as witnesseth Appollidorus lyued lxxâ—â—ii yeres Sosicrates sayeth lxxxx yeres and that he dyed in the lviii Olimpiade and floryshed in Cresus tyme to whome he promised that he wolde cause the ryuer Alm to ruÌ„ne backwardes agaynst y e streme Ther were many more of this name as testifieth Demetrius Duris Dionisius but thys Thales Milesius the sage beinge olde worne in age dyed of heate thirst whiles he beheld a triuÌ„phe Some saye that as he went forth of his house to beholde the starres he fell doune sodaynlye into a pit and was therfore mocked of an olde wyfe that he kept in his house with this saying O Thales howe thinkest thou to coÌ„prehend those thinges that are in heauen whiche canst not se suche thinges as are before thine eyes ¶ Of Solon Salaminus Ca. ix LYke as there is amoÌ„g writers great variaunce as I sayd before about the firste Philosopher euen so is there greate contention whiche were the seuen sages but as theyr variaunce maketh doutfull which were the persons so theyr hole coÌ„sent assureth that there were suche And for because we entend not so muche to shewe the persones and names as theyr good doctrine therfore it shal be sufficient that a wyse and approued Philosopher hathe sayde suche thynges as to theÌ„ are attributed yet as for good causes I haue allowed Socrates for y e first morall Philosopher after Lacrtius mynd â—o do I best alowe Lacrtiê° Iugement in this matter which saieth y t these wer they Thales Solon Periander Cleobulê° Chilon Bias and Pittachus Of whome althoughe Periander were a tyrant yet because y t for hys good doctrine he hath of the learned longe tyme bene allowed therfore shall he enioye that whiche they haue geuen hym Of Thales ye haue hearde alreadye after whoÌ„e Solon is next whiche was the sonne of Existides and was borne in Salamina and therof was called Salaminus He gaue many good lawes and dyd many worthy deades worthy to be remembred Among whiche this is very notable After that the Athemences and Megarences had made greate warre and greate slaughter betwene them to haue had the signory of hys countrye Salamina and were bothe sore weryed wyth warres they made a lawe at Athens that no maÌ„ payne of hys head shulde speake or perswade ought to chalenge the Ylande any more Than Solon beynge troubled and thoughfull for hys countrey fearyng least wyth holding his peace he shuld do smal good to the common weale and agayne if he shulde speake it shuld be for his hurte sodaynly fayned him selfe madde thinkyng therby not onely to speake but also to do suche thinges as were forbydden And disguisinge hym selfe â— he ran abrode amonge he hartles people And there in the maner of a cryer he perswaded the people y t whiche was forbydden styrred vp theyr myndes so much that incontinent they began warre to obtayne the Yland and so at last they got it He perswaded them also to chalenge ChersonesuÌ„ a citie iÌ„ Tracie affirming that it was theyr ryght And by this meanes so wan the peoples loue that they gladly wolde haue made him Ruler but as sayth So sicrates he had a neyghbour called Pisistratus whiche tyranously endeuoured to hurte hym whiche as sone as he knewe he armed him selfe and went into the streate and whan he had called a greate company about him he discouered Pisistratus treason and not onlye that but also that he was readye to amend it that he wolde fyght for his libertye saying Ye men of Athenes I am wyser then some valianter then other soÌ„e I am wiser thaÌ„ those y t marke not Pisistratus and I am valianter than those whiche knowe him and dare not for feare shewe what he is But the Senate that toke Pisistratus parte sayde he was mad and whan he sawe he coulde haue no redresse he layde downe his harneys before them sayde O countrey I haue alwayes holpe the bothe with word deade And then sayled into Cipres and there met with Cresus who demauÌ„ding of him whome he thought happy he layde Thelus of Athens and Byto and suche other whiche all all meÌ„ spake of Another time whaÌ„ Cresus had garnished hym selfe rychelye and was set in his highe trone he asked hym yf euer he had seene a more gorgious sight ye ê™ he both Capons Fesantes and Pecockes for their goodly colours are naturall From Cresus he weÌ„t into Cilicia and there buylded a citie and after his owne name called it Solos He made many good lawes for suche as were warriers yf any had got victorye he shulde haue a greate rewarde for hys labour and suche as were slaine had theyr wife and children founde of the common purse euer after He made a lawe y t no executour shuld dwell with any orphans mother nor that any shulde be executour to whom after y e heyres death his goodes shall belonge And that no â—yng or seale maker shulde kepe y e print of any â—olde seale And that who so euer had put out a mannes eye shall lose bothe his owne for it And y t whosoeuer toke oughte that was not his owne shulde dye for it And that yf any gouerner were founde dronken to dye for it And that no man shulde geue any dowry with his daughter with many mo good lawes Whan he was demaunded why he made no lawe against soche as kylled theyr father or mother He answered because it is a desperat mischife Being demauÌ„ded howe meÌ„ might best kepe them from breakyng the lawe he sayde yf suche as haue no wronge be as sory and and carefull as those that are wronged He wolde saye to riche men Aboundaunce groweth from riches and disdayne out of aboundaunce He wrote many bokes both of verses lawes other matters besides many goodly epistles He florished in the .xlvi. Olimpiade and was prince of Athens the .iii. yeare whiche was from the worldes creation .4605 yeares he lyued .lxxx. yeares â–ª and dyed in Cipres commaunding his sâ—ruauntes to â—ary his bones to Salomina and there beyng made in poulder to sowe them aboute the citie Dioscorides writeth that when he was asked why he wept for his sonnes death sith it profited him nothing He answered euen for this cause I wepe because I can profit him nothing Thus muche of his lawes and answers the rest of his sayinges shal be spoken of in their places ¶ Of Chylo Lacedemoniencis Cap. x. CHylo the sonne of Damagetus was borne in Lacedemonia He wrote many verses helde an opinion that man by reason might comprehend the foreknowlege of thinges to come by the myght and power of his manhode There were in his tyme as sayeth Soâ—icrates and Pamphilia diuers offyces of which one was most noble and the officers called Ephori which were kinges folowes Wherfore his brother being angry because he wolde not take that office sith he him selfe had bene in it before O brother ê™ he I can suffre wrong and so canst not thou This man as Herodotus
the oration is good and excellent but surely it is nothing mete for me for why it was more iudiciall than shulde seme mete for a Philosopher and whan Lisias demauÌ„ded of hym sith it was good why it was not mete for hym he sayde Garmentes shoes maye be bothe good and fayre yet vnfit for me but while he was iudged it is sayde that Plato stode vp in his defence could not be suffered And so he was condemned by .lxxx. iudges and cast into prison For whom the prince of Athens was very sory but the centence whiche the iudges had geuen vpon him whiche was y t he shulde drynke poyson coulde not be reuoked The kyng had a ship frayght with sacrafices whiche he offered to his ydols whiche than was abrode and he wolde neuer geue any sentence vpon any mannes death before it came to Athens Wherefore one of Socrates frendes called Inclites counsayled him to geue a certayne summe of moneye to the kepers to let him scape away secretly and so to go to Rome but Socrates sayde he had not so muche ThaÌ„ sayde Inclytes I and thy frendes haue so muche whiche we wylle gladly geue to saue thy lyfe yf thou wilt To whyche Socrates answered I thanke you and my frendes but syth thys citie wherein I muste suffre my death is the natural place of my byrthe I had rather dye here than els where for yf I dye here in my countrye without deseruyng onely because I reproue theyr wickednes and theyr worshipping of vayne ydols and wolde haue them worship the true god yf these men of myne owne nation persecute me for saying and maintaining truthe euen so wyll stranngers wheresoeuer I become for I wil neuer spare to say the truthe and surely strauÌ„gers wolde haue lesse mercye on me than myne owne countreye folkes Beying thus mynded he contynued styll in prison teaching his scholers which resorted to him many thiÌ„ges both of the composition of elementes and also of the soule but wolde wryte nothing for he sayde that wysedome ought to be wrytten in mennes hartes and not in beastes skynnes neuertheles his disciple Plato wrote welny all y t he taught A litle before he shulde be put to death he desired that he might bath hym selfe and saye hys orations whiche he dyd and called his wyfe and chyldren and gaue them good instruction And whan he went towarde the place where he shulde fynish his lyfe his wyfe went after hym cryinge Alas my husbande dyeth gyltles to whome he sayde why woman woldest thou haue me dye otherwyse and sent her awaye So when the cup of poyson was delyuered hym to drynke hys frendes begaÌ„ne to wepe wherefore he blamed them sayinge I sent away the wemen because they shuld not do as you do Than Pollidotus profered hym a precious garment to dye in to whom he sayde hath not myne owne cote serued me to lyue in why than maye it not as well serue me to dye in And than after he had commended his soule to god he dranke the confection as he was in trauayle of death one of disciples sayd O Socrates well of wisdome yet teache vs sumwhat whyle thy speche lasteth to whome he answered I can teache you none otherwise now dying thaÌ„ I taught you in my life time Thus finished he his most godly life being lxx yeres olde His goodly sayinges shal be spoken of in theyr places ¶ Of Xenophon Cap. xix XEnophon the sonne of Grillus was borne an Athens he was shamefaste exceding bewtifull It is sayde that Socrates met hym in a narrowe laue and wold not let him passe tyll he had answered him to dyuers questions and whan he axed hym where men were made good and bad at whiche he stayed and could not tell Socrates sayed cum with me and learne And so he did untill suche tyme as he went to Cyrus whose fauour he obteyned became in great reputation with him and wrote all his actes he had a womaÌ„ also called Philesia which folowed him of whome he had two children He had much trouble in his lyfe and was banished fled from place to place till he came to Corinth where he had an house And whan y e Atheniences entended to succoure the Lacedemonians he sent his two sonnes called Diodorus Grillus to Athens to fyght for the Lacedemonians from whiche battayle Diodorus returned without doing any great feate but Gryllus fyghtyng manfully amonge the horsemen dyed about Mantinia And when Xenophon whiche was doyng sacrifice with his crowne on hys head hearde that his sonne was ded he put of his crowne and when he afterwardes hearde that he dyed fyghtyng valiantly he put it on agayne not so sory for his death as ioyous for his valiantyse He dyed at the citie Corinthum as saieth Demetrius being very olde a man both good and valyant expert in tydyng and huntyng and greatly skilled in marciall affayres as appeareth by his workes He was also religious muche intentyue about sacrifice was a folower of Socrates He wrote .xl. bokes intytled euery one by a sondrye name Tucidides workes which by negligence were lost he brought to light And was him selfe so pleasauÌ„t in his style that he was called the muse of Athens There were more of this name of whom this is the chiefe whose good sayinges preceptes hereafter shal be touched ¶ Of Aristippus Cap. xx ARtistippê° as sayeth Elchines came to Athens to heare Socrates whose excelent wysdome was spoken of euery where But whan Socrates was dead he flattered Dionisius and became a courtier He was a merye wytted fellowe coulde forme him selfe mete to all times and places in so muche that Diogenes called hym the kynges hounde whan he on a tyme had espyed Dyogenes gatherynge herbes and makyng potage he sayd yf thou Diogenes couldest flatter Dionise thou shuldest not nede to make wortes To whome Dyogenes sayde yf thou also couldest be content to eate and gather wortes thou shuldest not nede to flatter Dionise WheÌ„ one made his boast that he had learned much he sayd that learnyng consisted not in the greatnes but in the goodnes To one that made greate bragges of his swymmyng he sayde Art not y u ashamed to boast of this whiche euery Dolphin can do Beyng reproued because he hyred a rethoricien to pleade hys cause he sayde whan I make a banket I hyre a coke to When his seruauÌ„t whiche iourneyed with hym was tyred w t the wayght of the moneye whiche he caryed he sayde that whiche is to heauy cast out and that whiche thou canst carye Byon sayth that as he sayled perceyuynge that he was in a Pyrats shyppe he toke his moneye and counted it than as against his wyll let it fall out of his hande into the sea mourned for it outwardelye but sayde inwardly to hym selfe it is better that thys be lost of me that I be lost for this Dionisiê° commaunded that all his seruauntes shulde daunce in purple robes
he folowed He ware a double cloke and made him a bagge wherin he wrapped hym whan he slept and put therin hys meat and vsed one place for all purposes bothe to eat to slepe and to talke in Whan he was diseased he wente with a staffe whiche afterward he caryed with him alwayes not onely in the citie but also in all other places He wrote to one to make hym a cell whiche because he taried longe for he toke a barrell or a tunne and made that his house Whan he had any graue matter he wolde call the people to heare him whiche whan they regarded not he wolde sing pleasantly to which whan many resorted he wolde say to heare folyshnes ye runne a pace but to heare any wayghty matter ye scarce put forth your fote He wōdered at Grāmarians whiche could shewe of other folkes lewdnes and neclected theyr owne He reproued Musitians because they toke great care that theyr instrumentes shulde agre theyr owne maners agreed not He rebuked the Mathematikes whiche behelde the sonne y e moone and the starres and neclected the busines that laye before theyr fete He taunted the orators because they studyed to speake that was iust folowed not the same in theyr lyuyng He dispraysed the people whiche whyle they sacrificed and gaue thankes for theyr healthe wolde make great bankets which was agaynst theyr health he wondred that seruauntes coulde stand and se men eat and snatched not awaye theyr meate Beyng mocked because he annoynted his fete with odours and not his head he sayde the sauour goth from the head vp into the ayer but from the fete vp to the nose Being asked what tyme a man shulde dyne he sayde a riche man whan he wyll and a pore man whan he maye when one had geuen him a blowe vpon y e eare he sayde I wyst well I had left somwhat vncouered To yonge laddes y t stode about hym saying we wyll beware folish question he gaue none answer beyng asked why he helde hys peace he sayde Silence is the answer of folish questions Innumerable suche pretie answers taūtes he vsed which who so listeth to here shall fynde in the Apothegmes of Erasmus whiche is no lesse fynely handled in the English than in the latine beside y t it is also more plaine parfect This Diogenes liued 90. yeres died beyng byt of a dogge some wryte other saye that he styfled hym selfe with long holding of his breathe After whose death there was great stryfe amonge his scholers who shulde haue his body to bury neuertheles the stryfe was appeased by the elders and they buryed hym by the gate that leadeth to Isthmus and made hym a fayre tumbe and set a piller with a dogge therupon and set thereto a goodly Epitaphie His good preceptes and prouerbes shall followe in they re places ¶ Of Antisthenes Cap. xxvi ANtisthenes the sonne of Antisthenes was borne at Athens And was disciple to Gorgias the oratour of whome he learned to pleade and from hym he went to Socrates of whome he learned wysdome and morall Philosophie To a yong man that wolde be hys scholer which asked what he neded to hys learnyng he answered a newe boke and a newe wyt Whan it was tolde hym that Plato spake euyll of hym he sayde It is kyngly to be euell spoken of whan a man doth well He wolde say that it were better for a man in hys necessitie to fall amonge rauens than amonge flattereres for rauens wyll eat none but dead folke but flatterers wyll eat men being aliue He wolde saye y t Cities must nedes decaye where good mē were not knowen from the bad Beyng praysed of euell men he sayde I feare me that I haue done some euell He wold saye that it was a great ouersight sithens they purged theyr wheate from darnell and theyr warres of cowardly soldiers that they purged not theyr common weale from enuyous people Beyng asked of a man what was best to learne he sayde to vnlearne the euell that thou hast learned He alwayes toke Plato for proude disdaynous and hygh mynded in somuche that whan he met hym at a tryumphe wheras there were many goodly and coragious neyghyng horses he sayde o Plato thou woldest haue made a goodly horse He wrote many goodly bokes spake many proper and piththy sentences whiche shal be spoken of hereafter He died of a disease whā he was very olde If is sayde that whan he was sicke Diogenes came to visit hym hauyng a blade by his syde whan he sayde who shall rid me frō my disease Diogenes shewing him his sweard sayde this same shal to whiche Antisthenes sayde I spake of my grefe not of my lyfe There were mo of this name but he lyeth buryed at Athens ¶ Of Isocrates Cap. xxvii ISocrates was a Grecian borne cam of a good kinred was in his youth wel brought vp in all kindes of good maners and whan he came to age discretiō he was an hearer of Gorgias the oratour whose disciple he continued vntyll suche time as he was well learned bothe in naturall also in morall Philosophy As some saye he was in y e time of Ahasuerus y e kyng and was of suche fame for his learning namely for morall Philosophy that he semed to many rather a god than a man He liued vertuouslye wyth suche faythfulnes in frendship and continence of his bodye and with suche piththines in his coūsayle as verye fewe hath ben like him since He wrot many goodly bokes in his youthe whiche he folowed in hys age of whiche his good coūsayles to Demonicū testyfye his wit his learning in morall Philosophy besyde other which he wrote of naturall Philosophy He liued long time for as Ualerius Maximus saieth whā he was .xciiii. yeres olde he set forth ā excellent boke ful of y e spirit In all his workes he praysed vertue as hed foūtaine of all maner riches exhorted al mē thervnto To one that axed him yf he wolde be a king he answered that he woulde not And beyng asked wherfore he sayde If I iudge rightfully I can not eschue y e hatred of many mē agayne yf I iudge wrongfully I cā not eschue y e payne of eternall dānaciō wherfore I had rather liue porely assured of y e blisse of heauen thā in doubt therof possessing all worldly riches Being asked how a man might kept him selfe from anger he answered In remembring y t god loketh alwayes vpon him In hys tyme men delyted muche in blacke heare wherfore one of hys neyghbours died his head blacke whan one asked him why his neybour did so he featly tauntyng his neyghbours folyshnes answered because no man shulde axe counsayle nor learne any wysedome of hym What woulde he say nowe trowe we yf he sawe these wyues y t not onely coloure their heare but also paynt theyr faces He vsed oftentymes ī his prayers to desyre god to kepe saue him from the
daunger of his frendes rather than froÌ„ his enemies and beyng demaunded of one that hearde him why he prayed so he sayde as for myne enemy I can beware of for why I trust him not so can I not of my frende because I trust him Beyng asked what a maÌ„ ought not to do although it were iust and true he answered to prayse hym selfe He liued .cii. yeares and dyed for very age was buryed honorablye The rest of his sayinges shal be spoken of hereafter ¶ Of Plutarche Cap. xxviii PLutarche y e Philosopher was a man of a wondrefull wyt well brought vp in hys youthe well instructed in maners well furnyshed in al kyndes of learnyng which growing vp as wel iÌ„ vertue learniÌ„g as in body yeares was chosen that worthely to be the instructer of y e Emperour Traiane whome he so well instructed that his glorye therby was greatly augmented as it is sayde in Policrato the fifth boke He was faythfull in his sayinges and eloquent in hys wordes and very diligent ware in his maners of a chaste lyfe and good conuersation He gaue hys mynde muche to instruct teache other and wrote manye bokes of whiche one intytled the education of youthe whyche we haue in the English tonge drawne therinto by the excellent famous knyght Sir Thomas Eliote whose good zeale loue bothe to further good learning to profyt his countrey appeareth as well therby as by other many workes which he hath payned him selfe to bryng iÌ„to our laÌ„guage sheweth wel his good affectioÌ„ y t he had to y e coÌ„moÌ„ weale He wrote an other boke called y e institution of Traiane In whiche he setteth out the office of a Prince what he ought to be so excellently as no maÌ„ can ameÌ„de it He wrote al so an other boke entitled Archigrammatum wherin he teacheth rulers officers howe to gouerne them selues w t diuers other thinges among whiche the letter that he wrote to Traiane what tyme he was created Emperour is worthye to be remembred in the ende wherof he sayth thus Thou shalte rule al thinges euen as thou woldest yf thou go not from thy selfe and yf thou dispose all thy workes to vertue all thinges shal prosper w t the And as touching y e gouernauÌ„ce of thy coÌ„mon weale I haue taught the therin already whiche yf y u shalte folowe me thy master Plutarche as an example of good lyuyng but yf y u do otherwyse thaÌ„ shal this my lettre be my wytnes y t I gaue the neyther couÌ„cel neyther any example thervnto WhaÌ„ he was aged he dyed was buried honorably his goodly prouerbes adages parables semblables shal folowe iÌ„ theyr places ¶ Of Seneca Cap. xxix SEneca the Philosopher an excellent well learned maÌ„ was borne in Corduba and therof called Cordubences He was disciple to Stratus the stoycke and was Lucane the Poetes countreyman He floryshed at Rome in the tyme of the Emperour Tyrant Nero whom he taught in his youth iÌ„ learnyng and maners whiche afterwardes was cause of hys deathe In the tyme of this Seneca Peter and Paule came to Rome and preched there And whan many of Nero y e Emperours house gathered togyther to heare Paule Seneca amonge the test was so familier w t him delighted so muche to heare the diuine science and wysdome whiche he sawe in him y t it greued him to be seperate at any tyme froÌ„ his coÌ„munication insomuche than whan he might not talke with him mouth to mouth he vsed communicatioÌ„ by letters oft sent betwene them He read also the wrytynges and doctrines of Paule before the Emperour Nero and got him the loue and fauour of euery bodye Insomuch that y e Senate wondered muche at Paule This Seneca was a man of a verye chaste lyfe so good that sainct Iherom numbreth hym in hys bederowe of Sayntes prouoked therto by his Epistles whiche are entytled Seneca to Paule Paule to Seneca After he lyued in to a meane age he was slayne of Nero the tyraunt two yeares before Peter Paule suffered theyr gloryoê° martyrdome For Nero on a daye beholdyng hym callyng to mynde howe he whan he was his master dyd beat him he conceyued hatred agaynst hym and beyng desyroê° to reuenge hym selfe and to put hym to deathe gaue hym lycence to chose what kynde of deathe he woulde wherfore Seneca seynge that his tyranny coulde not be appeysed and supposyng that to dye in a bayne was y e easyest kynde of deathe desyred to be let bloode in the vaynes of his armes and so dyed which death as some thynke was forshewed in his name Seneca that is to saye se necans whiche signifyeth in Englishe a kyller of him selfe He wrote in his lyfe time many goodly bokes out of whiche shal be pyked some of y e most piththy sentences bothe of preceptes and counsayles and also of Prouerbes Adages Parables and Semblables whyche in theyr places hereafter shall folowe And because the lyues of these before written are sufficient for our pourpose and because we be desyrous to be as shorte as we myght be here wyll we finish the firste boke desyrynge all men that the same shall rede to folowe the good vertues that therin are contayned The ende of the first Boke In this first boke of Phylosophers lyues Wherin theyr answers are partly contayned A man may learne as chauÌ„ce therto him dryues To shape an answer Or yf he be constrayned To wrath or anger or other passions lyke Here shal he see howe lyke lustes wer refrayned Of Hethen men who thought it shame to strike WheÌ„ good occasioÌ„ oftymes theÌ„ therto payned ¶ The seconde boke intytled of preceptes and counsayles ¶ Of the profite of morall Philosophy Cap. i. IT is not vnknowen to any which haue any knowlege at al how profitable necessary nedefull it is for meÌ„ to haue y e knowlege of morall Philosophy In whiche whoso is ignorant is worse than a brute beast and therfore it mought here haue wel ben omytted Yet neuerthelesse to satisfye y t desires of some and to stop the mouthes of other some whiche peraduenture wolde be glad accordyng to the prouerbe to seke a knot in a rishe and agayne to helpe and encourage other whom eyther ignoraunce or neglygence holdeth backe it semeth necessary though not all yet at y e least to shewe some of y e innumerable commodities that there vnto be ioyned Wherin omittyng the discommodities whiche for lacke therof daylye augment growe as malice hatred enuy pryde lacke of loue deceytes robberies theftes murthers bluddy battayles seditions decaye of cities decaye of common weales spoyling of realines and vtter desolation of people and kyngdomes what can be a greater commoditie than for euery man peaceably to possesse his owne whiche peaceable agrement sith it can none other wayes be got nor when it is got be preserued but by loue whych only springeth of agremente in maners and morall vertues what
Put thy trust in god and pray vnto hym and he wyll kepe the from a wycked wife for which there is none other remedye If it chauÌ„ce the to come in a place wher men talke of god abyde thou there for yf thou be a foole thou shalte become wyse and yf thou be wyse thy wysedome shall encreace Pythâ— â–ª Feare the vengeaunce of god as muche as thou mayest and that shall kepe the froÌ„ sinne and when thou thynkest of his mercye remembre also his ryghteousnes Thaleâ— â–ª Let thy wordes and thoughtes be euermore of god for to speake and thynke of god surmounteth so muche all other wordes and thoughtes as god hym selfe surmounteth all other creatures Seneâ— â–ª To remembre that god seeth and beholdeth vs alwayes is a good preseruatyue to kepe vs from all kynd of sinne ¶ The summe of all God is a substaunce for euer durable Eterne omnipotent mercyfull and iust Whyche gydeth al thynges in ordre conuenable A God in whome eche man ought for to truste who for prayer geues grace to mortify our lust In whose feare loue all that shall here endure Shall after this lyfe of better lyfe be sure ¶ Of the soule and gouernaunce therof Cap. iii. â—â—rmes THe most excellent thyng y t God hathe created in yearth is a man And y e rychest thing to hym is his soule and reason by which he kepeth iustice and eschueth sinne The soule is an incorruptible substaunce apt to receyue eyther payne or pleasure bothe here els where â—â—hago Whan a resonable soule forsaketh his diuine nature and becommeth beast like it dyeth For although the substaunce of the soule be incorruptible yet lackyng the vse of reason it is reputed dead for it loseth the intellectyue lyfe Plato By the iustice of god the soule must nedes be immortal and therfore no man ought to neeglect it For though the bodye dye yet the soule dyeth not â—â—ocrat The soules of the good shall lyue into a better lyfe but y e euell soules into a worse Plato If death were the dissoluyng bothe of body and soule then happy were the wicked whiche ryd of theyr bodye shulde also be ryd of theyr soule and wickednes But for so muche that it is euident that the soule is immortall there is left no comfort for the wycked to trust in The soule when it dyeth caryeth nothyng wyth it but her vertue and learnyng and hath of it selfe none other helpe wherfore all suche as for the multitude of theyr sinnes and mischeues are hopeles and suche as haue commytted sacrilege slawghters with other suche lyke wickednesse the iustice of god and theyr owne desertes dampne vnto euerlastyng death from whiche they shal neuer be delyuered but suche as haue lyued more godlye than other beyng by deathe deliuered from the pryson of the bodye shall ascend vp into a purer lyfe and dwell in heauen euerlastynglye The immortalitie of the soule excludeth all hope from the wycked and establisheth the good in theyr goodnes Socrâ—â— â–ª The soule that foloweth vertue shal see God Aristoâ— â–ª As the begynnyng of our creation commeth of god so it is mete that after death our soule returne to hym againe Boetâ— â–ª The soule despyseth all worldly busynes whiche beyng occupyed about heuenly matters reioyseth to be deliuered from these yearthly bondes Aristoâ— â–ª The delytes of the soule are to knowe her maker to consyder the workes of heauen and to knowe her owne estate and beyng â—â—olon A cleane soule delyteth not in vncleane thynges The soule knoweth al thynges wherefore he y t knoweth hys soule knoweth all thynges he that knoweth not his soule knoweth nothyng Lyttle teaching suffiseth the good soule but to the euyll muche teachyng auayleth not Plato Wyne vnmeasurably taken is an enemye to the soule He that fyreth his mynde wholly vpon the worlde loseth his soule but he y t thinketh vpon his soule hateth the worlde The well disposed soule â–ª loueth to doo wel but the euyl desyreth to do harme â—enâ—ea The good soule graffeth goodnes wherof saluation is the frute but the euel planteth vices the frute wherof is damnation The good soule is knowen in that it gladlye receyueth truthe and the euyl by the delyte that it hath in lyes The soules of the good be sorowful for the workes of the wycked â—â—hago A good soule hath neyther to great toye nor to great sorow for it reioyceth in goodnes and it soroweth in wyckednes by the meanes wherof whan it beholdeth al thinges and seeth the good bad so myngled together it can neyther reioyce greatlye nor be gryeued with ouermuche sorowe Plato The soule is loste that delyteth in couetousnes Who so desyreth the lyfe of hys soule ought to mortify it wyth the bodye geue it trouble in this worlde Aristoâ— â–ª The vanities of the worlde are an hinderaunce to the soule It is better for the soules sake to suffre death than to lose the soule for the loue of this lyfe Hermâ— â–ª Whyle the soule is in companye w t good people it is in ioye but whan it is among the euyl it is in sorowe and heauynes He is in greate daunger that loketh not to hys soule Sicknesse is the pryson of the body and sorowe the pryson of the soule Socrâ— â–ª A wyse man ought to loke as carefully to his soule as to hys body Seneâ— â–ª It is better to haue a soule garnished wyth vertue and knowledge than a body decked wyth gorgyous apparel Wysedome vertue and vnderstandyng are the garnyshynges of the soule Pythâ— â–ª Order the selfe so that thy soule may alwayes be in good estate whatsoeuer becumme of thy bodye Dispose thy soule to all good and necessary thinges Plato â–ª Euell men by theyr bodely strengthe resist theyr mysfortunes but good meÌ„ by vertue of y e soule suffre them paciently which pacience commeth not by myght of arme by strength of hande nor by force of body but by grace of the soule by whiche we resist couetise other worldly pleasures hopyng to be rewarded therfore with eternal blisse â—ristotle Blessed is the soule that is not infected with the fylthynes of thys worlde Plato Woe be to the sinfull soule that hath not power to retourne to her owne place whose fylthy workes of bodely pleasure do hyndre her from the blysfull state and kepeth her doune from the presence of god ¶ The summe of all Of all the good creatures of goddes creatyng Most pure and precious is the soule of man A perfect substaunce at no tyme abatyng Whiche with the body the passions suffre can In vertue ioyous in vyce bothe wo and wan Which after death shall receyue the rewarde Of workes which iÌ„ life tyme it most did regard ¶ Of the worlde the loue pleasures therof Cap. iiii Aristoâ— â–ª THe worlde was created by the diuine purueyaunce of god Plato The goodnes of god was cause of the worldes creation Herme â–ª God created this world a place of pleasure and
great helpe to good pronunciation and therfore chyldren ought to learne musycke ¶ The .xvii. Chapter Socrat. OF all mysfortunes the moste vphappy is to haue ben fortunate â—ythag Nothing is to be couÌ„ted good that may be taken awaye â—eneca It is as well a faulte to trust no bodye as to trust euery bodye It skylleth not in what bedde a sycke man be layde whether it be of golde or of wood for wheresoeuer he be layde hys syckenes wyll be with hym If it were as paynful a thyng for men to prayse honest thynges as it is to do them than shoulde they be as lyttle praysed as be followed They lyue euylly that begyn alwayes to lyue for as muche as theyr many beginnynges doe make theyr lyues styll vnperfecte He that is roted in hys sinne wyll not be corrected A gyfte byndeth the receyuer and leuseth the geuer Whan a man doubteth in doubtfull thynges is assured in them that be euydent it is a signe of good vnderstandyng Hermeâ— There are .vi. kyndes of men that be neuer without vexacion The fyrst is he that can not forgette his trouble An enuyous man dwelling with folke newly enriched He that dwelleth in the place and can not thryue where as an other thryued before hym A ryche man decayed and fallen in to pouertye He that woulde obtayne that whiche he may not get The last is he that dwelleth with a wyse man and can learne nothyng of hym He that seketh enemyes seketh hys owne destruction Pithag â–ª Repentaunce deserueth pardon The best and greatest wynnyng is a true frende and the greatest losse is the losse of tyme. Plato Muche runnynge maketh great wearynesse Yf men in reasonyng desyred as much the truthe of the thyng it selfe as they do the mayntenaunce of theyr owne opinioÌ„s and glory of theyr wyttes there shuld not brede so muche hatred as there dothe nor halfe so many matters be lefte of vnconcluded There can not be a more intollerable thyng than a fortunate foole ¶ The .xviii. Chapiter Socrat. A Man of feble courage anoyeth hym selfe lyghtlye wyth that whiche he loueth Pythag. To be ouercome with affections is an euydent token of folyshnes Seneca He is not happy that hath rychesse but he y t vseth them â—ermes The wycked sumtyme seme to be happy It is better to suffer death than by coÌ„pulsion to do that is euyl He that is enclyned to his owne wyll is nygh the wrathe of god He that desyreth great charges desyreth great troubles â—â—thago The heartes of good people are the castels of theyr secretes It is a great follye for a man to muse muche on suche thynges as do passe his vnderstandyng Plato To do well to hym that hurteth vs is the most acceptable thyng in the syghte of God that a man maye doe Folly is the greatest enemy that a man maye haue Socra He that doeth good is better than the good whiche he doeth and he that doeth euyll is worse than the euyl that he doeth A man without science is lyke a realme without a kyng Plato An aswager of wrong ought greatly to be honored A good ryche man seeldome maye be founde Aristot. No man is happye whyles that he lyueth He is an excellent warryoure that lacketh neyther wysedome nor good successe There is but one way to goodnes but the wayes to euyll are innumerable The best place in warre is the middes for there be the strong and valiaunt whyche are in the myddes betwene the hardy and the cowardes There is no kynde so euyll but that some good is founde in Seneca That whiche a man beleueth not shall neuer fraye hym He fyndeth fetters that fyndeth benefyttes It is due to render deserued thankes They be worse that are latelye made ryche than they whiche haue bene ryche a great whyle Tyrantes prayers are necessary ¶ The .xix. Chapiter Socra TO lacke frendes is a token of euyl condicions It is a foolyshe madnes to thinke that ryche men be happy He is sufficientlye wel learned y t knoweth howe to do well he hath power ynoughe that can refrayne from doyng euyll Pythag. He that demaundeth but reason is able to vanquysh his enemy Couetous men lacke the thynges that they haue The shorter a thyng is the more it delyteth They that rob and slaunder the dead are lyke furyous dogges which byte and barke at stones â—lutarch It is the part of a good man to forget dishonest thynges which to remembre is a poynt of euyll That whiche is well done is done wetyngly but that whiche is euylly done is done ignorantly He is as muche a thefe that stealeth openly as he that robbeth priuily Socraâ— A thing oft spoken troubleth the hearer To see is but a smal matter but to forsee a thyng is harde to be done A man of good feelynge is euermore discrete so is it not of the other senses Aristotâ— Hearyng in a man is a great healp to knowledge Custome is as it were an other nature It is folyshnes to entend muche vnto dreames Fonde and foolyshe dreames deceyue them that trust therin They be grosse and foolysh phisicions whiche take any counsayle at theyr pacientes dreames When God wyll sende dreames or visions they chauÌ„ce to wysemen in the daye tyme. Suche as be borne deaffe and blynde haue theyr inwarde powers the more perfect He ought not to lye whiche wyl teach other folke Diuersitie of opinions is the cause of muche stryfe That thyng is noble whyche commeth of good kynde He that douteth and maruayleth seameth to be ignoraunt ¶ The .xx. Chapter Socra HE whiche knoweth not howe much he seketh doth not know whan to fynde that whiche he lacketh It is better to be ignoraunt in vyle thinges than to knowe them The gooddes of the soule are the principall goodes Pythag. A boaster is more to be despysed than a lyar It is harde for a liberall man to be ryche It is better to suffre than to do wroÌ„g He is worst of al that is malicious agaynst his frendes Euyll destroyeth it selfe The wrath and luste of lecherous people alter theyr bodyes and make many ruÌ„ne starke mad â—utarch It is better for a man to amende hym selfe by folowing the good example of his predecessours than to make his successors waxe worse by folowyng his vnthryftye vicious lyuyng To be muche inquisityue of others offences is a signe of an euyl disposicion Nothyng disprayseth a man so muche as his owne praysyng specially whan he boasteth of his good deades The most profitable thyng for y e world is the death of euyll people Aristoâ— Men ought not be chosen by age numbre of yeares but by wysedome condicions For he that hath chyldysh condicions is a chylde be he neuer so olde and he that hath manlyke condicions is a man be he neuer so young Hermeâ— Thre thinges are to be pityed and the fowerth not to be suffered A good man in the handes of a shrewe A wyse man vnder the gouernaunce of a foole A lyberall man