[Page] YOnge folkes that entende for to knowe dyuers thȳges approche you vnto this doctryne & it reuolue in your myndes organykes / to the ende that ye maye comprehende and vnderstande the substaunce of it / and that ye be not of the nombre of y^e fooles that vageth in this tempesteous flode of the worlde. And you also the whi­che haue passed the flourynge aege of your youthe / to y^e ende that and ye be of the nombre of the fooles moun­daynes that ye maye lerne somwhat for to detraye you out of the shyp stultyfere. Wherfore vnderstande what the fyrste foole sayth beynge in the grete shyppe of foo­les. ¶ I am the fyrste in the shyppe vagaunte with the other fooles. I tourne and hyse the cordes of the shyp saylynge ferre forth in the see. I am founded full euyll in wytte & in reason. I am a grete foole for to affye me in a grete multytude of bokes. I desyre alwaye and ap­petyteth newe inuencyons compyled mystycally / and newe bookes / in the whiche I can not comprehende the substaunce / nor vnderstande nothynge. But I doo my besy cure for to kepe them honestly from poudre & dust. I make my lectrons and my deskes clene ryght often. My mansyon is all replenysshed with bookes / I solace me ryght of ten for to se them open without ony thynge compylynge out of them. ¶ Ptolomeus was a ryche Ptolomeus. philadelphꝰ. cuiꝰ memini. Josephus. si. xii. man the whiche constytued and commaūded that they sholde serche hym thorough euery regyon of the worlde the moost excellentest bookes that myght be founden / And whan they had brought them all / he kepte theym for a greate treasoure. And that notwithstandynge he ensued not y^e ensygnementes nor y^e doctryne of the dy­uyne sapyence / how be it that he coude dyspose nothyn­ge [Page] of the lyfe without it / what bookes someuer he had / nor compose ony thynge to the relefe of his body at that tyme. I haue redde in dyuers bookes / in the whiche I haue studyed but a lytell whyle / but oftentymes I ha­ue passed the tyme in beholdynge the dyuersytees of the couerynges of my bookes. It sholde be grete foly to me to applye by excessyue studye myn vnderstondynge vnto so many dyuers thynges / where through I myghte lese my sensual intellygence / for he that procureth for to knowe ouermoche / and occupyeth hymself by excessyue studye / is in daunger for to be extraught from hymself also euerychone is dyspensed / be he a clerke or vnderstō ­de he nothyng yet he bereth the name of a lorde. I may aswell commytte one in my place the whiche thynketh for to lerne scyence for hym and for me. And yf that I fynde myselfe in ony place in the company of wyse men to the ende that I speke no latyn / I shall condyscende vnto all theyr preposycyons for fere that I sholde not be reproched of that that I haue so euylly lerned. ¶ O Prouerb. v. doctours the whiche bereth the name and can nothynge of scyence / for to eschewe grete dyshonoure come ne [...] in the company of lerned men / our auncyent faders here before dyde not lerne theyr resplendysshynge scyence in the multytude of bookes / but of an ardaunt desyre & of a good courage. They had not theyr spyrytes so vn­stedfast as y^e clerkes haue at this present tyme / it were more propyce for suche folkes for to bere asses eeres / than for to bere the names of doctours and can nothynge of cunnynge.

HEre after ensueth of them that wyll haue entre in to the senate / or in the courte of so­me grete lorde or prynce / to the ende that they maye haue honoure and reuerence of the people in theyr countree / and to be exalted before the other / and it is they the whiche ben y^e leest Ecclesia. ii. experte in scyences / as in lawe / & decrete / and good coū ­sell [Page] by suche folkes is obscurely couerde and hyd in vay­ne wordes / and walketh by tenebrous centres. At rome auncyently were good coūsayllers / wyse / prudent / and lettered / the whiche canonykely and imperyally punys­shed the malefactours / and thynges yllycyte and vycy­ously done And the thynges that were good and honest they mayntened in multyplyenge from daye to daye y^e tranquylyte and welfare of y^e thynges publyke. But at [...]ene [...]. this present tyme in many places be some coūsellers & gouernours of courtes / as well seculers as ecclesyasty­kes that can not eschewe some euyll passage / nor dyscer­be the lytyges and debates / nor vnbynde the knotte y^t is bounden. Yf that a presydent requyre hym for to gy­ue lib. ii. ff. de origi. [...]. hym some good counsayll vpon some defuse mater / he is so full of pryde and grauyte that he wyll not decla­re vnto hym no newe thynge / also it sholde be agaynst reason for to make pure and clene water yssue out of a vessell the whiche is maculate & fulsome. He fleeth from the other / and semeth that he wyll not saye neuer a worde vnto theyr preposycyons / but he wyll not in noo ma­ner of wyse gaynsaye them for fere lest they sholde dys­prayse hym bycause of his vnreasonnable responce and vnconnynge / and in this maner of wyse is the counsell corrumped / lo how suche folke do Justyce the whiche dependeth vpon them. Alas senate & courte royall / what forfayture / what euyll nature / what greuous euylles ys sueth from the that ought to be moder and nouryssher of Justyce. Knowest thou not how that thy propre coū ­sayllers assemble them togyder whan there is ony ver­dyte or sentence to be gyuen / and yf that there be tway­ne of one semblable oppynyon / the other wyl not empesshe the sentence be it egall or not and so lettteth it passe / [Page] and by this reporte vniust the courte shall execute false Judgement. Alas it is not ynoughe for to here the other ii. q. iii. [...] tempus. nor for to ensue theyr oppynyons. ye must recyte and declare good auctorytees of lawe and of decrete / reuolue ye must the forsayd lawe in your myndes ententyfly / & [...]her vpon examyne eche partye and after gyue the sentence / to the ende that he whiche thou wylte Juge accu­ [...]e the not before the grete Juge of heuen of false Juge­ment. And yf that it be so / he shall condempne the w^tout [...]ppele. I byleue y^t thou thȳkest that our lorde knoweth [...]ot the synnes done here in erthe (yes truely) & the leest [...]hought of man. Wherfore trust me / for yf thou wylte [...]epe the regle of egall Jugement & shewe good coūsayl [...]t is expedyent y^t whan thou hast ony grete processe / cy­ [...]yll / crymynell / ecclesyastyke / or of excesse / or touchyn­ [...]e herytages / ye must demaunde counsayl of the [...] [...]yscrete and wyse men / for semblably as thou Jugeth [...]nother / thou shalt be Juged and tormented by [...] [...] pe. [...]. [...] ex eo. Juge of helle. God almyghty after our dethe shall Ju­ [...]e bothe feble and stronge / & there ye shal fynde y^e poore [...]olke the whiche ye haue oppressed by rapyne & extorcyō [...]or who that executeth not egall Jugement in this pre [...]ent [...]. de i [...]di. l. rem [...]ō nonā. vale of mesery / shall be accused before the [...] whiche gyueth iuste and egall sentence after y^e goo [...] [...]r the euyll that they haue done in this mortall lyfe. [...] [...]e scyence and all the sapyence of men shall not excuse [...]hem. For who that wolde gyue all the golde & cheua [...] De [...]e [...]. [...]. [...]i. [...]. [...]e of the worlde shall not escape. For [...]e is the [...] eternall and imperyall aboue all Juges.

ALl theym the whiche assembleth golde and syluer by grete foyson / ben repreued as is this poore foole the whiche gadereth golde & syluer and grete fynaunce / and of his goo­des Psal. xxvii. taketh no solace / whan he hathe gade­red [Page] grete plente / and deyeth. Alas he bereth nothynge Ecclesia. v. ps. xviii. with hym / he leueth his treasour and fynaunce vnto his chyldren neuewes or kynnesmen / the whiche after his dethe maketh grete chere with it / they dysprybute it in C. de cura. fur. l. i. pompous araye / and in voluptuous dylectacyons car­nalle [...] to theyr grete dystruccyon of body and soule / & all for the goodes that the deed body had assembled in grete thought and calamyte / the whiche parauenture is in the obscure pyt of helle in grete mysery and extyn­guysshyble tormente. It had ben more expedyente for hym to haue ben satysfyed with a lytell / for all that the whiche he hathe assembled togyder prouffyteth hym no­thynge / but he must endure payne / anguysshe / & cruel rage / and of the drynke of Acherons floode infernall in fecte and stynkynge his body is replenysshed with. Yet I fynde a gretter euyll of y^e Prodygue that dyspendeth all his propre goodes in excesse and wast / and can not prouyde a remedy therfore. ¶ Suche folkes ben deiecte from al good meurs and condycyons / and ben replenysshed with all vyces / to the dyscrete men cometh y^e good. for the prodygues and vycyous wyll none therof. ¶ Be they not then redotynge fooles that assemble soo moche rychesse / and purchaseth not the salute of theyr soules. Alas louest thou better for to suffre payne inestymable with all the deuylles of helle / than leue thyne insacyate desyre of gaderynge of rychesse / thy goodes can not aledge the of thy payne / of them thou can not be comforted but shall bewrappe the in the moost profoundnes of the extynguysshyble pyt infernal. And that worse is / yf thȳ enherytours myght by the for a peny / with grete payne wolde they do it / for yf thou were in this worlde it were behouefull for the to rendre thy goodes agayne. I may [Page] name vnto the Tantalus the whiche is in the goulfre Tantalus de quo lactātius of helle / he enrageth for hūgre and thurst / and is in the water vnto y^e chynne / but whan he thynketh for to drinke it aualeth so lowe that he can not drynke of it. And there is also a pere tree besyde hym vpon the whiche pe­re tree is a pere that toucheth almoost his nose / & whan he stratcheth hymselfe vp for to catche it / the tree ryseth vp / and in this maner of wyse he enrageth for hungre and thurst. Consyder what torment it is / it were better for the auarycyous to gyue all his goodes / than for too be in suche a torment remaynynge there perdurably. Wherfore I supply and beseche all the auarycyous mē in the name of our lorde Ihesu cryst that wolde dye for our sake vpon the tree of the crosse / that ye molefy your hertes / and that ye do almesdedes durynge this transy­tory lyfe / for after that ye be ones departed out of thys worlde your goodes and rychesse can not helpe you in no wyse. ¶ And yf soo be that ye lyue well and egally in this vale of myserye / ye shall purchase and acquyre the glorye eternell. Rede this that Tullyus resyteth here sa­yenge Tullius in paradoxis. that neuer wyse man wolde regne in this worlde puyssauntly / but with good herte & moderate thoughte demaunded pacyence / pease and sapyence / and to flee & eschewe pleasure moundaynes / for the wyse man maye well do it. Of the ordures moūdaynes we haue wryten in the decretalles how Crassus desyred for to haue a grete i. q. i. ꝙ q̄dem l. crassus. somme of golde and syluer the whiche he obteyned / and had grete haboundaunce. It befell within a shorte tyme after that he was [...]nprysoned by the Parthes / and all was for bycause of his treasour. Resemble al vnto so crates the whiche sayd that rychesse was enemy vnto scyence / moyennynge of (which) he that had so moche rychesse / threwe [Page] all his goodes in to the see / in suche wyse that no body coude blame hym. ¶ Poore moundaynes thynke well vpon this that I haue rehersed to you / for truely there is manere in euery thynge / for the happy & eurous helde the hye waye.

[Page] EUery body ought for to gouerne them after the auncyentes and good customes / but that whiche was of olde antyquyte vycyous / cry­mynell / and dyshonest / is at this present ty­me taken for honeste by newe vsages / newe customes haue al the bruyte at this tyme amonge dyuerse folkes. I can not well conspyre in my herte the which is the moost foole of them twayne that vse the olde or y^e newe customes / or he the whiche wereth grete sleues w^t Math. xviii. grete bordures / or they the whiche bereth large sleues / Saue that me thynketh it is all one thynge / and that y^e one is as folysshe as the other. For he thynketh that ha­the the bordured sleues that he is as honestly clothed / as he the whiche hathe the large sleues. Amonge the auncy ente faders it was a grete loouynge and praysynge for to haue longe berdes / that custome sholde be ryght fo­lysshe and straunge vnto vs at this present tyme. So­crates ii. regum. x. the whiche was a grete phylosophre began fyrste for to bere a berde / and after hym all the other phyloso­phres toke that custome. ¶ After that the good phylosophers were departed out of this worlde / fragylyte and luxury dyde sprede all aboute the worlde / in suche wyse that almoost it floryssheth amonge all synnes. All y^e vertues wherwith the hye elementes ben decored and aourned / ben all vyces and synnes in a casualte through the worlde. All the humaynes wyll counterfet that whiche our lorde hathe create / and by theyr presumpcyon thyn­keth to do better than god. O what erroure / what abo­mynable synne. Some bereth grete berdes for fere that they seme not more auncyent. They araye theyr bodyes Sicambri. Ethiopes. and vysages in suche a facion that they seme yonge / but yet they be olde. The other bereth theyr heere as Syca­bryens / or [Page] longe / yelowe and trussed lyke Almaynes / or as Ethyopiens cryspe and corled / the whiche is combed ten tymes a daye. Some hathe theyr habytes so shorte that one maye almoost se theyr ars. There, be some that haue theyr neckes all charged with grete chaynes / and ben all replenysshed with golden Jewelles / theyr han­des full of gemmes and rynges. Ample bonettes with lowe neckes / and garded lyke as it were for dyspyte / & therupon the small hattes that is set all vpon one syde / Theyr gownes shorte full of playtes / and the sleues large as a sacke. Theyr doublettes is garded endlong and ouerth warte bordred w^t veluet or w^t sylke. Clokes ben­ded with dyuers colours. There is dyuers clothes worne at this present tyme / the gownes haue double rebra­ced colers. Theyr shertes ben fronced with golde or syl­ke / ye & that is of the fynest clothe y^t can be founden. It is the guyse of the infideles / of the turkes and sarazyns vyle and abhomynable. The grete shone rounde as a boule / and after them the squared / buskynges all to cut slyppers bygared / the hosen garded and bended with veluet or satyn / the purses as sachelles / with gyrdylles of taffeta. What lacketh there more (nothynge) saue the fayre swerde or hanger by theyr syde. O crystendome crystendome / yf thou haue mortalytes and epydemees thou arte the cause therof. I saye and notefye to the / y^t y^u haste endured that suche habytes haue ben worne / & that worse is / is yet worne. Thou shalt haue yet dyuers punycyons / yf in shorte tyme thou remedy it not. Cast awaye these newe guyses and customes / aswel men as women: for they be vyle and dyshonest. Mayst thou not well thynke that the sauyour of all the worlde shall Ju­ge all y^e humaynes / & of the mysdedes wyll reuenge hȳ.

[Page] AWaken your spyrytes auncyent folkes / the whiche haue ben fooles all your lyfe / & her­ken how that this olde foole maketh his cō ­playnte. The grete foly ryght vycyous and replenysshed with bytternes that hath euer remayned in me syth myn enfancye / may not suffre that I leue myne auncyent custome and fyrste lyfe. I am a chylde / & yet ye maye se that I can not go. I haue a. C. yere and more & yet I am no wyser than I was wonte to be. I am almoost as prudent and wyse as I was at my byrthe. And that worse is I wolde be no wyser / the sygnes and tokens of fooles I shewe and mynyster to chyldren / and I wryte the folysshe regyme of foly. I haue made my testament the whiche conteyneth & techeth doctryne vnto all them that wyll folowe me and lyue folysshely as I haue done. I am the ryght euyll and luna Esaye. xvi. tyke conductour and leder of all the other fooles that haue ensued and folowed my doctryne / and am [...]toure of all vyces and euyll examples / and that whiche I ler­ned I shewe it nowe by experyence. Myn innocent de­des c. ex sludits. specyfyeth that I am a foole / for of my foly I desy­re to haue louynge and praysynge. In euery place whe­reas I go I may well gyue them knowlege that I ha­ue sowen euyll renowne in dyuers places and countres c. cum [...]tu te. de presum And by my folyshnes vyle and [...] demonstraunce of my vyce and synne / my foly and my dyshonour / and me thynketh it is grete honoure of [...]. Mlegyōs of euylles hathe ben sowen vpon the erth by me I haue my herte ryght sorowfull that I maye [...]oo more so. I haue grete dyspyre that I may not consume [...]my clothes vnto an ende that none myght were them after me / but syth that I am olde & auncyent & may no [Page] more regne / I wyll lerne my chyldren and neuewes to do as I haue done faynynge that of vyces the waye is ryght ample in euery place. Lo how the fader gyueth e­uyll example vnto his chyldren and neuewes / the whi­che becometh more vycyous and peruers by halfe than is the fader / of the whiche he is gretely reioysed / & wol­de be ryght angrye to here saye that his chyldren were benygne. In dule and melancoly the chyldren shall fy­nysshe De consecra ti. di. v. c. vl. in glosa. theyr lyues / sythe that they lyue soo vycyously. Wherfore I saye that he is worthy for to gouerne oure shyp whan there cometh ony tormente. Alas olde foole wherfore hast thou no shame y^t thy foly hathe surmoun­ted the so longe. Hast thou no remors of conscyence for to lyue so longe in vyle synne abhomynable. Knowest y^u not that the euyll the whiche is rooted can not be taken awaye afterwarde / for whan one abydeth to longe for Daniel. xiiii. to remedye his causes / with grete payne may he detray the meurs that ben roted in the herte.

[Page]

YOnge chyldren the whiche desyreth to lyue well and ryghtwysly / reste you and herken to my doctrynes / and you also faders that haue chyldren in your puyssaunce. The fa­der shall be alwaye myserable / and gretely affusked that hathe not some aspecte vnto his chyldren. and that dothe not payne and solycytude for to reduce them vnto vertuous operacions / ferynge the dethe that cometh vpon them for theyr werkes vnresonable and mortall. He is also a fole detestable and manyfest that seeth his chyldren do euyll and careth not therfore. Alas it is not well consydered of you for to suffre youthe vo­luptuous to renne euery where withouten conductour. or gouernoure. For whan a flocke of shepe ben without a pastour / they leue theyr hye waye in errynge and strayenge [Page] by the feldes and playnes / in suche wyse that of­tentymes the wulfe cometh and deuoureth them. And in lyke wyse is it of yonge chyldren that resorteth vnto vycyous places who so dothe comprehende it well. ¶ O folysshe fader more vnreasonable than a dombe beest / for whan one accuseth his chyldren of some trespace / he excuseth them: saynge that it is youthe / and that they haue no reason / and that they know not whether they doo well or euyll. O poore fooles they do well / theyr youthe can not excuse them. Knowest thou not thou blynde fa­der that sapyence groweth in tender meurs / and dyspo­seth y^e lycoure and doctryne of holy lyfe. Knowest thou not that sapyence adresseth sooner vnto yonge folkes / than vnto olde / for they retayne it better in theyr vnder stondyng than they that ben fallen in aege. Orace sayth that and one take a newe erthen pot and put swete smel Oracius. lynge floures therin / it shall smell euer after of that sa­me [...]loures / but & ye put stynkynge thynge in it / it shall haue euer after stynkynge odoure. Take ensample also of a yonge tree / for one maye bowe it in eche manere of wyse / but whan the tree is grete and stronge one maye not bowe it without brekynge. Wherfore faders endoc­tryne your chyldren in theyr florysshynge youthe / for ve retably swete correccyon and dyscyplyne / enduceth yon ge chyldre vnto all vertues / & causeth them to eschewe vyces. We rede of kynge Pryam that accorded vnto y^e Priamus. Troyanus. wyll of his chyldren / wherfore the grete cyte of Troye was oppressed by the Grekes / and fynably this kynge Pryam sawe all the cyte destroyed thrughe his consen­tynge to the wyll of Parys that in Grece [...]auys [...]hed and brought awaye the fayre Helayne. And more ouer haue Paris. [...]elena. we not another example of proude Tarquyn y^e kynges [Page] sone of rome that rauysshed the fayre Lucrece / the whi­che Tarqu [...]us filius tarquy ni superbi re­gis romano­ [...]ū de quo va lerius: Mors lucia­ne. Latellina. for pure sorowe slewe herselfe before all her frendes. It happened afterwarde that bothe his fader & he were chased out of rome vylaynously / and bycause of this there was neuer kynge of Rome syth. Is it not wryten al­so of Catellyna that was so dyuers / so cruell and so per [...]ers / and how that after hym his neuewes became mo­re cruell in vyllaynous dedes and homycyde than theyr vncle had ben afore them / and all was thrughe his vycyous example. If a fader hathe ben euyll / the chyld shall be more vycyous / for moost comynly the chy [...]e ensueth the fader. Wherfore I saye that it were better for a chyl de to ensue the good & prudent men / than for to folowe a grete company of fooles replete with all vyces. Fyn­de we not also how kynge Peleus resplendysshynge in Peleus. Achilles. this worlde gaue Phenyxe vnto Achylles for to endoc­tryne and teche in all good vertues / that same Phenyxe was so dyscrete that it was a m [...]ruayllous thynge to se In lyke wyse dyde the kynge Phylyppe florysshyng in Philippus. Alexander. this worlde gaue his sone Alexaunder vnto Arystotle / prynce of phylosophres that hadde comprehended al the documentes of Platon. He instructe this chylde Alexā ­der so well in scyence that he was kynge of all the worl­de. O what a dyscrete fader / o what a good mayster / o how gracyous a dyscyple / this presente tyme is not soo / for it is nowe holden and reputed shame / the folysshe faders setteth no store to set theyr chyldren to the [...]ole for to lerne scyence that is the floure of all worldly thynges but complayneth theyr expences. And therfore frome a folysshe fader yssueth folysshe chyldren full of ygn [...]raū ­ [...]e. The folysshe and redotyn [...] f [...]der is well content to [...]e his chyldren dys [...]end [...] [...] g [...]des in vyces & excesse to [Page] vyllaynously. They dysprayse all good vertues and ope Aristot [...]es. Plato. racyons. Thynke vpon the harde complaynt that Cra­tes made whan he sayd thus. Yf I were amytted for to speke I wolde name you fooles redotynge y^t assem­bleth pecunes and treasours by dysceytes fallacious for your chyldren and successours y^t afterwarde shall spen­de it in excesse and vyle superfluytes. Alas poore faders ye leue your chyldren vnpuruayed / ygnoraūt / and with out scyence as folysshe bestyall lunatykes / of the whiche thynge ye shall repente you faders full sore here after­warde / whan that ye shall be bytten with dyuers morsures bycause ye chastysed them not / and endoctryned thē not in good operacyons and condycyons. Some be to vycyous in dyspraysynge the thynges dyuine / the other ben of wycked and euyll lyfe / the other haue theyr spyrytes rauysshed / and dyspryseth all the treasours y^t theyr fader hathe assembled / the other fyxeth all theyr herte & Prouerb. i. x. [...]rates. The [...]anus. mynde in the vyle synne of lecherye / y^t as ardaunt fyre burneth the resplendysshynge floure of youthe / drynkȳ ge wyne insacyately / and in etynge excessyue metes / for yonge chyldren y^t is not nourysshed in doctryne in aege they do nothynge dygne of memorye. Faders knowe y^t there is nothynge better for to nourysshe chyldren and Prouerb. xix Ecclia. xxii. make them florysshe in vertues than good doctrine / for the begynnynge / the myddel / and the ende shal be good It is a grete thinge of noblesse / for the pucelles ben therwith decored What prouffyteth this noblesse vnto them Deutere xxi. that hathe not acquyred it by payue and laboure / and y^t be not replenysshed with vertues and excellent prudence and good condycyons / but be al decored and aourned with vyle, and & abhomynable vyces. Wherfore do they presume to noblesse y^t haue not deserued it by due payne [Page] ¶Oftentymes a mylde bytche bryngeth forth shrewed Seneca. Juuenalis. whelpes. In lyke wyse is it of good moders that hathe ryght vycyous chyldren. And yf the chyldren be dyuers the fader is culpable of theyr vycyousnes yf that he cor­recte Ecc [...]a. xxii. them not in theyr youthe / for yf the fader chastyse them not the coulpe is his.

[Page] AMonge you flaterers that is cause of so ma Prouer. xvi. euylles / prynte well in your mynde / and hertes my doctryne / for he the whiche thyn­keth for to be supported w^t makynge of lyes and dyscordes all his lyfe is a naturall foole for he shall neuer prospere in goodnes with makynge of dyscencyons bytwene true louers by false reportynge / and bytwene man and man / butshall fynysshe his days wretchedly. False detraccyon hathe caused many inconuenyentes to fall in dyuers regyons / and dayly dothe / He hathe his mouthe full of venym / wherwith he sleeth the good renowne of dyuers good persones. His tongue is full of lyes redy for to saw fraudes and dyscencyons betwene true louers and felowes. Oftentymes in castyge forthe vayne wordes the courages of poore innocen­tes ben wounded / in dymynysshynge by theyr enuyes the vertuous condycyons / in desyrynge that they whi­che is in good concorde and peas maye be at debate and dyscorde. This euyl reporter oftentymes accuseth good [...]uerb. xxix. et. xxiiii. folkes / and they can not knowe from whens it cometh. But vnto that malycyous tongue shall happen many dolours / anguysshes and tormentes that soweth so vy­ciously dyscordes amonge true louers and neyghbours Tell me what is worse than a false reportour & detra [...] ­tour / veretably nothynge vnder the esperyes of heuen / There is nothynge more vyle and dyshonest / it is more horryble than tempest / for from his daūgerous mouth [...] yssueth wordes so cautellous and soo venymous that [...] maketh mortal woundes. If he knowe two true louer [...] or two men that be in good concorde / he shall neuer ha­ue Joye at his herte vnto the tyme that he haue ma [...] dyscencyon betwene them. O fooles mortelles the wh [...] ­che [...]. xxxii. [Page] vnder the vmbre of amyte maketh debate and stryf betwene two louers thrughe your false reporte and de­traccyon. And whan your falsnes is openly knowen ye excuse you in affermynge it by grete othes that ye be not the causer of the debate / and that ye neuer sayd thynge touchynge theyr dyshonoure / and soo by false reporte & dyssymylacyon ye holde true louers in dyscencyon / and euer by your flaterynge ye kepe them vp. O fallacyous detractours and reportours full of malyce and enuye / y^t procureth from daye to daye noyses and debates in euery place / and that by your tongue serpentine venymeth all the worlde. O cursed folke from whome yssueth dole and anguysshe: ye be not worthy for to lyue / for ye breke good alyaunce / ye ought for to be put in dure and aspre pryson / there to remayne for euer without lyght / for ye Prouerb. xix be not worthy to haue the lyght of lyfe.

[Page]

A Man the whiche wyll not be ruled by reasō and do after goood counsayll ought well to beholde this satyre / for he is a grete foole / & euylly aduysed that thynketh to be praysed of euery body / and renowmed a man reple­te with prudence / that is full of dyshonoure / but bycau­se that he wyll counterfet hymselfe and shewe hymself [...] dyscrete / well knowynge / cautell / and prudent in euer [...] thynge / he is maynteyned more folyssher than they th [...] whiche haue theyr vnderstondynge persecuted / be he [...] so cautellous as euer was Eenee / also wyse as Salam [...] [...]. xiiii. [...]. xi. also eloquent as Tullyus / also stronge as Sampson / [...] so dyscrete as Duyde / also pacyent as Job / also merc [...] full as Danyell / and also fayre as Absolon / yet yf he [...] Prouerb.. i. Ecclesia. xix. entached with presumpcyon he is of y^e fooles of our sh [...] [Page] for he dysprayseth the wyse mennes counsayll / and the good oppynyons that myght reuoke his wytte and en­force c. ne fuitaris. ex. de cons [...]. his actes. There be dyuers the whiche wolde wyn honour and bruyte in shewynge themselfe amonge dys­crete men also soone as they come from the scole / and by theyr eloquent wordes thynketh to be renowmed wyse men / and other good wyll they not acquyre / suche foo­les cleueth the erthe with a longe coulter. They laboure the mountaynes and the rockes thrughe the entysemēt of fooles / and byleueth soner theyr folysshe oppynyons than the decretes of the holy faders. O presumptuous foles that weneth for to haue assembled more prudence than the auncyent doctours / wyll ye byleue your appe­tyte ryght peruers and vnstable. I praye you occupye you for to rede of Pyrrus the whiche folysshly obeyed De pir [...]ho le g [...]tur in boc [...] de genea. deo li. xii. c. lii. Horrestes to his wyll in dysprysynge y^e counsayll of. prudent men / And saylled so longe vpon the see that he encoūtred hor restes the whiche dyde dyscomfyte hym and slewe hym without compassyon bycause that he maynteyned and kepte his wyfe. In lyke wyse yf the Troyens had byle­ued Troia. Hector. Achilles. Nero. Thobias. the prudent men and done after theyr counsayll / y^e Grekes had not dyspoyled and brente the noble cyte of Troye. O what harde aduersyte for to se so noble a cyte burne. Yf that Hector wolde haue byleued his fader he had not had the stroke with the spere that Achilles gaue hym wherof he deyed. O what losse. O what dōmage for to se so noble so valyaunt and so puyssaunt a knyght deye. Moreouer the cruell Neron that was soo peruers and so cruell / dysprysed the counsayll of the wyse men / wherfore lyke an inhumayne creature he slewe hymself with his propre handes. We haue also of Thobye y^e whiche charged his sone yf he wolde not suffre grete aduer­syte / [Page] that he sholde euer ensue the documente of wy­se and prudente men. And yet more ouer fynde we not of Roboam kynge Salamons sone how he wolde not Roboam. gyue credence vnto his faders seruauntes that were aū cyent men & moche dyscrete / but byleued his complyces counsayll that were yonge and frayle redy to all vyces. wherin he dyde not wysely / for he loste therby halfe the realme that his fader had succeded before hym / the whi­che was a grete shame and dyshonour vnto hym. Also I myght recounte vnto you dyuers newe examples y^t hathe ben done in oure tyme. For at this presente tyme there be many grete prynces that wyll not byleue y^e coū sayll of wyse and dyscrete men / but gyueth soner credē [...] regū. xii. Eccl. xiviii. ce vnto a grete sorte of lusty galauntes that wolde flee without wynges theyr busshes ben so curyously decked the whiche ben ruled and gouerned after theyr fantasy­es / and executeth none otherwyse reason than euen as it cometh fyrst in theyr mynde / wherof cometh full gre­te accydentes / harde tormentes / aspre mortalytes both by the dyuyne punycyon and by the sheddynge of blode with swerdes and glayues / grete oppressyon & greuaū ­ce / losse / destruccyon / suffrynge / and other infinyte euylles that procedeth of theyr folysshe counsayll. Suche folke draweth the ploughe and laboureth the erthe fo­lyshly euery daye.

BLynde fooles moundaynes approche you nere vnto this chapytre / and ye shall se dy­uerse thinges vtyle and prouffytable to the helthe of your soules / and for to withdrawe you oute of the shyppe of foles / yf so be that ye be entred therin by foysshe wanhope / for the prudente and wyse men hateth that vyce gretely amonge them And some fyxeth all theyr myndes in vyces and synne. Ecclesiā. i. [Page] Some hathe recours vnto vyces lyke as an olde dogge Mathei. vi. et. vii. hathe after a bytche that is in shaleur. Alas folkes hu­maynes and mortelles that ben all affusked with vyces and ben all a slepe to the regarde of the gyftes of lyfe / threnorū. [...]. Esa. lvi. Mathei. xv. Esaye. xiii. ii. et [...]. iii. As well the yonge as the olde haue theyr soules rauys­shed in vyces and vyle synne / the auncyent gyueth hym no more to do merytoryous werkes than the yonge fol­kes in a casuelte / but y^e yonge folkes ben so replete with pryde and other vyces that it is ryght tedyus to here recounted / for some be foure or fyue houres in pyckynge them or they can be redy / in behauynge them as hye prȳ ces / the other haue theyr bodyes inconstaunt / the other bereth odyfferus floures aboute them for to be swete / y^e other be past shame. Some whysteleth / y^e other syngeth Sapie [...]. xii. vytuperable songes / some be mouable as the wynde / y^e other ben as lyght as a fether / some be sone angry / and Jacobi. ii. some be appesed in an instaunte / the other kepeth scylence whan it is no nede / the other speke to often / the other be not contente with nothynge. Some there be that dysprayseth [...]. de into. cu. l. scire optet. all the doynges and saynges of the wyse and prudent men: and put theyr myndes and study for to cō ferme the operacyons of the fooles and to couere theyr lunatyke werkes that be so vyle and dyshonest / they do nothynge by ordre / but be replenysshed with dyscordes and debates. Theyr folysshe thought tormenteth theyr maners and maintene / erroure affusketh and blyndeth theyr eyen in suche wyse that they remayne without vertues lyke bestyall fooles. He the whiche excercyseth his studye for to replenysshe hym with good and vertuous condycyons / without cōmysynge of ony vyllayne case / in contynuynge alway in goodnes / shal prospere in grace / and shall be gretely eleuate in honoure / for y^t whiche [Page] they do is replete with doctryne and prudence. Also the wyse men saye that there is nothynge in the worlde soo Sapien. vi. pleasaunt vnto our lorde Ihesu cryst as vertuous ope­racyons for that bryngeth a man vnto honour and prosperyte / it is reherced by the wyse men how that our sapyence Psal. [...]x. hathe good lyfe and good condycyons / and by fere and shame none dothe lyghtly amys / for he doubteth al perylles that myght falle. Probate constaunce and ver­tues ben the laude of folke in theyr youthe / and in aege prosperyte & welfare. Peas in lyke wyse recomforteth all the humaynes in theyr lyfe / and causeth them to dye well and merytoryously.

[Page]

BE ye not ygnoraunt of my saynges monday ne folkes that gouerneth Justyce / but com­prehende sapientie. v. well my documente and techynge / to the ende that whan ye wolde Juge ony bo Ecclesia. xi. by / that ye haue remembraūce of myn ensyg­nementes. Ecc [...]ia. xii. He the whiche alwaye seketh occasyon bowe that he myght oppresse his poore subgectes and [...]centes ꝓuerbi. iii. et. xi. without reason and ryght / is reputed a foole / a cru­ell felon / and a malycyous Juge. O folysshe Juge open Patroc [...]s. Hector. Achilles. thyn eres and entende to me yf thou wylt not be accur­sed / god wyll not that thou oppresse by thy false Juge­ment the innocentes and iuste men / and that proude la­wes thou pronounce not agaynst hym / for & thou doo y^u [Page] dampneth thyn owne soule. O how he is an euyll man Bocatius de gene. deo. li. xii. ca. lii. that seketh occasyon to hurte his frende. O what outra­ge / for the true degre of amyte is for to haue pyte y^e one of the other without dyssymulacion. And do them prouf fyte and pleasure / and to desyre to kepe y^e sayd acquayntaunce. Alas at this present tyme suche honest alyaunce and loue is no more amonge men. All is corrumped / for there is no more loue in grece as hathe ben. Take ensample humayne creatures of Patroclus that was slayne by Hector bycause that he had praysed the guysarmes of Achylles / whiche wolde haue Justed agaynst the Tro­yens. But Achylles came adoubed with al his armes in to y^e batayl for to auenge his good frende Patroclus / & he dyde so moche that he founde Hector takynge a prysoner / and whan he espyed hym he couched his spere and ranne hym in at the foundemente as he was takynge vp his prysoner and slewe hym. And after he bounde hȳ [...]ilades. Horrestes. vnto his horse tayle by derysyon / and trayled hym afore the castell of ylyon in y^e syght of his fader. Then he kep­te Her narrat theodosius vt refert bo­catius de ge­nealo. deorū. libro. xii. capi pitu. xx. his body at the sepulcre of Patroclus by the space of twelue dayes and more / and in this maner he reuenged the dethe of his frende Patroclus. Consyder more ouer the hystorye of Horrestes that was kynge Agamenons sone / how after that Egistus by the exhortacyon and sterynge of his moder Clitemestra hadde slayne his fader. By Electra his syster he was delyuered oute of Astro­phylle Hanc hystori am pomt va­lerius. li. iiii. capt. vi. for to saue hym frome dethe / for they wolde ha­ue slayne hym. Horrestes knowynge that y^e thynge wente so / he thought that he wolde be auenged vpon his mo­der Clytemestra and vpon the thefe Egisteus. And soo whan he had auenged the dethe of his fader Agamenon he became all frantyke & madde so y^t it was grete pyte / [Page] For alwaye hym thought that he saue his moder in flā ­bynge fyre and enuyronned with hedeous serpentes / y^e whiche wolde haue slayne hym. ¶ Whan Pylades that was his perfyte frende sawe hym in suche inconuenyence / he promysed hym faythfully that he wolde neuer ha­bandonne hym vnto the tyme that he were guarysshed So longe they wente by theyr Journeys that they ar­ryued in the yle of Colchos / and there founde the tem­ple of y^e goddesse Dyane / whan theyr prayers were do­ne and fynysshed / Horrestes receyued guaryson of his maladye / and neuer after that he sawe no more that y^e whiche he had sene before / and that was by his loyall fe­lowe that accomplysshed his auowe so truely. We rede also of Amon and of the good Pythyas that were so go Demades. Pithias Scipio. Lelius. valerius li. &c. supradic. Hercules. de felowes and frendes / for Denys the cruell tyraunte wolde haue put one of them to dethe / wherfore his felo­we wolde not accorde therto / for the one was contente to suffre dethe for the other. In semblable wyse we haue example of Scypyon ryght excellent domynatour of sodomy and Lybye that loued Lelyus so feruently that y^e memorye redoundeth yet vnto this daye. Beholde we also the grete loue that Theseus had vnto Pyrrothus / ouidius & lac­tantius nar­rāt vt refert boca. de. ge. deo. li. ix. c. xxxiiii. Prouer [...].10. xiii. &. xxix. that for to rauysshe Proserpyne goddesse of helle / transported hym in to the cauerne / and whan Cerberus the porter of helle sawe Pyrrothus / anone he slewe hym. Theseus was taken prysoner by Pluto god of helle / the whiche made hym be bounden in a spelunke. Hercules aduertysed of the trouthe descended in to helle / and va­ynquysshed all / and bounde Cerberus with thre chay­nes / and after vnbounde Theseus and ledde hym away maugre all the enhabytauntes therin. By this we may vnderstonde the amyte of Theseus / and the pyte of Hercules [Page] that dyde socoure hym. Suche frendes be no mo­re in course / the tyme of loue is passed / for euery body entendeth to his synguler prouffyte / there is noo more fayth nor lawe in this worlde / to the moyen of this I cō clude that our volente and courage is worse than a spe­re trauersynge some body / for we haue neyther felycyte nor loue / but soner crudelyte reygneth amonge vs / for the whiche cause it is no meruayll thoughe aduersyte do myne vpon vs that be voyde of benygnyte.

[Page] GOod chrysten men I supply you with al my herte that ye retayne this that shall be reher­ced vnto you here after folowynge / for vere­tably it is ryght prouffytable vnto vs. They that by wanhope wyll not gyue credence vn­to the auncyent scryptures be fooles / seynge that they dysprayse the parables and wordes of the prophetes the i. ad thymo. iiii. whiche proceded from the dyuynyte. They desyre more soner to rede playes / tryfles / and fables / than to here y^e documentes and techynges of good men / that hath had euer god in reuerence and honoured the heuens. They flee the holy scryptures / and the force of the fayth / by y^e whiche y^e synful soule myght be preserued Suche folkes Ecclesia. ii. Marci. xvi. Johannis. iii hathe none enuye to lyue honestly lyke creatures / but lyke as vnreasonable beestes / thynkynge that there is no god / and that there is none habytacyon so noble and ex­cellent as this myserable worlde / and fereth nothynge Psalm. xiii. the meruayllous dedes of our lorde Ihesu cryst / all the payne is lost y^t is done for to teche them how they sholde gouerne them / for they wyll do nothynge at all / saue to dyspyse it. Whan ony body telleth them of the goodnes of heuen / of the precyous treasours / of the blessyd aun­gelles / of the archaungelles / of the cherubynes / of the potestates / of the thrones / of the ordres / and of the holy syeges aourned and replenysshed with holy sayntes / as wel men as women / martyrs confessours and vyrgyns And that is more ouer / whan one reherseth to them the wayes vnto helle / the cursed treasours ryght stynkyng replete with playntes / and with infynyte euylles / enuy ronned with floodes all enuenymed / certaynly it is pay­ne lost / for theyr harde hertes obstynate vnto god may not be molefyed. What auayleth menaces vnto fooles / [Page] who wolde trauayle his body and herte for to rede vpon Psalmꝰ. xci. so many dyuers bookes / for to recyte vnto them chapy­tres / lawes / holy scryptures / the ensygnementes of the puer. xxiii. prophetes is nothynge worthe to them / for they ben soo vnhappely molefyed / so affusked and hardened / y^t hygh puerb. xii. brayenge / and hye cryenge auayleth to them nothynge Luce. xvi. for they wyll not byleue nor kepe the scryptures of the fayth / nor the commaundementes of the lawe. The po­re fooles be not aferde for to go in to the infernall pyt of helle / there to endure paynes intollerable / harde cryes / and tormentes inhumayne. O poore fole thou seeth wel ynoughe yf thou be not a slepe afore thy fete the mouynge / the gylted doctrynes of our fayth / the lawes of olde antyquyte / and the tryumphes of our lorde. Thynkest thou that thyn ygnoraunce shall excuse thyn erroures / (no) but shall cause the for to be plonged in the infernal pytte with the dampned. Syth it is so that euery body studyeth for to lyue vycyously / they maye well perceyue De cogna. spiri. c. cum vir in anti. that god almyghty the whiche Jugeth the wycked and the cruell that wyll not amende theyr lyues in this transytory and mortall worlde / shall gyue them horryble tormentes in helle / where as they shall remayne in euer­lastynge payne. Without the seynge of ony lyght or daye that euer was create. Ecclesia. iii.

AWake your spyrytes fooles vnpuruayed y^t is alway slombrynge in thynges transytory and remembreth not the felycyte of thy sou­le. [...]uerb. xiiii. By cause that I knowe that there is ma­ny dyuers fooles in this worlde errynge frō the way of veryte I haue grete wyll for to reduce them vnto the hye waye / to y^e ende that they adnychyll theyr insacyate erroures ryght daungerous. The ygnoraunt [Page] vnpuruayed of wytte and reason / that neuer thynketh on the thynges to come yf by aduenture there come ony fortune to hym / he wyll saye. Alas I thought not that suche a fortune sholde haue befallen me. And whan the Seneca. fortune is passed they studye how they myght eschewe it / to y^e ende y^t they appese theyr sorowe. [...]e must not al waye thynke on the tyme present / but on the tyme future Eccle. xxxiii. as well / for the wyse man seeth the thynges to come. and the foole full of vnpurueyaūce shytteth the stable dore whan the horse is stolen. He hathe his vnderston­dynge ryghte good that puruayeth hym for the tyme to come / for he maye eschewe all daungers peryllous / and shall be sure at all seasons / in prouydynge for the tyme future. Yf Adam had taken regarde vnto the dyshonoure Salustius. Adam. Eua. and shame that happened to hym & Eue before that they had eten of the forboden fruyte / our lorde wolde neuer haue dryuen them out of paradyse terrestre / by who me our auncyent faders that ben dy sceased haue wepte theyr synnes by y^e space of many yeres. In lyke wyse yf Jonathas hadde byleued Triphon whan he arryued in Jonathas. i. mach abeo­rum. xii. Bethsan and hadde thought on his myshappe / that as his propre seruaunt habandoned hym all his goodes / of the whiche Jonathas toke grete gyftes / yf that he had not lefte the grete multytude of his folke / & that he had not ben vnder the coloure of alyaunce with Triphon at Triphon. his affyaunce accompanyed with a fewe folke in the cy­te of Ptholomayde / he and his people had not ben slayn by treason in the forsayd cyte by grete torment and an­guysshe. We fynde also of Cezar that was soo strongly Julius cesat. imperator. redoubted: bycause that he was dredde and fered in eue­ry straūge place / & a man of grete counsayll. But whan he was at rest and tranquylyte / his prudence lefte hym. [Page] for yf he had redde the chartre that was presented befo­re the senate with a dyscrete wytte and sadde reason / he had not procured the interyt / for after that he muste ne­des deye. ¶ yf Nychanor had well edefyed and founded Nichanor. i. macha. vii. his werke / he hadde not ben dystroyed by Judas and the men of Israhell / the iugement was ryght fyerse & cruell / for his heed was smyten of / and his false tongue drawen oute of his heed and gyuen vnto the byrdes for to ete. And after that they smote of the hande y^e whiche had menaced the house of god. He wolde vnder the vm­bre of amyte haue slayne Judas by treason. wherto god wolde prouyde a remedye / for he and all his retynewe was slayne there and destroyed vtterly. The whiche is an euydente example to vs for to haue aspecte and remē braunce of the ende / and of that the whiche myght hap­pen afterwarde. ¶ He the whiche hathe moche sene in y^e tyme paste / and hathe prouyded for the tyme to come / taketh the dysposycyons of the creatour ryght Joyous­ly in euery place. And for the good remembraunce & me­mory that he hathe had of the tyme future / he is dygne / and worthy for to haue grete laude and praysynge / for we se from daye to daye many folkes that endure grete Pro [...]erbio. ii. [...] xiii. aduersytees / bycause that they had no cogytacyon / nor memorye of that the whiche was to come. O poore and ryght myserable fooles haue regarde vnto the tyme co­mynge / and make prouysyon therfore / yf that ye wyll not haue aspre aduersyte.

POore folkes absented from al felycite open your eyen the whiche ben deiecte from y^e lu­mynayre Eccl. xi. Ouidius [...] reme. amor [...] Troia. Priamus. Paris. Helena. and lyght celestyall / and lyfte vp your hertes vnto my doctryne / as wel olde as yonge / and men as women of what estate so euer ye be / and rede this chapytre / and ye shall ha­ue intellygence in what estate ye be in. Uenus that is y^e conductour of cupydo holdeth all louers in her bondes. [Page] He is a foole that dystempereth hymselfe / and putteth hym in the waye of lamentacyons / of dystresse / of myse ryes / and of dolours / and submytteth them in y^e seruyce of this lady. O how many excellent cytees hathe venus destroyed and brought to nought by her concupyscence. She hathe caused & empesshed many folke from theyr prosperyte and welfare. We rede of full many aūcyent men and women that hathe ben wounded by her of the darte of her swete sone Cupydo. By her ben happened many euylles. The Troyens hathe ben poore and dolo­rous by her exhortacyon / and theyr noble cyte that was soo strongly fortefyed with walles & dytches dystroyed and brente. The septre of kynge Pryam that was soo tryumphaunt was casten downe / and all for the luxury of the fayre Parys y^t rauysshed Helayne. O harde mor­sure that for pleasure mondayne suffred suche ruyne & destruccyon. Was it not grete pyte that soo noble a cyte was destroyed for suche a cause. Also after that Marcꝰ Anthonyus had vaynquysshed the Persyens and that Marcus an­thonius. he had borne awaye the pryce / as he retorned he was ra uysshed in the loue of Cleopatra / that promysed hym y^e Cleopatra. empyre of Rome / the whiche made his men for to arme them / and made prepayre two hondred shyppes garnysshed with arowes and dartes for to conquere the empyre of Rome. But Cezar made for to enquere of the folys she purpose of this louer. And dyscomfyted hym and all his men / wherthrugh he vndyde hymselfe in the cyte of Alexandre bycause y^t they wolde not take hym to mer­cy. ¶ And within a lytell whyle after Cleopatra in gre­telamentacyons and sorowes made herself to be trans­ported vnto the cyte of Alexandre besyde her louer marcus Anthonyus by two serpentes y^t she put to her pap­pes [Page] / and there shedde her bloode excessyuely without y^e conforte of ony body / and deyed besyde her louer. If the se two louers had maynteyned and contynued in chasty te they hadde not deyed so myserably. He that applyeth his tyme in loue hathe no reason / he is without lawe / & all euyll redoundeth vnto hym. The puyssaunce of Ue­nus Ouidius. is suche that who that serueth her in loue is euer oppressed with dolour [...] and bytter rage. He is not holden Prouer. v. for a prudent man that wyll not eschewe the darte y^t he sholde be persecuted with. He sheweth hymselfe neuer constaunt that supporteth with all his mynde Uenus / & her sone Cupido. And who that is smyten by her can not dyssymyle neuer soo moche but that it [...]s knowen in theyr vysage. Whan Theseus was in helle Phedra was Theseus. Phedre. ypolitus. rauysshed in the loue of ypolytus / the whiche wolde not loue suche a lady. Wherfore she was ryght angrye / and accusedhym to her husbande / saynge y^t ypolytus wolde haue taken her by force. ¶ Fynably this ypolytus was quartred & drawen at foure horses tayles. And after y^t he was deed she confessed that they had put hym wrong fully to deth. And then for veray poore sorowe and dys­conforte she strangled herselfe pyteously. We rede also of Pasyphyle that by ardaunt concupyscence had a doo Pasipha. Dedalus. minotaurus. Nero. with a bulle / for Dedalus composed a cowe of wodde / and couered it with a cowes skynne / and put Pasyphy­le therm / and then made her to go aboute y^e courte / and the bulle chaufed hym so that he engendred on Pasyphy le a monstre that was halfe a man and halfe a bulle na­med Mynotaure. Neron also the cruel man opened his moders belly: and dyd with his good noble moder by his cruelte ryght vyllayne his sensuall wyll / bycause that he wolde se the place of his nayssaunce & byrthe. Also Mes­salyna [Page] for her pleasaunce & concupyscence carnall wen­te Messalina. et lassata viris nun (quam) satiata remansit. euery nyght to the bordell secretely / and with whome someuer she hadde ado with she was neuer contente nor pleased. And whan the mornynge came / and that y^e day began to sprynge / she departed with suche an ardaunte hete that it is grete horroure for to here it recounted. For Uenus by the reporte of the poetes helde her in her bondes / bycause that she had seruyd loue all the days of her lyfe / the whiche was to her grete shame and dysho­nour. Wherfore let these examples remayne euermore in your hertes. And folowe no more the scole of the god of loue / for who that ensueth it / lyueth euer in sorowe & dystresse / for it is destruccyon of all good vertues and o­peracyons / as well to the man as to the woman. O fo­lysshe louers that ben all plonged in the profoundenes of this vyle and abhomynable synne without hauynge aspecte vnto the saluacyon of thy poore soule. For also longe as the goddesse Uenus holdeth the in her handes of loue / y^u liuest as an vnreasonable beest / in takynge all thy solace for to thynke on thy lady in loue. Thou for getest god and all his commaundementes / in seruynge her as thy god. O what an vnresonable foole is he that putteth a [...] his Joye and delyte in a vyle carcas that is so corrupte with all vyces. ¶ I adde here to the abhomy­nable b [...]ns that synneth agaynst god and nature / In au [...]. vt non luxu. contra natu. cola. vi. and agaynst al the courte celestyal of paradyse / this vn­happy synne is so vyle and abhomynable that after the scrypture whan it is spoken of it infecteth y^e ayer euery man ought to abhorre it / for the vyndycacion [...]th on them before god and to borne them as he d [...] Sodome and Gomor [...]e. [...]. [...].

AMonge you mondayne fooles that synneth on the mercy of god / rest you vpon this lecture / for it shall prouffyte you gretely. Now at this present tyme I shall recounte vnto you Daniel. iii. de. pe. dis. q [...]. d [...]. of the fooles that by theyr foly empessheth y^e salute of theyr poore soules. All thynges that ben vycy­ous maculeth this worlde / for they be so folyssh & puers [Page] that they dysprayse the holy lawes / and the decretalles without ony punysshement / but ben garnysshed with euylles and synnes / and sayth that god is mercyful vn­to xciiii. di. dia. de. pe. di. vii. euery body / and executeth no grete Jugement on the synnes of this worlde / but remytteth them facylly / and Ecclesia. v. sayth that he is so swete & amyable that he thynketh not of the mysdedes done in erthe / and hathe no cure therof p̄s. lxxxv. and that it suffyseth for to haue alwaye good esperaun­ce and hope. And also that it is a thynge humayne for to p̄s. cv. synne / and that our predecessours dyde coueyte delytes and that it cometh and procedeth of nature / and that o­ne can not absteyne them And sayth more ouer that our Ecclesia. i. faders were attached as we be with euylles and synnes and that it is no newe thynge for to commytte so many euylles. But it were better & more expedyent for theym for to be vnreasonable beestes than to holde and sustay­ne Exodi. xx. Sodoma. suche preposycyons / for the euylles of our faders ha­the ben greuously punysshed in tymes paste. None can not deny this / that alwaye the payne ensueth the synne for Sodome by luxurye was sette on fyre / and Rome in Roma. lyke wyse by pryde. Was not kynge Pharaon also pu­nysshed for the grete oppressyons that he dyde vnto the Pharao. Sapien. v. Job. xxi. Ecclesia. ix. Luce. x. Ps [...]. xlvii. Sapien. i. chyldren of Israhell. Knowe that the hye Juge the whiche is eternell gyueth space and tyme oftentymes for to amende them in this wretched worlde / what some euer sȳnes they haue commytted and done. And punyssheth not the synnes alwaye / but yet he shall execute his Ju­gement / and punysshe theym ryght cruelly with all the deuylles of helle. And notwithstandynge that his grace is innumerable and without ende / yet neuerthelesse he shall excercyse his Justyce / & shall do euery body ryght / And yf that he punysshe vs durynge our vycyousnes / [Page] knowe that we shall se ourselfe empesshed in the infer­nall pyt of helle after our dyscease. O people the whiche Esaye. i. putteth your confydence to moche in the thynges aboue sayd note well these wordes and knowe that the kynge of kynges that regneth in the eternall habytacyon whiche Deute. xxiii. neuer shall fayle / wyll iuge euery body after his de­serte be it good or euyll / and yf ye kepe euer your errour Ecc [...]iasti. i. he shall sende you in to the pytte of helle.

[Page] I Praye you for to note well these wordes that ben reherced here agaynste folysshe buylders that by vaynglorye maketh to begynne grete xxii. q. ii. sit ar. Ecc [...]. xxi. edefyces / and be lefte vnfynysshed for lacke of money / for he that begynneth a grete edefyce without hauynge aspecte vnto the fyne is a foole / for he is so replenysshed with foly that he taketh no regarde to Hiere. xxii. the tyme that passeth as the wynde. The man that is well instructe edefyeth no gretter werkes than his goo­des may extende to / nor than he maye easely perfourme For fyrste he consydereth his fynaunce and rentes yf y^t he haue mony ynoughe for to fynysshe it with. By this moyen he fyndeth hymself well / for I fynde by the aun­cyentes that there hathe ben but fewe y^t hathe edefyed grete places and houses but that they were almoost des­troyed or that they were al fynysshed. And repented thē that they had begonne so grete edefyces as Nabucho­donosor dyde that dyspended all his fynaunce for to edefye Nabuchodo­nosor. Daniel. iiii. Nembroth. genesis. x. the cyte of Babyloyne. After hym there befell grete dōmage / as Danyell recounted vnto hym afore his de­the / wherfore he was ryght dolente whan he suffred grete torment for the edefyenge of the same cyte. Also Nē ­broth wolde haue buylded vnto heuen the greate toure of confusyon / whereas was made the dyuersytes of langages / by the whiche moyen th [...] werke abode vnfynys­shed. Who that wyll buylde and make grete edefyces / fayre castelles / and ynnes ought for to haue grete foysō of golde and syluer for to make it with or elles his ynne shall abyde vnfynysshed / [...] euery body shall mocke hym yf that he fynysshe it not clene oute / and call hym a grete foole. Wherfore ye ought for to esche we suche grete f [...] lye: and begynne no maner of [...] yf that ye haue not [Page] moneye ynoughe for to fynysshe it with / for it is one of the pryncypall thynges that bryngeth a man vnto po­uerte and destruccyon as we may se euydently. There was but fewe in olde antyquyte that durste begynne o­ny grete edefyce for fere that they sholde not haue had fynaunce ynough for to haue fynysshed it with. Euen so as Lucullus dyd that was so resplendy [...]ihynge in excel­lence. Also Crassus the moost rychest that myght be foū den / the Lacullus. Crassus. whiche for to proue his rychesse aroused the fles she assyryques with blode by grete faytes merytoryous As it is noted in bookes whoo that hathe volente for to make grete operacyons sholde be dyscrete and wyse / in Salustius. rekenynge how moche the edefyce myght cost hym / and how moche golde and syluer he hathe / for otherwyse the ecclesiasti. iii. werke sholde stande vnfynysshed and then wolde euery body mocke hym / and the expences that he hadde done vpon the sayd edefyce sholde be lost / the whiche were in oughe for to destroye a man / it were better ne [...]er to be­gynne a thynge than for to leue it vnfynisshed / for a mā lyueth euer after in dyspleasaunce. Who that edefyeth in this maner of wyse / is mocked oftentymes of dyuers folkes. And that also the whiche is founde [...] of newe / & In auctenti. de non alie. aut permu. colla. ii. after is founden by aege is put [...] perdycyon and is by theyr aege consumed as it is sayd in ecclesiasti [...]ue in the thyrde chapytre / and also it is wryten in the [...]uctentiques.

LOke that ye fayle not to come vnto our shyp folysshe lunatyke glotons that nyght & daye gormaundeth and glouteth without remyssyon / approche nere & herken what I shall say [...] vnto you / for it shall prouffyte you moche y [...] c. [...]rapula. de. vi. & ho. cle [...]. [...]x. that ye take good hede therto. The foole that mounteth in to our shyp draweth no where but vnto good wynes and vnto delycious metes / he glouteth in to his vyle ca [...] [Page] cas dyuers metes delycyous / he replenyssheth his body and incontynent voydeth it out agayne / it abydeth not And other good wyll they not do but rence pottes and Esaye. v. Ecclesia. zi. vesselles. Suche folkes drynketh lyke sponges / and ol­de bootes. They kepe the fattes of Bachus / myghty wyne maketh them to falle lyke swyne. They be oftenty­mes seke / they fynde no dyfference in nothynge. Dethe De [...]se. disti. nōe [...]nta [...]a­tales. O [...]ee. z. &. ri. tricesima [...]n­ta distinc. vi. nolentum. ꝓuer. xxuu. ꝓuerb. ro. trices ma [...]n­ta distīctione luxuria ī pro­uer [...]. io vltīo tricesima [...]n­ta distictiōe. cap [...]'o vltīo. Horodotus. procedeth oftentymes by to grete excesse of mete & drinke. These grete repastes withdraweth the synewes frō the body / and maketh dyuers noyses & debates. Wha [...] one hathe his heed troubled by to moche drynkynge / y^e bloode / the spyryte / and y^e vnderstandynge is corrump­ted and adnychylled / the goodes ben despended outra­geously / and there is no vertue nor vnderstandyng but that it is adnychylled and corrumpted. Dyuers ben dede before theyr dayes by to moche excesse of mete / and drynke. Dronkennes engendreth all euylles and dyshonoure vnto creatures. They lyue without lawe in customes dyshonest vyle and abhomynable / in lechery / and debates / [...]e the one / and smyte the other / this is the de­lyte of malycyous glotons and dronkerdes / whan they haue well dronken they ben replenysshed with hote hu­mours / and that prouoketh them to commyt the synne of lechery / and to be furyous and apte vnto all vyces / withoute makynge fyne of ony thynge. Dronkennesse corrumpeth all good meurs and condycyons / and ma­keth the men to be detractours / and causeth them for to make relacyon of all thynges secrete / of whiche proce­deth innumerable euylles. There is nothynge more excecrable than glotonye. Suche thynges rendreth a man [...]yrus. Thomirus. Justi. li. i. Quintus [...] cius. mate. Cyrus had not vayn [...]uysshed Thomirus yf that he hadde not dronken to moche / the sayd chylde y^t was [Page] elouen: And also the grete kynge Alexander whan he Alexander eccle. ii. & decimo. & si christ de iur [...] iu [...]n ex. tricesima [...]n­ta distinctio­ne. lu. was dronke wolde put his chefe lordes and frendes vnto dethe / and all was cause of the wyne. Notwithstan­dynge y^t I wyll not saye euyll of the wyne / but of them that taketh of it to excessyuely / for there is maner in e­uery thynge without takynge it to glotonously / for the wyne that is taken moderatly neuer hurteth no body / butencourageth the spyrytes / and comforteth all the body. Wherfore he the whiche drynketh without mesure / by to grete excesse / and eteth delycyous metes haboun­dauntly and outrageously / is vyle and dyshonest before our lorde Ihesu cryst / and all y^e hole company of heuen And for the grete excesse of mete and drynke that he hathe made in this valey of mysery / and bycause that he wolde not gyue that the whiche he had to moche & ma­de waste of / vnto the poore nedy that lyueth in greate calamyte and mysery here / he shall be fedde in the infer­nall palus with the metes that is mynystred vnto the vyle glotons / that is todes / & snakes / and drynke boy­lynge lede & brymstone. ¶ O incensyfe glotons & dron­kerdes that delyteth you in good wynes and delycyous metes / in takynge of them to outrageously / consyder ye not the poore folkes nedy / & the grete punycyon god.

[Page]

YE maye lerne here good doctryne folysshe ryche men that loueth almoost your ryches better than god: come hether lyke as ye wolde do to the banke / for here ye may prouffy­te moche / for it is grete foly for to haue soo [...]rdaunt a desyre vnto the rychesse and treasours of this wretched worlde / and for to haue so grete solace in your luce. xvi. [...]uer. xxvii. ho. ii. ser [...]. hertes for to assemble and gadre it. But at this day it is accounted more wysdome for to assemble rychesse than scyence / and goodes ben more set by than good meurs / [...]ertue is no more loued / for haboundaūce of goodes ha he confoūded vertuous hertes, yf one haue grete trea­ [...]ours he shall haue alyaunce in the courte / & shall be ex­ [...]lted Oui. i. [...]a. ꝓuer. xiiii. Juuenalis. Ecc [...]ia. xiii. ꝓuerbio. xix. Psal. xxxvi. for the loue of his rychesse. The gr [...]te haboundaū ­ [...]e of rychesse confoundeth the soules / the poore folkes [...]en neuer honoured / and that more is they demaunde [Page] neuer of what crafte they be of / but yf he be ryche & ha­ue grete rentes / yf there be a poore dyscrete man / they demaunde not after hym / for were he also prudente as euer was saynt poule / yf he haue no grete foyson of mo­ney he is nought set by / for and he swore neuer so depely by god and his sayntes / they wolde not byleue hym soo sone as the ryche man for one onely worde. It semeth vnto suche fooles that the poore men ben exyled frome god / and that theyr abhomynable synnes ben soner per­doned of our lorde than y^e poore mennes. The mageste dyuyne suffreth that the folysshe mondaynes doo ga­d [...]e rychesfe / and to haue the renowne vpon the erthe. To the ryche men is sente hares / connyes / buckes / and doos / and all maner of wylde foule. And in to the house of a poore man there is neuer nothynge brought. ¶ Ha Ecclesia. iiii. p̄s. xxxviii. Amos. ii. Prouer. xi. Mathei. xix. Mathei. x. famyne of golde neuer sacyate y^t destroyeth good ver­tues & good operacyons. Couetyse of goodes is one of y^e large wayes to helle / whiche ought to be eschewed. Alas what maye it prouffyte vnto the auarycyous man that euer gadereth and assembleth / and lyke a mouthe that is famysshed hathe neuer ynough. The syluer that thou gaderest shall not saue the / but after thy dethe thyn hey­res shall be at dyscorde for it. Neuerthelesse I wyll not saye that the syluer is noysome / for it is ryght necessary vnto the good men that dothe vertuous operacyons [...] all / and dystrybuteth it vnto the poore folkes / to y^e chir­ches / and to wedowes / and poore maydens vnmaryed but to hym that wyll not employe it in good operacyōs nor do good vnto the poore folkes / but spendeth it after his folysshe appetyte where as it can prouffyte nothyn­ge. Alas how shalt thou do poore fole whan thou must gyue acountes before the hye Juge eternall / that wyll [Page] saye vnto the. Bycause thou wolde not gyue of thy goo­des to the poore people / thou shall go in to payne eternel And he that gyueth in my name vnto the poore nedy / Luce. xii. Thobie. [...]ii. shall come vnto my kyngdome / and remayne with me in Joye perdurable.

[Page] UNto you seruaūtes I must speke / that wyl serue two maysters / certaynly ye abuse you for yf so be y^t ye haue two maysters / ye shall Mathei. vi. [...]. [...]i. Eccl. iii. Compatio. Glo. i. l. i. c. de as. xvi. q. i. pres. byter. haue more affercyon vnto the one than vn­to the other / your folysshe vnderstondynge deceyueth you / for one can not serue in one instaunt bo­the god and the deuyll. Come and hunte in this forest where as ye maye take some good doctryne to aourne your soule with / for he is gretely replenysshed with fo­ly that thynketh for to serue god [...]stely and the worlde also / as he the whiche taketh excessyue payne wenynge for to serue two maysters and please them bothe. Also y^e hunter that enforseth hymselfe for to take two hares / with one greyhounde leseth his payne / and happeneth oftentymes that he taketh nothynge at all. As the ser­uaunt that thynketh for to serue two maysters and be agreable to thē bothe / he neyther pleaseth the one nor y^e other. In lykewyse he hytteth the butte veray late that bendeth many bowes. Also he the whiche taketh many offyces in charge / and wyll obserue and kepe them eue­rychone as they sholde be / it is ryght defycyle to gouer­ne them ryght wysly / and do nothynge but that whiche is excepte honest. Truely he corrumpeth his owne hede in thynkynge on one place / and other / and to doo this & y^t. It is impossyble y^t his sensuall wyt may comprehen­de / and haue so many dyuerse cogytacyons in an instaū te / and execute them as they sholde be / he hathe not one good houre of rest in a hole weke / whether that he be at the chyrche herynge masse / or that he be at home at hys dyner / or in the feldes / ete he or drynke he his thoughte is euer vpon his werkes that he hathe to do. He can not brynge all his thoughtes to a good conclusyon and ende [Page] be he neuer so wyse and prudent For he must go vpon y^e see and vpon y^e lande / trauersynge here and there / that with grete payne may he vpholde two offyces / for he y^t wyll encheue many thynges must be constaunt. And yf that he wyll please many folkes / he muste be humble & occupy fayre speche. And yf there come ony aduersyte vnto hym he muste take it pacyently thankynge god of all / and be nothynge abasshed. The noble men ought to ca. diuer [...]s de cleri. cōin. vse eloquent langage to y^eende y^t it myght please them y^t they speke to. He ought to salue euery body / & not to be angry with none / yf that he wyll be beloued of euery bo Ecclesia. v. by / for he muste make hymselfe be byloued of euery mā bycause of the grete charge that he bereth. He taketh no reste in no maner of wyse for thynkynge on his goodes. and taketh grete payne for to gouerne his offyces / but all is in vayne / for he dampneth his owne soule / by to moche thynkynge vpon his affayres / for his mynde is so inwardly fyxed vpon his peysaunt charge that he thyn­keth not vpon god nor his sayntes. As touchynge suche fooles I wyll deporte me & holde my pease for this pre­sente tyme / but it were better to serue well & truely one ca. [...] sing [...]a de. prebem. [...] vi. octuagesi­manona disti­cti. c. i. E [...]i. i. et. ii. good mayster / and make hym be byloued of hym / than for to haue volente for to serue so many and at the laste to be in the euyl grace of euery body / and in lyke wyse for to lese and consume his tyme in esperaunce and hope for to purchace moo.

OBstynate hertes and tongues serpentynes that is euer babelynge and bakbytynge be­hynde ones backe / ye trappe all beestes na­turel Prouer. xiii. [...]s. cxxxix. Ecclesia. ix. Jacobi. iii. Ecc [...]a. v. / aswell byrdes as serpentes. And eue­ry thynge humayne may be chastysed / but the malycious tongue of a in [...] or o [...] a woman that is so venymous can not be chastysed / it maculeth and defoy­leth all the body / for who that kepeth theyr mouthes k [...] [Page] peth theyr soules. Wherfore malycyous tongues brydel you with this doctryne / for a stroke w^t an euyll tongue is more aspre and daungerous / than a stroke with a spere He the whiche speketh to moche and hathe to many vayne wordes is a grete foole / wherfore cometh he not in to our folys she shyppe. Come quyckely for to gouerneour saylles / auaunce you fooles that speketh to moche / auale your dyspytous langages Dyuerse foles there be that delyteth them in cursed langage / ymagynynge fal­se fables behynde theyr neyghbours backe / rehersynge dyuerse thynges that ought not to be rehersed. It were better for them to haue theyr mouthes closed vp for euer than with the venymous darte of enuy to hurte ony bo­dy with theyr euyll speche / in babelynge without refray nynge of theyr tongues by the whiche of tentymes pro­cedeth in the courte grete dyuysyon / noyses / molestacy­cyons / myseryes & calamytes. Suche folkes haue ma­de dyuerse tymes warre bytwene emperoures / kynges Prouer. xvii digito compe see labellum. dukes / and erles / and they haue moued the hertes of noble men vnto tyranny and crudelyte. O what mestymable perylles happeneth by suche malycyous tongues / y^t Juuenalis. of theyr owne volente answereth or they be requyred.: / There is dyuerse fooles that delyteth them for to speke vycyously for y^e vaynglorye that they haue of theyr lan­gage / in reioysynge them of theyr babelynge and clate­rynge. Suche folkes haue oftentymes grete inconueni­entes Job. xv. ꝓuer. xviii. mere. xviii. Osce. vii. and euylles / but this notwithstandȳge theyr cur­sed tongues constrayneth them ryght often for to sup­porte many accydentes and euylles of rage scomfyte. / Tell me than daungerous fooles wherof this vycyous langage serueth you / this claterynge / this babelynge / & vayne wordes / truely of nothynge. Whan suche folkes [Page] do go to confessyon theyr speche faylleth them / ye in su­che wyse that they can not open theyr mouthes for to declare theyr vyle and abhomynable synnes vnto y^t preest And it happeneth oftentymes y^t whan they wolde spe­ke god closeth theyr mouthes. Dyuers fooles there be y^t [...]. Eccliasti. v. ꝓuer. xxv. and they had not babeled so moche / they had ben wyse and prudent. Alas take ensample at the pye that by to moche chatterynge sheweth where her lytell ones be.: / Refrayne your tongues / for it is better to speke moderately and sobrely / than to answere to euery body / and to euery proposycyon that ben vyle and dyshonest / and to be reproched of it afterwarde. Lytell speche contenteth all folkes whan it is moderatly pronounced. It is an excellent Ecclia. iii. and a vertuous thynge of a mouthe that can re­tayne wordes. And also whan his speche ismoderately pronoūced / how well that of necessyte we must speke by ryght and reason.

[Page]

IGnoraunt man folysshe and astonyed the whiche wyll correcke other mennes fautes / and y^u xl. dis. isti. [...] cū'eo ceterū. thyselfe commyttest synne / knowest thou not well that he the whiche ensygneth other to ly­ue well and iustely / and lyueth vycyously hymselfe / that he instrueth god how he sholde condempne hym. Also he the whiche seeth a thynge vtyle / and dothe Glo. in. capi. ea que de sta­tu. regu. iii. q. vii. indi­cet. et. c. in grauibus. a thynge inutyle he absenteth hymselfe from the true in­tellygence of good coūsayll. Whan that ye be auncyent correcke not other mennes fautes / but correcke youre owne fautes vyle and dyshonest. [...] grete turbe of foles fleeth to our shyppe the whiche can not endoctryne thē ­selfein good vertues / and yet they wyll reproche & cor­recke another mannes fautes. They be not ashamed to commytte many synnes / they hyde theyr vyle synnes / [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] but they be euer prompte for to punysshe the synnes of other folkes. Alas all the operacyons of the humaynes▪ ben conuerted in to vyces / and vyle ordure maculate.: / Theyr noses ben wrencled & laugheth with theyr eres / [...]. q. vii. tria. [...]. vii. luce. vi. Juuenalis. fabricius. without hauynge cogytacyon of the euylles y^t they com­mytte themselfe / nor of the greuous maladyes horryble and contagyous that remayneth within theyr corpora­te bodyes and stomakes. This hande that is fyxed in y^e felde / sheweth the ryght waye and the true pathe / and remayneth alwaye in one place. In semblable wyse doo they that noteth other mennes vyces / and can not cor­recte theyr owne / but ben enclyned vnto vycyous ope­racyons. Suche folkes spyeth well a lytell thorne in another mannes eye / but they se not a grete be [...]e in theyr owne eye. Some sayeth that they be good and curyous Esaye. ix. Socrates. Juuenalis. Tullius. as Fabricius. The other the good cathonystes / or holy metelistes / of whome I passe ouer for this present tyme There be dyuers that wyl shewe the constaunce of So­crates but they haue no scyence. From them yssueth ry­ghte pyteous lyfe / and ben entyerly habandoned to syn Of suche folkes procedeth grete claymours. At the mo­yen of this I shall reherse vnto you the saynge of Tuly us / the whiche sayth thus. None ought to correcte ano­ther mannes vyces / vnto the tyme that he haue purged and clensed his owne synnes. I maye alegge vnto you many doctrynes of the auncyent faders. For euenso as Luce. iiii. xxvi. distin. vna [...]. i. q. 1. [...]. [...]l. disti sit rector. xxv distin. primū x [...]vi. distin. i. necesse. by medecynes the physycyens enforseth them for to he­le other / and can not hele hymselfe / ryght so wyll a fol [...] repreue anothers condycyons: and in theyr owne dedes they be neuer well counsaylled / The other counsaylleth one prudently / but they can not coūsayll themselfe. Prechers y^e whiche precheth the holy scryptures to y^e people [Page] and that repreueth the synners / mondyfye your conscyences / to the ende that ye be not founden entached with vylanye / but be replenysshed with vertues / by cause y^t ye preche the worde of god / & to the ende that ye be not maculate / nor repreued.

[Page] AMonge you fooles that reioyseth you whan ye fynde ony golde or syluer / ye knowe euy­dently that it is none of yours / and yf that ye rendre it not agayne / and make restytu­cyon / knowe for a trouthe that it is rapyne. Come and se yf there is ony thynge that may prouffyte you in this ample shyppe of fooles. For the grete concu­pyscence [...]iiii. q. v. si. [...] inuenisti. of auaryce wyll not y^t I holde my pease from wrytynge of a chapytre of the fooles that be neuer con­tente with theyr propre goodes / but by cautelles falla­cyous reteyneth other mennes goodes. Some there be that witholdeth grete treasours / and kepeth it as theyr [...]. cū q̄rebatur [...]. vnde. vi. owne propre goodes / and dyspendeth it to theyr owne proussyte / semblably as yf the creatour hadde sente it to Augustinus. them. And they be nothynge curyous for to demaunde and enquyre from whens it came / nor who dyde lese it / Herken to me folysshe mondaynes & be nothynge asha­med for to lerne my documentes. ¶ yf by aduenture ye i. petri. iiii. Deutro. vii. fynde ony ryche thynge / as golde or syluer / thynke not that it is yours / for ye haue neyther parte nor halfe par­te. If that a lorde edefye a place or spare his fynaunce / by excessyue payne and studye / nyght and daye in grete Angelus in [...]. de. re. i. fi. xxxii. distin. erubescant Hieremie. xvii. Psa. vli. Psal. vii. vexacyon of his body / thynke ye that they be youres the whiche had neuer payne nor anguysshe for to assem ble them / naye truely. And knowe for certaynte that & ye fynde ony rychesse ye ought to yelde it agayne incon­tynent. And yf that ye knowe not hym that ought it nor none of his heyres / ye ought for to dystrybute it among poore folkes to the prouffyte of hym that ought it. For he that reteyneth other mennes goodes dystroyeth hys owne soule. And therfore thynke vpon this / for yf that ye haue ony thynge of another mannes goodes / ye be [Page] theues approued bothe by the lawes and the decretes.: / O poore fooles vndyscrete replete with furour and an­guy [...] non di­mittitur &c. de. re. i [...]. li. [...] sshe / thȳke ye that god knoweth not your courages yes) and after this synful lyfe shall punysshe you. Then he the whiche fyndeth ony thynge that is not his / & wyl not yelde it agayne / shall neuer entre in to paradyse.

[Page] FOles vagynge in this wretched worlde / ha bandone all mondanyte / leue your pleasu­res terrestryalles / and renne in to the gre­te shyppe of fooles / and ye shal here sapyen ce that is so humble make a generall sermō in this maner that foloweth. ¶ Folkes the whiche be a ꝓuerbio. i. et. viii. pers [...]. in saty minerua. slepe awaken your spyrytes / and herken what I shall saye to you. O gendre humayne approche you nere vnto my chayer that bereth y^e name of veryte / retayne iustly ꝓuerbio. xiii. my document / and separe ryght from wronge. O mor­tall folkes slōbrynge in synne lerne y^e ensygnementes & plautus in amphi. techynges of Mynerue procedynge from a sacred and a holy tongue / detraye all foly oute of your thoughtes / Seke doctryne y^t gyueth lyfe and hele. Serche phyloso Ecc [...]. xxxvii. phye & loue it / to the ende that ye be dyscrete & eschewe the desyre to gadre pecunes / and ioyne you to sapyence that excedeth all precyous stones in vertue. And for to tell you truely the grete excellence of sapyence / without doubte it surmounteth all the vnyuersall worlde / and there is nothynge y^t may compare with sapyence. For as pryncesse she domyneth aboue the monarchye of y^e worlde in dygnyte tryumphaunt. And by counsayll and auc­toryte she dysposeth euery thynge to goodnes. And by attemperaunce gouerneth / cytees / townes / castelles / & toures / Emperours and kynges / and all the people. By her is euylles adnychylled / and the bodyes replenysshed with vertues. She exhorteth euery body to lyue well. By me she sayth kynges holde theyr ceptres and crow­nes. prouer. viii. I gyue vnto them good condycyons / lawes / and decretes / wherthrughe they domyne in grete honoure & glorye. By me is gouerned realmes and countrees / and executed egall iugemente. I haue made to euery mana Ecclesia. xxi. [Page] dwellynge place. He that loueth me I make hym to es­chewe foly and furour / and I ensue hym and loue hym. prouet. iii. Holy rychesses and treasours remayneth in me. The re­muneracyons of prosperous lyfe is in me. I came from paradyse auncyently where as I was abumbred & create of the dyuyne mageste. And then by me was enuyro­ned by grete and admyrable facyon the ayres / the ster­res / and the worlde. Of auncyente by me he fourmed y^e worlde / and put all thynges necessary therin / and there had nothynge ben created in the ayer / nor in the worlde had I not bene. Wherfore then folysshe mondaynes do ye not your besy cure for to lerne doctrine / for he the whiche is replenysshed with prudence and sapyence shal neuer be oppressed with calamyte / for I shall socoure hym at all tymes whan he calleth after my helpe. And ther­fore he is a veray foole / and a grete waye within y^e ship and at the last shall be in grete necessyte that wyll not retayne my doctryne.

[Page] YOnge fooles / and olde in lyke wyse the whiche auaunteth you that ye were neuer mys­fortuned / nor neuer endured aduersyte / co­me and gyue audyens vnto my saynges / & ye shal haue intellygence who is well fortu­ned. He ought to ascende in to oure shyppe by reason for to be of the nombre of our grete foles that bosteth hym of his good fortune / saynge that she laugheth on hym at euery ceason / and that she is euer egal to hym / and that she neuer varyeth / and that all happeneth to hym after his desyre and trust. O lunatyke foole / o incensyfe foole o myserable foole without reason / what foly dothe tor­mente Augustinus. [...]uer. xxviii. Ecclesia. v. me / what vycyous fantasyes dothe oppresse the and wherfore art thou so vnreasonable and folysshe for to gyue credence vnto the thynges that cometh & gothe seynge that thou may not deny but that the godes of da me fortune ben transmutable / and retourneth withou­ten ony faute to the place from whens they were fyrste extracte / without doynge goode in ony wyse. Thou bos valeri▪ ii. i. teth and vaunteth thyselfe folysshely of thy goodes of fortune that ben vncertayne vnto euery body / and that reposeth there as it pleaseth her / wherfor yf the one lau­gheth / the other wepeth / yf one be poore / another is ry­che / yf the one leseth / the other wynneth. O peruers for­tune thou gyuest to the one / and takest from the other / Esa. [...]xv. and habandonest thyself to them that thou makeste in­contynent for to fall / it is a pyteous case / y^u takest theyr propre godes from them / wherfore I conclude and say that they be ryght myserable and vnhappy that fyreth theyr hertesvpon worldly rychesse / wherthrughe proce­deth oftentymes grete calamytes. Thou vauntest th [...] ­selfe Augustinus. of thy rychesse saynge that no body dothe the wronge. [Page] Thou wenest that thy goodes shall yelde the eurous Thou bosteth the of thy fynaunce saynge that the goo­des cometh to the whyles thou slepest / and that all go­the after thy pleasure / and that thou haste castelles / houses / and rentes / golde and syluer by grete hepes. Fortu­ne laugheth oftentymes and holdeth the man in prosperyte / but in a momente she tourneth her whele aboute & her false face also / and then this poore caytyfe falleth in to dystresse and bytter sorowes / and so it behoueth him tolyue wretchedly and so fynysshe his dayes. Lo in this maner of wyse fortune rewardeth her subgectes. Wherfore I saye that he is a perfyte foole that putteth his es­peraunce in the goodes of fortune / and that he is the de­uylles sone / for bycause of the trust that he hathe in the goodes of fortune he leueth to honoure god and his saȳ ­tes. The deuyll tempteth hym so sore that he fyxeth all s [...]n [...] in her­cule furente. his herte vpon the rychesse mondayne / and oftentymes he gyueth hym largely the whiche conduyteth hym to y^e grete pyt of helle withouten ony faute. O foole the w [...] ­ [...]he [...]er. xxi. [...]ce. v. Pluto. Prouerbi. i. vaunteth thyself of the gyftes of fortune I requyre the to herken vnto me. yf that thou haue grete haboun­baunce of goodes in this worlde / reioyse y^e not therfore for and thou haue goodes to nyghte / parauenture thou shalte haue none to morowe. Therfore put not your af­fyaunce in suche thynges / for dame fortune hathe no godes / but god the whiche gyueth them where as it lyketh hym. It is then grete foly for to prayse fortune so moche that fauoureth whome she pleaseth / & that was neuer without varyenge.

ENtende to this chapytre curyous folkes that enterpryseth so many thynges / and that be­reth so grete burdens & charges / so y^t often­tymes your backe & your instrumentes bre­ke vnderneth the charge / and all is by to mo­che De renūcia. c. c. [...]n. lib. vi enterprysynge. You the whiche bereth more than ye may susteyne / ye be the cause of your owne dommage and grete myserye as it is shewed euydently. And he is not reputed ouer wyse that by wanhope wyll corrumpe [Page] troubleth his brayne euery day for to comprehende pey [...]uerbio. xxv Ecclesia. iii. Persius. i. Cerennus. Ad ro. xii. ꝓuerbio. xxv Eccle. 1. [...]. 13. Juuenalis. saunt werkes and molestacyons. How be it that the thȳ ge is ponderous & that it were necessarye for hym that dyuers folkes put theyr handes vnto the forsayd operacyon for who that wyll take all the faytes of the elementes vpon his backe, and charge hym with a thynge that he can not susteyne nor bere / vnder the charge he muste falle / then foly shall vsurpe hym / bycause he enterpry­sed so ponderous a charge. We fynde in the hystoryes y^t how well that kynge Alexander had wylled for to con­quere Alexander. all the worlde by strokes of swerdes / yet he was not contente with the conouest of all the worlde for yf that he had myght he w [...]lde haue conquered more lar­gely after y^t he was [...] [...]f [...] y^• worlde Dethe the whiche sp [...]r [...]th no [...] dy [...] wounde hym with his mortall [...]arte a [...]d after he was put in a lytell sepulcre for all his [...]ll dygnyte. And thus dethe admonesteth vs for to he contente with suche as we ha­ue / and to haue memorye of the fyne of our wretched bodyes. Cinicus a grete phelosophre beynge in grece / was Ecclesia. vii. [...]yogenes. philosophus. Horatiu [...]. neuer of y^e nombre of suche folkes / for he neuer consen­ted for to edefye castelles & houses / but totally dyspray­sed suche edefyces and was contente for to holde hym­selfe within a tonne full of holes / in the whiche he hadde intellygence of y^e mouynges of the elementes and of y^e sterres. And this same Cinicus was more Joyous than they that haue the fayre edefyces. Is it not than grete tranquylyte vnto a man for to charge hym by reason / & not to vndertake a thynge y^t he can not bere. Is it not grete foly vnto this poore fole for to take so grete a charge vpon hym / and for to comprehende a thynge that he can not brynge to an ende / and knoweth well [...] [Page] impossyble for hym to brynge his maters aboute / and so this incensyfe foole must bere a charge or a burden vpō his backe that he can not susteyne it nor endure it. ¶ O poore fooles mondaynes that enterpryseth so moche / & hathe none aspecte nor regarde vnto the thynge the whiche ye enterpryse / thynke ye for to vaynquysshe y^e worl­de the whiche is so defycyle. What auayleth you for to take charge / thought / payne / melancoly / trauayll / anguysshes / and dolours in this wretched worlde / for to take on hande more than ye can perfourme. And whan that Janenalis. ꝓuer. xvii. Capientie. v. Mathei. xvii god shall separe the body from the soule ye shal be in grete daunger for to descende in to the pytte of helle / there to remayne perpetually. He lyueth in profoūde thought and melancoly that wyll knowe all the faytes of y^e worlde / and where that Cezar maketh warre / and that ta­keth charge of a thynge that he can not do / for he hathe not one good houre of reste and tranquylyte. It were more behouefull for suche fooles to haue aspecte vnto y^e fyne of theyr enterpryses / thā to take them so folysihely on honde / to the ende that they be not deceyued / for it is a comyn prouerbe all aboute / man dothe purpose / &▪ god dothe dyspose. sapien. viii.

[Page]

LUnatyke fooles the whiche boroweth golde & syluer / come and borowe of this doctryne / to the ende that ye may haue perfyte intellygen­ce of the daunger that ye be in / and of the profounde thought that ye take therfore. [...]e ha­ue perfyte knowlege that he the whiche boroweth is bonde vnto hym that lenneth it. They lenne vnto y^e synner: and he rendreth it not agayne / but the iuste and mercy­full dothe not soo. Entende to me ryche and poore I re­ [...]uyre you / and ye shall knowe what good procedeth of [...]orowynge. ¶ He the whiche boroweth golde or syluer [...] marchaundyse may well be called foole / for this poo­ [...] lunatyke foole and dettoure boroweth of the one for [...] paye the other / and soo he can neuer ryse out of dette [...]gayne / for but yf y^t he sholde sell all his goodes / he can [...]ot paye them all / y^e poore foole promyseth to paye hym [Page] the whiche is ryght greuous vnto hym bycause that y^e tyme passeth so lyghtly. Durynge the space of tyme the Deutero. xv. ꝓuerbio. xxii. vsury renneth alway / wherfore he seeth y^t within a shorte space after it doubleth by halfe for and they haue len­te hym a hondreth nobles he muste rendre vnto hym a­gayne two hondred. And yf that he haue houses or ren­tes psal. xxv. Ecclesia. iii. Esaye. xxiiii. / it behoueth hym for to sell them for lytell or nought bycause that he is in daunger to be put in pryson / or condempned for to paye it. And whan that he hathe solde al Psal. lxxi. ꝓuer. xxviii. Luce. vi. his landes / no body wyll set no store by hym. And thus the poore foole shall abyde all naked & dyspoyled of hys goodes. After that it behoueth hym for to make restytucyon / and habandone his goodes / or flee out of the countree. And oftentymes the lenners leseth all / the whiche Ecclesia. vii. et. viii. were more prouffyte for them to sell it for a iuste pryse & take redy money. In lyke wyse you lenners yé thynke not that god taketh your vsuryes for offences / yes truely / for he hathe defended it / bycause that ye sell the space of tyme / for ye sell the tyme the whiche is not yours but goddes that lenneth it to you. Alas we wyll not do that whiche god commaundeth vs / but rather do agaynste his commaundement / and in doynge soo he sendeth vs his maladyccyon and mysery. Note well that god often Ecc [...]a. xii. xxiii. q. iiii. Nabuchodo­nosor. tymes gyueth vs longe space for to lyue / and all is for to amende our mysdedes / in the whiche the deuyll hathe holden vs so longe. He leueth vs not in this worlde for to commytte synnes / but for to do penaunce / and amende our wretched lyfe / for whan we thynke full lytell de­the shall come and atrappe vs / and our folysshe vnder­stondynge with grete payne wyll repente hym for to haue cōmytted so many euylles. Thynke vpon Sodome Sodoma. Gomorra. and Gomorre where so many folkes perysshed and on [Page] the cyte of Sobyme / the whiche cytees by theyr grete synnes perysshed pyteouslye / as Nylycolas dyde / how Gene. xxiii. iiii. Re. xxi. Thobie. xiii. Michee. iiii. Exodi. iii. Johelis. iii. Amos. ix Esaie. i. Prouer. xxii. Thobie. xiii. Ezch. xxiii. well that the folke of Nylycola were blessyd of our lorde Wherfore he that boroweth of euery body and can not paye it agayne is a fole resemblynge vnto a wulfe that deuoureth all at ones. And he hateth nothynge soo mo­che as to fynde a thynge that pleaseth hym / whan he is goynge out of the felde. Also the dettour wolde neuer y^t the terme of payenge came / for the borowynge maketh a man poore. God suffreth vs to be in this worlde / not to commytte vyle synnes / but to the ende that we doo merytoryous dedes / for whan the tyme shall come that we shall haue no space to do good dedes / he shal punys­she vs lyke as the credytour dothe the dettour whan he faylleth at his terme.

[Page] AMonge you foles that maketh vowes and prayers to god of heuen / vnderstonde this chapytre the whiche correcketh & instrueth you to lyue well. Afore that ye make pray­ers prepayre your soules (for the iuste) god wyll excuse / and the synner shall not be herde in no wy­se. And therfore to the ende that ye reteyne some thynge I shall reherse vnto you the vowes reproued. He that Eccle. xxiii. Prouer. xx. Eccle. vii. Luce. xx. i fi. Joh. ix. requyreth god withoute reason for a thynge that is not good / and promyseth hym that and he graunte it that he shall do a pylgrymage / or gyue of his goodes to the poore people. It happeneth that his request is not iuste nor agreable to god / wherthrughe cometh to hym some euyll fortune / as it dyde to Mydas kynge of Frygye as the poetes recounteth / bycause that he requyred of the Midas rex phrygum. Ouidius. metha. xi. Persius. i. sa. goddes to gyue hym grete haboundaunce of fyne golde the whiche they vttred to hym facyly / wherfore it beho­ued hym to faste / for all that he touched was conuerted in to fyne golde. And bycause that he made his request. Prouer. xxii. there grewe on his heed two asse eres. There is dyuerse that desyreth and prayeth for none other thynge to god Sapien. viii. but for to haue theyr houses full of rychesse. Alas open your conscyences and lyfte vp your hertes that be so op­pressed / and haue remembraunce that in olde antyquyte the rychesse was occasyon of many euylles. What hath Lycinus. Crassus. Croesus. Juuenalis. Adhebre. g. Prouer. xxii. auayled the grete rychesses and possessyons to Lycynꝰ. The rentes of Crassus. The treasour of Cresus & Sardanapalus. They fynysshed theyr dayes in grete dys­tresse. He the whiche floryssheth in youthe desyreth for to lyue longe in his force and pleasure. How well y^t by glo­tony and excesse he shorteth his lyfe / without consyderȳ ge that in olde aege there is many that endureth greate [Page] payne and anguysshe / dolours / and inestymable cala­mytes in theyr bodyes / heedes / armes and legges / and all was of to moche etynge & drynkynge in theyr youth And yet they were renowmed in theyr flourynge aege dyscrete and full of sapyence. As it appereth of Nestor / Peleus. Nesior. Laertes. horatiꝰ i arte Sapiētie. v. Eccle. xi. and of Lacertes / and Peleus / the whiche lyued lenger than necessyte requyred / for they had many accydentes and outrages in theyr aege. Bycause that it happeneth oftentymes that olde and auncyente men become chyl­dysshe agayne / and fynyssheth theyr dayes myserably / Some there be that desyreth to haue fayre wyues / the whiche whan they haue ben conuersaunte with them a whyle and sene all the guyse / they repente them all the dayes of theyr lyfe ensuyng after. To this sayth y^e phylosophre / yf thou haue a wyfe kepe her / and yf thou haue none take none / for dyuers euylles haue fallen therby.: / Some desyreth puyssaunce mondayne y^e whiche is cau­se of theyr grete ruyne. The other desyreth corporall be­aute Juuenalis. / that causeth theyr soules for to descende in to the depe pytte of helle. O fooles that forgeth newe vowes by your insacyate volente ful of maladyccions. Demaū de of god helthe of thy body / salute for thy soule / & good fayth / good renowme / and to habounde in vertues / to the ende that ye maye se face to face hym that deyed on the crosse for all the humayne lygnage.

FOlysshe studyens come in to this place: and you yonge scolers also that passeth your ty­me in rennynge from towne to towne and tryflynge in the vnyuersyte dyspendynge your faders goodes folysshely without ony studyenge / lyuynge lyke beestes in hauynge no regarde to the tyme future / nor to recouer the tyme that ye lese. [Page] Studye in this chapytre and leue your rennynge aboute in the stretes for it shal prouffyte you moche. ¶ You Eccle. xliiii. Ad hebre. v. ii. ad thimo. [...] Eccle. xxx. xvi. q. i. sie viue. Seneca epi / stola. xviii. c. nisi cū [...]dē de remune. xxxvii. distin. nonne. Ecctle. xvi. xxvii. distin. legimus. Ecc [...]a. viii. studyens that were longe gownes and hodes also / as who sayth ye be excellente clerkes & prudent men / and yet ye be incensyfe fooles / for whan ye sholde be at your lessons and in your studyes / ye be at y^e tauerne or amon­ge noughtypackes passynge your youthe in vycious operacyons / they ymagyne newe reasons / saynge that they be not subgecte to ryght and reason / for theyr flesshe is frayle. They go from strete to strete sekynge the nyght and wyll lerne nothynge / nor folowe the techynges of wyse and prudent men. They resemble not to the dyscrete men / nor to them y^t be theyr maysters / the whiche for to lerne scyence dyd watche dyuers tymes and toke gre­te payne and solycytude. And yet there be dyuers foles that wyll lerne foure or fyue scyences without hauynge perfyte intellygence of theyr grammer that is the foundacyon of all scyences. They go rennynge vnto logyke and maketh a grete sorte of argumentes / and of croked sophyms / and haue euer in theyr mouthe sortes or pla­to / how well that by logyke and subtyll argumentes an obscure thynge maye well be claryfyed. Neuerthelesse there be some that fyxeth theyr studye theron withoute ony other ensygnement. They resemble vnto crekynge frogges by theyr murmuracyons / for they tary not on fayre auctorytees / and the mene whyle youthe passeth awaye / in takynge his naturall course without ony tas­tynge of delectable scyence / and so they remayne alway replete with vyces. Folysshe legistes / and decretistes y^t studyeth in codice / and in Institutes / and that redeth y^e lessons of doctours / ye wene to be more experte than a grete aduocate / and yet ye can nothynge bycause of the [Page] grete vaynglorye that holdeth you by the heed. They y^t renne to many townes / as to Uyenne. Arfonde. Orle­aunce. Parys. Poytiers. Pauye. Padoue. Tolouse. Lo­uayne. Monpellyere. In Basyle were they nourysshed They can tell some thynge of Barbarye / of y^e see / of gaule. And they haue sene the cyte of Rome / of London / of Naples / of Myllan / of Auygnon / & of yorke. And whā xii. q. ii. glo­ria cp̄i. glo. in c. cū ex litteris de in. inte. resti. Prouer. xiii. they retorne home agayne they be all to ragged and can nothynge. They be not set by bycause they wolde not folowe good doctryne / but notwithstandynge that they haue longe gownes full of plytes & hodes semynge gr [...] te clerkes / yet they are but beestes. They go to dyners and bankettes where they be set moost hyest wenyng [...] to the assystentes that they be grete clerkes. The othe [...] ben players at tenys / at cardes / at dyce / bourdellers / [...] pyllours of tauernes / rennynge nyght and daye for t [...] breke doores and wyndowes / and doynge other euylle [...] infynyte. And theyr frendes hathe grete payne for to a [...] semble goodes for them / wenynge that suche ryotoure [...] be good clerkes / but they sell all for to go on ryotynge.

[Page] INnocent fooles and vnreasonable creatures / that speketh folysshely agaynst god / come and lerne this excellent doctryne / to y^e ende that ye offende not with vycyous wordes the dyuyne mageste / for the man is ryght folysshe that maketh a grete flambynge fyre for to gyue the sonne more grete lyght and bryghtnes. Also he that wyll saye that y^e vi. q. i. si omia Eccle. iii. Prouer. xxv. Ad roma. x. creatoure hathe not done well / & wyll correcke his hygh operacyons surmounteth all fooles. For he is the foun­tayne of all sapyence / of all vertues / of all benygnyte / & true iustyfyer / in all thynges refulgent and full of grete and inestymable glorye. His mageste / his puyssaūce / his magnyfycence is so grete that he hathe no nede of oure Esaie. xl. xxxii. dis eru­bescant. [...]elpe / for he is lorde and creatour of al thynges / of the [...]uens / of the erthe and of the sterres. His dyuynyte is so grete that there is nothynge that can dymynysshe it / he is y^• very god that dysposeth all thynge. He knoweth [...]ll / he seeth the courage of euery man. He alonely domy [...]eth ouer all thynges / & dysposeth them after his plea­sure. Euery body lyueth after his lawe / for there is no­thynge more apparaunt / and he dothe neuer nothynge [...]apentie. i. Psal. ciii. Sapiētie [...]. xi. [...]. xii. Eccle. xxiii. Nūeri. xiiil. Jui [...]e. ix. i. corinth. x. [...]ithout a cause. He dystylleth aromatyke dewes frome [...]uen / it apperteyneth not to gaynsaye hym in no wyse. [...]ylte thou correcke thynfractour of thy herte mastyke [...]yllayne / wylte thou make contradyccion with wordes [...]gaynst his diuine empyre / wylte y^u murmure agaynste [...]ym that fourmed the of nought / and that myghte slee [...]he and brenne the in a fyre. Thou demaundest for to ha [...] payne and vengeaunce of thy synne / for folysshely y^u [...]ylte gyue demonstraunce vnto god. It is not behoue­ [...]ll for to murmure agaynste hym at no maner of cea­ [...] / nor blaspheme hym w^t wordes / but loue hȳ perfytly [Page] We rede of Israhell that for the murmure and iniurye that the people dyde agaynste god he punysshed theym greuously / wherfore poore fooles correcke yourselfe / & retorne you vnto hym and aske hym mercy and pardon [...]o the ende that whan ye come in to the celestyall mansy on ye may haue intellygence of his infynyte puyssaūce.

[Page] GYue audyence vnto my wordes folysshe foo­les that iugeth the other for to wynne laude and praysynge. Juge not but yf that ye wyl be iuged / ye se well a strawein your broders eye / but ye se not a blocke in your owne eye / O how suche folkes be replete with foly / and theyr her tes full of vyces and anguysshous tormentes. Neuer­theles Ezethie [...] vn­decimo. mathei. vl. Luce. vi: Glosa in ca. ea. q̄. deicri. regu. iii. iiii. q. vii. iudiez. Pro. xxiii. & tricesimo­sexto. Ecclesia. x. Horatius in epistolis. mathei. vii. ad Ro. ii. they haue esperaunce for to lyue alwaye in theyr vnhappy vyces / and taketh course in theym lyke the eb­bynge flode. This same foole thynketh that he is good and vertuous / and neuer doubteth to haue hurte / and by his vayne esperaūce fereth not to deye / and dyspray­seth vertues in louynge hymselfe. He iniuryeth euery bo dy in dysprysȳge of theyr vyces / but he is twyes so yll & wyl neuer se nor here of his owne vyces / yf he be tached with synne he wyll blame another. He trusteth to lyue e­uer in pease in his vyle and abhomynable synne. And yf he se the dethe of his neyghboure / yet he thynketh neuer to deye / but euer prospere in welfare. And yf by aduen­ture he se his nexte neyghboure deye / he shall saye that it was longe of hymselfe / and that he wente to moche in the wynde / and in to the feldes where as he toke to gre­te payne / and that he was neuer sounde and hole / and also that he was full of melancoly. Or elles he wyll say that it is no dommage / for he was to grete a begyler / & Eccle. xi ecclesiastici. trices [...]mo oc­tauo. a deceyuoure / wherfore god wolde take hym / and for y^e euylles that he had commytted was in grete daunger to lese his soule / for this foole sayeth that the deed body had neuer meryte in this worlde. And he on whiche he hathe all this enuye and on whome he sayeth soo moche euyll is out of the paynes of this worlde / and parauen­ture is saued in paradyse. And this foole putteth hym­selfe [Page] in the nombre of perfyte men / and parauenture he is replete with vyle and abhomynable synnes. Alas po­re Sapiētie. iii. fooles iuge no more so the dethe of other folkes. Ha­ue ye no fere of dethe nor of his mortall darte / and that lathesys come not and breke the strynge of lyfe / the whiche Eccle. i. ye abyde euery daye / not knowynge the houre nor tyme / wherin resteth all your hole affyaunce / that som­tyme renneth as faste as the wynde. The man y^t is iuste Ecclesia. vii. Seneca. Apoca. xviii. iii. q. vli. iudi­cet. doubteth alwaye to be in synne / but Ihesus the true se­cretarye knoweth his mynde entyerly. Wherfore he y^t wolde Juge another yf that he be not of perfyte lyfe he sholde neuer besy hymselfe there aboute / for one myght suppose that he dyde it by enuye.

INsacyable fooles that be full of benefyces / b [...] ye not of this shyppe / nor holde you no benefy ce therin / yes yes / for ye be nyght and daye i [...] it hauȳge your backes so sore laden / that Iha [...] ue grete fere that the deuylles breke not you [...] raynes / ye corrumpe y^e holy decretes. The dyscrete me [...] [Page] be without benefyces dyenge for hungre / and the foles ben in the syeges cathedrall. Dyuers haue volente for to wynne benefyces / and taketh y^e goodes in consumȳ De [...]ben. [...] in tautū. &c. de multa. De cle. fi. res. quia nōnulli i. ad cor. xi. Eccl. xxxiiii. ge them / and may not nor wyll not deserue them. And they haue so moche / and so many sackes full that y^e asse can not bere all / wherfore the charge must be done elles where yf they wyll not slee the asse. ¶ One benefyce y^t is reasonable for to lyue vpon can not suffyse at this presente tyme. But for to haue pecunes that we loue hertely / we be constrayned to haue many benefyces / & to as­semble moneye by grete hepes. Suche folkes be neuer sacyate / and hurteth theyr soules / and all affusked they fall in to the tenebrous pyt infernall. For they be so pey­sauntly charged that they can not tell the nombre / and they be nyght and daye in thought how they myght ha­ue mo / in coueytynge alwayes to haue more and more / for were they also olde as euer was matheusale yet they wolde not cease gaderynge nor neuer be sacyate. They [...]ere the sacke in theyr hande and demaundeth euer for c. a [...]ricie. de preben. xlvii. di. sicut. to take / as folke that be famysshed and full of couetyse. more vyle than the asse that bereth them whiche ought not to be blamed / but y^e mayster alonely that chargeth / and ladeth hym so moche / and that soo rudely constray­neth hym to bere them / yf that Idurste saye it ye ought [...]o be cursed of god / for ye be not constrayned to bere soo [...]uy charges. And throughe your grete couetyse ye ho­ [...]oure not god in no wyse / and yet ye lyue by hym with [...]ut vsynge of his ryghtes. [...]e be boūden for to gyue to [...]he poore people that lyue here in this worlde in greate [...]ystresse and myserye / and dyuers tymes they can not [...]ell where to fynde theyr dyner nor theyr souper / and to [...] y^e diuine seruyce as ye sholde / & to spende your syluer [Page] in fayre vsages. But not in haukes / houndes / horses / & gownes lyke seculers / ye do your wyll without consyde racyon of that whiche is to come / and that myght hap­pen. O poore fooles insacyable consyder your desyres / & xvi. q. i. c. vl. 23. q. vlii. conueniet. vnhappy wylles / yf ye knewe the grete dolours that ye shall suffre for these desyres / ye wolde neuer susteyne so peysaunt and heuy dedes / how well that ye maye holde thē here byneth in this worlde / but ye put y^e soule in daū ger / that peryssheth almoost for feblenesse for the grete burden that the body bereth. My lordes y^e archebysshop pes / bysshoppes / abbottes / & pryoures / what auayleth you for to confydere the benefyces and offyces to men y^t be not propyce therto / as to a sorte of yonge folkes that can no more scyence than beestes / it is more charge vn­to them than vnto the asse that is so sore charged. They knowe not what is honoure / and ye shall gyue accomp­tes / for there is neyther ye nor naye / but and they be vy­cyous ye be perteyners therof. Gyue your benefyces vn to ryotours that or theyr rentes come in it is eten / and spended. And whan they haue no more tolyue on / they commyt symonye / makynge conuencyons / paccyons / permutacyons / vnder fyccyon by maner of chaungyng moyennynge some pryse / gyuynge theyr benefyces in this maner / and they saye that it is well done withoute ony myshappe. All this wyll saye bryefly that it is for to vpholde theyr estates / playes / & for to maynteyne their harlottes with / & they doo many other euylles without comparyson. All euyll fayth regneth in them / syth that symonye gouerneth ones theyr brydels / they be almost gyuen to y^e deuylles / for they can not repente them they be soo accustomed in it. Alas in olde antyquyte the holy actuum. viii. i. q. i. petrus. bysshoppes that wolde not take the charge were not su­che / for [Page] the moost holy and the moost vertuous man y^t myght be founden were he neuer so poore was electe & &c. [...] studet. iiii. regsi. v. made bysshop / yf that he wolde take the dygnyte vpon hym. But at this present tyme it is not so / for he that is moost ygnoraunt shall haue it / and gyue to euery body a pece. Ye & that worse is they wyll be mytred without eleccyon / and haue y^e pastorall staffe. O poore symonya­cle yf that thou hadde a place that were bygge ynoughe and that wolde receyue all thy felowes that be in thys worlde thou sholde haue an innumerable nombre. And in thus doynge in this wretched worlde they be worthy and deserueth to haue the prebendes vyle and abhomy nable of Pluto god of the infernall palus / for suche fol­kes ben commysed for to serue hym / and for theyr good and true seruyce / he shall exalte them vnto inestymable payne in the profounde pytte of helle / there to remayne with hym perpetually.

[Page]

WYthouten ony lenger delaye / or cryenge cras cras / herken to my lesson obstynate fooles / the Eccle. v. p̄s. xciui. Ad hebre. iii. Luce. xii. whiche be hardened in malyce / tary no lenger frome conuertynge you to god / and deferre it noo more from daye to daye / for his Ire shall fall vpon the sodaȳ ly and sende the in to the fyre of helle / thou makest good chere to daye / and parauenture thou shalte deye to mo­rowe. The creatour gyueth grace vnto hym / and pardo neth his synnes that is delybered for to amende his lyfe and make clene his conscyence. Neuerthelesse he is soo Eccle. v. obstynate / and hathe his herte so hardened that he may not yssue out of his erroure / but y^t tyme so shorte cometh vnto hym so euylly that with grete payne can he lyue in stely / for he hathe lyued all the dayes of his lyfe in felycyte / and nowe to do the contrary / it is very dyffycyle to do it afternature. Be it good or euyll custome taketh no [Page] newe gyses. Euery body sayth to morowe I shall amen deme / and deo no more euyll. But euyll perseueraunce ensueth them by this rauen that sayth cras / cras / I shal do better. Alas ryght so is it of the fole that thynketh to lyue as he dyde before. The dethe is at the dore at euery houre / the lyfe is shorte whan it pleaseth god / for thou canst not tell poore synner yf that thou haue space tyl to morowe for to conuerte the. Conuerte the to daye and puer. xxvii. Ouidius. Esaye. lvi. Jacobi. iiii. purge thy synnes without abydynge tyll to morowe.: / To daye we commyste so many synnes and vyces / and we be theyr seruauntes and can not esche we them. and the vertues that we sholde honour / we dyspryse by our foly / and by the vyces that we be replete with, And yf a grete synne come before our eyen / and after we thynke on our confessyon somtyme / but we deferre repentaūce and syngeth as the rauen dothe. And thus we lese oure tyme / & or that we be conuerted dethe cometh & taketh vs / what dyspleasure / for go we muste in to the gulfre of helle / there to endure payne perpetually with all the deuylles of helle. Whan one knoweth that he [...] hurte he wolde that he had done otherwyse / but at that houre he may not. O poore foole the whiche hathe dorie no dedes Ecclesi [...]. x. Mathei. vi. Luce. xii. Esaye. xxii. i. corinth. xv. meritorious / & that seeth thy cours renue more s [...]yfter than the wynde / wherfore doost thou not some good o­peracyons in this worlde. yf that dethe haue taken the & destroyed the (it is well done) / for thou wolde not be de­bonayre in this worlde / nor serue god the creatour. And thou the whiche lyueth yet in this worlde / haue not thy wyll so vyle and soo vycyous as thou haste had in tyme paste / but repente the and requyre parton of oure lorde Ihesu cryste / for he is so mercyful that he wyll graunte [...]t the / yf that thou requyre hym with a contryte herte / [Page] and tary not tyll to morowe / syth that thou mayst do it to daye. And in so doynge thou mayst purchace the real­me of paradyse. But and thou synge as the rauen dothe saynge cras cras. Knowe for certaynte that the dethe prouerbio. iii is sodayne / and that thou shalte not haue space for to a­mende the / Wherfore thou must goo vnto the infecte habytacle with all the deuylles of helle.

WE can not eschewe folysshe Jalous / but y^t ye be of our shyppe / and of y^e moost depeste that is in it / wherfore rede here your passyō for there is nothynge more dyfycyle to spe­ke I [...]enalis vi. sati. of than Jalousye / for yf by false suspec­cyon she entre in to a mannes heed / he is worse than enraged and out of his mynde / but I amytte all to the Jugement of god. It is more facyle and more easy to kepe Eccle. vii. Numeri. v. a basketfull of fleene in the sonne / than for to kepe one wyfe alonely from doynge euyl. He is more folysshe thā Horrestes that toke the garde of his wyfe (for the garde is in vayne) whiche is soo feruently Jalous y^t he leseth Eccle. xix. his appetyte of etynge & drynkynge / & that trembleth for fere that his wyfe do not amysse. O foole thou lesest [Page] thy tyme / for in the ende she wyll do worse / yf thou dyde Juuenalis. ꝓuer. xxx. locke her in thy house for to refrayne her euyll courage / and yf that thou kepte her from vysytynge dyuers pla­ces / & that thou had neuer so good a dogge for y^e nyght Ecc [...]. xxxv. yet somtyme the gardes wyll be all out / Who shall kepe her than from doynge a mysse (thou) naye) for then truely ꝓuerbio. xii. she shal habandone herselfe / it cometh of nature / and therfore thou arte worse then madde / that thynketh to kepe her from mysdoynge. But a wyfe that wyll be go­de nedeth no garde. ¶ Danes was a mayden / the whi­che Danae. her fader dyd shytte vp in a stronge toure where no man myght come to her. Jupyter certefyed of this ma­de it to rayne / and transmued hymselfe in to a droppe of fyne golde / and as this fayre mayden Danes sate at a wyndowe / this droppe of golde fell in her lappe / and then incontynent Jupyter made hymselfe in the four­me of an humayne creature. And by this Jupyter the Ouidius. iiii. methamor. vyrgyn Danes was deflored in the toure of brasse Pe­nelopes Penelope. Homerus in odi [...]ea. Ouidius in epist. hie. Ulyxes wyfe had neuer copulacyon of man sa­ue with her husbande / but whan her husbande was in batayll / she commytted auoutrye in suche wyse that all the countre spake of it. An euyll wyfe hathe nought ado to departe from her house / leste that she go not in to the quycke myre / but and she be commaunded a thynge she wyll do clene the contrary. Certaynly it is a vylaynous reproche vnto a woman whan she wyll not obeye vnto her husbande. O wyues and maydens loke that ye lyue honestly and kepe chastyte / to the ende that ye wynne and purchace good fame and good renowne. Flee frome Ecc [...]ia. xxvi. Seneca ī de­clara. the company of vycyous men and women / and frome olde baudes that ought to be brente in a fyre / the whiche be so full of decepcyons for to begyle good wyues / and [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] good maydens. Flee the occasyons of euyll reporte and ye shall haue euer good loos and good renowne. ¶ The excellent quene Helayne had neuer be rauysshed hadde [...]elena. Ouidius. epist. hiere. she not gyuen credence vnto the wordes of Parys / for she gaue lyghtly credence vnto the deceyuable wordes of Parys / she hadde ben better to haue stopped her eres than to haue byelued suche wordes. Wherfore women neuer abuse you with the vayne wordes of men / but do as the serpente dothe whan the enchauntour wolde ta­ke hym / for he layeth one of his eres to the erthe / and w^t the ende of his tayle he stoppeth the other / to the ende y^t he here not the enchaūtementes and charmes of the en­chauntoure / and on this wyse he scapeth and is not ta­ken. Loke that ye haue regarde vnto this example wy­ues and maydens that desyreth to lyue wel / and ye shal wynne you good renowne.

[Page]

ALl our shyppe is almoost full of aduoutrers and cockoldes / wherfore come without ony Sene. de ita. Ualeri. li. iiii ꝓuer. xxii. Jacobi. ii [...] Eccle. xxx. Junenalis. vi. sati. Leuiti. xx. Deutro. xxii. [...]. ad. l. [...]. de ad [...]. lenger delaye / and vysyte this chapytre. Pore wedded men that knoweth the euylles of your wyues / and suffreth it / ye dyspryse wel maryage / ye ought to be stoned to deth. And you aduoutrers as well men as women that vyoleth y^e holy sacra­ment of maryage / open your eres and herken what I shal saye. O lawe of aduoutrye thou arte alredy wel habandoned / for in olde tyme thou was maynteyned as we fynde in scrypture / but at this tyme they do all con­trary. For the man holdeth not his fayth / nor y^e woman kepeth not this lawe / how well that they be bounde ro­gyder with the dyuyne bonde. This notwithstandynge the grete myserye of aduoutrye foloweth theym. And that is a thynge to abhomyuable that with the wyfe of [Page] another they doo theyr pleasure without hauynge ony shame / for Justyce punyssheth neyther with stone nor with swerde / wherfore they haue no torment. Alas alas and more then alas. O poore lawe Julius thy vertue is Juuenalis. gretely adnychylled / somtyme thou was in vertue and maȳteyned by the good Cezar / but at this present tyme thou arte all corrumped and broken. ¶ I praye the dys­tyll c. quemadmo dū de iu. iu. ꝓuer. xviii. thy lyuynge fortune vpon vs / to the ende that we may drynke of thy ryuers delycyous. And of them some hathe the pyt wherin they suffre all immundycyte / and it susteyneth / where dyuers harlottes englouteth it / & whan they be ones therin they perysshe for bytter famy ne / and he in lyke wyse that hathe gouernynge therof / how be it that he seeth it ofte ynoughe / notwithstandynge this he spredeth his fyngers abrode before his eyen as who sayth he seeth neyther man nor woman. O poore husbandes folysshe and out of your myndes / the which seeth playnlye before your eyen the vytuperable lyfe of your wyues / in maculynge and defylynge the holy sa­crament of matrymony / and suffreth it without makȳ ge ony mencyon or remedyenge therof / ye be partycy­pers of theyr euyll dedes / for ye myght remedye it by so me meane yf that ye wolde doo your besy cure therto.: / ¶ We rede of the hystorye of Atreus the whiche dyde so Atte [...]s. Seneca i thy ff. de adul. l. stapor. many euylles vnto his broder / the whiche after that he had pylled hym / expulsed hym from the realme / and made hym to ete his two neuewes in exyle / bycause that he had commysed aduoutrye. O what dommage dolorous Lucretia. xxxii. q. v. lci. cretia. Tarquinus. expulsus. was it whan that the fayre Lucresse of Rome was ra­uysshed by Tarquinus / for the whiche thynge she slewe herselfe. And Tarquynus & his fader was expulsed fro rome. And also Uyrginyus that dyd kepe his doughter [Page] from Alpeus / slewe her bytwene his handes before the Proū. xvii. Seneca in e­thymologt. ff ad. l. [...]li. de adulte. l. stupor. xxi q. v. c. lu. cretia. virginius. Llaudius. Alpius. L. de adul. gracchus. Prouer. vi. romayns / y^e whiche loued better his doughters honour than ony worldly thȳge. There be dyuers nowe that re­semble to claudius alpius. Ha aduoutrye none ought to truste in the / for fro the procedeth many euylles. O po­re humaynes be not suche / but lyue honestly / and kepe your fayth and promyse without faute that ye made to the worthy ordre of maryage. And in so doynge ye shal be praysed of the worlde / & be loued of god.

[Page] FOoles at euery ceason whiche is soo ygno­raunt / awaken your spyrytes yf y^t ye wyll walke in the waye vtyle / and leue the vycy­ous Prouer. xv. & xxvi. Horatins in epistolis. seneca. Pere­grinatio non facit medicū & nulla pars dicitur loco. waye that is inutyle / and the grete er­roure that holdeth you. Suche fooles as ye be seynge so moche good / and herynge soo many noble scyences / as wel of the holy theologye / as of the holy de­cretes and lawes I meruayll me sore that ye be no wy­ser / for ye may se the lyues of the holy sayntes / the true studye fountayne of al scyences / and the holsome water beholdynge of doctrynes and dyscyplynes / how be it ye wyll not take them / for ye se the spectacle of the worlde to moche / in ensuȳge grete games in dyuers dyshonest places. They wyll not lerne noo fayre ensygnementes nor techynges of the wyse and dyscrete men / the whiche Eccle. xxix. myght be prouffytable bothe to theyr bodyes and soules And they haue no regarde to the poore soule the whiche is nyght & daye in grete perylll and daunger to be loste O redotynge fooles that gyueth soner credence vnto a Ad he. xiii. grete multytude of galauntes that be replete with vyle synnes / than vnto the wyse & dyscrete men that be full of all vertues. Theyr courages is so folysshe that whan they come in to ony ryche mannes house / they wysshe y^t hora. i. eplis. all the goodes were theyrs / so ful they be of vanyte. It is the pleasure and the custome of fooles to desyre eue­ry fayre thynge that they se / and pryncypally all newe thynges is moost to theyr pleasure / as men of straunge londes / for lyghtly they renne after them. They goo on dyuers pylgrymages / as to rome for to se the walles / to Solyme. Syrye. Lybye / and to the realmes Menphy­lytykes. Piramides. Myryades. Actykes / neuertheles from all these straunge places they brynge nothynge to [Page] theyr honour / but be more folissher than they were whā they departed. ¶ Syth it is so that we can not lerne no­thynge Plato [...] quo hiero. in pro­logo biblie. Ad hebre. xiii out of our countrees and houses / we must be dy lygente for to lerne somwhat within our countrees and houses then / or elles do as platon dyde / the whiche ma­de to seke dyuers wyse men for to enduce hym in many prudente scyences. Suche fooles ben lyke vnto duckes that fleeth in to dyuers countrees / and retorneth more incensyfe than whan they flewe oute. Wherfore obsty­nate fooles that all your lyfe tyme hathe ben vycyous / thynke at the leest for to amende you be tymes / for it is better for you to amende you be tymes than to late / for be ye sure yf that ye amende you not in this valey of my serye / and doo penaunce for your synnes / ye shall ne­uer entre in to the realme of paradyse.

[Page]

LOke that ye fayle not to presente yourselfe in xxxii. q. vii. quid in nibꝰ. Sapien. xiii. Ad Roma. ii. [...]iere. xxix. Persius. Prouer. xx. ꝓuer. xxxii. our shyp fooles that be angry for a lytell thynge / your Ire empessheth your courage in su­che wyse that ye can not beholde no true thy­ge / and speketh of nothynge but of cryme / & dysworshyp. Understonde this that I saye / and ye shal knowe the foly that holdeth you. This fole that is moū ­ted vpon this asse is angrye bycause y^t his asse wyll not go faste / he cryeth lyke a madde man / and yet he hathe but a lytell cause / for euery body knoweth that the asse is slouthfull. He cryeth and brayeth and speketh not one reasonable worde. He is more smokye thenne is a lowe chymney. He aswageth not his Ire. He is reioysed in his herte to se hymselfe soo angred / bycause that the people doubteth hym. And this notwithstandyng he thynketh [Page] that he is holden for a wyse man / how well that he is a perfyte foole / and ryght feble of brayne / more astonyed than a wylde mule. He hathe shrewednes fyxed in hym and thynketh that they neuer sawe other fooles / and de syreth to haue asses eres. The dyscrete man fleeth from this vnhappy Ire / for it sleeth the vnderstondynge / & maketh a man lyghtly dulle as an asse. We rede of Ar­chyas Archytas. the prudente and wyse man the whiche was of noble progenye of the cyte of Tarentyne / how wel that he was gretely troubled in his herte for his seruaunt that had synned / yet this notwstandynge his grete constaun ce refrayned hym agaynst his seruaunte / and pardoned hym his trespace without doynge hym ony harme. In lyke wyse of Platon / of Socrates / and of many other Plato. Socrates. auncyent clerkes y^t torned theyr euyll wylles in to gra­cyous bountees This Ire to outragyous they expulsed from theyr courages. They were replete with good rea son / bycause that Ire maketh to sourde so many euylles and paynes. And by this vnhappye rancoure and Ire Prouer. xxx. Eccle. xix. two good men that hathe ben frendes togyder / shall be at dyscorde the whiche is ynoughe for to destroye theym bothe / as well in theyr mouable goodes as in theyr bo­dyes / for the naturall wytte is troubled and maculed.: / O synne thou arte to cruell / for thou makeste men to le­se xi. q. iii. ira. v. q. ii. relatū. et. c. seruetur Prouer. xxii. et. xvii. theyr sensuall wyt and vnderstondynge / in lyke symy lytude as by Ire it is vnbrydeled. And yf there befall or come ony vnhappe or passyon vnto the wyse men / they bere it pacyently / for they be garnysshed wverrues / but y^e Irefull men that haue theyr maynteyne / & volunte so fyerse / and that correcketh and chastyseth not them­selfe / and the whiche by theyr wanhope hathe theyr hell in this worlde / pretendeth to come vnto myshappe / and [Page] myserye. The prudent man taketh al thynges pacyently / & the foole not. Wherfore innocente fooles I admo­nest Job. xxxvi. ꝓuer. xii. Ecc [...]asti. vii. you that ye leue these slouthefull beestes that dothe you so moche payne and angre in euery ceason of the ye­re thorughe theyr slouthfulnes.

[Page] UNregled fooles y^t is eleuate vpon y^e heyght of dame fortunes whele / thinke ye for to do Eccle. x. Mathei. i. Prouet. xiiii Sene. i. her. Llaudianus: de. pe. di. iii. [...]d ergo i glo. Horatius. myne euer. And thou foole that descendeth / and the other that thynketh for to mounte / holde you by this hande the whiche maketh you so sodaynly to mounte and descende. Repose you a lytell and rede this dyscrypcyon all alonge whiche is of dame fortune. There be fooles thrughe the worlde that haue grete haboundaunce of goodes / bycause that they be on the heyght of dame fortunes whele / the whiche of­tentymes torneth it so sodaynly that she maketh theym to fall in to a profounde pytte. The other fyxeth theyr regarde more hygher / these be they that wolde attayne vnto grete honour / to the ende y^t they myghte be moost notable in euery thynge / and haue none aspecte vnto y^c dethe that reuerseth them vp soo downe with one onely stroke. It happeneth ryght often that whan fortune hathe nourysshed them tenterly a grete whyle / that she le­ueth them in grete dystresse and myserye / it is her fynall and last wyll / for she assaylleth them afterwarde aspre­ly by grete necessyte and famyne. If he haue treasoure Sene. i. h. fu. Martiali [...]. in his cofre / alas what auaylleth it hȳ / for after y^e dethe none can not tel whether to go. Before his eyen cometh scyence the whiche examyneth hym of his vyces myse­rable / in shewynge hym the paynes of helle. Consyder that by fortune all thynges peryssheth that ben vpon y^e erthe / and taketh ende by naturall ryght / y^e whiche we­re so fayre and so well fourmed / and all by aege that ha­the domynacyon ouer all. Who is he but that he wolde gyue grete goodes to be assured of fortune. What is he be he neuer so grete a lorde nor so puyssaunte of rychesse that fortune wyll promyse & assure that he shall not fall [Page] in daunger / there is none / for she is mouable / our poore vyces be bytwene the handes of the furyous. As Lathesys with her handes spynneth a threde where as our ly­ues Lachesis. dependeth vpon / to the ende that we lyue longely / Cloto holdeth the threde / but Atropos the cruell messenger of dethe breketh the threde. Lathesys fedeth vs with Atropos. hony / and maketh our poore soules to falle in to helle w^t the dampned. Also Julyus Cezar was taken sodaynly Julius cezar with dethe beynge in the presence of all his lordes bothe more and lesse. He was moche puyssaunt whan he domyned in Rome / for fortune fauoured hym / but in the ende she was to hym so peruers / that he whiche was soo per­fyte in prudence was vnclothed from his empyre / and his fynaunce and goodes taken from hym. Ha fortune thou arte the moost dyuers and transmutable that euer Cullius i of. Eccle. xx. was / for thou gyuest the domynyon vnto some that shaketh and trembleth for fere leste that thou do to them so­me thynge contraryous. Thou comest vnder a coloure of welfare and anoynteth a man with treason gyuynge vnto hym of thy goodes that thou hast taken from another and lefte all naked. Thou seruest euery body with Sapientie. v suche meses / the grettest ben the smallest / and the leest be the moost. And whan she hathe withdrawen her goo­des they be dysdeyned of euery man and is no more beloued. These be the retrybucyons that thou gyuest dame fortune. O my frendes be not so abused to take the goo­des Eccle. xxi. of dame fortune / for yf y^t ye haue of the goodes of hers / and that ye be exalted vpon the heyght of her whele / yet whan it shall please god ye shall descende a grete waye more lower than ye wolde / & shal be dyspuruayed of euery thynge / as ye haue sene by experyence that many other hathe ben.

AMonge you foles impacyent that wyll not byleue the oppynyons of the physycyens / & medecynes / haue your regarde hetherwar­de and ye shall knowe the foly that holdeth you oftentymes. Who that in malady / and [Page] sekenes wyll not byleue y^e good counsayl of the physycyens / they be gretely deceyued / for they procure theyr helthe and prosperyte / but they wyll not doo after theyr Eccle. x. et. xxxviii. Boetius. Juuenalis. Persius. wylles / as whan they ordeyne hym good wyne for to drynke / he wyll drynke water / the whiche augmenteth his sykenes / and taketh other thynges that is defended hym / and wyl not do nothynge that is sayd vnto hym / nor endure no payne. And al is bycause that he wolde be Eccle. xxxviii the soner in his graue / and for to gyue you shortely the knowlege therof he wyll retorne hastely in to asshes a­gayne / from the whiche he came fyrste. And shall not ne Eccle. xviii. Duidiꝰ [...]re. de no moo playsters nor medecynes. Wherfore yf thou wylte be heled do that the whiche is necessary / to the en­de Eccle. xxxi. Boetius de con. philo. that thou haue not a stronger sekenesse afterwarde / for the sparcle that departeth frome the fyre taketh in the thynge that is nexte vnto it / the whiche encreaseth vnto a grete flambe. In lyke wyse a ryuer encreaseth moche by dyuerse lytell streames that falleth in to it / so it is of sykenesse whan it begynneth for to regne by lytel streames / and for to eschewe grete torment shewe your wounde and sykenesse vnto the physycyen / to the ende y^e ye may be the soner heled / for all superfluytes ben taken awaye by sone puttynge remedye therto. And whan ye come vnto the physycyen / make relacyon vnto hym of your infyrmyte / howe sore and anguysshous soo euer it be / to the ende that he may hele thy wounde / & thy grete sykenes / for it sholde be vnpossyble for hym for to hele the w^tout knowȳge of thyn infyrmyte / y^e whiche myght be the cause of thyn owne dethe. In lyke wyse yf that y^u go vnto a preest for to be confessed / and declare vnto hȳ many grete and abhomynable synnes that thou hast cō mytted here in this worlde / and tell hym not all that e­uer [Page] thou offended god in syth thyn infancye or chyldho­de / as ferre as thou hast remembraunce of / elles thyne absolucyon is of none effecte / & yet thou puttest thy lou­le in grete leoperdye and daunger. Also it is grete shame for to sende after an experte physycyen / and then to ha­ue no volente for to do after his counsayll and commaū dementes / nor byleue his dyscrete saynges / that sholde i. thimo. iiii. be vnto thy helthe Thou wylte byleue soner an olde en­chaunteresse / or wytche the whiche gyueth a lytel breuet or a quycke herbe / wherin lyeth all her dede or fayte / & as it pleaseth y^e thou touchest thy body with her enchaū ­ted or charmed fynger / the whiche by aduenture engen­dreth euyll helthe yf that thou gyue credence therto / it is not sygne that thou wolde be guarysshed of thy ma­ladye / for thou puttest thy lyfe in grete daunger for to gyue credence vnto suche olde wytches / wherfore yf ye wyll be heled of your infyrmytes byleue none but the ex­perte physycyen / for yf ye do otherwyse ye shal be in daū ger to lese bothe body and soule.

[Page]

POore fooles whiche haue your hertes a sle­pe / ye be gretely abused to tel your thought and mynde vnto them that ye wolde decey Esopꝰ i apo. Prouer. i. Duidiꝰ [...]re. ue and begyle / gyue intellygence vnto this scrypture yf that ye wyll lyue wel and egally. Who that pretendeth for to take byrdes in the feldes or in theyr nestes / and setteth his nettes to euydently in theyr syght / shall neuer take no byrdes / for they wyl no resorte the derwarde as longe as they see them. In lyke wyse he that menaseth one openly for to slee hym or bet [...] Glo. in cle. pastoralis de te iudi. hym / whan all is done / he dare not assayll a dogge / and dothe but cracke / in touchynge the honoure of euery body / and lyghtly he telleth the secrete of his courage manyfestly. Suche a man is a foole approued / for from h [...] Prouer. x. they may kepe them that they be not deceyued. But h [...] Pro. xviii. et. xxvi. is wyse and prudente that casteth not his secrete in th [...] [Page] mynde / and that declareth not his counsayll to no body And y^t vaunteth hym neuer of that whiche he hathe to do / but kepeth it secretely and sayth neuer a worde vnto Horatius. in episto. the tyme that he wyll put in effecte that whiche he gothe aboute / touchynge the helthe of his soule / or other good operacyons. Dyuers folkes ben deceyued by a grete sor Prouer. x. [...] of adulatours that by fayre speche knoweth mennes Eccle. viii. Mathei. v. Duidius. secretes / and by infynyte flaterynge they haue blandys­shed many seruauntes / to the ende that they myght ha­ue intellygence of the secretes of theyr maysters / wher­of Juuenalis. procedeth oftentymes many euylles / and therfore I saye that he is wyse that kepeth his secretes and coūsayl There is foure thynges that can neuer be hydde / that is the waye / the secrete of a man without wytte / a cyte y^t [...] edefyed vpon a mountayne / and the folysshe conduy [...] of a man that is esprysed with loue. But labourers & poore folkes that ben all naked maye better hyde theyr secretes than the ryche burgeyses and marchauntes of whome the renowne fleeth. And whan theyr dedes is Uirgilius. iiii. ene. knowen / theyr houses ben dyffamyd / for then is knowē manyfestly that theyr goodes ben comen to them by de cepcyons / at the moyen of whiche one ought not to tell is sectetes vnto y^e tyme that they be put in effecte. And Seneca. Latho. one ought neuer to tell his affayres vnto his seruaunte / for afterwarde he is subgecte vnto hym that he tolde it to. Who that wyll lyue without doubte ought not to ma [...] relacyon of his thought to no body / for oftentymes they thynke euyll and the thynge cometh not to effecte / for the whiche they may haue shame / reproche / or dysho [...]oure.

A Wyseman ought to or [...] hymself dyscrett by she ruyne of foles / wherfore wyse and folysshe men come & gyue audyence vnto m [...] ꝓuer. iiii. xv. Joh. xvii. documentes. We se euery day that fooles i [...] dysportynge them falleth and hurteth them [Page] and we laughe at them / and they themself in lyke wyse At euery season they playe and wyll lerne nothynge / su­che fooles ben dysprysed of wyse men / for they wolde ascende and mounte to hye / and yet they bere chapellettes vpon theyr browes. The one accuseth the other of vyce notwithstandynge that they themself be full of crymes spekynge iniuryous wordes full of rancoure procedyng from his venymous herte / without thynkinge that at y^c Eccle. xxv. Ecclesia. x. ende he must make restytucyon of his honoure / or elles he shall be expulsed from the hyghe realme as dyffamed without hauynge ayde of ony body. Alas thou the whi­che speketh suche wordes hathe no regarde vnto that y^c whiche myght come afterwarde therby. yf thou dyde rede thy conscyence well / y^u sholde knowe thy grete wan­hope. And euen thus thou contynueth in grete errours / and puttest thyselfe in the acquayntaunce of ruyne. yf thou knewest of the hedeous ruyne that abydeth for the thou wolde refrayne thyselfe from euyll spekynge. In Iheremie. vi et. vii. Eccle. i. this ruyne falleth many / we haue ensample of the foles that we se perysshe and deye / wherfore chastyse thyselfe Now tell me foole wherfore thou fallest in to it seynge y^t thou hast chose for to do good or euyl / & the examples of the euyll folkes / and gooth after them where as thou de stroyeth thyselfe. Thou the whiche wyll lyue by exam­ple Mathei. xv. Luce. vi. / correcke thyselfe by other / and thou shalte be holden for a wyse mā. One blȳde man can not loue another but byffameth eche other / and somtyme the one ledeth the Esopꝰ [...]apo. other in an euyll waye and falleth bothe in the dytche / & all bycause that they haue no guyde. Alas how the thyn­ge is ryght peruerse bothe in man and woman that wyl not folowe the good ensygnementes and techynges of Eccle. iii. [...] xii theyr moders. And yf ye do the contrary I tel you that [Page] ye chese ryght syth that ye be of so euyll affayre and wer­ke / certesye shall haue a stepmoder harde and cruell / & also he that foloweth not the techynges of his fader / & that some my sfortune happeneth to hym / it is well em­ployed / for he wyll not take the ryght waye that his fa­der holdeth / as Pheron that ledde the carte of the fonne for bycause that he wolde not accepte the coūsayl of his Pheton. Eulliꝰ. iii. of. Duidiꝰ. [...]. fader / he made to brenne a parte of the elemente and of the erthe / and all was by his wanhope. In lyke wysede dalus composed wynges for hym and for his sone yca­rius / and after he shewed hym the heyght that he shol­de flee / that is to saye neyther to hye nor to lowe / and y^t he sholde folowe his fader. Whan ycarius felte hymselfe Icarus. Dui. vi [...]. metha. ꝓuer. xv. et xxiii. so lyght / he flewe so hye that the sonne melted his wyn­ges and he fell in to the see. They ensued vycyously the counsayll of theyrfaders / for youthe myght not obeye therto. Wherfore be wyse and byleue good counsayll. yf that ye se ony fall in to daunger / eschewe the ruyne and peryll / to the ende that ye be debonayre. The wyse man Eccle. xi. wyll neuer passe by a daungerous passage. yf that ye se abeest by aduenture fall in a daūgerous passage ye shol de neuer passe that waye. yf that ye se a foole bathynge hym / and parauenture drowneth hymself / folowe hym not for all that / but take example that ye do not as he dyde / for he is wyse and dyscrete that can chastyse hymself by y^c example of other mennes vyces. Synners chasty­se Esopus. Horatius. in epist. your courages in ensuynge alwayes the holy men / to the ende that ye maye haue a dwellynge place aboue in the courte celestyall.

FAntastyke fooles vnderstonde this whiche ye groundem your oppynyons / and y^t thyn keth to do more than ye may. Knowe for a [...]s. cviii. Pro. xxiiii. Sapientie. ii certaynte that he the whiche desyreth to ly­ue well in all solace moundayne / & in good truste without enuye of all vayne wordes / lesynges / & detraccyons be it of his good renowne / or otherwyse / he must not take no regarde to them / but exalte them y^t [Page] sayth suche wordes / he that by pryde wolde surmounte other is not agreable to no body / for he sholde suffre all that he hereth spoken without angrynge hymselfe. So­me hathe wylled to dyspryse this worlde that wente by wayes sekynge straunge places. These were the hyghe prudente men the whiche dyde chese y^e moost surest way Ad phi [...]. ii. ꝓuer. xiii. et. xviii. in this worlde / the whiche orbe is vyle / & hathe neyther fayth nor lawe / wherfore many hathe lefte cytees and townes / companyes / fyerse mondanytees / goodes and rychesses / bycause they wolde not maynteyne suche thȳ ges / but lyue solytaryly. It was the sayntes / wherfore Ad hebre. xi. you the whiche wyll lyue well and Justely folowe them and ye shall wynne the realme of paradyse. And take neuer thought yt that the worlde blame the for thy welfa­re / and telleth many [...]yes of the / haue not in dysday ne theyr molestacyons and tempestes. Yf that the auncpent sytiri ꝓphe. [...]s. lxxii. sapien. vi. Eccle. viii. Eccle. xxxvii. i. corinth. iii. men and our hyghe faders had not suffred the vy­t [...]able blame & grete molestacyons / & folowed the good and Juste ensygnement of god / theyr tytles shol­de not haue ben wryten in greate laude & praysynge as they be. yf that they saye y^t ye be as vertuous as a saynt yet ye shall not please a foole. And yf that ye wyll serue god well and truely / ye shall be preserued in all your ne­cessytees / loued and reclamed in noblenesse. And for to serue hym well as ye sholde do / it behoueth you to be de­bonayre / swete and amyable / without murmurynge a­gaynste ony body / and to quycken your herte towarde hym with an ardaunte desyre. And yf that ye do thus ye shall be byloued of hym and of all wyse & dyscrete men and shall wynne the glorye of paradyse without contra dyccyon. Lette not for suche folkes as sayeth and reporteth euyll of good & true seruauntes to do well alwayes [Page] what someuer that the innocent foole dothe gaynsaye / for the euyll speker repenteth hym oftentymes of y^e wordes that he hathe spoken without auysemente. In this worlde is no wordes but all vyle and dyshonest of them the whiche ben iuste / pacyent / dyscrete / prudente & wy­se / and all is for to contamyne and dymynysshe theyr excellent vertues. The wyse men neuer pretende to haue ony good mondayne / for syth that they be well happye vnhappe can not dommage nor greue theym / and that vertue is not alwayes in them / and that to good & ver­tuous dedes they applye them not / by the whiche thyn­ge we maye wynne the grace of the creatoure our lorde Ihesu cryste.

[Page]

RYght perfyte fooles that hurleth grete sto­nes / come and caste bothe your eyen vpon my lettre / & yf that ye haue your syght ob­scure Eccle. xxii. prouer. xxxii. et. xxix. Sapientie. x. ꝓuerbi. vi. Baruch. iii. Ad tytū. iiii. / put on your spectacles withoute ony lenger delaye / for ye shall be well endoctry­ned within a lytell space I promyse you. Our aūcyent faders that hathe domyned without dyshonour / hathe shewed vs the ryght waye / take we it then / for it is that withouten faute wherin resteth vertue and sapyence / she rendreth vs polysshed of prosperyte to loue god. O peruerse fooles knowe what vertue and scyence is / leue the thynges vyle and folysshe / and ye shall se men aourned with vertues / where as euery man taketh gownes of pacyence and nourysshynge. In that same place all men ben in ordre w^tout ony mondayne fylthe And there [Page] is not one but he is ryght intellectyue or that he entre in to the company of the other. Dyuerse fooles replete w^t Sapien. vi. Eccle. xv. Job. xii. ꝓuer. xiiii. wanhope appetyteth for to correcke vs for to come to y^e wyse and dyscrete men / yf they come we shall shewe vnto them theyr malygne fautes / & yf they haue neyther fayth nor lawe / so moche the more payne we take for to endoctryne them in good condycyons. But they come not nor set not therby / we teche them by cordyall deuo­cyon / the good god accepteth & loueth them. The other ben of so ryght harde affayre / that for this correccyon / they shall saye that they do dyuerse other good dedes / a grete multytude of flaterers whiche haue theyr hedes full of fantasyes / and theyr braynes contamyned wyll saye thus. So the fole gyueth hym to vnderstonde that wolde correcke hym / bycause y^t his brayne is to tendre / but the wyse and y^e prudente werketh not after y^e waye of the fooles. But he putteth hymselfe in the waye of do loure benygnely / to the ende that whan the swete correccyon were gyuen to hym / that he myght haue the gret­ter vertue therby / the whiche after shall be of the nom­bre ꝓuerbi. ix. Ecclesia. xix. of the Just / & whan correccyon is gyuen vnto them this good and holy persone receyueth it with a free her­te / and afterwarde gothe and soroweth his synne in re­membrynge it oftentymes / and expulseth it out of hys conscyence by harde penaunce / for he wyll not fall in to the mysery of some cryme vyle and dyshonest. But the ꝓuerbi. xxv. vniuste dyffameth them y^t demonstreth them / for they be so ryght vylypendous / how well that y^e iuste sheweth them that the whiche is vyle and abhomynable to them that dyffameth them / they haue theyr wyl so peruerse & cruell that they can not suffre nor endure that the whi­che is sayd vnto them. O foole infecte with infyrmytees [Page] thou ferest not the Ire of god the whiche may confoun­de the. Frende I praye and requyre the that thou thyn­ke theron / and endure correccyon gyuen by the Juste / and receyue it mekely and benygnely in thankynge hȳ humbly that gyueth it to the / and then it shall be a good sygne that thou hast grete vertue in the & that thou arte pleasaunte vnto thy god. There is dyuers other fooles Prouer. xix. the whiche mocketh euery body / and themselfe in lyke wyse. The crepyll lame & counterfet mocketh the ethyo­pyen. Juuenalis. iii. q. vii. qui sine. Nabal. i. Reg. xxv. iiii. Reg. ii. Naball had felycyte in this worlde for his rychesse to whome kynge Dauyd sente worde that he sholde gy­ue hym some / but he gaynsayd it / wherfore kȳge dauyd was ryght angry And as it is wryten his wyfe brought grete haboundaunce of goodes vnto kynge Dauyd for to make the pease bytwene her husbande & hym. What shall I saye vnto the chyldren that be so harde to correc­ke / ye se them euery daye in noyses / playes and mockynges. Alas what shall I saye more saue that ye fle frome all these peruerse courages. All these fooles seketh no­thynge but for to dystroye a man.

[Page]

NOt consyderynge the fooles speculatyues whiche cogyteth the heuen and y^e erthe / I thought for to haue wryten no more / but a Eccle. xiiii. p̄s. xli. Marci. ix. Mathei. xvi. sapi [...]n. iiii. ad Ro. ii. Amos. v. grete turbe of fooles presented them befo­re myn eyen / and whan I hadde beholden them I wrote as moche of them as I knewe / for I cou­de take no rest they presed me so moche for to wryte som what of them. These fooles be replete w^t all vyces / but theyr wordes be full of prudence. Alas how is our nature so frayle for to desyre more the worldly thynges / than Eccle. ii. i. iohelis. ii. the Joyes eternall. Alas yf I regne a space of tyme / my body desyreth to lyue euer in worldly pleasure / vnto my laste ende / whan that I muste nedes departe hens / and haue not obserued and kepte the holy commaundemen­tes of our lorde Ihesu cryst / nor his lawe that is so true I haue passed my tyme in grete delytes and Joye with [Page] them y^t was with me / without thynkynge that I put my poore soule in the waye to go vnto the goulfre infer­nall Luce. vi. in to y^e flode of Acheron. O poore fooles I can not haue intellygence how ye desyre the mondayne Joye so moche / ye walke in the waye swete and delectable / but ye shall be trapped and taken in stronge glue aspre and bytter / and he the whiche shall take you is the deuyll of helle. Now tell me foole what prouffyteth so moche ry­chesse / Tallius [...] se­nectute. Jahā. xviii. what prouffyte may come vnto the by these trea­sours inutyle. Alas thou seest y^t many leseth them ryght often / and that they melte lyke snowe. Habandone the mondayne Joye y^e whiche is full of galle / for it is a thyn ge that endureth no more than the grasse in the felde / y^t whan it is mowen leseth all his rygoure. Euen soo haue we our hertes whiche draweth to mondanytees and to vyces foule and dyshonest / but god wyll mowe the body and the soule all sodaynly at suche an houre as shall ly­ke hym best / for our dethe is ryght sodayne. Alas nowe is loste our dayes / our delytes and mondanytees. And the worlde departeth from vs / and after we shall taste bytter thynges. All thynges that hathe rygoure in this ꝓuer. xi. Johānis. vi. Eccle. iii. Sapi. ii. [...]. v. Jacobi. v. Luce. xii. [...]po. xiiii. et xx. worlde shall fynysshe also. We se the grete rumoure of the grete estates / as well spyrytuall as temporall / and in conclusyon all the humaynes. God that knoweth the thought of man punyssheth vs / or leueth vs in the worlde vyle and replete with synne / or sendeth vs sodayne and cruell dethe / agaynst the whiche none erthely crea­ture can resyste. And thou the whiche wyll lyue in dely­tes in offendynge god thy creatoure thou doost not well Alas thou arte gretely blynded and affusked. And for al that thou hast aege in this worlde / yet thou knowest not the grete immondycyte and myserye that thou arte in / [Page] and that thou leuest the Joye of heuen for to remayne in the stynkynge palus vyle and abhomynable / where Mathei. xxv. as is pluto and proserpyne ingurgyted in the obscurtes of helle.

[Page] COme and here this chapytre foles replete w^t wanhope the whiche renneth in the chirches lettynge the dyuyne seruyce by your tumulte De immuni­tate ecclesle. c. dec3. li. vi. and perturbacyon. The seruyce of god ought to be done in pease and reste without cryenge or claterynge / or walkynge vp and downe / or commyt­tynge ony thynge dyshoneste. Gyue intellygence vnto my doctryne then / for there is dyuers in this turbe that gothe to the chirche in maner of deuocyon / but whan y^c prestes be at the dyuyne seruyce they wandre aboute ly­ke a flocke of shepe in babelynge and claterynge the one to the other / and yet they thynke that it is nothynge for to make bruyte & rumoure / yes it is to moche contemp nynge god and his temple. Suche fooles entre in to the [...]. [...] nunciamꝰ L. de his qui ad eccle. con­fugiunt. chirche more astonyed than a goos / berynge a sparowe hauke / or a lanyer vpon theyr handes / and theyr belles at theyr fete demeanynge grete noyse with the barkyn­ge of theyr houndes / all that is lycyte in the chirche can not be done in pease as it requyreth / but they be lenynge vpon y^e aulters claterynge of theyr affayres It is to moche Prouer. v. Creno. i. dyspraysed god and his commaundementes. They speke of theyr affayres and processes / of theyr marchaū ­dyses and of theyr chaufre / it is to moche dyspysed god and his commaundementes / they speke of the sellynge of whete / of wyne / of clothe and of all other marchaun­dyses without makynge ony prayers or orisons. The o­ther Johā. xii. go to the chirche for to se the fayre wyues / or yonge maydens or theyr ladyes in loue for to set some steuen / & sheweth themselfe gorgyously arayed. The other gothe not saue for custome traylynge theyr fete with slepers / or patyns. O dure courages full of furoure how may ye In auctē. vt lic. ma. &. auie in f [...]. col. viii. walke so in the chirche. Alas pore wretches ye ought for [Page] to thynke that god hathe gyuen you example by scryp­ture that ye sholde do nothynge in the chirche that were dyspleasynge vnto the creatoure / but beseche hym that he wolde sende you all thynges propyse to your helthe / In praynge hym humbly y^t he wolde gyue you at youre laste ende the realme of paradyse. Goo we then in to his house for to make humble prayers & orysons / for y^t pla­ce is ordeyned therfore. God gaue vs a fayre example / whan he droue the marchauntes out of the holy temple Joh. ii. Eccle. xxi. Johelis. ii. Psal. i. Marti. xi. Luce. xix. bycause that they bought and solde within it / & sayd vn­to them. The house of god is a house of prayer & oryson / The chirche is establysshed for to praye and adoure god in and his sayntes / you the whiche haue puyssaunce ma­ke them auoyde out / to the ende that the yonge men doo not as they do. At the whyte freers / at the graye freers at the freer austyns / at the blacke freers / and in euery parysshe chirche ye shall fynde alwayes grete haboun­daunce of folkes that dothe nothynge but walke vp & downe in deuysynge of dyuers maters / and yf that the corpꝰ domim be lyfted vp they wyll scarsely knele dow­ne and take of theyr cappes. Alas poore fooles wheron Bernardus. do ye thynke / knowe ye not for a trouthe that he is the kynge of all kynges / and saueour of all y^e worlde / ye go daterynge of your seruaūtes and of your housholde / w^e out thynkynge vpon god or his sayntes. Al your vayne wordes please not to god / but good prayers & orysons / whan that they be made iustely and with a meke and a lowe herte. Wherfore leue your walkynge vp and dow­ne in the chirche and kepe your pues / in praynge d [...]outly vnto god / or elles truely ye put your soules in greate Jeoperdy of perdycyon.

DRawe you nere vnto my doctryne lunaty­ke fooles / that hangeth and sleeth yourself & that seketh occasyon for to dystroye your­selfe Ecclesia. iii. Mathei. vii. bothe body & soule & vnderstonde this that I shall saye vnto you. He is a fole that [Page] prayeth god with ioyned handes / the knees bowed to y^t Luce. vi. Juuenali [...]. Persius. erthe betynge with his handes vpon his brest saynge: / God eternall pardone me my folye / to the ende that I may gete scyence / & purge my conscyence. He thynketh and ymagyneth yf that he shall leue his gowne and his folysshe hode / but that notwithstandynge he holdeth it alwayes. He weneth to haue made a synguler prayer to god / the whiche seeth hym / and all that he asketh is not vttred vnto hym. Euer this foole prayeth. And his her­te Mathei. xx. Marci. x. can not tell what he demaundeth of god. After he let­teth hymselfe fall in to the welle of his owne voluntary wyll. And then he cryeth murdre I drowne myself / and that they sholde socoure hym hastely. And whan he is at the botome of the water he prayeth sayntes and sayntesses that they wolde gyue hym socoure and haue mynde on hym / saynge. I requyre you sende me a corde for to drawe me out of this daunger. This fole that wolde as Ad ro. viii. Horatius. empedocles. saye yf that he myght escape out of that daūger / by his grete folye deyeth there for lacke of socoure / and damp­neth bothe his body and his soule. Empedocle of euyl renowne suffred dethe by his folye / of the whiche thynge he had grete wronge. Then yf this foole cast hymself in to the fyre with a pyteous crye for to kylle hymselfe / he dothe a ryght grete foly. But after that the moost daunger is yf that he be not casten in to the pyt of hell. He the whiche casteth hymselfe in to the moūtayne of aethnas the whiche is all on a flambynge fyre / parauenture by dyscomforte / in all he hathe loste his wytte. He knoweth well that he is blynde by inconstaunce / bycause that he hathe done many merytoryous dedes / and wyll assaye our lorde Ihesu cryste. He hathe his herte full of rygour for to haue wyll to tempte the creatour / for y^e scrypture [Page] telleth vs that we sholde not tempte hym the poore fo­le brenneth hymselfe thus / and his sou [...]e gothe in to hell There is dyuerse fooles the whiche foloweth this baner praynge god nyght and daye / and neuer dyde meryto­ryous dede / for they dyde euer dysprayse hym / and yet they demaunde of god that they myght haue paradyse, ꝓuet. xxviii. Eccle. iii. [...]t. xxv. and grete rychesses / good yeres and plenteuous / bothe of whete / wyne / and other fruytes / honour in this worlde / and that fortune may be fauourable to them. For to praye in this maner of wyse it is no grete sygne or ver­tue / for atter that maner of fourme to desyre godes fol­kes go not to paradyse / for soo sholde none praye. It is wryten in scrypture that and one prayed ten yere so / h [...] Esaye. [...]. [...]uce. xx. sho [...]de not obtayne his prayer. And they do more hurt [...] to theyr soules than good / that prayeth after that ma­ner of fourme.

[Page]

COme out of woddes and of vyllages folysshe [...]arters / and laboure this chapytre / where as ꝓuer. xiii [...]. p̄s. xxxi. et. xci. sapien. xiii. ꝓuerbi. v. Eccle. ii. Eccle. xii. & x [...] Treno. [...]iii. ye shall fynde good erthe y^t bereth odyfferous fruyte / and floure of good doctryne. The fole that breketh his body by incessyfe laboure in tyllynge of his erthe I can not put in oblyuyon. And al the other fooles deyeth by theyr grete laboure and payn in this lyfe terryen / for they be euylly condycyoned / and in vyces take grete payne. And this payne and laboure rendreth deth to them for theyr guerdon. And thus god seeth that the mortall men wyll not knowe hym / ney­ther his holy and blessyd sayntes / be they confessours or martyrs / vyrgyns / wyues or wydowes / nor wyll not be of his perfyte and true seruauntes / nor of his welbe­loued frendes / but euer prospereth in theyr voluptuous volentees / and wyll not obserue and kepe his commaū ­dementes / wherfore he sendeth theym maladyes / and [Page] sodayne dethe / or mortalyte. Now well y^t god almyghty wyll and ordeyneth that yf man wyll not be statued / [...] he watche to lyue wel after the true rule of laboure in al ceasons. It foloweth not for all that in this worlde that they passe the tyme without doynge ony good dedes for al theyr labourynge. For yf they drawe the charettes by Sapien. xix. enuye & couetyse to haue goodes / yet euery body ought to knowe that we be but suffred here for a certayne spa­ce / and yf that we commytte ony synne we shall be gre­uously punysshed in helle / wout euer departynge from thens. Poore lunatyke yf that thou wylte wynne y^e realme Uirgi. vi. en. Seneca. Mathei. vii. Pro. ii. [...]. iiii. Uirgilius. Eccle. xxxiii. Luce. xii. of paradyse / thou muste not folowe suche a waye / y^e waye to helle is playne / and is not dyffycyle for to fynde for there is dyuerse the whiche impetrethit / and that ha steth them theder warde for the grete euylles that be in this worlde / these same shewe the waye for to go theder and they be so grete a multytude that the one letteth an other / and yet it is ryght large / but that notwithstandȳ ge it is all full for the grete nombre of fooles that gothe theder / & is all beten with theyr fete. Thynke here on poore fooles / not alonely vpon the daye / but also vpon y^e nyght / for the fooles go theder in grete confusyon. Who that coueyteth our shyppes fletynge vpon the peryllous see folowe and entre in to our shyppe. He is moche more better than he weneth that may passe by the waye of pa radyse / by the whiche the blessyd men and women pas­sed / the whiche suffred grete payne and anguysshe for to passe that waye / whome our lorde Ihesu cryste toke to his infynyte mercy. They foūde this waye toughe na­towe dyffycyle and thorny / wherfore the foles murmu­re / and wyll not endure that euyll / nor assaye for to passe thorughe. They se the hye waye so thorny and so euyll y^t [Page] they wyll not auenture for to put themselfe therin. Ha peruerse folkes that faylleth in the waye of vertues ye be obstynate in euylles. O poore fooles wyll ye holde y^e Sapien. v. [...]s. vi. waye of immondycyte abhomynable and infecte / that ledeth a man vnto dampnacyon eternall / wylt y^u not take the good and ryght waye as yf it were the moost de­lectable and fayrest / and to take payne vpon the for to gete the gloryous fruyte that is foūde in it. I counsayll the that thou take it / for there is but fewe that holdeth this waye / bycause of the mondanytees that gouerneth theyr hertes / wherfore they haue noo cure to doo good operacyons. They chese dampnable places / & leueth the ꝓuer. xiiii. et. xv. Ezech. vii. dyuyne mansyons / and gothe in to helle for euery reso­lucyon / where as they shall neuer se daye / but alwayes derkenes.

[Page]

FOlysshe faders the whiche gyueth euyll ex­ample vnto your chyldren / approche you ne ꝓuer xxix. Juuenalis. Uale. li. ii. c. i. Sapien. iii. Eccle. xi [...]. Eccle. iiii. re / and ye shall se the good example that I shall gyue vnto you. It is vnto you faders and auncyent men y^e whiche haue chyldren for to correcke / y^t I adresse my wordes to / ye haue loste all your sence and vnderstondynge. How be you so har­dy moders for to gyue euyll ensamples vnto your dou­ghters for to gouerne theym vycyouslye / it is a folysshe thynge / for of it procedeth many daungerous perylles / you be of a ryght euyll affayre for to counterfet yourself in suche wyse / puttynge the fyre in theyr courages / that Ecclesia. x. taketh soner the euyll waye than the good / wherof ye be culpable / for ye teche them no good vertues / but all vy­ces / in suffrynge them therin without correckyng them or gyuynge good example. ye haue no shame of your vy [Page] cyous wordes. The yonge maydens at this presente ty­me lerneth no more good condycyons / but all mondany tees. No more dothe y^e wyfe yf she be fayre / for she wyll ꝓuer. xix. et xxix. not be chaste / but sheweth lybydynous sygnes for to ste re dyuerse yonge men vnto concupyscence carnall. Mo­re ouer the sone lerneth no thynge of the fader y^t is ver­tuous and good / nor y^e wyfe of the husbande for he is a harlot out of all reason / & abydeth not in his house / but Juuenalis. is euer in vycyous places drynkynge and etynge excessy uely. And his wyfe the whiche knoweth well his condy­ons / halfe in dyspayre dothe as he dothe / and worse by halfe. And the chylde in lyke wyfe seynge the vycyous­nes glo. in. l. [...] si nolit. ff. de. ed edic. glo. in. c. fi. de con dis. v. of his fader / wyll folowe hym also nere as he maye / Whether he be a leyer / or a vauntoure / the sone wyll so­lowe hym / for nature wyll that he do so / and the dough­ter the moder / be they good or badde as recyteth y^e scrypture. How sholde the sone lerne vertues of y^e fader whā he techeth hym none / nor hathe none / wherfore he is cause of the euyll gouernement of his chyldren / & shall an­swere therfore. Semblably yf an abbot be a player at y^e dyse or at the cardes / all the hole couente wyll do as he dothe. O vnhappy chyldren that foloweth euyl werkes Esopꝰ [...]. beware that ye be not punysshed. We se that the sone & the doughter ensueth the fader and the moder / & resem­ble to them in all thynges. For the sprynge y^t yssueth out of the fountayne / is not more holsomer than the water in the fountayne / nor is noo more clerer nor delycyous / In the same maner of wyse is it of the wulfe / that can Eccle. vii. not engendre a shepe / for that sholde be agaynst nature The fader is lyke vnto a creuyce the whiche gothe more bakwarde than forwarde. ¶ We rede in the booke of Dyogenes y^t on a daye he sawe a chylde y^t was dronke / [Page] the whiche recyted that he was engendred for to drynke wyne / the whiche was not repreued / for his fader was Dyogenes. Eccle. xxx vii. prouer. xxii. a dronkerde. Lyue honestly worldly people / & be debo­nayre and iuste / soo that in you be founde none euyll ex­ample.

[Page] RYght hertely I beseche you folysshe leche­rous people that it wyll please you for to co­me ꝓuer. vii. Juuenalis Ecclesi. ix. and make a lytell collacyon in this cha­pytre / and yf there is ony thynge that I can do for you I am all yours bothe body & go­des / for truely I haue an ardaunt desyre to doo you so­me merytoryous dede / bycause that I haue euer frequē ted your seruyces. Now herken what I haue founde he re wryten you cautellous women. They that y^e pappes is sene of all naked / theyr heer combed and trussed in dyuers places meruayllously / are vnreasonable fooles / for they dresse themself lyke voluptuous harlottes that ma­keth theyr heer to appere at theyr browes yelowe as fy­ne golde made in lytell tresses for to drawe yonge folkes vnto theyr loue. Some for to haue theyr goodes presenteth Ezechi. xvi. Michee. [...]. ꝓuer. vii. to them theyr beddes for to take theyr carnall dely­tes. And after that they haue taken all theyr dysportes they spoyle thē as an onyon. The other for to haue theyr pleasures mondaynes cheseth them that she loueth best and maketh sygnyfyaunce to theym saynge that she is enamoured on them. Thou arte a very ydyotte so for to habandone thyselfe vnto y^e vyle synne of lecherye / for y^u lettest thyselfe be wrapped therin / lyke as a calfe or a she pe is bounde in a corde. In suche wyse y^t ye can not vn­bynde Hiere. vii. yourselfe. O foole haue aspecte vnto that whiche thou commyttest / for thou putteth thy poore soule in grete daunger of dampnacyon eternall. Thou putteth thy ꝓuer. v. Luce. vii. ꝓuer. viii. xi [...] goodes / thyn vnderstondynge and thy Joye vnto dolo rous perdyccyon / & for all that you are in your worldly pleasures / yet it is medled with dystresse / or with myserye / grete thought or melancolye. I requyre y^e leue thy worldly pleasures y^t endureth no lenger than the grasse [Page] of the felde. Yf thou haue ioye one onely moment / thou shalte haue twayne of sorowe for it. We rede of Sarda Eccle. i. sardanapa [...]. Justi. li. i. Michee. vi. naplus that for his lecherye and lybydynosyte fell in to helle / the whiche put hymself in the guyse of a poore wo­man / his men seynge hym so obstynate in that vyle syn slewe hym / and so fynysshed he his dayes for folowynge of his pleasaunce mondayne. The souerayne creatoure was more puyssaunt than this wretched synner / let vs not applye ourselfe therto syth that he punyssheth syn­ners so asprely / but with all our hertes enforce we our­selfe for to resyst agaynste that vyle & abhomynable syn of lecherye / the whiche is so full of enfeccyon and bytternesse / for it dystayneth the soule of man / fle from the fo­lysshe women that pylleth the louers vnto the harde bo­nes / and ye shall be byloued of god and of the worlde.

AMonge you fooles that can not kepe youre owne secretes / approche you nere & beholde this symple scrypture. He y^e whiche can not hyde his owne secrete / be it to his wyfe or o­ther he is of our shyppe / and was neuer wy­se Seneca de [...]oribus. so to make reuelacyō of his secretes / for dōmage may [Page] come to hym therby / as it dyd vnto the stronge Samp­son for tellȳge of his coūsayll to his wyf Dalyda / for she Job. xviii. Latho. Judiciū. xiiii clypped of his heere as he laye slepynge in her lappe / & made his eyen to be put out by the phylystyens / to y^e en­de that they myght surmount hym / wherfore he suffred afterwarde full grete payne and anguysshe. And yf he had not tolde it / he hadde not fallen in to that grete cala­myte and myserye / and had not receyued dethe for to a­uenge hym / for he pulled downe the pyller of the palays wherby he and all the noble men that were therin was slayne. Damphyaryus tolde his secrete to y^e wyfe of ery Dāphiara [...]. Statius in the [...]. a. Ecclesia. x. phylus / y^e whiche wolde haue hydde hym. Then his wyfe came and sought hym / and demaunded hym wherfo­re he hydde hym / and he tolde her y^t he sholde go agaynst Thebes / and that yf he wente he sholde be slayne. The prynce that sought hym / prayed his wyfe that she wol­de ensygne hym where he was / & she shewed hym / and he wente to batayll & there was slayne / wherfore he y^t putteth his trust in his wyfe / is gretely abused / & it is in scrypture that none sholde tell his secretes to women / for theyr tongues be to lyberall. He that can not kepe his Eccle. xix. [...] xxi. [...]us. [...] epi. ꝓuer. xxviii. owne counsayll / ought to be eschewed / be he neuer so ry­che / for they ben vnreasonable fooles soo to shewe theyr secretes / and ben folysshe in theyr thoughtes for all the grete gyftes of grace that god hathe sente them / for it is grete daunger to tell his counsayll But they the whiche Seneca. can not kepe theyr owne counsayll / sholde chese a good and a trusty man the whiche is wyse and dyscrete / and tell it vnto hym / and in soo doynge his secretes may be kepte close. ¶ If that the kynge Achas hadde not tolde his counsayll and his secrete vnto the wyfe of Lezebell / Achas [...]ex. Naboth. [...]. Reg. xxi. he hadde neuer ben put to dethe by y^e myghty Naboth / [Page] the whiche made this same Achas be eten with dogges Be ye therfore well enformed of hym to whome you tell ꝓuer. xxv. Esaye. xxiiii. your secretes / or kepe thē secretely enclosed within your hertes..

[Page] COme and wasshe your eyen in the water of this chapytre folysshe fooles without wytte or vnderstondynge. Pecunyous fooles that by auaryce / and for to haue good tyme / and lyue Joyously weddeth these olde wyddred women / whiche haue sackes full of nobles / claryfye he­re your fyghte / & ye shall knowe what goodnes cometh therby / and what Joye and gladnesse. Some there be Juuenalis. i. ad cor. vii. ꝓuer. xix. that habandoneth themselfe for to gadre togyder y^e donge that yssueth out of theyr asses arse / for to fynde euer more grese / it is grete folye truely / but yet y^e yonge man is more folyssher the whiche weddeth an olde wyfe for to haue her golde and syluer. I saye that he is a grete fole that taketh an olde wyfe for her goodes / and is moche to blame. They the whiche do soo procureth all trybula­cyons. For with her he shall neyther haue Joye / recrea­cyon Juuenalis. Sapien. xiii. ꝓuer. xix. nor rest. He nouryssheth stryfes / & grete debates / thought / payne / anguysshe / and melancoly. And yf he wolde accomplysshe the werkes of maryage / he maye not / for she is to debylyte / colde / vnpropyce / vnnaturel and vndyscurrent for the coldnes y^t is in her. The hus­bande of this olde wyfe hathe none esperaunce to haue lygnage by her / for he neuer loued her. The man is a very foole to make his demoraunce vpon suche an olde wyfe. Whan he thynketh somtyme vpon suche thynges / he leseth his naturall wyt / in cursynge hymselfe more than a thousande tymes / with the golde and the syluer and y^e cursed hasarde of fortune. And whan he seeth his poore ꝓuer. v. i [...]i. ꝓuer. ix. lyfe in suche dystresse / his herte is all oppressed with me­lancoly and doloure. But whan the vnhappy man seeth that it is force and that he is constrayned to haue pacy­ence / he putteth his cure to drawe to hym the moneye of [Page] the olde wyddred woman in makynge to her gladde there. And whan he hathe the moneye / and the bagge with nobles / god knoweth what chere he maketh w^tout thynkynge on them that gadered it. And whan the man ha­the spended all / he is more vnhappyer than he was be­fore. yf that the foole be vnhappye / it is wel ryght / for he hathe wedded auaryce moder of all euylles. yf he hadde taken a wyfe that had ben fayre and yonge after his cō ­pleccyon / he hadde not fallen in to soo grete an inconue­nyence. It is wryten in y^e auncyent bookes that he whi­che ꝓuer. ix. weddeth a wyfe by auaryce / and not for to haue lyg­nage / hathe no cure of the honeste of matrymonye / and thynketh full euylly on his conscyence. ¶ The vnyon of maryage is decayed / for vnder the coloure of good and loyall maryage is wedded auaryce / as we se euery daye by experyence thorugh the worlde. Yf one wyll haue a Juuenalis. ꝓuer. xvii. Eccle. x. Juuenalis. ꝓuer. xx. wyfe / and that he make her to be demaunded in marya­ge / they wyl enquyre of his rychesse and conuynge. And on the other syde he wyll demaunde grete rychesse with her for to nourysshe her with. For and her fader / & her moder and frendes haue no grete rychesses / he wyll not of her. But and she be ryche / he demaundeth none other thynge. It is wryten that one were better haue his house in deserte / where as n [...]o mencyon sholde be of hym / than to abyde with suche wyues. for they be replete with all cursydnes. And the poore foole breketh his herte / he leseth his soule / and corrumpeth his body. He selleth his ꝓuerbi. xxv. Eccle. xxv. Eccle. xii. yongthe vnto the olde wyfe that weddeth her for auaryce / and hathe but noyse and dyscencyon in vsynge his lyfe thus in synne. Consyder you fooles what seruytude ye put your selfe in whan ye wedde suche wyues. I pray you be chaste yf that ye wyl lyue without vnhappe. My [Page] frendes y^e whiche be not in that bande. put you not ther­in / and ye shall be well happy. Notwithstandynge I defende you not to mary / but exhorte you to take a wyfe that ye may haue progenye by / & solace bodely & goostly and therby to wynne the Joyes of paradyse.

[Page] APproche you folysshe enuyous the whiche can Eccle. xiiii. Horatius in episto. xlvi. dis. clericus. saye no good by them that ye hate / come and se in this chapytre your peruerse and euyll condycyons. O enuye that deuoureth y^e condycyons of men / and dyssyperesse of honour. Thou makest to ha­ue rauysshynge hertes famysshed / thou brennest the desyres / and sleeth the soule in the ende / thou engendereth the darte enuyronned with myschefe y^e whiche trauaylleth dyuerse folkes. Cursed foole how hast thou thy herte Salustius. ꝓuer. xxviii. Licero. Eccle. xiiii. Duidius ii. meth. so replete with cruelte / for yf I haue temporall godes thou wylte haue enuye therat / or yf that I can werke well / and that I applye me vnto dyuerse thynges the whiche be honest / or yf that I haue castelles / londes / & tenementes. Or yf that I am exalted vnto honoure by my scyence / or wonne it by myn hardynesse truely and iustely. Or yf that I am beloued of dyuerse persones y^e whiche reclaymeth me good and vertuous / and of a no­ble courage / thou wylte vylypende me with thy wordes thou wotest neuer in what maner thou mayst adnychyl myn honoure. Thy malycyous herte is hurte w^t a mor­tall ꝓuer. xxiii. wounde / in suche wyse that thou haste no Joye nor solace in this worlde / for the darte of enuye perceth thȳ herte lyke a spere. Thou hast wylde lycoure / the whiche maketh all thy stomacke to be on a flambe. There is no Descriptio iuidie ex oui­dio. medecyne that maye hele thy mortall wounde. I beyn­ge in a place where as myne honour was magnyfyed / thought for to haue taken alyaunce with an odyfferaūt floure / but all sodaynly I was smyten with a darte of enuye behynde my backe / wherthorugh all tho that we­re on my partye torned theyr backes vpon me / for to agree vnto one of Uenus dyssolate seruaūtes / procedynge from a herte enuenymed with enuye. Wherfore I [Page] shall specefye vnto you the condycyons of the enuyous. Who that holdeth hym of the subgectes of enuye / she cō stytueth to deuoure / and byte euery body / gyuynge vn­happes and myseryes vnto her seruauntes. Suche fol­kes dothe the innocente a thousande wronges. They be replenysshed with soo many treasons that they can not slepe in theyr beddes / they haue no swete cantycles nor songes. They haue theyr tongues honyed with swete wordes vnder the coloure of loue / they be lene / and in­fecte of rygoure / these enuyous is more bytterer than y^e galle of the fysshe Glauca / with theyr eyen beholdynge a trauers the stomackes chaufed syntyllously / and with out these mouthes as the vyne that is newe cutte / they be enuyroned with rage and grete anguysshe / beholdynge euermore to dystroye some body. Conceyue the hystorye Joseph. gen̄. xxxv [...]i. of Joseph in your myndes / the whiche hadde seuen bredern that were enuyous agaynst hym whiche was y^e yongest / and solde hym vnto the marchauntes of Egypte by enuye / and betrayed hym. The whiche were dely­bered of a longe tyme to haue dystroyed hym. These enuyous neuer laugheth but whan some good man hathe domage vpon the see or londe / or at the dysfortune of some body / he drynketh his blode as mylke. Notwithstandynge his herte is euer enbraced with enuye / and as longe as he lyueth it shall knawe his herte. He resembleth vnto Ethna the whiche brenneth alwayes. As of Romulus and of Remus his broder / the whiche Romulus edefyde fyrste Rome / and gaue it to name Rome / after his owne name. Neuerthelesse they were pastours / for they establysshed lawes in the cyte. And Romulꝰ punysshed euery body egally. He Instytued lymytttes or markes aboute the cyte / and ordeyned that he that passed the ly­myttes [Page] sholde be put to dethe. His broder passed theym wherfore he was put vnto dethe incontynente in the sa­me place. We rede also how Cayn slewe his owne broder Eccl. xlviii. by enuye. Haue we not ensample semblably of Atreus / of whome his broder occupyed the parke / how well that they were in the realme stronge and puyssaunt for to defende [...]lanus. them. It was Theseus that expulsed his broder Luc [...]nus. Gene. iiii. out of the realme by enuye / and was called agayne by­cause that he had taken the parke / and fynably was ba­nysshed / and by enuye / and vnder the coloure of peas he [...]tati' I the. i. Petri. ii. was sente for. And whan he was comen vnto a feest / he made his two chyldren to be rosted / and made them drȳ ke theyr bloode. O what horrour to se his two chyldren d [...]ye that were so dyscrete. In lyke wyse Ethyocles by his bredern receyued grete enormytees / by that cursed enuye. O thou prudent man yf thou wylte be dyscrete / good and wyse / fle from enuye / & thou shalte fynde thy­selfe founde of body and soule.

[Page]

IMpacyent fooles playenge on instrumentes / brynge hether your harpes and lutes / with all your other instrumentes / & accorde them with Proder. xxiii. Ecc [...]e. xxii. ꝓ. i. [...]. xviii. my chapytre. Who hereth not y^e wyse man spe­ke / & noteth not well his wordes / be fooles / for they wyll not here of his correccyon / wherfore they be folysshe The wyse hereth a foole accepte his correccyons & thanketh hym to his power / and thus he foloweth wys­dome ꝓuer. x. Ecclia. x [...] the whiche encreaseth in hym from daye to daye / This fole is angry whan one sheweth hym of swete in­strumentes. And inlyke wyse whan one sheweth hym good documentes / for to retorne hym from the foly that ꝓuer. xxiiii. & xxvi. he is in / and stere hym to do well he wyl not endure tyl the wyse man haue fynysshed his wordes for gayne [...] ­yenge hym / and wyll not endure his good correccyon / [Page] O foole I praye the that thou haue in mynde thy lytell Sapien. vii. x. et. xv. Ad Rom. vi. valour / for it is as a florysshed rose that endure but aly­tell whyle. Aduyse y^e than yf that thou be a mortall man ymagyne in thy selfe that thou arte made of the slyme of the erthe / lesse than nothynge. And how well that thou arte composed of suche mater / yet thou arte natyf to haue scyence and reason by the gyfte of nature. The vnre­sonable beestes haue not so hyghe gyftes of god. Wher­fore berest thou than these foly sshe and cursed passyons and vnhappy inclynacyons. Hathe not god gyuen the / frewyll / wytte / vnderstondynge / and naturall dyscrecy on. wylte thou be vnreasonable / wylte thou be vyle and dyshonest as the beestes. I praye y^e tell me what stereth y^e therto / shewe me some reason. Ignoraunt foole y^u art gretely abused with folye. Thou haste beaute corporell / Eccle. xxv. Psal. cxviii. yongthe / noblenesse of bloode / and also of condycyons the gyftes of fortune / strengthe of thy body / fynaunce / castelles / townes / palyces / and almoost the beste thyn­ges of the worlde / sholde thou be therfore vnfruytfull / Wenest thou to be ryght happy / nay / but vnhappy. For the wyse man applyeth hymselfe to lerne good vertues and scyence / and demaundeth to haue none other thyn­ge. He is the rychest of all other ryche men / and yf he had Ec. iii. &. xvii. Tulli. in pa. Eccle. vii. Job. ii. not the valure of two nuttes / none asketh goodes of hȳ for he possedeth nothynge. I praye the my good frende with all myn herte entyere y^t thou ensue this wyse man and here his document with a meke herte / and take his iuste correccyon / & correcke thyself asprely / for one hathe gretter auauntage to receyue good correccyon / than to gyue credence to the foly sshe wordes of the flaterer / at the fyrste tyme whan thou apperceyueth his lesynges / for after that he hathe blandy sshed the / he wyll mocke [Page] the behynde thy backe. O god how he is happye y^e thyn­keth on the paynes of helle whan he dothe ony euyll thȳ ꝓuer. vii. Math. xi. et. xxiii. ge / and suffreth pacyently the aduersytees that god sen­deth hym. And I saye that he holdeth the waye to para dyse / for he dothe euery thynge after ryght and reason.

[Page] FOlysshe physycyens incontynent / and with out ony lenger so [...]ournynge come and vy sy­te this chapytre / and serche what euyll it en­dureth Justi. de. le. ac [...]. iperitia. ff. de. re. [...]. i­peritia. xxix. dis. c. fi. Sene. de cle­ [...]c̄. ad Nero Eccle. x. et xliiii. ꝓuerbi. vi. / hye you and ye shall be well conten­ted / for ye may comprehende more goodnes than to go bete the stones. This foole may mounte into the heyght of our shyppe / he shal serue vs of medecynes in this daungerous company / for he vysyteth dyuers seke men infecte with daungerous infyrmytees / and pro myseth for to hele them / and yet he hathe no more knowledge in that arte than a calfe / for he muste fyrste loke in his bookes for to haue knowledge / and to se the sure opynyons of the doctours. And then he cometh to the seke man more quycker than an orchyn / and the meane whyle the pacyent is almoost deed / for or he be in the house y^c seke man is deed. His medecyne is folysshe and cometh Eccle. xxxviii Jo. an. de. sē. cc. c. [...]. li. vi. to late. Dyuers ygnoraunt fooles excercy seth this scyence by wanhope and yet they can nothynge / for they had neuer pacyence for to vysyte theyr bookes wel / and also bycause that they knowe nothynge / they wyl none haue The artes of Pollydare / of Galyen / and of ypocras su­che Sapien. xii. folkes seketh not / but a grete sorte of bookes arbory stes / that be in frensshe / or in engly sshe for to vnderston de them the better / and in lyke wyse they folowe the me decynes of the same / wherby they slee and murdre ma­ny one. And on the other parte there is a grete sorte of olde wytches that vseth medecynes and false charmes / & abuseth dyuers folkes / and putteth themselfe in grete daunger for to receyue some greuous maladye / or peryl of dethe / the whiche for prechynge amendeth them not. for they gyue the poore folkes to vnderstonde that they haue heled and cured many greuous maladyes. And gyueth [Page] the medecyne of the yonge men to y^e olde / and that of the olde and aūcyent men to the yonge / without ha­uynge ony aspecte vnto the complexyons of men / and glo. in. c. f [...]. xxix dis. Tessalla. Luculus. Seneca. Chiringicꝰ. Sapien. [...]. without deferrynge of the hote medecyne from the col­de. And gyueth the same medecyne to the fader that he gyueth to the sone / and that of the doughter to the mo­der. They hele and guary sshe all maladyes and sekenesses / as tessalla the wyse y^t counterfetted Cuculus. Tell me surgyen who hathe lerned the this good for to be su­che an ydyot and mayster / mondefye euery body with alblaster / and with that oyntemente hele all maladyes / Thou arte a fole and resembleth vnto hym the whiche had the name of a physycyen / & coude nothynge as tou­chynge the true scyence. And in this estate he counsayl­leth a seke man of dyuers thynges / & yet he neuer sawe the lawe. Wherfore neuer take the name of a good phy­sycyen vpon you vnto the tyme that ye haue vysyted & sene the for sayd scyence ouer and ouer / and that ye may hele and guary sshe all maner of sekenesses & maladyes / what someuer they be. And yf that ye do otherwyse knowe for a certaynte that ye be of the nombre of the fooles of our shyppe / fletynge vpon the tempestyous flode of y^c mondanytees of this worlde / and be folysshe maysters. There be some physycyens y^t knoweth also well the wa­ter of a seke man in the botom of a morter / as in an vry­nall. The other sayth in lyke wyse that they shall knowe it in the vryne of a henne / or of a sowe / and yet they haue as moche scyence as a calfe.

AL you proude fooles the whiche wolde sur­moūt all other / & thynketh y^t none may compare w^t you / come and gyue audyence vnto my documentes & saynges. Poore courages [Page] obstynate in vaynglorye / and eleuate in the dampnable synne of pryde. To gretely ye deceyue yourself for to fo­lowe y^e vanytees of this wretched worlde / as yf y^e worl­de were pardurable / and withouten ende. Wherfore do ye not consyder that ye must all deye. Cezar dyde deye Cezar intio [...] for all that by his puyssaunce he was mayster of all the worlde. Yf it had not ben by his valyaunce after that he hadde wonne all his goodes / he wolde haue conquered all the hye realmes. He felte hymselfe puyssaunt & stron­ge / wherfore he put his affyaunce therin / and gloryfyed hymselfe / in tormentynge the burgeyses of Rome / and was to hasty to smyte them / for the whiche thynge the cruell people slewe hym incontynent by grete furoure. / What may one saye saue that his hye puyssaunce fell in to grete ruyne & myschefe. Also Daryus kynge of Per­ses Darius. i. mach. i. the whiche had so moche good / & helde halfe y^e worl­was not contente therwith / but coueyted other mennes goodes / wherfore he was vaynguysshed by Alexander the whiche surmounted his pryde. And bycause that he pretended to haue other mennes goodes / he was vnclo­thed of his ryght / & loste al within a shorte space. Xerxes Xerxes de quo hero­dotus. li. v. the moost rychest of kynges that hadde goodes ynough without vsurpynge of other / but he insacyate wolde make warre vpon the staungers of y^e realme of Dattyque where as Xerxes loste al his knyghtes / how well that he had a grete company / for his pryde deceyued hym / and fynably he lost also diuerse castelles and shyppes / of the whiche he was ryght dyspleasaunt. Nabuchodonosor Nabuchodo. kynge of Babyloyne posseded a grete treasour / and for all that he had goodes ynoughe / and that he affyed hym in fortune / yet bycause that he toke y^e honour from god / and wolde haue decored hymselfe hyghly / god transfor [Page] formed hym in to the lyknesse of a beest / and abode so se­uen yere entyerly. Also Alexander the grete kynge of all Alex [...]nd. m. Juuenalis. the worlde / for all his conquestes / he bare with hym no­thynge in to the places tenebrous saue a fardell full of vyces and synnes. Cyrus the grete kynge of perses / the Cyrus Hero­do [...]s ea Justinus. li. i. whiche was neuer sacyate to se the blode humayne shed ledde his hoost in to Chytare / and euery man ledde his wyfe with hym / where as they were all destroyed. The quene had grete doloure in her herte / form the bloode of her lorde / and of her men she deyed / y^e whiche was a harde thynge and a cruell. Crasus that was not content to [...]ras [...] Hero­dotus. li. i. possede grete rychesses / fortune dyde surmounte hym al waye in her specyall grace / but he insacyable wolde euer haue more goodes / so that she dysdayned hym fynably for he loste his realmes / fynaunce / and his armye / and all for lacke of suffysaunce. By the meane of whiche all kyngdomes decayeth / fortytude / vayne mondanyte / & Ecclesia. x. Eccle. xlix. Job. iii. Apo. xviii. Sapien. vii. rychesse. Rome / cartage / mytenes / solyme / and all grece ben almoost fyled by theyr perdycyons. And for the grete synnes that we commytte amonge vs Latyns / I am sore aferde that we forge a hammer for to breke our bodyes withall.

[Page] LUnatykes and ouerwenynge fooles that de­syreth the thynges that ye neuer deserued / let Ad [...] de [...]. [...] c. [...] ii. thimo. [...]. Ad Rom. i. ꝓuer. [...]. Hie [...] go biblie. the crowe flee in the felde / and come and be­holde that the whiche I haue wryten in this present chapytre. It is grete abhomynacy [...]n vnto man for to haue volente for to knowe the meruayllous secretes of the creatour / and to enquyre to ferforth in the hye dyuynyte. As how he myght make the elementes / and the mouynges of the same in the skye. And in lyke wyse how he made heuen and erthe. The man sh [...] de not enquyre of suche thynges / for it apperteyneth not to hym for to knowe suche thynges. But vnto god alo­nely is remytted the knowlege. By this occasyon I wyl wryte here of dyuerse ydyot foles / that thynketh often­tymes on the hyghe operacyons of god / the whiche foo­les haue theyr hedes full of ventosytees saynge y^t they haue intellygence of the holy lawes haboundantly. And by this moyen they reuycyte theyr bookes / and lyke in­nocentes they goo and gyue sence aboue the hyghe and holy scyence and sapyence of god / and that whiche we ought to byleue / where as remayneth a storye dyuyne y^t we sholde all vnderstonde. Of hym that composeth the Grego. ī dia. xxiii. q. iiii. obtineri. decretes / and in euery passage wyll reforme them / and this man by the vnderstondynge that he addeth thert [...] / vnreasonable and false / aryseth many erroures and he­resyes / co [...]pynge / and destroyenge the hye sence dy­uyne / in enforsynge them to tourne the morall sence. O Johā. vi. ygnoraunt foole I praye the and beseche y^e that thougy [...]e audyence vnto my wordes. Wylte y^u speke agaynste xxiii. q. iiii. Nabuchodo. god / wylte thou intermet the agaynst hym saynge that his puyssaunce is not perfyte in some thynges / & by thy desyres y^u wolde pemet it in to other sence / but y^u may not [Page] And yf god hathe made the cauernes & helles for to pu­nysshe S [...]pien. x. Hieremie. i. ꝓuer. xxiiii. Eccle. xii. Mathei. xvi. Ad Rom. ii. A [...]. xxii. synners in perdurably / & that there is some damned / wylte thou saye that it is euyll done / and that god is not Juste / and that he hathe not perfyte bounte. I tel the that god hathe neuer taken vengeaunce of no body / without that he hathe deserued it by obeyenge of the de­uyll of helle. Also he gyueth no rewardes but vnto them that hathe loued hym and serued hym / for to them he gyueth the hyghe realme of paradyse / and to the cursed the horryble paynes of helle. And he that serueth god / and obserueth his commaundementes hathe no cause to be Esaye. xiv. Ad Rom. ix. [...] sorowfull / for he shall gyue hym the Joyes of paradyse for his laboure. I supplye the lunatyke foole that thou speke not agaynst the mageste dyuyne / expulse that fo­lye. God hathe created the in this worlde to y^e ende that thou be pure and clene of synne for to wynne his glorye He wyll not that we be dampned / but saued. Wherfore refrayne thy tongue polysshed with foule vyces / & spe­ke not so cursedly agaynste god our creatour. Take en­sample of the potter y^e whiche maketh a fayre pot / and a foule pot all of one erthe as it pleaseth hym. Our lorde maketh vs so w^t his handes / notw^tstandyng we be com­posed after reason. you poore folkes that are not gradu­ed in the holy pagyne / put not yourselfe therin soo ferre that the deuyll put many errours in your hedes / & then to argue with the doctours / whiche is ynoughe to lede you in to the goulfre of helle / and to make you be brente lyke an heretyke in this worlde.

AMonge you ygnoraunt fooles y^e whiche do­the the prouffyte of other folkes / and leueth in. l. culpa. est ff. de re. iu. et in. c. nō est sine culpa. de reg. iu. li. vi. Eccle. xxx. your owne vndone / & that letteth your ow­ne house brenne / and quencheth your neyghbours / approche you nere yf that ye be not dronke / and come and se y^e euyll that holdeth you. Who De pe. di. ii. qui vult. hathe cogytacyons / paynes / myseryes / calamytees / la­bours [Page] and tormentes for to kepe the goodes and rygh­tes Terentius. l. pres [...]s. L. [...] se [...]. & aqua. of theyr lordes / and hathe no prouffyte nor salayre therfore. And leueth his owne werkes vndone by negly gence / and slepeth in his affayres / is a foole. For charyte well ordeyned ought to begynne at hymselfe. There is nothynge more gracyous / we haue a ryght fayre doctryne in Therence / also to do Justyce and ryght. Also it is wryten that it is ryght that he y^e whiche wyll haue pay­ne and laboure for other / be not soo folysshe but that he be more propyce to his owne / in puttynge alwaye charyte before hym: and after helpe his frendes. Yf that thou Cicero i epi­stolis. playe at some playe / and that thou wynnest / spare not to make thy felowe wynne yf thou maye / for thou shol­debe a naturall foole to let thyselfe lese wylfully. He is a xxiii. q. v. si placet. ꝓuer. xi. et. xxxi. xix. q. ii. due. xiiii. d▪ ꝙ ait. ꝓ. v. &. xxvi. foole also that seeth his house brenne / and y^e house of his neyghbour / and letteth his owne house brenne for to go quenche his neyghbours. He that bereth payne / thought and dystresse for his frende he is a foole / for he for y^e whiche he endureth it can not suffre it / and so it abydeth and he conneth hym no thanke. Wherfore he the whiche do­the so is a foole vnreasonable / for he taketh more labour vpon hym than he hathe thanke for. And for his payne and laboure he is mocked / & he ought to be in the heyght of our shyppe [...]edynge an asse the whiche is slouthfull & vnlusty. O poore foole innocente and vnhonest / what prouffyte or meryte entendest thou to haue for helpynge and so courynge of another / and not to helpe thyn owne selfe in thy necessytees. Tell me to what entente doost y^u it. Doost thou it for to be byloued of the people / or of god yf thou do it for the loue of god / it is well done / notwithstandynge thou sholde not dōmage thyselfe / as nere as thou mayst I praye the thynke on thy folyes / and kepe [Page] thyselfe honestly. Upholde thy house in thynges necessa­ry. And whan thou hast ordeyned well thy thynges thē helpe thy frende after thy power / for he is reputed for a fole that leueth his owne werke vndone for to do other ꝓuer. xx. mennes. I praye the that thou thynke more vpon thyn owne house than vpon thy felowes / for it is a comon pro uerbe / that he the whiche loueth another better than hȳ selfe / deyeth for thurste at y^e fountayne. And more ouer iii. Reg [...]. xx. thynke to purge thy conscyence / or that thou repreue o­ny other. For the crysten man is vnhappy y^e whiche do­the his besye cure for to saue other folkes / and not for to saue hymselfe.

UNderstonde well my wordes folysshe foles L. de libe [...]. et [...]o. li. l. i. et. ii. xii. q. ii. octa. [...]lli, in of. y^e whiche be ingrate / & that wyll not knowe the good y^t is done to you / vnderstonde you not that one ought to rewarde the good de­de after theyr power. Thenne vnderstonde this that I shall tell to you. He that taketh many stran̄ ­ge offyces vpon hym / for to gouerne them wysely / by­cause of the good wages / and leueth theym all vndone [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]

it is a grete dyshonour / and of theyr frende they make theyr enemye. And sayeth y^t he was neuer accustomed Ad colo. iii. Leuiti. xix. Thobie. iiii. Eccle. xxxiiii. Plautꝰ i asi. to haue ony thynge of his frende / & bycause that he set­teth not by hym / it is grete shame to hym to saye suche wordes / for he ought not to impose trauayles / & labou­res for to make afterwarde reproche / or y^t he had prouf­fyte / yf he wyll haue dyshonoure of euery body. yf thou haue taken rewardes of hym be meke & amyable. Who wyll vndertake a werke / he sholde demaunde good re­wardes / and haue it / consyder the lyenge out and the exspences to the ende that the thynge may be honestly do­ne. One sholde not spende to largely / for somtyme by a uaryce to dyspende to moche he dothe hymselfe domma ge. yf thou wylte haue a nouryse of honour be not ygno­raunt of her necessytees. And yf thou wolde attayne to [Page] honoure be swete and amyable. Also he that gyueth ly­tell Sapien. xvi. Eccl. xx [...]x. Eccle. vii. Macha. iii. wages and wyll that they trauayll as moche as yf they had grete wages / he is ingrate whan he knoweth it for to gyue so lytell a pryse / he hathe his herte all replete with folye and auaryee / and wolde euer that the werke were done / and yet one can not wynne with hym o­ne halfe peny alonely. Therebe some maysters that w^t holdeth the wages of theyr seruauntes / the whiche I neuer sawe ryche. And whan it cometh to be payed they wyll saye that they haue done them dōmage / or loste ty­me / and wyll leye falsly / to the ende that theyr seruauntes sholde lese theyr wages. Now speke we of cytees in grate / and fryste of all of the ingratytude of Rome that by inimitie chaced out Camillus. Alas Rome he had do­ne Camillus. de quo titꝰ liu [...]ꝰ. y^c grete pleasure for to haue chaced thyn enemyes / & for all that thou expulsed hym. And thou londe of Acty­que hathe done grete cruelte to Solon that was so wy­se. Solō de quo Herodotus. He gaue y^e the good lawes / the whiche thou put som­tyme in execusyon / and for the remuneracyon therof y^u put hym in exyle without ony coūsayll takynge. O thou Esparte the whiche wolde haue put a grete cryme vpon Lycurgus de quo Justinꝰ. Lycurgus / after that he had gyuen the good ryghtes & good lawes Scypyon in lyke wyse that was so valyaūt Scipio affri. Eitus liuius the whiche kepte his realme so peasybly and in soo good tranquylyte / hadde an euyll rewarde for his labour / for the people of his countree consydered it full cursydly.

APproche you folysshe foles that kepeth the kechynnes / yf that ye wyll do ony thynge y^t is pleasaunt vnto the wyse men / for I haue made you potake the whiche is ryght delycyous yf that ye wyll taste of it. This foole set­tynge ꝓuer. iii. [...]. ne imitaris de consti. Ad Ro. viii. his pottes to the fyre is so lunatyke that he taketh no hede to scumme them. And in semblable maner he is so Jocunde of them y^e whiche is but lytell in valure that ꝓuer. xiii. et. xiiii. he thynketh to be prudent for the beholdynge of them / He speculeth alwaye in a glasse ouer the pottes / in myr­ryngehis vgly face. Yf that one speke to hym of his face [Page] or of his wysdome he wyll speke at auenture and yf y^e it Eccle. xx. Job. v. &. xxviii. puer. xxxii. Esaye. iii. Ezechi. xvi. were to the wysest man of the worlde. He thynketh that none may be his pere. If that he be argued / he wyll an­swere to theym all. He thynketh that he is connynge in his scyence / but in the maner of wanhope he hathe his brayne to empty of prudence / and is alway redy to vsurpe euery body / and in lyke wyse the name of god / and of all his sayntes / saynge that there is none in the worlde more beautefuller than he / nor more connynger / how well that he seeth the contrary in the glasse. This glasse is euer with hym / be it in bedde / slepynge / or wakynge / etynge / drynkynge or walkynge. What shall I saye of Patrycyus. And what shall I saye of Otho the whiche Otho impa­tor speculuz. suphabuit. Junenalis. had grete glasses in his castelles / for to se his fayre face therin. Euery daye he dyde shaue his berde / to the ende that there sholde growe no more heere / and also made it to be enoynted with asses mylke. Thynke that / that ap­perteyneth Salustius. to the wyues / as a myrrour / fayre forhedes the custome to bynde theyr heere with sylke / and the no­segay at theyr eres / orylyettes / rolles in theyr kerchefes peked on hye / theyr brestes well decked / and theyr gow­nes Ennius. therafter. But at this tyme a sorte of fooles vsur­peth all theyr habytes by newe guyses. It is grete sha­me vnto you yonge folkes for to were that y^c whiche ap­perteyneth to ladyes. I am all ashamed to se the super­fluous garmentes / for the one wereth that another sholde were. For the man taketh the habyte of a woman / & the woman the habyte of a man / and all is nought. Pygmalyon made a woman of stone / the whiche was so wel Pigmoirē. de qu [...] ou [...]. x. metha [...]. composed that she semed better a lyuynge creature thā ony other thynge / & so moche he behelde her that he was rauysshed in y^e loue of y^t woman. Narcyus also for one [Page] syght was cruelly punysshed / for in lokynge in to a fo [...] ­tayne he sawe his owne face / and wende it had ben his ꝓuer. iii. loue Echo / and as he wolde haue kyssed it / he fell in to y^• welle / and was drowned / wherfore loke not in no glas­ses.

[Page] HErtes affusked of you folysshe dauncers / Exodi. xxxii. [...]s. xi. approche you nere myne instrument / and ye maye lerne another daunce. For I haue an instrumente swete & melodyous. These dauncers as well yonge as olde / ben repu­ted furyous / and folysshe. They haue grete payne and laboure by insacyable dauncynge after the sowne of the folysshe mynstrelles. Echone of them taketh a wyfe by grete dyssolucyon. They be consonaunt to the Druydes whan theyr grete instrumentes sowneth / and holdeth theyr furour for to daunce. As the preestes of the tem­ple of Mars that dyde theyr voluptuous sacryfyses so / O poore foole that remeueth thy fete so often in y^e daun Orgia. [...] ­chi. ces without ony cessȳge. Tell me what prouffyte / what guerdon / or what auayll mayst thou haue therby. Whā I aduertein my remembraunce the dysportes & playes of daūcers men and women / for all conclusyons I can Druyde de quibus Juliꝰ cesar in cōmē Selii de [...]. Uirg. ii. geor. not se by no maner of waye / but that the ende is ryghte myserable and vnhappye. And all comprehended well / there procedeth from them many inconuenyentes and dolours / as I haue redde in exody of the chydren of Is­rahell that were tryumphaunt in the loue of god in de­serte / the whiche daunced Joyously in skyppynge and lepynge aboute a calfe that was reysed vp vpon a hygh pyller. And euen so as god had maunded / they were pu nysshed secretely. Alas and all was for that cursed daū ­cynge. Exodi. xxxii. i. corin. x. vide nota g [...]. in cle. i. de cel misi. For whan folkes be replete with mete and dryn­ke ye shall se them daunce and skyppe in makynge gre­te gambades by inly talente as wel men as women / for whan they be full of fatte morselles / and of good wyne they fynde women the whiche is pleasaunt / and with y^e darte of loue they be smyten / and swalowed in a pytte / [Page] pryde ensueth it & vycyousnes / for they ben comen but Inde attēd [...] tes de sta. rel. de vi. et ho. cl cū decorem. ꝓuer. ii. for loue vnto suche personages. Euery body loueth and serueth Uenus as moche as they maye in commyttyng many euylles / and lybydynous playes in kyssynge and clyppynge / and is neyther marchynge / nor demarchyn­ge but that they thynke theron. There is nothynge that maketh the soule of man dymynysshe more / and descen­de vnto dampnacyon. This contamyneth the spyrytes organykes / and the stomackes of the dauncers. They be alwayes in noyses / and dothe but crye / in constray­nynge theyr voyces / castynge theyr voluptuous regar­des vpon the wyues or maydens. And for to dysporte them the more they goo in to euery place / soo that with grete payne the temples is excepte. And for these vnhappy daunces cometh grete myscheues / and inconuenyentes. Not alonely to the laye people / but also vnto y^e cler­kes / and them of the chirche / for they daunce also / how well that theyr thoughtes be vertuous / yet they be be­ten downe with mondanytees / and ben sene reygne in maladyccyon. Osyuyte holdeth euery daye chyldren / & yonge maydens be nothynge endoctryned as they we­re in tyme paste / they can no more vertuousnes nowe / nor honour / nor amyable speche / in the worlde is nothinge but synne. All men as wel on werke dayes / as on ho­lydayes daunceth / ye and they that be so auncyent that they maye scarsely susteyne themselfe / enrageth for to daunce. In many and dyuers wayes it is but vycyous­nes [...]g. ii. geor. Judith. ii. / in mouynge theyr corporall bodyes after the melo­dyous armony of the instrument. More than a thousande myllyons of euylles is done at the daunces / for a no­table man shal fynde with his doughter / or with his wyfe a grete sorte of galauntes / spekynge many dyssolate [Page] wordes / kyndelynge the fyre of loue. And after they be so ardaunt in loue / that all theyr bodyes is tormented therwith. Amonge you yonge maydens that putteth all your curyosyte therin / yf ye wyll lyue without vyce / flee that thynge.

[Page] PLayers on instrumentes that renneth on y^e Esaye. xxix. Sapiē. xiiii. Job. xxiii. ꝓuer. vii. nyght aboute / come and playe a balade be­fore my booke / and ye shall haue a celestyal rewarde. I wolde haue made an ende of mi saynges / for my volunte was descended on the banke of the see / where as I sawe a grete companye of foles that gothe by nyght. Then toke I my penne / & wrote of thē as I dyde of other. Whan euery body was at reste / these fooles made grete noyse whiche noyed so­re the poore folkes that were at reste as well men as women / for they goo [...]cryenge and rennynge from strete to strete makynge dyuers songes / and playenge on many instrumentes lyke as fooles that haue loste theyr sensu­all wyttes. They synge vycyous songes and balades.: / Somtyme they haue vysyons by nyght that be ryght Ouidius. in arte. Luce. v. horryble. Notwithstandynge the swete instrumentes / and the songes y^t they go syngynge oftentymes of deu­menydes. And for all theyr melodyous instrumentes / yet they trouble them sore that be at reste / bycause that they be not in theyr houses. And it behoueth them often tymes to caste stones at them / & water / ye and the pot with pysse / for to chace them awaye / they endure colde / hete / froste / snowe / and rayne. O poore fooles wherfore reioyse you yourselfe for to renne vpon the nyght as fo­les Sapiē. xvii. Johā. xi. / & vnreasonable beestes that were neuer wyse. The mynstrelles be not all alone doynge so. But the yonge & Joyous men / gentylmen / preestes / religyous men / and monkes / doynge on the nyght all thynges dysordynate The husbandes that hathe theyr custome for to accom­plysshe theyr cursed wyll / and macule theyr maryage / leue theyr wyues in theyr beddes without ony consola­cyon / wherthorugh oftentymes they be dysposed to vy­cyousnes [Page] by his euyll example. Who y^t is maryed ought Juuenalis. ad ephe. iiii. i. thessa. iiii. to kepe theyr wyues honestly / and peasybly / mynystringe vnto them all that is behouefull and necessarye / to y^e ende that ye gyue them none occasyon for to doo euyll. For oftentymes for lacke / they be vycyously dysposed.

[Page] ALl vacabondes / and myghty beggers / the which gothe beggynge from dore to dore / & ayleth lytell or nought / with lame men and [...]. de mendi. vali. li. xi. v. q. v. nō ois lxxxvi. dis. c. pasce. glo suꝑ math c. auaricie de preben. puerbi. xiii. crepylles / come vnto me and I shall gyue you an almesse saluberryme & of grete ver­tue. The mendycans be in grete nombre / wherfore I wyll declare vnto you some of theyr folysshe condycy­ons. These fooles the whiche be soūde in theyr corporall bodyes / wyll nourysshe and kepe dyuers chyldren / I by leue fermely y^t they wolde not haue theyr lyues in this Luce. vi. Thobie. iiii. et. xii. Eccle. iii. vale of my serye otherwyse. The monkes haue this myschefe / and y^e clerkes also / the whiche haue theyr coffres / full of grete rychesses / and treasours. Neuertheles yet they applye themselfe in the offyce of the mendycans / in purchasynge and beggynge on euery syde. They be a grete sorte replenysshed with vnhappynes saynge that [...]s. xl. Danielis. iiii they lede theyr lyues in grete pouerte and calamyte / & therfore they praye euery man to gyue them theyr good almesse / in release of theyr payne and myserye. And yet they haue golde and syluer grete plente / but they wyll spende nothynge before the comyn people. ¶ Our lorde Eccle. vii. de [...]. et re. c. cum ex eo. Ihesu cryste hathe ordeyned that almesse sholde be dys­trybuted and gyuen vnto y^e poore folkes that possedeth nothynge / and that be indygente / to the ende that they lyue here to the laude and praysynge of our lorde Ihesu cryste / the whiche thynge is ryght precyous before god / Somtyme the cursed taketh the almesse of the poore in dygente. I fynde grete fautes in the abbottes / monkes pryours / chanons / and couentes / for all that they haue Eccle. xix. l. vna. [...]. de mēdi. vali. rentes tenementes / and possessyons ynough / yet as fol­kes deuoyde of sence and vnderstondynge / they be ne­uer satysfyed with goodes. They goo from vyllage to [Page] vyllage / and from towne to towne berynge grete bag­ges vpon theyr neckes / assemblynge so moche goodes / that it is grete meruayll / and whan they be in theyr re­lygyons or cloysters they make them byleue y^t they haue had lytell gyuen theym / or nothynge / for god knoweth they make heuen chere in the countree. And by this oc­casyon the poore nedy hathe none almesse / or elles it is but small. There is another sorte of pardoners / the whiche bereth relyques aboute with them in abusynge y^e po­re folkes / for & yf they haue but one poore peny in theyr purses / they must haue it. They gadre togyder golde & syluer in euery place lyke as yf it grewe. They make the poore folkes byleue moche gaye gere. They sell y^e feders of the holy ghoost. They bere the bones of some deed bo­dy about [...] / the whiche parauenture is dampned. They shewe the heere of some olde hors / saynge that it is of y^e berde of the innocentes. There is an innumerable syght Uide libru [...] stultorū i lin­gua theutoni calatius. of suche folkes / and of vacabondes in this realme of en­glonde the whiche be hole of all theyr membres / & myghte wynne theyr lyues honestly. Notwithstondȳge they go beggynge frome dore to dore / bycause they wyll not werke / and patcheth an olde mauntell / or an olde gow­ne with a hondreth colours / and byndeth foule cloutes aboute theyr legges / as who say they be sore. And often­tymes they be more rycher than they that gyueth them almesse. They breke theyr chyldrens membres in theyr yongthe / bycause that men sholde haue the more pyte of them. They go wepynge and wryngynge of theyr han­des / and counterfettynge y^e sorowfull / praynge for goddes sake to gyue them an almesse / and maketh so well y^e ypocrytes / that there is no man the whiche seeth them / but that he is abused / and must gyue theym an almesse. [Page] There is some stronge and puyssaunt rybaudes the whiche wyll not laboure / but lyue as these beggers without doynge ony thynge / the whiche be dronke oftentymes / They be well at ease to haue grete legges / and bellyes eten to the bones / for they wyll not put no medecynes therto for to hele them / but soner enuenymeth them / & dyuers other begylynges of whiche I holde my pease. / O poore frontyke fooles / the whiche robbeth them that xlii. di. quies­camꝰ in glo. hathe not brede for to ete / and by aduenture dare not aske none for shame / the auncyent men / poore wedowes / lazars / and blynde men / alas thynke theron / for truely ye shall gyue accomptes before hym that created vs.

UNderstonde what I wyll reherse vnto you folysshe fooles that knoweth by experyence the cursydnes of wyues. Also wyues approche you nere / and ye shall here good and sentencyous doctryne. My verses dyctes / and saynges with my goodly scryptures / wolde of wyues [Page]

alwaye saye grete praysynges and laudes / as moche as of the dyuyne aungelles / for of theyr nature they be swete / and amyable / neuerthelesse oftentymes they chaun­ge takynge shrewednes / and false condycyons. I maye not deferre my scrypture / wherfore I must wryte a chapytre of y^e women / for of theyr cursednes I can not holde my peas. I haue loued / and shall loue also longe as I lyue the honour of women that is vertuous / but I shall speke agaynste the shrewed women / in all my wrytynges. Cornelia the holy moder of gracchus was wy­se Lornelia. and constante / so moche that her grete vertue & wys­dome resplendysshed amonge the good women / but I Eccle. xx. shall blame the cursed also longe as I lyue in this worl­de. The woman that is nourysshed with the papp [...] of Eccle. xxvi. noblesse and sapyence / yf she be dyscrete / it is more trea­sour of her than of all the rychesse of the worlde. ¶ She [Page] dothe not corrumpte herselfe lyghtely with vyces and synnes. If this woman be angrye agaynst her husban­de she wyll wreke it on herself. We rede of the kynge As Eccle. xxvi. suerus the whiche had commaūded that the Hebrewes sholde be put vnto dethe. Whan Hester was aduertysed Hester. therof / the whiche was regente of the countree / she ca­me vnto the kynge / and besought hym to graunte her a petycyon. And he graūted it her. Then she prayed hȳ that he wolde reuoke his sentence / y^e whiche thynge he dyde. And by this meane she preserued the people from cruell dethe. Naball was moche ryche and vassall vnto kynge Dauyd. The whiche kynge Dauyd sente hym worde that he sholde sende vnto hym some of his goodes And he refused it. Wherfore kynge Dauyd badde that he sholde be slayne / & his goodes taken from hym. whā his wyfe Abygayll knewe herof / she toke / brede / wyne / flesshe / and other vytaylles & goodes / and bare theym Abigail. 1. Reg. xxv. Eccle. xl. ꝓuer. vi. vnto kynge Dauyd / in praynge hym that he wolde re­frayne his wrathe / and presented hym the goodes that her husbande knewe nothynge of. And whan he sawe y^e constaūce of this woman / he pardoned frely her husbā ­de / and withdrewe his men agayne. Suche wyues be to prayse. The wyfe that is chaste hathe all good ver­tues in her She spryngeth / and floryssheth therin lyke y^c herbes. In dethe tyme she resplendyssheth in her house. ¶ Her vnderstondynge dymynuetht not / neyther in scyence / nor in vertues dyuyne / to the opynyons mon­daynes she gyueth good answers who may vnderstan­de them. And in conclusyon she engendreth al good vertues. ¶ But also of y^c cursed wyues / felonous / and dys­pytefull / the whiche had neuer good talente to do well / by them is proceded al y^e euylles that euer hathe ben do­ne [Page] in this worlde. Salomon the whiche was condycyo­ned Salomon. iii. Reg. xi. Eccle. xlvii. ꝓuerbi. ix. et. xxv. Ecc [...]. xxv. Ecc [...]e. xlii. Ouidius. v. metha. ꝓuer. xii. Eccle. vii. Eccle. xiii. ꝓuer. vii. Juue. vi. sati ec. xix. &. xxv. ꝓuer. ii. &. v: Eccle. xix. et xxv. Eccle. vii. better than ony wyse man that euer was / for his renowne is spredde ouer all y^e vnyuersall worlde. And all for gyuynge counsayll vnto a woman vyle and dysho­nest. And for all his wysdome he adored an ydole / in se­parynge hym from the creatoure by that foly. Dyuerse women there is that ben ryght cruell and peruerse / the whiche accomplyssheth all theyr mondayne pleasures / castynge out venymous wordes for to destroye the go­de renowne of another. She is of so wylde condycyons that she bereth two tongues / y^e whiche telleth withoute ony cessynge mo lesynges / than verytable wordes. It is wryten that they be descended from Pyrrha / and his semence / they clatter alwaye in dyffamynge somebody Lorde god thou defende vs from these wyues that ha­ue so cruell tongues / and that be so dyspytefull to euery body the whiche neuer dyde them offence. This vyle & foule turbe of wyues cryeth at euery houre of the night If that she be in bedde with her husbande / she wyl murmure agaynst hym without ony cessynge / in doynge hȳ dyuerse iniuryes. And the poore man leseth almoost all his sensuall wyttes for inwarde sorowe / she counterfet­teth the madde woman / be she yonge or olde / to the en­de that he agree vnto her peruerse wyll. This folysshe man the whiche thynketh in hymselfe to be more wyser than euer he shall be / suffreth her / and yf that it happen that he repreue her / she wyll dysprayse hym / and blame hym / in ymagynynge wrathe agaynste hym / she wyll brewe a daungerous drynke for to make hym be put in a darke pryson / saynge that he hathe iniuryed y^e kynges persone by euyll reporte / or y^t he hathe stolen some thyn­ge / or murdred / & wyll pretende to make hym be slayne [Page] bryuely there is nothynge so daungerous vnto a man [...] as to haue a cursed wyfe. We rede of Amphyon that by the meanes of his wyfe deyed. Calphurnie postuled in Calphurnia. i. l. ff. de postu courte / y^e whiche dyd a grete dyshonour / for she shewed her ars to the Juge. Wherfore it was ordeyned that ne­uer women sholde postule / were they neuer so prudente nor wyse. There is nothynge vpon the erthe so outragy Eccle. xxv. ous / nor so cursed as an Irefull woman / she is replete with the furoure of a lyon / more peruerse than y^e tygre. I neuer sawe / nor neuer herde speke of a thynge that is worse than a woman / whan she is set on it. As it appe­reth of Medea that detrenched her two chyldren / and y^t Medea de q̄. Seneca i me dea. made Jasons vncle deye. ¶ Prognes dyde worse for bycause that she wolde be auenged vpon her husbande te­reus Progne de q̄ Ouidius. vi. meth. that had vyoled her syster / she cut her systers ton­gue of / that was called Phylomyna / she slewe her sone / the whiche was grete cruelte. And after she made hym be soden boyled and rosted / and gaue Tereus hym to e­te. Juuenall the whiche was a dyscrete man hathe sayd moche euyll of women / and ouyde / and dyuerse other.: / To take it well we may saye that she hadde her herte in alappe enuyronned with sharpe thornes / replete with bytter galle / and vyle lycoure. That whiche is maculed in the brest / comynge vp to the mouthe / whiche dyuers persones haue touched that be reproched vyle and dys­honest / and engendreth a thousande dyscordes / she en­fecteth the condycyons / good alyaunces / fayth and cha­ryte / ryghtes / and grete scyences / and sayeth vycyously of her maryage. Juno the whiche kepeth the good wo­men from maculȳge / can not withdrawe theyr peruers and cursed wyll / without hauynge dolour in herselfe comynge agaynst the holy fayth / how well that she is in faculte of loue accompanyed to her husbande / it is but [Page] abusyon / at the leest of theyr two hertes conioyned to­gyder / for the one & the other is dyfferente. For she wyl Juuenalis. ꝓuer. xxx. go stately / gorgyously / ensuynge grete bobances / ryot­tours / and grete dyspenders / by the meanes wherof the poore man can not furnysshe it with al his goodes. And thus the rychesse is spended in suche wyse that he leseth almoost his wytte. There is thre thynges that excedeth all other / and y^e erthe susteyneth them all thre / but it ap­perteyneth Juuenalis. not that the fourthe be susteyned. The fyrst is the seruaunt that becometh mayster. The seconde is the seruaūte that is alwaye dronke. The thyrde is a wy­fe that is furyous and full of debates. And the fourthe is the mayden full of pryde / that is herytour of her lady or maystresse. Suche a mayden thou ought to eschewe and flee / for she gyueth oftentymes drynke for to dryn­ke wherin reposeth venym / and in conclusyon / euer be­ware of the femynyne gendre. Reuolue in your myndes the cursydnes of Agrypyne. I shal specefye vnto you of Agrippina. pontia. Danaides. the Danaydes / they were fyfty systers all maryed / the whiche by a comyn assente slewe all theyr husbandes on the fyrst nyght of theyr maryage / saue one that was vertuous ynoughe. Alas Lucresse where arte thou gone / Lucretia. thou wolde not for nothynge haue maculed thyn honoure. There is but fewe nowe a dayes that is bounden w^t thy chastyte. In lyke wyse there is not many y^t holdeth thy courage. But soner in all places and wayes there is sene Thades by hepes / lubryke as swyne. The chaste ryghte Thays. thynly sowen. O Cathon thou was happy to haue founden the wyse Porcya. And thou Agamenon was Portia. Ca. vnhappy to haue founde Clytemestra. Euery body wolde Clitemestra. fayne fynde Sabyna. For it happeneth oftentymes Sabina. that the man fyndeth an euyll wyfe. By the meane of y^e [Page] whiche he is assured to be happy y^t fyndeth a wyse wyfe ꝓuer. xii. Eccl. xxv. et xxvi. and a dyscrete / and a well dysposed for to kepe her fayth & trouthe to her husbande suche wyues be worthy to be put in cronycles.

OTher fooles there is yet / y^e whiche for their rychesse thynketh to be wyse / but yet they be ydyottes. Thou superbyous fole wenest thou for to possede many scyences, bycause of thy rentes & herytages / naye / for thou Sapien. v. ꝓuer. xvii. et. xxiiii. Eccle. xxxiii. p̄s. ix. ꝓuer. xxvii. Eccle. xv. xxii. q. ii. pri. resembleth vnto a blynde man that walketh all alone / & wote neuer where he gothe. O what good happeneth oftentymes / whan that I thynke to speke of the foole / and declare his excellente dedes / that prayseth & loueth hymselfe of his prowesse and valyauntnes by a foole / & that wolde be to curyous / thynkyng to afferme his hye praysynges also well as yf it had ben a prudent man. He sayeth that his londe is well fortuned / and that no man may wynne it / were it Ulyxes Jason / or Eneas / so wel it is garnysshed with noble and valyaunt knyghtes / & lacketh nothynge. The wyse man mounteth not so hye / but without makynge relacyon of ony thynge / taketh y^e Job. xxxvii. ꝓuer. xx. [Page] tyme as it cometh / be it ryche or pore he is not abasshed And thus he replenysshed with vertues kepeth his real­me Ecclesia. x. Sapien. vi. in peas and vnyon. The londe where as is a yonge kȳge or a prynce is not wel assured / for he can not gouerne Eccle. v. [...]. x. ꝓuer. xxx. Sapien. xi. it dyscretely. And his counsayllers entendeth not sa­ue for to ete and drynke nocturnally / and in diurtenes gaudeamus. His londes & his goodes dyssypered. This Ecclesia. x. foole is set in the syege inherte for to mynystre to euery body Justyce and equyte / of the whiche Justyce yssueth ryght. He tourneth the lawes at y^e volente of some euyll persone / and maketh lyght Jugementes yf he haue go­de frendes on his partye. Symplenesse is wel adnychyl sapi. vi. xii. led / and the ryghtes that ought to be egally mayntey­ned / wherin is made opprobryous fautes. I am a [...]erde that they ensue not the preestes that accused saynt Su­sanne Danie. xiii. ii. macha. iiii. iii. Re. xx. i. macha. xii. / how well that they had indicature and regyon / neuertheles they wolde accuse her / and vsurpe her with blame. Or folowe them of benadab that achab had pro­mysed moyennynge the good alyaunce that they hadde and vpon the fayth to retourne as prynce / & gyue waye vnto the conquestes that were done on achab. And his fader in lyke wyse / the whiche wolde not kepe his fayth and his promyse. Or the cursed traytour Tryphon that Lugurta [...] Salustius. vnder dyssymulacyon deceyued the good kynge Jona­thas / for the gyftes that he receyued of hym. For he ma­de Jonathas and all his men in grete lamentacyon dye in the cyte of Ptholomayde / by this that he coude haue no socoure. Rychesse maketh many men deye / & destro­yeth Oui. de arte. Horatius in epistolis. Ecclesia. x. Eccle. xi. many cytees / she maketh newe thynges / & in vyle nes reuerseth them / she deceyueth all the worlde by her cautelles / for she adnychylleth y^e conscyence / fayth / and scyence / and pacyfyeth our superyours & magystrates. [Page] Euery body prayseth it and honoureth it / and shortly w^t out reason dothe many euylles. Yf a fole haue treasour he shall domyne aboue the other / and shall lyue in tryū ­phe bycause of his rychesses.

[Page] AStrologyens that speculeth in y^c planettes xxvi. q: v. nō [...] ceat christia. et ꝑ totum et xxvi. q. vii. nō obseruetis et c. sequenti. Ad Gall. iiii. xxvi. q. vii. [...]s existmare [...]. and in the sterres / approche you nere / and come and make a pronostycacyon in my sa­tyre. Uayn astronomyers / that is not vtyle in no good thynge / machynatyques / aryol­les / and the regyons of all them that honoureth the sterres. If that there happen only lytell thynge vnto a man they wyll expose it saynge that the elementes dysposeth it be it good or badde. There is dyuerse that enforceth them selfe to do it. There is so many in the worlde that xxvi. q. ii. ip. Exodi. xii. they be almoost innumerable / and doo many euylles by that folysshe scyence / and sayeth that the course of the tyme to come resteth all in the constellacyons of y^c sterres / They be so wyse that they knowe the secretes obscure: & Plǎnetiste. causes of all elementes / of the grete mouynges / and by theyr voluntaryous wyll sheweth cuydently theyr gre­te folysshenes / by tellynge what shall falle euery daye.: They laboure excessyuely to declare / or expowne in gre­te erroures dyuers horryble thynges. And they specule Sol. Luna. Saturnus. Mars. Uenus. Mercurius. Jupiter. in the sonne and in the mone / & in theyr dyuers mouyn­ges. And after theyr tornynges they auaunce theyr spe­ches saynge that Saturne is the worste sygne of all / & that there is grete dystresse vnder y^c same. Saynge mo­reouer that Mars sygnyfyeth plenteuous people y^t shal be ryght eurous in batayll. Saynge also that Uenus is a Joyous sygne / and that vnder her is all welcome vn­to loue / and lybydynosyte. As moche sayeth he of Mer­curye. Of Jupyter they say that he is pyteous. And that he the whiche is borne vnder Saturne shal be dylygent for to stele / and shal maynteyne lesynges and vnhappynes. Under Mars he shall be in bataylles / and shote in a bowe. Neuerthelesse oftentymes we se that the chylde [Page] of whome I speke cometh to perfeccyon / and departeth not from his house / & this fole reputeth hym suche. Oly Ad Titū. ii. Ptholomeꝰ. Ad. Rom. xi. Eccle. i. Psal. xxxv. uynge man in this worlde put not thyn vnderstondyn­ge in suche vayne thynges / but do well and be vertuous and haue no fere of suche thynges / for god the creatour domyneth ouer the elementes / and dysposeth them af­ter his pleasure. Come hether poore foole what furoure and what vygoure hathe taken y^c / that speketh of y^e hye dedes of our lorde god the creatour. It semeth for a certaynte that god hathe chosen the for to tell his secretes. It appereth euydently that thou arte deuoyde of al go­de vertues / and scyence / thou arte blynde / wylt thou haue other lumynary / leue these abusyons / and take y^e en­tyere waye of vertue and prudence. Leue these thynges de p [...]. dis. iiii. in domo. Ad Ephe. i. Ad Ro. viii. xxvi. q. v. non licet. xxvi. q. iii. ad­moneant. vnto god / for to dyspose them after his mercyfull plea­sure. Let hym gouerne the heuens / the fyrmament and the erthe / for yf he wyll preserue and defende vs what may the planettes / or the sterres preuayle agaynste vs. for by his dyuyne / and infynyte clemence / he may dely­uer vs from all constellacyons / and fortunes. ¶ Some wryteth of the natyuytees & byrthes of chyldren / com­prehendynge sterres and planettes / the whiche is sene fayll oftentymes / and all is not true that they thynke / For we haue that y^e wyse man domyneth aboue the ster­res / and planettes.

UNhappy fooles the whiche thynketh to haue intellygence of the amplenesse of heuen and Plini [...]s. li. [...] circa prin. erthe / come and me sure this chapytre / and ye shall comprehende thynges that ben vty­le. This foole is replete with foly y^t thynketh to mesure the erthe with a lytell payre of compase / and all the regyons of folkes. They desyre to knowe all the mouynges in y^e skye. A grete thynge that apperteyneth not to no mortall man to knowe. And them of y^c ferdest abacuth. nacyons of the worlde as in yperboreus where as is the grete wynde of eolus. He mesureth Ursye / for to com­prehende the countree and people / with all the regyons of the worlde. And y^c profoundyte of the see All the yles Strabo. with the enhabytauntes / of whome the grete strabo do­the founde hym in his booke / where as he hathe wryten all the worlde as it appereth. O folysshe geometryen / tel me wherfore thou takest so grete thought to compry se suche thynges. I saye to the that thyn vnderstondynge is dymynysshed / and destroyed: wylte thou do more than Plynyus that made his booke of this scyence. He was a grete clerke / but yet he put in it dyuerse grete er­roures. Eccle. vii. Ptholomeꝰ. Sapiētie. iii. Hiere. ii. And in lyke wyse dyde the kynge Ptholomeus that thought for to haue made more than all the other.: Thou laboureth in vayne and hathe not thy herte clene and pure / and yet thou leueth the good way for to holde the vycyous waye. The thyrde the whiche is vnknowen [Page] Of prystes that neuer had ben manyfeste / was she not Ezechi. Eccle. xxiiii. Ferdinandꝰ hispaniarum rex. founde with the eye / and not with the herte There was one that knewe that in y^e yles of spayne was enhabytaū tes. Wherfore he asked men of kynge Ferdynandus / & wente & founde them / the whiche lyued as beestes.

[Page] BOthe yonge and olde poore and ryche ap­proche you nere my satyre▪ for certaynly yf ꝓuer. xxvii. Oui. vnmeti [...] Oui. vi. fas. Juuenalie. Eccle. ii. ꝓuer. xxvi. Eccle. xx. Sapiē. iiii. Eccle. xix. Oui. i. tristiū ꝓuer. xix. Luce. xv. Tulliꝰ de a­micitia. that ye approche you not ye shall be flayne for your obstynacyon and yet ye shall be fo­les euer after. Euery foole holdeth this na­ture beynge in obstynacyon / not takynge wylfull pacy­ence vnder good fayth and loyall desyre. ¶ O Marcia it was grete pyte that thou was flayne as a calfe y^u was abused with the harpe of Orpheus the whiche put them to that foly / wherthorughe thou loste thy skynne / & thy lute. By the example of hym dyuers fooles be soo obsty­nate thynkynge themselfe ryght wyse and prudente / & wyll vsurpe the other. They se not the other in [...]ryed w^t theyr obstynacyes and mockeryes / the whiche they ap­perceyue wel / neuerthelesse they be fooles / for they thyn ke that it is playe. And yf they se them purpense many fraudes / and detraccyons of them / and flateryes / they wyll byleue that it is true. Yf that ye wyll knowe suche folkes they haue a sygne of foly in theyr hedes. If thou haste ben ryche / and that thou haste yet thy coffres full of rychesses (doubte the not) for thou shalt haue kynnes men / frendes / and felowes ynoughe. And whan thy ry­chesse is gone / thou shalte neuer haue frende nor kynne for the poore man hathe no frendes. ¶ Spende not thy goodes at playes / nor at none other dysportes / be not y^u modygalytees / for thenne wyll good men flee from you whan thou haste dyspended thy goodes / in the whiche was all thy truste / rychesse shal leue the / & pouerte wyll [...]ssayll the / and euery body shall blame the. Thou wylte [...]cquyre some frende for to recouer thy hasarde / but that [...]hall be to late. Thou had goodes ynoughe for thy lyfe / and for to haue socoured thy frende / and thou haste all [Page] despended and consumed in shorte tyme. Thou arte a fole [...]us [...] alimē to rn̄. ff. vbi pup edu. deb. for thou shalte fynde none amyte syth that thou posse deth no goodes. Frendshyppe is nowe in the purse for who hathe no money hathe no frendes and yf they we­re ꝓuer. xxviii. also wyse as Salomon and haue no moneye they be but fooles. And yf he were a kynges sone or a prynce / & yf he haue no moneye nor possessyons / he shall haue no ne honoure nor reuerence.

AMonge you gloryous fooles that vnderstō deth no playe / come & playe you in this cha­pytre Mathei. vii. i. dis. in prin. puer. xxvi. Eccle. i. Eccle. xix. / & ye shall knowe what playe is / your playe is lordes playe / ye wyll playe & wyll not that they playe with you. For who that wyll playe with fooles / must be pacyent and endure all theyr folyes. Who that wyll playe with chyldren muste playe moderately with them / for they y^e whiche can not endure no playe / sholde neuer put themselfe in playe. It is grete folye to playe at a playe / & to be angrye in plaȳ ­ge Ad titū. iii. [...]. thino. ii. / it were better for to leue the play. ¶ Whan a foole is [Page] dronken loke that thou playe not with hym for [...] [...] ­he daūgerous And for to laughe [...]t his pleasure [...] wyl Mathes. v. dyffame good men wherfore the [...] [...] [...]hiche wyll pla [...] with suche folkes muste suffre & [...] wordes. Who that wyll hunte at [...] [...]stes [...] haue stronge and myghty houndes of dyu [...]s [...]ortes [...] many engynnes of dyuers focyons and then chace the beest / to the ende that she entrem to the cordes and gynnes. Or yf ye wolde assemble many prudent men togy­der / ye muste prouoke them and speke rygorously vnto them. But to the fooles ye muste do the contrary / in spe kynge louely and swetely vnto them / for comenly they be lyghtly angrye. I saye not but that there is none soo wyse nor so amyable / but that they may be angry whan that fyerse wordes be sayd vnto them vnder the coloure of some amyte / wherthorugh of tentymes sourdeth grete noyses and debates / and ensueth moche euyll. Neuer the lesse he is ryght cruell that rendreth enmyte for amyte. It happeneth of tentymes that whan one gothe w^t a foole / he wyll make euyll ouerture by his propre nature He the whiche wyll be prudent ought to be dyscrete and p̄s. xxxvii. Ad Roma. ii. i. ad T [...]ess. v [...]. Petri. iii. puer. xiii. Eccle. xiii. et. xxviii. puer. xxvii. c. quia p ābi. de elec. li. vi. Lucanꝰ i priō Hester. i [...]i. Eccle. viii. et ro. et. rr. wyse / and then shall he haue grete wysdome / and perfy te constaunce / and so shall ye be reputed wyse men / and they that go with fooles shall be mocked of euery body / and shall saye that they be fooles lyke them. These foo­les be meruayllous / for they be ambycyous dyscernyng good or euyll. They wyll domyne aboue all other / and wyll take grete rewardes for a lytell thynge. And for al that theyr faders is auncyent / they put them alway bac ke / and all other in lyke wyse. O how aman was angry whan y^e emperour cryed that euery man sholde honour hym / & y^t mardocheus kepte it not / for afore his eyen he [Page] sawe euery body obserue it. Wherfore he that desyreth to be called wyse sholde flee from fooles. And by t [...]s me ne y [...] may haue good renowne and be called prudente.

[Page] COme and rede in this chapytre folysshe fol­kes Mathei. vii. Inpro [...]e. de ere. i. [...]. dilecti de ma. [...] obe. [...]. q. vi. [...] se [...]cit. Sapiē. rviii Eccle. xxxiii. et. xxxv. Perillꝰ de [...] Ouidiꝰ. l. de arte. Mathei. vii. p̄s. vii. ꝓuer. xxvi. Ecc [...]. xxvii. Hesher. vii. ꝓuer. xvii. Eccle. vii. Eccle. ir. ꝓuer. xxiii. Eccle. xiiii. / y^e whiche be expulsed from all good ver­tues thynkynge to dōmage other folkes / & hurteth themselfe. This folysshe companye dothe many iniuryes vnto other folkes and hathe none aspecte vnto theyr owne vyces y^e whiche be so vyle and so abhomynable. They wolde not that other men sholde saye halfe the reproches that they saye vnto them. They wolde be madde were it in play or otherwy­se. I praye the y^t thou speke not at auenture / for whan the worde is departed out of the mouthe / they be subiec­tes vnto the for sayd wordes / and hathe no rest but ren­neth alwaye whan they be oute. The moost strongest of the worlde can not retraye them in agayne. Thynke y^t thy tongue speke no daungerous wordes / but wynne vertues and beholde thyn exemplayre / the whiche thyn ge ought to be done. And neuer do vnto another y^t whi­che thou wolde not he dyde vnto the. And yf thou wylte put y^e other in to thy sacke / beholde what grete euyll thy mouthe bereth / for it is more hurte than all the other.: / O poore foole beholde thy speche / to the ende that thou dyffame not thy neyghboure. For of tentymes they ma­ke a pytte for other folkes / and falleth therin themselfe. the fyrste of all. As of Amon that had done dyuers euyl les vnto Mardocheus the whiche was a wyse man and a prudente. This notwithstondynge he made a crosse for hym / or a patybulayre / or a gybet. But Aman for all his cautelles / & vnhappynes fell therin / for he was han­ged without ony respyte. It behoueth in euery case to consyder and chose a good meane / leuynge detraccyons decepcyons / dyssymulacyons / fraudes / and extorcyons for he dothe not well that putteth his affyaūce in them. [Page] bycause that there is some that maketh to taste a bytter droppe / in promesses truste you not. How maye one ap­perceyue by syght that a man hathe good fayth in hym. One can not knowe it. If that thou lodge the with him that hathe enuy vpon the I praye y^e answere hym wy­sely / for be thou neuer so wyse thou can not knowe hys secretes. [...]hese an host at thy pleasure / ete & drynke har­dely in his house / and haue no fere to haue ony hurte / for all that thou arte a foole ete thy fyll / but & thou knowe that he is not for to socoure the / to the ende that thou be not deceyued / eschewehȳ / for he laugheth in mockynge of the / and desyreth thy dethe.

YSsue oute where someuer ye be vnpurua­yed fooles / and come hether hastely / and be noo more slouthefull / but dylygente for to here my saynges. Who someuer in the tyme of somer gadereth not for to lyue in wynter lxxxiii. di [...]. nihil. Seneca. ꝓuer. vi. by / is of the condycyon of the beer. He is a foole that is so slouthfull that he wyll not puruaye for the tyme to come. Who is he that wolde doo as a beest / consyderynge his euyll to come / and thynke not for to gadre goodes [Page] for his pasture in tyme future. ¶ He that thynketh not Deu. xxxii. Ecc [...]. xxvi. ꝓuer. xix. ꝓuer. [...]. Ec. iii. [...]. xxx viii. ꝓuer. xx. Sapien. xv. ꝓuer. vi. et xxiiii. ꝓuer. xxi. ꝓuer. xxvi. Mathei. v. Eccle. xxii. ꝓuer. xxii. Juuenalis. ꝓuer. vi. theron is a foole be he neuer so yonge for yf he do other­wyse he marreth his body and his goodes / for he purpen seth not of the thynges necessarye for hym / nor of thyn­ges propyce. And whan indygence so w [...]eth hym / pouer­te calleth hym / my schaunce foloweth hym / hongre at­teyneth hym / and all vyle chaunce. Neuer he thynketh on the tyme to come / but passeth his yongthe in transy­tory thynges / & folysshe dysportes. Is it not grete incō ­uenyence / alas yes / for the meschaunt sholde not haue aspecte vnto the other / for yf he do he shall assemble no goodes. Take ensample of the solycitudes as sayeth the wyse / the whiche thynketh on his nourysshynge / and after thynke on his lytell chyldren / to the ende that in the tyme to come they haue no nede. Whan thou arte in so­mer gadre thy fruytes & thy goodes for to lyue in wyn­ter by / to the ende that thou and thyne perysshe not for defaute of prouysyon. Also they that haue thought euyl ly on the tyme paste / and hathe put all in oblyuyon / and hathe had theyr hertes so hardened in mondayne plea­sures / that they slepe all the somer in the sonne without gaderynge ony good. And soo they put theyr lyues in extremyte by theyr slouthfulnesse / and seketh noo goo­des. Yf suche folke haue none other goodes nor londes / they haue theyr hertes in grete thought / in grete myse­rye & pouerte. Or yf that they haue spended all by euyll thynkynge on theyr necessytees / as fooles doo oftenty­mes. And after must sell his londes or other goodes for to lyue by / and in the ende becometh myserable. Also he the whiche maketh noo prouysyon for goodes in somer / shall haue grete necessyte in wynter by extreme pouer­te and myserye. Wherfore I praye the take ensample [Page] at the pysmyres y^t gadereth in somer for to lyue in wyn­ter with. The hony bees dothe soo in lyke wyse. And by this meanes they perysshe not for hongre in the frostye wynter.

[Page] MOre curraunt than the wynde renne byfo­re Mathei. vii. dame Justyce folysshe lunatyke cryers the whiche maketh so grete tumulte before dame Justyce and ye shall knowe how he is a fole that maketh tumulte before dame i. di. in prin. Justyce. All cryers before Justyce be worthy for to be punysshed with greuous payne. They do no merytory­ous dede / but maketh perturbacyon in the consystorye / with theyr noyses and cryes / whome y^e Juges prayeth for to kepe scylence / but they wyll do nothynge / for the more y^t they be bydden holde theyr peas / the more they crye / wenynge to them that by theyr cryenge theyr cau­ses shall be the soner Juged. They vse fraudes / decep­cyons ꝓuer. xxvi. ꝓuer. xvi. Esaye. lvii. Jacobi. iiii. / and dyssymulacyons / how well that the cause be but lytell / yet they wyll make a grete processe of it / thyn kynge to haue vengeaunce by theyr fyers courages. Ye wene to corrumpte the fayre tytles of the lawes: and the chapytres of dame Justyce. They be ryght iocunde for to pleade. Suche folkes knowe almoost as moche as y^e lawyers / bycause they go so often to the lawe They ma­ke ꝓuerbi. xvii. Hieremie. ii. theyr causes to be kepte longe in hande. They pleade and yet they knowe that theyr quarell is not Juste / pre­tendynge for to corrumpte and destroye y^e sacred lawes ꝓuer. xxvi. Esaye. iviii. and decretes customed and establysshed / and that wor­se is they eschewe them as moche as they maye. If that they banysshe a man bycause y^t he is subterfuge by thre dyctes with the sowne of a trompette / he ought to be called a foole / or elles to be cyted before y^e offycyall. He wyl Eccle. xxviii. Eccle. viii. let hymselfe be cursed / and be deiecte frome the prayers of holy chirche / & careth not for none absolucyon. The other wyll let hymselfe be condempned before the iuge / The other wyll reyse a processe by enuye / & kepe it longe [Page] vp with cauyllacyons and fraudes agaynst all ryght [...] They enryche the aduocates & procurours. And whan ꝓuee. iii. theyr money is faylled they borowe by vsurye vnto the tyme that theyr processe be fynysshed. And after dyspoyleth hymselfe of his propre goodes. The other wyll vse cautelles / and thynketh by grete sommes of moneye to corrumpte y^e Justyces and the ryghtes. It is sayd that a folysshe aduocate wyll crye in the consystorye / by cau­tell for to haue moneye / the whiche shall be gyuen hym and by subtyll vnderstondynge wyll affuske the ryghte and dyuers thynges / of the whiche I deporte me from spekynge of / bycause that I byleue not that suche thyn­ges be done / for the aduocate of the aduerse partye may answere. The Juge Jugeth not of hymselfe / but by coū ­sayll / but and god were an aduocate he sholde be called these.

INutyle fooles the whiche applyeth yourselfe in vyle and dishonest wordes / come and se my Ecclesi. li. i. esdre. vi. Mathei. v. i. corin. xv. xxviii. q. i. se pe. purpose / and ye shall lerne to speke honestlye / Dyuers foles named gorbyens ben assembled togyder by grete hepes / halowynge the festes [Page] of theyr auncyent faders. They loue all thynges enor­me as well men as women. They enhaunce the aulters of theyr faders And whan they haue vysyted y^e chirches the olde yonge man / or woman vyrgyn mayden o [...] chaste without ony ordre / renneth and medleth them in abhomynacyons / makynge the feest berynge ensence in theyr handes / spekynge vyle wordes / makynge grete noyse & tumulte. One can not chastyse them from sȳne for synne holdeth them alwayes. And so they reygne on the erthe without vertues / they haue no shame / nor vyr gynyte is not due at this tyme for no body. For euery body regneth nowe in the pleasures mondaynes / destro­yenge theyr bodyes and soules. He is called a naturall Ouidius. i. methamor. [...]s. xii. Eccle. xx. ꝓuer. xi. Eccle. v. ii. pe. ii. foole that with his propre handes ryngeth the bell han­gynge at the sowes necke. I praye the foole gyue audy­ence vnto my wordes yf that thou haue ony volente for to go vpon the see. Loke that thou be well ware of the yre of the see swyne the whiche wyll folowe thy shyppe / doynge the grete trouble and myschefe by longe conty­nuaunce. By the meane wherof / yf that thou wylte ha­ue good remedye / thou muste loke yf that thy shyppe be not to sore laden / for & yf that it be to sore charged / thou muste fynde the meanes for to caste out some tonne / or barell that he maye playe with / or dyscharge it by pom­pes that be in the shyppe and auoyde the water / or elles the shyppe wyll perysshe in the see. Therfore be confes­sed and repentaunte for your synnes or that ye mounte vpon y^e see / for full lytell knowe ye what perylles ye shal haue. Amonge you bacchus seruauntes / that drynketh wyne lyke sponges / to the ende that ye falle not in grete incōuenyences leue it. The sowe produceth & bryngeth Ad ephe. v. psal. xl. forth many lytell pygges / the whiche dothe ensue theyr [Page] moder / whan she putteth her in the myre / and i [...]un­dycyte. Euen so is it of dyuers yonge men that ensueth Hieremie. [...]i. Esaye. [...]li. Ad co [...]. iii. Ad Titū. i. theyr frendes in vyle and abhomynable synnes & wyll not purge nor clense theyr conseyences nor honoure the thynges the whiche ben vtyle and good. And yf they ha­ue ony vyle [...]atche vpon them / they kepe it for good hap The hogge is crowned / and aourned honourably. The­re is many men & women of his condycyon / by the whi­che meane some be full of vyle ordure / where as they ta­ke nourys shynge [...]r the body and the soule. And with theyr mouthes they vttre many vyle and dishonest wordes / as men vnreasonable. Ha good lorde yf Horrestes reygned nowe / and hadde domynacyon ouer the people Horestes ꝓuer. xii. Eccle. xxxi. Ecc [...]ie. xxxii. Esaye. lxvi. as he hathe hadde in tymes paste / he wolde saye that ye be furyous people. ye delyte you in y^e foule synne of glotony / etynge lyke swyne / and drynkynge lyke pegyons also longe as your brethes may holde. Suche folkes do­ynge suche sacryfyses ought to be adnychylled and dys­praysed totally.

[Page]

FOlysshe hertes ecclesyastyques / come an [...] rede this chapytre / & ye shall fynde thȳges helthefull vnto your soules. ¶ Now vnder stonde what is lefte behynde for to speke of viii. q. i. i scri­pturis. et. c. moyses. As I sate musynge all alone / there came a grete turbe of folke before me / clothed lyke men of the chirche / vnder y^e coloure of scyence / takynge vpon them the holy ordre of preesthode. And after they resemble vn to ydoles / or puppees / wherfore by this meane all y^e chirche is vndone. For they put yonge chyldren in the hyghe places of the chirche / for to dyscerne the ruyne of the so­uerayne estates. O you men the whiche desyreth for too gyue a benefyce vnto your chylde / and knoweth well y^t he is no clerke / and that he hathe no scyence / nor no ver­tues in hym. ye wyll haue a lusty galaunt the whiche is [Page] replete w^t greate vyces. Doctryne prouffyteth nothynge to suche folkes / for they founde themselfe vnder dame xviii. dis. nos aūt. glo. i. xxi. dis. cleros xxiii. dis. his igitur. xii. q. i. quia. Numa pom. xxxvi. dis. oportet. xcv. dis. ecce. xcvi. dis. ques dubitet. xliiii. dis. [...] to. pecune that at this present tyme is a grete pryncesse the whiche corrumpteth the sacrefyses & offyces of god The renowne of suche preestes is dysproclamed and a bolyd / and is almoost but fyccion. Numa pompō sacred dyuers preestes / as them of whome I haue spoken / ne­uerthelesse they were replete with good condycyons. It is the faute of our pastours / and y^e culpe of our bysshop­pes / archebysshoppes and soueraynes / y^e whiche selleth the honour of the chirche / and gyueth them vnto vycy­ous and vnconnynge men that knoweth neyther chapytres nor decretes. O meschaunte men / what furoure hathe taken you for to approche / and set your handes on y^e sacrefyce of god. O poore fooles there is none estate vppon the erthe more daungerous than that of the chirche Good lorde what is the relygyon as well of the chirche of the seculer monkes / and relygyous men. How well y^t the ordres were constytuted dyuynely for to serue the & honoure the / this notwithstondynge vnder the coloure of the habyte they be replete with malyce and synne vnderit. O holy ordre of god sacred thou arte at this tyme well maculed. Thy name was blessyd all aboute / & bet­ter honoured than at this presente tyme / for nowe tho­rughe all the vnyuersall worlde is but vycyous / synne / and vnhappynes. ¶ O blessyd lorde Ihesu cryste how thou endurest many wronges and offences in this vale of mysery / of them the whiche sholde be myrrours vnto the poore people / & that sholde endoctryne them in goo­de werkes and operacyons / and in good vertues. The holy and blessyd faynt Augustyn gaue his rule vnto his Monachi. felowes and brederen / that they sholde in all calamyte / [Page] and myserye / and debonayrte / and humylyte be in this Augustinus. vii q. i. nō aūt Moyses. deutro. xviii. xxi. q. iii. [...]. qui et. c. sacer dotum. ꝓuer. xxi. u. petri. iii. glo. ii. q. vii. non omnis. xl. dis. c. fi. worlde lyuynge solytaryly / but at this presente tyme / ye inaye se how well it is kepte / and how straytely / it is full rudely obserued god wote. O blessyd saynt Augus­tyn thou wrote thy lawes and thy statutes so worthely / & at this presente tyme none obserueth nor kepeth them but premytteth and adnychylleth theym. The preestes bereth not within theyr corporal bodyes so excellent vertues / as they that reygned in the tyme of Moyses. All euyll conuersacyon remayneth in them of this presente tyme / they go on vyages and pylgrymages accompanyed with men and women / and vnder the vmbre of go­de fayth polluteth the chirche and the fayth of god. For theyr abhomynacyons theyr soules shall be greuouslye tormented in y^e fyre of helle inestymable / where as they shall knowe the paynes that they haue had to gouerue theyr cures and benefyces of y^e whiche I holde my pea­se for this presente tyme. And more ouer saynt Jerome dresseth his wordes vnto the preestes saynge in this wyse. O preestes euery daye whan ye celebre / your bodyes is made y^e sepulcre of our lorde Ihesu cryste. How maye falsenes yssue out of thy mouthe / whan all trouthe and veryte entreth in to it. How may your eyen beholde doublenes and vycyousnes / the whiche beholdeth the soule of helthe. How dare ye be so bolde for to kysse a harlot / the whiche kysseth the sone of the vyrgyn marye. you be Judas in kyssynge our lorde Ihesu cryste / doynge su­che vycyousnes. How maye ye stratche forthe your han­des vnto vyllaynous thynges / the whiche of tentymes holdeth the body of our lorde / the whiche the blessyd aū gelles may not do. Alas thou puttest the body of our sa­uyour the whiche is so pure and clene in to thy mouthe [Page] foule and abhomynable. Thynke and rethynke whan y^u doost that thynge / & whan thou takest y^e ordre of preest hode / for thou ought not to receyue the ordre withoute consyderynge of dyuers thynges.

[Page] APproche you nere my doctrynes / fooles re­plete with iactaunce / and come and here my xii. q. ii. glori [...] episcop [...]. xii. q. 1 [...] ꝓuer. xxviii. lesson / where as ye may here and lerne some thynge to the helthe / and saluacyon of your soules. I medecyne & physycyen wolde ha­ue taken awaye the here from a poore mannes chekes / and had none aspecte vnto myne owne the whiche we­re gretter swollen / & were more replete with hete than the poore mannes. Now come we vnto the congregacy on of the fooles full of iactaunce / the whiche ben boun­den with a threde the whiche breketh often / as is sene y^e dede of hym the whiche recyteth his hyghe faytes / and cheualrous dedes / and also of valyaun [...] and one hathe sene the cyte of Rome / and the ryghtes to gouerne / The one vaunteth hymselfe that he hathe done manye notable actes in warre. And the other sayeth that he is [...]ptes pscripti. ryght happy to be yssued out of the lyguage of Tullyus that was so florysshynge in his tyme / y^e whiche conque­red dyuers regyons. One the whiche hathe redde y^e cro­nycles wyll chese out a valyaunt kynge / duke or erle / & wyll saye y^t he is descended from hym. As of Romulus or of Jason. As some wyll saye that the duke of Burgoyne is descended / bycause that he bereth for his ordre the p̄s. lxi. ꝓuer. xxviii. golden fleese / and the fuze to smyte fyre with. And as y^e kynge of fraunce bereth in his ordre saynt Myghell / & the shelles. There is some that sayeth that they be of a noble progenye / and parauenture they be not of soo no­ble Juuenalis. Seneca. a parente as they speke of. For oftentymes they ben vsurers sones / or detractours / or blasphemers / ful of rychesses i. Corin. iiii. de p̄bē. vene­rabilis. / the whiche by extorcyon wynneth noblesse. Dy­uers haue well this symplenes to make themselfe noble and fyerse / that of noblenesse hadde neuer the meryte / [Page] nor of vertues that gyueth noblesse preemynence and haue yet aboue in the realme of heuen. Neuerthelesse it Bart. in. l. i. C. de incol. libro. primo. was not of them that wāne it by goodes / there came neuer yet honeste alonely by rychesse. Thou the whiche useth folysshely y^e fayre tytle full of noblesse / tell me who gyueth the hardynes / yf that thou haue it not by vertue how hast thou had vesture. What hast thou done that y^u ought to haue this hye pryce / or telle me who hathe gy­uen Ihrlm mē phitico. it the / thou mayst saye / I haue hardyed myselfe in grete faytes of armes. My wyfe also is renowmed vertuous so that my name is eleuate / and cōmended in so­lyme / and refulgente in menphetyque / and in fraunce / and in the londe of maiticole / and dyuers other regyons and countrees / where as I haue had domynacyon and seygnourye by my faytes of armes / by the whiche thou hast conquered noblenesse. The doctour that neuer had Doctores. xlix. di. sacer. dotes. & glo. in. l. i. C. de athe. lib. x. scyence wyll saye in the same wyse. There is noo degree but that it is wonne by moneye. And alonely bereth the name of a doctoure / and knoweth neyther lawe nor chapytre. He shall auaunce hymselfe to speke vayne and folysshe wordes / thynkynge to domyne ouer euery body / He is one of the moost soueraynst / how well that he can nothynge / he hathe lerned the name of the boke. And by his desyres / he holdeth many fooles by the handes in iactaunce / and vaynglorye / excellence / & rychesses the whiche is but vanyte / and wynde. Some wyll haue bruyte and noyse to be good syngers / the whiche be erraunt in the greate crede / dyscordynge with dame musyke / and whan they be in a vyllage / thynkynge to synge oute of mesure to wynne laude / they marre all and be mocked / ꝓuer. xxvi. Suche men be as beestes.

AWaken your spyrytes folysshe players that applyeth yourselfe in dyssolate playes / whe­re as ye wynne none honoure. Playe you in In antē. de sanc. epi. int­dicimus. bal. in. l. i. C. de [...]di. o [...]. ca [...]. virgi. [...]. this boke / and ye may wynne a thynge that shall be better than golde or syluer / to y^e profyte & vtylyte of your poore soules / almoost dampned / [Page] The congregacyon of players shall come vnto out fay­re auctorytees / all replete with playes / songes and vyle In d. l. fi ff. de alied. Glo. in. c p e. de. vi. &. ho clle. tricesima [...]ta disti. c. i. glo. i. wordes. Syth that it is so come & hye you. And vnder­stonde that by your playes / ye commytte thefte decepcyons / fraudes / and extorcyons / for ye employe all youre sensuall wyttes in suche dampnable playes. It is so ro­ted within your memoryes / y^t ye prayse none other thynge / and reputeth it for the grettest Joye of the worlde / how be it that it is vyle & dyshonest. Is it not a vyllay­nous thynge to playe at the dyce. Alas you passe the ny­ghte and the daye in playnge at the cardes and tables / by an ardaunt desyre to wynne moneye. Somtyme su­che maner of players is full of rage / & falleth in to grete myserye by theyr losses. And then Uenus lady of leche­ry Judenàlis. myneth them in an instaūt O fooles y^e whiche loueth De ex. [...]la. in ter dilectos. vbi gl. & doc. [...]ar. i cle. ii. de vita & ho­nestati cleri. Leuiti. xxiiii. Ad Roma. ii. de cle. mal. t. i. &. ii. playe so moche / beholde the euylles that procedeth ther­by. All synnes / foule vyces / vyllaynous wordes / shame reproche / and dyshonour yssueth from it. The playe causeth a thousande destruccyons. It destroyeth the vertues of the men and women. The playe maketh reuelacy on of secretes / enfecteth the dyscrete / hurteth the wyse by angre & Ire. The playe maketh men desyrous to wa­ke without reste / they be replete with vycyousnes / and mondayne pleasures. They leue etynge / drynkinge and slepynge / for they playe nyght & daye without ony rest And whan they lese / they swere they stare / they blaspheme god & all his saȳtes / as yf god had sollycitude of the­se pestyferous players. Is it not a vyle and a dyshonest thynge to se the man and the wyfe playe togyder at dy­ce and cardes / where as is rehersed full many vycyous wordes / in swerynge by all y^e precyous membres of our lorde. There is neyther noble / clerke / burgeyses / yonge [Page] nor olde / p [...]stes / nor monkes but they wyll playe / ye in open places and stretes. They ben vnclothed of pru­dence de iudi. c. ii. li. vi. and wysedome. They wyll not playe for a lytell / but for to destroye the one the other. I wyll not saye but that a lytell playe to men of a sorte / the whiche is but by maner of recreacyon / is not well done. Otherwyse it is euyll done. I shall tell you the cause why after that the whiche I fynde wryten in holy scrypture / and in the ryghte canon / as ye ought to vnderstonde it / for there co­meth of it a thousande euylles / it adnychylleth y^e know­lege / it dymynyssheth y^e substaunce / it destroyeth al fruyte as well comen as vncomen / and destroyeth as wel y^e man as the woman of soule and body. The playe of dy­ce is no worse of itselfe than the playe of sabot. There is no dyfference saue onely for the euyll that ensueth. The fyrste poynt of the dyce is made in despyte of god. The no. in. c. cleri. de vi. & ho. cl. host in sū. de ex. p̄la. quali. seconde in despyte of god & of the vyrgyn Marye. The thyrde in despyte of the trynyte. The fourthe in despyte of the Trynyte and of the vyrgyn Marye. The fyfte in despyte of the fyue woundes. The syxte in despyte of al the courte celestyall / as it is wryten.

[Page] MI boke is all replete with folke amonge y^e whiche there is one sorte / to whome theyr asses maketh grete chere. Of suche folkes ꝓuer. i. Eccle. xxxiii. our shyppe is all full / ye and gouerneth the ores. ¶This beholdynge I coude not tell what for to do / saue onely to lette all passe. For myn asse came lepynge vpon me / and made me fall vnto y^e erthe Euenso the folysshe route called me / for they be redy to Sapien. ii. Ad Hebre. xii ii. qi. multi. ꝓuer. i. ꝓuer. xxvii. ꝓuer. xvi. Eccle. xlviii. ꝓuer. xiii. ꝓuer. xxvii. Ecc [...]e. xxxi. departe. And so I put myselfe within / & was constray­ned therto / bycause that myne asse came and tormen­ted me so / for I was sore aferde leste that he wolde ha­ue done me a worse torne. It suffysed me / so that I had some lytell place in the shyppe / where as myn asse my­ghte not come to me / and tormente me no more. If I had endured it / slouthe wolde haue put my membres in a pyteous estate. I am not alone / ye knowe well the o­ther. It is they y^e whiche wyll not byleue y^e good coūsayl of the wyse men / and wyll not accepte them / nor ensue but loueth better to lyue in myschefe. It is they that by Ire speke many Irefull wordes withouten reason / as men out of theyr wytte. It is they that by grete enuye haue theyr hertes euer wounded / & without cause yma­gyneth noyses and debates. It is they that chastyse not theyr chyldren / but letteth thē haue all theyr pleasures wherthorughe afterwarde cometh many inconuenyentes. They forge vnhappines within them / and sheweth themselfe the sorowfullest of all. It is they the whiche breweth vnhappy drynkes full of poyson and venyme and then gyueth it vnto some good folkes for to drynke It is they the whiche wereth shone so strayte / that they rubbe of all the skynne of theyr toes / and wolde not haue none other for to chose. Of suche folkes there is but [Page] fewe in this prosperous realme of Englonde / for than­ked be god the shone is grete and large ynoughe. It is they that consumeth the whete withouten sproutynge / Eccle. viii. and destroyeth herbes. And theyr rentes is eten or that they come it. And moche more than theyr patrymonye draweth to. And by this theyr wyues ben aduoutrers / They wyl not retraye them vnto them / but suffreth thē to be baudes / the whiche appetyteth sacrylege. And soo theyr wyues thynketh to make them ryche and haboū ­de ff. de adul. l. inariti. De pe. dis. ii [...] c. qr dimissa. in mondayne goodes. And they the whiche ben bounden with suche vyces ought to suffre grete tormente / yf they perseuer in theyr euyll. And they the whiche ben so sore trauaylled with theyr asses / putteth themselfe soo ferre in to the see / that they fynde neyther botome nor syde. And all is thorugh theyr owne folysshenes. For & of ye wyll be ruled by reason and by good counsayll / ye [...]al neuer do amysse nor haue no mysfortune at no cea [...]n.

[Page]

ADuocates / procurours / knyghtes / scrybes notaryes / and men of armes / renne haste­ly on hors backe or on fote / be not absente / and ye shall here a fayre satyre. Our wylles ꝓuer. xxi. Math. xxiii. Eccle. xli. luce. iii. Ezechi. xxii. Esaye. x. Job. xxx. Mathei. v. Job. xxvii. ꝓuer. xi. Mich. ii. [...]s. ix. Luce. xxi. Amos. iii. gyue to vnderstonde / and at this present tyme we somone all scrybes and men of warre / we wyl y^t they be of our folkes in the shyppe of fragylyte berynge grete asses eres / and gyue vnto eche his rewarde after his deserte. Approche you / and come lyghtly or elles our shyppe wyll departe / come and ye shall be in a corner to rowe with ores. The laboure of scrybes or practycyens is semblable / the men of armes destroyeth the goodes of the poore labourers. Some / wayteth in the feldes and dyspoyleth the comynalte. The scrybes deceyueth them openly. The knyght or auenturer dysposeth his body in [Page] colde / froste / snowe / rayne / wynde / and is all full of vy­ces. The other for to wryte pylleth here and there in le­synge Ecclesia. ix. Jacobi. iiii. [...]. thimo ii. Esaye. iii. Mathei. xiii. Mathei. xxiii zacha. vii. Malach. iii. of theyr souies and all for to wynne goodes. The men of armes brenneth vp houses / townes / and vylla­ges / for to haue the rychesses. The poore man is compel led by the practycyen to paye that the whiche he demaū ­deth hym. Suche folkes demaundeth moneye for theyr labour / the whiche caused all the payne / without hauyn ge ony pyte on the poore man. Of suche spoylers is the congregacyon grete. Yf that they helde the ryght waye of equyte and Justyce they sholde be the better beloued and be more praysed than they be. If the knyght enten­ded Luce. iii. to defende y^e poore wyues / wedowes / faderles chyl­dren / and auncyent men and women / and poore may­dens / and kepe the thynges for the comyn welfare that they were not vyoled / it sholde be a grete almesdede / & destroye al theues / murderers / & outlawes kepȳge woddes. If the aduocate wrote Justely without makynge false negacyons / and corrumpynge of the ryght. Un­ryght sholde fayle / and Justyce sholde reygne in force & strengthe. But at this tyme y^e men of armes lyueth not in esperaunce nor wyll to defende wedowes / nor orphe­lyns. Also dothe not the scrybe / but soner wyll dyspoyle them of theyr goodes / so full is theyr thoughtes of fraudes and deceytes. For there is no maladyccyon / mysery nor destruccyon in this worlde worse than of suche folke The wayes were neuer more daungerous than they be nowe / for the robbers that kepeth them. The knyghte vpholdeth not the ryght / but soner is assocyate with the transgressours. O poore and vnhappy fooles ye shal re­pente it at the laste ende / for ye shal be punysshed in the fyre of helle.

I Haue purposed to wryte of all these postes / & courrours / and messengers / and that they co­me vnto our shyp for perylles that myght falie for yf the messenger were constrayned for to de parte out of our shyppe / to go on his affayres / we myght suffre and haue grete dōmage / and vytupe­rable Quales de­bet esse nun­cius ponit spe cu. in titulo. de execu. shame / or daunger on the see / or some other mys­fortune. Neuertheles to these messengers / bycause that they be not to lyght clothed for to doo theyr messages / we wyll gyue thē some place in our shyp. But y^e true go ers on theyr messages shall haue none. He the whiche be ꝓuer. xxvi. ꝓuer. xi. ii. reth a close lettre / ought wel to vnderstonde what he hathe to do / to the ende that there come no dōmage vnto other. He ought to goo in sure wayes / without beynge varyable to ony body. He ought neuer do no message by mouthe / saue onley to hym that he is charged to do it to There is some courrours that do more than they be cō ­maunded. They do dyuers fraudes / and deceytes / in re portynge lyes / and dyscordes by theyr folyes. And ma­ke ꝓuerbi. xxvi. often euyl reportes vnto theyr propre lordes. Certaȳ ly it is impossyble / how well that they haue promysed to do theyr message well and truely / for they care not how [Page] it gothe so that they may haue moneye. And yf they ha­ue ony thynge that toucheth the aduerse party / they sle­pe not. They be longe in gyuynge of theyr letters / and is nothynge expedyent / the whiche somtyme causeth in ꝓuer. xxiiii. fynyte dōmage / they to whome the lettres hathe ben gyuen can not make no dylygence / for the delayenge that hathe ben made. Somtyme they delyte them to recey­ue lettres / bycause y^t they speke of newe thynges. Su­che ꝓuer. xxv. in fine. ꝓuer. xxvi. Hieremie. ii. Eccle. xxxiii. messengers vnderstonde not y^e answers that is gy­uen them by theyr neglygence. And oftentymes retourneth wouten answere. And yf they go on message in so­mer they do nothynge but slepe / and hasteth them not / These imploratours or embassatours / be not somoned to our shyp / for they medle but in peysaūt werkes / as to make pease / or for the comyn welfare / & yf they doo not well they commytte a grete foly / of suche thynges I de porte me. Messengers prudent & wyse one can not pray se you to moche / whan ye employe yourselfe to do your massage truely.

[Page]

COme and beholde in this booke cookes / and se your prouffytable seruauntes y^e whiche ke Ezech. xxiiii. ꝓuer. xxi. Esaye. lxv. ꝓuer. xix. math. xxiiii. Eccle. xxxi. ꝓuer. xii. keth your sellers & your houses. ye be to daū ­gerous a sorte in a house. ye consume and destroye the goodes of a good house / in superfluous araye / and vayne thynges. It is the nature of the cookes / and of the caters / and kepers of sellers / to be enclyned to doo theyr maysters dōmage / how well y^t they haue the house in gouernynge. Jactaunce draweth vn­to them / for they saye we haue fayre doynge good or yll as it lyketh vs best / for we lyue after the season of euery moneth / etynge swete and delycyous metes / and good drynkes / bothe erly and late at all houres / we drynke of the best wyne that is in our maysters seller / & haue whyte brede that costeth vs nothynge. O how fewe is foūde [Page] at this presente tyme good and loyall. Whan y^e mayster is a slepe / they haue the keye of the seller / and drynketh Luce. xv. Tre. vi. alwaye of the best. Loke what is locked vp in the seller / and it is eten vp / and then they saye that the cattes ha­the eten it / & yet they wyll haue two or thre straungers with them / in destroyenge the prouysyon of the house by excesse and glotonye. There is neyther fayth nor lawe / in them / not thynkynge on the tyme to come. They do nothynge but dōmage / as one may perceyue euery day The maysters knoweth nothynge of these werkes / for they thynke that theyr seruaūtes is true and loyall. In the sellers is commytted grete fraudes / and deceytes / without remors of conscyence. O what outrage. whan ꝓuer. xxix. ye be maryed ye shall haue defaute of that y^e whiche ye Ecc [...]ie. xxxii. Luce. xii. spende nowe in excesse and waste. I speke vnto you co­kes / and caters of houses / the whiche eteth y^e fatte mor­selles / and that destroyeth more mete than swyne. Knowe ye not the euyll that ye do in deuourynge so moche mete and drynke. Whan I aduerte the euyll that ye cō ­mytte I am all ashamed how that ye thynke not on the tyme future. Thou the whiche delyteth for to ete delycy Ad ephe. vi. ous metes / before that thy mayster haue tasted therof / it is not done of a good man. Also they drynke wyne by scoupes / the whiche thynges nouryssheth your bodyes in grese / and kepeth you from longe lyuynge. ye put pȳ nes in the hennes hedes / and sayeth that they be deed of some sekenes. And after ye ete them in makynge grete chere whan your maysters is on slepe. Kepe you well y^t in the laste ende ye be not at the table of helle / where as ye shall be serued with todes / and snakes / with the whiche the poore soules is fedde.

APproche you nere folysshe rustykes / y^e whi­che is full of all arrogaūce. This same man was vyle in tyme paste / but at this present tyme he hathe assembled grete rychesses / he vsurpeth the habytes of noblenes. And for all that by his pryde he wolde domyne. And yf he be de­maunded xivi. di. i. [...]ti. l. nuper. C. de mā. et col. pa. glo. in. l. ser. vr [...]ff. de le. iii. Oui. i. fast et. i. meth. Juuenalis. Eccle. vii. ony thynge / he wyll saye that he is besy as for that tyme. O rustyke thou hadde the ouerture of grete vertues and scyence / and had your conscyences pure & clene / without assemblynge treasours in your lytel houses / you had good reasons without deceytes [...] / extorcyōs or periurynges. ¶ By your swete vertues your chayers was resplendysshynge in heuen. None of you was aua­rycyous / and your thoughtes was not to assemble goo­des / but to do euery body his deuoure / & none was not in necessyte of golde and syluer. None dyde were clothȳ ges but after theyr estate. But at this present tyme the labourers ben garded lyke men of armes. And bryuely all the lyuynge men is so. O folysshe folkes be ye not a Hiere. xiii. shamed to chaunge the auncyent estate / you were your heere longe / and busshed / curled and full of vanytees. / [Page] O foles rustykes ye be federed like pecockes / your gownes is ample with grete sleues half parted / and brodred Sapiē. xvii. with bandes of dyuers colours / ye [...]e at this present ty­me more fyne & cautellous than they of good townes / O folkes habytynge in cytees ye folowe theyr documē ­tes Job. xxiiii. Esaye. v. and techynges. your sensuall wyttes is all predesty­ned / you be replete with fraudes and deceytes. The ru­styke folkes reioyseth them to fynde newe euylles / and to gadre grete rychesses by full sackes / studyenge on none other thynge. O poore foole frome whens procedeth Hiere. li. ꝓuer. xxiii. Juuenalis. Eccle. iiii. this rustyke lyfe so daungerous / and replenysshed with approbate euylles. I se that the vyllayne full of golde & syluer is ryght auarycyous and nedy. And at this tyme auaryce persecuteth them / and brenneth them / and wyl abuse noblenes / and symplenes also. The vyllaynes haue reched vnto the hyghe tytle of noblenes. Alas how it is a vyle thynge and a dyshoneste / to appetyte the habyte of another fourme than theyr estate requyreth:

[Page]

SLepe no more you ryche men / y^e whiche dysprayseth so moche the poore people: awaken you and come and se this fayre treasoure y^t xlvii. di. sicut p̄uilegia pau vi. i. l. si quis. Ad. [...]. de epi & cle. arch. xi. [...]. iii. qauꝑ. Sapiē. v. Uirg. in. en. Juu. nalis. Sapien. ii. Ecclesia. ix. ꝓuer. xxiii. Ecclesia x. Ouidi. i. fast. Juuenalis. Eccle. v. Mich. vi. Ecc [...]. xxv. I haue ordeyned for your doctryne. Oure shyppe bereth dyuers pecunyous folkes as well yonge as olde / to whome al vayne pleasure is agreable / in desyrynge rychesse / more than vertues & honour Euery body fleeth pouerte / and wyl not knowe it. Thre thynges maketh y^e stomacke full of iniquyte / that is to knowe / golde / sacryfyce / and famyne / and greueth the man moche to bere / and vertue is inutyle to them. Po­uerte fedeth not the house / but with all good reason / yf it be suffred swetely. He shal haue honoure / tytle of wysdome & grete vertues that honoureth the iuste men. so­me hathe ben in this worlde ryche and puyssaūt / that be [Page] nowe in grete paynes & tormētes / bycause they dyspraysed pouerte / and that they gouerned them yll as sȳgeth the scrypture. The ryche men haue worldly pleasure / & alyaūce with dyuers folkes. They be neuer hated of no­ne / but the poore man is hated of euery body / and good or euyll he shall neuer haue better. He the whiche seketh grete rychesses / and desyreth to do none other good / he setteth nought by honoure nor vertues / oure fayth nor lawe is not agreable vnto hym. He is a foole / for he dys­prayseth the commaundementes of god / he swereth by his name in vayne / and commytteth so many euylles y^t it is grete meruayll to here them recounted. All his her­te is drye of vertues / bycause that it is full of vyces and synnes. He gyueth his moneye by vsurye to some poore man that he holdeth subgecte vnder hym. Alas muste y^e z. vii. di. nōne Eccle. iiii. xlvii. di. sicut. Eccle. xiii. Amos. v. Esaye. x. Job. v. xxiiii. q. iiii. ne amisso. worlde be thus destroyed / for at this presente tyme eue­ry body falleth in ruyne / and in synne / in counterfettynge hymselfe. There groweth infynyte dyscordes. Justyce also is solde for golde / and behoueth that euyll ryghteyssue out of dame vertue and scyence / and the conscyence is perysshed. Dyuers folkes sholde be punysshed by y^t Justyce yf that it were not for the grete rychesses that Juuenalis. they be replete with. Dyuers sholde be hanged / brente / or slayne yf that it were not for theyr goodes. And by this meane abydeth many vnpunysshed. The pore man that hathe nothynge shall be greuously punysshed. By suche meanes is commytted soo many euylles that it is horrour. Achas that was kynge of Samarye vsurped Achas. iii. Reg. xxi. Eccle. v. Jezabell. all his subgectes / for he was not contente with his real­me Naboth had a fayre arbour and a delectable to this kynge / the kynge asked it hym / eyther to sell / or to haue as moche for it / but Naboth sayd he wolde not breke y^e [Page] arbour of his fader / for y^t sholde be to grete dyshonour / He departed from thens and came in to his house / and layde hym downe vpon his bedde / he myght neyther e­te vi. q. iii. paup Juuenalis. Lucanus. xv. q. ii. illa. no. de rescrip statatū. li. vi. bea. tho. ii. ii. q. clxxx viii. ar. iii. ꝓuer. xix. xii. q. ii. crates Roma. Qui curtius. dendatus. Publicola. Fabritius. M. regulus. de q^o tulliꝰ i of Apuletus. Grecia. Aristotelis. epaminūdas Homerus. Socrates. Eccle. xi. Roma. Augustinus. Duidius. Eccle. x viii. Larthago. ꝓuer. xxii. Juuenalis. nor drynke. His wyfe arryued there / the whiche was ryght sorowfull / but whan she knewe wherfore it was / she sayd vnto hym that he sholde take no thought. Thē she wente and shewed it vnto the grettest of the towne / And she exhorted them soo moche that they stoned hym to dethe. But god knoweth all / for mēbroth was slayne for that the whiche the kynge suffred folysshely Thus is the poore oppressed by the ryche. In the tyme of the golden leage / pouerte was praysed / and well maynteyned. And by her was good lyfe / without enuye euery bodylyued. Euery body vsed largenesse / and negardyse was expulsed / by her was had good vertues and scyences / auaryce was not then reygnynge. Al the estates reygned in peas and vnyon with the people. Vertues and honoure was with pouerte. All grete prynces and lordes was replete with vertues and pouerte. They domyned in eue­ry prouynge. As Curtius and his felowes that helde the Samnytes / ausonye and dyuers other cytees / bycause that they were enclyned to serue pouerte. They mayn­teyned the thynges publyke / & mounted vp in honoure and excellence. Pouerte was cause / she was of heuen / & of the worlde the hye pryce / the gate of heuen at this ty­me / for thou berest the keye. O publycolle thou berest honoure / & is dygne of grete laude / bycause that thou maȳ teyned pouerte. O fabrycyus y^u arte worthy to be pray­sed / for thou dyspraysed all the grete gyftes of Pyrrus. Pouerte gaue the honour. I pray y^e folysshe ryche man consyder that pouerte hathe done many excellent wer­kes. As to crowne kynges. To dyscerne Justyce & esta­t [...]s [Page] of realmes / she hathe loued doctrynes. Grece resplē dyssheth in pouerte / and all scyence is extracte therfro / The grace of pouerte fleeth neuer. Arystotle. Epaminū ces. Homerus. Socrates were grete phylosophres / and excellente poetes / notwithstondynge they were poore. & desyred no rychesse. Rychesse gaue neuer no goodes / but hathe destroyed many realmes. ¶ By pryde is knowen how Rome is decayed / many men it peryssheth. Carta­ge came vnto ruyne. It engendreth all euylles. There is nothynge more excellenter / nor more sweter than po­uerte. [...]resꝰ. de quo Herodo. li. i. ꝓuer. xii. Eccle. xvi. Marti. x. Wherfore do we loue otherthynge than. We myrre ourselfe in this vnhappy moneye that ledeth the soule vnto helle. Tell me what auaylled the rychesse vnto kynge crassus / or to Sardanapalꝰ or other. To speke short­ly there is nothynge worse / nor more abhomynable. Pouerte gyueth fruycyon to the realme of heuen. Wherfore you cursed fooles that dyspryseth pouerte / know y^t ye shall be banysshed and expulsed from the realme of pa­radyse.

[Page]

NOw without ony lenger delaye foles that wyll not perseuer in goodnes / make a lepe in to our shyppe / and ye shall knowe y^e gre Luce. ix. Ecc [...]. xxxviii. de pe. dis. ii. multi. Abacuc. i. ii. [...]orin. vi. Ad hebre. iii. Ad hebre. xii. te erroure that ye be in / and ye shall se the robuste man begynne to werke / the which whan he hathe tasted it ones wyll neuer leue it Now yf thou wylte vnderstonde this / thynke where as I wyll falle / to the ende that thou take ensygnement / and here my sentence amyably. Our shyppe calleth all these men bycause that they be couenable to drawe the cordes of our saylles / or do some other thynge aboute in the shyp / vnderneth the hatches / and aboute the pompe / and ste­re. They the whiche begynne for to lyue well and vertuously / and make clene theyr soules frome synne / & wyll [Page] ensue good doctrynes / and vertuous scyences / and cast out from your conscyences the infeccyons and fylthes Eccle. ii. pictagoras. But who that gothe vp a mountayne / to holde y^e somet and abydeth in the halfe waye / it is grete pyte / and yf he loke behynde hym he destroyeth hymselfe / and leseth all the vertues that were resplendy sshynge in hym / he was debonayre / but he perseuered not therin / dyuers be of theyr condycyons. The other wyll goo in the waye of Josue. vii. ꝓuer. xxvi. Exodi. xvi. Nume. xiiii. veryte / where as is Justyce and ryght / but whan they be at the halfe waye / they torne the brydell in to y^e waye polluted / and so strayeth out of y^e ryght waye / for they tourne theyr faces awaye / and beholde the perfounde places of mondanytees. As the chyldren of Israhell to whome our lorde had done so moche good / and loued so perfytely / and made them to be ledde out of captyuyte by Moyses in to deserte. And after they murmured sa­ynge that god wolde predestyne them vnto grete mys­chefe / bycause that he hadde put them in to so barayne a countre / and taken them from that the whiche was soo fructuous. God knowynge theyr murmuracyon made Mathei. xv. Luce. ii. apoca [...]i. Hieremie. iii. it to rayne manna from heuen / for to se yf y^t they wolde kepe theyr lawe. They dyde well. But in the ende they wolde do euyll. Then for to come vnto my purpose / I saye that he the whiche wyll be the waye to serue god / & after be wrappeth his body in synne / knowe that his es tate is ryght daungerous / for he honoureth that y^e whiche is of no valure / example of a seke man / to whome y^e physycyen sayeth that he wyll hele hym. I demaunde i. q. i. c. vētū. Depe. dis. 1. c. q̄ pertinet. xcii. di. pluri­mos. the yf he wyll obserue his commaundement / naye / and yf he impayre / who is it longe on / of hymselfe bycause he wolde not byleue his good coūsayll / the whiche was for his helthe. Yf thou had a grete woūde / & wolde not [Page] suffre that it sholde be serched and made clene / and greuous maladye where thorughe dethe sholde procede in xv. q. i. ca. in canonibus. whome sholde the faute be / in the / and not in the physycyen. In lyke wyse yf that thou saye / I haue lyued wel all my lyfe / I haue done alwayes good / thyn vnderstō ­dynge dothe contrarye. Thou contempneth good wer­kes. Thou doost not well / for the pryncypall thynge is not to begynne well an operacyon / but muste lyue well and vertuously vnto the laste ende / and so contynue in werke also. O poore gendre humayne I praye you doo Eccle. xviii. Eccle. vii. Sapien. v. Mathei. x. Deuter. xxxii Ecclesia. ix. merytoryous dedes in your lyues / contynue / & ye shall please god. For yf that ye be not good at the ende ye shal meryte nothynge of the realme of heuen. They the whiche reyse vp perturbacyons / maye well go with y^e other that gothe in the stretes by nyght / makynge suche noy­se that no body can haue no reste in theyr beddes. They make the begynnynge of theyr helle / for they borne hor­ses / and maketh the moost vyllaynous stynke that can be thought or ymagyned / of the whiche I am sore abas­shed that the Justyce setteth not handes on them / for y^e moneye that they take and demaunde is agaynst god & reason / and yf they be suffred here / yet god for all that permytteth it not. And it is ryght euyll done to suffre suche thynges / for it were ynoughe to enfecte a hole countree with.

LOke that ye wasshe your eyen with clere water fooles that contempneth the dethe / and come and se this chapytre / and it shall prouf­fyte Senecā. ff. de condi. & de. l. i. Tulliꝰ de se. Job. xviii. ii. regū. xiii. Ouidius. in tristium. ꝓuer. x. Eccle. ix. Sapiētie. ix. Ad roma. v. you gretely. Mondayne brederen howe haue we our wylles soo dyuers to thynke for to lyue alwayes in this wretched worlde. ¶ Alas we be walkynge in dyuerse passages / we thynke not on the furour of this dethe / he pardoneth no body / for he hath his houres amytted. He taketh certayne and vncertayne / & can not tell whan it shall be. We resemble to the water that without ony restynge renneth in the ryuer. For yf we be hole to daye / we shall be deed to morowe / so mo­che he is cruell and peruerse / be it yonge or olde / he put­teth all in his cercle / castynge his darte at auenture. He loketh not at the auauntage that the yonge sholde haue He taketh all without fauourynge. O foole thou sayeth dethe abyde / it is not tyme y^t I deye / for I am yonge / Eccle. xi. ad roma. vi. Job. xxi Juuenalis. Eccle. vii. ꝓuer. xi. stronge / puyssaunt / lyght / knowynge / fayre / honeste / & tryumphynge. Were thou also stronge as the olyphaūt yet sholde thou haue no more respyte than the other / for thou shalte deye. Thou labourest in vayne / for whan de the wyll take the / thy wytte shal not kepe the / for thy body shal swete for colde and for styffenes / thy fayre membres that were wonte to be well coloured / shall be pale / [Page] Thy herte for grete payne shall tremble / for fere to des­cende bynethe / thy speche shall fayle whan thy poore lyf Ecclesi. xli. Uirg. vi en. Horatius. Job. xv. Eccle. xlviii. Job. iii. Eccle. ii. &. iii Eccle. xiiii. Nestor. Sybilla. l. fi. C. de sa [...]. san. eccle. Apo. xxi. i autē de nup deiceps col. iiii. Juuenalis. Uirg. vi. en. Sapiētie. iii. wyll fynysshe. The dethe is suche to all men. O dethe cruell and sodayne vnto hym that hathe assembled gre­te treasours / thou takest hym in a shorte space. Alas it dothe hym grete euyll for to departe from his goodes / the whiche he loued so well. Thou takest from euery bo­dy be it kynge / duke / or erle / thou goth frely & knocketh at theyr gates / without beholdynge why or wherfore / Thy courage is so fyerse that and one wolde gyue the a grete somme of moneye / thou wolde haue dysdayne at it. And yet yf the pope / or y^e rustyke procure / thou wylt do nothynge / for thou wylte beholde none euyll tyme / but shortely wyll destroye them. And yf he had reygned and domyned euer in the worlde syth Nestreus vntyll this presente tyme / or syth Sybylle y^e wyse / his lyfe shol de be shorter. If y^t some haue lyued a thousande yere in Juuenalis. Horatius. Martialis. this worlde / yet dethe hathe vsurped them at the laste / for this tyme presente we be wel sure that we shal not lyue paste a hondreth yere / for there is but fewe that ly­ueth lenger. After that the fader is deed / the sone dyscō ­forteth hymselfe / and more ouer / we se that the sone ly­ueth lesse than the fader / or as moche / and no more. Po­re foole wepeth thou not whan thou haste knowledge y^t the dethe maketh so grete lamentacyons vnto them the whiche is lyuynge. If that he pycke ony / it is nature / for ones muste we deye / none excepte / he spareth neyther yonge nor olde. He taketh them in the ayer / in the fyre in the water / and in the erthe. Dethe hathe not reserued our lorde Ihesu cryste / nor the holy sayntes / the which he hathe conduyted vnto the celestyall courte. And th [...] other vycyous synners / he hathe ledde in to y^• fyre of he [Page] This dethe hathe taken awaye townes castelles / pla­ces / and worldly goodes from grete lordes / how well y^t Eccle. xxxix. i. corin. xv. Eccle. xlviii. Eccle. ii. &. iii. Horatius. fortune fauoured them / & had eleuate them on heyght / And the other she hathe vnclothed of goodes. The one shall be a greate succeder / for all that rychesse hathe ha­bandoned hym. But this dethe wyll come & make mor­tell warre / without takynge ony to mercye. They that haue lyued in sȳne shall be depryued from paradyse. He murdreth and sleeth that whiche pleaseth hym. And le­deth all y^e mondaynes to his daunce. There is no prayer nor request that is ought worthe / and yf all the humaynes were afore hym cryenge with theyr handes ioyned yet he wolde refuse them. There is nothynge create / bestes / byrdes / nor fysshes be they neuer so fayre / nor plea­saunt / but that he rauyssheth & maketh to passe by hys handes. He calleth with his trompe / pope / emperour / & all lyuynge / in an instaunte. Thou the whiche edefyeth vpon thy body a grete crosse / and epytaphe / & a taber­nacle gylted and paynted meruaylously / or a marble stone I demaunde the wherfore thou doost soo. Arte thou Arthemisia. de qua Hiero vii. a. g. li. x. Chemnis. de q^o diodo. li. ii. more purer & clener of synne than the other / naye. But full of crymes / and parauenture tormented in helle / all this serueth the not of a lytell halfepeny. Tell me what auaylleth the grete monumente of Arthemesye / it was heresye to make vpon a vyle rotten body so grete an ede fyce / that was made of fyne golde / and precyous stones Inlyke wyse of Chemnys that had iii. M. men werkynge on one foure dayes. His broder Demetyque that reg ned after hym / had almoost destroyed his people with famyne for makynge of one / for they had but lytell her­bes to theyr nourysshynge. And before they had grete hepes of rychesses in theyr possessyons. Rodulphus / and [Page] Amaphis in lyke wyse made for to make a grete monu­ment. Alas it is notefyed vnto vs that it is grete foly [...] amasis. herod. li. ii. Eccle. viii. math. xxiii. Luce. ii. ecclesi. rr. iz. q. ii. c. vbi. cum [...]. Seneca. ꝓuer. xi. p̄s. iz. grete abusyon / as we may clerely knowe by experyence What may I saye more / saue for to speke of them that dyspendeth grete rychesses and treasours aboute suche vayne thynges / in makynge themselfe poore and nedy Edefye not then suche monumentes vpon a pyt full of fylthe. O humayns haue we mynde of dethe the whiche pursueth vs. Reconsyle we vs to god / to the ende that y^t dethe take vs not in synne / and to the ende that we may reygne aboue in heuen with the holy sayntes / men and women / where as domyneth / the fader / the sone / and y^e holy ghost.

IN the moost profoundyte of our shyppe is the fooles that dysprayseth god / and his sayntes / who is he then that may suffre murmuracion Johānis. xv. psal. cviii. Eccle. vii. Exodi. xvi. Danie. xii. Sapien. xi. Persius. Eccle. viii. agaynst god / and contempnȳge with wordes. Also his documentes / and hye puyssaunce / his clemence / & scyence of whome we sholde be protectours O foole what foly holdeth the / and how arte thou so hardy to dysprayse god and his sayntes / with thy mouthe polluted and foule. And thynketh euer to contynue in y^e same. There is noo daunger / saue that he punysshe the perpetually therfore. Thynkest thou not on the paynes of hell / and of the mysfortunes here in this worlde. ¶O ad roma. ii. c. tua d sim̄. folkes dysgarnysshed of hope knowe you not your offen ces. Byleue you not that he is veray god / remaynynge aboue in the celestyall mansyon / byleue you that he kno weth not your secrete thoughtes / and that he wyll not punysshe the for thy synnnes / yes truely / how well that I wyll not saye but that he is mercyfull. Neuerthelesse ꝓuer. xxvii. Hiere. xiii. thou y^e whiche kepeth no rule nor reason take hede what may come to the / for who that synneth agaynst god shal perysshe without ony faute / bycause y^t synne deceyueth gis mayster. And yf that thou leue the sapyence of god Esaye. xlvii. Uirgi. li. i. and thy conscyence maculed with synnes / the whiche y^u hast kepte couertly by longe space of tyme. Somtyme god is so mercyfull that he wyll pardone the thy synnes [Page] But who that perseuereth in many foule and abhomy­nable synnnes / with grete payne may they come to go­de porte. The creatour maketh deluge for the synnes & Eccle. xxxvii. Ad Roma. ii. p̄s. vii. &. xlvi. Eccle. v. Eccle. [...]. Hiere. xviii. Ere xviii. Mathei. iii. sendeth the synners in to helle / in paynes inestymable. Of a thousande with grete payne cometh one to salua­cyon. O you wysemen that hathe your hertes so affus­ked in the obscurtees mondayne / haue some recours vn to god. It is he that created all thynges / bothe heuen / & erthe / sonne / and mone / sterres and skye / and the daye to lyght vs / and y^e nyght to be obscure. And that gyueth vs space to lyue or deye whan it pleaseth hym. ¶ He the whiche is in synne / and wyll amende his euyll lyfe / and aske mercy with a contryte herte / in repentynge hym of his synnes / god wyll vttre hym true perdon / so that he haue his herte contryte / and replete with bytternes / & that he haue talent to lyue well / he shall wynne the glo­rye of heuen. And to the ende that god gyue it vs / be we prudent and wyse / and haue we volente for to do well / and then wyll he gyue vs his glorye / where as we shall lyue in Joye perdurable.

[Page]

O Swete Thalya helpe me to encheue this werke / and to wepe & make lamentacyon. for the vyle synnes that domyneth in this worlde nowe. And brynge with the thyn in Mathei. xii. de pe. dis. i. c. pena. S. thomas. [...] s [...]de. q. q. xiii. a [...]. i. strumentes / to the ende that we may bewale them affectuously. O Thalya wepe with my soule. I praye the let vs not haue in our myndes the vyces / nor the thynges passed / and correcke them / to the ende that we encōbre them not / for all these fooles wyll do nothȳ ­ge / but soner wyl mocke vs. And how well y^t they be re­plete leuiti. xxiiii. with abhomynable synnes / y^t regneth nowe vny­uersally / neuertheles they haue theyr hertes soo vyle y^t Luce. xii. marci. iii. Esaye▪ [...]ii. xxii. q. i▪ si [...] capill [...]. they commyt many vycyous thynges agaynst god. O good lorde how my herte is sorowfull whan I remem­bre the vnhappy fooles that blasphemeth the / they wol­de crucefye the agayn with theyr horryble othes yf they [Page] myght. They speke wordes touchynge his dy [...]yte by ymagynacyon & enuy / berynge armes agay [...] hym in theyr vnhappy hertes / but they procure they [...] [...]mp­nacyons by theyr swerynge and blasphemynge [...] god. Some dothe blaspheme his name the whiche is soo pre­cyous. The other swereth by the crowne of thorne / his woundes / his armes / his bones / his crosse / his vertue / ii. mach. xii de pe. dis. ii. i a [...]c. orytas inte [...]. & glo Ad Roma. ii Leui. xlx Math. v xxiii. q. v quid exgo. i [...]. para. xxxii ii. math. xv ii. math. v his dethe / his bloode / his body / his heed / his sydes / and his feestes. What rygour & what rage hathe taken thy spyryte to blaspheme so our lorde Ihesu cryste thy crea­tour. For a lytell playe this happeneth oftentymes / and whan they be dronke they swere out of mesure. For su­che blasphemynges falleth on them greuous sekenesses aduersytees and sodayne dethe. For god leueth noo syn vnpunysshed. At this tyme the nobles / and gentylmen dothe nothynge but blaspheme / and swere by the name of god / and sayeth that it apperteyneth not to vyllayns for to swere by god / but to myn aduyse no more dothe it not to gentylmen to go in to paradyse. Sennachery [...] / Nychanor. Anthoniꝰ / and dyuers men perysshed by su­che blasphemynges.

[Page] UNderstonde my wrytynges folysshhe pree­stes / and tell me what prouffyteth your scy­ences puer. xiii. Treno. iii. i [...]i Deutro. xxv. Hiere. xv Eccle. xxxv [...] Esai. [...]ii. Luce. xxi. Jacabi. vi Johan. viii Job. xv Eccle. vii Erodi. xv. Deutro. ii. Hohānia. xv. Numeri. xv. [...]ze. xxxviii. Esay [...]. lix. ii. regū. vii. Luce. xii. A [...]. xviii. Dui. i epist. p̄s. v. [...]. xiiii. [...]uer. [...]iiii. Treno. v. Hiere. xxxix. / & name of preestes / it is but a faynt thynge of the prestes nowe a dayes. The en­sygnementes that god gaue vnto the fyrste faders / is dysprysed by suche folkes. They take alonely the name of preestes / but they be lyke traytours y^t wyll not kepe the holy cōmaundementes. Of all thynges y^t is vyle and dyshonest to the soules / they wyll haue the a boue. They take the holowe / and leueth the kyrnell that is good for the herte. They bere the name of preestes / & dysprayseth fayth / Justyce / and good condycyons / ver­tue pleaseth them not / nor is not agreable to them / they gouerne the moost grettest synnes / by the meane wher­of they be confused in vylenes. We dysprayse more oure lawe than the turke dothe his / and do not soo grete syn in that lawe / as we doo in oures. O gendre humayne y^t thy body is vyoled with synnes. Notwithstandynge he sayeth / humaynes yf ye contynue in my cōmaundemen tes and kepe them I shall conduyte you vnto the real­me of paradyse. But also and ye dyspyse them I shall tormente you in grete myserye. And shall sende you dy­uers dartes of aduersytees euery daye / that shall woun de you mortally. ¶ And thus dothe Ihesus vnto the hu­maynes wandrynge in synne. We se obscure molestasy­ons / that god sendeth from his ryght hande / as batayls imposycyons / and warres / intollerable passyons & mor talytees / and endure hetes / coldes / & grete tempestes / we se the grete epedymees / we haue plages / lyce / fleen / and other vermyne that trauaylleth vs / and can not be redded of them in no maner of wyse. All that we suffre in this valey of mysery / is for our abhomynable synnes

HErken vnto my chapytre faders the whi­che Eccle. iii. zq. v. oēs qui. 1 thi. v ꝓuer. xx et. xxviii Beatꝰ tho. ii haue chyldren / for ye haue no grete reason to gyue al your goodes vnto your chyldren. It were better for you to kepe all for yourselfe to helpe you in your aege with▪ [Page] to the ende that in your laste dayes ye lyue not in myse­ry [...] [...] pouerte. And how well that the fader hathe gy­uen ii. q. c. xxii. at. v ꝓuer. xv. iii. Ouidius. [...] meth Eccle. i [...] [...] vii. Leuiti. xx Deutro. v Deu. xxxiii Exodi. xx Mala. [...] Mathei. xv Mar. xvii Ad ephe. vi Deu. xxvii ꝓuer. xx. Absolon ii. Reg. xv. e [...] xviii [...]ham Gene. ix Leuiti. xviii Sennath. e [...] [...]. para. xxxii Danielis. v Thobie. iiii Gotilaus Pluterchus Hiere. xxxv Eccle. xxiiii. his chyldren all his goodes / yet w^t grete payne wyll they [...]ynystre vnto him his necessytees. Folysshe fader wh [...] gyuest thou all thy fynaūce vnto thy sone. O how thou arte folysshe to gyue vnto thy sone / the whi­che after the gyfte wyll wysshe the deed. And thou sone the whiche remayneth after hym / and hathe not honoured hym / but hathe holden hym in myserye / thou art so­re to blame. Thou hast euylly knowen the good that he wolde haue done to the / and that he dyde to the in nou­rysshynge the so tenderly in thy yonge aege / and to ha­ue made the lerne to wynne thy lyfe with. And after he hathe gyuen the all his goodes / and nowe thou mayste not beholde hym nor nourysshe hym with the goodes y^t he gaue the. Knowest thou not y^t without hauynge goo­des of fader and moder / that thou arte bounden to nou­rysshe them / after y^e ryght wryten / or elles thou puttest thy soule in grete daunger. For y^e scrypture sayeth that peruers chyldren ben worthy to be put in the fyre of hell Thynke on Absolon that dyspraysed y^e cōmaundemen­tes of his fader kynge dauyd / wherfore he deyed vyllay nously hanged by y^e heer on a tre. Consyder also of cham that mocked with his fader Noes genytours / wherfore he had goddes curse and his. We rede of Sennacheryb that was slayne of his chyldren / for his realme / and yet none of them regned / for they were all banysshed out of it. Thobye taught euer his sone in good condycyons. sa­lomon beynge in his syege ryall / dyde grete honour / & reuerence vnto his moder / for whan that he dyde sytte in his [...]one / he made his moder to be sette vpon his ry­ghte syde. Consyder also y^e chyldren of the wyse rachab [Page] to whome he cōmaunded that they sholde neuer drinke wyne / they obeyed his cōmaundement / and neuer dronke wyne after / for they wolde not dysobeye theyr natu­rall fader as reason wolde.

[Page] LUbryke fooles preestes of the chirche come & lerne some doctryne in this chapytre / and ha­bandone [...]. de [...]rde [...]n / mu. Ecclesi. [...]. v [...] [...]. cū decorem de vi. [...] chambres apparaylled / burgeyses ladyes / damoyselles / and maydens. You be reygnynge in chirches in grete hepes / where as ye tell full many tryfles and lyes the one to the other makynge grete rumoure in deuysȳge of many thynges as well of edefyces / as of the estate of other preestes / le­dynge a charyot lyke ydeottes. O Ihesus how y^e scryp­tures Heremi ad­dau asum p̄s. xxxviii. e [...] lxxii Ad ephesyos tertio and holy constytucyons is lytell honoured in the chirche. There is neyther bataylles / assautes / nor feldes done by the gentyll knyghtes / but that they be recoūted in the chirche. The cronycles ben recyted / and the dedes of armes that hathe ben done in fraunce / in almayne / & in Scotlonde / and many other semblable wordes / that is vayne and vycyous. The preestes wyll not speke of y^e byble / nor of the holy decretes / nor passyon (wherfore) they can not. But all vyle wordes shall be recyted in the chirche. The clerke renneth aboute in the chirche / tellyn­ge newe tydynges. They lese the tyme in claterynge all alonge the daye. The other wyll not go vnto the chirche ꝓuer. v. nota dormen tarium. glo. c. si de cle. nō res. li. vi. p̄s. xv. they be so enflambed with auaryce / yf that they haue no moneye nor dystrybucyon / and wyll not go vnto y^e chir­che for the loue of god. O what horrour to dysobeye the creatour. Peruers folkes of condycyons / thynke where god shall put your soules / ye well symonyacles. It we­re better for you that ye wente not vnto y^e chirche / than for to go in esperaunce to take money. I praye you that ye go not in to sacred places by auaryce / for that is not a greable to god / bycause y^t it polluteth the sacred place so worthy. Ye be not ashamed to speke vnto harlottes and baudes in the chirche / in makynge them sygnes / they fo [Page] lowe you paas by paas. God out and auoyde holy [...]h [...] che / go your wayes hastely / be ye not ashamed that fo [...] ­kes Neemie. xiii. Eccle. xxi. xvi. q. vii. et. [...]oc diximus. [...]ho [...]de se you (no) for ye be no more ashamed than [...] sowe that lyeth her downe in the myre / that dyspleaseth moche vnto god. More ouer ye gyue euyll example vn­to the seculers. You ought to be the refulgent sterre / but Ict [...]ū. xii. xxiiii. q. [...]. oibꝰ et. c. quare ex sola. ye be withouten lumynarye or lyght. O what scandale and what dyshonour. I demaunde you yf that ye shall haue the gyrtes of god / and his realme perdura [...]e for to do so (no) But muste praye vnto hym in the chirche / as mayster and lorde of heuen and erthe / and purge you clene of all your vyces and synnes. Some there is y^t wyll be without syngynge masse vnto a leuen of the clocke / a bydynge that some sholde gyue them moneye for to synge malse / for yf that they haue no moneye gyuen theym they wyll synge no masse. ¶ O what dyshonour to holy chirche / of mandyens / or other / as well monkes / as ab­bottes / chanons as pryours / nothȳge I speke / but they may be in the nombre with the other. Suche folkes can not wynne y^c realme of paradyse / but yf that they amen de theyr lyues / and do penaunce for theyr synnes. For it is they that ought to be resplendysshynge as the sterres And they be more obscure than many of the seculers / & commytte mo vyces / and abhomynable synnes / in gy­uynge ryght euyll examples vnto y^e poore folkes / & pa­rysshynges.

PRoude fooles / approche you hastely / and come & here my doctryne / for there is dyuerse Eccle. ix. Judith. ix. [...]s. xc. et. 123. [...]er. vii. Eccle. vii. Dui. meth. de pe. dis. ii. hinc etiam. Esaie. xiiii. Thobie. iiii. Jacobi. iiii. vi. q. i. imita. xii. q. ii. glo. [...]ia e [...]i in [...]i. peregrinatio nō facit med [...] cū. nulla ars. lor [...] disci [...] vt ait Sene. Johel. ii. Ecclesia. x. et xxvii. Luce. x. xxiiii. q. iii. quidē vel. l [...] ­ci [...]iceriant. fooles that be full of pryde / & that by theyr vyces is entred in to our shyppe. They wyl holde the empyre / and domyne aboue all y^c other. Ofte ntymes the foole surprysed / rowynge with in the foule shyppe / the whiche was of auncyente forged by Lucyfer prynce of pryde / that wolde haue mounted aboue god / is deceyued / but god almyghtye made hym for to descende into the obscure pyt of helle / where as is tormentes intollerable. This lucyfer was the fyrst that synned in pryde. He is fader / and mayster of pryde. And they that folowe hym ben his chyldren / y^c whiche he hol­deth euer ferre from our lorde. They ben habandoned vnto hym / and be replete with dyscordes / with vaynglo rye / and also with iactaunce / saynge. I haue had the so­lycytude of pauonye / the wyse cyte in my youthe. I ha­ue redde the holy ensygnementes of sapyence. And by­cause that I haue knowen suche thynges / I ought to be exalted aboue all the other. ¶ The other hathe ronne in fraūce / in spayne / and in other places where as he is ha­ted / not for no valyauntyse that he hathe done / & yet he wyll be exalted aboue the other. Tell me what auayleth thy pryde. Yf thou haue sene dyuers countrees in grete [Page] daungers / as well on the see as on the londe / and thou sayst more by halfe. Thy wordes ben to bytter and yet thou sayst them not of a good sorte. Beholde yf the wyse taketh so grete laude (no) for neuer a wyse man desyred laude / nor neuer blameth none. But thou arte as full of pryde as lucyfer / that was sayd berynge lyghte. For by his beaute he wolde enhaunce hym in pryde / and wolde haue mounted vpon the hyghe syege of our lorde. But our good god the whiche is so Juste / made hym to falle Job. x. puer. xv. et viii. [...]s. xvii. Sapien. v [...]uer. xiiii. Job. xxvi. Eccle. xi. [...]uer. xi. Eccle. vii. Eccle. xix. puer. v. Holofernes. Judith. ix. Jesabell. iiii. Regū. ix. into the abys [...]es of helle with his complyces. ¶ Alas it was for them grete euyll. And thus the proude folkes shall descende into y^e tenebres / and paynes infernalles / Lucyfer and his complyces layeth many gynnes & net­tes for to take the proude soules / the whiche they drawe in to theyr cauernes from daye to daye / withouten euer to haue ony Joye or solace. This cursed synne of pryde destroyeth all good condycyons / vertues and scyences / and engendreth thynges contrary / that is to knowe ab­homynacyon. This synne reygneth in dyuers persones and pryncypally in women. For al the gendre femynyne is replete with pryde / the whiche synne maculeth totally the body and the soule of the persone / they were ambycyous clothes. They make theyr husbandes to stoupe / or other without reason / by theyr lokes that they caste / dyuers wyse men ben almoost depryued from theyr wyt / Judyth dyde soo moche by her fayre speche that she cut of Holofernes heed / bycause that he wolde haue destro­yed her londe / how well that Jesabell was fayre / yet she anoynted her vysage for to make her foule in the presence of her husbande Jehu. Euery daye wysdome calleth vs in saynge that we [...]ee frome claterynge wyues / for they haue theyr tongues to lyght / and to daungerous / [Page] they be replenysshed with lechery / the whiche with their eyen and [...]restes byteth the hertes of the poore men / & le deth the soule in to the pytte of helle / there to remayne perpetually. The good woman hathe all good vertues wher honour ensueth her / she vseth laudes and good o­peracyons Eccle. xiiii. xxvii. q. v. nec salomon. puer. xiiii. Ecc [...]. xxv. ii. Reg. xi. / she kepeth chastyte / and setteth noughte by concupy scence carnal. yf Bersabee had not ben esprysed with loue / she wolde neuer haue shewed her naked body vnto kynge Dauyd. She was the pryncypall cause y^t her husbande Urye was slayne for. The women at this presente tyme ben cause of many folysshe loues. you doo Ecclesia. x. Johel. ii. Nume. xv. Thobie. iiii. not well women that for your pleasures carnalles dra­weth men vnto your loues. Knowe for a certaynte that god shall punysshe you greuously for your pryde / & insacyable lecherye. Thynke amonge you grete synners of the infynyte Joyes of paradyse. And in lyke wyse of the inestymable paynes and tormentes of helle. And consy­der that Lucyfer the whiche was the fayrest aungell of Job. xli. Esaie. xiiii. Nume. xvi. [...]s. cv. paradyse / by his pryde is the vglyest deuyll in helle. and all proude folkes shall be punysshed so bothe men & wo­men. As Dathan and Abyron the whiche wolde vsurpe the sacrefyce / the ensence / & the dyuyne offyce by theyr pryde / for y^c whiche god punysshed them well. For they were swalowed quycke in to the erthe. And in the same wyse shall our lorde Ihesu cryste do with y^c proude men and women.

USurers abhomynable / come and lenne so­me moneye by vsurye vpon my chapytre / & studye therupon / and ye shal see what prouf ꝓuer. x [...]. Luce. vi. Inno. in. c. i. de vsu. Bal. i aūt. ad hec. L [...]. ti. xiiii. q. [...]iii. pet totū. fyte ye may haue by your vsuryes. you be lefte behynde yet for to speke of / the whiche is the vylest company that I spake yet of. And yf that ye wyll knowe what they be / knowe for certaynte y^t they [Page] be vsurers that be full of lyes. They ought to be punys­shed and delyuered vnto cruell dethe / for theyr studye c. i. de emp. et ven. Eccle. xlii. Esaie. xxxiii. Azech. xiii. Ebacuc. ii. xiiii. q. iiii. ca. uonū et. c. se. ec. c. pe. is not but for to dyspoyle the poore people of theyr goo­des / without hauinge ony pyte. Of suche folkes there is many / bothe burgeyses / and lytell lordes of smal vylla­ges. They fere not god / his vengeaunce / nor the offence that they do in destroyenge the poore folkes / how well that it is not greuous for to saye. I saye that the Jewes is more charytable / more iuste / and more verytable thā they be / for all that they kepe grete vsuryes & more than the crysten men / and be better in theyr lawe. They be Math. xxiii. Leui. xxv. Deutr. xxiii. Exodi. xxii. Hiere. v. Luce. xix. p̄s. lxxi. Ecc [...]. xxvii. no rauysshers of goodes as y^e crystyens is. We dyspray­se god euery day. And yf we chase the Jewes out of our countrees / they knowe not our entencyon / nor to what ende we entende. Certaynly it is to our vsurye alonely. not vnto that of the Jewes / & thus we be without ver­tues / and expulsed from god. O holy crysten men how that it is an vndyscrete paccyon / and a spere more shar­per than stele. To do so vnto your crysten brederen you be as horryble wulues famysshed that holdeth the poore shepe. By auaryce you commyt vsurye fraudulously / & xiiii. q. iiii. nec hoc et. c. se. et. c. qui­cun (que). be enraged by grete hete / you desyre derthenes of whete and corne / to the ende that you may sell your prouysyon you desyre another mannes euyll / and truely the euyll shall fall vpon yourselfe. It had ben better that you had neuer ben borne / than to commyt suche extorcyons. In dyuers thynges you thynke that ye cōmyt none vsurye and excuse yourselfe. But god at the daye of Jugemente shall accuse you.

SLepe no more fooles that desyreth the dethe of your frendes to haue the successyon / and [...]e cōces. p̄bē. c. ii. et. c. ne ca [...]tande eo. [...]i. li. vi. l. stipulatio. ff. de ver. ob. l. quidā. ff. de dona. Ecc [...]ie. xxxi. Treno. v. Esaie. xxx. i. thimo. vi. ꝓuer. xx. Eccle. xliiii Hiere: xxii. Sapien. iii. Eccle. vi. ꝓuer. x. Os [...]e. ix. ꝓuer. xii. [...]amꝰ de quo Juuenalis Absolon. [...]. Reg. xviii. Hiere. viii. p̄s. xxxvi. Eccle. iiii. ꝓuer. xxviii. Ecclesi. x. p̄s. liiii. come and se the testament where as is lefte you many fayre doctrynes. Ha what is he y^t may suffre this foole / that hathe his mynde lyght as wynde / the whiche desyreth y^e dethe of another for his goodes. He is a fole so to desyre his frendes deth but god gyueth thē no power therto / nor excepteth not theyr prayers. For oftentymes we se the contrary / that they dye before theyr frendes. Alas is it not grete furoure to the / to desyre ony mannes deth for temporall goo­des. For deth foloweth the fote for fote / & be thou neuer so grete at y^e laste y^u shalte be deceyued. It is sene often that the sone deyeth afore his fader. It is than grete fo ly to truste in the dethe of another man. Kynge Pryam for all his aege / sawe all his chyldren deye before hym. Wherfore he deyed almoost as he wente. In lyke wyse whan Absolon sawe the sceptre of his fader kynge Da­uyd he desyred it gretely. But all sodaynly dethe smote hym with his darte / and he wolde not haue thought but that he sholde haue lyued after his fader. The dedes of dethe be not all y^e sureste / for they be to obscure & derke. [Page] Lyuynge folkes be not so folysshe to put your truste in thynges caducke and transytorye / but truste euer to ly­ue with the sayntes of heuen / in Joye perdurable / and not in the thynges mondaynes.

[Page] AWaken you out of your dremes fo [...]he lu natyke fooles / the whiche haloweth [...] / nor kepeth not the sondayes / nor the ot [...] sayn­tes ero. xx. [...]. xxxi. Leuiti. xxvi. Johan. xvii. Deu. v. dayesmen & women come & [...] this chapytre / & parauenture it shall [...]se you for to obserue them / as ye be bounde for to do [...]nd cō ­maunded of our moder holy chirche. Alas I aduertem my remembraunce / the vyces opprobryous of the hu­maynes. I am ryght sore abasshed how that they haue theyr hertes so affusked in vyle synnes. ¶For they haue theyr corporall bodyes enuyronned with obscurnes te­nebrous walkynge in dyuers quarters oure of the hye waye. And holdeth not the playne and perfyte waye y^t Hier. xvii. De fer. ci. i. [...] vltimo. L. e. t. l. ois. our lorde Ihesu cryste hathe demonstred them of good fayth. He gyueth his ensygnementes and artycles / hys doctryne and hye grace vnto euery synfull creature / ly­uynge here in this wretched worlde / to y^c ende that they may amende them / and wepe theyr synnes by entyere contrycyon / & for to haue clene remyssyon of theyr syn­nes / by the meanes of repentaunce / and true penaunce The whiche ledeth a man vnto the realme of paradyse / where as is Joye & consolacyon withouten ende. So­me there is the whiche setteth not therby / but dyspray­seth de [...]se. distin. iiii. c. i. xxiiii. q. i. oei. de [...]se. distin. i. in die. xxiiii distin. cum liceat. xxiii. dis. his igitur. xiiii. dis. non oportet. all that they maye the holy commaundementes of our lorde Ihesu cryste. They honour not the lawe in no maner of wyse / but is maculed / and defyled by theym / In the chirche is fayre and excellente werkes / and by theyr obstynate and cruell outrage / the ymage of god is al cyrcumspecte. How wel that the popes / archebysshop pes and bysshoppes that were replenysshed with scyence / hathe ordeyned the holydayes of god / and of all the sayntes men and women / of whome we halowe the so­ [...]emp [...] [Page] [...]stes: and offyces on the dayes establysshed / as well o [...] god as of sayntes / and sayntesses of all the cour­te ce [...]ll. We dyspyse these holydayes / and honoure more [...]ndanytes vycyous to the body and soule. By y^c meane wherof we dysprayse the lawe / & the holy scryp­ture / [...] almoost vsurped / and set at nought. On the holydayes is made playes / daunces / glotonyes / lecheryes / fraudes and deceytes / and cōmyt suche enormytes without makynge oblacyon vnto god / or prayers / or go ynge to holy chirche. But breke theyr faste or that they go vnto the chirche. And the moost comynly without he rynge ony messe. For suche folkes gothe in to the tauer­nes / and there replenyssheth theyr wombes with mete and drynke / without thynkynge vpon god or on his chirche mylytaunt. They obserue not the holy commaunde­mentes. ¶ And yf that one demonstre them theyr folye they wyll argue with them / and repreue them that hath accomplysshed the commaundementes of god and holy chirche. They neyther worshyp god nor his sayntes / for seneca ad lu­cillum i epi. xviii. c. placi­ta. de [...]se. di. iii. irreligiosa. actuū [...]: [...]: thessa: v: Esaie. xviii: and yf by aduenture they be in the chirche / they wyll fo­lowe the one the other / and without the herynge of a ho le messe they wyl go to breke faste / saynge, y^t two snuffes is worthe a candell / and there they brule the hye masse / and drynketh / and shoteth theyr euensonge. Alas ye be sore abused poore fooles / for ye lye falsely / for the masse ought to be herde entyerely / and euensonge also / but as for matyns / that is slepte / ye and oftentymes halfe the hye masse to. O vnreasonable fooles / hathe not Ihesu cryst cōmaunded with his propre mouthe y^t none sholde Hiere: xvii: leuiti: xxx: Marci: [...]: werke on the sondayes and holydayes. I praye the yf that thou haue not lerned to kepe the holydayes / kepe thē from hens forth / orelles y^u shal neuer haue nought. [Page] rye aboue all the worlde domynynge. But by theyr pr [...] ­de / auaryce / and lecherye / they be at this pres [...]e tyme of the moost lowest. ¶ O noble Englonde / tho [...] arte at this presente tyme florysshynge in puyssaunce honoure rychesse / and chyualrye. Thou hast subdued in thy tyme Rome. Almayne. Fraūce. Scotlonde / and dyuers other regyons / ye and a grete parte of Turkye / by thy cheual rous puyssaunce. Thy puyssaūce / and myght is so incō ­parable / and so pugyll / that vnto hethenes / and Turky thou arte redoubted / and fered. Thou arte haboundaūt in all mondayne goodes. Thou arte replete with all sa­pyence and wysdome. Thou arte aourned / and endued with all goodly meurs / and condycyons. Thou arte ful fylled with dyscrete habytauntes. Thou hast / the elemē tes / the erthe / and the see that fauoureth the. Wherfore be well ware / and haue good aspecte that pryde / auary­ce / and lecherye reygne not in the / for certaynly yf there do / thou shalte inclyne as the Romaynes hathe done.: / Maynteyne alwaye true Justyce / and loue perfytely holy chirche / and the comyn welfare. And susteyne euery ryghtwyse quarell / in defendynge poore maydens / and faderles chyldren / poore wedowes / and all the holy chirche. And yf that thou do so / god shall loue the / and gyue the puyssaunce to ouercome thyn enemyes. Wherfore loke that thou mayntayne within the good folkes & iuste And that thou punysshe the transgressours / and do euery body ryght and reason.

I Se the grete turbe of infydeles come towar­de Eccle. x. ii. corin. iiii. et. v Sapien. xiiii i. corinth. vii. ii. q. i. multi. de diuor. gau demus. xxii. dis. pluri­mos. xvi. q. i. in ca­nonibus me impetuously. The whiche wyll come in to our shyp for to dresse the saylles. They ma­ke theyr preparacyons for to haue place. This turbe is so huge / and so innumerable / that the erthe / and the see may scarsely sustayne them / soo many there is in euery quarter thorughe the worlde / the whi­che is straungers. For they be not closed within the walles of our holy fayth catholyke. I myght well ynoughe haue lefte them behynde / for in our shyppe we haue noo nede of them / seynge that they be so replenysshed with erroure / and that they haue no nede of the salue / nor me decyne for to hele them / for they wyll not loue god / ho­noure hym / nor lyue vnder his nourysshynge. It hadde ben better for me to haue made medecynes for to haue heled the crysten men / than for these folkes full of ini­quyte / peruers / and abhomynable. They bere & susteyn within theyr brestes pectoralles / many vgly deuylles / Of these folkes is so many that it is meruayll. They re­nye our fayth / our lawe / and our hope. If I wolde spe­ke more playnly of them / as I haue intellygence / my paper were to lytell therto. Wherfore I shall specefye vn­to you here of theyr sectes. The fyrste ben the Turkes / with the Sarasyns / and the men of y^e londe of tartary. [Page] these vyllayne machomaty [...]yens of whome yssueth all erroure. All these regyons ensueth them / that I shal declare vnto you. Affryke and the lymyttes. Asye a londe th [...]r [...]. Saracem. ta. [...]ari. Scythe. Boemi. Moran [...]. Praga. Heretic [...]. L. de his qui sibi mor. [...]sci. l. vna. xxiii. q. v. pla▪ cuit. ryght puyssaunt / the moost grettest parte of europe / sa­marytyque / sythe / boeme / and the monans. Al our shyp is full of suche folke / for they honoure the euyll ensygne­mentes / and dysprayseth the good. They be of theym y^t folowe the cursed scole of Nygromancye / the whiche en duceth them in charmes dyabolyke / the whiche is of grete tempest his semblable. They be these heretykes that wolde brynge our fayth vnto nought. They honoure y^e vayne mysteryes. They preche in holy relygyon / in vyle chirches / and recyte false thynges and inutyle agaynste the fayth. The whiche full of rage hangeth themselfe w^t a grete corde by the necke / so full they be of maladycey­ons / and cursednes.

[Page]

AFter that I haue spoken of dyuers estates / of the whiche I haue knowen the foly / my in aut. vt iud sine quo s [...]. in prin. col. ii. ina [...]t. vt diu [...] i [...]ss. in prin. col. viii. herte hathe had remembraunce of our holy fayth catholyke / and of all the inconuenyences / and wronges that she suffreth and en­dureth pacyently. Alas my herte is plonged in teres for sorowe / and pyte that I haue within my corporall body bycause of the extremytees / and iniuryes that is done vnto her / for she is all defyled with ordures and vyle sȳ ­ [...]es. He sholde haue his thought ryght lyght / and y^e her­ [...]e also harde as a stedye y^t wolde not wepe bytterly for [...]er dyscomforte. Whan we se that the holy fayth is soo [...]ymynysshed. And that euery body putteth hymselfe to [...]tue god fayntly / withoute accomplysshynge his com­ [...]aundementes / and good doctrynes. O holy chirche ro [Page] nayne / thou ought to be defender of the holy [...] tholyke Thou was of olde autyquyte her onely [...] and sauegarde. For the whiche euery body dyd [...] and example of fayth. Alas thou that arte the ch [...] of y^e worlde / thou meues / trembles / and foundeth the [...] the stacke of fragylyte / the whiche stacke is almoost [...] ge / as that the whiche can not susteyne thy dedes / and foundement / for the debylyte of it. And euen nowe I apperceyue it / bycause that holy chirche falleth in ruyne by the meanes of these synnes / wherof the mynystres ben full. Now may we fynde suffycyente pasture / for to haue salute for our soules / syth that so ryght noble at [...] ­naunte / the whiche is our pryncypall hede / suffreth and endureth suche euyll / where as our fayth and lawe is almoost fynysshed. The customes and ordenaunces / that in antyquyte were iustely establysshed / b [...]n by them dystroyed. The kynges dukes erles and barons that sholde Roma [...] qua lactantius. be the defence / ben cause of this. They ought to be y^e munyment / and susteynynge of Ihesu cryste / of our fayth and of the comyn welfare / hauynge in theyr handes the swerdes / & sceptres ryall / the noble harneys vpon theyr backes / to the ende that they be mounted in honoure & in the grace of Ihesu cryste / but they thynke not theron They be all sorowfull whan they muste bere harneys / It is they that ought to be launternes / and florysshe [...] [...]sa destru­ctionis fidei. hyghnesse / you sholde defende Rome / and fyght for her. None wyl stratche forth theyr strengthes and vertues Wherfore ye ought to vnderstonde y^e the shyppe of sa [...] Peter that is vpon the see / can not come vnto londe for Mathei. viii. the grete wyndes / and wawes. And is in daunger for to perysshe withouten ayde / or socoure. The whiche is y^e fayth of Ihesu cryste / by the meane wherof is sauyd d [...] [Page] [...] [...] [...] all [...] and [...]athe grete fere for to fall / for the [...]oūdacyon e [...]ly­ne [...]h and wyll fall ryght s [...]dayn [...]y in ruyne by these vn­happy tyrauntes [...]ydeles. The whiche ben aduersary­es vnto [...]er / and agaynst the holy syege apostolyke▪ the whiche is almoost beten downe by these vyllayne dog­ges the Turkes / and Scythyques / that dystroyeth ho­ly chirche by armes / the syege of saynt peter / and our holy fayth catholyke. These folkes that do suche outrages ben towarde the oryent / where as is this cursed macho Machometꝰ▪ met / & false prophete / y^t hathe sowen soo many errours These folkes comprehendeth almoost the moost parte or the worlde / that is to knowe the Arabyens. Affryke Arabia. Asia. Affrica. and Asye. They holde the heresyes / they be deiecte from the [...]ayth / and crysten lawe. Now y^e Turkes destroyeth our holy fayth. And the past [...]urs of the realmes of egypte / and o [...] the grete [...]artarye / and of the moores / & Sou danye. T [...]ese vyllayne turkes hathe flatered them soo moche that they holde theyr lawe and fayth / the whiche Th [...]r [...]ꝰ [...] [...]pus [...]ꝰ. is gre [...]e hurte vnto ours. For all that they were ryghte gladde and Joyous the vnhappy Turkes for to haue y^e grete samarytyques / notwithstondynge they haue do­ne so moche / that they haue taken the brydge of ionyne Boschore / and the grete tracye / & seuen reaimes of try­onnye. Bosphor [...]s. Tratie. Alas poore tolkes ye may well knowe what dys­pleasure it is for to haue loste so many realmes / the whi­che were crysten. And to the ende that ye haue perfyte knowlege / I shall tell you what they haue wonne more They haue taken the grete Lybye. Asye the lytell / and Lybie. A [...] minor. [Page] Europe. The Hongaryes hathe alwayes resyst [...]d them by bataylles. The men of Dalmacia haue greuously punysshed Hiere. ix. Treno. ii. the turkes and augmented our fayth. Alas no­we I se that the knyghtes wyll not gyue no socoure vn­to y^e fayth catholyke. And thus it dymynyssheth for lac­ke of helpe / vertue is perysshed & our fayth alm [...]ost lost Grecia. Macedonia. Achaya Tessa [...]a. Misia. [...]stantinopot traxezos. Istria. Pauonia. I [...]sya. Apul [...]a. Ital [...]a Sicilia Ethna. Danubius. Rhodos. Baltazit. Ildrimi. Alas who sholde not melte in teres and pull his heere / to remembre grece / the whiche is halfe loste / y^t was mo­der of scyence / & of phylosophers. Tracye / the whiche ha the ben subdued by the Turkes / and dyuers other countrees. As Achinus. Macedone. Thebes. Sparte. Lydo [...] ne Thessalle / and we haue lost Myste / & is in theyr han­des. Ha god what myschefe. O poore crysten men thyn­ke on the pleasaūt place of Constantinoble / whiche was the newe Rome. The emperour domyned / alas it is lost of newe / & is in the handes of these false turkes. Alas y^e Gallate / and also Trapesont / what shall I saye / we ou­ghte to be sore ashamed / for there is none y^t puruayeth therfore. And yet wyll these hethen houndes conquere more vpon vs / for all that they haue Pauonye / Istryce & Tyre / that is so fayre regyons / so that the diriliques / Italyens / & Apulyens trembleth for fere. With greate payne may the monte of Ethna defende hym / with the profounde cauernes. And the Ancelades feleth it. Sem blably be prosterned they of Sueuere. Cycylle / and da­nubye. And haue grete fere that they be not socoured. / O Rhodes defende well our fayth / and dystroye the vn­happy turkes that dyspyseth our lawe. Let downe La­giazit the prince and his men / otherwyse called yldrymyens / and dresse a grete hoost agaynst them / for they wyl come and fyght with our kynges / and destroye crysten­dome. For theyr counsayll they shall haue the furyes in­fe [...]s. [Page] His vysageis enuyronned with serpentes / he hathe [...] [...]th hym the eumenydes / he holdeth bacchus in Esa [...]e [...]vi. Eccle. xii. his chambre / he robbeth and destroyeth the crysten men To speke bryuely / these cursed turkes ben neuer sacyate to se the crysten blode shedde. O Rome of true fayth I am ryght sorowfull in my herte for the. O the holy sye­ge appostolyke so excellente. I haue grete fere that they take the not / and bynde the as a bere vnto a stake. He ha the the men of acheront / the whiche is full of rage / she entendeth for to destroye our fayth. Alas these wulues wyll destroye all / & the lambes of the creatour they thynke to separe / men / women / and chyldren / bothe yonge & olde. Slouthe holdeth vs myghtely in her bandes / for we be enbraced with slepe. By the meane wherof / and by the faute of makynge resystence / they fere not y^e crys­ten men / and our fayth and our lawe is almoost perys­shed and loste. The dukes erles and knyghtes bereth no more sygnes of lordes. The auncyent predecessours for xliii. dis. si re­ctor. &. c. ephe sius. theyr goodnes and vertues / be regystred in the booke of fame / by good renowne / and perseueraunce. But nowe a dayes it is all otherwyse / for coūsayll faylleth in them and reygneth in synne and crudelyte. And to speke well they loue not the comune welfare / by the whiche meane our fayth and lawe decayeth. Our kynges / dukes / erles and barons slepeth / and letteth all be loste / taken / pros­trate / and destroyed. O chefe somtyme of all the worlde the whiche was emperour resplendysshynge in vertues as a precyous stone. At this present tyme thou slepeth / Thou arte no more emperoure as I byleue / for there is no more mencyon of the than yf thou were deed. I byleue that thou lyest amonge the sharpe thornes / or in th­water or myre / as a thynge y^t is of lytell valour & pryse. [Page] O saynt peter o thy hygh syege noble and holy thy he [...] pe c. (quam)uis. det̄. gu. iu. i autē. psal. lxxv. slepeth that in tyme paste was full of vertue [...]. Presently we se well that the fayth is corrupted by the Tutkes / and none chaseth them awaye. Euery body endu­reth theyr tormente and letteth themselfe be dystroyed by them. None wyll conquere the londe of Europe. These turkes domyneth ouer them / and be imperyatours of our countrees / and hathe marred our lawe. But not w^c ­stondynge I thynke that it is for our vyle & abhomynable synnes. And that god permytteth that we sholde haue these dyscordes. For in our townes we honour rychesses / and worshyp them as sayntes / and be full of abho­mynacyons / we chase vertues awaye / the holy fayth / y^c cōmaundementes of the lawe. And take pryde / auaryce lecherye / & many other synnes / ye serue the deuyll. wherfore god y^e creatour hathe put dyuers countrees in ruy­ne. Somtyme Rome was so puyssaunt / that it dyde chese Naum. iii. Esaie. li. as ryght wyse / foure noble cytees for to be her systers replete with grete fortytude / the whiche were y^e pyllers of the empyre / that is for to knowe. Iherusalem the ho­ly. Alexandrye the ryght synguler / berynge the name of a kynge. Antyoche. And Constantynoble. These folkes nowe is depryued from the empyre / and holdeth them in his handes. These cursed turkes doo nothynge but ymagyne how they may dymynysshe our holy fayth & our vyces and synnes is the cause therof / bycause we be deuoyde of vertues. For we be lyke blynde folkes ful of trybulacyons / and myseryes / & all procedeth from oure abhomynable synnes. For our hertes is so roted in synn [...] Ouidius in. prophe. and so obstynate / that we can not race it awaye. At thi [...] tyme we se that they honour soner the grete turke / and obeye soner his cōmaundementes / than we do to the [...] [Page] of our creatour. We haue neyther loue vnto fader / nor mode [...] / broder / syster / nor cosyne. But by auaryce wol­de dyspoyle the one the other. The men of the chirche haue symonye in theyr handes The kynges and dukes cor rumpeth the holy scryptures / ryght canon / and cyuyle / yf some be well fortuned we wyll make them fall yf y^t ꝓ [...]er. xvii. Hiere. xv. we may. So dothe the crysten men nowe. The dyscorde of the prynces / maketh the poore subgectes to haue gre­te tormentes. Our mansyons is nowe depryued frome vtylyte / & haue neyther fayth nor hope. This notwith­stondynge I meruayll me moche how that the turkes haue taken so many cytees / townes / and castelles / real­mes and countrees / as I haue specyfyed of before / and that they haue not ben resysted. For there remayneth no more vnconquered saue this same lytel quarter that we bem. Wherfore I fere me sore / yf that we make not a grete hoost / and make good watche / that they shal come vpon vs / and put our londe in theyr subgeccyon / & put our fayth in ruyne / for the abhominable synnes that we commyt and do. O Rome rome I am aferde that thou Roma. Hiere. zi. shalte se the fortune of Constantynoble. I se the gates open / and y^c manyfest waye. I doubte gretely that the­se hethen houndes ymagyne not some trechery agaynst the. Alas thou was named so soueraynly at the fyrste ty­me / and created thy prynce and souerayne kynge. After thou raysed vp a noble senate. And bycause y^t thou sur­mounted Ad he. viii. Exortatio. the in pryde / god hathe punysshed the. Thou was lyberall vnto thy frendes / hauynge the imperyall sceptre of the worlde / domynynge in Justyce / by all vny uersall people. Thou hast the sceptre / the whiche dymy­nyssheth strongely / thy fayth is gretely vnlosed / bycau­ [...]e that none defendeth it. Eche of vs is culpable therof [Page] by our synnes. O prynces and barons Romayns. O no­ble fraunce. O Almayne the stronge. O excellen [...]e En­glonde Concordia [...] [...]e res cres ūt discordia maxime dilabū [...] Salustius. imperyall / so endued with fortytude. O thou holy fader the pope / defende all the fayth of Ihesu cryste / the whiche dothe gyue it vs by wrytynge. Defende his precyous name. Haue not your courages faynt. Haue a mōgest you amyte / concorde / & pease. Holde you in vnyō and be stedfaste in the fayth. Echone of you take your armes / and with the helpe of god smyte togyder vpon the cursed turkes & sarasyns. Syth that we haue our han­des fortefyed / and valyaunt men / smyte we vpon them O noble Emperoure Maxymilien / where is thy force / where is thy strengthe. Wherat holdeth it y^t thou employeth it not vpon these vyllayne turkes. Thou arte puys­saunte / and holdeth the empyre of y^e Romaynes so stronge. Thynke and rethynke vpon thy predecessours that hathe employed all theyr strength vpon them. Thou slepest / awaken the. Alas thou purpenseth not but for to make warre vpon the crysten men / and leueth the infy­deles that dystroyeth thyn empyre. It were better for the to be a symple erle / than for to take suche a charge vpon the / and not to do thy deuour. O thou ryght puys­saunt kynge of Englonde / y^e whiche hathe more rychesse De nobilissi­mo ac poten­tissimo regis [...]ngli [...]. than euer kynge of Englonde hadde / enploye nowe thy puyssaunce vpon the turkes / and mescreauntes. Thou arte florys shynge in honour amonge y^e crysten kynges / there is none that maye compare with the. Thou alone arte suffycyent to conquere y^e holy londe. Alcydes. Achy­les. Hercules. Jason. Parys. Hector. nor Agamenō. had neuer the myght that thou hast ryght puyssaunt kynge It is he that shall regne / & domyne aboue his enemyes by the grace of god. And shall be vyndycatour of y^e chir­che [Page] mylytante. And by his ineffable strengthe shall sub­due the turkes / and go vnto Iherusalem to vysyte the sepulcre of our lorde Ihesu cryste / and shall reduce all vnto our crysten fayth. O dukes erles barons / and kny­ghtes of this redouted realme of Englonde / whiche is y^e floure of crystendome / and tryumphaunte treasoure of bounte / that is more worthe than precyous stones. I be seche you awaken your hertes / and go all and make an ende of these cursed turkes. You se that the kynges slepe and haue theyr hertes endurced / the whiche sholde be y^e pyllers of crystendome. And it is they y^t setteth nought by the chirche. They ought to haue grete shame. O no­ble Apostroph [...] ad germanos lordes domynatours of Almayne awaken you / for you be stronge and myghty / and sheweth it not / you ly­ue in peas / and suffreth y^t our fayth is separed. Shewe you in polysshed armes. And go with y^e Englysshemen / and frensshe men on the turkes with a grete hoost. And let them slepe that wyll slepe. Put men and shyppes on the see. And you shall see that god the creatour shall hel­pe Apo. xvii. you. He shall breke y^e stronge castelles. Consyder how god dyde helpe kynge Henry the fyfte agaynste the cry­sten men / the whiche by reason sholde helpe you soner a­gaynst the infydeles. O puyssaunt kynge of Romaynes wyse and prudent / whiche holdeth the sceptre ryall of y^e empyre Romayne / what someuer enuye that hathe ben had on the / thou arte myghtye / and worthy to gouerne suche a crowne. I knowe no prynce more Juster / vertues domyneth in the / thou louest peas / and thyn honour encreaseth. Now then souerayne prynce awaken thyne hoost / whiche is so valyaunt / for to go and smyte vpon the grete turke / and the myscreauntes. And helpe for to redresse our fayth / y^e whiche enclyneth from daye to day [Page] You other kynges what dreme you / what auaylleth the kepynge / and lourynge in your countrees / nothynge / habandone them / and leue ladyes / and gentylwomen / sadle your horses / take your harneys / and make sowne your trompettes in to Turkye. O you enuyous / & cur­sed hertes / & dysloyall folkes / flee your waye / that ye be neuer sene / you empesshe our good kynge of Englonde for to make warre / for the sustentacyon of y^e fayth. Cur­sed be your flaterynge / your hertes is more bytterer thā galle / and at all assayes you be nought worthe / you shall haue an euyll ende. And the grete deuyll shall take you for the dyuysyons that you haue made in your dayes / I can not tell yf that you haue redde in the auncyent hystoryes of them that wolde make these consystoryes vnto theyr lordes / as I fynde of Charles Chauues / that rey­gned [...]rolo caluo in fraunce / after Charlemayne / & was the fourth of that name / to whome god shewed the paynes of helle Beholde there what he sayeth vnto them that were as you be. you enryche your frendes the whiche ben yssued out of a poore lygnage / in gyuynge them the offyces of prudent gentylmen / and so by flaterynge the chorles is promoted / and the gentylmen remayneth in extremyte you desyre warre / but you kepe you euer ferre from the strokes. In cytees & townes where as ye passe / the wy­ues and maydens ben vyoled / the poore men beten and robbed. Who hathe done it / my lorde and his men. And then they dare not speke. Justyce slepeth / from whens cometh that / bycause that trouthe slombreth. The poore shall be punysshed / and the ryche and the noble shall es­cape by supplyenge For to wyte yf that it be wryten in y^e byble / in the ryght canon / or cyuyll / is it polyce for the comyn welfare (no) O Ihesu cryst how thou arte pacyent [Page] for to endure suche thynges. Notwithstandynge I sup­pose that they y^e whiche ben fered so in this worlde / shall obeye / and fere after theyr dethes / y^e women infernals that is prepared for them. O noble kynge aboue al other redoubted / and reclaymed / for your benygnyte thynke for to resyste agaynste this affayre / expulle theyr grete bytternes / exyle them from your affayres and dedes / & your besynesses shall spede the better. And to the ende y^t you lyue in pease / byleue neuer these false tongues serpē tynes / and detractours / y^e whiche loueth better to se you in trybulacyon / than in prosperyte. Reygne peasybly / & whan all Englonde is in tranquylyte / then go vpon the sarasyns / and myscreauntes. And recouer that the whi­che they haue conquered. And after your dethe you and yours shall be lyuynge in the realme of paradyse. But & ye do ony thynge agaynst your god / and agaynst the co­myn welfare / god shall hate you & your people also. For whan a lorde is not belouyd of his subgectes it is an euyl sygne and token.

[Page] AUoyde where someuer you be flaterers and scūmers of the courte / renne sone and beware ꝓuer. xxix. bea. tho. ii. i [...]. q. cxv. gl. xxv. dis. c. vnum. of the horse that stryketh / and come and here this chapytre / the shyp that you be in is apparaylled with theym that folowe the ke­chyn. I coude not abstayne me from puttynge these fol­kes alone / and haue gyuen them a shyp for to gouerne / You ought to vnderstonde that these folkes wyll gouerne y^e halles of lordes / and prynces. This turbe desyreth fraudes & ymagynacyons / for they wyll flater all abou­tes. And by suche meanes the lordes holdeth them for y^e moost truest / and wyll gyue them the charge of all. We xlvi. di. c. ec­ce quare. Hora. i epi. Leuiti. xix. Eccle. vii. xl. di. c. vltīo. ꝓuer. xxvi. [...]. thessalo. ii. Eccl. xxviii. haue ordeyned for them a grete shyp vpon y^e see. All the­se flaterers / and extorcyoners / is the fyrst and moost ne reste the kynge in courte / or of a lorde / or of a mayster. They go gladly in to the courte of a kynge / of a prynce / of a duke / of an erle / or of a baron. They recyte many wordes of none effecte / and is alwayes nexte y^e kynges persone. And yf that there is ony that is wyse and dys­crete Juuenalis ff. de her. isti. l. captatorias 23. dis. nihil. xi. q. iii. ne­mo perit. / they wyll conspyre fraudes agaynst them / & wyll reporte many false tales to put them out of grace. And to the contrary they wyll say that a foole is replete with wysedome / and sapyence. They saye dyuers wordes ful of vanytees of them that theyr maysters hateth. The o­ther bycause they wolde be called good seruaūtes gade­reth the feders / & other fylthes of theyr maysters gow­nes / to the ende that theyr seruyce please them y^e better / They wolde euer begyle theyr maysters / and vnder the vmbre of goodnes / they cōmyt dyuers fraudes and de­cepcyons. And to couer theyr falsenes they speke amya­bly vnto some / and fyersly vnto the other / as who saye they do it for theyr maysters prouffyte. Suche folkes by [Page] flaterynge is made ryche / and exalted aboue the other / They be acquaynted with dyuers folkes thorugh theyr dyssymulacyons / and false flaterynges. They haue two Eccle. xxi. glo. in. l. i. c. si q aliquē tes. p Ad. Roma. i. Ps̄. xl. Ecclesi. xii. xlvi. dis. sunt nonnulli de his que fi. [...]. ma. p. c. quest­uit et in glo. tongues / for with the one they recounte many vycyous wordes and lesynges. And with the other they do clene the contrarye. And thus by these false flaterers the prynces / and lordes is deceyued gretely. They shall be welcome and byloued of the estates at all seasons / for recytynge of lyes and newe tydynges. But the cryme ensueth the synne / and his pryncypall actour / by the meanes of the whiche he is defyled / and troden vnder the hors fete and sinyteth behynde at the other. For it is a comyn sa­yenge. He the whiche can flater / hathe all thynges after his pleasure. And he that sayeth trouth shall haue his hede broken. But afterwarde tourneth the chaunce sayen­ge. They that saye trouthe shall haue brede / and the fla­terers shall deye for hongre. And shal fall in to grete ca­lamyte and myseryes.

[Page]

CRuell fooles that bereth false tales aboute / & also you double vnderstonders / herken vnto xi. q. iii. non. solū. xxx. q. v. [...]ullū. glo. pe. xvi. q. ii. c. i. lxxxvi. dis. si quid. Eccle. xix. my chapytre / and byleue it lyghtly / and you shall knowe your defautes. With grete payn wolde I haue called this shyp yf that it had not ben our neyghbour / the whiche folowed our shyppe in to the hye see. These folkes ben the grete regentes of the worlde / how well that they be indygne for to be sette in so hyghe places / tellynge thynges not to be sayd. It is grete foly for to herken vnto suche tales / and to haue the eres euer open / for the wyse man hathe them close / & openeth them not often / for ought that is sayd to hym For he fleeth from detractours / and reportours / that is replete with false langages / and lesynges / he is reputed for dyffamed / that lepeth vppon the backe of another / [Page] in tellynge hym his affayres and hurteth his backe for there is some sore. And after y^e hurte wolde defende hȳ as he that hathe a sore fo [...]e / and in spekynge vnto hym tredeth vpon it and asketh noo better but for to angre hym. He y^e whiche sayeth euyll wordes of one that is ab­sente that is iuste and of good lyfe is a foole he that he [...]eth it is not wyse. For he ought neuer here another bla­med. Euery body ought to fle from the reportour that Eccle. xvi. i [...] ii. thessa. ii. ꝓuer. xviii. Eccle. xiii. Sapien. ii. Ecclesi. xviii. ꝓuer. xxix. Hester. iii. hathe his tonge enuenymed / and ought not to be herde / nor byleued / but repreued vyllaynoussy. And he that re­preueth hym purchaseth honour. A false tongue noyeth euery body / puttynge his frendes in dyscorde / and ma­keth oftentymes theyr frende theyr foo. This vyse ste­reth the honoure of men / and gnaweth theym vnto the bone / and brēneth the herte / and engendreth a thousan­de dolours. This vyce maketh iugemente to be made / & maketh the innocente culpable / & oftentymes suffreth bytter dethe. And he that is replete with vertues / and is accused without knowynge ony accyon / how may y^e cause be determyned egally. A man by this vntrue vyce ac­cused Mardoche [...] / he had a poore rewarde / for he was hanged. Who that sholde do so at this tyme sholde doo true Justyce. Knowe that helle holdeth you for theyrs / for so god hathe dampned you. The crysten men that by leueth lyghtly / and herkeneth the Jewes / is in waye of dampnacyon. Haue not your wylles so folysshe to byle­ue false reportours. Alexandre y^e grete enclyned not his eres vnto euery thynge / for the euyll wordes ben cause of many euylles.

LUnatyke fooles / that maketh alcumyne co­me and make some newe thynge / and rede in this chapytre / and you shall fynde newe thynges Cōtra Alchi­mistas. vide. tex. in. c. ep̄i. circa. fi. xxvi. q. v. for to make alcumyne dyuyne with. O Castallye swete and wyse. I praye y^c that I may drynke in thy fountayne. Gyue me a hondreth voyces / and as many tongues / to the ende that I may tell the false men / the whiche be in grete nombre. Now we haue put in our studye / and flote dyuers other shyppes. For elles the halfe myght not entre in / but sholde aby­de vpon y^e londe / whertore we haue ordeyned shyppes / for them / to the ende that theyr fraudes and deceytes be shedde vpon the see. Dyuers of these fooles is of euyl ꝓuer. xi. et. xxix. Eccle. vi. Ecc [...]. xxxvii. operacyons / the whiche enfecteth the worlde / the false frende deceyueth his true frende. How fayre so euer the begyler speketh / it procedeth not fro his herte. But dys­tylleth bytter venym. They knowe another maner for to dyffame theyr faythfull frendes / and leue them in extreme necessyte. Thus may ye knowe the peruerse wyll of y^c frendes nowe a dayes. For theyr hertes ymagineth euer some fallaces / to begyle theyr true frendes. ¶ And theyr amyable wordes is full of bytternes. Theyr ton­gues ben full of hony. Theyr counsaylles is full of frau­des and decepcyons / the whiche shall torne them vnto [Page] dōmage in the laste ende. By theyr tongues they decey­ue many men [...] & by theyr swete tongues they know ma­ny ꝓuer. xii. Eccle. viii. et. xxxvii. Oui. in epi [...]. Mathei. vii. Azech. xiii. Luce. xiii. ꝓuer. xviii. Hie. v. et. vii. secre [...]es. They be all for themselfe / and not for the co­myn p [...]uffyte They deceyue theyr brederen germayns theyr cosynes ye and theyr faders and moders. They be of all maner of estates / as well spyrytuall as tempo­rall. W [...]se euydently ynoughe theyr heresyes / and that the whiche maketh them vary in theyr thoughtes They labour and make clene all without / and within they be full of fylthes / and be stynkynge lyke preues. I can not tell what I sholde saye more / saue y^t they be lyke famys­shed wulues / couerde with lambes skynnes. For within they be ful of malyce & deceytes / in cogytynge fallaces / & melteth syluer and dyuers other metalles togyder. they be experte in makynge of moneye and semblable thyn­ges. In counterfettynge the kynges coyne / trespassyn­ge agaynst his ryall mageste. Wherfore they be worthy to lese theyr lyues. And they haue false stones the which they sell for precyous stones / in begylynge bothe ryche marchauntes / and poore. There is also a grete meyne of clyppers of golde and syluer / and wasshers of money by newe inuencyons / so that the kynges coyne is gretely dystroyed / for whan it is lyght / they put it in vessell / & so there is no money sterynge / bycause there is so moche vessell. Fraudes is done in weyghtes and mesures. The marchauntes haue two yerdes / and two weyghtes / for to begyle the comynalte / and specyally the poore folkes for they of y^e towne knoweth it well ynoughe. There is no fayth in the worlde / for euery body is full of fraudes Also they delyte them for to be renowmed begylers. He the whiche may eschewe suche fraudes and deceytes / is well happy / for there is but fewe in the worlde y^t is clene [Page] They be semblable vnto [...] [...]rners that medleth the wyne / that of whyte and rede maketh [...]laret / & fylleth Eccle. xxvii. [...]. in ene. [...]er. xx. theyr wynes ful of chalke / & do dyuers other fraudes of whiche I wyll holde my pease for this present tyme.

[...]Ome rede in this chapytre / folysshe seductours of the fayth of Ihesu cryste / and you shall se An [...] tecryst / and his dedes. For we haue composed the shy [...] De [...]tro. xiii. xxvi. q. v. ifi. [Page] meruayllous / that renneth shyftely vpon the grete see. in the whiche is conuersaunt the fooles replete with de­cepcyons Math. xiiii. Marci. xiii. ix. dis. ego. c. si ad sacros xxiiii. q. iii. heresis. Actuū. xxvii ꝓuer. xxx. Marci. iiii. Mathei. viii. Hiero. in ꝓlo go biblie. tricesima se­ptima relatū Apocalip. xx. ii. thimo. iii. ix. dis. quis nesciat. ii. Petri. iii. Hiere. xxiii. Mich. iii. xlvi. di. hō. h [...] / and false credence. Who coueyteth to knowe what men these be / knowe that they be crysten men the whiche holdeth the scoles of the fayth. And be false seduc tours / in sowynge errours. They honoure Ihesu cryste and his holy sacryfyce with an euyll courage. They wyll enterprete the holy scryptures. The poore of vnderston­dynge and symple in the barge of saynt Peter bereth y^e keye / the whiche is stronge and euyll to dystroye. She is withouten maste or sayle / and fleteth vpon the daun­gerous wawes ryght profounde. Within is the false en­terpretours / false actours / and false prophetes that con tamyneth our fayth / and holy scryptures. They be full of folyes and erroures / for they sowe false doctrynes in­numerable / but the myschefe shall descende vpon theyr owne hedes. Our fayth and the holy mysterye appereth euydently also clere as the sonne / the wordes is so well ordred that there is none vniuste enterpretacyon. Ne­uertheles these ambycyous fooles wyll haue excellente names / honour / and glorye. They wyll make newe en­terpretacyons vpon thynges that is also clere as the day And affusketh theyr spyrytes / in exposynge oure lawe wrongfully. And they do it all by iactaunce and pryde / Is it not suffycyent ynoughe for you to be amonge the holy lawes / without hauynge ony wyll to surmounte y^e other. By your peruerse and insacyate cogytacyons / ye coueyte to haue reuelacyons of the dyuynyte / transcen­dynge from the imperyall mageste of god Lyke as our auncyent faders haue had / and obteyned thorughe their merytoryous operacyons. The whiche haue holyly she­wed / vnto vs y^e holy scryptures. These folkes conceyue [Page] false interpretacyons / thynkynge for to dest [...]r holy lawe / and the fayth that we byleue on. They [...] en­sue [...]xiiii. q. iiii. [...] [...]r [...]. [...]. xxxvii. c. direlat [...] [...] ▪ c vino this cursed Antecryst / and his folkes by theyr erroures. They haue theyr hertes insacyable. Of these there is a daunce / and many other berynge the sygnes of An­tecryst / false se [...]uctour / and inuencyoner of euylles / the whiche wyll myne our fayth / and breke it by lawes full of deceytes that they wyll sowe in the worlde. They be xxiiii. q. i. non afferamus contrary to the grete kynge of heuen / and pe [...]iecuters of his lawe. In the tyme that Antecryste shall reygne / Ezechi. ii. they shall be subdued by moneye. He shall gyue theym dyuers rychesses for to lede theyr marchaundyses / false nesses / fayntyses / vsuryes / and grete euylles. To the go [...]. Joh. i. de crysten men he shall do many iniuryes / in cuttynge of theyr hedes. This shyp shall not last longe vpon this proude see / but shall be destroyed / and as she constray­neth Eccle. x. / her gouernall shall fall / & shall abyde in our fayth kepte safe and sounde. And how well that the shyppe of Apocalip. xiii saynt Peter is in grete peryl / for a myghty blaste of wȳ de Marci. iiii. that often maketh it to daūce / so that they sore trem­bleth for grete fere. It is vauntours of grete scyences / and interpretours / that wolde defyle the crysten lawe. / They may be well named the messengers of Antecryste for they ensue the operacyons that he shall do. They be sowers of zizanies. I the laste translatoure haue sene at Parys dysgrade / cutte the tongue / and after brenne a preest / that helde almoost suche errours. And there was no doctour so grete that myght put hym out of his foly He sayd and dyde grete thynges / of whiche I holde my peas / for dyuers reasons There is dyuers at this presēt tyme that hathe as well deserued the dethe as he / for the whiche thynge I wolde that the creatour sholde puny [...] [Page] she them so / that all erroures were expulsed out of theyr hedes. I wyll put here thre thynges that ought to be noted [...]. Joha [...]. i Eccle [...]. [...]i [...]. Johan. i Inno. in. c. [...] aūt. de. et [...]e [...] in. cl [...]. [...]u [...]. [...]i for all the fayth is comprehended in it. The fyrste is the grete grace that is in the bysshoppes mouthe / y^e whiche is dyspraysed / & set at nought. The seconde is y^e gre­te ha [...]undaunce of bookes / by the whiche euery body maketh exposycyons / expretacyons at theyr pleasures / And then a lyght courage wyll take soner the euyll opy­nyon than the good / for oftentymes one fyndeth thyn­ges that he sholde not abyde on. The thyrde is the grete erroures of holy doctryne / & vertues / of whiche dyuerse folkes is vnclothed / and wyll not go vnto the grete glo­rye / but in to the paynes infernalles. Pryntynge is soo Eccle. xv [...]. ꝓuer. xvi. sowen aboute the worlde / & so many bokes of holy scryptures / that the ryche / and the poore is all one. The true x. ciii. di legl▪ ꝓuer. xxiiii. scyences and vertues none taketh / none prayseth them / It is of necessyte that the poore men take them / for the gentylmen setteth not by them / but haue greate shame Eccle. ii. He [...]c. xiii. to vysyte the fayre bookes / and not for to were superfluous garmentes. The bookes that be made in Englysshe touchynge the secretes of the fayth / causeth dyuers er­rours / and specyally to women / & symple men. Pallas Eccle. vii. Ezechi. vii. is put byneth / no glorye / laude / rewarde / nor lycoure is gyuen vnto the studyens / so the labour of these clerkes is in vayne. The tyme is comen that the fayth is subuerted to dysdayne. And the prophetes haue aduertysed dyuers men. The tyme is comen that these false prophetes conuerteth the worlde by seduccyon / and cautulous ar­tes.

ENtende vnto my saynges you fooles that hydeth trouthe. For how well that your vnder­stondynges is pure and clene / and full of scy­ences / yet you be ydyottes. For you be full of errours / of menaces / of rancours / & of vayn wordes / in lettynge the good cōmaundementes to be recyted / and reherced. [...]las they knowe not the ensygne­mentes for fere the whiche sholde vnderstonde theym. / xxxviii. di [...]. sedulo. P [...]. xxxv. ꝓuer. [...]ii. Eccle. xii. Mathei. x. [...]i. q. iii. quis metu. xi. dis. si papa. x [...]iii. dis. sit te [...]. Actuuū. x. [...]3. q. iii. [...] ▪ trāsfertur. For they hyde them for fere or for loue. Cursed be you y^e whiche do so / for ye do it to please this transytorye worlde / and to dysplease the celestyall realme of paradyse / y^t is a hondreth thousande tymes of more valure. Thynke that god hathe gyuen you vnderstondynge / and reason for to teche them the whiche is vnprudent / and dyscrete Wherfore hyde you the passages of trouthe / wherfore speke you not hardely / preche the holy scrypture. Haue you taken moneye / or fere you to be in euyll grace / for y^e whiche ye dare not tell the trouthe. Know you not euy­dently that our lorde Ihesu cryste hathe gyuen you this excellent scyence for to declare the trouthe vnto euery body. Of you I can not holde my pease. Knowe you not y^t ye leue the symple folkes all deuoyde of vertues by your euyll prechynge. you ought to exorte euery body to lyue well. Alas and you do nothynge. you know well by ex­peryence [Page] that you lese bothe your bodyes and your sou­les myserably. Take ensample of the good Uyrgyll / for Eccle. iiii. et. xix. xi. q. [...]. nemo. xxii. q. ii. ne quis arbitre: Uirgilius de viro bono Juuenalis de thauro phal [...] Dionisius Thobie. iiii. Johannes he the whiche is a clerke refulgente sayeth. He is moche doutable that hydeth trouthe. And he is right vertuous that telleth the crymes & the euylles of the vycyous men and women. How well that for tellynge of trouthe there hath ben sene dyuers hanged and quartred. And for all that yf that ye sholde haue the same punysshement / ye ought euer to saye the trouthe. The wyse man neuer fe­reth payne nor fauoure. But kepeth stedfaste fotynge agaynst euery body / vertue fauoureth hym. For he is cō ­tente to lese all his goodes for to saye trouthe. How well that yf he chese for to correcke his dethe / those wordes is of no substaunce. He fereth not the shame of y^e vycyous men / for theyr wordes is opprobryous / and of none ef­fecte. For the vertue nor the honoure of a good man / is not the worse for the babelynge of an euyll persone. Correccyon is euer replete with scyence / for it repreueth the synners of theyr vyces / and reduseth them vnto vertu­ous ꝓue [...]. ix. Luce. vii. Ecc [...]. xxxvi [...]. Eccle. xxi. Hiere. li. lyuynge. Thynke on saynt Johan baptyst the whi­che was replenysshed with all holynes / and that ensued vertues / & fledde vyces. And for his holynes & good lyfe god humylyed hym vnto hym / in praynge hym to bapty sehym. He fayned hym not for to correcke Herode Anty­pas / bycause that he helde the wyfe of Herodiades / the whiche was the broder of Herode Antypas. ¶Correcke then theyr vyces and synnes with swete wordes. And yf they receyue not correccyon / yet shall you receyue me­ryte one waye or other for y^e repreuynge of synne / & for correckynge. And so thy good dede shall not be loste / for worldly thynges hyde not trouthe / for who that letteth to saye trouthe for gyftes / dampneth his soule truely.▪ [Page] Whan the doctours ben bysshoppes / or haue benefyces. ye shall not here them preche nor crye no more / for trou­the in them is hydde / and may not take y^e payne no mo­re. And on the other syde they dare not saye nothynge / lest they sholde lese theyr benefyces.

[Page] FRom all partes assemble fooles / the whiche thynketh to withdrawe the good dedes by Math. xvi. Marti. viii. ꝓuer. xxiiii. Ad Roma. i. Ps̄. xxxvi. your grete foly Come and rede this scryptu re / and ye shall fynde thynges ryght prouf­fytable to the helthe of your soules. He is a very foole full of wanhope the whiche thynketh to lette the good operacyons. He is Impetuous and full of cru­delyte / he taketh them not by the handes. And for to ha­ue intellygence of my saynges I wyll saye that the iust man rchersynge some good purpose shall be argued of y^e foole. He hathe iuche wyll that he wyll that euery body accorde vnto hym / for and they were a hondreth he wylspeke to them all. And yf ony of them be wylde heded / & folys she / he wyll holde on his partye / and pursue y^e Just with maltalent / the whiche gothe the ryght waye. Also dothe he the noble and lerned / and wyll not folowe the ryght waye / but gothe in the vycyous waye. He is cury­ous to dyffame the wyse man / and wyll haue the name of scyence / and to clarefye the lyght. And whan the dys­crete man gyueth the true sentence / he wyll make grete ꝓuer. xiiii. Eccie. xiii. Eccle. xx. Sapien. v. noyse with his fete / and handes / for to let his saynges to be herde of the dyscrete and wyse men. And yf the wyse man be dysposed to lyue vertuously / this foole shal be enuyous vpon hym. And yf he chese a delectable place to do good in / this foole shall put hym in the waye to make perturbacyon. And shall fayne hym to haue grete scyence / he dyffameth the wyse / without ony reason Thus he surprysed with foly / thynketh to haue more reason and Luce. xii. i. thimo. iiii. Mathei. v. ii. thimo. ii. wytte than the other / he wyll lyue secretely lyke an vn­reasonable foole. All vyle thynges mondayne pleaseth hym. He dysprayseth god by his wanhope and grete fo­ly / in makynge the ypocryte / and begylynge the symple [Page] folkes / he maketh the ypocryte / wherby wyse men is deceyued. Our wylles is semblable vnto this foole that [...]c. vi. [...]. vii. xxiiii. q. i. c. se. Luce. xxii. ꝓuer. xiiii. Eccle. xxxvii Hiere. [...]xix. Ad co [...]. iii. can suffre none aduersyte. But the wyse man dothe not so / for he prepareth hym to suffre aduersyte / and to serue god deuoutly / in eschewynge vyces. One fole coueyteth to make mo. Wherfore auoyde theyr company. Foole yf thou be full of vnhappynes / and deuoyde of vertues / at y^e leest entyse none other / but let them prospere in good­nes and vertues.

UNnderstonde my wordes poore fooles / the whiche haue not fructefyed the tyme paste / but are abyden in the fylthe of synne / with Boetius Mathei. xxv. Luce. xiii. Ps̄. vi. your hertes plonged in mortall vyces. I re­quyre you mondayne folkes to seke salute / for your thoughtes is fyxed in tenebres / of Ihesu cryste none doubteth the flagellacyons. The lyfe humayne is defyled / the hertes is bewrapped in the obsurtees of hell O mortall man thou arte to blame whan thou assēblest xii. q. i. ois. et. Ad hebre. xii. de cle. nō resi. relatum. so many vyle synnes. Thou thynkest that thou arte dys­pensed for to do euyll / for the goodes that thou hast done in tymes past. O vyle synner what may thy goodes pro­fyte the yf thou hast had thy herte clene from all vyces / what shall prouffyte the / the sacrefyce of ensence / nor al thyn offrynges and offyces / What shall prouffyte the / y^e grete fructuousnes of the chirche / what shal prouffyte y^e Luce. xii. de renū. c. i. de eta et qua intelleximus Mathei. x. l. q. vii. sugge­siū. i. Reg. xii. Math. xxiiii. l. corin. xiiii. xxvi. q. vi. si. [...]sbiter in glo Math. xxv. Sapien. iii. Ecclesi. xi. the fayre auters / the pardons that thou haste wonne / y^t that thou hast ben vertuous in thy youthe / and thou art now olde & leueth the good ensygnementes & vertues / Certaynly yf thou perseuer not vnto y^e ende thou lesest thy tyme / for the ende crowneth. God the ryghtwys Ju­ge wyll iuge euery mortall man at the houre that he fyn­deth hym good / withoute takynge respyte. Whan it co­meth to the dethe he shall call them / & shall make theym gyue accomptes of theyr good dedes and euyll / & shal rewarde them therafter. For yf they haue done well they shall haue well / & yf theyr lampes be voyde of oyle / they [Page] shall haue moued theyr spyrytes & all vertues. For to haue lyght he wyll fyll his lampe full of oyle and [...]esyreth it with an vnuertuous wyll / he is a foole so to demaunde the dyuyne lyght / & thynketh not on hell nor on y^e dyuers iugementes that god shall doo to hym. And yf the wyse man do some good and deye sodaynly / god pardo­neth hym / for after theyr good dedes they shal be remunered / Deute. viii. [...]d hebre. ii. Seneca. Eccle. vii. Math. vi. de [...]a dis. vii. c. nemo. Ezechie [...]. 33. the good to haue heuen / and the euyll to haue hell Synners that lyue in synne more obstynate / & hardar than stones / wherfore haue you not mercy on yourselfe▪ Wherfore thynke you not vpon the dredefull daye of do me that is so horryble and so peryllous / by y^e whiche we must passe. Thynkest thou not that thou must offre thy fayre or foule body at the monument / and that parauenture thy soule shall go in to the flambynge fyre of helle / O what doloure / what horryble sentence vpon vs mor­tall folkes / full lytell prayse we our dedes for to come.: The realme of god we beholde nothynge with our eyen eleuate. But haue regarde vnto the thynges interyours without thynkynge vpon the dethe that is soo sodayne, nor at our houre the whiche is lymytted / & that we ha­ue no reste assygned whan we shall departe oute of this worlde.

LUnatyke fooles astonyed that pardoneth the moost often / yf Thalya touche you / pardone vs / for we wyll speke expressely / and enploye our wyt Justyce for to knowe / what gyftes ꝓuer. xiii. vi. et. viii. Mathe [...]. vii. Johā. xxvii. thobie. [...]ii. xl. di. c. finat. vide. gl. xliii. dis [...]n simu. [...]. [...]. [...]. de ma [...]. et obe. c. h [...]f. ought to be gyuen vnto y^e hye and worthy so­phye / in the whiche the man hathe truste for to haue vertues and grete scyence / dyuers with honoure haue ben clothed / coueytynge to haue the hyghe tytles and hyghe names of the true degre of sapyence. O one that had ne­uer excellent tytle / but vsurpeth the name magystrall. / and hadde neuer scyence. The other ambycyous gothe and taketh it / not for to ensygne and teche the people. / but for to haue praysynge / to the ende that they say that he is wyse / this engendreth vycyousnes. Aduyse you vnto what they wyll entende / to the ende that in dyuerse banquettes and feestes they be somoned the fyrste / and in lyke wyse at grete assembles / bycause that they haue tytle without scyence / for it is wryten y^t, scyence is gods with his fader aboue in heuen / but of scyence I tell you that we haue none in the worlde / but that in the whiche we founde vs / in hym was accomplysshed / it is not scyence abdie [...]mo. i. corinth. [...]. Esaye. 33. Judith. vii. actuū. xii [...]. but foly. There is dyuers at this present tyme in y^e worlde that for theyr grete and profounde studye haue abour and payne / the whiche wyl euer remayne in that grete myschefe by theyr owne volūtary wyll / by y^e whi­ [...]he they thynke verely in doynge this werke / that they [...]cquyre the realme of paradyse / for all that they be well [...]ynde / for our lorde seeth that they haue theyr hertes to [Page] harde / wherfore he taketh them not / nor receyueth them not bycause they be in tenebres / & may not walke in the Luce. xiii. Eccle. vii. ryght waye the whiche is strayte / dyffycyle and thornye But do chese soner the euyll the whiche ledeth them vn­to the pyt of hell full of serpentes. Who that wyll ensue folye / and lyue in her / he shall not be without synne / but who that kepethhym in wysdome / shall be rewarded at Plato de quo Hiero i ꝓlo­go biblie. the laste. We se euery daye the renowne of platon / and the other / the whiche at this presente tyme is florysshȳ ­ge in the worlde lyke as they were on lyue. At this daye none holdeth them on the partye of dame prudence / by the whiche the mondaynes chese not the waye to heuen warde.

IMpeteous fooles vnfortuned / the whiche setteth noughte by mysfortunes / come and rede this chapytre and ye shall se what mysfortune is / euery body thynkynge on his af­fayres / and that with fayth they be garnys­shed to knowe y^e descendynge therof / & the vnstablenes We se that the worldly thynges is not sure / for they the whiche thynketh to be happye here / falle incontynente, [Page]

for the fortunes ben sodayne. There is no hande be it neuer so stronge that may go agaynst it / there is nothynge in the worlde but that it taketh ende / by y^e whiche I ha­ue thought in my mynde of them that haue no stablenes to whome fortune is agreable / and how well that she cometh not to the socoure of theyr ruyne. They are alway applyaunt vnto her / for all that she is vnnaturell to do good / and more prest and redy to doo euyll. This foole fyndeth hymselfe in his house all on a fyre / and his goo­des consumed. O thou man yf thou haue an vnfortune Hiere. li. Ezech. xxvi. ff. como. l. si vt ꝓuer. vii. for all thy heed is well combed / and that there brede lyce or vermyne / the prudentes saye a comyn prouerbe. If there come yll / it is neuer alone / and by our faute encreaseth more. We se euery daye that fortune encreaseth vs / Her dede is so greuous y^t it is not worthy to be recyted / Notwithstondynge thynke we not on the transmutacy [Page] ons that is contempled of many thynges that cometh to vs. It happeneth oftentymes as one thynketh / to the ende that the man be not withoute this. He dothe well that kepeth hymselfe from euyll whan he knoweth how Eccle. lxiii. ꝓuer. xxiii. Luce. vii [...]. Eccle si. iii. Esaye. xxiii. Job. iiii. sapien. xiiii. he shoulde kepe hym / and dothe it. For to haue ones fote surely / one must loke where he setteth it / for oftentymes Fortune hydeth her vnder the fote of the man / for euen so as the man wyll go vpon the se / she waxeth and swel leth / wherfore he is a foole that entreth in to the shyppe that may not susteyne the wawes / nor alytell wynde / the whiche oftentymes peryssheth thrughe haboundaū ­ce of tempeste and orage. And thus the foole receyueth grete dōmage dyuers tymes thrughe his folyshnes by­cause that he can not gouerne it. But the wyse man ke­peth hym from the daungers aforesayd / in eschewynge the orages of the se that maye happen / wherfore euery body that thynketh to go vpon the se ought to haue a su­re and a stronge shyppe / to the ende that it maye resyste agaynst the wawes and tempestes. Wherfore synners consyder the vnfortunes of this worlde / & amende your lyues / to the ende that ye be of the well fortuned in the realme of paradyse.

[Page] AMonge you fooles that adnychylleth the go des by your vndyscrecyons / come and rede in this chapytre and ye shall fynde thynges prouffytable for your soules / for the dyscrete wyse / and prudente men that haue had vo­lente for to do well / delyted them there in with all theyr puyssaunce / bycause that there is so grete a congregacy­on of fooles regystred in our booke / the whiche we haue put in the grete shyppe with foure toppes. We haue barges rowynge vppon the se of dyuers nacyons / we wyll not wryte theyr detraccyons and renownes. We speke of malefactours peruers and ful of iniquyte to the ende that they sholde amende theym / of good men that they sholde reioyse them and maynteyne them in bounte / by the whiche we put here medecynes and ensygnementes ꝓuer. i. Eccle. vii. Eccle. xxi. for to instructe and hele the syke folkes / our booke is full wherfore yf ye rede in it / and reteyne it / you can not be empesshed with synne. And to the contrary he that syn­neth Loquitur ad sagaces. hurteth by our shyppe / for we haue repreued dyuerse fooles by our scyptures. If these fooles wolde breke my saynges where as I haue none aspecte in theyr wordes / knowe for a trouthe that I doubte them not / yf so­me yonge fole entremetteth hym for to contamyne and detraye our lytell playes & scryptures / he dothe not well For and they haue clere eyen and vnderstondynge they wyll not do so. And yf ye be mutyns auoyde without o­ny murmuracyon / and put the case that your tongues serpentynes wyll reherse dyuers wordes / you can not hurte vs. If that ye wyll not se our booke / go elles whe Horatius. re / or take y^e saynges that shall be notable to you / for we haue wryten as moche for the wyse men as for the foles To the regarde of y^e saynges our study lyes not therin. [Page] These fooles here wyll do also well as the asse playenge on the cymbales / for as moche is good playenge worth as euyll. Also the foole taketh no taste in our good scryp­tures / wherfore you lectours I beseche you to take the good documentes and leue the euyll.

[Page] NOw we trust for to haue replenysshed our shyppe with the fooles of this worlde / not­withstondynge y^e turbe dyssolate at the ta­ble ꝓuer. iii. xii. Ps̄. lxviii. Eccle. xxix. i. Lorinth xi. Ecclesi. ii iii. dis. deni (que). Esaie. xxviiii xliiii. dis. c. i. ff. deori. iu. l. Math. xv. Actuū. vi. xliiii. dis. ꝓ reuerentia. is not fallacyous / deceyuours / nor aua­rycyous / but they are men replete with en­ormytees / and dyssolate at the table / insacyable in etyn­ge & without shame. They ete vyllaynously / and dryn­ke lyke pygeons / as longe as theyr brethe may holde / in drynkynge wyne and ale togyder. They set themself at y^e table without saynge ony graces / or wasshynge theyr handes / saue in theyr soppes / and or the morsell is downe they drynke without remyssyon / and swaloweth the morselles all hole for hast / theyr trenchours is laden ly­ke mountioyes / and theyr cuppes full of wyne and ale / whan they haue dyned they ryse from y^e table without gyuynge ony thankes vnto god for his goodes. They be so vyle and abhomynable at the table that I haue grete horrour for to recounte it. For they drynke tyll theyr eyē watre / theyr tethe is rotten for the drynke that they ha­ue dronken They yeske and boke / and vome at the mou de con. dis. v. in omnibus. Plinius. li. xiiii. circa. fi. c. a crapula. de vi. [...] ho. [...]. Hora. in epis. Persius. de reli. [...] ve. san. c. i. xxxv. dis. lux. the / they receyue all drynkes. They prouoke the one the other in theyr houses / and then they drynke so excessyfly that it ouercometh theyr stomackes. And drynke vnto theyr god Bacchus the one vnto the other / by cuppes & pottes full / enforcynge themself ouer theyr naturall my ghte. And thus they spyllby excesse bothe the body and y^e soule. After that they haue well dronken / they fyght ly­ke beggers / fallynge in the fylthe and myre lyke swyne / And afterwarde they are syke / & haue theyr membres contamyned / the synewes retrayed / & leseth theyr wyt­tes and vnderstondynges / in slepynge lyke beres. O pore fooles be ye not ashamed to do suche enormytees in a [Page] place where as ye shall neuer wynne honour. At the ta­ble you ought to be honest / but ye be so vyllaynous that many lerneth euyl condycyons of you. It appertayneth not to you to be with good folkes. It is sene at this tyme Eccle. xxxi. Osee. iiii. Luce. xxi. puer. xii. et. xxii. Curius. Luce. xiiii. puer. xxv. Leui. xix. iusti. de iut̄. na. i. glo. fi. r co. li. [...]. bo. posses. de of. in. c. i. sardanapalꝰ iustinꝰ li. i. de sepul. ca. certi futuri. c. qr diuersi. de conclusi. prebendarū. Terentius. Persius. quitiliar. us. l. ii. ff. ad tre bel. qr pote. puer. iii. ad collo. iii. Thobie. ii. Esaie. li. i. thess. ii. [...]. v. aristo. ii de anima. Ecclesi. v. Horatius. Ecc [...]. xxxvii. Tulliꝰ in of. Seneca. Juuenalis. that the yonge wyllsytte aboue the olde. They ete dely­cyous metes without ony shame / for be it burgeyse marchaunt or other they put themselfe euer before the plat­ter / they drynke in etynge of theyr potage: they consume all. And with theyr vyllaynous handes they wyl touche the mete before the other. They wyll blowe theyr noses and without ony mesure wyll ete theyr mete / and wyll drynke without makynge clene of theyr mouthes / and then they synge with dysplayed throtes / in makyng many vyle sacrefyces to the god Bacchus. Then they breke pottes / glasses / platters / dysshes / and saucers / in hurlȳ ­ge them vpon the erthe as men enraged and out of their naturall wyttes / and then at drynkynge tyme they ete that the whiche the seruauntes sholde ete. O Sardana palus thou hast dyuers companyons in the worlde / for we wyll not put all these glotons in our werke that ha­ue no fourme for to lyue honestly. How well that y^e one is of Grece / the other latyns or hebrewes / eche hathe his maner to lyue. The one is fatte the other is lene / after y^e maner of theyr countrees. Some be symple / the other gracyous and honest. Some is vertuous and wyse / the other is dronkertes and glotons. Then after that they haue eten and dronken so moche that theyr belyes aketh they demaunde y^e realme of paradyse. They haue theyr thought to superfluous to thynke for to go to paradyse in that maner. Alas Ihesus thou haste made vs for to drynke wyne and ete mete in this worlde. But also thou hast cōmaunded vs y^t we be no glotons / & that we take [Page] our repast moderately. Alas our bodyes fumeth of ha­boundaunce of metes. We haue truste that by stronge drynkynge our lyues shall be prolonged / and in lyke wyse that the wyne wyll make vs haue good blode / and also that our soules is vpholden by the blode / for al that god sayeth it not / but hathe ordeyned mesure / tyme and houre to ete and drynke / for who that is excessyfe he consumeth body and soule / and abredgeth his lyfe. All ver­tues were somtyme in noblenesse / and in the courtes of prynces. But nowe at this present tyme they be more astonyed than gese. They are all corrumped with dronkē nes / pompes and estates ful of flateryes / they haue lost the name of the auncyent men / and are renowmed vn­dyscrete men. The werkes of the auncyent men appety teth by the holy lawes that they haue wryten & dyuers other bookes. And nowe they knowe nothynge no more than wylde beestes / and scyence is gouerned by the po­re and vertuous men eleuate in honour / and be oftenty­mes preferred afore the noblenesse.

[Page] YF demochrytus lyued & that he sawe so ma­ny fooles as is in the worlde now / he wolde laughe. Crassus wolde laughe also to se the enormytees of the mondayne fooles / y^e whi­che ꝓuer. xiiii. Juuenalis l. si [...]s. C. de pe Pliniꝰ. li. vii. Solinus. Crassus. De. vi. [...] ho. cle. cū decorē had neuer wyll for to laughe but ones.. / Wherfore the auncyent phylosophers haue wylled for to wryte it / not with stondynge he wolde laughe at y^e obscure tempestes / and to se the fooles garded and bordred / & dysfygured / the whiche be full of vyces and synnes / and weneth to be iuste. One may knowe them for they resē ­ble the preestes of god Mars / whiche wyll doo sacrefyce in grete furoure / and apparaylleth them for to doo this vyle sacrefyce remeuynge theyr bodyes in manere of a daunce. These fooles bere the vesture of a symulacre / & Druyde. de quibꝰ lucanꝰ Menades Persiꝰ sati. i. resemble a Chymere / one wayleth & wepeth. The other bycause that he wolde appere fayre / anoȳteth hym with swete oyntemētes / y^e one hathe his vysage mortefyed / & olde / they bere the vesture of a lusty galant / the other haue euer borowed clothes / the other haue party clothes / & the other haue theyr gownes of getyque / and thus they make theyr pompes. The other coūterfetteth the deuyl­les vysage ferefull and abhomynable. The louer bereth Lemures de quibus. Dui. Eccle. xxv. C. de epi. & c [...]. l. mime. in an̄t. de san. epi. col. ix. Saturnalia. Cōpitalitia. Māmurius. an instrument of musyque playnge swetely to the ende that the yonge maydens may here it / or afore the dore of some burgeyse / or wyfe rennynge vpon the nyght in le­synge theyr tyme vycyously / the mayden reioyseth her / thynkynge all on decepcyons. And corrumpeth the her­tes of these tendre maydens / and the lycoure vyrgynall theyr softe beddes / and by all dyssolucyons that is done in this worlde thrughe the vyle synners. The other shall come in to thy house and stele thy hennes. Who that fleeth not from suche folke shall cōmytte innumerable synnes [Page] for they do incessauntly noyses debates cryes / and exclamacyons. They represent them that make the feest of saturne as men out of theyr wyttes goynge with peruers hertes crabbed as the ape / hydynge theyr vysages with some other hydeous face that resembleth almoost the dethe / and theyr bodyes couered with vyle vestures Faber. C. de pe. l. si quis de cri. fal. ad audi. entiam. [...] fucare. O peruers fooles wyll you chaunge your natures corporall otherwyse than god hathe gyuen them you / & wyll redresse of immaculacyon your humanyte. I se that by vanyte this forme shall be affusked: not alonely vnto suche folkes / but to these burgeyses full of rychesses. I cō ­playne more these symulacres deceptyues in holy feestes for in place to serue god and the vyrgyn Mary / they are at daunces / lecherye / and playes without obseruynge y^e holy feestes in ony wyse. And in the tyme of lente whan euery body sholde haue the benedyccyon of god / we ta­ke false vysages after our pleasures full of vyces / in the whiche we lye alwayes / and yf that we ryse it is very la­te / for we perseuer vnto the ende. And yf there come ony to correcke vs / we set nought therby / to synne we be not ashamed / and knowe well our maculacyon / and maye not take the correccyon. alas where is correccyon / whe­ther is she gone nowe / she is thynne sowen in crystendo de con. dis. v. quadragesia me / euery mā doth not after nature & ryght / for they oughte to do iniuryes vnto theym that wereth the habyte of deuylles / for certaynly they shall bere them vnto hell at the laste.

COme & here good doctryne foles y^t knoweth not what prudence is / & ye shall here the dys­crypcyon of a prudent man. The ensygnemetes Socrates. Uirgilius. [...]neca i e [...]pis. qudec [...]. tu [...]s in ꝑa. of Uyrgyle & of Socrates haue ben so au­tentyques that it is sayd that in the vnyuer­sall worlde can none be foūde sēblables in scyence / wher fore me thynketh that they were dygne for to haue y^• de­gre [Page] for theyr souerayne louynge. If socrates were not so grece as Uyrgyll sayeth in his verses. Dyuyne scyen­ce and wysdome hanged in hym vertue and bounte made hym refulgent. The Juge that careth not for the chydynges Ecclesia. [...]i. Sapien. [...]i. and cryenges of his people / is wyse and yssueth grete lyght & Justyce / noysom to equyte. He is euer in y^e ryght waye / he wyll not slepe on the daye tyll that he haue thought on that the whiche is necessarye for hym all wyse men do so / and at euery houre is replete with gre­te vertues / and by his grete praysynges bereth the sem­blaunce of aungelles. O Ihesus at my wyll I wolde y^t Ecclesi. vi. ꝓuer. x. Eccle. xviii. Ecclesi. xii. Ec. xxxviii. Ecclesia. i. ꝓuer. iiii. Esay. v. ꝓuer. xxix. aristides. Lurias Fabricus Plato Latho ꝓuer. ix. Sapien. v. Germanie defectu euery body resplendysshed so in scyence / or that euery bodyes conscyence were clene. It is no grete meruayll yf that there is so many foles at this present tyme / for they vary from the grete lady scyence. If a yonge courage haue sapyence by trauayll / he shall abyde without hauyng ony goodes. But begylers full of fraudes and malyces they wyll saye that they haue the iuste tytle of noblenes and yf they knewe nothynge. Alas aristides the iuste / & the noble curius / the good fabricus / and the souerayne plato / the grete cathon shall not haue nowe the preemy­nence that they had in the tyme that dame sapyence regned / bycause of these fooles that can nothynge the whi­che mocketh the wyse men / & is gyuen to them monday ne glorye honour and prayse. They haue the grete auaū tages how well that they are indygne. To whome grete robberyes and fraudes is adressed. They vsurpe the places the whiche are ordeyned for the wyse and dyscrete men the whiche haue better deserued it. If that Almay ne the vyctoryous had gyuen rewardes vnto euery bo­dy / his renowne had not ben soo moche dymynysshed / & there sholde not haue ben so many fooles in our shyppe / [Page] but some wyll not applye the holy scyence / nor kepe the holy cōmaundementes of god / but were folysshe vestu­res full of myseryes as we haue wryten and put in fygure. The foole that wyll lyue wysely also longe as he reygneth in this worlde / lyue after the wrytynge of Uyrgyle Knowe that he shall haue in shorte tyme for his good dedes rest in heuen perdurably. For to kepe thy body and thy soule / amende the to the ende that thou maye tast of this herbe that is called ambrosia. O folkes replete with foly come and here what wysedome sayeth / and taste of her worthy pasture / offre chyldren vnto sapyence that is pryncypall lady / to the ende that ye may haue dyscre­cyon. The kynges somtyme had sapyence / but at this tyme ꝓuer. xiii. Uirgilius. Ecclesia. iii. Sapien. vi. Titio & the­ba. qui et Brant. they haue no more / for all theyr dysporte is but in vanytees / and defyle the holy scryptures. Alexandre y^e gre­te was soo well lerned that he made his cronycles hym­selfe in latyn in fayre rethoryke. He made nothynge but that the whiche was iuste / & done by hym or by his men of armes.

[Page] AWaken a lytell your spyrytes you the which entendeth vnto the thynges superiours / for who someuer dothe pretende / and without Ps̄. xix. Johelis. i. Apoca [...]. vi. sap [...]n. i. tu [...]ꝰ ꝓarchi a oporta. Ecclesia iii. ꝓuer. ii. Ecclesi. i. purpose wyl ascende hye / he is a foole / for he sholde not ymagyne nor pretende to be the­re yf that he be not clene of all his membres / to the ende that at the hyghe sacrefyces of encence as apperteyneth vnto phylosophye / and to be endued with ensygnemen­tes / and by his refulgente and dyuyne acquayntaunce of eloquence swete and pleasaunt / the solace of his vay­ne desyres and inutyle documentes of good lyuynge / & to ensue holynes the swete and sure waye to paradyse. / Alas we may put all euylles behynde & eschewe all vyle vyces / and haue alegement / for god hymselfe hathe sen­te vs in to this worlde for to lyue well. Also that whan we shall haue nede of his sapyence and vertues / that he maye mynystre it vnto vs at our extremytees / so that we demaunde it hym with good herte / and intere wyll for in hym is the receptacle of all y^e poore gendre humayne / the whiche is prepared with his fayre ornementes / & gyrded with a vesture of people or clothe of fyne sen­dall all aboute his membres / and vpon his heed the gre­te frontelet. For all that it is not of one holdynge myner ues of the tyme present / of his stones perles and Jewel­les / these ornementes be verytable establysshed other­wyse vpon the sholders and hede / & yet it sparpleth bet­ter with the fete the roses in all places. The prudent ou­ghte Sapiē. vi. et. nono. Ecc [...]. xxvi. ꝓuer. ii. well to serue hym with good herte / for he bereth y^e true swetnes of the dyuyne maieste / and the lycour and herbe of ambrosias / he gyueth it vnto the tyme that the man is refeccioned. All only he holdeth it in his herte / he gyueth lyberte and honour / he deiecteth all grete synnes [Page] of theyr good dedes remuneracyon / and yet it neuer my nyssheth / and after that he hathe so well done / he is put in a place eternall the whiche is his place / we shall moū ­te Dapien. viii. ꝓuer. vii. ꝓuer. iiii. all yf that we be wyse and dyscrete vnto the lyfe eter­nall. We may well surmount the tyrauntes the whiche is enemyes of y^e fayth / for in this realme we haue a hye kynge the whiche may make vs euer lyue / and for to go uerne in his temples / and haue fayth oure moder / and Justice our aunte. O bothe yonge and olde hast you for to come vnto Pallas / you shall fynde none that is wery for to be with her. Her fountayne is so naturell that she refressheth all the humaynes. O wyse men hast you for to kepe the fayre Mynerue / that she be not hurte with these fooles that wyll put her into a sacke. It sholde be grete shame / reproche / & dyshonour vnto you that this goddesse sholde be in the seruytude of foles / seynge that she is reuerenced amonge the auncyent men. Wherfore do your payne for to defende her / for certaynly ye be boū de therto.

[Page]

REde we not how Alchydes sawe in dremynge two wayes the whiche were ryght dyfy­cyle. For all that he behelde the estates vtyle. & euyll by gracyous vnderstondynge. And then he toke the better waye / the moost iust waye / and the moost surest waye that he myghte. And for to come consequently vnto my mater that I purpo­se for to treate of. Uoluptuosyte as a woman full of all worldly desyres / solace Joye and all pleasures / and her aunte is of foule vayne donge / the whiche shall endure but a lytel whyle. But vertue wyl haue batayll agaynst voluptuosyte / bothe with bowes and arowes / and with her puyssaunt dartes by her syege and fayre saynges the Tulliꝰ in o [...]. whiche descended from the imperyal domynacyon of al myghty god that is heuen. Uoluptuosyte loueth yonge [Page] chyldren vnberded mondaynes and galaūtes. She holdeth in this loue an estate of a pryncesse / & holdeth this as eternall as it sholde neuer haue ende. O woman for fere that thou lese not thy soule / fle carnalytees and vy­le dylectacyon that taketh from thy body grete vertues And yf thou be hole of thy body / macule not thy brest y^u adnychylleth thyn engyn and his braūches / and destro­yeth also thy loyall thoughtes / and by operacyons vycyous Finis volu­ptatis mors. est. Seneca. vometh in venym. O yonge folkes I praye you consyder at this present tyme what it is of fayre vertues / & what she can doo / & that venus may be contrary to you in embrasynge your body with the fyre of loue for to be dampned.

UNderstonde in this scrypture how voluptuosyte blameth vertues / and retayne well y^e wordes for ye shall here newe thynges. Of vertues I am the propre enemye for to ma­ke Esaie. ii. Sapien. ii. hym mortall warre / enuyroned I am as a pryncesse with swete [...]aurell and odeferous / of all her­bes I haue couertures. In sygne of vyctorye my tentes [Page] hanged therwith. I smell good oyntementes and lycoures floures and odeferous herbes My clothes smelleth of good odoures. The sylke that I bynde my heere with yelowe as golde / smelleth as bawme. I bere my large sleue with grete rebrace. And my halfe sleues of cloth of golde or of veluet to be the more galaunte. I haue my smocke more whyter than the crystal. My vestementes precyous and resplendysshynge. With my semely eyen / I caste pleasaunt lokes. I haue a fayre hye forehede. I bere perles at my pastes / precyous stones and Jewels. I haue my two chekes rede as two roses / lytell pappes made meruayllously. And haue yonge bachelers y^t wyll breke theyr yongthe / with them I take my dysportes. / I mynyster vnto them my delytes / and honny they ta­ke it / and after they are taken with my thoughtes / wyl­les / and snares / and yf they were wyse & sutyll. I holde here besyde me harpe and lute melodyously sownynge / and sytte downe aboute me / my mynyons syngynge / & dauncynge / playnge balades / roundelettes / vyrelettes / and dytees of musyke / or layes for to reioyce my spyry­tes. I haue fayre maydens besyde me / and am whyte & smouthe / in all the remenaunte of the worlde is not my make. The knyght shall haue no labour nor peryll in batayll. But shall be fre to entre in to the maculed [...]cryme / and yet he shall not deye / for certaynly he shall not fyn­de hymselfe in the bataylles for fere of the strokes and brusynges / and brekynge of theyr harneys as the pryn­ces at this present tyme. At the sowne of the armye they are peasaunt or syke / for he wyll thynke euer vpon his loue. Am I not the grete goddesse of y^e whiche my dedes is knowen thrugh the worlde / & from my breste yssueth out swete thynges and pleasaunt / cantycles and playes [Page] J take Jocundyte mondayne / the tyme presente is pro­mysed / the houre the daye and the season / the whyle that reason shall come / and aege that dothe admonest it / and youthe shall yssue from vs and his fayre dysportes. Be­holde how Parys rauysshed the fayre Helayne / and the bewaylynges that for her was gyuen vnto the grekes / I haue made to florysshe many sygnes in dyuers coun­trees. And after my grete and myghtye power. I haue pardoned the good and syth they haue ben euyll. Cleo­patra the proude wyfe hathe serued me lyberally. Cano pea also loued my dylectacyon. And Affryque put his lo­ue in me also well as Ammon dydde. And in lyke wyse / Numyde / and Maurisia / and Athas honoured the he­uens thrughe all the regyons of ynde / for my delytes dy de please them wonderfully wel. Sobrenes by me is ex­pulsed. The auncyentes and hye phylosophers haue gretely honoured me. They prayse me and decore me / it ap­pereth in theyr good and true scryptures. What I am absent from ony body his werke pleaseth hym not. with vs is pleasaunce and dylectacyons / we take pleasure for to ete. And we reioyse vs at the table. Our lyues is not abredged in the warre by yron / for we are soner laydein bedde in accomplysshynge the dylectacyon carnall. Dy­uers kynges / dukes / erles / and knyghtes haue done many valyaunces / and excellent prowesses / and wonne so many castelles / townes / and cytees / wherof I haue ben the cause / for I haue vpon the worlde the domynacyon. Sardanapalus toke oure vestementes and lefte the ro­yalles. Eccle. xxxi. Rome in the tyme that it florysshed it was honoured aboue all them in the worlde / they that dyde this a­uauntage loued me well / and after that they hadde me: all vertues / scyence / & wysdome was in them. Amonge [Page] vs yonge folkes we haue neuer colde / but is alwayes in Junenalis oibꝰ in terris naturall hete / we take our reste and our dylectacyons / fere is set all abacke with vs. Wherfore you yonge and lusty folkes loue soueraynly these thynges delectables / and passe your tyme in me. O you olde folkes y^t passeth your aege vnderstonde well my saynges / and reteyne theym within the secretes of youre hertes. Syth that it is so that your tyme dothe passe / and leseth your days without takynge ony Joy or pleasure / euery one of you loke that you reioyse you in drynkynge / etynge at euery repast delycate metes and precyous. For loke whan that Sapien. it. Ecclesi. x. ye be ones passed out of this pleasaunt worlde / ye shall haue no more voluptuosyte.

ANswer I must vnto voluptuosyte / y^e whi­che wyll excercyse batayl agaynst me. Now tell me by what reason and by what cause y^u wylte assyste this / thou the whiche arte pro­uoker Eccle. x vii. capiē. i. &. vi. baruth. iii. of sorowe and decepcyon by thy my­serable handes / thou deceyueth the yonge folkes / wher­fore praysest thou thy vyces & lecheryes / & superfluous [Page] odours odorauntes. Alas thou knoweste well that it is but vaynglorye of the / the whiche endureth but a lytell whyle / of sobrenes thou arte enemye: and of ebriete thou arte cosyn & syster. Thy body is but full of vycyousnes / I consyder well that thou arte Joly / and besemynge vn to mondayne pleasure / and that thou hast laces & fayre gyrdylles / and hast thy heed and thy body rychely aour­ned / eyen tendre / gracyous / delectable and swete / fayre foreheed and pleasaunt vysage. But thou hast not for to resyste agaynste me / and kepe thy poore lyfe / thou wyit fyght agaynste me with a harneys that thou goost and borowest / whiche is a mauntell of purple / and all there­sydue / thy hole harneys in stede of baudryke. Thou we­rest clothe of calmynye / and bereth no male / swerde sa­lade / spere / or other instrument of warre but withoute armour body naked / thou arte to dyfycyle to corrumpte Thou takest in the worlde thy pleasures delycyous and vanytees mondaynes. Besyde the is cupydo & his mo­der Uenus / the whiche is fyxed in carnalytees. Cupydo virgilius. Plato. alexander. is blynde by ryght nature of lytell stature holdynge his bowe in his hande / and his arowes and dartes / with y^e whiche he casteth loue furyously / and the arowes thou haste forged castynge them with thy ryght hande. thou hast a glasse before the / the whiche sheweth partyculerly thy superfluous euylles. In thy foreheed resteth no lygh te / but grete noyses / grete scandale and lecherye / and al pryde / and hast no shame in wordes. Thy herte is enprȳ ted with vyle loue / thyn eyen / thy brest / and thy body is Juuenalis. habandoned vnto all myschefes. Thou makest all noblenes come / and put dyscordes in dyuerse places. By the we suffre grete extremytees / epedymces / and bytter de the. Thou makest to sle the sone / and bete the fader. and [Page] yet dothe murdre / and peryssheth many men that go vn to heue in myserye. Thou causeth the grete maladyes / wherof procedeth the dethe lone after. He the whiche ha the his vnderstondynge pure & clene / thou hurteth hym vyllaynously. Chast hertes infeccyoned / vnpropre of so many excellent vertues / the membres of the poore thou byndest with dolour / & maketh to ete mete of tormente with thy mouthe / thou spekest golden wordes / the yong lynges thou makest incensyfes by thy fylth impetuous / that dyminysseth the dayes / and yf he were yonge and berdles / thou wolde rendre them w^t membres astonyed. Hora. i epis. Persius. they do a mylyon of euylles / thou enduceth them to ta­ke the goodes of other folkes / without ony hope euer to make restytucyon or amendes / what cōfessyon someuer they make in this worlde. Thou arte contrarye to good condycyons / dame reason is neuer in thy house / nor dys­crecyon of mynde / but wyll haue euyll tongues tryum­phaunt folkes be they clerkes or other / thou tornest all vnto thy seruyce. Rede here the grete outrage that was tuliꝰ in ꝑa. seneca i epis. to the noble dardamdes / for by the was destroyed troye and all the parthynyens. They of dasie haue ben dystroyed by thy luxuryosyte. In lyke wyse the men of Acty­que / and danayque / the cytees and walles haue ben lost Sodome and Tomorre haue ben foundred and put in a bysmes / wherof is a vale of water excessyse / and full of cruell destruccyon that the corynthes suffre / and theyr goodes and houses perysshed. By the the fayre realmes of Egypte and of Surrye were destroyed. Thou enten dest to destroye the Rodyens / Myllenoys / and Sybary ens / and dyuers folkes that thou wylte myne & destroy thou pretendest to abolysshe the Sobes and Tracyens ¶By thy false speche thou wylte corrumpe Flaundres. [Page] Thou wylte domyne in fraunce of the whiche I doub­te Ouidius. Juuenalis. a grete euyll / for all these nacyons specyfyed of before haue ben punysshed by the / and thy carnall voluptuosy­te. But I am happy / for the lyfe perdurable and the he­uens appertayneth to me / this worlde y^e whiche is tran­sytorye I pretende to make good / & to put it in y^e waye of lyfe / & to conuaye it to y^e porte of salute / the gate of heuen is open vnto me / and is recupered by the meanes of me / and is open vnto y^e deedly synners whan that they drawe vnto me buxumly. Hercules surmounted by me his naturell enemye. I make them be establysshed befo­re Persius. Boetius. Oui. in epist. the hye god. The one honoureth and prayseth the he­uens / by me was lowly subdued y^e barbaryens / thorugh Julius cezar emperour of Rome / by me was shewed to Julius cesar. Socrates. Alexander. magnus. Paulus emi­lius. hym my doctryne / of doctrynes by good vnyon / by me Alexander the grete had vyctorye thorughe the vnyuer sall worlde. By me Paulꝰ emilius kepte warre agaynst the Perses / and subdued and ouercame the kynge / and had tryumphe in the countree of Romaynes / by me the swete rethoryke was haboundynge in Cycero / by me is Cicero. redde the hye dedes of the Romaynes in the werkes of Uyrgyle. By me is enhaunced the renowne of Arysto­tle Uirgilius. Aristoteles Plato. a prudent man / and of Platon the whiche passed all that euer were in the worlde of wysdome / and that ga­ue the moost fayrest doctrynes. By me were these excel­lent phylosophers / the whiche were full of scyence / and of the arte of eloquence. What shall I saye more / my re nowne renneth thrughe al the worlde. Of me yssueth al grete laudes / honours / and salutes. I reioyse the vnder stondynge / the scyence and hyghe feates dyuyne / and I yelde my subgectes all Instrued. But as for the thou art all replete wfylthe / thou haste lechery without ony wyll [Page] for to eschewe it / but prouoketh euery body to lyue as y^u doest / from thy mouthe procedeth but euyll. And in me haboundeth rychesse amyte / and iuste pyte / all good coū sayll and glorye. My house is chaste. I haue no dwellynge in this worlde / for in heuen is myn onely habytacyon ꝓuer. viii. Sapien. iiii. ꝓuer. ix. for my labour mounteth more in reason than thyne. I holde them of vertues / and thou of voluptuosyte thou louest yonge and olde / but and thou wolde haue honour & bere sygne of goddesse / thou shalt be a grete pryncesse in heuen / yf thou wolde do this / it behoueth not to haue thy wyll corrupte but do after me and take my Joyous remedye / the whiche enbraceth all my herte with dyuy­ne vertues. And all my grete payne is chaūged in to ioy aboue in the hygh heuens & shall mounte where as thou shall reste without ende fynally. Uertues dothe not she the iuste warres / and enduceth y^e londes / she gouerneth ꝓuer. viii. the worlde contynually / & deuyseth by bounte after hys pleasure. All playes you haue by myn habandon / whan they be seruynge vnto me. O yonge folkes put vanyte plautus in amphi. ꝓuer. vii. out of you / and loue well my saynges / I holde you not to blame yf that you contynue in my seruyce / expulse vy ces and fylthes from your bodyes. Yf that you fele that this fylthe wolde witholde you / come vnto me and flee this dampnable synne. Take vertues and clothe you w^t doctrynes and techynges / & sauour them in all ceasons and you shal haue true fayth / and of holynes the profoū de studye..

[Page] FOoles renne vnto the ryuage and auaunce yourselfe hastely / come fooles the whiche is to blame / renne vnto the shyppe socyale or ii. q. i. multi ec. xiii. et. vii. Job. xxx. i. E [...]re. v. Sapien. iiii. Ecclesi. i. Asia. Libia. Ethiopes Germania. Gallia. britannia. Latho elles it wyll departe shortly. This shyppe so cyale taketh innumerable people of dyuers estates / as haltynge men / crepyls / croked / blynde / feble and stronge / of all portes and of all nacyons / so that by trace almoost all the worlde resorteth to it. They of A [...] ­tye make grete apparayll for to withdrawe them towarde vs. Semblably they of Lybye / Ethyope / Esperyce / Almayne / Fraūce / Mausyrye / Thyllye / Brytayne / Fla uye / Cymberyens / Syccambryens / Sacye and Archy phylye. All folkes is at our scoles. And y^e turbe of y^e watche valyaunt in armes. And that of Sarmatyke / Thracycke / Aigelyce. And fynably all y^e mondayns marcheth in the monarchye as well yonge as olde / lunatykes / fooles / maydens / vyrgyns / faders / and moders / vncles / & neuewes / cosyns / and all maner of suche folkes oughte to come vnto our shyppes / for y^e taryeng auayleth them nothȳge. Folkes vndyscrete / and inutyle the tyme is co­men / and the wynde good for to reyse vp our sayle / for the see ebbeth a pace / wherfore renne we before for to ge te vs out of the grete prese. O fooles then auaunce you / for we wyll abyde in dyuers places of the worlde / for all that we must fere fortune and her causes that we se co­me vpon vs in our shyppe / and kepe vs from her harde aduersytees / tempestes / and orages / for these hath my­ned soo sore the bankes that there lacketh but lytell that Uirgilius. i. et. iii. eue [...]. they fall downe / this notwithstondynge we renne vpon them in grete Jeopardye of our lyues / & in takynge hor­ryble falles. After we suffre molestacyons importable / & sodayne perylles in the se / withouten ony hope to lyue in [Page] passynge / goynge / and comynge hether & theder [...] f [...]rynge in ony thynge the grete perylles of Scylla or y^t of carybdis / but we as vndyscrete to gouerne the shyp fall downe on eche syde / and can not be depesshed of [...] Scill [...]. Laribdis Syrtes Syrenes Dalphinus Liclops [...]lixes. for we go and put ourself in syrtes more horryble peryll in the noyses and cryes of some horryble fysshes harde / and swelled / as dolphyns / mermaydes / / phoca / and the songe of the mermayde / soo that we are oppressed for to slepe / the Ciclopes foloweth vs / the whiche by theyr ma lygne oppressyons the prynce Ulixes them dredde. Whether may we then go amonge vs poore fooles syth that there is no surete vpon y^e se / and for our abydynge may edefye nothynge. We are so ferefull of peryll / and thyn­keth for to take the good waye / notwithstondynge we vary and so taketh the euyll waye / for we haue no wys­dome in vs / nor is not nourysshed in our company / but as vnhappy folkes make warre agaynst hym and fyghteth with hym nyght and daye. Cyrtes the lady of folye hathe brewed avyllaynous drynke / of the whiche at this presente tyme she gyueth vs to drynke / and with her son ge that is so vyle maketh vs to deye. Ha good frendes / and felowes that fayneth to do good operacyons / and erreth so vpon the see / what prouffyteth this thynge vnto you / beware that Neptunus engloute not all youre shyppes in to his insacyable wombe / and so to be perys­shed for euermore. Neptunus.

FOlysshe mecanykes come and here my sa­tyre without ony more soiournynge / & bringe your instrumentes with you / to the en­de that we may knowe wherwith ye wyn­ne your lyuynge / the sayle is hye on lofte / & by these folkes pullynge the ores wyllynge for to trauers [...] y^e se. you thynke that it is not good that we call them [...]. [...]. De [...]lectione in magistr [...] [...]u [...]m. lxi. di. [...]ise [...] xlix. di. c. sa. in to our shyppe / but I saye to you yes / for they haue no sure condycyon nor loyall estate / but are begylers and is a mouable arte as theyrselfe. Our cryme bereth these foles. For the fyrste we fynde that the seruaunte coueyteth to be mayster / for the seconde she bereth vacabondes y^t wyll not werke. She bereth also them that putteth pay­ne to dōmage other / he is confysked in folyes and sone deceyueth hymself. More ouer she bereth them that wyl make an excellente werke with nothynge / and all for ne gardyse to dyspende ony thynge / and in the ende he do­the nothynge that is ought worthe / and selleth it for grete pryse / and a good thynge for halfe the money / and the other destroyeth hymselfe. The other gothe and selleth a noughty thynge for moche money / by the whiche the by er hathe a grete losse. The other hathe redy marchaūdy­se Ezech. vii. the whiche is brade / and selleth it for good ware / and swereth and affermeth that it is good a hondreth tymes [Page] O poore foole thynkest thou that god knoweth not that the whiche thou doest. Rede here my scryptures sellyng crafty men & marchauntes that is roted in decepcyons [...]eniti. xxvi. and swete wordes / suche folke ought to suffre a cathaire syth that they lyue so falsely / these marchauntes be not loyall and iuste / for they are so peruers that they cōmyt alwayes some decepcyons. They be nygardes to the en­de [...]uer. xxvii. that they may gadre rychesse. They wyll bye good che pe and sell dere. The drapers haue theyr houses obscure and derke / to the ende that euery clothe seme fyne. They begyn for to make theyr helles within theyr shoppes it Cogitatiōes hoīm oīpo­tēti [...]o neq̄ ­unt occulta­ri. xii. c. tua. de symonia. extra. is so derke in them. They be all enuyous the one vpon y^e other in blamynge the one the other by auaryce and de­syre of wynnynge. With grete payne maye one fynde o­ne true marchaunt. Yf they se a true marchaunt y^e whiche selleth good marchaundyse / the other folysshe mar­chauntes shall blame hym / bycause that he sholde not haue a good name / and they an euyll renowne / wenynge for to drawe vnto them the good name

[Page] FOrgete not for to rede our scryptures newe fooles / for ye shall se thynges ryght necessa­ry for you. I thoughte the other daye that a in clemē. ad nostrum. de hereticis. grete multytude of fooles sholde come vn­to our shyppes / begared of the thyrde ordre with begyns as well men as women full of ypocrysye & here sye. And bycause that the shyppe is lytell & narowe to put these vndyscrete men in / we muste make a lybur­ne for to passe all nacyons in realmes and countrees. Come on begynde fooles / for it is sayd that you make the spyrytes to goo / you thynke that the man beynge in the worlde is vertuous and perfyte / how well that he is for man in souerayne flesshe / and that he may be in y^e moost excellentest place yf that he be not entached with cryme and synne / and euer prouffyteth more and is happyer in dedes and wordes / notwithstondynge theyr perfeccyon our shyppe abydeth after them. Now all you wandryn ge men / and renagates / or other subtyll men / hye you for the shyppe is goynge / we se it ypocrytes / wherfore folowe them that go theder / to the ende that this multytude go not without you. you se the se so grete whiche hol deth so many shyppes. Be you there than for to socoure them / yf that they be encombred. Are you them that make to deye / at the leest entende vnto this ende / and gyue vnto the men for to vnderstonde that they are deed or y^t theyr houre be comen / and that laboure eteth on theym or elles ordeyne to gyue a naturall gyfte. O you the whiche haue vowed for to close euery bodyes eyen of our foles with grete daunger / wyl you knowe that at our werke ye put a rule vnto them that are depryued of lyghte / and be strongely enclyned for to put them in the waye / also well contente of the honoure that you haue done on [Page] other and seynge that we haue not put you in the comȳ shyppe / but is carbases sadeled lyke consules for this [...] se vyuyfyed with all this folysshe folke and that ye shall be of theyr bende. At y^e leest yf you be noted with cryme euyll fame vpon the erthe and that ye be no [...] amonge y^e wyse men & shall be by your auaūtages expulsed from all your grete noyse bycause you bere no fruyte bycause that you wylnot be as the people of plebe / or gouernour or of other relygyon / as other clerkes / preestes or mon­kes cal you not / for you haue to nyce cogytacyons y^e whiche are not dyspensed for to vse of youre feates interdy­ted Clementia de religiosis do [...]bus. di [...] clementi ad uostram. euen so as nayans credo / you are not to y^e wysemen no more worthy / in our shyppe your false relygyon bre­weth grete sauce of venym / and by alemayne scintulle / & in theutonique pullule so moche by your grete rygour that your secte hathe to grete puyssaunce. ¶ O my loyal frendes to the ende that you enfecte not your spyrytes / for parauenture ye myghte vnderstonde that I wolde saye euyll of you. I testefye that I had neuer enuye for to speke euyll of you. You the whiche haue taken the do cumentes of the holy faders / and of Ihesu cryste / you ought to be honoured by excellence / but the turbe vndyscrete that wyll not haue the pacyence for to lerne / & can nothynge / and for all that demaūdeth to haue the haby­te / & other vestement / he bewrappeth hym with dole & vnhappynes / & wyll not laboure in his offyce for to win his lyuynge. I am angrye with hym that wyl haue vayne Protestatio nihil dicere voluntas cō ­tra bonos aut approbatos. repos / and hathe not one good purpose for to watche one houre of the daye at his laboure. He hathe not y^e wyl of mary maudeleyne / but haue the condycyons of buf­fons / and are full of slouthe and fere at all seasons / you begynde foles you haue cōmytted dyuers euyls thrughe [Page] your slouthe / how well that it lyeth in the erthe without hatayll. By your euyll condycyons you thynke to do euery thynge well / and that it ought not to be dyspraysed [...]. thess [...]. ii. but honoured by this poynt you counterfet more sayn­ge the waye approued of the holy ghoost. Whanlyberte is added therto / to the ende that my wordes be well ren vt dicer [...] possint ad eccle. li. et de cele. mis. c. [...] marthe. dic clementinam ad nostram ii. corinth. iii. cxiii. distin. c. nulla. ꝓuer. ui. glo. xxv. dis. c. vnū glo. de offi. ordi. ca. pastoralis. glo. de fur. c. ii. dic clemen. ad nostrum. glo. iii. cle. i. de reli. do. [...] ­tra. c. diffini. ged / whan lyberte is knowen soueraynly by some man / then the holy ghost enspyreth hym for his grete lyberte / and you saye well wors / for you saye that you haue none obieccyon of the mayster / & that you are not subgectes to the souerayne or pryncypal. Thus all is semblable / ye wyll lyue as acephales / and ensue theyr condycyons in all thynges vnuertuous / that haue no souerayne prynce nor kynge for to punysshe the crymes and mysdedes / & wyll be without hede by your heresyes and lawes whan you confesse the laye people / you saye that for accomplys shynge of dylectacyon carnall / that it is but venyall syn but for to kysse a woman is mortall / and for that it is y^t all you freers in vyle ordures demaūde for to solace you and to aswage your wylles. you haue a mauntell / & vn­der that mauntell a shorte cote to the ende that I fayll not / it is you the grete lolardes / after you begynde you go with large shone / & after your lawes you lyue in dely tes vyle and abhomynable / freers & systers is all comyn all is one within one house / and yf that there be one of y^e systers that wyll be chaste and full of good condycyons / withoute habandonynge of her vnto ony of the freers / he shall do his besy payne for to rauysshe her / & then she shall be forclosed to haue the benedyccyon and of his par te. And yet he ensygnes his bretheren that she shal be punysshed without hauynge ony pardon or mercye in ony wyse. ¶ The man in this worlde hathe fre lyberte for to [Page] do good or euyl. O lorell gloton and vyllayne thy wo [...] be all replete / aparte / to y^e ende that I saye that y^e whi­che mus. xviii. q. ii. et. c. per nitiosam. actuū. x. Ps̄. cxxxix. Alexander. clemen. i. de hom. cle. ꝓuer. xi. [...]. de epis. et cleri a deo a­mabiles. Ezechie. xiii. Math. vu. Ouidius Juuenalis. satyra vltia. saurōnatas Esaie. ix. Math. xxiii. i. thimo. ii. ꝓuer. xx. Johannis. iii. & v. I thynke / all thy god is but thy bely. In my wrytyn ges I speke not of the good relygyous men that kepeth well theyr rules / for they are worthy for to haue hye pryse. For all that there is some that taketh wrytynges of y^e pope for to lyue the better at theyr pleasaunce and dely­te: and whan that ony body seeth them saynge that they lyue not after god / or yf theyr prelate wyll repreue them they wyll saye we be dyspensed and haue noughte a doo with you / it is some that be monkes and haue none haby tes of relygyon. A grete sorte of women bygottes that wereth the habyte of vyrgins / neuertheles they haue no condycyons of vyrgynyte / but haue euer ben in maculacyon. Also they the whiche haue aūcyent vestures chaste and pudyke / as a sorte of chanons / monkes reguler / the whiche haue softe habytes / foxes flesshe / delycyous aboue / and within full of malyce. Thus dyuers by dyssymu lacyon semeth good / that be at the herte famysshed wul­ues. Some is pure & holy of soules / and of bodyes chast as goddes / but for all that theyr malygne eyen may not prospere in goodnes / wherfore they retorne in to mon­dayne pleasure. A god who may tell the grete bytternes procedynge from delytes that is done vnder the coloure of holynes / as these ypocrytes / to whome theyr wyll is noughte / for they counterfet the deuoute men before the worlde. Maledyccyon and vytupere be vnto you folkes infecte that bereth the name of relygyon / & yf your her­tes be so infected / ye do the werke of Sathan / and of le­uyathan / you approue his propre chylde. For who some euer is comen frome a hye place and of his place engen­dred / yf he kepe his cōmaundementes he is claryfyed as [Page] ayre & is his propre heyre / but he y^t is conceyued in erthe / in ertheshall be wrapped. Also he takynge the gyrdell pu dyque mytre and couerynge / and afore was of euyll gar Ad col [...]. iii. Luce. vi. iohānis. iii. ii. petri. iii. Alexander. Boetius. Oui. i epist. Latho. Tholomeus. Horatius. Terentius. Persius. Uirgilius Socrates Exhortatio ad lectores. ꝓuer. xxvii. Ecclesi. x. Ps̄. lxxix. nysshynge and full of all synnes / and his wyl shall be en tached with vyces and worldly pleasures. O you study­ers that haue had grete trauayles thrughe your profoū ­de studyes / and that was neuer wery with tornynge of leues / and you that haue gyftes of grace naturally / and replete with wonne wysdome / your vertue is excellente I beseche you that you haue not your herte tryst to rede in my booke / of the whiche I wyll make an ende. Par­don more ouer the prynters loyall and amyable / yf that you fynde ony faute by them. For there is none but that he may fayle somtyme / and yf he be neuer so cunnynge nor wyse. You fooles haue none indygnacyon vpon me for my scryptures & wrytynges / yf that you fynde ony thynge euyll couched or ordred / this notwithstondynge it is pleasaunt vnto them that wyll lyue vertuously / ye maye saye dyuers thynges / for your hertes hath noo re­maynynge place. The cruell man wandrynge in the fel­des and mountynge vpon a tree for to haue the yonge byrdes that is in some neste / the whiche whan he hathe casten out / falleth downe / and parauenture breketh his necke / he is well deceyued and begyled of his wyl / for as it is sayd comynly all aboute / the man purposeth / and god dysposeth.

UNderstonde the pyteous bewaylynges and lamentacyons that ryght maketh / in com­playnynge hym on them that wyll put hym vnto dethe. I am the ryght that was fyrste put in tables of yuorye and kepte full derely Johānis. iii. [...]onscientia. plus [...] famā by the Romayns. I was borne of the senatours full of prudence / and by them I haue ben swetely nourysshed entreated in y^e cradell. Without me can no cyte lyue wel [Page] My cōmaundementes is to lyue honestly without hur­rynge of ony body / and to do ryght vnto euery body. I punysshe the malefactours after the euyll that they ha­ue attēde fama potest falli cō scientia nun­quam. Seneca. ff. de ori. iu. cōmytted. I am gyfte of god / and ryght stedfast in y^e worlde. I am prouffytable vnto euerybody. I make y^e man to be borne free. I am vnmouable and souerayne good. My prudence is that I haue knowlege of y^e thyn­ges dyuyne and humayne. I dyscerne the vniust frome the iuste. I am to the vtylyte of euery body. I ensygne naturally all beestes that is bredde vpon the erthe / in y^e ayre or in the se for to lyue / & at the procreacyon of theyr lytell ones. Of me ensueth the naturall coniunccyon of the man / of the woman & of the chyldren / for theyr pro­creacyon and nourysshynge. I am comune to all y^e gendre humayne. I haue ben augmented by Brutus fyrste consule of Rome / by Tyberius coruncamus. Quintus mutus. Apulius claudius. Diuus titus. Augustinꝰ pius Publius elius. Marcus catho. Ruffus. Sextus pompe­ius. Celius antipater. Lucius crassus. Sextus papirus insti. de insti­ci. et. [...] intis precepta. ff. d legi. & se­natus [...]sul. l. legis virtas & bal. ea. l. iu­sti. de iusti. et iure. [...]. iuris prudentia. iusti de iu. na. gē. & ci. in [...]. and Seruius sulpicius with dyuers other. And whan I was in more greter strengthe I haue had Balde. Bar­thole. Cinius. Angelus. Alexander of ymola. Panorme. Johan andre of rota. Accursius. Anthonius de butrio / & diuers other that haue augmented me & maynteyned I am ryght canon & cyuyl / without me none can do no­thynge. Justyce taketh his name of me / the whiche me kepe. Whan I am amonge the armed men I make scylence and holde my peas / for fere oppresseth me to sore / I neuer dydde wronge to none / and they seke but for to dystroye me. O pope that is the generall vycayre of god ad pap [...]m. ii. q. vi. [...]i quis. ad nostram [...]. c. ad roma­nam. also well in the thynges temporelles as spyrytuelles de­fende me / for thou arte the chyef of y^e chirche vnyuersall [Page] Thou maye curse the emperour thou hast so grete puys innocentius. c. 1. de. offi. or­di. et. c. nos inter. di. si ini­micus. xxiii. q. viii. c. ii. vt pridem. saunce. What is the cause that thou casteth this darte in the stomacke of ryght / the whiche thou sholde defende It were better for the to make peas amonge y^e crysten men. Thou louest better to susteyne warre / than to put pease where as thou sholde. Thou taketh kynges and prynces in indygnacyon / thou ought not to hate none / but be in peas with the crysten people. Thou maye well bere armes and make batayll / It sholde be then necessarye for the to go agaynst the infydeles / and not to nou­rysshe warre amonge the crysten people. Thou gyueth so many dyspences / and thou knoweth well that it is y^e woundynge of ryght the whiche is odyous. What auay leth it vnto a relygyous man / or an hermyte to leue his Dispensatio est vu [...]uis i [...] [...]is. [...]. q. [...]. ips [...] [...] tas de fi. de pres [...]i. [...]. si pr [...] bendis. c. non potest. li. vi. de [...]angui. & aff [...]. quod dilecto. ff. de ven. in sp [...]. l. i. habyte of relygyon / and take a seculer habyte. What a­uayleth it to a man of the chirche to haue thre or foure cures / prebendes / bysshopryches / archebysshopryches / & other benefyces / and the good studyentes haue nothing the wyse men is not praysed / but the asses shal be honouerd. What auaylleth so many dyspenses vnto y^e wedded people / for they are so dysregled that the gossep and gos­sep haue no conscyence to synne carnally togyder. Cer­taynly of gossepshyp it is no more but entrynge in to the house. The cosyn / and cosyn / & broder & syster is all one It were better for the to gouerne holyly thy papalyte / euery body ought to kepe his dygnyte and good renowne. Alas after that you are deed mondayne popes / you shall haue but seuen fote of erthe / thynke than to vphol­de ryght well / as you be bounde to the same. O maieste imperyall the whiche bereth the dyademe of the Romaynes / thou ought not to be decored alonely with armes / but also with ryght. Thou arte lorde & mayster almoost [Page] of all the worlde. Thou ought to defende the ryght mere ad imperatorē iusti in ꝓphe than ony on lyue / y^u smytest hym with thyn are vpon his body. Is it not grete horrour that thou maynteynest warre agaynst the crysten men and may lyue in peas ye agaynst ryght and reason. It were better for y^e that [...] ff ad. l. rod [...] am. [...] dep [...]. ff. ad. l. [...] ir. plagus. v. tabernac [...]ꝰ thou wente agaynst the infydeles than for to wyll harme ony crysten man. Thou knowest well that he y^e whi­che smyteth fyrste begynneth the noyse. Rome is wryten with foure lettres. That is for to wytte. R. o. m. a. R. ra­dix. o. oim. m. malo [...]. a. auaricia. whiche is to saye. Rome is the rote of all the euylles of auaryce. Thou hast euyll redde the cronycles romaynes / and the noble feates of the emperours Romaynes. Where is nowe the senatoures that auncyently were wonte for to gouerne Rome / is there no mo semblable to them / no / for the Empyre is at the moost lowest that euer it was sene. In the place where as Justyce was done / is now no more mencyon wherat holdeth it / for lacke of polycye / who is the cause It is the heed imperyall that is not obeyed / wherfore. / xii. q. [...]. nol [...]. Bycause that he is full of vyce / and that he sholde nou­rysshe peas in crystendome / and he kepeth warre. who is the cause / lacke of good vertues / and good counsayll / It were better for hym for to withdrawe his swerde / & maynteyne ryght as his predecessours haue done. He y^t dothe agaynst his conscyence is ryght cruell / and setteth nought by his good renowne. ¶ The palays imperyall was somtyme in grete honour / the whiche is now al ca­ducke. Emperour haue aspecke vnto thyn operacyons / and remembre that thou muste deye / & be wormes me­te / and become as shes / and that after that thy good de­des shall be weyed in a iuste balaunce. O kynges y^e whi­che ad rege [...]. is in maieste ryall / ye may make lawes in your real­me [Page] / you haue grete puyssaunce / for by your arbytre all is gouerned. What auayleth it y^e kynge for to smyte w^t this spere ryght / amonge you kȳges you ought to maȳ teyne Uo [...]untas principis est lcx. ff. de origi [...]uris. innocētius de fi. instr̄o [...] [...]. cum. hym / and yet you wyll put hym vnto dethe / you gyue so many remyssyons that it is pyte / you do pardon the ryche / and punysshe the poore. Suffre noo Justyce to be done on faderies chyldren and pore wedowes / you make bysshoppes abbottes & pryours within your real­mes / and yet certaynly you maye not / for they ought to be made by the eleccyon of the chapytre / this same put­teth the prelates in descencyon. Loys the leuenth of that c. cum in cū ctis de elec. name kynge of fraunce demaunded of a bysshop wher­fore the bysihoppes of this present tyme dyde not myracles also well as the bysshoppes in olde tyme / and y^e bysshop answered hym. Syr the cause is bycause that they that put the bysshoppes in theyr syeges cathedralles haue no puyssaunce for to do it. But whan they are perfy­te of true eleccyon / the holy ghost is with hym / the whi­che may do myracle / and suche bysshoppes / abbottes / & pryours may well do myracles. The emperour may not lxiii. di. valen tia. et. c. ve [...] et. c. cū adri­anus [...]. c. ego. cum multis similibus. baldus in. l. [...]s publiciꝰ. fr. de iusti. et [...]ur. [...]. ff. de iu­sti. [...] [...]ur. [...]. ff. de verbo. si l. ag [...]r. v. i. in glosa. medle with the eleccyon of prelates. One can not nowe haue a benefyce without pledynge / and thus the benefyces is occupyed by force. Symonye dothe it not reygne / The benefyces be they not solde. I byleue yes / the whi­che is a greate plage. In the tyme passed the vylagy­ens were wonte but for to paye vnto y^e emperoure. xxvi pens for theyr heedes / but nowe they are soo sore pylled that it is pyte for to here theyr clamoure. Axtaxerxers imposed fyrste the trybutes / the assyryens payed theym fyrste / and then the perses / the Macedonyens / and then ceasar constreyned the romayns to paye it. There is not nowe neyther frenshmen nor ytalyens calabryens / nor [Page] the men of the pope but that they be constrayned for to paye that trybute and yet wors than trybute. you suffre yet that your men of armes ete vp the poore folkes of y^e vyllages / whan you be in ony towne it is horrour to he­re the lyues of your men / they be so moche abandoned to do euyll / and are supported by you in all theyr vyces / they be habandoned vno lecherye / whether they be may dens or wyues they dystroye all / and then who hath do­ne it / my lorde / or an archer of the garde / and so they es­cape without punysshynge by your supportacion. They fyght and kyll and do innumerable euylles / and bycau­se they be not punysshed they be wors and wors / & theyr lorde hathe none honoure. Thynke you not vpon y^• kynge Dauyd that for the louynge that he loued Bersabee Dauid Bersabe Urias wyfe vnto Urye / was called a blodye man / & his peo­ple was punysshed for his synne. you care not you be so replete with pryde and mondanytees. you be armed w^t grete pompes and habytes large and superfluous / [...]u haue not grete payne for to wynne that the whiche you dyspende / alas you thynke not. The ryght by you is no­thynge susteyned. Whan you make Justes and torney­mentes to the vttraunce / knowe you not well that he y^e c. felicis me morie. [...] tor­neamentis ff. [...] alea. l. so­lens vt. l. ff. ad. l. ac [...]. q̄ actiōe. v. si [...]s whiche is slayne there ought not for to be buryed in holy grounde. And that he the whiche gyueth y^e stroke ought for to do penaunce. We fynde well in the ryght cyuyll y^t one may proue his strengthe / otherwyse not / and in su­che maner he is not bounden to the lawe aquylye. They do the contrary whiche is a woūde made in ryght. Alas Emperours / kynges / dukes / erles and barons vulnere hym no more / suffre not that ryghte be vsurped within your realmes and countrees / yf that you wyll that your domynacyons prospere in goodnes and tranquylyte,: /

[Page] ¶ O ryght crysten kynge of Englonde I beseche the also humbly as I may that thou suffre not within thy no­ble realme that ryght be vsurped by thy subgectes and offycers. Thou arte the moost noble kynge & the moost myghtyest that is vpon the erthe / for thou arte the relucent sterre of all the terryens / endewed with al vertues the odeferous floure descended frome paradyse moost marcyall in batayll / amyable as a lady / fayre as absolon wyse as Salomon / dyscrete as Agamenon / & all good meurs remayneth in the / wherfore yllustred kynge ex­cercyse egall iugement / and in so doynge ye shall be exal­ted in the sempyternall courte / with the rose fyrst stocke of your generacyon. The good kynge Henry loued noo blasshemynge but punysshed the swerers but who that can now moost blassheme god / is moost made of in courte. you gyue euyll example vnto them that cometh after you / and the thynges of euyll examples oughte to be es­chewed / but you vpholde them / you make dyuers fayre statutes / but they endure but a whyle. Shewe thyselfe valyaunt in vertues / loue the prouffyte and vtylyte of the thynge publyke. Thynke vpon the aūcyent Romay­nes the whiche loued better for to deye poore / than the welthe publyke sholde haue ben enpayred. After that is some comen y^t loueth better to enryche themselfe than y^e good publyke / wherby they are comen vnto grete ruyne The consules and senatours of this presente tyme haue not the fame that y^e auncyent romaynes were wonte to haue / for they loue better theyr owne prouffyte than the comyn prouffyte / and corrumpe the ryght for to do pleasure vnto theyr frendes. The cause is bycause they are not replete with vertues / for they are rauysshynge wulues / without supportynge or defendynge of the ryghte / [Page] thou ought for to knowe what ryght is / to the ende that whan they demaunde the some countree londe or rente Uide bal. in repentiōe. l. [...]. i. xiii col [...]. [...] de sū. [...]. [...] bal. i dicta l. fi. that thou mayst answere them after ryght and reason / and examyne well and iustely the cause or that you gy­ue ony sentence vpon ony thynge / and in soo doynge ye shall acquyre grete meryte of the Juge eternal the whiche Jugeth euery thynge / and after theyr deserte remunereth them in the sempyternall mansyon. Wherfore loke that ye put men the whiche are vertuous and Juste for to gouerne ryght and Justyce / for suche folkes are Baldus in. l. i. ff. de sena. ff. de ori. iur. bal. de ori. [...]. Pilatus. l. is apud. [...]. de edendo. worthy for to rule or gouerne ony crysten regyon / or he­then / for there as ryght wysmen is domynatours there is egall iugement also well to the poore and nedy as vn­to the ryche / but at this present tyme it is grete pyte for to here the exclamacyon of the poore people / for they can not haue no ryght without gyuynge of large moneye / & thus auaryce hathe banysshed ryght out of this countre Put no rauysshynge wulues to gyue iugement / nor no marchauntes / the whiche haue no desyre but for to wyn in lettynge the welthe publyke fall in to ruyne. Juges rede you neuer of the Jugement of Alpius the whiche was amerous of a mayden that was brought vnto him for to be out of seruytude / but her fader Uyrginyus wyllynge for to saue her from dyshonour / tupracyon slewe her before the Romayns and bare the heed vnto that Alpius. Nor in lyke wyse of the doughter of Lauyon that was slayne. Myrre you herm and of the Jugement that Pylate made on Ihesu cryste. It is wryten that the lo­ue of maydens subuerteth the Juges that doo not true Justyce. Juge iustely the sone of man. Suche Juges is hated of euery body. A good Juge ought to enquere the [...]. de aduo. l. aduocatri. laudabili in trouthe / and then to gyue sentence on the thinge proued [Page] and none otherwyse. Aduocates you ought to desyre the principio. [...]. de aduoca. di uer [...]udi. comune welthe and defende the ryght for you are equy­pared to the knyghtes for by you as knyghtes is the ly [...] and the patrymony defended. your offyce is necessary & louable. Wherfore leue all decepcyons and false lagacy­ons and maynteyne the ryght. Put sergeauntes of go­de lyues in offyces for to kepe the people the better / with out puttynge in a grete sorte of rascalles and rybaudes that pylleth the poore people / and renneth nyght & daye to y^e bordell in vsurpynge euery body bycause that they bere the names of sergeauntes / yf there happen debate in ony place / and that theyr handes be greced / they wyl let the malefactours go / yf they haue cōmyssyon to take ony body / they shall drynke with hym / and in payenge the scotte wyll let hym go. But who that put good men in offyce sholde cause dyuers deceytes to be vndone in citees and townes / in some townes there is honest serge­auntes and of good lyfe / or elles they are expulsed. ¶ O de vi. & ho. c [...]. 33. q. vi. c. cle­rici &. c. qⁱcū (que) ar. 23. q. 3. maximianus men of the chirche lede holy lyues without berynge har­neys staffe or swerde / saue whan that ye goo out of the towne for daunger of theuys / or for to defende the tow­ne agaynst theyr enemyes / & yet you ought not to stry­ke yf that ye may. Holde you in your benefyces without rennynge from one towne to another playenge the ryotours. you dyspende the moneye of the chirche / the whi­che sholde not be done but in pyteous and vertuous operacyons. you kepe haukes and hoūdes / & grete nombre of horses. It were better for you to vpholde the chirches that you haue the benefyces by / that fall in to ruyne. be­re not longe here nor longe berdes / for it apperteyneth De vi. et ho. cle. c. si [...]s. de cohabi. cleri. c. et me. [...]. de sacrosā. ec. l. not vnto you / but vnto worldly ryottours. In dyuers places you defyle and hurte ryght / in gyuynge hym ve­nym [Page] in a glasse / by your symonyes wherwith you are re­plete. you ought not to kepe no women in your houses / sācimus. s. pe nul. No. glo. in. l. fi. finit & ff. de dā. infe. s. sed li i plu­res super ver bo vnica. Gregorius. Seneca. where as susp [...]yon myght be / but it is pyte / for you a­re not ashamed at this present tyme / ye do grete dysho­nour vnto our moder holy chirche. I haue grete doubte that she aske not vengeaunce agaynst you. Alas humaynes that vsurpeth the ryght / thynke on the horryble paynes of hell y^t is apparaylled for to punysshe the synners yf you wyll lyue well in this worlde / ensue the dyscrete men / for and ye be conuersaunt with euyll people truely ye shall be vycyous. Lyue well in nourysshynge ryght / yf that you wyl lyue well after your dethe / for ye knowe not the houre that you shall deye / the dethe seketh the eurous / and fleeth from the myserables.

I Haue spoken of dyuers fooles the whiche are Inordinatō causa fueri. destructionis oīm re (rum). oīa q̄ i celo aut in terris ve [...] in equore viuūt ordine seruā ­tur. Quem si destituant si ī in ordine vi­uere cessent centinuo ite erunt in nihilum (que) ruunt Ni element [...] [...] in ordine fir­mo starent statim ꝑirēt. in the profoundyte of our shyppe / now wyl I speke of them that do all thynges contrary / & haue theyr thoughtes dysordynate / the which thynge is cause of the dystruccyon of all thyn­ges. We se dyuers trauersynge this se without ores / or sayle / they be without lawe and without ordre / the whi­che [Page] in passynge haue recountred some of the perylles of mareswyne that is for to knowe / seylla syrtes / and ca­rybdim / in the whiche perylles they haue put them / and haue ben swalowed and suffred inestymable tormentes in these. I fynde these folkes fooles syth theyr neyssaunce. Dyuers haue perysshed in this maner the whiche haue transgressed the lawe and the waye that god hath de­termyned to thynges. All thynges y^t is in heuen / in erth and in the see lyueth in kepynge theyr ordre / and kepeth them strongely in vygoure / the whiche yf they fayle and cease in theyr ordre / incontynent theyr vertue shal passe and fall vnto nought in grete ruyne. Foles astonyed let iob. xxxviii. indicum. v. ordinatione. tua perseuerant dies. de pe. dist. ii. hinc etiam lucifer. Adam. Layn. Abel. Gen̄. iiii. [...]e doctryne by other / you do all thynges contrary / and knoweth well ynoughe that you do euyl / fere you not y^e punycyon of god. Knowe you not how Lucyfer and his felowes fell in to the abysmes of helle / bycause they kep­te none ordre / and wolde do the contrary. Adam in lyke wyse bycause there was none ordre in his case / and that he dyde contrary to goddes cōmaundement / felle in to pyteous ruyne. Cayn also bycause that he kepte none ordre in his dedes / & that he knewe well that he dyde euyll to s [...]e his broder Abel made a pyteous ende. yf the elemē tes helde them not fixed in theyr ordre they sholde perysshe al sodaynly. Alas then ought we well to drede whan that the thynges that haue noo reason be in daunger of punycyon. All thynges haue ordre / certayne tyme & space to bere / to lyue / and to deye. The vertue of this ord [...]e is / kepe certayne lawe and cōmaundementes ordeyned The lytell ought to obserue and obeye to the greter / but at this tyme the contrary is done. Almoost all thynges is done contrary. Wherfore but yf that we kepe better ordre we are lyke to be punysshed eternally.

[Page]

MOder of god vyrgyninuyolate / the whiche hathe borne the fruyte of lyfe / to the I yel­de ꝓuer. xiiii. et. xix. Job. xii. Ps̄. xxxvi. me / & put me entyerly in to thy sauegarde / to y^e ende that thou be aduocate towar­de thy swete sone that he defende me from this folysshe company / in the whiche I haue regned ion [Page] ge tyme. Wherfore I testef ye here before y^e that I shall neuer retorne agayne / and in sygne therof I cast my ho de and my babyll behynde me / more ouer be medyatry [...] vnto thy sone that he wyll pardone me & gyue me mer­cye. ¶ O pallas and thou mynerue I thanke the of the eloquence that thou hast gyuen me / and of the melody­es that thou haste euer reioysed me with. In lyke wyse of the scyence that thou hast endued me with / moyennȳ ge the whiche I haue fynysshed my boke. ¶ O gloryous sterre of the see / souereyne refuge of synners / aduocate of the gendre humayne at the houre present I prosterne me before thyn ymage with my knees bowed vnto the erthe / with naked heed and Joyned handes / in rendryn­ge graces vnto the of that thou hast implored for me to­warde the verbe incarnate / the whiche thou haste borne in thy wombe vyrgynall / and hathe nourysshed and gy­uen hym souke with thy pappes vyrgynalles. I had ne­uer trust but in the moder of god and vyrgyn immacu­late. yet agayne I beseche the that thou holde thy hande vpon me in suche wyse that I may at the ende of my da­yes se the in estate refulgent / and that my soule may be borne and presented by the or by the aungelles in to the Joye eternall before the fader the sone and y^e holy ghost and that it maye alwaye remayne in y^e place that is pre­payred for the iuste. Pardon me all that redeth this boke yf that you fynde ony thynge that is not wel / for the fra gylyte of my yongthe holdeth me in suche mobylte that myn vnderstondynge can not comprehende ony morall sence / but also well as god hathe gyuen me grace I ha­ue applyed my symple wyt / praynge all lectours to ha­ue me for excused.