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
world which make them self to be adoured more thaÌ„ god The iiij cause of ydolatrye was by cause that they adoured the ydolles whaÌ„ they were requyred of ony thynge and that they gate or had as they demauÌ„ded they supposed that the deuyls that were within the ymages had myght power vpon them vpon the Elementes as for to do sece al tempestes al maladyes aduersitees that myght happen to them whiche thynge was suffred to come to them by deuyne suffraunce as it shal be declared herafter The v cause of ydolatrye was for his euyl couetyse and that was for to gete the goodes honoures of this world as done they â—â—hat selle them gyue them to the deuyls to the ende thaâ—â— theâ—â—â—â—ay accomplisshe theyr euyl wylles worldly desyres THere be founde seuen spyces of ydolatrye the fyrst is for to adoure the deuyls The second to adoure the lyght as the sonne the mone the sterres the thyrd is for to worshyp elementes as the fyre the erth the water the eyer The fourth is to adoure men and the creatures resonable The fyfthe is to adoure the bestes brute and vnresonable The syxte is to adoure the ymages and other fygures humayn I say not that men ought not to worshyp thymages of sayntes of heuen and of the vyrgyn marye for so moche as they gyue vs memorye make representacion of 〈◊〉 saâ—â—tes that ben in heuen and none otherwyse For hit shold 〈◊〉 be ydolatrye the vij is to adoure the tyme knowe ye that for to adoure al thyse thynges aforesayd as god is heresye Parentes ama THou oughtest to loue thy fader and moder nexte after god and to ayde helpe susteyne them in theyr necessytâ—â—es Therfore saith the phylosophre 〈…〉 is as moche to say as a name of loue for the sone oughte to fayle his fader for no thynge but ought to loue hym wyth veray loue dilection without ony fayntyse to helpe susteyne hym after his puyssaunce and faculte as we rede of a doughter that somtyme nourisshed her fader with her propre mylke which was in prison for which cause her fader was delyuerd out and rendrid quyt in remembrauÌ„ce perpetuel of the grete loue that the sad doughter had to her fader Cognatos â—â—ole THou oughtest to honoure and vysite ofte thy cosyns and to haue and holde theym in grete reuerence But thou oughtest to knowe that there be thre manere of cosyns The fyrst is spirituel as ben godfaders and godmoders The second is legale the whiche cause is by adopcyon The thyrd is carnal the whiche cometh by consanguynyte and by lygnage naturelle Datum serua TThou oughtest to kepe the thynge that is gyuen vnto the and to haue it in mynde in tyme comyng to the ende that thou mayst rendre and yelde somwhat therfore For thou arte bounden by ryght so to doo soo kepe wel the thynge that is gyuen to the That is to vnderstonâ—â—â—â—hat thou kepe wel the yefte of a good man that is gyuen to the Lyke as a precyous Iewel for the honour and reuerence of hym And thus thou shalt be moeuyd after to gyue hym ageyn but consydere and thynke dylygently before or thou gyue to whome thou oughtest to gyue Beneficij accepti Memor esto THou oughtest to remembre of the benefaytes of the receyued And fyrst thou oughtest to gyue than kynges therof to god thy creatour Secondly to them that haue gyuen hit to the to th ende that in tyme and place thou mayst guerdon them that haue so wel done to the yf they haue nede and necessyte Maiori cede locum THou oughtest to gyue place to hym that is gretter more of valewe than thou arte that is to say whan thou seest one more auncient more honourable than thou art in ony scyence dignyte or offyce thou oughtest to bere to hym honoure and reuerence in suche manere as whan thou arte sette thou oughtest to aryse whan thou seest hym come And yf he passe tofore the thou oughtest to enclyne and bowe thy kne And yf he goo by the ware thou oughtest to accompanye hym Herof we haue ensaumple in the gospel that sayth that whan thou shalt be boden to ony weddyng or feste sytte thou in the lowest place to the ende that whan he cometh that hath boden the saye to the frende aryse and sytte vpper And thus shalt thou be honoured of thassistentis in thy companye For yf thou sattest aboue in the hyest place and he that bad the sayd ffrende descende and sitte benethe that shold be to the shame and dyshonoure and to them of thy companye And therfore sayth saynt ancelme that the yonge peple ought to be subgette vnto the auncyent and obeye them And saynt Austyn sayth that by ryght reson and Iustyce the lasse owen to obeye to the gretter And the yonger ought to aryse ageynst the elder and more auncyent and to gyue to hym the chyef place whan they wyl sitte Saluta Libenter THow sholdest salewe grete the peple gladly that is to wete affectuously and wyth god herte wythout ony faynyng Not for to be salewed ageyn or by flaterye or by adulacyon but thou oughtest to salewe by humylite and hole wylle For salewyng is no thynge ellys but to shewe good desyre good wylle and affeccion to hym that is salewed to the ende that he may drawe and enclyne hym to loue and affabylite That is to wete ageynst them that at thys day salewe theyr neyghbours in suche manere that suche as they say with theyr mowthe is al contrarye to that whiche the herte thynketh Suche people maken of theyr tunges swerdes and synne greuously and also it apperyth that for to shewe sygne of loue vnder the shadowe of decepcion and it is a right grete synne and grete trayson and also ageynste the ryght cours of nature For naturelly euery man oughte to be loued of al other men For it is sayd comunely that there is none soo euyl an enemye as he that sheweth hym a frende by fyction faynyng for to dysceyue hym to whome he sheweth sygne of loue On that other parte there is none so grete hate as is loue faynte and palled vnder shadowe of decepcion Mutuum da THou oughtest to lene and thou oughtest to kepe the thynge that is gyuen to the to kepe to the ende that thou mayst gyue a counte whan thou shalt be requyred And also thou shalt lene that is to wete to the suffratouse and nedy whan they haue necessyte for good and veray loue and charite wythout ony vsure For thou oughtest to lene without ony hope of ony gayn as saythe Saynt luke lene wythout hope to haue ony gayne For to doo soo warneth vs holy scripture ryght canon and nature For no man ought to lene hys neyghbour for vsure ne gyue out his syluer to vsure For nature and good equyte wylle that a man shold helpe and lene his neyghbour whan he is in necessite
the ryuage but as he ranne he sawe a grete and wonder horryble lyon comyng ageynste hym for to deuoure and ete hym but for drede he loked doun to therthe and thenne he sawe come before hym a serpent whyche caste fyre flame out of his mowthe the whiche like wyse wold haue deuoured hym Thenne whan the good man sawe that he myght not scape he lyfte vp his eyen toward the heuen and prayed god deuoutely that he wold kepe and preserue hym from thys grete parylle and daunger thenne he sawe an aungel from heuen whiche helde wyth one hande a crowne And wyth the other hande he helde a swerde whiche aungel spake to hym and sayd Ne doubte thou not for thou shalt scape from alle these parelles yf thou doest that I shal telle to the Fyrst thou shalt goo ageynst the serpent hardely shalt put thy fote wythin his throte and sone he shal be deed And after thou shalt goo ageynst the lyon for he is not so stronge as thou wenest for he is right feble and I promytte the to gyue to the thys crowne yf thou wylt doo that I haue sayd or ellys I shal slee the wyth thys swerde To speke morally by the see is vnderstonden alle the world whiche chaseth vs by the vndes or wawes that is by dyueâ—â—se temptacions By the lyon is vnderstonden the deuyl of â—â—lle whiche tempteth vs fro day to day but he that wyl resysten ageynst hym he may sone ouercome and conquere hym By the serpent thou oughtest to vnderstonde the flesshe to whome thou ouhhtest to put thy foot within the throte that is to wete that thou must doubte and refrayne hit by fastyng prayers And yf thou doest hit not thus the aungell shal not gyue to the the crowne whyche he bereth but he shal slee the wyth his swerde and he shall lete the falle wythin the see that is to wete in to helle wyth them that ben dampned Vincere cum possis interdum cede sodali Obsequio quoniam dulces retinentur amici tHou oughtest not alweye to vaynquysshe ne put vnder feâ—â—t thyn enemye but thou oughtest somtyme to forgyue pardonne though thou mayst vaynquysshe ouercome but by swete and frendely wordes thou oughtest to refrayne thy self fro that whiche thou myghtest wel doo For by suche seruyce and benefaytes thou shalt mowe holde and kepe hym for thy trewe and feythful frende bycause that swete and frendely wordes refraynen grete yre Item two feythful frendes ought to loue eche other parfytely and to be of one wylle For two dogges be stronger for to take a wulf thenne one dogge allone Thus whan two good frendes ben wel alyed to gyder they be stronger and more redoubted thenne one allone Ne dubites cum magna petas impendere parua Hijs etenim rebus coniungit gracia caroâ—â— â—Hou oughtest not to doubte ne to complayne to gyue a lytel yefte to thy frende whan thou doubtest not ne hast no shame to demaunde of hym a grete yefte for by suche thynges grace and frendshyp ioynen and bynden to gyder two good frendes and felawes That is to say that men oughte not to spare to gyue worldly thynges that ben lytel fowle for to acquyre and gete therfore grace frendshyp and benyuolence whyche are of grete proufyte moche to be preysed It is redde of two felawes whiche loued eche other moche derely of the whiche the one Wrote al that his felowe gaue to hym And in lyke wyse the other wrote alle that he gaue to his felawe It happed thenne that they had questyonned to gyder for to wete and knowe whyche of them two louyd moste parfytelye hys felawe he that had wryton al that his felawe had gyuen to hym sayd that he loued more parfytelye by cause that whan he ouersawe his book he remembred the fayre yeftes whyche his felawe had gyuen to hym the which yeftes were cause that he neuer departed from the frendshyp and loue of his felawe the other answerd that he said well but yet sayd he I haue better cause than thou hast For I â—â—oke wythin my book wherin I haue wryton the yeftes whiche I haue gyuen to the to the ende that they be cause to holde the euer in parfyte loue and frendshyy the whiche two felawes of theyr questyon made Iuge a sage and wyse prophete whiche Iuged that he loued more parfyte whyche dyd write that that he gafe to hys felawe Morally to speke our Lord hath gyuen to vs many yeftes not for to reproche them vnto vs but to th ende that be lose vs not lyghtelye he writeth and entreth them in to his book that is to wete within his thouÈt for yf we leue hym not he shal not leue vs Item at the other syde we ought to wryte within our consciences the yeftes and benefaytes which he gyueth to vs hath gyuen to studye rede them often to th ende that we may haue his glorye and benediccion at the ende of our dayes Litem inferre caue cuÌ„ quo tibi graÌ„ iuncta est Ira odium generat concordia nutrit amorem THou oughtest not to take noyse ne debate wyth hym Whiche thou louest of whom thou arte in grace Ne also wyth none other persone for yre hate engâ—â—dren many Inconuenyentes dyscencions but concorde and pees engendreth loue and dyleccion after ryght canon men ought to flee eschewe noyses brawlyng for fyue causes the first is by cause that he whyche gladly taketh noyse and debate is customed to be arrogaunte and despytous The Second by cause that he is acustomed to be a flaterer The thyrd by cause that he is acustomed to be false and traytour the fourth by cause that he is acustomed to be false and ful of chalenge The fyfthe bycause that he is acustomed to dyspreyse gladly and to make noyse and debate Seruorum ob culpam cum te dolor vrget in iram Ipse tibi moderare tuis vt parcere possis THou oughtest not to correcte and chastyse thy seruauÌ„tes whan thou arte wrothe and fylled of yre 〈◊〉 be it that they be gylty and culpable but thou oughtest to forbere and attempre thy self vnto the tyme that thyn yre be passyd by cause that yf thou reprendred and chastysed them whan thou arte wrothe thou myghtest chastyse them wythoute mesure and dysordynatlye Therfore Seneques Wolde neuer chastyse hys seruauntes whan he was wrothe but helde the hande vpryghte vpon them wythouten smytyng vnto tyme that his yre and wrathe were gone and passed and sayd yf I chastysed them whan I am Wrothe I shold slee them but whan I haue attemperyd myn yre I chastyse them by mesure The wyse man sayth that he is a fole which sone Iugeth after hys yre and that he whiche can refrayne amodere hys yre is ryght sage and wyse Que superare potes nondum vince ferendo Maxima etenim morum est semper paciencia virtus THou oughtest to forbere
oughtest not to dyspeyre the for the thynges contrarye and aduerse that comen and may come to the for thou oughtest for to haue and to reteyne in thy selfe good and stedfast hope vnto the tyme of thy deth For euery man ought to haue good hope whan he is in the article of deth for to lyue eternally in the glorye of paradyse dyspeyre or wanhope is propyce and good to the enemye of helle and contrarye to al reason for the man that deyeth in dyspeyre shal neuer haue pardon nor remyssyon of hys synnes And thus though that thy werkys or dedes goo not after thy wylle and that fortune be contrarye to the thou oughtest not therfore to dyspeyre the but to haue good hope that god shal gyue to the ynough of goodes in tyme to come for tho that haue no fortune nor none aduersytees in thys worlde ben not belouyd of god Saynt ambrose on a tyme as he wente toward Rome he lodged hym wyth an hoost whyche was moche ryche to whome he demaunded of hys estate Whiche answerd that he was moche ryche and wel fortuned and that neuer he had had nonevnfortune nor dysplesure in thys world but euer had be in good prosperyte of body and of goodes and that he had lyued Worshypfully and that his goodes dyd encrece and multeplye dayly thynges come to hym at hys plesure and thenne whan saynt ambrose vnderstood thys he was moche abasshed and in grete doubte wherfore he anone sayd to hys seruauntes lete vs lyghtelye departe fro hens for god is not here and by aduenture ye myght be taken wyth hym in hys rychessys and synnes Thenne as they wente and were not yet ferre from the how 's of the sayd man the erthe claue in two and swalowed in the sayd ryche man his goodes his wyf and al hys meyne Thenne saynt ambrose torned hym and sayd loke my brethern how god pardonneth medefully to them to whom he sendeth and gyueth aduersite in thys world how he punyssheth cruelly them to whome he gyueth none aduersyte but al prosperyte and it is sayd that there is as yet in the same place a pytte in mynde and remembraunce of the sayd myracle and ensaumple Rem tibi quam noscis aptam dimittere noli Fronte capillata post hec occasio calua est tHou oughtest not to leue the thynge whyche thou knowest of presente and for tyme to come prouffytable and necessarye specyally whan fortune is vnto the fauourable and good and whan thou arte in good prosperyte for after thys good fortune whyche thou sholdest leue and forsake myghte come vnto the another euyl fortune aduerse contrarye to the by thencheson of whyche thou myght be despoyled of al thy goodes wherfore thou sholdest neuer recouer that that thou leftest and forsook For the comyn prouerbe sayth that men oughte neuer to put at theyr feet that whyche they holde wyth theyr handes Lucan sayth that alle delayeng and neclygence oughte to be sette a parte For neglygence letteth euer al thynges whyche one may haue forthwyth yf he leue hem not by neglygence and sayth yet that al that thou mayst do this day thou oughtest not to abyde vnto the nexte morne for to do hit for whan the man is in his good fortune and prosperyte he acquyreth many frendes Therfore sayth the wyse man whan thou shalte be ryche and wel fortuned thou shalte haue many frendes but whan fortune shal be contrarye to the thou shalt be lefte allone Quod sequitur specta quod que innuet ante videto Illum imitare deum qui ê‘tem spectat vtramque tHou oughtest to thynke and to take hede to the thynges presente passed and to come for thou oughtest for to folowe hym that beholdeth bothe one other partye that is to wete the thynges presente passed and yet to come Saynt austyn sayth as in the persone of god o thou man yf thou dysplesest knowest thy self thou sholdest plese me but by cause that now thou wylte not loke ne knowe thy self thou pleasest the dyspleasest me for the tyme shall come in whyche thou shalte dysplease thy self and me also that is to wete whan thou shalte be Iuged of me of thy self also for thy synnes whan thou shalte brenne in the fyre of helle Seneques sayth that the wyse man and prudente ought to dyspose and to ordeyne of thre tymes for he oughte to ordeyne of the tyme presente and to take hede on the tyme whyche is to come to haue in his mynde the tyme passed for ellys he shold not goo wel Forcius vt valeas interdum parcior esto Pauca voluptati debentur plura saluti tHou oughtest to be temperate and mesured in alle thynges to the ende that thou be more stronge bothe of body of sowle for to resiste the vyces synnes for a lytel thynge thou oughtest to do for thy delyte and plesure that is to wete lytel drynke and lytel mete and to be selde lecherous and auaricious by cause that alle excesse ben contrarye to the saluacion of thy sowle but thou oughtest to do many thynges for thou oughtest to be ware and to tempere thy self of ouermoche mete drynke and to flee al worldly desyres and to do al thynges agreable and plesaunte to god Seneque sayth that by voluptees and excesse comyn foure euylles Fyrst by cause that excessys ben cause of many sekenessys bothe of body and of sowle and at the ende foloweth dethe The second is by cause that they lette and empesshen the man for to do his saluacyon The thyrd is by cause that by excesse men forgeten alle benefaytes or good dedes The iiij is for they leden the man in to the pytte of helle and to peyne eternal or wythoute ende Iudicium populi nuÌ„quaÌ„ contempseris vnus Nam nulli placeas duÌ„ vis contempnere multos tHou oughtest not to dyspreyse the Iugemente and sentence of many other whan they ben wyse prudente for thou mayst not ne oughtest not to plese to somme yf thou wylte dyspreyse gaynsaye and dysplease many other for yf thou gaynsayest dispreysest euery body thou sholdest be holden for a fole for he is wel presumtuous and cursyd of alle the world and reputed the moost fole of alle fooles that dyspreyseth alle men and that wyl not haue frendeshyp nor please no body but he hym self allone wyl by hys ouerwenyng retourne and dyspreyse the sentence of many wyse and prudente men Sic tibi precipue qd primum est cura salutis Tempora ne culpes cum sint tibi causa dolor tHou oughtest fyrst and pryncypally to thynke vpon the cure of the saluacion of bothe thy sowle and body for thou arte cause of thy sekenesse and not the tyme Therfore tho ben fooles that blamen and reprouen the tyme sayeng that the tyme is cause of theyr sekenesse of their fortune of theyr synne Item somme sayen the tyme is now euyl and peryllous certeynly they wote
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
¶ Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton whiche booke hath ben translated in to Englysshe by Mayster Benet Burgh late Archedeken of Colchestre and hye chanon of saint stephens at westmestre which ful craftly hath made it in balade ryal for the erudicion of my lord Bousher Sone heyr at that tyme to my lord the erle of Estsex And by cause of late cam to my hand a book of the said Caton in Frensshe whiche reherceth many a fayr lernynge and notable ensamples I haue translated it oute of frensshe in to Englysshe as al along here after shalle appiere whiche I presente vnto the Cyte of london UNto the noble auncyent and renoÌ„med Cyte the Cyte of london in Englond I William Caxton Cytezeyn coniurye of the same of the fraternyte felauship of the mercerye owe of ryght my seruyse good wyll and of very dutie am bounden naturelly to assiste ayde counceille as ferforth as I can to my power as to my moder of whom I haue receyued my noureture lyuynge And shal praye for the good prosperite polecye of the same duryng my lyf For as me semeth it is of grete nede by cause I haue knowen it in my yong age moche more welthy prosperous rycher than it is at this day And the cause is that ther is almost none that entendeth to the comyn we le but only euery man for his singuler prouffyte O whan I remembre the noble Romayns that for the comyn wele of the Cyte of Rome they spente not only theyr moeuable goodes but they put theyr bodyes lyues in Ieopardy to the deth as by many a noble ensample we may see in thactes of Romayns as of the two noble scipions Affrican Asyan Actilius many other And amonge al other the noble Catho auctor and maker of this book whiche he hath lefte for to remayne euer to all the peple for to lerne in hit and to knowe how euery man ought to rewle and gouerne hym in this lyf as wel for the lyf temporall as for the lyf spyrytuel And as in my Iugement it is the beste book for to be taught to yonge children in scole also to peple of euery age it is ful conuenient yf it be wel vnderstanden And by cause I see that the children that ben borne within the sayd cyte encreace and prouffyte not lyke theyr faders and olders but for the moost parte after that they ben comen to theyr parfight yeres of discrecion and rypenes of age how wel that they re faders haue lefte to them grete quantite of goodes yet scarcely amonge ten two thryue I haue sene and 〈◊〉 â—â—other londes in dyuerse cytees that of one name and lygnâ—â—â— successyuely haue endured prosperously many heyres 〈◊〉 v or vj honderd yere and somme a thousand And in this noble cyte of london it can vnnethe contynue vnto the thyrd heyr or scarcely to the second O blessyd lord whanne I remembre this I am al abasshyd I can not Iuge the cause but fayrer ne wyser ne bet bespoken children in they re yongthe ben nowher than ther ben in london but at their ful rypyng ther is no carnel ne good corn founden but chaff for the moost parte I woâ—â—e wel there be many noble and wyse and proue wel ben better and rycher than euer were theyr faders And to th ende that many myght come to honoure and worshyppe I entende to translate this sayd book of cathon in whiche I doubte not and yf they wylle rede it and vnderstande they shal moche the better conne rewle them self ther by For among all other bookes this is a synguler book and may well be callyd the Regyment or gouernaunce of the body and sowle There was a noble clerke named pogius of Florence And was secretary to pope Eugenye also to pope Nycholas whiche had in the cyte of Florence a noble well stuffed lybrarye whiche alle noble straungyers comynge to Florence desyred to see And therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes And whanne they had axyd of hym whiche was the best boke of them alle and that he reputed for best He sayd that he helde Cathon glosed for the best book of his lyberarye Thenne syth that he that was so noble a Clerke helde this book for the best doubtles hit must folowe that this is a noble booke and a vertuous and suche one that a man may eschewe alle vyces and ensiewe vertue Thenne to th ende that this sayd book may prouffyte vnto the herars of it I byseche Almyghty god that I may acheue and accomplysshe it vnto his laude and glorye And to therudicion and lernynge of them that ben ygnorauÌ„t that they maye there by prouffyte and be the better And I requyre and byseche alle suche that fynde faute or errour that of theyr charyte they correcte and amende hit And I shalle hertely praye for them to Almyghty god that he rewarde them â—â—N this smal lytyl booke is conteyned a short and prouffitable doctryne for all maner of peple the whiche is taken composed vpon the said book of Cathon with some addicions auctoritees of holy doctours prophetes And also many Historyes ensamples autentyke of holy faders auncyent Cronycles trewe approuued Item this lytell booke shalle be deuyded in two partyes pryncipal The fyrst partye pryncipal is the proheme whiche begynneth Cumanimaduerterem And endureth vnto Itaque deo supplica The second partye pryncipal is the trayttye and alle the maner of this present book whiche begynneth Itaque deo supplica anendureth vnto the ende of the sayd lytel booke Item this second partye pryncipal is deuyded in two partyes the fyrst is in prose And the second in verse the fyrst partye whiche is in prose begynneth Itaque deo supplica And endureth vnto Si deus est animus the whiche conteyneth lvi commaundements Item the second partye whiche is in verse is subdyuyded in to foure partyes The fyrst begynneth at Si deus est animus endureth vnto Telluris si forte the whiche conteyneth fourty commaundements The second partye begynneth at Telluus si forte endureth vnto Hoc quicunque velis whiche conteyneth xxxv commaundements The third partye begynneth at hoc quicunque endureth to Securam quicunque whiche conteyneth xxvj commaundements the fourthe partye begynneth at Securam and endureth vnto th ende of the book And conteyneth lvj commaundements And soo this present lytel booke conteyneth in somme two honderd xiij commaundments as wel in prose as in verse But to th ende that thystoryes and examples that ben conteyned in this lytel book may be lyghly founden And also for to knowe vpon what commaundementes they ben adiousted and alledged they shalle be sette and entytled by maner of Rubrysshe in the commaundement vpon whiche eche shalle be conteyned and alledged And they shalle be signed as that folowed of the nombre of leues where
lost his sone his money folio lxvii How a man ought to suffre foure thynges for his trewe frende folio lxviii How god punyssheth som in this world Folio lxix Of the vysyon and debate ageynste the fere of dethe and surete of the dethe folio lxx Historye of a wyse man that loued thre frendes Fo lxxi Of fyue causes wherfore ought to be had displaysyre of the dethe of euylle peple folio lxxii Of fyue causes wherfore ought to be had Ioye of the dethe of good peple folio lxxii Thus endeth the table and the Rubrishes of this present boke whiche is called caton in Englysshe ryght singuler and prouffytable And ouer and aboue these that be comprysed in this sayd table is many a notable commaundement lernynge and counceylle moche prouffitable whiche is not sette in the sayd regystre or rubrysshe CVm animaduerterem quam plurimos homines errare in via moruÌ„ SuccurrenduÌ„ consulendum opinioni eorum fore existimaui-Maxime vt gloriose viuerent honorem contingerent nuÌ„c te fili carissime docebo quo pacto mores tui animi componas Igitur mea precepta ita legito vt intelligas legere enim et non intelligere negligere est WHan I remembre consydere in my corage that moche peple erre greuously in the waye of maners and of good doctrynes bycause they vse no manere of Iustyce ne of reson by whiche they be the more disordynate obstynate in their Iniquyte euyl for the which cause I haue delybered concluded oftymes how I myght remedye correcte socoure gyue good couÌ„ceyl to their false disordynate opynyon Iniustice bycause that many holde sowe many errours dyuerce coÌ„trarye to good Iustice equyte reason therfore I haue delibered in myn herte to helpe correcte the errours false opynyons for eueriche by right lawe writen ought to correcte his propre errour also therrour of his neyghboure of his cristen broder to th ende that euery man myght lyue gloriously that is to say vertuously that he may to thonour preysyng of god and of the world by cause that they that lyue vertuously vse reson Iustice equyte haue praysyng of god and of alle the world And thys is that the phylopher sayth in the book of the etiques whyche sayth for to come to worshyp and praysyng is none other thyng but to haue wytnesse in hym self of somme good and vertue how be hyt that somme good is spyrituel as vertu or science And temporel as ben rychesses and puyssaunces And therfore my right dere and welbelouyd sone I shal teche shewe to the clerely in the doctrynes commauÌ„dementis that thou shalt here herafter That is to wete the fourme and the manere how thou mayst rule the maners of thy corage That is to knowe how thou mayst rule and gouerne thy body and thy sowle in this world as wel in good werkes spirituel as in good werkys temporel and therfore rede and rede efte ageyn ofte tymes my coÌ„maundementes in suche wise that thou vnderstonde them reteyne them in thy mynde For to rede not vnderstonde is a thynge dyspyteuse and vnproffytable and of no prouffyte in whiche there abydeth no trouthe prouffytable ne no perfeccion of entendement for it is sayd in a comyn prouerbe that he that redeth no thynge vnderstondeth doth as moche as he that hunteth and no thynge taketh And therfore it suffyseth not to rede my commaundementes without they be vnderstonden and to what purpos I haue sayd them For thou oughtest to rede rede them efte ageyn more than an hondred tymes or vnto the tyme that thou vnderstonde them and reteyne them wel and perfytely And thenne thou shalt â—â—conne rule thy body thy sowle in this world therfore may this book wel ought to be entytled the râ—â—ile gouernement of the body and of the sowle Itaque deo supplica THe fyrst commaundement is that thou oughtest to praye and adoure god thy creatour onely and none other For yf so were that honoure and reuerence that is due to god were gyuen to ony other creature than to god that shold be ydolatrye as thou shalt here hereafter And thou oughtest to knowe that there be fyue maners for to bere and doo honoure and reuerence to god hys creatour That is to wete to werke adoure swere sacrefyse preyse by cause that god is the vnyuersel commaundour of alle our production begynnyng and gouernemente Thou oughtest to knowe that Idolatrye is none other thynge but tenbaunce and gyue the reuerence that ought to be gyuen to god to ony other creature Therfore I wyl shewe how ydolatrye was fyrst founde and there ben fyue causes The fyrst was for to eschewe the malencolye of the dethe of somme persones herof recounteth the wyse man of a man that loste his sone whome he loued moche hertelye But for teschewe the malencolye of the dethe of his sone and for to haue perpetuel remembraunce of hym dyd do make an ymage vnto the resemblaunce of the fygure of hys sone the whiche ymage he commaunded to be worshypped by hys subgettes and seruauntes vpon payne of Inobedyence Of this fyrst cause of ydolatrye recounteth saynt Gregore in his xj chappytre of saynt luke How the kynge of nynyue whan he was dede in batayle his sone whiche was kynge after hym dyd do make an ymage to the resemblaunce of hys fader the whiche ymage he adoured deuoutely commaunded expressely to be worshypped and adoured of al the subgettes of hys royame And to th ende that his subgettee shold haue the more gretter deuocion to the sayd ymage he dyd doo make an edycte or a decree that al they that had commysed offence ageynst the ryal mageste that they shold adoure the sayd ymage and al that so dyd shold be pardoned The second cause wherfore ydolatrye was founden was for the grete pryde and surquerdrye of somme prynces whiche somtyme made them to be adoured and worshypped as god As we haue an ensaumple of the kynge Nabugodonosor For to the ende that he shold be adoured as god He commaunded to olofernes whiche was prynce of his londe and of his chyualrye that he shold destroye all the goddes of his royame to th ende that he shold be reputed and honoured as god in al his contre The thyrd cause was fouÌ„den by adulacion or flaterye For to Impetre somme graces ageynst somme lordes as done they that ben poure whyche adoure the ryche prynces grete lordes as they were goddes For to haue theyr grace and benyuolence herof recouÌ„teth saynt austyn in the tenthe boke of the cyte of god that sayth that many thynges ben taken aweye fro thonoure and adouryng deuyne the which ben atrybued gyuen to kynges prynces temporel in geuyng to them gretter honoure reuerence thaÌ„ they do to god this spice of ydolatrye regneth yet at this day with kynges prynces of this
other dayes The xiiij synne is yre The xv synne is leuyng of good dedes whyche they myght doo whyle that they playen In players men fynde twelue folyes and abusyons The fyrst is a right grete and foule seruytude whan they submytte them self for to doo that the dyse commaunden The second folye is that they ben redy er for to doo the commaundemente of the dyse than the commauÌ„dement of god They doo not lyke saynt martyn whiche gaue the halfe of hys mantell gowne sherte and breche and after came after his mayster bycause that oftymes they lene to al bothe mantellys and gownes shyrtes and breches And after goon alle naked after they re master the deuyll of helle whiche gouerneth them The thyrd is that after that they knowe the falsehede of the dyse they oughte rather forsake them thenne to forsake theyr maker the whiche doeth neuer to them but alle good The fourthe folye is bycause that they put and submytte them to the Iurisdyccion or Iugemente of hym whiche doth neuer good ne Iuste Iugemente For he gyueth to them that whiche longeth not to them The fyfthe is bycause that they take gretter dylectacion and plesure to the dyse than to the holy and deuyne thynges The syxthe is to the ende that they be not ydelful they do ydel thynges Therfore saâ—â—th saynt bernard that it is gretter folye for to doo an ydle thynge for to eschewe ydelnesse The seuenth folye is bycause that they suffre that theyr enemye stele from them one of the moste precyous thynges that they haue that is to wete the tyme whyche they lese in playeng The viij is bycause that with theyr owne handes they lese bothe hem self and theyr goodes whome our lord Ihesu cryste wyth his owne handes boughte ageyn on the tree of the crosse The ix is bycause that whyle that they playe they ben condempned to dethe at the courte of the souerayn Iuge The tenthe is bycause that whyle they playe they myght do soÌ„me thynge that shold be to them prouffytable and good and plesaunt to god theyr creatour or maker and to theyr frendes and they doo the contrarye The xj is bycause that they doo chyldren werkys For they playe wyth bones and with stones as done the chyldren The twelfthe is that they suppose not to haue plesure in that they do wythout that they haue and take of hit somme prouffyte It is redde of a knyghte whiche in his playeng swore by yre angre by the eyen of our lorde god to whom Incontynente before all theym that were present his one eye fyl from his heed vpon the table on the whyche he played Item it is redde of an archer whyche for grete wrathe shotte an arowe ageynst the heuen in despyte of our Lord god Bycause that he had loste hys syluer by shotyng the whiche arowe came not doun ageyn vnto the nexte morowe after and at suche houre as it had ben drawen hit fyl ageyn al blody from heuen It is redde of saynt bernard that ones as he was on an hors backe a player demaunded of hym yf he wold playe his hors ageynst his sowle to whome saynt bernard answerd that he was contente the whiche player Incontynent toke thre dyse and caste xviij poyntes and thenne he toke the hors by the brydel and sayd that hit was his that he had wonne hit Frende abyde a lytel sayd saynt bernard for there ben in these dyse somme poyntes which thou seest not therfore lete me caste Saynt bernard thenne took the dyse and caste them and as he caste them one of them brake in two partes and at the one parte of the dyse broken were foure poyntes and on the other parte were thre and on the other two dyse were xij poyntes and thus saynt bernard dyd caste xix poyntes Thenne whan the player sawe the myracle he gaue to saynt bernard his sowle and to hym he made alle obeyssaunce and after he became a monke of saynt bernardes and endyd his lyf right holyly Cum bonis ambula tThou oughtest to walke and goo wyth good folke and flee the euyl That is to say that thou must put thy self in the feleshyp of the good and vertuous men and eschewe and flee from the euyl ful of vyces synnes Item it is founde thre maners of conuersacions the fyrst is the good men wyth the good men the second is the good men wyth the euyl and vycious men the thyrd is the euyl men wyth the euyl men and the euyl men wyth the good men The poete sayth that the man may not forbere hym self wythout other felawshyp For euery frende hath nede of hys frende Antequam voceris ad consilium ne accesseris tHou oughtest not to goo to no counceyl before that thou be called therto For it is gretter presumpcion folye for to goo to the counceyl of somme other before that men be called to hit bycause that of aduenture men wyl not that thou knowe hit Seneque sayth that hit is grete presumpsion for to entremeâ—â—te hym ne to enquere of the counceyl of other whan he wyl not that thou knowe hit For he kepeth hit secretely for cause of the Mundus esto tHou oughtest to be pure and clene bothe of body and of sowle That is to saye that thou oughtest to kepe thy self from vyces and fro synne as of lecherye auaryce and of alle other synnes whyche ben contrarye to the body and to the sowle Verecundiam serua tHou oughtest to haue shame and vergoyne to do euyl but not for to do good For none oughte not to haue shame for to doo wel Men fynden thre manere of folke byfore the whiche men haue vergoyne and shame for to doo euyl Fyrst before them whiche ben wyse bycause that men byleuen them lightlye of that that they saye be hit good or euyl Secondly before them whiche ben deuoute and holy and before them emonge the whiche we conuerse and goo dayly bycause that men beleuen them of our fayte or dede soner thenne the other whiche we knowe not Thyrdly before them that can kepe no thynge secretely as Iogelers mynstrellys foles drâ—â—nke folke and yonge chyldren Fourthly before them the whiche sawe vs neuer do none euyl bycause that we shold not lese the good fame or renommee that we had before of them For they supposen that we had ben good Fifthely before them of the whiche we wyl be loued Syxthely before them whche ben coÌ„trarye to the fayte or dede whiche we doo bycause that they myght suppose that the euyl were gretter thenne hit is Rem tuam custodi tHou oughtest to kepe thy thynge This commaundemente may be expressed in thre maners Fyrst kepe thy thynge that is to say kepe thy body and thy persone the whyche is made and fourmed to the semblaunce of god thy creatour or maker Secondly kepe thy thynge that is to saye thy sowle from synne Thyrdly kepe thy thynge that is to say thy
none ought to glorefye hym self of oldenesse of age wythout that he haue oldenesse of sapyence and of vertue Ne cures si quis tacito sermone loquatur Concius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici tHou oughtest not to caâ—â—e yf thou see somme folke spekyng secretly to gyder that is to wete whan â—â—hou arte pure clene without vyce without blame bycause that he whiche is gylty ful of vyces of synnes wenyth that al that men say in secrete is of his fayte or dede bycause that he is euer in doubte in remoxs of conscience Saynt Luc recounteth in his viij chappytre of a Iewe whiche sayd supposed in hym self whan marye magdalene wesshed the feet of crist with hir teris wyped them with hyr heerys and thought yf suche a man had ben an holy prophete and an holy man he had not suffred that a synner had touched hym wherfore he had suspecion in hys herte that Ihesu Cryste was a false prophete and an vntrewe And for this cause we ought not to haue suspecyon vpon other for so moche that they speke secretely to gyder or do soÌ„me other thynge secrete whan we knowe nor vnderstonde not the cause why for rather we ought to thynke suppose wel than euyl for the doubtous thynge ought to be interpreted to the better partye suppose rather soner wel than euyl Cum fueris felix que sunt aduersa caueto Non eodem cursu respondet vltima primis tHou oughtest to doubte flee fortune how be it that thou be ryche myghty of goodes bothe temporal spiritual for in tyme of habundaunce men haue memorye mynde of pouerte but alwayes thou must kepe thy self for to gete ne withholde vniustly the richesses euyl goten For moche ofte the laste thynges been not lyke to the fyrst The whele of fortune waxeth waneth as dothe the mone For neuer hit holdeth not in one poynte for Incontynent hyt chaungeth fro prosperite in to aduersite Therfore it is said that the last thynge resembleth not by one lyke cours to the first thynges For fortune holdeth hyr neuer in one poynte Therfore sayth Boece of consolacion that he whiche falleth is not stedfast that is to say that he whiche cometh fro prosperite in to aduersyte is not wel happy Cum dubia fragilis sit nobis vita tributa In mortem alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli tHou oughtest not to haue hope in the deth of other for to haue his good after hys dethe bycause that our lyf is freall doubtous and ryght vncerteyn For assone deyeth yonge as olde For men fynde at the markette how 's moo skynnes of calues than of kyen Whan the kyng alisaunder had wonne the batayle ageynst the kyng of Perse he retourned to his palays ryal in babylonye as sone as he was set atte table a wylde byrde entred within the halle which flewe many tymes about the halle after sette rested hym on the table before the Emperour and there the byrde leyed an egge and after hit flewe out of the halle in to the feldes Of the whiche egge yssued Incontynent a lytel worme whiche went rounde about the egge for to haue entred ageyn in to hit but he coude neuer fynde the hole where thorugh hit was yssued wherfore he deyed whan the kyng alyxaunder sawe thys he was moche abasshed as dremyng thought al the nyght on hit supposed that it had ben somme token of treson And yet on that same nyght a woman of the cyte was delyuerd of a chylde halfe man and halfe beest the which halfe humayn was dede and the other halfe beest was on lyue the whyche chylde was broughte vnto Alyxaunder for to see Wherof he was more abasshed than he had ben before of the byrde theÌ„ne he made al his astrologiens to be gadred assembled to gyder for to knowe Iuge what the sayd thynge betokened The whiche were al of one opynyon that these wonders meruayles betoken his deth Thenne one of them spake for al before Alyxaunder and sayd that the egge whiche is rounde betokened the world and that the lytel worme betokenyd Alexaunder For as the litel worme myght not retourne to the hâ—â—le of the egge where thorugh he came out of Right so alixaunder whiche had wonne subdued al the world alle aboute shold neuer retourne in to Grece out of whiche londe he was yssued and tolde and concluded before hym that the goddes had ordeyned that he shold deye And the forsaid astrologyen said the childe whiche is halfe deed halfe on lyue halfe man halfe beest betokeneth that now thou arte but halfe man for thou arte nygh to thy dethe And thy successours shal be lyke to lyuyng beestes to the regarde of the and of thy prouesses whiche thou hast doon Thenne whan alyxaunder herde these tydynges he lyfte vp his eyen toward heuen and began to crye wyth an hygh voys O my grete and souerayn god Iupyter I see now wel that this world gyueth lytel gwerdon rewarde helas I wende to haue lyued so longe in this world thai I myght haue accomplisshed al my wylle now I must deye I knowe clerely that none oughte not to truste to longe lyf in this world as I haue done nor hauyng hope on the dethe of other as I haue had hytherto Exiguum munus cum det tibi pauper amicus Accipito placide plene et laudare memento tHou oughtest to take with thanke the lytel yefte of thy frende For how be hit that it is lytel thou must take hit gladly and hit ought to be to the more agreable more plesaunt than yf a ryche man had gyuen it to the Therfore whan men gyuen to the thou oughtest not to haue regarde vnto the yefte yf hit be lytel or grete but thou oughtest to haue rewarde to the wylle affeccyon of hym that gyueth hit to the ought to take hit with good herte to remercye thanke playnly for al be hit neuer so lytel yf thou sholdest refuse hit thou sholdest do to hym that gyueth hit shame vergoyne Q uintilianus reherceth of a poure man and of a ryche man that hadden two gardyns whyche gardyns were ioynyng to gyder The poure man had in hys gardyn many hony flees or bees and the ryche had in his gardyn many fayre floures the whiche ryche man made to telle to the poure man that he was euyl apayed of his bees whiche came in to his gardyn to take the hony vpon his floures and the poure man made therof no grete care but lette his flees goo as they were acustomed Thenne whan the ryche man sawe that he cared not he wente and caste venym vpon his floures in suche manere that whan the bees sette them vpon the sayd floures they were alle poysâ—â—ned and in parelle of dethe But the poure man whyche was a good medecyne put soÌ„me remedye to
and spare somtyme them that thou mayst vynquysshe and ouercome For pacyence is the grettest vertue of alle vertues of good condycyonâ—â— By cause that by the name of pacyence alle the other vertues taken force vygour and attemperaunce Therfore sayth the prouerbe that vertu is wydowe whan she is not aâ—â—urned confermyd and attemperyd wyth pacyence by cause that alle the other vertues rewlen and ordeynen them by pacyence for pacyence vaynquyssheth alle Conserua pocius que sunt iam parta labore Cum labor in dampno est crescit mortalis egestas THou oughtest to kepe and spare that whyche thou hast acquyred and goten wyth grete payne and wyth grete swette of thy body and more moderatelye thou oughtest to dyspende hit than that whyche cometh of auauntage and withouten payne and trauaylle For euery one doubteth the peyne and laboure that men haue for to gete them Item also naturally euery man kepeth and loueth better that whyche he acquyreth wyth payne and grete trauaylle thenne that whyche cometh of auauntage For whan one dyspendeâ—â—h that whyche is goten wyth grete laboure he falleth to grete pouerte and dommage and in to mortal Indygence whyche growen and encreaceth from day to day We reden of two hosemakers of the whyche the one was poure and had so grete famylle or meyne that his crafte myght not gouerne ne susteyne his housholde ne to furnysshe the expences the whyche as a wyse man put hym self to serue god contynuelly herde masse euery day wythoute faylle and thus by the grace of god had euer of worldly goodes ynough for to holde and susteyne hys estate wyth But the other whyche was more ryche than he was wrought bothe on sondayes holydayes the whyche by punycyon of god fyl in to grete Indygence pouerte in dede by grete yre as al wroth said to his neyghbour how farest thou how goeth thy fayte thou werkest not the halfe of the tyme but alwaye thou lyuest farest more largely hast more of worldly goodes thaÌ„ I haue that werke bothe holydayee sondayes contynuelly The whyche answeryd to hym that he had founde a tresoure in the erthe of the whyche he was wexen ryche and that yf he wold doo as he dyd of al that they shold fynde he shold haue his parte whyche accorded therto and wente euery day to the chyrche as dyd hys neyghbour and sone he had of worldly goodes ynough whan he beganne to serue and to loue god Therfore sayth the gospel seche ye fyrst the kyngdom of god and alle thynges shal come to your behoufe 〈◊〉 haboundaunce largelye Dapsilis interdum notis et caris amicis Cum fueris felix semper tibi proximus esto THou oughtest to gyue and to be large somtyme vnto thy dere frendes and to shewe thy self humble and benygne toward them but alwayes thou oughtest fyrst to helpe thy self For as sayth the appostle none oughte to hate hys flesshe ne his persone charyte begynneth at hym self and after to hys parentes and to the other who hath the myght and puyssaunce Men may compare the ryche man to the henne by cause that the henne taketh so grete curyosyte to nowrysshe hyr chyckyns that often she forbereth etyng for theyr sake in so moche that she wexyth alle lene but whan the chyckens are grete they remembren them not of hit for they knowe hyr nomore ne setten noughte by hyr Semblably whan the ryche man hath nowrisshed his chyldren in theyr yongthe wel derely and hath often foboren mete and drynke for to gadre and assemble goodes for theym whan they are grete and oute of the daunger of theyr fader and moder they remembren hit not and setten noughte by them Therfore I counceyl the whan thou arte ryche myghty that thou ne gyue ne distrybue thy goodes to thy chyldren ne to thy parentes frendes without thou haue first purueyed vnto thy selfe That is to saye that thou reteygne and holde so largely of thy goodes that hit may suffyse for to helpe thy body and specyalle thy sowle Incipit liber secundus ¶ Telluris si forte velis cognoscere cultus Virgilium legito quod si mage nosce laboras YF thou wylte knowe the cultyuyng and eeryng of the erthe and how men oughte to laboure and make hit clene and whan men must sowe gadre ageyne thou must rede the poete vyrgylle for in hys book thou shalt fynde the manere for to cultyue and laboure the erthe and by cause that by suche laboure men gete and acquyre many grete rychesses the auÌ„cyentes dyte put theyr cure and studye for to laboure and cultyue the erthe but thys oppynyon is false for the souerayn good of thys Worlde is to serue loue god Herbarum vires macer tibi carmina dicet YF thou wylte knowe the force vertu of herbes thou must rede this poete macer the auncientes said that the souerayn We le of this world was in the helth of the body therfore they put al their witte studye for to knowe the proprete vertu of the herbes by cause that they ben ordeyned for the helthe of the body the which oppynyon is false Si romana cupis et punica noscere bella Lucanum queras qui martis prelia dicet YF thou wylte knowe the bataylles of rome of affrique rede this poete named lucan the auncyentes sayd that the souerayn wele of this world was in getyng of good fame renome of noblesse therfore they dyd put all theyr estudye for to knowe the faytes or dedes of thauncientes And specyally of â—â—heym of Rome and of Auffryque the whyche haue been moche subtylle vpon the fayte and dede of werre Si quid amare libet vel discere amare legendo Nazonem petito Sinautem tibi cura hec est YF thou wylte loue and haue a paramour rede thou the poete named nazo the lechoure thauncyen supposed that the souerayn good of thys world had been in plesures and worldely delectacyons And therforâ—â— â—â—tudyed and lerned thys poete Nazo whyche techeth the 〈◊〉 and manere for to loue paramours Vt sapiens viuas audi que discere possis Per que semotum vicijs deducitur cuum Ergo ades et que sit sapiencia disce legendo YF thou wylte lyue wysely flee the vyces and folowe the vertues the whyche putten al vyces synnes out of the persone Item thou oughtest to rede and studye in suche manere that thou mayst become sage and wyse to acquyre sapyence wysdom to flee the false opynyons errours of thauÌ„cient beforesayd in the iiij precedent commauÌ„dementes Si potes ignotis eciam prodesse memento Vtilius regno est meritis acquirere amicos TThou oughtest to do wel to do prouffyte to the strauÌ„gers not al onely to thy parentes frendes For it is more vtyle prouffitable for to acquyre a frende by thy labour and good dedes than for to acquyre a royame or somme
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
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
space of tyme the whyche thou haste acquyred goten by longe processe of tyme wyth grete payne For a lytel sparcle of fyre kyndleth ofte a grete fyre Also by a lytel worde euyl vtteryd and sayd may be loste a grete and good frende Quod deus intendat noli perquirere sorte Quod statuit de te sine te deliberat ipse tHou ouÈtest not to enquyre by sorte or wytche crafte of that that god wyl doo or hath ordeyned for to do of the or of somme other creature for god hath delyberyd and ordeyned wythoute the that that he wyl doo of the Seneques saith that men ought not to enquyre but alle onelye of the thynges whyche men may vnderstonde and comprehende that is licyte good for to wete and knowe It is redde of a clerke whiche folisshely susteyned said that yf he was predestyned to be saued he myght not be dampned by the contrarye yf he was predestyned for to be dampned he myght not be saued that of nede he must be dampned and therfore he dyd al his desyres plesures retched not whether he dyd wel or euyl but hit happed that he was ryghte greuously seek Thenne he sente for a moche wyse and sage phycycyen and prayed hym that he wolde restore to hym hys helthe The physycyen was ryght suffysaunte in medecyne and ryght good theologyen or knowyng the deuyne scrypture and he knewe wel the wylle and thought of the clerke and sayd to hym yf thou oughtest to deye of thys sekenesse I shold not mowe helpe the and to the contrarye Yf thou oughte to be helyd of hit thou shalte hele wel Ha syr sayd the clerke I knowe certeynlye that yf a remedye be not hastely put therto I shal deye Thenne sayd to hym the physycyen yf thou byleuyst that thy lyf may be lengthed by the vertu of medecyne and by me why byleuest thou not that penaunce may lengthen the lyf of thy sowle The clerke thenne by the vertue of the wordes whyche the physycyen had sayd to hym beganne to say Ha syr I requyre you that from hens forth on ye wyl be physycyen of my sowle For by your medecyne and wordes I am delyuerd out of grete errour and of folysshe byleue and verayly I byleue that myn opynyon was false and euyl To the ende that none sette feythe to sortyleges ne to deuyners eurry man oughte to byleue stedfastlye wythout doubte that god may doo alle and wythoute hym none may nought do al be he neuer soo good a man How thenne byleuest thou the sortylÌ„eges and deuynours For of that whyche they do and sayen they wote not what they doo they vsen but of euyl arte by the reuelacyon of the deuyll And that more is they shold not mowe doo no thyng ayenst the wylle of god Thou oughtest to knowe of trouthe that often god permytteth and suffreth that that the sortylegers and deuynours maken to come But as sayth Saynt Austyn god suffreth hyt for to preue the and to knowe yf thou arte stedfaste in the feythe or not and the deuyl of helle doeth hyt for to haue and dampne the Therfore sayen the doctours of holy chirche that alle tho that byleuen the sortyleges and deuynours been excommunyed and cursyd of god and of holy chyrche For they been reputed and holden as ydollatres and wycked crysten by cause that they attrybuen and gyuen vnto the deuyll and to nature humayn the honoure reuerence and feythe whyche they shold attrybue vnto god onelye Item men fynde somme sortyleges that maken theyr sorte by herbys by wordes and by many other thynges for to hele sekenessys of folke of horses and of many other beestys Item there been somme that maken letters or scrowys wherin they paynte many crosses and many wordes and sayen that these wordes are the hyghe names of our lord and that tho that bere hit on them may not perysshe in fyre in water ne in none other parayllous place Item they maken other scrowes for to be bounden vpon the persones for to hele of somme sekenesses The whyche sortyleges and wycked folke for none excomunyng ne cursyng wyl not absteyne them from theyr euyl and dampnable deelyng knowe you for certeyn that all tho that doon or maken to be doon suche sortyleges wytchecrafte beforesaid also they that beren hit and that haue truste in them and alÌ„ tho that sellen or byen them gyuen or yelden synnen right greuously I say not yf one gadre herbes for to do somme medecyne sayeng vpon hit the pater noster or the credo that hit be dedely synne wythoute ony other sortylege and knowe thou that this cursyd synne of sortylege haboundeth more in wymmen than in men by cause that they haue lasse of dyscrescion that they byleue more lyghtelye than the men Inuidiam nimio cultu vitare memento Que si non ledit tamen hanc sufferre molestum â—â—Hou oughtest not to haue enuye on thy brother cristen Ne to haue ouer precyous Iewellys ne raymentes For how be it that hit letteth ne dommageth not them on whome thou hast enuye Neuerthelesse it is to them greef and moleste for to suffre and forbere hit for enuye proprely is to haue ioye of the euyl and dommage of other and to haue woo and doloure of hys we le Saynt Austyn sayth that he whyche hath enuye of other mennes goodes is lyke hym whyche is blynde of the rayes of the sonne Seneques sayth that there ben as many of tourmentes and cursynges redy made for the enuyous as there are goodes blessynges for the beneurous or happy Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique Nemo diu gaudet qui iudice vincit iniquo tHou oughtest to be pacyente and stronge of courage whan thou arte condempned falsely and wrongfully for at the ende thou shalte be therof auenged for the Iuge that Iugeth vniustlye shal not enioye longe his offyce but of his vniustyce and Inyquyte he shal be punysshed Salamon sayth that the Iuste cause the good ryght that the symple persone hath of hym self shal dresse his waye the wycked and vniuste or vntrewe shal be punysshed of hys Inyquyte and euyl He that is constaunte stedfast in alle his aduersytees acquyreth foure goodes The fyrste is whan he is constaunte or stedfaste he may not be surmounted ne suppedyted or ouercomen of al the world And by cause that al the world shold not mowe vaynquysshe hym that is stedfaste and constaunte be thou therfore constaunte and Insuperable The second is by cause that he hath euer vyctorye on hys enemyes The iij is by cause that he becometh ryche therof The fourth is by cause that at th ende he acquyreth therfore the glorye of paradyse whyche is euer apparaylled and redy for to receyue them that been stronge vertuous in this worlde in resystyng to the synnes and vyces of thys world Nec te collaudes nec te culpaueris ipse Hoc
faciunt stulti quos gloria vexat inanis tHou oughtest not to preyse ne to blame thy selfe in noo manere For thou oughtest to leue to other to preyse or blame the and not thy selfe For the foles ouerwenen and ful of vaynglorye preysen and glorefyen theym self of theyr owne faytes or dedes for thre reasons euydente none oughte not to preyse hym self ne wyllyng to be preysed of other The fyrst is lete hym consydere the tyme passed and he shal fynde that he hath doon many thynges of the whyche he oughte to be wooful and desplaysaunte The second is that yf he consydereth and ouerseeth the tyme whyche is to come he shal see many thynges of whiche he oughte to be doubtous The thyrd is yf he consydere the tyme presente he shal fynde wythin hym many vyces synnes and therfore none oughte not to desyre to haue preysyng ne to preyse hym self in thys world Litis preteriti noli maledicta referre Post inimicicias iram meminisse malorum est tHou oughtest to kepe thy pees of thy maledyccions or cursynges and stryues passed and gone and not to reherce ne telle them For thou oughtest to put them oute of thy mynde specyally whan thou hast made pees wyth hym to whome thou haddest debate and noyse For it is the dede of wycked and euyl folke for to remembre and to wythholde in his herte the hate and rancour of tyme passed Tullyus sayth that there nys no thynge so fowle ne so dyshoneste as for to make werre ageynste hym wyth whome men haue lÌ„yued longe wyth frendshyp in good pees and concorde Item in tyme passed whan Rome was paynym was a temple wythin Rome whyche was founded in the worshyp of the god of pees and of concorde wythin the whyche temple the god of concorde was sette in suche manere that alle the other ydolles and statues or ymages whyche were there had the face tourned toward the yate of the sayd temple And the god of concorde had the face tourned towarde the walle And was wryton before hym thys same worde Benefyce And behynde hym was wrypen yre in betokenynge that alle men that wyl make and haue pees concorde oughtest to put abacke yre and al the Iniuryes wyich haue ben doon to hym for otherwyse shold be taken from hym suche goodes that he shold haue acquyred and goten before Vtere quesitis modico cum sumptus habundat Labitur exiguo quod partum est temport longuo tHou oughtest to dyspende and to vse of thyn acquyred and goten thynges by mesure and attemperatly though thou haue of them grete habundaunce For men hath dyspended and consumed in lytel tyme that whiche men hath acquyred and spared wyth grete laboure peyne in a longe space of tyme Therfore sayth the decretalle that the lyuyng goten and acquyred by longe tyme is despended in a lytel space of tyme And therfore men oughte not to be ouermoche a nygarde ne ouermoche large in gyuyng there as no nede is for to gyue by cause that al thynges haue their tyme For there is tyme for to gyue and tyme for to wyth holde and to kepe his goodes Incipiens esto dum tempus postulat aut res Stulticiam similare loco prudencia suÌ„ma est tHou oughtest to be sage wyse to make the a fole or to dyssymylle folye in tyme in place whan the thynge requyreth it For it is souerayn prudence for to can dyssymule folye that is to wete for to feyne to be a fole in tyme place couenable for many one haue made and feyned to be a fole for many causes fyrst for teschewe offence humayn secondly for vaynglorye thyrdly for teschewe theyr persone of somme Inconuenyentes the fourth cause for to eschewe the deuyne offence of god Luxuriam fugito simul et vitare memento Crimen auaricie nam sunt contraria fame Hou oughtest to eschewe and to flee lecherye auaryce by cause that thy vyces and synnes are contrarye to good renommee for by lecherye men lesen theyr syluer and theyr substaunce men angre god and lesen theyr bodyes therof Therfore sayth galyen that man febleth and debylyteth more his body by losyng of a lytel of his semence or nature than to lose fourty tymes more of his blood For they that vsen moche wymmen lesen theyr colour and becomen sone olde and feble of body It is redde in the lyf of faders of an holy fader whyche had nourysshed a yonge chylde wythin his hermytage that was wythin a wode but whan thys chylde was come to age he was often tempted of the synne of lecherye of fayte or in dede he wolde retourne in to the world for to haue maryed hym wherof the holy fader was gretelye wrothe In so moche that by the space of two yere the sayd holy fader by good exhortacion kepte the sayd chylde fro the world but at the ende he sayd to the holy fader that he myght nomore endure and that it was force that he shold retourne in to the world To whome sayd the holy fader Sythe thou must retourne in to hyt thou shalte goo and shalte take a wyf For by maryage thou mayste doo thy sauemente but or thou goest hens I demauÌ„nde of the a yefte that is to wete that thou goo fyrste to the fontaygne whyche thou knowest that is wythin the foreste and there thou shalte faste fourty dayes prayeng our lord that he vouchesaufe to gyue to the a good wyf and of thys was the yonge man wel contente Thenne he took of breed as moche as mysteryd vnto hym and after wente to the fontaygne and whan he had fasted there by the space of twenty dayes as he was in oryson he beganne to fâ—â—le and smelle suche a wonder stenche soo grete and soo horryble that he myght not endure ne suffre hit thenne apperyd before hym a wonderful and foule woman ryghte olde that was scabbed and hyr nose droppyng from whyche came alle the sayd stynche she salewyd hym sayeng Allas where arte thou my dere frende I haue soughte the longe and neuer I coude fynde the tyl now alas sayd she I haue loued and desyred the more than alle the men of the world And thenne the yonge man answeryd vnto hyr O ryght fowle and stynkyng olde fylthe what demaundest thou I praye the derely that thou wylte lye wyth me To that worde sayd the yonge man fye fye and spytte in hyr face and sayd god forbede that I haue suche a loue or paramour so ful of ordure or fylthe so stynkyng and so fowle as thou arte and thenne he demaunded of hyr what she was and what was hir name I am sayd she lecherye It is now two yere passed that I began for to seche the that is to wete whan thou were fyrst tempted of lecherye Certeynlye sayd the yonge man yf I had knowen that the synne of lecherye had ben so fowle and so stynkyng I neuer shold haue
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
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
thou selle al that thou hast in this world gyue hit for goddes sake to the poure membris of cryst Saynt austyn saith that the auarycyous may neuer haue no suffysaunce for the more that he hath the more he wyl haue he is neuer assured for he dredeth euer Saynt austyn sayth that the auarycyous doubten the foure elementes first they doubte the water to th ende that hit drowne not their marchaundyses Item they doubten the fyre lefte that hit brenne their howses possessyons thyrdly they doubten therthe to th ende that theyr fruytes perysshe not fourthly they doubten the wynde to th ende that by wyndes rayne they be not lette ne empesshed for to goo and doo theyr marchaundyses Item they doubten al persones leste that they shold stele their goodes but tho that haten the rychesses doubten no thynge saufe onelye god theyr creatour Commoda nature nullo tibi tempora deerunt Si contentus eo fueris quod postulat vsus tHou oughtest to be contente of the goodes prouffytes that nature vsaunce of tyme gyueth to the for yf thou be contente hast suffysaunce the goodes and prouffytes of nature shal neuer faylle to the for thou oughtest not to requyre nor demaunde of god but that whiche is vtyle and prouffytable to the for to susteyne nature humayn Boece sayth that nature is contented of lytel Therfore we ought to desyre demaunde fyrst of god the goodes spiritual For he that hath the spyrytual goodes oughte to haue hope to byleue stedfastlye that he shal haue ynough of temporalle goodes For it is seen selde the Iuste to dekaye ne to haue nede in suche manere but that he hath euer good ynough for to fede and susteyne hys lyf naturalle Cum sis incautus nec rem racione gubernes Noli fortunam que non est dicere cecam tHou oughtest not to say that fortune is blynde whyche is no thynge but by cause that thou arte a fole euyl gouernest rewlest the for fortune is not blynde though the poetes sayen faynen hir to be blynde but as the wyse man sayth thou oughtest to haue in thy mynde pouerte in tyme of haboundaunce that is to wete whan thou arte ful ryche thou oughtest to kepe spare soÌ„me goodes for the tyme yet to come Boece de consolacyon sayth that fortune is noo thynge but that as the peple comyne ymagyne supposen for fortune is no thynge ellys but onely ymagynacion fantasye therfore Whan thou mysrewâ—â—est thy self thou oughtest not to say ne to calle fortune blynde nor euyl for she is noo thynge but ymagynacion and folysshe byleue Diglie denarium sed parce dilige formam Quam nemo sanctus nec honestus captat habere tHou oughtest to loue the money onelye for the fedyng susteynyng of thy lyf that is to wete moderatelye for to haue bye that whiche is necessarye for thy corporal lyf for no holy man nor Iuste ouÈt not to demaunde but onely that that is nedeful necessarye for his substaunce corporalle lyf not to do as these vserers whiche assemblen gadren these grete tresours wherof they make their goddes their ydolles for they truste more in their golÌ„de syluer than in god their maker For as saith the scrypture auaryce is none other thynge but seruyces worshyppynges of ydolles We reden of an auarycyous man whyche had moche golde syluer Whyche on a day toke his tresour and layed hit in the myddes of his chambre vpon a fayre clothe and called to hym his wyf and his sone and shewyd to them his tresour and after he made them to goo oute of the chambre and shette the dore but yis sone helde hym withoute at the dore loked thorugh a lytel hole in to the chambre sawe that his fader knelid before his tresoure worshypped hit sayeng ye be myn hope my glorye al my reffuge for I ne demaunde nor requyre helpe nor socour of none other god than of you the whiche man sayeng these wordes leyed hym doun al alonge on his tresour and emonge al the pyeces of golde he sawe one whyche was fayre and bryghte to whome he sayd thou arte moche fayre I suppose byleue that thou arte moche good for to ete the whiche took put hit in his mowthe and ete hyt yet ageyn he sawe another pyece of golde whiche was gretter fayrer than thother beforesayd he toke ete hit as he dyd the other Item he sawe another yet gretter than ony of them bothe beforesayd more fayrer which he supposed to haue swolowed as he dyd the other but by cause that it was ouer large thycke hit choked hym after was his sowle put buryed in helle was founde deed vpon his 〈◊〉 as a beest withoute fawte thus shal hit happen to al them whych louen their tresour more than god their creatour and more than their bodyes fowles Cum fuetis locuples corpus curare memento Eger diues habet nummos sed non habet seipsum tHou oughtest to medecyne doo to be medecyned thy body whan thou arte ryche myghty for to kepe thy body in good helthe for the ryche man hath his rychesses his siluer to his wylle whan it pleaseth hym but he hath not his body ne his helthe nor hym self at hys wylle We haue ensaumple of a ryche man whyche had leuer for to lese one of his eyen than for to gyue a floryn to a physycyen for to helpe hym of thother parte it is fouÌ„de that many one wold rather deye than they shold gyue one peny for the helthe of theyr bodyes for to medecyne them this is that the wyse man sayth yf thou arte euyl contrarye to thyn owne selfe how shalte thou be good toward the other straungers therfore hit apperyth clerely that the auarycyous hauen no charge ne retchen not of them self though they haue many of worldly rychesses Verbera cum tuleris discens aliquando magistri Fer patris imperium cum verbis exit in iram tHou oughtest to bere to suffre pacyently the correccion or chastysyng of thy maister yf thou wylt lerne wel semblably whan thy fader is angry thou oughtest to holde thy pees to answer humbly to do his commauÌ„dementes for by thy swete wordes and meke answer thou shalte pease his yre For the comyn prouerbe sayth that swete worde refrayneth grete yre thus yf thou hast somtyme suffred the betynges of thy mayster whan thou dyddest lerne semblably more stronge reason oughtest to suffre to bere the wordes of thy fader whan he is wrothe The phylosophre sayth that there ben thre persones to the whyche we maye not rendre ne yelde the goodes that they haue doon to vs Fyrst to god whyche hath gyuen to vs our beyng and sowle resonable and wytte the whyche we oughten to loue to doubte by cause
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
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
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