Hic Incipit paruus Catho
[...]Vm aīduerterem quā hoīes grauiter errare
Whanne I aduerte to my remembrance
And see how sele folkes erren greuously
In the wey of vertuouse gouernance
I haue supposed in myn hert that I
Oughte to supporte and conseille prudently
Them to be vertuous in lyuing
And how they shal them self in hōnour bring
Igitur fili carissime docebo te quo pacto mores
Therfore my leue child I shal now telle the
Herken me wele the maner and the guyse
How thi sowle inward shal acqueinted be
With thewes good and vertues in al wyse
Rede and conceiue for he is to dispise
That redith ay and wote not what it ment
Suche reding is no thing but wynde myspent
Ita (que) deo supplica / parentes ama
Pray thy god & preise hym with al thyn hert
Fader and moder haue ay in reuerence
Loue hem wele and be thou neuer to smert
To here men is conseil but kepe the thens
[Page]Til thou be cleped be clene withoute offence
Salue gladly to hym that is more digne
Than art thy self yu shalt thy place resigne
Magistrum metue. Rem tuam custodi
Drede thy maistre thy thing loke yu kepe
Take hede to thin honshold ay loue thy wyf
Pleasāt wordes out of thi mouth shold crepe
Be not Irous kepe thy behestes as thy lyf
Be temporat with wyne & be not excessif
Thy wif is wordes take in noon auctorite
In foly slepe nomore than nedith the
Libros lege libros [...] / quod legeris memento
In goodly bookes whilom shalt thou rede
And that thou redest in thy mynde yu shit
Stere no wight to wrath lye not I the rede
Do wele to god & he wil the efte quyte
Be not wikked ner to the wikked knyt
S [...]nde in the place of pleting excercise
Deme the right & be conseiled of the wyse
Twoo lude / aleas fuge / pactū serua
Play with the toppe the dises loke yu eschewe
Dispise noman kepe euer thy beheste
Scorne neuer wreche than shalt yu neuer rewe
[Page]Coueyte no man is good speke fewe atte feste
Loke thy vengeance be alwey with the leeste
Who hath doon the good haue in remembrance
Loue euery wight and this shal the auance
Beholde my maistre this litel tretise
Whiche is ful of wit and sapience
Enforse the this matere taccomplise
Thenke hit is translated at your reuerence
Enrolle hit therfore in your aduertence
And desire for to knowe what cathon mente
Whan ye it rede let not your hert be thense
But doth as this saith with al your hole entēte
Hic finis parui cathonis
Hic Incipit magnus Catho.
I deus est aīmus nobis vt carmina dicūt
Hic tibi precipue sit pura mente colendus
For thy that god is inwardly the wit
Of man and geuyth hym vndirstanding
As ditees sayne therfore shalt yu vnshit
Thyn hert to thy souuerain lord & kyng
And principally a boue al other thing
Geuyng hym laude / honnour & reuerence
Whiche hath the endowed with excellence
Plus vigila semper ne sompno deditus esto
Nam diuturna quies vicijs alimenta ministrat
A wake my child and loue no slogardye
In moche slepe loke thou neuer delite
Yf thou purpose to worship for to stye
Longe slepe & slouthe to vice doon men excite
It maketh men dul It makith hem vnperfite
It fosterith vp filthes of the flesshe
It palleth also & wasteth blodes fresshe
Virtutem primā puta esse compescere linguam
Proximus ille deo qui scit racione tacere
Trusteth wele also the first of vertues alle
[Page]Ys to be stille and kepe thy tonge in mewe
Of tonge vntied moche harme may falle
Leue me wele this is as the gospel trewe
Who that can delaviance of wordes eschewe
And reste with reason this is verrey text
To god aboue that man is alder next
Sperne repugnando tibi tu contrarius esse
Conueniet nulli qui secum dissidet ipse
Aduise the wele that thou neuer trauerse
Thyn owne sentence for there of sueth shame
Sey not oon and efte the contrarie reherce
Suche repugnāce wol make thy worship lame
Where stedfastnesse wol cause thy good fame
For he shal neuer accorde with man on lyve
That with hym self wyl ay repugne & stryve
Si vitam inspicias hoīm si deni (que) mores
Cum culpas alios nemo sine crimine viuit
Yf thou aduertise and beholde aboute
The lyves of men and maners also
Bothe of thy self and other the withoute
In myddelerth thou shalt finde who
That in som̄e part nys to vertue foo
Blame no man therfore yf you do a right
[Page]Sith in erth lakles liueth no wight
Que nocitura tenes quāuis sint cara relinque
Vtilitas opibus preponi tempore debet
Yf thou suppose thing that shal noye & greue
Thaugh they be dere & right gret of price
Suche as suffreth not thy proffit a cheue
Yf thou lust to be reused as the wise
Absteyne the from suche thing in al wyse
For it is more wisdam in sothfastnesse
To preferre prouffit than suche richesse
Constans et lenis vt res expostulat esto
Temporibus mores sapiens sine crimine mutat
It is a good lesson for the nones
A wight to be tempred with constance
And to be glad and mery eftesones
Not alwey sad ne light of contenance
A man is chere may him ful ofte auance
For at yche tyme as the thing requireth
So the wise man visageth and chereth
Nil temere vxori de seruis crede querenti
Sepe. etem̄ mulier quē cōiunx dilight odit
Gyf no credence alwey to thy wyf
That for hire Ire and vnpacience
[Page]With scharper tonge than is swerd or knyf
Playneth on thy seruant thaugh noon offenor
Thou fynde in hym lerne wele this sentence
The wyf wol hate and cause to smert
Often hym that hire housband loueth in hert
Cum (que) mones aliquē nec se velit ipse moneri
Si tibi sit carus noli desistere ceptis
And yf thou warne a wight of his forfete
al thaugh he grutcheth with frowning cōtenāce
And in his langage manace the and threte
Yet forbere thou not for al suche displesance
To teche hym to amende his gouernance
As thou began correcte that is a mysse
And that is a frendly tache I wysse
Contra verbosos noli contendere verbis
Sermo datur cunctis animi sapiencia paucis
Ayenst woordy folk ay ful of wynde
Stryve not at al It may not the profite
Suche rasshe folkes ben in conceites blynde
The witles word availeth not a myte
In fele wordes is ofte wisedam ful lite
For vnto euery wight is geuen speche
And yet the wyse ful ofte ben for to seche
Dilige sic alios vt sit tibi carus amicus
Sic bonꝰ esto bonis ne te mala dāpna sequātur
Loue other men & haue them so in chere
That to thy self thy loue moost extende
Loke no personne be to the more dere
Than thyn estat for than thou shalt offende
And hurte thy self & other folke amende
But euer cherisshe other & loue hem soo
That to thy self thou be founden no foo
Rumores fuge ne incipias nouus autor haberi
Nam nulli tacuisse nocet nocet esse locutum
Tydinges new that flen as the wynde
Eschewe my chyld with al thy diligence
Be neuer besy new tidinges to finde
Suche nouelte causeth ofte offence
It is no wit It is no sapience
It hurteth not a man to be in pees
But it doth harme to put his tonge in prees
Rem tibi promissam certam ꝓmittere noli
Rara fides ideo qr multi multa loquntur
Make no promise of other men is hest
Remembre wele that promisse is vnsure
But yf thou kepe thyn thy name sleest
[Page]To serve thy behest do thy besy cure
Trust not the word of euery creature
Sūme man is feith is esy to breke
For many folkes thenke not as they speke
Cum te aliquis laudat iudex tuus esse memento
Plus alijs de te quā tu tibi credere noli
With wordes faire whan favel fedith the
Be thou not blinde for his fals flaterye
Late thyn owne reason alwey thy Iugge be
And in effect yf thyn estat be hye
Thaugh favel with his crafte wil blīde thin eye
In al thy lyf thou neuer geue credence
More to thy self than to thy conscience
Officium alterius multis narrare memento
At (que) alijs cum tu benefeceris ip̄e sileto
Whan thou seest a nother man is desert
As for his good dedes cōmendable
In euery place preuy or a part
Suche a wight with thy good word enable
And thaugh he haue ben by the available
Yet of thy good dede make thou no bobaunce
And than shal other men thyn name enhaūce
Multorum cum facta senex et dicta resensus
[Page]Fac tibi succurrant iuuenis que feceris ipse
And yf yu leue longe an old man shalt yu be
Age wol approche maugre who seith nay
Than perceyue beholde aboute and see
Howe aged folk ben treted with al day
And so pouruey for thy self a say
Into stouping age whan thou art crept
Thing may ye help yt in thin youthe was kept
Ne cures si quis tacito sermone loquatur
Conscius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici
Charge not al thaugh yu see men speke softe
Ne change no chere for ofte it is ful bet
In secret wise to speke than crye on lofte
A man sholde see alwey where he were set
And after that so sholde he speke or let
But to the suspect of harme it semeth
Men speke of hym he noon other demeth
Cum fueris felix que sunt aduersa caueto
Non eodem cursu respondent vltima primis
Whan fortune hath yeuen the felicite
And set the on high than be war of a fal
Than sueth ofte suche sharp aduersite
Fals fortune tourneth as doth a bal
[Page]In hire trust haue thou no sikernesse at al
Hire perelous play turneth whilom to grame
For the ende is woo that beganne that game
Cum dubia et fragilis sit nobis vita tributa
In mortem alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli
Our brotel lyf is here so ful of doute
That in verrey surete no wight may stonde
So sodenly crepen the soules oute
Al aboute this world in euery londe
Of yonge and old for euery wight is bonde
To deth therfore set not thyn affiance
In deth of hym that may ye surviue parchance
Exiguū munus cū det tibi pauper amicus
Accipito placide plene laudare memento
A litel yefte geuen with good entent
Of thy frend that leuith in pouerte
With right good chere suche yefte take & hent
Supposing ay that as good wille hath he
And more than many men that richer be
Peyse not the yefte ne pondre not the prise
Thentent is good and that shal the suffise
Infantē nudum cum te natura creauit
Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento
[Page]Sith nature that is thy first norice
Hath brought the hider al naked & bare
Thaugh thou neuer can richesse accomplice
But thou art holde alwey in pouertis snare
Yet no force make neuer to moche care
Take paciently pouerte for the best
Riches is not of nature but of erth encrest
Ne timeas illam que vite est vltima finis
Qui mortem metuit qd viuit perdit idip̄m
Thaugh deth be the fyn of euery creature
And no wight on lyue shal from him escape
Yet drede not deth with ouer besy cure
To lyue on erth It is but a Jape
Yf thou shalt alwey after deth so gape
Thinke wele to dye but modefye thy thought
Or ellis to lyue availeth the right noght
Si tibi pro meritis nemo respondet amicus
Accusare deū noli sed teipse coherce
For thy desert yf no frend thanke the
I mene whan thou hast don thy force & payne
To other folkes frendly for to be
Yf they can not gramercy to the sayne
Withdrawe thin hand & so thy self refrayne
[Page]Blame not thy god / for thaire vnfrendlinesse
But for suche men do afterward the lesse
Ne tibi quid desit quesitis vtere parce
Vt que quod est serues semper tibi deesse putato
Sith no richeman that leuith any where
Yf he consume his goodes al and waste
But that pouerte shal greue sore and dere
Therfore my child suche goodes as thou haste
Let not to sone oute of thy hand beraste
Leest than thy good hereafter wol the faile
Hold that thou hast It may the efte availe
Quod prestare potes ne bis ꝓmiseris vlli
Ne sis ventosus dum vis bonus esse videri
Behote no man a thing to lene hym twise
And faile hym oones that is but vilanye
Yf thou may lene do it in frendly wyse
Suche cheuissance a frend loth to be wrye
Of thy good dedes clamoure thou not ne crye
Be not wyndy ner of wordes breme
Yf a good man thou lyste appere and seme
Qui simlat verbis nec corde est fidus amicus
Tu quo (que) fac simile sic ars deluditur arte
And yf thou fynde the sone of doublenesse
[Page]The fals dss [...]milour yf thou espye
With peinted wordes & hert ful of falsnesse
Thou maist in no wise better blere his ye
Than to serue him with his owne trecherie
With wordes faire & frendly to departe
Mene thou the same & art begile by arte
Noli hoīes blando nimiū sermone probare
Fistula dulce canit volucrem dū decipit auceps
Preue yu neuer a man by ouer peinted speche
For vndre faire wordes is ofte annexed gile
The word is gay but frendship is to seche
As it is said suche craft is in this Ile
Yet sum̄e thinke yl whan they thair tōges file
The whisteling fouler maketh mery songe
And so the briddes begileth he amonge
Cum tibi sint nati nec opes tūc artibus illos
Instrue quo possint inopem deffendere vitam
Whan so is that thou hast goten children
Loke in her yougth̄ than enforme hem soo
In som̄ craft & mister that they may therin
Lerne to gete her lyuyng & to deffende also
Her lyf whiche euer nedeth̄ & that they vnto
Vertu may atteyne for that he no craft can̄
[Page]Ofte tyme nedeth̄ & is in daūger of euery man
Quod vile est carum quod carum vile putato
Sic tibi nec cupidus nec auarus nosceris vlli
Haue this conceit for it is ofte sene
Thing dere bought ful ofte bate of price
And thinges that litel of valeu bene
In tyme comyng may to gret derth arise
Remembre wele this and it ay aduertise
Thus shalt yu best the name of chincherie fleme
And other men shal the no nygard deme
Que culpure soles ea tu ne feceris ipse
Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ip̄m
Aduise the wele lete reason be thy guyde
Whan other folkes thou art aboute to blame
That suche default in the be not espied
For yf it be than shalt thou haue the shame
A mannes honnour suche thing wol reclame
It is ful foule whan a man wol teche
Yf that his dedes ageinst his wordes preche
Quod iustū est petito vel quod videatur honestū
Nam stultū est petere quod possit iure negari
Loke thy desir be grounded of righ̄t
And than that it neuer trauerse honeste
[Page]For as often tymes as any wordly wight
Desireth more than right or equite
Than may his request sone replied be
And it is cleped nycete and gret folye
To aske ofte that right wol ay denye
Ignotum tibi tu noli preponere notis
Cognita iudicio constant incongnita casu
Change not a frend that thou knowest of old
For any newe in trust that thou shalt finde
A better than he but in thy handes thou hold
Hym that hath ben to the frendly & kynde
For suche eschanges ben ofte ful blynde
The semith thou knowest neuer a dele
To knowe a trusty frend It is casuele
Cum dubia in certis versetur vita periculis
Pro lucro tibi pone diem quicū (que) laboras
Sith that mans lyf is ofte ful of miserie
Whilom in myrth and after in mischief
Now in the valey & now in the hille on hye
Now is man poure & after by riches in relief
The shynyng morowe hath ofte a stormy eve
To this polecie take hede at the last ende
Haue lucre for thy labour er that thou wende
Vincere cum possis interdum cede sodali
Obsequio quin dulces retinentur amici
Thaugh thou may ouercome & haue the victorye
Of thy frend or felowe yet ay forbere
Refrayne thy self and be not haute or hye
Irous handes ful euil do greue and dere
Where easy softenesse frendes may conquere
For by good dedes set in lowlinesse
Men ben to geder knit in frendlinesse
Ne dubites cū magna petas impendere parua
Hijs etem̄ rebus coniungit gracia caros
The limitour that visitith the wyues
Ys wyse ynogh of hym a man may lere
To yeue neldes pynnes girdeles and knyues
The craft is good thus doth the wyse frere
Yeueth thing smale for thing that ben dere
Yf thou receyve euer yeue thou sumwhat a geyn
And that wol ay norisshe love in certein
Litem inferre caue cum quo tibi gracia iuncta est
Ira odium generat concordia nutrit amorem
Toyle not ne strive with hym y• is thy frend
Be ware of that make neuer thy frend thy fo
A toylous man may frendship breke & shend
[Page]Thise baratours that ben misreuled so
Interrupte hem self & wrappen in moche wo
For wikked wrath engendreth but hate
Where as good accord norisshe loue algate
Seruo (rum) ob culpam cum te dolor vrget in iram
Ipse tibi moderare tuis vt parcere possis
Whan thy seruant thou takest in defaute
Thaugh he can not his necgligence excuse
Yet in thin Ire make not to fers asaute
But with thy male talent take treuse
So shalt thou finde ease this fet yf thou vse
Reule thy passion and ay by suche mesure
That thou saue hem that ben vnder thy cure
Quem superare potes interdum vince ferendo
Maxima etem̄ mo (rum) semper paciencia virtus
Sufferance doth ease was seid longe agoo
Suffre thou & haue al thin entent
Thaugh al thou maist ouer yet do yu not soo
Conquere by sufferance and be pacient
But for to folowe cruelte neuer consent
For it is cleped a vertue with excellence
A wight to lyue in humble pacience
Conserua pocius que sunt iam parta labore
[Page]Cum labor in dampno crescit mortalis egestas
Be not to skant ner be not to prodigal
Conserue thy thinges goten with trew labour
It is ful faire to be called liberal
But ay eschewe wast and be not surfetour
Consume not al thy tresour in oon hour
Whan of thy labour ryseth noon availe
Nedes pouerte must the in hast assayle
Dapsilis interdum notis caris et amicis
Cum fueris felix semper tibi ꝓximus esto
Be thou not like senola for he wold ete
With euery man and at his fest hym fede
But neuer no man might taste of his mete
Ner no wight to him come but he to al men yede
Be fre of thy mete but loke that larges lede
The no ferther than thou may easly ateyne
be euer thin owne frēd thus caton seith certeyne
Take hede sire and see howe holsumly this clerk
Entretith men with vertuouse doctrine
The first part of this compendious werk
In worship howe they shul ful clerely shyne
Euydyng to renewe streight as a lyne
Whois preceptis to obserue yf that ye lyste
[Page] And to his conseil your hertis to enclyne
Right in your age ful wele It shal be wiste
The vertuous fourme yt men shul fort convey
Lo in this lyf as bridel doth a best
That man do not erre here in this ꝑilous wey▪
Stablisshing him as doth a stedfast arest
And as siker guydes that men worthiest
Mannes leuing here to set in gouernance
This sage cathon putteth in remembrance
Incipit secundus liber
[...]Elluris si forte velis cognoscere cultus
Virgiliū legito qd si mage nosce laboras
Herba (rum) vires macer tibi carmine dicet
Yf thou lust my child set thy hertly delit
Of erth to knowe the tilthe & the culture
And yf thou wilt be of knowleche parfit
Why sum̄e is erable & sum̄e eke pasture
Why sum̄e is freshe lyke floures of picture
I conseile the to studie sadly for a while
In the laureat poete grete virgile
Si romana cupis et punica noscere bella
[Page]Lucanū queras qui martis prelia dicit
And thou haue desirous fresshe corage
To here of romaines noble worthinesse
Howe they veynquisshed them of cartage
And many other thurgh manly prowesse
Than rede lucan ful wele can he expresse
Who bare hym best in towne and also in feld
And who did meruayles vnder martes sheld
Si quis amare libet vel discere amare legendo
Nasonem petito sin aūt cura tibi hec est
And who that lust eke of louers for to rede
And in what wise hem self for to auance
As in that craft naso can teche hym for to spede
For summe loue song. harp. pipe. and dance
Sūme in reding & other thing of pleasance
Sūme louyn couertly eke & lust not be espiede
And sum̄e wold beknowen thus writeth ouide
Vt sapiens viuas audi que discere possis
Per que semotum vicijs deducitur euum
But yet my lef child yf that in auenture
Thyn hert be yeuen to noon suche maner thing
Or that it be not vnto thy plaisure
That virgil macer lucan / or naso doth bringe
[Page]Yet that yu may be wise after in thy leuynge
Yf thou lust to me to yeue audience
I shal shewe the doctrine of sapience
Ergo ades que sit sapiencia disce legendo
Therfore my child come nere to me & lere
And I shal the shewe the verray tresure
Of sapience yf the lust to herken and here
And ek how thou shalt in good estat endure
And lede thy lyf holy after goddis plesure
Therfore approche & lere this reding
To b [...]n a man ay vertuous of leuyng
Si potes ignotis eciā prodesse memento
Vtilius est regno meritis adquirere amicos
Ther is no wight that ferther may reporte
Of thy good dedes than the stranger may
Make him ay good chere & shewe him disporte
And he shal with hōnour vtter y• this no nay
For ye vnknowen It proffiteth sūtime tassay
Frendes y nowe to haue It is a better thing
Than is frendles any man to be a king
Mitte arcana dei celum inquirere quid sit
Cum sis mortalis que sunt mortalia cura
Of goddis misterie & ek of his worching
[Page]Make neuer my child to fer inquirance
It is foly any man to muse on suche thing
Dispute thou neuer vpon thy goddes purueāce
For al thing must be vnder his gouernance
And sith thou art man clad in mortalite
Dispute thou of thing suche as mortal be
Linque metum leti nam stultū est tꝑe in euum
Qui mortem metuit amittit gaudia vite
The drede of deth that is mordmate
I mene to drede it ay and neuer to cese
Be ware of that I conscile the algate
For this is trew as the gospdl doutlese
Who that dredith deth is alwey myrthlese
Whan drede of deth any man so agruggeth
He wasteth his tyme & ay his lyf abreggeth
Iratus de re incerta contendere noli
Impedit ira animū ne possit cernere verum
For thing that is vnto the vncertayne
Whan thou art wroth loke neuer that yu striue
But first yu oughtest to knowe ye mater plaine
For there is no personne oonly on erth a lyue
But that he onsawl [...]s is also blyue
As besy wrath hath kindled hym on fire
[Page] And than can he not deme the trouth for Ire
Fac sumptū propere cū res desiderat ipsa
Dandū etem̄ est aliquid cū tēpus postulat a res
As time requireth so make ay thyn expence
Mesure thyn hand ek after the profecee
Of thing of tyme & also of the presence
So that thou spende nomore than nedith the
And that spende loke that thin hert be fre
A man shold do kost & make his spending
Cōsiderīg ye tyme & ek of his costis rewardīg
Quod nimiū est fugito paruo gaudere memento
Tuta magis puppis modico que flumine fertur
To moche is noght of any manere thing
The mene is good and moost comendable
That man stādeth surest here in this leuing
With mene estat that holdeth him greable
Plente and pouerte to gedre be not suffrable
For than is the ship in the see moost surest
What tyme the flode is moost demurest
Quod pudeat socios prudens celare memento
Ne plures culpant id quod tibi displicet vni
Yf yu knowe aught yt may turne in to shame
Kepe it secret and for no thing it bewrye
[Page]Be neuer to besy suche thing to proclame
Or puplisshe as thou knowest wol reprye
Make not almen to gauren on it and cry
Lest yt men dāpne ye to other folkes vnknowe
For suche fals demers thou maist finde y nowe
Nolo putes prauos hoīes peccata lucrari
Temporibus peccata latent et tꝑe patent
Yf thou espie and see or perceiue a forfaiture
And ek a shrewe of misgouernance
Truste wele that sumtyme shal come an heure
Whan for his dedes he shal suffre penance
A cursed dede asketh wreche and vengeance
Thaugh wikkednesse for the tyme be kept secre
Yet atte last it wol discouered be
Corporis exigui vires contempnere noli
Consilio pollet cui vim natura negauit
Thaugh sumtyme nature hath ben vnkynde
And geuyth a man to be of smal stature
Yet remembre my child & haue in thy mynde
That thou neuer dispise that creature
For god may sende hym fortune & b [...]ne vre
And ofte they be with good conseil alied
To whom nature hath gret strengthe denyed
Quem scieris nō esse parem tibi tempore cede
Victorem a victo superari sepe videmus
Whan thy hap is to trauerse & haue a do
with him that is noght egal to thy might
Thin vttermest power shewe not suche vnto
Lest that eftesones he haue the in like plight
For it is often seen in batayl & in fight
Fortune changeth ofte within oon our
And he is scomfited that was erst victour
Aduersus notum noli cōtendere verbis
Lis minimis verbis interdū maxima crescit
Of brondes smale be made fires grete
Withdrawe the brondes the fire shal decrese
Agein the hyer loke thou not plete
With wordes fele for wordes discorde thy pese
The man is wise than can of wordes cese
For this is as verily soth as god gaf lyf
That wordes smale breden ful moche stryf
Quod deus intendit noli perquirere sorte
Quod statuit de te sine te deliberat ipse
Dele not with magike ner with sorcerie
In goddes hand is al fortune & fate
Be not aboute to calke by destenye
[Page]Whether thou be miserous or fortunate
Lete god a lone in hym is al thyn estate
For what hym lust of the to pourpose
Withoutē the he can ful wele dispose
Inuidiam nimio cultu vitare memento
Que si non ledat tamen hanc sufferre molestum
Beware ay of enuie with tatches felle
Withyn thyn hert loke ay that she ne rest
For it is oon of the chief peines of helle
Whan she soiourneth withyn a man is brest
Than brenneth fenix in hire owne nest
And than she may noon other man mischeve
Yet ethna cesith not hire self to greue
Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique
Nemo diu gaudet qui iudice vincit iniquo
Enforce thyn hert with manly sufferance
Thaugh that fals Juggement a geyn the ꝓcede
Be thou not a basshed in word ne contenance
For ofte times ye fals opp̄ssour may reule & lede
The lawe but truste me wele withonten drede
Longe to reioyse acheve he may nat
Whiche by menes vntrewe his goodis so gat
Nec te collaudes nec te culpaueris ipse
[Page]Hoc faciunt stulti quos gloria vexat īanis
Thy self also loke thou not preise
Ner dispreise but let thou other men alone
Alwey after prudence thy wordes peise
For thin auant honour shalt thou gete none
But haue a mok as sone as thou art gone
A man to preise him self as seith the scole
Or dispreise moche is token of a fole
Litis preterite noli maledicta referre
Post inimicitias iram meminisse malo (rum) est
Wrath of old y• shold be kept oute of mynde
Be thou not aboute to make it on lyue
But the enuious hath ay a tatche of kynde
Suche malice my child loke yu neuer reuiue
for suche malice of old wrath maketh a striue
And who remembreth old enemyte
A wikked man forsoth is he
Vtere quesitis modice cū sumptus habundat
Labitur exiguo quod partū est tempore longo
Whan it is tyme of cost and grete expense
Bewar of wast & spende ay by mesure
Who that to kepe or spende hath no differense
Maketh his goodes may not longe endure
[Page]For the old prouerbe saith mesure is tresure
Remēbre that sone thy goodes may slip a way
That bifore were goten in many a sondry day
Incipiens esto cum tempus postulat aut res
Stulticiā similare loco prudencia summa est
It is no wisdam a man alwey to be sage
But sumtyme to be nyce and feine folye
Who that hath this fet shal finde avantage
Whan tyme and thing desireth that espye
And than dissimise that is gret pollecye
For sumtyme to be vnwise by apparence
Among the wise is cleped hye prudence
Luxuriam fugito simul et vitare memento
Crimen auaricie nam sunt contraria fame
The filthy flesshe meuyng the bestial
That fighteth ay a gein the soule within
By force of hire attis [...]ment liberal
Eschewe my child and kepe the from hire gyn
That art and grace ben set ful fer a twyn
And eschewe ay of auarice the wikked fame
Thise two they ben that causen euil name
Noli tu quedā referenti credere semper
Exigua ē tribuēda fides qr multi multa loqūtur
[Page]Beleue yu not lightly in euery wightis sawe
For sum̄e reporten thing al other wyse▪
Than it was euer thought or don or sawe
And som̄e haue it also of custume & of guise
To fede folk with flatering and lyes
Therfore geue litel trust to suche feire spekīg
For many folkes speke vntrewe thing
Quod potu peccas ignoscere tu tibi noli
Nam nullū crimen vini sed culpa bibentis
Yf thou surfete in drink forgete yu not that
Aduise the wele efte thou come not in y• snare
Withdrawe thin hād fede not thy throte to fat
Drinke that suffiseth the & ell loke yu spare
To moche drink maketh men of wit ful bare
And yet the wyne therof is not to blame
To blame is the drinker y• makith hym lame
Consilium archanū tacito cōmitte sodali
Corporis auxilium medico cōmitte fideli
To thy trusty frend that is secret to the
Shewe thy conseil & thy nede bewrie
For a trusty frend is the chest of priuite
But it is gret hap suche frendes to espye
Trye oute oon among al a companye
[Page] And of thy body betake thou al the cure
Vnto suche a leche that is trusty and sure
Successus indignos noli tu ferre moleste
Indulget fortuna malis vt ledere possit
With thy self a greue the neuer to sore
Thaugh thing a mys sumtyme betyde
Dismay the not in besy wyse therfore
For thyn auenture nedes thou must abide
Fortune may not alwey be on thy syde
With harmes to greue ay in wayte lith she
To ref men welth honnour and prosperite
Prospice qui veniūt hos casus esse ferendos
Nam leuius ledit quicquid p̄uidimus ante
In thyn owne self compare aboute ay before
Thing to perceiue that after wol fal
It noieth not ner greueth not half so sore
That is a sore seen as other thing shal
Sodein chaunses diseasith moost of al
It hurteth ay lesse and is in better plight
Where a man prudently can haue a fore sight
Rebus in aduersis animū submittere noli
Spem retinere spes vna animū nō morte relinq̄t
Whan diuers thinges trauerse thyn entent
[Page] And thou art wrapped in aduersite
For wanhope loke thou be not lost ne shent
Lete neuer dispair thy wit bereue the
But abide the tyme that better shal be
Hope is she that shal make the a seth
Hope leueth not a man til man leue the breth
Rem tibi quā noscis aptam dimittere noli
Fronte capillata post hec occasio calua
Whan men profre than is tyme to reteine
Take ay thing while they ben in season
Many profre now that after wol refreine
For y• is plente now wol afterward be geson
Therfore take ay in time for so cōseileth reson
For ye balled hed was sumtime ful of herys
Whiche is now bare withoute rasure or sherys
Quod sequitur specta qd īminet ante videto
Illum imitare deū qui partē spectat vtram (que)
Prouide thy self and haue deliberance
By likly coniecture what way betide
Aduertise my child in thy remembrance
A fore and after aboute on euery side
Folowe that god wol & lete him be thy guyde
Whiche hath al thing oonly in his gouernem̄t
[Page]Fortune feture and pouste & al that is p̄sent
Forcior vt valeas interdum parcior esto
Pauca voluptati debentur plura saluti
It is a tatche of a deuouryng honde
To receyue superfluyte and do eke excesse
Til his receit a gein from hym rebonde
Contente thy nature & fle ay from gredinesse
Foule lustes ay kepe vnder fote and represse
Fede not thy lust with al that she wol crave
Yf that in helth the lust thy lyf to haue
Sic tibi precipue qd primū est cura salutis
Tempora ne culpes cum sint tibi causa doloris
Take good hede eke of thyn owne estate
To reule thy body wele with good diete
In tyme but loke thou be not at debate
Thurgh thyn owne reule and surfete
Thaugh seknesse & sorowe haue yeue the an hete
The tyme is good and no diesmale ther is
But yf men it make for that they don a mys
Sompnia ne cures nam mens humana qd optat
Dum vigilat sperat ꝑ sompnum cernit id ip̄m
Drede thou no dremes so seith deutronomye
For ofte they be caused of diuers complexion
[Page]Som̄e of ymaginacōns & many a nice fātasie
Or ellis of blode or of superflue replexion
For dremes ben ofte deceit & fals illusion
Whan they be wakyng they desire & thinke
Vpon that thing they dreme whan they winke
Iudiciū populi nūquā cōtempseris vnus
Ne nulli placeas dū vis cōtempnere multos
Whan that a multitude hath yeue a decree
Or concluded ought a gein thin entent
Trauerse yet neuer a yeinst the comentee
For yf thou do thou shalt be sore shent
Dispise yu not a loone the peoples Iuggemēt
In auenture thou please of hem not oon
Whiles thou woldest trauerse hem euery [...]hon
Museth a while what al thise maters mene
Abideth sire and goo no further yet
For to rede theim wileth not a bene
To no man but he the kernel vnknet
Therfore al your hert & al your minde vnshet
And loke what lieth vnder the boistous rinde
And I dar sey of wisdam and of wit
Plente & foyson therein shal ye fynde
Refressith your spirites with this holsom diete
[Page]That fostreth vertues and kepith a lyue
To your personne me thinketh ful mete
For to receyue suche a ioyful nutretif
Whiche your estat shal ay preserue in lyf
In gret honnour & kepe you from noyance
Oute of the daūger of vices infectyf
Yf ye wirche after this ordenance
And in especial loke that your dede
May bere trew witnesse and testifye
The maters that ye beholde and rede
loke hem with your hert aswele as with your eye
And than dar I say sumwhat ye shal espye
In this werk that shal meue your corage
Wherfore your hert your eye & your spirite applie
Your self ay to reule after thise dedes sage
Incipit liber tercius
[...]Oc quicū (que) velis carmen cognoscere lector
Hec p̄cepta feres que sunt gratissima vite
Loo what wight that lusteth hym for to rede
In this my diete sumwhat shal he finde
Wherwith he may his soule fostre and fede
[Page]With vertue and it from vices vnbinde
Come nere my child therfore & haue in mynde
Suche doctrine in thin hert to bere awey & lere
As to thy self here after shal be lef & dere
Instrue preceptis aīm ne discere cesses
Nam sine doctrina vita est quasi mortis ymago
Mannes soule resembleth a newe plain table
In whiche yet apperith to sight no picture
The philisophre saith withouten fable
Right so is manes soule but a dedly figure
Vnto the tyme she be reclaimed with ye lure
Of doctrine and so gete hir a good habit
To be expert in cūnyng science & proffit
Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis
Vt possis aīmo quēuis sufferre laborem
Who that lakketh rest may no while endure
Therfore among take ease and disport
Delite the neuer in gret besinesse & cure
But that whilom thou maist also resort
To playes recreacions and al other comfort
Than shalt thou better laboure atte longe
Whan thou hast mirth thy besinesse amonge
Cum recte viuas ne cures verba malo (rum)
Arbitrij nostri nō est qd quis (que) loquatur
Yf thou lyue iustly ay kepe vp right
Neuer declinyng for mede lucre drede or fauour
Treuly than stādest thou in a fulholsome plight
Though men maligne ye with wordes of rigour
Yf thou lyue thus thy good lyf is thy tour
We may not let the people to gaure & crye
But do yet wele thaugh they missey or lye
Productus testis saluo tamen ante pudore
Quantūcum (que) potes celato crimen amici
Sone yf thou be called the soth to testifye
Euermore sauyng thy worship & honeste
Thy frendes trespas be not aboute to bewrye
Where as no shame thereof may growe to the
This requireth ay good frendship parde
In wele and the trewe beneuolence
Betwix folkes is frendship in assistence
Sermones blandos blesos (que) cauere memento
Simplicitas viri fan [...]a est fraus ficta loquendi
Make b [...]sy wache kepe wele thy soule algate
Beholde wisely aboute & spye thy couert trayne
Whan that fals fauel knokketh at thy yate
[Page]He menyth gile thaugh outward he faire fain̄
For he can anoynte bothe thin eres twayne
With the oile of plaisance in ful gret foison
But yet vnder ye kepe ye wele from this poison
Segniciem fugito que vite ignauia fertur
Nam cū aīmus languet cōsumit inercia corpus
Slouthe slogardy and dul Idelnesse
And lachesse that causeth to be negligent
Enforce ye ay to eschewe with al thy besinesse
For Idel soule maketh thy body shent
Treuly ther is in erth no gretter argument
For to conclude thy mortal body vnapte
Than the soule in Idelnes to be wrapte
Comoda multa feras sin autē spreueris illud
Non me scriptorem sꝪ te neglexeris ipse
Enprinte my teching in thy soule stedfast
And ful proffitable thou shalt it fynde
Forsake it not ner fro thin hert it caste
For yf that thou exclude oute of thy mynde
This lesson thou art ful barein & blynde
From vertues & therfore wite not me
Sithen the default my sone is than in the
Alterius dictū aut factū ne carpseris vnquā
[Page]Wedde not a wyf for hire enheritance
For she wol cast it often in thy berd
And yf she be noyant and ful of greuance
Constreine hire neuer to abide in thy yerd
Of chastisement It is a cursed swerd
To kepe suche oon that wol ay a twyte
For he is at ease that of suche oon is quyte
Multo (rum) disce exemplo que facta sequaris
Que fugias vita nobis est aliena magistra
Of other men thou shalt thy myrrour make
Cōfourme the to that / that moost men appreue
What thou shalt do & what thou shalt forsake
A better fet maist thou not contreue
Than to other men is dedes releue
In al that perteineth to thy techyng
Make of other men a reule of thy leuyng
Quod potes id tempta operis ne pondere pressus
Succumbat labor et frustra temptata relinquas
Attēpte no thing that surmonteth thy might
Ner that to finisshe thou maist not acheue
For than standest thou foule in thin owne sight
Ouer his pouer what man that lusteth meue
With shame his werke must nedes take leue
[Page]It is foly a man suche werkes to begynne
Whiche to perfourme his power is to thynne
Quod nosci factum non recte noli silere
Ne videare malos imitari velle tacendo
Lawe presumeth that what man kepith stille
The crime of oon that hath doon gret offence
And discouerid hit not he is than jlle
As the criminous for keping of his scilence
Therfore my sone beinge it in to audience
That thou perceiuest not wele don is
Lest for silence men deme of the a mys
Iudicis auxilium sub iniqua lege rogato
Ipse etem̄ leges cupiūt vt jure regantur
Whan the lawe is strait and rigorous
Entrete ay the Iugge to do the fauour
Enclinyng him for to be gracious
For an egal Iugge may thy cause ay socour
And yet the lawe shal be his gouernour
Whiche oweth sumtyme to modefie
As in cas he may a point aspie
Quod merito pateris pacienter ferre memento
Cum (que) reus tibi sis ip̄m te iudice dampna
What peine thou suffrest for thy desert
[Page]Receyue it ay wele in gree and pacience
Al thaugh thy trespas be pryue and couert
Yet whan thou weyes it in thyn aduertence
That thou art blemisshed in thy conscience
With in thy self make thou an arbitrement
Demyng thy self in thyn owne Iuggement
Multa legas facito ꝑlectis ꝑlege multa
Nam miranda canūt sed nō credenda poete
Mispende thou no tyme neuer for lachesse
But whilom rede in bookes old and wise
Rede and reporte eke with gret attentifnesse
By reding to cū nyng a man may ryse
Than rede my sone and cū nyng accomplise
Thyse poetes wryten thing of gret meruaile
And eke of smale credence ofte this is no faile
Inter conuiuas fac sis sermone modestus
Ne dicare loquax dum vis vrbanus haberi
Euermore amonge frendes sitting atte fest
Be thou curteys and demeure of thy langage
Who y• speketh moost is not counted wisest
For of flesshe & bone nature hath made a cage
The tonge to kepe that she be not outrage
Than yf thou wil be preferred of nature
[Page]Refrayne thy tonge with al thy besy cure
Coniugis irate noli tu verba timere
Nam lacrimis struit insidias dū femina plorat
Sōme wōmen wepen of pure feminite
Whan other wise they can not thaire entent
Acheue but yet be war of suche nyce pite
Thy manly reason for that be not blent
For suche weping thy hert aught neuer relent
Sōme wōmen of kynde be euer wepinge
And vnder that they can bothe pryk & stynge
Vtere quesitis sed ne videaris abuti
Qui sua cōsumūt cum deest aliena sequntur
Whan thou hast goten to thy worship vse
What availeth richesse with oute honour
To spende ay good & worship to refuse
Ys no point of proffit ner of socour
Therfore that yu hast goten with trew labour
Consume not in mysuse lest thou doo a mys
Ofte he nedith of other y• wasted hath his
Fac tibi ꝓpenis mortem nō esse timendam
Que bona si nō est finis tamen illa bono (rum)
Enprinte my child ay hertly in thy mynde
That thou be not of deth so sore a drad
Exemplo simili ne te derideat alter
It is ful hard to please euery wight
Displease the of no manere dedes ner them lak
Ner thaire wordes neither for euen so right
As thou displeased them behinde thy bak
Right so wol men make the a mok & knak
For the contrarie thaugh men had it sworn
The scorner shal be guerdoned ay with scorn
Quod tibi sors dederit tabulis supprema notato
Augendo serua ne sis quem fama sequatur
Whan thy last sort that men callen fate
Ys good & pleasant after thyn entent
This mene I lo whan thou art fortunate
Recorde al thy goodes that god hath the sent
And suffre hem not reklesly to be spent
For than of a wastour thou shalt haue ye name
For gret riot wol cause thy feble fame
Cum tibi diuicie superant in fine senecte
Munificus facito viuas nō parcus amicis
Into gret age what tyme that thou art crept
And hast richesse ꝓsperite & gret habundance
Be liberal than of y• goodes y• a fore y• hast kept
Thenke wele thou hast ynogh and suffisance
[Page]Lete neuer thy good of the haue gouernance
But gouerne & departe it ay with thy frend
For whā yu gost hens it may not with y• wend
Vtile consiliū dominus ne despice serui
Nullius sensum si ꝓdest cōtempseris vnquam
Grace is youen to man in many sondry wise
Sōme haue wisedam & som̄e haue eloquence
The poure folkes also som̄e tyme be ful wise
A seruant sūtyme may be ek of gret sapience
Thaugh al he be had in litel reuerence
Re [...]arde his wit yf it be worth the while
For vertu is hid vnder many an habit vile
Rebus et in sensu si nō est quod fuit ante
Fac viuas cōtentus eo qd tempora prebent
This worldes welth ebbing & flowing ay
At no certein is like as wankle aprile
Thaugh thou haue losse yu shalt not y• dismay
Be content with that yu hast for the while
Sōme mā ther is y• hath neither crosse ne pile
Now in his ward & yet right good auenture
Ys him ful negh no man may knowe his vre
Vxorem fuge ne ducas sub noīe dotis
Nec retinere velis si cepit esse molesta
[Page]Whiche shal the from wrechednesse vnbynde
Where in thy lyf so longe thou hast forth lad
A lyf ꝑauenture to god and man ful bad
The whiche thaugh she be not to al ꝓffitable
Yet she maketh an end bothe of bad & able
Vxoris linguam si frugi est ferre memento
Nam (que) malum nil velle pati nec posse taceri
Thy wyves wordes thou suffre & take in gre
Whan it availeth for betyde it may
Ful ofte that of grete prudence is she
And moost to be allowed this is no nay
Suffre hire than and hire conceit assay
For it is hard whan thou can not be stille
Ner yet to suffre hire thou can eke haue wille
Dilige nō egra caros pietate parentes
Nec matrem offendas dum vis bonus esse parenti
Goodes that ben yeuen the of nature
They come to the of thy progenitours
Therfore my child with al thy force & cure
Loke thou loue hem and cherisshe at al hours
For they fostred y• & kept in youth from shours
Thy moder my dere child yet in especial
Yf thou do wele neuer offende at al
Resorte resorte and hiderward the releue
My maistre now here is an holsome eire
For your availe to this place retreue
Where as for moralite sprīging floures feire
And sote ful pleasantly do the repeire
Gadre of hem and make a chaplet or a gay
And rest yu a while here right in this herbere
Beholde wele & see what thing is to your pay
Incipit liber quartus
[...]Ecuram quicū (que) cupis deducere vitam
Nec vicijs herere aīm que moribus obsunt
What wight that lust to lyue in sekernesse
His lyf & his soule to kepe from incūbrance
Of vices the whiche & good thewes expresse
Be ay at stryf come nere & geue attendance
Thise preceptis kepe wele in remembrance
Enrolling hem and printing in your mynde
And so to lyue the menes shal ye fynde
Despice diuicias si vis aīo esse beatus
Quas qui suscipiunt mēdicant semꝑ auari
The foule talent of riches my child eschewe
[Page] And resemble thou neuer gredy tantalus
Whos etyk in hunger is alwey newe
Amonge the feire apples delicious
No water swete quēchith his thrust right thus
To vilayns swalowe of couetise
Loo al this world noght can ner suffise
Comoda nature nullo tibi tempore deerunt
Si contentus eo fueris qd postulat vsus
With resonable fedyng be thou content
As in diete a man shold neuer ouer charge
Hym self for with surfet many men ben shent
For thaire receites ben to grete and large
Men seen alday that litel bote or barge
Wol drenche a noon whan it is ouer freight
Cherisshe euer nature with none ouer weight
Cum sis incautus nec rem racione gubernas
Noli fortunā que non est dicere cecam
Yf thy thyng the happe to misgouerne
Withoute reason or any prouidence
Than myn owne child of me this lesson lerne
Say not It was by fortune suche expense
To make but wite it thyn owne negligence
For fortune may neuer compelle the
[Page]Thy good to spende but at thy liberte
Dilige denariū sed parce dilige formam
Quā nemo sanctus nec honestus captat habere
Loue thou the peny as for thy cheuisance
Not for the quoyne to horde it vpon hepe
For of the prince was made the ordonance
Not for in cofres It shold be stille & slepe
But y• it shold ay stere among ye people & sepe
In their eschange & who that kepith it Inne
As for the fourme is ay soubget to synne
Cū fueris locuples ocrpus curare memento
Eger diues habet nūmos sꝪ nō habet ipsum
Whan thou hast plente and art pecunial
I mene whan thou hast grete suffisance
Of money foyson and help but smal
Than spende thy money & thy self auance
Kepe neuer the coyne and lyue in greuance
The sike hath siluer in ful gret excesse
But of him self he hath no sikernesse
Verba cū tuleris discens aliquādo magistri
Fer patris imperiū cū verbis exit in iram
Thaugh sumtime yu suffre the gret shrapnes
Of beting yet ay thy maistres chastisement
[Page]Take wele in gre with humble lowlines
Sith it is don but al in good entent
In cause to lerne and wisedam for to hent
Al thaught his wordes sowne ful of Ire
Yet suffre thou the talent of that fire
Res age que ꝓsunt rursus vitare memento
In quibus error inest nec spes est certa laboris
Also my child thou shalt the ay occupie
To wirke thing that ben proffitable
But loke thou neuer thy wittes applie
To thinges that may not be available
To kepe a thing that is not ꝓffitable
By wit or strengthe It is gret errour
Dispaired hope is the end of suche labour
Quod donare potes gratis concede roganti
Nam recte fecisse bonis in parte lucrosum est
Whan yu shalt yeue than yeue in frendly wyse
Frendly contente thou a praier or a request
For thing yeuen by tyme is yeuen twise
Suche gladsome chere makith yeftes richest
Who that yeueth gladly & sone yeueth is best
Loo no thing better may thing conquere
Than a man to lene that he may forbere
Quod tibi suspectū est cōfestim discute quid sit
Nam (que) solent primo que sūt neglecta nocere
Whan vpon a thing thou hast a coniecture
As in thy conceit holding in suspect
To discoure that a noon do thy cure
For at the first whan suche thing is reiect
That shold sewe after is easy to correct
A thing that at the firfr is noght set by
Ys often tymes sene to greue finally
Cum te detineat veneris dampnosa voluptas
Indulgere gule noli que ventris amica est
And whan thou art disposed inwardlye
To venus actes than oppresse thy corage
Suffre not thy flesshe than to lustlye
For grete diete maketh thy flesshe outrage
Where as mesure might causen it to aswage
And gloteny is cleped the chief prometrice
Leding the flesshe ay to wantonesse & vice
Cum tibi ꝓponas aīalia cuncta timere
Vnū precipue hoīem plus esse timendum
The rampant lyon and the tigre felle
The jrous bore the hoūde ful of enuie
And many moo bestis thā here nedith to tell
[Page]Men dreden ful sore & eke thaire tirannye
And wele they do but yet oon beest espye
That is a fore al other moost especial
Man is the beest that thou moost drede shal
Cum tibi preualide fuerint in corpe vires
Fac sapias aīo sic tu poteris vir fortis haberi
The vertue that is called fortitude
Stondeth al in the strengthe bodely
As to be eurous mighty stronge & rude
But in the soule It must be sikerly
Neuertheles yf thou wilt thy soule fortefye
And hym within a queinte with sapience
Treuly than shalt thou be stronge in existence
Auxilium a notis petito si forte laboras
Nec quisquā melior medicus quā fidus amicus
What thing in erth that yu shalt take on honde
And thy support shal be in frendlinesse
No strange wight on lyue so negh ye wol stonde
As thy knowen frend my child this is expresse
Of the stranger hast thou no sikernesse
For whan al other ben for to seche
The feithful knowen frend can best be thy leche
Cum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te
[Page]Stulticia est in mortē alterius sperare salutem
The deth of bestes that ben vnresonable
As by custume and right of sacrifise
To pourge the js no seth greable
Truste not also to gete thy repryse
For they that trusten so ben ful vnwyse
By deth of bestes god wol not quemed be
And a man a bide stille in his iniquyte
Cum tibi vel sociū vel fidum queris amicum
Non tibi fortuna est hoīs sꝪ vita petenda
Whan thou wold chese a frend for trustinesse
Of his fortune make noon inquirance
For fortune is moder of changeablenesse
But aske of his dedes & his gouernance
For that is proued of gretter suffisance
Than vre of fortune that is casuelle
For lyf of man his fortune doth excesse
Vtere quesitis opibus fuge nomen auari
Quid tibi diuicie ꝓsunt si pauꝑ habundas
Vse wele the richesse that thou hast of quest
Of auarice the wikked fame eschewe
Lete not thy good lye ay stopped in thy chest
Kepe not thy tresour & stuf ay closed in mewe
[Page]Suche old tresour wol make thy shame newe
What proffiteth plente & gret tresure
And in pouerte a wreche al wey to endure
Si famam seruare cupis dū viuis honestam
[...]ac fugias aīo que sunt mala gaudia vite
My sone yf thou desire to reioyse thy fame
In honeste while thou lyuest here
Eschewe thing that may causen thy shame
And lichorous lustes must be leyde on lere
And eke thingis fele that ful Ioious appere
Thy worldes Ioye is ofte ful defectif
Be war of Ioye that lettith thy good lyf
Cum sapias aīo noli irridere senectam
Nam quocū (que) sene puerilis sensus in illo est
And ay my child assay & aduertise
That thou neuer skorne the gret stouping age
Thy elder my sone for no thing thou dispise
Thaugh al in thaire wittes they be not so sage
As in thaire youth sith age is outrage
Whan age cometh this is soth certain
A man begynneth than to be a child a gain
Disce aliquid nam cū subito fortuna recedit
Ars remanet vitam (que) hoīs nō deserit vnquam
[Page]Enforce thy wittes sumwhat for to lere
Aqueinte the with cūnyng for it is sure
Yf fortune change & pouerte appere
Who that is cūnyng is likly to recure
Cūnyng & craft remayne euer & endure
And by theim a man may sone releue
Whan fortune hath cast him to mischeve
Prospicito cuncta tacitus quod quis (que) loquatur
Sermo hoīm mores celat et iudicat idem
Be stille in scilence with good aduis [...]dnesse
Tarye my child til other haue saide
So shalt yu lerne sumwhat of stedfastnesse
Lete neuer thy tonge sodeinly be vnteide
For that might the of hastinesse abreide
By man is word his maner wol be shewde
By word eke is knowen ye wise from ye lewde
Excerce studiū quāuis ꝑceperis artem
Vt cura ingeniū sic et mamis adiuuat vsum
Thaugh of cūnyng thou haue ful gret
Enforce the ay my child yet to lerne more
The soule it is that must be thy receit
Replenisshe here with vertues tresour & store
Vse maketh maistrie vse yu ay cūning therfore
[Page]Vse helpeth art and cure helpith wit
Than vse and cure to gedre must be knit
Multum venturi ne cures tempora fati
Non metuit mortem qui scit contēpnere vitam
The body from the soule shal haue disseuerance
Deth is the ende cōmune of euery wight
Charge not therfore of deth is chance
The tribut of deth must thou pay of right
But yet of deth shalt thou set but light
Yf by this lyf thou set right noght expresse
The whiche is ay ful of wo & wrechednesse
Disce sed a doctis indoctos ip̄e doceto
Propaganda est etem̄ re (rum) doctrina bona (rum)
Lerne ay of the wise & teche the vncūnyng
For it is vertue & at al tyme cōmendable
To encrese doctrine thurgh suche cōmenyng
It is eke alwey a dede of god charitable
Bothe to lerne & to teche It is ful greable
Doctrine helpith vertue euermore on lyue
Whiche ne were doct̄ne sone from vs wolde slyue
Hoc bibe qd possis si tu vis viuere sanus
Morbi causa mali nam (que) est quecum (que) voluptas
Drinke not to moche more than thou may lere
[Page]Reule wele ay thy self with y• bridel of mesure
To moche drinke wol thy body noy & dere
For surfet is euermore of helth vnsure
And mesure maketh men in helth tendure
What man is reuled after lustes vile
In good estat he may abide no while
Laudaris quodcū (que) palam quodcū (que) probaris
Hoc vide ne rursus leuitatis crimine dampnes
And yf it hap the my child in audience
A thing to praise bewar that thou not blame
Efte a gein right the same in presence
Yf thou dispreise cōmende not eke the same
Of suche trauers must nedis ryse shame
To preise now and este to blame expres
It is a signe of gret vnstedfastnes
Tranquillis rebus que sūt aduersa caueto
Rursus in aduersis melius sperare memento
Whan yu lyuest here right at thin owne ease
In al thy hertis ioye rest and prosperite
Thenke yet parcas that ꝓsperite may sese
For wordly welth standeth neuer in sikerte
And as sone whan pouerte or aduersite
Assauteth y• yet falle thou neuer in dispaire
[Page]Thenke ay in thy self good fortune may repaire
Discere nō cesses cura sapiencia crescit
Rara datur longo prudencia temporis vsu
It is ful faire m [...] [...]hild to be prudent
And wise loke that thou lerne fast therfore
To lerne ay my sone do thyn entent
For by cure & besinesse wisdam is the more
Wisdam is she that may not be forbore
The rare prudence that folkes nyce refuse
Can neuer be had but by processe & vse
Paror laudato nam quē tu sepe probaris
Vna dies qualis fuerit monstrabit amicus
Beware also that thou neuer enhance
In thy laude or preising a wight to hye
For thou maist haue cause efte to disanance
Thy fame but ay thy preising modefye
For on a day thou shalt ful wele espye
Whether he be frend that frendly semyth
For al be no frendes that men demyth
Ne pudeat que nescieris te velle doceri
Scire aliquid laus est culpa est nil discere velle
Be not a shamed also my child to lere
That thou canst not for it is but a tecche
[Page]Of foly noght to desire doctrine to here
For wele is him that to cūnyng may strecche
For cūnyngles a man is but a wreche
Therfore to cūne moche it is right comēdable
And eke noght to cūne it is moost rep̄uable
Cum venere et bacho lis est et iuncta voluptas
Quod iustū est aīo complectere sꝪ fuge lites
Vemis is ay redy to al hire actes vile
Whan that bachus hath hire in largesse
Thurgh the tresour of hire h [...]te & feruent sire
Therfore my child thin apetit thou represse
In wynes hete do thou neuer to gret excesse
Drinke nomore than for the soule is expediēt
Eschewe strif & ay with mesure be content
Dimissos aīo tacitos vitare memento
Quo flumen est placidū forsan latet alcior vnda
The solein stille mā ofte meneth fraude & gile
Of suche a man eschewe ay the companye
For the stille man compasseth other while
Within his deceit falshede & trecherie
In flodes stille is water depe and hye
For often tymes betide vnhappy chance
In stremes softe semyng to thy pleasance
Cum tua fortuna re (rum) tibi displicet vni
Alterius specta quo sis discrimine peior
With thy fortune whan thou art discontent
And canst not take in gre thin auenture
Beholde aboute and fele in thin aduisement
Howe they y• whilom were of goodes more sure
Than thou & more likly in welth tendure
Bothe for boūte fauour & eke noblesse
and yet sodenly they haue fall into wrechednesse
Quod potes id tempta nam litus carꝑe remis
Tucius est multo quā velum tendere in altum
Attempte the thing so as thou maist suffise
Passe neuer thi might bere neuer to hye a saylle
For there is perel yf that the streme a ryse
Certein my child this is withoute faile
The vessel smal is at ful gret availe
Whan that with core to londe he may a reche
Whan the sayles hye ful ofte gon to wreche
Contra hoīem iustum praue contendere noli
Semper em̄ deus iniustas vlciscitur iras
a gein the trew iust man braule yu neuer ne striue
For vnto god a boue that is gret displeasance
Truste this trewly there is noman here on lyue
[Page]That to the iust man doth dere or greuance
But at the last god wol take vengance
Therfore hereof it is reason jche man to take
For ye right wiseman of god is neuer forsake
Ereptis opibus noli merere dolendo
Sed gaude pocius si te contingat habere
Yf extorcion or of any misauenture
Haue plukked at the & made the thredbare
Of richesse yet do thou ay thy force & cure
To be mery & eschewe thought and care
For flitering thought is a foule snare
Come not therein fortune is vnstable
After pouerte richesse [...]s preignable
Est iactura grauis que sūt amittere dampnis
Sūt quedam que ferre decet pacienter amicū
It is harme thy goodes to for go
That ben in hand with force & violence
But yet my child thou must considere who
And what he is that doth suche offence
Betwene frend & foo haue ay a difference
For in sūme cas thou aught a frend forbere
And eke suffre him though he noye & dere
Tempora longa tibi noli promittere vite
[Page]Quocū (que) ingrederis sequitur mors corꝑis vmbrā
Be not sure that thou shalt lyue here longe
A wight shal dye al be it that he be loth or lef
And as the old so doth the yong eke amonge
Deth stelith ay on as doth a pryue thef
For a gein deth men may finde no relef
She is aboute ay to make a final diuorse
And foleweth eche day the schadowe of thy corse
Thure deū placa vitulum siue crescat aratro
Net credas placare deū dum cede litatur
Worshipe god with all thy puissance
With hert entier & swete smelling ensence
Suche sacrifice is good to his pleasance
Of the calues smale that neuer did offence
Thaugh thou hem sle the blode may not dispence
With ye lete hem growe & swynke in the plough
Thy trew hert ay to god is suffisāce is ynogh
Cede locum lesus fortune cede potenti
Ledere qui potuit aliquādo ꝓdesse valebit
Yeue place to hym that excedith thy might
Thaugh thou be hurt It may ꝓffite par chance
And selde availeth any man to fight
Agein suche oon that passith his puissance
[Page]Thaugh al it greue now efte it may avance
For ofte is sene that after gret duresse
The mighty man is ful of gentillesse
Cum quid peccaris castiga teipse subinde
Vulnera dū sanas dolor est medicina doloris
After thy surfet and thy gret offence
Chastise thy self correcte that is a mys
Redresse ye to good reule amēde thy negligēce
And sorowe for synne a verrey medicine is
Repente the sore than art thou sauf I wys
For phis [...]k seith my sone I the ensure
A bitter drink the sharp seknesse may cure
Dampnaris nūquā post longū tempus amicū
Mutauit mores sꝪ pūgnera prima memento
Yf yu haue founde good frendship in a wight
Longe a goo & yet thaugh he begyn to chāge
Dispeire him not men abide not ī oon plight
For sūtime was lordship ther now is grāge
The worldes cours is wondre queint & strāge
But thaugh as now the man is wex vnkinde
Yet is old frendship remembrd ay in mynde
Gracior officijs quo s [...]s mage carior esto
Ne nomen subeas quod dicitur officiperdi
[Page]Thaugh it vre the in office to be set
Than be thou gentil & gracious to other men
That they may reporte a godly is met
With office and so good name shal ren
Aboute of the but assure the lest when
The officer is vnbounde than seith the prees
Now wold to god ye this man were officeles
Suspectus caueas ne sis miser omnibus horis
Nam timidis et suspectis aptissima mors est
Be not suspect that is a wikked teche
The suspect man with coward ferfulnesse
In his liuing is but a verrey wreche
Mys is a mys but al he wold redresse
He demeth fals and faileth hertlinesse
By fals conceit set in malencolye
Sleth hym a noon thus deth endith his folye
Cum seruos fueris ꝓprios mercatus in vsus
Et famulos dicas hoīes tamen esse memento
Yf thou haue men withoute fredom & liberte
Suche as ben cleped men of bondage
Notwithstanding they be vnder thy captiuite
Yet honoure suche & ouer hem be not to outrage
Yf they beholden vnder thy wordly seruage
[Page]For al they ben bounde yet verrey men they be
that god hath made theim mē yet ay remēbre ye
Quā primū rapienda tibi est occasio prima
Ne rursus queras que iam neglexeris ante
Thy first fortune receiue with redinesse
Refuse it not thaugh it be skant & smal
It is wel better in gre to take the lesse
Than to refuse it and after faile of al
Yeftis of fortune take hem ay as they fal
Refuse hem nowe & efte thou shalt haue nede
Therfore it is to take whan me ꝓfre & bede
Morte repentina noli gaudere malo (rum)
Felices obiunt quo (rum) sine crimine vita
Reioyse the neuer my child in al thy lyf
The sodein deth of a cursed man & wreche
Whan he is ded the soule may not relef
From peine to joy the soule may not reche
The fendes holde ay sore that they may keche
Therfore who y• liuyth iustly ful wel doth he
For his soule is ay ful of felicite
Cum cōiunx tibi sit nec res et fama laborat
Vitandū ducas inimicum nomen amici
Yf thou haue a wyf in assurance
[Page]Truste hire wele & loue hir inwardlye
With hert with thought with al thy affiance
And be thou neuer infect with suspect Ielosye
Yf no fault be in hire or that thou can espye
Yet yf thy frend tel the suche is the fame
He is a frend and she no thing to blame
Cum tibi contigerit studio cognoscere multa
Hac discas multa vita nescire doceri
Whan thurgh studie & gret excersice
Thou knowest moche & hast gret cūnyng
Yet ay do thy diligence in the moost besy wyse
To purchase more for it is a holsome thyng
For to gret honnour cūnyng may the being
And eschewe thou neuer daily to be taught
for withoute teching cūnyng may not be caught
Miraris verbis midis me scribere versus
Hec breuitas sensus fecit cōiungere binos
Yf thou aught meruayle or lust to muse
In naked wordes why my versis thus I write
In no wyse trewly I may me better excuse
Than sey my wit so dul is and vnparfite
Whiche arteth me thus rudely for to endite
By two and two my metre for to knyt
[Page]No thing causeth me but simplenesse of wit
Nowe I haue gadered floures to your lyst
Tasteth theim for they be preseruatyf
Holdeth theim fast & bere hem in your fyst
For the pestilence eire whiche is infectif
I conseile you and I jeparde my lyf
That ye shul lede your lyf in sekernesse
And eke ateine to moche worthinesse
This mene I to you vnder protection
Of your gode grace what tyme ye rede
Or ell haue in this mater inspection
As it biddeth that ye wol do in dede
Than dar I afferme withoute drede
Ye shul acheue and be ful vertuous
Here haue I fonde that shal you guyde & lede
Streight to gode fame & leue you in hir hous
Explicit Catho