble your beawte SOcrates in grekes tonge is to say keper of Iustice he was maried ayenst the custume of that couÌ„tre whiche was that good and vertuous people shulde be wedded to gedres to th entent that theyr lynage myght be the better but he wedded the worst woman that was in all the lande ande hadde iij. children by her he loued and worshipped sapience somuch that it was a grete hynderaunce to all his successours for he wolde not suffre hys science to be writtenÌ„ And saide that science was pure and clene wherfore it was couenable she shulde be onely sette in mynde and corrage and not in skynnes of dede bestes nor in no suche corrupte thingis and therfore he made noo bookis nor yaue no doctrine to his disciples but onely by wordes of discipline and that opinion he helde of Tumo whiche was his maister for as the saide Socrates bryng of teÌ„dre age axed his maister why wil ye not suffre me to write the doctrines that ye teche me Tumo aunswered hym couetest thou more the wild brestes skynnes to be worship ped with sapience than thengyne of man I sette the case that one mete the in the wilde feld and axe the coÌ„seile vpon a question were it good that thou shuldest saye let me go home ouer see my bookes first It were more honest to ha ue a recours to thy remembraÌ„ce and therupon briefly to de termyne It were so certainely sayd Socrates wel then reteyne it wel in thy mynde that thou shalt lerne And put it not in thy booke in which opinion the said Socrates rested he defended that no man shulde worship false ydolles but wolde that all honnour and worship shulde be referred to the creatour of alle thyngys and for that opynyon he was condeÌ„pned to deth by xij Iuges of Athenes whiche ordeigned that he shulde drinke certeyn poysons wherof the kyng of that countre was sory but he co wd not reuoke the sentence he gaf him as long respit of his IugemeÌ„t as he myght The said kyng hadde a ship charged with thynges that in certayn tymes shuld be offred in the temple to the ydoles he hadde a custume that he wolde yeue no Iugement and especyally vpon mannes deth â–ª till the sayde ship were retourned to athenes whiche was not yet com home And vpon her comÌ„yng home one of Socrates felawes called Inclites tolde hym in the prison that the saide ship sholde come to the porte on the morowe or the next day wher fore he saide It wer good that we shulde yeue CCCC peces of golde to thy kepers that they wold leete the secretely escape and than myghtest thou go to rome and nedest littill to drede them of athenes he answered all that I haue is not worth four honderd pecis of gold no said Inclites I and thy frendes haue so moche whiche we woll gladdely yeue thy kepers to saue thy lyf if it please the. to the which socrates answered this cyte wherin I must suffre deth is the naturall place of my birth wherin I must dye without deseruyng onely by cause that I repreue hem for doyng in iust dedes and for worshippyng the false and vayne ydolles and that I wolde haue them honour the true god wherfore I saye If thyse men of my nacion persecute me for sustey nyng seynge trouth right so wil strangers do whersoin euer I become for I wol neuer spare to say trouth nor vse lesinges and certaynly thoos wolde haue lesse mercy of me than thoos of thys towne were in I am born It happened that he therde daye his disciples cam vnto him fonde hym in pryson by the comaundement of the xij â–ª Iuges they axed hym many dowtable questions touchyng the soule he ansuerd them as largely and as gladely as euer he dede wher of they merueylled to see so grete constaunce in a man so nygh his deth One of his disciples called Deman said maistre I knowe wele â–ª It is an harde thing to the. for to shewe and teche vs in the caas that thou nowe standest in lâ—…kkyng of thy lore is to us a damegeous thing for in this worlde hast thou no felowe of good doctryne Socrates ans uerd Spare not to enquere of me what it pleaseth you for it is to me a grete pleaser they axed him questyons of the soule whiche he ansuerd after they axed him of the state of the worlde and composicion of the Elementis whiche al so he ansuerd right xerfundely And he saide vnto them I trowe the hour of my deth approcheth nygh I wil bayne me make me clene in thys world sey myn orisons to th entent that I shall haue no payne after my deth wherfore I pray you spare me for a while he entred a hous and bayg ned hym said his orisons than called his wyf childe ren gaue them many feir doctrines bad them payne them for to do goode adresse their saules to him that alle created and than cam one from the Iuges to hym with poyson to drinke ¶ And said O socrates thinke not that I am he that maketh the to dye for I knowe thou art the best man that euer cam in thys lande but I am sent from the Iuges for to sle the here is the coÌ„fection that thou must drinke ta ke it pacieÌ„tly sithen thou maist not scape it Socrates said I take it with goode hert knowe wele thou art not gylty therof so drinke it And whan his frendes sawe that they made grete weping lamentacion wherof he blamed them seying I haue sent a waye the women by cause they shuld not do as ye do he went alitil from them saide O god haue mercy vpon me anone his sinewes shranke his feâ—…e wexed colde than he leide him doun one of his disaples tooke a bodekyn prikked him in his feete and axed hym If he felt eny thmg And he saide naye than he prikked him in his thyghes and axed him if he felt it he sayd naye Anone the colde strake vp vnto his sydes than socrâ—… tes saide whan the cold cometh to my hert I must nedis dye Than saide Inclites O dere maistre welle of sapience and of science correct and teche vs yet while thy speche lasteth to whom he said I can non other wiese shewe you nowe dye ng than I haue doon afore in my lyf the said Inclites sai de syr comaunde me what thyng ye wil. he answered noo thyng aud lift vp his eyen to the skye seyng I present my sowle to the maker of alle the worlde and so dyed ¶ The sayd socrates hadde xij M. disciples and disciples of his disciples ¶ And in hys lyf he deuysed that men shulde be guyded after thre ordres that is to saye in Clergie in knyghthode
ther cam none to complayne vnto him ¶ And therfore he wolde not that day sholde be put in the nombre of the dayes of his regne ¶ And whan he was redy to fyghte with kyng daire it was told him that the same daire had with him more than ccc M. good fyghting men wherto he ansuerd and said a goode cooke ought neuer to be abasshed to see in his kechyn many sâ—…eep among other bestis ¶ And the patryarkes prâ—…lates that were for that tyme cam and said to him God hath yeue to the lordship vpon many royames regions and contreeâ—… to thentente that thou sholdest haue many children begoten of thy body for to haue the succession of the same after thy deth and therfore it were good that thou sholdest â—…aue ma ny wyues ¶ Tho whom he ansuerd that it shold torne him to grete ashame that had ouercome alle the mightyest men of the world for to be disconfited by women ¶ Ther cam to him a pouer man wel and wysely spekyng whiche was pourly arayed ¶ To whom Alexander sayd I haue meruaylle that thy clothyng is not after thy spechâ—… For ther is bytwene them grete difference Thenne the pour maÌ„ sayd O myghty kynge I may self lerne to speke and to haue reason with me and ye maye resonably clothe me thenne Alexander made him to be clothd with one of his best gownes Also ther passed a theef byfore alexaÌ„dre that was goyng to be hanged whiche saide O worthy king saue my lyf for I repente me sore of my mysdedes Thenne Alexander comanded that he sholde be hanged whyle he had goode repentaunce ¶ Also vpon a tyme one axed of him x. pieces of goold To whom Alexander said thou art not worthy to haue so moche ¶ And he saide to him ayen Syr if I am not worthy to haue so moche yet ar ye able to yeue it me ¶ And alexander axid of Aristotle what thing a good and a manly king ought conttnuelly doo ¶ And he ansuerd that he ought to thynke euery nyght to the goode gouernaunce of his people the day folowing to put it in effect ¶ And it was axid of him what thing was moost delectable in conquering of landes and of contrees And he saide the mooste delectacion was to gyue largely and recom pense them that haue doone hym good seruise ¶ And he axid of Aristotle by what mene he shold be counceilled And he ansuered and saide Ordeine vpon the gouernemeÌ„t of thy houshold hym that hath many seruauÌ„tes can wele rule and gouerne them make hym thy ê“curour and receyuour of thy money that hath grete liuelode and spendeth discretly and notably ¶ And a Patriarke axid of hym what he wolde do with so many men as he had And he an suerd I that am lord of them that ben grete and myghty lordes may wel forbere to be lord of their seruauntis And ther cam two men before him differeÌ„t of opinions to whom he said the senteÌ„ce that shal plese that one shal displese that othir therfor coÌ„sente ye to the trouth that shal plese you bothe ¶ And it was axid of hym why he worshippid more his mastir than his fadre And he ansuerd for as moch as I haue of my maister euerlasting lyf And I haue of my fader lyf but for a certayn tyme ¶ And whan dares dough ters were taken it was tolde him that they were right fayre and therfore he wolde not see them feeryng to haue don ony dishonest thinges sayng that grete dishonour were vnto him that had oucome so many notable manly men in the bataylles yf he shold be oucomen by women beyng in his prysons ¶ And it bifelle that one made a longe sermon byfore him whiche noyed moche to alexaÌ„der wherfâ—…re he sayde the predicacion is not to be lawded that endureth ouer the power of the herkeners but that is good that endureth after the possibilite of them that hereth it ¶ And it was axid of him how men myght acquyere the loue of other men he aÌ„s uerd in doyng hem good or els atte leste in doyng hem no ne harme And said men soÌ„me tyme throue better by theyr ennemyes than by their frendes ¶ And it was axid of him how he myght be so mighty consideryng that he was so yong of age And he said for as moche as I haue tranaylled tacquere frendys yeuen to myn ennemyes and by thys maner I haue power vpon hem alle ¶ And said it is a grete losse to a man to lose his frendis and more than to lese his sone or his tresour ¶ And said the frendes that be acqnerid by good dedes ben better than tho that ben acqÌ„rid by force ¶ And vpon a tyme as alexander wente to sporte him priuely certayn men beyng at a wyndow keste wa ter vpon him wenyng that he had ben one of their felaws whan they sawe þ t it was alexaÌ„der they were gretely aferd alexaÌ„der badde hem be not aferd sayng þ t they had weted no ne but him þ t they thought to wete as aristotle taught many kynges sones with Alexander he axed ones of one of hem what shal thou gyue me whan thou shalt be a kyng The whiche said I shal make the my grete gouernour in like wyse he axid of another whiche saide I shal yeue to the half my royame And thenne he axid of alexander whiche ansuerd him thus Maistre enquere of me not this day vp on that that I haue to do to morowe for whan I shal see that I neuer sawe I shal thinke that I neuer thoughte but if I regne as thou sayst I shal thenne do as thou shalt see and thinke to be couenable And theÌ„ne Aristotle saide to him Certaynly I wote wel that thou shalt be a grete a mighti kyng for thy face thy nature sheweth it so ¶ Alexander sayde to one that long had ben his lieutenauÌ„t had neuer rebuked him of no vice I am no thing pleased with thy seruice Why sire said his lieutenauÌ„t By cause saide Alex ander that I am a man as another erre haue erred ma ny a tyme sith thou cam in my seruice thou sawest neuer no fawte in me therfore thou art not suche as I ought to haue to be my lieutenauÌ„t for thou art not wyse and if thou hast seen knowen my fawtes and not corrected me therof Thou art not trewe to me And he said Reason letteth not to acquere science but slouth dispraysith it And somme axed of a wyse man called Nychomake what was the cau se that men obeyed so lightly to AlexaÌ„dre And he said by cause that he was vertuous that he hath wel kept Iustice he had ben of good coÌ„uersacion and of right excellent go uernement And there were two men whiche axed euerych of them to haue to his wyf the doughter of a riche man of whiche two one was riche and the
man said It were danÌ„gerous to me if they knowe me ¶ And socrates said It were the better for me If y were knowen by them ¶ And said a wyseman ought to vse hys dayes in one of these two maneres that is â–ª to seye in that that may cause hym to haue â–ª Ioye in thys world and in the other or in that that may cause him to haue goode name in this worlde And sai de this worlde is delectacion of an houre sorowe of many daies the other worlde is grete reste long ioye And said whosomeuer teche the one worde of sapience doth the more goode than if he gafe the of his golde And saide swere not by our lorde for no maner of lucre al be it thy cause be true for som wol thinke thou forswerest thy self And said take hede howe thou yeuest thy yeftes for som siÌ„ple folkes yeue to the vnnedy refuse hit to thoos that haue nede And said If thou wilt wynne a frende speke good of him for goode 〈◊〉 engendreth loue euill speche engendreth hatered And said a kyng ought to put from him al euil disposed â—…sones for the harme that they of his coÌ„panye do is reputed his dede And said he that erreth knoweth hit after 〈◊〉 him therof hath deseruid pardon And said he that â—…dleth to correct euery man causeth the moost part to hate him And said to a man that hadde reproued his linage If I be the worse for my linage as thou sayest thy linage is the worse for the ¶ And said he that seketh the delices of this worlde is like vnto him that seketh to drink zarab we nyng it were water renneth to drinke it till he be wery whan he cometh to hit he findeth no thing than he is more thristy than he was before for zarab is a myst in a medew whiche at somtime by reflection of the soÌ„ne semeth a water is none in dede And said a man hath neuer perfyte reste ioye in thys world â–ª for he can not al waye perseuere in delectacion possesse his winning oft hath trouble angwysshe aswele forlosse of his frendis as otherwyse And said the loue of thys world stoppeth mannes erres from hering sapience blynfildeth the eyen from seing trouth hit causeth also a man to be enuied kepeth him from doyng goode dedis And saide he that loueth vseth trouth hath moo greter seruauntis than a kyng And saide he is not free that byndeth him to another â–ª And said afferme no thing til thou knowe the trouth nor do no thyng â–ª but it be couenable nor begiÌ„ne no thing but yf thou se howe to bringe it to goode conclusion Ther was a riche man saide to him O socrates why art thou so poure To whom he ansuerd If thou knowest what is pouerte thou woltdeste haue more sorwe of thy pouerte than of myn ¶ And sayd It is a grete merueile to se a wyseman angry And sayd the deth is a thing that may not be es chewed ther ought none to drede hit but suche as haue comitted grete imquite and don litil iustice wherfore they shulde drede dampnacion for their demerites after their deth ¶ And said good deth is not to be dispised but to be magnified preysed for it makith traÌ„smutacion from the worlde of vnclennesse and shame to the world of worship from the world not durable to the worlde perpetuel â–ª from the world of folie and vaâ—…rites to the world of sapience reason and trouth ¶ And fro the worlde of traueile and peyne to the worlde of consolacion and reste ¶ And said It is merueile of him that dowteth to dye and doth thinges contrari to his saluacion And said deth is lyffe to him that knoweth to haue ioye after it ¶ And said he that liueth wele shal dye wose And said better it is worshipfull deth than shamefull lyfe And said deth is the rest of couetous people for the lenger they lyue the more multiplie their couetises so deth is they more coueÌ„ able for them than lyf for the deth of euil people is the we le and surete of the good Because they shall do nomore synne nor hurt to the people ¶ And said the lyf Iugeth inderectely amongis the dede ¶ And said one ought not to wepe for him that is slayne with out cause but for him that hath slayne him for he that sleeth vniuste ly dampneth him self ¶ And said he that dredeth eny thing ought to his power to be ware therof Also he that dowteth to haue peines for his synnes after his deth ought so to dele that he may escheue that parell ¶ And said whan thou wolt do eny thing loke for what occasion hit is And if thou seest the ende therof goode haste the conclusion and ellis resiste thy wil ¶ And saide bettir is to a man to liue harde than to borowe of him that reputeth his litil lones yeftes to be grete withoute cause wol think a man to be in his danger ¶ And saide take in no preisyng the lone or yeft of him that hath disworshipped the for the dishonour shame therof is more than the wynning He loued alwey to lerne wherof som rebuked him to whom he said the grettest shame that can come to an olde man is to be ignoraÌ„t he foÌ„ de a yong man that hadde folisshly spent wasted his substaÌ„ce was broght to suche pouerte that he was feyn to ete olyues to whom he saide if the olyues hadde be as goode to the at the begynnyng as they be nowe thou shuldest haue hadde yet largely of thy goodes ¶ And saide ther is noo difference bitwix agrete teller of tydyngis and a lyer ¶ And said the noblest thing that children may lerne is science for therby they eschewe to do euill werkis ¶ And said the gretest wynnyng that a man may haue is to gete a true freÌ„de he herde a man say that one was surer in keping his tunge than in moche speking â–ª for in moche laÌ„gage one may lightli erre To whom he said one ought not to vnder stande that in them that speke wele And said the proffit of silence is lesse than the prouffit of speche the harme of spe che is more than the harme of silence And saide one may knowe a wyseman by harkeÌ„yng holding his tuÌ„ge a maÌ„ may knowe a fole by his moche clateriÌ„ g And said he that wol not holde his peas til he be coÌ„streyned is to blame he that wil holde his peas til he be boden speke is to be preysed And said It is an ignorant thing to dispute in thingez that may not be vnderstande saide the meane is best in all thinges And said moche reÌ„nyng maketh moche werinesse saide if the witte of a man ouer maistrie not his frailte he shal sone be ouercome brought to nought And said he is abeest that
whiche thou maist not long abyde And saide worshippe sapience for tiffie it by good maistris disciples scolers worship hem paye for their expencis kepe hem of thy household aftir that thou shalt se they shal be prouffited sped in the scien ce And thou shalt fynde that grete prouffit worship shal come to the therfore ¶ And saide he is of bygge strong corage of good discrecion laudable feith that bereth pacientely all his aduersitees for a man can not be knowen in his prosperite ¶ And saide thou ought to thinke that the wekest of alle thyn ennemyes is stronger than thy selfe ¶ And said thou ought to cherisshe thy knyghtis thy yomanry to haue hem in as grete loue in tyme of peas as in tyme of werre for if thou sette litill by them in tyme of peas they shal forsake the whan thou shalt haue more ne de of hem And said the grettest prouffit that thou canst do in thy royame is to take aweye the wikkid peple to rewar de the goode And saide a man is of euyl coÌ„diciou that taketh no hede but to the vices fawtes of other in dispreysing of them ¶ And said worshipful deth is bettir than sha meful lyf And said the sapience of a man of lowe degre is worship the folie of him þ t is of high degre is a shame auarice is the thiÌ„g that taketh awey the name of gentilnesse And said the good priÌ„ce ought to goune the peple as his good predecessours haue don to loue cherisshe the good and true peple more than his tresour or other wordely goo des and to delite him in that that he hath rightwysly and not wrougfully ¶ And said no man ought to be ashamed to do Iustice for if the kyng be not iusticial he is not knig but he is violent and rapax ¶ And said the wikkid men obeye for drede and the goode for theire goodenesse ¶ And said men ought to do wele to the good people to chastise the wikkid by rigour ¶ And said wrath ought not to be to sharp ne to swete and he wrotte an epistyll to AlexaÌ„dre that the kynges been worshipped for iij. thinges that is to witte for instruction of good lawes for conquestes of lan des regions and for to peoplishe distroye desertes 〈◊〉 dernessis and he wrotte also to alexandre that he shulde not be willing to correcte all meÌ„nes fawâ—… to 〈◊〉 for it lieth not entierly in mannes pouer to kepâ—… him from doing euil therfore it is good somtyme to foryâ—…ue 〈◊〉 if it be so that of nede pugnicion must be don men ought to shewe that thei do it by coÌ„pulsion to amende pugâ—… the errours not in manere noâ—… by weye of 〈◊〉 he sawe a man that hadde his hand smytten of foâ—… thefâ—…e that he had don And he said for asmoche as that man had taken from other suche as was not his owne men haue taken froÌ„ him that that was his said thou maist not so we le cause thy peple to loue the as to cherisshe hem shewe hem right wysenesse if thou doost the contrary though thou hast the lordship of their bodies thou hast not the lordship of their her t is ne of their courages that shalt thou finde whan thou callest vpon their seruise at thy nede wherfore it is a grete daÌ„gier for aâ—…ing to do iniurie do make his peple hade him And said he is right happy that can chastise him self takiÌ„g exemple by other And said fortifie your soules with goode dedes departe you from couetises which distroyeth the feble corages ¶ Ther is nothyng that maketh a man lesse to be sette by than to preyse and boste him self of his good dedis And it was axed of him what is the cause that wysemen wol not be wrothe eny man wol teche hem And he ansuerd for asmoche as wysemeÌ„ knowen that scieÌ„ce is a right prouffitable thiÌ„g And said he that wol not nor can not do wele atte lest ought to kepe him from euil doing And said to his disciples loke that ye haue iiij eeres ij for to herkeÌ„e lerne sciencis proffitable thingis the other ij for your other wordely besinesses The moost profitable thing to the world is the deth of the euil peple And saide a man may not be so wele knowen as in grete auctorite And said in al thingis the lest quaÌ„tite is the lighter to bere sauf only in scieÌ„ces for he þ t hath moost therof the lightelyer may he bere it And it was axed of him what was the moost couenable thiÌ„g for a discrete man to haue And he ansuerd that that shulde abide with him if he wer ascapede out of a drowned ship in the see And said men ought to loue to lerne the best of the scieÌ„ces as the bees loue the swetest of the floures he had a noble worshipfull heritage of the which he lete otâ—…r haue the gouernance wold not go theder him self And it was axed him the cause And he ansuerd that he that oftenest goth to se his heritagis hath the mo displeasirs And said the tonge of a foole is the key of his secret And said to one that was slowthful wold not lerne sithen thou wol not take the peyne for to lerne thou shalt haue the peyne to be lewde vnconnyng And said kepe the from the feliship of him that knoweth not him self ¶ Tho that been dayly enclined vtterly disposed to vices may not encresse in good ne proffyte in science And saide if thou woll haban done to thy body alle his wil thou shalt be the worse both in helth in alle other thinges and atte last thy soule shal be dampned therfore He that is entierly enclined to do fornicacion may not be praysed ne come to good ende ¶ And said a mery man wol not lightly be wroth A liberal man may not wele be enuious ne a couetous man content with his richesse And said the man is preued tryed by his werkis as the gold by the fyer One of his disciples made to him an euill raport of one of his felawes to whom â—…e said I wol not beleue thyn euill wordis ayenst thy felawe nor I wol not beleue his euil wordes ayenst the And said like as the rayn may not proffite to the corne that is sawâ—… vpon the drye stones nomore can studieng auaile to afoole A mannes tonge sheweth his witte or his folie ¶ Experience ought to correcte a man and to helpe hym to liue wele And saide sapience maketh richesse to be faier hydeth po uerte It was axed of him what was fayer speking And he ansuerd to speke litille laudably to yeue reasonable answeres he wrote thus to aleraÌ„dre ye be a noble migh ty kyng more mighty than ye were shal encrece yf ye di
recte gouerne wele iustely your peple and in so doing the people shal obeye you but if ye be an extorcioner take all their good from them than ye shal be lord of the pouer peple than shall ye be like him that hath leuer gouerne the dom beestis than the meÌ„ ne ther is nothiÌ„g so couenable to aking as to coueyte vnduely the goodes of his peple ¶ And said he that hath a litil of trouth desireth to haue more And said reason maketh a man to be more souuerain than beestis he that hath no reason is but a beeste in many thinges the newest is the best but loue is contrarye for the elder it is the more it is worth one Abrakyn lord of sciences axed him what thing a man ought to lerne first that seketh sapience to whom he answerd the gouernement of the saule In as moche as she is euerlasting more noble without eny comparison than eny thing that we haue ¶ Than they axed him howe may the saule acquere sapieÌ„ce and he answered as a seke man seketh his fisicien and as a blynde man enquereth of the colours to theym that se hem and it was axed of him howe a saule might se her self and he answered the saule that lakketh sapieÌ„ce can se nothing as the eyen with out light that nether se hem self nor other ¶ And said all manere of thinges haue propertes and the properte of discrecion is to chese wele the good from the euill ¶ And said the lordshippes wonne by study dangiers and peynes and so kept ought wele to contynue prospere And thoos that be lightly wonne kept in Ioye and plesaence comme to a litil prouffit atte last we se coÌ„moneli the townes wherin the inhabitauntes take grete labour be wele maynteyned and encresse with grete richesses and the townes full of pleasaunce delices fal to ruyne distruction ¶ And said hastinesse of speche maketh men to erre And said I merueille howe he þ t men lawde without cause accept it is pleased with all he of whom men say euill without cause is angry with al And said loke that thou be not as the bulter whiche castith the floure kepeth the brenne ¶ And saide men ought not to take the gouernaÌ„ce of the peple to a child to him also that can not knowe the nedis of the poure peple to him that is couetous to him that wil werke withoute de liberacion ne to him that is veÌ„geable And saide ther is no difference bitwix a childe of age a child of maneres as of condicion what age that euer he be of for tbe condicioÌ„s of men aren knowen shewed by dedis not by age ¶ And saide It is nedeful to a man if he wol be good that he be able of him self to knowe trouth do it in dede or ellis that he lerne hit of other for he that of him self can not vnderstande hit nor wil lerne hit can not be good And saide goodenesse is diuided in iij. maneres the first is in the soule the second in the body and the therde in the operacions wherof the moost noble is the goodenesse of the soule for in vsing the vertue therof is fonde knowen the forme in good dedis And said a man findeth sapience and good condicions in long lernyng of veray scieÌ„ce And said ther be many persones that knowen the good werkis do hem not whiche resâ—… blen the seke folkis þ t axe helpe coÌ„seil of the leche do no thiÌ„g ther aftir therfor the bodyes ben without helth the soules without blessidnes And said one may knowe the in ward disposicioÌ„s of a maÌ„ bâ—… his outward operacions And said wele doing is a laudable thiÌ„g neuthelesse it is somwhat harde to do but lightly one may do euil as an aâ—…chier to fai le of the butte is no woÌ„der but to hitte the prike is a greet maistrie said in diuers manere we may be euill but we may not be good but in one wey said default of witte cau seth many harmes maketh many men to fal by ignoraÌ„ce Not knowing what thing to be don or left ¶ And said Aged folkis louen togider and so doo not childeren for olde folkis haue their delectacions like yong folkis in diuers weyes ¶ And said agrete acoÌ„plissing of meÌ„nes feli cite is to be wele frended than a man without felisship can not haue hole felicite ¶ And said euery man hath nede of freÌ„dis whether he staÌ„deth in goode caas or in badde if he staÌ„ deth in euill coÌ„dicion they for to helpe him and yf he staÌ„de in good caas he to make mery and cherysshe them that they may helpe him to resiste inconuenientes that might falle ¶ And said noon hath delectacion in iustice but the iuste man none hath fauour to sapieÌ„ce but the wysemaÌ„ and noon loueth frendeship but the true frende ¶ And said the wikkid men susteyne their perilles by their bodely strength and the good men suffre their parilles paciently by the ver tue of thair saules which pacience cometh not by might of arme nor of hande nor non other meÌ„bre but onely of grace of the saule and therby to resiste ayenst couetise and other grieues of thys world trusting therfore aftir to come to blisse he wrote to kyng alexaÌ„dre in this forme thou ough test to obeye wele the coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes of god for he hath yeue the thy desires and all that thou hast axed of him ¶ And said sapieÌ„ce is lyf ignoraÌ„ce is deth and ther fore he that is sapieÌ„t is a lyue for he vnderstaÌ„deth what he doth he that is ignoraÌ„t is deed for he vnderstaÌ„deth not his doyng And said the aÌ„tiquite of the tyme maketh the werkis olde â–ª bydeth no thiÌ„g but renoÌ„me which resteth in the hertis of þ e successours it is nedeful than to coÌ„qÌ„re good renoÌ„mee therby shal eÌ„dure noblesse said lesing is the sekenesse of the saule whiche can not be heled but by the meane of reason whiche lieth neuer ¶ And saide A moche wyseman is he that pro nounseth not the thinges into the tyme that he is present that wol vnderstande hem ¶ And the best speker is he that speketh not til he is wele purueyed what he shal saye the best werkeman is he that beginneth not his werke into the tyme that he hath wele disputed and auised it in his herte Nether is none that ought to haue so moche thought as the wyseman for it is necessarie to him to be purueyed and certayn of his werkis ¶ And said men are more enclined to couetise than to reason for couetise hath acompaigned them from their childehode reason cometh not to them till that they be of parfyte age ¶ And saide the children hate their maistres whan they teche hem for they knowe not what good may befall them therby but think only the
labour of the peyne of their lerning And the said Aristoteles callid AlexaÌ„dre axing him questions vpon the gouernaÌ„ce of the lordis of the peple to whom alexandre yaue good ansueres But neuer the lesse Aristotiles beet him with a Rod. And it was axed of him why he had beet him with oute cause And he ansuerd this childe is like able to be a grete lord a myghty kyng And I haue bete him all onely for to holde him lowly and in mekenesse foâ—… he shal be to soon prowde ¶ And saide If thou canst directe another directe him as thy self And a yong man axed him why he was so pouer To whom he answered My pouerte hath no thyng offensed me ne doth me no harme But thyn hath doon the and shalle do harmes ynowhe ¶ And sayd The Royaumes by maynteyned by the lawes ordeigned by the kyng and princes ¶ And said the kynges and princes ben susteyned vphold by knight hode ¶ And the knyghtis ben maniteyned by moneye money cometh of the people and the people is gouerned by Iustice without whiche no Royaume may prospere ALexander the grete was sone to phelip king of macedone whiche phelip regned vij yere And the said Alexander began to regne in the. x viij yer of his age And he said to his people in thys wyse Fayr lordes I will in no wyse be contrarye to your wylles ne to your dedes But I shewe to you that I hate frawdes malices as I haue louid you duryng my faders lyf so wil I doo in tyme comyng And I bothe counceylle pray you that ye drede god obeye him as souerayn of all And chese him for kyng be most obeyssant to him that shal best pour ueie for the good astate of his peple that shal be most debo nayr mercyful to poure folkes that beste shal kepe Iusti ce the right of the feble ayenst the myghty him also that shal best dispose for the publyke wele for no delectacion of worldly pleasaÌ„ces shal not be slowful to kepe defeÌ„de you and by whom ye shal be defended all euill harmes by the meane of his good dedes shal be destroyed and him that most hardyli shal put him forth for to destroye your eÌ„nemi es For suche ought to be chosen kyng and none other whan his people had herd the reasons abouesayd and kno wen his grete discrecion wytte and vnderstaÌ„ding they were gretly ameruaylled and answered to him thus ¶ We haue herde and vnderstand thy grete reasons And haue resseyued and resseyue thy good counceyll and therfore we wole and byseche the that thou Reygne and haue the lordship vpon vs duryng thy lyf we hope that ther is none that hath so wele deseruid to be our kyng ¶ And thus they chees him to ther kyng and to their lord and coroned him yaf him their blessinges and praid to god that he wold blesse mayntene him ¶ To whom he said I haue herde the prayer that ye haue made for me beseching to god that he wol stedefaste the loue of me in your hertes corages And that by no maner of the delectacioÌ„ he suffre me to do thing ayen your proffites ne to my disworship sone af ter he sent lettres to alle the prynces and goode townes of his Royaume ¶ And whan he had sent his lettres One daire kyng of perce of mede sent to Alexandre for tribu te like as he had of his fader And he sent him word that the henne that leyd that egge was dede ¶ And after this Alexander made grete conquestis and whan he had coâ—…iquered Inde he went to â—…contre cassid bragman the whiche whan they wiste his comyng they sente many wyse men to him whiche salewd him saide sir Alexauder thon hast no cause to werre vpon vs ne to be â—…il willig for we ben both poure meke we haue no thing but only sapieÌ„ce the whiche if thou wolt haue pray god that he wol yeue her the. for by batayll thou shalt neuer haue her Ande whan alerander herd hem saye so he made al his Ooste to tarye with fewe of his knyghtes wente within the said contre for tenquere further of the trouth ¶ And whan he entred wyth in the same ground he fond many pouer foolkes women childeren al naked gadering herbes in the feldes And he axid of them many questions to whiche they answered right wysely and than he bad hem axe of hym somme thing that myght doo hem good to all their people he wolde yeue it hem gladdy ¶ And thenne they said Sir we axe the none other thing but þ t thou wilt gyne us euer lasting lyf TheÌ„ ne AlexaÌ„der ansuerd said how might a man make other meÌ„nes liues euerlastiÌ„g whaÌ„ he may not lengthe his owen lyf an our And that ye axe of me is in no mannes power that lyueth Than they said to him Syth thou hast goode â—…nowleche therof wherfore trauayllest thou thy self to destâ—…oye all the world and to gadre all the worldly tresours and wost not whan thou must leue hem Thenne ¶ Alexan der said to him I do not alle these thinges that ye say of my self but god hath sent me thurgh allâ—… the worlde for teâ—…alte and magnifye hys lawe and to destroye them that 〈◊〉 not in him ¶ And somtyme Alexander wente 〈◊〉 visyting his lordes and enqueryng of her 〈◊〉 And vpon atyme he cam in to a towne of his owne ¶ And sawe two men of the same towne bysore a Iuge pletyng of the whiche one said to the Iuge Sir I haue bought an hous of thys man And longe after I hâ—… ue founde with in the same a tresour vnder therthâ—… whiche is not myn ¶ And I haue offred to diliuere it to hym ¶ And he hath refused it wherfore Sir I biseche the that he be compelled to take it for as moche as he knoweth it is not myne for I haue no right therto ¶ Thenne the Iuge comaÌ„ded his aduerse partie â—…ansuere to the same and thenne he said Sir Iuge that same tresour was neuer myne but he hath edyfyed in that place that was byfore comyn to alle tho that wolde haue edyfyed ther in ¶ And therfore I haue no right to take it And thenne they bothe required the Iuge that he wolde take it to him self to whom he answe red and said sithen it is so that ye saye that is ye haue no right to whom the heretage hath longed and yet longeth where the tresour was founde hou sholde I haue eny right therto that am but a stranÌ„ger in that caas and neuer a fore herde speke therof ye wolde excuse you therof and giue me the charge of the tresour that is euill doo ¶ Thenne 〈◊〉 axid of him that had founde the tresour whether he had oâ—… childeren whiche answerd he had a sone and he axed thâ—… other in like wise