so hygh but that it preaseth downe agayne The nature of the Fyer is to gooe vp and can not bee dryuen so farre downe but that it preaseth vpwarde And vniuersally nothyng naturall can naturalli worke against nature Thē these vertues be not in vs by nature the power to receaue them is in vs by nature the accomplisshynge is in vs by vse Thē these vertues be not put in to vs by nature but the rootes and fulfillyng of the recepte of thē is in vs by nature and the fulnes and perfection of the uncōmeth to vs by vse Eueri thīg that is in vs by nature is in vs first bi power and after cōmeth to the acte as it commeth to the senses of man For firste a man hath power to see to here and after by this power he heareth and seeth and a man seeth not nor hereth before he haue the power to heare and see then nowe we see that in these thynges of nature the power goeth before the acte and in thynges moral all contrary for the acte and the worke goeth before the power ¶ Example A man hathe the vertue that is called Justice be cause he hathe dooen ofttymes the workes of Justice Also the vertue of Chastitie for that he hath diuerse times wrought the workes of Chastitie And so it is of Artificers a man is called a Carpenter because he hathe wrought lōg in that art craft Art wil not be had without lōg tyme bestowed therin Like as the Minstrel by the long vse of Instrumēts bereth the name of that arte and the good man is good by his good workes and euel for doynge eiuell one selfe thyng ingendreth in vs vertues corrupteth If this thing be done diuersly it is by vertue as it is by healthe for one selfe thīg done in diuers fashions is both cause of helth corrupciō ¶ Example labour temperate is helth to mā and if it be little it corrupteth to much or to litel corrupteth to kepe the meane conserueth ¶ Example feare folyshe hardinesse corrupteth the valiantnes of man for whi the fearefull fleeth from euerye thyng And the hardye assaileth euery thyng beleuing in hīselfe to bring it to passe nother in the one nor in the other there is no doutinesse for prudence is in keping the meane betwene fear and folyshe hardynes For a mā ought to sle assail there where it is to assail And so it is to bee vnderstād in al vertues as it is to be vnderstande in prudence that vertue is gotten kept by holdyng of the meane How a man is vertuous Chapyter .ix. NOwe it is nedefull to make distinctiō and put a differēce betwene habite which are without vertue by grefe or by ioie whiche be done in their workes ¶ Exāple he y e sustaineth carnal wils of the abstainīg frō thē reioiseth is called chast he that sustaineth carnal will and morneth is called lecherus specially he that sustaineth terrible thīges not trobled therwith is called prudēt and strōg and he that sustaineth perillous thynges and troubled with them is called fearful Euery operacion and euery fashion foloweth ple asure or displeasure Then euerye vertue is wyth delyghte or with grefe and therfore the gouernours of Cities do honor delectacions and plesures dewely taken and scourge with dyuers tormentes delectacions not dewely taken ¶ The thre desires of Man Chapiter .x. THe thinges that man willeth desireth bee thre one is profitable the other delectable the third good The thinges cōtrary be also three nether profitable delectable nor yet good He that vseth reasō in these thinges is good And he that vseth not reason in these thynges is euell And speciallye in delectacion for why it is noryshed with vs frō our natiuitie And therfore it is a great thing for a mā to haue ryght measure in delectacion Then al the vnderstandyng of this oure boke is to haue delectacion with reason and to haue reason in harde thīges it behoueth to haue art Then the vnderstanding of artes was out of the science Ciuill So that it geueth delight vnto his citiesens in thīges which be cōueniēt as where whan how muche and who that vsethe of these thīges wel is called good he that doth contrary is euell ¶ Howe a man is vertuous Chapi .xi. TO demaūd how a man is iust according to the works of iustice and how he is temperat doing the workes of tēperaunce a mā might say that it is like vnto these two vertues As of grā mer and to that man that is called a Gramarion that speaketh according to Grammer but in trothe it is not like from the art to vertues for why in art that a man be good it nedeth not but to knowe but in vertue knoweledge sufficeth not withoute worke for to knowe withoute worke it auaileth not Like vnto this is the sicke which vnder standeth al the commandement of the Phisician and dothe not thereafter Such sicknes is far from health so be men farre frō Beatitude if they haue vertues and worke them not How vertues ar inhabit Chapyter .xii. IN the solle of man are three thynges habite power and passions Passiōs be these Joye desire loue enuy and hate the powers be natural by the whyche we may do the foresaid thinges Habyte is where a man is praised or dispraysed thē I say that vertue is no power nor passyon but habite for nother by passiō nor power man is praysed nor dyspraysed but rather by habitee standyng and permanent in the solle of man ¶ What vertue is Chapiter .xiii. VErtues be founde in thynges that haue a mean betwene extremities which are ether to muche or to littel and this meane is in ii sortes one accordig to nature thother by cōparison is called meane accordynge to nature this in al thing is one self thing ¶ Example if .x. be to muche vi is to litell then .ii. is to be a meane for why vi be so muche more then .ii. as they be les then x. the meane by comparison to vs is this nether to muche nor to littell ¶ Example yf takyng a great quantitie of foode be to muche and a litel quantitie to litel the meane maye be vnderstande in our handelyng nether to much nor to littel Euerie artificer in his art inforseth himself to kepe the meane from thextremitees Thē the moral vertues be those workes in the whiche to muche and to litellbe aduoyded and abolyshed and the meane to bee praised Then vertue is one willing habite that standeth in the midward to vs from whēce the reason is determinate ¶ There is but one wate onely to do wel and mani waies to do euil therfore it is a hard thing and a laborus to be good and a light and easy thing to be euell ther be mo of the euel sort then of the good There be thiges in the which there can no mean be founde because they be naught at all as thette
like vnto frendship There is differēce in this that frendship hath compassion and humble corage and conuersacion hath not For why A man maie cōpany with men that he knoweth not And the mā that doth excede in these thynges is he that medleth him self vncōly to be acquainted w t a stranger with a man that he knoweth not neighbour or not neighbor without respect suche one is called a mery felowe if it bee of nature But he that maketh mirth for gaines is called a flatterer and he that is sad is called rude and vncherfull ¶ The .xxij. Chapiter Of Truthe and liyng TRuthe and liynges be the mooste contrarye thinges that can be in the world and be vsed in worde in dede A honorable man and of a good corage vseth truth in worde deede and the vile mynded the contrary The very man is he that kepeth the meane betwene the vaūter that cracketh vpō himself more then he is he that dispraiseth hymself in hidyng the goodnes that is in hym In somuche that the verie man affirmeth y ◠goodnes that is in hym nother more nor lesse but he that dispraiseth is of better disposicion then is he that vaunteth hymself For the vaunter lieth in woorde and in dede Worsse in these thinges a boue saied is he that knoweth not hymself and therefore he is more vituperable thē other the truthe is to bee praised and lies to bee dispised For the liar speketh such wordes as he maketh in his mind a man that is true for the loue of truthe is better then he y ◠is true for profite that he maie haue thereby He that bosteth and presumeth for gold or siluer is like vituperable to the vainglorious But he that vaunteth hymself for honor or profit is not so blamable Ther bee men that reioyse themselfes in lies and other lie to be regarded the humble mā dispraiseth himself to fly strife busines as did Socrates to haue quiete life and he y ◠exalteth himself in litle thinges is nothing to be named ¶ The .xxiij. Chapiter ¶ How a manne is knowen by his mouyng THe mā that laugheth to muche is vituperable and he that neuer laugheth thei saie he is sad and vncherful But a mā that is cōpaniable with his felowe loureth not nor moueth not other by foule bourdyng plaiyng for sometyme iestyng moueth a man to lechery and is forbiddē in the law but to kepe good and louyng compaignie suche a one is to be praised ⧠Shamefastnes is a passion that is ingendred with fere for why He that is a shamed changeth colour with euery thyng also somtime thei that be afraid Shamfastnes is wit in youth not vnconuentent to boyes and wenches for it withdraweth thē frō sinne but shame is to be blamed in old mē for age shuld do nothing wherof to be ashamed ¶ The .xxiiij. Chapiter Of Justice IUstice is a commendable habite by the which a man is made Juste and dooeth the workes of Justice and willeth and loueth thynges that be iust Insomuche as it is the habite of iustice the whiche is vertue Then iniustice whiche is the cōtrary muste needes bee vice Justice is saied to bee in three sortes and the vniust is also in three sortes he is called vniust that doth against the lawe and he that passeth the nature of equalite and he that meddeleth with vnlawfull and dishoneste gaynes And likewise a man is Juste in three sortes for euen so many sortes as is in the one so many are in the other So that the iust man is he that doth obserue the law and the nature of the equalite and those that bee content with lawfull gaynes ¶ The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Of the Lawe THe law is iust and all thynges of the lawe be iuste for it commaundeth the workes of vertue whiche workes make a mā happy and cōserueth the workes of happinesse in hym and forbiddeth al euill in citees and tountrees and commaundeth vnto good men greate workes as to ordre araye battailes and cōmaundeth y e men beware of fornicacion and lechery and commaundeth that men bee peaceable from hurtyng one another and forbiddeth vnclene speche And generally it commaundeth the workes of iustice and to flie vice Justice is the moste noble thing the most strōgest vertue that is Wise mē do loue y ◠workes of iustice hauing more mar uel of y ◠goodnes of thē then of y ◠shinyng ster or y ◠settyng of the sunne or rising therof for it is y ◠moste perfight vertue of all other And the iust man vseth iustice in himself in his frendes for a man y ◠is not good to himself nor to his frēdes is worst of al other persōs For a man to be good it sufficeth not onely to be good to hymself but also to his frendes Justice is not parte of vertue but al. And wrōg is not part of vice but al vice Ther be kyndes of vices openly for bidden as these adultry inchātmēt false witnes treason fraude and deceit And ther be kindes of vi ces which be iniurious as killing smityng other like thynges in the which the iust man is somtime equaller and somtime measurer in comparison he is called equaller betwene .ii. and a measurer betwene many thynges and fewe and is in relacion in .iiii. thynges So the iust mā can be no lesse then in .iiii. thynges There be two persones betwene whom Justice is to be do en .ii. be causes that is to saie right and wrōg and yet in these selfthinges may be equalite for if ther might be no disequalnes there shold be no equalnes and so Justice is in proporcion of number And as iustice is equal so is wrong vniust vnequall and therfore the Lord of the lawes laboreth to bring euerithig equal Wherfore he killeth one and scourgeth another other he sendeth to prisō vntil the par tie haue satisfyed so laboreth to bring to muche and to litel in to a meane Therfore he taketh frō one and geueth to another til they be egal and therfore the forme therof is to be knowen to the intēt that his subiectes may liue stedfastly in the middest ¶ Yet of Justice Chapiter .xxvi. THe inhabitors together in Cities doo take and geue one to another and euery one yeldeth too ther according to the quantitee of their thinges and al to come to the middest for we put the case that the Smythe hath a thing that is worth one the Shomaker hath a thing that is worth two the Carpēter hath a thing that is worth thre thē the Smith must nedes take of the Shomaker his woorke and the Shomaker muste take of the Carpenter his worke yet the worke of the one may be better then the other therfore it is nedeful to some man of equalytee that maye returne them to a meane and therfore was found money For money is a mean by the which a man may bryng euery vnegal into
is the welthe of the solle the other is the welthe of the bodie and the other is the welthe with out the body And of these thre the welth of the Solle is moste worthy and the fourme thereof is not knowen but in woorkes which be with vertue ¶ Beatitude coÌ„sisteth in the obteinyng of vertues in the vsiÌ„g of theÌ„ But whaÌ„ beatitude is in a man in habite and not in dede or act than he is vertuous as a man that sleapeth whose vertue and whose workes are not manifest but of necessite must nedes work accordyng to the arte and is in similitude to him that standeth in trauers and feightes obtaineth hath the crouÌ„e although there be no more stronger than he that hathe the victory yet he hathe not therfore the crowne because he is most stroÌ„g except he feighte Albeit by his power he get the battayle And so the rewardes of vertue a man hath not if he bestowe not himselfe in vertue actually and this is for because the reward is the Beatitude which he hath so long as he worketh y â— workes of vertue ¶ The iuste manne deliteth in iustice the wyse man in Sapyence the vertuous man in vertue And euerye worke whyche is doone by vertue is faire and delectable in it selfe Beatitude is a thing Jocound pleasant ¶ Beatytude that is in yearth hathe neede of outewarde healthe for it is impossyble to a man to dooe faire woorkes and to haue Arte whyche is seemyng to good and vertuous liuing with abuÌ„dance of freÌ„des prosperitie of fortune withoute good outwardly And therfore it is nedefull to haue withoute forthe wherby may be the more manifest the honour value of man And if any gifte be geuen to man in this worlde from the gloryous God it is a worthye thynge to beleue this to bee the Beatitude because it is the best thyng that may be in man For whi it is an honorable and com plet fourme of vertue There is no generacyon nor kynde that can haue vertue and beatitude but man There is nether child nor beaste that can haue Beatitude for whi ther works be not according to vertue Beatitutde is a thing stedfast and fyrm accordiÌ„g to very disposicioÌ„ wherin nether falleth variaunce nor permutacioÌ„ as for to haue now well and nowe euill but euermore well and this is the goodnes that is in the workes of maÌ„ â–ª The pillers of beatitude be the operacions which a man dothe accordiÌ„g to vertue The pillers of the contrarye be those that a man doth accordyng to vyce These workes be stedfaste and stable in the minde of man and the vertuous manne is not moued nor trobled in him selfe for anye thyng that maye happen contrarye for then he shoulde neuer haue felicitee it he be trobled because sorowe taketh awaye pleasure from felicitie There be thiÌ„ges which be hard to be born but whaÌ„ a man hath borne theim paciently he hathe shewed the streÌ„gth of his mind and there be thinges also which be light to be borne in the sustainyng whereof there is no great prudeÌ„ce shewed therein A hard thyng it is to sustaine sicknes death of chyldren yet although they be strange and harde they mouenot a man from his Beati tude The happynes of the man that is wel fortuned is so much to be praised as a thing sent froÌ„ God and is so much to be honored coÌ„mended that their laud praise can not be spoken spe cially it shal become vs to glori fye honor magnify almyghty god aboue al thinges we ought to thinke him in him self to haue in his thought algoodnes felicite For whi he is the begiÌ„ning cause of algoodnes Felicite beatitude ar one certeÌ„ act the which procedeth of y e solle of the body And like as the perfect phisiciaÌ„ seketh sercheth dt ligeÌ„tly the nature of the body of maÌ„ to thenteÌ„t to coÌ„firm it in hel the Likewise tt belongeth vnto good rulers gouerners of cyties to loke studi prouide tocoÌ„ serue the form of felicite in y e mides of their citizens for to put them in comfort to worke accor ding to vertue which is the pre cious frute y â— coÌ„meth of felicite The powers of the solle Chapâ—ter .vi. The solle of maÌ„ hath diuers powers as one called the power irracional that is to say vnresonable wherein a manne differeth not froÌ„ plaÌ„tes brute beastes And therefore thys is not the propre power in manne For by this power manne may worke his operacion sleapyng The other is the power intellectiue according to whose work after the forme aforsaid is good and euell And this power worketh not in slepynge but manyfestely therfore it is said that the miserable differeth not from the good in the lymittes of this life For in the tyme of sleape which is the good such is the euel and is because that man resteth from the worke by the whi che he is called good and euell but this is not treuth generallye because the myndes of the good seeth somtimes in visions and dreames many good thynges and profitable Whiche be not sene in the mindes of eiuell men The other power that the sollc hath although it be not racionall Yet it taketh part with reason therefore it oughte to obey vnto the vertue of reason and this is called the vertue coÌ„ cupissible And a man oughte to knowe that in the solle there ar somtime contrary mouinges Lyke as are in the bodye as wheÌ„ one membre moueth in the Paralitico or Paulsye it muste moue againste nature but this coÌ„trary is manifest in the bodi and in the solle hid and sâ—â—rete ¶ The power racional is to be said in two sortes the one is the power which is very resonable that lerneth deserneth and iudgeth The other power vnreasonable that is to saye the power concupissible and is called reasonable as long as it is obedyent vnder the power of that which is veri reasonable as the good child vnto the father whi che receaueth his correction Of two maners of vertues Chapter .vii. THere bee two vertues one is called Intellectuall as Sapience science and prudence the other is called Morall as chastitie liberalitie and humilitie then if we wyll prayse a manne in vertue Intellectuall we say this is a wise man and subtil in vnderstandynge and whan we will praise a man for his morall vertues that is to sai in his ma ners we say this is a chast man and a liberall Howe vertue groweth in man Chaptter .viii. ALthoughe there be ii vertues the one intellectual the o ther moral the Intellectuall ingendreth and groweth by doctryne learnyng And the moral like wyse ingendreth groweth by good vse and custome and this vertue moral is not in vs by na ture for naturall thynges can not be moued from their disposicions by contrary vse ¶ Example the nature of the Stone is to goo down warde and cannot be caste
egal and therby may be taken and geuen greate thinges litel thinges is an instrumēt wherby iudges may do iustice Money is a liuelesse lawe but the iudge the lawes haue life god is y ◠vniuersal law of al thinges the vigor strenthe of egalnes standeth faste by the obseruacion of the law of cities and the laborers of the fiel des rilthe likewise increaseth therby for lacke of iustice fall in ruine The prince is the obser uer of iustice and egalnes and therfore he geueth not the goodes wherof he is Lorde more to himself thē to other Wherfore it is saide honors and lordships maketh a man knowen The people presupposeth that liberalite is cause of Principalitee and Lordshippe and some saye that riches is the cause other put nobilitee of bloudde But the wise manne saieth and beleueth that vertue is the cause that a manne is worthy to haue Lordshippe Justice is in two sortes one is natural and another accordinge to the lawe the lawe naturall is one selfe nature in euerye man as the fyer whersoeuer it be it goth vpwarde the other which is accordig to the lawe hath many diuersyties as we se in sacrifices which be diuersli done some by beastes and some by certaine generacyons of trees and in bothe these iustices equalite is to be vnder stand He that rēdreth the thing that he hath in kepyng not willyngly but by feare is not iuste by himselfe but by other but he that yeldeth by himself because of honestye with a good wyll he is iuste The hurtes whiche be commonly dooen amanges menne be in thre sortes The first by error and by ignorance the other is by ignoraunce with wil to hurt the third bi thought malice and in wil to hurte By ignorance is whē a man in his dede hathe not studied as other and as he shuld and these twoo sortes be not imputed vniuste for why their dedes procede not of malice but when a man doth hurt hy malice prepenced or by propre will there is no circumstāce that can excuse his malice for it is very euel and vituperable Ther be two maners of ignorances one natural as the na tural fole an other wherof a mā is cause as when a man is igno raunt because he wyll not study to knowe the thyng that he oughte to knowe of troth and wel Aboue iustice is better then iustice but accordyng to the truth in the very meane ther is no de uisiō and the very iustice is not that whiche is in the lawes but that iustice whiche is in the Almighty glorious God is ge uē to mā bi the which iustice mā maketh himselfe like vnto god Of prowesse Cha xxvii THere bee two kindes of vertues the one is called morall the whiche belongeth too the life sencible whiche hath no reason another vertue intellectuall or reasonable the whiche is vnderstandynge and discrecion Then the life sen syble doth fleeth and persecuteth withoute anye delyberacyon and therfore it is sayed that this vertue desyreth concupyscence but the vnderstandying affirmeth and maketh no election without him thē the beginning of the election is desyre intellectuall beecause of some thyng And no man vseth the election in the thyng that is past before because that which is doen can not be vndooen for there vpon is no power nor there falleth no electiō in thinges of necessite as in risyng setting of the Sūne that ryseth by nature ⧠In the solle of man bee fyue thynges of the whiche maye be spoken truthe affirmynge and deniyng that is to say Art scyence Prudence Sapience and vnderstandyng Scyenceis by suche demonstracion which can not be otherwaies and nether doth ingender nor corrupt and euery science or discipline that is in vse so may be taughte And euery thing that is lerned must nedes be learned by prynciples the whiche bee manifeste by them and the Demonstracyons be euer true and neuer lye For why they be of thinges necessary The disposiciō of the art is of very reason the wyse and prudent man can councell hymselfe and other in thynges that be good and euell which be apperteining vnto men Thē prudence is an habite with the whiche a man may councel with very reason in thynges towarde men good and euell Sapience is an aduaunsing or ioiyng ofartificers that hath obtayned scyence And when it is said of one that he is wyse in his art ther is shewed the goodnes and gretnes of his art The vnderstanding is it that taketh the commandement of thinges reason science vnderstandyng be of those thinges that bee naturally noble There may be found yong men which be wyse of discipline but not in prudēce to be wise in prudence wolde be had a long knowlage in many particuler thinges the whyche cannot be had but by long time The adolescente and yong man hath but short tyme. Prudence measureth the beginnyng the end of euery thing and by by conscnteth to a good councell ¶ Wilynesse is of prudence with the whiche a manne commeth to the entent by great subteltie of his vnderstandyng in thinges that bee good but the subtile is called qualite in thinges that be euel As enchantmētes wytchecraftes Suche are not called wyse but councelers of stryfe and wilybegylars ¶ Felicitee is not a thing to be chosen for other but for himself as helth the accions of the solle bee accordynge to the measure of Morall vertues and accordynge to the measure of Prudence and of subtelty then vertue-setteth forthe the right purpose of man prudence that is to say knowlage confirmeth it and maketh it good and conduceth him vntoiustice Thes morall vertues make a mā stronge chaste and iust frō youthe as in children some maner of bestes then these vertues be bi nature and not by vnderstanding But the Lordshyp of all vertues belongeth vnto the vertues intellectual for there can be no election without the vnderstandyng nor cānot be accomplished with out moral vertue so prudence techeth to do that which ought to be done but moral vertue set teth forth the dede to fulfill the worke ¶ Of strengthe Chapiter .xxviii. STrengthe is a laudable habite good for the man that is very strong sustayneth many terryble thynges and despyseth deathe in assailyng those whiche behoueth and dothe the woorkes of strength not to haue honour or delectacion but onely for vertue There be men whiche be cōstrained to worke the workes of strength for shame and to fle reproche to get them honor put thē selfes in peril of their lyues rather then to liue with shame Wilde strengthe is this that a man dooeth in furor as when a man is angry for any thing doen against hym and wold be reuenged Bestial strength is the fulfillyng of a mans luste burnynglye desyred Spirituall strengthe is that whyche a man dothe to obtayne honoure and fame Strengthe Deuyne is that whiche stronge men naturally loue And Goddes men be very stronge ¶ Of Chastitee
Chapiter .xxix. CHastitee is a temperance in eating and drinckinge and in delectacions and he that bestoweth himself temperatly in thes thinges is to be praised and he that excedeth in thes thinges is to be blamed but fewe and syldome be founde Chastitee is a fayre thyng for it delyteth but when where so muche as behoueth also there is a secular delectacioÌ„ which is departed from the mouing of nature and without coÌ„parison more vituperable then fornicacioÌ„ or adultry that is to say Masculine with Masculine To be inchast is in diuers sorts for why it may be in eating and drinking other filthy thinges â–ª ¶ Of Mekenesse Chapiter .xxxi. MEkenesse is an habite to bee praised betwene beynge to ireful and to dull and so is Malyncoly in loÌ„g perseuerance Malicious ire demauÌ„deth great vengeance for lyttel offence But he that is not sturred for wrong or offence dooen to hym nor to hys kinne is as a manthat hath lost his fealyng ¶ Of Lyberalitee Chapiter .xxxii. LIberalytee Magnyfycence Mananimitee hathe a coÌ„munite amoÌ„gest theÌ„ selfes for why they be al in receauyng and geuyng moneye where when and how muche it behoueth And it is a more fearful thing to geue then to receaue and suche men flee from filthy gaynes and the couetous man is a greate desyrer and therfore the lyberal possesseth not so muche as doth the couetous ¶ Of Magnanimitee Chapyter xxxiii THe Magnanimus doth deserue gret honors praises and is euermore redye to set his mind vpon great thinges and despyseth the littel and vile thynges but he that expendeth where he should not is called Prodigal Enuious is he that is sory for the prosperite bothe of the good and euill without any differeÌ„ce Contrary to hym is he that reioiseth in the prosperite of them that bee good euill the meane betwene theim is he that ioyeth in the prosperitee of theim that be good and soroweth for the euil he that is a shamed of euery thyng is called shamefaste He that crackes vpon hymself and dispiseth other menne is called a proude vaunter ¶ The .xxxiij. Chapiter ¶ Of compaignie THere bee men with whom it is paineful to liue because thei of their nature bee not tractable Ther be other that be flatterers of euery body and ther be other that kepe a meane and those be thei that vse theÌ„selfes as where when with whom how muche and suche maner of men bee verely to be praised Scoffers bee those whiche compaignieth emongest folkes with laughyng bourding gestyng vpon them selfes their wifes and children and not onely vpon theim but also vpon other men Contrary to hym is he that loketh euermore as he were troubled lowryng and is neuer mery emongest folkes nor cannot be with theim that be mery And he that kepeth the meane emongest suche is he that vseth mesure The iust man is he that is called Equall or Equaller and the iuste equalleth thynges in twoo sortes one sorte is in deuidyng of money offices and honors The other in helyng the hurtes that one man taketh of an other for men haue businesse together in twoo sortes the one is by will that is to saie when the beginnyng of the deede is in our arbitre And out of the wil is this when a man hath to do with an other and will doo it by force or gyle as rapine stelth and other like thynges ¶ The .xxxiiij. Chapiter ¶ Of Justice THe factor of y e lawes are the equals which are the coÌ„traries y e be betwen to muche and to litle The equall iudge deuideth mony honor maketh de uision betwene two at the least Justice partes betwene foure thynges the whiche thynges haue proporcioÌ„ from the first to the seconde and from the thirde to the fourth and the equalnes of theim is accordyng to the proporcion selfe And Justice iudgeth emongest theim accordyng to the qualitee of the vertue and of the merite The maker whole that healeth the facioÌ„ of the deedes that bee dooen betwene menne is he that maketh the lawes For he decerneth and doth iustice betwene theim that dooe wrong and them that take it and rendereth inheritance to theÌ„ that haue right thereto and taketh froÌ„ theim that possesseth wrongfully Some coÌ„demne in persone and some in their goodes and some maketh equal the litle with the much bicause he y â— receiueth the iniury is lessoned by hym that dooth it the iudge is equallar betwene them according to the mesure of Arâ—smethi que Therfore meÌ„ go to y e iudge bicause the iudge is saied to bee in similitude the life of Justice bicause he ordereth iustice accordyng moderately as it is possible and iustices is not in euery place in suche sorte that to hym that doeth be doen somuche as he hath doen and that froÌ„ hym that did take bee taken somuche as he hath taken For why The moderate equalnesse standeth not euermore in this and as the iuste man is contrary to hym that is not Juste so the equall is coÌ„trary to the vnequal and the meane is somtime more coÌ„trary to the one extreme then it is to the other and the one extreme is more contrary to the other theÌ„ it is to the meane The Justice of citees is a meane betwene lesyng and gettyng and cannot be doen without taking and geuyngchange As he that weiueth clothe for other thynges that he nedeth The smithe geueth Iron for other thynges that he nedeth and therefore in these changes was greate strife so was founde the thyng that might equall all thynges together This that is more worthe with that that is worthe lesse and this thing was money whiche maketh equall the worke of the Carpenter with the woorke of the shomaker Aboue iustice is more then Justice Then the maÌ„ that is better then the good man is good in al sortes y â— maie bee And he that is more Juste then he that is iust is iust in all sortes that maie bee Naturall iustice is better theÌ„ iustice that is compounded by man as the hony that is swete by nature is better then the like hony that is made by crafte ⧠The iust maÌ„ liueth by life of life that is to saie the great delectacion y t he hath to iustice naturall It for it self belongeth and vseth the iust thing lokyng not to the punisher of the lawes to put it generally in al generacioÌ„s for bicause it is vnpossible that the generall rules be folowed and kepte in all these thynges the whiche bee not vniuersal Then the wordes of the law ought to be perticulars bicause thei iudgeÌ„ of thynges corporal ¶ The .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Of Vice THere be thre maner of vices that bee very euill from the whiche euery maÌ„ne ought to flie that is to saie Malice Cruelte and Lechery And yet there bee to these three contrary vertues that is to saie Benignitee Pitie and Chastitee There bee some men whiche be of a deuine nature by the aboundaunce of the vertues that be in them and
suche an habite is all contrary to Cruelte and suche menne be Angelike deuine and the vertues of them bee aboue the vertues of other men Like as the vertues of God be aboue al the vertues of mē so there be other men cruell in their maners and be of wilde nature and suche be far of from vertue There be other men that bee of the nature of beastes in folowyng of their desires and their delectacions and those bee in similitude like vnto Apes and to hogges and those men that folowe their wil les bee called Epicures that is to saie men that thynke not but of their bodies Men that bee called deuine and menne that bee wilde of custome there bee but fewe in the worlde and specially wilde men yet there be found in thextreme regiōs in the whiche thei dwell y t is in the southe partes where as thei fynde slaues it is saied of the deuine mā that he is chast and continent for that he abstaineth hymself from euill concupiscence according to the power of the vertue intellectuall ⧠Manne hath his limittes vnto the whiche he moueth naturally wherein he walketh as in the meane excepte his nature inclineth too the nature of beastes whiche if thei bee loosed folowe the mouyng of their owne desires in runnyng thorowe pastures not abstaynyng theym selues from any thyng that their nature leadeth theim vnto And in this wise a manne goeth from his termes and limettes suche a man is worsse then a beast by the euil life that he choseth bycause the science of manne is truthe But that man that learneth science accordyng to the nature of Morall vertue and vertue deuine intellectuall remaigneth within his bōdes and vseth vniuersall proposicions which conducteth hym vnto true knowledge ¶ The .xxxvi. Chapiter Of Delight THere bee delectable thynges whyche bee delectable by necessitee and there bee thynges delectable by cleccion And of those there be that are to be chosen for our selfes also of those that are to be chosē for fauor of other The necessari delectaciōs that a man hath be in eating in drinkyng and in lechery and in all other corporall delectacion there where is no measure those which a man choseth or electeth for hymself bee these that is to saie certētye of knowledge and deuine reason Elecciōs whiche bee electe for fauor one of another bee these victory honor riches and al other thynges good in the whiche beastes is comen with vs Who that kepeth the meane in these thynges is to be praised and who that wāteth in these thynges is to be blamed ⧠There bee naturall delectacions and beastly delectacions Also ther be wilde delectacions and ther be delectacions by occasion of tyme there bee other delectacions by occasion of infirmitie and other that come by vse and other by euill nature Wildish delectacion is in them that make women with child to bee opened bicause thei will se how the childe dooth lie in their bodies And as thei that eateth mannes fleshe and rawe fleshe Delectaciōs of infirmitie or by euil vse is of pickyng y e browes paryng nailes eatyng of coles and other trifles Delectaciō by euill nature is to lye one Masculyne with another and all other vituperable thynges of lechery Ther be some malicious and wild maners as be in them that bee vnbrideled madde and Melancolly and like vnto thē the furious man thynketh that all that pleseth hym is against all other men If he haue a litle cause to bee angree runneth in as a folishe seruaunte to dooe a thyng before he bee cōmaunded and doth as a dogge y ◠barketh bothe at frendes and enemies And this incontinence which is in Ire cometh of a light mynde and by violēce of mouyng And therfore he is more to be pardoned then he that incontinent foloweth his cōcupiscence For as sone as he seth the thyng that delighteth hym he tarieth not the iudgemēte of reason but rather searcheth for the thyng that he desireth Then the incontinence of Ire is more naturall then is thin continence of concupiscence and demaundeth darke places And therefore it is saied of concupiscēce that she ouerthroweth her sonne The man that dooth euil and repenteth hym not can not be correct but the man that doth euill and repēteth there is hope Thei that haue no vnderstādyng be better then thei that haue it bestowe it not Therfore thei that let themself to bee ouercome with cōcupiscence by delight of vnderstandyng bee like vnto them that be dronken with litle wyne by feblenesse of the brayne The continent man that hath vnderstandyng affirmeth hymself and continueth in very reason and holsome elecciō and departeth not from the right moderacion It is a more lighte thyng to moue custome then nature yet a hard thyng it is to breke custome for custome is like nature There be men to whom it semeth no delectacion to bee good nether to hymself nor yet to other And there be other to whō it semeth that some delectacions be good and some euill to some it semeth that al maner of delectacions be good Delectacions without respecte is not good For why It is of sensualite then it is not like vn to thynges complet The chaste man flieth delectacions bicause thei make vnderstandyng dron ken and maketh man to forget godnesse Children and beastes demaunde delectacions There bee some delectaciōs that make a man seke and bryng trouble then a man that is of good vnderstandyng demaundeth the pleasures of the body but moderately ¶ The .xxxvij. Chapiter ¶ Of Chastitet CHastite and continēce ar not al one thing for Chastitieis an habite the whiche is fixed in the mind of man by longe time hauing ouercome the desires of the flesh so that it fealeth no assaultes of temptacions but cōtinēce is an habite by the which a man sustaineth harde temptacions muche molested But neuerthelesse consenteth not therto so muche reason is in hym Then Chastitee and continence are not all one The inchast is an habite by the which a mā sinneth in delectable thinges with out great instance of temptacyons as a man not constrayned and goeth searchyng delectacyons Then the incontinent is he that is ouercome with temptacions whiche pricke him strōgly But the vnchaste man is he that letteth him selfe to be ouercome with tēptacions that pricketh hym not And the incontinence is suche by debilite of reason and by littell truste Then there is no meane at al but stādeth as an euill mean may be correct yf vertue hope lie together But the inchaste can neuer be correcte for vertue hathe noo power in malice to muche vsed For the reason ofte tymes corrupteth by two muche concupyscence And the acte of the malicious is knowen for ver tue is whole in reason but in malice reason is corrupte ¶ Of Constancie Chapiter .xxxviii. THere be three maners of stablenes one is that a man be stable in al hys woorkes trewe or falce whatsoeuer they be The second is contrary
to this pitte of Iniquite but rather enforce hym to come to goodnes by the whiche he maie haue delectaciō and ioye in him self Comforte is not frendship althoughe it bee like vnto it The beginnyng of frendship is pleasure had in tymes past As the loue of a woman of the whiche a manne hath had pleasure and delectacion and is a bonde of loue and foloweth it inseperable the desperaciō of the whiche procedeth Comforte maie bee frendship by similitude till it bee growē by custome of time and the office of comfort apperteigneth vnto hym that hath in hym grace and grauite and excercised in vertue knitte of loue and concorde for discorde in opinions is to bee drawen oute of a noble congregacion so that it maie remaigne in vnitee and peace and in concord of willes Those thynges that geue other verite and dignitee to rule bee vertuous their woorkes And the vnite of opinions be found in good menne bycause thei bee firme and stable emōgest theim self in outwarde thynges for thei beare good will continually but seldome men agre in one opinion And to fulfill their desires thei sustaine greate strife and muche businesse but not because of vertue And bee solicitous to deceiue them with whō thei haue to doo and euer be in strief and in contenciō The benefactors loue their beneficiates more then thei bee loued of them For the benefactor loueth with pure liberalite but the beneficiates louen their benefaccores by debte of thankes And moreouer the benefactor loueth the beneficiate as creditor But the beneficiate loueth as a debtor y ◠creditor reioyseth against his debitor The debitor is trobled bicause he feareth his debitor then the beneficiates fain to loue their benefactours bycause thei would not bee rebuked of vnkindnesse And yet the receite of the benefite is factor and in speciall if he haue mynd For why The vttermoste perfecciō of man is in his operaciō ¶ The .xlvij. Chapiter ¶ How man delighteth hym in many thynges A Manne delighteth in three thynges that is to say in thynges present in vsyng of them In thynges past in remēbryng of them and in thinges to come in trustyng of them The woorkes good and noble contine we long and be delectable to remēbrance But the delectable and profitable satisfie but litle and the memory shortly past Euery manne loueth more the thinges that he getteth with paine then the thyng that he getteth without pain as it is of money whiche whē it is gotten with great labor it is kept with great studie and moderatly spente And who y ◠getteth it without labor spendeth it without moderaciō And this is the cause wherefore the mother loueth y ◠childe more then dooth the father For why She suffreth great trauail and anguishe in the birthe Now in somuche that it is a light thing to receiue benefites and a hard thyng to geue theim the benefactor loueth better his benefactor then the benificiator loueth his benefactor There bee men that loue themself to much and that is called a filthy loue The euill man doth euery thyng vpon will but the good and verteons manne dooth the workes whiche bee good and verteous for the loue of vertue and good nes And there bee other menne that by y ◠nobilitee of their mindes be good to their frendes in leuyng them their goodes So that their workes maie remain in perpetuall memorye My frend is another This is a prouerbe By a prouerbe it is saied Frendes haue one life and one bloud and all their thynges be bee equally comen as the nose to the face the knee to the legge and the fynger to the hande A manne ought to loue his frend for in louing him he loueth him self and should not be loued for honor or corporall delectacion but rather for the very loue of vertue And the manne that loueth his frend in this sorte is a very frende he helpeth and supporteth with body and goodes and with his life if nede be The full felicitee of mankynde is in the obteignyng of frendes for no man would haue al the goodes of the worlde to liue alone Then a man hath nede of frendes to whom he maie bee benificiall and with whom he maie comenly vse felicite It is a natural thyng to man to liue citezenly and a necessary thyng to a manne to accomplishe his busines of necessitee by his neighbores and frendes whiche cannot bee doen by hymself To do well it is a noble and delectable thyng and the vertues electe in good deedes bee fewe But the profitable delectable be many The frendes of pleasure should not bee many for thei be but for disgestion of meate There can bee but one verteous frend As a man can haue but one louer that he loueth intierly For whi That loue is of aboundaunce the whiche is but to one alone But counsaill honest and conueniente ought to bee to euery man by dutie of vertue A man hath nede of frendes in tyme of aduersitee and prosperitec to be comen with hym in his goodes and liuyng in ioye and plesure so that menne maie become the better one by another And in aduersitee so that a man maie haue helpe and counsaill of his frende ¶ The .xlviij. Chapiter ¶ How Delectacion is naturall DElectaciō is borne and norished with vs from the beginnyng of oure nature therfore children should bee taughte at the beginnyng to delight themselfes in thynges conuenient and likewise against that to mislike the contraries And this is the foundacions of vertue morall and in processe growethe and is knowen the beatitude of the life For when a manne delighteth in a thyng it is his choyse and when it greueth he flieth it And there bee menne whiche be seruauntes to the delectacions wherfore their delectacions bee destroyed against God of this that thei owe. Those mē whiche claime delectacions and folowe them saie against their mindes and saie not euill of theim concerning the vertue For the true woorde dooth euer helpe and amendeth the maners of the life better but the operacion woorketh more then doth the worde And therefore the good man informeth his life with good wordes good workes The thyng that is desired for it self is beste and the griefe is euil For why It is contrary to delectacion also euery thyng that is good helpeth vnto another thyng to make it good And delectacion helpeth other thynges and maketh theim better Then she is good Plato saieth That delectacion was not good paraduenture he saith not truth For why In euery thyng is naturally some thyng that is good then in delectaciō is some thing that is good It is a thyng vnpossible that one good thyng be contrary to the other And it is impossible that one euill be not contrary to another and bothe two are to be fled But two goodes are not contrary together but rather be like and both two are to bee electe and chosen but yet the one maie bee better then the other As
the most noblest life that is in hym For although a man bee but litle of persone he is aboue all other creatures whence the moste delectable life that a man hath is by vnderstandyng ¶ The .lij. Chapiter ¶ Of the morall vertue and of the happie manne THese vertues morall or Ciuill will bee in more trouble more solicite then the intellectualles for that liberalitee hath neede of riches The iuste man is busied with theim that commaūde iustice and likewise of the straunge man and chaste but these vertues intellectuall haue no nede for the accomplishyng of their operaciōs of outward thynges But rather many tymes the very perfight mē bee sped in these vertues of the outward thynges But a man that cannot come to the perfeccion of this life oughte to chose a waie to liue accordyng to the comen lawes For the operaciō of the vnderstandyng speculatiue is in thend of example of the very beatitude of man And manne is likened to God and his angels For the other operacions bee not worthy to be likened to God nor to heuenly thynges God and his angels haue moste noble life for thei be euer in the moste best speculacion their speculacion neuer wereth nor faileth And the manne that inforceth hymself moste contynually to vnderstande thinke of these thynges is moste like vnto theim that bee in the very beatitude ¶ The .liij. Chapiter Of the knowledge of Uertues AMan to bee happie in this worlde hath nede of moderate conductingin outward thinges for because nature geueth not sufficient inwardly of these thynges As to bee satisfied in brede of wine of other thynges that be nedeful to the life of man But it is not nedeful to be lorde of the sea and of the land for suche thynges maie happen to thē that are of lesse degree of riches that be more ware to bee happy then the Lordes of these thynges And therfore it is well saied of Anaxagoras that felicite is not in riches nor in lordeship his saiyng is to be noted for the woordes of hym are to be alledged whose woorkes agree with his saiyng A man that maketh his orision accordyng to the obedience of the ordre of the vnderstandyng is loued of God If almightie God haue cure of man whiche is a worthy thyng to beleue Then moste cure he hath of thē that moste inforceth themselfes to be like vnto hym and best rewardeth theim and delighteth hym to them that is to saie with them as one frende with another Thē according to this saiyng we ought to thinke that it is sufficiente to obtaine felicite only to know y ◠thinges written in this boke of vertues and frēdship and of other thinges but the accōplishyng is in the operacions For this thyng that of nature ought to be doen sufficeth not only to be said but to be doen. And in this forme is fulfilled the goodnesse of man ¶ The .liiij. Chapiter ¶ Yet of like matter THE knowledge of vertue maketh a māne of power to be admonished vn to good woorkes specially such as haue good nature and moued by admonision to do well Also payn maketh a man to flee from vice for feare of punishement and not for the loue of vertue but for feare of paine thinke not well though thei dooe well It is not possible for theim that bee hardened in malice to be corrected by wordes There bee menne whiche bee good by teachyng And those men that bee good by nature haue it not of theim selfes but by the grace of God whiche is vetely called good nature Then the solle of him that hath the garmente of goodnesse and of righte loue hateth euill the mouyng ingendereth vertue in her as doth the seede that is cast vpon good ground And to the intente that a man haue a good custome from the beginnyng to vse to loue thynges that bee good to hate euil he ought to be brought vp frō his youth accordyng to the noble lawes and vse the woorkes of vertue and this oughte to bee in maner of continence although it bee not delectable to many men yet the hande may not bee withdrawen from chastesyng of children yea and from childhode till thei bee greate There be menne whiche maie not bee corrected by woordes And there bee that cannot bee by woordes but by payne And there bee other whiche will not bee corrected by nother of these sortes And those bee to be takē from other The good and noble ruler of the citee maketh good citezens whiche obscrue the lawes and doo y ◠worke that it cōmaundeth Thei be aduersaries that obserue not the lawes and commaundementes although thei dooe well In diuerse Citees there is no good rule because thei liue dissolutly in folowyng their willes The moste conuenient rule that may be in citees is that whiche is tēpered prouidently in suche sort as maie bee kepte not to heuy and that whiche manne desireth to bee obserued in hym and in his children and in his frendes The good punisher of y ◠lawes is he that maketh rules vniuersall whiche bee determinate in this boke and conioyne them to the perticulars whiche cometh daily in hādes therefore to ordre the lawes well it is nedefull to haue reason and experience FINIS ¶ Imprinted at Londō in the parishe of Christes Church within new gate by Richard Grafton Printer too our soueraigne lorde Kyng Edward the. VI. 1547. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum SVSCIPITE INCITVM VERBVM IACO I