NOTHINGE DOTHE seme so commodious to the life of man, as to con­sider and immitate, this presēt state of the world. For if euery man wold▪call to remem­braunce, how, and after what sorte, eche kinde of state doth liue, & reuolue with him selfe, the woorkes of the Al­mighty, whiche is so magnanimous, then shall hee perceiue, if that man lea­deth his life agreable vnto the worde of God, and especially those that are lear­ned, whiche haue the knowledge of the trueth, and can vnderstand the doctrine that is conteined in the misteries of the scriptures: they in mine opinion shuld be the followers, moste chiefely of the same: But I am of the opinion of S. Augustine, whiche saithe, thoughe that the learned rowte, do reade and see the way to saluation, yet I thinke (saith he) that those whiche are vnlearned, wyll be there before them: for in deede I say [Page] so my selfe, that it is an easy matter for a horseman to ride to Rome soner thenHorsemen are swif­ter then footemen. hee the which doth god a fote: by which I doo meane, that those the whiche are learned, should soner obtaine the king­dome of God, then the ignorant can do: and they maye rather followe the waye of vertue, because they do beholde, the enormitie, that ensueth to those that do breake, or stray from that waye of ver­tue, and run into the horrible and loth­some way of wickednesse, as many doo at this present time, for I se dayly that nature doth growe, more peruerse then other: for those, whiche a man wyll es­teeme to be most ciuyll, are moste ryo­tous, and those the whiche are thought to be moste prodigall or riotous, are by their exterior or outward aparāce most full of ciuillitie, whereby one is not a­ble to say that hee doth knowe a perfect man of liuinge, the whiche is a thynge to be wondred at, considering the great learninge that flowes at this day, more then euer it dyd, and the Gospel is tru­ly preached, yet the state of the worlde, is growē to such malignitie, as though [Page] that we had no teaching nor preaching, for it was neuer more couetouse, nor the people were neuer more edicted vn to riotousnesse: for hee which is a man but of a meane estate, wil bragge of his gentillitie, yea, and kepe cōpanie with those the whiche hathe substaunce and wealthe, because that he will not be counted an inferior vnto them. More whoredom, filthy fornication, was ne­uer vsed, since the first originall, more dissimulation, neuer was hard of nor seene? What more should I say, sithe the state of all thynges doth decay: and the world was neuer more full of im­pietee. And what is the cause of this? I will accordynge to my simple know­ledge, reuele vnto you. You see, dayly with your eyes, that euery man, if that he be of any reputation, he will stande in the same, yea, and rather then he wil lose any parte of his reputation, he will boast of the same, to make men be­léeue, that is ignorant of his state, that he is some Frankelin, or some Gen­tilman borne, then he to vpholde his state, will seeme to be a roystyng gam­ster, [Page] at Dice or at tables, or at Cardes, the which if he vse any thynge longe, will make his reputation fall, and con­sume his substance, thoughe it be but small, then he must be driuen of meere necessitie, to go borrow money of some of his familiar aquaintance: and when he hath borrowed the same money, hee wyll neuer reste tyll the dice haue lefte none, and thus he wyll and must make shifte to mainteine his gaminge: Now the time drawes on, that hee must pay his creditour the money whiche he bor­rowed, and hee hath it not to pay: then must hee sell his landes or his goodes to pay it, or els must go to prison, and because that hee wyl not seeme so to be desamed by imprisonment, he will sell that whiche is worthe a hundred pound for .iiij. scoore, and thus hee must do if he frequent him selfe in exercise of such vnseemely gaminge: then of force hee must be constrayned to make shifte for money one waye or other. Some wyllThese are the cōmon pactises of some at this daye. vse a kinde of dissimulation, to cloake matters couertely, and will cogge and foyste, and addulate a matter to gayne [Page] by: and other some styll goe playe the roystinge rouers, and watche quicke corses, when it were more meeter for them to be in their beddes a sleepe▪ and all because that they wante that whiche they shoulde haue, to maintayne theyr estates: Nowe if that hee be a man of any reputation, and thus in superflui­tie haue spent his substaunce, then wil hee crowche and crepe to his friendes, now if his friendes perceiue any grace or amendment in him, they wyll helpe him, and bestowe theyr lyberalitie on him, and then: if he againe do fal, to the lyke vice, as hee dyd before, they wyll seme to drawe theyr fauour from him, and so will cleane reiect hym, and thus shall hee be broughte into misery. And againe, if that one hauinge substaunce, and spende it so superfluous, and hath no friendes to helpe him, nor none to whom he may sewe for any reliefe, thē must hee forsake his olde companions, then his riotousnesse is tourned into a most myserable state of penurie: thus doth many at this present time decay, thus are they brought lowe, whiche lo­ked [Page] so highe. I woulde wishe therfore eche state to consider his callinge, and to remember the inconuenience of su­perfluitie: for what wil a man do, when that hee wanteth substance, which somtyme had it? for when hee considereth the state hee hath been in, and reuolue with him selfe his state present, it wyll be dolerous vnto him, mary the nerest waye to auoyde the daunger of this do­lour, is: before to consider this whiche is chaunced afterward, and thinke with him selfe, that if I do nowe spende ryo­tously this substance whiche I haue in my youth, I shal want the same in my age, therefore I wyll spare it, I wyll pleade simplicitie, I wyll not stand on my reputation, but yeld vnto the worst rather then geeue occasion of wronge, this will hee doo, the whiche doth not regarde the pleasure of vaine thynges: Nowe I doo not wryte this vnto you, pretendinge to alowe couetousnesse toCouetous­nesse is of th'aucthor here reiec­ted. be exercised among suche youthes, as I do wryte of, but I doo write this to the intente that they should not spend that whiche they haue, in superfluitie, as in [Page] gaminge, in gay apparell, in kepyngeGood exer­cises are here alowed. of suche companie as are edicted vnto riotousnesse. In frequentinge such ex­ercises as are not commendable: mary in deed I can not disalowe some kinde of exercises, which are wrought by the agilitie of the body, so that they be vsed with a mediocritie, not superfluous, nor vppon brauery, to gayne the name of a lyuely youthe: and some other ex­ercises I do discommende, because they are viciouse. Nowe I wyll not seeme to teache a man what exercise hee shall vse, for that will I referre to his owne discrete minde: but I do shewe the en­ormitie whiche ensueth to those, which friuolously do spend their time in vaine pleasures of the worlde: as in delight­tinge in Pryde, whiche is the mother of all mischiefe, and in drunkennes: for when a man or woman is drunke, they are then edicted vnto all mischiefe, and other vices beside, whiche I perceyue that the worlde is geuen to, therfore I woulde wishe that this may be a refor­mation for those the which haue hither­to led their liues in suche wickednesse, [Page] and that they may henceforthe, frame their mindes to the Imitatinge of ver­tuous exercise: & not to esteme the vaine pleasures of this worlde, whiche is but a vale of miserie, but I do beleeue it were as easie to tourne the stone into the water, as to cause some of them to exterminate and cast of the vse of suche vices, for they are soo rooted in them, that they can not parte a sonder: But nowe to procede further, let vs se what worthy Histories the auncient Histori­ographers haue left with vs in learned bookes, towchinge the fall of Prodiga­litie.Herodotus a Greeke historio­grapher. Marcus Huua was Dictator of Rome, one of the highest of­fices there. I call to remembraunce that He­rodotus a writer of Histories, dyd pen in his Booke, that sometime one Huua was Dictatour of Rome, this Huua hauing no more sonnes but onely one, he was verye carefull for hym, and lo­ued him entierly, for as the story saith, that he did decke him vp in costly aray, the fyneste that mighte be gotten, and kept him at schole: but he was so pam­pred and nusled vp in worldely propha­nitie, that hee had rather minde on his Prodigalitie then on his Booke, and [Page] woulde rather exercise hym selfe in di­uers kyndes of games, as disinge, car­dinge, and other moe, whiche oughte not to be vsed, but rather to be reiected and so hee continued the space of seuen yeres, in whiche time he had consumed his fathers substaunce, so muche, that his father dyd seeme to withdrawe his greate loue and good wyll from hym, and dyd kepe him in so shorte, that hee coulde not haue the value of one penye, but his father woulde knowe how that it was bestowed. Nowe this youthful sonne, contrary vnto his fathers wyll, woulde priuielye resorte vnto his olde companions, whose companies before hee frequented, and they gaue him such councell, that hee woulde not seeme no more to be kepte in at his fathers plea­sure, but dyd shewe him selfe so obsty­nate, that all his friendes hated him: it came to passe that his father dyed, and he possessed his landes and goodes, & he through his companions entisement, was seduced from all vertuouse trade and led his life in a most ryotous rate, and consumed it cleane: when all was [Page] gone, and had nothinge lefte to mayn­teine his former state, his olde compa­nions which before had frequented his company forsooke hym cleane, and ra­ther sought his destruction, then for his prosperitie, and so in greate myserye, he wente beggynge his breade, and at laste, fell to robbinge, and soo was ta­ken, and accordinge to the lawe suffe­red deathe: Oh what avayled Fortune whiche to hym was incomparable? for where that he had welth and substance, was verye well esteemed and beloued amonge the Senatours of Rome for his fathers sake, nowe was he thorowe riotous Prodigalitie, broughte to vtter destruction: the like in these our daies wee maye beholde with our eies, for a noumbre there bee of suche chyldren, whiche doo include vice, and abrogate vertue, and all because that they are e­dicted vnto Prodigalitie, whiche is re­pugnaunt vnto vertue, as theyr exteri­our operations doth manifestly ostend,Do nomore then your habilitie is able to reache. for where the minde is geuen to playe prodigall partes, and desirouse to goo braue and to kepe companie with roy­sters, [Page] to be franke in expences, to bee free in liberalitie, more then his haby­litie is able to vpholde, for I count him a very innocent, that will put his hand further then his sleue wil reache, and to bragge or boaste of his gentillitie, all these vices dothe derogate vertue, but I muste confesse that lyberalitie proce­deth of a gentle harte, as when hée doth geeue some thinge for a recompence, for gentelnes or profite, whiche he hath founde: but yet it maye digresse from the boundes of vertue. In rewardinge excesciuely, or in prodigal expences, or on other thinges inconuenient, of smal importance, in deede I must saye, that suche errogation, is not worthye to be counted the name of lyberalitie, but a thinge done on a brauerie: In prody­gal promptnes, is a singular signe, that the aucthour thereof, is rather geuen to prodigalitie, then to ciuill demeanour: Nowe let vs see farther, how they whi­che haue vsed prodigalitie, are come to vtter desolation. Iolas a lustye youthe,Iolas born in Athens. a worthye example. dwellinge in Athens, at a festiual day, whiche the Athenians vsed to celebrate [Page] hee to honour the Feast, bestowed .x. thousand pound in aparel for him selfe,They dyd celebrate to Diana, the Goddes of chastitie and .xx. men, whiche hee had hyred to waite vpon hym as that daye: he was so richely decked in costely robes, that euerye man wondered at him, and dyd stande in an admiration with them sel­ues, howe that hee was able to deuyse so riche garmentes to be made, but the minde whiche is edicted vnto vyce, or prodigall actions, nothynge to suffice his minde, is to harde or difficulte for him to deuise or inuente: Hee beinge thus decked, in suche costly array, dyd glorye in him selfe, and perceiued that the people dyd wonder at his greate ex­pences and cost in apparel, dyd euer af­ter continually, weare the same, and stil mainteined it, as longe as his moneye did last: In the ende to conclude short, hee had neither moneye, goodes, nor landes, but was gladde to set his feete vnder other mens tables, and because he coulde not haue his wyll as hee was wonte to haue, he fell to shifting other waies, and kept company with whores and because that these harlots had rob­bed [Page] a gentell man, they were taken, and Iolas with theym in their compa­ny,Take hede of this ex­aumple. and so was prisoned, where in he died myserably. Thus ye se, what the ende of his prowde prodygalitie came vnto: Trewlye the ende of it is lyttell better, for if euerye youthe or younge man, would consider this, and reuolue with him selfe, the imminent daunger that on prodigalitie doth procede, they woulde abandone them selues from it: but he that is naturally disposed, to be prodigall, cannot be ciuill: In deede I muste confesse, that it is seldome seene that a young man shoulde be ciuill, till he come to .xxiiii. yeres of age, or there about: in deede then he growes to som stature, and by wisdome▪ is ledde to beBambes kinge of Nauers brother. Xenophon ciuill: I had almost forgotten Bambes, which was the king of Nauers brother, howe prodigally hee did liue, Xenophon makethe mention: for hee woulde vse to haue chaunge of aparell, iiij. times aday, and he did glory in it, in so much that hee woulde neuer haue resperte to thynke on the comon wealth: the ende of it was this, hee was oppressed with [Page] warres, by the Hungarians, and was taken prysoner, and coulde not be ran­somed, without great substance, he was cladde in a riche armour, and sette in a peyre of scales or ballance, and he was weyed ten times in pure massie golde, whiche much enpouerished his treasu­ry, that when hee came to his kingdom hee hadde but small substaunce, and be­cause hee coulde not haue his pleasure of wealthe, as hee was wonte to haue, dyd ertorte his cominaltie, and they se­ingeRebellion agaynst a prodigall kinge. theym selues ertorted, to mayn­teine his prodigalitie, rebelled against him, and slewe hym, thus alwaye the prodigal people do come▪ to destruction for oftentimes we see, that he the whi­che dothe exalte him selfe, is broughte lowe, and hee the whiche doth humble him selfe, is exalted: but we may per­ceius plainely, that at this day there is fewe of our younge youthes, or elles gentill men (as ye would terme them) that will enter into a pathe, which lea­deth vnto humilitie, but rather wyll of him selfe be so obstinate, that hee wyll not force, friende nor foe, but wilfully [Page] runne astraye▪ from the vertuous imi­tation, whiche hee oughte to practice, and if his friendes or his parentes, doo tell him of the same, then he is streight at defiaunce with them, and thereby he neglecteth his dewetie towardes them, which in the .xx. of Exod. we are com­maundedExodus▪ of God to kepe, sayinge, Ho­nour thy father and thy mother, &c. but tho prodigall childe forceth not that, but wyll rather shewe him selfe obstynate against them, then dotheyr command­mentes, which now in these our daies, to our lamentable reproche, is to much seene and proued by experience. Chyl­dren more disobediente to parentes, I thinke was neuer seene: children and young men, more edicted vnto Pryde, and Prodigalitie, I iudge in mine o­pinion, was neuer harde of, chyldren more subtyll and crafty then are nowe in these our daies, I haue not harde of, for nowe the younge teacheth the olde, the yonge correcteth the olde, the yonge sekethe for the superioritie of the olde, the whiche is contrary vnto dewtie, for thoughe hee be neuer so poore, nor ne­uer [Page] so in myserie, if hee be olde, those which are young for the honour of their age, oughte for to yelde reuerence vnto them, and not stoutely to stande at defi­aunce againste them: for wee must ho­nour age, in hope that wee oure selues shall be olde: but wee maye perceiue that a greate number do stray from the same perfecte pathe of vertue, as the xlij, chyldren dyd, whiche mocked He­liseus,4. Reg. 2. after the ascention of his master Helias. Then Heliseus turned againe, and cursed the Children, then immedi­ately twoo shee beares came out of the wodde and deuoured them, this exam­ple I do bring in, in this place, because I perceiue that the world is at this stay that children being brought vp and nus­led in wickednesse, when they come to age, they wyll not seeme to shewe any obedience to their parentes, but seeke to haue their owne wylles, whereby they fall from vertue vnto vice, and so aduaunce them selues euen to the top of the prodigall Porte: then there they set forth them selues in their brauery, and there they vaunte and bragge of theyr [Page] reputation, the whiche God knowes, is but very bace, yet they set a good face on the matter, and wyll not lose it for bosting, and as I call to remembrance the like example I did find in the wor­kes of Maturia, a Romain writer, thatMaturiae a Romain writer dwellinge in Verona at the Citie of Verona in Italye, there was a poore man which went begging of his bread, for wante of any other re­leuement, and when hee came within halfe a league of the Cittie, there was twoo lyttell boyes playinge together, whiche kepte sheepe oute of the corne, and this olde man came by, and they se­inge hym, they lefte their playe, and rayled vpon him, and threwe stones at him, and with durte and mud they sore misused hym, then the olde man saide, take hed children, that you do not reape suche fruite, as your seede whiche you sowe, bringeth forth: Then those two children lefte the olde man, and fell to wrastlinge together, harde by a styn­king pitte of mud [...] it chaunced that the twoo boyes fell therein bothe toge­ther, one hauing holde of the other: and they beinge in, coulde not obteine no [Page] rescue, but there were drowned. Thus they whiche will seeme to despise age, otherwise then duetie doth binde them, we maye perceyue do come to a myse­rable ende, Nowe whether it was for wante of wyt that they did despise him, or whether it was vpon their owne vo­luntary wyll, in a brauery vpon prodi­galitie, I cannot rightly saye: but wee may see at this daye, that youth is wil­full, and often times will do such dedes whiche dothe not become theim, and a­gayne, many of their parentes are soo fonde ouer theym, that theye wyll not geue correction, but rather geue occasi­on to prompte them in it: which when they come to age, they cannot refraine it, but muste needes put in vre his for­mer practise: This is an other cause that manye fall to predigalitie, and in­clude vice, and exclude vertue, where­by their deede is worthy of no landa­ble reporte, but perpetuall infamie: for experience dothe enforme vs, that al­waies the doings of the prodigal wight is wicked, and that the ende of it is mi­serie: as for exaumple.

[Page] Iulius Caesar that worthy conquer ourIulius Cae­sar. was so radicate in Pryde and prodiga­litie, that he thoughte him selfe not ter­restrial and mortal, but in a maner im­mortall, & Celestial, whereby he refrai­ned the company of his men, and made a decree that none shoulde come to him vn called, in so muche, that in tracte of time his nobles enuied him for his pre­sumption, and specially Marcus Brutus, wherby his life was often in daunger,Marcus Brutus some say was Iuli­us Caesars sonne a bastarde borne. for they pretended to slea him: but ther was one whiche knewe of the conspy­racie, and hee bare suche good wyll to Caesar, that hee thoughte to geue hym knowledge of it, that hee mighte pre­uente theym. He then wrote the fame of the conspiracie in a bill, and the same daye that Iulius Caesar shoulde go to the councell house, hee presumed contrary vnto the kinges commaundemente, to come to his presence, and deliuered the byll to hym, but he beinge prowde, did not regarde the person that gaue it him nor yet estemed the byll: but in a rage threwe it away, and denied to reade it, and the same tyme hee was slayne, by [Page] Marcus Brutus, and more of the confede­racie, whiche were appoynted.

O ende most myserable, which was reaped vnto hym, thorow his prodigall presumption, for if hee hadde not been pufte vp with Pryde, hee woulde haue estemed the man that wrote the byll to geue him intelligence of it, but hee be­ing addicted to glory in himself, did not regarde nor feare the imminent daun­ger, that haply should ensue, to reward him for his presumption, for the ende of it is euer lyttell better. Therefore I woulde wishe all those the whiche doo heare, and those the whiche doo reade, this booke, to immitate and reuolue with them selues, that Pride in thende hathe euer a fall, as for example.

Dionise the kynge of Scicill, was ex­pulsedDionisius. out of his Countrey, for his in­tollerable Pride, and was faine to kepe a grammar schole in Italie, and so ly­ued begginge for his breade: and true­ly these Histories whiche I do here re­site, may geue occasion vnto vs, to dir­rogate the horrible sinne of Pryde: for nothynge can offende God so sore, as a [Page] hautie harte, and a proude presumptu­ous mynde: for I remember an olde prouerbe: A proude hart and a beggars purse, can neuer agree. He that is of small habillitie, wyll thynke him selfe checke mate, with those the whiche are of a greatter reputation: yet hee wyll thinke him selfe, that his reputation is coequall vnto his, Thus are manye in these daies addicted vnto pryde and prodigalitie, and wyll neuer seme to shew themselues, humble and lowelye, but loke stoute and lustie, as thoughe that there were none equall to them.

Perses kynge of Macedonia, was forPerses. his execrable Pride, enuied and hated of all his kynred, and they caused hym to be taken prisoner, by Paulus Emilius whom the said Perses did warr against, and hee was bounde and led prysoner, yet his Pride was soo intollerable and odious to his nobilitie, that his owne sonne was afterwarde constrained, de­stitute of friendes, to become a smythe, and so liued in myserye.

Loe here wee see, that pryde and pro­digalitie, dothe in the ende bringe man [Page] to vtter desolation, and not onely hym, but his posteritie, and dothe therby get perpetuall shame and reproche, and doth reape hate and disdaine of his frin­des, and soo in the ende, comes to my­serie, as these examples dothe teach vs.

Tarquine was the laste kinge of theTarquine, father to him that rauished Lucrece. Romaines, and his Pryde was more cause of his exile and banishement, thē for the cause that his son rauisshed Lu­crecia, wife to Colatinus. In dede the rauishinge of Lucrecia was a meanes whereby they myghte finde a clawe a­gainst hym, as thereby they did in dede and so they expulsed him from al king­ly aucthoritie, and neuer after had king but were gouerned by consules: and so they remaine at this day: thus we may beholde and see, that euermore the pro­digall man is odious to his countreye, and that he can obteyne no fauoure nor friendeshippe at his friendes handes: but shame and disdaine, for the originalGenesis. 4, of pride came by Caine, when he disdai­ned Abel, because god accepted his bro­ther Abels sacrifice, more better then his, and the ende of Caine was misery, [Page] and so is the ende of al prodigal people.

The lord Morton of Douer in En­glandeMorton of Englande. a righte good example. was a very proude and prodigal man, and delyghted moche the compa­ny of roysters, the whiche in the ende dydde torne to his inconuenience, as I wyll here resite: Hee commonlye fre­quented the gaminge houses, and dyd game and spende much, and when that hee had so continued, the space of one or two yeres, his welthe beganne to faile him, then hee came to an abbot (it was the abbot of Malmsbury, as farre as I coulde remembre by the story) and to this abbot hee made his mone, and did shew the cause how, and after what forte his substance was consumed: thenA good answere to him. the abbot saide vnto him, go thy wayes thyther agayne, & loke where thou didst spende a shilling nowe spende twaine, alas quoth hee I haue it not to spende: then said the abbot you might haue told me this when you had it, and not now when it is gone, I haue noo other aun­swer to make vnto you. Then Morton departed with a heauy harte, and came to the house wherein hee had spente his [Page] substance, and finding one of his mates there that had wonne his money, and hadde ben a procurer of him to spende, when he saw him, his hart was fraight with care: remembringe the state hee was in, and the state of the time present dyd with his sworde run hym throwe, and so slewe him, and then he sat down and wept bitterly, and for sorrow slewe him selfe. Lo see his miserable ende, this historie I found written in an olde booke in Westminster abbey, whiche booke was written by a Monke of the same abbey: I think that this story se­mes to be trewe, for what care wyl soo­ner perce a mannes harte, then when once hee hathe obteyned the wealthe of the worlde, and afterwarde fall to my­serie, as the Sacred scriptures dotheLuke. 15. teache vs there of the prodigall chylde, whiche spente his porcion in riotouse­nesse, and was neuer careful for to kepe and saue the same, to the entent that he might, obteine the pleasure of it an o­ther daye, but riotously wasted it, what was his end? the Scriptures do ostend, he was faine to eate amonge swine.

[Page]O miserable state: yet in the ende he repented, and came home to his fa­ther againe, who receyued him very lo­uingely, and did more reioyce in hym, then hee dyd in his sonne, whiche dydde not in suche cause offende. Thus you maye see always that prodigalitie doth consume wealth, good name, and fame, it abateth honour, it disgraceth a mans credite, it causeth hate of friendes, and reape the losse of fauour, yea, and moreGoddes displeasure is worst of al then this, it draweth the displeasure of God towardes vs, and maketh manye thinges deere whiche would be plenty, it causeth men to swarue from God, it reapeth to them perpetuall dampnati­on, for the proude harted man mindeth nothynge, but his pryde: the couetouse man mindeth nothinge but his wealth. I compare Pride and Couetousnesse together, because of al vices that is, and are vsed, none doo more resemble one an other, then these two. For hee that is proude, is alwaies couetous and gredie for to obteyne wealth, to maintayn it, the couetous man is proude in his harte, though he doo not shewe it, [Page] exteriorly, or outwardely, but because that I haue treated of Pryde and Pro­digalitie hytherto, I wyll leaue of to speake of other vices, but towche them a little as occasion serueth me, but if I had a thousand tongues to speake with­all, and a voyce as lowde as brasse, I coulde not vtter the vices which oughte to be spoken of, to the reproche of suche as vse theim at this daye: but forthe I wyll procede as I haue begonne, tow­chinge the fall of Prodigalitie.

I founde certayne verces wrytten by Lampridius in latten, I haue englished them, somwhat effectually for my pur­pose: thoughe I haue not placed theim in order as they were in latten.

[Page]Likewise the same Lampridius, doth shewe what dammage ensueth to those that are prodigall, and more ouer hee there dothe wryte, of what disposition or nature he is of, that is geuen to pro­digalitie: but in the ende hee concludes that Pride and Prodigalitie, is the de­struction of all those that vseth it.

In deede I must and wyll commend clenlines and comlines of aparell, vsed with a mediocritie, for it is to be abhor­red to haue too sumptuous apparell, to flaunte it in brauerye, and not hable to mainteine it, neyther oughte it to bee too simple and poore: but in a means modestie, whiche is best conuenient for profite and honestie. It is not meete to see a beggar weare a riche robe: nor it is not decent for a maiestrate to weare a patched gowne: but I woulde wishe, that euerye man accordinge to his cal­linge, woulde vse the garmentes most metest for him: In deede comely gar­ments importeth the maiestie of a mā, and sumptuous garmentes not meete for his estate, disgraceth his audacitie. [Page] For what neede a rynge of golde in a swines snowte, sure it is not comelye nor decent, but contrary vnto wisdom?

Homer writeth of Vlisses, that whenVlisses in Homer is created at large. his shippes, & almost al his men, were after longe tossinge on the seas, neare hande perished, he was driuen on land where Alcinous raigned as kinge, a­mong the nations of Pheacas, and this Alcinous harbored Vlisses and his men and gaue him good enterteinement, for he was very bare without apparel, and Nausicaa daughter to Alcinous sente a mantle to Vlisses, whiche when that he had it on, hee represented a wonderfull Audacitie and countenaunce of Maie­stie, whereby that Alcinous, sayde: I woulde that Vlisses woulde take my daughter Nausicaa to wife. And in dede apparell mete for his state, which wea­reth it, it is a perfite and pure thing to set forth him selfe: but if he weare gar­mentes and attire not mete for his ha­bilitie, it imbaceth his grace & gesture, therefore I saye, let hym alwaies that thinketh to liue in the lawe of God, and [Page] in the feare of him, not to desire other apparell, then with a mediocritie, whi­che is decente for him, for in excesse of aparell ensueth muche inconuenience, as I haue written before in this booke: but nowe to conclude, I doo passe ouer many worthy histories, which hath ben tost in the braynes of sondry authours, the whiche were excellente good, to be treated of, but I haue ben somwhat te­diouse in this my simple woorke, and therfore I thinke it mete now to make an ende, therefore these thinges which I haue rehersed, towchinge the fall of Prodigalitie, ought of all estates to be had in memorie, and perfitelye ponde­red, and be vigilant that they fall not to the lyke vice, for the enormitie of it, I haue already resited. Nowe all ye rea­ders and hearers, consider with your selues that Prodigalitie is abhorred of God and man, and that wee ought not to vse it, therefore of you let it be reiec­ted and trode vnder your feete. And all you parentes which desire to haue your children lyue in the feare of God, kepe [Page] them so in youth, that in age they may obeye you, and soo shall you gayne the fauoure of God and man, and be heires of the kingedome of Heauen, where the Lorde Iesus dothe raigne in his celestiall glorie, to whom be all honour and glorie, for euer and euer. Amen.