the coueteous menne be called nigardes and the prodigall spenders be called vnthriftes Cato 21. Of thy credence hardely be not to light when the toungues that moste bable speake least of right Erasmus Faithe is not by and by to bee geuen vnto those menne that bring alwaie some newes and tell somewhat of other mennes deedes Thei are scarsly to bee beleued that bable of many thinges for because that vanitie was wonte to bee coupled vnto this vice Cato 22. Pardone not thy self when by drinking thou art an offender For the faulte is not in the drinke but in the drinker Erasmus The common sort of men is wont after this sorte to excuse their faultes The wine was thoccasioÌ„ or cause I saied this when I was well whitled But dooe thou impute it to thine awne self and not to the wine whiche fault was by thine awne naughtinesse and not of it Cato 23. If thou hast any secrete councell Disclose it to thy felowe that canne kepe it well If thy bodie nede any remedie Commit that to a Phisicion that is trustie Erasmus In thinges secrete and to be kepte in silence beware thou aske not euery mannes counsaill but his onely whose trustinesse in secrete matiers thou hast righte well approued least he dooe not onely helpe thee but also hinder and slaunder thee Nor yet shewe thou the infirmities of thy bodie to euery one but vnto a PhisicioÌ„ of an assured and knowen faiethfulnesse whiche maie kepe thy diseases priuie and heale theim Cato 24. At the good chaunces of the vnworthie take no grief Fortune flattreth euill persones to dooe them some mischief Erasmus Lette not the prosperitie of other greue thee whiche hath often chaunced to the vnworthie For Fortune dooeth not fauour theim but lieth in waite and ticleth theim forwarde that afterwarde she maie dooe them more hurte and displeasure Cato 25. Marke afore what chaunces fall that must be suffred For that hurteth least whiche thou hast afore considered Erasmus Whatsoeuer maie happen vnto maÌ„ pondre thesame with thy self before it dooeth chaunce that it maie not be sodein if at any time it shall happen For those euilles dooe lesse trouble whiche dooe not chaunce to a maÌ„ vnawares Cato 26. In thinges aduersant and vnluckie Dispaire not nor be in harte heuie But haue a good hope for hope onely Doeth neuer for sake a maÌ„ vntil he die Erasmus When fortune wexeth cruell strengthen thy self with a good courage saue thy self for thinges prosperous and luckie cast not awaie thy hope which forsaketh not a maÌ„ eueÌ„ diyng For as long as there is life within the bodie there is hope And in the boxe of PaÌ„dora only hope did cleaue in the brimme And Ouide saieth I did see a man liue by hope whom death euen now was readie to grope Cato 27. A thing that thou knowest mete for thy purpose See in no case thou dooest it lose Occasion in the forehead hath heare And the polle balde and bare Erasmus As often as fortune doeth offer the any commoditie whiche is meete for the streighte waie take it for occasion hath an hearie foreheadde so that in that part she maie be holden fast but if she ones tourne her backe behinde in the polle she is as bare as a â—oote that a man maie haue no hand fast in her That is oportunitie wheÌ„ it chaunceth it maie bee holden and kepte verely it dooeth not retourne when thou wouldest if thou regardest it not Cato 28. Take heede what will folowe her after And what hangeth ouer thy head dooe thou afore ponder Folowe the God as nigh as thou maiest whiche had twoo faces looking East and west Erasmus Surmise and gather of thinges presente what are to come Take counsaill of thinges either good or euill past and goen how thou maiest with stande those that are to come After thexample of that Romishe God Ianus whoÌ„ the antiques did feigne to haue had twoo foreheaddes or faces For asmoche as it behoueth a wise man to haue yies in his forhead and behinde in his polle Thesame thing truely dooeth folowe vs whiche is alreadie past and goen Caio 29. To kepe in health that thou maiest be the more hable Sometime to thy self bee the more fauourable To a mannes pleasure fewe thinges are required But in a mannes healthe many thinges are desired Erasmus Diete the maner of thy liuyng rather after the meane waie of helth and good welfare then of pleasure For we must not onely in disease and sickenesse beware of intemperauncie but also when we are in good health we must vse all thinges measurably as slepe drinke meate the pleasure of the bodie plaie least wee fall into sickenesse Although some thing is to be geuen to pleasure yet moche more is to be geuen to health whiche ones lost all pleasure perisheth withall Cato 30. The iudgemente of the people dooe not thou despise onely Least thou please no manne while thou wilte reproue many Erasmus The best thinges dooe neuer please the common sorte yet it is wisedome for a man alone not to striue against al. For he is wise to no purpose whiche is alone and to himself wise where as he semeth to all others to date and plaie the foole Cato 31. Aboue all other thinges see to thy welfare The chiefest poinct is for health to care Blame not the time if thou diseased bee where as thou thy self art cause of thine infirmitie Erasmus Before all thinges haue regarde of thy health least that if through thine intemperauncie and euill diete thou fallyng into any disease afterwarde for very shame dooest put the blame in the vnwholesomenesse of th aire or place as the common sorte of people is wont to dooe For the moste parte of sickenesse dooe chaunce vnto vs through the euill dietyng of our bodies Cato 32 Of dreames and phantasies no care take For what mannes minde wisheth while he dooeth wake Trustyng his purpose to obtain Seeth the same by dreame but in vain Erasmus Some with ouermoche supersticion obserue and marke their dremes and of them doe iudge of thinges to come Where as the dreames of theim that slepe come of themselues when thei are wakyng Thei dooe not signifie what is to come but thei dooe represoÌ„t vnto thee sleping what thou hast before thought ¶ Th ende of the .ii. booke ¶ The .iij. booke of Cato Cato 1. THOV reader that desirest to knowe this bookes meanyng Here shalte thou haue lessons to good life best pleasyng Garnishe thy minde with theim and to learne dooe not swage For our life without learnyng is but deathes awne Image Thei shal be to thy great profite but if thou dooe them reiecte Not me the writer but thy self thou shalt neglecte Erasmus This is in the stede of a Proheme or Preface Without the waie and reason how to liue well godlie our life is no life but the image and picture of death These verses do teache the verie profitable and necessarie rules how to liue
after deadde mennes shoes Erasmus This lesson is good for heires and executours for thei gape after other mennes deathes for many times it cometh to passe that thei that looke after other mannes deathes bee the first that die albeit that thei be ferre younger and stronger then the other Cato 20. If thy poore frende geue thee ought be it neuer so small Receiue it gladly and thanke him there withall Erasmus A gift ought not to be estemed accordyng to the value onely but accordyng to the minde of him that gaue it for we read ofdiuerse princes that haue receiued sometime alitle water or an apple or soche a small trifle aswell and as bemngly as though it had been a greater treasure Cato 21. If thou bee in pouertie soe paciently that thou take it And thinke how into the worlde thou camest all naked Erasmus If we cōsidre how nature bringeth vs al naked into the worlde we maie thereby perceiue that richesse is not our awne nor dooeth not of nature belōg vnto vs. If thou shouldest lose a membre or a ioincte thou haddest then a cause to be sory therefore thou haddest then lost somewhat of thine awne But if thou lose thy gooddes neuer vexe thy self therefore for as concernyng those thinges that a mā maie saie are his awne the poore mā hath asmoche as a King wilte thou knowe truely what thing thou maist cal thine awne Remēbre what thou haddest when thou waste borne and that is thine awne and no more Cato 22. Of death hardely bee not to moche dismaied For sure wee must all needes folowe the trace But he that of his death alwaies is afraied Loseth of his helth in the meane space Erasmus He that so sore feareth his death can therby neuer the soner escape it but besides that he loseth his health and the life which he hath for to liue alwaies in soche agonie it were as good to haue no life at all Cato 23. If thou haue doen good vnto one before And he haue not the gentlenesse to thanke the therefore Blame not him for his vnfrendlinesse But for soche menne hereafter dooe thou the lesse Erasmus There is nothyng more greuous then ān vnkinde frende whiche if it so chaunce thee yet that ought not to be imputed to god as though it were his fault for some menne vse that if thei be not rewarded for their deedes accordyng to their mindes by by thei blame GOD as though he were vniust and yet the faulte is in theim self that toke no hede for whom thei did good vnto Cato 24. The good that thou haste spende it not to fast For feare least thou chaūce to lacke at the last Therefore to thy substaūce loke thou take good hede And reken euermore that thou shalt haue nede Erasmus Euer kepe somewhat in store for feare of lackyng another daie trust not to moche vnto thy self but euer reken that thou maiest well enough come to necessitie in thy age Cato 25. If thou be disposed for to geue or lende Many promises therof loke thou doe not make For where thou coumptest to be taken for a frende Thei will then saie thou canst nought dooe but crake Erasmus A mā ought neuer to promise more then he can perfourme And to make many promises of that which he wil not perfourme is but crakyng and boastyng and no good maner at all Cato 26. He that with his flattryng wordes dooeth feigne For to bee thy frende and yet he is not so with the same sauce serue him so again For with crafte to beguile crafte it is but well dooe Erasmus Vse gile with him that vseth gile to the for it is better to entertein soche a feigned frende with faire wordes then vtterly to make him thy enemie Cato 27. Trust not him that hath a faire toung For lightly it is a signe of great deceipt For the fouler with his feigned song Deceiueth the birdes and bringeth theim to the baite Erasmus The faire speakers bee euer to bee suspected nor yet esteme men accordyng to their faire wordes but accordyng to their true deedes for he that speaketh faire goeth about to deceiue the. And remembre that by soche dissimulacion are the poore birdes beguiled And so likewise by flatterie is many a man deceiued Cato 28. If thou haue many children vpon thy hande And lackest gooddes wherewith thei maie be founde Learne them some science whereby thei maie Helpe theimselues therewith another daie Erasmus Science serueth not onely in euery countrey but also it helpeth in euery fortune Therefore it is a sure cōclusion that wheresoeuer thou come if thou haue sciēce thou shalt therwith be hable to get thy liuyng But now a daies many people bryng vp their children like lordes soonnes whereby thei be brought vp in slouthe and idlenesse Ferthermore that whiche he here saieth to poore menne that would I counsaill princes to dooe to bring vp their children in some craft or science wherby thei should attein a double profite for first when youth is vsed to bee occupied it hath the lesse leasure to learne vice and another is that if fortune should chaūge and bring theim to pouertie as it is possible to bee seen ▪ Yet then thei should not bee compelled to begge nor to get their liuyng vnhonestly Cato 29. what other menne set moste by let it be vile vnto thee That other men set least by esteme it best of all So to thy self thou shalt no nigard be Nor other menne shall not the coueteous call Erasmus Despise thou that other menne delight moste in And set by that that thei least set by so shalt thou not bee a nigarde to thy self for that that a manne setteth not by he forceth not how sone he spendeth it nor other mē shall not thinke the to bee coueteous when thou dooest not couet nor art gredie of soche thinges that thei would so fain haue for cōmonly the people set moche by riches and care litle for vertue and learnyng for euery thing is valued accordyng as mennes mindes list to take it but be thou of contrary Iudgemente to the comon sort as for example the moste part of people esteme Phesante and Partriche to be a very deintie dishe but esteme thou theim but for grosse and reken thou that egges milke and these be the deintiest meat that thou canst finde And so thou shalte liue a pleasaunt life thy self sit he thou hast that which thou demest best nor thou shalt neuer care to take other mēnes pleasures from them in so moche as thou accoumptest thē nought worth Cato 30. That thing whiche in another thou art wont to blame Bee well ware that thou offende not in the same For it is very shame when a manne will preache If that his deedes against his wordes dooe teache Erasmus It is a foule faulte for a manne to blame another for soche thinges as he himself moste vseth for the sinfulnesse of the preacher minisheth greatly the aucthoritie of his woorde Cato
and to redresse his naughtie lawes tradicions whiche were onelie by custome confirmed And the onely refuge and defence of his fautours is custome saiyng So haue our fathers vsed So thei beleued And excepte the more mercie of God so thei are damned Publius 155. A greate rebuke although it bee spoken merelie Yet many times it hurteth greuouslie Erasmus As emong Englishemen if a man cal one or other traitour but in sporte he is in daunger of a blowe or some woorse displeasure the trespasse is so heinous Publius 156. Alas how harde is the custodie Of renoume and glorie Erasmus An honest name fame is lightlie defiled and contaminate And it is a more harde and busie thing to defende and kepe thesame then to get it Publius 157. A manne is beside his bodie when he is furious and angrie Erasmus He is beside himselfe and not his owne man whosoeuer is angrie and throughlie vexed According to this saiyng afore He speaketh to one that is absente that communeth with an angrie persone Publius 158. Alas how greatlie is he to be feared To whom death is nothing dreaded Erasmus ¶ He that passeth not vpon death soche a one is greatlie to bee feared Forasmoche as he is lorde and ruler of another mannes life whiche doeth litle set by his owne Burrant As who would saie he litle passeth to kill and slea who careth not for the lesing of his owne life Publius 159. Vpon a wretched persone he that hath pitie Of himselfe he hath memorie Erasmus For soche a one dooeth vnderstande that the same wretchednes maie chaūce vnto him wherupon he should neede of soche helpe Publius 160. That is a shame not without honestie In a rightful cause for to die Erasmus ¶ That euil name and reproche is praiseful for a manne to lese his life in the waie of right Burrant As to be hanged is a villanous death yet is it glorie to him whiche is hanged giltelesse or is taken prisoner and so putte to soche kinde of execution emong his enemies Publius 161. He hath helpe in aduersitie who lendeth his helpe in prosperitie Erasmus Who when he is well at ease and welthie dooeth helpe other other doe helpe the same again in his aduersitie Burrant But forasmoche as fewe dooe obserue this lesson therefore the lesse pitie menne haue of theim when thei are fallen in soche necessite and nede Publius 162. ¶ Of him to be harmed alas what miserie is it Of whome thou canst not complaine or requite Erasmus It is an harde case for a manne to be endomaged or displeased either of his frende or elles of a greate manne For as of the one it is litle honestie to complaine so of the other it is not the surest And so he shoulde bring himself into a shreude picle if either of theim would goe about to requite him with like displeasures Publius 163. Extreme nede and wretched pouerte Causeth a manne to auenture in great ieopardie Erasmus Pouertie is wittie and full of innencion and a finder out of crafte and subteltie and euil and naughtie thinges dooe many times stirre and moue a mannes braine according to the saiyng of Naso Burrant As in some Idolatrie in some thefte in some other lecherie and so all kindes of vices pouertie dooeth cause to bee attempted and approued Publius 164. Alas how miserable is that peine whiche in tormente maie not complaine Erasmus The trueth is tried out in tormentes and punishementes But some bee so tormented that thei dare not tel the trueth knowing what he would haue kepte priuie and nor to be vttred that dooeth tormente and punishe them Publius 165. Alas in long life how many dooeth chaunce That causeth a manne to take great repentaunce Erasmus Many thinges dooe happen by liuing long whiche thou wouldest not to happen by thy wil. Burrant Forasmoche as the life of manne is neuer without miserie and wretchednesse euer in subiection to the hasardes and daungers of fortune Publius 166. Pleasaunt and swete communication Hath his veneme and poison Erasmus Faire speache is ful of subteltie deceipte and a swete honied poison Burrant Whose tast is pleasaunte and delectable and yet the operacion and woorking of the same is moste noisos and deadlie Publius 167. So often times a manne dieth How often as he his frendes leseth Erasmus Death is a certain bunumming or lacke of a mannes best iuelles As his wife and children his father and mother or any other of his familiers or whom he derely loueth Publius 168. A man alwaies beareth one thing in himself priuilie And thinketh towarde another cleane contrarie Erasmus Euery manne is a dissembler Burrant There is not the perfeictest frēde and louer but he will dissemble and glose and wheras he doeth beare him selfe out wardelie to be a frende yet he thinketh otherwise in his harte Publius 169. A good reporte of a mans honestie Is another inheritaunce and patrimome Erasmus A good name and honest reporte is almoste asmoche woorth as any gooddes or landes that a man hath by his enheritaunce Burrant Yea whosoeuer hath a good name hath purchased to himselfe a more ample and sure state of enheritaunce then can by any gifte or natural dissent or by any other earthelie thing be obteined Publius 170. A manne perceiueth not any grief or peine As long as by good fortune he doeth gaine Erasmus That peine and grief is not felte nor perceiued wherewith any commodite or profeict is gorten Burrant For the swetenes and pleasure of the one dooeth alaie the bitternes and peine of the other Publius 171. He with moche honestie serueth That to time alwaies obeieth Erasmus ¶ It is an honestie for a manne to serue and applie himself according to the time and to geue place to fortune for a space Burrant For she is not so continuallie cruell but that she will chaunge her selfe into a better mode Publius 172. Man is lent but for a time to liue For euer this life God did not him geue Erasmus Life is geuen but for a season in so moche that he whiche gaue it maie require it lawefully and as his of right whensoeuer it shal please him Publius 173. It is better to knowe thine owne heire Then for thine enheritaunce to seke a straunger Erasmus It is more profite for thee to haue children of thine awne to whō thou maiest leue thy landes and gooddes then to looke and seke for straungers children to whom thou maiest leaue thine enheritaunce Publius 174. At his fathers death the heires wepyng Is but a very counterfeict laughyng Erasmus The weping of the heire is but a feined and a dissembled laughter for he reioiseth his glad although he put his anger in the yie Burrant And this is the propretie of an vnnatural soonne who loueth more the enheritaūce then the life of his father and a very litle time God wotte he weth enioie thesame Publius 175. A woman that dooeth ofte marie Hath for the moste part an infamie Erasmus The